Emerald City

Heyes watched Vic while the Kid grabbed some breakfast in the dining room. He sat watching her sleep. She was beautiful, no, she was stunning; he could see why the Kid couldn’t resist her. The Kid had always been able to walk away before, why not now? There’s got to be something more; I’m just not seeing it. His head turned to the opening door and saw Curry walk in with a cup of tea.

“We all packed?”

Heyes nodded.

“Well then, time to wake up sleeping beauty.”

“Hang on a minute, Kid.” Heyes walked over and poured some of the laudanum into the teacup. Then he poured a little more, just to be sure. “Okay, let’s do it.”

“Victoria, honey, wake up.” The Kid gently shook her shoulder. To his surprise she opened her eyes right away.

“Morning, Thaddeus.” She stretched a little and winced. “I feel like I’ve been rode hard and put up wet. Oh, tea!”
She sat up and saw Heyes standing there. “Good morning, Joshua, have you had your breakfast yet?”

“Ah, yes, ma’am.” Heyes looked at Curry, and the Kid just shrugged.

“Vic, I need you to drink this tea and then get dressed, we’re leaving town this morning.”

“Really, why?” she was blowing on the tea to cool it.

“Because it’s time to go. We have to catch the train remember?”

She looked at Curry over her teacup. “Who told you about the train?”

“You did.”

“And you’re not angry?”

“Why would I be angry?”

“Well, when we got into town that first day, I didn’t know if I’d be able to get another escort, so I sent for Fathers...I mean my train. Wanda said a lady always has plan B.”

Heyes threw up his hands, “She has a train.”

“Well, they sell them you know.” was Vic’s snippy reply. She finished her tea and tried to get out of bed. Curry put his arm around her to help her up.
“I just don’t know what’s with me this morning. I’m just a little off. If you gentlemen will wait outside I’ll get dressed. I do have pants, don’t I? Oh, here they are.”

Curry helped her steady herself against the dressing table. “Are you sure you can get yourself dressed.”

“Always have before. Now git!” She watched them close the door and she reached for her camisole.

The boys waited outside the door. And waited outside the door. Then they heard a scream and Curry shot through the doorway to find Vic looking in her face in the mirror.
She turned to him. “Just what happened last night?”

The Kid and Heyes just looked at each other, not knowing what to say.

“It was the Andrews triplets, wasn’t it? Boy, every time I go to town, I fight with those girls. It like Kentucky isn’t big enough for the four of us. What kind of tea was that? I sure want to take some of that back home with me. It’s like a party in your head.”

They looked at each other, “The laudanum is kicking in.” Luckily, Vic had managed to completely dress herself, so she was ready to go. Heyes grabbed up the saddlebags, Curry grabbed up Vic and they headed downstairs.

Heyes threw two sets of keys at the desk clerk, “Checking out.”

“Well, I shouldn’t wonder!” thought the clerk.

They exited the hotel to run directly into Dr. Plaine. “Where are you going? She shouldn’t be moved like this!”

Vic just waved at the doctor, “I’m alright, it was just a tussle with the triplets again.”

Getting her on the horse was another matter entirely, but between the two of them they managed and mounted up themselves. They spurred their horses on and went about fifty feet before they looked at each other and stopped their horses. They turned around in the saddle to see Vic and her horse still in the livery. Curry whistled and the mare perked up her ears and started forward. When the horse had caught up with theirs, they both spurred theirs forward, keeping her right in between them as they walked down the street out of town.
“We’re not going to make any time if we walk these horses thirty miles.” Heyes whispered to Curry behind Vic’s back.

“Let’s give her a chance and ease into it.”

“She can’t make this ride and you know it.” Heyes shot back.

“Oh, Father,” Vic interrupted.” I love the pony and I’m going to ride him real fast. Watch me!” With that she slapped the reins to her mare that took off like a shot.

They rode east until the horses were past winded, they rode them hard until they were lathered; and then they pushed them for more. Up above, dark clouds were forming faster than Heyes had ever seen them form before. The wind started to howl and whip dirt into their faces. The rain started lightly, but quickly became a furious downpour. It caught them off guard and they finally stopped for a minute to put on their coats and cinch down their hats.

Curry walked over to Vic’s mount to make sure she was all right. “How’s my girl?” Her face was pale and the bandage had long since fallen off, revealing the awful cut and the nasty stitches.

Vic looked around, “What girl?”

“It’s just a couple of more miles.”

“Good, because it feels like a stampede is running through my ears.”

He walked over to Heyes and rummaged in his saddlebags for the laudanum. “Here, take a shot of this, it’ll help.”
Vic up-ended the bottle and the Kid had to reach for it to take it away from her. “Easy on that.”

“How much farther?” Vic asked again.

“You have to tell us. You can do that, can’t you?” He was sure that he could see her nod in the rain.

They ran the horses hard until they could hear Vic scream, “This is it!” and she turned her mount to the north and kept on riding. The terrain was becoming rockier and the darkness of the storm didn’t help. Heyes’ horse almost lost its footing coming down a steep hill; but they pushed on hard. The horses were starting to go wild as lightening seemed to burst right over their heads, and then the terrible thunder would follow.

Vic couldn’t see anymore and the thunder was so loud that each time it felt like her head split apart all over again. She couldn’t see Thaddeus or Joshua and she wasn’t sure she was going the right way anymore.
Finally she just started screaming, “Thaddeus!”
She couldn’t hear any response; she couldn’t hear anything but the thunder and the pounding rain. It was everything she could do just to try to control the horse, which kept spinning in every direction. Suddenly, a man in a black hat appeared in front of the horse and grabbed the bit, stopping the horse in its tracks. “Joshua!”

Curry brought his horse to a stop beside hers and grabbed her arm. She looked at him and even through the rain; he could tell she was crying. “I can’t make it.”

“Can you make it to my horse?” Curry called and tightened his grip on her arm. She grabbed onto his coat and with every bit of strength she had, she jumped on behind him and put her arms around his waist. He patted her hands to try and console her.
“Just hang on tight and leave everything to me, okay? Swear to me you won’t let go.”

“I won’t let go.” She buried her face in his back, welcoming the relief of the rain not pounding on her face anymore.

Heyes mounted back up and was trailing Vic’s horse. “Where to?”

Curry shrugged, screaming over the sound of the wind and thunder. “Just keep going north.” And they took off into the dark.


“We’re lost out here,” Heyes complained for the third time. “We should just find some shelter for the night and get out of this god awful storm.”

“Show a little faith, Heyes.” Curry pulled up next to Heyes and pointed through the trees to a faint light. “You think so?”

“Yeah, I do. Let’s go.”

With their horses sliding down the last hill, they finally came upon an old spur line and before them sat the grill of a locomotive. They plodded down the length of the train, and Curry hit Heyes in the shoulder and pointed. On the side of the first passenger car were emblazoned the words, Black Cove. There looked to be five, no six passenger cars, two freight cars and a caboose. Suddenly, the doors on one of the freight cars opened and a light shone from a lantern.

It revealed a large black man and an even larger rifle. “You best be passin’ on.”

“We’ve brought Victoria!” Curry yelled back at him. After a moment, a plank was lowered out of the doorway and the two men rode inside out of the storm.

The black man held up the lantern, “Where is she?”

The Kid nodded to the back of his horse.

“You best be tellin’ the truth.”

Mr. Nightlinger walked to the back of the stranger’s horse to see Victoria huddled behind and asleep. He shook her on the shoulder. “Wake up, child.”

“I’m sorry, sir; but I think she’s past that,” Curry informed him. He looked down to her interlocked fingers and tried to pry them apart, they were white from her holding on so tightly, but the Kid finally managed to get them loose. She fell off of the horse and into Mr. Nightlinger’s arms.

“Lord, what have you gotten yourself into?” It was then that he saw her face and he looked back up at Curry. “Who done this to her?” he growled.

“A dead man.” Curry informed him matter of factly.

“And who might you two be then?”

“I’m Joshua Smith,” he said, dismounting, “and this is Thaddeus Jones. We’re friends of Miss Morgan’s.”

“Her telegraph didn’t say nothin’ bout no friends.”

“Well, Mr. Jones here was the one who escorted her back from Hidalgo.”

“Pull that plank in and wave that lantern out before you shut them doors. Let’s git this thing rollin’.” He barked at Heyes, and turned around to see the Kid directly in front of him. Before he could say a word, the Kid had scooped Victoria from his arms and stood there staring at him.

“If you would lead the way then.” Curry said as the train start to roll.

Joshua took a moment to hook Vic’s arm around the Kid’s neck and make sure her head was resting well on his chest; and they both followed the man on into the train.

“I’m Mr. Nightlinger, and I run the ranch for Miss Victoria.” In the first car, they emerged into an elegant upholstered car with sofas and tables. He motioned to two men playing cards on one of the tables, “that’s Catfish Joe and Matthew. C’mon an’ we’ll git her to her bed.”

Heyes looked at Curry and mouthed the word, ‘BED?”

Through two more central cars and one dining car they walked until they came to a car lined with blue silk and carrying hand carved bedroom furniture.

“Now the next car is Wanda’s; but she be in there sleepin’ it off. It do take a lot out of her to whip up a storm like that.”

“Wake her up.” The Kid stated simply.

“You say what?” Nightlinger questioned in amazement.

“Victoria’s soaked completely through and unless one of us is going to change her into dry clothes...”

“Well, son, ya got a point.”

After a few moments he emerged from the next car with a sleepy-eyed woman, short in stature, but she seemed to fill the room. She put her hands on her hips and cocked her head to one side. “Well, it’s about time. Put her on the chair there and ya’ll git. And close that door!”

Mr. Nightlinger ushered them through Wanda’s sleeping car to another with two beds in it. “There’s a steam vent over there, you boys can dry off a bit and I’ll go see ‘bout some dry things to wear.”

Heyes and Curry sat in two opposing chairs and just stared at each other for a long moment. The Kid started to take off his boots when Heyes chimed in, “Well, we got her here, job over. They’ll probably let us off at the next town, right?”

Curry threw his boot on the floor. “We are not starting this again, Heyes! We’re going to Kentucky.”

“No!” Heyes pointed his finger at him, “She’s going to Kentucky, and you’re following her and I’m following you. You gotta accept the fact there’s nothing for us in Kentucky. You & I just aren’t Easterners.”

Kid looked thoughtful, “Isn’t Kentucky more in the middle?”

“No, Kid, East. Definitely east.”

“What do you have against checking it out? You just might like it.”

“Let’s just say I, we do. What do you think? That we can stay there?”

Kid threw his other boot at Heyes, “How can you not be sick and tired of living in the saddle, out of saddlebags, being chased by every Tom, Dick and posse we come across…”

“And you expect it to be different there?”

“If it isn’t, I’ll say fine, you win and we’ll go back west. All of us or I stay behind.”

“She a rich little girl, Kid. Do you really think that if it came down to it, she would give up her tidy life to ride with you? Living in the saddle, out of saddlebags, being chased by every Tom, Dick and posse we come across…” Heyes was spreading his wet shirt out across the back of the chair when the door opened and Mr. Nightlinger threw in some dry clothes.

“These ought to fit, an’ if not, you boys just outta luck.”

Heyes continued as soon as the door was closed again. “Did it ever occur to you that you were just some Wild West adventure for her to tell her society friends over tea? She eats oysters out of the shell, for Christ’s sake! Your two worlds are so far apart, they might as well be on the next continent.”

The Kid was finished changing and headed for the door when he stopped and swung around to face Heyes. “If we’re in two different continents, then I’ll just lasso the bastard and pull it close. I’m getting tired of having this conversation with you, Heyes. So help me God, if you ever make insinuations like that again about her, we’re gonna be steppin’ outside.”

Heyes moved to follow him, “Well, have the decency to stop the train first.”

The Kid knocked on the door that led into Victoria’s car and waited patiently. Finally, Wanda appeared and ushered them in, and herded them out the other door. Curry could only catch a glimpse of Vic lying on her side in the bed, hair fanned out over the pillows to dry.

“That’s it boys just keep on walkin’ and hush tight.” She led them back to the dining car where Mr. Nightlinger had plates of food and hot coffee laid out for them.
“ alrighty then, let me get a good look at ya’”
Wanda put on a pair of spectacles and began to inspect them closely. She patted Curry on the shoulder and turned to Mr. Nightlinger. “My money’s on this buck right here.”

Then she suddenly swung on Heyes and jabbed him in the shoulder, “and just what are you hiding, Mr. Mysterious.”

Heyes sat down and turned on the charm, “We’re just a couple of friends of Miss Morgan’s that were lucky enough to be in the right place at the right time to help her out when she needed it. I’m Joshua Smith and that is Thaddeus Jones.”

“My butt,” Wanda snorted. “She invite ya’ll to Black Cove?”

Heyes and Curry looked at each other.
“Yes.” Answered Curry at the same time Heyes answered “No.”

Wanda just shook her head, “Looks like we might be letting these two cowboys off at the next town.”

Kid spoke up between mouthfuls of food. “It’s my job to escort her home from Hidalgo. She’s not there yet.”


“Well, I’d a just hated to seen what woulda happened to her if you hadn’t been there to protect her.” Wanda started sarcastically. “Just exactly what did happen to her?”

“She tussled with the triplets again?” Heyes chimed in.

“So now, you’re Mr. Funny Man…” Wanda started to chew him out when the door to the dining car flung open and Vic stepped through in a blue silk dressing robe.

“Ya’ll hush.” She said quietly, but Wanda had already screamed and jumped up to run and give her a hug.

“Oh, child, it’s so good to see ya. Did ya’ send your Paw off right?” she was stroking Vic’s hair and patting her shoulder.

Vic nodded and went to Mr. Nightlinger and hugged his neck. “He’s at peace now. I hope you haven’t been giving my friends a hard time.” The Kid was already out of his chair and standing next in line for a hug.
Vic hugged him an extra long time and whispered into his ear, “We made it.”

Kid just shook his head. “ Told you, I’m the best.”
Vic made her way over to Heyes, who was still seated and leaned over to give him a hug and a kiss on the head.

“You should be resting.” Curry advised.

“I came out to get some of that special tea we had at the hotel. You brought some back, right? My head is pounding from all of the fussing going on in here and that ought to help me sleep.”

Curry looked over to Heyes and jerked his head back to the freight cars.

Heyes stood up, “Why don’t I just go get those saddle bags.”

Wanda looked at Curry and blurted out, “so, you have the right intentions towards her?”

“Ma’am?” Curry asked.

“Wanda!” Vic admonished her. “Why don’t you just put a knife to this throat, it would be less rude.”

The Kid turned to look at Vic stubbornly. “I would have thought you would want to hear the answer to that one.”

“And this is the setting I envisioned…”

“Here we go...” Heyes burst through the door with the saddlebags.
Wanda shook a finger at the Kid, “I’m gonna get back to you on that.”

He nodded, “Yes, ma’am.”

Heyes put the bottle of laudanum in front of Vic, only to have Wanda snatch it up. “Now what sort of doctorin’ is this?”

Vic was starting to dig through her saddlebag and produced a gift wrapped in brown paper. “I brought you a little present.”

Wanda put the bottle down and snatched it up with glee. She unwrapped it to find a dried snakeskin. “Oh, the herbs and wraps I can make with this! Did you catch it yourself?”

“Sure did.” Vic stated proudly. Heyes quit chewing long enough to lean back in his chair and look at Victoria Morgan, snake charmer.

Wanda got up and started for the door to her car, “I’ll go fix up a little something for your head. Otherwise, that’s going to leave a nasty scar.”

Kid dropped his fork and reached for his saddlebags. “Wait a minute.” He reached in and pulled out the forgotten pouches that Squinting Weasel had left.

Vic pick them up and inspected the contents, “mugwort, patchouli, blue corn, high john.” She looked at Curry accusingly. “Where did you get these?”

“From Squinting Weasel.” Curry was trying to figure out why that was a bad thing.

“When did you meet Squinting Weasel?”

“Well, he was on his way back from a drumming circle..”

“Thaddeus, I would like to speak with you privately. Would the rest of you kindly leave us?”


The Kid shuffled in his chair nervously as the car emptied. He held up the bottle of laudanum. “You really should take your medicine first.”

“Two things; first, what happened to me? Second, when were you going to tell me?” But she did pick up the bottle and take a healthy swig from it. Curry stood up and held his hand out to her.

“Let’s go to your car, it’ll be more comfortable and it’s a long story.” The Kid tried to get her to lie down so he could lie next to her, but she wasn’t having any of it. They sat on her bed face to face. He took her hands in his and brought them to his lips for a kiss. And then he told her. And then she cried.

“Would it help if I gave you a refund?” Curry tried to get her to laugh, but she wouldn’t stop crying. He reached out to try to pull her close and she pushed him away.

“Oh, God! I remember his smell. I want a bath.” She jumped up and yelled for Wanda to run a bath.
“I’m never going to be clean again!” She was getting hysterical and the Kid wished she had taken a bigger gulp of the painkiller. She looked at him with large eyes full of tears.
“I’m so sorry.” She jumped up to run for the door, but Curry slammed it shut.

“Turn around.”

“No, let me out.”

He grabbed her arm and spun her around. “Why would you apologize to me? You didn’t do anything wrong.”

“He touched me. You will never look at me the same way knowing that.”
The Kid didn’t know what else to do but lean down and kiss her cheek.

“Ow!” it was the bruised one.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to hurt you. I didn’t mean to let anyone hurt you. I should have been there. I’m the one who is sorry.” He shook his head and lifted her chin so she would be looking him in the eye. “I swear I would rather die than let anyone or anything hurt you ever again.”

“Kiss it away.” was all she could think of to say. She would find out in his kisses if his feelings had changed.

“Show me where it hurts.”

“Here,” she pointed to her forehead, and the Kid gently pressed his lips against her forehead.

“and here,” she pointed to her cheek, and the Kid gently kissed it.

“and my wrist,” he lifted her hand to his mouth and kissed her wrist, the palm of her hand, and each of her fingers.

“My lip is pretty sore too.”

Curry smiled and reached down, picked her up and unhurriedly kissed her lips softly. Soon, her arms were around his neck, playing with the curls at the back of his head. She pulled back and put her hand over her heart, “it hurts here too.” That nearly tore his heart out, but he dutifully kissed her chest, and then looked in her eyes.

“Is he in jail?” she suddenly wondered.

“He’s under it.”

“Who put him there?”

“I did.”

“Why?”

“Because I would fight for you, I would die for you and I would kill for you.”

“I wish I could have seen that.”

At that moment, he felt her raise her legs and wrap them around his waist and he knew everything would be all right. He backed up until she was against the door and kissed her again, loving her lips, her neck, and her chest.
“Do you remember what you asked me to do while we were dancing?” he asked.

“Yes.” She kissed him and breathed in his ear. “I want you to take me.”

“Why didn’t you tell me you were a virgin?”

“Why didn’t you tell me you weren’t?” She countered.

“I have been with other women.” She nodded and he could tell she was holding back tears. “I knew I was looking for something…for someone, and I couldn’t find you. “

She kissed him, “I’m right here. Put your hands on me. You don’t have to look anymore.”

He kissed her hard enough that her lip hurt, but she didn’t care, didn’t want him to stop. He picked her up and walked them over to the bed, placing her on top and took off his trousers. He lit the candles on the dresser and joined her. “Take your clothes off.”

She seemed to think it on it a minute and The Kid wondered if he was pushing too fast. Then she sat up and put her hands to the top ribbon of her slip. “You take them off.”

He sat up and untied the ribbon that held her slip closed and then pushed it off of her shoulders. “Are you sure?”

She nodded and placed her hands on his and began to glide them over her bare shoulders.

He lay down, pulled her on top of him and held her tightly. “I love you, Victoria.”

Her bare chest was pressed next to his and it was starting to arouse him. He tried to will it away so he won’t scare her.

She started to cover his chest with kisses, “I love you more.” Her mouth found his in the candlelight and she kissed him hungrily. “Put your hands on me.”

He started to caress her all over, paying special attention to her ass. He slowly spread her legs apart and helped her put her knees on the bed on either side of him. She moaned, kissing him harder. He thought he could taste blood coming from the split in her lip, but it didn’t seem to be bothering her, so he dismissed it. Suddenly she sat up on his chest and took the pins from her hair and shook it loose. She looked down at him to make sure he was watching and removed what was left of her slip. He ran his hands up her stomach to her breasts and caressed them softly at first, then harder. He sat up and kissed her breasts, blowing his breath upon them. He could see the nipples harden in the candlelight. He moved up to her neck and licking, blowing his breath there as well. She sighed and started to move her hips. He stopped her and she looked down at him, puzzled.

He lay back down and lifted her up enough to get his cock laid on his belly, and then he lowered her again, making sure that he was in the middle of her moist lips. He didn’t need to help her any further; she slowly started to rock on the length of his shaft. He reached up to once again fondle her breasts and she threw her head back, placing her hands over his, encouraging him to handle her harder. He wanted so much to slip inside of her right now, but he knew that it wouldn’t be that easy the first time for her and he didn’t want to put her through it tonight. Tonight was just about feeling good, and he could get as creative as she needed. He couldn’t imagine what she would be like once he had introduced her to the many aspects of lovemaking, she seemed to naturally want to move and participate. She was going to be a firecracker and he couldn’t wait for the day that he could let loose with her.

She brought him back to reality when she placed her hands on his chest and began tracing the muscles there with a wet finger. She was leisurely increasing the pace of her rocking and she spread her legs a little farther apart to put more pressure on his cock. He could feel himself building, but he wanted to wait for her. She looked down at him and put her finger in her mouth again to wet it and this time started tracing around his nipples. She leaned down and took his nipple in her mouth and sucked on it passionately; then she switched to the other side and began to work her way up his neck kissing and licking.

She took his hands and held them above his head and kissed him hard. “I want you inside of me.” She breathed into his mouth. Oh God, that thrilled him, “put it inside.”

“No.” he couldn’t believe he was saying that. “You need more time to get used to me.”

“No more time, now!” she pleaded. “I want to know what it feels like.”

“I can show you what it will feel like. Do you trust me?”

“I trust you.”

That went right to his cock. She then bit him on the neck and he came in spasms. He grabbed her to his chest and rolled over so that he was above her, and then kissed her deeply. He licked her neck, kissed it, and then sucked hard on it. She arched her back up and he moved to her breasts, sucking on each one as his hand began to trail down her stomach. He lightly rubbed the inside of her thighs and then traced the outline of the hair between her legs. She sighed and ran her hand down his back, tickling him with her fingernails. He pushed her lips apart and traced her wet valley.

He moved back to her mouth to kiss her and asked softly, “You ready?”

“Yes, please,” she begged.

He took his middle finger and slowly pushed it inside of her. She was so incredibly tight; it made him hard again. She was moaning and scratching lightly at his back. He started to withdraw his finger and then quickly plunged it in a far as it would go. He drew circles inside of her with his finger and moved his thumb up to stroke her button. A cry of ecstasy escaped her lips. When he started to withdraw his finger, she whimpered. He rammed it back in and then finally gave her the rhythm she craved, finger fucking her and still using his thumb to stimulate her. She started to buck her hips slowly and bit gently on his lower lip. He increased the pressure from his thumb and she went wild and screamed. He could feel the rhythmic contractions of her inner muscles and wished they were around his cock. She brought her legs back together and he encircled her with both arms, pulling her closely, planting small kisses over her face.

Then she put her hands up and hid her face. “What is it?” he questioned.

“I’m so embarrassed.”

“Why?”

“Didn’t I just act like a hussy?”

“No, that’s something you could never be.” He kissed her forehead lightly and held her harder. He knew he should be, but he wasn’t ashamed of the fact that he had been with other women. It had given him the experience to make love to his woman they way she deserved. With learned hands, mouth, body.


Their hearts stopped when there was a sudden knock on the door.

“Your bath’s ready, honey. C’mon for it gits cold.” Wanda yelled through the door.

“Go take your bath and relax. I’ll be here when you get out. I usually don’t jump off of trains going this speed.” Curry put her back down.

“Want to join me?” Vic giggled.

“Red Flag, red flag...”

Vic opened the door just enough for her to slip through, but Wanda pushed it open and barged in. “Not so fast. We got us some catchin’ up to do.”

The Kid immediately sat on the bed to try to hide his erection. Dead puppies, cow car….

“You got the right intentions towards her?” she put her hands on her hips and looked directly at his lap.

“Ma’am, if her Father were alive I would be asking for her hand.” The Kid hoped that would clear things up.

“Your friend ain’t all whooped up about it.”

“Well, he’s not the one wanting to marry her. And Joshua is my cousin, he is family.” It seemed so funny to Curry that these words were coming from his mouth; but his sense of honor wouldn’t let him take her without making her his wife. She didn’t deserve to be treated any less.

“You gonna go against your family?”

“If I have to, but I don’t think I will.”

“You plan on takin’ your wedding night privileges before the ceremony?”

The Kid almost choked. “That would be between Victoria and me.”

“And when ya gonna tell her your an ex-outlaw?”

The Kid was shocked and turned that over in his mind. He had never been called an ex-outlaw before. It was always outlaw. He liked the fit of it. “That would be between Victoria and me.”

“Break her heart and I will curse you and all of your descendants.”

Somehow, the Kid believed her.

“Well, then, I’ll go see if she has fallin’ asleep in that bath again. And I need to put some more herb salve on the poor face o hers.”

Vic had walked to the forward car to bathe and ran into Joshua.

“So, this train has everything.” He noted.

“It’s just a train…Joshua, there’s something I wanted to talk with you about.” She started.

“And that is?” Heyes wondered.

“Thaddeus is a lucky man to have two people who love him more than anything, and if we cannot come to an understanding, we’ll tear him apart. Please make room for me and I’ll leave room for you,” her eyes pleaded.

“Oh, I think I understand you alright.” Heyes started. “He’s some kind of a trophy for you to have. A novelty, a real Western Cowboy to be the talk of your social circle. I have news for you, Victoria; we’re not going to be put on display by anyone, no matter how much money you have.”

“Mr. Smith, you seem to have an incorrect vision of my upbringing and life in general. I would never do anything to hurt Thaddeus, that’s why I’m coming to you to try for a peace between us.”

“I know you’re not going to hurt him, because I’m not going to let you.” With that, he pushed past her and out of the car.

Vic splash warm water all over herself and soaped up while Wanda applied more salve to her face and potions to the water. “That better not be mandrake.” She warned teasingly to Wanda.

“Well, you need something to slow your horses down, missy.”

“I can’t help it, Wanda. I know he’s the one and I’ve waited such a long time for him.”

“An’ now your gonna do it all in one night? Thirty years worth?”

“Well, you shouldn’t have given me a copy of the Kama Sutra.”

“I certainly do no such thing, missy!” Wanda spat.

“Oops.”

The Kid breathed a sigh of relief to find Heyes sitting with Catfish Joe and Matthew playing poker while Mr. Nightlinger dozed in a chair. He walked through to the freight car where the horses were and indicated for Heyes to follow. “I have to tell Vic who I am.”

“This means you tell her who I am.” Heyes reminded him.

“Remember that night in the hotel; she called us by our names. I think in her heart she knows.”

“Well, there then, you don’t have to tell her what she already knows.” Heyes put it simply.

“I’m not going to split hairs with you, Heyes. As my only family, I’m asking for your support. But, with or without it, I’m doing it. Tonight.”

Heyes regarded him for a moment, turning it inside out in his head. Maybe that’s just what should happen, maybe that would be the wedge he could drive between them. Certainly, Vic is too fancy to marry a thief. He just slapped the Kid on the back and said, “Okay, let’s go. But, we don’t have to announce it to the entire train, do we?”

“Funny, Heyes.”

The Kid found Vic sitting on her bed, brushing her hair. “Joshua & I have something we want to talk over with you privately. Where would be the best place for that?”
Vic looked puzzled but answered quickly, “In here, I can lock the car from both ends.”

The Kid poked his head out of the door and motioned for Heyes to join them. He came in and sat in the chair at the end of the bed and the Kid sat on the bed with her.
“Vic, there’s something you need to know about us.” The Kid started.

“You’re not going to ask me to take more medicine first, are you?”

Heyes started to get up, “might be a good idea.”

“Sit down,” Curry barked.

“My name isn’t Thaddeus Jones and his name isn’t Joshua Smith. He’s Hannibal Heyes and I’m Kid Curry. We’re ex-outlaws.” The Kid jumped in feet first.

Vic looked between the both of them but sat wordlessly.

Heyes smiled, “We rob trains and banks.”

“Robbed trains and banks,” Curry corrected him. “We got a chance to change our lives and we took it. The Governor of Wyoming promised us amnesty if we can live honest for a couple of years.”

“But in the meantime, we’re still wanted by the law.” Heyes chimed in. “and we get chased by the law frequently. Most of the time we barely stay ahead of them.”

Vic looked between the both of them but sat wordlessly.

Heyes stirred the pot a little more, “Only the Governor, a sheriff and us know about the deal, it’s a secret.”

“Hasn’t Wyoming had five Governors in the last four years?” Vic wondered.

“Yes, and each time we have to start all over again.” Heyes clarified.

“And that’s a good deal?” Vic cocked her head sideways and seemed lost in thought. “If you will pardon my bluntness, that’s the stupidest thing I’ve ever heard.”

“Excuse me?” they burst forth in unison.

“Aren’t you, in all likelihood, chasing an unattainable outcome? So, it is quite beyond me why you two haven’t set your mind to others solutions.”

Heyes looked annoyed. “There simply aren’t a lot of other solutions.”

“Two things. First, why not just pay off the railroads and banks to withdraw the charges so the warrants can be dropped. Quit frankly, I haven’t met one of those black-hearted bastards that couldn’t be bought. Second – my great, great grandfather, the Dread pirate Morgan sailed the high seas looting and pillaging for thirty years. There wasn’t anyone alive that didn’t know his flag. My great, great grandmother sailed with him for six of those years. One day, he decided he was done. He gathered together his wealth, paid his crew to disappear, sunk his ship and walked away. He went to a small mining camp in Kentucky named Emerald City and built Black Cove. He did this over a hundred and fifty years ago and was never found out by anyone until after his death. He did it, why can’t you? “

Heyes rolled this over in his mind for a few minutes before answering. “First – we don’t have the means to pay off anyone. Second – law enforcement has actually gotten a lot more organized than a hundred and fifty years ago.”

Victoria rolled her eyes, “You like the excitement, Heyes, you like the life. And you’re bound and determined to take Thaddeus, um, Jedidiah with you. For Christ’s sake, I just found out about this situation and came up with two options on the spot. Let me dwell on it for a while longer and I’ll give you ten more. The trouble is, Heyes, you don’t want any of them to work”

Heyes actually raised his voice. “You don’t know me and you don’t know the Kid. You presume to tell us what we should do with our lives from where you sit, raised in a golden cage. You were just a job to us, not our saviour. And if you think you’re something else besides another mare in the Kid’s stable, you’re the one that’s stupid.”

Curry jumped in between them, “That’s enough!”

Vic walked to the door out of her car and opened it, “Thank you, sir, for the insight. And now if you will excuse me, I believe we’re done.”

Curry just stood there staring between the both of them; Heyes grabbed his hat and walked out. “Victoria, don’t do this. Heyes, get back here. We need to talk it out.”

She just put her hand to his cheek and softly said, “I have just had the worst few days of my life and I have just had the best ones too. But, I need to be alone now. Please go.”
Curry placed his hand over hers and leaned over for a kiss, but she turned her head away.



It was three thirty and the Kid was still awake, Heyes was sleeping soundly next to him and he was trying to figure a way to get through Wanda’s car to Vic’s. He needed her, to be near her. He pulled his trousers and gun belt on and went in search of her. Finally in the freight car, he found her brushing the horses.
“Hey.” He started softly.

She ignored him and just kept brushing. He picked up a brush and joined in.
Without missing a beat, she started to speak. “Know what is strange about horses?”

“No, what?”

“ They come into this world ready to run, they let us break them and they go anywhere we tell them, eat whatever we feed them, let us fence them in small stalls instead of running wild, they will run until their hearts burst if we keep whipping them, yet, they could kill us anytime they wished. And their payoff on the end is either the slaughterhouse or a stud pasture. Why do you think they let us do that to them?”

“I don’t know.”

“Faith and trust. If they put it in the wrong person, it will destroy them.”

Curry stopped and leaned over the bay. “What are you saying?” he usually didn’t have the patience for riddles.

She shook her head no. “I grew up being told that my husband had already been created just for me and I for him. All I had to do was find him. That’s why Father made sure I was so well traveled. I am the last of the Morgans and not being a son, it fell to me to have a man he said was worthy to carry on the bloodline. The Morgans will live no more when I die, but what is in our blood will. The treasure left for us will support them for generations to come. Our offspring was supposed to shape the future of this country. And I believed him. I trusted him. That son of a bitch took thirty years of my life on a lie. And you, you know why I think you killed that man back in Laredo?”

“I told you why.”

“He unwrapped a piece of candy you wanted, and like any jealous man you had to do something about it. And you know how I know that?”

Curry was angry now at her accusations. “Tell me since you seem to know everything.”

“Because when Heyes called me one of your whores, he didn’t end up eating your fist.” She dropped the brush and walked toward the door. “I’m done, that’s all. I am so tired of it all and I’m just done. This has gotten so fucked that it will never be unfucked. You two had your fun; you both can walk away with a pocket full of money and go back to what you love best.”

Neither Heyes nor Curry felt the train stop as they slept, and in the morning, they were greeted with breakfast as usual. Mr. Nightlinger poured their coffee and Wanda passed them the biscuits.
“Where would you two like to go?” she asked casually.

“Ma’am?” Curry asked with a mouthful of eggs.

“Victoria told us to take you where ever you want to go.”

“We’re going to Kentucky.” Curry replied.

“Oh, that ain’t necessary.” Wanda poured honey on her biscuits.

“Why not?”

“ Ya’lls employment has been terminated. Would you like some more bacon?”

The Kid threw down his napkin and got up from the table, heading for Vic’s car.

“Ain’t no good, son. We let her off last night.” Wanda stirred her coffee.

“You let her off where?” Curry demanded.

“Well I ain’t too sure with it bein’ dark and all. You two just talk amongst yourselves and let us know where we can take you, because truthfully I don’t wanna look at ya’ low down dogs one minute more than I have to. Pass the red-eye gravy” Wanda requested.

“Joshua,” he growled. “We need to talk.” He motioned to the door.
Heyes reluctantly got up from the table and followed him out the door.

“Did I do or say anything to make you think I was not in love with Victoria? In fact, I think I made my feelings toward her perfectly plain to you. She thought you called her a whore.” He had his arms crossed over his chest and pronounced each word carefully.

“Kid, you were there, and I didn’t specifically call her that. I only insinuated. Face it; you’ve been in love with a lot of women. You know that. I know that. I think you were just a little turned around because of all of her money. I was to. Pretty hard not to when some pretty girl smacks you in the face with ten thousand dollars. Now, believe me, Kid. This is for the best.”

“Well, Heyes, there’s just one problem with your thinking.”

Heyes raised an eyebrow with curiosity. “What’s that?”

“I’ve always been able to walk away before, but not this time. There’s a difference between willing and able; and you’re looking at it. I don’t know how to make that any plainer to you. Now I am going to find Vic and if you’re not going to help me, then I don’t have a big problem with that.” With that, Curry headed back into the dining car and sat back down.

“So, Vic told you to take me anywhere I wanted to go?”

Mr. Nightlinger nodded.

“Just keep it pointed toward Emerald City.”

Wanda just raised an eyebrow.

Pulling into Emerald City, the Kid and Heyes went to the freight car to saddle their horses. “Heyes, which ever way you head when we get off of this train, I just want you to know that I understand.” He swung his leg up and over the saddle, waiting for Catfish Joe to lower the plank.

Curry headed past the stockyards and to the main street. Heyes was right beside him. “You are making a big mistake,” Heyes warned.

Curry reined his horse around and pointed a finger at Heyes. “If you say anything else like that again, I will shoot you right off of that horse. If you’re with me then you’re with me, if you’re not, you’re not. But either way, I am going to get my girl.”

He took off down the street and Heyes’ just sat there for a moment, watching him ride away. He spurred his horse to follow. He caught up with him at the town square. An impressive courthouse stood at one end and what must have been the mayor’s mansion at the other end. There was a large fenced off garden in the middle of the street with a statue. A pirate stood looking out to sea, one hand on his hip and one leg propped up on a keg of rum. Curry looked at Heyes and picked one of the four main off shoots to ride down. They rode past Morgan’s Bourbon distillery and a sign indicating where the Morgan Community center was located. They turned back toward the center of the busy town and ran smack into the Lucky Strike Saloon and Dance Hall.

They dismounted and walked inside. Through the doors was a grand staircase leading to the upper floors and a chandelier in the entrance foyer. The card tables were sectioned off by type of game and seemed to go one forever. They walked up to a bar of polished mahogany that must have been twelve feet long and sat on one of the stools. Behind the bar was a portrait of a pirate standing on a windy dock with a ship on the background and a beautiful lady at his side.

One of pretty ladies tending bar came down with a bowl of nuts. “Welcome to the Lucky Strike, gentlemen. What’s your pleasure?”

Heyes just smiled and ordered two whiskeys.

As she poured the drinks, she struck up a conversation. “New in town, boys? I’ve been here a long time and I think I would have remembered two handsome faces like yours.”

“Yes we are,” Curry started. “And I’ve been seeing a pirate all over your city.”

She smiled and nodded. “The infamous Dread Pirate Morgan, who turned out to be one of the founding fathers of this town. No one even guessed his past until he died and his will was read. The townsfolk kind of liked what he had pulled off and it made him a legend around these parts. He had a ranch a ways outside of town, the Black Cove. His great-great granddaughter still owns the place, but she travels a lot, she’s not there much. She has a crew that runs the place and gives tours. Legend has it that there’s still a pirate’s treasure on that ranch somewhere. Said he had more than he could spend in ten lifetimes from his pirating days.

Heyes had noticed a gorgeous blond at the end of the bar in a sapphire dress smiling at him. He raised his glass briefly and smiled back. Then another lady seated on the far side of the first one leaned down and blew him a kiss. She was blond, in a sapphire dress and looked exactly like the first one. Heyes took another drink. Yet a third lady leaned to wink at him in a blue sapphire dress and blond hair that looked like the other two.

“That would be the Andrews triplets, Faith, Hope and Charity.” The bartendress stated as she refilled his glass.

“Yes, they are.” Heyes observed.

Curry smacked Heyes on the shoulder and asked directions to Black Cove.

“Just head down Dead Plank road, for about ten miles, you can’t miss it. They give tours at nine, twelve and three. Wouldn’t you gentlemen care to try our games? You see our table games here and on the second floor are the slot and wheel machines and the dance hall stage. Third floor is high roller. You never know when you might hit a Lucky Strike!” she finished in a well-rehearsed pitch.

Heyes’ ears had perked up. “High roller?”

“Yes, sir. That would be a thousand dollar buy in and above.”

“I think we’ll just take a look around and get a feel for the place.” Heyes suggested. They picked up their drinks and started off into the casino. Heyes leaned over to whisper to the Kid. “I’ve died and gone to heaven.”

“And you didn’t even want to come.” The Kid reminded him.

They explored for a short while and finally decided to try the high roller floor.
A concierge greeted them at the top of the stairs. “Care to check your hats, gentlemen?”

They shook their heads and started to walk by him but he stepped in their way. “Will the gentlemen be playing today?”

Heyes had three of his ten thousand in his pocket and an attitude against this snooty man. “Yes, we will.”

He escorted them to a large hand carved door and opened it for their entrance. They walked down into the room, underneath an even larger chandelier and onto a marble floor. The room had a European elegance about it and Heyes choose a table to sit at while the Kid continued to walk around. He spied another pirate picture. Heyes looked to his left and straight into the face of Cole Younger. Cole did a double take and went back to playing his hand. Heyes threw off his trash cards and noticed Bloody Bill Anderson at the other end of the table. Bill just smiled and nodded, continuing to play. After a few hands, Cole stood and asked Heyes if he would care to adjourn to the smoking parlor for a cigar. The Kid followed them into the next room where there were boxes of cigars in humidors lining the walls, and waiters that walked around to snip the tips for the patrons. Cole chose seating at the far corner of the room where it was empty and sat down.

“So, my little secret is out.” Cole smiled.

“We thought you were dead.’ Heyes said in wonder. “Everyone thinks you’re dead.”

“As they say, those reports have been greatly exaggerated. I just couldn’t live the life any more gentlemen. I had to get out.” He puffed away on his cigar and regarded them coolly. “And what are you two scoundrels doing here? Have you come to join the family?”

“We’re looking for someone.” The Kid started but was cut off by Heyes.

“Join the family?” Heyes inquired.

“Why this little town simply adores their former notorious guests. It’s all of that pirate business. Of course, I am not at liberty to discuss any other of the town’s occupants.”

“We’re looking for Victoria Morgan.” The Kid butted in.

“Oh my, that’s a tall order!” Cole exclaimed. “Well, I haven’t seen her lately, more than three months; she was in Paris when her Father died in Hidalgo and she went there to make sure he was laid to rest with all of the regard befitting his station.”

“But what about Victoria?” the Kid pressed. “She’s offered us a job, but we lost track of her.”

“Oh, splendid! Have you seen her recently?” Cole asked.

“Just yesterday. Do you have any idea where she might go if she were in these parts?” Curry questioned, shifting in his chair.

“Have you checked the ranch? That’s Black Cove. Or, she could be in the hills with Squinting Weasel.”

Curry shook his head, “No, he’s at the sweat lodge marathon.”

“Oh yes, it is that time of year again, isn’t it? Well, she does have a knack for find people when she’s needed. You could just wait.” Cole suggested.

“I can’t wait; I have to find her and now.” Curry said through clenched teeth.

“Well, I can tap the gossip tree and see if any of the ladies have seen her. Meanwhile, go out to the ranch, but go past the main entrance to a small trail about a quarter of a mile up on the right, next to the magnolia tree. It will lead you to the back of the property where there’s a white two-story cottage, that’s where she lives when she’s here. If she’s not there, come back to town and I’ll let you know if I’ve heard anything.”

“Cole, I just have to ask you. We couldn’t have been the only ones to recognize you. Hasn’t the law ever come looking for you?” Heyes questioned.

“Gentlemen, I can assure you that if any lawman tried to take me out of here, he would be in an unmarked grave by morning. As I have said, this town does hold me in high regard.” He took another draw on his cigar.
“The sheriff, Will Peyton served a twenty year sentence for a crime committed by someone else. He got out of jail, came back here and killed the sheriff who had framed him. He simply doesn’t tolerate any injustice, no matter who you are, and the entire town stands behind him. It had forty thousand residents at last census.”

They stood up and Cole did also to shake their hands.” Well, gentlemen, it has been a pleasure. It would be quite refreshing to have you as neighbors, but if you’re just passing through, forget anything you’ve seen or heard. It would be such a shame for you two to end up in unmarked graves.”

“Heyes, how much of that ten thousand do you have left?” Curry asked as they mounted up.

“Nine, why?”

“Well, we’ve got a little errand to do before we ride to the ranch, C’mon.”