Notes from Shady’s Journal…
The Oak Hill Boys were feeling pretty good about themselves. They had just finished The Ivory Trail, and had found the $25,000 that Cole Wright, Buck Thompson and West Ribbon stole from the Winslow Savings & Loan 25 years ago.
Being men of their word, they traveled to Clearwater to give Lydia Wright, Cole’s widow, her half of the robbery proceeds.
Lydia was happy to see them. She seemed to take a liking in particular to Jack Kollath. And of course, she was very surprised to receive $12,500. Her brother, Gus Stanton, was also excited.
The Boys retired to the Grand Winslow for some much needed drinks, card playing and additional respite.
Early the next morning, they were roused with troubling news: Gus Stanton was dead. He was found a few short hours ago behind an outhouse by The Crystal Palace Saloon. Seems his head had been bashed in.
What happened?
The local law, Marshal Jesper Hawkins, had gone out to see family in Las Calamitas, California. This left a young deputy in charge, Payton Bosock. After talking with them, it became clear to the boys that Bosock clearly didn’t know how to investigate and was out of sorts. Royce befriended the local law enforcement officer and the fellas were able to get themselves deputized to find out what happened to slow, but well-meaning, Gus Stanton.
The Oak Hill Boys carefully investigated the site and found no discernible clues. But it seems pretty clear something had happened. They ask around the Crystal Palace and learn that last night, Gus was seen and heard talking to a local man, Zachary Hensley. The bartender recalls that Gus was running his mouth off a little too much and that his sister just got a big inheritance from her now dead husband Cole. Maybe this Zach character would know more.
The Boys head over to Hensley Cartwrights, where Zach worked with his uncle Hank. But Hank said Zach wasn’t there and sent them across the street to Hensley’s Meats. Zach’s mother runs the store. Maybe she knows where Zach is.
Ma Hensley and two of her other sons sell fresh beef, pork and a variety of game, but the bestsellers are the cured ham and Ma’s exquisite sausages. The Boys find Ma Hensley to be a plump, sweet lady in her late fifties. She is accompanied by a son.
When asked about Zach’s whereabouts, though, the family’s disposition turns. They become uncooperative. Frustrated, Ezra takes out a bundle from his pack, and carefully unrolls it on the meat counter, revealing several cut fingers. “Do you want me to add to my collection?” Under this threat, Ma Hensley reveals that Zach and one of his brothers had traveled to nearby Winslow to make some deliveries to the store’s restaurant customers.
Satisfied with the answer, but chafing at their temporary authority, the newly deputized Oak Hill Boys ride up to Winston.
But after visiting just two of the restaurants, they learn no one from Hensley Meats has made any recent deliveries. Ezra, Royce, Jack, Louis and Shady ride back to Clearwater. But on the way back, Shady falls ill.
Doc Ian O’Leary in Clearwater suggests Shady has been poisoned and has just days to live. And unfortunately, he has no antidote. But suggests there may be one at a nearby Mormon settlement…
Dry Gulch Bugle 