Kansas.
the town of Lorne Creek, busy little livestock town. Where the habitants are friendly and the scenery is monotonous. At the edge of main street just down the hill from the church and grave yard. The Sheriff’s office rests a sign swinging gently in the evening breeze.
Inside the office is a deputy with short brown hair held down by pomade. Wearing green flannel over shirt. A pair of brown pants display his long legs reaching past his heal where brown boot leather sit cross legged underneath the Sheriff’s desk.
Turning his green-eyed gaze to the man in the cell. A young man wearing a stained white long-john as his top two blue suspenders holding up a pair of black pants. Scruffy old black leather boots hanging off the end of the bed two black tooled leather spurs jingle whenever he moved them. The kids light brown hat shielding his eyes from the lantern they hung back here.
Producing the handbill for the man he read quietly.
[pre][align=center] Wanted Alive. The Red Brother’s Levi and Jesse. Wanted for Larceny horse thievery, kidnapping and murder. Levi six foot four blue eye’s long black hair scar over his left cheek. Jesse five foot nine trimmed brown hair blue eyes. Heart shaped birthmark on his neck. Reward $500 for both.[/align][/pre][/glow][/i]
Peering to the set of guns they had conphiscated from the man when they arrested them, it did not look like the kit of a hardened criminal. Brown-tooled leather half his bullet slots left empty his revolver a Smith and Wesson Model 2.
Setting the handbill on the desk the Deputy breathed a happy sigh. Remembering how they managed to catch little Jesse Red.
He had been playing cards in the saloon. Both Deputies and the Sheriff had seen him come into town but none of them suspected anything. One of the local boys thought he was cheating at cards. They tussled over it. The local took a bullet to the hip and Jesse was revealed.
The Sheriff had pistol whipped Jesse into complying before locking his hands behind his back. And shoved him clear across town to the sheriff’s office. Where he now lays asleep.
The door bell of the office alerts the Deputy to a visitor out front. Rising from the Sheriff’s desk he grabs his hat and walks to the front of the office where a tall man wearing a long dark coat stands.
“Can I help you?”
“I hope so, my name is Butch Hodges”
“Alright Butch Hodges” the Deputy sizes the man up before looking up at him the mans face was turned to the side.
“How can I help you?” eying the mans hands seing they did not stray far from the two pistolled gun belt on his waist.
“I’m on the trail of the Granger gang, a couple of their associates came out this way... a feller by the name of uh” raising his left hand into his coat pocket the deputies hand came close to his pistol. Seeing the reaction Butch made the motions slow and steady producing a folded handbill.
“Jesse and Levi Red, their trail lead me here so...”
“Well you needn’t worry about Jesse he is locked up tight in that back room he ain’t escapin the hand of the law this time... that brother of his no one seemed to see him we asked Jesse but he didn’t say anything” the man gave a little nod before turning to the locked doors leading to the back.
“May I see him?”
“Say what?”
“May I see the Red brother you have?” the man asked and the Deputy looks back at the door and says “why not but you leave the guns here they’ll be safe on the desk for a few minutes” nodding again the man unclipped his gun belt while the Deputy began to unlock the door.
Creeking open the Deputy had just unhooked his key from the lock when he felt a sudden rush of pain crash through the back of his skull. Flying forward his shoulders reefed against the iron bars. Holding his pistol in his left hand the tall man walks back to his desk to gather his gun belt.
“Hello Levi good to see you big brother”
“Hello Jesse in for more trouble I see” Levi turned closing the heavy oak door grabbing the key and the gun from the deputies belt he tossed them across the room using the key to unlock his brother.
“Drag him in there take his boots anf belt off”
“What about his wallet?”
“He’s a local deputy he won’t have more than a few dollars on him take the wallet just leave it on the sheriff’s desk” Levi instructs empying the Deputies revolver tossing the bullets into a piss bucket.
Walking to a cabinet he grabs a et of handcuffs and a set of leg shackles. Throwing him to the bunk Jesse turns to Levi.
“Why aren’t we getting out of of here?”
“Because as soon as he comes to he will scream cry bloody murder. The longer we can keep this sonofagun occupied the longer we can be ahead of the posse after us, now wrap the chains around that beam while I wrap these chains around this beam”
the two men set to work wrapping the chains of the shackles around the bunk bed beams. Before locking them to his wrists.
“We ought to stuff something in his mouth keep him from screaming?” Jesse murmurs and Levi smiles “you took his boots off right?” seeing where his brother was going Levi knelt down and began to peel his sock off his foot. Stuffing the sock into the Deputies limp jaw. Producing a handkerchief from the Deputies pocket they wrap it between his lips and tie it around back of his head.
The tingling of a bell sent chills down the two outlaw’s spines.
“Hello... hello?” a soft feminine voice calls and the two men breath in relief.
“Okay, take his badge and act like the new deputy in town be shy and charming”
“You sure know how to play to my skill set brother” he smiles straightening himself about to pin the star to his chest when Levi stops him.
“Wait put this on” handing him a jacket that was hanging over the sheriff’s office chair.
“That way you don’t look like a slob” Jesse buttons the coat up before pinning the star on his chest and walks out.
“Hello ma’am” using his best southern drawl. Levi listened in on the conversation. Before long the Deputy started to rouse from his slumber eyes wide and panic settling in he begun to kick and fight trying to escape.
“Whphf fuphf fphfphf ophf iphf uphf!” the Deputy curses into his gag bucking the chains against the wood frames. Levi stands close to the large oak door peering out. What was taking so long.
Meanwhile.
Jesse had set the beautiful young lady in a chair while he sat on the edge of the desk his hat in hands. Running his hands over the brim while she yammered on about her courtship with Hugh.
“Where was it Hugh went again?”
“Oh uhm I believe he said there was a disturbance out back of the saloon and he went to check it out he temporarily deputised me ma’am he won’t be long” Jesse smiles brightly.
The beautiful creature sitting before him could be no more than eighteen. The most luscious dark brown hair Jesse had ever seen. Wearing a lavender purple dress with a white shirt overlapped by a matching coat buttoned at the waist the fabric folded over her bosom.
Her chocolate wavy hair was accessorized with a purple saucer hat with a pink ribbon. Binding it to under her luxurious mane. her fingers gloved in beautiful white. Hugging her slim hands.
The ruckus from the back room reached out there and startled the young woman her hand clutching her chest.
“Do not fret ma’am we captured a well known criminal had to chain him up real good, the profanity coming from his mouth would turn a Priest white I dare say, best you head on home now ma’am”
“You will tell Hugh I stopped by”
“I surely will ma’am, oh pardon me but I seem to have forgotten your name?”
“Rebecca Rebecca Howell” he smiles
“Pleased to meet you Rebecca Howell my name is Jes-Jay-Jason Jason Redding” her expression turns to wide eyed fright.
“Your Jesse Red the outlaw Hugh... oh my god Help!” his hand came to her mouth and he dragged her back away from the front door. Levi burst through the door.
“Nice charm cowboy, next time think of a different name” Levi states grabbing hold of Rebecca’s left arm and the two men drag her back behind the oak door. Closing it Jesse tightened his grip on Rebecca’s arm.
When Rebecca and Hugh’s eyes meet. Their protests grew stronger Rebecca tried to fight but Levi’s grip never faltered as she managed to toss Jesse off of her. Reaching to pull his hand off of her, his rough callused hand was like stone against her silk glove.
Opening the cell Jesse grabbed pair of handcuffs. Buckling one around Rebecca’s right hand before wrapping it around the iron bar of the cell before buckling her left wrist inside the iron she bit down on Levi’s hand making him shout before releasing his hand.
“Help someone Prison break please someone help us!” Rebecca managed to get out before Jesse places both hands over her mouth pinning her head to the bars.
“We have to gag’her too, what can we use?”
“Where is her reticule?” Levi speaks through gritted teeth and Jesse peers at him
“Why?”
“Where?”
“She left it out on the front desk” the man raced to grab it. Returning he threw the recitule on the Sheriff’s desk after producing an embroidered handkerchief.
“Clever man what do we use to hold it in I don’t got a hanky”
“Untie the ribbon from her hat wedge it between her teeth” the younger brother nods digging his fingers into her hair. Taking the opportunity to smell the lovely soaps eminating from her thick wavy hair.
“Stop fondling her hair and get the ribbon” Levi barks as he stuffed the embroidered cloth into her mouth. When Jesse finally got the ribbon free he ties it between Rebecca’s teeth and tied it around the back of her neck.
“Alright lets get before more show up” Levi states walking out to the door. Jesse was two steps behind before he faces her and shrugs “since I ain’t likely ever to see you again I’d consider myself a fool if I didn’t”
bending down he pressing a chaste peck to her cheek and smiles “someone will find you before too long”
“Jesse lets get” the older brother urged Jesse scurried to catch up with him.
In the back room Rebecca looks to Hugh. Whose fights had made the sweat stain his green shirt. The sweat eating away at his pomade as loose tufts of hair lowered to his forehead. The two of them talking around their cloth stuffed mouths.
All Rebecca could think while won’t this make a lovely story to tell over tea with the ladies. The Jail break of Jesse Red!