As strangely exciting as the previous night had been, the next day was one that Susan would have liked to have thoroughly forgotten. It started off well enough. Lance and Garret were their usual kind, funny, charming, handsome selves at breakfast and during the morning leg of the trip. Judge Hightower and Polly were obviously becoming thick as fleas on a mangy dog’s back, and they were so cute together. I…well, I was me. Didn’t talk much. Was nice enough when approached. Answered something when asked. Left everybody alone otherwise. What more could anybody want?
But then came the first stop, about noon. Donavan’s Station, it was called. The sun was bright and it was warmer than it had been, but still far from shirt-sleeve weather.
A nice stop to have some trouble…
Susan approached Donavan, the owner.
“I haven’t had a good bath in a few days. Is there any way I could get one here before we leave?”
“Sure,” he said. He pointed. “Go out the building in that direction. You come to a little rise and then down in the swale is a hot springs pool. Perfect for bathing, even this time of year. Even got some soap and shampoo you can use. I’ll tell everybody you’re heading that way so they’ll know where you are, but won’t bother you.”
“Oh, that’s wonderful! Thank you so much.”
Susan took the soap and shampoo, got a towel, gathered up some fresh clothes, and headed for the pool. It wasn’t far. The little rise was barely 75 yards from the station and the pool was 100 feet below that. A little stream fed it, wandering in from a copse of trees to the right, disappearing out of sight among them, dropping water into the pool from over a large mound of yellow boulders. The stream then meandered out of the pool to the left and off into a valley below. It was lovely and idyllic.
She undressed quickly and walked slowly into the water. It was indeed warm, and goose bumps covered her skin because the contrast from the cold air was rather extreme. The pool wasn’t deep, no more than four feet. So she sat down to where the water covered her shoulders and luxuriated in the warmth. It felt good. I think I could take a nap, and she giggled. She sat unmoving for a couple of minutes, enjoying the warmth, and then started bathing. She soaped and scrubbed her skin twice and then shampooed her hair the same number of times. The second time, she stuck her head under the flow of water from the rocks and let it wash the shampoo, and anything else in her hair, away into the pool.
But then, with her head still under the stream, she thought she heard something. An indistinct sound, but out of place. She listened a moment…there it was again. Sort of a high pitched whine or something. She pulled her head up, shook it to get the excess water out, and then looked up.
An ice ball formed in her stomach and a horrified expression came over her face.
Sitting on the boulders, less than 15 feet away from her, was a mountain lion. Looking directly at her. It opened its mouth again, and the high-pitched whine Susan thought she had heard became a high-pitched, and very frightening, growl.
For a moment, she was mesmerized. It was a beautiful, sleek creature, but it was also huge. Full grown, at least 200 pounds. Susan guessed that if it stood on its hind legs, it would be at least as tall as she was.
She slowly, very slowly, began to back away, her eyes riveted on the lion. She saw its tail swish, spasmodically, back and forth. Its eyes were on her. Susan knew that she was at least 25 feet from the edge of the pool. Her only hope was that the lion wasn’t especially hungry.
Unfortunately, he was.
He growled and snarled at her again, and then shifted down onto his haunches, as if in readiness to pounce. It looked like his meal was trying to get away, and he wasn’t going to let that happen. Susan kept backing away, but was still too far from the edge of the pool. It was time to call for help.
Which she started to do. But it came too late.
With another snarl and growl, and then with a wiggle of its hindquarters, the cat prepared to leap. Then the beast cast itself into the air, paws outstretched and long claws extended. Those claws would rip Susan’s naked skin with long, deep, agonizing furrows.
She screamed and started to turn and run as best she could in the water, knowing it was hopeless.
But then she heard a loud, piercing BANG, and the lion screeched and fell backwards, into the water, but away from Susan. She ran as fast as she could in the pool, which became shallower as she got neared the edge. Another bang—she recognized it now as a rifle shot—and then a third one. When she reached the edge of the pool, Susan looked back. The lion was floating on its side in the water, dead.
Susan couldn’t quit trembling. She’d never been so frightened or near death in her life. She looked up to where the rifle shots had come from. She saw Kendrick coming down the rise, rifle in hand, his eyes on the lion in the pool. Susan ran over to him, still shaking, and wrapped her arms around him.
“Thank you,” she said. “Oh, thank you. Is he dead?”
“Yeah,” he said. “He was huge,” he continued, still looking at the lion, but with one arm around her. All of a sudden, Susan was aware that she was unclothed. Kendrick seemed to realize that she realized it, and quickly took off his jacket and wrapped it around her. She was eternally grateful and pulled it closer around her.
“Oh, that was horrible.” Susan took a deep breath, recovering quickly. The first thought that went through her mind was, he’s more interested in that stupid lion than he is me, and then, geez, I was stark naked…
She looked up at him, and he shifted his gaze to her. He smiled softly. “Are you ok?”
Well, what do you know? Maybe he does care…a very little…”Yes…yes, I am, thank you.”
Where did he come from?
I had overheard Susan ask Donavan about a place to bathe, and that aggravated me a little because I wanted to take a bath. But she beat me to it. I saw her leave alone; I thought for sure that Garret or Lance would go with her to protect her from any wild animals that might be around. This was lion country, and they didn’t find a whole lot to eat this time of year. They were more aggressive and humans were fair game, too.
So I grabbed my rifle and followed her. I looked over the rise and saw Susan starting to undress, so I turned around, sat down, and…listened.
And sure enough, in a few minutes, I heard a lion growl…and a woman scream…
The shot was easy. Less than 40 yards, big target, clear field. I was a good enough shot that I could have hit him at twice the distance. Actually, I was a good enough shot that I could have hit him at four times the distance, but that wasn’t necessary. I fired three times and the cat lay still in the water. Well, I’m not going to bathe in a pool full of cat blood…
I saw Susan running towards me, whimpering. I was less than 50 feet away. I winced at her current…textile accoutrements…and immediately started to take off my coat. She grabbed me first, but in a few seconds, I had her covered. I took a deep breath.
Sheesh. Her hair’s wet…and the inside of my coat will be, too…Yeah. Like that's what I was thinking...
A voice called from the top of the rise. “What happened? What were those shots?” Susan looked up and saw several people, almost everybody who had been in the station. She was covered by then. Kendrick’s coat went about halfway down her thighs and she had it wrapped tightly around her. Still, she was wet, and it was cold, and she was still scared half out of her wits by what had just happened.
Everybody was coming down the hill now. “Why did you fire?” Donavan asked Kendrick, not exactly in the friendliest tone of voice. “Didn’t I tell you that Miss Bedford was bathing and not to come over here?”
Kendrick didn’t answer. He just pointed at the pool. They all looked and saw the dead lion. Polly gasped.
“Holy Moses,” Donavan whispered, “I’ve never seen one that big.” Then he looked at Susan. “Are you all right?”
She clung to Kendrick’s coat like it was a life preserver, but she was still shivering. She was still mostly wet, and especially her hair. “Yes, I’m fine, thank you. I’m ok. Mr. Kendrick shot the lion just as it leaped.”
In unison, every head turned back to Kendrick. All he said was, “I think we should all go back up the hill and let Miss Bedford dry off and get into some warm clothing.”
“Yes, yes, of course,” was the muttered reply. Susan glanced around, saw Garret and Lance looking at her, quizzically. She smiled softly at them, and nodded her head. Satisfied, and with a quick glance at Kendrick, the two men moved off with everyone else. Susan saw Kendrick start to follow the group.
“Mr. Kendrick.” It was Susan
He turned. She searched his eyes for a moment. What’s there?…
“Would you…stay at the top of the hill…till I’m finished.” She smiled wanly. “In case that lion has a mate somewhere close by.”
He nodded. “Shout if you need me, but I’ll be where you can see me.”
As she walked down the hill to get her things, Susan thought, Why was he there? Another shiver. I’d be dead if he hadn’t been…
I walked up to the top of the rise and kept my back to Susan, of course, to give her privacy. I had to work a little to get a certain…vision…out of my head, but I checked my rifle, replaced the bullets I had fired, and made sure it was in working condition. I knew it was, but it gave me something else to think about.
A few minutes later, I heard her behind me. “How did you happen to be up here when that lion pounced?” she asked me.
I turned and looked at her. “I was here the whole time.”
Susan blinked at me. “So you were watching me.”
“No, I didn’t say that. I was just below the rise, so I couldn’t see you.”
“Then how did you know the lion was there?”
“I heard him growl.”
“I see.” Something still didn’t compute. “You were…protecting me?”
I glanced all around. “These hills and mountains are full of lions. Food isn’t always easy for them to find this time of year. It never hurts to be careful.” Then I smiled at her. “And there are more dangerous beasts around here than mountain lions.”
Susan smiled back. She asked, “Oh? And what might they be?” She already knew the answer.
I gave her a rueful grin. “The two-legged variety.”
Susan was playful now that she was safe. “Oh. Gorillas and apes? Or rattlesnakes and puppy dogs?”
I grunted. “Yeah. But some of them are even worse than that.”
Josh Taylor came loping over. “Are you all right to travel, Miss Bedford? We kin stay here fer the rest of the day, if ye’d prefer.”
“No, Mr. Taylor, I think…I’d like to get away from this place as soon as possible.” And Josh and I chuckled softly.
“’K,” he said. “Let’s load up then.”
I turned to follow him. “Mr. Kendrick.” Susan again.
I looked back at her.
“Thank you again. You saved my life.”
I looked her up and down, and just nodded. Then walked off. I still want a bath…and my coat’s wet…
Susan was a bit annoyed at his abrupt departure. You have a nice smile, gunslinger, you should do it more often…gunslinger…well, I guess this proves it, he hit that lion three times when it was in mid air…he can shoot…She watched him walking away, thoughtful…he was protecting me…how… chivalrous…And Susan giggled at that last thought. Then a frown. Where were Garret and Lance?…
The day wasn’t over yet, nor the excitement. Susan told everyone about her hair-raising experience and I ended up being the hero of the tale. “Yeah, yeah, yeah,” I said, waving it off and turning my attention back out the window. After that, everybody started dozing. Then, in mid-afternoon, when we were traveling through some pretty rugged, rocky terrain, the stagecoach began to slow. I had been snoozing, too, but roused and checked the window. I spotted something I didn't like. “Uh oh.”
Garret was sitting across from me and heard me. “What’s up?”
“Trouble,” I responded. “Do you have your gun?”
He frowned at me. “In my bag under my seat.”
“Get it.” I looked over at Lance, who had been listening as well. “You, too.” And he nodded. Neither asked any more questions, they simply reached for their bags.
But Polly asked. “What is it, Mr. Kendrick? Indians?”
“No—“ is all I got out before there were several shots fired, and we heard some shouting. Lem’s shotgun boomed, but that only encouraged more return fire and after a few seconds, we heard Josh yell “Whooooooaa,” and the horses came to a stop.
A couple more shots in the air. “All right. Everybody out! Right side. This is a hold-up! Don’t nobody try nothin’ fancy.”
Polly was in near hysterics. “Oh, no, Herschel. A hold-up. They may kill us. Oh, what are we going to do?”
“Now, Polly,” he replied. “Don’t be scared. I’m sure they just want our money and then they’ll leave us alone.” A script straight out of a dime novel. I glanced at Susan and she was looking at me, but I couldn’t read her eyes.
We all piled out and stood beside the carriage. There were three horsemen. One of them was holding a rifle on Josh and Lem, who both had their hands in the air. The other two had handguns pointed at the rest of us.
Josh looked down at us. "Sorry, folks. They came out them boulders there and we didn't see 'em till they was right on us." I had seen them too late as well.
The outlaws were a typical, grimy-looking sort. Dusty, sweat-stained clothes and hats. A couple of them were tall and lean, the other was built more like a bulldog. None of them had shaved in several days.
The outlaw in front, apparently the leader of the gang, started talking before Susan had disembarked. “All right, folks, all we want is your loot, so hand it over.”
And then Susan stepped down out of the carriage.
“Oh, now, what do we have here?”
“Lookee there, Will,” Bulldog said from behind him. “Ain’t she a sight fer sore eyes.”
Will, the gang leader, was staring at Susan in obvious pleasure. Or rather lust. The word was written on his forehead in big, bold letters. The two fellows behind him were salivating now as well. It was almost a mistake. The man holding the rifle, just in time, saw Lem slowly reaching for his shotgun.
“Don’t try it, old timer,” the outlaw said to Lem, “or it will be the last move you ever make.”
Polly was whimpering, and Herschel was quietly trying to console her.
I had managed to get behind everybody else.
Herschel then spoke up to the outlaws. “You men take our money and go. Leave us in peace. You are scaring this poor lady to death, so do your business and get gone.” The judge was pretty feisty, but then, he’d been around outlaws for most of his life.
Bulldog was still snickering, looking from Polly to Susan. “Hey, Will, why don’t we ask these two ladies to go with us fer awhile? I shore am tired o’ eatin’ yore cookin’.”
He threw his head back and guffawed.
Polly gasped. Susan looked disgusted. Will and the other fellow chuckled. “Why, brother, I think you hit on a right smart idée fer a change. How ‘bout it, ladies? Jus’ come with us fer a little while. Cook wash, clean, you know, do wimmin stuff. You kin keep us warm at night, too.” Then he cackled. It sounded like somebody wadding up a piece of paper. The third brother was grinning from ear to ear.
Garret started to reach for his gun, but I surreptitiously grabbed his arm. He glanced back at me, and I shook my head. His face went hard.
“So,” Will continued, real polite-like, “You folks empty yore pockets o’ all your money, while you two nice ladies git yore bags ‘n git ready to go wif us. And then we’ll let the rest of you be on yore way.” His face turned hard. “If you ladies don’t commence to gittin’ yore stuff right now, I’ll shoot this one.” And he pointed his gun directly at Polly. She almost fainted.
Judge Hightower moved in front of her. “You will do no such thing, you side-winding scoundrel.”
“Well, if’n I have to go through you, old man, to git t’ her, I’ll do that, too.”
“I think not.”
That last statement came from me and it quieted everybody. All eyes shifted around and I walked between Garret and Lance and stood about 15 feet in front of Will.
“Oh?” Will sneered. “And who might you be? Bat Masterson or Wyatt Earp?” And he and the other two laughed.
“No,” I said softly, my eyes looking straight into his. “I’m the man who’s going to kill you if you and your merry band of thugs don’t ride out of here now.”
That stopped him for a moment, and his eyes quickly moved down and saw the gun at my hip. “Mister, you’re going to get ever’body kilt if you don’t drop that gun and shut up.” He now aimed the pistol at me.
I shook my head. “That’s possible, I suppose. But I’ll tell you what, buddy, you won’t live to see anybody die. Because I promise you, when the shooting starts, my first bullet is going right between your eyes, and you won’t see who else is dead until you wake up in hell.”
Susan’s stomach turned upside down when Will had said he wanted her and Polly to go with them. Oh, I’d rather die! She glanced quickly at Garret and Lance, but they seemed rooted to the ground. She couldn’t see Kendrick, who was behind her. When Will pointed the gun at Polly, but saw the judge step in front of her, Susan grimaced. Somebody is going to get killed. Judge Hightower won’t let them take Polly. Will Lance or Garret let them take me?…Surely not…Oh, no, there’s going to be people killed…Susan didn’t see how it could be avoided.
Then she heard the voice from behind her, turned, and watched Kendrick approach the outlaws. Don’t get killed, Kendrick…please don’t get killed…Her eyes were riveted on him…She listened to the conversation. What’s he doing?….
Well, one thing I was doing was unnerving Will—and more than a little. He cackled nervously. “You got a death wish, mister?”
“No, not especially. Do you?”
Then Garret and Lance stepped up and stood beside me. Lance spoke up. “And you other two fellows. Me and Garret will take care of you. That is, if either of you are still alive after Kendrick gets through shooting.”
The three outlaws were now back on their heels. This wasn’t supposed to be the way it went. They were supposed to take what they wanted and then leave and count the booty later. And if they got a couple of women in the deal…
But now they were facing three men who apparently weren’t afraid to die. Or at least were going to take the outlaws with them if they did. Death—for the robbers—wasn’t in the plan.
“Ok,” Will said, trying to regain the upper hand. “We’ll leave the ladies be. You folks just fork over your dough and then we’ll ride off.”
“No,” I said. “You ride off, right now, and be very thankful that you aren’t going to be worm food tonight.”
Will tried one more time. “Lots of innocent folks’ll get kilt once the shootin’ starts.”
“And three guilty ones.”
The fellow holding the gun on Lem and Josh lost his nerve. “Will, maybe we best call this one a draw and head out. These folks don’t look like they got too much money anyways, and we don’t want a murder rap hangin’ over our head.”
That last statement clinched it for Will and he saw a way to save face. At least to himself. He looked at me and sneered. “We ain’t skeered o’ you none, mister, but Davey boy is right. If you’re so stupid as to start some gunplay, some of you folks’d get kilt when the lead starts flying. We don’t want to hurt nobody, don’t want no murder charge agin us.” He holstered his gun, and even smiled and tipped his hat to Susan and Polly. “You folks have a pleasant ride to wherever it be that yore headed.” He turned his horse and rode off, and the other two followed him.
I stood there and watched them go. Everybody looked at me. Garret spoke up. “That was a dangerous play, gunslinger. Dangerous. But I’m glad it worked.”
I shook my head. “Wasn’t dangerous at all. They didn’t want to die.” I gave him a wry grin. “Besides all the money I’ve got in the world is in my back pocket. I couldn’t very well let them have it.” I said to him and Lance. “I appreciate you men standing with me, but I would have gotten all three of them.”
Garret emitted a wry chuckle. “Confident so and so, ain’tche.”
I looked back in the direction of the outlaws to make sure they were not coming back. “Something like that.”
Josh had jumped down. “You folks all right? Miss Plummer? Miss Bedford?”
They both nodded, and Josh scrutinized me closely. “Who are you, mister? There ain’t five men in this country that could have done what you did and got away with it. And the other four are prolly dead.”
I just shook my head. “Maybe I’m just a better bluffer than this gambler here”—referring to Garret.
Josh looked me up and down again. “Well, whoever you are, thanks. Let’s go, folks, time’s a-wastin’.”
We all got back into the coach and it took off. Nobody said anything for a moment, but then the judge, with his eyes sternly fixed on me, said, “I’d like to know the answer to the driver’s question, too, mister. Who are you?”
I glanced at him and said nothing for a moment. Then I turned my attention to the scenery outside again. “Judge, I’m just a fella who wants to be left alone and not asked any questions. Is that too much for a man to want?”
“Are you hiding something? If you are running from the law, I promise, after what you just did, I’ll get you cleared of all charges.”
All I said was, “Thanks, Judge. I’ll keep that in mind.”
Susan was watching me. “Mr. Kendrick.”
I looked at her.
“That’s twice today. Thank you again.” Three times including last night, though he doesn’t know about the hay loft…
I met her eyes for a few seconds. Then I just nodded and went back to my window.
Susan looked at Kendrick for a few more moments, reliving the events that had just happened. He was so calm…he must have ice water in his veins. No wonder he’s so cold…Then she turned her attention to Garret and Lance. She put a hand on an arm of each of them, and said, “Thank you both, too. I was proud of you and I’m sure Mr. Kendrick was happy to have your help.” She glanced quickly at Kendrick to see if he noticed her hands on Garret and Lance’s arms. He wasn’t paying attention. Susan fumed a bit.
Garret was modest. “Well, he certainly did most of the work.” But then he took her hand in his and held it. She reached up and kissed his cheek. Another glimpse at Kendrick. He was watching now. Susan smiled—inwardly.
On the other side of her, Lance said, “Yeah, I don’t really think Kendrick needed our help.” And he took her other hand. And she leaned over and kissed his cheek, too. Yes! Kendrick saw that, too! Lance wasn’t quite finished. He turned his head, put a hand under Susan’s chin, lifted her head a bit, and gave her four or five solid kisses on the lips. She said, “Stop it, Lance!” and then giggled. She heard Polly giggle, too, glanced at the judge, who was smiling. Susan giggled again. For all the tension she had endured that day, she was having the time of her life.
She looked back at Kendrick, giving him a pixy, self-satisfied smile. He glanced at her briefly, then down at her hands, seeing that she was holding hands with both Lance and Garret. With a disgusted expression on his face, he leaned back, pulled his hat over his eyes, obviously intending to take a nap.
Susan smiled. He saw me holding hands with Garret and Lance and kiss them both…he saw Lance kissing me—good doggy, Lance!…he saw me kissing Garret the other night…surely he knows I was in the barn with Lance last night…I’ll bet he’s wondering what went on between us…He’s jealous…I know he is…Yeah, he saved me, but I don’t like him…he’s so…arrogant…he probably thinks I’m in love with him…well, he’s got another think coming…She was smug, very smug.
And held hands with Garret and Lance until the evening rest stop…making sure Kendrick saw it.
Right and wrong, lady. Yes, I see you holding hands with both men. Yes, I saw those pecks on the cheek, and Lance kissing you. No, I didn’t see you kissing Garret; I’ve already told you that. No, I didn’t know you went to the barn last night with Lance. No, I don’t think you are in love with me. And if you think I’m jealous, then it’s you that’s got another think coming…
Flirtatious little scamp. Somebody ought to paddle your backside. I smiled. Now that is a thought worth smiling about…
Kendrick was leaning back with his hat over his eyes. But Susan could see his lips. She saw him smile. She frowned. What’s he smiling about?…I’ll bet he wants to paddle my backside…
Upon that reflection, Susan closed her eyes, leaned her head back…and smiled…
Chapter Five—Arrival—And Departure
The stage pushed on and arrived in Blantonville three days later. Nothing else of much interest happened after the robbery attempt. Susan kept playing Garret and Lance off against each other, making sure Kendrick saw and heard as much of it as possible. But even though there was a lot of flirting and sporting, neither Garret nor Lance got her alone enough again for even a kiss. Susan was peeved a bit that Kendrick hadn’t changed his demeanor towards her any—or anybody else, for that matter. He was always nice—but distant. And if it bothered him that Susan held hands with the other two men—which she always did when they were in the coach, partly to irritate Kendrick and partly because it pleased her—it never showed.
Everyone had come to know each other so well and shared so many intriguing experiences, that the departure was a little sad. But it all might not be final. The judge was planning on retiring in Blantonville, and it looked more and more like he might have a permanent companion—Polly—but that decision hadn’t been finalized yet. Polly had come to visit her sister with intentions of going back east after a few weeks, but that could change. Lance was searching for work, and he might remain in the area. Susan wanted to see her uncle’s ranch—her ranch now—to decide whether she wanted to stay and run it, or just sell out and go back to Alabama. Garret might not be in Blantonville for long. He was investigating railroad investments, but he would be around at least for a while. The two stagecoach men, Josh and Lem, would be leaving for sure.
That left me. And I wasn’t sure how long I would be in Blantonville. But I knew why I was there.
Polly’s sister had met her at the stagecoach station, of course, and her house was big enough that they invited the judge to stay with them. He would go real estate hunting post haste. Everybody else found lodging at the hotel—which was remodeling and expanding. It tickled Susan to no end that she had room 5—and Garret had 4 and Lance 6. Surrounding me again…Kendrick was in 8, so he was a few doors down the hall.
It was nearing mid-December, so it was cold, but dry at the moment. Blantonville, a town of about 2,000, was in a big valley, but mountains could be seen in the distance, both north and south. The town was growing; besides the hotel, there was a lot of building going on, and that was encouraging, especially to Susan. A growing town with a railroad possibly coming in made for good economic prospects.
“You’re going to need some ranch hands, aren’t you?” Lance asked her at dinner—he, Susan, Garret, and Kendrick were eating supper in the hotel restaurant the night of our arrival.
He had asked her that before—about 10 times—and she gave him the same answer. “I don’t know yet, Lance. Like I told you, I’m not even sure I’m going to keep the land. I don’t know where it is, I don’t know…anything about it. But if I need some workers, I’ll keep you in mind.” She looked at Kendrick. “What about you? Would you be interested in working as a cow hand? Have you done it before?”
He nodded and shrugged. “Yes, I’ve worked with cattle, but I don’t know if I want a permanent job here.”
“You never have told us what you came up here for. Why you were on that stage.”
“No, I guess I didn’t.”
Susan waited, but it was obvious that was all the answer she was going to get. That absolutely infuriated her about him, made her feel like he was getting the better of her, but there wasn’t anything she could do about it.
Some of the answers to her questions about the ranch were answered before supper was over. A couple of men in dusty, worn cowboy clothes came into the restaurant, looking around. Even though their clothes had obviously seen better, cleaner days, they looked like decent chaps. One of them noticed Susan, pointed, and they both walked over.
A big man did the talking. He was every bit of 6’3” and 225 pounds. A weathered face made it a little difficult to judge his age, but the graying of his hair and the paunch of his stomach indicated probably late-40s at least. He had thick eyebrows, and dark blue eyes, a bulbous nose that might have been broken a couple of times, but a firm jaw and big, strong hands. His companion was smaller, younger, lighter, and leaner, but also very capable looking. They had “cowboy” written all over them, down to their bow legs.
“Miss Bedford?” The big fellow spoke.
Susan looked at him. “Yes?”
“My name is Dale Metcalf and this here is Rocky Devine. I’m the foreman of the Rocking BL, and Rocky’s the segundo.” Second in command. “We understand that you came out to look over your Uncle Bob’s ranch.”
Susan brightened and stood up, shaking hands with both men. “Oh, yes. It’s nice to meet you. I guess you got my wire that I was coming.”
“Yes’m. About six weeks ago. Wasn’t sure when you’d arrive, so we been checkin’ the stage pretty regular. Found out you got in today.”
Susan introduced the rest of her party and invited Dale and Rocky to be seated. Kendrick had finished eating, so he excused himself. “This is none of my affair,” he said, “and you folks need to get acquainted, so I’ll say adieu. Nice to meet you fellows.”
“Same here, Mr. Kendrick,” Dale said and they shook. He had a strong, firm handshake. Rocky as well.
Before he left, Susan said to Kendrick, “Please keep in touch, Mr. Kendrick. I…might need some…workers…if I stay.” Her voice trailed off at the end. I hope he’s not jealous…
He looked at her, and gave her a soft smile. Their eyes locked for a couple of seconds. “Thanks. I’ll keep it mind.” Then, he nodded at Garret and Lance and left. Susan watched him for a few moments…He’s going to leave town, I know he is…and I don’t even know WHO he is…
I wasn’t jealous, and I didn’t want a cowboy job. I don’t like flirtatious women. I didn’t think I’d be in the area very long, anyway.
But I glanced back right before I left the restaurant and saw Susan looking at me. Our eyes met and held for a couple of seconds again…I turned and left, a little irritated.
I SAID, I don’t like flirtatious women….and I certainly didn’t want to work for one.
I stopped in mid-stride. No, I don’t want to work for her…Then, irritated again, I shook my head and walked on…
Lance and Garret were a little more reluctant to go, but thought that propriety dictated that they should. But Lance couldn’t help but ask Dale, “Do you reckon you’re going to take on any more hands? I’m looking for work.” Then he glanced quickly at Susan. “I mean, I understand Su—uh, Miss Bedford would have the final say.”
Dale scratched his chin. “Don’t rightly know yet. It is gonna depend on what Miss Bedford wants to do.”
“Ok.” He smiled at Susan. “I’ll be seeing you.” Then he gave her his biggest, most irresistible grin. “Soon and up close, I hope.” He didn’t care what he said in front of anybody.
Susan blushed a bit at that, but said good-bye. Garret leaned down and pecked her cheek and said he hoped he would see her again as well.
“We probably will,” she replied.
Dale watched the two men leave, a thoughtful expression on his face. “You rode in with them fellers?”
“Yes. All the way from Riverton. Why?”
He turned his gaze back to her and frowned. “Seem to be quite fond of you.”
Susan shrugged. “I guess so.” She wasn’t sure it was any of Dale’s business, but then, she wasn’t sure that that was the sum total of his concern. I’m sure he wants to have confidence in his new boss…if that’s what I turn out to be. I need to be careful. But she set it aside and changed the subject. “Tell me about the ranch.”
So Dale gave her a quick rundown. 55,000 acres, fenced, 10 miles north of town. Ran several thousand cows, he didn’t even know how many at the moment, everything had been pretty much in turmoil since Susan’s Uncle Bob had died about three months previous.
“You probably know that your aunt Lilly passed on about two years ago, and Bob never was the same afterwards. They never had no children, so I guess you’re the heir. We understand that you might want to sell out since your home is back east. Or if you do stay, you might want to bring your own people in to run it. That’s the way these things go and me and the boys all unnerstand that.”
“How many ‘’boys’ work the ranch?”
“There’s 15 of us at the moment, includin’ me and Rocky.”
“Well,” Susan said, “Let’s get a few things straight right off. I don’t know if I’m going to sell or stay. I haven’t decided yet. If I do decide to stay, I will certainly want to keep all the hired hands on, at least for a while. I know nothing about running a ranch, Dale, so I’m going to need all the help you can give me…….”
That conversation went on for a couple more hours. It was agreed that they would go out to the ranch the next day for Susan’s first glimpse at it. She liked both Dale and Rocky. They seemed open, honest, good men. They inspired confidence, and were a definite plus if her decision was to stay. She was eager to see the Rocking BL, as Uncle Bob had named it. For Bob and Lilly, she assumed.
The next few days for her were a whirlwind. She loved the ranch, and even though it was cold and there were some snow flurries, she loved the wide open spaces. The ranch house was beautiful. A two-story log structure, well kept and preserved. Clean, neat, and tidy. A nice fireplace in the living room with a huge grizzly bear rug lying in front of it. Black leather furniture, book shelves, a strong Indian flavor to the decorating. It was lovely.
Dale took her through the financial books. Susan was a little more comfortable with that, having helped with accounting at the law firm she had worked at in Alabama. From what she could tell, everything was in order. “Might be a good idée to have them audited anyway, Miss Bedford. I know Bob was meticulous with finances, but those last two years after Lilly died…” He shook his head sadly. “He just wasn’t the same.”
“Ok, I’ll have that done. Have you had any offers for the ranch?”
Dale hesitated. “Yeah, one. Trot Wise on the T-Bar-M just west of here said he’d give $75,000 for it. I told him I’d pass the offer on to you, but to get lost just the same.”
Susan was a little shocked. $75,000 sounded like a very good offer to her. She was expecting maybe $50,000 tops. “That’s not a good offer?” she asked him.
He grunted a laugh. “Miss Bedford, this ranch is worth—land, cattle, house, buildings, fencing, water and all not a penny less than $250,000. If you want to sell, ask for $500,000. If the railroad comes in as expected, you’ll probably get it.”
Susan swallowed. She loved the ranch, that’s for sure. But $500,000…she never dreamed of having that kind of money. I could retire right now…London…Paris…Rome…Vienna… “Thank you, Dale, I’ll have everything looked at and try to come to a decision whether to keep or sell very shortly….”
She had been so busy the first week she was there that socializing had been totally out of the question. Lance and Garret had both said they would come calling, but they hadn’t done so yet. She had seen them a couple of times since she arrived, but only for a brief moment in town. They had been busy—as she had—so it wasn’t a matter of much concern, but she did fleetingly wonder if it had been nothing more than a playful game to them—and to her—just for the duration of the stage trip. What would she do if either, or both, wanted to get intimate again? She didn’t know. It had been a flirtatious game for her, but she did like both men. But it wasn’t something she had a lot of time to think about at the moment.
And Kendrick? Susan never saw him and almost never thought of him.
Almost. Somewhat sardonically, she thought, I’ll bet he never gets intimate with anything but his gun…She smiled. Am I jealous of his gun?…
I had bought a horse, a good one, the best I could find. And I knew horses. I didn’t have just a whole lot of money left, but I could make do for a little longer. I spent the first week to ten days just getting oriented with the territory. Lots of riding around and getting used to the horse and visa versa. He was a prince and I was going to keep him if I had to sweep floors at the general store to do it.
But I hadn’t come to Blantonville to sweep floors.
Then things turned a little sour for Susan. To say the least.
After having been in Blantonville for about ten days, she still hadn’t quite made up her mind whether to stay or sell. She had lived back east all her life, so this would have been a radical, a very radical, change for her, and she didn’t want to make a decision like that on the spur of the moment. But she loved the ranch, she liked Blantonville and the people she was meeting, and in spite of the cold—something she wasn’t used to in the South—she loved the area. Wide open spaces. She felt like she had some room, and from her ranch house, she could see tall, pine covered mountains in the distance. It was beautiful.
But…she had a life back in Alabama that was hard to leave. It had been her home all her life. Even though she had no family left there, she did have friends, good friends, life long friends. How could she leave there? Plus, $500,000 for the ranch…
$500,000…London…Paris…Rome…Vienna…
Kendrick…
She almost busted a gasket at that last thought. You are NOT going to do that to me again, mister!…
Well, to stay or to go back home wasn’t an easy decision by any means.
But she was going to remain in Blantonville a little longer, at least until the new year, and see how the area “grew” on her. If it did. If not, she’d go back home and have no regrets. She hoped.
She needed some money and went into the Blantonville bank early one afternoon to ask for a wire transfer of funds from her bank in Alabama. It might take a day or two, but she could make do till then. Just as she had finished making the appropriate arrangements with the bank manager and was fixing to leave, four masked men burst into the building. They were holding guns and their intent was obvious.
But in case somebody missed the point, one of them said, “Nobody move. We’d just like to borrow a little money….” One of them laughed. “Borrowing money” was obviously not what they had in mind.
Not another one, Susan thought, meaning a hold-up. And she shrunk back against a wall, like everybody else was trying to do.
One of the men went up to a teller cage with a bag. “All right, all the money in here. Safe, too. Snap to it.” He tossed another bag and motioned with his gun to a second teller. “You help. We start shooting in three minutes, so hurry it up if you don’t want anyone to get hurt.”
The other three robbers were standing at the door, waving their guns, keeping everyone covered. Besides the bank employees, there were five other people in the bank, including Susan. She could here someone whimpering—a teen-aged boy who had slid down to the floor against the opposite wall, but the rest of the customers stood rock still. Or were perhaps trembling. And they certainly had frightened expressions on their faces.
One of the gunman was taking an especial interest in Susan. “Well, well, ain’t she a purty one.” Susan closed her eyes and grimaced. Oh, no, please no, leave me alone…But he walked over to her. He had his bandana pulled up almost to his eyes, but she could tell that he was younger, dark blond curls ringling out from under a flat-crowned black hat. She had to admit that his eyes were a startlingly lovely shade of blue. I’ll bet he’s handsome…then she berated herself for having that kind of thought.
She could also tell that he was grinning under his mask. “Would you like to go with us, honey? We’ll treat you right nice.”
She gave him an annoyed, disgusted look. “I wouldn’t go to a funeral with you. Unless maybe it WAS yours.”
All that did was make him laugh. He looked over his shoulder at the man collecting the money. “Hey, boss, can we take this pretty filly with us? She could entertain us for sure.”
The bank manager was standing behind the railing which led to his office, just a few feet away. He spoke up and his voice was strong. “Kidnapping is as bad an offense as bank robbery, mister, and you ought to know that out here in the west, kidnapping a woman is even worse. And rape will get you hanged.”
“Aw, shut up, you old goat,” the young outlaw said. “You and your stupid laws don’t frighten us none.” Then back to the gang leader. “What’cha say, boss? Take her or not?”
The “boss” had finished collecting the money and now had two full sacks in his hand. He came over and looked at Susan. Taller, older, dark brown eyes which said loud and clear that this was a very dangerous man. He glanced up and down at her, and nodded.
“Yes. She’ll be a hostage and protection.” He glanced at the bank manager. “You tell the sheriff that if he comes after us with a posse that all he’ll find is this young lady on the side of the road dead. You got that?”
There was a general gasp in the room, and Susan’s heart fell into her stomach. “That would be a murder rap, mister,” the bank manager said fiercely.
“She wouldn’t be the first I’ve killed, fatso. In fact…” he turned and shot the bank manager in the chest. The blow of the bullet knocked the manager back against his office door. A surprised, then agonized expression, came over the face of the unfortunate man, and then his eyes rolled up in his head and then he slid down to the floor.
Susan gasped, horrified at the brutality of what she had just seen. “Oh, no,” she heard someone say. “He killed him.”
The man tossed the money sacks to the younger, blue-eyed outlaw, grabbed Susan’s arm and turned. He said to the other people in the bank, “You tell your sheriff that that’s what this lady will get unless he stays off our trail. She’ll get that after we finish with her.” Then to his partners he ordered, “Let’s go.”
Susan fought, struggled, and kicked, and made such a nuisance of herself that one of the other gang members had to help get her outside. There was a fifth outlaw on the sidewalk, keeping the horses. He didn’t have his face covered, but then he quickly pulled up his kerchief when the others came out. There was some general confusion in town, as people wondered what the shot they heard was all about. The gang leader unceremoniously dumped the struggling Susan across his horse in front of his saddle, mounted, and the robbers took off at a gallop. One of the patrons came out of the bank yelling, “Stop them! They robbed the bank and killed Mr. Skillet. Stop them!” Somebody pulled out a gun and was about to shoot, but was stopped when another man yelled to him, “Don’t shoot! You might hit the woman!”
And the outlaws disappeared around a corner and were out of town in less than 30 seconds.
Susan was infuriated, as well as being scared. And she was also extremely humiliated at lying in the position she was in, across the back of the horse’s neck. She kicked and screamed and tried to get up, but all it got her was a very, very hard swat on the rump and the warning, “If you don’t quit squirming, we’ll stop and have a party right now.” The smack on the backside was bad enough, but she probably would have kept fighting if not for the threat, a threat she knew the man would actuate. She sighed, closed her eyes, and clenched her fists in frustration. Tears welled up in her eyes. She knew what she was in for. Why did I ever leave Alabama for this savage place? But she quit struggling. Think, Susan, THINK…She tried to remain calm and figure a way out of the mess. Nothing immediately came to mind. Three more thoughts came into her head and gave her a fleeting amount of hope. The sheriff will surely form a posse and come after us…maybe Garret and Lance will come…And then, the one word thought that gave her more hope than anything….
Kendrick…
But will he come? Why should he? Why should he care? All I’ve ever done to him is flirt with other men…Susan wanted to scream at her own silly, childish behavior.
The horse continued to gallop. All Susan could do was watch the dirt road passing beneath her eyes….
Everyone had come to know each other so well and shared so many intriguing experiences, that the departure was a little sad. But it all might not be final. The judge was planning on retiring in Blantonville, and it looked more and more like he might have a permanent companion—Polly—but that decision hadn’t been finalized yet. Polly had come to visit her sister with intentions of going back east after a few weeks, but that could change. Lance was searching for work, and he might remain in the area. Susan wanted to see her uncle’s ranch—her ranch now—to decide whether she wanted to stay and run it, or just sell out and go back to Alabama. Garret might not be in Blantonville for long. He was investigating railroad investments, but he would be around at least for a while. The two stagecoach men, Josh and Lem, would be leaving for sure.
That left me. And I wasn’t sure how long I would be in Blantonville. But I knew why I was there.
Polly’s sister had met her at the stagecoach station, of course, and her house was big enough that they invited the judge to stay with them. He would go real estate hunting post haste. Everybody else found lodging at the hotel—which was remodeling and expanding. It tickled Susan to no end that she had room 5—and Garret had 4 and Lance 6. Surrounding me again…Kendrick was in 8, so he was a few doors down the hall.
It was nearing mid-December, so it was cold, but dry at the moment. Blantonville, a town of about 2,000, was in a big valley, but mountains could be seen in the distance, both north and south. The town was growing; besides the hotel, there was a lot of building going on, and that was encouraging, especially to Susan. A growing town with a railroad possibly coming in made for good economic prospects.
“You’re going to need some ranch hands, aren’t you?” Lance asked her at dinner—he, Susan, Garret, and Kendrick were eating supper in the hotel restaurant the night of our arrival.
He had asked her that before—about 10 times—and she gave him the same answer. “I don’t know yet, Lance. Like I told you, I’m not even sure I’m going to keep the land. I don’t know where it is, I don’t know…anything about it. But if I need some workers, I’ll keep you in mind.” She looked at Kendrick. “What about you? Would you be interested in working as a cow hand? Have you done it before?”
He nodded and shrugged. “Yes, I’ve worked with cattle, but I don’t know if I want a permanent job here.”
“You never have told us what you came up here for. Why you were on that stage.”
“No, I guess I didn’t.”
Susan waited, but it was obvious that was all the answer she was going to get. That absolutely infuriated her about him, made her feel like he was getting the better of her, but there wasn’t anything she could do about it.
Some of the answers to her questions about the ranch were answered before supper was over. A couple of men in dusty, worn cowboy clothes came into the restaurant, looking around. Even though their clothes had obviously seen better, cleaner days, they looked like decent chaps. One of them noticed Susan, pointed, and they both walked over.
A big man did the talking. He was every bit of 6’3” and 225 pounds. A weathered face made it a little difficult to judge his age, but the graying of his hair and the paunch of his stomach indicated probably late-40s at least. He had thick eyebrows, and dark blue eyes, a bulbous nose that might have been broken a couple of times, but a firm jaw and big, strong hands. His companion was smaller, younger, lighter, and leaner, but also very capable looking. They had “cowboy” written all over them, down to their bow legs.
“Miss Bedford?” The big fellow spoke.
Susan looked at him. “Yes?”
“My name is Dale Metcalf and this here is Rocky Devine. I’m the foreman of the Rocking BL, and Rocky’s the segundo.” Second in command. “We understand that you came out to look over your Uncle Bob’s ranch.”
Susan brightened and stood up, shaking hands with both men. “Oh, yes. It’s nice to meet you. I guess you got my wire that I was coming.”
“Yes’m. About six weeks ago. Wasn’t sure when you’d arrive, so we been checkin’ the stage pretty regular. Found out you got in today.”
Susan introduced the rest of her party and invited Dale and Rocky to be seated. Kendrick had finished eating, so he excused himself. “This is none of my affair,” he said, “and you folks need to get acquainted, so I’ll say adieu. Nice to meet you fellows.”
“Same here, Mr. Kendrick,” Dale said and they shook. He had a strong, firm handshake. Rocky as well.
Before he left, Susan said to Kendrick, “Please keep in touch, Mr. Kendrick. I…might need some…workers…if I stay.” Her voice trailed off at the end. I hope he’s not jealous…
He looked at her, and gave her a soft smile. Their eyes locked for a couple of seconds. “Thanks. I’ll keep it mind.” Then, he nodded at Garret and Lance and left. Susan watched him for a few moments…He’s going to leave town, I know he is…and I don’t even know WHO he is…
I wasn’t jealous, and I didn’t want a cowboy job. I don’t like flirtatious women. I didn’t think I’d be in the area very long, anyway.
But I glanced back right before I left the restaurant and saw Susan looking at me. Our eyes met and held for a couple of seconds again…I turned and left, a little irritated.
I SAID, I don’t like flirtatious women….and I certainly didn’t want to work for one.
I stopped in mid-stride. No, I don’t want to work for her…Then, irritated again, I shook my head and walked on…
Lance and Garret were a little more reluctant to go, but thought that propriety dictated that they should. But Lance couldn’t help but ask Dale, “Do you reckon you’re going to take on any more hands? I’m looking for work.” Then he glanced quickly at Susan. “I mean, I understand Su—uh, Miss Bedford would have the final say.”
Dale scratched his chin. “Don’t rightly know yet. It is gonna depend on what Miss Bedford wants to do.”
“Ok.” He smiled at Susan. “I’ll be seeing you.” Then he gave her his biggest, most irresistible grin. “Soon and up close, I hope.” He didn’t care what he said in front of anybody.
Susan blushed a bit at that, but said good-bye. Garret leaned down and pecked her cheek and said he hoped he would see her again as well.
“We probably will,” she replied.
Dale watched the two men leave, a thoughtful expression on his face. “You rode in with them fellers?”
“Yes. All the way from Riverton. Why?”
He turned his gaze back to her and frowned. “Seem to be quite fond of you.”
Susan shrugged. “I guess so.” She wasn’t sure it was any of Dale’s business, but then, she wasn’t sure that that was the sum total of his concern. I’m sure he wants to have confidence in his new boss…if that’s what I turn out to be. I need to be careful. But she set it aside and changed the subject. “Tell me about the ranch.”
So Dale gave her a quick rundown. 55,000 acres, fenced, 10 miles north of town. Ran several thousand cows, he didn’t even know how many at the moment, everything had been pretty much in turmoil since Susan’s Uncle Bob had died about three months previous.
“You probably know that your aunt Lilly passed on about two years ago, and Bob never was the same afterwards. They never had no children, so I guess you’re the heir. We understand that you might want to sell out since your home is back east. Or if you do stay, you might want to bring your own people in to run it. That’s the way these things go and me and the boys all unnerstand that.”
“How many ‘’boys’ work the ranch?”
“There’s 15 of us at the moment, includin’ me and Rocky.”
“Well,” Susan said, “Let’s get a few things straight right off. I don’t know if I’m going to sell or stay. I haven’t decided yet. If I do decide to stay, I will certainly want to keep all the hired hands on, at least for a while. I know nothing about running a ranch, Dale, so I’m going to need all the help you can give me…….”
That conversation went on for a couple more hours. It was agreed that they would go out to the ranch the next day for Susan’s first glimpse at it. She liked both Dale and Rocky. They seemed open, honest, good men. They inspired confidence, and were a definite plus if her decision was to stay. She was eager to see the Rocking BL, as Uncle Bob had named it. For Bob and Lilly, she assumed.
The next few days for her were a whirlwind. She loved the ranch, and even though it was cold and there were some snow flurries, she loved the wide open spaces. The ranch house was beautiful. A two-story log structure, well kept and preserved. Clean, neat, and tidy. A nice fireplace in the living room with a huge grizzly bear rug lying in front of it. Black leather furniture, book shelves, a strong Indian flavor to the decorating. It was lovely.
Dale took her through the financial books. Susan was a little more comfortable with that, having helped with accounting at the law firm she had worked at in Alabama. From what she could tell, everything was in order. “Might be a good idée to have them audited anyway, Miss Bedford. I know Bob was meticulous with finances, but those last two years after Lilly died…” He shook his head sadly. “He just wasn’t the same.”
“Ok, I’ll have that done. Have you had any offers for the ranch?”
Dale hesitated. “Yeah, one. Trot Wise on the T-Bar-M just west of here said he’d give $75,000 for it. I told him I’d pass the offer on to you, but to get lost just the same.”
Susan was a little shocked. $75,000 sounded like a very good offer to her. She was expecting maybe $50,000 tops. “That’s not a good offer?” she asked him.
He grunted a laugh. “Miss Bedford, this ranch is worth—land, cattle, house, buildings, fencing, water and all not a penny less than $250,000. If you want to sell, ask for $500,000. If the railroad comes in as expected, you’ll probably get it.”
Susan swallowed. She loved the ranch, that’s for sure. But $500,000…she never dreamed of having that kind of money. I could retire right now…London…Paris…Rome…Vienna… “Thank you, Dale, I’ll have everything looked at and try to come to a decision whether to keep or sell very shortly….”
She had been so busy the first week she was there that socializing had been totally out of the question. Lance and Garret had both said they would come calling, but they hadn’t done so yet. She had seen them a couple of times since she arrived, but only for a brief moment in town. They had been busy—as she had—so it wasn’t a matter of much concern, but she did fleetingly wonder if it had been nothing more than a playful game to them—and to her—just for the duration of the stage trip. What would she do if either, or both, wanted to get intimate again? She didn’t know. It had been a flirtatious game for her, but she did like both men. But it wasn’t something she had a lot of time to think about at the moment.
And Kendrick? Susan never saw him and almost never thought of him.
Almost. Somewhat sardonically, she thought, I’ll bet he never gets intimate with anything but his gun…She smiled. Am I jealous of his gun?…
I had bought a horse, a good one, the best I could find. And I knew horses. I didn’t have just a whole lot of money left, but I could make do for a little longer. I spent the first week to ten days just getting oriented with the territory. Lots of riding around and getting used to the horse and visa versa. He was a prince and I was going to keep him if I had to sweep floors at the general store to do it.
But I hadn’t come to Blantonville to sweep floors.
Then things turned a little sour for Susan. To say the least.
After having been in Blantonville for about ten days, she still hadn’t quite made up her mind whether to stay or sell. She had lived back east all her life, so this would have been a radical, a very radical, change for her, and she didn’t want to make a decision like that on the spur of the moment. But she loved the ranch, she liked Blantonville and the people she was meeting, and in spite of the cold—something she wasn’t used to in the South—she loved the area. Wide open spaces. She felt like she had some room, and from her ranch house, she could see tall, pine covered mountains in the distance. It was beautiful.
But…she had a life back in Alabama that was hard to leave. It had been her home all her life. Even though she had no family left there, she did have friends, good friends, life long friends. How could she leave there? Plus, $500,000 for the ranch…
$500,000…London…Paris…Rome…Vienna…
Kendrick…
She almost busted a gasket at that last thought. You are NOT going to do that to me again, mister!…
Well, to stay or to go back home wasn’t an easy decision by any means.
But she was going to remain in Blantonville a little longer, at least until the new year, and see how the area “grew” on her. If it did. If not, she’d go back home and have no regrets. She hoped.
She needed some money and went into the Blantonville bank early one afternoon to ask for a wire transfer of funds from her bank in Alabama. It might take a day or two, but she could make do till then. Just as she had finished making the appropriate arrangements with the bank manager and was fixing to leave, four masked men burst into the building. They were holding guns and their intent was obvious.
But in case somebody missed the point, one of them said, “Nobody move. We’d just like to borrow a little money….” One of them laughed. “Borrowing money” was obviously not what they had in mind.
Not another one, Susan thought, meaning a hold-up. And she shrunk back against a wall, like everybody else was trying to do.
One of the men went up to a teller cage with a bag. “All right, all the money in here. Safe, too. Snap to it.” He tossed another bag and motioned with his gun to a second teller. “You help. We start shooting in three minutes, so hurry it up if you don’t want anyone to get hurt.”
The other three robbers were standing at the door, waving their guns, keeping everyone covered. Besides the bank employees, there were five other people in the bank, including Susan. She could here someone whimpering—a teen-aged boy who had slid down to the floor against the opposite wall, but the rest of the customers stood rock still. Or were perhaps trembling. And they certainly had frightened expressions on their faces.
One of the gunman was taking an especial interest in Susan. “Well, well, ain’t she a purty one.” Susan closed her eyes and grimaced. Oh, no, please no, leave me alone…But he walked over to her. He had his bandana pulled up almost to his eyes, but she could tell that he was younger, dark blond curls ringling out from under a flat-crowned black hat. She had to admit that his eyes were a startlingly lovely shade of blue. I’ll bet he’s handsome…then she berated herself for having that kind of thought.
She could also tell that he was grinning under his mask. “Would you like to go with us, honey? We’ll treat you right nice.”
She gave him an annoyed, disgusted look. “I wouldn’t go to a funeral with you. Unless maybe it WAS yours.”
All that did was make him laugh. He looked over his shoulder at the man collecting the money. “Hey, boss, can we take this pretty filly with us? She could entertain us for sure.”
The bank manager was standing behind the railing which led to his office, just a few feet away. He spoke up and his voice was strong. “Kidnapping is as bad an offense as bank robbery, mister, and you ought to know that out here in the west, kidnapping a woman is even worse. And rape will get you hanged.”
“Aw, shut up, you old goat,” the young outlaw said. “You and your stupid laws don’t frighten us none.” Then back to the gang leader. “What’cha say, boss? Take her or not?”
The “boss” had finished collecting the money and now had two full sacks in his hand. He came over and looked at Susan. Taller, older, dark brown eyes which said loud and clear that this was a very dangerous man. He glanced up and down at her, and nodded.
“Yes. She’ll be a hostage and protection.” He glanced at the bank manager. “You tell the sheriff that if he comes after us with a posse that all he’ll find is this young lady on the side of the road dead. You got that?”
There was a general gasp in the room, and Susan’s heart fell into her stomach. “That would be a murder rap, mister,” the bank manager said fiercely.
“She wouldn’t be the first I’ve killed, fatso. In fact…” he turned and shot the bank manager in the chest. The blow of the bullet knocked the manager back against his office door. A surprised, then agonized expression, came over the face of the unfortunate man, and then his eyes rolled up in his head and then he slid down to the floor.
Susan gasped, horrified at the brutality of what she had just seen. “Oh, no,” she heard someone say. “He killed him.”
The man tossed the money sacks to the younger, blue-eyed outlaw, grabbed Susan’s arm and turned. He said to the other people in the bank, “You tell your sheriff that that’s what this lady will get unless he stays off our trail. She’ll get that after we finish with her.” Then to his partners he ordered, “Let’s go.”
Susan fought, struggled, and kicked, and made such a nuisance of herself that one of the other gang members had to help get her outside. There was a fifth outlaw on the sidewalk, keeping the horses. He didn’t have his face covered, but then he quickly pulled up his kerchief when the others came out. There was some general confusion in town, as people wondered what the shot they heard was all about. The gang leader unceremoniously dumped the struggling Susan across his horse in front of his saddle, mounted, and the robbers took off at a gallop. One of the patrons came out of the bank yelling, “Stop them! They robbed the bank and killed Mr. Skillet. Stop them!” Somebody pulled out a gun and was about to shoot, but was stopped when another man yelled to him, “Don’t shoot! You might hit the woman!”
And the outlaws disappeared around a corner and were out of town in less than 30 seconds.
Susan was infuriated, as well as being scared. And she was also extremely humiliated at lying in the position she was in, across the back of the horse’s neck. She kicked and screamed and tried to get up, but all it got her was a very, very hard swat on the rump and the warning, “If you don’t quit squirming, we’ll stop and have a party right now.” The smack on the backside was bad enough, but she probably would have kept fighting if not for the threat, a threat she knew the man would actuate. She sighed, closed her eyes, and clenched her fists in frustration. Tears welled up in her eyes. She knew what she was in for. Why did I ever leave Alabama for this savage place? But she quit struggling. Think, Susan, THINK…She tried to remain calm and figure a way out of the mess. Nothing immediately came to mind. Three more thoughts came into her head and gave her a fleeting amount of hope. The sheriff will surely form a posse and come after us…maybe Garret and Lance will come…And then, the one word thought that gave her more hope than anything….
Kendrick…
But will he come? Why should he? Why should he care? All I’ve ever done to him is flirt with other men…Susan wanted to scream at her own silly, childish behavior.
The horse continued to gallop. All Susan could do was watch the dirt road passing beneath her eyes….
Chapter Six—The Chase Is On
The sheriff of Blantonville, Brin Flowers, was at the bank within three minutes of its being robbed. He saw the dead bank manager and his face became grim. His deputy, Frank Walters, was there, too. “Frank,” Sheriff Flowers said, “get a posse together right now and we’ll go after them.”
One of the patrons of the bank who had been there during the robbery spoke up. “Sheriff.”
Flowers looked at him, a man named Billings. “Yeah, what is it?’ The sheriff was in a hurry.
Billings was understandably still scared and flustered, but he managed to say, “That…outlaw…the leader…said that if a posse followed them that, well, they’d kill the woman they took.”
That stopped Flowers. He didn’t know about the kidnapping. “They took somebody?”
“Yes…yessir. That new lady…Bob Bedford’s niece…she might take over his ranch…” Billings’ voice had trailed off at that last statement, as he saw the angry expression on the sheriff’s face.
“Oh, wonderful,” he said, and rubbed his hand across his jaw, thinking.
Deputy Walters asked him, “Do you still want me to get that posse together, sheriff?”
Flowers was a good sheriff, but not especially bright, and not especially good at making decisions when faced with a dilemma like this one. “Maybe we better kick this one around a little, think of how to approach it.”
Somebody shouted out, “But they got our money, sheriff!”
Flowers made a calming motion with his hands. “We’ll get your money back, Ted, I promise you. But we don’t want to risk the life of that young lady. Let me get the mayor and the city council together and we’ll come up with an appropriate plan of action.” Sheriff was, after all, an elected position, so that made him a politician, too.
Well, I wasn’t a politician. I had been standing in the crowd, listening, watching, and not terribly surprised at the sheriff’s decision, though thoroughly disgusted by it. Those thieves would be in Canada and have Susan raped 100 times before the politicians came to a decision. I knew what to do. But I thought I’d get a little help.
I walked down the street and entered Bret’s Saloon. Not surprisingly, Garret was sitting at a table, playing cards. I expected he would be. He saw me come in, and nodded. After our initial bit of discord on the trip to Blantonville, we had gotten along ok. I walked over to him.
“The bank was just robbed,” I told him.
Garret shrugged it off. “Sheriff’s problem, isn’t it? I didn’t have any money there.”
“The robbers kidnapped Susan.”
That got his attention.
“Where’s Yarbrough?” I asked him.
“Right behind you, Kendrick.” I turned and saw him. He had just stood up from a table where he had been sitting.
Garret put his cards down and spoke to the other players. “Gentlemen, an emergency has arisen and I must take leave of your excellent companionship. I assure you we shall continue this game at as early a date as possible.”
One of the other gamblers wasn’t so happy about it. “You gotta give us a chance to win our money back.”
Garret was actually gracious about it. He picked up only part of the pile of money in front of him. “I will take only what I came in with.” Then he smiled. “Plus a little extra for my time. The rest you may divide up as you wish.” He stood up and looked at me. “Let’s go.”
I had my hands on my hips, staring at him. “Where’s that other thug you work with? Buddy Myers.”
Garret’s eyes narrowed and I could sense Lance freezing as well. “How do you know about him?”
“Is he here?”
“He’s in Blantonville,” is all he would commit to.
“Get him and meet me at the bridge just north of town in 15 minutes. Bring some provisions, I don’t know how long we’ll be gone.” I turned on my heel and walked out.
I jogged to the food market just down the street and bought a couple pounds of jerky, some coffee, beans, and a few more things. Then I went to the livery stable and saddled my horse, whom I had named Bear because he was as strong as one and brown to boot. Two minutes later, I was waiting at the bridge.
In ten minutes, Garret, Lance, and a third fellow, a big, burly man with hard eyes, came riding up. I looked at the latter man. “Myers,” I presume.
He nodded, scrutinizing me closely. “And who are you?”
“Kendrick. Now let’s go. There are five horses, here are their tracks…”
“Not so fast, Kendrick,” Garret said. “We want to know who you are before we go anywhere with you.”
Lance spoke up, irritably. “I don’t care who he is, Garret. We can sort all that out later. Those guys have got Susan and we’ve got to get her.”
Garret’s eyes held mine for several seconds. Then he nodded. “All right.” He motioned to me with his head. “Lead on.”
We took off at a canter, following the outlaw tracks. “How good are you at tracking?” Garret asked me.
“I’ll find them, if it doesn’t snow and wipe out all traces of them. And then I’ll find them anyway, but it’ll take a little longer and they’ll have more time to play with Miss Bedford. There are five of them, well, six if you count Susan. They are on five horses, one of them carrying two people. I don’t need to be able to read sign to figure that out, but the horses’ hooves tell it to me, too.” Lance peered down and nodded. He may have had some tracking experience as well from the way he was examining the ground.
Garret looked at the sky. It was overcast and the temperature was dropping. “Snow appears mighty possible.”
“Then let’s don’t waste any time.”
We sauntered on. The road wound through grassy, rolling hills, heading for mountainous, pine-covered land about 20 miles north. “They’ll be tough to find if they get into those mountains,” Lance said. “Especially if it snows.”
Nobody responded. His comment was superfluous.
Garret spoke up a few minutes later. “We heard a rumor in town that they’d kill Susan if they spotted a posse following them.”
“Then we can’t let them see us, can we.”
I kept glancing down at the road, following the five horse tracks. “Can you tell how far ahead of us they are?” Lance asked.
“An hour, no more, but they are pushing their horses pretty hard. They’ll have to stop soon.”
We neared the foothills of the mountains and the trail forked. To the right, the road wound up the foothills and disappeared among the trees and behind a hill about two miles away. The trail we had been following went straight ahead—well, it was crooked as a snake, too, but we could see it farther. It was obvious which way the robbers had gone.
I pointed right. “They went that way.” So that’s the way we went.
A couple of minutes later, Myers asked, “Any idea who we’re dealing with?”
“Unless I miss my guess, James Johnson and his gang,” I replied. “Five of them. They operate in this area.”
Lance whistled. “Tough bunch.”
Myers squinted his eyes at me. “You’re a lawman, ain’tche.” A statement, not a question.
“Nope,” was all I responded.
“Why are you keeping your identity so close to your breast, Kendrick?” Garret asked.
I looked over at him and smiled wickedly. “When do you show your cards, Roman?”
He laughed at that. “Only when necessary. Ok, you win. You’ll tell us who you are when you want to.”
“I’ve told you who I am. My name is Kendrick. I even took you to my home.”
He ignored the last comment. “You only have one name?”
“That’s all I need to be able to respond.”
We rode on in silence. The wind was picking up and we could hear it sweeping the trees not far ahead of us. The afternoon was wearing on, the temperature was dropping, and so were the clouds. I pulled my coat collar up over the nape of my neck and hunkered down into it. It was cold, but I kept my eyes on the trail.
It was indeed the Johnson gang that had held up the Blantonville bank, and James was the one who had snatched Susan. They had stopped, but only long enough for Susan to get up and sit in front of the leader.
“Aren’t you a gentleman,” she said to him derisively.
He shrugged. “You can go back to the position you were in, if you prefer.”
“If you get handsy with me, I will.” Johnson laughed at that.
He had pulled down his mask so Susan got a good look at him, and all his gang. Johnson was probably 40, pretty nice looking, except for his cold eyes. The young outlaw who had noticed Susan initially was indeed a handsome fellow, but the other three were complete ogres. One of them had buck teeth and hair in his ears, one of them had only three or four teeth and no hair at all, and the other had brown teeth, stained by years of tobacco chewing, and it looked for all the world like he had found a way to spit the juice into his own hair because it was dark brown, greasy, and slimy. Susan shuddered when looking at them, mainly because of the way they looked at her.
They took off again, holding their horses to a fast trot. Susan wanted to talk because it helped steel her nerves a bit. “Where are we going?”
“Canada.”
“Why?”
“U.S. lawmen have no jurisdiction up there and the Mounties won’t bother us as long as we don’t rob any of their banks.”
“Hey, boss,” the blonde youngster called out. “You got any idea how much we took from that bank?”
“Don’t know yet, Ronnie, but it looked upwards of $20,000.”
“Wheeeee,” Ronnie replied. “That’ll buy a lot of likker and women.” Then he laughed. “Not that we need to be buyin’ women for a while.” Susan grimaced at that. The meaning was clear.
She asked Johnson, “When are you going to let me go?”
“Aw, you don’t want to go home yet, do you? We haven’t had any fun yet.” That was Ronnie, not James Johnson.
“Shut up, Ronnie,” Johnson said. “I’ll make the decisions on the woman.”
“Ok, boss,” Ronnie grumbled. “But you are going to let us have a piece of her, ain’t ye?”
“I think that’s likely, if you’ll be a good boy.”
“That go for us, too, boss?” Buckteeth asked.
“You, too, Frog.”
“Frog?” Susan couldn’t help but asking.
“Yeah,” Johnson replied. “He ain’t too bright, but he’s pretty good at hoppin’ to it when I tell him to do something.”
“Thanks, boss,” Frog said.
Johnson continued. “The other two are Biff and Cueball. They are nice fellows once you get to know them.”
“I’m sure,” Susan responded with obvious sarcasm. Then, “You never did answer my question. How long are you going to keep me?”
“Don’t know yet. If a posse follows us, not long.”
“I was hoping you were kidding about that.”
“I never kid.” Susan didn’t like the sound of that.
“But then they’ll have no reason not to chase you any more.”
“You won’t care.” Susan wasn’t getting anywhere with this.
But she was getting a little piqued and that overcame some of her fear. “So, if a posse follows us, I get killed. If they don’t, I get raped. Some choice.”
“Life’s not fair sometimes, lady. That’s what you get for being in the wrong place at the wrong time.”
Susan went silent as the anger ebbed and melancholy overwhelmed her. The horse cantered on, heading for the mountains, but she didn’t notice. She tried to shake off the depression and think of some way out of this. They’ll have to stop sometime to sleep…I’ll try to make a break then…maybe I can steal a horse…if they see me and shoot me, well, that will be better than being gang-raped…
It wasn’t much of a plan and she knew it. She wondered if a posse would follow, risking her life. Then she thought again about Garret, Lance, and Kendrick and wondered if they would do anything when—if—they heard about it. After the way she had teased Garret and Lance and left them frustrated, she thought they probably wouldn’t think she was worth it. And Kendrick certainly has no reason to…She sighed, trying to lift her spirits somehow.
But with five hard men against one woman, and no assurance of any outside help on the way, it was hard to be optimistic.
And she became even less optimistic when Johnson started speaking again…
Garret, Lance, Buddy Myers, and I plodded on, following the tracks of the five horses of the Johnson gang. We were entering the foothills now. More pine trees, though not thick yet. The land was rising and the road began winding through a canyon between two high, craggy hills. Except for the scattered pines, there wasn’t much vegetation. The surrounding hills were covered with ancient boulders that seem to have been tossed up into the air by a capricious, angry god who then walked away and let them fall where they may.
“A good place for an ambush,” Lance commented softly.
“Yeah,” I agreed, looking around the hills.
Then I studied the ground again and frowned. I stopped my horse, staring at the road. Lance came up beside me. “Uh oh,” he said.
“What is it?” Buddy asked.
I looked up into the rocks one more time, searching. Then my eyes got big, and I yelled, “Down! Now!” And I rolled off my horse just before a rifle bullet whizzed right past where I’d been sitting.
Lance, Garret, and Buddy didn’t ask why I yelled, especially when the bullets starting zinging past them like a bunch of angry bees. I heard somebody grunt—Lance, I think, but I was too busy rolling and rolling and rolling to get behind the nearest boulder. A bullet kicked up dust into my mouth, and I hacked and spewed it out. Another bullet clipped the cuff of my right sleeve, but other than that, I escaped unscathed. I looked around, and Garret was behind me, and across the road Buddy and Lance were huddled behind another boulder. The rifle fire from the hills subsided when there were no more obvious targets to shoot at.
By instinct, I had grabbed my rifle from its boot on my way off Bear. The horses had scattered when the bullets started flying. I glanced at Garret beside me. “Are you ok?” I asked him.
“Yeah, I think they winged Lance, though.”
I looked across the road and Lance was grimacing. “Where did they get you?” I asked him.
“Tore a groove along my right shin. Painful, but I’ll be ok.” He was trying to stop the bleeding.
We were all hunkered down behind boulders. This wasn’t good. They were shooting down at us, we were shooting up at them. If we could shoot at all. Shooting up is not necessarily bad, the problem was, we didn’t know where they were. But they knew where we were. They had us pinned, not visa-versa.
I looked at Garret. “Got any bright ideas?”
“Uh…surrender?”
I chuckled. “You first.”
“I thought you were the boss. You’re supposed to lead.” We were bantering, of course, trying to keep calm and relaxed.
“Got a deck of cards?” I asked him. “I’ll cut you for it.”
“Fresh out of cards. Maybe we can think of something else. Have you ever been in a spot like this before?”
“Yeah. Sorta.”
“What did you do?”
“I won. I was one of the guys up there.” I motioned with my thumb up the hill.
“Ah. Much easier there. Do you think they have Susan?”
“I’m hoping so.”
And then we heard a voice shouting at us from up the hill.
“Sheriff?”
Garret, Lance, and Buddy all looked at me. I shook my head and put my index finger over my lips in the classic “shhh” sign.
“Sheriff, can you hear me? I told you what would happen if you got a posse and followed us.”
Again, I didn’t answer.
A few moments later, the voice was angry. “Sheriff! You better answer or I’ll roll this woman down the hill full of lead.”
That’s what I wanted to hear—sorta. They had Susan. This time I responded. “The sheriff isn’t down here. And when was the last time you saw a posse of four men?”
That quieted him a moment.
“Who are you then?”
“Just some men passing through. Why were you shooting at us?”
That really stumped him. I motioned to Buddy to try to work his way around behind them from his side, then made the same motion to Garret. They both nodded and took off.
“We thought you were the sheriff and his posse.”
“What have you done that would make you fear the sheriff, fella?” I had to stall for time to let Garret and Buddy get into position. This was going to be tricky, though, because there were five of them, and we didn’t exactly know where they were. Except it was fairly easy to place Johnson’s voice.
“It ain’t none of your concern, mister.”
“And you’ve got a woman up there with you, too?” I shouted. “Just who are you, and what kind of man are you?”
His voice was angry. “I told you it was none of your concern! Shut your trap!”
“Well, now, that’s a great idea. Would you mind telling us what you want us to do, seeing as though you men did everything you could to ventilate us a while ago?” I leaned my head back, searching for Garret. I could see him slipping from rock to rock, then behind a tree, slowly moving upward. I knew he knew what he was doing, and I hoped he, and Buddy on the opposite side, could find at least two or three of Johnson’s men and get them in a vice. The touchy part was what Johnson might do to Susan…
Speaking of whom, she was indeed with Johnson, high up on the hill, behind a semicircle of three foot high boulders, with a wall behind them. The gang leader had spread his men around, on both sides of the road, just in case a posse did show up. The four of us who followed the outlaws were supremely lucky that we hadn’t received more wounds than we had. But it’s not easy to hit a moving target with a rifle, and fortunately we were on the move just before Johnson’s men opened up.
Susan was lying next to Johnson, and he was keeping an eye on her, even more closely now because when he first started shooting, she had bumped his arm to throw off his aim. He had cursed her and slapped her away, but by the time he got his gun back in line to fire, there was no one to shoot at. So she had already helped the cause.
Of course, she had no idea who was down there—a posse? Johnson hadn’t said anything about how many there were. But then, when a voice started to answer him, she closed her eyes and issued a silent prayer—she had recognized that voice. He came. Oh, he came! A tear rolled down her cheek. And since Kendrick had indicated there were more than just him, that might mean Garret and Lance, too. Maybe others. Four. That’s what he’d said. Who was the other? Well, that didn’t matter. All she knew was that help was down there, and she was going to do her part, if possible. She watched for her chance…
Johnson had been quiet for a little too long and I needed to keep him and his men distracted, if possible, until Garret and Buddy were ready. “Hey, you up there! Are you deaf as well as insane? Are you going to keep us pinned down here all night?”
“I told you to shut up!”
“Well, I will if you’ll answer my question.”
Frankly, Johnson didn’t know what to do. He was thinking about sending a couple of his men around to flank us—just as I had done with Garret and Buddy—but he had them in such good defensive positions that he didn’t really want to move them. And he didn’t really trust that I was telling the truth. I didn’t sound like some yokel who was just passing through. Maybe a posse was coming; that would mean more men. And he didn’t really want to kill Susan. We should have kept going, he thought. But the horses had needed a rest badly. He had positioned his men, just in case they had been followed. It wasn’t the sheriff down there, he knew that. So, who were these four guys?
He made his decision. “You guys down there get on your horses and head back to town. We’ll give you three minutes to find your horses and get out of here.”
“Geez, you ARE insane! Do you think we’re going to come out from behind these rocks and give you a chance to blow us away? No way, Jose.”
Johnson was really frustrated now. “I told you that you could go. Now, get going or I’ll kill the woman!”
“You and your men come down here where we can see you. And bring the woman. Then we’ll leave. We aren’t going to give you a chance to pick us off from behind those rocks.”
“You got one minute to get on your horses and ride. Or the woman dies.”
“You kill that woman and we’ll hunt you down to the end of the earth.”
“Your time is running out!”
Yeah. I was under no illusions what he would do. If Garret and/or Buddy didn’t start something quick, I’d better think of something. Double quick.
Susan had less than a minute to live.
She knew it, too. And she was going to do something, regardless. Johnson was keeping one eye on her and one eye on the road. But if she had to dive at him, she would…
“Thirty seconds!” Johnson shouted.
I looked at Lance. He was looking for Buddy. I tried to spot Garret. Couldn’t see him. At 10 seconds, I was going to come out from behind that rock, blazing away. At what, I didn’t know. But it might distract Johnson enough to give Susan a chance to do something.
Johnson had tied her wrists—behind her—and ankles. But she was in a position to move. As inauspiciously as possible, she coiled herself, preparing to leap…
“Fifteen seconds!” I glanced at Lance. He was looking at me. “I’m fixing to go, Lance,” I told him. And he grabbed his rifle and prepared to charge with me.
Then Hades opened her gates….
First, I heard Garret call out. “All right, drop that rifle and get your hands up!”
Then Buddy. “Drop it, feller, or get a lead supper.”
Then, with Johnson distracted, Susan launched herself at him. He saw her coming, but a fraction too late. She hit him in the side and knocked him askew, and then she went over the top of the front boulder, lost her balance, and started tumbling down the hill. “Kendrick!!” she yelled, but couldn’t stop her momentum. Rumbling, bumbling, stumbling…rolling…
Shots began to be fired from every direction. Lance and I came out from behind our boulders. I saw Johnson firing at Susan…
She rolled and that’s all that saved her. Johnson couldn’t get a steady shot at her, but he got close. She heard the bullets zing by, even felt the breeze of one of them that whined past her ear. But, with her hands tied and feet tied, she just couldn’t get hold of anything to stop. She struck the side of a tree with a grunt, and kept on rolling…
I saw Johnson shooting at Susan. Lance did, too. Then I saw someone pop his head above a rock and aim at Lance. “Get Johnson, Lance!” He was already firing. I swung my rifle, and fired. One less bad guy.
Lance’s first shot missed Johnson, hitting the rock right in front of him and sending chips into his face. Johnson cursed, and swung the gun down towards Lance.
It was the last thing he ever did.
Lance fired at Johnson again, and missed again. I heard him curse. I fired at Johnson, but didn’t miss. The bullet hit him in the chest. He cried out, arched, and slowly toppled forward. He fell over the front boulder and came tumbling down the hill after Susan…
The two men that Garret and Buddy had called out to both resisted, which earned them a one-way ticket to hell. There was only bandit left. He had heard Garret shout. Then Buddy shout. Then shooting. Then Susan yelled. He pointed his rifle, first at Garret, then at Buddy, then at me, then at Susan…and then at nobody. A bullet from Garret hit him square in the heart.
Susan finished her Jack and Jill imitation by smashing, back first into a rock near the bottom of the hill. She grunted loudly and was dazed, but it didn’t hurt her too badly. Her momentum had been slowly down; the boulder simply finalized it. I saw her and rushed over to her, Lance a few steps behind me. I saw that her eyes were close and an expression of pain was on her face, but she was breathing, albeit hard. I knelt down beside her.
“Susan, can you hear me?”
She opened her eyes, gave me an agonized smile, and nodded.
“You’re safe now,” I told her, “but I need to check for broken bones.”
She nodded again. But managed to say, “But…don’t you…get…fresh…with me.”
“Only in my wildest dreams.” She laughed, then groaned, and coughed.
I felt of her arms and legs while Lance cut the ropes that bound her. I didn’t feel any broken bones. I felt her ribs; she winced, but that was all. I gently rolled her over onto her stomach. She didn’t scream, so I knew her back wasn’t broken. I rolled her back over and told her, “I don’t feel anything broken, but you’re liable to be sore for a few days.”
“Too bad she didn’t hit the rock with her head,” Lance said. “Wouldn’t have hurt her a bit.” Then he grinned. “Would have cracked the poor rock, though.”
“Oh, shut up,” Susan said through gritted teeth, and Lance and I laughed.
Garret came up. “How is she?” he asked.
“Bumped up a bit, but she’ll be ok. Did you find their horses?”
“Buddy’s looking for them right now.”
Lance and I helped Susan get to her feet. She wobbled a bit, and leaned on him for a moment, but she took several deep breaths and nodded. “I think I’ll be ok. Give me a minute.”
Garret was looking at me. “All right, no more monkey business. Who are you?”
“I was the man who was going to take you, Lance, and Buddy back to Arizona to stand trial for bank robbery. Or robberies, plural.”
Three people stared at me—two of them, Garret and Lance—very unfavorably.
“Oh?” Garret replied. “Is that so?”
“Yep. But, gee whiz”—and here I smiled at them—“I just couldn’t find you guys. You disappeared somewhere and…” I shrugged. “I guess that’s the way it goes.”
Lance said, “I thought you said you weren’t a lawman.”
“Not.”
“Bounty hunter?”
“No. Retired ranger.” Then I smiled at them. “But there is a reward out for you three. $1000 each. I could use the money.” Then I shrugged again. “Easy come, easy go.”
Susan was looking, wide-eyed, from Garret to Lance to me. She said to me, “You mean…they are outlaws? Bank robbers?”
Lance looked at her, with some tenderness. “We were till we met you. How could a man be…wicked…around a woman like you?”
Susan blushed, then turned away, probably so we couldn’t see the tears in her eyes.
“Well,” Garret said. “That may be part of it. But we’re tired of running from the law. Thought we might be able to come up here and get lost, start over.” He looked at me incredulously. “You followed us all the way from Arizona?”
I nodded.
“Why didn’t you arrest us when you saw us in Riverton?”
“Had to have Myers, too. You led me to him, as I figured you would.”
Garret shook his head. “Who are you?”
I smiled. “Kendrick.”
“What’s your first name?”
I turned my smile to Susan. “You know. In fact, you all know.”
Susan slowly shook her head, and Garret and Lance were puzzled. Lance was thinking out loud. “No, we don’t. Unless Kendrick is…” The light dawned. “…his first name. Kendrick. Ken.” His eyes met Garret’s. “No wonder the so and so found us and followed us all the way to Blantonville.”
Garret knew now, too.
Susan’s head went back and forth between the two men. “Will somebody let me in on the secret?”
Lance laughed. “Susan, his first name is Kendrick. His last name is Ross. Kendrick, or Ken, Ross.”
She looked at me and blinked a few times. I gave Garret and Lance a wry grin. “I don’t think she’s impressed.” They laughed.
“Oh, I am. I am.” I just shook my head and laughed, too.
Garret said, “You aren’t…going to turn us in?”
I looked at Susan. “I told you Garret was a rattlesnake, didn’t I.” She nodded. “And that Lance was a puppy dog, Garret’s puppy dog.” She nodded again. “You didn’t believe me, did you.” She shook her head.
I looked at Garret and held out my hand. “I don’t, either. Rattlesnakes and puppy dogs don’t risk their lives like these men did today.” Garret smiled and shook my hand. I held out my other hand to Lance. He smiled and took it. “Puppy dog?” he said.
Then Lance looked at Susan. “I still need a job?”
She smiled back at him. “We’ll see.”
Buddy had found all the horses, and had even gone to the trouble to load up all the outlaws onto them. “Money’s all here, too, boss.” He said that to me. Then he grinned. “Minus the $10,000 commission I took fer helping you out, o’ course.”
“Of course,” I said with a laugh. The big man was likeable.
Garret said to Buddy, “Do you know who this fellow is?”
“Sure. Ken Ross. Knowed it all along, but I played along with him. Figgered I could always shoot ‘im later if he needed it.” He shrugged. “I reckon I can understand why a feller might want to be a-nonny-moos fer awhile. We done it before.”
Garret and Lance were nonplussed. “How did you know?”
“Said his name was Kendrick. Ken. Ross. Obviously he’s hell on wheels. Doesn’t take much smart.”
Garret and Lance made faces at each other. “And we thought HE was the dumb one,” Garret said. We all laughed.
It was almost dark by now, so we decided to camp out for the evening rather than make the trek into Blantonville. The snow had held off, and the sky appeared to be clearing a bit. We found a nice place off the road to build a fire. A stream ran by about 100 yards away. Garret was doing the cooking. “I want to wash up,” Susan said. “I’m going to the stream.”
“You need any help?” Lance asked with a grin.
She smiled and glanced at me. “Only if a mountain lion happens by.”
“Not impossible, actually,” I said. “La--, uh, Buddy, why don’t you take a rifle and go with her. If she screams, you turn and shoot.”
“I’ll go with her,” Lance said. “I don’t mind.”
“No, no,” Buddy said, “I’ll do it. It’s not a problem. Ranger told me to do it so I will.” He grinned at Susan. “An’ I promise I won’t peak none, Miss Bedford.”
Lance snorted. “Then you’re an idiot, Myers. I sure would.”
Garret had heard the talk. “You know, Ranger, there are some mighty big lions in this country. Might need two guns. I’ll go, too.”
“You finish cookin’, you jackanapes,” Lance said. We all laughed.
As sore as she was, Susan was enjoying this bantering. Three…four…Buddy has a certain charm to him as well…which one?…enjoy all three, then…Ken?…
She walked to the stream, Buddy following right behind her. She was thinking, smiling…all three…Three…Garret?…Three…Lance?…Three… Buddy?….then….then…
What’s a girl to do? She smiled some more….But then, another thought. He came for me…he didn’t have to, but he did…that’s three times now…
Why would he do that?
I wasn’t sure of the answer to that question, either. She had seemed to take to Buddy, too. I might be fourth on the totem pole now. I sighed. I’ll just go back to Arizona…
And do what? I wasn’t even sure I had enough money to get back there…
When we rode in the next morning, the Blantonville city council was meeting in the town hall to decide what to do about the stolen money. Sheriff Flowers wasn’t too happy to see us, but the rest of the town was. We were given a $1,000 reward for recapturing the money, and there was another $1,000 reward for the Johnson gang. I figured we’d split it five ways—give Susan a cut, too—but the others wouldn’t hear of it.
They gave it all to me.
One of the patrons of the bank who had been there during the robbery spoke up. “Sheriff.”
Flowers looked at him, a man named Billings. “Yeah, what is it?’ The sheriff was in a hurry.
Billings was understandably still scared and flustered, but he managed to say, “That…outlaw…the leader…said that if a posse followed them that, well, they’d kill the woman they took.”
That stopped Flowers. He didn’t know about the kidnapping. “They took somebody?”
“Yes…yessir. That new lady…Bob Bedford’s niece…she might take over his ranch…” Billings’ voice had trailed off at that last statement, as he saw the angry expression on the sheriff’s face.
“Oh, wonderful,” he said, and rubbed his hand across his jaw, thinking.
Deputy Walters asked him, “Do you still want me to get that posse together, sheriff?”
Flowers was a good sheriff, but not especially bright, and not especially good at making decisions when faced with a dilemma like this one. “Maybe we better kick this one around a little, think of how to approach it.”
Somebody shouted out, “But they got our money, sheriff!”
Flowers made a calming motion with his hands. “We’ll get your money back, Ted, I promise you. But we don’t want to risk the life of that young lady. Let me get the mayor and the city council together and we’ll come up with an appropriate plan of action.” Sheriff was, after all, an elected position, so that made him a politician, too.
Well, I wasn’t a politician. I had been standing in the crowd, listening, watching, and not terribly surprised at the sheriff’s decision, though thoroughly disgusted by it. Those thieves would be in Canada and have Susan raped 100 times before the politicians came to a decision. I knew what to do. But I thought I’d get a little help.
I walked down the street and entered Bret’s Saloon. Not surprisingly, Garret was sitting at a table, playing cards. I expected he would be. He saw me come in, and nodded. After our initial bit of discord on the trip to Blantonville, we had gotten along ok. I walked over to him.
“The bank was just robbed,” I told him.
Garret shrugged it off. “Sheriff’s problem, isn’t it? I didn’t have any money there.”
“The robbers kidnapped Susan.”
That got his attention.
“Where’s Yarbrough?” I asked him.
“Right behind you, Kendrick.” I turned and saw him. He had just stood up from a table where he had been sitting.
Garret put his cards down and spoke to the other players. “Gentlemen, an emergency has arisen and I must take leave of your excellent companionship. I assure you we shall continue this game at as early a date as possible.”
One of the other gamblers wasn’t so happy about it. “You gotta give us a chance to win our money back.”
Garret was actually gracious about it. He picked up only part of the pile of money in front of him. “I will take only what I came in with.” Then he smiled. “Plus a little extra for my time. The rest you may divide up as you wish.” He stood up and looked at me. “Let’s go.”
I had my hands on my hips, staring at him. “Where’s that other thug you work with? Buddy Myers.”
Garret’s eyes narrowed and I could sense Lance freezing as well. “How do you know about him?”
“Is he here?”
“He’s in Blantonville,” is all he would commit to.
“Get him and meet me at the bridge just north of town in 15 minutes. Bring some provisions, I don’t know how long we’ll be gone.” I turned on my heel and walked out.
I jogged to the food market just down the street and bought a couple pounds of jerky, some coffee, beans, and a few more things. Then I went to the livery stable and saddled my horse, whom I had named Bear because he was as strong as one and brown to boot. Two minutes later, I was waiting at the bridge.
In ten minutes, Garret, Lance, and a third fellow, a big, burly man with hard eyes, came riding up. I looked at the latter man. “Myers,” I presume.
He nodded, scrutinizing me closely. “And who are you?”
“Kendrick. Now let’s go. There are five horses, here are their tracks…”
“Not so fast, Kendrick,” Garret said. “We want to know who you are before we go anywhere with you.”
Lance spoke up, irritably. “I don’t care who he is, Garret. We can sort all that out later. Those guys have got Susan and we’ve got to get her.”
Garret’s eyes held mine for several seconds. Then he nodded. “All right.” He motioned to me with his head. “Lead on.”
We took off at a canter, following the outlaw tracks. “How good are you at tracking?” Garret asked me.
“I’ll find them, if it doesn’t snow and wipe out all traces of them. And then I’ll find them anyway, but it’ll take a little longer and they’ll have more time to play with Miss Bedford. There are five of them, well, six if you count Susan. They are on five horses, one of them carrying two people. I don’t need to be able to read sign to figure that out, but the horses’ hooves tell it to me, too.” Lance peered down and nodded. He may have had some tracking experience as well from the way he was examining the ground.
Garret looked at the sky. It was overcast and the temperature was dropping. “Snow appears mighty possible.”
“Then let’s don’t waste any time.”
We sauntered on. The road wound through grassy, rolling hills, heading for mountainous, pine-covered land about 20 miles north. “They’ll be tough to find if they get into those mountains,” Lance said. “Especially if it snows.”
Nobody responded. His comment was superfluous.
Garret spoke up a few minutes later. “We heard a rumor in town that they’d kill Susan if they spotted a posse following them.”
“Then we can’t let them see us, can we.”
I kept glancing down at the road, following the five horse tracks. “Can you tell how far ahead of us they are?” Lance asked.
“An hour, no more, but they are pushing their horses pretty hard. They’ll have to stop soon.”
We neared the foothills of the mountains and the trail forked. To the right, the road wound up the foothills and disappeared among the trees and behind a hill about two miles away. The trail we had been following went straight ahead—well, it was crooked as a snake, too, but we could see it farther. It was obvious which way the robbers had gone.
I pointed right. “They went that way.” So that’s the way we went.
A couple of minutes later, Myers asked, “Any idea who we’re dealing with?”
“Unless I miss my guess, James Johnson and his gang,” I replied. “Five of them. They operate in this area.”
Lance whistled. “Tough bunch.”
Myers squinted his eyes at me. “You’re a lawman, ain’tche.” A statement, not a question.
“Nope,” was all I responded.
“Why are you keeping your identity so close to your breast, Kendrick?” Garret asked.
I looked over at him and smiled wickedly. “When do you show your cards, Roman?”
He laughed at that. “Only when necessary. Ok, you win. You’ll tell us who you are when you want to.”
“I’ve told you who I am. My name is Kendrick. I even took you to my home.”
He ignored the last comment. “You only have one name?”
“That’s all I need to be able to respond.”
We rode on in silence. The wind was picking up and we could hear it sweeping the trees not far ahead of us. The afternoon was wearing on, the temperature was dropping, and so were the clouds. I pulled my coat collar up over the nape of my neck and hunkered down into it. It was cold, but I kept my eyes on the trail.
It was indeed the Johnson gang that had held up the Blantonville bank, and James was the one who had snatched Susan. They had stopped, but only long enough for Susan to get up and sit in front of the leader.
“Aren’t you a gentleman,” she said to him derisively.
He shrugged. “You can go back to the position you were in, if you prefer.”
“If you get handsy with me, I will.” Johnson laughed at that.
He had pulled down his mask so Susan got a good look at him, and all his gang. Johnson was probably 40, pretty nice looking, except for his cold eyes. The young outlaw who had noticed Susan initially was indeed a handsome fellow, but the other three were complete ogres. One of them had buck teeth and hair in his ears, one of them had only three or four teeth and no hair at all, and the other had brown teeth, stained by years of tobacco chewing, and it looked for all the world like he had found a way to spit the juice into his own hair because it was dark brown, greasy, and slimy. Susan shuddered when looking at them, mainly because of the way they looked at her.
They took off again, holding their horses to a fast trot. Susan wanted to talk because it helped steel her nerves a bit. “Where are we going?”
“Canada.”
“Why?”
“U.S. lawmen have no jurisdiction up there and the Mounties won’t bother us as long as we don’t rob any of their banks.”
“Hey, boss,” the blonde youngster called out. “You got any idea how much we took from that bank?”
“Don’t know yet, Ronnie, but it looked upwards of $20,000.”
“Wheeeee,” Ronnie replied. “That’ll buy a lot of likker and women.” Then he laughed. “Not that we need to be buyin’ women for a while.” Susan grimaced at that. The meaning was clear.
She asked Johnson, “When are you going to let me go?”
“Aw, you don’t want to go home yet, do you? We haven’t had any fun yet.” That was Ronnie, not James Johnson.
“Shut up, Ronnie,” Johnson said. “I’ll make the decisions on the woman.”
“Ok, boss,” Ronnie grumbled. “But you are going to let us have a piece of her, ain’t ye?”
“I think that’s likely, if you’ll be a good boy.”
“That go for us, too, boss?” Buckteeth asked.
“You, too, Frog.”
“Frog?” Susan couldn’t help but asking.
“Yeah,” Johnson replied. “He ain’t too bright, but he’s pretty good at hoppin’ to it when I tell him to do something.”
“Thanks, boss,” Frog said.
Johnson continued. “The other two are Biff and Cueball. They are nice fellows once you get to know them.”
“I’m sure,” Susan responded with obvious sarcasm. Then, “You never did answer my question. How long are you going to keep me?”
“Don’t know yet. If a posse follows us, not long.”
“I was hoping you were kidding about that.”
“I never kid.” Susan didn’t like the sound of that.
“But then they’ll have no reason not to chase you any more.”
“You won’t care.” Susan wasn’t getting anywhere with this.
But she was getting a little piqued and that overcame some of her fear. “So, if a posse follows us, I get killed. If they don’t, I get raped. Some choice.”
“Life’s not fair sometimes, lady. That’s what you get for being in the wrong place at the wrong time.”
Susan went silent as the anger ebbed and melancholy overwhelmed her. The horse cantered on, heading for the mountains, but she didn’t notice. She tried to shake off the depression and think of some way out of this. They’ll have to stop sometime to sleep…I’ll try to make a break then…maybe I can steal a horse…if they see me and shoot me, well, that will be better than being gang-raped…
It wasn’t much of a plan and she knew it. She wondered if a posse would follow, risking her life. Then she thought again about Garret, Lance, and Kendrick and wondered if they would do anything when—if—they heard about it. After the way she had teased Garret and Lance and left them frustrated, she thought they probably wouldn’t think she was worth it. And Kendrick certainly has no reason to…She sighed, trying to lift her spirits somehow.
But with five hard men against one woman, and no assurance of any outside help on the way, it was hard to be optimistic.
And she became even less optimistic when Johnson started speaking again…
Garret, Lance, Buddy Myers, and I plodded on, following the tracks of the five horses of the Johnson gang. We were entering the foothills now. More pine trees, though not thick yet. The land was rising and the road began winding through a canyon between two high, craggy hills. Except for the scattered pines, there wasn’t much vegetation. The surrounding hills were covered with ancient boulders that seem to have been tossed up into the air by a capricious, angry god who then walked away and let them fall where they may.
“A good place for an ambush,” Lance commented softly.
“Yeah,” I agreed, looking around the hills.
Then I studied the ground again and frowned. I stopped my horse, staring at the road. Lance came up beside me. “Uh oh,” he said.
“What is it?” Buddy asked.
I looked up into the rocks one more time, searching. Then my eyes got big, and I yelled, “Down! Now!” And I rolled off my horse just before a rifle bullet whizzed right past where I’d been sitting.
Lance, Garret, and Buddy didn’t ask why I yelled, especially when the bullets starting zinging past them like a bunch of angry bees. I heard somebody grunt—Lance, I think, but I was too busy rolling and rolling and rolling to get behind the nearest boulder. A bullet kicked up dust into my mouth, and I hacked and spewed it out. Another bullet clipped the cuff of my right sleeve, but other than that, I escaped unscathed. I looked around, and Garret was behind me, and across the road Buddy and Lance were huddled behind another boulder. The rifle fire from the hills subsided when there were no more obvious targets to shoot at.
By instinct, I had grabbed my rifle from its boot on my way off Bear. The horses had scattered when the bullets started flying. I glanced at Garret beside me. “Are you ok?” I asked him.
“Yeah, I think they winged Lance, though.”
I looked across the road and Lance was grimacing. “Where did they get you?” I asked him.
“Tore a groove along my right shin. Painful, but I’ll be ok.” He was trying to stop the bleeding.
We were all hunkered down behind boulders. This wasn’t good. They were shooting down at us, we were shooting up at them. If we could shoot at all. Shooting up is not necessarily bad, the problem was, we didn’t know where they were. But they knew where we were. They had us pinned, not visa-versa.
I looked at Garret. “Got any bright ideas?”
“Uh…surrender?”
I chuckled. “You first.”
“I thought you were the boss. You’re supposed to lead.” We were bantering, of course, trying to keep calm and relaxed.
“Got a deck of cards?” I asked him. “I’ll cut you for it.”
“Fresh out of cards. Maybe we can think of something else. Have you ever been in a spot like this before?”
“Yeah. Sorta.”
“What did you do?”
“I won. I was one of the guys up there.” I motioned with my thumb up the hill.
“Ah. Much easier there. Do you think they have Susan?”
“I’m hoping so.”
And then we heard a voice shouting at us from up the hill.
“Sheriff?”
Garret, Lance, and Buddy all looked at me. I shook my head and put my index finger over my lips in the classic “shhh” sign.
“Sheriff, can you hear me? I told you what would happen if you got a posse and followed us.”
Again, I didn’t answer.
A few moments later, the voice was angry. “Sheriff! You better answer or I’ll roll this woman down the hill full of lead.”
That’s what I wanted to hear—sorta. They had Susan. This time I responded. “The sheriff isn’t down here. And when was the last time you saw a posse of four men?”
That quieted him a moment.
“Who are you then?”
“Just some men passing through. Why were you shooting at us?”
That really stumped him. I motioned to Buddy to try to work his way around behind them from his side, then made the same motion to Garret. They both nodded and took off.
“We thought you were the sheriff and his posse.”
“What have you done that would make you fear the sheriff, fella?” I had to stall for time to let Garret and Buddy get into position. This was going to be tricky, though, because there were five of them, and we didn’t exactly know where they were. Except it was fairly easy to place Johnson’s voice.
“It ain’t none of your concern, mister.”
“And you’ve got a woman up there with you, too?” I shouted. “Just who are you, and what kind of man are you?”
His voice was angry. “I told you it was none of your concern! Shut your trap!”
“Well, now, that’s a great idea. Would you mind telling us what you want us to do, seeing as though you men did everything you could to ventilate us a while ago?” I leaned my head back, searching for Garret. I could see him slipping from rock to rock, then behind a tree, slowly moving upward. I knew he knew what he was doing, and I hoped he, and Buddy on the opposite side, could find at least two or three of Johnson’s men and get them in a vice. The touchy part was what Johnson might do to Susan…
Speaking of whom, she was indeed with Johnson, high up on the hill, behind a semicircle of three foot high boulders, with a wall behind them. The gang leader had spread his men around, on both sides of the road, just in case a posse did show up. The four of us who followed the outlaws were supremely lucky that we hadn’t received more wounds than we had. But it’s not easy to hit a moving target with a rifle, and fortunately we were on the move just before Johnson’s men opened up.
Susan was lying next to Johnson, and he was keeping an eye on her, even more closely now because when he first started shooting, she had bumped his arm to throw off his aim. He had cursed her and slapped her away, but by the time he got his gun back in line to fire, there was no one to shoot at. So she had already helped the cause.
Of course, she had no idea who was down there—a posse? Johnson hadn’t said anything about how many there were. But then, when a voice started to answer him, she closed her eyes and issued a silent prayer—she had recognized that voice. He came. Oh, he came! A tear rolled down her cheek. And since Kendrick had indicated there were more than just him, that might mean Garret and Lance, too. Maybe others. Four. That’s what he’d said. Who was the other? Well, that didn’t matter. All she knew was that help was down there, and she was going to do her part, if possible. She watched for her chance…
Johnson had been quiet for a little too long and I needed to keep him and his men distracted, if possible, until Garret and Buddy were ready. “Hey, you up there! Are you deaf as well as insane? Are you going to keep us pinned down here all night?”
“I told you to shut up!”
“Well, I will if you’ll answer my question.”
Frankly, Johnson didn’t know what to do. He was thinking about sending a couple of his men around to flank us—just as I had done with Garret and Buddy—but he had them in such good defensive positions that he didn’t really want to move them. And he didn’t really trust that I was telling the truth. I didn’t sound like some yokel who was just passing through. Maybe a posse was coming; that would mean more men. And he didn’t really want to kill Susan. We should have kept going, he thought. But the horses had needed a rest badly. He had positioned his men, just in case they had been followed. It wasn’t the sheriff down there, he knew that. So, who were these four guys?
He made his decision. “You guys down there get on your horses and head back to town. We’ll give you three minutes to find your horses and get out of here.”
“Geez, you ARE insane! Do you think we’re going to come out from behind these rocks and give you a chance to blow us away? No way, Jose.”
Johnson was really frustrated now. “I told you that you could go. Now, get going or I’ll kill the woman!”
“You and your men come down here where we can see you. And bring the woman. Then we’ll leave. We aren’t going to give you a chance to pick us off from behind those rocks.”
“You got one minute to get on your horses and ride. Or the woman dies.”
“You kill that woman and we’ll hunt you down to the end of the earth.”
“Your time is running out!”
Yeah. I was under no illusions what he would do. If Garret and/or Buddy didn’t start something quick, I’d better think of something. Double quick.
Susan had less than a minute to live.
She knew it, too. And she was going to do something, regardless. Johnson was keeping one eye on her and one eye on the road. But if she had to dive at him, she would…
“Thirty seconds!” Johnson shouted.
I looked at Lance. He was looking for Buddy. I tried to spot Garret. Couldn’t see him. At 10 seconds, I was going to come out from behind that rock, blazing away. At what, I didn’t know. But it might distract Johnson enough to give Susan a chance to do something.
Johnson had tied her wrists—behind her—and ankles. But she was in a position to move. As inauspiciously as possible, she coiled herself, preparing to leap…
“Fifteen seconds!” I glanced at Lance. He was looking at me. “I’m fixing to go, Lance,” I told him. And he grabbed his rifle and prepared to charge with me.
Then Hades opened her gates….
First, I heard Garret call out. “All right, drop that rifle and get your hands up!”
Then Buddy. “Drop it, feller, or get a lead supper.”
Then, with Johnson distracted, Susan launched herself at him. He saw her coming, but a fraction too late. She hit him in the side and knocked him askew, and then she went over the top of the front boulder, lost her balance, and started tumbling down the hill. “Kendrick!!” she yelled, but couldn’t stop her momentum. Rumbling, bumbling, stumbling…rolling…
Shots began to be fired from every direction. Lance and I came out from behind our boulders. I saw Johnson firing at Susan…
She rolled and that’s all that saved her. Johnson couldn’t get a steady shot at her, but he got close. She heard the bullets zing by, even felt the breeze of one of them that whined past her ear. But, with her hands tied and feet tied, she just couldn’t get hold of anything to stop. She struck the side of a tree with a grunt, and kept on rolling…
I saw Johnson shooting at Susan. Lance did, too. Then I saw someone pop his head above a rock and aim at Lance. “Get Johnson, Lance!” He was already firing. I swung my rifle, and fired. One less bad guy.
Lance’s first shot missed Johnson, hitting the rock right in front of him and sending chips into his face. Johnson cursed, and swung the gun down towards Lance.
It was the last thing he ever did.
Lance fired at Johnson again, and missed again. I heard him curse. I fired at Johnson, but didn’t miss. The bullet hit him in the chest. He cried out, arched, and slowly toppled forward. He fell over the front boulder and came tumbling down the hill after Susan…
The two men that Garret and Buddy had called out to both resisted, which earned them a one-way ticket to hell. There was only bandit left. He had heard Garret shout. Then Buddy shout. Then shooting. Then Susan yelled. He pointed his rifle, first at Garret, then at Buddy, then at me, then at Susan…and then at nobody. A bullet from Garret hit him square in the heart.
Susan finished her Jack and Jill imitation by smashing, back first into a rock near the bottom of the hill. She grunted loudly and was dazed, but it didn’t hurt her too badly. Her momentum had been slowly down; the boulder simply finalized it. I saw her and rushed over to her, Lance a few steps behind me. I saw that her eyes were close and an expression of pain was on her face, but she was breathing, albeit hard. I knelt down beside her.
“Susan, can you hear me?”
She opened her eyes, gave me an agonized smile, and nodded.
“You’re safe now,” I told her, “but I need to check for broken bones.”
She nodded again. But managed to say, “But…don’t you…get…fresh…with me.”
“Only in my wildest dreams.” She laughed, then groaned, and coughed.
I felt of her arms and legs while Lance cut the ropes that bound her. I didn’t feel any broken bones. I felt her ribs; she winced, but that was all. I gently rolled her over onto her stomach. She didn’t scream, so I knew her back wasn’t broken. I rolled her back over and told her, “I don’t feel anything broken, but you’re liable to be sore for a few days.”
“Too bad she didn’t hit the rock with her head,” Lance said. “Wouldn’t have hurt her a bit.” Then he grinned. “Would have cracked the poor rock, though.”
“Oh, shut up,” Susan said through gritted teeth, and Lance and I laughed.
Garret came up. “How is she?” he asked.
“Bumped up a bit, but she’ll be ok. Did you find their horses?”
“Buddy’s looking for them right now.”
Lance and I helped Susan get to her feet. She wobbled a bit, and leaned on him for a moment, but she took several deep breaths and nodded. “I think I’ll be ok. Give me a minute.”
Garret was looking at me. “All right, no more monkey business. Who are you?”
“I was the man who was going to take you, Lance, and Buddy back to Arizona to stand trial for bank robbery. Or robberies, plural.”
Three people stared at me—two of them, Garret and Lance—very unfavorably.
“Oh?” Garret replied. “Is that so?”
“Yep. But, gee whiz”—and here I smiled at them—“I just couldn’t find you guys. You disappeared somewhere and…” I shrugged. “I guess that’s the way it goes.”
Lance said, “I thought you said you weren’t a lawman.”
“Not.”
“Bounty hunter?”
“No. Retired ranger.” Then I smiled at them. “But there is a reward out for you three. $1000 each. I could use the money.” Then I shrugged again. “Easy come, easy go.”
Susan was looking, wide-eyed, from Garret to Lance to me. She said to me, “You mean…they are outlaws? Bank robbers?”
Lance looked at her, with some tenderness. “We were till we met you. How could a man be…wicked…around a woman like you?”
Susan blushed, then turned away, probably so we couldn’t see the tears in her eyes.
“Well,” Garret said. “That may be part of it. But we’re tired of running from the law. Thought we might be able to come up here and get lost, start over.” He looked at me incredulously. “You followed us all the way from Arizona?”
I nodded.
“Why didn’t you arrest us when you saw us in Riverton?”
“Had to have Myers, too. You led me to him, as I figured you would.”
Garret shook his head. “Who are you?”
I smiled. “Kendrick.”
“What’s your first name?”
I turned my smile to Susan. “You know. In fact, you all know.”
Susan slowly shook her head, and Garret and Lance were puzzled. Lance was thinking out loud. “No, we don’t. Unless Kendrick is…” The light dawned. “…his first name. Kendrick. Ken.” His eyes met Garret’s. “No wonder the so and so found us and followed us all the way to Blantonville.”
Garret knew now, too.
Susan’s head went back and forth between the two men. “Will somebody let me in on the secret?”
Lance laughed. “Susan, his first name is Kendrick. His last name is Ross. Kendrick, or Ken, Ross.”
She looked at me and blinked a few times. I gave Garret and Lance a wry grin. “I don’t think she’s impressed.” They laughed.
“Oh, I am. I am.” I just shook my head and laughed, too.
Garret said, “You aren’t…going to turn us in?”
I looked at Susan. “I told you Garret was a rattlesnake, didn’t I.” She nodded. “And that Lance was a puppy dog, Garret’s puppy dog.” She nodded again. “You didn’t believe me, did you.” She shook her head.
I looked at Garret and held out my hand. “I don’t, either. Rattlesnakes and puppy dogs don’t risk their lives like these men did today.” Garret smiled and shook my hand. I held out my other hand to Lance. He smiled and took it. “Puppy dog?” he said.
Then Lance looked at Susan. “I still need a job?”
She smiled back at him. “We’ll see.”
Buddy had found all the horses, and had even gone to the trouble to load up all the outlaws onto them. “Money’s all here, too, boss.” He said that to me. Then he grinned. “Minus the $10,000 commission I took fer helping you out, o’ course.”
“Of course,” I said with a laugh. The big man was likeable.
Garret said to Buddy, “Do you know who this fellow is?”
“Sure. Ken Ross. Knowed it all along, but I played along with him. Figgered I could always shoot ‘im later if he needed it.” He shrugged. “I reckon I can understand why a feller might want to be a-nonny-moos fer awhile. We done it before.”
Garret and Lance were nonplussed. “How did you know?”
“Said his name was Kendrick. Ken. Ross. Obviously he’s hell on wheels. Doesn’t take much smart.”
Garret and Lance made faces at each other. “And we thought HE was the dumb one,” Garret said. We all laughed.
It was almost dark by now, so we decided to camp out for the evening rather than make the trek into Blantonville. The snow had held off, and the sky appeared to be clearing a bit. We found a nice place off the road to build a fire. A stream ran by about 100 yards away. Garret was doing the cooking. “I want to wash up,” Susan said. “I’m going to the stream.”
“You need any help?” Lance asked with a grin.
She smiled and glanced at me. “Only if a mountain lion happens by.”
“Not impossible, actually,” I said. “La--, uh, Buddy, why don’t you take a rifle and go with her. If she screams, you turn and shoot.”
“I’ll go with her,” Lance said. “I don’t mind.”
“No, no,” Buddy said, “I’ll do it. It’s not a problem. Ranger told me to do it so I will.” He grinned at Susan. “An’ I promise I won’t peak none, Miss Bedford.”
Lance snorted. “Then you’re an idiot, Myers. I sure would.”
Garret had heard the talk. “You know, Ranger, there are some mighty big lions in this country. Might need two guns. I’ll go, too.”
“You finish cookin’, you jackanapes,” Lance said. We all laughed.
As sore as she was, Susan was enjoying this bantering. Three…four…Buddy has a certain charm to him as well…which one?…enjoy all three, then…Ken?…
She walked to the stream, Buddy following right behind her. She was thinking, smiling…all three…Three…Garret?…Three…Lance?…Three… Buddy?….then….then…
What’s a girl to do? She smiled some more….But then, another thought. He came for me…he didn’t have to, but he did…that’s three times now…
Why would he do that?
I wasn’t sure of the answer to that question, either. She had seemed to take to Buddy, too. I might be fourth on the totem pole now. I sighed. I’ll just go back to Arizona…
And do what? I wasn’t even sure I had enough money to get back there…
When we rode in the next morning, the Blantonville city council was meeting in the town hall to decide what to do about the stolen money. Sheriff Flowers wasn’t too happy to see us, but the rest of the town was. We were given a $1,000 reward for recapturing the money, and there was another $1,000 reward for the Johnson gang. I figured we’d split it five ways—give Susan a cut, too—but the others wouldn’t hear of it.
They gave it all to me.
Chapter Seven—Which One?
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….
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….
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