The Saga of Miles Forrest

Molly was doing better, she even walked down to the train station to see me off.  She would still have dizzy spells, but not as often and she usually did okay as long as she moved slowly.  The Doc had offered her a place to stay at his house, but since she was doing better she declined.  Charlie Gold assured me that he would check in on her often.  With all the recent turmoil, the Council had not appointed a new marshal, so Charlie was staying in Durango more often.
    My plan was to find clues as to where Billy Denton might have taken off to.  I told Molly to keep a sharp lookout for he might just show up back in Durango.  He seemed the type that needed some security and would not venture away from places he knew.  Then I planned to go to Santa Fe and question Billington.  After that I’d come back to Durango, get Star and head out to Denver.
    This trip seemed much longer than the last one.  Of course, Molly was sitting next to me the last time I was down this way.  Lots of things were going on in my mind and I couldn’t seem to focus on any one thing.  The days were getting warmer and that didn’t help the comfort in traveling either.  
    When the train stopped at Chama I got off and walked the same route I did when the shooting took place.  Standing in the same place, I shuddered thinking of how close this was to taking me out.  Then I looked over to where Molly had been standing when she was shot.  I dropped to my knees–there was that lack of focus.  Thoughts swarmed all through my mind.  What if I had lost her?  Why was she shot?  Thankfulness to the good Lord?  Billington?  Denton?  
    “Mister,” there was a soft voice close to me.  “Mister, are you all right?”
    It brought me back to reality.  I must look downright silly there in the train station down on my knees.  Looking toward the person speaking I saw a young woman.  I nodded my head, then stood to my feet.  
    “Yes, ma’am.  There was an attempted murder here a couple of weeks ago.  I was just tryin’ to concentrate on the events an’ get them straight in my mind.”
    She smiled and walked off.  Glancing toward where Denton had been standing I walked there.  I wasn’t expecting to find anything after two weeks but wanted to see things from his viewpoint.  He and Billington were in this together.  I grunted and thought, “Billy would be the one doin’ the back-shootin’.”
    It was almost time for the train to pull out and I wanted a cup of coffee before I boarded.  The prices on the train were ridiculous and the coffee, well, the dishwater at the Diner was stronger than the coffee they served aboard the train.
    Fifteen minutes later, the train was chugging on down the rails toward Taos.  I wanted to thank the doctor and nurse that took care of me and Molly.  Unconsciously I shrugged my shoulders and could still feel the ache and stiffness.  Seemed like it was taking longer for me to heal; might have something to do with getting older.
    Before sitting down I looked through the coach.  It was the same set of passengers that was on it before.  Then I noticed, at the back of the coach was the young woman that spoke to me.  We made eye contact.  I sat down, and as I did a man walked through the door and sat across the aisle from the woman.  He saw me immediately and gave a wide smile.  It had been months since I had seen him; I should’ve figured he had to be around somewhere.  
    I tried to ignore his presence, but the thoughts flooded through my mind again.  “What is he doin’ here?  Is it to harass or is it time?”  I had the seat to myself so I stretched out, pulled my hat down over my eyes as if to sleep.  This was definitely no time for sleep, not with him in the car; this was time for prayer.