Chapter 3

There had been a time when Teaspoon Hunter could stay in the saddle for hours, days even, without it bothering him too much. But those days were gone and every movement of the horse seemed to jar some muscle or other. It was at times like this he wondered if it was time to hang up his holster and hand over his tin star to someone younger, someone like Hickok. His trip to Fort Laramie had been somewhat tedious and unnecessary but he had felt obliged to go and give evidence in the trial of that vermin, Tyler, even though it was a clear-cut case and took the jury only a short while to determine the man's guilt. He had stayed just long enough to see the murderer hang.

All Teaspoon wanted now was to get a good, hot meal inside him and take a well-deserved nap as he'd had an early start and breakfast seemed a good while ago and he was looking forward to a hearty lunch. He just hoped Jimmy had everything under control back in Rock Creek so he could enjoy it in peace.

The town seemed quiet enough as he rode in and made his way towards the marshal's office. Swinging his leg slowly over the back of the saddle, he eased himself down to the ground. "I'll just report in and then get you seen to, Doris," he said kindly to his horse, as he patted her neck.

He stiffly took the couple of steps up to the Marshal's office and turned the doorknob. When it did not open he turned it again and rattled the door. Still it did not open. Teaspoon furrowed his brow and scratched his head. Hickok better have a darn good reason for not being there this time of the day. With a deep sigh he reached up above the doorframe and ran his fingers along the edge until he felt the cool metal of the spare key. A few moments later he was inside the office.

Nothing seemed out of place but he did notice that one of the rifles from the rack was missing. Nothing too unusual in that but it would mean Jimmy anticipated some sort of trouble, as he usually was happy to rely on his pair of Colts for protection.

Teaspoon glanced over the desk and saw the folded piece of paper, with his name written on it, in Jimmy's unmistakable scrawl. He had just started to read its contents when the door swung open and Kid walked in.

"Oh! Hi Teaspoon. I thought Jimmy was on duty this afternoon. I came to see if he'd heard how Buck got on," he said cheerily.

The only response he got from the old stationmaster was a subdued, "Hmm?"

"What's that you're readin'? Somethin' wrong?" Kid asked, noting Teaspoons concerned expression.

"Not sure," Teaspoon mumbled in response. "This here's a note from Jimmy."

"What's it say?"

"Just tryin' to decipher it," came the distracted reply. Kid came up behind Teaspoon and peered over his shoulder, at the piece of paper in his hand. He was given a hard stare out of the corner of the older man's eye and immediately retreated, in regard of his reverence of the marshal.

"Says here, that a man came looking for Buck. A bounty hunter and …"

"A bounty hunter?" Kid interjected.

Teaspoon nodded his head without looking up, still studying the note. "Jimmy's taken it upon himself to ride out to warn Buck."

"What about the bounty hunter. He say anythin' more about him?"

"Nope."

"I'll go get Lou," Kid stated, turning towards the door.

"Now hold on, Kid. It'll be dark soon and it would be pretty easy to miss them on the trail. We'll ride out in the mornin' if they ain't back," Teaspoon told him.

Kid nodded in agreement. He knew his friends were well able to take care of themselves but he couldn't help feeling uneasy about the situation.

"I'll go let Lou know," Kid told him as he placed his hat back on his head and slipped out of the door.

Teaspoon looked at the note in his hand one more time and scrunched it into a ball.

"Damn!" he said, as he shoved it into his pocket.

The day dawned bright and Teaspoon was just stirring in the cot, within one of the cells in the jail, when he heard rapping on the door. Slowly swinging his feet to the floor and stiffly getting to his feet, he made his way to the outer office, just as there was another knocking on the door.

"I'm comin', I'm comin'," he muttered, as he pulled his suspenders up onto his shoulders. He snagged the key from the desk as he passed and pushed the blind to one side on the door to reveal Kid's eager face.

"I take it Jimmy and Buck ain't back," he said, opening the door.

Kid shook his head. "Lou and me checked but there's no sign of them."

"Reckon the sooner we get started the sooner we'll find 'em," Lou called from Lightning's back, who stood patiently next to Katy out on the street.

Teaspoon ran a hand through his hair and muttered something about 'Darn impatient youngsters,' as he retreated back inside the office to collect his gun, hat and poncho. "Don't s'ppose either of you will give me any peace until we get goin'?" he said resignedly. "I'll go get Doris."

"No need," Kid said, inclining his head towards a nearby hitching post, to which Teaspoon's horse was tethered.

A twitch of a smile creased Teaspoon's lips. He'd taught his boys – and girl – well. Their organisation skills and sense of priority were certainly in place.

"Seems you've thought of everything," he commented, with raised eyebrows.

"Even packed us some breakfast to eat on the way," Lou smiled.

Within a few minutes they were heading out of town, the same way Jimmy had ridden the previous day.

They rode at a steady pace, ever watchful of the trail ahead, hoping to see two familiar riders coming towards them. The sun was now nearing its highest point in the sky and there was still no sign. The threesome had become somewhat quiet as their apprehension grew.

Suddenly Teaspoon pulled his horse to a stop and looked down at the ground.

"Looks like someone met here," he said, indicating the hoof marks in the dirt, showing a group of horses standing together.

"Two of the horses were being ridden and looks like two others were being led by the depth of the prints," Kid observed.

"Ssshh!" Lou hissed instantly.

"What is it?" asked Teaspoon.

"Thought I heard a horse …" she started to say but was interrupted by a clear neigh from within the trees.

"Kid, you slip 'round back and Lou and I'll come in from the sides. Can't be too careful," Teaspoon instructed in hushed tones. Both riders nodded their understanding quietly dismounted and headed off into the trees, on foot.

Lou spotted the three ponies, tethered to a tree, first and instantly recognised Jimmy's palomino. There was a clearing just a head in the trees and she slid her gun quietly from her holster, at the sound of an audible groan.

Making her way slowly forward though the trees she could make out what looked like the remains of a campfire and to one side was a large dark lump, which let out another groan and started to move.

"Jimmy!" she exclaimed, running forward, stepping into the clearing simultaneously with Kid and Teaspoon.

"Dear Lord!" Teaspoon exclaimed as Kid undid the ties about Jimmy's wrists and Lou rolled him gently onto his back.

"Jimmy?" Lou tapped him on the cheek, eliciting a soft moan in response. "Come on, wake up."

Jimmy's eyes fluttered open but were glazed, staring ahead for a few moments until they slowly focused on the dark ones staring worriedly down at him. "Lou?" he mumbled, as he struggled to sit up, instantly regretting the sharp pain the movement caused in his head.

Seeing him wince Lou put a steadying arm behind his shoulders. "Get some water, Kid."

Kid obliged, running to get his canteen from his horse.

Teaspoon squatted down by Jimmy's side. "Son, can you tell us what happened? Where's Buck?"

A look of confusion crossed Jimmy's face as he tried to remember where he was and why his head hurt so badly. "Buck?"

"Yeah, Buck. You left me a note to say a bounty hunter came lookin' for him. Do you know where he is, Jimmy?" Teaspoon asked patiently.

Screwing his eyes shut and then blinking them open, Jimmy tried to rationalise his thoughts. He remembered sitting at the campfire with Buck. Then it started to come back. He attempted to get up, much to quickly and his head began to spin.

"Take it easy, son," Teaspoon told him, placing a hand on his shoulder and passing him the canteen, which Kid had brought. "Here," he offered.

Jimmy lifted it to his lips and took a couple of sizeable gulps and swiped the back of his hand across his mouth. "He jumped us - well, me, last night. Got me to tie up Buck and then must have knocked me out 'cos I don't remember no more," Jimmy rasped.

"D'you know him?" asked Teaspoon, worry creasing his brow.

Jimmy shook his head. "It was the same fella who came into town looking for Buck. Fella called Brody."

"Merciful God!" Teaspoon exclaimed.

"You know him, Teaspoon?" Kid enquired.

Lou looked up from her inspection of the wound to the back of Jimmy's head. "Who is this Brody and why's he after Buck?"

"He came snooping around a short while after Buck left the Express. I was able to tell him I didn't know where he'd gone. I hoped he just give up. I was real pleased when Buck rode back into town 'cos I was worried Brody would find him. Man's got a reputation for getting his man and, by all accounts, a real mean streak."

"Neville," Jimmy spat out.

Both Lou and Kid looked at him perplexed.

"What you sayin', Jimmy" Teaspoon asked.

"Brody was hired by Neville's father to find Buck and take him back."

"But Buck ain't wanted by the law," Lou pointed out.

"Neville Snr is offerin' to pay $2,000 to have Buck brought in. Makes no difference to a man like Brody that it ain't a legal matter."

Teaspoon stood up, took off his hat and ran his hand over the top of his head. And let out a deep sigh. "Damn!" he exclaimed.

"Well, let's get after him," Kid said, offering his hand to Jimmy and pulling him to his feet.

"Where's this Brody takin' Buck, Jimmy?" Lou asked.

Jimmy thought for a moment. "I don't know," he answered somewhat dejectedly.

"Can we track him?" Kid wanted to know.

"We can try but without Buck it ain't gonna be easy," Teaspoon replied.

"What'll we do? We gotta find him Teaspoon," Kid said anxiously.

Teaspoon put his hands on his hips and stood thinking. "It's a long shot but I seem to remember Neville mentioning to the Doc, when he was patching him up, he'd be heading back to Omaha."

"D'you think that's where Brody will take Buck?"

Teaspoon really couldn't be sure but when he saw the anguish in the three faces before him he knew he had to give them some sort of hope. "It's as good a place to start as any. Now, we're wastin' valuable daylight. Kid, take a look around and see if you can pick up any tracks. At least that'll give us some direction to go in. Lou, I want you to patch Jimmy up and then I want you to take them two ponies back to town," Teaspoon said decisively.

Lou started to protest but Teaspoon simply held up a hand. "Now, hold on. Before you go getting' all riled up I want you to listen. Them ponies are real important to Buck. I need someone to go back and let Deputy Hawker know what's goin' on. Rachel'll be wonderin' where we've all got to and I need someone back in town, just in case."

"Just in case of what?" came Lou's insolent response. "Teaspoon, you should know by now that I can take care of myself. I wanna find Buck as much as you."

"I know that, sugar. It's just that someone needs to go back to town and this is the best way you can help Buck. The livery is real important to him and he'll need someone to take care of things until he we find him and bring him back."

"Why do I have to go back? " she pouted. "Why not Jimmy or Kid?"

The three men glanced at each other, daring one another to vocalise what they were all thinking. Kid was suddenly aware that both Teaspoon and Jimmy were looking at him expectantly.

Kid frowned at them and gave a small shake of his head. He knew from experience that if it looked like he was trying to protect Lou it would probably escalate into a full-blown row.

"I'm goin' to see if I can find the trail," he informed the other two and turned on his heel and walked off.

Jimmy bowed his head and smirked to himself. How did this small woman still manage to instil such fear in them?

Teaspoon took a deep breath. "Umm," the usually assured, older man started, trying to think of the right way to say what had to be said. "Lou, I just think you'd be the best person to take care of business back in town," he hedged. "I don't know what sort of trouble we're heading it to and I would feel much better knowing you were back in town, an all. And the boys, well they'll be more, um …. , well, you know. I need Jimmy to come so's he can help identify this here, Brody and Kid should come because he's real handy with his gun, just in case we should run into trouble," he babbled. "That's not to say you're not any good with a gun. Hell, you've proved yourself time and time again, it's just that …"

He hesitated and took a look at Lou to gauge her reaction. She stood before him with her arms folded, head held high but he detected a wicked glint in her eye. "I understand, Teaspoon. You'd rather have the boys back you up. You only had to say it," she said, lightly.

Relief washed over Teaspoon and Jimmy, and Kid visibly relaxed too.

A short while later, the three men watched Lou head back to town, leading the two ponies Buck had bought, with a list of instructions to carry out once there.

Teaspoon Hunter looked at the others and his face became hard. "We'd better get movin'. If what I've heard about this Brody fella is half true then Buck's in for a real hard time. We ain't got time to waste. Jimmy, you sure you're feelin' up to this, son? You took a pretty hard knock to the head."

"I'm fine, Teaspoon. Just a bit of a headache, is all. I'm keen to give Brody a taste of his own medicine, so the sooner we get started the better I'll like it."

"I picked up the trail," Kid informed them. "Looks like they're headin' east so it's possible they're goin' towards Omaha."

With grim determination they mounted their horses and started to follow the trail.