Winter's Refuge

Chapter Ninety-Five

JED 'KID' CURRY

That Deputy Ty Fanciello came bustin' into the doctor's office yesterday afternoon holdin' his jaw and yellin' and hollerin' about Heyes hittin' a sheriff. He's not Frank's usual deputy. He lives in Bridgeport. Frank uses him when he ain't expectin' trouble and Fanciello sobers up. He don't know any of the people of Three Birds except Frank.

The governor was calm, very calm. I was worried. Can he revoke Heyes' amnesty for somethin' like this?

He stepped close to the man and looked at his swellin' jaw. Gotta say that the governor is a full five, six inches taller.

"He hit you?" he asked.

"Yes, sir. Hit me right in the jaw with his whole strength behind the blow."

"Why?"

"Why?

"Yes, why did he hit you?"

"I don't know; I was giving him back his gun and said Mrs. Curry was a fine shot."

"Is that what Mr. Heyes will say you said?" the governor said.

I stood up but Charles motioned me to sit down.

The deputy shuffled from foot to foot. "Well...er…er... I might have said that those McWinters, all of them, are no good scum and crack shots."

The governor straightened up to his full height and I saw anger in his face. I know he saw me standin' up and movin' toward him. This time he didn't motion me away, but I saw the fire smolder in his eyes.

"Deputy, you said that?"

"Yes, that's what Mr. Wyatt told me." The deputy took a step backward. The governor took a larger step forward. The deputy took another step backwards and his back hit the wall, rattlin' a picture hangin' there. Charles stepped up until he was in the trapped deputy's face.

"Dep-u-ty," each syllable was emphasized. He leaned his hand on the deputy's shoulder forcin' it firmly against the wall. "If that is indeed what you said, you can count yourself lucky that Mr. Heyes already hit you. If he hadn't, I would have hit you harder and more than just once."

"Yes, sir. Understood, sir." The deputy squirmed to his left until he was free of Charles' hold and left.

ASJ*****ASJ

The ride to Phoenix was interestin'. The governor and his wife, with a marshal escort of only two now, rode there in their private stagecoach. My wife and the twins rode with them. My kids had never ridden in a stagecoach before and leaned out the windows wavin' and yellin' to all of their friends. We passed by the three Birde houses just as the families were returnin' from their trip to Lincoln to gain political support for Fritz's try to be a state representative. I'd told Charles about him and what good people the Birde family was. Chrissy must have pointed them out because the stagecoach stopped right there and the governor got out.

I was drivin' the wagon behind them and pulled over.

Frank and Fritz, with some of their boys, were unloadin' two very full wagons, but stopped when they saw the stagecoach. I could hear the joint deep breath of amazement when they saw Sanderson.

"Governor!" Fritz was the first to recover and held his hand out to the man. "I'm Fritz Birde."

Frank came over to me. "Jed, the governor?" he whispered.

Not much surprises Frank, but this did. "It's a long story. Not time for it now. They're stayin' with us for a while."

"Jed," Charles called me over. "I would like to invite Mr. Birde and his brothers over to your house tomorrow evening, if that's alright with you? We have some things to discuss."

"The Birdes are always welcome at Phoenix."

"Thank you, we got some politics to discuss," said the governor. "It was nice to meet you, Mr. Birde," he said, as he reentered the stagecoach. Chrissy and the kids waved out the window as we continued to the ranch.

ASJ*****ASJ

As the stagecoach turned up Curry Road, I wondered what the Sandersons would think about our ranch house, small and old compared to the glorious mansion in the middle of a thrivin' city that they live in.

I drove the wagon ahead of them and opened the gate. I could hear Martha's high voice pointin' out the horses in the pasture by name.

Auntie was waitin' on the porch dressed in her Sunday dress with her apron over it. Hortencia was right behind her. Ken was in a rocker watchin'. I didn't see Heyes at first. He was inside watchin' from the shadows. I motioned him out. I can tell somethin's wrong. We need to talk.

When the stagecoach stopped, those inside waited until the marshals opened the door. After Charles and Miss Tina climbed down, I lifted Martha out. I was goin' to put her in Heyes arms, but she insisted I put her on her feet on the porch. But Heyes carried Michael inside and handed him off to Juan. Then he disappeared. Chrissy reached out for me, and I spun her a little bit before I set her down and was rewarded with a small smile. This is her home. She knows everyone here very well. Here she'll heal. I'll make sure of it.

"Where's Heyes?" I asked

"He went to his room," Auntie answered.

Soon as no one would miss me, I went to Heyes' room. The door was open, so he hadn't retreated too far from people. I stood in the doorway and knocked.

"Partner, can I come in?" We try not to enter anyone's room, except the kids' room, without bein' invited.

He looked up from puttin' his things in a travel bag. He looked…defeated. When he didn't answer me, I asked again, "Heyes, can I come into your room?"

"Yes." He sat on the bed and looked down. "M…m…marshals here to...to take me back to p...pri...prison?" His voice was quiet.

Surprised at his answer, I needed to find out what he was thinkin'. "Here to guard the governor and his wife." I saw the bag again. He was packin' it to go back there. "You saw them in Three Birds. Why do you think they're here for you?"

He hung his head.

"Heyes, talk to me. What did you do?"

Without lookin' at me, he answered, "H...h...hit the de…dep, the lawman."

I grinned. "Saw his jaw. Must have hit him hard."

He looked me in the eyes, his words back in his surprise that I knew. "You know? Then you know why I'm going back to prison. A good citizen doesn't do that. Condition of amnesty that I'm a good citizen."

"Heyes, no."

"Sorry, Kid, yes. You tried hard to help me, but I blew it."

"Stay right here," I told him and stomped from the room to find the governor. Didn't explain, just said, "Charles, I need you for a few minutes."

"Certainly, Jed." He followed me but sounded confused.

Heyes was where I left him, lookin' at the floor again. "Partner, can we come in?" He didn't look up, just waved me in.

"Heyes, look at me and tell us why you think those marshals are goin' to take you back to prison," I ordered.

He refused to look up. I felt he was searchin' for his hidin' place in his mind. His words were back, but his tone crushed. "I hit the deputy, hit him hard on the jaw."

Charles looked at me. "How do I reach him?" he whispered.

I knelt in front of him. "Heyes, the governor has somethin' to say to you. Would you look at him and really listen?"

Gradually, he lifted his eyes and met mine. The despair behind them broke my heart. Charles didn't wait for Heyes to look at him.

"I saw the man's jaw and he told me why you hit him," Charles said, solemnly.

Slowly, Heyes nodded.

"I cornered him and told him he was lucky you already hit him, because I would have hit him more than once and harder," the governor explained/

HEYES

I don't understand the governor's words or what is happening to me, but the Kid is grinning. Is he happy I will finally be moving out of his house and to prison? His family is growing again. I'm in the way. I can't go back to prison. I'll die there this time. I won't fight to live.

"Heyes, did you hear the governor?"

I shrugged my shoulders. I'm so sad, I can't concentrate. I'm not sure what the governor said or what it means.

"Mr. Heyes, you will look at me," the governor said in an authoritative tone. The tone of a prison warden or prison guard. I obeyed.

"You are not going back to prison," the governor said firmly, without breaking eye contact with me. "You did nothing I wouldn't have done, and I consider myself an exemplary citizen." He paused to see if his words were being understood. "Or do you think I should go to prison with you for wanting so badly to knock that deputy through the wall?"

"No, sir." I turned and looked at the Kid and I saw hope, faith in his blue eyes, the color of my ma's. He nodded at me with a smile. "No p…prison? No j...jail?" I asked. Fear tried to steal my speech, but I wouldn't let it.

The governor looked directly at me as he spoke. "No, Mr. Heyes. You were defending the lady's honor. I salute you for that." His eyes fell on the travel bag. "Did you really believe I would send you to prison for fighting?"

"Yes, sir."

I couldn't read the expression on the governor's face…maybe it was concern? "I will need to reread your amnesty agreement. I want you to never live in fear of being sent back to prison. ALL your rights have been returned. You are a full and valued member of society. Do you understand?" His voice was steady and convincing.

I looked to the Kid. He grinned and nodded. I reached into my travel bag and handed the governor my amnesty papers.

"I shall read these tonight and discuss any changes with both, well, actually all three of you."

"Yes, sir."

The governor looked at my partner and grinned. "Besides, Heyes, I think that anyone who tried to take you back to prison would have to go through your partner over there. And I've seen a little hint of an angry Kid Curry; I never want to see that again.

Jed 'Kid' Curry

The marshal escort went with Juan on a tour of the property. When they finished, I found them on the porch talkin' with Ken. I could tell he was well respected. It was agreed among them that the marshals and Ken would stay at his house while the Sandersons visited us. If Charles or Miss Tina left the property, a marshal would be on duty to accompany them.

As me and Chrissy cuddled the night before, I'd worried that Miss Tina would find our home lackin', but she laughed gently sayin', "Miss Tina farm girl. Misses it. She think our home good."

And she was right. Miss Tina and Auntie rekindled the relationship they started in Cheyenne. And I saw another side of Charles, a more relaxed side without the pressures of bein' governor restin' on his shoulders for a few days.

He took the time to meet with both Arnie and Glen and listened to their stories as hostages and the aftermath when they tried to go home. They told him about the dime novel by Sletten with Kid Courage takin' down the outlaw gang in Reckless. Charles asked to borrow it while he was there. I looked at Heyes because I didn't know if we still had it. He brought it out from his room within minutes. The governor spent the afternoon in the overstuffed chair in the livin' room near the fire, with a whiskey and the dime novel. And nobody disturbed him.

He finally put down the book for dinner. And after we went for a walk to the stables. The man has immense horse sense. He had seen Winter's Glory in Cheyenne when we brought the remainin' hostages there. Now he marveled at him and all the others too, especially Chrissy's old lady Spring's Moirai. "That book true, Jed? About Brown River?" he asked me.

"Haven't read but parts of it, but yes, it seems accurate."

"The shootout and the fire?"

"Read that part. Yeah, it's pretty close. He didn't use our names though." I looked away.

"Heyes' plan?"

"Mostly. He ran it by me and Lom and we made a few changes. Lom actually scouted out the town."

"Most impressive. Another reason you were so successful as gang leaders was Heyes' creative, thorough plans. Tell me. Who saved you? Who made the long rifle shot that killed Johnny McWinters?" he asked, lookin' in my eyes.

I told him the truth. "A friend."

"Heyes?"

That shocked me. I had to take a breath to regain my composure. "No, Heyes was right here at Phoenix on parole. Couldn't leave this county. Lots of people here can verify that," I said in a defiant tone, lookin' straight at him. "'Sides, Heyes ain't very good with a rifle."

He laughed. "Just curious. Had to ask. Wouldn't have done anything if it had been Heyes. We all have our secrets." He admired Fall's Legend. "That your stud? He's magnificent."

"One of them." We walked on in silence until I finally got around to askin' the question me and Heyes have been thinkin' about, but were too afraid of the man and his office to ask.

"Charles?" I started as he scratched Spring's Moirai' nose.

He turned and looked at me. "Something on your mind, Jed." I had his complete attention. That's one thing I've come to admire about the man, his ability to listen completely, like you were important.

"Yes, we been wonderin' if you have other men, or maybe women, that you been danglin' amnesty in front of? I know Luke McWinters got one."

He sat down on a bale of hay. I should get this man a chair. He is the Governor of Wyomin' and shouldn't have to sit on hay. I could see he was formin' his answer carefully.

"Yes, the states of Wyoming and Colorado both have individuals in various stages of the program." I know he was waitin' for my response and wasn't really goin' to give me more information.

I nodded. "Hope their amnesties aren't empty promises." I tried for my comment to sound casual, not bitter, but he knew it wasn't.

He stood and looked at Fall's Bells in the next stall rather than at me. "Not everyone that applies for amnesty are as honorable as you or Heyes, or even Luke McWinters. I've put Colin in charge of that now. Aren't many left in Wyoming, but the Colorado ones are tricky. Almost half of them are outlaw gang members the former governor 'favored'. They've never done anything to work toward amnesty, still robbing at will. Well, that's what we are thinking right now. Each one is a separate case. Unlike you and Heyes, they have written requirements and time periods to gain amnesty. Those times are coming near an end so I have marshals trying to get witnesses to any robberies."

It was not the answer I expected, but it made sense. "Well, if there's a way we can help someone earn amnesty, just ask."

The governor smiled. "They're on the run until they get amnesty so you can't offer jobs. If I think of something, I'll consider your offer."

I nodded. I had to ask, but didn't know what we could do either.

The governor put his hand on my shoulder. "So, was that my friend, Jed, who asked and offered or Kid Curry?"

"They're one and the same, sir."

HEYES

Chrissy was right. Miss Tina enjoyed staying with us. She didn't want to be waited on; she worked right alongside us. She rose early the next morning and milked the cows and gathered the eggs before Martha got out there. Michael has to stay in bed and not move too much, but Martha has been cleared by Dr. Arden to go back to school today.

I was going to help her do her chores this morning so she didn't have to do them alone, but Miss Tina beat me to it. She was plucking the two chickens that would become our dinner when me and Martha got to the kitchen.

Martha ran over to her. "Gee, Miss Tina, thank you. That's my job but I really, really don't like doing it. People keep giving Pa chickens instead of money for his work. He gives some away to the lady that makes out bread…he gives her the goats, too." Martha joined our guest at the table.

"Miss Tina, you don't need to do that. You're our guest," I apologized to her.

She laughed louder than I ever heard her laugh in that governor's mansion. Chrissy, carrying Joy, chose that moment to come into the kitchen. "Friend Miss Tina, farm girl. Miss it."

Her words were coming back to her. We'd work to make sure she felt safe here. And she never needs to leave here again if she doesn't want to.

"Yes, sweetie, you are correct. You can add some political sophistication, but my farm girl roots are still there," Miss Tina answered.

"Oh my, Miss Tina, let me finish that!" Auntie bustled into the kitchen.

"I'm having more fun than I've had in years."

Auntie laughed. "Then, I'll start breakfast."

The Kid came back from shooting practice in time to drive Martha to school.

"Oh, Mr. Curry, may I go along?" Miss Tina asked. " I'd like to stop at the mercantile and get more of the fabric your wife picked out for the new baby." She winked at Chrissy. "We ladies are going to get our sewing needles busy and I'm looking forward to it!"

JED 'KID' CURRY

Before we turned off of Curry Road, we had a marshal escort. Miss Tina waved at him and he nodded in return. She was used to the constant presence of the marshal security guard, but they remind me of prison guards. I sat up straighter and tried to ignore him.

While Miss Tina shopped and the marshal waited outside the mercantile, I dropped in to thank Aiden for his help and ask what I owe him for takin' care of my kids.

"You feel you owe me something?" he asked.

"'Course I do. You treated Martha and Michael for the dog bites. You make your money from doctorin'."

"Good." He motioned me into his exam room. I followed. "Shall we barter?"

"Sure, if that's what you want. You need some hinges or maybe a nice bracelet for Miss Denise?" I asked.

"No, your payment is allowing me to complete one physical on you without an objection."

"Aw, Aiden," I said, tryin' to figure a way out of this.

"Deal? It's the only payment I'm interested in."

I could see he was serious. And I couldn't see a way out of it. "Deal, but..."

"No objections, remember?"

I gave up and sat on the exam table. He listened to my heart with his tube thing.

"Take off your shirt, pants, and longjohns," he ordered.

"Why do you need…"

He put down the candle he had just used to look in my eyes and put his hands on his hips. "MISTER Curry, your body has been abused for the last seven years and it didn't stop when you were released from prison. Your leg was injured at the barn raising. Your temple, shoulder, ankles, and feet were burnt and had wood embedded them. Bobby Bell McWinters grazed your neck with his bullet in Brown River. In one night in prison, you were whipped to within an inch of your life and beaten with billy clubs that opened healing wounds. When you were coming down with pneumonia, you complained that you always had pain. And I'm going to find out where and why and try to cure it."

"Aw Aiden, the pain ain't that bad," I argued.

He moved his hands to my shoulders and pushed. Pain shot through my shoulder where I'd been burned in the mercantile fire. The beam that fell on it almost stopped me from gettin' out of the buildin'...and gettin' Jeff and Juan out.

"Jed, you're a brave, strong man, but I saw that flash of pain in your eyes when I grabbed that shoulder. You aren't just strong physically, but tough mentally. I know prison did that to you. Taught you how not to show pain. But you're not in prison anymore and I'm your doctor…and your friend. Now let's get on with this."

I'd seldom heard Aiden mad but I think he is close to it now, so I stripped and let him examine me.

"The wound on the back of your head has healed, just left a nasty scar. Is it sensitive? No? That's good."

He kept comin' back to the same places.

"You have headaches, Jed?"

"Some. No more than anyone else."

"This wound throb when you do?"

When I didn't answer, he probed deeper into the scar with the fingers of one hand, holdin' a candle with the other.

"This would be easier if Denise could hold the candle." He sounded frustrated.

"No way, I'm almost naked. I'll try and hold the candle if that would get this done faster," I told him. And then regretted it as I found him pushin' harder on the scar. He reached for a clean bandage on the table and showed me the pus that had come from my wound.

"When we're finished here, I'm going to open that thing and drain it. It's not healing right," he said.

I just nodded. I should never have told him about the pain I'm in. I can stand it. I can conquer it. It's been my secret, now shared with Aiden. He probed every scar on my back and seemed to know which ones hurt the worst cause he pushed them hard. Then he 'tsh-tsh'ed over my thigh.

"Take off your socks, Jed."

"Why?" and I know it sounded like whinin'.

"So I can see how the burns have healed."

"I can just tell you. They're still swollen. Alright?"

"Take off your socks Jed."

I slipped them off and laid them next to my boots, glad that Chrissy insists on clean socks every day.

"Did you say you brought Miss Tina with you to Three Birds?" Aiden asked, sittin' on a high stool next to the bed.

"Yes," I answered. I just want to get out of here. "Trailed by her marshal bodyguard."

"Good, he can drive her back to Phoenix and have someone return for you this afternoon."

"Aiden?"

"It's nothing. I'm going to give you ether. You won't feel anything, but some of those wounds will never heal if I don't do something about them. Our bodies have the almost magical capacity to try and push foreign objects, like the tiniest sliver of wood, out. And you should feel better after, too. If you had told me when you were in pain, I could have done this earlier and it would have been easier."

"Don't need ether," I objected.

"You have three lacerations on your back that are infected again and refuse to heal. I'm going to debride them to remove dead skin and clean them out. There's no way around it. It's going to hurt…bad."

"But…"

"No, buts. This is my payment for treating the twins, remember? Lay down and pull that sheet over you. I'm going to return with Miss Denise in a few minutes and begin." He left the room takin' my clothes and my boots.

I heard him tell someone, probably the marshal, that he had to open some wounds that were healin' incorrectly, a couple he thought were infected, and was goin' to clean them out. I should be ready to go home this afternoon. I thought of climbin' through the window, but he took all my clothes, even my long johns, leavin' me with just a sheet, which I pulled tightly around me when Miss Denise entered the room with Aiden.

HEYES

Something's wrong. Miss Tina came back with her marshal guard driving our wagon, his horse tied to the back…and no Kid. The governor was the first to notice as they opened our gate. "Well, well, my wife is back, but Jed is not with her. Was he planning on staying in Three Birds for the day?" he asked.

"No," I answered, starin' down the road to see if he stopped at the blacksmith shop. I start to panic, but Miss Tina doesn't look like anything is wrong.

"Is Pa alright?" asked Michael . "Maybe a mean dog bit him?

"Jed?" Chrissy asked. I could see the fear in her eyes as she started trembling. She's trying to heal, but needs Jed with her. I need his strength, too, more than he knows.

Chrissy started to run toward the wagon, but I held her back. And she froze.

Miss Tina was waving from the wagon. Climbing down from the wagon by herself, she explained, "Dr. Arden kept Mr. Curry in town and he'll come home when we pick up Martha from school." Then she noticed Chrissy standing still, staring down the road. "Miss Chrissy?"

No response. I moved so I could look Chrissy in the face. "The Kid will come home with Martha."

She blinked and looked at Miss Tina. "Jed sick?"

"No, sweetie, I don't think so. The doctor said he was going to debride some of his wounds and needed to use ether so Mr. Curry wouldn't feel too much pain." Miss Tina said it lightly, like it was nothing. But it had to be bad for the Kid to let him use ether. He can handle pain. He learned in prison through stubbornness and determination.

Chrissy looked at me and I could see panic in her eyes. Michael saw it, too. Hugging her legs tightly, he started to cry. "Chrissy go to Jed now, Heyes."

That was exactly what I wanted to do, too. "Yes, just let me change the horse on the wagon. Michael, you're supposed to be resting in bed."

Chrissy dropped to her knees and hugged her son, wiping away his tears with the hem of her dress. "Michael, go, rest now. I go take care of Pa."

He nodded and went into the house, but kept looking back at us.

"Chrissy, you don't have to go back there. I'll go check on the Kid. You need your rest."

She stared but only for a moment. "Heyes take good care of Jed, but Chrissy darling go, too." She put her hand on her heart. "Jed can't be sick again. He well this morning. What debride?"

"Not sure. We'll find out when we get there."

ASJ*****ASJ

When Chrissy was settled in the wagon, I drove it down Curry Road to the main street. After I turned toward Three Birds and I knew I was out of sight of the house, I raced as fast as the horse could go.

"Good!" I heard Chrissy say into the wind.

When we could see Three Birds, I asked her again, "Chrissy, you sure you can do this?"

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw her freeze again, then say, "Yes, I go. Bad dog dead."