Winter's Refuge
Chapter Seventy-Six
JED 'KID' CURRY
MG looked at the rear wheel of the Devil's Hole wagon carefully. I fixed it. It was not pretty but it was functional. "You do that Curry? Heard you were a fair blacksmith in prison."
I refused to talk to him. The old gang helped me load my prisoners. We split them between the two wagons, separatin' Mean Gene and Rachel Lyn. If the prisoners dragged their feet and resisted gettin' in the wagon, I lifted them up and dumped them in the back. Didn't care if they got hurt. We tied their ankles together and to the wagon. And secured their wrists behind their back, even the woman's.
"Kid, you know me, Georgie. I rode with you and Heyes. Let me stay here with the others." A skinny man that had weasley eyes pleaded with me. He had ridden with us near the end, but he'd flipped to accept the leadership of Mark McWinters and then Mean Gene quickly. I had read the governor's report on him. He'd shoot scared men when robbin' trains.
"Ahh, Georgie the weasel, you played both sides and lost. You rode with that man," I said, noddin' at MG. "And McWinters before him. And you killed with them. Picked the wrong side."
Takin' Lobo aside, I explained to him that I needed him to drive his wagon into Hopeful and stay off the one main street. "Leave the wagon in back of the barber shop. Hide in the saloon but keep a low profile. I'll come back and find you." We'd counted on the two wagons and Colin ridin' blindfolded. I'd had the governor's guarantee that whoever drove the second wagon wouldn't be arrested. Still, Colin wasn't with us so I didn't want to take any chances with the Hopeful sheriff and the US Marshals waitin' there.
Hearin' MG's continued tauntin', Georgie's pleadin', Rachel's tears, and the angry curses of the other men made one decision easy. I gagged them all.
"Guard set on the entrance?" I asked Shortie.
"Yeah, Kid, your men. You sure you and Heyes don't want to come back and lead the gang? You'd be welcome."
Lookin' around, the good times of our life here returned. Leadin' the most successful gang in the west had been excitin', thrillin', fun, dangerous… and addictive. Me and Heyes enjoyed the camaraderie of the men and the security of the Hole. Life was easy and I had to admit it…good. But it couldn't compare to the life I have now. Chrissy, Martha, Michael, Joy, Heyes, Mrs. Clark, Lom…somehow, I have a wondrous family and life now and I wouldn't trade it for anything. Don't think that I deserve it, but I'm goin' work hard for the rest of my life keepin' my family safe.
I looked at Shortie. "Thanks. but me and Heyes worked hard for amnesty, and ended up doin' hard time in prison. Movin' forward and not lookin' back." And then a thought struck me. "You and any of the others ever talk of goin' for amnesty?"
"Only when we're drinkin'."
HEYES
They decided to start walking now. Even though I told them Mean Gene Kindberg and his gang were arrested, they're still scared. They want to get as far away from Devil's Hole as quickly as they can. I don't blame them. Arnie and Deidre spoke for the group.
Then as Deidre and Sophie were cooking the fish, Arnie pulled me aside. "Mr. Heyes…er…Heyes, I got an idea. Not sure it's a good one. I'll let you decide that."
I smiled at the earnest look on his face.
"I don't really know this area. I'm from Brown River. None of the others do either. But if it's a road, I can follow. Then, well, I was thinking, if you took Miss Sophie and the boy and walked to this cabin, or even all three rode Bells, then you'd get there pretty fast, right?"
I nodded as I started to see what I thought he was proposing. "If we rode, maybe two hours or less round trip."
"Well, we could try to follow the road, too, but Pappy, he can't walk even a quarter mile without resting. He's game to it though."
I smiled and slapped him on the back. He winced. And I knew he'd been whipped. Only one who's known the bite of a whip on his back, winces like that.
"Good plan. In fact, if we left right now, maybe the rest of you can stay right here, eat, rest, wash in the stream. When I come back, Pappy and one other can ride, and we'll make better time."
Miss Sophie sat in front of me on the saddle holding tight to the boy. Bells turned her head and gave me a quizzical look. The others were just gathering to eat their meal of fried fish and nuts. Mrs. Dent had even found some wild onions. Sophie reminded them to give thanks before they ate.
"It's fine, Bells. Do your best. This evening there should be fresh oats for you at the cabin."
JED 'KID' CURRY
Best decision I ever made was to gag all the prisoners. They banged their heels against the wagon floor and made muffled sounds any time we passed another wagon. When that happened, I showed my Deputy US Marshal badge, and we were given a wide berth. I felt for them, though. I know how hard it was to ride, restrained and needin' water. My trip to the Arizona prison had started that way in the prison wagon. And I still remember every little minute of that cravin' for water…and the fear of goin' to a prison far away from Heyes. We'd never really been apart and I'd depended on him. But this is only a four-hour ride and they all had water before we left. They'd be thirsty but alive when we got there.
At first, I tried to avoid the bumps and ruts in the road, but there were too many. Winter's Glory hated pullin' a wagon - period. And now she was pullin' one with me and four large men in the bed. I stopped anywhere there was grass and water and let her drink her fill. But I didn't offer any to MG and his gang…and they were too stubborn to try and ask.
I led with Lobo and the rest of the outlaws followin'. I respected his belief that I would see he was safe. I pondered the men I had seen today. The mighty Devil's Hole Gang were not the same young men anymore. They'd aged, but not as harshly as me and Heyes. I see it in Heyes' eyes, when he hesitates when talkin' with anyone in authority, and in the nightmares that still make him scream some nights.
At the horses' rest stops, Lobo and I talked. Life had not been easy for the old Devil's Hole Gang members livin' there. Matt's information was right; ever since Mark took over they had to pay to for the privilege of living there. And provide their own food, basically the money was for the protection of the Hole. They stood guard but always with one of MG's men.
They were never assigned to work with the hostages, and he wasn't sure why they were bein' held. Mark was the one who had the hostages abducted and he was very particular on who they took.
"We tried to help them by slippin' them food and most of MG's men looked the other way. After all, it was our food not theirs," Lobo told me.
"You're outlaws but Heyes always chose good bad men for Devil's Hole," I told him.
"They used them women, even the young girl. Tried to get me to join him on one job by offerin' one of the women to me as mine." He hit the ground with his toe. "Don't get me wrong, I love the upstairs girls in the saloons. Thought about it because it would have gotten one of the women out of his control. But then I thought for how long and what cost. None of us ever killed or stole from the regular people, just like Heyes taught us."
I could see the pain in his eyes.
'When the men, and sometimes the women, acted up or tried to escape, Johnny McWinters or MG whipped them in front of the camp. Good riddance they're gone."
HEYES
Fall's Bells was a champion. Carrying me and Miss Sophie, and the boy, she made good time to the cabin. She knows something important was happening. But when we turned off on the road up to the cabin, I could see a horse tied up out in front. Bells willingly followed my direction to step into the forest of trees.
"Stay here. Be quiet," I told Miss Sophie, "And if you hear me yell 'Bells', turn her around and race out of here."
"You think that horse there means danger, Mr. Heyes?" she asked, and the boy's eyes grew big with fear.
"Could be or it could be a friend, have to sneak closer to tell."
I was scared and the fear was overwhelming me, telling me to go into my mind, to think of my Solteria. I fell to my knees and thought of the people counting on me. There was a crack in the fear, and I used it to crawl toward the cabin. Smoke was coming out of the chimney. The Kid couldn't have got here first. The Devil's Hole main entrance is on the other side of the mountain. Panic swept through me, but I concentrated on that small crack in my terror and crawled forward.
When I got closer, I stopped and studied the horse. I knew him. It was Bear who had been with us in Solteria! But the fear sent swords of doubt to dominate my thoughts. I couldn't move and I didn't want to. The swords left a path to the safe place in my mind I haven't been able to find in a few days. It was tempting to follow them, but I focused and searched for that crack in the terror, a crack that led to a tiny stream of light. Gathering all my courage and the feeling of strength that the Kid always gives me, I edged my toe toward the light. And the light grew, and the terror ebbed and I used the doubt to make me careful, not fearful.
Slowly I approached the animal. It was Bear. What was he doing here? If Mike had brought supplies, he should have unloaded a wagon and be on the way back to Bridgeport already. Something must have gone wrong. I stayed under cover and walked to the side window of the cabin. Taking a quick glance into the window, I saw Mike in the kitchen putting canned goods on the shelf. I shifted my position to get another view. There was no one else there that I could see. Bending over to be below the windows I went to the front door, took a deep breath, and knocked. "Mike Loveland, it's Heyes," I said loudly.
The door opened suddenly. Mike stood there, gun pointed at my belly. A smile broke across his face. "Heyes!" Gun holstered, he drew me into a half hug, half handshake. "Been waiting for you. Jed's telegram didn't say when you'd be coming."
Words left me for a moment. Then I remembered the others. "Just a minute," I said, running down the road. The expression on his face told me he thought I was crazy. But he waited in the open doorway as I led Bells with Sophie and the boy to the cabin.
She looked at me cautiously. "Friend?"
"Good friend."
JED 'KID' CURRY
I've been to Hopeful before. For a small town in the mountains, they had three saloons, two barber shops, a blacksmith, a small mercantile and a hat shop. It always had a sheriff that was sympathetic to the Devils' Hole Gang; Heyes made sure of that. I guess Mark McWinters and Mean Gene Kindberg had kept up that tradition. We'd partied here for days after a successful robbery, leavin' a good portion of the take with the welcomin' townsfolk.
Heyes set it up so the governor sent US Marshals to multiple towns around where the entrance to Devil's Hole was so we didn't give away the location. Hopeful wasn't the closest one with marshals, another trick to discourage the law from findin' the Hole. Of course, the men left were not high on anyone's wanted list…but that don't mean another gang might form around them.
I hoped that the marshals were already established there and waitin' for us. I didn't want to deal with a sheriff sympathetic to MG when we got there. And I don't want Lobo anywhere near the marshals, even though he's not on the list.
It was dusk when we approached Hopeful, but that didn't stop me from spottin' a marshal hidin' just beyond the treeline. I know he could see us, but hopefully not too clearly. I signaled Lobo and we pulled the wagons over and I jumped down.
"Marshal ahead in the trees. Leave the wagon here. Meet you in the Eagle's Wing Saloon after. If you don't like the company there…"
"You mean if there are marshals, sheriffs, and deputies there?" Lobo asked.
"Yeah, there's a shelter about a hundred feet in the woods hidden from that back alley.
Meet you there," I told him.
How he disappeared into the brush so quickly, I didn't know. It was a skill I had lost in prison. There every move was watched. Every step was dictated. And disobedience was punished. I shuddered as I shook off those memories, knowin' that's where these people were headed.
I got back in my wagon and back on the road. The noise from the other wagon got louder. But a hundred yards up the road, I stopped.
"This is Jed Curry. I see you hidin' there. Come on out. Need your help with the wagons," I called.
I heard a laugh I recognized, and Marshal Michael Detmers rode out of the trees. "Thought I was well hidden. You've sharp eyes, Jed." His greetin' was warm but quickly turned serious.
"Need to know a couple of things." I said. "The marshals get the Hopeful sheriff under control? Went to a lot of work to catch these men. Don't want him to let them go."
Detmers smiled. "He ain't around. We found a few infractions he committed. He's in jail a few towns over. We'll let him go later with a slap on the wrist. What else?"
"Governor fill you in that the second wagon might be driven by someone wanted but not on your list?" I figured the only way to find out was to ask straight out. Then decide if I trusted the answer.
"As long as they're not on the list, they won't be arrested today. Where's Colin Apperson? Was told he'd be ridin' with you blindfolded. Wanted to see that."
"He's still at the Hole. That woman in the second wagon shot us both."
Lookin' down the road where only the empty driver's seat of the wagon was visible through the trees, Detmers nodded. "Sorry to hear that. He's a pain but he's a good man. Serious?"
"Leg wound but he's got the wound fever. Well taken care of."
The men in my wagon were bangin' their heels and tryin' to talk through their bandanas. Detmers looked at them as he pulled his coat open so they could see his marshal's badge. He smiled at them. "Don't think I'm the one to ask for help."
They quieted down but my eyes went to movement in the other wagon.
Rachel Lyn had gotten one of her ankles loose and was standin' in the wagon bed. With her hands still tied, she rolled over the side of the wagon landin' hard on the ground. The rope still hangin' from her other ankle didn't hinder her from runnin' into the forest. As a man stood up after her, I shot two bullets over their heads, knockin' a tree limb into wagon bed. The outlaw sat back down.
"That the woman that shot Colin and you?" Detmers growled. "She's mine." And he raced into the trees after her.
I turned my wagon around and stopped a few feet from the second wagon, glarin' at its occupants. "Anyone want to test my draw again?"
LOM
Susan and I met the evening train together. Preacher must have been riding in a box car because he didn't come down the steps of the passenger car.
"Preacher!" I called when I saw him.
Quickly, he looked around to see if anyone heard me before coming over to shake my hand. I realized I didn't know his real name.
"Susan, this is Preacher," I introduced them.
Susan had her own reasons for not wanting people to see him. "Pleased to meet you mister…er, Mr. Preacher. We can talk at my home."
The gathering darkness obscured us as we walked to her house. Susan had looped her arm through Preacher's as they hurried to her house. I took my time and limped slower leaning on my cane.
"We were just sitting down to eat; I'd be honored for you to join us. Did Lom tell you why he asked you to come here?"
"No, ma'am, but he's a friend so I reckoned it must be something important."
"Oh my, yes, very important." She blushed prettily. "Perhaps I should leave you gentlemen to discuss the details at Lom's house in back. I'm tired and really have no appetite. Please help yourself."
"Yes, of course, ma'am." Preacher stood as Susan left the room quickly. "Good night."
"Lom?" Preacher turned to me.
"Get that plate and I'll bring the bread and butter. And I've got a bottle of good whiskey at my house."
"Ah, nectar of the gods."
HEYES
Loveland came down the road to meet us and took Fall's Bells reins from me.
"Mike Loveland, at your service, ma'am," he told Sophie with a two-fingered tip of his hat.
She looked at me quickly. "Good friend," I answered, and she relaxed.
Mike had brought enough supplies to feed an army for a month. The governor had intended for the hostages to stay hidden until their family members could be identified, arrested for their part in the robberies. We were assured that most would get a couple of days in their local jail and probation. The threat to their dear ones was an extenuating circumstance.
Mike was still there because Bear had caught a stone bruise on his hoof pulling the wagon.
"Then I thought it might be a good thing if I stay here. You might need some help. Had no idea what you were doing, though, or who you were bringing." Mike's voice echoed through the tiny cabin.
"Be glad of the help, Mike," I told him. "Your wagon's here, right?" I hadn't seen it on the side or in front.
Grinning, he answered, "Hid it in the woods. Telegram didn't tell me anything, so I was careful. Miss Sophie, would you like a cup of coffee? Or tea?"
Sophie looked around the cabin and some of the remnants of captivity fell off her. "Coffee. I'll make it; like my coffee just so and haven't made it right in sixteen months. This place needs a good cleaning, but it sure looks beautiful to me."
"That head wound needs some tending," I told her.
"After I have my coffee," Sophie answered with a grin.
Mike set the bag of coffee on the kitchen table. "And you…" He knelt down on one knee in front of the boy. He was older than the twins by a year or two. He backed away from Mike, looking down at the floor.
Sophie came over and put her hands on the boy's shoulder. "His name is Marcel. He doesn't talk."
Mike reached over to the table and got a candy stick out of the bag. "Would you like this?"
The boy raised his eyes and fastened his gaze on the candy but said nothing. He didn't reach for it. Mike laid it on the table. "Well, Marcel, it will be here when you want it, waiting for you."
Standing, Mike nodded me to the back door. He didn't look back at the boy.
I could see Mike was curious but didn't want to ask where they had come from. I told him about the hostages held at the Hole but didn't go into detail about why or how we rescued them or what the Kid was doing. He was thankful for what I told him and didn't ask questions.
"Plan is to keep them here until we can find out where they live. Thought I'd borrow your wagon to bring the others here."
"How many?"
"Eleven, nine more."
"That's going be a full wagon. I'll get a meal started," Mike replied.
JED 'KID' CURRY
I was glad Michael Detmers was one of the marshals here. He said he was one of three and that the sheriff wasn't the only one sympathetic to MG. Many of the shop owners and the saloon owners were, too. Any gang from Devil's Hole was good for their economy.
I was worried that he set off into the woods in the same place that Lobo did. He had a head start, but he was on foot and Detmers had a horse. I could tell through the gags that the prisoners were askin' for water. They were thirsty; I understood..
Standin' between but away from the wagons, I stood at alert attention to draw my Colt anytime one of them tried to get away.
"If that woman hadn't tried to escape, you'd be in Hopeful with your water already. And DON'T try anything. I can't shoot you all, but I can drop six of you before you take two steps. You don't wanna chance you're one of those six, do you?" I was statin' a fact and they all knew it. I'd check all their bindings before me and Detmers started drivin' the wagons. Don't want a surprise from behind.
Detmers was takin' a long time to find a woman on foot with her hands tied. Suddenly a scream echoed out of the forest, followed by one shot. The forest held all of our attention, but it was quiet again.
Detmers was angry at Rachel Lyn, but I don't think he'd hurt a prisoner if he could help it. At least, I don't think he would. We waited and we watched. Finally, I made out the sound of a horse. Then Detmers with Rachel Lyn in front of him in the saddle were back. Her hands were tied in front of her to the saddle horn. She did not look happy.
When they returned, Detmers only said, "Curry, we need to talk."
ASJ*****ASJ
And now we were sittin' in the sheriff's office, MG and his gang were jammed into two cells and Rachel Lyn in the other. I was sittin' in front of the sheriff's desk surrounded by three US Marshals goin' over the governor's list. One by one, we're bringin' them out. They sit on a chair facin' all four of us. We left MG for last. We started with Georgie.
The senior marshal took charge after Georgie was tied to a chair, just a little too tight.
"What's your name outlaw?"
Georgie said nothing. His eyes pleaded with me for help.
Hittin' Georgie with a backhand across the face, the marshal repeated the question. "What's your name, outlaw?" He hit Georgie, again. Blood was flowin' from his nose, his cheek, his mouth. There was a cut drippin' blood into his left eye.
"His name is George Collins…Georgie. Used to ride with us in the Devil's Hole but switched his allegiance to McWinters and then MG," I told them. Georgie's eyes looked at me with betrayal.
"Well, Georgie, what can you tell me about the hostages? Names? Where are they from?"
Georgie smirked and shook his head. After one last blow to Georgie's jaw that left him spittin' out teeth, he was returned to his cell.
Each interrogation was the same. To my mind, the two aggressive marshals were no better than the prison guards who enjoyed inflictin' pain. Detmers seemed as uncomfortable with the violence as I did, shakin' his head at each. I didn't know any of them, but I had descriptions written next to each name and I checked off the ones I guessed we had talked to. The fourth man out had to be Bud 'Red' Thompson. He knew what was comin'. I could see the anger and defiance in his eyes…mixed with fear. These men were like caged animals pacin' in the small cells. had I been like that. I don't remember much of my first six months in prison. I had a head wound that made it hard to keep a thought other than anger for too long. But I remember fightin' everyone I could. I shook my head. This was something to think about later…maybe with Lom. He was there with me when he could.
When the next prisoner was tied to the chair, the guard…no marshal, I corrected myself, struck him across the face. Before he could strike him again, I spoke up.
"Don't touch him again," I ordered.
The marshal looked at me in surprise…and contempt.
"What did you say, Curry? You're only here because the governor said you had to be. Sit down and be quiet."
"Not goin' do that." I stood toe to toe with him. "This one's mine."
"You know him? Hear you outla…men all know each other." He was about to call me 'outlaw', but Detmers had stepped up beside me in support.
"Never met him in person but I know his reputation and his name, Bud 'Red' Thompson."
The senior marshal looked at his list. "Second in command."
I stepped toward the tied-up man and loosened the ropes so they would still hold him but not cut into him.
"Know of you too, Curry," he spat. "Ain't gonna talk to you no matter what you do to me."
"Not goin' to do nothin', Red. Just ask you some questions. How many hostages were there?"
He spat at my feet.
"What are their names? Where did they come from? Saw one grave there; how many did Mark or MG kill?"
"Ain't tellin' you nothin', Curry, nothin' at all, but MG didn't gather those hostages. They was Johnny McWinters' idea."
I stepped back and poured myself a cup of coffee. "Those are the questions, Red. I ain't goin touch you." I drank my coffee while we all waited in silence. After five minutes, I said, "Alright, untie him. Take him back to his cell."
Red understood what was happenin'. "No, Curry, you can't do that. I ain't got rope bruises and I ain't been hit but once. MG will think that… Curry hit me!" he begged.
I crossed my arms and stood in front of him but said nothin'.
"Eleven…there's eleven hostages."
I still didn't move but gave him my outlaw glare.
"Don't know all their names or where they came from."
I started to turn away.
"First one was an old lady named Sophie. She helps with the cookin' and is from somewhere in Colorado."
Still silent, I turned around and took off my gloves.
"And there's a little boy, Marcel, from near the train station in Evanston near the Wyoming Utah border. Those the only two I know 'cause I grabbed them for Johnny."
When I didn't move, he looked at me. "Honest, Kid, honest I don't know no more. Now hit me."
"Okay, Red, I believe you," I told him steppin' aside. "He's all yours," I said to the senior marshal. I cringed that he was smilin' while beatin' up Red Thompson. And it was my fault. I tried to convince myself that it was alright. He had asked, no begged, for the beatin' so MG didn't think he talked. Still made my stomach turn. I've seen too much of people hurtin' people. No matter that this was a lawman not a prison guard…or an outlaw leader.
ASJ*****ASJ
We got two more names from the outlaws; Janice Dent and Penelope Roberts were mentioned by two of the outlaws, braggin' that the women had been 'given' to them for a job well done.
MG was the last one we talked to.
"I want to talk to the sheriff!" he demanded.
The senior marshal laughed in his face. "Sheriff's under arrest and in a jail aways from here. He can't help you. Hopeful is under marshal rule."
MG didn't let his anger show on his face, but it did in his movements. He struggled in the chair, he pulled on the rope around his wrists, he tapped his foot on the floor despite his tied ankles.
"We got a lot of information from your so-called loyal gang." The senior guard hit him across the face.
Defiance grew in MG's eyes. He struggled harder but only managed to cut his wrists on the ropes. He spat at the marshal, gettin' it on his shoes.
Now I saw the fury in the marshal's eyes, and he struck MG in the jaw with his fist. His head jerked back as the chair fell over backwards. MG's head bounced against the floor, and he lost consciousness.
"Stop, sir," said Detmers, steppin' between the two men. "Deputy Director will be here in an hour. Don't want him to find a dead prisoner."
I thought the senior marshal was goin' to turn his anger on Detmers. I readied myself for a fight against a man who enjoyed hurtin' people. But he backed down with a smile. "You're right, Detmers." He thought for a minute. "Carry him to the cell with Miss Hawley. Make a comment like he's being put in there as a 'reward. Get the doctor, Curry, but tell him he doesn't have to hurry."
LOM
"Lom, you didn't get me here so quickly just to marry you and the lovely lady. Her pastor here could do that," Preacher said as he enjoyed his own bottle of whiskey in my small living room / kitchen.
"Well, there's a small, unexpected complication to that," I said, unable to hide a smile. I never thought I'd be anything but an uncle but now I was going to raise a child of my own.
Preacher studied me. "Papa Lom?" He took another swig of whiskey. "Sure it's yours?"
I gave him a dirty look.
He just smiled. "Had to ask. Don't matter none. Jesus loves all the little children. Good book says they're a reward from God."
"This child will be cherished," I answered, starting to feel the effects of the alcohol myself. In the quiet that followed, each of us lost in our own thoughts, I added, "How do you feel about breaking a commandment?"
Understanding my request, Preacher smiled, "Don't mind breaking that one when the lie is for a good cause. Broken a lot of them. When and where did I marry you two?"
"Susan thought an elopement to Idaho about three months ago would be the perfect cover. She doesn't know anyone there and doesn't think her parents had any friends there. And we'll leave tomorrow so we can be married there for real and get all the paperwork…if you'll come with us and marry us?"
"So you are going to make an honest woman of the lady?"
"Always intended on it. Just the timing is off."
"Glad to help. I do know someone there to work with us so the paperwork and license are backdated..for a price. Glad to help."
I realized he was getting drunk and soon couldn't understand what I needed to say. "Another reason to go to Idaho… You're not wanted there, are you?"
He looked at me suspiciously but answered, "Colorado, Wyoming, Nebraska maybe Montana but not Idaho. Least that I know of." He was sitting on the edge of his chair now, looking at me intently through slightly bloodshot eyes. If I had known the future, I would have told him to stay out of Arizona, too.
"There was another reason I called you here so quickly and it's nothing to do with the baby."
I had his complete attention. I told him how the Kid and Heyes were cleaning out MG's gang from the Hole…and how he was on their list to arrest.
"Rode with Mark for a while. It was before the evil in Mark's heart was revealed to me. MG was his punisher. Turns out he liked violence more than Mark." He leaned back and made himself comfortable in the chair. Taking a long drink of whiskey, he swirled what was left in it as he started to talk. "Lom, you know, at times, my rifle has been for hire. And every time I think I've lost my soul. But faith is a funny thing; it must take a lot to kill it. Have to be real drunk to hire out, but my aim's always true. Haven't done it in a long time. Last person I killed was Johnny McWinters to save the Kid. Wasn't asked to but I thought I might be needed.
"The first robbery when MG took over Mark's gang is what changed me. MG killed a fifteen-year-old boy because his father hesitated to open the bank safe. Made me sick to my stomach. When I went back to the Hole, I stayed with the old gang. Had nothing to do with MG's men except when they needed healing."
The sorrowful sincerity in his voice made me choke up. I knew I had too much to drink or maybe it was just enough to be honest. "Preacher, stay out of Wyoming and Colorado or you will be arrested and go to prison. It's not an if but a certainty."
He looked at me and nodded. We didn't speak of it again except to agree to ask Susan if tomorrow was too soon to leave. The rest of the night we reminisced about our old Devil's Hole Gang exploits when Heyes and the Kid led the game until we both passed out in our chairs.
HEYES
I felt sorry for Bells, being hooked to a wagon. She had little rest today and carried three of us here. But I gave her a carrot and an apple that Mike provided and she forgave me. With an empty wagon, we made good time back to the slow-moving group of ex-hostages. They'd moved even slower after Arnie had stepped in a hole and sprained his ankle. Deidre had torn a strip off the bottom of her skirt to bind it. And I realized that these people had nothing - no clothes, no money, no weapons - just the ragged clothes on their backs.
They were resting just off the side of the road. At the sound of a wagon, Arnie was trying, unsuccessfully, to get them further into the trees.
"Whoa, Bells."
Arnie and the others turned and looked at me with relief.
ASJ*****ASJ
By the time we got to the cabin, I had names for most of the people. I already knew Arnie and that he was from Brown River. I don't know if he knows how the Kid took down the McWinters there.
"I know that Sophie and Marcel are back at the cabin. And Arnie, there, introduced himself when I first met him. Miss Deidre, had you organize to have a fish fry earlier today. My name is Hannibal Heyes. I live outside Three Birds, Nebraska. Who are the rest of you and where you from?"
The older man I had heard called Pappy spoke first. "Name's Alan P Allyn. Last name's spelled A-L-L-Y-N. Most around call me Pappy. Sergeant Major, US Army Retired. From Green Oaks, Wyoming. Back weren't bent and my leg was good when they kidnapped me. Those men going get what's coming to them?"
"If my partner has anything to do with it, they will," I answered.
The young man cradling his right arm asked, "Your partner THE Kid Curry? Thought that was him."
"Sure is. What happened to your arm?"
He looked at Pappy, who nodded. "MG had one of his men twist and break it. Man named Red Thompson." He looked down at his feet out in front of him in the bed of the wagon.
In an angry tone, Pappy added, "Young Glen there tried to grab MG's gun when he wasn't looking. Got it out of the holster but no farther. Brave move, boy."
I couldn't look back to see Glen's reaction to the compliment, but I heard him answer my question. "Name's Glen Chinelli from Alfred's Dream, Wyoming."
"Alfred's Dream? Thought I knew every town in Wyoming." It was true. The Kid and I had crossed Wyoming so many times, we had probably been through every town.
The boy laughed. "It ain't even big enough to be a town, just a whistle stop for the Union Pacific. Ain't more than a saloon, a diner, and a telegraph office. And no more than thirty people, including the surrounding small ranches. My pa owns the diner and the telegraph office and he's the only preacher for fifty miles around. Miss it though."
The middle-aged mousey man who had followed along but interacted little with the others spoke up. "I'm sure you miss it. Miss my home, too. I lived on the Union Pacific line, too, in New Mexico. Name's Hauser Sletten. And I want to go home. Will you take us home, Mr. Heyes? You see, I take care of my mother. She's a telegraph operator but she's losing her sight. She listens to the taps and I right down the messages she tells me."
Arnie was riding up on the driver's seat with me. He spoke softly so the others couldn't hear. "Them two women with wedding rings are Mrs. Janice Dent and Mrs. Penelope Roberts. They don't talk to no one but each other. Miss Penelope tried to hang herself one night in our shelter. When I stopped her, she said she'd rather die than have her husband see her like she is now."
I turned around and glanced at the two ladies in question huddled together in a back corner of the wagon bed as far away from any man as they could get. I didn't want to think about what had happened to them. Just like I can't think about what happened to Chrissy. I saw her back once by accident. She was whipped in prison. And I heard the Kid and Dr. Arden talking about how she was abused. I know what that means but I can't think of that happening to Chrissy. She escaped into a world of not caring or interacting with the world around her. She's very brave to try to heal. Course, she's got the Kid helping her. He's been in love with her since they met at Devil's Hole.
There was no time to learn about the last two, a boy of eight or nine or the young girl, maybe twelve, with the dead eyes. I'd ask Arnie about them later.
When we got to the cabin, Marcel was sitting in a corner, his eyes watching everyone and everything but not joining in. My heart broke for him as I thought of our Michael, about the same age, so full of mischief and smiles.
Miss Sophie handed me a cup of delicious smelling coffee. I tasted the hot brew tentatively and smiled. This was coffee, strong and dark. She saw my reaction and smiled.
"Miss Deidre, dear, Mr. Loveland and I have worked out the sleeping arrangements, but I thought you might like to look them over and make any suggestions," Sophie said.
Deidre looked around the small space, sighed and smiled. "This will be very cozy in short time." She saw the pot of stew on the stove and the bag of flour on the table. "Mrs. Dent, Mrs. Roberts, finish the stew and bake enough biscuits for everyone. Open those cans of tomatoes, too. Let someone know if you need help."
They walked to the kitchen but didn't acknowledge her by words or actions, just started making dinner.
"Pappy, make Arnie sit down and raise that ankle so it won't swell so bad," Deidre continued. She turned to Loveland. "If you are the Mr. Loveland Miss Sophie mentioned, can you tell me where the well is? Mr. Heyes, sit down; you've had a long day and earned a rest. Have we told you how grateful we are to you? You don't know how terrible it is to be locked up at the mercy of outlaws."
While I said, "You're all welcome," I was thinking I did know what it felt like to be locked up, confined to a small dark space, not with outlaws, but with prison guards, who were often more cruel and ruthless than outlaws I'd known. Will they still be thanking me, though, when they learn why they were being held? And understand that their loved ones, who were telegraph operators, would be arrested for working with Mark's then MG's gangs and giving them information to plan big haul robberies? I thought of Hauser Sletten's almost blind mother. What had happened to her when the outlaws found out she couldn't write down the incoming messages or read the messages to be sent?
Worries filled my mind, and I couldn't eat. Where was the Kid? Was he successful in getting the gang to Hopeful? And I worried about each hostage until it was too much to hold. I went out and brushed Bear and then Bells and then Bear again just to be alone. I could tell Mike liked the company, embraced being surrounded by people and activity. It scared me. Too many people all wanting to thank me or ask me what's next.
At dinner, I was surprised that Glen asked to say the blessing. It was simple but touched our hearts. "Lord, thank you for delivering us from evil today. And bless Mr. Heyes for his efforts in getting us all safely here. Bless this group of people you have brought together and remove all bitterness from our hearts. Amen."
"Amen," I replied, thinking how this young man could think of a prayer like that. I haven't had anyone bless me in a very long time.
JED 'KID' CURRY
I wanted to start back after the marshals finished questionin' the prisoners, but I was ordered to stay until their Deputy Director arrived. I don't like takin' orders. I'm not good at takin' them either, but Detmers pulled me aside.
"Curry, we are on the same side now. Stop fighting it," he said quietly, turnin' me away from the senior marshal. He looked over my shoulder. "Mr. Curry will be glad to stay if the marshal's office picks up his room for the night."
And he steered me out of the buildin' and to the diner.
When Detmers and I were alone in the diner, I asked him what had happened in the woods. Said we heard a scream and a shot and nothin' until he came out of the woods with Rachel Lyn.
He smiled at me. "Don't you think I touched that woman, wouldn't do that," he said teasin', but I felt him studyin' me to see if that's what I thought. He didn't wait for my answer, just told his story.
"I was confused at first. There were two recent sets of footprints. I figured that's whoever drove your second wagon. Whoever he is, we had orders not to arrest him. For now, we only want the ones on the list. And you got all of them except the one called Preacher. You and Heyes got a nice reward coming to you. Some of those men had high bounties."
"Don't want the money, that's not why I did it," I answered.
Detmers thought for a moment. "No matter, it belongs to you two. Governor will have it for you when you get back. Anyway, I could tell the man's tracks from Rachel Lyn Hawley's. I followed hers, not his. She's cunning. Headed straight for the rocks to find a place to hide. In a hurry, she didn't bother to cover her path. I heard what you probably heard, a scream then a shot. I was afraid this driving 'partner' of yours might be a killer like the others.
"But when her trail led near the rocks, I had to hold back my laughter. Wasn't there a rattlesnake shot dead on the rocks and the woman tied to a tree?
"The woman screamed at me, "An outlaw named Lobo did this to me on my walk. Help me!
"I recognize that name, Curry. Lobo's been wanted for a lot of years. But he wasn't on this list and Rachel Lyn was, so I didn't chase him. In fact, if you see him in one of the saloons here in Hopeful, I'd like to buy him a drink to thank him for his help catching the woman."
I studied him but didn't know if he was tellin' the truth or out to get Lobo. Just to be safe, he and Lobo were not goin' to meet in this town.
"When's this deputy director of yours arrivin'?" I finally asked, bored sittin' and lookin' out the window. And I couldn't drink another cup of coffee. I had hoped to get back to the Hole and spend the night there but that wasn't goin' to happen. I didn't want Heyes to worry when I don't show up at the cabin on the right day.
"Think that's his entourage coming now."
It was impressive. He rode at the head of three men, all sitting very straight in their saddles. All riding brown horses with black manes and tails.
"Deputy Director Aaron Brothers," Detmers said with no emotion.
"You met him before?"
Detmers looked at me. "You haven't heard of Brothers? He's a tough-nosed ex-army man but fair. He's not going to like the condition of those men.".
HEYES
Loveland had doctored the hostages, even put some stitches in Miss Sophie's head. Sophie and Deidre have this group real organized. Pappy took charge of the small stable and the horses and seemed to help wherever needed. All the linens were taken outside and the dust beat out of them. The rooms were swept and dusted, and the windows washed…and everyone was exhausted.
Miss Sophie stood with her hands on her hips and looked at all of us. It reminded me of the way Chrissy stands when she is mad at the Kid. I miss home.
"Women will take the bedroom. The rest of you have the loft and the great room here for yourselves. Figure it out for yourself. Mr. Heyes, you gonna set a guard?"
I hadn't thought of that. Hadn't really thought beyond getting everyone here safely. I will admit to myself that I am feeling overwhelmed and sad. I used to be able to organize a group and get everything done quickly and efficiently. Now I'm content to follow. Broken - that's what prison did. My spirit is broken. But sometimes I feel it. When the Kid is around to encourage it, I can feel it grow. I know I won't stay broken. The Kid won't let me.
Loveland looked at me. He's seen me when I had no words, so he knows they are gone. "I'll take first watch." He looked at the gun I was wearing. "Heyes can you still handle that gun?"
"Haven't fired one in over six years," I said sheepishly.
"Ain't a skill that you forget…rusty maybe but forget. I'll take first watch and you can take the second."
