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<blockquote data-quote="Silver Moon" data-source="post: 2521232" data-attributes="member: 8530"><p><strong>Chapter 133 ,“A Surprise Reunion”, Saturday, January 14th, 1882:</strong></p><p></p><p>Even though he knew that Wyatt was about to say that every hair on the back of Jake's neck sticks up and he gives a little shudder. "I guess that'll do. What next Marshall?" Wyatt replies, I'm guessing who blew up either the dynamite shed, the liquor distributor, or maybe both, is waiting for us to leave here to investigate. I suppose one or two of us could oblige since we still have someone to guard the prisoners. Do either of you ladies know how to use a gun?"</p><p></p><p>Ruby looks at Kate and Jake, "Um, are we really getting ready for a gunfight?" Kate looked at Tom's pistol in her hand, then slipped it back into its hiding place in the folds of fabric in her dress. She looked at Jake and shrugged. "Well, we both know I can't hit a thing anyway." Jake says, "Stay away from the windows and use your head, it's better than that gun anyway. Besides WE don't both know that, mostly you do." He gives her a reassuring smile. </p><p></p><p>“I guess we are." Ruby turns her head and answers her own question. "I think we can manage a gun. Why?"</p><p>Kate answers Wyatt’s question, “I know how, Jake actually took me out for some practice not long ago. But I'm really not good at it at all." Warren hands Kate the shotgun and says "Then you'd better take this, it does most of the work for you. Just make sure that your target is in front of you. Both barrels and full." </p><p></p><p>Ruby looks over her shoulder to Weems. "So I guess we're waiting for Shotgun Sally then. I told someone I would be waiting for her anyway." She looks to Kate. "So you can give her some of her own medicine when she gets here." As she says this she looks to Weems to see if he has any reaction. Then she turns to Earp. "You wouldn't happen to have a rifle I could borrow now would you?"</p><p></p><p>Wyatt asks Jake "So do you want to be the ones to go out or stay in here?" Jake says, "I'm feeling claustrophobic already, I'd go. Who's coming with me?" He looks at the women in the water soaked dresses. "We could probably put a large coat on one of them..." Ruby exclaims, "Or forget it, I'll go with Jake and use my own gun...unless one of you boys wanted to go out..." Jake scratches his chin. "Are they going to let us go by and storm the jail, or ambush us?"</p><p></p><p>Both Earps are content enough to wait but Wyatt gives Ruby his coat and hat to wear. Warren unlocks a 15-shot carbine rifle from the gun rack and loads it up then hands it to Ruby. Wyatt also hands Jake a Deputy Marshall badge and says "The job pays $ 1.75 a day if you decide to keep it." "Well let's get going." Jake quickly helps Ruby with the coat and hat, adjusting it as much as possible to make her look bigger. And he shows her how to hold the rifle like someone who was used to it. </p><p></p><p>"Ready?" He opens the door and scans the area in front and heads out Ruby pushes her hair up into the hat so it can't be seen. She gives Kate a small smile, "You'll be safe in here," and then she follows Jake out. Kate held on to the rifle and put her back against a wall away from the window. She went through a silent litany in her head. Aim, squeeze, and don’t pull. No trick shots, aim for the torso. If you point the weapon, it's because you intend to kill the man. Jake had shown her how to handle the rifle, if she could just keep her head she might be able to at least look competent.</p><p></p><p>The storm appears to have intensified although the distant crackling sound of the burning timbers and the crowds apparently working to put out the fire can be heard over storm. An flash of lightning brightens up the sky, lighting up the street. There is nobody either up or down Fremont Street at the moment. Out on the porch Jake goes to pin the damn badge on his coat and realizes he probably can't do that. So instead he reaches inside and pins it to his shirt and then laughs. "What's so funny?" Ruby asks him. </p><p></p><p>He replies, "It's official. I'm a lawman, at least for a night. You don't think that's funny, me wearing a badge on my chest?" She answers, "No, actually, I don't think it's funny. I think it's kinda um, well I won't say it." Ruby smiles at him. "As long as it doesn't get you killed, you can be a lawman for a night..." She gives him a long look then starts laughing. "OK, it's funny!" Ruby resists the urge to help with the badge or take Jake's hand, but she does lean in closer to him. "Um, so are we just walking down the street to the fire? We can't just leave Kate..." she whispers. </p><p></p><p>"Yes, right down the street to the fire. Let's go." Jake starts to walk and then speaks quietly. "Watch the dark corners when the lightning flashes, and listen the rest of the time. Even in the rain a hammer cocking has a unique sound. When we get to the fire, we duck out of sight and sneak back here as fast as we can." There is a short pause before he says "Unless you have a better idea?" Jake is answered with a hiccup. "Nope. Let's go"</p><p></p><p>Jake and Ruby make their way west down South Street. The fire is around 150 feet away. There are no people for the first 100 feet, all of them gathered around the burning buildings. By this time buckets and shovels have been obtained from both Wainwright's Mercantile and Cook's General Store, and people are doing what they can to try to save Hoover's building. The Food & Grain store is a total loss and only two timbers stand where Slade's Hardware used to be. The fifty or so sopping wet dwarves seem to be enjoying fighting the fire. </p><p></p><p>Ruby says, "Come on, Jake, let's go back. We can go to Allen then make our way through some alley ways back to the Jail." He says, "Alright. But let's wander over out of site like we are still heading towards the fire." Jake continues to listen and look around like the good paranoid that he is. "Silly, how can we head back that way and still be going this way," she points towards the fire and shakes her head. Jake stops in the street and says quietly to Ruby, "Just how much have you had to drink tonight?" She replies, "I have no clue, but right now I wish it was more. Don't worry I won't shoot you."</p><p></p><p>Two blocks away, it is quiet inside the Marshall's Office and Jail. Wyatt then says, "Mrs. Kale. I have a few questions that I've been wondering about. Why did you leave Tombstone and why did you come to Promise City?" Katherine looked at Wyatt for a moment surprised. "Well, I... I left Tombstone because I knew I couldn't start my life again there. It will always be the place where my husband died. Even the name reminds one of death. </p><p></p><p>Promise City is close enough to Tombstone that I can visit his grave, but far enough to be a place for me to start over." She paused. "I could have gone back to Boston. I considered it. But that was where we had a life together, and I don't think I could go back yet. I might someday, but not yet. Forgive me for saying so, but it seems an odd thing for you to be curious about."</p><p></p><p>Earp replies "I ask because your friends, the ones who just left here, have been back to Tombstone a couple of times now asking questions about how your husband died. Seems they've heard some unfounded rumors. My brother Virgil investigated that at the time and concluded that he had a relapse of his illness. But earlier that week your husband had also had a disagreement with Johnny Ringo, so some folks have speculated that it might have been foul play. Mrs. Kale, those are just rumors, but Ringo is a dangerous man and it's really not safe for them to be making accusations against him. Ringo answers questions with his gun not his mouth."</p><p></p><p>"So that's where they went," she said quietly. "Marshall, there have been many things about my husband's death that I would have questioned had I been in any condition to do so. I nursed him for over a year. I know what this sickness looks like, and it doesn't set in and carry someone off in four days. He had to have been ill for some time before he even sent for me, and I can't understand why he wouldn't have told me. He knew I would have seen it as soon as I arrived. But I also can't imagine anyone wanting to hurt Tom. He was a good man." Katherine lifted her hand and covered her eyes trying but failing to hide the tears that had begun to fall. "I'm sorry," she said quietly. "This isn't the place for this."</p><p></p><p>Wyatt Earp replies, "You're right Mrs. Kale, I shouldn't have brought it up. Right now we need to stay focused on the New Douglas Gang. They busted Dudley Yeats out of the Tombstone Jail two days ago and I suspect they'll try doing the same for his widow here. That explosion may have just been a coincidence, but the thing is, I don't believe in coincidences." Kate hefted the rifle and held it the way Jake had shown her, so it could be quickly lifted into shooting position. "Neither do I, Marshall."</p><p></p><p>Kate waited a few moments until she was sure Wyatt had nothing else to say. "You've asked me a question Marshall, perhaps I could ask you one. What is it about me that upsets your brother Morgan so?" Wyatt replies "He's probably just embarrassed about you saving his life. He likes to think of himself as a tough guy, and the notion of a female waitress being his savior probably isn't sitting all that well with him."</p><p></p><p>If it wasn't for the incident with the coffee, which had happened before she had saved his life, Wyatt's answer would have satisfied her. She considered telling him about it, but he would only say that she must have startled him. "If it makes him feel better I'm not just a waitress, but a pianist and a rancher as well," Kate said lightly.</p><p></p><p>Jake and Ruby make their way back. They head across Allen and through the back alley between the Promise City Hotel and Doctor Eaton's Office. They are about halfway through an twenty-five foot wide-open area between that alley and the alleyway between the Marshall's Office and the County Claims Office. When another bolt of lightening flashes and they make out the shape of three men fifteen feet to their left, beside the outside that is out back of the Alhambra Saloon. The men are staring in their direction and at least two are holding revolvers.</p><p></p><p>Jake puts on his best Texas accent "Ya'll a'seen two injuns runnin by here? Them bastards stole a case o' liquor from us. Nuttin worse then liquored up injuns." Jake keeps his hat brim down and his hand on his Colt while he strains to identify the men.</p><p></p><p>The men step forward and Jake can now see that all three are armed. Another lightening flash reveals the one in front to be a smiling Evan Adair, the light reflecting off of his golden upper tooth. One of the men behind him is the Palace bartender Dave Carlton. Neither Jake or Ruby recognizes the third. Carlton says "You were right, it is that uppity bitch and her low-account husband." Adair replies, "I knew it. She may be dressed like a man but she still walks like a woman. Pretty dangerous place for you two to be walking around in the dark."</p><p></p><p>"Oh, it's you." He says to Ruby, "Let's keep going." Jake starts to walk again towards the jail and asks Adair, "You seen anyone out here besides us?" Ruby plants her feet and her eyes narrow at Adair. "Oh, honey, I can't let him," she nods her head slightly towards Adair, "Insult you like that..."</p><p></p><p>Adair's gun cocks and he says "Stop moving or I shoot." "Mr. Adair" Jake says in slow measured speech, "You are pointing your gun at a deputized law man, I'd advise you to lower it. I have no argument with you tonight. The Earps think that the Douglas gang could be in town tonight." Jake stops and stares at him for a moment. "I don't expect you to help me, but get out of my way."</p><p></p><p>Adair decides to fire his gun but the shot is deflected by a cane suddenly appearing to his right and striking the gun arm, the bullet flying harmlessly into the mud between Adair and Jake. The other end of the cane is in the hand of Cornelius Van Horne, who neither Jake or Ruby had seen until that moment. Jake saw the change in Adair's eyes and starts to dodge the shot while cocking his pistol in his pocket, but too late. With the shot in the mud he doesn't pull the pistol. By the time the shot was fired Ruby was half in front of Jake. After the shot was deflected she moved quickly back to where she started but she wasn’t sure if Jake had seen her move or not. She looked at Adair incredulously, “You would shoot us, kill us, because I wouldn’t be your whore? You are an evil man.” </p><p></p><p>Adair turns to the large man and says "Cornelius, this doesn't concern you, go back to the Palace." Van Horne replies in his thick Georgia accent "It does concern me Evan. The fate of a beautiful woman is always a concern of mine. If you were to harm this woman's husband I doubt that you would just let her stay around as a witness. I am also concerned about you my friend. If Mr. Cooke has been deputized then Judge Isby would see that you hang if you harmed him. Best to follow his advice and we all be on our way."</p><p></p><p>While she was simmering with anger Ruby decided to take advantage of Van Horne’s help and keep quiet. If it had been just her she might have just tried to shoot Adair on the spot but since she wasn’t alone she decided against it. The rifle was in her hand pointing down and she kept it that way but she did slowly move her finger to the trigger and position the gun up against her shoulder so all she would have to do is lift it up. She was no deputy but she didn’t care. She would shoot Adair if she had the chance. </p><p></p><p>Jake sees Ruby move and stop and move again. He whispers to her, "It's NOT time." Worried about Ruby being so drunk he watches Adair's eyes and hammer closely. If he detects that Adair is not going to heed Van Horne's advice Jake is going to draw and roll away from Ruby and kill Adair.</p><p></p><p>A long pause follows, broken by the sound of thunder. Van Horne says "Evan, please. Right next to the Marshall's Office is not the place to do this, especially with dozens of people running around the streets." Adair says "I guess you're right, there will be another time." He and his bartender turn and walk away, his back now to Ruby and Jake. The other man also walks back, but stays facing Jake with the gun at the ready in the event that either Ruby or Jake raises a weapon in their direction. Ruby watches Adair walk away. She slowly takes her finger off the trigger of the rifle and relaxes her arm. </p><p></p><p>"Good day again lovely lady, we will need to share a drink again, with your husband's permission that is..." Van Horne states as he bows in Ruby and Jake's direction. Ruby turns to Van Horne and takes a good look at him, then she smiles. "Mr. Van Horne," she says sweetly, "Our first drink together was enjoyable and a second sounds lovely. I do believe I owe you for your effort in stopping a fight tonight." She takes a moment to pull off Wyatt's hat and pull her hand through her hair. "But I'm not so sure I can share a drink with a friend of Mr. Adair's. How do I know I can trust you? He obviously has it out for me."</p><p></p><p>Van Horne replies "I never met him until I first arrived in this town in early November. I'm a gambler by trade and the Palace is the largest gambling house in the town which is why I gravitated towards there. He had an available room and offered to let me have it so I accepted his offer. He's been a gracious host to me ever since. That's all there is to it. As for this current feud between the Palace and the Lone Star, I happen to enjoy gambling at both and hope to be able to continue to do so. So I'm not taking sides in this one, one Civil War was enough for my lifetime. But I also won't just stand back and watch something terrible happen that I could have easily prevented, as just occurred here."</p><p></p><p>"Mr. Van Horne, we'll have to talk another time. For now I owe you one." Jake slightly tips his rain soaked hat. "And I'll even buy that drink. But we should be about our business before someone else gets hurt." Mr. Cooke is right, we should get going but let me know when you want that drink." Ruby smiles at him and waits for Jake to guide her away.</p><p></p><p>“Indeed, another time then” Van Horne states. Just then a bolt of lightning strikes somewhere in the nearby mountains, momentarily filling the sky with light. This was the fourth time in eight days that Jake had crossed paths with Cornelius Van Horne, but in all those encounters he had yet to get a look into the man's eyes. It had been too dark until now during this conversation for him to do so. But Van Horne was still facing him as the lightning struck and for a very brief instant Jake saw the man’s eyes. “Watch the eyes,” is what Jake had always told himself. </p><p></p><p>That brief instant was all the time that he needed. Jake had selective photographic memory. His selectivity was limited to the memorization of eyes, although he did not realize the extent and level of detail to which he examined them. Every person has a their own individual retina pattern, as unique as fingerprints, and Jake had committed to memory the identity of every person that he ever spent an hour or more at a table with. And Jake recognized this set of eyes in front of him. </p><p></p><p>What he saw in that brief instance of light created a conflict for him. The man in front of him was four inches too tall, eighty pounds too heavy, twenty-five years too old, had skin tone that was too light, a face that was too round and too fat, a nose that was too long, and hair that was not only the wrong color but parted on the wrong side. Furthermore, the body language was wrong, the tone of voice was also wrong and this man’s accent exactly matched that of those from the city of Savannah, Georgia. Every fiber of Jake’s being told him that this man was a Southerner known as Van Horne……except for the eyes. The eyes belonged to his mentor, the Irishman Patrick O’Brien.</p><p></p><p>"Put your hat back on Ruby, keep that red hair of yours from being so visible." As they walk away Jake speaks loud enough for Van Horne to hear him. "Did anyone ever call you Red? I wouldn't, doesn't do justice to you. And besides for me there's only one man named Red, I think I might have told you about my friend." Jake pulls her along the alleyway more into the shadows this time so they won't be surprised again. Van Horne turns and heads north, back in the direction of the Palace Saloon. Jake and Ruby are able to get to an alley near the front door with a clear view of the Marshall's Office without any further incident.</p><p></p><p>"Jake.. what are you doing??" Ruby says as Jake drags her from the alley. She sticks her hat back on as he does. "No, no one has ever called me red, always Ruby. Yes, you told me about your friend. What's going on?" She looks at him quizzically. "Just staying better out of sight." They hide themselves with a view of the Marshall's office "I'll tell you later tonight. Unless I've gone crazy, there was somebody hiding in that alley way who was an old friend and I was saying hello."</p><p></p><p>Ruby looks at him with the look of someone who has had a tiny bit too much to drink and has no idea what Jake is talking about. "Ok, you tell me later what the heck you are talking about. Oh and while we're at it we're going to have to figure out what to do about this whole people-thinking-we're-married thing. Doesn't it bother you?"" Ruby puts on a pout, "Oh and one more thing, Deputy Cooke, you have the badge," Ruby pauses then raises her voice slightly, "Why didn't you shoot Adair! He shot at you first!"</p><p></p><p>Jake puts his hand on her mouth. "shush, you're being too loud. Deadeye's gang could be out here." As he looks around the rainy street he whispers in her ear. "A bunch of reasons. Unlikely he's as good as Deadeye, but he did have the drop on me at first. And then when Van Horne knocked his gun aside, I wasn't quite sure who's side he was really on. So it was four against two, not good odds." </p><p></p><p>He takes his hand off her mouth. "Besides, even with the badge I need good reason. Imagine Isby's thinking that I get a badge from Earp and not an hour later go shoot Adair, who folks know is quarreling with us." He stops to listen and peer around again. "And you are drunk, and I'm an idiot for taking you out here with me." He gently wipes some raindrops off her face. "I don't want to know how you felt looking down at my bleeding body. Alright? Now be quiet for a minute. See if you can spot or hear anyone out there."</p><p></p><p>Ruby whispers back with another pout as she shakes her head. "Jake don't say that you wish you left me behind." She closes her eyes as Jake wipes off the rain. She opens them and even quieter says, "No, you don't want to know what it felt like to watch you dying. So I'll be quiet now." Ruby listens to Jake and she tries to hear or spot any kind of activity in the area.</p><p></p><p>"Hermes." Jake mutters under his breath and sighs. He gets up and pushes her rifle slightly to one side and stands real close. "I wish I kept you safe, not behind." He gives her a brief kiss on the lips. "Now save those lips for later, and use those beautiful eyes to see if anyone is out there. OK?" He waits a second for her to nod and then crouches down and resumes watching the street.</p><p></p><p>The rain continues to fall. There are still flames off to the east but they are not as bright as before although there still appears to be a lot of smoke. A crash follows and immediately thereafter is a group exclamation, which Jake concludes was at least one wall of the Feed & Grain store collapsing. </p><p></p><p>Two block away, Chester jumps at the sound, and almost dropping the keg he was holding. He calls out to those helping move the alcohol to the Lone Star, "We should pick up the pace. I don't want to be nearby if Mr. Hoover's store falls down." Hoover says "I think that they've managed to get most of the fire out now at my place, although I don't know if it can be salvaged or not. It's still a good location though even if I have to rebuild from scratch."</p><p></p><p>On the east side of town things continue to be quiet, the action all taking place further west. Ruby and Jake continue to get wet while watching and waiting out in the rain. The wait in the Marshall's office seemed interminable. Katherine had lost all track of time, but it seemed she had been standing shivering and wet with the rifle in her hand for hours. "If something was going to happen, wouldn't it have come by now?" Kate asked quietly.</p><p></p><p>Another fifteen minutes pass during which the light from the direction of the fire ceases. Ruby and Jake then see a parade of around two dozen dwarves walking back towards the El Parador. Surrounding the group are Pedro, Jose, Carlos, Estaban and Grant, each carrying but not pointing a weapon. A minute later Ruby and Jake are able to hear Dorita's voice sounding out, despite the sound of the rain and the eighty-foot distance, saying "You leave and not pay bill! Bad dwarves."</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Silver Moon, post: 2521232, member: 8530"] [B]Chapter 133 ,“A Surprise Reunion”, Saturday, January 14th, 1882:[/B] Even though he knew that Wyatt was about to say that every hair on the back of Jake's neck sticks up and he gives a little shudder. "I guess that'll do. What next Marshall?" Wyatt replies, I'm guessing who blew up either the dynamite shed, the liquor distributor, or maybe both, is waiting for us to leave here to investigate. I suppose one or two of us could oblige since we still have someone to guard the prisoners. Do either of you ladies know how to use a gun?" Ruby looks at Kate and Jake, "Um, are we really getting ready for a gunfight?" Kate looked at Tom's pistol in her hand, then slipped it back into its hiding place in the folds of fabric in her dress. She looked at Jake and shrugged. "Well, we both know I can't hit a thing anyway." Jake says, "Stay away from the windows and use your head, it's better than that gun anyway. Besides WE don't both know that, mostly you do." He gives her a reassuring smile. “I guess we are." Ruby turns her head and answers her own question. "I think we can manage a gun. Why?" Kate answers Wyatt’s question, “I know how, Jake actually took me out for some practice not long ago. But I'm really not good at it at all." Warren hands Kate the shotgun and says "Then you'd better take this, it does most of the work for you. Just make sure that your target is in front of you. Both barrels and full." Ruby looks over her shoulder to Weems. "So I guess we're waiting for Shotgun Sally then. I told someone I would be waiting for her anyway." She looks to Kate. "So you can give her some of her own medicine when she gets here." As she says this she looks to Weems to see if he has any reaction. Then she turns to Earp. "You wouldn't happen to have a rifle I could borrow now would you?" Wyatt asks Jake "So do you want to be the ones to go out or stay in here?" Jake says, "I'm feeling claustrophobic already, I'd go. Who's coming with me?" He looks at the women in the water soaked dresses. "We could probably put a large coat on one of them..." Ruby exclaims, "Or forget it, I'll go with Jake and use my own gun...unless one of you boys wanted to go out..." Jake scratches his chin. "Are they going to let us go by and storm the jail, or ambush us?" Both Earps are content enough to wait but Wyatt gives Ruby his coat and hat to wear. Warren unlocks a 15-shot carbine rifle from the gun rack and loads it up then hands it to Ruby. Wyatt also hands Jake a Deputy Marshall badge and says "The job pays $ 1.75 a day if you decide to keep it." "Well let's get going." Jake quickly helps Ruby with the coat and hat, adjusting it as much as possible to make her look bigger. And he shows her how to hold the rifle like someone who was used to it. "Ready?" He opens the door and scans the area in front and heads out Ruby pushes her hair up into the hat so it can't be seen. She gives Kate a small smile, "You'll be safe in here," and then she follows Jake out. Kate held on to the rifle and put her back against a wall away from the window. She went through a silent litany in her head. Aim, squeeze, and don’t pull. No trick shots, aim for the torso. If you point the weapon, it's because you intend to kill the man. Jake had shown her how to handle the rifle, if she could just keep her head she might be able to at least look competent. The storm appears to have intensified although the distant crackling sound of the burning timbers and the crowds apparently working to put out the fire can be heard over storm. An flash of lightning brightens up the sky, lighting up the street. There is nobody either up or down Fremont Street at the moment. Out on the porch Jake goes to pin the damn badge on his coat and realizes he probably can't do that. So instead he reaches inside and pins it to his shirt and then laughs. "What's so funny?" Ruby asks him. He replies, "It's official. I'm a lawman, at least for a night. You don't think that's funny, me wearing a badge on my chest?" She answers, "No, actually, I don't think it's funny. I think it's kinda um, well I won't say it." Ruby smiles at him. "As long as it doesn't get you killed, you can be a lawman for a night..." She gives him a long look then starts laughing. "OK, it's funny!" Ruby resists the urge to help with the badge or take Jake's hand, but she does lean in closer to him. "Um, so are we just walking down the street to the fire? We can't just leave Kate..." she whispers. "Yes, right down the street to the fire. Let's go." Jake starts to walk and then speaks quietly. "Watch the dark corners when the lightning flashes, and listen the rest of the time. Even in the rain a hammer cocking has a unique sound. When we get to the fire, we duck out of sight and sneak back here as fast as we can." There is a short pause before he says "Unless you have a better idea?" Jake is answered with a hiccup. "Nope. Let's go" Jake and Ruby make their way west down South Street. The fire is around 150 feet away. There are no people for the first 100 feet, all of them gathered around the burning buildings. By this time buckets and shovels have been obtained from both Wainwright's Mercantile and Cook's General Store, and people are doing what they can to try to save Hoover's building. The Food & Grain store is a total loss and only two timbers stand where Slade's Hardware used to be. The fifty or so sopping wet dwarves seem to be enjoying fighting the fire. Ruby says, "Come on, Jake, let's go back. We can go to Allen then make our way through some alley ways back to the Jail." He says, "Alright. But let's wander over out of site like we are still heading towards the fire." Jake continues to listen and look around like the good paranoid that he is. "Silly, how can we head back that way and still be going this way," she points towards the fire and shakes her head. Jake stops in the street and says quietly to Ruby, "Just how much have you had to drink tonight?" She replies, "I have no clue, but right now I wish it was more. Don't worry I won't shoot you." Two blocks away, it is quiet inside the Marshall's Office and Jail. Wyatt then says, "Mrs. Kale. I have a few questions that I've been wondering about. Why did you leave Tombstone and why did you come to Promise City?" Katherine looked at Wyatt for a moment surprised. "Well, I... I left Tombstone because I knew I couldn't start my life again there. It will always be the place where my husband died. Even the name reminds one of death. Promise City is close enough to Tombstone that I can visit his grave, but far enough to be a place for me to start over." She paused. "I could have gone back to Boston. I considered it. But that was where we had a life together, and I don't think I could go back yet. I might someday, but not yet. Forgive me for saying so, but it seems an odd thing for you to be curious about." Earp replies "I ask because your friends, the ones who just left here, have been back to Tombstone a couple of times now asking questions about how your husband died. Seems they've heard some unfounded rumors. My brother Virgil investigated that at the time and concluded that he had a relapse of his illness. But earlier that week your husband had also had a disagreement with Johnny Ringo, so some folks have speculated that it might have been foul play. Mrs. Kale, those are just rumors, but Ringo is a dangerous man and it's really not safe for them to be making accusations against him. Ringo answers questions with his gun not his mouth." "So that's where they went," she said quietly. "Marshall, there have been many things about my husband's death that I would have questioned had I been in any condition to do so. I nursed him for over a year. I know what this sickness looks like, and it doesn't set in and carry someone off in four days. He had to have been ill for some time before he even sent for me, and I can't understand why he wouldn't have told me. He knew I would have seen it as soon as I arrived. But I also can't imagine anyone wanting to hurt Tom. He was a good man." Katherine lifted her hand and covered her eyes trying but failing to hide the tears that had begun to fall. "I'm sorry," she said quietly. "This isn't the place for this." Wyatt Earp replies, "You're right Mrs. Kale, I shouldn't have brought it up. Right now we need to stay focused on the New Douglas Gang. They busted Dudley Yeats out of the Tombstone Jail two days ago and I suspect they'll try doing the same for his widow here. That explosion may have just been a coincidence, but the thing is, I don't believe in coincidences." Kate hefted the rifle and held it the way Jake had shown her, so it could be quickly lifted into shooting position. "Neither do I, Marshall." Kate waited a few moments until she was sure Wyatt had nothing else to say. "You've asked me a question Marshall, perhaps I could ask you one. What is it about me that upsets your brother Morgan so?" Wyatt replies "He's probably just embarrassed about you saving his life. He likes to think of himself as a tough guy, and the notion of a female waitress being his savior probably isn't sitting all that well with him." If it wasn't for the incident with the coffee, which had happened before she had saved his life, Wyatt's answer would have satisfied her. She considered telling him about it, but he would only say that she must have startled him. "If it makes him feel better I'm not just a waitress, but a pianist and a rancher as well," Kate said lightly. Jake and Ruby make their way back. They head across Allen and through the back alley between the Promise City Hotel and Doctor Eaton's Office. They are about halfway through an twenty-five foot wide-open area between that alley and the alleyway between the Marshall's Office and the County Claims Office. When another bolt of lightening flashes and they make out the shape of three men fifteen feet to their left, beside the outside that is out back of the Alhambra Saloon. The men are staring in their direction and at least two are holding revolvers. Jake puts on his best Texas accent "Ya'll a'seen two injuns runnin by here? Them bastards stole a case o' liquor from us. Nuttin worse then liquored up injuns." Jake keeps his hat brim down and his hand on his Colt while he strains to identify the men. The men step forward and Jake can now see that all three are armed. Another lightening flash reveals the one in front to be a smiling Evan Adair, the light reflecting off of his golden upper tooth. One of the men behind him is the Palace bartender Dave Carlton. Neither Jake or Ruby recognizes the third. Carlton says "You were right, it is that uppity bitch and her low-account husband." Adair replies, "I knew it. She may be dressed like a man but she still walks like a woman. Pretty dangerous place for you two to be walking around in the dark." "Oh, it's you." He says to Ruby, "Let's keep going." Jake starts to walk again towards the jail and asks Adair, "You seen anyone out here besides us?" Ruby plants her feet and her eyes narrow at Adair. "Oh, honey, I can't let him," she nods her head slightly towards Adair, "Insult you like that..." Adair's gun cocks and he says "Stop moving or I shoot." "Mr. Adair" Jake says in slow measured speech, "You are pointing your gun at a deputized law man, I'd advise you to lower it. I have no argument with you tonight. The Earps think that the Douglas gang could be in town tonight." Jake stops and stares at him for a moment. "I don't expect you to help me, but get out of my way." Adair decides to fire his gun but the shot is deflected by a cane suddenly appearing to his right and striking the gun arm, the bullet flying harmlessly into the mud between Adair and Jake. The other end of the cane is in the hand of Cornelius Van Horne, who neither Jake or Ruby had seen until that moment. Jake saw the change in Adair's eyes and starts to dodge the shot while cocking his pistol in his pocket, but too late. With the shot in the mud he doesn't pull the pistol. By the time the shot was fired Ruby was half in front of Jake. After the shot was deflected she moved quickly back to where she started but she wasn’t sure if Jake had seen her move or not. She looked at Adair incredulously, “You would shoot us, kill us, because I wouldn’t be your whore? You are an evil man.” Adair turns to the large man and says "Cornelius, this doesn't concern you, go back to the Palace." Van Horne replies in his thick Georgia accent "It does concern me Evan. The fate of a beautiful woman is always a concern of mine. If you were to harm this woman's husband I doubt that you would just let her stay around as a witness. I am also concerned about you my friend. If Mr. Cooke has been deputized then Judge Isby would see that you hang if you harmed him. Best to follow his advice and we all be on our way." While she was simmering with anger Ruby decided to take advantage of Van Horne’s help and keep quiet. If it had been just her she might have just tried to shoot Adair on the spot but since she wasn’t alone she decided against it. The rifle was in her hand pointing down and she kept it that way but she did slowly move her finger to the trigger and position the gun up against her shoulder so all she would have to do is lift it up. She was no deputy but she didn’t care. She would shoot Adair if she had the chance. Jake sees Ruby move and stop and move again. He whispers to her, "It's NOT time." Worried about Ruby being so drunk he watches Adair's eyes and hammer closely. If he detects that Adair is not going to heed Van Horne's advice Jake is going to draw and roll away from Ruby and kill Adair. A long pause follows, broken by the sound of thunder. Van Horne says "Evan, please. Right next to the Marshall's Office is not the place to do this, especially with dozens of people running around the streets." Adair says "I guess you're right, there will be another time." He and his bartender turn and walk away, his back now to Ruby and Jake. The other man also walks back, but stays facing Jake with the gun at the ready in the event that either Ruby or Jake raises a weapon in their direction. Ruby watches Adair walk away. She slowly takes her finger off the trigger of the rifle and relaxes her arm. "Good day again lovely lady, we will need to share a drink again, with your husband's permission that is..." Van Horne states as he bows in Ruby and Jake's direction. Ruby turns to Van Horne and takes a good look at him, then she smiles. "Mr. Van Horne," she says sweetly, "Our first drink together was enjoyable and a second sounds lovely. I do believe I owe you for your effort in stopping a fight tonight." She takes a moment to pull off Wyatt's hat and pull her hand through her hair. "But I'm not so sure I can share a drink with a friend of Mr. Adair's. How do I know I can trust you? He obviously has it out for me." Van Horne replies "I never met him until I first arrived in this town in early November. I'm a gambler by trade and the Palace is the largest gambling house in the town which is why I gravitated towards there. He had an available room and offered to let me have it so I accepted his offer. He's been a gracious host to me ever since. That's all there is to it. As for this current feud between the Palace and the Lone Star, I happen to enjoy gambling at both and hope to be able to continue to do so. So I'm not taking sides in this one, one Civil War was enough for my lifetime. But I also won't just stand back and watch something terrible happen that I could have easily prevented, as just occurred here." "Mr. Van Horne, we'll have to talk another time. For now I owe you one." Jake slightly tips his rain soaked hat. "And I'll even buy that drink. But we should be about our business before someone else gets hurt." Mr. Cooke is right, we should get going but let me know when you want that drink." Ruby smiles at him and waits for Jake to guide her away. “Indeed, another time then” Van Horne states. Just then a bolt of lightning strikes somewhere in the nearby mountains, momentarily filling the sky with light. This was the fourth time in eight days that Jake had crossed paths with Cornelius Van Horne, but in all those encounters he had yet to get a look into the man's eyes. It had been too dark until now during this conversation for him to do so. But Van Horne was still facing him as the lightning struck and for a very brief instant Jake saw the man’s eyes. “Watch the eyes,” is what Jake had always told himself. That brief instant was all the time that he needed. Jake had selective photographic memory. His selectivity was limited to the memorization of eyes, although he did not realize the extent and level of detail to which he examined them. Every person has a their own individual retina pattern, as unique as fingerprints, and Jake had committed to memory the identity of every person that he ever spent an hour or more at a table with. And Jake recognized this set of eyes in front of him. What he saw in that brief instance of light created a conflict for him. The man in front of him was four inches too tall, eighty pounds too heavy, twenty-five years too old, had skin tone that was too light, a face that was too round and too fat, a nose that was too long, and hair that was not only the wrong color but parted on the wrong side. Furthermore, the body language was wrong, the tone of voice was also wrong and this man’s accent exactly matched that of those from the city of Savannah, Georgia. Every fiber of Jake’s being told him that this man was a Southerner known as Van Horne……except for the eyes. The eyes belonged to his mentor, the Irishman Patrick O’Brien. "Put your hat back on Ruby, keep that red hair of yours from being so visible." As they walk away Jake speaks loud enough for Van Horne to hear him. "Did anyone ever call you Red? I wouldn't, doesn't do justice to you. And besides for me there's only one man named Red, I think I might have told you about my friend." Jake pulls her along the alleyway more into the shadows this time so they won't be surprised again. Van Horne turns and heads north, back in the direction of the Palace Saloon. Jake and Ruby are able to get to an alley near the front door with a clear view of the Marshall's Office without any further incident. "Jake.. what are you doing??" Ruby says as Jake drags her from the alley. She sticks her hat back on as he does. "No, no one has ever called me red, always Ruby. Yes, you told me about your friend. What's going on?" She looks at him quizzically. "Just staying better out of sight." They hide themselves with a view of the Marshall's office "I'll tell you later tonight. Unless I've gone crazy, there was somebody hiding in that alley way who was an old friend and I was saying hello." Ruby looks at him with the look of someone who has had a tiny bit too much to drink and has no idea what Jake is talking about. "Ok, you tell me later what the heck you are talking about. Oh and while we're at it we're going to have to figure out what to do about this whole people-thinking-we're-married thing. Doesn't it bother you?"" Ruby puts on a pout, "Oh and one more thing, Deputy Cooke, you have the badge," Ruby pauses then raises her voice slightly, "Why didn't you shoot Adair! He shot at you first!" Jake puts his hand on her mouth. "shush, you're being too loud. Deadeye's gang could be out here." As he looks around the rainy street he whispers in her ear. "A bunch of reasons. Unlikely he's as good as Deadeye, but he did have the drop on me at first. And then when Van Horne knocked his gun aside, I wasn't quite sure who's side he was really on. So it was four against two, not good odds." He takes his hand off her mouth. "Besides, even with the badge I need good reason. Imagine Isby's thinking that I get a badge from Earp and not an hour later go shoot Adair, who folks know is quarreling with us." He stops to listen and peer around again. "And you are drunk, and I'm an idiot for taking you out here with me." He gently wipes some raindrops off her face. "I don't want to know how you felt looking down at my bleeding body. Alright? Now be quiet for a minute. See if you can spot or hear anyone out there." Ruby whispers back with another pout as she shakes her head. "Jake don't say that you wish you left me behind." She closes her eyes as Jake wipes off the rain. She opens them and even quieter says, "No, you don't want to know what it felt like to watch you dying. So I'll be quiet now." Ruby listens to Jake and she tries to hear or spot any kind of activity in the area. "Hermes." Jake mutters under his breath and sighs. He gets up and pushes her rifle slightly to one side and stands real close. "I wish I kept you safe, not behind." He gives her a brief kiss on the lips. "Now save those lips for later, and use those beautiful eyes to see if anyone is out there. OK?" He waits a second for her to nod and then crouches down and resumes watching the street. The rain continues to fall. There are still flames off to the east but they are not as bright as before although there still appears to be a lot of smoke. A crash follows and immediately thereafter is a group exclamation, which Jake concludes was at least one wall of the Feed & Grain store collapsing. Two block away, Chester jumps at the sound, and almost dropping the keg he was holding. He calls out to those helping move the alcohol to the Lone Star, "We should pick up the pace. I don't want to be nearby if Mr. Hoover's store falls down." Hoover says "I think that they've managed to get most of the fire out now at my place, although I don't know if it can be salvaged or not. It's still a good location though even if I have to rebuild from scratch." On the east side of town things continue to be quiet, the action all taking place further west. Ruby and Jake continue to get wet while watching and waiting out in the rain. The wait in the Marshall's office seemed interminable. Katherine had lost all track of time, but it seemed she had been standing shivering and wet with the rifle in her hand for hours. "If something was going to happen, wouldn't it have come by now?" Kate asked quietly. Another fifteen minutes pass during which the light from the direction of the fire ceases. Ruby and Jake then see a parade of around two dozen dwarves walking back towards the El Parador. Surrounding the group are Pedro, Jose, Carlos, Estaban and Grant, each carrying but not pointing a weapon. A minute later Ruby and Jake are able to hear Dorita's voice sounding out, despite the sound of the rain and the eighty-foot distance, saying "You leave and not pay bill! Bad dwarves." [/QUOTE]
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