Author's note:

Well, y'all, this has been quite a ride! A much longer trail than I had anticipated when I started it. But here we are, at the final two chapters. When I have time, I think I'll try to put a Table of Contents together and add it just before Chapter One, so it will be easier to find a particular short story if you ever want to just have a quick read of a certain Part of the saga/age of Jess.

I've been writing this novel for more than two months, and especially obsessively for the last two weeks, because it has been my goal to honor the remarkably talented actor and incredibly wonderful person Robert Fuller is, by getting this finished and posted in time for his 90th birthday. I made it! Happy Birthday, Bob! Born this day, July 29, in 1933. I absolutely love this man. As I know you do too, fellow Laramie aficionados. I know many fans make it a point to read FanFiction stories every year on his birthday, as an homage to him, the beloved characters he portrayed, and the way he brought them to life. So how fun it is to ride this reading trail together, and with our iconic Jess Harper, on this special day!

I want to thank you, dear readers, for sticking with me on this long trail. I tried to give you something worthy of spending your time reading. I hope it worked out that way. In return, you certainly have been so great in giving back to me! I truly appreciate the reviews, messages, favs, prayers, and all the other ways you have shown your support. You kept me going. Through your encouragement and faithful feedback, you made me feel part of a special community. And I needed that. Writing can easily go from solitary to lonely, but your responses kept me smiling and inspired. I am grateful.

And, of course, I want to acknowledge and voice endless respect and appreciation for Robert Fuller, John Smith, and all those professionals on screen and off screen who were involved in the making of the greatest western, "Laramie." This entire story is a labor of love from me for them.

I pray for blessings for each of you, pards. Happy reading!

SycamoreSunrise

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Chapter Forty-five

Slim was relieved when he and Jess finally reached the point within some trees where they could look between the pines and down into the ranch yard. Jess did exactly as he had declared before they set out and remained "glued" in the saddle without needing any help to stay there. Smiling as they were about to begin the decent toward the house, Slim clicked the go-ahead to Alamo.

"Hold up, Slim. Somethin' ain't feelin' right."

Riding to the left of Traveller, Slim halted and immediately looked worriedly toward Jess' side, dreading that he might see blood seeping through the bandage and that blue shirt. The fact that Jess' wound there had not been stitched had worried him greatly as they rode.

Jess noticed where Slim's eyes were directed.

"Not me."

"What then?"

Jess nodded toward the house. "It's the place. Somethin' don't seem right."

Slim looked in the direction of his home. It took a minute, but he saw what Jess meant. "It's too quiet. Nobody around. No smoke from the house. Jonesy should be cooking."

"Yeah, and Andy's usually checkin' on all his critters 'bout this time."

Dark blue eyes looked to light blue. "How do ya wanna do this?"

"Might be nothing. But I'll check it out. You wait here, Jess."

"No. Don't try that. We need to go in at the same time. You on one side of the house, me on the other."

At just that moment, they saw the front door open, and Andy stepped out onto the porch. He paused, looked back inside, and nodded his head. Then he went to the barn.

"What's he doin'? Can you see who was talkin' to 'im?"

Slim strained his eyes trying to see who was standing just inside the door. "Oh no. This is bad. We have to stay quiet and hidden here in these trees for now, Jess."

Jess came to immediate high alert, grateful that both Traveller and Alamo could be trusted to stand quietly.

Soon, Andy came from the barn with a saddlebag. As he got to the front door, an arm reached out and grabbed the bag away from him, then latched hard onto the back of his neck, jerked him inside, and slammed the door.

Furious at the way whoever was there had handled Andy so roughly, Jess demanded, "Who is it?"

Slim's worry and anger came through on his face and in his voice. "Jenson."

"The stage driver?"

"Yeah. He said he was gonna make me pay." Slim looked at Jess. "That grudge, remember?"

Jess let out a big breath. "Okay. Now, we gotta move in. I'll take the front of the house. You go 'round back."

"The front is the way he'll be watching. It'll be the most dangerous way in. I'll take it. We'll tie the horses back a ways in the trees here and then both sneak in on foot real quiet. You'll go around the side."

"No. We can't do it like that. Like I said, it's gotta be me goin' into the ranch yard. You go around the side of the barn and sneak over behind the house."

Slim frowned. "Why do you say we have to do it like that?"

Jess hated to admit why, but lives were at stake. He had to be honest. "'Cause I can't sneak in. I have to ride in. I can't be sure a' stayin' on my feet, Slim. I'm havin' trouble holdin' on as it is."

It was then that Slim noticed how hard the ride had been on Jess. He looked exhausted, his eyes pinched in pain, and there was a flush to his cheeks. He was sweating and shivering slightly.

"Your fever's spiking again."

"Yeah."

"Do you think your wounds have opened? Can you feel any bleeding?" Slim again glanced at Jess' side.

"Hand's okay. Ain't sure 'bout my side. That's why we gotta hurry. Not sure how long you can count on me."

Already worried for Andy and Jonesy, now Slim added Jess. But he knew he had no choice. "All right."

"I'll ride in and draw his attention after you give me the sign you're in place by the house. You can look in the back window and see what's goin' on. Then you can go in through the side door or however you think you should play it."

"You make it sound simple."

"Should be. As long as Jenson's the only sidewinder in there. I'll keep his attention on me."

"And what if he decides to just shoot you as soon as he sees you?"

"Nah. Don't worry 'bout me." Jess flicked a small smile. "Got my lucky blue shirt on."

Slim frowned back. "I think you already found out those blue shirts of yours don't stop bullets. Be careful, Jess."

"Always."

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Slim walked Alamo farther back into the trees and tied him there. Then he began to make his way stealthily into place, as Jess made his own preparations to ride down to the house.

When Slim reached the barn, he glanced inside and saw only one horse there that didn't belong. Had to be Jenson's. Sneaking to the back of the house, Slim carefully peered into the small window at the end of the room. What he saw made his blood boil.

Jonesy was tied in the chair at Slim's desk, and gagged. Andy sat on the couch, neither restrained nor gagged, but obviously scared, staring up at Jenson. Slim was thankful that at least neither of them was injured. But Jenson was standing there right beside Andy, pointing a gun at him. If not for the worry that Jenson's finger might reflexively pull the trigger if he was hit by a bullet, Slim would have shot the snake right then.

Despite Andy's fear, he looked calm enough. Jenson seemed to have forgotten all about Jonesy, and it didn't appear he intended to hurt Andy, at least not right away. More likely he planned to use him to get to Slim. Jenson occasionally looked out the window, apparently watching for Slim's return.

Jenson was acting alone, so Slim crept around to the side of the house by the kitchen, where the sidewinder couldn't see him. Looking up toward the hill, he signaled to Jess and then waited as his friend slowly began to walk Traveller down the hill.

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Jenson saw Jess making his way past the paddock. He waited a while and then seized a handful of Andy's shirt, pulling him forward. "Come on, kid. Looks like Harper's here. Let's go say howdy."

Keeping his gun on the boy, he opened the door and forced Andy out in front of him, then off the porch and a few steps away from it as Jess entered the ranch yard.

"That's far enough, Harper."

Jess reined to a stop, his eyes aflame with barely controlled rage. "What in blazes are you doin', Jenson? Let that boy go."

"Where's Sherman?"

"What do ya want with him?"

"That's my business. Now answer my question."

"He's on his way. 'Bout a half hour behind me." Jess' glare could melt metal. His voice was a low growl. "I told you to let that boy go."

"First, you toss your iron. Over there towards the pump. With your left hand."

Jess held up his heavily bandaged hand. "That ain't gonna be so easy to do."

Jenson roared with laughter. "Got your paw caught in a trap, did ya? Use the right then. But careful now, just two fingers. Remember where my forty-five's pointed." He poked Andy in the side with his sixgun, and the boy flinched and grunted.

Gritting his teeth, Jess flung his walnut-gripped Colt close to the pump stand, noticing as he did that Slim, forty-five cocked and ready, was just around the corner of the house, waiting for the right moment to strike, when his actions would not endanger his younger brother. Just like Jess waited for him to mess up at the lake that first day, Slim watched for his opportunity.

"And your rifle." Jenson kept his eyes on Jess and kept his sixgun's muzzle against Andy's ribs.

Jess pulled his rifle from the scabbard and threw it to land beside his handgun.

Jenson chuckled. "So here we have the great gunfighter Jess Harper. Surprised? Yeah, I know about you, Harper. But you aren't so high and mighty without an iron, are ya? Like a rattler without his bite."

Jess wavered a bit in his saddle.

"A real weak rattler at that. You don't look so good, Harper. In fact, you look plumb sick. What's your problem?"

"I'm plumb sick."

Andy's eyes widened. He couldn't believe Jess was admitting to something like that. He had hoped Jess would be much better by now, but he looked red and shaky, like he had a fever. Andy was terribly worried by the absence of Jess' usual "I'm fine."

But for the first time in his life, Jess Harper was hoping that someone would see him as weak. And, therefore, no threat.

"You mind if I git down off my horse b'fore I fall off 'im?" Jess' voice held a tremor.

"I reckon that's all right. I want us all to git in the house anyway, so Sherman doesn't see anything going on when he rides in. Tie your horse there." The stage driver nodded at the hitching rail.

Jess lowered himself clumsily to the ground, reeling a bit and grabbing Traveller's mane to steady himself.

"Shoot, Harper!" Jenson laughed again. "You're stumbling around like a drunkard."

"Can't hardly keep to my feet. Fever. My wound's infected."

At that, Andy's face scrunched with anxiety. Oh no! Jess is really bad off. The boy was overcome with guilt again.

Jenson sneered. "Well, ain't that just too bad. For you. Works out perfect for me. Now tie up that horse and go on inside." He stepped further aside from the porch, pulling Andy along, to open a path to the house for Jess.

But after Jess hitched Traveller to the rail, he walked a few feet away, staggered farther back into the yard, and fell to one knee. Breathing hard and looking as though he couldn't stand, he quietly said, "I can't make it. Let the boy help me up."

"You can crawl in, Harper."

"Yeah, might take me a spell. Thought you were in a hurry to git ready for Sherman."

Jenson thought about that. He was in a hurry. "Andy, go get him on his feet. And Harper, remember where this gun will stay aimed. Right at the kid."

Andy hurried to Jess, approaching him on his right side, until he saw Jess squint his eyes, give a small shake of his head, and lift his left arm slightly from his side. Andy was surprised; with the way Jess' hand was injured he had figured Jess wouldn't want him on his left, but he quickly made the adjustment in his approach and knelt down. Jess draped his left arm over Andy's shoulders and slowly struggled to his feet, using the boy as a crutch as Andy rose with him. Bent forward against Andy, he whispered, "Watch for my nod. Be ready to hit the dirt."

Making no reply, Andy glanced up at Jess and then over at the stage driver.

When Jess was finally on his feet, wobbling unsteadily, Jenson called Andy back to him, his gun pointing at the boy all the way and then pressing again into his side as he held onto Andy's upper arm with his left hand.

"Harper, I changed my mind. I want you to stand right where you are. See, when you say Sherman's on his way… I don't believe you."

"I got no reason to lie," Jess offered weakly.

"Oh, don't you? Sherman's your friend. You want to protect him."

"Sherman's my boss. All he means to me is payday. I ain't gonna stick my neck out for him."

Andy's mouth dropped open in shock. He couldn't believe what he was hearing. Jess sounded so cold. Didn't he even care about Slim?!

"Well, that does sound the way a hired gun like you would see things," Jenson said. "But you sure been looking and sounding mad, ever since you got here."

"That's for the boy. Do what you want with Slim. I just don't want the kid hurt."

"You know something? Neither do I. What kind of man do you think I am, Harper? I don't really want to hurt the kid. He's just my ticket to his brother. And getting back to good ol' Slim's whereabouts…" Jenson's voice lowered and his eyes narrowed. "I bet he's already here."

Jess' stare was icy. Andy began to tremble with fear.

Jenson held the boy in front of him and backed up close to the house, so no one could sneak up behind him. "Come on, Slim!" he yelled. "I know you gotta be here somewhere. Come on out. Hands up, and I won't shoot anybody else. I only want you."

The answer was nothing but silence.

"Remember, I got my gun on your brother. And Harper's right here in front of me. I couldn't miss hitting him. He's only about five or six yards away. Maybe you don't mean anything to him, but is it the same the other way around? And remember, ol' Jonesy's inside. Which one you want me to shoot first, Slim?"

"He ain't here." Jess' voice rumbled tiredly, his shoulders slumping as he swayed a bit.

"Well, let's just be sure. Maybe he slipped in without you knowing, Harper. Because you sure look kinda out of it."

Jenson swept his gaze around the ranch yard and buildings. "Slim! I got your little brother right here in front of me, so don't try to take me down or you'll hit him. I'm gonna count to five, and if you aren't out here where I can see ya, I'm gonna shoot your buddy Jess." He turned his glower toward Jess, who blinked and wobbled, looking about to pass out. "Stay awake, Harper. We're about to find out how Sherman really feels."

Slim believed Jenson would indeed shoot Jess if he didn't step forward. To save Jess, he had to take a chance, even if the stage driver ended up killing Slim in front of his little brother. He only hoped that maybe he could say something to make Jenson come to his senses. Maybe he could even bribe the man into calling this whole thing off.

Jenson began to count. Before he got to four, Slim stepped out from the side of the house, hands raised, gun dangling from his finger in the trigger guard.

"All right. I'm here."

"Slim!" Andy cried, trying to step forward.

Jenson yanked the boy back, keeping him close, as a shield. "Drop your gun, Sherman. And walk out farther. I want a good look at you before I kill you. That's why I didn't go after you on the road or someplace. I wanted to look you in the eye and remind you why this is happening."

Slim's sixgun fell to the ground, and he slowly moved forward until he was standing ten feet directly in front of Jenson, with Jess about six feet farther back and a few feet to Slim's right.

"You've got me now, Jenson. There's no reason to hurt my brother."

"You're right. And I won't. I don't much need him anymore. So long as Harper doesn't get in the way of me riding out free and clear once I take care of you." Jenson still kept a hand on Andy's arm, but his grip loosened as he focused on Slim.

Andy looked on in horror, first at Slim. Then he glanced desperately to Jess for help. But when his eyes landed on his hero, Jess looked back with steady, determined eyes.

Andy felt the strength conveyed from that piercing blue gaze. And it reminded him of what Jess had whispered. "Watch for my nod." He took a deep breath and fixed his eyes on Jess.

The stage driver was glaring at Slim. "Remember, Sherman. This is because of what you did to me. This is all about Belinda Sue."

Andy saw it. Jess gave a sudden nod.

The younger Sherman wrenched his arm away as hard as he could as he dove to the side, away from Jenson. At the first moment he began his movement, a gunshot rang out.

Jenson screamed and grabbed his shoulder, dropping his gun and falling to the ground. Slim quickly retrieved his own gun from the dust and pointed it at the would-be murderer.

"Don't move!" Slim ordered irately. Then he looked to his little brother. "You okay, Andy?"

"Yeah." Andy scrambled to his feet and ran to his brother's side.

Then Slim looked over at Jess. "How about you, pard?"

Jess stood tall, his pearl-handled gunfighter forty-five smoking in his hand.

He looked at the two brothers.

"I'm fine."

It had worked—appearing weaker than he was, acting like Slim meant nothing, and hiding his gunfighter revolver under the right side of his jacket before he rode down the hill—had worked. Jenson had dropped his guard just enough. And Jess had dropped the hammer on him. The hammer of his iron.

Writhing in the dust and clutching his bleeding shoulder, Jenson stared in shock and fear at Jess Harper.

Jess remained in his gunfighter stance, his sixgun still aimed sure and steady at the sniveling sidewinder.

"But… but you said… you didn't care anything about Slim." Jenson gasped fright-filled breaths.

Jess aimed a hard, furious glare at him, followed by a low, gravelly, Texas-accented warning.

"Never forgit this… You go after a Sherman… You gotta go through me."