The clip-clop of hooves was the only sound that greeted the pair as they moved through the trees. Sideways Jess caught Marshal Conners gaze as he was sized up. They hadn't spoken a word to each other since riding out of Austin's town. Jess still couldn't wrap his around finding Austin going be a new name and wearing a badge.
"Is something wrong?" The Marshal's voice made Jess cringe slightly. He had been hoping to avoid conversation for just a little longer.
"No, why?" His words sounded dull and faulty; as if Marshal Conners would be able to see through them in a heartbeat.
"You haven't said a single word to me all day." Jess' mind ran in circles as he thought how to deflect the Marshal's attention.
"I've just been thinking 'bout goin' back to Laramie. It'll be mighty strange after…" He didn't know were the words came from, but he'd never spoke more truth before in his life.
Marshal Conners nodded his head and scanned the scenery around him. Shifting in his saddle, Jess inwardly sighed in relief. Questions were the last thing he needed now.
Slim Sherman propped his head up with his hand at the kitchen table. Idly, in his free hand he fiddled with the telegram Daisy had given him last night. With two fingers, he pinched the bottom of the paper and let his fingers slide to the opposite side and then start over and over.
"Slim? What are you still doing up? I thought you'd went to bed hours ago." She halted when she saw the telegram in his hand. Edging closer, Daisy sat down slowly at the kitchen table beside him. Then she gently stilled his hands. "Slim?"
He let the papers fall to the wooden table. "I can't sleep Daisy. After you gave me…" Slim ran his fingers through his already roughened hair. "I don't understand why he just ran off, I mean I was bleeding out on the floor and he just left. I know I shouldn't, but all I can think is, he doesn't care. I thought he cared…" Slim groaned. "What's wrong with me Daisy?"
Daisy bit her lip. It cut her to the core to watch the man in front of her that she cared about so much come apart at the seams.
"Slim...there isn't anything wrong with you. The only thing rolling around inside you is the fact that you're human. You know Jess as much as I do. He may be as hard as iron on the outside, but he's a good man through and through." Daisy gripped Slim's arm and waited until he looked at her. "We have to trust Jess now as much as we ever did. He's family Slim. Family never stops forgiving and fighting for family."
Weakly, Slim nodded his head at Daisy's words. Daisy smiled.
"Now, we'd better get to bed. Morning comes early around here."
Slim shuffled to bed and closed the bedroom door closed behind him. Daisy watched him disappear and then blew out the lantern in the kitchen rendering the entire house dark.
The town of Laramie came into view mid-morning. Sitting in his saddle, Jess wasn't sure if he was happy to be back in Laramie or not. This town had become his home but now he loved and hated that little town. Jess started to reach his right hand forward to scratch Traveler's neck only to bite his lip in frustration as the irritating cuffs stalled his movements.
"Don't worry Jess. We'll be in Laramie in a few minutes then I can take those cuffs off."
Jess rubbed the tender skin under the cuffs. "I might just take you up on that Marshal."
When Jess hit the outskirts of Laramie he held his breath. Slim was pretty well respected in Laramie, much more than he could ever hope to be. Slim was born and raised here; Jess Harper was well, a visitor. Shame crept up his neck as the people he knew stared at him, tracking him with their eyes as he rode through town to the Sheriff's Office. Suddenly, the cuffs that bound his hands seemed to be heavier and more irritating than before.
Hope swelled in his heart that Slim might be in town to meet him. Long minutes passed as he searched for Slim's horse or the familiar wagon parked in the street. There was nothing. Slim wasn't in town.
The ride through town only took a few minutes but to Jess it felt like it took Traveler years to reach the jail. Jess ducked his head as he caught the people he knew whispering to each other and pointing towards where he sat in his saddle. This was going to be harder than he thought.
Pulling up to the hitching rail outside the Sheriff's Office, he waited until Marshal Conner to climbed off his horse before he dismounted himself. Slim may not be in town at the moment, but Mort was. Trepidation washed from his head to his toes as Marshal Conner pushed him through the door to the jail.
When he eyes shifted enough to be out of the bright sun, he recognized Mort standing at his desk watching him come through the door.
"Jess." Mort nodded at him solemnly. Jess fought to keep his eyes by going to the floor.
"Sheriff." Behind him, Marshal Conner pulled the door closed. "I'm back."
If it was possible, Mort looked more uncomfortable than Jess did, finally being face to face after five months. An eerie silence echoed through the entire jail seemingly louder than a train whistle.
"Jess, we better get those cuffs off and get you settled. Where's the keys to the cells Sheriff?" At Marshal Conner's question Mort fumbled around for the keys on his desk and tossed them to the Marshal.
Leading the way Jess walked to the cells and chose one at random. The iron door clicked shut behind him and the key scraped in the lock.
"Alright Jess, let me see those hands." Compliantly, Jess held his hands through the bars and rubbed his raw wrists when the cuffs had been completely removed. "I'll make sure the Sheriff brings you your lunch."
"Aw, don't worry about it Marshal. Mort wouldn't let me starve here. One good thing about being in jail where everybody knows you, the cook over at the Cafe knows my favorites. If I'm really good, she might even send over a piece of pie." Jess sank onto the bunk and looked up at Marshal Conner happily.
"You've got to be the strangest person I've met. Here I thought you'd be goin' stir crazy over having to sit for hours on end in a dirty old cell. Instead all you're concerned about it whether you get a slice of pie with your meal today." The Marshal pushed his hat back further on his head stare him down.
Jess chuckled. "What can I say expect it's good to be home?"
For added emphasis, Jess stretched his legs out on the bunk and comfortably crossed his ankles. The Marshal propped his hip against the iron bars and looked at him bewildered.
"You've been acting pretty strange since we left. What happened? Last I knew you were determined to prove you were innocent; now you're acting like the cat got the canary." Jess thought about Austin's secret. He had to protect Austin no matter the cost.
"I got my memory back. I know you wanted to help me but you can't. I'm guilty, it's as simple as that. I remember I got tired of doing the same chores over and over with Slim scraping in the pay. I went back to the house to quit and instead of leaving peacefully a funny little thought came through my head and I followed it. Too bad Slim's still alive." The words tasted like vinegar coming out, watching the Marshal flinch at his words Jess felt the hollow feeling of the lie fill his insides.
"That's the truth?" He had to give the Marshal credit, he didn't release a bone that easily.
"That's the truth Marshal." Through the bars the Marshal searched his face in an attempt to hold into a last shred of hope that he wasn't as rotten to the core as he was making himself out to be. I'm sorry…
Finally U.S. Marshal Devin Conner turned and walked out leaving Jess alone to gnaw on the last dregs of his conscience.
Austin leaned back further in his favorite chair on the boardwalk and scanned the street outside the Saloon for the umpteenth time. Not for the first time he drug his mind back to the present as it kept wandering to his friend in Laramie standing trial for something he didn't do. He wished day and night that things had happened differently with Johnny.
Day after day he'd lived with the fear his secret would get out. The longer time went on the more he glanced over his shoulder hoping someone wouldn't see him for who he was; an outlaw rather than a lawman. He'd always figured when his secret got out it was him who'd take the fall for it. Now Jess was as tangled up in it as he was. It was a perfect storm.
Movement from across the street at the Saloon caught Austin's eye. A man was walking into the Saloon that seemed vaguely familiar. Standing, Austin debated whether or not to give up his hand and walk across the street. Before he could decide movement in the back alley drew him to sneak across the street. Edging around the wooden walls of the Saloon, he strained to hear the conversation.
"What do you mean he's still alive? Now you were paid good money to make sure Harper died before he ever reached Laramie." The man pushed the other up against the crates stacked in the alley. "You messed up Hank, Max'll want to talk to you personally."
Austin stepped out of the shadows and drew his gun. "This is Sheriff Len! Come on out of there!" Austin ducked before the sound of a hammer being cocked reached his ears.
Two shots rang out simultaneously bringing the stranger in the alley crashing to the ground. Quickly, he shuffled forward into the dark alley waiting for anything. One man laid on the ground while another stood against the Saloon wall watching as he got closer.
"Boy am I sure glad to see you." Hank the Saloon keeper gasped out. 'He was going to kill me Sheriff. He just came in and made me step out in the alley. Then he rambled about me poisoning someone and his Boss wanting to see me personally."
Pressing his fingers into the strangers neck, Austin confirmed his suspicions that the man was dead. He shook his head sadly at his luck. This man, whoever he was, could have helped him clear Jess without letting out his own secret. At least he heard enough in the alley to know Hank was involved in poisoning Jess.
"Cut the crap Hank. I heard enough back there to know you and whoever this fella was were in business with each other closely. You're responsible for trying to kill Jess Harper." Austin shoved his gun back in his holster and jerked Hank away from the wall roughly. "Come on, we're going to Laramie and I'm going to make sure you sing."
Sorry everyone, I don't know why the line break feature isn't working at the moment. It seems to only work when it wants to so, there may be a spot or two where you might be confused.