Heyes shook the door hard and kicked it. Smiling in satisfaction as the lock held, he turned to Emily who was watching him in some amusement and said. "I sure hope Kid appreciates how much skin I sacrificed to that door."
She laughed as she stood straight from sweeping the final slivers of glass into the small dustpan and sighed in satisfaction as she looked round the room. "I think we're done."
Heyes surveyed the room also and smiled at how neat it looked. The last evidence of the mess from the previous night was completely tidied away. Heyes sighed wishing that the other damage could also be so easily fixed. He glanced at the clock on the dresser and was surprised to see that almost two hours had passed since they'd started cleaning up.
Emily sighed as she too noticed the time. " I'd better be getting Lizzie back. I would risk leaving her, but I don't know what James might do when he comes home this evening and she's not there." She paused and said softly." I don't think Jed's well-enough to protect himself, let alone a baby." Her face told Heyes that she'd figured out, same way he had, that was a big part of her brother's reasoning behind ordering the beating.
Heyes didn't even bother to try and hide the anger in his tone as he said grimly. " Your brother's banking on the fact that Kid's too good a father to risk his daughter's safety. But you need to make him see that Kid will only take so much of this before he snaps. I might be able to convince him not to do anything too reckless straight off, but even with Lizzie to consider... " Heyes trailed off to marshal his thoughts before continuing, determined to make her understand. "Often times I can persuade him there's a less dangerous way of doing things. We've been looking out for each for so long he knows if there is a better way I generally find it, but he doesn't always listen, especially when he's been pushed too far."
Emily sighed heavily and took a deep breath, her voice holding a world of frustration that Heyes recognised only too well. "I wish I had that kind of influence this time, but James just isn't listening to me at all. I've never seen him so determined to hurt before."
Heyes had suspected that was the case and had been well prepared for it, but it didn't really make it any easier to deal with. He met her gaze firmly, needing her to understand just what her brother was setting them all up for. "Then I'm afraid Mrs Hancock, this is likely to get very messy very quickly. I hope you're prepared for that."
She met his steady gaze with her own unflinching look and said calmly." Well Mr Heyes, guess that means it's down to us to make sure no-one dies."
Together they went to wake the Kid who was still curled up, sleeping with his arms protectively round his also peacefully asleep daughter. He stirred as Emily gently nudged him. Heyes watched as Curry opened his good eye and Mrs Hancock sat carefully on the side of the bed and gently stroked the Kid's cheek before she said softly, "I'm sorry, Jed. I need to get her back to town." Heyes appreciated that she hadn't said home and knew she'd chosen the words carefully.
He felt a hard lump in his throat as Curry nodded and kissed his daughter's cheek. "See you soon, darlin'." Emily turned to Heyes and handed him Lizzie while she helped the Kid to sit up.
Heyes and Curry watched from the door as they disappeared from view. Once they were out of sight and the door closed. Heyes turned to look at his friend and asked "You all right?" He knew the answer really but had somehow needed to fill the sudden painful silence. He mentally kicked himself for asking such a stupid question and waited for a sarcastic response or even just a disgusted look. But to his surprise the Kid answered him with a slight smile. "Better than I was. Now I think I'm gonna try and sleep some more, while you hopefully come up with a better plan than the one I got in mind." He started towards the bedroom slowly without looking back.
Heyes watching his shuffling progress, mused on the fact he had the beginnings of a plan. One which hinged on his very firm belief that anyone as much of a son of a bitch as Matlock, was bound to be less than scrupulously honest in his business dealings.
Heyes didn't see the Kid awake for the rest of the day, although he had checked on him a couple of times. As dusk fell he lit a lamp and settled himself on the couch, a book in hand and read for a while. It wasn't until a good while later as he started yawning and realised he'd read the same line three times that he decided to call it a night. He checked on his partner a final time, doused the lamp before settling down to sleep on the rocking chair by the fire, the quilt from the couch and an old blanket from the chest by the door both pulled tight round him. The chair was less lumpy than the couch and with his feet up on a small stool he was comfortable enough for one night.
Heyes woke later than he intended and after a quick breakfast dressed and checked in on Curry before heading out for the ride back to town. Curry didn't stir even when Heyes gently removed the broken frame from the side of the bed, leaving in its place a short note.
Kid,
Don't worry about the frame I'll bring it back repaired. I left some good coffee in the cupboard for you. Don't kill it and don't forget to eat. Be back Wednesday morning.
HH
Emory Blakelock the saloon owner greeted him as he entered just in time for the start of his shift. "Well, son, I'd just about given up on you for today. "
Heyes smiled at him and said with some irritation, although it was mostly feigned as he could see from the expression in his boss's face that he wasn't truly surprised nor annoyed. "I'm not late!"
"Not quite, not quite but you sure cut it fine."
"Well I'm here now. So I guess I oughta make a start." Heyes was eager to start his day, it'd give him something to focus on rather than trying to stop his mind from spinning off fruitlessly in too many directions. He'd never have thought he'd find work restful. Amnesty had brought more than one unexpected change.
Blakelock studied him for a minute before saying calmly. "I heard about the punch your friend threw. He sounds like he whacked Matlock good." He laughed, obviously visualising the scene but then sobered. "Weren't quite as smart as he might've been. Matlock ain't the kind of man to take that lyin' down." He studied Heyes' face with an intelligence that didn't surprise him, but probably would have shocked people like Matlock, who didn't bother to look beyond the surface of the man's eccentricities.
Heyes wasn't sure how much he wanted to share but there was something in the man's sympathetic manner that prompted an honest if incomplete reply. "He's sleeping off Matlock's response."
"Figured as much." Heyes had started to walk away when Blakelock's hand on his shoulder stopped him. "You know, aside from owning the best saloon, hotel and bordello in one hundred and fifty miles. I also own a couple of newspapers and remember I'm rich enough and know enough about some of them influential men, that people can't touch me. "
Heyes looked at him and grinned. "So, if someone were to find papers that suggested immoral if not exactly illegal practices on Matlock's part..."
"They'd find more than one willing newspaper." Blakelock let him go then and said. "I ain't fond of them high society types pushin' other folk round just because they can. I earnt my money the hard way but don't see no need to hurt with it."
Heyes' plan was starting to come together in his head and he was feeling lighter than he had in several weeks. He knew Blakelock's claim wasn't an idle boast. He might not peddle his influence but that didn't mean he didn't have it.
XXX
Heyes arrived at Kid's house, tied up his horse, pleased to note the curtains were all open.
He tried the door and as it swung open he stuck his head into the small cabin, "Kid, it's Heyes." Habit made him call out, although since they'd been amnestied he was in much less danger of being drawn on, but given what had happened, he was taking no chances. There was no answer and no sign of his partner. He did notice the lingering smell of breakfast which made him smile a little. Peering into the bedroom Heyes saw the bed was neatly made and a shirt laid on it. Walking back out of the cabin towards the meadow just behind, he heard the faint sound of gunshots in the distance. He followed the noise and soon found Curry shooting with intense concentration at an old oak tree.
