Greetings, people, and welcome to the first edition of the Monthly Story blog. Here, I bring my pieces of short fiction (my, it seems, best method of operation). This month, it's a western mystery with a twist. Join me as we read "Pink Eye"...
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There were six people inside that stagecoach on the afternoon of September 19th, 1873, as it made its way across the California desert. There was two businessmen, a budding young lady singer, two brothers, and one detective. That detective was the most important passenger on that stagecoach, even if the other passengers didn't know that.
His birth name was Charles John Mitchell but the name he had earned for himself in life was Pink Eye, due to his hiring five years earlier by the Pinkerton Detective Agency. He had earned that name due to his employment and his trained eye, which he solved many cases for those who hired him. However, his presence on the stagecoach was a different thing.
His very appearance was a bit misleading. His height was five foot even. However, he didn't let that get to him. His flaming red hair and beard gave him a edge about his person that made potential clients take him seriously when he was hired. His choice of dress was a black jacket, white shirt, and black pants, all neat and tidy in appearance. Overall, the very nature of his job reflected in the very nature of his form.
That afternoon, as he looked at his fellow passengers, he got a feeling for them. He looked at the two people sitting next to him. The two businessmen, who called themselves Mr. Ryan and Mr. Colin. Mr. Colin was a white-haired balding gentleman, wearing a three-piece suit with gold-tinted vest and bolo tie swinging from his collar. He had nice rosy cheeks and a cute demeaner to boot.
Meanwhile, Mr. Ryan was a tall, lanking person with curly hair and a big smile. His suit was a two-piece form, with a green jacket and starched white shirt. His large feet were sholved into custom shoes, the coloring seems to annoy Pink Eye a bit. Overall, the appearance of the two businessmen seemed to be non-threatening, unless you were their client, then a word of warning must be issued to you.
The budding young lady singer sitting across from Pink Eye was the 18-year-old Serena Souther, fresh from her training at a San Francisco music school and heading east for more formal training in singing. Her naturally-red curly locks swung on the side of her face, powdered white as snow. Her red-and-green dress gave an air of formality to her very form. Overall, she was young and being set out into the world for who knows what.
Finally, there were the two brothers sitting next to her: the Morris brothers, Harold and Samuel. Harold Morris was a tall fellow, yet lacking in upper body mass, much like Mr. Ryan. His suit was a simplified version of that worn by Mr. Colin, without the gold-tinted vest and the business look. His blonde hair was cut short and neat, yet being unkempt at the same time. His face contained an expression of arrogance as the stagecoach sped along.
Then, there was Samuel, Harold's younger brother. He was short and meek, with an appearance to match. His brown hair was short and clipped, his face flat and pale, his clothing button shirt and brown pants. The very form of meekness, to Pink Eye, that is. He looked out the window, as if trying to avoid the gaze of the others. He was nervous and jumpy as the stagecoach went over bumps. Meek in all its forms, according to Pink Eye.
"I wonder where the stagecoach will stop." said Serena as the stagecoach rounded a turn in the dusty road.
"Who knows? I just hope we don't get attacked by those sorry Indians." said Mr. Ryan, looking over at Mr. Colin as he spoke, who nodded in agreement.
"If you ask me, the west is overblown as it is. Who would want to live out here?" said Howard, showing his arrogance.
"Some people want a better life for themselves and people like you keep telling them to go west to find it." said Pink Eye, staring down Harold with his gaze for a moment.
"It's their problem if they can't find it. Isn't that right, Sam? Tell me I'm right." said Howard in response.
"If you say so, Harold." said Samuel in a weak voice, showing his nervousness as it shook in its tone.
"According to my watch, it's nearing dinner time. I hope the driver finds a place to eat. I'm starved." said Mr. Ryan.
"You're alway looking for a good meal." says Mr. Colin.
"As well as a good buy, and I know we found them out west." said Mr. Ryan.
"You said it, sir." said Mr. Colin.
Pink Eye, after that exchange, turned his attention to said driver, an old one, to be sure. His white hair and white mustache shined even with his back turned on his passengers, making sure the horses went down the right roads. His simple yellowed cowboy hat spoke of the miles that had passed by. His steely gaze looked forward, as he was the only other person involved, Pink Eye being the security for the trip, a price to pay for him.
"This trip seems nice to me. Maybe it's because of Mr. Pink Eye here protecting us." said Serena.
"No, it's because we're wondering in the desert where no one lives." said Harold.
"Most stagecoach trips are usually without problems. However, I've seen many robberies in my line of work. The worst were the ones committed by Lonesome Rita." said Pink Eye.
"Who's Lonesome Rita?" asked Serena.
"Lonesome Rita Marlowe, the most feared woman in the west. I've chased her for three years and I have yet to catch her." said Pink Eye.
"I remember hearing about her. Isn't she the one who killed 14 people?" said Mr. Colin.
"Right as rain, Mr. Colin. 14 notches on that gun of hers and each one a pain in my side." said Pink Eye.
"I take that this Lonesome Rita is someone you've been after in your line of work?" said Mr. Ryan.
"It was her fourth victim that started me chasing her. It's been a long time and a long chase but no capture and no satisifaction." said Pink Eye.
"Whatever you say, Mr. Pink Eye. I'm just hoping that we get back east with our new wealth." said Mr. Ryan.
"Knowing you, you'll spend it on stock options in silver mines." said Mr. Colin.
"And why shouldn't you? Silver futures are worth more than gold futures because of the amount mined last year. Everyone knows that." said Mr. Ryan.
"And you, Howard, what brought you out west?" asked Serena.
"Business as well. The family business is banking, merchant banking, and, like Mr. Ryan, I was out west for money. For me, it was to see what things I could invest in." said Harold.
"And what did you find?" asked Serena.
"Not much. Mostly timber mills and cattle ranches. However, the Panic back east hasn't given me much leeway, so I made an investment in a firm that handles insurance policies for rice growers in California." said Harold.
"At least you made some wealth yourself." said Serena.
"President Grant is trying to kill off the economy. The Cook company was unable to sell off all that railroad stock because of Grant's policies with money." said Harold.
"No one cares about your money woes, brother." said Samuel in as much of a weak voice as he could muster.
"You're just jealous because father left the business to me instead of you, you little bookworm." said Harold.
"I could have made a good banker." said Samuel in the same weak voice.
"So you say. However, I have more class than you and older, so the business passed on to me." said Harold.
"I don't want to argue with you." said Samuel.
"Then I win this discussion. Now, keep yourself quiet." said Harold.
Pink Eye, after hearing all the discussion, turned his attention back to the outside and watching as the sun neared the horizon. From outside, he could hear the shouts of the driver, snapping the reigns as he drove the stagecoach to its designated stop for the night. Eventually, the place was reached as Pink Eye's pocket watch told him it was a quarter past five.
The way station was an white house, old but not too old. Its white-wash paint had faded a bit but not too much. It was a two-story structure, with a porch covering the lower front of the house. Across from the house was a large red barn, for the horses. Next to the house was an old stone well, with a well-worn bucket attached to a rope, ready to be lowered. The stagecoach stopped in the middle of all this.
"All out!" said the driver in his deep gruff voice.
The passengers heard this and disembarked from the stagecoach. First, Serena, then Mr. Colin, Pink Eye, Mr. Ryan, Harold, and finally Samuel. The driver then disembarked from his perch on the stagecoach and began the task of tending to the horses, all four of them, who looked tired from their running. Meanwhile, the six passengers looked at their home for the night and each had a different reaction.
"What a lovely house!" said Serena.
"That's seen better days." said Mr. Colin.
"I've seen better myself." said Pink Eye.
"Good enough for now." said Mr. Ryan.
"I would have liked a better place." said Harold.
"Fine to me." said Samuel.
After that, the owners of the way station walked out of the house, having heard the stagecoach pull up from inside. The owners were a couple, married a long time. The first one out was the husband, Mr. Gable. Mr. Gable was, like the driver, a white-haired gentleman, with patches of black with Mr. Gable. He wore a similar outfit to the driver, with a blue shirt and tan pants. His demeaner was focused and calm as he helped the driver unhitch the horses from the stagecoach.
The wife soon followed. Despite being only partly younger than her husband, her beautiful remained as well as it did in her youth. Her brown hair was cut into a nice shape and her outfit was a nice white dress without hoops in the skirt. With quick steps, she ran over to the passengers. As she walked up, she saw the six that would be their houseguests for the night. She smiles as she sized them up.
"Welcome to the Truckee way station, althought we're twenty miles outside of town. I hope you had a pleasant journey. If you would follow me, I'll get you settled for the night." said Mrs. Gable as she gestured towards the house.
"After sitting in that thing all day, I could use some leg room." said Harold as he and the other passengers filed into the house.
As the passengers entered the house, Mrs. Gable gave a speel, "Now, the house has two floors. Me and Mr. Gable have the upper floor. Here, on the lower floor, we have two bedrooms: one for guys and one for girls. There are up to four beds in each room. Dinner will be served in twenty minutes. Hope you have some room!"
Mrs. Gable then went back into the kitchen as the passengers began to admire the well-decorated living room. A collection of fine sofas and chairs were spread about, with wonderful bright red curtains on the windows, beautiful watercolors and landscapes hanging on the walls, and nice ornate carpets on the floor. It felt more than just a room in a way station house. It felt like a home away from home.
"Now this is living." said Harold as he slid himself into a chair.
"The lady of the house has done herself nice in her fittings. Nice to know that such people exist." said Pink Eye.
"I think that this place looks nice. It reminds me of the music school back in San Francisco." said Serena as she sat down on one of the sofas.
"I think that... this place... has a nice bearing to it." said Samuel.
"Who cares about the bearing? This place is actually a place I can stand." said Harold.
"Leave Samuel alone. He's entitled to his opinion." said Serena.
"Just leave me alone, people." said Samuel as he sank into another one of the chairs, remaining quiet until dinner time.
Twenty minutes later, after the horses had been put away for the night, all gathered at the dining table for the evening's meal. Mr. Gable sat at the head of the table, with Mrs. Gable to his right, followed by Pink Eye, Mr. Colin, and Mr. Ryan. To Mr. Gable's left, there was Serena, Harold, and Samuel. The driver sat at the opposite end of the table. As the nine people began eating, conversation naturally started to flow.
"It's always nice to have people at the table who have traveled from far away. Now, maybe you can tell me why you're all here." said Mrs. Gable.
"Mindy, dear girl, you always ask that question. Now, if you don't wanna answer, you don't have to." said Mr. Gable.
"Be quiet, Leroy. These people came a long way to be here. Now, why are you all here?" said Mrs. Gable.
"I'm here because of a woman." said Pink Eye, the first to answer.
"You mind telling us what woman?" asked Mrs. Gable.
"Lonesome Rita Marlowe." said Pink Eye.
"Oh, please. I had enough of that back on the stagecoach." said Harold.
Pink Eye got a gleam in his eyes as he spoke, "Long dark hair, piercing dark eyes, Nergo skin, ruby red lips, and a draw to rival most men. That's Lonesome Rita Marlowe. For the last two and a half years, I've chased her across the west. We've met many a time but I was never able to capture her or even stop her. You could say she's my white whale of a different color."
"I've heard of Lonesome Rita. She's killed 14 people in the last three years, robbed many banks and stagecoaches, and has never been caught." said Mr. Gable.
"Don't remind me. It amazes me how she is able to avoid me. After a crime, she disappears from one town, only to appear in another one to commit another crime. I don't understand how she does that, and I've tried my best to figure it out!" said Pink Eye.
"Maybe she puts on a disguise." said Serena.
"That's my theory, yet I can't catch her that way for some reason." said Pink Eye.
"Can we please stop talking about her!?! Let's talk about something else." said Harold.
"You'll have to excuse Mr. Morris here. His fortunes have taken a slight downturn in the Panic back east and he's trying to save his coffers." said Pink Eye.
"Really? How are you doing despite that Panic?" asked Mrs. Gable.
"I'm doing fine. It's just that certain conditions have forced me to examine new avenues of income. Nothing to fear." said Harold, betraying a truth he wasn't telling.
"I think he means that he's trying very hard not to go broke." said Mr. Ryan to Mr. Colin.
"I more than think that. I know he is!" said Mr. Colin to Mr. Ryan.
"My money troubles are of no concern to anyone. In fact, I am very close to making sure I ride out this Panic in comfort!" said Harold, ending with a flourish of finality.
"We'll take your word for it, Mr. Morris. Now, what about your brother there?" asked Mrs. Gable.
"I just happen to run into him in San Francisco. I hadn't seen him since father died and he went out west to make his fortune. He hasn't told me yet what's he been doing. I had to strong arm him into coming back east with me." said Harold.
"Is that true, Samuel?" asked Mrs. Gable.
"Yes. It is true." said Samuel.
"I mean, why does a man need two suitcases to travel? For him, I would figure just one. I can't figure him out." said Harold.
"Maybe someone else can answer my question about why they're here." said Mrs. Gable, trying to move things along.
"I can answer this one. I'm here for the money." said Harold, quick to raise his hand.
"Really? I didn't know." snarked Pink Eye.
"If I had my way, I wouldn't be out here at all. I prefer back east to this... empty waste of space west of the Mississippi." said Harold.
"Then why even come out here at all?" asked Mr. Ryan.
"Because for the last few years, my merchant bank has been receiving regular large deposits from a mysterious source." said Harold.
"Really? Tell us more about him." said Serena.
"Soon after my brother here went west, shipments of money would appear at the bank. It was strange to receive them." said Harold.
"And why is that?" asked Serena.
"Because with the shipments were these strange notes, telling me to store the money up and not use it in any business transaction. I felt weird to me." said Harold.
"Let me guess. You came out here to meet this mysterious source when the Panic started happening." said Mr. Gable.
"I wanted to form a business partnership with this guy. I figure that his money is good enough to last me in these tough times." said Harold, with all the air of a war veteran.
"Just how much money has this gentleman sent you?" asked Mr. Colin.
"Let's just say a lot. He must really like us." said Harold.
"Is that your opinion of him?" asked Pink Eye.
"Yes. The Morris Finance Company needs him badly. Unfortunately, I have been unable to find him and I looked all over the west." said Harold.
"I'm sorry your search didn't work out." said Serena.
"Not to worry. I'm sure he's sent a shipment of cash in the time I've been out here." said Harold.
"And the rich get richer." said Pink Eye, to himself.
The rest of the dinner went well. The meal itself was good and filled the stomaches of those who ate it well. After dinner, the passengers sat in the living room with the Gables and the driver. To those who asked, drinks were served. Those who asked was Pink Eye, Mr. Ryan, and Harold. As the drinks were consumed, the minds of the drinkers were put on display.
"You know, Mr. Colin, I feel that our new business might not stand on its own, after all." said Mr. Ryan.
"I didn't say that. I only pointed out the folly of some business deals. I think that the deals we made will produce results, but not right away." said Mr. Colin.
"Tell me, Samuel. How was the wild west? Did you make any fortune at all?" said Harold, his arrogance really beginning to shine.
"Not much, Harold. I told you that back in San Francisco." said Samuel, not in any way wanting to talk to anyone.
"Come on, brother. Tell your elder what you did out here." said Harold, putting himself in Samuel's space.
"I don't want to talk about it." said Samuel, trying to ignore him.
"No. Tell me. I'm your older brother and you must do what I tell you. After all, that is why father gave the company to me." said Harold, really getting on Samuel's nerve.
Samuel then gave Harold a kind of steely gaze and then rose up out of his chair. As Pink Eye looked on, he saw that Samuel's posture was momentarly straighter than usual. It then returned to its normal bent. Samuel then looked around the room and his nervous nature was starting to get the best of him.
"If you excuse me, I'm going to go take a walk." said Samuel, before he made his way out of the house in faster than usual steps into the darkness outside.
"What a gentleman." said Serena, making comment on the recently-concluded scene and Harold's behavior in particular.
The sun soon set below the horizon and the Gables decided to head off to bed, with the passengers joining in the motion. The five male passengers then proceeded to gather in the room designated for them. The driver headed out to the barn, where his cot awaited. Serena herself headed off to the one for females. Inside, Mrs. Gable showed the males the two old bunk beds that would be their sleeping places.
Mrs. Gable gave a tour of the room, showing off the four mattresses on the bunk beds, the worn white mattresses, each with a pillow, patting each one as she showed them off. She then showed them the small closet in the room, in a corner not far from the door. Inside were four bedshirts, old yet ready to be worn. These would be the sleepwear of the male passengers. Mrs. Gable then left the room to tend to Serena.
"Gentlemen, I see that they are only four places to sleep and five of us guys. Who will forfeit their place?" said Mr. Ryan.
"I will forfeit my place. Besides, I would feel better if I was in a position to guard this place." said Pink Eye.
"I think I will forfeit my place, for these beds aren't fit for me to sleep on." said Harold.
"Mr. Morris, the beds you will encounter on this trip are not ones that will meet your high-placed standards, yet you will need to sleep in them." said Pink Eye.
"Okay then. You go sleep somewhere else. I'll sleep here." said Harold as he then sat down on one of the matresses.
"Well, you could always take Samuel's spot until he comes back from his walk." said Mr. Colin.
"No. It's better if I just leave it to him. Besides, I should be going now." said Pink Eye as he then makes his way out of the room.
As he re-entered the living room, he spots Mrs. Gable exiting the female bedroom. She has a smile on her face as she walked into the living room herself. She quickly spots Pink Eye standing near the bedroom door, which had now been closed so the others could change into the bedclothes. Naturally, Mrs. Gable was a little surprised.
"Mr. Mitchell. What brings you out here?" asked Mrs. Gable.
"I decided to forfeit my sleeping spot and give it to Samuel when he gets back in." said Pink Eye.
"That's nice of you." said Mrs. Gable.
"Besides, I wanna guard this house some while I'm here. Just call it a free service of the Pinkerton Detective Agency." said Pink Eye.
"That's mighty nice of you. Well, enjoy yourself." said Mrs. Gable, who then headed up the creaky old staircase to the second floor and her own married bed.
Pink Eye then got down to his business for the night. He first took a small tour of the room, looking over all the furniture and fixtures in the room. He fiddled with the oil lamp, adjusted a painting, and move a chair a bit. All these activities were the work of a slightly bored guard Seeing a lull in the action that would last a while, Pink Eye took to one of the sofas and laid down on it, making for himself a little nap.
At first, his nap was quiet and nice. His dream was his usual recall of an encounter with Lonesome Rita, in this case the last one. His image haunted his dream. He saw her every time he closed his eyes, as if it was a taunt from the Devil herself. By now, they didn't mean much. Just a reminder of things past. However, sometime into his nap, about an half-hour or so, he hears a noise that he knew: a clicking of a gun's hammer.
He opened his eyes to see a gun barrel pointed at him. He then saw the holder of the gun. He saw the dark brown hair, the long flowing black hair, the bright ruby red lips on a dark brown face. He saw the dull purple nankerchief around her neck, the dusty brown hat on her head. He also saw the determination in her eyes as she stared at him. These were the same things that haunted his dreams.
"Lonesome Rita, I see." he said, without pause to think.
"I see you here, Pink Eye. More importantly, I see your fate." she said back to him.
"You always say that, yet it's never true!" he said as he then, with the blink of an eye, he drew his own gun and pointed it at her.
"I see that you haven't forgotten my favorite game with you." she said.
"Like I ever would. Now, I see you managed to find me, just as well as I'm never able to find you." he said.
"I have my means. Now, do I pull my trigger or do you pull yours?" she said.
"Depends. Which one of us wants to die more?" he said.
The two then had a stare down. Each keeping their guns pointed at each other, each starting to sweat, each with their fingers on the triggers of their guns. Each trying to read in the eyes of the other what they had planned. Finally, after a minute, she made her move, moving her arm quickly to disarm Pink Eye. As he saw his gun drop to the floor, she quickly ran towards the door to the male bedroom.
With quick moves, Pink Eye ran over to the gun and picked it off the floor. He clicked the hammer of the gun back in quick movement, causing Lonesome Rita to stop in her tracks. She then pulled her gun again and did another stare-down. Then, without warning, she ran towards him and then past him. She ran out of the door and back into the darkness from which she came. Pink Eye re-holstered his gun and then went back to the sofa.
"She won't be back." he said to himself, if only as wishful thinking.
Pink Eye's second nap doesn't last long, as he soon heard the clicking of a gun hammer about twenty minutes into his new nap. He opened his eyes to see the barrel of a gun right in his face. He then saw that Lonesome Rita had returned, her face showed a look of anger over the last encounter. Pink Eye's face took a look of surprise over her return.
"I see you came back." he said.
"I have unfinished business here, starting with you." she said.
"I dare you to finish it." he said.
Suddenly, Pink Eye moved quickly, knocking the gun out of her hand. The two then had a small fight, throwing a few punches at each other. Pink Eye managed to get in one good gut punch to Lonesome Rita. However, Lonesome Rita responded with a hard right to his face. With him on the floor, Lonesome Rita wasted no time running into the male bedroom, eventually staring at the sleeping figure of Harold.
"Finally... " she said to herself as she didn't see Pink Eye run up behind her.
"Well, Rita, which one do you have your eye on?" he asked, taunting her as he spoke.
"If you must know, the poor fellow in that sorry excuse for a bed." she said with delight as she pointed right at Harold.
"Well, I'm sorry, but I must ruin your plans." he said.
"Then you won't mind this." she said as she gave him a elbow in the gut.
With quick speed, Pink Eye recovered and managed to grab hold of Rita's arm. However, she fought back as the sound of the fighting woke up Harold. Harold looked over at the fight and a look of surprise washed over his face.
"Holy crap! What's going on here!?!" said Harold, surprised out of his mind.
The surprise turned on Rita, who also got surprised at Harold for awakening, which allowed Pink Eye to fight her out of the room. After a moment, Rita ran out the door once more into the darkness. Now, Mr. Ryan and Mr. Colin had awakened and all three stood over Pink Eye, sitting on the floor tired from the fight.
"Was that who I think it was?" asked Mr. Colin.
"Yes. Lonesome Rita Marlowe. She told me that she wanted to kill Mr. Morris here. I put a stop to that." said Pink Eye.
"And a good thing, too. I like to be alive. Besides, if I get killed, that sorry brother of mine gets the family business and we all know where that would go." said Harold, who then went back into the male bedroom.
"I hope she won't come back." said Mr. Ryan.
"That's a good hope, because if I'm correct, that was the second time she tried to kill Mr. Morris." said Pink Eye as he got off the floor.
"How many more times will she try?" asked Mr. Ryan.
"I don't know, but I know I'm gonna find out." said Pink Eye as he then made a path towards one of the chairs in the living room.
Over the next half-hour, Pink Eye sat in the chair, having moved it to face the door. He faced the door, holding his six-shooter in his hand, waiting for Rita to come back. His stealy gaze was unmoved in that time. After thirty minutes, Serena emerged from her room, dressed in a long flowing white gown, to fetch herself some water. She made her way over to Pink Eye the moment she spotted the sight herself, wondering what was going on.
"Mr. Pink Eye, are you okay?" she asked, finching him a bit as he turned his head to face her.
"I'm fine. I'm watching out for Lonesome Rita." he said.
"You mean she was here?" she asked.
"That she was. She was here in a apparent attempt to kill Mr. Morris." he said.
"He's still alive, right?" she asked.
"He is. However, nothing's stopping her from trying again, except me, that is." he said.
"I hope she doesn't come back. By the way, have you seen Samuel?" she said.
"Not since he went out for his walk. I hope he came back. I know what Lonesome Rita would do to him if she found him." he said.
"I hope not. Now, if you excuse me, I need to get myself some water." she said.
"I hate to tell you, but it isn't like in the city." he said.
"How so?" she asked.
"The only water is outside in that well." he said.
"And Lonesome Rita is out there. What will I do?" she said.
"Well, there seems to be a lull. I think I can guide you to the well and get you that water." he said as he got out of his chair.
"Thank you, Mr. Pink Eye. What would I do without you?" she said.
"Ours is to not ask why." he simply responded as he made his way to the door, with Serena following behind him.
Before they left, they grabbed a lantern here the door and Pink Eye lit it. They then left the house and made their way over to the old well. As they neared it, they saw the condition of the water bucket. The fact it had no holes in it was a testament to how strong it was. Once they arrived at the old well, the two took time to look in and even the lantern light couldn't reach the bottom, leading to darkness below.
"I wonder how far down it goes." she said as he put the bucket on the stone lip.
"Far enough." he said as he moved the bucket from its perch on the stone lip and pushed it into the hole.
The two then watched as the bucket disappeared out of the light of the lantern. After what seemed like a minute of lowering the bucket, they heard the splash of the water. Pink Eye was quick to let the bucket sink a little before he began the process of raising the bucket up. After what seemed another minute, the bucket reentered the lantern light and was then placed back on the stone lip once it reached the top.
"This is great, but how do I get the water now?" she asked as he spied a ladle hanging from a nail attached to the well.
"Like this." he said as he then grabbed the ladle and used it to scoop up some water from the bucket.
"Thank you." she said as she then took the ladle and drank the water from it.
"Glad to be of service." he said, tipping his hat a bit.
It was then his ear picked up a sound. His ear was a highly-trained part of him, able to pick up a pin drop in a crowded room. The quiet night made it a bit easier to pick up the sound, a sound he heard as he left the house: the squeak of the old door into the house. Not wasting time, he ran out into the darkness, leaving Serena with her water.
He ran up into the house. When he saw that there was no one else outside except him and Serena, he knew who it was. In quick steps worthy of Mercury, he ran up to the house, opened the door, spotted Lonesome Rita about to enter the male bedroom, draw his gun, and fired a warning shot over her head. The quickness of this act impressed Serena, who ran after Pink Eye, but not as quickly.
"I see you came back." he said to Lonesome Rita.
"And I saw you coming." she said as she then quickly drew her gun, with her shot missing because Pink Eye ducked out of the way of the bullet.
"Would you like to try that again?" he asked.
"That depends. Are you gonna duck again?" she asked.
"That I will, and I will each of the four other times you fire that gun." he said.
"Then maybe I'll take that chance." she said.
"Not likely, because I know you wouldn't waste bullets on nothing." he said.
"Then how about a target?" she said before firing a shot, past Pink Eye, and nearly hitting Serena, who was standing behind the door, looking at the scene.
Pink Eye then took a shot at Lonesome Rita, who ducked out of the way herself by diving onto the floor. Pink Eye then rushed over to where she had fallen, only for her to take another shot at him as he neared. She then jumped up off the floor and ran out the door once more, knocking Serena down in her flight. Serena then got up and re-entered the house, lantern in hand.
"She just won't stop, will she?" asked Serena of Pink Eye.
"Indeed. I have never seen her with such a need to kill one person." he replied.
"I wonder why would Lonesome Rita would go after Mr. Morris." she said.
"Mr. Morris is not the kind of guy I would like to protect. However, my job is to protect people from the likes of her, even those I would rather not." he said.
"If you say so. Now, if you excuse me, I must head back to bed." she said, handing Pink Eye the lantern before she headed back to the female bedroom to sleep.
"I seem to be in the midst of a mystery here." he said before he blew out the light in the lantern.
"What's goin' on down here." said Mr. Gable as he descended the stairs with an old flintlock rifle and a medium-sized bag in his hands.
"Believe it or not, I've been having visits from my old enemy." said Pink Eye.
"Lonesome Rita Marlowe has been in my house?" asked Mr. Gable.
"That she has. Apparently, she wants to kill Mr. Morris." said Pink Eye.
"Has she ever done something like that before?" asked Mr. Gable.
"No, she hasn't. Her 14 kills have been ones of opprotunity. It seems weird that someone like her would go after Mr. Morris. It's become quite the mystery." said Pink Eye.
"Well, I've been hearing the gun shots and I thought you could use this." said Mr. Gable, showing the gun and the bag which contained its bullets and powder.
"Thank you. Any weapon will do here." said Pink Eye as he took the things.
"Thanks. Now, try to keep it down. Me and the missus would like some shuteye." said Mr. Gable as he headed back upstairs.
"I make no promises in regards to that. However, I will try my best." said Pink Eye as Mr. Gable headed up the stairs.
The night moved on as Pink Eye sat back in his watching chair and took to guarding the door with the flintlock rifle, all loaded and ready to fire. His gaze didn't move off the door for an hour and a half, unblinking and unmoved. He knew that Lonesome Rita was in the darkness somewhere and he was going to end her life of crime, one way or another now.
After an hour and a half, Pink Eye's gaze was starting to rust. At that time, Harold emerged from the male bedroom, with a concerned look upon his face. He saw Pink Eye in his chair, rifle in hand, staring out the door. Harold's interest in the events that have happened to me compelled him to go over to where Pink Eye was sitting.
"Looking out for Lonesome Rita?" Harold asked Pink Eye with much concern.
"That I am." said Pink Eye.
"Where did you get the rifle there?" asked Harold.
"From Mr. Gable. He felt I needed it." said Pink Eye.
"I see. Say, can I ask you something?" said Harold.
"Go ahead, Mr. Morris. I'm all ears." said Pink Eye.
"Why does this Rita want to kill me?" asked Harold.
"I don't know. Usually, when I stop her from killing, she doesn't try again." said Pink Eye.
"Then why is she trying to kill me?" asked Harold.
"It is quite a mystery. Tell me, have you ever met her before?" said Pink Eye.
"Never. Why would I ever want to meet someone like her?" said Harold.
"Well, apparently, she knows you enough to wanna kill you. That doesn't just happen between strangers." said Pink Eye.
"Well, I can't believe that someone I don't know would want to kill me that badly." said Harold.
"I've seen her rob banks without shame, kill those who stood in her way, and run across the west. You don't know the things she'll do." said Pink Eye.
"All I wanted to do was come out west and meet the man who was sending me money. I never thought that my life would be in this much danger." said Harold.
"Calm down, Mr. Morris. As long as I am here, no one will kill you." said Pink Eye.
"I would beg to differ, Pink Eye." said the voice of Lonesome Rita as the sound of clicking filled the air.
"Rita!" shouted Pink Eye as he saw that she now had a gun pointed at Harold's head, ready to fire.
"You really think guarding that door will stop me?" said Rita.
"How did you get in here?" asked Pink Eye.
"I snuck into the bedroom back there. When I saw he wasn't there, I simply walked out here." she replied.
"I should have known about the windows back there. I wasn't thinking." said Pink Eye.
"Now I get to take advantage of that by shooting this... this... man." she said, her finger closing on the trigger.
Pink Eye had to think fast, and he did, for he quickly took the rifle itself and used it as a club, knocking Lonesome Rita down as her gun went off, the bullet missing Harold by a half-inch. Pink Eye then turned the barrel of the rifle and pointed it down at Rita, laying down on the floor, her gun knocked from her hand.
"Now who's the one not thinking?" asked Pink Eye.
"Don't think you have won over me." she said, defiant.
"And why not?" he asked.
"Because I can do this." she said as she quickly ran for her gun as Pink Eye also began to run toward it.
While Pink Eye was fast, Lonesome Rita managed to get her gun back. The two then pointed guns at each other. As she got off the floor, the two were on the verge of a duel. Each had different guns but it didn't mean anything at that moment. Harold looked on in total silence, wondering who would win and if he would end up dead.
Suddenly, after two minutes of dead silence and stillness, Lonesome Rita made a move. She moved her arm, knocking the rifle off target, and making a bolt for the door in the following melee. She quickly bolted out the door without stopping. Pink Eye and Harold then stood there, looking out the screen mesh of the door, into the darkness.
"No matter what you do, I'm not safe." said Harold.
"Don't say that. As long as I'm here, you're safe." said Pink Eye.
"For how long?!" said Harold as he then headed back to the male bedroom.
"The mystery keeps getting more curious. I wonder why she's tryin' so hard to get him." said Pink Eye as he took back his chair and resumed his watch.
Time passed as Pink Eye continued his guard. Outside, the sky in the east was beginning to brighten as the new day neared. In his chair, Pink Eye stared out the door. By now, he had put the rifle down and was basically sleeping with his eyes opened, a trick he learned in his life. He looked weird, as such.
By the time a curtain of yellow filled the eastern horizon, Pink Eye had been like that for two and a half hours. His hand ready by his gun, his stare full of iron, and his mind off on some dreamscape with one foot in reality, Pink Eye was ready. As the first hints of the sun showed itself, Serena again emerged from the female bedroom. As she took in the sight, she slowly walked over to him.
"Mr. Pink Eye, are you all right?" she asked him, causing him to come out of his self-imposed state for the first time in two hours.
"Of course I am. I was just watching the door." he replied.
"You looked weird just staring out the door with your hand on your gun." she said, having a giggle as she said it.
"Do I amuse you? I must, since you laughed at my attempts to keep one man alive." he said.
"I'm just saying, you've been up all night. How do you sleep?" she said.
"I just was. I've trained myself to sleep with my eyes open. That way, my enemies are fooled, even Lonesome Rita." he said.
"I think it has worked. Now, do yourself a favor and go to bed." she said.
"Then who would guard the door and, more importantly, Mr. Morris?" he asked.
"I will. I think I can pull this off." she said, picking the rifle off the floor.
"Wait a minute. I'm not sure a girl like you can even lift that gun, let alone fire it." he said as she tried to hold onto the heavy gun.
"You protected us during this night. I think it's time one of us protected you." she said as Pink Eye rose from his chair.
"If you insist. I shall tire to my bunk and hope for a hour at best." he said, starting towards the male bedroom as Serena took a seat in his chair, pointing the rifle at the door.
"This actually feels a bit nice." she said to herself as Pink Eye reached the door.
Back inside the male bedroom for the first time in hours, Pink Eye took a good look at the darkened room, his gaze able to pierce the darkness. He looked at each of the bunks and found a body in each one, except one right across from Harold. Without thought, he walked over to it and made himself at home. With his eyes closed for the first time that night, a thought now entered his tired head.
It was a thought that hadn't occurred to him upon his entry into the room but was now there nonetheless. As his dreams began the pondering of that thought, his ears heard a noise out in reality. With his usual quick steps, he jumped from his bunk and ran out the door. Once outside the room, he saw that Lonesome Rita and Serena were locked in the same kind of duel as he had with her during their last meet.
"Mr. Pink Eye is having his rest. Leave him and Mr. Morris alone." said Serena.
"What makes you think I would listen to a little girl like you." said Rita.
"Why do you want to kill Mr. Morris for, anyway?" asked Serena.
"My reasons are mine alone." Rita replied.
"No, tell me why." said Serena.
"Miss Souther, are you all right?" asked Pink Eye as he walked over to the scene.
"You stay out of this, Pink Eye!" said Rita as she now pointed her gun at him.
"You leave Miss Souther alone." said Pink Eye.
"I will, if you let me at Mr. Morris." said Rita.
"You know the answer to that." said Pink Eye.
"Then I guess Miss Souther is in trouble." said Rita as she re-pointed her gun at her.
Serena stared down the barrel of the gun with fearful eyes. Suddenly, an idea entered her head. In quick order, she remembered Pink Eye's trick with the gun from earlier and tried her best to do it again. She switched around ends of the gun and quickly swatted Rita, knocking her down. Pink Eye then pointed his gun at her head.
Lonesome Rita, however, fought back, as she swatted Serena with her gun. Serena was slightly knocked back, which allowed Rita to make another quick escape. Serena, however, recovered enough to follow Rita out the door. As Rita made off toward the beginning dawn, Serena aimed the gun and, with all her strength, pulled the trigger. The bullet, however, went through Rita's hat before she vanished again.
"Good shot, Miss Souther." said Pink Eye as he followed after her.
"Thanks. I've never fired a gun in my life." she said.
"There's always a first time." he said.
"Now, Mr. Pink Eye, get back to bed." she said.
"No thanks. I have a job to do." he said, taking the rifle from her hands.
"If you insist. Since it's too late to go back to bed, I'll just wait for breakfast." she said as she then turned and headed back into the house.
"Wait in the living room." he said to her as she went inside.
Pink Eye, after a moment to observe the sunrise, walked back into the house and took back his chair one more time. He watched as the darkness was swallowed by the light of a new day. As the sun completed his rise over the horizon to greet the day, the other people in the house stirred from their slumber and greeted the day themselves.
Mr. Ryan and Mr. Colin were the first to emerge from the male bedroom, still dressed in their bed clothes. The two were greeted by the sight of Serena, now asleep on the sofa, and Pink Eye, still staring out the door with rifle in hand. The sight alone caused the two to emit a giggle of laughter. The two then recovered enough to offer comment.
"I wonder what those two did." said Mr. Colin.
"I don't know, but I think it's best we don't find out." said Mr. Ryan.
Mrs. Gable has gotten up earlier, while Pink Eye had been sleep-watching, and had started on the breakfast, not bothering to alert Pink Eye, lest he reacted badly. The smells of cooking filled the air and stirred Serena from her slumber. She breathed in the smell, as did Pink Eye. To Pink Eye, this meant his ordeal, for better or worse, was now over and he could relax truly at last.
"Good morning, everyone." he said to those in the room as he took time to stand up and stretch.
"Nice to see that we're still alive, thanks to you." said Mr. Ryan, grinning a bit.
"Well, after the trouble I went to last night, you're welcome for it." replied Pink Eye, turning to face Serena.
"And the way you kept Lonesome Rita from killing Mr. Morris, Mr. Pink Eye." she said, righting herself on the sofa.
"And I can't think you for it." said Harold as he emerged from the male bedroom, him dressed in his day attire.
"Just remember I kept you alive despite feelings in me." said Pink Eye, throwing out a hint even Harold could catch.
"Well, it's morning. I better get the stagecoach out." said Mr. Gable as he descended the stairs, all dressed for the day.
"Say, where's the driver?" asked Mr. Colin.
"He slept out in the barn with the stagecoach. He has a room special for him at these stops." said Pink Eye as he watched Mr. Gable leave the house.
"I hope Lonesome Rita didn't try to kill him." said Serena.
Pink Eye didn't respond, as he was staring out the screen of the door as Mr. Gable unlocked the door to the barn and removed the stagecoach, where he placed it the night before. He saw as the driver joined him in the removal of the stagecoach. Before Pink Eye turned away, his eye noticed something. He took a second look quickly and then turned back to the now-assembled passengers.
"I wonder what for breakfast." said Mr. Colin.
"I know no matter what it is, you'll eat." said Mr. Ryan.
"I know you're right on that." said Mr. Colin.
Pink Eye took a look at the assembled masses and he got the same feeling he had just gotten from his look at the stagecoach. This, along with the feeling from earlier when he was laying in his bunk, began to add things up in his mind. It was a state he enjoyed, as he allowed him a moment to himself. The additions he was making, however, were nothing like he had made before in his life.
"Okay, breakfast is ready!" shouted Mrs. Gable from the dining room.
Pink Eye followed the assembled passengers and sat down to a breakfast of sausage, pancakes, ham, and a boiled egg. As he ate his breakfast, he continued the additions in his mind, how the answers he was getting were most unusual but couldn't be rounded in the least. Finally, he finished his meal and watched as those who hadn't dressed retired to the bedrooms to do so before the stagecoach departed.
"There's a strange case abounding here." he said to Serena after she emerged from the female bedroom, as he stood across from the door.
"Is that so?" she replied.
"Yes. The events of last night are most in my mind. I've been going over things and I feel that the answer to them is most unusual in its bearing." he said, sounding very vague and nonsensical in his speech.
"I think you need to sleep some more. Perhaps you can nap on the stagecoach." she said as she took him by the arm and walked him towards the door as the others emerged from their room.
"It's nice to feel all dressed up." said Mr. Ryan.
"Me, too. I feel ready to conduct business." said Mr. Colin.
"If you two are dressed, then let us leave." said Harold, being impatient.
"You need to rest. You're beginning to lose yourself." said Serena to Pink Eye as the two were the first out the door.
As the two stood on the porch with the others exiting the house, they spotted Samuel, standing on a board attached to the stagecoach, fiddling with the luggage on top. The sight, to Pink Eye, seemed to answer the final question in his mind. The others, however, didn't know that, not at all.
"Well, it's nice to see you, Samuel. You're quiet, that's for sure." said Harold as he rushed to his brother.
"Yes, it's nice to see you again." said Samuel, meek as ever.
"You know, with all that happened last night, you sure slept soundly." said Harold.
"That I did. I guess I didn't care much for all that happened." said Samuel.
The six passengers soon boarded the stagecoach and it pulled out, bound for the Sierra Nevada Mountains. Inside, Pink Eye resumed the same thing he was doing the day before, looking over the passengers. However, he seemed to look at Samuel more. The meekiest one of the passengers, whom Pink Eye had ignored, was now the center of his steely gaze. An hour into the trip, Pink Eye finally spoke.
"The events of last night are interesting, to say the least." he said.
"That they were. One of those outlaws tried to kill me." said Harold.
"That they did. The question is why would one of them do so?" said Pink Eye.
"How would I know? I don't live out here." said Harold.
"That's the point. The only reason you're out here is because someone out here keeps sending you money. If someone wanted to kill someone, why not that guy?" said Pink Eye.
"Perhaps she confused us." said Harold.
"How can that happen when no one knows who sending you the money?" asked Pink Eye.
"Good question. How can that be?" said Serena.
"What do you think, Samuel?" asked Pink Eye.
"I think it doesn't matter why Lonesome Rita was trying to kill him. All that matters is that someone tried to." he replied.
"That's good, except... no one said who was trying to kill your brother." said Pink Eye.
"You said 'she'. Who else could it be?" said Samuel.
"How about Belle Starr? Calamity Jane? The list goes on." said Pink Eye.
"Well, someone mentioned it at breakfast." said Samuel.
"You're right, it was mentioned at breakfast." said Pink Eye.
"I knew it." said Samuel.
"However, I seem to recall that you weren't at breakfast." said Pink Eye.
"Then I guess someone mentioned it here, on the stagecoach." said Samuel.
"Nope. Everyone's been quiet for the past hour, just thinking things and letting breakfast digest. So, I ask you where you heard that it was Lonesome Rita that tried to kill your brother." said Pink Eye.
"I just... guess. That's all." said Samuel.
"Really? I just mention her and she appears and tries to kill your brother?" asked Pink Eye.
"Yes, so who cares how many times she tried to kill him?" said Samuel.
"No one has mentioned that she tried more than once." said Pink Eye.
"I just... guessed again." said Samuel.
"Really? How could you guess that an outlaw like her would try to kill your brother more than once?" asked Pink Eye.
"I just did. That's all." said Samuel.
"It does sound weird that Mr. Samuel would just guess like that." said Serena, with curiosity in her voice.
"It does sound, Miss Souther. However, it's not as weird as something that I've been thinking about all morning." said Pink Eye.
"And that would be?" asked Mr. Ryan.
"That Samuel here just went for a walk and didn't return until the next morning. How do you explain that, sir?" said Pink Eye.
"I like to take long walks." said Samuel.
"At night? In the desert? That's seems odd." said Pink Eye.
"I have good night vision." said Samuel.
"Passengers, I have thought over the events of last night and the answer for them all has been confused a bit. I never thought that, of all the answers, that this would be the one." said Pink Eye.
"So, what's the answer for last night?" asked Harold.
"Let me explain. It all started when I took Miss Souther's advice and went off for some sleep in my bunk. I did as I was done and laid down in my bunk." said Pink Eye.
"How's that an answer?" asked Harold.
"However, I had given my bunk to Samuel upon his return from his walk. The fact that I was laying in my bunk caught my mind. Later that morning, I watched as they removed the stagecoach from the barn and that's when I noticed it." said Pink Eye.
"Noticed what?" asked Mr. Ryan.
"That there were only six suitcases on top. There were supposed to be seven of them." said Pink Eye.
"Wait... there's only six of us. Who brought an extra one?" said Serena.
"According to Mr. Morris, his brother Samuel. Mr. Morris mentioned that he found his brother with two suitcases and thought that was weird." said Pink Eye.
"It does seem weird for a person like him to have two suitcases." said Harold.
"Not really. You see, I contend that, right now, there are seven people in this stagecoach." said Pink Eye.
"But I know for a fact there are only six people here." said Mr. Ryan.
"That's true. Right now, there are six passengers on this stagecoach." said Pink Eye.
"Make up your mind. Is there six or is there seven?" said Harold.
"I don't know. Ask your brother." said Pink Eye.
"Why should I ask him?" asked Harold.
"Because he's the one who tried to kill you last night." said Pink Eye.
"You mean he hired Lonesome Rita? That's impossible!" said Harold.
"You're right. Samuel is the type that would unable to even talk to her, let alone hire her to kill you." said Pink Eye.
"Then how is he responsible for what happened last night?" asked Harold.
"You won't believe this, but he was the one trying to kill you." said Pink Eye.
"You're mad, Pink Eye." said Samuel.
"Really? It does seem weird that she would try to kill someone so many times, someone she didn't know. However, once I factor you in, it somehow makes sense." said Pink Eye.
"I'm confused. How can he be the one who tried to kill me? It was Lonesome Rita who did it." said Harold.
"You mean that Mr. Samuel disguised himself as Lonesome Rita?" asked Serena.
"How can he? He's shorter and the wrong color. No, I believe that, somehow, through some process, he becomes Lonesome Rita Marlowe." said Pink Eye.
"You mean that he just becomes her? Like a werewolf?" asked Mr. Ryan.
"Correct. Somehow, he is what I've been searching for two and a half years. Since he went west, she's been robbing it and killing it." said Pink Eye.
"I see. That's how she eluded you. You were looking for her, not him." said Mr. Ryan.
"And how she could escape without notice. Just change back into him and pressure's off." said Mr. Colin.
"And that would also explain Mr. Harold's money. She was sending him her loot." said Serena.
"And I came out west in search of its source." said Harold.
"And that was your mistake, or his. He ran into you and Lonesome Rita couldn't help to help out her cover." said Pink Eye.
"How so?" asked Harold.
"If you'll pardon me, Lonesome Rita represents the darker nature of Samuel. He channeled all the hatred within him into her, and that included hatred of you, of your wealth, your power, and just plain you." said Pink Eye.
"So, when we stopped last night... " said Serena.
"...Samuel must have turned into her after all those comments Harold made about him." said Mr. Ryan.
"And she tried to kill him out of all that hatred Samuel had buried. In fact, I think he still has that hatred." said Pink Eye.
"You think it was the hatred that triggers the change?" asked Mr. Ryan.
"In this case, it was." said Pink Eye.
"That's great, people. However, there's one problem: that is totally idiotic. No one can do what you're saying." said Samuel.
"What's wrong, feeling a little ticked-off?" asked Pink Eye.
"I am not!" said Samuel.
"It must be hard to bury all that hatred towards your brother. The fact that you, a brillant person, must watch as someone like him run a bank, something he's too stupid to do. All he cares about is the money. You care about the bank itself, the business." said Pink Eye, taunting Samuel.
"Yes, with all your brother says about you, he doesn't think much of you at all. The fact he mocks you openly must trouble you to no end." said Serena, joining in.
"Seeing all the business you could have had messed with by your brother's inability to run things the way you see them, so you sent them all that money to rub in it his face." said Mr. Colin.
"And look what he did, he came out west to find who sent him that loot, not knowing he was looking for you all along." said Mr. Ryan.
As the passengers, including Harold, continued to taunt Samuel, Pink Eye watched a change overcome him. First, he saw the dark mane of hair grow out of Samuel's head. Next, he saw those dark eyes replace Samuel's meek ones. Finally, in a sight that shocked all who saw it, they watched as the meek, short, and white Samuel change into the strong, tall, and black Lonesome Rita Marlowe in the space of ten seconds.
"Hello, you." she said to Harold as he began to cower.
"So... it was you all... along." said Harold, panting between words, scared out of his mind.
"I finally have you in my grasp and you can kiss that little wimp good bye. When I kill you, no one is gonna miss you!" said Lonesome Rita, her hand coming closer to Harold's neck.
"Spare me?" said Harold, unsure of what he's saying.
"Not a change." she said as she grabbed his neck and began to crush it.
"Not so fast, Rita." said Pink Eye, drawing his gun and putting it next to her head.
"Of course, I forgot about you." she said.
"I admire your skill. You used Samuel like any other man you used. You used him as your cover, as your disguise. You used him to hide the money you stole and escape the hangman's noose for all those you killed." said Pink Eye.
"It must admit, it was clever of me. He thought he had a control on me, yet I proved him wrong every time. However, I must do one more thing for him before I disappear, and that's get rid of him." she said, caressing Harold's face and then giving it a slight twist.
"Once more, Rita, I must ruin your plans." said Pink Eye.
"How are you gonna do that now?" she asked him.
"Like this." he said before leaping from his spot and pushing her, along with him, out of the stagecoach onto the dusty ground.
The driver, hearing the sound, stopped the stagecoach and all got out as Lonesome Rita and Pink Eye had one more fight, rolling around, dust covering them as they fought on. As Harold, Mr. Ryan, and Mr. Colin looked on, Serena was busy searching the collection of suitcases, looking for Samuel's extra. After a moment, she finds a suitcase with the letter RM etched into it. She knew that the letter stood for 'Rita Marlowe'.
"I found Rita's suitcase!" Serena shouted as she ran over to the assembled trio.
"Let's look inside it!" said Harold.
Serena put it on the ground and opened it up. Inside was Rita's outfit, complete with her hat, with the bullet hole put there by Serena in it. Also inside was a bundle of cash, being kept inside a bag.
"More loot!" said Mr. Ryan.
"That was meant for me. I know it!" said Harold.
"He probably would sent it to you if you hadn't met him back in San Francisco." said Mr. Ryan.
"To think, it was my brother I was seeking all this time." said Harold.
"The irony is not lost on me." said Mr. Colin.
"Nor me." said Serena, putting her hand on Harold's shoulder as a comfort.
Meanwhile, Pink Eye and Lonesome Rita's fight had left them both covered in a layer of dirt. However, this didn't stop them. The two carried on their fight until Lonesome Rita was able to deliver a knockdown blow and make off toward the assembled passengers, scaring them for a moment.
"I could still kill you, Harold." she said as she stopped just in front of them.
"That you could." he replied.
"However, I think I'll just take my money and my stuff and disappear." she said as she then grabbed the bag of cash and her suitcase and made off towards the hills.
"Once again, she has escaped Mr. Pink Eye." said Serena.
"Not at all." they heard his voice say as he drew his gun.
They then watched as he fired off a shot and got Lonesome Rita in the shoulder as she tried to run away. They then watched her drop to the ground, impacting with a cloud of dust. The passengers then rushed over and watched as the figure of Rita was slowly replaced with the figure of Samuel.
"After all this time, he got her." said Serena.
"That I did." said Pink Eye as he managed to walk over.
"So, what are you gonna do with her... er, I mean, him?" asked Serena.
"Yeah, just what are you gonna do with him?" asked Harold.
"Well, I don't know. If I told my superiors, they'll toss me out. If I just brought him in, same thing. No one will believe the truth of the matter." said Pink Eye.
"Well, I guess I'll take my last payment from my investor, if you don't mind... " said Harold as he went for the bag of money.
"Wait a moment, Mr. Morris. Now, for the last three years, you have been using stolen funds in your business, so you're as guilty in this as Samuel here." said Pink Eye, stopping Harold in his tracks.
"I plead that I had no knowledge that the money was stolen. I just received it and placed it in an account by instruction." said Harold.
"That means all the money is safe and can be collected from your coffers." said Pink Eye.
"It's my money. I saved it!" said Harold.
"Harold Morris, you were under arrest for hording of stolen funds." said Pink Eye as he removed a pair of handcuffs from his jacket.
"Take the money! Just take him!" said Harold, now pointing a cowardly finger at his brother, laying on the ground, in pain.
"Samuel Morris, aka Lonesome Rita Marlowe, you are under arrest for the murder of fourteen people and the robbery of twenty-two banks, plus the robbery of eight stagecoaches and two savings and loans." said Pink Eye, picking Samuel off the ground and cuffing only his left hand.
"See, my brother is no use to the family business." said Harold.
"You don't say, Mr. Harold." said Serena.
"You sold your brother out because of your greed." said Mr. Ryan.
"Even I wouldn't do something like that." said Mr. Colin.
"I don't care. I just wanna get back east and forget this whole thing." said Harold.
"Good, and you can take your brother with you." said Pink Eye as he cuffed Harold's right hand, effectively joining the two Morris brothers together.
"Why are you doing this to me?" asked Harold.
"That's my question." said Samuel, a bit dazed by the bullet wound.
"As an employee of the Pinkerton Detective Agency, I'm placing Samuel in your care, Mr. Morris. When we get back east, I will release him to you. Maybe then, you can help your brother and keep Lonesome Rita away for good." said Pink Eye.
"Maybe you should be nicer to me. After all, I know someone who would kill you." said Samuel.
"Let's just get back in the stagecoach." said Harold as he, his brother, and the rest of them headed back to the waiting stagecoach.
"Mr. Pink Eye, what are you gonna tell your superiors about Lonesome Rita?" asked Serena on the way back.
"Simple. Lonesome Rita Marlowe disappeared, never to be seen again. I hope that marks the end of her and my chase." said Pink Eye.
And indeed, the west was void of Lonesome Rita Marlowe ever since that day. As the stagecoach continued eastwards, it had no further problems, save one. Harold came to distrust his brother, fearful of Rita's return. Therefore, he asked Pink Eye how to sleep with his eyes open, for safety's sake.
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That concludes Chapter 1 of Book I. Next month, we take a look at a woman's journey back to her inner humanity as all gather to watch "The Melting of the Iceberg"...
Until then, this is John Maxwell, signing off!
