Exit Kingdom

thirty of them, thecaravan’s crew, and they all wait on Fletcher’s word. For a moment, the little scabbed man is silent. His sombrero is tilted to the side in goofy
asymmetry so Moses can fit under it too.
    Everything is quiet, and Moses can hear the metallic thudding of the slugs inside the caravan trucks – no doubt moving back and forth in their miniature black cells.
    All right, goddamnit, Fletcher finallysays to his people. Wait fifteen minutes and then come after me. I don’t wanna be sitting by the side of the road all goddamn day.
    *
    Watch your hands, Abraham says to Fletcher, pushing the barrel of the pistol against the back of the man’s head.
    But Fletcher isn’t going for any weapon – he’s just reaching up to pick nervously at the scabs on his neck and the side of his face.

    Ugh, Abraham says. Why don’t you just leave yourself alone?
    Fletcher ignores him and speaks instead to the girl.
    Who’s your friends, Tillie?
    You won’t let him harm me, will you? the Vestal says to the brothers.
    Listen at her talkin now! Fletcher says, laughing heartily. Ain’t we graced to carry a little princess in our motor carriage!
    Hush up, Moses says to the man.
    But Fletcher doesn’t hush.
    She was
my
hire and salary, he says to Moses. And she was took from me unlawful. You want to pay for her release, we can talk terms. I ain’t an unreasonable man. But she was my main
event, so she don’t come cheap, and she certainly don’t come free.
    I ain’t payin you, Moses says. I got nothing to pay you with.
    Fletcher looks around the car, sneering.
    No, he says. I don’t guess you do. This is sure enough a sorry little band of rescuers. You realize we’re gonna kill you, right? And we’re gonna kill you sloppy.
    Hush up, Moses says again.
    They drive west along the highway, Moses glancing every few seconds into the rearview mirror. No one is following them yet. One of the advantages of desert travel – you can see miles of
where you’regoing and miles of where you’ve been.
    She’s more fuss than she’s worth, you know, Fletcher continues. Trouble with a capital T. But I guess you ain’t seen that side of her yet. I don’t know what kind of show
they had her doing there at the mission, but she was never dressed in no white robes for our performances. Seems like she picked up some airs these past couple weeks.
    Moses can seethe girl in the rearview mirror. Her head is turned sharply away from Fletcher, and she is gazing out the window as though pretending not to be present at all. But Moses can see
her jaw shut tight, the muscles in her face clenched rock-like.
    When they have been driving fifteen minutes, Moses pulls the car to the side of the road at the base of a stony outcropping. He leaves the motor runningand gets out and goes around to the
passenger side where he opens the door.
    Get out, he says to Fletcher.
    Happily, Fletcher says. It’s a lovely day for a nice sit.
    The greasy man climbs out of the car and leans down to say farewell to the girl.
    See you soon, fancy lady.
    Come on, Moses says and leads him away to the shaded base of the outcropping where he tells him to sit.

    Now you listen up, Moses says. We’re takin the girl. She ain’t part of your show any more. She don’t belong to you. You understand that?
    You think she belongs to you? Fletcher says.
    She don’t belong to anybody.
    You got that part right, at least. Hell, take her. She can make you some money, but she’s bad business in the long run. I mean, Jesus, even the dead don’t want her. It’sa bad
sign when those that’ll eat anything won’t even take a nibble from you. She’s a curse I’m glad to be got rid of.
    Moses is staring at the man, considering these words, when he hears the car door open and close behind him. Then the girl herself is at his shoulder, and they both gaze down at the ridiculous
oily man in the sombrero.
    What’s going on? she asks.
    We’re just havina little palaver, Moses says.
    What’s there to talk about? she says.
    All manner of things.
    You’re killing him, aren’t you? You swore to protect me.
    See? Fletcher says. You see the bitterness in her heart?
    I ain’t killing him, Moses says.
    How come?
    You see it now, sure, Fletcher says. Get shut of her while you can.
    There was a bargain, Moses says to the girl. A bargainbetween us and them – and it’s gonna get upheld.
    Respectable, Fletcher says. A man of his word. Let’s all be men of our words.
    I never made