Ezra Standish raised his index finger to his lips as the three men walked into the bedroom Hannibal Heyes used while spending his days working alongside his partner, Kid Curry, and his new partners on the ranch of Jeremy Logan. The rancher and noted horse trainer was back at his property, where he worked and lived, spending part days organizing and negotiating as he continued to recover from the serious wounds he received at the hands of Mason Grant. The long-time resident of Four Corners turned disturbed killer had been hung by the neck for the crime of killing Jeremy's friend, employee and fellow lover and trainer of horses, Jason Trask. Grant was suspected of killing the driver and the security man transporting him to Yuma Territorial Prison as well. Jeremy and Ezra Standish were still recovering from the loss of the other important lives who made the Logan Ranch home but were now gone due to a single bullet each from Grant's rampage. Buddy, Jeremy's Beagle, and the two horses, the rancher's beautiful, old mare Rose, and Ezra's favorite, though truth be told, Ezra and Jeremy fought over who of the two men the sweet Gertrude held in higher regard; all three were also killed by the deranged man.
Ezra removed the stack of paperwork from his lap, lowered his booted feet from the ottoman, and nodded to the men, his head indicating the door from which they had just entered the room. Kid Curry stood his ground as he watched his friend, with whom he had ridden over to Jeremy's in the morning from the cottage they were staying in. Heyes lay on top of the bedcovers, a throw tossed over him by the considerate former con man. Ezra was planning to spend the day in the rancher's office, the one in his house, not out in the smaller of the two barns nearby the house, but that plan had become something altogether different due to the man asleep in the bed. Chris Larabee, the leader of the famed Magnificent Seven and the healer Nathan Jackson, stepped back into the hall and headed to the large living room. Ezra grabbed the cloth from Heyes' forehead, soaked it in the bowl of water sitting on the washstand, and then set it back on the reforming outlaw's head. Heyes tossed his head lightly, disturbed by the action, at first, until Ezra held the cloth comfortingly on his brow. The dark-haired man settled himself back to an easy sleep. The gambler walked to the door, but Kid still did not move from his spot.
"Come, Thaddeus," Ezra said softly. "You can come back after we talk and Nathan sees to him." Kid didn't take his eyes from his friend. "Come along," the card sharp encouraged as he placed his hand on the worried man's shoulder and walked him through the doorway.
Kid waited to speak until he saw Chris and Nathan. He also found Vin Tanner standing with the other two, who just finished pouring a glass of whiskey for each man. The day was winding down. It was an especially long one for Chris, Vin and Kid, as they worked with the assorted horses in training, gathered others from the far pastures to bring them in for a day full of hoof trimmings. Several customers showed up to take ownership of horses that Ezra and Jeremy deemed ready for pick up. Jeremy retired to his bedroom for the agreed upon afternoon nap. The healer Nathan Jackson had set a schedule for Jeremy to follow. That included restrictions to walking and standing too much, sitting too much, and generally working too much. The bullet to his leg from Grant had nearly killed him, the blood loss extreme, the injury to the vein only able to heal by taking weeks abed and now, severe restrictions in order to achieve a complete recovery.
"What happened?" Kid asked Ezra.
"Here," the professional poker player, lawman, accomplished horseman, as it turned out, and friend to children and small business owners alike, said. He was a former con man and currently one of the seven men who comprised the now famous Magnificent Seven, the team of men who were hired about four years ago to protect the town of Four Corners. "Take your drink, let us retire to the garden." The five men took their glasses of whiskey and sat down in the comfortable garden out the side door.
"What happened?" Kid asked.
"I'd like to know that, too," Nathan said.
"He wasn't feeling well, not long after you three headed out to gather the horses," Ezra started, looking toward Chris, Vin and Kid. Nathan had just arrived, planning to examine each of his two patients, and then enjoy the supper that he brought with him from town. The trip out to gather horses was at about ten o'clock, two hours before the local expert in horse trimming was scheduled to arrive for the main event of the day. It was now five o'clock. "He seemed to suddenly grow tired," Ezra continued. "Luckily, he seems to now understand that, no matter that he is resting for a significant portion of each day, when he feels like that, he needs to settle in for a rest before he crashes to the ground."
"Has he done that?" Nathan asked, frown lines visible as he worried that some important piece of information had been kept from him, either purposefully or inadvertently.
"No. You would be the first to know if that were to have happen," Ezra assured his friend. The gambler and the town's healer shared quite the storied history. A southern white man whose first words and reaction to the former slave were not the best, and some would perceive as pretty awful, and the former slave had come a long way in their relationship. Ezra's frequent injuries and illnesses forced the two men together, in addition to having to work side-by-side to protect their town. Despite the two men seeming to walk in lockstep so frequently, no one in town ever thought their work as fellow lawmen, or Nathan being forced to treat a man he knew had to be against his race, or Ezra's failed attempts early-on to convince Nathan, or Chris or any others that he was anything other than a lying con man who cheated at cards, would result in the men becoming friends. Ezra was successful, ultimately, in convincing others of The Seven and significant numbers of the citizens of Four Corners, and even himself, that he was worthy of the trust and affection that developed between himself and so many in this town that he'd grown so fond of. Somehow, Chris and Nathan were the hardest to convince that he was worthy of their trust and remaining in their law enforcement troop. Chris was won over first. Nathan was by far the hardest nut to crack, but the two men worked at their relationship, their partnership, and their friendship solidified in spite of the numerous stops and starts that had many wondering whether the reward was just not a possibility worth the effort.
"He was tired last night, but he said he felt better today," Kid said worriedly. "I don't know why he feels he has to hide when he's not feeling good."
"Don't think he was," Vin replied. "Told me b'fore we headed out that he wished he could come with us, that he felt good, good enough to ride, anyway. Said he thought roundin' up horses would be invigeratin'."
"Well, now I know he wasn't feelin' good. He's not much for the round-ups," the famed fast draw said with a sad, forced smile.
"Not when I have to eat dust for twelve or more hours and sit a saddle for most of it," Heyes offered in reply, a warm smile offered to his dearest friend that brought smiles to everyone sitting in the cooling air of the shaded garden.
"Hey," Kid said, really only meaning 'hey' and not slipping and catching himself saying Heyes' name in front of people who did not know their true identities, who didn't know that Joshua Smith and Thaddeus Jones were really Hannibal Heyes and Kid Curry. "Did we wake you?" Kid asked as he stood up and offered his chair to his partner.
"Sit, there's an open chair over there." Heyes went to sit in it. "And no, you didn't wake me. That would be my back for sleeping so soundly today. I would almost be ready to accuse you, Mr. Standish, of drugging me with that glass of water, except it tasted too good for that."
"A spring-fed well can hide a lot of the awful powders and teas that Nathan and Doc Wharton prescribe." Ezra smiled at Jeremy's comment as the rancher joined them, now risen from his not forced nap. Heyes scowled at Ezra's reaction. Nathan did, too.
He put his hand to his chest. "Ah did not say it, he did," opening his palm and offering up Jeremy as his very own sacrificial lamb. "He is the one upon whom you should direct your anger."
"You are the bad influence on the rest of my patients, Ezra," the former stretcher bearer during the war said. Vin, Chris and Jeremy laughed. Heyes and Kid smiled at each other. It sounded as though the accusation was something these men had heard once or twice before.
"Moi? Ah do not feel that either of your glares or unkind words are warranted, gentlemen. Ah merely assured that you, Mistah Smith, slept soundly since you were to be on your back today. Remembah, both Thaddeus and Ah have instructions from the good doctor from Durango and, indeed, from you yourself, Nathan, to assure that you rest when you are feeling unwell, Joshua. Ah simply dispensed the sleeping powder to assist with that endeavor."
"You ever wonder why we let 'im con people into thinkin' he's a lawyer?" Vin asked.
"Not anymore," both Chris and Nathan said at the same time. And Jeremy laughed at that.
"As for you, Mistah Jackson, Joshua is proof positive that your vile curatives are not necessary. Ah know that Ah would be more than happy to contribute funds to stock some of the pain and sleep powders, rather than the vile herbs, roots and sticks you have the nerve to call 'tea'. For mahself, of course."
"Of course," Vin, Chris and Nathan said.
"Seems fair," Kid said.
"I agree," Heyes agreed, "though I only am letting you off the hook this once for fooling me into taking anything. Just let me know next time."
"That is fair enough. Now, what did you bring for us to eat this evenin', Nathan? Ah believe that the lovely Señorita Rocios was preparin' somethin' for our suppertime repast?"
"You notice how Ezra misplaces his Gs when he's tired?" Heyes asked.
"Don't know what he's got t'be tired fer," Vin said.
"It's true. Ah did start mah day at seven this mornin'." As he continued, Ezra purposefully lost every ending 'G' in sight. "Ah recognize that Ah was already here on site, but still. Between meetin' with Jeremy and his three customers today, includin' loadin' the horses on the trailers, and then startin' the loggin' of the horses receivin' their hoof trimmin', thank you, Chris, for takin' over that part of the job, and then, keepin' mah eyes in the books for hours … "
"Sorry about that, Ezra," Jeremy said.
"Don't you dare apologize, Jeremy. You are doin' exactly what you are supposed to be doin'."
"And I'm supposed to be helping with some of the management and administrative stuff."
"Not today, Joshua. You two gentleman have jobs that take precedence over any actual work. Am ah right, Nathan?"
"That you are, Ezra."
"Good. Now, Ah fired up the cook stove about an hour ago. Ah am certain we could all eat." Ezra looked from man to man, seeing agreement. He landed on the leader of The Magnificent Seven. "Chris?"
"Oh. Yeah. Cold cellar." The tall blond stood and headed for the cold cellar, where he had placed the sizable crock and the larger satchel that Nathan handed down to him. "We'll need a large pot and a large fry pan."
"Nathan, would you wish to check out your two patients now so that we might all relax inside before dinner?"
"Good idea, Ez. Jeremy, how about we check you out first?"
"Sounds all right to me, Nathan." The two men headed back toward the large bedroom in the back of the house.
"So, you're feeling okay now?" Kid Curry asked his partner.
"I do. Refreshed." Kid and Heyes walked into the kitchen. "Ezra, I apologize for giving you a hard time about the sleeping draft. I think it did me a world of good."
"Ah know how frustrating it can be to be forced to take a medicine or stay in bed longer than your head tells you that you should require. Ah have been there many times."
"That's true," Vin said. "But you would o' been forced ta stay in bed fer shorter times if ya listened ta Nate more."
"Yes, this is true. Have Ah introduced you gentlemen," Ezra said, addressing Heyes and Kid, "to mah friend, The Pot, who just called The Kettle black?"
"I ain't sayin' I ain't been the same way. Jest makin' a point is all."
"Was that for my benefit?" Heyes asked.
"Not really. Think it applies, though," Vin returned.
"I think you're right," Kid offered, fending off any argument from his best friend. As it turned out, there would be no disagreement on this point, at least not on this day.
"I think he is, too," Heyes agreed. "But I think if I'm going to do so little work around here, I'll need to give Jeremy some of his money back."
"No you won't," Jeremy said as he and Nathan returned to the room. "I know all that you and your partner have done, from that first day when you found me bleedin' all over my drive, all the way up to today. Besides, Thaddeus seems to have an unending enthusiasm and energy for working a ranch. He's easily making up the difference."
"Thaddeus is happy to work with ranch animals because it keeps him from having to be on cattle drives." Heyes smiled at his partner.
"Are you well?" Ezra asked Jeremy. "That was a short examination."
"It's all looking good," Jeremy said with a smile. Button ran up to his man and reached his front paws into the air … and landed them gently on Jeremy's healing leg. It reminded Ezra so much of how his little orange and white hound landed so gently when he would ask for attention. He averted his eyes, landing on Heyes. The dark-haired reforming outlaw smiled sadly at his new friend, and then looked over to Nathan.
"My turn?"
"Guess so." Nathan followed Heyes back to the room where they'd all seen the man sleeping with a cloth on his forehead not all that long ago. Kid walked up to Ezra, doing his part to further distract the only poker player who really seemed to regularly give Heyes a run for his money, from his memories of Fred.
"Did he … I mean … should I have seen that he was sick?"
"No." Ezra could tell that Kid didn't want Vin privy to this part of the conversation. He spoke only so that Kid could hear. "As Vin said, he was feeling well when he arrived. This came on rather suddenly, quite a while after you all left. Ah will speak to Nathan about that swift onset today. Ah wonder if there isn't something that he could take, something to supplement his system. More greens and vegetables and legumes have helped me." Kid made a face. "Yes, Ah felt the same way." Ezra saw Chris walking in with the food. He spoke a little louder, knowing that the next thing he said would get a reaction from these three men, though likely less so from Jeremy, who now sat in the living room playing with Button. "Certainly, Chris and Vin would agree that more greens and vegetables and legumes in their diet would suggest that they would be expected to eat less meat and potatoes." Chris and Vin offered the same facial expression Kid Curry had just presented to Ezra. "You see? We cannot have that. But for people who are still recovering from serious injury, like Jeremy, or for whom we are still attemptin' to figure out what ails him, like with Joshua, or for mahself, as Ah wish as much as possible to fend off migraines and other ill health, we are willin' to make more room on our plate for foods that are bettah for us."
"Hell, Ezra, maybe we should send both you and Nate off to doctor school," Vin said.
Ezra shuddered at the thought. "Heaven forbid. Would that we could manage that solely for our fine healer," he added, a wistful look on his face. Chris smiled at his friend, knowing they were working on the committee meting out money from the silver and gold that were turned over to the town upon the death of Martin Graham. They hoped they had an 'in' with Mary and Robert being on their side to get some funds for Nathan. But there was a vocal contingent opposed to that particular use for the money. They saw no need to further educate Nathan when they could just hire a real doctor instead. That decision would not be made any time soon.
"This is heavy," Chris grunted as he lifted the crock up to the kitchen counter, and then lowered the satchel from his shoulder onto the kitchen table. "No wonder Nate agreed to bring Yosemite's pack horse out with him."
"Anothah horse with no name," Ezra said. The gambler liked to make sure the animals who were so hard-working and so loyal were appreciated, including remembering to call them by their names.
Chris stood in the kitchen and seemed to be trying to remember the medium-sized work horse's name.
"Priscilla," Ezra said.
"Why?" Chris asked.
"Because that is what she was named. There is no underhanded attempt here to trip you up on names, Chris."
"Seems like there is." Ezra shook his head as Vin laughed along with Kid in the other part of the one large room, purposefully separated into sections – kitchen, dining, living – in the comfortably-sized cottage. They heard Jeremy laughing in the living room as well as he continued to play with his dog. His men would be working with Priscilla for the next week, polishing up some skills with the gentle animal. She was well-suited for her job. Ezra opened the lid on the crock and took a whiff.
"Oh, lord. Inez' glorious chili. Overflowin' with large chunks of Robert's beef, slow roasted in chiles and onions and seasonings from her homeland."
"This is all supposed to be cut up to add to it, right?" Chris asked. He set out on the table several small onions, some jalapenos, a couple of carrots, Ezra's favorite ingredient to sweeten any soup or stew – or chili - and a block of cheese. And the tall blond pulled out a pie plate folded in a towel. He opened it. "Mary made this, Inez' recipe for her chile corn bread."
"Ah believe our ladies love us, Chris," Ezra said with a knowing grin.
"Think that means they love us, too?" Vin asked Kid and Jeremy, newly arrived to the kitchen, lured by the aroma of the chili. Button seemed interested in the scents in the kitchen as well.
"Maybe a little," Ezra replied.
"I don't know about Inez and Mary," Chris said, "but Dottie sent dessert along. I don't know if this is only because of her love for Ezra," he said as Ezra smiled broadly and turned a hardly-at-all embarrassed shade of pink, "but we're all gonna benefit for it." He pulled out the other pie plate, unfolded the towel and displayed the beautifully golden-brown crust of the pie. It was peach, made from the amazing jarred peaches that Ezra routinely ordered for himself but generously gifted to both Gloria Potter and Dottie Pike in the hopes he would be around to partake in any of the glorious desserts that the in-town bakers came up with regularly. Dottie in particular had taken to making many of Ezra's favorites for the coffee shop, holding back a peach offering for Ezra every time she made something with the card sharp's favored fruit that he learned to love and remembered fondly from his time spent long ago in Georgia.
"What is it?" Kid asked, his eyes wide. His stomach growled.
"Ah don't know what they call it where you come from, but where Ah come from, we call it … pie." Just the slightest delay at the end had Chris and Vin unable to hold in their snickers.
"You know what I mean. What kind of pie is it?"
"Figger what Chris said earlier means it's peach," Vin suggested.
"It's peach."
"The cognac?" Ezra asked.
"Yeah, it's in the cupboard with the bourbon and those two bottles of wine." Chris looked Ezra in the eye. "Be careful."
"Ah shall have a glass of wine with mah supper and only one glass of cognac with dessert. Now, everyone go enjoy yourselves in the living room and Ah will bring this food to temperature. Go ahead and enjoy a libation. Just because Ah am only allowed two does not mean those that wish to should not enjoy whatever they would like."
"You giving away my liquor, Ezra?" Jeremy asked as he made his way slowly into the kitchen. Button followed close behind, but not close enough to trip up the slowly healing man.
"Indeed. Is there something that you need?" Ezra asked, his concern for his friend remained all-important in the southerner's life. Everyone close to Ezra, these men, the others of The Seven, Mary, Gloria, Dottie, other townspeople, they were all aware that the responsibilities he had taken on to be mindful that the rancher didn't do too much, and to make sure the two men, Smith and Jones, sent by Judge Oren Travis to their town so that Joshua Smith would recover from a mystery illness, were taking more time away from his relationship, sparked anew, with Inez. The Mexican beauty had not bolted south, to family in Las Cruces or over the border, but she had a tendency to do just that when things became too stressed in her relationship with the professional poker player, or when she felt she was being ignored. The commitment to the goings on out here looked to be slow to finish up, considering how debilitated Jeremy's gait seemed, and considering Heyes' inability to finish out one of the few days in the week that it was agreed he was allowed to work.
"No, I'm fine. Like I said," he offered, not trying to keep the conversation private, "Nate thinks so, too. He said I'm going to be walking a little funny for a bit longer. You don't have to worry. He said two more weeks and I can do more walking for longer periods. A little more sitting now, thank god. In two weeks, he said I can try to ride a horse, a gentle horse. Only with you or him around." Ezra's eyes grew wide, and a little misty. Jeremy leaned in and whispered, in an attempt to nip those tears that he understood were a sign of gratitude in how well the rancher was healing, "He really is a pain in the ass."
"Ah do not disagree, but only in the best way possible. And he is why you are still with us. And J … Jason, with that tourniquet."
"I have a lot to be thankful for." Jeremy put his arm across Ezra's shoulder and squeezed him affectionately. Ezra accepted the warmth and friendship of the embrace.
"Now, go sit. Ah do not require assistance in here. Ah have to cut up the vegetables and shave up some cheese. Everything else your fine stove is taking care of."
"You're sure?" A bark came from the threshold between the kitchen and the living room.
"Button thinks so," Ezra smiled. "Go ahead."
"All right. Call if you need help."
"I'll take care o' mindin' Ezra. Go play with Button."
"I will, Vin. Thanks."
"Vin, Ah just told Jeremy that Ah did not require assistance."
"Ain't here to help with cookin'. Thought you might wanna talk."
"Do you have a topic in mind?"
"I said I thought you might wanna talk."
"Ah do not, not especially. How did the hoof work go?" Ezra asked, steering clear of the topic he knew the tracker wanted to talk about.
"Good. Abe is real good at that work. It would take me three times as long per horse if I had to do it."
"You have othah skills at which you excel, Vin."
"Well, that may be so, but I'm tryin' ta git ya ta talk about you 'n 'nez."
"There is nothin' to say."
"Thought you were supposed ta have a schedule to give you 'n' her time together."
"It turned out to be much more difficult to make those arrangements stick than we expected. She cannot really get away from the saloon for long enough to make the journey out here."
"Then you should change the schedule so that you can be in town," Vin insisted.
"Ah regret to say that there is little time for that, either, at least not just yet. And what if Ah were to have been absent when Joshua had his episode today? No, Ah made a commitment to Judge Travis, which as you know, with mah past with the judge, Ah am loath to break. But now that Ah have grown to know these men as well as Ah have, Ah do not wish to usurp mah responsibilities to these men for … "
"Fer makin' shur 'nez knows you still care?"
"She knows, Vin."
"How?"
Ezra stirred the chili. "Because she does."
"How?" Vin challenged, raising his voice.
The former con man turned to his good friend and demanded, in a simmering tone, "Keep your voice down. If you insist on discussin' this, Ah would suggest that you do it when we two are alone to discuss it properly. Inez understands what mah commitment here entails. She is acceptin' of the sacrifice we are both making to assure that Jeremy and Joshua get bettah."
"I don't think … "
"Vin, you do not have to think on this. Ah am tellin' you how it is. But, because you are mah friend, if you feel the need to discuss this further, you are welcome to spend the night and we will find a place to talk privately tonight or sometime tomorrow."
"Everything all right in here?" Chris asked.
"It is fine. Vin was on his way back to join you all in the livin' room."
Chris frowned. He didn't think Ezra sounded so fine. "You're sure?"
"Yes, but you could do me a favor."
"What's that?" Chris asked.
"Pour me a drink."
"Evenin', Inez. Think I could get a glass of Ezra's good stuff?"
"Ezra would be the one who could answer that, if he was here," the pretty saloon manager answered.
Buck Wilmington looked at the woman who he wooed, hard, when she first came to town. The man who'd followed her to Four Corners challenged Buck to a duel after he'd defended her honor. Don Paolo was convinced that the two were having an affair, not grasping the fact that a man, especially a man who loved women the way Buck Wilmington did, could stand up for a woman without having her in his bed. Shockingly, with the help of instruction from Nathan, who had himself learned the art of fencing from his master on the plantation before he'd gained his freedom, Buck won, ultimately killing the man who was never going to allow Inez her freedom. The former Texas Ranger thought he had won Inez' heart when he won the duel, but such was not the case. They did become friends, bandying innuendo back and forth, amusing the rest of The Seven, Inez with her teasing of the territorially-famous Lothario, Buck with his naivete of what he thought might come of all the foreplay. In the end, it was nothing but foreplay. And then Ezra swept the beauty off her feet before he was aware she had fallen in love with him. Buck watched as his two friends suffered through an on again, off again relationship. He knew it would have been wrong to attempt to usurp Ezra's place in Inez Rocios' heart, his absence from town clear to Buck that Ezra did not value what he had in Inez as he spent nearly all of his time at Jeremy Logan's ranch. The ladies' man kept quiet when all of Ezra's time seemed to be spent with two possible outlaws. His good friend and closest partner in crime fighting, J.D. Dunne, was successful in convincing Buck that Joshua Smith and Thaddeus Jones were in reality the most successful outlaws in the history of The West, Hannibal Heyes and Kid Curry. But his interest in whether or not these now long-present visitors to Four Corners were actual outlaws had dimmed as J.D.'s fear that the two men were only using time to endear themselves to the townsfolk and keep them fooled long enough to rob the bank, was moderated by Smith's obvious ill health and by the two men taking their place at Jeremy's to help the man keep his business going while he recovered. Thaddeus had volunteered to assist every time an extra pair of hands was needed, either at the ranch or in town. He was happy to give up J.D.'s fight, and even J.D. seemed to understand that the months Smith and Jones had been here had settled the mindsets of Chris and Vin that he didn't have a chance of convincing anyone further.
"Well, darlin', I'd ask him if he was here." He watched her as, with the fortitude he'd come to expect from her, she held her tears at bay. She was concentrating hard on wiping down the bar top, though. "You're gonna take that finish right off o' that pretty wood at this rate." She stopped cleaning, set the cloth under the counter, and turned to her friend.
"I am frustrated, Buck. How long am I to wait for him?"
"Well, that's a good question, but I'm afraid I have a different answer to that from what you or Ezra thinks."
"What do you think?"
"I think you've waited long enough for that fool and you should give ol' Buck a try," the tall, dark and handsome man said, a crooked grin and twinkling eyes on his face telling her that, if she made any tiny move to concede that he might be wearing her down as Ezra spent more time ignoring her than wanting to be with her, she might easily succumb to his formidable charms.
"That is a very nice offer, Buck, but I still believe what I have always believed about you."
"And what is that, Inez?"
"It is that you are the type of man who would be very good to any woman, and would be very good in bed. The question is how many women is any given woman willing to accept in your stable."
"Now, Inez, I don't think … " Buck's eyes grew wide with shock and hope. "Wait a minute. Are you sayin' …."
"I am not saying that. I am committed to Ezra until that day when Ezra tells me that he no longer has an interest in us. His words mean everything, far more than his actions. He spends time helping Jeremy and working with the horses that both of them love, two of them they are still mourning the loss, and helping poor Joshua, and still must spend time with the children. When he and Thaddeus are with Joshua at the cottage, the two of them take care of more jobs that need to be finished there for Chris. He spends all of the daylight hours one day every week to do the books for businesses around town." She looked around them, lowered her voice, and whispered, "When he comes to my bed on those days, he has no energy to … enjoy himself. It is not good for me, but it is not good for him. How do I fault a man who is so committed to doing good for so many?"
"Seems to me it would be pretty easy."
The pretty woman's anger and frustration were not very contained when she stepped away and said, "It is not." Their eyes met, she still refused to cry, then said, "I have work." She turned her back to her friend and checked the customers holding up the bar.
To himself, Buck said, "I could make it easy."
"I'm tellin' ya, that Inez is a good cook."
"She is that," Ezra said as he enjoyed his second glass of wine. Chris had agreed to pour him a drink earlier, but not the bourbon and not the cognac. The gambler had agreed to the wine. It was an excellent wine; he was not the kind of man to chug something so special. That gave him enough time to calm his earlier anger. He apologized to Chris and, more importantly, to Vin. He understood that Vin was only trying to help, and Vin understood exactly what to say to get under the southerner's skin … and he knew that he had been wrong to try to play that card.
"You fellas probably haven't heard this story, but Inez was originally going to be Buck's lady," Chris said. Vin and Ezra both choked on their drinks. Heyes patted Ezra's back, Nathan took care of Vin, one hitting pretty solidly, the other understanding the need to slap the troubled back of the former bounty hunter just right so as not to hurt the perpetually hurting man. Nathan and Vin, finished with that job, stood and moved to the kitchen to start on the next one. Ezra continued to cough.
"N … N … Nathan," Ezra said between coughs, "maybe you should check our fearless leader for brain damage? Ah believe it was fairly early on in the acquaintance of our renowned Lothario and mah beloved that Inez made it quite clear where Mistah Wilmington stood with the lovely lady."
"I think you're right, Ezra," Nathan said as he and Vin sliced the pie into a pretty decent seven even pieces. Chris had already poured out a glass of cognac for everyone. Before Nathan could go on, Chris interjected.
"Whaddya mean?"
"About Buck. I know you don't have brain damage," Nathan continued, followed by, "though I think you don't want to choke two members of Four Corners' peacekeepers."
Ezra cleared his throat once more and said, "At the very least you could watch your phraseology."
"Sounds like there's a story to tell," Kid said.
"We only have time for one. Thaddeus and Ah have a few chores to finish up before we all call it an early night, and you gentlemen will want to get on the road and home before it is too long dark," Ezra noted.
"So, this would be our bedtime story," Heyes said with a wicked smile, his dimples blazing. It was a wasted effort, what with not an appreciative lady in sight. Kid rolled his eyes; those dimples had lost him a lovely or two or more in his forever friendly competition with his partner over who got the girl. Kid was pretty sure he was in the lead on that score, but not by much.
"If you are going to be like that, then Ah believe you will be going to bed without a story, young man."
"Sorry." Vin handed Heyes and Kid each a plate with a sizable slice of peach pie. "Thanks. And I promise to keep my mouth shut for the duration of your story. Except for eating and drinking."
"Good boy." Chris brought in a slice of pie for Ezra and Jeremy, having already brought each man their glass of the good stuff. "Ah will deliver the short version of this story." First, he took a large taste of the pie. "Lord," he said, his mouth full but needing to say it immediately. He chewed, savoring the sweet-tart of the pie, the buttery goodness of the crust. He was lucky that he'd learned to eat with his mouth shut, because he doubted he'd be successful in controlling the drool.
"Wow, that's good," Jeremy said.
"Incredible. This is jarred peaches?" Chris asked.
"There aren't any fresh peaches left," Nathan said. "We could use twice as many people growing peach trees, and we still wouldn't have enough."
"That's cuz Ezra eats 'em all," Vin said as he followed the accusation with another bite of his dessert.
"Don't be like that, Vin. Ezra may decide to only buy enough of the jarred ones to get himself through the winter," Jeremy suggested.
"No he won't." It was said by Nathan, Heyes and Curry.
"You're right. He won't." Jeremy leaned over and tousled Ezra's perfectly coiffed hair. "That's why we love him."
"If you were not still recovering, your wrist would be sore for a week," Ezra said as he fought, gently, with his friend to keep his hand from the card sharp's hair.
"So, your story?" Kid asked. "This is SO good," the reforming outlaw said as he finished his pie, first among his fellow pie eaters. He looked over to Heyes' plate.
"Don't even think about it."
Ezra finished his pie next, and then enjoyed a good taste from his glass of cognac. "Mah story is much longer than the portion you will hear tonight." The professional poker player and the healer shared a look. Nathan looked down. Ezra smiled sadly. Heyes and Curry could see something pass between the two men, but it would take one or the other of these two men to tell what that look shared meant. It wasn't going to happen this night. "Mothah was visitin', a soul-crushin' experience. Ah love mah mothah, but Ah am a man at peace the longer she keeps Four Corners off of her itinerary."
"Ezra's mother is … " Chris started, but he found himself lacking the proper words that wouldn't indicate to the visitors what a terrible person she was.
"Mah mothah is a grifter, someone who would just as soon take your last dollar, which she did with young J.D., at least once. She showed up, as always unannounced, and proceeded to turn the hotel that she won here in a poker game and do precisely what she said she would not. She added gamblin' and alcoholic beverages to her rooms and restaurant business. She assured me that she would not compete with mah business."
"Your business?" Heyes asked. The dark-haired member of the former outlaw duo had handed his plate to Kid to finish, just a bite or so, clearly only because he was feeling full, not because he was feeling ill.
"Ezra owned the saloon fer a while," Vin said.
"You did?" Heyes looked closely at the man before him. He could picture him being a very good businessman, but this didn't sound like a story that ended well. "She put you out of business?" The expression on Heyes' face told Ezra everything about Hannibal Heyes and his relationship with him own mother. It was obvious that Heyes' mother would never have done something like that, to him or to anyone else.
"First, she was happy to hammer her nails into mah person, long and hard. Ah lost the competition Ah was more than willin' to participate in."
"You didn't know she would play so dirty, Ezra," Chris said sympathetically.
"Ah should have. Mah friends will refrain from sayin' how awful mah mothah is," Ezra said to Heyes and Kid, "but a mothah's son should testify to the truth of a woman's character. Suffice to say, Mothah is mostly all about what benefits Mothah. She drove customers from mah business with low prices and promises. It was impossible to compete."
"What's this got to do with Inez?" Kid asked.
Ezra smiled. "Ah hired her to work in the saloon. She was quite a firecracker, as these gentlemen will attest," he said as he looked to his partners in crime fighting. Smiles and nods were offered from the locals in the room. "She suggested that we offer food. Ah was in no mood to listen, Ah was fighting with mah mothah, Ah had no interest in what Inez was offering, at the time," he said with a crooked grin. "Ah stormed from the place. Once Mothah informed me that she had bought the saloon and hired Inez to run the former Standish Tavern, and that Ah needed to allow her to cook to bring in more customers … Ah was as confused as you two gentlemen. Ah wondered why it was that she might think Ah cared who she hired and what they served in the establishment. But a son's commitment to his mothah is a hard thing to break."
"But you did break it, eventually," Nathan noted.
"Ah did, but Ah would no doubt have remained under her spell for mah entire life if it had not been for the friendship of six good men."
"And the love of one fine woman," Heyes said.
"Joshua, truer words have nevah been spoken."
"But it wasn't love at first sight?" Kid asked.
"It was not, but it was admiration and trust, followed by friendship."
"You were quite a pair, runnin' that place."
"We were indeed, Chris." Ezra yawned. "All right." The southerner looked around, saw only empty plates. "Drink up," he said. Everyone did.
"So, who's coming out tomorrow?" Heyes asked.
"Robert and Abigail."
"Abigail?" Ezra, Jeremy, Heyes and Kid all said at once. Everyone laughed.
"Robert's going to help with the horses, remember?"
"Apologies, Chris. Ah am quire tired. But you are correct. We will be working with the two non-working horses tomorrow. Jeremy, they are both still ready to start?"
"They are doing great. Nice fillies. Looking forward to working with you two." Jeremy looked to Nathan. "Watching and taking notes, Nate."
"Good," the former slave said, the furrowed brow immediately calmed with Jeremy's quick clarification.
"Well, let's walk these gentlemen out to the barn and move them along to town."
"Here, Ezra, it's getting a bit chilly out there." Heyes handed the gambler his own tan jacket. "It's warmer than yours."
"Thank you, Joshua."
"Let's get a fire going in the living room and clean up this kitchen," Jeremy said as the others left the house. The two men who remained inside would clean up the remnants of the meal and then take the time to clean themselves, leaving the pitcher full of fresh, warmed water in the wet room for Ezra and Kid. They said their goodbyes at the door as Chris, Vin and Nathan went to saddle their horses.
They all walked to the near barn, but Chris called for Ezra, grasping the gambler's elbow.
"Can I talk to you for a minute."
"Yes suh."
"Fellas, Ez and me'll catch up to you."
"Sounds like code for we git ta do all the work, Nate."
"Sure does, Vin."
"They do that a lot? 'Cause I'll have most everything done before Ezra gets back," Kid said.
"That sounds like a lot of whining from grown men, do you agree, Mistah Larabee?"
"I sure do, Mistah Standish." When they were far enough from the others to speak privately, Chris said, "Need to talk to you about Josiah." Ezra turned them in the other direction of the barn, and then stopped, an indicator of the seriousness of the topic at hand.
"Yes. How is our fellow lawman and man of the cloth doing?"
"Not good. He's not doing much of either of those things, not so much as I can tell."
"You and Ah discussed this," Ezra reminded his friend.
"I know. But we were supposed to talk about it more when you didn't look like you'd be passing out any minute after Nathan fixed your shoulder."
Ezra's shoulder was dislocated – again – when they all were forced to fight off Mason Grant at Jeremy's house before Christmas. Nathan had reduced it. Again. But it seemed that each time this had to happen, the southerner's recovery was longer and more painful.
"Ah would suggest that 'fixed' was an extreme exaggeration any longer."
"Are you considering Nathan's suggestion to get it corrected with surgery?"
"He should," Nathan said as he joined them, his horse's reins in hand. "Vin's saddling Pony."
"Ah know it would be the proper thing to do, but Ah most certainly would not entertain it at the moment. Once Joshua is bettah and Jeremy is back to one hundred percent, and we figure out this … whatevah it is with Josiah, then Ah will contemplate anew the surgical option to mah shoulder. Ah would be tellin' an untruth if Ah said it was not botherin' me more and more even when it is not dislocated. But a fix for what is botherin' our law enforcement partner is a higher priority."
"You two are talking about Josiah?" Vin asked, Peso following behind his person. "Thaddeus is finishin' up with Pony."
"Yeah," Chris said. So much for a private conversation with Ezra about their problem, but all of the lawmen cared about their friend and fellow protector of Four Corners. It would be strange if they all didn't want to be in on the solution to this dilemma.
"It's a problem. He's canceled church services now for three Sundays in a row," Nathan noted.
"And he's come up with excuses not ta take his turn patrolling," Vin added. "Tried talkin' to 'im, but he jest walks away." Vin rubbed his jaw.
Chris asked, "Did he hit you?"
"Tried to. Just barely got me."
"Josiah's punch is enough to knock you over, even a glancing blow," Nathan said.
"Ah can vouch for that." Ezra had been on the receiving end of a serious punch from the much larger man.
"He's been drinking a lot. Not drunk, not like how he's been in the past. Something's bothering him."
"That's obvious, Nate. Ezra has a theory," Chris said.
"You do?"
"It is only a theory, howevah … when was the last time Josiah left town, for any reason?" Chris and Nathan thought for a moment.
Vin replied. "'s been a while."
Ezra said, "Precisely. He has not left town for nearly a year."
"A year?" Chris questioned. "That can't be right. I mean, he's taken his turn delivering papers for the judge, or prisoners to other towns, or picking up prisoners from other towns."
"He has not."
"Sure, he has," the healer said.
"Think he has, but … " Ezra cut Vin off, and he was less than kind about it.
"No, he has not, Ah can assure you of this."
"Have you been keeping a log of who goes where, when, Ezra?" Chris asked.
"Ah have not, Chris. But as you gentlemen are all aware, Ah have spent very little time out of town these last months, since F … Fred …."
"Ezra," Chris started.
"No," Ezra insisted, not wanting to go into that painful time. That painful time remained this painful time, when he allowed it. "Mah point is that Ah have been out of town but twice in nearly nine to ten months. Ah have been in town. Ah have suspected there was something awry with Josiah for a long time because Josiah has not been to visit his sister in Vista City in a year."
"Damn," Vin said. "Think he's right, Chris."
"Is that right, Nate?" Chris asked. Nathan was Josiah's oldest friend, at least known friend. The two men had lived in Four Corners for significantly longer than the other members of The Magnificent Seven. He was aware of every visit Josiah made to see his sister, even when the others were not aware of her existence. He admitted this to Chris after the incident with Miss Irene and the accusations that Josiah had killed the former seamstress, and other women. The actual killer was revealed to be the fake Pinkerton detective, Cyrus Poplar. Josiah's sister and her troubles had been exposed at that time as Vin acted the detective to help find whatever information he could to clear his friend of the murder charges. Poplar managed to plant evidence, circumstantial though it was, that succeeded in convincing so many in town that it was one of their own who had killed Irene Dunlap. The death of a woman, a single woman living on her own, who was quiet and reserved and known to so many because of her business; it was particularly hard to accept. Many were willing to accept Josiah as a scapegoat with nowhere near enough real evidence. But Vin had returned with more information than Josiah ever wanted exposed. Josiah spoke of her once, and then never again.
"I haven't really thought of it. I mean, I've been busier than ever with so many new patients. The town's grown so much. But I should have been paying better attention. I think it's possible."
"It is not simply possible, it indeed is the case. Ah realize that as Ah was not working that Ah could have been more attentive to Josiah's state."
"No, Ezra, you shouldn't have," Chris said.
"Wouldna been expected to," Vin said.
"Maybe not," Ezra said.
"Definitely not," Vin and Chris said together.
"Well, Ah appreciate that." Ezra sighed and asked no one specifically, "Have Marty's headaches lessened?" They heard Kid walk up with Pony.
"Thanks, Thaddeus," Chris said.
"Good night, fellas. Ezra, I'll meet you in the barn." He could see that Ezra was disturbed by something. The kind reforming outlaw would check to make sure whatever this discussion was, that it hadn't bothered Ezra too badly. It was the least he could do considering all of the help he'd been to Kid and his partner.
"Ah will be along shortly."
"Marty's headaches?" Chris asked, bringing them back to the conversation at hand. "Yeah. Nate cleared him for duty. He has asked not to be partnered with Josiah," Chris noted.
"You cannot blame the man for that. You said that Josiah is not doin' any of his peacekeeping responsibilities?"
"Keeps sayin' he's not ready."
"He may not evah be ready, Chris."
"We may need to make an official change with him. Don't need to keep him on as an officer of the law. I think we're in better shape now than ever."
Ezra, Vin and Nathan shared a look. No one spoke for a long moment. For people with their livelihoods, that last sentence was just asking for trouble. Just ask J.D. Dunne.
"I'm not saying it," the healer said.
"Me, neither," Vin agreed.
Chris looked to Ezra. "Well, don't look at me, Chris. The words came out of your mouth."
Chris stared at Ezra. The leader of the lawmen of Four Corners knew he'd just said something similar to what had come out of young J.D. Dunne's mouth, more than once, words that the easterner had been chastised for saying each time ... by Chris Larabee. Ezra didn't back down at staring Chris down. The tall blond turned to Nathan and Vin.
"Let's go."
The three men left and Ezra turned toward the near stable, to find Kid coming his way.
"You are finished?" the professional poker player asked.
"I am. Are you all right?"
"Yes, Ah am fine, thank you for asking."
"Okay. Look, I was wondering if we couldn't work on the supply room in this barn sometime. Things seem a little disorganized. I think it would work better if we switched things around some. Come take a look."
The two men regrouped in the barn and Ezra watched as Kid explained the plan. It was growing dark, so only a few moments were spent, with more discussion needed during daylight hours. There was no question that things had gotten a little out of hand in this, the largest stable in the collection of buildings erected for horses and all of the necessary objects that went along with raising, training and selling them. This was not one of the barns where the horses being sold were held. This barn, the second nearest to Jeremy's house, was used for the rancher and his men's horses, for visitors like Ezra and Heyes and Curry, and Chris, Vin and Nathan's horses. It was a large barn. And a couple of the stalls were now housing something other than horses. That would be fine, the large center section was where all of the supplies, extra equipment and a staging area for bails of straw should all be. But at least three other stalls were storing assorted equipment, as well as things that were best classified as trash. Once they reorganized this barn, including adding more hooks to house equipment properly on the walls, within the storage areas, there would be two more stalls for horses. Ezra had agreed to keep Chaucer in a stable behind the house in a far back stall, keeping the stall door open and allowing him to spend as much time out and about as he wished in the large corral beyond. That alone was all that was needed to free up stall space for all the horses that needed it for a meal this evening and relaxing time in the growing dark before several of them headed home.
They finished talking through the plans, knowing that they had friends waiting on them for a second dessert, leftover apple cake from the previous day from Nettie Wells, and some coffee before an early night for them all. It was a good five minutes spent planning one of the next jobs to help Jeremy's life be just a little easier when he was back to work full time.
"Let us hold off on reviewing this with Jeremy until Ah have had some time to sketch out your suggestions, Thaddeus."
"Our suggestions. You had as many good ones as I did."
"We will offer up what we think are the best stalls to use for supplies."
"You want everything on the far side to be for horses and everything on the driveway side to be for supplies and equipment," Kid said as they walked into the drive and made their way across it to the house.
Ezra spoke softly. "After Mistah Grant's terrorizin' of the place, Ah believe that we all would want our horses as safe as they can be. Ah have always used the front-rear stall for Chaucer. It is still where Ah feel any horse is safest." It was the first stall anyone would see coming into Jeremy's ranch, but it was unreachable from that front side of the barn. It was an unusual set-up, except that there were actually two entrance and exit doors, one up on the end of the barn near Jeremy's home and main office, and another halfway down the barn, opening out to the divided pasture to the east. There were corrals out that way, the back of the building, but visitors could not see them for the stand of pinyon trees that hid them, and they were nearly impenetrable due to the large and deep tract of cactus and other dangerous succulents that kept, along with the fence a few feet farther in from the beginning of the desert landscape, wildlife and sensible men from venturing to those stables unseen. There were only a couple of drive-facing stalls, and those would only be used for short stays for people visiting during bad weather. More of that side of the building would shift to become storage, opening up stalls facing to the rear of the building.
"I'm with ya on how Grant has all of us thinking," Kid agreed, also keeping his voice low. "I'm sure Jeremy thinks the same. You figure they've fallen asleep in there?"
"Ah doubt that Joshua has. He slept quite soundly earlier in the day, in between his feverish tossin' and turnin'," Ezra said sadly as he shook his head.
"Shit. What the hell is it?" Despite Kid's frustration, he kept his voice low, just in case there was any serious slumber going on inside. "I mean, he's been feeling pretty good, but … "
"But he still needs to be restful. Ah feel that we might wish to reach out to the othah doctors. Maybe there is somethin' new that we could try."
"Maybe."
"Hey. Hold up, there."
Ezra and Kid turned to face the voice calling to them.
"We are closed, gentlemen," Ezra said. He knew these men weren't here for ranch business, why would they be here as the dark settled about them.
"Ain't here for horses," the man said. "We're here for you two." A second man walked up, his gun drawn and aimed at Ezra and the Kid.
"For us?" Kid asked.
"Don't try to hide nothin'. We know you're Hannibal Heyes and Kid Curry."
"You do?" Ezra asked.
"Yeah. Got yer wanted posters." The man reached into his pocket with one hand while he kept his gun aimed with the other. The action distracted his partner in crime. Ezra and Kid both recognized the moment, and they both drew their weapons, Ezra his Derringer from his sleeve rig. Kid shot at the one man's feet, a bullet landing in the heel of his boot, shooting his foot out from under him. His gun fired as he fell backwards, the bullet going awry and skittering off the metal roof of Jeremy's garden shed.
"Freeze," Ezra said. The man reaching for the wanted posters stopped that action but pulled the trigger, the bullet tearing through Heyes's jacket and taking a chuck of flesh from the former con man's left arm. He was still not fully recovered from the dislocated shoulder. His left side was getting a workout. He folded to the ground, grabbing his arm.
Kid's aim was true as he fired his weapon again, aiming for the gun held in the man's hand. A perfect shot. Though Heyes would say that Kid was fast but not always accurate, today his accuracy was on display. He kept his gun aimed at both men as he asked for his friend.
"Ezra?"
"Ezra?" the one now moaning and holding his bleeding but still intact hand said.
Heyes and Jeremy came running from the house, guns drawn.
"Slow down, gentlemen," Ezra panted through the pain. Jeremy got on his knees in front of the poker player.
"Ezra? What do you need?"
"Ah … Ah do not know. Ah suppose Ah would wish for this not to hurt. Apologies, Joshua, on the condition of your jacket."
"Yeah, that's what's got me worried right now," Heyes said. He looked to Kid, who nodded that he was all right and that he had everything in hand. But Heyes wanted to hear it from his partner. "You're okay, Thaddeus?"
"Yeah, I'm fine."
"Thaddeus?" the moaning man asked.
"Joshua? And Ezra? What the hell, Ernie?"
Heyes turned toward the noise of horses charging up the drive. It was Chris, Vin and Nathan. They all dismounted quickly, Vin taking the horses and tying them to the hitching post in front of the barn.
"Everyone all right?" Nathan asked as he went straight to Ezra.
"We heard the gunfire," Chris said.
"Ezra's pea shooter makes a kind o' unique sound."
"Well … said, Vin," Ezra panted.
"Ezra, you want to get inside before I look at you?" Nathan asked.
"Yes." One-word answers, never a good sign from the verbose Ezra P. Standish.
"Vin, get him on the right side. Ez, I'll be careful with ya on the left."
"Thank you, Nathan." They raised him smoothly but quickly from the ground. "Lord," he said.
"Joshua … "
"Don't worry about it, Ezra. One of the ladies will clean it and fix it."
"Joshua and Ezra? Fuck!" the one called Ernie said.
Chris turned to the two men as Nathan and Vin took Ezra inside.
"What do you two have to say?"
"Nothin'," one of the men answered.
"That's right," the other replied.
"That's fine. You're both being arrested for attempted murder and attempted murder of a law enforcement officer."
"We weren't tryin' ta kill anyone."
"Shut up, Bill."
"They thought Ezra and I were Hannibal Heyes and Kid Curry," Kid explained.
Chris turned back to the two men on the ground as Heyes and Jeremy joined Kid and Chris to keep their firearms aimed at the two men. "Really? Why would you think that?"
Neither man answered.
"The more you cooperate the better your chances at trial," Chris said.
"Heard some kid in town talkin'."
"Some kid?" Chris asked.
Ernie and Bill looked at each other. They knew there were people here being called names other than Heyes and Curry. They now knew that one of 'em they thought was an outlaw was apparently one of the men who protected the town. They'd read about them in that book. Should they say anything more?
"All right. So, we have Ernie and Bill, in case you want a name for these two," Kid said. "And I think Ezra would testify that you two were tryin' to shoot him. I know I'll happily testify that you were trying to shoot us." Kid Curry knew that he couldn't testify, and he knew he wouldn't have to. Ezra saw it all, Ezra was the one who got shot. Ezra was the lawman who would be believed. The question was, how much more could they find out about how they knew that Hannibal Heyes and Kid Curry might be out at this ranch.
"The charges are still attempted murder, unless you two have something else to say," Chris said as he stared at the men on the ground."
"What about my hand?"
Vin interrupted. "Nate wants you two inside," he said as he returned from helping Ezra inside, speaking to Heyes and Jeremy. "I'll stay out here 'til we get these two figured out."
"I could use a drink," Heyes said.
"Me, too," Jeremy agreed.
"Good luck with that with Nathan in there," Chris said.
"Yeah," both men said as they walked, tired, toward the house.
"So?" Chris asked.
"That kid was talkin' to someone, looked like he might be 'is brother," the one called Ernie said. Vin offered a crooked grin at the description of J.D. Dunne and Buck Wilmington. The smile didn't last long as it seemed that J.D.'s pestering Buck that Smith and Jones were Heyes and Curry had been overheard. And that he'd said that they could be found here at Jeremy's ranch was as bad as it could get, especially when a bullet intended for an outlaw made it into his friend instead.
"What'd he say?" Vin asked.
"Said they were out here, wondered why nobody but him could see it," Bill added.
"Figured maybe they was spendin' time here, layin' low. Lookin' for new rides. I heard this place did more than work 'n' draft horses," Ernie said. "What about my hand?"
"What else did you hear? It doesn't say anything good about you two that you would fire your guns at men that you didn't know for sure were wanted outlaws. That man inside that one of you shot is my friend, he's one of the men who protect our town," Chris said as he glared at the two men.
"What about that one," Bill said, looking toward Kid.
"He's a friend of mine, too. He ain't no outlaw," Chris said.
"Damn it, Ernie."
"Shit," Ernie said as he looked to the man who he didn't even know that well. They had both been easily convinced that there was twenty thousand dollars to be had by coming out to the ranch. Ernie looked up at Chris and said, "We'll cooperate." He turned to Kid and said, "Sorry 'bout shootin' at ya."
"Seems like you were shootin' more at Ezra."
To Chris, Ernie replied, "What about my hand?"
"Vin, put a bandage on it. As soon as Nathan finishes with Ezra, he'll look at your hand. Need you both to move over to the hitching post at the house so I can secure you." Ernie and Bill stood up and waited at the hitching post while Vin and Chris tied Bill's hands around the post, then secured Ernie by one hand at the other end of the hitching post, and then tied their arms tight to their bodies, their feet were also bound. It wasn't hard to find all that rope on a working ranch.
"Looks like they ain't goin' anywhere. Mind if we head inside?" Kid asked.
"They ain't goin' anywhere, Chris," Vin said, reading in his friend's body language that he wasn't very keen on leaving these men unattended.
"Okay. Let's go see … " but before Chris said anything further, Heyes came out of the house, looking worried.
"It's Ezra. Come on inside, I'll watch them," Heyes said.
"They're fine, they can't get out of all that rope. What's wrong?"
"Nathan thought the bullet had an exit wound, there's a lot of blood on the jacket. But it's still in there. He needs to get it out."
"Hell," Vin said as he stepped around both Chris and Heyes and headed to Ezra and Nathan.
"Do you need the dining table, Nate?" Kid asked.
"The dining table?" Jeremy asked.
"Yeah. It's, um … "
"What?" Jeremy started. "Oh. That's where Nate operated on me."
"Yeah. Sorry," Kid said.
"No, no. It's all right. Nate?" Jeremy asked.
"No, I think I can do it in here. Vin, if you can hold him, once I get him knocked out … "
"Ah am still heah," Ezra complained. "Joshua … "
As Heyes went to the gambler, Nathan waved Kid over. "Take this and mix it in some water. Mix it real good, then take that honey up on that shelf and stir in a heading spoonful." The blond went to work.
Heyes kneeled in front of Ezra as he lay against a pile of towels, his shoulder temporarily bandaged. "Ezra, stop worrying about my jacket. It'd seen better days, anyway. If it makes you feel any better, you can buy me a new one."
"Ah … Ah would not go … so … so far as to s … say it would m … m … make me feel bettah."
Heyes smiled, as did everyone else in the room. "We'll work out a deal that is agreeable to both of us, how's that sound?"
"It sounds … good." Ezra trembled, then said, "It is rather chilly."
"I'll stoke the fire," Jeremy said.
"I'll head to the barn for some tarps to protect this sofa and the floor," Kid said. He handed the glass to Nathan.
"I'll come with you," Chris said as he grabbed an oil lamp.
"Jeremy, we're going to need as much light as we can get," the healer said. Nathan kneeled before his patient. "Drink this, Ezra." Ezra drank it without complaint, except, "Could use s … some lemon." The healer shook his head; it was the nicest complaint he ever had from Ezra about anything he'd forced the man to imbibe while being treated.
"Vin, can you get the two lamps from the back parlor?" Jeremy asked.
"Shur."
"I'm going to get the one from my bedroom, and then get the one from the back hall. I've got a standing mirror in my bedroom. That'll help too, right?"
"It will," the former slave said.
"I'll get that," Heyes said.
"Joshua," Nathan warned.
"I'll sit over there and keep the fire stoked after I get that. Maybe we can get Chris to make sure hot water is always ready on the stove."
"He's done that a few times before," Nathan said.
"Becomin' 'n expert," Ezra mumbled.
"You don't need to talk, Ez. Just sit there and relax."
"Feelin' funny. Need to pay atten … attent … well, you know."
Nathan reached over and combed his friend's hair out of his face. "Yeah, I know."
"Okay. Let's get all the lamps, the mirror. Be right back," Jeremy said.
"Gather as many clean cloths as you can. I have some in my bag. Joshua, bring me that end table and a chair. Those instruments in the pot on the stove can be removed and placed on the cloths waiting for them next to the stove." Bring them here and set them on the table. Then go back and sit at the fireplace." Heyes did as he was told, including sitting by the fire when he finished.
Within moments of Heyes being seated, Chris and Kid returned from the barn with the tarps.
"Use this blanket first," Jeremy said. "This was my grandmother's sofa."
"Ezra, we're going to move you for just a minute."
"Yes suh," the former con man said to the former stretcher bearer during the war.
"Thaddeus, could you hold him?" Vin returned with the two lamps he'd been sent to retrieve and waited, worried for his partner and friend and that he'd suffered an injury to that damned shoulder once more, on Nathan's next instruction.
"Sure can. Sorry this happened, Ezra," the reforming outlaw said. Heyes looked at his partner, reminding him that there were several people in the room who were not in the know about their real identities. It was important to not let on to Nathan, Vin, and Jeremy that they really were the reason why the two men tied up outside were looking for two famous outlaws on a ranch not far outside of Four Corners.
"It was not your fault," Ezra sighed. He seemed to sag into Kid's hold.
"Nathan," Thaddeus called.
"Hold tight, Ez," Nathan encouraged. A glance to Kid signaled from the healer that he should hold tight a little longer.
"Thaddeus is holdin' me. Apologies," the injured man said, just barely loud enough to be heard.
Jeremy and Chris finished placing the blanket over the sofa, then a tarp, and then moved the other tarp to well under the sofa and covering the floor all around. They made sure the tarp on the sofa draped over the one on the floor. As careful as Nathan would be, there had already been bleeding, and the wound was bound to bleed more. The towels being used to stanch the blood would need to be worked on a long time to get the red stains out of them.
"Tell me when you need the water, Nate," Chris said as he left to check the fire in the stove. "This light okay for you?"
"It's fine. It shouldn't take long. Jeremy, could you move that tall table behind the couch and put one of the lamps on it?"
"Sure, Nate."
"Nath'n," Ezra wheezed.
"We're starting soon, Ezra."
"No. Need … doctors … from Denver."
"No, this'll be easy to find this bullet. It caused a lot … " Nathan started to reply, but the card sharp interrupted.
"No. J … Joshua. Need to c … contact. Need help." Kid hugged the man in his arms, grateful that he had been so thoughtful about the reforming outlaw's partner, always wanting to do what he could to make Heyes and Kid's time here better.
Heyes walked up to Kid and Ezra. "Thanks for thinking of me, Ezra, but we're all more concerned about you right now."
"Ah w … would w … wish for you … to not exp … experience more … days … like … today."
"Thanks. Me, too. We'll contact the doctors. Soon." Heyes looked to Nathan. "Can we start?" he asked, a little annoyed, a little embarrassed that Ezra would delay the start of his surgery, however minor and easy it might be, to worry about his own ongoing health concern.
"Vin, sit on the couch. Thaddeus, set him beside Vin. Ezra, we're going to position you up against Vin's chest."
"People … will … talk."
"Mebbe. Think we can git everyone here not ta talk," the tracker replied. It may not have been meant in two different ways, but the end result was the same: these men would not speak of how close Vin was to his wounded fellow in his time of need, and everyone should quiet down in preparation for the procedure to come. Ezra lay up against Vin, tense because of the sudden silence. "Relax, Ex." In a whisper, Vin said, "Sorry 'bout earlier, 'bout 'nez. It ain't my business."
"Our disagreement … has been … forgotten … and forgiven. Inez … and Ah … are fine."
Vin pulled Ezra against him, chest to chest, safe and secure. Against Ezra's cheek, the man no longer a wanted man, thanks in great part to the man he held tight, said, "Thanks."
Ezra smiled, Vin could feel it. "We are so … close … we c … could k … kiss."
"Your virture's safe with me." The two men chuckled, both of them aware of what Guy Royal said to Casey Wells when the would-be land baron and his men threatened the young woman and her Aunt Nettie. It was serious business, back when it happened, nearly four years earlier. But the thought of Vin ever helping to protect Ezra's virtue brought a smile to all of the men present. Ezra paid the price for that laugh as pain radiated from his shaking body directly to his wounded arm.
"Lord." Nathan put his finger up to his lips. He knew, like all who knew Ezra, that he would continue talking if given a reason. Quiet and allowing the medicine to do its job had the former con man out in moments.
"All right," Nathan said, ready to get down to business. "Let's settle down and get this done."
"What the hell were you thinking?" Chris said as he yelled at the two members of The Magnificent Seven before him. If he wasn't worried about already being down one lawman with the way Josiah had been acting, he'd let his two friends go. The leader of The Seven had Buck Wilmington and J.D. Dunne ride out with him to the far side of Robert Merton's near-town stockades. There were no cattle residing there, and therefore no ears, human or bovine, to overhear what Chris Larabee had to say.
"You gonna say anything more, ol' pard, so that we can all get in on this conversation?" Buck asked.
"Get down off your horses," Chris ordered, disgustedly. He dismounted and walked to the nearest fence.
"Maybe if you tell us what's wrong, we could help," J.D. said.
J.D. might not have read Chris' body language very well, but Buck sure did. As Chris started back towards the two dark-haired men, the former Texas Ranger stepped in between Chris and the young man from Boston … and he received the punch that Chris may have wanted to land on J.D.'s face, but would probably have been able to refrain from throwing. But Buck could have nipped all this in the bud, and he didn't. The ladies' man landed in a cloud of dust on the hard-packed, high desert floor.
"What the hell!" J.D. yelled as he went to check on his "big brother".
"Stay where you are, J.D.," Buck warned.
"Why'd you hit him?"
"Neither of you saw us come into town this morning," Chris commented calmly.
"I had the overnight shift. I was sleeping."
"And you know we don't cover every shift anymore, Chris," Buck said as he rubbed his jaw and struggled to his feet.
"Where was Josiah?" Chris asked.
"Who the hell knows where Josiah is these days. Why'd you hit me?"
"Where was Vin?"
"I know he was with you at Jeremy's. So was Ezra and Nathan," J.D. answered.
"Did any of 'em come back last night?"
"I don't know. Do you?" Buck challenged his old friend.
"I know Buck. Vin, Ezra and Nathan stayed at Jeremy's last night."
"Okay. So, what're you mad about? Why'd they have to stay there? When did you get in?"
"Last night. Late. You weren't around," Chris said to Buck. "And you were on patrol," he added, glaring at J.D.
"So, something happened," Buck said. "What?"
"Nate, Vin and I left to head back to town. We heard gunfire, including Ezra's Derringer. We all rushed back and found two men held at gunpoint by Jones, one had a bullet wound on his hand, and Ezra was shot."
"Shot? Oh, no," J.D. said. "What happened?"
"What happened?" Chris seethed. "What happened is two men thought Ezra and Jones were Hannibal Heyes and Kid Curry, that's what happened." Chris stared at J.D., waiting for him to make the connection. He seemed a little slow on the uptake, but Chris had all the time he needed to wait. Ezra was in Nathan's new clinic, Vin was watching the two now residing at the jail.
"That's awful," J.D. started, "but … "
"But what, J.D.?" Chris asked.
"Well, I've been tellin' … I've been sayin' … "
"What? I told you to stop that crap, didn't I? Didn't I say that talk like that was gonna get Jones or Smith, innocent men, shot?" Chris waited for an answer. "J.D.?"
"Yeah, that's what you said."
"Seems like these two who shot Ezra heard talk that Heyes and Curry were out at Jeremy's ranch. Heyes and Curry are worth ten thousand dollars each. These two were new in town, only arrived the night before they heard about Heyes and Curry." Buck and J.D. remained silent. "How could they have heard that Smith and Jones were Heyes and Curry? You got any thoughts on that?"
"Chris … "
"I don't need any lies, so I'm just going to tell you how they heard. They heard you two talking in front of the jail. What the hell is wrong with you two?" He turned to his oldest friend. "Buck, I told you to get him to stop this. And how stupid could you be?"
"Chris, I think … "
"J.D., your thinking, and talking, got Ezra shot."
"Why Ezra?" J.D. asked.
"J.D., Joshua and Ezra are the same height, could appear the same weight, mostly the same build, at least when dressed," Chris explained, though all of The Seven knew that Ezra was solidly built, and all muscle. And they'd all seen Ezra naked or near naked more than once due to injury … and once due to losing at poker. But anyone stumbling upon Ezra at twilight could easily mistake him for Heyes. "It was mistaken identity, except Hannibal Heyes and Kid Curry ain't here. But Ezra's shot because you two opened your big mouths and convinced two yahoos that there was easy pickins out at Jeremy's place."
"You're right, we messed up. How's Ezra?" Buck asked.
"Bullet lodged up against bone ... in his shoulder. His left shoulder," he emphasized. He knew both of his partners looking back at him understood the gravity of what happened. Ezra Standish had had nothing but trouble with that shoulder since that second skirmish at the Indian village when they'd all only known each other for days. "It bled, a lot. It didn't take Nate too long to find it, but he had to be careful, so Ez bled some more. He's at the clinic. Nate wanted to keep a close eye on him today, and maybe tomorrow."
"Damn," Buck said as he held on to his jaw some more.
"You all right?" Chris asked.
"Yeah. I deserved it, ol' pard."
"You both did. J.D., you have to stop this."
"I can see … I never thought this would happen."
"You mean after I told you and Buck told you and Vin talked to you about it, you never figured that something like this might happen?"
J.D. looked out into the desert, and then turned to look at Chris. "I know they're Heyes and Curry."
"Damn it, J.D. Are you lookin' to get me punched again?" Buck complained.
"It don't matter what you think, J.D. You're wrong. And because you got Ezra shot … "
"Chris," Buck started.
"Shut up, Buck. Because you got Ezra shot, I need to send a telegraph to the judge to tell him that I can't protect his boys. That he might have to find some other place for Smith to get better."
"Is he any better?" J.D. asked.
"Not really. He was down for the count for hours yesterday, feverish. Ezra thinks we should reach out to the doctors from Denver again, see if they've got other ideas."
"Probably worth it at this point. It's been months. What the hell could it be?" Buck asked.
"Don't know. But remember, it took years to nail down Ezra's troubles."
"That's true."
"You should've seen Ezra. He was shot but he was worried about bloodying up Joshua's jacket."
"Why was he wearing Joshua's jacket?"
"Because Ez was heading outside and Joshua insisted that his jacket was warmer than Ezra's," Chris replied. He struggled not to smile at the kindness.
"You like those two," Buck said.
"You don't?" Chris answered.
"No, I'm not sayin' that, they're nice fellas. Haven't spent as much time with them as you and Ezra."
"You'll need to head out tomorrow and work with them. Ezra's down now, and Joshua can't work tomorrow, though he is going to be there, just to do the paperwork for the two customers picking up their horses in the morning. Nate doesn't want him on a horse for another day or so since he had such a rough day yesterday."
"All right. I can go."
"Jeremy's gonna try to get Joshua to lay low today. He's a tough one, though. He's got a real sense of obligation, to his partner, to Ezra, to the commitment he made to help out Jeremy."
"You admire his work ethic," Buck said.
"I do." Chris and Buck both looked over to J.D. The young sheriff had his head down, looking at the bowler hat he held in his hands. "J.D.?"
"Yeah."
"You got anything more to say?"
"No. I can't believe … it is my fault that Ezra got shot."
"Now, J.D., we're both at fault on that. Figure we're gonna have to go see him, apologize." Buck looked to Chris. "Does he know?"
"He might not remember, he was worried about Joshua's jacket and then wanted to make sure Nate knew that they should contact the doctors from Denver."
"He's somethin' else," Buck said.
"He's our friend, and he could be dead," J.D. said.
"Look, Kid. How 'bout we make a commitment to Ezra that we ain't gonna spread rumors or talk about anyone being Heyes or Curry. They hardly ever worked south of Utah and Colorado, anyway."
"Okay."
"J.D., I need you to promise that you'll stop all of this talk. We have enough problems with Ezra being down and Josiah being … off. I need you to keep your head about ya, I need you to concentrate on your job, especially with two of us being unavailable right now."
"I promise, Chris. I will. And I'll stop with the Heyes and Curry stuff. I see now how dangerous all of that was. I'm real sorry."
"I need to be able to count on you, J.D. I need that commitment that your job protecting the people here, people's families, their property, that promise we made the judge when he hired us, that's what you will do. I need that from you, J.D. We all agreed to do a job. You can do that?"
"I can. I think I have, but I can see that I did get distracted from that. I'll do the right thing."
"All right. Let's get back to town. I'm starving."
"Me, too," said Buck.
"Me, three,"J.D. followed, then asked, "Can we see Ezra first?"
"Nate won't let you see him, not this early in the morning, and not this soon."
The three men mounted their horses and headed back to town.
"Did he eat?" Nathan asked as he re-entered the clinic after getting a quick breakfast.
"No. It is too early. He had a drink of water and then fell back asleep." Inez looked at her man, pale except for a slight pinking on his cheeks from the fever he developed overnight. The healer made the decision to move Ezra back to town, despite finding his patient with a temperature higher than he liked. In fact, the fever was the very best reason to insist that they venture back to the clinic so that Nathan could force Ezra to rest and take the fever-reducing teas that the gambler complained about so frequently. He told Inez not to bother with bringing over any food, they both knew it would do no good. She understood this to be true, but she had nothing else she could do to help the man she loved to recover from yet another bullet entering his body. The pretty Mexican woman wasn't sure she had it in her to deal with the many injuries that a lawman might suffer, for the long term; she was having a hard enough time accepting it in the short term as part of what it meant to love Ezra Standish.
"Well, we knew that."
"Yes. I will take the tray back with me, he will not wish to eat it cold. I must get back and complete the stocking before I open for the day." Inez picked up the tray. "Goodbye, Nathan." She opened the door as she held the tray one-armed, and left the room. The door slammed shut. "Oh!" he heard her cry. Most of the people who had been in and out of the new clinic were still adjusting to the ease with which the hinges worked on the door compared to the old clinic, where even when the door was purposefully slammed, it rarely reached the threshold to make a noise similar to what had just happened … and what woke Ezra with a start.
"What?" he said, the noise making him jump, the jump jolting his wounds, entry and exit, from the day before. It had only been about fourteen hours since he'd been shot, somewhat less than that since Nathan finished removing the bullet. "Ooh, lord, that hurts."
"Don't move, don't reach for your arm, that'll just pain ya more."
"Ah do not know how that could be."
"It could," Nathan assured his friend. He grabbed a chair and sat beside him. "How are you feeling?"
"Unwell." Ezra reached his uninjured hand to his forehead and wiped away the sweat. "Fever?"
Nathan had mentioned that to the card sharp earlier, but Ezra hadn't been especially aware then. He'd been sleeping uncomfortably since his temperature reached so high. The black man grabbed the cloth that had fallen from Ezra's forehead, wet it again, and then placed it back where it would hopefully do some good, even if that good was only to make his patient feel better and not to necessarily reduce his fever.
"Yeah."
"Was someone just here?"
Nathan didn't bother to answer as Ezra fell right back to sleep.
"Doctors John Adams, Harrison Rutherford and Jonathan Foster have been working, with the assistance of Joe Martin and the medicine men at the reservation of the Ouray and Uintah Ute tribes, despite the ongoing troubles between U.S. government representatives and the leaders in the two tribes. They've been working with Joe on different mixtures that might address some possible bacteria that has chosen to use Joshua as its unfortunate host," Ezra said by introduction to the meeting.
"You will experience some unpleasant gastrointestinal symptoms," Nathan said.
"Oh, god."
"No, but this acts to cleanse your system," Doc Wharton said. Dr. Wharton was the only other person within close proximity to Four Corners who knew the true identities of Joshua Smith and Thaddeus Jones. The other doctors knew as well, but they had only visited early on in the investigation of what might be causing Heyes' illness. Full disclosure of his past required Heyes to tell those men who he really was as he stepped through everything that might be important for the doctors to figure out the puzzle of what kept him feeling so sick. "We feel that you are retaining some bacteria, or other organism that has found a pleasant place to reside. It will take what we believe will be several weeks to rid your body of this bacteria. The reason it will take that long is because the mixture we have come up with has some serious ingredients that your body cannot handle very much of at any given time."
Hannibal Heyes looked to Kid Curry. Kid's expression was one of support and sympathy. Heyes looked reluctant and wary.
"An important aspect of this medicine is the need for a cathartic to help remove the bacteria once the other parts of the mixture find and attach to it."
"So this 'cathartic' is the unpleasant gastrointestinal symptoms that Nathan mentioned before, is that right, Doc?"
"It is," Doc Wharton replied.
"No." Heyes shook his head and raised his hand. "Sorry, first thought in my head. I mean, yeah, this sounds like fun. And this is the best deal you could come up with?"
"Joshua, we will be here to assure that everything goes according to plan for the first week," Doc Wharton said.
"We?"
"I will be here, along with Doctors Rutherford and Adams. Dr. Foster will join me for the second week. Joe will be here for the first week as well."
"Joe Martin's coming?" Kid asked. He looked to Heyes with a smile. The outlaw pair knew Joe from his own outlaw days. Joe's past was a serious one, one that included killing another person. Heyes and Kid watched as Joe was able to turn his life around and become a respected man in his community, a man who found a wife, had a child, worked as an assistant to a doctor in Denver. Hannibal Heyes and Kid Curry hoped that one day what happened with Joe could happen for them.
"He worked closest with the tribes to help us formulate this treatment. He has learned quite a lot about these natural treatments, more now, I believe, than even Nathan knows."
"So, what exactly is in this … curative," Heyes asked.
"We hope that it is a curative, Joshua," Doc Wharton said. "The largest portioned ingredients are echinacea, sage, sumac, pennyroyal and valerian root."
"Good god," Nathan said, clearly unhappy. Ezra lowered his head as he attempted to hide is smile.
"What?" Kid asked, more than worried for that reaction.
"Do not worry, Thaddeus. Nathan's reaction is directed toward yours truly," Ezra said. "During the very difficult time when we were attemptin' to find a cure for mah sick headaches, now called migraines, Ah insisted upon valerian root to ease mah pain."
"How much is in this compound?" Nathan asked as he scowled at Ezra.
"He is askin' because we were not certain how much to use the first time we used it."
"And you slept for twenty hours, Ezra."
"It was not twenty hours, Nathan."
"It was close, Ezra," Chris said in support of the healer.
"Very helpful," the professional poker player countered as he frowned at Chris.
"You slept for a long time the second time, too," the former slave challenged.
"Ah know. But even though you would say it was not worth it, as the one who was sufferin', Ah can attest to the fact that it, indeed, was worth it."
"There isn't enough valerian root in the compound to do that. The compound has been prepared and tested in a limited way. We feel that you should be able to enjoy a normal day when you take this, at least most days."
"Most days?"
"I'll get to that. The rest of the ingredients include lavender, hops, dandelion … "
"Doc, that's a lot of ingredients," Vin said. "The medicine men with the tribes I spent time with would say not to put too many things in, that some might cancel out others."
"That can happen, Vin, if you aren't careful with the ingredients," Doc Wharton noted. "We were targeting, based on what we knew of Joshua's symptoms when we met with him last year, and also on the reports that we've been receiving from Nathan since then, the specific needs of the patient. Nathan, those notes were invaluable to Joe and the others to come up with what we all feel fairly confident will address what has been going on with Joshua."
"You can thank Ezra for those notes, Doc. He's the one who's been writing down everything."
"When have you had time to do that?" Chris asked.
"I'm not sure I can figure out when you did it, either," Heyes said. "I'm not too sure I'm all that fond of having notes taken about me like that."
"Believe me, Joshua, they were scientific in nature only. When it comes time to write an actual book on your life, Ah feel certain Ah would have much more interestin' things to write about," Ezra ended. Eyebrows rose on Chris, Heyes, Kid and Doc Wharton's faces. Since everyone else in the room was watching the speaker; they all missed the tell on each of the faces of the men in-the-know about the true identities of Joshua Smith and Thaddeus Jones.
"There's more to tell, ladies and gentlemen. Other ingredients are sodium bicarbonate for indigestion, motherwort as a mild sedative, as based on trials of volunteers willing to act as test subjects, there is a stress factor in taking this combination that seems to enhance anxiety."
"Great," Heyes said. Dottie reached over and rubbed the handsome man's back.
"Willowbark, because you will have stomach pain, and feverfew as you will suffer waves of fluctuating temperature. The feverfew will help to keep your fevers from spiking too high."
"It's good to know that the fevers will continue for a while longer," Heyes noted, sarcastically.
"We will need to have some opium handy, just in case the purgative, the, um, laxative's effects go on too long."
Heyes rubbed his forehead. "Doc," he said quietly, "does, uh, everyone have to be here for this part?"
Ezra walked up and sat in the chair in front of Heyes. "You have ingratiated yourself quite nicely into the fabric of our small community, Joshua. There is no one in this room who wants anything but a cure for what has been ailing you now for far, far too long. And this is the only group of people who will be knowledgeable of any details."
Heyes blinked his eyes. Just for the gambler's ears, Heyes said, "Ezra, the ladies don't really need to be here for this, though, do they?"
Ezra smiled. He'd had similar conversations before in front of Inez and Gloria and Mary, embarrassing conversations because Nathan could be gone tending to other patients and someone needed to watch him during one or another of his recoveries from illness or injury. Ezra knew how Hannibal Heyes felt at this moment. At a similar whisper, Ezra replied, "We will discuss no further details of such a nature." To the rest of the group, as he stared pointedly at Nathan and the good doctor, Ezra said, "I believe that the details that required explanation have been discussed. We will catch up on anything missed later."
"Good. Does this mean I can go back to eatin meat and potatoes?" Heyes said with a sly grin.
"You haven't stopped eating meat and potatoes? Nathan, you didn't make him stop eating meat and potatoes, did you?" Doc Wharton said.
"Potatoes are still in his diet."
"Nathan!"
"What! I didn't have to give up beef? In a place where they know how to grow steer, butcher it and cook it?" Heyes asked, outraged. He'd been allowed to eat other protein, when it was available. Beef was always available in a territory becoming more and more known for some of the best beef in the country. Robert Merton had much to do with that reputation. He never shortchanged on anything, always giving his stock the highest quality grains and barley mixed in with hay to supplement the large ranges he owned that allowed his cattle to graze on ranges amended as often as possible with high quality grass seed.
"Well, son, you might as well eat some of that good beef you have in these parts this week, because starting next week, you'll likely have some days when you're feeling poorly and all that you'll want, protein-wise, is eggs." Dr. Wharton stood and walked over to Heyes. "Come along, son. I'm ready for a nice steak and potatoes meal," the doctor said as he slapped Heyes on the back and walked out of the clinic.
Heyes closed his eyes. He could hear various people leaving. He heard Mary and Dottie talking about making sure that they had all the ingredients they needed for making the foods that Heyes liked that they knew were easy on his stomach. Heyes could tell that the only people left in the room were Kid and Ezra. He opened his eyes and smiled at his companions.
"Are you all right?" the professional poker player asked.
"I don't really know. And as much as I have wanted a steak these long, long weeks, I'm not sure I have much of an appetite right now."
"You will. Inez is doin' the cooking, and she has one of your favorite meals that she has formed into a starter for all of us. Ah believe it will whet your appetite quite nicely."
"I do love her cooking," Heyes said.
"We'll follow along soon," Kid said.
"Ah will see both of you gentlemen in a while. Maybe we could encourage Dr. Wharton to join us in a game of cards."
"He plays?"
Ezra laughed. "You could say so." Ezra looked at the two reforming outlaws. "Do not be long. Delaying your arrival might convince Chris that you are setting your plan in motion to rob that bank."
"Ha, ha," both Heyes and Kid said. Ezra laughed harder and left the building.
Kid stepped closer to his dearest friend. "Everything okay?"
Heyes rubbed his forehead. "I don't know, Kid. I want this to work so bad, but I also don't like how this cure, if it is a cure, could keep me looking weak for weeks longer. I know I must be comin' off … "
"You ain't, Heyes," Kid said, a little louder than he should. Luckily, the conversion of the Pikes' building into a clinic included insulating the building for heat and cold, and that upgrade caused the building to also end up insulated for sound. "Sorry. Nobody thinks you're weak. If anything, they think you're pretty damned strong and stoic for surviving all that you've been through. Besides, and I'm sure you don't know this because you're looking on it from your own hell, but not that many people know about your illness. But most all of 'em know about how you survived Chris beatin' on you when we first got here, how you got shot fighting off Grant's son, how you've been helping at Jeremy's while he recovered."
"I guess … "
Kid walked up close and put a hand on either of his friend's shoulders, shook him so that he would look in Kid's eyes, then said, "I can see you thinking that you can't do this. But I know you. You've got grit and you've got desire to get better. Add in my hope and love and I think this is a winning hand."
Heyes smiled. "A winning hand, huh?"
Kid had shave off his moustache but here he was, growing the damned thing back. He smiled, and that caterpillar above his lip moved like a live one. "That's what I said."
"You could shave that, you know."
"But I'm not gonna."
"Well," Heyes said as he turned to head for the door. Kid stopped him and pulled him into a hug. Heyes returned it, and then sunk into it like it was the lifeline that it was. He sighed, and squeezed tighter.
Into Heyes ear, Kid said softly, "You all right?"
Heyes pulled back. "With you here, by my side," he said with a warm smile, his eyes sparkling with unshed tears, "I will be."
"You will be." These two men … cousins, maybe. Partners? For sure. Best friends? Forever. They stared at one another, then smiled and hugged again. Kid slapped Heyes' back and said, "Let's go eat."
"Josiah, you there?" Casey Wells waited, hoping that he was in one of his better moods. The young woman knew that what was wrong with Josiah wasn't about a mood. She and her Aunt Nettie had talked about Josiah and how he'd been acting. Neither of them knew what was troubling their town's preacher, but they knew it was something. Casey's Aunt Nettie wanted to do something to draw him out, make him understand that he was an important part of their community. She wanted him to be the man who the town needed all those years ago when he first showed up and became the person the townspeople relied on to help with their spiritual lives. Josiah had his troubles, even back them, but things seemed to turn around when he became part of what became famously known as The Magnificent Seven. But it seemed that Josiah had lost something, Nettie knew it, and Casey knew her aunt well enough to know that she was rarely wrong. Casey hoped that their plan worked, and they could help Josiah find his way back. Nettie had told Casey to extend an invitation, as a start.
"Go away, Casey," Josiah called from behind the closed church door.
"Josiah, Aunt Nettie wanted to invite you to supper on Saturday. Vin's comin'."
"No."
"Josiah, the church is for everyone. It's not right that you're keeping it locked."
"Nobody comes to church," Josiah said, louder, a little angrier.
"That's not true. The Maxwells and the Albertsons were wondering when the church was gonna open up again. They think it's closed for repairs, or somethin'." Casey waited for Josiah to reply. When she realized he was not going to, she continued, "John and Imelda Martinez and the kids came in last week for a service. I know you heard that they showed up but you never answered the door." She heard the door being unlocked and then stepped back when the door opened to reveal a disheveled Josiah Sanchez towering over her.
"I need you to leave, Casey."
"Come on, Josiah. We haven't seen ya in a while. Nettie wants to make that beef and homemade noodles dish that you like so much."
"Not interested." He started to close the door, but Casey stepped up closer.
"Why not? We not good enough for you?" she asked loudly. "Seems to me like none of us means anything to you anymore." Casey Wells was known for not being shy about expressing her opinion. "If you ain't interested in any of us, I don't see why you stay. Maybe you should give up the church, let the town find another preacher who would want to preach and help guide us."
"Casey, I need you to leave. And keep your voice down."
"I'm not keepin' my voice down. Why won't you tell us what's wrong? What's botherin' you so much that you can't be friends with any of us anymore?"
"Casey, you don't know anything about me or what's goin' on … "
"I know that, Josiah! That's what I'm sayin'."
Josiah grabbed J.D. Dunne's girl on her upper arm, his big hand grasped too tightly.
"Josiah, that hurts!"
The big man did not hear her yell, he did not recognize how hard he was pressing into her arm. He forced her down the steps. She lost her footing, his stride much longer than hers. When she finally made it to the ground, Josiah let her go, but the momentum of his hold, and the abrupt release, had her unable to stop the force of the release as it drove her to her knees on the hard-packed dirt at the foot of the church.
"What the hell?" Casey and Josiah turned to see Hannibal Heyes and Kid Curry rushing toward them. Of course, these were two people not in the know of their real identities. Casey looked to them with relief. Josiah? His expression was more one of anger and frustration with having to deal with them as he had tried unsuccessfully to get rid of Casey and not have to deal with anyone at all.
There was definitely no look of regret on the former preacher's face. He turned to head back into the church, but Kid grabbed his arm to stop him. Josiah turned, his unencumbered hand now fisted, and threw a punch at the blond half of the two visitors to Four Corners. Kid was prepared to be hit, but Heyes stepped in and grabbed the fist. Josiah decided to fight the one in his immediate path. He heard his name called, he knew it as Nathan. But his anger at that moment couldn't be contained by an old friend's attempt to calm him down.
"Joshua!"
"Thaddeus! Stop him!"
"Joshua!"
A scuffle above Casey, still on the ground and in danger of being stepped on.
"Josiah! Hell! Chris!"
"Good Lord! Josiah!"
Grunts and punches landing, foul language. Dust. Casey heard and felt the horrible fracas above her. She crawled away in the dirt, the easiest exit from all the mayhem going on around her. She turned to see Heyes on the ground and Kid ready to break Josiah's arm as he had him pressed up against the church, his left hand holding the preacher's head up against the wall of the church, forcing his face into the wood, his other hand twisting Josiah's arm well high up his back. If he didn't get his arm broken by that position, he would, at minimum, suffer a dislocated shoulder if someone didn't get Kid Curry to release his hold soon.
"Casey, are you all right?" Dottie Pike asked. She'd been minding the coffee shop while Casey went to take care of her errand. The co-owner with her husband of the Grocery and General Store, the coffee shop next door and the landlord now for the clinic had rushed from the shop to help as the situation in front of the church deteriorated quickly.
"I'm okay."
"Thaddeus, let 'im go," Chris said.
"Come on, let's get you back to the shop and cleaned up," Dottie suggested.
"What about Josiah? Oh, and Joshua? What happened?" Casey asked.
"Don't worry about that right now. Nathan's with him."
"Damn it. We have to find out what is wrong with Josiah."
"I know, sweetie. Let's go."
"Let him go, Thaddeus," Chris said, a clear warning.
"As soon as you tell me you're gonna arrest him, Chris, then I'll let 'im go," they all heard Kid say.
Ezra got up close to Kid and said softly, "Your partner needs you. We will take care of Josiah."
"What's that mean, Ezra?"
"Ah do not know, but for the immediate future, he will not leave the church."
"Don't know if that's good enough."
"It will have to do for now. Your partner and Casey can press charges, that is your right. Now let him go and go see to Joshua," Ezra suggested.
Kid shook his head as though he would refuse the order, but then he turned his face back to Josiah. He shoved the preacher hard into the wood of the wall of the church, turned and went to see how his best friend was doing. He saw that Casey and Dottie were heading away. He trotted over to them.
"Casey, are you all right?"
"Thaddeus, thank you, and Joshua. She threw herself at her handsome hero, hugging him tight. He hugged her back, and then gently pushed her away to look her in the eyes.
"You're sure he didn't hurt you?"
"Well, my arm might never recover from bein' roughed up like that, but I'm okay."
"Check that out, would ya, Dottie. Come get Nathan if you need him."
"I think he's going to be busy for a while," Dottie said and she nodded to where Heyes remained prone on the ground.
"Yeah," Kid replied as he looked at his friend. Heyes just could not catch a break. He turned back to Casey. "I'll come see you once he's settled."
"I'm probably not heading home tonight. You should, I mean, I think I can get a room over the … "
"You can stay with Ben, Jeremiah and me."
"I'll come see you, Dottie. We'll figure it out." And then he was off to see about the man lying on the dusty ground. When he got there, he saw that Heyes' eyes were open.
"Hey there," he said.
"Hey yourself," Heyes said, barely audible.
"You all right?"
"Shhh."
"Sorry," Kid whispered. "You should've ducked."
"Mmm," Heyes replied as Nathan finished his examination.
"Did you see what happened?" Nathan asked.
"Didn't he tell you?"
"Well, he's not exactly sure what happened," Nathan replied.
"Josiah's faster than a man his size should be. I can see how he might have been blinded to what Josiah did."
"So, he did hit him?" Nathan asked as he felt all around Heyes' head again.
"I would say it was more like bringing his whole arm up in anger. I doubt he cared whether he was hitting someone, he just didn't want to be stopped whatever he was doin'. How is he?" Kid asked as he looked at his friend purposefully not moving his head.
"He got hit pretty hard. What you say seems to match up with what I'm finding. He didn't suffer any cuts, no injury to his face. I think Josiah's arm caught him on the side of the head. Joshua, you still dizzy?"
"Oh, yeah. Everyone's dancing. I'd close my eyes, but that's worse. Don't stay too close, think I might be sick. Feelin' … uh." Kid got on his knees and then folded his legs over to his left.
"Set his head on my legs. He'll feel better if his head is raised."
"No, no. Chances are way high that I'm gonna be sick," Heyes said.
"Well, until you are, there ain't no reason you shouldn't be comfortable 'til it happens."
"Fine. 'm gonna stop talking now." And he did. Noise from the church had Nathan and Kid looking that way.
"I told you all to leave me alone."
"And Josiah, I told you to figure this out. And you haven't, so now I'm gonna have to do that," Chris said. "You've caused one too many problems lately, and you've taken over the church and won't let people in and you can't do that. You've not taken your turn patrolling, and now this. So, until we figure this all out, I need you in the jail."
"Jail? You're not serious."
"I need you in the jail, Josiah. Once I talk to Smith and Casey, then we'll see about letting you out. But you have to open up the church. It's a sanctuary for the entire town, it's not your home."
"It ain't … well, it ain't ready for services," Josiah admitted.
"What's that mean?"
"See for yourself." Josiah placed his hands out in front of him.
"What're you doing?"
"Don't you want to secure my hands as you take me to jail?"
"Just get moving." Chris followed Josiah to the jailhouse. "Ezra, check on Joshua and Casey. Vin, take a look inside the church."
"Headin' in," the tracker answered.
"Ah will do that," Ezra said.
"You c'n join me."
Ben Pike walked up to Ezra as he stood outside the church. He hadn't moved to head to the clinic or to check on Casey. "You all right?"
"Not really."
"You look tired. Dottie told me to come check on you. Your arm still bothering you?"
Ezra smiled as he turned to look at the store owner. "Your wife is very observant, as are you. Jeremiah is learning every good thing from his parents." Ezra turned back and looked down the avenue toward where Chris and Josiah walked.
"Something wrong?" Ben asked. "Dottie wants you out of the sun."
"Ah am sure she does," the southerner said as he squinted despite the protection of his hat against the worst of the sun's harsh afternoon rays. "And yes, mah arm is still troublin' me. And yes, Ah believe Ah might know what Josiah's behavior has been about of late." Ezra turned back to Ben and said, "Allow us to listen to your wise wife and remove ourselves from this sun."
They started to head to the Pike's building when they heard, "Ezra. Need ya."
"Please tell Dottie thank you and Ah shall come to see Casey as soon as Ah can."
"Thanks for that, Ezra. You know damned well that's not the answer she wants."
"Are you afraid of your wife?"
"You know I am," was Ben Pike's unhappy retort as he headed to face his wife.
Ezra took the steps up to the church's main entrance.
"Might want to get yer fancy handkerchief ready."
"Good lord!" the gambler with the fancy haberdashery said as he rushed his handkerchief up to his face.
"Casey, dear, Ah am certain you feel you have told your story enough by now, howevah, did you say anything that Josiah might have deemed goin' too far?" They were in front of the café, Casey and Dottie seated at the two chairs for those looking to enjoy a leisurely cup of coffee or tea and a nice pastry.
"Of course I did. I told him that he was lettin' the town down and his friends down, and that he didn't own the church and if he didn't want to be our preacher anymore, he should maybe go and let someone else lead the church." Chris, Ezra, Ben and Dottie Pike, Mary and Vin all looked at Casey in shock. "It's true, ain't it?"
"It is," Chris said.
"And it's when you said that to him that he grew violent?" Mary asked.
"Oh, he was angry before that, but yeah, I think that set him off," the young woman answered. Casey was nothing if not blunt. She took after her aunt in that way, though Nettie tended to buffer the harsher information that she presented to people.
"Did he hurt you?" Mary asked.
"He was rough, but he didn't … "
"He did hurt her," Dottie said.
"Dottie … "
"Show them your arm."
"It's fine."
"Casey, it is not even close to being fine, what Josiah did to you. What if he became angry like that with one of the children?"
Casey lowered her head, and then, determinedly, raised it and said, "You're right. She loosened the shawl that Dottie gave her, and then pushed it off of the arm in question. Her entire upper arm, almost from the shoulder down to the elbow, had a huge bruise. Purple and angry-looking. It didn't take long for everyone in the room to identify the pattern, that of four fingers on the outside of her arm, and one large thumbprint inside. That part of the bruise seemed to continue well into her armpit.
"Casey!" Ezra said as he stepped to the young woman who would one day marry the sheriff, J.D. Dunne. It was well and good that J.D. was on a business trip to Santa Fe to meet with other sheriffs about jurisdiction changes coming their way. "Darlin', that must hurt. How can you say that you are fine?" Ezra looked to Dottie, for he knew she would honestly say how Casey was.
"It hurts her, quite a lot. Nathan is preparing a balm for her. He's working on the scent, if you know what I mean," she said with a wink to the poker player.
"Ah know what you mean." What Dottie Pike meant was that the regular balm smelled good enough for a horse or one of Robert Merton's cattle, but it would not be appropriated by a young lady to smell like that as she made her way down the boardwalk, even though of all of the young ladies Ezra knew, Casey Wells would be the first of them not to really care much about that. She was lucky that the man who loved her understood that aspect of the girl he first met as a tomboy, and had been mistaken for a boy on at least one noteworthy occasion. But she was learning to appreciate pretty clothes and nice things and the scent of a fine soap. To Casey, Ezra said, "You did not say anything that any one of us who live here and are in the know have not thought. You were simply brave enough to state the case." He looked at her when she didn't reply. "Ah am certain that you must be quite tired." It was now close to seven o'clock. "Is Nathan coming to see you ovah at Dottie and Ben's cottage?"
"Yeah."
"Then why don't you two ladies head on ovah there. Do you have plans for supper?"
"We're going to have a simple scrambled eggs and steak tonight. Casey loves both of those, so do my men," she said as she smiled at Be, "and I figured she earned a meal that she liked today."
Casey smiled, lowered her head shyly and said, "Thank you, Dottie."
"Very well. Goodnight, ladies." He kissed Casey, Dottie and Mary on the cheek, saw as Ben and Chris both shook their heads, and smiled to them both at the win. "Chris, Vin and Mary, could Ah have a moment of your time?" Ezra asked as he headed slowly to the church.
"Good night," Casey said, followed by Dottie saying the same. Everyone on the boardwalk offered their good night wishes as well.
"This behavior today elevates our concerns about our man of the cloth," Ezra said as his three friends joined him in front of the church.
"Did you tell 'em what we found in the church?" Vin asked.
"Ah apologize," Ezra said as he rubbed his forehead, his hat removed already, even though this was to be a short meeting. "Ah have not updated our troupe here on our findings at the church. Vin, would you describe what we found?" Vin frowned at the request. Ezra was rarely at a loss for words and always more than happy to take the lead on anything that allowed him to speak. On any topic, at any time. He did add, "Ah would suggest goin' in to look for yourselves, but as suppertime approaches, Ah do not recommend that action."
Vin started with the description. "The place is a wreck. It looks like he's been sick a couple o' times in that room he keeps in the back, so he's started sleepin' in the sanctuary. That ain't too clean, either."
"Oh, no!" Mary said, shocked by what she was hearing. "There's a wedding coming up in two weeks. And another at the beginning of the summer. What was he thinking?"
"Mary, he is not thinking clearly, and Ah have a suspicion as to why."
"You do?"
"Indeed. We need to find time to finish our discussions, Chris."
"That's true. Of course, if you would stop getting hurt and try to stay out of Nathan's clutches, we might be able to accomplish that."
"That's a good suggestion, Chris. Ah shall keep that in mind."
"The two o' you kin be mighty annoyin'. So, what do ya think is goin' on, Ezra."
"Ah believe that it is possible, indeed very likely, that Josiah's sister has passed away."
"Oh, that would be awful," Mary said.
"Our understanding of her early life and her struggles with her mental health evah since, Ah would suggest that there is a relativity to how awful that might be." Mary scowled at her friend. "Ah understand that, dependin' on one's beliefs, such a perspective might sound unkind. Mah beliefs dictate that if you are not living a happy life, or a life that provides you with othah positive or good or fruitful moments, which Josiah was clear was all in short supply for his sister, then it might be more of a blessing to be finished with the struggle." He looked at Mary directly as he spoke. She clearly seemed to understand with the faint nodding of her head. "We will need you to help us investigate this possibility, Mary," Ezra said. The gambler moved his sore shoulder and his clearly stiff neck as, when he tried to move it, it cracked.
"Ouch," Chris and Vin said. They smiled at each other.
"Funny," Ezra said, obviously not finding it funny. "Vin … "
"Yeah, I'll head to Vista City and check with the sisters at the convent."
"Josiah said that his sister had been there for many years. That is going to be a faster confirmation than anything I can get started with," the newspaperwoman said.
"If they'll talk to me," Vin countered.
"Can't see why they wouldn't now. They aren't trying to hide that she's there anymore," Chris said.
"Ah agree, but one nevah knows."
"What about Mr. Smith?" Mary asked.
"What about Mr. Smith?" Chris asked, mocking her use of his last name when he knew she was on a first name basis with the outlaw. "I think the man walks around with a damn bullseye on his forehead."
"Don't be too rough on him. He was in town for a treatment, remembah that his friend Joe Martin sent that telegram with what he worked on with the medicine man outside Denver. Nathan decided not to wait for the doctors to arrive to get started. He had all of the ingredients available to him," Ezra reminded everyone. "He was only going to be here long enough for the treatment, then enjoy lunch made by the lovely Inez Rocios," he added as all three of his companions smiled as Ezra called her that, "and then head back to the cottage." Ezra sighed, and rubbed his forehead again. "They only just finished the treatment when Josiah acted so atrociously."
"You look pretty tired, Ezra."
"That is what Ah am. You are not the first person to note that this day, which is not a good thing."
"Are you planning to be at your table tonight?" Chris asked.
"Ah am plannin' to visit with Joshua and Nathan, then head to mah room, where mah beloved will bring me a small supper and then Ah hope and pray to be awake still at the end of eating that supper." Ezra turned to Mary and said, "Apologies, dear lady."
Mary stood, walked up to Ezra's right side and hugged him lightly. The light hug still hurt the hurting man's left side. "No need to apologize. I don't think there's any worry about what is going to happen with you and Inez tonight. Everyone in town could see that you are still sore. I think the best you can expect tonight is a cuddle. On the other hand," she continued as she walked Ezra toward the clinic, and thus, toward town and Mary's place, "Chris and I have very different plans," she added as she smiled, not at all demurely, at her man.
"Well, Vin, it seems that you and Ah shall be suffering similarly while these two achieve a certain degree of, how shall Ah say … satisfaction."
"Similarly? How d'ya figure?" he said as Mary and Chris walked north up the avenue. Chris looked down to his fiancée with a huge smile, evident to both men. Mary's smile was as far from demure now as it could be. Chris leaned down and wiped that smile right off of his beautiful woman's face.
"I need a drink," Vin said.
Ezra didn't disagree.
"Nnnn," was heard from the man on the bed in the new clinic. Nettie set her knitting aside and reached her hand over to comb the too long hair back from the injured man's face. She rested her hand lightly at the area of impact from the end result of the previous day's disastrous attempt to get Josiah to accept a simple invitation to a meal out at the old woman's ranch. The warmth of the touch appeared to settle the man, which resulted in a seemingly satisfied sigh. Nettie smiled, removed her hand and continued with the scarf she was creating. She shook her head while her thoughts turned to Josiah as he sat over in a jail cell in the middle of town. She hoped Vin found something to tell them when he returned the next day from Vista City. Buck had taken the wagon Casey rode to town out to Nettie's in the morning to let her know what happened the previous day that kept Casey from coming home, and brought her into town so that the rancher and her niece could finish up their monthly shopping.
Dottie entered the clinic. "Hi," she whispered as she walked up to the senior rancher, a tray in hand. "I've got some tea for you, an extra cup for Joshua, and a scone and a tasty little morsel that Casey came up with for you. They're selling like hotcakes. It's a mini cinnamon swirl. You raised that girl right. The little basket has three of them for Joshua." She set the tray on the table beside Nettie. "Enjoy," she whispered as she rubbed Nettie's shoulder fondly and then left the room as quietly as she entered.
The rancher continued her knitting, enjoying her scone and her tea and happy that Heyes seemed settled and comfortable and not in pain. She hoped there would be no long-term negative effects from the abuse he suffered at the hands of the preacher in regard to the medication and procedure Nathan and he had worked through to help get him healthy. She had grown quite fond of these two boys sent here by Judge Oren Travis. Nettie looked over to Heyes and, though she was happy to see him resting easily, she still worried that he had gained hardly any weight since he'd arrived in Four Corners. She knew that he was enjoying the treats baked by her and her sisters-in-baking, and she had heard that he was especially fond of Inez' cooking of dishes from her home country. But illness and injury and a body that digested too fast and didn't keep an ounce of fat on the young man allowed him nothing to fall back on as he fought whatever it was that was keeping him so ill. Nettie sensed that she could get this man back to good health, but how could she without forcing him to stay with her at her ranch? She was pretty close to forcing the issue with Nathan. Watching the man in the bed was making her sick at heart at the thought that they would not nip this in the bud before it was too late.
"Penny for your thoughts," Heyes said.
"You are supposed to be sleeping young man."
Heyes pushed himself up and lay somewhat more propped up than he was. "Maybe not so young, and I feel like I've been sleeping for days."
"Not even two, but Nathan said that your body was paying you back for getting clobbered by Josiah."
The door to the clinic opened as the reforming outlaw answered, "Yeah, it was my body's fault that Josiah is a behemoth."
"Hey, that's what Ezra calls me," Buck Wilmington said as he charged into the space ahead of his cohort, J.D. Dunne.
"That's because you are," the town's sheriff said.
"You're back," Nettie said. "Good to see you, son," she said to J.D. She eyed up both men and asked, "You do know this is a sick room?"
"He don't look so bad," Buck said as he moved his head about to get a good look at Hannibal Heyes. "We heard Josiah let you have it. What'd you do to make him mad?"
"Come on, Buck. He saved Casey from gettin' hurt. I appreciate what you did, Mr., um … "
"Call me Joshua."
"I cannot believe that this man has been in our town for near eight months and you aren't calling him by his given name."
"I am," Buck insisted.
"Well … " Heyes tried to respond, but Buck beat him to it.
"If we talked, I would call you by your first name," the ladies' man insisted.
"Oh." Heyes sunk back into his pillows. The short time sitting up, and trying to keep up with Buck and J.D. was giving him a headache.
"Oh, for heaven's sake. Why are you two here?"
"We thought we would escort you and Casey back to the ranch."
"You did, did ya? Did you talk to Casey about this?" Nettie leaned over and whispered to Heyes, "Just rest, I'll get rid of them." Heyes chuckled lightly, but kept his eyes closed.
"No, Nettie. We came to you first," J.D. said, a little defensive.
"We're stayin' in town one more night. Nathan wants to make sure that bruise Josiah left on her arm is healing and doesn't have anything festerin' inside."
"I can't believe Josiah couldn't control himself better," Buck said, shaking his head sadly.
"Hopefully we can get to the bottom of all of that when Vin gets back."
"Hope so. Joshua," J.D. started, but he was cut off by a quiet snore from the bed. Nettie stood and shooed the two who would be brothers to the door.
"Why don't you boys have supper with me and Casey at Mr. Heidegger's restaurant?" She spoke softly just in case Heyes really had fallen asleep, though she suspected he was putting on a performance for an audience of two dark-haired men.
"That would be great. It was nice of the Heideggers to give you that room for free."
"Rolf and Lisette are good people. Come meet us in the lobby at seven."
"We'll be there, ma'am."
Buck and J.D. left. Nettie sat back down in her seat and said, "You can stop pretending, they're gone."
Heyes opened one eye, but quickly realized that doing so was aggravating his headache. He tried to push himself up to lean against the headboard, but that, too, hurt his head more than he expected.
"Let me help."
"No, Nettie. You're … "
"Do not say I'm too old or frail or female. I'll have to hurt you. I won't aim for the area Josiah already got ya."
"Thanks." Nettie helped him into a sitting position. "Thanks."
"Good vocabulary you got there, son."
"Even an invalid can't catch a break from you, Nettie," Heyes said as he took a drink from the glass of water the old woman handed to him.
"You're not an invalid, and most times you give as good as you get, so don't be looking for sympathy from me. Now, Dottie dropped off some goodies to tide us over 'til supper. A cup of tea with some sugar, and milk from one of my cows." She poured the tea and started fixing it up.
"Who does the milking?"
"Whoever's around. Casey and me, mostly. Vin's done it. J.D.'s pretty bad at it." Heyes smiled. "You ever milked a cow?"
"When we were kids, Thaddeus and I did, all the time. One of many chores we did. We did 'em grudgingly back then." Nettie handed him his tea. "Thank you. When we were in the orphanage, and then on our own, we would have done anything to have the chance to be back on the farm, doing all those chores."
"When you're feelin' better, you should come and spend the day. I'll let you do some chores. Just the easy ones, like settin' a stool and milkin' a cow."
Heyes took a sip of his tea. "That's delicious."
"It's good tea."
"Some of Ezra's?"
"Dottie buys it now for the café. Here, Casey made these."
The handsome, healing man put the basket up to his nose and took a good sniff. "Smells great."
"I had a scone earlier and saved this little treat for when you woke up." Nettie took a drink from her own refreshed cup of tea. Heyes held on to the cup as he looked down at the basket of mini pastries. "Something wrong."
"Hm? Oh, no. Just remembering. My mother would have tea with her female friends and family who visited. We didn't have any family except Thaddeus' family. She always made sure we sat with them for a while, and we always did because the tea was good and the treats were better. It's funny how … well, never mind."
"No, go on. What were you going to say?"
"Just that I think my mother and Thaddeus' mother would be disappointed in how things turned out for us. We didn't finish school, never really learned a trade. We go from town to town, getting what jobs we can find."
"I think your mothers would be very proud of how you turned out. Kind and polite, gentle men. Helpful. And you have learned skills that have kept you alive and fed and fit, relatively speaking for you on both of those. You are apparently good at catching mountain lions. I understand you are very good at playing poker, almost as good as Fancy Pants."
"Almost! I think I might be a little offended."
"Don't be. It was a compliment."
"If you say so. Why do you call Ezra Fancy Pants?"
"Have you seen how he dresses?"
"Sure. I can't say that it's necessarily my style, but it suits him. There must be something else."
"Did he ever tell you about the story of the day we met?"
"No, for some reason we haven't gotten to that. I mean, he mentioned it in passing; he harbors a lot of regret and embarrassment about that day, I know that. He said very little about it other than that he said some things that were unforgivable."
"Not unforgivable. I forgave him that day. I told Vin that it was pretty obvious that he was dealing with his own personal troubles, as much as he likes to cover it up with his fancy talk and fancy airs."
"And fancy clothes. Think it's pretty clear how much you forgave him whatever it was he said by the way you treat him. He still has his own troubles or he wouldn't say that what he said to you was unforgivable. Have you told him that you've forgiven him?"
"It's not our way."
"I think you might want to think about doing it. He's a good man and even though he must know how you feel about him, there's nothing like being told."
"Does Thaddeus tell you how he feels about you?"
"We tell each other, but it is the least of the ways we show each other how we feel about each other."
"Do you call it love?"
"We don't call it love, but we show it. So long as we know how it is, we don't need to say it."
Nettie looked at Heyes, her eyebrow raised. "Is that how it is?" She offered a sly grin.
"Now, Nettie, you know that's not what I meant, and that's not how it is. He is the dearest person in my life, hands down. Has been, except for my mother, since as early as I can remember. We don't have to tell each other that we love each other. Every other thing we do in our lives is about making sure that we each make it to the next day, that we each have what we need to be happy."
"You aren't afraid of showing that. It's nice. More men need to be less afraid."
"I'm sure that's true. It does seem that The Seven are pretty good about that. It's obvious that what's been going on with Josiah is tearing them up."
"Eat your treats. All I know is that I am having a hard time understanding how he could have been so awful with Casey and then to not have the control to avoid hitting someone who we have all been working hard to help feel better until you actually are better. He has been difficult since Christmas. I don't know how long this can go on."
Heyes nodded as he chewed his first treat. "These are really good, Nettie. Tell Casey … "
"Finish them up. You should probably use the chamber pot."
"Why?" Heyes' eyes grew huge. "You put something in my tea?"
"I did."
"You're as devious as Nathan."
"It's a nice day, Joshua," Kid said through the window. "Did you forget the window was open? I could have been Nathan." Before Kid could close the door, Nathan stopped the door from closing.
"Why would it matter?" the healer asked.
"I guess that's your clue to leave the room for a while so that I can use the chamber pot."
"You got it down him?" the healer asked the rancher.
"Of course she got it down me. Did you both go to The School of Deceitful Ways together?"
"You're cranky because you're tired and headachy, as much as you've tried to hide it. Don't be mean." Nettie stood, leaving her knitting paraphernalia. "I'll be back in fifteen minutes."
"Take your time," Heyes called.
"Joshua!" Kid and Nathan chastised.
Heyes tossed his legs over the side of the bed. He sat there as his head throbbed. He looked up to see all three of the others in the room staring at him. He looked from Nathan to Kid and then ended with Nettie. They stared at Heyes as he stared back. And the staring continued until, finally, Heyes waved his arm, showing Nettie the door. The wise woman kept her mouth shut, rolled her eyes, and left the clinic.
"What's wrong with you? I thought you and Nettie had a thing," Kid said.
"That is not the best way of phrasing it. But we do. I'm an idiot. She's right, I am cranky, I am tired and my head hurts, and I was mean to someone I think I've fallen in love with." Nathan and Kid both had their eyebrows raised. "What is wrong with you two? Not like that. You know how I mean," he said to Kid.
"The way you've just been, I'm not sure."
"Really?" Heyes demanded tiredly, irritably..
"No. I know what you mean. Our love is a special love." Kid stared at Heyes. They stared one another down. Then Heyes turned to Nathan, to find him chuckling silently. Then Kid burst out laughing.
"Where's my gun?"
"Ah, hell," Ezra said as he sat with Mary Travis, Chris Larabee and Vin Tanner in Mary's office at The Clarion newspaper. This time, Buck and Nathan joined them while J.D. spent time at the jail with Josiah.
"There ain't much satisfaction in bein' right this time, is there, Ezra?"
"No, there is not, Vin," Ezra said as he sat in one of the two comfortable chairs beside the stove. He rubbed his forehead gently as he rested his elbow on the nicely-cushioned arm of the chair. Mary sat in the other chair. Chris and Vin leaned back against the substantial table that housed the newspaper publisher's printing press. Buck and Nathan each sat on a stool. The owner of the newspaper looked to Chris with a furrowed brow, worried that Ezra might be developing one of his migraines. Chris shook his head, indicating that now was not the time to bring that up. Chris hoped it wasn't true; the southerner hadn't had one all that long ago.
"When did she die?" Nathan asked.
"Beginning of November," Vin answered.
"Beginning of November?" Nathan asked. "That's when he spent near a month out at the reservation, except for when he came back in Sunday for services."
"And he only came in for the service," Buck said. "Had to've left at the break of dawn to get here, and then he hardly ever stayed long enough even to have a bite to eat. Headed straight back out."
"They were havin' some trouble with some of the younger members of the tribe, 'siah thought he could help," Vin reminded everyone.
"Male members," Mary said.
"Yeah, but he wasn't able to help. Came back frustrated and angry," the black man and Josiah's best friend said.
"He hid his anger pretty good for a while," Chris said.
"But that's when he started closing people off," Mary noted.
"He nevah let on before the end of the yeah that he knew that his sister had passed," Ezra offered. "Ah wonder if his disappointment in his inability to help with those two boys started him into a depression such that he forgot to check in on his sister. Ah know he would have wanted to visit her more often. He spoke of going near the time of the harvest festival."
"The abbreviated harvest festival," Mary replied.
"Believe me, Ah recall that it was abbreviated. But Ah was incapacitated for much of that time. Ah admit to feeling some guilt about this."
"Why? It's not your fault his sister died or that he didn't see her more often," Chris assured his friend.
"No," Ezra answered, rubbing his head once more. "Ah had regularly reminded our man of the cloth when he had not visited Hannah in a while. Ah had injury and illness and then commitments to Joshua and Jeremy for these last months."
"You ain't 'is father, Ez. Yer not the reason he might not o' known about his sister, and yer shur not the reason he's actin' awful."
"Vin, Ah did take it upon mahself to remind him. He could well have come to expect the reminders. When they stopped, suddenly, he could, with how he was feeling after those two children lost their lives … "
"Maybe we should call that what it was. They didn't listen to their elders and went off in an unexpected late season rain and ended up slipping and dying in a fall into a slot canyon," Buck said. The town had been through a similar loss of two young lives when two kids stole their father's gun, accidentally shot two human citizens, and one canine one, of their town and ran away rather than fess up to what they'd done, losing their lives as they got caught in a sudden snowstorm.
"In any event, Buck … " Ezra continued, but Chris interrupted.
"You're not responsible for Josiah not remembering about his sister, Ezra. And you sure ain't responsible for how he's been acting or for how he injured Casey and Joshua."
Ezra cocked his head, his neck cracking. Nathan walked over and felt around the gambler's head, neck and shoulder. The professional poker player twitched as the healer palpated around his bad left shoulder.
"This still bothering you?"
"It is."
"And you have a headache?"
"Ah believe it might have been brought on by tryin' to hold mah shoulder in the most comfortable position. Ah might have hurt somethin' else tryin' not to hurt mah shoulder any further."
"Think you might be gettin' old, Ezra," Buck said.
"Ah believe you might be right, Buck. That must be a novel feeling for you."
"Very funny."
"All right. I have to get supper started soon for my two men."
"Billy's back?" Chris asked.
Mary sighed.
Chris looked to all of the others in the room. "Billy's back!" he said with feigned excitement.
"Do we have any ideas of how we should deal with Josiah now that we have this information about his sister?" Mary asked.
"We will have to tell him that we know," Ezra said softly, just barely loud enough for all to hear. He looked up and realized as everyone was looking at him worriedly that they might not have heard him. "Apologies. We would need to let Josiah know that we know. Unfortunately, despite his aberrant behavior, we do not have the knowledge that he is actually aware of Hannah's death. We are assumin' that he is acting this way because of that heartache, possibly in combination with what happened at the reservation. This will need to be handled delicately."
"So, you mean by someone other than you, hoss?" Buck said as he smiled at Ezra.
"Indeed, Buck, it might be that you are the perfect candidate to address this concern with Josiah," Ezra replied, going along with Buck's joke. Everyone in the room knew that Buck was the last person for this assignment. As kind as Buck was, and as much as he cared for Josiah, and as much as he would want to do it, he knew that this touchy subject required a skillful hand. Buck looking at Ezra at the moment, he would say that the two of them were not in contention for this job, not today. But today was the day to do it, they all wanted Josiah out of jail as soon as they could make that happen.
"Well, I don't think I'm the man for this job. And you look like the only thing you should be doin' anytime soon is to find yourself in that nice feather bed of yours. Am I wrong, Nathan?"
"Probably not," Nathan agreed. "I think you should take Buck's advice. I want to get you something for pain, because you are obviously in pain, and I think we should …. " Nathan stopped speaking as he saw that Ezra had closed his eyes and was swaying just a little, even in the comfortable, cushioned chair. "Tell you what. Let's get you over to the clinic. You can get a good night's sleep with a bed that we can get set up so you don't sleep on your bad arm."
Ezra opened his eyes. "That sounds like wise counsel."
"It may sound wise, but we need Ezra over at the jail," Chris told them all.
"No we don't," Mary, Buck, Nathan and Vin said.
"Chris, Ah would not have the ability to do what needs to be done … "
"Ezra, you'd be better at it than any of us."
"Not today."
"Chris, you, Vin and I can go talk to Josiah," Mary said. "Nettie's still here."
"Nettie is here?" Ezra asked.
"She's spent most of the day with Joshua at the clinic. I've been busy with some sick kids outside of town and Mrs. Morton's gout." Ezra nodded his head. Nathan looked to Mary, Chris and Vin. "Would Gloria be a good substitute for Nettie?"
"Yes," Mary said. Chris and Vin remained silent. Mary glared at them and then said to Nathan, "Of course Gloria would be a good substitute." She looked to the former slave. "Do you need help getting Ezra over to the clinic?"
"I'm goin' to the clinic?"
Chris shook his head. "Ezra's right. Again. He wouldn't be much help right now." Ezra looked to Chris with a frown. The tall blond walked over to the former con man, set his hand gently on Ezra's right shoulder and said, "Go with Nathan. It's quieter there, you'll sleep better there, Nettie'll be there. We'll take care of talking to Josiah."
"Gentle handling, Chris. Like a wild stallion."
"All right. Feel better."
"Ah hope so."
"It's decent of you to forgive me for what I done ta Casey."
"Josiah, I didn't say I forgave you. I said we could talk about it, about what you did," J.D. said, making it clear to the preacher his mistaken assumption. "I'd like to know what we can do to have you not take out your frustration or anger or whatever it is that's bothering you, to, you know, not take it out on others. You're a big man. You can hurt. You could've hurt Casey so bad, and you could've hurt Smith, and we're all tryin' to get him better."
"So you can see them two get out of town."
"No. I mean, no." J.D. had let his suspicions of Joshua Smith being Hannibal Heyes go too far. He didn't need Josiah worrying on that when he was abusing people, especially someone he loved, and someone who was only there to get help. "He ain't close to feeling good enough. He has a right to feel better."
"I don't disagree, J.D."
"I'd rather talk about you. What's got into you? You've not been right since Christmas."
"I do apologize for hurting Casey. It wasn't right."
"But Josiah, you're not telling me why."
"I … I had …." Josiah started to say something, but J.D. wasn't going to hear any more as the door opened and Chris and Vin walked in. J.D. looked to his boss. Josiah sat on the cot in his cell, his hands clasped on his lap, his head looking at his hands.
"Everything all right?" Chris asked.
"Josiah?" J.D. asked. The big man didn't reply. The sheriff looked to Chris ad answered disgustedly, "No different from the last time you were here, I guess."
"Go ahead and spend some time with Casey," the leader of The Seven told their youngest member.
"I am. I'm taking her back to the ranch while Nettie spends another night here in town. We'll take care of all the animals today and then water the crops that needs watering tomorrow." He decided to not ask Vin how things went in Vista City. He'd done his time with Josiah this day. He was happy to wait to hear how this was resolved. If it was resolved.
"Uh-oh," Heyes said as he set the spoon back in the bowl of stew Nettie brought him. It wasn't made with Inez' regular seasonings from Mexico, but it was a hearty stew with beef and whatever vegetables were still good from the saloon's stores or that could be sent up from Mexico. It was delicious, and Heyes didn't stop eating it because he planned to not finish it. There was another reason for the pause in his enjoyment of his early supper.
"Oh, my stars and garters, son," Nettie said as she stood from her seat and walked over to the other bed. She turned down the comforter, blanket and sheet and then walked over to the cabinets that had been built under the staircase to store extra towels and cloths and other supplies needed for the business of caring for the sick and injured and pregnant and any other reasons that a healer might be required. This time it was to fetch the extra nightshirt that was always kept handy in case Ezra P. Standish came to visit for a while. "What happened?"
"Nettie, what does 'stars and garters' mean?" Ezra asked as he allowed Nathan to lead him to the bed. He sat down with a grunt followed by a sigh. "Does it not have to do with the military in England?"
"It's just an exclamation. I think you're right about where it started. Wouldn't be very lady like to use some of the language the fellas use."
"No." Ezra had his eyes closed again.
"Is he spending the night, Nathan?" the rancher asked.
"He is. Ezra, can you eat a little something?" the healer asked.
Ezra turned his neck and it cracked, the sound causing everyone to wince, including the person who suffered it.
"Maybe, if there are any left, a scone and a slice of pie. A cup of tea to hide the pain powder." Ezra opened his eyes. "You are using the pain powder, not your sticks and roots and bones?" Joshua laughed.
"Eat your supper," Nettie ordered with a sly grin. Heyes continued eating the delicious stew. Nettie turned to see Nathan feeling around Ezra's neck.
"That's twice today, Ez. How many times a day is this happening?"
"It is nearly chronic at this point as Ah am doin' everything Ah in mah power to avoid causin' mahself pain from mah shoulder." Ezra breathed easy as Nathan offered a gentle massage, his knowledgeable, talented fingers knowing exactly where to press and where to simply offer a warm palm. "That feels good."
"Yeah, you've really done yourself no favors by keeping with all the things you do." Nathan stopped the massage and prepared the ingredients to add to the tea. "You might want to wear that sling for the next week to help take the pressure off your left arm." Nathan turned to the old rancher. "Nettie, would you step next door and see if Dottie or Casey could get Ezra his tea and scone and a slice of pie?"
"Fruit," Ezra said as he started to remove all of his weaponry. He wanted to use the outhouse, or more likely the chamber pot, and be changed into his nightshirt and in bed before Nettie returned.
"I wouldn't mind a piece of pie," Heyes said.
"Finish your stew, young man," Nettie warned. "I'll be back soon with a pot of tea, a scone and some pie. Nathan?"
"If you don't mind, I'm gonna go get a meal at the saloon."
"You may say it, Nathan," Ezra said. "You will be enjoying a libation or two with our law enforcement brethren."
"I will."
Ezra just barely nodded his head. "Good."
"Josiah," Chris said. No answer from the senior member of The Magnificent Seven had Chris try again. "Got some news." Josiah looked up but his expression said he had no interest in much of anything. Chris went to the door. "Come on in." Mary Travis and Gloria Potter joined Chris and Vin in the jail.
"Josiah, how are you?" Mary asked. The preacher did not answer.
"Josiah, Mary asked after ya," Vin said. Josiah looked up. He looked apologetically to Mary and saw that Gloria was there, but he didn't say anything when he turned to glare at Vin then Chris, and then lowered his head once more.
The four visitors shared worried glances, then Gloria said, "Is there something that happened that had caused you upset, that has caused this … I'm not sure what to call it, I guess change in your reactions with us?" He didn't reply, and she didn't pause long for one when she said. "Josiah, we all care for you. If something has happened, you can tell us. Any one of us, and so many people in our town, they care for you. Many look up to you as their spiritual guide." None of those present were among that group. Mary and Gloria held their spirituality close, not requiring the assistance of organized religion to gain comfort from their religion. Chris had lived enough of a hard life that he found little benefit from religion of any kind. Vin Tanner? His time with the tribes and quality time spent with Josiah and others in his life convinced him of the benefits to people in believing what was best for them. He leaned more toward the beliefs of the tribes. He knew, however, that they needed to get through to Josiah now or they would not see him again once he was released from jail. The church was still an important sanctuary to many in Four Corners, a place where people gathered for worship, though not in the last couple of months, or just went to for quiet contemplation. And yes, even to ask for guidance from their preacher but that, again, was a wasted effort of late, and the citizens of their town had stopped calling on the wise and compassionate man and found other ways to express themselves religiously. Spiritually.
Vin continued. This would be the hard part, they all knew.
"Went ta talk to the sisters in Vista City."
"What?!" Josiah yelled as he stood and charged for the bars that held him secure. He grabbed the bars and spewed angrily, "You had no right!"
Chris walked to stand in front of his friend. "Calm down, Josiah."
"You. Had. No. Right."
"Josiah, your sister is dead," Chris said firmly, quietly.
"I know."
Vin walked up to the cell. "We're your friends, 'siah. We will always be here for you, fer whatever you need. You should o' come to us."
"I didn't … I don't want … need … "
Gloria stepped up to the cell, but Chris wouldn't allow her too close. "Josiah, nobody should have to suffer through the loss of a loved one alone. I don't know how I would have survived without all of you, Mary, so many of the good people of this town helping me when my husband was murdered. I had two children to worry about who no longer had their father. I had to worry for them. But you and Mary, Nettie," she said, and then she looked to Chris and Vin, "all of you, you worried for me so that I had the time to worry for my son and daughter. I could never think how difficult it would have been without that support. You chose to suffer the loss of your sister alone, but my god, you did not have to. We care for you so much, Josiah. Would you allow us to help you?"
"No," Josiah cried. "I can't … "
"Josiah," Mary said as she stepped in between Chris and Gloria. Chris grabbed her arm and kept her back from the cell, as he did with Gloria. Josiah was angry, unstable. He couldn't risk the preacher reaching out and hurting these women. "I know you have been hurting these last months, but I don't think you've given yourself a chance to really grieve for your sister. Maybe if you did that, you could release this anger. It has been such a hard time for all of us watching you and not being allowed to help. We want to help you. We want to have you feel like yourself again."
"We're here for ya, 'siah. All ya gotta say is that you'll let us help. Me, Chris, Mary and Gloria, Nate, Ezra, Inez, Buck and J.D., Nettie, Casey," Vin said, knowing that the last name should get a reaction from Josiah if he was really listening now.
"Good god, Casey. Is she all right?"
"She's fine," Mary said. "She's very practical."
"She takes after her aunt," Gloria said.
Mary smiled. "She knows you didn't intend to hurt her."
"I was … I am sorry," Josiah said. "But I don't know … "
"You can talk about Hannah as you feel ready," Mary said.
"Or you never have to talk about her," Gloria said. "I know it remains painful for me to speak of my husband, still. But it did help me move to the point where I felt healed from the loss."
"Why don't we let you out of this cell. Chris?" Mary asked.
Chris looked to the big man in the cell. "Josiah? How about you, Vin and me go get some supper over at the saloon?"
"I'd like that."
Chris unlocked the cell and Josiah stepped out. Chris slapped him on the back, Vin gave him a hug. Gloria and Mary each stepped up to take a turn hugging him, but Josiah stepped back.
"Ladies, I think you might want to wait until I've had some time at the bath house," he said.
"Don't be silly," Gloria said as she stepped up and hugged him.
Mary took her turn, too. She hugged him, stepped back and looked up at the big man. She leaned in close. She whispered, "You were right. I'll stop by Gloria's and get you a nice bar of soap."
Kid Curry walked out of the cottage to greet the visitors. Chris Larabee rode Pony, Nathan drove the pony runabout.
"Good morning," Kid said. "Nice day for a ride."
"It is a beautiful day," Chris said as he dismounted and tied his horse to the hitching post. He headed to the back of Nathan's carriage and picked up two sacks.
"Let me help," the reforming outlaw said.
"Thanks."
Nathan joined them to carry supplies into the house. "How's Joshua."
"Okay. Not feeling great, but you and the doctors warned him that every day wouldn't be great."
"But I'm not running to the outhouse every hour like three days ago, so today is a greater day than that one."
"You should be resting," Nathan chastised as he walked by the man who, with his partner, had made quite an impression on the citizens of Four Corners. Hannibal Heyes and Kid Curry finally were in touch with their friend and supporter in their efforts for amnesty, Sheriff Lom Trevors in Porterville, Wyoming. They chose to lay low in the hopes that not being seen or heard might give the governor a push in finalizing the amnesty. It had been going on two years now. They sent a letter weeks ago. They received a response from Lom by telegraph that he would by coming for a visit soon. They advised Chris of the communication and asked him to let Lom know that it wasn't necessary for him to come all the way from Wyoming.
"I have news," Chris said to Kid.
Kid called ahead to Heyes and Nathan. "Why don't you go ahead and get started with the examination. Chris and I will put these things away."
"You're sure?" Nathan asked as Heyes frowned toward his partner. They looked each other in the eyes, the blond partner assuring the dark-haired one that everything was fine, that he would explain further when he could.
"Yeah," Chris said. "Might as well get it over with."
Heyes looked at Nathan. "Not the nicest way of putting it."
"No. Let's go 'get it over with'," the healer said as he grabbed his medical bag and another satchel, both men heading to the bedroom.
"Let's get these items in this crate down in the cold box in the cellar," Chris said as both men removed the table, then the rug, and the former gunslinger opened the trap door and headed into the large room under the cottage. Kid handed down everything that they would need to remain as fresh as possible that would not be harmed by the very cold temperatures in the basement. Some of the canned goods were also passed down. Once the rug and the table were back in place, Kid asked his question.
"You heard back from Lom?"
"Yeah. He's worried about both of you. He's coming."
"Damn. Sorry."
"Why are you worried? You have a friend, Joe Martin, whose been here. It isn't unusual that you might have other friends."
"I think you underestimate your sheriff. J.D. may have dropped anything to do with his firm belief that Joshua and I are not who we say we are, but that doesn't mean that when he finds out a sheriff from Wyoming is in town that his suspicions won't be aroused anew."
Chris chuckled. "Your vocabulary is pretty good for someone with as little schooling as you've had."
"You can blame that on my partner, and a little bit on Ezra. Now that Jeremy's running his place again, Joshua really is spending time resting, and taking that awful concoction Joe and the tribes up north put together. He's either resting because he wants to or he's resting because he's not feeling so good. He and Ezra like to read some of these books out loud. It's great for me, very entertaining. And when I hear something I don't understand, I stop them. And then when I hear something that I appreciate knowing, I try to use it in real life. Of course, I don't get to hear it all with you sending Vin or Buck or J.D. out to work on something. I like hard work and the outdoors a little more than my partner and Ezra do."
"I guess I'll keep sending people out. I think I'm next."
"Today?"
"No. I'm Nathan's assistant today as he visits some of the families even farther out than this place."
Kid nodded, then said, "So, what about Lom?"
"I'll cover with those that need to know in town that Lom had corresponded with Judge Travis and they realized that they both knew you two. You just agree that your friend found out about Joshua being sick and that he's mad you two didn't tell him."
"That won't be a lie, I'm sure he's pretty annoyed with us."
"He sounds like a good man. He'll get over his anger once he sees you two."
"I hope you're right."
"Coffee?"
"I made a pot just before you got here. We slept in."
"Good."
"Better for him than for me. My back doesn't like it."
"But you slept sound?"
"I did." They shared a look. "So what you're sayin' is that I needed the sleep."
"Figure I'm not wrong."
"Probably. I see a sack over there," Kid nodded over to a familiar looking bundle.
"Dottie and Casey sent stuff. Mary made some of that chile corn bread."
"I don't know how this town isn't full of people over the weight they should be."
"We're not lazing around like you two," Chris joked.
"Ha, ha. So, why didn't Doc Wharton come out with Nathan?"
"They talked with Dr. Foster and it was decided that Nathan could handle what Joshua needed. "Remember that Dr. Foster couldn't come because of an emergency with a critical patient?"
"Yeah."
"He asked Doc Wharton to catch a train and join him as soon as possible. This patient is somewhere that has no other medical-type person, no healer, no medicine man. He needed help just to get some decent sleep."
"He must think he can help or he wouldn't enlist another doctor to travel to such a place," Kid said.
"Enlist?" Chris asked with a smile.
"Shut up. Let's get some coffee."
The two men settled at the dining room table playing two-handed poker, enjoying their coffee. They'd come a long way from that day Chris Larabee attacked Kid's partner and hurt him badly. Chris was lucky someone was there to restrain him because the former gunslinger, by rights according to one Kid Curry, should have died that day.
"How's Josiah?"
"Better. A lot better. He's spoken with me and Vin about why he'd been acting the way he had. He's had a couple of long talks with Ezra, and one with Ezra and Mary when she had them both over for lunch yesterday. It was nice enough to eat out in her garden."
"Yesterday was a pretty day. We sat out back here for a while, too. The birdsong here is great." Kid tapped on the table as though contemplating his cards, but his thoughts were for the town's troubled preacher. "I don't mean to pry, but was it about his sister?"
"Yeah. He had a rough relationship with his father, part of it had to do with how his father treated Hannah. Family history can cause lots of trouble in a person's life. I know you know that."
"I do. There's no doubt that if my m … mother," Kid started, stopping to rub his forehead, "if she hadn't died, if Joshua's mother hadn't died, things would have turned out differently. He probably wouldn't be fighting so hard to get better," Kid said, nodding toward the bedroom.
Chris could tell that Kid was not comfortable thinking about family and loss … and possible loss, right then. "How 'bout we get back to our game?"
"Sure," Kid said with a grateful smile. They finished out the hand they were in.
"Two player poker is not all that fun," Kid said as he held his cards in one hand and rested his chin on the fist of his other.
"More fun and challenging when your partner or Ezra are in the mix."
"That's true." Chris started the next deal just as Heyes and Nathan joined them.
"So?" Kid asked as he set his hand face down on the table. He looked at his cards, though he needn't have bothered to set it face down, they were sure to start over now with two new players.
"Status quo," Heyes said.
"Status quo?" Chris asked. He looked to Nathan, who nodded his head. Status quo it was.
"Yep. So, what're you doing?" Heyes asked. He was pale, he was obviously trying to act like he felt better than he did. "Shall we play a couple of hands of poker while we have a cup of coffee and some of those pastries?"
"How do you know there are pastries?" Kid asked.
"How do I know there are pastries?" Heyes mimicked. "Maybe because Chris and Nathan came from town?" Nathan snorted a laugh as he set his bags near the door.
Kid stared at his partner, then smiled and agreed, "Yeah, that was a dumb question. Dottie sent some stuff, and Mary sent some chile cornbread."
Heyes smiled at Chris. "You are a lucky man, Chris Larabee."
"I know that I am. Very lucky. You know, you two could settle in here after you get better. Might even find yourself lucky like I did. Or lucky like Nate."
"I'm not as lucky as you, Chris. Rain is still out at her village and doesn't seem any closer to wanting to move to town. But I don't think he's wrong, Joshua."
"Hm. That is a nice thought, but we've stayed here way longer than is … " 'safe for your town' came to mind, but he finished, "… best." It wasn't a good comeback, for sure, but Hannibal Heyes wasn't as silver tongued of late.
"What Joshua means, Chris, is we'd like to stay. Believe me, we'd like to stay. But we can't stay even if we wanted to. Joshua would be in direct competition with Ezra every day at the poker table. None of us needs that problem." Both Heyes and Chris looked to Kid gratefully as he pulled them away from Heyes' nearly revealing too much to Nathan about who they really were. Kid added, "Thanks again for letting us stay here. It's made it possible for us to stay here a long while and hopefully it does the trick," he said as he smiled at his partner. "We owe you an awful lot."
"You don't. It was sitting here vacant. You being here has helped to get it into decent, livable shape. And the work you've done with everyone on the barn and the fencing, clearing out some rocks from that field beside the small barn? I'm thinking you're owed more than I am."
"We're not," Heyes and Kid assured the leader of The Magnificent Seven. The reforming outlaws looked at each other with affectionate smiles. "Well," Heyes added, "maybe my partner is. He's worked his tail off here."
"Mostly my back, but still, staying here for free and having a succession of meals and supplies sent to us regularly, and pastries, I don't know, I think we still owe you, Chris."
"Let's just say we're even-steven."
"I think we're amenable to that."
Nathan looked at Chris and said, "If we didn't know for fact that Maude was Ezra's mother, you'd almost think they were brothers."
Heyes and Kid smiled. They'd heard quite a number of stories about Maude Standish. They were both happy they weren't related to the woman.
"I think it's mostly they like to show off," Kid said.
"I think you're right," Chris followed.
"No doubt about it," Nathan added.
"Think what you like. I figure you're all envious."
"It's not that, Joshua," Kid said.
"Think it might be. But let's forget about that and concentrate more on coffee and pastries from town and how I'm going to kick your butts like Ezra Standish in poker."
"What was Ah thinking?"
A few weeks had passed and Ezra found himself doing his least favorite thing: work. Work of any kind. Today's work was hard and dirty … and where were some of the other helpers? It seemed mostly the same configuration of people working this day as it had been all week since the building had all of the furnishings removed and the next phase begun of … more work, precisely … cleaning.
"You were thinking that we needed to get this place cleaned up for the upcoming wedding," Gloria said as she and Ezra polished up the next pew on their side of the church.
"Of course." Ezra looked around and added, "Ah was not wrong." Ezra, Josiah, Gloria, Casey and Vin were taking their turn helping to clean up the mess that had become of the church since the onset of Josiah's depression. Nathan and Chris had taken the time to speak with Doc Wharton during his last visit before he'd been called away from dealing with Heyes' health concern to work on an emergency with Dr. Foster. They both were aware that Josiah was certainly unwell, emotionally, but Doc Wharton had confirmed that it seemed the man had sunk into a deep depression. He warned them to be as straight with Josiah as they could be, but to handle the concern carefully. Nathan read up on how they should deal with his old friend, and Josiah seemed to be making excellent progress. He had convinced himself that others would not understand the torture he felt about his sister's past, and his devastation at her death. Speaking with Nathan had been therapy for the oldest member of The Seven. Talking through with Mary and Gloria about the tragic losses of their husbands, both murdered, leaving both women single mothers, also helped. They explained to him how their village made the loss so much less than it might have been, and reminded Josiah that he had much to do with their recovery, Gloria in the immediate after her husband was killed, Mary as a helping hand to Josiah as they helped the store owner through something that Mary suffered just a year previous.
The person who seemed best able to help Josiah understand the pain of loss and how not to handle it was Ezra. The many years Ezra spent denying his dead brother Daniel's existence, encouraged by Daniel and Ezra's mother Maude Standish, had only been recently been remembered by the gambler following the death of the only soul who meant as much to him in his life, Fred the orange and white hound dog. Maude had done everything in her power to assure that a young Ezra, a young man in shock at the horrible loss of the young brother that he had no time for when Daniel was born, and then with whom he did not have enough time once he'd realized what a special gift he had been given, the only thing worth anything that Maude had ever given him. Ezra and Josiah spent a goodly amount of time together once the preacher realized that there were people who cared about him, who wanted to help him over this rough patch, who wanted him to know that, no matter how painful remembering his sister might be, there were treasured moments that Hannah and Josiah shared, in their youth, as they grew older and made a stand against their father, even as Josiah's sister closed off into her own, small world, the only way she could manage to live her life with her memories. Josiah was still quiet about how his sister died, that was something that the sisters in Vista City refused to expose to Vin. Ezra discussed this silence with Chris, Vin and Mary. The four of them made a pact that they would keep what they discovered to themselves, and use what they knew only to help Josiah in his recovery. Nathan made a concerted effort to make sure their relationship kept an open door so that if all of the foursome who made that pact were unavailable, rare but possible, Nathan would always be available to his friend. Ezra had his own pact during his recovery from Fred's death in the person of Vin Tanner. Chris was also a lifeline during that time. The town was a community of good people; it was a lesson that Josiah had forgotten but would not likely be allowed to forget again.
By the end of this fifth day of work, Josiah, Mary and Ezra returned after an early supper to inspect the premises.
"I think we are ready for Sunday services," Mary said.
"The question would be," Ezra said as he turned to his fellow lawman, "Are you?"
"I think I have something I could say this Sunday."
Ezra and Mary smiled at one another. Mary said, "Good," followed by, "I should go pick up Billy from the Mertons. They probably wonder if they shouldn't adopt him considering how much time I've asked for Billy to spend with them lately."
"Ah know as fact, Mary, that they are happy to do their part in helping their community in any way possible." Mary reached out, and then the two who had grown as close as siblings clasped hands.
Josiah said, "Go pick up your boy. I think I will call it an early night. These old bones are tired."
"Goodnight, Josiah," Ezra said as he turned from the center aisle of the sanctuary.
"Goodnight, Josiah," Mary said. Ezra stood at the steps and assisted Mary down to the ground. "A good day's work."
"We are all entitled to our opinion, Mary."
"Well, I know you are joking."
"And Ah know that you know that this is not the work for yours truly."
"I know."
"You do? Ah wondered when so few of our fellow citizens chose to assist whether Ah was bein' punished. Ah am back with the children assisting with their homework while we still have a teacher."
"Ezra," Mary warned. Four Corners continued to have miserable luck in retaining any of the teachers they successfully recruited and hired. This latest started only as recently as the beginning of the year. Early days.
"In any event, back to mah complaints. Ah continue with doin' the accounting for local businesses. Ah spend time once a week at Jeremy's and out with Mistahs Smith and Jones to make sure everything is moving forward with Joshua's healin'. Ah assist Thaddeus if he has a task while there, and he always seems to have a task while Ah am there. Ah am a lawman here, did you know that?" the southerner asked sarcastically.
"Yes, I did know that. It is such a relief to see that Joshua seems to be getting better."
"It is a relief. Ah have grown quite fond of our new friend. But Ah feel that you are tryin' to redirect me from mah point. Where has everyone been?"
"As you know, Robert and his people are all getting ready for his next drive. Chris and Buck escorted that bank robber from Mineral Park to Yuma for trial. He killed the publisher of the Mohave County Miner newspaper."
"That's right. He was a friend and colleague of yours."
"Yes. He was a good man."
"Mah condolences," Ezra said as he hugged his friend. "Ah have been so busy."
"I know. Anyway, I think I can account for all of Josiah's closest friends. Marty, Dave and J.D. have been minding the town and jail. I don't know what to say about the rest of the town not volunteering time except that maybe they are a little upset with how Josiah didn't keep the church usable during his troubles."
"Ah suppose. Hopefully they will come around. As you know, Ah have little use for religion or this church, but Ah will be present this Sunday to support Josiah. Ah am certain he will come up with a meaningful sermon. He has been through a difficult time, Ah have no doubt he will wish to share what he has learned."
"I'm sure you're right. Well, I'm here where I need to be. Enjoy your evening, Ezra."
"You as well, mah dear friend."
Ezra continued to the saloon. He noticed Buck and Chris at The Seven's regular table with J.D. He frowned at that. He walked over to the bar and spoke with Tommy, then he took Inez' hand and kissed it, speaking to her briefly. Tommy left for the back of the saloon, Inez took care of everything at the bar as adeptly as she always did. The gambler stepped over to their table and sat tiredly.
"You're lookin' a little rough there, Ezra," Buck said as he enjoyed his beer.
"How long have you gentlemen been back?"
"About an hour," Chris said. "You all right?"
"Yes. Just tired. And dirty. A little annoyed."
"We can see the tired and dirty part. Why're you annoyed?" Buck asked. "Do you want a drink?"
"No, thank you. Ah am annoyed because our small circle are the only of our citizens who showed up to get the church back into shape. The people who were the most regular attendees to Sunday services made themselves conspicuously absent for any of our work crews."
"I guess that's not too surprising," J.D. said. "They think that Josiah stopped them from worshipping."
"As though they could not worship their god from their own homes," Ezra grumbled. "As well, how very Christian of them."
"I reckon some people need the venue in order to practice their religion," Buck said. The former Texas Ranger winked at Ezra, knowing that he offered him an opening the former con man was not likely to skip. The professional poker player had once "practiced" a con as a preacher in his past.
"When one needs to practice one's religion in a given place rather than anyplace, one questions the depth of said person's faith." Ezra turned to Chris. "Yes, Ah know. Predictable. C'est la vie." The gamester pushed himself slowly and stiffly from his seat.
"No drink, no food?" Buck asked.
"Inez will be bringing me something aftah young Tommy has finished setting up mah bath. Goodnight, gentlemen."
"You're not comin' back for some poker?"
"Ah am not, J.D. Goodnight."
An assortment of 'goodnight', 'sleep well' and 'see you in the morning' were heard as Ezra waved to his friends and made his way up to his room on the second floor of the saloon.
"Lucky dog," Buck said.
"Lucky dog? Whaddya mean, Buck?" J.D. asked. "He's tired, dirty. Annoyed. He didn't even want to have a drink with us."
"That's all true, J.D. But he's headin' up there for a nice bath, he's gonna get a nice meal brought up to him, probably with a bottle of his favorite bourbon, or maybe that fancy French cognac, and he's gonna have a beautiful woman spend the rest of the night with him," he said as he looked to Inez and winked at her. She offered a huge smile in return. "Lucky dog is what I meant."
"Nice to see you fellas." Sheriff Lom Trevors of Porterville, Wyoming, shook the hands of Hannibal Heyes and Kid Curry. It had been too long since he'd heard from these two. The governor had even asked him if they had been killed, as to his knowledge, there had been no sightings, no robberies, no word from the famous outlaw duo.
"Good to see you, Lom," Heyes said. "Sorry we haven't been in touch. We figured stayin' off the telegraph was probably wise."
"You know, they have this new-fangled thing they call pencil and paper. We got mail service, even out here in the Wild West. Even in Wyoming."
"We know that, Lom. We do apologize," Kid said. "It's been a heck of a time here."
"Don't be too hard on them, Lom. We haven't exactly had a quiet time in these parts since they got here."
"Nah, I heard from Judge Travis. There was a law enforcement conference in Denver. We happened to meet up and realized we had a really big thing in common. Then he told me about all the goings-on. Glad to hear everyone survived all of it."
"It probably slowed down Joshua's recovery," Kid explained as he offered a dazzling smile to his best friend.
Heyes snorted a laugh. "What Thaddeus is trying to say with that goofy smile it that I have been in a fairly normal state of health now for nearly a month."
"A month? That sounds good. I heard you'd been sick for months."
"Many months, Lom," Chris said. "These two have made a lot of friends here in Four Corners. Lots of worried people, lots of praying. We've had visits from a bunch of doctors. Haven't normally had to get our healer that kind of help. Medicine men, their friend Joe Martin has been here. But we're talking now eight months."
"It's a little embarrassing," Heyes said.
"You can't feel that way, Joshua," Lom said, the emphasis on the name that he hadn't ever really gotten used to thinking of when he thought of Hannibal Heyes. Chris Larabee told Lom on the ride out to his cottage that the two wanted men only wanted to be called by their aliases, even by the two men in town who knew their real identities. Judge Travis and his wife knew them first as Joshua Smith and Thaddeus Jones, so it was never a problem for the judge, when he made periodic visits to town, and when Evie visited once. Sticking so consistently to their aliases also seemed to help in keeping the town's sheriff from continuing his investigation into his believe that Smith and Jones were really Heyes and Curry. Chris had told Lom all of these details on their ride out to the visit Lom's two old friends.
"Well, he does," Kid said. "The fact is that figuring out that there was something inside that needed to be, sorry Joshua, 'expelled', and then getting the right combination of stuff to do that, and the proper diet, it all seemed to do the trick."
"You really are looking good, Joshua," Chris said. "Like a different person."
"And for me, I'm finally feeling like my old self. These last months I was the one who felt like someone different. I wouldn't wish this condition on anyone."
Lom watched the interaction between Larabee and his two friends. There was an easiness between the three that he knew was possible with Heyes and Curry. They were friendly, decent men who had gotten caught up in something, in what for them was relatively easy pickings when it came to the train robbing, and Heyes' gift at getting into safes. It was when the safes got harder to open and the posses got larger and more persistent that the two realized a change had to happen. Lom still didn't have good news on the amnesty front. But he was going to make a suggestion that he knew would be turned down by Heyes and Curry. He hoped he had someone in Chris Larabee who might be able to help him change their minds.
"Let's go inside for some coffee," Kid suggested. The four men headed to the cottage.
"Do they have a name for this condition?" Lom asked.
"No, at least not that we're aware. Doc Wharton says he and the other doctors think there is some sort of persistent kind of low-grade pneumonia that latched on to Joshua, and then some more bacteria-related problems, maybe some, what did he call them?" Kid asked as he looked to Joshua.
"Micro-organisms," Heyes and Chris said at the same time.
Chris looked to Lom. "We've all been paying attention to what the doctors and Joe and the medicine men have been saying. It's hard to watch a man who used to be heathy enough to rob banks and trains and run from posses look the way Joshua has since he's been here."
"Like I said, Lom … embarrassing," Heyes reiterated. "I'll make the coffee. Go ahead out to the garden. It's a real nice morning. Thaddeus, do you want to get the rest of Nettie's scones?"
"If I must," he said jokingly.
"This'll be a treat," Chris said as he showed Lom to the garden.
"So, the boys have made themselves at home here."
"No thanks to me, Lom. I was against it, and I told Oren that. But he and Ezra convinced me that we needed to try to see what Nathan could do. Ezra had been sick quite a lot over the years and Nathan worked his damnedest to find experts who might be able to help him. They did. Nathan even looked into that treatment he gave to Ezra for his symptoms from bouts of malaria he had as a kid, but they all agreed that wouldn't work for Joshua. Anyway, when they first got here, I got angry that Joshua shot at a guy holding Mary hostage. Figured a man that sick might have trouble shooting straight. I didn't shoot him, though I wanted to. Pushed him hard and he suffered a real bad kidney injury."
"You hurt someone who was trying to save your fiancée? Mary is the one you said you're engaged to, right?"
"He's a bit of a hothead," Kid said as he brought out a tray with a basket covered with a napkin and a stack of small plates with napkins.
"You would recognize a hothead," Lom said.
"Ha-ha. These are herb scones and cinnamon-raisin cones. Nettie and Casey dried the raisins themselves. And this one," Kid said, nodding to Chris, "is lucky I didn't kill him that day."
"I'll bet." Lom looked around. "So, this place was part of that acreage you picked up last year?"
"Yeah. Lucky. Jake kept a nice place, so did his wife. But it was vacant for a while, then Ezra and Vin came out to start getting it fixed up, but they both have other responsibilities – and interests – and spent less and less time here until Oren came to visit. Then we started working on it for real, but Joshua spent a fair amount of time in town where Nathan could keep an eye on him."
"That was a hard time. I still wanted to kill Chris, Joshua and Ezra were sick and hurt and sick and hurt."
"The town was dealing with some trouble at the beginning of their stay. But I told you," Chris said as he pointed at Kid, "that the town wasn't normally like that anymore."
"You did. It was the 'anymore' part that had us worried," Kid responded.
Heyes kicked the door open as he joined them with the coffee pot. "Be right back with mugs and sugar and cream."
"Cream?"
"Josie and Hilda are in the near pasture with the horses," Kid said. "I agreed to re-learn how to milk a cow. It's worth it. We've got fresh eggs daily, too, from the chickens."
Heyes re-joined them. "Eggs are a protein the doctors are okay with me continuing to eat regularly." Chris took the stacked mugs and set them up for Heyes to pour the coffee. Heyes said to Lom, "I'll be watching my diet regularly because I really want to avoid ever feeling like I have been."
"I can imagine."
"I don't think you can, Lom. And I hope you never have to ever go through something like he's been through," Kid said.
"I've been eating better myself. Less beef, more greens and vegetables. Cut back on beer."
"You have? Why? You got a lady in your life?" Heyes asked. Lom's cheeks pinked up just a bit. "What? You do? Good for you. Tell us all about her."
Kid cut the four remaining scones in half so that each man could enjoy a taste of the savory and the sweet options. Lom said, "Her name in Frances. I call her Franny. She's a couple of years younger than me. She lost her husband years ago to stomach troubles. She has two grown kids, boys … men, and five grandchildren. They all live up in Montana, so it's not too far of a trip to see them."
"How long have you been together?" Kid asked. Chris watched as the three friends caught up. There was obvious affection amongst the men, in spite of the frustrations that Lom explained as he told Chris about the beginning of Heyes and Kid's attempts at amnesty, the far-too-many times the two managed to get in trouble during the intervening years, though Trevors willingly admitted that none of those events truly jeopardized the amnesty. The governor continued to drag his feet on coming through with his promise, nearly a year after the one-year anniversary of what they were told they would need to wait to achieve it. Lom told Chris on the ride over to the cottage that he thought that they were running out of time. The governor had announced that he was not running for re-election. If they didn't get the amnesty from this governor before he left office, Lom worried that the two would fall back into their old line of work. The disappointment would be a blow to two very good bad men who had committed to going straight; no payoff might be the proverbial straw that broke the camel's back.
"Almost a year." Heyes and Kid's mouths opened. They looked hurt at the news. "It didn't seem right to tell you while you were still out living a hard life. I kept hoping the governor would come through. Franny wanted me to show up unannounced at the governor's place every week."
"You told her about us?" Kid asked. He looked over to Heyes and could see that this news had bothered his partner. A lot.
"Of course I told her. I'm going to marry her."
"Congratulations. That's great news, Lom." Kid waited for Heyes to acknowledge Lom's good news. Before he could say anything, Lom continued.
"I have been contacting the governor monthly. Most times by telegraph, sometimes in person. That's when I decided he was not going to do it until the end of his term. Bastard."
"I'll agree with you on that," Kid said.
"He's not going to do it," Heyes said.
"Sure he will," Lom said. "I don't think he'll do it until he's ready to leave office."
"He won't then, Lom. It'll make him look bad then just like now. You were right," Heyes added, "we're too big. The amnesty was for the little guys. We've been clean for two years. For the last eight months, not a peep has been heard from anyone from us. The governor has no reason not to come through with the amnesty except for the best reason of all: he's not going to, simple as that."
"You don't know that," Kid said. "It'll be almost three years by the time he leaves office. He can tell the world that he was able to keep Hannibal Heyes and Kid Curry from robbing banks and holding up trains and because we stayed clean, he can show how even the worst of the worst can be reformed, 'The Governor's Way'."
"The easiest thing the governor can do, what will give him a completely clean slate for his desire for national office, is to deny ever making the agreement," Heyes said as he looked at the man who was sure, until that moment, that there was a chance that they might get the amnesty. Heyes could tell the very second that Kid Curry realized that they'd lost that chance. But still, Kid wanted to hear it from the man who had been in contact with the governor of Wyoming on a monthly basis for at least eight months.
"Lom, come on, tell 'im he's wrong."
Lom lowered his head. He took a swallow of his coffee, and then he looked up. Chris could tell what the answer would be, but he couldn't let Lom Trevors snuff out the hopes of these two men who he had grown to care about, two men who were important members of their community, two people who were loved by so many in Four Corners.
"Look, right now, maybe Lom doesn't have the best feeling of how the governor is going to decide. But he ain't decided yet. And he don't know it yet, but he will know that we have it on record from two lawmen and a well-respected circuit judge that Hannibal Heyes and Kid Curry have not done anything illegal in the last eight months. He knows what they were doing before that time, right Lom? That they stayed legal?"
"Yeah."
"All right." To Heyes, Chris said, "And you, you've been given the go-ahead to do whatever you feel okay doing, right?"
"Yes."
"But Nathan wants you here a while longer, at least until Doc Wharton can come to check you out."
"I don't think that's necessary. We've been here too long … "
"Look," Chris said, staring Heyes down, "we know as fact that what you say about staying too long in one place and not wanting to bring bad elements into towns with people you've come to care about is hogwash. And the reason I know that, and Mary, Ezra, Dottie and Ben, Nettie, Inez and any number of other people here, is because I am the original bad element. My fiancée will tell you so. So, forget about that. And besides the testimony of two lawmen, though there could be more if we told more of my men about you … "
"No," Heyes and Kid both said.
"Fine. But the judge hasn't lifted a finger to help you with the governor of Wyoming because he thought he'd give the man the chance to come through and do the right thing on his own. He hasn't. Judge Travs is due here next week for a visit with Mary and Billy. He's bringing Evie." Heyes shook his head. "Yeah, go ahead and try to head out now that you know Evie's coming."
"That's pretty underhanded."
"Dottie'll be happy," Kid joked.
"Shut up," Heyes countered. Chris interrupted the back and forth between the reforming partners.
"He wasn't aware that things were going so well with your recovery. Anyway, just relax, head on out for a ride along the river, that's all my property for a good, long stretch. If you feel up to it, do some work around here. But tonight, come on back in town. We'll get Lom a nice steak dinner with some of Robert's beef. I know you aren't supposed to eat steak all the time, but once in a while never hurt anyone."
"Steak sounds nice," Kid said.
"I agree. Do you need to get back to town right away?" Heyes asked Chris.
"No. Why?"
"We were taking a walk around the property and we have some ideas." Heyes had a small notebook, much like the one Ezra regularly kept handy. "Lom, are you all right with taking a tour?"
"Sounds nice. Can we finish these scones and freshen up this coffee?"
"That's a good idea," Kid said as he topped off all the coffee cups and happily took a bite of half of his half of the herb scone. "Shur's nice tha' Nettie loves 'ou," Kid said as he chewed his bite of the savory scone." Heyes stared at his best friend and then turned to Chris.
"She does," the leader of the law enforcement team agreed.
"You got yourself a girl?" Lom asked.
"She's like eighty years old," Heyes said as he glared at his partner.
"'m gonna tell 'er 'ou said 'tha'," Kid added. He wasn't finished chewing, but he popped the other half of his scone in his mouth, anyway.
"You won't," Heyes warned, followed by, "heathen."
"This was an excellent meal, Inez."
"Thank you, Lom. I am very lucky to have access to excellent beef. And we are so close to the Mexico border that getting fresh vegetables is quite easy."
"Do not let her fool you. Good ingredients mean very little if you do not know what to do with them. Inez is an excellent cook," Ezra said as he smiled at the woman he loved. The group of all of the lawmen who minded the town of Four Corners, Lom, Mary and Inez were using the back room for their gathering and their steak supper.
"I think it's pretty obvious that Inez knows what she's doing. This was all delicious. It says a lot that there are actual restaurants in this town but we are all here enjoying a delicious meal in a saloon. It was very nice of you to arrange all of this, Ezra."
"We do like to make the acquaintance of our law enforcement brethren," Ezra said. "And Ah would not wish to leave you with the wrong impression. We have two excellent restaurants in town. And a wonderful bakery."
"You should stop him right there, Lom. Ez'll talk about all the baking done by all our great bakers all night long," Buck said.
"Mistah Trevors, that is not a lie."
J.D., Ezra, Mary and Inez had the table cleared in no time, and then only the lawmen and Heyes and Curry remained.
"I'm glad you could visit our town," Josiah said to the Wyoming sheriff.
"I've enjoyed my stay. I wish I could stay longer. I could only get away for a short time."
"You've got someone waiting for you now, Lom. No doubt she's a good reason to leave Porterville less and less now."
"You're not wrong about that, Thaddeus. I've been waiting for her all my life."
"I'm glad for ya, Lom." Heyes yawned after he spoke. "Sorry."
"It has been a long day for you, Joshua," Nathan said. "You should head back."
"Indeed, you should," Ezra said. Mistah Trevors, you were planning to spend the next two nights out at the cottage with your friends?"
"I am. Then catch the stage the next day."
"Very well. Chris, you planned to spend tomorrow working at your homestead?"
"Yeah. I'll make sure they get where they're goin'."
"I think we know how to get there by now," Heyes said, followed by another yawn.
"Before we go, I wanted to say, just in case I don't see all of you before I catch the stage, that I appreciate what you've done for these two. We go back a ways. And when I didn't hear from them, I can tell ya I was worried. I know I'm not old enough to be their papa, but I think of them like sons." He turned to Heyes and Curry. "I really was thinking the worst. Franny, well, she said not to lose hope, that you were probably caught up in some work that was keepin' ya busy. She said I'd hear from you again."
"I'm sorry … " Kid started, but Lom stopped him by holding up his hand.
"No, don't be sorry. I should've kept in touch with you better. If I had, you would have made sure to let me know where you were and that you were okay."
"And remember, Lom, we've had our own rough time here, along with Joshua's health, Ezra's. It's been a time." And Chris also knew that if it weren't for J.D. that these men could have been more open about their pasts and people that might have cared about where they were and how they were.
"Well, let's get you boys movin' along," Buck said.
"What's the matter, Buck? You got a date?" J.D. asked.
"Of course I got a date, kid. Who do you think you're talkin' to?"
"It was nice meeting you, Lom," Vin said as he reached out to shake the sheriff's hand. All of The Seven did the same. "Cowboy, I'll be out first thing."
"Join me for the ride."
"No. Got something to do here later. See ya in the morning."
"All right." Chris walked up to Mary. "I'll be back early tomorrow evening." He leaned down and kissed her.
"Chicken and dumplings?" she asked, her eyes sparkling.
"Sounds great." He kissed her again and the four men were gone.
"I'll be at the jail going through the new wanted posters," J.D. said.
"Thanks, J.D. I'll be setting up for the next wedding at the church if I'm needed."
"I'll … " Buck said.
"We know, Buck. Just tell us which one," J.D. said.
"And where we can find you," Vin reminded.
"I'll be at Virginia's with Katie. Geez." Buck rushed from the room.
"I guess he's late," Ezra said.
"I guess," Vin agreed.
"I'm going to straighten up those cloths that got cleaned and then get to bed early."
"Goodnight, Nathan," was said by all who remained.
"We'll get the dishes washed," Mary said.
"Are you shur?" Vin asked.
"Of course," Inez said. "Did you wish to speak with Ezra?" she asked. Ezra turned to the tracker.
"Got a few minutes, Ezra?"
"Of course." He turned to Inez. "I will be back to help dry the dishes."
"You do not have to."
"Ah would wish to. The sooner you finish this task, the sooner we can enjoy each other's company."
"I have to go back to the bar and help Tommy."
"Ah know. But you can close early. It is Tuesday."
Inez and Mary smiled. "It is, isn't it?" The pretty Mexican reached up and kissed her man and took an armful of dishes into the washroom beside the kitchen. Mary smiled at Ezra and followed her friend.
"What can Ah do for you, Vin?"
"Take a walk?"
"It is a lovely night. Let us tell J.D. along the way that we will take the last walk and let him know that Inez is closing the saloon early."
"That's a good idea. Let 'im spend a little more time with those wanted posters, though."
"A youthful memory. Ah feel more envious of it every day."
"Don't know, Ezra. Figure yer mem'ry's still workin' good."
"Ah hope that is so."
The two friends began their walk north, taking a right after they made their way through the saloon to the front boardwalk. They passed Digger Dave's and then the cigar shop and the seemingly forever vacant shop next door. They made their way north to check the new homes that were built within the last year as decisions were made to expand the town outside of the core business area.
"I know they're Heyes and Curry," the tracker said softly, wanting only his walking partner and partner in law enforcement to hear what he said.
They were in between the stage company building and the hotel. Ezra cocked his head to look to his friend. He didn't miss a beat on his steps, just kept on walking as though he'd heard only minor and routine town gossip.
"Ah would hedge mah bet if you were J.D. or Buck or even Nate or Josiah if the same words were spoken to me by our fine colleagues."
"Chris knows?" Vin asked.
"He does. The question really is how do you know?"
"When J.D. and Buck were makin' a fuss about them fellas bein' Heyes and Curry, I decided to watch them a little closer. Kept assurin' the kid and Buck that it weren't, um, wasn't true." Though Vin often relied on the language as he'd learned it and spoken it all of his life, he knew better what was right and wrong with Ezra as his teacher. They'd grown close because of all of that time spent together. Vin was grateful for what Ezra had given him, freely, passionately, kindly when the former bounty hunter would be frustrated by something he just could not grasp as Ezra picked up with teaching him how to read and write. Mary started with the illiterate man after the incident where Vin asked her to scribe his poem and he inadvertently revealed that he could not read. But he quit with her when he worried that his anger over his slow progress might result in a violent act. He would not have hurt Mary, not purposefully, but throwing a book and having her get hurt, or anything of importance of hers destroyed was something he just could not risk, beyond the embarrassment he continued to feel because he could not understand what she was teaching him. Everything was different when Ezra suggested Vin give it another try with him. Life was different now that he understood what he was missing.
"Ah have no doubt that was helpful in turning J.D.'s perceptions."
"Mebbe. There were other things that convinced him."
"Like Joshua and Thaddeus."
"Yep."
"So, how did you figure it out."
"What got me thinkin' harder on it was when you got shot out at Jeremy's. When Jones said he was sorry you got shot. The two o' them shared a look, like Heyes was warning Curry about what he said, like he was remindin' him that some of us weren't aware of who they really were."
"Ah was certain they were doin' a fine job of hiding their true identities."
"They are, Ez. They're real good, almost like they got themselves convinced that they're really Smith and Jones. Know for fact that Jeremy and Nate didn't figure nothin' out that night. They both also seemed, don't know, maybe a little … "
"Guilty? Ah know they both expressed to me their regret, that they felt it would not have happened had they not been here."
Vin looked Ezra in the eye as they paused their walk. "It wouldna."
"That may be true, but these men have told Chris and mahself, over and over, that they choose regularly to leave a place where they have grown too close to people, that they have grave concerns about people they care about getting injured because they are still wanted and there are still bounty hunters who would not be careful in apprehending them, or there could be people just like the two who showed up at Jeremy's, unthinking as to whether the person they were holding at gunpoint actually was a wanted man. We, Chris and Ah, the judge, decided that we would protect them. We could have done bettah."
"Doubt it. J.D. needs to learn that when he's told to stand down, he should stand down."
They started walking again. "That one moment in Jeremy's house could not have been the only thing that convinced you."
"No. After that, I did a little readin'. " Ezra turned and smiled at his friend. Vin cocked his head with a crooked grin and added, "Asked Mary what she had on 'em."
"Oh, lord," Ezra said.
"She's not suspicious. Told 'er I needed more information about the real outlaws in order to prove to J.D. to stop his nonsense."
"And she was more than happy to oblige because she had already made her own judgement on the men, whether or not they were Heyes and Curry."
"Yep. Say, let's go let J.D. call it a night. He's less than an hour from bein' done."
"An excellent suggestion."
They walked back to the jail, checking that everything was quiet along the way in their town. No more talk of Heyes and Curry until after they met with J.D.
"You sure?" the sheriff asked.
"Yep. We started walking up north, all's quiet that way."
"Well, aren't you and 'nez … "
"Yes, but she and Mary are finishing up the clean-up from our fine repast, and then Inez and Tommy are closing the saloon early. Vin and Ah will finish with impeccable timing, per usual," the gambler said as he smiled at Vin, a man who many more times than once proved to be just where he needed to be when trouble lurked nearby, or even when there was no trouble at all, which would hopefully be true this night.
"Go ahead, kid. Your eyes'll appreciate lookin' at those posters more in daylight than lamp light."
"I'm outta here, then. I'm headin' out to help Nettie and Casey tomorrow. It'd be great to get to bed early."
"Sleep well," Ezra said.
"Goodnight," J.D. and Vin said at the same time.
Ezra locked the jail as the two men headed past Gloria's store, the bank and the Virginia Hotel.
"Wish I knew which room he was in," Vin said.
"Yes, our famed Lothario has learned to take a different accommodation each time now."
"I miss messin' with him."
Ezra laughed. "Your last practical joke was a sockdolager."
"A what?"
"A pippin, a ripsnorter or as Ah said the moment Ah found out about it, a beauty."
"Well, Chris didn't think so."
"Ah know. And he forbade you from doin' somethin' similar, henceforth. And you have done nothin' since." Ezra stopped walking and turned to Vin. "Do you not think it time for somethin' to tickle our resident ladies' man?"
Vin stared at his friend and then started walking again. "Yer a bad influence, Ez."
"Perhaps." They continued to the back side of the grange to check on the horses in the livery corrals. More of the open space behind the livery stable had been taken over with a large corral, a small barn and a few run-ins. There was plenty of coverage for horses now during inclement weather. Tarpaulins for the sides of the run-ins and blankets for the horses helped to protect the animals that could not be housed in the livery stalls and the barn. There were a number of horses that were happy to be housed in the run-ins. Yosemite and Tiny kept an extra-close eye on all of the horses during those infrequent bad weather events to assure that all of the horses were properly cared for.
"You came to a conclusion about our visitors from something you read?" Ezra asked, continuing their conversation from earlier.
"I kept reading these first-hand stories about how Heyes and Curry acted, what they said. As good as they are about hiding, about being Smith and Jones, there's things they can't hide, it's, how do ya say … "
"Ingrained in who they are?"
"Yeah."
"How many articles did you read?"
"A lot. Mary, and her husband before, made sure to include stories from other papers, I guess ta make sure everyone had as much information as they could, so they'd know what ta watch for."
"The general descriptions of Heyes and Curry could have been any pair of cowboys," Ezra said. "And they were never accused of anything this far south. Ah believe everything was up in Wyoming, Montana and northern Colorado and all of Utah." Ezra smiled affectionately at Heyes' 'Champeen Tracker in All of Southern Utah' title. "It is interesting that they would publish much about them here."
"There was a lot. I think maybe some of it was to keep the locals entertained. Fillin' in between the regular local news."
"That is possible. So, what did your investigative skills tell you?"
"First, the descriptions on those wanted posters ain't never gonna be what captures them. But the descriptions in the stories could. Heyes has always been slim, even though he was terrible skinny when he first showed up here. The descriptions of them together in lots of the articles do match Smith and Jones, kind o' perfect-like."
"Hell."
"Yeah. Also, Heyes had a thing, when Curry would pull him out o' trouble during a robbery, mostly on the trains where there were lots o' witnesses. He'd look over to Curry and do that 'Whoo … thank you', heartfelt and everything. Ladies were witnesses to it, and the articles almost always talked of them ladies smilin' when tellin' the story."
"Good lord. Joshua has done something similar here a dozen times."
"Yep."
"All right. What else?"
"They came lookin' kind o' scruffy. That's not on the posters, but that's a description that's in a lot of the later articles."
"Lord, Vin. Poor Joshua, we've made him keep his scruffy sideburns. And suggested that Thaddeus keep that horrid moustache. How did we manage to get J.D. to give up his efforts?"
"Don't know. Think maybe he started ta like 'em. Anyway, another thing is that Curry was described as pretty fearsome when anyone hurt his partner. And he knocked a fair number of men out, even within that Devil's Hole Gang o' theirs if one of 'em didn't back Heyes right. I'm thinkin' what we saw that day Chris attacked Smith, at the beginning when they first got here, we're real lucky Chris didn't get hurt that day."
"From what you are describing, Ah am certain you are right. But they needed to remain incognito," Ezra replied as he watched Vin's brow furrow. "They could not afford for their true identities to be revealed, no mattah how much Thaddeus wished to avenge his friend." The southerner shook his head.
"They gotta stay here longer, right?" Vin asked.
"They do. And what Ah feel is that, as things remain normal and Joshua continues to improve, that we should just keep what you have learned between we two."
"Not let Chris … "
"No, definitely not let Chris know. There is little to be gained from steppin' on that hornet's nest."
"Yer right about that." Vin and Ezra walked a little farther, then Vin said, "They seem like a good fit fer the town."
"You could not have learned this from your investigation, but they have been offered amnesty from the governor of Wyoming."
"Yer kiddin'?"
"No. But the governor seems to have gotten cold feet. Our sheriff friend who dined with us tonight has been actin' as a go-between, but what had been a commitment to them remaining out of trouble for a year has turned to two and there is no word as to whether that promise of amnesty will evah come through."
"That ain't right."
"It is not. Ah feel it is time for the judge to intercede. But Ah will allow the judge to enjoy his visit, allow Joshua more time to continue his recovery. That seems to be going well. And then we will take another measure of where things stand in a few weeks."
"Judge Travis is stayin' that long?"
"Springtime is a lovely time of year until the winds pick up. Ah figure he and Missus Travis chose to spend spring here as the judge can work anywhere so long as there is a telegraph, he can return to Santa Fe by train now, if needs be, via the new spur from Ridge City rather than heading north from Eagle Bend just to go south and west."
"He's the reason those two are here. Reckon they'll be spending some time together."
"Most of the important people in town know that our esteemed jurist sent them here because of Nathan's success in helping to improve mah health."
"That seems to be holdin'," Vin said with a crooked smile and eyes sparkling with pleasure.
"Save for the occasional bullet hole, troublesome shoulder and migraine, Ah would say so."
They started to walk back to their abodes. "Least ya didn't almost suffer pneumonia this year," Vin noted.
"Who had time between everything else?"
"Lucky Smith and Jones and Jeremy kept ya outta town so much."
"There is some truth to that, mah friend." They took the alley between the saloon and the hardware store. "Ah am headin' up."
"And I'm heading to sleep. Been a long day."
"It has." Ezra stepped closer to Vin and spoke just barely over his breath, "We will need to remain diligent in keepin' Joshua and Thaddeus safe. Ah will need to sleep on whether it makes sense to tell Chris, the judge and his wife … "
"She knows who they are?"
"Oh, yes. Judge Travis made it very clear to me that their marriage depended on keepin' 'her boys' safe and making Joshua well. He said Joshua let it out during a dream or delirium who he and his partner were. In any event, Ah will decide tomorrow whether it makes sense to bring you into our inner circle of who is aware of Joshua Smith and Thaddeus Jones' true identities."
"But yer not really gonna sleep on it tonight. Think maybe ya got better things to do up there tonight than that."
"Truer words were nevah spoken, Vin," Ezra said with a delighted smile. Vin smiled back. "Goodnight," the card sharp said to the tracker.
"Goodnight. We'll keep keepin' an eye on those two."
"Good. And then we will see what tomorrow brings."
The End.
This is not the end to this story, but there are some smaller stories to tell of Hannibal Heyes and Kid Curry's time in Four Corners. I will be concentrating on telling some of those snippets of life with the two most successful outlaws in the history of the west and seven men who became The Magnificent Seven and this town they have all been calling home.
