We scattered after that. Susan went back to her ranch. Garret went back to his cards. Lance went back to looking for a job, mainly hitting Susan or Dale up every time he saw one of them. Buddy figured on doing the same thing as Lance.
I didn’t know what to do yet, but I had been traveling the past several weeks from Arizona and wasn’t in a traveling mood any more. So I hung around town for a little longer. I needed to think of something to do anyway, but I had a couple thousand dollars in my pocket so I didn’t have to be in too big of a hurry.
The town held a huge New Year’s Eve party in the Blantonville Center. Food, drink, and dancing. Susan had looked forward to it, because she wanted to meet more people in town. The ones she had met thus far had all been very nice, and especially after the episode with the Johnson gang. But she still didn’t know anyone very well, and it would give her a chance to get further introduced. And she loved to dance.
Garret, Lance, and Buddy were there, but she noticed that Ken wasn’t. For some reason, that didn’t surprise her, but it did irk her a bit. Why can’t he be normal, like everybody else? she thought, a bit redundantly perhaps. Well, she had no intention of letting Ken Ross spoil her evening.
Susan certainly didn’t lack for dance partners, so she met a lot of new men, though nearly all of them were married. She danced with Garret, Lance, and Buddy more than once, and then at one point, accepted an invitation from Garret to go for a walk. She wanted a break from dancing.
It was cold outside, so they both had bundled up. Garret started to put his arm around Susan, but decided against it, not wanting to appear too aggressive or make her uncomfortable. So they just walked together. Since the Blantonville Center was near the north edge of town, they headed north and were beyond the city limits in a short time.
They talked, idly, about the past, the present, and the future. “Why did you become a bank robber?” she asked him at one point.
He thought awhile before he answered. “I’m not sure I can answer that.” Then he smiled. “What was it that Jesse James said? ‘Because that’s where the money is.’ It was exciting, a challenge, daring, and fun. Lance and Buddy were good partners.”
“But you decided to stop.”
“Yeah. We never hurt anybody, but in that last robbery up in northern Arizona, we almost killed a teller. It was kill him and take the money, or don’t kill him and get no money. We took the latter course and high-tailed it out of the state.” He grinned ruefully. “Had no idea that Ross would tail us. Tenacious fellow. He told me a couple of days ago that he had resigned from the Rangers a few days before we hit that last bank. But since we had a reward on our heads and he was headed north, too, he figured he’d grab us and collect. Can’t say I blame him. The Rangers don’t get paid what they are worth, that’s for sure.”
“So the investment thing was all a sham.”
“No, actually not. I have talked to some of the railroad people here. I’ve got some money that I, um, we…withdrew from banks on previous occasions, having inexcusably neglected to make prior deposits, of course.”
“Of course.” Susan smiled at the colorful description of his bank robberies.
He continued. “So I’m going to use that money to invest.”
“You should give it back to the people you stole it from.”
“I know. But we don’t have it all. Maybe if I hit it big in railroads…” He shrugged, but Susan knew he’d never give it back. They all might end up in jail yet…
They came to the bridge that crossed a stream north of town. They stopped in the middle of it and leaned against the railing, looking down at the crackling brook. There was ice along the bank. “It’s pretty,” Susan said.
“Yes. The whole area is nice. Are you staying permanently?”
She hesitated before she answered. “I don’t know. I haven’t decided yet.”
They went silent for a few moments, watching and listening to the stream. It was a partly cloudy night, but bright enough with a nearly full moon and thousands of twinkling stars. Susan looked up into the night sky. “We don’t get these kinds of starry nights in Alabama,” she said softly.
“Higher elevation here, thinner air, less humidity,” Garret answered.
“Yes, I suppose that’s it,” Susan replied, her eyes still on the stars. “They are beautiful.”
Garret didn’t respond.
A few moments later, Susan looked over at him. He was looking at her, and from his eyes she could tell he wanted to kiss her. She remembered another cold, starry night a few weeks before…and another night after that…
She dropped her eyes and simply whispered “Yes.”
He came to her, and tilted her head up. Her eyes were closed and she waited, lips very slightly parted. She shivered uncontrollably when she felt his warm lips against hers. His masculine smell was very appealing to her and she relaxed as his lips touched hers several times. She parted her lips…his arms went around her and hers around him…
They kissed for several minutes and Susan tried to enjoy it, but that one word kept coming back to her mind…Kendrick…Try as she might, the name, the face, wouldn’t go away. When Garret finally broke the kiss and pulled up, he smiled down at her.
“There’s someone else, isn’t there?”
Her eyes jerked up to him sharply, then lowered again when she couldn’t meet his gaze. “No, Garret…it’s just…”
“May I ask…is it Lance?”
She shook her head, still not looking at him. “No, it’s not Lance.”
“Ken?”
“Garret, please…” Susan was in angst. She didn’t know what to think. “I…just…don’t know…” She looked up at him and smiled weakly. “I’ve just had a lot on my mind lately…the bank robbery…the ranch…making a decision.” She lowered her head again, and shook it. “I just don’t know what to think.”
Garret reached over and stroked her hair. “I understand. But I have been thinking. About you and me.”
Susan lifted her head again and looked at him. “Yes?”
He smiled at her. “We’ll talk about it soon. Now isn’t the time.”
She searched his eyes for a few moments, then nodded. “Ok. Now is not the time.” Then, after a short moment, “I guess…we need to get back. The fireworks show will start soon.”
“Yes,” he replied. “We don’t want to miss that.”
Again, they talked idly as they walked back, but it was a strain for Susan. She didn’t feel like talking. And after the fireworks show, which began about 15 minutes after they arrived back at the Center, she went immediately back to the ranch.
Lying in bed that evening, she stared at the ceiling for awhile. Susan closed her eyes and exhaled audibly. I just need to go back to Alabama…it’s too complicated here…what does Garret want to talk about? What did he mean that he’s been thinking about him and me?…surely he doesn’t want….what would I say?…she rolled onto her side, opening her eyes again…That other name came to her mind again…he came for me…
Why?
A few days passed. I was considering leaving Blantonville in a day or so. I didn’t really have any reason to stay. But I had stayed. I wasn’t sure why. I felt like I knew the answer—and it was one of the main reasons why I had to leave. She has both of them…has her choice…I need to leave…
I was eating lunch in a local diner around the 7th of January when the door opened and Susan came in. She didn’t see me immediately and said hi to a couple of people, then I caught her eye. We smiled at each other and I motioned to the chair across the table from me, inviting her to join me if she wished. Still smiling, she nodded and came and sat down.
“Hi,” she said. “How are you? I haven’t seen you in several days.”
“I’m fine. You?”
“I’m doing well, thank you.” The waitress came over and Susan ordered a sandwich and coffee.
“How are things at the ranch?” I asked her. “Have you decided to stay here?”
“The ranch is beautiful. I love the house, I love the land, I love the sunsets, I love everything about it.”
“Does that mean you are staying?”
She smiled again. “I don’t…think so. I’ve lived in Alabama all my life and I have such dear, dear friends there. It would be hard to leave.” She had 500,000 other reasons to go back to Alabama, too, but I didn’t know that at the time.
Well, I guess that answers any questions I had about her…
“Yes, I’m sure it would be. But I know you’ll make the right decision.”
“Thank you. Are you staying here?”
I paused a moment, and didn’t look at her. “Actually, I was thinking about leaving tomorrow or the next day. There’s really nothing to keep me here.”
Susan swallowed hard. Well, I guess that answers any questions I had about him….
“Where will you go?” she asked.
“I don’t know. I don’t know where I’m going or what I’ll do. Just drift until I find whatever it is that will keep me someplace.”
“What would you like to do?”
“I’d like to own a 55,000 acre ranch with thousands of cattle and horses.” I gave her a small smile. “Will you take $2,000 for your ranch?”
She smiled back. “Uhh…I need a little more than that. But I might be able to talk Dale into offering you a job.”
“How long is it going to be before you go back to Alabama?”
She hesitated. “Well, I’m not…totally sure yet that I’m going back. I’ll decide soon.”
“And if you go back, no job offer. You know Dale won’t offer me one with new owners pending.”
She didn’t answer.
I sighed and shook my head. “There’s been some talk around town of the sheriff resigning over the Johnson business and me taking the job, but I don’t want it. It’s a noble profession, but I’m through with law enforcement.” I looked at her. “I would like to see your ranch before I left, though. Do you think I could?”
“Yes, of course. You can come out any time you want.” She thought a moment. “How about tomorrow morning? I don’t have anything special planned. I could show it to you.”
“Let’s see…tomorrow morning…tomorrow morning…I have so many things going on, you know…” I gave her a playful smile. “Maybe I can squeeze you in for 10 minutes or so.”
“Oh, I’d be so honored,” she said, with the same playful demeanor. “I mean, if it’s too much trouble, I’ll understand…”
I smiled. “I don’t think it will be any trouble at all. Say, 9 AM, or is that too early?”
“9 AM would be fine.”
“I’ll look forward to it,” I said.
“I, too,” she replied. Our eyes met and held for several seconds. Then I said, “Tell me a little more about Alabama. I’ve never been there…”
So we talked for a little longer, then Susan needed to leave. “I’m meeting Dale, my foreman, at the feed store. He’s going to tell me about all that stuff.” She pulled a face. “I didn’t realize running a ranch could be so complicated. I mean, I thought you just raise cows and horses, let them eat grass, and then sell them to the highest bidder. It doesn’t quite work that way.”
I laughed. “No, there’s a little more to it than that.” Then, I hesitated. “I guess…you haven’t told him yet that you’re going back to Alabama.”
“Well…no, I haven’t told him. But, like I said, I haven’t quite decided yet.”
I nodded. “Ok. I’ll see you tomorrow at 9.”
“Great. Thanks. I enjoyed having lunch with you.”
“Me, too. Bye.”
“Bye.” Our eyes met one last time, then Susan turned and walked away. I watched her for a few seconds, then shook my head, and, a little melancholy, I walked back to the hotel to sleep it off. It started raining.
Fit my mood perfectly.
Susan listened to Dale with only one ear as he talked about the feed. I guess it’s decided. I’m going back to Alabama. Well, that will be fine. All my friends are there. The West isn’t very civilized yet, I mean, look what I’ve gone through…almost killed, robbed, raped…She smiled…but I’ve had some fun, too. Rattlesnakes and puppy dogs… She was resolved, and feeling better about it, especially the thought…$500,000… London…Paris…Rome…Vienna…
Kendrick…
She sighed. She heard it raining outside.
Susan’s mood fell with each rain drop….
