home, he rarely had more than an occasional beer in the heat of the
afternoon. He didn't like the aftereffects. Liquor, he'd learned the
hard way, dulled the senses and the reflexes, and with half the
gunslingers in the territory wanting to build their reputations by
killing him in a shoot-out, he wasn't about to drink anything more
dulling than water.
Someone was having a mighty fine time. He heard laughter again and
tried to turn his head toward the sound. Pain shot up from the base of
his neck, causing bile to rush to his throat. Ah, Lord, he felt like
hell.
"Looks like he's coming around, Josey. You'd best get on back home
before he starts growling and spewing. You're liable to get your
feelings hurt." Sheriff Tom Norton stared through the bars of the cell
while he addressed his wife of thirty years.
Josey Norton scurried away before Cole could get his eyes focused. It
took him a minute to realize where he was. He gritted his teeth as he
sat up on the narrow cot and swung his legs to the floor. His hands
gripped the mattress and his head dropped to his chest.
He studied the sheriff through bloodshot eyes. Norton was an older man
with weather-beaten skin, a potbelly, and melancholy eyes. He looked
like a harmless hound dog.
"Why am I in jail? " The question was issued in a sharp whisper.
The sheriff leaned against the bars, crossed one ankle over the other,
and smiled. "You broke the law, son."
"How? " "Disturbing the peace."
"What? " "No need to shout. I can see it pained you.
You've got a nice bump on the back of your head, and I don't suppose
yelling is gonna make you feel better. Don't you remember what
happened? " Cole shook his head and immediately regretted it. Pain
exploded behind his eyes.
"I remember being sick."
"Yes, you had the influenza. You were sick with fever for four days,
and my Josey nursed you back to health.
Today was your second day out of bed."
"When did I disturb the peace?
" "When you crossed the street, " he said cheerfully. "It was real
disturbing to me, the way you walked away while I was trying so hard to
convince you to stay in Middleton until the appointment came through.
I gave my word to someone real important that I would keep you here,
son, but you wouldn't cooperate."
"So you hit me over the head."
"Yes, I did, " he admitted. "I didn't see any other way. It wasn't
much of a hit though, just a little thump with the butt of my pistol on
the back of your head. No permanent damage was done, or you wouldn't
be sitting there growling at me.
Besides, I did you a favor." The sheriff's chipper voice was grating
on Cole's nerves. He glared at him and asked, "How do you figure
that?
" "There were two gunslingers waiting for you to get into the street.