Chapter 3

Sheriff Dave O’Dell knew all the ways to sneak into Boseville, and it was a good thing. When he cleared the row of trees that bordered the town on one side, the first thing he saw was Elrod Sweet on a horse watching for anyone riding into town. Elrod was the other son of Radney Sweet and he was the younger brother of Josiah Sweet the family patriarch.

Dave followed a sandy path behind the town so his horses steps could not be heard. He rode all the way to the other end of town and then looked to see if the Sweets had staked out the other entrance to town. They hadn’t. Dave rode back to the jail and tied up the roan and quickly went to the jailhouse door, finding it locked.

“Who’s there?” Came a loud voice from inside.

“It’s me, Dave,”

“Dave’s not here!”

“I’m Dave, Bobby Davis. And you better open this God damned door or I’m gonna tear you a new asshole.”

Dave O’Dell stood there and listened to three dead bolts being pulled back and then the door opened. Dave pushed past his deputy quickly and closed the door behind him.

“Bobby, what’s going on. I saw Elrod Sweet guarding the east end of town.”

“Yeah, they’re waiting for their family to return from killing someone named Chris O’Dell. Is he related to you? What’s going on now that you asked?”

“What’s going on is that someone killed Wes Sweet while Chris O’Dell was temporary sheriff of Bountiful. No one ever got proof as to who did it so the Sweets went to Bountiful to kill the sheriff for not catching the murderer. Instead they all got killed and Josiah sent more of the family to kill O’Dell. Some went to O’Dell’s ranch and raped his wife and stole his kids.

“The ones who went to town to find him got themselves all killed by him instead. Then Chris went to the ranch and found his wife. Now they are coming here to wipe out the Sweets and get their kids back. Chris O’Dell is a full load but his wife Elizabeth, the one the Sweets raped, she’s the one to run from. So, are you stocked up?”

“Yes.”

“Who else knows about this situation?”

“I assume Sam in the telegraph office.”

“He’s dedicated to his job and won’t say anything to anyone. That means that Josiah assumes that someone is coming after the O’Dell children. None of the family that’s alive knows that I was there.”

Dave paused and looked around the office. Bobby had stocked up with everything they’d need for a siege. After a few minutes of thought and planning he turned and looked at Bobby Davis.

“Bobby, I’m going to bring Elrod in. Have a cell ready for him. Treat him right. I don’t want anything to bring this battle to town.”

“What are you going to charge him with?”

“Being ugly! I won’t charge him with anything. We are going to hold in in protective custody.”

“Protect him from who?”

“Elizabeth O’Dell and his own stupidity.”

Dave put on his hat and took the thong off of his pistol. Just before he got to the door he stopped and turned to the rifle rack on the wall and picked out a shotgun. He loaded both barrels and looked at Bobby.

“Just in case.”

Bobby nodded. Dave left and got on the roan and calmly walked towards the edge of town. He rode slowly so as to not do anything to get Elrod’s attention.

Elrod Sweet was possibly the least capable of all the Sweets. That was one reason that he always got the jobs that could be done by children. Today his job was to watch for any strangers coming into town or to spot Sheriff Dave O’Dell.

Being the least capable, he had no idea that Dave O’Dell had ridden into town from the other direction and was now approaching him from behind. He didn’t pay attention to what was behind him because he’d been told to watch the road and watch the road he was going to do.

He was feeling bored and for the umpteenth time was looking around at things other than the road when he saw Sheriff Dave riding towards him from town. Now how did he get there? And why was he coming from that direction?

Before Elrod could solve these mysteries, Dave stopped about twenty feet away and leveled ta shotgun at him.

“Elrod, I’m gonna need for you to come with me.”

“I can’t Dave. I was told to stay here and watch the road.”

“Elrod, what were you supposed to be watching for?”

“I was supposed to be watching for strangers and you.”

“Well, I’m here and you need to come with me. Or should I just shoot you?”

“No sir. I’ll come with you.”

Elrod turned his horse and Dave followed him into town.

“Just ride over to the jail Elrod and stay on the horse until I tell you. Were you gonna be out there all day?”

“Yes. Until Hez came to take my place.”

Hez would be Hezekiah Sweet, Elrod’s brother and second only to Elrod in mental prowess. At the jail, Dave reminded Elrod to stay on his horse and Dave dismounted, tied up the roan and then stepped onto the boardwalk.

“OK, Elrod, get off the horse and tie him up. Then walk nice and slow into the jail.”

“Did I do something wrong, Dave?”

“Not yet Elrod, and I aim to keep it that way.”

The jail door opened and Bobby stood back to let the two men enter. Once inside Bobby bolted the door again and then he led Elrod to a cell. Once inside, Bobby locked the cell door behind Elrod and went to Dave.”

“That’s one.”

“Yeah but Hez Sweet is supposed to relieve him in a bit. So we have to look out for him. As soon as Hez in in here, I’ll ride out to get Chis and Elizabeth.”

“They’re here already?”

“Bobby, they’ve been here since I got here. They’re camped just outside town. I came in to get the lay of the land and see if you were OK.”

“Dave? What’s this all about?”

“Elrod, a mess of folks went and raped a woman and stole her kids and they are coming after them with a fury. I’m just trying to make sure that all the Sweets don’t end up dead.”

“Rape? They told me she was a whore. I woulda never raped a woman.”

“Well if you did Elrod, you could be as good as dead right now. That woman was my cousin.”

“Oh Lord. Daddy and Uncle Geoffrey and Mr. Josiah are going to be in trouble.”

“Why?”

“They was the ones who led us to that whores house. Me and Hez and Judah too.”

“Well, I wouldn’t give a damn for your lives now. I just hope the two children haven’t been hurt. If they’ve been harmed, Elizabeth O’Dell will kill every woman and child related to y’all.”

Elrod lost his calm hearing those words.

“Dave, you gotta let me out. I gotta warm my folks.”

“You’d never make it. The O’Dells would catch you on the road.”

I left Elrod in the cell and went back out to the front portion of the jailhouse.

“Bobby, I’m going to go get the O’Dells and bring them into town. We need a plan before we ride out to the Sweets place.”

“OK, Boss. Be careful. You know how I feel about the prospect of having to be sheriff, even for a few weeks.”

“Yeah, I know. Keep the place locked up until I get back. Don’t let anyone in but me.”

“Yes, sir.”

Dave walked out of the jail and as soon as the door closed he heard the sound of the metal bars of the deadbolts being slid back into place. He mounted the roan and was about to head out when he heard the soft voice behind him.

“Hi Dave. Where ya goin’?”

Dave turned to see Hezekiah Sweet coming towards him. Hez had no guns in his hands and was coming slowly.

“Hi Hez. I’m glad you’re here.”

Dave quickly dismounted, keeping the roan between him and Hez Sweet. He drew his pistol and when Sweet was almost to his horse, he raised the pistol over the saddle and pointed it at the large man.

“Hez, I got Elrod in jail and I’m going to need to have you join him.”

“Why?” Hez voice was not so soft now.

“Because your family has started a war and I’m trying to keep the fight out of town and at the same time trying to keep as many of you Sweets alive as I can.”

“Again, same question. Why?”

“Because you and yours raped my cousin and stole her children and she and her husband are coming to get back their kids. After raping his wife, Chris O’Dell wants some justice.”

“We didn’t rape nobodies wife. We just fucked a whore.”

“And killed six mares, four of which were in foal. And Elizabeth O’Dell is my cousin.”

“Damn!”

Hezekiah Sweet swore loudly and went for his gun but it was tied down with the leather thong on the hammer. Dave O’Dell saw the pistol catch and fired high catching the big man in the shoulder. Hez jerked back and quick as he could, Dave ran around the roan and grabbed the reins of the wounded man’s horse.

Calming the animal and keeping his pistol trained on Hez, Dave gave an order.

“Hez! Get off the horse and head for the jail or so help me God, I’ll put lead in your skull.”

Hez dismounted clumsily and as soon as he was on the ground, he clutched at the bleeding hole in his shoulder.

“Bobby! Open up!’

This time Bobby didn’t ask questions. The two deadbolts slid and the door opened. A shotgun preceded Bobby Davis out the door.

“Bobby, unlock the cell next to Elrod and then get the doc.”

The deputy turned and grabbed the keys off the peg behind the desk, then went to the cell doors and opened the furthest. He came back and took off out the door for the doctor’s office. Dave waved his pistol at Hez, slumping and walking weakly from loss of blood, Hez Sweet staggered straight into the cell. As he passed Dave, the Sheriff reach around and took Hez pistol and knife.

Hez collapsed on the bed and Dave had a thought.

“Hez you wouldn’t have a hideout gun or knife, would you?” Hez paused long enough for Dave to know the answer. “You want to give them to me, or should I find them on your dead body?”

Hez winced as he bent over to reach into his boots. Out of one he took a long skinny knife that some people called a pig sticker and out of the other boot a small .32 pistol. Hez laid them on the floor and kicked them over to where the cell bars met the floor.

Dave picked them up and went to the desk. He placed the weapons in the safe and closed the door as Bobby walked in with the doctor.

“Dave, you shouldn’t leave the door open.”

“It’s OK, Bobby. I don’t think there will be any more Sweets coming for a while. Doc, last cell on the right. Hez Sweet with a shoulder wound. Bobby let him in and keep a gun on Hez while Doc treats him. I’m going to get the O’Dells.”

“Where the hell is that fool?” Josiah Sweet asked.

His two brothers, Geoffrey and Radney, and Judah, Geoffrey’s son, stood in the kitchen, having just arrived. Elrod should have been back by now; if Hez had relieved him like he was supposed to. Josiah was now, officially, ready to kill something. Josiah’d finally gotten the whole story of how he and his brothers sons had been killed.

He was now also officially worried that raping the wife and stealing the children of Chris O’Dell had been the wrong thing to do. But they’d done it and now there’d be hell to pay.

“I’ve done enough waiting. Judah, get my horse saddled. We’re going to town and from there we’re going back to Bountiful to wipe out those O’Dells.”

“Does that include Dave O’Dell?” Radney asked.

“Yes.”

“Good. I’ll take my Sharps. It’s got enough range that I can take him from far off. I don’t want to face him after the number of ours he’s killed.”

“You scared?” Josiah asked with a nasty tone to his voice.

“You want to face him?” Radney replied.

Josiah didn’t answer, he just pulled himself out of his chair and pushed past his brother. Outside he saw Judah walking his horse towards the house and Josiah met him halfway.

“I’m going to town. If your father and uncle find their balls, y’all can follow.”

Josiah took off at an easy cantor while Judah ran to the house and then the three men ran to the stable to saddle their horses and catch up with the Sweet family patriarch.

“Hello the camp!” Dave called out.

“Come ahead, Dave,” Chris answered.

Dave rode in and after he dismounted he tied his roan near the other horses and walked to the fire.

“Took you a bit longer than a couple of hours,” Chris said.

“Yeah, I had a little run in with the Sweets. I got two of them in jail, one’s been wounded.”

“You OK, Dave?” Elizabeth asked.

“Yeah, I’m fine. But with Elrod in jail and Hez wounded, I don’t see how I can keep the battle out of Boseville. The best thing to do right now, would be to ride into town and get you two into the jail where we can safely make a plan.”

“OK, let’s go.”

Elizabeth got up and poured the remaining contents of the coffee pot onto the fire and then, using her boots, she spread the coals out inside the stone fire ring. She walked to the little stream and filled the pot with water, swirled it around to wash it out and then poured the water onto the remaining coals.

Chris and Dave loaded the packs onto the horses while Elizabeth saddled her horse. When she was done she took off at a slow trot with Dave while Chris sped to saddle the grulla and catch up. Soon the three were together and on their way back to Boseville.

The four Sweet men slowly rode into town and wheeled to stop in front of the saloon. They dismounted, tied up their horses, and walked into the saloon Josiah first. He went straight to the bar and ordered a rye. His brothers and nephew did the same. After the bartender poured the four drinks he set the bottle down and then asked, “Mr. Josiah? You here to get your boys out of jail?”

“What!?” The old man yelled in a rage.

“Elrod and Hez are in jail and Hez has been shot. The Doc says he’ll be fine.”

“Who shot him?”

“The Sheriff.”

The Sheriff? O’Dell!?” The old man screamed and threw his shot glass against the wall before storming out and into the street. With Geoffrey on his right and Judah next to his father and Radney on his left, Josiah walked towards the jail.

Dave, Chris, and Elizabeth O’Dell came over the small rise on the road to Boseville and turned onto the main street. As soon as they made the turn they saw the four men outside the jail. One of the men was screaming and shooting his gun at the door.

“Come on! This way,” Dave said and he turned them to the left and onto the sandy strip that he’d taken before to sneak past Elrod and get to the far side of town undetected. It worked again and the three rode to the edge of the buildings and dismounted. The three took out their rifles, jacked in a shell and then loaded another shell into the magazine.

“Elizabeth, you want to stay here?”

“NO!” she said firmly and walked around the side of the building.

Chris was with her and Dave next to Chris. They were within twenty feet of the four men when Judah saw them.

“Pop! Look!”

Judah pointed at the approaching O’Dells and his father, Geoffrey, turn to look. That got the attention of the other two men and immediately all four turned and lined up to face the oncoming O’Dells.