Chapter Eleven

I felt like a gunman. I know I've been called that before and I reckon it's an appropriate term to use for how I've lived, but at the moment, I truly felt like a gunman. While walking, my spurs made a loud clank amid the eerie air, the hand that was trained to do the fancy work hovered at an exact space over my loaded holster and my eyes were fixed ahead of me, staring at the place where the opposite player in this fight'll stand. That place was empty, though. Heckard Channing wasn't giving me his ugly glare yet. But I was ready as if he were.

Looking to my left, I could see that Slim was just as set to meet our matches. While we'd never be called twins in appearance—Dadgum, his height alone sets us far apart—we were actually pretty close in the way of the approaching gunfight. We'd stopped now, so I couldn't gauge if his spurs hitting the dirt had the same intimidating ring to them as mine, but his legs were the right spread, his hand was at the proper angle and his eyes had the same kinda sear. Well, not quite. There was a difference. Slim's brows were kinda in a bunch.

As if feeling my scrutiny, he turned to look at me. "You sure they'll show up here?"

"If they've got any kinda brains in their heads, they will."

"That's debatable," Slim answered and I had to clap my jaw tight so I didn't laugh. "But don't you think they would've been here already?"

"No. Some men like to take their time to get to a fight. What's the matter, Slim? It bothering you to come back to where you were shot?"

His eyes lifted to the top of the rocky ridge and then back down again, but I couldn't tell if he purposely kept his gaze away from where he'd fallen or if he took a coupla moments to stare at it. "No, it's not that. I just want to make sure we'll be in a fight. I don't want us to get ambushed today."

I made the same up and down glance, but I truly did take a coupla moments to stare at where Slim'd dropped. "They ain't likely to come sneaking in."

"How can you be so sure? They want us dead."

"I know, but you see, Curtis left a lasting mark in the saloon. If either of us winds up back-shot, the entire group along Horsetail's bar is gonna know who's responsible and while there ain't a sheriff on site, there's some pretty good territorial marshals that'd listen to what they witnessed this afternoon. Nope. Heckard and Curtis know it's gotta be one on one."

I knew this going in. It'd come too far to be anything but. That's why my boots, my hand, my eyes, dadgum everything on me was prepared for a bullet battle even before we left Traveler and Alamo secured in a safe place. Now that we were in position, it was only a matter of when.

Slim sighed. "I still think they'd be here by now."

"We left a wide enough trail for them to follow. They'll be here."

He looked to the sky. "Before dark?"

I wouldn't've been very good at my work if hadn't thought about that already. It wasn't much more'n an hour before the sun dipped behind the rocks, and even though the sky'd stay blue for another hour after that, the shadows would be growing around us. Not exactly the easiest time of day to set the perfect sights. But it could be done.

My shoulders flexed upward. "Maybe that's their strategy."

"What do you mean?"

"When were you tattooed?"

"Good point," Slim said, this time making a rather obvious glance toward the bloodied soil. "After dark. There goes your one on one battle."

"I never meant that we were gonna stand across from each other like you did with Parkison and shoot until somebody dies. We're gonna have to hit the deck, take cover or whatever it takes, firing faster and better pointed than theirs can go."

Slim's hand gripped his pistol. "One for you and one for me, right?"

"That's how it counts up," I said, turning at that exact moment to look behind us, but I kinda wondered if Slim'd been able to see the glint in my eye before I broke the blue connection.

I secretly wanted Heckard. I know Slim's got a sizable beef with the fella, but I wanna be the one to give him a portion of the hell he'd given me. No, I wasn't gonna tromp him. Well, lemme rethink that. I reckon if he offers his fists instead of his gun then I'd tap quite the drumbeat against his hide. But what I really wanted was to have my finger pull the decisive trigger to put an end to this whole mess and take my life back. Slim might be beside me again, but I can't make my days be worth living until Heckard Channing was dead. Yeah, it's gotta go all the way. Him sitting the rest of his life in an army prison might satisfy those he stole from, but not me. Like I said. It's gotta go all the way.

"Jess."

I knew that tone. Whenever Slim says my name with that kinda low pitch, with just enough of excitement in the sizzle of the double letters off his tongue, trouble was making its entry. So they weren't gonna wait for full dark after all. Good. Then my bullets shouldn't have to cut through a nighttime layer to make their lasting mark. Turning to follow his gaze I couldn't see their profiles, but I could hear their approach. Like we had, they musta left their horses where the play of guns couldn't reach and were coming our way.

Dadgum, they were clanking their spurs just as loudly as I'd been and as that sound signaled the fight being moments away, I lifted my eyes to find Slim's blue. "You wanna duck down now or keep our stances like this?"

"What do you say?"

"Let's let them choose."

"All right by me."

"Get ready, they're about to step into view."

And just like that, there they were. A rush of adrenaline stormed through my veins and took a rather large leap inside my chest. I ain't a giddy kid anymore, though, so I ain't gonna let it climb any higher and turn into a squeal. Dadgum, I wasn't even gonna smile, but even with my expression held like a rock, I couldn't help but feel that my wish was about to get granted. Heckard'd stopped right across from me. He's all mine!

Since they weren't lowering to shelter, I crunched my boots into the dirt even harder'n before. But I wasn't exactly expecting it to stay this way, because once a gun went off, the bodies would drop pretty fast on both sides. Since we weren't that far from where Slim'd been shot, if we needed to take a life-saving leap to the rocks that he'd made his shield that day, we could. They weren't too far away from the same shelter as before, either. Dadgum, you'd think someone'd planned it to be exactly like this. Dadgum, I reckon I had.

The stillness between us broken by the lifting of Heckard's left hand, he pointed our way. "Ain't this a sight? The two ranch partners back together again."

Sensing Heckard's chuckle before he let it twitter across his lips, I cut it off completely. "Just goes to prove you ain't all that good at your job after all."

He laughed anyway. "I've got the money."

"But what's it gonna get you?"

Sobering rather quickly, the dark eyes narrowed at me. "Anything I want."

"Wrong answer. You're gonna get what I want. And that's me stamping my foot over your freshly dug grave. And just so your cousin ain't jealous of all the attention you'll be getting, Slim's gonna do the same to Curtis."

"Jess."

There it was again. Sure, it was whispered this time, but the tone off of Slim's mouth was unmistakable, except there was something different. There wasn't any excitement at the ending notes of my name. There was warning.

I barely glanced at Slim and lifted my brow. "Huh?"

"You're asking him to shoot you."

"So?" I whispered in return. "How else am I gonna shoot him if he don't lift his gun first?"

"You two sound like a pair of gray-haired female gossips over there. Speak louder so I can get in on the tall tale."

I smiled. "Ain't nothing tall about it. We're just talking about me goading you into drawing your gun."

"You're not goading me into lifting a finger," Heckard said, quickly letting his left hand dive back to his side.

"Oh, that's right. You're afraid of my gun draw. So how're we gonna fight?"

"Like this!" He jumped, gun coming out in the middle of his leap and at the blast, he hit the ground. Fanning the hammer until there wasn't any lead left to spew, Heckard propped up to his knees and looked through the smoke. "Where are they?"

Curtis, right behind his cousin, wouldn't lift his head higher than the rock that would save his skull from a bullet if one was about to fly. "I don't know. I didn't see them move after I dove for cover. You must've been wrong about Harper."

"Why?"

"We ain't bleeding."

They sounded like mice. I dunno how I can hear that kinda pitch. With all the bullets I've heard pinging the ground and my body parts alike over the years, you'd think the only thing I'd hear beyond a voice next to my ear is what happens when a trigger gets pulled. I reckon it's the gunfighter still living in me that's able to know when a pin drops. Or in this case, when a coupla no-good mice are chattering away.

I gave Slim a nudge. "They think all that advertising you made about my gun is fake."

"Why so?"

"They ain't bleeding."

Slim looked down at his front. "Neither are we."

"Yeah," I said, finding a second to frown. "But Curtis is right. I shoulda got a bullet or two into him before I rolled to this spot, especially when I had Heckard right where I wanted."

"Why didn't you? I was able to pull the trigger a few times even if all I did was hit dust."

"I reckon I ain't recovered as much as I told you I am."

"That doesn't surprise me. What hurts?"

"My head. Everything. Mostly my head."

"Stop using it then."

"Dadgum, Slim. You want me to take a swipe at you?"

"No, I want to take a swipe at them. But they're being too cautious. You sure Heckard's losing his fear for you?"

"That's what it sounded like from here."

Slim barely let his gaze rise above the rocks that hid us. "Well, he's not coming out."

"Dadgum."

I was angry. Usually my eyes can throw their own bullets when I narrow them just so, but right now I don't even think the shade of blue could fire them off properly as I took my own peek over the rock, because they ain't blue anymore. I musta been sizzling with hell's brightest shade. There I had Heckard Channing right in front of me, and even though he took a leap, my gun shoulda been outta the holster with the bullet going right into his middle someplace. I never even rocked the hammer down before I hadta spring outta the way of what he was teasing my flesh with. Fortunately I didn't get hit, but neither did Heckard. And now I couldn't even see a piece of his ugly hide.

"You think they scrambled off?"

Slim speaking my concern, I lowered my head and sharpened my ears. "No. I can still hear them."

"What do you think they're waiting for?"

"Probably for one of us to fire off a round."

"You want that honor?"

I almost smiled. Sure, I'll let the next shot be all mine, but where's it gonna go? They're hunkered down far enough that if I let a piece of lead pop like heated corn, all it's gonna do is spew around them. It's not gonna sink into flesh like I'd wanted it, like how it shoulda been when the time was perfect.

Another round of anger pushing up my middle, I puffed some of it outta my mouth. "No."

Surprised by the answer, Slim rocked back on his heels. "No?"

"I ain't gonna take the next shot. Not here, anyway. I think we oughta split and force them outta their cover."

"But Jess," Slim said, holding onto my arm as if he expected me to suddenly make a wide open dash between incoming bullets. "Then it'll be the same as it was before when I was shot."

"We'll still be fighting on the same side, just in different positions. Now let go of my arm so I can do the flushing."

"No."

Now it was my turn to rock back in surprise. "No?"

"That's what I said. But in truth, it's what you said first."

Confusion made my eyes narrow. "I don't get it."

"Your head, Jess. You couldn't take your perfect shot because you said you're still hurting and by the way you keep shaking it, I'd imagine you're feeling dizzy from all this action. That's why I'm going to run into the open and force them to show."

"You can't, Slim. Your leg…"

"I don't limp enough anymore to hinder a fast dart to those rocks over there. I know you're always the one that takes all the risks, Jess, but this one time, I'm going to. Now, as long as you can shoot straight enough to give me some running room, I'll take off."

I was beat and I knew it, but where I coulda dropped my eyes to the ground in defeat, I kept my gaze where my bullets were gonna go. "All right, Slim. Go!"

The moment he was exposed, a body jumped up. It didn't matter that my head was still causing a loud enough ruckus to make my vision swim a bit, I was fighting for my partner's life right now. I was gonna throw the bullets straight. The first one released, I watched as Curtis' stomach was torn open and as he yanked his hands inward to stem the flow, his gun dropped to the ground.

And then my eyes flicked to Heckard to give him some of the same. He wasn't there. Dadgum!

By then Slim had made it to his target and had crouched down. I could see him clear enough to know that he hadn't sprung another leak, but why Heckard wasn't in the same view, I couldn't understand. Yeah, Slim had done some firing of his own, but I never heard a body hit dirt. But of course, he coulda already been lying low when the bullet made a fateful hit. If that's how it's played out and Slim got Heckard, I knew I was gonna wear the green cloak of jealousy for the rest of the day. I know, I know, Curtis is outta commission so I ain't coming outta this empty handed. But dadgummit, I wanted Heckard!

Slim's confusion at the stillness around us, he started to rise away from his shelter and I did the same. "Take it slow, Jess."

The warning in my ears, I eased my way passed the rocks but the moment I was clear, there was nothing slow about the way I moved toward his carcass, that is, if that's what I'm gonna find. I was about halfway across the open ground when I heard what sounded like knees shuffling through dirt. Knowing that coulda matched Heckard being shot, I hurried even faster. But that wasn't what was happening.

Dadgum, that possum playing fool! He ain't shot, just crawling along the ground, trying to get in a better position to wipe one of us out. And that one was gonna be Slim, for while I was making the rear approach, Slim was coming more at his head. With gun readied, Heckard leapt to his feet.

The dangerous step taken toward Slim, I stopped to firm my gunman's stance and steady my gaze. "Heckard!"

He turned long enough to look at me and as the barrel of the gun went with his stare, I pulled the trigger. While he did squeeze a bullet off, it couldn't do more'n spew some dirt into his teeth, for Heckard was already making a downward spiral.

And as his thud was the sound of permanence, I could say it with truth. "He's dead."

Strange, though. All this time I wanted him gone and there wasn't a whoop inside of me. I guess that's how it goes. Killing a man, no matter how evil he is, it's still killing a man, and that dadgummed conscience of mine can't get all that much pleasure outta taking a life. Maybe I better make that two lives. I'd shot Curtis, too.

I turned toward Slim who was kneeling beside the cousin. "He outta it, too?"

"No." Slim rolled Curtis over and then looked up at me. "He's alive."

I leaned in so I could do my own kinda examination. "But he ain't gonna make it."

Slim shook his head. "Not if the closest doc's in Sheridan."

"It is. And while you're a living testament to my how delicate I can make my knife work, I can say for certain that's beyond my ability."

"He's coming to, Jess," Slim said, and aiding the man's awakening, he gave his cheek a pat. "Curtis."

"Where…where's Heckard?"

"Dead," I said.

"I should've…" His gasp sounded like it was his end, but he still had a breath or two left inside of him. "Should've never listened to him."

"Why did you?"

He barely had the strength to lift his lashes at Slim. "For twenty-five thousand dollars."

"You were going to split it? Like partners."

Curtis nodded. "Like partners. I should've never…"

And at that moment, Curtis died, but even though his soul'd gone onward, I still had reason to give the final word. "Not everyone's lucky enough to have a good partner along for the ride."

"You've got that right, Jess. And what's more, the good partners are always the ones left standing when the smoke settles. Like we are right now."

I know it ain't right to kick a man when he's down, dead, anything alike, but I couldn't help but put the toe of my boot into Heckard's side. "Dadgum, to think he was almost successful in splitting us apart."

"The lie would've unraveled eventually, Jess. I don't think we would've been separated forever."

"I reckon. It kinda bugs me, though, knowing this is come to an end."

"How so?"

"There were several more men involved in the beginning of this. Obviously the big guy was Heckard and the lesser big guy was Curtis, but there were others in on this, too. I know they were probably just some thugs he hired for one night to help get me on my way, but I'll never get to let them know what payback tastes like."

"I don't know, Jess. The way we have a tendency to get into a good saloon fight, maybe you'll get to belt them across the jaw."

"We'll have to get into a saloon fight, first. And dadgum, I reckon I need to lay off the bottles for awhile."

Slim laughed. "For like the next two minutes?"

"Aw, cut it out, Slim."

"All right, Jess. No more teasing. Which leads us up to this. Since we were fighting for us, I'd forgotten about the army payroll."

"Oh yeah. You reckon it's on their horses?"

"I hope so. If they buried it somewhere, we'll never know where."

Fortunately we didn't have to wonder for long if the army was ever gonna see their earnings again. After the burying was done, we walked our horses to where theirs were tied and Slim immediately patted the added bulge to the saddlebag that Heckard's horse was wearing. It was there, all right.

Unbuckling the saddlebag, Slim's hands circled a wad of cash. "I wonder if they dipped into it at all."

"That don't equal what I'm wondering about."

"What's that?"

"What're we gonna do with it?"

"Take it to Fort Laramie, of course. What else would we do with it? I feel funny just touching it."

I pulled the five hundred outta my pocket. "I sure don't need to caress its edges. What with this, I'm already a rich man."

"I'm sure you've already decided what you're going to do with your winnings, Jess, so tell me, what does she look like?"

"She don't look like anything."

"Then how are you going to spend it?"

"I was thinking about giving you the shock of your life and tell you I'm gonna put it in the bank, but since I don't wanna dig your grave so soon after you left your last one, I think I'm gonna go see how much it costs to buy a demon."

"What?"

"You heard me, come on."

.:.

I was told Charles Danforth was an ornery cuss. That's fine. I know a lotta cuss words myself, so I reckon I could turn myself into a rather colorful one to match his personality just right. Standing toe-to-toe, my blue eyes boring into his darker set, I let every one of them silently rumble outta my grit as I told him what I wanted.

His eyes flashed right back at me. "Do I get you right, Harper? You want to buy Demon for five hundred dollars?"

"That's what I said."

"But he's not for sale!"

"Why not? He ain't useful to you anymore."

"That's a lie, Harper! Demon is very much a part of this ranch."

I laughed. "How? You can't ride him. Nobody can. Why, I bet you can't even give his flank a pat."

"Of course not, Demon's wild."

"If you'd give him a gentle hand, he wouldn't be anymore."

"Some horses aren't meant for pets, Harper."

"No horses are meant for sport, Danforth."

"Sport? You've got it all wrong, Harper. I do this only for the fun of it. Why, the way the entire community comes together, you'd think we were celebrating a day even greater than Christmas."

"Well, you're just gonna have to learn how to make Christmas candles shine a little brighter on the actual Holiday, because the fun's been let outta your yearly party."

"How so?"

"Since I rode Demon for the full ten seconds and survived in doing so, there's no point making the same bet next year or the year after that. You know why? Because I'd come to town next Demon Day and ride him all over again for five hundred more dollars. And I'd make sure I was first in line every year. That means no hooting, no hollering, no reason for a crowd to even form, because there'll only need to be one rider, one winner. Me."

"Now, see here, Harper…"

"I could get kinda rich, pocketing all your loot every year." My thumb fanned the five bills. "Or I could give this year's back. What'll it be?"

We stared at each other for a full minute. It was different than staring down an opponent in a gunfight, but I reckon I gave him one of those cold stares of mine as if his hand was doing a dangerous hover over his holster. Since I've got that kinda power, I might as well use it, right? Maybe it was that, maybe it was my what I'd said, I dunno, but finally Danforth nodded his head. And knowing what was coming, I flashed a wide grin.

"You have a deal, Harper," he said, and then after the handshake, he tapped my chest. "I'd only like to know, what are you going to do with him?"

"Set him free."

"What makes you think he isn't experiencing freedom now?" asked Danforth with a snort.

Hearing the horse thrashing inside his pen, I knew my reply was gonna come with my own kinda spit. "Because I've been just like him and I can say for sure that ain't no free life he's living. That's hell. Now lemme have my horse."

It's a good thing I carry a lotta determination in my back pocket and another sizable dose close to my chest, otherwise, I mighta given up before we even rode through the archway with Danforth's name spelled in iron letters. Demon didn't wanna let me lead him away from the property. I kinda figured he didn't wanna go only because he expected to be put on full display again, but no matter the amount of encouraging I said to him, he didn't believe me and he bucked so much I thought Traveler was gonna toss me off just so the horse behind us could settle down. But even though it took several minutes with a lotta sweat and swear words coming outta me, we did make it through the gate. And now that we'd made it through, I had the challenging thought as to how far I was gonna take Demon into the wide open before I could let him go. He hadta be far enough outta the way, or Danforth just might sic his crew into his trail and drag him right back home.

I couldn't let that happen.

Slim somehow read my thoughts. "How about that stretch between Briar's Peak and the marshland this side of the river crossing?"

At least I don't gotta open a history book to know where that sits on a map. "It's a day's ride, though."

"He'll mellow out as we go."

I shrugged. "He better."

It turned out he did. Since I wasn't jerking his line around and we weren't within the scent of Danforth's land anymore, by that evening it was like I was walking a brand new horse behind me. I kinda wished he'd stayed rough, though. His softer expression made me wanna keep him, but even while I laid awake most of the night thinking of how I was gonna tell Slim we'd need to add on to the barn, I realized I had to let Demon go.

It was what was best. It was what he wanted. And it was how it was gonna be.

The next time the sun was at its midway point through the sky I had the marshland sitting off to my left and the peak rising up to my right with over a thousand acres in between. It was there that I untied Demon's line. Then I stepped back. I didn't whap his rear, I didn't raise my arms, I didn't shout, I merely stepped back and let him run. It took him ten seconds to realize he was free. Just like those ten seconds that I clung to his side, although I reckon this stretch of time was a whole lot nicer to endure.

He bucked once and then he ran. Head held high, tail flying, he was free. I reckon everyday now'll truly be Demon's day. As for his personality, well, his name might never be able to get changed to Angel, but I reckon Spirit'll be close enough.

"Go have a good life, Spirit," I said to the drumming of his shoes as he marked the hilltop with his prints. And I'll do the same. "Come on, Slim. We've gotta see a lotta miles on that south pass before dark hits. Dadgum, the way I feel, maybe we'll even keep rolling after dark."

We didn't have to let the stars move along with us, though. We made good time. I reckon that's because there was an added spring to our steps, even if it wasn't our boots performing, but our horses' hooves. We were going home. And a few days later, that added oomph was allowed to slow down to almost a hush. Almost.

I didn't need to announce it. After all, Slim knows his land better'n me, but I couldn't stop the thrill from rushing outta my mouth. "Home's just beyond the hill."

"Yep. Back to cows and chickens and chores."

"Dadgum, did you have to say it like that?"

"Just speaking the truth, Jess."

I shrugged. "I reckon. But can't I take a coupla days off first?"

"To do what?"

"I dunno. Laze around or something."

"While I tend to the cows and chickens and chores, right?"

"That sounds about like normal."

"You got that right. For every coffee break I take, you've already had ten."

"That sounds about like normal."

"You want your bunk back or not?"

Slim ain't all that good at hiding the glint in his eye when he's teasing, and this was one of those times he failed. I saw through his sternness right quick. But just because he can't hold in his laughter don't mean I couldn't toss a good tease right back at him.

"I dunno, Slim. I heard there's a rancher in Laramie that's hiring. Maybe he's got a bigger coffeepot that I can pour outta."

"You mean Doan's place?"

Since I didn't really know I coulda shrugged, but I nodded instead as if I knew for real. "Sure."

"I guess he did have to let his hired hand go. And while I've never seen his coffeepot, I know that his wife's a good cook."

"With food on the ticket, I might take Doan up on an offer then. That is, if Harry or Bill or whoever it was didn't get the job."

"Who's Harry or Bill?"

"I have no idea," I said, and dadgummit, I couldn't hold my grin inside.

"All right, Jess. If you want to go work for Doan, I won't keep you back. Just don't expect to get away with lazing around for a few days like you do here. I happen to know that Doan fired his last hand for being lazy."

"Dadgum, there goes the sweet life."

"Sorry as I can ever be," Slim said, and this time, he sounded so sorrowful, I reckon his tease was spot-on.

"I'm just kidding, Slim. It's gonna be good to have the sweat pouring down my back again, even if you do hafta crack the whip over me to get my feet moving away from the dinner table."

"No need for rough stuff. But I'll tell you some truth, it's going to be good to put your bunk back where it belongs. That is, unless Ben dumped mine into the fire pit, too."

"As long as we've been gone, I reckon Ben's gonna be the one that'll want the coupla days off and ten cups of coffee in a row."

"Probably. Well, Pard, if that's the case, then it'll just be you and me awhile. That all right?"

"That's more'n all right, Slim. All the way. Let's go!"

Out whoops made us sound like a coupla school boys on our way fishing instead of schooling, but that's a sure sign that all the pages have been turned and it can finally be said this story's gone. But for me, and maybe for anyone I tell it to, it'll never be forgotten.

.:.

To my guest reader that asked about Robert Fuller in my last story, as of this day of posting, to my knowledge, he is alive. While I do not belong to any social media sites that would likely be one of the first to have that news delivered, I know a few people that are, and I am certain they would pass that news to me when his death happens someday. As always, we cannot trust everything written on the internet. My advice to you is, if in doubt when you see some conflicting news stories out there about Robert Fuller possibly passing away, go to MeTv's website. They are very good about memorializing actors when they pass and often feature a story about their life's work in Hollywood and beyond. I hope this message brings you comfort. God bless, CW