Little Sharpshooter Chap 18

Randy’s eyes were flitting everywhere with every movement. Large birds flew from behind the mountain to fly to the next. Each one made her jump. Rocks slid down the side of one mountain. Randy quick drew her gun only to see a jackrabbit hopping up the side.

“Why are you so jumpy?” Trevor asked rubbing his arm. His sleeve was rolled up and a few of the bites were looking red and bulgy.

“You need to see the doctor.” Randy was pulled out of her own worries for a moment.

“I was thinkin’ the same thing.” He moved his arm so she couldn’t see it anymore.

They had to move out of the way so several wagons could pass that were headed out of town. Randy couldn’t stop looking at everyone’s hands. There was nothing.

Probably the fact that there was so much traffic on the road kept them safe. Soon they were on the other side of the ravine and could see the town. It was so small that it would be hard for them to hide. They headed down the main street and Randy scanned the people and the tall front businesses until she saw what she wanted.

“There’s the doctor,” she said waving for them to follow. “This town is lucky to have one.”

They entered the small office. An old man waited seated on a chair. A younger man sat at the desk and took one look at the swollen red wounds on Trevor’s arm before he took Trevor back to a room without saying much.

Bronson and Randy waited quietly. They could overhear people talking in another room.

“This looks like a gunshot wound. How long ago?’

“Several weeks ago.” The voice was familiar.

“You have good use of your fingers for that long. I think it’s just a matter of time.”

Randy’s face flushed. She pulled Bronson’s collar and glanced at the old man next to them that appeared to be sleeping. “I have to get out of here. You get a good look at that guy in there though.”

Hastily she left and jumped on Al’s back to head down the street a short way to hide in between two buildings. She dismounted and held Al back to watch the door of the doctor’s office. It was just moments later when a man came out of the office, mounted his horse, and headed down the street in her direction.

“Whatcha doin’ there?” a woman shouted, standing in a doorway behind Randy.

Randy jumped. “Oh sorry, I was hidin’ from my pa.”

“Don’t hide here with your horse. What if he dumps here? That smell will come right in my kitchen. If I wanted to live on a horse ranch, I wouldn’t be here.”

“Sorry, ma’am.” Randy mounted Al and hesitated. The man was almost there.

Randy pulled her brim down over her eyes.

“On with ya.” The grumpy woman snapped her towel on Al’s rear which made him bolt out from between the buildings. He almost tossed Randy on the ground right in front of the man she was trying to avoid. Holding on for dear life, Randy let Al run quite a ways before she pulled one of the reins to get him under control. To her horror, the man was beside her trying to help. She turned Al in a circle. When the man tried to grab one of the reins, Al reared.

“Whoa!” he said.

“It’s all right.” Randy struggled to stay on his back as Al threw his head back again. “I can get him.” She pulled the rein she still had in her hand to turn Al away from the man that had her other one. Al had no choice but to turn in circles.

“Nice job gettin’ him under control. I thought for sure he was gonna take ya to the hills. You came out of nowhere though. That horse is a wild one for a little girl like you to handle.”

“Yeah, well, he got stung on the backside so it wasn’t his fault.” Randy cast her eyes down and wouldn’t look up at him. He moved his horse closer to her. “I’m the only one he’ll let near him,” she said. Even though Al’s head was still turned tight to the side, he sidestepped away from the other horse. She reached for the rein in his hand, still casting her eyes down.

The man finally handed it to her with his bandaged hand. He was trying to look at her face under her hat.

“Thank you. I think my pa is waitin’ for me.” She urged Al forward.

The man crossed in front of her cutting her off and looked her in the eye.

“At least you have a Pa to go home to, Miranda Carter.” He winked, tipped his hat to her and rode off.

Randy completely froze as the blood drained into her gut. She twisted in her saddle to watch where he went but he turned down one of the side streets and was gone. Her hands trembled when she kicked Al to go back to the doctor’s office.

Bronson leaned against the post.

“Ya sure know how to make a spectacle outta yourself for someone who was scared for their life.”

“Shut-up.” She could hardly sit still when she glanced back over her shoulder to see if he was coming back with more men. “He already knew who I was.”

Trevor came out the office red-faced with his arm wrapped in a bandage.

“What did he say?” Randy wanted to know to get her mind off how shaken she was.

“He lanced the infected ones. It hurt like hell. The rest looked pretty good. He wants me back in the morning to redress the bandage and clean out the bad ones again.”

Randy hung her head.

“What?”

“I was just hopin’ we wouldn’t stay here long but I won’t risk you gettin’ sick like I did.” She looked at Bronson, fighting another stubborn lump in her throat.

“It’s better if we stay, Randy. If we leave, he could follow. It would the three of us on our own. It won’t look good if he goes after a little girl in town.” Bronson reassured her.

“What are you talkin’ about?” Trevor looked at each of them.

“We’ll tell ya after we get a room.” Bronson led the way to the boarding house. It was right next to a saloon with a dance hall. It was close to dinnertime on a Saturday and music played out into the street.

“Will we be able to sleep if that goes on all night?” Randy asked jumpy from everyone around her.

“I’m startin’ to wonder if you’ll sleep at all.” Bronson smirked.

“I really haven’t slept since Silver City. I probably can sleep just fine as long as you will watch out for me.”

“I’ll watch you from that dance hall right there.” Bronson ducked lower to look in the door as they passed.

Bronson got them two rooms to Randy’s relief. She didn’t want to listen to him snore another night. He arranged for them all to bathe and he took his first, eager to go to the dance hall.

Trevor knocked on Randy’s door. “Well, you didn’t protest much when Bronson made us take off the rings and you’re awful happy about havin’your own room. Are you still mad at me?” He took his hat off and rolled the brim around his hand while he looked at the floor. “I made a big mess of things. I’m sorry.”

Randy sat on the bed to watch out the lace curtain to the street below. She looked up with watery eyes. “No, it wasn’t you. You did make a mess of things but I know you didn’t mean to. I’m reminded when I look at your bruises that I made sure ya paid for your mistake. Bronson seems to bring out the worst in us both.” She watched everyone outside her window. “You didn’t see what happened, but the other man, the one that killed my pa that I was worried about, I almost ran him over with Al. He tried to help me and before he left he called me by name.” She covered her face with her hands. “I know he wants me dead. I’m right here and he knows it.”

Trevor pulled her to her feet. Randy rested her head on his shoulder and sniffed.

“The good thing is it’s awful hard to do anythin’ with all these witnesses.”

“That’s true but will we be able to leave?” She closed her eyes as Trevor stroked her hair.

The music from the dance hall was even louder as the sun started to set. The room was filled with orange light and Trevor started to sway with the music. He tucked his head beside hers.

“What do you hum to Al?” he asked softly.

“A lullaby my Ma would hum when I was little. She would sing it too. I forgot the words but I will always remember the tune. She would hum to me when I was scared or when we were both scared when Pa was gone. For some reason it sooths Al too. Maybe because it helps me, I don’t know.”

Trevor pulled away and held her hands in his when the music changed. His eyes lit up. “I know this one.” He placed one hand on the small of her back. “Do you know how to waltz?”

Randy timidly shook her head and turned her mouth to the side.

“The guy always leads so it might be hard for you.” Trevor winked.

Randy rolled her eyes but let him show her the steps.

“One, two, three, one, two, three, just like so.” He let her watch his feet.

Slow at first, he held her hand lightly, and they were one, two, three, stepping around the room. When she messed up, she’d apologize through stifled giggles. They both laughed when she stepped on his toes. All around the room they danced. Trevor spun her just for fun, stopping her to bring her close to his chest again. He used one finger to tilt her chin up to meet his gentle kiss. The flutter and tightness jumped all over in her chest. Then he kissed her again.

Randy rested her arm behind his neck when a much slower song played. He held her close and shifted his weight back and forth with her hand resting lightly in his. It was even easier than the waltz.

“How do you know how to dance?” Randy asked.

“First Mama taught me. When she was gone, it was Nana.” He flushed looking over her head. “They both loved music. While Pa played the violin or guitar, I was the one they could dance with. Even after my folks died, Nana had musician friends that she would invite to dinner so they would come play. She liked to dance so much that I learned very well. More than I would have liked sometimes. But dancing with you is better than anything.” He tucked his face next to her neck and kissed her.

Randy forgot all her troubles as the music played until moonlight lit their room. They danced and danced until they were exhausted.

“Are you sure you want to stay alone?” Trevor asked.

Randy shook her head.

“Just like in Silver City?”

She nodded. “I bet Bronson drinks all night and won’t care or know the difference. I don’t want to be alone at all.” Randy twisted her hands in her shirt. She untwisted it when she remembered the shirt was his.

“I’ll stay.” Trevor ran her collar between his fingers and smiled. “I think my shirt looks better on you.”