It was a perfect morning... Chris surveyed the street, remembering that he'd stood here only a week ago, thinking that very thought, before everything went to hell. This morning was equally sunny, but the heat was already becoming oppressive and the activity along the boardwalk seemed furtive. There was a pall over everything and everyone, and he didn't like it one bit.

He growled something at someone and Buck gave him a light shove. "Simmer down, Chris; it ain't Yosemite's fault the trial's going downhill."

Chris gave an apologetic wave at the blacksmith as he and Buck continued toward the Grain Exchange. "No, it's Ezra's." He sighed and added, "Mine too now, I guess."

"Yeah, I didn't want to ask yesterday but I figured that lip was your doing," Buck said with a grin, then his expression sobered. "And yeah, I'm sure the jury noticed."

"And they had to wonder what happened. It's one more count against him."

"At least they didn't get to wonder about it for long, seeing as how Harker didn't ask anything. So…what did happen?"

"Ah, nothing," Chris said, but Buck gave him an 'I don't buy it' look until he continued. "He made a stupid joke; pissed me off."

"Ya slugged him 'cause of a joke?"

"Dammit, it just seems like he don't care what happens, when we're all doing our damndest to help. And the truth is…" Chris stopped; they weren't far from the makeshift courtroom and there were plenty of people about. He waited until they had a clear space before adding, "All that evidence, Buck, and there's no other explanation…"

Buck grabbed Chris's arm and hauled him towards a nearby alley. "You gotta be kidding me. How can you say that? You don't honestly think Ezra would do something like that, do you?"

"No—hell no! But I don't understand why he ain't telling anybody any different. He looks guilty; what do you think the jury's gonna think?"

"Even more reason we gotta stand by him; show them folks in there that he's worth believing in. Look, Bannister's testifying today and I'm guessing it ain't gonna be good. You need to get your head on straight before you go in there."

After several moments, Chris nodded, but as Buck turned to go, he felt compelled to ask, "How did you do it?"

Buck turned back, his brow knit in confusion. "Do what?"

"With me. After Sarah and Adam."

"Aw, come on—"

"Seriously, tell me. How—why—did you stick by me when I was a mean, selfish, sonuvabitch who treated you like shit?"

"Because somewhere behind that mean, selfish, sonuvabitch was my friend, Chris Larabee. And I knew he was worth it. I know we ain't seein' the best of Ezra right now, but that don't mean he ain't in there."

"It's really that easy for you?"

Buck laughed. "Is that your problem?" He shook his head and put a hand on Chris's shoulder. "You know, I'm always glad to do what I can to help the people I care about. But I sure as hell never said it was easy."

Chris felt some of the tension drain out of him at that simple admission. Ezra's trial was a struggle for all of them; Chris had been looking for a clear enemy to fight, not realizing that the only enemy was his own powerlessness to help. It was odd: he could do no more now than he could a minute ago, but it didn't seem quite so unbearable now that he knew Buck felt the same—that they probably all did.

He gave Buck a nod of thanks and they made their way into the Grain Exchange and took their customary seats back between both Ezra's table and the jury. A few minutes later, Harker and Ezra came in and sat down. It seemed to Chris that Ezra was moving even slower than usual, and he sat down with a sigh, as he had the night before in the jail, immediately putting his head in his hands.

"Ezra looks tired," Chris commented.

"Or like someone who got punched yesterday," Buck teased gently.

Vin and JD sat down in time to catch the comment. "Yeah, Harker wasn't too happy about that," Vin said. "I don't think he's gonna let you talk to Ezra anymore."

Buck snorted. "I don't think Ezra's gonna let you talk to Ezra anymore."

"All right, I get it, enough already. They're starting."

Trevor Jacob, impeccably dressed as always, stood and called the bank manager. As Preston Bannister walked to the chair and sat down, Buck muttered, "I swear, if that man's nose was any farther in the air, he'd have birds landing on it." JD snickered, then covered it with a cough as Vin shushed him.

"Please state your name and occupation."

"I am Preston Bannister and I am the manager of the First National Bank here in Four Corners. I discovered the robbery and I discovered Mr. Standish's ring—"

Jacob put up a hand. "Thank you, Mr. Bannister; let's not get ahead of ourselves." Bannister nodded nervously, clutching his hat tightly in his hands. "How long have you been the bank manager here in Four Corners?"

"A little over three months. I moved out here from St. Louis."

"Was this your first time working as a manager?"

"Oh no; I was a manager at two other banks out east."

"And what brought you to Four Corners?"

"Well, actually, I thought I was moving to Denver; I was told I would be managing a bank there. But when I got there, I was told there had been a mistake and I was to be the manager here." He gave the jury a condescending smile. "And it's just a lovely little town."

"Altogether, how much experience do you have as a bank manager?" Jacob asked.

"About seven years, I think," Bannister said proudly.

"So would it be accurate to say you're very familiar with all the rules and regulations for managing the money in your care?"

"Absolutely."

"And what is the procedure when you're holding an unusually large sum of money, such as the payroll for the Western Sky Mining Company?"

"We notify the local authorities and arrange for additional security."

"Did you do that in this case?"

"Yes I did, I notified Mr. Standish." Bannister pointed emphatically toward Ezra, and Jacob motioned subtly for him to lower his hand. Bannister flushed but continued. "I told him that the payroll would be delivered on Saturday and would be picked up the following Monday."

"What did Mr. Standish say to that?"

"He said that he would take care of it; he said to leave everything to him."

"Did you have any reason to think he wouldn't tell the other lawmen?"

"None at all. I mean, he's paid to protect this town. I expected him to do his job, not rob the bank!"

"Objection; conclusion." Harker called out.

"Sustained. Mr. Bannister, the jury will determine whether Mr. Standish is guilty, not you."

"Hmph. Serves the prissy bastard right," Buck said quietly. JD snickered again.

"Now, since you have already alluded to the morning of the tenth, please go ahead and tell us what happened that morning."

"Well, I went into the bank early, as I always do on Monday mornings, and when I walked in, it was a terrible mess. There were papers everywhere, and the safe was standing wide open. I immediately checked to see if the payroll was gone and, of course, it was. I was absolutely beside myself. I went outside and saw Mr. Larabee and Mr. Tanner across the street; they came over and I told them what had happened. When I mentioned the payroll, it was clear that they knew nothing about it, but I told them I had told Mr. Standish so they went to question him."

"And you stayed at the bank?"

"Yes. I wasn't sure what to do, so I started tidying up a bit, and that's when I found the ring on the floor. I don't recall where, exactly—"

"That's fine, Mr. Bannister," Jacob said reassuringly. "What did you do next?"

"Well, I was sure I had seen Mr. Standish wearing it; it's rather distinctive. So I took it over to the saloon, and Mr. Larabee recognized it immediately. Then he, Mr. Tanner, Mr. Dunne and Mr. Wilmington went and searched Mr. Standish's room and found those bloody clothes."

"Did Mr. Standish offer any explanation at that time?"

"No he did not."

"Now, I must ask you about your employee, Henry Erickson."

Bannister took a deep breath and nodded. "Yes, a fine young man. It's…it's such a shame."

"How long had he worked for you?"

"Well, he was already working there when I started. He had been there for about six months at that time, I believe."

"So he'd worked there for approximately nine months in total then?"

"Yes, that sounds right."

"Ever had any difficulty with him?"

"No, he was an excellent employee." Bannister shrugged slightly. "Of course, he was late every now and then, and wasn't always as diligent in his work as I might have liked, but he was young, after all."

"Indeed, I'm sure that's to be expected. Did he know that the payroll would be on the premises for those few days?"

"Yes, all my employees did. We're a very small staff in a very small bank; it would be hard for them not to know. We all share in responsibility for keeping the bank secure."

"Would he have had any reason to be in there on that Sunday night?"

"I'm afraid not." Bannister looked at Ezra and added, "But he would have been easy prey for a con artist—"

Sensing an objection from Harker, Jacob raised a hand each towards Bannister and the defense lawyer. "Thank you, that will do, Mr. Bannister." As he returned to his table, Chris could see the hint of a smirk on his face. "That will do quite nicely."