Chapter 9

“Oh no!” I said loudly. “You stay out of there. It’s time you and your men went home. I’m going out to see Wilson and read him from the book. If you’re there, I’m liable to just shoot you and this town needs your ranch and its business.”

With a wave of his guns Arly gave permission for the Twin Roses men to go to their horses and follow their boss out of town. I bent down and picked up his gun belt and tossed it over his saddle.

“If you want to warn Wilson go ahead but like I said, if I see you there, I’ll kill you.”

One of his men looked at me with a mixture of fear and hate as he helped his boss to his horse. Valenzuela struggled into the saddle and slowly began to ride out of town. His men trailed him but before they’d gotten more than a hundred yards I yelled out, “And you damned well better pay for the damage to the café!”

As soon as Valenzuela and his men had turned around the corner of the last building on the street and were on their way back to the Twin Roses, I almost collapsed into Fiona and Arly’s arms. I was seeing stars and suddenly felt as weak as a kitten. I might have passed out had it not been for the rush of noise from the crowd as they approached.

We walked into the café and Fiona helped me to my usual seat. Thelma was now on her feet and attending to Otto who was sitting in one of the remaining unbroken chairs. He’d been kicked and beat but I could see that he still had fight in him. Had he not been more concerned with protecting Thelma, Valenzuela might have had a rough time with Otto.

I looked at Thelma as Fiona retrieved a couple of the table napkins and used them to press down on the gash on the top of my head.

“Damn, Thelma, if I keep beating up customers you and Otto won’t let me come back here anymore.”

Thelma smiled but kept cleaning the various cuts and gashes on her husband’s head, face, and arms.

“I...,” started Thelma, “ ... I know that fight last week wasn’t your fault, and I know you were protecting Fiona and us just now, but blast it man, you’ve got to stop using my place as a boxing ring, it’s starting to get a bad reputation.”

She cracked a little smile, so I seriously replied.

“I know, Thelma, and I’m sorry. But no one, not you, not Otto, not Fiona, not anyone else, should have to put up with that kind of treatment.”

“Yeah, I know, you’re right, it’s just...” she let her words hang as she looked over Otto’s shoulder. “I should probably be thanking you but looking at Fiona, I think I’ll let her do it for me.”

“I was going to shoot him dead on the spot if you hadn’t stepped in, Mick,” Fiona said quietly. “And that would have caused a lot of damage inside here.”

“Yeah, that’s why I wanted Valenzuela outside,” I answered. “Also, so the townsfolk could see what was happening. They all liked Charlie and knowing that he died because of these men and their dealings, well it might put some things in motion to get some things in order around here.”

“My hero,” Fiona said sincerely, kissing the top of my head. “But you know that guy was right about him and his men having had me before. But he stopped being an asshole when I was right about his small cock.”

I winced as Fiona pressed down on my scalp, and I was thinking that I should just go back to the room and soak my head in the tub when the doc walked in. He walked right past the two dead men in the street and immediately went to looking after Thelma and Otto. After spending several long minutes with them he turned his attention to Fiona and me.

“Hey Doc,” I asked, while Fiona pressed a wet napkin to my head, “Are they going to be alright?”

“Yeah, Thelma got kicked a few times and slapped a bit. Otto has some deep cuts and a broken rib but he’s a tough old goat. Now let’s have a look at Fiona and you.”

“I’m fine Doc,” Fiona said quickly. “No one laid a hand on me thanks to Mick. He’s got a big gash on his head and I’ve been pressing napkins on it but the bleeding doesn’t seem like it wants to stop.”

“Let me take a look,” he said as he looked over the top of his glasses and removed Fiona’s hand and the blood soaked napkins.

Doc was making sounds like he was examining something strange. There were hums and grumps and even the occasional whistle. I flinched a few times as he dabbed at the wound with something that stung and hurt something awful.

“You keep flinching like that and folks are gonna think you’re not all that tough,” Doc said.

“Doc, I would prefer to not get into fights. Does that make me not tough?”

“Nope. I’d say it makes you smarter than most fellas I see of a weekend.”

He began to wrap some white gauze around my head. Every time he came into contact with where I figured the cut was, he pressed a little harder and harrumphed when I flinched.

“There, it took four stitches and some plaster but the wound is closed and should stay that way. You got any head ache pains or trouble with your vision, like blurring?”

“No, Doc. Except for the pain on top of my head, I feel just fine.”

“Good. Fiona, don’t let him bash his head into anything hard for a few weeks. You should change the bandage and the dressing when he goes to bed and after he gets up.”

“We’ll be leaving town in a few days, Doc. Will that be a problem.”

“Leaving town, huh? Well as long as you keep it dry and clean it should be fine.”

“Good, any reason I can’t go and lay down for a little bit?”

“I didn’t find any signs of a serious concussion. But if you start getting headaches or blurry vision you come and see me. If you’re still in town that is.”

“Thank you Doc,” Fiona said. “I’ll take him back to the hotel right now.”

Fiona helped me up from the chair, although I didn’t need help. I was steady as a rock as we walked back to the hotel. I fell asleep as soon as I lay down.

I woke to the sound of Fiona humming as she packed up some of her things. She must have gone to the barn and retrieved some of her personals. I wondered how long I’d been out and asked that question.

“All night.”

“All night?”

“Yup, and I’m all packed and ready to go once we get the wagon and mules back.”

I rolled out of bed with no discomfort or dizziness and felt pretty good until I touched the covered wound on my head.

“Ouch!”

“Don’t mess with that, Mick. I just put the new bandage on while you slept. You were out cold.”

“OK. Let’s get breakfast. I’m pretty hungry.”

“You should be. You haven’t eaten since before the fight yesterday.”

I dressed and we walked over to the cafe’. Thelma was working. Otto was cooking. Some of the chairs had been tied back together with rope. Everything seems pretty normal. We ate. Talked with Thelma. A few of the locals came over and expressed their concern for my health and thanked me for standing up to Valenzuela.

It made me feel a little nervous that people would thank me for killing one man and beating the hell out of another.

“Thank you very much for you concern,” was my answer to each person who approached up. Finally, sensing that I’d had about enough of the “Thank you’s” and such Fiona stood and placed a hand under my arm.

“Is it time?”

“Yes sir. Mick, are you ready to go?” Fiona asked.

“Yup, lets ride out to Klineside’s place.”

“OK.”

We walked outside to find Arly and several of the miners from Sidel’s place mounted up and waiting. Arly nodded to all and said to me, “The men from the Sidel Mine are waiting for us. They armed up and came running when the fight with Valenzuela started. You were too busy to know but they had the drop on the Twin Roses men. They’re stocked up and ready to follow you.”

“Well then let’s take a ride. Looks like a good day for it.”

Just then Betty rode up quickly taking Arly’s hand in hers.

“Is there something you want to tell us?” Fiona asked Betty.

“Nope. I’m just holding on so the big galoot doesn’t wander off. Everyone is gathered. Thelma even made us some food to take with.”

I stood, took Fiona’s hand, and we walked out the squeaking door and to the livery. We saddled up and began our ride to visit Hugh Klineside. It looked like a regular parade as we made our way out of town and towards the Klineside place. Fiona and I were in the lead with Arly and Betty to Fiona’s left. The eight Sidel Mine men rode behind us in no particular order.

Fiona was talking to Betty about woman stuff and it didn’t take long before Arly moved over to ride next to me and ahead of the women.

“Mick, how do you do it?” Arly quietly asked.

“How do I do what, Arly?”

“How do you deal with meeting men that fucked Fiona when she was a sportin girl?”

“I guess it depends on how they approach us. You handled the fella in the saloon the other day. Fiona told me about a few fellas ahead of time and they approached us respectfully. Men who are just plain rude, I straighten out ... usually before they finish saying what they were gonna say.

“Look, Arly. I know Fiona was a sportin’ girl and so does any man who was with her. I think I’ve let enough people know that Red is no more and Fiona is my wife and deserving of respect. Why do you ask?”

“Well, me and Betty...”

“You finally figured that out did you?”

“Huh?”

“Hell man, as soon as Betty admitted that she was supposed to keep you away from me, Fiona and I could tell that she had her cap set for you. You must have kept more than her interest in bed. Fiona tells me that she’s had many hundreds of men but none of them made love to her. They fucked her. I’m guessing that you finally got to the point with Betty where you made love to her and she finally got to the point with you where you were no longer a dick for a dollar.”

“OK, so what do I do now?”

“Arly you have a few options. You can marry her and make your life with her. You can not marry her but have her be your only woman and you be her only man. Or you can just let her keep on being a sportin’ girl and hope she gives you a lower price for being a special friend.”

“I think I like the first choice the best.”

“Well make sure to ask her. You can’t expect her to read your intentions. If you love her, tell her. If you want to marry her, ask her.”

“Yeah. I’ll have to do that.”

Arly turned his horse back around and took the place next to Betty and right there and then he asked her to marry him. Not the most romantic or elegant way to get the job done but apparently effective as Betty leaned over, nodded, and kissed him. They held hands the rest of the way to Klineside’s ranch.

When we arrived at the S&S Ranch there were quite a few horses out in front of the ranch house. Arly rode around to me and pointed.

“Mick, most of those horses belong to Wilson riders. I’ll bet Wilson sent them to keep Klineside in line since the Valenzuela men were busy.”

“Well then, let’s pay a friendly visit and see.”

I waved for the Sidel riders to spread out to either side of us and we calmly walked to the house. Arly waved Betty to ride behind the line and she refused. She looked at Fiona and seemed to send a quiet signal that she was his woman like Fiona was mine.

As we approached the house a short man came out and put his left hand up to stop us with his right hand on the grip of his pistol. One of the Sidel riders walked his horse right up to him, holding his rifle across his lap.

“Hey, Clyde.”

“Hey Slim. What’s all this?”

“We’ve come to talk to Klineside. Just a friendly visit unless you decide to be unfriendly.”

“Mr. Wilson sent us over here to keep Klineside in line.”

Slim turned his horse towards me.

“Mr. Llewellyn! This fella says Wilson sent them to keep an eye on Klineside.”

The short man looked at me and said, “You the guy that Wilson wants to be Sheriff?”

“I’m the guy that told Wilson that I wasn’t going to be Sheriff. I’m also the guy who beat up Valenzuela and shot Sidel and O’Brian. Now you get your men and get back to Wilson’s place and we’ll see you after we’re done here.”

“Now who the hell are you to order me what to do?”

“Don’t think of it as an order,” I said. “Think of it as a prediction of your impending death. Cause if I don’t see Klineside, I’m going to see to it that each and every Wilson rider here now is dead in the dirt.”

The man reached for his pistol, while loudly yelling, “Wilson riders!”

Before he could clear leather, Slim shot him with his rifle. The air was soon filled with gun smoke and the sound of screaming and moaning men. It only took about a minute for all the Wilson men to run out of the house. And it was like shooting fish in a barrel. As each man came out the front door, someone shot him. The last two men had no pants and were in just their long johns. One had his dick hanging out.

One of the Sidel men had his horse shot and he broke his leg when the horse fell and rolled on him. Other than that there were no injuries on our side. As the air cleared, an older, thin, man came out of the door with his hands up.

“Don’t shoot! I’m Hugh Klineside!”

“Is everyone inside OK, Mr. Klineside?”

“I don’t know. My wife and children are upstairs. I heard screaming.”

I rode forward and said, “Do you remember me, Mr. Klineside?”

“Yeah, you’re the guy that shot Bear Nilsson.”

“Yup and I’m the man Wilson wanted to be Sheriff too.”

“Yeah, the young fella that told him to pound sand,” Klineside said with a chuckle. “What are you doing out here with Sidel men, other than shooting up my place, that is.”

“Wilson threatened me, my wife and my friends. My friend here, Arly Conroy, tells me that you don’t care for Wilson a bunch. I’m going after him. I’m here to check out those on my back trail.”

“You’re going after Wilson? What about Valenzuela, Sidel, and the rest?”

“Sidel is dead and the rest of the men with us are Sidel men riding with us against Wilson. O’Brian’s been shot and he’s not going to stand with anybody. I beat the tar out of Valenzuela back in town so Wilson’s position is not as strong and it’s getting weaker.”

“Well count me in being on your side. What can I do?”

I looked at the bodies on his porch and in the dirt around the front of the house.

“I guess you could get rid of these bodies. You got a pit you use for dead stock?”

“I do and that’s a good idea. But I meant what can I do to help with Wilson?”

“Right now? Nothing. We’re going to ride to Wilson’s now. In a few hours some of his men might come this way to escape. If they’re looking for trouble, shoot them straight up and add them to the pit. Or you might want to hire some on, if you know them to be honest men. You might have to move onto Double Fork land to keep his place going until a new owner can step in to run the spread.”

“I ain’t no land thief!”

“I’m not saying that. But if Wilsons gone, his spread might need someone to take over running it until he is replaced.”

“I see what you’re saying. My foreman is a good man. If needs be, I can send him over to run things for a bit as long as he don’t get shot.”

“When I get done I don’t intend for there to be any people left to cause problems.”

“Well then, is there anything else I can do for you?”

“It would help to be able to feed and water the horses.”

“Do the ladies need to rest?” Huge asked.

“Mister, don’t let them hear you say that. These are two of the most stout women I’ve ever known.”

“Wait a minute. I seen them before. Isn’t that Red and Betty from the saloon in town?”

“It is and it ain’t. When she was a sportin’ girl she was known as Red but now she’s my wife and her name is Fiona.”

“Fiona? I always wondered what her real name was. I never took up with her, I got a wife that makes the need unnecessary. I heard good things about the what she did for folks down on their luck. Your wife, huh. I guess you could marry worse women.”

“I don’t think I could have married a better one.”

The old man nodded in a knowing manner and walked to the end of the porch to yell at one of his hands.

“Shel! Show these folks to the barn and give them what they need.”

“Yes, Boss!”

The fella waved as he spoke and turned to the stable and corral. We all followed along except for Fiona and Betty. They rode up to the porch and spoke to Hugh. Fiona and Betty both flew off their mounts and ran to the door of the house before stopping and looking back to me.

“Mick! Betty and me are going to talk to Hugh’s wife. She’s still upstairs and Hugh’s worried that she was doing a good bit of screaming. Wilson’s men were after her and he says two of them came down the stairs in their underwear.

“I saw that. One had his cock out as well.”

“Shit!” Fiona exclaimed. “Will you take care of our horses?”

“Sure. Wait! After her? Did they attack her?”

“I’ll talk to you about it later. But I think it’s a good thing they’re all dead.”

I looked at Arly and we took the reins from our women and headed for the corral and the stable.

“I hope those Wilson riders didn’t get after Hugh’s wife. If that happened then I don’t know that Fiona will want to leave a single Wilson man standing.”

“Don’t go over the edge there, Mick. The riders that were here paid for anything they did. Let’s not judge the whole by the actions of the few. You don’t treat Fiona like she’s still a sportin’ girl. Betty is changed too.”

“Oh, so you’ve noticed? Betty ain’t what she used to be.”