Chapter Twenty-Four
It was three and a half weeks later when the doctor left after his weekly check at the Kirby home, where Jess had been recuperating under the devoted care of Mary Ellen, Charlie, and Lydia. Dr. Lowell had declared Jess fit to ride, if he took it slow and easy.
The first thing he did was ride into town to send a telegram to the sheriff in Rio Poco, asking about the Bannisters. He waited in town for a long while for the lawman's reply, and returned to the Kirby home with the response in his pocket.
He was sitting on the porch in an old cane rocking chair when Charlie Kirby rode in from the range, ready for supper.
"Howdy, Jess. I bet Mary Ellen's making you sit and rest after your ride into town and back, isn't she? How are ya feeling?"
Jess raised his eyes, with a strange look in them that worried Charlie. He didn't know what he saw in those dark blue depths. Sadness? Anger? Disappointment?
"Charlie, you heard anything about Ed Caulder?"
"That hired gun you told me about, that brought you and John MacLaine here? The only thing I heard is that he rode out of this area before the range war, and he never came back. Even though he had told you he would, didn't he?"
"How 'bout Kerr?"
Charlie hesitated. "Well, he's a mighty angry man, I know that. See… well, Jess, he's lost a lot of money. Those hired guns didn't take too kindly to the way things turned out here. Heard they robbed Kerr of all the cash he had in his safe. Then some of 'em rustled a good portion of his herd."
Jess pursed his lips as he thought about that. "You worried? 'Bout him comin' after you or any of the other ranchers?"
Charlie shook his head. "You know lawmen are kinda few and far between out in these parts. They can't do much about every single ruckus that comes up between ranchers. But they don't want someone like Kerr around after what he tried to do. From what I hear, he's gonna sell his property here, and what's left of his cattle, and move someplace else and try to start over. He doesn't have the ranch hands to try to come after us settlers. And doesn't have the money for hired guns anymore. So, nope, I'm not worried about us." He paused. "But, uh, you, Jess. You'd better be careful about Kerr. I hear he ain't thinking too high of you."
"Figures."
"You know, I heard that Caulder guy hires out to kill people. Is that true?"
"Yeah."
"You worried Kerr might send him for you someday?"
"No."
"Well, you seem kinda bothered by something."
"I'm fine, Charlie."
As Jess stared out into the distance, Charlie sat quietly thinking about how often in the past three weeks he had heard Jess Harper say those words. No matter what he was going through, every time one of them would ask how he was feeling at the moment, 'I'm fine' was always the answer, when he clearly wasn't. Charlie wondered why his new friend was so reluctant to admit how he really felt. Must be an awful lonely life to not be able to tell anyone what you're really feeling and thinking. He hoped Jess would someday find a more peaceful way to live. And someone he could actually feel safe enough with that he could lean on them.
"Supper's probably about ready, Jess. Comin' inside?"
"Soon."
Charlie headed on into the house, brow furrowed, concerned about his friend's sullenness.
Jess sat on the porch and stared out across the field. Then he took the paper from his pocket. The telegram from the sheriff in Rio Poco. He read it silently one more time.
To Jess Harper
In response to your inquiry
Do not know Caulder at all
No idea where Bannisters are
Not in area
Never were
Never were. It was all a lie Caulder had manufactured to get him here.
Caulder had come across the information about his family's deaths and had stooped so low as to use that─to use Jess' memories, his love for his family, his pain at losing them, and his commitment to justice for them─to draw him into a range war. The awareness of that deceit had added a new level of hurt and anger for Jess to deal with.
Caulder had used him. Viewed him and treated him not as a man, but simply as a weapon to be used in battle. Jess figured Caulder probably collected another finder's fee for bringing him to the Kerr spread. Maybe got something for Mac too.
Jess felt fury with Caulder. And disgust with himself. For being taken in. He never again in his life wanted to feel like someone had the upper hand like that. For someone to use him like this.
His plan had been to go to Rio Poco. No point in that now. Once again, he had no idea where to go or what to do. That lost feeling nearly overwhelmed him, as he crushed the telegram in his fist.
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The following morning, Charlie saddled Traveller, worried about Jess lifting the weight.
"I can do it, Charlie. I asked the doc."
Charlie didn't voice his doubt that such a conversation as that had ever occurred. "Well, you'll have plenty of times to handle it when you're not here. While you still are, this is one thing I can do for you, since you already refused to take any payment."
Jess then secured every last worldly good he owned, which wasn't beyond what fit in his saddlebags plus a sack of oats for his horse, and prepared to ride out. Despite Mary Ellen and Charlie's continuing gratitude for all he had done for them, and their pleas for him to live and work on their ranch. In spite of it all, he was leaving.
"Doggonit, Jess! We wish you'd stay on here. I could use a great ranch hand like you."
"And we want you to be here when the baby's born," Mary Ellen added. "We'd love for our little one to know you through the years."
"I'm much obliged for the offer. And for all the good care you gave me. But I'm feelin' a need to move on."
He didn't mention that he wanted to try to pick up the Bannisters' trail again, although he had no idea of where to begin.
Charlie secretly assumed that whatever business Jess had in town yesterday had something to do with his decision to leave. "Any idea where you're heading?"
"Thinkin' 'bout Arizona or Colorado."
"Well, if you decide to try Colorado, I know a place that could use a good man like you. The way you know horses, they'd be happy to have you for a wrangler. They've got more horses and more cattle than most any ranch west of the Mississippi. If you get up near Denver, look up the Tri-Bar S. Ever hear of it? Owned by a man named Shannon."
"Yeah, I heard of it. Biggest spread in Colorado."
"My cousin's the segundo there. I'm going to send him a letter and tell him all about you, Jess. Mention it to him if you decide to look into a job there."
"I just might do that. Thanks."
"Thanks again for all you've done for us, Jess." Lydia stepped forward and gave Jess a quick kiss, gently touching her lips to his. "I'll never forget you."
Jess grinned, happily appreciating the bond that had formed from her caring for him as he recovered. So rarely had he been given, or accepted, help. "I'm grateful for ya nursing me back to health, Miss Lydia."
Then he reached out his arm toward Charlie for a handshake. Charlie grasped his hand as Mary Ellen threw her arms around Jess.
Charlie said, "We'll never be able to thank you enough for what you did here, Jess. And again, I'm sorry for you getting hurt."
Mary Ellen continued to hold onto Jess, tears in her eyes. "Thank you, Jess. My baby and I thank you."
Jess lowered his head, his voice so soft she barely heard his words. "I know what it's like for a kid to have to grow up without their pa. Sure didn't want yours to face that."
Reluctantly, she let go of him, realizing a new facet to the pain the man had dealt with in his life and an additional level of meaning to his actions. Wondering about other hurts he was concealing, she fervently wished he would stay with them and find some happiness here. But there was some reason he wouldn't allow himself that. And she knew she would never learn what it was.
Stepping toward his horse, Jess smiled at the couple who stood with their arms around each other as they watched him mount up.
Mary Ellen looked up at him. "Please come back and see us."
"I reckon I will. Plan to do a lot of traveling around the Big Open. Should end up back this way once or twice."
He touched his fingers to his hat in a respectful tipping.
Looking each of them in the eye, Jess had a wistful smile. "Nice to be reminded there's good folks in this world."
Then he clicked to the bay. "Traveller, it's time to go."
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─end of Part Six─