royannahuggins
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Join date : 2013-10-13
 | | Sheriff Jones and Deputy Smith - Part 2 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 2
by Penski
“Sorry to wake you! The sheriff told me not to, but he’s in trouble!”
“What kind of trouble?” Heyes started walking quickly from the boarding house. “Where’s Thaddeus?”
Logan hurried behind him. “In front of the Gold Nugget. You see, there’s a gunslinger, Homer Wilson, who called out one of the miners for his stake. Sheriff didn’t give me a chance to tell him that Wilson has others with him.”
“How many?”
“Three of 'em. I didn’t see 'em in the street, though.”
Heyes started running.
~ * ~ * ~ * ~
“And who are you?” Homer Wilson spat at his new adversary.
“Jones. Sheriff Jones.”
“And just how are you gonna stop me, Sheriff Jones?” Wilson sneered.
“Well, to start, I’m gonna point out that it’s not a fair fight. You really should pick on folks who can at least shoot.” Curry stood near the miner. “It’s Harold, right?”
“Yessir.”
“What’d you do to irritate him?”
“Wouldn’t give him the deed to my land.”
“Land for sale?”
“No, sir. I’m workin’ it and it’s producin’. Don’t wanna sell.”
Curry turned to face the gunslinger. “You know my name. What’s yours?” he asked in a louder voice.
“Homer Wilson. Probably heard of me. I have a reputation for never losin’ a gun fight.”
“Is that so? Well, Wilson, Harold here doesn’t want to sell his stake. I’m not gonna let you shoot a man for his land.”
“And who’s gonna stop me?”
“Me!” Kid Curry stepped forward. “Harold, get outta here. Go in the saloon and tell Gus I said to keep you safe.”
“Thanks, Sheriff!” Harold ran onto the boardwalk and into the saloon.
“So, you think you can shoot, huh, lawman?”
Curry did a single nod, his eyes never leaving his opponent. “I can usually hit what I aim for, if that’s what you’re askin’. However, I’m tellin’ you to put your gun away and leave the area.”
“Afraid I can’t do that, Sheriff, ‘cause of my reputation. Never walked away from a fight.” Homer Wilson's fingers curled and flexed. “And I ain’t plannin’ to start now.”
“Well, it’s your call.” Blue eyes went glacial, and arms went down straight to his side.
~ * ~ * ~ * ~
Heyes came to an abrupt stop as he saw the action unfolding. “Where are they?” He glanced at the rooftops and windows.
Logan almost bumped into Deputy Smith with the quick stop and began looking around, too.
“There!” Heyes pointed to a rifle barrel peering over a false roof front.
“I see another one over here.” Logan pointed to a curtain moving to the side and a gun pointing down from a second-floor window.
“Where’s the third!?” Heyes frantically scanned the area again. As the event escalated, he pulled out his gun. “You stay outta the way; I have to take a stance behind Thaddeus. I’ll get the one on the rooftop and you get the one behind the curtain.”
“Sure thing, Smith!”
Heyes walked into the street.
Logan took off running as fast as he could.
~ * ~ * ~ * ~
Curry tensed as he heard footsteps behind him.
Heyes spoke quietly as he approached his partner. "It's only me, Thaddeus."
A split second later, Wilson went for his gun.
Catching the glint of sunlight on metal out of the corner of his eye, Kid Curry drew, shot and then turned to his right. He fired again.
Heyes shot above Curry’s head and the rifle barrel’s aim was affected when the bullet hit it. The rifle’s shot went up and hit the Gold Nugget sign.
Logan barged into the room with the second-floor gunman. “Hold it right there!”
The gunman turned and fired, but the deputy’s bullet found its mark, hitting the man in the right arm. His hand wavered as he fired.
Logan gasped as a bullet grazed his thigh.
Heyes rushed up to the rooftop. “I wouldn’t do that if I were you. Put it down!” Dark eyes and an unwavering gun pointed at the man.
“Don't shoot – I surrender!” The gunman put his rifle down and held up his hands.
Homer Wilson lay in the street bleeding. The third gunman clutched his bleeding shoulder in an alley.
“Get the doctor!” Sheriff Jones commanded.
~ * ~ * ~ * ~
The doctor was in the cell bandaging up a shoulder and an arm. The uninjured gunman sat in the cell surrounded by the blanket.
Deputy Smith paced the office.
Morton Grove, the mortician and honorary mayor, came into the sheriff’s office. “See you gave me a customer, Sheriff Jones. Have a name for me?”
Kid Curry sighed. “Homer Wilson.” He pointed to the board on the wall covered with posters. “He was wanted.”
Grove looked around at the cells. “This could have been so much worse. Good job, Sheriff. Deputies. Excellent work.”
The doctor finished with the prisoners and saw Deputy Logan leaning on the desk, a bloody bandanna around his thigh. “You, too?”
Logan nodded. “Just a graze.”
“Looks like it’ll need stitches. Think you can make it to my office?”
“Sheriff?” Logan looked questioningly at his boss.
“Go. Get your leg properly looked at and take the rest of the day off. See you in the mornin’.” The Kid took a seat behind his desk.
“Thank you, sir.”
“I’ll help. You can lean on me, Deputy Logan.” Grove offered him an arm. “You’re really proving yourself, especially today.”
Logan limped out of the office with the doctor, his arm over Grove’s shoulder as the mortician helped him keep weight off the leg.
Heyes continued to pace the office.
The Kid watched his deputy. “Would you sit down?”
Heyes turned toward his partner, his eyes dark with anger. “Haven’t you forgotten something?” he spat.
“Joshua…”
“ME!” Heyes kicked a chair and sent it flying backwards. “You forgot your partner! How am I supposed to back you up if you don’t even tell me what’s going on? Yeah, Logan told me you said to let me sleep. Well, I’m sleeping in here from now on because I can’t trust my partner to get me!”
“You done?” the Kid asked calmly.
Heyes took a deep breath and slowly released it.
“I was wrong. Thank you for bein’ there to back me up.”
“Logan told me there were three more. He didn’t have a chance to tell you. We found the two, but not the third.” Heyes uprighted the chair and sat down.
“I was already takin’ in all that was happenin’. I should've let Logan talk.” Curry pulled out a pint bottle from the far back corner of a drawer and handed it to Heyes. “It was pure luck that third fella's gun caught the sun when it did.”
Heyes took a drink and passed the bottle back. “You killed him.”
Curry took a deep swallow. “I saw the other gun and knew I couldn’t just wound him and take the chance that I'd get the other one before he got me. Wilson was good. I felt the bullet as it whizzed by, just missin’ me.” Kid Curry stood and showed his partner a mark on his leather vest.
“That was close. Too close.” Brown eyes locked with blue as the two men shared a moment of silent resignation.
“I know.” The Kid glanced down at his vest. “Thank goodness Logan didn’t listen to me and got you. I’ll have to thank him tomorrow.”
“You okay?” Heyes asked.
“I will be, partner.” Curry stood and removed Wilson’s wanted poster from the board. “I will be.”
~ * ~ * ~ * ~
Kid Curry wiped the barrel of the office rifle. “Hey, Logan, can you do me a favor?”
“What’s that, Sheriff?”
“Can you run over to the boarding house and bring me back some lunch? I wanna finish cleanin’ these rifles.”
“Sure!” Logan walked over to the Tucker Boarding House and knocked on the door.
Mrs. Tucker opened the door and removed her apron. “Oh, Deputy Logan, do come in!”
“Thank you, ma’am.” The deputy removed his hat and came in. “You look lovely today.”
“Aren’t you kind.” The widow blushed. “How may I help you?”
“Sheriff Jones is in the middle of cleaning guns and asked me to come get his lunch.”
“Oh, yes, let me get it for you. You’re becoming quite the talk of town, you know.”
“Ma’am?”
“Everyone is commenting how much you’ve changed for the better. I’m proud of you and what you’re doing.”
“Thank you, ma’am.” Now it was Logan who blushed. “I couldn’t have done it without Sheriff Jones and Deputy Smith believing in me.”
~ * ~ * ~ * ~
Kid Curry was finishing his paperwork, Heyes was reading, and Logan was cleaning a rifle.
“No wonder lawmen are so grouchy.” Curry rubbed his eyes. “Too much paperwork to do just to transfer those three prisoners.”
A train whistle blew in the distance.
Heyes quickly stood and put on his hat. “Wanna come and check out the train?”
Sheriff Jones threw down his pen and stood. “I need a break. You comin’, Logan?”
“Sure, why not.” The deputy set the rifle down on a bench.
The three lawmen neared the depot when the train arrived. The engine slowed to a crawl and a steam plume released into the air. People moved forward to greet their friends or relatives, drum up business to take the passengers to their destinations, or unload supplies.
Arms crossed, Deputy Smith and Sheriff Jones leaned against a building watching the action while Deputy Logan assisted a man struggling with a large trunk.
Heyes straightened as he looked down the line of rail cars. He tapped his partner and pointed. “Think we have a problem, Kid,” he whispered so only Curry heard.
Slinking out of a freight car were three dangerous looking men.
“Is that…”
“Yep, the Carter brothers – Dave, Dan, and Darryl,” Heyes continued.
“And they know us.”
Heyes nodded. “Yep, and probably still hold a grudge against us for kicking them outta the Hole.”
“Let’s see what they’re up to, then figure out what we’re gonna do about them.” Curry drew his gun as he slid around the building and behind a waiting wagon, Heyes following.
“Dagnabbit, where are we now?” Dave asked as he and his brothers hurried from the rail car and then stopped to eye their surroundings.
“Russell Gulch, Colorado.” Darryl pointed to the depot sign. “Hopped on another wrong train going in the wrong direction, Dan.”
“Russell Gulch…” Dan rubbed his chin. “Ain’t this a minin’ town? A successful minin’ town?” He grinned. “Looks prosperous, too. Maybe we can relieve the town of some of its money.”
Darryl put an arm about Dan’s shoulders. “Maybe it wasn’t a wrong train after all.”
~ * ~ * ~ * ~
“Dang! Things were goin’ so smoothly, too, for three weeks.” Kid Curry threw his hat on the desk, making a few pieces of paper float down to the floor. “Argh…” He bent down and picked them up.
Logan walked into the office. “Lots of activity by the train – folks comin’ and goin’.”
“Logan, can you do your rounds earlier than normal? Make sure everyone is settlin’ in and there’s no trouble?” Sheriff Jones plopped into his chair.
“Sure, Sheriff.” Deputy Logan checked his gun, as he was taught, and walked out of the office.
Heyes handed a cup of coffee to the Kid and sat down in front of him. “They’ll call us out as soon as they see us.”
“Yep.”
“Probably make a commotion.”
“Yep.”
“Try robbing the bank, if we don’t do anything.”
“Yep.”
“So, what do you wanna do, Sheriff Jones?”
“You wanna be the sheriff?”
“Nope. You’re doing a fine job.” Heyes blew on his coffee and took a tentative sip.
The Kid held his head in his hands. “They don’t know Logan.”
“What?” Heyes asked.
“Carter brothers don’t know Deputy Logan.” Curry looked up. “What if he arrests them, with us in the background?”
“And then what?”
“Well, we can contact the area’s marshal to come and get them so he’s on his way even before the arrest. We can make sure they don’t leave town. Maybe we can let Logan know the prisoners can’t see us.”
“We could stay more on the porch watching the town and run things,” Heyes added.
“Rearrange that blanket so we can get to that small cell through the back door, so they don’t see us.” The Kid took a sip of coffee.
“Too bad we can’t just put them in the covered cell.”
“I thought about that, but that’d look suspicious.” The Kid ran his fingers through his hair. “Think the marshal might know us?”
“I don’t wanna risk that, do you?” Heyes raised a brow.
“No. Logan could do the turnin’ over to the marshal, too.
Heyes smiled. “I think we have a plan.”
“A plan… Not the best plan.” Curry took another sip.
~ * ~ * ~ * ~
Sheriff Jones joined Deputy Logan on his rounds. “How’s everything?”
“Good, Sheriff. Real good. I just have to check a few more places.”
“Notice anyone new?”
“Not yet. Well, in the hotel lobby, of course.”
The Kid smiled. “Of course.”
Logan pointed down the street. “Joshua’s goin’ into the Wells Fargo office.”
“Yep, I asked him to send a telegram.” Curry stopped at the door of the Gold Nugget Saloon. “Think I’ll check the back door while you go in the front. Oh, and Logan, pocket your badge for a spell.”
“Take off my badge?”
Curry nodded. “Just while you’re in the Gold Nugget.”
“Okay, if you say so.” Deputy Logan removed his badge and put it in his pocket. He went up to the bar and turned so he could see the customers in the saloon.
“Howdy, Logan,” Gus greeted his old customer. “Can I get you something?”
Logan looked around the room and saw strangers at a table in the corner. He also saw the sheriff slide in through the back door with his gun drawn, quickly glance about, and exit the saloon. “Huh.”
“Did you want something?” Gus repeated.
“No. No thanks, Gus. Think I’ll just mosey back.” Logan took a good look at the men before leaving the saloon.
“You knew there was trouble in there before you even saw inside,” Logan stated as he met the sheriff near the office. “How?”
“Me and Joshua saw them get off the train and since they weren’t in another saloon, they had to be there,” the Kid replied. “Let’s go back into the office and talk.”
They walked in the office just as Heyes started moving the blanket.
“Sent it,” Heyes said without being asked.
Curry nodded as he sat down behind his desk. “Logan, have a seat.”
The deputy looked between Sheriff Jones and Deputy Smith, then sat down. “What’s goin’ on?”
“Remember us tellin’ you we believe in second chances?”
The man nodded. “Yeah.”
“Well, me and Joshua have to believe ‘cause we’re hopin’ for a second chance from the law.”
“You and Joshua are…”
“Were! We were on the other side of the law; we’ve seen the errors of our ways.”
Heyes finished arranging the blanket and joined them, leaning against the desk and folding his arms. “Those men are the Carter brothers.”
“Carter brothers!? Why, they’re wanted for robbery and murder! Let’s go get ‘em!” Logan jumped up and pulled his gun.
“Sit down, Logan,” Sheriff Jones commanded. “Not yet.”
Logan sat down. “Why not?”
“Because the Carters know us,” Heyes said simply.
Logan furrowed his brow. “Because you rode together?”
“No, because we didn’t stand for no murderin’!” the Kid exclaimed.
“But they do know us from the outlaw trail,” Heyes continued. “Need to arrest them, but they can’t see the two of us. I already sent the marshal a message and he’s on his way.”
“Can I assume this marshal can’t see you either?”
“That’s right. The Carters and the marshal can’t see us,” Kid Curry replied.
“So how we gonna arrest them and…” Logan looked at the sheriff and deputy, gulped, and pointed to himself. “Me?”
Heyes and the Kid smiled.
“We’re gonna be there and back you up so you won’t be alone. If there’s a problem, we’ll come outta the background.” Sheriff Jones leaned forward. “You can do this, Deputy Logan. We have full confidence in you.”
“So, after the arrest…”
“You’ll bring them back here. Now I’m gonna have to ask you to be here at the jail 24 hours a day until you turn them over to the marshal. I know that’s a lot to ask. Either me or Joshua will be on the porch or in the small cell with the blanket. Joshua made it so we could enter through the back door and not be seen by anyone in the other cell.”
“We’ll do all the rounds, get the meals, and do everything else. You just have to watch over the prisoners and their needs,” Heyes continued. “Once they’re in their cell, no wearing your gun or keeping the keys. We’ll be nearby so you just have to yell if you’re in trouble.”
“What if they have to go on back and use the outhouse?” Logan asked.
“They can’t. Me and Joshua will be takin’ the chamber pot outside and cleanin’ it. Your job is to stay with the prisoners all the time.”
“What about sleeping?”
“Sorry, but you’ll have to sleep at the desk,” Heyes apologized. “But we’ll be in the cell behind the blanket watching the prisoners. We’ll bring you and the prisoners their meals, but will have to leave them right outside the door,” Heyes instructed the new deputy.
“What if I have to… you know. I don’t wanna use a pot in front of the prisoners.”
“Just rap, alertin’ me and Joshua, whenever you have to go outside.” Sheriff Jones smiled. “You’ll be the town’s hero for bringin’ them in, Deputy Logan. This’ll win the town’s confidence and appreciation. What do you think?”
Logan thought a moment. “If you’re backin’ me up and gonna be here, too…” he hesitated. “Okay.”
Heyes and Curry smiled in relief.
“I got one question, though. Who are you? Really?”
Heyes sighed. “Logan, we’re Joshua Smith and Thaddeus Jones trying real hard to lead a good and decent life, just like you.”
“So, you’re not gonna tell me.”
“Nope!” Sheriff Jones stood up and got three handcuffs off a hook. “Let’s go get us some really bad guys.”
~ * ~ * ~ * ~
“I’ll be by the back door. Joshua, you stand by the stairs. No one should see you in that dark corner and you can see everything. Logan, walk in the front, easy as you can, and quietly let Gus know. He’s got that rifle behind the bar and will help you.”
“What if someone asks where you two are?”
“I’m at the boarding house asleep and the sheriff took a ride to check on…?” Heyes looked over to Curry.
“A complaint at a ranch?” the Kid offered.
Heyes nodded. “That’ll work.”
“Give us five minutes to get in place and then go inside the saloon.” Curry started to turn, but then clapped Logan’s shoulder. “You’re gonna go from the town drunk to the town hero. You can do this!”
Logan nodded. “Don’t you worry none, Sheriff. I can do this, especially with Gus and you two watching my back.”
Sheriff Jones nodded, then he and Deputy Smith disappeared down an alley.
~ * ~ * ~ * ~
Deputy Logan placed his pocket watch back in his vest pocket, took a deep breath, and walked into the Gold Nugget. He noticed the shadows of Deputy Smith and Sheriff Jones near the back door, and the Carter brothers still sitting in the corner.
Gus finished pouring for another customer and came over when Logan quietly beckoned him.
“I got it on good authority that those men in the corner are wanted for murder. Sheriff Jones and Deputy Smith aren’t available, so I need you to back me up with your rifle,” Logan whispered.
Gus’ eyes widened. “You’re arresting them all by yourself?”
“No, you’re gonna help me disarm and get these cuffs on. Once that’s done, I can get them to jail.”
“Okay.” Gus bent down and came up with his rifle in his hand.
Deputy Logan confidently walked over the corner table and pulled out his gun, holding it to the head of Darryl Carter. “Carters, I’m arresting you for murder! Unless you want this brother to get his head blown off, you'll all put your hardware on the table – NOW!”
Dave and Dan Carter looked up at the deputy in shock and then to Darryl, who gulped.
“Now what makes you think we’re the Carters?” Dan asked.
Several clicks of guns were heard in the saloon.
Darryl held his breath and then sighed when the gun at his head clicked. “Think we better do as the deputy says.” He slowly reached down and put his gun on the table.
Dan and Dave also complied, looking around at all the guns aimed at them.
Gus came closer with his rifle. “Jack, get them guns for Deputy Logan while we got ‘em covered.”
A customer nodded and put the guns on a table further away.
“Jack, hold this gun here while I put cuffs on them,” Logan ordered.
“Sure thing, Deputy.” The young man took the gun and kept it at Darryl Carter’s head while Logan put cuffs on all three brothers.
“Okay, now slowly stand and walk over against the wall. Spread your legs. Gus and Jack, keep me covered while I check ‘em for more hardware.”
Heyes and Curry spared a quick glance at each other and smiled. Heyes hurried out the back while the attention was on the arrest.
When the search was over and with the Carters handcuffed, Deputy Logan breathed a sigh of relief. “Thanks, Gus, I couldn’t have done it without you. Can you help me get them to the jail, Jack?”
“Sure thing!”
“That was something, Deputy Logan!” Gus complimented his former customer. “And you did it without the sheriff.”
“But I had help from everyone here.” Logan started heading towards the door. “I got a nice cozy cell for you boys until the marshal comes to pick you up.”
Deputy Logan paraded his prisoners down the center of the street. Folks quickly got out of his way and stared. Dave Carter tried to make a run for it, but several well-placed shots by his feet from an unknown source made him stop.
Jack opened the jail’s double door to let the deputy and his prisoners enter. Several minutes later the Carter brothers were safely jailed and backed up to the bars so Logan could remove the cuffs.
“You behave yourselves and I won’t put the cuffs back on.” Deputy Logan hung the cuffs and key on hooks on the other side of the room. “Thanks for your help, Jack.”
“Any time, Deputy Logan.” Jack looked at the lawman with admiration in his eyes as he left.
Logan sighed and dropped into the desk chair. “I really did it!”
The Carter brothers sat dejectedly on the cots.
“That was definitely another wrong train you got us on, Dan,” Darryl lamented.
A light rap at the window made Logan stand and go to the door. Sheriff Jones motioned him outside and around into the alley where Deputy Smith stood.
“That was brilliant putting a gun to one of their heads.” Heyes clapped his arm about Logan.
“You did an amazing job, Deputy! I knew you could do it!” Curry praised his employee.
Logan beamed. “My training as a deputy before all came back when I walked into the saloon.”
~ * ~ * ~ * ~
Sheriff Jones and Deputy Smith walked around the town making their rounds.
“Sheriff, you should have seen Deputy Logan arrest those dangerous men!”
“Logan did a great job arresting those men!’
“He did it by himself, without you two!”
“Who would have though Loco Logan was would become such a great deputy!”
“He’s a hero, Deputy Jones!”
“Yep, best decision I made was to hire Deputy Logan,” boasted Milton Grove, the honorary mayor.
~ * ~ * ~ * ~
Heyes walked onto the boardwalk outside the jail and threw a piece of paper on Curry’s lap. “Guess who the area’s marshal is?”
Kid Curry winced. “Someone we know.”
“Yep, Marshal Dillon.”
Curry closed his eyes. “When’s he arrive?”
“Says in about four days.”
“Well, we’ll just have to stay outta sight.”
~ * ~ * ~ * ~
“Hey, Dave.” Darryl kicked his brother. “The deputy’s sleepin’. Bet if we make lots of noise so he couldn’t sleep, he’d be makin’ errors and we could escape.”
“Sounds like a plan. Did you hear, Dan?”
“Of course. It’s not like we’re not just a few feet away in this cell.” Dan picked up a metal mug. “Ready?”
The two brothers nodded and the three clanged on the bars and started shouting.
“I’d stop, if I were you,” came a deep voice from the covered cell.
“How you gonna stop us?”
A gun hammer clicked. “Wanted dead or alive. Your choice.”
“Who are you, mister?”
“Someone helpin’ the deputy there. Now sit down and be quiet while he sleeps.”
~ * ~ * ~ * ~
Marshal Dillon and his deputy rode into town on the prison wagon and tied it in front of the jail early in the morning.
Sheriff Jones, on his way back from his rounds, quickly ducked into an alley, then hurried to the back door of the jail and into the covered cell to wake Heyes.
The Kid put a hand on his sleeping partner and motioned him to be quiet when he woke. “Dillon’s here,” he whispered.
Marshal Dillon stretched his back and then opened the jail’s main door.
Deputy Logan quickly went for his gun. “May I help you?”
The marshal nodded with approval. “I’m Marshal Dillon and I'm here to relieve you of some prisoners.”
“May I see some identification to prove that you are who you say you are?”
The marshal pulled a piece of paper from his pocket and put it on the desk. “Very good training, Deputy. And you are?”
“Deputy Logan, sir.” He checked the paper and visibly relaxed. “Glad you’re here, Marshal. I’ll be really glad to have them outta here.”
The marshal went over the cell where Dave, Dan, and Darryl Carter stood in a row with their hands gripping the bars. “Thought I’d never get you three. Will be my pleasure to take them to Denver for trial.” The marshal looked around the room. “Is the sheriff around?”
“We ain’t never seen a sheriff,” Dan snorted. “Just this here deputy.”
“Sheriff Jones was called outta town, Marshal Dillon,” Logan explained. “Will you be staying the night?”
“No, we slept pretty good in Cooperstown. Plenty of daylight left. I have some papers for you to sign, since the sheriff isn’t available, and I’ll take them off your hands.” Dillon pulled some paperwork out of a pocket.
Logan signed the papers and returned them.
“How’d you know they were the Carters? Few people know what they look like.”
“They were pointed out to me, sir, so I quickly arrested them.”
“Mighty fine job, Deputy!” the marshal praised him as he returned the paperwork to his pocket. “Deputy Scott, can you help me? Carters, turn around and back up so we can get chains on you.”
While Scott cuffed the Carters, Dillon nodded his head towards the covered cell. “What’s with the blanket around the cell?”
“Oh, Deputy Smith or I sleep in there, especially with the Carters in the jail.”
“Good idea.” The marshal held out his hand. “The key?”
“Oh, here you go.” Logan retrieved it from the hook and opened the cell door.
Minutes later, the Carter brothers, Marshal Dillon, and Deputy Scott were rolling out of Russell Gulch.
“They’re gone—all of ‘em.” Logan sunk into a chair and breathed a sigh of relief.
Sheriff Jones and Deputy Smith came out from behind the blanket.
“Logan, you did a great job!” the sheriff exclaimed.
“You sure did!” the deputy agreed.
“This calls for a drink – I’m buyin’!” Grinning, Curry headed towards the door, but stopped short when his partner put a hand on his arm.
“Hey Thaddeus, you’ve been thinking a bit too much lately about the Carters that you might’ve forgotten something this time.”
Curry looked puzzled for a second and then it hit him. “Oh… drink.”
“A sarsaparilla sounds perfect!” Deputy Logan stood up, put his hat on, and walked out of the office. Sheriff Jones and Deputy Smith exchanged a shrug and then followed behind.
~ * ~ * ~ * ~
Sheriff Jones sighed as he put the stack of papers together and tapped them on the desk to straighten the pile. “Done!”
Deputy Smith looked up from the book he was reading. “So soon?”
“That’s not funny, Heyes.” He got up and poured himself a cup of coffee. “You want some?”
“Sure.” Heyes began reading again.
Curry went over to the cot with the two full cups. “Think you can put that book down for a few minutes and talk?”
Heyes looked up. “Oh, sure.” He glanced back down at the book.
“Heyes!”
“I’m finishing a paragraph. Sheesh!” He marked his page, sat up and took the proffered coffee. “What’d you wanna talk about?”
“I think we should talk about what’s next. We’ve been here about a month.”
“Did you talk to the mayor about when the replacement is coming?”
“Yeah. I think we’re doin’ such a good job that they’re not in no hurry for anyone else to come.”
Heyes smiled. “I had a feeling you’d be a good sheriff.”
Curry made a face. “You sure complained about me bein’ sheriff at the beginnin’.”
“I was just teasing you, Kid.”
Curry shook his head. “I don’t think so. The fact is, though, that we’ve been dang lucky no one knows who we are yet. How long will it hold out?”
“Lucky? I don’t think you having to kill Homer Wilson was lucky. And we came close with the Carter boys seeing us.”
“Don’t forget Marshal Dillon.”
Heyes raked his fingers through his hair. “I see what you mean. It’s time to move on.”
The Kid nodded. “But we can’t just leave. Have to make sure there’s a replacement for us. Feel like we kinda owe it to the town.”
“Yeah, I’ve gotten kinda attached to it myself.”
“Almost feels like home, don’t it?”
“We can’t be thinking like this; we’ll get careless and caught. You’re right; we have to come up with a plan.” Heyes took a sip of coffee. “What about Logan?”
“I think Logan would be good as sheriff, but would the town think so? Some still see him as the drunk he was.”
“What if Logan got married? That’d make him look more respectful. And a good woman can make sure he doesn’t go back to his old ways.”
Curry smiled. “How about widow Tucker? They’re about the same age.”
“True. And those kids need a father.”
“They sure do! It was good of the widow to take them in.”
“Now, how to get them together…” Heyes began to pace as his brain formulated a plan. Suddenly, he stopped and snapped his fingers. “I've got it! How about you send Logan over to get me this afternoon. I’ll take my time going downstairs, giving them an opportunity to talk.”
“And you can see if there’s any attraction between ‘em.”
Heyes nodded. “That's the plan, partner.”
~ * ~ * ~ * ~
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