Early riser Vin went into the kitchen to make his strong coffee and then go outside to think. He loved the early mornings and the beginning of a new day.

What Vin did not expect to see, other than the sunrise, was one of the men sitting in one of the porch chairs, and the biggest surprise was that it was Ezra.

"Ezra!" Vin exclaimed as he moved to sit beside him. "Trying to give me a heart attack? I've never known you to get up early before. Or maybe I'm dreaming."

Ezra turned bleary eyes towards Vin. "I'm hoping I just had a bad dream."

"You didn't go to bed," Vin surmised. "Why?"

Ezra's face twisted as if in pain.

"Ezra?" Vin asked in alarm.

"What if you found something out – something that could . . . hurt several people you care about? Would you tell them or keep quiet?"

"I'm always for truth, Ezra. If it were me, I would want to know."

"I'm more used to dealing in gray areas, Mr. Tanner. This makes it more difficult for me." Ezra paused, taking a swig from his always present flask.

"Mr. Jackson would be for truth; Mr. Larabee for truth, I am not sure with Mr. Sanchez or Mr. Wilmington."

"You didn't mention JD."

"Our young lad would be totally unfamiliar with deceit."

"Ezra, if you need to talk about it, I'm here." Vin said, patting Ezra on the shoulder.

"I think I will need . . . I must have more input," Ezra admitted.

"I'm sure you have several minutes before the others wake. Can you tell me?"

Ezra's response was to pull out two pieces of paper; reread them; sigh, "No it wasn't a bad dream," and pass them to Vin.

Vin looked at the first, nodded. But seeing the second one, Vin Tanner's mouth dropped open and his eyes widened.

"Are you still for the truth, Mr. Tanner?" Ezra's lips twisted.

"I . . . I think we'll need more information, Ezra. What can I do to help?"

A bang, a crash and a fairly loud, "ouch!" along with the sounds of someone hopping around in the kitchen let them know they were no longer the only ones up.

"Vin, can you keep JD occupied and out of the house?"

"I'll let him drink his milk, eat a Pop tart, and then we'll go for a ride. How long shall we stay away?"

"I'll get everyone up as soon as you leave."

Vin finished his coffee. "I don't envy you, pard. I think I have the easier job." Ezra stayed out, and true to his word, Vin led JD outside.

"Hi, Ez!" JD's exuberance had Ezra winching.

"Good morning, JD. Where are you off to?"

"A terrific morning ride with Vin!" JD beamed. "Maybe a race or two, huh, Vin?" JD rushed to the barn to saddle his horse.

Vin eyed Ezra, mouthing, 'You owe me', to which Ezra gave him a thumbs up.

While Vin and JD had saddled up and rode off, JD whooping and hollering and Vin following, Ezra got a cup of coffee, considered, then pulled his flash of brand.

Nathan frowned upon seeing Ezra with his flash. "Number one, you're up early; number two, it's too early to drink."

Chris and Buck followed, Buck snatching the flash and emptied it while Ezra only watched. Ezra's lack of reaction halted Buck's laughter and Nathan and Buck exchanged glances.

"Is Josiah up to a discussion?" Ezra asked abruptly.

"I believe so," Nathan said. "I'll get him."

With Josiah laying on the couch and the others around him, Ezra said:

"Vin already knows what I'm about to show you. JD doesn't. I asked Vin to take JD for a ride to give me time to ask you . . ."

JD and Vin stopped for a rest at the top of one of the hills. "Beautiful view, huh, Vin? I just love Chris' ranch. I've always loved horses and imagined myself as a cowboy in a western. Maybe a lawman – sheriff, maybe. To be just like Bat Masterson. When I went out on Halloween, I begged Mom for a Bat Masterson costume. Most kids didn't know who he was. But I knew and didn't care if kids teased me . . ."

"JD."

"I didn't like big cities, just lots of people, buildings . . . I always begged Mom to take me to the country, but it was more expensive and Mom said that she would take me someday."

"JD!"

"Oh, sorry, Vin, am I talking too much? Buck sometimes says I chatter more than a chipmunk."

"Nah, it's okay, Kid. You always lived in Boston?"

"Well, around there, mostly. We moved a lot. You know, Mom didn't like some of the neighborhoods. She seemed a little jumpy with some of the places. So we moved to try to find a better one."

"You, uh, uh, was your mother small?"

"Like me, you mean? She was average. I guess my father must have been, too, huh, Vin? I mean I always wished I was taller . . . but Mom said her relatives were about medium height."

While JD kept chattering, Chris said abruptly, "Okay, Ezra, what did you find?"

Ezra's response was to hand Chris the first copy.

"JD's birth certificate. Hmmm, he must have been a bit premature."

Nathan snatched it. "2 lbs. Definitely premature. Mother is listed as Bridget Rose Dunne. Father is not listed."

After passing around the birth certificate, everyone looked at Ezra.

"Don't see anything strange about this, Ezra." Chris said.

Silently, Ezra handed the second document to Chris, who frowned, then cursed.

Everyone that read the document looked at Ezra, mouths opened, eyes widened with shock.

Nathan was the first to find his voice. "How could this be? Are you sure, Ezra?"

Ezra only nodded.

Buck read it again in disbelief. "A death certificate. For John Daniel Dunne at the age of two weeks."

Each man could only stare at the other in shock.

TBC