Escaping From Paradise by Gary Whitmore - HTML preview

“I was worried about you,” Josh said while rushing to her.

Linda got closer to Josh. “I’m alive but hate every moment those stinking Cowboys climb on top of my naked body,” she quietly told him.

“Why did he pick you to work there?” Josh curiously asked.

Linda hesitated to respond and looked a little ashamed.

“He must have found out that I was arrested for prostitution five years ago. At that time, I was desperate for money and worked as an escort for six months until I got busted,” she replied.

“This place is a huge lie,” Josh quietly replied.

“I know, but we can’t escape. You saw what happened to those two guys that tried,” Linda replied, and her eyes welled up, thinking she would spend the rest of her life as a whore.

Josh opened his mouth to respond but closed it when he saw Casey, the madam from the Paradise House of Pleasure, walk over, and she looked pissed.

“Get back to work, Linda,” Casey said in a raised tone to indicate she was displeased with her whore chatting with a non-Cowboy.

“Yes, ma’am,” Linda politely replied and rushed to Paradise House.

Casey got in Josh’s face while Linda rushed over to the back door of the Paradise House of Pleasure and went inside.

“Only the Cowboys or special guests are allowed to fraternize with my whores. If I catch you again, I’ll have Marshall Fisher

deal with you,” Casey threatened. At the same time, she continuously poked Josh in his chest with the middle finger of her right hand to intimidate him.

“Yes, ma’am,” Josh responded and rushed away, fearful she might deck him.

Casey glared at Josh while he rushed down the back alley.

Then, he turned down a side street and disappeared. Casey strutted over to the back door of the Paradise House of Pleasure and went inside to supervise her whores.

Josh walked down the alley, headed to Fisher’s Lane, and returned to his hotel.

Josh paced back and forth in his small room for most of the night.

“Paradise is boring!” he screamed inside his mind while he paced back and forth from wall to wall in his room.

Meanwhile, back at the Indian camp, Sara and Diana sat inside the Chief ’s teepee.

“Did he get you pregnant?” Sara quietly asked her while she stared at the pouchy belly.

“Yeah, I vomited for days after he had his nasty way with me,” Diana quietly replied while her eyes welled up.

“I wonder what he’ll do with me when he finds out I can’t bear children,” Sara said, looking worried.

Diana looked at Sara, and Sara could see in Diana’s eyes that the Chief would probably kill her. She wanted to scream, but her eyes welled up instead.

It seemed like time stood still for Josh while he waited until it was time for dinner for something to help pass the time.

Josh joined James for their standard steak, mashed potatoes, corn on the cob, and a glass of milk dinner.

While Josh ate, he kept on eying the door and the tables for Jenny, but she still didn’t return from Marshall Fisher’s mansion.

After dinner, Josh and James took a stroll over to the saloon, which was packed again.

Josh and James watched while some guys played poker and listened to Bernie, the night-shift piano player. In contrast, he played old Western songs on the old standup piano.

After an hour of drinking numerous mugs of beer, Josh and James had a good buzz and decided to take a train ride.

They walked down Paradise Lane and headed to the train station.

A little while later, Josh and James sat in the passenger car, where another couple joined them for an evening ride. Cowboy Doug sat in the back, slouched in his seat, tipped his hat over his eyes when the train whistle blew, and it slowly moved away from the station.

The Paradise Express soon rolled down the tracks and headed close to Marshall Fisher’s mansion.

Josh’s eyes lit up when, from the large living room windows, he saw Jenny slow dancing with Marshall Fisher in the mansion’s living room where the band played. Josh looked depressed since he was really falling in love with Jenny.

After the train ride, Josh and James returned to their hotel rooms and retired for the night. Since Saturday was so dull for Josh, he didn’t have any trouble falling fast asleep.

Chapter 12

Josh tossed and turned, having another dream.

In Josh's dream, it was in the middle of the night when he broke out of his jail cell and realized that the barred window on the back wall was loose.

Josh climbed through the small window and hit the ground with a thud.

He got up and ran down the back alley toward the mansion.

Josh could sneak past all the Cowboys, then run to one of the sides of the mansion and push up on a wooden framed window. The window opened, and he cautiously climbed inside the dining room.

Inside the mansion, Josh stood in the dark dining room, looking around the area.

"No!' he heard Jenny cry out from the upstairs rooms.

Like a superhero, Josh ran out of the dining room and bolted up the stairs.

He raced down and body-slammed the closed door at the end of the hall.

The bedroom door came crashing down to the floor with Josh. He quickly sprang up and stood in the doorway in a superhero stance.

He saw Marshall Fisher naked on top of Jenny and forcing himself upon this fair lady.

"Let go of that young lady!" Josh yelled at Marshall Fisher.

Marshall Fisher just turned and grinned while he played with his handlebar mustache, then returned to forcing himself on Jenny.

"Please help me, Josh!" she screamed while Marshall Fisher forced his lips upon her lips.

"Never fear, Josh is here!" he replied in his superhero voice.

Josh moved to rescue Jenny, but something grabbed his arms, flung him backward, and slammed him to the floor.

He looked up, and twelve Cowboys were glaring down at Josh. "Take him to the gallows!" Marshall Fisher yelled out from the bed.

Josh tried to fight to free himself, but the Cowboys were stronger and dragged him down the hall by his arms.

Josh was standing at the gallows where the noose hung before his eyes.

Marshall Fisher walked up and looked at people in the street. "Josh will hang for stopping me from having sex with my beautiful Jenny," he told the town folk, who cheered and clapped.

Josh saw Jenny in the street, where she blew Marshall Fisher kisses.

One of the Cowboys placed the noose around Josh's neck, and the faint sound of a bell came from the air.

Josh looked up, and the bell ringing got louder.

Nobody heard that bell but Josh, as everybody watched the noose around his neck.

Josh heard the lever being moved while the bell ringing got closer.

Josh heard the trap door open, and the bell got louder.

The second Josh dropped into the hole, and the noose got tighter around his neck, the bell ringing was loud and in his face.

Back to Josh's reality in Paradise, it was 5:00 a.m., Sunday morning. Josh jumped up in bed in a panic, gasping for air, and his head slammed into the bell that Maggie was ringing above his head.

"It's time for breakfast and then church!" Maggie yelled.

Josh looked around the room and was dazed and confused.

"I said it's time for breakfast and then church!" Maggie repeated.

"Church?" Josh asked, still a little confused and still dazed from his dream.

"You heard me. Everybody goes to church every Sunday morning immediately after breakfast," she said, then turned around and rushed to the door.

Josh got out of bed, used the stinky outhouses, and had to wait his turn for the bathroom.

Josh joined James at breakfast in the Dining Hall, and he still couldn't find Jenny and was really concerned.

After breakfast, Josh and James walked down the far end of Paradise Lane, where the Paradise Holy Church was next to Doc Holloway's Office.

It was a stand-alone building painted white with a large cross on the steeple.

Inside the Paradise Holy Church, it was packed with all the residents of Paradise, and the Cowboys all stood around the walls, watching everybody.

Preacher Stan, another good friend of Marshall Fisher, stood at the podium with a hymn book and bible in his hands.

At the same time, he watched everybody pile inside the church and sit in the pews.

Jason and James entered the church from the rear door and sat in the end spaces in one of the pews at the rear.

Josh looked around for Jenny, but she wasn't seen in the church then.

More people poured into the church. Josh looked scanned for Jenny, but she wasn't anywhere in sight.

After a few minutes, all the town folk were sitting in the pews in the church. The preaching was about to start.

Bob Jackson entered, sat down at one of the last pews by the rear door, and showed no emotions of life.

Josh's eyes widened when he saw Marshall Fisher enter through the side door with Jenny by his side and Charlie trailing.

They sat in the front pew reserved for the Marshall and his guests.

Josh didn't know what to think about Jenny spending the weekend with the Marshall.

"Good morning, my Paradise flock," Preacher Stan called out from the podium.

"Good morning," everybody called out except for Josh.

Preacher Stan opened up his hymn book. "Let's sing hymn number one," he said while he looked at a page.

Everybody grabbed hymn books from the back of the pew and opened them to that page.

"Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me," everybody sang out except for Josh, who couldn't carry a tune in a bucket, so he softly sang the words.

While the entire church sang the hymn, Josh eyed the back of Jenny's head and looked worried.

After a few minutes, the church was finished with the Amazing Grace hymn, and Preacher Stan dove into his sermon about loyalty to those who gave you a better life and then betrayed them by attempting to leave.

Most of the folks fought to stay awake. Some lost the fight and had the back of their heads smacked by one of the Cowboys.

Ten minutes passed. Preacher Stan was finished preaching.

Marshall Fisher got up and walked over to Preacher Stan.

"Thank you for a wonderful service with a powerful message, Preacher Stan," he said while they shook hands.

Marshall Fisher looked at Jenny in the front pew. "Will Jenny Burns please come up here," he asked her.

Josh's ears perked up when he heard Jenny's name, and he craned his neck to watch.

Jenny looked worried while she walked over to Marshall Fisher and stood by his side.

Fisher placed an arm around her. "I am so happy to announce that Jenny Burns will be my wife," he told the audience with a huge smile.

Jenny looked stunned, overhearing this news for the first time. All the town folk clapped except for Josh.

Marshall Fisher grinned from ear to ear and waited until the clapping ceased. "We'll have our wedding in a few days, and the whole town is invited!"

The audience clapped again, and it was louder. "Church is dismissed!" Marshall Fisher cheered during the clapping.

Everybody stopped clapping, got up from their pews, and started piling out of the church.

Josh stood up with James and saw Preacher Stan congratulating Marshall Fisher and Jenny.

He moped out of the church with James.

A little while later, Josh walked into the Paradise Saloon and headed to the bar.

"Whiskey, please," Josh told Wendell, the bartender.

Wendell spat out some tobacco into a brass spittoon and poured Josh a shot of whiskey.

While Josh drank it, he saw Bob Jackson at a table with five empty shot glasses. Bob looked lifeless while he held his sixth shot glass in his hand and stared at the whiskey.

Then Josh saw Doc Holloway passed out drunk at a table on the other side of the bar.

Josh gulped down his shot of whiskey. "Another shot," he ordered Wendell.

While the shot glass was being filled, Josh saw Bob sway in his chair while he gulped down his shot.

"Why, thank you. Miss Burns is a beautiful woman and will be a dedicated wife," Marshall Fisher was heard outside the saloon talking to one of the town folk.

Bob eyed the saloon doors with looks that could kill when he heard the Marshall's voice. He saw five Cowboys drinking whiskey at the bar, all stinking drunk.

Bob got up from his table.

He walked over to the Cowboys at the bar with a smirk.

"Whiskey," Bob slurred out the words while he handed Wendell the shot glass.

Josh gulped down his second shot of whiskey and headed to the door.

Josh walked out of the saloon and saw Marshall Fisher talking about the wedding with four couples in the middle of the street.

Josh moped down Paradise Lane to get away from that talk.

He eventually moped by the Paradise House of Pleasure and spotted Linda looking lifeless on the front porch.

Cowboys Dale and Jesse entered the Paradise House of Pleasure looking horny.

Cowboys Mitch and Saul exited the Paradise House of Pleasure and looked satisfied while they smoked a rolled-up cigarette.

Josh looked over at Linda.

"Help me, Josh!" she mouthed the words.

Cowboy Wesley walked out on the front porch and grabbed Linda by her arm. "I don't have all day," he barked, pulling her into the building.

Josh walked down the street and passed by Sidney, who hobbled on crutches with one leg and looked depressed.

Josh saw the mansion, turned around, and returned to the saloon to get drunk.

Meanwhile, Laurie, in an old Western blue dress, rode one of the horses that belonged to the Indians into town. She obtained the horse from the Indians for a bottle of whiskey.

Josh walked to the saloon and saw Marshall Fisher chatting about his upcoming wedding with those couples.

Bob bolted out of the saloon with a pistol he lifted out of the holster of one of those drunken Cowboys. "Fisher!" he cursed in anger.

Marshall Fisher turned around and saw Bob swaying with the pistol in the street.

All the town folk on Paradise Lane ran to a safe distance and watched the show.

Laurie stopped her horse and dismounted by the Marshall's Office. She looked in awe at the town her father built.

"Marshall Fisher, you bastard!" Bob cursed while he swayed and tried to aim his pistol.

Laurie looked down the street and saw Bob aiming his pistol at her father. "Oh my," she worried.

Josh stopped dead in his tracks when he saw Bob aiming his pistol at Marshall Fisher.

Jenny stepped out of Doc Holloway's Office and saw Bob with a pistol aimed at Marshall Fisher.

"You and your goons raped my sister Mindy. That's why she killed herself!" Bob raged.

Marshall Fisher fumed. "Now, Bob, it's best you go sleep this off. We'll talk about it in the morning," he threatened.

Bob swayed and closed one eye while he aimed his pistol at Marshall Fisher. "You don't deserve to breathe our air," he raged while continuing to sway with his pistol aimed.

Josh smiled, thinking Bob would handle his problem with the Marshall marrying Jenny.

Then, a pistol was fired from behind Bob, and his forehead blew open when the bullet exited. Bob dropped face-first into the ground dead.

Cowboy Tony was the meanest Cowboy in the bunch, and he fired the fatal shot into the back of Bob's head. He blew across the barrel, twirled his pistol, and dropped it into his holster with a smirk.

Everybody in the street stood stunned while Bob lay with blood oozing out of his forehead into the dirt.

Josh looked again at Cowboy Tony and tried to remember why his face looked so familiar but couldn't.

Marshall Fisher walked over to Bob's dead body. Tony strutted over to Bob's dead body.

"Thanks, Tony," Marshall Fisher said with a pat on his Tony’s back.

Tony looked proud at Bob's dead body. "My pleasure, boss."

Laurie ran over to Marshall Fisher and looked down at Bob's dead body. "Daddy, what happened? He said you raped a woman?"

Marshall Fisher looked at Laurie, then at Bob in the dirt.

"He was drunk and acting stupid."

Cowboy Tony walked away and returned to the saloon.

Marshall Fisher looked bothered by Laurie. "What are you doing here?"

"Don't worry. Everything's secured at the mansion, and I put up a closed for two weeks' repair sign. I had to see this place," she replied in awe over the sight of the town.

"I'll have one of my Cowboys escort you back to the cave later today. I need you there, guarding the train house.” stated Marshall Fischer.

Laurie beamed. "Daddy, I have a new idea to run by you.

Plus, can't I stay for a few days? I want you to find me a husband," she pleaded while stomping her shoes in the dirt like a child.

Marshall Fisher looked at Laurie's pleading eyes. "Sure thing, darling," he replied with a warm smile as she wrapped him around her little finger. "I need a drink," Marshall Fisher told her. "By the way, I'm getting married, and her name is Jenny.

She's the town nurse, and I'll take you to the doctor's office later to meet her," he told Laurie while they walked to the mansion.

A wagon rode down the street from one of the side streets and was driven by Cowboy Sam, with Cowboy Jimmy sitting next to him.

Sam stopped the wagon by Bob's dead body.

Sam and Jimmy exited the wagon and picked up Bob's body. They tossed the corpse into the wagon's rear and returned to the seat.

Josh saw the bloody spot in the dirt where Bob's head made its final rest.

Sam drove the wagon down Paradise Lane and headed to the Undertaker's building.

Josh saw Jenny while she walked back inside Doc Holloway's Office.

Josh walked away and headed to a side street.

A little while later, Josh walked down an alley to the rear of Doc Holloway's Office. He tapped on the glass of the rear door window.

The door opened, and Jenny appeared. "Can we talk?"

Josh asked with pleading eyes.

"Come inside," she said, then stepped aside.

The second Josh stepped inside the doctor's office, he started pacing. "I can't believe my luck. I meet a beautiful woman, and she's forced to marry the town Marshall."

Jenny wiped away a tear. "I don't want to marry that old saggy goat. He makes my skin crawl at the thought of him naked on top of me. Plus, his breath is horrible from cigar smoke, and those brown-stained teeth makes me want to vomit."

"What about Bob? He said Fisher raped Mindy."

Jenny's eyes welled up as she started pacing. "I heard those claims from some of the women."

Josh looked bothered by something. "That guy that shot Bob. He looked very familiar," he said while recalling why.

Then, after a few seconds of pacing, it dawned on him. "I saw him on a TV show that hunts down fugitives. He's wanted for rape," Josh told her.

"That's Tony, and his main job is to stand guard outside Fisher's bedroom when he's in the mansion," Josh told her, then paced around some more. "What the hell is going on here?"

"You said the magic word, hell," she agreed.

"There was Sara, who came the same day I did. She was kidnapped and given to the Indians to the Chief's bride."

"I heard of another woman, Diana, who was also given to the Indians a little while ago," she told Josh.

"I can't take it anymore. We need to get out of here," he told her.

"He pays the Indians in booze to guard the cave. And that's the only way out of here. And you know he'll hang us for trying."

Josh continued to pace circles around Jenny while he pondered their situation. "That's the risk we'll have to take. Or you can live the rest of your life as his wife," he told her.

Jenny thought about his comment for a second. "I'd rather risk a noose around my neck than that creep crawling all over me for the rest of my life," she agreed.

Josh walked over to her and gave her a hug. They kissed; it turned passionate, and then they started undressing each other.

Within a few minutes, they were both naked and fell on top of her bed.

Chapter 13

It was later that Sunday evening, and Josh and Jenny were naked under her bed covers snoozing from their session of sex.

Jenny woke up, glanced at Josh, then kissed his forehead and lips lightly.

Josh woke up and smiled the second he saw Jenny’s face.

“Hello, beautiful.”

“Hello, handsome,” she smiled.

Josh lightly kissed her lips. “Why didn’t we meet in the other world?” he said while he held her hand.

“We could be having a beautiful, loving life together instead of me having a boring life with that old saggy creep,”

she replied, looking sick.

“That’s where our paradise is, back home,” he responded.

Josh and Jenny kissed.

The sound of Cowboy boots on the front porch was heard while someone approached the door of the doctor’s office and coughed up some phlegm.

“It’s Doc Holloway. You better sneak out the back, or he’ll immediately run to Marshall Fisher,” she said, looking worried.

Josh jumped out of bed and ran over to his clothes.

“What time is it?” he asked while he pulled on his boxer shorts.

“Ten after eight,” she replied, looking at the dresser’s clock.

They both heard Doc Holloway cough up more phlegm on the front porch by the front door.

Josh quickly got dressed in his pants and shirt.

He kissed Jenny while he hopped and put on his Cowboy boots. At the same time, he headed to the bedroom door.

“If anybody asks, you had a headache,” she said while dressed in her nurse’s uniform.

“I’m falling in love with you,” Josh said while standing in the doorway.

“Me too,” she replied with a loving smile.

They heard Doc Holloway cough up more phlegm on the front porch.

Josh looked nervous while Jenny just stared at him.

Josh had a spring in his step while he rushed to the rear door in the central area.

Josh quietly exited the rear door of Doc Holloway’s Office, ran down the back alley, and didn’t notice Cowboy Butch who was forcing Daniel, a twenty-five-year-old man, to perform oral sex on him in the shadows of the backside of the bank.

Josh ran down the alley, rushed down Fisher’s Lane heading to his hotel. He rushed through the lobby of his hotel and bolted up the stairs.

Bud worked behind the front desk during the night shift and thought the way Josh dashed into the hotel room was peculiar.

Josh went inside his room, undressed, and got under the covers. He stared at the ceiling and couldn’t stop thinking about the beautiful time he had just spent with Jenny. He closed his eyes with a huge smile, happy to be in love with her.

Back at Doc Holloway’s Office, Jenny watched while Doc Holloway plopped on the other bed to sleep off the booze he drank all day.

Jenny quietly left the doctor’s office to avoid waking up Doc Holloway.

“Hey darling,” Marshall Fisher’s voice was heard the second she stepped off the front porch and into the dirt street.

“Hey baby,” she replied, pretending to be happy to see him while she watched him walk over with Laurie.

“Darling, I want you to meet my daughter, Laurie,” he said while they approached Jenny.

“Hello,” Laurie said with a smile.

“You look familiar,” Jenny said while she shook Laurie’s hand.

“She works at the counter back at the mansion for the Train House, selling tickets and being the general caretaker,”

Marshall Fisher replied.

“Oh yeah, what brings you here to Paradise?” Jenny asked, pretending to be polite.

“Daddy’s going to find me a husband!” Laurie beamed with sparkles in her eyes.

“That’s wonderful,” Jenny said, but she knew the Marshall would force someone to marry her daughter.

“Come, my sweetness, let’s go to the house,” Marshall Fisher said, then grabbed Jenny’s arm and walked her and Laurie back down Paradise Lane toward the mansion.

Jenny was forced to stay at the mansion where the band played music for Marshall, Jenny, and Laurie, and they drank some expensive brandy.

Jenny loathed every second she spent there and was so happy to return to her hotel at 11:00 p.m.

It was 5:00 a.m., Monday morning, and Josh woke up before the sound of Maggie’s irritating bell.

He stepped out of his room the second Maggie was about to enter to wake him up. She was pissed she didn’t get to rattle Josh out of his sleep while she watched him walk down to the bathroom.

A little while later, Josh walked down Fisher’s Lane and headed down Paradise Lane.

Josh soon walked into the Paradise Dining Hall, where Abby greeted him at the door with her clipboard.

“Josh Bryant,” he told her.

Abby looked at the names on her clipboard, checked off Josh’s name, and smiled at him.

Josh entered the dining room, looked at Jenny’s table, and noticed she was eating breakfast.

He walked over to his table and sat down.

James walked over to the table. “You beat me to the table for once,” he said while he sat down.

“Yeah,” Josh replied with a little grin while he thought about his last night naked romp with Jenny while he glanced back at her table.

After five minutes of waiting, Walt brought Josh and James their scrambled eggs and bacon dinner.

Kimmy placed two glasses of apple juice in front of the two guys.

“So, did you hear about Bob Jackson?” James asked, then ate some scrambled eggs.

“Yep, I was there on Paradise Lane when it happened,”

Josh replied, and then he ate some scrambled eggs.

“What a shame,” James said, then drank some apple juice.

“Yeah,” Josh said, thinking about yesterday’s shooting.

After breakfast, Josh left the Dining Hall and walked toward the General Store for his garden duty. At the same time, Jenny headed down to Doc Holloway’s Office.

Then Cowboys Butch, with a black eye from Marshall Fisher and Tim, walked down Paradise Lane from Marshall Fisher’s mansion and headed toward Josh.

“We need to see you for a little private talk,” Tim said the second Butch grabbed one of Josh’s arms.

“But I need to get to my garden detail,” Josh quickly replied and tried to squirm out of their grips.

Butch gripped harder on Josh’s arm to let him know that wasn’t going to happen.

The Cowboys Tim and Butch escorted Josh between the Dining Hall building and the General Store building.

They rushed him to the rear of the Dining Hall building and slammed his back against the wall.

“Marshall Fisher wants to know why you were coming out of Doc Holloway’s Office last night?” Tim asked while he got in Josh’s face.

“What were you doing in there?” Tim asked while he got in Josh’s face.

Josh sweated and started to shake in fear. “I ah, I ahh,”

Josh stammered, then he noticed Butch’s black eye.

“I ah, what?” Butch replied while he glared into Josh’s eyes.

“I had a throbbing headache, and she gave me something for it,” Josh nervously answered.

“The Marshall hit me because I didn’t report your time with Jenny until this morning. So you’re going to pay,” Butch

said while he glared into Josh’s eyes, then punched Josh in his stomach.

Josh’s Cowboy hat fell to the dirt; he dropped to his knees and buckled over in pain.

“Butch here has a headache, and you’re the aspirin he needs,” Tim said while he picked Josh up by his collar and brought him to his feet.

“He sure looks like a pretty piece of aspirin,” Butch said while he lightly caressed Josh’s cheek.

Josh had fear in his eyes recalling Willard’s tale of why he wanted to leave Paradise.

Tim spun Josh around and slammed him face-first into the wall of the Dining Hall.

“He’s right, I have a dreadful headache, and you’re just the medicine I need,” Butch said while he reached around and unbuckled Josh’s belt.

“No!” Josh yelled out and tried to squirm away from Tim’s grip, but Tim had pressed hard into the back of Josh’s head smashing the right side of his face into the wall.

“Please, no!” Josh yelled out while Butch lowered Josh’s pants down to his ankles.

Tim placed his hand over Josh’s mouth.

“No!” Josh muffled out his cry into Tim’s hand when Butch lowered Josh’s boxer shorts to his ankles, leaving his bare ass exposed.

Butch squeezed Josh’s butt cheeks. “I like them nice and tight,” he said, then smacked Josh’s butt cheeks. “Virgin!” he purred.

Josh cringed in fear when he heard Butch unbuckle his belt and lowered his pants.

“I’m going to make this boy my new bitch,” Butch promised while he leaned forward and licked Josh’s face cheek.

A shovel came out from behind the Cowboys and whacked Butch hard on the back of his head. Butch’s eyes crossed, and he dropped to the dirt and passed out.

Tim looked a little baffled at Butch, and the second he opened his mouth to say something, the shovel whacked Tim

hard on the back of his head. Tim’s eyes crossed, and he dropped to the dirt and passed out.

The pressure against Josh’s back suddenly disappeared, and he curiously turned around and saw James standing with a shovel in his hand.

“Get the hell out of here,” James softly recommended, then turned around and headed to the rear door of the General Store.

Josh quickly pulled up his boxer shorts and pants and buckled his belt.

He picked up his Cowboy hat, placed it on his head, rushed away, and headed to the front of the General Store.

James stood in the doorway of the rear door to the General Store and looked at Butch and Tim still passed out in the dirt. He knew he could get into trouble, but he felt it was worth the risk to save a friend from being raped.

James went inside the store as if nothing happened outside.

Josh ran to the front of the General Store and saw Bo drive the wagon down Paradise Lane. He ran after the wagons in a panic.

Laurie walked down Paradise Lane from the mansion and looked in awe at the town her father built. Then she spotted Josh while he chased after the wagon. “Hi, Josh,” she called out with a loving smile.

Josh saw Laurie but didn’t recognize her, so he tipped his Cowboy hat while chasing after Bo’s wagon.

Harold spotted Laurie walking down the street from the back of the wagon. He was immediately smitten.

Josh picked up speed and raced to the rear of Bo’s wagon.

He almost gave up as he was out of breath, but then Gary’s hand finally grabbed Josh’s hand. Gary and Harold pulled Josh into the back of the wagon.

“Thanks,” Josh replied out of breath while he sat down in the back of the wagon.

Bo looked back when he sensed the commotion.

“You’re late, Bryant!” he yelled.

“Sorry. I got detained,” Josh replied, still out of breath.

“Don’t let it happen again,” Bo scolded.

“Yes, sir,” Josh replied.

Josh just watched the wagon while it drove through the grassy field and tried to block out of his mind with the attempted rape.

Bo drove the wagon out of Paradise and headed toward the gardens.

Twenty minutes later, Jenny swept the floor of the doctor’s office with a bristle broom to kill some time.

The door slammed open, which startled Jenny. She turned around, and Marshall Fisher stormed inside with Cowboys Mark and Tony tagging behind like obedient servants.

Then, Cowboys Steve and Dan walked Cowboys Butch and Tim inside, who both were in pain with severe headaches and large goose eggs on the back of their heads.

“What’s wrong?” Jenny asked the second she saw Marshall Fisher’s pissed look and the two Cowboys in pain.

Marshall Fisher grabbed Jenny by her hair and brought her face an inch from his face. “What the hell were you doing with that Bryant punk last night?” he blew his words into her face and glared into her eyes.

“He had a headache and needed some aspirin,” she replied, pointing at the medicine cabinet with glass doors.

Marshall Fisher glanced at the medicine cabinet, then pulled harder on Jenny’s hair.

She cringed in pain.

“Are you lying to me?”

“No, baby, I swear! He had a headache,” she pleaded.

“You know the consequences if I find out otherwise,” he threatened. Marshall Fisher forced a kiss hard on Jenny’s lips, and then he threw her down to the floor. “Where’s Doc Holloway?” he asked while he towered over her body.

“I believe he’s having his morning drink,” she replied, intimidated by him.

“Go get the drunk,” Marshall Fisher ordered, then looked back and told Cowboys Steve and Dan, who immediately dashed out the door.

“My two Cowboys were hit by an unidentified assailant,”

Marshall Fisher told Jenny.

Jenny got up off the floor and walked over to Butch and Tim. She immediately looked at the goose eggs on the back of their heads. “I’ll give them some pain medicine, and they can rest here,” she told Marshall Fisher.

“Do that,” he replied.

Jenny walked over to the medicine cabinet and removed a bottle of pain pills. She removed four pills and walked over to Butch and Tim. “I’ll get you some water,” she said while he handed her the two pills.

She poured them some water in a glass, and they both took the pills. She then placed Butch and Tim both in the bedrooms where they could rest.

“You’re moving into my mansion so I can keep an eye on you,” he said, storming out of the office with his Cowboys following.

Jenny silently cried the second the door was closed.

The rest of the day was uneventful for Josh. After he helped unload the baskets from the wagons and dropped them off in the kitchen of the Dining Hall, he relaxed in his hotel room.

It was time for dinner, and Josh and James ate their steak dinners and remained quiet.

While Josh chewed on his steak, he glanced over and saw Jenny eating her steak dinner at her table. He felt relieved that Marshall Fisher hadn’t learned about their lovemaking session the previous night.

“If I can have everybody’s attention,” Marshall Fisher called out from the room doorway.

Everybody looked at Marshall Fisher, and the Cowboys Tony, Steve, Mark Ray, and Charlie stood behind him.

“Someone attacked two of my men this morning behind the Dining Hall. Therefore, I’m investigating, and the culprit will regret his dastardly deed. I’m also imposing a revised curfew to start in one hour,” Marshall Fisher addressed everybody and looked serious.

Josh and James looked down at their steak dinners and got scared.

Josh looked while Marshall Fisher walked over to Jenny at her table.

Cowboy Steve walked over with a dozen roses in hand and gave them to Marshall Fisher, who, in turn, gave them to Jenny.

This was how he said he was sorry for this morning’s encounter in the doctor’s office.

Josh looked away and was depressed. “Why is it always me?” he said under his breath.

Josh ate for a few more seconds and heard footsteps behind him. He looked, and Laurie walked up and sat at one of the empty table seats.

“Hello, remember me?” Laurie asked Josh with a loving smile.

Josh looked at Laurie, and he didn’t recognize her at all.

“I’m from the mansion lobby where you came to pay to visit the Train House. I’m Marshall Fisher’s daughter, Laurie,”

she said with a gleam in her eyes.

Josh looked at her, then his eyes widened when he remembered. “Ah, yes, why did you come here?”

“To find a man to marry. I don’t have much luck with men back home, so Daddy said he’ll help me,” she replied with love in her eyes while she admired Josh.

Josh looked away and glanced over at Jenny.

James looked at Laurie, and he instantly knew she was hot for Josh’s love.

Josh looked upset when he saw Marshall Fisher escorting Jenny from the dining room.

Laurie leaned over and gave Josh a quick kiss on his cheek.

“I’ll see you later, Josh,” she smiled, then got up and walked away. “I think she really likes you,” James said while he ate the rest of his steak.

“I’m not interested in her,” Josh said, then drank his milk and looked upset that Marshall Fisher left with Jenny.

It was quiet during the rest of their meal.

After dinner, Josh walked down Paradise Lane toward the Marshall’s mansion.

Josh walked down to the end of Paradise Lane, where the dirt road went through the grassy field with the entrance to Marshall Fisher’s mansion to the right. He stopped when he saw Cowboys Willy, Kurt, Richie, and Howie at the campfire guarding the entrance trail to the mansion with Winchester rifles and bottles of whiskey.

Cowboy Willy saw Josh and walked closer to him. “What do you want?” he asked in a concerned voice.

“Nothing, I’m just walking and enjoying the beautiful evening,” Josh replied. At the same time, he looked at Willy and saw a shadowy figure walking from the dirt driveway of the mansion and heading toward the Cowboys.

Josh turned around and started walking back into Paradise.

Cowboy Hal rode up on a horse and stopped at Josh.

“Curfew’s about to begin, so you better get back to your hotel room,” he threatened.

“I’ll walk him back to his room,” Laurie’s voice was heard from behind Josh.

Josh turned and saw Laurie walking up to him from the campfire.

“Yes, ma-am,” Cowboy Hal replied politely at Laurie and tipped his hat, turned his horse around, and rode back into town.

Laurie placed one of her arms around Josh’s arm and escorted him down Paradise Lane.

“Daddy did a beautiful job with the night sky. Don’t you think?” she asked while she reached over and held Josh’s hand.

He accepted holding hands with her because he was afraid if he didn’t, the Marshall would hang him.

“He sure did,” Josh replied with a fake smile.

“Yep, Daddy’s a genius!” Laurie snuggled closer to Josh, making him feel uneasy.

“You make me feel like a queen,” she said with a gleam in her eyes.

Josh hated every second of Laurie’s flirting while they walked down the street.

Harold walked to the other side of Paradise Lane, and he saw Josh and Laurie and looked jealous. “Why can’t I get a beautiful woman?” he quietly said, then moped down the street and headed to Blaine Lane for his hotel.

Josh and Laurie eventually walked down Fisher’s Lane, headed to Josh’s Hotel, and stopped.

“Well, you’re home, she said with love in her eyes, then kissed Josh on his cheek. “I’m so lucky to have you as my boyfriend.”

“Your what?” Josh replied, a little shocked.

“You’re my boyfriend,” she repeated with love in her eyes.

“I ah,” Josh stuttered. “I, ah.”

“I love you,” she quickly blurted out like a shy schoolgirl, released him from her hand, and kissed him on his lips.

“You what?” he replied the second their lips separated.

“You’re my boyfriend, and I love you,” she called out while she skipped down the street, leaving a little trail of dust.

Wendy and Eric, a middle-aged couple from Minnesota, looked at Josh with a smile. At the same time, they heard Laurie’s comment they entered the hotel.

“I should have known,” Jenny called out from behind Josh.

Josh’s eyes widened in fear, he turned around and watched while Jenny walked up to him, visibly upset.

“No, it’s not what it appears,” Josh pleaded.

“They all say that,” Jenny replied.

Jenny walked past Josh and headed down the street. “Let me explain, Jenny.”

Jenny ignored him while she walked away down Fisher’s Lane.

Josh rushed after Jenny.

Cowboy Hal rode up on his horse. “It’s curfew time. Get your ass in your hotel,” Hal said with a serious look while he placed his right hand on the grip of his Colt 45 pistol.

“Yes sir,” Josh said while he walked to the front door of his hotel and glanced back at Jenny, who rushed down the street.

Jenny’s eyes well up as she walked to the rear door of Doc Holloway’s Office building.

Later that night, Josh lay in bed staring at the ceiling. His thoughts are tossed between his love for Jenny and Laurie’s forced love for him.

His room door slammed open. He jumped up, startled, and got scared when he saw Cowboys Steve, Tony, Mark, and Ray rush inside his room.

“Marshall Fisher wants a word with you,” Steve said while the Cowboys approached Josh’s bed.

Steve and Tony grabbed Josh’s arms and yanked him off the bed.

They rushed Josh out of his room.

A little while later, Cowboys Steve, Tony, Mark, and Ray rushed Josh to the Marshall’s Office.

Inside the office, Marshall Fisher and Charlie waited behind the desk while they drank some coffee.

The door opened, and the Cowboys entered with Josh in their grips.

When he saw Marshall Fisher and Charlie stand up from their desks, Josh looked scared to death.

Cowboys Steve and Tony threw Josh to the floor.

Marshall Fisher walked over, grabbed Josh by his hair, and pulled him up to his feet. “Who attacked my men?” he said while he got nose-to-nose with Josh.

Josh looked scared to death and fought from peeing in his pants. “I didn’t see who did it.”

Charlie walked up and punched Josh in the stomach. Josh dropped to the floor in pain.

Marshall Fisher grabbed Josh by his hair and painfully brought him to his feet. “I think your ears are clogged,” he said, then smacked both of Josh’s ears. “I said, who attacked my men?”

Josh cringed in pain. “I don’t know!”

Fisher nodded at Charlie, who grabbed one of Josh’s arms and rushed him to one of the empty jail cells.

Charlie threw Josh into the empty cell, where he slammed to the floor and then slammed the door shut.

“You’ll stay locked up until you give me a name,” Marshall Fisher said, then left his office with the four Cowboys.

Charlie sat back down at this desk and started playing his harmonica.

Later that night, Cowboy Kirby had guard duty in the Marshall’s Office.

Josh tossed and turned in his bunk while he tried to sleep.

Over in the saloon, Charlie had shots of whiskey with Cowboys Mitch and Alan at the bar while he told a story.

Cowboys Ned, Clint, Glen, and Chester sat at one of the tables with Rodney, the stagecoach driver, and played poker while they drank their shots of whiskey.

Doc Holloway was again passed out drunk at another table.

At the bar, Charlie gulped down his shot of whiskey.

Then Wendell spat tobacco into the brass spittoon, poured Charlie and the Cowboys another shot of whiskey, and listened to the rest of Charlie’s story.

“And so the Marshall will hang that Josh Bryant punk even if he squeals on who attacked his men. He’s going to be dead soon,” Charlie said while he gulped down his whiskey.

“Good, I love those hangings,” Cowboy Mitch said with a smirk, then he gulped down his shot of whiskey.

Cowboy Alan gulped down his shot of whiskey with a smile over having another hanging.

“Another round,” Charlie told Wendell.

Wendell walked over and poured them another shot of whiskey.

“Leave the bottle,” Charlie said.

Wendell left the bottle and walked away to the other end of the bar.

Chapter 14

It was Tuesday morning in Paradise.

Everybody ate breakfast and worked on their daily duties except for Josh, who lay in jail.

Charlie entered the Marshall’s Office, where Cowboy Sam had the night watch over their prisoner.

“How’s our prisoner?” Charlie asked Sam while he walked up to the jail cell.

“The pussy was quiet all night,” Sam replied while he got up and poured another cup of coffee from the coffee pot sitting on the potbelly stove.

“Well, boy, will you tell me who beat our Cowboys?”

Charlie asked through the cell door bars.

Josh looked at Charlie, then at the floor, and couldn’t turn in James. Josh figured Marshall Fisher would still hang him even if he gave up James. He then smiled when he thought about the sexual night he had with Jenny and figured it was an excellent memory to recall just before he died.

Charlie glared at Josh and soon realized he wasn’t going to squeal. “Okay, boy, you can eat when you provide me with a name,” Charlie said, then walked away and left the Marshall’s Office.

Josh’s stomach growled while he lay in his bunk and stared at the ceiling, and pondered how much longer he had in this crappy world.

At Doc Holloway’s Office, Cowboys Tim and Butch were released and walked down Paradise Lane.

“I’m going to ask the Marshall if I can pull the lever at the gallows when they put a noose around the neck of the guy that hit me,” Butch told Tim, still pissed.

“I’ll help,” replied Tim, still pissed.

At the General Store, James swept the floor with his broom.

Melvin worked at the cash register while Harriet was buying toothpaste and shampoo.

“Thank you, ma’am,” Melvin said while placing her items in a paper bag and handing them to her.

She smiled at Melvin and walked to the door where Wendell just entered.

“Ma-am,” Wendell said while he removed his Cowboy hat from the door and opened it for Harriet. She left, and he walked up to the cash register. “Give me a pack of chewing tobacco,” Wendell told Melvin.

Melvin walked down the counter to some shelves.

“I heard there will be another hanging soon,” Wendell told Melvin while he removed a pack of Redman Chewing tobacco off the shelf.

“Oh, really? Who tried to escape this time?” Melvin asked while he walked back to the cash register.

“Nobody tried to escape. The Marshall has a young kid locked up for not telling who attacked two of his Cowboys,”

Wendell responded.

“Attacked his Cowboys? When?” Melvin asked, a little surprised, as the townsfolk were afraid of the Cowboys since they carried two pistols.

“It happened at the rear of the dining hall yesterday morning. The Cowboys were integrating Josh Bryant when someone hit them on the back of their heads with some object,”

Melvin said while he paid for the tobacco.

Wendell looked curiously at James, who was still sweeping the floor, not paying attention to the conservation. “James, did you hear or see anything yesterday morning?”

“No, sir,” James replied while he looked at Wendell and Melvin with a straight face.

“Don’t worry, Marshall Fisher will get it out of that Josh kid, and Charlie said he’ll still hang even if he does sing like a canary. I heard he was also seen coming out of Doc Holloway’s Office the other evening, and Jenny was there. All alone,”

Wendell said while he shoved a wad of tobacco into his mouth.

“That’s the way it goes,” Melvin replied.

James felt guilty while he swept the floor and discreetly eyed Wendell leave the store.

It was high noon, and Charlie ate a ham sandwich and drank coffee at his desk.

“This sure is a good ham sandwich,” Charlie told Josh to taunt him.

In his jail cell, Josh’s stomach growled louder. Still, he wouldn’t let Marshall Fisher have the satisfaction of hanging another man.

While Charlie ate his ham sandwich, Marshall Fisher entered the office with Laurie.

“Did our prisoner say anything yet?” Marshall Fisher asked Charlie while he walked up to the desk and looked at the jail cell.

“Nope,” Charlie replied, then took a drink of his coffee.

Laurie looked over at the jail cell, and her eyes lit up the second she realized it was Josh. “What’s he doing in there?” she asked while she ran up to the jail cell.

“He won’t tell me who attacked my Cowboys, so he’ll rot in jail until he does,” Marshall Fisher replied while he glared at Josh. The door opened, and James entered the Marshall’s Office, looking nervous.

“I attacked your men,” he confessed the second Marshall Fisher looked at him.

Josh got up from his bunk and rushed to the cell bars from his jail cell. He looked at James and couldn’t believe his ears; he came in and confessed.

Marshall Fisher looked furious with James. “I gave you a cushy job at the store, and this is how you repay me?” he yelled, then punched James in his stomach.

“Daddy!” Laurie called out, as she didn’t like what she saw.

“Sorry, baby, but he performed a criminal act, and I must be tough on criminals,” Marshall Fisher replied.

Laurie accepted but disagreed with his rationale.

“Put him in the other cell,” he told Charlie.

Charlie stood behind his desk and brought James up to his feet. He escorted James to the other open cell, threw him inside, and slammed the door shut.

“You’ll both be found guilty of assault and battery. You’ll be hung after my wedding,” Marshall Fisher told Josh and James.

Laurie’s eyes welled up at the thought of losing her boyfriend. “No, Daddy! Not Josh.”

She walked over and stood on her toes while she got to his ear. “I love Josh and want to marry him, so let him go,” Laurie whispered.

Marshall Fisher looked at her and shook his head in disagreement.

She threw one of her temper tantrums and stomped her feet. “Please, Daddy! I know you want grandkids. I can run the tours of the set during the day and return here at night to be with my family,” she whined while crossing her arms, then pouted.

“I don’t know,” Marshall Fisher replied.

“I will give you five grandkids!” she responded while she looked at Josh.

“What the hell is she talking about?” Josh said under his breath while he looked at Laurie and Marshall Fisher.

“Please!” she begged with pleading eyes.

Marshall Fisher walked over and removed a key from his pants pocket. “You can report to your normal work detail tomorrow morning,” he said while he unlocked the cell door.

Josh cautiously stepped out of the jail cell, intimidated by the Marshall.

“Get the hell out of here before I change my mind,” he barked at Josh.

“Yes sir,” Josh replied, then rushed out of the office.

Laurie rushed over and hugged Marshall Fisher. “I love you, daddy.”

Laurie gave Marshall Fisher a quick kiss on his cheek, then she rushed to the door and left the office.

James sat down on his bunk and knew he would be hung in a few days, but he knew he did the right thing by coming forward. Besides, he loathed living in Paradise.

Outside the Marshall’s Office, Laurie looked up and down Paradise Lane for Josh. She got upset when he was not in sight and moped toward the mansion.

In the central area of Doc Holloway’s Office, Jenny was taking inventory of the medicine cabinet when there was a tapping sound on the glass window of the rear door.

She looked and saw Josh. “Can we talk?” he mouthed the words from outside.

The front door opened, and Jenny looked in that direction.

Marshall Fisher stepped inside the doctor’s office. He glanced at Jenny but saw Josh’s head quickly disappear outside the rear door window.

He rushed to the rear door, opened it, and peeked outside, but Josh wasn’t in sight.

He closed the rear door and stormed over to Jenny. “What the hell was Josh doing at the rear door?” he yelled.

Jenny looked at the rear door and saw Josh was gone. “I didn’t realize he was there,” she replied.

Marshall Fisher slapped her hard across her cheek. “You better be telling the truth,” he said and looked pissed.

Jenny’s eyes welled up. “I am!” she lied.

“I better not catch you within five feet of that man. Do you understand?” he barked.

Jenny nodded in agreement.

“Good,” he said, storming to the front door and leaving the office.

Jenny walked into one of the bedrooms, sat on the bed, and started sobbing.

Marshall Fisher approached Cowboys Steve, Mark, Tony, and Ray outside Doc Holloway’s Office. “I changed my mind.

Go find Josh Bryant and have him work with Wilbur today to teach him another lesson,” he ordered.

“Yes sir,” Cowboy Steve replied, then ran off with Mark, Tony, and Ray.

Josh returned to his hotel room and decided to hang out there to avoid trouble.

Ten minutes later, the door of Josh’s hotel room slammed open, and Cowboys Steve, Mark, Tony, and Ray rushed inside while he relaxed on his bed.

“Marshall Fisher changed his mind, and he wants you to work today,” Steve said while the four Cowboys marched over to Josh’s bed.

Steve and Mark grabbed one of Josh’s arms and yanked him off his bed.

They marched Josh out of his room and out of the hotel.

Five minutes later, Cowboys Steve, Mark, Tony, and Ray marched Josh over to Wilbur, who started removing the buckets of waste from the outhouses on the other side of Paradise.

“Wilbur, Marshall Fisher wants this turd to help you today,”

Steve said, then he threw Josh into the dirt.

Wilbur looked down at Josh and felt sorry for him. “Yes sir,” he replied to Cowboy Steve.

“Have a shitty day,” Cowboy Steve chuckled.

The four Cowboys walked away and headed back to the mansion.

“What did you do now?” Wilbur asked while Josh got up from the dirt.

“He saw me trying to talk with his fiancé,” he told Wilbur.

“Come on, let’s get to work,” Wilbur said while he walked over and opened the bottom rear door of an outhouse.

Josh fought from vomiting the second he smelled the stench coming from that bucket.

He had the dry heaves while he removed the waste bucket, and they carried it to the wagon’s rear.

It was now 4:45 p.m., and Josh had finished his outhouse duty with Wilbur and only vomited once.

After bathing and changing into fresh clothes, he left the hotel to drop off his dirty clothes at the Paradise Laundry.

Josh sat alone at the table in the Dining Hall and was the object of stares and gossip from other folks at nearby tables.

Walt had just dropped off their steak dinners with green beans and mashed potatoes, and then Kimmy dropped off their glasses of milk.

Josh had a hard time eating, as all he could think about was the buckets of human waste he unloaded with Wilbur.

He glanced over at Jenny’s table, saw that her seat was empty, and looked depressed.

Josh forced himself to eat his steak dinner while he tried to push out the smelly sights of his work detail.

After dinner, it was a beautiful sunset, and Josh moped down Paradise Lane to kill some time.

“Hey, sweetie,” Laurie’s voice came from behind Josh.

Josh cringed, then he turned around and saw Laurie while she rushed up to him.

Down the street, Josh saw Marshall Fisher escort Jenny out of Doc Holloway’s Office, and they headed to the mansion for the evening.

Laurie smiled lovingly while she placed an arm around Josh’s arm and then walked him down the street.

“I’m so happy Daddy let you be free to be with me,” she said, then kissed Josh’s cheek.

Josh looked at Laurie like he preferred to be hung by a rope. Laurie walked Josh to the street back toward the saloon, and she looked at the sunset by the mountains. “Isn’t that a beautiful sunset?”

“Yeah, beautiful.”

“Daddy sure made a very romantic sunset. Don’t you think?” she said with love in her eyes.

Josh discreetly rolled his eyes. “Ah, sure, it’s very romantic.”

Laurie snuggled closer to Josh while they walked past the saloon, where the piano player played a song, and there was the sound of laughter inside the establishment.

Laurie saw Jenny and her father heading to the mansion.

“I need to get home for dinner, and good news will come soon. Goodnight, my darling,” she said and gave Josh a quick kiss on his lips.

Josh watched while she skipped in the dirt, leaving a small dust trail, and headed to the mansion.

“My life sucks,” he said under his breath while he headed to a side street.

Later that night, Josh relaxed in his hotel room bed and wished Paradise had a movie theater to kill time.

His room door slammed open, and Maggie appeared in the doorway. “There are mandatory cake and coffee in the dining hall in twenty minutes,” she said, then left and slammed the door behind her.

Later that evening, Josh sat alone at table twelve with the rest of the townsfolk.

Everybody chatted and wondered why they were having cake and coffee, as this had never happened before.

Then Josh’s eyes lit up when he saw Jenny in the dining room, but he soon frowned when Marshall Fisher walked in behind her with Cowboys Steve, Mark, Tony, and Ray.

Laurie strutted in behind the four Cowboys with a huge grin and sat down with her father and Jenny at their assigned table.

The waiters started bringing plates of chocolate cake to their tables.

Walt walked over and dropped a piece of chocolate cake, then Kimmy dropped off a mug of coffee.

Marshall Fisher got up and walked over to the doorway.

“May I have your attention before we dig into our delicious dessert?” he called to the dining room.

All eyes of the dining room were on Marshall Fisher while he walked over and got Jenny up from her table.

He then walked Jenny in the direction of Josh’s table.

Laurie eyed Josh with a coy smile while she got up from the table and walked behind Jenny and her father.

Marshall Fisher walked to Josh and motioned for him to stand up.

Josh obeyed and got up from the table and was nervous.

“It gives me a warm pleasure to welcome Josh into my family,” he told everybody.

Josh looked confused.

Laurie looked extremely happy.

“We’re having a double wedding this coming Saturday morning, as Josh will marry my daughter, Laurie, while I marry Jenny. I’m throwing a big engagement party in the center of Paradise Lane on Friday at high-noon. Then we’ll have our wedding and reception Saturday in the Dining Hall,” Marshall Fisher told everybody.

Everybody clapped over the good news.

Jenny looked like she wanted to cry but could put on a fake smile.

Harold sat at his table, wanting to cry over the news that Laurie would marry Josh.

Marshall Fisher leaned over to Josh’s ear. “First thing, you will stay away from Jenny. If I catch you two together, you’ll be hung. Second, if you give Laurie any grief, I’ll put a bullet in your head myself. Do you understand me ?” Marshall Fisher whispered in a threatening tone into Josh’s ear.

Josh nodded, saying that he understood his two demands.

Marshall Fisher placed an arm around Josh and faked a smile to everybody, but deep inside, he loathed the kid.

Laurie rushed over and gave Josh a huge kiss on his lips.

Everybody clapped over the loving sight of Josh and Laurie.

Jenny faked being happy while she clapped, but deep inside, she wanted to cry since she was falling for Josh.

Marshall Fisher smiled at Laurie, being so happy.

“Let’s eat some of this delicious cake,” Marshall Fisher called out to the dining room, then he walked Jenny and Laurie back to their table.

Josh sat down and started eating his cake when he heard footsteps behind him.

“Hey, sweetie. Daddy said this can be my table,” Laurie said while she sat down next to Josh with her plate of cake and glass of milk.

Josh saw Jenny eating cake with Marshall Fisher at her table.

Laurie scooted her chair next to Josh’s while eating her cake. Josh wished he were dead while he ate cake and drank milk.

A little while later, Laurie escorted Josh out of the Dining Hall and insisted they take a train ride.

She snuggled by his side while they waited at the dock for the Paradise Express to pull into the station.

“Congratulations on your upcoming marriage,” Kelly, a middle-aged woman, said while she walked up with her husband, Bob. “Why, thank you!” Laurie replied while she gleamed from ear to ear.

The Paradise Express blew its whistle while the train pulled into the station.

When the train stopped, Kelly and Bob got aboard the passenger car.

Laurie and Josh got aboard the passenger car, and she moved him to the front since Kelly and Bob sat near the rear.

Cowboy Doug was on train duty tonight, and he sat in the rear seat and looked half asleep.

Laurie immediately snuggled next to Josh the second they sat down in their seat.

The train blew its whistle and bucked while it pulled out of the station.

Laurie rested her head on Josh’s shoulder while the train rolled down the tracks and headed out of Paradise.

“We’ll live in Daddy’s mansion with his beautiful new bride,” she told Josh when the train headed near the mansion.

“That’s nice,” he said to be polite, but he started thinking about how to get out of his predicament.

The Paradise Express rolled down the tracks through the grassy field.

The Paradise Express rolled down the tracks and headed into the forest.

Laurie moved, kissed Josh’s lips, and slipped her tongue into his mouth.

Josh fought from gagging while her tongue probed inside his mouth.

She passionately kissed Josh, and he played along, knowing he had no choice.

The rest of the train ride was unbearable for Josh, but he survived. After another passionate goodnight kiss at the train station, Josh returned to his hotel.

Laurie headed back to her father’s mansion.

Josh tossed and turned the whole night while he thought about Jenny and then thought about Laurie. He wanted to cry.

Chapter 15

It was 4:00 a.m. on Wednesday, and Josh was deep in another dream; Josh was now forty-seven years old and plowed a field with a horse. He looked older with his weather-worn skin from working in the hot sun and freezing weather for the past fifteen years.

A dinner bell was heard coming from his one-story farmhouse.

“Dinner!” a female yelled from the house’s front porch.

Josh slowly walked away, exhausted from the plow, and headed to the farmhouse.

James gets inside the farmhouse where Laurie, his wife, and their ten kids range from one year to ten.

“Daddy!” the kids all sang.

Josh looked at Laurie, nine months pregnant, while she stirred the pot with their beef stew dinner on the wood-burning stove.

Then, the farmhouse door opened, and Marshall Fisher stepped inside with five more kids ranging from two to eight years old.

“Daddy!” all five kids yelled out the second they saw Josh.

Josh felt trapped while he looked at Laurie and all of his kids. Then, a bell ringing was heard inside the farmhouse.

Josh looked around for the source of the sound, but it wasn’t visible.

The sound of the bell ringing got louder and louder, and Josh looked confused.

“Get your ass out of bed!” a female’s voice filled the farmhouse that only Josh heard.

Back to Josh’s life in Paradise, Josh jumped up, startled to find Maggie standing over his bed, ringing her bell. “Why can’t you wake up?” she yelled, then left his room with a smirk, happy she startled him again.

Josh bit his tongue to avoid another beating by Charlie while he got out of bed and was happy that his life with Laurie had been, so far, a bad dream.

After Josh took his fifteen-minute bath, he headed to breakfast at the Dining Hall, where he wolfed down his scrambled eggs and bacon and rushed to the table.

While he rushed out of the room, he saw Paul, the waiter, bringing Doc Holloway’s breakfast plate to his table.

Josh ran down the back alley behind the Dining Hall and headed to the rear of Doc Holloway’s Office building.

He peeked inside the rear door window and saw Jenny cleaning the medicine cabinet.

Josh tapped on the door window.

Jenny looked over and saw his head, motioning that he needed to talk with her.

She walked over and cracked open the rear door.

“Doc Holloway could be here any minute,” she replied, looking concerned.

“He’s eating his breakfast, so we have a few minutes,” he replied.

“He’ll probably stop off for a few shots at the saloon to wash down those eggs,” Jenny replied, then opened the door to let Josh inside.

“Laurie’s forcing herself on me,” he told her while he started pacing.

“You could have avoided her,” he replied, slightly nervous.

“I couldn’t. Marshall Fisher would hang James and me for him hitting two of his Cowboys. She talked him into letting me out of jail, hence our wedding,” he said.

“Why did James hit those Cowboys?” she curiously asked.

“To save my ass from being raped by the Cowboy, we saw shooting after Jerry Barrow. The same Cowboy that kept forcing Willard to perform oral sex on him,” he told her while he paced back and forth.

“Oh my! I had no idea what type of stuff was happening around here,” she replied in shock.

“I bet there were a few other guys that tried to escape because of Butch,” Josh said while he paced.

Jenny thought for a few seconds. “There was this young kid named Irvin that was hung for trying to shoot one of the Cowboys in the forest,” she recalled.

“The Cowboy that tried to rape me had a face full of acne scars,” he told her.

Jenny thought about that description for a few seconds.

“That would be Butch,” she said.

“We need to do something,” he told her.”

“It’s no use. We don’t stand a chance against him. We’ll just have to live the rest of our lives in his hell hole or feel a rope around our neck,” she replied and looked worried.

Josh eyed the medicine cabinet with bottles of chemicals while he paced back and forth. “It now sounds like you’ll be my step-mommy,” he chuckled to bring humor to their dilemma.

Jenny cracked a smile. “Now, that’s weird.”

“Maybe Fisher has instructions hidden in his mansion on how to use that machine?” he asked.

“We’ll never make it inside the cave,” she replied but wished there was a way to safely escape.

“I won’t give up on finding a way out of this hell hole,” he told her, looking determined.

“Let me get my beautiful bride-to-be, and we’ll meet later at my place,” Marshall Fisher’s voice was heard outside the front door.

Josh’s eyes widen with fear at the sound of his voice.

“I need to get to work,” he said, rushed over, quickly kissed Jenny, and bolted to the rear door.

He quietly opened up the rear door and left.

Jenny rushed into the nearby bedroom.

Marshall Fisher entered through the front door. “Hey, darling,” he called out when he didn’t see her in the room.

Jenny came out of the bedroom. “Hi, sweetie,” she faked a smile playing the game.

Marshall Fisher walked up and planted a kiss on her lips.

“We’re having breakfast in my mansion,” he instructed her and held out his hand.

Marshall Fisher escorted Jenny out of the doctor’s office.

Josh ran down Paradise Lane, where everybody was still waiting for the wagons at the General Store, which was fortunately late this morning.

Bo and the convoy of wagons drove down the street and stopped by the General Store.

Josh got in the back of the wagon with Ernie, Gail, Dave, Harold, and Gary.

“Wait!” Laurie called out while she rushed over to the wagons from the mansion.

“Good morning, ma’am,” Bo said while he tipped his Cowboy hat.

“I’m taking Josh with me. I’m going to have Daddy give him another job,” she told Bo.

“Yes, ma’am,” Bo replied.

Josh exited the wagon, where Laurie immediately placed her arm around him.

Bo snapped his reins, and his wagon pulled away.

While Laurie walks Josh away, he notices a wagon being driven by Charlie with Cowboys Chester and Bubba sitting on top of four boxes of Jack Daniels whiskey bottles in the back of the wagon.

Josh saw Charlie stop the wagon at the General Store, and a light bulb went off inside Josh’s head. He had an idea!

“Hey baby, could you get me a job in the General Store?”

he asked her, kissed her on his cheek, and then watched while the Cowboys unloaded the boxes and stacked them on the front porch of the General Store.

“Sure, sweetie,” she replied with a smile.

Josh looked hesitant, then placed his arm around Laurie’s arms.

She loved it and snuggled closer.

Josh saw Marshall Fisher and Jenny standing outside the saloon, chatting with a couple. “This place is beautiful,” he said, then gave him a kiss on her cheek. “I can imagine your

father had to write down instructions for operating the device to transport supplies.”

“I wrote to them for him. I have a copy, and Daddy keeps a copy here in his mansion. Why are you asking?” she curiously asked.

“Oh, I’m just curious,” he replied, then kissed her lips, which melted her heart, and she immediately forgot about his question.

“Well, well, there’s our two love birds,” Marshall Fisher said while he walked up with Jenny.

Jenny looked jealous, and Laurie and Josh were so loving.

“Daddy, can my fiancé work at the General Store instead of the garden?” she asked with pleading eyes.

“Sure, darling,” Marshall Fisher replied. “Now, do a good job for me,” he added while patting Josh’s shoulder and giving him a stern look, saying he still didn’t care for Josh.

“He will, Daddy,” Laurie replied with a gleam in her eyes.

“Come, baby, we’re going to breakfast,” Marshall Fisher told Laurie.

“Okay, Daddy,” she said, then gave Josh a quick kiss on his lips, which Jenny hated. “I’ll see you later, my love,” she said, then walked away with Jenny and Marshall Fisher.

Josh smirked while pondering a scheme during his walk to the General Store.

Josh walked inside the General Store, where Melvin waited on Wilma, an older lady.

“I’m James’ replacement, according to my fiancé, Laurie Fisher,” he told Melvin.

Melvin looked at Josh for a few seconds and then remembered Laurie’s announcement of their wedding. “Okay, move those whiskey boxes off the front porch and stack them by the rear door,” Melvin instructed.

Josh walked outside to the porch, grabbed a whiskey box, returned to the store, and placed it by the rear door.

A few minutes later, Josh had all the boxes of whiskey stacked by the rear door. He started sweeping the dirt off the floor that people tracked inside from the street.

“I’m heading out. Watch the store for me,” Melvin said, then walked out from behind the counter and left.

“This sure beats picking corn and carrying buckets of crap,” Josh said to himself while he walked over to the cash register.

Laurie was seen while he minded the cash register and waited on customers. At the same time, she occasionally walked up and down Paradise Lane to catch a glimpse of her lover.

It was 4:30 p.m., and Josh was off duty and headed back to his hotel room to relax for dinner.

After he freshened up in the bathroom, he returned to his room and relaxed in the bed.

While he stared at the ceiling, he thought of a safe way to get Jenny and himself safely out of Paradise.

It was time for dinner, and Josh headed out of the hotel to the Dining Hall.

Josh checked in with Abby and sat down at his empty table.

Walt brought the standard steak dinner with corn on the cob and green beans.

Kimmy dropped off his glass of milk.

Josh started eating his dinner and prayed that Laurie wouldn’t join him.

Josh could eat his dinner alone, and the second he was finished, he rushed out of the Dining Hall.

He rushed to the back alley of the building and took the back way to the train station.

Josh could sneak in the back alleys and streets and then board the Paradise Express without being seen by Laurie.

Josh sat alone in the passenger car of the Paradise Express while the whistle blew and the train pulled away from the station.

While the Paradise Express rolled down the track and headed toward the mansion, Josh saw Laurie. At the same time, she walked down the dirt driveway heading into Paradise. He ducked in his seat so she wouldn’t see him and try to board the train.

The Paradise Express rolled down the tracks through the grassy field.

The Paradise Express rolled down the tracks and headed to the forest.

While the train went through the forest, Josh saw Butch raping another young man in the Moonlit woods.

Josh looked determined to get out of Paradise and hopefully bring justice to the old Western town.

The Paradise Express rolled out of the forest, then moved down the tracks and headed to the mountains.

While the Paradise Express rolled down the tracks and turned by the cave, Josh saw four Indians camped out with a campfire while they guarded the cave.

The Paradise Express rolled down the tracks and went alongside the base of the mountains.

The Paradise Express turned, and Josh saw the Indian camp where the males were dancing. He saw Sara and Diana sitting alongside Chief Merijildo outside his teepee.

While the Paradise Express rolled down the tracks and headed through the desert toward the forest, Josh started pondering how to sneak past the Indians to the cave.

The Paradise Express rolled down the tracks and went through the forest.

The Paradise Express rolled down the tracks, rolled through the grassy field, and headed back to the station in Paradise.

The Paradise Express blew its whistle while it pulled into the station.

The train stopped at the dock, and a young couple stepped aboard the passenger car.

Josh decided to stay on the train to avoid seeing Laurie tonight.

The Paradise Express blew its whistle five minutes later, and the train pulled away from the station. Josh glanced out his window while the Paradise.

Express rolled down the tracks through the grassy field, forest, and desert.

He watched while the Indians at the cave drank whiskey by their campfire.

While the Paradise Express rolled around the bend by the Indian camp, Josh saw Sara naked on a blanket with Chief Merijildo naked on top of her. The rest of the Indians watched while Chief Merijildo huffed and puffed, trying to knock up Sara. Josh closed his eyes and couldn’t stomach the sight of the Indian Chief on top of Sara.

The Paradise Express rolled through the desert.

The Paradise Express rolled through the forest.

The Paradise Express rolled through the grassy field.

The Paradise Express blew its whistle when it pulled into the station.

Josh exited the train and took the back alleys and side streets to his hotel.

Twenty minutes passed, and Josh was in his underwear and under the covers for bed. He stared at the ceiling when his door slowly creaked open. He looked nervous that maybe Cowboy Butch was coming to pay him a visit. Then his eyes widened when he saw Laurie enter his room and close the door behind her. She looked amorous when she saw him in bed. “Hey baby,” she said while she walked over to his bed.

“Why are you in my room?” Josh asked while he sat up and looked irritated.

“I’m a little lonely and wanted to spend some time alone with the man I love,” Laurie softly said while touching Josh’s cheeks.

“But,” Josh said, but he couldn’t finish because Laurie quickly planted her lips on his lips, then slipped her tongue deep into his mouth.

Josh pulled her away. “Listen, darling, we better wait until our honeymoon. I don’t want your father to find out we had sex. He’ll hang me for sure,” he said.

Laurie pouted at being turned down.

“I want our honeymoon to be so special,” Josh said, then kissed Laurie and turned it into a passionate kiss so she wouldn’t get mad.

“Okay,” she replied but still had pouty lips.

“You better get home before he suspects something,” Josh said while he got out of bed in his tee shirt and boxer shorts.

Laurie reached behind Josh and grabbed a handful of butt cheeks. “Nice!”

Josh cringed with the feel of her hand on his butt. But he played the game while he walked her to the door.

“Goodnight, sweetheart,” he said, then kissed her.

“Goodnight, my love,” Laurie replied eyes glowing, then she opened the door, kissed him, and stepped out into the hall.

Josh closed and leaned against his door. “Help me!” he quietly said, looking up at the ceiling.

He walked over, returned under the covers, and closed his eyes.

Chapter 16

It was Thursday morning at 5:15 a.m. Josh woke up before Maggie’s nagging bell-ringing alarm clock routine.

After his morning bath, Josh headed to the Dining Hall for breakfast.

Meanwhile, Marshall Fisher, Jenny, and Laurie ate breakfast in his dining room in Marshall Fisher’s mansion, where a crystal chandelier hung above the wooden table.

Bernard was a seventy-year-old butler who waited at one of the room’s corners for the Marshall’s orders.

They had pouched eggs, French toast, muffins, orange juice, and coffee on expensive Chinese plates.

“We’ll get married at three in the afternoon on Saturday.

I’ve talked with Preacher Stan, and he will perform the ceremony,” Marshall Fisher said, then sipped his coffee.

Jenny picked at her food.

Marshall Fisher noticed Jenny and looked concerned.

“What’s the matter, darling?”

“I guess I’m just a little nervous about our wedding,” she lied. Marshall Fisher chuckled. “There’s nothing to be nervous about. I am the biggest catch here in Paradise!” he beamed.

Over in the corner of the room, Bernard rolled his eyes over the Marshall’s belief.

Laurie looked curious at her father. “Daddy, did you give my idea any thought?” she asked him.

Fisher took a sip of coffee. “I did,” he said, eating some French toast.

Laurie’s eyes widen with anticipation of a good response.

“I believe it’s the stupidest idea I’ve ever heard in my entire life. Case closed,” he said, then sipped some more coffee.

Laurie looked deeply hurt. “If Mom were alive, she would have loved my idea.”

“Well, she’s not here now, and I still think it’s stupid!”

Marshall Fisher replied, then drank the rest of his coffee and got up. “Jenny, you’re no longer the town’s nurse after we’re married. I’ll find someone else to perform that task,” he told her. “But!” she disagreed.

“It’s final. I need you here in our house raising our children. I’m thinking we’ll have at least five little Fishers running around here,” he said, interrupting her, then looked at Laurie.

“And after the wedding, Laurie, I want you back at the Train House monitoring things. You can close it on Sunday and Monday to return to Paradise. But then I want you to live back there from Tuesday through Saturday. Do you understand?” he ordered Laurie in a serious tone.

“Yes, Daddy,” Laurie replied, knowing she wouldn’t win this argument.

Marshall Fisher left the dining room.

Laurie sat at the table and looked hurt and upset with not being able to spend seven days a week with Josh.

Jenny was miserable with the thought of bearing his children. She looked determined to find a safe way out of Paradise.

Bernard walked over to the table and picked up the Marshall’s dirty dishes. He looked at the two ladies and felt sorry for them while he walked out of the dining room.

Josh swept the floor in the General Store, which was almost a continuous job due to the dirt streets.

Josh swept the floor and headed to the wooden boxes of whiskey. While recalling last night’s train rides, he looked at them and devised an escape idea.

Cowboys Mitch and Dale walked into the store and to the cash register, where Melvin waited.

“Tell Marshall Fisher that the whiskey for his party is here, and I’ll have my boy deliver it to the mansion tomorrow,” he told the Cowboys, who nodded. They got the message and then walked out of the store.

Josh continued to sweep the floor slowly with a smirk. “I’m going to the outhouse,” Josh spoke from across the store at Melvin.

“Okay,” Melvin replied while waiting for a customer while sitting on a stool by the cash register.

Josh walked to the rear door, leaned the broom against the wall, and left the store.

He rushed down the alley and went past the row of outhouses.

Josh continued to rush down the alley and headed to Doc Holloway’s Office building.

Doc Holloway walked out of the examination room and approached Jenny, who was dusting the central area. “I’m going over to the Marshall’s Office. We’re going to pick out a new nurse, and it was nice working with you, Misses Fisher,” Doc Holloway said with a smirk.

Jenny continued to dust and watched while Doc Holloway left through the front door.

Then she heard a tapping sound coming from the rear door window and saw Josh outside. She motioned for Josh to go inside the office.

Josh entered the office, and Jenny rushed over to him.

“Marshall Fisher is removing me as the town nurse. He wants me to stay in his mansion and raise five kids,” she cringed, then her body shivered at the thought of the Marshall’s naked body on top of her body. “He makes my skin crawl!”

Josh put his arms around Jenny and hugged her to show he cared. “I think I know how we can get out of his hell hole,” he quietly told her.

Jenny looked interested in why their bodies separated from the hug. “How?”

He looked over at the medicine cabinet with a smirk. “I think we could spike the bottles of whiskey just before the party, and then while the Cowboys and the Fisher brothers are passed out, we sneak into the cave and escape,” he told her with a look of confidence.

She looked over at the medicine cabinet and smiled, liking his idea. “You’re on because I can’t stand the thought of that scum bag impregnating me,” she said, then looked curious.

“How will we get the bottles?” she asked.

“That’s easy. Laurie got me a job working at the General Store, where the whiskey boxes are stored. I can quickly spike them in the middle of the night,” he said.

Jenny thought about his proposal briefly and then looked at the medicine cabinet. “I can come up with something that will react fast,” she replied.

“I also thought we would give some bottles to the Indians so they’ll be passed out,” he added.

“Your plan sounds doable, and it’s our only chance,” she said, looking happy over the thought of getting out of his town.

Then Josh’s look of confidence turned to a look of concern. “But we have one huge obstacle to climb: obtaining the instructions for the machine in the cave. According to Laurie, the Marshall has a copy of those instructions in his mansion,”

he added.

Jenny thought for a few seconds. “He probably has them kept in his desk in his den,” she told him.

“I hate to ask you this, but do you think you can write down the instructions in the middle of the night?”

Jenny thought about his request. “It’s worth the risk to prevent having a rope around my neck, as I don’t want his old thing inside me,” she replied and looked determined.

“Great! Now, I better get back to the store before Melvin starts asking too many questions,” he said, then gave her a quick kiss on the lips. “Make the concoction and hide it under the bed,” he added, pointing to the bedroom near the back door.

Josh gave her a kiss on the lips. “We’ll have to meet in the rear of the General Store after I deliver the whiskey bottles and the Cowboys start drinking,” he said, then gave her another quick kiss on the lips.

Josh went out the back door, rushed through the alley, headed to the General Store, entered, and grabbed his broom.

“What took you so long?” Melvin asked from behind the cash register.

“Ah, sorry, there was a line of people,” Josh fibbed.

“Whatever, I’m taking a break,” Melvin said, then removed his apron and headed to the front door. “Take over the register,”

he added while he walked out of the store.

Josh leaned the broom up against the wall by the rear door, and he headed over to the front door.

Josh watched while Melvin rushed down Paradise Lane and headed to the Paradise House for his daily dose of one of the whores. “Please don’t let it be Linda,” Josh said under his breath while watching Melvin enter the Paradise House of Pleasure.

Then Josh spotted Laurie strolling down the street, and he gave her a wave to catch her attention.

Laurie spotted Josh, waved back, and rushed toward the General Store.

“Hey baby,” Laurie said the second she stepped on the porch.

Josh gave her a light kiss on the lips.

“I can’t wait to be your wife on Saturday. We’re going to have a great life!” she said with sparkles in her eyes.

Across Paradise Lane, Harold glanced over at the General Store, looking jealous over the sight of Laurie and Josh. He moped down the street and headed toward the saloon to drink away his depression over not being able to have Laurie.

Josh escorted Laurie inside the store, where she stayed with him until Melvin returned from the Paradise House of Pleasure.

After Josh finished working at the General Store, he returned to his hotel room and relaxed briefly.

Josh ate alone at the Dining Hall while Jenny and Laurie ate dinner in the mansion. Laurie talked to Marshall Fisher and agreed to let Josh eat breakfast in the mansion in the morning.

After dinner, Laurie rushed out of the mansion and waited for Josh to exit the Dining Hall.

They took a stroll around Paradise, where the music of hammers pounding filled the air. At the same time, workers built

a wooden stage at the far end of Paradise Lane by the Undertaker and Laundry buildings.

While they walked up and down Paradise Lane, Josh saw the kerosene lanterns burning in Doc Holloway’s building. He knew Jenny was inside working on her end of their plan.

After they strolled down the streets, they cuddled while they took a ride on the Paradise Express. During the trip, Josh checks out the Indians at the cave and in their camp.

After the ride, Josh gave Laurie a goodnight kiss, and then he told her he wanted to get a good night’s sleep for tomorrow’s party.

Laurie skipped down the dirt streets and headed back to the mansion.

Josh went into his hotel room, where he relaxed and started feeling guilty about misleading Laurie.

Meanwhile, Jenny lay awake in her nightgown on top of her bed in her temporary bedroom in Marshall Fisher’s mansion.

She stared at the ceiling and listened to make sure everybody was sound asleep before she started snooping around the den.

It had been quiet for the past hour, and she felt the coast was clear since she knew Laurie was out in the town and Marshall Fisher was supervising the construction at the end of Paradise Lane.

She quietly got out of bed and rushed across the wooden floor.

She opened her door ever so slowly and peeked out in the hall. It was quiet, so she tiptoed out into the hall.

She rushed past Marshall Fisher’s bedroom, and the floor squeaked a little, but she didn’t care.

She rushed down the stairs, and the coast was still clear.

She rushed down the first-floor hall and got to the den.

She rushed over to the huge mahogany desk in the center of the room.

She quickly sat down, opened up the top drawer, and saw it contained a Colt 45 pistol, a holster, and a box of bullets.

She closed that drawer and opened the middle drawer, seeing a bottle of whiskey and a shot glass.

She closed that drawer, opened up the larger drawer at the bottom, and saw a bunch of file folders. She pulled out the file folders and opened one of the folders and saw it contained a copy of a rap sheet for Tony Moore for raping women.

She opened up another file folder and saw it contained a copy of a rap sheet for Butch Harrison for raping young boys.

She opened up the other folders, and they contained rap sheets for all the Cowboys for robbery, rape, or assault and battery.

“This doesn’t surprise me,” she quietly said while placing them back in the bottom drawer.

“No!” a woman screamed in the hall near the den.

Jenny quickly ducked under the desk.

“Please don’t!” the woman cried out.

Jenny was curious about that woman’s cries for help but also wanted those instructions. She quietly opened up and rummaged through another drawer on the other side of the desk. She found some pages, and her eyes widened when she saw the instructions for operating the machine.

“Oh, please let me go!” the woman’s voice got louder.

Jenny quickly ducked down and peeked around the bottom of the desk.

From the doorway, she saw Cowboys Tony, Dave, Bart, and Jesse manhandling Nora Norris, a twenty-nine-year-old beautiful brunette woman, down the hall. Nora fought hard to get freed, but the Cowboys were too strong.

Jenny heard Nora’s shoes while they dragged up the stairs.

Jenny quietly got out from under the desk. She folded the instructions and tucked them into the bosom of her nightgown.

She cautiously and quietly walked out of the den.

She tiptoed down the hall and headed to the stairs. Jenny tiptoed down the hall.

“You can’t do this!” Nora screamed out from a closed bedroom door across the hall from Marshall Fisher’s bedroom.

Jenny stopped and placed her ear on the door to hear what was happening inside the bedroom.

“Shut up!” Marshall Fisher yelled out, and then the sound of him slapping Nora was heard from the room.

“Remove your clothes!” Marshall Fisher yelled from the bedroom.

Jenny listened in horror and couldn’t believe her eyes.

“What are you doing?” Laurie asked while she walked up behind Jenny and saw her ear plastered to the bedroom door.

Jenny turned around and got nervous when she saw Laurie behind her.

“I think your father and some of the Cowboys are raping a woman,” Jenny told Laurie.

“Yeah, right,” Laurie replied, looking suspicious of Jenny.

“No way.”

Jenny and Laurie heard Nora’s scream from the bedroom and the sound of clothes being torn while Cowboys Tony and Dave ripped her dress off her body.

“Please let me go back to my room,” Nora pleaded inside the bedroom.

Jenny and Laurie heard Nora being slapped a few times inside the room.

Laurie couldn’t believe her ears, so she also plastered her ear to the door.

They heard some shuffling inside the room, then it got quiet.

“Go, Eddie! Go, Eddie!” Cowboy Tony was heard coaching Marshall Fisher.

“Screw that bitch, Eddie,” Cowboy Dave was heard from inside the room.

Jenny and Laurie listened in horror to Nora being raped inside the bedroom.

“Ahhh!” Marshall Fisher cried out when he had an orgasm.

“I’m next!” Cowboy Bart called out from the room.

Laurie and Jenny listened while Bart grunted during his raping of Nora, who remained silent.

Laurie and Jenny stepped away from the bedroom door, stunned.

Jenny grabbed Laurie’s hand and walked her down the hall.

She walked Laurie into her bedroom and closed the door.

Laurie paced around the bedroom in disbelief. “I can’t believe Daddy would do this.”

“I’m sorry to say this, but he’s not the person you think he is.” Laurie stopped pacing and thought for a few seconds while they knew Nora was gang-raped in that bedroom.

Jenny looked hesitant and pondered if she could be the bearer of more horrible news. “I believe all the women who are pregnant in Paradise were raped by your father and or his sleazy Cowboys,” she decided to tell.

Laurie thought about that news for a few seconds. “Daddy got out of a rape case five years ago,” she told Jenny while she paced some more then it dawned on her. “He must have bought his way out of it,” she said, then thought about that for a few more seconds. “Damn it. I thought he was really innocent,”

she added and got pissed.

Jenny looked curiously at Laurie. “What happened to your mother?”

“Eddie Fisher isn’t my real father. My real father died in a car accident due to a leaky brake line. Then, a few months later, my mom married Eddie. Then she died after being beaten and raped while in a shopping mall parking lot at night.

The mansion and her millions of money were from my mother’s family, but she left me fifty-five percent of the estate. Eddie got the other forty-five percent,” Laurie said while her eyes welled up. “I miss my mommy!”

Jenny hugged Laurie for support, but something about that story was suspicious. “He needs to be stopped.” Laurie thought about Jenny’s comment for a few seconds.

“I know, but we don’t have the Calvary to call,” Jenny said the thought for a few seconds, then smiled with an idea. “You just never know.”

Laurie looked hurt. “Daddy thought my new idea for turning this place into a fantasy vacation spot was stupid.

“Don’t give up on your dreams just yet. Things can change,” Jenny replied with an air of confidence.

“We could do other historical places. Just make a model, and his machine invention will make it come alive. Medieval times with knights would be awesome,” Laurie said with a spark in her eyes, visualizing that dream come true.

Jenny got a smirk while she looked at Laurie. “You better get to your room before your father sees you out and about,”

Jenny told her.

“You’re right,” Laurie said, then walked to the door, quietly left, and headed to her room.

Jenny walked over and got under the covers.

Laurie rushed to her bed and plopped down and sobbed into her pillow over the thoughts of her stepfather being a rapist.

Then she heard the commotion of the Cowboys taking Nora, who wept, out of the bedroom and escorted her down the hall.

Laurie’s eyes welled up in sympathy for Nora.

Chapter 17

It was 2:30 a.m. on Friday morning. Paradise was quiet, and the sound of hammers finished four hours ago.

Josh crept out of his hotel room. His shadowy figure gingerly walked down the back streets and got to the rear of Doc Holloway’s Office building.

He rushed inside the building.

Josh rushed into the bedroom by the back door, peeked under the bed, and saw six bottles of clear liquid.

He grabbed all the bottles and rushed out of the doctor’s building.

Josh rushed to the General Store with the six bottles of clear concoction and went inside.

Josh quickly opened up one of the whiskey boxes and removed a bottle.

He unscrewed the cap of the whiskey bottle, then opened up the rear door and poured some of the whiskey out into the dirt. He removed the cork out of one of the concoction bottles and poured some into the whiskey bottle, then screwed on the cap. Josh repeated this process for all the whiskey bottles in the boxes.

He also went outside and raked fresh dirt over the puddle of whiskey.

After the boxes were restocked inside the General Store, Josh rushed to the closest outhouse and dropped all the empty concoction bottles into a waste bucket.

He ran back to his hotel room on a quiet night and tried to get some sleep.

It was 5:00 a.m., and Josh woke up when he heard Maggie ringing her bell down the hall. He quickly gathered up his towel and other toiletry items and headed out of his room to the bathroom.

After bathing, Josh sat alone at his table in the Dining Hall and ate the standard scrambled eggs, bacon, and milk.

In Marshall Fisher’s mansion, Jenny, Laurie, and Marshall Fisher sat at the dining room table, eating a ham omelet, grits, coffee, and toast.

Jenny and Laurie picked at their omelets and looked upset.

“I hope everybody had a good night’s sleep. I know I did,”

Marshall Fisher told the ladies with a smile, then sipped some of his coffee.

Laurie wanted so bad to confront him about what she heard last night. But she recalled that when she was questioned about that rape case, how he slapped her and told her to mind her own business. She kept quiet, picking at her omelet with her fork. Marshall Fisher noticed that both Jenny and Laurie picking at their omelets. “What’s the matter, you’re not eating?”

“Ah, I guess I’m nervous about the big day tomorrow,”

Laurie lied, then sipped some of her coffee.

“Me too,” Jenny added, then she ate a small piece of her omelet.

Bernard entered with two styles of white, old-fashioned wedding dresses in hand. He walked up to Fisher. “Sir, these arrived from the dressmaker,” he said, then held up the two dresses.

Marshall Fisher looked the dresses over. “Jenny’s dress will be the one to the left. And Laurie’s dress will be on the right,”

he told Bernard.

“As you wish, sir,” Bernard replied, then walked out of the room with the dresses.

Fisher gulped down the rest of his coffee. “I need you both on stage for a toast with everybody. We’ll do it at high noon. And Laurie, make sure shit for brains Josh knows about this,” he told the two ladies.

Jenny nodded that she understood his orders.

“Yes, Daddy,” she replied and didn’t take too kindly to him, calling Josh names.

Fisher got up from the table and strutted out of the room.

Laurie and Jenny eyed each other and were afraid of saying anything.

After breakfast, Josh walked down Paradise Lane and saw Nora moping like a zombie down the street.

He looked concerned and walked over to her. “Are you okay?” he asked.

Nora looked at Josh and looked lifeless. “It doesn’t matter anymore,” she quietly replied, then moped down the street and headed to the saloon.

Josh looked concerned while he watched Nora heading to the saloon.

Josh headed back to the General Store and looked determined to get out of Paradise to turn this place around.

Josh walked inside the General Store, where Melvin looked anxious behind the cash register. “Take over the store. I’m heading out for a couple of hours. And don’t forget to deliver the bottle of whiskey to the mansion. The wagon is parked out back,” he said, then walked out from behind the register.

“Yes sir,” Josh replied, then watched Melvin rush out the door with a horny grin on his face.

Laurie walked into the General Store, still looking bothered from last night.

“Good morning,” Josh said the second he saw her and noticed her bothered look. “Are you okay?” he asked, a little concerned.

“Yeah, just a little wedding jitters,” she replied, as she didn’t want to tell Josh about Nora’s rape.

Josh looked at Laurie and felt like a jerk, knowing she would be deeply hurt when he left her at the altar tomorrow.

“Oh, Father wants you at the stage at high noon for his toast,” she said.

“A toast?” he asked.

A Colt 45 being fired was heard outside on the street.

Laurie and Josh looked concerned and rushed outside to the street.

A crowd rushed down Paradise Lane and headed to the saloon, where another crowd gathered.

Josh and Laurie rushed to the crowd outside the saloon, where people stood in a circle and looked down at the dirt.

“What happened?” Laurie asked.

“Nora grabbed a pistol from one of the Cowboys and rushed outside and shot herself in the heart,” a middle-aged woman said.

Laurie instantly knew why Nora had ended her life, and her eyes welled up.

Josh had an inkling of what could be the reason, and he fumed inside.

Laurie stepped away from the crowd. “I’m not feeling well, so I’m going to the mansion,” she told Josh, then rushed down the street.

Josh glanced at Laurie while she rushed off to the mansion, and then he glanced down at Nora’s dead body.

A little while later, Josh stood behind the cash register, and business was slow.

The rear door of the store opened, and Jenny peeked inside.

Josh saw her and rushed over to the door.

“Someone named Nora just shot herself an hour ago,”

Josh told her and looked upset.

“I heard Marshall Fisher and some of his goons raping her last night in the mansion,” Jenny said, and she looked pissed.

“More reason why we need to get out of here and turn this place around,” he told her and gave her a quick kiss on her lips.

Jenny reached inside one of the pockets of her dress and removed a folded piece of paper. “Here are the instructions for the machine,” she said and handed him the paper.

Josh unfolded the paper and glanced at the paper. “We’ll leave this hell hole right after the toast,” he told her, then gave her another kiss.

“Just make sure you don’t drink any of that stuff,” Jenny told him.

“I will,” he replied, and then they kissed.

While they kissed, they didn’t notice Maggie standing in the store and heard their entire conversation. Maggie rushed away in a panic.

Josh closed the door after Jenny rushed away down the back alley.

He walked over and waited behind the cash register.

It was now 9:56 a.m., and Melvin returned from his romp at the Paradise House and some shots in the saloon.

“Take the whiskey over to the stage. Then you’re done for the day,” Melvin said while he walked through the door.

Josh walked through the store and opened the back door.

He grabbed one of the boxes of whiskey and took it outside.

After all the whiskey boxes were loaded into the wagon, Josh climbed aboard and drove off down the alley.

Josh drove the wagon toward the end of Paradise Lane and saw a couple of workers putting on the finishing touches to the wooden stage.

He stopped the wagon by a table to the one side of the stage. He got out and immediately started unloading the bottles from the boxes and placing them on the top of the table. He opened up one of the boxes and started removing the whiskey bottles.

Jenny walked out of Doc Holloway’s Office with her suitcase and all of her clothes in hand.

She saw the stage and Josh setting up the whiskey bottles on the table.

Josh turned around and saw Jenny.

Their eyes made a brief contact while he placed more whiskey bottles on the table.

She walked away and headed down Paradise Lane toward the mansion.

A little while later, Josh placed the whiskey bottles on the table and saved six for the Indians.

He drove the wagon down Paradise Lane and parked it behind the General Store.

He returned back to his hotel room to relax for a little while before the party started.

Down at the end of Paradise Lane, Marshall Fisher walked around with Cowboys Tony, Steve, Mark, Tony, and Ray and checked out the wooden stage.

“Nice job,” he said while he walked up the steps and stood on the stage.

Maggie rushed down Paradise Lane with Cowboys Wesley and Paul.

“Marshall, Marshall!” Maggie called out.

Marshall Fisher saw Maggie and the two Cowboys run over to the stage. “What?” he asked while walking down the stage steps.

“Marshall, I overheard Jenny and Josh talking inside the General Store. They’re planning on sneaking out of Paradise after the toast,” she sang like a canary.

“What?” Marshall Fisher asked to make sure he heard correctly.

“I overheard Jenny and Josh talking in the General Store about escaping Paradise right after the toast,” Maggie told him again.

“Find that turd, Josh Bryant, and bring him to me at my office!” Marshall Fisher ordered his Cowboys.

Cowboys Steve, Tony, Steve, Mark, Tony, and Ray rushed off down Paradise Lane.

Maggie strutted back down Paradise Lane, proud she earned some brownie points with the Marshall.

Josh sat on his bed and glanced over the instructions that Jenny stole from the mansion.

His hotel room door slammed open, and Josh jumped, startled, and let go of the instructions. The paper floated down to the floor.

Cowboys Tony, Steve, Mark, Tony, and Ray stormed inside Josh’s hotel room.

Josh saw the instructions on the floor and tried to grab it with his boot and move it under his bed. He couldn’t, and the paper was exposed.

Steve and Mark each grabbed one of Josh’s arms and brought him to his feet.

“The Marshall wants a kind word with you,” Steve said while they walked Josh to the door.

Tony saw the paper on the floor, picked it up, and checked it out. He looked pissed when he shoved the paper in a pants pocket and walked to the door.

Cowboys Tony, Steve, Mark, Tony, and Ray marched Josh down Paradise Lane.

Harold walked down Paradise Lane and saw the Cowboys while they marched Josh to the Marshall’s Office.

Inside the Marshall’s Office, Marshall Fisher was pissed while he paced back and forth while Charlie sat at his desk.

The door slammed open, and Cowboys Tony, Steve, Mark, and Ray marched Josh inside.

“We found the turd,” Cowboy Steve said, then threw Josh to the floor.

Marshall Fisher pulled Josh up by his hair to his feet and got in Josh’s face. “What’s this? I hear you’re running off with Jenny?” he yelled, spraying a little spit in Josh’s face.

Josh shook with fear while he looked into the fire in the Marshall’s eyes. “I, ah, I ah.”

Marshall Fisher punched Josh in his stomach.

Josh dropped to his knees in pain.

“Here, Marshall. I found this on the floor of Josh’s room while we were leaving,” he said the second he removed the instructions from his pants pocket.

Marshall Fisher looked at the paper Cowboy Tony handed him and got furious when he realized they were the instructions for the glass booth. He punched Josh on his side.

Josh dropped to the floor and buckled over in extreme pain. “Put that turd in a jail cell,” Marshall Fisher instructed his Cowboys. “Come, Charlie,” he said, storming over to the door.

Charlie got up from behind his desk and walked over to the door.

Cowboys Mark and Steve picked Josh up from the floor and walked him to the other jail cell.

James watched while they threw Josh into the cell door; simultaneously, Marshall Fisher left through the door with Cowboys Mark and Ray.

Cowboy Steve slammed the cell door shut, and he left the office with Cowboy Tony.

It was quiet in the Marshall’s Office.

“What did you do now?” James asked from his cell.

“Marshall Fisher learned that Jenny and I were planning to escape from Paradise,” Josh replied from his cell.

“And you were going to leave me here?”

“No. We would come back and rescue everybody,” Josh replied.

“Well, I guess that won’t happen now, and the only way we’ll escape is by a tight rope around our necks,” James replied.

Josh and James sat down on their jail cell beds, trembling that their lives would be over soon.

Chapter 18

Jenny waited in the chair in her bedroom inside the mansion.

Then her bedroom door slammed open, and Marshall Fisher stormed inside with Charlie, Cowboys Tony, Steve, Ray, and Tony.

Jenny got scared when she saw the fire in Marshall Fisher’s eyes. “Hi honey,” she said to appease the Marshall.

It didn’t work as he continued to march to her with fire in his eyes. “How the hell did Josh get this?” he yelled at her while flashing the instructions.

Jenny shook in fear, knowing she had been caught.

Fisher slapped her hard across her face, knocking her and the chair over to the floor.

Marshall Fisher reached down and grabbed a handful of hair. He painfully brought her up to her feet, then slapped her hard again, sending her to the floor, landing hard on her butt.

Jenny sobbed while she sat on the floor, scared to death.

“What should we do with the bitch?” Cowboy Tony asked the Marshall.

Marshall Fisher just stared down at Jenny while he pondered her fate.

Laurie walked up and down the street outside on Paradise Lane, searching for Josh.

She walked over, peeked inside the General Store, and saw it was void of town folk.

She rushed down to the wooden stage at the end of the street and searched for Josh, but he wasn’t there.

Laurie slowly walked down the street, wondering what happened to the love of her life.

Harold rushed up to Laurie. “Laurie, I need to speak to you,” he said, looking worried.

Laurie looked irritated with Harold. “I’m busy,” she replied with a snap.

“It’s important. It’s about Josh.”

Laurie’s ears perked up. “What is it?”

“I saw your father and some Cowboys take Josh to the Marshall’s Office.

She got concerned while she glanced over at the Marshall’s Office. “Thank you.”

“Ah, Laurie, I was hoping,” he said but stopped when Laurie bolted toward the mansion.

Harold ran after Laurie.

In Jenny’s bedroom inside the mansion, she sobbed on the floor. At the same time, Marshall Fisher, Charlie, and Cowboys Tony, Steve, and Tony towered over her.

“How dare you betray me!” Marshall Fisher barked at Jenny, then leaned down, grabbed a handful of hair, and painfully brought her back up to her feet.

“I need to get rid of you, but differently. Hanging is too quick. She needs to suffer a little,” Marshall Fisher said while he got in her face and pulled hard on her hair from the back of her head.

The bedroom door quietly cracked open, and Laurie listened.

Cowboy Tony got a huge grin while he had an evil idea.

“Why don’t we tie her to the train tracks. Way out in the grassy field. Marshall Fisher looked a little baffled at his comment.

“You know, like in the old silent movies,” Cowboy Tony replied with a grin.

Cowboy Steve’s eyes widen with joy. “Yeah, just like Snidely Whiplash!”

Marshall Fisher thought about his suggestion for a few seconds while staring down at Jenny, then smiled. “I like that plan, but I’m still going to hang Bryant,” he added with a broader grin.

A little while later, Laurie ran out the mansion’s front door and ran down the steps in a panic.

She ran across the front yard and zipped past the Cowboys guarding the entrance to the mansion.

She ran down Paradise Lane, where Harold waited for her up against a building.

Harold looked concerned for Laurie and ran after her.

Marshall Fisher glared into Jenny’s eyes inside Jenny’s bedroom in the mansion, causing her to pee in her bloomers.

“At high noon, take her out the back door and tie her at the tracks while I’m socializing at the party,” he told his Cowboys.

Marshall Fisher left the bedroom with Charlie.

Cowboys Steve, Mark, Ray, and Tony stayed behind and guarded Jenny while she sat on the floor, scared to death.

The door to the Marshall’s Office opened, and Laurie rushed inside. She immediately peeked out the window curtains and saw her father and Charlie walking down Paradise Lane towards the party area.

She ran to Josh’s cell while he sat on his bed, looking scared.

The door to the Marshall’s Office opened, and Harold stepped inside.

“What happened, Josh?” asked Laurie.

Josh got off his cell bunk and rushed over to the cell bars.

“Your father found out Jenny and I were going to leave Paradise,” he confessed.

Laurie’s eyes welled up and looked hurt. “Why do men always want to leave me? Is it because I’m fat?”

“Laurie, I’m sorry. I can’t marry someone I don’t love. I love Jenny. I don’t want to hurt you. I do like you, but only as a friend,” he replied, looking sorry for her.

Laurie’s eyes continued to well up. “I’m always the friend.”

Harold stood by the closed door with a smile.

“All I’ve ever wanted was to get married and raise some kids,” Laurie said.

“I’ll marry you, Laurie, and I’ll never leave you,” Harold claimed by the door after deciding to become brave.

Laurie turned around and saw Harold.

“What?”

Harold walked up and grabbed Laurie’s hand. “I fell in love with you the minute I saw you in the lobby of your father’s mansion for the Train House tour. You’re the reason I kept coming back,” Harold said with admiration for Laurie.

“But you didn’t say a word to me when you bought your ticket,” she replied, a little shocked by his confession.

Harold looked ashamed. “I was scared. I didn’t think a beautiful woman like you could find a guy like me attractive,” he said while looking at the floor.

Laurie had a gleam in her eye while she looked at Harold.

‘I didn’t know.”

“You two should be together,” Josh said from his jail cell.

Harold had a sparkle in his eye, thinking about Laurie being his woman.

“Enough of this romantic crap; you’re father’s going to hang the both of us. We need your help!” James cried out in a panic from his jail cell.

“What can I do?” Laurie asked.

“You mean, what can we do?” Harold replied.

Laurie looked at Harold.

He held her hand and smiled.

“What can we do?” she said with a hint of a smile while she thought about Harold.

“I know your father probably has Jenny. So I need to find her,” Josh replied.

“He has her in the mansion. I overheard that they’re going to tie her to the train track in the grassy field,” Laurie said.

Josh banged his head against the cell bars. “I need to get out of here!”

“Don’t forget about me!” James called out from his jail cell.

“Daddy and Uncle Charlie keep the keys to the jail cells with them,” Laurie told everybody.

Josh thought for a second, then motioned for Laurie and Harold to get closer to his cell. The second they arrived, then he whispered his plan into their ears.

Laurie and Harold nodded in agreement, rushed to the door, and left Marshall’s Office.

“Are you going to fill me in with your plan?” James asked from his cell.

Josh proceeded to explain his plan.

Laurie and Harold ran behind the General Store and got inside the wagon parked there.

She snapped the reins, and the wagon took off down the back alley.

Laurie drove the wagon and stopped by the four Cowboys camped out by the entrance to the mansion.

“Daddy said you can head over to the party now,” she told them.

The four Cowboys looked excited about partying, and they quickly stood up and walked off toward Paradise.

Laurie snapped the reins, drove the wagon down the dirt road, and headed toward the grassy field.

Laurie raced the wagon down the dirt road through the grassy field.

Laurie raced the wagon down the dirt road through the forest.

Laurie raced the wagon down the dirt road through the desert.

The four Indians camped near the cave at the base of the mountains and stood up the second they saw the wagon racing at them.

Laurie stopped the wagon by the cave. “Father wants you to have this and wants you to drink today to celebrate his wedding,” she told the Indians.

Harold held up a bottle of whiskey, and the eyes of the Indians lit up.

“We drink to celebrate Marshall’s wedding!” one of the Indians said while he walked over to Harold.

The other three Indians licked their lips in anticipation of drinking some whiskey.

“Yaaaa!” Laurie called out while she snapped the reins.

The horses pulled the wagon away from the cave, and Laurie turned it toward the Indian Camp.

A little while later, Laurie arrived at the Indian Camp, where two Indians greeted the wagon.

“Here’s some whiskey my father wants you to drink to celebrate his upcoming wedding. Drink it now, as he’s having a town party,” Laurie told the Indian while Harold held up five bottles of whiskey.

“We will drink!” the Indian said while he grabbed the bottles from Josh.

Laurie snapped the reins, turned the wagon around, and headed back to the cave.

Laurie and Harold drove by the cave where the four Indians sat down and looked lethargic while passing around the whiskey bottle.

“It’s working,” she told Harold while she headed the wagon back down the dirt road toward the forest.

Laurie raced the wagon down the dirt road through the forest.

Laurie raced the wagon down the dirt road through the grassy field.

Laurie raced the wagon back into Paradise and went down the back alley behind the Marshall’s Office.

At the rear of the mansion, Charlie and Cowboys Steve, Mark, Ray, and Tony dragged Jenny bounded in rope out of the rear door and plopped her into the back of a wagon.

Laurie parked the wagon by the rear of the Marshall’s Office.

“I’m going to get two horses out of the stables. I want you to get some rope out of the General Store,” she told Harold while getting out of the wagon.

“Yes, dear,’ he replied while climbing out of the wagon.

Laurie ran down the alley and headed toward the Stable.

Harold ran down the alley and headed to the General Store.

A few minutes later, Laurie rode a horse and held the reins to a second horse while she headed back to the Marshall’s Office.

At the railroad tracks in the grassy field, Cowboys Mark, Ray, Steve, and Tony finished tying bounded Jenny to the track.

“No!’ Jenny screamed.

Steve leaned down and slapped her hard across her cheek.

“Shut up!”

Cowboys Ray, Mark, Steve, and Tony mounted horses and galloped toward Paradise.

Harold waited by the wagon behind the Marshall’s Office with some rope in hand.

Laurie soon arrived with the two horses. “Let’s tie the rope between the bars of the cell windows and the wagon’s horse,”

she told Harold while she dismounted her horse.

Harold immediately snaked the rope through the bars of the two cell windows, and Laurie assisted. At the same time, they tied the other end around one of the horses.

At the wooden stage on Paradise Lane, the street was full of all the town folk.

Marshall Fisher walked up on the stage and faced everybody. “May I have everyone’s attention,” he said, saddened.

All eyes were on the Marshall while he faked, wiping a tear.

“The start of the party will be delayed,” he said, then faked, wiping away another tear. “My beautiful fiancé has disappeared.

She was last seen with Mister Bryant, who is now in a cell awaiting questioning. It appears he wanted her to himself,” he told everybody and faked, wiping away another tear.

Most of the audience believed his story and felt sorry for him, but the rest were suspicious.

“I can’t continue this party until she’s found,” he said while he looked at all of the waiting town folk.

Over at the table, the Cowboys started passing around four opened whiskey bottles and started drinking.

Marshall Fisher walked down the steps off the stage. He was immediately surrounded by some of the town butt-kissers who offered help in finding Jenny.

The Marshall decided to stay and chat with these people since he knew the train would soon be running over Jenny.

Inside the Marshall’s Office, Josh and James stood by their cell bar doors and looked at the windows with the rope snaked through the bars.

They watched while the rope tightened around the bars.

The back wall creaked.

The back wall started to move outward.

The sound of wood cracking filled the jail cells. The wall for Josh and James’ jail cell came crashing down.

Once the dust settled outside the rear of the Marshall’s Office, Josh, and James ran through the hole to freedom.

Wilbur drove his crap wagon down the alley and saw the pile of rubble behind the Marshall’s Office.

He stopped his wagon by the other wagon where Harold was removing the rope from the horse.

“What the hell is going on here?” Wilbur asked while he stared at the hole in the back of the Marshall’s Office. Josh ran up to Wilbur. “We’re getting out of this hell hole,” he told Wilbur.

“Please don’t tell,” Laurie said while she walked up to Wilbur’s wagon.

Wilbur smiled. “I can slow that jerk down for you,” he said, then looked at Laurie. “Sorry about my choice of words, Miss Fisher,” he added.

“No problem. I’m thinking of calling him a name worse than that,” she replied while she climbed up inside the wagon.

“Thanks, Wilbur,” Josh said while he mounted his horse.

James mounted his horse.

Josh and James galloped their horses off down the street.

Harold climbed up in the wagon and sat next to Laurie.

She moved her wagon around and headed down the alley.

Wilbur moved his wagon and headed down the alley next to the Marshall’s Office and headed toward Paradise Lane.

At the train station, Cowboy Tony waited at the dock for the Paradise Express to roll into the station.

Wilbur stopped his wagon by the alley entrance into Paradise Lane by the Marshall’s Office.

Wilbur quickly climbed down the wagon and opened a small wood storage bin on the side. He removed a sledgehammer and bent down by one of the wheels. He started pounding on one of the wheel’s spokes with the hammer.

The spoke cracked in half, and he quickly started pounding on another spoke on the same wheel.

Chapter 19

Josh and James rode their horses down Paradise Lane and passed by the Paradise House of Pleasure. Josh glanced back at the house and couldn’t resist.

He stopped, turned his horse around, and returned to the Paradise House of Pleasure.

James stopped his horse and looked back at Josh. “We don’t have time for you to get your rocks off.”

Josh jumped off his horse. “It’ll only take a few minutes,”

he yelled while running into the building.

“Probably true,” James muttered, feeling vulnerable while anxiously awaiting Josh’s return.

Josh ran past the whores that waited in the lobby of the Paradise House of Pleasure.

“Hey baby, I’m available,” one of the whores called out while Josh ran up the stairs.

Josh ran down the hall, opened a door, and peeked inside the room. He closed the door, ran over to another, opened it, and peeked inside. He closed the door, ran over to another door, and opened it.

Josh bolted inside that room where Cowboy Tim grunted while he lay naked on top of Linda, who looked lethargic while she stared at the ceiling.

Josh saw Tim’s holster hanging on the bedpost. He walked over to the bed, and the floor creaked. Josh rushed over to the holster the second Tim looked back at the source of the creaking floorboard.

Tim’s eyes widened with shock when he saw Josh. “What the hell are you doing here?” Tim yelled.

“Payback,” Josh replied while he whipped out one of Tim’s Colt 45’s from his holster.

“What?” Tim replied while he got off Linda, but Josh whacked Tim upside his head, knocking him out cold on the floor.

Josh grabbed Linda’s arm. “We’re getting out of here,” he said while he pulled her off the bed.

He rushed her over to the dress hanging on the wall.

Outside in Paradise Lane, James looked nervous while he waited on his horse with Josh.

Josh rushed Linda out of the Paradise House of Pleasure and over to James’ horse. He assisted Linda on the back of James’ horse and got on his own horse.

“Let’s get the hell out of here,” James said.

They galloped their horses off down Paradise Lane while Linda wrapped her arms around James’ body.

Way down the other end of Paradise Lane by the wooden stage, Marshall Fisher finished talking with some people. Then he glanced at the table and noticed most of his Cowboys were passed out in the dirt from the spiked whiskey.

He rushed over to the Cowboys. “Wake up!” he yelled, then kicked Cowboy Wesley in his butt.

Wesley didn’t wake up, and Marshall Fisher got suspicious.

Cowboys Jesse, Saul, and Dale rushed down Paradise Lane.

“Marshall, someone broke your two prisoners out of jail,”

Cowboy Jesse called out.

Marshall Fisher glanced down the street and saw Josh and James galloping away on the horses.

“Get some horses and stop those two!” Marshall Fisher yelled out at the three Cowboys.

Cowboys Jesse, Saul, and Dale rushed toward a side street and headed to the stable.

At the train station, Cowboy Tony boarded the engine of the Paradise Express, where engineer Elmer was about to shut the engine down so he could join the party.

“Don’t,” Cowboy Tony said the second he boarded the engine compartment.

“But the party is about to begin,” Elmer replied, looking slightly confused.

“You’re to take the Paradise Express for one more ride, and then you can shut it down,” Cowboy Tony explained.

“Okay,” Elmer responded, as he knew not to argue with the Cowboys. He moved the throttle forward, and the Paradise Express moved away from the station.

Laurie and Harold raced their wagon down the dirt trail through the forest and headed toward the desert.

Josh and James galloped their horses down the dirt trail through the grassy field. Linda remained slightly lethargic while she hugged James’ body during the ride.

Josh and James heard the Paradise Express while it raced down the track behind them.

Josh glanced back. “Yaaaa,” he yelled while he snapped the reins against the horse. His horse picked up speed. “She should be close by, so looked for her,” Josh yelled at James.

From inside the engine of the Paradise Express, Cowboy Tony saw Josh and James’ horses while they raced down the dirt road. “Make this train move faster!” he yelled at Elmer.

“What’s the hurry?” Elmer replied.

“Just do what I say!” Cowboy Tony snapped with authority.

Elmer gave the train more throttle, and the Paradise Express picked up speed while it raced down the tracks.

Jenny’s eyes widened with fear as she felt the train’s vibration in the rails through her back while the Paradise Express raced down the tracks.

“There’s Jenny!” Josh called out the second he saw a hump in the tracks way off to the right and pointed at her location.

Josh and James turned their horses off the dirt trail, galloped through the grassy field, and raced toward Jenny on the railroad tracks.

The Paradise Express raced down the tracks toward Jenny.

Inside the Paradise Express engine, Elmer saw Jenny try to the tracks and grab the brake handle.

“Touch that, and I’ll put a bullet in the back of your head,”

Cowboy Tony threatened Elmer by shoving the barrel of one of his Colt 45s into the back of Elmer’s head.

Elmer placed his hand off the brake and looked sick at the thought of the train running over a human being.

Josh and James galloped their horses through the grassy field and headed to Jenny, tied on the tracks.

Inside the Paradise Express engine, Cowboy Tony glanced over to the left. He saw Josh and James galloping on horses to Jenny. He rushed over to the left side of the engine, aimed his Colt 45 pistol out the window, and fired a shot.

Josh and James galloped their horses toward Jenny, and a bullet zinged past them.

Josh and James galloped their horses through the field while more bullets zinged past them.

Inside the Paradise Express engine, Elmer didn’t like that Cowboy Tony was trying to kill some other people. At the same time, he was being forced to allow his train to kill someone on the railroad track.

Josh and James galloped their horses closer to Jenny on the tracks.

The Paradise Express raced down the tracks and was getting closer to Jenny.

Cowboy Tony saw Josh and James’ horses come to a screeching stop by Jenny.

He leaned out of the left window of the engine and aimed his Colt 45 at Josh and James.

“Not with my train,” Elmer quietly said while he grabbed the brake handle and applied the brakes.

Cowboy Tony flew forward in the train and smacked his head on the side of the window.

Josh and James watched in horror while the Paradise Express came screeching down the rails.

Josh frantically tried to free the ropes around Jenny while the train screeched at them.

James joined in and frantically tried to free the ropes from around Jenny while the train came screeching at them.

The Paradise Express came screeching down the tracks and got closer and closer.

Josh and James loosened the ropes, and Josh grabbed Jenny’s hands and yanked her off the tracks, where the train screeched to a stop six inches from them.

They looked up in relief at the train and suddenly saw Cowboy Tony being tossed out of the engine compartment and hit the ground with a thud.

“Get out of here before he becomes conscious,” Elmer yelled from the train window.

James returned on his horse, where Linda immediately wrapped her arms around his waist.

Josh assisted Jenny on his horse and then got on the horse in front of her. She wrapped her arms around Josh’s waist while he turned his horse around.

Josh and James galloped their horses through the grassy field and headed toward the dirt trail.

“You’re my hero,” Jenny said by Josh’s ear while she hugged his body and kissed his cheek.

Josh looked proud.

Linda saw this from James’ horse and smiled while she came to life, realizing she could be free soon.

Elmer moved the Paradise Express down the tracks, leaving Cowboy Tony in the grassy field.

Laurie and Harold raced their wagon down the dirt trail.

They headed to the cave at the base of the mountains.

Back in Paradise, Wilbur was ready when he looked down the street and saw Marshall Fisher and Cowboys Jesse, Saul, and Dale on horses while they jumped on some horses.

“Yaaaa,” Marshall Fisher yelled while smacking his horses with his boots’ sides.

Marshall Fisher and Cowboys Jesse, Saul, and Dale galloped their horses down Paradise Lane.

Wilbur waited for a few seconds, then snapped the reins, and the horse pulled the wagon onto the street, and he abruptly turned the wagon to the left in front of the galloping horses.

The wagon wheels on Wilbur’s side of the wagon broke off, the wagon tipped over, and the four buckets of waste spilled out into the dirt street.

Wilbur flew out of the wagon and splashed into the enormous pond of human waste.

Marshall Fisher and his Cowboys hurriedly stopped their horses in the waste pond.

The empty concoction bottles were visible floating in the post of waste.

Marshall Fisher glared down at Wilbur. “You’re dead!”

Wilbur got up and rushed over to Marshall Fisher’s horse.

He grabbed the Marshall’s left pant leg and yanked him off his horse. Marshall Fisher splashed in the waste, some of it on the Cowboys.

Cowboy Jesse started having dry heaves when he felt human waste on his face.

Cowboys Saul and Dale laughed at Jesse.

Wilbur laughed at the sight of Marshall Fisher in the pond of waste.

Some of the town folk gathered on both sides of the street. They discreetly snickered at the sight of Marshall Fisher.

Marshall Fisher got up with fire in his eyes.

Wilbur punched Fisher in his face, and he splashed back in the pond of waste.

Some splashed on Cowboys Saul and Dale’s faces, and they immediately had dry heaves.

Marshall Fisher got up red-faced, furious.

Wilbur stood his ground with two clenched fists, ready for the fight he’d always wanted.

Fisher looked furious and whipped out his pistol and pressed it into Wilbur’s forehead. “Put this ancient turd in our jail cell. And get me some clean clothes.”

Cowboy Tim staggered dazed down the street.

“What the hell happened to you?” Marshall Fisher asked.

“That Josh kid whacked me while I had my way with one of the whores. He ran off with her,” Cowboy Tim said while he cringed in pain over the throbbing headache.

“We don’t have time to change clothes,” Marshall Fisher said while he climbed up on his horse.

“Hang me. I don’t care anymore,” Wilbur said while he walked out of the waste pond.

Tim started to grab Wilbur’s arm but smelled the stench.

He whipped out a Colt 45 and aimed it at Wilbur’s head instead.

Josh and James galloped their horses through the desert and headed toward the Indian Camp.

Marshall Fisher and Cowboys Jesse, Saul, and Dale galloped their horses down the dirt trail through the grassy field.

They saw Cowboy Tony, who was walking in the grassy field in a bit of a daze.

Marshall Fisher and the Cowboys stopped their horses.

“What the hell is wrong with you, Tony?” Marshall Fisher barked.

Cowboy Tony walked over to Marshall Fisher. “That stupid train engineer stopped the train just before it arrived at Jenny, and then those two guys you had locked up took her away.”

“Get on the back of Jesse’s horse,” Marshall Fisher ordered Tony.

Cowboy Jesse extended out his hand and assisted Cowboy Tony to the back of his horse.

Marshall Fisher and his Cowboys galloped down the dirt trail toward the forest.

Cowboy Tony caught a whiff of Jesse. “You smell like shit,” he said.

Marshall Fisher and the other Cowboys ignored Tony’s comment, as they were still pissed with Wilbur.

Laurie and Wilbur drove the wagon to the mountains and parked by the cave, where they waited.

Josh, Linda, James, and Jenny arrived at the Indian Camp, where they immediately saw all the Indians were passed out in the dirt.

Josh got down off his horse and walked over to Chief ’s teepee, where Chief Merijildo was face down in the dirt, passed out with an empty bottle of whiskey in hand.

Next to the Chief ’s side was Diana, naked and passed out on her back in the dirt.

Josh peeked inside the teepee and saw Sara cowered inside, wearing a female Indian dress.

Sara quietly sobbed in the fetal position.

“Sara,” he called out.

Sara looked up and saw Josh’s head in the door flap of the teepee, and her eyes lit up at the sight of a friendly human.

“Josh!” she cried out, then got up and went over to him.

“What are you doing here? They could kill you,” she said while they hugged.

“We’re escaping from Paradise,” he told her while they separated from their hug.

“That scum bag old Indian had his way with me!” Sara told him and looked like she was going to be sick, thinking about those times.

“No more,” he said while he walked Sara out of the teepee.

When Josh walked Sara by Chief Merijildo, she kicked him hard in his groin as payback.

Josh rushed her over to the horses. It was a tight fit, but Josh got Sara on his horse with Jenny.

Josh and James galloped their horses through the desert and headed to the cave.

Marshall Fisher and his Cowboys galloped their horses down the dirt trail. They headed out of the forest toward the cave in the desert.

Josh and James galloped their horses into the desert and headed to the cave.

Marshall Fisher and his Cowboys galloped their horses through the desert and headed toward the cave.

Josh and James galloped their horses closer to the cave and saw Laurie and Harold waiting in their wagon.

“Everything’s clicking in place,” Josh said while they galloped on their horses.

Josh and James galloped their horses in the desert, then their eyes widened in fear when they heard the faint sound of horses and saw Marshall Fisher and his Cowboys racing closer to the cave.

Laurie and Harold looked scared when they saw Marshall Fisher and the Cowboys racing their horses toward the cave.

“Hurry up!” she yelled at Josh and James while they raced their horses closer to the cave.

Josh and James stopped their horses at the wagon, and everybody quickly dismounted.

“We don’t have much time,” Laurie said while Josh, James, Linda, Jenny, and Sara ran toward the cave.

They all ran to the cave opening, where the sound of a Colt 45 firing was heard, and a bullet ricocheted off the top of the cave opening.

They rushed inside the cave, where some more Colt 45

gunfire was heard, and more bullets ricocheted off the cave opening.

Laurie, Harold, Josh, James, Linda, Sara, and Jenny ran through the cave, where the sound of the Marshall and Cowboy’s horses was louder outside.

They all stopped by the glass booth.

Josh walked over and gave Laurie a kiss on her cheek.

“Thank you.”

Laurie removed a piece of paper from her bosom. “Here’s my copy of the instructions on how to use the device,” she said, then handed the paper to Josh.

Josh took the paper and looked at it. “Are you going?”

Laurie placed an arm around Harold’s arm. “Yes, with my true love. You better go first. Daddy won’t harm me,” she said.

Jenny, Sara, Linda, and Josh all squeezed inside the booth.

James, Laurie, and Harold waited where the sound of horses stopping outside the cave was heard.

The sound of footsteps running inside the cave was heard.

Laurie looked at the glass booth and motioned for Josh to hurry up while he typed on the keyboard.

“Stop!” Marshall Fisher yelled out, then fired a bullet from his Colt 45 into the ceiling of the cave.

Dirt rained on Laurie, Wilbur, and James.

“Get out of my booth!” Marshall Fisher yelled while he ran to the booth to stop Josh while he continued to type on the keyboard inside the booth.

Laurie jumped in front of her father to stop him.

“Enough!” she yelled at him.

Marshall Fisher looked surprised at Laurie, as this was the first time she’d ever yelled at him. He got furious and slapped her hard across her face, then pushed her to the dirt.

Harold saw Laurie in the dirt and got furious. He jumped on Marshall Fisher, where they both fell to the dirt, and his gun fell out of his hand. They wrestled, and Marshall Fisher punched Harold repeatedly in his face.

Cowboy Tony came to Marshall Fisher’s rescue, but James tackled him to the dirt, where they tumbled and fists flew at each other.

Marshall Fisher reached for his Colt 45 in the dirt and was able to grab it.

Laurie scampered over and chomped down on her father’s hand.

He cried out in pain and let go of the Colt 45.

Laurie grabbed it and aimed it at her father’s head. “I swear I’ll kill him if you don’t back off,” she yelled out in a threatening tone.

Then, the psychedelic colors from the booth’s glass caught their attention; they stopped fighting and stared at the colorful sight.

They all watched while the glass booth started spinning.

Marshall Fisher stood up and was pissed, then the spinning stopped, the psychedelic colors dissipated, and the glass booth was empty.

Cowboy Jesse snuck over and kicked the pistol out of Laurie’s hand, where it bounced off the cave wall.

“I should have placed you in your father’s car the day he died,” Marshall Fisher snapped at Laurie.

Laurie thought for a minute, and then it dawned on her.

She dropped to her knees and sobbed. “You killed my father,” she cried into her hands.

“Don’t forget about her mother, as I had a blast raping then kicking the shit out of her,” Cowboy Tony smirked.

Laurie’s eyes widened in shock over the news Cowboy Tony said, and she got up and charged after him.

Cowboy Tony punched Laurie in her face the second she got to him, knocking her down to the ground.

Harold rushed over to Laurie’s side and comforted her while she sobbed.

“You’ll be arrested for murder,” Laurie sobbed out while Harold assisted her to her feet.

“No, because dead witness can’t testify,” Marshall Fisher said while motioning at Cowboys Jesse, Saul, and Dale to get them out of the cave.

Cowboys Jesse, Saul, and Dale removed their Colt 45s from their holsters and motioned for Laurie, Harold, and James to accompany them.

The Cowboys escorted Laurie, Harold, and James out of the cave.

“Go back and kill Josh and those women,” Marshall Fisher told Cowboy Tony while he handed him his copy of the instructions.

Cowboy Tony went inside the glass booth with the instructions.

Marshall Fisher waited, and nothing happened while Cowboy Tony typed on the keyboard, and Marshall Fisher started to get concerned.

Cowboy Tony stepped out of the glass booth. “It won’t work,” he said.

“That fat bitch,” Marshall Fisher yelled, and it echoed in the cave.

“Let’s go,” Marshall Fisher said while he stormed away to the cave opening, and Cowboy Tony followed.

Marshall Fisher and Cowboy Tony walked out of the cave.

Marshall Fisher marched over to Laurie. “I need you to unlock that booth!” he yelled at her.

“I’m sorry, but Josh has those details,” Laurie replied.

Marshall Fisher slapped her hard across her face, knocking her down on the ground.

Harold lunged at Marshall Fisher, but Cowboy Tony quickly whacked Harold on the back of his head, and he dropped to the ground and passed out.

“Get these turds in the back of the wagon and take them back to Paradise,” Marshall Fisher told his Cowboys.

Cowboy Jesse grabbed James by his arm and walked him back to the wagon.

Cowboy Saul picked Laurie up by one of her arms and walked her to the wagon.

Cowboys Tony and Dale grabbed Harold by his arms and legs and carried him to the wagon.

Back in the real world, Josh, Sara, Linda, and Jenny rushed out of the electrical room and entered the Train House using the cipher code in Laurie’s instructions.

Josh, Sara, Linda, and Jenny rushed into the Train House and looked at the train set.

Josh saw the wagon with people in the back and two black shirt Cowboys in the seat while it was on the dirt trail headed toward Paradise. Two Cowboys were on horses in front of the wagon, and another horse was trailing behind them.

“We better hurry up and get what we need to save everybody,” Josh told the girls.

They rushed out of the Train House and headed back into the mansion.

Chapter 20

Marshall Fisher and his Cowboys drove the wagon with Laurie, James, and Harold back into Paradise.

Marshall Fisher and his Cowboys drove the wagon back down Paradise Lane, where Cowboys Frank, Paul, Bubba, Lester, Sam, Jimmy, Allan, Mitch, Harry, Tim, Kirby, and Carl sat or stood on the porch of the Marshall's Office. The Cowboys looked like they had horrific hangovers.

"What the hell are you guys doing goofing off? Marshall Fisher yelled out while his horse rode up to this office building with the wagon. The Marshall noticed they looked sick. "Are you guys drunk or hung over?" he added while dismounted from his horse.

"Someone drugged the whiskey," Cowboy Jimmy said while he rubbed his forehead to soothe his pounding headache.

"What?" Marshall Fisher replied and looked pissed with that news.

"We drank the whiskey at the table, and then we all passed out," Cowboy Lester said.

"Plus, there's another problem," Cowboy Jimmy added.

"What's that?" Marshall Fisher curiously asked and looked bothered by hearing more bad news.

"There's a gaping hole in the rear of this building where your two jailbirds escaped," Cowboy Kirby responded.

Marshall Fisher stormed to the front door of his office, opened it, and then peeked inside. He had fire in his eyes when he saw the massive hole in the wall, making the two jail cells useless.

Marshall Fisher stormed off the porch and headed to the wagon. He reached into the back of the wagon and grabbed Laurie by her dress. He yanked her out of the wagon. He threw her down to the dirt street. "Tony, Bubba, and Lester, after I hang these two turds, you have my permission to take this piece of fat ass and have your way within her in the Paradise

House of Pleasure. Then she'll be a regular whore for punishment for crossing me," he told the two Cowboys.

Cowboys Tony, Bubba, and Lester drooled at the thought of screwing Laurie.

The other Cowboys looked jealous but knew better than to say anything to the Marshall.

"Take these prisoners to the mansion and keep them in separate rooms with two Cowboys as guards," he said.

"Yes sir," Cowboy Tony replied, gathering up Cowboys Kirby, Jimmy, Frank, Paul, Carl, and Sam.

Those Cowboys grabbed Laurie, James, and Harold by their arms and escorted them toward the mansion.

"I want an extra noose added to the gallows for the hanging at eight in the morning," Marshall told the other Cowboys, who ran down the alley by the Marshall's Office to head down the side street where the gallows were kept in a wooden storage building.

Marshall Fisher returned on his horse and rode back to his mansion.

In reality, Josh, Sara, Linda, and Jenny saw the miniature people and Cowboys who appeared to be walking back to the mansion. They saw a Cowboy on a horse heading back to the mansion.

"The Marshall must be keeping them in the mansion since his jail is ruined," Josh told the ladies.

"What are we going to do?" Sara asked.

"We need to find a place where we can get some things to rescue everybody," Josh replied, then looked at Jenny and smiled. "Come, let's get out of here," he added, then held Jenny's hand, and they headed to the main door of the Train House.

Back in Fisher's mansion, Josh, Jenny, Linda, and Sara powered up a computer in an office and found a store in Miami with a vast selection of miniature trains and accessories.

Josh looked in the desk's drawers and found a bunch of cell phones. They took turns turning them on until they found two that worked.

Jenny found a cash box and removed all the cash.

Josh found his car keys, and they all rushed out of the mansion.

Josh, Jenny, Linda, and Sara rushed to the employee's parking lot, where it was empty.

"They towed our cars away," Josh said and looked pissed.

"How can we get down to Miami?"

Josh looked around that area and spotted a two-car garage at the mansion's rear. That garage caught his interest; he remembered something Laurie told him. "I know where we can get a car," he said, rushing to the mansion.

"Linda, Sara, and Jenny didn't know what he was talking about but followed him anyway to the mansion.

Inside Fisher's mansion, Josh, Jenny, Linda, and Sara looked in the counter's drawers.

"I found a key," Linda said while she showed Josh.

"That's it," he said, then snatched the key out of her hand and headed to the door.

The ladies followed Josh out of the mansion.

Fifteen minutes later, Josh had the ladies piled in Fisher's 1939 Buick, and they headed south down Interstate I-95 to Miami.

Back at the made-up Land of Paradise, it was 9:00 p.m., and hammering filled the air in town while the gallows were being modified with an extra noose.

In the mansion, Laurie, James, and Harold were in private rooms with two Cowboys standing outside their doors as guards.

Marshall Fisher also had numerous Cowboys that roamed around the mansion, making the place look like a prison.

In one bedroom, Laurie lay on her back on the bed with her hands and ankles tied to the bedpost, and she cried.

Harold lay on the bed in another bedroom with his hands and ankles tied to the bedpost. He was worried about Laurie.

In another bedroom, James lay in the bed with his hands and ankles tied to the bedpost. He regretted stepping into that glass booth, thinking he would be living a better life.

In reality, Josh, Linda, Sara, and Jenny left a train store in Miami with everything they needed to save Paradise from Marshall Fisher.

But they were shocked to discover that Fisher's 1939 Buick was hot-wired and stolen from the parking lot.

"Now what?" Sara asked worriedly.

"We have to walk back to the mansion unless someone has some extra cash," he replied.

"I guess we're walking," Jenny responded.

They all walked away down the street.

Back in the land of Paradise, it was 2:30 a.m. on Saturday.

Laurie was sound asleep when her room door slowly opened, and Cowboys Tony, Bubba, and Lester tiptoed inside.

They tiptoed to Laurie's bed, where she lay under the covers.

Bubba quickly covered Laurie's mouth, causing Laurie to wake up. It took a few seconds, but she realized the Cowboys were towering over her body; her eyes widened with fear.

"Ahhh!" her screams were muffled under Bubba's hand.

Tony leaned down and brought his mouth to Laurie's right ear. "We are going to have a great time with you," he whispered, then he sucked on her ear lobe.

"Ahhhh!" Laurie's screams were muffled under Bubba's hand, and she tried to squirm out from under the bonds of the ropes, but it was pointless.

Lester lowered the bedspread and then lowered the sheets.

Laurie's eyes welled up, believing she was going to be raped in a few minutes.

Tony and Lester ran their hands down the inside of Laurie's leg toward her crotch while Bubba slipped his free hand down underneath her dress, heading toward her breasts.

Laurie squirmed, and her muffled screams were heard under Bubba's hand while he fondled her breasts, and Lester and Tony groped her crotch.

The three Cowboys removed their hands from Laurie's body and glared at her.

She shook in fear of her clothes being ripped off at any second, and then they would each take their turns raping her.

Tony leaned down to her right ear again. "We'll be back after the hanging, so I hope you enjoyed our little preview show," Tony whispered in her ear, then sucked on her ear lobe again.

Lester and Bubba covered Laurie's body with the bedspread and covers.

They all walked out of the room with a smirk.

They stepped into the hall where Marshall Fisher stood.

He lit up another Cuban cigar. "What's going on?"

Cowboys Kirby, Jimmy, Frank, Paul, Carl, and Sam, who guarded the prisoner's rooms, looked interestedly.

"We're just giving her a little foreplay," Cowboy Tony replied.

Marshall Fisher smiled at that thought.

"Can we have a little fun?" Cowboy Kirby asked while he drooled at the thought of groping Laurie.

"Sure, but foreplay only. She'll be a whore tomorrow afternoon, then you can have some fun with her," Marshall Fisher replied. Then he puffed on his cigar, headed to his bedroom, and went inside.

Cowboys Kirby, Jimmy, Frank, Paul, Carl, and Sam rushed over and went inside Laurie's bedroom with horny grins.

Cowboys Tony, Bubba, and Lester listened at the door and smiled when they heard the muffled screams of Laurie while all six Cowboys molested her.

Cowboys Tony, Bubba, and Lester walked down the hall and headed down the stairs.

Meanwhile, in reality, Josh, Jenny, Sara, and Linda walked in the dark while returning to Fisher's mansion.

They were exhausted and stopped off at a Wal-Mart to find a bench where they could relax and drink water.

It was 6:30 a.m. back in Paradise. Everybody was finishing their standard scrambled eggs, bacon, and milk breakfast in the Dining Hall.

"May I have your attention," Charlie called out from the doorway.

All eyes of the room were fixed on Charlie and Cowboys Dwayne, Chester, Bart, and Alfred in the doorway.

"We just learned that some of our fine folks were found dead out in the desert," he said.

Numerous folks in the room looked stunned, while some looked suspicious of the news.

"We captured the two killers. Therefore, Marshall Fisher would like everybody out in the street now," Charlie said.

Everybody got up from their tables and headed to the door.

It didn't take long before Paradise Lane was filled with the town folk who stared at the gallows, who had previously moved to the middle of the street by the courthouse.

Cowboys were staggered on both sides of the crowd and watched the town folk with an eagle eye.

A wagon drove down Paradise Lane from the mansion with Cowboys Kirby and Jimmy in the driver's seat.

James and Harold sat in the wagon's rear, with Cowboys Bubba and Lester guarding them with their Colt 45s. Cowboys Frank, Paul, Carl, and Sam walked on both sides of the wagon as guards.

Marshall Fisher rode his horse, smoking his cigar behind the wagon.

Back in the mansion, Laurie lay in bed, and her eyes were red and puffy from crying all night. All she could think about was jumping in the shower and scrubbing her body for hours to get the feel of those Cowboy's hands off her skin.

The wagon stopped behind the gallows.

Marshall Fisher stopped his horse behind the gallows and dismounted. He walked around, headed up the steps to the platform of the gallows, and waited by the two hanging nooses.

Cowboys Bubba and Lester grabbed James and Harold out from the wagon's rear and marched them up the steps and down the platform. Marshall Fisher puffed on his cigar while he

watched Cowboys Bubba and Lester place James and Harold behind the noose that would soon end their lives.

Marshall Fisher faked, wiping away tears from his eyes while he faced the town folks. "It crushed my heart when I learned that these two men killed my fiancé. It further crushed my heart when I learned that these two scoundrels also killed my daughter's fiancé. She's now in my mansion, devastated that her true love was murdered. Therefore, it gives me great satisfaction to find Harold Nicholson and James Abramson guilty of murder and will be hanged for their punishment," Marshall Fisher addressed the town folk, then he puffed on his cigar.

The faint sound of horses was heard coming from the grassy field.

Marshall Fisher puffed on his cigar while he looked toward his mansion for the source of that sound. He shrugged it off and motioned for Cowboys Bubba and Lester to place the nooses around the necks of James and Harold.

Cowboys Bubba and Lester placed the nooses around James and Harold's necks, then tightened the rope.

The sound of numerous horses got louder and louder, and all the town folk turned around and looked down Paradise Lane toward the mansion.

Outside the mansion, one hundred Army Cavalry soldiers on horses galloped through the grassy field and headed toward Paradise. These soldiers and horses were alive but had this plastic look about their skin and always had a serious look about them. They were miniatures that came to life suddenly.

"Cover all the side streets," the Army Captain yelled at his troops in a monotone, almost computer-generated voice.

Some of the one hundred Army Cavalry soldiers split up and headed toward the side streets of Paradise.

Back at the gallows, the air was filled with the thump thump thump sound of the galloping horses, and all eyes were fixed down Paradise Lane.

Then, the eyes of all the town folks widened with shock the second they saw fifty Army Cavalry soldiers on horses race

into Paradise, all wearing black Cavalry hats with yellow Acorn bands.

Half the Cowboys that monitored the crowd scattered between buildings for a safe haven when they sensed the huge Calvary was trouble.

Marshall Fisher's mouth opened, and his cigar dropped out of his mouth and fell to the platform of the gallows. "Oh shit,"

he said and looked stunned at the sight of the enormous force of the Cavalry.

Most of the town folk cheered at the sight of the Cavalry racing into town.

The town folk of Paradise separated and created a path for the Army Captain to ride his horse to the gallows.

The Army Captain stopped his horse near the gallows in a cloud of dust.

"Marshall Fisher, you and your Cowboys, are here under arrest for rape, murder, and kidnapping," the Army Captain called out.

James and Harold looked relieved while four Army soldiers jumped off their horses and ran to the gallows.

The remaining Cowboys and Marshall Fisher whipped out their Colt 45s and looked ready to fight.

A Calvary Sergeant fired his Winchester rifle at Bubba, hitting him in the shoulder.

Cowboy Bubba dropped to the platform of the gallows in pain. Marshall Fisher looked pissed and aimed his Colt 45 at the Army Captain. Still, an Army Corporal fired his Winchester rifle and shot the Marshall in his hand, sending his pistol into the air.

Marshall Fisher raised his arms when he saw all fifty Army soldiers with Winchester rifles aimed at him and his Cowboys.

"Arrest all those Cowboys!" the Army Captain yelled to his troops.

The town folk cheered when they saw the Army soldiers get off their horses and pursue the Cowboys.

The Army Captain and another soldier got off their horses, rushed up to the gallows, and handcuffed Marshall Fisher.

Another soldier rushed up to the gallows and freed James and Harold, who looked like they wanted to hug the soldiers.

The vast town folk all looked so happy they were finally freed from the bonds of Marshall Fisher.

Meanwhile, Josh, Sara, Jenny, and Linda were at the Train House.

Josh placed an Army Fort made out of logs in the desert near the cave.

Josh then placed an old Western-style prison in the desert near the Army Fort.

Josh then placed a miniature horse by the cave at the base of the mountains.

"That should keep them until we can get the police involved," Josh told the ladies.

He removed Laurie's instructions from his back pocket and rushed to the side door.

Sara, Linda, and Jenny followed Josh out the side door.

At the outside of the electrical room, Josh punched in the cipher code and went inside the room.

Sara, Linda, and Jenny followed Josh into the electrical room.

Josh sat down at the computer in the room and started typing the instructions for making the Army Fort and old Western prison come to live in the land of Paradise.

"Okay, Jenny, could you please call the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Department down here," he told her.

"Are you sure the Cavalry idea worked?" Jenny asked with a look of doubt.

"I sure hope so, but if it didn't, use your copy of the instructions and bring a couple of sheriff deputies into Paradise to save me," he said.

"Are you sure our cell phones will work?" Jenny replied.

"They probably will, as that's why they confiscated them from us," he said, then gave Jenny a quick kiss on the lips and stepped into the booth.

Jenny, Sara, and Linda rushed to the exit door of the electrical room and left the electrical room.

Josh closed the door of the glass booth and started the sequence to return to Paradise.

Chapter 21

Back in the land of Paradise, the Cavalry rounded up all thirty-four Cowboys and had them handcuffed and sitting in the middle of the street in Paradise Lane with Marshall Fisher and Charlie outside the Marshall's Office. The Cavalry soldiers circled around the Cowboys with their Winchester rifles, ready to shoot if they tried to escape.

The Army Captain and his Sergeants waited inside the Marshall's Office.

Back in the mansion, Laurie was still bound to her bed inside her bedroom. She got scared, thinking that Harold was probably dead by now, and the Cowboys would soon burst inside the room and repeatedly rape her for hours.

Her bedroom slowly opened, and Laurie's eyes widened with fear, and then she screamed.

Harold rushed inside her bedroom in a panic. "It's me, Laurie!" he called out while he rushed over to her bed.

Laurie screamed while she looked at Harold, then quickly stopped when she recognized him. "You're alive!" she cried out in joy.

Harold kissed Laurie on the lips to show he loved her, and she accepted his love, ever so happy that she finally found a man. Josh rushed out of the cave and approached the horse he staged there.

He jumped in the saddle like a Cowboy. "Yaaaa," he snapped the reins, and the horse galloped off in the desert toward Paradise.

Josh galloped his horse down the dirt trail in the desert and headed to the forest.

Josh galloped his horse down the dirt trail through the forest.

Josh galloped his horse down the dirt trail through the grassy field.

Josh slowed his horse down on the dirt trail when he got near the mansion and noticed that the town appeared quiet, which concerned him.

Josh rode his horse to the entrance of Paradise and looked down Paradise Lane. His eyes widened joyfully when he spotted the whole gang of Cowboys sitting in Paradise Lane with the Cavalry guard.

Josh rode his horse down Paradise Lane and gave the Cowboys a smirk while he rode up to them.

Cowboy Tim saw Josh's smirk and jumped up to come after him. But a Cavalry Private aimed his Winchester rifle at Cowboy Tim, so he immediately sat down.

Josh flipped the finger while he rode past Marshall Fisher and the Cowboys.

Marshall Fisher saw Josh flipping the finger and was furious.

Josh stopped his horse at the Marshall's Office and dismounted.

Josh stepped inside the Marshall's Office, where the Army Captain and his three Sergeants sat at the desk and waited.

"Hello, Captain, I'm Secret Agent Josh Bryant for the Supreme Commander of the land of Paradise," he replied while he returned a salute. "Great job, Captain, on rustling up our prisoners," he said, looking worried. "Were you able to stop the hanging?" he added.

"Yes sir," the Army Captain snapped out his answer.

"Good, now I'm planning on having some deputy sheriffs arriving here to take our prisoners to court for their rightful punishment. But in the interim, take them all to the prison recently placed in the desert," Josh ordered the Captain.

"Yes sir," the Army Captain snapped out his answer. "Very good. Now carry on," Josh replied.

"Yes sir," the Army Captain snapped his answer and saluted.

The Sergeants saluted Josh, who returned a salute, then turned around and left the office.

Josh walked down Paradise Lane, searching for Laurie, James, and Harold.

Meanwhile, in reality, Jenny, Sara, and Linda stood by the front entrance of the Fisher Mansion and waited. Jenny had previously called the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Department requesting assistance from a deputy sheriff since a crime had occurred at the mansion.

Back in the land of Paradise, Josh walked all over the streets of Paradise and searched the hotels, the saloon, and the General Store but could not locate Laurie, James, and Harold.

He started to get concerned that they might all be dead, but then he forgot about the mansion.

While Josh rushed over to the mansion and stepped inside the foyer. "Laurie?" he yelled.

After a few seconds, Laurie, Harold, and James walked out of the mansion's living room after hearing Josh's voice.

Laurie ran over to Josh. "Thank you for saving our lives,"

he said, then hugged him tightly.

James and Harold walked and shook Josh's hand. "I'm so glad you didn't get hung," Josh said. "Bringing in the Calvary was a great idea," James said. "Very old Western," Laurie added.

Harold nodded in agreement with Laurie and James'

comments.

"Where's my father?" Laurie curiously asked.

"The Army will take him and his Cowboys to the prison I placed in the desert, and hopefully, the West Palm Beach deputy sheriffs will arrive soon," Josh replied.

Laurie looked slightly saddened by the thought of her father going to jail, but she knew it had to be done.

The Army Cavalry Captain rode his horse down the dirt trail in the grassy field near the forest entrance. Behind him marched Marshall Fisher, Charlie, and all the Cowboys, still handcuffed, down the trail with the entire Cavalry guarding their prisoners.

Back in reality, from the front entrance of Fisher's mansion, Jenny, Sara, and Linda watched during a West Palm.

Beach deputy sheriff's car drove down the driveway.

The sheriff's car parked, and Deputy Sheriff Andy Powell got out of the car and headed toward the mansion's front doors.

"What kind of crime would you like to report?" Deputy Powell asked the second he arrived at the front entrance.

"Well, it involves rape and murder," Jenny replied to the deputy.

Deputy Powell's eyes widened the second he heard Jenny's answer. "Where?"

"Follow me," Jenny replied and turned around and went to the front door.

Deputy Powell followed Jenny, Sara, and Linda into the mansion.

Deputy Powell followed Jenny, Sara, and Linda through the backyard and headed to the Train House.

Deputy Powell followed Jenny, Sara, and Linda into the Train House.

Deputy Powell stepped into the Train House with the ladies and looked in awe at the massive train set. "Wow! I'm impressed," he said while the child inside him came out and went into a childlike trance. "So, where were the rape and murder committed?" he said while he snapped out of his childlike trance.

"In Paradise," Jenny said while she pointed at the town.

Sara and Linda nodded in agreement with Linda's response.

Deputy Powell looked at the ladies and then back at the train set. "I'm not following, I mean, it's a train set. A kid's toy," Deputy Powell replied.

"From here, it looks like a train set, but there's a device at the other end of this building that will transform you into that train set where it comes alive," Sara said.

Deputy Powell looked at Sara and then back at the train set where the Cavalry and their prisoners were on the dirt trail in the forest.

"Dispatch, this is unit five; I need two additional units for assistance here at the Fisher mansion," he quickly said into his radio mike, thinking the three ladies were actually loony and intended to arrest them for making a false crime report.

Jenny, Sara, and Linda smiled, knowing that additional help was coming but didn't know the real reason.

While they waited for the additional units to arrive, Deputy Powell walked around the train set and checked it out.

"I'm finding all this a little hard to believe," Deputy Powell told the ladies while he stared at the town of Paradise.

Deputy Powell walked around and headed toward the desert end of the train set. He spotted the Cavalry and formation of Cowboys on the dirt trail not too far from the forest's edge. "This train set sure is spectacular," he said while he glanced at the Army fort and old Western prison.

He turned around and walked back toward the Paradise town end of the set in awe.

Jenny got concerned with the deputy, who was just looking at the train set like a child at Christmas time. "What will you do about those crimes being committed?" she asked.

"Well, frankly, I'm having a hard time believing that there's been a crime committed here, so I'm going to have some other deputies assist me in this matter," Deputy Powell replied. At the same time, he walked around the train set and checked out the town of Paradise.

Jenny got this gut feeling the deputy didn't believe him. "I think you don't believe me, so why don't I prove it," she told him. "That would be extremely helpful because making a false report is also illegal," Deputy Powell told her. At the same time, he walked down the far right walkway and headed toward the other end of the train set.

"Please come with me, deputy," Jenny told him and walked to the door at the end of the walkway.

Deputy Powell started to follow her, but then he stopped when he felt he could be walking into a trap. "I'm going to wait until my other units arrive," he said while placing his hand on his Glock in his holster.

After waiting a few minutes, Deputy Jack White and Juan Martinez arrived at the Train House. Deputy Powell talked with

his two coworkers and told them he believed these ladies were providing a false police report.

All three deputies agreed to investigate their claim further before arresting them.

"Okay, show us," Deputy Powell told Jenny.

"Great, follow me," she replied with a warm smile.

The three deputies followed the ladies out of the Train House and entered the electrical room.

The three deputies looked in awe at all the electrical equipment inside the room. They knew all this technology couldn't have been needed to operate a train set.

"Okay, my curiosity is increasing," Deputy Powell told Jenny.

"Are you ready for a trip to the land of Paradise?" she asked him while she pointed at the glass booth.

Deputy Powell walked over and looked at the booth to see if there were any obvious hazards. "What is this thing?"

"It's the transporting device to take us to the land of Paradise," she replied.

Deputy Powell looked at Jenny and believed she was loony, but then he felt she might be telling the truth. "Okay, show me." Deputies Martinez and White thought Deputy Powell was nuts while they watched him step inside the booth with Jenny.

"I wouldn't do that," Deputy Martinez told Deputy Powell.

Deputy Powell looked at his coworker and smiled while Jenny closed the door of the glass booth.

The deputies watched while bright lights filled the booth's glass-like fireworks.

A whirring sound filled the inside of the booth.

The entire booth vibrated.

Then psychedelic colors filled the glass of the booth. The glass booth started spinning.

Deputies Martinez and White were baffled when they saw the empty glass booth.

"What form do we fill out for this scenario?" Deputy Martinez asked Deputy White.

"I don't have a clue," Deputy White replied, staring at the glass booth in disbelief.

Back in the land of Paradise, Jenny walked a baffled Deputy Powell out of the glass booth and down the cave with the lighted torches.

Jenny walked Deputy Powell out of the cave, where he saw the desert and mountains behind him. His mouth dropped open, and he was speechless.

"Powell, where are you?" Deputy Martinez's voice came across Powell's radio.

"Ah, I think I'm inside this train set," Deputy Powell replied while he looked around the desert and saw the Army fort and prison off in the desert.

"What?" Deputy Martinez's voice replied from the radio.

"I think I'm in the train set," Deputy Powell said again.

"Tell them to go back to the train set and look at the cave for two miniature people who look like us," Jenny instructed the deputy.

"Ah, go back to the train set, and you should see two miniature people by the cave opening," Deputy Powell said into his radio.

In the real world, deputies Martinez and White rushed out of the electrical room and back inside the Train House.

They immediately looked at the cave at the base of the mountains. They saw two miniature people, and one resembled a deputy.

"No way?" Deputy Martinez replied in disbelief. Sara and Linda entered the Train House.

"It's for real," she told the deputies.

"Hey guys, if you go back to the glass booth, Jenny here will bring you this amazing place," Deputy Powell told them from the radio.

Deputies Martinez and White didn't say a word while they rushed out of the Train House and went back inside the electrical room.

The two deputies stared at the glass booth.

A whirring sound filled the inside of the booth.

The entire booth vibrated.

Then psychedelic colors filled the glass of the booth. The glass booth started spinning.

The spinning of the booth dissipated.

The psychedelic colors in the glass dissipated.

The vibration of the boot dissipated.

The lights from the glass dissipated.

Silence looked in awe at Jenny, who suddenly appeared inside the booth.

The door to the booth opened, and Jenny poked her head outside. "The next trip to Paradise is now leaving,"

Jenny said with a smile.

Deputies Martinez and White rushed over and stepped inside the booth.

Jenny closed the door and started the sequence for the trip to Paradise.

Back in the land of Paradise, deputies Martinez and White were in awe. At the same time, they walked through the cave to the opening where Deputy Powell waited.

Deputies Martinez and White stepped out of the cave and stared in awe at the desert.

"I don't believe it," Deputy White replied while he bent down and scooped up a handful of dirt to see if it was real, and it was real desert dirt.

"Me neither," deputy Martinez replied.

"Now, what's with this report of rape and murder?"

Deputy Powell asked Linda.

Jenny removed her cell phone from her jeans pocket. She opened it and called using the number Josh had given her.

"Josh," she said with a smile when he answered and was happy her cell phone worked.

"It works; where are you?" Josh answered her call. "I'm here at the cave with two deputy sheriffs that want to know more about the rape and murder that occurred in Paradise,"

Jenny replied.

"I'm on my way," Josh responded, then disconnected the end of the call.

"Josh Bryant is on his way to take us to Paradise," Jenny told the deputies.

The three deputies waited at the cave with Jenny for twenty minutes. They started to wonder if this Josh Bryant character existed. Then, they saw a stagecoach with Josh and Laurie in the driver's seat.

Laurie pulled the stagecoach over and stopped by Jenny and the three deputies.

"Hello, deputies. I'm Josh Bryant, and this is Laurie Fisher.

Her father is Blaine Fisher, and boy, do we have some information and witnesses about crimes in this land of Paradise.

Information that would make a good movie," Josh told the deputies.

The three deputies rushed over and got inside the stagecoach with Jenny.

Laurie snapped the reins and drove the stagecoach back down the dirt trail to Paradise.

Deputies Martinez, Powell, and White stared out of the stagecoach windows in awe while the coach drove down the dirt trail through the desert, the forest, and then the grassy field.

Deputies Martinez, Powell, and White stared out the stagecoach windows in awe over the sight of the town of Paradise.

"It's the train set. The train set came alive," Deputy Powell said. "It is amazing until Blaine Fisher and his Cowboys kept everybody here like prisoners," Jenny told the deputies.

Her comment piqued the interest of the three deputies.

"Where's Blaine Fisher and his Cowboys now?" Deputy Powell asked Jenny.

"The Cavalry has them under guard," she replied.

"The Cavalry? You mean old West Cavalry?" Deputy Martinez replied and looked interested since he was fascinated by the old West Cavalry and Indian movies.

Laurie stopped the stagecoach by the saloon, where Josh and Laurie exited the driver's seat.

Jenny opened up the coach door and stepped outside.

"Come, deputies, we've gathered most of the town folk that want to tell what they saw here in Paradise," Josh said.

The three deputies got out of the stagecoach and followed Josh, Laurie, and Jenny into the saloon.

Inside the saloon, the three deputies saw seventy town folk of Paradise who all looked anxious to sing like a canary.

"We need backup," deputy Powell said while he looked at the crowd.

"Lots of back-ups," Deputy Martinez replied, and the deputy nodded in agreement.

Deputy Powell stepped out to the porch of the saloon.

"Dispatch, unit five needs major assistance at the Fisher mansion," he said on his radio.

"How many, unit five?" the female dispatcher replied from the radio.

All three deputies looked at each other.

"We could use about ten," Deputy Martinez replied, and Deputy White nodded in agreement.

"Send in ten units," Deputy Powell responded into his radio.

"Ten units?" the dispatcher replied, unsure from the radio.

"Yeah, ten units; we have about seventy witnesses to potential rape and murder at the Fisher mansion," Deputy Powell responded into his radio.

"Okay, unit five, those additional units will be on their way shortly," the dispatcher replied from the radio.

The deputies looked around the saloon at all the witnesses.

"We better head to the real mansion and greet your fellow deputies," Josh told Deputy Powell.

"You're right," Deputy Powell replied.

Laurie and Josh escorted Deputy Powell to the stagecoach.

Deputies Martinez and White started interviewing the town folk in the saloon.

During the stagecoach ride back to the cave, Josh rode in the coach with Deputy Powell, who told him everything he had seen during his time in Paradise.

Chapter 22

Three hours passed, and the thirteen West Palm County deputy sheriffs had taken all the statements from the seventy town folk in the saloon.

The deputies took statements about the suicides, rapes, and hangings of the townsfolk.

Laurie allowed the deputies to search the mansion, where they found the files Blaine Fisher kept on all the Cowboys. This provided evidence that some were on the lamb from different states. One of them was Tony Moore, who was profiled on the TV show “We’ll Find Ya.”

Two hours later, the thirteen deputies arrested Marshall Fisher, his Cowboys, and Chief Merijildo.

Josh helped transport them back to the reality of jail time.

At Fisher’s West Palm mansion, they were loaded onto a bus that transported them to the county jail to await their trial for rape, kidnapping, and murder.

A West Palm Beach County Crime Scene Unit was in Paradise. They dug up the dead bodies of Mindy Stone, Jerry Barrow, Bob Jackson, Willard Peabody, Nora Norris, Kent Paul, and Irwin Ulrich.

The next day was for the town folk of Paradise to return to reality if they so desired, and everybody desired to get out of Paradise.

The next day, all talk of the rape, kidnapping, and murder in the fantasy land of Paradise was all over the major news networks around the world.

This worked in favor of Laurie, as it was free advertising for her idea of turning Paradise into a fantasy vacation place.

A few weeks later, Josh and Jenny moved in together in his place in Orlando. However, discussions were held with Laurie, and she wanted them to join her back in West Palm Beach with an excellent job offer. Since Josh and Jenny were unemployed,

they decided to take Laurie up on her offer, moved down to West Palm Beach, and moved into Fisher’s mansion.

During the next four weeks, Laurie, Josh, and Jenny started planning and implementing the “Old West Paradise Vacation”

idea with the land of Paradise. Laurie figured that the publicity of the upcoming trial of her father and the Cowboys would be free advertising.

The Paradise vacation spot kept some old Western ways with the outhouses and lack of running water to give it that old west feel.

The Dining Hall was upgraded to include more breakfast, lunch, and dinner options.

People had the option of being Indians, and some real Seminole Indians were hired to head up that option. There was the option of joining the Cavalry, where retired Army guys headed up that option using fake gunfights that occurred with the Indian vacationers.

There was also a cowboy option: to move a herd of cattle through the desert and camp out under the stars.

There was an option where you could be the Marshall or one of the five deputies of Paradise, where some paid actors pretended to be the outlaws. Besides robbing the stagecoach, they would rob the bank.

And then there was the option of being everyday ole town folk of Paradise with dances and other parties.

When arriving in Paradise, the stagecoach still took the vacationers into town where the actor outlaws pretended to rob them, but without any violence.

Plus, the Paradise Express still ran down the tracks through the land of Paradise for enjoyment.

You can’t forget the Saturday night dance that will be held inside the dining hall.

The chefs, waiters, hotel workers, etc., were all paid employees with benefits. Plus, there was an agreement with the West Palm Beach Sheriff ’s Department that they could pop in at any time for a quick check.

Laurie placed her website online, offering an Old West vacation in Paradise for $1,000 a person for seven days. The website allowed people to register where there were one hundred slots per week. The vacationers would arrive in Paradise on Sunday morning and leave on Sunday morning.

A week later, she had one year of reservations filled and had the potential to turn into a six-million-dollar-a-year business.

She was elated and made Harold, Josh, and Jenny equal partners.

With the potential earnings of six Million dollars a year, Laurie discussed with Harold, Josh, and Jenny the idea of a Medieval Times vacation place with Knights, sword fights, jousting, etc.

They all agreed and projected that they might come along in five years.

During the first week of the old West Paradise vacation, Laurie married Harold in the Dining Hall, which fulfilled her childhood dream.

Two more months had passed, the vacation weeks in Paradise were a hit, and the vacationers had a ball.

Then, one Sunday evening at 5:00 p.m., Josh stood by the counter in the lobby of the Fisher mansion, where the vacationers would report to start their week. Above the counter was the “Old West Fantasy Vacations” banner, and a “Medieval Times Fantasy Coming In Near Future” poster was on the nearby wall.

“Hi, Josh,” Kathy’s voice was heard while Josh looked down at the list of vacationers for this week.

Josh turned around and saw Kathy walking toward the counter.

“Hi, Kathy,” he replied and appeared disinterested in seeing her. Kathy looked up at the banner above the counter. “Ricky told me about your new job here.”

She walked over to Josh and gave him a kiss on his lips.

Josh pushed her away. “What do you want?” Kathy got close to Josh and cuddled with him. “I’m so sorry for the way I treated you. I thought we could start all over again?” she said while getting flirty with him.

Josh pushed Kathy away. “I thought you were seeing Paul?” he asked her.

Kathy looked sad. “He cheated on me with Becky down in finance.”

Josh smiled, knowing that Kathy was finally at the receiving end of that scene.

Jenny walked up to Josh and kissed his cheek. “Kathy, meet Jenny, my fiancé,” he said with a huge grin.

Kathy looked rejected.

“Oh, you must be that girl. Well, thank you for giving me such a great man,” she said with a smile.

Kathy walked away, sad.

Jenny looked at the list of vacationers for this week while a couple walked up to them. Where the man picked the Cavalry option, and his wife chose the Living in Paradise option.

Kathy watched from the front entrance while Josh and Jenny processed that couple, and she looked like she could kick herself in her butt for screwing up with Josh.

Three months had passed. The trial for Marshall Fisher, his Cowboys, and Chief Merijildo was over. They were found guilty of rape, kidnapping, and some were found guilty of murder. They would never be freed from society again and get what they deserved.

Then, during the following week, Josh and Jenny stayed in Paradise. They were married in the desert with a beautiful sunset and one hundred and fifty vacationers as guests. The reception party that followed was impressive.