Last Breath (A Gideon Johann Western Book 5)

by Duane Boehm

  They hitched their horses at the railyard and walked into the rail office. Gideon found the same livestock clerk that he had dealt with in the past sitting at his desk. Gideon rubbed his hands together to help suppress the urge to walk up and bounce the railroad employee’s nose off the desk until the clerk’s condescending attitude had bled away.

  “Can I help you?” the clerk asked.

  “I’m tracking a herd of cattle that were stolen and brought here. I believe there was about a hundred head brought here in the last three days. Three men were driving them,” Gideon said.

  “We’ve had cattle brought in, but that’s about as much as I can tell you,” the clerk said.

  “Can I have the names of men that had cattle shipped?” Gideon asked.

  “The Denver and Rio Grande Railroad is not in the habit of sharing business transactions with the law without a warrant. I’m sorry that I cannot help you, but I’m just following company policy,” the clerk said.

  “You should come visit Last Stand sometime. I’d love to show you around,” Gideon said before spinning around and walking out the door.

  Gideon and Finnie walked around the railyard until they saw the rail detective limping across the tracks towards them. He was dressed in his ever–present overcoat that he wore no matter the weather and a bowler hat shoved down to his eyebrows.

  “I see that the Yankees from Last Stand are snooping around again,” the detective said.

  “I have a herd of stolen cattle that ended up here. Did you see a herd of about a hundred come in in the last three days?” Gideon asked.

  “I see cattle all the time. How am I supposed to tell the stolen ones from the others? If you Union boys can do that, well, then you’re smarter than me,” the detective said.

  “You know that war ended seventeen years ago. Don’t you think that it’s time to let it go?” Gideon asked.

  “Not if you saw what you did to my home and my way of life,” the detective answered.

  “We were all just following orders. I try not to think about those days. Can you provide me any information?” Gideon said, trying not to antagonize the detective.

  “Do you know for a fact that they came here?” the detective asked.

  “We tracked them until about a mile from Alamosa and then all the newer cattle tracks wiped them out, but I feel certain they came here,” Gideon said.

  “That’s too bad. I guess no judge will give you a warrant based on what you think happened,” the detective said.

  Finnie took a step towards the detective. “Why don’t you give me your best shot? I’d love to have a go at you,” he said.

  The detective leaned down into Finnie’s face. “You boys need to get out of here. I’m the law here,” he said.

  “Come on, Finnie. This is useless,” Gideon said and tugged on his deputy’s arm to get him away.

  They rode to the jail and found the sheriff of Alamosa sitting at his desk. The sheriff stood about Gideon’s height and his chubbiness gave the impression that he was too soft for the job. Gideon had met Sheriff White twice before and came away with the impression that the lawman was an honest man but somewhat overwhelmed with his job.

  “Sheriff Johann, what brings you to town?” Sheriff White asked as a way of a greeting.

  “We had a herd rustled back at Last Stand and I’m pretty sure the cattle were driven to the railyard and shipped, but I can’t get any cooperation down there. I was hoping that you might have some leads on some rustlers,” Gideon said.

  “I got rustlers around here, just no leads on them, and that detective down at the railyard needs a club laid upside his head. I’m afraid I’m not much information and I got my hands full around here. Half the town is mad at me that the two killers got lynched and the other half mad that they felt like that they had to take matters into their own hands. I’m getting telegrams from the governor wondering what’s going on down here. Sorry that I can’t be of more help,” the sheriff said.

  Gideon felt sorry for the sheriff. The poor guy looked as if he was at his wits’ end and Gideon didn’t have any advice for him. Some people were cut out to be sheriff and some weren’t. “Thank you for your time. I hope things get better for you,” he said.

  As they walked out of the jail, Finnie grumbled, “I might as well have stayed in bed all day. I would have got just as much done.”

  “But you would have missed out on the pleasure of my company and a ride out into the country. We’ve had worse days,” Gideon said.

  “Aye, that we have,” Finnie said.

  On the ride home, they stopped at a couple of ranches that sat in view from the road. The ranchers had seen a couple of herds of cattle being driven, but neither could provide any useful information. Gideon and Finnie returned to Last Stand late in the day feeling that the trip had been a waste.

  “What do we do now?” Finnie asked.

  “Somebody will notice that their herd has been stolen before the rustlers have a chance to get away. It’s just a matter of time,” Gideon said.

  “Hope you’re right. I think I should just become a bartender,” Finnie said. “It fits my temperament and I wouldn’t be traveling all day.”

  “I’d bet you’d be more likely to get shot by Mary if you were bartending than by outlaws being a deputy,” Gideon said.

  “I’m too tired to argue with you. My belly is more concerned with getting fed than my mind is with debating you. I’ll see you later,” Finnie said as he rode on to the livery stable and left Gideon in front of the jail.

  Chapter 6

  Doc sat in the saloon nursing a second beer after the lunch crowd had thinned out until only two other patrons remained. He needed to get back to the office in case a patient arrived, but he wanted to talk with Mary. She finished helping Delta clear away the food and plates before walking over to the table and sitting down with the doctor.

  “What’s going on?” Mary asked.

  “Mary, you know that John and his family arrive on the stage at three o’clock today and I’m as nervous as a cat in a rocking chair factory,” Doc said.

  John Hamilton was Doc’s son that had been born out of wedlock while the doctor attended medical school in Boston. The family of John’s mother had been one of the wealthiest in Boston and had used their resources to prevent Doc from ever seeing his child. Doc had eventually given up on ever meeting his son and moved out west. Last fall, John had arrived in Last Stand unannounced and met his father for the first time. The two men had bonded and now John planned to return with his wife and three children.

  “Doc, I’ve seen you worry yourself to death about a patient, but I’ve never known you to get riled up about much of anything else,” she said.

  “This is different. I’ll be sixty–nine years old in a couple of months and meeting John last year was the shock of a lifetime, but I never had time to think about it. I’ve been thinking about this for two months. John understands why I never got to see him. What if Kate and the children don’t? They may hate me,” he said.

  John had kept his identity a secret upon his arrival in Last Stand until he was accidently shot in a barroom fight between two other men. Doc had learned that John was his son as he was about to perform surgery to save his offspring’s life.

  “From what John said, Kate is a strong–willed woman. I doubt she would make the trip if she felt that way. The children are young enough that they will judge you on who you are and not the past. I think you’re getting yourself worked up for nothing,” Mary said.

  “I guess we’re about to find out,” he said before taking a swig of beer.

  “This whole town loves you. Just be your grouchy old self and I’m sure they’ll love you too,” she said with a smile and a pat on Doc’s hand.

  “You know one thing that has always galled me? It’s listening to people talk about their grandkids. I always wonder if their life is so pathetic that grandkids are the only reason they have to live. It seems like a sad state of affairs to me. What if I don�
�t even like these kids? They’ve all had birthdays since John last visited and I sent them money. Nothing like trying to buy some love. Henry is seventeen, Rose is fourteen, and Tad is four. The oldest two will probably be at that age where they don’t like anyone,” Doc said.

  “Doc, I’m about to have my first child so I’m no expert on the subject, but if I were betting, I’d say that’s the least of your concerns. I have a feeling that by the time that they leave, you’ll have a whole new perspective on the subject,” Mary said.

  Doc smiled for the first time. “Maybe you’re right. Worrying won’t change anything anyways. Thank you for our talk. You’re pretty handy to have around,” he said.

  Mary stood and awkwardly bent over using her hands to support her stomach. She kissed the doctor’s cheek. “You’ve been pretty handy to have around a time or two yourself,” she said.

  Drinking the last of his beer in one gulp, Doc shuffled out of the Last Chance and back to his office. He treated two patients before closing his practice at two–thirty and hanging a sign on his door. Looking at himself in the mirror, he grabbed a comb and ran it through his hair before walking down to where the stage arrived. He sat down on the bench, pulled out his pocket watch to check the time, and waited.

  The stage appeared from down the street. Doc could feel his heart thumping in his chest and he felt lightheaded. He couldn’t remember the last time that he’d let himself get so worked up and he tried to focus on the conversation that he had with Mary. As the cloud of dust drifted away from the stopped stage, Doc saw John and he assumed Kate smiling at him. Seeing John dressed in the ranch clothes he had purchased in Last Stand on his previous visit made the doctor smile.

  John jumped out of the coach and helped Kate and the two youngest children down before the oldest son emerged. Doc stood taking in the features of the fine looking family as they gathered themselves. He ran each child’s name through his mind one more time for fear of forgetting it. His son came at him like a bear and embraced him.

  “Father, it is so good to see you again. You’re looking well,” John said before releasing the doctor. “This is Kate, Henry, Rose, and Tad.”

  Before Doc could speak, Kate rushed over and kissed his cheek.

  “I hear that you are not only a fine father, but you come in pretty handy as a doctor as well. I thank you for saving John’s life,” Kate said.

  “I didn’t have much choice in the matter if I wanted to hear the whole story about him,” Doc said with a smile. “It’s good to meet you, Kate.”

  Sizing up the children, Doc could see that the oldest, Henry, stood back and seemed reserved. The boy already stood taller than his father and resembled his grandfather on the maternal side of the family. He would be the difficult one to win over. The younger two seemed bursting at the seams to meet their grandfather.

  “Can we call you Grandpa?” Rose asked. Her excitement caused her to bounce about in front of Doc.

  “I hadn’t thought about that. You can call me whatever you want. It may take me awhile to realize that you’re talking to me. I’ve been called Doc for so long, I’ve about forgot my own name,” Doc said.

  Rose gave Doc a hug around the waist, and Tad, seeing his sister’s actions, grabbed the doctor around the leg. Taken aback by the moment, Doc set his jaw to keep from betraying his feelings. The welcoming proved more than he could have hoped for and he felt himself getting misty and growing sentimental over being a grandfather.

  Doc held his hand out to Henry and they shook.

  “Henry, I’m glad to have the opportunity to meet you. Your father told me a lot about you and I can see now why he is so proud,” Doc said.

  “Thank you, sir. Nice to meet you too. We have all enjoyed the sights on our travel out here,” Henry said a bit stiffly.

  “This is God’s country. It gets into your blood. Last Stand is nothing like Boston, that’s for sure,” Doc said.

  John and Henry grabbed the large luggage and Doc and Kate retrieved a couple of smaller bags before they walked to the hotel.

  After they checked in, Doc said, “So, do you need to rest or would you like to see the town?”

  Realizing that her two younger children needed to expend some energy, Kate said, “Show us around the town. I didn’t ride that train all this way to sit in a hotel.”

  “My pleasure,” Doc said.

  As they walked out of the hotel, Kate hooked her arm into Doc’s arm. The family walked down the sidewalk towards the doctor’s office.

  Kate pointed across the street at the Last Chance. “Is that the saloon where you were shot?’ she asked.

  John grinned. “It was,” he said.

  “I see you told her the whole story. If it’s any consolation, we haven’t had a shooting in there since that night. How is the shoulder feeling?” Doc asked.

  “Fine. It hurts just enough now and then to remind me that I got shot and gives me an excuse to tell the story again. If I had a dollar for every time I’ve told it, I could retire,” John said.

  “With each telling, his injury gets more direr than the last. I expect him to say he died one of these days,” Kate said with a mischievous grin.

  Doc smiled at Kate. He was already starting to like her. “Imagine how I felt. I learned he was my son just before I put him under. I was so beside myself that I didn’t know if I could retrieve the bullet. Thank goodness Mary was there. Her presence helped,” he said.

  “How is Mary?” John asked.

  “You should see her. She’s with child again and she’s going to carry this one,” Doc said, failing to conceal his fondness for the expectant mother–to–be.

  “She must be special. I’ve heard enough about her and all these other western women to be jealous,” Kate said.

  “John and I prefer eastern women,” Doc said.

  Kate laughed. “Good answer. You are charming,” she said.

  Once at the doctor’s office, Doc let the two youngest children listen to their heartbeats with his stethoscope and gave them suckers from his jar. The medical equipment and supplies piqued Henry’s curiosity and he roamed around the room looking at them.

  “Have you treated many gunshot wounds?” Henry asked, his enthusiasm causing him to lose his formality.

  “I’ve treated my fair share. After the war, Last Stand turned into a rough place until Sheriff Fuller cleaned up the town. And I still have more gunshots than I wish I did. People can be evil,” Doc said.

  “I’m sure that it must feel very rewarding to save someone’s life,” Henry said.

  “Do you have an interest in medicine?” Doc asked.

  Henry grinned at his father. “I think I’ve been groomed for a life in banking,” he said.

  “I never said that. I just taught you what I know,” John said.

  “A lifetime lasts too long to do a job that you don’t love,” Doc said. “Let’s go over to the jail.”

  Gideon and Finnie were sitting in their chairs carrying on a lively debate on whether Mary would have a boy or a girl when Doc walked in with his family. The sheriff felt sure that the baby would be a girl while Finnie remained convinced that the child would be a boy. Doc made the introductions. John, having already known the two men, eagerly shook their hands and Henry did the same.

  Finnie walked over to Kate and Rose and took each of them by the hand. “Well, aren’t you two ladies lovely. John always talked about how mean you were, but I can see that you’re much too beautiful for it to be so. I believe you must have some Irish in your blood to be so lovely,” he said in his thickest Irish accent.

  Kate laughed at him. “I’ve been warned about you, but you’re charming nonetheless,” she said.

  “You need to talk to Mary then. His charm wears off pretty quickly once you get to know him,” Gideon deadpanned.

  “I’m just a simple Irishman that appreciates the company of the female persuasion,” Finnie said to laughter.

  Henry stared at Gideon’s revolver. “May I see your gun?” he aske
d.

  Gideon glanced over at John and Kate. John nodded his head. Pulling the weapon from its holster, Gideon unloaded the pistol and handed it to Henry.

  “It’s heavier than I imagined,” Henry said as he carefully looked over the gun.

  “That there is a Colt Frontier. Best revolver they ever made,” Gideon said.

  “Have you ever killed anybody with it?” Henry asked.

  “Henry,” John admonished.

  “It’s okay,” Gideon said before taking a breath and blowing out the air. “I have. It’s nothing I take pleasure in doing. Taking a man’s life is a terrible thing, but sometimes it comes with the job. I hope at my day of reckoning that the good Lord takes things into consideration.”

  Handing the gun back to Gideon, Henry asked, “Do you think there is a chance that I can shoot it before we go back east?”

  “If your ma and pa don’t care, I’m sure we can make that happen,” Gideon said.

  “I get to go first,” John said.

  “Great, my son will be dressing like John and all you other cowboys out here in the west by the time we go back home,” Kate said and smiled.

  “Hey, kids, come back here with me and I’ll lock you in the cell that housed James Cooper. Finnie and I captured him. I also locked my daughter in there one time when she misbehaved,” Gideon said as he led Rose and Tad to the cell room.

  “Did you really lock your daughter in here?” Rose asked as Gideon closed the cell door and locked it.

  “I did until she calmed down some,” Gideon said.

  “We better be good while we are here or Mom will have you locking us up in there. She can get pretty mad sometimes,” Rose announced.

  “Well, moms have to keep law and order around the house,” Gideon said as he let them out.

  Kate walked over to her two youngest children and put a hand on each of their shoulders. “Alright, kids, we need to go to the hotel and clean up before dinner. I’m sure Gideon and Finnie have more important things that they need to do other than entertain us,” she said.