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DISCLAIMER: This fan fiction was inspired by the film "The Quick and The Dead", story and characters wholly and completely owned by others. No offense or infringement is intended.
He looked up when he heard the horse and saw Cort; he was too relieved to notice at first that Cort didn’t look right. As he approached, Doc called down the street to Ellen and moved out to stop Cort’s horse. Doc looked up at the Marshall his white shirt stained with blood a soaked bandana on his head, and his shoulder held in a position shoulders didn’t go. Cort looked at Doc and Doc reached up just in time as he tumbled from the horse to the street. Ellen ran up as Doc called to one of the men in front of the hotel to get a couple of men to help him move Cort. Ellen knelt beside Cort waiting for his eyes to open, thinking strangely not about the blood but about how if he would open his eyes everything would be all right. As the men carried him to Cort’s place, a dark haired man watched from the door of the Saloon. He was disappointed by the Marshall’s condition, but looking around the town saw an opportunity to use the waiting time wisely. This town had possibilities for a smart man with ambition.
Ellen hadn’t let go of Cort’s hand since he had been brought in, Doc had fixed his dislocated shoulder binding his right arm to his chest, he had stitched up his head and given him a potion of Laudanum to keep him quiet. Ellen just sat looking at him; she was amazed that no one had questioned the fact that she was alive or that she was sitting by Cort’s bed. She slowly realized that most of the people in town either expected her to be here with Cort, or didn’t know who she was, so they just wondered how she knew the Marshall. Doc hadn’t even questioned it, she began to wonder how much Doc knew or suspected about their involvement. About 6 Cort stirred and woke up she reached for the bottle of Laudanum, but Cort smiled and squeezed her hand, immediately falling back to sleep. She just sat in the semi dark and watched him sleep.
Sam couldn’t see anything, but he was an expert on the sound of voices and way people walked. While plaiting a rope in front of the saloon he heard a voice that triggered a memory, he listened intently for a few minutes yes, it was definitely one of the men from the ravine camp site. He set aside his work and walked the familiar route to the old gun shop. Sam found Doc outside the gun shop and he conveyed what he had heard at the saloon. Doc sat down on the porch, no way he could tell Cort any of this, and he wouldn’t tell Ellen. He decided it would have to just wait until tomorrow.
Margaret opened the store back up after lunch, Ben was doing well and the store had to open it was the only place in town to purchase necessary things. As soon as she opened the doors a tall young man dressed in a cheap suit and a string tie wandered into the store. He wore not one but two guns. Margaret immediately wondered who he was and why he was carrying all that firepower to come to the general store. He zeroed in on Mary standing behind the counter. Margaret didn’t like the way this young man looked at her daughter. She quickly told Mary to go check on her father and helped him herself. He wondered around the store seeming to almost take inventory with his mind. He finally bought some rolling tobacco and wandered out of the store. Margaret decided when Mary came back she would go see Cort. Come to think of it where had Cort been? It was not like him to have stayed away when Ben was hurt.
Hiram had walked the whole town, he liked what he saw, and the first step would be to take over the saloon. If he got a foothold in there he could slowly expand. He would leave Cort alone until he interfered and then he would kill him. He walked back to the tent saloon; 20 minutes later he had “convinced” the Barkeep to “sell” part of the business to him.
Doc checked on Cort who was sitting up in bed, Ellen was still sitting by the bed asleep. Cort raised his left hand to his mouth and glanced over at Ellen. Doc moved quietly across to Cort, he checked under the bandage and felt his skin for fever. No fever was present and the cut was already starting to heal. He quietly asked Cort how the shoulder felt. Cort moved it a little and grimaced. He shook his head. “Well, it may take a week or better for the swelling to go down and the pain to go away.” Cort nodded, “Thanks Doc.” He looked back over at Ellen, and the Doctor was amazed his face softened and he looked closer to his real age of 28 or so. Doc decided Cort didn’t need to know anything about John’s information right now he needed to just rest. Time for that later.
Doc smiled to himself on the way out the door, Ellen had woken and immediately started fussing over Cort, this was a whole different side to Ellen who had arrived back in his life as a prickly pear. He had been afraid to even admit he knew her at first, but had begun to see something beneath the surface. Now he was seeing a woman who was experimenting with nurturing, and on a man who had never been nurtured he giggled a little on the outside of the door. This could be really interesting.
Doc saw Margaret crossing the street and wondered if Ben was OK. He stopped and waited for her. “Is Ben OK”? Margaret nodded, “I need to see Cort, there is some man in town who looks like trouble.” Doc drug her off the porch and explained. Margaret insisted on checking on Cort. Doc knew better than to try and stop her and knocked before the two of them re entered the door. Margaret was amazed to see the tall woman she had seen in the street there, and holding Cort’s hand. The second thing she saw was one of Cort’s white shirts covered in blood, with his aqua scarf crumpled on the floor in the same condition. She walked over and looking at the woman said “Hello, I am Margaret”, she then looked down at Cort and even though the Doctor was standing right there she reached down and placed the inside of her wrist on his forehead. She nodded and smiled at Cort. “No fever. That’s good”. Cort smiled back. “I see you are in good hands, but I will bring some soup over later and check on you”. She walked over and picked up the shirt and scarf taking them with her.
Doc followed her out, “Let me know if you see that man again. Cort will be much better tomorrow, time enough to tell him.”
Ellen stared at the door, she knew that Margaret was older and married, but she all of a sudden didn’t like any woman knowing Cort well enough to casually touch him. No she didn’t like it one bit. Ellen went and got a basin of water and a piece of toweling, she started to bath the areas that still had flecks of blood on them, she started with his neck. Cort tried to get up and Ellen gently pressed him back down. “No, you stay there”. Cort leaned back and almost grinned, Ellen just kept surprising him. She continued bathing his neck blotting it dry and then hesitantly kissing it, she then moved on to his chest. Cort grinned; he was rapidly becoming very interested in the direction she was heading. He noticed the pain in his shoulder less and less.
Hiram rode out of town, he had decided to get John and Tom, and come back to the bar, his new partner had been warned about leaving or talking. Hiram wouldn’t have trusted him not to talk, but at the moment he had no one to talk too.
Margaret knew that the Chins would get the blood out of the white shirt by using their lye soap and the bleaching agents only they seemed to know how to make. But the scarf she took home to clean herself, the vivid color would never make it though the bleaching process, and Margaret just wanted to see Cort tie it around his throat when he went riding, it was just right that he should. She decided to soak it first and then would start the long process of washing it with Fels Naptha, she thought it would work; the rough brown soap seemed to take out almost any kind of stain. After putting the scarf to soak in cold soapy water she went to lock up the store, she saw the man in the string tie riding out of town, and breathed a sigh of relief. She fleetingly wondered about the tall woman with the look in her eyes that strangely mirrored Cort’s. Margaret sensed something about her that was not what she appeared, and her claims on Cort was apparent in the way she never left his side and seem reluctant for anyone else to come near him. Very interesting.
Tom wasn’t too thrilled with this new plan in fact what had started out as a bit of a lark was now getting serious, he never really thought they would actually come here to try and kill a man who was far too good at killing. He had thought it was just talk, and now Hiram was talking about not only killing the Marshall but also taking over the town. John seemed to be content with letting Hiram make the plans for all of them, but Tom wasn’t at all sure he liked it. He was looking for an opportunity to pack up and leave, but he didn’t want to be the next notch on Hiram’s gun. He wished he had stayed in Sonora, it was fun to pretend to be an outlaw gunfighter, but he didn’t really want to be one. He had killed two men not out of choice but out of necessity, he didn’t have much of a liking for it. For all of Hiram’s camaraderie, he just wasn’t someone who Tom would ever trust or rely on, and he figured Hiram was not only good at killing, but liked it. He was starting to make Tom very uncomfortable. Tom fixed a smile on his face when Hiram turned from the fire toward him, no need to make the dark man suspicious. He would just bide his time.
Ellen had continued washing and kissing Cort until she realized he was enjoying it far more than his strength would allow, she covered him back up and told him sternly to rest. Cort shifted uncomfortably for a couple of minutes before dropping off to sleep. Ellen settled down to wait and watch. After a while she got up and looked out the window at the quiet street, the only noise she heard was an owl in the distance, and the wind rattling the sign that still hung on the front of the building. No one was moving but she couldn’t shake this uneasy feeling that something was wrong. She crossed the room to the case that still contained an amazing collection of weapons. A 32 with pearl handles attracted her attention. It would nicely fit in her boot. She checked it and found it freshly cleaned, after loading it she placed it snugly against her calf. Just its weight made her feel more comfortable. Cort stirred and then moaned softly she moved back over to the bed and mimicking Margaret placed her wrist against his forehead. Cool and dry, a good sign. She stretched out on Cort’s good side just barely finding room, but slowly relaxed and drifted off to sleep listening to his soft breathing and the owl that had moved closer asking its constant broken voiced question Who--woo?
Tom woke up first and thought seriously about just riding out, and not looking back, but he didn’t think he would make it away without a confrontation with Hiram. He had come to the conclusion that Hiram would object to him leaving and get in a fight with him not because he cared whether Tom stayed or went, but just because he would be entertained briefly by fighting with and drawing his gun on Tom. So Tom chose the better side of valor and made coffee instead. He knew some men would consider his actions as cowardice, but Tom also knew that alive was better than dead. There would be a moment, but this was not it.
Doc started his day by seeing Ben, he was happy to see the storekeeper sitting up and eating cereal under his own power. He had had reservations as to the man’s survival chances, but he had bounced back better and quicker than Doc would have suspected. He checked the bandages and moved back out into the hallway. Margaret came up the stairs as he was coming down and after a moment of talking about Ben moved onto the subject she was most curious about, Ellen. “Doc who is this Ellen who has moved in with Cort?” Doc knew eventually the question would have to be answered or Cort and Ellen would be plagued with too much talk, and neither of them was equipped for that kind of exposure. “Ellen was the daughter of my old friend who was killed here 15 years ago. She came back and was here during the quick draw competition, she was injured and stayed on with me for a while. She knew Cort from before she was injured. “ Margaret knew there was more to the story, but Doc had told her what he chose too. She could wait for the rest of the story. She didn't know how she felt about Ellen, but she would protect Cort in any way she could, after all he had saved her only daughter from something bad, very bad. After the Doctor left she checked the scarf for any last stains and satisfied that it was clean hung it out to dry, she made a mental note to retrieve it before it could fade. She figured to take it over to his place along with a good hearty meal. She had a feeling that Ellen was probably not very good in the kitchen. She looked far too sheltered.
Cort woke first and eased out of bed. He stood up slowly because he expected to be dizzy, surprisingly he wasn't and except for a twinge in his shoulder he felt fairly normal. He quietly walked across the room and pulled a shirt off the hook by the door, he then stopped for a moment realizing he couldn't put on a shirt with his arm in a sling against his chest. He experimentally moved the shoulder and decided he could do without the sling. He tried to pull the sling loose with his left hand fighting with the knot, finally rummaging in the drawer by the window looking for something to cut the cloth with. He felt Ellen behind him before she spoke. "What are you doing?" He turned and looked at her, he was amazed at how beautiful she looked in the morning, he had never seen a woman who looked like that in the morning. " I am looking for a way out of this sling. I want to put on some clothes." Ellen opened her mouth to argue but saw the tilt of his chain and the slight challenge in his eyes and decided the best thing to do was help. She moved closer and put both hands up to loosen the knot, she almost had it when she felt his good arm close around her waist and touch of his lips on her neck. She laughed, "If you want this knot untied you better stop that." Cort nuzzled her neck and ignored her warning. She continued trying to unloosen the knot, finally reaching in her pocket and to pull out a small sharp blade and cutting through the cloth. Cort gingerly flexed his shoulder and finding the pain minimal put that arm around her waist too. "Cort your head. Cort interrupted, "My head is fine".
He just looked at her standing close and then reached his left arm up pulled gently on her long hair, "I dreamed of your hair". He wrapped his hand around her hair and gently pulled her face to his capturing her lips in gentle exploring kisses that rapidly turned into something else. They moved back over toward the bed, but when Cort shifted her down toward the bed she saw the pain on his face and pulled out from under him. She pushed him firmly down on the mattress watching out for his sore shoulder, she then had the fun of removing the only remaining clothes he had on a pair of beige long john pants. She remembered at the last minute that the gun was still in her boot, that she had dozed off wearing and quickly dropped the gun into the boot, and climbed onto the bed lowering herself over his big warm body. She was sure there had to be a good way to make love without hurting his shoulder and this seemed like a good place to start.
Hiram was feeling very excited, he had a new business, and the opportunities that only a wide-open town would offer. The Marshall was a small inconvenience, but (he giggled a little to himself) but not for long. Tom was getting more and more uncomfortable riding with this guy; he had just heard him cackling to himself like a crazy old lady. God there had to be a way to get loose from these two without killing them both. He looked over at John who was riding along with a blank look on his face. Tom had never noticed that John was so often in possession of that same look until recently. He was quite satisfied to just ride along, no thoughts about where they were going or what might happen when they got there. Tom realized that his friend John was about as bright as a gopher. He dropped back a ways experimentally, but Hiram noticed immediately and called back “Hey Tom pick up the pace we’ve got things to do.” He leered and giggled again. Tom smiled back thinking “Ok one of them is as crazy as a loon, and the other dumb as a tree”. Goodie.
Margaret packed up a basket of fresh bread and stew for Cort and neatly folded the blue scarf in the corner of the basket. Taking care not to get any of the stew anywhere near it. She walked over to Cort’s and was surprised to find him sitting on the porch. He had a bandage still on the side of his head but his color was good and showed no worse for the accident he had been in. Margaret couldn’t resist checking him for fever one more time and was rewarded with one of Cort’s rare eye lighting smiles. She smiled back and wordlessly took the scarf out of the basket and laid it on the arm of the rocker he was sitting in. She moved to the door and tapping softly started to enter She glanced back to see Cort’s head down his hair veiling his expression but she saw him stoking the edge of the scarf with his big square hands. She smiled to herself and went into the room, hoping that the tall beautiful young woman inside would not be too angry she had come. Ellen turned quickly toward the strange footsteps and Margaret was treated to a look at Ellen in the stark light, eyes wary body tensed. Ellen immediately relaxed and said “Hello Margaret.” Margaret smiled “He seems all right.” Ellen glanced toward the door, and smiled “Yes”. Margaret watched Ellen’s face as she looked toward the door, well that answers that question, she may not know it but she loves Cort. But the other question is something I would love to get an answer to, who is this young woman and why did she react to my entrance in that way, she had not so much been startled or afraid but almost poised for something. She put the stew on the counter and went back out to the porch. She called good-bye to Cort and heard his deep voice behind her “Thanks for fixing my scarf”. She smiled to herself as she crossed the street. He was so dangerous, but at the same time had a shy sweetness about him. She thought again about the woman, she better not hurt Cort. She was surprised how much Cort getting hurt would upset her. Interesting, I think I love him a little too. She smiled to herself, when Ben was better she could torment him no end with that idea, she wouldn’t tell him that her feelings were more Motherly and less womanly, why spoil a good thing.
She passed that blind boy with his wagon of things on her way to the general store and smiled at the neatly sorted little wagon, not resentful of the competition as much as fascinated by his set up. He had quite an assortment of things, shoelaces, ink, paper, bullets, small pieces of metal, a bin of nails and several slightly rusted sets of hinges. She shook her head realizing that being blind he would have to know where every little thing was and how much it was worth. No checking a catalog or an invoice just his mind to keep all the details in. He must be bright, she put that knowledge away to think about later, maybe he could be used in the store. He would be more protected from harm and theft in a closed environment.
Margaret didn’t know Sam and had no way of knowing that even her trip across country by wagon train was a carriage ride compared to Sam’s experiences in his short life, he had survived things she had never dreamed of. Sam was conscious of so much around him that to be surprised by someone was almost an impossibility. Sam lived in a dark world full of an array of information provided by the senses he did have. He knew a woman had slowed her stride to look at his cart, and that she was an older woman by the way she walked, that she wore lavender, and that she had baked bread that morning. He listened to her cross the street and walk across the loose board in front of the Doctor’s office he automatically counted her steps, when they stopped he knew she was in front of the new general store. When she hadn’t come out in a half hour he figured those were the steps of the clerk or the owner or the store. He unconsciously put the sound away to be remembered next time he heard it.
Hiram stopped suddenly and John almost ran into him. Tom stopped his horse and waited. Hiram turned toward them, “When we get to town I am going to go straight to the Saloon, I want John to go to the General Store and find out as much about it as you can, he motioned to Tom, I want you to just wander around town find out all you can about the marshal and the building that is going on. Be cagey don’t tip your hand just kind a wander and listen and look for opportunities to find things out. He didn’t wait for an answer but turned his horse toward town expecting to be followed without question. John did, Tom did, but was for the first time feeling relief, he was going off by himself, he would leave go south. John and Hiram would be on their own. Riding cattle sounded more appealing by the minute.
Cort walked down the street, Ellen had ridden out to Doc’s and Cort was taking a look at the town. He stopped when he saw Sam’s wagon and looked around until he found him having coffee in the cook shed. He walked up Sam turned his head toward him and said, “Cort” Sam set his coffee down, “Have you talked to the Doc?” “About what?” Cort said sliding on the bench next to him.
Cort left Sam where he had found him and walked back toward the center of town, these men would still have to be dealt with Cort reached down and ran his hand over the Colt, his shoulder twinged and his hand felt a little disjointed almost as though it didn’t want to follow his brains commands. Cort moved his right hand back and forth flexing the fingers. He walked across to the barn and saddled his horse.
Cort rode about 1 mile south of town to an area uninhabited by anything but scrub bushes, the giant cactus with the out-stretched arms the Indians called “Tall Man Walking” and the occasional tarantula, rattler, jackrabbit or scorpion. He climbed off his horse and flexing his arm drew his gun and fired at a small rock at the base of the cactus. The dirt around the rock erupted but the dirt moving caused the only movement of the rock. Cort had missed, and missed slow. He tried 3 more times with the same result, in fact as his shoulder hurt more the hand worked less. Cort moved his holster to the left and started cross drawing with his left hand, he could hit the rock no problem, and he was faster than many, but not as fast as some. He had to gamble that his shoulder would get better quickly, the men riding into town wouldn’t actually show up, or that the left hand draw he possessed would be enough. He practiced with his left hand for a while, but the speed and accuracy were about the same when he climbed back on his horse and headed for town. Ellen was still at Doc’s, Cort decided to try and keep her there. Doc had been in town Cort headed straight to him. Doc would have to help him keep Ellen away for a day or so. The one fear Cort had was that one of the children or Ellen would be hurt. He could not see one more person he cared about die. Better to be dead himself.
Doc rode out to the house, Cort had given him a job he was dreading to do, but he had grown to love Ellen too much to risk her life so he had finally agreed to deliver the message from Cort that would hurt her, but might save her life.
Ellen met him at the door, smiling and beautiful wearing a blue dress and soft brown boots. He enjoyed the vision for a moment before dropping his bag on the table. Ellen talked about the day and how much she had enjoyed the ride in the sun that morning and poured him tea. Doc watched her and really hated what was coming next. Ellen started gathering up a few items still talking and smiling. She stacked the things by the front door and went back to the bedroom. When she came out she had changed back into her riding skirt and hat. Doc sipped his tea and casually said, “Are you going for another ride.” Ellen turned and looked back over her shoulder at him still folding a towel. “No Doc I am going back into town to see Cort, we need to talk.” Doc marshaled all his talent as a liar and said, “But Ellen Cort rode out this afternoon, and he said he wouldn’t be back for several days.” “Where did he go?” She said. Doc shrugged, “I don’t really know, he does this every once in a while.” Ellen put the towel down and pulled off her hat. Doc hated this she was not a the happy Ellen of a couple of minutes ago, and Doc wasn’t sure what he had done was a good thing after all, but he had promised Cort. He said a silent prayer that in a couple of days all would be well and Cort would ride out here with an explanation she would believe.
Hiram decided to camp outside of town, they would go in bright and early and continue on with his plan. Tom made beans and bacon and tried to appear excited about the next day, he mustn’t tip his hand, only one more night and he could head off to find something he’d like to do more than pretend to be a hard case. Hooking up with a cattle drive toward his home near the railhead at Abilene was sounding better and better. Hiram who prided himself in being brighter than anyone else continued on talking about how wonderful everything was going to be twirling his gun and talking about how he was going to kill Cort, never noticing that while John seemed fascinated Tom kept busy cleaning up the metal plates they had eaten from and gathering wood. After all it was his due to have someone listen attentively to every word, while some one else took care of the everyday chores that were really beneath his talents. So, the night went on til bed time Hiram twirling endlessly and making bigger and bigger plans, John wishing he were Hiram, and Tom stacking wood and wishing he were anywhere but here on the outskirts of the town called Redemption that could just as well be Hell.
Margaret had seen Cort on the streets all day he seem to be watching for something, at first she thought he was waiting for Ellen to come back. Mary had seen her ride out that morning and she hadn’t been back. But the third time he oh so casually walked by looking in the Store the cook shed, the barber shop, down the alley by the hotel, and walked through the saloon she began to get the idea he was looking for someone, and something told her it was the unpleasant man with the string tie. Margaret for the first time was nervous, the man who had been in her store had a look in his eyes she couldn’t describe but it reminded her of a rabid wolf she had seen as a child, glassy, empty, and not really sane. She shivered and worried. If Cort were gone what would that man do to this town and remembering how he had smiled that vacant cold smile in the store, her daughter. She couldn’t tell Ben, and Mary was out of the question, she decided to have a talk directly with Cort. She pulled a shawl around her shoulders and started down to his place.
Margaret knocked on Cort’s door and heard the click of a gun on the other side of it, she was shocked but called to him through the door. He opened it and let her in. She saw he had put the gun back in a holster on his left leg. Margaret walked the three steps to him and reaching up gripped the upper portion of his right arm, he flinched. She stepped back and looked at him for a minute. “Cort are you expecting trouble?” Cort turned away from her and walked across the room to the gun case, unbuckling and putting the holster and gun on top of the case, he turned back to her. “Why would you ask that Margaret?” She knew that she had hit a chord cause Cort had cocked his head to one side and was trying to smile, but this smile didn’t travel to his eyes they remained steady and dark. Neither worked he didn’t look inquisitive, nor happy, just wary and acting a part. “Cort, stop it you are not fooling me.” Cort ducked his head and Margaret again was struck by how young he really was. When he straightened he was smiling a real smile not happy or relaxed, but a real one at least. “Oh Margaret nothing much gets by you huh?” He walked over and sat down at the table motioning her to do the same. “All right Margaret there is a chance we may get at least one person in town who is looking to cause trouble. Sam overheard at least two men discussing this town and me. I don’t have a lot of friends and my family is gone, so who ever is looking for me only has one idea in mind. I thought about riding out to look for them, but it’s been too long I wouldn’t have a good idea where to look. I could miss them, I don’t want them coming here while I am out somewhere.” “Cort, you are worried because of your shoulder aren’t you?” Cort shrugged. “We will see what happens tomorrow, but Margaret can you help me keep the children off the street for the day?” Margaret nodded and returned to the store. She wasn’t happy about this she thought that Doc should be in town if there was trouble and a ride out to his place at first light seemed a good plan. She would send Mary to alert parents to keep their children in doors.
Dawn found no one stirring in the camp of Hiram and company, Ellen sleeping fitfully, Doc up and feeding horses, Cort sleeping finally after a night of thought and regrets. Margaret was up having talked to her daughter put on a riding skirt and went to the livery stable.
Doc fed the last of the 5 horses and went to get a wheelbarrow and fresh straw; he actually enjoyed these early morning rituals with the big gentle creatures that were happy to see him and nuzzled his neck and face with soft muzzles. He had always enjoyed animals and his favorites were still horses. They had a nobility and loyalty he had always respected. He continued on doing the daily chores humming under his breath and talking softly to the horses. He had decided to stop thinking about Ellen and Cort and the men for a while and lulled himself in to a feeling of contentment. He finished and went back to the house planning on fixing breakfast and coffee before waking Ellen he had heard her long into the night wandering around the house. He was almost relieved when he still saw her horse standing in the corner stall, he was afraid she might decide to just ride off. With the biscuits made and the coffee on to boil he broke eggs into the blue ceramic bowl that had been one of his wife’s prize possessions. He stirred briskly remembering how she had told him years ago the harder you whipped the more fluffy the eggs. Doc heard the horse, but didn’t make it to the door before the knock. Margaret standing on his porch an hour past dawn surprised him, especially when he saw she was alone. “Margaret is Ben all right?” Motioning for her to enter. “Yes Ben is fine, but I am worried about Cort. I saw him last night and he is still in pain and wearing a gun on the left side. Doc I didn’t like the talk we had I think there is going to be trouble, and I am not sure he is going to be able to handle it. He seems concerned about everyone but himself. He asked me to get the children out of the street for the day. This doesn’t sound like Cort to me.” Doc went back to the kitchen area of the main room he checked on the biscuits. “Margaret I know he told me to come out here and stay with Ellen. She doesn’t know he is even in town.” “She does now” Ellen said she had entered the room and heard most of what had been said. Margaret turned and was taken aback the look on Ellen’s face was not at all as she had looked when in town with Cort, but older, harder, and for some odd reason dangerous. Ellen walked across to Margaret “All right Margaret tell me everything, now.” Margaret looked at Doc who shrugged and nodded. Margaret told Ellen everything she knew or suspected. Ellen didn’t say anything, but went in the bedroom. Margaret looked at Doc and Doc just shook his head he served them breakfast and he and Margaret pretended to concentrate on breakfast both of them listening for noise coming from the bedroom. Less than 10 minutes passed before Ellen emerged from the bedroom dressed in black leather and sporting a pearl-handled 45 with a cross draw holster. She said nothing but pulled a black hat down over her eyes and headed for the barn. Doc followed her out to the barn coffee turning bitter in his stomach. “Ellen, what are you going to do?” Ellen looked to him and continued saddling her horse. “I lost my Father and his town turned to hell, I am not going to watch the same happen to Cort.” She vaulted on her horse and without a second look rode out of the barn. “Better come to town someone is probably going to need your services.” She called over her shoulder from her horse that was already trotting before clearing the barn. Doc stood for untold minutes listening to the fading sound of a horse galloping he then saddled his own made sure Margaret’s had been watered and went to get her. They would follow Ellen, and hope all of this was a piece of drama that would blow over without a drawn curtain.
Ellen rode at an even pace planning what she would do when she got to town. Her first inclination was to go straight to Cort’s. But no she thought if I go to Cort he is going to waste a lot of time and energy worrying about me. I’ll just go into town the back way and slip into the saloon and wait. Anything would either start in or in front of the saloon. It seemed all problems happened in the saloon.
Doc and Margaret rode at a quick but not horse breaking pace it was still early in the day, Doc felt sure they would be in town long before any trouble started. And if they were lucky the only problems would be for Cort when Ellen got hold of him. He almost smiled at that, now those could be some fireworks.
Cort woke up and looked at the light coming through his window, the sun had been his clock for as long as he could remember, and it was still early. He climbed out to bed and pulled on his clothes. He worked his shoulder slowly in a circle, it felt better he strapped on his gun and tried it out. Not 100% but definitely better, and his hand seemed to be responding more normally as well. . It would serve as a back up. He made some coffee and checked his gun carefully. After firing it numerous times in the blowing alkali dust he had wiped it down good, now he took the time to clean and reload it. He strapped on his dual holster and put the Scofield in the left and the Army Colt in the right. As an afterthought he put the derringer in the top of his left boot. He thought all this is probably unnecessary, but he had helped bury a number of men who had not planned ahead.
Ellen stopped outside of town and twisting her hair pushed it all up under her black hat pulling the brim down over her eyes. She pulled the loose vest across her breasts and buttoned it, glad that her long illness had rendered the vest good camouflage, it had once been snug and a good fit, but now was big enough to fool most people not pointedly looking for a woman. She checked her gun for the second time today and made sure the holster hadn’t stiffened from lack of use. Satisfied she rode in to town sticking to the back area stopping a little bit south of the saloon’s back tying her horse where the shade of the building would help keep him cool and not so obvious. She walked into the saloon finding a round back chair in the corner near the bar. She had a good view of both entrances and had the benefit of not being very visible from either. She leaned back in the chair keeping to the shadow of the corner.
Cort walked his usual route and was happy to see Margaret had already spread the word he had only seen one child and he was dodging into the back of the half completed hotel. Cort knew his father would already be inside working. He continued on seeing nothing out of the ordinary. Maybe Sam had heard wrong and everything would just blow over. He had no sooner finished that thought then he saw a man ride into town. He went straight to the saloon. Cort wouldn’t have thought too much about him, except he sat tall in the saddle, had dark hair and a string tie. He had to be the one Margaret had told Doc about. Cort just stood on the corner for a minute he saw nothing else out of the ordinary and crossed over to the tented bar.
While Hiram went straight to the bar, John went around to the back entrance, no use going to the general store John could read well enough to make out closed. Tom was supposed to find the marshal, take a close look around the town and report back. Tom was already on the other side of town heading for anywhere but Redemption. Tom pushed his hat back and took a deep breath, he felt like he had been holding his breath for days. It was a shame about John, but Tom washed his hands of the town, crazy fucking Hiram, and hoped John would see the light and leave too. Tom was actually looking forward to watching the back end of 2,000 eastbound cattle, something he thought he would never be able to say.
Doc and Margaret rode into town just as Cort stepped off the wooden sidewalk and started across the street. Doc started to call out but stopped in mid syllable, he had seen Cort like this a couple of times, and he was a different man, and not someone you wanted to bother. He turned to Margaret and motioned to the door of the General Store. “I think we better wait in there. And Margaret I don’t think you should open up right now.”
Cort was aware of Margaret and Doc, but was not open to any distractions at the moment. He was going to find out what this man wanted back in town. He had ridden out with no apparent place to go, and returned. Odd behavior, unless he was looking for or was into some trouble.
Ellen noticed the man as soon as he came in; he had a look she had seen in saloons all over the southwest. He was coldly handsome, with a dampened fire of madness in his eyes. Ellen was tempted to just shoot him where he stood, but refrained until she knew he would have to be killed. No way this one was worth Cort’s little finger.
Another man big, dirty, and with a long face that looked a bit like a bloodhound came in the back door. He was un-impressing and Ellen would have discounted his presence. There was one problem with that his gun belt was saddle soaped and his gun not dirty, not rusted and not misused. He was a total slob with a beautifully kept weapon. Ellen immediately wondered if he was connected to “cold eyes”. This man was not what one would think on first sight, he wasn’t a dirt farmer, or a Saloon swamper; he was just a man with a deceptive face, and possibly an ugly occupation. Ellen saw Cort come in the door, the Cort she had known in the street on the day Herad died. For the first time Ellen questioned why she was here. Cort was so focused and grim the intensity palpable from across the bar. He didn’t need anyone. Then she noticed his right hand was being held slightly out of the way he seemed unbalanced to her not as sure as usual. Ellen said quick prayer and shifted her focus from Cort to dogface, Cort could pray God handle cold eyes but a nasty surprise on top of it might be too much.
Cort didn't feel like playing around with the man in the suit, there was a look to him that Cort new was past the point of reason, and not healthy. He walked directly over to the Barkeep noticing 3 other people in the bar a tall homely guy in need of a bath, a slender old man who sometimes came into town to get supplies and fill his gut with whiskey. The third he couldn't make out they were in the shadows in the corner. He made a note to keep an eye on that one. It was a strategic place good view of the entrance one quick move would afford that person a clear shot at almost the whole room. He shrugged to himself in admiration the person knew how to survey a room and gain a superior position. Seemed too smart to run with the young dark haired man with the look of a tinhorn gambler.
Cort nodded at the barkeep, "How's business Frank?" Franks eye's darted to the young man and back at Cort almost to fast to be seen but Cort picked it up and there were other signs of nerves. Frank usually moved slowly and did no more than necessary. This morning he keep fiddling with glasses, rubbing the rough wood bar surface with an old piece of towel, and scrubbing his hands on his pant legs. Frank didn't know it but he had told Cort more in the minute he watched him, then if he had blurted out the events of the last day and a half. Frank was scared and of who was obvious.
Cort ordered a beer and sipping on it set it down on the bar turning his back on Frank looked over at the young man. The young man smiled, not a pleasant smile more of a grimace. Cort didn't even bother to acknowledge it just looked at him. "What is your business in Redemption?" Frank continued to smile. "Actually you're standing in it, I bought part of this saloon yesterday." Cort looked at him for a moment longer, "No you didn't." Hiram stopped smiling a look of anticipation spread over his face. "Are you calling me a liar?" Cort never looked away but he was aware of Frank moving slowly down the far end of the bar. The big man at the table hadn’t moved, and he hoped the person in the shadows hadn’t either. He answered simply “Yes”. Hiram's smile got bigger and his eyes got wilder “You know those are words a gentlemen never accepts.” Just a touch of a smile ran across Cort’s lips. “Well that’s something neither of us know for sure.” Hiram bristled, the grin fading and his eyes getting darker. He drew his gun his madness and emotional unbalance had not effected his superior coordination and when Cort shot him he was only a hairbreadth behind no match for Cort’s lightning right but a close second to his left. His bullet going off as he fell hitting the wooded base of the bar at Cort’s feet shattering the board exploding sawdust and splinters. Cort swung to his left and seeing the big man drawing sent another bullet in his direction, the shot was an echo to one slightly before it and he swung toward the shadowed corner expecting the pain to follow the sound as the bullet hit him, but the pain didn’t come. As the big man fell on the table dead, Cort saw the source of the gunshot in Ellen standing gun extended her black hat hiding her eyes. He lowered his gun. “Ellen”. Ellen didn’t say anything just turned and walked out the door. “Ellen” he called after her. People poured in the front door of the saloon brought by the sound of the multiple shots. Doc was first through the door looking and seeing Cort was all right he went and checked the two men for signs of life. Everyone was talking at once asking Cort questions he answered automatically looking briefly at them before looking back at the tent flap at the rear. He finally broke away from the town people. He exited the tent but saw no sign of Ellen or her horse. He went back inside. Doc met him “Where’s Ellen?” Cort just shook his head.
It was early afternoon before Cort could break away from the mess of the saloon, he had been hoping Ellen would come back and when she didn’t he decided she may have been so angry as to just ride away. Cort wasn’t going to leave it like that he went back to his place to get his heavy riding clothes. He had learned to track as a young man from an Indian who had hung around in the bar where he worked. He would find Ellen. He opened the door and unbuckling his gun belt crossed to the case. He heard something behind him and crouched turning quick. Ellen was sitting in the chair by the door. She stood and crossed the room standing right in front of him; in her high-heeled Mexican tooled boots they were almost eye-to-eye. “What do you want Cort. Do you want a woman who stays at home and sews while her man is fighting for his life? Do you want to have a partner or someone who needs to be sheltered? Be careful how you answer the door is behind me and I know how to use it.” Cort reached out to touch her face and she pulled back. He dropped his hand. “I want whatever you choose to be. Ellen I was just afraid something would happen to you. I wasn’t sure I could protect you.” Ellen crossed the room and sat on the narrow bed. “Cort I never had any one to protect me, but here I am. Maybe I could have protected you.” Cort smiled, “That’s true, I’m sorry”, he crossed over to the bed and knelt down so they were on the same level. “What do you want?” he almost whispered. Ellen looked at him for a minute and then reached out and pulled his face towards her’s both hands buried in his hair. She just smiled and pulled his mouth to hers and slowly pulled his body onto the bed.
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