Author's Note: First of all, I'd like to thank Avoca for proofreading the story.
The first story I wrote – "In The End There Was Amnesty" - dealt with Hannibal Heyes's death. But the thought wouldn't leave me, that there had to be more. Well, it was.
You don't have to read the first story if you don't want to read about a major character death.
In short: Heyes and Curry finally got their amnesty, but only a few days later the boys were ambushed and Heyes died.
This story starts only a few hours after it happened.
Heyes's Legacy
The unthinkable had happened.
Kid Curry's mind refused to acknowledge that Hannibal Heyes was gone and would never return again.
He had spent the whole afternoon beside Heyes's body, unable to let his friend go. When the sun began to set and the shadows grew longer he stripped the ring from Heyes's finger before he gently loosened Heyes's bandanna and secured it around his own neck. Then he buried him beside the tracks under the softly swaying branches of a weeping willow.
After a last long gaze Kid Curry mounted his horse, took the reins of Heyes's one and left the site of the disaster, not knowing where to go.
The surrounding darkness resembled the darkness inside him. Near midnight he took a short rest, to move on in the early morning hours, still heading for nowhere.
Sometimes, when he was deep in thought, he found himself turning back to make a remark to his partner, just to find the saddle of his horse empty. On the third day he tacked off the second mount and shooed it away. Now the trailing hoofbeats couldn't fool him anymore.
Sleep eluded him. When he closed his eyes, nightmares haunted him. It was always the same, like he had been trapped in some kind of time loop. He lived through the same day over and over again, trying to make things change, but as hard as he tried it always ended with the last glance of warm brown eyes that would never smile at him again.
Days later he was still living in a trance. He rode where his horse wanted to go, ate when it got too dark to ride and instead of sleeping he stared up to the stars at night, asking questions that would never be answered.
He had no destination as his life no longer had any meaning.
And so, he drifted.
Days and weeks went by.
-o-o-o-
When he hit Kingsburg to get some supplies, he collected a message, that had been received weeks before, but hadn't been destined to ever reach its addressee.
"To Joshua Smith STOP Come to Porterville STOP Urgent STOP Lom"
Curry cursed under his breath. His first thought was to reply that Heyes would never ever come anywhere again, but then he changed his mind. Why shouldn't he go to see Lom? Porterville was as good a place as any other…
Arrival at Porterville
The town of Porterville hadn't changed a lot since the last time he had been here. This place would always be something special for him. Here it had started: their pursuit for amnesty and a life in peace, with all its consequences. None of them had realized what it would mean for them when they had sealed the deal with the governor.
Would they do it again, knowing about the things to come?
Probably not. But would it have changed the outcome?
Kid Curry wasn't sure, but at least they would have enjoyed their time together to the fullest. It would have spared them a lot of trouble and deprivation, but on the other hand there had been good times, too. How many friends they'd never have met, when they hadn't left the outlaw trail?
He shook his blond head, trying to clear his mind again. This place held a lot of memories. To return here alone had shaken him more than he'd expected. He missed his partner with every fiber of his being.
But the routine worked without any deliberate act. He left his horse at the livery stable, checked the surroundings and got himself a room at the hotel. Still he was uncertain about the name he should use for the registration, either signing in with 'Jed Curry' or his former alias. He had always looked forward to the day they wouldn't have to hide anymore, but Heyes had been wary.
His partner had suggested they should use their aliases a while longer to stay out of trouble until word had spread that the rewards on their heads had been cancelled. It sounded reasonable but ultimately hadn't changed the outcome for Heyes.
At the hotel Curry's appearance earned him disgusted looks. At first the clerk hesitated to hand over the keys to him, but something in Curry's stance convinced him to do so. The Kid wasn't in the mood for discussions. Upstairs he just threw his saddlebags on the bed before he left the room, heading for the sheriff's office.
-o-o-o-
Sheriff Lom Trevors raised his head when he entered his office.
"Can I help you?"
Then he frowned and stared at him.
"Kid? Is that you?"
Kid Curry was stunned and rubbed one of his hands over his face. He realized that he had neither shaved nor changed his clothes since … he shook his head; he couldn't remember.
"Yeah, Lom, sorry, should've got cleaned up first."
"It's all right, I recognized your jacket," Lom replied grinning, "I was just wondering if a bear might have stolen it from you."
He noticed Curry's mood, narrowed his eyes and instantly became serious.
"I've never seen you like this before, Kid. What's wrong? And where's Heyes?"
Curry took a deep breath but was interrupted before he could reply.
A distraught woman rushed into Lom's office, carrying a cloth bundle in her arms. The sight of her made Lom groan. She was pretty and well dressed, but obviously one of the working kind of girls, Kid Curry noticed and shot a curious glance at his friend. Lom's habits had to have changed significantly since his last visit. A spark of amusement lit his eyes.
"Not yet, Betty," Lom growled.
"Oh no! You're not getting rid of me that easily. You're not leaving me out in the cold! You will find Heyes for me!" she started when she noticed Kid Curry. "Oh."
"Kid, Betty. Betty, you remember Kid Curry?" Lom introduced them.
"Kid? For heaven's sake…you look awful!" She stepped closer to him while she chattered on. "And Heyes? Where is that cowardly bastard? Kelly needed his help and …"
"He's dead," Curry interrupted flatly.
Silence spread and time seemed to stretch.
Lom stared at him but regained his voice. "What...?"
Curry nodded, "We were ambushed. He died in my arms." Once again pain constricted his chest before he added quietly. "I couldn't help him, Lom."
"Good grief," Lom rose and moved closer to place his hand on Curry's shoulder, "I'm sorry, Kid."
Kid Curry shook his head.
"Wasn't your fault," he said and added in his thoughts, 'No, it was mine! I should have been faster!'
Self-reproaches and loss tried to choke him again.
Betty sighed and wiped the tears from her eyes. "So, we have another little orphan now…"
"What?" The Kid asked perplexed.
"I said …" she began, just to be cut off by the exploding temper of an ex-outlaw.
"I heard what you said! How dare you?" Curry burst out furiously. "You can blame me for whatever you want but keep Heyes out of this! I knew him! You knew him, too! Damn, he dealt cards while I dealt with you girls! Guess, I ain't been the only one! There must be enough guys hanging around to blame!"
She blushed and drew back some steps, pulling the bundle in her arms a little tighter against her chest.
Lom intensified his grip on Curry's shoulder. "Kid, calm down! You're not yourself!"
"No, I'm not! How could I be!?" the Kid raged. "He's dead and can't speak for himself! Maybe I fathered a child - make that a dozen! But keep Heyes's name out of it…."
"Calm down, Kid!" Lom tried again. "Are you listening to yourself? Are we still talking about Heyes here or some obscure saint? He wasn't a saint! He was a man of flesh and blood and you know it darn well, Kid!
He had his share of girls, most of all when he was riding on the crest of a wave. Just recall his delight when one of his plans turned out well. You know that!"
"You're right, I admit it." Curry relented and smiled. He remembered Heyes's bright shining eyes and infectious smile when he radiated joy and love of life, ready to share it with everyone. It dawned on him how much anguish had clouded his mind and he tried to cool his temper.
Kid Curry was a sensuous man, who didn't miss out on anything. He had always considered Heyes as more ambitious with a passion for challenges and danger. That didn't mean he hadn't had dalliances at all, they were just less frequent and more intense in nature. A quick poke wasn't his cup of tea. Heyes only payed for his pleasure if he couldn't connect with a woman who held his interest.
Low fretting sounds came from the squirming bundle. Betty drew away a corner of the blanket and hushed the little being wrapped inside.
Curry glanced at it. He wasn't good at guessing, but the child could be only a few months old. Dark fluff covered its head. It looked to him like any other child he had ever seen.
The baby moaned again, opened her eyes and fell silent. Dark-brown eyes gazed at the unkempt stranger without any sign of fear. Involuntarily a brief smile crossed Kid Curry's face.
"I know what you're doing. You're sizing me up," he muttered in amusement.
The baby chuckled and beamed a smile at him, showing the sweetest dimples a child of that age could have.
The Kid was thunderstruck.
He had always mocked the girls who chattered about the family resemblance of babies, convinced it was only their imagination. But there could be no doubt. He knew those eyes, knew that gaze as well as that smile because he had seen them all his life.
"Heavens," he whispered, "how is this possible?" A lump formed in his throat and previously unshed tears filled his eyes.
"The usual way, I guess," Lom muttered.
Betty sighed. She shifted the baby to her other arm while Curry moved nearer, never breaking the eye contact.
"Well, Kid…" she said, "you remember Kelly - the little Irish girl, working in the Silver Dollar in Two Pines? She was a friend of mine."
Curry nodded.
He remembered green eyes and brown hair with a touch of red in it. And he remembered the attraction Heyes had had for her, too. Heyes met her every time they hit the town. Even when he wasn't in the mood for a quick poke he enjoyed her company. She was near him when he played poker and talked with him when he drank. Heyes hadn't been a man to give his heart away, but there had been a fondness there that couldn't be denied.
"What happened?" he asked.
"What happens all the time," Betty sighed, "the wrong client. It happened only a few weeks after the baby came. She was waiting tables at the saloon, but that guy had other intentions and wasn't in the mood to be rejected. When she defended herself he started beating her."
Betty paused and shook her head.
"Before anyone could step in she was laying on the floor and she wasn't moving. She lasted a few more days but she never regained consciousness again."
Curry gritted his teeth. "What happened to the guy?"
"He left the mess he had caused and was never seen again."
"And the law?"
"The law? You're kidding?" She laughed and shot an apologetic glance at Lom. "The law did what it does almost all the time. After all she was only a working girl. Nobody cared about her or her child."
"Does the child have a name?" Kid Curry asked seriously.
Betty nodded. "Kelly named her Louise."
A daughter! Kid Curry smiled again. In his mind he tried out the name – 'Louise Heyes' – it sounded rich and right. Heyes would have been delighted. Warmth spread inside his chest. He could almost see the joy in Heyes's eyes.
Betty's sigh dragged him back to reality again.
"Now that her father's dead, too, I see no other way than to put her into an orphanage."
"No! Never!" Curry insisted.
"Then you'll have to take her! I can't raise her in a saloon!"
"What do you think I'll do with a child?" he shot back. "Take it on the road with me?"
"I don't know, but I can't keep her!"
"Neither can I!" he replied desperately.
"Then find her a place to stay!"
-o-o-o-
Still shocked Kid Curry returned to the hotel. He had convinced Betty to care for the baby for another few days, as he was going to be very busy, making arrangements.
First, he had to get cleaned up to look human again. He ordered a bath, got shaved afterwards and was back on the street about two hours later.
Lom had invited him to have dinner with him and Miss Porter and they met at the restaurant across the street. He smiled when he crossed the square, recalling the image of dollar bills raining down from the heavens which they had caused by their attempt to blow the bank's safe. It was an impression he would never forget.
They really had had good times together – a lot of them.
Kid Curry's smile broadened when he entered the restaurant and spotted Lom and Miss Porter waiting for him. They were looking at each other, lost in thoughts.
The Kid knew that they were secretly engaged for a long time and he couldn't understand why they still hadn't married. In fact, they made a nice pair: he as the local sheriff and a pillar of society, she as the daughter of the banker. The difference in their age wasn't that important.
Clearing his throat, he stepped closer and took off his hat. "Miss Porter. Lom."
"It's so nice to meet you again, Mr. Jones," Miss Porter greeted him before she motioned him to a spare chair. "Please join us."
He sat down between them and together they had a nice relaxed evening, talking about the past but leaving out the latest news. After dinner he asked Miss Porter for advice.
"You'll need a nurse if the child is as young as you say. I would gladly have taken care of her, but … anyway my father wouldn't have been pleased about it. It's improper for a single lady." She shot a side-glance at Lom who actually blushed.
Curry bit back a grin away. Lom would be well-advised to move on and take next step or she would do it!
He resisted to temptation to remark on her words and instead asked: "Do you know one?"
"Let me see." She thought it over. "Mrs. Henderson and Mrs. Stevens are already caring for someone besides their own children, but you could ask Maggie. She was a friend of mine until she married the wrong man. Father has forbidden me to see her any longer." A look of sadness flashed in her eyes.
"Her husband wasn't proper company - good looking but dishonest. He married her, spent her money and left her alone for months for obscure business reasons. When he returned from time to time, he tried with his charm to get access to the money of her few remaining friends including me. I haven't seen him for a long time. It's said he died somewhere down south."
She paused for a moment before she proceeded. "Maggie had a little son, but a few weeks ago he died, too. Maybe she would be able… Just ask her. You can find her in a small house at the far side of the town. It's one of the last houses on the left side. You will recognize it by the apple tree in her front yard."
"Thank you, Miss Porter, you may not understand, but you have saved me once again."
"It's always a pleasure, Mr. Jones, there's nothing I wouldn't do for you," she replied with a warm smile that was obviously meant to be noticed by Lom.
The Kid playing her game, picked up her hand and kissed it, displaying his infamous charm. After all, Kid Curry had been one of the most wanted men in the West in more ways than one! His reputation as an irresistible charmer and a skillful lover vied with his reputation as a notorious criminal. Even though she might not know about it, Lom did!
"Maybe I'll call you on that, Miss," he replied, his drawl soft and sweet like caramel while he trained his sparkling eyes on her face. Secretly he winked at her which sent a brief red flush over her face.
If Lom still hesitated in proposing to her after all these years, he should at least be aware that he wasn't the only man who could be interested in such a good catch.
The ruse hit home. Lom remembered very well the fondness of Elisabeth Porter for the blond outlaw when she had met him the first time. He wasn't amused and was relieved when they rose and parted for the night.
Kid Curry's face showed smug self-satisfaction when he noticed the lively discussion between the pair as Lom walked her home.
A new Day
The next morning Kid Curry crossed the town. There had been more changes than he had noticed yesterday. The town was expanding and the people passing by seemed to be busy and content.
When he reached the far side of the town he knew instantly what Miss Porter had referred to. One of the last houses was guarded by a mighty tree that was every boy's dream. It had broad, spreading branches, inviting to climb up and taste the juicy fruits it would bear later in the year. Now it was covered with rosy blooms that shed soft and sweet scents.
He opened the front gate and crossed the yard heading for the small house. It looked weathered and had probably seen better times.
The peaceful moment was broken by the cocking of a gun.
"Hold it right there, Mister!" a strict female voice ordered him.
Kid Curry froze. The words sounded familiar to him, but he was usually the one issuing the order not receiving it.
"Just stay there!" She instructed him while she opened the front door and stepped across the veranda holding a six-gun in her hand. Not quite the greeting the Kid had expected. Slowly he raised his hands.
His thoughts started spinning, trying to gauge her actions. Was she another one hoping for the bounty? But how could she know him? Had she been on one of those trains …?
"You won't find him here! Leave!" she instructed him harshly.
"Pardon, ma'am?" he replied confused.
"Daniel. He's not here. So, go away, but take it nice and easy!"
"I don't know what you're talking about," Curry said cautiously. He had faced a lot of men, but it was quite different being held up by a woman. A strange kind of tension took hold of him.
"Come on, don't try to fool me! I know what kind of man you are! The way you walk. The way you tie your weapon down. You're just like him! Daniel is dead and there's nothing left you could take but me," angrily she shook her head. "I don't need another six-gun-lover round here to threaten me! So, just turn around and leave!"
"But ma'am, you've mistaken me. Miss Porter sent me to you," he tried to convince her.
"Liz? Liz Porter? Why?" she asked, suddenly off balance.
"May I step closer and lower my hands, ma'am?" he replied with his best winning smile.
She thought it over and nodded. "But don't believe a nice smile will fool me. I've seen enough of them to last a lifetime!"
"We can sit down on the porch, where everyone can see us," she invited him. "If you try something odd – the sheriff will be here in a blink."
Stepping back, she lowered her gun and gestured for him to step closer.
"Lom?" he answered. "He's a friend of mine and could vouch for me if it's necessary, ma'am."
"You know our sheriff?" She took a last step back and sat down on a chair, resting the weapon on her lap – accessible!
"Yeah, ma'am, we … worked together for a while."
"So, well … please take a seat."
"Thank you, ma'am," he replied and accepted her invitation.
Now, he took his time to study his counterpart. Her age was hard to guess. She didn't seem to be much older than him, maybe even younger, but she looked weary and careworn. She was thin and bony and her eyes showed signs of sadness and resignation. The weapon in her hand still seemed out of place. When he had had a closer look at it, it seemed curiously familiar to him.
She followed his gaze and explained. "Oh, it's not mine. It belonged to my dead husband. I got used to taking it with me for my protection."
She paused before she started to explain.
"He was a gambler and gunman. Mostly he was away, leaving me alone to face his 'friends' who were searching for him to get even. It still hasn't ended, even though he's dead. There are obviously enough of them left to whom he owed something."
She tried a little smile. "I apologize, for my harsh behavior, Mister …?"
"Jones, Thaddeus Jones, Missus…"
"Bilson, my name is Margaret Bilson."
-o-o-o-
Kid Curry was thunderstruck.
Of course, he knew the gun! It had been around him for weeks and obviously he had noticed it when it was aimed at him. The Kid hadn't known that Danny had been married – none of them had!
They were mining together for several months - Danny always nice and smiling - and he never mentioned his family? Well, it would have been nothing to be proud of as it seemed. Who would boast about the mistreatment of a wife, left behind, indigent and alone, as a target of mockery for her neighbors and former friends?
'I hope you rot in hell, you damn bastard!' Curry cursed under his breath.
Despite the circumstances he felt no regret. The winning smile Danny Bilson used to wear was only a cover for a dark and selfish soul.
He raised his eyes and recognized the silence.
"Pardon me, Mrs. … Bilson," he apologized. "I was lost in thought. As I said: Miss Porter sent me," the Kid proceeded, "she thought you could me help with a serious problem."
"How might that be?" she answered bewildered.
"There's a baby – an orphan – I need to take care of. But she still is too young to make it without …" he cleared his throat "… a wet nurse."
Mrs. Bilson smiled sadly and nodded. "I understand. Liz must have told you that I buried my own son not long ago – still a baby, too."
Kid Curry frowned and quickly calculated the time period in his thoughts. He lifted his brow in surprise. Immediately he cursed himself. Heyes wouldn't have made such a stupid mistake.
His hope she wouldn't notice it was futile. Instantly she gave him a questioning glace.
"See … I was there … the day of the duel. I kind of witnessed it," he explained, hesitating to tell her the whole truth. He wouldn't take any chance that his request would be refused by her because of his own part in causing her bad circumstances.
"Oh! I didn't know you knew him," she mentioned with suspicion in her voice again.
"We had some business together, Mrs. Bilson, but I assure you we were even when we parted. I just didn't know he had a family. I remember the day he died."
In fact, he remembered it very well and would never be able to forget it - the one and only time he had taken the life of a man for cold blooded reasons.
"Well, ma'am, that brings up the question of … timing," he added.
She blushed and sat still for a few moments.
"Mr. Jones, this is a matter of privacy," she began to speak, "but I suppose it's a matter of trust, too - a matter of reliability and morality..."
He nodded slightly and she continued.
"You're right, Kane wasn't his child," she squared her shoulders. "He was the offspring off one of his 'friends' that plagued me."
Curry tried interrupting her but his attempt was suppressed by a small gesture of her hand.
"Please, I don't know what you will hear about me when you stay around here a few days longer, so let's get it over with."
She recovered herself and continued. "He called himself Jason. I don't know if it was his real name. He stayed three days, hoping for Danny to return … and to enjoy the company," she grimaced disgusted.
"Your neighbors?" Curry asked softly although his jaws were clenched.
She shook her head. "Moral people. They thought he stayed with me by my invitation. When he left, the remainders of my once good reputation left with him."
"I'm sorry, ma'am," he responded embarrassed, cursing Danny Bilson once more. Hell seemed much too nice a place for him. "I apologize."
She shook her head slightly and rubbed a hand over her face. "It's over and it will never happen again," she answered and patted the gun on her lap, before she changed the topic. "So, you've got a baby?"
He laughed and she chimed in a moment later.
"If you like to call it that way, yes. Would you like to see her?" Curry asked her.
"Certainly, the sooner the better. We will have to get to know each other before I promise you anything, but I have to admit I could use some additional money. Kane's illness left me almost broke."
"Sounds fair, ma'am," he said when he rose, "I'll introduce her to you as soon as she awakens."
Quiet Days
About noon Kid Curry returned to Mrs. Bilson's small house carrying the baby in his arms. He still wasn't used to the feelings the child evoked in him. Everything was new: her weight in his arms, the warmth she spread and the sweet smell that usually surrounded her.
Mrs. Bilson was delighted by the little girl.
They agreed to a trial period for some days, to see if it would work. So, he consigned Louise to Margaret Bilson's care and left them for the rest of the day.
Kid Curry visited them every day. On those occasions he noticed the bad condition of the house. The front steps were loose and the roof leaked beside a dozen minor additional problems. Also, he noticed that Mrs. Bilson would run out of firewood soon.
The Kid pursed his lips. He had never been a craftsman – his thumbs could tell some tales about this fact - but it wouldn't be healthy neither for the woman nor the child to stay in a house like that.
His 'as little as possible' credo had to give away to an 'as good as possible' one, at least for several days.
He over rode Mrs. Bilson's objections by mentioning that he knew better ways to commit suicide than to live in a ruined house, and left it to her to offer him payment for his work. This woman was stubborn, but two could play at that game.
Instead of cash he gladly accepted her invitation to take meals at her house. But he never missed an opportunity to contribute to the game whenever an opportunity arose. Maggie was so skinny, he couldn't imagine how she managed to feed a child.
Day by day he got up early and headed out to hunt. At breakfast he showed up at Mrs. Bilson's house and usually he didn't leave before sunset.
It didn't take much time until Kid Curry got used to his new routine and to his surprise he found himself enjoying it. The work was exhausting, but simple and he didn't need to stay alert all the time. Besides that, he liked the company of both - the woman and the child.
-o-o-o-
One evening a few days later he lay awake and thought about his new relationship with Mrs. Bilson.
He liked her. He really liked her.
It wasn't comparable with the feelings other women in his life had awoken in him. There was nothing like attraction or desire, she was more like ... some kind of friend to him. An unusual relationship in this combination: a gunman and a lady.
Heyes once had joked "never turn a lady into a good friend", but that was the best way to describe what he felt. He enjoyed her company and she made him think about things in a different way.
During their outlaw days he and Heyes always tried to steal only from really wealthy people but had they always succeeded? Was there any reason to assume, they'd carried the loss alone? Wasn't it more likely that they would have offset their own losses? How many others had been affected indirectly by their reckless way of life?
Kid Curry had never really thought about something like 'guilt' before.
Well, not before that one particular occasion.
How had Heyes known so damn well what it would do to him? He had tried desperately to avoid the confrontation between his friend and Danny Bilson.
Why? Because he had no faith in his abilities?
Or because he knew?
How come?
The Kid had never asked him.
The shootout with Danny had been the first and last time in his life, that he had killed someone intentionally and in cold blood. And something inside him had died on that street together with the smiling gambler.
Killing Danny had been like ... like killing himself.
In an odd way he and Danny had been alike, like the man he could have been if things had gone slightly different for him. If he had killed before. If he had been able to find the marauders, who had slaughtered his family. If he would have been alone on the trail.
Danny Bilson had been like a shaded reflection of himself, one foot inside the darkness, unaware of everyone. His dark twin. It needed only one step to make them the same.
Would Heyes have agreed with that thought?
No, certainly not! He had always had a much higher opinion of Jed's morality than himself and he seemed to see something in him he couldn't notice himself, some kind of ... innocence.
But the Kid hadn't been innocent since the day their families had died. Heyes knew nothing about his thoughts and the doubts in his mind. They never talked about it. But then, maybe he did - better than anyone else ever would.
Whatever he did, his thoughts seemed to circle around his friend all the time; the one who had known him, the one who understood. He missed him, missed him so much...
Kid Curry sighed and rubbed his hands over his face.
He should be the one six feet under! He was the gunman! He had been supposed to protect him and failed. Heyes should be here with his daughter, caring for her, guiding her, watching her when she was growing up.
The irony of life occurred to him.
Besides rare exceptions Heyes had been uncomfortable with little children. Usually they were not fast enough to follow his thoughts and just tried his nerves. Kid Curry had always been more patient with young ones and never minded taking a baby in his arms. In fact, he even enjoyed it.
And there he was: with the child of his partner and the widow of his victim. He didn't feel guilty for killing Danny Bilson, it was something that was fated. He sure was sorry for his wife, but ... would it have changed anything if he had known about one Maggie Bilson at that time?
There were questions he'd better not dare to ask...
-o-o-o-
The sequence of peaceful days continued. Spring grew old and turned into summer.
It was late afternoon. Kid Curry had been chopping firewood for hours and had finished his work a while ago.
Now he lay relaxed on his back in the small meadow behind the house, trying to doze. His shirt was unbuttoned halfway down, but he wasn't cold.
Held in his arms, Louise snuggled against his chest. He had figured out that she loved to be in contact with him and he enjoyed it, too. The baby was asleep, snoring softly. He watched her sleeping with a tender smile on his face. The day was warm and peaceful and soon he nodded off.
The sound of angry voices ended his nap abruptly. Cautiously he placed the baby on a blanket beside him on the ground and rose. He squared his shoulders, put his thumbs behind his gun belt and strolled casually to the front of the house.
Mrs. Bilson stood near the fence arguing with a cowboy. The Kid moved closer and recognized the man. He was known as 'Mad Zeb' and Curry had met him several times before. He was obviously another one of Danny's so-called friends.
Kid Curry cleared his throat and instantly dominated the scene.
"You all right, Mag?" he asked the upset woman.
Then he turned slightly and tipped his hat, "Zeb."
The eyes of his opponent widened "Kid! What are you doing here?"
"What you think I'm doing?" the Kid asked casually.
Zeb moved his eyes from Kid Curry to the woman and back again, obviously noticing the Kid's untidy clothing. A dirty smile crossed his face. "Seems you have some business here, too."
Self-confidently Kid Curry shifted his weight on one leg.
"My business is only my business, you know that," he pointed out. "But I tell you what, Zeb - I got a claim on her, all right? If you have business with her, you'll have business with me!"
Mad Zeb went pale and involuntarily drew back some steps.
"I ... I didn't know that, Kid! I swear!" he reassured the Kid, tore his hat off quickly and turned to the woman. "I apologize, ma'am. I made a stupid mistake."
Margaret Bilson followed the verbal exchange astonished. She barely recognized the man beside her.
That wasn't the gentle man who took care of her house and came to visit a child that wasn't his own. It was a stranger, a dreaded gunslinger, with cold blue eyes, radiating danger and self-confidence.
Oddly enough though she wasn't scared.
"I see you understand me, Zeb!" Kid Curry told the man in front of him. "I wouldn't be pleased if I heard you were seen here again – or speaking of it any of the other boys. Let everyone know."
"Oh, yes, sure. I'd be happy to help preventing any other misunderstandings," Zeb answered, already moving back. "I have to leave now anyway."
Zeb mounted his horse and left in hurry.
Mrs. Bilson was stunned and stared at Kid Curry for a few minutes.
"What was that?" she finally asked him. "And why did he call you 'Kid'?"
"It's just a worn-out nickname belonging to the past," he told her, now all the friendly neighbor again. "I hope it will be forgotten someday."
She relaxed and smiled at him. "I have to thank you, Mr. Jones."
"No, ma'am, it's my pleasure," he replied.
"But what did you mean when you said you 'have a claim on me'?" she asked him raising a brow suspiciously.
"It was just meant to keep those guys away from you - nothing else. I guess you won't be bothered anymore. It's the least I owe you … for your help," the Kid answered seriously.
She smiled again and nodded, "Then I thank you for your claim, too. I haven't been claimed by anyone else before."
"I can't think of a reason why not, ma'am," he responded with a wink and smiled at her.
She laughed. "But well, I guess we should call each other by our given names, now that we have such a close relationship."
"You're right, ma'am..."
"Please, call me Maggie … or Mag like you did before," she offered him.
"All right Mag, call me Thaddeus."
Leaving Porterville
Kid Curry spent a few more weeks in Porterville, quiet and peaceful, but he knew the time had come to make a decision. As much as he enjoyed the days here, they had to come to an end.
He couldn't settle down here. His name was just too well known and Zeb would spread the rumors, too. Mag didn't know about this particular reason, but he had talked with her about several opportunities for the future. Kid Curry had mentioned that he might have a claim on some farmland down in Kansas and that he had to head there to check it out
He considered such a long journey with an uncertain outcome as too dangerous for a child of Louise's age and they agreed that Louise would stay with Mag while Curry found out if his claim was valid. He couldn't tell how much time he might be away, but he left her a good share of money to provide for herself and the baby for several months.
Secretly he deposited a much larger sum at the Porterville Bank and instructed Lom how to use it if he didn't return. One hard lesson he had learned was to take nothing for granted in life…
-o-o-o-
It was early morning when he made his last visit to say goodbye. Supplies were already stowed inside the saddlebags of his horse. He tied his mount to the fence, before he entered Margaret Bilson's small house.
He greeted Mag briefly and headed straight to the cradle to take Louise up in his arm. Tenderly he fondled her little head and smiled at her.
'Blood of my blood,' he thought and placed a kiss on the dark shock of hair.
The bond with Heyes had once been the center of his life. No one would ever know how deep their affection actually had been. But Heyes had not only been closer than a brother to him, he had been his cousin, too. For the first time since his passing, Kid Curry wasn't alone anymore - the last offspring of their families. Now he held the future in his arms.
Said future grabbed his finger, put it in her mouth and started to produce soft smacking sounds. Warmth arose in his heart and spread across his chest. He had no experience with children, but he would learn what was necessary.
It had taken a while but now he knew what he had to do. Here was someone dear who needed his help and protection and what else had he ever done better?
-o-o-o-
Guided by the bright morning sun Kid Curry left Porterville, heading southwards for Kansas to face his past and a new future…