OverTime 03: Slipping (First 70 Chapters)

Chapter 40: Losing Cooper (Garrison)

"Best take extra cartridges." Garrison handed a box to his pard, and Cooper added it to his saddlebags. He hated losing Cooper to this wild goose chase, but at least his friend should go well armed. "And one of them extra blankets we bought. Left yer bedroll with the wagon."

When he glanced back at Elizabeth, she had not been distracted.

She said, "Chicago?"

Yet another reason to resent Cooper's departure. Cooper was so much better at explaining these things to his wife than he was.

Garrison started, "Shanghai Pierce--"

"I knew it!" Elizabeth stepped up to him and poked him in the chest, hard, with two fingers and a thumb. "I knew you hid something!"

First time she'd mentioned it, if so. "Ain't hid nothin'," he protested. "Just ain't shared it."

"You shared it with Benj."

Garrison shrugged. Of course he'd shared it with his partner.

"What did Shanghai Pierce say?" demanded Elizabeth.

"Said he met someone in Chicago, askin' bout me -- 'bout you. Said the fellow went by Callahan."

"And you didn't find that worth sharing with me? The person he was asking about?!" When she put it that way, he almost questioned his decision.

Almost.

"No need to concern you."

"No... no need...." She backed away from him, shaking her head as if in wonder. "No need to concern me about me."

He didn't much like her high-handed tone, so he simply said, "Nope." Then he turned to Cooper. "Stage route could be trouble. I'd go cross country."

"Pity the highwayman who gets between me and the fair Maddie Sinclair." Cooper had a weakness for pretty females, especially damsels in distress. But he'd not mentioned the lady doctor to Garrison once since Ogallala. If he pined for any fair maiden, it weren't her.

"Need cash fer the train," Garrison reminded him--and Elizabeth surprised them both by reaching into her reticule and pulling out a handful of paper money.

"Here," she said, pressing the bills into Cooper's hand. "Since you're going in my place."

Both men goggled at the amount. Ten. Thirty. Fifty. Eighty...!

Had she gotten into the company's lockbox? "Where did you get that?!" demanded Garrison.

"Oh, don't you know? I've got my own damn secrets. I've been a road agent on the side, this whole time. A highwaywoman. Elizabeth Garrison, Queen of the Bandits, that's me!"

Now she was just being ridiculous as well as foul mouthed. What kind of woman had he married? "Cain't just take money!"

He could only hope it really was the outfit's, and not someone else's, or she'd see jail time yet. Eighty dollars!

"Keep your pants on, Jiminy Cricket--I didn't take it, I earned it. It's back pay from the Castaways, for all my overtime on their time-slipping project."

Garrison didn't understand half of that, so it did little to ease his concerns. Also, she remained disrespectful and unladylike. An angry Elizabeth, he'd long ago learned, was rarely a demure Elizabeth.

"Now Lillabit," started Cooper, trying to hand back the money. He silenced himself when she turned her glare from her husband to her friend.

"You will let me at least do that much, Benj! If I'd known what you and the Boss here knew, maybe we could have warned Maddie and the others ahead of time. Sent a letter. Turned back to Ogallala and sent a telegram, three weeks ago. But nooo." She drew out the word no in a truly unpleasant way. "You two decided I couldn't worry my little head about it, and now look at what's happened!"

Garrison had to point out, "Don't know anythin' happened!"

"You'd better hope nothing has, Boss," she warned him. "You had damned well better hope this is all in my head!"

Then she turned and stalked back into the post trader's store, leaving the partners alone with their horses and the mule... and several soldiers who'd stopped to listen and now hurried on, shaking their heads and possibly swearing off women.

Cooper whistled, long and low. "I think you're facin' more trouble than I will this next week."

As if Garrison weren't angry with Cooper, too. As if his pard had done anything but encourage Elizabeth's foolishness.

"Tell it straight," demanded Garrison. "You think them greenhorns are in any danger? Or are you jest looking to get out of working cattle?"

"A bit of both, and that's the truth of it. Won't know more 'til I get there."

Garrison shook his head. "Don't like you goin' alone."

"Cain't bring her with us. Cain't leave her behind. You and I both know that if the Callahan she described really turns on them scientists, I won't arrive 'til the funerals anyhow."

Despite Elizabeth's complaint--they're days away, as if she were used to everyone living down the street from her--Garrison knew of no other alternative but to wait and see.

Cooper said, "Just remember. If she knows he's there...."

"He knows she's here," Garrison finished. Two days from Julesburg, by train and stagecoach... or horseback.

He reckoned he'd best arm the boys, no matter the risk to the cattle.

After that, he would count the money in the outfit's lockbox.

Eighty dollars?