THE ROCK CREEK
ADVENTUROUS TALES, PART 1
The late afternoon sun shines through the window of the marshal's office. There is a thick haze of sunshine on the windows of the office. No one can see inside the office. Buck and Jimmy can't see very well outside the windows. But then they have other things on their minds.
Jimmy is pacing back and forth in the office. His hands are positioned on his hips and his head is bowed down low. He has a hundred or more thoughts fighting for space in his head, and he's having a difficult time unscrambling them.
Buck had rinsed his mouth out a few times until he couldn't taste the death and destruction they left behind in the woods. He is sitting on the edge of Teaspoon's desk washing his face from a basin that he has placed on top of the desk.
He is watching Jimmy pace back and forth. "We're gonna have to put in a new floor if you keep up that pacing much longer."
Jimmy stops pacing immediately. "Are you feeling better?"
"Yeah. I'm sorry," Buck spoke embarrassed by his weak stomach.
"Why are you sorry? It ain't your fault there are idiots in the army. Cold-hearted idiots at that," Jimmy spoke his voice angry towards the army and the soldiers they employ.
"I've witnessed death many times. Army soldiers aren't exactly my favorite people. It shouldn't have bothered me at all," Buck spoke confused by his own feelings towards the soldiers that were killed.
"Buck, you've always been soft-hearted when it comes to other's pain and sorrow. It ain't anything to be ashamed of. It's a good quality to have. I often wished I had that very quality."
"You're cutting yourself short Jimmy. You have many…"
"Jimmy, Buck, how you all been doing?"
His familiar voice appeared from out of nowhere.
Jimmy and Buck turn their attention towards the entry door of the marshal's office.
"Damn Jimmy. Teaspoon finally got a badge pinned to your chest!"
His appearance hadn't changed much as he stood lean and tall in the doorframe of the office. His once shoulder length blonde hair is now cropped a little shorter, but still lies past his ears. His blue eyes still glisten with a hint of mischievousness like a young boy of five would taunt with just about anything that smiled with danger. His only real noticeable change is the army uniform he traded his buckskin jacket and everyday Pony Express clothes for.
Buck doesn't seem surprised by Cody's appearance. This is not Cody's first visit since leaving six years ago. Unlike Jimmy, Cody has made periodic stops to Rock Creek whenever he has been close by and his duty to the army allowed him to.
On the other hand, Jimmy is speechless by Cody's sudden emergence at the marshal's office. He seems to be in a trance with his mouth almost hanging open to the floor.
"I sure hope I get a better welcoming home from Teaspoon. Where is the old man of the law?"
"Cody?" Jimmy questioned looking mystified by Cody's appearance.
"Yep! In the flesh! Any problem with that Jimmy?"
Buck walks up to Cody. They hug as brothers would when they haven't seen each other for a while.
"Welcome home Cody," Buck spoke smiling at his brother.
"Good to see you Buck. What's wrong with the new marshal in town? I could swear he acts like he's seeing a ghost. I'm pretty sure I'm not dead yet."
Buck turns his head to view a stunned Jimmy. He's still standing stiff as a board, and he's a lot quieter than when he's around Kid.
"Jimmy, it's Cody. You do remember Cody don't you?" Buck asked perplexed by Jimmy's actions.
Jimmy snaps out of his trance. He extends his hand to shake Cody's hand. "It's the uniform. I didn't realize you are still with the army."
Jimmy looks Cody up and down still not believing that someone he once knew so well had joined the army in a permanent way. He wasn't happy with Cody's decision six years ago and after the experience he and Buck had had with the two soldiers earlier today, he is sure he's still not happy with Cody's decision.
"You still think I am wrong for signing up with the army, don't you Jimmy?"
Jimmy hesitates and thinks about how he should answer Cody's question without opening up yet another can of worms since his own return home. "It ain't my place to say."
Buck senses another heated conversation between another two of his family members. It seems whomever Jimmy comes in contact with from the past, he's having disagreements with them. Kid and Jimmy aren't speaking to each other. He doesn't want to see that happen to Cody and Jimmy. Since Jimmy and Cody are both such hotheads, it would take one of them to admit he is totally wrong before the other would back down from an all out fight.
"Everyone has to do what is right for him. I did what I thought was best for me. You are no different Cody, even if people don't agree with you. You did what was best for you. Apparently the army has been good to you cause you're still with them," Jimmy spoke to the point.
Jimmy's statement of honesty shocks Buck, but eases the tension that is settling
upon Cody's face. Everyone had criticized Cody for signing up with the army,
but he knew that he was doing the right thing for himself. He has helped many
people through his travels with the army.
Eventually the family did come around to see Cody's point of view about the
army. After they all got used to the idea of him joining
and being away from home, they became proud that he had done something good
with his life.
"It has been a good life Jimmy. I have no regrets about the decision I made," Cody spoke with a bit of anger in his tone.
"That's all that matters Cody. I have to admit, I am a bit upset at the two soldiers who escorted Buck and myself out to where those four soldiers had been killed."
"The soldiers were wrong. They should have cleared out the dead soldiers before taking you out there, considering the length of time the soldiers had been dead," Cody spoke more angry at his soldiers than Jimmy at this point.
"We'll need to go back out there. We really didn't get much of a chance to check the arrows or the ground for tracks," Buck spoke hesitantly about returning to the murder scene.
"No need. I can tell you whatever you need to know. I have the arrows. You can look them over Buck. Perhaps you can tell what tribe they are from. One interesting thing I noticed is that there are tracks for one shoed horse, besides the soldier's horses before they were drove off. It also appears that the soldiers were killed at that location and not somewhere else and just dumped off in the woods," Cody remarked without much emotion for the men that were killed.
"Why would you think they might have been killed elsewhere?" Jimmy asked bewildered.
"Two soldiers were killed a few months back near Blue Creek. Those two soldiers were killed someplace else and dumped where they were actually found. The tall grass had dragging marks all through it as if the bodies had been dragged and positioned in the spots we found them in."
"Are you thinking there may be a connection between the two murders?" Buck asked.
"Can't say for sure. Anything is possible at this point. So where is Teaspoon?"
"He's back at the ranch recovering from a broken leg. You can hear all about it over dinner tonight," Buck spoke.
"Dinner? I thought you'd never mention dinner."
Buck and Jimmy laugh at the man who always had and always will put food before everything else. The three men leave the marshal's office and head towards home.
How will Teaspoon react over the betrayal of two of his boys?
Will another woman keep Jimmy's mind and heart from Louise?
Will Buck lose his heart to a woman from his past? Or will Cody's persistence win her over?
Who is Jack Morgan? What secret does he hold that can make Teaspoon's life complete, but also destroy him?
