HANNIBAL THE CANNIBAL - Chapter Three
SAN FRANCISCO
Nobb Hill
"Boys!" Soapy Saunders exclaimed excitedly as he grasped each man by the hand. "Come in! Come in!" He backed away from the door allowing the dirty road weary men to enter his palatial home. "Come inside. I was beginning to get worried and feared you might have run into some trouble."
"Just the weather."
"No law…?"
Kid shook his head with a tired smile, "Not anymore."
"So it is true? About your amnesty."
"I told you that earlier in a telegram." Heyes said, a hint of concern on his face.
Soapy laughed at Heyes' expression. "Don't be concerned about this old man and his memory. It's perfectly fine. It's my innate distrust of politicians that causes me to ask the question." Soapy suddenly looked embarrassed, "Here I am going on…You two must be exhausted. I'll have baths drawn and take you to your room."
xxxxxxxxxx
Smoke swirled around their heads as they stretched out in the study smoking Soapy's special imported cigars. A freshly bathed Kid was slumped in an oversized leather chair with his eyes closed and a leg thrown over the armrest. One hand held the cigar, the other lightly rested on a glass of cognac. Heyes' attention had been drawn to the books lining a wall of the room. He peered at each shelf of books, before finally returning to his seat. He gave Kid a dirty look as he raised a leg to playfully kick his partner's that was draped over the armrest.
"Where's your manners?"
Kid's tired eyes slowly opened. He smiled a small smile, before closing them again.
Soapy laughed at the exchange, "You're fine Kid. Consider my house yours. Remember if it weren't for you boys I'd be residing in an 8x10 cell for a very, very long time."
Soapy settled back in his chair and addressed Heyes,"So your trip was uneventful?"
"As uneventful as riding over a thousand miles by horseback…"
"Why not the train? Being officially unwanted men…"
"We wanted to…" Heyes stopped abruptly and set his cigar down. He quickly stood up and crossed to Kid, snatching the cigar from his partner's fingers before it dropped on the chair. He carefully lifted Kid's hand off the glass and placed it in his lap. Kid was fast asleep. Heyes extinguished Kid's cigar before reaching for a blanket that lay across the back of the sofa. He placed it over his partner, pulling it up to his shoulders. He patted Kid's shoulder affectionately before returning to his chair.
Soapy watched, with a smile on his face. He had observed and studied these two men for years throughout their friendship…it's what con men did. The depth of their bond always amazed him. It wasn't just the blood connection or being in the same gang, it was something more. He couldn't imagine one without the other. At times, it was as if they moved unconsciously synchronized, through a lifetime of familiarity
"There's…," Heyes stopped mid sentence, smiled and looked directly into his older friend's eyes.
"You know the feeling Soapy, when…" Heyes' dimpled smile deepened, "...you can finally stop looking over your shoulder. Holding your breath riding into a town hoping that the law don't know you and you don't know them, but mostly it's the endless running. Running til you almost want to give up so you can rest." His face had grown solemn,"... and you know you are really…free." His voice cracked briefly with emotion. "I must be tired," he looked slightly embarrassed
xxxxxxxxxx
They had gladly agreed to help Soapy on his new endeavor. Another gambling house was added to Soapy's impressive empire, and with their help, had successfully weeded out the undesirables…both employees and clientele.
Kid caught Heyes' attention and nodded towards the entrance. Heyes acknowledged his partner with a smile. He knew the months working for Soapy were taking a toll on his partner. Any extended periods of time confined inside or around large numbers of people, seemed to strengthen his need to return to the open space of the West. Thankfully they had gotten their amnesty, and neither had to find out what twenty years looked like from inside an 8 x10 cell. He knew the first hint of spring, Kid would have horses saddled and their saddlebags packed.
Kid settled on an outside bench, feeling the cold air off the bay slap him in the face. He drew in the coldness, but wrinkled his nose at the unpleasant smell of the water. A young boy on the corner was hawking the recent edition of the San Francisco Chronicle.
"ANTI-COOLIE MEETING AT EIGHT O'CLOCK! NEW CITY HALL MARKETPLACE!"
The boy stopped to collect the penny per paper, from the passing pedestrians.
"FIRE ON THE BEALE WHARF!"
Kid felt a hand touch his shoulder.
"Ready?" Heyes asked as he passed his sherpa to him.
"Soapy?"
"Left early." Heyes answered as he tightened his heavy coat around him. He shook his head as Kid draped his coat over his arm and started down the street. As they walked away, they missed the young boy shout out:
"RESCUERS! MONEY NEEDED FOR TRAPPED IMMIGRANTS IN SIERRA NEVADA MOUNTAINS!"
xxxxxxxxxx
He was so cold. He pushed back into his mother, expecting her to wrap her arms around him tighter, but there was nothing. Her arms felt stiff and heavy. He was terrified, afraid to turn around and look into his mother's face. He pinched her arm hard. Then harder. She was so cold. He grabbed one of the few peppermints he had left, ignored the dead stare of his
mother and forced the candy into her mouth. Sobbing, he pleaded for God to do something, but in his young mind, God had deserted them long ago.
He took the peppermint out of her mouth and rewrapped it in the wax paper. He hugged her with the little strength he had left until he collapsed with exhaustion and sorrow.
xxxxxxxxxx
Soapy had a guest. There was some sophistication to the man by his mannerisms, but his physical appearance was a direct contrast. The man has endured something terrible. His dark eyes were haunted and exhaustion seemed to stoop the tall lean man over. When he spoke he tried without success to hide the despair in his voice.
He kept his hands tightly flattened on each leg, fearful emotions would take over and a clenched fist might slam onto something to illustrate his desperation
"To speak to my character…" He reached into his vest pocket and drew out a worn letter holding it out to Soapy. Soapy reached for his glasses, adjusting them on his face before reaching for the letter. He looked over the top of his glasses with a look of surprise and awe. "The late President Lincoln?"
A sad smile touched the man's lips as he remembered his deceased friend.
"I've known Abe…President Lincoln for a number of years. Made his acquaintance when we both lived in Springfield, Illinois. He worked on some legal issues for me when he was a lawyer and we struck up a friendship." The man's voice caught briefly, A good man…and a better friend." He shook his head sadly.
Soapy watched the man, then carefully and reverently folded the letter and returned it to Reed.
"I am desperate Sir, My meager funds are depleted. This will be my third attempt to rescue my family. I–" He was interrupted when two men entered the room.
Heyes and Kid stopped when they realized Soapy had company.
"Didn't realize you had a visitor," Kid quickly apologized and started to back out of the room with Heyes.
"Come in Boys. Perhaps you might have some ideas for…"
The man quickly stood up, extending out his hand, "James Frazier Reed."
Heyes hesitated a split second, "Smith…Joshua Smith and my cousin Thaddeus Jones."
Soapy nodded understanding the use of their aliases.
Heyes poured two drinks and looked at Reed, who politely shook his head.
"I suppose I should start at the beginning…" Reed paused as he waited for Heyes to take a seat after handing the whiskey to his partner. He drew in a deep breath, "My family…my wife Margaret and my children…" His voice choked with emotion as he tried unsuccessfully to name his children, "I…we have four. Left from Springfield, Illinois and met up with most folks in Missouri. Our trip to Fort Bridger was mostly uneventful, and…" Reed dropped his head, "I think it gave us the false hope that it was going to be an easy journey. Our confidence didn't allow us to reason or listen with the sense God gave us. Even after we arrived weeks late to Fort Bridger, we reassured ourselves that the shortcut…" He stopped when he saw Heyes and Kid quickly sit up straighter and looked at each other with stunned expressions on their faces.
"You ain't talking about Hastings' Cutoff? Are you?" Kid cautiously asked.
They all saw Reed's eyes darken with rage, as he managed a short quick nod.
"When did you arrive at Fort Bridger?" questioned Heyes. "What month?"
Soapy studied his two friends, trying to figure out the connection to this man.
Reed stroked his chin, "July. It was late July."
Kid and Heyes' eyes locked.
"Was there a Keseberg family?" Kid asked cautiously, "Are they trapped too?"
Reed could only nod.
Kid dropped his head with a groan.
"They were alive when I left."
"How long ago was that?"
"Three months–."
"Three months?! Why ain't your family with you? Why–" Kid said, his tone becoming accusatory. Heyes laid his hand on Kid's arm and squeezed.
Reed didn't want to go into why he was banished from the party. His team and John Synder's team had become entangled and after a fight, where he was struck on the head, he stabbed Synder who was killed instantly. Self defense was what some said, others like Lewis Keseberg were ready to lynch him on the spot
"There was very little food left. I rode ahead to Sutter's Fort to retrieve supplies and get help but when I returned with the packed mules…" Reed shook his head sadly. "There was no way…no possible way to reach them. Have you ever seen snow sixty feet high?"
xxxxxxxxxx
"Kid…" Heyes had his head down, when he entered his partner's bedroom. When he looked up, he froze as a confused look crossed his face. Deep wrinkles furrowed his brow; he hadn't missed the saddlebags on the bed.
"Kid…,"he repeated slowly, waiting for an explanation. Without looking up Kid paused as his hand hovered over the open drawer. He blew out a hard breath, reading himself for the fight that was going to ensue. He pulled the last of the clothes from drawer
Heyes searched Kid's face for an answer. "Wha…What The hell are you doing? Where are you going" He finally managed to spit out.
"I'm going to Sutter's Fort with Reed."
"Sutter's Fort?! Why?!"
Kid stopped in front of Heyes and said, "You know…You know," he repeated softly
Heyes groaned. "If it's true. IF…by the time you get there it's going to be too are gone or will be. All of them." Heyes was struggling to keep his voice free of the fear from bleeding into the anger he felt.
"Reed says different. There are folks alive and I believe him."
"How?! He hasn't seen anyone since October. That's three months! THREE months with no food! Kid, you're not making sense. You gonna get yourself killed. Why?
"You didn't see what I saw."
"What? What did you see? The boy?!" Heyes voice continued to rise. He grabbed Kid by the arm and held on tightly.
Kid stared at the hand on his arm, then slowly looked into Heyes' face, "I saw…me."
"I don't understand."
"Well I ain't got time to explain it."
"Well you best take the time."
Kid shook his head.
"You owe me…" Heyes started. Kid's look stopped him from continuing.
"I don't owe you…and if you want to play that game…how about you owe me… to trust me and my decision."
"I do trust you…but you were going to leave without discussing it? With me?" Heyes couldn't hide the hurt.
"Honestly Heyes, what's the point?"
Heyes was desperate to get through to his partner. They had just gotten their amnesty. They were officially free men to start their lives…not end it in a foolish, dangerous way.
xxxxxxxxxx
AUTHOR'S NOTE: A fascinating fact that certainly would have changed the course of history, in many unimaginable ways was…Abraham Lincoln had wanted to accompany James Reed West on that fateful tragic journey, but his wife Mary Todd Lincoln said no. (Again I will remind readers that I have taken GREAT liberties with the timeline)