Ghost of Christmas Past

Six

Six

 

Our marriage is never going to work.

Those awful words haunted Davy on the miserable ride through the Nevada countryside.

With only one horse they’d been forced to ride double on Lilly’s fairly small mare, and he currently sat astride the horse with Lilly’s bottom rested against his  thighs. He loosely linked his arms around her waist while she steered the animal toward Big Springs. His shirt and vest had been completely ruined so he’d salvaged his badge from the vest and was riding shirtless with one of the blankets draped over his shoulders. On any other day it may have been erotic, but today exhaustion plagued him, and every step the horse took jarred his wounded body. He seriously doubted the injuries were life threatening, but that didn’t make them hurt any less. With luck they’d arrive in Big Springs within the hour. He didn’t need a doctor. All he wanted was to lie down in a real bed, and cuddle Lilly’s sweet body into his side. After today he never wanted to let her go.

Unfortunately she hadn’t said a word since they’d hit the trail, which was unusual for her, and Davy knew it was entirely his fault. Worry and regret gnawed at him.

What had she meant? Did she intend to leave him?

He didn’t want to ask. He wanted to go back in time and sew his damned mouth shut. He wanted to go back and simply say thank you. Instead he’d shouted at her. He’d sounded harsh and ungrateful. Such conversations happened all too often of late, and he’d begun avoiding conversation with his wife altogether. He figured if they didn’t talk they couldn’t argue.

So had been his theory… it was yielding less than positive results.

He didn’t know what to do about it.

Over and again he told himself that he had damn good reason to worry over her. She was fearless and completely selfless, always diving headfirst into some problem or another whether it involved her or not. He only wanted her wellbeing. Her health and happiness above all else, but she wasn’t happy, and it was his fault. She was always there… so patient with him… always trying, and he’d made a royal muck of their relationship.

The simple truth was that he was losing her, and he needed to think hard and fast if he meant to keep her at his side and in his arms.

* * * *

The deep orange and reds of dusk coated the western sky when Lilly finally steered them down the main street of Big Springs. “There’s a hotel.” She pointed to a large building on the corner. “We’ll take a room and I’ll send for a doctor.”

“A room with a bed sounds like heaven,” he said, more than ready to be out of the saddle.

Several people on the street openly gawked as they rode by. “We are creating quite the spectacle.”

“Let them stare,” Davy replied, tone weary. “As long the hotel clerk will give us a room, and a hot meal, I don’t care what they think.”

* * * *

Bobby Foster stared in total disbelief through the dirty saloon window. “Langston,” he growled,  tightening his grip on the cards clutched in his hand. His mood went from dark to black. He’d been losing ever since he’d sat down at the poker table, and the sight of the U.S. Marshal riding down the street with some woman left him positively murderous. “I’m out boys.” He threw his cards down and shoved back from the table tempted to march into the street and shoot Langston himself right then and there.

His gaze raked across the rowdy saloon. His men seemed to be having a grand time drinking and womanizing, but that would be over just as soon as he found Jackie. Finally his gaze honed in on the lying miserable excuse of an outlaw. He sat near the piano with a buxom redhead perched on his lap. “Jackie!”

The other man didn’t respond, but continued grinning like an idiot at the saloon girl.

Bobby stomped across the dirty floorboards, grabbed the redhead’s arm and yanked her off Jackie’s lap.

“Oh!” the girl cried out.

“Hey,” Jackie’s brow folded in confusion. “Come on, Bobby, you can have her next.”

Ignoring Jackie, Bobby turned a stony glare to the woman. “Get out of here.”

She flicked a nervous glance between Bobby and Jack before rushing off to find some other cowboy.

“What’s this about, Bobby?”

“Langston is alive,” he snarled.

True shock registered on Jackie’s face. “That’s impossible. I shot him twice and he smashed his head into a rock falling off the horse. There was blood everywhere. He’s dead.”

“I just saw him riding past the saloon.”

“Are you sure, boss?”

There was no mistaking a man like David Langston. He was the tallest man Bobby had ever seen, and one of the toughest bastards he’d ever encountered. “I’m sure.”

“We gotta get out of town.” Panic lit Jackie’s eyes as he jumped to his feet. “”I’m done in the marshal’s office, Bobby. Langston will tell the law what I did. They’ll hang me.”

“Shut up,” Bobby ordered tersely. “Keep your voice down. Now, go round the boys up.”

“What’s our move, Boss?”

“That marshal has been a thorn in my side for too long. Mark my words, Jackie, he won’t be leaving Big Springs alive.”