Author's Note: Thank you to everyone who reviewed or set an alert for this story. As always, your feedback is greatly appreciated. I also appreciate the shout out Gaben gave me at the end of her last chapter of Freeze Frame 3. If you enjoy NCIS fanfics, that series is well worth the read.
Speaking of NCIS, I'm sure many of you are curious about my comment about that show at the end of the last chapter. Actually, if you didn't catch it, I wrote in a little bit of a crossover between that and Magnificent 7. If you are familiar with NCIS, you may remember the episode, Hung Out to Dry, in which Gibbs tells Kate that he came from a long line of horse traders. So, I decided to create one of Gibbs's horse trading ancestors.
CHAPTER 2
Josiah smiled at the sight of the group of boys playing baseball in the empty field behind the church. There were about a dozen kids of varying ages playing, all of whom lived in town. Billy and Kevin were among them.
The preacher had no sooner stepped inside to continue his work on the interior of the church when everything went wrong. Kevin was batting, and an older boy from town had just pitched the ball to him. At first, Kevin was thrilled to have connected with the ball as that hadn't happened very often. However, instead of flying out over the field, the ball went foul, arching back off the edge of the bat, directly into one of the church's window panes.
Josiah came rushing out of the building in time to see all but two of the boys racing off. Billy and Kevin stood rooted in place. Kevin still held the bat, and the look on his face was a mixture of shock and fear.
Chris had been walking by the church on his way to the saloon when he heard the unmistakable sound of glass breaking and spotted the boys scattering. Silently thinking that his job as the leader of the town peacekeepers had involved dealing with as many misbehaving children as it had drunken cowboys and wayward gunslingers, he changed course to the back of the church. As soon as he rounded the building he spotted Josiah kneeling on the ground talking to Kevin and Billy. The black-clad man didn't miss the bat that Kevin still held or the tears that were streaming down his cheeks. Well shit, he thought as he approached the group.
"What's going on here?" he demanded.
"It was an accident, I promise." Kevin swiped at the tears streaming down his cheeks and looked up at Chris. He didn't know which was worse, the fact that it was Chris who had showed up or the thought that it might have been Vin who had come around the corner of the building.
Josiah pulled the crying boy into his arms for a soothing hug. "It's alright, Kevin. It truly was an accident." Kevin laid his head on a broad shoulder and nodded.
"Billy," Chris turned to the other boy, realizing that he wasn't going to get anything out of Kevin at the moment. "What happened?"
"We were playing baseball, and Kevin was batting." Billy glanced over at his friend, who was still being comforted by Josiah. "He don't hit the ball much, so nobody really expected him to do it this time. Except he did hit it, but it flew backward and broke the church window." His pleading eyes looked up to Chris's stern face. "It really was an accident."
Chris nodded and looked over to where Kevin was now standing beside Josiah. "Come over here, please." He watched as Kevin reluctantly obeyed. When the boy was closer, Chris looked down into his tear-stained face. "Is that what happened."
"Yes, sir."
"Okay, sounds like it was an accident." He didn't miss Kevin's sigh of relief and realized the boy expected to be punished for what had happened. "Because it was an accident, you won't be punished. But, you will have to pay for the new window by working here at the church with Josiah." Chris nearly grinned when Kevin's face dropped. "Josiah, do you know who the other boys were?" When Josiah nodded, Chris continued. "As far as I'm concerned, you weren't in this alone, so Billy will help. And, I'll be talking to the parents of the other boys, so you can expect some help from them as well. Sound fair?" He looked at the two recalcitrant boys standing in front of him.
"Yes, sir," they both replied.
"Good, why don't you get started by sweeping up that broken glass. And be careful, we don't want to have to get Nathan to stitch up any cuts." Both boys reluctantly made their way into the church. This wasn't the first time that Kevin had spent time working in the church, so he knew where the broom and dust pan were kept.
Chris turned to Josiah. "That do?" he asked.
"It will indeed. I suspect by the time we finish speaking with the other boys' parents I will have more help around here than I'll know what to do with." Josiah glanced in the direction of the church. He could see the tops of the two boys' heads through the now glassless window as they worked to clean up the mess. "A new window won't be all that expensive." The cost could easily be paid out of the offerings the parishioners made every Sunday.
"It ain't the cost," Chris stated, studying the other man's face. "It's about teachin' them to take responsibility for their actions. They stood up while the other boys took off. I think cleanin' up the mess will be work enough, don't you?"
"I do at that, Brother Chris. However, I'm sure I can find plenty more work to keep the other boys busy for a mite longer."
XxxxxxxxxxxX
A week later, the incident at the church had largely been forgotten. A new window pane had been ordered and was expected to arrive on the next stage. A couple of the boys still had to perform their penance for their part in what had happened, mainly for running from the scene of the crime. Kevin and Billy had been pleased to learn that after the broken glass had been cleaned up and disposed of to Josiah's satisfaction, their penance was complete. Josiah had been sure to make it known that they had gotten off so lightly and with less work than the other boys because they had stayed and taken responsibility for what had happened.
The two boys were playing marbles in the alley beside the jail when the sound of horses being ridden at a fast pace down the street caught their attention. It also caught the attention of Buck, who was taking his shift in the building that served as the peacekeepers' unofficial headquarters. He stepped out onto the porch to see what the commotion was all about. What he saw sent a chill down his spine.
The tall gunman moved quickly to where Kevin and Billy now stood, transfixed by what they were watching. Grabbing each boy by an arm, he propelled them in the direction of the jail's door. "Get in there and stay down. Don't come out for anything unless one of us comes to get you. Understand?"
Having been through this before, both boys quickly nodded and rushed to take cover inside the building. They moved into a corner in one of the jail cells and took a seat on the floor. "What do you think is happening?" Kevin asked.
XxxxxxxxxxxX
"Thanks, Inez." Vin glanced up as another beer was placed at his elbow. Although it wasn't unusual for the tracker to drink alone, he seemed to be brooding a bit more than usual.
"Is there something wrong, Senor?" Although they weren't close, Inez considered Vin to be a friend. And at the moment, her friend looked like he could use someone to talk to.
"Nah," he responded, shaking his head. "I've just got somethin' on my mind that I gotta work out." He picked up the mug of beer and took a sip.
"Anytime you want to talk about it, you know where to find me."
"Thanks, Inez. I might just take you up on it."
Inez nodded and moved back to the bar. She had been able to tell that Vin needed to talk about whatever was on his mind. However, Inez knew that getting that man to talk would be like pulling hen's teeth. She was wiping down the already gleaming wood when Ezra slid onto one of the bar stools and ordered a whiskey. A thought occurred to her. Ezra seemed to have an uncanny ability to get other people to talk.
"Senor Standish," Inez began as she set Ezra's requested whiskey in front on him. "I believe your friend, Senor Tanner, has something on his mind and could use someone willing to draw it out."
Ezra glanced over to where Vin sat slouched in a chair, staring into a nearly full bear mug. "Did Mr. Tanner say anything about what is bothering him." While it wasn't unusual for Vin to brood, he seemed a bit more intent about it this time.
"No," Inez replied. "Only that he has something on his mind."
Ezra nodded. "Thank you for your concern, my dear. I will see if I can get to the bottom of Mr. Tanner's fretful state." He picked up his drink and made his way to the table where Vin sat.
"Mr. Tanner," Ezra greeted the other man. "You look like someone who has the weight of the world on his shoulders. Unlike Atlas, you may unburden yourself to me if you wish."
Vin looked confused for a moment, unsure what Ezra meant by Atlas. But, he did understand that his friend was offering him a supportive ear. He wasn't sure, though, if he wanted to talk about what was bothering him. "Thanks, Ezra, but I don't think I wanna talk about it. It's just somethin' I needa work through in my mind."
Ezra nodded. "Did something happen between you and Miss Bishop during your picnic?" He had noticed a definite chill in the air between the two since their arrival back in town.
Vin studied his beer a moment before picking it up to take a deep drink. Shrugging, he placed back on the table. "Seems we jus' don't suit. Her bein' from high society, and all, and me . . . well, let's just say I grew up as far from high society as ya' can get."
Whatever Ezra had been expecting, this hadn't exactly been it. "Well, as someone who has been exposed to high society it isn't exactly what it has been cracked up to be." Seeing that wasn't exactly helping, he continued. "It is not our backgrounds or where we were born that determines the person we become."
A commotion on the street caught their attention before Vin could reply. Both men jumped from their seats and raced outside to see what was happening.
XxxxxxxxxxX
"I still don't understand why he reacted that way," Nancy stated as she took a sip of tea. She had Mary had made a habit of meeting for tea at least once a week. "I've thought about it over and over again. But the moment I brought up my background, he was ready to leave."
Mary was surprised it had taken Nancy this long to bring up her picnic with Vin. She'd bitten her tongue more than once to keep from asking about it, deciding that it would be better to let her friend bring it up rather than press the issue. It had been hard, as Mary had noticed a difference in how Vin and Nancy had been acting with each other.
"I don't know that much about Vin's background," Mary stated, taking a sip of her own tea. "He doesn't talk much about himself and his past. I do know that his mother died when he was very young. From what he has said, I think he was pretty much on his own after that."
"I don't care about his past. It's the man he is now that I care about."
"Well, we'll just have to figure out a way of convincing him of that," Mary responded.
The sound of running horses and shouting caught their attention. Both women quickly moved to a nearby window to see what was happening. Unfortunately, their view was blocked by a neighboring building.
"I'm going out on the porch to see what's wrong," Nancy stated as she moved toward the stairs.
"That's not a good idea," Mary stated, thinking of Chris's last warning. The mood he'd been in lately, she wouldn't put it past him to carry out his threat. Though she viewed it as being slightly cowardly, she chose to stay inside.
Nancy was a little surprised at Mary's response. She wouldn't have pegged the other woman as being cautious. "It'll be okay. I don't think anything dangerous is going on." She opened the front door and stepped out onto the porch. "Besides, I'll come back inside if it starts to look dangerous."
Vin spotted Nancy standing on the porch of the Clarion. "Damn it," he cursed. Without turning to look at his fellow peacekeepers, he stated, "I'll be back in a minute."
Nancy watched as Vin strode purposefully in her direction. She could tell he was angry about something and knew, without a doubt, that his anger was directed toward her.
"What the hell are you doin' out here?" he demanded as he approached her. "You're smart enough to know better to come outside when a gunfight's brewin'. Even if you ain't been here long enough ta' know the signs 'a one, Mary wouldn't known exactly what was happenin'. Now, get yourself back inside where it's safe."
"But it hasn't start yet, has it?" Nancy asked, the petulant tone clear in her voice. "Until it starts I'm in no real danger. No, I think I'll stay right here." She crossed her arms over her chest, communicating her stubborn resolve to the long-haired tracker. She dismissed the thought that the gesture made her look like a spoiled child, intent on not letting Vin intimidate her.
Vin cursed again, not bothering to apologize to Nancy for his course language, and moved onto the porch. Nancy even knew what had happened, Vin grabbed her arm at the same time he bent forward. Next thing she knew, she was upended over his shoulder. Nancy could hear the laughter of the other peacekeepers from across the street and began struggling. That earned her a sharp smack to her upturned backside and a warning to be still.
Pushing the door open with his free hand, Vin carried the schoolteacher into the Clarion and set her on her feet. He spotted Mary standing in the far hallway, and the look he sent her clearly warned her not to say anything. Turning back to Nancy, he pinned her with a hard look. "I don't care what you got away with back east, but if I tell you to do something, I expect you to do it. I ain't givin' you orders just to hear myself talkin'. You do as you're told, or I swear I'll turn you over my knee." Without even waiting for a reply, Vin turned on his heel and stalked out of the newspaper office.
Nancy stood in shock for a moment before turning to look at Mary. "What was that about?"
Mary smiled. "I'd say that Vin cares for you more than he's willing to admit."
TBC