"If you were trying to sneak up you did a lousy job Ezra. Saw you and Chaucer coming for quite a piece."

"There would be no rationale I am aware of that would require me to be anything but direct in my approach."

"You can drop the fancy crap with me. I know the real you. Remember?"

"No, you never did. However, that is a discussion for another time." Like when hell freezes over, Ezra thought. "I have a different topic of conversation in mind."

"Heard you were settled around these parts. Look at you, all serious and sober. Don't tell me you finally got rid of that pretty red coat of yours? Ezra Standish – settled. Who'd have guessed? That is the name folks here know you by?"

"As it is my name, yes, that is how they know me."

"Surprised you can even remember it, given all the aliases you've used over the years."

"You'll be moving on in the morning William."

"Will I really? That wasn't exactly the plan." Ezra said nothing, but never shifted his stare. "Seriously? You want me out of town?"

"I want you out of the country, but since I haven't the ability to arrange that, yes, I shall settle for out of town. Out of the territory would be a wiser move, as by now our sheriff has notified other lawmen of your presence."

"You turned me in? Shit Ezra, thought we had an understanding."

"There hasn't been any kind of understanding between us for some time now. If you recall, that is why I left you to move onto other avenues."

"The way I recall things, you left because Elizabeth chose me." He smirked.

Ezra chose not to rise to the bait, containing the desire to react in a more physical manner. "And yet if the evidence is to be believed, that is no longer the case."

"That your way of asking after her?" Again, Ezra remained silent. He had not intended for the conversation to turn this way, and was anxious to bring it to a close. "Well, you're right. She decided this kind of life wasn't her style anymore. Wanted to stop drifting." He gave another evil grin. "Want to know where I left her?"

"No. She made her choice, and then made a better one from the sound of things. All I want from you is to see your departure."

William threw what was left of his coffee into the fire. "Suppose, financially speaking, there's no point to staying now. Clearly there won't be a revival meeting here come Sunday. Tell me, would it be acceptable to you and your fellow lawmen for me to stay the night? Late enough now I'd really rather not start on the road."

Ezra shrugged, nodding slightly. "As long as you move on. And don't bother coming through town on your way. You won't be welcomed."

"Really – and I'd heard Four Corners was such a friendly community. Clearly it is filled with forgiving souls, given the fact you haven't been tarred and feathered."

"I'll be coming by here tomorrow morning. I expect to see no evidence you were in the area."

"You really think you can just walk away Ezra? Screw up all my plans, drive me out of town, hell, out of the territory and just walk away?" The false friendly tone disappeared. William stood, the anger clear on his face and in his stance, any remaining pretense gone.

"What would you have me do?"

"Well, as I see it, you turning me in cost me at least a few hundred, so we can start with that. You still carry funds in your boot I would imagine."

"My funds are otherwise invested these days. And even if they weren't, I am hardly food enough to bring such sums with men when riding out to meet with an unethical reprobate."

"Really? You, of all people, calling me unethical. You forget Ezra, I know exactly who you are, and exactly what you've done. How do you think the good people of Four Corners would react to some of those stories? How do you think Larabee and Tanner and the others would? They'd kick your ass outta town so fast you wouldn't have time to pack a bag."

"They know as much of my past as they need to, and are welcome to ask questions about any incidents they choose."

"That include the time in Baton Rouge? Or in Savannah? St. Louis? They really know all that shit Ezra? Because if they did, I doubt very much you'd get out of there in one piece."

"You could hardly share those tales without implicating yourself, and I know that is something you would be loathe to do. Your threats have no teeth to them."

"Might be worth it to watch you fall off that high and mighty platform you've set yourself up on."

Ezra chose not to answer. Nothing he could say would convince the man that his past was no longer an issue. How could he convince anyone else of that fact when he usually had trouble accepting it for himself.

"Pack your wagons up and be gone by morning William. There is nothing for you here."

"You got a lot of nerve Standish. You owe me."

Ezra abandoned what was left of his patience. "I owe you nothing. If anything, I have overstepped my bounds and imposed on the trust of others to allow you the opportunity to move on." He turned and started to walk back to Chaucer. "I trust I won't live to regret the decision."

"Don't worry about it. You won't."

Ezra recognized the sound of the spring-loaded derringer holster being released. He turned to dodge the shot, but discovered too late that his adversary had become a much better shot over the years. Pain seared into his back as he fell to the ground.

William walked over and used his foot to flip Ezra onto his back. "Nobody double crosses me, little brother."

M7-M7-M7-M7-M7-M7-M7

tbc