by Nancy Howard
“What makes you think I'm gonna let you sleep?” He's looking at Logan, with a teasing grin on his face.
“Oh, please. No, no, no, not tonight Gavin, you sleep over there, on the other side of the fire. I'm way too tired for a romp with you on the desert floor, tonight,” she said to him. Even though her primal urges were telling her, she should do otherwise. She's really glad to see Gavin, it's comforting for her to have him near her again. She likes the feeling of him being with her.
For Gavin all he's been wanting to do is find Logan. She's all he's thought about for weeks on end. Now that he's found her, he has no intentions of letting her get away from him again.
3
Gavin wakes up the next morning to find that he's not alone in his bedroll. Logan is curled up next to him, still fast asleep. His blanket over him and her. He looks at her just as she opens her eyes slowly. She sees him and smiles, laying her head on his shoulder. And after a few minutes of letting her wake up they begin to kiss, as Gavin draws her close to him.
“Mornin', sleepy head,” he says.
“She smiles, “Um, it was so nice being up close, and next to you again.”
“Yeah, it's been too long since I was next to you, like this,” he says to her.
“Yeah, I know. There were nights, I would just long for you, Gavin. God, I missed you so much.”
“Yeah, I missed you, too, and I ain't gonna let you go this time,” he says. Smiling at her. Then they kiss again, several times.
They're quiet for a few seconds. Then the urge between them builds to where they can't resist it anymore.
“Now, you wanta?” He grins.
“Yeah, why not,” she says, with a big grin.
LOGAN AND GAVIN BREAK camp, and make the half hour ride into Folsom. The first thing they notice is how the town is disquieted about something. Usually when Logan and Gavin ride into a town together, they themselves get gawked at by people not used to seeing them. They are strangers, after all, and both are carrying guns, which usually causes more curiosity among folks—especially Logan. But not this particular morning, no one seems to notice them riding into town.
Down the street they could see a crowd of people gathered in front of the sheriff's office. Gavin suggests to Logan, and she nods in agreement that they ride should over and check it out.
They reach the jail and decide to set on their horses, and listen to see what is going on and being said. The sheriff they learn, is gathering a posse to ride out and investigate what seems to be several brutal murders.
The sheriff turns to this man, who is setting on the edge of the boarded walkway—holding his head in his hands—crying. The Sheriff asks him, “Billy, are you sure that this wasn't work, of renegade Apaches?”
“I don't know, for sure sheriff, but everybody was dead, even the little children. All the livestock and everything. It was awful.”
“Sheriff, that doesn't sound like the renegades, they would have taken the livestock,” one deputy said.
The sheriff looked up from the old man, shaking his head in agreement with the deputy. Then he looks directly into the morning sun and it's glare, and sees the silhouettes of two people setting on horseback, in front of him. One of which is a woman. She has her right leg thrown over the saddle. He shades his eyes with his hand from the sun, to get a better look. But before he could address them, he looks to his left, as he hears a man's voice, say, “Joe.”
Logan, too, sees the man coming up to the large group. He's a big man at least six feet four, and is with a lady, who Logan figures must be his wife. Right away she thought to herself he must be important, because he seemed to command a lot of respect and attention, even from the sheriff.
The sheriff says,” John!”
“What's goin' on, Joe,” the man asks?
“Someone, or something massacred the Tanners, and the Blakes. I'm gathering a posse, to go out and see for myself.”
“Kids too?”
“Yeah, that's what Billy Halladay, here, tells us.”
“Who the hell, is mean enough to kill women and kids? Apaches?”
“We're not sure at this point, and we won't know until we get out there and can see for ourselves.”
“You're not looking for renegades.” They hear a woman's voice speak up.
Realizing that it was the woman on the horse that said this, the sheriff looks up at her again. At the same time the man named John, looks at them, too. They're both using their hands as a shield to their eyes against the sun's glare.
The sheriff asks, “you know who did this?”
Then Gavin says, “you're looking for five men. They're mean as hell, and they're lead by one—Bailey Hogg.”
“How do you know about them,” the big man asks?
“I been trackin' em for almost five months now,” Gavin responds. “I chased them all across west Texas, and to here.
“Who are the two of you,” the sheriff asks?
“I'm Gavin Sloan, and she's Logan Kincaid.”
“Bounty hunters,” John speaks up, using a sardonic tone. Looking at both of them, still shielding his eyes from the sun.
“Sir, you say that like you don't appreciate us.” Logan says, with a smile running across her face.
“I don't, really,” he says. Looking at Logan, as she continues to give him a wry smile.
The sheriff turns to John and talks to him for a minute, then looks back at Gavin and Logan, and says, “I'd like it if the two of you would ride out with me and my posse.”
Logan and Gavin looked at each other, and then Gavin says, “I'll go.”
“What about you, Logan, ain't you goin',” the sheriff asks?
“Nope. Somebody's got to stay here and watch over your town, while you and your deputies are gone, sheriff. Besides, Gavin here knows way more about them than I do, and he'll be able to help you more than me.”
The sheriff looked at Logan and says nothing. Knowing she's right. That while he and his deputies are gone, there would be no one here to protect the town if these criminals showed up here. He also knows of Logan and her reputation.
Then the sheriff turns to John, and asks, “How about you John?”
“You know I'd love, too, Joe, but Catherine and I have an important meeting at the bank this morning. Jay here can go in my place if he wants to?” John said. Looking at his foreman, Jay Canter.
Canter acknowledges that he would indeed be glad to go along. Then the sheriff turned to the eight or so other men, and Gavin. Telling them all to raise their right hand, as he swore them in as deputies. Then they all went and got their horses, mounted up and rode off to the north and out of town.
Logan watches them as they leave, she’s dismounted Warrior and has tied him to the hitching post in front of the sheriff's office. As she turns to walk away, she’s approached by the man named John, and the lady with him.
“Logan Kincaid. I have heard of you, young lady.” He says, walking up to her.
“What's your name,” Logan asks?
“I'm John Sanderson, and this is my wife Catherine.”
“Mam,” Logan says. Smiling at the woman, and tipping her hat.
“So, are you and Sloan looking for this Bailey Hogg and his gang?”
“Well sir, the truth is, I wasn't until yesterday, when I saw their handy work. They killed a couple of people named Johnson, about twenty miles east of here a couple of days ago. Gavin came into my camp last night and told me he'd been tracking them for some time. He asked me to join up with him, and I did. Seems the sheriff over in Lubbock, has put up a seventy- five hundred dollar reward on them.”
“Hmm, so that's the reason the two of your are after them. The money, I should have known,” Sanderson said. Again, he uses the same tone Logan had heard him use a few minutes before.
“Well, Mr. Sanderson, if you must know, it's true, we are bounty hunters. And while the money is important, I have a couple of other reasons for catching Hogg and his gang. Their names are Libby and Connie Johnson. I
want to bring those animals to justice for those two little girls. Hogg and his gang brutally murdered their parents, and they watched them do it. I promised them both, if and when I do find them, and bring them to justice, I’ll go back out and tell them. And I will make sure they get my share of the reward money. So you see Mr. Sanderson, for me it's not just about the money.” Logan spoke this, looking John straight in the eye.
He's quiet, because that's a quality John admires in people. He shakes his head at her in admiration of her being so forthright with him. He likes her already, though he wouldn't admit it right now—given that she's a bounty hunter. He can already see she is honest, and has integrity.
There is a brief pause between them, and then Catherine who had been standing by, listening to John and Logan, asks her, “what on earth were you going to be able to do by yourself, if you did find them?”
“I wasn't sure, mam. That's why me and Gavin joined up to hunt them together. We stand a better chance that way.”
Then Sanderson pulls out his pocket watch and looks at the time, and says, “Well, Logan, we hate to cut this short but we have an important meeting at the bank. So for now, good day.” Then he and Logan nod to each other, as he and Catherine walked off toward the bank.
As the Sandersons walk away, Catherine looks back at Logan, and asks John, “what do you know about her? She doesn't seem like a bad person at all.”
“I know that she's a bounty hunter my dear, and she is very good with that gun she has strapped to her right leg. She killed Duke Wymer some years ago, and she gained a reputation, because she did that. And no, I don't think she's a bad person, Catherine. I just think she's misguided in her career choice.”
“She's a beautiful girl. I can't believe she's a bounty hunter.”
“I can't either Catherine, and you're right, she's a beautiful girl,” John says, in agreement.
Logan watches the Sandersons walk down the street, and she figures that's not the last time they will be talking to each other. Logan is now idle, with nothing to do, something that she hates.
4
With all this time on her hands, Logan decides to check out the general store. She buys a box of shells and some sticks of spearmint hard candy, which she loves. She leaves the store and walks back over to where Warrior is tied up, depositing the shells in her saddlebags. She takes a piece of the candy and puts it in her mouth, and puts the rest in the saddlebag.
Looking around for someplace else to visit, across the street she sees a dress shop. She figures that with all the time she has on her hands, she will pay it a visit, she might even buy something.
She enters the dress shop and notices right away that it is empty, except for the two young women clerks standing behind the glass counter. They immediately see Logan, and stare at her, then look at each other.
“Howdy,” Logan says. Tipping her hat and looking at them, trying to be friendly. Knowing the two women have no intention of returning the gesture to her, by the way they're looking at her. Each of them have dumbfounded looks on their faces. Arms folded in front of them, as if to say, “oh...my...God!”
She figures from the looks of them, they are about her age. One is a tall blonde headed girl, as tall as Logan, and the other one is shorter and has brown hair.
They look at each other again, then back at Logan, and the blonde girl questions Logan poignantly. Pausing as she speaks, “How...can we help you...Miss?”
“Well, I'd like to look at some of these dresses, cause I might buy one,” Logan responds. Immediately sensing, that they don't want her in the store at all.
Then the blonde girl says, “I don't think we have anything in your size.”
“Yeah, well, you never know, I might find something,” Logan says. Turning to speak to them, and forcing a smile.
Logan can see that the two girls both are dressed nice. They have on pretty dresses, with bracelets on their arms and necklaces around their necks. Their hair is clean, styled, and brushed. They're apprehensive about Logan being anywhere near their merchandise, or them for that matter.
And, in a way she understands their apprehension, she's aware that her appearance is in complete contrast to theirs. She is scruffy in comparison to them, with her brown britches and white button down shirt on, both having not been washed in recent days. Her britches cover her and boots, and her hat is thrown off of her head and lays on her back. Her white handled six gun and holster are strapped to her right leg. Her hair is pulled back in a ponytail and it needs to be washed.
After a few minutes, two more women customers come into the store, immediately garnering the adoring attention of the two clerks. They're older, mature women, and they're greeted with big friendly hellos, smiles, and names. Logan hears all of this and figures it is as much for her benefit as it is the two women.
Logan doesn't look up while all this is going on, she’s found a couple of dresses that she likes and is trying to decide which one she wants to buy. She decides on one and walks over to where the clerks and the two lady customers are. When the older women see Logan they look up at her, she's five-eight, and is much taller than they are. Their look at her, is one of surprise. She smiles at them, and says, “ladies.” Tipping her hat at them.
The two women didn't respond at all, in fact they only gasped at Logan—giving her a look of astonishment. Then they quickly walked out of the store, seemingly in a huff at being exposed to this her. As they leave they turn around to look at her, both of them shaking their heads, obviously talking about her, and disapproving of her. Logan watches the two women leave and looks down, smiling to herself. She shakes her head slightly at the way others perceive her. Especially other women, like the ones now—who judged her the way they did.
The two clerks look at Logan standing in front of them, holding the dress, and the shorter one asks curtly, “What do you want? We'd like for you to leave. You're bad for business.”
“Yes, I agree,” the other girl concurs, as they both scrunch up their noses.
Logan ignores their rude comments and facial expressions toward her, “well, before I leave ladies, I want to try on this dress. Remember, you said that you didn't have anything my size? Well, guess what? I found this one that's my size. As a matter of fact there's a whole bunch of dresses over there that would fit me. But I like this one, and if you don't mind, I want to try it on?” Logan said. “So where's your fitting room?” All the time she's forcing a smile at them. One that's not intended, to be cordial.
“Well, we do mind. And no, you can't try it on,” one says.
“Why not?” Logan protests.
“Because you're kind of...dirty.” The blonde girl says, scrunching up her nose.
“Well, I will say, I'm a little grungy,” Logan responds. Flippantly.
“Grungy? We can smell you,” the shorter girl says.
Then the blonde girl relents some, and says, “okay, this is the way it’s gonna be. You can try it on, but you gotta buy it first.”
“What?” Logan shrieks at them in disbelief at what the girl said. “So what if it doesn't fit me right? Or I don't like the way it looks on me? Will I get my money back? Ladies.”
The two women say nothing, as they looked at each other, dumbfounded. Standing there staring at Logan, like they don't understand her.
Then the blonde girl says, “that's the way it has to be. It's the only way we're going to let you try it on. Because you're not...clean.”
Logan wants to explode but realizes that would be futile, just like it would be to argue the point with them anymore. They’re not going to let her try the dress on unless she buys it. So she agrees, and says, sarcastically, “okay ladies, you win. I'll buy it.” Logan is shaking her head, glaring at the two women. Then she reaches into her pocket and pulls out a wad of cash, the likes that neither of them has ever seen before.
Logan asks them, sharply, “how much?”
“Uh...that ones three dollars.” the blonde girl says. As she and the other girls eyes grow wide, a
t the site of Logan's wad of cash.
Logan then counts out three dollars, and lays it on the counter, and comments, “there. Satisfied?”
The blonde girl picks it up, and Logan puts her money back into her pocket. The other girl asks Logan, “how did you get your hands on that much money?”
“I earned it, ladies.” She says, using as curt of tone with them as she can, “I'm a bounty hunter. Now, again, the fitting room. I'm going to try on, my new dress.”
Then one of the clerks points toward a door in the rear of the store, where the fitting rooms are located. Logan makes her way over to it, seething down inside for the way she's been treated by the two clerks.
Minutes later Logan looks at herself in the mirror. She's donned the dress and is checking to see if it fits her right, and if it looks looks good on her. Logan may be a bounty hunter, and she doesn't spend very much time doing this type of thing. However, she is a woman and instinctively knows how the dress should look on her. She decides that the dress does indeed look good, and she is pleased with her purchase.
As she looks at herself in the mirror, she hears gunshots ring out. They're coming from somewhere outside of the store.
She thinks to herself, in disgust. “Great! Now what?” She quickly grabs her boots and puts them on under the dress, not bothering to change back right away. She straps her gun and holster on. Then grabs her hat, and puts it on and leaves the dressing room. With her new dress on, she quickly walks toward the store entrance. The two clerks are standing there looking out, and watching what is going on when they see Logan. She looks out the front of the store and up the street, and sees a man with his arm around a girl's neck. He’s waving a gun around and shooting it wildly. Yelling obscenities at the top of his lungs.
“What are you gonna try to do?” The tall girl.
“See if I can help that girl.” Logan replies, with out looking at her.
She walks outside and stops at the edge of the boarded walkway, continuing to up the street. The man is yelling to everyone that he is going to kill the saloon girl. He's bellowing that he'll kill anyone who tries to stop him. Logan figures he obviously very drunk, because he's weaving around as he holds onto the girl.
