Chapter 169: Mika’s Thoughts
Clemens Point Camp.
After waiting in vain for Arthur, Dutch and Micah Bell decided to return to camp first.
Dutch originally wanted to go looking for Arthur, but Micah Bell persuaded him.
“Dutch, everyone knows Arthur likes to wander around. Maybe he ran into some information about the O’Driscoll Gang and couldn’t make it back in time.”
“We don’t need to worry too much. You know Arthur’s abilities—there aren’t many people who could hold him.”
“For now, we just need to calm down and wait for him to come back. Who knows, he might even bring us a pleasant surprise.”
Dutch found this reasoning convincing. He knew Arthur’s strength well, and it really didn’t seem likely that anything had gone wrong.
The O’Driscoll Gang might be numerous, but that didn’t mean they could keep Arthur pinned down.
Besides, Arthur often vanished from camp for days, sometimes even a full week. That was nothing unusual.
So Dutch didn’t think much more about it.
...
The next day, Hosea returned.
John lingered outside the camp for a moment, hesitating. In the end, he didn’t go in to see Dutch. Instead, he turned around and left.
For John, life in the gang was no longer the life he wanted.
With Davey, he had his wife, his child, and the life he truly longed for.
This trip had only been to escort Hosea back.
When Hosea entered the camp, Dutch immediately went to greet him.
“Oh, Hosea. I’m sure you’ve brought good news—those bonds, are they finally taken care of?”
Although he asked the question, Dutch’s eyes were already fixed on the sack Hosea carried. What was inside was obvious—US dollars.
As Dutch spoke, the others in camp also turned their attention toward the sack.
After all, money in the gang meant everyone could live a little more comfortably.
“Of course,” Hosea said with a smile, handing the sack over. “This time went very well. We exchanged it for 8,000 US dollars. That should keep us well off for quite a while.”
Dutch lifted the sack and said loudly, “Eight thousand US dollars! That’s a fine number. Looks like our original plan wasn’t wrong after all. This is no small sum.”
“Of course, it’s a lot of money—but not enough for true freedom,” Dutch continued. “So, Hosea, we need to keep pushing forward with our plan against those two families, just like when we robbed Cornwall’s train. Get that gold, and even more dollars.”
“Once we finish this job, we disappear. We leave this place and go somewhere no one knows us.”
“Tahiti… or French Polynesia. We’ll buy a big farm, maybe a ranch, grow mangoes or something, and live a good, free life.”
“Trust me, that day isn’t far away. Once we pull off this job, we’ll have everything.”
Taking advantage of the moment, Dutch launched into one of his passionate speeches.
Bill, Javier Escuella, Lenny, and even the women were clearly stirred by his words.
But then Micah Bell spoke up.
“Oh, that sounds like a great idea. I like mangoes, Dutch.”
“And of course, once we’re done with this job, maybe we can find a chance to sneak back to Blackwater and retrieve the money we hid there—one hundred and fifty thousand US dollars.”
“That way, all of us would be rich, wouldn’t we?”
Micah Bell had never stopped thinking about the $150,000 in Blackwater. Compared to that, the 8,000 US dollars in hand and the upcoming plan to rob the two families barely excited him.
Dutch was clearly irritated by Micah Bell cutting in.
“Alright, Micah Bell. We’ll get that money—but not right now. Understand?”
“In West Elizabeth, wanted posters for me are everywhere. My face is right in the center of every board. You should’ve seen that clearly back when you were locked up in the Strawberry jail.”
“Our current plan is Rhodes. Those two families who still think they’re living in the Middle Ages.”
“Once we get money from them, we disappear. We leave. Then, after a few years—when everyone has forgotten about us—we go back to Blackwater and reclaim what’s ours.”
“I hid it somewhere extremely safe. No one can find it. Trust me.”
After hearing Dutch say this, Micah Bell had nothing more to argue. His eyes darted around, though, clearly plotting something of his own.
The money Hosea brought back gave everyone in the gang renewed hope. Plans that once seemed like failures now appeared to be working.
Hosea wanted to say something, but in the end, he held his tongue.
Going against Dutch at this moment would only hurt his standing within the gang.
He waited until evening before heading to Dutch’s tent.
But at that time, Dutch was in a foul mood—he had just argued with Molly, over Mary Beth.
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