The Adventures of the Lone Jack Kid: A Western Adventure (Western Fiction, by Joe Corso Book 1)

by Joe Corso

The Kid locked eyes on his assailant. “Whenever you’re ready, stranger.” Moments passed, which seemed like hours to Charlie but were mere seconds counted in heartbeats. The stranger’s eye widened for a split second, and the Kid caught it. In that micro moment, the Kid jerked his gun from his shoulder holster and in a blurred graceful horizontal movement of his arm, he fired, killing the stranger with a perfect shot to his heart. The stranger was fast, very fast, faster than anyone the Kid had ever faced. But the stranger’s eyes betrayed him. They told Charlie that he was going for his gun. It was a flaw and the Kid noticed it because he focused on his eyes, while other men the stranger faced had their eyes locked on his gun hand. When the gunfight ended, the Kid was cautious. Before moving, he checked to see if there was another shooter lurking nearby that he should be wary of. But everything appeared to be normal. As tense as he was, Charlie held back a grin watching Buntline nervously wiping his brow, worried that his meal ticket could have been killed.

  Sheriff Wheeler pushed his way through the crowd. “What happened here?”

  The Kid told him. “This stranger,” he said, pointing to the dead man. “Challenged me in the hotel while I was having lunch with Buntline. Said he’d kill me if I didn’t come out and face him. I had no choice, sheriff, I had to defend myself.”

  The sheriff understood the Kid’s predicament, but he had a job to do. He addressed the crowd loudly. “I need witnesses. I’d like a statement from those of you who saw the shooting.” Wheeler looked at Buntline. “You must have saw the whole thing, right?”

  “I sure did, sheriff, and I would be happy to give you my statement.”

  “Good! Anyone else?”

  Joe the bartender raised his hand. “I’ll give you my statement too, sheriff.”

  The sheriff nodded and looked around at the milling crowd and asked for other witnesses. A few people stepped forward and told the sheriff that the Kid told the stranger to go home, he didn’t need to do this, and words to that effect. Sheriff Wheeler took their names and asked them to stop by his office later. Then he told Longstreet to come to his office; he had something important to tell him that couldn’t wait, and then he headed back to the jail. The Kid felt uncomfortable standing in the middle of the street among all the curious townspeople milling around him, so he followed the sheriff, wondering what he had to tell him that was so important. Buntline and Joe the bartender followed close behind the Kid as he headed for the jail.

  The sheriff handed the bartender and Buntline a blank sheet of paper and asked them to write down in their own words what had happened. When they were finished, he asked them to sign it for the record. They handed their signed statement to the sheriff, then Joe said that he had to get back to work tending bar at the Longhorn and he left. Buntline stayed with the Kid.

  “What did you want to talk to me about, sheriff?”

  “Have a seat, Kid; you too, Buntline. I’ll be blunt, Kid. After this shooting, I’m going to have to ask you to leave town. You’ve given me no choice.” The sheriff looked down for a second, then he looked up at the Kid, obviously having a hard time saying what he had to say. “Listen. The only way I’ll let you stay here is as my deputy. If you agree to it, then no one will bother you. It’s either work for me or leave town. I hate having to say this to you, Kid, so take the deputy’s job, and stay here.” He looked hopefully at the Kid, who hadn’t said a word yet. “If you don’t take the job, I’ll give you a few days to settle your affairs and then I want you gone. Look, Kid, I like you . . . But if you stay here you’re going to get yourself killed and I don’t want that to happen in my town.” The sheriff was almost pleading with the Kid. “Look, son, as sure as there’s a God above, someday someone will come here who’s faster than you, and when that day comes - he’ll kill you. Then someone will come here who’s faster than him, and it starts all over again. You see my problem? I have to nip it in the bud and that’s why I want you out of town. But if you stay as my deputy, you can stay as long as you want - and you’ll have the protection of the law behind you. Gunslingers think twice before challenging a lawman.” Sheriff Wheeler sat back in his chair, picking at his beard. “Well, what’s it to be, Kid? Leave Virginia City or stay as my deputy?”

  The Kid looked at the sheriff and then at Buntline. “I’m all bollixed up, sheriff. I would like to stay here for a while longer, but I’m just not ready to be your deputy. The Kid turned to Buntline. “I guess I’m gonna take you up on your offer, Ned, but first I have to tell Abby. I know she’ll be disappointed, but she’ll just have to understand the way things are.” The Kid turned to the sheriff. “Sheriff, you’ve been fair with me and my friends and I want to thank you for that. I’ll leave town in a few days with Ned, but I’ll be back. I don’t exactly know when that’ll be. Most likely a year, maybe two - but I’ll be back - and if the deputy’s job is still open, then I’m your man.”

  The sheriff smiled. He liked the Kid and if he took the job, he knew he’d be a good deputy. “Well, I’m kinda disappointed that you’re not taking the job, but even if you’re away for a few years, when you get back and I’m still sheriff, I’ll see to it that the job is yours.”

  That made the Kid smile. “Thanks, sheriff. That’s mighty generous of you. Take care of yourself and hold that job open ‘cause I’ll need it when I return.” They laughed and shook hands for a long moment. Then they said their farewells. The Kid felt as if he was leaving another friend behind.

  Ned and the Kid left the jail, but before heading to the Saunders place, they stopped at Rosenberg’s jewelry store. The Kid asked to see some nice ring settings. He pointed to one. “That one. Put the diamond in that setting.” Then he took out his pouch containing the diamonds, sorted through them, and chose a large diamond for Abby. Rosenberg’s eyes lit up when he saw the diamonds. “I could use those diamonds, Mr. Longstreet. Do you want to sell them?

  The Kid shook his head. “Not just yet. Maybe sometime in the future, I might.”

  Rosenberg was disappointed. “Do me a favor, Mr. Longstreet. When you decide to sell them, would you see me first? These are nice stones and diamonds are rare in this part of the country.”

  “Sure,” the Kid said. Then he remembered Susie and since he was making a ring for Abby, and he had all these diamonds, then why not have a ring made for Susie too? He reached into his pouch and picked another nice-sized diamond, and then he picked another setting. He told the jeweler that he was leaving town and he was in a rush because he wanted to give the rings as gifts and could he wait for them.

  “Give me an hour, and I’ll have them for you.” Less than an hour later, the curtain parted and Rosenberg laid a black velvet fabric on the counter where he proudly placed the two finished rings. Charlie picked up the rings and admired them. Abby’s ring looked good to Charlie, but what did he know about diamonds rings? He had never owned one and he never knew anyone who did own one. But he knew women seemed to like diamond rings. It appeared to mean a lot to them and he wanted to see Abby’s face light up when he gave it to her. He wished that whenever she looked at the ring, she’d think of him.

  “It’s beautiful, isn’t it Ned?”

  “It sure is, Kid. She’ll love it.”

  “Yeah,” the Kid said. “But will she understand that I have to leave her for a while?

  That’s the tough question, isn’t it? Oh well, we might as well get started.”

  Buntline held up his hands defensively. “No! You’re going out there by yourself, Kid. I have a lot of preparing to do before we leave, so you go on alone.”

  The Kid glanced at Ned. “Why? What preparing do you have to do, Ned?”

  “Are you kidding me? I have to arrange for train tickets to New York. I have to set up a public relations campaign for when we arrive. I have to book a theater. I have to notify the newspapers. I have a play to work on. Kid, I got a whole lot of things I have to do before we can leave Virginia City. So you go on ahead - and be nice to that girl. Don’t hurt her badly. Make sure she understands that
it’s only temporary and you’ll only be gone for a little while, and then you’ll be back. Go on now. Get going.”

  Charlie sat outside with Abby on the deck chairs her father made for the family, but she could see something wasn’t right. “What is it, Charlie? What wrong?”

  Charlie looked at her sheepishly. “I’m afraid I have some disappointing news for you, Abby.”

  Abby shuddered. “What news, Charlie?”

  “I’m . . . well, I’m leaving town with Ned Buntline.” He tried sugar-coating it so as not to hurt her. “It’s the sheriff. He told me that I have to leave town. Seems he’s scared that some gun hands will come to Virginia City and kill me, and he don’t want me to get myself killed in his town. Ned has a play based on the Lone Jack Kid, and he wants me to play the part. Says I’d make a fortune if I go to New York. Abby, I’ll be back. It’s only for a little while. Until things cool off a bit. That’s all.”

  Abby threw her arms around him and burst into tears. “Charlie, what am I going to do without you? I feel as if I was stabbed in the heart with what you just told me.”

  “Maybe this will make you feel a little better, Abby. I wanted to give you something that would remind you of me whenever you looked at it. So I bought you this. I hope you like it.” He took the little box out of his pocket and gave it to Abby.

  “What . . . What is it Charlie?”

  “Open it up and see for yourself what it is.” Abby opened the little box and when she saw the ring, she jumped up in the air, squealing with delight. Her mood changed abruptly from sadness to happiness. “Charlie, it’s just the most beautiful ring I’ve ever seen in my life.”

  The Kid blurted out without thinking, “It’s an engagement ring.” That did it. Abby went running into the house to show her mother her new engagement ring.

  When the Kid returned to town, he moseyed over to his brother’s store. “Is Bob in, Susie?”

  “Yes, he’s in the back room. Wait here and I’ll get him for you. I know that he’s dying to talk to you about what happened today with Parker.”

  A few seconds later, Bob came bounding out of the back room. “Charlie. Man, is it good to see you. I was worried about you. I didn’t know what happened with Parker and his crowd.”

  “It’s finished, Bob. Parker ain’t gonna be bothering anyone for a long time. We fixed him good.” Charlie turned serious for a moment and led his brother to the rear of the room. Then he took two seats and positioned them facing one another so they could talk privately without being disturbed. “Sit down, Bob, I have something important to tell you, and there’s something I’d like you to do for me.”

  Bob sat and waited for his brother to start. “Go ahead, Charlie. I’m listening.”

  “Does Parker still hold the mortgage on this place?”

  “Yes. When I bought this place, it was hardly doing any business, but I knew the potential it had, so I bought it. It didn’t take us long to turn the business around and me and Susie slowly built it to where it’s now profitable and making us a decent living. Now that the business is turning a profit, Parker wants to buy it from me at a price far below what it’s worth. The problem is he keeps threatening to foreclose on me. How in hell he could do that when I pay him his ridiculously high mortgage payment every month is beyond me.”

  Charlie smiled for the first time since sitting down. “I have some good news for you, then, Bob.” He handed the package he’d been holding to his brother.

  Bob looked at it questioningly. “What’s this, Charlie?”

  “There are some mining claims and a lot of deeds to properties and mortgage papers in that stack of papers. We took them from Parker’s safe back at his ranch. One of them is your mortgage paper. You don’t owe him a plug nickel any longer ‘cause this place is now yours, free and clear. There are a lot more legal papers in there and that’s the favor I need you to do for me. I want you to give them back to their rightful owners. You’re gonna be a hero, Bob. Maybe even get yourself elected mayor of this town. Every one of those papers will free the person of any debt they have with Parker and it’s all legal like.”

  Bob sorted through the various deeds and mortgages. “Wow, this one is for Joe the bartender’s Longhorn Saloon and look here - this one is for Nellie Blanchard who owns the ladies’ dress shop down the street.” Bob looked Charlie in the eye and told him not to worry, he’d hand these papers to their owners personally. “I can’t wait to see the looks on their faces when I give them these.”

  Charlie agreed. “You’re going to be one popular fella when you hand those papers to them, Bob. There’s something else I need to tell you.”

  Bob was concentrating on the names on the papers in his hands, but he looked up at his brother and by the look on Charlie’s face he knew that his brother was about to tell him something that wouldn’t sit well with him.

  “What is it that you want to tell me that’s giving you a problem, Charlie?”

  “I’m leaving for New York with Ned Buntline in the morning. Right now, he’s busy making preparations, buying train tickets, and putting things in order. He’s planning on doing a stage show based on the life and adventures of The Lone Jack Kid.”

  “But, Charlie,” Bob interjected. “You don’t know anything about play acting. How are you going to get up on a stage and look and talk serious?”

  Charlie shrugged. “Don’t know, Bob, and truth be told - don’t much care neither. The money, I’m told, will be good, and Ned tells me I should walk away a rich man.” Then Charlie leaned closer to his brother. “Besides, I’m too young to get hitched and to settle down, even with a nice gal like Abby. I don’t intend to stay away forever, though. I’ll be back in a year or two - maybe three, but don’t you worry none ‘cause I’m comin’ back for sure. You’re the only family I have, Bob, and I’d rather be here close to you than be in another part of the country, but I’m a restless sort. I guess the war done that to me. There’s a lot of livin’ and places to see that I want to see and do before I settle down. It wouldn’t be fair to Abby and it wouldn’t be fair to me.” As Charlie stood to leave, he told Bob, “I already said goodbye to Abby; now I’d like to say goodbye to Susie ‘cause I really don’t know when I’ll be back.” Charlie put his arms around his brother and spoke softly to him. “This is something I need to do, Bob. I hope you understand.”

  “I understand, Charlie. You did what you came here to do. You helped me more than I can ever thank you. Now go and do whatever it is that you have to do - and Susie and I will look forward to you returning to Virginia City someday soon.” Bob called out to Susie, who ran over to the men. Curiosity was getting the best of her, wondering what her man and Charlie were discussing. She could tell by their postures that it was very important.

  “What’s happening fellas?”

  “Guess what, hon? Parker doesn’t hold the mortgage to our business any longer. Look, here’s the paper saying we own our property free and clear - and we can thank Charlie for it.”

  Susie hugged Charlie. “I’m the luckiest girl in the world. I have me a handsome husband and a famous brother-in-law. What more could a girl want?”

  “And look, Sue. These other papers are for all the other merchants in town and the mine and farm owners too. All free and clear - thanks to Charlie.” Bob took Susie’s arm and pulled her close and he hugged her tight. “Charlie’s leaving for New York City tomorrow.”

  Susie opened her mouth to say something, but the words didn’t come out. Finally, she said, “Why, Charlie? Why do you have to leave?”

  Charlie looked at her sadly. “I was given an ultimatum by the sheriff. Either stay here as one of his deputies or leave town and right now I’m not ready to be his deputy, so my only other option is to leave Virginia City. But there’s a bright spot here, actually a couple of bright spots. One - he said he’d hold the deputy job open until I got back no matter how long that was - and two - Ned has a stage show worked out where I’d be play acting as myself in front of a lot of New Yorkers. Sa
id I’d come back a rich man. Well, knowing how Ned can stretch the truth, I guess I have no choice but to go and see if he’s telling the truth.” The Kid hugged and kissed his sister-in-law and then he hugged his brother. “I’m gonna miss you brother.”

  “Me too.” Bob said softly and then he impulsively hugged his brother and kissed him on his cheek.

  Charlie was about to walk away, but he stopped and looked at Susie. “Almost forgot, sister-in- law. Good thing that I remembered. Here, I have a little something for you.” He handed Susie the little box with the ring in it. She opened it and gasped. “Oh my God. I never seen anything so beautiful in my life.” She looked up at Charlie. “Is it real?”

  He laughed. “Of course it is. Do you think that I’d give my beautiful sister-in-law . . . my brother’s gorgeous wife . . . a fake ring? It is pretty, though, isn’t it?”

  Susie threw her arms around Charlie with tears of happiness running down her face. “I never had anything so lovely in my life, Charlie. Thank you. It was sweet of you to think of giving me this.”

  “Hey, now that you no longer have a mortgage to pay, you two should do all right for yourselves. I must be getting forgetful, Bob, because not only did I almost forget to give Susie the ring but I almost forgot to give you this package to hold somewhere safe for me.” Charlie handed his brother the velvet pouch containing the diamonds.

  “What’s in the little bag, Charlie?”

  “Come on, I’ll show you.” Charlie opened the pouch and showed Bob what was in it.

  “God almighty. Are they all real diamonds?”

  “Yep. Took them off Parker. There were a lot more of them, but we split them between us. Give me the little ring box, Susie. I’m gonna take ten of these little beauties with me. Never can tell if or when I’ll need them.” Charlie kissed Susie and embraced his brother, and then he turned and walked out the door, not wanting his brother and Susie to see the tears running down his face.

  CHAPTER 23