Winter's Refuge
Chapter Ninety-Eight
JED 'KID' CURRY
Heyes was right, we were needed downstairs. But I was surprised to find Chrissy waitin' in the upstairs hall outside our bedroom. She looked at my cousin, not me.
"Heyes help Jed? Good now?" she asked.
"Yes, he's good now," he answered with a small grin.
"Good. Heyes take care of Jed now. I take care of Jed tonight with bad dreams." She came into my arms and hugged me tight. "Glad Jed good. Chrissy darling was scared."
I recognized the change. She referred to herself as I when talkin' to Heyes but used her proper name with me. Lookin' up at me, she added, "Not scared Jed get hurt. Scared Jed have to hurt someone."
HEYES
The remaining governor's US Marshal bodyguard and Ken, a former US Marshal, kept us all in the house. They were efficient and bossy, but I knew they were there for protection, so I tried to ignore their resemblance to prison guards.
Downstairs, Dr. Oliver operated on the marshal to remove the bullet. Auntie quickly scrubbed down one of the guest rooms and changed the bed linens and that became the operating room. About every clean towel and rag in the house was stacked in there. And Arnie was moving all the lamps into the room. The doctor sat next to his brother on the couch in the living room and changed the cold towel on his face.
"The room is ready, Doctor," Arnie said.
Dr. Oliver was more business-like than his brother. He gathered us together and told us that the only chance the marshal had to live was to remove the bullet. But also said that the operation was risky; the odds of survival were low.
Everyone was subdued and nervous. I started pacing the room. I needed something to do and found the governor's notes on my amnesty papers.
The top sheet was just a note from Governor Sanderson. It said:
"Heyes, Jed, and Miss Chrissy,
"I have read your amnesty agreements and am appalled at the shoddy wording it contains. The next page is a list of things that need to be included. They are in no order but the order the thoughts came to my mind. I'm sure there are other things that need to be amended. I want to assure you all that you're free citizens with all your rights and that you cannot, for any reason, be sent back to prison for violating a condition of your parole. It is unconditional. Please sign the next page and return it to me. That will be a legal amendment to your amnesty agreements. I will see Colin gets a official copy to each of you. I apologize I never thought to review these before.
"Charles Sanderson, Governor of Wyoming and Acting Governor of Colorado."
I reread his letter before going onto the next page. I've read all the legal words on my amnesty, even tried looking some of them up in the dictionary. Still, I wasn't sure what it meant except I was free to live my life. I thought maybe the next page might help.
"Amendment to the amnesty agreements.
When signed by Mr. Hannibal Heyes, Mr. Jedediah Curry and Mrs. Christina McWinters Curry, the following amendments are added to their amnesty agreements.
This agreement grants clemency which encompasses both your unconditional amnesty and your unconditional pardon and cannot be revoked. This is a sovereign act of forgiveness for any offenses for which you have been convicted and amnesty for any crimes that may have been committed and were subject to prosecution but not yet convicted as of the date of this revision.
You are a free person and cannot be imprisoned without just cause.
Clarification: All your convictions have been expunged and pardoned. All your civil liberties and rights have been returned without exception including the right to vote, the right to serve on a jury, and the right to carry firearms.
This document testifies that you are a 'virtuous' person and have the right to carry firearms under the second amendment.
You are entitled to a jury trial by your peers for any new charges against you.
This document cannot be revoked and contains no conditions where you will be immediately sent back to prison."
There was room for us to sign the bottom. I signed the bottom and put it carefully away in my drawer to get the Kid and Chrissy to sign.
JED 'KID' CURRY
After all the excitement of yesterday, Frank arrived this mornin' with news. Four more US marshals will arrive tomorrow. One will come here to help guard the governor and the other three will escort Harrison Roberts and Brandon Wyatt to trial in Cheyenne. It was moved there from Lincoln, Nebraska because we all heard Roberts threaten the governor's life for signin' Miss Denise's divorce papers. They are both charged with the attempted murder of the governor and Aiden and the murder of the governor's marshal. Dr. Oliver did his best, but he couldn't save the man. Auntie sat with him on his deathbed and will go with Ken and Glen to accompany his body back to his family. Auntie took it hard. All her memories of losin' her husband returned. Still, she insisted she go, sayin' who else could help the widow through her grief as well as she can.
Aiden looks terrible but protests that he is feelin' better. He and Miss Denise surprised us by sayin' they are gettin' married this afternoon.
"I am not going to let THAT man stop me from marrying Aiden," Miss Denise said, while sittin' in a chair next to the doctor's bed and holdin' his hand.
"Whatever my Denise wants," he agreed.
Dr. Oliver had no objections, so Arnie was sent to get the minister and the rest of us busied ourselves with preparations.
Arnie was given instructions where to find a change of clothes for the doctor at his home and Aiden told him where he had left her ring. Miss Denise fussed some that her groom had seen her weddin' dress. She joined Auntie, Miss Tina, and Chrissy tailorin' Auntie's old weddin' dress that she pulled out of one of her trunks.
"Pa, guess what?" Martha asked as she tried to skip, but still limped into the kitchen from Auntie's house. We tried to shelter the twins as much as we could from the drama around here, but they were aware that the marshal had died.
"What?" I asked. The joy in her eyes helps me recover from the ugliness of the gunfight.
"Auntie is smiling!" Both had felt Auntie's grief and tried to remedy it with hugs. They asked if the marshal was with Aunt Lily. We told them yes. They decided she would take care of him and went about tryin' to get Auntie to smile.
"She is?" I asked, pickin' her up.
"Yes, and she let me sew three stitches. And now I'm to get you to help me pick flowers for Miss Denise and for Ma. I get to carry some, too." She spoke so fast she was out of breath. I could feel the bandage on her leg through her dress and felt relief that she was healin'. It could have been so much worse and my fault because I wasn't watchin' them.
"Pa, will you?"
"Will I what? Help you pick Auntie's flowers?" I'd let my mind wander, but right now her joy was what I wanted to share. "You sure Auntie won't be mad at me for touchin' her flowers?"
Her young laugh echoed in my ears. "No, silly, she told me to get them."
LOM
Sheriff Frank Birde telegraphed me with what happened at Phoenix. Said he didn't want me to read it in the paper. I answered him to let me know if I was needed. I really don't have time to go there. I need to visit Preacher before the baby comes. I sent a telegram to the prison to reserve a space in his next visit time, but I haven't heard back. That worries me. From his letter he was trying to accept his confinement. Did that change?
HEYES
Dr. Aiden Arden leaned heavily on Governor Sanderson, his best man, as they stood in the backyard of our house. The front yard still had echoes of violence. But this is perfect. First, Martha walked, still with a limp, between the people gathered there, dropping flower petals with a smile that made me smile right back at her. Michael followed, walking slowly, seriously. His Sunday clothes were stiff. I knew they were tight over his bandage and hurt the wound on his lower back. But he insisted. Told me he wanted to look his bestest. He carried a piece of dark cloth and a box with the ring.
Chrissy walked behind her children in the dress she wore to wed the Kid. I knew it had been altered and material added to hide her growing figure. She glowed in her pregnancy. Here at Phoenix, she was healing…but she refused to leave. I know how she feels. This place is special. Behind her, the Kid escorted Miss Denise to her waiting groom. Chrissy had him wear his best suit and had tried to calm the curls in his short hair to no avail.
Miss Denise looked beautiful. Her eyes were fixed on Dr. Aiden. Joe and NotJoe were supposed to be locked in the barn, but they escaped and followed the Kid. I could tell the doctor was getting tired. He leaned heavier on the governor. His brother, Dr. Oliver, saw it, too. Guess he expected it because he nodded to Glen and Juan, and they brought two chairs and set them in front of the minister. The groom protested but the bride sat right down and patted the seat next to her. Nodding, he sat down and took her hand. Joe laid down at their feet.
The minister made the ceremony quick, and we all clapped when he said, "May I introduce Doctor and Mrs. Aiden Arden."
Dr. Oliver insisted his brother return to his sickbed, but the governor stopped him.
"First, a toast to my best friend and his beautiful bride!"
Miss Tina handed us all glasses. I took a sip…white wine.
"To, Aiden, and his beautiful bride, Denise. And to this extraordinary life he has built here!"
"Here, here!"
"Cheers"
"Congratulations!"
"Best Wishes!"
JED 'KID' CURRY
One month later…
When they rode up, it was almost noon, and I was about to close the blacksmith shop to new customers. I couldn't handle another horse or repair today. But there was somethin' about their confident swagger that made me curious.
I took their order and asked for fifty percent up front. Not somethin' I usually do.
"Just what is this contraption supposed to do?" I asked, knowin' full well what it was.
"Helps splitting smaller pieces of wood," the taller one answered, with a glance at his companion. They looked like brothers…or maybe cousins.
"Well let me know how it works out and I may make some to sell in the mercantile," I tried to say innocently.
They tried to hide smirks as I watched them walk back to their horses. They had no idea who I was. Probably too young to remember our exploits. They were not more than their early twenties, carefree and cocky. I couldn't really remember if me and Heyes were ever really like that even when we became the youngest leaders the Devil's Hole Gang ever had. We tried hard to give that carefree, cocky impression to the world. That's what was expected of us. But growin' up the way we did, we were cynical and fatalistic, two other words I learned from readin'. We always expected the next minute to lose everything. I still feel that way often.
When they left, they turned onto the main road away from Three Birds. I took the drawin' into the back room to share with Heyes. After all, he drew it.
"Find those invoices from the Bridgeport order?" he asked hopefully without lookin' up.
"Nope. Got a new order. You're gonna wanna see this."
"Kid, I have confidence you can make anything. I'll wait for the finished product to admire it. Need to concentrate on straightening out the mess you made of my books."
I slid the paper in front of him on top of his ledger. His low whistle let me know I had his attention.
"This is my design…in my writing. Where'd they get it?"
"Probably from some blacksmith we asked to make one years ago. Must have kept your drawin'. Still the best designed bar splitter I know of."
The old Heyes arrogance came out in his dimpled grin. "It is, isn't it…simple and elegant. You gonna make it?" he asked.
I nodded. "Took a fifty percent deposit so yeah. Been wantin' to try my hand at one."
"But…"
"Easy, Heyes, ain't gonna let them rob the bank in Three Birds or any place else. Wish Frank wasn't out of town. Would've liked to talk this over with him."
He nodded, still admirin' the paper. "Can I make a change?" he asked with a rarely seen twinkle in his eyes that let me know he had an idea.
"As long as it still works when I finish makin' it."
"It will work perfectly…or start to, anyway!"
ASJ*****ASJ
Heyes was workin' on the books, and I told him I had some trackin' to do, hopin' he'd ask to come along.
"I'll come. Best tracker in Southern Utah." He grinned.
I smiled. It would feel good workin' together again. "Good, partner, I was afraid I was gonna have to do this alone. Might be dark before we finish."
He hesitated and looked at the ground. I knew he was stressed because his thoughts were spoken out loud. "I rode in the dark to Three Birds and I sat in the dark outside Chrissy's cell. The dark didn't get me although it tried. It never gives up. But the Kid will be with me. He remembers we are partners." He stopped and looked at me. "I said that out loud, didn't I, "I nodded. "Heyes, we need to track these men silently."
He nodded.
I took a deep breath and moved so I looked him in the eyes. "Sometimes when you get nervous or excited like just now, your thoughts are spoken aloud. We're all used to it. It happens a lot less than it used to. Can you control it?"
"I can," he answered, then changed the subject. "A few customers are still expecting to pick up some things today," Heyes said, bein' practical. I would forget to charge half of our customers if it were not my partner.
"We're closin' anyway," I decided.
While I saddled Winter's Glory, he saddled Fall's Bells, and we started trackin' the two outlaws who were orderin' the bar splitter. They were remarkably easy to track to someone familiar with this road. They hadn't tried to hide their trail.
Where they turned off the road, we found a secluded grove for our horses and found their camp on foot. Four men were sittin' in a circle talkin'. As me and Heyes split up, I had to smile as he tied his bandana over his mouth as a reminder to keep his thoughts his own. We listened quietly.
"Blacksmith was so dumb. Told him the bar splitter was to help split smaller pieces of wood and he believed me. Even said he might try to sell them in the mercantile."
They laughed and I realized they were passin' around a bottle of whiskey.
"Where's the drawin'?" I heard one ask. "My uncle's gonna miss it. That's an original Hannibal Heyes sketch. He keeps it framed on the wall of his smithy."
I couldn't see him, but I knew Heyes smiled at that. He'd like to know that someone appreciated his design enough to hang it on the wall.
"Relax, Ian, we'll get it back when we pick up the bar splitter. Your uncle closed up that smithy years ago."
There was a quiet, except for the sound of the bottle bein' passed from man to man. Then a voice that I recognized as Ian said, "Bill, you and Leo check out that bank in Three Birds?"
"Yeah, even saw a picture of the man we overheard in Omaha braggin' about how his town's bank is a stop for a big payroll the third Wednesday of each month. He's running for some office and his picture is the window of the mercantile. Saw the stage schedule too. It only runs twice a month through there and one of them times is the mornin' of the third Wednesday."
Now I knew the when, why, and where for the robbery. I knew the head of our City Council Fritz Birde had attended a meetin' and gala in Omaha in the last month. He was proud of the place he and his brothers had built. He's trying to get elected as a state representative. But it sounded like he bragged in the wrong place.
The bar splitter was their plan A. They were goin' to meet up in Three Birds the day before to check out the town again. The morning the stage arrived they were gonna wait until an hour after dark, use the new bar splitter, and spend the night in the bank workin' to get the safe open. Leo was supposed to be good with safes. They planned to leave the same way they got in, through the window that they spread the bars.
Of course, this plan would fail. Heyes' changes to the bar splitter ensured it would be worthless.
Their back up plan scared me, but I planned to be waitin' for them. They were goin' in the front door, guns drawn, and steal the payroll and whatever else they could get. They'd tie their horses in front of the saloon, two doors down. It was not a well thought out Hannibal Heyes plan. It was crude, relyin' on threats of violence and gunfire.
We tracked back to the horses and left. We rode in silence until we turned up Curry Road. Thoughts of how to stop the robbery flooded my mind and I was thankful I could discuss them with Heyes. He could plan a great robbery. I was sure he would have an elegant plan how to stop one. Thoughts of gratitude to Lom washed over me…he never gave up on two convicts who used to rob banks and railroads.
HEYES
"Seems like we got four days to figure out how to stop this robbery. Birde brothers be home by then?" I asked the Kid when we got home.
"No, all campaignin', even Jeff and their kids."
The Kid was right. It was dark. I've decided there are two kinds of darkness. Darkness like tonight, and the other night in Three Birds is just the absence of the sun. I know now I can survive that; it's not trying to engulf me or smother me. It's just there. But the other kind of darkness is the one I have to fight against. It comes from my mind, my thoughts, my dreams. It is insidious, deceptive, and treacherous. Light keeps it at bay except when I am sleeping. Being here at Phoenix helps me fight it but it still comes for me when I'm scared or sleeping. If it gets me again, I can't escape on my own. The Kid knows how to help me. He's strong and I borrow his strength. I think about this because I will camp alone when I go to North Dakota. I hope the campfire light will keep away both kinds of darkness, but I'm going to bring a lantern and some oil, too.
JED 'KID' CURRY
I stopped at the blacksmith shop when we got back. Heyes seems to be doin' okay ridin' in the dark. Of course, there is nearly a full moon tonight.
"Heyes, need to show you somethin'," I said as I slid off Winter's Glory. I unlocked the back door and lit a lamp so I can see into the main room with the forge. Heyes stood at the door. He doesn't enter the forge unless invited. Need to talk to him about that. "Here. Look at this." I motioned him over.
His eyes smiled. "You made it?"
"This is the sixth try. Here's the keys. See if I'm close."
Heyes took the complicated lock he had designed and I had made. "You really made it!"
It was meant to go on a metal wall right inside of a bank's safe. The way we designed it, a blast of dynamite might melt certain sections of it but not open it. Heyes certainly was a genius as the strength of the lock was in its complex simplicity. It took two sequential keys, insert and turn the first one, that allows you to remove the key and insert and turn the second one. It won't open yet. The first key has to be reinserted and turned again. This time it will open. Two keys. Three locks. In sequence.
Heyes sat down like a child with a new favorite toy. Even with the keys and knowin' the order, it took him five minutes to open it. Then he locked it again and took his lockpicks from his boot.
"Feel kinda naked without them there," he said with a sheepish grin.
He's the best at crackin' locks I've ever seen, probably the best there is…or was. I don't keep up with that gossip anymore.
He turned the lock over and over before usin' the picks. Thirty minutes later, he put it down and nodded.
"I know how it opens but can't open with picks. Maybe if someone had the keys, they might eventually figure it out, but it would take hours. I do have one little improvement you can make right in this model."
ASJ*****ASJ
I had checked the size of the safe in Three Birds, so I made an inner metal door to slip in. The final step would be to solder Heyes' lock into the openin' I had left in the lower right of it. The first step was to convince the bank manager to let me do it. If Frank was in town, I'd explain what happened and that I suspected the bank was gonna be robbed. I'd even tell him how the would-be thieves overheard his brother braggin'.
The Bank of Three Birds was one of the few things in the town not owned by a Birde. Mr. Palmer Robinson was middle aged, bald and about my height. He wasn't a daily presence in the bank or in town. I'd never seen him in the saloon or in my infrequent visits to Sunday services. But I hoped he was in town today because I had a plan.