Chapter 10

Ben and Adam rode into town, with poor old Jake Parsons wrapped up and slung over the saddle of his horse, and rode up to the front of the Sheriff's office. Once they had their horses tied up to the hitching post, Ben and Adam walked up the steps and into Sheriff Jed Walker's office.

Walker looked up from the stack of paperwork that he was currently doing. "Howdy, how can I help you gents?" Walker asked, standing up.

The two Cartwrights walked up to Sheriff Walker and they all shook hands, "Sheriff, we have Jake Parsons outside." Ben said.

"Well, why didn't he come in with you?" Walker asked.

"He's dead, Sheriff." Adam replied bluntly.

Sheriff Walker shook his head. "That's a shame. A real shame. Where did you find him?"

"In his cabin, out on the Thunderbolt." Ben answered.

Walker sighed and sat down. "The Thunderbolt, huh? Can I ask who you gentlemen are?"

"I'm Ben Cartwright, this is my son Adam. We have a ranch, the Ponderosa, near Virginia City, Nevada."

"You're a long way from home, Mr. Cartwright." Walker commented.

Adam stepped forward and took the intiative. "What can you tell us about the fire at the Thunderbolt?" he asked, placing both hands down on the desk and leaned forward.

"Well, we have our suspects, but not enough evidence to charge them with anything yet." Walker answered. "What's your interest in the Thunderbolt?"

"The Parkers were friends of mine." Ben replied, simply.

"Is Mark Dawson on your list of suspects?" Adam asked.

Walker raised an eyebrow, "Dawson?!" He questioned, his voice raising. "Him, nah. He's helping us with the investigation."

"Of course he's helping." Adam mocked, turning and taking a couple steps away from the desk. "He's in on it."

"Now, what makes you say that, Mr. Cartwright?" Walker asked, standing back up.

"The Parker girls told us what happened." Ben answered.

Walker shook his head. "I don't know why they would think that. Mr. Dawson wants whoever is behind this caught as much as I do. He's even offered a reward for their capture."

"Convenient. Turn the suspicion from himself." Adam stated.

"Now look here, Mr. Cartwright..." Walker said, getting into Adam's face now.

Joe and Hoss rode into town. Sam was riding double with Hoss and Eddy was with Joe. Hoss and Joe were leading Billy and Rooster, while Sam had a hold of the reins of the horse that held Cal.

They stopped in front of the Sheriff's office. As Joe and Hoss dismounted, they each pulled Billy and Rooster off their horses.

"It looks like Pa and Adam are here." Joe said, as he noticed Buck and Sport tied to the hitching post.

Sam jumped down from Chubb and noticed the body wrapped up on the horse tied next to Sport. "That looks like Dunney." she said as she walked over to the horse, worry etched on her face.

Eddy dismounted from Cochise and walked over to Sam. "That is Dunney." Eddy replied as she saw the Thunderbolt brand.

"Who's Dunney?" Joe asked, while holding onto Billy.

"Dunney is Jake's horse..." As those words left Sam's mouth, both sisters looked horrified at the body that was wrapped and draped over Dunney's saddle. "Oh God no! Not Jake!" Sam said as tears came to her eyes.

Eddy unwrapped a part of the white linen and both girls started to cry when they saw poor Jake.

Sam turned and stalked over to Rooster. "Did you do this!? He was a harmless old man who never hurt anyone in his life!" she said and slapped Rooster hard across his face.

"Hey! I had nothing to do with that!" Rooster yelled back.

Eddy walked over to Sam and pulled her sister into a comforting embrace. The two sisters stood their crying over all that they had lost.

Joe looked over at Hoss. "I'll take these two inside." he said and took Rooster from Hoss. He pushed the two outlaws towards the front door and then inside.

Walker was still in Adam's face, but before he had a chance to finish what he had been about to say, the front door opened and Rooster and Billy were shoved inside, followed by Joe.

Ben stared at his youngest son in surprise. "Joseph, what's going on?"

Joe pushed both Rooster and Billy toward Walker. "These are the men that kidnapped Sam and Eddy."

A dark expression clouded Ben's features. "Are these the same men that..."

"Yeah, Pa, these are the same men." Joe replied. He knew what his Pa was referring to.

Ben grabbed Billy by his shirt. "I should take you outside and shoot you like the dog you are!" He said, shaking with anger.

"Get this guy off me!" Billy yelled, looking to Walker for help. But the Sheriff made no move.

"Pa, I think you need to go outside." Joe said, trying to get between his father and Billy.

Ben looked at his youngest boy. He knew how Joe felt about Hoss and the fact that his son brought these lowlifes into the Sheriff, instead of shooting them, said a lot.

"I..."

"Pa, just go outside." Joe repeated, as he pulled his father away from Billy.

Ben headed for the door and as Adam followed him, Joe placed his hand on his oldest brother's shoulder. "Adam, I'm sorry about..."

"Forget it, younger brother. I understand. Hoss is my brother too and..."

Tears filled Joe's eyes and Adam pulled him into a hug. "He's okay, Adam." Joe whispered.

Adam pulled back and looked down at Joe. Shock etched on his handsome face. "What?"

Joe gave Adam a watery smile. "Just go outside."

Ben walked out the front door and was stunned at what saw before him. It took him a moment to realize he was really seeing what was clearly right there in front of him.

"Hoss!" he yelled and bounded down the steps. Hoss turned as the older man reached him and pulled the big man into a tight embrace. "I prayed that it wasn't true..." Tears were falling freely down Ben's cheeks now. His prayers had been answered. His middle son was okay.

Adam watched in silence as his father embraced his brother. His brother was okay. The fears that had been resting in the back of his mind, vanished as he watched the scene play out before him. Tears sprang to his eyes and fell down his cheeks.

Joe stood beside Adam and watched the emotions play out on his oldest brother's face. Joe smiled and wrapped his arm around Adam's shoulder. This was a joyous moment. Their family had finally been reunited.

Ben finally released Hoss and looked into his son's bright blue eyes. "I can't tell you how good it is to see you, son." He smiled.

"It's good to see you too, Pa." Hoss said, returning the smile with a big, gap-toothed grin of his own.

Joe released his hold on Adam's shoulder as his brother made his way over to Hoss. Adam grabbed Hoss' arm and pulled his brother into a hug. "I'm glad you're okay, big brother." Adam said, using the endearment he sometimes regarded Hoss with.

At that moment, a young man walked up to the happy family. "Excuse me, Mister." he said, looking at Adam. "I just got a reply to that telegram you sent out."

Adam looked at the young man, who was holding out a piece of paper. He took the paper from him and handed him a silver coin. "Thank you." Adam said.

The young man looked at the coin in his hand. "Thank you, sir." he replied. He walked off flipping the silver coin in the air and smiling.

"Whatcha got there, Adam?" Hoss asked curiously.

Adam looked at his brother, smiled and then crumpled up the telegram. "Nothing that matters now."

Sam walked over to the group of Cartwrights and looked at Ben. "Ben, I'm sorry..." She started. Her eyes were swollen and red from the tears.

Ben held his hand up and stopped her. "There's no need for that, my dear. I understand." He did understand. At the time, Sam had really thought Hoss was dead. He couldn't fault her for that. She was in trouble and needed help.

Eddy walked up next to Sam. "Ben, what happened to Jake?" she asked, tears still stained her swollen cheeks.

"We don't exactly know." he replied. "We found him in his cabin."

"And someone's been building on your land." Adam added, looking at the sisters.

"Who?" Joe asked, as he moved closer to Eddy and took her hand into his.

"I bet it's Mark Dawson." Sam replied. "Figured with us gone, he could move in and take the land."

"He's probably the one that killed Jake too." Eddy said sadly, looking down at the ground.

Sheriff Walker made his way outside and had caught Sam and Eddy's accusations. "Now, ladies, I don't know what you have against Mr. Dawson but he had nothing to do with any of this. Like I was telling these gentlemen before you all got here, he's been helping try to find who's behind it."

"If you're so sure that Dawson had nothing to do with it, then who did?" Sam asked, still not completely convinced of Dawson's innocence.

"I have some suspects I've been looking in to. I just don't have any solid evidence right now."

"How about whoever's been building on the Parker's land." Adam said.

"I wasn't aware that anyone had been."

"I have the feeling it's the same people that were behind the fire."

"Dawson." Eddy mumbled.

Adam looked at Eddy. "Maybe." He said, at hearing Eddy's reply.

"Well, I'll take a ride out there tomorrow and poke around. I need to inform Mr. Dawson about his son." He said, pointing to Cal's body over the horse. "Rooster and Billy informed me what happened." He shook his head.

Sam and Eddy looked at each other confused. "Everything?" Sam asked frowning.

"Right down to why they took both of you." Walker answered.

"Scared of Dawson." Eddy sighed.

"Sheriff, do you mind if we have a look around the Thunderbolt ourselves?" Ben asked.

"Be my guest." Walker said. "But if you find anything, you wait for me to get there." At that, Walker untied the horse that held Cal, mounted his own horse and headed for the Dawson ranch.

"Well, shall we head out to the Thunderbolt?" Ben asked the group. Everyone agreed. "Oh, Eddy, we found Cashe. He's down at the livery."

"Thank you, Ben." she replied.

Joe looked from his Pa to Eddy and smiled. "Come on, I'll go with you so you can get him."

Eddy smiled at Joe and looked at Ben. "You go on ahead. We'll catch up with you." Ben nodded as Joe, who untied Cochise to bring with him, and Eddy walked off toward the livery.

As Ben, Adam and Hoss mounted up, Sam stopped them. "I want to take Jake back with us."

Ben looked down at Sam and knew what she had planned to do. "Of course."

She untied Dunney and then Rooster's horse. As she mounted up on Rooster's horse, she noticed Hoss and Adam staring at her curiously. "I want to bury Jake on the Thunderbolt with Ma and Pa."

Hoss and Adam understood. Jake had been more than just the foreman of the Thunderbolt. He had been a member of the Parker family.