The three men approached the ramshackle shack with trepidation. Heyes and Curry could feel Kyle's anxiety increase the closer they got to the Devil's Hole hideout. A few bedraggled outlaws stood or sat around the yard and watched their approach with suspicion. Some fingered their sidearms menacingly; one especially distrustful soul pulled his gun from his holster but, seeing Kyle at the head of the three man procession, held it down at his side rather than pointing it directly at the newcomers.
"Kyle," this same outlaw greeted his fellow gang member, in an unfriendly and suspicious manner. "Care to tell me what these two are doing here? Especially Heyes. Last I hear'd it, he was one the other side of the law now."
"You hear'd right, Jake, but Heyes here has got some important business to discuss with Hank. So you just better stand down and let me handle this."
Jake narrowed his eyes in a mean-spirited way. "I ain't sure what makes you think I gotta take orders from you, old-timer. Just cuz you been here longer than God don't mean you're—" While he was talking, he hadn't noticed that Kid Curry had calmly urged his horse forward until he was next to Kyle. Gaining eye contact with Jake, he slowly moved his hand until it rested on his gun butt; all the while staring down the younger gun slinger with a cold blue gaze. With a disgruntled and angry look on his face, Jake dropped his own gun back into its holster, figuring today probably wasn't a good day to die.
"Now gents, I don't see why we can't all just be amicable here." Heyes raised his gloved hands palm-forward in a conciliatory manner. "I'm not here as a lawman. I just need to talk to Hank. I don't mean to make any trouble." Heyes' silver tongue had little effect on the assembled outlaws; none of them appeared to be any more welcoming than they'd been before he spoke up. There was a palpable tension hanging in the air and Heyes started thinking this had been a risky mistake, one he shouldn't have included his friends in.
"Alright, boys. Stand down, ya hear?" Hank, the self-appointed leader of the gang had quietly emerged from the leader's quarters and stood leaning against the post holding up the rickety porch roof, glaring at the lower-ranking members of his gang. "Heyes," he said, gruffly. "If that's so, then I don't suppose you'd mind handing over your side iron, now would you? You too, Kid."
"Good to see you, Hank," Heyes smiled his most trustworthy, genuine smile. He lowered his hands slowly. "You wouldn't mind if I get down of this here horse now, would you? It's been a long ride and I'm a bit saddle sore."
"I wouldn't mind a bit," Hank answered, as Heyes started to dismount. "As soon as you drop your gun in the dust there."
Heyes paused in mid-dismount and settled himself back in the saddle. "Ok, Hank, you are the boss, after all." Slowly, with 2 fingers, he removed his gun from its holster and with a show of accommodation, tossed it onto the ground about 8 feet to the side of his horse.
Hank smiled with grim satisfaction, knowing he was now the one in charge of his old gang leader. Then he turned his attention to Kid Curry. "Now you, Kid," he said.
"Now come on, Hank. I'm not law. I'm an outlaw just like you. Heck, I'm a member of the gang even. Just like you."
"No. You was a member of the gang until you rode out of here the last time. You gave that up when you decided to break ranks with us. Now you're nobody. And I ain't just any old member anymore, remember? I run things around here now and don't you forget that. So if I was you, I'd drop that gun."
"Hank," Kid tried again, looking to garner some kind of common ground with the other man, but the looks on the gang members surrounding the trio on horseback were still decidedly unfriendly.
"Kid, I think you'll be wanting to do what Hank says," Kyle said, quietly accessing the mood of the men, especially the gang leader. "I told you, he was mighty mad when you rode out. If I was you, I'd drop that gun."
Kid turned his glare on Kyle, who withered a bit under the heat of it. Then he twisted around in his saddle to look at Heyes. Heyes met his friend's eyes, glanced in Hank's direction, looked back at Kid and shrugged. "I think Kyle might be right, Kid," he smiled apologetically.
Kid straightened up in his saddle, shot icy fire from his eyes in Hank's direction and gingerly lifted his gun out of its holster, holding it for a couple seconds longer than he needed to, finally dropping it into the dirt a few feet from his horse. "I'm gonna want that back when we leave," he snarled.
Hank smiled triumphantly, enjoying getting the better of the two men who were once the most successful outlaws in the history of the west, according to the dime novels he'd read. "Ok, you're free to get down now."
"Thanks, friend," Heyes said, hiding the edge in his voice and the glimmer of anger in his eyes. Kid did his best to follow his cue but his anger was almost palpable as he dismounted.
"Now that that's taken care of, what the hell are you guys doing out here? And Kyle, what do you mean by bringing them in, easy as you please!" He glanced around at the men still assembled around them, "Now you fellas, just git! Go find something productive to occupy your time." The outlaws looked at each other for a second and slowly began to wander off in the general direction of the bunkhouse, grousing quietly amongst themselves about this or that.
After they had all moved off out of earshot, all except Kyle who by virtue of his seniority could do pretty much whatever he pleased in Hank's eyes, Hank turned on his heel and started walking back into his quarters, gesturing to the other three men to follow him. "Let's go talk in private. These guys don't need to know ever'thing that goes on around here."
Once inside, Heyes turned to his old friend. "Now, Hank, I think you know why we're here," he said, calmly but with a hint of warning in his silken voice. "You really didn't expect this to work, did you? What could you really hope to gain from this?"
Hank frowned. "You better start speaking plain now, Heyes. I'm not 'specially following what yer sayin'."
Kid chimed in, "Come on, boys. I told Heyes about your plan to kidnap someone important to make a big score."
Hank grinned toothily, his chest puffed up with pride thinking about his brilliant plan. Kyle chortled happily, "Ain't it a corker, Kid? We's all gonna be rich. Say, you boys oughta join back up with us. Heck, we oughta get Wheat back here so he can be a part of this."
"Have you lost your mind, Kyle? Hank, I would have given you more credit than to pull something this reckless. No, not reckless. Dumb ass stupid is more like it!" Heyes shouted.
Hank rushed Heyes, grabbing him by the shirt and slamming him against the wall. Kid moved with lightning speed, ready to toss Hank across the room but before he could reach the two men, Heyes had broken the other man's grip on him and hit him cleanly across the jaw before kneeing him in the stomach, sending him to the floor in a crumpled heap.
"Like I said, Hank," he growled, reaching to retrieve his hat from the floor, "Dumb ass stupid."
"Where you holdin' him?" Kid asked, angrily.
"What the hell, Heyes," Hank whined from his seat on the floor.
"Answer him," Heyes replied, looking like he was itching for round two.
Kyle watched from the sidelines, his eyes wide with surprise and confusion. "Now, Heyes—"
"Quiet, Kyle, unless you want to join Hank," Kid said.
"I asked you where he is and I don't plan to ask again so if you know what's smart, you'll start talking." Heyes' dark eyes didn't leave any doubt that he meant what he was saying.
Hank cowered on the floor, waiting for the next blow to come. Kyle stepped between Heyes and Hank. "Now wait a minute, Heyes. There ain't no call for any more fighting." He extended his hand to Hank, who hesitated briefly before grasping it and allowing himself to be pulled up from the floor, rubbing his sore jaw.
Heyes took a deep, calming breath. "Let's start this again, shall we? What have you knuckleheads done with him? Where are you holding him? You know he's got a wife and kids and probably less money stashed away than either you or me, don't you?"
His brow pulled down in confusion, Hank just stared at Heyes, reluctant to say the wrong thing that might lead to another punch in the face. Kyle looked equally confused, staring open-mouthed at Heyes and Curry. Suddenly, awareness washed over his face and his eyes widened. "Are you talking about Lom, Heyes?" he exclaimed.
"Who else would I be talking about?"
"Well, I guess I don't know. Has something happened to old Lom?"
"You know darn well, Kyle. Stop playing a fool," Kid said warningly.
The four men stood staring at each other in silence for a moment, in varying degrees of anger and confusion. Slowly, Heyes realized that the outlaws had no idea what he and Curry had come to the hideout for. "So you're saying you don't know where Lom is."
Hank answered, "Well, last I heard he was sheriffing down in Bicklesburg. 'Course, that was a while ago but—"
Kid stopped him. "Hank. Lom has been kidnapped."
"Kidnapped! You don't say. Who in tarnation would want to kidnap old Lom? On a sheriff's wage, and all those mouths to feed, he cain't have more than two nickels to rub together at any one time."
"That's what we've been trying to tell you. So if you'll just tell us where you got him…" Heyes's words faded off as realization struck him. "So you're saying you fellas didn't have anything to do with this?"
Hank laughed and shook his head. "I told Kid—we were going to kidnap some big-wig. Not some underpaid public servant. What kinda idjits do you fellas take us for?"
"I'd prefer not to get into that right now, Hank."
Heyes looked at Kid, "If the gang didn't grab Lom, then who did?"