Charlene had a planned meeting this morning that required that she go horseback riding. Louise had caught her in the barn saddling up a horse, and had wanted to accompany her, because of Simon still lurking about. Charlene assured her that she wouldn’t be in any danger. She had almost slipped up and told Louise that she is no longer in danger where Simon is concerned as long as she obeys Jesse James. She is actually beginning to think that Simon Davenport is out of her life for good. 

Luckily she was able to convince Louise that she would be all right on a ride alone. She is afraid that Louise would never speak to her again if she knew the insidious plan she and Jesse James had to come up with to not only keep Jane from Buck, but to also get Buck out of Jesse’s reach for awhile. 

She is dressed in black breeches with a white blouse. She doesn’t look anything like the woman that runs around in dresses that attempt to seduce every man that passes by her. She kicks her heel into the horse with the black boots that adorn her feet as they round a bend in the road. A pleasing smile plays across her face as she sees the man who is waiting for her arrival.

Charlene pulls back on her reins to stop her horse side by side next to Cody’s horse. She is astounded that he doesn’t appear to be very happy about their accomplishments. Why is it that men can’t seem to relax and just enjoy a good scheme that had succeeded superbly in their favor? Men have to get so uptight about their wrong doings. It nauseates Charlene when a man acts like he’s too good to get his hands dirty. Cody is that type of man. He has made it perfectly clear to her that he can’t allow his family to find out that he is involved in schemes with her. 

“You look a little grumpy this morning Cody. What seems to be the problem?” Charlene asked still elated that their plan has worked to perfection.

“You are just so pleased with yourself, aren’t you?” Cody asked with a frown.

“Isn’t it amazing how the invention of the telegram really worked to our advantage yesterday,” Charlene spoke confidently.

“Buck is in jail Charlene. I’ve accused him of murder. He could be in big trouble if I can’t get the charges dropped. How does our plan work if the man you want ends up hanging by a rope?” Cody asked sorrowfully.

Charlene rolls her eyes. Why do men make such a big deal out of nothing? “We’ve gone over the plan a hundred times Cody. You are to produce the witness that swears he saw Buck running from the murder scene. But when the witness sees Buck, he changes his story. Buck will no longer be a suspect.”

“I just don’t know if having my family all hatefully mad at me is worth keeping Buck and Jane apart. How much longer do you think we’re going to be able to keep them from each other?”

“You could stall the witness for a couple of days.”

Cody looks disgusted with the woman before him. “How am I supposed to do that?”

“You really can’t think for yourself, can you? You tell everyone that you’ve searched for your witness, but you are unable to find him. Let a couple of days go by with Buck sitting safely in jail away from Jane’s clutches until I think of a way to end their attraction to each other permanently.”

Cody is hesitating to follow Charlene’s instructions. His mind is already made up that there is no way he and Charlene will get away with this plot. He already figures that he won’t be able to deceive Teaspoon for very much longer. The old marshal doesn’t let any misconception slither past him. “This whole deceptive plot of ours is going to blow up in our faces.”

Charlene laughs a boisterous wicked laugh before she gives Cody her acknowledgement. “Why is that?”

“You’ve never been truly in love have you Charlene?” Cody asked with sadness in his features.

Charlene must think about Cody’s question for a moment. She’s had plenty of men in her life, but none of them have ever been in love with her until Simon came along. As for her ever being in love with any of them, she would definitely have to say no. She has always managed to keep passion in her life without any of those useless strings hanging around to get tangled up in. “I can honestly say that until Buck, I have never had any use for love.”

“Well then let me inform you of a little secret about love. Sooner or later true love always prevails. I’ve been watching intently the way Buck and Jane are with each other. They are in love even if they haven’t confided to each other their feelings. We won’t be able to stop the feelings they have for each other. They aren’t going to just all of a sudden start mistrusting or disliking each other just because that’s what we want to happen.”

“If Buck and Jane are never allowed to consummate that love, then sooner or later it will wilt and die,” Charlene spoke venomously. 

“Why do you always have to put sex in the middle of everything? It doesn’t matter to them that they haven’t made love yet. Don’t you see the look in their eyes whenever they are close to one another? They love each other Charlene. Sex is only a pleasure that is a small part of that love. Their feelings of love for each other aren’t going to change just because they aren’t involved with one another on a sexual basis yet,” Cody spoke infuriated with her lack of knowledge concerning love.

Charlene becomes harden with Cody’s persistence that Buck and Jane will never fall out of love. She doesn’t want to hear what could be the truth. Not everybody is constructed the way she has been with men. She finds sex to be quite enjoyable without the love. She can only imagine what sex would be like if there were love involved in the consummation. “I’ve heard enough chatter about love. Just do your part of the plan without making a mistake, and everything we want will be ours.”

Charlene eases her horse to turn back in the direction she came from. Cody watches her leave until she is out of his sight. The woman is very vengeful. His only problem is why did he ever get tangled up in her web of deception, and how he is going to break free of her hold over him.

Jimmy dismounts from his horse and throws the reins over the hitching post outside the marshal’s office without tying the reins to the post. His head is titled down in thought. He can’t understand how everything has gotten so out of hand lately. He glances up to make sure he isn’t about to run into the glass door that had just been replaced. He hears the familiar laughter of a woman he is very close to.

Jimmy turns his head to the side to witness Hannah in the arms of another man. He doesn’t know whom the young gentleman is that resembles a banker adorned in a gray tailored suit. All Jimmy sees is how intently Hannah is listening to the man’s every word.

As Hannah and the man walk by Jimmy on the walkway, he is stupefied that she doesn’t acknowledge his presence at all. He turns completely around in a circle as he watches them walk past him and on down the street. The woman has no morals whatsoever. She hadn’t even noticed the hurt look in his eyes. He hates to admit to himself that he could be developing feelings for the dark-haired beauty.

Jimmy fumbles with the doorknob of the jailhouse, while still watching Hannah. He realizes that the army soldiers inside the marshal’s office are watching him make a complete fool of himself. 

He finally succeeds in getting the door open only to slam it into the interior wall of the office with his booted foot. He walks into the jailhouse in a foul mood. 

Buck gets up from his not so comfortable cot and gazes at the fit Jimmy is throwing. “Careful with that damn door. Teaspoon said the next one we break the money comes out of our pockets to fix it,” Buck spoke amusingly.

Jimmy glances over at Buck who is still behind bars. “Why are you in such a good mood this morning. I would have thought you’d be ready to kill somebody by now,” Jimmy spoke sourly.

“Bad choice of words Jimmy,” Buck spoke arching his brow.

Jimmy gazes at the soldiers who are listening acutely to every word that Jimmy and Buck say to one another. He walks over to the soldiers. “Now that I’m here for the day, the two of you can do your guarding outside,” Jimmy spoke demandingly.

The two soldiers look at each other. This isn’t the man they normally take orders from. They figure the look in the marshal’s eyes is nothing they want to mess with. They both make their way over to the door shutting it quietly behind their departure.

“So you want to tell me why you’re in such a good mood. These charges against you are pretty serious,” Jimmy asked calmly.

“I’m trying to make good use out of the time I’m spending behind these bars. Actually, I’ve been awake all night contemplating the many different torturous ways a can pay Cody back for these outstanding accommodations he’s given me,” Buck spoke seriously glancing about his tiny cell.

“Yeah. I’ve been thinking about the many ways I’m going to kill him when the truth comes out,” Jimmy spoke angrily.

“Don’t lose control Jimmy. It isn’t going to help my case any if we can’t get the truth out of Cody cause he’s dead,” Buck spoke disheartened.

Jimmy smiles boldly. “Yeah. I guess you’re right. I suppose I can wait until after you’re proven innocent. Then I’ll kill him.”

Buck can only smile at his friend’s unforgiving temper.

Teaspoon is in the barn at the ranch saddling a horse to ride on into town. He wants to visit with Buck awhile, and maybe try to catch up with Cody. He still moves a bit slow with the healed leg that is not completely up to strength. He is getting ready to mount his horse when Cody guides his horse into the barn.

“You’re just the person I want to talk with,” Teaspoon spoke harshly.

Cody looks up from his dazed look at the ground. “I’m only here long enough to saddle up a fresh horse. I tired mine out this morning searching for that witness of mine that claims he saw Buck at the scene of the last killing.”

“What do you mean searching for him? Didn’t you have him tied up somewhere so you wouldn’t misplace him?” Teaspoon asked his voice suspicious of Cody’s actions, but rising through the roof of the barn anyway.

“No, I didn’t keep my witness bound and gagged. I probably should have though. He isn’t anywhere around.”

Teaspoon walks closer to Cody. He stands directly in front of the blonde man with a look of disappointment. “You best make this here witness of yours appear damn fast! Cause if you don’t, I’m unlocking Buck’s cell door and letting him roam free. My advice to you would be to stay clear of Buck. I’m almost sure he won’t be in a real good mood where you’re concerned.”

“Buck’s just mad cause I interfered with his night with Jane,” Cody spoke amused that no one knows about his plan with Charlene. 

Teaspoon eyes Cody up suspiciously. He hasn’t figured out how Cody did it, but Teaspoon’s knows that Cody’s charges toward Buck are all part of a scheme Cody devised to keep Buck and Jane apart. He plans on proving it if it takes him until his dieing day to do so. “Cody, you better think again about what you’re doing. This is Buck’s life you’re playing games with for your own selfish gain,” Teaspoon spoke powerfully as he guides his horse out of the barn. “The fact that your scheming isn’t working, makes your lies even that more difficult to keep from coming out.” He mounts his horse and rides away from the ranch.

Alongside the exterior of the barn, Jane watches Teaspoon ride out. She had been listening to the conversation between Teaspoon and Cody. Since Buck’s arrest last night, she has been unable to think about anything else except the possibility that Cody has falsely accused Buck of murder because of his obsessive love for her. 

Jane strolls into the barn with a walk and look of determination. The man she loves is in jail, and Cody has put him there wrongfully. 

Cody hears someone approach him from behind, and he whirls around to see whom it is sneaking up on him. He is graciously surprised to see that it is Jane. “Good afternoon Jane,” Cody spoke to her with a warm smile.

“Cody,” Jane spoke not so warmly.

Cody is taken back by her obvious coldness toward him. He figures that she must be listening to what everyone else is saying. “I was hoping to see you today.”

“Are you going into town to release Buck from jail?” Jane asked in a demanding tone of voice. She is not at all pleased with Cody right now, and she’s not about to let him off easy for what he has done to Buck and her. 

“Jane, I can’t let Buck go. I have a witness…”

“I don’t want to hear about your witness anymore. Buck is a part of your family. You know he wouldn’t kill all those people you’re claiming he has killed. Buck isn’t a cold-blooded killer!”

“Buck killed a man in cold-blood before Jane,” Cody spoke sadly. 

“If you are referring to that man that killed Ike, then I’d say Neville deserved what he got. Buck wouldn’t just plot out and kill army soldiers, and people from town that he has sworn as a deputy to protect,” Jane spoke getting fiercely angry with Cody the longer she speaks to him. She turns and starts to walk away from him figuring this conversation has come to an end. She doesn’t want to listen to anymore of his lies!

The last thing Cody wants in his life right now is for Jane to be angry with him. As Jane turns to walk away from him, he grabs hold of her arm and gently forces her to look at him. “Have dinner with me tonight. Maybe by then I’ll have this whole mess sorted out,” Cody spoke pleadingly.

“You’ll let Buck out of jail if I have dinner with you?” Jane asked cautiously. She is the reason Buck is being accused of murder, and she’ll prove that Cody is using this situation to make advances onto her. Poor Cody, he simply can’t accept that she is in love with Buck.

“No. I didn’t exactly say that. That would be blackmail. I’m not a blackmailer, Jane. I could be persuaded to let Buck out of jail as long as he stays at his house with a couple of my guards to watch so that he doesn’t try to make a run for it.”

“By persuasion you mean if I would consent to have dinner with you?”
Jane asked with an understanding that Cody is indeed blackmailing her even if he doesn’t wish to call it that.

Cody realizes he is making himself seem guilty for locking Buck up under false pretenses. Charlene had warned him not to mess the plan up. He is so close to getting what he wants. The conceivability that he may have Jane in his arms tonight is tormenting every nerve in his body. “Look I really need to find that witness that stated he saw Buck at the scene of the killing. Please, just have dinner with me.”

Jane looks deeply into the once sincere blue eyes that she now mistrusts. She is having a difficult time understanding why Cody would do this to his friend. “I’ll have dinner with you. We will continue this conversation then,” Jane replied harshly.

Cody mounts his horse. “I’ll pick you up around six o’clock,” Cody spoke gleefully as he rides away from her. 

Jane watches Cody leave the ranch. She stands still long after he is completely gone not able to move a muscle from the feeling of doom that is upon her. She starts to feel a chill, so she rubs her arms up and down with her hands. She knows she should go back over to the house, but she doesn’t want to have to listen to Charlene’s smugness. She’ll have to make sure her stomach stays settled for her dinner with Cody tonight. Her dinner with Cody will likely make her nauseated enough.

Jane becomes aware of her surroundings when she hears someone’s footsteps crunching the tiny stones that make up the ground. She looks away from her stare of Cody’s sightless horse. She sees that it is Rachel whom is approaching her.

“You seem a little lost,” Rachel spoke as she comes closer to Jane.

“I think I am,” Jane replied quietly.

“Have you been in town to see Buck yet today?” Rachel asked hoping that would cheer Jane up a bit.

“I don’t think I’m going to see Buck today,” Jane spoke with a frown.

“He’ll be disappointed if he doesn’t get a visit from you,” Rachel spoke trying to persuade Jane to go see the man she loves.

“I know Rachel. I just don’t want to run into Cody anymore today before our dinner date tonight,” Jane spoke angry with herself for betraying Buck.

“You’re having dinner with Cody?” Rachel asked perplexed by Jane’s admittance to having a date with Cody.

“Rachel, I only agreed to have dinner with Cody because I need to find out what it is he’s up to. We all know Buck didn’t kill those people. Cody knows it too. He’s hiding something from all of us including Buck,” Jane spoke determined to find what it is Cody is hiding.

“You don’t want to see Buck today because you’re worried that you won’t be able to keep it from him about your dinner date with Cody?” Rachel asked calmly.

“Buck won’t want me to go. I think Buck is a little unsure of how I feel about him,” Jane spoke softly.

Rachel smiles at the young woman before her. “You could fix that very easily Jane.”

“I know, and I will as soon as I get Buck out of jail. The only way I can do that though is to nail Cody for whatever it is he’s plotting. 

Cody walks over confidently into the marshal’s office. His smile is wiped right off his face when he views Teaspoon, Kid and Jimmy all staring back at him waiting for Cody’s witness to make his appearance. Cody watches Buck getting up from the cot in his cell and walking over to the barred door of his cell.

“Where’s your witness Cody?” Jimmy asked flatly.

“I haven’t been able to locate him,” Cody stated his eyes refusing to meet any one of them directly.

“You don’t have a witness, do you Cody?” Kid asked angrily as he takes a few steps toward Cody.

Cody backs up a few steps. Kid looks as if his temper could boil over at any second.

“If you haven’t got any proof, then you should have to let Buck go,” Kid stated flatly. 

“I can’t. I can’t let Buck go until he’s proven innocent,” Cody stated in a whiney tone.

“Cody I think you have the law turned around backwards. A person is innocent until proven guilty,” Jimmy spoke with a chill in his tone.

Teaspoon walks up to Cody’s face. Teaspoon’s face is flushed with anger. “I’m going to give you until tomorrow to produce that witness of yours. If you can’t produce him, then I’m setting Buck free,” Teaspoon spoke harshly.

“All I can do is to keep looking, uh…after my dinner date with Jane that is,” Cody spoke with a grin.

Buck looks confused at the message Cody is relaying to him, and not from Jane. If Cody wants a reaction to his message meant to hurt Buck, he won’t give Cody the pleasure of seeing him distraught with worry. Cody knows that he can’t do anything about it while he’s locked in a jail cell. But, Buck can’t help wonder why Jane would go out with Cody after what Cody has done to him. That is presuming the date between them is simply a dinner date between friends.

Cody strolls over to the cell that Buck is locked up in. He stays far enough away from the cell so Buck can’t reach for Cody’s neck with his bare hands. “I see you’re having a hard time believing that Jane would go out with me. You’ve only been locked up for one day, and already she’s tramping around with another man,” Cody spoke trying his best to get to Buck emotionally. 

Kid walks over to Cody hurriedly. “You’re lying Cody! Jane wouldn’t go out with you.”

“You happen to notice that Jane hasn’t been in to visit you today Buck?” Cody asked his voice over flowing with cockiness.

“Shut-up Cody!” Buck hollered as he reaches through the cell bars with his hands hoping to grab onto Cody and bring his head right through the bars of his cell! 

Cody is just too far out of Buck’s way for him to choke the life out of him! 

Jimmy stands up from where he is sitting and makes his way over to Kid, Cody and Buck. “Buck, would you like for one of us to strangle Cody for you?”

“Lets just calm down all of you,” Teaspoon spoke as an order to all of his boys.

All four of the young men glance at Teaspoon. “Cody perhaps you should go back to the bunkhouse and get ready for your date. You wouldn’t want to smell the way you do right now when you go to pick Jane up tonight,” Teaspoon spoke harsh while making faces at Cody’s body odor.

Cody lifts up his arm, and smells his armpit. Boy, I guess you’re right Teaspoon. I better get on back home and get cleaned up. Uh… I’ll be leaving two guards again tonight to make sure Buck STAYS in jail,” Cody spoke as if insinuating that they might try to release Buck from his tiny jail cell. Cody takes one last look at them wondering if they are all up to no good, but he really doesn’t care, tonight he has what he wants, a date with Jane. 

Cody hurriedly rushes out of the jailhouse never looking back at the four of them. He has a date with the woman he wants to spend the rest of his life with, and he doesn’t want to make a bad first impression by being late.

“Why’d you send Cody on his way Teaspoon?” Jimmy asked flatly.

“I want to speak with all of you without Cody’s big ears listening in.”

Kid, Jimmy and even Buck get a little chuckle out of Teaspoon’s words for Cody’s ears.

“What do you want to talk to us about Teaspoon?” Kid asked baffled.

“Buck, first of all, I’m sure if Jane does have a dinner date with Cody it is for a good reason. She may be on to what Cody is up to,” Teaspoon spoke trying to make the Kiowa believe that Jane still cares for him.

“Cody’s right Teaspoon. Jane hasn’t been by today to see me. If Jane cares about me so much, she would have stopped by to see how I’m doing,” Buck spoke disheartened.

“Buck, I’m going back to the ranch. I’ll try to find Jane and see what’s going on,” Kid spoke trying to reassure Buck about Jane’s feelings for him.

“Kid, I’ll go with you,” Teaspoon spoke as he walks closer to Buck’s cell. “We’ll get this cleared up tomorrow. You think you can tolerate one more night in this cell?” 

“I can tolerate the cell all right Teaspoon. It’s the thought of Cody all over Jane that I’m having trouble dealing with,” Buck spoke somberly.

“I know. Kid and I will keep an eye on the two of them,” Teaspoon spoke calmly.

“Thanks Teaspoon,” Buck spoke softly.

Teaspoon joins Kid at the door of the office. They look back at Buck one last time before leaving.

“You got another plan?” Kid asked as the two men are mounting their horses.

“I sure do. You got dinner plans for tonight?” Teaspoon inquired with a smile.

Kid understands exactly where Teaspoon is coming from. The two of them ride on back to the ranch.

Jimmy stays at the jailhouse with Buck. 

“You don’t have to stay with me,” Buck spoke as he sits back down on the cot in his cell. Buck’s depressed state noticeable to Jimmy, from the sulking expression on his face that he can’t hide.

“I’m just gonna get some paperwork done. Our supper shouldn’t be too much longer,” Jimmy spoke as he walks back to his desk and sits down. He had left Buck alone in the jailhouse last night. He thought tonight he’d stay here and keep him company. He figures Charlene can fend for herself for one night.

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

Jane had decided right from the start of this evening out with Cody that she wasn’t going to make herself anything real special to look at. This isn’t a dinner date with the man she loves. So she kept her dress rather simple, but Cody’s eyes are still sparkling with love. 

The dress she decided on is more like an everyday dress of navy blue cotton with tiny flowers embedded throughout the print. The scoop neckline that does enhance her figure is the only seductive part of the dress. Even with the sleeves of the dress going to her wrists, Jane still brought along a solid navy blue shawl to keep the chill away. She doesn’t want Cody insisting that he be allowed to keep her warm.

Cody had chosen a corner table with some privacy for their night out together. As Jane looks at the menu, Cody stares at her with such intensity that he could almost burn a hole through the menu she’s holding.

Jane feels his eyes bearing down on her. She wonders if he plans on doing the ordering for their dinner. It seems to her that he hasn’t glanced at the menu even once. She places the menu down in front of her. “Have you even looked at the menu?”

Cody realizes she has caught him staring. “Oh. I’m sorry Jane. I’m just having a hard time keeping my eyes off of your astounding beauty,” Cody spoke with stars in his eyes.

“The waitress will be back here before long to take our order. I suggest you decide what it is you want for dinner before you make a fool out of yourself.”

“I’ll just have whatever you’re having,” Cody spoke blindsided by the love he feels for her.

“Cody, I think it is proper for the man to do the ordering when he takes a lady out to dinner,” Jane spoke harsher than she had intended to. She sits at the table not admiring the immature man sitting across from her. How could she have ever agreed to this ludicrous date with Cody? The two men in her life, who claim their love to her, are as dissimilar as the deep darkness of night, and the brightest sunrise of the great west. She isn’t quite sure how she deals with such totally opposite men. Cody has the most abstruse personality Jane has ever been in contact with. It may have something to do with the well-versed lies he tells. Cody is a nice enough man, but he makes it difficult for another to separate the truth he may tell from the lies that he does tell. Then there is Buck. He is a man that couldn’t tell a lie if his life depended on it. A man that is driven by passion, whether it be for justice, honor, love, betrayal or any emotion that he feels. He always wants to do what is right, and he does it with the truth instead of a pact of lies. The way Buck looks when he’s looking at her goes a long way in telling Jane just how deeply his love for her penetrates his heart.

“Oh yeah. I guess you’re right,” Cody stumbled through his words.

Teaspoon and Kid are seated at the corner table that is right next to Cody and Jane. A short wall and a few large plants are between the two tables. The two men are holding their menus up to their face so the chance of Cody seeing them is lessened. Teaspoon had decided that this was the only way he was going to be able to keep an eye on Jane, as he had promised Buck he would do, and also listen in on Cody and Jane’s conversation.

Kid peeks out from behind his menu and takes notice that the waitress is at Cody and Jane’s table taking their order. As soon as the waitress disappears, Kid quickly places his menu back in front of his face. “Teaspoon,” Kid whispered.

“What is it?” Teaspoon replied whispering.

“I have one question for you. How are we going to eat with these menus stuck to our face all night?” Kid spoke whispering.

Just about this time the waitress appears at Kid and Teaspoon’s table a bit baffled by the two men and their actions. 

Teaspoon glances from behind his menu at the waitress. “Sorry miss. We’ll both have the steak and potatoes and corn with coffee,” Teaspoon spoke quietly as the waitress leans forward to try and hear what he is saying. 

“That would be soup and beans and coffee with milk,” She repeated with a disgusted look on her face.

Teaspoon puts his face up to his hands in a frustrated manner. “No, no, no! We asked for steak and potatoes with corn, and black coffee,” He whispered.

“Look mister, if you expect me to get your order right, you’re going to have to talk like a normal person. I wasn’t hired to read lips.”

Kid gazes over the situation carefully. If he doesn’t handle this himself, he’s afraid the two of them may never get served dinner. “Miss, we would like the steak and potatoes with corn and black coffee,” Kid spoke in a normal tone.

She smiles warmly at Kid. “I like you. You’re cute, and so much easier to get along with then your grumpy, old friend.” After she takes their order down correctly, she tries to take the menus out of the two men’s hands. Both men have such a strong grip on them that she ends up ripping the menus before she gets them out of their hands. 

Kid and Teaspoon both look embarrassed about the destruction of the menus. “Sorry again miss,” Teaspoon spoke quietly. 

“Uh… we just wanted something to read while we wait for our dinner to arrive,” Kid spoke slightly turning a few shades of red.

The waitress walks away from their table looking a bit disgusted, with the torn menus in her hands. The two men watch her leave feeling a little ridiculous about their actions.

“Now look what you’ve gone and done. We’ll probably have to work off the expense of those menus in the kitchen doing the dirty dishes,” Teaspoon grunted quietly. 

“Me! I was only following your lead,” Kid spoke louder than he had intended to.

Teaspoon brings a finger to his lips to quiet Kid. “Ssssssssh.”

While Kid and Teaspoon are arguing, Cody and Jane’s waitress is serving them their meals.

“Thank-you,” Jane spoke to the waitress as she serves them and then leaves them to enjoy their meal.

Jane puts her napkin on her lap and begins to cut her steak into small pieces. Cody just watches Jane with devotion, and doesn’t touch his meal. While staring at Jane, Cody does manage to tuck his napkin down his shirt neckline. 

Cody smiles at the enthusiastic way that she gently attacks her meal. He’d have no patience cutting every piece of food into small pieces that are then chewable to her. His idea of enjoying his food is to devour it whole! Just as he’d like to do with her!

Jane glances up, after cutting her steak, to see that Cody has not touched anything on his plate, but has only been watching her. “Do you always watch your dinner guests with such devotion? I figured you to be the type of man who doesn’t want to be interrupted by idle small talk or anything else when he’s busy with his meal.”

Kid stifles an outburst of laughter. “Jane sure has Cody pegged,” Kid whispered to Teaspoon.

“Well I only watch my dinner guests when they’re as lovely as you. Most of the time though, that isn’t the case,” Cody replied somberly.

Jane wonders what type of dinner guests Cody has been to dinner with. “Are you telling me that you usually have an ugly woman sitting opposite yourself at the dinner table?” Jane asked with pity in her eyes for Cody’s misfortune. 

“Well most of my dinner guests of late have been ugly men wearing army uniforms,” Cody replied flatly.

Kid can’t hold his laughter inside any longer. It simply has to come out. He makes a hideous noise, as he tries to control is laughter by holding his breath. His laugh comes out more like a burping hiccup!

Cody looks around briefly with an annoyed expression had him wondering who it is ruining his romantic evening with Jane. He isn’t sure which table the rude noise came from, so he sits back down in his chair to give all his attention to Jane.

Teaspoon leans over the table and clasps his hand over Kid’s mouth. In the process of doing so, Teaspoon knocks over Kid’s glass of ice water! It spills all over the table before Teaspoon can catch the glass and sit it upright. 

Teaspoon turns his head around to view Cody. He wants to make sure he hasn’t detected their presence in the restaurant. As Teaspoon is making sure all is well at the next table, Kid starts jumping up and down on his chair by the seat of his pants! 

Unbeknown to Teaspoon, the water he had spilled from the knocked over glass if ice water, is running off the table edge and onto the front of Kid’s trousers! Giving Kid a cold awakening!

Kid can’t make Teaspoon aware of what is happening to him as the cold water continues to dribble onto his trousers. His only course of action is to bite down on Teaspoon’s hand! 

Teaspoon jumps up as Kid’s teeth sink into the marshal’s flesh! As Teaspoon jumps up, he feels the pain in his hand and pulls it away from Kid’s mouth. He has no time to think when his knees hit the underside of their table. The table starts to tip over, but Teaspoon isn’t paying it any mind. He is grasping onto his knees with both hands trying not to cry out in pain! He clinches his teeth together to stop the pain in his knees, and he squeezes his eyes shut in hopes of shutting out the pain he must endure because of Kid’s biting him!

Kid spies the chain reaction happening before his eyes! The table starts to tip with the other glass of water on it. He grabs onto the edges of the table with both hands to steady it! However, his attempts are futile to save the other glass of water! The glass hits the table with a crash, and the water sprays up into Kid’s face!

Teaspoon opens his eyes from the pain that is now subsiding, only to see Kid wearing water in his hair, dripping from his face, and soaking the shirt he is wearing. “What in blazes are you doing?” Teaspoon spoke with a quiet harshness.

Kid picks up his cloth napkin, which is also dripping with water. He wrings it out on the table and proceeds to wipe his face off.

Their waitress approaches their table with their dinner orders. She stops abruptly from placing their plates down on the table when she sees the condition it is in. Everything in sight is drenched with water. Their tablecloth, cloth napkins, and the younger man of the two seems to have suffered the most from the sudden water battle going on at their table! Her eyes finally meet with the two men sitting at the table with a laughing smile upon her face. “We have children that dine here that don’t even make this kind of a mess!”

“We’re….uh…very sorry ma’am,” Teaspoon uttered quietly.

“Well you’re just going to have to eat your meal from a wet tablecloth,” she spoke loud enough to embarrass the two men who must play.

“That will be fine,” Kid spoke softly. He just wants this night of torment to be over with. 

The waitress places their plates down in front of them. She picks up the overturned water glass and walks away from their table just about busting up with laughter.

Kid gently wrings out the edges of the tablecloth on his side to keep the water from its continuous dripping onto his trousers. Their mishaps have developed a small pool of water underneath Kid’s chair. “Remind me again why I accepted a dinner invitation with you,” Kid asked flatly.

“Cause you love me,” Teaspoon replied with a wink and a smile.

Kid can only respond by rolling his eyes.

Cody has started to eat his meal. Jane will be finished with her, and his meal will be left to get cold if he doesn’t do something to rectify the situation. With every bite he takes, Cody continues to stare blindly at Jane as if she would disappear the second he would take his eyes off her.

Jane is feeling a bit uncomfortable that Cody keeps watching her. She doesn’t feel that Cody loves her at all, but rather that he is obsessed with having her for his own. Jane tells herself that those feelings toward another person are not good. The way that Cody is obsessed with her reminds Jane of how Charlene is with Buck. She feels that Charlene would stop at nothing to keep her and Buck apart! 

Jane stops eating for a moment to try and verify from Cody the feelings that she is getting from him. “I agreed to have dinner with you for one reason Cody.”

“What’s the one reason Jane,” Cody asked smiling warmly at her.

She doesn’t wish to hurt him, but she simply can’t let him continue to think that there is some sort of hope for her and him in a relationship. “I have been wanting for some time now to talk with you about my feelings regarding you and regarding Buck.”

“Why do you have to bring Buck into our evening together?” Cody asked more harshly than he had intended to sound.

Jane is stunned by the cruelness in Cody’s tone of voice. This is Buck, a family member that Cody is trying to omit from his life. “I have to bring Buck into the conversation because you blackmailed me into having dinner with you because of Buck’s situation!” Jane spoke being just as harsh with Cody, and more honest then Cody will ever be.

“All right. I’m sorry. Lets just both calm down and start over,” Cody spoke more calmly then before.

“Remember the evening you rescued me from Simon’s brutal attack at the schoolhouse?”

“How could I ever forget that evening? I wanted to hunt him down like the animal that he is, but you were so vulnerable in my arms. I couldn’t leave you alone,” Cody spoke with a twinkle in his eyes for Jane.

“I knew that I had met you before, but I couldn’t place where it had been. But, I sensed that you were a good man and that I could trust you. Then you sent Buck to bring me back to the ranch. I took one look at Buck and I fell.”

“Buck pushed you?” Cody spoke dumfounded.

Teaspoon who has just taken a large gulp of coffee loses control of his laughter at how ridiculous Cody sounds, and sprays the beverage at Kid! “Oops,” Teaspoon spoke quietly as he gets control of his senses.

Kid squints open his eyes and proceeds to wipe the hot coffee from his face with his already drenched napkin! “Thanks Teaspoon, but uh… I have my own coffee. You can keep yours.”

Teaspoon glances at Kid pathetically. “I’ll try to remember that.”

“No Cody! I meant I fell in love the second I saw Buck after not being in his life for seven years.”

“How can you fall in love that quickly?” Cody asked bitterly.

“You could ask yourself that same question Cody. I’m not blind. I can see that you have strong feelings for me. But, I can’t return those same feelings for you.”

“What if Buck weren’t around?” Cody asked without emotion.

Teaspoon and Kid both halt the chewing they are doing on their meal. Their ears perk up as they both try to hear the admittance of guilt that Cody is about to do.

“Is that what is going on with you accusing Buck of murder, and then forcing him to stay locked up in jail while you hunt for a witness that probably doesn’t really exist?” Jane asked calmly. Her emotions are starting to get the best of her. She knows she has to stay calm if she is ever to get the truth out of Cody.

“I don’t like being accused of something that is so absurd! I wouldn’t bring harm to Buck knowing that he could very well hang for these crimes,” Cody spoke harshly.

“Then where is your witness? Why hasn’t he made an official statement concerning want he saw at the scene of the murder?”

“I haven’t been able to locate him. He may have been frightened off due to the seriousness of the charges.”

“I can except that, but for how long is Buck going to have to wait in jail until your witness decides to make his appearance?” Jane asked softly.

“Is there nothing I can do to make you fall out of love with Buck?” Cody asked somberly.

“There is nothing you can do Cody. I love Buck. My love for him will never die,” Jane spoke quietly from her heart.

“I need to get you home. I have to get an early start tomorrow searching for my witness again,” Cody spoke hurt and defeated.

Cody makes his way over to her and helps Jane from her chair. The two leave the restaurant. 

As they are leaving Jane turns her head around and winks at Teaspoon and Kid! 

Kid waves good-bye to her. Teaspoon abruptly slaps Kid’s hands down onto the table only to have them hit into his plate of uneaten food. His facial expression is one of sheer pain as he lifts his hand off the plate! Kid holds his hand over his plate as the gravy from his untouched mashed potatoes drips from his hand, while the mashed potatoes stay stuck to his palm! 

“This certainly has been one of the worst dates I have ever been on!” Kid spoke harshly.

“Does that mean you don’t ever plan on going out with me again?” Teaspoon asked with an amusing smile playing on his face. 

Kid rolls his eyes, and doesn’t even answer the old man.

In the midst of all the men being away from the ranch, the shadows of men on horses are making their get away with another half a dozen horses that belong to The Kid & Buck Horse Ranch! 

Rachel is scanning the goings on from inside her home. She is looking out her bedroom window that is on the second floor, and high enough to view the barn and corrals, and who it is that’s involved with the horse thievery! She watches as the outlaws ride out of the corral and head onto the plains behind the ranch. She lets go of the curtain she had been grasping onto and slumps down into the chair next to the window. She is in total shock. How could the boy she once loved have turned into such a deceitful man? 

“Jesse, how can you continue to do this to your family?” Rachel spoke in a whisper.

The long blade of the knife had gone deeply into the man’s soul. Her only remorse is that her victim hadn’t put up much of a fight. Were they really all such meek men? You would think that army soldiers would be strong for their cause. The first four victims hadn’t been much of a fight, and it had been four against one! The next two soldiers had been snooping around the ranch too much. They weren’t really on the list to die, but they were too close to finding out the secrets of the night. Then there was poor, old Mister Carson. He had a voluptuous appetite. An appetite that was never satisfied until his blood truly satisfied the blade’s animalistic appetite. There is one more. Henry Walker. He really didn’t deserve to die, but the blade had driven its beholder to take another victim! 

Soon it will all stop. But, not until every last man has been punished for his wrong doings. Then the knife will rest in its box, and never appear again!
 

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.
 

CHAPTER TWENTY

Early the next morning, everyone at the ranch had received word that there had been yet another murder. The young male body had been discovered by two of Cody’s outstanding army soldiers that were assigned to guard the town from just such an incident. 

Everyone from the ranch is congregating inside the walls of the jailhouse. There is an over abundance of citizens from Rock Creek assembled together outside the walls of the jailhouse, impatiently waiting for justice to be served to an innocent man who has spent a few nights in jail because of one army soldier’s ignorance.

“You have no right holding Buck prisoner now that there has been another murder! Buck didn’t do it. He was being held captive by you at the time of the murder last evening!” Teaspoon bellowed directly into Cody’s face.

Cody holds firm to his stance in front of Rock Creek’s marshal. His stone like appearance transmits to his Pony Express family that he no longer is a part of them. His concern for their welfare has dimmed just as Jesse’s has. The only difference being that Cody is doing his best to avoid bloodshed, while Jesse is causing it. 

“What about my witness?” Cody spoke back brashly to Teaspoon.

“What about your witness son? Seems to me he has forgotten to show up for three days now. Buck is not spending one more night in jail!” Teaspoon spoke harshly.

“Cody, either you let Buck out of jail or I’m going to let him out of jail, and then I’m going to lock you and all your soldiers up in the same cell.
That would make for some honest togetherness for you and your new family of idiots,” Jimmy spoke calmly.

Cody glances over at Jimmy who is leaning against Buck’s cell with Buck on the inside of the cell, but standing close to Jimmy. One by one Cody glances over his family from his past. During the six years that have passed since any of them road for The Pony Express, they have stayed together fighting for the same causes; truth, justice, love and family. He looks at these people and sees before him a group of strangers. He has been fighting for justice, but somehow truth turned into dishonesty all in the name of love. The love he feels for a woman that doesn’t return his feelings. 

The last person in the room his eyes meet up with are Jane’s pleading eyes. She moves to stand in front of him, and he gazes down at the beautiful woman she has become. He remembers Jane from seven years ago as if it were just yesterday. Her figure hadn’t yet matured into the young woman that stands before him now. She had reminded him of a tomboy, one that he thought would never turn into the raving beauty that stands before him. Jane certainly fooled him and probably Buck too. But, perhaps Jane never had Buck fooled. Cody thinks back seven years and at the way Buck had looked at Jane then. Cody smiles at the image forming in his mind. Jane held a special place in Buck’s heart even then. 

“Cody, it isn’t right of you to keep Buck locked up with no legitimate reason. Your witness has refused to come forward to state what he actually witnessed at the scene of the crime. Without that witness you have no case against Buck,” Jane spoke softly.

“I understand what you are all saying, but try and put yourself in my boots, army boots at that. My men and I must live by austere rules and regulations. I just can’t allow my family to decide whether Buck is innocent or guilty,” Cody spoke callously. It is not plausible to his family from the past that Buck would have anything at all to do with the killings that he is investigating. 

“Your evidence against Buck is nothing but obscure, which makes your investigation irresponsible from your end of it,” Jane spoke using a teacher’s knowledge of words to bring Cody to his knees.

Cody stands with his mouth wind open. He can’t believe that his grand plan is biting him in the butt! He should have remembered what an ingenious bunch his family can be. There isn’t one of them standing in the jailhouse that ever had faith in his story about a witness identifying Buck as the killer. 

Jane’s smile says it all. She has shamed Cody into absolving Buck from the crimes that he has claimed Buck committed. He has to set Buck free from his imprisonment, but he will never be able to share with any of them the fallaciousness of his own crimes toward Buck.

Cody lets out a breath of air that he had been holding in. He takes the key to Buck’s cell out of his front trouser pocket as he ambulates lethargically across the office to the cell that sustains Buck from his freedom.

Teaspoon is about losing his patient while observing Cody’s deliberate avoidance to release Buck from his cell. “Cody, you certainly are quite the procrastinator.”

Cody turns away from the cell to gaze at Teaspoon. “What exactly is that suppose to mean?”

“Remember when you boys were all riding for The Pony Express, but when it wasn’t your day to ride you all had certain chores to do around the waystation?”

“I vaguely remember having chores to do,” Cody replied with a broad grin.

“Remember how you always used to put off your chores until the next day, and then you had twice as many chores to do. Your next attempt at not getting your chores done would be to persuade one of the other riders to do your chores for you, if you took an extra ride that week for them.”

“Yeah, I do remember that,” Cody spoke boisterously. 

“That my son is a procrastinator, and you are an expert at it,” Teaspoon spoke matter a fact.

“Is that a compliment?” Cody asked blithely.

“Sounds more like an insult to me Cody,” Jimmy stated flatly.

“In the meantime, while you are all procrastinating whether to let me out of jail or not, Kid is out searching for Jesse and the James Gang by himself,” Buck spoke harshly at his family.

Cody’s eyes meet with Teaspoon’s eyes. Teaspoon’s unyielding gaze stares back overwhelmingly at Cody. Teaspoon doesn’t have to be vocal. His stance and expression are telling Cody that he must disenthrall Buck from imprisonment. 

Cody gets a look of defeat on his face. Buck’s grin of accomplishment is making Cody just a tiny bit nervous. He feels beads of sweat pouring from his glands. Cody slips the key back into the lock on the cell door.

“Cody, I’ve seen tortoise on a rainy day that move faster then what you’re moving on a dry day inside a building. If you can’t unlock the door, how about handing those keys over to me?” Jimmy spoke with an impatient tone.

The energy that Buck has saved up inside of him for the past three days wants to explode onto Cody. The moment Cody unlocks the door, Buck is pushing it outward, and Cody is backing up from the door with eyes wide open with fright! 

Jane starts to rush toward Buck to keep him from dismembering Cody’s limbs. Buck is just a little faster then Jane, and he almost gets his hands on Cody, but Teaspoon and Jimmy intercept, and ward off any pursuit that Buck had in mind.

“Buck! You’re free now! Don’t mess it up by going after Cody,” Teaspoon bellowed as he tries to hold Buck back from killing Cody.

“Why can’t all of you just let Cody and I alone for five minutes. I promise that when the five minutes are up I’ll stop beating on him,” Buck spoke angrily.

Buck tries to get himself free of the strong hold that Teaspoon and Jimmy have on him. Cody keeps backing up until he is about sitting on Teaspoon’s desk. 

“Can’t you do something about the way he’s behaving?” Cody asked his voice hoarse from fright.

“Your upset with my behavior! Cody, who locked me up in jail for three days and practically threw away the key, is upset with the way I’m behaving. What about your behavior, Cody?” Buck asked coldly.

“Let me warn you Buck. If you insist on assaulting an army soldier, it will give me a reason to lock you back up in that there cell you just came out of,” Cody sputtered.

“You can’t lock me up if you’re laying on the floor unconscious, now can you?” 

“Buck, can we please just go back to the ranch and wait for Kid’s return home?” Jane pleaded. She places her warm hands on his chest to stop him from advancing any further onto Cody. Jane stands in Buck’s way of getting to Cody knowing that Buck would never do anything to physically hurt her.

Buck gazes into her compassionate eyes. He can’t understand how she can absolve all that Cody has done to him, but Jane has a benevolent heart. That is one of the many reasons that Buck loves her as deeply as he does. Buck releases the tenacious grip he has on his emotions to give Cody a lesson or two on sensibility and exactly what it means to be a part of a family. 

Together Teaspoon and Jimmy feel Buck’s body relax. They slowly release the strong hold that they had to enforce upon Buck to keep him from pulverizing Cody.

They all have watchful eyes on Buck as he and Jane walk up to Cody. Cody reaches out and places his hand on Jane’s forearm. She looks into his eyes hoping he won’t try and stop Buck from leaving the jailhouse.

“I just wanted to let you know that I had an enjoyable evening with you over dinner last evening,” Cody remarked insidiously. He is trying everything he can possibly think of to get under Buck’s skin. 

“I only hope that I made my intensions clear to you,” Jane spoke as she feels the torment of Buck’s heart lying out on the floor for her to step on and crush if she should wish to do so.

Jane takes Buck’s hand, and leads him out of the jailhouse. They get on the buckboard that she had brought into town from the ranch.

Jimmy walks over and slaps Cody on the back in a friendly manner.  “Don’t you feel better now that you’ve released an innocent man from the clutches of the judicial system?” 

“I feel like I’m going to be doing a lot of groveling to my superior officers to keep my job,” Cody whined.

“I’m sure your commanding officers won’t think you botched this entire investigation up. In fact, I’m willing to bet that you carry a lot of clout with those relics,” Teaspoon surmised as he walked past Cody and on out of the jailhouse. He has a need for some fresh air. The air in the jailhouse had become wretched from Cody’s desecration of the family ties they all once had to each other.

Buck had taken the reins of the horses from Jane the moment they lost sight of the jailhouse. Until that moment she had not fully trusted him not to turn back, and humiliate Cody in front of his men. Jane just wanted to escape Cody’s apparent lapse in memory concerning their dinner date.

The silence between them was growing unbearable. Buck wants to ask Jane about her date with Cody, but he’s worried that Jane may take it like he is meddling into her private life. After all, there has been no promise between him and Jane, he has only allowed himself to assume that they are together as a couple. 

“I know you want to ask about my date with Cody. My concern is why it is taking you so long to inquire about it,” Jane spoke strongly.

“Did you have a good time?” Buck asked with sarcasm.

A tiny smile of accomplishment creeps from the corners of Jane’s mouth. She had hoped to witness a little jealously from Buck. With all the passionate moments the two of them have shared together, they have had very little time to discuss how they feel about each other. Jane is realizing that she has deep feelings for the Kiowa, beside the lust that she intensely feels for him. Her most unfulfilled need right now is to know if Buck has feelings for her other than the undisguised lust he has for her.

“I had a wonderful time, thank-you for asking.”

“How could you possibly have a wonderful time with a pompous, dim-witted man like Cody?” Buck asked fiercely.

At this time, Jane must cover her obvious grin of pleasure with her hand. She wouldn’t want Buck thinking she is trying to make him jealous.

“Now I understand why you hadn’t been to the jail to visit with me in two days. You were spending all Cody’s free time with him,” Buck spoke pathetically. He generally doesn’t make it a point to feel sorry for himself, but he has fallen in love with the woman that sits next to him on the buckboard. Perhaps he had been impulsive in thinking that Jane had also fallen in love with him. 

Jane can’t control the laughter that is about to bust out from all corners of her mouth. She wraps her arm into Buck’s and leans her head onto his shoulder. He can feel the trembling coming from within her. He looks down at the woman who has completely taken over his senses.

“You think you are so cute, don’t you?” Buck asked demanding gently that she own up to her trickery.

“You have to admit I had you going there for a minute.”

“You enjoy doing that to me just a little too much,” Buck spoke softly.

“There’s a lot more I would enjoy doing to you, if only you’d allow me to do it,” Jane spoke seductively.

Buck pulls the reins to the horses causing them to take a break in the middle of the road. He looks down at Jane with the look of a man that has his mind racing with all sorts of impure thoughts. He lets go of the reins and places both his hands at the nape of Jane’s neck gently forcing her to look up at him. 

“Don’t talk to me like that or I’ll have you in the back of this buckboard so fast that neither one of us will be able to stop what will happen,” Buck spoke his voice husky with desire.

Jane decides she wants to be a bit daring with Buck. She wants him to make love to her, and at this moment Jane doesn’t really care if he does it to her on the cold, hard ground! She places her hand on his left knee, as she licks her lips in a slow sensuous manner. Her lips remain parted after she renders him physically consumed with desire!

He tilts his head and lowers his lips to meet with her full tantalizing lips. Buck brushes his tongue lightly against her lips before giving in to his desire and kisses Jane breathless! She boldly caresses his inner left thigh with her hand. Buck moans deeply in respond to Jane’s unrestrained touching of his inner thighs! 

Jane isn’t going to let up on her assault of his senses this time. She wants Buck so badly that she won’t even allow herself to imagine their desire for each other going unsatisfied this time. Both her hands are feverishly caressing his thighs! She is explicitly satisfied with the deep continuous moans that are escaping from Buck. She needs to make sure that she stimulates Buck to the point where he simply can’t and won’t abandon their lovemaking. When she feels the trembling of his inner thighs, she concludes that he has reached the point where he couldn’t possibly halt the passion between them! 

Jane pulls away from their kiss to catch her breath. Buck doesn’t want to stop kissing her! He lowers his lips to kiss her neck and the back of her ears. He places a trail of searing kisses down her throat. He nudges her blouse off her shoulders with his shaky hands, and proceeds to kiss and nip at her flesh causing Jane a moment of lost concentration on her part to make Buck so full of need for her that he can’t think straight until that need is satisfied!

She compels Buck to halt his assault on her flesh when she straightens up to unbutton his shirt. Jane manages only a couple of the buttons when Buck places his hand on her shaky hands. She gazes into his darkened eyes that look like endless pools of emotion. 

“We can’t do this right now,” Buck spoke his voice shaky with desire.

Jane acts as if she doesn’t hear him. She moves forward with the unbuttoning of his shirt until she can see his bare chest. She places her heated hands onto his bare flesh and rakes her nails over his nipples. The deep moan she receives for her effort causes her passion to take control of her again. She pulls his shirt from his trousers. Her lips seek out Buck’s, and she kisses him, but she can feel that Buck is trying desperately to control his body and his passion. Buck pulls away from their kiss.

“Buck, please make love to me.”

Buck raises his hands to cup her face in them. He kisses her lips tenderly, and then once again separates his lips from her swollen, red lips. “You have to know that all I ever think about anymore is making love to you.”

“Then why don’t you?”

“At this very moment Teaspoon and Jimmy are probably right behind us. I know Teaspoon is just as anxious as I am to hear from Kid on how his tracking the James Gang went. I don’t think you really want them catching us right in the middle of anything.”

“To be honest, I really don’t care who catches us anymore!” Jane spoke her voice husky with desire. She leans into Buck and kisses him with much need and want. At first, Jane doesn’t feel him responding. He can certainly be a stubborn man at times. She runs her tongue over his lips to fuel the flames of desire in him again. It doesn’t take too long before she is satisfied when she hears deep moans coming from Buck. 

Buck can’t allow the two of them to let their unsatisfied need to become one, interfere with a job that he must do. As much as he wants to carry Jane off into the woods and set up a romantic camp for just the two of them so they can finally be alone. He has to help Kid find the horse thieves first. Buck halts their kiss by jumping off the bench of the buckboard, and onto the ground.

Jane is startled by the realization that Buck’s heated body is no longer against hers. She looks down at him with a bewildered gaze. She watches him as he paces the length of the buckboard all while he runs his fingers through his long dark hair trying to calm his body from trembling. He tries with trembling hands to button his shirt back up. In the distance Jane hears the sound of horses making their way toward them. 

“You might as well give up on the mission you are trying to conquer. I think from the sound of those hooves, that Teaspoon and Jimmy are almost upon us,” Jane snickered softly.

“I’m glad you find my discomfort so amusing,” Buck spoke his voice husky. He walks to the other side of the buckboard. Perhaps he can hide his embarrassment from Jimmy if he stays behind the buckboard.

Jane follows Buck’s every movement. She does feel a little sorry for him. After all, it was her unrelenting passion for him that wouldn’t allow her to ease up on him, and it eventually led to his body responding to her in a very attentive way! 

“Perhaps I should refrain from rubbing the inside of your thighs,” Jane spoke softly.

Buck runs his fingers nervously through his long hair once again. “Do we have to discuss this right now?”

“Maybe the next time I start arousing you, just to make sure there is no way you will want to stop yourself from making love to me, I should try undoing your trousers.”

Buck looks back on the road in the direction in which he and Jane had just come from. He can visualize Teaspoon and Jimmy on their horses about a half of a mile away from them. It certainly wouldn’t be enough time for the two of them to engage in any passionate activity.  He turns his attention back to Jane.

“Jane, please don’t torment me like this right now.”

She bends down from the buckboard to place a heated kiss on his parted lips. She can’t help herself but to tease him into a passionate frenzy again. He won’t allow it. Not with Teaspoon, and especially Jimmy approaching them. Buck stops their kiss, but he soon wishes that he would let Jane continue to kiss him. Her vocal torment is driving him near the edge of insanity.

“Perhaps after I succeed with the removal of your trousers, I should proceed with some stroking of the flesh that is giving you such discomfort at this very moment,” Jane spoke her voice husky from all the teasing she is giving Buck.

“Jane please,” Buck pleaded.

“Please what?”

“Please stop talking to me like that before I explode.”

“Why don’t you come back up here, and sit with me. Jimmy won’t notice your…uh…your plight if you’re sitting next to me.”

“Jimmy will notice anything that gives him a good laugh and causes me great humiliation at the same time.”

Teaspoon and Jimmy stop their horses alongside the buckboard. Jimmy is grinning from ear to ear. He is already aware of what the problem is with Buck and Jane.

“Is there a problem Buck?” Teaspoon asked seriously.

“Uh Teaspoon, there’s a problem, but I think we should just let Buck and Jane take care of it,” Jimmy spoke with amusement.

“Thanks a lot Jimmy,” Buck spoke humiliated.

“I see,” Teaspoon spoke still confused. 

“We’ll see both of you back at the ranch,” Jimmy spoke teasingly as he and Teaspoon ride away from the buckboard.

Jane smiles warmly at the man she loves so much. Buck just looks defeated.

Kid raises his arms up to Louise. She allows her body to slide into Kid’s from her position on the horse. With a boot in her hand, Louise allows Kid to carry her to the front porch of their home. She hears the sound of horses coming toward their home. Both Kid and Louise glance up to see whoever it is that is entering the ranch. She is only hoping that whoever it is, they don’t bring more trouble to them.

Jimmy and Teaspoon approach Kid and Louise as if a fire had been lit under their horse’s rump. They come to a dead stop directly in front of Kid who is crouched down examining Louise’s ankle.

Jimmy and Teaspoon both descend from their horse. Teaspoon’s dismount is much slower than what Jimmy’s is. Jimmy walks over and crouches down next to Kid.

“What seems to be the problem?” Jimmy asked concerned for Louise. 

Kid won’t even glance over at Jimmy. He is handling Louise’s ankle with his benign touch. Louise grimaces every time Kid twists the ankle slightly in a different direction.

“Louise isn’t any of your concern, Jimmy,” Kid spoke cantankerously.

“Are you turning grouchy on me again Kid?” Jimmy asked in an amusing tone.

Louise must stifle a grin when Kid peers at her in a disapproving manner. 

“You don’t need to encourage him,” Kid spoke in a moody tone to his wife.

“You don’t need to tell me what I can say and do or what I shouldn’t say and shouldn’t do,” Louise spoke astutely. 

Teaspoon casually strolls up to the three huddled together obviously in the midst of a deep discussion. A discussion that in Teaspoon’s eyes seems to be garnering a bit on the unfriendly side. 

“Kid, what happened to Louise?” Teaspoon asked heedfully.

“She lost her footing when she dismounted from her horse on rocky terrain,” Kid spoke prudently.

Jimmy straightens up and stands back from Kid, Louise and Teaspoon. All of a sudden he feels like he isn’t a part of this family anymore. Kid won’t even acknowledge his presence. When Louise vocally takes his side, Kid disparages her in front of everyone. Jimmy has a difficult time keeping his mouth shut over the disrespect Kid shows toward Louise. Teaspoon is constantly coming between him and Kid, Cody and Buck, Jesse and everybody, just to keep peace in his family. He starts to wonder again if he should pack up and move out. He left them six years ago, and he missed them a little more with everyday that passed. This time he figures it would damn near kill him to leave them. He loves them all, but they sure are a stubborn bunch, just like they’ve always been.

Rachel shoves her way though Jimmy and Teaspoon to get to Louise.
“What happened to you?” Rachel spoke her voice filled with concern for the young woman. She sits down next to Louise on the porch steps.

“Kid thinks I twisted my ankle.”

“Shouldn’t we get her over to town for Doc Barnes to examine her ankle?” Rachel asked the men calmly.

Before any of them can reply with an intelligent answer, Buck and Jane ride up in the buckboard. Buck halts the horses next to Teaspoon and Jimmy’s horses. 

Jimmy walks on over to the buckboard. “You get control of your problem Buck?”

“You certainly are more observant then you’ve ever been Jimmy,” Buck replied his face hot with embarrassment.

Jane and Jimmy are both grinning uncontrollably at the Kiowa. Buck just wants to hide from the both of them, but instead he gets down from the buckboard, and walks on over to Kid and Louise without uttering a word to either Jane or Jimmy. He figures the best way to abandon his humiliation is to bury himself with Kid and Louise’s situation. 

Jimmy and Jane stare after the Kiowa thinking that he is upset with both of them due to their taunting. Their grins are rapidly wiped from their faces when Buck ignores both of them.

Buck crouches down to take a closer look at Louise’s foot and ankle. “Her ankle is becoming quite swollen, and painful to touch,” Buck remarked as he touches her ankle and presses on it lightly to determine how badly swollen it has become. 

“Buck can you get her into the back of the buckboard? Jane and I will take her into town to see Doc Barnes while you men decide what you’re going to do about Jesse,” Rachel asked coherently.

Louise feels enervated as Buck lifts her into his arms, and proceeds to carry her to the buckboard that he and Jane had just arrived at the ranch on. Kid follows close behind as Buck places Louise in the back of the buckboard. 

“Kid, Louise will need a blanket to prop her foot on,” Rachel spoke taking total control of the situation.

“Sure thing Rachel. I’ll be right back,” Kid spoke hurriedly as he starts toward the house.

Teaspoon takes turns walking and limping to the back of the buckboard where Rachel is attending to Louise. 

“I told you that nothing good would come from Jesse coming back into our lives,” Rachel spoke in a harsh tone.

“I know. I plan on rectifying our situation with Jesse immediately,” Teaspoon spoke disheartened.

“How do you plan on accomplishing that feat?” Rachel asked overwrought with anger aimed at Jesse and his unlawful gang.

“I plan on helping Kid and Buck track Jesse and his gang down. They’ve done enough damage to our lives because I allowed it to happen.”

“I don’t think it’s a good idea that you go along Teaspoon. You just started walking without the crutches, and Doc Barnes didn’t want you riding yet. You just decided on your own that you are riding whether the doc likes it or not,” Buck stated sensibly.

“Buck is right Teaspoon. You shouldn’t jeopardize the healing of your leg. You could end up breaking it again,” Louise spoke in between bouts of pain coming from her ankle.

“I’m going, and that is final!” Teaspoon spoke harshly to his family.

Kid runs out of the house with a blanket for Louise. He hands it to Rachel as he arrives at the back of the buckboard.

Buck walks around to the other side of the buckboard where Jane is still seated.

“Is Louise alright?” Jane asked with concern for Louise.

“Yeah. It appears to be a twisted ankle. The doc will probably just bandage it up and send her back home. Do you mind helping Rachel attend to taking Louise into town?”

“I think I can manage that. What about the children?”

“I’ll have Jimmy retrieve Charlene for those duties. If Charlene’s going to inhabit on this ranch, then she’s going to have to make herself useful. It won’t hurt Charlene to do something other than sit in front of her vanity trying to beautify herself,” Buck spoke harshly.

“What are you going to do?” Jane asked worriment showing on her face.

“Kid and I will be searching for Jesse.”

“So you won’t be here when we get back from town?”

“We need to leave right away.”

“I see,” Jane spoke barely above a whisper.

“What’s wrong?”

“Please be careful. They’re already taken shots at you in the clearing that day.”

“We haven’t been able to prove that those shots were fired by The James Gang.”

“It seems to me that Jesse and his gang are the only outlaws near here that are causing problems,” Jane spoke worried about Buck’s safety.

He reaches up to Jane, and places a tender kiss on her lips. He doesn’t allow this show of his love for her to get out of hand. “I’ll be fine.”

Rachel pulls herself up onto the bench of the buckboard next to Jane.
“Are we all set to go?”

“Lets go,” Jane replied. 

Rachel guides the horses to turn around and then she heads them in the direction of Rock Creek. Jane looks back at Buck as long as she can until he is no longer in her sight. 

When the buckboard is out of their sight. Buck once again turns his attention to Teaspoon.

“I don’t want you going along,” Buck stated wearily.

“And why not?” Teaspoon asked grudgingly. He is becoming more than slightly annoyed with Buck and his campaign to keep him at home. He knows Buck’s reasons are much more deep then the fact that he doesn’t want him to cause more injury to his leg. Teaspoon turns his attention to Kid and Jimmy who are standing close by, not saying a word, but keeping a watchful eye on what goes on between him and Buck. “Jimmy, could you get Charlene to help with the children until the women get back from Doc Barnes?”

“Uh…sure thing Teaspoon,” Jimmy spoke hesitatingly. He isn’t real sure he wants to leave Teaspoon and Buck alone, but he won’t disrespect Teaspoon’s wish to speak with Buck alone. He walks backwards for a second while still watching Buck and Teaspoon, but when Teaspoon gives him an annoying nudge with his eyes, Jimmy turns his attention to Buck’s house and secures his thoughts on Charlene. 

Teaspoon turns his eyes on Kid next. “I suppose you could start attending to the horses for our ride,” Teaspoon spoke in a commanding manner.

Kid glances at Buck, and only gets a nod of agreement from his partner.
“I suppose I can manage the horses.” He walks away from the two hoping that Buck can take care of himself. They all know when Teaspoon has his mind made up; there is nothing that stops him from doing what he wants.

Teaspoon turns his attention back to Buck. “Besides my getting hurt, what is the real reason you don’t want me along on this journey?”

“You know the reason. Why do I have to spell it out for you?” Buck spoke defeated.

“Because, so I can scold you for it,” Teaspoon spoke with a grin meant to help Buck relax under fire.

“I don’t want you anywhere near if we should find Jesse, and guns are drawn,” Buck spoke disheartened.

“It has taken me some bit of time to get it through my thick skull that Jesse is not the fifteen year old boy I once tried to shelter from life’s cruel ways. I don’t want to believe that he would shoot any one of us, but I ain’t gonna assume that he wouldn’t.”

“You know it will take Jesse or one of his gang to fire first before a gunfight will break out,” Buck spoke assuring Teaspoon that he doesn’t plan on a gunfight.

“Can you make me that promise? Can you promise me that our side will not initiate a gunfight with The James Gang?”

“I can make that promise. It’s Jimmy you might have to worry about.”

Jimmy makes his way back to Teaspoon and Buck with Charlene slowly scampering behind him. “What are you worried about me for?”

“Never mind. Lets just get on out of here,” Teaspoon replied 

Kid hurries out of the barn with a horse for him and Buck. As he approaches his family, a horseman races onto the ranch and halts his horse to a dead stop right in front of Teaspoon Hunter. 

Jack Morgan dismounts in one swift stride from his horse with a rifle buried beneath his armpit. “You didn’t think I’d let you ride on out of here in search of Jesse James without my accompanying you, now did you Teaspoon?”

“I sure was hoping,” Teaspoon spoke defeated.

“I saw your ladies in town. You certainly have a smart wife, Teaspoon. She wants to make sure you don’t go and get yourself killed.”

“There isn’t anything I can say that will keep you from tagging along?” Teaspoon asked hopefully.

Jack shakes his head negatively. He wants Jesse just as bad as Teaspoon does. He figures it isn’t his fault that they want the boy to end up two different ways. Jack would prefer that Jesse and his gang hang for all their law-breaking acts. Jack knows Teaspoon would prefer the boy just ride on out of this territory and never look back. “You didn’t think I came all this way just to reminisce about our past, did you?”

“No, I suppose not.”

Jack Morgan mounts his horse without another word spoken between him and his friend from the past. Kid and Buck, who had both been listening to the conversation intently, mount their horses and take the lead around the corrals of their ranch. 

“There isn’t much daylight left. We should get some distance between the womenfolk of this ranch and ourselves. I understand they’ve had to save their men a time or two. We wouldn’t want then attempting to follow us,” Jack spoke amusingly.

There isn’t one man that lives at The Kid & Buck Ranch that finds any humor in Jack’s proclamation. Jack is the only man riding away from the ranch with a wide grin spread across his face.