As the front door opened we all turned and looked in that direction. At least it broke tension of the moment. I had to smile and said to those at the table. “The Lord does provide.”
He didn’t come in often, but there he was–Marshal Billy Denton. “Marshal, come on over here. I think there may be one more piece of pie back in the kitchen,” I yelled over to him.
After taking a step he stopped. “Thanks, I’ll just sit over here.” I know it was because he saw Charlie Gold sitting there.
Doc chided in, “Come on Marshal, Charlie is just leaving.”
Charlie looked at Doc, somewhat confused, and then at me. I nodded for him to leave and said something to help him along. “Why don’t you and Marta take a little walk and discuss what we were talkin’ about?”
“Yes,” Molly chimed in, “we are slow right now. It would be a good time for you to get away for twenty minutes or so.”
Charlie pushed his chair out while Marta took off her apron. “See you in a while,” said Molly, then she sashayed back to the kitchen to get Billy that piece of pie.
“Come on Billy,” said Doc as he pulled out the chair that Charlie had just pushed in.
Billy came hesitantly. I got up, grabbed a cup off the shelf near the stove and poured him a cup of coffee. Placing it down in front of him he asked, “Got any cream?”
That sort of made me stiffen. Now, Doc takes a bit of cream in his coffee, but here was young Billy, the town marshal, and he wants cream.
Molly was bringing out the pie and upon hearing him stated, “I have some in the kitchen; be right back,” before she left she added, “anything else for you, Marshal?”
“How ’bout a short stack, if you don’t mind Mol, Mrs. Forrest,” that made Molly giggle as she went back to the kitchen and made my ears start to burn.
We didn’t say much for a while waiting for Molly to bring back the cream, and then his pancakes. When she came back she asked putting the plate on the table. “Syrup, honey, or preserves?”
“Surp? Real surp?” he asked twice and Molly nodded. “I’ll take that.”
“Billy, as soon as you’re done eatin’ I figure you and me should go huntin’.”
“Ummm,” he was fidgeting trying to figure out what to call me.
“Miles,” I said.
“Well, Miles, I’m not much of a hunter.”
That brought a laugh from Doc. “I don’t think that’s what Miles is talking about Billy.”
“We have two shot up bad men out there somewhere. They couldn’t have gone very far. I figure you and I could go ’round a bit checkin’ up on vacant shacks.”
Doc laughed again as something got stuck in Billy’s throat when I said that. “No, go ahead and finish and we’ll take a ride to the west as far as Hesperous.”
“Why, that’s nigh onto ten miles. Out of my jurisdiction anyway.”
I stared him straight in the eye. He tried to dodge my look, but couldn’t help finally meeting my gaze. “You have to learn that the doin’ of the right doesn’t have any jurisdiction,” I paused. “Besides, you’ll be with me and I have jurisdiction.”
He put his fork down and just sat there for a minute. “Doc, why don’t you refill his cup while I run and saddle up Star. Go ahead and finish your breakfast, I should be back by the time you’re done.”
I needed to hurry as I didn’t want to give him time to think of something where he could back out. Maybe I didn’t know what I was getting myself into, but I wanted someone with me, even Billy Denton, if I had to go up against those three scoundrels even if two of them were shot.
Arriving back at the diner just in time, for Billy was coming out the door. “I, I, have… .”
“Sorry it took so long, but I took the liberty of bringin’ your hoss along with me. Mount up!”