Winter's Refuge

Chapter One Hundred Sixty-Five

JED 'KID' CURRY

I could see that Father Patrick was shaken after seein' that dark cell and the man huddled in the center. I faced it differently when I was confined in there. I never turned my back to the hole in the rock ceilin'. Today, I looked at that hole differently. And my mind was busy thinkin' of a plan. And that allowed me to walk across the prison yard to the chapel without thinkin' about where I was. But then we were met by the warden and two more guards at the entrance to the chapel.

"Convict Jewell is inside… alone," the warden started, then looked at Father Patrick. "Don't think I know you. How do you know the prisoner?"

"Name's Paddy Mahoney. Preacher ready to see us?" Father said, without answerin' the full question.

I needed to divert the warden's attention so he wouldn't probe further. "Warden, that mountain the dark cell is carved into, it belong to the prison or maybe the state of Arizona?"

He gave me a sideways look while still focused on the new visitor. "No one owns it. No one would want it. Too hot for farming or raising animals."

He recognized my question was just asked as a diversion. It was a diversion, but I needed to know who owned that land for the plan formin' in the back of my thoughts. I put my arm around the priest's shoulders. "This here is Lom's friend, Paddy. We thought the trip here might convince him that he never wants to spend time in a place like this." I gave him our planned answer.

The warden laughed. "Well, Paddy, I can give you the full experience and lock you in a cell while these two visit their friend."

The true fear in Paddy's eyes was in his voice. "No need to do that, sir. I think their message is coming through loud and clear."

The warden looked at his watch. "One thing, whatever you told Jewell last time, we ain't caught him drinking since. Appreciate that. Never found out where he was getting it though." He turned to the guard. "Let them in…all three of them. No guard inside. Give them thirty…no, forty-five minutes for their visit."

And just like that I was standin' at the back of the chapel between Lom and Father facin' Preacher and couldn't control the tremor that went through my body.

HEYES

Warden Mays stood and held out his hand. "Doctors, Mr. Heyes, Mrs. Curry, good to see you."

Chrissy's eyes were on her brother, who smiled at her but didn't stand.

"What's going on?" I asked.

Mays motioned to the guard. "Unlock the convict's shackles and wait for us in the next room. Do you understand, in the next room, not the corridor."

"Yes, sir," he said, and did as ordered.

"Mrs. Curry, we don't usually allow a visitor to touch a prisoner, but you may go ahead and hug your brother if you wish."

Chrissy dropped the box she was carrying and flew into Matt's open arms. "Missed you! Matt good?" she asked.

I gathered my strength and asked, "Warden, what is this all about?"

He looked at the box on the table. "We forgot you might be bringing a box. We'll pretend it came in the mail. Trustee McWinters, you can expect it on your bed tomorrow after inspection."

"Thank you, sir," Matt answered, without making eye contact.

He looked at Matt and Chrissy standing side by side, her arm around his waist. "It's better for the prisoners when they have family outside that cares about them and visits them, but in this case it's made it complicated."

"Complicated?" Aiden asked. "Mrs. Curry has been here to visit before."

Mays studied her closely. I don't know if it was the cut of her dress or the fact that her face was rounder in pregnancy, but he suddenly said, "Please, ma'am, sit down. May I get you some water?"

And that caused Matt to really look at her. "Thought you'd have that baby by now. Or did that husband of yours get you with child again so soon?" There was a challenging tone in his voice that I didn't like and was glad the Kid wasn't there…but when I thought about it, his tone was more protective of his sister than challenging.

"I'll leave you to your visit," the warden said. "Dr. Arden, Dr. Oliver Arden I mean, we have a few things to discuss before you take your time off."

Chrissy waited until they left, but as she did, tears filled her eyes. "Chrissy have babies early."

"Babies?" asked Matt, giving her a hug. His tone fearing something had gone wrong.

"First baby, Trinity Rose, no live," she said through tears.

I spoke up, "Josiah James and Diane Frances are healthy and thriving."

"Three babies? When Chrissy nodded, he let her cry on his shoulder. "Ma had twins, too. Luke was a twin," he said.

"Jed and Chrissy have daughter Ruth Ann after her," she told him.

"And you're with child again?"

She spoke quickly. "Chrissy's fault, not Jed's. I needed him after we lost our child. I'm healthy. You can ask Dr. Arden."

I was pleased she had referred to herself as 'I'. Aiden was quiet, watching, but I felt the need to talk about something else. "Matt, why all the secrecy? Are you in trouble? Anything we can do to help?"

"I could be a target if anyone connects you, Heyes, with me. You ever heard of Hairy Eyes Wolcott, or Jericho Cummings?" Matt asked me and Chrissy just seemed content to sit next to her brother and lean against him.

"That the one they call Jaguar Cummings? Know them both. The Kid and I cleaned them and Skunk Shaw and some others out of Three Birds…wait a minute, are they in here? That happened in Nebraska." I sat across the room in the chair the warden had left. I now pulled it toward Matt.

"Might have happened in Nebraska, but before they rode with Shaw, they robbed banks and telegraph offices here in Wyoming. They shot a lot of people and killed three. Word is Hairy Eyes Wolcott was convicted of those murders and sentenced to hang but his attorney filed an appeal. Jaguar got twenty years to life," Matt explained.

"I'm Doc's trustee and was helping him a few days ago when Wolcott burned his hand working in the kitchen and was sent to the infirmary. Doc allows prisoners to talk in there while he works on them. Anyway, Wolcott was swearing that he and Jaguar had a foolproof plan to escape and go after Hannibal Heyes and Kid Curry. Said they made fools out of them. Did you?" Matt asked.

"You could say that," I answered, then looked at Aiden. I've been trying to be positive like the Kid and the doctor knows it. Don't think my answer sounded that positive.

Matt nodded. "The warden didn't want to do anything that would let Wolcott or Jaguar connect me to Jed or you. Sorry it will be a shorter visit than planned," he told us.

I nodded as I understood and appreciated the cautions taken to protect Matt.

But Aiden was focused on Chrissy. Matt had asked her about her kids, and she was smiling telling him…and comparing them to things she and Matt did growing up. Matt was listening closely and smiling at every little thing, often asking what color eyes one of the kids had or did any of them have their ma's smile. I know he'll recall their conversation and use it to help him get through the bad times. Then he asked the questions I knew were coming. "Where's Jed? He alright? Why didn't he bring you?"

I answered for Chrissy. "The Kid is keeping his promise and visiting Preacher in the Yuma, Arizona prison. He committed to going every two months. This time the visits ended up being at the same time, so I volunteered to come with Chrissy," I explained.

She smiled at me and said, "Heyes a pa now too. He has a daughter named Nettie."

Matt looked genuinely pleased. "Congratulations. I consider you family, too."

Chrissy opened the box carefully, knowing the warden was going to later pretend it came through the mail. She unwrapped a piece of Auntie's chocolate cake and handed it to her brother. He devoured it with joy while she took care to rewrap the box exactly as it had been.

"Auntie?" Matt asked.

I answered. "Very nice lady who took care of Michael and Martha with Lom's sister when…when Chrissy couldn't. Moved to Phoenix to help us raise our kids."

When he finished the cake, Chrissy took her handkerchief and wiped his face like he was a little boy.

"That Auntie can send me chocolate cake anytime she wants," he told us. I made a note to have her do just that.

I remembered something. "Thought you would want to know that kid parolee you suggested, Stanley Oliver Rocke, is doing real good as an apprentice for the Kid. He's a welcome addition."

"Glad to hear it. Seemed like a good kid that hadn't been corrupted by this place," Matt answered.

Aiden observed Matt. "Has it corrupted you?" he asked.

Matt turned to me before answering. He knows I've been in here. Knows I understand the realities of life in prison. "There's darkness here no one can escape, but I try not to let the corruption of my soul get too bad. Been getting letters from Luke." He stopped and smiled. "Father Luke - ma would have been pleased with that. We been writing and we don't think there's anyone in here with more evil in their hearts than our brothers Mark and Johnny. I learned how to live in the gang with them, I can figure out how to survive in here. Working with Dr. Arden keeps my mind busy mostly, but the evil in this place…" He shook his head. "No one can keep the corruption of this place from his soul, though I try my best."

I closed my eyes. I can feel that evil creeping into me every time I enter here, but I have anchors to hold on to push it away, anchors like Angie and the Kid, Chrissy, Nettie and the Curry kids, Auntie, Aiden, Lom. The Kid taught me how to use his strength. Now I can pull a little strength and support from all of them, and I walk out of here with my head held high today. I hope the Kid can do the same in Yuma.

Too soon for Chrissy, the warden returned. "Thank you for cooperating today. I'm sure Trustee McWinters told you the circumstances for this private meeting," he said.

"Thank you, sir, for taking these extra steps to protect Matt," I said, using his first name on purpose. It lessens the distance between warden and prisoner when they hear his Christian name.

"Er…you're welcome. Governor's always asking about Miss Chrissy's brother and don't want to have to tell him something happened to him in my prison." It made him uncomfortable to say that, so he didn't dwell on it and continued talking. "I believe that Convict Wolcott's last appeal will be rejected this week, and he will hang soon after that. I have arranged for Convict Cummings to be transferred to a prison in Ohio. It's overcrowded but the warden owes me a favor. I want to avoid violence against Convict McWinters."

Chrissy and Matt hugged before we left. "You and Jed take good care of her," he told me as we shook hands.

And then we were back in the buggy. Aiden was coming with us to spend the night at Dr. Oliver's and drive back to the prison in the morning. Our guns were right there where we left them. None of us felt like talking. Even though we weren't confined there, the malicious evil of the prison had its effect on us. I was thankful that our walk on the inside was short, only to the first office. Even then, the walls had seemed to grab me, and Chrissy told me later, the bad voices from her prison threatened her with violence.

When we were off the property on the main road to Cheyenne, I heard Chrissy sob softly. Without saying anything, I wrapped my arm around her back and let her cry into my shoulder. In many ways, I felt like her big brother, and we were closer than she was to Matt.

I saw Dr. Oliver sit up very straight as he pulled the buggy over to the side. "No more crying today. It's a very special day for me," he declared, turning his head around so he could see. "You'll see when we get to my house." He gave his brother a little smile. "Told Aiden when we were at the prison but when we get home, we'll find the house all decorated. At least it should be because Miss Nancy and I are getting married. Aiden has agreed to be my best man. That's why he didn't stay at the prison."

"Wedding!" exclaimed Chrissy.

"Yes, we waited until today so you could attend," Oliver continued. "Stephanie will be Nancy's maid of honor." Dr. Oliver turned around so we could no longer see his face. "With you here to be with the children, we'll spend tonight at the hotel."

"Good!" said Chrissy.

"Heyes, I can't thank you enough for putting those two children in our lives. It's like we were half living before and now we are a family." Dr. Oliver sounded pleased.

Chrissy giggled. "More babies come? Ajay needs cousins."

ASJ*****ASJ

Nancy looked stunning and I had never seen her smile so much. The house was decorated with white and yellow flowers and there was a two-layer cake with the same flowers on top. I thought that the wedding drove the dark thoughts of the prison far from Chrissy's thoughts…but not from mine.

There was no lit lamp in my room. I didn't lay down knowing darkness would come and I would want to retreat into my mind. It still tempts me at times like this. I don't want to do that anymore. I have a life, a wife, and a daughter, and the Kid has provided a lot of my nieces and nephews to fill up our house with love and laughter. Walking into the hall, I stared at the dim light at the top of the stairs, as if it could cleanse my thoughts.

I made my way downstairs and saw a light in the kitchen. Chrissy was sitting at their small square kitchen table for four. She had moved the lamp to the center of the table and was squinting to read a book. Not surprised to see me, she asked, "Coffee? There was half a pot on the stove and I'm heating it up."

I went to the stove and felt the outside of the coffee pot. "Coffee's done. I'll join you in a cup. I can't sleep either. What's bothering you, Chrissy?"

She took the cup I offered and sipped the hot liquid before answering. "Glad Luke write to Matt," she started, then twirled the coffee in the cup before blowing on it to cool it. "Worried about the prison corruption in Matt's soul. Worry Jed has it too. Worried Matt will try what Jed did if it overpowers him. He still has a long time in there."

The words spilled from her quickly and she seemed relieved just to say them out loud. "Didn't want to sleep. I feel that prison evil again when I sleep without Jed."

I put my hand on hers. "I'm afraid it will get me if I sleep tonight. How about we sit up and talk?"

She showed me the book she was reading, and I groaned to see it was one of our dime novels. "Good. You tell me how much of this is true. Was Jed really the Lothario of the West as the book says?"

I laughed. "Well, he was charming to all the ladies…until he met Miss Chrissy McWinters."