"Damn! Two smart crooks, it don't seem right." Heyes whispered this to himself, when after an intense search of Master's safe, found nothing he could use with the Governor. After he'd clambered over the wall and back out into the street, he stood in shadow for a few moments as he realised there was really only one other viable option left to him, which meant another long trip to San Francisco.

"I'm leaving, Mr Jacks, definitely on Wednesday and maybe even before."

"Has this got something to do with your interest in Mr Manley?"

Heyes widened his eyes and smiled as innocently as he could, which luckily for him, was very innocently indeed. "No, sir, just thinking it's time to move on. I ain't never been best suited to staying in one place for too long. Figured I could make today my last day. Ain't like you're real busy till later in the week."

Jacks looked at him doubtfully, but nodded and shrugged, before digging into his pocket for his money wallet. He took out enough for Heyes' weekly pay, plus a bonus. "Well I ain't ashamed to admit it Rembacker but I'm real glad I took a chance on you. My takings is up and cheating is down. My business is going to miss you."

Heyes accepted the money with a grin and said. "I taught Chuck and Daley what to look for. They won't spot all the tricks as good as me, but they'll do well enough to make folks think twice about trying anything funny."

XXX

Heyes stared grimly at the timetable, muttering to himself and grumbling, before eventually tossing it onto the bed behind him to join the other three already there. He pushed his chair back and ran his hand through his hair with a frustrated sigh. With or without an asterix, the most efficient method of travel to San Francisco was to wait till Wednesday for the train. The forced inactivity, even for just a couple of days was annoying, but he supposed he could use the time to find out which prison the Kid had been transferred to.

He walked into the general store and as he purchased some bits of pieces asked the shopkeeper as casually as possible. "You seen or heard of any movement up at the prison. Some folk in the saloon were talking about seeing stagecoaches coming and going. I was just curious is all."

"I ain't no idea and ain't too fussed neither to be honest. Don't really affect me one way or the other."

Heyes smiled his thanks and gathered his purchases and walked over to one of the saloons he hadn't worked in, happy to enough to pay the girls for any information they might have. He bought a pretty blonde girl named Millie a drink and smiled at her. "I was just wondering if you knew anything about what goes on at the prison. I heard tell people come and go quite regularly. Wondered if you had any notion of where they went. I'm willing to pay for whatever you know."

"I know nothing worth paying for. Prisoners are driven away about every month, but I sure don't know where they go. All I do know is they leave real early and then everyone pretends they ain't seen nothing. The men who deliver supplies up there might have a better idea, but I figure they won't talk to you."

Heyes smiled and paid her anyway, appreciating her co-operation and honesty. He tipped his hat and headed out to the business responsible for delivering to the prison. After making sure the person on duty wasn't the man he'd spoken to about a job or Haines, he sauntered over to the partially loaded wagon. "You still delivering the same amount of stuff up? I heard rumours that there weren't as many prisoners, as some had been shipped out to some other prison."

"Ain't been told nothing like that, They've not changed their order. " He looked suspiciously at Heyes and added grimly. "Why you so interested anyways?"

Heyes smiled as he gave an answer that would lay the groundwork for the next stage in his plan to free Kid. "I was trying not to give away too much, but I don't want you to get the wrong impression of why I'm asking. I'm scouting for investment opportunities for a client of mine living in 'Frisco. He'd heard Wyoming was willing to transfer some of it's inmates out of territory to prisons that hire out to businesses looking for a source of cheap labour. He figured it'd worth looking into, to maximise the return on his money. Ain't never going to be a shortage of that kinda labour. There's always people willing to break the law who'll end up paying for it, cos they ain't smart enough to avoid getting caught."

Heyes felt no small discomfort as he spoke and sent out a mental apology to his partner as he added silently- or they get sent to jail because they believe in a second chance they were offered by an ass-hat politician and a false friend. Heyes hadn't managed to find anything that'd constitute concrete evidence to present to Lom and then the Governor. But from what he'd found, he thought he had a clear idea of what was happening.

"I ain't sure on that, Mister, but you get your client to speak to the warden up at the prison and he might be able to help."

XXX

Heyes lay on his bed staring at the ceiling, it was only eight am and he'd already eaten and packed up, more than ready for the train leaving at noon. A knock on the door startled him and he hoped that asking questions hadn't brought him some unwanted attention. He sure wasn't expecting visitors. He plastered his most innocent expression on his face, checking in the mirror to ensure it was convincing. He tied on his gun-belt, just in case and checked his gun was easy to reach, just in case, then walked towards the door to answer it.

Heyes was surprised to see Lom Trevors at the door as he opened it wide. He wondered exactly what the man was there for and wished he'd not decided to turn up today He wasn't ready for him yet and his presence was likely only to be a distraction. Still he'd need him in due course and therefore forced himself not to be rude as he said. "Well, this is a surprise." As Heyes watched him he was amused and somewhat surprised to notice that he looked unusually uncomfortable with a crease in his brow. He was even shuffling slightly and Heyes easily stood aside to let him enter, curious at his unusually uncertain demeanour. Lom looked round the room and noticed the bags and raised his eyebrows before perching

on the chair by the door, as Heyes sat back on the bed. They looked at each other in a slightly uneasy silence which Heyes finally broke. "I'm leaving for San Francisco in a few hours. Kinda surprised to see you." He was pleased at how neutral he managed to sound and even felt his lips twitch as Trevors said wryly. "Well Emily ain't exactly happy with me. She's figured out who you and the Kid are and she's refusing to agree a date less I do more to help." He paused then added with a grimace. "She sure can be hard to move when she gets an idea in her head."

The twitch in Heyes' lips shifted into a rueful smile. He knew only too well what that was like and found himself feeling a twinge of sympathy. But if he were being honest with himself, he knew that he'd give just about anything to have the opportunity to get frustrated at his partner's stubborn nature. He swallowed hard against a sudden lump and said. " Well, I'm going to want a meeting with the Governor in due course if my business in 'Frisco goes the way I hope it will."

Lom's expression brightened at the thought of being able to do something useful. "Well I can sort that out Heyes, no problem. I also brought something for you."

He dug out an envelope from his pocket and handed it to Heyes. It was from Laramie and the writing was again unfamiliar to Heyes, but he ripped it open and relief mixed in with some worry swept over him as he read.

Mr Smith,

I ain't exactly sure I should be writing to you. But seeing as I owe your friend my life it didn't seem right not to let you know what'd happened. He's been sent to Bell-rush Prison, near Colorado Springs. I ain't really meant to know, but I overheard the warden talking to some friend of his. Figured you'd find it useful knowing.

M Jenkins.

Heyes handed the letter back to Trevors, who read it in silence before saying softly. "That's one of those new private prisons, a few are getting set up by men coming west from Alabama and Georgia. They're plenty popular down in the south." He stopped and added with some puzzlement. "It isn't illegal transferring prisoners, so I'm not sure why it'd be hushed up."

Heyes laughed at his friend's apparent naivete. "I'm betting Wyoming Territory hasn't a clue about this and aren't seeing a red cent of the money involved. Now I ain't got the proof yet, but I got a plan to find it, which is what I'm hoping to present to the Governor at that meeting."

Trevors nodded. "That oughta give you plenty of leverage with Moonlight. Money talks nice and loud."