The Bandit Princess Read online

“There’s their horses, in front of the general store.”

  “They got the third horse as a pack animal, right?” she said.

  “That’s right,” Clint said, “so they’re buying supplies to take back to their camp.”

  “Which may or may not be Pearl Starr’s camp.”

  “Right again.”

  “So what if we follow them and it’s not?” she asked. “Then we’ve wasted all this time.”

  “Maybe,” he said, “but do you have another idea?”

  “We could keep looking for Pearl Starr.”

  “Just riding around, looking?”

  “Isn’t that what we’ve been doing?” she asked.

  “Yes, but we’ve come across these two men who I’m sure are part of a gang. They’re obviously not smart enough to be doing anything on their own. I could tell that from my encounter in the livery.”

  She stared across the street at the horses, then said, “So where are they, then? In the general store?”

  “Maybe,” Clint said. “That’s for you to find out.”

  “Me?”

  “You’ve been wanting something to do, right?” he asked. “Well, they know me, and they’ve never seen you. So take off your badge and gun, leave them with me, and go do some shopping.”

  “Why do I always have to take off my badge?” she muttered, but she took it off and unstrapped the gun. As she handed it to him, she asked, “Why the gun?”

  “It’ll make them curious, a woman wearing a gun.”

  “And what if they’re not in there?”

  “Talk to the clerk,” Clint said. “See what you can find out. Maybe they went off to a saloon, or another whorehouse. But they left their horses there, and not in the livery. Chance are they’re going to leave today.”

  “Okay,” she said, “okay . . .”

  He could see she was nervous.

  “This is the easy part, Alice,” he said. “It’s just a bunch of talk. Say you admired one of their horses, or saddles. Store clerks like to talk. He’ll probably tell you everything you want to know.”

  “What if he’s not talkative?”

  “Flirt with him then.”

  “Flirt? I don’t know how.”

  “Come on, you’re an attractive woman. You must have flirted with a man sometime.”

  “Flirt?” she asked. “With all this dirt on me?”

  “Maybe he likes dirty women,” Clint said. “Just go.”

  “And what if they’re in there?”

  “Then look around a bit, and come back out. Don’t talk to them, don’t look at them. Don’t do anything to make them think you’re interested in them.”

  She took a deep breath.

  “I’ll wait right here, and come running at the first sign of trouble.”

  “You better,” she said, and started across the street.

  TWENTY-FOUR

  Alice Eads crossed the street, slowed briefly as she passed the three horses, and then entered the general store. She found the store empty, except for the clerk behind the counter.

  “Afternoon, miss,” he greeted her. “Help ya find somethin’?”

  Good, she thought, he’s talkative. She didn’t know about flirting with him, though. He was tall and gangly and kind of ugly. If a woman did flirt with him, he’d probably become suspicious.

  “Just got to town,” she said, “thought I’d look around. Saw those three horses out front. I just thought—”

  She didn’t even have to give the man a story. He just started talking.

  “Belong to a couple of fellers who bought some supplies. They went over to the saloon for a drink before they pack their stuff.”

  “Really? I hope they paid you already.”

  “Oh yeah, I’ve dealt with them before,” he said.

  “Good, good,” she said. “Can’t be too careful these days, can you?”

  “I guess not,” he said. “I don’t really pry into people’s affairs, as long as they pay me.”

  She looked around for a few moments, then thought she should buy something, so she grabbed some hard candy and paid the man.

  “Thank you,” she said. “It’s been a while since I had some good candy.”

  “Hope ya like it,” he said. “Kids around here love it.”

  “I’m sure I will,” she said. “Thank you.”

  She left the store.

  Clint watched as Alice entered the store, then kept a sharp eye out in case Tate and Del came back. He started to get anxious when she was in there for a while, but she finally came out and crossed back to him.

  “What took you so long?”

  “I didn’t want to just leave when I found out what I wanted.”

  “What did you find out?”

  “He said the two men who own the horses bought some supplies, but went to the saloon for a drink before they pack it all up.”

  “Okay, good. Let’s find a good doorway to conceal ourselves in, and we’ll just wait.”

  “Okay,” she said, then held her hand out to him and asked, “Candy?”

  In the saloon Tate was talking Del out of going to another whorehouse.

  “We been gone long enough, Del,” he said.

  “All we gotta do is tell Pearl we run into the Gunsmith here in Whitfield.”

  “Naw, naw, we can’t mention Adams!”

  “Why not?”

  “Because word’s gonna get around that he was in Briartown, and not here,” Tate said. “Then she’ll know we stopped off there. And she told all of us nobody goes to Briartown. Remember?”

  “Yeah, yeah, I remember,” Del said sourly. “Okay, then let’s go get our supplies and get the hell back to camp. I sure hope Pearl comes up with another job pretty soon.”

  “If she’d listen to Hunter, we’d have lots of jobs,” Tate said as they headed for the door.

  “She’s just a kid, ya know?” Del said. “Hunter should take over the gang.”

  “She may be a kid,” Tate said, “but she’s Belle Starr’s kid.”

  Outside Del said, “Belle Starr ain’t around, Tate. Why are we worried about Belle Starr?”

  “Because this is her neck of the woods, that’s why,” Tate said. “If Hunter took over the gang, we could get out of this area, maybe go to Texas, or Colorado, and make some money.”

  They stepped down into the street and crossed over to the general store. When they got there, they stopped by their horses.

  “Hey, Tate, why don’t we just leave?” Del asked. “Just keep goin’ and start makin’ some money for ourselves.”

  “Two reasons, Del,” Tate said. “One, Pearl and Hunter wouldn’t take kindly to that. They’d probably come lookin’ for us.”

  “And what’s the second reason?”

  “That’s simple,” Tate said. “We ain’t smart enough to make it on our own. Now let’s get them supplies.”

  TWENTY-FIVE

  “Those idiots should have been back last night,” Pearl said to Hunter.

  “What’d you expect?” Hunter asked. He was sitting at the table in the house, eating a plate of bacon and beans he’d prepared himself. Pearl didn’t cook. There was another plate across from him that was meant for Pearl. And if she didn’t sit down soon and eat it, he was going to grab it for himself. “You send those two out by themselves, they’re either gonna get in trouble, or spend their time in a whorehouse.”

  “I swear,” she said, “if they got in trouble, they can get themselves out.”

  “What about that bank job next week?” Hunter asked. “We need five men for it.”

  “I’ll find two more,” she sad.

  “Look, Pearl,” Hunter said, “Del and Tate ain’t the pick of the litter, but they do their jobs.”

  “You know,” Pearl said, “just once I’d like to have some men who have brains.”

  “If they have brains,” Hunter said, “they usually have their own gang.”

  She stopped pacing and Hunter looked at her. She was the prettiest thing he’d ev
er seen, with long brown hair, and fair skin she somehow kept out of the sun. And she had the sweetest lips he’d ever encountered.

  “Pearl,” he said, “come in, sit down, and have somethin’ to eat. If you want, I’ll go lookin’ for them, or send Randy.”

  “If you send Randy, he’ll just get lost, too.”

  She sighed, then sat down across from him and started to eat.

  “Hunter?”

  “Yeah?”

  “Where do you think my mother is?”

  “She’s probably off someplace with Blue Dick or somebody,” Hunter said. “You know she ain’t been right since Sam was killed.”

  “If she don’t come back soon, she’s gonna lose her land,” Pearl said.

  “I don’t think she’ll let that happen, Pearl,” Hunter said. “Land in the Indian Territories is too damn hard to come by. She’ll be back.”

  “And I’m gonna be here waitin’,” she said.

  “I’ll be here, too, Pearl.”

  They sat and ate in silence for a while before she spoke again.

  “If those two don’t get back by tonight, maybe we better send Dave to find them.”

  “That’s a good idea,” Hunter said.

  Dave Slaughter had a few things going for him, as far as Hunter was concerned. He was the oldest member of the gang, he had some smarts, and he wasn’t in love with Pearl Starr the way Randy was.

  “Dave’ll drag them two back here by their ears,” Hunter said.

  “If we can replace Del and Tate, we might have a good gang, Hunter.”

  “These boys do whatever you tell ’em to do, Pearl,” Hunter said. “That makes them a good gang. Don’t worry about those two. When they get back, I’ll straighten ’em out.”

  “I know you will, Hunter,” she said. “What’d you do to these beans? They’re good.”

  “Lots of pepper,” he said.

  She took another bite, then shook her head and said, “They’re good.”

  “Finish ’em up and I got somethin’ else pretty good for you,” he said.

  After they’d finished eating, Hunter took Pearl into the bedroom. He undressed her slowly, first taking off her boots, then peeling off her shirt to reveal her naked breasts. They were small, with large, brown nipples. He sat on the bed in front of her, nibbled on her breast while he undid her belt. He pulled her pants and underwear down and she kicked them away. Fully naked, she began to undress him, removing his shirt to reveal his powerful chest, then pulling off his boots and his trousers.

  His penis was already fully hard, jutting up from his lap. Pearl couldn’t wait. She reached between her own legs to rub herself until she was wet, then straddled him and slid down on his rigid pole.

  “Hellfire, gal!” Hunter hissed. “That’s so good.”

  She was steaming hot on the inside and it closed over him like wet heat. He slid his hands beneath her to cup her buttocks and then started sliding her up and down on him.

  “Oooh, God,” she cooed, “damn, Hunter . . .”

  She put her hands on his shoulders to balance herself as he continued to slide her up and down on his rock-hard dick . . . up and down . . .

  Outside Randy Green walked over to where Dave Slaughter was working on his saddle.

  “Whataya think, Dave?” he asked.

  “About what?”

  “Del and Tate.”

  “Coupla idiots.”

  “What about me?”

  Dave didn’t look up, or answer.

  “Aw, come on, Dave, I’m tryin’ to learn, ain’t I?” Randy asked.

  Dave looked up at him.

  “Yer always moonin’ over Pearl, Randy,” Dave said. “You gotta stop that.”

  “But . . . I been with her, Dave. I know what it’s like.”

  “Forget about it, kid,” Dave said. “She’s with Hunter now.”

  “What about you, Dave?”

  “What about me?”

  “What do you think of Pearl?”

  “She’s a kid.”

  “Why do you stay with this gang, Dave?”

  “Because Belle’s comin’ back,” Dave said, “and I’m gonna be here when she does.”

  “You in love with Belle, Dave?” Randy asked. “You in love with Pearl’s ma?”

  “Don’t be an ass, Green,” Dave said. “Get away from me.”

  Randy walked away from Dave, wondered if he should go over to the house, then decided against it. Hunter and Pearl were probably eating, and if they weren’t, he didn’t want to know what they were doing.

  TWENTY-SIX

  Del and Tate tied their supplies onto the packhorse, mounted up, and rode out of Whitfield. Tate was leading the horse.

  Clint and Alice stepped from their doorway and trailed along behind on foot until they reached the point where they had secreted their horses.

  “They’re not going to be able to go very fast,” Clint said as they mounted up.

  “What abut the ferry?”

  “Same as last time,” Clint said. “They go first, and then us.”

  “And what about that man, Abner?” she asked.

  “What about him?”

  “What if he tells them we’re following him?”

  “Well,” Clint said, “when we’re on the ferry, I’ll ask him if he told them.”

  “And he’ll tell you the truth?”

  “Oh yeah,” Clint said. “He’ll tell me the truth.”

  They reached the ferry in time to see it going across the Canadian River with Del, Tate, and their three horses on board.

  They waited until the men had left the ferry and ridden on before riding down to the dock to await the boat’s return.

  When Abner Brassfield reached the dock and saw Clint and Alice there, he didn’t look happy.

  “Good to see you, Abner,” Clint said as they walked their horses on.

  “Sir.”

  He closed the door, pushed off, and got the ferry going.

  “Abner, the deputy here is worried that you might have said something to those two men about us looking for them.”

  Abner ducked his head and didn’t answer.

  “Did you, Abner?” Clint pushed.

  Grudgingly, Abner said, “No, I didn’t.”

  “Of course you know, if I find out you did—”

  “I didn’t, damn it!” Abner swore. “I tol’ you.”

  “I believe you, Abner,” Clint said, “but the deputy is the one wearing the badge. You have to convince her.”

  Abner looked at Alice, then at Clint.

  “I ain’t afeared of her,” he said.

  “What about me?” Clint asked. “Are you afraid of me?”

  “Yeah,” Abner said, “yeah, I’m afraid of you.”

  Clint looked at Alice.

  “Are you afraid of Pearl Starr and her men?” she asked him.

  “No, I ain’t afeared of them.”

  “Why not?” she asked.

  “Pearl’s just a kid,” Abner said, “and her men are . . . idiots.”

  “All of them?”

  “All but one.”

  “Which one is that?” Clint asked.

  Abner didn’t answer.

  “Hunter?”

  Abner looked at him.

  “You know already?”

  “I know a lot, Abner,” Clint said. “Remember that. So Hunter’s the only one you’re afraid of?”

  “I used ta be.”

  “Why’s that?”

  “He used ta be wild.”

  “And now he’s not?”

  Abner shook his head.

  “Why?”

  “Pearl’s tamed ’im,” Abner said. “He’s in love with her.”

  “So she controls him?”

  “She controls the others,” he said. “Hunter Holcomb, she’s got hold of him, but I wouldn’t say she controls him.”

  “Now Abner, this is an important question,” Clint said. “Do you know where Pearl and her men are?”

  “Out there, somewhere,
” Abner said, waving ahead of them. “Out on Belle’s land.”

  “And what about Belle?” Alice asked. “Where is she?”

  “I don’t know,” Abner said. “Nobody knows. Ain’t seen her since Sam got killed.”

  They rode the rest of the way in silence, and then Abner let them off the ferry.

  “Don’t know if I’ll ever see you again, Abner,” Clint said. “Guess that depends on what happens from now on.”

  “I don’t think we’ll be seein’ each other, sir,” Abner said. But he didn’t say why he thought that.

  “Ma’am,” he said to Alice.

  “Good-bye, Abner.”

  They mounted their horses and rode off as soon as Clint located the trail being left by Del and Tate. Since they had a packhorse, their trail would be much easier to follow.

  A trail they hoped would lead right to Pearl Starr.

  TWENTY-SEVEN

  In the end, Dave Slaughter went out to find Del and Tate and took Randy with him. It was Dave’s idea. If something happened, he wanted to be able to send Randy back to camp with word.

  They rode toward the ferry, and when they spotted Del and Tate leading a packhorse, Randy’s first instinct was to yell and wave—but Dave stopped him.

  “What’s wrong?” he asked the older man.

  “I don’t want them to know we’re here yet,” Dave Slaughter said.

  “Why not?”

  “I want to check and see if they got anybody on their trail.”

  “Why would they?”

  “They’re this late either ’cause they got in trouble, or they were doin’ somethin’ they shouldn’ta been doin’. If they had trouble, somebody could be trackin’ them.”

  “So what do we do? Wait here?”

  “No. We’re gonna circle around, take a look behind them,” Dave said, looking at Randy. “You do what I say when I say, got it?”

  “Sure, Dave.”

  “Come on.”

  Once again Clint and Deputy Eads tracked the two men, they did not follow them. For this reason it did not become immediately evident to Dave Slaughter that they were there. Dave and Randy circled around behind Tate and Del, but did not go beyond their line of sight.