Роберт Паркер - Robert B. Parker's Revelation

“We could just get going and ride around to the other side?” I said.

“Let’s see what happens here first,” he said.

“Sounds right,” I said.

Virgil looked off for a moment, thinking.

“Stringer has been family to us, Everett.”

“He has,” I said.

“Damn good hand,” Virgil said.

I just looked at Virgil but didn’t say anything for a moment, then he said, “He helped us with Bragg way back when.”

“That he did,” I said.

“These are some bad hombres we’ve come across,” Virgil said.

“Damn right they are,” I said.

“Five dead, two back behind the walls,” he said.

“According to Tillary, these last two are the worst,” I said. “And according to me, the one of the two that I know, Tillary’s account is correct.”

“Driggs might be long gone,” Virgil said.

“Degraw, too,” I said.

“I know,” Virgil said. “Here we go.”

I followed Virgil’s look to the miners walking toward us and Cotton lit the fuse for the second blast.

By the time they finished off the champagne, the three of them were the only ones remaining in the dining room. The princess had worked up a case of the hiccups and was unsteady as they stood to leave. Allie, on the other hand, was a seasoned drinker. Though she, too, was feeling the effects of the bubbly, she was far better off than the princess, who stabilized herself on Allie’s shoulder as they moved away from the table.

“Sorry,” the princess said with a hiccup. “Oh, gosh... listen to me, I’m so, so sorry.”

“Oh,” Allie said. “There is nothing to be sorry about. I’ve been there plenty of times, believe you me.”

The princess laughed, then stumbled slightly as Driggs came to her side.

“I’ve got you, dear,” he said.

“Gosh,” she said. “Thank you.”

“Let’s get you upstairs, princess,” he said.

He looked to Allie.

“Will you be okay?” he said.

“Oh,” Allie said. “I’m fine.”

“Are you sure?” he said.

“Let us walk... walk you home,” the princess said.

“No, my goodness,” Allie said. “I’m fine.”

Driggs laughed at the princess. “You’re not walking anyplace except up those stairs and into bed.”

“My favorite place,” she said.

Driggs looked to Allie.

“I’m happy to walk you,” Driggs said.

“I’m good,” Allie said.

“It’s late and dark and she should not be on her own,” the princess said with a hiccup.

“I just need to get her in the bed upstairs,” Driggs said with a smile.

“That’s okay,” Allie said.

“Might you help me here,” he said. “Get her settled and allow me to walk with you, Mrs. French.”

“Oh... well...” Allie said. “I...”

“Most certainly,” the princess said with a slur.

Allie looked around as if someone, somewhere, was watching her, then she took the princess by her arm opposite Driggs.

“Let’s go, dear,” Allie said, looking first to Driggs, then toward the stairs.

Driggs and Allie helped the princess up the stairs as lively gambling and drinking sounds drifted through the closed double doors that led to the crowded saloon. The noise echoed into the silent dining room and up the staircase to the second floor as they assisted the princess. They were on each side of her as they navigated her down the hall to the room. Driggs opened the door. Then Allie helped him lead her to the bed where she timbered over with a smile.

“Do you mind,” he said, “helping to get her into her nightclothes?”

Allie was doing her best not to act like a trapped animal and Driggs could sense it. Her face was flushed and she was flustered, but she focused on helping the princess. He stepped back and watched her as she took charge of helping the younger woman out of her dress. He could tell she was not shy about the situation. It occurred to him as he watched her help the princess that she had done this before, she was accustomed to situations outside the prudish realm of normalcy.

“Thank you,” the princess said.

Once Allie got the princess into a dressing gown and under the covers, she turned to Driggs. He was sitting in a chair, just watching her.

“There she is,” Allie said. “Snug as a bug in a rug.”

“Shall we get you home?” he said as he got to his feet.

“Really, I’m fine,” she said.

Driggs opened the door.

“That’s obvious,” he said. “After you.”

Allie looked at him for a moment, then walked out the open door with Driggs following her.

Once they were out of the Boston House and walking down the boardwalk toward Allie’s home, Driggs could tell she was a little more at ease. They walked for a bit without talking, then Driggs looked at Allie and smiled, and she smiled.

“Your friend Margie,” he said. “She said she was in town on family business.”

“Yes,” Allie said.

“What kind of business?”

“Oh, gosh,” Allie said. “Has something to do with her late uncle’s estate.”

“That where she resides?” he said. “With her family, here?”

“Oh,” she said. “Well, I don’t know... I suppose. Why?”

“Oh, just curious about creatures,” he said.

“That’s wonderful,” she said. “To care...”

“Well, it’s just my nature,” he said. “And I care about you, too.”

“That’s nice. Thank you.”

Driggs pulled a rolled cigarette from his pocket.

“Care for a cigarette?”

“Oh, no, thank you.”

Driggs paused next to a post to strike a match and light the cigarette. Allie stopped, stood with him. Then they moved on as he shook the match and flicked it away into the street.

“Care for a puff?” he said.

“No, thank you.”

He stopped. She slowed and looked back.

“Oh, here,” he said. “Have a taste. This is fine Virginia tobacco.”

He moved close to her and held it out for her. She looked at it for a moment.

“Go ahead,” he said. “Not going to kill you.”

It took the whole evening and twenty-eight consecutive blasts to get through the rubble that filled up the portal of forty-two and enclosed Degraw and Sheriff’s Stringer’s posse.

It was just past midnight when Cotton and the miners finally broke through an opening and into the shaft. The rock fall had filled the portal completely, more so than what Cotton had figured on. Once there was an opening that was large enough for us to enter into we waited for a short amount of time. We did not want to enter into the opening right away; we waited to see if there was any sign from anyone within.

We called out into the opening for Stringer and his deputies, to see if by chance we could get some kind of response, but got nothing. We called, too, for the escapee, Ed Degraw, to surrender but again — and not surprisingly — we heard nothing.

“Time we have a look-see,” Virgil said.

I nodded.

“Might be a good idea,” Cotton said, “that you let us enter first to make certain everything is safe.”

Virgil shook his head.

“Given the devil of the sonofabitch we are after, that the posse was after,” Virgil said. “Think it’d be good to let us ease in there with you.”