FANFIC
LARAMIE
STARRING JESS HARPER
DEAD ON ARRIVAL
Written by Tony G
CHAPTER 2
Jess watched the man's every move. He observed that he was very young, maybe 21 or 22 years old, and he wondered how this young man had gotten into a mess like this at such a young age. Then he thought about his own past and remembered how easy it was to go wrong. He also remembered that with the right help people riding the wrong trail can find their way back.
"What's your name?" asked Jess
The man set about heating some coffee and looked up at Jess.
"Lonnie Dobbs. Why, you heard a me?"
"No, should I have?"
Dobbs didn't reply, he just carried on making the coffee. He looked at the cold rabbit Jess had left. "Hell" he thought "it's food" so though it looked rough he picked it up and ate it.
"You hungry?"
Again Dobbs didn't speak. He poured himself some of the fresh coffee and motioned to Jess to see if he wanted any.
"Sure" said Jess
Dobbs walked over to Jess with the coffee and offered it to him. Jess reached up and like lightning grabbed Dobbs' wrist and pulled him off balance using his other hand to deliver a devastating punch to the side of Dobbs' head. Lonnie Dobbs went to sleep before he hit the ground. Jess jumped up and grabbed Dobbs' gun before retrieving his own. After tying Dobbs' hands Jess calmly went to the fire and picked up Dobbs' coffee and sat down to drink it. "Boy makes good coffee" he thought.
Dobbs woke up after about 5 minutes and after groaning for a second or two collected his thoughts and realised he was in deep trouble.
"What now?" he asked
"First thing in the morning you and me are going back to Lovell for a talk to the sheriff. And Mr, I really could do without this so if you give any trouble I might just shoot you"
Lonnie decided that for the moment that was good advice and closed his eyes. He was still very groggy from the fight so he was glad to have the chance to rest. But come tomorrow !
Both men were up early and after a small breakfast of coffee and jerky they started the five hour ride back to Lovell.
"Look Harper, you gotta know something before we go a ridin back into Lovell. The man I killed. He was Gil Clancy and his brother Victor is a mighty powerful man in Lovell. You take me back there I'll hang for sure".
"That's what usually happens to murderers ain't it?"
"I ain't no murderer. I shot Clancy in self defence"
"Then you got no worries have you. There were plenty of witnesses in the saloon to back you up"
"They won't help, they're all too scared of Victor Clancy"
"Look Dobbs, I've heard it all before. All murderers say it was self defence. Now you and me are ridin back to Lovell like I said and you better go easy with that."
" Listen please." He sounded scared.
"You were headin for Laramie right. Well take me there. At least I'd get a fair trial in Laramie."
"We're goin to Lovell and that's it. It's a day and a half ride to Laramie and I don't plan on giving you all that time to escape."
"Please Harper they'll kill me".
"Move"
Lonnie rode in front with Jess following close behind. Jess had tied Lonnie's hands in front of him so that he could handle his horse. Off course that also meant he might be able to handle an escape, so Jess watched real close, real close!
The journey was uneventful and after an hour or so Jess spotted a group of riders heading towards them. He told Lonnie to hold up and both men stopped and waited for the riders to approach. The lead rider was a big man with a big bushy black moustache.
"Well Mr" said the big man looking at Jess " Looks like you done our job for us."
Jess saw the star on the mans vest.
"You must be the sheriff of Lovell."
"That's right, I'm the sheriff of Lovell. Sheriff Victor Clancy at your service, and we'll take your prisoner now."
Jess froze. So this was Victor Clancy. No wonder Lonnie was scared, he had shot the sheriff's brother. Jess thought for a moment and convinced himself that Lonnie would be alright, after all Clancy was a lawman and there were five other men in the posse to protect him. Lonnie would be okay.
" Alright sheriff, he's all yours. I didn't want to ride back into Lovell anyway."
"Harper please don't do this, take me to Laramie."
Clancy shot a glance at Lonnie.
"Now boy you are going with us." He turned to face Jess.
"There's a reward for this hombre, I'll see you get it. He's wanted for murder and bank robbery, so you got a tidy sum coming."
"Bank robbery, what bank robbery?" asked Jess.
"Why he came back to Lovell yesterday and robbed the bank, then lit out again. I'll say this for you boy, you sure got nerve. You'll need it too cos you're gonna hang!"
"That true?" Jess looked at Lonnie.
"Yes, but I figured I needed money to escape. I bin in prison and I ain't never goin back."
Clancy looked at Lonnie.
"You're right there boy , like I said you are gonna hang"
" And like I said he's all yours sheriff. Now if you don't mind I'm headin back to Laramie. You can wire me the reward there."
" Please Jess please, I'll be dead on arrival." begged Lonnie.
Clancy screamed at him to shut up and swung the barrel of his rifle at the back of his head. The blow knocked Lonnie from his horse. Clancy jumped down onto the ground and kicked Lonnie in the face. The other posse members watched and laughed!
"Hold it" yelled Jess " You'll kill him before you get him to Lovell. The words spun around Jess' head and he knew that Lonnie stood no chance of making it back to Lovell if Victor Clancy had his way. He had to act quickly and decisively. He pulled his gun and pointed it on Clancy.
"Back off Clancy."
" What the hell do you think you're doin?"
"Change of plan Clancy. He's my prisoner and I'm takin him to Laramie."
"Over my dead body you are. He's comin back to Lovell."
"You got one warning coming. Git on your horse and take your posse and ride out."
"You're warning me! You are in deep Mr, now drop your gun before this goes too far."
As he spoke one of the posse drew his gun and tried a shot at Jess, but Jess moved too fast and fired first. The deputy fell from his horse as Jess' bullet hit him in the chest.
"It just went too far" said Clancy