Sunny's Safe Haven (The Red Petticoat Saloon)

by Vanessa Brooks

  “We can’t risk shooting my wife,” Tey interjected.

  Tey began hammering on the door yelling Stephanie’s name and the other two men did the same. They all stopped after a moment or two of yelling and listened, nothing, not a sound could be heard.

  Tey let out the breath he held as he concentrated on listening as did the other two men.

  “So what now?” Gabe asked the deputy.

  “We shoot the lock off,” he replied, drawing his colt.

  “It’s a sturdy lock,” Gabe said, studying it doubtfully.

  “If we fire simultaneously, it should break. We need to shout a warning to anyone inside to stand back. Altogether on a count of three. One, two, three!”

  “STAND BACK!” they shouted in unison, then there was a thunderous crack, as the three guns fired at once.

  Tey pushed the door and it swung inwards. Scamp raced through before he stepped inside, the others followed with their guns still drawn.

  The odd cave room appeared empty but for some roughly made furniture and barrels lining the walls, that, on closer inspection, revealed the stolen raw gold taken from the Merit Mine. Tey counted the barrels assessing the amount of gold stored there; it appeared to add up to the total recorded loss that Tressaire had estimated. Tey walked over to the rough wooden table. He flicked open a small and simple pine box with poker work advertising burned into the lid. Store bought cigarettes—white pimp sticks.

  Scamp was yipping loudly and the deputy ran to see what held the dog’s attention.

  “Tey!” Crawford Slade yelled urgently from somewhere deeper back in the cave recesses. Both he and Gabe hurried into the darkness, Tey carrying the lamp, which he very nearly dropped when he saw Crawford half kneeling, holding a limp Stephanie in his arms. Gabe took the oil lamp away from him, as Tey skidded to his knees beside his wife. She was so pale and she had blood in her pale hair. Scamp washed her face frantically.

  “Steph?” he murmured, cradling her cheek in his palm and pushing the dog away, “Steph, darlin’?”

  “Mm, hmm?” she mumbled. Tey’s head dropped to his chest and he huffed out a breath of relief; she was alive.

  “Let’s move her into the front area and put her on a cot,” Crawford Slade suggested. Tey and he slid their arms under Stephanie, one man either side of her body. They lifted her carefully, attempting to cause her the least discomfit. None of the men knew yet whether she was injured. Scamp trotted beside them, his head lifted, his gaze riveted on his beloved mistress the whole time.

  While Tey and Gabe tended to Stephanie, undoing her bindings and chafing her arms and legs to help get her circulation back into her stiff limbs, the deputy rummaged about in the deeper cave where Stephanie had lain. His strangulated cry brought both his friends running to see what was wrong. They found him staring intensely at the ground where a dark curve of the wall cast deep shadowing across the ground. Gazing at the floor they then too gave gasps of exclamation as they saw the trussed body of poor little Bessie Trotter.

  Tey went back to his wife’s side where Scamp was curled beside her on the cot bed. He helped her drink from his canteen and Gabe moistened his clean handkerchief from his own canteen and bathed the shallow cut upon her head.

  “Right, here’s what I suggest happens now. You both take Stephanie into town and ask the sheriff to send a posse of men to guard and transport the gold down the mountain to the bank. Ask Doc Norwood to come along with Mr. Thurgood to collect poor little Bessie. We’ll need the doc to give us an idea of how she died.”

  “It was Kelly and Brown,” Stephanie croaked, interjecting.

  Tey was hunkered at her side and smoothed his hand gently over her forehead. “They killed Bessie?” he asked.

  “I-I assume so. Kelly tried to rape me, Tey, but Brown hit him with his rifle butt and I thought he was saving me… he-he said he couldn’t kill a woman. But then he told me that he’d just let nature do it for him an’ he tied me up and left me to die in the dark, jus-just like poor Bessie!” She gave a bitter sob and Tey gathered her into his arms to comfort her.

  “Bastard must have killed Bessie by leaving her here to die!” Gabe exclaimed disgustedly.

  “We don’t know that for sure but it sure looks that way. Did Kelly Thurgood kidnap you, darlin,’ or did you go with him willingly? Slade asked her.

  Stephanie’s eyes flashed and she struggled in Tey’s arms attempting to sit up. “NO, I did not! I woke up and there he was, in our room, staring at me. He dragged me out of bed and brought me here. I-I thought he was just a normal man but, Tey, his face… I tell you he is crazy! He was so angry and he wouldn’t listen… he didn’t care that I was married now. He was going to rape me and keep me to-to use me like a whore which, I suppose I am.”

  Tey was filled with pity and fury all wrapped up in a bundle of emotion that threatened to explode from him at any moment. He felt a steadying hand upon his shoulder and looked up gratefully into Gabe’s understanding gaze.

  “Steady, my friend,” he cautioned.

  Stephanie was sobbing bitterly into his shoulder. Tey comforted her and assured her that she had done nothing to deserve Kelly’s treatment. He wondered how he could have been fooled by the lad’s false bravado. He would kill him. A fair fight, one that he knew he would win, his draw was fast, the man wouldn’t stand a chance. He lifted his eyes and found himself staring at Crawford Slade.

  The deputy shook his head shrewdly. “No. You leave this to the law.”

  Tey gave him a curt nod.

  “I mean it, Tey. Leave me to handle Kelly," Slade said, looking grim, “you don’t want to stain your soul for likes of him. He’ll hang, don’t you fret, for the theft of the gold if nothing else.”

  Tey felt Stephanie’s small palm on his cheek as she turned his face toward her. He looked down into her pale face and luminous eyes, his chest tightened with love for her.

  “Promise me that you’ll let the sheriff handle this, Tey,” she begged. He stared down at her; he simply couldn’t make that promise. She whimpered fearfully when he remained stoically silent. Then she took a deep shuddering breath and began speaking urgently to him.

  “Listen to me, Patrick Tey, I thought the Red Petticoat was my safe haven, because you told me it was, but y’know what, mister, it’s you, Patrick Tey, who is my safe haven. It’s not a place it’s a man, my husband, I need you alive! Our future depends on you; do you understand? You have to promise me, Tey… please, please, darlin,’ promise me to leave it…” She stuttered to a halt, breaking down as sobs wracked her throat, her chest heaving. Tey felt tears glaze his eyes at her passionate plea. He pulled her tight against his chest and kissed her temple, shushing her and rocking her reassuringly. When he still wasn’t forth coming with a verbal promise, she began to pummel his shoulders with her fists and scream at him.

  “All right, all right!” He had to raise his voice to be heard over her spiraling hysteria. “I promise, Steph. Steph… I promise you all right? Now calm down, darlin,’ please calm down.” He rocked her until she quieted and wept more calmly in his arms.

  “I love you, I love you,” she repeated over and over again. Scamp frantically licked away her salty tears and whimpered.

  “We need to get her into town. Your wife needs medical attention, she is overwrought and lawd knows what else is ailing her.”

  “Just one question first. Steph, did Kelly smoke pimp sticks, store bought cigarettes?” Tey asked.

  She nodded. “He liked them and used to ask me to bring him the odd one from Pa’s stock. I bought Pa some for Christmas and then again for his birthday the week before I told him about the baby. They are on the table over there. My greeting is written on the inside lid. I guess Kelly must have taken them from Pa.” Stephanie frowned, it just didn’t make sense that Kelly would steal her father’s cigarettes.

  “They are evidence, don’t worry about it now,” Tey said reassuringly as he moved to the table and collected up the box, handing it to Deputy Slade, who lifted the
box lid and read the inscription for himself. His eyes met Tey’s and a world of communication moved between the two men.

  “Come on, fellas, let’s get her outside and onto a horse.” Slade turned toward the cave entrance as he spoke but Tey held up a hand, halting the deputy’s progress.

  “Hang on a dang minute, I’ve just realized that the mine’s only a stone’s throw from here. I can fetch a cart an’ take both Steph and Bessie back down into Culpepper. That leaves you two guarding the gold, if’n you don’t mind, Gabe?”

  “Fine by me,” he confirmed.

  “Very well, but you stay with your wife, Tey, she needs you right now. I’ll ride over to the Merit Mine an’ fetch a wagon.” Crawford Slade set off at once, leaving Gabe and Tey alone with Stephanie.

  After he’d left, Gabe went across to the empty cot on the other side of the cave and began stripping off blankets.

  “What are you doing?” Tey asked curiously.

  “These will do as a shroud of sorts for that poor little girl over there.” Gabe nodded toward the back of the cave where Bessie lay. He withdrew a knife from his boot to cut the dead girl’s bonds. Picking up another Camphene lamp and carrying the blankets to the back of the cave, he disappeared into the shadows.

  Crawford Slade was back in just over an hour with a cart and horses, which he tethered up by the ridge. Tressaire, the mine manager came into the cave with him and greeted Tey. He was courteous and extremely gentle spoken with Stephanie when Tey introduced them. He checked the barrels of gold over and offered to stay with Slade while Gabe helped Tey take the cart down the mountain.

  Stephanie watched silently as the men carried the wrapped form of Bessie outside. They laid her gently in the back of the cart. Without discussion, each man removed his hat and bowed his head as Gabe intoned the Lord’s Prayer. It seemed appropriate somehow.

  While she was alone in the cave, Stephanie bowed her head and said her own prayer for the poor deceased girl.

  It was a solemn group that sat atop the cart, Stephanie sat in the middle of the seat flanked either side by the two men. Scamp alternated between riding with them and running in front of the horses. The only conversation came when they stopped for the night and that was only establishing where they would sleep and light the camp fire. Tressaire had brought basic provisions with him from the mine. Some had been left with him but he had handed Gabe a box containing a roundel of hard cheese, a heel of bread and three apples, which they ate before rolling up into blankets stripped from the cot that Stephanie had been lying on in the cave.

  When they drove slowly into town, people lined the main street to stare; nobody missed the blanket covered form of Bessie laid poignantly within the back of the cart, her small black booted feet sticking out of the tail gate. Men removed their hats and stood silently watching their progress. Before they reached the jail house, however, a woman tore down the road after them. It was Mrs. Trotter crying piteously, “Is it my Bessie… dear God, is that my Bessie?”

  Stephanie dissolved into floods of fresh tears, empathizing with Mrs. Trotter’s obvious anguish. Tey grimly reached out a protective arm hugging her firmly against him, tucking her as close as possible into his side. Stephanie turned her face to his shoulder and wept bitterly.

  Doc Norwood performed a detailed examination of Bessie’s body. He solemnly confirmed that she had been with child at the time of her death. Bessie had died simply and sadly from dehydration. Kelly and Bill Brown, along with Brown’s cousin Todd were arrested for her murder and also charged with hijacking the Merit Mine’s gold. Kelly was also further charged with kidnapping both Bessie and Stephanie. He admitted under questioning that he had ended his affair with Bessie only after she had informed him of her pregnant state. She had followed him out of town and up the mountain in an attempt to convince him to marry her but, once she had witnessed the outlaw’s hidden cave and the stolen gold, he and Brown decided that there was no other choice but to leave her there to die. Brown admitted that he intended leaving Stephanie in the cave to suffer the same fate.

  Kendrick was pulled in and questioned at length after the box of cigarettes was used as evidence of his involvement. He eventually confessed to giving Brown dates and times of gold transfers from the mine in return for cash.

  Kelly, Brown and his cousin Todd were each tried in turn under the circuit Judge Henry Johnson and sentenced to hang. Kendrick was given five years in the Penitentiary. Maisy Brown quietly left town one day without saying a word to anyone. Virtually the entire population of Culpeper Cove turned out to attend Bessie Trotter’s funeral. Although Albert Thurgood’s son Kelly had been the cause of Bessie’s death, he bravely visited the Trotters and made his peace with them and they agreed to him making Bessie’s coffin. Lawrence Black presided and Albert kept a low profile throughout all the proceedings. He himself grieved for his only son but realized that he should have spent more time guiding the lad and less time visiting the saloon after his wife died.

  Tey was retained by the mine as security manager after the successful prosecution of the outlaws and Judge Johnson swore him in as a deputy working for Jeb Justice.

  Stephanie took a while to recover her spirits. It had been a severe blow to hear that her father had been involved with the gold thefts, but she was relieved to know that she hadn’t been a pawn, unwittingly passing the mine’s gold schedule on to Kelly and the outlaws. Eventually, with Tey and her friends’ loving support, she felt well enough to take up her dancing once more.

  After a respectable time passed for grieving, Jewel decided there had been enough doom and gloom hanging over them all. She took Stephanie’s willingness to dance again, as a sign that it was time to lighten the mood and so she organized a Red Petticoat fiesta night, with Gabe and Nettie in charge of organizing the entertainment. The evening turned out to be a huge success both with the gems and their patrons. The delicious Mexican food Nettie prepared was completely devoured by one and all. The gems wore white camisole blouses with slightly shorter than usual colorful Mexican skirts, which swirled prettily above their knees as they danced, enticing more men onto the dance floor than ever before!

  When the Can-can was finally performed towards the end of the evening, the roar of approval from the men in the saloon fairly lifted the roof. While Stephanie danced and rucked up her skirts, waggling her backside at the crowded room, she recalled the day she had danced for Tey just after they were married. With every kick and dip she remembered his searing touch. Her eyes searched through the tobacco hazed room for him, and when they finally settled upon him, she knew from his compelling gaze that he too remembered what had transpired between them on that oh so sultry occasion. His eyes held a promise that had her frilled drawers damp from more than just the exertions of the dance. After Stephanie finished landing in full splits on stage, Tey strode across the room weaving between excitable men who stamped and whooped as they threw their hats up into the air. Tey moved with determined intent. Reaching the stage, he scooped his wife up into his arms, amongst good natured cat calls and whistles from the crowd. He carried her, winding his way through tables of grinning, winking men, until he was outside in the street, whereupon he shifted her weight and flung her up and over his shoulder.

  Stephanie squealed, flailing her legs until a large hand descended upon her rump with a resounding thwack. Gruffly, Tey ordered her to, “Settle down.”

  She hung over his shoulder, her pale locks spilling downward over her head hanging down Tey’s back, covering the self-satisfied grin that spread across Stephanie’s flushed cheeks.

  Her handsome husband carried her off to her father’s house, where they had decided to temporarily reside while their own house was built. Stephanie found that she didn’t much care where they lived now. She no longer needed the safe haven of the Red Petticoat, so long as she was regularly where she felt the most secure, which was with Tey, preferably spread-eagled underneath her husband’s ever loving and protective body.

  The End

 
Vanessa Brooks

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