Guess the Weight Mystery Chapter One
"Heyes, have ya got it yet?"
The Kid had waited until the deputy had left the office and they were alone. He knew he and Heyes only had a few minutes to talk in private.
Heyes was pacing up and down in their jail cell and had been for over an hour. The Kid had read yesterday's newspaper, he'd read today's newspaper, with the account of why they were where they were and he'd even read the first chapter of the book Heyes SAID he was enjoying. The Kid wasn't so sure it was a book that COULD be enjoyed.
Heyes grunted. "Got what?"
"A plan to get us outta this mess we've found ourselves in." He frowned at his perambulating partner. "Again," he added, more forcefully.
Heyes grunted again and rubbed his chin. He was still pacing. "A plan is like a fine wine, Kid. You have to let it breathe for a while afore you can appreciate it."
"So? Is there one breathing?" the Kid asked hopefully.
"No."
"Have ya even got a plan?"
"No." Heyes winced and came to a stop, thumbs in his belt. "Well maybe …" He tailed off.
"So ya DO have a plan?"
Heyes sighed and threw himself into a prone position on his bunk. He laced his fingers over his stomach. "I've gotta bit of a plan but I haven't figured out yet how it helps us."
The Kid rolled his eyes and put down the dreadful book. "Tell me what ya got. Maybe I can help?" He folded his arms and waited. Heyes gave him a look. "Well now Heyes ya always telling me the plan when ya've got it all figured out. I know how ya think now." Heyes raised his eyebrows. "I bet I can figure this one out for ya."
Heyes chuckled huskily, one hand behind his head. "You figure out one of my plans?" He looked sceptical.
"No," the Kid was firm and raised a finger. "No 'cos if I figure it out, I'll be one of MY plans," he said, triumphantly, pointing a thumb at his chest. "C'mon tell me what ya got."
Heyes pursed his lips and nodded. "Alright." He looked at the ceiling for inspiration. "The bit I figured out so far is that one of us has gotta break out of here."
The Kid frowned. He wasn't sure he'd heard right. "Not a brilliant plan Heyes. Of course we've gotta break outta here."
Heyes scowled. "I told you I only had a bit of a plan. I didn't say it was a good one," he said, petulantly. He took a deep breath and chewed his thumbnail.
The Kid frowned again. "Wait a minute. What d'you mean? Jus' the one of us?" The Kid gestured to himself and then Heyes. "Who?"
"Well … ." Heyes began rocking his head from side to side. "That's something to be decided upon."
The Kid was wide-eyed. "No Heyes, no." He sat up and leaned forward. He knew what was coming. "No!" He was firm.
Heyes shrugged and looked far too innocent. "Kid, I haven't got it. The sheriff took all our money when he arrested us. Remember?" He sighed. "And beside I was a little short in the saloon last night and I think I spent it," he added, throwing the Kid a disgusted look. "Either way you're safe."
"Ye-ah," the Kid nodded, slowly. "So how we're gonna decide then? Who stays and who goes? And … ." He prodded his trigger finger forcefully into Heyes' arm. "Why only one of us?"
"Owh!" Heyes frowned and moved his arm away. Rubbing the indented limb, he nodded. "Who stays and who goes is incidental, Kid. We can arg … ." He paused and grinned widely. "Discuss it later. For now just hear me out."
The Kid rolled his eyes and nodded.
Heyes swallowed and licked his lips. "One of us needs to find out what the weight of that thing is … ."
"Why? How does that help us?"
Heyes frowned. "I don't exactly know but I've a feeling it's significant."
The Kid rolled his eyes. "It's more'n significant! It's huge!"
"I meant the weight!" Heyes looked irritated and settled his head back on his hand. "There's something funny 'bout the weight," he murmured. He raised his head and looked in the direction the deputy had gone. "Kid we don't have much time," he said, urgently. "It's GOTTA be me who breaks out. I only need a few hours, and then I'll break back in." He nodded. "I need to get a look at that weight. If I'm right then my theory falls into place and we can get outta here legitimately."
"I thought ya said ya didn't have a theory?" the Kid said, suspiciously.
"I didn't when you asked me." Heyes threw his legs over the bunk and sat up. Casting an eye round for the deputy coming back, he lowered his voice anyway. "Something's occurred to me while we've been discussing." He leant his arms on his legs and leaned towards his partner.
"What?" the Kid whispered back.
"Hey what you two whispering about?" the deputy demanded, making them both jump.
The pair jumped apart and tried not look guilty. Heyes returned to his previous prone position.
The Kid grinned at the deputy who came to the bars. "Oh jus' ruminating on life, Deputy. We were jus' saying it's funny how life takes a turn."
"Yeah, Deputy. We were just ruminating that's all," Heyes grinned, innocently. The deputy gave them a lingering suspicious look as he walked away. Ruminating? Heyes mouthed in the Kid's direction.
The Kid shrugged and mirrored Heyes' position on his bunk. He picked up the dreadful book. "S'good book, Mr Smith. I'm learning lots."
Heyes shuddered.
ASJASJASJASJ
A few days earlier at a County Fair, Heyes and Curry were looking at the Guess the Weight Stall. Heyes had pushed back his hat and now stood hands on hips contemplating the item that wanted its weight guessed.
"Boy that's big," the Kid whistled.
"Yep," Heyes agreed. His eyes flicked to the sign. It read: fifty cents a guess. All proceeds to Ludlow City orphanage. Nearest guess to the correct weight wins prize of twenty dollars.
"Why's it round?" the Kid queried.
"It's called a wheel," Heyes informed him.
The Kid looked sceptically at him. "A wheel?"
"Yep." Heyes nodded, giving him a tight-lipped smile.
"You gents interested in having a guess?" the stallholder asked, hopefully.
The Kid grinned. "Naw! Not too good at guessing. What 'bout you, Joshua?"
Heyes pursed his lips thoughtfully and then leant over to look more closely. Straightening up he shook his head. "Too many unknowns." He declared and folded his arms. He looked at the stallholder. "Take it you already KNOW the weight?"
"Sure do," the stallholder grinned and patted his top pocket. "The maker wrote it down for me. Got it right here. Guarding it with my life."
Heyes gave the Kid a nudge. "Come'n." Then he chuckled. "Imagine the size of the sandwich Kid." He paused. "I reckon that'll defeat even YOUR appetite!" He walked away, resisting the temptation to roll his shoulder blades together in a bid to remove the daggers now embedded in them.
ASJASJASJASJ
At the next opportunity when alone to talk.
"What I don't understand is why the sheriff thinks its was US who stole it?" The Kid puffed. "I mean it's not exactly our modus operandi is it?" He kept his head down so his partner couldn't see the twitch of a pleased smile beginning to appear on his face. "An' what does he think we've done with it?"
Heyes turned his head slowly. "Modus operandi?" he queried, eyebrows raised.
"Yep. It means our method of operating," the Kid said, smugly.
Heyes' eyebrows retreated further under his bangs and his eyes widened. "Where did you get that from?" he spluttered.
"From this dang book of yours." He held it up. "For your information this book happens to be a gold mine"
Heyes frowned. Hadn't HE said that about another book? He grunted.
"I'm telling ya Heyes they keep me locked up in here much longer, forcing me to read this dang book, I'm gonna be thinking jus' like you!" He paused. "Which ain't good!"
Heyes smacked his lips and took a deep breath. Choosing to ignore that comment, he sat up. "Now I've done some more thinking. D'you wanna hear what I've got figured out so far?"
The Kid nodded with resignation. Best let Heyes get it out of his system.
"Like I said before, I gotta bust out of here, get a look at that weight and sneak back in." He held up a hand to stop further questions from the Kid. "I don't think it's as heavy as it looks. I think … ." He glanced round for the deputy. "I think it's hollow," he whispered.
The Kid frowned. "Huh?"
"I reckon there's a space inside."
"What? Why?"
"Contraband," Heyes said, smugly.
The Kid looked at him with incredulity. "Heyes, have I ever told ya you can be a little weird at times?"
"Frequently." Heyes admitted. "But it's being weird that has kept us outta the clutches of the law all this time." The Kid looked round at the cell they were sitting in. "Except for now!" Heyes took a deep breath. "Kid, I'm telling you, if we don't find a way outta this mess soon the amnesty's dead."
"Really?" the Kid frowned. "For this?"
Heyes shrugged. "The Governor said stay outta trouble. And this is trouble."
"But they … ." He pointed a finger at the sheriff's desk. "… don't know jus' who they got sitting in their jail."
"No and the sheriff's not gonna know who we are. How's he gonna know? You gonna tell him?"
"I know you Heyes. When the sheriff sees me sitting all alone in this cell, he's gonna wanna know why and where YOU are. He's gonna get suspicious. Then he's gonna get to thinkin'. You ain't the only one who can do that y'know. Then he's gonna start lookin' at wanted posters. If he hasn't already. THEN if you suddenly reappear, like nothin' has happened, he's gonna know for sure we're not two saddlebums called Smith and Jones."
"I'll spin him a tale," Heyes shrugged.
"Yes and THAT'S how he'll know ya you!"
Heyes had the good grace to look disgruntled.
"Heyes, I've been doin' some thinkin' too. We've BOTH gotta break outta here and hightail it."
Heyes shook his head furiously. "No Kid, you haven't been doing any thinking at all. If we BOTH break out, then the sheriff really will think we did it. Like you say its only a matter of time afore he puts two and two together. We've GOTTA solve this mystery first. It's the only way he'll let us go." Heyes paused. "Tell you what though we'll keep your idea as a back up plan."
The Kid appeared to be mollified. "Can ya pick that lock?"
Heyes looked affronted for a moment and then smiled. Reaching into his left boot, he extracted a slim knife.
"I reckon so Kid," he nodded.
When the Kid grinned, Heyes tucked the knife back into his boot. The Kid nodded.
"Okay Heyes we'll do it your way. BUT if it don't work out then we've got a back up plan. Right? MY back up plan?"
Heyes licked his lips, waggled his head as he considered and finally nodded.