The Heart of a Warrior
By
Daniel Running Water
Chapter Two
List of characters:
Hawk aka Thomas Hawk 24 Strong Bear's son
Shadow aka Trevor Spenser 24 Twin brothers to Hawk
Kyle 40 Senator from Montana
Jacob Mathews 22 Secretary to Kyle and also his lover
Flaming Arrow aka Clark 23 Married to Hawk
Moon Dancing aka Rebecca 23 Married to Shadow
Moon Shadow aka Jason 8 son of Shadow and Moon Dancing
Captain Bradley Anderson 30 Gay doctor
Previously in chapter one:
When Bradley entered the emergency room, he was directed to a cubical that was used for those of importance in Washington, and he gasped when he saw Senator Cooper lying there, with Rebecca standing beside him.
"I'm Dr. Anderson and you are..." Bradley asked Rebecca.
"I'm his niece, Rebecca Spenser," she said. "My uncle just suddenly collapsed on us, after complaining about his head aching," she told him, while Bradley examined Kyle.
"Did he strike his head when he fell," he asked, and Rebecca shook her head.
"When he fell, he fell backward on onto the sofa."
"Has he been complaining about headaches before today, miss?"
"No doctor, but his family has noticed his sudden mood swings and..." she paused, not sure if she should continue. "First he's pleasant and agreeable, and then he is snapping at you as if you were his worse enemy," she said. "Even his personal secretary is at odds over his mood swings. I have also noticed that he seems to have bouts with confusion," she added.
As they further talked, Kyle suddenly regained consciousness and demanded to know where he was and why.
"Calm down Senator Cooper, you are at Walter Reed Hospital," Bradley calmly told Kyle. "It appears that you had some kind of seizure sir," he added.
"Nonsense, I had a headache earlier, but I feel just fine now," Kyle adamantly stated. "I insist on going home... immediately," he said demandingly.
"Seeing how you are here sir, why not let us see what caused you to collapse," Bradley suggested.
"Listen young man, I am going home and that's the end of this here discussion," Kyle said, rising to a sitting position. "And where is," he paused, turning toward Rebecca, as if trying to remember something or someone. "Shouldn't Roaring Thunder be here instead of you, young lady" he demanded. "And just who in hell are you," he asked looking closely at Rebecca as if a total stranger.
"I'm your niece Rebecca, and surely you remember that Roaring Thunder has been dead for some time now, uncle," she whispered, giving Bradley a cautious look.
"Nonsense...I just spoke to him earlier today," he bitterly said, standing and grabbing quickly for the bed to steady him.
"I really should insist that you let me run some tests senator," Bradley offered, grabbing Kyle before he fell. "It shouldn't take more than a day or so," he added.
"Listen you damn upstart, I'll have your license if you do not release me," Kyle snapped, staring the young doctor in the eyes. And where did you say that this place is?"
"Walter Reed Army hospital, senator," he reminded Kyle.
"It really doesn't matter," he turned, "so whoever you claim to be, release me...now," he insisted. "If you do not release me immediately, I'll see that you do not practice medicine here or at any other hospital."
"Very well sir, I'll get the paper for you to sign, releasing the hospital of any responsibilities," Bradley said dryly to Kyle, turning on a heel and leaving the room.
"Uncle Kyle, why not let the nice doctor and let him run some tests, this way if there is something wrong with you, he could fix it?"
"Thank you Rebecca for caring," he said now suddenly knowing her. "But truly, I am feeling like my old self," he quietly said, caressing her cheek with his hand. "Now why don't you go find Roaring Thunder and tell him that I wish to go home, like a good little girl," he began and suddenly, Kyle dropped unto the bed.
"Help! Oh God, will someone help me," she screamed out, causing nurses and Bradley to come rushing in."
Now chapter two:
After a week of tests and finding nothing wrong with Kyle, other than his lapses of memory, it was determined that he was suffering from dementia and he was released.
"It's about time that doctor released me," Kyle snapped when Jacob picked him up.
"Now sweetheart, he was only doing his job as a doctor," Jacob said, trying to persuade Kyle that it was for his own good.
While Jacob and Kyle talked, Bradley came in with his prescription for dealing with Kyle's ailment.
"I'm prescribing a mild dose of mercury for treating your memory problems, Senator Cooper," Bradley told him, handing the prescription to Jacob.
"I'll take that damn prescription," he grumbled again, snatching the paper from Jacob's hand. "Is this safe doctor?" he asked, trying to read Bradley's handwriting. "How in hell can a pharmacist read this, when it looks like a chicken had a fight on the paper?"
"If you take this down to the pharmacy here, I can assure you that they will be able to read it and I assure you that it is quite safe to use or else I would not be prescribing it. Now if you'll sign here... and here, very well, now you can go home sir."
"It's about time is all that I have to say," he said standing up and grabbing Jacob's arm. "Let's get out of here," he murmured and pulled Jacob along.
"Good luck Jacob," Bradley whispered.
"I am going to need it doctor," he replied.
"Need what... what are you going to need," Kyle snapped, looking determinedly at Jacob.
"Directions to the pharmacy darling," he lied taking leading Kyle to the elevator.
Bradley decided to look in on Flaming Arrow, who was now in a semi-conscious state. No longer able to find a reason to keep Hawk hospitalized, he was being released today, but did not need to report back to base for another two weeks.
"I do beg your pardon," Bradley said, as he stepped into Hawk and Flaming Arrow's room.
Hawk was just stepping from the bathroom, having taken a bath before dressing. Just when he stepped from the bathroom, naked, Bradley stepped into the room.
"Have you not ever seen a naked man before, Bradley," Hawk asked standing proudly naked, his manhood dangling to the right and semi-hard.
"Why...why yes I have, but I did not expect to find you naked, Hawk," he stammered, his eyes still drawn to Hawk's manhood.
Coughing nervously, Bradley turned and placed the paperwork for Hawk's discharge on his bedside table.
"Damn, that guy is endowed," he thought to himself, remembering how large Hawk was. "I'll need you to sign these papers, Hawk," he stated, his back to the dressing Hawk.
"You can turn around, I am dressed enough to not embarrass you Bradley," Hawk said, Bradley turned to find Hawk as he was pulling his tee shirt over his head, his breeches already up and hiding his manhood, even though Bradley could see the firm outline of it in his breeches.
"You finish dressing and I'll give a quick check to Flaming Arrow," he said, his eyes still taking in the handsomeness of Hawk's body, trying to remember the last time that he had been with a man...sexually.
"He is no different today than he was the other day. He periodically opens his eyes, but then closes them again as fast as he opened them." Hawk said now stepping over to stand beside Flaming Arrow's bed.
"That is a good sign though, it shows that he's coming out of his semi-conscious state and hopefully will fully wake up soon."
"Once when he awoke, he muttered something but I was not close enough to hear it clearly," Hawk added.
"Father," Flaming Arrow called out, not loud and clear for both men to hear.
"Sweetheart wake up...it is I, Hawk my love," Hawk whispered close to Flaming Arrow's ear.
Flaming Arrow suddenly opened his eyes, glancing haphazardly around the room as if wondering where he was. Bradley leaned close and looked into each eye, using the light of a match to determine if Flaming Arrow's eyes were working.
"Where am I," he said in a weak voice, looking up at Bradley.
"You're at Walter Reed Army hospital, Flaming Arrow," he answered.
"Where...who did you say," he softly asked and then looked over at Hawk as if he were a stranger. "Who are you and just who is he," Flaming Arrow asked, pointing clearly at Hawk.
"It's me darling... your husband," Hawk said, smiling warmly at him and lowered closer to give him a kiss.
"Husband... I don't know you now leave me alone," he yelled thrashing at Hawk and causing him to back away.
With a look of alarm on his face, Hawk turned to Bradley for answers.
"He is experiencing amnesia, which is quite common for someone that has experienced such a severe head injury," Bradley told him.
"But will his memory come back to him... will he remember me eventually," Hawk asked as his eyes began to well up with tears.
"Most do get their memory back with time, but then some don't Hawk. I'm going to be open and honest with you, his brain suffered a great deal of bruising, so he may not regain all of his memory back."
"Gah-ween... what if he doesn't remember that we are husbands? I cannot take him not remembering the love that we have," Hawk said, glancing over at his husband, feeling a great tug at his heart.
"Time Hawk, you must give him time to remember. His brain is still healing from the trauma and hopefully with time, he will remember all."
The door flew open and Abe, along with Swift Sparrow, Strong Bear and Yellow Hawk, entered the room.
"You are awake, son," Swift Sparrow remarked, lowering down and placing a kiss to Flaming Arrow's brow.
"Who the hell are you... and these others," Flaming Arrow asked, pulling back and cowering beneath the covers.
"I think that it would be best if you all leave," Bradley recommended, causing a collective gasp from those that were standing there.
"I will not leave my son... not since he is awake now," a stubborn Swift Sparrow said determinedly.
"I know that you want to care for him, but he's suffering from amnesia and doesn't know any of you," Bradley explained. "Hopefully with time, and once his brain is fully healed, he may regain his memory."
"What is this... this amnesia?" Swift Sparrow asked, looking over at his son.
"Amnesia is the medical term for when a person loses the memory due to a head trauma or injury," Bradley explained. "As I told you earlier, your son sustained quite a dramatic head injury and now, it is evident that it left him with a loss of his memory."
"Can he return to his home, I will have our shaman treat him," Swift Sparrow asked, his arms stubbornly crossed at his chest.
"There is nothing that one can do for him at this time, but to allow his brain to fully recover," Bradley retold them.
"You're not my father...you're an Indian, and clearly if you look at me, you'll see that I am not," Flaming Arrow pointed out.
"Flaming Arrow, we are you adopted fathers. Your parents were killed by renegades," Abe told him, standing close, but not so close that Flaming Arrow felt threatened.
Everyone watched Flaming Arrow as he tried to remember, and when it was clear that he could not, he began to weep.
"Please... give him some time to adjust to this. It must be very traumatic to wake up and not know who you are," Bradley said, urging them to leave.
"My son, are you coming with us," Strong Bear said to Hawk.
Hawk looked at Bradley and the doctor nodded.
"Yes father, I am leaving with you," Hawk reluctantly said, hating to leave Flaming Arrow by himself.
They left, and it was now just Bradley and Flaming Arrow, that were alone in the room.
"What happened to me doctor," Flaming Arrow finally asked once he had calmed down.
Bradley told him everything that had happened to him and all of his family history, but he left out the part of Flaming Arrow and Hawk making love on the night that they were caught. He felt that if asked to testify, he would damage the case more than help it, so he left out about that.
"So I guess my name is really Flaming Arrow and that Hawk is my husband," a shocked Flaming Arrow said, his tears flowing down his cheeks as he tried to accept all that was told to him.
"I know that this may overwhelm you Flaming Arrow, but every word that I told you is true," Bradley said.
"It may be true doctor, but it doesn't mean that I have to accept it as fact any longer," he said with a determination in his voice as he considered all that it meant. "I really don't have an attraction to this man, Hawk," he added.
"Maybe right now you don't but I time you may come to realize that you do love him, for I have never met a man so devoted as he is to you."
"That very well may be true, but it doesn't change a fact that I am not interested in him. If you find him so damn admirable, then why don't you take him," Flaming Arrow asked, shocking Bradley with his statement.
"I'll let you rest a while and come back later and check in on how you are doing," Bradley said, tucking in Flaming Arrow before he left.
When Bradley stepped outside the room, he found a teary eyed Hawk standing there.
"You heard didn't you Hawk?" he asked.
"Ay-uh, Hawk heard every word that Flaming Arrow said, including how he no longer loves me," Hawk cried, rushing into Bradley's arms, burying his face against Bradley's chest and weeping.
"Come on Hawk, this is not the place for you to break down," Bradley said, noticing how passing nurses and doctors looked at the two of them.
He took Hawk to his office and when he had closed and locked the door, embraced Hawk and let him cry until he had no more tears to shed.
"What am I to do, Bradley, Flaming Arrow has been my life for so long," Hawk asked as he wiped away his tears with the back of his hand.
"That's a decision that only you can make buddy," Bradley said, still holding Hawk to him. "I'll take you handsome, for I would cherish being loved by you," he thought while holding Hawk.
Jacob helped Kyle up to their bedroom and tried to entice Kyle into bed.
"Is that all that you can think of is sex...sex and more sex. Damn it man, get your ass out of my sight," Kyle yelled, practically shoving Jacob from the room.
Angered by Kyle's words, Jacob flew down the stairs and took a walk into the gardens to think. As he walked, Jacob heard the soft voice of someone singing, their voice was purely heaven to Jacob. He began following the voice as he moved carefully through the maze of hedges.
"I'm sorry...I wasn't aware that anyone else was here in the maze," a beautiful boy of sixteen said, when Jacob startled him by his sudden appearance.
Jacob looked at the half naked boy who was wearing but a cut off pair of jeans. His body was bronzed to a lushes golden tan and voluptuously sensual in appearance. His long golden blond hair was tied back with a leather string, and his eyes were the bluest of blues as they looked up at Jacob's.
"What is your name," Jacob asked, gazing on the toned body of the boy.
"William Burke, but my friends call me Billy," he said, fluttering his lashes, which were long and thick, most assuredly the envy of many a girl.
"I'm Jacob and it's a pleasure to meet you," Jacob said, offering his hand toward the boy.
Billy shook his hand and when Jacob continued to hold it, he smiled and allowed himself to be pulled into Jacob's embrace, just as he allowed Jacob to kiss him.
Jacob's arms surrounded the boy, one hand drifting down to his hard, round ass, as the other sought out his nipple.
"Noooooo don't," Billy moaned, breaking the kiss, his hands pushing against Jacob's chest, trying to get away from Jacob, but to no avail.
"Have you ever done this before," Jacob whispered, his voice thick with need and desire for Billy.
"No sir, it is wrong," he replied.
"So you feel that what I just did is wrong, Billy."
"Yes sir...please let me go," he replied.
Jacob could feel the boy's cock as Jacob pushed against it, both were hard and thick with need as they ground their groins together. Jacob, thinking that the boy was enjoying it, continued to kiss him as his hands fumbled with the buttons of Billy's shorts. Once undone, Jacob gave them a shove and they fell to Billy's feet. Billy fell as he tried to step away, looking at Jacob's cock, which was pushing against the fabric of his breeches.
"I don't know about this sir...I don't think my parents would like this," he said, nervousness lacing his voice. "I really must go," he said and again, Jacob grabbed him and pulled him to him, holding him tightly.
"So who is going to tell your parents," Jacob asked, lowering his own breeches and tossing them aside as he held the boy with his arm.
He lowered him to the grass and all the while he heatedly kissed him, Billy struggled to get free from Jacob's vice like hold.
"Please don't sir...this isn't right," he cried, still pushing against Jacob's chest.
"I'll be very gentle with you Billy," Jacob promised, lifting the boy's legs high and moving his own body forward until his own cock had come to rest against the boy's rosebud.
Jacob lowered his mouth down to Billy's and kissed him, shoving his tongue into the boy's mouth, as he thrust his cock deep into the boy's virgin sheath. Billy cried out in pain against Jacob's mouth, the pain so overwhelming as Jacob impaled him on his large cock and began to thrust deep and hard into the boy's heat.
"Relax and it'll soon turn to pleasure," Jacob promised as his own ass propelled his cock deeper and harder into Billy.
Billy turned his head and cried as Jacob continued to rape him, the pain evident in his eyes as his tears flowed. Jacob knew that he was wrong to have taken this boy in such a way, but his anger at Kyle had overpowered his good judgment, and by raping Billy, Jacob felt that he was hurting Kyle.
Driving merciless into the boy's heat, Jacob pounded his ravaged ass until his climax was close.
"It's almost over Billy...I'm going to shoot and fill you with my seed," Jacob said, moaning loudly as he pummeled deeper and harder into the boy.
"Aaaagggghhhhh fuck...take it Billy," Jacob howled, thrusting hard and deep until he was spent.
Satisfied and exhausted, Jacob pulled his manhood from the boy, seeing blood surrounding his cock and leaking from the boy's ass.
"Oh shit...what have I done," Jacob asked, looking down at the crying boy, who laid there in a lethargic state, his life's blood oozing from him and mixed with Jacob's seed.
Jacob knew that he had raped the boy and his mind was whirling in a million directions as he tried to think of what he should do.
"Billy I'm so sorry for what I did," he cried out, but Billy refused to look at Jacob as his tears flowed freely. "Please forgive me Billy...please," he cried against the boy's ear, hoping that Billy could find it in his heart to forgive him.
Billy was in pain from the rape and his mind that was now filled with hatred for Jacob, brought the boy back to the present. Billy staggered to his feet and almost fainted when he saw the blood on the grass. He ran his hand to where he'd been filled and found more blood there and shivered with fear.
"You just wait until I tell my father what you did," he yelled, his voice weak from the ordeal. "He'll kill you, Jacob...surely he will kill you," he added, causing Jacob to panic even more.
"No Billy, please don't tell anyone," he begged, now pulling his clothes on and running his fingers through his hair as he tried mentally to assess the situation. "I'll give you money...lots of money Billy, you'll be rich, but please promise not to tell on me," he asked, digging in his pockets and pulling many bills from it, thrusting it at the boy. "Here Billy, take this and I'll get you more...lots more," he promised shoving the bills toward Billy.
Billy hit his hand away, knocking the money to the ground. He pulled his breeches on and began to hurry away...still crying and with much anger in his eyes.
"Where are you going," Jacob asked as he grabbed the boy by the shoulders, turning him to face him.
"I'm going to tell my father on you. You are an evil man and deserve whatever my father does to you," he said, his voice filled with venom as he looked into Jacob's eyes.
Fear and dread of what could happen to him, caused Jacob to move his hands up along the boy's throat and squeeze. Billy's eyes widen as he tried to take a breath, his fingers digging into Jacob's hands as Jacob squeezed tighter. Jacob squeezed with all of his might and when he saw Billy's eyes close, he let the boy fall to the ground...lifeless, Jacob gasped.
"Oh my God...what have I done," he said in complete shock as he stepped back, looking down at Billy's lifeless body.
Jacob ran, and ran fast, as he hurried into the house. He rushed upstairs to his bedroom and pulled open a closet door, removing a strong box from a shelf.
"Damn it Jacob...why did you have to kill the boy," he murmured to himself as he struggled to open the box, oblivious of someone entering his room.
"Jacob, what on earth are you doing babe," Kyle asked as he stepped into the room, seeing Jacob rifling through his closet. "I've been looking for you, I thought that we could make love," he said, again himself mentally and causing Jacob to turn on a heel to face Kyle.
"Now you want to make love, well forget it Kyle, you're too late," he yelled and turned back to the box and opening it, eying the thick wads of cash that lay within it. "I'm done with you and this...this mental state that you are torturing those who love you with."
"Awe baby, I'm sorry for the pain that I have caused you Jacob, please babe, just give me one more chance...I love you Jacob," Kyle begged, placing his hands about Jacob's waist.
"I can't Kyle...I've killed a boy and now I must flee," he blurted out, not wanting to but he did, causing Kyle to take several steps back from Jacob.
"My God Jacob, why?" he asked, holding his hand to his brow.
"Because of you Kyle, because you were so cruel to me earlier, I ran from the house and you, and when I came upon Billy working in the maze...I seduced and raped him," he murmured, and the revelation of his deeds as he spoke them caused his own heart to break, realizing the man that he'd become since he left Montana.
Jacob looked a moment longer at Kyle and sighed. Jacob felt no better than his father, who'd once been an outlaw in Montana. Why his own father had once boasted when thinking Jacob was not around, how he had raped and then killed her and her family as if it was nothing. Jacob now felt the outlaw and just as vile as his father.
"I'm glad that you're dead father," he mentally said. "Mother was right to turn you in to the authorities. But could she...would she do the same to her own son," he anguished in his mind.
"Jacob if it were an accident, surely it won't be held against you," Kyle reasoned, seeing how desperate Jacob had become, bringing Jacob back to the present.
"An accident...an accident Kyle, did you even hear a single word I said? I raped the boy and when he threatened to expose me...I strangled him," he said, throwing a travel bag onto the bed, and rushing around the room frantically as he gathered clothes to place in it.
Kyle only nodded and turned, leaving the room in despair, knowing he'd lost Jacob and also his career. Jacob closed the bag and after he placed the money into his coat pockets, fled the room. When he stepped into the warmth of the waning sun, he heard the anguished cry of a man. He knew that it was Billy's father and that he had found his son's body right where Jacob had left it.
"Dear God forgive me for what I have done," he whispered as he hurried to the stable where his horse was kept, knowing that a horse would be much faster than taking a car, for he did not yet know where he would go.
Kyle stood at his bedroom window and watched, as his life rode away. He looked down to his hand and shivered when he saw the gun that he held.
"What's the use in living when all I have done is to ruin those around me that I love," he said, raising the gun to his temple with a shaking hand.
The funeral had been limited to just family, as Kyle was laid to rest. Although innocent of any misdeeds, the authorities had blamed Kyle for the death of Billy. They had assumed that out of guilt over what he had done to Billy, Kyle had taken his own life.
"I will not believe such a thing as murder of Golden Hawk," Strong Bear said to Yellow Hawk as the whispered together at Kyle's grave.
"Ay-uh husband, he was too gentle a man to have done such a thing," Yellow Hawk agreed. "Now this man called Jacob, surely he'd be capable of such a thing, because I have seen the evil that lay in his eyes," he added, Strong Bear nodded.
"No one even knows where this man is...it's like he's vanished from the earth," Strong Bear said. "But our Great Spirit knows, and he'll see that justice is done for Golden Hawk."
"Ay-uh my husband," Yellow Hawk whispered, his arm wrapped around Strong Bear's as they turned and walked away from the grave.
"Father, may I talk to you privately," Hawk asked, stopping his fathers.
"Ay-uh my son," Strong Bear said, placing his hand on Hawk's shoulder and smiling warmly at him. "What is it that you wish to share with your fathers," he asked.
"My outfit is shipping out for Europe next week and I wanted you to know. It may be years before my eyes drink your faces," Hawk sadly said, looking at Strong Bear and then Yellow Hawk.
"Surely your injury would keep you from further serving in the army of the white man," Strong Bear asked.
"No father, because I am fully recovered from them, but Flaming Arrow, he's to be medically discharged and will be traveling home with Walking Tall and Swift Sparrow once he is able to travel."
"But he's your husband, son," Yellow Hawk said, needing to say his words.
"No longer, father, for his mind divorced me from him and to him, I am but a stranger."
"Then win his heart and love again, my son. You did it once, surely you can do it again," Strong Bear suggested, pulling Hawk into his embrace. "You and he were destined for each other, surely destiny has not changed her mind about this."
"Gah-ween father, Flaming Arrow has made it plain to me that he does not want me any longer," Hawk said, pulling away from his father's arms and letting his tears flow freely. "I am going to go to war and maybe when I am gone from his life, he'll miss me and want me back in his arms when I return," he added and walked away.
"Life has been so unfair for him," Yellow Hawk said, sighing.
"Life for the Choctaw in never fair, we have to make what we can of it," Strong Bear said, wrapping his arm about Yellow Hawk's waist and leading him away.
"My son, your fathers are leaving on the white man's train in the morning," Strong Bear said to Shadow when they gathered around after the funeral.
"Gah-ween father, surely you can stay until Golden Hawk's estate is settled," he asked, his eyes pleading with Strong Bear.
"Gah-ween son, for this Chief has been gone to long already from his people," he told him, resting a hand upon his son's shoulder. "My people's welfare must always come first to their Chief."
"And what about your life father... what about your own happiness," Shadow asked.
"You and Hawk are my happiness, son, for no father could be more proud of his sons as I am," he said, hugging Shadow tightly, knowing that, this too was probably the last time that he would see Shadow again.
"Then give the Chieftainship to another and come and live with us, enjoy your grandchildren," he said smiling at his father.
"Grandchildren, surely you meant grandson," Hawk questioned as he looked at Shadow and then turned his eyes to a smiling Rebecca.
"No father, grandchildren, because Moon Dancing is with child again," he said beaming at his father, with his wife now in his arms.
"Oh Shadow, I am so happy for you and Moon Dancing," Yellow Hawk said, hugging first Shadow and then Moon Dancing. "Surely you can do as your son asks, give your Chieftainship to Bear Claw and let him now be Chief," Yellow Hawk asked.
"Strong Bear will give much counsel on this matter, but still, I must return and personally give my Chieftainship to Bear Claw," he quickly added.
"Yes father, give much thought to what I have asked," Shadow said, hugging the great Chief warmly. "I am sure that uncle left me the house and all of his riches, which will give me enough money to support all of us here," he said, happy that his father had not totally said no to living with him.
"As I said son, I shall give much counsel to what you have said."
Jacob sat at the bar in a saloon drinking, as he made his way west. He had decided to return to his mother and father's home there, knowing that no one would think to look for him there.
"Hey buddy, did you hear how some senator from Montana was accused of raping and killing this young boy?" a man said that was sitting beside Jacob.
"What was that that you said," Jacob asked as he turned to look at the man.
"It's right here on the front page of the gazette," he then pointed to the headline.
Jacob snatched the paper from the man's hands and began reading the story. He smiled when he read how Kyle had shot himself out of guilt for having raped and then killed a young boy name William Burke.
"Well I'll be damn, they blamed it on him," Jacob said as a smug smile inched across his lips. "That changes everything," he whispered. "Thanks," he said and handed the paper back to the man.
Jacob downed the last of his drink and hurriedly left the saloon. Untying his horse's reins, he mounted his steed and rode off, making his destination... Alexandria, Virginia.
To be continued...
Please let me know what you think at danielrunningwater@yahoo.com
Thank you, Daniel