Cowboys & Ghosts

7. Slim & Daisy

The gang pressed on, and before the evening, they finally entered the town of Hot Spring, Arkansas. A big building was directly ahead, and with her gaze on the horizon, Daisy realized that this was Slim's mansion. The old man was always absent, but his wealth remained. The gang parked their horses and one by one, they entered through the front door. The inside was beyond Daisy's imagining, as she'd return home to Batesville with her money. "After that mob," Slim said. "I could never come across the wild again."
"Sir," Cody replied, changing the subject. "We oughta keep ourselves barricaded. Someone just sent us a note; outlaws will ask for you tomorrow afternoon."
"They want money just as much as we do," Daisy mused. Slim gave her a grim glance. "You're right. Cody, take your friends on a walk. We have a lot to discuss; Daisy and I." Cody obeyed his boss, and with his men, he left. As Daisy was the new member of the group, she knew it to be true as there was much more than the reward that she was after. "Daisy." She turned to Slim, who was in his high back chair, smoking a cigarette. "If you were to receive this $1,000 reward, what would you have done?"
"Own my business." Daisy looked, as if she had nothing to hide. Her entire life, she was taught to always tell the truth like everyone else in her hometown. She took out her journal, giving it to Slim. "Well," he said, putting on a pair of reading glasses in front of his eyes. "You write in your spare time?" Daisy nodded. "Even while on horseback. If I don't plan to be an author, well, that's not who I am." This was her, who wanted to take over the orphanage, naming it after her late family. "I see," Slim replied, flipping through a few pages. "My business is a lot harder than you think. It's something along the lines of; more money." Daisy folded her arms, stepping closer to her boss. "The lord himself demands you to do more than expected," she said. "It's not even an offer. No request."
"It's more demand," agreed Slim, surprising her. "You are of help, my dear." He smiled. "Your assignment is to bring this boy in, and collect the reward. We split it, which means we get half, and you get the other half for your building. Do we have an agreement?" He held his hand out, and without hesitation, Daisy shook on it. "Agreed."

Seventeen hours later, Daisy was settled in her new bedroom. There was so much more to it than the last room back home. Eventually, she would be ready to be on her way, in search of her wildest dreams. She just stood in front of the mirror, twirling her gun around her finger, before holstering it to the left side of her waist. It started to rain, as she walked outside, fixing her hat and the brown leather jacket she wore. "She's just a child," she heard someone mutter. She whirled, seeing one of Slim's men and Cody talking as they drank whiskey. "Those bastards have been murdered by a child, and she slayed them like a child!" Cody looked from him to Daisy, who just stood with her arms folded with a glum smirk across her features. "Son of a bitch," he said. "She's standing right there." His companion turned, shocked. "You didn't have to say that," Daisy added. "Or did I?" The man retorted, reaching for his gun. Daisy flinched, gripping her revolver hilt. "Don't try," she said. "Uncle Slim wouldn't be happy."
"Damn," muttered Cody. His companion laughed. "Who says you are to call him your uncle?"
"I did." Despite his own presence within the reach of several town people, Slim stood on the edge of the porch, his shadow overlooking Daisy's own. "Bold reveal of relatives," Cody said. He and his companion laughed. "Knock it off," Slim said firmly. "You two, pick some more whiskey." The two younger men obeyed, being sent on their way. "I might be a child," Daisy murmured. "But that doesn't stop me from doing whatever I'm about to do." Changing the subject, she turned, letting her right boot step at the tip of Slim's left foot. "When do I leave to find the boy?"
"Whenever I say you can go," Slim said. "The mob you killed is apart of your training, which resolves you in the outside world." Daisy frowned, her eyes to the wood panel floor. "Before I left Batesville," she said. "I found my parents' grave at the cemetery. It was the first time I've ever been there. No one like Meredith is gonna hold me back." Even if there were a chance at first, Daisy still had no intentions of killing the woman who forcefully took her in, and this wasn't what her parents would've wanted. "And it's your job," Slim replied. "If you had found out about it, why is it that you haven't done that sooner?" Daisy was about to answer, when the sound of pounding hooves attracted her notice. She turned to the right, seeing from a long distance; Native Americans dressed in all fur and riding horseback with nothing but bridles and weapons. The cries that came from them were louder, as they got closer. Daisy reached for her revolver, but kept it in its hilt. "What the hellfire?" Whispered Slim. "Indians."