Everett Brooks and the Midnight Riders: Part 3
Lessons learned in the Hollow.
Prologue | Part 1 | Part 2| Part 3 | Part 4 | Epilogue
Sunlight filtered in through the gauzy curtains over the window, and Everett Brooks woke the next morning to find Caroline standing over him with a familiar Remington 1858 revolver in her hands. From his spot on the couch, Brooks’ initial dismay turned to curiosity as he watched Caroline run her delicate fingers over the nickel plated cylinder, blued steel frame, and the initials etched into the walnut grip: K.V.
He had spent the night in Caroline’s room because, as she so eloquently put it, every other room was occupied by “paying customers.” Caroline had coyly insisted the bed was big enough for the both of them, but Brooks opted for the couch regardless.
“You best have a good reason for riflin’ through my bags,” he said, somewhat more brusquely than he intended, though Caroline seemed not to notice. She turned to face him, the gossamer frills of her nightgown shimmering in the morning light, hinting at the sensual body underneath.
“I’d recognize this pistol anywhere,” Caroline whispered, her voice thick with emotion. “You don’t remember me, do you?”
Brooks was puzzled. “Should I?”
“I remember you.” Caroline’s gaze returned to the Remington. “And I remember her.”
Everett Brooks tenderly placed his rough gunslinger’s hands over her flawless ones. “What is it you remember, Caroline?”
Sweet Caroline took a shuddering breath as the memories flashed through her mind. “Three years ago, you and your Midnight Riders robbed a train a few miles outside of Dodge City.”
“We did,” Brooks acknowledged. He remembered the job well since it was the last train heist the outfit had pulled before their falling out. “What do you know about it?”
“I was on that train with my fiancé. He was a cavalry officer, and he’d been deployed to Fort Dodge, so we were headed there to get married. Start our life together.” Caroline paused to wipe away tears that sprang unbidden to her eyes as long suppressed emotions boiled up inside her. “Anyways, you and your gang stopped the train, hopped onboard, and you promised nobody would get hurt as long as we cooperated. So we did. Everyone on that train handed over whatever you decided was worth taking.
“But when you left for the luggage car, a man with wicked eyes, wearing a black hat and black duster, decided he wanted more. He told me I was just too damn pretty for him to pass up a chance for a tumble. He meant to have his way, but my fiancé, brave fool that he was, leapt to defend my honor. You came back when you heard the gunshots, and she came with you.
“I’ll never forget how you pulled him off me and kicked him halfway down that train car. Nor will I ever forget the genuine kindness and concern in your eyes as you helped me to my feet, which surprised me because you’d just robbed a whole train’s worth of innocent folks without batting an eye. And I’ll never forget the righteous fury blazing in her vivid blue eyes as she pulled out this gun and jammed the barrel against his head before you stopped her.”
“That was you?” Everett Brooks murmured in disbelief. “I always wondered if our paths would cross again.”
“I loved my fiancé, and I would have sacrificed my honor, and my virtue, if it meant he’d still be alive. I thought for sure my life was over, but you saved me. And I’ve thought about you and that fierce woman of yours every day for the last three years. I never thought I could love another man after what happened. When I saw you with Mr. MacTavish and Rudabaugh yesterday, I realized that I’ve loved you all this time because of what you did for me, I just didn’t know it.”
“All things bein’ equal, it was my actions that led to you falling from the respected wife of a cavalry officer to…well…”
“A harlot? A painted lady? Trust me, there are girls out there got it a lot worse than we do here at the Hall. Mr. MacTavish only takes a small portion of our pay, he treats us with respect, and allows us to choose who we let into our beds. He provides us with the best medical care in Heaven’s Hollow, and, most importantly, he never touches us or takes advantage of us.”
“You don’t say.” Brooks had never heard of a man who ran girls and didn’t sample the merchandise from time to time.
“And it’s got nothing to do with his condition. Even without that, he still wouldn’t lay a hand on us.”
“Wait…what condition?”
“Oh…right…you wouldn’t know. Mr. MacTavish suffered a wound during the War that made him…impotent.”
“MacTavish fought in the War?”
“He was wounded at Shiloh, fighting with Grant.”
“Well now, he conveniently left out the fact that he was a damn Yankee when he was bein’ ever so loquacious yesterday!”
“War’s been over for ten years, and he’s paying you right generously. Does it matter?”
“No,” Brooks admitted. “No, I suppose it don’t.”
He reached out for the Remington, and Caroline handed it over after a moment’s hesitation. It was Brooks’ turn to study the revolver, a faraway look in his eyes. She sat next to him on the couch, intertwining her fingers with those of his free hand. He accepted her touch without protest.
“I was sorry to hear about her murder. Truly. Most everyone thought you were dead too. And then rumors of Everett Brooks roaming from town to town, taking bounty jobs and hunting the Riders, started swirling,” Caroline gripped his chin and turned his bearded face towards her. She leaned in until her lips brushed against his. “I’m glad the rumors were true.”
For one uncertain, blissful moment, Caroline thought Everett Brooks was going to let down his guard and kiss her with passionate fervor. Instead, he abruptly pulled away and reached for his boots.
“I’ve got to go check in with Teddy,” Brooks said hoarsely as he stood and buckled his gun belt around his waist. And just like that, he left Sweet Caroline sitting forlornly on the couch.
Teddy Freeman sat on the porch of the Heaven’s Hollow jail, sipping on a pleasantly steaming cup of coffee, and enjoying the crisp morning air. Unlike the day before, the sun was shining and there were few clouds to be seen. The ivory grip of his long barreled Colt .45 poked out from under his wool jacket, and a Winchester Mare’s Leg rifle lay across his lap. Teddy was fond of this time of the morning; when he could drink his coffee and watch the town wake up as people went about their daily business.
It was the worst kept secret in Heaven’s Hollow that the town’s deputies were in cahoots with the road agents that had terrorized citizens and travelers alike for almost six months. The sheriff turned a blind eye because he was old and fat and cowardly, wanting nothing more than to spend his twilight years enjoying the privileges of being chief lawman. Teddy was pretty sure the Sheriff was on the take as well, but he couldn’t prove it. The former slave was the only honest deputy in Heaven’s Hollow, and that was why Everett Brooks had entrusted Teddy Freeman to keep an eye on Otis Hauser until his business in town was concluded.
Teddy savored another swig of coffee…and stopped mid-gulp. Above the usual clamor of passersby going to and fro, he heard the rhythmic pounding of dozens of hooves beating the ground all at once. He looked to the northeast and saw an ominous cloud of dust rising from the road as a large group of horsemen galloped in the direction of the town. Teddy Freeman dumped the rest of his coffee, retreated into the jail, and frantically barred the door. Behind him, Otis Hauser laughed menacingly.
“They're comin’, Teddy, and ain't nothin’ you can do to stop them.”
Lost in thought, Everett Brooks trudged towards the jail, absentmindedly meandering among his fellow pedestrians. His thoughts were scrambled and confused after the morning's revelations. The Dodge City train incident had been the catalyst for he and Kat leaving the Midnight Riders, a decision that ultimately led to her death. Finding out Sweet Caroline was the woman he saved from the depredations of Amos Blackburn was a shock he had been unprepared for.
The crack of gunshots rolling down the streets, reverberating off the wood and brick buildings, pulled him out of his melancholy reverie. Bloodcurdling whoops and howls filled the air, and more than a dozen riders thundered into view. Everett Brooks’ blood ran cold.
The Midnight Riders had come to Heaven’s Hollow.
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Great stuff again Josh. Really enjoyed you building up the characters this week with action clearly just around the corner
Just a quick question for my own learning and curiosity about your writing process
When you wrote the prologue, did you have all this planned out or is it just a case of sitting down to write and seeing what happens?
Either way, each chapter flows perfectly to the next so can’t wait to see what happens next 👍🏼
The hunter and the fallen woman shared a night
Falling asleep after their passions burned so bright
In the morn, he woke to find her, his gun in hand
and instead of being scared, he waited while
She let him know that she remembered the night he and
a gang robbed a train, and he saved her from being raped
Leaving her and her dead beau behind.