Busted

This is a small scene, likely more from Season Three than anything. 


Heyes lay in silence on the bed farthest from the door, as his partner stomped round, undressing as he did so. Finally after hanging his gun off the headboard of the second bed in the room, the Kid turned to him, his face furious and Heyes still didn't speak, because he knew there was really nothing he could say that would help make things better. “You just had to push it didn't ya, Heyes? All we needed was enough for a three night stay in a warm hotel, with money left over for hot meals, maybe even a bath or two, and a shave, which you had won two maybe even three deals before you was busted. And now we got nothing!” He paused, took a deep breath and added. “Leastwise we paid for tonight when we checked in!” He stopped and the said after a few steadying breaths. “You gonna say anythin'?”

Heyes feeling suddenly exhausted, simply shook his head as he said. “Ain't nothing coming to mind Kid, that won't just make you madder.”

The Kid stared at him before lying down and pointedly turning away. After a few minutes of staring at his partner's stiff back, Heyes blew out the lamp and tried to sleep. Finally he must have drifted off, because when he woke daylight was shining through the thin curtains. He'd been woken by a dream of his friend striding away without looking back, and disappearing into a thick fog. He was relieved when a slightly nervous glance over towards the door, reassured him the Kid was still fast asleep in the other bed.

Maybe feeling, Heyes' eyes on him, the Kid stirred and twisted to look at him, his face less angry than Heyes had expected as he said. “I got a dollar in my boot, which will buy us both breakfast and me a box of bullets.”

Heyes managed a small smile, relieved his partner was for the most part more forgiving then he perhaps deserved sometimes. “I ain't real sure 'bout the bullets, I already got one hole in my hat.”

“Like I'd a waste a bullet on that old thing, Heyes.” He paused then added more gently. “You know, Heyes, you don't need to prove nothing to me or yourself. Ain't like I don't know you're not always as smart as you think you are.”

Heyes not exactly sure whether he'd been insulted or not, laughed softly before adding. “You sure got a way with words, Kid.”

“Well, you kinda learn a thing or two, when your partner is Hannibal Heyes.” With that the Kid swung his legs over the side of the bed and said. “Now I'm hungry, and you gotta think of a way to win back some of that money we lost last night so we better get movin'.”

After they'd dressed and were heading to the door, Heyes took a deep breath and laid a hand on his friend's shoulder. The Kid stopped and turned to look at him. Heyes swallowing round a sudden lump in his throat at the warmth and affection clear on his face, said. “Thanks, Kid.”

The Kid's face softened into a smile. “Well, maybe next time I get forced into a fast draw, you'll remember this and not give me such a hard time.”

Feeling a lot lighter, Heyes grinned. “Well, miracles do happen, Kid.”

“Don't push it, Heyes.”

“Me?” Heyes flashed his most innocent smile, and the Kid shrugged, a small smile still on his own lips. As he shook his head and exited the room. Heyes followed him, his mind already full of ideas of just how he'd get their money back, and treat the Kid to the birthday he'd been thinking of when he pushed just that little too far, because his partner would only turn thirty once after all, and there'd been times when Heyes had feared he'd not make it.

uk_rachel74 Wow you were quick with your story.  and a very enjoyable story.  You have the characters perfect.

Hannibal Heyes sat on his bed in the older boys’ dorm at Valparaiso Home for Wayward Boys and thought about his meeting today with Dean Wm. Williams.  Usually when he was called to the Dean’s office, and that was often, he was in trouble.  He went over everything he’d done the last few days and couldn’t figure out what he’d done this time.  He’d been on his best behavior after a day and a night in the dark closet, used for punishment.  


He and his cousin, Jed, had gotten in trouble for stealing food from the kitchen.  They stood in the hall outside the dean’s office for over an hour in full view of all the other boys going to and from their classes.  They really didn’t care who saw them there.  When they stole food, they shared it with their friends.  Every boy there was always hungry, especially Jed.


In the office, they had to drop their pants and lean over the dean’s desk.  He hit their bottom hard with a paddle with holes made to inflict pain.  Heyes was proud of his younger cousin for not making a sound during the process.  


“Now, boys, pull up your pants and face me,” Dean Williams growled.  


It was painful pulling the fabric over their bleeding behinds but neither boy complained.  Heyes was grateful he’d stolen a jar of salve from the nurse a few days before.  


“Are you sorry for your actions?” the dean continued.


“Yes, sir, Dean Williams,” the boys said in unison.  


“Well, the way you continue to break the rules, can’t say I see that you’ve repented.  Jed, you may return to your classes.”


“Yes, sir.”  Jed thought of the pain the rest of the day sitting at a desk.


“Hannibal, you will spend the rest of the day and tonight in the punishment closet.  No food: you will find a pitcher of water and a glass in there.  You will be released at noon tomorrow.”


Heyes trembled and his cousin moved to stand shoulder to shoulder with him.


“Jed, go!  Heyes come with me.”


The dark closet was the thing of Heyes’ nightmares.  During the day there was a strip of light at the bottom of the door but at night it was black darkness.  


In the closet, he put the water and glass in a corner where he could find it in the dark.  Then he sat on the short cot.  He wrapped the thin, holey blanket around him and watched the lamp light under the door.  He could hear footsteps as people walked by and sometimes they walked close enough he could see the side of shoes.  He heard the boys filing to dinner and then returning to the dorms, knowing that the light would soon be gone.  Hearing scratching, he looked and saw his lockpicks sliding under the edge of the door.  Then someone hit the door twice.  Grabbing the makeshift lock picks he had made slowly over the last two years, he felt better just holding them in his hands.  Then the lamp lights outside were extinguished and he was in total darkness.  Waiting until he no longer heard any movement, he felt along the wall until he found the door lock.  It took him over an hour to open the door, but his mind was occupied, and the darkness stayed at bay.  


Finally, click.  He hid the picks in his boot and opened the door a crack.  With the moonlight from the window, that was all he needed.  He could see something wrapped in paper on the floor and found two biscuits.  Jed had confidence that he would get the door open.  


As the morning stirring of life reached his ears, he closed the door and locked it again.  


And then only four days later, he was called to the dean’s office again.  With his lock picks securely in his boots, he knocked on the dean’s door and was escorted into the office he hated.


“Mr. Heyes, how has your day been today?”


“Good, sir.”  He wanted to yell that he didn’t do anything wrong, but he didn’t.  Jed wasn’t here so that was good.


“I called you here today to offer you a fine opportunity.”  The dean started leaning forward in his chair.  


Heyes heart sank.  Those words usually meant that an apprenticeship away from the school was about to be offered him.  He would age out of the school in seventeen months so was a prime candidate for this.  This was the fourth ‘opportunity’ the dean had tried to get him to take.  He had refused them all, refused to leave Jed.  


Heyes said nothing, forcing the dean to speak.  “There is a private school in Hopeful that has offered to take a few of our most promising students.  You would travel by wagon there on Monday morning, stay in their boys’ dorm and return Friday afternoons.  This is a fine school.  They can offer that curious mind of yours much more than we can.”


He had Heyes' interest.   He was bored in all his classes and was still at the top of every class.  But he asked, “Jed Curry, too?”


He watched the dean lean back in his chair and take a deep breath.  He knew that meant no.


“Not Jed.”  The dean had hoped that the excitement of this school might make Hannibal forget about being with Jed.  It was important that Valparaiso send their best students to impress the teachers and staff at this school.  It would open opportunities for more boys in the future.  And, despite everything, Hannibal Heyes was the top student at Valparaiso.  


“Then, sir, I respectively decline the generous offer,” Heyes said sadly.


“Hannibal, this is the chance of a lifetime for you.  Over half of the graduates at that school go to college.”


“I’m not leaving Jed.  I promised his ma.  You said they would take a few.”  He didn’t really promise Jed’s ma to take care of him here, but every time he and Jed went fishing, his aunt would tell him to take care of Jeddy.  He intended to do just that. 


“Then, Hannibal, I am disappointed, but we do have other boys here who would jump at this offer.  You are dismissed.”


So Heyes sat on his bed and thought about the offer he had turned down.  He had no doubt he had made the right decision.  He also decided not to tell his cousin.


ASJ*****ASJ


Three days later, Heyes and Jed again stood in front of Dean Williams’ desk waiting for him to speak.  The dean silently reviewed his decision.  Hannibal’s teachers had insisted that he was the best student to send to the private school.  His academic progress was far ahead of any other boy in the school.


“Mr. Heyes, Mr. Curry, there is a private school in Hopeful that has offered to take a few of our most promising students.  You would travel by wagon there on Monday morning, stay in the boys’ dorm and return Friday afternoon.  This is a fine school.  They can offer you much more than we can.”


Jed’s blue eyes grew large.  He knew he was an average student excelling only in math.
But Heyes answered for them both.  “We’d be pleased to accept, sir.”


ASJ*****ASJ


Jed found the new school challenging; still, he enjoyed the math classes.  Heyes did so well on his admissions test he was moved up a full grade.  Overall, they enjoyed the new school and there was one other benefit for Heyes.  This school had girls!


Neither boy knew how to act around girls after being raised in the Home.  On the ride home after the second week, they chose to sit in the back of the wagon so the driver couldn’t hear them.  


“Heyes, I don’t know what to do about the girls in my class,” Jed whined. 


“I like having girls in class.” 


Jed screwed up his face.  “One of them tried to kiss me when the teacher left the room and two others asked if I had a girlfriend.  Ewee.”


“Well, I guess that’s the difference between you and me.  I’m fourteen and you’re almost twelve.  Wait a year and you’ll like the attention from girls.”


“Heyes, you see that girl, older than me, younger than you, with all her hair way up high on her head?  Why does she do that?”


“That’s Jane Brown and that hair is the first thing you notice.  She’s not really very pretty, is she?  But fixing her hair that way gets her noticed.  It’s her crowning glory.”


“You get that from a book…crowning glory?”


“Sure did.  Might as well put this fine education to good use.”


ASJ*****ASJ


Early getting to school on Monday after the two-hour ride, the driver said he would go into the school office to see if there was any cargo for his return trip while they watered the horse and gathered their bags from the wagon.  


“Jed, look there.  There’s some kind of an animal sleeping on the hay in the corner.”  Heyes pointed a finger at the animal so Jed could see where he was looking.


“Not a good place for it to sleep, might scare the horses,” Jed said, reaching into his book bag and taking out his slingshot.


“You ain’t supposed to have that here!” Heyes whispered. 


“Always need protection.”  Jed picked up a couple of pebbles and weighed them in his hand.  In one smooth motion, he loaded the pebble and shot the animal, followed closely by another.  


The animal didn’t move.  Cautiously, Heyes advanced and poked the animal.  “Must have died here.”  Picking it up, he dropped it quickly.  “Jed, it ain’t an animal.”


“Then what is it?”


Heyes picked it up off the stable floor and shook it.  “Jane Brown’s hair?”


The girl’s voice came from the stable door.  It was more a scream than words.  “What are you doing?”


Heyes turned, hair in hand.


“Busted,” whispered Jed with a sly grin.


“Jane, er…er.”


“My hair,” she cried.


Heyes had recovered enough to give him a wide dimpled smile.  “Jane, you don’t need this …this…thing on your head.  You’re much more beautiful without it.”


“I am?”


Heyes looked at her closely.  “Yes, you are.  You have very pretty light brown eyes,” he told her thinking he liked the intelligence he saw there.  


“I do?”


“Yes, you do.  And that red hair you’ve been hiding under this thing, is quite charming with your complexion,” Heyes said, giving her another dimpled smile.  

And with Heyes budding silver tongue and charm, he made a trusted friend at their new school.