“That I’m cursed.”
“It’s not a curse, Henry Antrim.”
“I don’t go by that name anymore.”
“I couldn’t care less,” she said flatly.
“Are you here to kill me?”
She laughed. “No. Not today. I wanted to introduce myself.”
That seemed oddly wrong. “That’s not all.”
“Perceptive. As always.” She walked around Colonel and me, her grace far surpassing any woman I’d ever met. “I smell the hint of a magic signature on him. It’s one of a woman I thought to be dead. Your stallion has either been near a spell of hers or she touched him herself at some point...that intrigues me.”
“When did she die?”
“Not long before I claimed Mary the first time around.”
“That was only five years ago. This horse is older than that. It’s possible she met Colonel in his army days. Besides, if a witch had been near him, don’t you think she’d have healed him?”
This seemed to satisfy her in an odd way; the quizzical mask of confusion she’d worn since I rode up slid away, and she nodded. “You are quite right. She would have. She loved horses, and they loved her.”
A look of nostalgia passed over Scáthach's face, and for a moment, her mind appeared to be in a different time and place. Coming back to the present, she gave me a weak smile and said, “Goodnight, Henry.” Turning, she walked off, stopping near the stable. With a sigh, she uttered only two words, “Oh, Zahara.” They were full of sorrow and longing with an undercoat of bitterness. After that, she disappeared into the night.
I must’ve sat there in the dark for five minutes, my mind playing the whole interaction over and over again until I felt the chill of night working through my attire.
Tapping the metal lever, we entered the stable, and as the doors became a wall again, I unsaddled Colonel and rubbed his muscles down as I sang to him. I ended the regiment with a blanket draped over his back before I eyed the small cot I’d questioned earlier.
“Oh, now I see. It’s the only safe spot to rest.”
For the first time in ages, I removed my gun and cartridge belt without worry. I slid off my trousers and draped my shirt on the chair before laying down for the deepest night of sleep I’d had in years.
Thunder boomed, waking me slightly as the walls shook. It wasn’t until Colonel stomped about, whinnying loudly, that I was fully awake. Quickly, I was up and across the small room to him.
“Shh...it’s okay, it’s thunder. You’re safe.”
He was having none of it when thunder clapped so loud it made me jump. He was now scared enough that I worried about him destroying the stall. Because of this, I intentionally shoved energy through my hands into him, wishing he’d be calm and feel safe. Immediately he became quiet and nuzzled my arm. I breathed a sigh of relief.
“Must be hard not bein’ able to see what the noise is, huh, big guy?”
After fumbling about for a bit, I found the matches and lit the oil lamp on the desk. Grabbing the brush by the stall, I began to work on Colonel’s mane as more thunder crashed outside as rain hit the roof with a diligence that renewed one’s healthy fear of Mother Nature.
“Shh...nothing to worry ‘bout. I’m right here.”
Looking at his big eyes as they tried to look around, my heart hurt. He was such a beautiful animal, easily the best horse I’d ever ridden, and if he’d been taken care of properly by the military, he’d not be blind.
Scáthach’s words about me being able to heal him resounded in my mind as lightning and thunder played their troublesome song outside. I rushed to lay my hand on his neck in case he freaked out, but he appeared fine, and that’s when I had an idea. If the soul energy could heal my wounds, and I could push some of that into Colonel, could I heal him? It was worth a shot.
Setting the brush down, I fetched an apple from the box and came to face to face with the stallion. “I’m gonna try something. Eat this and let’s see if you’ll let me touch your eyes.”
I palmed the apple to his nose. Without hesitation, he took it from me, crunching it with a profound satisfaction. As he did, I reached up and placed a hand on one of his eyes. Closing my own, I focused energy into my palms like when I’d wanted to calm him, except this time I pushed harder and with intent to heal. A stinging sensation of extreme heat lit my palm on fire and gave Colonel a jolt.
“I’m tryin’ to help you. Stay still,” I said.
He did as I asked, and I pictured dark eyes of an amber brown, clear and healthy. With one last shove, the sky boomed again, and I pulled my hand away.
Colonel stepped back, blinking his eyes and shaking his mane. When he stopped, he turned his head, and the left eye looked at me for the first time.
I waved once and smiled. “Hey there. Can you see me?”
Colonel began to dance about in his stall, and I think if he’d been outside, he’d have kicked and leapt about with joy.
“Well, I’ll be...that’s what she meant. Let me see your right eye.”
I followed the same process, and though it burned like hell, when I’d finished, Colonel’s whiskey brown eyes could see. I was as excited as he was, if not more so, and whooped and hollered in joy, dancing around the room. “Oh, how I wish John was here to see this. He’d be so happy.”
Remembering the safe, I went and opened the spot on the floor. Touching the stallion’s neck, I said, “Colonel, John says you have the combination.”
The horse’s head moved up and down, and he pawed the ground with his hoof five times. Not waiting a lick, I ran to sit by the safe. “Five,” I said and turned the combination lock three times past the five.
Colonel pounded the ground ten times, and I moved the dial to ten. Then he tapped for a while. I counted twenty-five and finished the sequence. Turning the handle, it clicked and opened.
“Well done, Colonel!” Inside were many things. I brought them all over to the desk and laid them out. “Well, here’s the letter to his father, one to his sister, and one to an office in London.” I picked up a book and unwrapped the leather strap that wound about it. Opening it, I found the missing ledger that Rob had talked about. Looking through it, I read notes regarding both businesses: the store and with the Regulators.
Not far in, I found a note that simply said, “Billy, if you find this and cannot hand it to my father personally, burn it.”
“Well, that seems drastic.”
After cataloging all the items, I put them all back, locking them safely away, and went back to bed. Tomorrow I would leave the Ellis Store and meet back up with the Regulators.
March, 1949
Thankfully the Ellis Store still stood. I didn’t drive on back to it, for it was enough just to see her and the stable where I’d met Colonel still stood. Turning around, I headed west on Hwy 380 through Capitan to the new sheriff’s office located in the new county seat of Carrizozo. It was a much nicer building than the sheriff had in my day...of course, anything with indoor plumbing and electricity is a nicer building to back then, but still...definitely in better shape.
Parking my car, I headed on into the two-story, rectangular adobe building and walked up to a long counter.
“Can I help you?”
I turned to see a woman in a skirt suit approaching. I pulled the American credentials given to those who worked for the MI-4 division of SIS and handed them to her. “Hi, my name is Agent William Kidwell. I have an appointment with Sheriff Sally Ortiz.”
The woman looked at me, then my badge, and checked her books. “I see you listed here, Agent Kidwell. You’re a bit early. Please have a seat.”
I nodded and took back my identification from her before doing as she suggested. By the time I was called, I’d decided on a course of action to get Sally to tell me the truth. That was, until I was led through a large open room filled with a lot of desks where individuals worked and taken to an office with glass walls between those desks and me.
“Please wait here. The sheriff
will be with you in a moment.”
I tipped my hat to her. “Thank you, ma’am.”
She smiled and left.
Too anxious to sit, I stared out at those watching me. I felt like I was a fish in a bowl and soon sat with my back to those in the bullpen.
“Thank you for waitin’. I’m not normally runnin’ behind, but my two-year old son is sick, and I had to run something home to my wife for him.”
I turned and stared at the man wearing a sheriff’s uniform.
“Sheriff Sally Ortiz?” I asked as I stood, extending my hand.
He took my hand in his and shook it. “Yes, that’d be me.” He paused, and then grinned. “Thought I was a woman because of the nickname, did ya?”
“No,” I lied, letting go.
He laughed and sat behind his desk. Motioning to a chair that faced him, he said, “Sally is a nickname for Salvador. Have a seat, Agent Kidwell.”
Feeling mighty stupid, I sat. “I apologize. I was only given your nickname, so I assumed...I am sincerely sorry.”
Lacing his fingers in front of him, he shook his head slightly. “No need to apologize, Agent. I get it a lot. Now, how can I help you and why is the FBI interested in Lincoln County?”
12
The Medicine Man’s Apprentice
March, 1878
Waking up the next morning, I saddled Colonel and rode him on out and around to the regular stable. While transferring my belongings over from Centauro, the horse I’d arrived on, to Colonel, Dr. Reverend Ealy approached me. He was a pleasant man with a fiery hatred for the Murphes, though I think he disliked them as much for being Catholic as he did for everything else.
“Morning, Billy! What are you doing in town? You shouldn’t be here. Governor Axtel―”
“I know, Reverend, but I needed to come in for a delivery and ended staying a night or two. I’m headin’ outta here in a few minutes.”
“How is Dick’s shoulder?”
This stopped my feet. “Did he let you look at it?”
“He did. It was one simple round wound. He wouldn’t tell me who shot him, but I gave him some salve and told him to keep it clean. It shouldn’t be hurtin’ him anymore at this point.”
“Not that I know of,” I lied. “Just salve, you say?”
“Oh, and that some colloidal silver. It’s not a common item, but it’s a great disinfectant. Truth be told, he asked for it by name, and I happened to have a small jar, so I sold it to him.”
“Does that got real silver in it?”
“Yes, there are small pieces suspended in the liquid, easily absorbed into the body.”
Speaking of pieces, the ones surrounding Dick’s odd behavior began to fit together, and my stomach dropped to my knees. “Thank you, Reverend. I appreciate it. I best get goin’.”
“Please do, and here—” He opened his bag and pulled out a bottle of clear liquid, tiny bits of silver floating about in it. “Here’s a new bottle if he needs it. He paid me for two, so I owe this to him. You’ll be seeing him today?”
I took the bottle reluctantly. “I will be now. In fact, I think I’ll head over there immediately.”
“Thanks so much, I appreciate it. I wasn’t wantin’ to ride out to his ranch, what with all the fightin’ going on.”
I tucked the disinfectant into my pocket. “I can understand. Have no fear, I’m happy to help.”
Isaac walked by with a hearty hello for the Reverend and turned to me. “I see you’re takin’ Colonel with ya.”
“Yes, sir. That’s all right, isn’t it?”
“He’s your horse now, Billy.”
“I mucked out his stall. Please keep an eye on it for me. I may need it from time to time. I also will leave Centauro with you. Use him as you see fit until either I can come get him or send one of the Coes to fetch him.”
“Not a problem.”
I thanked him, hoisted myself up into Colonel’s saddle, and gave his sides a tap. We were off like lightning, even with the loads of silver ammunition in the bags. I was almost off the property when I ran into Ben.
“You left me some, right?” he asked.
“I did. A few boxes.”
He nodded and was about to walk off when I said, “Are you sure you want to be involved in all of this? You’re not a sworn Regulator, you don’t need to—”
“Don’t start soundin’ like my dad, Billy. My friends and family are workin’ with y’all, even if they don’t know the whole truth. That puts me smack dab in the middle of it. Now, how do I get word to you?”
I hemmed and hawed on this, then pulled my tin of toothpicks out, figuring I’d replace it with one of those I’d packed up, and tossed it to him. “Take this. The symbol inside, find it here in Lincoln. The emblem won’t be in an obvious spot. But it should be on or near a hidden compartment. My bet? It’s not far from the Tunstall Store.”
I explained how the one in San Pat looked and worked. “We call it the Regulator Network. Roy works with them. He delivers for us, sends messages and such. Use that to get in touch with me, or if you see him, he can do it. Learn more, and I’ll be in touch with more information.”
Ben nodded. “I’ll let you know what I find out. Where will you be?”
“I’m heading to Brewer’s ranch then to San Pat. Whatever you do, don’t deliver to me at his ranch. Take all correspondence to the San Pat spot I told you about...I’ll go there for messages.”
“Easy enough. Be safe.”
I nodded and snapped the reins. Where I was going was not safe for him, or possibly me either, for that matter, especially if my inclinations were correct. I hoped they weren’t.
Riding up to Brewer’s ranch at the Ruidoso, my mind went back to all the great times we’d had here, both with John and without. Dick had bought the old Horrell brothers’ place and renovated it. Now it was a neat, twenty by forty-foot house with sixteen-inch-thick adobe walls and a new flat roof supported by vigas.
I dismounted and tethered Colonel to the gate as I walked up to the door, which was open. Hesitantly, I leaned in. “Dick?” He wasn’t there, but it was evident why the door was open. It was stuffy inside due to all the days he’d been gone. It didn’t help that the building had no windows. There were portholes, though, in the walls along the ceiling on all four sides of the home, for ventilation and shooting.
There was only one spot he’d be if not in the house and that would be his masterpiece of a barn. Dick had built the first real barn New Mexico had ever seen, complete with a steepled and pitched roof, which was unheard of around here. Flat roofs were the usual due to the snow being so light that it blew right off them. But not Dick’s barn. He wanted it to look like the one he’d grown up with in Wisconsin.
Entering, I kept quiet and listened close for where he could be. Didn’t take long to hear the sound of an ax hitting wood and knew he was out back, chopping firewood for his beehive fireplace. Door open all day, he’d want that tonight for sure.
I quickly glanced around the corner of the building to see Dick taking out some aggression of a serious nature on dead trees. Raising the ax, he came down hard, yelling out along the way, splitting the small log in half. As pieces dropped in opposite directions, he set the ax down and pulled off his sweat-soaked shirt, and with my enhanced vision, I could see the wound as clear as if I were inches from it.
The hole in his shoulder was red and inflamed, puffy even, and appeared as if it would be hot to the touch. It had to hurt like hell, yet here he was, chopping firewood. In fact, as he chopped the next piece, I saw the wound break open and ooze, making him curse.
He reached for a bag that wasn’t far from his feet. In it was a small bottle identical to the one in my pocket. He appeared to be contemplating using the last of it, and I couldn’t let him do that.
“I wouldn’t use that any more if I were you,” I said.
Dick jumped and quickly slid the bottle into the bag. “Shit! Scare the hell outta me, Billy. What are ya doin’ here? Is there news already
?”
“Not necessarily. Unless you count Ben Ellis and I bein’ chased by werewolves night before last, Mrs. McSween killin’ one without blinkin’ an eye, and me hirin’ Ben to help out our new Regulator Network guy who finally showed up.” I leaned against the barn and crossed my arms over my chest. “If you call that news, then yeah, there’s been a few things.”
“Of course that’s news,” he said, eyeing his shirt and keeping his left shoulder turned away from me.
“Got a few more life essences inside me to go with Baker and Morton, meaning my eyesight is rather good. So stop trying to hide the wound. I’ve seen it.”
“Keep your nose...or eyes, rather, out of my business,” he snarked, picking up the axe.
“Did that happen the last night of trainin’? Did you take a bullet? Doesn’t look like a bullet wound.”
“It’s nothin’. I’m puttin’ stuff from the doctor on it. Just leave it be, Billy.”
“Leave it be...right, leave it be. Cause I came all the way out here with another bottle of colloidal silver from the Reverend so I could leave it be.”
Dick’s blue eyes focused hard on mine. “Where is it? I’m almost out.”
“Give it to you on one condition. Tell me, is that a puncture from a wolf’s canine?”
He went still.
“If it is, then the silver is gonna make it hurt more and promote infection, not disinfect it.”
“Just give it to me.”
I stared him down and saw the answer in his eyes.
“No wonder you look and feel like hell. You’re treatin’ a werewolf bite with silver!”
Dick threw the ax farther than I’d have thought capable before turning on me. “What else is there to do?” he screamed. “If silver is the only thing that can kill ‘em, then it’s the only thing that can maybe keep me from losin’ my soul and becomin’ one of the things we hunt and kill.”
The Curse of Billy the Kid: Untold Legends Volume One Page 14