Chapter 13

 

 

I noticed one thing. Miss Laura was spending more time checking on Jacobi an’ me than she was spending anywhere else. We’d been there three days, and Jacobi was able to get up and sit in the chair for small spaces of time—long enough for a couple of games of checkers.

He began to teach me how to play poker and that was the best time of my life, so far. Just sitting there with Jacobi, and him teaching me what a full house meant, or when to fold and not lose everything I owned was important stuff to know. And they were things my own Papa never would’ve taught me.

I’d started my job at the livery stable, and though I could’ve slept there, Miss Laura said I had to come back to the hotel. She had a mattress put in the floor for me. It was a lot better than sleeping in one of the stalls I’d cleaned out, but after my days with Red Eagle, I pretty much figured I could sleep anywhere, from now on.

On the fourth day, I woke up as always to the sound of the hotel staff coming through the back door, which was near the room we were in. But there was somethin’ else, too.

Soft whispers from the bed where Jacobi slept, and a giggle that sounded just like Miss Laura’s. I lay still, my eyes closed, and listened.

More soft talk, quick breathing and then, Miss Laura saying, “I have to go.” I heard that loud and clear. I squinted my eyes and saw her stand up from the bed, pat her hair in place, then walk softly toward the door. She opened it and slipped out into the hallway closing it behind her.

I lay quiet a few more seconds, thinking about how contented Jacobi sounded right now, just breathing.

I’d been content, too, the sound sleep bringing me sweet dreams. My dreams were oddly comforting, centering around a road and a cabin. I could see pens that had been built for the livestock, and off in the distance, two men, one big and one smaller, working with a palomino stallion. Smoke curled from the chimney, and the scent of flowers mingled with a near-ready dinner in the air. And, though I knew that dream was as far out of reach as growing wings and flapping my way up to the moon, it was still a comfort to wake up to bein’ able to remember it.

After a few minutes, I rolled over and yawned, then sat up. I began to pull on my clothes, and threw a glance out the window. It was a little past the time that I liked to leave. I didn’t want to be late.

“Will, hold up a minute—”

“I have to go, too,” I blurted, my face burning as I realized what I’d said.

But Jacobi just laughed. “I wanted to tell you, today’s your last day there at Holland’s. Collect your pay when you leave.”

“But—”

“You’ve got some money to keep you, now. I turned over Red Eagle’s scalp yesterday when the marshal came by. Five hundred dollars, Will. That’s a lot of money.”

Five hundred dollars!

It was right then I began to come up with a plan.

****

Mr. Holland gave me my pay, grumbling about not being able to keep good help. When he asked me why I was quitting, I told him honest.

“I killed Red Eagle and we brought in his scalp for the reward.”

He pulled out two silver dollars and thrust them at me with a hasty goodbye. As I was leaving, I heard him mutter, “Just like his pa.” I smiled at that, remembering how I’d signed the guest book at the hotel. Then I ran all the way to the hotel for some supper and to put my plan into action.

Miss Laura and Jacobi had just finished up eating together and were talking when I came in. I had the feeling I had come in on a private talk and everything got awkward for a minute. But I went on and washed up, then sat over at the little table where they’d just finished eating.

Miss Laura set a big plate of roast beef with potatoes and carrots with it in front of me. And I didn’t say a word until I’d finished it up.

“Hard day today?” Jacobi asked.

“Yep. But tomorrow will be better.”

Jacobi and Miss Laura exchanged a glance across the table. “Why’s that, Will?” Miss Laura always took a real interest in me. I wondered why she hadn’t ever had a family of her own.

“Tomorrow, I’m gonna take my money and buy myself a business down on Main Street.”

Jacobi drew himself straighter against the back of the chair. “What kind of business?”

“The billiards parlor on the corner.” I stood up and pulled the window curtain back. “You can see it from here.”

“Oh, Will—” Miss Laura started, but Jacobi laid a staying hand on her arm.

“And how do you expect to run this business? You’re underage.”

“I thought of that.” I drew a long breath. “I’m gonna hire me somebody to watch over it until I’m old enough to do it myself.”

“Like hell you are.”

Jacobi, who had been the picture of reason up to that point, was suddenly like a dog snarling over a bone. It was exactly the reaction I’d hoped for, and it was all I could do to keep from smiling.

I looked at him in feigned shock. “You said it was my money!”

“Well, it is! But not to—to waste on some fool scheme like that!”

“It’s not a fool scheme!”

“Will, you need to put that money up and save it—or invest it somehow—”

“I am. A business is an investment, just like a farm or a ranch or somethin’.”

“Well, what about a nice little farm instead?” Miss Laura could hardly wait to put that in, and she cast a quick look in Jacobi’s direction, so I knew a farm had already been bein’ talked about before I ever came in.

“Or a ranch,” Jacobi said. “Either one of those would be better than a—a billiards parlor!”

“Don’t you like billiards?” I asked innocently.

“Of course!” he roared. “But it’s not something I’d want for—for—you. You could do more, Will.”

I pretended to think, but my guts were churning. He was plenty mad, now. But there was a kind of pleading in his eyes that made me want to tell him I didn’t mean to buy the place at all. Everything depended on my ‘damn stubbornness,’ as Papa had often called it.

I looked down, afraid of his keen way of seeing into me. “I’d really rather have a farm or a ranch. But I couldn’t do it alone. Have to hire someone for that, too—an’ it’s a lot more work. Work I can’t do by myself.”

“But you’d have something you built yourself. Something to be proud of.” Jacobi leaned forward in his excitement. “Will, there’s a place outside of town—if you mean to stay here—that would be…a real good spot. It’s got water, a fresh water well, and a spring nearby. It’s close enough in toward town to be safe, and it’s got the pens and corrals already built. Got a small cabin built already, but we could make it bigger—”

“Oh, I know that place!” Miss Laura chimed in. She looked happy when she said it, almost like she was glad about the whole idea. “It’s been up for sale a while now, since Mr. Adams passed away.” She turned back to me again. “You could probably get it cheaper than the billiards parlor, Will. It’s a lovely place.”

At that, she broke off and the smile faded from her face, like maybe she’d realized she’d gotten all carried away with helping me out too much. But I didn’t mind, and I wanted to tell her so. Only one thing held me back; the way Jacobi was looking at her, like I’d seen Papa look at Mama sometimes.

A lump came into my throat, remembering, and I didn’t say anything at all. But I was thinking, the whole time. I was thinking about Mama and Papa, and what I’d said to Jacobi about wanting the things that had been taken from us. Not just from me, but from him, too—and for all I knew, from Miss Laura. Truth was, I didn’t no more want that billiards parlor than I wanted a switching with a peach tree limb. Seein’ how Miss Laura’s face lit up, just talking about that vacant cabin, made me know for a fact what the best use of my money would be, for everyone.

And looking at Jacobi’s expression, it seemed he’d come to the same reckoning. He’d gone from surprise, to being thoughtful and quiet, and now he looked to just be accepting of how things were taking shape for all of us.

“Laura,” he said, and I could see she was almost holding her breath to hear what he would say to her. He sounded like he’d just discovered a pot of gold and wasn’t sure it belonged to him yet.

She reached over and took his hand, and in her eyes, it looked like the morning sun had already risen.

Just then, a knock sounded on the door. Miss Laura reluctantly let go of Jacobi’s hand as he slowly stood up.

“Who’s there?” he called. He reached for his gunbelt and quickly strapped it on.

“Marshal Eddington, Kane. I’ve got some questions for the boy.”

Jacobi shot me a glance, concern in his eyes. “Okay—one minute, Marshal.”

“I’ll wait.”

Jacobi put his hand on my head. His fingers curved for a moment against my scalp. Everything he’d wanted to tell me and hadn’t managed to say, I knew from that touch.