The week passed more quickly than Kid had expected it to, but there were many things to be done in preparation of their next visit with Heyes. One day Kid rode the rental horse into Laramie and returned it and bought two good riding horses and dickered a fair rental price for two months use of the surrey. He visited the train station and picked up half a dozen train schedules, then stopped and picked up stagecoach schedules as well. Another day Clem dragged Kid into town to help her pick out a new set of clothes for Heyes, clothes that would better fit his thinner frame and give him a dapper appearance when he walked out of the prison on his day of release. Two afternoons were spent sitting on the cabin porch making a list of the weekly responsibilities they would be assigning to Heyes
The day before he and Clem were to visit Heyes again, Kid had his first meeting with his probation Officer. The initial part of the meeting involved the completion of multiple forms to get Kid 'into the system.' The second half of the meeting also included a series of questions, but these were designed more to acquaint the Officer with the client and was an informal period in which Kid was also able to ask questions as well as answer them.
"Have you been out of the State of Wyoming since you've been release Mr. Curry?'
Kid shook his head but didn't answer the question directly. "Is there a way possible to leave the state of Wyoming at any time during this probation?"
"In what capacity?"
"Uh?"
"Why would you be wanting to do that?"
"Oh, a visit with someone."
"Someone with a criminal record?"
"I don't know if he's got a criminal record."
"You would have to provide me with the name of the person you would be seeing so we could determine if he or she is an appropriate person for you to be in contact with."
"An appropriate person?'
"That's right."
"You mean, if a person's got a criminal record, even if they done their time, I ain't to have no contact with him?"
"Just for the period of time you are on probation."
"What if I was to live with someone who is on probation?"
"That is simply not permitted...Are you living with someone?"
Kid nodded.
"Someone with a criminal record?"
Kid shook his head.
"Might I have the name of that someone?"
"What if I was to say no?"
"We would use other means to ascertain the information, contact the local Sheriff, perhaps pay an unannounced visit to the home."
"Look, my partner is getting out of prison in a couple of months. He's gonna be moving in with me."
"I'm afraid that is not possible, Mr. Curry."
"Not even if we notify you in advance?"
The officer shook his head. "I'm sorry. Laws are laws. I don't make the laws, I just make sure people like you abide by them."
"People like me?"
"I didn't mean anything by that, Mr. Curry. It is just that the Probation Department has a certain responsibility to those on probation, a responsibility to ensure they don't...slide backwards into a life of crime again."
"And you think me living with my partner is going to slide me back into a life of crime again?"
"It presents the temptation to do just that."
"Look, prison sends you packing with ten dollars in your pocket. How are you supposed to put your life back together on ten dollars? He needs a good, safe place to stay and I can give him that."
"I'm sorry, Mr. Curry. It is just not possible."
"Do you people know anything about rehabilitation? I mean Heyes and me had gone straight, together, for five years before we ever went to prison. We was doing just fine until we decided to let the Department of Corrections get involved."
"Like I said, Mr. Curry, I don't write the rules...Now, back to the name of the person you are now living with?"
Kid's tongue rolled across the inside of his cheek. "Clementine Hale."
"Are you married, or..."
"Or what, living in sin?"
The Officer didn't reply.
"Look, it ain't what you think. It ain't dirty."
The Officer nodded nervously and scribbled Clem's name on his paper.
"Listen, if I was to break this rule about living with someone with a criminal record, what would happen?"
"You'd go back to prison."
"For how long?"
"That would be up to the Court to determine."
Kid sighed heavily, suddenly feeling very frustrated "Is there anything more we got to talk about today?"
"I think we've covered everything that needs to be covered. I'll schedule you in for one month from today at the same time."
"You do that," Kid said, stood, and walked out the door, climbed on his horse, and raced toward home.
Clem was on the porch shaking out a rug when Kid came racing in at a full gallop. Clem watched as Kid brought the horse to a halt near the barn, jumped off and grabbed and tugged the reins with an angry force to lead the animal into the barn. She watched him brush right past her and storm into the house.
Clem's first thought was the whiskey, but she made herself stay out on the porch with her work, trusting Kid to make the right decision.
Ten minutes later and only a little better tempered, Kid walked out to the porch holding a tin cup that was not steaming. He saw Clem look at the cup in his hand and then raise her eyes to his.
"Just water, Clem."
Clem nodded. "What happened?"
Kid leaned on the post and looked out at the distant mountains. "They said Heyes can't move in here."
"What?"
Kid shook his head. "Two people on probation can't live under the same roof."
"Why?"
Kid laughed sarcastically. "Bad influence on each other. Can you believe that? Heyes and me being a bad influence on each other?"
Clem shook her head and walked up beside Kid and gently rubbed his back with her open palm.
"There's got to be some way around that. What if the two of you lived in a boarding house?
Kid shook his head. "And we can't visit nobody with a criminal record."
"Like the friend who is helping you financially?"
"Uh-uh. Seems kinda stupid that we could live under the same roof for five years at the prison, but we can't do the same now."
"Did they tell you why?"
"Cause we might be a bad influence on each other. One of us might lead the other back in to a life of crime. What they don't seem to understand is that Heyes and me being partners is what keeps us on the straight and narrow."
"Maybe that should be the next problem to present to Heyes, Kid. He is one to find loopholes. Maybe he could think of a way."
"Hell, Clem, we ain't any better off now than we were before we agreed to that plea bargain. Wyoming' still got it's filthy claws buried deep into the both of us."
Clem leaned her head against Kid's arm feeling almost as miserable and frustrated as Kid.
"Kid, maybe we should tell Heyes about this tomorrow. Get his brain working on something that would really be helpful."
Kid nodded, his own mind racing.
0-0-0-0-0-
"You two are in cubicle number four," the clerk told Kid and Clem when they signed in for visitation. "I have to inspect anything you brought for him."
"Didn't bring him nothing," Kid reported and clasped Clem's upper arm to escort her to the small booth with the single chair.
"Kid, you sit this time so you can talk to him better."
Kid sat down and scooted the chair up closer to the bars. Within a few minutes a guard brought a manacled Heyes to the cubical and pushed him into the chair.
"You two are starting to make a habit of this," Heyes said with a smile. "Don't get me wrong, I'm glad your are."
"Heyes," Kid said quietly. "You're gonna be getting out in two months, and Probation says you and me can't live under the same roof."
A fleeting look that flashed through Heyes eyes did not go unseen by his partner.
"Heyes, Probation says two ex-cons living under the same roof could be a bad influence on each other. I'm giving you a week to figure out a way around that. You think you can do that?"
The slight turn of Heyes head and the movement of his eyes told Kid that Heyes was concerned about the guard. This too, brought Kid hope that some part of his partner was keenly aware of what Kid had been telling him. But it also told Kid to be very careful as to what was actually discussed.
"I'm looking forward to seeing moonlight again," Heyes said.
"What?" Kid asked, instantly thinking his partner was beginning to digress in his thoughts.
Heyes shrugged. "Sunshine too, but...moonlight... is important."
"Ohhh, right. There is something kind of...accommodating about moonlight," Kid replied.
Worry lines formed on Clem's forehead and she took a step forward. "Heyes...are you even listening to Kid?"
"Oh, yeah, of course, Clem. Just thinking about... things I've been missing out on in here. Kid understands, don't you, Kid?"
Kid nodded. "Yeah, Heyes, I understand."
"Time's up," the guard announced.
"We'll be back next week, Heyes. You need anything?"
"No, Kid. Just see what you can do about the moonlight.
Kid gave Heyes a slight but knowing smile. "I will."
Kid, what was that all about, sunshine and moonlight?" Clem asked as they headed down the road toward the cabin.
"When Heyes and me was still trying to get amnesty, Wyoming went through four governors in almost that many years. A man by the name of Moonlight was one of em. Heyes thinks he may be able to help us."
"But he isn't the Governor now, right? So, how is he going to be of any help?"
"You're right, he ain't the Governor now. But he likely still has political connections. He knows Heyes and me, and he knew Lom. I suspect Heyes thinks Moonlight might be able to pull some political strings and get the current Governor to make an exception in our case."
"Who's the current Governor?"
Kid smiled. "I have no idea, Clem. I quite keeping track of that merry-go-round about five years ago. I just hope Moonlight has some influence with this new one."
"Kid, Heyes is in better shape than we thought he was, isn't he?"
"He thought of this idea pretty quick," he said proudly.
"Do you know where this Moonlight is?"
Kid shook his head. "But I'm hoping my librarian lady friend knows, or can look it up for me. Of course I might have to start returning the favors..."
Clem smiled and slapped Kid's shoulder lightly "Kid, you know there are other ways to a woman's heart, right?"
Kid grinned. "Ain't her heart I'm after."
"I keep forgetting you've been out of commission for five years."
"Yep, got a lot of catching up to do."
The following afternoon Kid rode into Laramie and headed directly for the library. As he walked through the doors, Kid breathed a short sigh of relief seeing Miss Geimer behind the desk.
"Excuse me, Ma'am," Kid said, removing his hat and displaying his most charming smile.
"Mr. Curry," she replied with a smile. "How was your dinner the other evening."
"Oh, it went very nicely, Ma'am, thanks to you of course."
She blushed sweetly.
"I wonder if I could call upon you for another favor?"
"Of course. How can I help?"
"Well, two things, actually. The first is in regard to our former Governor Moonlight. I was wondering just exactly where he is residing now."
"Let me see if I can find that information for you," she replied, stepping out from behind the counter and heading down a long aisle, lined on either side with tall shelves filled with books. Kid followed closely behind and stood beside her when she stopped and carefully searched for a specific book.
"Ah, here we are," she said, reaching for a book on the uppermost shelf.
"Oh, let me, Ma'am," Kid said and retrieved the book for her.
She thumbed through the pages until she found what she was looking for. "Here it is. He lives on Meridian Street in Cheyenne. I'll write the address down for you," she said with a smiled and returned to her desk. Again, Kid followed.
She wrote the address down and handed it to Kid who thanked her and slipped the paper in his shirt pocket.
"And the second thing?" she asked.
Kid rested one elbow on the counter top and leaned in slightly. "Well, Ma'am, as kind and helpful as you've been, I was hoping I might be able to take you to dinner?
She blushed shyly. "Oh, that isn't necessary..."
"I know it ain't necessary, Ma'am. But it's something I'd like to do, that is, if I'm not being too forward."
Although shy, she was also intrigued. "I get off work at four-thirty. There's a nice diner across the street."
Kid flashed her his charming, boyish smile. "I'll be here, Ma'am. By the way, my name is Jed."
"I'm Althea,"
"Well, Althea, I'll see you again at four-thirty."
0-0-0-0-0-
"Well you're back early," Clem said when Kid walked in to the cabin before the sun had set. I thought you were going to bed the librarian?"
"Seems 'Althea' had something else in mind," Kid grumbled, not wanting to hash out his sexual prowess with the likes of Clem.
"What did she have in mind?" Clem asked, pressing for information.
"Well, if you must know, because I kept coming in asking her questions instead of looking up the information myself...she thought I couldn't read."
Clem couldn't stifle her laughter.
"She wanted to teach you to read?" Clem giggled.
"Seems she's quite dedicated to her work," Kid replied.
"Oh, Kid, I am sorry," Clem said, but was still unable to hide her amusement
"When I told her I could read just fine, but I just didn't have no interest in books, well she got herself all offended."
"I guess you won't be heading to the library anymore, uh?"
"That'll be your job if we've got anything else we got to look up. I'm going to bed."