It was late when Katie rode the big grey gelding into town. Dusk had just about fallen, the shops were long finished doing business for the day and the sidewalks were all but deserted. Even the workers from the soon to be opened railway depot had arrived either at home or had hung their hats at one of the local saloons. Katie rode the horse at a walking pace down the main street towards the livery, cautiously alert to her left and right. She was tired. Dusty. Hungry. And bone tired. She had been on the trail for what seemed like forever, riding steadily from Hardyville in Arizona, nearly 140 miles away from Barstow. More than anything else she wanted a good dinner cooked by somebody else, a long hot bath, and a warm soft bed.
Arriving at the livery, she dismounted, removed her rifle and saddlebags, handing the liveryman a silver dollar and asking him to take good care of her mount. Then she headed out onto the street. With any luck, she could get the meal, the bath and the room in the same place.
It had been nearly a year since she had been in Barstow but apart from the new railway depot built for the arrival of the Santa Fe railway, very little had changed. Barstow had been the first place she had come to rest after leaving Victorville. After leaving her life behind. And this was the closest she had been to Victorville since then. It was only 35 miles away but it was also quite literally a life time away. The Katie who rode into Barstow that day was not the same woman who rode in now. Sometimes the cracks might still be visible, if you knew what to look for, but she had been quite successful in putting herself back together. But it had taken time.
She walked up to the entrance of the Dry Gulch Saloon noting the good looking horse tied up outside. It was noisy but it didn't look dangerous. She was cautious when it came to saloons; and even more cautious when it came to saloon owners. She hesitated at the doors, made a final check, and then she stepped inside. Keeping her head down a little, her hat tilted forward, she walked up to the bar attempting to maximise her anonymity and minimise her visibility. She was sure that someone at least would have noticed her entry; it wasn't an every day thing for a non-working girl to enter a saloon and when one did the assumption was that she probably was working! The way she was dressed and the fact that she was carrying a winchester tended to suggest something different and Katie had found that at least initially it was often better to keep eye contact to a minimum.
Once at the bar, she looked up at the bartender and smiled.
"How are you Charlie"
She saw the recognition appear in his eyes followed by the smile. It had been a long time but she had stayed in Barstow a long time after first arriving. And one of the reasons she had managed to put herself back together was the man now stood in front of her.
"I don't believe it... Katie." He stepped out from behind the bar and gave her a great big hug, lifting her feet off the ground a little. She hugged him right back. When he let go and returned to tending bar, he didn't even have to ask what she wanted to drink. She dropped the coins on the bar and the whiskey was placed in front of her.
"What are you doing here? After all this time? Can I get you anything?"
"A room, dinner and a bath"
The smile disappeared off Charlie's face.
"Aw Katie... I literally just rented out the last one." He pointed over to a table. Katie turned and looked to where he pointed. She saw a big man sat comfortably, a rifle across the table in front of him, and he was staring right back at her. He was a well built man, but at that moment, what Katie took most notice of was the five pointed silver star pinned to his chest. Just what she needed! Katie was more than aware of the fact that she was wanted by the law. Experience suggested that for the most part though, law men rarely seemed to take much notice of her. The bigger danger was bounty hunters. And with more than $2000 on her head, she was a profitable catch. That being said, she did as much as she could to avoid the law men as much as the bounty hunters. She sighed, turned back to the Charlie.
"Great! Is there any where else in town I might be able to get a bed at least, but preferably with the option of dinner and a bath? Another hotel? Local guest house? Anyone with a spare room even?" she pushed the empty shot glass forward indicating she wanted a refill.