DEAD/ALIVE Chapter Eight

"GET OUT!" Joanie screamed.

"You know I can't do that." Kid said softly.

" YES. YOU. CAN!" She said through gritted teeth, as she repeatedly slapped him across the face.

Kid didn't try to fight back. His hands hung passively by his sides. She reared her hand back to strike him again, when the look in his eyes stopped her. Her hand hung in the air as she collapsed to the edge of the bed; her hand dropping to her lap. Joanie let out a shuddering sob. She closed her eyes and wrapped her arms around herself. She started moaning, as she began to quickly rock back and forth.

Her mind flashed to her hand gently moving over his injured face less than two weeks ago. She had apologized to him for not trusting him. Joanie opened her eyes. Tears glistened in them. Her hand slowly reached out and lightly touched the angry red marks left on his face.

He took her hand in his, "Do you trust me?"

She nodded.

"Get dressed."

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The commotion was growing louder and louder outside the door

Heyes quickly glanced at the closed door ."Thaddeus! Going to need a little help out here."

He turned his attention back to the men "I can shoot six of you...might not kill you all but if I miss...I miss low...Thad-"

The door suddenly swung open. Kid emerged with Joanie. His .45 was in his right hand. Joanie held tightly to his left arm.

"Looks like we just doubled the odds and my friend don't miss...ever."

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Joanie rode double with Kid until they thought they were clear of the irate bar patrons of Coldwater.

They rode half the day until they reached a town large enough to have the five things they needed: a hotel with food, livery stable, telegraph office, railroad station and no law.

As they passed the telegraph office, Heyes caught Kid's eye. It was finally time to get their answer.

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While Joanie enjoyed her bath, Heyes and Kid settled into their room. Heyes turned the chair backwards and straddled it before sitting down. He crossed his arms across the back and rested his head on his arms. He watched as Kid slowly pulled clean clothes out of his saddle bags.

"Do you have a plan?" Heyes asked.

Kid stopped. He suddenly looked miserable. He was relieved to have Joanie back, but he knew what Heyes was asking and he didn't have an answer.

"I'm assuming by your expression…"

"I can't plan like you Heyes. I can see things one at a time but…"

"You want to hear my plan?"

"You have one?" Kid looked surprised. "Really?"

Heyes quickly raised his head off his arms.. "We send two telegrams. But we have to wait for both answers".

"Two?" Kid looked confused.

"Two." Heyes said with a nod and a smile. "I'm going to go send them now. Then all we do is wait. You concentrate on taking care of Joanie...and I'll do the rest."

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Heyes carefully began writing out the telegrams. He read them. Reread them. Threw them away and started over, again and again. The telegrapher watched until Heyes had composed them to his satisfaction. He finally settled on; short, sweet and cheap.

"This is it?" The man turned the telegrams over and looked at the front and backs of each paper. "Mister, not to be complaining, but it took you an hour to write these?" He shook his head.

"It will be a dollar and a quarter...I know you used more than that in paper," he mumbled under his breath.

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Kid looked down the hall before quietly slipping into the room.

"Trying to make sure someone doesn't see you coming into my room? If you are trying to protect my reputation...you're a little late." There was sadness tinged with bitterness in her voice.

Kid pulled up a wooden chair and took her hand that was resting on the tub. He wiped the soap off it and lightly kissed it. He held her hand as he lowered his head then raised it and looked deeply into her eyes.

"I'm not good with words, like Joshua." He hesitated as he drew in a deep breath and slowly exhaled. "I can only say the words and hope that you believe them. I can show you how much I care...", he gave her a small laugh. "Dammit Joanie, I love you. " He squeezed her hand harder. "I have never said those words to another person."

"Never?" She searched his eyes for any indication he was lying.

"I might have told my folks as a child, but honestly I have no recollection".

She had said that to men countless times; telling a customer what they wanted to hear, her words without any truth or conviction.

"But why me? Why me?"

Kid looked confused, "Well...why not you?"

"Because I'm a…" She started.

"I've never looked at you that way."

"But how do you know you love me?"

"Like I said I'm not too good with words...but it's not words. It's a feeling. It's this warmth I feel when I'm with you. It's like being wrapped in an old quilt….all comfortable and warm. You feel safe. It's wanting to smile...and...it's like being thrown by a bronc and hitting the ground so hard it takes your breath away. You take my breath away."

A slow smile came to Joanie's face. "I think when you got thrown from that bronc...you hit your head."

Kid laughed.

"And I think you missed a spot," he said as he reached out and wiped soap off her face. He stood up and leaned over the tub and kissed her where he had cleared the soap.

"You got any more spots, Miss Stubbs?"

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Kid wrapped his arms around Joanie and pulled her close. He was almost asleep when Joanie gently pulled free and rolled over on her side. She propped up on an elbow and looked into his face.

"Do you know what we are doing? Where are we going." She asked in a hushed whisper.

"Sssh...Don't worry, Joshua has a plan." Kids eyes remained closed.

"Thaddeus, what does that mean?"

"Not sure of the specifics but if he says he has a plan…"

"And you have that much faith…"

"Yes I do." Kid said as he opened his eyes.

Joanie looked deep into his eyes. After a moment she said. "Trust you?" Joanie said. "Right?"

Kid smiled and gave her a small nod before he closed his eyes.

When Kid woke, he found a note from Heyes that had been slipped under the door. It said to meet him in the dining room and that he had received an answer to one of the telegrams. Kid wondered which one.

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Heyes made arrangements to winter the horses until their return in the spring. He paid in advance, knowing he was paying more for board than their worth, but as he told the two "horse thieves"...they liked their horses.

He purchased three train tickets, then checked with the telegraph office and was surprised to see he had a reply to one of the telegrams. He smiled as he read it before tucking it into his pocket.

"Will you be sending a reply?" The man reluctantly asked. The office was due to close in twenty minutes.

"Yes, I think I will."

The man groaned.

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Kid wasn't in the room when he returned. Heyes smiled, even Harry Briscoe could have figured out where he was. He hung his holster on the back of the chair and took his boots off before stretching out on the bed. He locked his hands behind his head.

Heyes wondered how Jane was doing. He had stopped at the saloon for a beer and an intoxicated cowboy was colorfully describing his day to his equally intoxicated friend. The man had noticed that Heyes appeared to be listening to their conversation and had taken offense.

"What the fuck?! This don't fucking concern you!"

"I meant no offense." Heyes said apologizing. "Can I buy you and your friend a drink? You just remind me of a friend."

"Well your friend must be one fucking good looking man."

The man looked at his friend and they roared with laughter. "And we'll take you up on your offer. We've never been known to turn down a fucking drink...and we ain't about to start now."

Thinking of Jane made Heyes smile with fondness. Being the betting man that he was, it was a safe bet that God had only made one Jane. He would take those odds anytime.

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The suspense was killing Kid. Heyes was using his poker face, giving Kid no indication if they had an answer to their long awaited amnesty.

"Well?" Kid whispered in Heyes' ear.

Heyes shook his head no.

"What does that mean? No, we haven't received an answer? Or the answer is no?" Kid whispered, exasperated.

"No, we haven't received an answer." Heyes looked equally disappointed.

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"You ever been to San Francisco, Miss Stubbs?" Heyes asked. He took another bite of his steak and watched her expression. Kid looked up from his meal at Heyes.

San Francisco? Soapy!

Heyes saw by Kid's expression that he had figured it out. He gave Kid a wink.

She laid her knife and fork down. "San...San Francisco?" Joanie looked quickly from Heyes to Kid; searching to see if it was a serious question.

"I thought we would head west. As far west as one can go before getting wet." Heyes said.

Joanie looked uncomfortable, "I don't have any money…I can't pay…"

"I didn't ask if you had money...I asked if you had even been to San Francisco." Heyes said with a smile.

"No... I'd imagined going there...one day."

"We leave, day after tomorrow on the Union Pacific."

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Heyes was getting worried. The response to the second telegram had not arrived. He waited until the last possible moment, but when the conductor called out "All aboard" he had no choice but to board the train. They were getting settled into their seats when Heyes thought he heard someone call out his name. Kid heard it too, as they both jumped up and looked out of the train's window.

The boy was red faced and out of breath as he ran up and down the length of the train.

"TELEGRAM FOR JOSHUA SMITH! TELEGRAM FOR JOSHUA SMITH!" He shouted.

Heyes and Kid hurried to the last railcar and threw the coach door open. Heyes called to the boy but he hadn't heard because of the loud shrill whistle of the train. Kid and Heyes grabbed the rail as the train started with a jolt. The boy turned in time to see Heyes waving frantically at him. The boy quickly sprinted to him.

"JOSHUA SMITH?" He yelled over the whistle.

Heyes nodded. He quickly passed the telegram to Heyes who tossed the boy several coins. The boy snatched them out of the air and hurried away from the slow moving train. The train gradually started picking up speed.

"You realize we haven't really talked about our amnesty in...at least two months. Maybe we've put too much importance on it." Heyes said, as he lowered his eyes and looked at the folded piece of paper

Kid stared at the telegram in Heyes' hand. Their eyes met as a slow smile came to both their faces. The telegram began to dance in his hand as the train increased speed. Heyes looked a final time at Kid before his fingers opened and the paper jumped out of his hand and floated away in the wind.

They were free.