As the cart rolled into town, Jesse could see the general store opening its
doors. They were expecting him. He came in every morning and always left a
mighty big tip.
After parking the buggy and drop tying the horse to the hitching post, Jesse and Liberty entered the store. Liberty ran immediately to the candy isle and began to spend her money. Jesse on the other hand approached the counter.
"Good mornin' Jesse." Mr. Miller said cheerily. Jesse smiled.
"Good mornin' Mr. Miller. Got the three sacks of feed I ordered? Zee is just goin mad crazy cause she's got to bake twice as much bread." he laughed. Mr. Miller nodded and went into the back. You could hear him shuffling around and moving things trying to find the feedbags.
Liberty was staring at the rows of penny candy and having a difficult time trying to choose how to spend her betting money. Suddenly, a pair of hands covered her eyes and she gasped.
"Get offa me now!" she demanded in a frightened voice.
"Now, is that how you're gonna treat your favorite cousin?" a male voice asked. Liberty's eyes widened under the hands and she scrambled to pull them off her face. Spinning around she cried out in delight.
"COLE!"
"Hey there short stuff! How's my Libby?" Cole grinned boyishly. Liberty jumped and threw her arms around her cousin.
"I'm good! You're back from the ride? How long are you guys staying here?" Liberty fired question after question.
"Hold up. hold up. Lets go see your Dad." Cole smiled taking the girls hand.
"DAD! Cole's back!" Liberty cried out and ran to her father.
"Well, look what the dogs dragged back! Cole, It's so good to see you!" Jesse smiled as he embraced his cousin. Cole's face turned solemn quick.
"Why the sour face cousin?" Jesse asked confusedly. His question was interrupted by the door of the general store being banged open.
"Did I see Jesse James' buggy outside or am I seeing things?" a booming voice hollered. Jesse turned around and his face lit up like the northern lights.
"FRANK!"
"Jesse! Aw boy I've missed you!" Frank walked quickly to hug his brother. Liberty's face was brighter then the sun right then.
"UNCLE FRANK! WOW! This is so awesome!"
"Wow, look at you Liberty! You've grown up some. No longer a little ankle biter are we?" Frank laughed ruffling the girl's hair. Cole laughed when Liberty swung her leg out and knocked Frank in the knee.
"I'm not ankle high anymore, but I still bite!" she laughed. Frank grimaced but couldn't help but laugh when the pain subsided.
"She's a pot of spit and vinegar ain't she Jesse?" Frank laughed patting his brother on the back as Liberty pulled Cole over to the candy isle to help her pick her bounty.
"Yeah, she is. sometimes I swear I'm having déjà vu." Jesse smiled leaning on the counter facing his brother. Frank laughed.
"What? The infamous Jesse James is seeing the error of his ways in his own? That's a first! I must admit, she looks just like you. And acts as so too."
"Shut your trap boy! I'm curious, where's Bob and the boys? What are ya'll doing back here in Tennessee?" Jesse asked. Franks face dimmed.
"There's war Jesse."
"Pinkerton again?"
"No, this time it's between the Comanche and the Youngers." Frank took his hat off his head and twisted it in his hands.
"What? How'd that happen?"
"You can't guess?" Frank looked at Jesse incredulously. Jesse sighed and turned to look at Cole and Liberty, Cole was whispering to her and she was punching him in the shoulder.
"Cole." he muttered. "What did he do this time Frank?"
"Well, it turns out he was caught.. messin'.. With the chiefs squaw." Frank whispered.
"You're kidding me? Cole Younger being that damned stupid?" Jesse whispered leaning in close. Cole's head jerked up but returned to paying attention to Liberty.
"You and I both know that Cole can be pretty dumb sometimes when it comes to women, and don't put the blame all on him. According to Cole and some of the other fella's the squaw was just as interested in him as he was in her." Frank said sternly.
"Why are you here then? Need a place to hide out? Lie low for a while?" Jesse asked.
"No, we need Jesse James and his stupid distractions." Frank said hanging his head. Jesse pursed his lips and sighed.
"Now Frank, I thought we went over this! I have a family now. I can't go riding off and leaving Zee! What about Liberty? For gods' sake man, the girl is only twelve years old. She needs her father!"
"What about Cole? They'll kill him as fast as look at him if they catch him! Do you know whats happened already? The old Younger farm was burned down by the Comanche. they burned the house to the ground! Killed Mr. And Mrs. Younger too!" Frank said getting angry.
"Liberty thinks the world revolves about that bloody idiot! Do you want her world shattered if she, no, when she figures out that Cole isn't all heaven and roses!" he added. It was Jesse's turn to hang his head.
"I can't Frank. Zee would never allow it."
Frank's face grew more withered and pale as he looked at Jesse's solemn face.
"We stopped by earlier Jesse. I didn't want to tell you this hear, but someone told the Indians that Cole lived here occasionally."
"Frank, what are you trying to tell me here?" Jesse looked at his brother's worried face and felt his stomach knot.
"Jesse, I don't know how to tell you this.."
"Just spit it out goddamnit!"
"Jesse, Zee's dead. Cole found her in the garden with an Indian knife in her chest." Frank whispered turning around. Jesse's face paled to a gray.
"What?" he whispered.
"It looks like they raided your house too. The windows are all smashed up and your front door was broken in." Frank added.
"What did you say?" Jesse croaked. "My Zee is dead? Dead by the Indians, am I hearing you right?"
"You're hearing is just fine Jesse. I'm telling you the truth." Frank said putting a hand on Jesse's shoulder. Jesse's face clouded over.
"You lying bastard! How dare you tell me my wife is dead just so that I'll ride again. I cannot believe you Frank. who put you up to this? Cole? That's just low." Jesse cursed in a hushed voice.
"Jesse, you have got to believe me. I wouldn't lie to you! My god! Stop being so damn stubborn and listen for a minute. Zee is dead, the Comanche killed her. We need you Jesse." Frank pleaded. Jesse's face pulled into a snarl.
"Mr. Miller. I'll come back later for the feed. Liberty!" he called. She looked up.
"Pay Mr. Miller, we're going home."
"But Daddy, Cole just got here! Can they come back with us?"
"Oh, I'm sorry little darling, but we're outta here. We just stopped by to say hey to your pa and you."
"Oh." she said sullenly. She put the 15 cents on the counter and walked out of the store.
"Jesse, when you go home, you'll see we weren't lying. And if you choose to join us, we'll be at the top of the hill overlooking this town. Meet us there in three days if you're with us. I'm sorry Jesse." Frank said turning to leave. Cole patted his cousin on the back.
"Jesse I."
"Don't say a word Cole Younger." Jesse breathed. Cole nodded and followed Frank.
Jesse stood for a moment feeling his world spinning to a halt. He stalked out of the store and climbed into his wagon.
"Remember Jesse, hilltop, three days." Frank said before steering his horse down the road.
"I'll remember Frank. I'll remember." Jesse hollered back.
After parking the buggy and drop tying the horse to the hitching post, Jesse and Liberty entered the store. Liberty ran immediately to the candy isle and began to spend her money. Jesse on the other hand approached the counter.
"Good mornin' Jesse." Mr. Miller said cheerily. Jesse smiled.
"Good mornin' Mr. Miller. Got the three sacks of feed I ordered? Zee is just goin mad crazy cause she's got to bake twice as much bread." he laughed. Mr. Miller nodded and went into the back. You could hear him shuffling around and moving things trying to find the feedbags.
Liberty was staring at the rows of penny candy and having a difficult time trying to choose how to spend her betting money. Suddenly, a pair of hands covered her eyes and she gasped.
"Get offa me now!" she demanded in a frightened voice.
"Now, is that how you're gonna treat your favorite cousin?" a male voice asked. Liberty's eyes widened under the hands and she scrambled to pull them off her face. Spinning around she cried out in delight.
"COLE!"
"Hey there short stuff! How's my Libby?" Cole grinned boyishly. Liberty jumped and threw her arms around her cousin.
"I'm good! You're back from the ride? How long are you guys staying here?" Liberty fired question after question.
"Hold up. hold up. Lets go see your Dad." Cole smiled taking the girls hand.
"DAD! Cole's back!" Liberty cried out and ran to her father.
"Well, look what the dogs dragged back! Cole, It's so good to see you!" Jesse smiled as he embraced his cousin. Cole's face turned solemn quick.
"Why the sour face cousin?" Jesse asked confusedly. His question was interrupted by the door of the general store being banged open.
"Did I see Jesse James' buggy outside or am I seeing things?" a booming voice hollered. Jesse turned around and his face lit up like the northern lights.
"FRANK!"
"Jesse! Aw boy I've missed you!" Frank walked quickly to hug his brother. Liberty's face was brighter then the sun right then.
"UNCLE FRANK! WOW! This is so awesome!"
"Wow, look at you Liberty! You've grown up some. No longer a little ankle biter are we?" Frank laughed ruffling the girl's hair. Cole laughed when Liberty swung her leg out and knocked Frank in the knee.
"I'm not ankle high anymore, but I still bite!" she laughed. Frank grimaced but couldn't help but laugh when the pain subsided.
"She's a pot of spit and vinegar ain't she Jesse?" Frank laughed patting his brother on the back as Liberty pulled Cole over to the candy isle to help her pick her bounty.
"Yeah, she is. sometimes I swear I'm having déjà vu." Jesse smiled leaning on the counter facing his brother. Frank laughed.
"What? The infamous Jesse James is seeing the error of his ways in his own? That's a first! I must admit, she looks just like you. And acts as so too."
"Shut your trap boy! I'm curious, where's Bob and the boys? What are ya'll doing back here in Tennessee?" Jesse asked. Franks face dimmed.
"There's war Jesse."
"Pinkerton again?"
"No, this time it's between the Comanche and the Youngers." Frank took his hat off his head and twisted it in his hands.
"What? How'd that happen?"
"You can't guess?" Frank looked at Jesse incredulously. Jesse sighed and turned to look at Cole and Liberty, Cole was whispering to her and she was punching him in the shoulder.
"Cole." he muttered. "What did he do this time Frank?"
"Well, it turns out he was caught.. messin'.. With the chiefs squaw." Frank whispered.
"You're kidding me? Cole Younger being that damned stupid?" Jesse whispered leaning in close. Cole's head jerked up but returned to paying attention to Liberty.
"You and I both know that Cole can be pretty dumb sometimes when it comes to women, and don't put the blame all on him. According to Cole and some of the other fella's the squaw was just as interested in him as he was in her." Frank said sternly.
"Why are you here then? Need a place to hide out? Lie low for a while?" Jesse asked.
"No, we need Jesse James and his stupid distractions." Frank said hanging his head. Jesse pursed his lips and sighed.
"Now Frank, I thought we went over this! I have a family now. I can't go riding off and leaving Zee! What about Liberty? For gods' sake man, the girl is only twelve years old. She needs her father!"
"What about Cole? They'll kill him as fast as look at him if they catch him! Do you know whats happened already? The old Younger farm was burned down by the Comanche. they burned the house to the ground! Killed Mr. And Mrs. Younger too!" Frank said getting angry.
"Liberty thinks the world revolves about that bloody idiot! Do you want her world shattered if she, no, when she figures out that Cole isn't all heaven and roses!" he added. It was Jesse's turn to hang his head.
"I can't Frank. Zee would never allow it."
Frank's face grew more withered and pale as he looked at Jesse's solemn face.
"We stopped by earlier Jesse. I didn't want to tell you this hear, but someone told the Indians that Cole lived here occasionally."
"Frank, what are you trying to tell me here?" Jesse looked at his brother's worried face and felt his stomach knot.
"Jesse, I don't know how to tell you this.."
"Just spit it out goddamnit!"
"Jesse, Zee's dead. Cole found her in the garden with an Indian knife in her chest." Frank whispered turning around. Jesse's face paled to a gray.
"What?" he whispered.
"It looks like they raided your house too. The windows are all smashed up and your front door was broken in." Frank added.
"What did you say?" Jesse croaked. "My Zee is dead? Dead by the Indians, am I hearing you right?"
"You're hearing is just fine Jesse. I'm telling you the truth." Frank said putting a hand on Jesse's shoulder. Jesse's face clouded over.
"You lying bastard! How dare you tell me my wife is dead just so that I'll ride again. I cannot believe you Frank. who put you up to this? Cole? That's just low." Jesse cursed in a hushed voice.
"Jesse, you have got to believe me. I wouldn't lie to you! My god! Stop being so damn stubborn and listen for a minute. Zee is dead, the Comanche killed her. We need you Jesse." Frank pleaded. Jesse's face pulled into a snarl.
"Mr. Miller. I'll come back later for the feed. Liberty!" he called. She looked up.
"Pay Mr. Miller, we're going home."
"But Daddy, Cole just got here! Can they come back with us?"
"Oh, I'm sorry little darling, but we're outta here. We just stopped by to say hey to your pa and you."
"Oh." she said sullenly. She put the 15 cents on the counter and walked out of the store.
"Jesse, when you go home, you'll see we weren't lying. And if you choose to join us, we'll be at the top of the hill overlooking this town. Meet us there in three days if you're with us. I'm sorry Jesse." Frank said turning to leave. Cole patted his cousin on the back.
"Jesse I."
"Don't say a word Cole Younger." Jesse breathed. Cole nodded and followed Frank.
Jesse stood for a moment feeling his world spinning to a halt. He stalked out of the store and climbed into his wagon.
"Remember Jesse, hilltop, three days." Frank said before steering his horse down the road.
"I'll remember Frank. I'll remember." Jesse hollered back.