Footsteps on Hallowed Ground
Chapter 14 – Angels and Illusions"Sally? You seen Hinkel or any of his men this mornin'?" Chris Hillis asked Sally Bodeen about an hour later when he walked down to 'Sassy Sally's.'
"Nope, not since the night before last. Somebody blew up the newspaper, huh?"
"Yeah, and they almost blew up your floor manager right along with it."
"What, they blew up Bart?"
"No, I said almost. He's gonna be alright, but don't be lookin' for him tonight. Doc Walters has got him confined to bed." Chris was surprised to see Sally truly upset about something. "Mary Clennon's son was in the newspaper office lookin' for somethin' when the explosion happened. Maverick went in to save the boy and got conked on the head."
"You sure he's okay?"
"Yeah, I'm sure. If you don't believe me go on down to the Clennon house. Hinkel's crew hasn't been in here, huh?"
"Nope. Why you lookin' for 'em?" If Sally was going to give him any different answers, she was going to know why.
"Cause Brad Sampson was seen outside the office right before the explosion. Brad's still one of Hinkel's men as far as I know."
"Yeah, he was the night before last when they was in here. But it don't make any sense. If the newspaper's gone, how can . . . . . . ?
"How can what, Sally? What aren't you tellin' me?"
"Sorry, Chris. Nothin'. I'm tellin' you nothin'."
"Orin in town?"
"Nope. In Kansas City. He'll be back tomorrow."
Sally was definitely withholding something from the marshal, but he couldn't quite tell what it was. Something to do with Rob and Orin.
"Alright. Let me know if anything changes, okay?"
"Sure, Chris."
Sally waited until the marshal was gone, then she went back to her office and got her shawl. On her way out she told Albie, "I'm goin' out. I'll be back in an hour or so."
It was a short walk down to the newspaper, or what was left of it. If she remembered right, Taylor Clennon's house was right behind it, off the alley that ran between the two. She walked around back and saw it, just like she remembered. She swallowed hard and shrugged her shoulders under the shawl, then walked to the front door and knocked.
Mary Clennon opened the door to a woman she'd seen many times before and never spoken to. She stood there for a moment, looking at the person at her door until the woman finally spoke.
"Mrs. Clennon? I'm Sally Bodeen. I heard about the explosion this morning from Chris Hillis. He said that Bart Maverick was injured. You know he's my floor manager? I was wondering if I could see him for just a minute?"
Mary was surprised. The last person she would ever expect to find at her door was Sally Bodeen, and yet here the woman stood. She didn't know what else to do, so she stepped back and opened the door. "Come in, Miss Bodeen. I don't know if Mr. Maverick is awake, but we can surely check in on him."
Sally walked into the house, feeling completely out-of-place but determined to see that Bart was alright with her own eyes. Chris Hillis was right. A line had been crossed, and innocent people had been hurt. Mary Clennon was one of those people. Sally felt guilty that she hadn't seen it before, and hoped that it wasn't too late.
Mary led her to the bedroom door and knocked, then went in. Bart appeared to be asleep, but she showed Sally into the room and closed the door behind her. The saloon keeper walked over to the side of his bed and marveled at the difference between the man lying in front of her and the man that showed up every night at Sally's. Her floor manager was gorgeous, there was no doubt about that, but he had an edge to him, a veneer of the jack-of-all-trades that allowed him to fit into the rough and tumble world of the professional gambler. The man in the bed looked oh-so-young, innocent and untainted by the world, ready to start out on a new life with no restrictions, no restraints. So sweet that she had to reach out and touch his face, to make sure that he was real and not a fallen angel.
Her touch stirred him, and he opened his eyes and smiled at her. "Sally," he murmured. "What are you doing here?"
There was a chair next to the bed and she pulled it over and sat down. "I had to make sure you were alright, handsome," she told him. "I heard somethin' about you rescuin' somebody and needed to see for myself. I just bet you're not comin' in to work tonight, are ya? You got a doctor's note for me?"
He closed his eyes again. "I'll get ya one," he told her softly. "First thing tomorrow."
She laid one of her hands over his. "Who sent you here, angel boy? Did you come just to save me?"
"Hmmm?" he murmured again.
"You gonna get well and come back to me?"
"Sure," he answered before drifting back off to sleep.
Sally stood and touched his face one more time. She'd never seen a man so beautiful, so peaceful looking. Was he her savior or her destruction?
She left the room quietly and closed the door behind her. Mary was sitting in the front room, drinking tea. "Thank you, Mrs. Clennon, for allowing me in your home. I do appreciate it. Take good care of him. He's somethin' real special."
Sally was walking toward the front door when Mary spoke to her. "I was just having a cup of tea, Miss Bodeen. Would you care to join me?"
The saloon keeper turned back to stare at the widow. Finally, she caught her breath and could answer. "Yes, ma'am. I would like that very much."
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They were both sitting in rocking chairs on a porch somewhere, still two fine looking old men. Bret was smoking a pipe, Bart had a cigar in his hands. The day was beautiful and clear, and the perfect breeze filled the air, with just a hint of jasmine on it. "Damn it, Bret, don't tell me that again. I don't care what you say, I'm not dead."
His brother laughed at him, a big hearty laugh that he hadn't heard in a long time. "Yes, you are, son. I've been gone for over forty years and you're here talkin' to me. How do you explain that if you're not dead?"
"It's a trick, I tell ya. A dad-burned trick." Bart just kept rocking, sure that this was just another of Bret's well-known stunts, like his ability to always win when they cut the cards or his two-headed coin.
"Well, then, how do you explain Beau's little one over there playin'? He lost her to the fever when she was just four years old. And she's here, and you know she's gone, too."
"I don't know just yet. Give me some time, would ya? I'm an old man. I don't think as fast as I used to. Besides, if we're dead, why are you old like me? You died when you were young."
"That's an illusion, son, just to make you feel better. Belinda's still only four, see there? And when you see Pappy, he's gonna look just like he did when you buried him."
Bart took a draw on the cigar and thought for a minute. "Momma. What about Momma?"
"Depends on how you wanna see her."
"Well, I'd rather see us all the way I remember us."
Bret snapped his fingers and he and Bart looked like they had when Bret was killed in Dodge City. "How'd you do that?" Bart asked curiously.
"Oh, just a little trick I learned a while back. You'll get the hang of it eventually."
"Is everybody here?"
"Of course, everybody – oh, I know who you mean. Yeah, she's here too."
"What do I have to do - ?"
"Nothin', son, not a thing. Go on, she's waitin' for ya."
"Catch you later, Brother Bret."
"You know it, Brother Bart."
He was walking across the yard, and she was standing out by the gate to the corral watching the horses run. Just as tall and beautiful as she was the day he'd lost her, all those years ago. She turned around and smiled, then held out her arms to him. And he went to her, and held her, and knew that he'd never have to let her go again.
And then he opened his eyes, and it was Mary Clennon sitting by his bedside, and he could see through the window that it was dark outside. "Hi, how are you feeling? I've got some soup ready out there if you're hungry. And if you feel like it, a young man who's very anxious to see you. Are you up to it?"