Ch 9

Teaspoon gathered all the riders the next morning. Buck and Ike had luckily just rode back in from visiting the village. They rode right into the middle of it. Shocked to find Jimmy missing.

"Thank God you're back Buck. I know your tired but you came just at the right time."

"It's no problem Teaspoon. I'll see what I can find."

"Cody, we'll see you when ya get back. Ride safe son."

"I will Teaspoon. Just find Jimmy."

Buck tracked them as far as the river before he lost them. He knelt down and looked.

"He was put on horseback so it had to be someone strong enough to get him up there. They also knew how to hide their tracks."

"Let's split up. Head each way down the river and see if we find anything."

Kid, Lou, and Noah rode north while Teaspoon, Buck, and Ike rode south. They met back where they started. They found nothing.

"Nothing." Said Kid.

"Damn. Us either."

"What do we do now?" Asked Lou.

"I ain't sure." Said Teaspoon looking around him.

Jimmy slowly opened his eyes. He lifted his head slightly. He focused on his surroundings. He realized that he was tied and sitting in a chair. He was gagged. He jumped as he felt something touch his hair. Someone was brushing his hair. He stopped and waited.

"I'm sorry that she had to hit you. I truly am. I tried to do it the easy way but you never would eat any of my gifts. It will all be just fine now since you are home." The person said as they kept running a brush through his hair.

Jimmy felt his heart drop. He recognized the voice. It couldn't be. The door to the room opened then and someone else stepped in.

"He ok now?"

"He sure is Dot. Just fine."

"Sorry bout that Shannon. It wasn't how I wanted to do things."

"It's ok. It all worked out and my husband is fine."

Jimmy flinched. Her husband? Shannon put the brush down and came to stand in front of him.

"Steven, I am so glad that you are home. Now that you are back where you belong, you won't be leaving me ever again. I love you dear." Shannon kissed him on the cheek and left.

Jimmy frantically looked around the room. He was in a bedroom downstairs. He noticed a picture on the dresser. It was of a man who actually kind of looked like him but not quite. He was tall and slender with long brown hair. He tried his ropes but he couldn't get them to loosen. He had to get free. The door opened and Shannon came back in with a pitcher of water and a basin. Dot came in behind with some rags.

"I am so sorry honey that Dot hit you. I'm going to clean this up for you and rewrap it. I cleaned it last night but I just want check. I have always taken such good care of you."

Jimmy tried to talk but couldn't get anything out past the gag in his mouth. He could only sit while she checked his head and wrapped it back tight.

"Supper will be ready shortly. I know you must be starved."

With that said, they left. Jimmy tried to find a way out of this. He had to. He couldn't stay here. Then he thought heard a horse approaching. He tried to scoot his chair across the floor. The door opened and Dorothy came in. She untied him from the chair and went to pull him up. Jimmy saw his chance as he jumped up knocking her to the ground. He went to run out the door. Shannon stepped out in his way. He pushed past her and kept running. He heard heavy footsteps right behind. Suddenly everything went dark. Shannon had hit Jimmy with her water pitcher. She watched as the pitcher shattered and he fell to the floor. Dot came and hauled him off. Shannon opened the trap door as Dot pulled Jimmy down under the floor. They closed the door and pulled the rug over the top. Shannon composed herself and went to the front door. Teaspoon was pulling to a halt at her front steps along with Kid.

"Miss Shannon." He said as he tipped his hat.

"Teaspoon, Kid. What brings you out this way?"

"I was wondering if you happened to see Jimmy lately or seen anyone passing by that looked off."

"No sir. Why?"

"We can't locate him at the moment. Just checking with our neighbors."

"My goodness. I can't believe such a thing."

"Please watch yourselves until we know more."

Jimmy thought he heard something. He opened his eyes and found darkness. He was locked in some sort of room. He listened. It was Teaspoon. He tried to scream but couldn't. He tried to kick and fight but the ropes were too tight. He felt something brush against his boot. He became still. He wasn't alone.

"You should just stop trying. You won't be able to get free. You belong here now with us." The voice said.

Jimmy couldn't answer. The person carefully removed his gag but Teaspoon had already gone. It was a girl. She ran her hand down his face.

"Whose there?"

A match was lit and the person came closer.

"Scarlett? From the saloon in Saddle Falls?What's going on?"

"No, not anymore. They call me Ellen. I'm Ellen now."

Jimmy watched the girl. She was jumpy and slightly shaking. Her eyes looked strange.

"I don't understand."

"You are her Steven. Finally he is home." Smiled Ellen hugging herself and rocking.

"She thinks I'm her husband."

Ellen looked confused. She looked all around the room as she fell back shaking.

"Steven, you are her husband and I am her sister."

Something was off with this girl. He just saw her a while back and she definitely wasn't acting like this. She seemed to have lost her mind.

"We are going to get out of here. I swear it."

"Why, they have what I need."

"What?"

Just then the trap door popped open.

"What the hell you tellin him Ellen? You know you ain't allowed to talk. Git out of there and go to your room!" Yelled Dot.

Ellen climbed out and quickly climbed the stairs. Jimmy sat looking up at the behemoth of a woman. She pulled him out and took him back to his room. She tied him back to the chair.

She looked at him after she made sure he was tied tight.

"Shannon ain't gonna like ya talkin to Ellen."

"What the fuck is wrong with you people?" Asked Jimmy.

"Ya don't use that kind of language Steven." Dot said as she jerked his head back by his hair.

"I ain't Steven." Mumbled Jimmy.

"Ya are. If'n ya hurt Shannon in any way, you'll be sorry." She said as she tied the gag in his mouth again.

She let go and left the room. He heard her heavy footsteps as she walked away. He looked around the sparsely furnished room. A dresser with that one picture. A small bed and the chair that he was tied to. He saw all of his gifts that he had tossed sitting in a crate in the corner. He growled as he tugged the ropes and twisted his wrists. He fought them until his wrists were raw. He heard steps coming. The door opened and Shannon came in with a tray of food. She walked by him and placed the tray on the bed.

"I hope you like your supper Steven. I worked very hard on it."

Jimmy just sat still. He was still gagged. He looked around and out the open door. Shannon walked to stand in front of him.

"I'm going to take this nasty thing off so we can chat. Oh how I've missed your company."

She untied and pulled the gag out of his mouth. Jimmy looked at her frowning.

"You act like you don't even know me. My goodness, we have been married almost two years now. Stop looking at me like that."

"I'm not Steven."

"Don't be silly. I have made a delicious dinner."

"My name is James Hickok. I ain't Steven. You know that."

"Steven please. I knew it was you that first night we saw you. The same night we found my sister in that saloon. It was destiny. It was easy to find out where you have been hiding after that. Let me get the tray for you. I have gotten your clothes all washed and put away so you can change out of those old work clothes."

"I ain't Steven damnit!" Yelled Jimmy.

Shannon slammed the tray of food to the floor. Dorothy came running in the room as Shannon screamed. Jimmy suddenly remembered a heavy woman stepping in his way at the saloon fight. It was her.

"Why are you acting like this! Why!" She yelled as she started pulling her hair.

Jimmy stopped as his thoughts got interrupted and he looked on at the crazy.

"Cause you are crazy lady! I ain't him!" He yelled.

Shannon screamed again and stomped her foot. Dorothy strode over to Jimmy.

"You tell her ya name now!"

"My name is Jimmy Hickok!"

Dorothy got so angry that she started shaking and panting. Jimmy could smell the stench of tobacco on her breath. Dot looked to Shannon having a melt down. Jimmy saw her pull something out of her pocket. It was nothing like he had ever seen. She had a bottle of something. She stuck the thing in there and walked back to him.

"What the fuck is that?!" Yelled Jimmy struggling harder against the ropes.

"This will make it all better for now. We didn't want to do it this way like we done Ellen. This is your fault!"

Dorothy grabbed ahold of him. He couldn't move as he watched her stab it in his arm. He yelled out. Within minutes his world started getting hazy. He watched the two women standing a little ways off. The room began to spin. He blinked several times but he couldn't clear his focus. His mind was blurring and he couldn't think straight. He relaxed and bowed his head becoming still. Dorothy walked over and pulled his head up. She looked in his eyes.

"He is my husband!" Shouted Shannon.

"He sure is Shannon. He has been lost so long that he is just confused. He will be good the rest of the night. He will remember."

"I need him to. I need my life back." Cried Shannon.

"Why don't ya go see ya sister. Go play with ya dollhouse. I'll take care of Steven."

Shannon nodded her head and went up the stairs. Dot walked over to Jimmy. She looked in his eyes and could see how unfocused he was. He was relaxed and breathing slowly.

"Ya can't act this way Steven."