In the church, Babs and the four teamster wives went closer to the front of the church to pray in the pews. Along the way, they whispered as they gawked at Grace, Nathalie, and Petrina.
Choke, Peep, and Mariola put the pews back in order. Peep then gestured for them to sit down.
“So, whad’ye reckon on Klim?” she asked Choke quietly.
“What are you thinking, Peep?”
“He’s gotta go. Question is, how we go about it. Doing it lawful is best, though, right? We should be able to swing him that way, right?”
“Absolutely. It’s pretty clear. First of all, Bob implicated Klim in harboring Corporal Butters, a wanted fugitive,” Choke said. He was about to continue, but Peep cut him off with an amused snort.
“Bob had him doing that. And then tipped us off. So, really, Klim was working for us,” Peep said.
Listening intently as always, Mariola raised an eyebrow at this.
“Yes, that may be,” Choke conceded. “But as far as Klim knew, he was doing it for Sneed and the Outfit. On Bob’s orders, yes, but it still was a criminal conspiracy. Any lenience Klim has received on that was due to our arrangement with Bob. By betraying Bob to Sneed today, he unwittingly removed his protection from the law.”
Peep chuckled. “Who knew being lawful about it could be so shady”
“There is nothing shady about it, Peep. Klim was Bob’s man, so he received the Baron’s clemency as well. It could not be more fitting that his betrayal of Bob is what will lead to him being punished. Remember that he actively harbored a fugitive that he knew had shot me. And was doing so for the Sneed and the Outfit. He was not a cooperator like Bob. Klim is an Outfit man and will hang for it.”
“Yeah, I hear ye. Ye don’t need to twist my arm on this. It’s great. But what about evidence? We need that, right? We only got Bob’s word on Klim’s dirty business. And Bob’s dead, so Barrelmender can’t check on the truth of it.”
“This is true. But, with that being so, and with me being an agent of the law who received Bob’s word, and with everything else Bob told me having borne out as truthful, it is standard practice to regard such hearsay as proper evidence. Not as ironclad as it could be, of course, but likely good enough. Then, we have today’s hearsay intelligence on Klim facilitating Bob’s abduction and murder. These two things together will be well more than enough to issue a warrant of arrest. Then, Klim may be interrogated,” Choke said.
“Uh-huh. So we’ll still need him to confess,” Peep said.
“Perhaps. Perhaps not. That depends on the judge.”
“And the judge is Barrelmender. So, Klim hangs,” Peep said.
“Yes. If we want him to. The real question is: do we want to offer him clemency in return for cooperation?” Choke asked.
Peep frowned. “Really? Is that what ye wanna do, Choke?”
“No. I want to see him hanged. We don’t need his cooperation. We already have Sneed’s death warrant. Anyone riding with him is fair game, too. And if we pull Klim in and then release him, Sneed will just do to him what he did to Bob. The reason I asked, though, is I’m wondering if you don’t have a notion of using that somehow. Maybe set Klim up as bait?” Choke asked.
Peep thought this over for a while before shaking her head. “Nah. Too many ways that can go wrong. Not least of all that we’d be relying on Klim himself to at least pretend to do right. Sneed used Klim to snare Bob and send everyone a message. We gotta make a statement of our own now. Ye heard the ladies. We do it fast. We do it legal. Then, so long as any of them don’t try to pull any shit, we leave the teamsters outta it. So it’s settled. We’ll snatch Klim up after the funeral.”
“Agreed. Good,” Choke said.
“Ye got anything to add?” Peep asked Mariola.
“Me? Why?”
“Well ye been sitting here the whole time. Ye been listening, right? Anything cross yar mind?” Peep asked again.
“About Sneed and Bob and Klim and all this? Just so much more death and mayhem. What is there to say? You seem to have a handle on it. I hope. But what about these girls? Isn’t it about time we got them moved?” Mariola said.
“Yeah, good point. So they’re going into yar cottage off the yard,” Peep said to Choke.
“Yes,” Mariola said irritably. “And from what Barrelmender was saying, I think he wants me to stay there with them.”
Choke shook his head. “I don’t care if that’s what he wants. You’re not doing that. It’s not safe. Those girls are upset and unstable. There’s no telling what they might do.”
“No doubt. More likely that they try to be extra special nice to ye in bed rather than cut yar throat, but I don’t reckon ye want any part of any of it, regardless,” Peep said.
Mariola’s face wrinkled in disgust. “Okay. Thank ye. Yar right, I don’t. So that means I’m with ye in yar quarters,” Mariola smiled as she reached out to squeeze Choke’s hand.
“Yes,” he rasped.
“Great,” Peep said wearily.
“What?” Choke asked sharply.
“Nothing. Nothing. It’s just I bunk in the armory room right next door. But, yeah, don’t mind me. Or, maybe ye could a little, actually, and try to keep it down a little.”
Choke flushed in embarrassment, while Mariola’s smile broadened.
“We’ll see what we can do, Peep. Now, let’s get those girls put away. It’s another big day tomorrow, and I think we all could use some rest,” Mariola said, clapping her hands as she stood up.
***
The night passed without alert or alarm. The morning was brisk, but the sky was clear with the promise of another fine day, in terms of weather, at least. Pekot’s Bushrats rose early. Everyone was tense and quiet as they prepared themselves for the big day ahead.
Mariola and Choke brought Grace, Nathalie, and Petrina their breakfast. The cottage was locked down tight just as it had been the night before. Choke unbarred the door to reveal the three young women standing demurely just inside the threshold. They looked fresh and in relatively good spirits.
“Thank you, sir. Ma’am,” Grace said as she and her sister, Nathalie took the serving trays from Choke and Mariola.
“You’re welcome, miss,” Choke said.
Grace handed her tray off to Petrina and turned back to Choke in a well-practiced posture of supplication.
“Please, sir. Please, can you tell us what is to become of us? I’ve spoken with Nathalie and Petrina, and we all understand. We want to be good. We’ve been praying for forgiveness from Altas and Stron. We know we’ve been wicked and must repent. We know we must be good now. Can you please tell the Brother so? What will he do with us?” Grace asked, her composure slipping as she trembled with emotion.
“I will talk to Brother Barrelmender soon. From what he said yesterday, he expects you three to confess your sins to him so that you may repent. In order to do that, you all need to have a clear notion of exactly how you have sinned. You have all had a religious education. You must remember that now. The Brother does not need an exhaustive list of all your sins, however. I am sure it will suffice to speak in broader terms. So, for example: that you prayed to the moon to prevent pregnancy. That you engaged in routine fornication. And so forth. The key will be to keep your confessions brief and honest. But do keep them brief. Brother Barrelmender has much to do and is not a patient man. But he is inclined to forgive you. Confess earnestly and commit to repentance. Understood?” Choke asked all three young women.
They all stared at him intensely and, as one, nodded eagerly.
“Good. Someone will come to bring you to the church. Until then, prepare your confessions.”
“Thank you, sir. Thank you!” Grace exclaimed, beaming happily as she lunged forward to grasp his hands.
Choke tensed and froze, his eyes wide in terror. Mariola leaned in to grab both of Grace’s wrists and push her away from her husband.
Choke quickly backed out of the cottage and shut the door before latching it up. Mariola’s silence was oppressive as they walked together back across the military yard.
“What?” he finally asked.
“Ye spoon-fed them that to them pretty nice.”
Choke stopped dead in his tracks and glared down at his boots until he felt capable of responding. Mariola waited patiently.
“Both you and Peep with this,” Choke said with forced calm, still staring downward. “Do you not understand the situation? How this could go for them otherwise? Do you want to see those girls burned? Do you want me to have to help burn them? Because that very much is a possibility here. Please understand that.”
Choke finally looked up to Mariola with his exhortation.
“Okay. I’m sorry. Look, I trust ye. It’s just… wow. Those three are… They’re gonna be trouble.”
“I know it. Hopefully we can keep them locked up safely until the Baron sends someone to retrieve them.”
“Yeah. Hopefully.”
After a hurried breakfast, Choke issued the day’s assignments. Corporal Dom would hold the north gate with his squad. Corporal Hardmod would do the same at the south gate. Knuckle, Pinch, and Corporal Osgar would be in the town square with the rest of the men, eighteen in all, where crowd control would be critical for the morning’s event.
Shane preferred not to witness the burning and suggested that he patrol the bush to the north, up on the hump. Choke agreed, and Pinch once again loaned Shane his bandit horn to sound the alarm.
With the orders issued, Choke, Peep, and Mariola went to the town square with the main body of soldiers. It was barely dawn, but the square was already filling up with townsfolk. The atmosphere felt lively. Knuckle had Corporal Osgar take nine men and station them around the square in squads of three. Knuckle kept command of the other nine and formed up on the church steps. Pinch would move around the perifery of the square with his bow.
Peep, Choke, and Mariola entered the church and found Brother Barrelmender speaking with a group of about a dozen towsfolk near the altar.
“I’m gonna get his breakfast going,” Mariola said quietly before hurrying down the right aisle to the kitchen.
Barrelmender was speaking to three of the families that had been pressuring Peep and Choke the day before about their daughters who had run off with Thad. The girls in question were there, sitting together miserably while their mothers and fathers spoke with Barrelmender. Just as they had been the day before, several of the parents were talking at the same time. Barrelmender looked as though he was on the verge of laying into them with his staff.
“Enough!” Barrelmender barked at the townspeople as Peep and Choke joined him. “Enough! I have told you already! They must attend today’s burning to witness the ravages of sin. Then they must come to me to confess their sins and repent of them. Then they must atone by living a good virtuous life. If they do this, they will be forgiven. They will not burn! What is so complicated about this? Why must you continue to bleat at me? Surely one of you understands this enough to explain it to the rest of you in terms that can be comprehended. Now, begone! Wait in the square and watch what happens! Go! Begone, I said!” Barrelmender hollered, swinging his staff around very much in the aspect of an irrate shepherd.
The folk fled down the central aisle and out of the church. Knuckle at the top of the steps outside closed the doors behind them.
“Stron help me,” Barrelmender moaned as he leaned heavily on his staff. “These wretched cretins and their yammering. Can I not just have something to kill?”
“Yeah, about that, how d’ye want this thing to go today?” Peep asked with a grin.
“What? Oh, you mean that swine down below? I meant a fight, you imp.”
“I think you need something to eat, Brother. Let’s go to the kitchen,” Choke said.
Of course, Mariola was still making breakfast, so Barrelmender had Choke help him put on his armor. Peep went out the back to check the stables and the yard. That was clear, so she barred the door and lit a lantern to go down and check on Lisbet.
“She’s alive,” Peep declared when she came back up.
Brother Barrelmender came out of his room fully armored, visor up, with his black monk’s robes overtop and his longsword on his side. He still carried his staff.
“What is she doing?” he snapped, glaring at Mariola. “There is no time for breakfast. It is past dawn already! I told the wretch she burns at dawn. We’re already late!”
“Well, she aint going anywhere, Brother,” Peep said. “And everyone outside can wait, too. Ye need something to eat. Especially after boozing yesterday, like ye did. Also, there’s gonna be more going on today, so ye may as well sit down and get a good feed in ye while ye hear about it.”
Barrelmender groaned like a child and crashed down into his chair. He pulled off his helm and set it on the chair next to him.
“What now?” he moaned.
Peep gave the stugroot pot on the stove a sniff and determined it ready. She poured Barrelmender a mug and set it in front of him. Choke sat down at the table and declined her gesture to pour him one as well. Peep poured herself a mug and sat down opposite Barrelmender, blowing over the steaming, black drink to cool it.
“So, what else is happening today?” Barrelmender asked, his expression deeply pained.
“A funeral, is what,” Peep said. “And some law. Sneed did Bob, yesterday. While we were dealing with Thad and all that, Sneed snatched Bob up, tortured him for a bit, and then had his man take his face and scalp off. Over at Rodolf’s farm, there. As a warning, right? So, Bob’s folk should be bringing what’s left of him here this afternoon for the funeral. So, yar gonna need to handle that. Then, we’re gonna snatch Klim up. Arrest him for helping Sneed. Then we’ll hang him. I guess we’ll do that tomorrow, though.”
“Who?”
“Klim. He’s Bob’s man. He snared Bob for Sneed yesterday morning. So the story goes, anyways.”
“No. Who is Bob, again?” Barrelmender asked.
Peep goggled at him. “What, really? Bob’s the teamster boss. He gave us the evidence to go after Dixon. Remember?”
“Vaguely. This all sounds very sordid. What do you need from me?”
“Bob’s funeral. Then, I guess some law stuff. A warrant for Klim, right?” Peep looked to Choke.
“Yes,” Choke said. “We have solid enough evidence that Klim has been helping Sneed and the Outfit. Harboring a fugitive, for one, in the case of Corporal Butters, who ran here after crossbowing me in Spitzer Fort. We also have hearsay that Klim lured Bob away from the freight yard yesterday morning to deliver to Sneed.”
“So a warrant, then. Verbal shall suffice, yes?”
“Yes, Brother.”
“Very well. Arrest this Quim. Have at it,” Barrelmender said.
Peep snorted. Over at the stove, Mariola giggled.
“Klim, Brother. His name is Klim,” Choke said.
“Yes. As I said. You may arrest him. Get your evidence and we can put him on trial tomorrow morning. Remember that if you extract a confession, he must repeat it to me without the duress of torture.”
“Of course, Brother,” Choke said.
“Wait? What?” Peep looked around in confusion.
“Yes, Otilla. Torture may compel speech, and if truthful, that may be used as evidence, but such is not a proper confession. Technically, the accused may not incriminate themselves with evidence extracted during torture. The accused must confess freely,” Barrelmender said, actually looking amused.
“Technically? But what they say about other people during torture is okay?”
“As evidence? Yes, indeed. If verified as truthful by Stron, of course,” Barrelmender said.
“Okay, then. But what if a guy ye’ve been knocking on doesn’t confess properly once ye lay off?” asked Peep.
“Then, typically, they are tortured again.”
“Until they agree to confess,” Peep said.
“Indeed.”
“And what if they change their mind again and don’t confess? Ye just keep doing it again and again?”
“If everyone is doing their job correctly, yes. It is a silly game to play, I will admit. But so many things are. Really, it is just a formality observed in matters of utmost importance concerning people of quality. People who may have other people in positions of power advocating on their behalf to higher authorities, and what have you. So, nothing any of us need worry about here, now that I think on it. So if you already have solid evidence on this wretch, it is fine with me if you just hang him. After I find him guilty tomorrow morning, of course. Ah, thank you, Mariola,” Barrelmender said as Mariola put his bowl of gruel in front of him.
“Speaking of matters of formality, Brother, I assume you will want Thad’s other three followers in attendence today. The girls from the convent, I mean,” Choke said.
“Yes, of course. They must learn how precious mercy is. Are they in the church now?” Barrelmender asked, his mouth full.
“No, Brother. They are locked in their cottage still. Shall we go and get them?” Choke asked.
“Not you. Otilla: take Mariola and fetch them to the square. Tell them they must watch what happens to sinners who do not properly repent.”
“Yes, Brother,” Peep said. “Now?”
“Of course. I want to get this over with. As for that, Lieutenant Pekot: you may as well start ringing the church bell. Everyone will know what that means this morning, I am sure,” Barrelmender said.
Peep stood up and she and Mariola hurried out through the church.
“As soon as you have given the bell a good long ring, get Sergeant Theodas. The two of you fetch the condemned up and we’ll take her out,” Barrelmender continued, chewing his gruel like a placid cow working its cud.
“Yes, Brother. But perhaps we should bring her up before ringing the bell? You don’t want to speak with her before proceeding with the… ehm. With her execution?” Choke asked.
“No. Of course not. I am through talking to that one. She can make her final decision at the Wheel.”
“Yes, Brother,” Choke said, dipping his head.
Choke left Barrelmender alone in the kitchen to begin ringing the church bell.
Muse Vassal 