Rachel and Louise are busying themselves around the kitchen cooking supper for the family. Louise is taking the last dish out to the dining room table. 

Teresa is staying at the kitchen table with the four children that live on the homestead. She is serving up their plates while they all scream at her that they are hungry. 

Abigail, who is four years old, is quietly watching the chaos that the other three small children are causing. She is Kid and Louise’s older daughter. She looks like her mother with the dark brown hair, brown eyes that melt her daddy’s heart, and small dimples on her creamy white skin. She is petite in every way. Even her tiny voice is not loud when she yells, but instead it is rather soft. 

“Addison please sit down and start eating your supper,” Rachel begged her older son.

“Rachel go on out in the dining room with the others. I can take care of the children just fine,” Teresa spoke calmly to a distraught Rachel.

A crash of a plate falling to the floor causes Rachel to jump half out of her skin. Both women turn around to see Louise and Kid’s younger daughter Emma picking her food up off the floor and placing it in her mouth.

Rachel rushes to the toddler’s side. “Emma no honey. Let Grandma Rachel fix you another plate.

Rachel fixes another plate for the little girl with locks of honey brown and slightly curly just like her father’s. Her warm brown eyes tell Rachel that she is sorry about the mess she has made. Her mouth turns into a frown about ready to explode with tears. Teresa picks the toddler up in her arms to let her know that everyone is capable of having an accident.

Teresa hugs Emma and places the child back at the table. Rachel sits a fresh plate in front of the little girl. 

“Now will you please go out to the dining room. I will eat my supper in here with the children.

Rachel hugs Teresa. “You have been such a savior with these children today while Louise and I prepared supper. Thank-you.”

“Thank-you. Now get yourself out there before there’s nothing left for you.”

Rachel strolls out into the dining room with a bowl of gravy. She places it at the table and seats herself on Teaspoon’s right side. Buck sits on Teaspoon’s left side. Next to Rachel is Louise and then Kid. Jimmy is sitting next to Buck, and Jeremiah is seated at the other end of the table across from Teaspoon.

“Could someone pass me the potatoes,” Jimmy asked.

“Louise needs to say grace first Jimmy,” Rachel spoke quietly to the young man.

“Bless this food lord that we are about to partake upon. Keep our family safe from harm. Amen.”

“Amen.” The entire family spoke in unison.

“Thank the lord that you kept it short. I’m starving,” Jimmy spoke comically. 

Buck notices that everyone at the table seems a little amused by Jimmy’s statement, except Kid. His obvious disapproval of Jimmy’s remark is well written all over his face. Buck knows the real reason behind Kid’s anguished appearance.

“Rachel and Louise, it was a real nice gesture getting Jimmy to come back home to help poor Buck and Kid with the extra work load around here,” Jeremiah spoke with amusement glistening in his eyes. 

Buck and Kid’s eyes meet from across the table. Neither one has touched the food on their plate. Here comes the humiliation they both have been dreading. Teaspoon stops chewing to look at Buck and then Kid and back at Buck again. The dining room had had a relaxed atmosphere just a few moments ago. Jeremiah’s supposedly innocent remark as left the room filled with tension as thick as pea soup.

“Jeremiah, I’m sure Buck and Kid appreciate the relief from the marshal duties. The ranch has a lot of repairs that need to be done. You could offer to fix the fence around this here house tomorrow,” Teaspoon spoke to the point putting Jeremiah in his place and easing the tension in the room a notch or two.

“Yes sir,” Jeremiah spoke disheartened that his remark didn’t get Buck and Kid fuming mad.

The people sitting around the table that Jimmy remembers as a tight-knit family have suddenly become extremely quiet. So quiet in fact, that Jimmy can hear everyone chewing the delicious food that Rachel and Louise had spent all day preparing. Jimmy glances around the table at everyone. He sees the past before his eyes. Teaspoon is registering the mood that all his family members are in. There was always one of the riders having troubles with someone or having a problem that needed solving. During these times Teaspoon often witnessed tempers rising. Buck is picking at the food on his plate. Touchy situations and townsfolk with attitude problems could easily cause Buck to lose his appetite. Some things never change. Louise glances around the table at her family as she eats her dinner quietly. Afraid to start a conversation, but more than willing to jump in after someone else has shoved their foot in their mouth. Rachel has stopped eating. Her expression is still of motherly concern. These boys and one girl have been like her own children for years. Time and separations have not stopped her motherly feelings and concerns for any of her children. Kid’s eyes are set on Jimmy. As Pony Express riders, years before, the two boys locked eyes often mostly over Louise. Jimmy watches Kid place his fork on his plate. Kid looks back up at him wanting to speak, but hesitating at first in search of the right words. 

“Jimmy, you’ll have to excuse all of us. We’re all just a bit on edge lately,” Kid spoke calmly not wanting his remarks to send Jimmy’s temper into a rage.

“I understand Kid. I’ll stay as long as my family needs me. I ain’t fixin on going anywhere. I’ve really missed all of you. Truth be told, I’m glad I was close by to be able to help out,” Jimmy spoke from the heart. He wants all of them to know just how much they all mean to him even if he has been away from them for a few years. 

Jimmy’s sincere words bring smiles to everyone at the table. Teaspoon’s smile in particular is the most obvious. He’s just downright happy to have another son home, even if he did have to break his leg to get him home.

“I’ll still help you out over at the marshal’s office Jimmy,” Buck spoke.

“No need to worry about Rock Creek Buck. You and Kid will need all your time for the ranch.” 

“All right, but if you need me to help out don’t hesitate to ride out here and get me,” Buck spoke with concern for Jimmy. After what he and Kid went through as marshal and deputy, Buck’s a bit concerned about Jimmy being able to handle the townsfolk by himself.

“Just wait till you have a run in with Miss Cooper and her walking cane,” Kid spoke smiling broadly.

Buck lets out a quiet laugh over Kid’s remark about Miss Cooper. The two men hadn’t really talked to anyone about the trouble they had had in town.

Teaspoon’s eyes look up from his plate to focus on Buck and Kid. “What’s wrong with Miss Cooper? You two been picking on that poor little old lady?”

“Little old lady!” That little old lady damn near killed Kid and I with that cane of hers!” Buck spoke seriously his amused expression wiped from his face. 

“Well, you and Kid must have done something to provoke her. Miss Cooper is the sweetest lady in town,” Teaspoon protested stubbornly refusing to believe that Miss Cooper is capable of such violence.

“Sweet! She obviously hasn’t attacked you with her walking cane yet Teaspoon,” Kid spoke no longer in a happy mood.

Every one of the family members at the table are a bit taken back by Buck and Kid’s story about Miss Cooper striking a Marshal and Deputy with her cane. Louise and Rachel are taking turns glancing at Buck and Kid. Both women are wondering if the two men are over-exaggerating just a bit. They are both having difficulties stifling their laughter at Buck and Kid’s expense.

Jimmy decides it’s his turn to add insult to injury. “Perhaps it was a brilliant idea you women had to send me a telegram asking for my assistance with the marshaling duties. Buck and Kid here seem a little exhausted and overwhelmed with the work load that has been placed on them,” Jimmy spoke in a teasing tone that doesn’t get a smile from Buck or Kid, but gets a few chuckles from everyone else seated at the table.

Teaspoon isn’t sharing in on all the laughter. He’s starting to sense hostility brewing amongst his boys. He watches all of them closely with each well thought word they speak. He’s certain all this funning that Jimmy is having is aimed more at Kid then it is at Buck. Jimmy was always able to get under the Kid’s skin real easily. 

Louise notices the peevish appearance on Buck and Kid’s face. The two have been working hard and not complaining about it. Perhaps they feel it’s a slap in the face that everyone is acting like Jimmy has come to the rescue. “I’m sure everyone here is thankful you could help out Jimmy,” Louise spoke apprehensively not wanting to upset her husband by complementing Jimmy’s arrival too much.

“Thank-you Louise.”

“Did you have any problems in town today on your first day as marshal?” Louise asked being bold with the conversation with Jimmy, but at the same time taking some pressure off of Buck and Kid by changing the subject away from the troubles they had had in Rock Creek.

“Not so far. The town seems pretty quiet. I don’t understand all the concern about the townsfolk. They have always seemed fairly orderly to me. Even back when we were all riding for the Pony Express, the towns people didn’t cause too much trouble, it was always the outsiders,” Jimmy replied looking only at Louise.

“Like the people who wanted to burn down Sweetwater because they thought we had a Cholera epidemic spreading through town,” Louise spoke with caution in her tone.

“What about Neville? I’m sure you remember the problems Neville caused here Buck,” Jimmy spoke turning his attention to Buck.

Buck looks as if someone just punched him in the gut. The memories of that fatal day are something he tries to forget. Not only did Neville kill Ike, his best friend. But, then he turned around and killed Neville in cold blood. That is something he’s had to live with every day, and not very proudly.

Teaspoon is waiting for Buck to lash out at Jimmy. Under any other circumstances Buck would stand up for what he believes is right. Ike’s untimely death and the circumstances surrounding Ike’s death still manage to keep Buck unusually quiet as if he’s still in shock over the entire incident. Teaspoon sighs heavily in relief. Because of Buck’s quietness a quarrel amongst his boys seems highly unlikely.

Kid sees the hurt expression on Buck’s face. He’s upset that Jimmy had to bring up a part of Buck’s past that has left him with so many of scars.
“I’m sure you’ll have some problems to deal with soon. Rock Creek has become a larger town since you were last here Jimmy. We have a few more people, which usually means a few more outbreaks of arguments, fist fights, and gunfights,” Kid commented harshly trying to take the conversation away from Ike and Neville. Kid knows how much that day still ways heavily in Buck’s heart. 

Louise turns her attention to her husband. “You sound as if you want Jimmy to endure unmanageable residents and predicaments he has trouble getting out of.” Louise’s silverware rattles against her dinner plate as she impolitely drops them. She is astounded by Kid’s statement. She waits patiently with her arms folded across her chest for her husband’s response. 

Kid gazes around the table. Everyone, except Buck, is looking back at Kid waiting eagerly for his answer to Louise’s question.

“I think what Kid meant…” Buck tries to bale out Kid the way Kid had just guided the conversation away from Ike and Neville. 

Kid’s eyes meet with Buck’s. They are best friends. They are always looking out and standing up for each other when someone is accusing one of them of doing wrong. Even though most of the time Buck and Kid are only trying to make life better for their family, and the residents of Rock Creek, they often are asked to explain their views and actions.
“Buck. It’s all right. I can explain what I meant.” Kid makes his family wait a moment longer while he gathers his thoughts together. He certainly doesn’t want to be misunderstood a second time. “What I meant to say is that Buck and I had dilemmas everyday with the people of Rock Creek. I don’t think those problems are going to cease to exist just because Jimmy is taking over as marshal. The problems are still going to be there.”

“Perhaps the problems will still be there Kid, but maybe I’ll just handle those problems better than what you did,” Jimmy spoke in an over-confident manner about his abilities.

Kid’s face becomes flush with anger. Jimmy has a quick response for everything Kid or anyone else throws at him. Kid knows he shouldn’t let Jimmy annoy him so much. Unfortunately through the years, Jimmy has been a bit of a thorn in Kid’s otherwise happy life. Everyone at the table takes notice to Kid’s quiet temper about ready to explode.

Teaspoon clears his throat. “I think it’s time to call it a night. We all need a good night’s sleep. The ranch, Rock Creek and even my old broken leg will look much brighter in the morning,” Teaspoon spoke to his family with calm reassurance. 

“Jimmy you can stay over at my house. There’s plenty of room,” Buck muttered to his friend. 

Jimmy keeps his eyes fixed on Kid. “Ok. That way I can keep you informed about what’s going on in town.”

Buck stood up from the table and walked over to place a kiss on Rachel’s cheek. “Thanks for dinner Rachel. It was good. Goodnight.”

“Goodnight Buck.” Rachel watches Jimmy get up from the table. “Goodnight Jimmy.”

“Goodnight Rachel.” He glances over at Louise. “Goodnight Louise, Kid.”

“Goodnight Jimmy. See you tomorrow,” Louise spoke softly not wanting to give in to Kid’s temper, but also not wanting to fuel the fire between the two men anymore tonight.

Buck and Jimmy leave the Hunter home. They venture out into the cool night air. Both men walk in silence for a moment before Jimmy senses that Buck is just a bit upset with him.

“I’m sorry. It just seems like we are all back riding for the Pony Express. Nothing has changed between Kid and I.”

“They are married and have a family. Please don’t come between them,” Buck stated angrily.

Jimmy halted his walking towards Buck’s home. He latches onto Buck’s arm to get Buck to stand still. “Is that what you think I’m doing? You think I came back to break them up?” Jimmy spoke with anger and resentment in his eyes.

“Not intentionally. But we both know you care for Louise,” Buck spoke quietly.

“You love her too,” Jimmy spoke defensively.

“Yeah. I do love her, as family. You, on the other hand, care for Louise in a much deeper way. We all observed your feelings for Louise when we rode for the Pony Express. You didn’t shelter your feelings for her very well. Kid knew it as well.”

“I guess if Kid died tomorrow, I would make sure I was close by to comfort Louise,” Jimmy stated unemotionally at the thought of Kid’s death.

“I don’t want to hear this. I want you to promise me that you won’t come between them.”

“It isn’t my fault Buck if Kid has become distant with his wife.”

“He hasn’t become distant with her. He loves her. He always has and he always will. Louise loves Kid too,” Buck spoke bluntly getting somewhat worked up over the situation between Kid and Jimmy.

Jimmy slaps Buck on the back. They start walking again. “I can see this is upsetting you. If you want me to promise that I won’t come between them, well then, I promise I won’t come between them. But, don’t ask me to stay away from being a friend to Louise just because Kid can’t handle any other man being around his wife.”

Jimmy doesn’t try to hide his reckless smile from Buck. He walks away from Buck’s side leaving his friend to fret over what he may or may not do. Buck watches after Jimmy as Jimmy walks away from him. He is downright worried that Jimmy could ruin Kid and Louise’s life together as husband and wife. Louise always had a soft spot in her heart for Jimmy. By her actions tonight, Buck senses that that soft spot is still in her heart. He slowly moves towards his home. Perhaps Teaspoon is right. Of course he’s right. Teaspoon is always right. Tomorrow Kid will forget about Jimmy’s cocky attitude. Louise will be much clearer on the love she has for Kid. Jimmy…well Jimmy will be Jimmy.
 

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

The warm morning sun beats down on the two men that are working in silence. The skies are a peaceful hue of brilliant blue. There isn’t a single cloud in sight. The feel of the sun by afternoon will probably be unbearable to work in. Buck is sure Louise will keep them cooled off with fresh mugs of lemonade. 

Buck and Kid have just returned from Rock Creek with a load of wood on their buckboard. Thompkins had sent a messenger out to the ranch early evening yesterday to let Buck and Kid know that the wood they had purchased for the corrals had arrived. 

Kid pulls the reins to halt the horses causing the buckboard to a stop close to where Buck and he will be working. Both men jump off the buckboard and start to unload the wood. 

Occasionally Buck will glance over at Kid. Buck is well aware that Kid is in a detestable mood. Kid’s destructive flinging of the new wood onto the ground has Buck questioning Kid’s ability to think this problem with Jimmy through without it turning to violence. Buck has been working alongside of Kid, since Jimmy’s surprise return to Rock Creek one week ago, mostly in silence.

After the wood is completely unloaded from the buckboard, Kid crawls back onto the bench of the buckboard and takes it around to the back of the barn to unhitch the horses. Buck has to back away in a hurry with Kid driving the buckboard close to him. He watches Kid until he is out of sight. 

Buck starts to work on the corral. He places sections of wood back into the beginning posts that were left standing after the storm. He swipes beads of sweat away from his brow with his shirtsleeve. He stands up straight and views the work that he has done so far on the corral when he hears Kid walk from around the barn. Without saying a word to Buck, Kid hauls over a section of the wood and starts placing it into the posts. 

Buck starts to tear down the second section of corral fencing that was damaged in the storm. Every so often he glances Kid’s way to see if his bad mood and ill temper have changed. Buck takes notice that the features on Kid’s face are still set in an unsociable, explosive, snarling declaration. The silence is getting the best of Buck’s nerves. Now he kind of knows how everyone else feels when he gets into one of his stubborn, I’m not talking to anyone moods. But, Buck fears that Kid’s uncommunicative mood is a sign of past hostilities that Kid and Jimmy never resolved. Buck knows the feelings of revenge and how they work against you. Those feeling make you act on issues that you wouldn’t normally act on if your mind were thinking straight. He wonders if Kid’s mood could turn into a violent eruption aimed at Jimmy.

Buck stands back away from the corral to watch Kid joining the planks together at the posts. Kid is working with such high intensity that Buck is worried that he may hurt himself. Kid stands back to eye the work he has done. From the corner of his eye he can see Buck ideally standing by watching him.

“Ain’t you going to help?” Kid asked glancing at Buck.

“I didn’t want to get hurt. The way you’re throwing those planks around, one of us is sure to end up right along side Teaspoon keeping him company,” Buck muttered in a soft-spoken manner.

Kid notices the worried and frightened look on Buck’s face. Buck was always the most sensitive to others feelings and moods. He could sense right away if one of the riders just simply wanted to be left alone. That wasn’t a gift that the rest of them possessed. Whenever Buck needed to be left alone, five other riders would hound him to death about what it was that was bothering him. 

Kid’s facial expression softens a bit. “I’m sorry. Jimmy just has me in a foul mood.”

“You shouldn’t let Jimmy get to you like this.”

“Nothings changed Buck! He still thinks all of us should follow his lead! He’s arrogant, self-righteous, over-bearing…”

“Still shows Louise a lot of attention,” Buck stated calmly as he interrupts his friend’s monologue about Jimmy.

Kid looks sorrowfully at Buck as he is thinking the same thing that Buck is saying. He couldn’t totally admit it to himself until Buck spoke the words. He doesn’t want to think that after six years of marriage, two beautiful children, a ranch that is starting to make a profit, and a family that he truly loves could be taken away from him just because Jimmy has feelings for his wife! 

“Yeah. What am I suppose to do? Am I supposed to ideally stand by while the two of them carry on with their two-sided conversations? Allow him to visit Louise anytime he pleases as if he were courting her! I can’t help but wonder if Jimmy would be tickled pink if I weren’t around anymore.”

“Tickled pink?” Buck questioned with a perplexed expression.

Kid laughs lightly at Buck’s dilemma over the expression, tickled pink. “Never mind. It’s just a figure of speech.”

“I wasn’t asking,” Buck spoke confused.

“What would you do?” Kid asked the hurt showing in his eyes.

“I don’t have any experience with matters such as this,” Buck stated quietly.

Kid suddenly realizes how uncaring his line of questioning must sound to Buck. The fact that he is alone is something that Buck doesn’t like to think about. He truly believes he’ll be alone for the rest of his life. Buck hates to be reminded of that fact. But, Kid needs to know how others would feel if they were presented with the same set of circumstances.

“How do you think you’d feel Buck?” 

“I’d be upset,” Buck stated with a frown.

Before Kid can continue their conversation, the two men turn around to face the sound of a horse coming towards them full speed. 

Before Jimmy’s horse has completely stopped he has dismounted and is standing next to Buck and Kid. “I need your help! Seems there has been a few army soldiers found murdered outside Rock Creek. There are two soldiers in town right now waiting to take me out to where the bodies have been found. I thought it would be a good idea if both of us were present to examine the bodies and the area where they were murdered,” Jimmy stated keeping his full attention to Buck as if Kid weren’t nearby.

Buck turns his attention to Kid. “I won’t be gone long.”

“Go ahead. I can handle the ranch till you get back,” Kid spoke calmly even with Jimmy’s eyes watching his every move.
 

CHAPTER TEN

Jimmy and Buck are following the two soldiers, on horseback, over the flat open plains about seven miles outside Rock Creek. It is mid-afternoon, and the blazing sun is shining directly in their faces. Jimmy wipes the beads of sweat threatening to trickle down into his eyes with a red bandana. The men soon embark upon a sparsely wooded and rocky terrain. They travel another mile before they approach a swallow creek with refreshing crystal clear water. Buck and Jimmy both stop their horses to allow them to drink from the creek water. The soldiers cross the creek splashing the water onto the over-heated horses, but they don’t allow them to stop for a gulp of the refreshing liquid. Buck and Jimmy follow closely behind the two straight-backed soldiers as they ride though the creek until they come to a slight embankment. 

All four horses climb the sight embankment with ease. The other side is heavily populated with trees. The soldiers slow down as they enter their horses into a small like forest. Buck notices the stench in the air immediately. He is perfectly aware of where the odor is coming from. On the other hand, Jimmy is looking at Buck with bewilderment in his eyes. He can smell the awful aroma, but he’s having a difficult time believing it could be coming from a mortally wounded human.

The soldiers stop their horses and dismount. Buck does the same. He dismounts and throws Warrior’s reins over a low tree branch. When Jimmy doesn’t dismount his horse right away, Buck turns to him before following the soldiers.

“What are you doing?” Buck asked somewhat impatiently.

“Why should we have to view the bodies? It’s obvious they’ve been out here for quiet some time,” Jimmy spoke in a protesting manner.

“I suppose because Rock Creek is the closest town to where they were murdered,” Buck spoke with a gasp for fresh air.

“You ok?” Jimmy asked concerned.

“Would you please just get down from your horse so we can get this over with, and get out of here.” 

Jimmy still hesitates not wanting to see the blood and destroyed flesh that lay just a hundred feet up ahead of where they are standing. He notices ahead of him that the two soldiers have stopped their forward movement towards the murdered soldiers. Their unimpassioned expressions send chills down Jimmy’s spine.

“Look at the two of them. How can they be so heartless about other soldiers being killed?”

Buck turns his head to briefly glance at the two soldiers. He notices that their eyes are blindly staring at Jimmy and him. Their bodies are stiff as if at attention. Their faces are built from stone. Not a single muscle from either soldier twitches. 

“You’ll have to dismount and view the murder surroundings closer if you are to get an accurate record of what happened here,” spoke the taller of the two soldiers. His voice is cold and monotonous.

Buck turns back to face Jimmy. “Let’s get this over with.”

Jimmy dismounts, and throws Buck the reins to his horse. He walks away from Buck and towards the soldiers. Within a brief moment, Buck is right by his side again. “I shouldn’t have dragged you out here. This is my job now.”

“I don’t mind,” Buck spoke quietly.

Jimmy and Buck stop in front of the soldiers.

“There are four bodies.” The soldier turns and points to the area about fifty feet from where they are standing.

Jimmy and Buck focus on the area in front of them. Jimmy can make out the shape of a man’s body slumped over a fallen tree trunk. Arrows are sticking out of his back. There are too many to count from this distance. The shirt he is wearing has no color except the color of blood.  Jimmy can barely make out another soldier that is lying on the ground in the tall grass. Jimmy swallows hard. He can taste the rotten stench that is in the air. He takes another glance over at Buck. He sees the apprehension in Buck, that wasn’t present when they first arrived in the wooded area. They have both seen death many times in their lives. They just never had to witness it long after the victims breathed their last breath.

“We can see fine from here,” Jimmy spoke his voice barely above a whisper.

“Marshal, I am requesting that you take a closer look at what has happened here.”

Jimmy turns to Buck. “Why don’t you stay here? No sense in both of us losing our breakfast,” Jimmy spoke more like an order than a request.

Buck smiles and shakes his head at Jimmy in disbelief. “Jimmy I can handle this,” Buck spoke softly.

With all the strength he can muster up, Jimmy starts to walk towards the hollowed area in the woods where the bodies of four soldiers are decomposing to skeletons. Buck follows cautiously behind him. The two soldiers pace themselves behind Buck.

As Jimmy gets closer to the four bodies, he begins to cough and gag. He can hear Buck doing the same. He realizes he should have left Buck back at the ranch. There is really no logical reason for Buck to witness the merciless of these murders. It will only haunt him. Bring back bad memories of when he was a child living in the Kiowa Indian Village. He had told Jimmy the stories of when white soldiers would raid his village and kill the innocent women and children that had been unlucky in seeking out a worthy hiding place. 

Jimmy suddenly stops and extends his arm out to touch Buck’s chest. The smell is unbearable! He takes a bandana out of his vest pocket and hands it to Buck. 

Buck takes the bandana and places it over his nose and mouth. His coughing has increased. His eyes begin to water from his coughing attack.

Jimmy takes the bandana from around his neck and extends it up over his mouth and nose. He holds it there with his left hand for fear that it might slip from his face. His eyes make a quick survey of the horrifying scene before them.

Buck is looking around. He sees the arrows embedded in two of the four soldiers. He makes himself walk forward into the center of where the men have fallen. 

Jimmy follows Buck’s actions, but he heads to his far left where the one soldier is laying face down in a swampy marsh area. 

The two soldiers stay rooted to where they had stopped behind Buck and Jimmy. They watch the marshal and his deputy closely. They watch over the murder scene with no reaction to the outcome of what has happened to their fellow soldiers.

“You two must be used to seeing this kind of devastation,” Jimmy spoke his voice muffled from the bandana over his mouth.

“We fought in the war. We’ve seen much worse than this.”

Well we haven’t fought in the war!” Jimmy proclaimed in an anger tone towards the cold-hearted soldiers.

Buck glances over at Jimmy. He sees Jimmy is raging with many emotions. The ruthless act of the way these men were murdered and left here to rot in the smoldering sun is making Buck sicker to his stomach then the smell of deteriorating flesh. He watches as Jimmy pulls an arrow out of a dead soldiers back. Buck grimaces as a hunk of flesh comes out attached to the arrow. 

Buck diverts his attention back to a soldier that is laying a few feet from him face down in the tall grass. He makes his way over to the soldier. He doesn’t witness any means of a wound that could have killed the man. Buck bends down and proceeds to turn the man over onto his back. 

Buck clasps the bandana tighter to his face. The stench is causing him to hesitate and rethink what he is about to do. He becomes over-whelmed with the smell and gags violently. He spits out the taste next to the dead man. 

He just wants this to be over with. He pulls on the man’s right arm to turn him over onto his back. Buck’s eyes become wide open with horror and shock!

Buck tumbles backwards while trying to stand up on his feet! He can’t seem to take his eyes off the tiny creatures that have eaten the man’s face away! The churning in his stomach lands him on his hands and knees, clutching at his stomach, while vomiting in the grass!

Jimmy watches Buck with concern. When he sees Buck getting sick he is at his side in a split second. He crouches down next to Buck and gathers his hair away from his face. Jimmy waits patiently for Buck’s gagging and heaving stomach to settle down. 

“Take it easy. What happened that has you so upset?” Jimmy asked his voice filled with concern.

Buck latches onto Jimmy’s arm for support. He tries to get up onto his feet that are a bit shaky. “Don’t look at the man behind us. His face…face is…is gone.”

Jimmy looks at Buck with a mixture of confusion and curiosity. Jimmy can’t seem to help himself. Before getting Buck completely upright, he turns his head around to view the morbid picture that Buck described. He starts to gag. His stomach heaves once and quickly looks away. He focuses his attention back on Buck. He gets his friend standing. Without looking at the faceless man Jimmy guides Buck back towards the two soldiers who have been watching the two grown men act weakly over a few bugs invading a dead man’s flesh!

“We’ve seen enough!” Jimmy stated flatly with anger for the two breathing soldiers.

The marshal and his deputy stumble away from soldiers.
 

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

His strong hands gripped the colt revolver tight. His mind made up about what he has to do in order to bring peace to everyone. It began with the four soldiers. He had to kill them, and they had made it so easy for him to do so. 

No one would find out what he’d done. He had covered his tracks very well. A long time ago he was taught the fine art of covering a person’s own tracks by a good friend.

His over-anxiousness about the killings had left him slightly shaken when the job had been completed. He didn’t want to stay long enough to plant the false evidence that would attach the wrong person to the brutal, senseless slayings. He’d stayed until the last soldier took his last breath. 

He just wanted to ride far away from the small clearing sheltered with trees. The tormented fixed expressions on his victim’s faces left him no doubt that they died in agony and with no dignity. 

The blood! There was blood everywhere he turned! The red substance saturated the clothes of the men who lay bleeding to death on the ground. The ground was covered in blood. The tall grass looked as if it had been painted red! The tree trunks were spattered with spots from the soldiers clinging to them before slumping to the ground. He needed to get away from the horrible act that had been committed here. He felt as if he would drown in the red liquid if he didn’t quickly get away!

It was simply inexperience at this sort of thing that made him want to run. He wasn’t totally sure he was doing the right thing. But, his plan is already in action. There is no turning back now. He had to see every detail of his plan through till the end. When it’s all over, and he has made them pay, then and only then will he stop.
 

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

The late afternoon sun shines through the window of the marshal’s office. There is a thick haze of sunshine on the windows of the office. No one can see inside the office. Buck and Jimmy can’t see very well outside the windows. But then they have other things on their minds.

Jimmy is pacing back and forth in the office. His hands are positioned on his hips and his head is bowed down low. He has a hundred or more thoughts fighting for space in his head, and he’s having a difficult time unscrambling them.

Buck had rinsed his mouth out a few times until he couldn’t taste the death and destruction they left behind in the woods. He is sitting on the edge of Teaspoon’s desk washing his face from a basin that he has placed on top of the desk.

He is watching Jimmy pace back and forth. “We’re gonna have to put in a new floor if you keep up that pacing much longer.”

Jimmy stops pacing immediately. “Are you feeling better?”

“Yeah. I’m sorry,” Buck spoke embarrassed by his weak stomach.

“Why are you sorry? It ain’t your fault there are idiots in the army. Cold-hearted idiots at that,” Jimmy spoke his voice angry towards the army and the soldiers they employ.

“I’ve witnessed death many times. Army soldiers aren’t exactly my favorite people. It shouldn’t have bothered me at all,” Buck spoke confused by his own feelings towards the soldiers that were killed.

“Buck, you’ve always been soft-hearted when it comes to other’s pain and sorrow. It ain’t anything to be ashamed of. It’s a good quality to have. I often wished I had that very quality.”

“You’re cutting yourself short Jimmy. You have many…”

“Jimmy, Buck, how you all been doing?”

His familiar voice appeared from out of nowhere.

Jimmy and Buck turn their attention towards the entry door of the marshal’s office. 

“Damn Jimmy. Teaspoon finally got a badge pinned to your chest!”

His appearance hadn’t changed much as he stood lean and tall in the doorframe of the office. His once shoulder length blonde hair is now cropped a little shorter, but still lies past his ears. His blue eyes still glisten with a hint of mischievousness like a young boy of five would taunt with just about anything that smiled with danger. His only real noticeable change is the army uniform he traded his buckskin jacket and everyday Pony Express clothes for.

Buck doesn’t seem surprised by Cody’s appearance. This is not Cody’s first visit since leaving six years ago. Unlike Jimmy, Cody has made periodic stops to Rock Creek whenever he has been close by and his duty to the army allowed him to. 

On the other hand, Jimmy is speechless by Cody’s sudden emergence at the marshal’s office. He seems to be in a trance with his mouth almost hanging open to the floor.

“I sure hope I get a better welcoming home from Teaspoon. Where is the old man of the law?” 

“Cody?” Jimmy questioned looking mystified by Cody’s appearance.

“Yep! In the flesh! Any problem with that Jimmy?”

Buck walks up to Cody. They hug as brothers would when they haven’t seen each other for a while. 

“Welcome home Cody,” Buck spoke smiling at his brother.

“Good to see you Buck. What’s wrong with the new marshal in town? I could swear he acts like he’s seeing a ghost. I’m pretty sure I’m not dead yet.”

Buck turns his head to view a stunned Jimmy. He’s still standing stiff as a board, and he’s a lot quieter than when he’s around Kid.

“Jimmy, it’s Cody. You do remember Cody don’t you?” Buck asked perplexed by Jimmy’s actions.

Jimmy snaps out of his trance. He extends his hand to shake Cody’s hand. “It’s the uniform. I didn’t realize you are still with the army.”

Jimmy looks Cody up and down still not believing that someone he once knew so well had joined the army in a permanent way. He wasn’t happy with Cody’s decision six years ago and after the experience he and Buck had had with the two soldiers earlier today, he is sure he’s still not happy with Cody’s decision. 

“You still think I am wrong for signing up with the army, don’t you Jimmy?”

Jimmy hesitates and thinks about how he should answer Cody’s question without opening up yet another can of worms since his own return home. “It ain’t my place to say.”

Buck senses another heated conversation between another two of his family members. It seems whomever Jimmy comes in contact with from the past, he’s having disagreements with them. Kid and Jimmy aren’t speaking to each other. He doesn’t want to see that happen to Cody and Jimmy. Since Jimmy and Cody are both such hotheads, it would take one of them to admit he is totally wrong before the other would back down from an all out fight.

“Everyone has to do what is right for him. I did what I thought was best for me. You are no different Cody, even if people don’t agree with you. You did what was best for you. Apparently the army has been good to you cause you’re still with them,” Jimmy spoke to the point.

Jimmy’s statement of honesty shocks Buck, but eases the tension that is settling upon Cody’s face. Everyone had criticized Cody for signing up with the army, but he knew that he was doing the right thing for himself. He has helped many people through his travels with the army. Eventually the family did come around to see Cody’s point of view about the army. After they all got used to the idea of him joining and being away from home, they became proud that he had done something good with his life.

“It has been a good life Jimmy. I have no regrets about the decision I made,” Cody spoke with a bit of anger in his tone.

“That’s all that matters Cody. I have to admit, I am a bit upset at the two soldiers who escorted Buck and myself out to where those four soldiers had been killed.”

“The soldiers were wrong. They should have cleared out the dead soldiers before taking you out there, considering the length of time the soldiers had been dead,” Cody spoke more angry at his soldiers than Jimmy at this point.

“We’ll need to go back out there. We really didn’t get much of a chance to check the arrows or the ground for tracks,” Buck spoke hesitantly about returning to the murder scene.

“No need. I can tell you whatever you need to know. I have the arrows. You can look them over Buck. Perhaps you can tell what tribe they are from. One interesting thing I noticed is that there are tracks for one shoed horse, besides the soldier’s horses before they were drove off. It also appears that the soldiers were killed at that location and not somewhere else and just dumped off in the woods,” Cody remarked without much emotion for the men that were killed.

“Why would you think they might have been killed elsewhere?” Jimmy asked bewildered.

“Two soldiers were killed a few months back near Blue Creek. Those two soldiers were killed someplace else and dumped where they were actually found. The tall grass had dragging marks all through it as if the bodies had been dragged and positioned in the spots we found them in.”

“Are you thinking there may be a connection between the two murders?” Buck asked.

“Can’t say for sure. Anything is possible at this point. So where is Teaspoon?”

“He’s back at the ranch recovering from a broken leg. You can hear all about it over dinner tonight,” Buck spoke.

Dinner? I thought you’d never mention dinner.”

Buck and Jimmy laugh at the man who always had and always will put food before everything else. The three men leave the marshal’s office and head towards home.
 
 

How will Teaspoon react over the betrayal of two of his boys?
Will another woman keep Jimmy’s mind and heart from Louise?
Will Buck lose his heart to a woman from his past? Or will Cody’s persistence win her over?
Who is Jack Morgan? What secret does he hold that can make Teaspoon’s life complete, but also destroy him?