The Heart of Lincoln County 8/?
Title: The Heart of Lincoln County
Author: darkfaery1
Chapter: 8/?
Series: TDS/TCR/The O'Reilly Factor
Genre: Western AU
Chapter pairings: Jon/"Stephen," Steve/Tad, John/Amy
Chapter rating: R
Content: slash sex, Old West violence, language, angst, prejudice, mild het content.
Word count: 2900
Chapter summary: Amy returns to Lincoln. Jon performs a mitzvah.
Author's Note: Thanks to my beta insanekht for all her help. 'Damfino' was a name used by the brilliant silent filmmaker, Buster Keaton, for three boats: two fictional (which sank) and one real (which didn't). The members of the International Buster Keaton Society call themselves 'Damfinos'. I always thought it would make a smashing name for a brothel, which is why I used it.
Disclaimer: This is a work of fiction and is not intended to portray the life or defame the character of any actual person. Any similarity between the fictional version of the person portrayed here and the actual person is purely coincidental. No money is being made from this work of fiction. It is not intended to infringe upon any copyrighted material. Any mention of any copyrighted material is reasonably protected by the Fair Use Rule of the United States Copyright Act of 1976.
Crossposted to tds_rps
Chapter 1, Chapter 2, Chapter 3, Chapter 4, Chapter 5
Chapter 6, Chapter 7
"Where is he going again?" asked an increasingly irritated Stephen.
John used every excuse he could think of to go outside and look up the street for any sign of Amy. He'd been worried sick ever since he saw her drive off with Bill O'Reilly yesterday afternoon. Though Tad wouldn't say where his brother was, he did confirm John's fears that O'Reilly was very probably taking her to see Paul.
So he ran errands, delivered goods to elderly customers, and swept the porch repeatedly. When he ran out of excuses, he left the store to have a look anyway. It wasn't until mid afternoon when John finally saw O'Reilly drive back into town, but there was no sign of Amy. John told Tad he was going to have a closer look and ignored Stephen's demands that he return.
***
Amy tried to keep still in the back of the buckboard, but every bump and pothole Bill hit (on purpose, she was sure) was agony to her battered frame. Some might say it was a miracle she was still alive after Paul's brutal thrashing, but Amy wished her beau had finished her off. At least she wouldn't be in pain anymore. She opened her left eye (the right was swollen shut) to see that they had just entered Lincoln and were approaching the Damfino.
She wondered what Annie would say and if the madam would punish her further by not calling Doc Stewart. Amy almost managed to smile at the thought of the doctor's kind face, but what if he never knew she needed him desperately?
The buckboard stopped in front of the brothel. Annie and that tattletale Samantha came out to meet Bill. Dizzy and nauseous, Amy sat up slowly, her left arm hanging useless at her side. She tried to wrap her trembling shoulders in the dirty horse blanket one of the ranch hands had given her out of pity.
"God dammit, Bill!" Annie said angrily when she laid eyes on Amy . "Nobody's gonna pay to fuck her for weeks!"
Bill regarded his paramour unsympathetically. "Ain't my fault the little bitch set Paul off."
Amy tried to get herself out of the buckboard before Annie 'helped' her, but Annie just glared at her in disgust.
"You get yourself to the doctor," Annie said when Amy finally made it to her feet, giving her a little shove in that direction. "I hate having that Jew in my house."
Since Paul had destroyed her dress, she was left her in blood-stained chemise, petticoats, and a horse blanket in which to walk down the street. Amy let a despairing moan escape her bloodied lips, but took a few unsteady steps towards the doctor's house. She had only gone a few feet before she heard someone call her name. At first, she was sure it was Paul coming to hurt her again, but then she recognized John's dear voice.
Oh God, don't let him see me like this, she thought, but as soon as she saw her darling Englishman and the look of outrage and concern on his face, she let the horse blanket fall to the ground and staggered into his arms.
John glared at O'Reilly and Annie Coulter in turn as he gently held a sobbing Amy. "What in heaven's name is wrong with you people?" John said, his own voice breaking. "How could you let this happen?"
"Let her go, Oliver," warned O'Reilly. "This ain't none of your concern."
John wrapped his coat around Amy's shoulders. "I am taking her to the doctor," he said, putting his arm around Amy's waist and draping her good arm over his shoulders. "If you want to stop me, you'll have to shoot me."
"He'll do it, John, please let me go. I can make it on my own." Amy attempted to pull away, but her knees buckled.
"I will not abandon you to them." John turned and began to walk slowly with Amy, when O'Reilly fired a warning shot just to the side of the couple. "Next time, Englishman, I won't miss."
"Next time, Bill…well, I'll kill you before there's a next time." Somehow, Tad had snuck up on the group and pointed his revolver between O'Reilly's eyes. "You were gone so long, John, I got worried."
Amy raised her head and tried to smile. "Hey, Tad."
"Oh, sweet Jesus, Amy, I'm sorry," Tad said. "Come on, let's get you to Doc Stewart." Tad kept his gun trained on O'Reilly as the trio walked away.
"Remember," Annie yelled after them, "she's under contract to me! If you try to hide her, I'll send the law after you!"
***
Stephen had a store full of customers he was frantically trying to serve all by himself. Suddenly, most of them rushed to the doorway to watch some spectacle in the street. Stephen joined the crowd and saw John and Tad helping a badly beaten woman down the street, presumably to Jon's house. It took him a moment to realize it was one of the Damfino girls, the pretty blonde that Oliver fancied.
"Mr. Colbert," said Mrs. Hodgman. "Do you approve of your clerks associating with such women? I'd expect that sort of thing from one of the Dinello boys, but that nice Mr. Oliver, never."
Stephen looked at her, his brow furrowed. "Did you see her?"
"Of course I did," the pious farmer's wife replied. "Little harlot, running around in her petticoats. It's more than decent folks should have to bear."
"No, I meant her face," Stephen said, mystified. "Someone beat her half to death. My clerks did the only Christian thing they could do."
***
Jon was enjoying a cup of tea while reading a medical journal, The Lancet, when Tad and John Oliver barged in with Amy between them. Tad gently lifted her onto the examination bed.
"It was Paul," Tad told him, his cheeks red with shame. He went into the parlor to wait as if he had no right to comfort Amy.
John held her hand and feather-stroked her battered face. Tears streamed down Amy's bruised cheeks, but the oddly contented smile on her lips told Jon they were tears of joy and relief.
"John," the doctor put his hand on the clerk's shoulder. "I need to examine her. Why don't you wait in the parlor with Tad and I'll call you in when I'm through."
"It's all right, honey," Amy whispered. "I ain't going anywhere."
When the door to the parlor was closed, Jon began by looking for any neurological damage, not that he could do anything for it. She had a concussion, but that would resolve without any lasting effects. The soft tissue damage to her face would heal as well, but there were several deep cuts on her cheeks and forehead that would need stitches. Her left shoulder had been dislocated and she had two fractured ribs, but upon palpation, he felt no abdominal rigidity that would indicate internal bleeding. There was significant bruising on her inner thighs and buttocks, as well as vaginal tearing and rectal bleeding.
Amy had been raped and sodomized.
Jon turned away and went to his cabinet of medical supplies. He stared through the overflowing drawers and thought about the dozens of times he watched Paul demean and abuse Amy, but did nothing to stop it. The reasons for his inaction seemed hollow and cowardly. When his eye fell on his teacup resting on the edge of the cabinet, it took all his self control not to smash it against the wall. Instead, he let a few angry tears fall before Amy brought him out of his self-indulgent reverie.
"Doc?" she said, then when he didn't answer, "Jon, I need you to be strong for me right now. Am I gonna be all right? Can you fix my arm?"
Jon wiped his eyes roughly and turned back to his patient. "You're going to be fine and we're going to fix your arm right now."
With Tad and John's help, Doctor Stewart popped her shoulder back into place, which Amy withstood more bravely than any of his male patients would have. Jon bathed her and stitched her up, then settled her in a soft bed in his spare room so she could sleep; all the while, a ridiculous idea formed in his mind.
"How much money do you have?" Jon asked the two clerks. "For Amy."
"All I got is fifty dollars, but it's yours," Tad said.
John reached in his pocket and pulled out all the money he had in the world. "It's only twenty two dollars--what are you going to do?"
"Buy out Amy's contract," Jon told them with a slightly mad grin on his face. "I have three hundred, but I don't think it'll be enough."
John's eyes glimmered with hope. "You mean, she won't have to go back to that horrid place?"
"If we can manage it," the doctor said.
"Why don't you ask Stephen?" John suggested. "He thinks the world of you--perhaps enough to lend you money."
Jon went over to the store to find it closed, with Stephen still scurrying around inside. When Stephen saw him, he smiled brightly and waved his casted hand. He unlocked the door and let Jon inside.
Stephen's pleasure at seeing Jon didn't last. "Are both my employees still at your house?"
"Yes, they're looking after Amy for me."
"Don't get me wrong, Jon," Stephen said. "I'm as compassionate as the next person, but business is business. I feel terrible about what happened to that poor girl, but I'm going to have to dock their wages for the day. By the way, shouldn't you be with your patient?"
"My patient is why I'm here," Jon told him.
Stephen regarded Jon expectantly.
This wasn't going to be easy, but it had to be done. "Stephen, I need to borrow some money."
The merchant recoiled from his friend and brought his hand to his chest as if he'd been stricken. "Why? And how much? And why?"
Jon looked up at Stephen with his most pathetic expression. "I'm afraid if Amy goes back to the Damfino, she'll wind up dead, and I just can't let that happen. I want to buy out her contract. I have almost four hundred dollars, but I don't think it'll be enough. I wouldn't ask if it wasn't important, but I need your help."
Stephen turned even paler than usual. He swallowed hard and stared at Jon in disbelief. "You want to buy her?"
Jon winced. "Please don't put it like that."
Stephen backed away from him, terrified. "You're in love with her, aren't you?"
Jon wanted to cheer. Stephen was actually jealous! "Stephen--"
Stephen put his finger in his good ear and began to hum Dixie.
Jon grabbed his hand and pulled his finger out of his ear. "Stephen, I'm not in love with her!"
Stephen glanced at Jon's hand still holding his, then gazed into his blue eyes. "You're not?" he asked, relieved.
Jon shook his head and caressed Stephen's fingers with his thumb, grateful he didn't pull away. "I care about what happens to her, but I'm not. I'm in love with…someone else."
"Really?" Stephen smiled so widely, his whole face lit up.
"Really." Jon cupped his cheek, stood on his toes, and pressed his lips to Stephen's. Jon withdrew and saw excitement and a little apprehension in his dark eyes. "I hope that was all right."
"You'll get better with practice," Stephen said matter-of-factly, causing Jon to giggle.
Stephen then opened his safe. "Let's go buy ourselves a prostitute! Wait," he said, pausing, "did you kiss me just because you wanted to borrow money?"
"Of course not," Jon said. "I've wanted to kiss you since the second day I knew you."
"The second? Why not the first?"
"Because you really irritated me that first day."
***
John sat by Amy's bedside watching her sleep. It was strange, but he had little trouble seeing past the cuts and bruises to her beautiful face. Tad had told him Paul was violent, but John would never understand how anyone could hurt such a sweet creature. He had seen a great deal of evil working east of Charing Cross in London, but here in Lincoln it seemed to infect the very air.
Tad opened the door and motioned for John to follow him into the other room. The Englishman reluctantly left Amy's side and joined Tad in the parlor.
"I just wanted to say how brave you were, takin' on Bill like that," Tad said sincerely.
"I didn't feel very brave," John replied. "Thank heavens you showed when you did."
Tad shrugged and stared at the floor. "I know Doc Stewart said Amy would be all right, but this is all my fault."
"How is it your fault?"
"It'd take too long to explain, but I'm going to get Paul and bring him back into Lincoln, so he can answer for this, as well as some other things."
John looked at his friend in alarm. "By yourself?"
Tad nodded. "Something I gotta do."
"But why not ask Steve to help you?" John suggested.
Tad just took John's hand and shook it. "I'm glad we're friends, John. I know you'll take real good care of Amy."
John watched Tad ride out of town on his horse, wondering if he'd ever see him alive again. John looked in on Amy one more time before rushing to the jail. Thankfully, Steve and Sheriff Black were there.
John told them about Amy's ordeal and that Tad had gone to fetch his brother. "I think he could use some help, don't you?"
"I'd like nothing more than to arrest Paul Dinello," Steve said, "but I don't know where he is."
"Tad wouldn't tell me either," John replied.
"Ask Doc Stewart," Black said. "If Paul got shot, Stewart would know about it. He's the most uncooperative cuss in this town; doctor-patient privilege, my ass. But now that his favorite whore's got herself beat up, he might be willing to talk."
John's desire to return to Amy's side prevented him from asking just what in the hell the sheriff meant by that.
***
Jon and Stephen stood in the frilly, cloying parlor of the Damfino, facing the intimidating Annie Coulter. Stephen clutched his strongbox tightly, as if he expected Coulter's girls to descend upon him and rob him at any moment. He wished he could hold Jon's hand for comfort, but had to settle for imagining it in his mind's eye.
"Don't blame me for what happened to Amy," Annie said defensively. "I had nothing to do with it. I'm losing money because of what that son of a bitch did to her. I know she's no good as an entertainer right now, but she can keep the place clean and do the other girls' laundry. When can I put her to work?"
"She was very severely beaten," Jon told her. "She has a serious concussion, her shoulder was dislocated and he broke two of her ribs."
Annie's eyes narrowed. "No stallin' now. I know that Englishman wants her for himself."
"We'd like to buy her contract," Stephen said, anxious to get down to business, so he could get down to kissing Jon somewhere private.
"It ain't for sale," Annie said, folding her arms.
The fact that she was still in the room told Stephen that Annie was willing to negotiate. "We'll give you three hundred." Jon pulled at his sleeve, but Stephen ignored him.
The madam snorted. "Eight. Amy's always been a big moneymaker for me."
"It'll be six weeks before she'll be able to make any money for you at all," Jon said. "And she'll have scars on her face for the rest of her life."
Annie swore under her breath.
"Four hundred," Stephen offered.
"Six-fifty," Annie countered.
Stephen whispered something to Jon that had nothing to do with their negotiations, and started for the door.
"I won't let her go for a penny less than five hundred," Annie said with an edge to her voice that told Stephen she was firm. "Take it or leave it."
Jon looked to Stephen, who nodded. "Done."
***
Jon and Stephen returned to the doctor's house to find a young man waiting for them.
"Where's Paul Dinello?" he asked Jon without introduction.
Jon glanced at the tin star pinned to the man's waistcoat. "You must be Steve."
"Doctor, you must tell the deputy where he is," John said urgently. "Tad's gone to bring Paul back to pay for what he did to Amy, but I'm afraid he might get hurt--or worse."
Steve face betrayed a look that told Jon he had no interest in pressing charges against Paul for assaulting Amy. This was about something more serious. The stage robbery and murder, perhaps? What in the hell did Tad tell him?
"I want to help Tad, but I don't know where he went," Steve said. "I have reason to believe Paul was recently injured during the commission of a crime, and I thought maybe you, as the only doctor in town, might know where he is."
Jon's concern for Tad overrode his annoyance at the deputy's veiled accusation. "He's at Bill O'Reilly's ranch."
"Thank you," Steve replied sincerely. "What's the fastest way to get there?"
To be continued…
Author: darkfaery1
Chapter: 8/?
Series: TDS/TCR/The O'Reilly Factor
Genre: Western AU
Chapter pairings: Jon/"Stephen," Steve/Tad, John/Amy
Chapter rating: R
Content: slash sex, Old West violence, language, angst, prejudice, mild het content.
Word count: 2900
Chapter summary: Amy returns to Lincoln. Jon performs a mitzvah.
Author's Note: Thanks to my beta insanekht for all her help. 'Damfino' was a name used by the brilliant silent filmmaker, Buster Keaton, for three boats: two fictional (which sank) and one real (which didn't). The members of the International Buster Keaton Society call themselves 'Damfinos'. I always thought it would make a smashing name for a brothel, which is why I used it.
Disclaimer: This is a work of fiction and is not intended to portray the life or defame the character of any actual person. Any similarity between the fictional version of the person portrayed here and the actual person is purely coincidental. No money is being made from this work of fiction. It is not intended to infringe upon any copyrighted material. Any mention of any copyrighted material is reasonably protected by the Fair Use Rule of the United States Copyright Act of 1976.
Crossposted to tds_rps
Chapter 1, Chapter 2, Chapter 3, Chapter 4, Chapter 5
Chapter 6, Chapter 7
"Where is he going again?" asked an increasingly irritated Stephen.
John used every excuse he could think of to go outside and look up the street for any sign of Amy. He'd been worried sick ever since he saw her drive off with Bill O'Reilly yesterday afternoon. Though Tad wouldn't say where his brother was, he did confirm John's fears that O'Reilly was very probably taking her to see Paul.
So he ran errands, delivered goods to elderly customers, and swept the porch repeatedly. When he ran out of excuses, he left the store to have a look anyway. It wasn't until mid afternoon when John finally saw O'Reilly drive back into town, but there was no sign of Amy. John told Tad he was going to have a closer look and ignored Stephen's demands that he return.
***
Amy tried to keep still in the back of the buckboard, but every bump and pothole Bill hit (on purpose, she was sure) was agony to her battered frame. Some might say it was a miracle she was still alive after Paul's brutal thrashing, but Amy wished her beau had finished her off. At least she wouldn't be in pain anymore. She opened her left eye (the right was swollen shut) to see that they had just entered Lincoln and were approaching the Damfino.
She wondered what Annie would say and if the madam would punish her further by not calling Doc Stewart. Amy almost managed to smile at the thought of the doctor's kind face, but what if he never knew she needed him desperately?
The buckboard stopped in front of the brothel. Annie and that tattletale Samantha came out to meet Bill. Dizzy and nauseous, Amy sat up slowly, her left arm hanging useless at her side. She tried to wrap her trembling shoulders in the dirty horse blanket one of the ranch hands had given her out of pity.
"God dammit, Bill!" Annie said angrily when she laid eyes on Amy . "Nobody's gonna pay to fuck her for weeks!"
Bill regarded his paramour unsympathetically. "Ain't my fault the little bitch set Paul off."
Amy tried to get herself out of the buckboard before Annie 'helped' her, but Annie just glared at her in disgust.
"You get yourself to the doctor," Annie said when Amy finally made it to her feet, giving her a little shove in that direction. "I hate having that Jew in my house."
Since Paul had destroyed her dress, she was left her in blood-stained chemise, petticoats, and a horse blanket in which to walk down the street. Amy let a despairing moan escape her bloodied lips, but took a few unsteady steps towards the doctor's house. She had only gone a few feet before she heard someone call her name. At first, she was sure it was Paul coming to hurt her again, but then she recognized John's dear voice.
Oh God, don't let him see me like this, she thought, but as soon as she saw her darling Englishman and the look of outrage and concern on his face, she let the horse blanket fall to the ground and staggered into his arms.
John glared at O'Reilly and Annie Coulter in turn as he gently held a sobbing Amy. "What in heaven's name is wrong with you people?" John said, his own voice breaking. "How could you let this happen?"
"Let her go, Oliver," warned O'Reilly. "This ain't none of your concern."
John wrapped his coat around Amy's shoulders. "I am taking her to the doctor," he said, putting his arm around Amy's waist and draping her good arm over his shoulders. "If you want to stop me, you'll have to shoot me."
"He'll do it, John, please let me go. I can make it on my own." Amy attempted to pull away, but her knees buckled.
"I will not abandon you to them." John turned and began to walk slowly with Amy, when O'Reilly fired a warning shot just to the side of the couple. "Next time, Englishman, I won't miss."
"Next time, Bill…well, I'll kill you before there's a next time." Somehow, Tad had snuck up on the group and pointed his revolver between O'Reilly's eyes. "You were gone so long, John, I got worried."
Amy raised her head and tried to smile. "Hey, Tad."
"Oh, sweet Jesus, Amy, I'm sorry," Tad said. "Come on, let's get you to Doc Stewart." Tad kept his gun trained on O'Reilly as the trio walked away.
"Remember," Annie yelled after them, "she's under contract to me! If you try to hide her, I'll send the law after you!"
***
Stephen had a store full of customers he was frantically trying to serve all by himself. Suddenly, most of them rushed to the doorway to watch some spectacle in the street. Stephen joined the crowd and saw John and Tad helping a badly beaten woman down the street, presumably to Jon's house. It took him a moment to realize it was one of the Damfino girls, the pretty blonde that Oliver fancied.
"Mr. Colbert," said Mrs. Hodgman. "Do you approve of your clerks associating with such women? I'd expect that sort of thing from one of the Dinello boys, but that nice Mr. Oliver, never."
Stephen looked at her, his brow furrowed. "Did you see her?"
"Of course I did," the pious farmer's wife replied. "Little harlot, running around in her petticoats. It's more than decent folks should have to bear."
"No, I meant her face," Stephen said, mystified. "Someone beat her half to death. My clerks did the only Christian thing they could do."
***
Jon was enjoying a cup of tea while reading a medical journal, The Lancet, when Tad and John Oliver barged in with Amy between them. Tad gently lifted her onto the examination bed.
"It was Paul," Tad told him, his cheeks red with shame. He went into the parlor to wait as if he had no right to comfort Amy.
John held her hand and feather-stroked her battered face. Tears streamed down Amy's bruised cheeks, but the oddly contented smile on her lips told Jon they were tears of joy and relief.
"John," the doctor put his hand on the clerk's shoulder. "I need to examine her. Why don't you wait in the parlor with Tad and I'll call you in when I'm through."
"It's all right, honey," Amy whispered. "I ain't going anywhere."
When the door to the parlor was closed, Jon began by looking for any neurological damage, not that he could do anything for it. She had a concussion, but that would resolve without any lasting effects. The soft tissue damage to her face would heal as well, but there were several deep cuts on her cheeks and forehead that would need stitches. Her left shoulder had been dislocated and she had two fractured ribs, but upon palpation, he felt no abdominal rigidity that would indicate internal bleeding. There was significant bruising on her inner thighs and buttocks, as well as vaginal tearing and rectal bleeding.
Amy had been raped and sodomized.
Jon turned away and went to his cabinet of medical supplies. He stared through the overflowing drawers and thought about the dozens of times he watched Paul demean and abuse Amy, but did nothing to stop it. The reasons for his inaction seemed hollow and cowardly. When his eye fell on his teacup resting on the edge of the cabinet, it took all his self control not to smash it against the wall. Instead, he let a few angry tears fall before Amy brought him out of his self-indulgent reverie.
"Doc?" she said, then when he didn't answer, "Jon, I need you to be strong for me right now. Am I gonna be all right? Can you fix my arm?"
Jon wiped his eyes roughly and turned back to his patient. "You're going to be fine and we're going to fix your arm right now."
With Tad and John's help, Doctor Stewart popped her shoulder back into place, which Amy withstood more bravely than any of his male patients would have. Jon bathed her and stitched her up, then settled her in a soft bed in his spare room so she could sleep; all the while, a ridiculous idea formed in his mind.
"How much money do you have?" Jon asked the two clerks. "For Amy."
"All I got is fifty dollars, but it's yours," Tad said.
John reached in his pocket and pulled out all the money he had in the world. "It's only twenty two dollars--what are you going to do?"
"Buy out Amy's contract," Jon told them with a slightly mad grin on his face. "I have three hundred, but I don't think it'll be enough."
John's eyes glimmered with hope. "You mean, she won't have to go back to that horrid place?"
"If we can manage it," the doctor said.
"Why don't you ask Stephen?" John suggested. "He thinks the world of you--perhaps enough to lend you money."
Jon went over to the store to find it closed, with Stephen still scurrying around inside. When Stephen saw him, he smiled brightly and waved his casted hand. He unlocked the door and let Jon inside.
Stephen's pleasure at seeing Jon didn't last. "Are both my employees still at your house?"
"Yes, they're looking after Amy for me."
"Don't get me wrong, Jon," Stephen said. "I'm as compassionate as the next person, but business is business. I feel terrible about what happened to that poor girl, but I'm going to have to dock their wages for the day. By the way, shouldn't you be with your patient?"
"My patient is why I'm here," Jon told him.
Stephen regarded Jon expectantly.
This wasn't going to be easy, but it had to be done. "Stephen, I need to borrow some money."
The merchant recoiled from his friend and brought his hand to his chest as if he'd been stricken. "Why? And how much? And why?"
Jon looked up at Stephen with his most pathetic expression. "I'm afraid if Amy goes back to the Damfino, she'll wind up dead, and I just can't let that happen. I want to buy out her contract. I have almost four hundred dollars, but I don't think it'll be enough. I wouldn't ask if it wasn't important, but I need your help."
Stephen turned even paler than usual. He swallowed hard and stared at Jon in disbelief. "You want to buy her?"
Jon winced. "Please don't put it like that."
Stephen backed away from him, terrified. "You're in love with her, aren't you?"
Jon wanted to cheer. Stephen was actually jealous! "Stephen--"
Stephen put his finger in his good ear and began to hum Dixie.
Jon grabbed his hand and pulled his finger out of his ear. "Stephen, I'm not in love with her!"
Stephen glanced at Jon's hand still holding his, then gazed into his blue eyes. "You're not?" he asked, relieved.
Jon shook his head and caressed Stephen's fingers with his thumb, grateful he didn't pull away. "I care about what happens to her, but I'm not. I'm in love with…someone else."
"Really?" Stephen smiled so widely, his whole face lit up.
"Really." Jon cupped his cheek, stood on his toes, and pressed his lips to Stephen's. Jon withdrew and saw excitement and a little apprehension in his dark eyes. "I hope that was all right."
"You'll get better with practice," Stephen said matter-of-factly, causing Jon to giggle.
Stephen then opened his safe. "Let's go buy ourselves a prostitute! Wait," he said, pausing, "did you kiss me just because you wanted to borrow money?"
"Of course not," Jon said. "I've wanted to kiss you since the second day I knew you."
"The second? Why not the first?"
"Because you really irritated me that first day."
***
John sat by Amy's bedside watching her sleep. It was strange, but he had little trouble seeing past the cuts and bruises to her beautiful face. Tad had told him Paul was violent, but John would never understand how anyone could hurt such a sweet creature. He had seen a great deal of evil working east of Charing Cross in London, but here in Lincoln it seemed to infect the very air.
Tad opened the door and motioned for John to follow him into the other room. The Englishman reluctantly left Amy's side and joined Tad in the parlor.
"I just wanted to say how brave you were, takin' on Bill like that," Tad said sincerely.
"I didn't feel very brave," John replied. "Thank heavens you showed when you did."
Tad shrugged and stared at the floor. "I know Doc Stewart said Amy would be all right, but this is all my fault."
"How is it your fault?"
"It'd take too long to explain, but I'm going to get Paul and bring him back into Lincoln, so he can answer for this, as well as some other things."
John looked at his friend in alarm. "By yourself?"
Tad nodded. "Something I gotta do."
"But why not ask Steve to help you?" John suggested.
Tad just took John's hand and shook it. "I'm glad we're friends, John. I know you'll take real good care of Amy."
John watched Tad ride out of town on his horse, wondering if he'd ever see him alive again. John looked in on Amy one more time before rushing to the jail. Thankfully, Steve and Sheriff Black were there.
John told them about Amy's ordeal and that Tad had gone to fetch his brother. "I think he could use some help, don't you?"
"I'd like nothing more than to arrest Paul Dinello," Steve said, "but I don't know where he is."
"Tad wouldn't tell me either," John replied.
"Ask Doc Stewart," Black said. "If Paul got shot, Stewart would know about it. He's the most uncooperative cuss in this town; doctor-patient privilege, my ass. But now that his favorite whore's got herself beat up, he might be willing to talk."
John's desire to return to Amy's side prevented him from asking just what in the hell the sheriff meant by that.
***
Jon and Stephen stood in the frilly, cloying parlor of the Damfino, facing the intimidating Annie Coulter. Stephen clutched his strongbox tightly, as if he expected Coulter's girls to descend upon him and rob him at any moment. He wished he could hold Jon's hand for comfort, but had to settle for imagining it in his mind's eye.
"Don't blame me for what happened to Amy," Annie said defensively. "I had nothing to do with it. I'm losing money because of what that son of a bitch did to her. I know she's no good as an entertainer right now, but she can keep the place clean and do the other girls' laundry. When can I put her to work?"
"She was very severely beaten," Jon told her. "She has a serious concussion, her shoulder was dislocated and he broke two of her ribs."
Annie's eyes narrowed. "No stallin' now. I know that Englishman wants her for himself."
"We'd like to buy her contract," Stephen said, anxious to get down to business, so he could get down to kissing Jon somewhere private.
"It ain't for sale," Annie said, folding her arms.
The fact that she was still in the room told Stephen that Annie was willing to negotiate. "We'll give you three hundred." Jon pulled at his sleeve, but Stephen ignored him.
The madam snorted. "Eight. Amy's always been a big moneymaker for me."
"It'll be six weeks before she'll be able to make any money for you at all," Jon said. "And she'll have scars on her face for the rest of her life."
Annie swore under her breath.
"Four hundred," Stephen offered.
"Six-fifty," Annie countered.
Stephen whispered something to Jon that had nothing to do with their negotiations, and started for the door.
"I won't let her go for a penny less than five hundred," Annie said with an edge to her voice that told Stephen she was firm. "Take it or leave it."
Jon looked to Stephen, who nodded. "Done."
***
Jon and Stephen returned to the doctor's house to find a young man waiting for them.
"Where's Paul Dinello?" he asked Jon without introduction.
Jon glanced at the tin star pinned to the man's waistcoat. "You must be Steve."
"Doctor, you must tell the deputy where he is," John said urgently. "Tad's gone to bring Paul back to pay for what he did to Amy, but I'm afraid he might get hurt--or worse."
Steve face betrayed a look that told Jon he had no interest in pressing charges against Paul for assaulting Amy. This was about something more serious. The stage robbery and murder, perhaps? What in the hell did Tad tell him?
"I want to help Tad, but I don't know where he went," Steve said. "I have reason to believe Paul was recently injured during the commission of a crime, and I thought maybe you, as the only doctor in town, might know where he is."
Jon's concern for Tad overrode his annoyance at the deputy's veiled accusation. "He's at Bill O'Reilly's ranch."
"Thank you," Steve replied sincerely. "What's the fastest way to get there?"
To be continued…