Cowboys & Ghosts

3. Right Ahead Of You

Everything matched. The fingerprints, the blood stains, and the letter that Meredith Garner possessed. She was the one who declared Daisy an orphan, and raised her on her own; out of jealousy. Daisy sat for what felt like hours, and as she had expected, she saw two officers escort a distraught Meredith through the door. "You!" She snapped, as she eyed the young girl. "I take you in fifteen years ago, and this is how you repay me?"
"Liar," growled Daisy. "You shot my parents, so you could have me out of pity. You're not my mother." An older man in his late twenties stepped from behind her. "Put child abuse on the charge," he said. "I also have found some bruises here." He lifted up Daisy's sleeve, which revealed what had been missing, and it was on the skin of her right arm. "Put her in the brig," he said. The officers obeyed him, and Meredith was struggling against them. "What about the orphanage? Who will take care of the child?" The officers shoved her into a jail cell, and quickly slid the door shut, before she even had a chance to get out. "Thanks, Dr. Golden," Daisy said. "It be my pleasure, Mrs. Martinsen," the doctor replied. "January, pull out the charges," Target ordered. "I want this woman to see exactly what's coming to her." Daisy just folded her arms and watched, hoping to see instant regret on her 'disowned' foster mother's face. "Manslaughter," Target read. "Kidnapping and conspiracy. We're turning you over to Federal Marshall."
"Are you mad?" Meredith was shocked, as she looked over to Daisy. "Help me, flower." The teenager just shook her head. "Goodbye, Meredith." And she turned. Meredith's screams followed her out the door.

It was later on in the day, when Daisy sat outside of a local restaurant. With everything going on, she had no appetite, but the rumbling in her stomach was asking more. She was all on her own. With no one to watch over her. She could never forgive Meredith, but she couldn't hate her either. "Mrs. Martinsen," came the voice of Dr. January Golden. Daisy's gaze lit up, and the doctor sat across from her. "I'm so sorry for everything that you had to go through, ma'am. I do have some news for you."
"Rather it's good or bad," replied Daisy. "So, what is it?"
"We also found some accessories that belonged to your parents, now they're yours." He handed her an average sized bag, which wasn't too light or too heavy. Daisy put her hand in it and first picked out what seemed like; cash. She counted the money, and it was five hundred dollars. "Was this their personal savings?" She asked. January shook his head. "That's not even half of it. Garner hid it in a safe, which was extremely impossible to open." Daisy put her parent's savings in the pocket of her jacket, and continued her search through this bag, that she thought that she would've found a long time ago. Then, she took out what seemed like a revolver with several bullets in the chamber. "This belonged to your father," January went on. "He never had the chance to fire back, when a bullet pierced his heart." The revolver also contained powder, that was always meant to remain dry. She found this final item that was within reach of this sack; a cowboy hat. Daisy put it on her head. "Was this also my father's?" January nodded. "He and your mother had more to leave than you can bear. Everything else is right ahead of you." Daisy looked to her left, having seen what seemed like a wanted paper on the pole of a nearby saloon. She stood, saying, "Excuse me a moment." The closer she walked, the more she could read what was on this paper. It was a picture of a teenage boy, which read, "Ghost Rider Wanted. $1,000 Reward." That was when it hit Daisy. If there was no one or nothing to turn to, she'd be wealthy and raise the orphanage on her own, but in the name and honor of her parents. She just smiled, thinking. She yanked the paper from the pole, seizing the opportunity. "If Garner is behind bars for the rest of her life, the orphanage will have to be closed up," January said, as she returned. "And you'd have to have a stranger to turn to."
"Not if I can help it." Daisy gave him the wanted paper. "I've heard stories about ghost riders. You might not believe it, but..."
"This is not possible, Mrs. Martinsen," interrupted January. "It's too dangerous."
"You're a doctor, not a lawyer," Daisy retorted. "I might not be the only one going after a $1,000 reward, but with this, anything can be possible." The doctor sighed. "I am concerned for you, Mrs. Martinsen. These riders in the sky. They are a..." Daisy put a finger up. "The last thing I want to hear you say is; this isn't reality. They might be apart of stories everyone's wanting to tell, but if you dare insult their kind, just know; they are watching." January was taken aback, but he didn't return the argument any further.