Winter's Refuge
Chapter One Hundred Forty-Three
HEYES
I hadn't heard before what the Kid did at the Crenshaw barn raising...or I did, and I don't remember. Glad he didn't give his usual answer of 'I ain't no hero.' That was because of what Dr. Arden told him to do and I see the difference both in the people he's talking to and the Kid. I'm sitting two chairs over, and I can feel him moving his shackled leg often. Shackles hurt. I know.
Junior Birde, Miss Beverly and Sheriff Frank's son, came bounding into the room. He started to crawl under the table, but his pa grabbed him before he got too far. I'm sure the Kid doesn't even want a three-year-old to see him shackled. Miss Beverly brought soup and sandwiches to us for lunch. She ladled soup into a bowl in front of each of us. It tasted as good as it smelled, but I realized the Kid wasn't eating. And I knew why. He wasn't given a spoon. I had heard Sheriff Birde say he wasn't allowed silverware, and he didn't want to slurp his soup.
"Oh sorry, Jed, look like we were a spoon short. Here, use mine," Dr. Arden said, with a glare at the sheriff.
"Thank you, sir," the Kid sounded subdued as he accepted the spoon and started eating. When he was finished, he placed it in front of his plate where everyone could see it.
Although Miss Beverly did most of her own cooking, she had a maid to clean off the table. About that time, we heard a knock on the door. Widow Kirk waddled in without being introduced and right over to the Kid. He started to stand and Dr. Arden again told the room, "Jed, stay seated until you've recovered more."
"Of course, Mr. Curry, stay seated. Just wanted to pop in and say I hope you're feeling better. And give you these." She plopped a full picnic basket down in front of him. "Just an assortment of my breads, jams and sweet rolls and some goat cheese." She sat down in the empty chair next to the Kid.
"Thank you, Mrs. Kirk. That's very kind," the Kid said deliberately.
"Kind? Phooey! I've never really thanked you for the goats you have given me the last few years. I know you took them in a payment for your blacksmithing. I hope you know that the income I make from their cheese has allowed me to hire part-time help on the farm. It's made such a difference." Widow Kirk patted the Kid's arm and smiled.
Before the Kid could talk, the sheriff asked, "Jed gave you goats?"
"Oh, my yes. He says I was doing him a favor because he didn't have room for the goats at his place. In exchange, I baked the bread for Phoenix. But you know what? He paid for every loaf anyway, didn't you, Mr. Curry."
The Kid still looked young to me when he was embarrassed. "Your excellent bread over the years was worth more than some goats, Mrs. Kirk," he said sincerely.
I looked at Dr. Arden, who seemed pleased with the Kid's answer.
Things seemed to be going well, but I was worried about what I had overheard in the hall. Miss Beverly was talking to her husband and the doctor. She had taken her buggy out to Phoenix and told them that me and the Kid were staying on in town for a few days. She didn't tell them the threat with Shaw was over. She told them to stay put there. I didn't like all that. What I really didn't like was that Miss Beverly was telling Dr. Arden that Chrissy wasn't feeling well. And she told him why…she was pregnant, again.
Dr. Arden growled when he learned that. "I told Jed to stay away from her. Her body needs to rest and recover. She gave birth only two months ago!"
Miss Beverly had put her hand on the doctor and said, "Now, Aiden, you know it takes two people to make a baby. I talked to Chrissy. In their grief over losing a baby, they turned to each other. Chrissy said she needed him. But now she's scared to tell him, scared that he's going to be mad. You knows he's worried about her health…and very protective of her."
I saw Dr. Arden nod and say he would go to Phoenix tomorrow morning. And I heard Sheriff Birde tell them both that Jed was not to know about this. That's when he noticed me and told me the same thing.
The Kid deserves to know about this. How can I keep it from him? But if I tell him, they told me I won't be allowed to see him again. So, I won't tell him today and I'll decide what to do tomorrow.
So, I was nervous and forgot to make an outlaw face when the Kid needed to give a positive answer. But he did good. There was only one more visitor, Miss Denise. She seemed shy about coming into the room, but Dr. Arden stood up and gave her a hug. Don't know if her husband told her the real reason the Kid is here.
"Jed, I asked Denise to come join us today. She was concerned that you weren't feeling well." the doctor said.
The Kid didn't try to stand up. I could see him concentrating on what to say. "Glad to see you, Miss Denise. Thanks for coming. That was sweet of you."
"Oh, Jed Curry, of course I'd come when Aiden said you weren't feeling well. You're my savior. If it weren't for you facing down Harrison, I doubt I'd be alive. I owe the life I have here to you and your bravery. Don't know if I ever said it but thank you."
I finally remembered to give the Kid my mean outlaw face, but he didn't say anything. Arden had said if you can't say anything positive, don't say anything. I know he wanted to say that he wasn't brave, that it was a group effort, and he was trying to make that positive. Finally, he said, "You're welcome."
Dr. Arden tried to ease the tension in the room by saying, "Denise, try some of Beverly's cookies, they're delicious." I could see that he was angry…no, not angry, maybe disappointed.
Miss Denise heard her son cry and went to check on Ajay in the next room and talk to Miss Beverly. And me and Dr. Arden, Sheriff Birde, and the Kid just looked at each other. Well, actually, the Kid just looked down. He knew he didn't handle the situation right. Finally, he said, "Sorry, that was all my fault. I couldn't think of anything to answer to what she said. You told me to say nothin' if it's not positive. I'm nobody's savior."
And there it was, his negative words sounded different on his lips than the positive ones do. They changed his whole demeanor and maybe his feelings about himself. I could tell. And I understand part of what Dr. Arden was trying to do. The day had started out well but ended in a disaster.
JED 'KID' CURRY
Except for the shackle bitin' into my ankle, I was almost enjoyin' meetin' the people. And I thought I was gettin' the hang of answerin' positively. Until Miss Denise came in and start callin' me a savior and sayin' how brave I was. Didn't know how to turn that positive, so I did what I was told and said nothin'. Then I added thank you, but I think that was the wrong thing to say. Heyes' won't look at me and Dr. Arden is probably real mad because I insulted his wife by not answerin'. I looked at Sheriff Birde and said, "Guess it's time to go back downstairs, sir."
He looked at the doctor. They seem to be able to communicate without words today, like me and Heyes. Then there was silence. "Jed, if I let you use the water closet here in my house, would you give me your word you won't try and escape?"
"Yes, sir," I answered. He crawled under the table and changed the shackle from the leg of the table to my ankle again. I heard him gasp. But when he crawled back out, he wasn't showin' no emotion.
"Let's go," he said, takin' my elbow and leadin' me. He stood guard outside the door and I was grateful for the convenience. I saw what must have made the sheriff gasp, the ankle that had been shackled under the table was bleedin'. I used some water on it but didn't want to get blood on Miss Beverly's fancy towels.
A knock came on the door and I stood to leave, but instead Dr. Arden came in with his medical bag. "Let me see that ankle."
"Ain't much you can do for it. Old scars opened."
Still, he cleaned it, which stung, but I didn't let it show. Then he forced a bandage between my ankle and the shackle. "That will have to do for now. Shall we join the others?"
"Yes, sir." My ankle did feel a bit better now.
I was surprised when we returned to the room where the table was set for dinner. "You will join us for dinner," Sheriff Birde stated.
"Yes, sir. Thank you, sir," I said, hopin' that was the right thing to say. Sheriff Birde left my legs shackled together instead of fastenin' me to the table. Heyes gave me a grin. The sheriff leaned over and whispered to me, "I'll allow a spoon and a fork, no knife. Watch yourself."
"Yes, sir," I whispered back.
Miss Beverly likes to cook and she is good at it. We had fried chicken, mashed potatoes, and green peas and for dessert canned peaches in a dainty dish. There was nothin' that needed a knife. I don't know if that was planned or not. Miss Denise and Dr. Arden had stayed for dinner and their son was sleepin' in the other room. I just listened to the others talk. Not sure why I'm here after I failed talkin' to Miss Denise, but the food is sure good. I won't get anything like this is prison, just slop with some pieces of mystery meat floatin' in it.
I was interested to hear how Three Birds was tryin to get back to a sort of normal but it was overwhelmin' them and some people wanted to give up and leave. With no real direction, nothing was really getting accomplished. A couple of times the City Council was mentioned, but I guess it no longer meets. The sheriff said it was good to see Jeff in the mercantile even if he was in his wheelchair.
Dr. Arden nodded. "I told him no more than two hours a day. Then back home and rest and that wife of his enforces that like a prison guard." He stopped sharply and looked at me. Everyone else looked at him. "I mean she watches over him like a momma bear protecting her babies."
And then dinner was over and Sheriff Birde was takin' me back downstairs. I stopped before I left the room.
"Mrs. Birde, thank you for havin' me for dinner. Everything was excellent."
"Why, Jed Curry, you've always called me Miss Beverly. Please feel free to continue to address me like that. Mrs. Birde sounds like one of my sisters-in-law."
"Yes, ma'am," I answered, but I'm not gonna be so casual as to really use her name.
"M…may I t...t...talk K...K…Kid?" Heyes asked. He had not spoken at dinner. I'm worried about him. I need him to be strong and take over the family.
"After I get Jed settled down below," the sheriff answered. I know he means put back in my prison cell; he's sayin' it nicely because there are ladies present.
"Coming down with you," Dr. Arden said, as he reached for his medical bag. He went first and carried a lamp.
Sheriff Birde took my arm to help me down. "I'll help you down."
I shook him off. "No need, sir."
He backed off and I slowly managed the stairs with my shackles without trippin'. When I was almost down, I refused to turn my head and look at my cell. Instead, I looked up at the windows…Heyes' windows, I now call them in my head.
Dr. Arden turned toward my cell when he got to the bottom and I was forced to follow him and the light. But somethin' looked different. There was now a low cot with a thin mattress in my cell and a pair of socks sittin' on top of a pillow. And my dirty clothes were missin'.
"Sit on the stool," Birde ordered.
"Yes, sir."
He knelt on one knee in front of me.
"Get those off of him," Arden demanded, kneelin' next to the sheriff.
When the shackles were off, Birde took them and left, lockin' the doctor in with me. "Jed, these scars, they look like they were burns as well cuts from the shackles in prison."
"That's what happens when you're shackled in the burnin' heat of the Arizona desert." I realized he hadn't asked a question. "Sorry, sir. I know you didn't ask a question."
He stopped rubbin' a salve on my ankles, and took a breath. "Jed, you can speak honestly to me anytime. We're friends."
I didn't reply, just looked at my feet. I'm a convict, again. Most people don't want to keep up their friendships with prisoners.
"Jed, tell me what you're thinking," he ordered.
I thought for a moment before I answered. "Sorry today was a failure upstairs."
He leaned back on his heels and reached out and lifted my eyes to his. "Jed, why would you say today was a failure? On the contrary, you did well today; you found the words to answer positively. That's why Frank had you for dinner."
As soon as I could, I looked down again and he continued workin' on my ankles, endin' with heavy bandages. Then he put the socks left on my cot over them.
"I failed because I couldn't find words to answer Miss Denise."
"You were very successful with Mr. Tracye, Mr. Crenshaw, and Widow Kirk. And I am amazed at all the things you've done for others."
I was about to say it was my way of gettin' them to accept ex-convicts in their midst, but I heard a noise on the stairs. While the doctor was puttin' his supplies in his bag, I turned and saw Heyes standin' on the last step. He was tryin' to show his outlaw face to me. And I thought about what I was gonna say. This was a test. "Always glad to help neighbors," I said.
Dr. Arden looked at me. "And keepin' it quiet. Most people would have taken some credit."
I didn't have to think about my answer. "No need for credit. Might have embarrassed them."
"Jed Curry, I'll repeat it again. You are a good man," Dr. Arden said.
"Yes, sir," I said. "I failed today answerin' Miss Denise, I'm sorry," I repeated.
He sat on the cot and looked at me. "You didn't fail. You did just as I asked. When you didn't find anything positive to say, you said nothing. I really expected you to say, 'I'm no one's savior.' I've heard a lot of that from you over the last few years."
"Yes, sir," I answered, thinkin' that I hadn't thought about it, but he was right.
Sheriff Birde came down the stairs and let Dr. Arden out. "How're his ankles, Aiden? Jed, I'm sorry I had to use those shackles."
"They're both torn up, especially the right one. Some old burn scars opened up. Jed, I'll see you early tomorrow morning before you have any visitors."
"Yes, sir."
I stood in the corner and looked down and waited for the sheriff to speak. I heard him give a deep sigh. "Jed, you have anything to say?"
"Yes, sir. Thank you for the cot…and socks…and lettin' Dr. Arden attend to me." I took a breath. "And thank you for allowin' me to eat with your family."
He nodded and glanced at Heyes, who had sat in the corner, half in and half out of the shadows. "Jed, believe it or not, I consider you family."
Heyes gave me the outlaw look again and I answered, "Thank you, sir. That's kind of you."
Maybe that was the wrong thing to say because he didn't answer. Instead, he said, "Heyes, you can have fifteen minutes with Jed." Then it was as if he decided somethin'. "Jed, if instead of asking you to be Head of the Town Council, I asked you to be the town protector, would you have accepted?"
I thought for a minute and looked at Heyes. He was not givin' me the face but he had leaned forward, interested.
"You mean be the town gunnie? Doin' protection like I did for the Devil's Hole Gang?"
"Yes, guess you could look at it that way."
"Yes, sir. I would have taken the job," I answered truthfully.
"Why?" he challenged.
That I thought about. "Three Birds is the first home town me and Heyes have had since our parents were murdered. It's our home and I care about it and all the people I've met here. Think I might already be the town gunnie, but I wasn't here to stop Shaw."
"A gunnie but not the Town Council?" Sheriff Birde pushed.
Heyes had the outlaw face on. He knew what I was goin' to say. Somethin' I told him when we were in the gang. And he didn't like it then, either.
"Gunnies are replaceable."
"But you're not, Jed. In some ways, I'd say you were the most respected man in this town. Where would the Trayces and Widow Kirk be without your kindness? And your actions at the barn raisin' were altruistic."
I don't know the last word and didn't know what to say so I looked down and said, "Yes, sir."
Heyes spoke up. "Kid, altruistic means you're unselfish and watch out for others before yourself. You've been that way since you were little."
HEYES
I waited until Sheriff Birde had closed the door before I moved all the lamps close to the prison cell. Then I pointed to my ear so the Kid knows that if we talk loud, they can hear us upstairs. I pulled a chair over and the Kid put his stool close to the bars.
"Heyes, don't know what's goin' on. Has Birde called the marshals?"
When it's just me and the Kid, I can talk okay. "Not that I know." And then I lied to him. "Miss Beverly rode out to Phoenix and told them to stay put and that me and you were staying in town a few days. She said all was well there." Except for Chrissy, I wanted to add. But I had promised not to say anything and I decided I would keep that promise for today.
"Good. I worry about them. Sad I won't be able to watch our kids grow up. We still partners?" he asked, sounding forlorn.
"Always partners, but I really need you out of here and at Phoenix. I'm not strong like you."
"Heyes, you are. Look at how well your plan to catch Shaw worked down to the details. I wasn't involved in the plannin' of that. It was all you."
Something was wrong here. The Kid was the one going to prison and he was giving me a pep talk. That thought hit me hard and I struggled to keep my words. "N…n…no. You w..wa…watched b…b..b..back." I couldn't say what I wanted to say. The Kid reached through the bars that separated us and squeezed my shoulder.
"Any ideas what they're doin'? Havin' people thank me for stuff I did and then lettin' me stay for dinner? I won't be gettin' fed like that in prison."
I grinned and tried to say to him what he told me when I was in prison. "Pro…pro…promise eat."
And I got a grin back. "Yeah, no matter what they feed me, I'll eat it. I figure I have a trade they want so they'll put me to work as a blacksmith somewhere. Not lookin' forward to workin' a hot forge twelve to fourteen hours a day again."
And my words were back when I needed them. "I liked how you talked positive today. It sounded …b…b...better."
He thought about that. "Yeah, it did make me feel better. "Except when Miss Denise…er Mrs. Arden, called me her savior. Heyes, I'm nobody's savior. And I'm not a hero either."
"Kid, you're my hero. And you saved my life. I would have died in the Wyoming Territorial Prison if it wasn't for you. And from what I have heard about Chrissy, you rescued her and saved her life."
"I..." he started to protest,
I interrupted him. "Before you say anything, I think Dr Arden is on to something. I never want to hear you say I'm not a hero or not a savior again. Do you understand?" I used the voice that I've used during our lives that said I'm not arguing about this.
"But Heyes..."
"Think about it from our point of view, Kid." I thought for a moment. "Maybe when they say something like that, you can think about it like you did a real heroic act, a one-time thing. Might be easier for you to accept."
I could tell he was thinking. I hoped he would come to the right conclusion. I wanted to tell him one last thing. "Kid, I don't know why, but it seems they want you to say positive words to your visitors. Keep doing that."
He nodded. But I saw pain in his eyes.
"Ankles hurt?"
"They've hurt worse."
I smiled at him. "Don't be a stoic hero, Kid. If you hurt, tell me…and Dr. Arden."
"Heyes, every day most parts of my body ache or hurt. Sleepin' on the floor in here didn't help my back none. I've learned to live with pain, not give into it."
I had no answer. I would have hurt after sleeping on that hard floor, too. "You need me to sit by those windows up there? Might help knowing I'm there."
"No, I wouldn't sleep knowin' you're in the dark alone. But are you gonna be with me tomorrow, partner?"
There was that word, our bond. "Think so, partner, but it's up to Sheriff Birde and the doctor. I'll do what they say …you be good."
Jed 'Kid' Curry
Heyes left when Sheriff Birde came and took the last lamp upstairs. Before he left, he handed me a napkin with two slices of Widow Kirk's sweet bread with butter wrapped in it. I wondered again why I was being treated so well.