by Rita Hestand
"I don't like it." Dan shook his head. Despite backing Butch, Dan didn't like violence and especially where kids were concerned.
"You want to be rid of Cord, or not?" Jason frowned at them both.
"Sure, but…"
Jason pulled Dan up by the collar, and stuck his face in his. "Look, we gotta take Cord, that's all there is to it. But he's too fast for us and would kill us if we just challenged him to a gunfight. He'd win. So we take the kid, he gets the note, he comes after him and we kill Cord. We send the kid back unharmed. No more problems."
"You're forgetting one thing brother." Butch snarled after listening to him so long. Fed up with his arrogance, Butch stood up, trying to intimidate his older brother.
"What?"
"What if he don’t take the bait and don't come after the kid?" Butch sent him a red-eyed glare.
"If he wants to marry Lilly as bad as I think he does, he'll hightail it over here as soon as he gets the note."
"What if he's smart enough to know it's a trap and don't come?"
"He'll come. And as long as we don't let Lilly in on it, there won't be any problems. Women always cause problems in situations like this, their so emotional." Jason reasoned quickly.
It was that snide look on Jason's face that irritated the hell out of Butch. He always thought he was right. He always thought he was the brains of the family. Butch was ready to beat his brains out.
"We could take Lilly," Butch grinned. "That'd be more fun, and do just as much damage." Butch glanced at Dan who was smiling at him.
"Nah, that won't work. Even if we had some fun with her, she's a whore anyway. And he'd come after us hot and heavy for that. So we gotta take the kid, and soon. You see, when you take a woman, a man comes loaded for bear, shootin' his way in. And you rile him up enough, things could get really bad around here. You take a kid; he'd be afraid to come in shootin'. He'd be afraid we'd kill the kid in front of him." Jason told them. "Besides, you gotta quit frettin' over Lilly, she doesn't even like you."
"How the hell do you know?" Butch stood menacingly over Jason now, he was at least four inches taller than Jason. Sometimes he could intimidate his brother, sometimes Jason backed off. But this wasn't one of those times and he knew it.
"I've seen her with Cord. She's in love with Cord and I figure she has been all along. They've had a thing for each other for years. Why do you think he came back and got her pregnant? He's crazy about her."
Butch scowled at Jason for putting him down like that. Jason always put them down. Like he was so superior to them. "Who is gonna get the kid? I ain't very good with kids."
"I will, you two might hurt him." Dan offered quickly accepting that responsibility. His brothers were rough, mean sometimes. "And I ain't for killin' the kid. We ain't got nothin' against Charlie."
Jason smiled, they began to see what he was saying. That was good. "I didn't say we'd kill the kid, I said we'd bring him out here and you'll go fishing with him and we'll have a big fish fry, play checkers and let him spend the night. He won't even get hurt. Alright, Dan, you'll get the kid. Tell him some big fish story, and he'll come easy enough without a fuss."
"Hey now, that's an idea!" Dan smiled. "Sure, I can do that. Charlie loves to fish, everyone knows that."
Jason shook his head; his brothers were so stupid. Sometimes he wondered why he had all the brains in the family.
"Good, it's settled then. Tomorrow you go into town and see if you can get the kid to go fishing with you, Dan. Bring him out here, take him fishing too. We'll have the fish for supper. He don't even have to know what's goin' on. Tell him some story, like we'll have a fish fry and take him home the next mornin'. I got an idea this isn't going to take long to finish up."
Dan smiled and nodded. "I can do that."
"I'll write the note for Cord, and we'll get someone else to deliver it…"
Butch shrugged. "This better work Jason. Because if it don't, I'm going gunnin' for the man."
His threat hung in the air between them and Jason almost called his bluff, but Butch had a crazy streak in him and Jason knew not to push him too far.
"It will…but we're gonna have to be ready for him."
"Now you are talkin'." Butch smiled. "I'll be ready."
"Good, then tomorrow…" Jason sat down once more and drank his coffee, looking like the cat that stole the milk.
Chapter Thirteen
Dan was sitting at a table in the saloon the next day at lunch time. He watched Lilly for a moment, wishing he could entice her to come around him. Still, Lilly was all business. She spent a great deal of her time keeping the glasses washed up. Besides, she'd never had anything to do with him, why would she start now?
But after about three beers Dan spotted Charlie wiping a table off. He didn't look as though he was enjoying it either. Good, he was bored, and a bored kid would jump at the chance to go fishing.
He motioned for Charlie and Charlie came up to him skeptically. "You want another beer Dan?" Charlie asked.
"Nah, hey Charlie, I heard you like to fish." Dan began, eyeing the kid closely.
"Yeah, sure," Charlie stared at him. Dan wasn't that old and Charlie liked talking to him although he didn't know him that well. There were few that came in the saloon as young as Dan.
Dan was dressed in regular cowboy gear, complete with a gun on his hip. Charlie often wondered if Dan knew how to use a gun. He'd thought about asking him a time or two but never had. His mother didn't like him talking to the Dubs brothers, but Dan seemed all right.
"Well, just so happens we got a creek full of catfish on our place. Ever fished there?" Dan asked.
"Naw…not that I remember." Charlie thought about it a minute.
"How about you and me sneaking out there and goin' fishin' this afternoon?" Dan suggested. Dan was sixteen and could still relate to kids pretty easy. He liked kids, and Charlie had always befriended him to some extent.
"I-I don't know. I got chores to finish." Charlie glanced at his Ma. She wasn't looking their way.
"Then finish them and I'll meet you out back say…two o'clock and we'll do some great fishin', what do you say? Might even have a fish fry later."
Charlie glanced at his mother, but she was washing glasses and had her back to him. He seemed to consider it for a minute. He'd always wanted someone to hang out with, but everyone was too old that came in here. Dan was just a few years older than him, the way he figured. "I guess if I finish I could. But I'll have to tell my Ma."
"Just tell her you are goin' fishin', you don't have to tell her where, you'll be home before sundown." Dan assured him.
"All right. Meet you out back then…" Charlie nodded.
"All right," Dan smiled and nodded.
Lilly turned around about the time Charlie walked away. She looked at Dan then Charlie. Dan finished his beer and left.
As they ate a sandwich together later, Charlie finished his milk, wiped his mouth with the back of his hand and glanced at his mother. "Can I go fishing when I finish my chores?"
Lilly looked at him for a moment. Her mind was on the wedding coming up, not on her son's fishing trip. "I guess so, if you finish up your chores, be back before sundown though."
"I will, I promise…" Charlie nodded. "Well, I better get busy if I'm gonna finish."
Lilly glanced at him again, wondering what his rush was.
She went back to work and didn't think anything about it.
Doc came in a little after one.
"Doc, good to see you. What can I get you?" Lilly smiled as she came up to his table. Doc was always wearing a suit and looked immaculate. Lilly couldn't say the same for most of the people that came in here.
"A beer might cool me off." Doc smiled at her.
"One beer, coming up." Lilly went to get it herself and sat down with doc for a moment when she came back.
"So, how are things?" Lilly smiled at him as she glanced at the few remaining customers.
"Good, Lilly. And you?"
"Fine…"
"Getting anxious about the wedding?" Doc smiled at her.
"A little…" Lilly mopped her brow. "I've never been married, it'll be a new experience, but Cord wants me home and so does Charlie so I'm gonna sell this place and become a pioneer woman, I guess."
"I saw you put the place up for sale, in the paper." Doc glanced around the saloon, only a couple of stragglers were up at the bar. "Had any takers?"
"No, but I put an ad in the paper in Pecos and Dallas maybe I'll get some attention there."
"When did you go to Pecos?"
She grinned, "I went there to find a dress to be married in."
"Oh, shopping, huh?"
"Well doc, I haven't bought a dress in a while and I wanted something kind of special."
"Good for you, Lilly." Doc smiled at her.
"Yeah, I'm going to be a mother and wife, Doc. I've never been a wife. Sounds kind of nice, you know. Charlie is so excited about it. He's never had me full time before. And he's certainly never had a father around."
"It's really a good thing that Cord likes kids and wants Charlie, too."
"He even wants more…" She jabbed him in the ribs.
Doc laughed, "Well, that's good, isn't it?"
Lilly blushed, "I always did want Charlie to have a brother or sister or two."
"Well, to tell the truth, I'm proud for you Lilly. Real proud. You deserve it if anyone does." Doc smiled. "Cord's a good man."
"Charlie's sure looking forward to me being home all the time." Lilly chuckled. "And so am I."
"Well, this will be kind of a new experience for you Lilly. But a good one I think." He leaned back and took a swig of his beer. "I hear Cord's really fixing the place up for you."
"Yes, he's working hard…" Lilly smiled.
"Where is Charlie anyway?" Doc glanced around and didn't see him.
"He's finishing up his chores, wants to go fishing this afternoon." Lilly smiled. "I can't hardly keep him away from that fish pond, wish it was further from town and he wouldn't go so often."
"That boy loves to fish, doesn't he? Nothin' wrong with that. You can't coddle the boy, you know." Doc chuckled. "Boys have to learn to do for themselves, and you can't hold the apron strings forever, he's growing up Lilly."
"Yeah, but I can't complain, catfish are mighty good for supper." Lilly laughed.
Doc stared into her eyes now. "Well, I'm proud for you and for Charlie."
Lilly studied doc's expression for a moment. She knew he was sincere. She knew Doc has a soft spot for Cord too, almost fatherly. "So you been out to see Cord?"
"Yeah…and I couldn't be happier for Cord either. I have never seen him so happy." Doc said with satisfied smile on his face. "He's doing well, Lilly. And I for one am glad to see it. You know, when he first hit town, I saw a strange kind of sadness in Cord. My heart went out to him. He took the war hard, Lilly. It changed him, made a man of him."
"I saw that too, Doc. But Cord's always had a soft spot." She watched his expression.
"Yeah, I remember one time when he was little, he found this pup that was all chewed up and brought to me to doctor. The look on that kid's face, nearly broke my heart. I patched him up and he lived. Goes to show you what love can do." He watched her closely.
She sighed heavily, "Doc, you know Cord wants to adopt Charlie don't you? It was all his idea. He didn't want Charlie finding out about Sam and what he'd done. He's claimed him as his own Doc, and that alone is enough to make me love him."
"It's for the best Lilly. It sure is, and I have to say I'm very proud of Cord for stepping up like that. He's a good man Lilly, but then…we've always known that, haven't we?" The old doc nodded with satisfaction.
"Yes, we have," She smiled. "I better get back to work. Thanks for stopping by, Doc."
"You betcha…" He winked at her.
***
"Dan, you ready to go?" Charlie asked as he found him out back that afternoon hiding in the bushes.
"Yeah…are you?" Dan asked eyeing the kid.
"Yeah, I brought my pole. Do you want me to dig up some worms before we go?"
"Naw…we'll get some there…" Dan told him. "Let's get on out here."
Charlie nodded, and Dan let him slide on the back of his horse. As though it just occurred to him he asked, "Why were you hiding in the bushes?"
"Well, your ma don't like me much, she might not let you go, if she knew I asked you."
"That's true, but we're just going fishing." Charlie told him.
They rode out of town quietly only a couple of people seeing them. Dan was nervous but Charlie didn't seem to be.
Dan took him out to his place and after he got his gear they headed for the creek.
From what Charlie saw of the house, it was big and sprawled out. It was a man's place, no frills and Charlie liked that. It was fun being with someone a bit older who would buddy with him.
Charlie was excited, he'd never fished out here and just getting away from town was a good thing to him. In the back of his mind, he knew his mother would be furious if she knew he'd come here, but sometimes he wanted to be on his own, away from his mother. In fact, more lately. He loved her, but after all, she was a woman.
Dan pointed to an old cottonwood tree he liked to fish under and they set up their gear. Charlie dug for worms and found an abundance once he scraped the hard dry earth for them.
They were all set up and had caught several catfish a couple of hours later, when Jason and Butch rode up.
Charlie didn't care for either one of them, but they were Dan's brothers so he had to be polite.
"Well, you fellers caught anything yet?" Butch asked his eyes going around the place and landing on Charlie who was eyeing him suspiciously.
Butch didn't like kids, they were noisy and always asking questions.
"Yeah, got a string of catfish for supper." Dan told him. "Did you take care of everything?"
"Sure did." Jason answered. "Well, Charlie, you might want to stay for supper then and we'll clean them fish."
"Oh, I told Ma I'd be home before sundown." Charlie replied. He didn't look at Jason, because he didn't like the man. But he could stay for supper his mom wouldn't be mad.
"You don't have to fret about that. I done told your Ma you were stayin' for supper and that we'd bring you home in the morning as we had business in town." Jason told him.
"You did?" He glanced up at him now with surprise. He'd never spent the night with anyone else before and it made him a little edgy. But Jason being the most intelligent, Charlie figured maybe he had asked. "I didn't think you liked my Ma."
"Aw now…sure I do, Charlie…" Jason shrugged. "Everyone likes your Ma…" He chuckled and shot Butch a quick glance.
"Well…she doesn't care much for you…" Charlie mumbled under his breath. He didn't like the way Jason said that.
Dan heard him and when Jason and Butch went to the house, Dan laughed.
"Don't pay no attention to them. Nobody likes Jason much, Charlie." Dan chuckled. "Including me and Butch."
Charlie looked at the two men dismounting and going inside the house, "Yeah, I bet you're right about that."
"I don't like him much either, but he's my brother. Got no choice."
"Yeah, I guess that's true." Charlie nodded. "Does he tell you what to do all the time?"
"Pretty much. Well, we catch a few more and we'll have a big fish fry, Charlie." Dan encouraged him. Despite his brothers, he didn't want to frighten the kid or worry him. Left up to him, Charlie would go home before Cord ever got there.
"You were right, there are a lot of catfish in this creek." Charlie chuckled. "Do you fish a lot?"
"Oh sure, I like to fish. And Jason and Butch like them for supper." Dan nodded. "They just don't have patience when it comes to fishing. It takes patience."
"Sure does." Charlie agreed. "You fish much?"
"When I'm not workin' I do. Calms me down."
"Yeah, it can do that. Takes your mind off your troubles." Char
lie laughed.
But Charlie wrestled with the invitation to stay for supper and stay the night. He'd never stayed the night out here and he couldn't quite believe his mother would let him. She didn't like any of the Dubs boys that well. "I really ought to be getting back after supper, don't you think?"
"Aw…if Jason asked if you could stay, then it's all right Charlie." Dan insisted. "I might not like Jason, but he's smart about things. I'm sure he got permission from your Ma."
"I guess." Charlie shrugged. "It's just until morning, though. I got chores to do."
"Shore, shore, we'll get you back." Dan promised then glanced at his brothers.
Charlie thought Dan was pretty nice. Maybe if he took the time to get to know Dan, they could be fishing buddies. He was growing up and it would be fun hanging out with someone a little older.
That evening Jason and Butch seemed to be more jovial than usual and Charlie had a good time as he and Dan cleaned the fish and Butch fried them up. They had a pot of beans, cornbread and fried fish and it was a right good supper, Charlie decided.
But later, after supper Charlie felt a bit out of place and suggested going home. Especially after Jason and Butch decided to have a drink.
"We'll take you home tomorrow boy," Jason told him, only his voice was rougher now and his face not as friendly. Charlie didn't feel right about staying the night and he really felt as though he might get in trouble for it. He felt an unease although Dan got him in a checker game that evening before bedtime and Charlie settled out some. Dan was being extra friendly and Charlie decided he'd be home by tomorrow there were no worries.
