A Longer Fall (Gunnie Rose #2)(7)

“My guns,” I said.

“You’re still wearing ’em. That gal with the scab put the rest of your stuff over by Jake. He’s got my bag, too. He was scared someone would steal our things while we were out of it. That Harriet Ritter helped me get over to you, keep an eye out.”

“Think we could go over there?” It felt wrong, being away from the cargo and my Winchester. Would be nice to have my extra clothes, too, considering I was spotted in blood.

“We ought to,” Maddy said. “But I’m scared about walking on this leg. It stopped bleeding. Don’t want it to start again.”

She was white as a sheet and sweating. She looked bad. “They should have taken you to the wounded tent.”

“Couple of men said they’d come get me, but I guess they forgot. Lots of hurt people here.”

I rolled to my hands and knees and slowly pushed up to my feet. Didn’t feel too bad. I held out my good arm to help Maddy pull up.

Maddy was heavier than me, but between us we got her upright. “Don’t put weight on that leg,” I said. We hobbled and hopped over to the tree. I helped her to sit by Jake. It was a big tree, so she got a share of it to lean against.

“Might as well change from the Lucky Crew to the Cripple Crew,” he said by way of hello.

“I guess we’re lucky we ain’t all with Charlie over there on the slope,” Maddy told him.

“True enough.” Jake made a weak try at a smile. He looked like death warmed over.

“Is the crate okay?” I said.

“Have a look.” Jake eased away so I could see.

A few slats were broken. What was in the crate was an old chest. I was only able to make out a little, but the dark wood looked heavily carved and had some gold glinting on it.

We’d been guarding a box that held another box.

“It weighs the same,” Jake told us. “I was out for a bit, but it sat exactly where it had been when I came to.”

“Last I knew, I was on top of it,” I said.

“I was by the side of it. After you got clipped on the head, some farmworkers came in who’d seen the wreck. They were helping people out. Right away, the two men who’d been about to take the crate pretended they were there to help people too. They were going to lift you off first, so they could get a chance to grab it, but a doctor came in just then with that Ritter woman and Seeley, who had their guns out. The doctor got the farmhands to take other people out first. The gunnies lost their chance. By the time the farmhands carried you and Maddy out, I was myself enough to wrap my arm around it. The men who carried me out carried out the crate too. Then Ritter and Seeley got that Sarah Byrne to sit with me. But she said she had to walk to town after you came to, and that’s what she did. Ain’t seen the other two since then. So here we are.”

“Then we’re okay. We’ve done good.” Maddy gave a firm nod.

I wasn’t too sure about that. “We killed some people,” I pointed out. “You think we’ll get called out on that?”

That wasn’t necessarily something the law would get us for at home. We’d been doing our jobs. But the law in Dixie could be different.

“I don’t think any of the other people in our car are in any shape to call the sheriff on us,” Jake said. “Most of ’em are up there on the hill.”

“Where’s Rogelio?” Maddy glanced around.

“See that tent over there?” Jake said, pointing. It was all fixed up now. “That’s the wounded. You should be over there. They’re doing good for a little town, one not expecting this to happen. I wished they’d come get you, Maddy.”

“What about you, Jake?” I said. “You need some doctoring, seems to me.”

“After we get Maddy some help, we’ll figure out a way to get me and the crate to town together.”

They’d left the side flaps up on the tent. Lots of movement inside it. A big wagon was pulling up to it now, and I figured they were going to load up the ones who needed to go to the hospital. I could just hear a distant siren. There must be an ambulance, and it had already gone. Maybe it had made several trips. Didn’t know how long a time I’d lost.

“We’re close to Sally?” I looked at the landscape as if that would tell me, but the plain was broad and featureless except for a few low, rolling hills.

“We almost made it to town. This is the second time the wagon’s come back to fetch wounded to take ’em there.”

“I will go see what’s happening with Rogelio,” I said, pushing myself to my feet. I had to do something. I reloaded my guns, put ’em back in their holsters. I started to sling my rifle over my shoulder, but I hesitated. I was doing good to take one step after another, much less carry any more weight than I had to.

“Jake, I’m gonna leave the rifle and the bag with you,” I said. “I’ll be back for ’em.”

“Not too many armed women in Dixie,” Jake reminded me. “Specially not ones in pants.”

“Maybe they’ll think I’m a boy,” I said.

Finally, I’d said something Jake thought was funny. He laughed long and hard.

Walking to the tent was an adventure. The ground was hummocky, and it didn’t stay put, thanks to my head. Each step had to be careful and slow. But I got there.