Busted Gulch vol 6

Half a Plan

Half a Plan

Buck rode fast after Lou and Brody.

He caught up as they stopped for the night,

Saw their smiles, then their widened eyes.

He thought, "That's not right!"

Lou asked, "Why?" So Buck tried to answer,

He stumbled through explaining his feelings to Lou.

Brody was watching, a smirk on his face,

Buck wasn't sure what do to.

He took a deep breath and spoke from his heart.

"I care about you! I don't know how to show it!

I won't run away and I won't leave you.

I care about you and I want you to know it!"

"I don't need to be cared for," Lou replied.

"And it's not my fault you don't know how!

Don't yell at me like I can fix it, 'cause I can't.

I'm not waiting on you to figure it out."

"Just give me a chance!" Buck pleaded.

Let me show you that I'm really sincere!"

"Fine." Lou said. "Just know I'll never forgive you

if you screw this thing with Shamus up here."

Buck said confidently, "I won't screw this up."

The tension was thick as the three sat and ate.

They discussed plans for catching Shamus,

And ended with one Brody thought would be great.

Buck would act like Bruce, say he'd killed his brother.

Tell Shamus that Brody and Lou ran off and lead him back to BG.

Brody and Lou would search for Shamus's forgeries,

They'd meet at Tent City and Shamus would be caught...hopefully.

Brody told of how Bruce ragged on Buck,

how he told about all the women he'd deceived.

Buck hadn't meant for Lou to know that,

He was angered and aggrieved.

Lou's eyes widened and she looked at Buck,

With a glance he couldn't comprehend.

Said she wanted to go to sleep,

And did. That was the end...

Except for that Buck was mad at Brody for telling Lou.

Brody said Buck was a coward and didn't deserve her.

"You could have told her, but you didn't.

I love Lou and I won't let you hurt her."

"I love her too!" Buck burst out.

"You didn't have to ruin my chance with Lou!"

"Is that so?" Brody smirked. "Well, Maggie,

I'm not going easy on you!"

They argued back and forth about who was better,

Until Lou told them to stow it.

They all needed their sleep for the big job ahead,

And Buck was worrying that he'd blow it.

He woke in the morning and saddled to ride,

and left a peach muffin by Lou's side.

He rubbed dirt on his face to make it look

like he'd come a long way - he'd read that in a book.

Buck went straight to Shamus, putting on a bold face.

Shamus smirked. "Well, Skirt?" He said.

"Where's your brother?"

Buck crossed his arms. "He's dead."

"I did the job, but I thought you should know.

Brody and Lou, they're planning on running off.

If we head back to the Gulch right now, Shamus,

You might be able to put it to a stop."

Shamus jumped up. "Damn him!

I knew something wasn't right.

I should've kept an eye on him

since he told me he loved Lou that night!"

They rode out of Oh Aces, kicking up the dust.

Buck's thoughts drifted to the other half of the plan.

Brody and Lou would have woken up by now.

They'd be searching for Shamus's books, and they'd find them...somehow.