The Call Chronicles:

Black Hawk Showdown

By Kathi Sprayberry

 

The hour before dawn was always the coldest part of any day, no matter what time of year it was. This particular day, the cold seemed much worse than was normal for October on the Front Range. Adrian Call shivered and shifted his position slightly, to take the pressure off his right knee for a bit, and reflected on the responsibilities bearing down upon him.

"Duty," he spat out, making the word sound like a curse.

Duty took him away from the fort he commanded near the Four Corners, where Arizona and New Mexico Territories butted against Colorado and Utah. A week's ride south of his hometown, the woman he loved with every fiber of his being was the captive of an Apache war party. The chief of this particular group, Natan Lupan or Gray Wolf, was in the habit of tying down his captives over ant hills and smearing their naked bodies with anything sweet. His diabolical torture provided amusement to his band of followers, all young warriors shunned by their tribes for their hatred of white men and their unfortunate habit of stealing young white women from their families. Adrian had buried the remains of half a dozen of his men tortured by Gray Wolf in this way. As a mercy as much as to stop the ear-splitting howls of one soldier, Adrian had shot one of his own men without blinking an eye. The rest of his men had backed away at first and then his legend grew and resulted in his most recent promotion to Colonel at the age of twenty-eight.

"I should be with Susannah," Adrian said while checking the western end of Black Hawk. "She needs me to find her, not a troop on patrol."

Susannah, his beloved darling, would endure a degrading life with Gray Wolf, until the Army rescued her. Adrian had come close to ignoring the summons from Jason and Matt, until Susannah's father explained the several hundred men at the fort could handle the search for her but Adrian had a higher duty - to his family.

And now he was waiting for the Griswold Gang to arrive. To be sure, none of those murdering scum would give up without a fight. If that was what they wanted, Adrian was in the mood to oblige them. Lawlessness was something he couldn't abide. But he also felt the pull of other responsibilities - almost more than he could bear.

"Damned duty." Adrian looked up and down the street for any sign of Archie Griswold's gang as the heavy mantle of duty fell over his shoulders. "Duty's lighter than a feather and heavier than a mountain."

The expression their pa had used to hurry his sons out of bed on snowy mornings brought a sad smile to Adrian's lips. He knew where his duty lay, even if his heart demanded his presence elsewhere. The current mission of the Call brothers, to capture and string up Archie Griswold and his murderous gang, wasn't the end of Adrian's current duty. He would pen out his resignation to the Army as soon as he finished this job. His duty now lay in the ruins of his family's ranch. No one would ever convince him otherwise, but he hoped to spend a month or two searching for Susannah when he finished in Black Hawk.

"What if I don't find Susannah?" Adrian mused. "It has been a long time since Gray Wolf took her."

That scenario was probably more real than he was willing to admit. Susannah had been in Gray Wolf's clutches for a month. There was no telling what she'd endured at that savages hands. Even if she'd managed to escape, the region where Gray Wolf maintained his headquarters was barren desert. Susannah could easily take a wrong turn in the unforgiving desert and wander until she perished.

"No." Adrian banished that thought. "I will find Susannah. But first, I have to bring Archie Griswold to justice."

With the same attention to detail he used to manage Fort Golden, Adrian examined the buildings around him for any sign of trouble. His brother, Hank, had indicated Griswold wouldn't attack until sunrise but Adrian had his doubts. No hootowl was ever known for their honesty.

"At least the women are safe," Adrian muttered.

Last night, after depositing Eliza and Aunt Priss with Preacher Jameson, Adrian had helped Brian, Hank, and Sheriff Watkins round up Flint-Eyed Tom and a half dozen members of the gang that burned two buildings on Triple C Ranch and murdered the Call parents. Stripped down to their longjohns, the seven men were then hog-tied, gagged, and dumped in one of the four cells at the jail. According to Hank, another two or three dozen miscreants would ride into Black Hawk at sunrise, under the leadership of a member of the English nobility who was as rotten as Billy the Kid or any of the men in the James/Younger Gang.

The sound of boots walking across the boardwalk's planks brought Adrian to his feet with all his senses honed in on whoever dared to approach him. He leveled his Army issued Colt 45 in the direction of the man coming up on him.

"I have coffee," Matt said in a low but carrying voice. "You might want to lower that weapon."

"Password?" Adrian demanded, keeping his gun aimed at where he'd heard the voice.

While none of his brothers would willingly assist those murdering scum, they'd agreed one and all to a password. No one but the dozens of men advised of the imminent attack would ever think of these particular words.

"Rubioso Cave," Matt replied without hesitation. "Which is where I wish I was right about now."

Rubioso Cave was a place where Adrian, his brothers, and the sons of other ranchers gathered to let off steam when they were kids. As they grew into manhood, the letting off steam often included a jug of whatever hooch they liberated from the local saloons but none ever got drunk on the cheap whiskey. That was a bit impossible with one jug and three dozen young men.

"Gonna drop that shootin' iron?" Matt asked. "These cups are a bit warm. Of course, you could always see if I really can dance."

The touch of humor lightened Adrian's mood. He holstered his gun and accepted a tin cup of steaming, black as midnight coffee from his youngest brother. They stood side by side at the alley's mouth and kept a close eye on Black Hawk while drinking the coffee. Adrian felt the warmth steal through his tense muscles and he couldn't help but compare this bitter brew with the wonderful coffee Susannah always brought to him whenever he came in from patrol.

Visions of the lovely woman Adrian loved danced before his eyes and distracted him from the job at hand. Instead of shaking off the sights, he reveled in them. Susannah with her wasp waist and always clad in a proper dress no matter how hot the day was. Her heart shaped face glowing as she looked up at him. The gray/green eyes set off by blonde hair with wisps blowing around in the ever-present desert wind at Fort Golden and the gentle smile that always lurked no matter how serious the situation.

"You still there?" Matt asked. "You looked like you were far away."

"A little," Adrian admitted and reluctantly shook off the good memories of Susannah. "No more. Time to concentrate on the job at hand."

A glance up and down the street brought a knot to Adrian's stomach. Black Hawk might be on the frontier but for so many years, the people around here had lived in peace. Shuttered windows hid a hastily formed but well-prepared ambush. Despite the late hour, the women and children had scurried into the church without protest and were now hidden in Preacher Jameson's cellar. Every able bodied man had turned out to receive ammunition at the general store or sheriff's office. Ranchers and cowboys rode in after hearing Jason's warning, bringing their weapons and enough bullets to put down a sustained Indian attack. In less than four hours, with the last person showing up an hour ago, everyone was in position and the hardest part of any operation had begun, waiting.

Only one thing might give away their presence, if any of the men posted on the buildings' roofs revealed themselves. Adrian lifted his gaze upward and scanned those roofs through the murky darkness. He concentrated on each store and home and every other business such as the bank and hotel, to forestall an overeager individual unwilling to await the command to open fire.

"Nobody's visible." Adrian allowed himself a small smile. "Now, if they wait until the right time." "They will," Matt said. The brothers sipped the last of their coffee and tossed the dregs into the street. Sounds cut through the silence and Adrian stiffened. His muscles reacted to three things that happened at the same time. The stage rolled into town but instead of passengers, he recognized several hands from the Bar B ranch, men who'd been around long enough to be thought of as a permanent part of the community. One of the most important elements of the ambush would happen - no innocent lives would be lost to the Griswold Gang this day. When the stage drove past, with both the driver and the guard holding greeners in their laps, the mountains surrounding Black Hawk rimmed with the shimmering red streaked with gold light that announced sunrise. "Hear that?" Matt tossed his coffee cup into the alley, where it landed with a hollow clang. "Griswold's on his way." "I hear it." Adrian set his cup on the boardwalk. "Watch the noise. We don't want to alert those outlaws." "Sorry." Matt flashed a grin. "I'm excited." "Damp the excitement," Adrian ordered. "Think of this as a normal thing or you might wind up dead."

Matt's happy expression faded and he shuddered. "I get the idea.

The brothers drew their weapons, Matt the twin Colts he preferred and Adrian the gun he'd used since entering the Army, as the deep thrum of hooves grew closer and closer. Adrian glanced at the jail and saw Hank with a greener held at waist level. A quick check of the stage office provided a glimpse of Brian seated on a bench beside the door, a rifle clutched in his hand. In front of the bank, Sheriff Watkins balanced his greener against a barrel placed there for that purpose and crouched down. Beside the sheriff, Harley Fistless, the Pinkerton's man, reached into a pocket and pulled out a small weapon.

"Damn!" Adrian hissed. "Didn't anyone give Fistless something better than that Derringer he carries?"

"He wouldn't take a Colt or a greener," Matt replied, the laughter in his voice evident. "Fistless thinks we're a bunch of undisciplined fools and need to learn from him about the right way to deal with criminals."

"Then he'll figure out how wrong he is from inside a coffin." Adrian held back a horrified gasp when Jason darted over to Fistless and forced a greener and ammunition on the Pinkerton's man. "Or maybe not. Hurry, Jason."

The sound of those horses was so loud Adrian suspected the outlaws would soon invade Black Hawk. Jason raced back to his position and knelt beside a horse trough outside the church. To Adrian's surprise, the barrels of three rifles poked out of the church's windows. Adrian suspected a couple of women were behind two of those rifles and that he knew them very well.

"I thought the preacher was going to protect Aunt Priss and Eliza," Adrian muttered under his breath. "Looks like he gave them rifles."

"They know how to shoot and won't balk." Matt dropped to one knee. "Here we go."

Adrian pressed against the wall of The Silver Spur Saloon and kept his gaze focused on the house where his family lived. He, Hank, and Matt would protect the temporary home as if the women were inside to distract Griswold from the rest of the ambush. Jason and Brian would help the sheriff, Fistless, and the rest of Black Hawk's defenders with the stage.

"Sure hope that Pinkerton's man uses the greener Jason gave him," Matt said. "Fistless sure doesn't seem to think we're worth listening to."

"What?" Adrian broke his concentration on the task at hand. "What fool would give up a good weapon to use one with only two shots?"

There was no time to check on Fistless and his choice of weapon as soon as Adrian finished asking the questions. Four abreast, the Griswold Gang rode into Black Hawk. To a man, they wore filthy kerchiefs over their mouths and noses and smelled like none had touched hot water or soap in a month of Sundays, with a few Saturdays thrown in for good measure.

The outlaws bearing down on Black Hawk carried a variety of weapons. A few had drawn Colt and Enfield handguns. Others held greeners or rifles at bay. Several hefted what appeared to be clubs over their shoulders. To a man, they were one of the most frightening sights Adrian had ever encountered. Even Gray Wolf, the Apache chief holding Susannah hostage, wasn't this fearsome at his worst. It wasn't the outlaws themselves, a cowardly lot who'd never think of doing this on their own, but the fact they'd invaded a town for the sole reason of stealing the payroll of a local ranch. In all probability, none had done an honest day's work since their pa's had forced them to tackle chores normal to any nineteenth century household. A few might have been raised in permissive homes or had parents who didn't care but most would have preferred enjoying taking from others rather than the satisfaction of a job well done.

"About ready," Matt said, drawing a bead on a group of riders splitting off from the others. "That's Griswold. I recognize him from Hank's description."

Six of Griswold's Gang raced along Black Hawk's single street and heeled their horses to an abrupt stop in front of the Widow James' house. The rest divided themselves between the bank, the stage office, and the stagecoach. The driver and the guard raised one hand each while the other brought up the greeners they'd held in their laps until this moment.

"Still going according to plan," Adrian said more to himself than his brother.

As a career Army officer, Adrian had spent countless hours making plans for every contingency. When faced with this situation, his analytical mind went to work and with very little argument, his brothers agreed with what he came up with. The only objections came from Eliza. Even though she still had to reach her sixteenth birthday, she was as tough as the rest of the family. Eliza believed it was her right to stand on the street and defend her town against the outlaws who'd entered her life so violently no matter the danger to herself. Only Adrian's threat to tan her hide had hushed her but she still shot all her brothers angry glares whenever she didn't believe any of them were looking.

But Eliza had managed to get involved after all, if Adrian was right about who held one of the rifles now pointed at Griswold's back from the church. With no idea what the men guarding Black Hawk would do, she could very well blow up the plan and cause more problems than she solved by firing before they were ready to begin this shootout.

"It didn't have to come to this," Adrian said.

"Sure it did," Matt said. "Sheriff Watkins told Jason and me a lot about Griswold while we waited for you, Brian, and Hank to show. Griswold's completely without conscience. The man came to this country to avoid a trial and being sent to Botany Bay down in Australia for murdering a serving maid. And, according to Hank, Griswold has the same plans for our sister. Don't sell that hardcase short, Adrian. He'll do whatever is necessary to get what he wants."

Matt had a point but Adrian hated trading shots with outlaws. Adrian might have joined the Army to fight for what he believed in during the recent Civil War but he'd always thought a peaceful solution instead of wholesale slaughter was the better way to go. While rising through the ranks and eventually taking command of a fort deep within Indian Territory, he'd seen his share of violence and it always left him with the feeling he never wanted to experience it again.

"We'll argue that later," Adrian leveled his Colt at one of the men searching a saddlebag in front of their temporary house. "What is he doing?"

"No clue." Matt shook his head. "Kind of a funny time to be pulling out his makings."

Both brothers watched in astonishment as the outlaw pulled out what appeared to be a bag containing tobacco and papers for making cigarettes. The man yanked out a flint and Adrian began to understand the miscreant was about to start the fight in a fiery way.

"Lord help us." Adrian cocked his weapon. "It's about to get very nasty. Aim at those clubs, Matt. They're torches."

Adrian focused on the man at the lead of the six outlaws outside their home. This man must be Griswold, from the descriptions both Sheriff Watkins and Hank had imparted. Griswold's kerchief did little to hide his bulbous nose, so large the appendage made the cloth dance away from his face rather than hiding his identity.

A horse's whinny faded as silence descended on Black Hawk; a silence so loud that the noise of a flint striking and then the flame flaring torch after torch to life sounded louder than a late summer thunderstorm.

"Hold, hold," Adrian muttered, praying those on the roofs waited for the agreed upon signal, one of Hank's ear-splitting whistles.

Adrian and Matt shifted their positions with Matt rolling over to the other side of the alley and Adrian slipping onto the boardwalk and seeking dubious cover behind a horse trough. Hank for all his bulk began his journey toward them by skulking away from the jail and staying in the shadows brought about dawn as the sun continued its unhurried rise above the mountains.

Griswold turned from right to left in his saddle. His hands twitched on the reins and his horse danced for a minute.

"Show your faces, you lousy Calls," Griswold shouted. "Face me like men or die like dogs!"

His men took up the chant and included other individuals living in Black Hawk. A few called for Sheriff Watkins to throw down his weapons and surrender. The demeanor of the outlaws was that of men sure of their victory. Never in their lives had they faced a more determined group of defenders. Adrian smiled and sighted Griswold's torch, moving his gun to keep up as the outlaw king swung the blazing weapons around his head in circles.

"Cowards!" Griswold howled. "Well, since you're hiding in your beds, I'll just warm things up for you."

He swung the torch toward the porch of the house and released a maniacal cackle. The men all around Griswold followed suit. Six flaming torches arced into the air and fell with alarming accuracy at the house where all the Call's worldly belongings resided.

"Now," Adrian ordered, falling into the same mindless state he used when coming upon a pack of wild Indians.

Hank's whistled pierced the air as Matt and Adrian unleashed frontier justice upon Griswold and his followers from their guns. Bullets whizzed past the outlaws heads and caused all of them to duck and look around for the source. The projectiles shattered the torches into hundreds of sparkling lights that fell against the dirt street and guttered out without causing any damage.

"Woo Hoo!" Brian shouted and opened fire on those around him, pumping shells out of his rifle so fast the barrel turned red within seconds.

From the rooftops and inside the buildings, Black Hawk's men and the ranchers with their cowboys fired on the outlaws. In seconds, men toppled from horses and lay still on the street. Adrian and Matt stood from their positions and Hank darted between them. The trio poured bullets into the half dozen men now shooting at them. Fear sweat stained the air. Men bellowed and sobbed in pain as more and more of the outlaw gang fell to the righteous justice of those tired of their antics.

Smoke clouded the morning air as the sun lit the town. Guns fell silent and the defenders holstered or shouldered their weapons. Adrian made a quick check of the men he considered his and breathed a sigh of deep relief. Except for a few scratches and one cowboy laying over the false front of the hotel's roof, none of them had suffered too badly during the quick battle.

"What have you done?" Griswold's shout struck fear in Adrian's heart.

The outlaw king surveyed the remains of his gang. Three of his men scrambled from where they'd sought cover under the boardwalk and mounted quickly. With a slap of their reins, they sent their animals running for the town's outskirts. None made it past the three rifles poked out of the church's windows. Three shots knocked the men from their mounts and Jason took control of those hootowls. Griswold lifted his legs and brought his heels up to an angle but stopped short of spurring his horse into action as he glanced at where Adrian stood with Matt and Hank.

"Tupelo?" Griswold scratched his flea-riddled beard. "I thought you died."

"Tucker Tupelo did die." Hank yanked Toothpick from the holster between his shoulder blades. "Tell him hello from Hank Call when you meet up with him and Satan in hell."

Toothpick flew out Hank's hand. The knife turned end over end in the early morning light as Black Hawk's residents came out of hiding and watched in stunned silence. Griswold yelped and leaned over his horse's neck. The animal, to give him due for good sense, bucked and threw the outlaw into the middle of the street but Griswold managed to keep hold of the reins. In his mad scramble to remount, Griswold kept glancing at the knife flying closer and closer to him but he managed to attain his saddle again.

The outlaw king's frightened gaze remained locked on the deadly knife as he spurred his horse. With a loud whinny, the animal bolted as Toothpick sliced through the tip of Griswold's nose. The kerchief floated to the street and a stream of blood cut off when Griswold clamped one massive hand over his nose and galloped out of town. His bellowing sobs sounded more like a calf being branded the first time that those of a man who'd terrorized men, women, and children in the west for years.

The sound of a slow hand clap began near the church and picked up all along the street. Residents started cheering and the defenders walked around to count their number and care for the wounded. A man leaned over the hotel's false front and hauled the one dead cowboy over the ledge onto the roof. Adrian stared in disbelief at what they'd wrought in their battle to stop the outlaws.

Most of the gang either lay dead on the street or stared into pistols wielded by Matt, Jason, Sheriff Watkins, and Harley Fistless. Bullet holes pocked the buildings and glass from windows on the banker's house and his bank glittered in the early morning light.

"It's not over yet." Adrian glanced at Matt and Hank. "We have to go after Griswold and bring him back here."

"He won't bother us again," Matt said with all the confidence of a man who'd faced more than his share of troublemakers. "Griswold won't want anyone to see him with half his nose sliced off."

"Don't be too sure of that," Hank walked into the street and picked up the pig sticker knife. He wiped the blade and slid the knife back into its holster. "Griswold always takes revenge when someone bests him."

Adrian accepted the bad news with a stoicism that didn't betray his true feelings. Yet again, Susannah had to wait for him to do his duty. Yet again, family came before the woman he loved. He wondered, as he walked along the street to gather his sister and aunt into the family bosom, whether he would ever have the chance to find his beloved and ensure her safety.

"Duty," Adrian whispered as his family gathered around. "Duty's lighter than a feather and heavier than a mountain."

Seeing Aunt Priss and Eliza with rifles against their shoulders drove home the old saying. Adrian finally understood and accepted his father's assessment of a man's lot in life. But he wished with all his heart that one day, he could go after his beloved Susannah.

"One day," Adrian whispered. "I'll find you Susannah. I swear that on my honor."

Brian and Hank, Jason and Matt stared at Adrian and nodded their approval. A bit of the coldness around Adrian's heart melted. He would keep that promise, as soon as he and his brothers captured Archie Griswold and brought the outlaw to Black Hawk to face justice.

THE END

 

The fifth installment of The Call Chronicles: DESPERATE SEARCH is available now.

Kathi Sprayberry has always had a fascination with the nineteenth century Wild West and the untold stories of survival and living on the frontier. She currently lives in Northwest Georgia with her husband and youngest son. When not writing, Kathi enjoys photography and reading. Her western stories, BROTHERS UNDER THE SKIN, DESERT ROSE -- BOUNTY HUNTER, and "JACKIE RYAN -- US MARSHAL" have appeared on the Frontier Tales website. Another story, "THE PREACHER'S DAUGHTER," will debut in November. Both "BROTHERS UNDER THE SKIN" and "DESERT ROSE -- BOUNTY HUNTER" won Best Loved in the months they appeared.