Blood Money
by Holly
Chapter Eleven
Jess opened his eyes and stared at the familiar roof planks over his bed.
Slowly he turned his head to find Andy staring at him. The boy peered down and asked �You awake?�
�I guess so.�
Andy suddenly rose and ran to the bedroom door. �Slim! Jess is awake!�
Jess screwed his eyes at the sound. His head throbbed unmercifully.
Slim came and sat down.
�Well hello. �Bout time you joined us. How you feeling?�
Jess reached an arm down to feel the swathe of bandage around his thigh. �Is it, okay?� He asked concerned.
�You�ll be fine. Doc says it�s just a flesh wound.�
�Aww, Slim. Carlin got away.� Jess sounded desolate.
�Yes, but that doesn�t matter. As long you�re alright, that�s all that matters.�
Jess tried to hitch himself up into a sitting position, but found he couldn�t until Slim took him under the arms and helped him.
�Thanks,� Jess muttered as always not liking having to rely on anyone else. He turned away from Slim and said �I�m sorry Slim.�
�What for?�
�I let you down, not once, but twice.�
Slim�s eyes narrowed. �How do you make that out?�
Jess turned back, but found the bedspread suddenly so interesting, his eyes never left it. �I couldn�t find Anders after he killed Parsons then couldn�t stop Carlin escapin�.�
�Jess that wasn�t your fault. I couldn�t have done any better, probably no one could. That isn�t letting us down.�
Jess� blue eyes finally met Slim�s. �We needed the money their rewards would have brought to save the ranch.�
�Saving the ranch isn�t your problem Jess.�
�Well I feel like it is!�
Slim smiled broadly. �Well, I�m real glad you feel that way Jess. Does that mean you�re finally are going to stay on permanent?�
Jess sighed, hesitated a minute or two and finally said, �I guess so, for the time being anyhow.�
Slim�s eyes rose in exasperation. �You sure are hard to pin down.�
Jess replied, �So�s Carlin.�
�Ah, well, the same can�t be said about Greg Anders, I�m pleased to say.� Slim�s eyes were sparkling.
Jess� eyes widened. �You mean?�
"Slim beat him and held him 'til the sheriff arrived. It was the sheriff's deputy who found you Jess. Slim told him to go after you." Andy couldn't keep the pride from his voice as he looked to his brother. "Didn't you Slim?"
Slim nodded. �Jess, Mort wants a quick word before he takes Anders back to town. You feel up to it?�
Jess frowned. �What does he want?�
�You won�t know �til you ask him.�
Jess� cheek twitched. �I guess not.�
Mort Corey stood at the door. �All right to come in now? I want to get Anders back, so we can start the hunt for Carlin.�
�Sure Mort. Come on in. Jess is okay,� Slim instructed moving back from the bed.
Jess was worried. �What is it Sheriff? I do somethin� wrong?�
�No, Jess, but there is one thing that is real important. You�ve got to promise me something, or I�m just gonna have to take you in.�
Jess looked across to Slim silently pleading for help. Slim just shrugged his shoulders helplessly to indicate he didn�t know what Mort was going to ask.
�What?� Jess asked swallowing hard wondering what mess he was in now.
"You keep calling me 'Sheriff'. Why not try 'Mort', once in a while? When you first arrived in Laramie, I sure had doubts about you, but ol' Slim here said you were a man to ride the river with, and son, you sure have proved that to be true these last few months. Why, the way you two take on each other's troubles is real impressive. Slim here is one of the nicest people in the county and you were sure lucky to fall in with him. He's my friend, so I guess that makes you one too, and my friends call me Mort."
Jess nodded, so taken aback he was at a loss words. He had expected something really awful.
�And don�t think I�ve given up on trying to get you as a deputy once in a while either,� Mort added. �Carlin is still loose, and I�ve a feeling he�ll be sneakier than a fox to catch.
And he isn�t going to forget you two for quite a spell, I�ll be bound. Well, I can�t stand here jawin� all day. Got to get Anders back to town.�
�No, right, Sheriff... Mort,� Jess stammered to the empty doorway. Mort had already left.
�So everything is all right then,� Jess said looking at Slim. The look he got back didn�t reflect a man with no problems. �Isn�t it?� Jess asked warily.
�Weelllllll, not quite,� Slim admitted.
�But I thought there was five hundred dollars on his head. Dead or alive?�
Jonesy came in carrying a tray of drinks. �Oh there was, but Slim didn't use it all on the mortgage. Did you, Slim?�
Jess looked from Jonesy to Slim. �What?!? What better use is there than the mortgage? Slim?�
Jonesy continued, "He gave a hundred dollars to the Kilborn family, so they could save their place and not move away. Isn't that so Slim?"
Slim nodded. "Yes, they were friends of Pa's. I felt Pa would have wanted me to help them out and give them a hand. The weather has nearly all but finished them. They were one of the founding families of Laramie. We need people like them around to give this place a solid community, but I did have enough to pay our bank loan for this month, and the rest will pay your back wages, buy Jonesy that new set of pans he's been after, and get Andy a pair of boots."
�So the heat's off for a while, but nothin' for you. Sometimes Slim you just might try to be a bit more selfish. You should look after yourself once in a while.�
�I am tryin�, Jess. Why as soon as you're back on your feet, I intend to go fishin�, and you can do all the repairs you missed during those five days you took off.�
�Hey! It was my turn to go fishin�, Slim,� protested Jess trying to ignore the throbbing in his head.
Slim smiled widely. �Sure, and you are going fishing Jess. I�ve got it all planned. You can fish the guns out of the well.�
The End
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This story is dedicated to my favorite Laramie bad guy, the amazing Dan Duryea. I can't imagine anyone else playing Bud Carlin. Stage Stop wouldn't have been the same without him. - Holly
