Love Gun

2

Over the course of the next few weeks, Paul dedicated an amount of time into becoming familiar with his new instrument. He found himself constantly playing in any free time he had. He would often work his playing around his work schedule. He was once an avid guitar player but had to drop the instrument as his work overcame his time to play. The return of the instrument brought back a whole wave of nostalgia and motivation, and he never wanted to be parted with the old thing. He often played songs from Ace's and Peter's songbook, and he actually found them to be good.

The lack of cases revolving around who he now called 'The Painted Pair' had allowed him to play more and more frequently. In fact, there hadn't been a single robbery since his first encounter with them. He assumed they had left, and his new-found peace had led him to a lot of creativity. He began writing his own songs, writing them in the stolen notebook. He justified this by telling himself that they were 'only criminals', and performed them late at night when no one could hear.

Well, at least he thought no one could hear. 

Ace and Peter's rum stash had begun to run low, and they were once again on the prowl around the town in case they could make a quick, opportunist break-in. They unknowingly wandered by Paul's home, and were able to hear his music through his open window. Both men found it a pleasant soundtrack to their journey, however, the guitar sounded awfully familiar to Ace. He brought it up to Peter, but was just convinced to brush it off. This didn't stop Ace planning on visiting the house later to take the guitar. He couldn't tell if it was his exact instrument, but he missed his old acoustic. They went on their way as Paul sat in his bedroom, strumming, blissfully unaware that his most wanted were back in town.

The pair were eventually too far away to hear the sheriff's playing as they made it to the outside to the saloon. Peter kept a lookout while Ace dismounted, and entered. He lit his lantern, illuminating the dark room with a warm yellow light. He walked over to the array of bottles on the shelves behind the bar, inspecting them carefully. He wanted to steal the finest booze possible, and reached to the higher shelf to grab as many bottles of whiskey and rum his arms could carry.

Before long he had already made multiple journeys back to Peter with arms full of alcohol, and when they finally figured they had enough, they were on their way.  Their horses were loaded with sacks full of bottles as they made their journey back to their camp, made longer by the fact they had to move father out since the robbery. The thief only stole their guitar and their notebook, but the pair's paranoia increased when the objects vanished.

Ace wondered if whoever stole their things played the songs written in the notebook. Ace and Peter had been friends for a long while, and they stole the notebook years ago to write songs together. They had never been too well off, and had committed tons of petty thefts around the country. Whatever town they came across, really. Even from when they first met, both Ace and Peter knew they wanted to pursue music together. They would perform their songs around their campfire, Ace on his (stolen) guitar, and Peter on the tin cans. They once tried stealing a cowbell for Peter's sad percussion set, however, decided against it when they were chased off by a rather angry cattle.

One day Peter would get that goddamn cowbell.

However, some new additions had recently been made to Peter's little set. They had decided to use some leftover bottles from their alcoholic adventures, and had also stolen some old lady's washboard. However, it was rather useless now, as the lack of guitar made it rather difficult for them to make their beloved music. 

This is what prompted Ace into going back into the town that night.

Once the pair made it back to the camp, they had removed their face-paint and gotten rather tipsy on their drink stash. Ace waited for Peter to fall asleep, before mounting his horse and making his way back into the town.