Georgetown.
This afternoon as I was walking through town, I got hit in the arm by a bullet from out of nowhere. I ran inside and locked the door, watching a woman running past in the mountain outside the window. I locked the door and took a deep breath, wondering if I could get a good shot on her but I didn’t want to risk it. The woman ran away and I ran out to the sheriff’s office and saw Sugar taking food over to the prisoners. Duke sat on the bench looking injured.
“You said somethin about prisoners?” I looked over at Duke and back at Sugar. “Care to share names?”
“Yeah, we have a few locked up,” Duke said as Sugar served us food.
“I’ve got some articles to write but wanted to come in here away from all the yellin’,” I said. “Think I could make it back to the newspaper office though.” We walked outside and then I asked, “How’d things go with Rodney last night, Duke? He gonna be okay?”
“He will be fine.”
“And you?” I looked at him.
“He’s full of vinegar isn’t he,” Sugar laughed.
“Worse for wear but I’ll live,” Duke said and I looked at him, wondering if he even remembered the moment we shared in the hospital last night, but I didn’t say anything.
We decided to head to the saloon and talked about we hadn’t seen Icca around in a while. “So Duke. Quite a night last night. Any sight of Jesse or that Anderson guy lately?” I asked.
“Well Jesse is Locked up in Jail. And a Mexican named Carlos.”
“Hallelujah,” Sugar said.
“Glad to hear we finally got that one behind bars. Sam will be happy,” I said about Jesse. “How long is his sentence for? Carlos eh? Haven’t heard of that one.”
“I’d have to look but for a few days.”
“Really,” I smiled. That’s fantastic to hear, Duke! How’d that happen?”
“Well Jesse desided to Kidnap Sam’s Downy.”
“Really?” I looked over at him with shock. “When? Today?”
“So Sam took his arse out,” Duke said. “Yup before I got back into town.”
“Wow…”
“Me and the Sheriff got Carlos together.”
“What’d Carlos do?”
“Shoot at us and run away when he had a warrant I’m gonna sit here ‘till I see Jaidy come over,” he laughed.
“Then you’re gonna give her heck?” I chuckled.
“Gonna try,” he grinned.
“Who is this chick anyway? She just want a fight or does she have a personal vendetta?”
“Seems like a bit of Both.”
“Oh? How do you mean?”
“I’m not sure what is going on with Jaidy, she strolled into the saloon one day for a drink. She was real loaded with side arms,” Sugar said.
“I just saw her run past me on my way to the office. She was loaded then too,” I told them.
“That she is. Why I carry more myself. Well she seems to want to takeout us Lawmen. Seems to hate us.”
“Really.”
“But at the same time she just is a bit rough.”
“Good to know,” I nodded.
“Well I need to practice with my blades,” Sugar said. “Wearing a Texas Toothpick now.”
“I figure if I have Duke by my side I won’t have to carry arms,” I winked at him and he blushed.
“Yeah he’s darn good with his guns,” Sugar said. “Got me a new stool, there gonna invite Rick to sit in it next time he’s in.”
“You remember that couple that was here before christmas, talking about seeing Mio out by the City of Mines?” I asked Sugar. “They said the girl’s name started with a J….”
“Well I remember seeing her when that gal brought her back and Jaidy was firing at her from behind.”
“You don’t think it could be the same person?” I wondered.
“Yeah it was Jaidy, I described her then, but couldn’t remember her name till she began showing her face here again. I can’t recall the girls name who brought her back.”
“Thing is there’s no local law in City of Mines… So even if we had good cause to believe it was her... We couldn’t do anything about it.”
“Yeah, lawless territory. Well that incident was out here in front of the saloon.”
“Really getting frustrated with everything happening over there where we can’t do anything.”
“You came along soon after that didn’t ya?”
“The one right before Christmas?”
“Yes.”
“That must have been it. They were talkin about her attacking them with a knife because they wanted to take Mio back or something.” I looked around and then said, “Think I’m gonna head over to Cripple Creek and see what’s goin on there. See yawl soon.”
“Cripple Creek,” Duke woke up then. “Be careful. All outlaws up there.”
“I’ve got friends in high places,” I winked at him and headed out of the saloon.
Cripple Creek.
I walked down the street into Cripple Creek andI talked with the group there, meeting new friends. I asked around for Monte but he hadn’t been around yet. Danny, a young boy there, who said, “What about that coward indian that shoot my dad?”
“Who shot your dad?” I asked.
“An indian. And Mr. Monte too.”
I raised an eyebrow and Domm, Tequila’s husband, nodded. “Yeah…”
“Just had a stray indian threatening the town Trin. Nothing earth shattering. he didn’t even have a band with him,” Tequila said.
“That still ain’t good, Teq,” I shook my head.
“Nope, and a fair shot with a bow. Said he was eighteen. I make him about sixteen.”
“Of course not good but it could’ve been worse,” Teq said.
I decided to head down the street to look for Monte and then found him with a horse close by. Monte and I went to the saloon where we greeted people who were there and Monte asked me to dance. I met some more people and I thanked Monte for being so nice to me when Jared had to shoot down that other man. We talked about the incident and I realized how it’d been too long since I’d actually had a man in my life for more than a day or two. Monte invited me to see his ranch and I went with him to Wyoming.
Wyoming.
We went to his small cabin and he barely took me inside when he grabbed my arm and kissed me long and hard. We sat down on the rug and continued to talk hugged but then I saw a wire coming from Duke that he needed me. I apologized for having to leave suddenly and rushed home.
Georgetown.
I ran into the sheriff’s office and called out for Duke. I heard him calling out and then ran upstairs to see him tied up in the cell. “Duke! What the heck?” I leaned down and reached for my knife to cut off the rope tying him up. “They tied these things pretty tight,” I sighed, cutting them off. “Who did this, or do I need to ask?” I cut him free and rubbed the spots on his wrists, looking in his eyes with concern. I took him out of the office and said, “Duke, I’m worried.”
“Have to write out a few more warrants,” Duke said. “Jesse is gone.”
Sugar came into the office then and I sat down at the desk with a sigh. “Howdy, sorry had to grab some dinner. What’d I miss? Jesse is gone?”
“Billy and Jaidy shoot me up,” Duke said.
“Gone?” I blinked at him.
“She was usin’ dynamite. Wasn’t much I could do but get hit by the blast.”
“Jaidy? She’s a sly one,” Sugar said. “Well you seem injured. Do I need to call a doc soon?”
“Well, my sides just a bit burned from the blast nothin a wet rag cant fix,” Duke shrugged.
“Looks like ya got a little shrapnel, I think they call that,” Sugar observed.
“You should be a healer. You’re around often enough,” I looked at Sugar.
“Yes ma’am, shrapnel,” Duke took off his hand raps and I looked away.
“Well, who knows maybe I could be a nurse one of these days,” Sugar said.
“I don’t like seein you get so hurt, Duke,” I sighed.
“Ya would make a good one,” Duke said to Sugar. “Well until we get some guns to back me well… Not gonna end well.”
“I know, Duke.. I just ain’t good with the weapon. I wear it for decoration purposes only. Gettin in those gunfights is too much for me.”
“Well least yer safe in here.. I think,” Sugar said.
“I’m not so sure about that, Sugar.”
“Ain’t talkin bout you Trin, there are many that could join us,” Duke said.
“Maybe we should go to my place. They don’t know where that is. I’d feel better and I’ve got a bed for you to use downstairs,” I looked at Duke seriously.
“Let me do one thing quick and we will head there.”
“Okay,” I said, grateful he wasn’t arguing.
“Well that’s not a bad idea,” Sugar agreed.
“Sugar you’re welcome to come too if ya like.”
“Need to grab my Guns,” Duke said and went to the other office to get them.
“Well, I’ll be ok.. I’ll go back to the saloon, just pickin up this meat tray,” Sugar said. “I wait on ya, till ya need a doc. Looks like Duke needs some tree bark.”
“Duke needs to use my place as a safe house. I don’t like him hangin out here alone.”
“Yes that’s a good idea.”
“I plan to be around a whole lot more.”
“He’s a big target here.”
“I went to Cripple Creek Sugar, to see Monte... A deputy there… I’m not sure it was the best idea. It took me away from here, where I was needed more. I was so distracted I couldn’t even focus on my dance and conversation with him. Maybe I’m just not meant to have a romantic life and I should just focus on my work,” I sighed.
“Well dang Trin… Don’t ya be thinkin’ that,” Sugar said. “It’ll happen.”
“Seems whenever I get half interested in a man, work comes in the way.”
“Well a man needs a lady to look after him.”
Duke walked over then and said, “I want their head.”
“Not tonight, Duke. Tonight you rest.”
“Lemme check those wounds of yours,” Sugar said.
“I guess your right,” Duke sighed.
We started to lift Duke out of the office but then we realized his leg wasn’t working. I helped him limp to the clinic and Sugar took care of him. I stepped back and saw how much pain he was in and started to get emotional. I went over to sit on the bed and tried to compose myself. Sugar insisted that it could be just a temporary pain and that it could go away.
“Let me try something?” I asked and walked over. I slid a hand up to his shoulder and asked, “You
feel that, honey?” I hadn’t meant to use the term of endearment, but it’d simply come out that way.
Duke laughed a little. “Yup.”
I slid my hand down this side to his hip of his good leg. “How bout that?”
“Ya, can feel that as well,” Duke blushed a little.
“Main thing was get it clean first.. Now Miss Trin, she got the touch!!” Sugar exclaimed.
I chuckled and moved my hand over to the other side of his waist, down to his hip of his bad leg. “How bout there?” I looked at Duke. “Come on honey…”
“No… no I can’t…” he frowned and I reached for his hand, squeezing it comfortingly.
I interlaced my hand with his and looked at Sugar. “Apparently my touch isn’t THAT good.”
“Well, he felt some of it.”
Sugar and Duke both recognized someone outside and I looked out to see Jaidy in the street but she walked by. I sighed as Duke said, “I’d hate to see ya ladies get hurt.” I squeezed his hand tighter, not wanting to let go.
“Lemme finish cleaning you up.. I think time will tell and you should wear some crutches in the mean time,” Sugar said. “Or a cane.”
“Hmm my pa gave me a cane.”
“Where is it?” I asked as Sugar continued to work on his wounds.
“Well, somewhere in the office, to be honest.”
“Don’t think it’s quite safe to go out there yet Let me look around the clinic and see if there’s one hangin around.”
“I would agree,” Duke nodded.
I couldn’t resist and lifted his hand to kiss it softly. “You’re gonna be fine, darlin’.” I set his hand back down on the hip of his bad leg and backed up, choking back the tears as Duke looked into my eyes and I looked away, not wanting him to see me emotional. “I’m gonna... find those... canes,” I said weakly as Sugar continued to work.
I walked upstairs in the clinic to look around and heard him crying from downstairs. I sighed as I found a cane in the closet and pulled it out but then a whole pile of canes fell out after it on top of me. I swore under my breath as I found myself buried in canes and pushed them off me angrily, starting to clean them up. I took one out and then went downstairs as I heard Duke yelling.
“Good news down there, Sugar?” I went back over to the bed.
“Let still dead,” Duke muttered.
“Yeah, did ya hear him yell? He felt it when I pulled that metal piece out. So let’s get him a little help with that cane and hopefully with some warm baths, which I will leave to you miss Trin, and a little time, I think we’ll just have to see if God helps him back to normal,” Sugar told me.
“We can handle a hot bath, hmm Duke?” I looked at Duke. “Glad to hear he had a reaction to somethin there.”
“B....b...a ..th..?” Duke looked at me with a bit of fear in his eyes.
“Don’t worry, darlin. It won’t hurt,” I chuckled and his face turned red. “At least he’s distracted, hmm?” I grinned as he turned more red.
A woman came into the clinic then and slammed the door, stomping her feet as she walked and muttered in German. Sugar explained how she’d gotten a piece of metal out of Duke’s thigh and he slowly got up to try the cane out.
“Shall I take ze look? Take yor pantz off young men and sit on ze bed,” the nurse said and Duke looked from her to Sugar.
“Can’t we just go home? He’s pretty much ready to go.” I asked.
The nurse thumped her walking stick on the floor impatiently and poked his wound with a finger. Where she poked him, he answered that it hurt and Sugar said, “Miss Trin, I think the pain is a good sign.”
“It is. I just wanna get him home,” I nodded to her, grateful for that fact.
The nurse wrapped a bandage around Duke’s leg with shakey hands and Sugar told her how she’d treated him. “No ze-bang-bang for a month for you young men. Rest leg.” I couldn’t help but cough and looked over at Sugar, who laughed. “You be fine. Go home now and sit in chair by fire to get fat for next few weeks.”
“Can I take him home now, Nurse?” I asked.
“No strain on leg. No ze-bang-bang.”
“Warm bath then straight to bed,” I told her.
“Yes that warm bath should feel good,” Sugar agreed.
“If you come in with broken stitch I will stitch schlong down next,” the nurse said.
“No bang bang my arse,” Duke muttered and I chuckled. “Let’s get you home, Mister.”
The nurse clip clopped back upstairs to her room and Sugar shook her head. “Ain’t she somethin’?”
“She’s… somethin’,” I nodded and reached for Duke’s hand.
“Guess she approved,” Sugar said.
“Thanks for everything, Sugar,” I went over and hugged her.
“Well Duke you take it easy on that leg now,” she instructed.
“Aye thank ya again Sugar,” Duke thanked her.
“It’ll be okay, Miss Trin. You go take care of that man,” she looked at me as we leaned out of the hug.
“Will do. Let’s go, you,” I said and helped Duke out of the clinic. I stopped halfway to make sure he was okay and then we made it home. “Bath’s in there. You need help takin’ off things?” I asked, not trying to be cute about it but was actually genuinely worried about him.
“I should be okay.”
“I’ll wait out here,” I said and went to sit on the couch in the living room. “Everything okay in there?” I called after a few minutes.
“Yup!” he called back.
“Come on out here when you’re done. We should talk.”
“Will do.”
I shifted nervously on my couch, knowing how it would look when I asked him what I had to. I knew my feelings for him were growing but I also knew he needed a safe place to stay. I saw him walking out without a shirt on, showing the scars on his chest, and I swallowed hard, patting the couch beside me. “Have a seat.”
“Sorry, shirt was a mess.”
“Don’t apologize,” I shook my head as he sat. I traced his arm idly, not sure how to start. I could tell he was anxious about something and decided to keep things professional for now. I sat back on the couch and asked, “Duke... You sleep in the sheriff’s office you once told me?”
“That I do. Keeps me close to the office.”
“It’s not safe there.”
“Got that right.”
“Especially with so many attacks there lately. Duke... I want to propose something.” I hesitated, still unsure if this was wise, but I knew it was better than him sleeping there. “I have an extra room here… Downstairs. It’s got a desk and a bed.”
“Hmm…”
“You can use it as your room if you want to sleep in something more comfortable, more safe.”
“Well Guess it would be safer.”
“I’ll sleep upstairs here. You don’t have to make it a committed thing but... I would just feel better knowing that you’re down there, for my safety and for your own. My life’s not the safest either...And being here alone isn’t the best plan. Especially not since…” I sighed.
“Outlaws know ya were Law.”
“I still am law just different kind. I was referring more to the Natives.”
“They’re still gonna kill ya on site.”
“Specifically the chief... And this whole thing with Icca… I assume there’s no trial for him yet so I technically still can’t talk to him. He’s been quiet lately but I’m sure he’ll be back. Just like I was sure Jesse would be back.”
“Gonna be safe to stay here though…? For you? I am a wanted man. May be on the side of the Law but still. Outlaws have a bounty on me.”
“But… Safety in numbers, Duke. It’s either that or be a sitting target all alone in that office.”
“Found my old deputies turned Outlaw. They betrayed me.”
“I know…” I couldn’t resist and reached over to trace his arm again. “Bill’s gang tore you up pretty bad,” I said. “We have that in common.”
“That he did. I am ganna go to Colorado springs comin up.”
“You are? Why?”
“Gonna visit my old friends and introduce them to their makers. I trained them to fight. I know there moves… it wont take long. Gonna have to Learn to shoot with one leg now.” I sighed and looked down, pulling away since we were obviously not on the same page at all. “I’ve been thinkin after everything is said and done I`d go back to Medicine,” he went on. “Even know I’ve slinged a gun my whole life. It’s all I know. Well that and how to do surgery,” he laughed. “I can inflict the wound and repair it. But the town needs to be protected…” he said and I nodded, thinking to myself, So do I. “It was my fault Buckshot Killed Judge he was a dear friend of mine,” he said and I looked away. I couldn’t take the shot.”
He looked over at me after a bit of silence and I sighed. He stretched over and kissed me on the forehead and I swallowed, smiling sadly. “Thnak ya Trin, thank ya for everything.”
I wiped a tear from my eye and finally said, “I’m sorry.”
“No ya no reason to be Sorry.”
“I just... the past few weeks… I feel like everything I worked towards was wasted.”
“All we can do is our job, the best we can.”
“And I love my job when I can do it I just…” I nodded.
“I have more holes now than I’d like to count.”
“This thing with the Cherokee has really beaten me down. I feel violence is coming and there’s nothing I can do to stop it.”
“They are resourceful and proud.”
“I trusted them, Duke. I gave myself to them and they completely trampled it. I can’t go back… I went out there to help the chief who’d been shot down and then had to watch them be violent to one of the shooters. And they asked me if I wanted to join in. hey haven’t been listening, they haven’t even cared.”
“Well the Cherokees are the reason I am alive right now me and Snow.”
“I heard Ahawi was the one who rescued you,” I looked over at him. “She was the first one of them that I met.”
“Yes um… She bought our freedom.”
“I just…” I sighed. “What do I do now, Duke? Do I just sit here and wait for them to come burn up my town?”
“Hmm its hard to say…”
“You should get to bed,” I looked over at him with concern.
“Hmm I suppose your probably right.”
“You going to take me up on my offer and stay here? I can even go downstairs if you don’t want to climb the steps down.”
“I’ll walk it, but I know ya will be happier see me stay here till I am better,” he stood.
“I would sleep better, myself.” I stood with him and said, “Duke… Wait.” I went over to him and reached for his hand, pulling him close into a gentle hug. He hugged me back and I whispered against his chest, “Sweet dreams, Duke.”
“Ya wake me if there any trouble, ya hear?” he ordered and I nodded before heading upstairs to bed.
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