Wow, I'm so so so sorry that this is way late. It's been sitting half fixed in my computer until today. So, since I got it back from my awesome friends who betaed it for me, I'll post it.
Many thanks to Sidle 77, Smacky 30, and Cropper for all of their help. I get a good proverbial kick in the ass from them on my writing.
The Other Side
Chapter 10
Jim approached the barn, several of the men following behind. Gil was still lying on the ground but he was barely conscious. After looking over his friend, the lawman knelt next to him and sighed. "Damn it Gil, why did you have to start a war?"
"I didn't start it, I just finished it." He groaned painfully.
"Well, I'm officially the sheriff of this county, and the newly appointed governor somehow heard all about this commotion you and Sam have caused." Gil narrowed his eyes in confusion. "There's nothing I can do," Jim sighed, "I have to arrest you."
The older man exhaled heavily and closed his eyes. "So, Nevada's now a state?"
Jim nodded even though he knew Gil couldn't see him.
"I don't suppose there's any way you can claim you didn't find us?" He opened his eyes to see Jim's head shake slightly. "I didn't think so."
Jim's appointed deputies each grasped Grissom beneath his arms and hauled him to his feet, their rough handling causing the injured man to groan in pain. Sara moved quickly and tried to help Gil outside, but one of the remaining men grabbed her arm and held her back. Jim waved Grey Wolf over and said brusquely, "Saddle his horse."
Grey Wolf glanced at Gil and with a slight nod he did as Jim ordered.
Once they had him on his horse, Jim led the group back into town. Sara and Grey Wolf helplessly watched them lead Gil away. She felt the hot tears streak down her face as her arms wrapped around her growing baby.
"He is brave. Be brave for him." Grey Wolf stated glancing at Sara.
Sara shook her head. "There's got to be something we can do."
Xxxxxxxxxxx
The group slowed their horses upon entering town, and people paused, watching as they rode past. They stopped in front of the jail where Heather was waiting for them. She rose from her chair to assist Gil as he tried to dismount.
"Dammit Gil, why?" She grabbed his good arm and began leading him towards his new accommodations. He turned his head and glared at her. "All you had to do was drop it and leave. You put Sara and the baby in harm's way."
Gil didn't respond as he painfully made his way into the jailhouse. Heather helped him sit on the cot and retrieved some medical supplies. His face remained neutral as she removed the tainted dressing. She popped the cork out of a whiskey bottle. "Drink?" He didn't respond. Heather shrugged her shoulders. "Suit yourself." She splashed the liquid over the wound and Gil released a loud, pained groan as the alcohol burned his injury. "Don't say I never offered."
He closed his eyes and pictured Sara. It was all he could do to keep the pain minimized as Heather redressed his shoulder. When he was finally left alone, pain and exhaustion lulled him into a fitful sleep.
Xxxxxxxxxxx
Sara could only stand and watch as Gil was taken from her. Grey Wolf remained at her side. "It will be okay."
She shook her head. "If they charge him with murder, they'll hang him." Her voice caught on a sob as she pictured him dangling from the gallows. "We have to do something."
Grey Wolf looked around at what they had left. The house was destroyed and as he scanned the paddocks his horse was the only one left standing. Three of them lay slain from the night before. "We need a new place to stay."
Sara began to shake her head. "I don't know."
"We'll make do with this for tonight." He pointed towards the barn.
"I have to see Gil. He's injured." Sara was determined to go into town. "I need to borrow your horse."
Grey Wolf shook his head. "I'll get you another one. Stay and build a fire for tonight. I'll get food and a horse." He swung his leg over the back of his mount. With a smile and a nod, he rode off.
"Wait." Sara called after him but he didn't stop. She kicked a rock as her anger rose. "Dammit!"
After taking the time to calm down, she gathered several boards that hadn't burned from the house fire and waited. Hunting through the barn for something to eat, Sara discovered another bottle of whiskey hidden in a chest. She dug through another dusty chest and uncovered several bottles of drugs Al had obviously hidden. She tried to read the labels on the dark glass. The pills shifted within the bottles as they were turned about. Sara managed to open one and took a whiff. She was immediately appalled by the strong sulfur smell. Thinking they could be useful Sara decided to hang onto them. It was then she realized the barn was getting dark.
She returned to her pile of wood, and using the flint and a knife, was able to strike up a small fire. Darkness quickly fell upon her and she wondered if Grey Wolf would ever return. She was hungry and knew the long walk to town would exhaust her.
Suddenly the sound of horses approaching had her scanning the dark horizon. Sara heard several small howls and knew he had returned. Grey Wolf was leading another horse as promised and packed on it was what looked like gunny sacks.
"Sorry I'm late." He leapt from his horse.
"I'm just glad you came back at all." Sara said the relief evident in her tone as she took one of the sacks from the horse and looked inside. "Well I guess it's better than nothing."
The Indian smiled as he removed the other sack. "Meat." He approached the fire and began to concentrate on building a spit.
Sara took the reins of the two horses and led them to the stalls. With her protruding abdomen hindering her, she managed to pull the saddles and remove the bridles before forking some hay from the mound to the hungry horses. Sara brushed the dirt from her hands and returned to the fire. She took the jars of preserved pickles and tomatoes from the sack. "We're going to town tomorrow I hope you know that."
He only grinned at her and she smiled back.
Xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Morning broke and the sound of a door slamming open woke Gil. The clang of metal along with the jingle of keys told him that it was Jim.
"How do you feel?" The Sheriff moved to stand next to him.
Gil looked at his friend. "Sore."
Jim scoffed. "I bet. Here's breakfast, compliments of Heather." He held up a tin plate that held a mound of scrambled eggs, several strips of bacon, and a biscuit.
Gil struggled to sit up, fighting the persistent ache in his shoulder, and accepted the plate his old friend was offering with his good hand. Jim watched Grissom pick up a piece of the crispy bacon before returning to his desk in the outer office.
Sunsets' law office was small yet cozy. The wooden desk was flanked by two chairs and faced the entryway. To its rear was a set of undersized cells with black iron bars encasing the front. It was enough to give Gil a full view of the desk and office. His plate of food smelled wonderful compared to the scent of dried urine that encased the secluded space. It had seen a few too many intoxicated townsfolk.
Gil forked some of the eggs into his mouth and cringed at the blandness of them His appetite was quickly gone and his thoughts turned to his wife. "Where's Sara?"
Jim didn't remove his eyes from what he was reading. "She's at the barn with that injun."
He continued to pick at his food knowing that she was in the capable hands of Grey Wolf.
Gil had set the plate down. The bacon was gone but he was still munching on the biscuit. He leaned back against the cold wooden wall when she entered. Heather sauntered into the Sheriff's Office and dropped a quick kiss on Jim's cheek before walking into the holding area to visit Grissom in his cell. She gave him a frank look, trying to determine how he was feeling before speaking.
"How's Sara?" she asked.
Gil swallowed his last mouthful of biscuit and wiped his mouth before replying, "Good."
She smiled. "That's good. I can't wait until she has the baby." He only sighed as she removed the dressing from his shoulder. "This looks better." She replaced the bandages. "You'll be healed in no time."
Gil gave her a blank expression. "Good, I want to be totally healthy for my hanging."
Jim slammed his hand on his desk. "They're not going to hang you."
"No, the only way I'm not going to be hanged is if you had never arrested me in the first place." He shot back in anger to the man he once called his friend.
"And then what? Be on the run for the rest of your life with a wife and baby. Yeah, do that Gil and see where it gets all of you." Jim retaliated.
Gil heavily sighed without comment. He knew Jim was right, but he also knew he was too. "When is a judge coming this way?"
"I got word this morning; he'll be here in about two weeks." Jim had calmed when he responded.
"When is Sara due?" Heather butted in.
He glanced at her. "Not for several weeks."
Heather turned her head to glance at Jim. He turned his head to avoid her glare.
The exchange wasn't lost on Gil. He knew that the only way he would ever see his baby enter the world would be to find a way out of this jail. Just as the thought crossed his mind the sound of horses stopping in front of the office got his attention. He eyed the door curiously as Sara crossed the threshold.
Sara walked past Jim's desk and into the open cell. She sat down next to Gil and embraced him. "Are you alright?"
"I am now." He responded relishing the feel of her in his arms.
Heather left but Jim remained sitting behind his desk as Grey Wolf paused in the door way leaning against the frame. Sara carefully evaluated his wound herself. "Could you ride?" She whispered to ensure the lawman couldn't hear her.
"Sara…"
She silenced him with a kiss. "I'll get you a new shirt." Her eyes roamed over his bare torso before reconnecting with his. It was then they spoke to each other in a language no one would ever know but them. Gil swallowed hard and nodded. Sara smiled and lightly kissed him.
He pulled her closer to him and parted her lips with his tongue. Sara moaned slightly as the electricity surged through her body. Gil tangled his hand in her hair keeping her close. When they finally parted, both of them gasped for air. Sara stood and backed out of the cell. She smiled and offered him a wink before turning to leave.
Jim was trying to ignore the couple as they embraced, and kept his eyes trained on the small stack of papers in front of him. After Sara left a message boy from the telegraph office walked in with a message for him. Jim scanned the note. "It seems our appointed governor wants to meet with you."
"For what?"
Jim shrugged. "Hell if I know, but I heard he's a jerk."
"Great." Gil mumbled and tried to make himself as comfortable as possible on the hard cot.
Xxxxxxxxxxx
Sara and Grey Wolf entered the small general store and split up. Sara picked out a dark colored shirt for Gil, while Grey Wolf grabbed several boxes of ammunition. She also purchased several small knives and a small amount of dry good items. Before their trek to town, Sara told Grey Wolf where the iron box of money had been hidden. With some effort he was able to uncover the charred steel box. Sara removed all of the money they had before putting her spontaneous plan into action.
Xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Later that evening Jim glanced at his friend lying in the small cell as he stood and stretched the kink out of his back. He approached the open cell door and shut it with a loud clang. Gil's eyes never left the dark ceiling as he lay on his back. "I'll be back in the morning."
Gil scoffed. "I'm not going anywhere."
With a shake of his head, Jim locked the door, blew out the candles, and left the jail in total darkness. He strode down the wooden walkway towards the edge of town. The path was so familiar to him, that he instinctively entered the brothel without hesitation. Normally he would join several other locals playing cards, but tonight was different. Something was chewing at his gut.
Jim headed straight for the stairs and made his way towards Heather's room. He entered and closed the door behind him. His spurs clanged on the wooden floor as he sat on the bed. Jim's mind became conflicted as he pictured his best friend wasting away in his jail. The door creaked open, but he didn't seem to hear it. Heather sat down beside him and wrapped her arms around him, offering her comfort.
"Did I do the right thing?" He questioned out loud.
Heather placed her head on his shoulder. "You were doing your job."
Jim sighed. "It doesn't feel right."
"It's for the best. No judge will sentence him after he hears what took place." She tried to ease his uncertainty.
His body felt heavy with guilt. "The appointed governor is going to be here tomorrow." Heather released him and sat back. A look of sheer terror crossed her face. It wasn't lost of Jim. "What?"
"Jim, he's Sam's brother."
Jim's mouth fell open. "Are you kidding me?" Heather slowly shook her head. "What have I done?"
"You have to let him go."
"I can't!"
"Jim, listen to me. This guy's just as ruthless as Sam. He's going to want revenge." Heather stated the obvious and revealed her knowledge of the man in question.
Jim sucked in a strained breath. "He's going to hang him without a trial." He speculated as Heather just continued to stare at him, her eyes silently agreeing with his assumption. "I can't let that happen." He stood suddenly.
"What are you going to do?" Heather quickly stood with him. Jim only glanced at her before reaching up to his vest. He grabbed the silver star he had so proudly worn and removed it.
"Help my friend."
Heather reached out and pulled him into a searing kiss. Jim kissed her back knowing deep down it would probably be the last time he saw her. His arms held her tight as their tongues dueled. They separated completely out of breath as if they had just completed one of their many lovemaking sessions. Their foreheads connected while they attempted to catch their breath.
"I love you." Heather breathed out heavily.
"I know." Jim responded his chest still heaving.
Heather planted one last kiss to his lips. "Be safe." Jim nodded and walked out of her room, and her life. She sat back on the bed and tried to hold back her tears.
Jim rushed down the stairs and out into the night. No one in the brothel paid much attention to his departure as they were preoccupied with other tasks. His feet carried him quickly towards the jail, but the sight of three horses tied up in the front slowed him. With a knowing grin, he carefully approached the jail.
Sara was rifling through the desk in the dark desperately trying to find the keys to the cell her husband was trapped in. The moon in the sky provided just enough light for them to vaguely see the larger objects in the office. Grey Wolf was handing him the change of clothing they had brought. Gil was desperately trying to change as quickly as he could with his injury.
"Looking for these?" Jim dangled the keys from his finger. Gil froze while Sara slowly stood up in shock. No one said a word as Jim crossed the floor and opened the door. They all looked at him in confusion. "Get dressed."
"Why the change of heart?" Gil asked curiously.
Jim sighed. "I'm sorry I arrested you. With everything that happened I figured no judge would hang you under the circumstances." They all waited for the conclusion. "But Heather just informed me that the governor is Sam's brother." Three sets of eyes doubled in size. "I didn't want you to be hunted for the rest of your life, but this man is going to kill you. There won't be a fair trial, and I'm not going to sit around and watch that happen to you." Jim held out his hand to Gil. "I'm sorry."
Gil looked down at the offering. He paused before graciously shaking it. "You'll lose your job."
Jim removed the star from his pocket and threw it across the room, it landed on the desk with a twang. "I resign."
A grin crossed Gil's face. "Let's go."
Cautiously the four stepped outside. Jim assisted Gil as he climbed onto his horse while Grey Wolf helped Sara. They eased their horses around to the back of the jail and waited while Jim saddled his. Once he was on he looked over their small group. "Well fellow fugitives, north or south?"
Gil glanced at Sara. She smiled before offering her suggestion. "North west." Jim grinned and Gil shrugged. They turned their horses north west and headed out into the night leaving behind a darkened cloud of dust.
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The next morning Heather practically ran to the jail. She walked in and found a heap of clothes on the floor and an abandoned sheriff's star on the desk. The cell was empty and cold. She smiled knowing they had a good head start, but deep down she was broken. The love of her life was now gone, and she was alone. Heather returned to her home and decided to keep busy. She was good at keeping secrets and this one she was going to make sure she took to her grave.
An hour later a loud commotion outside tore her and many other business owners away from their work. The governor stood in the middle of the street ranting. He was surrounded by several armed men.
"Where in the hell is Sheriff Brass!?"
The people looked around to each other dumbfounded. Heather kept her face emotionless and glanced around as well.
"Someone here knows!" He continued to scream. "The prisoner is gone, escaped, and now the good sheriff is missing! How coincidental." He walked down the length of the street sizing people up as he went.
Heather noticed Mr. Tanner quiver as he stood in front of his general store. The governor noticed it as well and quickly approached the shaking man. "You know something, tell me!" The governor demanded as he shoved a hard finger into Mr. Tanner's chest.
"Um…ah…" He stammered. The governor turned and glanced at one of his men. A hardened man rushed forward and drew his gun. He pointed it at the head of the terrified store owner. "Ahhh…"
"You better tell me what you know."
Heather watched on in fear. She didn't want him to reveal any information, but also didn't want to see the man murdered in cold blood.
Mr. Tanner had his eyes shut as tight as they would go, and with the large man threatening him, he lost control of himself and the front of his trousers became damp. "His wife and their Indian bought some things yesterday."
"What did she buy?" The governor asked harshly.
"Umm…ammunition, a shirt, some small food items…"
The governor smiled. "Thank you." He turned away from the man and walked back into the street.
One of the Governor's men approached the slightly relieved store keeper. A shot echoed throughout the small town. Heather turned her head as she witnessed Mr. Tanner fall to the ground. She looked back to see the man re-holster his gun. By now many of the townspeople had retreated into various buildings not wanting to have the same fate. Heather continued to watch on but made sure she remained hidden.
The governor waved his hand as he headed back towards the jail, his men followed. "This son-of-a-bitch killed my brother! For no reason!" He screamed his frustration. "You two, find out where they lived. Head directly to the east and you'll find my brother's home. It's about seven miles or so." The men rushed out. "The rest of you keep an eye out." The others began to disperse. "Gabe." One man stopped. "Sam's death will not go unavenged. Go to the telegraph office and send word for my Nicky. Tell him I need his help in hunting down some fugitives." The man nodded before rushing out the door.
Once alone he sat down behind the desk and scrawled out a note. He smiled and posted it outside the jail for all to see.
'Wanted dead or alive, preferably dead; Jim Brass, Gil Grissom, and whoever they might be with. One thousand dollar reward for their bodies.'
Thank you for those still reading my insanely timed posts. I appreciate it. More to come, cause now they're on the run.
TDCSI
