I do not own Bonanza or any of the original Cartwright characters.

Keeper of My Heart

Chapter Twelve

Ben sat his desk and watched as Adam made his way down the stairs and around the room; his son had spent the past hour getting to know his home once more. While it hurt immensely to watch his son counting steps and move his arms in such a way that only an idiot wouldn't notice he was blind, Ben was also overwhelmed with gratitude. His son was not only home for Thanksgiving, but so was his wife and what might very well be Ben's first grandchild. Only when Adam made his way to his father's desk, found the chair that set in front of it and sat down did Ben stop his musings.

While Adam had got reacquainted with his home, his mind had been dwelling on the situation in and round Virginia City-the one his father and brothers had been talking about that morning-the one concerning Lee Pearson. Something hadn't set right, but he wasn't exactly sure what. "May I ask you a favor?" He turned his head ever so slightly and spoke when he heard his father lean back in his chair.

Ben's face lit up. He'd do anything for his son; that is, as long as it was within his power to do so. Though, from the serious tone in Adam's voice and the way his son was moving his hand over the desk, Ben wondered what the problem was. "Of course, if I can, what is it?"

"Tell me more about this Lee Pearson." Adam leaned back in his chair and waited. He'd been late to the breakfast table so he'd missed a good portion of the conversation between his father and brothers. He hoped by hearing the whole story, whatever was bothering him would show its face to him.

Ben sucked in his breath as a thought came to him. Adam had been so instrumental in finding out the truth about his supposed "friend", and so skillful about getting the information without Lee knowing about it. Was there a chance that Lee had found out the truth and was, in some warped way, trying to attract his attention once more…only this time with revenge in mind? Slowly he began explaining how Lee had come to the Ponderosa claiming to need work. He talked about the friendship he'd formed with the boys. He also told Adam about small robberies and other illegal activities that had taken place and finished saying, "He was setting you boys up, but something had made you suspicious. That is, something had made you yourself suspicious and you started nosing around quietly with the help of your friend, Mark Jackson. The two of you found the evidence and Mark turned it in because we had a slight emergency here; looks like they didn't send him away long enough."

"Where's Mark now and what did this Lee Pearson look like?" Adam asked as he rested his chin in his hand. Another memory now pushed itself to the front of his mind after hearing his father's rendition of the previous events, only he wanted to make sure he was seeing the right person before he said anything.

Ben frowned. Talking about Mark didn't bother him, but Lee Pearson was not one of his favorite subjects; still, Adam had asked. He really should answer. "Mark received word his father had passed away soon after Lee was arrested; he went back east to take care of some legal matters and to take care of his mother. Lee Pearson stands, maybe, six feet tall. He's thinner than you are and his hair is short, thin, red and very short. Before they hauled him off he, naturally, kept yelling he'd been framed. Why?" He couldn't help but ask why. After all, it's not like Adam could see him if the man showed up. Ben literally felt himself shake slightly as he heard Adam's answer.

"It's not Lee Pearson causing the problems. He's dead." Adam stood up and made his way to the window near Ben's desk. He might not be able to see out of the glass, but it didn't matter. He still got pictures in his head when he stood near it.

"Dead?" Ben stood up and joined his son by the window. "Are you sure?"

Adam nodded. "I'd lost the memory until this morning, but he's dead. Okay, so I still can't remember everything, but I know I came across him on my way home and buried him myself." There was something else about that event that bothered him, but he couldn't get the rest of it to come and said as much, and that made him uneasy.

It made Ben uneasy too. If Adam had buried Lee, someone was doing an awfully good job of framing a dead man. They would have to go into town and talk to Roy. After all, the law needed to know they were looking for the wrong man. "If you remember anything else, son, tell me, please." The conversation would have continued but Gabriella appeared at the top of the stairs with young Benjamin (with nothing to call the boy, they'd named him after Adam's father).

Hearing his wife coming down the stairs, Adam excused himself and walked over to the couch. It had become a ritual, her bringing the boy down and him, Adam, holding him on the couch. Ben couldn't help but grin as he watched his daughter-in-law place the infant in Adam's arms and as Adam ran his fingers over the baby's face and held onto his small hand. He was going to make a great father, if not with this orphaned child with his own-whenever they were so blessed. When a knock came on the door, Ben went to answer it. "Well, hello Roy, you just saved Adam and me a trip to town."

Roy's eyes opened wide in surprise. "I hope nothing is wrong." He didn't need any more problems at the moment.

"We'll talk about it in a moment; what can we do for you?" Ben answered. Roy walked over to where Adam sat holding the baby and looked at Gabriella who sat in "Adam's" chair. He too smiled at the sight. It was something he was glad he didn't have to destroy.

"Do you still want to adopt the boy?" the lawman smiled at Adam and Gabriella. Gabriella's face lit up and they all chuckled as Adam, without thinking, held the child closer. With a reaction like that the sheriff wasn't surprised to hear a positive response.

"You bet we do." Adam continued holding onto the boy's small hand. Gabriella echoed his sentiments. Neither one tried to keep the grins off their faces or the sparkle out of their eyes. Ben was beaming also. Roy explained how they'd been unable to locate the late father's family and the mother had been an only child whose relatives didn't claim her because she'd not married who they wanted her to. That being the case, they wanted nothing to do with her son.

"We'll keep him." Adam restated. Roy then asked them again just why he'd saved them a trip into town. Ben turned to Adam and told him to tell the sheriff what he'd revealed only a few moments earlier. By the time Adam finished telling his tale Roy's jaw was on the ground and doing his best not to curse.