Hard to Chew
Chapter 25

Copyright© 2003 by Sydney

Lou swayed atop Jenny's bare back as the mule plodded along toward Mojave. The air was crisp. The cool moist breeze of a storm coming in from the west rustled just strongly enough to lazily move tumble weeds along the desert sand, bouncing them against an occasional mesquite bush, then scooting the dried brown weeds around to the other side and on about their way. The trail provided firm footing for the animal, giving his mind time to wander.

Lou never intended to leave Mary tied up inside that blanket. As angry as he had been, he had kept the presence of mind to tie knots she should be able to loosen as soon as she struggled against them. Once she got over the first flush of panic he was sure she'd get out of her bonds. Nevertheless, just in case she didn't, when he got to Mojave he would send someone after her. Although what in Hell they would do with her in Mojave was anyone's guess. But then, that was their problem.

Lead rope in hand, Lou scratched an itch at the collar of his shirt. The first chance he got, he was buying a hot tub of water and a bar of soap. Mary had kept a fastidious toilet. She bathed more often than anyone he'd ever known. Kept her long auburn hair washed and brushed to a shine, too. She was a real lady, Mary was.

Damn. There I go again! The lady was poison, that's what. Maybe he couldn't hold her to account for everything she did because of her illness, but damnation if he was going to forget. She saved his life. Okay. She was a good cook and spirited in bed. All right. She was also holding court with the devil, by damn.

To be fair though, when the sickness took her Mary wasn't in charge of her own life. The voices held a powerful sway over her. It did seem to come and go. She'd been more sane than not at first. Thinking back on it, he didn't know what had happened. Whatever changed the balance and tilted her into total madness, she'd handed over control of her own body then and there. He could still see those long lashed, green-brown eyes looking down on him, brim full of sadness. She was terribly sick. Someone needed to take care of her.

Mary's panicked screams following him down the canyon might just haunt him for a time. As soon as his backside vanished from view her wailing was replaced by howls of rage. He could understand that. He'd spent a fair number of hours in panic wrapped inside that blanket himself. Lou actually felt sorry for her. No, that wasn't really it either. There was more to it than that.

Before the voices started taking her over, they had had a decent life. She was attractive. When sunshine struck it just right, her long auburn hair shone with glints of red and gold. Her green eyes could be warm and inviting, sparked with fire, or wide and innocent. She was more than just attractive. With a lithe little body and creamy white skin, she was a picture. She was sweet and spirited and... , damn good in bed.

Lou scanned the distance for signs of the road running between Mojave and Tehachapi. He'd left the canyon mouth at a south-easterly angle, hoping to cut time off the ride to town. With a kick to Jenny's side he tried to get the mule moving a little faster. Mary was an engaging woman. He might even have stayed around for awhile. He'd certainly chewed over the thought.

Shit, Lou spat to the side. I must be as loony as she is. Chewing wasn't something he'd be doing anytime soon. Lou wished he could figure how Mary did that to him, got him to thinking on her charms and totally forgetting what she'd done to him.

Lou stopped the mule a mile or two down the trail. His body ached. After so long a time laid out and bound up, Jenny's back was downright uncomfortable. He needed to stretch out a bit. Grabbing Jenny's reins he hopped down and gave her hind quarter an affectionate slap. In no time Lou's thoughts were again focused on Mary. One sick lady, Lou shook his head. A real gem, in some ways. He had to admit that. On the other hand, he wasn't sure if he'd ever again be able to sleep soundly with a woman in the room. Certainly wouldn't trust that one, at least. He could never have imagined crazy like Mary's. She got plum bizarre and that's a fact. Lou rubbed his jaw. He never had figured out why she'd taken out all his teeth. Had to have been Lucifer's idea. Mary couldn't have come up with that all by herself.

There I go again. Thinking like the woman's possessed, as if the devil is actually living inside her. He couldn't seem to keep from feeling like she really was living in the hands of Lucifer.

Jenny's lead line pulled tight and Lou turned to see what had stopped the mule. "Found some nice green grass shoots, did you girl?" After cropping what little was there, the animal seemed to approve of moving on. Her chewing got Lou's thoughts off and running again.

Granted, once he'd gotten used to eating Mary's cud, it wasn't too bad. Boy howdy, though, that first time, when he realized what she had in mind, he thought his stomach was going to turn itself inside out, right then. And meat wasn't ever going to taste the same again. Maybe he could smack a steak with a hammer until it was soft enough to gum. Damn hard to chew without teeth. Oh, he'd heard tell of false teeth, and some sawbones somewhere might eventually be able to fit him with a set. Just how long it might be before he had the money to do anything like that was any body's guess. Robbing stage coaches had gotten a bit too risky for his liking. Money might be tight for a time.

The thirty miles to Mojave didn't take as long as he supposed it would. He'd ridden Jenny most of the way. It wasn't much past mid-afternoon when he tied Jenny's lead at the hitching post in front of the general store. He figured on picking up supplies and aiming back out. Probably would be a good idea to head east, out of state. No sense tempting fate by heading back into trouble.

The store wasn't much. The town wasn't much as far as that went. The unpainted clapboard building with its front built up to fake a second story looked as if it would blow down in a strong wind. Must be strong enough to withstand the weather though, as the breeze of morning had grown into a fairly strong wind already. The sky was graying up too. Lou tromped into the store and moved about between the shelves picking out items he would need in the wilderness. He got himself a small cast iron skillet off a back shelf and found a coffee pot too. Foodstuffs were behind the counter. He was the only one in the store and the storekeeper stopped adding figures in his book to see to him.

"Afternoon, stranger. Nice day ain't it?" the merchant asked. He tucked his pencil above his ear and leaned elbow locked on the counter. A clean white apron was tied around his fit and firm build.

"Nice enough. I'm needing a few things."

"What can I help you with?"

The smile on the jasper's face didn't ring true for some reason. It put Lou on edge. If he didn't like strangers, he was in the wrong business. Lou rubbed at his beard. Probably did look a sight, he figured. Lips limp against empty gums, not to mention how much he probably smelled. Well, the storekeep had some good reasons to feel less than neighborly. Digging in his pants pocket, Lou brought his money into view. Maybe the man thought he was going to rob him or something. The sight of a few dollars might put him at ease. As a fact, he did seem to settle when he saw Lou's green on the counter.

"I've got shirts over yonder," the storekeeper said indicating a stack of ready made garments at the rear of the store with a flip of his hand.

"Only need some supplies. Flour, beans, and coffee. Some sugar. I'll take a can or two of those peaches too." Lou continued to look around the store for things he couldn't do without. There weren't a lot of things here to choose from in the first place. Lou wasn't sure if there were so few shelves because there was so little merchandise, or if it was the other way around. He did see a shelf that held whiskies and such. "I'll have a bottle of snake bite cure. Hey now, you got hats? I could use one with a good wide brim, and a canteen to carry water in."

"I've got all that. The hats are up there in the front window. Help yourself and I'll get this other totaled up."

When Lou sauntered back up to the counter, a nice brown beaver felt hat sat on his head. "Anything else?" the shopkeeper asked.

"I'd like to find me a horse. Some place a man could get a good one here abouts?"

"Sure is. The Rollin' W down southeast 'a town has a few he said he wanted to sell. He'll make you an honest deal."

 
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