Chapter 10

Teaspoon glanced up when he heard steps rushing into the bunkhouse. He cast a wary look over at Carson as he stormed inside. Jimmy also watched as Carson stopped to catch his breath.

"Carson, seem to have your pants in a wad there." Teaspoon said as he took a bite of his sandwich.

"Been another. We have to go now while it is fresh."

Teaspoon stood and pushed his plate away.

"Another? Where did you hear this?"

"Man at the saloon. We need to hurry."

"Let me grab Kid and Noah. They are breaking a horse."

"No, Jimmy can go." Carson said quickly.

Teaspoon looked over as Jimmy swallowed uncertainly. He had this look of fear on his face.

"Jimmy, you don't have to ride with us. I'll grab Kid."

"We need him to go since he survived his attack. He can tell us more than by us just looking. He has to go."

"I don't know if that is wise. It hasn't been long enough."

"I'll go." Jimmy said trying to hide the look of nervousness.

Teaspoon watched Jimmy grab his hat and guns before leaving to head into the barn. He faced Carson.

"I don't think we should throw him to the wolves this soon. He ain't really gotten past the whole thing. We could put the shock of it all back on him."

"He will be fine. We need his memories. Now stop fretting and let's ride."

Carson did not wait to hear any more argument from Teaspoon as he gathered his bag to head outside. The trio rode for quite a while until they saw the hills come into view. Teaspoon noticed that Carson rode ahead with ferocity and the closer they seemed to draw nearer to the hills, the more Jimmy started to hang back. The boy stared ahead blankly. He worried for his mental state. Carson soon crossed a small rise, and they could see a wagon ahead. Teaspoon rode on behind him when he noticed that Jimmy had slid to a stop. He reined his horse around to find the young man scanning the hillside. He rode back up beside him.

"Jimmy? You ok?"

Jimmy didn't reply as he just kept looking around. Teaspoon noticed the skittishness of his horse. Both horse and rider were jumpy.

"Jimmy? You need to wait here?"

"The stink, Teaspoon."

Teaspoon lifted his head and smelled the air. He smelled nothing. He glanced back over to where Carson was walking in the distance around the wagon. They were still far away from the scene.

"I don't smell anything, son."

"I do. I can smell him."

"Him?"

"Raven is right. It is a man."

"I think you should wait here. I will be right back. Try to stay calm."

Teaspoon rode over to where Carson was, leaving Jimmy out on the hillside. He swung off his mount as he knelt down by the body.

"It's Henry Gaskins."

"You know him?" Carson asked scribbling in his notes.

"Somewhat. He passed through town every now and then."

"Well, it was here. Same thing, ripped the heart right out."

Teaspoon stood as Jimmy rode up. He watched him sit on his horse. He would not get down.

"Jimmy, I told you to wait out yonder."

"It didn't just kill him, Teaspoon. It waited and it waited. Made his fear grow. The smell. I can smell him. It hasn't been that long ago."

Teaspoon wondered how Jimmy could tell when it happened, but he pushed it aside as he walked around the wagon. He saw huge claw marks on the top. Nail scrapes on the sides. Same signs. He watched Jimmy stare off in the distance.

"You see something?"

"He went that way. Toward town."

"How do you know?"

"I just know."

"Well, let's ride back. Get Henry taken care of. Nothing more we can do here."

Carson watched Jimmy from his position sitting on the ground beside the body. How did he know where it went? He watched the boy's eye dart around the area before looking down at his horse.

"Jimmy, where were you last night?"

"What?" Jimmy asked.

"Where were you? Simple question."

"I spoke with Lou then went to the barn for a few. Fell asleep I guess. I woke up later and made my way back into the bunkhouse. Why you want to know?"

"Seems convenient…"

"That's enough Carson. I see where ya are going with this." Teaspoon interjected.

"What? You don't think this thing has something to do with me?" Jimmy said angrily.

"As I was saying, seems convenient that you know the direction that he went. Might I add your mannerisms lead me to believe that you have been here before."

"What?"

"The uncertainty. Not wanting to return to your latest murder. The way you are glancing around. You making sure that you didn't leave any clues behind?" Carson asked.

"Have you lost your ever-loving mind? This is Jimmy!" Teaspoon yelled.

"Perfect cover. Perfect way to keep suspicions off him. Being a long-lost son to the Marshal. Sounds about right doesn't it."

"I don't have to sit here and listen to this nonsense." Jimmy spat.

Teaspoon went to say more when they noticed a rider heading their way. It was Raven.

"I don't want to hear another word of your foolishness." Teaspoon directed at Carson.

"We shall see what Raven thinks."

"What I think about what?" She asked jumping from her horse.

Teaspoon glared at Carson as Raven circled the body. She traced her fingertips over the deep scratches in the wood. She closed her eyes deep in thought. Jimmy shook his head still angry. He kicked his horse and headed back toward town. Raven opened her eyes to watch him go.

"Again, I was not told." She said.

"Again, I just found out." Teaspoon growled.

"And from whom did you find out about this latest travesty?"

"Carson heard a man talking."

"Carson? Heard a man where?"

"In the saloon so I raced to inform Teaspoon here."

"I see. And this man was not going to report it?"

"I did not wait to find out. We have bigger things to discuss like the Hickok boy that just fled from his murder scene."

"What are you speaking of?" Raven asked. There was no way she could have missed that. But again, it could be anyone. She knew this.

"He didn't wish to ride with us. You should have been here to watch how he reacted. He has been here before….."

"Carson!" Teaspoon yelled.

"You just don't want to admit it, Teaspoon. He was unaccounted for part of the night. How do you know that he wasn't here?"

"Excuse me." Raven said mounting her horse.

"Where are you going? Care to share anything?" Teaspoon asked.

"Nothing stands out. Like I said, excuse me."

"What about the Hickok boy?" Carson asked.

"What about him? He gives me no reason to accuse him of any wrongdoing." Raven said pointedly though her mind was working overtime.

Teaspoon glared harshly at Carson as Raven rode away. Raven looked at the horse and rider in the distance. Could that prude uneducated man be on to something? Could she have missed the signs? She would follow Hickok back to town. She should visit with Buck. Yeah, she needed to visit with Buck.