Part 3 of 3 - Sample of unedited pages from The Curse of Billy the Kid

Hello again!

If you're back for the 3rd installment, I hope that means you've enjoyed the first two and have returned to see what happens to Ben and Billy in this scene that takes place in March of 1878. Obviously, since this is Historical Fantasy Fiction, there are segments in the book that are me inserting story into sections of history that contain holes in information...such as...

The Regulators went to San Patricio after Governor Axtel revoked Justice of the Peace Wilson's office, thus negating the deputizing of Dick Brewer, Billy the Kid, and the other Regulators. This not only made them outlaws (for the death of Morton and Baker that same day) but it put all the power in Lincoln County in the hands of the Santa Fe Ring. More specifically, it made Sheriff Brady and his deputies the only lawmen in Lincoln. That's in the top of March. We then do hear much about them until the last day of March when five of the Regulators show up in Lincoln and a shoot-out occurs the next morning, killing two men.

These holes in documented history open up chances for me to write freely and give some extra adventures and expound on the fantasy sections of my story. Hence the scene you've been reading.

Speaking of, let's finish the chapter, shall we?

If you missed Part 1, it is HERE

If you missed Part 2, it is HERE

For the rest of you...on to Part 3...

*Note: I'll give a tiny bit of the end of part two here as lead in to help with the flow of it all.

Tamsin :)

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From the chapter titled, "Damned if I Do, Damned if I Don't"

"Where'd they go?" He asked at a whisper.

"Hell if I know.”

“I don’t have a good feelin’ about this.”

“Either do I, but we need to get this stuff loaded into—”

"Could you two be any louder coming down the street? Idiots is what ya are, riding up to my property like a pair of drunk hooligans!” Came a female voice to our left by the house.

Turning, we saw Mrs. Susan McSween holding an oil lantern high. Her dark hair was piled high and she still wore her elegant traveling attire, gloves and all.

"Ma'am, you should get inside," I said.

She walked toward us, her eye on the wagon bed before settling on my face. "I certainly will not, that is, not until you tell me what in blazes you are doin’ riding onto my property like hell is on your heels!" She sat the lantern on the seat of the wagon. "And give me that before you shoot a passerby, for God's sake."

She took my rifle and for no reason I can fathom, then or now, I let her.

"Well, we sort of did have hell on our heels, ma'am. There were these wolves and—”

I cut him off. "Just two of nature’s creatures, Mrs. McSween. They spooked the horse and us a bit, if we're to be truthful. Took a shot or two and they ran off. We apologize if we disturbed you. To be honest, we didn't know you were back from Missouri."

"Just got in a short bit ago," she said, walking past me, her head swiveling to inspect the property around us. Feeling satisfied in what she saw, she looked at the lumps under the blankets in the wagon bed and then to me. "Came home to find my husband gone to who knows where and a letter. I'm hoping you can explain some of this to me."

Susan had been gone since before John's murder so there would be a lot to cover. I saw a long night ahead of me and was prone to a grumble, until my stomach did so instead.

"Dear heavens, I could hear that from here. When did you eat last? Never mind, seeing as Alex took both servants with him, I'm sure my sister or I can fill your belly for your time and information. What are you unloading there and where does it need to go?" Her dark eyes bore into me as she raised an elegant eyebrow.

"I'll explain inside. First, we should get you and these inside, away from the Murphes," I said, using the word Charlie had made up for the Murphy/Dolan gang.

Ben jumped down from the wagon and pulled the blanket back, "It's just some—”

A wolf, smaller than most I'd seen, leapt out from under the blanket. I pulled my gun and was about to fire when a loud blast went off and hit the animal in the head moments before his jaws would've sunk into Ben, who stood frozen in fear.

Turning to see who had taken the shot, I found Susan with my rifle raised up, perfectly poised, in firing position, smoke still seeping from the barrel.

With no idea what to say, Ben and I just stared at her for a moment.

"Silver?" She asked.

I nodded, for that's all I could seem to do.

"Good, then that's done. Let's move your...?"

"Ammunition, ma'am," I barely got out.

"Let's move your ammunition inside."

Ben and I shared a glance and then got to work. Susan directed us to the front room of the west wing. She walked over to the far wall with no windows where a tapestry hung. Pulling it back, she revealed a large closet that held a trunk with the initials R.N. as well as a bar along the top where she and her husband’s nicer clothes hung.

"Put one crate in here, behind the dresses, that'll hide it best. Bring the one you already opened into the parlor once you finish. I'm going to change. I’ll meet you in there." She began to leave but turned back to us. “Oh, and don’t be startled, the gentleman in the parlor is a friend of Mr. Chisum’s who assisted him with his trials in Las Vegas. I think you’ll like him, he’s a crusader like you, but he tends to attack his enemies with words.”

She walked out and I looked to Ben, whispering, I said, "Was that an insult?”

Ben only partially hid his smile and quietly said, “I think it was.”

“Why do I have a feeling that Mrs. McSween knows more than she is saying?"

“‘Cause she does,” Ben said. “And it’s probably a hell of a lot more than me, so you’re gonna give me some answers or this is the last time my father or I help you, Billy. As God as my witness, I want answers."

I thought back to Regulator training, to Garrett’s emphatic rule of, “Tell no one without my permission.” How many had I told now? What was one more really going to do? Wasn’t like tell three and it’s okay, tell four and there’s hell to pay. I was in trouble no matter what at this point so I might as well make sure I didn’t lose the Ellis’ help in this war. They were key in helpin’ us out, what with John’s store not open for business anymore.

“I’m not kiddin’, Billy,” he prompted.

“I know you ain’t,” I snapped. “Damned if I do, damned if I don’t. Shit.” I pulled out my tin and flipped it open. “Hell, my hide is already poised for a-good tannin’, might as well make it worth it.” I took out a toothpick, set it between my teeth, and closed the tin. “Come on, you’ll get your answers, but first, let’s meet this crusader of words and see why he’s come to Lincoln.”

“You don’t trust anyone, do you?”

I slid the metal container into my pocket. “Not if I don’t know you…and I don’t know him.”

“Then let's head on in. After you,” Ben said, motioning me to go first.

With a nod, I opened the door to the parlor to find a man sitting by the fire, wearing a British suit not unlike ones Tunstall used to own. Lying next to his cup of tea was a tin just like the one Garrett had given to each of the sworn in members of the Regulators.
“Mr. Bonney, I’ve heard a lot about you,” the man said, his voice as British as his clothes. Standing up, he extended his hand out toward me. “Montague Leverson, fellow Regulator here to help the cause. Do have a seat; I’m sure there is a lot to discuss.”

END OF THE CHAPTER

STAY TUNED FOR MORE UNEDITED SNIPPETS FROM THE BOOK AND PLEASE GO LIKE THE PAGE IF YOU STILL HAVE NOT. I promise I won't over post and drive you crazy if you do. Besides, the best way to learn there are more snippets of the book on here is to be a fan of  The Curse of Billy the Kid page. 

Anyway, I hope you've enjoyed this 3-day serial with Billy. Remember, though this part is an inserted section of the fantasy story line, the characters are real. You can look Susan McSween, Ben & Isaac Ellis, William Bonney (aka Billy the Kid), and Montague Leverson up in books and online to learn more about who they were.

Until next time...write hard and bathe in imagination!   xoxo - Me :)

Side Note: Just a kind FYI - The reason I've stated these are "unedited" is because they are. I've definitely not gone in and added all the visual details or possibly all the internal dialogue of the main protagonist yet either. I've also not labored over the grammar. It's what I call a, "raw file"...so please refrain from commenting with things you feel need to be "fixed."  That'll be my editor's job or the job of those proof-readers I ask to read this later on. ALL UNEDITED POSTS here are solely for fans of my work (and of the story) to enjoy. I hope you did. 

Thanks!!!! - Tamsin