Trevor stood outside the bank. With a gun holster on his hip, his hand trembled on the grip of the pistol they gave him. Every outlaw that had captured the three of them were hiding somewhere with a gun pointed at him, so they said. If he didn't come out with the money, they would kill him and the banker. What was worse was they also threatened to burn down the building where Bronson and Randy were left hanging. The look on Randy's face as they wound the rope around the cuffs was discouraging. He was sure it was impossible for her to free herself.
He didn't want to be the reason she died because he lacked courage. But Trevor was one against a half dozen armed men. He had no choice. Even Randy wouldn't have liked those odds.
Trevor tentatively walked into the bank chewing his lip. The banker seemed to know something was up the minute he walked in. An old man nodded at Trevor on his way out the door. Trevor politely nodded back. It was a good excuse to break eye contact with the banker. He wiped his brow with the back of his hand.
"You look like you're up to no good." The banker shifted his weight behind the counter.
"What makes ya say that?" The words seemed to stick to the inside of his mouth.
"It's not the first time a young kid like you has come in here trembling like calf still covered in afterbirth." The banker leaned against the counter. "So, are you going to tell me you're a good shot at five paces? I think I am too. Hell, I think that little girl out there is as well."
Trevor turned to look outside the door wondering if the banker had seen Randy in the distance. It really was a young girl standing in the street talking with her ma. That made it worse. They might be in the way of any shots fired if he didn't do what he was told.
"Look, I don't want to do this but there are at least six armed outlaws out there. They'll kill me, you, and my friends if I don't do this. I'm not an outlaw. I tried to steal a horse once and I couldn't go through with it. I don't have a bad bone in my body." Trevor pulled out his pistol and pointed it at the wall. He couldn't point it at the banker.
"So you think trying to convince me of your saintliness is going to make it better?"
"No. But I need you to fill this up." Trevor threw a leather bag onto the counter and his gun wavered from how bad his hand was shaking.
The banker rolled his eyes as he filled the bag. "What if I shoot you right now? I have a gun."
"Go ahead. Well, just shoot my leg or somethin'. Then I wouldn't be worth the time of day to them."
The banker paused and pressed his mouth together. "No." He went back to packing the bag. "You should do time or hang for this."
"Ya know I don't want to do this, don't you?
"I heard you the first time."
"I just want ya to understand. I don't think you even need to worry about my gun. Someone outside is aimin' at us."
"I understand. This isn't the first time the bank has been robbed."
There was a light tapping on the window. Trevor looked right at Randy and his eyes widened with relief.
She showed him her empty hands and shrugged. His face fell.
The banker jumped when he saw Randy.
"I thought she would help us. But she doesn't have a gun," Trevor said dejected.
"Can you give her yours?" The banker asked wiping his brow.
"I can't move away from this spot unless I'm reaching for the bag."
"What can the girl do anyway? Why doesn't she get the sheriff?"
"She's a good shot. One of the best. Our other friend is probably after the sheriff."
"She has no gun on her right now so what's the point?"
"Randy shouldn't even be here. She was tied up. I didn't think she could get out of there."
"Let's get on with this. She's no help to either one of us. I have other things to do. Like get the sheriff once you leave."
Trevor lowered his gun. "I'm not an outlaw."
"You will be once you walk out that door with the bank's money." He held out the bag for Trevor.
Trevor stepped forward and grabbed it. He glanced up at Randy again. She shook her head.
"I can't do this. I can't go out there. Step away from the view of the front door so you're not in danger." Trevor pointed his pistol at the wall again. The banker did as he was told and then went for the back door looking around before he ran out.
Randy held the door open and waved for him to follow. "Come on," she said when he didn't move.
"I can't. There's no way for me to pass through." Trevor still waved the gun like he was threatening the banker and chewed on his lip.
Randy ducked down behind the counter and crawled to the half door at the end of the counter to unlatch it. The door slowly swung open. Trevor took a deep breath, and ran, ducking to go under the top half of the door. He handed Randy the pistol as he passed through. A few shots rang out and went through the back wall. They stayed down behind the counter as they head out the door. Trevor set the bag down before he left the bank.
Randy stopped with her gun drawn. When Trevor's eyes adjusted after being blinded by the sun, Rose took the gun from Randy and punched Trevor in the jaw. He fell back against the wall.
"You fool." Rose reached in the door for the bag, threw the strap over Trevor's head while he staggered to recover.
Trevor finally saw why Randy gave up her gun so easily. There were two others on horses with four guns pointed only at him.
Rose grabbed Trevor's sleeve and nearly dragged him over to Clyde.
Clyde yanked Trevor's hair back and seethed in his face. "I knew you was gonna chicken out." He backhanded Trevor across his face. Clyde tied a rope around Trevor's wrists before he stopped seeing stars. All the training Randy had done with him left his mind. He was pretty much worthless.
"How'd ya get out of that? I thought Roy could tie ya up better than that." Rose threw a punch at Randy's nose. Randy ducked and threw her body into Rose. They were mauling each other on the ground.
"Rose, we ain't got time for this." Clyde pointed the gun in Trevor's back. "Miranda, I'll put a bullet in him right here if ya don't quit."
Randy rolled off Rose. When she saw Clyde meant what he said, she backed off.
Rose picked up the pistol and swung it at Randy. She dodged it. Rose stumbled. When she recovered, she headed for her horse taking one more swing and caught Randy's cheek. She started to go for Rose again until she heard the click of Clyde's gun.
Trevor bit down on his upper lip looking up to the sky ignoring the tightness in his face where Clyde and Rose hit him. Just don't shoot either one of us, was all Trevor could think.
Rose mounted her horse and rode up to Trevor reaching for his tied up hands. "Get on," She demanded.
The sheriff and his deputies ran out from between the buildings shooting. Trevor ducked.
"Get on that horse before we're all dead. They'll kill you too. You're still holdin' the money." Clyde gave Trevor a shove with his foot. The outlaws fired back.
Once Trevor was behind Rose, she pulled his tied-up arms over her head. He couldn't really hold onto her waist. He would probably fall off even if he didn't get shot, but then he could take her with him. They were off with Clyde and his friends shooting at the lawmen and an unarmed Randy. He grabbed onto the pommel of the saddle for dear life, hoping none of the bullets whizzing by would hit him. Somehow they all made it out of town. Trevor was wondering why he wanted to be spared so badly. He had never been in worse company and he wasn't any better than any of them. Trevor was still holding the bag.
#
Randy was pulled in between the buildings, away from the flying bullets by someone she couldn't see until she was pulled back onto her feet in a doorway.
"I tied you up good. How did you two get free? They are gonna wanna skin me if I go follow them outta town." Roy held her against the door.
"Let me go," Randy was about to stomp on his foot to fight him off when he released her.
"I'm not gonna do nothin' to ya. I just wanna know how ya got free." He grabbed her hand and smiled, rubbing the grease still smeared on the back of her hand. "That was an act when it came to the cuffs, wasn't it?"
"I'm good at getting myself out a scrapes like that. It's all a game to me." Randy yanked her hand from his. She took off the bonnet and the shirt and tried to step out of the doorway. There was still a gun battle raging and she desperately she wanted to go after Trevor.
Roy smiled wide and pushed her back. "I could sure fall for a girl like you but I know ya have a thing for that boy,." He stepped closer and touched her cheek lightly.
"You'd be much more attractive to me if you found a better group of friends." She pushed his hand away and turned her head.
"Now ya sound like my ma." He started to turn away but changed his mind pushing her back against the door. "I didn't choose this life. I made a poor choice in mentors and paid for it. Lost the love of my pa for it. Breakin' the law is gonna have to suit me, got no choice now unless I want to rot in jail. You're lucky your name brings respect from the law abiders."
"My name has brought me more trouble than I ever asked for. It's no blessing."
"Someday you might see it different. Your pa is legendary, in a good way. I've been told legends live on forever long after the person has died. Sometimes death is the only way to separate the person from the legend. That is when the name can take on a life of its own, sometimes becoming bigger than the person was while alive. In fact I think I'm gonna change my name to spare my pa the trouble and sufferin' from me tarnishin' the Parker name. The name Cassidy should be known far and wide for the trouble Ol' Mike has caused me. If I'm gonna be trouble, I wanna be legendary so when I die, people will talk about me forever. So if ya hear of the name Butch Cassidy, you'll know it's me." Roy started to walk away. "You need to go after your little boyfriend before they all get to Robber's Roost. The lawmen don't know where it is and even if they did, they know better than to get too close." Roy ran off just as the Sheriff came around the corner.
When the sheriff raised his gun, Randy intentionally stepped in the way to stop him from shooting Roy. She wasn't sure why and she dared not look back. Roy gave her a tip to help Trevor and he wasn't out to hurt her. She owed him one.
"We need to go after the outlaws. They're takin' Trevor to Robber's Roost." Randy pointed back the way the sheriff had come.
The sheriff frowned lowering his gun. "You got in the way. I thought he was one of them."
"I don't know if he is or not. But the others left with the money. We need to hurry if we're gonna stop them." Randy headed in the opposite direction of Roy even though she needed to head right for the boarding house.
The sheriff whistled to the deputies and they were off to saddle their horses.
Randy ran as fast as she could on her gimpy leg to saddle up Al. Bronson was already in the livery almost ready to go.
"You stay here."
"No. I'm a better shot than any of you." She flung her saddle on top of the stall door.
"Those lawmen don't care. You're a little girl to them. They'll think you bein' there will hold them up."
"Look at Al," she said. Al could hardly stay put, stomping his hoofs. "He knows there's trouble and he'll help us find them faster than any of those men. I swear this horse is better than a bloodhound."
Bronson paused to watch Al for a moment then hung his head. "He was ready to go after you when you were taken. Al sure has taken to Trevor. I think you're right. Quit wastin' time and saddle up." Bronson was out the stall on his horse in a gallop before he even left the livery.
"We gotta get Trevor fast, boy. We need him safe." She rested her head on his shoulder for a moment as the first tear fell. She sniffed, wiped her face, and was on Al's back. He was galloping the second she pushed the stall door open.
Bronson was speaking to the deputies that had gathered on the edge of town. Al wasn't going to stop. They ran right past Bronson and the lawmen. Bronson was right on her tail as soon as she and Al were out of town.