Honors And Redemptions Of The Outlaw

Chapter 11: Oil Businesses

When we got back to camp, I left Junior with the rest of the horses making my way to Thomas. He was sitting outside his tent reading something, I stopped in front of him crossing my arms. He removed his gaze from the book looking up at me, raising a brow. "Yes, Amber?" I looked at the trees then back to him. "We got moonshiners in town, Elizabeth's friends with one of 'em. I assumed you would wanna know, see if we could get ourselves involved?" He closed the book nodding, he stood to his feet.

"See if we could get a good deal of money out of it." I added. He looked over at Elizabeth across camp, returning his gaze to me as he spoke. "Make sure whatever you do, you don't get Elizabeth's friend hurt." I nodded, I started to walk away as he sat back down to read more of his book when I turned back to him. "I was wondering," I pause.

He turned his head to me again, waiting for me to continue. "We've all taken a liking to Iris, she's just a kid I'd hate to leave her here with nobody. It's clear something happened to her parents, and we are here to help, right?" He smiled at me for a moment before sighing. "I'm sure Penny wouldn't mind her staying with us, neither would Ghale or Brandy for that matter. She's a sweet girl, I can see why you like her." I rolled my eyes, a grin formed on my lips at his answer. I'd ask eventually, now it seemed all too soon though. She deserved better than what we had to offer, but she seemed to really take a liking to Jameson and Elizabeth.

I understood why she liked Elizabeth but Jameson, I'm not sure. She would often ramble on about how she found gunslingers so interesting to him and he just listened while doing something around camp, maybe because of that she liked his company. Jameson didn't seem to mind her either. I snapped out of my train of thought when Thomas said something. "Take this cash into town for her, everyone pitched in a bit of money a while ago to give to her for new clothes."

I turned to him, taking the stack, counting it. Fifty dollars is about enough, I placed it in my pocket turning back to Thomas. "I'll make sure she knows everyone pitched in," I tilted my head a moment. 'Everyone?' I crossed my arms. "Otis lent money?" Thomas grinned at my question, looking down at his book. "Maybe not everyone, Jameson, Elizabeth, Henry, Penny, Shea and myself." I tilted my head at the one name he said. "Shea lent money to Iris?" He nodded, removing his gaze from his book to me, he tapped a finger on it once before speaking. "Shea has a sort of mutual respect for the kid now I guess, after she stole her money." I shook my head with a slight laugh. "Shea has quite the respect for another thief don't she." I added, a bit sarcastic. He nodded, returning his gaze to the book. "Now, tomorrow I need you in town to see about that moonshine business. For now, though, I need you to meet Jameson and Henry somewhere outside of town called Robins Cove." I nodded, raising a brow. "What for, other than maybe to keep Henry from being Henry."

He chuckled at my statement, shaking his head, he continued. "No, no, Henry said he found a house, well built, wealthy family, all that good stuff, requesting some kind of guards to get rid of some other folk trying to steal horses, money, and bonds. Good pay if you can get away with it." I nodded, turning around to walk when he interrupted. "Take Shea with you as well, she hasn't done anything since she got back from that business she attended to. You know how she is when she hasn't got out in a while."

I chuckled, turning to him with a grin. "Insufferably annoying to be around. Yeah, I understand. Let her come so she can pick a good word or two for me." He shook his head with a small smile, leaning back against the chair.

I made my way over to the giant tree in the middle of camp, Shea sat just beneath it sharpening a knife. Her auburn hair tied tight in a low bun at the back of her head, her blue eyes darkened from the lighting of the tree's shadow. "Shea, I was told to take you with me." I added walking by her, she quickly holstered her knife, catching up to me walking by my side. "Where are we going, high and mighty?" I looked to my side down at her, she was a good six inches shorter than me. I smirked at her comment, "We are going to see about a lead Henry found, short stacks. Could get us a good bit of money to head farther west like Thomas is planning." She rolled her eyes at the nickname; I turned my gaze to Junior as we stopped beside him. Junior nuzzled my shoulder, rolling my eyes.