Unshaken: An RDR2 Story

Chapter 7

TW: implied sexual assault

Dutch kept his word. No more interactions with the Grays or Braithwaites, that was the order. Uncle was a bit annoyed that his stage robbery was called off, but once Dutch sent Lenny and Sean out to see if I was correct, he stopped complaining. I was relieved the fact check had proven my claims, it solidified to Dutch that he should listen to me.

I was stood washing dishes when Arthur approached Dutch.

"You sweating yet, Dutch?" Arthur asked and he glared at him.

"Of course I'm sweating," he growled, "We're in some disease-ridden, swampy, dixie-whistling shithole."

"I meant about what Trelawny said, about these bounty hunters," Arthur laughed.

"Not sweating as such, but maybe a little gentle perspiration," he sighed, "Until we know, ain't much point in sweating out good liquor."

"Hey, we got something cooking you might be interested in," Bill called Arthur over. He was stood with Lenny at the side of camp and I couldn't help but look over with interest.

"Am I gonna like the sound of this?" Arthur groaned, reluctantly walking towards them.

"Been cooking since Horseshoe," Bill told him, "but you went and kicked up all that commotion in Valentine. Now, we was preparing to rob the bank there until you got involved in all that nonsense and... I don't know, I just feel like its unfinished business."

"That wasn't my fault, it was just one of them things," Arthur told him and I rolled my eyes slightly.

"How come every time I get in trouble, I'm called a fool and an idiot," he said angrily, "but when you get in trouble, oh, it's just one of them things?"

"Its a good point, Arthur," Lenny said and Arthur glared at him.

"Alright, well what do you all want me to do?" he asked angrily.

"Hit the goddamn bank with us!" Bill said.

"You really think it's worth going back there?" Arthur laughed.

"Four of us can hit the bank, easy," he argued, "If we go in quick and quiet, we can hit it with no problems. Come on, its the end of the stock seasons, there's plenty of money!"

Arthur sighed then nodded.

"Fine, but it better be good," he warned them.

"One problem," Lenny said, "Karen has drowned herself in that bottle. She ain't gonna be much use."

"Shit," said Bill, "Which of the other girls can we get to help?"

They looked around camp until their eyes landed on me. Oh no.

"Evie, come here," Arthur called, "Got a job for you."

"Yeah?" I asked, pretending I hadn't been listening.

"Bank robbery," Bill said, "No big deal, you just need to distract the guards to begin with. Put this dress on, act pathetic, we'll burst in and save the day."

I stared at Arthur who gave me an encouraging nod.

"Alright," I sighed, "But don't blame me if my acting skills are less than desirable."

"Mr Morgan," Strauss caught me before we left, "That debtor? Mr Downes. Apparently he's dead."

"Dead?" I asked, shocked.

"I believe he has a wife and child," he continued, "She will assume the debt of course. When you can, head up there. We lent them a lot of money."

"Okay," Arthur sighed. I had hoped I'd given Mr Downes longer to live, but apparently his disease wasn't sped up by Arthur's beating and it was just an inevitable event.