| Subject: The New World - Part #51 |
Author:
Wanda
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Date Posted: 20:28:50 07/02/03 Wed
PART #51
By that night Bow and Catherine were getting quite concerned because they had heard nothing from the two deputies who had left in pursuit of the Doucettes and Jean Pierre Boudreau. They had finished eating; and Bow was pacing the floor, when Catherine said, “Bow, do you think you should consider riding out to the swamp in the morning to see what you can find?” Bow looked at her and said, “Catherine, I do not think it would be wise for me to leave here until we know what has happened. With those people, anything can happen. I am not going to leave here, and run the risk of them coming back, and killing everyone here at the plantation. They are certainly capable of doing just that. Who knows, they may be out there now waiting for an opportunity to come back. We don’t know if they believed the story of Joshua being gone a couple days to make deliveries.”
Catherine said, “There were supposed to be deputies out in the swamp waiting for them; perhaps the Doucettes were killed.” Bow said, “You may be right, but I want to find out who shot Jean Pierre. If we could find the answer to that question, we may be able to figure out the rest of this situation.”
Catherine said, “Bow, please stop pacing the floor; that clicking of your boot heels is driving me to distraction.” He turned around, and said, “I am going to go, and see if Jean Pierre has regained consciousness.” Before Catherine could say anything, he had started off in the direction of the servants’ quarters. She knew he was concerned for her safety, and she was frustrated with herself for asking him to stop pacing. She also knew he hated to let her see he was worried, but he couldn’t help himself.
When Bow reached the servants’ quarters, he pushed open the door, and saw Jean Pierre was thrashing around on the cot. He was moaning, and seemed incoherent. Bow walked over to the cot and spoke, “Jean Pierre, can you hear me?” The man stopped thrashing for a moment, as if he had heard Bow. Bow said, “Jean Pierre, it is Bow, can you hear me?” Jean Pierre opened his eyes; and said, “Bow, you have to help me.” Bow asked, “Why do you need me to help you?” “Bow, I know who you are; I know you have left pirating.” “How do you know this?” Bow asked. “My uncle told me about you,” he said. “Who is your uncle?” asked Bow. “My uncle is Bo Cameroon. He is one of the men on your ship,” said Jean Pierre.
Bow asked, “Why did your uncle tell you this? Jean Pierre asked for a sip of water, then he said, “He knew I wanted to get out of pirating. I have a wife and a son now, and this life is no good when you have a wife and child. He told me to come, and ask you to help me.”
Bow asked, “Does this have anything to do with you getting shot?” Jean Pierre said, “It has everything to do with me getting shot. I told the Doucettes I wanted out; and they stopped along the way to the swamp with the pretense of something being wrong with one of the horses. They asked me to check the horse; and I got down from my horse to do so. Michelle pulled out a gun; and with a smile said, ‘You know too much about us for us to let you live.’ She pointed the gun at me and shot me. I am sure they thought I was dead for she shot me at close range.”
Bow asked, “What is it you want me to do?” Jean Pierre coughed, and then moaned in pain. He said, “If I live, I would like to work on your ship. I want to work at a job in which my wife and son will be proud. I hate for her to be ashamed of what I do. If I don’t make it, I would like you to take care of my wife and son. My Uncle Bo told me you are a good man. Would you do that for me?”
Bow said, “There’s something else I would like to know. What happened to the Doucettes?” Jean Pierre said, “All I know is they were headed out to the swamp to the storage building. They wanted to make sure Joshua had moved the goods because another load was coming in.” Bow asked, “Have you heard anything about Joshua in the last few weeks?” Jean Pierre said, “No, we were out to sea for the last four weeks, and we have heard nothing.” Bow said, “Then you don’t know that Joshua was killed a few weeks ago?” Jean Pierre said, “No, we did not know that.”
Bow thought Jean Pierre had talked enough for he could see he was getting weaker. He also saw the wound was bleeding again. Bow knew his chances for survival were not good. He asked, “Jean Pierre, where is your wife and son?” Jean Pierre said, “They live in a small house at the edge of Lake Charles. Her name is Marguerite and our son’s name is Jean-Baptiste. Our son is six months old now. She is a good woman, Bow, but she won’t be able to make it on her own. I know you owe me nothing, but I am pleading with you to help her if I die.
To be continued...
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