Chapter nine

After several card games, Vin left to meet Earl and plan how to get their satchel back. He went off to the hotel to their room. He saw Earl, very pale except for the bruises on his face and the black eye. "What happened to you?"

"It's that Laura Dunne girl. She's here and brought a hired gun with her. I think it's that Wild Bill Hickok fellow. He looked like he did in those books I read about him. He wore his gun the same too. He is bad news. Miss Dunne says if we don't pay up her and that fellow will coming after us. I meet up with both of them." he explained about being followed and how he ran into them. He changed the fight scene just a bit. "Then the gun man came out of no where. He was huge. He jumped me for my gun that I was gona shot her with. We got into a fight. He was fast." He didn't want to tell Vin he got beat up by a girl of all things.

"What else did he say?"
"Not much. Miss Dunne wants her money by ten o' clock by the stables or she'll hunt us down."
"I can't believe it. Your afraid of that little girl."
"Not her, that hired gun." He really didn't know too much about the guy, he was afraid of the woman.

"Here's the plan, we go back to the saloon for that Cody fellow, grab our satchel and split town. I'm not giving anything back to that arrogant and mouthy girl."

So Vin won out. They would keep and eye on their package and then take it back when they saw the chance.

Jimmy informed Buck of what happened and that they would try to go after Cody rather soon. Jimmy positioned himself at the bar to put the fright in Earl. Lou also kept her distance but acted like the two guys weren't even there when they entered back into the saloon.

Cody was in the corner eating a later dinner. The two sat at another table and got a drink. Earl pointed out Jimmy to Vin and he didn't see Lou anywhere. Vin wasn't worried. He watched Cody.

Cody gave Kid a signal he came over to the table and joined Cody. After a drink for themselves, he paid the bill and they left the saloon. A few moments later Vin and Earl left to. Vin was just within ear range of Kid and Cody as they parted.

"Well I hope to run into you again Kid, see ya later." Cody bid a farewell and walked towards a hotel while Kid walked the other direction.

The streets of Sweetwater were not crowded but not barren either. Vin and Earl split up. Earl followed and Vin tried to cut off Cody before he got to the hotel. Buck turned and followed them. Jimmy and Lou went out the back and followed behind the buildings, when they saw Vin they hid.

As Cody approached, Vin snuck up behind him and Earl helped shoved him down the alley, with a gun pointed sharply in his back.

"Hand it over." Vin shouted.
"What?" Cody tried to look confused and bewildered about the whole event. "The gold you found, it's ours."
He detached the satchel and gave it to Vin. Earl knocked out Cody from behind with his gun.
"Time he wakes up, we'll be long gone." Earl mentioned.
The two scattered around the corner. Lou and Jimmy came coming up to them. Lou saw them first and the satchel that Cody had.
"There they go," Lou whispered to Jimmy. She then acted before thinking and yells towards them to stop and opens fire.
As Lou gave chase Jimmy mumbled to himself, "there goes the element of surprise, yet again," and followed after her.

Buck hearing the shots ran towards the alley with Kid. Buck stayed behind with Cody making sure he was alright then went to get Teaspoon. Kid followed in hot pursuit.

Vin and Earl run towards the barn. Ike was in there taking care of a few horses. When he heard the two bust in, he hid up in the loft.

"It's that wench and that hired gun of hers. I told you we shouldn't just run. Give her her stuff back and we can leave with the gold." Earl pleaded. "Let's just take them out and be done with it." Vin stated and that was the final word on the matter.

Jimmy and Lou edged around the corner and shots rang out towards them. Lou ran inside to one side with Jimmy inside on the other, firing towards to stable area at the two men they couldn't see.

Lou was firing occasionally but looked up as hay was flying from above before her eyes. She looked up as a figure fell from the sky and toppled her. Jimmy wasn't paying a bit of attention. He ran forward to another empty stable firing his gun. Lou shoved the intruder off of her swinging in a punch or two. Both got to their knees with gun barrels aiming at each other. It was Ike. They smiled and would laugh about it all later but with bullets flying at them, piercing the air, it was not the time.

Lou did hit one of her targets, Earl in the shoulder. Kid came up behind the one of the thieves.

"Drop it right there," Kid stated. Earl spun around and thrusted himself at Kid. Kid didn't have time to get one shot off. Earl, even without his hurt shoulder was a push over. With a few punches he was down and out.

"Give it up Vincent!" Jimmy shouted but not expecting much to come of it. Vin in a state of panic, saw Earl lying on the ground, ran for the door.

"Goin' somewhere?" Teaspoon asked with a smile.

Vin dropped his gun and gave up in defeat, yet angry within.

The two villains wound up in jail and Sheriff Donavin was going to take them to the territorial jail then next day.

"So Sheriff Donavin tried to get these two by riggin' this here bag with fools gold." Teaspoon explained in the sheriff's office.

"I can't believe it's worthless." Cody said disappointed, "what a shame."

"Fake…fools gold." Vin's evil eyes turned toward Earl voice raising, "when we get out of here I'm gona kill you!"

"Relax you'll have plenty of time behind bars together to do that." Marshall Donavin stated, "I'll be by tomorrow to pick them up. Thank you all for the good work!" Out he walked, back to the hotel.

"What about my stuff?" Lou asked hopefully. "We searched their hotel room and found this." Buck held before her the necklace she bought. It was very fancy. "I have to admit I'd love to see you in the dress this goes with." Buck smiled handing it over. Lou turned flush in the face.
"What about my card winnings?" she added, fearing now there was no such luck in getting her money back. "They didn't spend it all?"
"Apparently not," as Cody was flipping through a stack of cash.
"160 of that is mine!" Teaspoon gave Lou back her winnings.
"I am impressed you won all that playing poker." Kid mentioned.
"Well when your good, your good." Lou gave a triumphant reply.

The next day the thieves were escorted out of Sweetwater. Noah came back from his run early for birthday celebrations. Lou was to head out next.
"Well Rachael I just couldn't miss your cake, the thought of Cody eating all was too much to bear." Noah said as he dismounted. Buck was helping Lou get her horse ready as she went inside to get her gift.
"Happy birthday Buck," and she handed over her wrapped gift. Buck smiled and unwrapped the journal. He thumbed through the pages and found it divided into sections. There was Buck's words of wisdom, my adventures with Buck, and what everyone loves about Buck. He had to laugh. It was cute and very meaningful to him to read through the entries by everyone.

"This is probably the best gift I could ever get." He then gave Lou a hug and a soft kiss on the cheek.
"Not till you see Ike's. He got me beat. Sorry I'll miss all the good food, save some for me ok."
"Will do" and Buck went back inside.
Jimmy, in the afternoon sunlight and breeze gave Lou a kiss as well "Ride safe."
She mounted and off she went. Kid came back from picking up Samantha for the afternoon festivities. Kid smiled to his best friend and said, "so Jimmy what can we look forward to for next week."