Beatrice and the Beast, page 32
He looked down at Zelletta and questioned him mockingly.
‘Is she pretty Frank?’
Zelletta remained silent as he glared hatefully, at the man; who laughed mirthlessly.
‘Well, no matter. As long as she’s young, she’ll do to keep me and Blackie happy for a few days. I might even keep you alive for a while so you can watch her entertaining us.’
He turned to Blackie.
‘I figure she went to the creek alone while Zelletta waited here for her to come back. He didn’t seem too concerned about her when we jumped him so maybe she thinks she’s safe and don’t know were here. Or, she might have seen us and ran away. It don’t matter either way but take your hoss in case she ran, she can’t get far if she’s afoot.’
Blackie grinned.
‘Maybe I’ll have a bit of fun with her myself before I bring her back.’
Brandon scowled at his pard.
‘Just make sure you don’t damage her too much and leave some for me.’
…
The sun was nearing the horizon when Beatrice concluded, Zelletta wasn’t as concerned for her safety as she’d been led to believe. She’d lost all track of time as she lay in her hiding place, but was beginning to ache from lying in a none-preferential position on the hard ground and she calculated, she must have been there around an hour or more.
She crawled out from her hiding place berating herself for being so foolish as to play a childish prank on man who didn’t care a jot, about her and had probably seen through her ruse anyhow. Now, she had to return to camp shamefaced and feeling very silly.
She placed the Winchester on the ground and stretched her aching limbs and as she did so, she heard a sound not too far away on the other side of the bushes like something big moving her way. Then she heard the sound of a horse snorting and felt elation that she’d been wrong about Zelletta and he had come to look for her after all. Well she wouldn’t make it easy for him. She picked up the rifle and crawled back into her hiding place. She planned to let him pass her by and then she would make her way to camp and surprise him when he returned to find her waiting there. However, her heart sank when she heard the sound of a man’s voice call out and it wasn’t Zelletta. However, it was what he yelled next that set her heart racing and fear rising into her mind.
‘Hey lady,’ he yelled. ‘I know you there hiding somewhere. I ain’t gonna hurt you none if you come out now. But if you make it hard for me to find you, we gonna kill your man and make you wish you was more obliging.’
She was horrified at his words and her heart was thumping so loudly in her chest, she felt sure he would hear it. Was he really talking about Mister Zelletta? He said they were going to kill him that must mean there were others and they were possibly holding him prisoner.
The man called out again.
‘Can you understand my language girl? What are you? Cheyenne? Arapaho? Come on out and I promise I won’t hurt you. I just wanna make sure you’re okay.’
He paused for a while waiting to hear if she would answer. Then continued.
‘If you come out now, we won’t kill Zelletta. But if you make it hard for me, we’re gonna kill him and after we’ve finished with you, we gonna kill you as well.’
Maybe she should give herself up to the man and hope he was telling the truth. She couldn’t let them kill Mister Zelletta if there was a way to prevent it. But if she did that and he wasn’t telling the truth, both her life and Mister Zelletta’s, would be in severe jeopardy.
Since they’d been together, Mister Zelletta had warned her on several occasions to trust nobody no matter how genuine they appeared. She had already learned a valuable lesson when she naively succumbed to that man, Mason Levine’s, charm. He had seemed so genuine and kind and treated her with the utmost respect until he forced his way into her room and then, he turned into a lecherous monster with his animalistic hunger and lewd behaviour. She was lucky to come away with her virtue intact and it was only Mister Zelletta’s timely intervention aided by Charlie, that saved her that night. Therefore, what chance would she have against this man who openly threatened her if she did not comply. But if she didn’t show herself, they would kill Mister Zelletta and she couldn’t allow that to happen. She recognised she would be going against everything he’d warned her about but she could see no alternative than to throw herself onto their mercy and hope they would spare Mister Zelletta and allow them both to ride away unharmed.
She tried to control her breathing and thumping heart, so she could ready herself for coming out of hiding and surrendering to the man and while she was composing herself, he rode close by where she was hiding. She heard him pass by and was able to just about, make out horse and rider through the leaves. As he passed, she tried to motivate herself to come out from hiding but she was unable to move. Her terror rendered her immobile and her limbs simply would not do her bidding.
It wasn’t until he’d ridden by and was going away that she found the courage to come out from concealment. When she emerged from beneath the bushes and finally, stood upright holding the Winchester, the man had disappeared amongst the many bushes and trees that abounded the area. If she wanted to surrender herself to him, she must either call out or follow him, but still unsure what to do, she simply stood where she was and wrestled with her indecisiveness. She knew Mister Zelletta would berate her unmercifully for even considering surrendering to that man. He would argue that it would make no difference to them. Once they had her in their clutches, they would go ahead and kill him anyway and very likely do the same to her when they’d finished with her. she recognised Zelletta’s advice made perfect sense, but she wasn’t him. She had never been in this situation before or any situation like it for that matter. She wished he were here to advise her what to do. He would be able to guide her through negotiating his release and saving his life.
Oh, if only he were here to tell me what to do. I can’t do this alone any more.
She paused her thoughts for a moment and immediately felt very foolish.
What am I thinking? If he were here with me, I wouldn’t need to negotiate his release, he would be free anyhow.
Still indecisive about what she should do, she stayed in the same spot pondering her course of action, until she was shocked to hear a rough voice speak from behind her.
‘Turn around slow lady, let me take a look at what we got here.’
She was so startled by his voice, she visibly jumped and yelped loudly. However, the sound of his cruel voice and the initial shock as she was rudely roused from her reverie, made up her mind. If she gave herself up, she decided. There would be no hope for her or Zelletta. These were the type of men she had seen him fight and who he had warned her about on so many occasions. she now understood, the only way to survive away from the safety of the townships, was to fight for your right to exist. for without law and order, men took whatever they wanted and out here in the wilderness, only the strongest survived.
She remained with her back to him as though she hadn’t heard him and though she was trembling inside, she nevertheless, stayed calm enough to, as gently as she could, lever a shell into the rifle.
‘I said turn around. I wanna see what I’m getting for all the trouble I went to, to find you.’
She had already decided what she was going to do. The only thing she could do if she and Zelletta had any chance of survival. When he’d forced her to carry the Winchester, he continuously, warned her about how she should proceed if ever there came a time when she would need to use it and thankfully, some of his advice had stuck in her mind. If you point a gun at a man, be prepared to use it. Never fire a gun simply to wound your enemy. If you’re going to shoot him, shoot to kill. Otherwise he can still be a danger. Always try to do the unexpected. If your enemy expects you to do one thing, try and do the exact opposite and throw him off guard. If you’ve got to fire quick without taking aim, try to hit the biggest part of his body, preferably the stomach, that will put him out of action even if it doesn’t immediately, kill him.
She didn’t want to kill anybody and she still wasn’t sure she would be able to put her plan, such as it was, into action. She was sure she would freeze and give him the upper hand. But if she didn’t at least, try, there would never be another chance.
By the sound of his voice, she figured he was around ten to twelve yards away. It wasn’t easy to guess his height from where his voice carried, but she thought she had a rough idea.
‘Lady,’ he growled. ‘It pleases me no-end to look at your cute ass. But I wanna to see your face as well. If you don’t turn around now, I’m gonna come and rip them duds offa you and make you walk back to camp nekid.’
She placed her finger over the trigger, took a deep breath and swivelled on one foot with the rifle in front of her at hip height. She was incredibly fast, even surprising herself, but more so her adversary. He didn’t get a chance to draw his pistol as she lined up the muzzle of the Winchester with his stomach and squeezed off the shot. He slumped to his knees like a stricken buffalo and fell over onto his side with his knees draw up to his stomach moaning in pain. He no longer harboured any thoughts about what he planned to do to the woman. He’d seen men gut-shot before and knew for sure he was dying and the intense pain wiped away all feelings of lust.
Beatrice stood in the same crouched position she’d adopted when she fired the gun, staring with horror filled eyes at the dying man. His pain filled eyes turned up to look at her and she was compelled to hold his gaze.
‘I’m sorry,’ she whispered though it was doubtful he heard from where she was standing. ‘I didn’t want to do it but you gave me no choice.’
He spoke in return but she could not make out what he was saying from ten yards away, so she crept a little closer as she watched him warily, fully expecting him to spring into action as though he hadn’t been mortally wounded at all. She had already levered another shell into the breech and held the rifle trained on him the whole time. When she came within a few feet of him, he spoke again and though his speech was hoarse, she was able to make out what he was saying.
‘That was some mighty fine shooting ma’am for one so young.’
‘I’m awfully sorry I shot you,’ she returned. ‘Will you be alright while I go and rescue my friend?’
If he hadn’t been hurting so much, he would have laughed. Her speech was that of an educated woman and one who clearly, hadn’t been raised to the hardships of life in the west. He figured she was from the east, maybe one of the big cities. However, he didn’t have time to dwell on it, he was close to death and wanted to go out doing the right thing.
‘Ma’am,’ he said. ‘I’m gonna meet my maker soon and I wanna put things right.’
‘Oh, surely not,’ she replied. ‘You’ll be alright.’
Her clumsy attempts to reassure him, fell on deaf ears as he continued.
‘I ain’t never met nobody like you before and it’s a privilege to be kilt by an angel.’
She could think of no other word than…
‘Oh!’
‘Ma’am will you pray for my soul when I’m gone? It would mean a lot to me.’
‘Surely you’re not going to die.’
‘Yes, I am and I’m gonna help you rescue your man. I ain’t got nothing against Zelletta. It’s Clem who’s got a beef against him.’
‘How many are there?’
‘Just one man, Clem Brandon. He wants revenge on your man for arresting his brother and getting him hanged.’
‘He ain’t - isn’t my man.’
‘Huh?’
‘Never mind.’
How ludicrous to deny Zelletta was her man to someone who was dying and didn’t care either way.
‘Ma’am, I ain’t got long and I want to help you if I can. All I ask is that you say a prayer for me when I’m gone.’
‘Oh, yes, of course I will.’
Brandon’s got your man tied to a tree exactly opposite to where you approach from here. The only way you gonna save him is to shoot Brandon dead. You’ll need to back shoot him and kill him instantly. He hates Zelletta so much, that if you only wound him, he’ll make sure your man dies. Whatever you do, don’t challenge him. If you do, he won’t hesitate to kill Zelletta and take his chances.’
Because he was finding it difficult to speak and because his words came haltingly, it took a long time for him to finish his statement But, once he had, Beatrice’s heart had sunk into her belly. She was expected to kill again if she were to save Mister Zelletta and what was worse, she must shoot a man in the back. That would be an entirely different proposition to being cornered by this man and acting on impulse. It would be pre-meditated and went against everything she believed in. She decided she couldn’t murder someone by shooting them in the back and must find another way.
THIRTY-SEVEN
Brandon was enjoying taunting Zelletta and describing what he intended to do to him before he killed him. He’d already slashed the big man’s right arm several times and also punched him in the face again, causing his nose to bleed and his lips to swell. But if he thought Zelletta would show any sign of distress from the beating and torture, he was to be disappointed. He remained impassive and emitted no more than a grunt each time Brandon caused pain.
Then they heard gunfire and for the first time, Zelletta showed signs of emotion. His head jolted upright and his countenance harboured a look of extreme worry as the first thing to enter his head was the probability Beatrice had been shot.
‘Well now, Brandon said with a grin. ‘Seems like your little squaw whore got herself shot. She must have tried to get away from Blackie. I wish he hadn’t of shot her though, I was looking forward to watching your face when me and Blackie had her.’
‘Goddamn,’ growled Zelletta. ‘If he’s killed her, I’m gonna kill both of you.’
‘Yeah, sure you are. Like you’ll be in any fit state to kill anybody after I’ve cut all your damned fingers off.’
‘I’ll kill you if I have to do it with my teeth.’
Brandon laughed.
‘Maybe I’ll pull your teeth out then, before I finish you off.’
Zelletta glared loathingly at the man, but decided there was no point in making threats he may never be able to carry out. It was clear, Brandon’s main motivation was to trigger a reaction from him and he was damned if he would give him that satisfaction.
‘What’s wrong Frank,’ taunted Brandon. ‘Has your smart mouth ran out of things to say already?’
When the big man refused to answer, the anger boiled up in Brandon and he lashed out with a vicious punch to the side of Zelletta’s face which knocked his head sideways and resulted in the rope round his neck, deeply chafing his skin. The blow dazed him but he quickly recovered which suited Brandon, who stepped closer and grabbed a handful of Zelletta’s hair and brought his face close enough that their noses were almost touching.
‘That’s just for starters Frank. I’m gonna wait for Blacky to come back before I really start on you. With any luck, he won’t have killed your squaw and we can have us some fun with her while you watch.
Zelletta concluded Brandon wasn’t very bright, because he’d omitted to tie his legs when he lashed him to the tree and as Brandon was standing astride Frank’s legs as he made his threat, Zelletta decided it was an opportunity not to be passed up. He brought his leg up hard between his enemy’s legs and made a direct hit, crushing the man’s genitals and causing him to howl in pain. Brandon doubled up clutching his groin and fell to ground yelling and screaming obscenities. He lay on his side for a long time, moaning and yelling threats at Zelletta, leaving him in no doubt Brandon intended to hang him the way his brother had been hanged, but minus his testicles. Once he was able to stand, he intended to cut off Zelletta’s balls and in his words, ‘feed ‘em to the goddamned vultures.’
Zelletta didn’t doubt he would make good his threat. But for now, at least, he was able to glean a certain amount of satisfaction as he watched Brandon lying on the ground, his face twisted in pain and tears glistening in his eyes. However, despite the threats, he found it impossible to remove the girl from his thoughts. Had Blackie killed her? Was her small, beautiful form lying dead down by the creek somewhere? Or, and the thought terrified him, had he simply wounded her and was at this very moment putting her through all kinds of hell? He hated himself for thinking it, but he hoped she was dead. That way she would be safe from the hell she would suffer at the hands of these men, an ordeal that would be a hundred times worse than death and eventually, they would kill her anyhow.
Brandon clambered painfully, to his feet and drew his knife then staggered toward Zelletta with murder written in his eyes.
‘I’ve waited long enough,’ he screeched. ‘I’m gonna finish you off now. But it ain’t gonna be quick. You gonna wish you’d never gone after Donny and you sure as hell gonna wish you’d never crossed me.’
‘I reckon it’ll be a long time before you rape another woman mister,’ said Zelletta. ‘With any luck you’ll be permanently out of action.’
He was hoping to make Brandon mad and so crazy with rage, he would hopefully, kill him outright, for despite his bravery, he didn’t relish the thought of having his genitals severed from his body while he was still alive and unable to prevent it. His taunt had the desired effect and Brandon roared with rage and rushed toward him with the knife held aloft. Zelletta watched fascinated as he saw the knife coming toward him and wondered if it would be quick, as he hoped. Or would the man control his rage enough to stab him without causing mortality?
Then something happened that caused Zelletta’s belief in miracles to be renewed all over again. Just as the rage fuelled and yelling man was about to bring the knife down and plunge it into Zelletta’s chest, his head shattered as a bullet entered from one side and exited on the other. Unfortunately, his momentum carried him forward and the dead man fell on top of Zelletta with his blood covered head on the big man’s chest. Luckily, the knife had dropped from his lifeless hand as soon as the bullet struck but his weight when he fell, knocked the breath out of Frank. He sat unable to move and covered in some of the contents of Brandon’s head while he gasped for air with his enemy lying on top of him. His mind raced while he waited to see what would happen next and whether or not, his benefactor was friend or foe. Maybe Blackie had turned on his partner for some reason or it could be Charlie. That seemed more plausible. His old friend had caught them up after deciding to go with them to Texas. Then, his hopes for Beatrice suddenly rose. Charlie could have been the one who fired the earlier shot and killed Blackie to save the girl’s life. That had to be it. She was still alive and was out there with his old friend when he shot Brandon. Yes, it had to be Charlie. He knew of nobody else who could shoot like that or even had the confidence to attempt such a shot. But why weren’t they coming in? It was clear Brandon was dead. Maybe Charlie was being cautious in case there were others, he wouldn’t know of course, that there were just two men. He made up his mind to holler and take a chance that the shooter was Charlie or at least somebody friendly. He drew in a deep breath ready to shout when the delightfully clear and musical sound of Beatrice’s voice rang out from beyond the camp.
