Fistful of Lead, Reloaded Battle Report

Sheriff John “Deuce” McClain eyed the man before him, weighing what he’d just heard. Cullen’s salt and pepper beard and hair indicated he was no spring chicken but he moved with the energy, or fire?, of a younger man.

Deuce turned to his older brother, Buck. “What do you think?”

Chief Deputy “Buck” McClain rubbed his chin thoughtfully before he said anything.

“Mr. Cullen, how did you come by this information again?”

”I told the Sheriff this already.”

“Indulge me,” said Buck as he leaned against the wall and folded his arms

”We’re wasting time.”

“Then you best be getting on with your tale.”

”Fine.  I was in the dining car of the train and I saw a group of men sitting together passing a drawing amongst themselves of a woman. One of them dropped it while passing it to another and I just picked it up as I walked by and handed it to them. I just glanced at it briefly but thought I’d recognized her.”

”I didn’t think much of it at the time but later, as I’m reading the paper, I saw the same drawing. The paper said a Miss Blue Belle had gone missing and the scandal of it was that she was running away from her father, one Mr. Josiah Belle.”

“The railway tycoon?,” asked Deuce with a note of concern.

“I do believe so, and by my time working on the railway I know he is not a man to be trifled with.  He will literally move mountains to maintain his public image as a man in control of his own fate.”

“Why do you think that’s important?”

”Sheriff, he does not like to be embarrassed and if his only daughter has run off, it is the worst possible humiliation.”

“And you believe he’s taken certain steps to get her back?”

”That I do.  Those men with her picture were Pinkertons.  Their reputation for being hard men is not an exaggeration.”

“Tangled with them yourself?,” Buck asked narrowing his eyes in suspicion.

“Deputy,” said Cullen with a sigh, “I worked on the Union Pacific for a time and after, was a lawman briefly. I saw their handiwork in both jobs.  They are on the way to your town. And so is Miss Belle. Her stagecoach is due to arrive shortly.”

The Sheriff asked, “Mr. Cullen, would you recognize her if you saw her in person? I’m thinking maybe we can meet that stagecoach and point her out to Buck here.”

Cullen pulled a scarp of paper out of his vest and handed it to the Sheriff. “No need, here’s the article with the drawing.”

The Sheriff looked at the clipping and studied it with a worried look. “Well, I think we’ve solved the mystery as to why she’s here. I found that same drawing amongst the personal possessions of our only prisoner, one Ezekiel Wade when we arrested him on an outstanding warrant.”

The Sheriff handed the clipping to his brother. Buck studied it until two men came in in a flurry of  movement and barely contained excitement.

“Sheriff, big news. Ben Wade and his men just arrived,” said the first man while the second man grabbed at the clipping Buck was holding.

“And,” said the second man, “they were passing around this same drawing,” gesturing to the clipping in Buck’s hand.

“John,” said Buck, “do you think they aim to take Miss Belle and try to exchange her for Ezekiel?”

“Well,” said the Sheriff as he stood up, settling his two guns in their holsters, “I wouldn’t put it past them.  Why don’t we all just meet that stagecoach and welcome Miss Belle to our humble little town.”

The Sheriff then reached into a pocket and tossed a badge to Cullen, who caught it deftly.

“Now hold on …,” Cullen began to protest.

“You said we are wasting time. We.  You are now part of we. You’re deputized.  Pin it on and let’s go.”

Shaking his head, Cullen pinned the badge to his vest.