GUNS AND ROSES
Alias Smith and Jones
Drena Hills
“The
race is not always to the swift nor the battle to the strong,
but
that’s the way to bet.”
-
Damon
Runyon
May 1886
Post Amnesty
He was moving even before she had
chance to scream. Three years of amnesty
had done little to extinguish his alertness or dull his senses and despite
being a stranger to the crowded chaos of the track’s stable area he was the
first to spot the impending disaster. How the lead pony had broken free or what had
spooked it in terror to run he didn’t know, but the woman standing in the fence
infield was completely unaware of the huge creature charging down on her.
Breaking into a dead run he caught her around the
waist with one arm propelling them both
out of the way of the terrified animal and landing on a pile of hay with him on
top.
He paused to gulp a breath of air and
made the mistake of meeting her angry brown eyes.
“Get off me you stupid oaf!” she spat
furious.
Jedediah Curry considered this. His mother had raised him to be a gentleman
and a gentleman always respected a lady’s wishes. But seeing as how he had just saved said lady
from at the very least being trampled he didn’t feel he was required to rush in
his duty to respect those wishes.
“Glad to see you are all right ma’am,”
he smiled wickedly implying by the twinkle in his eyes that the sensation of
her soft body under his hard one was completely agreeable to him.
She snarled something he didn’t quite
catch and made another effort to push him off.
“If you do not get off me this very
instant I will have you dealt with…severely!
Do you have any idea who I am?”
He began to lose interest. The vast number of women who had taken the
trouble to explain their importance to him were generally more trouble than
they were worth.
“No ma’am, but I can’t think of a more
interesting way to get to know you better,” he said just to see what she did
and then frowned. “Ma’am you keep
kicking like that and next time I’m going to feel compelled to save the horse
first.”
Furious, she swore something unladylike and the
exclamation startled him coming from something so feminine looking.
From behind him he heard the commotions
of other rushing over and from their concerned noises he realized the moment
was lost and agilely got to his feet offering her a hand up.
She refused to take it as an older
blond woman and a younger man hurried to her assistance, which she accepted
though hardly graciously.
“Davina good heavens are you hurt?”
the woman said crouching down, but her concern was brushed aside with equal
distain.
“I demand you arrest that disgusting
man for accosting me!” the younger woman venomously spat as she got to her feet
and then let out a prime evil scream of rage at the state of her dress, a light
flimsy organza print completely unsuitable for the stables. “Look what you have
done to my dress!” she screeched.
Kid shook his head. He had noticed her when she had arrived
decked out in billowy pink complete with parasol, but her attitude to the poor
unfortunate young man escorting her had let his eyes stray elsewhere. She had that petite porcelain doll beauty now
all the rage in the east, but looks were clearly deceiving; there was nothing
fragile about this cold beauty.
“Davina
darling how terrible for you!” her escort cried, a chinless dandy with slicked
down hair and a mistaken belief that bowler hats made him look dapper.
Kid noticed he made no effort to get
too close to her and considering her fury agreed it was probably the wisest
move.
“You sir are no gentleman!” she told
Kid with a glare that could wither stone.
Kid gave her a small mock bow and bit
back the thought of pointing out his doubts about her having any claim to being
a lady after her last tirade.
Appearing to have read his mind she
let out another shriek of anger storming off and nearly knocking her companion over
in her effort to leave all of them far behind.
Dazed the man scurried to follow clutching her dropped parasol with far
too much care.
“I am so sorry,” the older woman said
turning. “My stepdaughter…Mr. Jones?”
Kid’s face broke into a genuine smile
as he recognized her.
“Mrs. Hanley!” he said memories of
“You are a bit far from home aren’t
you?” she said and despite him being a poignant reminder of her husband’s death
she seemed sincerely glad to see him.
“My partner and I are escorting Mr.
Haggin and his family.”
She nodded, “I’ve heard of him and his
horse Ben Ali, a westerner entering is the talk of
Kid didn’t miss she was leaving something out, but
merely smiled pleasantly and asked; “Are you racing a horse?”
The Hanley’s were famous for their
thoroughbred stock and it was this preoccupation that had been the reason Rolf
Hanley had been in
“Blue Wing,” she smiled. “He is the son of Billet the horse you helped
me with,” she suddenly glanced up at him curious. “I would have thought from what I read you
and your partner had moved on from body guarding horses Mr. Jones…or should I
say Curry?”
Kid had the graciousness to look
abashed, “Yes ma’am, I apologize for not being straight with you about that
back then, but my partner and I were doing our best to stay out of trouble
until the amnesty came through; made an alias necessary.”
She smiled, “I always wondered about
you and your partner after our trip to that ranch. I just could not understand how you two were
only drifters!” Her eyes were twinkling
now. “When I read about your amnesty and saw the picture I realized I was a
great deal safer on that journey than I realized!”
Kid smiled modestly, “We appreciated
the work ma’am I’m just sorry we met under such tragic circumstances.”
She nodded a thank you for his
concern, “Rolf was a wonderful man. I
miss him very much.”
“And he had a daughter?” Kid said
poker faced.
Charlotte Hanley closed her eyes as if
seeking patience. “My husband’s child by
his first wife, she died in childbirth.
I’m afraid Davina is rather conscientious about her appearance.”
“Well I didn’t meant to ruffle her
feathers, but I thought the horse might do worse,” Kid said dryly.
Mrs. Hanley smiled, “I have missed the
straight talk of you westerners you must allow me to thank you properly. I am holding
a small gathering for brunch Sunday after the race, I would be honored to have
you and your partner attend if you are available.”
Kid looked at her surprised. They had left Mrs. Hanley’s employment on
good terms, but it had always been clearly accepted that they were employees
not friends. “Are you sure ma’am that racing society won’t be shocked by you
having Hannibal Heyes and Kid Curry over for tea?”
She smiled at the picture, “Mint
Juleps will be the drink of choice, but I will have tea if you prefer it.” She stopped suddenly serious, “Strangely
enough with some of the things happening lately I feel oddly comforted knowing
you two will be there, especially after your rescue of Davina. Where are you staying?”
“The Brown ma’am,” and he noted her
twinge of surprise at the name of the expensive hotel.
“Thank you I will have my man bring
you directions.”
Saying their goodbyes he watched her
walk away intrigued. Something had her
and a lot of people in
****************************
Davina Hanley stood fuming as her
escort ran ahead to speed up the arrival of her carriage. In truth he could do nothing to hurry it
along, but having considered her mood he felt it best to put as much space
between them as possible.
Enraged she knew people were watching her amused. To say
she was spoilt was as much an understatement as suggesting the sun might be
hot. Davina Hanley had grown up with
servants, a doting father and a selfish heart.
The only thing that had kept this combination from leaving her
companionless was her beauty and her money.
Her doll like looks and cascading curls caused men to acclaim her a
vision and a goddess. She preferred
goddess, next to heiress it was her favorite word.
Frowning she glanced over at
‘her’. She had rarely thought of her
stepmother any other way since she had arrived in her home when she was 5 years
old. And despite endless temper tantrums
the woman had stayed taking her father’s love and attention solely from her and
ruining her life forever.
It was her jealousy of the woman that
had caused her stepmother to fall when the woman had been pregnant that first
year. Of course people had assured her
she hadn’t meant to trip her stepmother forcing her down the stairs and losing
any chance she would ever have to give her father a second child. Her father had believed her, but ‘she’ had
always looked at her different after that.
Davina sighed heavily put upon.
She was used to women being jealous of her.
A stable boy made the mistake of
getting too close and viciously she lashed out at him with her parasol. It made her feel better and calming slightly
she studied from afar the man who had rescued her.
He was more male than this place had
seen in some time, definitely a westerner, despite the well cut suit, his
manners proved that. But he did wear it
well and if she was honest his body had pressed down on hers with a masculine
hardness she hadn’t sampled in some time.
He had been armed too. They still
wore guns out in the wilderness didn’t they?
She found it highly erotic and bit down on her lip hungry for something
more than clean clothes. Maybe she could
use him to save her after all.
*************************
Diamond Jim Guffy leaned casually
against the track fence looking to all the world like a retired gentlemen of
leisure. His fashionable striped vest
and cocked bowler hat added a splash of pinash to his expensive suit and shoes
and more than one lady passing let her eyes linger intrigued.
He met each glance with a wolf’s smile
that made them either blush or smile back.
It was a contented way to pass the time.
But his relaxed stance belayed his
interest in the going ons around him.
People had been his profession for too long for him to give up his curiosity
in them or their potential as marks.
Hiding a smile he had not missed Curry’s encounter with the grand Davina
Hanley. Very few men who knew her would
have even attempted the rescue presuming no animal would be mad enough to
ruffle her finery. Even now he was sure
she was ordering the creature shot and turned to glue.
Curry had not changed much in three
years unless it was to get faster and more confident he thought. Oddly even at 32 his nickname was still appropriate,
his boyish good looks still evident and misleading.
Calling him and Heyes for help had
been an act of desperation and even then part of him had wondered if they would
come this far to help a friend who owed them far more than he could ever
repay. He knew Heyes for certain had
never been west of the
But he need not have worried; Heyes
quick one word answer of ‘Tuesday’ had been proof they had made an instant
decision to answer his call and it warmed the old man’s heart as much as it
helped keep his worry at bay.
It had not surprised him that the two
after attaining amnesty had drifted into investigative work. Heyes’s quick mind and Kid’s relentless
restlessness had made him doubt they would ever settle down successfully in the
routine of the 9-5 workforce. The danger
and uncertainty of solving problems no one else could suited their natures and
their skills and from what he had heard paid them very well.
Curry walked past him without
acknowledgement that was recognizable and almost jauntily he strolled away to
prepare for the meeting that had just been agreed upon without a single person
on the crowded field noticing…with the exception of one.
***************************
Edith Haggin stood in the doorway of
the stable box and watched him with her father.
James Haggin was going on as usual about horses with a passion he could
move to whatever object took his fancy that day. Currently it was horse breeding and so devout
had his obsession become he had moved the entire family back to his native home
in
She had expected the rail trip from
Edith smiled at the memory of the two
men’s surprise at being asked to join a well known millionaire for dinner and
later drinks. But her father didn’t have
much use for society or its protocol having set out to make his fortune in ’49
in the
But she had never suspected one of
them would intrigue her so. Never had
she met a man so vibrant, so dynamic.
Uncomfortable with social situations she had sat silently studying him
presuming as usual she had been overlooked in the presence of her overshadowing
father.
But she had been wrong. Early in the conversation Hannibal Heyes had
turned his eyes to hers and cleverly drawn her into the discussion with an ease
that had her completely involved before she knew what had happened.
Maybe it was the way he looked at you
as if what you were saying was the most interesting thing he had ever
heard. Or perhaps it was how he knew
just what questions to bring up to lure her in.
He was fascinating and later when he had come to the stable car to see
her father’s horse she had let him kiss her.
Well the truth be known she had kissed him, but he had been quite quick
to return the assault. Even now watching
him she felt her insides tighten and nervously she dragged her sweaty palms
down the side of her trousers. No one
but Richard had made her feel this way and he had gotten all proper and haughty
after they had kissed.
Thinking of Richard Lounsberry of
Which was why Mr. Heyes’s attention
had been like a balm on her angry and scorned heart; she would show Richard
other men wanted her even if she did have to kiss them first! Not that kissing Mr. Heyes had been drudgery,
in fact quite the opposite.
For the first time in her life she wished she had
taken a bit more care in her state of dress.
She had come straight from the train’s boxcar stable and with her hair
tucked up haphazardly dressed in trousers and a rough work shirt she might have
been mistaken for a young boy. As her
father’s youngest child she had been able to slip through the cracks and her
mother’s strict attempts at ladylike behavior to become the tomboy her father
loved and allowed to train horses with.
Hannibal Heyes turned pretending he
had just noticed her and smiled appreciating the picture she made with the
green race track behind her. When she
had kissed him in the boxcar his first thoughts had been a school girl crush,
but he was learning the girl was in reality a 26 year old woman who knew how to
get what she wanted.
Normally he would have thought her
father a barrier to such romantic pastimes, but Haggin barely saw his daughter
when she was right next to him and then it was more as a son. But Heyes had quickly recognized the female
potential in the lady and felt it rude to turn down any offers to investigate
it further.
“She’s going to win boyo!” Haggin said slapping Heyes on the back and
then seeing someone he knew hurried past his unnoticed daughter barking orders
to a groom to look after the prized animal.
“Good morning Edith,” he smiled
lazily.
“Why are you here?” she said arms
folded.
He gave her his best innocent
surprised look. One she was starting to
suspect after their last kiss as being less than trustworthy.
“Protecting your father’s investment.”
“From what? Train robbers? My father was completely comfortable bringing
Ben here without security until he talked to you two on the train. Then suddenly you and Mr. Curry are working
for him ‘protecting’ his horse.
Something smells sir and it is not the stables!”
“Edith your father is a very wealthy
man and this race means a lot to him.
Your family moving here, all the details of settling in, he just wants
to make sure everything goes smoothly.”
She ‘harrumphed’ him
disbelievingly. “You two are the most famous
detectives in the country and the most selective! They say you don’t take any
case unless it interests you and sometimes you even don’t get paid for them. I
think you’re here for some other reason Mr. Heyes!” she said formally having
continued to call him that even after their first kiss.
She moved closer and he smiled liking
the way she interrogated a man. “Maybe I
just like the fringe benefits I get working for him?” he asked brushing the
hair from her eyes.
She swallowed hard distracted, his
touch, even accidentally always did that to her. Horrible man, she wondered if he knew.
He did, but had only used the ability
to protect her; the less people who knew the real reason why he and Kid were
here the better.
“Father says were all staying at the
same hotel,” she said slightly breathless her curiosity sated by a hunger for
something else. Can I come by your room later?”
He frowned, “Genteel society ladies do
not come by strange men’s rooms without chaperones Miss Haggin.
She smiled catching Richard standing
next to her father watching them and leaning up kissed him. “How lucky for me then as I am neither!”
*****************************
Kentucky Derby founder Colonel M.
Lewis Clark had taken to pacing now and Police Detective John Robbin leaned his
head back against the comfortable leather chair he was seated in and once more
questioned the temperament, sanity and likeability of the upper crust racing
world.
At 27 Robbin looked far too youthful
to be his department’s chief investigator. With his collar length dark hair and
even darker expressive eyes his slender form made him look younger than his
years or his experience. Added to that he
dressed far more elegant than most of his colleagues having a natural flair
that made him an instant temptation to ladies, something he took no end of
ribbing for. But his success rate with
his cases and with women had earned him respect and some grudging admiration.
Across from his Diamond Jim Guffy
glanced at him and for a moment he caught something resembling distress in the
older man’s eyes. He knew Guffy had not
expected him to be here when he explained his concerns to Clark wanting to keep
it quiet and not an official matter; but he was here unofficially and he cared
far too much about what was going on to stay out of it, especially now.
He had grown up knowing Diamond Jim
Guffy as Uncle Jim. A close friend of
his mother’s who had an uncanny knack for being there when she or later he
needed him.
His mother, a flighty fragile woman,
had married a stern cold older man who while giving her every comfort and
protection did little to provide the emotional support a woman like her needed.
His father, a successful lawyer, had
also had little time for a small boy and so it was with Uncle Jim he had
learned about the amazing world outside his staid and privileged existence.
It was with Uncle Jim he learned about handicapping horses and spotting
card sharks and the peril of being marked as a sucker. He had long ago come to realize that while he
might have learned about the law from his father, from his uncle he had been
educated on life.
It had only been last year on his
mother’s death that both men had learned the truth for the natural closeness
between them; Diamond Jim Guffy was his father.
Such a revelation though welcomed by both men was not, Guffy was quick
to point out, the best thing for the public to learn about a promising member
of the Louisville Police force and so John and reluctantly agreed to keep the
revelation a secret...for now.
Diamond Jim Guffy was a legend and not
all of it from his skill with the ‘confidence game circuit’. He was avid race hound and possessed an
uncanny ability to assess horse flesh, which accounted for more than his share
of the fortune he lived off of.
His love of racing had naturally lured
him to
“Surely you both cannot be serious,”
“Didn’t it occur to you that maybe
something might be wrong when six of the Louisville Jockey club members turn up
dead in little over three months?” Robbin said angry at the man’s lack of
concern.
“Sir the club has 320 members!”
“In alphabetical order?” Robbin said
on his feet now. “Bashford, Buford and Catrill died first together in a
carriage accident. Freak thing they were
drunk, racing a train, all went horrible wrong.
Dardell drowned next. He was
followed by Fishburn who was shot outside his home in an apparent robbery gone
awry. The last was three days ago,
Grimstead, he was found in his study with his head caved in,” Robbin recited
from memory. And may I remind you now
Mr. Clark, Mr. Guffy here is in next in line!”
Guffy watched the exchange unable to
keep his heart swelling with pride at his son’s concern for him, he just wished
he had told him he intended to storm into the meeting.
“
“Mr. Haggin I am in a private
meeting!”
“You are always in a private meeting
and if those damn easterners have their way you’ll never see me! Now I have a complaint about…”
He never got to finish. Suddenly Guffy let out a little cry and
slumped over in his seat unconscious.
“Jim!”
Robbin said leaping over to the man, but Heyes had reached him first.
“Get a doctor!” Heyes ordered gently laying
the old man on the ground and pulling off his coat.
For a moment Robbin was going to
argue, but then knowing his badge would assure a far faster response took off
out the door.
It never once leaving his mind that
his father had been next on that list.
************************
“How is he doctor?” Robbin said stopping the medical man who
fortunately had been visiting the track that day with friends. The older man sighed his face grave as he
shook his head no sadly. Robbin stared
at him as if he didn’t understand. He
had been shooed out with the others and a crowd had gathered now as everyone
waited for news.
In answer the door opened and a gurney
was silently carried out, a sheet over the slender body.
Robbin swallowed and forced him self
not to show any emotion.
“We need to talk,” a voice from behind
him said and turning he saw the blond man who had arrived with Haggin.
“I have to…”
“It’s about your father,” Kid said
quietly.
Startled Robbin looked up and nodded.
Two hours later his grief had turned
to rage which he unleashed the moment he stepped through the sparsely furnished
bedroom he had been taken to in a vacant house in the most expensive part of
town.
“You could have told me!” Jack Robbin yelled angrily at the man looking
up from a book and his glass of wine.
“Jack! My boy…”
“Don’t you my boy me!” Robbin said furious.
“Son there wasn’t time and the boys
didn’t realize who you were!” Guffy, startling alert for a dead man, said
calmly.
“The boys?”
“You remember me telling you about my
friends Hannibal Heyes and Kid Curry?”
Jack stared at him slack jawed. “You called in outlaws to help you! What your son the police officer wasn’t
enough?”
“I didn’t want you involved son. You have your career to think of.”
“And so you just decided to die?”
“It’s an old con son, I’ve worked it many times. Makes a mark think you are unreachable. The boys set it up last night.”
“Without me! Didn’t you trust me?” the words came out hurt
more than angry.
“He did, we didn’t,” Heyes said coming
into the room with Haggin. “All clear,
our doctor has reported to the newspapers that you have gone on to your great
reward. This being race week and you a founding member of the track should
guarantee us the front page.”
“And which outlaw are you?” Robbin
said giving Heyes a steely look.
“I’m the smart one,” Heyes said and
turned back to Guffy. “No one will think
anything of Mr. Haggin delivering boxes to his new house so you should be in
the clear to stay here.”
“Servants don’t arrive until next
week, couldn’t get any before race week,” Haggin said clearly enjoying himself.
“I am extremely grateful to you and your wife Mr.
Haggin,” Guffy told the man who brushed his word aside.
“When Heyes asked for my help keeping
you out of sight I was more than willing, man needs a little adventure. Besides I’m a pariah right now coming in from
the west these easterners don’t open their doors easily even if I did grow up
here. So what happens next?”
“If someone doesn’t pay attention to
me I’m what happens next,” Robbin said darkly.
Everyone in the room turned their full
attention on the man surprised.
Kid entered the room and stopped at
the silence, “Problem?”
“I want to know what is going
on!” Robbin growled.
Kid looked at Heyes who shrugged.
“Look we didn’t trust Clark and we didn’t know about
you,” Heyes told Robbin simply. “Jim is too good a friend to play wait and see
with.”
“Besides,” Kid admitted honestly. “We think whoever is doing these ‘accidents’
wanted to reach Jim. He’s the only man
on the list with enemies creative enough to try something this crazy. With Jim gone the killing stops and we get a
chance to find out who it was.”
Robbin slowly exhaled, he was angry,
but if he was honest part of him was relieved his father was now safe. It had been quick, clever and effective, he
just hated feeling on the outside especially with these two strangers.
“And what he comes back from the dead
when this is all over?” Jack said bitter at the scare the three men had put him
through. “You could have warned me!”
“Son you just showed up what was I
suppose to do excuse myself and warn you I was about to move on to my final
reward?”
“He did stuff like that all time to
us,” Kid told Robbin in sympathy. “Used
to drive me crazy.”
“Which one are you?” Robbin said feeling his anger leaving and
annoyed he couldn’t hold on to it.
“The one that never gets any sleep
when these two come up with these ideas,” Kid said ruefully.
Jack glared at them, a myriad of
emotions. He was duty bound to report this, but part of him like the
creativeness of the plan and it would keep his father safe.
“He isn’t going to like missing the
race,” Jack said finally.
Kid broke into a smile, “With a little
luck he won’t have to we have a week to figure out who is doing this.”
“You are very confident,” Jack
replied.
“I’m not, he is,” Kid said indicating
his partner.
“I don’t think we’ve been introduced,”
Heyes said offering his hand and his sincerest smile. “
If he had expected them to look like dime
novel rogues he was disappointed. Both
men were conservatively dressed in impeccably tailored business suits and now
with close inspection it took Robbin a moment to put his finger on what was
different about them from every other man he had ever met. Then he had it, confidence, something in the
degree his father had, but a 1000 times more potent. They possessed a self assured poise that
should have been oppressive, but oddly was strangely appealing. He started to understand what his father and
the dime novels had been talking about all this time. It was a westerner’s self reliance
intermingled with a natural charm that took the edge off the threat they
represented.
Guffy had described it as being able
to fit in anywhere and never lose your sense of self. He said he had only ever met one other man
with the same ability, Davy Crockett as a senator in
“So you’re the fastest gun in the
west,” Jack said dryly taking Kid’s hand disbelief evident.
Kid merely smiled and Robbin suddenly
had the funniest feeling he never wanted to have to draw on the man and find
out.
“So you really believe someone is
killing all these people just to get to him?” Haggin said suddenly mulling it
all over. “That is insane!”
“But it buys confusion and diverts
suspicion unlike one murder would,” Heyes said.
“Did these men have anything else in common?” Haggin
said having trouble understanding such cold blooded calculations.
Robbin shook his head, “I checked,
aside from this and horses no.”
“They ever play poker together?” Kid
said under his breath causing his partner to swallow a smile.
“I’m not convinced they were all murders. The first accident would have been fairly
difficult to orchestrate, but it might have been what gave the killer an idea,”
Heyes said pleasantly.
“Mr. Heyes you have a most wicked and
devious mind!” Haggin said shocked
at such an idea.
“I thought that was why I was called here to help,”
Heyes said pleasantly.
“So Jack how are you going to play
your hand?” Guffy asked his son. “If you
feel you have to report all this…”
“I’m not here in an official capacity
at the moment,” Robbin confessed. “I
took a few days vacation when I realized…Jim’s name was the next one up.”
Both men caught the hesitation on what
to call Guffy.
“Good we can work together,” Heyes
said. “Should have this solved in no
time.
“Unless,” Kid said in such a way
everyone’s eyes turned on him. “We are
wrong about Jim. In that case we have
another 313 to go.”
“Goodness I hope not,” Guffy said
poker faced. “Think of what that would
do the
***********************
The next two days moved swiftly, but
were lackluster in any leads that might help pinpoint who might go to such
extremes to enact revenge on Guffy.
“Where are you off too?” Heyes asked
looking up as his partner picked up his hat and moved towards the door of their
hotel suite as the hour neared
“Thought I might take another look
around the track; someone has to know something maybe this close to race day I
can find something out.”
“You want me to come?” Heyes asked
moving to rise.
“No, I’m more likely to get someone to
talk alone,” he said opening the door.
“Good luck,” Heyes said returning to
his notes and then looking up a moment later as the door opened. “Forget something…”
He stopped and blinked as Edith Haggin
walked into the room and very deliberately locked the door.
****************************
“My we are diligent.”
Kid turned and raised an eyebrow in
surprise at Davina Hanley draped in the doorway of an interior room in the
large barn used to stable the leading horses.
“Miss. Hanley,” he said. “Rather late to be visiting isn’t it?”
She sighed exaggerated, “Being a horse
owner is very hard work. My stepmother
just doesn’t seem to understand that.”
“She is lucky you are so dedicated,”
Kid said politely noting she was hardly dressed for the stable in the cream two
piece gown layered in lace, her hair perfectly arranged.
“And you? Are you here protecting that nasty man’s
beast?” she said coming closer and finally stopping directly in front of him.
He could smell her perfume now and her
closeness made it all the more obvious how alone they were for human company in
the barn.
“I take it you are not Mr. Haggin’s
biggest fan?” Kid said poker faced.
“He’s dreadful!” she said rolling her eyes. “Waltzes in like
he owns the place; insufferable creature, well he will learn his place when his
horse comes in last.”
“And you are sure that is going to
happen?” Kid asked.
“It’s what I want to happen and I
always get what I want Mr. Curry.”
“Ah you found out my name.”
“My stepmother, she seemed most taken
with you,” she smiled up at him and ran her finger down the front of his
shirt. “Were you lovers?”
“Ma’am I worked for your father,” Kid
said sharply.
She smiled amused, “Oh dear a moral
streak have we? Such a shame I was so hoping
we might get to know each other better.”
And reaching up she kissed him ending it with a bite on his bottom lip
teasingly.
“Careful Miss Hanley or you are going
to get your dress dirty again,” Kid said both excited and annoyed by her.
“I can get other dresses, I’m very
rich you know,” she smiled turning to walk away. “But men, men are so much more difficult to
find!”
He caught her by the arm and pulled
her roughly to him.
“Oh my how brutal! I was afraid I had been wrong about you,” she
said with a sneer.
Against his better judgment he kissed
her holding her hard against him until he was satisfied he had her
attention.
She looked up breathless and
excited. “More!” she commanded.
Shaking his head at her folly and his
Kid entwined his hand in her hair pulling her face up to his as his hand slid
down the back of her gown. There wasn’t
too much to her and it was going to be work finding it under all that silk and
satin.
Expertly he held her firmly in place
as his kiss distracted and his free hand made short work of the buttons on the
front of her dress.
She gave a small gasp of surprise as
his rough hand slid inside to cup her breast.
This was happening way to fast.
She was supposed to be in charge, when had he taken control? Men always asked permission and she made them
beg. He wasn’t begging, far from it, he
was taking and what was making her head swirl was she was enjoying his brutish
behavior.
“Stop please sir!” she said pulling
away slightly feeling her knees start to buckle.
“You want this or not?” Kid said
stopping and looking no where near like a man desperate for her.
“You are horrible!” she pouted. “Men always tell me how beautiful I am and
how they can’t live without me! All
you’ve done is paw me like some bar maid.”
For a moment Kid considered how better
off he would be with a saloon girl and she noticed his distance.
“Don’t you want me?” she said kissing
him and then sliding her hand down smiled as she felt the bulge in the front of
his trousers.
In answer he picked her up and
deposited her on a pile of just broken hay.
She lay their startled by his swiftness and gasped as he slipped off his
vest and then his shirt. He was
magnificent and without thinking she reached up to him.
But he merely gave her a lazy smile
and unhooked his gun and then unbuttoning his trousers moved down next to her.
“You wear too many damn clothes
woman,” he growled and in one swift motion pulled her bodice apart in a savage
rip that made her cry out startled.
This was nothing like she had
experienced before. Even when she had
bedded stable boys they had been polite and asked permission. He was taking her
and the sensation of his hands on her body was making her head swim. Never, ever had it felt like this before.
Her breasts open to him he began to
kiss one nipple and coax it into hardness while his hand tweaked the second one
playfully, but firmly.
Instinctively she felt her legs move
open and despised him as he noticed and smiled smugly.
“I hate you, you aren’t talking nice
at all,” she said and then gasped as his hand pushed up her skirt and found the
strip of satin separating him from the final step.
“I don’t need words to be nice,” he
said devilishly and sitting up slowly slid the first stocking down her leg and
then returned to remove the other. This
accomplished he let his hands linger as he traced his way back up her inner
thigh and then with a sudden yank freed her of the lace underpants she had sent
to
“You are an animal!” she tried to cry,
but he was kissing her again this time hard and demanding his passion clearly
at its height.
Never had she felt so helpless or
wonderful and when his fingers moved into her she tried to force him away. No man had ever dared such a thing! He looked up and studied her carefully.
Jed Curry liked women. In fact it was rare he met a woman past the
age of consent he wasn’t attractive to or didn’t consider bedding. But he did have one rule, they had to be
willing.
“You want me to stop?” he questioned his breath ragged.
“No,” she said a little lost.
“Don’t worry I’m gonna look after you
too,” he promised kissing her, something few women believed until he rolled off
of them.
Freeing his erection he shoved her
dress up around her waist and plunged into her with a groan of
satisfaction. She was tiny, not much for
a man to work with, but she was willing and female and he needed the
distraction. He had no qualms about taking what was offered as the woman
clearly took her pleasure where she wanted it.
It was enough just for the moment that they come together and enjoy each
other.
Davina grunted in amazement as he rode
her like she was some damn stock animal.
Given permission to proceed he was consuming her, his hands everywhere,
his mouth and tongue commanding hers into submission. Her senses were on fire and she found herself
sliding her hands down his hard bronze chest curious as to how amazing her
flesh felt against his. Never had she
been so exposed with a man before or wanted to please him with the intensity he
was inflicting on her.
The assault continued so long she
almost felt like she was going to black out, was he an animal? How could he last so long! Men usually came the minute she permitted
them access. He seemed to be taking his
time and it was making her crazy.
Gasping she felt him climax and his
body come down on hers in victory. The
hard heaviness of him only made the ache that had been building in her scream
out frustrated.
He looked up and wiped a curl from her
eyes. “Your turn,” he said simply and
before she could speak he had sat up and leaning against the post pulled her up
against him.
“What are you doing?”
“Looking after you, I thought you
might need a little extra help,” he said gently and holding her firmly with one
hand he moved the other between her legs and began to massage her swollen
opening.
“What are you doing! Stop that…” she gasped in pleasure as he
found the spot he wanted and smiling pulled her up tighter against him.
“Just relax honey I’m gonna make you
feel real good.”
She began to swear at him in language
that made him grin as she fought his skilled touch. Finally she let out a scream and stiffened in
pleasure shaking with shock at the intensity of the orgasm.
Almost frightened she tried to pull
away, but he kissed the top of her head and held her firm. “Not yet ma’am, need to repay you for your
kindness,” he said and again and again his fingers shot lightening through her
until finally she collapsed back against him spent.
He smiled and gently smoothed her hair
off her face.
She rolled over to face him. “How…”
“Shhh you talk too much,” he said and
kissing her pulled her onto his lap and positioning her entered her again.
This time he let her ride him. Sensitive she came almost immediately and
nearly fell over forcing him to slide her onto her back again and take over the
pushing himself. He took it slow this
time suckling her breasts content she was enjoying it as much as he was.
They finally both climaxed together
and he rolled off her and moved to pull her to him only to find she was all
ready on her feet.
“Davina?” he said confused.
“I have to go!” she said suddenly
afraid and confused. “What you did to me
was wrong! A man does not make a lady
feel like that!”
Kid felt a pang of pity for her, “It
isn’t any fun if we both don’t enjoy it.”
“I always enjoy it!” she lied. The truth was she enjoyed making men beg,
making them need her, not this wild abandoned feeling where she had no
control. She had surrendered herself to
him and the revelation was terrifying.
“Look come back here and let me…”
“Don’t you touch me!” she said angry
now pulling her clothes together.
Kid sighed and pulled his own clothes
on disappointed he had not been wrong about her.
“Let me see you home,” he said as she
almost stumbled towards the door.
“Get away from me!” she snarled like a
wounded animal and without waiting ran from the barn.
Confused Kid moved to pick up his gun
belt and stopped. In her haste to leave
she had dropped her purse and something had fallen out of it.
Frowning he picked up the large brown
stained bottle and read the label.
Rat poisoning.
*****************************
“Edith is something wrong…” Heyes didn’t even have chance to leave the
bed, with one pounce she was on top of him kissing him desperately.
“Whoa, whoa woman what brought this
on?” Heyes said catching her to get a
breath. It wasn’t that he didn’t enjoy a
woman taking the lead sometimes, but this felt wrong.
“I want you to make love to me,” she
said kissing him again.
“All right,” he said.
“That’s it? All right?” she sat up disgusted. “You are as bad as Richard.”
“Ah,” Heyes said and she turned and
glared at him.
“And what does that mean.”
“It means you are too beautiful and
interesting a woman to keep throwing yourself at men. They should be lining up to throw themselves
at you.”
“You didn’t,” she pouted.
“I try to make it a point to be
certain the lady is open to my advances,” Heyes said moving up behind her and
sliding a hand around her waist. Even in
the old denim shirt and trousers she aroused him. Richard Lounsberry was a fool.
“Really?” she said so sadly he turned
her back to him and cupping her face kissed her long and slowly. When they both pulled away they were
breathless.
“Edith I don’t want you doing this
because you want to get back at Richard,” he said his voice raw and ragged.
“You aren’t the first man if that’s
what you are worried about,” she said not understanding. “I’m 26 you know and a girl can only wait so
long.”
He chuckled, “Yes ma’am I’m sure
that’s true, but what I meant was don’t give yourself to me to make Richard
jealous. It’s not fair to either of us.”
“I don’t care about Richard,” she said
conscious of how his hand burned on her arm.
“I want to feel something for a change.
You make that happen when you touch me.
Please?”
He understood. Loneliness was a powerful force and he had
found solace enough time in a bought woman’s arms because of it.
“All right if it’s what you want,” he
said trying to read her eyes to be certain.
“Is it what you want?” she asked
desperate to be needed, desired.
He smiled rakishly, “Woman I have
wanted you since I first laid eyes on you in that dining car. You are lucky I didn’t sweep the china off
the table and take you there in front of everyone!”
She gasped at his sudden change into
the outlaw leader who had taken the west and only surrendered it back under his
terms.
Sitting behind her he kissed her neck
and tugged her shirt out of her trousers.
Still behind her he made short work of
the buttons and gently eased the blue denim off her shoulder and kissed it
longingly.
She shivered as he slipped the shirt
off her and with a growl stood her up in front of him and kissed her again
deeply and with such intensity she never felt her trousers open or slip down
her legs.
Clad only in a camisole and brief
pants he made short work of removing them until she stood naked in his
arms. Quickly his hands began to touch
her with precision movements so sensitive she gasped. He was exploring her, tasting her until she
felt like she was going to explode.
She quivered in his arms and he
chuckled his approval of her reaction.
He liked a woman that responded.
It encouraged him to want to please her more and eager to do so he
returned her to the bed and laid her down with firm, but gentle intention.
Suddenly feeling shy she moved to pull
a cover over herself, but he shook his head no and pulled it away as he pulled
off his
“I wanna look at you,” he said with
gaze smoky and dangerous.
Never had she felt so vulnerable and
yet so oddly safe. Her breathing was
ragged now and she watched him hungrily as he pulled off his remaining clothes
and eased down onto her.
“Touch me Heyes, touch me everywhere,”
she begged.
He answered with his tongue finding
her breasts and squirmed in delight at how he teased her nipples to
erection. His hands and mouth seemed to
be a hundred places at once and she reached up her hands desperate to give him
the same sensations.
Find his erection she grasped it
gently and slid her hand down it causing him to gasp. His emotion excited her and eager to please
she pressured him to roll over and allow her on top.
Grinning at her initiative Heyes sat
partly up against the bed board intrigued and then opened his eyes wide in
surprise as she slid down to his waist and pulled him into her mouth.
It was rare to find a woman who would
do such things even for money and even rarer to find one who enjoyed them.
Licking him and sucking him he groaned
trying to ascertain if this was pleasuring her.
Finding some strength he caught her
arm and made her look up at him. “You
don’t have to do this.”
“I like to, Billy showed me how to do
this. He was a ranch hand of my
father’s. He said men really like it.”
Heyes nodded wondering how many ranch
hands had taken advantage of the lonely girl for their own needs.
Rubbing her face against his erection
she pulled him back into her mouth and gasping he grabbed her hair and held on
until at last he exploded.
Her job done she lay her head down and
let him stroke her hair while he got his second wind.
“You are an amazing woman Edith
Haggin,” Heyes said pulling her up next to him.
“Can you do it again?” she asked hesitant
clearly this had most times not been the case.”
“Woman we are just getting started,”
he growled deciding it was time he took control of the pleasuring and pushing
her onto her back began a slow, but steady offensive on her senses as he began
to kiss her from her lips on down.
Finally reaching her waist he slid between her legs and she buckled
startled by the effect his tongue had on her moist opening.
“Oh God what are you doing…” she said
gripping the bed linens in terror and excitement.
“Turn about is fair play,” he
responded with a wicked grin and sliding his hands to her hips began teasing a
response from her with his tongue. It
was not something he did with just anyone woman, the technique being taught him
by an older woman when he was just 17, but it never failed to drive a woman
into a panic of passion.
Buckling and arching her back she came
and on the third time unable to contain his own growing need he moved to mount
her when she stopped him.
“From the back,” she whispered. “They always do it from the back…”
Shaking his head over what kind of men
she had laid with, but having no objection he let her turn over and crouch on
all fours.
Deciding this might prove tricky on
the bed with the force he was preparing to enter her with, he pulled two
pillows free and tucked them under her for support and smiled liking the way it
pushed her backside up in the air in preparation for him.
He paused for a moment to appreciate
the picture and could see why past lovers had preferred the position. Caressing her full white bottom he kneeled
and pushed into her with a grunt of satisfaction. She was tight and as she began to move with
him he pushed harder into her gripping her hips conscious only of his need for
satisfaction.
At last in an explosion of ardor they
both collapsed in a tangle of flesh and exhausted satisfaction. Freeing her he pulled her up against him
content just for the moment to breathe and savor a chance to linger over a
woman.
Being on the run had limited such
opportunities and while the chance to satisfy his body was always welcome he
was too intelligent a man not to crave something more.
As of yet no woman he had ever met had
come close to fulfilling his needs both mentally and physically and he had
cynically begun to think such perfection did not exist.
He glanced down at Edith feeling
slightly guilty at using her so, but he could only hope she had enjoyed the
experience as much as he had.
And if in answer to his concern she
snuggled closer and kissed him lingeringly.
“Again?” she asked hopeful.
He grinned liking her spirit, “All
right, but this time we do it my way,” he said sternly pushing her over onto
her back. “I like seeing a woman’s eyes!”
******************************
Inspector Jack Robbin watched Kid exit the barn and
wrinkled his brow in uncertainty. He had
not yet had the courage to tell his chief about his and Mr. Heyes’s arrival,
though word had probably leaked back to him by now.
“Had the same idea?” Kid said coming
up behind him and he cursed at how quickly the man had spotted him.
“Not exactly, I ran into Miss Hanley
as she was leaving. She wanted me to
arrest you for assaulting her.”
Kid considered this, “Wanted? You said no?”
“If I arrested every man Davina let
assault her there would be no men walking free in
Kid nodded, “Know her well do you?”
“Mostly just of her, she doesn’t
consider policemen worthy of her social attention or at least not after I told
her I wouldn’t let her keep my handcuffs.”
Kid grinned, “I understand, tell me
she in any trouble?”
Jack looked up at him, “What do you
mean?”
“I mean enough to make her sneak into
the track maintenance room in the middle of the night and carry of rat
poisoning.”
Jack took the bottle Kid handed him.
“It was in her purse she forgot it
when she left in a bit of a hurry.”
“How do you know this came from the
track’s supply?”
“Because I caught her coming out of
there, probably part of the reason she suddenly got so friendly and I checked
there were two other bottles of the same brand on the shelf and an imprint in
the dust where a third had been stacked at the back. You folks still write down
who buys it when you sell it?”
“Yea we do. What does a woman like Davina Hanley need
with rat poisoning?” Jack said.
“I don’t know, but I am curious
Inspector, whose name is after Jim’s on that alphabetized list of track
founders?”
Jack reached in his pocket and pulled
out a small notebook and flipped it open.
“Ah…Rolf Hanley, deceased…” he looked
up. “Her father.”
“Which means her stepmother inherited
his spot,” Kid said emotionless.
“What are you saying?” Jack said not liking where this was
going. The woman was mean, spoilt and
occasionally irritating as hell, but what he was hinting at went far beyond… “I see,” he said suddenly. “I think we better do a little checking on
Miss Hanley.”
************************
“Do you want me to walk you to your
room,” Heyes said at the door where she was preparing to slip out.
“No, no it’s not far,” she said
slightly distant.
“You can stay…” he offered half
heartedly, but she seemed as eager to be gone as he was to be alone.
“Thank you, I’m fine really,” she said
a little wistfully and after letting him kiss her one more time she was gone.
Once in the cool dark hallway, the
door closed, she exhaled not sure how she felt.
So that was what it was like to have a
real man love you. It crossed her mind
to start to feel sorry for herself, she had known going in that this would be
all they would have, but somehow she couldn’t.
If she was honest she didn’t want him to give her his heart, because she
didn’t love him either.
Squaring her shoulders she told
herself a moment like this would be enough until… No she wouldn’t think about until she would
just end this night remembering his lovemaking and reveling in the warm
satisfied way her body felt.
So caught up in her thoughts she
completely missed Richard coming up the stairs from a long night of
debauchery. All ready his head was
beginning to ache from drink and he felt slightly sick at the lustful
activities Mr. Haggin and he had sampled at a high brow bordello just outside
of town.
And then he saw her. She was just wearing the camisole and it
hadn’t been laced up properly. Her hair
was tousled making her look wild and unkempt and incredibly lovely. Her lips were swollen from being kissed and
she had the unmistakable look of woman loved well and long.
His eyes followed her into her room
and he stood there watching it for a very long time.
**************************
Kid Curry would have waited to fill
his partner in on what he had discovered until morning, but arrived just in
time to see Edith leave.
“Am I interrupting anything?” he asked
tapping on the door between their rooms.
Heyes looked up tired, a good tired,
clearly he had not been the only one to do well on the feminine front this
night.
“No, no come in, you saw her?” Heyes
asked knowing.
“Yea, she’s a pretty girl.”
“She’s a wild one,” Heyes said
stretching and pouring himself a whiskey and after offering his cousin one as
well.
“Ran into a…” he hesitated not sure
what word best described her, but finally remained a gentleman and said, “…lady
myself tonight,” Kid said quietly taking a seat.
Heyes turned sharply knowing his
cousin too well. “Who?”
“Davina Hanley.”
“The one you rescued at the track?”
“Yup.”
“Grateful was she?” Heyes grinned and
then it slipped away as he saw his partner’s face. “You found out something.”
Kid nodded and explained about the
poison.
“Jack and I did some checking with a
few of the grooms arriving for workout.
Seems Davina is quite a gambler.”
“She’s a rich woman.”
“Correction,” Kid said. “Her
stepmother is. It seems daddy’s fortune
was lost in the war. Charlotte Hanley is
the real money in that family and Davina is on an allowance and Heyes the lady
loses a lot.”
“Wait a minute are you saying…where is
Hanley on that list?”
“Right after Guffy,” Kid replied.
Heyes stared at him, “Kid it can’t be,
she’s a woman…” He stopped both men had
known a few women over the years very capable of murder and in some cases mass
murder. “But for what, the money?”
“I don’t know, but I think one of us
ought to check with Mrs. Hanley about who inherits on her passing.”
“You go,” Heyes said his eyes far
away.
“Oh thanks! And what are you going to be doing?”
“If she loses a lot someone is going
to know how much and to who. I’m going
to have Guffy find me a good Bookie.”
*************************************
“Not the kind of place you want to
walk into without someone watching your back,” Heyes pointed out politely as
Jack stood preparing to cross the street and enter the seedy looking Chinese
restaurant where at least three toughs stood outside smoking.
“Did my father send you?” Jack said
turning on him dangerously.
“Only when I stopped by and asked the
same question you did,” Heyes smiled disarmingly. “Nice place come here often?”
Jack sighed and gave up and truth by
told he just might get a little more information if Hannibal Heyes caused a
distraction.
“Louie operates his bookie parlor in
back. If you want to make a bet you ask
for the #6 special and then pick your horses like item numbers on the menu.”
“And you don’t close him down?”
“Mr. Heyes the mayor bets here. As long as Louie doesn’t ruffle the wrong
feathers he’s off limits.”
“So won’t you asking questions get you
in trouble?” Heyes asked impressed.
“I count murder as ruffling feathers.”
“You think this Louie could be in on
it?”
“I think if Davina Hanley is involved
she didn’t kill those people alone if for no other reason blood is so difficult
to get out of one’s tea dress,” Jack said dryly.
Heyes grinned, “You have a point.”
“And if she owes him enough he might
very well have recommended some help.”
Heyes nodding liking he had come to
the same conclusion he had, “Let’s go find out.”
Walking across the street the
bodyguards instantly stiffened.
“What you want Robbin?” one
sneered. “Louie don’t like you cops
coming by, bad for business, scares the nobs.”
“Danny I broke your nose once don’t
make me do it again.”
“You talk real big little man lets see
you…”
The man moved to swing, but Jack was
ready and with one clip to the jaw sent the larger man back reeling.
His friends moved to join in, but
Heyes’s six gun was instantly in his hand.
“Who the hell are you?” one of the
toughs said startled. And Jack
swallowed. If Heyes was that fast, how
the hell fast was Curry?
“Hannibal Heyes and I just want to
talk to Mr. Louie.”
Loud laughter came from inside the
door and a genteel looking gentleman with a balding head and a sweaty brow
emerged.
“Boys, boys where are you manners let
the Inspector and Mr. Heyes come in.”
Louie, who turned out to not only not
be Chinese but possess a sharp
“So what do I owe the honor of having
the amazing Hannibal Heyes in my establishment!” Louie said sitting down behind his desk and
indicating they should take a seat.
“Tell me your partner with you?
He as fast as they say?”
Jack rolled his eyes, Louie hero
worshipping, did these two have this affect on everyone?
“Yes and faster,” Heyes grinned.
Louie broke out into wild laughter and
slapped his knee.
“I like you Heyes what can I do for
you?”
“Davina Hanley,” Heyes said simply.
Louie instantly sobered.
“Fine society lady.”
“How much is she into you for Louie?”
Jack asked leaning forward.
“I don’t know what your talking
about,” the man said suddenly nervous almost frightened.
“Louie I can appreciate your need to
maintain client confidentiality,” Heyes smiled pleasantly. “So let me just speculate and you can just
nod at the end if I got it right, no harm in that is there?”
Louie thought for a moment, “Yea guess
not.”
“Davina Hanley likes to gamble, but
she is very bad at it. She runs up a
tally that she can’t pay and when mommy refuses to bail her out again you turn
up the heat. But Miss Hanley isn’t your
usual blue blood clientele. She comes to
you with a plan that even a man of your creative work ethic is appalled by and
you turn her down flat.”
“She wanted us to whack her
mother!” Louie spat out with his cigar.
“You ever hear of such a thing? She said
she couldn’t pay and since the customary reprisal was to rough someone up we
should do her mother and go too far!
Look Mr. Heyes I don’t mind taking a few bets making a little money and
when I have to me and the boys well we might break the odd leg, but we don’t kill
no women. I got a mother too ya know!”
“So what happened after that?” Jack
said fascinated at how easily Heyes drew the tale out of the man.
Louie glared at him, “I ain’t talking
to you copper, I’m talking to Mr. Heyes.
Anyway Mr. Heyes she goes off all angry and I finally decided she wasn’t
worth the trouble and I cut her off, put the word out to all the track boys
that she was poison. Well she storms in
her and threatens me! Me! I’m the criminal here! Don’t ya hate it when folks just don’t
understand stuff like that?”
“Absolutely,” Heyes nodded with a
weary understanding sigh.
Louie nodded pleased, “Well she
threatened if I didn’t lift my ban on her I’d end up having an accident. Then she said she would be inheriting a lot
of money soon and I would have to take her bet.
Mister if she came in with
“Louie you have been a big help,”
Heyes said rising and shaking his hand.
“Hey you think maybe your cousin could
come by and show the boys a few tricks with that gun of his?”
“I will let him know you asked,” Heyes
smiled.
“Ah you’re the real thing
“Yes,” Heyes said his eyes cold.
“Right you are Mr. Heyes!” Louie said and practically groveling showed
them to the door.
“Tell me does that always work?” Jack
said disgusted as they recovered their horses.
“Does what always work?” Heyes asked innocently.
“Being Hannibal Heyes,” Jack sighed.
“Jack,” Heyes said with charming
arrogance. “It even worked when I was
Joshua Smith.”
**************************
“Mr. Jones this is a pleasant
surprise,” Charlotte Hanley said slightly flustered as she turned from the
horse she had just checked to find the ex outlaw standing behind her.
“I’m sorry to startle you ma’am, but
there was no one up at the house and a work hand said you were down here in the
barn.
“Yes I gave most of the staff the
afternoon off since they will be working Sunday,” she seemed nervous and moved
away from him. “I presume you are here
to inquire about Davina, I have no idea where she is. But I can assure you she suffered no ill
effects thanks to your quick timing. I’m
afraid I can’t offer you…”
“Ma’am is your daughter your only
heir?”
The question had the most amazing
effect. Charlotte Hanley clutched her
handkerchief to her chest and looked like she would have buckled if Kid had not
caught her and eased her down onto a bail of hay.
“Can I get you some water?” Kid said
not sure what to do, the woman was white as a ghost.
“No, no, I’m sorry you bluntness just
caught me be surprise.”
Kid found a seat across from her and
waited letting her gain her composure.
“Mrs. Hanley are you aware that there
have been some unexplained deaths of members of the founding track club?”
She got up wringing her hands
nervously, “Yes.”
He stood up and faced her, “Were you
aware they happened in alphabetical order?”
She turned sharply, “What?”
“Ma’am someone has been killing people
off that list in the order their names fall and your name is next.”
She stared up at him, “That is
ridiculous?”
“Very good Mr. Curry!”
They both turned to find Davina with a
superior smile and beside her the work hand Kid had met earlier. Except this time he was holding a gun.
“Has she told you that all the
servants have left? Terribly convenient
all this!”
“Davina what are you talking
about! Joseph put down that gun!” Mrs.
Hanley said horrified to the muscular curly haired man of perhaps 25 years.
“I don’t think so lady,” Joseph said
all hint of respect gone from his demeanor.
“Joseph has been helping me with a
little problem, you!” Davina said gaily.
“Davina if you need money…”
“Oh now that is a change from our last
talk on this matter, what were your exact words, cut me off without a penny
until I learn the value of money? Well
mommy,” she said using the term bitterly. “I have, I’ve earned every penny I am
going to get! I first just thought of
killing you outright, but then when I read in the paper about those three silly
men dying in that train accident and saw their names it occurred me that just
maybe there was a better way.”
“You killed…” Mrs. Hanley gasped.
“Well actually Joseph did, he’s been
such a sweetheart helping me.”
“Yea and half your fortune is gonna be
mine!” Joseph sneered.
Kid doubted that and could imagine
Joseph was most likely going to wind up dead himself after the woman had no
more use for him.
“This all would have been over
earlier, but you had to step in,” she growled at Kid. “My dear stepmother was supposed to pull me
out of the way of that horse and die tragically, Joseph and I rehearsed it
perfectly, but you had to play hero!”
“You are insane,” Mrs. Hanley said
numb with shock.
“I am not! I am not!” she screamed stamping her
foot. “You always made me feel
evil! You thought I pushed you! You said I was a spoilt child for not going
with daddy on that silly horse trip because you were sick! You felt he would have lived if I had been
with him!”
Charlotte Hanley stared at the girl
confused, “Davina I never believed you tripped me on purpose and you being with
your father would not have…”
“Liar!
You hate me! All these years you
have made me feel worthless, always it being YOUR money! Well it’s going to be my money now! And you being here Mr. Curry will tie things
up nicely. It won’t take much for people
to believe you and my mother were lovers, especially after you were there when
my father died. They will believe you
killed him to get to her and her money!
Why with a few tears society will crown me the poor little innocent
daughter and blame all of this on you!”
“Davina this is not going to work my
partner knows everything,” Kid said calmly.
“Who is going to believe an outlaw?”
“So does Inspector Robbin.”
She shrugged, “Then he can have an
accident too.”
Joseph turned and stared at her uneasy
as Kid replied, “And how many people is Joseph going to have to kill for you
Davina? Won’t that make him a loose end
too?”
“Shut him up,” Davina shrieked. “Into the tack room!”
“What are you going to do?” Mrs.
Hanley asked suddenly calm as if the truth about her stepdaughter somehow gave
her an odd relief.
“Joseph heard you and your lover
fighting in the barn over the money and the killings, he ran to get me, but by
the time we returned the entire structure was on fire!”
“Hey that is good!” Joseph said
suddenly feeling reassured. “They gonna believe that!”
“They might, but I won’t,” Jack Robbin
said from the door way.
“Kill him!” Davina screamed.
It all happened rather fast after
that. Kid leapt for Joseph at the same
moment Heyes and Robbin did. Furious as
Joseph hesitated, Davina reached him first attempting to pull the gun free and
do it herself.
Heyes reached just as the gun went off
and everyone froze as the woman let out a little cry of surprise and then
slipped to the ground, a burgundy stain in the center of her dress spreading as
she fell.
********************************
“A hunting accident!” Kid yelled leaping out of his seat from where
he sat across from the Chief of Police and Colonel Clark.
“Mr. Curry the woman is dead bringing
up all that went along with that isn’t going to offer any more justice to those
poor people or any comfort to the Hanleys,” Colonel Clark said.
Heyes stood up, “And Joseph’s part in
this?”
“He will receive punishment never you
mind,” the Chief of police said with a huff.
“Ah in other words we don’t want to
mar race day or ruffle the feathers of its racing body so were going to just pretend
it all didn’t happen,” Heyes said disgusted.
“Yea well we still know,” Kid said
dangerously.
“Mr. Curry your credibility is hardly
a threat to anyone,” the Colonel said haughtily.
“Come on Kid it’s not worth it,” Heyes
said grabbing him before he did something he felt like doing himself.
Angrily Kid let his partner lead him
out of the racing office to find Guffy and Jack waiting.
“They tell you?” Jack said and then nodded when he saw Kid’s
face. “Yea we heard too.”
“Jack quit his job,” Guffy said
quietly.
Everyone looked at the young man.
“I don’t think I can work here anymore
and feel like I have a shred of integrity,” Jack said.
“I said what he needs is a trip back
west!” Guffy said patting him on the
back. “See what I’ve been going on about
all these years!”
For the first time Kid relaxed, “West
could use lawmen like you.”
“Yea now that were not running from
them,” Heyes grinned and then sobered. “Did you hear Joseph was scheduled to
make sure you had a little accident leaving the track after he spooked the
horse Kid saved Davina from?”
“Wouldn’t want to kill out of order,”
Kid said shaking his head.
“How is Mrs. Hanley taking things?” Guffy asked.
“Well she’s still racing her horse and
last time I saw her she seemed fine. I
think she knew Davina was not well for some time. Seems more relieved than anything,” Kid said
sadly.
“Speaking of horses I hope you boys
will be joining me in my box?” Guffy said attempting to lift their spirits.
“We’ll be there,” Heyes promised. “But our train leaves right after.”
“But you will miss all the parties,
mingling with the best of society!” Guffy said aghast.
“Jim, I have had enough of society to
last me a lifetime,” Kid said.
“Yea,” Heyes agreed. “I think its time to go home.”
****************************
“Not one word in the papers,” Kid said shaking his head as they reached the
box where Guffy and Robbin were waiting.
“This is society Kid, folks don’t like
their dirty laundry airing, especially on race day,” Heyes said absently as he
watched Edith Haggin walk by dressed to the nines draped on Richard Lounsberry
arm. She seemed happy and excited and
didn’t even notice him.
“Well the whole thing still feels
wrong,” Kid said moodily as they reached their seats and after being handed
mint juleps by the waiter tried to relax.
The twelfth running of the Kentucky
Derby was cloudy and hot and while rain had threatened it had so far held
off. Nearly ten thousand people had
arrived to watch the race in their finery and all around them people were
laughing and talking excited.
“The track isn’t as fast as I’ve seen
it, but it is in capital condition, safe and good,” Jim said expertly. “Ten horses starting, first time its 118
pound limit.”
“So Ben Ali is the favorite,” Heyes
said studying his program.
“Yes Mrs. Hanley’s Blue Wing has
dropped down to third,” Jack said almost sadly.
“Come on now boys! Its race day lets enjoy ourselves, life
has a tendency to even out in the end
you just leave what you can’t fix yourself and you’ll see,” Guffy promised.
His upbeat spirit was contagious and
soon all four of them were awaiting the race eager for the outcome.
“And they are off!” the announcer in
the stand called. “All ten leaving at
even terms. Blue Wing is in the lead,
Grimaldi second, Masterpiece third, followed by Sir Joseph, Ben Ali, Free
Knight, Jim Gray, Harrodsburg, Lijero and Laffite in order named. As they enter the main track Masterpiece is
in the lead, Grimaldi second, Blue Wing third, rest well bunched. Passing the stand Masterpiece still leads,
Harrodsburg second, Jim Gray third, Free Knight fourth, rest in close
order. There is no change at the
quarter, but the pace is still hot!
Nearing the half Free Knight is a head in front of Harrodsburg, second
is Jim Gray, a head behind him third, with Ben Ali, Blue Wing and Masterpiece
close up and bunched. At the three
quarter pole, entering the home stretch, Free Knight is a half length in front
of Ben Ali second, Blue Wing third. All
three are driving, Ben Ali and Blue Wing are head to head at the furlong pole,
Free Knight a half length behind. Uh oh
Blue Wing has swerved to the outside and lost ground, Ben Ali has gained in the
stretch. Its Ben Ali by a scant three
parts of a length, Blue Wing is second, Free Knight third!”
The four men stood up and
cheered. Between Guffy and Heyes they
had picked the winning three AND in the correct order.
“Well Mr. Haggin said he could do it,”
Kid grinned.
Heyes grinned as he watched Haggin
arguing with an official.
“I think Churchill Downs is going to
have trouble with Mr. Haggin for a long time to come!”
*************************
The train station was crowded as they
stepped down from the carriage both stopping a minute to take a final look
back. Both had lied promising to return knowing that while home might not ever
take on a particular address, it would always lie west of the
“Heyes I’ve been thinking.”
Heyes sighed, “About what?” he finally
asked knowing his cousin never let such a revelation go without a response.
“Maybe we need to concentrate more on
this detectiving and less on women,” Kid said his eyes serious and grave.
Heyes considered this as he handed his
ticket to the porter and began walking down the platform to the first class
sleeper coach.
“You might have something there,” he
agreed nodding. “Distractions like that
only hinder a man.”
“Exactly,” Kid said relieved his
partner understood. “We’ll just
concentrate on work, making a fortune and then we can…” he stopped as he
realized his partner was not listening and followed his gaze to the gaggle of
giggling bright colored perfumed feathered beauties boarding the first class
car.
“What was that?” Heyes said trying to return his concentration
to his partner as he reached the women who stopped and inspected them with bold
interested gazes.
“Excuse me is this a ladies only
car?” Kid said politely.
“I hope not!” a redhead smiled at him.
“I wouldn’t feel safe knowing there were no men to protect us from Indians and
the like!”
“It’s our first trip west!” a tiny brunette volunteered gleefully and
then giggled. “Is it as wild as we’ve
heard?”
Heyes and Kid managed to almost
completely swallow smiles.
“Well ma’am the west is still pretty
wild,” Heyes said seriously after a cough.
“But my partner and I are detectives and if any of you ladies feel
frightened you just let us know!”
They were greeted by a chorus of
relieved exclamations as a porter shoed them on board and then looked at the
two men apologetically.
“Sorry gentlemen, some female
acrobatic group performing in Denver in that new fancy thee-ater they just
build, afraid you’ve got them for the whole trip,” he said checking their
tickets and pointing out there section.
“Whole trip,” Kid said a little dazed.
“I counted 7,” Heyes said looking at
him.
“Flip you for the 7th.”
“I thought you were just telling me we
need to give up women and concentrate on work!”
Heyes said glaring at him with mock seriousness.
“You know what they say Heyes all work
and no play…”
Heyes was about to say something when
a buxom blonde squeezed by them in the corridor and then stopped. “Are you the detectives?”
“Yes ma’am,” Kid smiled.
“Do you think we’ll run into any
outlaws?”
Kid looked at his partner and they
both smiled and then looked back at her as sincere as they could get.
“Ma’am” Heyes said with great
authority. “I can guarantee it.”
Historic
Note:
Horse
racing in
Churchill
Downs formally opened May 17, 1875 with four races, the highlight being the
James
Ben Ali Haggin did indeed have a feud with east coast breeders and boycotted
the