Chapter Fourteen
San Joaquin Prison
Due to one of the characters using slang used in old West -Terms: Acorn calf-a weak or runty calf, Abandons-foundling, Anti-goglin-lopsided, Balled up-Confused, Between Hay and Grass – Neither man nor boy, half-grown, Bunko Artist – A con man.
Warden Emerson Paine could already tell that his new prisoner was something special. The boy was younger than Emerson had thought he'd be. The boy told he was fifteen and there was no doubts in Emerson's mind that the young Heath Thomson was being truthful. At first, Emerson thought the boy was touched in the head. Heath Thomson seemed slightly younger than his age in mind.
Two months after Heath's incarceration, Emerson could see beyond the boy's youthful appearance. He saw wisdom and cunning. He also saw an old soul in the azure eyes that seemed to following and scoping out all around. Why he hadn't noticed the fact before had him chastising himself and his guards.
"Get my lantern and gun, Emmett. We have a manhunt." Emerson patted the old red bloodhound on the top of his head. "Old Duke is about to have himself some fun tonight. We'll have the boy before the morning comes."
Emmett quickly did as he was told. He knew Heath was caught for sure with Old Duke on his trail. The bloodhound hadn't lost a man yet. No less a scrawny boy with an ill mind like Heath Thomson.
Emmett handed Warden Paine his gun. "Don't know what Thomson is thinking. He's between hay and grass in age and less than that in his mind."
"Well, we'll ask him when we have him back here." Emerson loaded his rifle and then had Duke sniff the sheet Heath slept under.
One month and a half months earlier…...
The warden was a fair warden. He treated his prisoners as well as could be expected depending on the crime committed. The Thomson kid hadn't had his trial yet. However, Modesto residents didn't want what they felt as a hardened murderer in their town. Heath Thomson was also rumored to have a gang of outlaws under his wing.
Heath had to laugh at that rumor. He had Cotton and Hank and recently Ward Whitcomb tailing along. Besides, he hadn't really committed a crime yet. Although Heath had to admit killing the gambler wasn't something to be proud of. Heath knew he'd gotten the man too drunk with free whiskey to have a fair gunfight. But Heath never felt a bit of guilt over that. After all, his mama and Hannah hadn't been given a fair chance either.
It would be three months before Heath could have his day in court. Heath didn't figure on staying in prison that long. He'd gained the respect of a few guards and the warden was coming around. He'd only been there two weeks. Heath could be patient. Besides, it wasn't as bad as Carterson. He had two meals a day even if sometimes it was only bread and water. He worked hard in the rock quarry. That gave him some nice sunshine and worked his muscles. But it was the old blood hound that Heath was most delighted to see each day.
Heath threw Old Duke a bite of his bread as he walked by the warden. He stooped to pet the red bloodhound. The dog was harmless as far as biting but it was a known fact the hound could sniff out anything and his speciality was escaped prisoners.
"Won't do you any good to make nice with him, kid." Warden Paine smiled slightly. "He could still sniff you out. Duke knows his job well."
"I've heard, Sir." Heath acted innocent. "Just never had a dog before. My mama couldn't afford to feed me no less a pet. My being a bastard and all."
The warden shook his head acknowledging the boy's words were probably true. He'd seen many an illegitimate child treated badly in his life. His own aunt had given birth to a child born out of wedlock. She deserted the child to his mama. But he was old enough to remember it not being his mother's child. Emerson still loved his sister all the same. It broke their hearts' when a nosey spinster in town told the truth of Abby's birth. The girl was shunned so badly that his mama had to send her to another aunt's home back East.
Heath kept his face masked as if he didn't already hear about Warden Paine having a soft spot for orphans and bastards. No one knew why but the older man seemed to be kind to special cases such as Heath. Heath never thought that his circumstances of birth would pay off any in life. However, Heath wasn't one to look a gift horse in the mouth. If the strict but fair warden was one to look after those less fortunate, who was Heath to not be thankful for the convenient coincidence.
"Just remember he may like you, Thomson, but he'll still hunt you down if you run." The warden tickled behind the red ear of the hound.
"Now why would I do such a thing. I ain't even had my trial yet. Besides, these here accommodations aren't too bad." Heath smiled crookedly at the warden before his face displayed a look of dismay. "Except…"
Emerson noticed the fallen look on the young prisoner's face. If a guard or another prisoner was mistreating the boy, he'd not have it in his prison. "Except what? Are you being mistreated?"
"Oh no, Sir." Heath exclaimed. "It isn't anything."
"Tell me, son." The warden let his softness for the lad show temporarily. After all, the lad had been coming up to him from the day Heath was placed in this place. He was always kind and looked beat down by the world.
"It's just that…" Heath put on his best forlorn look. He already had half the guards thinking he was a sad case. Nothing really sad about him but he could spot a mean spirited person or a kind one real quick. "After being in Carterson, the walls close in on ya."
"Carterson!" The warden exclaimed before gaining his composure. "You?"
"Signed up to feed my family when I was twelve. Foolish but couldn't see my mama starving after keeping me when she could've just let me be an abandon." Heath patted the dog one more time before excusing himself.
Warden Emerson Paine had no idea that he had been conned by the best in only the two short weeks while Heath was there. The guards were just as easy to take a liking to the boy, who all saw as a poor sad case of a child. Heath stayed clear of the guards, who seemed to care less about his plight. He worked on the older guards. The ones he was sure had children of their own. The warden was a tougher case but it didn't take long for Heath to have him feeling sorry for him.
One month after being in the prison, Heath was called into the warden's office. Heath had a inkling that his plan was about to start taking root.
"Thomson, I've been noticing how hard you work." The warden tapped his desk with the end of a small cane.
"Yes, Sir. I'm mighty obliged for you letting me work the rocks and not keeping me in doing laundry duty. I truly like the outdoors, Sir." Heath sounded like a small child with a shiny new toy. Heath had decided copying some of Cotton's actions would go a long way in his plan.
" ." Emerson leaned back and folded his hands in front of him. "I like how you treat Old Duke too. I was thinking I could entrust you to take Duke for his evening runs."
Heath wanted to raise his eyebrow in a knowing manner. Instead, he acted like a kid in a candy store. "Really, sir! I'd get to take him all by myself like he was my very own?"
"Yes. Now, you know he won't let you past the outer perimeter of the forest. He will start howling and let my guards know."
"I'll run him good, Sir. You'll see. I will do my job good. You won't be saying I only gave half a care. I'll take care of him best of anyone ever. I can't believe it. I get to run Old Duke. My mama would be so happy I got me a dog to look after."
"The guards know there is no one traveling in and out of the only road leads here. If you run, Duke can trail you."
Heath was rubbing Duke's head as if he wasn't about to give up taking the dog out for an attempt of escaping. However, he was praying that Rachel got his letter and understood the words and plan. He had one of the guards write it. The guard had no clue what the contents really said.
Heath left the warden and his lead guard smiling.
"That acorn calf sure is happy, Boss." Emmett chuckled. "You made his day."
"I did. I guess the boy being addled sure does like simple things." Emerson placed his hands behind his head as he relished in the fact he had done a good deed for the blonde boy.
Ten days earlier, Rachel had read the letter about needing a blue quilt with daisies on it borrowed from old man Taylor. The only thing old man Taylor had to his name was a Bluetick female dog. Heath had also mentioned that he hoped her garden was coming in good on the south side of town about three miles from Cooper's mill. Heath also mentioned about his favorite part of the day was petting the bloodhound named Duke.
Rachel smiled as she shook her head. "Johnna, tell old man Taylor that we need Daisy. Tell him he can get a free meal a day and a bath a week. But warn him that she may come back to him carrying her some red hound dog's pups."
Just as Heath had hinted to Rachel, Hank had pinned up Daisy three miles from the prison near a stream known as Cooper's Creek. It was south of the prison. Heath took old Duke to visit Daisy two weeks in a row. The third week, he never let Duke go near Daisy. On the fourth day of the third week, Heath snuck out of his cot. He took a deep breath before heading to the planned escape route. The kitchen had an easy access entrance. Heath had figured out a few of the boards were rotting and could be easily pulled away to escape. He took the trail he led Duke on first than he veered north.
Warden Paine and the guards stood shocked staring at Duke with his lady friend, Daisy. Duke had headed South. Now Warden Paine was sure Heath was headed North. There was no way they could find the boy now that they had spent so many hours following the bloodhound thinking he was trailing the boy when the dog was actually going to Daisy, the blue tick hound.
"Heath's anti-goglin grin and child talk had me fooled, Warden. Old Duke is all balled up because of that pretty little bluetick. Reckon the boy done had her pinned here awhile. Heath was a bunko artist. Wasn't he? I thought the boy didn't have nothing but hair under his hat. But that boy wasn't as dull as we thought was he, Emerson?" Emmett blew out a sigh.
Emerson Paine raked his hand through his graying hair. "May as well call it a night. The boy is long gone. And no, Emmett, Heath was far from stupid."
Author's Note: I used a song by Blake Shelton called "Ole Red" to get an idea for this chapter. It was my oldest son's favorite song when he was little.