The Last Good Day, стр. 45

Two hours later, they rode into a clump of trees, dismounted and posted lookouts, set a picket line for the horses and everyone found a place for their saddles to bed down. Rance walked up holding his saddle with his good hand and dropped it on the ground. B.W. and Tommy followed and dropped their saddles on the ground, too.

“Gonna fix some beans and coffee if you want some,” Rance said. “After I gather some wood.”

“I am kind of hungry,” B.W. said. “Need some help with the wood?”

“I can do it. Still learnin’ how to do things with one hand.”

“I’ll take some beans, don’t want any coffee,” Tommy said.

They broke camp the next morning and rode most of the day before reaching Fort Apache. They ate supper with the rangers and B.W. had Rance buy him a bottle of whiskey from the commissary because it was against regulations to sell whiskey to Indians.

Captain Unger came in the barracks and held up his hand and it got quiet.

“That was a hell of a job you did out there. Wanted you to know how proud I am of you,” he said. “Anyone need some time off come see me.” Everyone cheered. He stopped on his way out to talk to Rance and B.W.

“Been thinking on if you were chasing the two men instead of them chasing you,” Unger said. “But I figured you was in the right. Gonna let sleeping dogs lie. Not gonna hold you up anymore. You can go when you want to. Would be a good idea to get back to a more civilized place with that boy. Tell the cook I said to give you a week’s supplies.”

“We’re free to go?” B.W. asked.

“Yes,” he said and walked out.

“What do you think, B W.?” Rance said. “What are we goin’ to do?”

“Still want to find my mama’s killer,” Tommy said.

“Be working on a cold trail to find our way back,” B.W. said.

“Want to try at least,” Tommy said.

“Figured that,” B.W. said.

“Not done with Travers either,” Rance said.

“Still on that doin’ something useful thing, huh?” B.W. said.

“Then it’s settled,” Rance said. “We’re go back to Traversville.”

“It is,” B.W. said. “Now me and my whiskey are goin’ to get reacquainted ‘fore we do.”

“Don’t get too friendly, we got a long ride,” Rance said.

“We’ll just be kissing cousins,” B.W. said, smiled and headed for his saddle bags.

26

Julie and Fannie had been in the boarding house for almost two weeks now with no word from anyone. She was spending her café money so fast there wouldn’t be any left if she didn’t make a decision soon on how she was going to make a living. She still had her looks and knew one way, but that wasn’t going to happen if she had any other choices. Down deep inside she had hoped she could find Rance and he would be happy to see her and his son and they could become a family. Now that looked even less a possibility than ever.

Booker Church hadn’t bothered her since the confrontation in the livery stable but she knew he would because of her big mouth. He could decide to silence her at any time or Travers decides for him.

Riley Jones was the only one she felt she could trust, but like he said, he was no match for Church. It might be best to catch the next train out to somewhere safe. She decided it was time to have a talk with Fannie.

She finished bathing Mitchell, dressed him and found Fannie on the back porch mending a fluffy pink dress.

She sat Mitchell down and gave him a corn dodger. “Don’t remember seein’ you in that dress,” Julie said.

“Not mine, payin’ me fifty cents to fix it. Got more to do.”

Julie looked at the dress. “Pretty,” she said then remembered why she was there. “It looks like we made the trip for nothing. I wanted to see how you felt about movin’ on or goin’ our separate ways. You have a right to choose your own path.”

Fannie laid the dress down beside her and looked at Julie. “You know you never fooled anyone.”

“What do you mean?” Julie asked.

“We all knew Mr. Rance was the love of your life, even if you didn’t. Miss Paige was a good woman so I ain’t faulting her, but I know how you feel and you have nothing to be ashamed of. Grew up in your house. Did what you did. Never felt like a slave though I knew I was. Got in a lot of fights over you with the other colored girls, ain’t goin’ to let none of that go to waste now. We wait, they’ll come back,” she said, picked up the dress and ran a needle through it.

“Never thought of you as a slave,” Julie said.

“I know, why I’m still here.”

“Wish I had your faith,” Julie said. “If you will keep an eye on Mitchell, I need to take the horse over to the livery stable for Mr. Jones to feed.”

“Here,” Fannie said and handed Julie a derringer pistol out of her dress pocket.

“Where did you get that?”

“Had it for a long time,” Fannie said. “Been keepin’ it handy lately cause of that Church fella.”

“Thanks.” Julie took the pistol and stuck it in her hand bag.

As Julie drove up to the livery stable, two blonde-headed boys came out of the house next door and ran into the livery. Riley saw her and came over to her.

“Them your boys?” Julie asked.

“Come here, boys,” Riley said, and the boys ran over beside Riley and looked up at Julie. “The oldest one is Riley Jr., he’s ten, and the little one, William, is six. Say hello to Miss Julie, boys.”

“Hello,” they said in unison.

“Well hello,” Julie said, “glad to meet you all. You look just like your papa.”

They didn’t say anything and looked at Riley. “Okay you can go play now,” Riley