Title: In The Jailhouse Now

Author: Nora

Fandom Alias Smith and Jones

Characters Heyes/Kid Curry Heyes/OMC

Rating Slash NC-17

Warning: Non-con m/m

Archive yes

Feedback Yes

Disclaimer I do not own the characters and no money is being made from them.

IN THE JAILHOUSE NOW

by Nora

Hannibal Heyes was hoping the past night's events had been a dream. He was under arrest - in prison. And he was alone.

The Kid had been offered a job hunting and trapping on a ranch near Big Mac. Heyes had not wanted to go. The Kid would be much better at it. They had flipped a coin over what to do. He ended up staying in Mackayville, playing poker, while the Kid went off to Macreedy's friend's ranch. He missed the Kid. But he was doing all right with the poker and they were saving on the Kid's expenses.

The sheriff occasionally looked in on the poker games. But he decided to look through his wanted posters. He had convinced himself that Heyes greatly resembled James Shelby Drake. The man was a gambler and a criminal. Heyes had known him in the old days. His family were ex confederates. The number of robberies he'd done and men he'd killed was disputed but there was no disputing that he had started his career young.

*

Just after the War, he had killed a black man who had been one of the family's slaves. He was only about 14 at the time. He'd lost his temper with the man and struck him hard enough to kill him. Those who had known him at the time of the killing had spoken of his adult fury and violence. He had ridden with his older brother who was one of the guerrillas of the South. They had not wanted him there, but he had followed and carried a gun. He had helped with the tasks of setting fire to houses and finding provisions. But he had clearly enjoyed being near to the violence of the raiders. He was as strong as a grown man and clearly of a dangerously violent nature.

He had the bitterness that many former Confederates had, the anger that the South had been defeated. They were even angrier that the South was then as they saw it, ruled by ignorant Negroes and northern bullies and southern traitors. With Drake, that bitterness was allied to great bodily strength and a violent temperament which had been exposed too early to war and killing.

Drake had gone on the run and had never been caught. He had lived for some years in Indian Territory in one of the many hideouts created there by bandits. With his fellow outlaws he would prey on the herds being driven along the Chisum trail, often fighting and killing the drovers in order to get hold of some cattle.

Once or twice, Drake had run into a marshal who had let him go, convinced that in this instance the wanted posters saying "Very Dangerous" were wrong. And they had let him go - even played poker with him.

His description was not unlike that of Heyes but it was still vague. He was described as six feet tall with long wavy dark hair and brown eyes. And a scar. Heyes' description was equally vague. He was also described as being tall with dark hair and eyes, though in point of fact he was only 5 foot 10. He felt insulted being arrested as Drake. The man was such a bastard.

"I don't look like that man, Sheriff," he protested as the grim faced middle-aged man hauled him into the jailhouse. "Yes you do, long hair, dark eyes - sallow skin. You're him." Heyes was unnerved. He hadn't heard anything about Drake in a while, so the likelihood was that the man had died. If he were alive, he'd be getting into trouble some place. James Shelby Drake had killed too many men for them all to have been accidents or self defence.

Heyes didn't hold with killing. He didn't even like hunting much.

Just now, he had to get hold of Lom Trevors to identify him as Joshua Smith. The lawman agreed to send telegrams to Wyoming and also to Big Mac's ranch to get someone to come and prove that he wasn't James Drake. All he had to do was to wait a few days till Lom or Big Mac would get here and clear his name. Still this was bad luck. Lom would not be too happy. He wanted them to keep out of trouble and every time he had to come to rescue them, they went down a notch in his estimation. Heyes worried about this since Lom was almost the only friend they had who could speak to the authorities on their behalf.

He had advised them to keep on the move constantly and stay out of towns as much as possible. Heyes had protested that this made it difficult for them to earn a living. Lom said they should take short-term jobs and quit them when they had amassed a week's wages or so. He pointed out that it was possible to live on very little out West - they could camp out in the wilderness and fish and hunt for food.

Heyes kept a prudent silence during this sermon. His old friend, Absalom Wayne Trevors had turned into a damned disapproving Puritan he thought. When he'd been on the lam, he had liked the good things in life, cigars, a good whiskey, good food and pretty women. But he was now a prig.

He and the Kid didn't want to live such a miserably basic life. They had been used to comfort and even luxury in their outlaw years and though they realised that they couldn't live like that any more, they still could not adjust themselves to absolute poverty.

*********************
Jail wasn't too bad. He was bored but he had a few books, and he had his cards to play solitaire and the like. He even played poker with the night deputy, a rather dull youth called Billy Joe.

He missed the Kid. As he lay on his narrow bunk watching Billy Joe dozing, he hoped his friend wouldn't be too scared when he heard the news.

He thought back to old times. He smiled to himself as he remembered that night in Serenity. One of the happiest of his life. He and the Kid had quarrelled from time to time. Living as they did, the wonder was that they didn't fight a lot more. That night though they had had a fight with some cowhands from the ranch where they were working. After the fight, one of them had made a remark about the close relationship between them. The Kid had been furious and wanted to start the fight all over again. Heyes had managed to get him away, but he had been conscious of being hurt that the Kid was so obviously furious at the insinuation.

Heyes shifted on the hard prison bunk again and slipped back totally into his memories.

*

That night, the Kid had refused to sleep in the same bed as him. There was no use letting himself feel hurt about it. So he'd done the sensible thing, gotten into bed and settled down to sleep. He had fallen asleep quickly. But then he'd woken to find the Kid in bed beside him, trying to make up the quarrel.

He had been half-afraid that his friend was only doing this out of guilt because they had quarrelled. He hadn't even really been sure what to do. He'd never been with a man. He had barely dared to imagine anything - except perhaps holding the Kid in his arms, or kissing him gently.

He had pulled the Kid into a hug and been surprised to find himself brushing his lips against the younger man's mouth. The graze of his lips against his friend's was enough to make his cock heat up. The Kid hadn't pulled away. He had looked surprised at the kiss but then he had had placed a hand lightly on Heyes' shoulder. "Kid, you sure you want to do this?"

"I uh - I kind of liked that."

Heyes pressed his mouth against the Kid's forehead and was suddenly gripped tightly by his friend. He pulled back. "We've never done this before."

" I know that.. Heyes I think I'd have remembered if we ever -" he broke off embarrassed then laughed.

He reached out and touched Heyes' cheek lightly. "I guess we always had plenty of women."

"Yeah, but is this - just cause you're feelin' horny?"

"No. Its -'cause I want to be with you."

The Kid laughed again nervously. Heyes was torn between his natural propensity to talk and discuss and the raging heat in his genitals. He leaned over and kissed his friend again. This time, the Kid wrapped his arms round him. They clung to each other as if drowning, afraid to do anything more and afraid to let go. "So, what do we do now?" the Kid had asked.

"I don't know - I ain't done this before."

Heyes was longing to just hold the Kid, touch him and admire the handsome body. He held onto Curry and pulled him closer. The Kid laid his head on his chest and he felt childishly happy. He pressed his lips on the yellow head and put his arm round the younger man's warm body. It was kind of different to being with a woman, more tender. He just wanted to kiss him.. to hold him. He could scarcely remember ever touching a human being in this simple gentle way. He felt Curry's hand stroking him down from his chest to his belly. He felt his cock tingle.

"God, Kid.. Just go on doin' that." he whispered. The Kid went on stroking and then daringly kissed his friend's chest. He moved his head down and kissed the man's belly. God he was getting' so close to his cock. "Just a minute- let me - can I look at ya, Kid?" he said, stopping him, and throwing the covers back.

The Kid grinned and lay back, stretching his arms behind his head and letting his muscles stand out. Heyes turned up the lamp and looked at him. Seeing the Kid every day, he tended to forget how good-looking his partner was. The girls went for him - saloon girls would tear each other's hair out to have the chance of attracting his attention.

And since they'd given up outlawin', and they were meeting more respectable women, it was amazing how many of them clearly liked Curry. Even though he was obviously hadn't a dime to his name, there had been girls who made it clear that they wished he were in a position to court them. Heyes could only remember a few of them. That French girl from New Orleans, that friend of Leslie's - Margaret Something. That preacher girl, Sister Grace had been in love with him.

Even Grace Turner who was a hard hearted con woman. Heyes had slept with her, but he knew what she was like, that she was more than capable of betraying him. Yet she had clearly been infatuated with the Kid. She had tricked Curry, but then she had tried to save him from jail.

Heyes saw the Kid looking his worst, dirty or travel stained, his curly hair a flat mess. But now, he looked angelic. His hair looked almost like a halo, and his body was lean, sturdy and white skinned. He stared at him, admiring the broad chest, the hard pectoral muscles and ribs standing out in sharp relief, the smooth skin of his stomach. The fuzz of hair in his groin, the long legs, strong and muscular.

He gulped and then bent his head and pressed several light kisses on the Kid's chest and stomach. Then he looked into his partner's blue eyes again. "Is this OK? You like it?"

The Kid smiled and murmured "Yeah, oh yeah"

Heyes had pressed his lips to his friend's mouth again. He felt Curry's hands pulling him closer. They kissed deeper, both of them opening their mouths as they became more relaxed. Then he had taken one of Kid's hands and placed it on his swollen cock. "Let's try this," he'd said. Kid pulled on it, as they continued to kiss each other, their tongues carefully exploring each other's mouths.

Heyes gasped with pleasure as his friend massaged his rod and he felt so warm, so happy. He felt himself getting closer as the big hand pulled at him and he felt the warning tingle that meant his climax was going to start.

He pulled back for a second and whispered "Harder, Kid". Curry complied squeezing and rubbing at his cock till it suddenly exploded.

He moaned and gasped as the seed gushed forth. Afterwards, he felt completely spent and completely happy. The Kid had held him for a few minutes, and then he had kissed him lightly on the lips. "Uh -was it good Han?"

Heyes hadn't heard that name in years. It was what he had been called as a boy. He smiled at his partner. "Yeah, it was wonderful" he said hoarsely.

After a few minutes, Heyes began to kiss his friend again, hands caressing his chest. The Kid
reciprocated with kisses and touches - lighter than Heyes' firm caresses. He felt a feather light touch on his ass and jumped.

"Was that OK?"

"Yeah, just - hey do it again." The Kid groped round his friend's hips and touched his backside again, rubbing at it this time.

Heyes grunted with satisfaction and pressed close to the Kid. He could feel Curry's erection. They kissed and fondled each other for another minute, and then Heyes reached down and began to stroke and caress him. The Kid was vocal in his appreciation. He moaned and cried out and yelped Heyes' name as he was driven crazy by the warm fingers rubbing his manhood.
"Please Heyes, will you suck it?"

Heyes hesitated a moment and then bent his head and took the purple crown into his mouth. He sucked on it, noticing that it tasted soft and smooth and pleasant. He suckled hard on the swollen cock. The Kid whimpered that he was going to shoot. And Heyes opened his mouth further and swallowed his friend's seed.

After a few minutes of resting in a happy daze, the Kid was ready for further action. He was lying with his head on Heyes' chest, and one hand on his belly. He took Heyes' free hand and kissed it, shakily. Then he'd said, "Heyes I want - I want - us to - you know".

Heyes had stared. "Do you mean fuck?"

The Kid blushed. "I - wouldn't put it 'xactly like that."

Heyes protested. "We - uh we can't. 'T ain't natural."

"Han, I want us to try it." the Kid said.

Heyes had found himself hardening and growing at the thought. He had never thought of actually fucking the Kid. Not that. They could explain away kissing and touching and even sucking and stroking each other's prods by saying that they were drunk or lonely. But his cock was excited by the thought. He found his hand reaching down to touch the Kid's ass and squeeze it. It felt so firm and yet smooth. He groaned. The Kid wriggled at the caressing hand on his backside. It was so pleasurable. He wanted to feel some more. Heyes gave in. He could see from the Kid's face that he was enjoying the experience.

"OK then". He wasn't really sure what to do, and he was afraid he would hurt his friend. So he supposed it was best to make sure he was pretty excited first. He seemed to like being kissed. So he began to kiss him hard again on the mouth. Then he kissed him lower down, pressing his mouth on his chest and belly button. He let his fingers play with the growing erection. Softly, he murmured to the Kid "turn over." Curry rolled onto his front and Heyes touched his butt. It looked so good - it was perfectly curved, like a ripe peach or an apple. Curry sighed loudly.

Heyes kissed his back and stroked his way down to the firm posterior again. He caressed him there, and then pulled him up on his knees. He felt the Kid tense up a bit as he did so. He leaned over him, his groin against his friend's butt, and kissed his neck softly. "If it hurts, I'll stop. Are you sure Kid?"

"Yeah I'm real sure."

He caressed Curry's ass again, and then spread his cheeks. He felt weak as he saw the small puckered hole. He could feel the Kid's tension, and he knew that in spite of what his friend said, he was scared. Well, that wasn't surprising'. Heyes knew that he'd be absolutely terrified if it was him. But he didn't want to stop - he wanted to be in there - he wanted to sink into the younger man's warm body.

(2)

He pressed his cock against his friend's asshole. The Kid gasped as an intriguing sensation ran through his body. Heyes stopped then to rub some pre come on his rod. He was afraid it wouldn't be easy to enter his friend. He pressed the head into Kid's crack again and holding his hips tightly, he thrust in. There was a moment when he feared it wouldn't work. He felt resistance from the Kid's muscles. But he thrust further and to his surprise, he was inside. He was gripped so tightly inside the man's body that it almost hurt.

He felt the Kid stiffen more. Though the younger man remained silent, Heyes knew him too well not to realise that he was keeping quiet despite being hurt. Oh hell, he'd thought, I didn't wanna hurt him. But he was so hot, so perfectly enclosed in the heat and smoothness of his friend's body. The Kid's passage was tighter than anything he had ever felt before. "Kid" he whispered, as he pulled back and then saw his rod slide into the valley between Curry's buttocks. He cried out. Kid groaned softly, as his ass hurt. He moved slightly, but it didn't ease the soreness inside him.

Heyes' guilty fears fought with his desire. It was as if the Kid's body was a silken sheath that had been made for him. It was so seductively soft.

He had never imagined that there could be such pleasure with another man. He had pulled back and driven into the Kid again, gasping as the man's passage gripped him again. He had cried out and ran his hands over the naked flesh of his buttocks. He moved his cock from side to side inside him, feeling the pressure of the satiny sheath that held him.

He couldn't control himself with this new experience - it was so much sweeter than any other sex he'd ever had. He could feel the pressure building and knew he was going to come so he sank in again and let himself yield to the pleasurable sensations that washed all over him. Moaning, he shot inside his friend.

After he had pulled out, he could see that the Kid was uncomfortable, but he didn't know what to say. Had he really hurt him, or had he enjoyed it at all? He had wanted to kiss and fondle him but had not been able to find the words or gestures to make things right.

Then the Kid had touched him gently and pushed his head down to his half soft cock. Amazed that the blond still desired him, Heyes had started to suck him off again. he licked and sucked and caressed his friend's balls, prolonging the experience so that the Kid was having a good time. When his touching and sucking brought him to a climax he held Curry in his arms till they slept. After that beautiful night they had been afraid and awkward with each other, but their mutual desire and love had been strong and they had found a way to talk about what had happened and become lovers.

******************

Sheriff Mallen shaking him vigorously wakened him. He could see the jailhouse, and his memories of making love with the Kid disappeared fast.

"I've brought you some breakfast- Drake", he said loudly. Heyes opened his eyes. He sat up and took the tray. Mallen sat beside him and indicated that he should eat.

"Who's Kid -" Mallen asked suddenly.

"What?" Heyes looked up from the plate of grits.

"You were mumbling about "kid"."

Heyes controlled his features, smiling slightly. Damn.

He said quickly, not allowing himself to hesitate, "why - that's a little Mexican senorita that I'm
friendly with - she's young and small, real pretty. They call her Catalina but I always call her Kid. I always go to see her when I'm in Texas." He gave the law officer a man-to-man grin. "I guess I was dreamin' about her. Sure wish I had her with me now!"

Mallen smiled sourly. Then he allowed him to eat without further comment. Later that day, Heyes asked if he could have a bath. Mallen agreed. The man brought the bath himself and hung round while Heyes washed.

He did it as quickly as he could. He knew that Mallen or Billy Joe was going to stay and watch him carefully while he bathed - they had to - but it wasn't something he wanted to prolong. Still he felt better once he was cleaner. Mallen handed him an inadequate towel, which he used to scrub himself dry. Then he dressed quickly, feeling chilled after the warm water. His clothes were still dirty however and putting them on again was not pleasant.

Later that night, when he had been sleeping for some hours, he woke to find Mallen sitting by him in the cell. "What the fuck are you doin'?" he exclaimed, too surprised to be polite.

Mallen coughed. "I just came in to see ya."

Heyes was bewildered. "I'm here, you've seen me. What else do you want?"

"You're kind of a fussy guy aren't ya James Shelby Drake?"

"I keep tellin' ya, I'm Joshua Smith."

"Well you're a strange guy, whoever y'are. Wanting to read - and bathe."

"I don't see anything odd about that at all - sir" Heyes said, controlling his temper.

"But maybe I c'n arrange for you to have a bath every day - and get yer duds washed. How'd ya like that?"

"I'd be very pleased," Heyes said warily.

"Of course you'd have to do something for me."

"What?"

"I'll think of somethin'. Now tomorrow I'll get one of the womenfolk to wash your clothes."

*

Next morning, Heyes handed over all his clothes to Mallen. He had had some money on him from the poker game and his good suit was still clean in his carpetbag. Mallen allowed him to change into it while the rest of his clothes were taken away for washing. Maybe he would allow him to buy some new clothes. He supposed Mallen wanted money, but he was willing to exchange his money for some comforts - it was degrading enough to be in jail.

Later that night, he was wakened again. Mallen was shaking him. "Mr Mallen, what are you doin' here, " he asked increasingly exasperated. To his horror, Mallen flopped out a large and swollen cock, waving it in front of his face.

"Why -you kin suck on this for me - Drake". Heyes flinched. It was large and purple. .

"Mr Mallen-" he broke off. Was Mallen a lunatic?

Mallen took his hand and placed it onto the flesh.

"Then pull on it boy."

"No" Heyes squawked, pulling away. It felt like a slug or a worm.

"I'm gonna call for help."

Fortunately, Billy Joe was dozing in the outside office. He was probably drunk and unlikely to wake, but Mallen was startled. His piggy eyes looked scared. "All right then, but that damn fool ain't gonna be here ter-morrer night, Drake. I'll git what I want then."

Angrily, he stomped out of the cell. Heyes pulled the blankets round him. Sleep was banished. He was at Mallen's mercy. If the man wanted him to do anything to him, he was a sitting duck. Billy Joe was stupid and he worked for Mallen anyway. He could easily be silenced. Even if Heyes managed to foil an attempt tonight, there would be other nights, unless Lom turned up fast. He would sooner or later have to suck him off - at the least.

He'd never been with any man other than the Kid. Their relationship had grown slowly. They had come gradually to making love, and it had taken a while before he had been able to allow the Kid to fuck him. He didn't find men attractive as such - it was his love for Kid Curry that had led to them having sex together. Oh God what did he do? Agree to suck the man off hoping that would keep him happy and stop him from looking for anything else? What would he do if Mallen wanted to fuck him? He was fat repulsive ugly, stupid.a horrible man.

What would he do? Wait till Mallen was off guard and then injure him or even kill him, and try to escape. But the Kid and Lom would be there soon and escape would only add to the problems.

He sat all night pondering the situation, but he couldn't come up with anything. He was exhausted by morning, but when he had eaten the breakfast of beans, he wasn't allowed to sleep. Mallen had arranged another bath. Heyes didn't dare object. But he was conscious of Mallen's lecherous eyes fixed on his naked ass, as he climbed in. As he got out, Mallen wrapped a towel round his middle, allowing his hands to brush against his backside. "Don't - sir", he hissed.

"What do ya mean Drake? I was just helpin' ya." Mallen sounded amused.

Heyes said nothing but began to dry himself. He tried to keep his genitals covered and also his rear end, which was not easy with the inadequate towel. "Thank you for the bath - sir" he said firmly. "

He had to drop the towel to get into his clothes and as he'd feared, Mallen got closer to him. As he tried to pick up his trousers from the bench, the sheriff grabbed him from behind by the waist. Heyes tensed. But nothing further happened. Mallen let him go abruptly.

After he'd gone, Heyes wondered if perhaps Mallen was teasing him. He had seemed to be serious in his intentions last night, but he'd been easily scared off. And today, just now, he could have forced him, if he wanted to. The jailhouse was empty.

Still maybe he felt that it was too risky to try to bed a prisoner during daylight. But if he was trying to scare him he was doing a good job. Heyes was afraid. Even being forced to suck the man off was a gruesome prospect. There was nothing to stop Mallen from sending Billy Joe home at night, when nobody was likely to come to the jailhouse. Then he could fuck him at will.

That night, he didn't dare sleep. It was now 3 days since the wires had been sent to the Kid and Lom.

Nothing happened that night, and the next day, he asked for Mallen to send wires to the other 2 again, and another wire to Pat Macreedy. Maybe the Kid was already on his way back - and Lom was a busy man. He might not have been in town when the wire arrived.

Later in the day, Mallen said, "I've arranged for you to have another bath Drake."

Heyes' heart sank as the bath was brought in. His clothes were still off being washed and ironed. Billy Joe and Mallen sat in dreary silence as Heyes plunged into the bath and washed as quickly as he could. Then he got out and tried to dry himself as quickly as possible while Mallen still watched him like a hawk.

Oh god, what was he gonna try next? He pulled on his good shirt over his half dry body as fast as possible, but Mallen then pushed his trousers off the bench and onto the floor. As he bent to pick them up, he was not fast enough to avoid a quick slap on his ass, hard enough to sting. He jumped, grabbed at the trousers and hastily sat down to pull them on. Mallen laughed unkindly. Heyes gave a rictus smile and dressed fast.

After Mallen had gone, he sat and pondered. He wasn't sure if Mallen was doing this just to humiliate him or if he had serious intentions of having sex with him. Maybe he was working his way up from a smack or two to something more intimate. This might be his idea of courtship.

An hour later Mallen came in. "I got a wire, boy. It appears that Patrick Macreedy knows ya, and he's comin' here as soon as he can to verify who y'are."

"So you know that I'm telling the truth sir. I am Joshua Smith, not James Drake."

His heart leapt. Did this mean that Mallen would keep his hands to himself? It would take a couple of days for Big Mac to get there, and he was still a prisoner. But Pat Macreedy was well known and rich. Mallen would be a fool to try to interfere with someone he knew.

The sheriff wasn't looking too pleasered. "So you know Mr Macreedy," he said.

Heyes forced a smile. "Yeah, my partner is related to him. Matter of fact," he said, "Big Mac has no children and Thaddeus is his nephew. He'll inherit some of Big Mac's land when the old man is gone."

"Ah uh- so I guess you'll tell him now that you was well treated here. I could see you was no common criminal, and I did my best to get you special treatment."

"Why of course", Heyes said sarcastically.

Mallen's piggy eyes looked at him hard. "Well Smith, if you're friends with Macreedy
and your partner is his nephew, how come you an' he ain't living high on the hog?"

"There was a family row years ago. Thaddeus didn't know his uncle till a couple years back. Macreedy had a young sister and she married a poor farmer. They disowned her. She was my friend Thaddeus' mother. She and her husband died years ago." He stopped watching Mallen but the man seemed to be believing the story. He went on "But when Mac met up with Thaddeus, he was sorry and wanted to make him his heir. But he doesn't intend to die yet, and he likes the fact that Thad and me like to be independent. I didn't mention him at first 'cause I didn't want him to think he had to get involved in our problems. I thought my friend Lom Trevors would get here first."

Mallen looked at him crossly, put down a plate of food and walked back to the sheriff's part of the jailhouse. Heyes ate heartily. He was safe. Mallen wouldn't dare to touch him now. He would be free in a day or two.

But he hadn't reckoned with Mallen's undisciplined nature. The man knew that it would be unswsie to interfere with Heyes. He knew that the man was a friend of the rich and well-known Macreedy, but he had desires. He had never been able to give way to them except occasionally. He would sometimes pay a drunken cowboy to suck him off. Rationally, he knew that he could not do antying to his prisoner, but in drink he found himself longing for some physical contact with the man. Later that afternoon, as Heyes was dozing lightly, because he was bored, he found a smothering kiss being pressed on his lips. Heyes woke suddenly fighting him off. He smelt disgustingly of cheap
whiskey and tobacco.

"What's the matter Smith? You don't like it? A little kiss?" he said, holding Heyes' arms in a hard grip.

Heyes made a supreme effort and pushed him back. In the process he fell off the bed and landed hard on his side. His leg twisted. But as they lay on the ground together both breathless, he heard the voice of Billy Joe. "I'll see if the sheriff kin see ya, Mister".

"Get on with it." another voice said.

Suddenly Mallen sat up, snapping into sobriety. "Billy Joe", he said.

Heyes knew the other voice and he struggled to his feet clumsily. It was the Kid.

"Pard," he said as he took in the scene. "What the devil is goin' on?"

Mallen said quickly, "Its nothin'. This prisoner fell off his bed. I was helping him up."

"Thaddeus" Heyes said, faint with relief. He sagged down on the bunk as the Kid came up to put his hand through the bars.

"I'm Thaddeus Jones. This man is my partner. He ain't James Drake."

"It's OK Thad. Big Mac got a wire and he's on his way. This gentleman will then
let me out."

Mallen nodded self importantly, seeming to puff up like a toad.

He addressed himself to the tall blond man who had just come in. "You understand, Mr Jones. I got to wait till Mr Macreedy shows up. Everybody knows him. You ain't so well known."

Heyes cut in. "Yeah its OK Mr Mallen. We can both wait till Mr Macreedy comes."

END PART 2....

TBC