Everyone was glad to get to Chris' ranch and get settled. Josiah was settled in the bedroom he usually stayed in and was soon asleep. Nathan would keep checking on him every two hours.
Things seemed more normal when JD immediately started protesting the command to rest as well. "I've been sleeping for HOURS," the youngest protested. "And there isn't anything wrong with me. No car tried to run ME down. I don't need watching, Buck."
"JD, you were injected with Propofol, which can be deadly. We can't take a chance they will get to you."
"Buck, they weren't after me. They didn't kidnap me. It's the rest of you that should be worried."
Vin grabbed the teen and manhandled him into the kitchen. "Kids get cranky when they're hungry."
"Who says I'm cranky?" JD was heard to gripe.
"JD doesn't seem to be upset any more about his experience," Ezra observed.
"He slept through it; we lived through it," Buck commented.
"Chris, why don't you get some sleep," Nathan urged. "We have everything under control. In fact we all should sleep. It's going to be a long road ahead for all of us."
Chris yawned. "That's the best idea I have heard. Everyone should get some rest. And that included those two in the kitchen fighting over the last cookie."
"I think I may stay up a few more minutes," Ezra said as he brought out his laptop. "I may not be quite as good as young JD; but I can do research. Chris, do you know Ella's parents name?"
"Rose Ella Gaines was the name of her mother. The maiden name Ella has gone by because she hates her father. His name was Conor Dane
Callagan. He had a son, Conor, Jr., but I am not sure if he is alive or not.
Ella's name is Ella Rose."
"I'll do some checking," Ezra promised.
"Don't stay up too late, Ezra," Chris admonished. "It was not your fault Josiah got hurt." Chris yawned and headed to his bedroom.
Ezra was pleased by Chris' absolving him of blame for what happened to Josiah; though he was not sure about Buck. Buck was one of the most kind-hearted men in the world – except when it came to anyone hurting JD.
JD didn't hold a grudge, Ezra knew, and had totally dismissed from his mind being given the Propofol.
Ezra couldn't shake the unease he felt; even though the sounds coming from the kitchen made him smile.
"That cookie was mine, Vin! You already ate up the rest of the Oreos! And they were the double stuffed ones, too!"
"Tough luck, Kid."
"Don't suppose you left any pizza?" JD asked, rummaging through the refrigerator.
Ezra's fingers flew over the keyboard as he searched for information on Ella's father. Apparently, he had moved around and lived in several large cities in the U.S., Los Angeles, Denver, New York City . . .
"JD, stop stuffing those marshmallows in your mouth! You are not playing Chubby Bunny!" Vin ordered.
The words from JD were unintelligible, probably due to the marshmallows.
"Stubborn Bostonian!"
"You – one-starred Texa.
At the same time, Ezra kept searching. Dallas. Vegas. Lastly, Boston.
Keeping just ahead of the investigations by the FBI, Ezra mused. Boston was his last residence where he died under suspicious circumstances eighteen years ago.
His wife, Rose, had died sixteen years earlier. Ella lived with her in Denver most of her life except for visits to her father in Boston.
"Call that an insult, Squirt!"
"I call this your last call to stop stuffing your faces and go to bed!" frustrated Chris yelled from his bedroom.
JD and Vin came out of the kitchen, both with tablespoons of brown sugar they were eating. Chris only shook his head and went back to bed.
"Connelly Medical Hospital," Ezra muttered to himself.
JD, in the act of going up the stairs turned. "My momma worked there for a while," he said. "Is that something important, Ezra?"
Distracted, Ezra forced a brief smile. "Not at all, dear boy, go get your rest.
I'll be behind you shortly."
About twenty minutes later, Ezra was startled. "No. No. This is simply not possible!" He read and reread.
Badly shaken, he put his head in his hands.
Maybe this was only a bad dream. He wanted it to be a bad dream.
TBC