Diamonds Are Not An Outlaw's Best Friend
Kyle lit the fuse, and they raced back into the trees as the track blew. As the train came to a screeching halt, Big Jim gave the signal, and the gang swooped down – each member knowing his role. The Kid covered the guards while Big Jim and Heyes entered the mail car where the safe was located. Wheat, Kyle and the others held the passengers, engineer, fireman, and conductor at bay. Even though this was only the second train robbery the gang had attempted, all was going well.
~~~~000~~~~
Heyes gave a satisfied grunt as he heard the click. He sat back on his heels and pulled the door to the safe open, smiling at Big Jim, who smiled back as he reached in to remove the contents.
Big Jim counted the stacks of bills as he stowed them in his saddle bags. "Hannibal, there's over five thousand here. You were right. They thought the money would be safer on a train than a stagecoach, more fools them."
"The men will sure be happy with this Big Jim. Trains are the wave of the future," Heyes responded.
Big Jim reached back into the safe and pulled out a leather bag. "What's this?"
From the bag, Big Jim extracted a jewel case. Heyes gasped as Big Jim exposed an elaborate necklace. Big Jim walked over to the door of the mail car and contemplated the necklace; its diamonds glittered in the sun and threw multi-hued shafts of light this way and that. The passengers huddled together stared at the mail car. As the shafts of light played across the car, one man rose and began yelling.
"Be quiet and sit down," Wheat ordered, gesturing with his shotgun. The man gulped and, although his face turned red, sat quickly.
As one, the passengers watched Big Jim avidly inspect the necklace.
"Kyle, watch this one," Wheat ordered and walked over to join Big Jim and Heyes.
Heyes looked at his watch. "We need to get going, the posse should be heading out about now." Big Jim nodded but made no move to pack up, mesmerized by the diamond necklace in his hands.
Heyes gave a sigh. "Jim, you know your own rules – we only take the money. You have to put that back. We don't have anywhere to get rid of something like that."
Wheat glared at Heyes. "That sure is beautiful, Jim. Must be worth a fortune."
The Kid walked up, keeping his gun trained on the guards. "We have to go. That belongs to one of the passengers, probably that man over there." The Kid gestured at the passenger who had protested and was now glaring daggers in their direction.
"The law will work hard to get that back. Taking it's a bad idea; it's big trouble," argued Heyes.
Wheat turned to him, "Who made you boss? Big Jim is the leader, not you. What do you want to do, Jim?"
Big Jim looked up from his avaricious contemplation of the necklace. "Boys, this is our chance for the big score – this is worth more than the five thousand in the safe. I've got an idea of where to sell it." He put it back in the bag, threw the jewel box away, and tucked the bag inside his shirt. "Let's ride."
"But, Jim…" expostulated Heyes.
"Quiet, Hannibal, I'm in charge, not you. Now get moving."
Heyes opened his mouth, but closed it when he caught the Kid's eye and slight head shake.
The gang mounted up; the Kid waited, holding the guards at bay until the gang was out of sight. Then he rode fast to join up with the rest.
~~~000~~~
Back at the Hole, Big Jim divided the money up among the gang members. Finally, he reached into his shirt and pulled out the necklace.
"Men, we got ourselves a bonus with that last job. This necklace is worth a fortune. Now Hannibal is right that it could be dangerous, but I've decided it's worth the risk." The men hooted and hollered, jostling for a better view.
Heyes rolled his eyes and couldn't keep quiet. "Jim, that necklace ain't like the cash and the gold we take. It's, it's – unique. It can be identified; it can be traced. Even if you sell it, the law can track it back to us. Then we're all in trouble."
Wheat snorted. "Heyes, it ain't like anyone don't know we robbed that train."
"But if we're caught with some of the money, no one can prove it came from that train – there's no proof. They'll have to track down the passengers to come back and be witnesses and that's a lot of trouble that most of them won't want to take. But with this, with this, this is evidence and its owner probably won't rest until he gets it back."
The other men quieted and stood listening – all except the Kid who lined up beside Heyes as Big Jim began to glower. "Jim, maybe you should think some more about what to do with these diamonds," he began.
Santana's faced darkened with fury as he contemplated the two. Around them the other gang members watched, their heads turning back and forth between Big Jim and Heyes, murmuring as they took sides in the debate.
"I run this gang, Hannibal, not you and not your tame gunnie there. If you have a problem with that, the two of you can leave." He stared at them as they stood in a circle formed by the other gang members.
Heyes glared back then lowered his eyes. "Not trying to take over, Jim; you're a great leader, but diamonds are trouble."
Big Jim inhaled deeply and looked around at the assembled group, who looked down, not meeting his eyes.
"Hannibal does have a point that this necklace is recognizable," He conceded. So what I am going to do is take it apart. Then I'll take it to Rocky Gap, where I know a jeweler I can sell the diamonds and gold fittings, no questions asked."
"Since Mr. Heyes and Mr. Curry are so worried about it, they will stay here at the Hole doing guard duty. Wheat, Smithy, and Tallman can come with me; the rest of you go to Mantooth – we'll meet up at Miss Kitty's there in about four days. Those who don't come with me will get their share when I get to Mantooth. While we will get less for the diamonds out of the necklace, you needn't worry. Mr. Heyes and Mr. Curry, of course, having avoided the risk will forfeit their shares of the reward."
He turned and stalked out of the bunkhouse over to his cabin and shut the door decisively. The others looked at each other for a moment, then at Heyes and Curry standing by themselves. The two exchanged glances, as the others quickly turned to pack for the trip, ignoring them. Wheat looked over at the two and sniffed before turning towards his bunk with a smirk.
Heyes and the Kid, their expressions grim, silently gathered the provisions they would need when they relieved the guards. No one spoke to them as they left.
~~~000~~~
Six days later, Heyes and the Kid, were still up at the guard post, desultorily playing blackjack.
"Think they'll be back soon, Heyes?"
"Yeah, they'll be back soon."
The Kid paused in dealing and looked at Heyes. "Should we be here when they get back, do ya think?"
"Why not?" Heyes demanded although he didn't look at the Kid when he spoke.
"Why not? Because sometimes you have a big mouth. You don't question the leader in front of everyone. What were you thinkin'?"
"I was right."
"That don't matter."
They were interrupted by three shots signaling the return of the gang.
Each grabbed a pair of field glasses and looked.
"Heyes, there's some missin' can you tell who?"
"No, let me go down and see what's going on. You stay here, just in case it's some type of trap."
"For the gang or just us? How mad do you think Big Jim still is?" The Kid quirked an eyebrow at Heyes as he picked up a shotgun and aimed it towards the meeting point.
Heyes laughed, "I'm sure he's forgiven us. Money has a way of doing that – and we aren't getting any." He stood up to head to the rendezvous, but stopped and turned back. "Still, I'm glad you have my back, Kid."
~~~000~~~
Heyes waited on his horse, his expression grim, watching the remnants of the gang ride up. He saw Wheat had his head bandaged and his arm in a sling. Kyle was riding next to him, ready to prop him up in his saddle as he sagged. He didn't see Big Jim or three others.
"What happened?" Heyes asked as the bedraggled men reached him.
"You were right, Heyes," Kyle said as they stopped. "It was a trap; the law were waitin' at the jeweler's when they got there." Wheat mumbled and looked down, swaying in his saddle.
"Get him up to the bunkhouse. Hank, you and Jesse go relieve the Kid," Heyes instructed. He turned, signalling the Kid to meet them at the bunkhouse."
Once Wheat had been assisted off his horse and to his bunk, and the Kid had joined them, Heyes gathered them by Wheat's bunk. He stood looking down at Wheat. "Okay, now tell me what happened."
"Kyle told you; it was a trap. They were waiting for us. Tallman's dead. Smithy I don't know – they took him but he was bad hurt. They got Big Jim – they're taking him to Lassiter for trial. I got away and made it to Miss Kitty's." He sighed and though it obviously bothered him to say it, muttered, "You were right, Heyes. That passenger from the train was right there with the lawmen. He wanted his diamonds back." He fell silent, exhausted by the effort to get to the Hole and to relate the story.
Lobo spoke, "We sent Dutchy to go to Lassiter to see what he could find out. He should be back in two or three days."
Heyes nodded and began pacing. He stopped and turned to Curry. "Kid, do they know you in Lassiter?"
"No. I'll go join Dutchy and see what we can do for Big Jim. Maybe we can break him out; Smithy too if he's alive."
"Thanks."
~~~000~~~
The Kid and Dutchy returned empty-handed.
The gang sat around the table glumly while they reported.
"Nothin' we could do. The trial was over when I got there," the Kid explained.
"I watched it. Even broken apart that way, they had witnesses who could trace those diamonds to the necklace and then that passenger testified and it was all over. Big Jim got seven years and is already at the territorial prison," Dutchy explained.
The Kid resumed. "Too many guards to break him out when they transported him. No sign of Smithy – I don't know what happened to him, but whatever it was, don't look like he's comin' back here."
The outlaws all looked at each other. Finally, Lobo spoke, "Heyes, we been talking, and we're all agreed."
Heyes eyes narrowed and he waited, face blank. The Kid got up and walked over to the door, leaning on the wall as he folded his arms and waited to hear what had been agreed.
"Anyway, Heyes, we all think you should lead the gang now. We know you planned the last few jobs for Big Jim, and you were right about those diamonds. We want you to take over."
Heyes looked around. "All of you think that do you?" he asked, looking directly at Wheat, who was still a little pale.
Wheat glared back then lowered his eyes. "Yeah it was unanimous."
Heyes looked at the Kid, who smiled and nodded.
"Alright, I'll do it. Hey Hank there any whiskey left?"
The men cheered and the first smiles in days were exchanged as the whiskey was poured and drunk.