Change Your Life

Chapter Three

Beatrice was bored out of her mind, she had been with the Van der Linde gang for a couple of days now. She and Arthur had talked quite a bit, she told him about the ranch she grew up on before having to flee and falling in with a gang. Arthur told her how he had met Dutch and Hosea and how her mother joined them about a year later. Beatrice loved talking to Arthur and getting to know more about him, but there was one thing she wanted more and that was to go on a job. It didn't matter with who, she just wanted to get out of camp and do something to get the adrenaline going. Arthur, Bill, and John went to an O' Driscoll camp to find Colm, she had no idea who that was or why they wanted to find and kill him, but she asked if she could come with them. Arthur refused and told her they probably needed her at camp more and to see if she could maybe help out with the girls. So here she was washing clothes, don't get me wrong, she didn't mind washing clothes, but she'd much rather go out and earn money.

After a while Beatrice decided that she deserved a smoke break, she sat at a table near the horses. she listened to Javier strumming his guitar, she put her feet on the table and tilted her head towards the sun. It was peaceful and she could fall asleep right there and then, but it didn't take long for the peace to be interrupted by loud thundering of hooves approaching camp. Beatrice opened her eyes to see Arthur and the others hitching their horses. Beatrice closed her eyes again, uninterested in what they were doing or talking about.

"Beatrice," Arthur said as he walked past her, towards Dutch's tent. Beatrice just gave him a nod without looking up and took a drag from her cigarette. She wasn't mad at him or anything, she just thought it wasn't fair that she got stuck washing clothes while he got to go out and shoot someone.

She canceled out Dutch and Artur's conversation and went back to enjoying the peace, but that, once again, didn't last long. Why would it?

"They got Micah." A young man around Beatric's age rode into camp, yelling and out of breath, "Dutch… Arthur…"

"What's going on?" Dutch asked him.

"They got Micah. He, He's been arrested for murder, He was in Strawberry and…"

"It's okay, son. Breathe..."

The young man rested his hands on his knees and took a deep breath, "They nearly lynched me. They… they got Micah in the sheriff's in Strawberry… and there's talk of hanging him."

"Here's hopin'" Beatrice couldn't but laugh a bit at Arthur's comment.

"Arthur."

"What? The fool brought this on himself. You know my feelings about him Dutch."

"You think I can't see past his bluster to the heart inside. He's a fine man."

"No, I ain't savin' that fool."

Beatrice got up, this was her chance, "I can do it."

"No.," Arthur said without even looking at her.

"Seriously? I've busted people out of jail before, I can do it." She insisted

Arthur crossed his arms and stared right into her eyes. Two could play that game, so she gave him a hard glare back. They just stood there, glaring at each other for about a minute until Arthur finally wavered, "Jezus" He muttered to himself, "Fine, just be careful."

A large smile appeared on Beatrice's face, "Thank you!" She was about to leave, but forgot one tiny detail, "Who am I looking for exactly and what does he look like?"

"Micah Bell, Blond, Blue eyes and he has a horseshoe mustache," Dutch answered.

Beatrice gave him a nod and walked to her tent to get herself ready.