Savage Arrow (25 page)

But Jessie could see over Jade’s shoulder that the warriors were forcing more words from the outlaw before he died. When he said the name Reginald Vineyard, Jessie felt another urge to vomit, but swallowed it back. She hurried to stand over the man so she could hear what else he had to say.

“Reginald is going to pay Bulldog Jones many silver coins . . . to do this . . . for him,” the man whispered.

Jessie flinched when Two Stones, who still held the man’s hair in his fingers, yanked hard on it. He broke
the arrow in half, leaving only a portion of it in the man’s chest. Then, Two Stones placed his knee on the man’s wound.

“Tell us where Bulldog Jones’s hideout is,” Two Stones demanded, pressing his knee down slightly. “Tell me now, or I will slowly draw my knife across your throat. Your pain will be intense and your death will come more slowly than you will want it to.”

“Please . . . please move your knee,” the man gasped out. “Then . . . then . . . I will tell you.”

Two Stones moved his knee and let go of the man’s hair. He leaned into the outlaw’s face as the man gasped out directions to the hideout, then died.

Jessie was mortified at the extent to which Reginald would go to get vengeance on these people. How could he be so evil? Because of him, many innocent and lovely people had died today.

Her hatred for this man boiled like a hot fire in her belly. She most certainly wanted a role in his comeuppance, and she would have it!

She stood back and watched as the warriors divided up—half to stay and protect those who remained of their people as well as Lee-Lee and Jade, the other half to go and tell Thunder Horse what had happened.

Jessie would not take no for an answer when she mounted a horse and said she was going with them. As she rode out of the village with the warriors, she silently prayed that her decision to accompany them wouldn’t make her lose her child.

If so, Reginald would also be responsible for that tragedy!

The air was sweet and still again, the lightning in the distance gone, as Jessie and the warriors rode up to the cave. The countryside was so peaceful, so beautiful, it was hard to believe that back at the village there was a horrifying scene of bloodshed and violent death.

How could Reginald have ordered this? Jessie wondered.

Had he thought he could get away with it? Surely he did, or he would not have asked the outlaws to do his dirty work for him.

Everyone drew rein before the cave.

Jessie’s pulse raced as she dismounted with the warriors, then stood beside her steed as one warrior went inside the cave for Thunder Horse. She closed her eyes and gritted her teeth, guessing that even now he was being told what had happened to his people.

And she was right, for the air was suddenly filled
with a cry of terrible remorse and sorrow. And then there was silence.

Jessie wanted so badly to go to Thunder Horse, to be with him at this time of unbearable sorrow, but something told her that her place was to stay put, rather than to interfere.

Tears fell on her cheeks when Thunder Horse emerged from the cave beside the warrior, the rims of his eyes swollen and red from crying as he had sat beside his father’s lifeless body, and again after hearing the news of his fallen people.

For a moment, Jessie’s eyes met his.

She didn’t know what to do. She wanted to go to him! She wanted to hold him, like a child who has lost someone dear.

But she knew that this wasn’t the time for them to hold one another. That would come later.

When he gave her a slow, gentle, reassuring smile, one that told her he didn’t hold any of this against her, even though her own blood kin had wreaked havoc again upon him and his people, she felt relieved.

She silently mouthed, “I’m sorry,” to Thunder Horse.

He nodded to her to let her know that he understood. And then he stepped out into the midst of his warriors.

His hands were doubled into tight fists at his sides as he spoke in a voice that was unfamiliar to Jessie. It was a voice rough with anger and hate, as well as hurt and sorrow.

“My warriors, it is time to do more than cause Reginald
Vineyard nightmares,” Thunder Horse said thickly. “And then we have outlaws to find, those who massacred our people today.”

“I know where the outlaws make their hideout,” Two Stones spoke up, drawing Thunder Horse’s eyes quickly to him. “I forced it out of the man who was left behind before he took his last breath.”

“That is good,” Thunder Horse said, nodding. He glanced toward the cave, then back at his warriors. “Two of you stay and protect my father. I have placed his body far back at a private place in the cave. We will come back later to roll the boulder in place.”

Jessie’s eyebrows rose in wonder. Why didn’t he close up the cave entrance now instead of later? It would seem that it would be best to finalize the burial in that way, rather than risk someone else coming and possibly doing more harm.

But she said nothing, for she knew that Thunder Horse thought through the decisions he made very carefully. Surely he had thought of the possible consequences of not sealing up the cave before leaving.

Thunder Horse nodded to several of his warriors. “You . . . you . . . you . . .” he said. “Come with me.”

Jessie’s pulse raced as she waited for him to tell her what she should do. When he did look her way, she stepped up to him.

“May I go with you?” she asked. “Thunder Horse, please let me.”

“That is not wise,” he said firmly. He took both of her hands in his. “My woman, what I have planned must be done by me and my warriors. It is not best that
you join us. You have already done more than you should. It is not good for your unborn child. Please stay. I will be back soon to roll the boulder across the opening of the cave.”

She questioned him with her eyes, again wondering why he was delaying closing up the cave. But she knew that it was not her place to question his decisions about anything. And she was deeply touched by his concern about her baby.

“You understand why I do not wish you to come, do you not?” Thunder Horse asked, searching her eyes. “You must reserve your strength for the long journey ahead. Stay here with my warriors, and I will return soon.”

She was still curious to know what his plans were, but again sensed it was not her place to ask him. She knew it was important to do as he asked since he had made the request in front of his warriors.

“Yes, I see why I shouldn’t go with you,” Jessie said. She flung herself into his arms and clung to him. “Thunder Horse, please be careful.”

“I will be gone for only a short while,” he said, holding her close. “But then I will have to leave again.”

“Where are you going now?” she asked, her eyes now looking into his.

“To your cousin’s house,” he said.

She could hardly control the shiver that raced up and down her spine, for she knew that Reginald was soon to reap what he had sown. This time he would not suffer mere nightmares.

“And . . . then . . . ?” she murmured, swallowing hard. “Are . . . you . . . going to find the outlaws’ hideout?”

He nodded. “I cannot leave anything to chance,” he said thickly. “All who had a role in today’s attack must die.”

Again shivers raced up and down Jessie’s spine.

She gave him a last hug, then stepped away from him.

A warrior brought Thunder Horse’s horse to him. Another handed him the quiver of arrows they had brought from his lodge, and his huge, powerful bow.

Jessie looked at the deadly arrows and knew that today they would be savage arrows, used to avenge those who had died.

She didn’t want to envision her cousin dying in such a way. Yet she knew he deserved whatever happened to him today.

As Thunder Horse and his warriors rode away at a hard gallop, Jessie replayed scenes of her past inside her mind . . . moments when she had enjoyed Reginald’s company and loved him as a cousin.

It was hard to remember that time, though. More recent ugliness kept getting in the way.

She sat down on the ground, but the warriors who had been left behind to guard the cave stood stoic and silent, their eyes ever watchful as they scanned the land around them.

At loose ends in his empty house, Reginald had come out to check his horses, taking the time to brush his favorite
steed. He stepped out of the stable, then stopped stock still.

The blood drained from his face when he found Thunder Horse standing there, blocking his way, an arrow notched on his bowstring.

“You! . . .” Reginald gasped, taking a step back from Thunder Horse.

Then several warriors came up from behind the stable on their steeds, their bowstrings also notched with arrows.

“What do you want with me?” Reginald cried, beginning to wheeze almost uncontrollably. “Get out of here, you . . . you savages. You are on private property.”

“Property paid for by the silver that came from my people’s sacred cave. I believe that makes it our land, not yours,” Thunder Horse said, holding his bow and arrow steady, the arrow aimed for Reginald’s belly. “Get a rope from your stable. Bring it out to me.”

“Why?” Reginald asked, pale as a ghost as he stared slowly around at the many arrows aimed at him.

He gazed into Thunder Horse’s eyes again. “What did I do?” he gulped out.

“You know the answer without my saying it,” Thunder Horse replied, then nodded at Reginald. “You get the rope. Now!”

“What are you going to do with it?” Reginald asked, again wheezing hard. “Are you . . . going . . . to hang me?”

“No, nothing like that,” Thunder Horse said, smiling slowly at Reginald. “I have something better in mind.”

“You . . . do?” Reginald gulped out. “Oh, Lord. What?”

“Get . . . the . . . rope,” Thunder Horse said, his patience growing thin. “Now,
wasichu
.”

“What did you call me?” Reginald said, taking slow steps backward into the stable.

“White man,” Thunder Horse said, again smiling slowly. He dismounted. “
Wasichu
, bring me the rope.”

Reginald began sobbing. “I don’t want to,” he cried. “Please don’t make me.”

Thunder Horse nodded toward one of his warriors. “Get the rope for me,” he said.

He looked back at Reginald as the warrior went inside the stable and came out with a rope.

“Tie it around this man’s neck,” Thunder Horse ordered.

“I thought you said you weren’t going to hang me,” Reginald cried, his eyes wide behind his thick-lensed glasses.

“I am not going to hang you,” Thunder Horse said flatly.

Thunder Horse waited for the rope to be secured around Reginald’s neck, then took it when the warrior brought it to him. Thunder Horse slung his bow over his right shoulder and placed his arrow back inside his quiver. Then he took the end of the rope and tied it to the back part of his saddle, leaving a good length of it stretched out between Reginald and the horse.

Reginald was clawing at the rope as Thunder Horse
mounted his steed. “It’s choking me,” he cried. “Please remove it.”

“Soon,” Thunder Horse said, slapping his reins against his steed and riding away from Reginald’s stable with his warriors following behind, leaving a space where Reginald was forced to walk.

“Where are you taking me and why?” Reginald screamed, still trying to pull the rope from around his neck, but not succeeding.

“You will soon see,” Thunder Horse said, moving slightly faster, so Reginald was forced to run behind him.

They rode onward and onward until the cave came into view where the two warriors still stood vigil. Jessie was standing and looking toward the sound of horses approaching.

“The cave!” Reginald cried. “Oh, Lord, please don’t take me to that cave!”

Thunder Horse only smiled slyly over his shoulder at Reginald, then rode onward until they finally stopped directly in front of the cave’s entrance.

Jessie’s eyes were wide when she saw Reginald tied behind the horse, with blood seeping from a raw wound on his neck where the tight rope had rubbed while Reginald was forced to run behind Thunder Horse’s steed.

When he saw her there, he gaped at her, then frowned. “You’ve turned into a savage squaw! How could you let savages do this to your very own blood kin?” he growled, crying out when Thunder Horse yanked hard on the rope to shut him up.

Thunder Horse dismounted, then went and stood beside
Reginald. “You have been brought here for one final act of vengeance, and then you will never see me again,” he said sternly.

“Thank the Lord,” Reginald said as Thunder Horse untied the rope and yanked it away from Reginald.

Reginald wiped his sore neck. Then Thunder Horse’s words sank in.

“What . . . final . . . act?” he gulped, his eyes pleading with Thunder Horse. “What are you going to do with me . . . and again . . . why? Why are you so angry?”

“One of the outlaws who attacked my people was killed,” Thunder Horse said thickly. “The others left the fallen white man behind. He had enough breath in him to tell us who came and killed today, and by whose orders.”

Thunder Horse leaned into Reginald’s face. “You are the one who sent the outlaws into my village,” he said tightly. “You even thought Jessie would be killed, too, didn’t you? You hate her so much that you would want her dead!”

Jessie paled. She hadn’t even thought about that . . . that Reginald had wanted her to die in the midst of the massacre!

“Oh, Reggie,” she cried, covering her mouth with a hand.

“I told you never to call me Reggie again!” he shouted. “And, yes, I wanted you to die! You went against your own blood kin by taking sides with Injuns. You’re no better than those savages, Jessie.” He grimaced as his eyes moved over her. “You are even dressed like one.”

He frowned at her again. “You make me want to vomit,” he said, visibly shuddering. “My own flesh and blood.”

Jessie didn’t say anything. She didn’t know what to say, for this man standing before her surely wasn’t blood kin to her. He was nothing but a villain!

She slowly shook her head, then stepped farther away when Thunder Horse grabbed Reginald by the throat and forced him to the cave entrance.