ROCK CREEK ADVENTUROUS TALES
PART 2

GHOSTS FROM THE PAST

by Debra © 2001

CHAPTER THREE

The next morning the sun hasn't ascended above the mountains when Buck is pounding on the bunkhouse door. Buck smiles as he hears Cody inside the bunkhouse stumbling over furniture as he tries to answer the door. The next thing Buck knows, he's looking at Cody wearing only his long johns.

Cody's eyes are clouded over with the residue of sleep. He's having an extremely difficult time focusing on the figure standing before him in the doorway.

"Cody, you did say to be ready by five o'clock sharp, didn't you?" Buck asked with amusement at Cody's predicament.

"Five o'clock! Come on Buck, it isn't five o'clock!" Cody spoke as angrily as a man can possibly get when he's standing in an open doorway wearing one-piece long johns. Buck's amusing smile shatters Cody's ego. He looks down at his clothes to figure out what it is that Buck is having such a good laugh over. "What's so damn funny Buck?"

Buck points to Cody's hair that is sticking out in every direction conceivable. Cody takes his hands and tries to plaster his locks to his scalp.

"That isn't helping much Cody."

Cody spits into the palm of his hand and tries wetting his hair down with spit. All he accomplishes from this act is hair sticking up all over the place with spit on it.

"Cody you might as well just give it up. I don't think you can make it look any better," Buck spoke amusingly.

Cody throws Buck a disgusted look. "Haven't you ever got up looking like you should've stayed in bed the entire day? What time is it really Buck?"

"First of all. No, I have never looked quite as bad as you do at this moment. It's actually six o'clock. But uh…I can't go with you and Jimmy today."

Buck, I need your help with this today."

"Yeah I know. I'm sorry. You know I would help you if I could. Last night we had company at the ranch. Some horse thieves paid us a little visit. They got away with four of our horses."

"How many men were there?"

"I'd guess about three or four. Jimmy already went into town. He said for you to meet him at the marshal's office."

"What are you gonna do?"

"Kid and I are going to track the horse thieves this morning before we lose their trail. That's why I can't go with you and Jimmy. I can't leave Kid to handle the horse thieves by himself."

"Yeah I understand Buck."

"I'll catch up with you and Jimmy later today."

Jimmy is dismounting from his horse. He's trying not to think of the abandoned farm that he will accompany Cody to. Jimmy is hoping the situation is different than the last time he and Buck went to investigate where soldiers had been killed. He shutters at the memories of that day. He doesn't want a repeat performance that Buck had given him the last time. Before they even leave Rock Creek, he'll make it a point to ask Cody if the bodies have been removed from the farm. But, just in case they haven't, he made it a point of not having any breakfast this morning. He ties the reins to his horse to the hitching post outside the marshal's office.

He brings his head up from the hitching post when he hears a soft moan coming from a person or animal that sounds as if they've been hurt. He glances around, but he doesn't see anyone around the streets of Rock Creek. The town feels unusually quiet this morning. The time of morning could have something to do with that. Perhaps he is the only lunatic up at this early hour. "I must be working too many hours and not getting enough sleep," Jimmy spoke to himself. "I must be losing my mind. Now I'm even talking to myself."

He walks away from his horse and proceeds to unlock the door to get inside the marshal's office. The soft moans reappear just as he gets the door unlocked. This time the moans are never ending.

Jimmy hurriedly walks around to the side of the marshal's office. He sees only an empty dirt street with dust blowing about from the gentle morning breeze. He starts to walk around to the back of the building when he hears the moans that have become more intense. He hesitates to listen in what direction the dreadful sound is coming from. Without hesitation he runs to the other side of the building!

He stops and peers down the alley that is located between the marshal's office and the telegram office. A now silent form of a woman is lying bruised and unconscious in the middle of the alley.

Jimmy runs to the woman's aid and lifts her up into his arms. Her moans come more often and more intensely the more he jars her. He's hoping that he isn't hurting her further with the tight hold he has on her. He practically runs with her to the doc's office that is down the street from the marshal's office. He gazes down at the woman watching her chest to see any signs of her breathing. He sighs heavily when he realizes that she is breathing, but still rather shallow.

When he reaches Doc Barnes office he doesn't bother to take the time to knock on the door. He simply takes enough time to kick it open. Almost losing his precious bundle as he does so.

Doc Barnes is sitting at his desk going over notes he had taken concerning a patient's illness. "What the…

"Doc! This girl has been badly hurt!" Jimmy spoke with his voice shaky.

The doctor points to the next room in his office. "Take her in there to the examining room."

Jimmy clutches her tightly and proceeds towards the examining room. He's thinking that perhaps Kid is right. Maybe this town is a lot more unruly compared to six years ago.

"Lay her down gently on the bed," Doc Barnes ordered.

Jimmy does so, and untangles her mass of blonde locks away from her face. Jimmy hears the doctor let out a horrifying gasp when he sees the young woman's battered face!

"You know who she is?" Jimmy asked concerned.

"Yes. It is Charlene Anderson," Doc Barnes spoke as he gently washes her face with warm water and a washcloth.

"How can you tell? Someone has really messed her up pretty badly."

The doctor glances up at Jimmy. "I'll give you one guess at who done this to her."

"I would guess the man she's suppose to marry. I understand they don't like each other much," Jimmy spoke seriously, remembering what Rachel had told them at dinner the night before.

"That's an understatement. I need to examine her. You'll have to leave," Doc Barnes ordered quietly.

"I'll be back later to see how she's doing."

The sun has made its way above the mountains. The sky is crystal clear blue with just a few puffy clouds scattered about. Buck and Kid are on horseback tracking the horse thieves that robbed them the night before of four horses.

The two men come up to a swallow creek. They ride along side the creek for about a mile. Buck halts his horse. He doesn't see any tracks.

"Lets head back to where we last saw tracks. I'm betting they crossed the creek at that point," Buck spoke wearily.

Kid nods with agreement. They reach the point where Buck last saw shoed horse tracks. He crosses the creek. Kid stays on the other side waiting to see if Buck can pick up their trail across the creek.

Buck glances back at Kid. "They crossed!" He yelled.

Kid guides his horse across the creek to join Buck. They ride up over the creek embankment. Buck watches the ground as they continue to ride.

"It seems like we're headed straight for the Anderson Ranch," Kid spoke startled by the realization that it could very well be their competition that stole their horses.

"Yeah. It seems like it," Buck spoke flatly trying to not lose his concentration on the task at hand.

Cody arrives at the marshal's office with his hair laid down in all the right places. His eyes are a bit bloodshot from the late evening and then Buck's early morning wake up call. He notices Jimmy's horse is tied to the hitching post, but there doesn't appear to be any sign of Jimmy in the office. "The damn law in this town is about worthless," he curses to himself.

He shrugs his shoulders and wonders if his entire day is going to go this badly. It's all because Buck woke him up before he was ready to be woken. He heads back outside. He glances down the street and views Jimmy walking towards him. "I thought maybe you accompanied Kid and Buck."

Jimmy steps up to Cody. "Nope."

"Where you been then?"

"I found a young woman in the alley. She'd been beaten up pretty badly. I just took her to Doc Barnes for him to take a look at her."

"Who is she?"

"Doc Barnes says its Charlene Anderson. I never saw her before. I guess the doc would know better than me."

"Do you know who did it?"

"Doc is guessing that it is her fiancée, Simon Davenport. I guess that makes him the first person I question. You ready?"

"Sure thing. "We ride out to the abandoned farm first. Then we'll head out to the Anderson Ranch to question Phillip Anderson."

"I guess I'll be able to talk with Mister Davenport too," Jimmy spoke as they both mount their horses and ride out of Rock Creek.

Buck and Kid are on the hill that overlooks the Anderson Ranch. The horse tracks that Buck has been tracking lead the two men straight to the Anderson's. The two ranchers guide their horse down the slope to the ranch. A few loose stones hurtle down the hill each time the horses take a step. The hill is covered with a lot of brush and tall grass. The only shade from the blazing sun, are the trees at the very top of the hill. As the two approach the ranch they see that Oliver Anderson is inspecting his horse corrals.

Oliver Anderson glances up at the two men when he hears them approaching him. He wonders if perhaps, because one is a deputy, if they have news about the horse thieves that visited his ranch last evening. As Buck and Kid get closer to Oliver, he realizes that they are the owners of his competition. He stands straight up and walks over to them as they are dismounting their horses.

Kid eyes up the ranch and its owner as he walks toward them. "How do you think we should handle this?"

Buck also is looking over the elderly man who is approaching them. "He looks a bit irate himself."

"Good day deputy," Oliver spoke a welcome greeting to Buck in a gruff manner.

Buck simply nods his head. He has learned quite a few hard lessons in life. One of them is to be cautious towards strangers. Buck has found that until you really get to know a person, most can't be trusted fully. He has found that most men and even women will lie to get what it is they want. Most will have no guilt feeling about doing it after they've done it.

"Is your visit to enlighten me about my stolen horses?"

"You had horses stolen also?" Buck replied a little surprised.

"Last evening. I thought perhaps because you are a deputy you had some information concerning the horse thieves who visited my ranch last night."

"We had horses taken from our ranch last night also," Kid spoke.

"We tracked them this morning. Their tracks lead us to your ranch," Buck stated flatly. He doesn't want to make Oliver Anderson feel as if he can relax simply because he claims he also had horses taken during the night. There is something about the man Buck just doesn't like. "How many horses did they take?"

"Three. They happen to be three of my finest horses. We haven't had any trouble like this for a few years. I assumed it was all right to let them out in the corrals during the night. It has been so warm lately. I hated to box them up in the scorching enclosed barn."

"We felt the same way. This is actually the first time we've had trouble at our ranch," Kid replied.

"It could be that the horse thieves were at our ranch first. They took four from us. Perhaps four horses didn't satisfy their needs. They must have checked out both our ranches before hitting us." Do you mind if we look around? Maybe we can pick up their trail again from around your corrals," Buck spoke his mind thinking that Anderson is not being totally honest with him.

"Go right ahead."

Buck and Kid start to walk away from Oliver.

"By the way deputy."

Buck and Kid turn back to pay attention to Oliver Anderson.

"My daughter is also missing. I assume since last evening sometime since I did see her with her fiancée earlier in the day."

"Perhaps she just stayed over someplace," Buck spoke knowing that Oliver's daughters stay over in town quite often.

"I don't think so. Charlene's fiancée also saw her last evening, she was still at the ranch around eight o'clock."

Buck isn't about to go looking around town for Charlene Anderson when he knows that chances are she is with one of her man friends. Even though Charlene has a fiancée, Buck knows the young woman still frequents the saloon. He has seen her in there on many occasions when he has had to bring law and order into the saloon. Still he is the law, and if Oliver Anderson fears that his daughter may be hurt somewhere, it is his job to find her.

"When I return to town, I'll give it a thoroughgoing over. I can't promise you anything though. I can't leave the trail of the horse thieves when were this close to finding them," Buck spoke hoping his promise to at least search for Charlene will be comfort enough for her father. Besides, if Buck had a daughter that he thought was missing he wouldn't depend on the law to find her. Buck would be out tearing the town and territory apart till he found her. Oliver Anderson doesn't appear too upset over his daughter's dubious disappearance.

"I understand that the horse thieves are your top priority. I'll be waiting for your visit once you've found her," Oliver spoke calmly. He walks away from the two gentlemen.

Kid and Buck glance slowly at each other, one being just as baffled as the other by Mister Anderson's unflappable attitude concerning his daughter's disappearance.

"What just took place here?" Kid asked his confusion mirrored back at him in Buck's eyes.

"I'm not sure. But, Oliver Anderson doesn't appear to be overwrought with grief over his daughter's disappearance, so I'm not going to make too much of an effort in searching for her. Lets check out his corrals for tracks."

"Do you think perhaps Anderson is the horse thief?"

"If he is you can bet your last sarsaparilla that our horses aren't here any longer," Buck spoke as the two venture out to the Anderson horse corral.

Buck and Kid tread in separate directions to cover the area more quickly. Kid is getting a little anxious about not finding the horse thieves. He's worried that they might show up at the ranch again with Louise and the girls alone to defend themselves. Buck had tried to reassure him that he didn't feel the thieves would take a desperate risk of stealing horses during broad daylight. Kid kind of agreed with Buck, but he still didn't want to take a chance with his family's well being.

"Buck over here!" Kid hollered.

Buck runs swiftly over to the edge of the corral on the far left side where Kid is crouched low to the ground studying the hoof tracks. When he reaches Kid he bends down to inspect what Kid has found.

"You think they could be from the thieves?"

"Could be. We'll just have to track them for awhile and see where these tracks take us."

Teaspoon had been meaning for quite some time now to do some work around the ranch that wouldn't require him to break his other leg while he's trying to maneuver with the crutches the doc supplied him with. Rachel is doing her absolute best creative scheming to keep him away from shuffling around with his faithful crutches. He has to snicker at the ruthlessness she has had to come up with to keep him prone in his bed.

Her first attempt was to tell the doctor he was ready get up from bed and walk without anyone's help. The doc decided he needed more bed rest. Doc Barnes refused his request for the crutches. Once Teaspoon belittled the doctor into letting him have the crutches, his beloved wife tried to break them in half, hide them in the hayloft, and she even tried to burn them. He laughs out loud amused with all her ingenious conniving, not that it did her any good. Here he is out in the barn sitting on an old wooden stool while fixing some of the harnesses that are in dire need of repairing, his faithful crutches leaning against his stool.

"Hi Teaspoon."

Teaspoon sits up straight as can be on the stool. He appears to be in shock after hearing the voice from his past. It couldn't possibly be the boy that voice belonged to. That boy had grown up fast. He'd grown up to a man that is hunted by the law day and night.

"You're probably doubting your own mind right about now wondering why I would ever come back here. I guess I did sort of tell you that I'd never be back."

Teaspoon reaches for his crutches. He stands up and positions them under his arms. He hesitates a brief moment before turning himself around to view the ghost that has suddenly invaded his home.

Teaspoon stands reasonably composed by the presence of the young man before him. He really isn't quite sure how he should respond to his being next to the young man that he dearly loved as a boy.

He points to Teaspoon's wounded leg. "What happen? Did you get shot?"

Teaspoon sighs worrisomely. He never in all his years expected to be faced with a predicament such as the one he is facing now. "What are you doing here Jesse?" Teaspoon spoke calmly. He'd like nothing better than to hug the boy he once knew. But, the man he has become is an outlaw and Teaspoon is sworn to uphold the law as a marshal.

Jesse is real unsure about the way Teaspoon is behaving toward him. Perhaps this is a bad idea to come to Teaspoon for help. After all the man is the law here in Rock Creek. Maybe Teaspoon won't consider bending the rules not even for a boy he once considered part of his misfit family. "I need a place to stay for awhile. I thought maybe you could help me."

Teaspoon looks at Jesse with unbelieving eyes. He can't comprehend how Jesse can stand before him and request him to look the other way in his case. He sees that Jesse notices the astonishment in his facial expression. "Why should I help you out? Give me just one logical reason why I should look the other way where you are concerned?"

"I want to change my life around, but I can't do it with the law always hunting me down like a wild animal," Jesse spoke pleadingly. He knows exactly how to play on Teaspoon's soft spot. The marshal has one even though he always refused to admit it. Jesse could see the way Teaspoon was with the other riders. When they had done something wrong, Teaspoon was never one to rant, holler, or degrade them in front of others. Instead Teaspoon was compassionate and understanding. He helped the boys through many difficult times. Jesse hoped that Teaspoon would help him though his troubled times even if part of his tale isn't completely honorable.

"How do you plan on changing a life of robbing and killing?" Teaspoon asked irritably.

"I know I have a lot of sins that I need to redeem. I can't start a new life when everywhere I journey there are lawmen who are ready to put a noose around my neck without a fair trail."

"Jesse I am having an extremely difficult time believing that you want to change. From things I've heard you live for the glory of the next bank robbery. I'm just speculating here, but I think your intentions aren't really sincere."

Jesse's stomach becomes slightly sickened that he won't be able to convince Teaspoon of his trustworthiness. The old marshal can see right through his lies and deceit. He'd thought he could play on the marshal's strong desire to have a family. Who is he kidding? Teaspoon has all the family he needs. He knows for a fact that Kid and Buck are still close by. That would also mean that Louise still remains. He panics slightly trying to think of another approach that Teaspoon will swallow. The only scheme he can think of is to play on the old man's conscious. "Teaspoon I really don't know how to convince you that I want to turn my life around and be somebody who works a normal job to have an honest living. All I'm asking of you is to give me a chance, one chance to straighten my life out before turning me in."

The realization of what Jesse is saying hits Teaspoon. The boy will unquestionably hang for all his wrong doings, and there is plenty that Jesse has done wrong in the past few years. Teaspoon stares at the man he really doesn't know. Teaspoon knew the boy that wanted to grow up as fast as he could. Teaspoon could never figure out why. He had begged the boy to slow down, and simply enjoy being a boy. When Teaspoon first met the boy he had his mind fixed on fending for himself, and living by himself. He claimed he didn't need anybody's help. He remembers Jesse needed to get a job so he could pay for doc's funeral. Teaspoon offered to take care of everything so that Jesse could take time to grief over the man who was his guidance. How different a life can turn out. Frank James, Jesse's older brother, turned out to be Jesse's only means of what leadership is about. At least what leadership is about when you're the mastermind for a gang of carefree outlaws. Maybe he should shelter Jesse for a while. The man before him possibly is young enough to change into an honest human being. If there were anyone in Teaspoon's life worth saving, that person would be Jesse.

"I can't allow you to stay on the ranch in hiding. I don't think Kid or Buck would be as understanding as I am. I can offer you protection from the law as long as you agree to stay out of sight. Find someplace in the plains to hideout until your name is no longer a household word. No other lawmen will search for you around here if there are no rumors that you're around here. Do you understand what I'm telling you," Teaspoon spoke gruffly.

"I can do this Teaspoon. You won't be sorry," Jesse spoke excited like the young boy Teaspoon used to know.

"At the moment I ain't the marshal. As you can clearly see I had an accident. Jimmy is playing marshal. Buck is my deputy, and he still is deputy, helping Jimmy out. Neither one of them would break the law to keep your whereabouts a secret."

"You mean the both of them are just to damn honest," Jesse stated amusingly. Instantly Jesse notices that Teaspoon stiffens up and becomes too silent from the harsh words he used about two of the other men that Teaspoon thinks of as his sons. He doesn't find what he just said too humorous. He quickly wipes the smirk from his face. "I'm sorry Teaspoon. I'm actually happy for you that Buck and Jimmy turned out to be honest law abiding citizens. I know you would be broken-hearted if any of the other riders would have turned out like I turned out."

"I suggest you get yourself on out of here. Kid and Buck will be back soon from their search for horse thieves. I don't want them to find you here," Teaspoon spoke brushing Jesse off rather easily.

"Thanks Teaspoon. I won't let you down," Jesse spoke as he walked out of the barn, mounted his horse and rode out.

In the other direction Kid and Buck are riding toward the ranch. They notice the rider in the far distance riding away from the ranch.

"Looks like we had a visitor," Kid spoke.

"Yeah. I'm going into town to check in with Jimmy and Cody. I won't be too long."

"Take your time. We don't have a whole a lot of daylight left to work on the ranch. I'll start getting the horses in for the night."

Buck rides away from Kid and towards Rock Creek.

Doc Barnes is standing in the marshal's office with Jimmy and Cody.

"Did you see Simon Davenport on your trip to the Anderson Ranch?" Doc Barnes asked showing concerned for Charlene.

"No. We did get to speak with her father though. He claims that Simon was doing work outside when he told him to go inside and spend some time with his bride to be. He said that Simon later reported to him that Charlene was nowhere in the house. He claims he searched the entire house and couldn't locate her," Jimmy spoke irritated.

"Must be true then. I don't know why Oliver Anderson would protect Simon if he did indeed beat up his daughter," Doc Barnes spoke calmly.

"What are we going to do about the girl? I don't completely believe Mister Anderson. I doubt his story to be completely accurate," Jimmy spoke with bewilderment as to what to do with Charlene. He really doesn't want to send her back to her home if she could possibly be in danger.

"She could stay at Buck's home. I'm sure Buck won't mind having a woman around his home. That would give us some time to figure out who pounded their fists onto her face. She would be under you and Buck's protective care," Cody spoke pleased with himself for thinking up such a brilliant plan.

"Oh Buck will just love this!" Jimmy proclaimed.

"What will Buck just love?" Buck asked standing in the doorway to the law office.

The sound of Buck's voice and with Buck literally catching Jimmy, Cody and the Doc discussing him, has all three men looking terribly guilty.

"Uh…nothing," Cody stuttered.

Doc Barnes turns his attention once again on Jimmy. "I best get back over to my office. Let me know what you decide."

"Yeah, sure thing doc," Jimmy spoke softly.

Doc Barnes leaves and on his way out he gives Buck a sympathetic look. Doc realizes that Buck's two friends have just volunteered him for a lot of trouble to come his way. Once Oliver Anderson and Simon Davenport find out the marshal is keeping Charlene in protective care away from her fiancée, there will be hell to pay. Both men are hotheads, very domineering with their women, and neither are very good at taking orders especially from a lawman.

Buck comes into the office shutting the door behind him. Cody heads toward the door.

"Well Jimmy, Buck, I'll see you both for dinner tonight. I have some urgent business to take care of with my commanding officer," Cody spoke hurriedly.

"Yeah, right Cody," Jimmy stated flatly. He is now alone to map out his plan to Buck. Perhaps Cody's idea isn't such a good one after all. He gazes at Buck and he can see that his friend is bracing himself for the worse scenario possible.

"What's up Jimmy?" Buck asked the tone in his voice causing Jimmy to feel guilty about him offering for Buck to protect Charlene in his home.

Jimmy shuffles through some papers on his desk. His hands touch a large envelope containing new wanted posters. "We sure do get a lot of these posters," he commented as he opens the envelope.

"There is a lot of men wanted by the law," Buck stated flatly.

"Yeah, I guess so."

"You're avoiding my question, but I'm not going to let you off the hook so easily."

Jimmy looks up at Buck and ignores the new posters for a moment. "You're probably going to throw a bit of a fit about this."

"I don't throw fits Jimmy. Will you just tell me what you've gotten me into? How bad can it be?" Buck asked impatiently.

"You're already starting to get a bit upset, and I haven't even told you the bad news yet."

Buck just looks at Jimmy with a look of you best tell me right this minute what you're up to or I'm walking out this door, and you can handle your problem on your own.

"Okay. I found a woman beat up pretty bad first thing this morning when I arrived into town. She was in the alley lying in a crumpled up pile. The woman is Charlene Anderson."

"Kid and I tracked the horse thieves to the Anderson Ranch. Oliver Anderson asked me to search for his daughter."

"Yeah I know. Cody and I went there to talk to Phillip Anderson and Simon Davenport. Neither man was there. There's something I don't like about that. Seems too convenient for both men that the law is looking for aren't nowhere around to be questioned."

"Get back to the girl Jimmy."

"Oh Yeah. Anyway doc is pretty definite that Simon is the one who beat her up. I don't want to send her back home where she could very well end up dead. I…uh…well…I…Cody kind of volunteered you to keep her at your home and to give her protection."

"Cody did what?" Buck spoke as his heart is racing about as fast as his temper is flaring.

Jimmy is startled by Buck's lack of interest in wanting to keep Charlene out of danger. Buck has to know that if Simon Davenport is responsible for the bruises and cuts she obtained from his fist, that he could very easily end up killing her the next time.

Buck is visibly upset with Jimmy for suggesting he protect the young woman in distress. He is pacing in front of the desk. He stops every so often to stare down at Jimmy who is still seated at the desk. "How could you just assume I would do this without even asking?"

"I didn't think you would react this badly about it."

"I don't have time to baby-sit! Tell her father your suspicions about her fiancée. I'm sure Charlene's father won't put up with Simon being abusive toward his daughter."

"I already cornered Oliver Anderson about the matter. He defended Simon. He claims Simon is the one who discovered that she wasn't anywhere on the ranch last evening," Jimmy spoke calmly hoping his calmness would influence Buck to think this situation through rationally.

"Yeah. Probably after he dumped her off in town," Buck spoke feeling defeated.

"Buck listen, if you really don't want to do this I can come up with another solution. I just know I can't send her back home until I find out who did this to her. Besides, I was thinking that Louise could keep Charlene company during the day. In the evenings you and I would be there to keep her from harms way."

Buck takes up his pacing in front of the desk once again. He's afraid he'll live to regret whatever decision he makes concerning the situation with Charlene. If he allows Charlene to live at his home until Jimmy proves that Simon did indeed beat her up, she could very well be living with him for a very long time. If he chooses to turn her away, he would surely blame himself if the girl were beaten up again. He really didn't want to live with that kind of guilt. He gazes at Jimmy who is patiently waiting for his answer.

"All right she can stay at my home. I just know I'm going to live to regret this," Buck spoke in a subdued manner.

Jimmy smiles broadly, stands up and slaps his friend on the back as a friendly gesture that he has made the right decision.

"I don't want her there forever Jimmy. Find the person who left her in the alley near death so she doesn't have to be living with me until the end of time."

"Why do you dislike the idea so much about having a woman living in your home?"

"Look Jimmy, Charlene isn't just any woman. I envisioned the woman that I would be living with would be someone I chose to spend my life with. Not a woman who is forced onto me. Just promise me that none of her male friends will be showing up at the house. I'm not too worried though. Charlene Anderson has to agree to this. I don't think she will."

"She's not getting a vote in the matter. I promise Buck, I'll be at the house in the evening so you're not saddled with caring for her by yourself."

"We'll see how long that lasts. I've never known you Jimmy to tie yourself down to caring for just one female. Keeping Simon away from his fiancée is going to be a full-time job. The man has a temper worse than yours and Kid's put together. Of course unless you have other interests in the woman."

Jimmy hasn't really been paying much attention to what Buck has just said. His face has suddenly turned pale as if he's seen a ghost. He is glancing through the new wanted posters. Buck can't really see what has Jimmy's attention as if he were spellbound. He is holding a poster directly in front of him not allowing Buck to have visual access to it.

"Is there a problem Jimmy?" Buck asked baffled by Jimmy's sudden lose for words. When Jimmy still doesn't acknowledge his presence. Buck claps his hands in front of Jimmy. "You still with me Jimmy?"

Jimmy blinks his eyes a few times as he starts to come out of his trance like state. He glances away from the posters to look at Buck. Jimmy turns the poster around for Buck to view what had him hypnotized.
"Would you call this a problem?"

The observation that Buck makes about the poster leaves him speechless as well. He takes the poster out of Jimmy's hands barely grasping it as he reads it. "Jesse James wanted dead or alive. There's a thousand dollar reward for his capture. The bounty hunters will sure be busy until someone captures Jesse."

"There's a poster here for Frank James and the rest of the James Gang as well," Jimmy spoke unemotionally.

"To tell you the truth, I'm not surprised by this. I hadn't made Teaspoon aware of this, but I had heard that the James Gang robbed a bank about a week ago. Made off with twenty thousand dollars in cash. They killed an uncooperative bank teller and wounded the marshal," Buck stated knowingly.

"Where did this all take place?"

"Plum Creek."

"That's only about a days ride from here." Jimmy grabs the poster away from Buck and shoves them back into the envelope they arrived in.

"What are you doing?" Buck asked confused by Jimmy's actions.

"We can't post them. It would upset Teaspoon too much to see a wanted poster of Jesse hang…posted in his office."

"Jimmy, Teaspoon is neither blind or dumb. He's aware of the kind of person Jesse has turned into and the bad choice of company he has decided to keep. You have to post them. It's against the law if you don't," Buck spoke compassionately to his friend.

"Do you always do exactly what the law says Buck?"

"This isn't about me, Jimmy. I don't have my photo on any wanted posters."

Jimmy shakes his head in a manner with which he isn't sure what he should do. "I still think it's a bad idea to tell Teaspoon about these."

"Who said anything about telling Teaspoon. He won't be in here for another couple of months. Post the wanted posters on the bulletin board. That way we aren't breaking the law, but we'll keep this news from Teaspoon."

"Buck, have you thought ahead here? What if someone brings Jesse and the James Gang in more dead than alive after catching sight of these posters hangin…posted in our office? Then how are we going to explain this to a grieving Teaspoon?"

"Jimmy this isn't going to be the only marshal's office with these posters hanging in them. They'll be pinned up all across the territory," Buck proclaimed softly.

"Are you concerned at all about how Teaspoon is going to handle this?" Jimmy spoke. He knows the old man will take the news of Jesse very unfavorably. He is the one who feels defeated and unsure of the decision he must make.

"How do you know Teaspoon will react upsettingly about these posters?
He's been a lawman for a number of years. He has sworn to uphold the law, and it doesn't appear to me that he minds doing just that. If it bothered him, he wouldn't be a marshal."

"I just have a bad feeling about this," Jimmy stated as he's taking the posters back out of the envelope.

"You can blame me if Teaspoon should happen to be upset about it," Buck spoke hesitating a moment while he watches Jimmy tack the posters to the bulletin board. He senses that Jimmy is saddened by the action he knows he must take. "Jimmy?"

"Yeah Buck?"

"Are you okay with this? I know Jesse and you were pretty close at one time."

Jimmy finishes posting the wanted posters. He turns around and focuses his attention back to Buck. "Not anymore. I tried to make Jesse understand that being good with a gun didn't make you a better person. I guess Jesse didn't understand. How are you with this?"

"I wasn't particularly close to Jesse. I always felt like he was a little apprehensive about me. So I was never able to really get to know him. I'm just trying to do what Teaspoon has taught me about being a deputy and the responsibilities that come with the job. Being a deputy has certainly put me in my place concerning my own law bending behavior."

"That wasn't your fault Buck."

"Yeah, it was."

Jimmy starts to say something in Buck's defense, but Buck doesn't want anyone making excuses for his past mistakes. He cuts Jimmy off from speaking his mind.

"Lets just leave it at that."

NEXT

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