Ch 13

Buck rode back up to see Noah still sitting beside Jimmy in the grass.

"You tried to wake him?"

"No. I wasn't sure if I wanted to. I can't handle all this."

Buck kneeled down and shook Jimmy. He shook him harder. Jimmy started moving around. He slowly opened his eyes. He put his arm over them to block the sun. He licked his lips.

"Jimmy?" Asked Buck.

Jimmy looked at Buck. He closed his eyes.

"What do you want?"

"Jimmy, do you know where you are?"

Jimmy moved his arm and went to push himself up. He flinched and closed his hands. He held them up. He had cut his hands somehow. Buck helped him ease up. He looked around in confusion.

Buck watched him stare at his hands and surroundings.

"Jimmy, do you know how you got here?"

"Am I on the plain?"

"Sort of."

"Why don't I have a shirt on? What happened to my hands?"

"You don't remember anything?" Asked Noah.

Jimmy looked to Noah for the first time. He suddenly felt sick. His head was killing him. He turned and puked until he couldn't anymore.

"You ok?" Asked Buck.

"I am now." Jimmy said laying back on the grass.

"You drink last night? You threw up nothin but whiskey." Said Noah.

"All I remember is eating at the dance."

Buck looked to Noah. Jimmy watched them.

"Why? What's wrong?"

"You stirred up some trouble at the saloon last night. Folks say you were drinking a lot."

"I didn't go to the saloon. I don't think I did."

"A girl was killed last night. She had your shirt."

"What?"

"Matilda Matthews was found stabbed to death with glass from the saloon in the livery along with another man. The town is looking for you."

Jimmy looked at his bloody hands. He looked back to Buck and Noah with fear on his face.

"I don't remember what I did last night."

Teaspoon found Jesse still in the loft. He called him down. Jesse stood in front of Teaspoon.

"You know what happened to Jimmy, dontcha?"

"No sir."

"Not what I heard. Jesse, he is in deep shit. I got to know what you know."

Jesse looked down at his boots.

"It was Cody's idea to get back at him for making him look like a fool in front of all the girls in town. He just wanted to embarrass him in front of everyone. It wasn't supposed to happen like this."

"Jesse, what did y'all do?"

"Cody had me go to Thompkins and buy some powder stuff for toothaches and such."

"And?"

"Cody got mad after he put that sign on his back in front of everybody so he put something in Jimmy's drink. Then I was supposed to put some of that stuff on his food. I got nervous and put more than he told me. I swear we didn't know that this would happen."

"Didn't know, huh. Well y'all took it too far! Now Jimmy could get killed over all this! Come with me."

"Where are we going?"

"To the jail."

Buck and Noah led Jimmy to a hidden meadow inside the valley. Buck made a fire while Noah followed Jimmy to the creek. Jimmy leaned over and washed the blood off of him. He washed and wrapped his hands.

"Jimmy, we are gonna find out what went on."

"Did I kill them? Honestly, Noah."

"It is all pointing at you right now. I doubt it though. You couldn't have done this."

"I don't remember. Why can't I remember?"