DREADFUL SORRY, CLEMENTINE
(It is a well known fact to every AS&J fan that Clementine Hale has in her possession, the only existing picture of Hannibal Heyes and Kid Curry and, it is equally well known that Heyes and Curry would do almost anything to gain possession of the picture that Miss Hale keeps in a safety deposit box in a bank in Denver. But what we the viewers do not know is exactly where and when that picture was taken).
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Denver, Colorado, Summer 1874
Clementine Hale, a petite, pretty young woman not quite twenty years old, walked with purpose down Pike Street. Men stopped and tipped their hats to her as she brushed by them, but she offered a quick, sweet smile to any woman she passed as she hurried down the street, tightly clutching her drawstring beaded bag.
When she reached the Sheriff's Office, Clementine stopped, lightly straightened her hair with her fingers, brushed imaginary wrinkles from her skirt, took a deep, calming breath, and walked into the office.
"May I help you, Ma'am?" Sheriff Portly asked as he stood from the chair behind his desk.
"I certainly hope so, Sheriff," Miss Hale replied. "I understand you have two prisoners, a Mister Hannibal Heyes and a Mister Jedediah Curry. My father sent me down here to pay the bale for these two men."
"Well, I'm sorry Miss Hale, but bales are paid at the courthouse in the Clerk's office. They'll give you a receipt that you bring back here to me."
"But it's nearly four o'clock in the afternoon. I can't possibly get to the courthouse before it closes," Clementine replied.
"Well, I'm afraid those to gentlemen you're here about will have to spend one more night with us then, Ma'am. You head to the courthouse first thing in the morning and you can have your two friends out of here by noon tomorrow."
Clementine looked rather indignant. "They are not my friends, Sheriff. In fact, I barely know either one of them. They were working for my father when you... arrested them."
"They were disturbing the peace, Ma'am. I didn't have any other choice."
Clementine's face softened as she tried another, more desperate approach. "Sheriff," she cooed and put a bit of a sashay to her walk as she approached the desk. "Isn't there anyway you could make an exception in this case?" Clem made a point of batting her eyelashes and putting a subtle pout on her face.
"I'm sorry, Miss Hale but the law is the law."
Clem's shoulders visible wilted. "May I at least see them?" she asked.
"I'll have to search you, Ma'am. And you'll have to leave your purse out here."
Clem sighed heavily and raised her arms above her head. "Ready," she replied.
After being searched, the sheriff led Clem down a hall and through a locked door to the cells. Heyes and Curry shared a cell. An old man sleeping off a hangover was the only other person occupying a cell.
"Clem!" Kid exclaimed after the sheriff had left, locking the door behind him. "You came to get us out!"
"Not so fast, Kid," Clem replied. "I can't get you out till tomorrow morning."
Both Kid and Heyes were now standing, fingers wrapped around cell bars, mere inches from their dearest friend.
"Why not?" Heyes asked.
"I have to pay your bale at the courthouse. You didn't tell me that, Heyes," Clem scolded.
"What did you tell the Sheriff?" Heyes asked.
"That you two worked for my father and he sent me here to get you out."
"Did he buy that?" Kid asked.
"Of course he did. Why wouldn't he? It's not like you two are really crooks or anything...Wait a minute...Are you? Is there something you two haven't told me?"
"No, Clem. No," they said in unison.
"Honest, Clem, we're as law abiding as you are," Heyes said sincerely.
"That's exactly what I'm afraid of," she replied.
"Aw, Clem," Kid said, putting on the charm. "We're as honest as the day is long."
Clem nodded. "And the days are getting shorter this time of year, Kid."
With that they heard the door open as the sheriff returned. "Five minutes is up, Miss Hale."
"Thank you, Sheriff," Clem said, then turned her attention back to to her two friends. "I'll be back in the morning," she promised.
Heyes and Curry watched Clem leave. Kid then pushed away from the bars and sat down on his cot.
"Kid, that girl is going to be trouble one day," Heyes lamented.
"I know. But she's the cutest little bundle of trouble I've ever seen, Heyes," Kid said smiling.
Heyes looked at Kid with exasperation. "Do you ever have anything else on your mind, Kid?"
"Heyes, I'm nineteen years old. Hormones are still running wild."
Heyes just rolled his eyes.
The next morning Clem hurried to the courthouse, paid the bales, picked up the receipts, and rushed off to the Sheriff's Office. By eleven in the morning, the three of them were sitting in a cafe eating breakfast.
"You two are really not in any kind of trouble?" Clem asked as she sat across from her two friends and sipped her coffee.
"None what so ever," Heyes replied.
"You're not wanted anywhere, for anything?"
'"We give you our word, Clem," Kid replied.
"How about you?" Heyes asked Clem.
"You two know I would do anything for the two of you. But, I'll only bend the law, I won't break it."
"Neither would we, Clem Honest."
Clem raised her cup to her mouth and looked out the window behind Heyes and Curry. Her eyes fell upon a business sign that hung from the building across the street.
"Prove it," she said with a bit of challenge in her voice.
"What?" Kid asked
"Prove to me just how honest the two of you really are."
Heyes and Curry exchanged dubious glances.
"How?" Heyes asked.
"Get a picture taken with me."
"A what?" Kid asked.
"A picture," Clem replied nodding her head toward the window.
Heyes and Curry turned their heads to see what it was Clem was referring to. Hanging from a post outside the building was a sighn that read 'Photographs. Appropriate clothing provided.'
"Why do you want a picture, Clem?" Kid asked.
Clem smiled at Kid seductively, which he naturally fell for hook, line and sinker.
"We've been friends since we were children, the three of us. You two say you're heading out west to parts unknown and I may never see you again. I just want something to remember you by, that's all."
"Aw, Heyes, she wants something to remember us by," Kid said, willing to do anything Clem asked.
"Not a good idea, Kid."
"Why not, Heyes?" Clem asked. "I mean it. You two mean more to me than almost anyone, anyone except my father. I don't want to ever forget you."
"What harm could it do, Heyes? It's just a picture, Kid prodded.
"And remember Heyes, I baled you two out with my own money," Clem added.
Heyes didn't like the idea, but he was outnumbered on this, and besides, what arm could one picture do?"
"One picture," Heyes finally agreed.
"We better go now, before he changes his mind," Kid told Clem.
After paying the bill, the three friends strolled across the street, sorted through a rack of suits, and after standing still in an awkward pose for several minutes, were promised that the tin type picture would be ready on Tuesday.
"Do you want me to get copies for the two of you?" Clem asked as they walked out of the photography shop.
"I have a good memory, Clem. I think I'll pass," Heyes said.
"Me too, Clem," Kid replied knowing his money was too tight to spend on something so frivolous.
"So, where to now?" Clem asked.
"I hate to tell you, Clem, but Kid and me are going to go pick up our horses and head to Wyoming."
"So soon?"
" 'Fraid so, but I'm sure we'll be back this way again, Clem," Kid promised.
"Oh, by the way, Clem. When you pick up that photograph, don't forget to buy the negative, too."
"The negative?"
"Yeah," Heyes replied. "That way you're the only one who has any image of that picture."
"And we can get a copy made the next time we're in town," Kid added and leaned in and kissed Clem in a way he was confident would make her swoon.
"We love you, Clem," Heyes called as he and Kid left her standing outside the photography shop.
Clem watched them go and slowly ran her tongue across her lips, savoring the taste. Then her mouth closed and pursed as a look of triumph crossed her face. The photo, the negative...and a safety deposit box at the bank, she thought.