Ch 15

Buck tracked them to where Jimmy had made a run for it. Buck jumped from his horse.

"He jumped here. He ran that way."

"They follow?"

"They did and fast."

They followed the tracks til they came to the clearing with the cabin. The man's body lay in the dirt next to the door.

"Oh my God." Muttered Teaspoon.

"What the hell?" Asked Kid.

Teaspoon dismounted and walked over to the man who was laying in a pool of blood. He didn't need to check for any life. There wasn't much left.

"Noah, inside."

Noah jumped down and made his way inside.

"Someone was here. Went through the window."

Buck leapt from his horse and went to the other side of the cabin. He looked at everything.

"The glass cut him up pretty good but he got clear."

Buck followed the boot prints.

"They got him here. They have him again."

"My Lord." Said Teaspoon.

"They pulled him back this way, back the direction we came. Different path."

"How far behind are we?"

"The blood on the glass is still wet. We just missed them. Maybe by an hour or so."

"Ike, Noah. Let's bury this man. We can't leave him here."

"We'll stay and take care of him, Teaspoon. Y'all go ahead. We'll catch up." Said Noah as Ike agreed.

"Be careful boys. Let's go."

Teaspoon, Buck, Kid, and Lou mounted up and rode away from the horrible scene.

Shannon stopped by a small stream. Dot helped her wash the blood away and put on a clean dress. Jimmy groaned and moved his head. He cracked his eyes open. He was tied again. His arms were tied out front. He noticed that his cuts had been cleaned. His forearms wrapped over the deeper ones. They had put another gag on him. He dropped his head back in defeat. He heard them talking next to the wagon.

"We should be in town in just a few. We'll get a room at the hotel. Then we'll decide our next move." Said Dot.

"People are gonna see him. They will take him from me."

"No they won't. I have a some medicine left. I'll give it to him. We'll just pass him off as a drunk. No one will know. Ya will be fine."

"I don't know what I'd do without you Dot."

Jimmy pulled at the ropes. He strained and twisted with all he had. He saw Dot come to stand over him. He looked up at her. He yelled into the gag as he struggled to try to free himself.

"Stop it. Ya make Shannon upset when you leave. It makes her do things she shouldn't."

Jimmy yelled again as he tried to get his hands free. He moved his wrists until he felt the blood running down his hands. Dot shook her head.

"I told ya to stop it. Ya just hurtin yaself. We going into town. Since you can't calm down, reckon it's time for ya medicine."

Dot pulled out the bottle and the needle. Jimmy screamed against the gag again as she tried to grab hold of him.

"Stop ya squirmin! I'm going to give ya a little more. You should be very happy. Nothin will worry ya."

Jimmy fought as much as he could. The big woman pushed him down and stepped on his wrist to hold him in place. She stuck the needle in. A warming sensation flooded through his body and soon Jimmy was in another world. She untied his hands and cleaned the blood off his hands. She helped him into the wagon.

"Shannon! Time to go!"

"He ok?"

"Just fine dear. Just drunk." She said as she winked at Shannon.

"We need to change his shirt before we head in to town."

Dot held Jimmy up as Shannon took his shirt off. She tossed the dirty shirt off to the side. She pulled on a clean one and started buttoning it up.

"Steven really is a handsome man." Shannon said touching Jimmy's face.

"He is Shannon. Now enough of that. We got to get moving. Make sure his wrists are covered."

They made sure he looked presentable before setting off toward the town of Benton.

Buck led the others to the stream.

"They stopped here."

"Look." Said Lou.

She walked over and found a bloodied dress tossed to the side. Kid found a torn and bloodied man's shirt.

"Looks like they cleaned up." Said Kid.

"They are heading to town." Said Buck.

"We are getting closer." Said Teaspoon.

They rode on toward the town of Benton.