ROCK CREEK ADVENTUROUS TALES
PART 2

GHOSTS FROM THE PAST

by Debra © 2001

CHAPTER NINETEEN

The next morning Buck's hands are attempting to grab hold of Cody through the bars of his cell. Kid has just informed Buck that another six horses had been taken from the ranch last night. Rachel had seen that it was Jesse and Frank James along with a couple of his outlaw gang members.

"Teaspoon just let me out of this cell. I promise I won't kill him. I just want to bruise him up a bit!" Buck shouted harshly.

"Buck, you've got to calm yourself down if you ever intend to get out of that there cell. I don't know as if I'm gonna let you out even after we prove your innocence, if you don't calm down," Teaspoon spoke calmly.

"Teaspoon, you did say that Cody only had until this afternoon to come up with that witness of his. You are going to stick to your word, aren't you?" Jimmy asked flatly.

Teaspoon looks at a sulking Buck. Kid will need Buck to help track down Jesse. The ranch can't afford to just give Jesse another six horses. This time Kid and Buck will have to deal with Jesse, and he will have to let them do it. "Kid, when are you planning on going out and trying to track Jesse?" Teaspoon asked calmly.

"I plan on leaving right now."

"Kid, you can't go by yourself," Buck spoke with emotion. He fears that Kid could get hurt if he should find the horse thieves.

"I won't try and apprehend Jesse by myself. I'll only see if I can tell how far away their camp is from Rock Creek. That will make it easier for us to track them when you get released from jail," Kid spoke wanting Teaspoon to know that he is getting a bit disappointed with the way Buck's release from jail is going.

"I understand what you're trying to tell me Kid. My hands are tied. This is an army investigation."

"Teaspoon, Henry Walker was not an army soldier," Kid replied.

"It doesn't matter Kid. I am investigating all the killings here in Rock Creek that are being committed by the same person that killed the six soldiers," Cody stated strongly.

"Cody, why aren't you out searching for that witness of yours?" Kid asked angrily.

"I'm going. I'm just here making sure none of you do anything foolish."

"What would that be Cody? Well lets see, like letting Buck out of jail so he can knock some sense into you," Jimmy spoke flatly.

"You all just think this is a big joke, don't you," Cody spoke harshly at his family.

"No son, we don't think this is a joke. What we do think is that you are holding Buck for your own reasons, not because you think he actually killed a man," Teaspoon spoke calmly.

"You can all think what you like, but I wouldn't let Buck hang for something he didn't do!" Cody spoke loudly as he leaves the marshal's office and slams the door behind him.

"I'll be back sometime tomorrow. If I don't see Buck at the ranch, I'll come here to let you all know what I find," Kid spoke quietly as he leaves the jailhouse.

"Teaspoon, I want out of here today. I think I've been patient long enough," Buck spoke demandingly.

"I'll get to work on it," Teaspoon spoke as he's leaving the jailhouse.

"Buck, I won't be gone long. I have some errands to do today," Jimmy spoke as he gets up from his chair and leaves the office.

Buck rests his head against the bars of his cell. Right now more then anyone else he needs to see Jane.

Jimmy walks down the wooden walkway away from the jailhouse. He has been spending so much time inside the stuffy office that he had forgotten what fresh air actually smelt like. He takes in a deep breath of it, and when he comes back to his senses he views Hannah walking towards the saloon with the same man he had seen her with the other day.

Jimmy hurriedly crosses the street and stands in between the saloon doors and Hannah with her gentleman friend. "Nice day," Jimmy spoke with a teasing smile.

"Yes it is," Hannah replied smiling just as nice.

"We need to talk," Jimmy stated as he guides Hannah's male friend into the saloon. "Hannah will meet you in the saloon later."

Joseph Foster, the man Hannah is entertaining, looks at Hannah for her approval. She nods at Joseph giving her consent for him to enter the saloon without her.

"Hannah, why are you with this man? I had thought our relationship was getting a bit serious," Jimmy asked somberly.

"I told you before Jimmy, I don't like to be tied down to just one man. That is why I am seeing another man. I could sense that you were starting to develop strings," Hannah replied harshly.

"Yeah that's right, strings just hang a person," Jimmy spoke harshly.

"What do you want from me Jimmy?" Hannah asked her patience wearing a bit thin.

Jimmy looks at this beautiful woman standing in front of him. Why couldn't she be just a little more the marrying type? Instead Hannah portrays the part of a saloon whore, and she doesn't seem to be bothered by the gossip around town surrounding her activities. How he'd like to see her as his wife. A domesticated wife with a big belly sticking out in front! Had he really thought that?

"I'd like it very much if you would consider courting me and only me," Jimmy spoke softly expecting her to scream obscenities at him. She could possibly use a few words that he isn't even aware of!

Hannah is shocked over Jimmy's request. She glances up and down at him wondering if she could be true to one man. It can be done. Hundreds of women do it all the time. Hannah's only question in her mind is, is she one of those hundreds of women?

"I need some time to think on that one. It's a decision that would alter my life completely. You do understand, don't you?" Hannah asked softly.

"Don't take too long Hannah. I don't like the idea of you sleeping in any other man's bed, except for mine," Jimmy spoke harsher than he had intended.

Jimmy walks away from Hannah with a lot to digest. She watches him as he walks down the wooden walkway. He doesn't glance back at her at all.

Louise is in the barn saddling up her horse. She has riding breeches on instead of her normal attire. She is also wearing one of her husband's button-down the front work shirts.

Rachel walks into the barn with her hands positioned on her hips ready to give Louise a piece of her mind. "Where do you think you're going?"

"He needs my help Rachel. Kid shouldn't be out there all by himself without any back up at all. What if Jesse should find Kid, and he decides to shoot him?" Louise asked her voice in a panic.

Rachel walks a little closer to Louise, and she has relaxed her hands down to her sides. "I'm not going to tell you that there's no possibility that that can happen, but Kid wouldn't want you to risk your life. You have two daughters to think about. What if their father and their mother don't come back home?"

"That isn't going to happen. I'll be careful Rachel. When have you known me to blindly walk into danger?" Louise asked hoping Rachel doesn't remember all those times!

"I hope your joking. Louise, you have always been the one in this family that actually looks for danger," Rachel spoke smiling at the young woman.

"Rachel, I really need to do this. I promise you that both father and mother will return home safely," Louise spoke as she walks her horse out of the barn.

Rachel can only stand by and watch as Louise mounts her horse. "Check on Jeremiah and Teresa for me. Make sure they are taking care of the girls properly," Louise spoke as she slowly rides away from Rachel and the ranch!

Kid has stopped near a small creek that is running through a sparsely wooded area. He is splashing the crisp cool water over his face to clean off the grim and dust from riding most of the day. He looks around cautiously to make sure no one is watching him. When he doesn't notice anything unusual, he places his canteen into the creek to fill it with the refreshing liquid.

When the canteen is filled, he rises up off his hands and knees from the side of the creek, and walks over to his horse where he places the canteen securely, hanging it from his saddle. He continues to gaze around the area watching for any movements that could mean that he is being followed. He scans the mountain range in front of him, and the wooded area he had just passed, he doesn't notice anything. The silent sounds of the land are too quiet for Kid to feel completely safe. Kid pulls his coat from the back of his saddle and puts it on before mounting his horse. The autumn night air chills much quicker than the summer night air.

Kid can still see the tracks along the creek. The tracks clearly state that there were five men on horseback that stole six horses last night at the ranch. Jesse sure didn't learn a thing about covering one's tracks after doing something against the law. Kid ponders uncomfortably that it could be that Jesse wants Kid to follow him.

He has been following their tracks for most of the day. He wonders how far north Jesse would go. You would think the James Gang would venture more to the south with winter coming on. Kid can't figure their strategy out, and he doesn't want to start trying to think the way an outlaw thinks.

Jesse has repeatedly lied to Teaspoon, which in turn had infuriated all of Teaspoon's family. Jesse had told Teaspoon at the dance that he would be moving his gang of outlaws out of the area. Kid had assumed that meant a few hundred miles away. They can't be too far away if stealing horses from his and Buck's ranch is still within a days ride away.

Kid brings his horse to a halt. Up ahead he can see a road that takes him away from the creek. He dismounts his horse and decides to walk to the road. The gang's tracks show an upward movement towards the road. When he finally gets to the road he crouches down low to check the tracks in the dirt. "They're still heading north," Kid spoke quietly to him.

He stays on foot and follows the tracks a few hundred yards. The land before Kid and the land behind Kid is made up of bare plains with a little greenery here and there.

He starts to ponder the idea that Jesse could be leading him on a wild goose chase or worse. Jesse could easily be leading Kid into a trap! That would be one less person at the Kid & Buck Horse Ranch for Jesse to contend with. "Stop thinking like that. You are starting to think just like Jesse," Kid mumbled.

Kid mounts his horse once again. He figures he should search for someplace to bed down for the night. The sun is slowly making its descent behind the mountain range in the west.

On his left is the sparsely wooded area that he had just come from a few miles back. He will need a little shelter to hide himself from wild animals that also include The James Gang! He decides to re-enter the woods in hopes of finding a suitable clearing to make his camp for the night.

Louise had picked up the tracks of her husband almost immediately after leaving the ranch. The fear etched on her face isn't from meeting up with The James Gang. Instead she is afraid of meeting up with Kid! He is going to be so upset with her for endangering her life. She knows exactly what he will say. "You are a mother. You shouldn't be putting yourself in dangerous situations anymore. For heaven's sake Lou, you don't ride for the Pony Express anymore!" Louise spoke quietly out loud. She has memorized the tongue-lashing she gets every time her mind wonders into the danger zone with her body following in action.

She dismounts from her horse and kneels down at the edge of the shallow creek. She takes a long gulp of water. She had forgotten to bring her canteen. Kid will definitely reprimand her for that. At least she remembered to bring her coat. The night air had cooled down very quickly. She doesn't bother to splash her face with the cold water. She gets up from the ground and proceeds to mount her horse. It is almost completely dark, and she is hoping to find Kid before she has to give up her search and make up a camp for the night. She hasn't slept by herself under the stars in a long time. The thought of being alone doesn't sit well with her anymore. She wonders how she had done it a few years ago. It must have been the determination to prove to all those male express riders that she could do anything they could do, and perhaps better!

Kid had started a small fire to warm up his cold limbs. He hasn't had to camp outdoors in quiet some time. Even if Louise would kick him out of the house, he knows he has a room over at Buck's house. Of course, he'd never tell Louise that in the state of mind she is in, over her jealously of Buck getting more time to spend with Kid then what she gets!

Kid stirs the fire with a branch. He had set up a coffee pot on the hot rocks that he placed close to his campfire. He had caught a rabbit for his supper, and is just getting ready to slice into the cooked meat when he hears twigs breaking beneath light footsteps! The footsteps don't seem heavy enough to belong to a man.

Kid cautiously gets up from his comfortable, warm spot next to his fire. He reaches for his gun that is just a few feet away from him on his bedroll, which is spread out on the ground ready for him to bed down on. He quietly proceeds toward the footsteps that are coming right at him!

Without being overly cautious, Louise makes herself and her horse visible to Kid. At first he thinks the darkness is playing a trick with his sight. But, as Louise stride's closer to his camp, he knows his eyesight is just fine.

"Louise what are you doing sneaking up on me like that? I could have shot at you!" Kid spoke harshly.

She saunters closer to Kid as if she's walking hand in hand with him through a meadow of wild flowers. She gives him that innocent Lou look from years ago! When she gets to where she is standing in front of him, she reaches up to him and hugs him tightly.

Kid hesitates with a response at first, but he can't help but be happy that she arrived at her destination in one piece. He wraps his arms around her and returns her hug. "Don't think this is going to get you out of a lecture," Kid spoke softly into her ear.

Louise pulls out of their hug. "You need back up, and Buck wasn't available."

"You're a mother Louise. You shouldn't be risking your life. Who would raise our daughters if something were to happen to both of us? You have to stop putting yourself in dangerous situations. You don't ride for The Pony Express any longer," Kid spoke without inhaling one breath. He also watched Louise mouth the words silently as he spoke them out loud. He looks at her somewhat embarrassed. "Have I become that predicable?" Kid asked somberly.

Louise reaches up and kisses him. She pulls away from him and looks up into his sparkling blue eyes. "Only when it comes to your lectures."

"You still shouldn't be here. It is too dangerous," Kid spoke defeated.

"Just admit it. You know you kind of like having my company out here in the wilderness," Louise spoke with her softest, sensuous voice while tangling her arms around Kid.

"Louise stop that! We can't be fooling around out here. We are up against a ruthless gang of outlaws," Kid spoke as he tries to untangle his body from her grasp.

Louise drops her arms to her side in defeat. She breaths out a heavy sigh as if he has broken her heart. "You can't be serious. Kid, we are talking about Jesse."

"He shot Cody," Kid replied seriously.

"Simon Davenport shot Cody."

"Louise it doesn't matter which one of those outlaws done the shooting. The point is that Jesse did nothing to stop it from happening. Lets not forget the nine horses that they've stolen from our ranch! If you want my personal opinion, I don't think any of us should turn our back on Jesse James. Unless of course you want a hole in your back," Kid spoke in a harsh tone aimed at Jesse not Louise.

Kid bends down to get Louise a mug of coffee from the fire pit. She thinks about what Kid has just said, and about how Jesse has changed. When Kid straightens back up, he hands Lou the mug of hot coffee.

"Be careful, it's very hot," Kid muttered.

"You don't think much of Jesse anymore, do you?" Lou asked as she blows on her mug of coffee to cool it down. She takes a sip as she waits for Kid to reply.

"Jesse James takes from people that work at an honest living. How can anyone have respect for a person like that? Lets get your bedroll on the ground. We need a good nights rest," Kid spoke uncaring words about Jesse.

"What about tomorrow Kid?" Louise asked cautiously.

Kid takes her bedroll from her horse and spreads it out on the ground next to his. "We'll head back to Rock Creek. I promised Buck that I wouldn't try apprehending Jesse and his gang by myself."

"What if Cody still won't let Buck out of jail?" Louise asked softly.

"Teaspoon is letting Buck out of jail tomorrow whether Cody's witness shows up or not."

"So, you'd rather be out here with Buck then with me," Louise stated feeling defeated again by Kid's insistence that Buck accompany him instead of her.

Kid rolls his eyes with tiredness showing in them. "Please lets not have this conversation again," Kid spoke as he takes Louise in his arms. "I just don't want you in the line of fire. Buck can handle that kind of situation better then what you can."

He senses that she will protest so he covers a couple of his fingers over her mouth to keep her quiet. "Since you've become a mother you are very protective of your little daughters, but you sometimes forget to watch after yourself."

Kid takes his fingers away, but lowers his head to kiss Louise tenderly. She still can't protest. She wraps her arms around him and deepens their kiss. She slowly backs Kid up to their bedrolls where they both ease themselves down onto them, never parting from their kiss.

Jimmy props his legs up on the desk inside the jailhouse. Buck sits uncomfortably on the cot watching Jimmy.

"You don't have to stay the night with me. Cody's guards will be more than happy to come inside and sleep," Buck spoke tired.

"I want to stay."

"What about Charlene and Jane being at the house by themselves?" Buck asked more concerned for Jane then Charlene.

"They are both staying with Rachel and Teaspoon tonight," Jimmy spoke half asleep. "But, if you keep insisting on keeping me awake I may just decide to go home."

Buck lies down on the cot, but he isn't able to sleep. Jane hadn't been in to see him today. He can't help but feel sad that she may not care as much as he does. Jimmy had told him that she had something very important to attend to today. Buck had asked, but Jimmy wasn't telling him anything.

The bright moonlight would surely give their secret away. A stroll in the moonlight could be quite romantic if romance were in the air. Tonight there wouldn't be any romance or love.

The alley between the two buildings would be a perfect place to commit the latest crime against the gullible men of Rock Creek.

The blade of the knife is clean and brilliant in the moonlight. The hand that holds onto the knife is clothed with black leather gloves!

The sounds of heavy footsteps can be heard from the alley. The sound of the footsteps stop, and his piercing blue eyes search the alley for the stranger that he yearns to know better. "Are you here?" He spoke as he sees the shadow of the petite woman he will make love with tonight.

He walks further into the alley with a bright smile etched on his face. When suddenly from behind the shadow comes a blade that penetrates feverishly into his flesh. He lets out a vague groan of death as his body slumps to the ground.

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