by Linda Bridey
Reckless ignored his father and took the item from Bonnie. It was a bracelet. Keeping hold of his sister with one strong hand, he held up the bracelet with the other and asked, “What is this? Where did you get it?”
Minx looked down, away from his gaze, and said, “Someone gave it to me.”
“Liar! You have been stealing from Joe!”
Minx was so surprised that she looked Reckless full in the face. Her guilty expression said it all.
He Who Runs looked between his children and then said, “Daughter, is this true?”
Minx didn’t answer.
“Answer me!” their father said with a stormy expression. “Is this true?”
Minx sent an angry glance at Reckless and then nodded.
“You little idiot!” Reckless shouted. “Do you know what I must do now?”
“What is my son going to do, husband?” Eagle Woman asked as her dark eyes fastened on her daughter. Fear and dismay showed in her dark eyes.
Reckless shook Minx. That he would handle her roughly bespoke of the intensity of his anger. “I have been deputized! I must take you to jail!”
Minx fought against him. “I cannot go to white man’s jail! You do not have to turn me in! Just tell them that you do not who did it! Please!”
“I cannot and will not lie! I cannot believe you would do this! Why would you steal from our friends?” Reckless asked, as tears gathered in his eyes. He wouldn’t give into them, however. He was ashamed and furious, but he would do his duty.
He Who Runs watched in disbelief as Reckless pulled out a pair of handcuffs from the bag in which Bonnie was carried and put them on Minx. “How do you know it was her?” he asked.
“I tracked her from the window she used to break into Joe’s house. This ferret is trained to follow scent and once in camp, she led me right to Minx,” Reckless said and shook his sister again. Then he rose and hauled her up from the ground. “You have put our tribe in a very bad position, sister. Joe has been interceding on our behalf with the military. Once he learns of this, he could decide to quit doing so or at the very least fire me!”
Minx shouted, “I did it for the tribe! We need to buy steer to have meat for the winter. They are rich and can afford to lose the baubles they flaunt!”
“Hush! Before I take you to the sheriff’s office, I will take you to see our chief and you can tell him what you have done!” Reckless said.
“Father! Mother! You cannot let him do this!” Minx said as tears spilled forth from her eyes.
He Who Runs shook his head and said, “You have done this to yourself and now you must face whatever punishment awaits you.”
“You will not even fight for me?” she protested.
“Fight for a common thief? I think not, daughter,” He Who Runs said. “Reckless, remove her from my sight.” He turned his head away and refused to look at her any longer.
Reckless shoved his sister ahead of him out the flap of the tipi.
*****
Once again, Joe laughed at Eddie’s expense. The foreman fumed as he worked with a precocious filly who didn’t want to go over even a small jump. Eddie tried to calm himself because he knew his mood was being transmitted to the horse, making her even more nervous. He gave up as Joe’s mirth continued.
“Damn it, Joe. Knock it off. You’re throwin’ me off here,” Eddie complained.
Joe tried to stop laughing but couldn’t quite yet. When he did, he said, “I’m sorry, Eddie, but I can’t believe you hired the woman you never paid attention to, who wrote to you and lied about the identity of the person to whom you were writin’. It sounds like something out of a book!” Joe cracked up again.
Eddie couldn’t stay mad at Joe. Not many people could, because most of the time Joe’s joking around wasn’t malicious. He saw the funny side of the situation and laughed a little.
Joe wiped away tears and said, “She’s got to be good for you to hire her. Oh! My gut!”
“She is. Wait until you see it for yourself. If I hadn’t, I wouldn’t believe it. He was like a dog that follows its master around. I can’t figure out what it is with that horse,” Eddie said.
“Me, neither, but I’m glad that we might be able to get some use out of him,” Joe said. “I’ll let you get back to it, Eddie. ‘Bye now.”
Eddie watched Emily come flying down from the house to her father. Joe started a game of tag with her, not letting her catch up to him. She shrieked with laughter and Joe’s joined hers. Then Joe turned around and caught hold of Emily. He swung her up until she could sit on his shoulders and walked back towards the house. Eddie couldn’t make out what they were saying, but their conversation was as lively as always. Eddie grew a little wistful as he saw the loving way father and daughter interacted. He’d like to have children and be close to them the way Joe was with his. The filly under him sidestepped and Eddie gave the horse his full attention again.
*****
All three officers looked up when Reckless entered the sheriff’s office with Minx.
“I have caught the person who has been stealing from the people of Dawson,” the brave said in a formal manner. Though his heart was breaking, he carefully masked it.
None of them moved for several moments and then Jack stood up. “Minx, how could you… are you sure, Reckless?”
Reckless nodded. “Bonnie led me right to her and she found this in Minx’s sleeping robes.” He held up the bracelet. “There may be more in her sleeping robes. I did not take the time to look.”
Rick sighed heavily. “I’m sorry, Reckless.”
Mitch also stood up. “I’ll take her, Reckless.”
“Do not touch me!” Minx said and shrank away from the sheriff.
Reckless propelled her forward towards the back of the office and put her in one of the cells. Mitch followed and gave Reckless a key to take the handcuffs off Minx. Reckless sat her roughly down on the cot and said, “Stay there and do not cause any trouble.”
When he exited the cell, Mitch locked it. Reckless walked back through the office, took off the badge that Rick had given him and looked at it. Looking at Rick he said, “Even had I not been wearing this, I would have turned her in. I am ashamed of what she has done. I will go tell Joe myself as a representative of our family and our tribe.” He sat the badge on Rick’s desk.
Rick said, “No, Reckless, you’ve done enough.”
“I will speak to him,” Reckless insisted and walked out the back door of the office.
Rick sighed. “I certainly didn’t see that coming.” He rose and walked back to Minx’s cell. “Now would be a good time to start talking. Why did you do this?”
Minx just sat silently, a mutinous expression on her pretty face as she looked at Rick with hatred.
“Ok. I’ll give you until tomorrow to change your mind about talking. If you don’t, things are going to get ugly,” Rick said and left Minx alone to stew.
*****
Joe watched Emily and her best buddy Zach Bradbury ride their ponies around the riding ring. As usual, they were arguing up a storm. Joe chuckled and then jumped as Reckless appeared beside him. “Damn it! Why do you always have to scare me?”
Reckless didn’t crack a smile as he normally would have.
“Uh oh. Why do I get the feelin’ that you’re not here with happy news for me?” Joe said.
Reckless sighed, but remained silent for long moments as he watched the kids. Joe didn’t push. He knew from past experience when the Lakota had something important to impart, it was best to let them speak at their own pace.
However, when he couldn’t stand the silence any longer, Joe asked, “What’s goin’ on? You look like you lost your best friend.”
Reckless sighed again and shook his head. “I cannot say it. I am a coward. I cannot say it out loud.”
“Well, you’re gonna have to, Reckless, because I don’t read minds,” Joe said.
“Joe, we found out who the thief is. It is my sister, Minx.”
Joe looked at
Reckless, who closed his eyes and hung his head slightly. He saw that this wasn’t a joke. “Your sister stole from us? Why? I really like Minx. Why on earth would she do that?”
Reckless couldn’t look at Joe as he said, “Because she was going to use it to buy meat for our tribe for the winter. I am so sorry, Joe. I cannot believe she has brought such shame on our tribe.”
“Are things that bad? I’d have gladly given you the money, Reckless,” Joe said. “I’d have bought steer for you.”
“We will be fine. There is plenty of game in the area. I do not believe her reason for doing it. I am only telling you what she said. She had no right to steal at all,” Reckless said. “If you wish to fire me, I understand.”
Joe asked, “Fire you? Why the hell would I fire you?”
Reckless looked Joe in the eye and said, “Perhaps you no longer trust me.”
Joe saw how agonizing this was for Reckless and felt like hugging him, something that few people did. He curbed the impulse. “Reckless, you’re not responsible for your sister’s actions. You’re one of the most trustworthy people I know and this doesn’t change my opinion of you. So, no, I am not firing you. Besides, you’re the only bouncer that I can really count on to keep workin’ for Jake and me. I don’t know why we can’t keep good bouncers.”
Reckless’ mouth curved upwards slightly at the familiar complaint of Joe and Jake’s. “I don’t think Caleb will quit. He likes the job very much,” Reckless said
“That’s good to hear. So where is your sister?” Joe asked.
“Jail.”
Joe hated the thoughts of the teenage girl being locked up in jail, but wasn’t sure what to do about it. “Can’t she be held somewhere else?”
Reckless smiled a little bit again. “Not if you do not want her to escape. She is Lakota and fights well for a girl. She would much rather fight, hunt, and practice with weapons than learn womanly things. She is as good if not better than many braves, too. I do not know how she will find a husband that way, though. Not that it matters now.”
“So what happens now?” Joe asked.
“I do not know,” Reckless said.
“What about your parents? Are they gonna go see her?” Joe asked.
“No. They will not. I will, though. It is too risky for them to come to town.”
Joe chaffed at the constraints placed upon him by his lowly office as mayor. He’d been trying everything he could to keep their tribe from being forced onto a reservation, but there was only so much he could do. “Well, you let me know if there’s anything all y’all need, my very brave brave.”
“Why are you no longer angry about your things being stolen?” Reckless asked.
“Oh, I’m still mad, but more relieved than angry. Better your sister sneakin’ around our house than some other criminal. She might be a thief, but I doubt she’s a killer. Am I right about that?” Joe asked.
“Yes, you are. My sister has never counted any coup,” Reckless replied. “She would have claimed it if she had.”
“That’s what I thought,” Joe said. “Why don’t you stay in camp tonight? Don’t worry about work. Your wife is due any time, right?”
Reckless smiled. “Yes.”
“Go on, then. Get out of here.”
Emily called to Reckless and he waved back at her. The brave said, “How is it that you are such a good father when you have not grown up yourself?”
Joe laughed and said, “It’s a good thing I like you, Sitting Duck.”
Reckless’ head swiveled around quickly at Joe’s use of Rick’s nickname for him.
Joe grinned at him. “When you’re playin poker at three in the morning with a man who’s half-drunk and drugged up on laudanum, things tend to come up.”
Reckless laughed and it did Joe good to hear it because Reckless was among the special people in Joe’s world that he hated seeing sad. He’d liked Reckless as soon as he’d met the brave five years prior. Joe couldn’t believe it had been that long ago. Reckless had only been seventeen when Jake had hired him as a bouncer at the Watering Hole and he’d been with them ever since. He’d watched Reckless grow up and was as proud of the younger man as if he were his little brother.
“You know, I still remember your interview with Jake. You know, when you beat Ben by holding him at arrow point?” Joe said. “I’ll never forget the look on Ben and Jake’s faces. I still tease Ben about it.”
Reckless laughed again. “Yes, that is a good memory. You bet on me to win and you have bet on me ever since.”
“I always will. Oh, wait, I have a confession. I bet on Ben one time, in all the times you fought him and he lost. So it just goes to show that I know a sure bet when I see one,” Joe said, looking up at Reckless. “I remember when I didn’t have to look up to talk to you. You were just this scrawny teenager who could fight like a cougar and take down bigger guys with ease and flair. Now look at you; taller than me and muscles all over the place.”
Reckless said, “Yes, my wife likes my muscles, too.”
“I’m sure she does. That’s how come she’s gonna have a baby. Now get out of here and go home to her,” Joe said.
Reckless’ smiled faded. “I may be taller than you, Joe, but it is I who looks up to you.” So saying, the brave patted Joe’s back and jogged away.
“Aw, hell,” Joe said as tears suddenly gathered in his eyes. “I’m getting to be as bad as Marcus. He cries at everything.”
Chapter Ten
The next morning, Deena rode out to the Dwyer place very early. She wanted to work with Leo and still have enough time to clean up before going into the restaurant. Tying her horse outside the barn, Deena went inside and saw Eddie coming out of a stall.
“’Mornin’, Deena. I wasn’t expectin’ you so early. C’mon up to the house and have some breakfast. I’m late and Joe will have my head if I hold up the meal.”
“Oh, that’s ok. I don’t want to impose any,” Deena said.
“You’re not. All of the employees eat meals up at the house if they want. Some do, some don’t, and you never know who’s gonna show up. Breakfast is at seven and Joe’s always hungry in the morning, so it’s best not to make him wait,” Eddie said. “C’mon or I’ll tell him it’s your fault.”
Deena hurried after Eddie, who was smiling over her surprised expression. Anything to distract him from how good she looked in jeans. He held open the sunroom door, the most direct way to get into the dining room from the barns. She went inside and stopped so fast that Eddie ran into her. The splendor of the room had taken her by surprise.
“Oh! Sorry!” she said. “This room is…” She couldn’t come up with the right words to describe what she saw.
“Yep. Sure is. You get used to it after a while,” Eddie said. “C’mon, Deena!”
Again she played catch up as Eddie held a door open for her. He sure was gentlemanly. She hadn’t realized that the room opened immediately into the dining room. Eddie ran into her again as she made her second sudden stop upon seeing the opulent room and all of the people seated at the large table in it.
“If this is gonna happen all the time, I’m gonna stop openin’ doors for you,” Eddie said, trying to ignore the fact that his hand had accidentally wound up on her rear end. It had felt very nice.
Everyone looked up and greeted Eddie. “Everybody, this is Deena. You probably recognize her from the Grady House, but she’s here to work with Leo.”
Eddie helped seat her right across from Joe and then sat next to her. The people seated there murmured greetings to her as well.
“Welcome, Deena,” Lacey said. “We’re glad to have you aboard. Go ahead and eat. If you’re working with Leo, you’re gonna need your strength.”
Deena smiled as Eddie put pancakes on her plate and passed the platter along. She looked down and then at him. Next came sausage. He put three links on her plate and passed that on, too.
“Why are you filling my plate?” she asked.
Eddie said, “Because you’re not and
the people on down the line are hungry. Plus, I thought you might like bein’ waited on for a change.”
Lacey laughed. “You’ll get used to us around here, Deena. Nothing is sacred, really.”
Randall said, “Unfortunately.”
Deena looked at him. She’d heard about the butler, but had never met him before.
Joe laughed and said, “C’mon, Randy. Where else could you live and have this much fun?”
“England, sir,” Randall said, with humor in his eyes.
“I’d like to go to England with you sometime and have you show us around. Hey, darlin’ that’d be a good honeymoon trip, huh?” Joe said.
“I think that would be quite embarrassing, sir,” Randall said.
“Why should I be embarrassed? Lots of Americans travel abroad, Randy,” Joe said as he cut up a piece of sausage.
“I meant for me, sir. I have quite a bit of family there and being seen with you, well, it just wouldn’t do. If it were just Lacey and the children, it would be fine, but you? I think not,” Randall said.
Everyone around the table laughed, to Deena’s surprise. She thought for sure that Joe would get angry, but he laughed right along with them.
“You know, I blame Rick for your new smart mouth. He’s been a bad influence on you,” Joe groused. “Deena, I want you to show me what you can do with that poor excuse for a horse right after we’re done eatin’. I got some things in town to do. All right, darlin’?”
“Yes, sir,” she said.
Eddie started laughing and everyone joined in, including Joe.
“What’s so funny?” she asked.
“Randall is the only one who calls Joe ‘sir’,” Eddie said.
“Oh. Sorry,” Deena said.
“I can see we’re gonna have to break you in to how things are done around here,” Eddie told her.
“Please don’t call Joe that, Deena. It’ll go to his head and he’ll start expecting it from everyone,” Lacey said.
Immediately Joe reached over and grabbed the back of her neck and tickled her. Lacey squealed and tried to get away from him, but his grip was too strong. He didn’t stop until Lacey squirmed out of her chair onto the floor.