Last Breath (A Gideon Johann Western Book 5)

by Duane Boehm

  Sizing up the place, Gideon decided that Junction City didn’t look like much of a town as he and Finnie rode into the village in the afternoon. A saloon, hotel, and a couple of stores made up the main street. Two men walked down the boardwalk, but nothing else stirred in the town.

  He and Finnie tied their horses in front of the saloon and walked through the door. The place looked cleaner than most saloons Gideon had frequented in the past and didn’t reek of smoke and stale beer. A bartender stood ready to serve and four customers lounged at the bar not paying any attention to the new arrivals.

  “I recognize two of those men. They used to be miners at Animas City,” Finnie said as they stood at the entrance and looked around the saloon.

  “Were you on good terms with them?” Gideon asked.

  “Sure. Good enough,” Finnie answered.

  “See what they know,” Gideon said.

  Finnie walked up to the two men. “Hey, boys, it’s been awhile. How are you doing?” he asked.

  The two men turned and studied Finnie.

  “Well, if it isn’t Finnie Ford. Look at you. You’ve gone from Animas City’s town drunk to a deputy. You’re moving up in the world. The Red Eye Saloon about went under from the loss of your business,” the nearest man said with sarcasm dripping from his voice.

  “Yeah, Homer, I’ve cleaned myself up. The sheriff and I are tracking a couple of men that raped and slit the throat of a young woman. We know they came through here and we were hoping somebody could provide us some information about them,” Finnie said.

  “Well, at least she got a good screwing before she died,” Homer said and laughed.

  Gideon watch as the bartender and the other three men averted their eyes from the conversation. They appeared to want no part of the exchange. Gideon moved his hand to his revolver. He seethed below the surface and rubbed his fingers together in agitation, but betrayed no expression on his face. The miner would get one more chance to answer the question.

  “Homer, there’s no call to talk like that. She was a fine girl,” Finnie said.

  “Go to hell, you little drunk,” Homer said.

  Gideon drew his Colt and slammed it upside Homer’s head so quickly that the man never had a chance to flinch before being knocked silly. As Homer dropped to the floor, Gideon cocked his revolver and pressed it against the temple of the other miner that Finnie knew.

  “I don’t give a damn which one of you talks, but somebody is going to tell us what we want to know or there won’t be a one of you standing when we’re through,” Gideon warned.

  The bartender turned towards Gideon. “I’ll help you. Just calm down. Homer likes to run his mouth after he drinks a couple of whiskeys. The two men were in here. They rode in this morning and had baths and breakfast at the hotel. Later on, they came in here and had a drink before leaving maybe three hours ago. I recognized one of them as Charlie Reilly. He called the other one Sal. They were talking about Mexico,” he said.

  “Thank you. Give us two beers, please,” Gideon said.

  “Don’t you think we need to go?” Finnie asked.

  “One beer won’t change much,” Gideon said. “We’ll get them.”

  Gideon tipped the bartender generously and talked with him as they sipped their beers. By the time they had nearly finished their brews, Homer was sitting up but still on the floor. All the fight had been knocked out of him and he did not speak, but continued to rub his head. Gideon tipped his mug towards Homer as if toasting the former miner and then drank his last swallow.

  Outside of the saloon, Gideon said, “We need to get some supplies. This might take some time before we catch them.”

  After purchasing salt pork, jerky, and hardtack, they picked up the trail outside of the town.

  “Don’t you find it odd that they took the time for baths and such? I wonder if they think we’ve given up on catching them,” Finnie said.

  “I thought of that too. Maybe this is all a game to Charlie and that is his way of taunting us,” Gideon said.

  “Could turn out to be a deadly game he’s playing,” Finnie said.

  “Oh, it’s going to be deadly alright. I guess your old miner friends don’t remember you as fondly as you thought,” Gideon teased, wanting to change the subject.

  “Apparently not. I was a happy drunk. Seems like old Homer just had a hair up his ass,” Finnie said.

  “And a lump up side his head,” Gideon said.

  “You could be a granddaddy by now,” Finnie said.

  “No, Joann wouldn’t do that. She’ll wait until I get back,” Gideon said.

  “Well, listen to you. I guess the world stops for the convenience of Gideon Johann. I think the baby might have more to say about the matter than Joann does. And your grandbaby might not be all that impressed with the legend of Gideon Johann. She might just think you’re the sweet old guy that spoils her,” Finnie said.

  Gideon grinned at Finnie. “Could be. I kind of wish it would be a girl, but I’m just sure it’s a boy,” he said.

  “You can be an unbearable man. You don’t know whether it’s a boy or girl any more than I do. You have half a chance of being right,” Finnie said.

  After riding for a few minutes, Gideon remarked, “It’s a long ways to Mexico.”

  “Well, let’s hope we catch them before they get that far. I have no desire to sit on a horse all the way down there,” Finnie said.

  They rode for a couple of hours without much conversation. The farther they traveled the more brown and barren the land became. Hills dotted the landscape that looked as bare as a baby’s butt. The air heated up and the horses were in a lather by the time they came upon a small creek.

  “They’re riding straight southwest. We’ll rest the horses and continue after dark. I’m going to find those bastards,” Gideon said.

  “I hope you’re right. This place has to be what hell looks like,” Finnie said as he bent over to fill his canteen.

  Chapter 11

  Sunlight had barely found its way to the streets of Last Stand when Blackie entered the doctor’s office. Doc stood at the stove staring impatiently at the coffee pot as if he could will the water to boil. He turned his head to see the source of the sound of the door shutting.

  “Blackie, you’re mighty early. Is something wrong?” Doc asked.

  “I don’t consider myself a sissy, but my arm hurts. I didn’t get any sleep last night,” Blackie said.

  “Did you take the two spoonfuls of laudanum before bed like I prescribed?” Doc inquired.

  “No, sir. I’ve heard tales of people getting addicted to that stuff and turning crazy like a rabid dog,” Blackie said.

  “Good God, Blackie. Don’t you think I know what I’m doing? As long as you stick to what I prescribed, you’ll be fine. You need your rest for your arm to heal properly. That bone injury will cause deep pain. Now sit down and let me have a look,” Doc admonished.

  “Okay, okay, I’ll try it tonight,” Blackie said as he hopped up onto the table.

  Doc removed the bandage and examined the wound. The tissue looked nice and pink and had begun to heal. “The arm looks good. Just keep using it as much as possible without overdoing things,” he said as he retrieved a new bandage.

  “Do you think I could use my arm for holding tongs so I could hammer?” Blackie asked.

  “I’d wait a couple more days. All that jarring may tear things open,” Doc answered.

  “Are you ready for me to hitch up the buckboard?” Blackie asked as he stood.

  “Yes, I’ll come with you in case you need some help,” Doc said.

  “I can’t imagine those city folks riding in a buckboard. Does your family know what you have in store for them?” Blackie asked.

  “Not yet. The kids will think it’s an adventure. We’ll have fun,” Doc said as he followed the blacksmith out the door.

  After helping Blackie hitch the horses, Doc took the wagon to the feed store and borrowed some sacks of feed for the children to sit on.
By the time he pulled the wagon up in front of his office, John and his family stood on the sidewalk waiting for him. To his surprise, all of the family except for Kate dressed in trousers and work shirts. They could have passed for any of the ranch families in Last Stand.

  “You’ll all be wearing spurs before you know it,” Doc said as the family climbed into the wagon.

  They rode a mile west out of town to where the vistas came into view. John excitedly pointed out the mountain ranges and the children stood up in the back of the wagon, enthralled with the landscape. Doc noticed that Kate sat unusually silent.

  “Kate, you’re awfully quiet. Don’t you enjoy the scenery?” Doc asked.

  “To tell you the truth, Doc, I’m kind of nervous. Between John getting shot and the bank robbery, it makes me think that somebody is liable to jump out of nowhere and shoot us. And Gideon and Finnie being gone and leaving no law around bothers me too,” Kate said.

  “Sometimes bad things do happen out here, but bad things happen back in Boston all the time too. It’s just that Boston is so big that it doesn’t seem as personal as it does in a little town. There are a lot of things about Last Stand that are much safer than where you live. You can walk anywhere in town and not worry about getting mugged or pickpocketed and the people are pretty darned friendly too,” Doc said.

  Kate smiled for the first time since leaving town. “I suppose you are correct,” she said.

  “Of course, I’m right,” Doc said with a chuckle. “Wisdom is old age’s saving grace. Now enjoy this land. This is God’s country.”

  Doc followed the roads that worked their way in an arc to the north. They traveled at a leisurely pace, stopping often to view the mountains or a stream with water so blue as to amaze the children. John spied five elk sunning on a mountainside. He patiently had to point them out until each member of his family finally spotted the animals. As the road curved back to the southeast, Zack and Joann’s cabin came into view.

  Arrangements had already been made for Doc to make a call on the new baby. With Joann’s blessing, Sarah and Abby had conspired to prepare a feast of elk meat for John. He had been promised the meal on his previous visit, but the dinner had never come to fruition. When the family pulled up to the Barlow homestead, both Sarah and Abby’s buckboards were out front. Ethan, Zack, and Benjamin sat on the front porch.

  “Looks like there’s a crowd,” Kate noted.

  “Everybody is excited to meet you and your family,” Doc said as he climbed down from the wagon and retrieved his doctor’s bag.

  Ethan and Zack walked down the steps and shook John’s hand. John introduced his family before Zack ushered them into the cabin where introductions were again made. Sarah and Abby cooked while Joann walked the fussy baby. Tess had spent most of the night crying and Joann looked exhausted and at her wits’ end. Kate gladly relieved the young mother of her child and began walking the room.

  “I can never get enough of babies. Fussy or not, I love holding them,” Kate said.

  Joann sat down in a chair and looked as if she melted into her seat. “I’m so tired,” she said.

  “You don’t need all this company. We shouldn’t stay,” Kate said.

  Sarah turned from the stove. “Doc and I promised John a home–cooked elk steak and the meal will be ready shortly. Joann could use the support,” she said.

  Abby pulled Doc aside in a corner.

  “Joann’s milk hasn’t come in good. Tess wasn’t getting enough to eat so I’ve been bringing cow milk. I think it’s made her colicky,” Abby told the doctor.

  “I plan to have a look at her and Joann,” Doc said.

  “I need to go help Sarah,” Abby said.

  Doc took the baby from Kate and motioned for Joann to follow him to the bedroom. He laid the baby on the bed and began examining her.

  “So how are you feeling?” he asked Joann.

  “I’m tired. We haven’t gotten much sleep around here the last couple of days. Tess has me worried. What if my milk doesn’t come in and she can’t take cow’s milk?” she asked.

  “Your milk will come. The baby came early ahead of her food supply. Zack will just have to get a goat. Their milk is easier on babies,” Doc said.

  “Do you think she’s alright?” Joann asked.

  “She’s colicky for sure and on the thin side, but I think she’ll be fine. We’ll put that husband of yours to work after we eat and I expect in a couple more days you’ll be supplying all the milk the baby could want,” Doc said.

  Doc listened to the baby’s heart and pronounced it strong. He then examined Joann and questioned her more about her condition since the birth.

  “I’m just tired from lack of sleep. I can cry at the drop of a hat and I’m so worried that Tess isn’t getting enough to eat. I’m afraid she’ll be stunted,” Joann confessed.

  “She’d have to get so much skinner than she is to stunt her growth. Quit wasting your time thinking about that. We won’t let it happen. You need to try to get your rest. Your body is going through a lot of changes and first time mothers worry too much. Everything will be fine. I promise,” Doc assured her.

  Satisfied with both exams, Doc escorted Joann and Tess to the front of the house.

  “You’re right on time,” Sarah announced.

  Ethan gave the blessing. The children sat on the floor and the adults crowded around the table. Kate warily examined the meat on her plate, trying her best to conceal her doubts about eating wild meat. She watched as her husband grabbed his fork and knife and attacked the steak with gusto.

  “This is way better than the elk I had at the hotel. Sarah and Abby, you did a fine job,” John proclaimed.

  Kate took her first tentative bite. She chewed the meat methodically as she judged the taste. To her surprise, the meat tasted a lot like beef but a little sweeter. The wild gamey taste that she had always heard others talk about was not present. She smiled at Sarah and Abby. “You two might make ranchers out of us yet,” she said.

  For the rest of the meal, the conversations bounced between life out west and in Boston. Any reservations Kate felt about fitting in with the rancher wives soon faded from her memory as she found herself engaged in conversations as if she had known them all her life. Even Joann, at her young age, had a spirit and feistiness that Kate found admirable.

  As they finished the meal, Doc said, “Zack, you need to head to the Kramer homestead and see if Pell will sell or let you borrow a goat. Tess needs goat milk.”

  Zack looked around the room and found everybody looking back at him. Doc’s orders had caught the new father off–guard and he felt like a boy again. He noticed Henry sitting on the floor with the children. The young man didn’t fit in with the young ones and the table had been too crowded to sit with the adults. “Henry, I can saddle two horses if you would like to ride with me,” he said.

  “Really?” Henry said.

  “Sure,” Zack answered.

  “But I’ve never ridden a horse,” Henry said.

  “The worst thing that can happen is that you break your neck and your grandpa can fix just about anything. And if he can’t fix it, I’m sure he can at least boss you around and tell you what you need to do,” Zack said and grinned at the doctor.

  John said, “Go with him. It’ll be a good experience for you.”

  Henry followed Zack out of the cabin and watched as the horses were saddled. Zack gave him a brief lesson on riding and showed him how to use the reins properly. The young man swung himself into the saddle as if he had been riding his whole life, but then froze as the horse started walking.

  “What do I do? What do I do?” Henry asked nervously.

  “Pull the reins back lightly and say whoa. Just relax. That’s a gentle horse. He’s not going to hurt you,” Zack told him.

  Riding in the yard, Henry worked with the horse until he felt confident that he could control the animal. The longer he rode the more his stiff posture began to relax. He finally smiled and said, “Let’s go. I think I
got the hang of it.”

  By the time the two men rode away, the other adults had enough of kids in the house. Benjamin, Winnie, Rose, and Tad were ordered outdoors, leaving Chance crying for his sister.

  As they walked out the door, Ethan said, “Benjamin, make sure to keep Tad away from the well. He’s not old enough to know better.”

  Winnie was enthralled with Rose. Doc’s granddaughter was just enough older, and with her Boston accent and citified ways, she seemed worldly to Winnie. Even more exciting was the fact that Rose seemed to really like her too. The two walked around the homestead talking like long lost friends while Benjamin followed and kept an eye on Tad.

  They made their way to the stream where the water pooled. Winnie taught Rose how to skip flat rocks across the water. Benjamin joined the competition to see who could skip a rock the farthest.

  Tad played along the water’s edge and stepped on an algae covered rock. The slick slime caused his feet to slip out from under him and he fell head first into the pool. The water was over his head and he went completely under the surface.

  Benjamin yanked his boots off and dove into the water. The clear water made spotting the child easy. He grabbed Tad under the arms and shot to the surface. The little boy coughed and cried all at the same time and acted hysterical. Benjamin recollected doing nearly the exact same thing when he was about Tad’s age. His father had dove in and instead of rushing out of the water or getting mad, he had played in the water with Benjamin until the fear disappeared.

  “Tad, you’re okay. Look, this is fun,” Benjamin soothed as he started walking the child around in the pool.

  The child quit crying, but continued to wrap his arms around Benjamin’s neck in a death grip.

  Winnie and Rose watched the rescue with admiration. Winnie already knew that she would marry Benjamin someday and she swelled with pride at his bravery. She also desperately wanted to get in the water too.

  “Let’s get in with them. We can say we were helping to show Tad that there is nothing to be scared about,” Winnie said.