“I ain’t gonna put up with no mess from y’all tonight,” he warned. “I’m gonna check on you, and if I hear so much as a peep, y’all gonna get it.” Billy was chained next to Cy. Jess was on Billy’s other side, and Billy lay down facing him. He couldn’t be on his back—not the way it was all cut up. “You all right?” West asked from beyond Cy. No answer. “Billy, you all right?” West repeated. “He hurtin’ bad,” Jess said quietly. “I look after him.” “Daddy didn’t come,” Billy whispered. “He be here,” Jess promised. When will Jess quit lyin’? Cy wondered. “They say you stop Prescott from shootin’ me,” Billy said. “I had to do somethin’.” “And they whipped you.” “Yeah, they did.” “You saved my life.” “I don’t know ’bout that. Prescott can’t shoot worth a damn, and you was way down that road.” “You saved me.” Billy moved closer to Jess, whose big arm came around and held him. “Did what I had to do,” Jess said.
