Thanks again to those who have submitted reviews or added this story as one
of their favorites! Here is Chapter 8. I don't have a beta - so any
mistakes are mine. If you'd like to be a beta on this story or any future
American Outlaws fan fics, just drop me an email -
jeffgordonfan99@hotmail.com.
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As they awoke before dawn the next morning, Frank and Zee agreed again that Julie was lying. Now they just had to use her to get to Jesse.
After getting dressed and having breakfast, Frank led the way. He intended to trail Julie wherever she went, feeling sure that she would lead them straight to Jesse. They found Julie outside the livery, saddling up her horse. Frank noted that she had two saddlebags, stuffed full of items. She was indeed going somewhere.
After Julie rode away, Frank and Zee mounted their horses and set off behind her. They had to be extremely careful to keep their distance, but not lose her altogether. It was a fine line between giving away their location and losing her trail.
Finally, from a distance, they saw a run-down old cabin. Julie pulled her horse to a stop, hopped off, and gathered her saddlebags. Frank and Zee watched as she knocked on the door and nothing happened. Then she began to beat on the door. Suddenly, a young man came to the door and jerked her inside.
Zee whispered to Frank, "Jesse's in there. I can feel it."
Frank replied, "I think you're right. Now we've got to get him out of there."
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Jesse shivered with cold, and found himself lying on the floor, still tied in ropes. He was still bound, but at least he wasn't stuck in that chair, he thought to himself. Then he heard light knocking on the door. The light knocking soon turned into pounding, which set off fireworks in Jesse's head.
He moaned softly as the pain got the best of him. He needed help. Now.
Then he felt it. Frank and Zee were coming for him. There was hope. He just had to hang on a few more minutes. They were going to save him. With pleasant thoughts on his mind, he again lost consciousness as his dark, sorrowful eyes shut once again.
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Cody opened the door to find Julie there. Before she could say a word, he grabbed her arm and jerked her inside. "What the heck do you think you're doing here, girl?" he shouted.
She said, "Cody, I'm here to help with Jesse. He's bad off. Don't you remember? Just let me help him."
Cody seemed to ponder the suggestion, not giving away any clues as to what his decision might be. "I . . . I guess you can help him. I'm really tired, Julie. I'm tired of this."
"I know, Cody, I know. That's why I need to help him, make him better, and then we can go from there. Okay?" She said.
"Okay," Cody replied.
-----------------
At that moment, Frank James and his sister-in-law Zee James approached the shack. Frank held his pistol in his hand, ready for what was going to happen next. Zee also pulled a pistol, much to Frank's surprise. "You didn't think I was gonna let you do this alone, did you?" she whispered.
"You make one heck of an outlaw," he whispered back.
She just smiled.
Before he could return the smile, Cody burst out the door. "What do you think you're doin' on my property?" Cody shouted. "Don't make me use this gun on ya. Now get away from here before I decide to settle this with my gun."
Frank hid his pistol behind his back, and edged closer to Cody. "Uh . . . sir, please help us. This here's my wife, and we have gotten lost. We're tryin' to get to Missouri. I think we've lost our way. Not only that, we're some kinda hungry, and very thirsty. My wife just found out she's pregnant and I don't think she's gonna make it in this heat much longer . . ."
Cody looked at Frank, looked at Zee, and then turned to look inside. "Just a minute," he said and then shut the door.
He returned two minutes later, with Julie in tow. "Come on in. Julie will fix you some food."
Julie focused on their faces, recognition written all over her. "Umm . . . yes, please come in. I . . . ah, I will be happy to feed you. We don't have many visitors out this way." She struggled out.
Frank began to walk around the room, commenting on the pictures on the wall. Once Cody turned away, Frank took advantage and brought his pistol down on his temple. Cody slumped to the floor, out cold. Julie shouted, "What have you done? He was just tryin' to help you!"
"I don't think he was," Zee stated. "Frank, we've gotta see what's in that next room."
"Don't go in there, ma'am. Just don't go in there . . ." Julie whispered.
Frank opened the door gently to see his baby brother lying on the floor, bound, shivering, and pale as a ghost.
-----------------
As they awoke before dawn the next morning, Frank and Zee agreed again that Julie was lying. Now they just had to use her to get to Jesse.
After getting dressed and having breakfast, Frank led the way. He intended to trail Julie wherever she went, feeling sure that she would lead them straight to Jesse. They found Julie outside the livery, saddling up her horse. Frank noted that she had two saddlebags, stuffed full of items. She was indeed going somewhere.
After Julie rode away, Frank and Zee mounted their horses and set off behind her. They had to be extremely careful to keep their distance, but not lose her altogether. It was a fine line between giving away their location and losing her trail.
Finally, from a distance, they saw a run-down old cabin. Julie pulled her horse to a stop, hopped off, and gathered her saddlebags. Frank and Zee watched as she knocked on the door and nothing happened. Then she began to beat on the door. Suddenly, a young man came to the door and jerked her inside.
Zee whispered to Frank, "Jesse's in there. I can feel it."
Frank replied, "I think you're right. Now we've got to get him out of there."
-----------------
Jesse shivered with cold, and found himself lying on the floor, still tied in ropes. He was still bound, but at least he wasn't stuck in that chair, he thought to himself. Then he heard light knocking on the door. The light knocking soon turned into pounding, which set off fireworks in Jesse's head.
He moaned softly as the pain got the best of him. He needed help. Now.
Then he felt it. Frank and Zee were coming for him. There was hope. He just had to hang on a few more minutes. They were going to save him. With pleasant thoughts on his mind, he again lost consciousness as his dark, sorrowful eyes shut once again.
-----------------
Cody opened the door to find Julie there. Before she could say a word, he grabbed her arm and jerked her inside. "What the heck do you think you're doing here, girl?" he shouted.
She said, "Cody, I'm here to help with Jesse. He's bad off. Don't you remember? Just let me help him."
Cody seemed to ponder the suggestion, not giving away any clues as to what his decision might be. "I . . . I guess you can help him. I'm really tired, Julie. I'm tired of this."
"I know, Cody, I know. That's why I need to help him, make him better, and then we can go from there. Okay?" She said.
"Okay," Cody replied.
-----------------
At that moment, Frank James and his sister-in-law Zee James approached the shack. Frank held his pistol in his hand, ready for what was going to happen next. Zee also pulled a pistol, much to Frank's surprise. "You didn't think I was gonna let you do this alone, did you?" she whispered.
"You make one heck of an outlaw," he whispered back.
She just smiled.
Before he could return the smile, Cody burst out the door. "What do you think you're doin' on my property?" Cody shouted. "Don't make me use this gun on ya. Now get away from here before I decide to settle this with my gun."
Frank hid his pistol behind his back, and edged closer to Cody. "Uh . . . sir, please help us. This here's my wife, and we have gotten lost. We're tryin' to get to Missouri. I think we've lost our way. Not only that, we're some kinda hungry, and very thirsty. My wife just found out she's pregnant and I don't think she's gonna make it in this heat much longer . . ."
Cody looked at Frank, looked at Zee, and then turned to look inside. "Just a minute," he said and then shut the door.
He returned two minutes later, with Julie in tow. "Come on in. Julie will fix you some food."
Julie focused on their faces, recognition written all over her. "Umm . . . yes, please come in. I . . . ah, I will be happy to feed you. We don't have many visitors out this way." She struggled out.
Frank began to walk around the room, commenting on the pictures on the wall. Once Cody turned away, Frank took advantage and brought his pistol down on his temple. Cody slumped to the floor, out cold. Julie shouted, "What have you done? He was just tryin' to help you!"
"I don't think he was," Zee stated. "Frank, we've gotta see what's in that next room."
"Don't go in there, ma'am. Just don't go in there . . ." Julie whispered.
Frank opened the door gently to see his baby brother lying on the floor, bound, shivering, and pale as a ghost.
