Chapter 10

"Did you see how many of them there were with Flemington?"  Sam asked the teller of the Lincoln bank.  The man had been shot by the gang but was fortunate enough that the gang hadn't bothered to find out if he was alive or not when they took off.  This was the first time a robbery had occurred during business hours, something which confused Sam altogether, and it was also the first time they had killed anyone.  Thus, the reason the territorial marshal was now in the picture.

Ben Hurley grabbed his side in pain before answering.  His bullet wound was in his shoulder and was healing nicely but from the impact of the shot, he had fallen and hit some furniture on his way down, cracking a couple of ribs.  "Like I told the marshal here, there were about ten of them."

Sam turned toward the marshal since the interview was taking place in the man's office.  "Marshal Gibson, any of those men get hurt or killed?"

"Unfortunately by the time we got there, they had already killed Mr. Caplan and shot Mr. Hurley and were on their way out of town.  My men and I got off a few shots and one of my deputies got lucky and hit a member of the gang.  I don't think he was successful in killing anyone but, Marshal, the man who was shot was Flemington's brother.  I think that's going to play big in your favor 'cause from what I've heard about Flemington, he's a family man.  Still keeps in touch with his mama, that sort of thing.  I don't see him abandoning his brother just 'cause the man's shot."

"And it could just slow him down,"  Sam added, nodding.  "You see which way they were headed?"

"Northeast from what I could tell.  I'm sorry, Marshal, but we don't got the manpower here, that's why I couldn't go after them,"  Gibson said.

"No, no, I understand.  It's in my hands now.  I'll have the judge draw up the warrant then we'll get them.  They're slipping, first the robbery during the day, now with Flemington's brother wounded, it's only a matter of time until they're caught."  He bid good day to the marshal and the teller of the bank then motioned for his couple of men to follow him outside.  They joined the rest of his deputies on the sidewalk.

"Mitchell, you take a couple guys with you, head out of town, see if you can pick up a trail.  Once you do, I'll send a wire to Hickok and Willis, tellin' them where to meet us."

Mitchell nodded.  He pointed to a couple of the men then they mounted up and headed in the direction the gang had taken.

Sam told the rest of his men that they'd hold up at the hotel until Mitchell got back.  He knew this wasn't going to be easy, getting the Flemington gang, but nothing about his job was easy.  Someone had to take care of justice and he was that someone.

Buck finished mucking out the stalls and headed outside to get some fresh air.  He stopped at the trough by the barn door and splashed some water on his face.  As he wiped himself with the nearby towel, his ears picked up the sound of an approaching horse.  Looking off past the barn, he caught sight of someone riding hard.

He ran into the yard to meet him, smiling.  "Rider comin'!"  he called.  "Lou, it's Kid!"

He wasn't surprised when the screen door of the house slammed shut instantly and he saw Lou standing on the porch, looking in the direction of the plains.

Lou had been inside, going stir crazy, doing any little task she could think of to pass the time.  She knew Kid was due back soon and just kept hoping he wasn't delayed in any way.  Five days away from him seemed like a lifetime.  So when she heard Buck call out, she almost broke a vase as she dropped the broom she'd been using, in her eagerness to get to the front door.

"Kid,"  she whispered as her husband came into sight.  She gathered up her skirts and ran down the stairs and across the yard to where he slowed to a stop by Buck.  "Kid!"  she called as she got closer.

Kid barely managed to slide out of the saddle and hand the reins over to Buck before he was almost knocked over by the force of Lou throwing herself into his arms.  "Lou!"  he cried, laughing as he wrapped strong arms around her petite frame.

"Oh I missed you,"  she sighed, taking in the comfort his arms gave her.

"Not as much as I missed you,"  he told her.

She raised her head to look into his eyes.  "Wanna bet?"

"Any day."  They gazed at each other for a moment until each reached for the other's lips, hungrily.  Kid pulled her close as all was lost to him, except the feel of the woman in his arms.

Buck watched with an amused look on his face.  Loudly clearing his throat, he said,  "You wanna take that inside?"  He grinned as they laughed, embarrassed, and broke away.

Not taking his eyes off his wife, Kid said,  "I like the sound of that."

Blushing, Lou looked away.  "Kid!"  she admonished.  There was no way she could look in Buck's direction, knowing full well that he was staring at her.

"It's alright, Lou, you don't have to be embarrassed.  I'm a big boy, I know what married couples do behind closed doors."  Buck laughed as her face got even redder.

Kid pulled her toward him burying her face in his chest.  She wrapped her arms around his waist and didn't dare look up.  It was bad enough she figured Buck knew when they fooled around in the middle of the day, it was another thing to have him actually say he knew they did it.

Kid kissed the top of her head, then trying to get the subject changed, he turned to Buck.  "Any news from town, Buck?"

Lou glanced up in time to see Buck smile and nod. 

"Yep, it's just waitin' on your signature,"  he told Kid.

"What is?"  Lou asked a grinning Kid.

"Your surprise, that's what,"  he said.

She smiled, remembering he had promised her one upon his return.  Glancing shyly at him, she said,  "Well, I got a surprise for you, too."  Unconsciously, she grabbed hold of her dress at her waistline, as she thought of where her surprise lay.

"You, do, huh?  Well, what is it?"

"Not here,"  she told him, indicating Buck with her eyes.

One glance at her and Kid could tell it was something serious and that she was anxious to tell him.  "Alright, what do you say we head up to the room?  I'm tired and dirty and I'd like nothing better than to get cleaned up, maybe get out of these clothes."  He paused as he thought of something else they could do upstairs.  "How about you give me a hand with that?"

Lou was still thinking of the surprise she had for her husband so she only half heard what he had to say.  She now turned to him, since he stopped speaking, and asked in confusion,  "You need my help getting out of your clo ... "  She paused in mid sentence as she saw a familiar twinkle in his eye and a smile starting to creep across his lips.  "Oh, you do need help ... don't think you could do it alone.  You need me." 

"You have no idea how much I need you right now,"  Kid said in a husky voice.

"I need to get out of here,"  Buck muttered to himself, knowing full well where this conversation was headed.  He shook his head and led Katy toward the barn.  

Lou offered her hand to Kid and once she had a hold of his, she started backing away in the direction of the house.  "Come on, Kid, let me take care of ALL your needs,"  she told him in a sultry voice.

"I heard that,"  a voice from the barn informed them.

Looking at each other with wide eyes, Kid put his arm around Lou's shoulders and quickly led her to the front porch.  The sooner they got inside, the safer it would be, they both thought, laughing.