Chapter 6

Jimmy watched Hunter the next day. It was clear that he had weaved a tangled web. He didn't know what to think. He sat deep in thought when he heard a noise. He pulled his gun and waited. He let out the breath he was holding when Buck came easing into his camp. He stepped out.

"Damnit, Buck, I don't need you here."

"Jimmy, you need all the help you can get."

Jimmy groaned as Noah and then Cody came walking up.

"Who else did you bring? The rest of the family?"

"They wanted to come. You just don't know."

"Well, you can turn around and head on back. This is between me and my son." Jimmy said staring at them.

"Jimmy, how do you plan on getting next to Hunter to even talk with him? This gang is a pretty nasty one. They won't just let you walk away." Noah said.

"Hell, they don't let anyone stay breathin." Cody said.

"You are gonna have your hands full just trying to talk sense into him." Said Buck. "At least we can watch your back."

"I don't plan on talking sense into him." Jimmy stated evenly. "I plan on taking him in."

"What?!" The others all said at once.

"I created this mess. Me. I have to stop him from causing any more harm. It's only right. It falls on me."

Jimmy walked away as the rest of the group stood in shock.

"That was not what I was expectin." Cody whispered.

"Let's talk to him. Let him know what you know, Cody."

Cody walked over and sat next to Jimmy. Noah and Buck tended their horses. They watched Jimmy's face turn from anger to frustration to sadness. He shook his head and walked off. Cody walked over to Buck and Noah.

"I think he sees things differently now. I kind of left out the part where the Pinkertons think that he has joined them. I may have side stepped that little bit of info."

"So, he has changed his mind?"

"I ain't sure. But at least he knows how he got here. The boy has good in him. He is one of us. We have to find out what the hell is going on. We have to bring him home." Buck said.

"I agree. He started this for the right reasons, now we just have to figure where he took a wrong turn." Noah replied.

"Maybe he is still in it for the right reasons." Buck said.

"Thing is, I'm afraid the clock is ticking. If we can find the gang, so can the detectives. Makes me wonder why they haven't already." Cody replied.

Lou watched Annie walk across the yard kicking at the dirt. She needed to figure out what had happened between her and Billy. She said it was her fault. But why? What could have happened? Teaspoon walked up beside her while she stared.

"Our little angel have drama?"

"When do they not have drama, or a problem. I don't know how much more I can take."

"I think you need to relax. Take a few and just breathe."

"It won't help."

"I know what will help. I will get to the bottom of this for ya. I'll fix it right up."

Before Lou realized what he said and could open her mouth to say no, the old man had walked away. Straight toward Tate and Eli in the goat pen. Shit.