Soon enough, he let go of the creature, and it bolted away. I followed it as long as Gaax did and then, suddenly, as quickly as the pain and aerial vision had begun, it stopped. I sat and blinked a few times to regain my bearings as Gaax came and sat on my shoulder.
Turning my head to him, I said, “What was that?”
He pecked my forehead.
“Ow! What the hell was that for?”
Quark-quark-quark!
I sighed. “I don’t understand...” I stopped and touched him with my hand. “What was that again?”
This time, as he quarked at me, I understood him saying, “It appears we are connected. I wanted you to see the danger and suddenly you did. The minute the threat was gone, the connection stopped.”
“Can you see from my eye when you do this?”
He bobbed his head up and down.
“I can’t hear Colonel and I healed his eyes.”
“He’s not a magical being, nor has something magical connected the two of you,” Gaax explained. When I didn’t reply, he continued. “I think it is because our right eyes were still connected when in the gray space, so they became permanently linked.”
“Permanently?” I said
Gaax’s head bobbed but he said, “Most likely.”
Dick padded over, and I touched his side with my hand. “Why’d you let it go? Was it a wolf of hers?”
“Yes. He came to collect me.”
“And?”
“I sent him with a message.” He paused, and I waited. “I told him that if she wants me, she can come and get me herself.”
I whistled long and low. “She’s gonna be mad as a March hare.”
The three of us just sat there for a moment.
“Well, we still have a few hours of moonlight, so let’s finish training, specifically this new vision thing.”
“Vision thing?” Dick asked.
I explained, then said, “I can’t go falling over every time it happens. Let’s see how we can use it to our advantage.”
We played with this newfound ability and used it, along with Dick’s nose, to hunt rabbits until we had enough for me to make us all some dinner. However, though it disgusted the human side of him, Dick realized in this form he preferred his meat raw. I tossed him the biggest rabbit and set to skinning and roasting the others. Gaax, on the other hand, shifted until sunrise so he could eat with me in human form.
Learning from his mistakes, Dick slid under a blanket as the sun rose, since the moon would set twelve minutes later. Wanting to see how the reverse happened, I stayed awake to watch his body shift back into a man. This seemed smoother, less painful, and the minute it finished, he fell asleep.
Thankfully, the next night would be a waning gibbous moon, and he’d only have to transform if he couldn’t fight it. Rumor was, even though new, if he stayed focused on something else, he’d be able to stay in human form. For his sake, I hoped that was true.
By the twenty-third, Dick and I had returned to his ranch since he was able to fight the call of the moon and stay in human form when the moon wasn’t full. Gaax didn’t come with us however, instead he flew to fill Zahara in on what had happened. The next day, we saddled up and headed to meet with the Regulators in San Patricio as previously planned.
Half a mile out, Dick brought his horse to a halt. “I’m not so sure this is a good idea.”
I turned Colonel around and brought him up next to Mattie. “What are you talkin’ about?”
He rolled his eyes at me. “Really, Billy? I don’t know, what could I possibly be worried about, hmm...I wonder.”
“That sarcasm is super thick, even for you.”
“Well, if you didn’t ask stupid questions...”
“Dick, they won’t be able to tell you’re a werewolf just by lookin’ at ya. Hell, I’m supposed to be the only one who can do that, and I can’t yet. So, your secret is safe. Just breathe, okay? Now, you start actin’ weird or get that silver glowing-eye-shit goin’ on, then they’ll begin to ask questions. So just relax...and don’t piss off any of the dogs.”
Dick rubbed his face with a groan. “If my eyes start to glow...”
“I’ll double-tap your arm if you’re near me. Stomp twice, somethin’. I promise to help.”
He thought about it for a moment. “All right then. Let’s go.”
“Thank you,” I muttered, and we headed off.
Arriving in town, we found MacNab had returned, but now Doc was gone. Went to spend time with his family and tend to his farm. But the rest met up behind the church to figure out our next plan of action. This is when we learned about George Coe’s run-in with the sheriff.
“He might be primed and ready to join us now,” Henry Brown said. “We could use him.”
“He and Frank told me in no uncertain terms they wanted nothin’ to do with this,” I replied.
Fred lit a smoke. “Word from Uncle Ike is he’ll be at Newcomb’s tomorrow. I say we check in on that again. See if he’s changed his mind.”
“Then that’s what we’ll do,” MacNab said.
Dick looked at him, raising one eyebrow.
“I mean, don’t ya think we should, Dick?”
“Yes, but not all of us. We need to cover more ground. Charlie, Billy, Big Jim, Henry, Middleton, and I will go see what’s goin’ on with George. The rest of ya stay here and look for recruits. MacNab, you’re in charge until I return. Look to the Hispanic community. They sided with Tunstall more than the Anglos, so they’ll likely side with us now.”
“Sure thing,” MacNab said. “What about Doc?”
“We won’t be far from his farm. We’ll snag him on our way back,” Dick said.
“Good. We need all the men we can get,” MacNab said. “You think George will join us?”
“If he does, he’ll be a solid addition to the fight,” Charlie told him.
“Boy, would he ever!” I added.
“And if George comes on board, my bet is Frank will, too,” Charlie added.
Frank Coe, born Benjamin Franklin Coe, was George Coe’s cousin and friend. The two of them had been living and farming this county for a good spell and made a good life for themselves. They kept their noses clean, which is why I was surprised that Sheriff Brady had anything on George at all.
“Charlie’s right,” I told them. “I can tell you this—I’ve been huntin’ with both them boys and there’s no one better for a long shot with a rifle than the Coe cousins. They’re good men and can keep a level head in a fight. They’d be assets for sure.”
Next morning those of us bound for Newcomb Ranch headed off early, arriving at his place around lunchtime. For a man in his late forties, John Newcomb was an agile man with spirit in his step as he answered the door.
“George isn’t here yet, but come on in, boys! It’s good to have some company.”
Newcomb and his wife, Andrea, prepared a hearty lunch for us, and just as we all were sitting to partake, a knock came at the door.
John motioned for his wife to stay seated, stepped up to answer, and in walked a slender man with dark hair, light eyes, a prominent nose, and lips hidden by a full mustache and beard. His kind face was rosy from the wind, and he gave John a smile, but the jovial look that had lived behind his eyes ever since I met him appeared to be missing.
“Well, look what the cat dragged in,” Charlie said, getting up and going over to George, embracing him. “How the hell are ya?”
“Aren’t you all a sight for sore eyes!” George said, hugging him hard.
“Well come on and sit, eat some grub, and tell us what happened,” Charlie said.
“What a fine welcome to raise my spirits,” George said, taking off his riding gloves and sticking them in the pockets of his coat.
I smelled blood at the same moment Dick did, and both of us turned heads to stare at his hands. George noticed and held them out for everyone. Encircling both wrists were rope burns that’d torn at the flesh bad enough that the rings of red still wept, blood staining
his cuffs.
Andrea stood. “I’ll get you some salve for those.”
“Mrs. Newcomb, you don’t need to—”
“I can’t hear you,” she said, turning her back to him and heading off.
I fought a grin. “Ya better take a woman’s help when she offers it, George, or she’ll make ya wish you had.”
Everyone at the table laughed.
“Ain’t that the truth,” George said.
Andrea returned and motioned George over to her. He made a face that made us laugh as he went over. Once she’d cleaned his wounds and wrapped them, he sat down to a plate of food and began to tell us what happened.
“I was workin’ in the field when around three o’clock, I looked up to see my house surrounded by a company of soldiers. A sergeant ran up to me with a request that I come to the house. Of course, I went immediately, findin’ Sheriff Brady and a company of negro soldiers with him.”
“What’d they want?” I asked.
“Well, Brady approached me and said, ‘I suppose you know who I am, Coe.’ Thing is, sure, I’d seen him and knew who he was, but I’d never met the man. Before I could say squat about it though, he goes, ‘I’m the sheriff and a deputy United States Marshal. You may now consider yourself under arrest.’”
Charlie sat his glass of water down so hard some sloshed onto the table. “What the hell for?”
“That’s what I wanted to know. Astonished, I said, ‘Now, Mr. Sheriff, what have I done?’”
“He had a good reason, right?” I offered.
“Hell, no! Bastard just says that no matter what I’ve done, I was going to Lincoln that night. And that’s when I saw Doc.”
“Wait, Scurlock was with the sheriff?” Middleton blurted out.
“Not by his own choice,” George said. “I asked him what he was doin’ as a part of this party, and he told me, ‘Well, I guess I’m goin’ into Lincoln with you tonight.’ Brady then asked me if I had a horse to ride, and I told him that I didn’t, so what does he say? Bastard goes, ‘Well, I’m sorry for you, but you’re goin’ to Lincoln with me, horse or no horse.’”
“How did he expect you to get there? Walk?” Charlie asked.
“That was my fear! I mean, the outlook appeared serious, and I remonstrated, tellin’ him I was all alone with no one to watch the property. I thought he’d give me a chance since I’m no criminal or anythin’. But he was indifferent to my plight and said that my neighbors could take care of my place for me since I was goin’ to Lincoln. Thankfully, we saw my cousin, Ab Saunders, as we rode by his place, and I shouted out at him to look after my stuff until I got back.”
Jim French finally spoke up, going, “Wait, he still hadn’t said why he was takin’ you in?”
“Nope. He did ask if I had a gun, and I had to hand over my newly purchased rifle. She was a beauty! Well-oiled scabbard and well taken care of.” George wiped his mouth and tossed his napkin down. “The bastard took it, handed it to a soldier, and I was an idiot who exclaimed somethin’ about bein’ careful with it. He then says to me that it made no difference about my gun either.”
George rose up from the table and fetched his rifle from where he’d set it. Bringing it back to the table, he said, “Scabbard is gone. Some wretch stole that for sure. The rest looks like this now.” Holding it up, we all could see that it was scarred and crisscrossed with saddle marks. More than one of us let out a low whistle at its state.
Shaking his head in frustrated sorrow, he put it back and returned to the table. “And that’s not even the worst of it. He ordered me to get up behind Scurlock on his little Spanish bronc. Poor thing was havin’ a hard-enough time with Doc, but now had to also try and carry my one-hundred-and-sixty pounds as well?”
“Wait, where’d he sit ya?” I asked.
Newcomb piped up on this. “Behind Doc on the bare low back of the horse.”
Horror of this memory registered on George’s face, the way it does to any man when they remember excruciating pain. “That’d be correct.”
We all winced and groaned with our friend. It was a thirty-five-mile ride to Lincoln from George’s farm, and being cowboys ourselves, we understood better than most the misery of riding behind another man on a lean, little pony without the comfort of a saddle blanket.
“Sadly, it does not stop there. It was rainin’ and dark by the time we reached the big hill about two miles from your place, Dick, and the officers decided to take no chance of Doc and I makin’ a break for freedom in the dark of the night. Brady called a halt and said to the sergeant to tie up the prisoners.”
I set my fork down, for I could no longer eat a thing, my stomach turning about from what George had gone through.
“They used horse hobbles to tie Doc’s and my feet under the horse’s belly. Then they had me wrap my arms around Doc’s waist, binding my hands together with bed-cord. We rode that way in the drizzle, which caused the cords on my wrists to tighten, for three more hours. It was the ride from hell, boys. And I’ll admit, I forgot my pride somewhere between bleedin’ wrists and an achin’ rear end. I turned to a sergeant and asked him to tell Brady I’m bein’ tortured, the cords had to come off my wrists.”
“What did he say?” Charlie asked, his voice an acidic growl.
“What do you think he said? That he was obeyin’ orders and that he couldn’t ask.”
“Sons of bitches!” I blurted out, standing up to pace about.
“I even sent word to Lieutenant Smith, for I know him personally, and it must’ve never gotten to him or he didn’t care, for I stayed tied up until—”
“Until they reached here,” Newcomb said.
“By then, I won’t lie, I was cryin’ aloud in pain. Seein’ this, Brady finally softened and asked John to give me a bed, supper, and breakfast and charge it to the county.”
Newcomb stood now, too, and selected two more logs for the fire. “I got in Brady’s face and gave him a verbal lashin’ about how I’d never seen George so badly in need of a little consideration and help...and that I’d not charge anyone anythin’ for lookin’ after a friend and neighbor. The nerve of that man...” He tossed the logs into the fireplace, sparks shootin’ out like an extension of his anger.
“You’re a good man, John,” George said. “You made sure the rest of the way I had a horse and a saddle. Thank you. I promised you I’d return him and that’s why I’m here today.”
“As if helpin’ find Tunstall and bringin’ him back to town for a proper burial wasn’t enough to upset The House, you did this, too?” Big Jim said, breaking his silence. “You must not fear the law of this county much.”
“He’s not the law; he just wears a badge,” Newcomb grumbled as he sat back down.
“Truer words were ne’er spoken,” I said.
“Well, if there’s ever anything we can do for you, John, all you have to do is ask,” Dick said.
Newcomb replied by just giving Brewer a nod.
“So, what was the charge, George?” I asked.
“Well, when we got in front of the Justice of Peace, it was stated that Doc and me were harborin’ murderers. They placed us under a bond of a thousand dollars each, and we were told to appear at the fall term of court.”
“A thousand dollars! Are they crazy? Where was you gonna get that?” Middleton exclaimed.
“And that’s not countin’ the bail money. I went down to Isaac Ellis’ store with the bailiff and poor Isaac, I unloaded all my anger at him. Poor man, he just stood there and let me spit bitter venom about revenge. I told him if he’d let me have a Winchester and a hundred cartridges that he won’t need to go post bail for me, I’ll just sell out and kill ‘em all. It would cost me my life, but I’d have done it, boys.”
“I don’t blame ya, George!” I said.
“What did Uncle Ike say?” Charlie asked, usin’ our nickname for Isaac Ellis.
“You know Isaac...he was the voice of reason for me. He was all, ‘my boy, I know just how you feel, but you mustn’t do it.
I can’t let you throw your life away or get into a shootin’ scrape either. I’ll pay your bail and you go on back to your ranch. This’ll all wear off in a few days.’
“I tell you, I was blind with rage. If I’d not loved and respected Uncle Ike for so many years, his words wouldn’t have carried any weight, but they did. Finally, he made me agree not to go kill them bastards right then and there.”
“Can’t say I’d have had the same restraint, George,” I said. “No way in hell.”
“I told him he’d been a father to me for years and that I’d take his advice. But he was dead wrong on one score. There won’t be any wearing-off with me. This affair has been rubbed into my very bones, and it’s there to stay.”
All the Regulators at the table made noises of agreement.
“Either way, he accompanied me to the Justice’s office to pay bail and get my gun. When I asked for it, well, you saw what they gave me back. If Uncle Ike hadn’t held me back, there wouldn’t have been no sheriff on duty today. So, boys, I’m with you now no matter what comes. The first hard day’s work I do, I am goin’ to get that bunch at Lincoln.”
It was silent for a moment, and I sat on a stool by the fire. Quietly, I said, “They’ve killed Tunstall, the first man to treat me as one myself, and they’ve darn near killed George, one of my best friends.” I pulled my ivory-handled pistol and laid it on my lap. “George, I’ll bet you my pistol against five cents that I’ll get even with that outfit before you do.”
George laughed. “All right, Billy, I’ll just call your hand on that.”
Dick took that moment to make the pitch. “George, we want you to join us. You’re the best rifle shot in the county!”
“I can’t go with you now. I’ve got to walk back home and do somethin’ with my stuff first.”
“Walk?” I said. “No need for that. Tunstall has a lot of horses at Brewer’s, which ain’t far from here. We’ll go fetch you a mount for your journey home. When you’re ready to join us, you send word.”
“Thank you, Billy. I will.”
The Curse of Billy the Kid: Untold Legends Volume One Page 20