Chapter Fourteen: The Aftermath

"How is Courtney doing?" Duncan overhears Dawn ask Scott in the hat shop the next day. She was going to allow him the day off but he needed something to take his mind off of Gwen's death. He's in the back room and has been sweeping the same spot for about ten minutes, repeating last night over and over again in his head.

"Fine," Scott replies shortly. He clearly doesn't want to dwell on the subject. "More importantly how are you doing?"

Dawn laughs awkwardly. "I wasn't really friends with any of the three people who died last night," she says. "My employee however…"

"I'm not really interested in your employee," Scott interrupts. He's speaking surprisingly coherently considering the first time Duncan saw him speak to Dawn he stumbled over his words so terribly Duncan was embarrassed for him. "I came to speak to you. About you."

"Oh Scott, you know of my affections for you…" Dawn begins. Duncan's head snaps up. He never knew Dawn felt the same way!

"And you know I feel the same," Scott says.

"But you're with Courtney, and it isn't right," Dawn finishes. "As long as you're together nothing will ever happen between us. I'm sorry, it's just how I feel." She enters the back room with a hat box and Scott follows her.

"Oh, I see you aren't alone," he grumbles. "I'll talk to you later, I guess. I have work to do anyway." With that he turns and finally leaves the shop. Dawn puts the hat box she's holding away on a shelf and notices Duncan's blank expression.

"Are you okay, Duncan? You haven't said a word since you came in this morning," Dawn asks, concern in her voice. Duncan sighs and leans the broom up against the wall.

"I need to run some errands," he tells her, avoiding the question. Dawn nods in understanding.

"Tell Courtney I said hello," she requests. Duncan doesn't bother asking how she knew that's where he was going; he's become accustomed to her knowing things other people wouldn't. He nods his head in acknowledgement and heads off to Courtney and Scott's house.

Duncan enters the house without knocking, knowing that Scott isn't there and Courtney isn't likely to answer the door.

Their house is very plain; the walls are all plain white and there are no decorations throughout it. No paintings, no vases filled with flowers, there aren't even any colourful throw pillows on their brown furniture in the lounge room.

He finds Courtney in her bedroom, curled into a ball and facing the window. There's a box of tissues on her bedside table and used ones are strewn on the bed and floor.

"Knock knock," he announces, making sure she knows he's there as he stands awkwardly in the doorway.

"What are you doing here? I'm not in the mood," she snaps, her voice quivering making it evident that she's been crying.

"I came to see if you were okay," Duncan tells her. Courtney sniffles but doesn't respond. Duncan sighs and walks over to the bed to sit down beside her. He hesitantly puts his hand on her back and she closes her eyes as new tears start to form.

"She was my best friend," Courtney whispers as the tears fall. Duncan nods.

"I know."

"No you don't," she sobs, sitting up. "I've known Gwen all my life. She's the only person who's always been there for me, and put up with all of my temper tantrums and told me the truth even if she knew I wouldn't react very well. I just... I just don't know what I'm going to do without her." She grabs another tissue and dabs at her eyes before blowing her nose loudly.

Duncan grimaces but pulls her into a hug and starts stroking her hair comfortingly. To his surprise she hugs him back, probably desperate for some human contact since Scott isn't the kind of person to offer it.

"I know I hadn't known her long, and I obviously wasn't as close with her as you were, but she was one of the only friends I had," Duncan says softly. "Before I came here I didn't have any friends and she was my first. I know it's not the same thing, but I think I can understand what you're feeling."

Courtney nods into his chest and pulls away, brushing the hair from her face that has stuck with her tears. "I wish I didn't feel this way. I wish I could just move on with my life. That's what she would want."

"We could hold a funeral for her," Duncan suggests. "To help you move on."

Courtney smiles at him and nods. "That would be nice."

Duncan kisses the top of her head and stands up to leave. "Will you be okay?" he asks. She nods.

"Thank you," Courtney says as he reaches the doorway. He nods and heads back to town.

As Duncan makes his way back to the hat shop, he notices Katie leaving the police station with Justin at her side. She's talking animatedly as he nods along, clearly not paying any attention to what she's saying.

"How did the bastard get out?" Duncan mutters to himself. The pair wave goodbye and Katie walks toward the saloon while Justin heads toward the hat shop. Knowing Katie would be the easier one to break for information, Duncan follows her to the saloon. Luckily Justin doesn't notice him and he's able to make it there undetected.

Katie sits at a table by herself, clearly expecting Sadie to come and join her at some stage. Not wanting to seem suspicious, Duncan buys himself a drink first. Since Gwen is dead and Courtney is indisposed, DJ is manning the bar himself.

"You haven't seen Courtney at all have you?" he asks Duncan as he pours the whiskey. "She hasn't been in to work today. I know she's probably upset about Gwen's death, but I can't be running this place by myself."

"No, I haven't," Duncan lies. "Sorry." He takes his whiskey and joins Katie at her table. She looks up at him in surprise.

"Hi! I don't think we've officially met!" she greets him enthusiastically. "I'm-"

"I know who you are," Duncan interrupts. He decides to get straight to the point. "Why has Justin been let out of jail?"

Katie laughs. "I don't think I'm supposed to tell you that," she says. "Scott said-"

"Never mind what Scott said. Justin and I are friends," Duncan assures her.

"It didn't seem that way when he almost killed you at the gun fight..." Katie points out. Duncan sighs. This is going to be a lot harder than he thought.

"First of all, he didn't almost kill me. I'm a way better shot. Secondly, friends have gun fights all the time! We would never have actually pulled the trigger."

Katie looks at him sceptically. "Hmmm... Okay, I'll tell you." She looks around suspiciously before leaning in and whispering into Duncan's ear. "Justin promised that if Scott let him out he'd help him win Dawn over," she reveals. Well that explains why Justin was headed to the hat shop, Duncan thinks.

"Okay..." he says slowly, trying to piece together all of the information he has. "But why were you walking out of the jail with him today?"

"Justin and I know each other from the last town we were in," Katie replies. "Why else do you think I got Zoey to come and save him from the gun fight? Although that didn't really turn out the way I hoped it would..." She continues talking as Duncan tries to figure everything out.

Katie moved here with Sadie when Trent married Sadie, he thinks. And she knew Zoey... So they must have lived in the town I was last in, if they also knew Justin. But that still doesn't solve the problem of how he didn't know me before he came here, when it was his idea to set up the gun fight...

"Is Justin part of a gang?" Duncan blurts out, interrupting whatever tangent Katie has gone off on. She doesn't reply, however, as Sadie and Trent have just entered the saloon and she's waving excitedly at her best friend.

Duncan rolls his eyes. I guess it'll just have to wait.