Thank you SO much for your reviews. I was pondering deleting this story
and just moving on. I was finding myself struggling for ideas, struggling
to find time to write. Then, Ananova reviewed and I realized that if one
person was enjoying this story, then I needed to continue. I see now that
several of you are. Thanks go to Sierra, kels, and Chase M. Dakota. I
apologize for the lack of updates. I promise I'll do better. Love and
hugs! Now to chapter 7!
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Frank and Zee were on a mission. They had to find out as much information as possible, that way, even the slightest clue might lead them to Jesse. Nothing would be ruled insignificant.
They began by speaking to the owner of the livery, and he had said that Jesse left his horse there two days ago, and the owner then demanded payment for housing the horse an extra day. After paying the livery owner, Frank and Zee exchanged a look, knowing that Jesse would not have spent more than one night at Seven Hills. Something or someone had caused Jesse to be detained. They knew that whatever or whomever it was certainly spelled bad news for Jesse James.
As they walked along the street toward the boarding house, Zee suddenly spotted something in an alleyway. She shouted to Frank, trying to get his attention.
There in the darkness between two buildings, lay Jesse's cowboy hat.
Zee bent down to pick it up and was horrified to find dried blood upon it. "Frank . . ." she began.
She was transported to all the times she had seen him wear it. 'That silly old hat,' she thought to herself, 'what I wouldn't give to see him wear it one more time. Just one more time.'
As if reading her thoughts, Frank assured her, "We'll find him, Zee. I promise you, we'll find him."
With that, Frank gently took the hat from Zee and wrapped his sister-in-law into his arms, attempting to comfort her. He decided in that moment that nothing was going to stand between him and finding his brother. Whoever had hurt Jesse was going to pay. But not in cold hard cash.
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Jesse thrashed at the height of his fever. He was dreaming of that time he and Frank had convinced the Walker sisters to go skinny-dipping with them on that hot summer day back in Liberty. He was transported back to that day . . . longing for the coolness of the water on his brow, and on his body.
As if his dream came true, Jesse felt water touch his forehead. He jerked away, sensing a different touch, a caressing touch.
There before him was an angel. It wasn't Zee though, he was certain of that.
"You . . ." he managed to croak.
"Shh . . ." she whispered, bringing her finger to her lips as if to help him see he needed to be quiet.
She glanced toward the open door and whispered in a soothing voice, "Just be quiet now, Jesse. Cody has decided he needed help to care for you . . ."
Before she could continue, Jesse said, "Care for me? You think he wants me to be CARED for?"
His emphasis on the word "care" did not escape her notice. Once again, she brought the cloth to his brow. She gently wiped away the sweat, humming as she did so.
Jesse looked at her with widened eyes, wondering how she could be helping him after all the torture he had been through.
As if reading his thoughts, she said, "Cody means well. He really does. He panicked when he saw how sick you got. He came and got me. We used to be sweethearts, ya know. The death of his father pulled us apart. Rather, it pulled Cody apart."
Just then Cody walked in the door. He had heard everything. It was as if something inside of him exploded. "Julie," he shouted, "don't you be tellin' HIM about THAT. He don't deserve your help, I don't know what I was thinkin'. Get out . . .just GET OUT!"
Cody's voice boomed through the shack and Julie dropped the cloth in surprise. "Cody, please let me help him. He's in a real bad way. He needs medicine. He needs a doctor. It's more serious than ya think."
Cody cut her off, not wanting to hear more. "GET OUT, I SAID!" he shouted again.
With that, she looked at Jesse who was shivering, still bound to the chair. "Okay Cody," she said, "I'll go. But please let me come back in the morning to check on him again. I want to help you."
She said softly, "I want to love you."
Cody did not want to hear such sentiments, however, and forced her out the door.
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Julie mounted her horse and rode off for the city limits of Seven Hills. She didn't care what Cody said; she was coming back tomorrow morning. Coming back with supplies from the doctor in town.
After a ten-minute gallop, Julie was back in town. The moonlight lit the street as dusk settled upon the only town she had considered home. She could not believe the monster that Cody had become. She had known the caring Cody, the loving Cody, and the gentle Cody. Now he was the antithesis of those things. He was everything she had ever hated.
But that young man in his hold needed help. She intended to help him get it. If it meant going to the sheriff or the doctor, then so be it.
She knew Cody would never love her again, and had resigned herself to a life alone. It was then that she saw a young couple embracing in the alley.
The man had a goatee, and the young woman had long blonde hair. She only wanted love like that.
"Ma'am?" the man shouted as she rode by.
She pulled her horse up and trotted back to them. "Can I help you sir?" she asked.
"Well . . . I am hoping so. Did you happen to notice a stranger in town in the past couple of days? He's got dark black hair . . . big eyebrows . . ." Frank couldn't help but chuckle to himself as he tried to continue. "He isn't that tall, and is fairly thin. His name is Jesse."
Julie gasped, knowing exactly who this man was describing. It was the young man being held hostage in Cody's cabin. Julie was torn. She had been thinking of going to the sheriff herself. But at least she knew the sheriff wouldn't kill Cody outright. She did not know this man. He might kill Cody in cold blood. She had no idea what to do.
She tried to steady both herself and her voice as she answered, "Ah, we get lots of people coming through here on their way to somewhere else. I can't remember anyone meeting that description. Sorry, sir. Now, if you'll excuse me, I must be on my way."
Frank looked her straight in the eye and said, "Yes, of course. Thank you, ma'am."
As Julie rode away, Frank turned again to look at Zee. All he said were two words: "She's lying."
-----------------
Frank and Zee were on a mission. They had to find out as much information as possible, that way, even the slightest clue might lead them to Jesse. Nothing would be ruled insignificant.
They began by speaking to the owner of the livery, and he had said that Jesse left his horse there two days ago, and the owner then demanded payment for housing the horse an extra day. After paying the livery owner, Frank and Zee exchanged a look, knowing that Jesse would not have spent more than one night at Seven Hills. Something or someone had caused Jesse to be detained. They knew that whatever or whomever it was certainly spelled bad news for Jesse James.
As they walked along the street toward the boarding house, Zee suddenly spotted something in an alleyway. She shouted to Frank, trying to get his attention.
There in the darkness between two buildings, lay Jesse's cowboy hat.
Zee bent down to pick it up and was horrified to find dried blood upon it. "Frank . . ." she began.
She was transported to all the times she had seen him wear it. 'That silly old hat,' she thought to herself, 'what I wouldn't give to see him wear it one more time. Just one more time.'
As if reading her thoughts, Frank assured her, "We'll find him, Zee. I promise you, we'll find him."
With that, Frank gently took the hat from Zee and wrapped his sister-in-law into his arms, attempting to comfort her. He decided in that moment that nothing was going to stand between him and finding his brother. Whoever had hurt Jesse was going to pay. But not in cold hard cash.
-----------------
Jesse thrashed at the height of his fever. He was dreaming of that time he and Frank had convinced the Walker sisters to go skinny-dipping with them on that hot summer day back in Liberty. He was transported back to that day . . . longing for the coolness of the water on his brow, and on his body.
As if his dream came true, Jesse felt water touch his forehead. He jerked away, sensing a different touch, a caressing touch.
There before him was an angel. It wasn't Zee though, he was certain of that.
"You . . ." he managed to croak.
"Shh . . ." she whispered, bringing her finger to her lips as if to help him see he needed to be quiet.
She glanced toward the open door and whispered in a soothing voice, "Just be quiet now, Jesse. Cody has decided he needed help to care for you . . ."
Before she could continue, Jesse said, "Care for me? You think he wants me to be CARED for?"
His emphasis on the word "care" did not escape her notice. Once again, she brought the cloth to his brow. She gently wiped away the sweat, humming as she did so.
Jesse looked at her with widened eyes, wondering how she could be helping him after all the torture he had been through.
As if reading his thoughts, she said, "Cody means well. He really does. He panicked when he saw how sick you got. He came and got me. We used to be sweethearts, ya know. The death of his father pulled us apart. Rather, it pulled Cody apart."
Just then Cody walked in the door. He had heard everything. It was as if something inside of him exploded. "Julie," he shouted, "don't you be tellin' HIM about THAT. He don't deserve your help, I don't know what I was thinkin'. Get out . . .just GET OUT!"
Cody's voice boomed through the shack and Julie dropped the cloth in surprise. "Cody, please let me help him. He's in a real bad way. He needs medicine. He needs a doctor. It's more serious than ya think."
Cody cut her off, not wanting to hear more. "GET OUT, I SAID!" he shouted again.
With that, she looked at Jesse who was shivering, still bound to the chair. "Okay Cody," she said, "I'll go. But please let me come back in the morning to check on him again. I want to help you."
She said softly, "I want to love you."
Cody did not want to hear such sentiments, however, and forced her out the door.
-----------------
Julie mounted her horse and rode off for the city limits of Seven Hills. She didn't care what Cody said; she was coming back tomorrow morning. Coming back with supplies from the doctor in town.
After a ten-minute gallop, Julie was back in town. The moonlight lit the street as dusk settled upon the only town she had considered home. She could not believe the monster that Cody had become. She had known the caring Cody, the loving Cody, and the gentle Cody. Now he was the antithesis of those things. He was everything she had ever hated.
But that young man in his hold needed help. She intended to help him get it. If it meant going to the sheriff or the doctor, then so be it.
She knew Cody would never love her again, and had resigned herself to a life alone. It was then that she saw a young couple embracing in the alley.
The man had a goatee, and the young woman had long blonde hair. She only wanted love like that.
"Ma'am?" the man shouted as she rode by.
She pulled her horse up and trotted back to them. "Can I help you sir?" she asked.
"Well . . . I am hoping so. Did you happen to notice a stranger in town in the past couple of days? He's got dark black hair . . . big eyebrows . . ." Frank couldn't help but chuckle to himself as he tried to continue. "He isn't that tall, and is fairly thin. His name is Jesse."
Julie gasped, knowing exactly who this man was describing. It was the young man being held hostage in Cody's cabin. Julie was torn. She had been thinking of going to the sheriff herself. But at least she knew the sheriff wouldn't kill Cody outright. She did not know this man. He might kill Cody in cold blood. She had no idea what to do.
She tried to steady both herself and her voice as she answered, "Ah, we get lots of people coming through here on their way to somewhere else. I can't remember anyone meeting that description. Sorry, sir. Now, if you'll excuse me, I must be on my way."
Frank looked her straight in the eye and said, "Yes, of course. Thank you, ma'am."
As Julie rode away, Frank turned again to look at Zee. All he said were two words: "She's lying."
