royannahuggins
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Join date : 2013-10-13
 | | Sheriff Jones and Deputy Smith - Part 1 by Penski | |
Starring
Pete Duel as Hannibal Heyes and
Ben Murphy as Kid Curry
Co-Starring (in order of appearance)
Wilford Brimley as Gus, the bartender
Henry Fonda as Logan
Frank Cady as Earl McGregor
Kevin Hagen as Milton Grove
Maureen O’Hara as Hattie Tucker
Melissa Sue Anderson as Tillie
Butch Patrick as Tommy
Kurt Russell as Joe
Johnny Whitaker as Bobby
Jack Elam as Homer Wilson
Carter brothers – Robert, David and Keith Carradine
James Arness as Marshal Dillon Sheriff Jones and Deputy Smith – Part 1
by Penski Hannibal Heyes and Kid Curry cautiously rode into the gold mining town. Very few people were out on the street giving it an appearance of a ghost town. They scanned the town as they road through and noticed several hotels and saloons, boarding houses, a few stores and banks, an assay office, an undertaker, and a jailhouse. A sign above the assay office read Russell Gulch, Colorado.
“Seems quiet for a minin’ town on a Friday,” Kid Curry commented.
“It sure does.” Heyes glanced at the store. “We’re gonna need supplies before we move on.”
“Yeah, I need bullets and gun oil.”
“Supplies or a drink?” Heyes asked.
“A drink. Definitely a drink.” Curry reined his horse over to the Gold Nugget Saloon, dismounted, and tied his mount to the hitching post.
Heyes followed his partner. “Think we should get supplies before we get a room, though. There wasn’t any sign who the sheriff is.”
“Okay, just one drink and then supplies,” the Kid agreed.
Kid Curry entered the saloon first, right hand free and near his gun as he glanced into the room. His prompt stop led to Heyes bumping into him.
“What the… Why’d you stop?” Heyes grumbled.
“Look. Empty seats.” Curry glanced over to the bar and saw the bartender wiping a glass. “You open?”
“You betcha. What’ll it be?”
“We’ll start with a whiskey and some information.” Heyes bellied up to the bar and put a dime on the counter.
“Information?” The bartender pocketed the coin, pulled out two glasses, and poured the amber liquor.
“Yeah. Where is everyone?” the Kid asked.
“Oh, that. Had a bank robbery the other day and the sheriff and his deputy got killed. There’s a funeral for them both goin’ on. Mourners must be at the cemetery if you didn’t hear singin’ from the church.”
“A bank robbery? Know who did it?” Heyes took a sip.
“Yep, a few desperate miners. The townsfolk already took care of ‘em since there’s no law in town now. Least not until we get a new sheriff. We already notified the marshal we needed one.”
“Took care of them, huh? Are they in the jail?” Heyes casually asked.
“Nope! Rounded us up a 6-0-1 gang…”
“Six feet under, zero trial, and one rope,” the three men said together.
“I think I need another shot.” Curry pushed his glass forward.
Heyes finished his whiskey and put the glass on the counter. “Me, too.”
“You two just travelin’ through town?” The bartender poured more drinks.
“Yep, after we get some supplies, right, partner?” Heyes patted Curry on the back.
“Right, partner,” the Kid said disheartened.
“Well, I’m guessin’ Earl stayed open. He wasn’t that fond of the sheriff or the deputy. Called ‘em lazy. His store, McGregor Mercantile, is around the corner from…”
The saloon door banged open, and shots were heard.
Kid Curry instinctively turned while drawing his gun in a lightning-fast move.
“Whoo wee!” the shooter exclaimed. “Did you see that, Gus? He’s fast!”
“Logan, what do you want?” Gus demanded. “I’m not givin’ you a drink so you may as well leave.”
Heyes closed his eyes for a moment while the Kid sheepishly holstered his gun.
The man walked towards the counter, addressing Curry. “Didn’t mean to scare you, mister.”
Gus got out his shotgun from behind the bar. “You heard me – leave!”
“Sheesh, just wanted to celebrate gettin’ outta jail.” Logan turned and left the saloon dejectedly.
“Sorry about that.” The bartender put his gun down. “That’s Loco Logan, the town’s drunk. He got out because there was no one at the jailhouse to watch him. How about another drink, on the house, to calm your nerves?”
~ * ~ * ~ * ~
Gus watched the men leave his saloon and hurried out the back door.
~ * ~ * ~ * ~
“You just had to show off your quick draw, didn’t you? Not even in town for 30 minutes. A town without a sheriff or deputy. Now we have to get supplies and get outta town,” Heyes grumbled as they made their way to the mercantile around the corner.
“I’m sorry!” the Kid exclaimed a tad loud. He lowered his voice. “I’m sorry, Heyes. Just surprised me. Saw you goin’ for your gun, too.”
Heyes sighed. “You’re right. The way that guy barged through the door and was shooting his gun in the air put both of us on guard.”
“I was really lookin’ forward to restin’ for a few days on a soft bed and eatin’ something besides beans.” Curry opened the door to the store. “Let’s get our supplies so we can get outta town. Besides, we don’t need to be where they have a 6-0-1 kind of law.”
A bell rang when the door opened as the two customers walked in.
“How much money do we have to spend?” Curry asked as he looked at a box of socks.
“Just what food we need for a few days.”
“And bullets and gun oil.”
“That, too.” Heyes looked around. “I wonder where the shopkeeper is?” In a louder voice he called out, “Hello! Are you open?”
A door closed and then a skinny, older man with a balding head hurried from the back room, wiping his hands on his white apron. “Yep, I’m open for business. Didn’t expect anyone during the funeral.” He went behind the counter.
“Gus sent us,” Heyes explained. “He said the mercantile would be open.”
“I'll have to remember to thank Gus later. I'm Earl McGregor; what can I get you folks?”
“Food for the trail – coffee, flour, salt, jerky, and beans.” Heyes glanced at the shelves. “And a can of peaches.”
The clerk gathered the requested supplies, watching the men carefully. “Anything else?”
Kid Curry grabbed a tin of gun oil and a few boxes of bullets and put them on the counter. “These, too.”
The shopkeeper added up the items. “That’ll be $3.85.”
Heyes pulled out his money and gave almost a third of it to the clerk. “Kinda high prices.”
“Well, it is a mining camp and we do have to transport it all up here,” the man explained. “You two leaving already?”
Kid Curry stood by the window and watched the townspeople coming back into town from the funeral.
Heyes began gathering the supplies. “At these prices, looks like we can’t afford to stay. Thaddeus, wanna give me a hand here?”
The clerk watched Curry sauntering up to the counter and noticed both men had their guns tied down. “Are you pretty good with those guns?”
The Kid shared a quick glance with Heyes before answering, “We can usually hit what we’re aimin’ for. Why?”
“Just wondering.” The man hesitated a moment. “The café is opening up and Vi has a nice lunch special; she's a real good cook, too. Why don’t you have yourselves a good meal before hitting the trail?”
Heyes and the Kid glanced at each other and shrugged their shoulders.
“Guess we could afford a lunch special, Thaddeus.”
“I was hopin’ you’d say so.” Curry smiled as the two men left the store.
~ * ~ * ~ * ~
The shopkeeper quickly turned his sign to close, locked the door, and hurried out the back.
~ * ~ * ~ * ~
Heyes and the Kid were finishing their fried chicken when a group of men walked into the café.
Curry quickly reached across the table and tapped his partner's arm, who was counting out money for the bill.
Heyes looked up and smiled as the men, including Gus and the shopkeeper, walked up to the table. “Hi. Something we can do for you, gentlemen?”
“Sure, hope so,” said McGregor.
A man in a black suit took a step forward. “It was brought to my attention that one of you is real quick with a gun.”
Gus pointed to Curry. “That one.”
“Quick and in control,” the spokesman continued. “You could’ve shot Loco Logan but didn’t.”
“Is that a problem?” the Kid asked.
“No, no problem.” The man looked over at Heyes. “Heard you’re pretty good, too, at going for you weapon, and cautious, so as not to shoot needlessly. Where you boys from?”
“Oh, here and there. Looking for work where we can.” Heyes eyed the group of men. “Why?”
“We represent the town’s businesses, and a mining town can quickly get out of control without a sheriff. We just buried both our sheriff and his deputy today and a replacement is at least a month away. We’d like to hire both of you to keep the law in Russell Gulch until a new sheriff comes.”
“Us?” Heyes pointed to his partner and himself.” Why? You don’t even know us.”
“That’s true, but we really don’t have anyone else who we think can maintain law and order. Heard you were a little short on funds. We’d, of course, pay you to stay, including room and board. Pay would be $100 for the month.”
“You want us to be the town’s lawmen?” Kid Curry confirmed.
“Well, we were thinking of you as the temporary sheriff and your partner being the deputy. Best to have one in charge.”
“Me, the sheriff?” Curry pointed to himself.
“Me, the deputy?” Heyes pointed to himself. He glanced towards the Kid, who smirked. “Um, we’ll have to discuss this…” When no one moved, he added, “In private.”
“Oh, yes, of course! We’ll be standing right over there.”
“We can’t do this! What if someone recognizes us?” Heyes whispered.
Curry shrugged. “We get outta town fast like we do whenever we’re recognized?”
“We can’t do this. We’ll be here too long and that means trouble.”
“We need a job and it’s only for about a month. Not like we haven’t been deputies before, Joshua.”
“I know, but… You the sheriff?” Heyes hissed. “Why not me?”
“Why not me? You should’ve practiced your fast draw shootin’ more.” Kid Curry smirked again before getting serious. “What would the governor and Lom think?”
“Well, we’re on the right side of the law and helping out the town so I can’t imagine they’d be upset. Might even help with our amnesty.”
“Some money, room and board, I think we should take it. What could go wrong?”
Heyes sighed as he closed his eyes. “You had to ask.”
“Well?”
“Okay, we’ll try it for just a week and see how it goes.” Heyes motioned the group of men over.
“Did you make a decision?” asked Grove.
Heyes nodded. “Thought we’d try it for a week and see how it goes. We can check out the job more and you can see if you want us to stay around.”
“Oh, that’s an excellent idea!” The man looked around to his fellow merchants, who nodded in agreement. “So, pay for a week would be $25 with the room and board.”
“Each?” Kid Curry asked.
“Well, no. Usually, experienced sheriffs make about $100 a month and deputies less. How about $40 cash for both and we’ll throw in some extras.”
Heyes’ brow raised. “Extras?”
“Well, no offense, but your clothes are a bit frayed. We could pay for a new pair of pants, a shirt, socks, and your underclothes.”
“No offense taken,” Heyes assured the man. “Jobs have been a bit scarce.”
“So is it a deal, Mr…”
“I’m Thaddeus Jones and my friend is Joshua Smith.”
“Joshua, Thaddeus, I'm Milton Grove, the undertaker and unofficial mayor in town.”
Both Heyes' and Curry's eyes widened at his words.
The men shook hands.
“It’s a deal,” Heyes answered with a grin.
“Excellent! We’ll show you the jail and a boarding house where you’ll be staying, Sheriff Jones and Deputy Smith… Smith and Jones?” Milton Grove asked, skeptically.
“There’s a lot of folks in this world named Smith and Jones. We just happen to be two of them,” Heyes explained as he paid the lunch bill. “Still want us for the job?”
Milton Grove looked around at the other merchants who nodded or shrugged their shoulders. “At least for a week and we’ll go on from there.”
~ * ~ *~ * ~
Mr. Grove led the new sheriff and deputy through the town of Russell Gulch. “You’ll be staying at the Tucker Boarding House. “Mrs. Tucker runs the place and is a very good cook. The couple came from Illinois, and he died in a blizzard.” Grove shook his head and sighed. “Sad day. Thankfully, Mrs. Tucker stayed here and opened one of the best boarding houses in the area. I’m sure you’ll be comfortable. Ah, here we are now.”
Heyes and the Kid looked up and saw a large, two-story house with a porch along the front. There were a few rocking chairs and a porch swing below a sign that read ‘Tucker Boarding House’.
Milton Grove knocked on the door.
A lovely lady with auburn hair pulled up in a bun answered the door. “Well, hello Mr. Grove. How can I help you?”
“Mrs. Tucker, I was wondering if you still had a room available.”
“I do.” She looked past Grove to the men behind him.
“As you’re aware, our sheriff and deputy were killed in the bank robbery.”
Mrs. Tucker nodded. “So terrible.”
“These men have agreed to take the jobs of sheriff and deputy until we get permanent ones.” He motioned the men forward. “Mrs. Tucker, this is Sheriff Thaddeus Jones and Deputy Joshua Smith.”
The men took off their hats and politely nodded. “Ma’am.”
“The town will be paying for their lodging while they are here,” Grove continued.
“Well, I consider Russell Gulch lucky to have two replacements so quickly. Let me show you your room so you can put your things away.” Mrs. Tucker opened the door, welcoming them into her boarding house.
~ * ~ * ~ * ~
Hannibal Heyes and Kid Curry were making themselves familiar with their new office. While Curry checked out the cells, Heyes sat at the desk and went through the drawers. He looked up and watched his partner a moment, then called out, “Hey, wanna remove those two wanted posters?”
The Kid went from the cells to the board and smirked. “Which posters?”
“Sam and Belle Starr… Whose posters do you think I meant?”
Curry smiled as he removed the posters for Hannibal Heyes and Kid Curry with the $10,000 reward each and handed them to the new deputy. “Here you go.”
Heyes stuffed them in the back of a drawer. “Can’t believe you’re the sheriff,” he grumbled.
Kid Curry smiled as he checked the guns. “These have to be cleaned. Wanna walk through town and get a feel for it?”
“May as well do our first walk-through together and introduce ourselves.”
“And make sure we don’t know nobody.”
~ * ~ *~ * ~
The two former outlaws, now lawmen, sauntered through the town of Russell Gulch meeting the merchants and townsfolk, checking alleys, inspecting the security of the bank and assay office, tipping hats to ladies, stopping for unheard conversation with shopkeepers and business owners.
“Well, that’s what I call a good day,” the Kid commented as they ate a quick meal at the boarding house.
“I guess you could call it that,” grumbled Heyes.
“Oh, you’re just sore that you’re Deputy Smith.” Curry took a sip of water. “How do we wanna work this out? Take shifts?”
“You’re the sheriff. You tell me.”
“Quit harpin’ on that, Joshua! I didn’t decide that and it’s gonna be a long week if you don’t accept it.”
Heyes sighed. “You’re right. What shifts do you want?”
“Well, I’m thinkin’ both of us should be on duty until almost one when the saloons start slowin’ down.”
“I’m more of a night owl so I don’t mind the night shift.”
“That’s what I was thinkin’. I’ll sleep durin' the night and relieve you around nine for breakfast.”
Heyes nodded. “I’ll sleep during the day and come in around five.”
The Kid put his fork down and slid his chair a few inches from the table. “Those will be some long hours.”
“Yep.” Heyes finished his dinner. “What if there’s a problem, like a bank robbery, while only one of us is on duty?”
“I was thinkin’ of that, too.”
“Can’t let anything go wrong; the governor or Lom might hear about it.”
“I know. There’s two cells. We could put up blankets for privacy and sleep in one of them.”
“And give up the comfortable bed here?”
“You got a better plan?” Kid Curry raised a brow.
“Nope. I was gonna suggest sleeping in the cell, too.” Heyes stood and stretched. “We can try it out and, if it don’t work out, sleep here.”
“Thank you for the delicious meal, Mrs. Tucker.” Sheriff Jones stood and put his hat on. “Guess we better get over to the office.”
~ * ~ * ~ * ~
“Sheriff! Sheriff, come quick!” A teen ran down the street towards the jail.
Heyes and the Kid dropped the blanket they were hanging and ran outside.
“What is it?” Curry’s hand hovered over his gun.
“Otto from the El Dorado Saloon told me to get you. It’s Loco Logan.” The youth turned and hurried back towards the saloon with the new lawmen following.
Bang… Bang…
“How do you want to handle this?” Heyes asked.
“Just gonna disarm him. You wanna go in the front and distract him and I’ll go in the back and get his gun?”
“Sounds like a plan.”
Heyes walked into the saloon. “Howdy, Logan.”
The town’s drunk spun around. “Howdy, Deputy,” Logan slurred. “I just wanna drink and Otto here won’t give me none.”
Heyes noticed his partner quietly entering the back door and making his way towards the drunk. “How many have you had?”
“Not enough. I’m standin’, ain’t I?”
“How about putting the gun away before someone gets hurt?” Heyes suggested.
“Folks listen when I got my gun. No one pays no attention to me if I don’t have it.”
Heyes held out his hand. “I’m listening. How about giving it to me?”
“Nope, I… HEY!”
Kid Curry grabbed the gun from Logan’s hand and quickly unloaded the few bullets left. “I’ll give you your gun back if you give me the rest of your bullets.”
“Heck no.”
“Well, then I guess I’ll keep it locked up in the jail.”
“You puttin’ my gun in a cell and lockin’ it up?” Logan staggered and grabbed onto a chair.
Heyes quickly grabbed his arm to steady him. “The gun’s just going into the office, not a cell.”
“When was the last time you ate, Logan?” the Kid asked.
“Ah… Ah… I dunno.”
“How about a meal instead of more liquor? You can come to the office and talk with us,” Sheriff Jones suggested. “I can get you the special for the day and bring it to the office, while Deputy Smith...” He looked at Heyes.
Seeing the plea in his partner’s eyes, Heyes shrugged. “Sure. The sheriff will get you a meal and…” he sniffed, “and I'll get you cleaned up.”
~ * ~ * ~ * ~
An hour later, Logan was clean and finishing his meal at the desk. “You’re the best lawmen ever!” he exclaimed.
Heyes and Curry smiled.
“So, tell us about yourself, Logan,” Heyes encouraged as he handed him a cup of coffee.
“Well, I’m the town’s drunk.”
“You haven’t always been that. What’d you do before you came to Russell Gulch?”
“You ain’t gonna believe me.”
“Try us.” Curry sat down at the desk and began cleaning a rifle from the case.
“I was a deputy, just like you.” Logan pointed to Heyes. “Even had me a pretty gal I was courtin’.”
“Where was that?” Heyes asked. “When?”
“Oh shoot, about four years back in eastern Missouri. Thought I’d come west and get rich minin’ gold. Wanted to impress Edna Lou and her pa.”
“But no gold.” Curry wiped the rifle barrel.
“Actually, I found gold. How do you think I pay for my bottles?”
“So, what happened?” Heyes crossed his legs at the ankles.
“I telegraphed Edna Lou, but she was already marryin’ Albert. I drank a bottle when I got the news and never saw a reason to stop.”
Heyes sat up straight. “What if we give you a reason to stop drinking?”
Logan frowned. “What kinda reason you have in mind?”
“What about being a deputy again? You can give it a try while we’re here and see if you like it.”
“You’d give me a second chance?”
“Sure. Everyone makes mistakes and deserves a second chance. Right, Sheriff Jones?”
Curry smiled. “That’s right. I’ll go talk to Mr. Grove. But, Logan, no drinkin’. Not even a sip. We have a deal?”
Loco Logan stood up and held out his hand. “Deal!”
“So, what do we call you?” Heyes asked. “What’s your first name?”
Logan looked down and muttered.
Curry cocked his head. “What was that? Didn’t hear you.”
“Horatio… Horatio Logan.”
“Logan it is!” Heyes smiled.
“I’m gonna hold on to your gun until you prove yourself.” The Kid put the gun in a desk drawer.
“Yes, sir. I won’t let you down.”
~ * ~ * ~ * ~
Sheriff Jones and Deputy Smith went by the undertaker’s place in the morning to talk to the unofficial mayor, Milton Grove. A bell rang when they entered the door.
“Good morning, gentlemen.” Grove came out of the back room wiping his hands on a towel. “How can I help you? You don’t already have a customer for me, do you?”
Curry shook his head. “No, no new customers, but we do wanna talk to you.”
“Oh? About what? You’re not quitting already? We have a deal that you’ll stay at least through the week.”
“Oh, we plan on doing just that.” Heyes gave his best smile. “We’re here to talk about Logan.”
“Loco Logan? What’d he do now?”
“Do you, by chance, know anything about Logan? His background and why he escapes into a bottle?” Heyes asked.
“No, he’s just always been Loco Logan, the town drunk.”
“He was a deputy in Missouri with a pretty gal. Came west to find his fortune and, by the time he did, his gal was marrying someone else. Started drinking and never stopped.” Heyes paused. “We think he deserves a second chance at life…”
“And we could use another deputy,” Curry added.
“Ahh… Loco Logan is going to have to prove himself to me and the rest of the town. Won’t be easy giving up the bottle.”
Sheriff Jones nodded in agreement. “I told him not even a sip or the deal is off. What do you think?”
“I think if you two can convince him to stop drinking and clean up his life, the town would be willing to give him a second chance. Of course, we can’t pay him until we’re sure he’s dry.”
Heyes and Curry smiled.
“That’s what I was hopin’ to hear you say. Guess we’ll get back to work.” Sheriff Jones tipped his hat, and they left the building.
~ * ~ * ~ * ~
That afternoon, Heyes rested in the boarding house while Sheriff Jones and the newly deputized Logan made their rounds, especially the saloons.
“Gus, if you see Logan drink anything besides coffee, water, or sarsaparilla, I wanna hear about it.”
“You got it, Sheriff. Good luck to you, Deputy Logan.” Gus went back to wiping glasses clean. “Sure hope you can make this work.”
~ * ~ * ~ * ~
Deputy Smith walked around the quiet town of Russell Gulch in the wee hours of the morning, checking the alleys and back streets. He circled the bank, tried merchants’ doors, and peeked into windows. He walked over to the train depot and looked at the chalkboard for the next train due in.
He noticed a discarded train schedule and pocketed it.
~ * ~ * ~ * ~
Sheriff Jones walked into the office and poured himself a cup of coffee. “Mornin’, Joshua. Thanks for makin’ coffee. How’d it go last night?”
“Quiet.”
“Just like we want it. Mrs. Tucker is still makin’ breakfast, if you wanna head over there.”
“Think I will.” Heyes stood, stretched, and put on his hat before leaving.
~ * ~ * ~ * ~
Sheriff Jones sat at a desk covered with papers. “Who knew there was so much paperwork bein’ a sheriff!” Curry grumbled.
Heyes lay in a cot in the cell reading a book. “Lom probably knows.” He turned the page.
The Kid threw his pen down in frustration. “You wanna be the sheriff? You don’t mind paperwork.”
“Nope. Think I’ll stay the deputy and read this book.”
A stagecoach was heard passing the office. Heyes stood and put on his hat.
“Where you goin’?”
“I’m gonna check on who gets off the stage. See if it’s someone we know or someone who looks like trouble. Thinking we should probably always check the stage and train when they arrive.”
“Good idea.” The Kid picked up an apple from the corner of his desk.
“Have fun with your paperwork!” Heyes commented as he closed the door. A second later an object hit the doorframe and he grinned. “An apple a day...”
~ * ~ * ~ * ~
Deputy Logan’s hands shook as he held onto his coffee cup with both hands.
“How you doing, Logan?” Heyes asked.
“Wouldn’t be a lie to say I’ve felt better.”
“Haven’t had a sip, have you?” Heyes raised a brow.
“No sir!”
“Probably have the shakes ‘cause your body’s wanting it,” Heyes commented. “Stay strong and they’ll go away.”
“I know, but it ain’t easy.”
“Nothing worth wanting is easy.” Heyes went back to reading the train schedule.
~ * ~ * ~ * ~
About a week later, Sheriff Jones entered the jail. “Mornin’, Joshua.”
Heyes stood up and stretched. “Morning. What’s for breakfast?”
The Kid poured himself some coffee. “Ham, eggs, and toast.”
They heard a knock and the door opened. Milton Grove peered inside. “Oh, good. We were hoping you’d both be here. Come on in, gentlemen.”
Several men, including Gus and Earl, joined Grove inside.
“What can we do for you, Mayor Grove?” Curry stood behind the desk with Deputy Smith.
“It’s been a week and, well, we’re wondering if you’re going to stay?”
The former outlaws, now lawmen, made eye contact and both made a quick nod.
“If you’ll have us, we’re willin’ to stay for a month,” the sheriff said.
“And how are the accommodations? Everything okay?” asked the banker.
“Mrs. Tucker has been wonderful, and the new clothes were much appreciated,” Heyes commented.
“And the food is delicious,” the Kid added.
~ * ~ * ~ * ~
“Sheriff, come quick! The store’s bein’ robbed!” a boy shouted as he burst into the jail.
Sheriff Jones quickly rose from behind his desk and hurried out the door. “Which store?”
“McGregor’s Mercantile.” The youth followed behind.
“Deputy Smith is makin’ his rounds. Find him and let him know.” Curry picked up the pace down the block.
“Will do, Sheriff!” The boy turned down a side road. “Deputy Smith!” He stopped a friend. “Have you seen Deputy Smith?”
“Yeah, he was goin’ into the Gold Nugget a few minutes ago. What happened?”
“McGregor’s bein’ robbed and the sheriff told me to find Deputy Smith.”
~ * ~ * ~ * ~
Sheriff Jones backed against the outer wall of the store and pulled out his gun. He slowly took a step to peer into the window and then frowned. Holstering his weapon, he went into the store. “Mr. McGregor, I heard you were bein’ robbed.”
“Sheriff, I’m glad you came so quickly! Here they are!” Mr. McGregor held tight to the shirts of a boy and a girl; both had tears running down their faces.
“These kids were robbin’ you?” the Kid asked.
“Yes! And…”
Deputy Smith rushed into the store with his gun drawn. “What’s going on?”
“It appears these children were robbin’ Mr. McGregor.”
“Oh, I thought…”
“Me, too.”
“Are you two going to do something?” the storekeeper asked, exasperated.
“Of course.”
Deputy Logan ran into the store. “I heard the store was bein’ robbed so I came over to see if you needed me, Sheriff,” he panted, out of breath.
“Good timin’. Can you both take these kids over to the jail while I talk to Mr. McGregor?”
“Sure thing.” Heyes took the young girl by the shoulder. “Logan, you bring the boy. Let’s go.”
“We’re sorry, mister,” the girl sniffled.
“Yeah, sorry you got caught, I bet,” McGregor said.
Heyes and Logan escorted the two children down the street.
“So, tell me what happened.” Sheriff Jones crossed his arms in front of him and leaned against the counter.
“Well, I was helping one of the miners with his order. I turned my back for a few minutes when I noticed them both pocketing something.”
“What did they take?” asked the Sheriff.
“All this here on the counter.” McGregor pointed to some food items. “The girl had some cans in her pockets and the boy had a few apples and some jerky.”
“About how much do you figure they tried to take?”
“Oh, I’d say maybe $2.00.” The man did a few calculations in his head. “Actually, $2.05.”
“Anything you can’t sell now?”
“Those apples are probably bruised. Will be hard to sell them.”
Kid Curry pulled out a dime. “This should cover the apples, right?”
“That’ll cover them.” The man took the coin. “What are you going to do to them? Bad upbringing, if you ask me.”
“More like just hungry,” muttered the sheriff under his breath.
“What was that?” the storekeeper asked.
“Just commentin’ how there’s a little bad in everyone, Mr. McGregor.”
“Well, maybe, but you have to come down on them hard. Show them a life of crime doesn’t pay.”
“First I gotta find out where they belong.” The sheriff pushed off the counter, tipped his hat, and took the apples. He sighed as he walked out of the store and headed towards the jail.
~ * ~ * ~ * ~
Last edited by royannahuggins on Fri 04 Mar 2022, 10:39 pm; edited 4 times in total | |
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The cliffhanger 
on the other hand is a devious way to end. Can't wait until next week.