Disclaimer: Alias Smith and Jones does not belong to me. This is fan fiction, not for profit.
Any references to people, places, businesses, etc. are entirely fictitious.
A/N – story presumes the details on the wanted posters are not entirely accurate. Story exists in the same No Amnesty - Smith and Jones story verse as previous stories.
Chapter 4 – Old Secrets and New Secrets
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Heyes didn't have a chance to tell his partner about Harry's latest scheme until later that evening. The two men sat outside on the Jones' front porch. Kid's feet rested upon the railing. He bit down on the long narrow cigar between his lips and inhaled deeply. Heyes rested his elbows on his knees, ignoring the cigar in his hand as he talked.
"Diamonds? Emeralds?" exclaimed Kid when his partner finally paused for breath. Gesturing with the cigar, he asked, "Where did Harry get that fool idea?"
"I don't know," answered Heyes, "but apparently he heard something about Riordan paying for law school with a bunch of gemstones. Harry thinks they came from Thunder Ridge."
"Uncut rubies and sapphires, yes," nodded Kid, "but no emeralds. And the only diamonds Riordan sold were from his mother's necklace."
Whatever their reasons for marrying, Charles and Deanna's subsequent relationship appeared to have been based on mutual respect. Diamonds from the necklace, an ornate gift from Charles on the occasion of the couple's tenth anniversary, along with rubies and sapphires from the mining in Thunder Ridge, and a well-deserved scholarship, paid for Riordan's schooling.
"For once, Harry's plan doesn't sound dangerous, nor illegal," concluded the muscular blond.
A momentary silence followed Kid's observation. Kid exhaled a ring of smoke, watching it float lazily upwards. Heyes shook his head.
"That's if Harry's told us everything," grumbled Heyes with a disgruntled frown.
Heyes started to take a puff of his cigar and then withdrew it from his mouth. Looking at the tip in annoyance, the dark haired man leaned forward and tapped the ashes over the side of the railing. Heyes sat back in the chair, crossing his legs. Pulling a matchbox from his shirt pocket, he withdrew a match, struck it against his heel and then relit his cigar.
"I don't mind Harry looking for gemstones," mused Kid, "but a dank, dark old mineshaft ain't the place for a man that's coughing like he's doing."
"You're right about that," agreed Heyes, "but we need something to keep Harry busy and out of trouble."
"If he's set on looking for treasure, there are trace rocks down by the waterfall that might interest him," suggested Kid.
"Good idea," nodded Heyes. "And when Doc Abernathy gets back, we'll need to have him take a look at Harry. And get his eyes examined too, he might need glasses like Kyle."
Kid nodded in wordless agreement. The two partners puffed contentedly on their cigars. From inside the home, the soft murmurs of women and children could be heard. A small brown owl hooted in a nearby tree.
"Harry always has plans," fretted Heyes. "I just wish we knew what they were!"
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Several days later, Heyes glimpsed movement on the sloping trail from Kid's home. The librarian rose from his desk and moved closer to the window. Heyes tugged the white cuffs of his shirt straight beneath the sleeves of his dark brown jacket as he watched Harry Wagener's furtive steps. Walking slowly, stopping every few minutes to look around, then continuing on, the duplicitous newcomer to Thunder Ridge looked like he was up to something.
"Willis," called Heyes to his assistant, "keep an eye on things for a while. I'll be back."
Heyes followed the silver haired schemer as Harry made his way from the corner of the livery, to Kid's workshop. It was almost comical to see Harry peek inside the wide open double doors, then draw his head back quickly as if he were afraid to be seen. The older man pressed against the building and sidled around to the window to peek in again. Heyes strode over behind Harry and tapped the man on the shoulder. Harry jumped, spun around, gasping to stare at Heyes.
"Are you trying to give me a heart attack?" huffed Harry indignantly. "What did you do that for?"
Heyes crossed one arm over his chest and then the other. Brown eyes narrowed.
"I thought Doc Abernathy was treating you for a respiratory infection," replied Heyes. "Do you have a heart condition too?"
"No, not unless you give me one," retorted Harry. "And that Abernathy is a real miracle worker, I'm feeling much better."
Although Heyes wouldn't attribute miracles to the good Doctor, Harry did look better than when Heyes retrieved him in Rawlins. The circles beneath his eyes weren't as dark. Harry walked all the way down to the town square unaided. And Heyes hadn't heard him coughing recently. Whether that was due to Abernathy, or sunshine, fresh air, and a few nights quiet restful sleep, was anyone's guess.
"Why are you sneaking around Harry?" demanded Heyes in a firm authoritative tone. "What kinda trouble are you getting into now?"
"I'm not sneaking," sniffed Harry. The rascal straightened up and levelled his gaze at Heyes. Unblinking, attempting to give the impression of truthfulness, Harry stated, "And I'm not getting into trouble."
Heyes snorted in disbelief.
"You're always in trouble Harry," reminded Heyes. "Yesterday you were in town looking for a telegraph office, and today you're sneaking around Thaddeus' business. What are you doing?"
Wagener pursed his lips. Instead of answering Heyes, he asked a question.
"What kind of town doesn't have a telegraph?" demanded Harry.
Heyes shook his head. The world had changed a lot in the past twenty years, and Harry had missed out.
"People use telephones now, they talk to each other," responded Heyes quietly. The dark haired man looked at the man before him. "I've got a telephone over at the library. Do you need to contact someone?"
"No!" snapped Harry quickly and looked away.
Heyes' frown deepened. From past experience, he knew Harry talked fast when he was lying.
"Then why were you looking for the telegraph office?"
"Don't you remember casing a town?" sneered Harry. "Checking for the telegraph, the sheriff's office, the bank…"
"The nearest Sheriff's office is over at Porterville, and so is the bank, although there is a deputy's station in Four Corners," interrupted Heyes. "Are you casing Thunder Ridge?"
"No, I'm just trying to get my bearings," replied Harry.
"Is peeking in the windows of Jones' Mechanical Repair part of that?" asked Heyes.
Wagener's face lit up with an impish grin.
"The fella over at the livery stable was grumbling about horseless carriages," explained Wagener. His eyes gleamed with excitement. "He said Ki- I mean, Thaddeus, has one. I just had to see it for myself."
"Then maybe we should go inside," suggested Heyes. "Let you get a closer look."
"Really!" Wagener's glee was unmistakable. "Kid won't mind?"
Heyes rolled his eyes at Wagener's slip.
"Just don't mention Elmer Lovejoy," ordered Heyes as they walked to the front door. "Thaddeus and Elmer don't see eye to eye on how to build a horseless carriage. You'll never hear the end of it."
"How did Thaddeus get started working on these things?" asked Wagener as they entered Kid's lair.
"You know him," replied Heyes with a smirk. "It it's got a cylinder, Thaddeus won't rest until he's taken it apart, cleaned it and put it back together again better than before."
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Kid stopped by the library later that afternoon.
"Returning books?" asked Heyes with a warm smile.
Kid handed him The Hound of the Baskervilles, and then leaned forward across the return desk.
"Heyes, did you know that Harry mailed a letter to Mexico?" asked Kid.
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As spring turned into summer, Harry continued to grow stronger. He walked down to the post office every day, for exercise, he told Heyes. The scalawag played poker with Wheat, Kyle, Preacher and Lobo every Friday night, losing more matchsticks than not. And the little pile of rocks that he dug up grew slowly but surely.
"Whatcha gonna do with all them rocks Harry?" asked Kyle.
"Those rocks are gonna fund my retirement Kyle," answered Harry with a sly smirk. "Someplace nice and warm, where the women are beautiful and…"
"The women are beautiful right here," asserted Kyle loyally. The dynamite specialist pushed his wire rimmed spectacles up his nose and stared owl-like at Harry. "And iffen you keep the stove stoked up, it stays warm here too, even in January."
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Amanda Joy Jones made her debut appearance in early July. Over the next several days, a troop of well-wishers made a point to stop by, peek at the new baby, and congratulate Matt and Thaddeus, including the newest resident of Thunder Ridge.
"Harry Wagener," declared Jenny Black, lips pursed in a small frown.
Heyes' looked up from the new baby to see Harry framed in the open front door. Harry held a handful of blue prairie flax mixed with some smaller white flowers that looked like woodland star. The still beautiful white haired woman gazed at Harry in annoyance.
"You say that like it's a bad thing," smirked the handsome rogue.
"I've been telling folks you're my miscreant baby brother," sniffed Thaddeus Jones' second mother. Placing her hands on her curvaceous hips, Jenny frowned indignantly. "You show up looking older than Methuselah and people start wondering how old I am!"
Harry's smile lit up his face. He reached for Jenny's right hand, raised it gently to his lips and bestowed a kiss upon her fingertips.
"My dear, sweet sister," schmoozed the charmer, "you don't look a day over sixty."
Jenny snatched her hand back, but Heyes could tell she was pleased with the attempted flattery.
"Thaddeus is going to be forty-eight next month, I don't think anyone is going to believe that line," admonished Jenny. She continued to eye Wagener suspiciously. "What are you doing here?"
Harry held the flowers up.
"I wanted to see the new baby and bring flowers," answered Harry simply. "It's what folks do, right?"
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Heyes walked back with Harry towards the bunkhouse a short while later. The warbling song of a meadowlark sounded. Heyes caught a glimpse of the yellow bird flitting in the blue sky as it flew from a tree branch. Harry was uncharacteristically silent.
"Where did you find woodland star this late in the season?" asked Heyes in an attempt to get the dapper older man talking.
"There's a cool, shady spot real close to the waterfall. I picked the last of them," answered Harry.
Heyes thought about the waterfall. There was only one rocky alcove that he could think of that was still shaded in July.
"Should you really be digging that close to the waterfall?" asked Heyes. "You'll get soaked."
"I ain't afraid of a little water Heyes," smirked Harry, "at least as long as you and I aren't going swimming."
The gibe made Heyes feel uncomfortable. Trying to beat Kid's location out of Harry was a sign of how desperate, how frightened, he'd been by Janet's cold hearted threats to kill his partner.
"They're Janet's favorite flower."
"Huh?" Heyes shook his head to clear it of the dark, old memories. "It's hard to think of a woman like Janet Judson having a favorite flower."
Wagener stopped walking abruptly. Gravel skittered on the edge of the woodland trail as he turned to glare at Heyes. The mocking smile Harry usually sported was gone. In its place was a serious expression.
"You don't know anything about Janet," said the one time bank robber in a fierce, quiet voice.
Heyes raised his eyebrows in surprise.
"I know she shot a rifle at Kid when he was tied up, defenseless!" growled Heyes.
"Defenseless? Kid! Ha!"
"And Janet's testimony is the main reason you got twenty years," reminded Heyes with a gloating tone, sure he had made his point.
"Don't hold that against her," replied Wagener with a tightlipped smile. "That was my idea."
"Your idea?" Heyes' voice rose incredulously. "Your idea to put yourself in prison for twenty years?"
"We couldn't take the risk of Lorraine being tried for murdering her husband," answered Wagener. "Janet didn't want me to take the blame, but I convinced her."
Heyes remembered the woman who wouldn't risk the possibility of a bomb in the carpetbag. Janet had led them all straight to Harry rather than risk his death. The woman's later actions, visiting Harry after being released from prison, seemed to indicate devotion. A possibility crossed his mind. Heyes' mouth dropped open.
"Harry, was Lorraine your daughter?" asked Heyes in a soft tone.
"I wish," sighed Harry. The silver haired man leaned backwards against a large boulder. "She coulda been mine, if only I hadn't been such a fool."
"What do you mean Harry?"
"Janet wanted to get married, but I wanted to be a hero," replied Harry with a rueful tone. "She was only fifteen. I promised I'd be back just as soon as the war was over. Who knew the bloody thing was gonna last so long!"
"What happened?" prompted Heyes.
"Life," snorted Harry. He raised both hands above his head and shook them. "Life is what happened. When I finally got out of the prison camp and made it back home, Janet was gone. She married someone named Judson six weeks after I joined the army and moved west."
Heyes folded his arms across his chest, watching Harry closely.
"We were lucky though," smiled Harry. His eyes lit up with the memory. The silver haired schemer lowered his arms, pressing back on the boulder once more. "We met again by accident, years later."
The meadowlark flitted through the aspen trees, warbling once more.
"Janet was a widow by then, and we took our time courting, getting reacquainted," continued Harry. "We were both so happy to see each other that neither one of us realized what was going on at first with Lorraine."
The schemer's voice trailed off in memory. Heyes remembered what Kid had told him of his captivity, of Lorraine's wild claims.
"What was going on with Lorraine?" nudged Heyes after a moment.
Harry's face twisted in sorrow.
"Looking at Matt holding the new baby today, made me wish things had been different," responded Harry. "I wish I had been there to take care of Janet and Lorraine, to make sure Lorraine married someone like Kid or you."
"You wish Lorraine had married an outlaw?" blurted out Heyes in surprise.
"I wish Lorraine had married a man who knew how to cherish a woman," answered Harry, "instead of a beast who kept her locked up, isolated in that ranch house, and beat her."
The dark haired former outlaw cringed at Harry's revelation.
"Janet found out when she tried to see Lorraine," sighed Harry. "She told me, begged me to rescue Lorraine."
The man paused, took a deep breath, and then went on.
"I wanted to be the hero," repeated Harry. "So I rode over to the homestead, intending to bring Lorraine home to Janet. The beast came back as we were saddling the horses. Lorraine shot him to stop him from killing me."
Heyes inhaled sharply. Kid had told Heyes that Lorraine said she killed her husband to run off with another man. Heyes had never pried into the details, thinking the young woman was involved in a romantic entanglement. It was hard to picture Lorraine as an imprisoned princess. It was even harder to picture Harry in the role of a knight coming to her rescue, the dilapidated ranch house as a prison.
"Lorraine told folks in town he was on a trip to buy more cattle," continued Harry. "People believed it at first because he was a successful rancher, but three months later they were starting to wonder. We had to get outta there soon. We were desperate. That's why we wanted to rob the bank. We needed getaway money."
"Harry why didn't you tell that to the circuit judge when he arrived?" exclaimed Heyes. "No judge, no jury would have convicted Lorraine of murder."
"Couldn't risk it," responded Harry. "The beast was also the son of the judge."
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It wasn't until that evening, that Heyes got a chance to discuss Harry's revelations with his partner. Kid's blue eyes grew wide with concern as Heyes's spiel wound down to a conclusion.
"You reckon all that's true?," asked Kid.
"Kid, you had to see his face," responded Heyes, thinking of the regret in Harry's eyes as he revealed his story. "No one could pull a con like that, not even me."
"No, I meant the part where Harry and Janet knew each other before," clarified the younger Kansan. "Big age difference, him being almost thirty and her only fifteen."
"He was twenty-eight," answered Heyes. "Not much different than you and Matt, you're twelve years older and…"
"Matt was twenty-two when we got married," reminded the muscular blond. "Not fifteen."
Kid leaned forward in his chair, shoulder muscles tight with tesnion. The father of six daughters looked down between his boots and stared at the porch floor. The cigar in his hand remained unlit.
"Awfully young for a girl to be getting' married," mumbled Kid.
"Some women get married even younger," replied Heyes with a shrug.
Kid looked up at his partner, blue eyes worried.
"Eliza is gonna be fifteen in two years," stated Kid.
Heyes swallowed a smirk as he realized what was bothering his partner.
"Aw Kid," soothed Heyes, "you don't have to worry about Eliza."
"I don't?"
"Of course not," replied Heyes with a devilish twinkle in his eye. "She won't be interested in some schemer like Harry, she'll be looking for likely lads like Stuart Clemson, or Willis Longbottom, or Cesar MacCreedy…"
"Heyes!" interrupted Kid. "You ain't helpin'."
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August was hot. Hotter than Heyes could remember. He trudged up the steep trail to his partner's home. The rocking chair had been moved outside to the shady porch. Kid sat, slowly moving back and forth, tiny Amanda snuggled on his shoulder. Kyle turned the arm on the hand-cranked churn. From the way Wheat was swinging his shoulder, he must have just finished a turn on the ice cream maker.
"Happy Birthday partner," greeted Heyes as he walked up the steps.
Blue eyes looked up at Heyes, questioning.
"He'll be here in time for supper," soothed Heyes with a grin. "The train was late getting in to Porterville, but he called. He's on his way."
Heyes stepped past Kid. Inside the cabin, he found Matt standing by the table, flipping through the recipes in an old cookbook, Mrs. A.B. Marshall's Book of Cookery. The tall blonde Texan brushed back a tendril of long blonde hair from her sweaty face.
"Are they…" Matt hesitated.
"Riordan's bringing them from the train station," Heyes replied with a grin.
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The celebration was in full swing when Heyes saw Jenny Black drag Harry over to Big Mac. The big barrel chested man, curly hair long since turned silver white, grinned to see his pseudo sister. Big Mac and Jenny had both sworn in a court of law that Thaddeus Jones was family, and they were related. Jenny flashed a mischievous wink as she made the introductions.
"Seeing as how both of you are Thaddeus' uncles, you two ought to meet," smiled Jenny. "Mac, this is our scapegrace younger brother Harry. If anybody asks, our mother was married more than once, that's why you have different last names."
Big Mac nodded. It was similar to the story they told the judge, Jenny had been widowed and remarried, to explain why Jenny had a different last name than Thaddeus Jones.
"Patrick J. MacCreedy," boomed Big Mac. With a wicked smirk he added, "I'm the respectable uncle, from Texas."
"You came all the way from Texas for a birthday party?" exclaimed Harry in a surprised tone, not even reacting to the implication of Big Mac's comment.
"Birthday's only happen once a year," reminded Big Mac. "And a new baby in the family this year makes it even more special."
The jovial man pointed the thick cigar in his hand towards the other arrivals from Texas, a tall man with straight gray blond hair, a beautiful red haired woman at his side, and a beaming older woman with snow white hair. Squealing children raced in between the adults, laughing and running.
"Travelling by private rail car," continued Big Mac, "no one knows that Henry Curry and his family came to Wyoming."
"Henry Curry," echoed Harry, turning to look at Kid, he asked, "is he…"
"No relation to my nephew Thaddeus Jones," interrupted Big Mac. The Texan inhaled deeply on the cigar. With a twinkle in his eye, MacCreedy added, "Of course they resemble each other so much that you might think they were brothers."
Carlotta MacCreedy arrived then. Linking her arm through her husband's, she and Big Mac moved off through the crowd. Jenny laughed and pulled Harry towards Heyes. Leaving the two men, she headed for the kitchen. The silver haired man stared at Kid with a dazed expression on his face.
"Are you all right Harry?" asked Heyes.
The charming rogue shook his head, bring his eyes to meet Heyes.
"It's a lot of folks for a birthday supper," prodded Harry.
"Just family," answered Heyes.
"Family?" asked Harry with a look around the room. "All those folks from Texas? Wheat and his wife, Kyle, Preacher, Lobo, the Hendersons, the Coles, Lom Trevors, me?"
"There's all sorts of family," laughed Heyes. The dark haired Kansan threw his arm over Harry's shoulder. "We make allowances for sheriffs and you."
Harry's eyes continued around the room, finally settling on Riordan, standing next to Kid.
"It was the dimples that mixed me up," confided Harry.
"Huh?" asked Heyes.
Harry nodded towards the head of the table. The attorney was almost as tall as Kid, with dark curls instead of blond, and a wide generous smile that dimpled his cheeks when he laughed.
"There's no denying the family resemblance," hissed Harry in a low tone. "That city slicker is the son of Kid Curry."
"Careful there Harry," warned Heyes.
There were a few secrets he and Kid didn't share. It was safer that way. Only a handful of people knew Riordan was Kid's biological son, the same handful that knew Kid and Heyes were cousins. Most people thought Thaddeus Jones and Clementine Hale Smith were cousins.
"That city slicker is a lawyer and he will shoot a lawsuit at you for defamation of character faster than anything if he hears you."
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The rest of the guests from Texas, Sheriff Coltrane, Matt's cousin Eula Mae, her husband Claude and all their children arrived just before the cake and ice cream was served. The extended family stayed at Mrs. Henderson's boarding house. The family reunion lasted three days, ending with Heyes' favorite cake for his birthday celebration.
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"Heyes," hissed Kid in a low warning voice.
The dark haired man kneeling beside the wood pile felt the hair on the back of his neck prickle at Kid's tone. Heyes looked up at his partner, but Kid had already dropped the piece of firewood in his hands and was running to meet the men on the trail.
"What happened?" called Kid.
Heyes rose to stand, feeling the chill of the late September evening breeze cut into him now that he was no longer sheltered by the woodpile. Kyle and Wheat half dragged, half carried Harry Wagener between them. Harry was dripping, wet hair plastered to his forehead, water streaming down his face, his lips tinged blue with cold.
"We found him at the base of the waterfall like this," Kyle tried to explain. "We brung him here. Your place is closer than the bunkhouse."
Kid stepped in beside Harry, taking the shivering man's weight.
"Kyle, go get Doc Abernathy," ordered Kid, his blue eyes worried. "Wheat and I'll bring him inside."
Heyes hurried to the porch and opened the front door as Kyle raced down the hill. Matt looked up from her seat in the rocker as Kid and Wheat dragged Harry inside the Jones' family home. Clem stopped going over the multiplication table with Arthur and Jennifer in mid-sentence. The children seated at the table stared.
"What's going on?" the blonde Texan asked.
"Harry nearly drowned himself," answered Wheat. "Blame fool thing iffen you ask me, digging gemstones this time of year."
"There's… a… big… stone," started Harry, teeth chattering as he tried to speak, "right… at the base… of the… waterfall… a… diamond… I'm sure of it."
"A diamond won't do you any good Harry," replied Kid, "if you freeze to death or drown trying to get it."
"We need to get him out of those wet clothes, and warmed up," directed Matt. "Thaddeus, I'll get him some of your things to wear, and blankets. Once we get him changed, he can sit here by the fire."
Matt stood up, and gently laid baby Amanda in the cradle. The tall woman disappeared into the bedroom as the warmth of the cozy home started to penetrate the chilled man.
"Harry, after nearly twenty years in prison, why didn't you pick something to do that was a little easier on the back?" grumbled Kid. "Breaking up rocks is prison work. And trying to dig anything outta that cold water is dang foolhardy."
"I'm used to working in the cold," answered Harry, "most of my time in Laramie, I had a job cutting ice blocks."
"Ice blocks?" asked Kid.
"Yeah," groused Harry. "You wouldn't believe how much ice the Union and Pacific railroad uses. The prison had a contract with the railway and prisoners were free labor."
"I never did like railroads nor prisons," grumbled Wheat. "The two of 'em in cahoots is just not right."
Matt returned a moment later with dry clothing. She pointed to the water closet. Harry shook himself loose of Kid and Wheat's support. The color was returning to his face.
"I can dress myself," stated Harry.
"Fine, get out of those wet things," agreed Matt. She handed him Kid's clothing and turned to Heyes. "Joshua, would you please start a pot of coffee?"
By the time Kyle returned with Doctor Abernathy, Harry was settled in the rocker. Dressed in a warm red shirt of Kid's, with tan trousers rolled up at the bottom, Harry's feet were soaking in a bucket of hot water. A blanket was over his shoulders and he held a steaming cup of strong, hot coffee.
"It's the wrong time of year to be going swimming," chided the good doctor. The medical man listened to Harry's chest with a stethoscope. "Your lungs and heart sound fine now. Keep warm, get a good night's sleep, and I'll be back here in the morning to check on you again."
The doctor started repacking his equipment. Harry took his feet out of the bucket and reached for his wet boots.
"What do you think you're doing?" asked Abernathy.
"Getting ready to go back to where I'm staying," answered Harry. He gestured in the general direction of the bunkhouse. "Cabin up the ridge."
"Oh no," ordered the doctor. "You're staying here tonight, with your nephew and his family. I don't want you going out in the cold again. Snow flurries have already started."
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"Carolyn and Charlotte can go back in the trundle," stated Kid. "Eliza goes back in the bedroom with Hannah and Jennifer. That leaves their bedroom free for guests."
Matt nodded, but Heyes raised his eyebrow. The older children had finished their homework and were picking up books, papers and pencils. Clem stood behind Arthur, holding his coat ready along with her cloak.
"Guests?" asked Heyes.
Kid's blue eyed gaze traveled past Heyes to rest on Kyle. The small explosives expert stood by the door, talking with Wheat and Doctor Abernathy. The pair planned to walk down the trail with the Smith family.
"I know it ain't much snow yet, but I don't want Kyle going all the way back to the bunkhouse by himself," answered Kid. "You know he can't see well in the dark."
"And how are you gonna convince Kyle to stay?" asked Heyes.
"I'll ask him to help me keep an eye on Harry," replied Kid with a grin.
In a matter of minutes, Kid walked out onto the porch with Heyes. Wheat led the way down the trail to the town, followed by Abernathy, Clem and Arthur. Inside the chaotic sounds of children getting ready for bed had started. Harry's wheedling tone as he asked Hannah to fetch him another cup of coffee caused Kid to roll his eyes.
"Why is Harry my uncle? Not yours?" grumbled Kid with a good natured grin that belied the complaint. "You both are schemers."
"Partner," chuckled Heyes, "you're a schemer too."
"Aren't we all?" agreed Kid as Heyes stepped off the porch into the swirling white flakes of snow.
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