Partner (Micah Bell)

14. Debt Collectors

Nobody mentioned the tender moment shared between Ashley and Micah at the campfire. The others in camp didn't mention it because they didn't want to start a fight with Micah or put him in a foul mood, Ashley never mentioned it to Micah because she was a little embarrassed that she fell asleep on him, and Micah never mentioned it because he had convinced himself that there was nothing to mention.

Ashley stood up from her kneeling position on the ground with a smile, watching Jack run off to do who knows what. He had just been showing her the new toy that his mother had got him.

"Miss Black" Ashley turned around when she heard her name being called by a familiar voice, seeing Leopold Strauss standing behind her. "Are you perhaps available for some work?" he asked politely.

"Debtors? Not really my thing, Strauss" Ashley hummed, not sure about collecting debts for Strauss. She tended to collect scores in the misfortune of other outlaws or wealthy members of society, she didn't really like the idea of retrieving debts from desperate souls. She knew that Strauss would just want his cash, he didn't care if you had to rough the debtor up a little, she was pretty sure that he didn't even care if she had to kill them for the money. She wasn't exactly comfortable with doing that.

"You've been friendly with Mr Bell recently, correct? I'm sure he won't have any problems with retrieving the debt" Strauss shrugged, not really caring how the debt was received.

"I suppose. Why didn't you just ask him or one of the others?" she asked, she had only collected a debt once before because everyone else was busy.

"I don't care for how unpredictable they can be, rather immature for my taste. I'm sure that you will keep an eye on Mr Bell and make sure that everything runs smoothly" he explained.

"...sure, I'll do it" Ashley sighed.

"Just one actually. A small farm owner by the name of Corey Weathers, shouldn't be too difficult to persuade" Strauss informed her with a light shrug.

"Persuade? I think you mean 'beat'...but sure. Got to be done, I guess" she shrugged, still not completely convinced that she wanted this job.

"Very well, thank you. Take care, Miss Black" Straus nodded with a smile before walking away.

Ashley glanced around the camp and saw Micah sitting on a chair by the camp fire, reading a newspaper. Javier and Lenny were sitting at the campfire too but both busy with their own activities.

"Micah, gotta go. Have a debt to collect" Ashley called as she walked past the campfire.

"A personal debt?" Micah asked, his voice laced with interest as he looked at her over the top of the newspaper.

"For Strauss" she shook her head, walking towards the horses.

"Boring...but fine" he shrugged, sounding more bored this time. He stood and folded the paper, placing it on the chair where he had been sitting. Javier and Lenny glanced at each other as Micah followed after Ashley, but they both just shrugged it off and returned their attention to whatever they were doing.

Ashley and Micah rode to the farm that Strauss had talked about and stopped outside. "Alright, let's try to do this peacefully. I'll go in first, you stay out here and come in if things get out of hand" Ashley said as they both looked at the little farm.

"Sure, good luck in there" Micah nodded as Ashley dismounted her horse and walked up to the building.

Ashley knocked on the door and waited until a middle aged man opened the door. "...can I help you?" he asked nervously.

"You Corey Weathers?" Ashley asked.

"...yeah" he hesitated but nodded.

"You owe a debt to Leopold Strauss" she told him, as if he didn't already know.