Wild West Part 5
They found the Changs at the doctor's office. Meiran and Sally were bent over a large book chattering away happily about poultices while Fei perched on the doctor's examining table. He looked slightly relieved to see them. He also looked very bruised.
"Nice shiner Chang."
"Shut up Maxwell."
"Sheriff!" Sally looked up from the book and smiled. "What can I do for you today?"
Heero heard Duo mutter something under his breath, but it was too soft for Heero to catch. "We have some trouble, Doc."
He explained about the destroyed caravan and the large footprint. As he spoke Meiran moved away from the book and closer to her husband. Wufei put a comforting arm around her shoulders.
"So, Quatre's coming up with a plan to catch the beast. We might get some injured men in the process. Can you be ready?" Heero finished.
"When are you going to go and hunt it?"
"Not until tomorrow at least. Have to round up some hunters and go over whatever plan Quatre comes up with. Whatever it is, I have a feeling it won't like being hunted."
"What animal would?" Meiran said softly. She looked at Duo. Heero was surprised by the look of fear on her face. "Preacher..." she started.
"The Sheriff didn't tell you what kind of footprint we found," Duo interrupted her. "A canine of some kind. That's what we're looking for."
The look of fear left Meiran's face and she relaxed. Heero wondered what the heck he was missing. "In that case, Sheriff," Wufei said solemnly. "I too will come and help you hunt it down."
"And so will I." Meiran added.
Heero blinked. Take a lady on a hunt? He had considered taking Doc true, but Doc could handle herself. Then again, this lady had no problem handling her husband. Course, the husband hadn't been fighting back.
Before he could answer, Duo put a hand on his arm. "Take the lady and gentleman up on their offer Sheriff. You'll need their help."
"Very well," Heero shrugged, wondering why he was going along with all of this. There were things going on here, under the surface, things he couldn't figure out.
He looked at Sally and she shrugged, puzzled as he was. "Well, then," she said briskly. "I'm going to have to get ready for every possibility."
"I will help you." Meiran slid out from under her husband's arm. "Send word when you need us Sheriff."
Her tone was imperious, the dismissal obvious. Heero found himself reacting to it without realizing it, back on the sidewalk before he could think to question why she would have to go on the hunt too.
"Let's go Sheriff," the preacher tugged at his sleeve. "Maybe your piano player has a plan by now. Plus I'm starving. Any chance of them feeding us?"
"As long as Cathy's cooking. Sylvie isn't too good at it yet." Heero frowned as he dodged around passer-by, turning things over in his mind. Something had happened in the Doc's office between the three new arrivals. What exactly it was, he couldn't begin to guess. But something told him that it was important. Well, there was always the direct approach. "Why is Chang's wife afraid of you?" He asked bluntly.
The preacher's eyes widened slightly, but then he grinned covering his surprise. "Afraid of me? What makes you think that, Sheriff? You saw her- tough as nails that one..."
"But she's afraid of you." Heero cut him off. "Why?"
"Sheriff, I really think..." Duo's voice had a slightly chiding tone to it, which made Heero bristle.
"Fine. Don't tell me. But don't lie."
"I don't lie," Duo snapped back.
"Whatever," Heero said dismissively with a wave of his hand.
A moment later he found himself pressed up against the side of a building, two hands fisted in his coat. "I don't lie!" The preacher practically hissed, his eyes narrow and cold.
"But you don't tell the whole truth either," Heero countered, a bit unnerved by that cold look. Duo glared at him for a moment more before the coldness vanished.
"Well, no," Duo let him go and stepped back, cheery grin once more on his lips. "But that's not lying."
Heero straightened his coat. "I think you know more about our creature than you let on."
"I do." Duo turned and started walking towards the saloon again. Heero scrambled to catch up.
"Then what the hell is it?"
"You wouldn't believe me if I told you Sheriff."
"Try me."
"Gladly, but not now." Heero flushed and then snarled.
"So, you're just going to let us wander around without a word of advice?"
"Oh, I have plenty of that, don't worry. But you haven't needed any yet. You're doing good so far."
"Doing good so far?" Heero repeated. He wondered how bad it would be for his reputation if he just shot the patronizing preacher right in the middle of Main Street.
TBC...
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