Full Circle

 

- 3 -

​

​

When Curry arrived back at the hotel he found Heyes gathering his things together ready to leave.

 

“You’re leaving right now?” he asked, incredulously, still scarcely able to believe that Heyes really intended to go through with breaking up their partnership.

 

“No time like the present.” Heyes replied, not looking at him.

 

“What’s the rush?  We aint even set a wedding date yet.” quipped Curry.

 

Heyes stopped what he was doing and sighed, “It doesn’t matter what date it’ll be.  It’s still going to happen, isn’t it?”

 

“Well, yes, but…”

 

“Then please don’t make this any harder than it already is, Kid…” Heyes spoke over him,  “I told you this morning, I won’t stand in your way, and I’ll keep your secret, but I can’t stay around and watch you two playing happy families.”

 

Curry shook his head in frustration,  “So, that’s it?  You’re just gonna walk out on a lifetimes friendship? After everything we’ve been through together?”

 

“I’m sorry, Kid…”

 

“Where are you going to go? What are you doing to do?” Curry demanded.

 

Heyes shrugged, “Don’t worry about me, I’ll be O.K.” he said dismissively.

 

“But I do worry about you, Heyes.  You might be the brains in our partnership, but when it comes to brawn, that’s where I come in.  You need me… and I need you.”

 

A ghost of a smile fleetingly touched Heyes’ lips, but was gone as he turned to face him.

 

“You don’t need me any more.“ he told him, “You have your own family that needs you now.”

 

Curry sighed, “Heyes, you are my family.”

 

Heyes smiled as he contemplated the button on the sleeve of his coat which he picked at distractedly.

 

“As good as.” he said presently,  “But… Jack…” the name sounded strange on his lips,  “Jack is your family, your blood family. Your loyalty is to him now.”

 

“Heyes, it doesn’t have to be an either/or situation.” Curry told him, “Yes, Jack is my son, and I love him more than I ever thought it was possible to love another human being, but it’s a different kind of love to what men and women feel for each other.  It doesn’t – shouldn’t – make any difference to us, to our friendship.  I’m still the same person I was last week, I just have more responsibilities that I have to honour now.”

 

Heyes shook his head,  “No, you’re not the same person you were last week, Kid, but, even if you were, I’m not.” he told him, “I told you this morning, there’s nothing I’d like more than to see you married and raising a family, but…” he broke off as his voice faltered, and then, in frustration, turned back to his packing as he  said, hoarsely,  “you know how I feel about Veronica… I can’t watch you and her together, raising your child… I… I just can’t…” He shook his head,  “It would drive a wedge between us, Kid. Maybe not right away, but sooner or later…  I’d rather just leave, now, than end up hating you.”

 

 *   *   *

 

Down in the hotel lobby, the desk clerk looked admiringly at the attractive young woman wearing an emerald green coat and hat, who had just entered and now approached the desk.

 

“Good day, miss.  How may I help you?” he enquired.

 

“It’s Mrs.” Veronica smiled demurely,  “And I’d like to know which room Mr. Jones is in please. Thaddeus Jones.”

 

“Well, we don’t usually give out that information Mrs….?” the desk clerk raised a questioning eyebrow.

 

“Browning.” replied Veronica.

 

“Well, Mrs. Browning, we don’t usually give out that information, as a matter of hotel security you understand.  Many of our guests prefer to remain… anonymous.” he gave a polite smile.

 

“I am aware of that, but Thaddeus is my fiancé – I’m a widow.” she added hurriedly as the desk clerk’s expression clouded. “We are in the process of arranging our wedding.”

 

“I see.” replied the desk clerk,  “Well… ahem… in that case, I think it should be in order for me to tell you.  Mr. Jones is in room twelve. Third floor.”

 

Veronica inclined her head,  “Thank you.”  Turning, she crossed the lobby and headed upstairs.  On the  third floor landing she paused, momentarily, to check that her hair, which was swept up on her head, was pinned neatly in place, and her hat sat at the right angle, wanting to make a good impression.   Then, smoothing down her coat, she took a deep breath and headed along the corridor towards room twelve, feeling anxious about confronting Joshua but, at the same time, slightly exhilarated at the thought of seeing him once more.  Taking off her glove she raised her hand to knock the door, but paused as she heard raised voices on the other side.

 

 *  *  *

 

Inside the room, Curry eyed Heyes anxiously, still struggling to comprehend that he was intending to make good on his promise to leave, and trying to imagine life without him at his side.

 

“Please don’t go, Heyes.” he said presently, “There has to be a way to work this out.”

 

Heyes sighed, beginning to lose patience, “How many times do I have to say it, Kid?  I can’t do it. I can’t stay and watch you go through with this sham of a marriage -  to the woman who should have been my wife - and wipe out your family line with a lie.  I said I wouldn’t stand in your way, and I won’t, and I said I’d keep your secret, and I will, but I can’t  stay around and be a witness.  I told you before that you’ll be opening up all sorts of problems for yourself in trying to keep Veronica from knowing you’re Kid Curry and not Thaddeus Jones.  The longer you stay in one place the more likely it is that someone, sooner or later, is going to recognize you, and if I stay around too that doubles the likelihood of it happening.” He shook his head,  “It’s better all round that I leave. Not just for me, but for you too.”

 

“Heyes…” Curry began, but Heyes spoke over him as he fastened his saddlebags and tossed them across his shoulder.

 

“I’ll keep in touch with Lom, so he’ll be able to let you know I’m O.K. and he can keep me updated on how you’re doing.”  He turned to face him, a dismissive look on his face that belied his inner anguish, “If the Governor gets around to offering us the amnesty, Lom can let us both know.” He picked up his carpet bag and, placing his hat on his head, began to move towards the door.

 

Outside, in the corridor, Veronica’s eyes widened in shock as she listened to their words. Thaddeus was Kid Curry?  And Joshua was Hannibal Heyes? The two notorious outlaws with a $10,000 price on each of their heads?  She shook her head.  It couldn’t be true.  Could it?  But hadn’t she just heard them confirm it with her own ears? Her hand flew to her mouth as the implications of what she’d heard sunk in.  She was about to enter into a fraudulent marriage, with a wanted outlaw! Jack’s father was an outlaw!

 

Curry grabbed Heyes’ arm,  “No, Heyes.  This isn’t right.  Bad things always happen when we’re apart. You can’t leave like this.  Where will you go?  Who’s going to watch your back?”

 

Heyes shook him off, “Don’t worry about me.  I’ll be O.K.” 

 

As she heard footsteps approaching the door, Veronica turned and fled back down the corridor, her only thought, to get herself and her son away from these two men as quickly as possible.  She couldn’t risk Jack’s happiness, and even his life, by marrying a wanted outlaw.

 

Curry stepped in between Heyes and the door, blocking his exit.

 

“Heyes, please don’t do this…” he pleaded.

 

“Kid…” Heyes sighed, heavily, eyeing Curry resolutely, waiting for him to get out of his way.

 

Curry stubbornly remained where he stood.

 

“You gonna stand there all day?”  Heyes raised a sceptical eyebrow.

 

“If that’s what it takes.”

 

Heyes gave a faint snort and shook his head to himself, “Sooner or later you’re gonna have to move, so why drag things out?  Just let me go, Kid.”

 

They stood there, staring at each other for several moments, neither willing to back down, before, without shifting his gaze from Heyes’, Curry shook his head, reaching out to take the door key out of the lock and dropping it into the pocket of his vest.

 

Frustrated, Heyes turned away and threw his bag and saddlebags angrily down on the bed before turning to face him, his hands on his hips.

 

“You think that’s gonna keep me from leaving?” he growled.

 

“Well, you aint goin’ out the window from this floor…” Curry began, “…and don’t even think of pullin’ your gun on me.” he added, as he saw Heyes’ hand flex slightly as the idea of doing just that flitted through his mind.

 

Heyes glared angrily at him before throwing his hands in the air and turning away to pace the room in frustration, while Curry remained standing in front of the door, his arms folded across his chest, watching him silently, knowing Heyes’ mind would be calculating the chances of either trying to exit via the window, beat him to the draw and force him to unlock the door, or perhaps take him on in a fist fight in an attempt to get the upper hand, while at the same time already having discounted any of them as a viable option and trying to think of a way to convince him that he was wrong and he should just let him leave.  

 

Finally, Heyes stalked across the room to sit down on a chair next to the window, shooting him an angry glance.

 

“O.K.  Stalemate!” he snapped, “What now?”

 

Curry sighed, beginning to pace the room.

 

“Everything you said, just now, about the longer I stay in one place the more likely it is that someone’s eventually going to recognize me, and if you stay around too that doubles the likelihood of it happening… I know that’s true but, Heyes, you’re just using that as an excuse to run away.”

 

Heyes said nothing, knowing that he was right but not prepared to admit it.

 

“I know how you feel about Veronica, Heyes,” Curry continued, “and I do understand your feelings about being a ‘fifth wheel’ and about watching us play ‘happy families’ as you put it, and I understand why you feel you can’t deal with it. But, one thing I’ve learned since I’ve found out about Jack is that you have to fight for the people you care about.  There’s not been many people in my life who I’ve felt that way about, Heyes, but I feel that way about Jack, and I feel that way about you. You’re my family, Heyes, just as much as if we were blood kin, and I don’t want you to leave.   I know it’s not going to be easy, for any of us, but I’m willing to fight to try and make it work, for all four of us, because you’re all the family I have.” He stopped pacing now and turned to look at Heyes,  “And if you’re the man I think you are, you’d be willing to do the same.”

 

He eyed Heyes anxiously, waiting for his response.

 

Obviously troubled, Heyes got to his feet and paced the room, Curry's eyes following him as he arrived back at the window where he stood with his back to him, for several minutes, shaking his head from time to time, appearing to be conducting some inner argument with himself.

 

Finally, he bowed his head and said quietly, “I’m sorry, Kid… I can’t…”

​

Curry stared at his back, deeply hurt that Heyes didn’t care enough about their friendship to even try.

 

Heyes turned away from the window and sat down heavily on the bed, dropping his face into his hands, desperately ashamed at not being to live up to Curry's expectations of him.

 

Presently, he dropped his hands and stared at the floor, “I know how you feel about Jack,” he said quietly, “and I understand that you need to be with him… But you have to understand too, Kid… the way I feel about Veronica… it’s not quite the same as you and Jack,  I guess,  ‘cause he’s your blood kin… but I love her, like I never loved any woman… and I can’t stay and watch you and them together… it would destroy me, Kid.” He raised his head to look at him, his anguished eyes pleading with him to understand, but Curry just stared at him, obviously deeply wounded by his words.

 

“What if I’d asked you to leave Jack behind and come with me?  You wouldn’t have done it, and I wouldn’t expect you to.” Heyes tried to explain.

 

“I wouldn’t even have asked.” Curry said bitterly, “I’d have stayed and tried to work things out.”

 

Heyes shook his head, returning his gaze to the floor.

 

“It’s easy for you to say that because Veronica doesn’t come into the equation for you. You’re only thinking of Jack. You’re not seeing it through my eyes, Kid.  If you felt about Veronica the way you feel about Jack you’d understand why I have to go.”

 

Curry shook his head, “No, Heyes, I don’t understand why you have to go.  If what you feel for Veronica is anything like how I feel about Jack, how can you even think of leaving?  I need to be with Jack, to take care of him, protect him, with my life if necessary…”

 

“It’s not the same, Kid--“ Heyes began.

 

“Isn’t it?”  Curry cut in, raising a sceptical eyebrow, “We aint kin, but I’d do the same for you.” He shook his head, “I thought it went both ways.”

 

“You know it does.” Heyes muttered, wearily.

 

“Then stay.” Curry tried again, “How are we gonna watch each other’s backs if we’re at opposite ends of the country?”

 

Heyes shook his head, putting his elbows on his knees and dropping his face into his hands. He knew everything Curry had said was true and he wished with all his heart that he could set aside his feelings and stay here with them, but he couldn’t.  Curry was looking at Heyes’ relationship with Veronica through his own eyes.  He liked her, yes, cared for her as the Mother of his child, but he had never felt about her the way Heyes did and just didn’t understand the heartache that staying here and watching him marry the woman that Heyes loved, and raising the child that Heyes wished with all his heart had been his, would cause him and to go on trying to make him understand was a pointless exercise.

 

Presently, he drew in an anguished breath, dropping his hands to stare dejectedly at the floor.

 

“I respected your choice to stay here and marry Veronica, Kid, even though I think you’re wrong.” he said quietly,  “Now I’m asking you to respect mine.  You’re my family too, but, sometimes, even families have to go their separate ways to do what they have to do.” He sighed, raking his hands up through his hair, “I wish I could live up to your expectation of me, Kid, but I just can’t… I’m sorry…”  He lifted his head to look at Curry, who just stared at him before, eventually, without a word, he crossed to the door and, taking the key out of his pocket, unlocked the door and opened it, standing to the side and waving his hand towards the opening in a signal for Heyes to take his leave.

 

Heyes stared at him, wishing there was some way to make him understand, before finally getting to his feet and picking up his saddlebags and carpet bag.

 

“Lom will know where to find me if you need to.” he said hoarsely, his eyes pleading with his to try and understand and not take his leaving as a betrayal of their friendship, but he could tell that was how he saw it.

 

Curry turned his head away, not wanting to even look at him, and, as he did so, his eye fell on something on the floor just outside the doorway.  Bending to pick it up, he saw that it was a glove.  A green coloured ladies glove. A glove like Veronica’s.  He inspected it more closely. It was Veronica’s!

 

“What’s that?” Heyes asked now.

 

“Veronica’s glove.” Curry muttered thoughtfully as he pondered the reasons for it being there.  Veronica had wanted to come and speak to Heyes to try and talk things over with him.  Even though he had told her not to get involved, it seemed that she had been reluctant to heed his instruction and had come to the hotel with the intention of speaking to them.  So, where was she?  Why hadn’t she knocked the door?

 

Suddenly, the penny dropped and he turned to look at Heyes, his expression aghast.

​

“Oh, God, she must have heard!” he gasped.

 

At Heyes’ confused expression he continued, “She wanted to come here and try to talk things through with you. I told her that wasn’t a good idea, but she must have decided to do it anyway.  Heyes, if she was outside the door she must have heard everything we said… in which case...  she knows who we are!”

 

“I’d say that’s a good bet.” Heyes nodded, still standing with his bag in his hand and his saddlebags slung over his shoulder.

 

“That must be why she left without knocking... Oh, God, Heyes, what if she calls off the wedding and stops me seeing Jack?” Curry started to pace this way and that, raking a hand through his hair,  “You told me yourself that she wouldn’t want an outlaw as a father for Jack.“ He stopped pacing and turned to look at Heyes, “What am I going to do?” he asked frantically.

 

“Go after her.” Heyes told him.

 

“What am I going to tell her?” said Curry, pacing again,  “If she overheard us talking, I can’t lie my way out of it.”  He stopped pacing and turned to Heyes once more.

 

“Come with me… please…”

 

Heyes looked aghast,  “No, Kid, I…” he began to protest, but Curry cut him off.

 

“Please, Heyes.  If you want to leave afterwards, fine, I won’t stand in your way, but please come with me to talk to her.  She’ll maybe listen to you.   You can explain things so much better than I can…” He looked at Heyes, his blue eyes desperately pleading.

 

Heyes eyed him for a long moment, feeling guilty that, because of him, Veronica might have overheard their conversation and learned their identities. He cursed himself for having allowed Curry to spend so much time trying to dissuade him from leaving.  If he hadn’t done so, there wouldn’t have been anything for her to overhear. If he’d left sooner, this wouldn’t have happened.

 

Finally, he dropped his bags back on the bed before turning to look at Curry once more.  He was sick at the thought of having to see Veronica again, but his conscience overruled him.

 

“Alright.” he said quietly,  “Let’s go.” 

*    *    *

 

It took them just under ten minutes to get to Veronica’s house.  Curry banged on the front door, while Heyes hovered behind him in nervous anticipation.

 

On getting no reply, Curry banged on the door again,  “Veronica!” he called, “Veronica, it’s me.  Open the door!  I need to talk to you.”  Still there was no response.

 

Heyes moved to the window at the side of the door, which looked into the parlour, and shielded his eyes against the glass to see if he could see any movement inside.

 

“Veronica!” Curry called again,  “Please, open the door, I can explain everything.”

 

Heyes moved across to the window at the other side of the door, that looked in on the room that Veronica used for Jack’s bedroom, and once again peered through the glass.

 

“I can’t see any sign of life.” he told the Kid.

​

Curry backed up, intending to shoulder open the door, but Heyes grabbed his arm.

 

“No, Kid.  You can’t go forcing entry into someone’s house in broad daylight, with the neighbours watching.” he told him, scanning around at the neighbouring houses for any sign that the noise they were making had drawn any attention from them, “Especially not an unmarried woman’s house.” he added with a smile intended to try and calm his friend's anguish, “Do you want to get us arrested?”

 

“I have to talk to her… explain…” said Curry, turning to bang on the door once more, “Veronica! Please, open the door.  Let me explain…”

 

“She’s gone.” A voice from behind them drew their attention, causing them both to turn round, sharply, to see a woman, from the next house, standing just outside her door.

 

“What?” Curry gasped.

 

“If you’re looking for Veronica, she’s gone.” the woman said again.

 

“Gone?  Gone where?” demanded Curry. He made as though to go over to the woman, but Heyes put his hand on his chest to still him, before stepping towards the woman, a polite smile on his face.

 

“Afternoon M’am.” he said, tipping his hat to her.  She was probably around Veronica’s own age, slim, with long brown hair fastened in a plait that hung halfway down her back.  She wore a black skirt and white blouse which were covered by an apron, on which she was wiping what looked like flour from her hands,  “Can you tell us where Mrs. Browning has gone to?”

 

“Who wants to know?” the woman asked, eyeing Curry suspiciously. She’d seen him here the previous day.

 

“We’re friends of Mrs. Browning’s - Veronica’s.” Heyes said pleasantly,  “Friends of her late husband in fact. We need to contact her as a matter of urgency, about an important family matter.” he added, not wanting to reveal the real reason for them being there, “Did she say where she was going, or how long she would be gone, Miss…?”

 

“Mrs.” the woman corrected him,  “Jenny Hamilton”

 

“Did she say where she was going, Mrs. Hamilton?” Heyes pressed, as she continued to eye Curry suspiciously, not liking the agitated way he moved, or the slightly wild look in his eyes.

 

“Please, it’s very important.” Heyes gently touched her shoulder to gain her attention.

 

Jenny switched her gaze back to Heyes who gave her his most obsequious smile, which had the desired effect.

 

“No.” she replied now, “She had asked me to watch Jack for her, saying she had an urgent appointment in town.  When she came back, she barely spoke, just picked Jack up, thanked me and left.  She seemed upset.  I was peeling potatoes when I looked out of the window and saw her and the little one hurrying away.  She had on her overcoat and was carrying a carpet bag.  Looked like she was taking a trip of some sort.”

 

Out of the corner of his eye, Heyes saw Curry rake his hands up through his hair, shaking his head as he heard Jenny Hamilton’s words.

 

“Well, thank you very much for the information, M’am.” Heyes smiled and tipped his hat once more before turning away and hurrying back across to where Curry was agitatedly pacing around.

 

“She had to have overhead us.” he said, as Heyes took his arm and began to steer him back down the path, “That’s why she’s gone. It’s like you said, she doesn’t want an outlaw as a father for Jack and she’s run away.” He shook his head, “What am I going to do?”

 

“Take it easy, Kid.  We’ll find her.”  Heyes told him, but Curry looked unconvinced.

 

They headed into town and over to the ticket office at the railroad station where Heyes asked the clerk if a woman fitting Veronica’s description had purchased a train ticket during the past hour or so.

 

“Nope. Aint nobody been in to buy a ticket yet today.” the clerk told him,  “The next train through here aint for another three hours, so I don’t expect many people to come in for tickets yet awhile.”

 

“Thank you.” replied Heyes.

 

“Well?” asked Curry when Heyes joined him back outside.

 

“She aint gone on a train.” Heyes told him, “That leaves the stage.  Come on.” 

 

They set off towards the stage depot and went inside to make enquiries.

 

“Yeah, a woman and a child came in earlier.” the clerk told them, “She asked when the next stage was leaving.”

 

“To where?” asked Curry.

 

“She asked about San Antonio.” replied the clerk, “I told her she’d missed today’s southbound stage and there wouldn’t be another one through here in any direction until around five tonight.

 

“So, what did she do?” asked Heyes.

 

“She seemed real upset.  She said she couldn’t wait until five, that she needed to leave right away. Said something about a family emergency.”

 

“Yes, that’s true.” said Heyes, utilizing the clerk’s comments to continue with his earlier story, “We’re here on behalf of her late husband’s family, to collect her for just that purpose. She was advised someone would come to collect her, but she obviously decided not to wait.  What did she do?”

 

“She seemed so upset I took pity on her and told her that there was an army paymaster due through here any time, on its way to Fort Hancock. I told her, since she said it was urgent, that she could maybe hitch a ride with them as far as the Fort and then perhaps beg a lift onto Fort Stockton and perhaps San Antonio from there.  She said she would take that.”

 

“Did it come in yet?” asked Curry.

 

“Yep, come and gone.”

 

“How long ago?” asked Heyes.

 

“Maybe forty five minutes.” replied the clerk.

 

“And they agreed to give her a ride?”

 

“Yes.”

 

“Thank you for your help.” smiled Heyes, before turning and ushering Curry back outside.

 

“I’ll go to the livery and get our horses.”  said Curry.

 

“You’re going to follow them?” Heyes looked astonished, even though he’d half expected him to suggest it.

 

“If they get to San Antonio I’ll never be able to find them. I have to catch up with them before then.”

 

“And how do you plan to get them to stop?” asked Heyes, “That paymaster aint gonna stop for anything before they get to Fort Hancock, and we aint gonna be able to just walk into the fort without a good reason.”

 

“I don’t know, Heyes, but I’m going after them. I’ll camp outside the fort until they come out if I have to, but I’m not giving up until I find them.”

 

Heyes gave a deep sigh, shaking his head to himself.

 

“Alright. You go get the horses, I’ll get our stuff and check out of the hotel.  Meet me back there.”

 

Curry nodded and headed off towards the livery.  Heyes watched him go, wondering how on earth they were going to not only find Veronica but persuade her to have anything to do with them now that she knew who they really were.

 

Turning, he headed back towards the hotel, a knot of apprehension in the pit of his stomach.  He collected up their belongings and paid their hotel bill before heading outside where Curry was waiting with their horses.

 

After securing their belongings, Heyes mounted up and turned his horse towards the south of town. 

 

“Heyes…”

 

Heyes turned to look back at Curry as he spoke.

 

“What?”

 

“Thanks… for doing this.” said Curry, a look of gratitude in his eyes as they met Heyes’.

 

A ghost of a smile briefly touched Heyes’ lips before his expression became serious once more.

 

“Like you said… we’re family.” he said quietly. He was about to turn back and kick his horse into a canter, when his gaze was caught by some sort of commotion behind Curry,  further up the street near the Sheriff’s office.

 

Curry twisted round in his saddle to see what Heyes was looking at.

 

“Wonder what’s going on there?” he said.

 

“Dunno.” muttered Heyes, squinting as he tried to make out what was happening.  There appeared to be a man on the ground, surrounded by a crowd of people.  As he watched, the crowd parted to allow the doctor to approach and Heyes saw that the man was in uniform.  An army uniform.

 

On an impulse, Heyes turned his horse and trotted it down the street towards the crowd, Curry following after him a moment later.

 

They pulled up their horses several yards from the assembled crowd, dismounted and walked over. 

 

“What’s going on?” Heyes asked one of the men in the group, as he craned his neck to see over their heads.  The doctor was kneeling on the ground over a soldier, trying to stem the bleeding from gunshot wounds in his back and side.

 

“Army Paymaster got robbed I think.” the man replied, without taking his attention off the proceedings.

 

“What?” gasped Curry

 

“What happened?” Heyes asked anxiously.

 

“Don’t know, that’s all I heard.” replied the man.

 

“Wait here.” Heyes told Curry before pushing his way into the crowd.  He spotted the Sheriff and pushed his way over to him.

 

“What happened, Sheriff?  Someone said there was a robbery?”

 

The Sheriff nodded, without looking at Heyes, his attention on the doctor’s efforts to save the wounded man, “Army paymaster was ambushed.”

 

“What about the rest of the men?” Heyes asked.

 

“Don’t know.  All he’s managed to say is that they were ambushed, halfway between here and Guadalupe. He managed to escape during the shooting, but was caught in the crossfire. Rode back here and then collapsed.”

 

“Sheriff, there was a friend of ours travelling along with that paymaster. A woman, and her young son. Did he say anything about her?” Heyes asked anxiously.

 

The Sheriff shook his head.

 

Just then, the doctor looked up from his patient, and shook his head, having lost his battle to save him.

 

The Sheriff turned away and began to organize a group to go out to the location of the ambush to see what had happened, while Heyes pushed his way back Curry.

 

“Is it true, Heyes?” Curry looked anxiously at him, “The paymaster was ambushed?”

 

Heyes nodded, his expression grim.

 

Curry looked aghast, “What about Veronica and Jack?”

 

Heyes gave a helpless shrug, “I don’t know, Kid.”

 

A group of men were now mounting up and setting off behind the Sheriff, in the direction of Guadalupe.  Heyes and Curry jumped on their horses and galloped after them, both of them trying to quell the fears that rose up in them about Jack and Veronica’s safety.

​

*    *    *