Chapter 17

[An Hour Later—Comancheros' Former Camp, South of Trail's End]

Buck followed Mercedes' trail from the livery back out into the desert. Given her condition, he knew the camp couldn't be very far away. He took a draught from his canteen and capped it. He grimaced from the sudden odor wafting from a spot ahead. "You smell that?" He glanced back over his shoulder.

Seven men lingered two lengths behind him. They exchanged looks at each other and then at the stranger.

A large man with a salt and pepper beard and an unruly mop to match on his head rode up to his side. "Gunpowder and burned meat?"

"Yeah I'd say so, Sheriff. Come on," Buck urged. He spurred his horse on around the bend in the trail.

"Cannon! You be careful! We don't know if they're still there!" Sheriff warned. "Of all the…!" He waved the other posse members forward. "Of all the stupid!" He rode quickly after Buck. After rounding the bend, he found Buck already dismounted and scouting about the camp.

Black char marks scorched the desert dirt. Ashes billowed about on the breeze. Hoofprints literally covered the area. Burnt pieces of wood, twisted metal fragments and broken wood stocks littered one area just northeast of the stoned fire circles. Just beyond that, three mounds stuck up from the ground.

"Yeah seems like this was the place." Blue inspected the charred wood. "This has got to be a weapons crate. Could be bullets or powder." He pointed to the metal and broken wooden handles. "I'd say those would've been rifles."

"Seems like it. Your friend sure had a great distraction to escape like she did," the Sheriff presumed.

"Yeah. It was. She was fortunate to get to town much less away from here," Buck declared. "Them Comancheros covered a lot of ground to be out here as well as be at my brother's ranch and in Sonora."

"They probably won't be back," a Native American rider in the posse deduced.

"Maybe. Maybe not. Their leader went to a lot of trouble to kidnap that young lady. A good friend of mine was hurt. I won't take any chances." Buck sifted through the debris. "This will be expensive though. They lost men, weapons and food." He tipped his hat; his eyes scanning the vicinity around them. "They'll restock and double down on our stock."

"So, you want to go after them?" the Sheriff presumed. "Look, Cannon…."

Buck shook his head. "Too much desert to cover. I'd rather keep watch over your town. As soon as the Señorita can travel, we're taking her back to Chaparral. I just hope my big brother left a couple of hands to help defend the place."

The Sheriff nodded. "Sounds good, Cannon. Come on." He turned his horse toward town and rode back in that direction.

Brother John, you want the law. Now we get to deal with them! Buck rolled his eyes. Then he pursued the posse back toward Trail's End.

[Livery Living Quarters—Half an Hour Later]

Blue sipped on his lukewarm coffee. He really wished that Penny had been able to stay there. Still he couldn't deny her making a living at the barber shop. Besides she promised to be back in a few hours. We all have our responsibilities. Can't get on her about that. He held his pistol in his right hand. His eyes remained riveted on the door.

Time crept by akin to molasses in the Wintry North….

He glanced back toward the bedroom. I can't see Mano as a one-woman guy. He was into Perlita but that was more about the funny business than anything else. He plays the field way too much. Miss Mercedes is real nice. Still I wouldn't want her getting hurt. He got up and walked toward the door.

"¿Señor? Can I have help please?" Mercedes called out.

He holstered his pistol and walked up to the door. He slowly opened it. "Can I come in?"

"Si. Gracias," she agreed. As he entered, she covered herself with the sheets and blanket.

"Uh de nada. That's how you say it. Right?" he presumed.

She smiled. "It…is. Thank you. Can you pour me some water please?"

"Sure!" He filled the wooden cup from the waiting water pitcher. Then he handed it to her. "Wish that were colder."

She drank deeply. The water broke Thirst's arid grip on her mouth and throat. "This is good. Gracias."

"Glad to help. And by the way, you can call me Blue. Señor would be my Pa or Uncle Buck. Glad to see your eyes open," he assured her.

She nodded. "Manolito has told me of you. I see why he values your company and friendship."

"And we care about him too," he replied just as earnestly. "Glad to see he's met a nice lady like yourself."

She giggled. "Actually, we've known each other for years, Blue. We met as children. Victoria and I met at the same time. Ah! He would chase us!" Her eyes glittered with Memoria's warmth. "He is only older now. I still see that boy. Mi Manolo." She grinned. "And Penny and you?"

"We're just friends," he informed her.

"Oh? You seem like more than that, Blue. Penny told me about your encounter with the gunfighter." Slyness prompted a small smile. "Manolito mentioned as much to me in passing as well."

"And what did he say about me?" he wondered.

"He said you were very brave. You were also very…umm…¿Como se dice…? Ah…rash," she recounted.

"Yeah well…someone had to stand up to Johnny Keough. I was lucky. Kind of like you busting out of that camp and getting here. That was mighty brave as well. They could've caught you," he deflected.

"Si. I did not wish to suffer the indignities that they would've done. I needed help. I need to know about Manolito. I am healing. I will be ready to leave mañana. I wish to see him, Blue," she argued.

"If the doc says okay, then we leave. I just hope Penny's ready by then," he hedged.

"I hope she is. I would help her if she wishes." She forced herself to sit up in the bed.

"Hey! Be careful! We don't want those wounds coming open again," he urged.

She rolled her eyes at him. "I am all right. You should go back to the front. Perdona mi. I just don't want those animals surprising us."

"I get it. No problem." He refilled her cup. "Just yell again if you need anything."

"Si. I will." She smiled at him. Then she eased herself hack under the covers. She closed her eyes and dozed off.

He walked back out into the front. He drew his pistol once again and held it at the ready.

A loud knocking stirred his attention.

He crept to the door. Much as Big John and Buck had taught him, he approached from the side. He slipped along the wall. "Yeah? Who's out there?"

"Blue Boy, it's me. Take a look already!" Buck yelled back.

Blue glanced through the glass to see his uncle standing there. "Just a minute!" He unlocked the door and opened it. "Anything?"

"Nope. Sheriff formed a posse. We found the camp. Lots of stuff burned and blown to glory," Buck reported. "Three of the Comancheros were buried there. We found a lot of hoofprints. Their weapons were destroyed by an explosion." He glanced toward the bedroom. "How's she doing?"

"I just checked on her. She wants to get out of here. I just refilled her cup and told her that's up to the doc," Blue noted.

"Good." Buck sat down in the wooden chair by the table. "Where's Penny?"

"At the barber shop. She'll be back in a couple of hours she said," Blue told him.

"Girl's not afraid of work. That's good." Buck shrugged. "Big John'll like that."

"Like what? Uncle Buck! First Miss Mercedes and now you?" Blue protested.

"Oh, she sees it too, does she?" Buck coughed loudly. "Blue Boy, what you and that little lady have is special. Trust your Uncle Buck. Since Moon Fire died, I haven't seen you show any interest. Now you're just fitting in with Penny. Might be right. You know?"

"Could be. I just don't want to overload Pa with another person on the ranch. He's got enough to worry about," Blue insisted.

"I think Big John and Victoria would find a place for a hard working and enterprising young lady like Miss Penny, Blue Boy. Don't be selling your Daddy short now. Got it?" Buck reminded him.

"I'd like that, Uncle Buck. He said when Moon Fire was there with us that he wanted me to be with someone and at his side. Think Pa still wants that?" Blue wondered.

"Big John'd like nothing better. Just have faith. Let's see what Doc Rivers has to say when he comes back this afternoon." Buck glanced out the window. "Mercedes is right. I want out of here too."

Blue gulped. He didn't like it when even Buck was jumpy. His hand tightened on his gun. He just needed the self-control to wait and see what happened…..