by Ember Pierce
Scott wanted to kill him. To pull the trigger and watch the life bleed from the evil-doer. It would be so easy. He could claim self-defense. He could say he was saving Mae from rustlers. And it wasn’t as if anyone would miss Wayne Bixby except, maybe, his mother. Scott’s conscience wrestled with him.
* * *
He’d never gone against his better judgement. This was another moment that, although he wanted to take Bixby’s life, he couldn’t in good conscience do it unless the man drew on him. Bixby didn’t pull on Scott. He just stood a little in front of them in a shower of moonlight.
* * *
It would help and satisfy the anger of a lot of people. Fable Springs or the great state of Texas would be no less without the likes of Wayne Bixby. Scott inhaled slowly. He heard laughter and looked up. Bixby was still sneering at him. A large part of Scott wished the villain would try to shoot him.
* * *
But Bixby wasn’t the best shot. It was something Scott had learned a couple years before. Wherever he went, Bixby was surrounded by criminals. Criminals who were excellent shots. Scott had also noticed that Bixby never drew.
* * *
The fact that he wasn’t even trying to at the moment told Scott all he needed to know about his enemy’s prowess with a firearm. Either Bixby didn’t have a gun on him which would have spelled certain death in any number of situations. Or he knew if he reached for his piece he’d be dead before his hand was on it.
* * *
“Oh well, I reckon I’ll be on my way. Wouldn’t want to break the law by trespassing. I thought, for just a moment, mind you, that you were going to shoot me, Henderson. I didn’t take you as one for murder. Come and see me if you ever have need of work. ” He bowed and turned his back to Scott and Scott’s gun.
* * *
“By the way, Henderson,” Bixby turned his head and looked over his shoulder, “I’ll be seeing you.” He called out to his men with a whistle. There were scurries and muffled sounds and soon the barnyard, the garden, and the woods beyond were empty and quiet once again.
* * *
Scott was having trouble catching his breath. He’d lost so much to Wayne Bixby. So much. He didn’t think he could lose anything else to him.
* * *
At least it was the animals the vile rogue wanted. At least that’s what they were after this time anyway. All of his animals were branded with a tiny brand on the outside of the back left leg.
* * *
All of the animals on his farm bore a burn just as he did. He’d find them again. For a fifty mile radius around Fable Springs, folks knew his brand, the letter H inside a circle.
* * *
“Scott, come on. They’re gone. There’s nothing more we can do tonight. Although wouldn’t that just serve them right if we followed them?” Mae’s eyes widened. “We can follow them. Scott, you go into town and get Ephraim and Sheriff Bentley and get a posse of men and the deputies. I’ll follow the rustlers and blaze the trail behind them. You and the posse will be able to follow my signs…”
* * *
“No.”
* * *
“But, I know how to do it. And, and we can get the animals back if we leave right now. There’s still time.”
* * *
“We’re not going after them.”
* * *
“Scott, don’t be foolish.”
* * *
He looked at her and narrowed his eyes. “Let’s get this straight, Mae. I’m not being foolish. I’m being cautious. We can’t follow them. I know what Wayne Bixby is capable of. I’m not going to ask for trouble. We’ve already had enough for one night.”
* * *
“He stood up and offered his hand to Mae which she accepted. Something akin to a bolt of lightning flowed up his arm. He turned and surveyed the yard just to make sure they truly were alone. Then he pulled Mae by the hand and ran with her to the house.
* * *
In the kitchen, Scott lit the lamp on the table. He kept it low and went upstairs to light the kerosene lamps in the bedrooms on a longer wick. He wanted them to think they were still awake. He just didn’t want them to know what room they might be in.
* * *
Mae put the coffee to boil. Scott thought that was a good idea since he was sure, neither one of them would get anymore sleep. The kitchen clock said four. Mae would be waking up soon anyhow.
* * *
He sat at the table and waited until the coffee was done and May poured a cup and placed it in front of him.
* * *
“Well. Who was he? Hmm? What did you call him, Bixby? Isn’t that the man you said was responsible for...”
* * *
“Yes,” Scott said, his tone curt, cutting her off from saying anymore.
* * *
Scott stared into his reflection in the coffee. He knew a coffee burn would leave a scar. That was just one of the thoughts that visited him when the anger he felt at Wayne Bixby, that was like a murderous rage, washed over him.
* * *
The thought of it, the searing pain of it would keep him focused. Nothing could touch him when he could achieve that state.
* * *
The thing was, he hadn’t been able to achieve a pure and rapt state when it came to Wayne Bixby. He reckoned he never would. Bixby caused Scott to forget his own mental fortitude.
* * *
“He spoke to you as if he knew you…”
* * *
“Wayne Bixby is the man who’s responsible for my disfigurement, Mae. We had many dealings before the accident, so yes, we sort of know each other. In the past, he wanted to take over Fable Springs. I have a feeling he was here tonight to finish the job he started last year. If he doesn’t mean to kill me, he’s going to ruin me, take everything of mine, and run me out of town. I aim to beat him at trying.”
16
“Oh no! Don’t say that, Scott.” Mae didn’t know what to do to calm Scott. He was trembling in anger and she’d known instinctively that getting him to talk wouldn’t solve anything. Still, she had to try. She watched as he closed himself off to her. An invisible distance went up all around him. There was nothing she could do about it, but she wasn’t going to let him get away so easily if she could help it.
* * *
She snatched the now empty coffee cup from him. “Look, we might as well try to get some sleep, Scott. The animals are gone for the moment. It’s no use to try and find them before light. That Bixby person did a few practice runs with the other ranches he’s rustled. He knows where he’s going.”
* * *
“What if it rains and the tracks get ruined?”
* * *
“There isn’t a cloud in the sky. As for us, being out there in the dark trying to track someone. We wouldn’t be able to get through the woods. And we would be just as unable to stop any rain that might come as if we were here, in the house. The tracks getting ruined are the least of our worries, I’m afraid. Come on. Let’s get some rest.”
* * *
She took his hand and together they went upstairs. She stayed with him and went to his room with him. She couldn’t imagine how terrified he must have been upon seeing the man who’d been responsible for his terrible scars. But Mae knew that Scott’s scars were nothing compared to the loss of his profession and his life in Fable Springs.
* * *
They went into Scott’s room.
* * *
“Go on, get in bed. I’ll stay until you fall asleep. I’m not afraid. I know they won’t be back. Not tonight anyway.”
* * *
Scott sat on the edge of the bed. Before he could lean over to remove his boots, Mae was in front of him tugging and finally pulling off the first boot. It was easier with the second one. Scott lay back on the bed, still in his dungarees, and she pulled a cover over him. He was still trembling.
* * *
Before she knew what she was doing she lay down on the bed beside him and wrapped him in her arm
s. She stroked his hair and told him it would all be fine. There was nothing to worry about.
* * *
The next thing she knew, bright sunlight was pouring into the room. She looked at Scott. He was still sound asleep. She looked at his watch on the table. It was already eight o’clock. There was a sound in the distance, from the direction of town. She heard galloping hooves on the road that approached the house.
* * *
Gently and slowly she released her arm from behind Scott’s shoulders. She rolled away from him and stood up to dash out of the room and up to the front hall window. The rider was Ephraim.
* * *
Mae ran downstairs and out onto the front porch. “Ephraim!” She kept her voice low. Scott was still presumably sleeping. “What is it? What happened?”
* * *
The mayor tied his horse to the hitching post and walked up the steps to the porch. Mae took him into the house and back to the kitchen. The coffee she’d left on the cookstove top had been kept hot. She poured two cups and sat with Ephraim at the table.
* * *
“Do you want some pie? Biscuits? I can make breakfast.”
* * *
“No, thank you, Mae. Coffee’s fine.” He gulped some of the liquid down.
* * *
“Well? What’s happened, Ephraim? Are you going to tell me?” She placed her hand on his forearm.
* * *
“I...I’d rather talk to Scott. We need him. Fable Springs does. I mean the whole town. Everyone. Where is he? Out in the field already, I take it.”
* * *
“No. Actually he’s sleeping. Wayne Bixby and some of his men were here last night. Besides trying to kill us both, they took all of the farm animals. Needless to say, it was hours before we could get back to sleep. I didn’t get more than an hour.”
* * *
“Mae, I’m sorry. That’s all the more reason why I need to talk to Scott and have him at my side. I can’t do this alone.”
* * *
“You can’t do what alone? Tell me, please.” Mae was feeling urgent. She didn’t like the direction the conversation was taking.
* * *
“The new sheriff is still not experienced enough to take on the likes of Bixby. With his blessing, I want to temporarily deputize Scott and have him come back to work with us in taking Bixby down.”
* * *
“Well, Scott should be waking up soon.”
* * *
“No, Mae, don’t you understand? This is an emergency. Will you get Scott or should I go up and wake him, myself? I can’t wait for him to roll out of bed. No one can. We need his help. Now.”
* * *
Mae considered that she was still caught up in the events of the night before. She patted Ephraim’s arm. “You’re right. I’ll get him now. He won’t want to sleep when all this is going on. He’s usually already out on the farm by now. He won’t be happy about oversleeping but there’s not much to do today but take stock and see what other damage Bixby’s men did to the farm.”
* * *
“I’ve saved you both the trouble. Here I am.” His eyes met Mae’s. She thought she might faint. He’d put a white shirt on and he looked altogether dashing with a curl of black hair fallen over his eye. The moment was tense, she didn’t know exactly what was happening in town, but she knew her husband was the man to handle it.
* * *
“Scott! Thank God you’re here. They’ve taken over the town...Bixby’s men. I’m sorry to bring this to you. Mae told me you were hit last night. Well, today they’re at Donnelly’s. They’ve taken it over. You have to realize that if they could take over the biggest saloon in town, they can eventually take over any business they want. Once that would start, it would be just a matter of time before the gang would have control of the whole town. And that’s what the people are fearing. Lord above, it’s what I’m fearing. I can’t fight Wayne Bixby with a green sheriff and a few deputies. I need you, Scott. Fable Springs needs you.”
* * *
Scott picked up the coffee cup that Mae had set before him and slowly shook his head. “Bentley can handle Bixby. He’s a good sheriff. Sure he’s green and he’ll stay that way if he never gets any experience dealing with a real criminal. I put my faith in him, you should too, Ephraim.”
* * *
“You won’t come in and check out the situation? Talk with Bentley about what’s happening?”
* * *
“I’m not here to step on the toes of the man who took over for me when I could no longer do the job. Bentley had a lot thrown at him. He’s handled things as well as anyone, I reckon.”
* * *
“Please, won’t you think about what I say? This is very bad. It’s not a situation where it might get bad. It’s already gotten that way.” Ephraim gulped down the rest of his coffee. “Mae, thanks for the coffee.” he nodded. “Look, Scott, I have to get back, but think about it, will you?” He was out of the house in a flash and galloping back, the way he’d come, back to town.
* * *
Mae sat next to her husband. The sound of hooves faded away as Ephraim rode off. Mae was thinking of Scott as her husband this morning as opposed to the man who’d married her to save her from a bad situation. They’d gotten closer through their shared fear of losing each other, somehow.
* * *
She placed the flat of her hand on his back. She felt him stiffen ever so slightly. She didn’t care. She rubbed her hand in soft circles on the back of his torso. She could feel the muscles she’d seen the night before. Hastily, she removed her hand. He looked at her briefly.
* * *
“I know you can do it, Scott. Why don’t you help Ephraim and Sheriff Bentley?”
* * *
He stood up with purpose. “Go upstairs, now, and pack a bag. Only bring necessities.”
* * *
“But Scott? Why? Where am I going? What do you have in mind?” She felt a stabbing sense of something akin to fear. Why did he want her to leave?
* * *
“Go and pack. Now, Mae. We’re leaving town right away.”
* * *
“What do you mean, we’re leaving town? You can’t be serious. Scott! Where will we go?”
* * *
He went upstairs and she followed, protesting the entire time.
* * *
“Scott, please. Think about what you’re suggesting.”
* * *
“This is not a suggestion, Mae. We are leaving. You are my wife. You are to accompany me.”
* * *
She took a step back. How was she to respond to that?
* * *
“You cannot turn your back on a town that needs you. I understand that what you went through, what you endure every day, is no easy feat. I understand how shocking it must have been to see the awful man again. But Scott, we can’t just give up. We, you cannot allow them to steal Fable Springs from the residents. From us…You can save Fable Springs.”
“I’d advise you to stop arguing, Mae. Pack your bag and do it fast. I want to be out of here as soon as possible. As it is, we're going to have to dodge Ephraim on our way to the train. I think we might need to drive up to the next town and take the train from there.”
* * *
“What do you have in mind, Scott? Where do you think we’ll go? You just can’t turn your back on everyone you know. You just can’t.”
* * *
“I’m losing patience, Mae. I tried to save Fable Springs once. I failed and people died as a result. On the one hand, I understand what you mean and why you’re saying what you’re saying. But you don’t have all of the facts. Do you understand that? I’m the only one who has all the facts and then some. Actually, it’s Wayne Bixby and me. We are the only ones who know all the facts of the current situation. We both know what’s happening and we both know why it’s happening. And I can’t beat him.”
* * *
“If you’re the only one on the side
of the town who knows everything, you have to at least help. You don’t have to take over. You don’t have to, as you say, step on Sheriff Bentley’s toes.”
* * *
“You don’t know everything, Mae. Okay? There are actually a few things you don’t know everything about and this is one of those things. I’m telling you that we, you and I, are leaving Fable Springs. Now. The Bixby gang has threatened to take over every building in town. They’ve proven their intentions, Bixby’s intentions, by taking over Donnelly’s. It’s the largest, tallest structure in town. In no time they’ll have as many businesses as they want and charge whatever prices they want on everything. But the worst thing they’ll do with their lawlessness is they’ll hold the town residents hostage. And eventually, when the Bixby gang is tired of the game the townsfolk will all be dead or wishing they were.”