Kid Curry had more than a casual acquaintance with pain. Over the course of his adult life, he'd been beaten, shot, knocked unconscious, thrown from horses, bruised and bloodied by posses and bounty hunters, even clawed by a bear. Yes, pain was a far too familiar acquaintance to the notorious Kid Curry.
But this pain was different. This pain reached in and tore his heart, threatened to extinguish his soul, left him numb and empty.
As he walked out of the hotel earlier that morning, it was the hotel clerk that told him there was a telegram waiting for him across the street. Kid had assumed it was from his partner who he was supposed to be meeting tomorrow in Rock Creek and Kid assumed Heyes had been somehow delayed.
"I'm Thaddeus Jones. I was told there's a telegram waiting for me."
The telegraph clerk sorted through a stack of telegrams and when he found the one addressed to Thaddeus Jones he turned and handed it to Kid who smiled and thanked him before stepping outside to read the note.
The telegram was not from Heyes. It was from Lom Trevers and was short and to the point.
"Heyes dying. Stop. Come to Porterville immediately. Stop. Lom"
His breath hitched as he read the telegram a second time. His chest tightened into painful knot and his mind began racing uncontrollably. He had to think. He had to plan. But he couldn't catch up to the thoughts racing through his brain. He sucked in a breath and only then did he realize he had not been breathing. He hastily stuffed the telegram in his shirt pocket and raced back to the hotel and up the stairs to his room to pack.
Gathering his gear and tossing his saddlebags over his shoulder, Kid hurried down the stairs, paid his bill, and ran to the livery to retrieve his chestnut. Once saddled and mounted, Kid tossed a dollar to the owner, rode out of the livery, and spurred the horse to a gallop. If he rode all night, he could be in Porterville by noon tomorrow. He didn't stop to rest or sleep. He didn't stop to eat. He didn't stop to relieve himself.
Kid rode up to the hitching post outside the Sheriff's office and lowered his saddle weary body off the horse. He tethered the horse loosely to the post and walked inside.
"Where's Lom," Kid asked a deputy he had never seen before.
"Are you Mr. Jones?" the deputy asked.
Kid nodded.
"He's at the undertakers, across the street, four buildings down."
Kid nodded again and walked out of the office and hurried down the street. He walked into the undertakers but found no one there. "Lom?" he called but got no answer.
Kid pulled back the black curtain that served as a door into the next room. There he saw a thin man lying on a table, covered with a heavy white cloth. Kid sucked in air and held it.. Although Lom had told him Heyes was dying, something in him had told him not to believe it until he saw for himself. He bit his lower lip and exhaled before taking timid steps toward the table. His hand reached out but hesitated inches above the body. Kid's chin began to quiver, and he forced himself to breathe.
Hearing a noise, Lom Trevers stepped out the the back room. Seeing Kid, he approached slowly and put his arm on Kid's shoulder. Kid was oblivious to Lom's presence, his blue eyes fixed on the hidden body in front of him.
"We have to talk, Kid." Lom said.
Kid jerked and pulled away from Lom. The fatigue, the stress, the shock all poured down on him at once. He closed his eyes tightly and clamped his jaw, willing himself to remain stoic.
"Kid, we have to talk," Lom repeated.
Only then did Kid realize it was Lom standing in the room next to him. He opened his eyes and turned to look at Lom who in turn saw dazed, defeated, pain ridden blue eyes looking back at him..
"I want to see him," Kid whispered.
"No," Lom said adamantly.
Kid turned and glared at Lom. "I have to see him, Lom."
"That's not Heyes," Lom explained.
"What?...Where is he?" Kid whispered, feeling overwhelmed and exhausted.
"Come on, we're going back to my house," Lom said.
Kid didn't move. "I don't understand, Lom. Where's Heyes?"
Lom offered no explanation.
Confused and too physically and emotionally exhausted to make sense of anything, Kid followed Lom out of the undertakers and back to the jail.
"You get on your horse. I'll be out in a minute," Lom said and disappeared into the jail.
When Lom emerged from the jail he was carrying Heyes gun belt over his shoulder. He handed the gun belt up to Kid who held it in his hand as if it were a piece of delicate crystal, his eyes fixed on the leather strap.
Lom mounted his horse."You ready?" Lom asked.
Kid slowly raised his eyes and looked at Lom. He nodded once and pulled his horse back before turning and following Lom down the street and out of town to Lom's cabin. They climbed out of their saddles and tethered their horses in front of the house. Kid pulled his saddle bags off the horse and, still carrying Heyes' gun belt, followed Lom into the house.
"You can drop your things on the table there," Lom told Kid.
Kid followed instructions, then turned to Lom. "Why did you bring me out here?" he asked weakly.
"Follow me," Lom replied.
Lom led Kid to a back bedroom and opened the door. Kid walked into the room first and stopped. Lying in the bed, perfectly still, eyes closed, lay Hannibal Heyes. Kid looked at Lom questioningly.
"He's not dead...at least not yet,' Lom said.
"But your telegram..."
"He's hurt bad, very bad. When I sent the telegram, the doctor said he wouldn't make it through the night. But here he is. Three bullets. One in the chest, one in the abdomen, one in the right leg. He lost a lot of blood. He's been like this for two days."
Kid walked weakly over to the bed and sat down. He reached out and took Heyes' hand. It was limp and cold in Kid's hand.
"Who did this?" Kid asked with newfound determination. He would make someone pay dearly.
"We don't know but I think it may be some one who claims to be a friend of you both," Lom replied. "We found Heyes and another person on the road just outside of town."
"Who?" Kid demanded.
"Says her name is Victoria Hammond."
Kid's eyes squeezed shut and Lom saw his shoulders slump.
"So you do know her?"
Kid nodded. "Been an on again, off again girlfriend of Heyes for nearly a year, although she wouldn't mind including me."
"You mean...both of you?...Together?"
Kid shrugged. "Only in her mind, Lom. Not mine...Why did she do it?" Kid asked
"We'll have to ask her that when she wakes up. She's in the other bedroom. She was shot, too."
"Heyes..." Kid whispered. "It's me, Kid."
There was no sign of recognition, no response whatsoever.
Kid could not take his eyes off Heyes. He gently brushed Heyes' hair off his forehead.
"So could this be the result of a lover's quarrel?" Lom asked.
"She knows I'm not particularly … fond of her. Heyes knows, too. She's kind of...touched I think, just... not quite all put together. Heyes sees her as a challenge. I see her as just a pain in the ass. She's prone to crazy tangents, real impulsive in her thinking, but I never thought she could...No." Kid replied.
"It wouldn't be any kind of suicide pact?"
Shocked and stunned, Kid looked at Lom. "NO!," he said adamantly.
Lom refrained from any more questions. "Let him rest, Kid. Let's get you some coffee."
Kid gently placed Heyes' hand on the bed and followed Lom into the kitchen. Lom fixed them both coffee and sat down with Kid at the table. He remained quiet for several minutes while Kid drank his coffee and absorbed everything Lom had told him. Then Lom poured them each a second cup of coffee.
"All the bullets came from Heyes' gun," Lom said.
"So who fired the first shot?"
Lom shook his head. "Until one of then is conscious, we don't know."
"Lom..."
"Kid, when I sent that telegram, the doctor was certain Heyes was going to die. Now that he's made it this long, Doc is a little more optimistic, but..."
"But what?"
"If he does survive, the doctor doesn't know what kind of condition it will leave him in."
"Meaning?"
"Meaning this might be as well as he's going to get."
A dazed expression swept across Kid's face. He forced himself to breathe again.
"What about her?" Kid asked coldly
"Doc thinks she'll be fine in time."
"She's never been fine before."
"What does that mean?"
Kid shook his head. "There's something just not right about her. Heyes enjoys the challenge. I think that's what attracts her to him. He calls her a free spirit. I call her kind of crazy"
"I wondered why you don't seemed concerned about her at all."
"I just wish Heyes had been a better shot."
"She's that bad?"
"Nothing but trouble. I won't lie to you, Lom. When she's around Heyes, I make myself scarce."
Lom decided not to push Kid to fast. "You look exhausted. I don't have another bedroom, but you can sleep on the couch."
Kid shook his head."The floor in Heyes' room is fine."
Lom decided quickly it was best not to argue. "I'll get you some blankets and a pillow."
0-0-0-0-0-0-
Kid carried the blankets and pillow into Heyes' room and spread them out on the floor on the far side of the room.
He walked over to Heyes' bed and looked down at him. He looked peaceful, too peaceful. "Heyes, I'm here now and I'm not leaving... You fight, Heyes...You've made me fight in the past, now it's your turn." Kid said before returning to his blankets. He sat down on the floor and pulled off his boots. He lay down on his side so he could keep an eye on Heyes. But exhaustion overtook him and he was asleep within minutes."
Kid slept for several hours, tormented by dreams of Heyes being shot, killed. At times Lom could hear Kid's anguish-ridden calls of warning, cries of fear of being unable to watch Heyes' back, whimpers of guilt. Though the urge had been to waken Kid and free him of such torments, Lom had refrained, knowing Kid needed to sleep.
Lom gave Kid a gently kick of his feet. Kid sprung up, gun drawn.
"Whoa, Cowboy," Lom warned. It's just me and Dr. Miller."
Kid sighed heavily, adjusting to the light in the room. He quickly holstered his gun.
"Sorry," Kid said.
"Maybe you'd better not wear that gun when you sleep," Lom said. "You're all safe here. You're in the Sheriff's house after all."
Kid nodded absently and slipped on his boots before getting up. He stood silently while the doctor examined Heyes.
"His pupils aren't as dilated," the doctor said when he had completed the exam. He saw Kid looking at him questioningly. "That's a good sign. It will take time before we know how well he'll recover."
Kid nodded his understanding.
"Well, let's check on the other patient," Dr. Miller said
"Lom?" Kid asked, seeking permission to join them.
"The gun stays in here and you keep as far away from her as the room will allow."
"That's always a given, Lom. I always keep my distance from her."
0-0-0-0-0-0-0-
"Quit poking me!" Victoria said when the doctor was examining her leg wound. Her eyes fluttered open and, although not focused, she made out the figures of the three men. "Three? That seems like a little much but...Blondie!" She exclaimed with a smile when she spied Kid in the far corner of the room.
Kid clenched his jaw and glared at her but said nothing. Lom gave Kid a sideways glance but Kid didn't take his icy cold blue eyes off of Victoria.
"How are you feeling, Miss Hammond?" the doctor asked.
"Like my head has been run over by a train," she replied.
I wish, Kid thought but remained silent.
"I'm going to remove the bandage on your head to examine the wound," the doctor explained.
"What ever you say,"
The doctor removed the bandage and Kid saw a deep graze wound on her left temple. She had stitches and the skin around it was red. There was a small amount of dried blood on the dressing that the doctor removed.
Just a little deeper, Heyes. You could have put an end to this, Kidthought.
The doctor held up three fingers and asked Victoria to tell him how many fingers she could see.
"Three," she replied.
He asked her to follow his finger as he moved it from right to left. She was able to follow from right to center but her eyes did not move to the left. He moved his hand to her far left and asked how many fingers he was holding up.
"Well, hold some up and I will tell you."
"Can she answer some questions, doctor?" Lom asked
"I think you should wait till morning," the doctor told Lom. "I want you to stay in bed. I'll check in again in the morning," he told Victoria
"Can Blondie keep me company?" she asked.
Kid turned and walked out of the room.
Victoria frowned. "Is it something I said?" she called out to him.
Kid and Lom walked the doctor to the door. "I am encouraged by the change in Mr. Smith's eyes. He must be a very strong-willed person."
"He always has been," Kid assured him.
The doctor nodded. "I'll be back in the morning."
Kid followed Lom into the kitchen where Lom set to work frying some bacon and scrambling some eggs for supper. He fixed them both a cup of coffee.
"So, tell me about Victoria Hammond," Lom said. "Where did you meet her?"
"In a saloon. In Elko... One of them caged bird singers."
Lom nodded. "I've seen some of those. Has she always been, what was the word you used? Oh, yes, touched?"
"Long as I've known her."
"She have her sights set on you?"
Kid shook his head. "Always had her sights set on Heyes... Just likes to irritate me I think, and she's good at it... But this...this is..."
"Kid, I mean it about your gun. I don't want you wearing it in this house."
"I ain't gonna shoot a woman, Lom. No even one that deserves it. But I hear you."
Lom flipped the sizzling bacon.
"Lom," Kid said quietly, "What if Heyes..."
"Are you asking what would become of you, or how it would affect the amnesty?"
"If Heyes dies, Lom, I don't give shit about the amnesty."
"Kid, Doctor Miller just said he was encouraged. That means Heyes has shown some sign of improvement. Give him time."
"Nothing else I can do."
Lom scooped bacon and eggs on a plate and handed it to Kid. "Eat up, Kid. I'll go see if Miss Hammond can eat something."
"Lom, I won't shoot her, but I won't help her either."
"I understand that. I'd be the same way."
Kid ate his supper and returned to Heyes' room. He was still exhausted and despite the fact the sun had not yet set, he crawled into his makeshift bed and fell asleep."
Kid woke well after sunrise. He pulled on his boots and walked over to Heyes' bed. He saw Heyes's eyelids flutter a few times but they didn't open.
"Heyes?" he said but got no response "You gonna wake up and talk to me?"
Still no response.
He walked out into the hallway and stood outside Victoria's door and listened. Hearing nothing, he went into the kitchen and made coffee. He found a note on the table from Lom telling him that Lom had gone to the jail and Kid was welcome to help himself to food. He wasn't hungry but he drank two cups of coffee before the doctor arrived.
Together they went to Heyes' room. Kid had told the doctor about the eyes fluttering that morning. The doctor examined Heyes' eyes first. "The pupils are much better son," he told Kid.
"Mr. Smith?" the doctor said but got no response. The doctor moved to the foot of the bed and pulled back the blankets. He took his pencil and ran it up the bottom of Heyes' left foot. The foot twitched slightly. He did the same to the right foot and got the same response.
"What does that mean?" Kid asked.
"Means his reflexes are returning. Another good sign," he said and gave Kid an encouraging smile. "Now, on to the young lady."
"Lom's not here, doctor," Kid said.
"Then you'll have to do. Come along."
Kid sighed heavily and followed the doctor into Victoria's room.
"Miss Hammond?" the doctor said as he knocked on the door.
"Come in," a voice said weakly.
They walked into the room. Kid assumed his stance at the far corner of the room."
"How are you feeling?" Dr. Miller asked.
"Better." She again spied Kid across the room and she smiled. "I thought I was dreaming, Kid, but you're here. How sweet."
Kid said nothing.
"Are you mad at me?" she asked.
"Doc?" Kid asked, hoping the doctor understood the meaning of his question
"Alright, but stand just outside the room in case I need your help."
Kid nodded and left the room.
"What's wrong with him?" she asked.
"He's worried about his friend."
"Hannibal? What's wrong with Hannibal?" she asked with alarm in her voice.
"It seems the two of you shot each other,"
Victoria tried to sit up but the nausea sent her head back to the pillow. "We did not! Is he hurt?"
"You need to rest. Your friend is doing the same. Do you feel up to eating anything?"
"I could drink some coffee."
"I'll ask Mr. Jones to bring you some, but you should try to eat something as well. It will help the nausea."
"Why would I want to help the nausea? It seems to be doing a fine job all on it's own."
"It will help alleviate the nausea," the doctor explained.
"Oh, alright then."
"I want you to stay in bed another day, Miss Hammond."
She nodded her understanding.
"I'll be back this evening."
The doctor got up and walked out of the room.
Did you hear that conversation, son?" he asked after they had walked to the front door.
Kid nodded. "I'll believe it after I hear Joshua's explanation
"She would like some coffee and maybe something to eat,"
Kid nodded although he had no intention of giving her anything until Lom returned.
Lom was gone all morning. Kid checked on Heyes several times and heard faint shouts from Victoria's room that grew louder and increasingly whiny as the morning wore on. Finally reaching his breaking point, Kid poured Victoria a cup of coffee and knocked on her door.
Victoria smiled when Kid walked into the room. She slowly pulled herself up to a sitting position in the bed and reached out for the cup of coffee. Kid handed it to her and turned and walked toward the door.
"Kid, what in the world is bothering you?" she demanded.
Kid stopped dead in his tracks but did not turn around.
"Or are you just playing hard to get?" she cooed.
Kid turned around and icy, contemptuous eyes stared directly into her eyes. "They told me Heyes was dead," he said, barely able to control his anger.
Victoria's mouth dropped open and she looked at him with wide eyes of shock. "Oh, Kid... That must have been horrible for you... He's not dead, right?"
Kid was surprised by her inkling of compassion, but it did not lessen his contempt toward her. He turned and walked out of the room, shutting the door behind him.
Kid walked into Heyes' room and sat down on the bed. He sighed heavily as he looked at Heyes. "Oh, Heyes, I wish you would wake up," Kid said
Eyes began to flutter. "Heyes?" Kid said. "Heyes?"
Eyes opened and slowly turned toward Kid's voice and settled on Kid's face.
"Heyes?" Kid asked softly
A small, weak smile began to form on Heyes' face." "Kid," Heyes said, though no sound escaped his lips.
Kid smiled excitedly. "You can hear me?"
Heyes gave a single nod
Kid picked up Heyes' hand. It still felt limp in his own, but was warm now. "Can you move your arms?"
There was a slight pause. "No," Heyes mouthed.
"How about your legs?" Kid asked. Looking toward the foot of the bed Kid saw a slight movement from both legs.
"Do you hurt anywhere?"
"No."
"You gave us all quite a scare,"
"Sorry," Heyes whispered, finally finding a bit of his voice.
"What happened?" Kid asked.
"When?" Heyes asked.
"You got shot. What happened?"
Heyes thought a minute. "I don't know," he replied.
"Kid?" Lom called from the hallway
"With Heyes! Come here!" Kid shouted to Lom.
"He's awake!" Kid announced when Lom walked into the room.
Lom looked at Heyes. "I'll go get the doctor," he announced and rushed out of the room.
"Why is Lom here?" Heyes asked
"We're at his house?" Kid told him.
"Oh... Why?"
"Cause you were in Porterville when you got shot."
"Who shot me?"
"They think Victoria Hammond."
Heyes looked surprised. "Why?"
"We were hoping you could tell us."
Heyes thought a moment. "No," he replied.
"She says she didn't do it."
"I believe her. Do you believe her?"
"I'm not the best person to ask, but no, I don't believe her."
"Why?"
At that moment the doctor arrived with Lom. Kid got up from the bed and moved away to give the doctor room to work.
The doctor spent nearly an hour examining Heyes; Kid stood nearby quietly. From the next room, Victoria could be heard calling for Kid or sometimes for Hannibal or Jedadiah. Kid bristled each time she called his name but did not move from his spot. Finally Lom rolled his eyes and left the room.
"I have to see Hannibal!" Victoria said and tried to carefully swing her legs over the edge of the bed. The pain that shot through her abdomen put a quick end to that attempt.
"Miss Hammond, you are not well enough to get out of bed yet, and when you are, you are going to be moving to a new bed, in my jail,... and the same likely goes for Heyes" Lom told her.
"Jail! Why?"
"Because it looks like the two of you shot each other. That's attempted murder"
"We did not shoot each other. Please, I have to see Hannibal."
Lom shook his head.
"Then let me talk to Kid!"
"He refuses to see you."
"Why?"
Lom looked exasperated. "I just explained that. He thinks you shot his partner."
"But we didn't shoot each other! Neither one of us even fired a gun."
"It was Heyes' gun. Who else would have been in possession of Heyes' gun?"
"I'm not saying anything more about it, not until I talk to Heyes or Kid... ALONE!"
Lom sighed. "Then, changing the subject Ma'am, are you hungry?"
Victoria pouted. "Yes. I haven't had anything to eat today."
"You haven't had anything to eat for almost four days. "I'll have someone bring you some soup from the cafe," Lom said and left the room.
The doctor was carefully putting his supplies into his medical bag when Lom returned to Heyes' room.
"I think it will take quite some time, but he should make a near full recovery," Dr. Miller said.
"Near full recovery?" Kid asked
"You said he wasn't able to move his arms when you asked him to. But when I asked him to try, he wiggled his fingers for me, so I think the movement will return. At this point, I'm just not certain how much of the movement will return. Time will tell. How's the woman?" Dr. Miller asked Lom.
"Feisty,"
"Well that's a good sign. I'll go check on her next."
"Doctor, when you get back to town, would you have someone bring over some soup from the cafe. She says she's hungry."
"Yes, of course."
"Kid, you alright if I go with the doctor to see Miss Hammond."
Kid nodded.
"We need to talk sometime, too Kid," Lom said
Kid nodded again.
The examination tired Heyes. He looked at Kid and Kid's expression worried him.
"Come over here, Kid," Heyes said
Heyes waited for Kid to approach the bed. Then he waited till Kid looked at him. He smiled
"You heard the doctor, I'm going to be fine."
Kid nodded his head. "I know," he replied.
"Then why are you still so worried?"
Kid shook his head. "We'll talk in the morning, Heyes. You need to sleep."
Heyes had to agree with Kid. "Alright," he said reluctantly and closed his eyes.
Kid waited till he was sure Heyes was asleep before he left the room."
After the doctor left, Kid and Lom went to the kitchen for coffee and conversation.
"She insists she didn't shoot Heyes, Kid."
Kid looked skeptical. "I wouldn't put anything past her, Lom."
"What exactly is the relationship between the three of you."
Kid sipped his coffee. "We've done a few jobs for her, although I don't know why...Yes I do. She and Heyes have some kind of weird connection. Heyes always says she challenges him, and he likes that."
"Are they lovers?"
"Sometimes."
"And what's your connection to her?"
"I put up with her for Heyes' sake."
"You really don't like her, do you?"
Kid shook his head. "Every encounter we have with her, one of us gets hurt, usually me."
"Does she do that to you intentionally?"
"She puts us in situations, but doesn't give us all the information... With anybody else, Heyes would refuse to help... But he never refuses her."
"You don't trust her?"
Kid shook his head.
"She told me tonight she didn't shoot him, and he didn't shoot her. Don't you think we should give her the benefit of the doubt, at least for the time being?"
"I suppose."
"She wants to talk to you."
Kid shook his head. "I can't take her anymore, Lom. When they're well, if she stays, I'm leaving."
"You'd leave Heyes?"
Kid looked at his coffee, his thumb rubbing the rim of the cup. Slowly he nodded. "If he don't cut ties with her."
There was a knock on the door and Lom answered. A young boy stood holding a bowl of hot chicken soup. Lom took the bowl and gave the kid a dime. Then he returned to the kitchen.
"Kid, I need to find out what really happened. She might talk to you. She wants to see you..."
Kid looked up at Lom. His eyes were almost pleading. He sighed heavily and stood up, taking the bowl of soup in his hands. He turned and walked down the hall.
"Come in," Victoria said in response to the knock on her door.
Kid entered with the bowl of soup. Victoria smiled. Kid didn't look at her. Instead he pulled a chair up next to the bed and sat down.
Could you help me to sit up?" Victoria said , her voice dripping in sweetness.
Kid set the soup on the chair and moved to the head of the bed and fixed pillows so Victoria could prop herself. Then he picked up the bowl and sat back down.
"Thank you,"
Kid didn't respond. He spooned some soup into her mouth.
"It's hot!" she exclaimed.
"Sorry," Kid muttered.
Victoria smiled. "But so are you, Kid."
"Stop it." Kid said flatly.
Victoria sighed. "You're a bit proddy. Why?"
"I tend to get that way when my partner's been shot."
"I didn't shoot Hannibal."
"Then who did?"
"I can't tell you, Kid."
"But you know?"
Victoria look at him. "For your own good, Kid, I can't tell you."
Wrinkles formed on Kid's forehead. He spooned more soup into Victoria's mouth.
"Does Heyes know who did it?."
"You'd have to ask him."
"I did. He says he doesn't know."
"Well then... he doesn't know."
Victoria shifted slightly in the bed and winced from the pain in her side.
Kid didn't react. He simply held another spoonful of soup to her lips.
"How did they get Heyes' gun?"
Victoria sighed. "Kid, if someone is pointing a gun at you and tells you to drop your gun, what do you do?"
"Victoria, I can't protect Heyes if I don't know who I'm protecting him from," Kid said, the anger building in his voice.
"Kid, I can't give you the answer you want to hear."
"But Heyes recognized him?"
"I think so."
"He says he doesn't remember anything about it."
"Then we seem to be at a standstill."
Lom stepped into the room. "Well, I don't hear no shouting. Everything okay?"
"Kid was just about to give me a body massage," Victoria said
Lom looked at Kid with great surprise.
Kid shook his head. "In your dreams," he replied.
"Why Kid, how did you know you were in my dreams?"
Kid rolled his eyes
"Sometimes you and Hannibal both!"
Kid looked at Lom and lifted the soup bowl. "Lom?"
Lom started to protest but reconsidered given the amount of stress Kid was under. "Alright, but you owe me."
"Uhmmm...menage de quatre..."
"Stop it," Kid instructed her and walked out of the room.
Victoria looked coyly at Lom. "He probably doesn't know what that even means."
"Well I do and it's an arrestable offense...Ma'am."
0-0-0-0-0-0-0
"How's Victoria?" Heyes asked the next morning as Kid brought him some breakfast. Kid was quite pleased that Heyes had arm and hand movement good enough to feed himself.
"The usual...mean and ugly." Kid replied.
"Kid, I know you have never been fond of Victoria but you have always at least tried to be patient or tolerant of her. But now you're just being hateful and cruel and I want to know why?" Heyes asked.
Kid was standing by the window looking out across a field, his back to Heyes. He offered no response.
"I mean it, Kid. Tell me," Heyes coaxed
Still Kid remained silent.
"Are you trying to force me to choose between you and Victoria?" Heyes asked.
"No," Kid said softly.
"Then what is it?."
Kid slowly turned and brown eyes met very sad blue eyes. "When I was in Red Rock, I got a telegram from Lom... "I thought you were dead, Heyes."
Oh God, Heyes thought. "Did Lom tell you that?"
Kid reached into his pocked and pulled out the telegram and handed it to Heyes who read it and sighed heavily.
"Porterville is a day and a half ride from Red Rock..."you rode straight through, didn't you?" Heyes asked and Kid nodded.
"When I got here, the deputy told me Lom was at the undertakers. When I got there, I saw your body, or at least what I thought was your body..."
Heyes knew how he would have felt had the situation been reversed. He knew the impact for Kid was like reliving his family's deaths all over again.
"Oh, Kid... I'm sorry."
"Lom thought Victoria had shot you, and you had shot her."
"Why would he think that?"
"All the shots came from one gun... your gun."
"My gun?"
Kid nodded.
"Kid, listen to me... Victoria didn't shoot me. And I didn't shoot her. I promise."
"She says that, too. But, how do you know that, Heyes?" Kid shouted. "You don't remember what happened!"
"I know Victoria."
"Yeah, me too."
Heyes closed his eyes and sighed.
"Kid... I'd like to see Victoria."
Kid sighed. He knew that request was coming at some point.
"She hasn't been out of bed yet."
"Is she hurt that bad," Heyes asked with great concern
Kid shook his head. "Just likes all the attention she's getting."
Heyes smiled. That was the Victoria he knew and..."
"She says you know who did this."
"Then you believe us that Victoria didn't shoot me?"
Kid turned around and looked at Heyes.
"Heyes, if you don't tell me who did this I'll..."
"You'll what?" Heyes said in a voice that challenged Kid's threat.
"I'll leave" Kid said flatly
"What do you mean, you'll leave?"
Kid didn't respond.
"Permanently? You'd break us up?"
Kid didn't answer but Heyes could see the determination in his eyes.
Heyes sighed. "I need to talk to Lom... and you."
"Lom!" Kid shouted.
Lom soon appeared in the doorway. "Everything alright?"
"Heyes has something to tell you."
Lom stepped into the room.
Heyes kept his eyes on Kid as he spoke. "Lom. You keep a close eye on The Kid after I tell you this...Victoria has a relative... a second or third cousin I think"
"Disreputable I'm sure," Kid mumbled.
"Kid, if you don't stay quiet, I'm done talking."
Kid glared at Heyes but remained silent.
"Go on," Lom said.
"His name is Tom Braxton."
Kid's jaw dropped. All three men knew Tom Braxton. He was the leader of the Wild Rover Gang. Kid had encountered him twice. The first time was shortly after he had joined the Devil's Hole gang. Braxton had accused Kid of cheating at poker and had called him out, and he was the only man who had ever outdrawn Kid. He shot Kid in the right arm, just above the wrist. It had taken Kid months to get the full use of his right hand and wrist back. It had also prompted Kid to better hone his drawing and aiming skills. When Kid next encountered Braxton, the result was different. Kid shot Braxton in his right hand. Braxton was never able to regain his skill.
"I've heard rumors Braxton was in this area," Lom said. What happened? How did he get your gun?"
"Victoria and I took a buggy out for a picnic. Braxton and three of his men stopped us. I don't know if he stopped the buggy because he knew I was there, or if my being there surprised him. They held us up, took my gun. Victoria was...well Victoria. She doesn't really understand fear or caution..."
Kid opened his mouth to comment but, seeing the look Heyes was giving him, he refrained.
"Anyway, Braxton took my gun and then shot her with my gun. That didn't shut her up so he shot her a second time. Then he turned the gun on me. I really don't remember anything beyond that."
Heyes saw Kid stiffen. He saw the determination on Kid's face. "Kid, I know what you're thinking. .. Don't go after him."
"I'm going to kill him, Heyes," Kid replied, giving no thought to the fact that Lom was in the room.
Lom turned to Kid. "You try leaving Kid and I'll lock you up. I mean that. If you go out on your own, and you kill him, you'll hang for murder. I'll see to that."
"He means it, Kid. Don't go after him alone."
Kid clenched his jaw. He looked from Lom to Heyes to Lom and finally back to Heyes. He knew well the look in Heyes' eyes. He nodded finally. "Not alone," he promised.
Heyes smiled. He held out his empty breakfast plate. "Now, take this into the kitchen for me, will ya?"
Kid sighed and took the plate.
"He's not getting away with this," Kid warned.
Heyes and Lom both nodded. "We know, Kid," Heyes said. "But it's gotta be legal."
Kid took the plate into the kitchen and set it on the table. He knew he had to talk to Victoria and apologize for the way he had been treating her. But he really loathed the woman. She was still batting a thousand as far as one of them getting injured every time they encountered her. He thought about Braxton and he knew it would be his gun that took Braxton down.
Kid walked down the hall and stopped at Victoria's door. He hesitated before knocking.
"Come in,"
Kid took a deep breath before turning the doorknob.
"Come in, Blondie! I've missed you."
Kid approached the bed. He had a sheepish look on his face.
"Come back for that body massage?" she asked.
"Heyes told us what happened," he said quietly.
"I did try to help him, you know. I tried to talk Tom out of doing that."
Kid nodded. "I'm sorry."
"What?"
Kid took a deep breath. "I'm sorry for the way I've been treating you."
Victoria smiled. "So, do you owe me a favor?"
"What?"
"To make up for it."
"What kind of favor?" Kid asked skeptically.
Victoria thought for a moment. "It will have to be two favors, one being the body massage which I promise we will both enjoy."
Kid shook his head. "And the other?"
"I need help to the outhouse."
"What?" Kid asked nervously.
"I haven't peed in days. Of course I haven't had much of anything to drink either. But that soup has changed that. I need to go to the outhouse. You'll have to hold on to me.
"Can't you just use a chamber pot?"
"I can't squat for a chamber pot. I need a seat."
"Put the chamber pot on a chair!"
"Fine, but I'll still need help standing up and getting to it."
"I can put the chair right beside the bed. You can hold on to it and balance yourself."
"There are three men in this house and one injured woman. One of you has to help me to the chamber pot. At one point or another, you have seen every inch of me, so nothing's going to come as a surprise."
With one more reason to dislike the woman, Kid relented. "I'll go find a chamber pot," he said and left the room.
Kid peeked his head back into Heyes' room. Lom?"
"What do you need, Kid?"
"A chamber pot."
"You can't just use the outhouse?"
Kid glared at Lom. "It's not for me."
"Oh, I see. I'll go find you one."
"Come in here, Kid," Heyes called to him and Kid stepped into the room.
"She's feeling better, uh?"
"I guess.."
"Yanking your chains again?" Heyes asked with a big smile on his face.
Kid sighed. "I'll never know what you see in her."
"You're helping to the bathroom, so if your lucky, you might." Heyes teased.
"You're as bad as she is."
"Thank you," Heyes said proudly.
Lom returned with the chamber pot and Kid took it and headed back to Victoria's room."
Heyes and Lom remained very quiet. The two bedrooms shared a wall and they both were enjoying the muffled sounds of demands, instructions, and complaining coming from the next room.
"You know, Lom, you're going to have to let Kid ride with your posse. Otherwise he'll go off on his own. I don't want him to lose his chance at amnesty over the likes of Braxton. You've got to keep a tight rein on him."
"Is that what you do Heyes?"
"When I have to. He's fearless when it comes to his gun"
"Maybe I should swear him in as a deputy," Lom said jokingly
"Don't laugh, Lom. That's a good idea. It would put some restraint on him."
Lom thought about it. "You may be right."
0-0-0-0-0-0-0-
Confident to be out of bed, Victoria spent the afternoon sitting in a stuffed chair that Lom had dragged into Heyes room for her. She noticed the blankets and pillow on the floor.
"Kid's sleeping on the floor in here?" she asked
"He says he doesn't mind," Heyes replied.
"Well I'm feeling much better and I have a nice big soft bed he is welcome to share."
"That I think he would mind," Heyes replied.
"He doesn't know what he's missing."
Heyes smiled. "But I do."
Everyone managed to to make it to the kitchen table for supper. Lom helped Victoria and Kid helped Heyes limp his way to his seat. Lom had bought a big pot of stew from the cafe and made pan fried biscuits. After supper Kid cleared the plates into the sink and then they all sat around drinking coffee.
"I hired Mrs. Witherspoon to come and stay with the two of you. She'll start day after tomorrow. I expect you both to be respectful," Lom said, giving Victoria as warning glance.
"Is that when we're heading out?" Kid asked.
Lom nodded. "I think I got a pretty good idea of where they might be."
"You got an informant, Lom?" Heyes asked.
"Don't ask, don't tell," Lom replied and Heyes shook his head knowingly.
"Kid, I'm gonna swear you in as a deputy tomorrow. You got any problem with that?"
Kid looked surprised and a bit leery. "I know we're trying to stay on the right side of the law, but I don't know about that far right."
"Go on, Kid. Nobody's gonna arrest a lawman. "
"If you say so," Kid replied doubtfully.
"It's settled then." Lom said.
Two days later, Lom, a deputized Kid, and a posse of five set out toward Tinley, a small community about sixty miles from Porterville. Lom had been in communication with the sheriff of Tinley who was aware that Braxton had been spotted at a cabin outside of town. Lom and his posse were meeting the Tinley sheriff and some volunteers and together they were planning on surrounding the cabin.
Together Lom, Kid, and ten other men spied four horses in the barn near the cabin. When no one was seen outside, the dozen men dismounted, surrounded the cabin, and took cover. Lom ducked down behind the well. Kid made his way toward the back of the cabin. He crouched behind some trees and motioned to another man that he had a clear view through the back window. He held up four fingers indicating the number of men he could see inside the cabin. He pulled his gun from his holster and checked the chamber. The he stood up and leaned against the trunk of the tree.
"Braxton, this is Sheriff Lom Trevers. We know you're in there and we have the cabin surrounded. You and the others can come out peacefully or we can take you another way," Lom shouted.
Almost immediately bullets started flying in all directions. Kid crouched and moved stealthily to cover behind a tree closer to the cabin. A bullet whizzed by his ear and he ducked and fired into the window, breaking the glass pane. He moved again, making his way closer to the cabin.
The barrage of gunfire continued. Kid reached the back of the cabin and pressed his back against the wall of the building.. He held his gun close to his face and inched his way to the window. He didn't fire, but he listened carefully to the voices coming from inside the cabin so as to determine Braxton's location.
In one swift, smooth gliding motion, Kid moved across the window and fired. He heard the thud as Braxton dropped to the floor.
"Alright, Alright! Someone called from inside the cabin. "We're coming out.!" someone shouted.
Gun fire ceased. Kid quickly moved around the corner of the cabin to the front, gun pointed at the door as the three men walked out, hands above their heads.
"Toss your guns off to the left. Two fingers," Lom instructed them men. Once weapons were discarded and the three men were standing with their hands in the air, both sheriff's approached and tied the men's hands behind their backs.
Kid slipped into the cabin, his gun pointing at Braxton who lay motionless on the floor. Using his boot, Kid gave Braxton a nudge. Braxton didn't move. Kid holstered his gun and stooped down and rolled Braxton to his back just as Lom entered the cabin. Kid pressed his ear to Braxton's chest, then looked at Lom and shook his head.
0-0-0-0-0-0-0
A week later Heyes was well enough that he and Kid could soon be on their way. They saw Victoria off on the stage, then climbed into the buckboard Lom had loaned them and headed back to Lom's cabin.
"Kid, would you really have left if Victoria had stayed?" Heyes asked.
"What do you think?" Kid asked.
Heyes looked at Kid and uttered a nervous laugh. "I don't ever want it to come to that point with you, Kid. Ever."
Kid smiled. "Me either, Heyes."