Frank
Frank walked down the board walk in the general direction of the little restaurant he had noticed on the way into town.
The air was crisp and the sky was clear, away from the lights of town Frank always marveled at how many stars you could see on a clear night like tonight.
Touching his Colt 45 that hung from his hip, it was a habit Frank did quite often.
The touch of the pearl white grips gave him comfort, he had them custom made for his special Colt.
Frank like to edge the bets in his favor, it wasn't because he wasn't fast with the gun, it was more of an ego booster to know his Colt was one of a kind, "The Quicken" the gun smith like to call it.
A fanning hammer was installed, the trigger was adjusted for a pull of less then 6 ounces, the frame had been lightened where it could without sacrificing the integrity of the structure.
The barrel had been cut down to 3.5 inches, so that it could clear leather faster and his holster had the front cut away in the shape of a horseshoe... faster yet...
"The Quicken" Frank was smiling to himself as he reach for door of the restaurant.
Stopping mid way, Frank listened to the voices.
"Shit" he thought
Finally he turned the handle and went in...
After running off the cowboy, Michael didn't want to leave Hedi unattended at the Cabin.
So they rode into town for a hot meal and he would leave in the Morning For Horeshoe Bend.
Before they left, Michael told Hedi to wait as he dismounted and went into the cabin for a few minutes..
He came back out with a oil skin bundle.
Hedi looked at him "Whats that?"
"Old Memories" Michael replied
Hedi could tell Michael didn't want to talk about it, so she left it alone.
Michael was sort of a mystry to her, He could be hard one minute and the most loving man the next.
She always felt that inside him was a torment that he fought dialy, Michael was a man who was running from his past and she wanted to help him, to love him, if he would ever let her.
Old habits are hard to break, and this one Michael was glad to have, with his back against the back wall, he saw the Cowboy enter the room.
Hedi whispered, "Isn't that one of the men?".
Not taking his eyes off him, Michael replied "Yes, it's one of the brothers"
"Brothers?" Hedi said as she looked my way.
"This one is Frank and the big one is Big John"
Michael watched as Frank talked to the waitress and how he slipped something to her.
Frank looked over at them and smiled.
The waitress went into the back and Michael heard a door slam somewhere in the back of the building.
"Hey dirt farmer, how is your whore?" Frank said
The room went quite.
Hedi put her hand on my arm "Please Michael, don't"
He felt that old feelings start to well up inside of him...boiling over as Michael kept telling himself, He was not like that anymore...He had changed..
The idiot started walking towards us, saying things that wasn't registering anymore....
Michaels hands gripped the edges of the table as they shook with rage...
Frank was still taunting him as he stood over Michael..
Com'on boy, you lose your nerve maybe your whore there needs a real man.
A calm came over Michael, it felt like an old friend that he hadn't seen in years..
Kicking the table into Frank, Michael grabbed his gun hand before he could grab his Colt.
The bones in his hand ground together as he let out a screamed that sounded like a wild animal caught in a trap.
Michael slapped him hard, lifting him up and over the table that had been behind him.
People scattered, trying get out of the room before gun fire erupted.
At that moment Big John with those two other cowboys, Jake and Smitty came running into the restaurant, Big John's Colt was in his hand and he was pulling back the hammer when Michael heard a voice behind Big John say "That will be enough"
Sheriff Allen had a double barreled shot aimed right at his back..
"Sheriff look what he did to my brother"
"Well what I heard was he was trying to start a fight with an unharmed man"
The Sheriff looked around the room, there were some nods from what people couldnt get out of the room.
Big John noticed he was out classed so he slowly put his Colt away.
About that time Frank, the idiot Michael slapped over the table was pulling himself up from the floor as his gun hand hung limp at his side.
Rubbing his jaw, He gave me the best I'll kill you Look I've had for a long time.
"Well Sheriff I'm glad your here, I'd like to make a complaint about that Farmer over there" Big John said
"My name is Michael" he said
"Whats your complaint" the Sheriff asked
"That farmer stole a deed from our brother"
"What that hell I thought "Brother?"
"Michael can you explain?"
Michaels jaw dropped and his eyes widened as he let that sink in
He stood there for a minute before he could muster a shocked reply
"Sheriff those men killed their so called brother..Ben"
The Sheriff looked hard at Big John and Frank "Is that true?"
"Hell no Sheriff that dirt Farmer killed him for the Deed and set fire to his own place to make it look like someone else did it"
"Michael is that true your farm is burnt down"
"Yes sir, early this morning but if you remember right, we had a conversation before I left town"
"I do remember Michael but that doesn't mean you couldn't of started it after getting home"
"Tom Stevens was fighting it when I got there, he is my witness"
Big John whispered something to Smitty and Jake.
"Sheriff my boys are dead on their feet, can they get out of here to get some shut eye before we hit the trail?"
"Yea get out of here and stay out of trouble" the Sheriff yelled after them
"Sheriff you shouldn't of let them out of here" Michael said
"Son you have more to worry about then, them"
Big John smiled at Michael.
"Michael I know your a good man but if I didn't lock you up until I can verfiy your story with Tom Stevens, Well I wouldn't be a good Sheriff"
Big John started laughing "Serves you right going and sticking your nose where it doesn't belong"
The Sheriff nudge Big John again the shotgun bringing a flinch from the jolt to his spine.
"Shut the hell up Big John before I lock you and your brother up just for fun"
"You wouldn't" Big John was getting tired of this
"Like hell I wouldn't" and the Sheriff shoved him with the shotgun.
"Well you old fart" Big John said as he turned on the Sheriff.
The confusion from the hard slap and the tumble over table had Frank in a daze.
Finally the dazed cleared and he started to reach for his Colt.
One of the Sheriff's Deputies hit him in the face with the butt of his Winchester, knocking a couple of teeth loose and smashing his lip.
Blood poured from the gash as he stumbled backward, trying to find some kind of purchase to regain balance.
Stunned by his brother's blow, Big John hesitated and The Sheriff shoved his shotgun hard into his gut, bending him over.
Ok Boys, thats enough, The Sheriff said..
Smirking he said.. Deputies take their guns and put them in the cell.
Both men were facing the Sheriff, "Dammit you two I don't want to put a load of buckshot into you but I will"
"Sheriff you just take care that murdering farmer" Hold his stomach Big John said through gulps of air as he pointed in the general direction of where Michael had been standing.
The Sheriff glanced between Frank and Big John and said "Who"
Both men swung around "God dammit his gone"
Hedi stood there with her arms crossed and said "Yes and with good reason"
"Dammit Hedi I was just trying to protect him" The Sheriff said
"He's a murder Sheriff" Frank said from a bloodly mouth
"Michael is no more of a murder then the Pope" the Sheriff said..
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