Chapter 19
Buck followed the tracks to town. He saw where they led through town and straight back out. Teaspoon decided that they would camp until morning so they wouldn't miss anything.
The next morning they followed the tracks down to the river. They came upon the campsite. The ash was still hot. Jimmy's horse was grazing in the tall grass. Buck and Cody looked around while Teaspoon walked to the creek.
"Look Buck, one of his guns."
"Looks like he had three bottles. He should be sleeping somewhere close." Said Buck.
"Buck come on down here." Said Teaspoon.
"What you make of this?" Asked Teaspoon.
"Another person walked here with him on the edge. Jimmy wouldn't normally get that close to the water."
"There's another gun over here." Said Cody.
"Looks like a woman. Small feet. She walked with him to here but then she backed away. He was drunk. Look at his tracks."
"Where the hell is he?" Asked Cody.
"He never left this spot." Said Buck.
"What you mean, he didn't leave?" Asked Cody.
Buck looked up to Teaspoon who already knew the answer.
"She shot him and he fell into the water."
"You can't be serious!" Yelled Cody.
"I wish I weren't."
"Boys, mount up. We need to see if we can find him downstream."
"Teaspoon, you think he made it?" Asked Cody.
"Honestly, I don't see how he would have."
The trio looked for hours but couldn't find Jimmy. They rode home and gathered the others. Teaspoon told them the hardest thing that he felt like he ever had to. Everyone rode back out to look for a full week after. All they ever found was his hat. They never found any other trace of him or his body. He never returned. Teaspoon decided to have a small service even though they never recovered him. It would give them all closure. Teaspoon walked into the barn after the service to find Lou crying on Hickok's horse.
"Lou?"
"I can't believe he's gone."
"Maybe but he will always be with us. He was a part of us."
"The worst part is, he died feeling like he had lost us all. I can't help but hope that deep down he knew different."
"Our boy was troubled, but I think he knew. I'd like to think that anyway."
"You talk to Kimberly? She wasn't at the service."
"She's gone. Looks to have been gone a while."
"She did this."
"I think she did but she just disappeared. I don't know why."
"She will pay for taking him away."
"I'd like to think that too."
Teaspoon walked on toward his room. He pulled his trunk from under his bed. He wrapped Jimmy's revolvers in cloth and placed them inside. He picked up his boy's hat. He held it in his hands as he finally let the tears fall. He placed it on a nail on his wall. He would never forget him and he would always pray for his return.
Kimberly sat beside her companion on the stage as it rolled back east.
"He was a tough one."
"As always, I got it done with no witnesses."
"That's why I pay you."
"Who's next?"
"A man in Charleston. I'll have his location shortly."
"Good." She said as she took her book out and scratched through Jimmy's name.
The end for now...
