Chapter 14

As Floyd Hepburn anxiously waited for the arrival of his personal attorney he was brought before the town judge who set bail for an accused man. He made the payment easily and was soon free to walk the streets of Rock Creek but knew he could not leave or he would be hunted down by bounty hunters and the Teaspoon's Pony Express riders. Floyd was a ruthless man but not stupid. He could calculate risk and outcomes rather easily. He had wealth and status and thus could easily sway any jury with his charm and reputation as an investor, all while his hired hand, Biff rotted in the jail for the man didn't have the same resources.

The Pony Express riders could not believe their eyes when they saw Floyd Hepburn walking free as a bird down the street the next day. They thought for sure he must have escaped. Kid marched over to the man that morning.

"What are you doing out?" Kid demanded to know.

He simply replied, "I was released on bail." He headed for the hotel, "If you will excuse me boy." He started to walk away.

"You are going back to prison." Kid figured.

He gave a smirk over his shoulder, "My attorney will be in town soon. You can speak to him." He walked away without another word.

Kid then marched to Teaspoon's office. He barged through the door without knocking. "Teaspoon!" he hollered figuring something was terribly wrong.

Teaspoon sat behind his desk with his feet up and his head down. He held the locket that Pip had in her possession in his hand. He wanted one last look before she placed it in the bank's security box. He looked up, "Kid."

"I just saw Hepburn…" he started.

Teaspoon explained, "The Judge gave him bail. He's been released but can't leave town. He has to stay for his trial. His lawyer is on his way."

Kid stammered, "Who is his lawyer?"

Teaspoon replied, "A man named Sidney Q. Sohur from New York City."

"Never heard of him," Kid shrugged.

"Neither have I." Teaspoon agreed. "I got a telegram that was picked up by one of our riders in Saint Joe. I was informed he would be coming here by stagecoach. I was also informed that on that coach is Pip's trunk with the things she sent for. I guess I get to meet this lawyer fella firsthand."

Kid asked, "Why is this lawyer coming with Pip's trunk?"

"Could just be a coincidence." Teaspoon figured unsure himself.

Later That Evening

Jimmy Hickok retrieved a small pouch from beneath his mattress. He took the bag to the table after eating a filling dinner. Lou recognized the pouch as she glanced over at the small bag. She squinted as Jimmy opened the bag and removed a leather bound journal.

"Is that Ambrose's stuff?" she asked as she watched.

Kid stopped what he was doing and looked over. "Why you got that, Jimmy?"

He shrugged, "Ambrose was looking at the route. Hepburn wants the route."

Pip looked over her shoulder as she tended to her bunk. "Ambrose Merryweather?"

Jimmy paused and asked her, "You knew Bulldog?"

"Bulldog?" she shook her head at the nick name. "No, he worked for me. He was an accountant from the local college that came out west to audit the route. He died in Sweetwater."

Lou told her, "We were there."

Pip came over to the table and sat beside Jimmy. "You met Ambrose? His uncle sent him out. He loved those dime novels about you, Jimmy. He was a fanatic."

"I know," he sighed recalling his old friend.

Pip asked, "Is that his journal?"

"I think so." he pushed it to her.

She grasped the leather book and opened the cover. She mentioned, "He discovered the oddities with the bonds and told me about it. When we went to look the bonds were gone." She started to read the writing. She then closed her eyes as she read a line that sent chills through her spine. "He volunteered to do the audit so he could look for the bonds."

Kid recalled, "Ambrose figured out something was screwy with the deal. He died helping us." He took a seat at the table and spied the eyeglasses the young man wore. "These were never sent back to his family. He was buried in Sweetwater."

"I should have come with him." Pip concluded. "He didn't know what he was up against."

Lou asked, "You mean Ambrose was out here to do more than just the route audit?"

She nodded, "He was looking for the missing bonds. According to what he wrote he hoped Jimmy and Marshal Sam Cain would assist. He told Cain what he knew but Cain said it was out of his jurisdiction."

Kid gasped, "Sam turned him away."

"Missing bonds from New York City isn't something most would deal with out here." she concluded.

Bill Cody asked, "What exactly are these bonds anyways?"

She explained, "A bond is a financial instrument. It's like a loan. A company can issue their own bonds and sell them to investors. The investors get paid in interest on the bond. But the bonds in question look to be counterfeit. They are not backed by the company earnings. Those are the bonds that Ambrose and I were looking for." She let out a deep sigh, "Just how did he die?"

"Saving my life," Jimmy told her.

She leaned against him, "I can see him doing that." She closed the journal, "I'll have to read what he found and see where he left off."

"You're not going after those missing bonds, Agnes." Jimmy insisted.

"We might have to." she concluded.

Week Later

A week had passed and Teaspoon had instructed the riders to stay away from Floyd Hepburn or they could interfere with the legal case. He never told Pip the name of the lawyer who was coming on the stagecoach with her trunk. She was ever so excited when the coach arrived that sunny morning.

Pip had recruited Jimmy and Kid to help her carry her trunk to the station house for safe keeping. As she got near the coach a familiar face emerged. He was about Jimmy's height and build. He had light brown hair and hazel eyes and square jaw. He wore a black suit with the tie and a matching derby style hat. He held a walking stick in his hand as he stepped down from the coach. He looked about and spied her familiar face as she made her way towards him.

"Quinn," she gasped.

Sidney Quinn Sohur had arrived in town. He cheered, "Agnes."

She came to him wondering, "What are you doing way out here?"

"I brought your trunk." he smiled pleased to see she was well. "You found him?"

"I did," she nodded. She then wrapped her arms around him and held him tight. "I can't believe you are here. Boy, have I got a story to tell you, Quinn."

Jimmy and Kid stood back looking the pair over.

Jimmy asked, "You know this guy, Agnes?"

She grinned, "This is Quinn. He's the middle son of the lawyer who hired Mabel. We grew up together. He's family." She giggled excited figuring he came to see how she was doing. "You came all this way to deliver my trunk?" she asked him.

"My father sent me to defend a client." he replied. "I got my first real case, Agnes."

She cocked her head suspiciously, "Who?"

"Mr. Floyd Hepburn." he told her.

Her shoulders slunk, "Floyd hired your father's law firm?"

"What's wrong with Floyd?" he wondered for the family knew him for years. "He's been a client for a long time."

She smirked, "He's a crook."

"Innocent until proven guilty." he countered. He motioned, "Your trunk is in the back." He watched as Kid and Jimmy gathered the heavy trunk. He smiled pleased, "Excellent! I see you found some hired help."

"They work for the Pony Express," she shook her head. "They are my friends…helping me." She motioned, "That's Kid and Jimmy. Kid, Jimmy…this is Sidney Q. Suhor the Second but everyone calls him 'Quinn' though."

Both looked on not enthused. Jimmy found him too polished and posh. He was obviously the son of a very wealthy man who was more than willing to travel over a thousand miles to bring a trunk to Pip and even take a case for his father. Jimmy wondered what the man's actual motivation was: the law case or Pip.

Kid wasn't very thrilled either as the man was to represent the criminal who kidnapped his friends. Neither rider looked very happy to Pip and Quinn.

"Quinn and I grew up together. He's like a brother to me." she reminded them with a pleading look to accept him.

Jimmy huffed, "He's the Hepburn's lawyer."

Quinn stated, "It's my first case."

He smirked, "You are gonna lose your first case." He looked to Kid and the pair started to walk the trunk to the buckboard that sat nearby.

Quinn asked with a cockeyed look, "Friends?"

She sighed, "They are friends."

Moments Later

Pip couldn't wait to introduce her verbally adopted brother to Teaspoon. As Kid and Jimmy took her trunk back to the way station house she led Quinn to the Marshal's office.

Quinn mentioned, "So why are you wearing my old cummerbund anyways?"

She didn't wear her side arm at the moment. She smiled, "I use it as a holster for that revolver your father gave me to bring out here."

He wondered, "Why didn't you buy a holster for it?"

"Once I got away from the city I found everyone thought I was a boy and I figured since I was out here alone and riding that I should just let folks think that. The cummerbund helped cover my middle better. Then I found if I could use it to carry that gun. It works great! It also makes it easier to line up on a target. I should show you." she suggested. She noticed the amused look on his face. "You don't want it back do you? It's too small for you now. You're all grown up now."

"You can keep it," he chuckled.

Pip opened the door and found Teaspoon eating his lunch at the desk after giving his prisoner a plate of food as well. He finished swallowing as he looked upon his visitor.

Quinn smiled, "Marshal Hunter I presume." He held out a hand to greet him.

Teaspoon rose to his feet and shook Quinn's hand, "I'm Teaspoon Hunter." He noticed Pip was grinning ear-to-ear.

She cheered, "This is Quinn! We grew up together. He's the son of the lawyer who almost adopted me."

"I'm Sidney Q. Sohur the Second. Attorney at Law" he fully introduced himself. "I'm glad Agnes found you. This means a lot to her."

"Thank you, son." he replied. Teaspoon found the lawyer very pleasant and Pip obviously adored him. He knew his daughter was a good judge of character and thus concluded that perhaps Floyd Hepburn might not walk after all especially if the young lawyer discovered the extent of Floyd's wrong doings. "I understand you will be representing Mr. Hepburn."

"I will," he nodded. "I was informed he's out on bail and staying in the hotel."

"He is," Teaspoon confirmed with a nod.

Pip seemed very displeased as she muttered, "He's guilty as sin."

"He's innocent until proven guilty in a court of law." Quinn reminded her. "After I meet with my client I will motioned for discovery. That will include all your records relating to his arrest, Marshal."

"I understand," Teaspoon gave a nod for that was routine.

Pip miffed, "I can tell ya how he was arrested. We caught him red-handed. He had ambushed and kidnapped a number of riders all so he could shut down the Pony Express and sell the land to the railroad company."

Quinn sighed, "Agnes…You need to stay out of this."

"I captured him along with Jimmy, Kid and Lou. And a young man named Wyatt Earp helped us." she waved her arms annoyed.

"This makes you a witness." Quinn reminded her. "I can call you to the stand and cross-examine you."

She rolled her eyes, "He's guilty."

"Maybe so but there has to be due process." he rebutted. "You know how important that is. Otherwise we have mob rule."

"I know," she agreed nodding.

Teaspoon was impressed by how professional Quinn remained. He was courteous and yet stuck to the law. He was also wealthy and handsome. Pip obviously thought highly of him and agreed he was correct despite her being involved in capturing Floyd. He worried about Pip's budding relationship with Jimmy for the boy was reckless and he was uncertain what kind of future Jimmy could provide for her. But the son of a lawyer would be a steady provider. If she married Quinn she would not for nothing. All her needs would be taken care of and she could spend a life time going to whatever education courses her heart desired.

Teaspoon asked, "Where will you be staying, Mr. Sohur?"

"The local hotel." he informed.

"You are welcome to have dinner with riders and Rachel at the Pony Express station if you wish." he told him.

Quinn looked to Pip for her input. She nodded with a grin for couldn't wait to introduce him to Rachel Dunn.

"I would honored." he gave an assuring smile.