Land of the Unknown

Advice

April 1, 1878

Luke was in the bedhouse drinking whiskey. News spread that William McCloskey's body was found dangling close to one of Dolan's property. Everyone in the county knew the Regulators were trying to send a message. Two months passed, and everything was quiet, but Luke knew that both sides were plotting, waiting for each other to make the next move. What worried him was that Emiliano hadn't come by the river. He wanted to take Gouyen with him to convince Emiliano to leave the posse, but the situation had gotten dangerous. 

Madame Belle tried to get his attention and get any gossip from him, but Luke was in the mood for her frivolities. The Madame huffed in annoyance as she fixed parts of the bar until she noticed someone entering her building. "Well, I'll be. It's Mr. Handsome."

Luke turned and saw Emiliano entering. He felt relieved to see him unharmed but noticed Emiliano's appearance in disarray. His hair grew a little longer, and a faint beard was growing. His clothes that we once washed and ironed were wrinkled and dirty. Emiliano saw Luke ahead and sat next to him. "Luke, surprise to see you here." He motioned for the Madame. "Madame Belle, please pour me a glass of whiskey."

Madame Belle and Luke eyed him with shock. "Really? Ya said that ya never drink."

"It's different now," he said while putting some dollar notes on the table. The Madame got a glass cup and poured his whiskey into it, and Emiliano sipped. The drink was potent, and he felt his tongue on fire.

"You are supposed to drink it as a whole," said Luke.

Emiliano chugged the drink and closed his eyes. The drink made his insides feel like fire. "Maldita sea, ¿¡cómo puedes beber algo como esto!? (Damn it! How can you drink something like this!?)."

Luke chuckled as Madame Belle motioned the bottle of whiskey to him. "You get used to it," he said, pouring himself and Emiliano more whiskey. "Could you leave us alone?"

Madame Belle sighed. "I want to stay and talk with ya both. Ya both are the mighty good-lookin' ones here. I'll leave since ya asked nicely."

The men were left alone. "One needs to be careful what you speak in front of Madame Belle and her girls. They love to listen to gossip; they can use it as blackmail to get more money."

Emiliano took another gulp of whiskey. "Of course, nowadays, you can't trust anyone."

"I heard what happened to Tunstall; I'm sorry. I was worried about you. I thought that you were ordered to do another mission. Who's in charge now?"

"Richard is the leader now, and thankfully, I have been asked to do any mission, but he's having me and the cowboys keep working in the ranch; to keep Tunstall's legacy. Richard has gotten strict on who goes in and out; it's like being viewed as traitors." Emiliano looked down at his glass cup. "I saw William McCloskey hung a while back; I watched as I did nothing."

Luke drank his glass of whiskey. "How did you feel when you saw a man getting killed?"

"Helpless. I did nothing to stop it. I feel like a monster."

"You're not a monster; you didn't kill the man."

"But I still let it happen."

Luke shook his head while pouring himself another drink. "William should have known what he was getting himself into. That man and any man that joined Tunstall, Dolan, or Murphey would be dead meat anyway." He got closer. "You have nothing to do with Regulators anyway. You can leave and take your girl far from here."

"Gouyen is just a friend."

"Friend, eh?" Luke laughed. "I see more than just friends; you're quite protective of her."