Chapter Two
Slim's unspoken thoughts:
I don't tell Mr. Frazer everything I'm thinking. I don't think he needs to hear about Jess's past escapades with women who were actually involved with other men when he met them. But the memories are rolling around in my brain of what I'd been thinking at the time when Jess kept eyeing Belle Carson...
At the Carson relay station, what I was thinking was: Jess, when are ya gonna learn?
If only I had a nickel for every time I've grumbled that at him, about a lot of things. Stubborn cuss. Gets his mind set a certain way, and you need the cavalry if you want to drag him in a different direction. His bullheadedness is bad enough on something minor. But… when it comes to Jess and women…
I thought being cautious with women would've sunk in long before he even came to Laramie. Laurel DeWalt was a very painful lesson for him. If his experience with her hadn't done it, then it should have resulted from Julie who had been with Dixie Howard. When she made it clear she preferred Jess, Howard was furious and wanted to prove something to her. He even took on Jess in a gunfight after Julie left him and headed straight to Jess. Howard drew on him, and my pard ended up having to kill the man who had been a friend and mentor to him. That was real hard on Jess. Then there was that other woman he told me about, Sharon Helford. I don't know that he'd even hoped for a relationship with her to go anywhere, but he told me how they'd felt a real connection. But then she chose some other guy, one who'd originally wanted to lynch Jess. That had to hurt.
Every time he gets romantic with a woman who's already connected to another man, it leads to trouble. Oh, I know he'd never be one to intentionally break up a marriage or even interfere in a happy relationship. He had only become involved with Julie because she was miserable with Dixie and had already decided to leave him. And Sharon had not yet entirely committed to the other guy anyway. But Laurel, well, that was a different story.
And every one of those times, Jess had tough feelings to deal with after allowing himself to be drawn to those ladies. He especially felt guilty about Laurel, since she actually was married. She wasn't happy with her husband or her life, and she picked Jess to try to get what she wanted. He was young. And I'm sure he was lonely after all his roving around. And he gave in to temptation. I know he's regretted that mistake over and over again. It absolutely tore him up, both with his emotions and with a bullet to the shoulder. He's paid plenty for that whole mess.
I look at the superintendent now and see him shaking his head at what I'd just told him: that Belle was married. I know he needs to understand what happened and why, since it took place at an Overland station. So I'm gonna have to be honest and share what I know. To a degree. But I'm trying not to paint a picture of Jess that would make him look like a cad. Because he isn't one.
I finally pull myself out of my mental ramblings to myself and speak again to my boss:
Mr. Frazer, Jess is very respectful of women. And you know he's got good ethics. He carries a healthy respect for marriage vows too.
And I'm sure he knows that anytime there's another man in the picture in some way, then there's bound to be jealousy and problems. I've preached at him to keep away from situations like that. And in every conversation we've had about it, he's agreed with me, one hundred percent.
That's why I was completely stumped that day at the Carsons' relay station, because Jess was being real friendly with a married woman. And not while her husband was out on the range. The man was sitting right there at the table with us.
And he was looking mighty edgy.