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"Some free advice, son."Wilcox commented as he shoved Jimmy into the jail cell and locked the door behind. "Get some rest. You'll want to have all your strength for your hangin'."
Jimmy glared at the older man. "I thought convicted men got trials."
Wilcox smirked. "Oh you'll get your trial, Hickcock. It just won't have the out come you're hopin' for."
As the Marshal turned away Jimmy called him back. But not to plead for his own life. He had to know how Lou was. If she was dead there was no need to fight for his own neck.
"How's Lou?"
Wilcox was tempted not to answer the Express rider. It would be so easy to let the man stew in his own guilt and misery.
"Ms. McCloud is awake and under a doctor's care."Wilcox replied as he turned around and walked to Teaspoon's desk and sat down.
Jimmy rested his head against the bars closing his eyes with relief. Lou was awake.....she was alive.....and maybe just maybe she'd forgive him one day.
Wilcox looked up as the door opened and one of his men entered.
"Just got word."The deputy reported. "Judge Thompson is on his way. He should be here by mid-morning."
"Good."Wilcox replied as he leaned forward. "I'd like to get this over with so we can all move on."
*******
"Rider comin'"Teaspoon shouted as the Riders minus Kid gathered on the porch of the bunk house. "Who's up?"
"Teaspoon we shouldn't...."Cody started to protest but the older man cut him off.
"I know we shouldn't, but the last thing we need is for this station to close."Teaspoon stated as the horse and rider galloped closer. "We're short three now so that means double runs for the rest of you. Who's up?"
Jesse grabbed his saddle bag from the railing next to him and moved to the steps of the bunk house. "I am. Tell Jimmy I'm pullin' for him."
"Ride safe, son."Teaspoon stated as they watched Jesse take the mail bag from the incoming rider and run to his own horse.
"What are we going to do about Jimmy?"Cody asked.
Teaspoon leaned against the railing watching Jesse ride out into the night. "I heard Thompson is comin' in to be the judge on Jimmy's trial. He's a fair man. All we can do show Thompson the facts, support Jimmy as we can and pray that justice wins."
"Do you think there's really going to be justice for Jimmy?"Noah asked quietly.
Teaspoon smiled wryily. "If it doesn't we'll do what we always do."
*******
Kid turned away from the window to find Lou struggling to get out of bed. "What are you doin'?"
"What's it look like?"Lou replied through gritted teeth. Damn, she had forgotten how much getting shot hurt.
Kid gently placed a hand on her shoulder stopping her movement. "Doc said you're supposed to rest. I'm going to make sure you do that."
Lou sent him a pleading look. "I need to see Jimmy. Make sure he's alright."
Kid shook his head. "You can barely stand, Lou. There's no way I'm lettin' you walk down to the jail house."
"Will you go then?"Lou asked even though she knew she was asking a lot of Kid. She had picked up on his tension every time Jimmy's name was mentioned.
Kid ducked his head. "Lou, you know I'd do anything you ask. But I nearly lost you because of him.....I don't know if I can stand there...."
Lou quickly took his hand in hers. "It wasn't Jimmy's fault, Kid. I walked in on the middle of it. Jimmy told me to stay away but it was too late."
Kid met her gaze. "That man wouldn't have been here if it wasn't for Jimmy's reputation."
"Jimmy can't help what those reporters write about him. People believe what they want to believe Jimmy can't change that. Please Kid, for me. Go see him."
Kid sighed and then reached up with his free hand and gently touched Lou's left cheek. "Alright, but only for you."
"Thank you."Lou replied sincerley.
Kid straightened and let go of her hand. He pulled back the covers so Lou could lay back down.
"I'll bring some supplies with me."Kid stated as he pulled the blankets up around Lou's shoulders. "Wilcox will have to let me in."
Lou felt her strength rapidly depleteing. "Tell Jimmy that I'm alright and that I don't hold him responsible."
Kid tenderly brushed a stray brown hair away from her face. "I will."He promised as he gently kissed her forehead. "Get some sleep."
"I love you."Lou whispered just before sleep overtook her.
"I love you too, Lou."Kid replied as he watched her for a moment before he walked to the door and left the room.
"Some free advice, son."Wilcox commented as he shoved Jimmy into the jail cell and locked the door behind. "Get some rest. You'll want to have all your strength for your hangin'."
Jimmy glared at the older man. "I thought convicted men got trials."
Wilcox smirked. "Oh you'll get your trial, Hickcock. It just won't have the out come you're hopin' for."
As the Marshal turned away Jimmy called him back. But not to plead for his own life. He had to know how Lou was. If she was dead there was no need to fight for his own neck.
"How's Lou?"
Wilcox was tempted not to answer the Express rider. It would be so easy to let the man stew in his own guilt and misery.
"Ms. McCloud is awake and under a doctor's care."Wilcox replied as he turned around and walked to Teaspoon's desk and sat down.
Jimmy rested his head against the bars closing his eyes with relief. Lou was awake.....she was alive.....and maybe just maybe she'd forgive him one day.
Wilcox looked up as the door opened and one of his men entered.
"Just got word."The deputy reported. "Judge Thompson is on his way. He should be here by mid-morning."
"Good."Wilcox replied as he leaned forward. "I'd like to get this over with so we can all move on."
*******
"Rider comin'"Teaspoon shouted as the Riders minus Kid gathered on the porch of the bunk house. "Who's up?"
"Teaspoon we shouldn't...."Cody started to protest but the older man cut him off.
"I know we shouldn't, but the last thing we need is for this station to close."Teaspoon stated as the horse and rider galloped closer. "We're short three now so that means double runs for the rest of you. Who's up?"
Jesse grabbed his saddle bag from the railing next to him and moved to the steps of the bunk house. "I am. Tell Jimmy I'm pullin' for him."
"Ride safe, son."Teaspoon stated as they watched Jesse take the mail bag from the incoming rider and run to his own horse.
"What are we going to do about Jimmy?"Cody asked.
Teaspoon leaned against the railing watching Jesse ride out into the night. "I heard Thompson is comin' in to be the judge on Jimmy's trial. He's a fair man. All we can do show Thompson the facts, support Jimmy as we can and pray that justice wins."
"Do you think there's really going to be justice for Jimmy?"Noah asked quietly.
Teaspoon smiled wryily. "If it doesn't we'll do what we always do."
*******
Kid turned away from the window to find Lou struggling to get out of bed. "What are you doin'?"
"What's it look like?"Lou replied through gritted teeth. Damn, she had forgotten how much getting shot hurt.
Kid gently placed a hand on her shoulder stopping her movement. "Doc said you're supposed to rest. I'm going to make sure you do that."
Lou sent him a pleading look. "I need to see Jimmy. Make sure he's alright."
Kid shook his head. "You can barely stand, Lou. There's no way I'm lettin' you walk down to the jail house."
"Will you go then?"Lou asked even though she knew she was asking a lot of Kid. She had picked up on his tension every time Jimmy's name was mentioned.
Kid ducked his head. "Lou, you know I'd do anything you ask. But I nearly lost you because of him.....I don't know if I can stand there...."
Lou quickly took his hand in hers. "It wasn't Jimmy's fault, Kid. I walked in on the middle of it. Jimmy told me to stay away but it was too late."
Kid met her gaze. "That man wouldn't have been here if it wasn't for Jimmy's reputation."
"Jimmy can't help what those reporters write about him. People believe what they want to believe Jimmy can't change that. Please Kid, for me. Go see him."
Kid sighed and then reached up with his free hand and gently touched Lou's left cheek. "Alright, but only for you."
"Thank you."Lou replied sincerley.
Kid straightened and let go of her hand. He pulled back the covers so Lou could lay back down.
"I'll bring some supplies with me."Kid stated as he pulled the blankets up around Lou's shoulders. "Wilcox will have to let me in."
Lou felt her strength rapidly depleteing. "Tell Jimmy that I'm alright and that I don't hold him responsible."
Kid tenderly brushed a stray brown hair away from her face. "I will."He promised as he gently kissed her forehead. "Get some sleep."
"I love you."Lou whispered just before sleep overtook her.
"I love you too, Lou."Kid replied as he watched her for a moment before he walked to the door and left the room.
