DEAD/ALIVE - Chapter Nineteen

The young woman behind Heyes and Kid turned as if scanning the line of people waiting to board as they shifted impatiently in the cold Denver weather. Her eyes briefly met Dan Dority's, lingering long enough to see the subtle nod of his head. She nodded back before she gathered her long skirt with one hand and readjusted her small bag as she discreetly followed behind Heyes and Kid.

Kid slid into the first seat that was available. Heyes smiled. It seemed as if Kid thought if they got quickly settled the quicker the train would be on its way. He started to point out his observation when a young woman interrupted, "Excuse me. Is this seat taken?"

Both Heyes and Kid stood up in unison. " No Ma'am." Heyes said, motioning to the empty seat. He reached his hand out to offer assistance with her bag. She politely smiled and shook her head. They resumed their seats, while Kid's attention was focused outside on the snow that continued to fall. Heyes introduced himself. "I'm Joshua…and he is Thaddeus." Heyes nodded his head towards his partner. Kid quickly looked away from the window. "Sorry Ma'am. Just kind of anxious to get going."

"No need to call me Ma'am. Meg will do fine."

Heyes studied her as he made polite conversation while Kid looked anxiously out the window, imagining in days he would be in Joanie's arms. He closed his eyes and felt the touch of her skin pressed close to him; the taste of her lips…to make love with a familiarity that he only shared with her.

He sighed. He hoped the snow wouldn't persist and delay the train.

Meg was a small woman, who was slightly overweight. Her coat and dress looked new to Heyes, but her high laced shoes were scuffed and old. He discreetly studied her face as he made small conversation with her. He had immediately noticed that she looked older than her years. She had that hard look in her eyes of a working girl. She held her small bag clutched so tightly in her hands, that Heyes suspected held all her worldly possessions.

"Are you going all the way to San Francisco?"

Heyes nodded. "And you?"

There was a pause before she cleared her throat and said, "Yes. I've never been there. Have you?"

"Yep…a few times."

"I heard it's beautiful. And the ocean…I've never seen the ocean" She looked wistful.

"You got family…"

Heyes stopped when he saw a flash of pain cross Meg's eyes, "Friends?" He quickly asked.

She shook her head, "Born and raised in Colorado. Never been anywhere else."

"Not a bad place to be stuck." Heyes said with a friendly smile, "Beautiful state."

"At least it ain't Wyoming. Heard it's harsher than Colorado."

"That we can agree on…Can't we Thaddeus?" Heyes said, poking an elbow into Kid's side.

"Huh?" He tore his attention away from the window, just as the shrill whistle of the train blew and the railcar lurched forward.

"About time," he mumbled.

xxxxxxxxxx

"You hungry?" Heyes asked Kid.

Kid had to think for a moment. His mind had been so preoccupied with Joanie and their imagined intimate reunion that he had forgotten about food.

"Yeah…I could eat." Suddenly Kid was very hungry.

Heyes looked at Meg who was slumped into the next seat using her coat as a pillow. She was fast asleep.

As they headed for the dining car, there was a loud commotion coming from the next car.

Heyes hand froze on the handle to the adjoining passenger car.

Both paused as they looked at each other wide-eyed. "Jane!" They said in unison, before pushing through the door.

xxxxxxxxxx

Heyes and Kid stared in disbelief as they watched the drama unfold.

"Sir! Sir! You cannot drink here." The conductor said as his voice quickly rose in frustration.

"Who in the fuck are you calling Sir? Here!" Calamity Jane said, pushing her bottle to a startled Kyle. With both hands she opened her deerskin jacket, grabbed her shirt and pulled it up exposing her breasts.

Everyone in the car let out a loud gasp, including Heyes and Kid before they rushed towards Jane, Kyle and the startled conductor. Kyle was staring open mouthed at Jane's bare chest, before he noticed the man reaching for Jane was Kid.

"K-K-!" Kyle started to exclaim, before Kid cut him off with a hard look and held up a warning finger. With one hand Kid grabbed Jane by the elbow, using the other he quickly pulled her shirt back down. She blinked drunkenly at Kid. "Thaddeus!"

While Kid grabbed Jane and guided her out of the railroad car, Heyes had quickly grabbed the elbow of the conductor pulling him away from Jane, talking a mile a minute trying to smooth over the incident.

The conductor tried to jerk away from Heyes' gasp, but he held firm.

"I'm sorry Sir. This won't happen again. I promise."

"Your damn right it won't happen again! Next stop, them two are gone. And that's being kind. if I had my way, I'd be throwing them off this moving train." The conductor said red-faced with anger. Heyes, using his free hand, dug deep into his pocket and pulled out a handful of cash. He released the conductor to hand him several bills. The conductor looked at Heyes, then the wad of cash. Heyes sighed. He pulled several more bills out.

"Take it. I swear I'll be responsible for them. Take it." Heyes said, pushing the money towards the man.

"Them kin?" The conductor said relenting, as he looked around and pocketed the money.

"Yeah…from the crazy side of the family." Heyes' face took a solemn look. "Headed west for a funeral." Heyes nodded his head towards Jane. "She is pretty broke up about it…being her Ma and all. She turns to drink to ease her sorrow."

"Crazy is an understatement. You better keep your kin in check cuz money ain't going to buy you out of it next time. We have any more trouble, I'm putting them out on the next stop…funeral or not."

The conductor quickly turned and moved through the car reassuring the passengers that the incident was over.

Kid had dragged Jane outside to the platform between the rail cars with Kyle obediently following behind him. He has hoped the shock of the cold air would sober her up. The quicker the better.

"Thaddeus." Jane threw her arms around Kid's neck and gave him a sloppy kiss. Even outside in the cold chill and wind of the moving train, the alcohol on her breath caused Kid to cough.

The car door opened and Heyes joined them. Jane lurched towards Heyes and wrapped her arms around him almost knocking him off his feet. He pulled back as Jane tried to kiss him. He waved them towards the next railcar.

"Come on, let's get to the dining car. Food for Kid and coffee for Jane. Lots of coffee."

xxxxxxxxxx

Dan had taken a seat in the far car. He selected a seat nestled in a corner so he would have a better view of people's coming and going. He had relied on Meg to keep an eye on Smith and Jones or Heyes and Curry…whatever the hell they called themselves. He had paid her well including a one-way ticket to California. He needed to know where their final destination was and any other information she could glean. He had hoped they wouldn't be traveling all the way to California, making dragging them back to Deadwood and Al a longer journey but maybe more satisfying. Al had only said that they be brought back to him alive. You can do a lot of damage to a person without causing death. A few things immediately came to mind…Dan knew if he put his mind to it he was sure he could come up with several more creative ways that would make Al proud. He smiled as he settled back in his seat.

xxxxxxxxxx

Dan couldn't believe his eyes when the railcar door opened, and the two cowboys walked through with the woman-man, Jane from Deadwood, and her mute friend.

Suddenly the train got infinitely smaller…and just like that all the pieces fell together. Months before, Dan had managed to get Johnny to tell him what really happened to the cowboys. He had finally admitted, with some physical "persuading", where he had dumped them. Jane must have found them on her way up the road to Spearfish.

They didn't notice Dan as they walked through the last passenger car to the dining car, focusing most of their attention on keeping Jane upright and going in the right direction. He wondered where Meg was. He hasn't paid her to sit on her ass and do nothing for her money. He got up, looked at the door leading to the dining car and quickly made his way to the first car. The lamps were turned low, allowing people to sleep. He found her still sleeping, as were most of the passengers. He quietly took a seat next to her, looked around to make sure no one was looking, and leaned over her. He quickly placed a hand across her mouth. Meg's eyes snapped open filled her terror. Dan leaned close and whispered in her ear, "Go earn your fucking money, whore." His hand slipped inside her dress and grabbed one of her breasts, squeezing and twisting it as he dug his fingernails into the tender flesh. He pressed his hand harder across her mouth to stifle her moans and whimpers, as tears sprang to her eyes. Dan smiled and released the pressure. He slowly stroked her bare breast.

"What did you find out?" He whispered as he slowly took his hand off her mouth.

It took a moment before Meg could gasp out, "The…They are going to…to California…San…San Francisco.""

"Why?" questioned Dan quietly.

"I don't…" Meg sucked in a quick breath as she felt Dan's hand start to tighten on her breast. "Please. I don't know." She said in a hushed whisper. "But…But I'll find out."

"I know you will." Dan said in a tone that made Meg shudder in fear. He removed his hand from her dress, straightened his suit jacket and hurried back to his seat.

xxxxxxxxxx

Once they were seated at a dining room table, Jane looked drunkardly from Heyes to Kid.

"Fucking Joshua! Fucking Thaddeus! We missed you boys! Didn't we Monkey? Monkey!"

Kyle lifted his attention from Jane's chest, red-faced, "What was the question?" He asked sheepishly. Kyle had never seen both of Jane's breasts bare at once and for an extended period of time. Occasionally he got a quick glimpse but quickly looked away for fear of Jane's wrath.

"We missed you too." Heyes said.

"What's fucking wrong with your surly partner there?" Jane nodded her head towards Kid.

"I ain't surly Jane. I'm worried."

"About…?"

"You."

"Me? Regarding my fucking life of intoxication and general dispair?"

Kid shook his head, "There is someone special waiting to see you in California. And if you get thrown off this train…Surly ain't going to describe my mood…more like fit to be tied."

Jane thought for a long moment, "I can fucking set with that." She said as she nodded her head.

For Kid and Joanie, Jane would be on her best behavior.

xxxxxxxxxx