A/N: And here we are again with the next installment of our dynamic duo on the run. Tonight, Jocova makes another appearance and their plans solidify a little more. Seasons 12 and 13 may end up merged into one big "on the run" season, returning to season 14 when – or if – they can prove Candy's innocence. I've skimmed the episode lists for those two seasons and most of them don't lend themselves well to starring Annie and Candy exclusively, though a few hold promise. I'm also going to add date stamps (month and year) to each chapter just to help keep track of where we are in the timeline.
As always, entertainment only.
May, 1870
"I suppose it is good you are not hiding under bushes, but I cannot help but wonder why you are staking another horse out in the middle of nowhere." Jocova's familiar dry tone sent waves of relief flooding through her veins. Annie popped out of the bedroll and met the chief's expressionless face with a shrug.
"How else do you catch a horse thief?"
"I am a chief."
"We know," Candy muttered as he stumbled awkwardly out their bedroll. "A chief with an eye for good horses. He's yours." One eyebrow winged up.
"What has this one done now?"
"You really hadn't heard?" He blinked slowly and tilted his head in her direction.
"Perhaps I want to hear your side of the story."
"Candy was convicted of murder, but he's innocent." She scraped a hand through her messy hair and fought to keep her voice even.
"Am I the only one who is concerned that this appears to be a common occurrence?"
"It comes with being a Cartwright," she muttered. Jocova rubbed his chin and studied the chestnut pinto, a medicine hat she'd selected for the powerful medicine the Paiutes believed he would bring his master. The man sighed and shook his head slowly.
"Your father is supposed to be receiving horses, not me." They glanced up in unison and Jocova chuckled dryly. "There is only one way I could have come upon the two of you sharing a bedroll and with my people it involves the giving of many, many horses for one such as you. I am also going to guess he does not know this has happened, in which case it will take many more horses than normal to cool his anger."
"Pa has enough horses already," she protested. "Besides, there wasn't time." Not to mention, it would take a lot of horses to make up for the money she'd ... borrowed.
"Jocova, we need your help," Candy said. "We need a place to hide until my leg heals enough we can ride for longer than an hour at a time. Somewhere out there is a man wearing my face and we have to find him if we're to have any hope of ever going home." The chief shifted in his saddle.
"What if you cannot find him? Or cannot prove he was responsible?" They traded looks and swallowed hard.
"Then we go on until we run out of trail," Annie said softly. "If we can bury ourselves somewhere … start a new life …"
"We're up against it," Candy put in. "And we know it, but we're not going down without a fight."
"This is good." Jocova nodded approval. "You will stay with my people until you can ride to battle." He reined his horse around, calling out orders in sharp Paiute, and they sighed, leaning against each other in relief. One more step in the right direction.
Two months later, July, 1870
"Can someone please explain just exactly how hiding out entails stealing horses from an enemy camp?" Annie's voice rose in dismay as she stared at the string of ponies tethered to her husband's saddle horn. Candy shrugged with a sheepish grin and her eyes closed. Granted they could only be hung once, nor was it likely the other raiding party would actually bring the law into this, but … how was this going to help matters?
"If he can steal horses, he can ride long enough to begin searching." Jocova swung down from his medicine hat and stroked the animal's muzzle. "There is also the matter of a bride price." The chief jerked his chin at a gray mare. "That one along is worth three average animals." One eyebrow rose. "If you are concerned about pursuit, he was never spotted. There are times I question if he is part Indian."
"He grew up an Army brat," she muttered under her breath. "And he's as slippery as a snake in a bucket of lard." A snort escaped, but she didn't look up in time to see if it was Candy or Jocova. Her husband dismounted and swept her off her feet in a hug, proving his leg was much better.
"I promise I was careful."
"I know." She hugged his neck, twisting her fingers through his too-long hair. "You look like a brave," she said in his ear and he laughed.
"I thought that was the idea." His voice lowered. "You look real nice in buckskin, sweetheart." Her cheeks heated and she swatted his arm. Behind them, Jocova rolled his eyes.
"Your tepee is less than a hundred feet that way," he called over his shoulder. "I will even see to your horses, Candy." The chief grabbed the chestnut's reins and led the horses away. Candy set her on her feet and she looked him over.
"You're sure your leg is alright?"
"Right as rain." They strolled through the middle of the camp heading for their tepee. A young woman with glossy black hair in twin braids down her back and blue and green beads woven onto her dress smiled up at Candy as they passed, an invitation in her gaze. Annie's eyes narrowed and she stepped closer to her husband, looping her hand through his arm. She glared at the girl and hissed a sharp warning in Paiute that had her scurrying away. Candy chuckled under his breath and shook his head. "You sure are pretty when you get mad."
"You'd think after this long she'd get the message." He laughed again as they ducked under the flap of hide across the doorway and pressed a kiss to her forehead.
"You're the only one I'll ever want." He pulled her close, arms wrapping around her back and squeezing tight. "We'll make it home." She laid her head on his shoulder and closed her eyes. "I promise."
"I know." She tried to swallow past the lump in her throat. The real question was would they be welcomed back after what she'd done? She still hadn't told Candy about forcing Joe into the pantry at gun point. He'd guessed about the money, there wasn't any other explanation for thousands of dollars nestled in their saddlebags, but Joe … that was what kept her up at night. She'd done what she had to do, and she'd do it again if it was necessary, but that didn't stop it from hurting.
"Hey …" He tilted her head up. "You alright?"
"I will be once we've proven you're innocent."
"Me too," he whispered, his throat working. "Me too." He drew in a breath and straightened. "What's for supper?"
"Buffalo hump."
"You enjoyed that too much," Candy said with a huff as he wiped the last of the grease off his fingers. "He's rubbing off on you." She smiled to herself.
"If anyone rubbed off on me, it's you. Besides, I was like this before we ran into each other out in that desert." Candy snorted and unfolded the map across the floor.
"But you never took off without a plan."
"I had part of one," she protested.
"True. Where do we go from here?" He gestured at the map. "He could be anywhere by now."
"If he's read the papers at all, he's gonna keep his head down for the time being." Her gaze slid sideways to the stack of newspapers tucked away in a woven basket. Carson City was frothing at the mouth like a rabid wolf and Candy had a price of $2,000 on his head. The only – semi – consolation was that it was for live delivery only since the town demanded a hanging. But without the real culprit, that wouldn't do them any good. That the weasel of a kid sheriff had put a grand on her own head didn't bother her half as much as Candy's bounty.
With every bounty hunter west of the Mississippi beating the bushes for them, his double would do well to stay out of sight. They needed to be able to show Carson City both Candy and his double side by side and the only way they could guarantee that was getting this fellow before some bounty hunter did. But how would they find him? Annie ran her finger across the map from the Mississippi River to the coast of California. So many miles of ground ….
"Annie … if we get caught, you get out, you hear? I don't care if it means leaving me behind, you run." She slapped at the map, eyes narrowing.
"If you go down, I go down, Canaday. Even if I could manage to bury myself somewhere, it wouldn't be a life without you." Candy sighed and scraped a hand through his hair.
"Lord, you're stubborn. Alright. I won't bring it up again. Which way?"
"He had to come from somewhere, but where? We've never run across anyone who thought you were someone else, so … maybe …" Her finger slid to the east. "What if he just now came west?"
"It would have been nice if someone at that blasted sham trial had said anything about what he said in that bank."
"And we can't go ask." Annie sighed. It was going to take some getting used to, this lack of information; what would be so simple for a Cartwright was now next to impossible. They needed people who could speak for them, but who could they really trust, especially with that kind of money balanced on their heads?
"That's how it is out here, sweetheart. We're on our own."
"I know." She studied the map, wishing an answer would jump out at her. "We could say we're looking for your brother. It might even bring him to us."
"Until he figures out who's looking for him." She hummed agreement and kept scanning the map.
"What about the territory? Arizona … New Mexico … both known hideouts for outlaws. He could be down there right now."
"Good a place to start as any." Candy folded the map and tucked it into the saddlebags beside the bed. "We'll get an early start in the morning." He grinned. "Jocova promised he'd deliver those horses to Mr. Cartwright by the end of the week and I wish I could see his face when he finds them." Annie swallowed hard. They may not need to wonder. She glanced at the south wall of the tepee.
They may be able to hear him.
"I will ask the Great Spirit to guide you," Jocova said solemnly. "Perhaps we will meet again soon." Annie shifted in her saddle, her pants feeling almost odd after two months of wearing a buckskin dress. His mouth twitched. "Next time, you do not need to buy another horse." Some of the gathered people laughed. "We will be watching the hills."
"Thanks, Jocova." Candy held out his hand. "That's twice now you've saved my hide." The chief clasped his hand, his gaze shifting to her.
"She saved you this time, my friend. The love of a good woman is something to treasure as you would a fine horse." Candy's mouth twitched and she knew what he was thinking. She just couldn't escape it, could she? He glanced sideways and she narrowed her eyes in warning. His sparked with mischief and she raised a brow. He covered a laugh with a cough and straightened, Jocova stepping back.
"If you'd happen to see this fellow, hog tie him and give us a holler. You'll know real quick if he's not me." Her throat closed as her gaze shot to his back, the scars hidden under his shirt and vest. She wished he hadn't had to show Jocova that, but it was imperative they have some way to tell who was who.
"We will deal with him should we find him." The chief turned his attention to her and laid a hand on her horse's shoulder. "It is good you chose this one, there are not enough horses in my tribe to pay a bride price to your father had you been born Paiute."
"Thanks." Candy hid a smile and urged his chestnut into motion as she tipped her hat to Jocova and settled her pinto in on her husband's right. They sped up to a lope and rode away from the camp without a backwards glance. Candy waited until they'd crested the hill and started down the other side before he burst out laughing.
"What does it say when I'm not the only one who sees it?"
"Shut up, Canaday."
A/N: If anyone is interested in reading Ben's reaction to getting all those horses dumped in his lap, PM me and I'll send it your way. Until next time!