Little Sharpshooter Chap 21

The wind picked up as soon as the three of them stepped outside the doctor’s after he checked Trevor’s arm. Dirt blew in their eyes and dark storm clouds rolled in. They protected their faces the best they could as they headed down the boardwalk to the general store.

“Here Randy, hold onto this for safe keepin’.” He handed Randy a stack of notes and a handful of coins. “If you wouldn’t have dragged me outta the brothel when ya did, I mighta been tempted to spend it. Leave it to you to straighten me out. Not a drop a whiskey in me today. Probably woulda helped with my nerves though.” Bronson removed his hat and wiped his brow with his coat sleeve. “We are headin’ into monsoon season. Gonna be a challenge getting outta here.” He ducked into the store just as big fat ran drops began to splat on the ground and blow onto the covered walkway. Randy and Trevor eagerly followed and took in all the wares at the store.

They had plenty of time to shop. Randy wondered why Bronson wanted a lasso along with a heavy tarp, and some other odds and ends.

The store clerk watched Randy as she went through their candy selection. When she placed the candy she picked out, and some other food items on the counter, the young man smiled.

“I was watchin’ ya out there earlier. You’re pretty good.” He kept smiling with an unnaturally wide smile, filling up his face.

“Thank you,” she said softly, glancing at the floor.

“I heard stories about James Carter. Are you really his daughter?” He held the candy sticks poised in his hand as he waited for her answer.

“Why would I claim to be his daughter if I wasn’t? I get the wrong kind of attention for it.”

“I dunno. Just didn’t know he had a kid. Much less a girl.”

“With the sort that wanted to see him dead, it was probably a good idea word never got out.” Randy tucked her hands under her arms so he didn’t see them shake.

The clerk wasn’t in a hurry to finish ringing up her goods. Trevor was still shopping, and Bronson waited by the door for the storm to pass. Randy and the clerk ducked when a really close lightning strike boomed and rattled everything in the store.

“I hate these storms. We lost two buildings in town last year due to lightnin’ from the monsoons.” He blinked excessively as he finished placing her items in brown paper, rolled them up, and handed them politely to Randy.

She was sure he intentionally didn’t let go right away as his hand brushed against hers. The clerk winked.  Randy tried to force a smile and turned right into Trevor, bumping into him. Her face burned when she looked up at him.

Trevor gave her puzzled look until she looked behind her. The young man behind the counter still had his big, broad, silly grin plastered on his face. Trevor wrapped his arm protectively around Randy. He kissed her forehead and deposited what he was going to buy on the counter.

When Randy glanced back again, the silly grin was gone. In its place was a look of contempt. She hesitated before joining Bronson at the front of the store. But the young man and Trevor were kind enough to each other.

“Are we leavin’ in the mornin’?” Randy hovered close to Bronson’s shoulder. The rain blew sideways into the glass.

“I don’t like the idea of leavin’ so late in the day but I don’t want only a half a day between us and that Clyde. I’m sure another one of these will blow in tomorrow so I’m thinkin’ once we get us a good late lunch, we should pack up and head out.” Bronson rubbed the top of his head. “Either way, it’s gonna be rough. The next town is a two day trip. I don’t like headin’ out that long with someone about to be on our tail.”

“Why can’t the sheriff keep him longer knowin’ he’s out to get me?”

“Because it’s all speculation. Nobody knows for sure until he actually goes through with it. Clyde could change his mind when he gets out. But we both know that isn’t likely to happen. He’s already followed us this far. The rain has eased up a little. I’m gonna run over to the sheriff’s office and get a good solid idea on how much time we have. You take my stuff and Trevor back to the boardin’ house. I’ll meet you at the restaurant when I’m through.” Bronson handed Randy everything in his arms and ducked out the door, holding onto his hat. He crossed the road dodging puddles and a few wagons to the sheriff’s office

Trevor was by her side with his small package tucked under his arm. “Where did he go?”

“To the sheriff’s. Come on. We need to head back. We might be leavin’ after we eat.”

They ducked their heads into the wind. Once they were finally in the protection of the boarding house, they shook the rain off before heading up the stairs.

Trevor opened the door to his room and once he dropped his package, he took everything out of Randy’s hands, tossed it on the bed. Holding her face, he pressed his lips hard into hers. Randy inhaled with her heart jumping in her chest with his unexpected show of affection. Trevor held her head tight against his chest.

“Just in case you didn’t know, I’m so glad nothin’ happened to you.” He rested his forehead against hers and whispered. “I probably shouldn’t tell you this. Not yet. But I really think I love you.” Trevor closed his eyes. His face reddened all over.

Randy was speechless but her chest was swelling so much she could hardly contain her own emotions. “You think you do?” she choked out.

“I’m not sure because I’ve never felt like this for a girl before.”

“I’m wonderin’ if I feel the same. I feel like my chest is about to explode.”

“Mine too.” He kissed her cheek.

That wasn’t enough for Randy. Her hands slid into his hair to pull him closer. She pressed her mouth into his. They lost track of time for a few minutes while they kissed. Randy’s mouth was sore when Trevor stopped to rest his head against hers.

“Bronson’s probably waitin’ for us. Let’s put our stuff up first. We shouldn’t be here this long without doing somethin’,” he said and let her go.

When she turned to collect the packages from the bed, he poked her sides. Randy launched forward, away from his fingers, landing on her stomach on the bed. Trevor straddled her so she couldn’t turn over and continued to tickle her. She laughed, wriggling to get out from underneath him. She rolled under him and reached for his sides to tickle him back. He held her hands down and kissed her again.

“We really need to go,” Randy said.

When Trevor let go, she rolled over to collect Bronson’s purchases. Trevor was busy taking care of his own things and packed them in his saddlebags.

Randy kneeled on the floor in front of Bronson’s saddlebag and wondered if he had stashed anymore whiskey in his pack. She opened the bag and rummaged through it to search for bottles when a roll of notes turned up near the top. Randy stifled a gasp and clenched her jaw.

“I’ll be back in a minute. I have to put my stuff away.” She didn’t wait for Trevor to answer when she left to go to her room.

Randy checked her saddle blanket to make sure her money was still well hidden inside the seams. In her saddlebag, she looked for the stash he had given her in Silver City. It was all there. She stuck her hand into the slit in the bottom of the bag where she hid more, nothing was missing. Randy was sure he didn’t know about the other places she hid small amounts of money. Sitting back on her heels, she wondered if he had stolen it. He acted like the money she earned from the contests was all he had.

Trevor entered her room and she threw her small package in her saddlebag along with the new roll of money Bronson had given her.

“Are you ready?” Trevor asked, kneeling beside her. He kissed her neck.

Randy nodded. The distraction of Bronson’s money kept her from enjoying Trevor’s attention. “We’ve been here too long already. Let’s go.” She laced her fingers in his and pulled him to his feet.

When they stepped outside the door of the boarding house, the sun shined like it had never rained even though everything was saturated and gleamed as it reflected in the sunlight. Trevor squeezed her hand as they headed for the restaurant. They walked slowly down the boardwalk when Bronson stepped out the door of the Sheriff’s office across the street. He studied something in his hands, rolled it up, and stuffed it in the pocket of his shirt.

Randy shifted her gaze straight ahead when Bronson spotted them. She discreetly kept a close eye on his bulging pocket.

“I thought you two would have ordered and started eatin’ by now,” Bronson said when he joined them.

Randy ran her upper teeth over her slightly swollen bottom lip. Her cheeks flushed when Bronson’s own shiftiness turned into a knowing smile. “I forget that I shouldn’t let you two be alone for long.” He elbowed Trevor in the ribs.

Randy walked barely behind Trevor’s shoulder so Bronson couldn’t tease her. She held  Trevor’s hand even tighter.

In the restaurant, Bronson’s attention went right to food and so did Trevor’s.

“This may be the last decent meal we have for a few days. Let’s make it a good one.” Bronson made good on that.

When Randy finished eating, she was sure she had eaten enough for two days.

Bronson pulled the roll of notes out of his pocket when it was time to pay. He pulled two out and tossed them on the table. Bronson didn’t notice how closely Randy was watching him. He shoved his chair back, pushed his hair out of his face, and placed his hat on his head before he made eye contact with Randy.

“There are four of them that the sheriff can’t find any warrants on. He might be able to hold Clyde and those other three until sundown tomorrow. He said that’s pushin’ it. He suggested we leave in the mornin’ but I don’t wanna chance it. I want as many miles as we can get between us. So let’s get a move on.”

It wasn’t long before they had cleared out their rooms in the boarding house and had all three horses fed, watered, saddled, and ready to go.

Randy’s shirt stuck to her body and sweat ran down her face from the rain soaked air as they left town. Bronson wasted no time turning off the main road to head north up into the hills onto a less traveled narrow path.

The horses struggled climbing the muddy steep inclines. Randy was relieved when the air started to cool the farther up into the mountains they traveled. The path widened some when the area flattened out and they were in short pinion pine trees again with some scattered sagebrush intermixed.

Bronson kept the pace up. He didn’t push the horses to run the whole time but it was far from the leisurely pace they had just a few days earlier.

The sun disappeared and there was only a hint of daylight’s blue sky resting on the horizon when Bronson finally allowed them to stop for the night. The horses were winded, breathing heavy, and covered in sweat from the hard push all afternoon.

Randy slowly walked the horses around to cool them down while Bronson and Trevor collected wood for a camp fire.

“Everythin’ I’m findin’ is still damp,” Trevor dumped his armful of wood on the ground.

“Hopefully we get a fire goin’ to cook a little somethin’ and keep warm once the chill sets in. Otherwise it’s what we’ve got ready to eat and we huddle close all night. I’m not sure Randy will enjoy that much. At least not with me. Maybe with you.” Bronson winked at Trevor.

Randy ignored them. Once Al had cooled down properly, she led him to the stream for a drink. She sat down on a rock, holding Al’s lead rope while she waited. He chomped on the grass while Randy stared up at the sky as a wide swath of stars appeared since the moon was not out yet. She did her best to stop thinking about the man that they were running from. Her heart skipped a beat when she could hear Trevor’s voice tell her he loved her in her mind. Guilt washed over her. Even though she felt the same way, she never said it back.

Trevor stood over Bronson’s shoulder, watching his attempts to start a fire. Trevor didn’t seem hurt at all that she hadn’t said it. But she should have. She wasn’t going to tell him in front of Bronson though. She had enough of his teasing already.

The fire kept going out. They had to eat jerky and dried fruit for dinner.

Bronson had a plan to help them keep warm. Bronson tied a rope between two trees and draped the tarp over it. Placing large stones on the edges of the tarp, he turned the corners in so there were triangle doors on each end.

“This is barely gonna be big enough for the three of us to sleep under and it’s gonna get cold.”

Once they were in the tarp tent, Randy couldn’t decide if Trevor was the lucky one or the unlucky one in the middle. He wrapped his arm around Randy and slept against her back. She held his hand, longing to tell him she loved him. But by the time Bronson was snoring, Trevor was breathing just as heavily.

She whispered, “I love you.” to the night.