When she lifted her hat up after what seemed like a couple hours, she saw that the fire was down to embers having just recently gone out, and everyone except Oscar was asleep around it. Oscar wasn't anywhere in sight, pushing her hat back up, she looked around, he must of wandered off to relieve himself. Standing up, Boss's head shot up, he was still laying next to the saddle. Walking past him, she tapped the top his head to comfort him. Nick had to go relieve herself as well, they had been drinking alot of water the past few days, and she found herself in the bushes quite often. She walked into the woods to find herself a nice place to go, as far as she could get from the camp without loosing track of it.
Once she was done, she got her directions about her, and headed back towards the camp. As she got closer, she saw that the fire had returned to full flame, and guessed that Oscar must have went to get more kindling. Stepping into the camp next to her saddle, Boss was standing on all fours growling towards the flames, she watched as Dusty and Reggie tied Rock and Andy together. Oscar held a gun on Tate, and he smiled at her as she walked in.
"There she is." Oscar said, causing the other two to look over. "Thought you ran off, sweetheart."
"What are you doing?" Nick barked.
"Now, don't you worry none, we don't need you or your two friends there. All we want is Tate, do you know how much money he has on his head, darling? Bet you don't, cause if you did, you would be doing the same thing."
"Fifty thousand dollars." She said, which caused Oscar's smile to widen.
"Fifty? Are you sure? Last we saw it was forty."
Folding her arms, Nick frowned. "Yeah, I'm sure it's fifty, you son of a bitch."
Oscar laughed, "That's quite a dirty mouth for a lady."
Looking down at her saddle, she went to reach for her rifle, but it wasn't there.
"Hear that, boys? It's fifty thousand dollars now!" They hooted, and then Oscar laughed when he saw Nick staring at her saddle. "Come now, you don't think I would leave your weapons laying around."
Folding her arms, Nick stared at Oscar as Reggie held up a gun to her.
"Now, as I was saying. We don't need you nor your friends, but be a real shame if you all came after us once we left."
"You fucking bastards, I should of known you would do this. You did it to Charlie!"
"Charlie didn't even have half as much money on his head as you do, Tate. So yeah, you should of known!" With that Oscar hit Tate in the face with the gun. "Tie her up to Tate, in the morning we'll hang 'em, and take Tate to Redrock." He ordered.
Reggie reached for Nick's arm and she yanked away. Boss began to bark and snap at Reggie, who stepped away from him.
"Listen, you can do this the easy way or you can watch one of your friend's die first." Dusty yelled at her and held a gun to Rock's head. Rock wasn't even coherent after he chugged down those three whiskeys, the amount that he was drunk still, Nick knew that it hadn't been that long since they fell asleep. "Big drunkard goes first?" He questioned her, daring her to fight again.
"I can walk myself." She said trying to keep as much dignity as she could when Reggie reached for her again. She glared at Dusty then walked over next to Tate.
Boss continued to bark at them.
"Shoot him." Oscar order.
"No!" Nick yelled, "Boss, hush, sit."
Boss did as he was told, and Oscar smiled.
"Good dog like I said." Reggie laughed as he continued to tie Nick's wrists together.
Andy and Rock were tied up with their back to each other, they did the same to Nick and Tate, tying her hands and then tying the ropes to Tate's.
"Seems a waste to kill a pretty girl." Reggie said as Oscar tied her up. "This type of girl will only lead us to trouble, Reg."
Nick leaned against Tate, whose solid form didn't even seem to realize the extra weight. Dusty took a seat next to Rock and Andy, and Reggie sat next to Nick and Tate. Oscar smiled and took a drink of water from his canteen.
"Couple weeks from now, we'll be filthy rich." He said to his friends.
"Get to live in luxury the rest of our lives, have only the finest of whores!" Dusty added.
Tate felt Nick's fingered moving around, several times poking him in the back. Turning his head away from them he whispered, "What are you doing?"
She turned his hand towards him, "Well, I'm not getting frisky, so just wait."
Nick clicked her tongue to get Boss's attention, he stood up and watched her. "There, boy." She whispered when he got closer, and tried to point with her head near Oscar and Dusty. Boss didn't understand, just cocked his head and stared.
Oscar looked across the fire, and Nick stopped moving around. He stepped around the fire and headed towards Nick's saddle bag. Kneeling down, he started to dig through it. Nick went back to trying and find that loop she saw before she sat down, these men didn't know how to tie a proper knot. If she could pull that rope, then Tate's hands should come undone.
"There, boy." She whispered again, knowing that Reggie or Oscar could hear her. Boss was use to getting orders of where to stand, but normally she pointed with her hands. He understood the second time, and walked around the logs to stand next to a tree closer to Dusty.
"God is smiling down on us tonight!" Oscar yelled and held up Nick's money. Walking over to Dusty he handed him the cash, "How much is that, Dusty?"
Counting it up he smiled, "There is over five thousand dollars in here."
Nick frowned at them.
"Don't worry, sweetie, where you are going, you won't need it." Oscar told her.
Suddenly Nick felt a hand on her knee, it was Reggie, "Come on, guys, she's just a gal. Maybe we can just leave her tied up, or take her with us. You know I bet fifty thousand dollars would make her less ore about her friends."
"Shut up, Reggie, after we get the money you can have all the pretty girls that you want."
Reggie's hand ran down her thigh and then back up, "Bet she's a virgin too."
"Get off me!" Nick kicked him.
"She's the marrying kind, you think?" Reggie asked, seeming not to care that he had just been kicked.
"Reggie, you leave her alone." Tate barked.
He laughed, "You don't have no control on me." Holding up his gun with his left hand at Nick, he continued to rub her thigh.
"If you are going to do that, Reggie, least take her out into the woods, where it's decent." Oscar barked.
With those words Nick found Tate's loop, and yanked down on it. She had to keep pulling it down until he finally came undone, Tate felt the rope loosen almost immediately and knew that he was free. As soon as Nick knew, she reached up her legs and pushed Reggie's gun hand down with her left leg, and kicked the gun with her right. The gun fell to the ground, as he screamed in pain.
"Get 'em, Boss." Nick yelled.
Boss ran straight for Oscar. He grabbed the arm with the gun, and started biting down as hard as he could. Oscar hit him once in the head, and Dusty who seemed caught up in the whole thing, lost his senses and couldn't decide which of his partners to help.
Tate jumped to his feet and grabbed the gun off the ground, it took them a minute to realize that Tate had gotten loose and was holding a gun on them.
"Reggie, untie them now!" Tate ordered, and without a fuss, Reggie untied his companions.
"Boss, heel." Nick yelled, and the dog let go of Oscar's bleeding wrist, and came right to her heel. "Rock, you coming back?" Nick walked over to him, and slapped him gently in the face.
"Yeah, ah, get off me." He said pushing Nick away.
Standing up, Nick spotted her rifle behind Oscar.
"Drop your guns, and walk over to that tree." Tate ordered and pointed to the tree to his right.
Nick grabbed her money from Dusty's hands. "This is mine, you ass." She, then picked up her rifle, and Tate's guns. Tossing them one at a time over the fire to him.
"Lets t-tie them up in the trees, m-make them hang by t-their feet." Andy said, and Tate seemed to like the idea.
Nick noticed that Andy had a big welt on his forehead, one similar to the welt on Tate's cheek.
"Now, now, now, wait a minute there, Tate." Oscar began. "You know we had no choice, we need the money we are starving, you see what we are eating."
"Rock, we are going to need you for this." Tate barked, "So, get your senses right fast."
With those words, Rock stood up, and then immediately fell to his knees to vomit.
"Thank god, he w-wasn't still tied t-to me." Andy said.
"Come on, Tate, we are old buddies." Dusty said.
Nick held her rifle on them, and Andy picked up his guns from the dirt.
"You tie them up, Tate." Nick said, "Rock isn't going to be any help."
Using the same rope, Tate pulled them up, but Nick noticed that his knots weren't very tight, and told Andy to hold the guns on them. Walking over she helped Tate retie the knots, and gave a smile as they all three dangled from the trees.
"That's how you tie a knot, the more they struggle the tighter it'll get." Nick smiled at Tate, and he grinned looking at the three men.
"Well, let's get some sleep." Tate said sitting down around the fire, and once again putting his hand over his eyes.
Andy walked over to Oscar, and with the handle of his gun clobbered him in the forehead. "That's for hitting me in the head." He snapped, his words were quick and clear.
Oscar's body swayed back and forth for a moment, and his moan was short lived. Nick's eyes widened and she looked over at Tate, who didn't seem to mind that Andy was acting out of character.
Walking back over to the fire, Andy sat down and helped Rock to get away from the piles of vomit he had created while they were busy tying them up. Everyone fell asleep to the noises of the three dangling men crying out for help, but they had all slept through worse.
"Nicolette." Tate said, and waved her up.
Nick looked at Andy, who reached over to help keep Rock up. She rode up beside Tate, staring at his face as she waited to see what he wanted. The welt on his cheek had turned into a bruise, but the swelling had gone down, much like Andy's.
Tate took a deep breath, seeming to gather his words. "You want to explain to me, why you are carrying that much money on you?"
Nick grinned, "I don't need to know your business, so stay the hell out of mine."
He remembered the words clearly from the night before, he had spoken them to her about the story of how he came to meet Oscar and the gang.
"Alright, fair is fair. But you still shouldn't be carrying all that on you, should put it in a bank."
She shook her head, "When you are willing to take my advice and tell me about you, then I will do the same, until then mind your own business."
Pressing his lips together, he swallowed, "You did good back there, Nicolette. I wasn't even sure how I was going to get out."
Nick smiled, "I noticed that they were tying loose knots is all, nothing…"
"You still did good."
"My name is Nick, not Nicolette."
Tate grinned, "Alright, then I'm Tate not Mister Norcliff."
The sound of Rock vomiting, caused her head to turn. "I better get back to Rock."
He gave a nod, and then looked forward, as Nick slowed her horse to help her friend.
"How are you throwing up so much? You haven't eaten anything since last night."
Tate looked back and smiled, he may not like how she acts and talks, but he respects that the woman could shoot, and think coolly in tough situations. It was the second time she had saved him from situations where he should have been hung. There was no way he was going to trust her, but he liked her. She was smart, and would be a good partner to have around. His first idea of a spoiled rich brat had vanished, and was replaced by a well worn cow folk, who knew how to get what she wanted. He liked that, he was like that.
He was leaning against a tree, when Nick walked over to him holding his canteen, she opened it and offered it to him. Only to have Rock push it away, and Andy who was sitting next to him, looked up at Nick and frowned.
"It'll just come back up." Rock stated and then cocked his head to the side, he looked more like a man dying from a gun shot wound then a man recovering for a hang over.
"Rock, you need to drink and eat something. It'll make you feel better, I promise." She said kneeling down beside him, and holding out the canteen.
His eyes met hers and he seemed to dare her to force him to do anything.
"Drink it, I'm serious." Nick shoved it into his chest, and went to her back to grab some bread.
Walking back with a fairly large chunk, she kneeled down beside him, and brushed some hair from his eyes.
Rock was drinking, and took the bread from her.
"I swear if I send this back up, I'll…"
"Shut up, and eat it."
Standing up, Nick went back to the fire across from Tate, pulling out her rations, she began to gnaw on her meal.
"He's a grown man, he can eat and drink when he wants to." Tate said.
"His being a grown man is what got him into this in the first place. Besides, just because you're grown doesn't mean that it isn't nice to have someone to take care of you." Her eyes went over to Rock, who was slowly choking down the bread and water. "Taking care of each other, and making sure everyone else did right was the way of the ranch."
"Sounds like you didn't have a moment of privacy."
Nick smiled, "We didn't, but that was alright, because there was nothing we needed to hide from each other. It's called trust, Tate."
He huffed, "You know if you had money on your head, those boys would turn you in without hestitation."
Looking up from her jerky, she frowned, "No, they wouldn't. I can understand why you would think that, after what Oscar and them did to you. I trust Andy and Rock with my very life, they are the only family I have left now."
"You shouldn't trust anyone with your life, they'll just betray you."
Nick seemed to give Tate a look that told him she felt sorry for him, "It's better to have been betrayed then to never let anyone in, Tate."
His eyes stared at her for a moment, and then returned to his meal.
"Who is Charlie?" Nick asked.
He looked up at her and frowned, "The question is who was Charlie."
She waited a moment for her answer, but he seemed to act as if she had never asked it. "Who was Charlie, then?"
"He was my partner back when I was riding with Oscar and the boys."
Nick stared at him, "Alright, I'll get it out of you question by question if that's what you want, Tate, or you can just tell me it all and be done with it."
His eyes glared into hers, and then he rested his hands on his knees. "I met him shortly after I killed the man who murdered my father, he brought me in away from all the lawmen looking for me. We hung out at the side of roads, and took people's goods. After four years, Charlie was the only one that the lawmen knew of his name, so they put a six hundred dollar reward on his head." Tate took a bite of bread, and then continued. "One day, Oscar, Dusty, and Charlie road into town to get some supplies. Reggie and I stayed behind to protect the camp, when they came back Charlie wasn't with them. Oscar flashed off the six hundred dollars he got from turning him in. When I road into town to save him, he was already hanging from a tree."
Nick pressed her lips together, and looked into the fire. "So, you left the group?"
"I got offered a job somewhere else, and I took it." Spitting next to the fire, he watched Nick stare into the flames, "Now, you tell me why you want Brody dead."
"He sent three men to kill my family. Shot my father, this woman who had raised me since I was a baby, her husband, and two ranch hands. They were my family, I grew up around most of them."
"How is it that you three survived?"
"Rock and I were out in the field that night, they couldn't see us, and Andy wasn't at the ranch. When we heard the gun fires, we went to check it out, and killed the three men, but it was too late. They burned down my house, and took everyone I loved."
"How do you know it's Brody?"
Nick swallowed, and her eyes were misty. "One of the men mentioned Redrock and Brody when he was yelling at my father, who was bleeding to death. My father wouldn't even tell me why, he just laid there and died. All he could talk about was me and my mother." Nick rubbed her wrists across her eyes to wipe away the tears.
"You mad at your father then for not knowing why?"
Nick shrugged, and then nodded. "I'm mad at him for leaving me, I guess."
"You know, I killed the man who killed my father when I was fifteen. It didn't make me feel any better, as a matter of a fact it made me a criminal."
Her eyes looked up at him, they were filled with anger. "I want him dead, and nothing you can say will change my mind. I paid you, and you ain't getting out of it."
"Alright, I was just saying that I know what it feels…"
"Don't, just don't." Nick snapped, and laid down putting her hat over her eyes.
Andy looked over at Tate, who shrugged at him. There were just some things people had to learn on their own. Tate learned long ago that revenge didn't bring back those you loved, but then again, it was his business to exact revenge for money. He got into it, long before he truly understood the consequences of his actions. But Nick was right, she paid him to do a job and he was going to finish it as long as she wanted it done.
They had put a mere hundred and fifty dollars on each Andy and Rock's heads. Riding with a man whose bounty was fifty thousand, would make them dead more then caught. Who would want to drag the two men along when they were coming into that much money with Norcliff. Then again, perhaps one of them would be caught and he could question them as to where they were heading.
He still couldn't figure out what in Nick's head had made her release that crazed murderer. It had to be that she didn't have her father there to show her right from wrong, but it didn't matter he would find her soon enough. After this she could only marry him, otherwise he would tell them that she really did it. He was sick and tired of her games, and it was time that the girl settled down. He was sure that he could put her in her place, and make her into the real woman she was meant to be. Damn Jacob for allowing her to get the point and letting her choose her own suitor, she wasn't going to pick anyone.
Paul took a seat next to him and grinned, looking over to the bartender he raised his hand and the man nodded. "I've never been this close to Norcliff in twelve years, makes my heart flutter just thinking about finally catching that son of a bitch."
Avery gave a nod, and then watched as Gil and Dale walked in, and took a seat around the table.
"That bastard has always slipped through my fingers, but now I'm sure he's heading to Redrock, and with fifty thousand on his head, I don't know a damn person alive who could resist that." Paul laughed, and his two boys hackled with him.
"Something the matter, Robert?" Gil asked Avery.
"A lot on my mind is all."
They all nodded, and Paul continued, "When we collect that money, and spilt it forty to me, and twenty to the rest of ya all, we won't ever have to work again."
Dale and Gil seemed happy with the amount Paul decide to split it.
"Didn't know lawmen could collect." Avery said.
Paul nodded, "Oh we will collect, haven't been spending twelve years of my life chasing this sorry excuse for a man and not get my due pay."
The waitress walked over and gave everyone some ale, and walked away without a word.
"Now, the sheriff of this here town said the inn would take us for free, and since we ain't spending money on sleepin' we might as well spend it on women." Paul laughed and once again his boys chuckled along.
Avery couldn't imagine riding with a dumber group of lawmen, "I'm not real interested in the type of woman you have to pay for."
"Hey, you are the one getting married, it's going to cost you a lot more in the end then it will us." Dale laughed.
Avery tried to smile and pretend like he was having a good time with them, but he couldn't stand these men. He had only been with them a short while, but already they left a bad taste in his mouth. Something in his head told him that if he continued on with these men, he was going to see things that he wish he hadn't. He was afraid for Nicolette as well, if these men got the slightest hunch that she was with Norcliff by her own free will, it would mean her life. These men didn't play any games, he was well aware of that. Luckily, they were daft enough to be chasing the same man for twelve years, perhaps he could make it to her before they do.
After they drank down their ale, they stood up and threw some coins on the table. Paul gave a slight belched, and grinned, "We'll be next door with some ladies if you need anything."
"Yeah, like a bedtime story read to you." Dale scoffed, and the three men laughed as they walked out of the saloon.
Avery shook his head and continued to nurse his ale. Being around these men made him wonder if he acted the same way back in Honeycomb. He hoped that people showed him respect because he deserved it, not because he was an overconfident, arrogant moron, like these three were showing themselves to be.
When Avery finished his ale, he stepped out of the saloon, leaving a few coins on the table for his drinks. The once busy town was beginning to settle down. Looking into the sky he could clearly see why, though it was almost dark, he could still make out the rain clouds that were coming in. Sighing, he knew that tomorrow would bring rain and without slow movement to the south, though he hoped it would slow down Nick and her group a lot worse then it would him.
Slowly he made his way over to the inn, and could fill the chilly breeze hit his cheeks, and the smell of rain filled his nostrils. Crossing the dirt street he felt several light drops fall onto his forearms. When he got halfway across, he stopped and looked to the south. He hoped Nick was safe and warm somewhere, not trapped outside in the rain. He wondered if she was alright, even if she was in the presence of a murderer, he prayed that she would be safe from his harm.
"Get out of the way." A man yelled.
Avery turned around and looked at the man driving a cat full of bags, probably grain or flour. Two horses pulled the heavy load, and looked just as anxious to get moving as their owner did.
"Excuse me, sir." Avery tipped his hat and ran over towards the inn doors.
By the time he reached them, the rain was beginning to fall, light at first but then it began to pour down. Stepping inside, the man at the desk smiled at him, recognizing his badge right away. He was an elder man, bald on top, with fat cheeks and a thin build. He placed his hands on the counter as soon as Avery stepped towards him, shaking down his hat.
"Sheriff said, you would be…" He began then looked over at the door, and frowned, pointing his finger. "You get out of here, Hud."
"But, Frank, it's raining out there bad. I don't got no where to sleep, just let me lay in the cellar."
"Maybe you should of thought of that back when you had a chance for a job. Now, get out, you dirty thief."
Hud said nothing just turned and walked back outside into the rain.
Frank smiled at Avery again, "Man has taken as much charity as I can give him. Hasn't amounted to anything since I was a boy, and won't work, no matter how many jobs are offered to him." He turned around to find Avery a key to his room, "A couple days ago, pretty gal came riding into town, and he tried to steal something out of her horse's pouch. Big ole' black horse, thing went near mad, wish it would of kicked Hud flat in the face, maybe then he would of learned. Stealing from a lady like that, don't know why the sheriff protects him." He handed him the key.
"What did you say?" Avery asked, taking the key.
"I said I don't know why the sheriff protects him."
"No, about a black horse and a girl."
Frank swallowed, "Yeah, pretty blonde gal, rode in here dressed like a man. She went into Peter's store and bought some supplies. Pretty thing, sheriff was talking to her, bought stole his heart, she did." Frank laughed. "Only reason I know is I was in Peter's, saw the whole thing, and sheriff is my cousin, he told me 'bout most of it."
"Girl have a name?"
Frank thought for a moment, "Yeah, but I don't really remember, sheriff would. She called her horse Goliath though. Strange name for a horse, but it was big one, so would see why it be named that."
Avery felt a grin trying to form on his lips, but he fought it. "Was she riding with anyone?"
Pressing his lips together, he thought for a moment, "No, pretty sure she was riding alone, but she bought a bunch of food. Mentioned to Peter's son that she had a companion."
"How long ago did you say this was?"
"Two days, three at most."
Holding up his key, he tipped his hat, "Thank you."
"Anytime, third door on the left just up the stairs, sheriff."
Walking up to his room, Avery had a spark of hope in his heart. At least he knew they were on the right path, if she had been through here then maybe Dale did know what he was doing.
Getting to his room, he pushed back the curtains and looked out the window. He could clearly see the stables from his window. The rain poured down, and the streets began to flood. He could see the man that the inn keeper called Hud, standing in the doorway of the stables with his arms folded across him. Seeing how such a man was treated made him wish he was back in Honeycomb, where everyone was welcomed no matter where they were. Of course, back there, that man would be employed, because someone would be forcing him to work. Whether it be the owner of the ranch or some of the shop owners, no one goes without work on week days.
Sighing, he pulled off his boots, and laid down on the bed, setting his hat on the night stand beside him. Something told him that not even the rain would keep the men, he was traveling with, in doors. He needed some sleep. It was the first time in his life that he would lay in a bed that wasn't located in Honeycomb, something about that made his spine shiver. Closing his eyes, he let it all drift away, and hoped that tomorrow would be a better day.
Once she was done, she got her directions about her, and headed back towards the camp. As she got closer, she saw that the fire had returned to full flame, and guessed that Oscar must have went to get more kindling. Stepping into the camp next to her saddle, Boss was standing on all fours growling towards the flames, she watched as Dusty and Reggie tied Rock and Andy together. Oscar held a gun on Tate, and he smiled at her as she walked in.
"There she is." Oscar said, causing the other two to look over. "Thought you ran off, sweetheart."
"What are you doing?" Nick barked.
"Now, don't you worry none, we don't need you or your two friends there. All we want is Tate, do you know how much money he has on his head, darling? Bet you don't, cause if you did, you would be doing the same thing."
"Fifty thousand dollars." She said, which caused Oscar's smile to widen.
"Fifty? Are you sure? Last we saw it was forty."
Folding her arms, Nick frowned. "Yeah, I'm sure it's fifty, you son of a bitch."
Oscar laughed, "That's quite a dirty mouth for a lady."
Looking down at her saddle, she went to reach for her rifle, but it wasn't there.
"Hear that, boys? It's fifty thousand dollars now!" They hooted, and then Oscar laughed when he saw Nick staring at her saddle. "Come now, you don't think I would leave your weapons laying around."
Folding her arms, Nick stared at Oscar as Reggie held up a gun to her.
"Now, as I was saying. We don't need you nor your friends, but be a real shame if you all came after us once we left."
"You fucking bastards, I should of known you would do this. You did it to Charlie!"
"Charlie didn't even have half as much money on his head as you do, Tate. So yeah, you should of known!" With that Oscar hit Tate in the face with the gun. "Tie her up to Tate, in the morning we'll hang 'em, and take Tate to Redrock." He ordered.
Reggie reached for Nick's arm and she yanked away. Boss began to bark and snap at Reggie, who stepped away from him.
"Listen, you can do this the easy way or you can watch one of your friend's die first." Dusty yelled at her and held a gun to Rock's head. Rock wasn't even coherent after he chugged down those three whiskeys, the amount that he was drunk still, Nick knew that it hadn't been that long since they fell asleep. "Big drunkard goes first?" He questioned her, daring her to fight again.
"I can walk myself." She said trying to keep as much dignity as she could when Reggie reached for her again. She glared at Dusty then walked over next to Tate.
Boss continued to bark at them.
"Shoot him." Oscar order.
"No!" Nick yelled, "Boss, hush, sit."
Boss did as he was told, and Oscar smiled.
"Good dog like I said." Reggie laughed as he continued to tie Nick's wrists together.
Andy and Rock were tied up with their back to each other, they did the same to Nick and Tate, tying her hands and then tying the ropes to Tate's.
"Seems a waste to kill a pretty girl." Reggie said as Oscar tied her up. "This type of girl will only lead us to trouble, Reg."
Nick leaned against Tate, whose solid form didn't even seem to realize the extra weight. Dusty took a seat next to Rock and Andy, and Reggie sat next to Nick and Tate. Oscar smiled and took a drink of water from his canteen.
"Couple weeks from now, we'll be filthy rich." He said to his friends.
"Get to live in luxury the rest of our lives, have only the finest of whores!" Dusty added.
Tate felt Nick's fingered moving around, several times poking him in the back. Turning his head away from them he whispered, "What are you doing?"
She turned his hand towards him, "Well, I'm not getting frisky, so just wait."
Nick clicked her tongue to get Boss's attention, he stood up and watched her. "There, boy." She whispered when he got closer, and tried to point with her head near Oscar and Dusty. Boss didn't understand, just cocked his head and stared.
Oscar looked across the fire, and Nick stopped moving around. He stepped around the fire and headed towards Nick's saddle bag. Kneeling down, he started to dig through it. Nick went back to trying and find that loop she saw before she sat down, these men didn't know how to tie a proper knot. If she could pull that rope, then Tate's hands should come undone.
"There, boy." She whispered again, knowing that Reggie or Oscar could hear her. Boss was use to getting orders of where to stand, but normally she pointed with her hands. He understood the second time, and walked around the logs to stand next to a tree closer to Dusty.
"God is smiling down on us tonight!" Oscar yelled and held up Nick's money. Walking over to Dusty he handed him the cash, "How much is that, Dusty?"
Counting it up he smiled, "There is over five thousand dollars in here."
Nick frowned at them.
"Don't worry, sweetie, where you are going, you won't need it." Oscar told her.
Suddenly Nick felt a hand on her knee, it was Reggie, "Come on, guys, she's just a gal. Maybe we can just leave her tied up, or take her with us. You know I bet fifty thousand dollars would make her less ore about her friends."
"Shut up, Reggie, after we get the money you can have all the pretty girls that you want."
Reggie's hand ran down her thigh and then back up, "Bet she's a virgin too."
"Get off me!" Nick kicked him.
"She's the marrying kind, you think?" Reggie asked, seeming not to care that he had just been kicked.
"Reggie, you leave her alone." Tate barked.
He laughed, "You don't have no control on me." Holding up his gun with his left hand at Nick, he continued to rub her thigh.
"If you are going to do that, Reggie, least take her out into the woods, where it's decent." Oscar barked.
With those words Nick found Tate's loop, and yanked down on it. She had to keep pulling it down until he finally came undone, Tate felt the rope loosen almost immediately and knew that he was free. As soon as Nick knew, she reached up her legs and pushed Reggie's gun hand down with her left leg, and kicked the gun with her right. The gun fell to the ground, as he screamed in pain.
"Get 'em, Boss." Nick yelled.
Boss ran straight for Oscar. He grabbed the arm with the gun, and started biting down as hard as he could. Oscar hit him once in the head, and Dusty who seemed caught up in the whole thing, lost his senses and couldn't decide which of his partners to help.
Tate jumped to his feet and grabbed the gun off the ground, it took them a minute to realize that Tate had gotten loose and was holding a gun on them.
"Reggie, untie them now!" Tate ordered, and without a fuss, Reggie untied his companions.
"Boss, heel." Nick yelled, and the dog let go of Oscar's bleeding wrist, and came right to her heel. "Rock, you coming back?" Nick walked over to him, and slapped him gently in the face.
"Yeah, ah, get off me." He said pushing Nick away.
Standing up, Nick spotted her rifle behind Oscar.
"Drop your guns, and walk over to that tree." Tate ordered and pointed to the tree to his right.
Nick grabbed her money from Dusty's hands. "This is mine, you ass." She, then picked up her rifle, and Tate's guns. Tossing them one at a time over the fire to him.
"Lets t-tie them up in the trees, m-make them hang by t-their feet." Andy said, and Tate seemed to like the idea.
Nick noticed that Andy had a big welt on his forehead, one similar to the welt on Tate's cheek.
"Now, now, now, wait a minute there, Tate." Oscar began. "You know we had no choice, we need the money we are starving, you see what we are eating."
"Rock, we are going to need you for this." Tate barked, "So, get your senses right fast."
With those words, Rock stood up, and then immediately fell to his knees to vomit.
"Thank god, he w-wasn't still tied t-to me." Andy said.
"Come on, Tate, we are old buddies." Dusty said.
Nick held her rifle on them, and Andy picked up his guns from the dirt.
"You tie them up, Tate." Nick said, "Rock isn't going to be any help."
Using the same rope, Tate pulled them up, but Nick noticed that his knots weren't very tight, and told Andy to hold the guns on them. Walking over she helped Tate retie the knots, and gave a smile as they all three dangled from the trees.
"That's how you tie a knot, the more they struggle the tighter it'll get." Nick smiled at Tate, and he grinned looking at the three men.
"Well, let's get some sleep." Tate said sitting down around the fire, and once again putting his hand over his eyes.
Andy walked over to Oscar, and with the handle of his gun clobbered him in the forehead. "That's for hitting me in the head." He snapped, his words were quick and clear.
Oscar's body swayed back and forth for a moment, and his moan was short lived. Nick's eyes widened and she looked over at Tate, who didn't seem to mind that Andy was acting out of character.
Walking back over to the fire, Andy sat down and helped Rock to get away from the piles of vomit he had created while they were busy tying them up. Everyone fell asleep to the noises of the three dangling men crying out for help, but they had all slept through worse.
---***---
When morning came, everyone saddled back up. Nick left a knife in each man's hand, hoping that they would eventually be able to cut themselves down. Tate shook his head when he saw her rather peculiar act of kindness. Everyone began to ride off down the path, Tate was still in the lead, but Nick didn't mind as much. She was busy trying to take care of Rock, the whiskey had hit him hard, and he kept vomiting from the motion of the horse. His head was throbbing, and he kept saying that the horse was spinning around."Nicolette." Tate said, and waved her up.
Nick looked at Andy, who reached over to help keep Rock up. She rode up beside Tate, staring at his face as she waited to see what he wanted. The welt on his cheek had turned into a bruise, but the swelling had gone down, much like Andy's.
Tate took a deep breath, seeming to gather his words. "You want to explain to me, why you are carrying that much money on you?"
Nick grinned, "I don't need to know your business, so stay the hell out of mine."
He remembered the words clearly from the night before, he had spoken them to her about the story of how he came to meet Oscar and the gang.
"Alright, fair is fair. But you still shouldn't be carrying all that on you, should put it in a bank."
She shook her head, "When you are willing to take my advice and tell me about you, then I will do the same, until then mind your own business."
Pressing his lips together, he swallowed, "You did good back there, Nicolette. I wasn't even sure how I was going to get out."
Nick smiled, "I noticed that they were tying loose knots is all, nothing…"
"You still did good."
"My name is Nick, not Nicolette."
Tate grinned, "Alright, then I'm Tate not Mister Norcliff."
The sound of Rock vomiting, caused her head to turn. "I better get back to Rock."
He gave a nod, and then looked forward, as Nick slowed her horse to help her friend.
"How are you throwing up so much? You haven't eaten anything since last night."
Tate looked back and smiled, he may not like how she acts and talks, but he respects that the woman could shoot, and think coolly in tough situations. It was the second time she had saved him from situations where he should have been hung. There was no way he was going to trust her, but he liked her. She was smart, and would be a good partner to have around. His first idea of a spoiled rich brat had vanished, and was replaced by a well worn cow folk, who knew how to get what she wanted. He liked that, he was like that.
---***---
It felt as if the day past within a few hours, and before long they found themselves around a camp fire again, this time it was just the four of them. Rock wasn't vomiting anymore, but he was still feeling the traces of whiskey. His head hurt, his mouth was dry, and he hadn't eaten anything since the night before. Nick was surprised how much the large man couldn't handle drinking, of course, he did drink three full tin cups of it.He was leaning against a tree, when Nick walked over to him holding his canteen, she opened it and offered it to him. Only to have Rock push it away, and Andy who was sitting next to him, looked up at Nick and frowned.
"It'll just come back up." Rock stated and then cocked his head to the side, he looked more like a man dying from a gun shot wound then a man recovering for a hang over.
"Rock, you need to drink and eat something. It'll make you feel better, I promise." She said kneeling down beside him, and holding out the canteen.
His eyes met hers and he seemed to dare her to force him to do anything.
"Drink it, I'm serious." Nick shoved it into his chest, and went to her back to grab some bread.
Walking back with a fairly large chunk, she kneeled down beside him, and brushed some hair from his eyes.
Rock was drinking, and took the bread from her.
"I swear if I send this back up, I'll…"
"Shut up, and eat it."
Standing up, Nick went back to the fire across from Tate, pulling out her rations, she began to gnaw on her meal.
"He's a grown man, he can eat and drink when he wants to." Tate said.
"His being a grown man is what got him into this in the first place. Besides, just because you're grown doesn't mean that it isn't nice to have someone to take care of you." Her eyes went over to Rock, who was slowly choking down the bread and water. "Taking care of each other, and making sure everyone else did right was the way of the ranch."
"Sounds like you didn't have a moment of privacy."
Nick smiled, "We didn't, but that was alright, because there was nothing we needed to hide from each other. It's called trust, Tate."
He huffed, "You know if you had money on your head, those boys would turn you in without hestitation."
Looking up from her jerky, she frowned, "No, they wouldn't. I can understand why you would think that, after what Oscar and them did to you. I trust Andy and Rock with my very life, they are the only family I have left now."
"You shouldn't trust anyone with your life, they'll just betray you."
Nick seemed to give Tate a look that told him she felt sorry for him, "It's better to have been betrayed then to never let anyone in, Tate."
His eyes stared at her for a moment, and then returned to his meal.
"Who is Charlie?" Nick asked.
He looked up at her and frowned, "The question is who was Charlie."
She waited a moment for her answer, but he seemed to act as if she had never asked it. "Who was Charlie, then?"
"He was my partner back when I was riding with Oscar and the boys."
Nick stared at him, "Alright, I'll get it out of you question by question if that's what you want, Tate, or you can just tell me it all and be done with it."
His eyes glared into hers, and then he rested his hands on his knees. "I met him shortly after I killed the man who murdered my father, he brought me in away from all the lawmen looking for me. We hung out at the side of roads, and took people's goods. After four years, Charlie was the only one that the lawmen knew of his name, so they put a six hundred dollar reward on his head." Tate took a bite of bread, and then continued. "One day, Oscar, Dusty, and Charlie road into town to get some supplies. Reggie and I stayed behind to protect the camp, when they came back Charlie wasn't with them. Oscar flashed off the six hundred dollars he got from turning him in. When I road into town to save him, he was already hanging from a tree."
Nick pressed her lips together, and looked into the fire. "So, you left the group?"
"I got offered a job somewhere else, and I took it." Spitting next to the fire, he watched Nick stare into the flames, "Now, you tell me why you want Brody dead."
"He sent three men to kill my family. Shot my father, this woman who had raised me since I was a baby, her husband, and two ranch hands. They were my family, I grew up around most of them."
"How is it that you three survived?"
"Rock and I were out in the field that night, they couldn't see us, and Andy wasn't at the ranch. When we heard the gun fires, we went to check it out, and killed the three men, but it was too late. They burned down my house, and took everyone I loved."
"How do you know it's Brody?"
Nick swallowed, and her eyes were misty. "One of the men mentioned Redrock and Brody when he was yelling at my father, who was bleeding to death. My father wouldn't even tell me why, he just laid there and died. All he could talk about was me and my mother." Nick rubbed her wrists across her eyes to wipe away the tears.
"You mad at your father then for not knowing why?"
Nick shrugged, and then nodded. "I'm mad at him for leaving me, I guess."
"You know, I killed the man who killed my father when I was fifteen. It didn't make me feel any better, as a matter of a fact it made me a criminal."
Her eyes looked up at him, they were filled with anger. "I want him dead, and nothing you can say will change my mind. I paid you, and you ain't getting out of it."
"Alright, I was just saying that I know what it feels…"
"Don't, just don't." Nick snapped, and laid down putting her hat over her eyes.
Andy looked over at Tate, who shrugged at him. There were just some things people had to learn on their own. Tate learned long ago that revenge didn't bring back those you loved, but then again, it was his business to exact revenge for money. He got into it, long before he truly understood the consequences of his actions. But Nick was right, she paid him to do a job and he was going to finish it as long as she wanted it done.
---***---
Avery sat in the saloon, drinking his ale and waiting on the other sheriffs to appear. They were going to spend the night in this town, having stopped here so that he could get some fliers drawn up for Andy and Rock. He had bee sent to the saloon shortly after they finished, they said it was of a private matter. Nothing made him more upset then to be left out, after all he was riding with these men, the least they could do was fill him in on the details.They had put a mere hundred and fifty dollars on each Andy and Rock's heads. Riding with a man whose bounty was fifty thousand, would make them dead more then caught. Who would want to drag the two men along when they were coming into that much money with Norcliff. Then again, perhaps one of them would be caught and he could question them as to where they were heading.
He still couldn't figure out what in Nick's head had made her release that crazed murderer. It had to be that she didn't have her father there to show her right from wrong, but it didn't matter he would find her soon enough. After this she could only marry him, otherwise he would tell them that she really did it. He was sick and tired of her games, and it was time that the girl settled down. He was sure that he could put her in her place, and make her into the real woman she was meant to be. Damn Jacob for allowing her to get the point and letting her choose her own suitor, she wasn't going to pick anyone.
Paul took a seat next to him and grinned, looking over to the bartender he raised his hand and the man nodded. "I've never been this close to Norcliff in twelve years, makes my heart flutter just thinking about finally catching that son of a bitch."
Avery gave a nod, and then watched as Gil and Dale walked in, and took a seat around the table.
"That bastard has always slipped through my fingers, but now I'm sure he's heading to Redrock, and with fifty thousand on his head, I don't know a damn person alive who could resist that." Paul laughed, and his two boys hackled with him.
"Something the matter, Robert?" Gil asked Avery.
"A lot on my mind is all."
They all nodded, and Paul continued, "When we collect that money, and spilt it forty to me, and twenty to the rest of ya all, we won't ever have to work again."
Dale and Gil seemed happy with the amount Paul decide to split it.
"Didn't know lawmen could collect." Avery said.
Paul nodded, "Oh we will collect, haven't been spending twelve years of my life chasing this sorry excuse for a man and not get my due pay."
The waitress walked over and gave everyone some ale, and walked away without a word.
"Now, the sheriff of this here town said the inn would take us for free, and since we ain't spending money on sleepin' we might as well spend it on women." Paul laughed and once again his boys chuckled along.
Avery couldn't imagine riding with a dumber group of lawmen, "I'm not real interested in the type of woman you have to pay for."
"Hey, you are the one getting married, it's going to cost you a lot more in the end then it will us." Dale laughed.
Avery tried to smile and pretend like he was having a good time with them, but he couldn't stand these men. He had only been with them a short while, but already they left a bad taste in his mouth. Something in his head told him that if he continued on with these men, he was going to see things that he wish he hadn't. He was afraid for Nicolette as well, if these men got the slightest hunch that she was with Norcliff by her own free will, it would mean her life. These men didn't play any games, he was well aware of that. Luckily, they were daft enough to be chasing the same man for twelve years, perhaps he could make it to her before they do.
After they drank down their ale, they stood up and threw some coins on the table. Paul gave a slight belched, and grinned, "We'll be next door with some ladies if you need anything."
"Yeah, like a bedtime story read to you." Dale scoffed, and the three men laughed as they walked out of the saloon.
Avery shook his head and continued to nurse his ale. Being around these men made him wonder if he acted the same way back in Honeycomb. He hoped that people showed him respect because he deserved it, not because he was an overconfident, arrogant moron, like these three were showing themselves to be.
When Avery finished his ale, he stepped out of the saloon, leaving a few coins on the table for his drinks. The once busy town was beginning to settle down. Looking into the sky he could clearly see why, though it was almost dark, he could still make out the rain clouds that were coming in. Sighing, he knew that tomorrow would bring rain and without slow movement to the south, though he hoped it would slow down Nick and her group a lot worse then it would him.
Slowly he made his way over to the inn, and could fill the chilly breeze hit his cheeks, and the smell of rain filled his nostrils. Crossing the dirt street he felt several light drops fall onto his forearms. When he got halfway across, he stopped and looked to the south. He hoped Nick was safe and warm somewhere, not trapped outside in the rain. He wondered if she was alright, even if she was in the presence of a murderer, he prayed that she would be safe from his harm.
"Get out of the way." A man yelled.
Avery turned around and looked at the man driving a cat full of bags, probably grain or flour. Two horses pulled the heavy load, and looked just as anxious to get moving as their owner did.
"Excuse me, sir." Avery tipped his hat and ran over towards the inn doors.
By the time he reached them, the rain was beginning to fall, light at first but then it began to pour down. Stepping inside, the man at the desk smiled at him, recognizing his badge right away. He was an elder man, bald on top, with fat cheeks and a thin build. He placed his hands on the counter as soon as Avery stepped towards him, shaking down his hat.
"Sheriff said, you would be…" He began then looked over at the door, and frowned, pointing his finger. "You get out of here, Hud."
"But, Frank, it's raining out there bad. I don't got no where to sleep, just let me lay in the cellar."
"Maybe you should of thought of that back when you had a chance for a job. Now, get out, you dirty thief."
Hud said nothing just turned and walked back outside into the rain.
Frank smiled at Avery again, "Man has taken as much charity as I can give him. Hasn't amounted to anything since I was a boy, and won't work, no matter how many jobs are offered to him." He turned around to find Avery a key to his room, "A couple days ago, pretty gal came riding into town, and he tried to steal something out of her horse's pouch. Big ole' black horse, thing went near mad, wish it would of kicked Hud flat in the face, maybe then he would of learned. Stealing from a lady like that, don't know why the sheriff protects him." He handed him the key.
"What did you say?" Avery asked, taking the key.
"I said I don't know why the sheriff protects him."
"No, about a black horse and a girl."
Frank swallowed, "Yeah, pretty blonde gal, rode in here dressed like a man. She went into Peter's store and bought some supplies. Pretty thing, sheriff was talking to her, bought stole his heart, she did." Frank laughed. "Only reason I know is I was in Peter's, saw the whole thing, and sheriff is my cousin, he told me 'bout most of it."
"Girl have a name?"
Frank thought for a moment, "Yeah, but I don't really remember, sheriff would. She called her horse Goliath though. Strange name for a horse, but it was big one, so would see why it be named that."
Avery felt a grin trying to form on his lips, but he fought it. "Was she riding with anyone?"
Pressing his lips together, he thought for a moment, "No, pretty sure she was riding alone, but she bought a bunch of food. Mentioned to Peter's son that she had a companion."
"How long ago did you say this was?"
"Two days, three at most."
Holding up his key, he tipped his hat, "Thank you."
"Anytime, third door on the left just up the stairs, sheriff."
Walking up to his room, Avery had a spark of hope in his heart. At least he knew they were on the right path, if she had been through here then maybe Dale did know what he was doing.
Getting to his room, he pushed back the curtains and looked out the window. He could clearly see the stables from his window. The rain poured down, and the streets began to flood. He could see the man that the inn keeper called Hud, standing in the doorway of the stables with his arms folded across him. Seeing how such a man was treated made him wish he was back in Honeycomb, where everyone was welcomed no matter where they were. Of course, back there, that man would be employed, because someone would be forcing him to work. Whether it be the owner of the ranch or some of the shop owners, no one goes without work on week days.
Sighing, he pulled off his boots, and laid down on the bed, setting his hat on the night stand beside him. Something told him that not even the rain would keep the men, he was traveling with, in doors. He needed some sleep. It was the first time in his life that he would lay in a bed that wasn't located in Honeycomb, something about that made his spine shiver. Closing his eyes, he let it all drift away, and hoped that tomorrow would be a better day.