“Yeah, either Sully or his daddy. But what does that matter? What’s the sentence for kidnapping a woman, keeping her prisoner for a month, and trying to force her to marry you? What’s the sentence for bribing a judge? What are the sentences for all the other things he’s been getting away with? Pew is a wicked man who’s been doing terrible things to people since before we were born. The only thing that had been keeping him safe was money. Now, his money’s gone, and he’s no longer above the law. Justice was served.”
“You’re right,” Maggie said. “I’ve been wondering, though. Why did you tell Rickert it was Pew?”
“Because Pew was a threat. I was tired of keeping my eyes on Sully and having to keep looking back over my shoulder, wondering if Pew was sending someone to shoot me in the back.”
“But still, Sully’s more dangerous than Pew. You said so yourself.”
“Far more dangerous. At least his father is. But accusing them wouldn’t have done any good. They’re heavily connected with the Reconstructionists. Rickert never would have arrested them, and the judge would have dismissed their case, anyway. Meanwhile, nobody likes Pew. They would take his money to apoint, but he’s not slick like Weatherspoon. Things worked out perfectly.”
“Yes, I suppose they did, praise God,” Maggie said. “I do wish this was all over. I just want to get on with our lives together.”
He kissed her gently. “We are getting on with our lives.”
“You know what I mean, Will.”
“Yeah, I do. And I look forward to that, too. But life’s full of trouble. You can’t sit around waiting for it to be over. You gotta keep right on living. Otherwise, life will pass you by. You’ll waste it worrying.”
“I suppose.”
They lay there for a while, Maggie twirling her fingertips in his chest hair. They talked idly from time to time but mostly just enjoyed being close to each other.
Then, a gunshot split the night.
It came from a distance, miles to the south.
Will sat up, listening hard.
“What is it?” Maggie asked.
The gun fired again.
Will was up and moving.
“What is it?”
“Wait,” Will whispered, listening.
And there it was, the third shot.
“They’re coming for us, Maggie. Wake Mama and Rose. I gotta get outside and warn the men.”
“Who’s coming for us?”
“I don’t know. But that was the sign us neighbors agreed on. Three shots means somebody’s coming. Whoever it is, they’re coming from the south.”
They lit a lamp and got dressed in a hurry.
Pulling on his cavalry boot, Will confessed, “I was hoping they wouldn’t come from the south.”
“Why’s that?”
“I don’t want to scare you. I just want you to be ready is all.”
“What is it, Will? Just tell me.”
“If they were coming from town, they’d approach from the west. But whoever this is, they’re coming from the south, from the direction of…”
Maggie’s eyes were bright with fear, but her voice was steady. “The Thicket.”
