Jimmy whistled softly as he entered the town of Sweetwater. Buildings as tall as four stories loomed over him. He counted three bakeries, a telegram office, two banks, numerous stores, including a couple of fancy dress shops. He spotted Teaspoon's old deputy sitting on a chair in front of a building. Barnett must have recognized him for he got a friendly wave. He waved back but didn't stop. Jimmy didn't need the rather rickety sign to tell him that was the jail — though the stone structure wasn't built when he rode with the Pony Express — the bars on the windows identified the place for him.
Humor tugged at the corners of his mouth as he saw two cathouses right across the road from each other, scantily clad women lounging on the balcony. They whistled at the men on the street below, alternately flattering or insulting them — whatever worked — into visiting their establishment, and not the competition.
"Hey, handsome, you look like you need some lovin'."
Whatever Jimmy's answer would have been, he never got it out. A body came flying out of a saloon door, landing right in front of his horse. Jimmy jerked at the palomino's reins, stopping the horse from imprinting its hoof on the man's face. The cowboy, oblivious to his near-trampling, stood up, shook himself and dove right back inside the saloon.
Shaking his head, Jimmy nudged his horse back into a walk. He tried to search for familiar faces but only strangers stared back, strangers with curious, questioning looks. Growing uncomfortable under the townsfolk's scrutiny, Jimmy spurred his horse toward the plains where the Pony Express station was once housed.
"Hey, Lou."
Lou started at the softly spoken words, nearly dropping the trowel she was using to loosen the soil in her small patch of a vegetable garden. Slowly, she stood up and turned around until she came face to face with the speaker. She shielded her eyes from the sun's blinding glare for the man was standing against the light. A long black overcoat hung over his broad shoulders, his hands buried deep inside the pockets. The brim of his hat obscured his face. He had long hair that hung past his shoulders.
There was something familiar about his manner, his stance.
Then the man lifted his head.
"Jimmy," she breathed. Extending a hand, Lou brushed the angular panes of his cheeks with light fingers, almost unbelieving that he actually came. Then her face broke into a wide smile. "Jimmy!" Loud, joyful and welcoming.
It was everything Jimmy hoped for. He wrapped his arms around her waist and swung her 'round and 'round, laughing, almost crying.
Finally, he put her down but kept his arms around her. His gaze roamed her face, the face of the woman he'd secretly loved since they were young riders with the Pony Express. Happiness shone in that face, and it made her even more beautiful in his eyes. Earlier, he'd noticed childbirth had given her the curves she had dreamt of. Her hair, cropped short during her years as a rider for the Pony Express, now hung in a braid down her back. Though she was still wearing a man's shirt — it looked like an old one of Kid's — one thing was certain: No man in his right mind would mistake Lou for a man ever again.
Jimmy swallowed to get rid of the lump in his throat. "You are beautiful," he whispered with a smile.
"That's sweet, Jimmy."
Both turned when they heard something behind them move.
"Mama?" a small voice called out hesitantly.
Jimmy released Lou from his embrace just in time to see a handsome young boy with russet-colored hair and a stubborn tilt to his chin. God, he's like a miniature Kid, Jimmy thought, right down to the suspicious glare in his eyes. He almost laughed.
Lou held out her hand to her son, "Come here and meet a friend."
The boy approached, his eyes never leaving the man in black.
Lou lovingly rumpled the little boy's hair. "James, say hello to your Uncle Jimmy. He sent you that wonderful train set for Christmas, remember?"
The little boy's eyes lit up as he made the connection between his favorite toy and the man his mother called "Uncle Jimmy." His frown gave way to a dazzling smile that made Jimmy's heart ache. Right then, James looked like his mother.
"Hi," James said brightly, then promptly ran toward the house.
Amused, Jimmy shot a questioning look at Lou, who merely shrugged.
Jimmy looked back at the house, his thoughts turning from a little boy to an old man.
"How's Teaspoon? I rode here as fast as I could."
"Bad. He's getting weaker every day."
"What happened?"
"He was shot going after a gang called the Black Raiders—"
"I've heard of them," Jimmy cut in.
"Who hasn't? They've been spreading terror for months now." Lou began putting away her gardening tools in a wooden box as she spoke. "Teaspoon and Marshall O'Reilley caught up with some of them somewhere in Mill Creek." She took off her work gloves, lightly slapping them against her thigh to knock off the dirt. "Many of the Raiders died, but the law paid a huge price."
Lou sighed deeply. "I'm not sure if Teaspoon is lucky or not to survive that."
"How bad is it?"
Lou began walking toward the house. Jimmy fell in stride with her. "He was shot several times. Shoulder, thigh. Nearly lost his arm. But Doc is more worried over the head wound."
Lou opened the door — and caught a small body against hers. It was James, holding a toy train car in one hand. He'd wanted to show it to his Uncle Jimmy.
"What did I tell you about running inside the house?"
"Don't?"
Lou nodded. "Now, go and find your Pa. Tell him we've got a guest for dinner." She dropped a quick kiss on his head, then sending him off with a slight push.
"How's that husband of yours?"
Something flickered in Lou's eyes, but it was gone before Jimmy could identify it. "He's good. He's ... good."
"What is it, Lou?"
The worry, frustrations and fear of the last several days threatened to burst forth. Lou desperately wanted to ask for help regarding Kid's nightmares. But she also understood her husband was a proud man, and Jimmy Hickok is the last person in the world he'd want to be aware of his weakness. So Lou shook her head. "We've all just been under terrible strain."
"But—"
Lou looked at him, her eyes pleading silently. So Jimmy let it go. For now.
"Papa, papa..."
Several ranch hands looked up just in time to see James burst into the barn. "Whoa, whoa." Paul, the elderly foreman, caught the little boy before he stepped on a cow pie. "What's the rush, James?"
"Uncle Jimmy is here!" James all but shouted his announcement. The effect was immediate. Some of the ranch hands, understanding Lou and Kid's "Jimmy" was no other than "Wild Bill" Hickok, rushed to the door for a peek at the famous gunslinger. But he'd already gone inside the house.
Paul rolled his eyes at the younger men, all hopped up to see a gunfighter. He turned his attention back to James. "Well, your father rode out just a while ago to check something. Jeremiah's with him. So tell your Ma he might be a tad late for supper, all right?"
James nodded, then scampered toward the house.
The foreman joined his men at the barn's door, watching as a golden palomino was led by a ranch hand inside. Something's bound to happen soon, Paul thought. He just didn't know whether he looked forward ot it, or dreaded it.
Jimmy watched as Lou opened the door to Teaspoon's room and quietly stepped in. His friend placed the bowl of soup on the bedside table before going around the bed and picking up a small towel from the small stack on top of the dresser. After pouring some water into the basin, Lou wet the cloth and brought it with her to the bed. Sitting on the edge, she began unwrapping the bandage around Teaspoon's head.
"The doctor said the wound would heal much faster if it is uncovered, but to wait until it has closed before taking the bandage off," Lou told Jimmy without taking her eyes off Teaspoon.
From where he was standing, Jimmy could see if the bullet had moved an inch more to the left, it would have blasted Teaspoon's temple instead of merely grazing it. Jimmy shuddered at the thought.
"Teaspoon took a bullet on his upper thigh. It went through a fleshy part so it ain't as big a problem," Lou said as she stood up to get the bowl of soup she'd brought with her. After placing another towel around Teaspoon's neck, she carefully began spooning the broth into the older man's lips. "It's the wound on his head that's worrying us. At first, Doc said he should be fine. It was just a graze, you know. But Teaspoon hasn't woken up yet since that night."
"Your doctor is a quack," Jimmy said through gritted teeth. "Why don't you get another opinion?"
"Can't. Doc's the only one in town. He's the only one in three towns. A specialist from New York was supposed to join him out here, a nephew or something. But his stagecoach was attacked, and well ..."
Jimmy slowly sat on the other side of the bed. He wanted to touch Teaspoon, hold his hand, say he was sorry — ask for forgiveness.
Lou, sensing Jimmy's inner turmoil, stood up. "Why don't I leave you with him for a while. Come out when you're ready."
He didn't even notice her leave.
Jimmy was cooing at Mary Lou when Kid entered the house. Jimmy had dispensed of his great overcoat and it was a surprise to see what was underneath. His days away from the Pony Express had given the young gunfighter a worldly look, a sophistication he certainly didn't have when he was pounding the trails in the employ of Russell, Majors and Waddell. Dressed in white shirt with a silver brocade vest topping it and black pants, James Butler Hickok was the epitome of Western elegance.
"So, you finally met our youngest?"
Jimmy turned around to see his best friend leaning on the doorway. The smile on his face brightened. "Yep, and you're very lucky she took after Lou."
"And I say that every day myself." Laughing, Kid watched as Jimmy passed the baby to Teresa and then turn around to walk to him with open arms. They hugged, long and solidly. The embrace was as welcoming as it was friendship-affirming. "Good to see yah again, Kid."
"You, too, Jimmy." Kid released Jimmy and looked him up and down. "Glad to see ya'll still in one piece."
"I'm happy about that, too," Jimmy said with a wink.
"Well, you two better wash up. Dinner is almost ready." Lou watched from the sidelines, not wanting to intrude on the two men's reunion. Though Kid and Jimmy almost always stood on opposite sides of any issue during their days with the Pony Express, no one could deny the bond between them.
"You cook, Lou?" Jimmy asked in mock surprise. Lou merely rolled her eyes at him as she headed into the kitchen
"Took her years to learn," Kid said in a mock whisper. "Good thing me and the ranch hands have cast-iron stomachs."
Jimmy laughed as Lou shouted, "I heard that," from the kitchen.
The kitchen door opened and Jimmy looked up to see a lanky young man bearing a huge bowl of stew staring at him with interest. "Hello there."
Jeremiah nodded his head in greeting, "Mister."
"Do you remember him, Jeremiah?" Kid asked.
The boy smiled. "You and the other guys helped when Lou came to take us back to the orphanage," he told Jimmy.
Realization dawning, Jimmy looked at Kid for confirmation. "Lou's brother?" He got a nod. "Well, son, hopefully you'll see the other guys, too, in the next few days."
Turning to Kid, "Have you heard from the others?"
Kid shook his head. "I sent a telegram to Cody but it seems he is in New York so it might take him awhile to get here. Buck. ... I don't know where he is or what he is doing. He got a message from Red Bear several years back. After that, we never saw him again." Kid rubbed his face. "We know he's alive, though."
"How do—"
The sound of a bell ringing interrupted Jimmy, and the words "riders coming!" soon rang out, too.
