ARSENIC AND NEW LEATHER

Drena Hills

“One should be ever booted and spurred and ready to depart.”

-

Montaigne

“I’m not afraid to die, I just don’t want to be there when it happens.’

-

Woody Allen

Hannibal Heyes was feeling lucky.

It had taken a long hard ride and a few sharp turns to arrive at that feeling, but arrive he had and he exhaled enjoying it. Looking up he noted the storm he had been trying to outrun had caught up and was about to break into a downpour.

Switching the worn carpet bag from one hand to the other he slipped his spectacles down and read the sign in front of the prim and proper boarding house.

“White picket fence and petunias, just what I was looking for,” he said softly opening the tiny gate and shutting it carefully. (The sign along with rooms for rent had requested it, something about not letting the cats get out, which only made him swallow a smile and feel even luckier). And feeling the first drops of the torrents to come he hurried up to the porch.

The door flew open before he could raise a hand to knock and he found himself having to look down to take in the plump wide eyed matron beaming up at him in all her tight pin curls and lavender ruffles.

“Morning ma’am,” he tipped the bowler hat that went agonizingly well with his worn badly cut rack lifted brown suit. “I was told you might have a room to rent.”

“Oh my yes!” the woman said clapping her hands together happily. “Do come in Mister?”

“Netherwood ma’am, George Netherwood, of Akron, Ohio.”

“How lovely,” she smiled happily and bidding him enter shut the door and showed him into the parlor.

It was the finest collection of lace doilies, cut crystal, chrysanthemums and cats he had ever seen.

“I do hope you’ll be happy here!”

Heyes smiled, eyes twinkling, “Ma’am I couldn’t have dreamt of anything as perfect as this if I had tried!”

******************************

Kid Curry felt sick.

Tightening the grip on the brim of his hat he forced himself to remain calm as he waited for the small little man behind the desk to finish fumbling with his logbook.

“Age?”

“Uh 29, looks younger though,” Kid said. Yea, he said swallowing his panic, too young too die.

“Coloring?”

“Uh dark brown hair, brown eyes,” Kid continued.

“Yes we have one like that, you’re the second man to ask about him.”

The knot in Kid’s stomach tightened harder at both revelations.

“So they have an identity on him?”

“No one has actually come forward, but a claim has been made on the body through the Sheriff’s office.”

Kid sat down. He was giving too much away, but he didn’t care. “Can I see it?” It sounded wrong, but he couldn’t force himself to say the word him.

“Yes well the sheriff said I was to tell him if anyone wanted to see the body,” the little man sniffed obviously not approving. “As if I have time to fuss with such things with half a train dead or injured.”

“Please?” Kid asked.

The man nodded, he wasn’t heartless and this was such a nice young man, so polite, despite his rough appearance.

“All right, room three, just down the corridor.”

Thanking him Kid stood and with a shaking hand turned the handle on the door marked ‘morgue’.

********************************

“My Mr. Netherwood you are just the most amusing boarder we have had in a long time!” Emily Wright giggled happily as she sipped her tea and stared dreamily at the handsome young man 40 years her junior.

Her sister, Lucy, the one who had greeted him at the door, also nodded her approval. Proper manners and such a meek, bookworm demeanor, sigh there were so few gentlemen left.

“Ladies it is I who am relieved to find such a haven of culture and civility,” Heyes sighed sipping his tea and forcing himself to take a bite of the 4^th cream cake he had been handed. “I had no idea the wild west was going to be so… well wild!”

The women nodded and murmured comfortingly. He had quickly realized this milk toast front would gain him the most credibility and had been waxing on about the horrors of a poor salesman forced on the road to support his family. To be honest Heyes enjoyed a good tale; especially when he was the one telling it and he had listened interested to himself tell about Mr. Netherwood. He had four children, Abraham, Ulysses and of course the dear twins Martha and Abigail. Together they and his lovely wife, Prudence, he sounded like a man who had a wife named Prudence, lived happily with his mother in a little house outside of Akron. By the time he was done he was even beginning to miss the dog, Edgar, named after the dear uncle that drank too much and fell off the barn roof last Christmas in that tragic affair involving the rum punch.

“We understand completely,” Lucy said patting his hand. “You can have Mr. Ratchet’s room, he checked out this morning.”

“Dreadful man!” Emily sighed. “Ate his peas with a knife!”

Heyes managed to convey shocked horror at this tidbit as the doorbell sounded and Lucy excused herself only to return a moment later with a tall older man with distinguished graying temples and a very large sheriff badge on his chest.

Heyes rose making a point to have trouble with his cup and lose his napkin.

“Oh Sheriff how lovely to see you! You are just in time for tea!” Emily cried happily.

“Sorry Miss Wright this isn’t a social visit,” Sheriff said gruffly studying Heyes. “I’m here on official business.”

“Oh my that does sound serious,” Lucy said delighted.

“I’m looking for a wanted man.”

Heyes forced his body to remain neutral and looked up adjusting his spectacles worriedly.

“Wanted men? Here?”

“And you are?”

“George Netherwood, Akron Ohio,” he said offering a limp hand.

“I’m talking about that man Ratchet, took a look at my flyers and he’s wanted for armed robbery and murder. He here?”

“Oh no Sheriff he left this morning,” Emily said shocked.

“He say where too?”

“Dodge?” Lucy said looking at her sister for confirmation.

“Yes it was definitely Dodge, they all seem to head for Dodge, why is that Sheriff?”

“Something a lady like yourself wouldn’t understand ma’am. Thank you ladies, next time you screen those boarders a little more careful or have me check them out. I can spot a criminal within ten feet.” Sheriff said. “Mr. Netherwood.”

***********************************

The room thankfully had a light burning and cast a small halo over the wooden box tucked in the corner next to the window.

Kid found himself half way over to it when he realized what the object was sitting atop the coffin and his legs suddenly forgot how to move. He would know Heyes’s hat anywhere.

In his short life he had seen a lot of death, but even the tragic ending of his parents had not prepared him for this quiet unassuming end of a man he considered a brother.

“Damn you Heyes we had a deal, you promised together,” Kid said his voice ragged and desperate as he picked up the hat and gripped it mercilessly.

“Well boy seems the railroad got their revenge after all! Kind of ironic ain’t it? Hannibal Heyes killed in a train wreck, the press is gonna eat this up. Wasn’t sure it was him until you showed up, but I knew if it was nothing would stop Curry from reaching him…”

The rough mocking voice from out of the darkness realized his mistake in giving the outlaw time to pinpoint him in the dark the minute the lamp crashed to the ground. The gun appeared from out of nowhere and fired with deadly accuracy into the blackness grazing his arm.

Swearing the bounty hunter scrambled to his feet screaming for his gun, but it was too late.

Kid Curry had disappeared out the window still clutching the battered silver banded black hat.

************************************

Hannibal Heyes reached the top step of the landing and noting the sixth cat grinned as he unlocked the second door on the right.

“I say there boy are you enlisting?”

Heyes turned interested to see a man a little older than him wearing a confederate General’s uniform.

“Ah well actually General…”

“Lee, son, Robert E.”

Heyes raised an eyebrow interested, he’d always wanted to meet Lee. This must have been the dear nephew Emily had mentioned.

“Well General as a matter of fact…”

“Gettysburg, that’s where the showdown is going to come. Mead thinks he has me, but we’ll show that Northern boy a thing or two eh?” he winked with a conspiratory nod and Heyes found himself nodding back.

He had re-fought this battle many times with his father, cousin and his toy soldiers. Their favorite games had been turning famous battles around and finding a way to win them.

“Actually General maybe we can discuss that later, I have a few ideas concerning placement and dispersement of troops that might be of interest to you.”

The ‘General’ brightened happily. “Excellent Lt. I shall wait for your report in the field office,” and saluting smartly he marched off.

Grinning Heyes laughed and saluting back went into his room shaking his head.

The door shut he suddenly sobered as he looked around the small well kept room and heard the rain break outside his window. It was going to be some storm. Dropping down into a chair he stared out the window and wondered where his partner would be sleeping tonight.

************************************

Kid Curry pushed his horse forward into the night unaware of the pounding rain or even the direction he was heading.

Instinctively he had started for Dodge where he and Heyes had planned to head after meeting up. He needed a place to stop and collect his thoughts. Lom would need to be wired and then, then he had to decide what to do next. Any thought of continuing on for amnesty had been drained away from him as he secretly blamed the quest on his present condition. Amnesty had caused the need to separate for that job for the Governor and amnesty had put his partner on that train.

But all that was too much to deal with now. His insides felt raw rubbed to bleeding by the knowledge he was alone. All he wanted was a bottle and a bed and the chance to drink himself unconscious.

The lights of a town came into view and he forced himself to think. He was still twenty miles out of Dodge, which meant this had to be Rivertown. He knew he had only wounded the bounty hunter and in time a posse would be after him. Having Heyes all ready plus the storm would take some of the edge off the hunt, but they would still come.

He presumed they would guess he would head for the Hole or at least Dodge where he could get lost more easily. He also knew lawmen had a tendency to presume he would make stupid mistakes without Heyes at his side. Heyes was the smart one they always said, without him Curry was just a dumb gunslinger. But Heyes had taught him well and he had profited more than once using their misconception about him against them. Reaching the end of town he pulled his horse into a small barn and unsaddled it.

The boarding house looked a mite too respectable to take in the likes of him especially looking like he did after riding in this weather, but it was worth a try and if it didn’t work he would join his horse in the barn.

Knocking on the door he almost gave up when suddenly a light came up and two old women peered at him through a crack in the door.

“Evening ladies, sorry to bother you so late, but I was wondering if you might have a room I could rent?”

Kid asked the question knowing there was no way these two were going to let a man who looked like him inside. He hadn’t slept or shaved since hearing about the train accident and must look like hell standing there dripping wet.

“I realize I’m not your usual tenant,” he surrendered wearily turning to go. “Thank you anyway.”

“$2 a week with meals,” Emily said opening the door.

Kid turned amazed at his first piece of good luck in days.

“Thank you ma’am!”

He wiped off his feet as best he could and pulled off his coat and hat as directed by the ladies, the smallest of which carried it away to the kitchen to put by the oven to dry.

“Perhaps you would like a glass of wine Mr.? Jones?” Lucy said reading the register.

“Ah no thank you ma’am, just a bed.”

She nodded seeming almost disappointed and handed him a key. “Room 4, end of the hall.”

“I really appreciate this ma’am,” he said grateful and hurried up the stairs before they could change their minds.

Emily scurried out of the kitchen in time to see him disappear up the stairs and disapprovingly took in the tied down gun.

“Outlaw most definitely! And a gunslinger!”

“Oh Emily do you really think so? We’ve never had a gunslinger! This is so exciting!” Lucy said clapping her hands together happily.

“We’ll have to check our posters in the morning and figure out who he is. Now come along dear back to bed, plenty of time in the morning to see Mr…Jones off to Dodge!”

*******************************

Kid Curry paused in the hallway turning with a frown to stare down at a door he had just walked by; a shadow of something familiar passing over him.

Shaking it off he put it down to exhaustion and entering his room shut his door with a sad finality as the realization hit that never again would he have to wait to lock it.

*******************************

Hannibal Heyes opened his door and peered out into the corridor one second later, his gun hid behind him and frowned.

He had heard someone and noting the puddle in front of the room at the end of the corridor he surmised they had another boarder. Time enough to check him out in the morning, but something made him linger staring at the door as if he was missing something.

Finally annoyed with himself for being so fanciful he shut the door and was quickly back to sleep praying his partner had gotten his message and was at this very moment headed in his direction.

*******************************

Hannibal Heyes looked up from his breakfast and worriedly rose to peer into the foyer where Emily’s voice was reaching a higher decibel than normal.

What he saw there made his blood run cold. Curtis Wilson! Damn! He thought he had thrown that bounty hunter off his trail when he had switched clothes with that passed out salesman in the sleeping compartment before he jumped the train. Well maybe not completely passed out. Mr. George Netherwood had been drinking all evening and making a bother of himself with the ladies to such a point Heyes felt little guilt in decking the man and after exchanging clothes leaving him propped up in a seat to be found and hopefully cause some confusion.

Wilson was known to be relentless, but he only had a description of what Heyes had been wearing and the wanted poster’s vague narrative to go on. However right now the bounty hunter was looking none too good with his arm in a sling and his face tight with pain and weariness.

“Is there a problem ladies?” Heyes asked pushing up his spectacles.

“Who’s he?” Wilson barked.

“That is Mr. Netherwood,” Emily said. “And please keep your voice down. As I told you we do not house outlaws here.”

“All right then give me a room. I gotta get some rest before this damn arm falls off.”

Slapping down a coin he snatched up a key and started for the stairs without thought of being refused.

Heyes paused not sure how much of his meek demeanor to surrender to get rid of the man. Kid would be heading here and the last thing he needed was the two of them walking into each other.

“Miss Wright shall I fetch the sheriff?” he said making sure his voice cracked.

“Oh no Mr. Netherwood, its not a problem. You just go to your room Mr. Wilson and I’ll have my sister bring you a little elderberry wine to ease your suffering,” she smiled sweetly.

“Ain’t you got any whiskey in this place?”

“No sir we do not.”

“All right wine it is, but make it a bottle.”

This settled Emily turned on Heyes with a cheery smile, “How was your breakfast Mr. Netherwood?”

“Excellent. I have to go into town to check and see if my colleague has arrived, will you ladies be all right alone with….”

“Of course we will, Robbie will make sure of that. You just get your business done and don’t give that man another thought. World should be safe for good men like you and your families from outlaws like him.”

“Yes ma’am,” Heyes smiled and on impulse kissed her cheek.

And picking up his coat and hat he exited just as another of those outlaws stepped out of his door and down the stairs.

“Good morning Mr. Jones!” Emily called happily as Kid looked suspiciously at the door. “You just missed Mr. Netherwood so I’m afraid you’ll be breakfasting alone. I’m sure you’ll want a hearty breakfast before heading off to Dodge?”

*******************************

Heyes was beginning to get worried. There was no sign of Kid at the hotel or the saloon and he should have been there by now. Annoyed he picked up the local paper and ordering coffee at a café found a table that overlooked the street.

It took him a moment to digest the first headline. Train wrecks were not common, but they also were not rare and it was a line or so before he realized it had been the train he had been traveling on before spotting Wilson.

A growing sense of dread welling up inside him he glanced down to see it had been a banner day for news. Counted among the 12 dead was the report that one of the victims had been the notorious outlaw Hannibal Heyes.

Wishing his coffee was something stronger he downed it and dropping a coin on the paper stood up.

Kid would not have got his message, Kid would think…

He was running for the telegraph before the door shut.

******************************

Despite himself Kid was being distracted. For one thing he had long ago developed a sixth sense about trouble and this place was feeling more and more wrong by the minute.

Breakfast had been dotingly forced on him and he managed some of it despite a hangover that only a fifty cent bottle of whiskey can provide when drank in one sitting.

Puzzled he watched Emily bring a tray with a decanter of wine down and whisper something to her sister that made her smile happily. Then they both scurried down to the basement only to hurry back up moments later looking even more pleased with themselves accompanied by a man in Confederate dress.

“Another trench Robbie, the Union army is approaching I fear,” Lucy told him and then looked up startled when she saw Kid standing in the entrance way watching.

“Is there a problem ladies? If you need another pair of hands?”

“Another recruit?” the General asked evaluating Kid.

“Ah no sir, just visiting,” Kid said confused. “Names Jones.”

“Yes well the south needs good men, need to do your duty!”

“Ah yes sir, are you ladies sure there is nothing I can help with?” Kid asked.

“Oh no, no nothing like that,” Lucy said quickly. “How was your breakfast?”

“Ah just fine ma’am, gonna just pack up my stuff and I’ll be on my way.”

“Certainly, but before you go you must have a taste of our elderberry wine, we make it ourselves, just the thing to cut the dust as they say on the trail!”

She was so perky he simply nodded and forced a smile, “Of course ma’am, I’d be honored.”

And shaking his head he hurried up the stairs. Oh Heyes how I miss you, Kid sighed. I could just imagine what you would have to say about this house!

*****************************************

“Hurry before he comes down!” Lucy whispered.

Heyes stopped, he had just started to open the front door when the tone of her voice had made him instinctively pause and listen. Peering in he blinked in amazement as the General emerged from the stairs with the body of Wilson slung over his shoulder.

“I think he’s coming!” Lucy cried.

And to Heyes’s astonishment they hurried over to the window seat in the dining room and lifting the lid dropped the body into it and quickly shut it and all three scurried into the kitchen.

Amazed Heyes quietly entered the room and hurrying over to the seat box lifted the lid and quickly checked the bounty hunter’s body. He was still warm, but clearly dead.

Something from earlier crossed his mind and with a determined stride he crossed the room to the basement door and hurried down.

**********************************

Kid Curry was in a hurry as well. He slipped down the stairs quickly eager to be on his way before the ladies could shanghai him into some home made wine that was bound to only make his head hurt more.

“Oh Mr. Jones! Please help!” Emily said bursting out of the kitchen.

“What’s wrong?” Kid asked, but she had all ready fluttered back into the kitchen waving her hands and in response Kid dropped his saddlebag and hat onto the chair and raced after her.

A moment later the General quietly snuck back into the room and opening the window seat quickly pulled the bounty hunter’s body out and hurried for the basement just as Heyes appeared at the top of the stair.

“Hey ho old man, out of the way, trenches can’t wait!” the General said hurrying past him.

Heyes just stared at the man in shock. What he had seen in the basement had stunned him to his core. Graves, at least a dozen all clearly marked with the names of outlaws he had not only heard of, but some he had actually rode with. And there along the shelves jars of arsenic…right next to their homemade wine.

Swallowing Heyes made his way to a chair and was about to sink into it when his eyes froze on the saddlebags and something more. A brown hat he knew well, he should, he had bought it for the man who wore it just that past Christmas.

“Kid!” he gasped and turned as the General emerged.

“Where is he!” Heyes demanded grabbing the man by the collar and slamming him against the wall all pretense of meekness gone in his rage and worry.

“Who?”

“The man that hat belongs to!”

“Mr. Jones? Why room 4…”

Letting the man go Heyes bounded the stairs two at a time.

**********************************

“Oh you were just wonderful Mr. Jones!” Lucy cooed as the two ladies escorted him out of the kitchen each hanging on an arm.

“Ah ma’am it was just a stuck preserve jar…” Kid said confused.

“Well you must have a drink to let us thank you,” Emily said firmly pushing him into a chair at the kitchen table with surprising strength.

Kid considered being rude and forcing his escape, but finally he just nodded not having the energy to fight.

Both ladies made a fuss of pouring him the glass and then sat down across from him happily waited for him to take sip.

Kid felt the same familiar warning bells going off inside him that he had felt earlier and he stared at the women confused at why these two little old ladies were setting every survival instinct he had honed over the years into a frenzy.

Suddenly there was a knock at the door and the two women stared at it annoyed.

“It’s the sheriff!” Emily said getting up and turning worriedly. “And he’s brought his deputies!”

Kid, reacting with the same response looked around desperately.

“It’s all right dear just drink your drink we’ll get rid of him,” Lucy ordered Kid as she got up.

Grateful Kid let them hurry off into the entry way and eager not to let the sheriff know anyone had been there quickly dumped the wine back into the decanter and looked around for a place to hide.

He considered trying to get out the kitchen, but the back might be watched and he really wasn’t up to walking into a gun battle.

Spotting the cushion ajar on the window seat he tested it and seeing the large open space gratefully slipped into the hole and shut the lid over him.

It was not a moment too soon as the kitchen door flung open and Heyes emerged out of breath.

Kid’s room had been empty, but his horse was still here. Suddenly noticing the wine decanter back on the table he stared frightened at the empty glass beside it.

Dreading what he might find, but desperate to know Heyes quietly walked over to the window seat and opened it just enough to peer in.

Kid froze, praying it was one of the sisters come looking for him, but before he could glance up the lid shut quickly and he heard voices.

The sheriff along with two of his deputies and the two sisters trying to hold them back hurried into the dining room to find Heyes sinking like he had been punched in the stomach onto the window seat.

“What’s wrong Netherwood looks like you’ve see a ghost,” the sheriff growled.

Heyes made no attempt to find words. He knew that form even glimpsed quickly. Oh God he had to be going mad. It couldn’t be.

“Look I just got word that Kid Curry is headed this way. Bounty hunter named Wilson should have arrived last night, he stop here?”

“Why no sheriff, maybe he went on to Dodge,” Lucy offered.

Heyes gave an almost hysterical giggle. “Dodge, oh definitely Dodge.”

The three looked at him like he was quite mad.

“So you saw him?” the sheriff said.

“Yea,” Heyes said his shock turning to something sad and cold and dangerous as he eyed the two women. “I saw him in the basement.”

The two women’s eyes flew open and angrily Heyes stood up. “You heard me Sheriff why don’t we take a look at the basement!”

Filled with rage now, anything to fight the grief and confusion welling up inside of him he grabbed the Sheriff’s arm and pulled him to the cellar door.

“Down there!” Gone were the last traces of the mild mannered salesman and the order was barked like an outlaw leader who had eluded the law for the last ten years and didn’t expect to be questioned.

Nodding the Sheriff slowly started down the stairs followed by a fluttering Emily and Lucy and the two deputies.

Heyes glanced back at the window seat, but felt sick at the thought and instead walked over to the chair and picked up the familiar hat and clenched its brim as his eyes filled with tears.

“You stupid idiot, together, remember, we promised together.”

Glancing up Heyes shut his eyes trying to find something to hang onto as his world slipped away.

So lost was he in fighting back his emotion he didn’t hear the window box open or the figure back slowly into the room unaware of him frozen there.

Suddenly an errant floorboard creaked and the two men whirled Kid’s gun flying into his hand and they just stared.

“Heyes!” Kid said looking like a small child watching miracle appear before his eyes, but afraid to believe it.

“Kid?” Heyes said hoarsely taking in the weary, but most definitely alive man standing before him.

“But the train?”

“You didn’t drink the wine?”

Suddenly neither man cared. There was time for explanations later, there was time for anything later. Heyes reached him first as Kid holstered his gun and they hugged laughing and slapping each other on the back in a childhood greeting only two friends who had shared the back end of hell together could understand.

“I thought you were dead!” Kid laughed the weariness leaving his face as his eyes lit with delight.

“I thought they had killed you!”

“Killed me? Who? And who was in the coffin and what are you wearing and how did you get off that train?”

Heyes laughed as his questions tumbled out. “Later, we still got problems,” Heyes said indicating the voices coming up from the cellar.

“Sheriff, Heyes we gotta…”

“No we can’t we gotta make sure Heyes and Curry aren’t connected with this at all, follow my lead.”

A stunned sheriff reached the top step and looked at Heyes. “Bodies…lots of them….”

“I know sheriff, that’s why were here, I’m Agent Smith, this is agent Jones we are working undercover for the Bannerman Detective Agency….”

“Hey he looks just like…”

“Kid Curry, I know, that’s why we used him. He posed as the outlaw to get Wilson to show us where he hid the bodies.”

“You mean the bounty hunter?”

“Said bounty hunter, more like a homicidal maniac who used this house and these ladies insane nephew to bury his victims.”

“You don’t say!” the sheriff stared.

“Oh he does,” Kid said a little dazed himself at this revelation.

“But the ladies…”

“Why don’t you have one of your men take them up to their rooms and keep an eye on them. And Sheriff? Warn them they might wanna think twice about sharing a glass a wine with them?”

******************************

Two hours later the chaos had died down enough that the two outlaws were able to slip into a seat at the dining room table and catch their breath alone.

“Heyes do you know how close I came to drinking that wine?” Kid said staring at the decanter now that he knew the complete story.

“I swear when I saw you in that window box,” Heyes said shuddering. “I thought you had.”

“You’d have missed me huh?” Kid said with a grin enjoying the admission.

Heyes gave him a dark look, “I never said that. I just know how hard it is to break in another partner that’s all. And what about you? You seemed pretty broken up when you thought I had died in that train wreck!”

Kid sat up trying to find something smart to say, but the memory was still too fresh and the shadow that crossed his face made Heyes stop his banter.

“Heyes that was the worse feeling I have ever felt. When I saw that coffin and I thought it was you… Don’t ever do that to me again okay?” And with that he got up making the excuse of having to stretch before his face gave anything more away.

Heyes watched him suddenly remembering a little boy with that same shadow and those same haunted blue eyes all those years ago.

But before he could find the right words to fix it they both looked up as the sheriff entered. His face was gray and older and he seemed very relieved to find them there.

“Well Agent Smith I talked to the Mayor and he agreed with you, those ladies aren’t well, neither is their nephew, obviously used by Wilson. And you were right there is enough reward money from those outlaws down there to set them up at a real fine sanitarium where they’ll safe.”

“They’ll be safe!” Kid muttered under his breath.

At that moment the deputies appeared with Lucy and Emily in tow.

“Were going on a little trip with Robbie!” Lucy said happily to Heyes. “The sheriff has arranged everything!”

“That’s wonderful,” Heyes said relieved.

“So you won’t be going to Dodge Mr. Jones?” Emily asked a little confused as she was led to the door.

Heyes looked over at his partner and gave him his best grin, “No ma’am he won’t. Least ways not for a very long time and definitely not without me!”