Kingsley, Texas.
Early in the morning as the sun rose above us, Adder and I rode into Kingsley. It was time for a new chapter in our lives and we needed a place to start over. I dismounted my horse and stretched as I looked around. “Where are we?”
“Kingsley, Texas.”
I looked at him with surprise. “It’s a ghost town...”
“Aye it is... for now. It’s the old Hitchin’ Post valley region. Bunch of us from Amiville are looking to get her back to life again.”
“I want to help,” I nodded. “It’s time to move on, Taurus. I wasn’t welcomed there anymore...”
“Jake and Chels brought me and Logan down yesterday. Aye, I don’t think any of us are.”
“I’m not gonna stay in a town where the one judge tried to sell me off and the other wouldn’t do a damn thing about it.”
“Let the horsemen have the town.”
“And now ya’ll are gone from there... I just... Time to move on with you. Let’s look around?”
“Aye.”
We walked over to the sheriff’s office and I smiled, looking around. “Wow, it’s big!”
“Sheriff’s office needs fixin up, but its going to be good.”
“And there’s even a bed,” I chuckled. “We’ll need that big table we were always talking about..”
“Loads more room than we had back in Amiville.”
“I can bring my comfy chair?” I looked over at him.
“I reckon so.”
“There a saloon?”
“Aye, far end of the street.”
We walked down the street and saw the massive saloon and walked in to look around. “This building is huge... Also bigger...”
“Not bad, is it?”
“No stage...” I noticed.
“Few rooms upstairs for travelers.”
I noticed the piano in the corner and smiled. “Bet I know what thought crossed Logan and Jake’s mind... For those rooms.”
Adder laughed and said, “Callaghan’s looking for somewhere to take a woman back to.”
We walked around and continued to take in the town and then Adder headed off to find Logan and get some work done.
Kansas.
Later in the morning, I rode out to Kansas to see if Hawk was at the village. I saw a Native person approach and stood respectfully.
“Haáahe sister. Please rest.”
“Haahe,” I greeted. “I am a friend of Hawk’s.”
“I am honored to meet you, I am Two,” the woman smiled.
“Detec.... Publ....” I shook my head and reached out to shake her hand. “Trin Paige. Pleasure. I um...” I looked around, unsure of myself.
“Is something wrong?”
“I moved out of my home yesterday... after living there for four months... I was hoping Hawk would be here... He’s always been there for me, in the best and worst of times and I...” I looked down.
“He comes and goes, our Chief... I’m sure he will return.”
“I just feel like I don’t even know who I am anymore... Everything I worked for... all gone.” I rubbed my arm idly and looked around.
“That sounds serious, what happened? Do you need a healer?”
“He just grazed my arm... but another inch or two over and...” I shook my head. “It would have been a lot worse.”
“Who is ‘he’?”
I swallowed and looked around cautiously, knowing he had ears everywhere.
“What troubles you so?” Two frowned.
“I no longer felt safe in my home... in my town... It was time to move on even though I’d worked so hard to build my reputation... And then he came back and started... And I just couldn’t stay there anymore and give him the satisfaction. He turned my friend against me... They killed my best friend...”
“I am sorry for your loss.”
“He threatened me for months then finally Friday... I think it was Friday... He shot me. For things I hadn’t even done. And now... Now I moved away, with the few people that still care about me... perhaps to Kingsley, but there’s not much happening there yet... So I came here... hoping to find Hawk and tell him what’s been going on...”
“I am sure he will help you. Hawk is good man and great chief.”
“He is a good friend. I’m sorry to vent all of this to you I just... I feel so lost now. I was a detective... I ran the newspaper... And now...”
“De-tet? I do not know this word.”
“I helped the law solve crimes, but I did not have a badge.”
“Like bounty hunter?”
“No... Just solving crimes.”
“Hummm... Hawk can sort it out, I suppose.”
“Have you known Hawk long?”
“Not very, not quite a moon has passed since I came... but I was accepted since I have been a healer since childhood.”
“The bullet just grazed my arm... Perhaps you could just make sure it’s still okay... It’s on my right
arm.”
“I was trained by my mother and her mother also. I see no redness of infection, you have kept it clean.”
“It’s tender when I write... and I haven’t done any shooting since...”
“Since it heals, you can leave it uncovered, the air will help.”
“That’s what I was hoping.”
“It will probably begin to itch, try to not scratch,” she smiled.
“I’ll try...” I nodded.
“It is natural, and it will tell you to stop,” she laughed and I chuckled.
“I’m glad that you came by.”
“This is my home now... I was on my way to my lodge. Have you eaten?”
I tried to remember and couldn’t remember the last time I ate something so I shook my head. “No I ... I guess I haven’t.”
“I have food set out... and drink. Come.”
I followed her and looked around the village. She told me to sit by the fire and I did so, waiting while she made chili for me and served it. I enjoyed the food and drink and felt refreshed. She said I could rest at the village if I needed to.
I spent the day riding around the area, trying to clear my head. I rode back into the village and greeted Two and another woman. I talked with them about the Native children and then DeeDee came over to talk with us. I met a woman named Arunima and Betty White Arrow. They talked about how White Arrow had been in an accident and fallen earlier. She asked how I was and I told them what had happened in Amiville. We tried to figure out why Bill would shoot me but they couldn’t understand it either.
“He’ll come find me, I’m sure of it. He’s not done... I just know it.”
“Let him come. Do you want to stay where you have protection?” Arunima offered.
“The great wheel turns and all things change... this will pass,” Two reflected.
“I am sure the Chief will work something out for you,” Arunima assured.
“My friends that I moved out with are all law... I will be well protected there...” I said.
“Who are these friends? Do we know them?”
“I’m not sure how much detail I should give..”
“We are friends... But I understand if you would rather not say.”
“Trin if you need help, we you helps,” White Arrow offered.
“That’s why I’m here... Hawk keeps me safe.. And my friends are not in the town where we’re moving so I don’t feel safe being there on my own.”
“You are welcome here always. If you are a friend of Chief’s he will protect you,” Arunima assured.
“Thank you, that means a lot,” I smiled.
“Tell me more about this battle.....” I looked around, referring to a battle they had mentioned earlier.
“We don’t know much,” Arunima said. “Chief received message to go help. We have not heard from him yet.”
“We only heard that the Cherokee needed Hawk’s help... nothing more,” Two said.
“I’ll have to ask him about it,” I nodded.
“The Cherokee have many battles with the paleface,” Arunima said.
“You know how warriors are. He will tell of his bravery and the cowardice of the paleface,” Two assured and we watched DeeDee play around the village. “If all could be that simple again...”
I sighed, knowing it was never that simple.
“Yes, she is such a joy to watch isn’t she?” Arunima asked.
“I think I’m going to call it a night... Mind if I use one of your teepees to sleep in?” I asked.
“No problem. Use mine,” Arunima offered.
“You are welcome at the women’s lodge, Trin,” Two suggested.
“Thank you again, for being here,” I said as Arunima showed me the teepee I could sleep in. “Thank you so much, miss...”
“Anytime, Trin.”
“Goodnight...” I said and fell asleep instantly under the blanket.
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