“Let me leave Phoebe with Glory,” Lilly said to Viktor. “She doesn’t need to see this.”
Viktor said nothing, but stopped farther along the train outside Glory’s car. Glory took Phoebe with tears in her eyes and hugged Lilly and Cole, refusing to look at her brother. “Everything’s going to be okay,” she whispered in Lilly’s ear. “Don’t worry.”
Lilly nodded and kissed Phoebe’s soft cheek, her eyes flooding, then followed Viktor around to the other side of the train. They stopped across from the crowded depot next to a group of railroad officials, important-looking men in suits and shiny shoes, and the sheriff who shot Pepper. The townies who hadn’t seen Viktor yet pointed and stared at him, and numerous children ran frightened and crying to their mothers. Several hundred yards away, a trio of railroad men used a steam shovel to dig a giant grave in an empty lot. Lilly clung to Cole, trembling in the grip of impending doom.
With everyone in place, Mr. Barlow promenaded out from behind the derrick car, smiling in his top hat and red jacket. He faced the audience and lifted his hands and chin, as if getting ready to announce an act inside the big top, then waved an arm to one side to draw everyone’s attention to his left. A group of animal handlers brought Pepper out of the Barlow Brothers’ train, whacking her with bull hooks and cattle prods. Pepper lifted her trunk and bellowed with each strike before hurrying forward. Streaks of blood ran down her sides and legs. When she reached the derrick, the handlers chained her back leg to the tracks and moved away.
Every beat of Lilly’s heart felt like an explosion beneath her ribcage. She couldn’t believe what she was seeing. Mr. Barlow was going to execute Pepper, and in front of all these people. People who had come to see her killed. And humans called animals bloodthirsty.
Pepper swayed back and forth next to the tracks, shaking and trembling. She knew something bad was going to happen. Then she saw Lilly and lifted her trunk. She trumpeted and reached out in desperation, her wide ears fanning back and forth. Lilly swallowed a sob and started toward her. She had to get to Pepper, to comfort her and apologize for not doing more to save her. If Pepper was going to die, she deserved to know she was loved. Viktor caught Lilly and yanked her back.
Cole tore Viktor’s hand from her arm. “Don’t touch her,” he snarled.
“Tell her to stay put,” Viktor said.
Cole pulled Lilly close. “I’m sorry,” he said. “I know you want to help, but there’s nothing you can do.”
She sagged against him. He was right, and the fact that Pepper might think she and Cole had something to do with her execution felt like a knife in her heart.
A roustabout threw a heavy chain around Pepper’s neck, fastened it like a noose, and fitted the end through a steel ring on the derrick cable. Mr. Barlow signaled the derrick operator and the crowd grew quiet.
“Oh my God,” Lilly cried. “You can’t do this! You can’t do this!”
“Shut up,” Viktor growled.
The derrick operator pulled a handle back, the winch squealed, and the chain rattled and constricted around Pepper’s neck. Lilly’s knees went weak and the blood drained from her face. The chain pulled tighter and tighter, slowly lifting Pepper’s front feet off the ground. Pepper struggled and bellowed and threw her head back and forth, her eyes wide with terror. Bile rose in the back of Lilly’s throat and, for a second, she thought she was going to pass out. Then there was a gruesome ripping sound and Pepper screamed. The audience gasped. The derrick operator lowered Pepper onto the tracks, and the chain loosened around her neck. Two roustabouts ran over and undid the chain around her back leg, but her ankle was already torn open.
A rush of adrenaline surged through Lilly and she yanked herself from Cole’s arms and ran toward Pepper.
“Lilly, no!” Cole shouted. He chased after her, but Viktor grabbed him and held him back.
When Lilly reached the terrified bull, she slowed. Pepper was panicking, moving back and forth and side to side, shaking her head and trying to get loose of the chain. The roustabouts and handlers stayed clear.
“It’s all right, Pepper,” Lilly said, holding out a hand. “I’m going to help you. It’s okay.”
At first, Pepper didn’t respond. Then she noticed Lilly and stopped struggling. A deep, mournful sound rumbled in her throat.
Out of the corner of her eye, Lilly saw Mr. Barlow storming toward them. She moved closer to Pepper. “Come on, girl,” she said. “Pick me up.”
Pepper limped forward, wrapped her trunk around Lilly, and lifted her onto her head. Lilly moved to Pepper’s back, grabbed the derrick cable, and tried undoing the chain from the steel ring. If she could get Pepper free of the noose, or even if she couldn’t, she was going stay put until Mr. Barlow agreed not to follow through with the execution. He wouldn’t kill Pepper while Lilly was on top of her, not in public anyway. After that, she had no idea what would happen. But she had to try something. She pulled down on the steel ring, struggling to loosen the cable and release the chain. It was too tight.
“What the hell do you think you’re doing?” Mr. Barlow yelled up at her. “Get down from there!” Behind him, a group of roustabouts were closing in. Cole had gotten away from Viktor and was running toward her, Viktor on his heels.