Brides of the West-Part One

by Hestand, Rita

  "Why'd you kiss me?" She asked her brows knitting as she waited for his answer.

  "I wasn't kissing you." He shook his head with a smile as though remembering.

  "What do you call it? It sure felt like a kiss."

  "Something my Pa taught me and my brothers long ago. When someone is drowning, you put your lips on theirs and breathe air into them. Makes them cough up water and breathe." Gil explained. "That is if they aren't already drowned."

  "Oh," the sound she made was such a whisper, and she let out a breath. "It felt like kissing."

  "I know, I never could see much difference either. I liked you…," he admitted. "And I was a bit upset that your Pa was just going to let you drown."

  "Why didn't you say something, if you liked me?"

  "You were twelve, I was fourteen. Too young, Callie…" he explained. "At first I just sorta felt sorry for you and Sam, but that day, when I saw you under there and no one to help you and you came up white as a sheet, with no life in you. I got scared you might die."

  "You were real nice to me back then, brought me some of your Ma's cake, and walked with me to school. Picked flowers for me. The other girls used to tease me…"

  "Couldn't have been any worse than what the boys did to me." He laughed.

  "When did you stop liking me?" She asked almost innocently.

  "Who says I did?" He asked, staring into her eyes now.

  "I do. You turned about sixteen and I hardly ever saw you anymore. I thought it might have something to do with me starting to look like a girl. I was very uncomfortable always dressing like a boy. You see, my Pa didn't like the fact that I was a girl. He had no use for girls. That's why I always dressed like a boy. I thought if I dressed and acted like a boy, he'd like me better. It didn't work. And everyone else thought I was a tomboy. Except…you."

  He took her hand and held it a minute, looping his fingers in hers. "Just so you know…I still like you Callie."

  "At the dance, I thought you just asked me so you could find out about Joe." She admitted. "I was just waiting for you to start in about Joe."

  "I thought so too, but…I enjoyed the dance. In fact, that's the first shindig I've been to since my Pa died." He said, still holding her hand.

  "You haven't had any girlfriends?" She asked curiously.

  "Just you!" He smiled.

  "You're teasing me, again." She scoffed.

  "No I'm not…" He stared into her searching brown eyes.

  Intimidated by his glance, she looked away.

  "Are you hungry?" She asked, not looking straight at him.

  "Yeah, aren't you?"

  "A little…" She went to unpack some of the food. "I'll fix us something…"

  "Thanks."

  "If we run out of food I can go hunting, and berry picking."

  "Am I allowed to go berry picking?" She asked turning to look at him.

  "Maybe, once and a while."

  "Am I to be a prisoner here?"

  "Sorry honey, it's just how it has to be. I didn't bring you up here to watch you get shot. This is my job, Callie, and I know what I am doing. You're in more danger than you know. At this point, we don't know what Joe, or his friends could be capable of doing. And I'm not taking any chances with you getting hurt."

  "Do you really think he'd harm me?" Callie's gaze narrowed on him.

  "I'm not sure. I hope not. Since Lou knows who did it, he will try to catch them. If he does, we have nothing to worry about. But if they find us first, then I've got to do my job. That's why I want you to promise me you won't balk when I tell you to do something."

  "I promise."

  The endearment made her blush so she turned away from him again. In minutes, she had some bacon sandwiches ready and he dug into them.

  "I miss Sam," She said out of the blue.

  "Well, I expect half the town will be seeing after him, since he's the one that brought the money in." Gil laughed. "They are probably treating him like some hero."

  "That will perk him up a bit…" She smiled. "I'd rather they wait to celebrate until after this is all over. I'm fairly sure that Joe wouldn't hurt me, but I can't say the same about Sam."

  "Yeah, that's got me a little worried too. Has Sam been down in the dumps?"

  "Oh yes…ever since Pa left. I half expected Pa to run off once Ma was gone, of course I knew him better than Sam. Pa liked to drink and gamble and Ma wouldn't hear of that. And for a while, he wouldn't go near the saloons but when she was shot and killed, he didn't waste any time. He used her death as an excuse to go. He'd come home drunk most nights. Sam was devastated in the way he changed. He didn't understand the change in Pa. He doesn't talk about it much anymore, but every now and then, I see it in his eyes. That little boy lost look. I've tried to love him enough for both of them, but it's just not the same, and even I know that."

  They ate in silence. Then she started yawning.

  "You can have the bunk, I'll sleep on the floor, I'm getting used to it." He smiled.

  "Maybe we can switch back and forth." She offered.

  "No…you're the lady, you get the bunk. The floor's no worse than sleeping on the ground." He informed her.

  She cleaned the table off and went to lie down.

  He brought her the blankets he'd brought in.

  When he covered her up, she stared him in the eye. "Thanks for what you are doing."

  He tucked her in, and then winked. "Get some rest."

  "Aren't you tired?" She asked.

  "A little, but I want to take a look around first. I've thought about laying some traps out in the front in case they try to sneak up on us." Gil said.

  "Maybe that would be a good idea." Her eyes widened. "Might prevent an all-out shoot-out…"

  "You're worried about that aren't you?" Gil stared at her now, his hand going to smooth her hair back from her face. The act was intimate and her look of shock alerted him that he had to back off again, even though he didn't want to.

  "Get some sleep; I'll be back in a bit."

  "Night." She called as he got his jacket on and went outside. He had a way of making her feel very protected, and very womanly at the same time.

  Chapter Thirteen

  It rained again the day of the funeral and Joe was anxious to find out who took the money. Someone was bound to make a slip and he'd catch them. Money was the only thing left on his mind. Except that niggling in the back of his head. Why did it suddenly bother him that Mr. Dugan and Sally were dead? It didn't figure. He'd never given them a second thought before.

  Deep down he knew…he wasn't a killer!

  He knew now, none of his boys took the money. It didn't seem to be Mr. Dugan, unless he took the money into town, to the bank. But he sounded almost sincere about knowing nothing about his Pa. That only left one other person that might know anything, Callie.

  The more he thought about it, the more he realized she was the only other person that knew, except maybe his Ma. However, his Ma was incapable of doing anything about the money.

  Callie presented a problem. Callie had been like a sister to him. Through the years, they tolerated each other and their common bond was his mother.

  However, neither Callie nor Sam had been around since the day his mother died. That in itself was suspicious. Callie had been around after the robbery though, hearing them boast about their deed, seeing Billy's wound. She knew all about it.

  The more he thought about it, the more it festered on his mind. He didn't want to hurt Callie, but if he had to, he would. The boys wouldn't stand for her taking the money.

  Then it hit him. If she took it, she could have either run off with it, or turned it in. He was sure it tempted her to leave Hard Knocks and find a better place for her and Sam. Deep down he wouldn't blame her for wanting to do so, because that was the common bond they shared, being poor. They both knew what it meant to be dirt poor.

  But he was doing entirely too much thinking. His head was aching.

  When the singing started, it brought t
he reality of his mother's death front and center. A strange kind of pain pierced his heart when he looked at the casket, a plain pine box. His mother was in there. The mother that had cared for him all his life. The only one that really cared at all. It left a lonely mark on his heart.

  The funeral was long and drawn out and he thought the preacher would never shut up.

  Two hours later, the people began to leave. He overheard a couple of ladies mention the fact that Mr. Dugan hadn't shown up. They thought it odd.

  "You know it's been rumored that he was sweet on Virginia for a long time. Even when the engagement was broken. Rena was much more suited for him of course, even if she was an easterner. But I don't know sometimes the way he looked at Virginia, even after he married Rena made me wonder if there wasn't something else between them."

  "Something else?"

  "Well, when he married Rena because it was so expected of him by his family, Virginia up and married Mr. Boggs. However, she never really loved him, I don't think. He was beneath her in many ways. Not at all good enough. And I don't think Mr. Dugan loved Rena, either. I think there was more to their affair than what people might think. It was rumored at the time…that…"

  She saw Joe staring at them and moved away so he couldn't hear them, but the conversation did interest Joe. He didn't like people running his mother down. She was the one good thing in his life, and even he had the good sense to know it.

  Distracted by another well-wisher Joe let the conversation escape him. But someday he and Mrs. Morton would talk about that rumor, he promised himself.

  The Sheriff hadn't attended, he wondered why since Lou made it a practice to come to most funerals in Hard Knocks. It was like a slap in the face for him not to attend.

  "We got to get out of this place," Joe told the boys as they moved closer to the grave and pretended to be heartbroken over his Ma's death. There was only one broken heart at this funeral, and that was Joe's.

  Joe looked down on the gravesite, and for a moment, he felt like a little boy again, watching his mother disappear into the cold hard earth. It choked him to try to talk, so he let the moment pass.

  Although Joe did love his mother, she had gotten too righteous in her old age and unreasonable. Now that they had robbed the bank, it was probably better that she died, he thought. Now they wouldn't have to fight about it.

  Zach Crammer, Mr. Perkins nephew in Hard Knocks came up to Joe before he left. "My Uncle said your Ma could be buried here. That he didn't mind. Penny came to ask about it. Your Ma loved this place and while she was still able, she took great care of it."

  "Oh yeah, Penny said she was gonna ask you." Joe nodded thrusting his hands in his pockets and looking forlorn.

  "Where's your Pa?" Zach frowned, eyeing Joe with mild curiosity.

  Joe glanced at the skeptical look on Zach's face. Zach had run with Joe in his younger days but marrying Molly Wells settled him down. Although Joe knew he still had a wild streak, as he tended to cheat on Molly with a dance hall girl regularly. "Probably hung over somewhere. He took off just after she died."

  "He should have been here. You should have drug him here." Zach told him, his glance cutting into Joe.

  "Nobody tells Pa what to do. He's just too onry. Say, you seen Gil or Lou lately? I thought one of them would be here at least. Never known Lou to miss a funeral in Hard Knocks."

  "No, I heard that Lou was going to send Gil up to Oklahoma territory to collect a prisoner. Up in Indian Territory. Maybe he's already gone, I don't know. Don't keep up with him much."

  "Really, you think Gil can handle it?"

  "Sure, Gil's good with a gun, and he likes his job."

  "What about Lou? I figured he come to Ma's buryin'."

  "Heard he's been trying to catch the ones that robbed the bank. But he usually goes to Nickelville off and on to visit his Ma. She's old and there are no relatives to look after her now. She refuses to move out here, says there's too much dust. I doubt he's got time to worry over funerals right now. The bank's put out a reward too…"

  "How much?"

  "A thousand dollars, I've been told."

  Joe whistled.

  "Funny thing, I ain't seen Callie since Ma died. Nor Sam. Have you?" Joe stared at him trying to keep the sarcasm out of his voice as he spoke.

  "Someone said she was visiting an Aunt pretty regularly. Maybe they went to see her." Zach shrugged.

  "Where does this Aunt live?"

  "Oh, I don't know. I don't see Callie enough to know much; just what I heard is all." Zach chuckled. "You know if you want to know something you ask Josephine at the café. She knows everything."

  "Callie must have gone before she knew Ma died, then?" Joe kept questioning him, hoping he might slip some information.

  "She your girl or something Joe?" Zach asked scrutinizing him.

  "No…no…she just cared a lot about my Ma. I figured she'd be here, that's all."

  "I'm sure when she returns she'll be upset that she missed the funeral." Zach reasoned. "But it seems stranger that your Pa isn't here…"

  "Pa usually gets drunk. He don’t like funerals."

  "None of us like funerals, Joe." Zach said and put his hat back on his head as though frustrated with trying to carry on a conversation with Joe.

  "Well, I loved my Ma, but I don't much care what happens to Pa. I expect I'll be moving on, soon."

  "Moving on, you aren't gonna stay here and work the place?" Zach looked incredulous.

  "Naw…it ain't our place. Figured I'd head out to California…"

  "That's a long ways from home. Well, stop by and see me before you go then, will you?" Zach asked.

  "Sure thing Zach thanks for coming." Joe nodded.

  When he was gone, he looked at the boys. "Notice anyone who wasn't here?"

  They all looked blankly at him. "Mr. Dugan?"

  "Naw…Callie and Sam. They weren't here. As much as she liked Ma and she wasn't here for the burying. I think we should check into that."

  "Say…you're right. We ain't seen her since your Ma died."

  "Peculiar, huh?" Joe asked. "Let's ride, boys. We got things to do."

  ~*~

  Saul and David rode together out to the Dugan ranch while the funeral was going on. That way they could be sure Joe wouldn't show up while they were there.

  The ranch was quiet, there didn't seem to be anyone around.

  The wind picked up and made an eerie sound as it blew the screen door open. No one came to check on the noise. Saul glanced at David.

  "Sure is quiet around here." David remarked his face creased with a frown.

  "Sure is…" Saul murmured. "Get your gun out David. Something's not right here."

  David nodded.

  They went up on the porch and knocked on the door.

  No one answered.

  Saul reached to turn the knob of the door, "Anyone home?" He hollered inside.

  No one answered.

  "Maybe they went to the funeral…he was a good friend of Mrs. Boggs." David remembered.

  A chilling silence sliced the air as they entered the house. "I got a gut feeling about this, David. Just keep your gun handy…" Saul directed as they made their way to the parlor.

  "Oh my God!" Saul hollered and he tried to shield David from seeing Sally lying against the fireplace. With her eyes open.

  David had to see and when he did, he ran to Sally's side. He bent down and brought her up against him. Tears ran down his cheeks and for a long while, he didn't say anything. He just held her. He rocked her against him for a long while, trying to get a grip on his emotions. He didn't ask himself if she was dead, he knew, he just didn't register it.

  Saul found Mr. Dugan slumped against the far wall, a bullet through his heart. "Mr. Dugan is dead too…"

  David laid Sally down and looked away. "I never got to tell her I loved her. Or that I wanted to marry her. She'll never know." His throat ached with the defeat of his loss.

  Saul looked at David and shook his head, h
is confidence renewed by his brother's love. "Yes she will. She's up in heaven right now, hearing your words."

  David glanced up at his brother. "You think so?"

  "I know so."

  He was so shocked he couldn't get up. He sat with his legs out as though he had something between them and stared out the window. A flash of memories made him close his eyes.

  "Why do things like this happen to good people?" David anguish leaked from his voice now.

  "God only knows. But Pa always told us that we better accept death 'cause it was just as much a part of life as anything. And it was for sure and certain." Saul remained steadfast in conviction.

  David chuckled uncontrollably, and then he wiped his face. "He did say that, didn't he?"

  "He did."

  Saul watched him, and when David managed to get up he came toward him, he put his arm around him. "I'm sorry David…"

  "You think Joe did this?" David looked white as a sheet at his brother.

  "Don't know. Mr. Dugan was a rich man and a lot people envied him. That's what comes of being too rich sometimes. You can never be safe from those kinds of people. Come on, we better have a look around…" Saul suggested.

  As they went toward the back of the house they saw the foreman, Pete Miller slumped against the door.

  "We better get hold of Lou, and now…" Saul insisted.

  "The house looks ransacked." David's glance flew around the house as they walked through part of it.

  "It was. If it was Joe, he's looking for the money. I just didn't think he was smart enough to figure out who could have taken the money. Why he thought Dugan did is beyond me. Dugan had plenty of money. Money he earned himself. Money he got from his wife's family too. He didn't need it."

  As they walked down the steps to their horses, David choked up once more. "I was gonna ask her to marry me…"

  Saul hung his head. "I'm so sorry. I didn't know it was that serious between you two."

  "She was so sweet. So kind…I loved her, Saul." David cried and Saul went to take his brother into his comforting arms.

  "We'll get the ones that did this, David. I promise you that…but…we can't bring her back. We've got a lot to do. We'll get the undertaker out here and talk to Lou. Can you hold up that long?"