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Most funerals are, by their very nature, somber affairs. The three funerals that were held the following morning, occurred with numerous tears. The dead were committed to earth, Doc Lopez is interred in the communal cemetery for Norman, the Mallorys’ on the property of the hotel.
As the services for the Mallorys ends, Jake stands at the graveside, holding Andy in his arms as he looks out to the west contemplatively. He’s startled out of his reverie when John steps up behind him and says, “You can’t see that far, no matter how hard you try.”
Jake shakes his head. “Wasn’t trying to. Am actually just thinking about Fort Reno. Lyttle talking about it made me homesick for it.”
To Jake’s surprise, John chuckles. “You know, it’s a funny thing that you should mention that. We’re going there before we hit the trail going after Richard. There’s something we have to take care of out there. I’ve already spoken with the marshal and we’re agreed the stopover is necessary.”
Jake turns and looks at his blood-brother. “What in the world could be so important as to detract from our current mission?”
“It’s better you not know. I wouldn’t have said anything to the marshal about it, but Blackwolf was there when I found out about the issue.”
Andy taps her father’s shoulder and says quietly, “Papa, I gotta go.”
Jake sets her down and watches as she scampers off to the outhouse. “Think we should tell her the truth about the marshal?”
John shakes his head. “Not without asking Joey about it, first. Not our secret to divulge.”
Jake shakes his head. “I don’t like lying to her. You probably don’t believe it, but I really don’t like lying at all.”
“You’re right. I don’t believe it. Otherwise, you wouldn’t be going by Jake.”
Jake shakes his head. “You’re not gonna start in on that again, are you?”
John turns and starts to walk away, stops turns halfway back and says over his shoulder, “I just didn’t want you to forget who you really are, JOSH,” then turns and walks off.
Jake sighs heavily and checks on his daughter.
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IT’S THE EVENING TRAIN going north that sees a group of passengers loading up horses and equipment.
After the group left the hotel, they ran by Lyttle’s office and picked up the map, then rode directly to the train station. Jake is now seated, waiting on the train to start moving. The parting from his daughter hit Jake hard; harder than he expected it to. He looks around, trying to find a way to distract himself from the darkness he can feel his thoughts headed on a bee-line toward.
The passenger car he’s in is fairly simple. The windows are glass and uncovered by curtains. The seats are cushioned, but only barely and uncomfortable in the cushioning they have. The car is mostly full of passengers, families, couples, but not children though. Jake looks across the aisle to see John getting settled in his seat, apparently trying his best to relax. Even though it’s not often, this isn’t Jake’s first trip on a train. He’s never ridden with John and is uncertain if his blood-brother has ever ridden on a train at all. John certainly has the look of a first-time rider.
Jake turns to look away when John looks up, apparently feeling Jake’s eyes on him.
He resettles in his seat as David and Rebekah sit across form him.
The young doctor gives him a look of curiosity and asks, “Know why we’re going to Oklahoma Town?”
John clears his throat. “We have a stop to make in Fort Reno. It’ll be a short one and it’s on the way to pick up the trail. I expect we won’t be there more than an hour or two and then on the road to Fort Cobb.”
David looks at John cautiously. “Feel like explaining this mysterious errand?”
John shakes his head. “I can’t. I just have to go talk to a couple of people before things boil over. It’s not my information to divulge.”
Joey takes a seat in front of John and nods in agreement. “We have to deal with this matter first. No help for it. Sorry, guys.”
Jake looks at the two, feeling annoyance at their secretiveness. He’s not sure what’s more irritating, that they have a shared secret, or that they aren’t sharing it with him. It’s not like he’s not a sworn peace officer, or anything. The simple fact they aren’t sharing possibly critical information with him is hurtful at the least, possibly life threatening at the worst.
Jake’s not sure what his expression is, but sees John smiling as if in response to what he’s thinking. It’s almost as if his blood-brother is sitting there saying with his expression: ‘See? NOW you know what it feels like.’ OH. So, apparently, his expression really DOES say it all. Either that, or John has gained the power to read his thoughts.
Jake crosses his arms, leans back into his seat and stares off into space. This feeling changes things. How is he supposed to be able to make up for the last fifteen plus years of pain?
Sean slowly comes down the aisle to sit in the seat next to Jake. “I cannae b’lieve we’re goan make a stop. It isnae like he dunnae have a head st’art on us a’ready.”
John shakes his head. “This trip is gonna get us back on his trail faster than just riding headlong back into Indian country. Trust me, Sean. It really is for the best.”
Sean shakes his head, huffs in aggravation, crosses his arms and leans back in the seat. He closes his eyes and his entire demeanor relaxes as his breathing becomes regular.
Jake leans back again and relaxes as he hears the train whistle blow. The seats jerk as the train starts its passage on to the next stop. Jake looks out the window to see the Norman train station slide by.