Chapter Six

Angelique stared down at the floor of the Reynolds' House with disgust. Her boot traced the red splotches of blood in the doorway as if to conjure their owner from the floorboards, but he was long gone. She felt like kicking them in frustration. Croy Bolin was still alive, and by now, far away from Mud. Just the thought of him poured anger and fear over her heart. He deserved worse than death, considering what he had done to her, but the wretched cat seemed to have nine lives. Despite the efforts of the sheriff's search party, they could find neither him, nor his body. Not even Wounded Bird could track him much further that the blood trail he left into the desert.

No one knew why the bobcat had done such a thing to the newcomer. Everyone was considerably clueless on the whole matter, except that someone had almost killed Mongoose Marie. Rango, being the sheriff, was especially impatient for answers, and had he asked, Angelique could have likely told him more than her. At the moment, however, the only one she wanted to converse with was the mongoose, and when she regained consciousness, they would have a lot to talk about. She took a deep breath from her cigarette holder, and let it out in a long, grey sigh.

Marie was in her bed, fast asleep. Sitting beside her was Beans, carefully dabbing some salve onto her wound. Doc had managed to stop the bleeding and get some healing ointment, and under his specific instruction, Beans cleaned the deep scratches and stitched them up. With the salve periodically being applied, the mongoose had healed well so far over the day that she had been unconscious. Her tail had only been dislocated, and with a sharp jerk the bones snapped back into place. The desert iguana placed the lid on the jar and re-bandaged her waist just as a dusty Rango came in through the door.

"How is she?"

"Still asleep, but doin' fine, I think."

He heaved a sigh. "Couldn't find no trace o' the culprit. Jake said he was a bobcat, though I can't think of any I've known or heard of. Oh, I'm tired... Who is it that did this...?" He sat down in a chair next to Beans, and she took his hand.

"Honey, you should get some rest. It's no good tirin' yourself over Marie. She'll be better in no time, and the wildcat can't get far."

"That's the thing, Beans, it's not just about her, it's about the town. If anyone can just waltz into Mud, bust up who they like, 'n prance back on out, what kinda sheriff am I? The people 're countin' on me te protect 'em... It was lucky Jake was there this time..."

She blinked. She didn't know what to think of the rattlesnake now. "So he really has changed, has he?"

He winked at her. "You'd better believe it."

She rolled her eyes to show how much she believed that. While they sat there talking, Marie stirred a little in her slumber. It wasn't enough to attract their attention, just a twitch and a small turn of the head. She was dreaming.

It was before she had come to the Mojave Desert. She was still in China with her family. The air was filled with raucous joy... her older sister was getting married.

"Kyren, are you happy? You know that is most important." she had asked her, and her sister had smiled back and said yes... But for a moment, it seemed her smile was a little sad...

Colors of red and gold clamored through the dreams. With Kyren's rich new husband, they had suddenly become aristocrats. Marie didn't particularly like him. He tried vainly to get along with her, saying they were brother and sister now, so come to him if she needed anything, ok? But, she loved her older sister, and her older sister loved him, so she tried to endure the grandiose nightmare her life slowly became. She had to learn the proper etiquette for being a lady and must never, ever act out of her place.

"Sit up straight, Marie. Do you want an arched back when you're older? Fix that ugly expression of yours, Marie. Spoon in the left hand, Marie. You're not a barbarian. Don't swish your tail like that, Marie. Are you listening to me, Marie? Marie?"

"Will you SHUT UP?" she yelled, punching the speaker. "Wha— Oh shit! Sheriff Rango! I so sorry!"

She was wide awake, speaking in an oriental accent, and realized now that it wasn't her crabby, lizard eunuch who was calling her name, but Rango, and he was clutching his cheek.

"Dang, I say she's rejoined the world o' the livin'." Priscilla stood beside her, watching the laughing Miss Beans try and ask if him if he was ok.

"I-I didn't mean to, I swear, I'm sorry!" she shifted back into her normal accent and tried to sit up, but winced at the effort and had to support herself with her arms.

"Pfff... Hah, heh, it's ok, darlin'. He ain't hurt, hehe... Right, honey? I done the same thing once on accident."

"Yes, fine, I'm fine," he said, and managed a weak smile. Priscilla jumped and quickly scampered out the door.

"Miss Marie's awake! Hey, everybody! Mongoose Marie's alive an' a punching and..." they heard her yelling as her little feet ran down the stairs.

An immense feeling of gratitude and belonging lit up the mongoose's face. They all smiled at open doorway.

"Well," said Beans. "I suppose you must be hungry, and thirsty too.

She thought for a second. "Not... Really... It can wait. More importantly, what have I missed? How long have I been out?"

"Just over a day or so. You were cut up pretty bad, but the wound's all sewn up and Doc got some salve to help it heal. Yer tail's fixed too."

"Just a dislocation," Rango confirmed. "The man who attacked you; we couldn't find hardly a trace of 'im. Jake said he'd taken a few bullets, but past the Joshua tree—"

She interrupted. "Jake? Is he the one who saved me, then? Where is he?"

They were about to reply when the door opened. She turned her head hopefully, but it was only a fox. Angelique, she thought. The only thing she knew about her was that she didn't get along well with Beans, and she could see that on their faces now. The sheriff, however, had suddenly became impassive, sitting between the two women as if he were very busy thinking about something.

"Hello, Angelique."

"Beans."

A short silence followed as they eyed each other.

"What business do you have here?" said Beans, and a kind of relief swept over the room, like a danger had graciously been avoided.

"I 'ave come to talk with Marie."

The door closed behind her as she walked to the side of the bed. The mongoose was confused. She hardly knew the fox, much less had anything to say to her.

"It is about the bobcat..." Her eyes narrowed. "And the one he works for: Red Leroy. There is much I 'ave to tell you."

Now Beans was the one who was puzzled, but both Rango and Marie snapped into focus. Him out of curiosity, she out of shock. It occurred to her that her French accent was uncannily similar to Bolin's, or... maybe it was the other way around.

"How... How do you know that name...?" she asked faintly.

Angelique puffed a breath of smoke, walking towards the window on the other side of the room. Wisps of grey swirled around the curtains as she opened them and looked out.

"He was my lover."