Amiville.
Early this morning I woke up and went across the hall to knock on Mel’s door. There was no answer so I went downstairs and out to the street to see if anyone had heard anything from Sayler. A man was asking Tessa where the general store was and I asked her if she’d heard about Sayler but she didn’t even know that anything had happened. She introduced me to the man who’s name was Serxjo and she told him that I ran the newspaper and danced at the saloon.
Tessa walked away then and we continued to talk at the saloon. I told him that I wasn’t that great at speaking Spanish but I knew a little and wanted to practice it more. A native man came into the saloon and introduced himself as Wakanda. I talked with Tessa about her baby coming as Serxjo talked about being attacked by Apache over in New Mexico.
“We Cherokee are not in New Mexico,” Wakanda shook his head. “That is other tribes there.”
“Sir, would you like to continue to the store?” I asked Serxjo, trying to change the subject. They continued to talk about how the Cherokee lived in Wyoming and the Wild Bunch were enemies of Cherokee and I sighed, seeing the subject wasn’t changing. As they talked about being attacked and violence I continued to worry, growing more and more nervous.
“Are you okay, Miss Trin?” Serxjo looked over at me. I folded my head in my arms and leaned forward against my knees, trying to control my emotions.
“No, I’m not okay,” I shook my head. “My best friend was shot and kidnapped last night, right in front of my eyes, and the law didn’t do a thing to stop them.”
“Who is best friend?” Wakanda asked.
“Sayler...” I looked over.
“Oh! I’m sorry!” Serxjo exclaimed.
“Maybe they will ask for trade for him,” Wakanda asked.
“If you’re suggesting...” I looked at him, confused. “There’s no way I’m going back to that hell hole.”
“I will go looking for him,” Tessa hugged me then.
“Stay on your knees, Miss Trin, and God will surely answer your prayers,” Serxjo promised. I hugged Tessa back, hugging her tightly and nodding to Serxjo.
“I think I’ll go into the saloon and get me a coffee,” I stood from the bench. “Tessa, you’ll come find me the minute you hear something?”
“I will,” Tessa nodded.
“Please tell him that I...” I stopped myself, not wanting Bill to know I cared about what happened to Sayler. “Serxjo, it was a pleasure meeting you. I am sorry this is your first impression of me though.”
“No worries, ma’am. Only the Lord can judge. I will not let your reaction taint my first impression of you,” he promised and I waved before walking into the saloon.
***
Later this morning I walked out of the office, hoping to hear if anything had developed with the story about Sayler. I saw Mel and Fritha standing outside the clinic and went over to them.
“What a night we had yesterday!” Mel exclaimed. “Hi Miss Trin!”
“Hello Trin,” Fritha greeted me.
“Mel!” I exclaimed.
“Good to see you’re fine.”
“I... yeah, I guess... Just worried sick.”
“What happened?” Fritha asked.
“I watched as Nell shot Sayler and then Bill dragged him off to their cave. Haven’t seen or heard from him since... Mel... you said they were arguing ‘cause Nell lost the baby?”
“Yes. She said she lost his baby.”
“I heard her yelling at him that he just went off with other women and wasn’t there for her. I know she means me... She saw us dancing one night a month ago and got really jealous. When they started to walk down the street towards you with Bill. Nell came into the saloon. Told me to wait but I yelled after you and ran out to the streets. I wasn’t gonna get caught alone with her. Saw Bill and them just standing in the streets talking to you and ducked into the store where Scarlet and Tiggy were. Waited until the streets were empty before I came back out. I knew if I went out here, they’d be dragging me along too ‘cause I’d seen it all.”
Chels came over then and asked how everyone was this fine morning and I looked away, knowing she knew how my morning was going. I told Mel I was going to get a drink and walked back into the saloon.
I had a drink and then walked back out into the street and saw Icca standing in front of the door and went back inside. I walked in from the balcony and looked down, thinking it was safer to just wait there. Icca and Buck and some others were all dressed in convent outfits and I ducked back into Bootsie’s office to watch from the window. I opened the window so I could hear them talk and it seemed like they were going to do something to the saloon. I walked back down and saw just Icca, but then Rose walked over and I tried to pull her away from the saloon.
“What is going on, Trin?” she asked when we were a safe distance away.
“He... They... They’re ....” I tried to tell her but was too ecstatic.
“Calm down, calm down. Take deep breaths.”
“Bill was here! With Icca! There was a whole group of them standing in front of the saloon... They were gonna... I saw them from inside but I... I ran out here cause I could see them through the window.”
“Trin you aren’t making sense. Complete a sentence please.”
“They took Sayler!!” I cried. “Last night! Nell shot him and kidnapped him with bill and kitty and... And now they’re in front of the saloon dressed like nuns and I ran out but they were starting to pray something.”
“Did you wire the law?”
“Yeah, like they’d come,” I said bitterly.
“Let me send a wire.”
“You know how many times I’ve called the law and they didn’t come? Or they came and things still
happened? No, Rose. We have to fight this without the law.”
“You best get into my store and out of sight,” she suggested.
“Who knows what they’ve done to Sayler! If he’s even alive still!”
“It is dangerous to be out here,” Rose said and we went into her store when I saw the group of outlaws return. Brat and Tiggy came in with us.
I started to cry and then said, “Rose! What if they... You HAVE to find out! I can’t stand it anymore!!!”
Brat asked, “Why we hidin’ from nuns ma’am, they ain’t so scary.”
“They’re not nuns, Brat,” I said and kept my eye on the door.
“Then who are they?” Tiggy wondered and I looked at her, feeling bad for her.
“They kidnapped him last night, Rose. He probably isn’t even...”
“I thought Mr. Sayler was dead,” Tiggy said.
“He...” I looked at Tiggy, shocked. “What?! No! It can’t be true!” I cried uncontrollably.
“I remembered seeing Iccabod taking a man down from the hanging post,” she said.
“Tiggy, what did you see?!” I ran to her. “It wasn’t him... It couldn’t have been him...”
“Just a guy gettin’ taken to the dead man’s house in Georgetown,” she told me.
“How do you know it was Sayler?! Tell me!” I cried.
“He was dead,” Tiggy insisted.
I saw Tessa outside and ran to her, “Tessa! Tell me it’s not true!”
“Trin, get back in the store,” Rose ordered.
“Tessa! He’s not dead! He can’t be dead!!” she cried uncontrollably.
“Am sorry,” Tessa hugged me.
“No!!” I looked from Bill to Kitty in the crowd standing in the street. Sara walked over and saw me, looking at me worried.
A woman who was standing with the group asked me, “Who’s dead?”
“Sayler! He’s dead!” I cried.
“What?!?” Sara exclaimed.
“Oh,” the woman dropped her hands to he sides. “That guy from yesterday,” she said like it was no big deal.
I looked around, dizzy from the shock. “He was my... He...” Tessa tried to hug me but I was too upset. “Damn it, Bill... Damn it.”
“What are ya babblin’ about, woman?” he asked me.
“You killed him!!” I cried.
“She thinks YOU killed Sayler,” the woman said. “It was Nell who did it though.”
“You and Nell! You killed him!” I cried.
“Oh, that thar idgit. Yeah wells, someone hads to do it sooner or laters,” Bill shrugged and I wept on Tessa’s shoulder.
I cried, hating them, and hating the law who never showed up to stop anything. James ran over then and I ran to him. “James! They killed him! Sayler! They...”
“You’re not kidding there are ya?” James looked at me.
“Do I LOOK like I’m kidding?! They killed him!!” I pointed to the group of outlaws. “My best friend.. my... my... soulmate... And he’s... gone!!!”
“It’s just somehow so unreal Trin,” James shook his head, not wanting to believe it.
“I was here last night, James. I watched Nell shoot him, and Bill dragged him down the street. I didn’t know what happened for sure until Tiggy said they’d found Sayler tied to a pole in Georgetown and she’d seen Icca taking him down. Oh James...”
James hugged me tightly and tried to calm me down but I was shaking too violently from the shock. Bill just laughed and I fell down as he said, “Poor girl can’t even get her story straight. She tells lies.”
“James I... Maybe we should...” I started, wanting to get home.
Bill attempted to grab me from the arm but I ran into the saloon. He gave chase and I tried to run but he cornered me in the saloon. “Get away from me!” I cried and ran to James’ arms. “James, shoot him! Do something!”
Bill walked out of the saloon then and I held onto James tightly, upset. He held me tight and brought me a drink of whiskey to calm me down. Mikk came into the saloon and Rose told him what happened as he looked over at me.
“He was my.. he was my best friend, Mikk. And now he’s... gone... And it’s all my fault!!!” I cried.
“Bill and his gang has become more and more a grave threat,” James pointed out.
“Did you kill him?” Mikk asked.
“Nell shot him because she was mad at him, because he left her alone while she lost his baby, but she was mad that he was running off with other women. She saw me and sayler dancing over a month ago and got extremely jealous. If I hadn’t danced with him...”
“That had nothing to do with it Trin,” Rose told me.
“Then you would have missed that dance, that’s all,” Mikk shook his head.
“It’s not your fault,” James agreed and looked at me.
“She was yelling at him for going off with other women! And then she shot him!”
“Trin, it’s not your fault,” Sara agreed. “It could have been anyone.”
“So what’s this with Buckshot Bill? Sounds like he is becoming a real tyrant. Is the law not doing anything?” Mikk asked.
“What law?” Rose muttered.
“Ummm well, Sheriff and deputies and marshals.”
“I sent wire after wire,” Rose said, “And not one law person showed up. Bill was hitting a woman and grabbing her by the hair out there in the street. I wired for help telling them he was abusing a woman and not one response.”
I looked around the room and said, “Folks, we have a problem. This law thing is serious. Last night when Nell and Sayler were yelling in the street and Bill was there... Mel was here but she couldn’t do anything because she was alone. Just had to watch them walk away with him.”
“True,” James agreed. “Law personnel is constantly undermanned.”
“It’s time to call a town meeting and demand that the town hires more law to protect citizens,” Mikk said.
“Everywhere you look when you don’t need them you see law,” Rose commented.
A man came into the saloon and asked for milk. I looked at James and asked, “James, can we just... Can we just go home?”
“If you do like to go home Trin,” James nodded.
“I just... I can’t... I can’t be here right now.”
“I can understand that,” he nodded.
James led me back to my apartment above the newspaper office as Sara said, “Please take care of her, James. She shouldn’t be alone.”
“I will, I will,” James promised.
“So want to go home, Trin, or want me to take you somewhere else?” James asked when we were outside.
I said nothing and we just went home in silence. When we’d arrived I sat on the couch and threw my bag on the floor. I leaned my head against James’ shoulder and said, “I just... I don’t even want to believe it...”
“I know but what should I say, James?”
“Nothing James.. Just... Glad you’re here...”
“I told you I was always there, didn’t I?” James asked, wrapping his arms around me and held me tight as we sat there in silence.
***
This afternoon I walked into the saloon in a daze. I saw a man who was in the saloon earlier and walked up to him. “Sir? Mind if I join you?”
He pushed a seat out from the table with his foot and said, “Sit down.” I sat down, knowing it was obvious I’d been crying for hours. I looked him up and down, deciding if I could trust him. He looked me up and down and asked, “He was your friend too then?”
“He was more than a friend, Sir,” I nodded. “He was my best friend. My soulmate...”
He rubbed his neck and said, “I get it. Did he carry a gun?”
“Always,” I nodded.
“Did he use it last night?” he shook his head slowly.
“Sir I’m sorry. I just... No. From the looks of it he didn’t fight her off or anything. Just let her shoot him.”
“Some use it was then...” He looked to the gun at his hip and loosened the belt by one notch.
“I just can’t understand it... Why he didn’t fight back.” I saw his motion and swallowed nervously.
“Maybe he got scared.”
“Sayler does... didn’t get scared easily.”
“Shocked then? Maybe drunk?”
I shook my head and said, “He didn’t get drunk...”
“He didn’t drink?” he smirked.
“He drank. But not last night.”
“I got no more suggestions miss. But if he’s gone, you’d best not mourn forever...”
I looked at him curiously and asked, “What are you suggesting, Sir?”
“Why waste two lives over the loss of one?” he shrugged.
I looked at him and nodded. “I don’t even think I know your name...”
“Hardly anyone does,” he nodded. “Ed, Mr Ed.”
“Ed.... Sorry to meet you under these circumstances, but nice to meet you all the same.”
“I’m sorry your friend wasn’t quicker on his draw,” he nodded.
“I’m more frustrated the law didn’t stop it from happening. She had no backup, there was nothing she could do. Thinkin of becoming law myself, I’m around town enough. Boy... Bill would just love that.”
“It’s a sound career. dangerous though.” He gestured to the gun on my hip and asked, “You any good with it?”
“Haven’t had to test it yet. I’m better at running away.”
“Right answer.” I smiled weakly at him and he gestured to the weapon at his side. “Ain’t even loaded.”
I breathed a bit easer and asked, “Just for show, right?”
He kicked the side of his boot and said, “Knife... Gun’s for distraction. Let them take it off of me, click click click.” When I nodded he said, “Well, that’s the theory. I saw it work once.”
“You’re a smart man.”
“Truth is I’m a terrible shot.”
I chuckled, feeling good to laugh again. “How long you been in town? I ain’t seen ya before now. Well... Before today anyway.”
“Got in yesterday...”
“Ah, did you,” I said, trying to forget what happened yesterday.
“There was a goddamn bear in the street...” he nodded.
“That damn bear’s attacked me more than once.”
“It did?” he looked at me with interest and I nodded. “I’ve been thinkingh about getting a shotgun...”
“Out in the field... Just head butted me... And then when I was in the house he tried to come at my door but my friend stopped him.”
“See, people say it’s safe... But I wasn’t convinced.”
“They were gonna go and shoot it but they just scared it away. Guess it didn’t get much scared,” I shook my head. “It’s not safe. Neither is that damn bison out there...”
He nodded and whispered, “I been thinking. It wouldn’t be so hard to stage a bear attack, get the thing run out of town...” He leaned back and muttered, “Might get that damned mountain lion too.”
“Mountain lion?” I raised an eyebrow.
“You ain’t seen it? Big yellah cat that wanders around in the street?”
“Nope ain’t seen that one yet.”
I saw Sara walk into the saloon and nodded, “Hello Sara.”
“Oh Trin...” Sara started. “We were robbed! I can’t believe it!”
“Ed, this is my friend... Robbed?! Sara, you were ROBBED?!”
“Yes!” she exclaimed and turned, seeming to recognize a man that came into the saloon. “You found them?”
“Aie! They out by TX but they got big group of pale faces! We need to round more men, me and sister can’t take all 5.”
“Good luck with that,” I looked over at her.
“And no law around. Again,” Sara shook her head.
“You’re surprised? Really?” I looked at her.
“You here, you drink saloon fire water, why you no help?” the native asked Ed.
“Because I am enjoying breathing without sucking air through a hole in my chest.”
“You coward pale face, you no man.”
“And you ain’t people,” Ed spit.
“Ed...” I started.
“More people than you to know when woman need help for saloon. Maybe you not need be here, no fire water mean no saloon! Where you waste your days and moons then!?”
“I just drink milk... Only need a cow for that,” Ed shrugged.
“You just waste of time.”
“Tata redskin,” he waved as the native walked out of the saloon.
I looked over at Ed and said, “You didn’t need to aggravate her.”
“Sorry, but I ain’t gonna get shot over your boss’s money,” Ed looked at Sara.
“I’m glad you stayed with me. I was terrified.”
“Hell, she called me a coward... She clearly wanted some kind of an argument..”
“I feel like I’ve missed something,” I looked between them. “I’m afraid my mind isn’t all there today.”
“I was behind hte bar, Ed, and another newcomer,” she looked at the paper in her hand, “Tex was his name.”
“When was this?” I asked and continued to listen as they told me the story.
***
Later in the evening, Nathan came into the streets with Lali and they were looking for people who had seen everything. I told Nathan that I would want to talk to him because I was there, and Lali promised me that I would have protection. I got upset with her, telling her that the protection they gave me last time was useless because stuff still happened when law was around, or law was just never around. Lali yelled that she wanted to arrest me for refusing to be interviewed but I told her I would give her all the information she wanted, I just didn’t believe in their system of protection. Nathan suggested we talked then so I followed him to the sheriff’s office and gave him my statement about what I’d seen.
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