Drena
Hills
“I have lost friends, some by death,
others through sheer inability to cross the street.”
-
Virginia Woolf
“Heyes this is just about
the dumbest idea you have ever had,” Kid Curry yelled slamming down
his cup.
Glaring he looked up to find his partner smiling innocently at him from
across the campfire.
“I’m
not asking you to go.”
“Good,
cause I’m not!” Kid said angrily and pointing at him added. “And neither are you.”
“Kid
one of us has to retrieve that letter, it could make all the difference in the
world when the Governor considers us.”
“Heyes
you saw that town, must have been a dozen Bannerman detectives crawling all
over it in town for his funeral, I mean George Bannerman himself lives two
miles out of town! Not to mention it
still don’t feel right Harry being so nice to us in the first place. Giving us credit? Getting Bannerman to write us a letter of thanks? No Heyes, that ain’t Harry.”
“That
wasn’t Harry,” his cousin corrected.
“Look maybe he sensed the end was near, figured a man ought to make
amends.”
“Heyes
he blew himself up lighting a stove.”
“Yea
well, I think sometimes a man can sense death moving up on him.”
“Well
there we agree. I can sense it right
now with this stupid idea of yours. Going
in there after that letter as an old friend of Harry, I expect you’ll want to
do the eulogy too?”
“Maybe,
boy would that take some thought, anyway listen what is so great about this
plan is that it is crazy. No one is
gonna expect Harry to have outlaws for friends, least wise big important ones
like us. Besides they got those
descriptions of us all wrong.”
“Not
to mention Hannibal Heyes is suppose to be so all fire smart and only an idiot
would walk into a town filled with people who make their living arresting
people wanted dead or alive.”
“Kid
I’m going,” Heyes said with quiet finality.
Kid
looked at him for a long moment and then just as quietly replied, “Fine Heyes
you go, but don’t expect me to blaze in and save you when they spring that trap. My side of the family had some sense.”
And
with that Kid punched his coat into a pillow and rolled over.
Heyes
sat for a long time staring at his partner’s back. He knew Kid was still awake.
He was angry and worried and Kid couldn’t sleep when he was upset, which
only meant he would get up in the morning grumpier and meaner than when he went
down.
Heyes
ran through lines trying to find something to say that would get them talking
again, but nothing seemed right, except the fact that Kid was right.
He
knew he would be taking a dangerous chance attempting to recover that letter,
but he had to try. Things had been
rather hopeless lately and he had begun to suspect amnesty was just a carrot on
a stick stuck out in front of them to keep them out of trouble.
But
a letter like Harry had described would give Lom something new and fresh to
give the Governor, show they were really trying, get things open and talking
again.
No
it was worth the risk.
Kid
would understand, he just worried too much.
**************************************
“So meet up in 2 days time
in Porterville,” Heyes said as they stopped at the fork in the road.
It
had been a rough morning with Kid not having muttered more than a handful of
words until Heyes was starting to get angry himself.
“I
don’t think so.”
Heyes
looked up confused, “You wanna meet somewhere else? But Porterville…”
“No
Heyes, I don’t want to meet.”
The
words hung in the air.
“I
don’t understand…”
“It’s
like this Heyes, you wanna go get yourself killed or risk your freedom fine,
but don’t expect me to watch or eat my insides out cause I can’t help you.”
Kid
said those words and offered a prayer heavenward. The threat of them going separate ways was all he had left to
stop him. He knew, he knew with all the
instinct and experience in him that it was a trap. Heyes would know it too if he would just a take a minute to stop
being so darn stubborn and melancholy and think on it.
Sure
things had been tough, a bit discouraging lately, but it was almost July now
and they were still free and healthy, that meant something.
“That’s
the way you feel,” Heyes said suddenly his voice cold and stiff.
Kid
stared at him. He hadn’t expected Heyes
to call his bluff. If he was honest he
had been hoping for a good flat out fistfight so his partner would be so tired
he’d have to sit and listen. But this,
this he hadn’t considered.
Heyes
meanwhile was now hurt as well as angry and frustrated and the mix made him
reckless.
“If
you change your mind I’ll be in Porterville, 2 days time,” Heyes said turning
his horse to go.
Damn
it Kid say something, Heyes urged silently, not believing this was really
happening.
But
no word came and he kept on riding, alone.
***********************
If Heyes was honest he had
finally agreed with Kid by the time he dropped his horse off at the livery
stable. The long, lonely ride had given
him a chance to think and he realized his cousin, as usual was right. Not that it helped and he finally decided to
have one quick try for the letter and then go and catch up with him.
So
preoccupied was he with this decision he didn’t notice the curtain on the
second floor hotel room pull back to watch his progress as he entered the
funeral parlor.
“Is
that him?” the woman asked.
“That’s
him,” Harry Brisco said his voice hoarse and barely rising above a whisper.
“Any
sign of his partner?” the second man in the room questioned.
“No,
don’t see the Kid, Heyes must have come alone.”
“He’ll
be nearby,” the woman said. “We’ll just
have to delay arresting Mr. Heyes until he gets here.”
“Is
that wise?” Harry asked frightened.
“Hannibal Heyes is very dangerous man.”
“Yes
Harry we know that, that’s why we came up with this little charade,” the man
smiled.
“You
are going to get me killed!” Harry said nervously. “You don’t know those two!”
“Now
Harry don’t be silly you are all ready dead.
Clever that, it lets us have all these Bannermen in town without raising
his suspicions and I told you he would jump at the chance of that letter, its
too irresistible for a man seeking a pardon,” the woman smiled pulling down the
veil of her hat and going to the door.
“And
where are you going?” the man asked.
“To
give Mr. Smith hope so he stays around.”
*****************************
“Nothing? No letter addressed to either a Mr. Smith or
a Mr. Jones?” Heyes said frustrated as the owner of the funeral parlor stared
at his eagerness disapprovingly.
“Mr.
Smith?”
Heyes
turned to see the dark haired woman in widow black enter the room. “Yes?”
“It’s
all right Jenkins he was a friend of my husband.”
“You
husband?” Heyes stared as the funeral director made his exit. “Harry was married?”
“Why
yes Mr. Smith, I can understand your not knowing, he thought it best to protect
me and the children that way.”
“Harry
had children?” Heyes shook his head at
the wonder of it.
“I
have the letter you are looking for,” she went on and he looked up
sharply. “Well my lawyer does. He has several documents he will be passing
out after the funeral at the reading of the will.”
“Ma’am
no disrespect but I was wondering if I might obtain that letter early? I hate to be rude, but it really is
impossible for me to stay.”
“Certainly
Mr. Smith…oh dear, I forgot. My
attorney was called out of town, he said he would be back for the funeral, but
not before. I am so sorry.”
“No,
no that’s all right, tomorrow will be fine.”
“Harry
spoke so highly of you Mr. Smith I do hope you will find it in your heart to
say a few words about him tomorrow?”
“Well
ma’am I’m not much of a talker…”
She
started to cry softly, “It’s just all been a terrible shock.”
Heyes
shuffled uncomfortably deciding it probably wasn’t a good thing to try and
convince the lady she really was better off.
“Certainly
ma’am, I’d be honored.”
“Oh
Mr. Smith, I am sure now the funeral will be all Harry would have wanted it to
be…”
*******************************
Heyes
pulled at the collar of his rented suit and took a deep breath. Kid was gonna kill him when he heard about
this. The funeral hall was barely
filled, maybe a dozen at best and he was not surprised to see his widow was the
only woman present. Harry had not been
much of a lady’s man. Actually he
wasn’t too sure what Harry had been period.
He
found a seat near the back and tried not to think about the fact he was
surrounded by lawmen all that would give their eyeteeth to take him in. Oh Kid why didn’t I listen to you, he said
starting to sweat.
The funeral was on time and
obviously not going to be long, as no one seemed eager to get up and share any
amusing anecdote about Harry. I have a
few, he thought, but he doubted the Bannermen would appreciate them.
“Now
an old friend, Mr. Smith, would like to say a few words,” the preacher said
desperate for someone to come forward.
With
a glance heavenward to ask that this be counted in his favor Heyes walked to
the pulpit. In front of him the casket
had been laid, closed, as there had not been much left to look at. Hadn’t been when he was alive either, Heyes
said and coughed stalling for time.
“I
didn’t know Harry very long, but I can honestly say in the short time I did, I
never met anyone like him. Harry was a
loner, followed his own path, did things his way. But once you had dealings with him you never forgot him…”
Heyes
stopped as two men walked into the room and whispered something to the widow
who nodded. Then the larger of the two
new comers stood center aisle and pulled out a gun.
“Hannibal
Heyes I’m arresting you in the name of the Bannerman Detective agency.”
Heyes
stood expressionless as the room began to clap.
“Wouldn’t
be getting to excited now gentlemen,” came a familiar voice and everyone gasped
as the coffin lid flew open and Kid sat up smiling his gun drawn.
“It’s
Kid Curry, get him!”
“Wouldn’t
do that gentlemen,” Kid said gracefully leaping free to stand in front of Heyes
and the coffin. “For one thing your
guns aren’t working too well. See I’m
the fella who passed them back to you after that little celebration last
night. Not the wisest thing boys
meeting all together like that, and Mrs. Bannerman’s rule about checking guns
at the door, well it did make it easy on a body.”
“Come
on men we can take them!” the man said his voice quivering in frustration.
“Yup
you probably could if it was just us, but this whole room building is
surrounded by the Devil’s Hole Gang.
You didn’t really think Hannibal Heyes would just walk in here without a
plan to get out did you?”
Slowly
he began to back up until he reached Heyes and handed him a gun.
“Back
side door,” he whispered.
Suddenly
a series of what sounded like gunshots went off and everyone hit the floor.
Kid
took the moment and shoved Heyes through the door.
“No,
here,” he yelled and grabbing Heyes pushed him down a small cellar door, but
not before leaving the back door wide open.
Confused
Heyes hurried after his cousin to the small street level window. All ready Bannermen were racing into the
street angrily demanding horses. A
moment later they charged off.
“Who
are they chasing?” Heyes said in amazement.
“Bunch
of fellas trying out for the new pony express.”
“The
new what?”
“Or
so I hear, try outs started exactly when they heard the firecrackers go
off. Ya know Heyes children still get
as excited as we did when you buy them a whole box and give them a quarter to
set them off…”
***************************
It
was almost six hours later before they got chance to talk. Kid had horses and supplies waiting on the
other end of town and they took off without looking back.
Heyes
wasn’t sure what he was more grateful for that he was free or that his partner
hadn’t brought up the fact.
Finally
they felt safe enough to pull up in a clearing and make camp. Silently they went about unsaddling horses
and cooking dinner until Heyes could stand it no more.
“Thank
you,” he said offering his hand. “You
were right and I was wrong, I know that don’t make us even…”
“Nope,”
Kid said quietly. “It don’t.”
Heyes
nodded.
“I
reckon I gotta get you out of at least a dozen more scrapes before I’m even
close,” Kid said and smiled.
“I
don’t understand…”
“Heyes
you know how many times I’ve ignored you and gone in all bull headed and nearly
got myself killed or half killed? More
than I can count.”
“I
didn’t count,” Heyes said quietly.
“I
know.”
“You
knew it was a trap all along,” Heyes said letting out a long breath.
“Yup,
also knew I had to figure out a way to get you out. Fortunately you’ve rubbed off on me on that count.”
Heyes’s
face broke into a grin, “How did you ever think of fixing their guns?”
“That
was dumb luck. I headed up to the
Bannerman house see what I could learn and Mrs. Bannerman took a shine to me,
offered me a job for the party that night.
Then when I got a look around and learned about the rule, I knew I had a
chance to sabotage their guns. They
would only take in their concealed weapons so they wouldn’t scare you off and I
figured that evened the odds up for the ones I might miss.”
“You
still took a terrible chance.”
Kid
shrugged, “You’ve taken a few for me.”
Heyes
considered this staring into the fire, “And the firecrackers and the pony
express…Kid that was a plan worthy of me.”
“Yea
well just don’t go expecting them. That
was my allotment for some time,” his partner said with false grumpiness.
Heyes’s
face broke into a grin and then instantly faded, “I’m sorry it was all for
nothing, there never was a letter.”
“Yea
there was, just wasn’t for us.”
“What
are you talking about?”
“Seems
Mr. Bannerman writes them all the time, probably doesn’t know half the time
what they are for. I found a whole
passel of them on his desk.”
And
with that Kid pulling a letter out of his pocket and passed it across.
Amazed
Heyes opened it and read:
‘I,
George Bannerman, wish to thank the bearer of this letter for his help in
aiding me in the pursuit of justice.
His bravery and courage is beyond reproach and I gratefully acknowledge
the sacrifice he made in bringing the lawless to justice.’
It
was signed George Bannerman.
Heyes
looked up and blinked, “Kid you did it.”
“Yup.”
“I
mean with all those letters he’ll never remember if he sent one to us or not.”
“Yup.”
“Kid
would you just say I told you so, I can’t take you being so nice.”
Kid
let out a long sigh of his own. “Maybe
tomorrow, right now I’m just glad your back in one piece..”
Heyes
looked down suddenly finding it hard to swallow.
“Do
me one favor though?” Kid asked deadly serious.
Heyes
looked up concerned, “Anything.”
“From now on you go back to
being the brilliant one. Being a genius
sure does wear on a body.”
Heyes
started to laugh and his cousin joined
him., “Deal, partner.”
And
suddenly there was hope again.