Around dusk, Alexis was on the back of Jimmy’s horse again. He and Buck had alternated carrying her to spell their horses. They had also tried to confuse Colter and throw him off their tracks. Teaspoon figured Colter would head straight for Rock Creek, but he wanted to try any way. He thought any little advantage would help.

Alexis had been quiet most of the day. Her head was throbbing and her body was stiff and sore. They weren’t moving as fast as they could, but they weren’t going slow either. She tried not to complain, knowing that these three men were risking their lives for her. If Robert’s brothers came after her, they would shoot anyone who got in their way. She was tired and wished they could just stop moving. It was now after dark, but Teaspoon kept pressing on. She had long since given up on trying to hold her head up, and had it resting on Jimmy’s back.

“How you doin’?” he asked as he felt her grip around him loosen.

“I’m alright,” she said feebily. “A little tired, but we can keep goin’.”

“Teaspoon,” Jimmy called out.

“Yeah, Jimmy?”

“Maybe we should stop.”

Teaspoon looked back at Alexis. She was pale and looked weak. “Yeah, I think you’re right. Let’s find a sheltered place and we’ll stop.”

When they made camp for the night, Buck helped Alexis off the horse and onto a blanket. She closed her eyes, thankful they weren’t moving anymore. Buck made a fire and Jimmy opened up their food bag, and pulled out dried venison and hardtack.

“Think you can eat, Alexis?” Teaspoon asked her.

“Yeah,” she said and sat up gingerly. “As long as it ain’t beans. That broth you fed me was terrible.” Her attempt at humor sounded weak and hollow to her. But she wanted to ease Teaspoon’s concerns.

“How you feelin’?” Buck asked.

“Better now that we’ve stopped. Thank you, all of you, for your help. Teaspoon, I’m sorry to drag you into this. I just didn’t know where else to turn. You’re as close to family as I’ve got.”

“Alexis, you know I’ll always help.” He looked at her and she avoided his eyes. She knew he wanted to know what happened, but she just couldn’t talk about it right now. All she wanted to do was sleep, and if she started talking it would become impossible. She put her untouched food down and then laid down and closed her eyes squeezing hard to keep the tears from escaping.

Teaspoon had a thousand questions he wanted to ask her. But he sensed that she wasn’t ready to talk. Well, maybe the trail wasn’t the best place to get into all of this. He watched as she appeared to fall asleep.

“Boys, we best get some sleep. I want to take off at dawn and get back to Rock Creek. I won’t rest ‘til she’s in a safe place.”

Jimmy and Buck finished their food and stretched out on their blankets. They knew nothing would be explained tonight and it was best to just get some sleep. Soon they were asleep as well. Teaspoon, however, sat up staring into the fire and thinking of Alexis and her father.

In the morning, everyone woke up early. After a brief breakfast they were back on the horses and heading home. They reached Rock Creek and went straight to the station. Noah took care of their horses and Rachel fixed them some food to eat.

Alexis was happy to stop. Her head hurt and she was sore from being on a horse for so long. She had been on the run for weeks and was relieved to know that the running may be over. She looked over at Teaspoon when he cleared his throat.

“Are you ready to talk now?”

“Yes,” she said with a sigh. She had hoped she could talk to him privately. But something about the way the two riders had gone out after him and helped her simply because he said he knew her, told her that these young men around her were Teaspoon’s friends and more importantly, family. If Teaspoon trusted them, that was all that mattered to her. She took a deep breath and looked up at Teaspoon.

“I got married young to a man who was charming. Unfortunately, that’s all he was. I mistook flattery and charm for love. He wasn’t really a bad man, at first. He never hit me and he never yelled at me, but he was cold. The fun, charming man that courted me disappeared when we got married.

“I was disappointed, but he was my husband and I wasn’t goin’ to leave just for that reason. He provided for us well enough. But he’d go drinkin’ at the saloon with his brothers sometimes. The first night he came home drunk I told him if he was goin’ to get like that he could just stay out with his brothers. But he never caused me any problems when he went on a drinkin’ binge.

“The last few months things had been better between us and I thought we were doin’ really good. Especially when I found out about the baby.”

“Baby?” Teaspoon asked.

“Yeah. About a month ago I found out I was gonna have a baby and couldn’t wait to tell Robert. I thought he’d be so happy.”

“He wasn’t.” Jimmy stated. It wasn’t a question; everyone knew the answer already.

“No. I told him that night at dinner. When I told him, he started yellin’ at me. He threw the dishes across the room and grabbed me out of my chair. He was shakin’ me and yellin’. Said how could I be so stupid as to get myself pregnant. Then he hit me.

“I was so shocked by the way he was acting. He’d never hit me before and at first I was just stunned. Then he threw me down and kicked me. I tried to protect myself, to protect our baby.

“I managed to get the shotgun and I pointed it at him. I wasn’t goin’ to let him hit me anymore, not without a fight. He grabbed for the gun and we struggled. He hit me with it and I lost consciousness.”

“Oh my word,” Lou said with her hands over her mouth.

“When I came to it was almost dawn. Robert was gone and I was in such pain. I knew I was losin’ the baby. I managed to get out to the barn and got on a horse and went to my father’s.”

She stopped and was temporarily unable to go on. She looked down at her hands. She was squeezing them together so hard they were white. She struggled to keep her composure and not break out into tears. It was such a relief to finally tell Teaspoon what happened, but she had to keep going. She knew once he had all the facts she could cry all she wanted.

The others sat in silence waiting for her to go on. She slowly looked up and wiped the few away the few tears that had fallen down her cheeks.

“When I finally got to my father’s house, I was in bad shape. He fetched the doctor to take care of me. My father was furious at what had happened. He wanted to go after Robert right then, but Claire tried to make him wait.”

“Who’s Claire?” Teaspoon asked.

“His new wife. He got remarried a few years ago. She was a wonderful woman. I really liked her a lot. It was nice to see my father happy after being without my mother for so long.”

“I know how hard her death was on him.”

“Yes it was,” said Alexis. Then she realized she had gotten sidetracked from her story. “My father went lookin’ for Robert, but he was gone. His brothers wouldn’t tell my father where he’d gone. So my father had a neighbor stay at the house and then he went to Miller’s Gulch to see the marshal there.”

“Why didn’t he just go to the marshal in town?” Kid asked.

“Robert’s brother, Seth, is the sheriff. He wouldn’t have done anything. The marshal in Miller’s Gulch was my father’s friend, and they sent word to the territorial marshal. My father never made it back to Fox Creek.”

“What happened?” Teaspoon asked.

“There was a storm the day he left Miller’s Gulch. There’s a sheer cliff on the way and his horse apparently fell.”

“You believe that?”

“No. Marshal Petersen said William, Robert’s brother, was there in town and left after my father did. There’s no proof, but I know they killed him. Robert showed up after the funeral and said I was his wife and he was takin’ me home.

“Claire and Mr. White ran him off, but we were scared he’d come back and cause problems. So we were going to go to her brother’s in St. Jo. The night before we were going to leave I woke up to smoke in the house. I ran for Claire, but Robert was there and grabbed me. He took me outside, and his brothers were standing there with torches. I screamed at them to get Claire and Mr. White out. But Robert said, ‘dead men tell no tales.’ And they left them to burn.”

“What did Robert do to you?” Jimmy asked.

“He took me back to our house. Beat me again. Said I wasn’t gonna shame him by leaving and I wasn’t gonna get him in trouble with the law. He said he’d fix it so everyone thought I’d killed Claire and Mr. White and then killed myself in my grief. Then he pulled his gun on me. I knew he would kill me. He’d killed the others, and he didn’t think anyone could stop him. We fought and the gun went off. He fell dead on top of me.”

“How horrible,” Rachel said.

“I knew his brothers would come after me, so I ran. Was runnin’ ‘til Colter found me. I didn’t know you were so close, or I would’ve come straight to you,” she said to Teaspoon.

“Teaspoon, what are you gonna do?” Kid asked.

“I’m gonna send word to Sam. I heard word he’s at Ft. Kearny.”

Alexis looked puzzled, so Teaspoon explained to her. “He’s a territorial marshal. We go back a long ways. Kid, I want you to ride like the devil was after you. Wait ‘til Sam comes with you. Drag him back by his neck if you have to.”

“And the rest of us?” Cody asked.

“Well, I’m gonna need you here to help protect Alexis from Colter and Robert’s brothers if they come after her.”

“How’d I know you were gonna say that?”

“’Cause you know me so well, Jimmy.”

“Teaspoon, are you gonna put me in jail?”

“Not unless I have to darlin’. I think we should have the doctor look at you. I can always have my ‘deputies’ here keep you under watch while you recouperate at Rachel’s.”

Two days later, Alexis was upstairs in Rachel’s spare bedroom. Rachel had taken her breakfast dishes down, and left to go to the school. Alexis was laying in bed looking at one of the dime novels Cody had given her the day before. After staring at the same page for 10 minutes, she finally put it down. She knew what her problem was, she hated being confined to bed.

Half an hour after she’d finished telling her story, Teaspoon had sent Kid off to get Sam Cain. The doctor had come to exam her, and confined her to bed to rest. After a day and a half in bed, she was going stir crazy. She looked over at her clothes that Rachel had washed, and made up her mind.

Downstairs, Jimmy was helping himself to some food that Rachel had left out. He grabbed an apple and some biscuits and settled back into a chair. Teaspoon had one person inside the house at all times in case Colter or the Dawes brothers came. It was quiet and Jimmy was tired from all the extra chores he’d been doing to make up for the time he’d been gone. He leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes. He snapped awake at the sound of a thud from upstairs.

Alexis looked up in fright when Jimmy burst through the door with his gun drawn. He quickly surveyed the room and realized she was alone. She was dressed and sitting on the edge of the bed. The chair in front of the dressing table had been knocked over.

“Jimmy? What’s wrong?”

“I heard a sound. I thought something was wrong.”

“I only knocked over the chair. Could you help me set it up please?”

Jimmy set the chair upright and helped her move from the bed. “What are you doing up?” he asked her.

“I was going to come downstairs.”

“Thought the doc said you were supposed to rest.”

She sighed and said, “I’m goin’ crazy in here. I’ve been in bed for a day and a half. I gotta get out.”

“Rachel would kill me if I let you. Not to mention Teaspoon.”

“Come on Jimmy. I’m fine. I just need to get up and about.”

“You knocked over the chair and could hardly walk over here. You’re not fine.”

“I’m a little weak, I’ll admit. But laying in bed all day ain’t gonna help either. Can’t you just help me downstairs, or to the bunkhouse? Then I can sit and rest there. I just need company.”

After a few more futile arguments from Jimmy, he finally relented. He had to admit the room was small and he could understand her desire to leave. As he helped her down the hall and down the stairs, he had his arm around her waist to help her walk. Something about her affected him, but he couldn’t quite place his finger on it.

Lou and Noah were sitting at the table playing a hand of cards when the door opened. They were surprised to see Alexis walk in with Jimmy. Jimmy explained that she wanted to get out of the house. Lou pulled a chair up to the table for Alexis to sit in. Alexis was grateful for it. All the tension and fear that had been sustaining her had left. Now she felt weak and tired, but was determined not to go back to bed.

They sat around talking and telling stories. Alexis listened as they told her about working for the Pony Express and the first time they met Teaspoon. She told them about when she was a little girl and her father and Teaspoon knew each other.

“Your father was a Texas Ranger?” Noah asked her.

“Yeah, for a little while. Not as long at Teaspoon. My mother was from Louisiana and didn’t really like Texas. My father didn’t want to go back east, so they compromised and went north.”

“I like your name,” Lou told her. “I’ve never heard it before.”

“Thank you. My father’s name was Alexander and he always wanted to name a son after him. But then I came along, so he wanted to call me Alexandra. My mother was of French descent and she suggested Alexis; she never liked Alexandra. Their whole life seemed to be a series of compromises, but they were always happy with the results.”

“So, how come the wanted poster said ‘Alex’ Dawes?” Lou asked.

“My husband never liked Alexis, so he always called me Alex. It stuck and everyone called me by it. I’m sure it also helped his brothers when they sent Colter after me. Everyone was expecting a man. I started going by Alexis Perkins again, and nobody ever thought that Alex Dawes might be a woman.

“I avoided people and towns and pulled every trick I could remember Teaspoon and my father talking about from trackin’ people. But I didn’t have much food and I was still healing. I found shelter at a small ranch with some kind people.

“Then suddenly Colter showed up one day and knew exactly who I was. Said he’d been asking around for Alexis Perkins and followed me easily.”

“Well, he musta thought he’d get that three hundred dollars for sure,” Noah said.

“Three hundred? He told me Seth was goin’ to pay him four. I knew it.”

“Knew what?” Jimmy asked.

“That Seth wasn’t goin’ to wait for a trial. The extra hundred must have been for Colter to keep his mouth shut.”

Cody and Teaspoon came into the bunkhouse just after Alexis had finished fixing lunch. They often just had sandwhiches for lunch, and as the two approached the bunkhouse they could smell something delicious.

“Mmm, what smells so good? Louise, you learnin’ how to cook on the side?” Teaspoon said walking inside. Then seeing Alexis he said, “what are you doin’ up?”

“Fixin’ lunch, what does it look like? I thought I’d make your favorite, rattlesnake chili.” As she motioned to Lou, Noah and Jimmy she winked at Teaspoon and said, “but I couldn’t convince any of them to get me a rattlesnake. So it’s rattlesnake chili, without the rattlesnake. You wanna eat, or you gonna be mad at me simply because I couldn’t stare at those four walls any longer?”

She put the food on the table and dished it up. Then not waiting for him to reply she sat down and began to eat. Teaspoon sighed and sat down as well. He was surprised she’d stayed in bed as long as she did.

“Teaspoon, you really eat rattlesnake?” Lou asked wrinkling up her nose.

“Why, Louise, you fix it right and you’ll never know you was eatin’ one.”

“I don’t know, Teaspoon, sounds crazy to me,” Jimmy said.

“Well, Jimmy, most things sound crazy the first time someone suggests it. But you do it enough times and it’s not that crazy anymore.”

After lunch they heard the sound of an approaching horse. They all stepped outside.

“Is it Kid?” Lou asked.

“No, it looks like Buck,” Cody said.

“He’s early, who’s up?” Teaspoon asked.

“I am,” Jimmy told him. He turned to go inside to get his gear.

“Hold up Jimmy. I want you to stick around. Who’s next?”

“I am,” Lou said. She raced inside and got her stuff. She got on her horse and headed off.

“Teaspoon,” Buck said getting off his horse and trying to catch his breath. He was also holding his shoulder, which they could see had been shot. “Teaspoon, I ran into Colter and some men on my way back. Colter was pretty mad. They’re not that far behind me.”

“Let’s get ready boys.”

“Hope Kid gets back soon.”

“So do I, Jimmy. So do I.”

“Marshal Hunter?”

“Can I help you?” Teaspoon said looking up from his chair. Jimmy and Noah were also sitting in the office. Buck and Cody were back at the bunkhouse with the doctor tending to Buck’s shoulder that had been shot.

“Yes, sir, I’m the sherrif of Fox Creek. I’ve heard you might have a prisoner of mine by the name of Alex Dawes.”

“Yes, Mr. Dawes, I have Alexis,” he said to show he knew who Seth was. Alexis moved out of the shadows of the cell.

“Good. Then you won’t mind releasing her to my custody.”

“Actually, I do. See, I sent word to the territorial marshal. I’m expecting word back any time now.”

“I’ve got a warrant for her. She’s to stand trial for murder.”

“Way I hear it, she shot your brother in self defense,” Jimmy said.

“Stay out of this boy. It ain’t none of your concern. I’ve got a posse ready to take her back.”

“Who? Colter and your brothers? We both know she won’t make it there alive.”

“What are you saying?” he yelled at Jimmy standing toe to toe with him.

“Now hold on Jimmy, sit down,” Teaspoon said. Turning to Seth he said, “I’ve got her in my jail and I’ll keep her there ‘til I hear otherwise from the territorial marshal.” As if on cue, though it surprised everyone, Kid came in through the door. “Teaspoon,” he said.

“Kid? You find the territorial marshal?”

“Yeah I did. Sam, a deputy, and a judge are behind me. I got an order says that you’re supposed to keep Alexis here ‘til they arrive.”

“Let me see that,” Seth said grabbing it from Kid. He read it and turned to Alexis. “Looks like you’re gonna have a trial here. Too bad there ain’t any witnesses to help you.” Then he dropped the paper on the floor and walked outside. He said to something to Colter and his brothers. Then the four men went down the street to the hotel.

“Kid, you got here just in time,” Teaspoon said. The relief was evident in his voice.

“But it won’t help,” Alexis said.

“What?”

“Noah, Seth is right. I’ve got no witnesses. It’s gonna be my word against the three of them.” She sat down on the cot and leaned her head back against the wall.

“Isn’t there someone who’d be willing to help you?” Kid asked.

“I don’t know.”

“Think Alexis,” Teaspoon prodded.

“The doctor maybe. He saw me the night I lost my baby. And Marcus White was there when Robert threatened me after my father’s funeral.”

“Thought you said Mr. White died in the fire?” Teaspoon asked her.

“It’s his son,” Alexis explained.

“Alright, Noah, I want you and Cody to head to Fox Creek. Get the doctor and Marcus. And hurry.”

“Yes, Teaspoon,” Noah said and ran off to get Cody.

On to Chapter 9!