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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Silver Moon" data-source="post: 2778294" data-attributes="member: 8530">Chapter 166, “Whacking a Hornet’s Nest ” , Sunday, January 22nd, 1882, 7:30 P.M.Kate maintains her composure and replies, "Mr. Ringo, I said I only had two books in Tombstone. I made no mention of where I might have others. Let me be frank. I've spent all day dancing around people who are tying to say things without saying them. Can we blunt? What do you want from me?"He lowers his voice so that the Sheriff doesn't hear him, and says "I saw you fifteen days ago, in fact at one point you passed within six feet of where I was at. What I want from you are my horse, my coat and my library. Are you prepared to return them to me?"Kate dropped her voice to match his. "It's not within my power to give you the coat. I do not know which horse was yours, but I have several. If I have it, I will return it to you. If not, I'll either choose one for you, or if it is possible you can choose one yourself. And I will admit in my selfishness I'm loath to give up the books, beside the fact that I am sharing them with another. What happened in those caves is something that a man in your profession must know is one of the risks. You steal, and when someone comes to make it stop, you are stolen from. I hope we can agree to hold no grudges. And as I don't plan to be chasing cattle rustlers again, I don't imagine you'll have any more trouble with me.  Let me make this offer, books for information. You tell me how my husband died, and why the Earps hate you, and I'll collect 75 books to be returned to you."Ringo says "No deal. My lawyer is getting me out of here tomorrow. I'm not going to go shooting off my mouth to the likes of you and blow that. The horse is a chestnut colored mare with a white spot to the left of her tail and the brand QxJ. And for the record, I paid $ 2,000 for the complete library and bookcases, they weren't stolen. I bought them directly from their owner, the Governor of a Mexican province."She replies, "The likes of me? And what likes are you, pray tell? You keep things you lawfully bought in a bandits cave where no one would expect anything to have been lawfully acquired. I didn't see you with cattle rustlers, and the Sheriff says the Earps can never make a charge stick. Is it because you don't actually do anything, or only that you don't get caught?"Ringo now speaks up louder, so that the Sheriff will also overhear "You didn't see me with any rustlers Mrs. Kale because I'm not one. As for how my things got in the cave, they were there long before any rustlers arrived. It's not my fault that the Cowboy Gang stumbled upon my secret storeroom. If you should come upon my missing horse please leave in the corral at the Papago Cash Store in Promise City, the owner Ike Sherman is a friend of mine.""I'll be sure to do that," Kate said in a normal tone before dropping her voice again. "If I had the money I would pay you for the books, but I don't. And to remove them all would break someone's heart, and just today I promised to use them to teach someone. Please, at least tell me, do you know what happened to Tom? We must be able to come to some kind of arrangement," she finished, hoping he wouldn't notice the quiver in her voice.He lowers his voice and says "I don't know exactly what happened to your husband, but since you're asking that means you've heard something other than what Marshall Earp is selling.  There were five people at the table playing cards with him that night and I'd say that one of them was probably his killer. The Earps have been spreading rumors that I did it, but that's not true, and I'm willing to tell that to any priest that has the ability to detect truthfulness. So that leaves James Earp, Morgan Earp, Colby Tucker or Buckskin Frank Leslie. James wouldn't have done it, he's the only Earp worth keeping. But I wouldn't have put it past any of those other three. If I were to take a guess I'd say it was Leslie, but that's all it is, a guess.""Thank you," Kate said simply. "If I have your horse, I'll return it, or give you another if not. And I'll see what I can do about the other things. I make no promises, but I'll try." Jake says to Ruby while being dragged out of the Grand Hotel , "I don't play Faro. Too much luck involved, not enough skill. Faro dealers usually cheat to make money. Even the dealing boxes can be rigged." As he catches up even with her he continues. "Drinks are good. Except last time we were at the Oriental we met Leslie.... remember? Tom Kale spent his last night playing cards there too. Let's at least pretend to be careful." Ruby stops short, making Jake stop too. "Yes, I remember, she says carefully. "But what are you doing here then? I mean, the last time we were here we ran out because of the Cowboy Gang. I came to help Kate, and Morgan Earp is the way to do that, unless we just go and grab her. But if he killed Tom he should pay for that, don't you think? I thought you wanted to talk to him about the $20's anyway? To tell you, I could care less about that. I want to get Kate, make sure she is safe and get out of here." "Besides all that, I spend the last week lonely, bored, doing business crap, crawling around mountains with dragons, getting shot and oh, did I mention lonely? So, I don't particularly feel like acting careful. How about I leave the worrying to you, eh?"   Ruby and Jake head down the street. As they pass by the Cochice County Sheriff's Office and County Jail they can through the open windows of the well-lit office that Katherine is inside talking to somebody in a jail cell.  Jake rolls his eyes at the same time as he sees Katherine. He puts a finger to her lips and then his. "Shhhh." He moves quietly over to the building ducking below the window to listen. He motions Ruby to do the same.    Ruby rolls her eyes back at Jake and starts walking into the prison.Jake leans back against the jailhouse shaking his head. He massages his temples while listening. Ruby saunters right into the prison and up to Kate, putting her arm around Kate's. "THERE you are, I've been looking for you everywhere..." "Ruby! You frightened me," Kate jumped.  Ruby stops and glances at the prisoner. "Kate, do you know this guy?"   Kate replies, "Only by reputation. I was just leaving."Ruby states, "Only by reputation, huh? Is this one of those famous outlaws we keep hearing about?"   Kate answers, "No, just another victim of the Earp's brand of selective justice. Let's go, I have a few more things to do tonight before bed."   Ruby replies, "I'm sure you do. And I need a drink so let's plan on that too, ok?" Ruby turns Kate around by the arm and starts walking her out, but takes one look for her shoulder at Ringo, giving him a smile as she goes. When they get outside, Ruby leads her to the side where she left Jake. "So, what else do we have to do tonight..."   Jake interjects, "Oh, I think I'm all set. Perhaps we can find a hornets nest to whack or piss on a rattle snake." Jake tips his hat back on his head. "Whiskey sounds good."Ruby innocently replies, "Jake, are you mad about something?  Anyhow, I think we'll leave the pissing on rattlesnakes to you. Kate here mentioned she has some chores to do before bed time." Ruby turns to Kate, "So spill... what are you really doing here and what do we have to do tonight?""Jake, I'm glad you're back," Kate said first. She looked around as they walked away from the jail to make sure there was no one in earshot. "I need to go to the Oriental Saloon. A lot has happened today." Kate launched into the story of her day, her meeting with Tucker, her talk with Earp, and her talk with Ringo there in the jail. She started out slowly, but picked up speed as she went on until the words were tumbling out over each other. She finally stopped walking and covered her face with her hands. "I don't know what to think anymore," she said with a catch in her voice. "But I know who knows the truth. And I want to hear it.""Katherine." Jake stops her. "The cowboy gang AND the Earps are all a bunch of murderers and liars. The only difference is the badge. You can't necessarily believe what either of them tell you. There is one thing that bothers me, why would anyone leave their knife in a victim. Sounds like a frame up. Maybe not, maybe he panicked or got interrupted." Jake grabs her shoulders. "Look I'm not going to stop you, but even HE may not know the truth. Have you ever considered that? I know this all sounds cold to be talking about it this way. Consider what I said, and remember the truth is no good to you if you end up dead with it." He lets her go gently.Kate answers, "I understand, Jake. But I think I have to do everything I can to know the truth. I don't think I could forgive myself if I didn't. Morgan Earp is the last stop. I don't know who's telling the truth and who's lying anymore. I need to speak with him.  You don't have to come, either of you. This isn't your fight. And I don't want you risking your lives for this. This is the end of it, I promise. Whatever the outcome, after this I'll let it go."Despite any advice from Ruby and Jake to the contrary, Kate is tunnel-visioned towards her goal and storms down the street to the Oriental Saloon.   Kate starts to walk away. Ruby looks at the combination of annoyance and worry on Jake's face.   She tells him, "Look, I wish we were all warm and snuggly having some fun in a cozy bed somewhere too. Geez, I'd take snuggly in an ally right now, but I came here to help Kate and that is what I'm going to do. I understand if you want to stay behind, and it's probably the smart thing to do." Ruby starts to walk away from Jake."Stop." Jake says to Ruby in a low and serious tone. "Do you really think I don't want to help Katherine?" Jake takes a step forward when Ruby stops and turns and gets right up close to her face. "Ya, so OK, sometimes I'm cautious. Other times not. But Silver Jake Cook stands by his friends. Period. Enough of that talk." He takes a deep breath. "Woman, sometimes there is a better way to help than to run in like a charging bull. So think. Nobody is going to shoot Katherine in the Oriental Saloon. Are they going to respond differently to just her than the three of us? Ruby or Jake will change the mix. Jake Cook wears his Colt like he knows how to use it, that changes the threat level. All the Earps know that, whether they are afraid or not - and I don't expect they are. But it changes the tension level." He takes his hat off, runs his hand through his hair and take another deep breath before putting his hat back. "We don't stray far, and we don't let her into any dark places. Before you go storming in there, what are you going to do?"Ruby takes a long stare at Jake. “Are you saying I shouldn’t go in there with her?” Ruby continues to stare at Jake but continues slowly, “If you tell me not to go, I won’t.” She breaks her stare from Jake and looks away. “You know she’s not used to dealing with these kinds of people or this kind of a situation.” Ruby pauses and sighs. “I don’t know what I was going to do. Just be there to back her up. I learned a new,” she leans in close and whispers in his ear, “spell, one that can read people’s thoughts.” She backs away from him. “Maybe that can help? Or maybe you’re right. Kate needs to do this alone.” Ruby kicks at some rocks. “Damn It! I’m not used to thinking about things like this.”"Don’t get me wrong, I don't have a plan yet either. We won't be far though." He says "Let's get over there." As they start walking again. "How far does that" he whispers the next two words, "special ability work from? Could you get in there and not be seen and sort of listen in?" Jake's scratching his beard as the get close. "If Morgan or Virgil is in there I'm sure they won't tell her anything useful, but who knows what you might learn?"   She replies, "I think I can start it outside then get in, I don't need to be too close to use it. You think I should try Virgil then if Morgan isn't there?" "I know she's not used to this and may need help. Even if we knew the truth and could tell her, that wouldn't be good enough. Would it be for you? Ok, Ok, you or I would probably exact a different price." Jake says when Ruby's eyes go dark as the thought crosses her mind. "Maybe Katherine will surprise us." He stops talking as they get to the outside of the Oriental. "Tell me how I can help you."  Ruby smiles at Jake. "That's for later..." She gives him a wink. "Oh, if I need you in there then I'll go like this," Ruby pushes her hair behind her ears. "Where will you be?""Yes, if no Morgan try Virgil. I don't know how to get in there and hide, there is no time. So I'll just stay as far back as I can and still see your head." Jake buttons up his duster and pulls the collars up and his hat down. He leaves the bottom half unbuttoned and loose enough to pull clear to access his Colt. "This wouldn't fool anybody for long. Good luck." He gives her a quick kiss.Kate had walked in a spent a few minutes in the doorway surveying the room. There are eleven occupants, and two of them are Earps, but neither is Morgan. James Earp is standing behind the bar. Virgil Earp is at a table with two other men who she does not know. At the sight of her entering the saloon he stands up and walks in her direction, an angry look on his face.  Katherine stands as tall as she can and looks Virgil in the eye.Outside, Ruby kisses Jake back, then takes a quick peek in the door of the Saloon. She sees Kate and an angry Virgil, and some other random people around. She slips back outside and to the closest alley. "Jake stand in front of me, just in case." When he is in place Ruby closes her eyes and starts the incantation that Madge Duprey taught her. When she is done casting it, she walks into the Oriental Saloon, continuing her concentration. She stays very quiet and out of the way, but does get close enough to be able to use the spell on Virgil.Virgil Earp walks up until he is within around a foot of Kate and bellows "Well, have you decided to tell me where Tucker is hiding?"  "As I said earlier, sir, I cannot tell you what I do not know," Kate said, resisting the urge to back away from him. "You left before we could finish our conversation earlier. Since you weren't interested, I thought I'd continue it with your brother.""Go right ahead," he says, and gestures to his brother James over behind the bar.  "Clever, very clever," she said so only he could hear. "You know who I mean. We can have the conversation in private, or it can be very public. I think we can both agree that private would be better." Kate walked away from Virgil and over to the bar. "Mr. Earp, I'm sure your brother has kept you in the know about what's happened today. You knew my husband, you're a good man. I've assured your brother Virgil that all I want is to talk and I'm willing to turn over my weapons to prove it. I know you can help me. Please, where is your brother Morgan?"James Earp glances towards his brother who walks over to the bar. Virgil Earp slams the fist of his crippled hand down on the bar and loudly says to Kate "My deputy is currently busy with law enforcement duties. The Cowboy Gang robbed two Tombstone stagecoaches recently. Colby Tucker was named as part of that gang from the last robbery and you're hiding him from us. And don't you go lying to me again. I've been a lawman long enough to tell when somebody is withholding the truth. You know more about where Colby Tucker is than you're telling. I thought that I put you under house arrest over at the Grand Hotel, but if you'd rather have a cell with iron bars that can be arranged.""House arrest? And I thought you were just concerned about my well being," Kate said sarcastically. "You've been lying to me for months! Why should I believe you want Colby Tucker for anything about a stage robbery? Why hadn't you already arrested him? You knew where to find him, I found him easily enough. Seems to me you didn't get interested until after I spoke to him. Explain that to me, and maybe we can get somewhere."He says "We didn't find out until this afternoon that he was part of the gang. Oh, why should I waste my words. I don't have to explain anything to you. In case you haven't noticed I'm the one wearing the badge. This is your last warning. You either walk out that door and go back to your hotel room or I'm carting you off to jail for aiding and abetting a fugitive from justice."Kate lifted her hand and rubbed her forehead. Her voice was tired as she spoke. "I don't know what's up or down anymore. Marshall, I don't want to go to jail, and I don't want to obstruct your work. You must realize how this all looks to me. I've been hearing all sorts of things about how Tom died. And enough of them fit together to make me suspicious. Then I go to see Colby Tucker to get Tom's box and the other man at the Ok Corral disappears. Mr. Tucker said then that he was a dead man, that he had been warned not to speak to me. He was afraid for his life. Morgan was acting strange around me long before I saved his life, so your brother's explanation just doesn't fit. And I knew Tom's illness intimately, if he had been sick again, he wouldn't have been able to get out of bed to wire me. And if he had someone else do it for him, why not tell me he was ill and needed me?   Marshall, I'm sorry. I don't know what to do. Would Tom have been friends with someone who would rob stages? I'll go back to the hotel, and I'll stay there until morning, but please, help me understand what's happening. Have Morgan come see me." She met Virgil's eyes, hoping he wouldn't haul her off quite yet.Ruby had cast the spell. It was very different here than when she had trained with Madge. They had been alone in a large room with just the two of them and there were no other minds for her to reach other than the farm animals. There were several minds around her now and she was initially overwhelmed with an avalanche of emotions and feelings.  She began to focus and picked up her first surface thought. It was Jake's. That came as no real surprise given how linked they now were to each other. She picked up feelings rather than actual words. She felt that he was worried that Katherine might go or be taken out the back door while they were not watching her. Ruby saw the people in the room and concentrated on them, blocking out Jake. Katherine was over by the bar arguing with Virgil Earp. Ruby attempted to focus on him but was temporarily overwhelmed by her emotions instead. She was a jumbled mix of emotions at the moment, defiance, fear, uncertainty, anger. Ruby had to focus harder to tune Kate out and concentrate on the Marshall. For years now she had learned how to read people's body language but this was very different. First she picked up that he was extremely angry with Kate. He was also lying to her....about taking her to Jail. He had no plans to do that....because Johnny Ringo was there and he didn't want them to talk to each other. He hoped that she would agree to go back to Kate's Hotel. Ah, she just did. He's relaxing and more confident now. He's worried about his brother Morgan...who he sent to stay with friends in a farm out of town and told not to come back until morning. She just told him to have Morgan come see her...a cold day in Hades he thinks... The spell then ends.Kate kept her eyes on Virgil's. "Nothing to say Marshall? Nothing at all? People are telling me a great deal with their silences today," she said before she turned around to head back towards the door.  Once the spell ends, Ruby takes a moment to absorb it all in. Finally she adjusts her dress, fluffs her hair and confidently walks towards Kate. Ruby exclaims, "There you are, I finally found you! I've been looking everywhere since the Marshals mentioned you were in town, well after one slight little detour," she laughs. Ruby walks over to Kate and takes her arm. "We have so much to talk about, why don't we go back to your hotel for the night, like Mr. Earp suggested. It'll be safer for all of us that way." Ruby turns and flips her hair at the men. "Gentlemen, thank you for keeping such a good eye on my friend here, and keeping her safe. I think I can keep an eye on her for the rest of the evening." Ruby looks to Kate. "Come on, Hon, let's go." She gives a slight nod of her head to Kate and tries to guide her out the door.Kate let Ruby lead her out, glad for the moment to let someone else take over. "That bastard," she muttered as they reached the door. "House arrest? Who was under house arrest? Since when does 'I suggest for your own safety you don't leave this hotel tonight' mean house arrest? I knew it was a threat, but.... I don't know what to do Ruby, I'm out of ideas." "Come on, let's get out of here." Ruby walks out and takes Kate's hand. When she gets outside she nods to Jake and they make their way back to the Grand Hotel. "Let's go upstairs and I'll tell you some interesting things I found out."</blockquote>

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