Winter's Refuge
Chapter Fifty-Four
JED 'KID' CURRY
I let Heyes sleep late and went downstairs with Frank for breakfast.
"You gonna tell me what Lom said we were going to talk to the governor about or leaving it as a surprise?"
"Ain't an easy conversation. Lom didn't know all the facts when he asked you to help me…not that I don't appreciate the help."
"Jed…son...just spit it out instead of talking circles around it."
"Lom told you this is off the record, right? Confidential."
"He did. And I'll make you the same deal he told me he made with you; if I ain't going to the governor with you, this conversation never happened."
"We're going to ask the governor to grant an amnesty for an outlaw," I started.
"Okay, tell me why they deserve it," Frank said, not lookin' at me but moppin' up his eggs with his toast.
I wasn't hungry. "Lived an honest life for over twenty-five years. Married, raised three boys, all good legal citizens," I said.
Frank stopped eatin' and looked up at me. He knew who I was talkin' about but didn't want to say it out loud. "Who?" he asked in a whisper.
This was my last chance to back out. If I didn't tell him, he might be suspicious but not certain.
He must have seen the hesitation on my face. "Jose Ortiz?" he asked.
I nodded. I choose my next words carefully. "I didn't know Lom was gonna ask you to help me. He doesn't know your...well, your connection to the Triumvirate."
Frank looked around the restaurant. There was a young couple across the room that only had eyes for each other. No one else was near. The waitress thought he was lookin' for her and came over.
"What can I get you?" She looked at my still full plate. "Don't like your breakfast, sweetie?"
"No, it's fine…good." I picked up my fork and started eatin'.
"More coffee then?"
"Yes, more coffee would be great, darlin'," I answered with a smile.
When the waitress left, Frank grinned. "Reminding you you're a married man now."
"Just bein' polite."
I ate while we waited for more coffee. When our cups were refilled and the waitress was gone, we continued talkin'. Still, we kept our voices low.
"My connection?" He had become defensive.
"When I was in the hospital after bein' in prison, Juan asked his ma some questions about his pa and Chrissy's pa. He thought he knew because she and Paul had come to help instead of Jose."
"Go on."
And Miss Beverly's pa. They thought I was sleepin', but I listened. Mrs. Ortiz talked for a long time and told Juan everything."
"You never said anything to Beverly?"
"And never will. Lom asked me and I told him the other two were dead. Didn;t give him no names. Not lookin' to make trouble here for your family. Hadn't thought about Lom sendin' you."
Frank was quiet, thinkin', weighin' his options, holdin' his coffee cup but not drinkin'. "Beverly told me before we were married. Didn't matter. I knew she was the one I wanted to spend my life with."
In the silence that followed I concentrated on the food on my plate, not lookin' up at him.
"You telling me Juan already knew?"
"He and his brothers and Chrissy knew. Not all of it; Chrissy had remembered some of livin' in Devil's Hole. Not sure she remembers it anymore."
"The McWinter brothers know?"
"Don't know. They were pretty close with the Ortiz brothers growin' up."
I had given him a lot to think about.
"Gonna tell the governor the same thing I told Lom and try to keep the others out of it," I finished.
HEYES
The Kid and Sheriff Birde have a meeting with the governor today. I was told it's nothing to do with me, but I think it is. I think I did something wrong, but I don't know what. Maybe because I argued with the governor about how many men he's giving us. I was doing good keeping my thoughts internal but now I can't. Well, I can but then my words seem to desert me. Seems I can do one or the other.
I'm tired after my nightmare last night. I feel beat up. Before he left this morning, the Kid said I was fighting myself, and the wall and my pillow and him. I was reliving a fight in prison where I killed a man. I can't even remember the man's name, if I ever knew it. The Kid told me not to open the door for anyone but Dr. Arden. He's coming to talk to me. Maybe he's the one that's gonna tell me I have to go back to prison. I don't understand what's happening right now. The Kid says I have to tell Dr. Arden about the nightmare when he comes. I haven't had it before, and the Kid didn't know how to help me.
When a knock came at the door, I wished I had a gun but pulled out my knife instead. Opening the door a crack, I saw it was Dr. Arden and let him in.
"Good morning, Mr. Heyes," he said, studying me. "Rough night?"
Dr. Arden has seen me on good days and bad days, I can't fool him. I can't fool anyone with my expressions anymore.
I motioned him to the table where the Kid had put a fresh pot of coffee from downstairs. "H…help yours…self." I was able to keep my thoughts to myself.
"I was going to show you a few more tricks to keep your thoughts private, but from the looks of you we have something else to discuss. Jed give you that black eye?"
Looking in the tiny shaving mirror over the washbasin, I saw my left eye starting to bruise. "N…no." I silently said the alphabet, concentrating on what I had to say. "I did that to myself. Kid said I should tell you about my nightmare. With this shiner, guess I don't have a choice."
We sat at the table, and I told him the whole nightmare and what the Kid had observed. Once I started, I wasn't sure if I was saying my thoughts or the words I wanted to. It didn't matter. They were the same. When I poured myself some coffee, I saw my knuckles were bruised, too. He was quiet until I finished and I'm sure my telling of it took longer than the dream itself.
"Jed picked you up and held you?" he finally asked.
"Yeah, kinda like those bear hugs he gave me in prison, but he had one of my arms pinned to my side."
Dr. Arden shook his head with a small smile. "Strong man, your partner. Did you get any sleep after that?"
"No, sir. I read a book until the Kid woke up this morning. Kept seeing the man's ghost in our room every time I closed my eyes. I was so unnerved I don't even remember what the book was about. Have to read it again."
"Why do you think this new nightmare came last night?" Dr. Arden was using his soothing doctor voice I had heard so often. Maybe he did just come to help me control my thoughts. He doesn't look like he's going to tell me I have to go back to prison.
"D…do…don't know." I was embarrassed my words were halting again but my thoughts were racing, and I spent my energy keeping them private.
"What bothered you most about it?" Dr. Arden asked.
"I don't even remember his name. What was his name?"
LOM
Juan rode into town and the undertaker, Mr. Dwyer, came out with a casket in his wagon. I hated seeing Lily being put into that box even though he was careful, respectful, and gentle. Chrissy had changed her into her best blue dress. She said Lily had told her that's what she wanted.
"What do I owe you, sir?" I asked. "Like to settle up now and not wait until after the service."
"Already been taken care of, Mr. Trevors. Your friend, Jed Curry, came into town just after you arrived and paid for it all in advance. Said talking about money after someone's dead just ain't respectful."
I needed to remember to thank him for this kindness.
Chrissy had taken the twins to the stream for a quick bath. It had to be quick because the water was freezing. I didn't want them to be here for this. Juan appeared out of nowhere to help Mr. Dwyer carry the casket to the wagon.
"The priest is expecting you later today to discuss the service you prefer. Mr. Curry felt she would like to be buried in the churchyard. There's a new section on the south end under some trees that's just beautiful."
I could feel the tears in my eyes threatening to fall. This made it all so real. When she was lying in her bed, she looked like she was sleeping. I could lie to myself, even though I knew she was gone.
The twins were told she was an angel now gone to heaven but still watching over them. They asked me to turn her on her side so they could see her angel wings. Their innocent request started my tears. Thank goodness Chrissy heard and whisked them out of there.
"I'll be to see the priest shortly."
"Oh, here. There's a telegram for you from a Mrs. Sophia Clark. Sorry I was noisy and read it. Didn't want you to hear any more bad news right now. But she says she will be arriving tomorrow morning for the service." Mr. Dwyer didn't seem ashamed about reading my telegram and I let the matter go.
"Thank you, again, sir." I shook Mr. Dwyer's hand and watched the wagon with my dear sister's casket until he turned onto the main road.
JED 'KID' CURRY
I told Frank he didn't have to come with me, but he said it's better if he does. It involves his wife. I realized that if it came out her pa was part of the Triumvirate, it might also be a legacy to their child. No child needs to start life with that burden.
We met in the governor's office and Colin walked us in.
"Well, what is it Lom wanted to talk to me about that was so very confidential?" the governor asked.
"Well, he was gonna come here to ask for an amnesty, a quiet one, for another outlaw." I started feelin' awkward. I can't put words together like Heyes used to or like Lom can. I'm better at doin' than talkin'.
"I'm listening and I'll tell you now how I answered Lom's telegram. Anything said in this room today will be confidential. If I decide not to do what you ask, this meeting never happened. Frank, you got an interest in this?"
"As a friend of Jed's and a loyal contributor to all the governor's campaigns and projects."
The governor smiled and leaned back in his chair. He understood this was also a favor for Frank. "Yes, the Birde brothers always support me generously." He leaned forward, restin' his forearms on his desk. "Now, Mr. Curry, who is this outlaw? A member of the old Devil's Hole Gang?"
I hadn't expected him to mention the gang, but his questions made sense. "No, sir, well, yes, sir. This man's been wanted for a long time, but for the last twenty-five years he's been a model citizen stayin' on the legal side of the law. Married, raised a good moral family. Just found out recently about his past myself." I was tellin' him the same thing I told Lom. But Lom was a friend of mine and Jose's. I quenched my nerves and held my face emotionless. I really wanted to get up and look out the window, but I didn't.
"That's all good and well but I can only think of three men who've been wanted that long, the Triumvirate."
"Yes, sir."
"I see. But you only asked for amnesty for one."
"They all reformed. Lived honest lives, raised families of law-abidin' citizens. But only one is still alive."
The governor has a good poker face. I couldn't figure out what he was thinkin', which way he was leanin'."
"What is this man's name?"
"Jose Ortiz."
"The Jose from Texas on the poster," the governor mused.
"Yes, but he's not from Texas. He's from Wyoming."
Frank leaned forward. "Governor, we'd like this done as quietly and as quickly as possible so as not to bring any shame to his family." His voice was firm.
"I'd need the others' names. If I decide to do this, I'll grant them amnesty posthumously."
"That might hurt some innocent people, sir." Frank had taken over the conversation with the governor.
"What does this Jose Ortiz do for a living?"
"He's a ranch foreman."
I think I saw the governor decide in our favor but all he said was, "Come back in an hour."
Colin stood to show us out. I still find the governor's office threatenin' and was anxious to escape from there.
"Gentlemen," the governor called us back. "This meeting and this conversation are strictly confidential. See that if stays that way."
"Yes, sir," I said, shakin' his hand.
ASJ*****ASJ
Me and Frank walked to the largest mercantile on the street. He was lookin' at baby clothes but looked uncomfortable.
"Not sure just what a baby needs," he whispered to me. "But I think Beverly would certainly like some of these. She does like pretty things."
"So does Chrissy." I wandered to the woman's section and picked out a green checked dress that I thought would go good with her eyes. Then seein' fabric in the same pattern, I bought some of that. And two balls so the twins didn't have to play with a homemade bean bag ball.
We'd lost track of time so took our parcels with us and waited in the ornate wood chairs outside the governor's third floor office. They were pretty with carved armrests but they sure was uncomfortable for a man of my size. Instead, I walked to the end of the hall and looked at the sky out the window. But I stopped and looked down when I realized the outline I saw in the distance was the Wyoming Territorial Prison. Couldn't see a trace of it from the ground, but here on the third floor the top of it was visible.
Colin hurried down the hall past us with a quick nod of his head. He reappeared five minutes later.
"The governor will see you now."
Walkin' into the dignified office, I stood tall, put my shoulders back and tried to convince myself that with my amnesty I was as good as any other citizen of Wyoming. I still felt like runnin'.
"Gentleman, come in please." The governor rose to greet us.
"Thank you, sir," Frank answered as we took our seats.
I looked out the window. From the view in this office, I couldn't see the prison, still I felt its depressin' presence.
When the governor coughed, I quickly looked back at him. Colin stood off to the side. I couldn't read either of their faces. But I felt the governor could read mine.
"We've taken your request under consideration. Are you willing to give us the names of the two deceased members of the Triumvirate?" He directed the question at me, not Frank."
"Never told you I knew them." I didn't mean it, but my tone was defensive.
The governor smiled and leaned back in his chair. I felt his scrutiny. "Do you know the other two names?"
"Yes. But givin' you their names could hurt their families." I glanced at Frank. I'd never seen him look so serious.
"If we are to proceed here, I am asking you for those names," the governor insisted.
"This is to stay confidential. Not to leave this room?" Frank's voice was strong and just as insistent.
The governor looked at Colin and they nodded to each other. "You have our word. Is that enough, Mr. Curry?"
I was considerin' his question when Frank continued speakin'.
"That'll do. Jose Ortiz, Mel MacGarson, and Lazarus McWinters. And I'm counting on your discretion." Frank caught me off guard with his direct approach.
The look of surprise on the governor's face was mirrored on Colin's. "I see why you want to keep this quiet. Mel MacGarson! He was a good man, a good friend, and a respected leader in Wyoming politics." He turned to me and added, "Now I understand your hesitation, Mr. Curry. The name MacGarson is well known and respected."
I noticed he didn't say anything about Laz McWinters. As respected as Winter's Refuge's horses were, the name was cursed by many people. Not everyone knew that the McWinters family owned Winter's Refuge. Words escaped me. I hoped that these men would hold to their word.
The governor reached for a folder on his desk. "Thank you, gentlemen. These papers I'm signing say that as of tomorrow morning the wanted posters for the Triumvirate are canceled. They are not wanted. There is no longer a reward for their capture. News of this will be sent to every sheriff that receives the posters."
I was confused. The rewards were canceled but that was not amnesty.
"Thank you," was all I could think to say.
The governor took more papers out of the folder. "As for amnesty, I am signing the ones for MacGarson and McWinters right now. Frank, I'm assuming you can accept the one in Mel's name as his son-in-law. And Mr. Curry, you can accept the one for Lazarus McWinters as you are married to his daughter... You are married, are you not?"
"We are," I answered truthfully while takin' the paper. "And the one for Jose Ortiz?"
Colin took the last paper in the folder out and gave it to the governor, who read it slowly. "Mr. Curry, are you willing to sign this and pledge your amnesty as a guarantee of Mr. Ortiz' continuing lawful behavior? If you are, will I grant Jose Ortiz amnesty."
The ramifications, another word I learned while in prison, of what he was sayin' hit me. I was bettin' my freedom that Jose was an honest man. If I lost, I'd lose my amnesty. What would happen to my family? Jose knew how to live away from the law. Maybe he doesn't need amnesty? But I thought of Juan and Rudy, two men I had come to respect. Jose and Marina had raised them to be honest and law abidin'. "Yes, sir, I am."
A slow smile crept across the governor's face. "The Jed Curry I've known is a man I greatly respect. I won't ask for your signature. Your willingness to sign tells me Mr. Ortiz has reformed and is a good man." He signed the form givin' Jose his freedom and handed it to me.
ASJ*****ASJ
When I returned to our room, Aiden was there talkin' with Heyes. Neither one looked happy.
"Jed, Heyes told me about his dream, and I'm concerned," the doctor started.
"He's concerned because I want him to tell me the name of the man I killed." Heyes was belligerent. He got up from his chair at the table and started pacin'.
"I don't know what good that would do you. I already told you this is your anger issue and being able to control it. You've made excellent progress in every other area, but when you're mad, you lose control."
I took the third chair at the table. "Heyes, sit down. Let's talk about this." I watched him carefully for any sign of anger at the doctor.
He came and stood with both hands on the back of his chair…a compromise to sittin' with us.
"Heyes, do I have your permission to include Jed in our discussion?"
I caught Heyes' eyes. He tried to turn away, but I looked deep into his eyes. We've always been able to communicate without words. Sometimes we still can. "Yes, of course." The calmness in his voice had an edge.
"Very well. Heyes has told me that he has never had this particular nightmare before so the answer we must determine is why. I think it is because of the anger he felt in the meeting when his request to go to Brown River was turned down. That anger manifested itself in the nightmare of another time Mr. Heyes was angry and acted upon it." Aiden's tone bordered on condensin'. I don't like being talked down to and I knew that wouldn't sit right with Heyes.
I was right. Heyes raised his voice sayin', "I controlled myself in the meeting." Again, I heard the belligerence in tone and something else I'd started to worry about again… arrogance.
The doctor stood and mirrored Heyes position, placin' his hands on the back of his empty chair. "With Jed's help. I was there. I saw him hit your shoulder and point to your handkerchief. It was subtle, but it allowed you to gain control."
Heyes said nothing so I did.
"You think that anger is the reason he had this dream now? Two don't seem connected to me," I said. It was uncomfortable with both of them standin' but I refused to stand up.
"Then let's look at it like this. What struck you the most about the dream, Jed?" Aiden's tone had changed. He sounded truly innocent.
I didn't know if I should say what I felt but Dr. Arden was tryin' to help Heyes, so I answered, "Heyes' arrogance, his ego."
Heyes shot me a surprised look. I had expected him to be angry. Aiden remained silent.
Uncomfortable, I explained. "If it's connected to the hearin', then Heyes was denied goin' with us even though it was his plan. He conceived it. He researched it. He developed it and it's a good plan. He was proud of it. The board's denial hurt. Afterwards, he yelled about HIS plan."
Heyes nodded sheepishly. Aiden still said nothin'.
"In his nightmare, he kept sayin' that nobody beats Hannibal Heyes, and why would you fight me. Maybe those are the things he wanted to say to the parole board but couldn't? I don't know. You're the doctor." I waved my hand toward Aiden.
"I don't know, Jed. Sounds like you just did a good job of making that connection. An important one I didn't see." With a look at Heyes, the doctor took his seat again. I was glad to see that Heyes followed.
"Heyes, what do you think of all this?" Aiden asked.
"Is ego bad? Is it wrong to be proud of something I worked hard on?" Heyes asked. He spoke softly. The belligerence was gone, his tone was apologetic…or subservient.
"What do you think?"
Everyone was quiet and Dr. Arden let the silence hang in the room. He was just about to say somethin' when Heyes spoke, lookin' at the table, not us. "I think everyone deserves to be proud of his accomplishments. But not so proud that anger overcomes him when he's challenged, or things don't go the way he thinks they should. Is that right, Doctor?"
"There is no true right or wrong here. You have proved you can be a very perceptive man when you care to be, Heyes. Will you let me help you find ways to avoid that anger, or at least control it?"
Even after lockin' eyes with my partner again, I didn't know if he was gonna accept help.
He looked at Dr. Arden. "Yes, I'd like that, Doctor," he started. "And Doctor, if you could include the Kid in that help, I'd appreciate it. I think he's got a lot of controlled anger inside, too."
Surprised, I looked at him. I started to deny it but then thought of my fight with Price in the shop. My grip on my anger had slipped and I would have killed him if I hadn't been pulled off. Smilin', I reached over and hit my partner on the arm. "I think that is a Hannibal Heyes idea to be proud of. Doctor, you got room for me in those lessons?"
"Yes," he said, then looked at Heyes. "James Doubleday."
Heyes nodded. "James Doubleday, rest in peace and stay out of my dreams."
ASJ*****ASJ
Me and Heyes and Frank took an early train the next mornin' to Bridgeport. I wanted to stop by the newspaper office and thank Mr. Loveland for givin' us the opportunity to go through his archives and return the paper I had borrowed. Heyes told me he wanted to check a few facts again and would like some time in the archives.
I was nervous at the train station and on the trip to Bridgeport. The governor's reminder that there were still two men already paid to kill me heightened my awareness. They'd know I come here each month with Heyes. I shared my concerns over breakfast with my travelin' companions. On the train, none of us slept. Danger seemed to lurk every time the railcar door slid open, every time a new passenger boarded. But nothin' happened.
After I talked to Mr. Loveland, I gave him back the paper.
"Well, Mr. Curry, I have got to say I'm surprised. The few people who have borrowed papers don't tend to return them. Thank you."
"You're welcome and thanks for lettin' my partner search your archive, again. If there's anything I can do for you, just ask."
Big man that he was, I saw almost fear in his face. "Well, there is, but it may sound silly to you." I was wrong, it wasn't fear, it was embarrassment. "I have two of your dime novels. Would you sign them for my daughter? She's a big fan of yours."
Now it was my turn to be embarrassed. Frank slapped me on the back with a big smile on his face. "Jed, you can keep those books out of Three Birds, but they're everyplace else."
I refused to react to the pain he caused my back. "Sure, I'll sign them." When Loveland left to get the books, I turned to Frank. "What do I write?"
His smile hadn't faded. He was enjoyin' this until he saw I really didn't know what to do. "Sign your name. Maybe ask her name and include that. Add something like 'have a good day' or 'glad you enjoyed reading this.'"
ASJ*****ASJ
Me and Frank went to the big buildin' supply store where I had ordered the wood for the additions to my house. Some ideas for additions were floatin' around my mind but also, I enjoyed the smell of fresh cut wood. We hadn't been in there five minutes when Mr. Loveland came in.
"Your friend says he's done whenever you want to come and get him," he told us. "Told me there's something in the archives he wanted you to see."
Frank tried to reach up and put his arm around Loveland's shoulder, but he was too tall, and he slapped his back, instead. "Thanks for taking the time to come and get us." He used a friendly voice that I've come to know as fake.
"No problem. Whatever he was looking for was easy to find. He had a date and a name."
That caught my attention. "A name?"
"James Doubleday. Happened to be a day I still have multiple copies of, so I let him take it. He seemed excited."
ASJ*****ASJ
I waited until me and Heyes were grabbin' a meal in the Bridgeport Cafe. Frank went to say hi to his fellow sheriff there.
"Heyes, what were you lookin' for in the archives?"
He looked uncomfortable and jammed food into his mouth. I know that's one way he keeps his thoughts to himself. He does good at this now, except when he's upset…or surprised. I didn't give him the chance to debate lyin' to me. "Loveland said you were lookin' for James Doubleday?" I asked.
"Wanted to know more about the man I killed," he answered, then jammed a whole piece of toast into his mouth.
I waited for him to finish chewin' and stopped his fork before he could add more. "Why?" I tried to soften my tone, but I know it sounded demandin' because I saw Heyes recoil at my words.
I saw that flash of fear on his face.
"Not tryin' to scare you, partner, just want to know what's goin' on in your head," I softened my tone and caught his eyes.
He grinned at me. "Just needed to know. Look what I found." He handed me a folded newspaper.
It was opened to page three and showed it had been reprinted from a paper in Idaho I didn't recognize.
LOCAL MAN DIES IN WYOMING TERRITORIAL PRISON
Pembina, North Dakota
James Samuel Doubleday was killed in the Wyoming Territorial Prison after a surprise attack against another prisoner with a homemade shiv. Doubleday was notorious as a member of the Curt West gang, terrorizing our town and its citizens for four months six years ago. He was convicted for murdering three of our esteemed citizens, one during a stagecoach robbery. The other two were Mr. Simon Vincent, our bank president, and his eight-year-old daughter, Martha, when he robbed their home with Curt West.
During his trial it was revealed that James Doubleday had two wives who didn't know about each other and four children. Mrs. Veronica Doubleday lives here in Pembina with her two sons. Mrs. Angelica Doubleday lives in Walhalla, North Dakota, with her two daughters.
Besides two murders, Doubleday was convicted of three stagecoach robberies, two bank robberies, robbing three personal houses, and bigamy. He was sent to prison for life with no chance of parole.
This paper had learned that Doubleday had previously killed two fellow convicts while in prison and spent a year in solitary confinement.
It is rumored that both Doubleday and West worked with someone on the staff or on the outside to contract the murder of prisoners.
The day Doubleday was convicted, the town of Pembina celebrated with fireworks and a town feast.
As I handed Heyes the paper back, I leaned back in my chair and whistled lowly. "Well, if you were goin' to pick a man to kill, he certainly was an evil one. So, you happy? Can you stop thinkin' about him?"
Heyes nodded but I caught a look in his eyes that told me somethin' else. He can't hide things from me like he used to. "Heyes, what are you plannin'?"
With a slight grin, he leaned in closer to me. "When I get my amnesty, I want to look up the wives. Make sure they and the kids are okay. No collateral damage from my act."
I smiled. Heyes thinkin' of others showed how far he had come. I could see his lips move as he recited the alphabet in his mind.
"We'll plan on it," I told him.
"Need to do this by myself." He shook his head, waitin' for my response.
I wasn't pleased but answered, "You'll have amnesty, you'll be free to go where you want. Was hopin' you'd stay at our ranch." I couldn't keep the regret out of my voice.
"If you'll tolerate me, I want to stay with you and Chrissy and help raise those kids. That's home. This is just a trip, only a couple of weeks at most."
