Cole's Redemption (Love Amongst the Pines) (23 page)

             
"Martin Calvin," he called out.

             
The door opened slowly and the steel gray nose of a rifle poked out.

             
"Yeah," a man's voice answered back. "He might be here. What do you want?"

             
"The name's Wesley Greene. I wrote Mr. Calvin about three months ago. I need some guns to help me capture and execute a criminal."

             
"Is he a bounty jumper?"

             
"In a way." Greene kept his tone low. He was beginning to get annoyed. He could have hired anyone along the trail to help him, but he wanted local men so that he'd have less explaining to do when he returned home.

             
"Wait there." The man called out. Greene could hear shuffling about inside. Greene lifted his weapon higher. He was becoming more irritated by the minute.

             
"Listen, I came to hire some men to do a job. If you don't want the work, just say so, and I'll be on my way."

             
"Hold on a minute," another man came to the door. Tall and thin, his figure like a corded rope with stick arms and legs. Dressed in a dirty shirt, ragged denim pants that were only half zipped and looked to be two sizes too large and held up by stringy suspenders, he looked more like a saloon bum than a professional gunman. Two other similarly dressed men came out.
One slightly taller than the first; the other a rounder, shorter man.

             
"Name's Marty Calvin. This here's my brothers, Deacon, and Jonas." All three carried rifles, but they were held in a barrel down position.

             
Greene relaxed. "My name is Wesley Greene. Are you the man who wired me in San Antonio?"

             
"
Yessir
, I was. I was
thinkin
' that we could make us a deal. We need some extra greenbacks before winter sets in."

             
"Uh-huh. And, what kind of references do you have?"

             
The men looked at him with puzzled expressions. "What kind of work have you done in the past?" Marty Calvin nodded, finally understanding. "We caught up with those Gainer boys that robbed the livery in Lead. There was another fella named Gage who shot his neighbor over some mine
contract
. Pretty hard cases." He shrugged.

             
Greene took a deep breath. "Here's the deal. I need men who'll follow my orders without question. I want this convict taken alive. I want everything open and above board. He's guilty, and I mean to see him punished according to the law. As I hear it, he escaped one hanging already. I mean for him to swing this time. I don't want him shot or mortally injured. You help me do that, and there's a hundred dollars in it for each of you. If you so much a scratch him, I'm going to be deducting money from your fee. I want him handled as gently as a suckling babe. You understand?"

             
The three men looked briefly at each other. Finally, Marty stepped forward. "You pay the money that makes you the boss." He stepped back. "Come on in, and we'll share our supper with you while you tell us what you have in mind."

             
Greene smiled. "No, boys, I think I'll have to decline. I'm headed out to a town called Whispering Pines. You know of the place?"

             
"Yeah," Marty stated. "It's about a day's ride from here."

             
"Good. Wait two days and meet me at the saloon there. We'll make our plans then."

             
With that, Greene turned and got up on his horse.

             
"Hey, Mister," Marty called out, "You a lawman?" He coughed and cleared his throat. "I mean, not that it makes much difference, I guess."

             
"I'm a Texas Ranger." He said, then turned his mount and left them standing in the clearing.

             
"Mother, I believe you and I need to talk," Cole's voice shook her to her very soul. His tone was vaguely familiar; reminding her of the small boy she'd once known and loved dearly. Most disturbing of all were the shades of his father's voice in the timbre of her son's speech.

             
Drawing a deep breath, Miriam nodded. "Yes, of course, Cole." She turned to
Melly
, "Please excuse us."

             
Melly
nodded and walked towards the door. "If you need anything, Mrs.
Remmington
, I'll be right outside."

             
Miriam noticed her friend's quiet examination of her son as she left.

             
Cole did nothing, his eyes focused on the far window. When he looked at her again, he paused only a second before taking a deep breath. The expression he wore was of a man about to plunge into an icy lake. He knew the jump was perilous, and the water deadly cold, but he jumped just the same.

             
"I just wanted to say that I don't want any trouble from you. I'm happy here and, for what's left of my life, I intend to stay."

             
Miriam started at that. "What's left of your life?" She took a step closer. "Are you sick, Cole?"

She watched him for a reaction, but none came.

             
"No. I'm fine. I just meant that I'm not going back to Boston; I don't care about being an attorney and whatever means I can etch out in the Black Hills is fine with me."

             
"Cole, have you really thought about this? On my trip out, I heard lots of stories about Indian uprisings and lawless men who'll kill you for sport. Surely you don't mean to stay in such a dangerous place!"

             
"I do. And, you forget, Mother, I am one of those lawless men.
I
was
five steps away from a necktie social
. I killed three men and, if it wasn't for Natty, I wouldn't be here talking to you now."

             
Miriam knees went weak. "I know that. I'm thankful for your wife. I just want to help you, Cole. I even brought some money in case you needed it. I just want to be your mother again. Please, let me help you!" She stepped closer, but Cole retreated back a step.

             
"I don't need your money or your help. You've done enough for me already. All I ask is that during your stay, you treat Natty well. She's not as refined as your Boston ladies, but she's got a good heart. I won't have you hurting her the way you did Maggie. Whatever else she was, Maggie was my wife. Now,
Natty's
my wife. If you ever want anything to do with me again, you won't say a bad word to or about her."

             
"I promise you, Cole, I won't make the mistake again of interfering in your life."

             
He seemed satisfied with that. "How long are you planning on staying?"

             
"I don't know. The judge asked me the same question this morning. I do need to rest a few weeks before returning home.
A month, maybe.
Of course, I have no place to stay, so I guess it all hangs on that."

             
"You can stay here," he told her. Surprised she looked at him. "With you and Natty?"

             
"Only on the weekends. During the week, we're going to be working the mine. Natty has a cabin up by the shaft."

             
"Thank you." Her eyes drifted downwards and for the first time in
all the
fray, she noticed his injuries. She moved closer this time, and trapped nearly against the wall, Cole couldn't retreat.

             
"What happened to your hands?" She asked gently reaching for them. He quickly pulled them out of her grasp.

             
"I had an accident."

             
"How terrible!" She reached out and gently lifted his hands to peer at them closely. The white linen bandages were dingy from his day of hard work. He grimaced slightly as she turned them over, carefully examining every cut, every swollen knuckle and every purplish bruise on the skin. She barely contained her tears as she held them steady. "I'm sorry."

             
Taking his hands away from her, he held them up reverently as though
they
were
a flag of victory
. "Don't be. That accident saved my life."

             
Natty was as nervous as a cat stuck in a tree. After a lunch

of
cold meats and fresh bread, she quickly gathered up the supplies and cleaned up their utensils. It was all she could do not to bust. She helped Judge unload all of her new possessions, and noted that in addition to a daybed, two lamps, a table and chairs, and a dresser, he brought her a rocking chair and a
night stand
. He joked with her telling her that the added gifts he'd picked up in advance should any new addition to her family appear the next summer.

             
It wasn't until the afternoon had given way to evening, that the grimy men walked to the back of the property to a small creek to wash up for supper. The plan was they would all go back into town and have their meal at Judge's house. Then, the newlyweds would head back to the mine. Packing up the rest of her wedding gifts, Natty made ready to head out of town.

             
"You must be very excited to be getting back to your mine," Mrs.
Remmington
said behind her.

             
Startled, Natty turned. "Oh, yes, Ma'am, living in town is nice,
but, I miss my cabin.
I have to say, I do like these wood floors. Maybe next summer, after we make a good strike, Cole will want to put floorboards in the shack."

             
"One would think so, yes."

             
An uneasy silence began to grow between them. "I just want to tell you that I'm going to take good care of your son. I love him very much."

             
The other woman's expression tightened. "So do I. But, as you'll soon find out, he's not been an easy man to love."

             
"Yes Ma'am, but I aim to try."

             
After the dinner, Cole and Natty waved good-bye to Judge. He insisted that Miriam and
Melly
remain at his place, while he and Dermott worked on the house. That way, he could get it ready and, in a couple of weeks, the new residence would be livable.

             
"I do want to thank you for all you've done," Miriam said as she walked Judge down the front walk to where Dermott and
Melly
stood quietly talking.

             
"You're quite welcome. I have to confess, my motives aren't altogether altruistic. I think everybody in this town cheated that little girl. It's a pleasure to be able to give something back to her."

             
"She does seem like a nice sort, and she is quite taken with Cole. I really do hope things work out for them."

             
"I can tell you mean that."

             
Miriam looked away a moment. "I know I haven't been very sympathetic to my son in the past. But I'm changing. I only

want
what's best for him. It looks like whatever that is; it's something he'll have to find on his own."

             
"Isn't that what we did when we were their age?"

             
She laughed, "I suppose so." She took a deep breath. "Before you go, there's something I've been wanting to ask you."

             
"Yes?"

             
"I know from the poster that my son was wanted for murder. You've told me that Natty saved him from hanging. Does that mean he's been exonerated? Is he free to live his life now?"

             
"Only if he stays in this county and continues working on that mine.
At least for the time being.
The warrant and the sentence were real. There is an obscure law that's been used a couple of times in other territories. Of course, I doubt it would stand up in a federal court. I think that as long as he keeps to himself, he'll be all right. He seems to be happy with Natty. If he were to leave, though, I'd have to go after him. And, he wouldn't escape his punishment the next time. I'm sorry."

             
She shook her head. "No, don't be. I am grateful for all you've done. I still wish I could get him home. This country is wild, and it frightens me."

             
Miriam meant to turn away, but Judge grasped her shoulder. Pulling her towards him, he leaned inward. For a moment, she swore he was going to kiss her. She closed her eyes and tilted her head back. The last second, he leaned forward, and gently placed a chaste kiss on her forehead.