The Six-Gun Solution (TimeWars 12)

“He had it on his horse,” O’Fallon said. He was gettin’ ready to ride out of town when the Kid came out. When the Kid saw him, he jerked his pistol. Ross went for the rifle in his scabbard, but just barely got it out when the Kid shot him. You know how fast the Kid is.”

“What happened to his horse?”

“Ran off when the shots were fired,” O’Fallon lied, smoothly. “I don’t know where Jenny got this roof business, but you have to know. Marshal, she’s in love with the Kid. Wouldn’t have anything to do with anybody else ever since the Kid showed up. You can ask anyone. She’s his woman. You can’t blame her for tryin’ to protect him. I’d like a woman of mine to do the same.”

“Is that true, Jenny?” Wyatt asked.

She shook her head. “Surely, you don’t believe him?”

“I know how you feel about the Kid, Jenny,” Wyatt said. “Everyone in town knows. And if it happened like you said, I can’t see how the Kid could have shot Demming down from that roof without having Curly Bill shoot him. Nobody’s that fast.”

“But. but that’s the way it happened! I swear!”

Sheriff Behan pushed his way through the crowd. “Heard there was a shootin’,” he said.

“You don’t say,” said Wyatt. wryly.

Behan shot him an angry look. “Ross Demming, eh? Looks like the Kid finally got him.”

“How do you know it was the Kid?” asked Wyatt.

“Heck. everybody knows there was bad blood between those two.” said Behan, “ever since the Kid gunned down his brother. I understand they had a near set-to in the Grand Hotel a while hack. Fact, you were them, weren’t you. Wyatt?”

“I was there.” admitted Earp.

“Wyatt, you’re not going to believe these men?” said Jenny.

“It appears I’ll have to believe them enough to put the Kid under arrest. Jenny.” Wyatt replied.

“But you know what kind of men they are?” she argued, with exasperation.

“That’s right, Jenny.” Wyatt said, looking at her sympathetically. “I know. And I also know what kind of man the Kid is. He’s a gunfighter and there’s enough information to make him a suspect. I’m going to have to take him into custody and let the court decide.”

“But you don’t understand.” she protested. “You can’t!”

“I have to, Jenny,” Earp replied, misunderstanding the reason for her distress. “And for his sake. I hope the Kid comes along quietly. He’ll get fair treatment. I promise. I’ll continue to look into this. I have no intention of letting a man hang on the word of someone like Johnny Ringo.”

He gave O’Fallon and his men a hard stare.

“Just tellin’ the truth. Marshal.” said O’Fallon, with a shrug. “I saw what I saw.”

“That’s what you say, Ringo.” Wyatt Earp replied. “But I think I’ll ask around just the same and find out if anybody else saw the same thing.”

Jenny felt someone come up beside her and touch her elbow. She turned to see Indian Charlie standing by her side, he merely nodded at her once, then slipped away through the crowd She felt a tightening in her stomach. Drakov wanted to see her.

As she moved away from the crowd, she felt herself torn by indecision. If she refused to

respond to Drakov’s summons, he would know that something had gone wrong. If she went to him now, Scott would be placed under arrest and thrown in jail and there would be no one to warn his friends of what had happened. Perhaps if she could find them quickly and let them know that Scott was in trouble, then go back and see Drakov…

She ran down the street, toward the Grand Hotel. She ran inside and up the stairs, to Lucas’ Priest’s room. She pounded on the door. ‘There was no answer. In desperation, she pounded again and this time, the door opened, but it wasn’t Lucas Priest. It was another man, with a large, bushy moustache and red-rimmed eyes. His nightshirt bulged out over his paunch.

“What in tarnation…?”

“Where’s Mr. Priest?”

“There ain’t no one by that name here, Missy. But say… will I do?”

She backed away, then turned and ran down the stairs and out into the street.