I'll See You Outside
Hoss Cartwright frowned and sighed a deep sigh.
The big man ran his finger around the lip of his beer glass, clearin' it of sweat, and glanced at the door to the saloon, considerin' whether or not he should step out into the street and head for Piper's Opera House. He and Adam had come to the saloon together and ended up partin' after tradin' words on what to do about little brother. Adam had laughed when he told him what Joe said about it takin' 'a red-blooded man' to persuade a woman like Adah Menken and thinkin' that was him.
Truth to tell, he thought Adam was just plain old green-eyed. He'd tried to have his way with the actress and she'd turned him down flat. Little brother was a darned good-lookin' man, 'specially wearin' that there brown city slicker suit he had. And he seemed to have a way with older women. There'd been Lota Crabtree who'd been paid right handsome to trap him, and who turned it down 'cause she didn't want him hurt. And then there'd been Julia Bulette. At first he'd thought little brother was just courtin' her to make their Pa mad, but when he saw the look in Joe's eyes when he heard she'd been knifed and robbed, well, it was clear Joe'd learned the meaning of lovin' a woman.
Hoss raised an eyebrow as he took another sip of his beer. He hadn't thought about it before. Miss Menken made three older women baby brother 'd sparked in about twice as many weeks. With a shake of his head, Hoss leaned in and wrapped his fingers around his beer.
He'd have to caution him to slow down.
All of a sudden there was a tap on his shoulder. Hoss turned to find Joe behind him. He'd been thinkin' so much he'd missed his brother comin' in.
With a grin he said, "Little Joe, how'd you make – "
The big man didn't see the fist flyin' at him until it took him on the chin. While his head was still reelin', baby brother snarled, "Now don't say anything else about Adah Menken."
He blinked. "Joe, I ain't even opened my mouth!"
Joe scowled. He had a funny look on his face, like maybe he was mad at himself. "Yeah, well, just don't," he said as he shook his fingers. "Go on and finish your beer. I'll see you outside."
Hoss watched him go, a smile on his lips.
Dag-burn it, if Joe wasn't the cutest darn thing!
Hoss paused at the door of the saloon and looked back at the man whose name was John C. Reagan. There'd been something about the big man that set his teeth on edge and it had nothin' to do with the snub he'd got when he said his name was Cartwright. Reagan was as mean a lookin' cuss as he thought he'd ever see'd and arrogant too – why, his words swaggered as much as he did.
Turning into the street, the big man cast his eyes toward the Piper Opera House. Right beside it was where Joe said he was gonna tether his horse. As he stepped off the boardwalk, Hoss noticed Cochise was there. His brother's Paint was hard to miss with its patches of bright white. He walked over to the horse and was surprised when the animal shied at his touch.
"Hey, Cooch," the big man cooed. "What's wrong with you?" Hoss frowned as he noted Joe's saddlebag was tossed over the animal's back like he'd been tightenin' a strap and gettin' ready to ride. Droppin' it back into place, he surveyed the street. There was no sign of Joe.
The big man turned toward the Opera House with all of its hustle and bustle and carriages comin' and goin'. He was just gonna go and find that there woman and ask her what had happened to his brother. Or he would have, if he hadn't heard someone moan.
It was comin' from the alley.
When he'd been a little boy, a long time before, he'd heard a noise like that out in the wild. Not knowin' what it was he'd moved slowly, listenin' and frownin', until he found the source. It was a young pup what had been nearly mauled to death by a wolf. Like he did then, Hoss moved with caution, knowin' somethin' was in pain and needed help, but takin' care less whatever made it hurt was still there.
The alley was black as God's pockets. He couldn't see nothin'. Movin' with caution, the big man walked along it, his fingers brushing the wall of the building to his right-hand side. He'd just about decided he was hearin' things when his foot struck somethin' soft layin' in the dirt. He used his toe to feel it a bit and realized it wasn't a some 'thing', but a some 'one'. Reachin' down he found a shoulder and then his fingers encountered a mass of thick curly hair matted with blood.
Time stopped.
Joe.
Hoss reeled, uncertain of what to do. He shook Joe gently, but his brother didn't move or make a sound. He cupped his baby brother's face in his hand and sickened when he felt the blood runnin' over his fingers. Hoss called Joe again, tryin' to get some fix on how bad beat he was, knowin' it weren't always the smartest thing to move a man due to injuries inside. Finally, he slipped his arms under his baby brother and lifted him up gently as a babe and carried him into the street where the lamplight illuminated his injuries. What he saw filled him with a deep unspeakable rage.
Somebody mite near beat Little Joe to death.
For a second the big man was at a loss. He didn't know what to do. Then his little brother, broken as he was, gave him the answer.
Joe stirred ever so slightly and breathed.
"Pa..."