OLD DEADWOOD DAYS (Tales of the Soiled Doves)
Chapter Seven
The Day The Blondes Descended On Deadwood (the conclusion)The four horsemen took off down Main Street at a furious gallop, showering Miss Jenn’s girls with a fine spray of mud and muck as they passed.
“Fucking tosspots!” Gemm screamed at them shaking her fist at the riders who were fast disappearing into the distance in the same direction the girls were heading.
“
Fils-putain, that
cuillon Pettis gang,” Tee Poo muttered, wiping her face.
“Who are they?” Sara wanted to know.
“Four bad hombres,” Tee Poo replied. “Sometimes do business with Porterhouse and Cleever, they.”
“What kind of business?”
“You don’t wanna know,
cher. Trust me.”
“Fuck the wankers,” Gemm interrupted. “We going or not?”
The girls started to continue on their way to Lurlene Johnson’s but Clemmy, who’d been quiet the whole time puzzling something over in her head, suddenly called out, “Stop!”
Gemm threw up her arms in exasperation. “Now what?! You know, we don’t have to go help Featherlegs. If you want, we could head back home for tea and bikkies!”
“I do want to help her,” Clemmy answered. “But was I the only one who noticed what O.W. Pettis had slung over his saddle?”
The girls were quiet for a minute.
“They rode by so fast it’s hard to tell for sure, but I think it was a bed roll,” Tee Poo said finally.
“A big bed roll,” Sara added.
“Looked like it was packed in a hurry,” Tee Poo continued.
“All right, so it was a bloody bed roll,” Gemm said with growing impatience. “What of it?”
“I only got a quick look,” Clemmy said slowly, “but I could swear I saw a woman’s foot sticking out of the thing.”
The girls looked at each other.
“Anybody see Jo?” Tee Poo asked with dawning suspicion.
Sara stared at her. “Wait, you don’t think . . . ?”
“
Cher, I wouldn’t put nothing past the Pettis boys, me.”
Gemm turned to look up the thoroughfare. “Most likely they came from there.” She pointed. “By Star & Bullock’s.”
Clemmy added, “And the bath house.”
Tee Poo said, “Featherlegs can take care of herself for a bit. If those
cuillons did take Jo, maybe we can find out what they up to.”
Gemm nodded. “Right. Let’s go.”
***************
“Either she goes or I go!”
The angry woman wildly waved the poster featuring the smiling pretty face of Miss Sara Atherton, then she dramatically ripped it in half and flung it at her astonished husband. He looked at the torn poster on his desk, then up at his furious wife, as she paced back and forth in the small office of the theatre.
He tried to reason with her. “Jeannette . . . Angel Face . . . ”
“Don’t give me any of your nonsense, Jack Langrishe! I won’t have it! I mean it this time! I am sick and tired of that little bitch getting more applause than me every performance! It’s not fair! I’m your wife! How come she gets all the good parts?”
“Because your better days are behind you, my dear. She’s younger, prettier and a damn finer actress than you ever were.”
This is what Jack Langrishe wanted to say. He was sick and tired of his wife’s diva tantrums. But he wisely kept his mouth shut. He just smiled a tired smile and shrugged his shoulders. This did little to appease the ranting woman. The smile was almost as bad as the words he had just swallowed down.
“You think this is funny? You won’t be smiling after I’ve packed up and gone. How are you going to get along without me? Will your precious Miss Sara Atherton be able to coordinate the costume making like I do? I sure hope she can handle the day-to-day running of the theatre. You’ll be lost without me, Jack Langrishe, and you know it.”
He did know it. He also knew that he’d give in to his wife’s demands. Sara Atherton would have to go. Nothing he could do to stop that.
He sighed and raised his hands in surrender. “All right, Jeannette,” he announced dramatically. “I shall terminate the little wench’s contract and cast her out into the cold night to please you, my dear.”
“And I will take over her roles?” Jeannette asked eagerly.
Langrishe thought quickly. “I believe it’s time for us to introduce a new piece. I believe our audience is growing tired of the sad plight of the poor orphan child. We need a piece more suited for an actress of your years . . . and talents.”
Jeannette moved to the door. “I’ll go through the trunk and pull out some scripts.”
“Fine, my dear. Get Hellawell to assist you,” Langrishe leaned back in his chair. “Pity about Sara,” he said to himself quietly after his wife left. “But that’s life in the theater.” He slapped his palm on the desk as he realized something. “Damnation! Now we’ll be one girl short. I’ve got to find another pretty face out here in Deadwood to get a crowd!”
With a grin, he put his Mexican hat on, grabbed his fancy walking stick and, after a quick check in the mirror, left the building to do some recruiting.
***************
Lurlene screeched as Jenn’s nails ripped into her face and neck. Jenn continued to buck up and twist her body as much as she could to get Lurlene off her. But the blonde managed to stay on top and she grabbed at Jenn’s wrist with one hand to pry the brunette’s claws from her bloody ravaged cheeks. Jenn realized she was using up too much energy trying to dislodge the younger woman so she stopped thrashing and focused on attacking the blonde where she knew it would do the most damage, both physically and psychologically: Lurlene’s pretty face that she was so proud of.
“YOU FUCKING HAG!” the furious blonde screamed as she desperately tugged at Jenn’s wrist. But Jenn hung on, tenaciously digging and twisting her nails into the tender flesh, drawing even more blood. “WHAT ARE YOU DOING TO MY FACE?! I’LL KILL YOU FOR THIS!”
Lurlene’s other hand had been clutching Jenn’s brunette locks but she now let go of the older woman’s hair and slammed her fist down flush into the bridge of her rival’s nose. Jenn let out a gurgled cry as the back of her skull cracked against the floor, her eyes filled with tears, and like hundreds of shocking volts of pain shot through her head. She lay there in stunned silence, which gave Lurlene the chance to finally smack her hand away. The blonde, blood streaming down her face, twisted her features into a horrible sadistic grin and reared her right arm back for another devastating, possibly fight-ending, blow. But Jenn’s wits were slowly returning and, as Lurlene leaned back, she quickly viciously brought her right knee up into the blonde’s lower back. Lurlene gasped and lurched forward. Jenn was able to squirm out from under the blonde and rolled a safe distance away.
The brunette wiped the blood and tears from her face. She knew from the pain and the sudden swelling of her eyes that her nose was probably broken. And her body ached from the effects of the battle. But she was far from finished. A lifetime of fighting to survive in Australia and on the Barbary Coast made Jenn tough. Tough and hard. Mean and smart. She knew if she kept her wits, she could defeat her mortal enemy.
As her vision cleared, she saw the blonde pull herself up to her knees. The younger woman was a mess. Her face, so refined and beautiful only minutes earlier, was slashed and swollen, covered in blood. Her hair was snarled and disheveled, her clothes torn and shredded. Jenn knew that she didn’t look much better than her rival. She was still lying on her side facing Lurlene. She knew the blonde was watching her like a hawk, tensing herself, ready to resume the battle. Their eyes met. Both still proud and defiant. Both filled with hate. Both ready to kill or be killed. If necessary.
***************
“I guess Sethro wasn’t expecting me to spit in his face like I done. Took him by surprise. Pissed him off too.”Sethro roared like a wounded bear and back-handed me across the face with all his might. My god, how it hurt, but I bit my lip so hard that it drew blood, and I forced myself not to cry out. No way was I gonna give the big son-of-a-bitch the satisfaction of hearing me cry. Even if he killed me. Which, judging from the wild look on his face, was a possibility. I mean, there we were, hidden from view under the twisted cottonwood.
“You dirty little whore, you done it now,” Sethro rasped as my own spit dripped off his beaky nose down to my forehead. He grabbed my wrists again and pinned them down before I could do anything. I decided to try reasoning with him, hoping he’d buy it. Then when he got off me, I’d do my best to get the hell away from him.
“Awww, Sethro, you don’t have to be so rough now,” I purred. “Why don’t you get off me an’ we’ll go back to Miss Fourcade’s. I’ll give you a poke. Or two. As many as ya want. Free. No charge.”
“Oh, you’re darn right you’ll give me a poke, you will. But right here, right now.” Sethro leered down at me. He was breathing hard. Not because he was tired from me struggling against him. Oh, no. He was breathing heavy for one reason and one reason only. “You had your chance, bitch, an’ you done fucked it up,” he continued. “I’m done bein’ nice.”
“FUCK YOU, SETHRO!” I yelled in a rage. I started thrashing wildly again but he was twice my size and nothing I tried did any good. I was trapped, pinned under him, helpless. He was totally getting a kick out of watching me squirm and struggle, the rotten bastard.
(God, if you really do exist, please PLEASE grant me one miracle and sent Bill Hickok back down long enough to rescue me!)Sethro pulled my arms down to my sides and pinned them with his knees. His hands free, he grabbed at my bodice and was just starting to rip it open when a commanding voice barked out from Hickok’s grave.
“Boy, you best get off that girl while you’re still able to.”
***************
Heidi relaxed in the tub while Kassi picked up Jo’s clothes and bundled them up in the corner.
“You think we should head back to Miss Johnson’s?” she asked.
Heidi leaned back and closed her eyes, letting the cool water wash over the cuts and scratches on her body from the fight. She murmured, “She doesn’t need us. She can handle that old cow, no problem.”
“What if her girls show up?”
“Gunilla is there. And so is Cleever. Let them deal with it for now. I’m tired. All I want is to sit here in this tub.” She turned her head and opened one blue eye. “There’s room enough for the both of us,” she whispered with a giggle.
The taller blonde smiled at the invitation. In a matter of a minute, her clothes were on the floor and she was easing herself into the tub with Heidi.
“Damn, it’s cold!” she gasped as she slid down into the water, facing Heidi. The other girl giggled, lifted her bare foot up and playfully splashed Kassi. “Hey, no fair!” Kassi laughed and splashed back. Then both blondes stopped playing and started caressing each other gently with their fingertips under the water. Soft moans of pleasure filled the bath house as the caresses grew hotter and more intimate. Neither blonde was aware of the canvas flap being jerked open but the loud voice that followed jolted them out of their reverie.
“Well, isn’t this just the prettiest little picture!”
Heidi and Kassi whirled their heads around to see Gemm standing in the opening, her hands on her hips, her eyes narrowed, a cruel smirk on her pretty face. Flanking her were Tee Poo and Clemmy. Miss Sara slid inside the bath house and moved off to one side near the scattered clothes.. All four girls glared at the blondes in the tub.
“Oh shit,” Heidi muttered under her breath. Totally vulnerable in their nakedness, both girls stole a quick look at their clothes and realized there was no way to reach them without a fight.
“Word of this should get out,” Tee Poo laughed. “Then maybe more men would be taking baths here.”
Clemmy added, “We could sell tickets. We’d fill the house.”
Sara giggled, “Standing room only!”
Kassi found her voice. “All right, you had your laugh. Now get out so we can dress.”
“Not bloody likely,” Gemm snapped. “Not till we get a few answers. Where is Jersey Jo?”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about. We didn’t do anything to her.” Heidi said quickly. Too quickly.
Jenn’s girls looked at each other. They each gave a quick nod, then turned their attention back to the nude blondes, who seemed to shrink a little bit in fear.
“We seen that bunch of jackals, the Pettis boys, riding like bats outta hell from here,” Tee Poo said. “Looked to be carrying something, or somebody, under a blanket. You wouldn’t know nothing about that now, huh?”
“No,” Heidi spluttered.
“I swear,” added Kassi.
Sara looked down at the heap of skirts, bodices, panties and stockings on the dirt floor. She suddenly picked up a blue satin ruffled skirt from the pile.
“Clemmy, this is Jo’s, isn’t it?” the actress asked, holding the skirt up for everyone to see.
The Southern girl nodded grimly. “It sure is.” Then she turned to face Heidi and Kassi. “Where is she?”
“I promise you I don’t know!” Heidi cried.
Kassi nodded vigorously. “That was already on the ground when we got here!”
“Bollocks,” Gemm snapped. “I’ve been spoiling for a fight! I say you’re lying! And we’re gonna beat the truth out of you!”
The dark-haired British beauty charged toward the tub, viciously grabbed Kassi’s long blonde hair and yanked her, screaming, out of the water onto the floor. The blonde’s long legs kicked wildly in the air, splashing water everywhere. Heidi managed to scramble out of the tub but Tee Poo tackled her before she could take a step. The angry Cajun girl and the frightened blonde landed in a tangled heap of arms and legs on the ground.
Kassi somehow was able to twist her body around and slam her foot hard into Gemm’s belly. The British girl groaned and stumbled backwards, getting her feet tangled up in her long skirt. She lost her balance and fell hard on her ass.
The tall blonde got to her feet in a flash, moved toward her seated foe and smashed her foot into Gemm’s face. As the Brit fell on her back, Kassi hissed out,
“Swinia!” (“Pig!”) through her clenched teeth. When she lost her temper, the blonde sometimes lapsed into Polish, her native language. That’s what happened now. She turned to help Heidi who was taking a furious pounding from Tee Poo on the other side of the room. The smaller blonde was on her back, her hands covering her face, her bare feet kicking up dirt, as the Cajun girl sat on her belly and rained down punch after punch. Since Heidi was doing a good job blocking them, Tee Poo stopped punching and turned her attention to the blonde’s vulnerable naked breasts. With a snarling laugh, she sank her nails deep into them, hissing out, “That’s right! Scream,
putain! Scream for Tee Poo!”
“
Moj piekny Heidi!” Kassi cried out as she hurried to help her friend. But she was blindsided by Clemmy before she got halfway there. The Alabama lass used the blonde’s hair to whip her around and send her careening toward Gemm who was now back on her feet with the help of Sara. The two stood shoulder to shoulder, the blonde actress and the dark-haired soiled dove, as Kassi got closer, unable to stop herself.
“You take the high road . . .” Gemm hissed.
“You take the low road . . .” Sara finished.
As Gemm slammed her fist into the oncoming blonde’s belly, causing her to gasp and double over, Sara connected with a short right to her jaw. Kassi’s beautiful blue eyes rolled up, her body stiffened, and she toppled over onto her back.
“And I’ll be in Scotland before ye,” Gemm smirked as she looked down at the fallen blonde.
***************
Jenn swung her legs out in front of her as she watched the panting blonde on her knees facing her. Jenn was breathing hard too, her sweaty matted hair plastered to her red face. The blonde’s eyes flickered as she glared at the older brunette.
The old cow is exhausted, Lurlene thought to herself with grim satisfaction. Now’s my chance to finish her off, once and for all.
With a great effort, the blonde heaved herself to her feet. Jenn still lay there, resting on her arms. She planted her hands on the floor and tried to pull herself up but her arms buckled and she collapsed back down. The blonde’s smile grew bigger. Her eyes met Jenn’s. the brunette blinked, then looked down, her face registering resignation and defeat. I’m done, her expression seemed to say.
Lurlene moved in, supremely confident. Already her mind was working out the wicked details of how she was going to humiliate the older bitch. As she got closer, Jenn sprung her trap. Her body, slumped n total defeat just seconds earlier, suddenly coiled into action. Her right foot lashed out like the strike of a rattler. The heel of her boot connected with the blonde’s left kneecap. Caught totally off-guard, Lurlene howled in agony as her leg buckled and she collapsed in a heap, clutching her knee.
Jenn stood up and kicked the blonde in the ribs. “Young and stupid,” she hissed. “That’s why you’ll never beat me.”
Lurlene whimpered and tried to curl up in a ball. But Jenn grabbed her hair and yanked the sniveling blonde up to her feet. Lurlene’s arms waved helplessly as she tried to favor her injured leg. Still holding the younger woman’s hair firmly, Jenn paid her back for the earlier punch by slamming her fist into the blonde’s nose. Lurlene wailed and started to sink to her knees, the fight pretty much beaten out of her, but the evil brunette wouldn’t let her fall. Instead she dragged the screaming stumbling blonde out of the parlour, stopping only to yank her back up every time she fell. Jenn opened the front door and stepped out onto the boardwalk with Lurlene in tow.
The thoroughfare was teeming with people, all busy with their personal affairs. Jenn pulled the blonde out in front of her by her hair, standing her upright. Lurlene’s arms dangled at her sides, her eyes were half-closed, gurgling blubbering sounds escaped her swollen lips. The onlookers gaped in surprise at the two bloody disheveled women, their expensive dresses torn and ruined. Then their surprise turned to astonishment when Jenn lifted her foot and kicked Lurlene so hard in the ass that the blonde pitched forward off the boardwalk, landing facedown in the mud.
***************
(Bill? Is that you?)Sethro straightened up and turned his head toward the voice. I was able to lift my head too. It wasn’t Bill Hickok standing there by his grave. He didn’t come back to save me. I guess maybe that woulda been too much of a miracle, even for God.
No, it wasn’t Bill. Standing by Colorado Charlie Utter’s marker was a young man in his 20’s, with a strong handsome face and steel gray eyes that were fixed on Sethro. He nonchalantly lounged against the wooden marker, chewing on a long blade of grass, his right hand resting lightly on the handle of the Colt Navy 1851 in his holster.
(He’s got a Colt 1851 just like you, Bill! Except for the fancy pearl handles on yours.)“Boy, I’m not gonna tell you again.”
His voice was low, quiet, barely above a whisper. But there was power behind it. You could feel it.
Sethro felt it too. But he still tried to bluster his way out of it.
“This here ain’t none of your business, buddy. So why don’t you just move on along?”
The young man spat out the blade of grass. He straightened up and took a step away from the marker.
“I’ll move on along once you get off the young lady and leave her be.”
Sethro’s eyes bugged out, his mouth opened and closed a couple times before he was able to splutter, “Lady? Shit, she ain’t no lady! She’s nothin’ but a damn whore!”
The man’s gray eyes flashed dangerously. His body tensed. Sethro was too damn stupid to see that he was about to step into a world of shit.
“Everybody’s gotta make a living,” the man said. “Don’t give you the right to be disrespectful. Now this is the last time I’m gonna tell you. You get your scrawny ass up off that girl. While you still can.”
Nobody moved a muscle for what seemed like forever. Although I could feel Sethro trembling slightly on top of me.
(Oh God, please don’t make him pee himself now!) His watery blue eyes darted down at his own gun, then back up to the man standing in front of us. His gray eyes seemed to be inviting Sethro to take a chance. His right forefinger tickled the handle of his Colt.
Finally Sethro slid off me. Without a word. He stood up and shuffled a few feet away, never taking his eyes off the silent young man.
“Don’t know what the damn fuss is all about,” Sethro muttered. “She’s only a whore.”
“Next time pay for it, instead of trying to take it by force.” The young man turned his attention to me. “You all right, miss?”
“I’m fine,” I said quietly, trying to keep my voice from shaking. Grateful for the rescue, still scared half to death and also a little embarrassed over the fuss.
“He won’t bother you any more.” Just as the words left his lips, the young man whirled toward Sethro and his gun was out of the holster in a flash. He fired and I turned in time to see Sethro’s gun fly out of his hand. His palm filled with blood and there was a small gaping wound where the bullet went clear through. Sethro clutched his hand and stumbled down the hill toward Deadwood. He tripped and fell, picked himself up and hurried away without looking back.
“I never saw him again, Bill. Some say he lit out that night, leaving his claim and grubstake for anyone who wanted it. Dumb titty-biting son-of-a-bitch!”I looked at the young man as he holstered his Colt.
“You . . . coulda killed him.”
He smiled. It was an easy smile. A friendly smile. His gray eyes met mine. There was a light twinkle to them now, one that hadn’t been there a minute ago.
“You’re right. I coulda. But that woulda been more trouble than he was worth. I knew I could make him skedaddle if I just winged him.”
He walked over and extended a hand. I took it. His grip was strong, secure. I felt safe. He helped me up to my feet, then watched as I brushed the grass and pine needles from my clothes.
“Thank you so much. I don’t know what woulda happened if you hadn’t come by when you did, Mister . . .”
“Tyree. Ryan Tyree. Call me Ryan.”
“Thank you, Ryan. I’m Laurel Luckett. Everybody calls me Little Bit.”
“I’d rather call you Laurel. If that’s okay with you.”
***************
The battle in the bath house was fast and furious. And very one-sided. Outnumbered four to two, Heidi and Kassi were beaten worse than they had ever been beaten before. Their vulnerable nude bodies were ruthlessly attacked with punches, slaps, pinches and kicks. Nipples were cruelly twisted. Bare butt cheeks were spanked till they turned bright red. Blonde hair was pulled out by the roots. Miss Jenn’s girls were very thorough. And sadistic. Even Sara seemed to enjoy her role in the beating.
Powerless to defend themselves, Heidi and Kassi endured even more punishment. They knew Lurlene was busy with Jenn. But where the hell was Gunilla?
***************
“Goddess come to earth!”
Gunilla gaped at the strangely dressed tall man who had stopped her on the thoroughfare and grabbed her arm. He was wearing an enormous Mexican sombrero with a huge brim, a flowery ascot around his neck, a gray vest with pearl buttons, leather chaps over his trousers and was carrying a fancy walking stick.
She stammered,
“Forlata mig?” (“Pardon me?”)My dear, your beauty is breathtaking! Enchanting!” He bowed deeply and kissed her hand. “You deserve to be on the stage! Allow me to introduce myself. John Langrishe, at your service.”
“Jag forstar inte . . .” (“I do not understand . . .”)Langrishe bellowed, “Can somebody please find me a squarehead to translate to this beautiful goddess that I wish to make her a star?”
He kept his grip on her arm and led the perplexed young blonde down the thoroughfare back toward the Langrishe Theatre, chattering at her every step of the way. Gunilla kept looking back over her shoulder toward the bath house but couldn’t escape the strange man’s clutches.
***************
Finally it was all over. The nude beaten blondes huddled on the ground in the corner, whimpering and pleading for mercy. The four vicious vixens stood over them in triumph, not even breathing hard, with barely a scratch on them, savoring their victory.
“Well? We’re waiting. Where is Jersey Jo?” Clemmy demanded.
“The Pettis boys took her,” Heidi sobbed.
“We bloody know that!” Gemm snapped. “WHERE did they fucking take her?”
“I . . . don’t know . . .”
Bullshit!” Tee Poo hissed.
“I swear . . .” Heidi cried.
“It’s true!” Kassi added. “All they said was they were going up the Spearfish Road. Honestly!”
“Please! Don’t hurt us any more!” Heidi whimpered piteously. “We’ll do anything you want!”
“Anything!” Kassi sobbed.
The four girls exchanged evil grins. Tee Poo walked over to the flap and opened it. Linda Littletrees was standing there, sucking on her ever-present licorice stick.
“Bath house is closed for the rest of the day. Don’t let anyone in.”
The Crow woman nodded. “Okay.”
***************
Lurlene was sprawled out in the mud, spluttering and gasping. A crowd started to gather. Jenn took her time, slowly parading around her fallen enemy. Then she reached down and grabbed the younger woman’s mud-caked hair, pulling her up to her hands and knees. She used the blonde’s hair to drag her down the thoroughfare on all fours. Lurlene’s palms slapped down noisily in the muck as she crawled along in total defeat and humiliation. Jenn smiled and nodded her head pleasantly at the spectators as if she was just taking a leisurely afternoon stroll. Startled horsemen reined in their mounts as they gaped at the spectacle.
C.C. Cleever was smoking a long thin cigar in front of the telegraph office. His eyes grew wide and the cigar nearly fell from his slack mouth as Jenn approached, pulling the sobbing beaten blonde behind her. Jenn threw Lurlene down at Cleever’s feet and gave her one final kick in the ass for good measure. The blonde crumpled in a motionless heap and lay there, gasping and moaning.
Jenn looked up at Cleever and said in a calm quiet voice, “Send this baggage back to our friend Mister Hearst with my fondest regards. Tell him the better woman prevailed.”
She nodded again, took a last look at the so-called Queen of the Blondes lying on the ground, then turned and walked back toward her house.
***************
“And that’s pretty much the end of the story, Bill. It sure was a long day.
After Sethro high-tailed it down the hill, Ryan and I stayed up by your marker and talked a while. He told me he came here to see your grave. So I guess in a way you WERE kinda responsible for him being there to rescue me.
I think he kinda likes me, Bill. Said he wants to take me dancing over at the Bella Union this Saturday. I really like him too. I hope Featherlegs says it’s okay. I sure hope she doesn’t charge him. You think she would?”I did say this was the end of the story of the day the blondes descended on Deadwood. Well, that’s not altogether true. One more thing happened. At least I THINK it happened. I really don’t know for sure.
See, I was just about to head back down to town. Except for the thing with Sethro and Ryan, I missed most of the excitement of the day. The girls all filled me in later.
As I started to bend down to pull one last weed from Bill’s grave, I suddenly became aware that I was being watched. I coulda sworn I was all alone. Ryan had gone. Sethro was God knows where. But I couldn’t shake the feeling that someone was up here with me. Then I heard the horse snort.
I looked up. About fifty yards from me was a brown Appaloosa horse with snowflake spots. Sitting on it bareback was a blonde in an Indian buckskin vest and fringed skirt. Even sitting on the tall horse I could tell right away that she was a small blonde. Smaller even than me. A real half-pint. She didn’t move, didn’t speak, just stared at me. Then she brought her right hand up and, with her eyes never leaving mine, slowly slid her thumb across her neck.
A cold shiver ran through me. I had no idea who this tiny blonde was, had never seen her before. Before I could speak, the sun, which had been hidden behind a cloud, suddenly burst through, blinding me. I blinked and raised my hand to shade my eyes from the glare. When I could finally see again, the blonde on the horse had vanished.
TO BE CONTINUED
