Chapter 4
The gentleman was slowly recovering. He was happy to see that his horse had been returned. The horse angrily neighed at him and stopped its’ hooves.
“Look, I am sorry for what happened to you.” The horse continued to misbehave.
“Alright! Ok! Ok! I brought you an apple!” he pulled out an apple from his pocket. The horse began to feast on the snack. He seemed quite pleased.
“And I am sorry that they got you. Those bastards will pay. Promise you.”
The horse seemed content with his apple. He was still healing but will find a way to make the perpetrators pay. He walked around the town once more and thought about Jeanie. That was a perfect name for her. Perfect hair, perfect eyes, perfect face….everything about her was just perfect.
He was slowly falling for her. He would meet up with her after Sunday school and choir practice and just spend time with her. She was interesting and had views on so many topics. There was never a dull moment with her. He rode into her farm and they had a picnic out on the fields. He loved how they both enjoyed nature. They sat there in the fields enjoying the sun on their skin. The winds blew rustling the leaves of the trees and keeping the pair cool and calm.
“So tell me your dreams,” he asked her.
“Well, one day, I wanna own my own business and keep running the farm. Maybe one day, I’ll get married, have some kids and we will all live here.”
“So I never asked but, how did you manage to get this farm? And how do you manage to run it all by your lonesome?”
“Well, the farm has been in my family for decades. I just managed to get it because my parents died a few years ago. They wanted me to get married to a nice man; someone to help me run it but I couldn’t find anyone worthy enough. So I just run it…alone. I’m used to it though. I have guidance and if I ever need to talk to someone, I just head into town.”
“I mean, it must still be lonely. I kinda know what’s like to be lonely. Been like that my entire life. It doesn’t get any better, just easier.”
She reached out and squeezed his hand, “I know what you mean.”
He reached over and put his arm around her. “It’s nice to know that someone else does.”
She smiled at looked at him. He smiled at her. He wanted to kiss her. He was attracted to her but didn’t want to rush her. He brushed some hair off of her face.
“Look, I’m not a bragging type of man but I have been with one other woman. It’s not something I am proud of. I’ve made mistakes and maybe I am not the right man for you. I am only saying this because I really care about you. I really like you.”
She remained silent. Then she responded, “Look, we are all sinners. All you have to do is repent. Ask for forgiveness. He’s merciful, you know.”
“It’s not that. I just don’t think someone could think I am just important. I just…I don’t know if I could do that. I don’t think He’d forgive someone like me. I’m a mess.”
She held his hand tightly, “Don’t worry about that. He can and He will. Just think about it ok?”
He nodded, “Ok.”
“Good. Now, I could use some help around. A re you going to help me or not?”
He smiled and got up and helped her up. They began milking the cows, collecting eggs from the chickens, cleaning up the barn and the house. A few hours later, they laughed at each other.
“Such a big house for a little lady,” he joked.
“Hey! This little lady can kick your butt into tomarrah!”
“I’d love to see you try,” he began to run off.
“Then come back here!” They began running around the farm. They were wild and free like little children. Eventually, he caught up to her and embraced her. He was so close to kissing her but pulled away.
“I think I better head back into town. I have some…thing to do.” He muttered as he walked to his horse.
“Yeah, that’s ok. See you soon.” He then mounted his horse and headed back into the town.
It had been weeks and he still hadn’t figured out who stole his horse. He was sure that the Brute was responsible but no one wanted to confess. He did some digging and realized he was the man that most persons feared. He took bribes, hustled people for money, threatened their lives and slept around. He was married but even his wife and kids feared him. He was a man full of greed, lust and comprised of bad intentions. The stranger had messed with the wrong man and clearly, he paid for it. He wanted to challenge him to a duel; some stand-off. Even though, he was a stranger in the town and he was trying to lay low, he hated being disrespected like that. It bothered him. Janie had been trying to calm him down. She thinks that he should just forgive him. She thinks that he should just be glad he got away from this situation with his life. But she didn’t understand that he lived by a code and he refused to break it for him. Jeanie had asked him to go to church with him; to seek God. He instead avoided the topic and switched to something else. Jeanie knew what he was doing but didn’t force the matter on him. She was simple sigh and say, “Ok. Well as long as you are alive, He will be there for you waiting on you to change your mind.” He didn’t think he ever would.
He rode back into town and headed back into The Tavern. There he saw The Brute having a good time. He was in a drunken stupor and was harassing women and causing trouble. He clenched his fists but sat by the bar and ordered a drink.
No, not now. This wasn’t the right time.
He continued to watch him partake in debauchery. It sickened him. As a cowboy, he had seen many things, but he was the most disgusting sight he had ever laid eyes on. He kept ordering more food and prostitutes. He just kept feeding and feeding his vices. The stranger decided it was time for bed. He had seen enough. Just as he was about to head down the hallway, the Brute called out to him. He had to control his anger if he was going to have the upper hand.
“Hey! You come over here!” The stranger turned around and faced him.
“Why don’t you come over here and share in the festivities, huh?”
The man kept his composure. “No, I think I should have an early night,”
The Brute laughed, “Well, MORE FOR ME!!” He continued laughing and eating.
The man headed to his room calmly. He then put a pillow over his face and let out a loud scream. His blood boiled. He was furious. He began punching his pillow. He wanted to hurt him. He was slinging his power-hungry, sex-crazed behaviour in front of him and the stranger couldn’t do anything to him. He was the only person who actually stood up to him. No one else in the town was willing to risk their lives to wrong a man who held such power. He lay in his bed trying to figure out the best course of action. Maybe a showdown would be best. He could kill him or…he could be killed.
Maybe, he should listen to Jeanie. Maybe he should just forgive him. Maybe he should just get out of town. He should just ride out forget this place. He should just forget Jeanie and leave. But, he knew he couldn’t. He had never met someone like her and to lose her would mean losing a part of himself. He also knew that she deserved to live in a town of peace and goodness. Not a town where such a corrupt individual ran everything.
He sighed. He didn’t want to get himself involved in this. He came here to get away from that life. He just wanted a fresh start and now he didn’t even know if he would ever get it. The thoughts continued to race in his head. He didn’t even know when he fell asleep.
He woke up the next morning startled. He could hear the owner of The Tavern screaming and running around. He immediately woke up and ran down the hallway. The owner kept screaming. He turned around and realized that the bar had been robbed. Tables and chairs were all turned over. Money was missing from the register. Bottles were missing from the bar. He began to help her clean up the place. He could tell that she was still shaken up by the events.
“Eileen, Eileen, calm down ok? Everything is going to be ok. “Eileen could not stop worrying.
“This is my bar, you know? Normally they don’t let gals run these types of commercial entities. It’s only because my daddy passed that I inherited the place. The men let me keep it because they respected me and my daddy. But that crooked Brute has been meaning for me to give up the place. He wanted to take it by sheer force. He threatened me a few times but never made good on that promise and for that I’m thankful…But now this, this was going too far.”
He clenched his fists,” Look I know this don’t sound like much but he’s gonna get what’s coming to him. I promise you that…”
His speech was interrupted by a high-pitched scream. They both walked down the hallway and headed to the source of the disturbance. They noticed a woman standing outside of the door of one of the rooms. They looked inside and saw what all the fuss was about. Eileen stood frozen and the woman began to scream again. The cowboy could not believe his eyes. A woman had been gruesomely murdered. Her eyes were still open and blood was everywhere. The man could not believe it. Someone had left this lifeless crime right in his own bed.