“Ahhh, that’s good coffee this morning; just needs a piece of pie to go with it.”
“That’s all you think about is pie!” exclaimed Molly, I hoped jokingly.
I had just finished a wonderful breakfast of biscuits ‘n’ gravy with an egg on top, and relished a piece of pie to sort of settle everything down. It was nice to have Molly sitting beside me for breakfast. She worked in the kitchen so hard along with Greta and Hannah. They both had their chickens and egg business back together.
“Why the glum look?” she asked.
I guess my mind sorta drifted to our little shack, and then her working here all the time. The shack had a fireplace, a table, and a pallet on the floor. I don’t get paid being a marshal unless the man I bring in has a bounty. Wells Fargo paid fairly well, and it was steady. “Nothing.” I replied.
“Don’t give me that Miles. What are you thinking?”
“Sure haven’t given you much.”
Then he saw me sitting there, and walked over to the table. “Mornin’ Forrest,” he said.
“Sit down, and pour yourself a cup. What’s on yur mind, Johnson?”
He poured a cup of coffee and pulled out a chair and sat down. “First gold of the year is being sent to Denver. They want you to ride with it to the mint.”
“Denver!” she exclaimed. “I wanna go!”
“Wow!” said Johnson. “You’re a lucky man. Thousands of dollars worth of gold and a gal like Molly by your side.”
“That’s enough.” With that bounty on my head I didn’t relish taking Molly out; a shot could miss me and hit her.
“Miles,” she purred. “I’ve been wanting to go to Denver. I need to get some things for the eatery.”
“I took you to Santa Fe,” I remarked and immediately knew I should have kept my mouth shut.
“If I don’t go with you to Denver, well, then, no more pie for you.”
“I’m a lawman, and that’s either bribery or extortion.” I paused and looked at Johnson. “And what are you smirkin’ at?”
“Yes, indeed it is. When do we leave?”
Johnson quipped in, “The train will pull out in the morning.” He finished his coffee and stood up. “Hope you have a nice time Mrs. Forrest,” and he left with a chuckle.
“Miles, it’ll be fun. I need to look for some things for the eatery, and Hannah and Greta can take care of the place. You could check with Dave concerning the wanted posters.”
I reckon I could take care of her better with her with me and staying here in Durango.
“Better go pack yur grip.”
“Yeah,” she stood up and gave me a kiss on the cheek, right there in public.
I refilled my cup and she hadn’t been gone five minutes when a stranger walked up. I had taken up the habit of holding my cup in my left hand. “Here we go again,” I thought.
“This you?” he asked and put the poster down in front of me.
I set the cup down and fingered the paper but never losing contact with his eyes. My right hand was on the butt of my gun.
He looked around and about that time Molly came back from the kitchen with a piece of pie. She stopped when she saw the man standing there. “Would you two go outside. Goodness Miles, I’m getting tired of cleaning blood off the floor from everyone you shoot.” She came over and put the pie down in front of me, and then stood between me and the stranger.
“Molly, move.”
She turned and looked at him. “Outside. You can die just as easy out there.”
He kinda looked at her, and then he laughed. “I’m not after him ma’am. I just came to give him a warnin’. There was a couple of jaspers braggin’ in the saloon how they were goin’ to be makin’ some money.”