Upgrade your account to a Community Supporter account and remove most of the site ads.

Reply to thread

Message: <blockquote data-quote="Silver Moon" data-source="post: 2144285" data-attributes="member: 8530">Chapter Twenty-four, “Giving up Tucker to Earp”, Saturday, March 11th, 1882:Back at the Promise City Marshall's Office, Jake and Chester are a little surprised when both Wyatt and Warren leave and lock the front door behind them. They do note a shadow of a man with a rifle silhouette against the window curtain outside of the office, standing on the front porch. Neither Chester or Jake can tell who the man with the rifle is, but it does not appear to be Wyatt, Warren or their friend Eduardo. Regardless of who he is, he will not be able to hear any conversation that could now take place between the two prisoners.Chester whispers to Jake, "Psst. Hey, Jake. What do you think is going on that they'd leave us unguarded? Do you think Katherine will give up Tucker for us?"  "I don't know for sure on either count." Jake sits up and looks at Chester. "I suspect this has something to do with Ruby." "Earp seems to be trying to pit one against the other here, what did he tell you?" Jake asks the former soldier.   Chester replies, "Earp? Nothing really. What do you think I should say?"  Jake answers, "I wouldn't be telling them any lies if I was you, but think about what you tell them. They'll twist the truth to get what they want. I'm trying to remember when you and I talked about Jones." Jake scratches his beard. "Once a while back when you first took the job at Condon's and then once after that when I asked you if you had done anything about it. Was that it?" Chester replies, "I think so. I've already told Earp that I warned the Condons about Jones a month or two ago. And I told him that I asked Jones about the Douglas robbery and that Scarface said he had nothing to do with that. I didn't say anything about us talking about what to do about Jones."   Jake says, "Keep your wits about you Chester Martin, Wyatt Earp is not a man to mess with."  He answers, "I'll keep that in mind. Hopefully Ruby and Kate can get us out of this. I've been in jail once and I'd like to keep it that way." It turns out to be a very quiet evening at the Lucky Lady due to the boxing match and drink coupons drawing the non-poker-regulars over to the Palace instead. Helen Barker is the winner at Job's table and they'll end the game early, after which Stanley will play several more piano pieces. It is around 10:30 PM when the wood elf Eduardo comes into the Saloon and glances in Ruby's direction.Ruby was glad that Kate wasn’t in the room at the moment. She didn't want her worrying or blaming herself any more that she already did. Ruby caught Eduardo's eye and nodded ever so slightly towards the front door. Then without a word to anyone she made her way out the front door and started walking slowly down the street. She glanced over her shoulder only once and saw the wood elf following. She turned down a quieter street and waited.Eduardo and Ruby continue to make their way on their casual walk around town, coming and going down several streets until they finally end up on Sierra Street between Front and Federal. Eduardo passes the Drover's Hotel and adjacent Corral and continues on towards Federal, turning left behind the house owned by Neil Cassidy. That's when Ruby notices Wyatt Earp just off of Sierra Street leaning against the western fence of the Drover's corral. Wyatt nods towards her and says "This is a safe place for us to talk, a fair amount of privacy and the horse sounds will drown out our conversations, but still enough people around if need be." Ruby notes that his assessment is correct, as the Palace Saloon is less than three blocks away within sight down Sierra and the Cochise Boarding House is up Federal Street a mere sixty feet away.Ruby nods in understanding. "Marshal Earp," Ruby says quietly, "It occurs to me that there are quite a few things we need to discuss and it might take a bit of time. Are you sure this is the right spot?" He replies "Yeah, this is as good a spot as any. We won't be interrupted, my deputies will see to that. So, do you have some information for me about Mr. Tucker?"“You wouldn’t believe the day I’m having today. Have you ever heard of George Eastman? He is from New York. A photographer, actually. He traveled the world going on grand adventures and all the while amassing a huge fortune. And now through a twist of fate he has arrived here, in Promise City.” Ruby looks up at Wyatt. “To make sure I return to New York with him, as his fiancée, as I was some years back. Seems he’s set on it.” Ruby sighs. “No, I suppose you don’t want to hear about my day.” “In any case, Marshall, I can appreciate that you want to find Colby Tucker. And I am going to tell you where he is. But there are some matters that you finding Tucker bring up. What are your intentions with him? What will you do with him after you find him?”  Wyatt replies, "I intend to find out what his involvement is with the Cowboy Gang, what his participation was with the January stagecoach robberies, and also where he's been hiding out these last two months."She says, “And after you question Mr. Tucker, and explore the information that he has to offer, then what? Will you kill him? Will you seek out everyone else who knows what he knows, and kill them too?” Ruby moves closer to the Marshal. “We both know what you really want Mr. Tucker for, and it’s not because of the Cowboy Gang. If you ever met Mr. Tucker you would know he would probably shoot himself if he ever even saw Johnny Ringo again, in sheer terror.” “I know you will stop at nothing to protect your family. But try to understand, I am trying to protect my family, the people I care about too. And to that means we are the same, I will do anything to keep them safe.”Wyatt replies, "I can't tell you what I'll do with Tucker. If he's guilty of armed robbery then we both know what Judge Isby will do with him. If he's not, and can get me enough information to convict Ringo, Deadeye or some other gang leaders then we could probably work something out with him. Believe me, I know that he isn't the brains behind that group and taking him out of commission will not stop the gang. It's the leaders of that group who I want. As to the other thing you're alluding to, I think you and your friend Kale have listened to too many of Tucker and Ringo's lies. I didn't really know Thomas Kale, only met him a few times, but my brother James knew him pretty well. There are different rumors as to what happened to him, and I can't say which is true, but I can tell you that I had nothing to do with any of that. All I know is what I've been told and I'm not going to take the word of a Cowboy Gang member over that of my brothers."Ruby says, "You honestly don't think that them wanting to find Colby Tucker has anything to do with the fact that he is the witness to your brother and his involvement with Thomas Kale's death?  Look, I could care less about Colby Tucker. I also don’t care who killed Katherine Kale’s husband. Sounds terrible, but he is gone and no matter who did it, he isn’t coming back. What I do care about is my safety and the safety of my friends. Kate is a good person and she is wracked with guilt about what happened to Tom. She can’t move on with her life until she hears what really happened and why. If your brother is innocent why doesn’t he talk to Kate and tell her himself? Then she can put the rumor to rest and move on, we can all move on. It's really that simple.  And how do I trust that you will hold up your end of the bargain, about Jake and Chester being innocent and the fact that idiot Danby Jones set them up?"Wyatt answers, "Ma'am, as you pointed out earlier, your friends Jake and Chester have both been of great help to myself and my family. And as your friend Jake has reminded me, he has his own score to settle with the Cowboys. It's in all of our best interest to be on the same side of this instead of opposite sides. I'm not saying you're in with the Cowboys, but I think that Tucker is and your friend Kale is helping him."She says, "The Cowboy Gang is after both Jake and I, and we'd both rest easier knowing there were less of them. Whether you think so or not, we are on the same side when it comes to them.  Like I said, Katherine is still devastated by the loss of her husband. She may not be acting sanely due to her grief. You seem like a good man and sure you can understand the pain of losing someone you love. Can't you try to set up a time for Morgan to tell her the truth? It would mean so much for this woman's pain to be over with." "One more thing before I tell you where Tucker is. What happens if you can't find him? It has been a while since he went missing."  Wyatt says, "Can't say. I'm not the only Earp out looking for him. If he's around we'll bring him in. If he's further off I guess one of us will have to go and find him."  She says, "All I mean is I am honestly going to tell you where I think he is. I can't guarantee that he stayed there."Wyatt replies, "Ma'am, do you have something to tell me or not?" Ruby leaned back against the railing of the corral. Wyatt Earp was just not going to be cooperative.   She let out a big sigh. "I believe he went to Boston."  He answers, "Boston. That's where Kale is from isn't it? And why do you think that he is there?"Ruby says, "I happened to see him that day too, bumped into him on the way to meet Jake. He mentioned something about Boston." Ruby paused then furrowed her brow. "You know, Kate is from Boston. You don't think he was going there to find her family, do you? No, it must be a coincidence." Ruby put a worried look on her face.He replies, "Well Ma'am, if that's all you know I don't know of how much good it will be to me. Boston's a big city and on the other side of the country. Appreciate the information though, let me know if you hear anything else."  She exclaims, "Hold on, I told you the honest truth about where he went. Don't go pulling the 'I didn't tell you anything' crap now. You need to stick to your word about telling the TRUTH about Jake and Chester."He answers, "Ma'am, you told me a wild guess based on something you might have heard two months ago. That's a far cry from anything definite. The person who knows something is Kale. I'd suggest that you talk to her if you want me to curtail my investigation of this incident."  Ruby sighed again. "What difference does the truth make? You're not going to hold up to your word anyway." Ruby pulled her hand through her hair. She then stammers out, "He's in Boston with Kate's family. And you're just dying to get your hands on Kate as much as Tucker, that much is obvious now. Tucker is the witness to Tom Kale's murder. Kate is helping him because he knows the truth and he thinks you and your brothers are going to kill him because you know that he knows.  Tom Kale was found with your brother's knife in his back. Course you are going to protect each other and try to cover that up. And any other story you heard was lie, from your own brothers. What you call rumor we think is fact."Earp answers, "Ma'am, you accuse me of not being honest. A minute ago you were only speculating that he might be with Kale's family, now you're telling me that he is. Seems to me you're the one keeping things to yourself, not me. If your friend Kale wants to talk to me she knows where to find me. Now if you'll excuse me, I have prisoners to go check on. May have them for a while too, Isby hasn't made it to town yet."She cries out, “I just told you everything that she knows. Nothing's going to change on that count.  Why don't you just go threaten Katherine Kale right now, that might work better on her than me."  Ruby turns her back and starts walking away.A short while later Wyatt and Warren Earp return to the Marshall's office and jail. A cloth and wood army cot is putted out. Wyatt had slept on it the night before. Tonight is Warren's turn. Wyatt tells his brother to be careful and departs, locking the door behind him.This day had done nothing but push Ruby to her limit. She was trying to stay under control and be reasonable but it seemed that no one else in this damn town was trying. Instead of going back to the Lucky Lady to spend another lonely sleepless night she headed to the Gay Lady, to find Madge Duprey and some very strong whiskey. She spends the next few hours drinking heavily and carousing with Madge, until the point where she can barely make it back to her bed. When she gets back she has a few more drinks until she passes out.</blockquote>

Verification