Gold

By Joe Kinney

She left Wichita with a half-burned, stolen map, a horse, and three hundred dollars. Alice Muller was going to find that legendary stash of gold. She and the four men she would hire were all going to be rich, assuming, of course, she and them came back alive.

• Language: English
• Publisher: AuthorHouse
• Release date: Dec 30, 2015
• ISBN: 9781504968959

Joe Kinney

Joe Kinney was born in Paterson, New Jersey. He moved with his family to Northern Utah, where he got married. He then moved to Chicago, where he spent a lot of years. He relocated to New Jersey to get a job. He then moved to Mississippi, where his job took him. He lives just south of Memphis on almost three acres of land, where he works on his motorcycles in his spare time.

Book preview

Chapter

1

A lice Muller looked at the bridge. It was maybe fifty feet long and it stretched across the river. From the looks of it, it should have fallen down years ago. It was one of those bridges that did not have any legs supporting it. There were two ropes along the top, one on each side and she guessed two along the bottom the ends of all four of them anchored at both sides of the bank of the river. The top ropes were held in place by four boards standing vertical and sunk into the ground in deep holes. The bottom ropes were tied to the base of the vertical poles. There were a lot of ropes strung vertically between the top and bottom ropes and then someone had placed some boards across the two bottom ropes to walk on. The bridge was about four feet wide. The whole stinking thing looked rotten, like it was ready to fall down. If it fell it was into the river ten feet below. She did not know the name of the river, but it was running fast and she knew just by looking at it if someone fell in they would drown, and that was not part of Miss Muller’s plans, to drown in some unknown river somewhere in northern Mexico. She looked to the other side of the bridge and saw Hansen standing there, his horse and three mules tied to some scrub bushes. One of the four professional gunmen she was riding with.

Let’s go Muller, She said to herself, out loud, if you fall in you will find the Promised Land and according to all those preachers it has lots of gold. The streets are made of it. She swallowed hard and took the first step onto the first board. The boards were uneven. Over the years some of the boards had broken and been replaced by newer ones. So some of the boards were thicker then others making them higher by an inch or two and still others were not as wide as the originals, so there were spaces between the boards, some spaces wider then others. If you did not watch your step your foot could go through the larger spaces. She was frightened and having a hard time moving forward. She had taken only a few steps and now the horse was pulling on the reins, not wanting to cross the bridge anymore then she did. The three mules would be the same way, but she kept pulling. She looked down through the spaces between the boards as she moved and saw the rubble floating in the river. She stopped and froze. She was twenty feet out and could go no further she was so frightened. She could not go back because the horse and mules were there. The mules were tied with their reins to the tail of the mule in front. The first mule was tied by a rope to the saddle horn on her horse. She could not take her eyes off the river. Blind terror gripped her which is why she froze. The terror that gripped her would not let her move forward or backward. She was going to die. The bridge was falling and she was going into the river. Her left arm hurt from squeezing one of the vertical ropes supporting the bridge. Her right arm hurt from squeezing the reins of the horse. Her, the horse, the three mules were all going to die because they were going to fall into the river.

Muller never heard him coming across the bridge, even though he ran. She first knew he was there when he punched her arm loose that was holding the rope on the side of the bridge. She looked up and saw Hansen, he was saying something, but she did not understand. I am going to fall in! she screamed. She saw it coming before she felt the punch. Hansen’s right fist slammed into her stomach and she doubled over as her lungs expelled every ounce of air. As she fell forward Hansen bent over and caught her over his left shoulder. She was still looking down and still knew she was going to fall into the river no matter what Hansen did.

Come on animals. She heard Hansen yell at the horse and mules, as he pulled the reins of the horse. She was bouncing from being carried over his shoulder and her stomach hurt where Hansen had hit her. She was still terrified and trying to catch her breath, but now she was moving and she knew Hansen was not going to let go of her until he reached the other side. She watched as the end of the bridge got closer and she realized that Hansen was running. How he could do that was beyond her. Carry her, lead the four animals and run at the same time across this piece of junk someone had called a bridge. She was looking at everything upside down and she was going to throw up very shortly. The river was still there and she could see the debris floating in it. Muller closed her eyes, she did not want to see herself plunge into the river. She wanted to scream and she could not control herself. She would have too except that suddenly she was dumped very unceremoniously onto the ground. Her head hit the sand with a thump and she opened her eyes in time to see the horse, then the mules trot by. She laid on the ground closed her eyes and started to cry. She felt two hands grab the front of her shirt and pull her to her feet.

Stand up and clean up your face. Hansen said to her. You’re over the bridge and you didn’t fall in the river and die. He turned away to watch the next man start to cross leading his horse and mules.

Muller took a minute to compose herself and then looked at Tucker leading his horse and mules slowly across the swinging, wobbling, bouncing, squeaking bridge. She moved to beside Hansen and said, Thanks for helping me. I was...

I don’t want to hear it, you’re across and that’s it. He stated flatly, never taking his eyes off Tucker, who was now half way across.

She waited a minute watching Tucker pull his horse and mules, then asked Hansen, How could you run on that thing? she pointed to the rickety bridge.

Hansen turned and looked down at Muller, "Lady, the only person more scared on that bridge then you, was me. Now forget it.’ he turned back to watching Tucker. Wilson started across. Muller watched Tucker as he exited from the bridge.

He walked up beside Hansen, looked at Wilson leading his animals across the bridge and said in a hurt tone of voice, Jeez Al, I feel bad. You didn’t carry me across the bridge. Hansen just turned and looked at Tucker. Is it because my man boobies are not big enough? Tucker asked and having said that he pushed his breasts up while pushing his chest out. Hansen laughed, and turned his attention back to Wilson, who was now almost across.

As Wilson walked past Tucker and Hansen he asked Hansen, How come you didn’t carry me across, Al? the same hurt tone of voice as used by Tucker.

Your tits ain’t big enough. Tucker said and walked away leading his horses and mules. Hansen shook his head, smiling, Wilson looked confused and followed Tucker. Muller saw Wilson say something to Tucker. Tucker answered and Wilson burst into a fit of laughter. Muller knew they were laughing at her and she swore to herself, standing opposite Hansen, that she would show them. She swore she would never loose her nerve again.

Farmer was half way across the bridge when Muller looked back. He was having a hard time with his animals, but they were moving. She wondered if he was as afraid of crossing as she was. Half way across one of the mules sat down, the second mule in line.

Charlie? Hansen yelled at Farmer.

Farmer turned and looked at Hansen and waved, No problem Al, it’ll be up in a minute. He yelled back and moved past the horse and first mule. Muller watched as he spoke to the mule and suddenly the mule stood and Farmer moved back to the front and picked up the reins of the horse and calmly lead the horse and mules the rest of the way across. Farmer stopped as he reached Hansen and Muller thought to herself, here comes another remark about big tits.

She watched Hansen look at Farmer as Farmer said, You just got to know how to talk to the women folk to get them to do what you want. and he walked on followed by the horse and mules.

Charlie, do me a favor and take the point. Hansen said. It seemed strange to Muller that Hansen never gave a command, he gave them alright, but it was always in the form of a request, never a direct order.

Yea, was all Farmer said.

Muller and Hansen looked at each other and Hansen shook his head. Mount up we’re moving on.

Chapter

2

T he sun shone down on the five people. There were no clouds in the blue sky, only the sun, the merciless sun. The temperature had to be one hundred and twenty in the bottom of the wash where they were walking on foot leading their horses and their three mules. Everything was burnt or dying or already dead. There were no trees for shade. No abandoned buildings to go into to get out of the sun, there was just the shale rock and sand. The shale rock was broken, small broken pieces lying on top of other small broken pieces two, three, sometimes four layers deep. The blowing sand acted as a lubricant so the shale would slide more easily and did often under the horses hoofs or the walkers boots. The sand was just as dangerous as the shale. The ever present wind gently blew it into holes and cracks, filling them in so the man or animal would step on them and twist or break an ankle or leg. A twisted or broken ankle or leg meant death, a slow painful death unless one used his own gun on himself.

Water was the most precious commodity in this part of Mexico. Men killed for it to stay alive, and men died without it. Muller looked again at Hansen’s mule loaded down with water bags. Each person had six water bags plus six canteens. Muller also had several bottles of booze. One could never tell when the occasion for a drink of something a little stronger then water may arise.

She looked again at the sun and felt the oppression of the heat. It was like a weight on her shoulders pushing down, bending her, trying to break her. Her head was drooping and she did not know how much longer she could keep walking when she felt someone next to her. She made an effort to look to her right and Tucker was walking along side her.

Pick up your head and straighten your shoulders. You walk like you’re giving up, like you’re beaten, like you’re ready to quit. He spoke quietly and Muller knew no one else heard him. You’re tougher then the sand and the rock and the sun and heat. If you were not tough enough to make this trip you think Hansen would have signed on. You think Farmer would be out there? It was poised as a question, but Muller knew it was a statement. Those two guys know people and they knew you were one of a tougher breed put on earth to do this sort of thing. You ride with Hansen, Tucker, Farmer, and Wilson and you ride with the best. Someday after we get the gold and are rich and living in luxury you will pick up a newspaper and there will be an article about the Hansen gang and how they went to Mexico and took all this gold and brought it back when nobody else could do it. And somebody will ask you about it and you will remember just how tough it was and you will try and tell them, but it just won’t be the same as being here. It won’t be the same as walking on this lousy rock and having sand in your boots and in your hair. Hardly being able to breath because it is so hot. Always being afraid somebody is going to shoot you. This is what some men and some woman were born to do and you are one of them. So stand tall and walk straight, you’re doing fine. Tucker finished and Muller felt better, stronger. She straightened her shoulders and picked up her head and felt some inner strength flow through her.

Thanks Ace, for the talk, I think I needed that. She said sincerely, looking at the man walking next to her.

He looked back and smiled at her. Good, now give me a belt from that hip flask you’re carrying.

Muller burst out laughing and handed Tucker the flask. Tucker took a long pull and handed the flask back to Muller. She put the cork back in it and put it back inside the waist ban of her pants. She straightened her shoulders and started to walk more briskly.

Good girl. Tucker said, then slapped her on her rear end and laughed as he let her get back in line in front of him.

Chapter

3

I t was dusk now and Muller looked out across the wide open spaces and wondered how anyone could possibly live in these conditions. Sand, dust, so hot during the day you could not stand it, so cold at night you had to light a fire and wear a coat and you still shivered, the gentle breeze continuously blowing the sand. The sand was into everything. It was in the water, in the food, but worst of all it got under your clothes. It always felt as if something was crawling on you. Then it rubbed your skin raw and it just hurt. If there was a hell it would have to be here. She looked back at the three men sitting around the fire drinking coffee, men that were tough, tough as leather. The first man was Albert Hansen, tall, maybe six foot two inches and well built maybe carrying two hundred and twenty pounds, but no fat or flab, just muscle. She had picked him as the leader because the old marshal had said to. He had been to Mexico before, maybe even to where she wanted to go. She noticed Hansen had removed his gun belt and had laid it on the ground next to where he was sitting. To Hansen’s right sat Charlie Farmer. Farmer was lean, and unlike Hansen he never took his gun off. Maybe he was being hunted, or maybe he just felt insecure without it. She did not know and did not care. Hansen had said he was the best cold blooded killer anywhere and she had come to trust Hansen. The third man was Ace Tucker. Tucker had to be in his forties and was given to fat. He was soft around the middle and he would tell you how good he was with a gun anytime you asked. He must have been pretty good because he was still alive at his age, besides Tucker was a real clown and they would need a little humor on this trip. There was a fourth man, boy really, his name was Harry Wilson. He was in his early twenties, not more than twenty-two. Hansen had said he was very good with a gun and that is what Hansen had told her she needed for this trip. Then she had seen Wilson in a gunfight and she knew what fast was.

This trip, the be all and end all for Alice Muller, Alice Muller, con artist, thief, and prostitute from Wichita, Kansas. She had lived by her wits since her family had thrown her out twenty years ago after finding out she had seduced the fourteen year old neighbor boy. She was thirty-five and knew this was the biggest and best job she had ever tried to pull off, to say nothing of the most dangerous. She had stolen a map off a man in his hotel room and from the moment she saw it she felt it was a good map. You could buy treasure maps for ten cents apiece, but this one was different. It was old and burned along one edge. She had taken it to a friend of hers, the old marshal, and he had told her he was too old to go, but he had told her about Hansen. The old man had also lent her the three thousand dollars she used to hire the four gunman she was with now. The deal was this. She would lead them to the treasure and they each got ten percent, plus the five hundred dollars cash money up front. She also supplied the fifteen mules they had. Each person had three mules, one to carry their supplies and two to carry the gold back that they were going after. She would get sixty percent, the old man would get half of her share. She had left the map with the old man, she could remember the way. If she carried the map there was the chance one of the men could steal it and then why would they need her. She had also made it plain to all four men that if she did die on this trip and the old man found out that she had been killed by one of them he knew enough people to have them hunted down and killed. Each and everyone of them. Muller figured that was as close as she could get to a guarantee that they would not kill her after they got the gold.

Chapter

4

M uller remembered the night she had been working in the saloon in Wichita. The man had started drinking and he had plenty of money. It was the job of the girls to get the patrons to spend as much as they could in the saloon, and the girls did a good job of that. Anything they made in the rooms upstairs afterward was split between them and the owner. Anything they could steal off a drunken customer was theirs. It was the stealing off the customer that landed Muller where she was now. He had passed out on the bed and she had searched his pants and jacket and found his wallet, more then four hundred dollars in it. What a fool for carrying that much money into a saloon and getting drunk and then going to bed with one of the saloon girls.

She had thrown his wallet down and gotten dressed and then looked back at the jacket and had seen the map sticking out of a hidden seam in it. She had reached and taken the map opened it and looked at it. It was burned along one edge and faded bad, but still readable. There was something about the map that drew her attention to it. In the upper right hand corner was some kind of little devil like character with his spear pointing toward some mountain. She did not understand what it meant and she knew if the guy woke up and saw her with the map he would probably beat her up or worse, so she folded the map back up, stuck it down her cleavage, which was more then ample to hold it, and went to her room. She remembered changing clothes and putting on jeans and a button up the front shirt and boots. She was going for a long ride. She climbed out the back window of the saloon and down the ladder like the thing used to hold the flowers in the summer. She ran to the livery stable and snuck in the back door. She picked what looked like a good horse, saddled it, and lead it outside. She had folded the money she had stolen from the man in the saloon and put it in her pants pocket. She took it out, removed one hundred dollars and stuck it on a nail that was sticking out of one of the boards of the stall the horse was in. She mounted up and headed south for Texas where she knew a man, maybe the only man she could trust, with her new found secret. The man was old, maybe sixty, an old lawman, but a good friend. That is where Alice Muller headed that fall night she rode out of Wichita, Kansas with three hundred dollars, a stolen treasure map, and a fast horse.

Chapter

5

M uller remembered walking into the saloon and looking around. She knew she would be blind for a few seconds because of the bright sunlight outside and the semi darkness inside the saloon. She waited while her eyes became accustom to the darkness, then she walked to the bar. There were not many customers and only one bartender and two girls working the floor. Two card games were going on, the craps table and the other four card tables were empty. There were three men at one card game and four were at the other.

We ain’t hirin’, Lady. The owner says we got enough girls. The bartender spoke and his voice startled her.

Muller turned and looked at the overweight man, I’m looking for a man named Al Hansen. She said quietly.

The bartender pointed at the three man card game, He’s the big guy, with his back to us.

Muller did not wait for the bartender to say anything else, like he would get Hansen, She simply walked over to the table and approached Hansen from his left side. She stopped when she was within two feet of his side. Are you Al Hansen? She asked boldly, this was no time for the shy type girly tone of voice.

He turned and looked up at her, he had a square jaw, brown eyes and what looked like about a three days growth of beard, That’s me. He said smiling up at her.

I would like to talk to you outside for a minute. Muller said, trying not to stare into his eyes, this guy was a looker.

Sure. He said, standing