Carl Jessop set up his meagre excuse for a camp just a few miles out of town. He'd been watching for a few days before he'd ridden into Four Corners and reckoned this spot was unlikely to be noticed on a routine patrol. It would give him a bit of time to figure on his next step. Much as he'd have liked to be able to take care of matters in town right away, he hadn't expected things would be that easy. However unlikely it was, Ezra had managed to endear himself to the people there. They weren't about to turn him over easily. More's the pity. Just made it likely some of them would get hurt in the process of taking care of this last blot on his life.
He pulled out his tobacco pouch and flask before settling back. A fire would have been nice, but no point in drawing attention to the spot. He didn't really need it. He'd gotten used to be chilled most of the time. The doctor had told him that would be the case now. At first there'd been fever but now it was chills. Both of which were a bitch, but nothing he could do to change that. He pulled back on the whiskey. It wasn't as effective as it used to be but was better than nothing. Things had moved faster than he'd been betting on. No way was he going to have time to track down Maude as well. He was lucky to have made it this far. There had been a faint hope she might actually be in the area, but his best information had her in St. Louis, or maybe Boston. Or San Francisco. She tended to make herself hard to track most of the time. Necessary precaution.
This was more important. Removing the only remaining evidence of the biggest mistake of his life. He spit as he thought about it. It would have been nice to have a proper legacy. A son to carry on the family name. But not this. Not some illegitimate, conniving embarrassment. Not a bastard whose very existence was the beginning of the end of what should have been a promising career.
Jessop had had plans. He was going to be, at the very least, a territorial leader. Maybe not at the top of the heap. He never had the patience for that kind of political game play. But he would be a right-hand man. The top lawman for the territory. Maybe even beyond that. A federal post was not out of the question, with he connections he had in the south. Then this – blot. This abomination. Never for a moment did he doubt he was seduced. Led into a trap by Maude Standish, who no doubt had her own ambitions of riding his coattails to a position of power. Instead, a scandal. A puritanical mayor running him out of town and spreading word of this moment of weakness. His efforts to convince everyone – hell, anyone – that she was lying fell on deaf ears. Nevertheless, he denied it.
He had even more or less convinced himself she had fabricated his role until he saw the boy years later, when he was into his teens. The wavy hair. The green eyes. The bearing, the mannerisms. There was not a shred of doubt. And the knowledge ate away at him. His son should be someone to be proud of. Someone who might someday be a leader out west, not a gambler and cheat who had dozens of arrest warrants. It didn't matter that the name was different, or that nobody knew. Once he was dead, who knew what could happen. He wouldn't allow even the chance that Standish might decide it was to his advantage to claim his true heritage. Use the illustrious law career of Sheriff Jessop to further some con. And even if that never happened, it was enough he knew. Enough to haunt him to his grave and beyond. No bastard son was going to outlive him and sully the name of Jessop. If it took his final breath, he'd see to that.
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With a soft, resigned sigh, Ezra stopped toying with his lunch and slid the plate quietly across the table toward Buck. He had yet to regain his appetite and regretted seeing a perfectly good meal go to waste. Buck look and the plate then across the table, arching an eyebrow to question the certainly, and sanity, of the donor.
"It's really good today Ez. You sure?"
"My reluctance to dine is not intended as a reflection of the quality of the meal, but rather as comment on my own state of mind. I simply cannot focus the energy for even such a mundane task."
Not wanting to risk losing out on seconds, Buck grabbed up his spoon and dug in before there was a change of heart.
Chris debated for a moment pulling the plate away and force-feeding the meal, but knowing how the action would be received, elected instead to have a chat with Ezra in private a little later. In the two days since Jessop had left, Ezra had been anything but himself. He had lost, significantly, both nights at the tables, and made no excuses for it. Given the that Friday night crowds tended to be more serious players, with more money on the table, Chris was already looking for a way to keep their gambler from sitting in on any games tonight, and probably loosing everything he owned.
Ezra saw the looks of concern, not just at the table now, but every time his crossed paths with the others. He knew patrols had been shuffled around, ensuring he now had the safest route in the rotation. He didn't know but wouldn't have been surprised to learn there had been a lengthy discussion on taking the task away all together, but Vin convinced them that kind of treatment would be seen as in insult – the last thing Ezra needed to hear right now.
There was no question that he knew he was being watched. Even coddled. But as long as he could at least pretend there was some dignity left to him, he had survived the scrutiny. But this had gone on long enough. Summoning his well-honed sense of survival, he decided it was time to take charge of is own fate once again and renew the pretense of normalcy. Before he could start, Josiah spoke up.
"Been wondering Ezra – have you let Maude know about any of this?"
The question caught him completely off guard.
"Summon Mother? What form of insanity would inspire such an action on my part? On anyone's part? Did you dwell on the matter and somehow reach the conclusion that being berated and battered by one parent was such a life altering experience that perhaps it should be relived by encouraging the other to come and do the same?"
Well done Standish. Perfect way to show them you have fully regained control of the situation. Ezra looked at the others, waiting for the rebuke that was bound to come. No one spoke. He should have kept his own silence, but as the dam had been broken, he seemed unable to stop the torrent. "Or is it perhaps that you are you so taken in by the artifice of her charms that you are willing to ignore the consequence of her presence on me simply to have the excuse needed to invite a return visit?" The silence continued. Ezra was about to speak again when reality dawned on him.
"Or, perhaps, are you sufficiently concerned that Jessop, failing to achieve whatever his aim was in wreaking havoc on my life, may elect instead to seek out Mother and find some form of solace in finding retribution at that source?"
"There you go. Knew you'd get to it if you took a minute." Josiah smiled, telling Ezra without a word that all other comments had already been forgotten.
Fighting to hide the shame at his outburst, Ezra followed the lead of ignoring his diatribe and dealt only with the issue. "Your concern is appreciated, but I think unnecessary. The woman has an innate instinct for self-preservation, and I have no doubt whatsoever that she would deal far more handily with his intrusion into her life than I have ever been capable of doing. To my knowledge, her most recent refuge has been in the Nation's capital, where I believe she expects to form political alliances for her benefit. It is not a venue into which Jessop would easily be able to insinuate himself, despite the grandiose plans he allegedly once dreamt of."
"Wouldn't hurt to send a telegram, just letting her know he's been around." Chris's suggestions somehow always managed to sound like orders. Ezra was saved from further comment as Vin made his way to the table, back from morning patrol.
"Mr. Fleming seems to think there's somebody camping at the edge of his property. Noticed movement out there a couple days now."
Vin pulled out the remaining chair at the table as he spoke and sat next to Chris. Buck and JD turned focus back on their lunch, allowing Ezra, grateful for the change of subject, to respond.
"I assume he would prefer one of us to investigate the matter?"
"It is what we get paid for." Vin replied. "Figured I'd take a look tomorrow."
Buck stopped straining stew through his moustache long enough to comment. "You're scheduled north tomorrow, not west."
"Easy enough to adapt. 'less you'd rather Ezra took it." He glanced to Chris, who shook his head.
"How long does he figure this was going on?"
After a moment to work it out, Vin answered. "Noticed it Wednesday morning, so two days. Why?"
With a cautious look towards Ezra, Chris answered. "So, right after Jessop left."
The table went quiet. They had all assumed that issue was done with.
"I fear that may well be a valid conclusion. It seemed improbable to me that he would travel such a distance only to abandon his mission and turn tail so easily."
"You might have mentioned your concerns Ezra." Buck scolded. "We figured this was done."
"It was merely a hypothesis, with no facts to support the premise. That has not changed."
Chris knew when to trust his gut, and this was definitely one of those times. "JD, send telegraphs to any town within 2 days of here. Find out if Jessop showed himself anywhere."
Pushing away his almost finished meal, JD leapt to his feet and was out the door before Ezra could counter the suggestion.
"Such actions are not needed Mr. Larabee. To what end to you commence such an investigation?"
"Said it yourself Ezra. Makes no sense he'd leave like that. It was all too neat. Too easy."
"It makes no sense that he would linger either."
They all had a pretty good guess on how to answer that. "Reckon you're the reason for that Hoss. He wasn't just passing time looking for you. We shoulda figured there was more behind this. You and me gonna ride out Chris?"
Ezra cut off any answer. "While your concerns and contributions are appreciated, it needs to be said that IF it is in fact Jessop, I would propose that this is my issue to resolve."
"OUR problem Pard. Getting tired of having to remind you of that."
He gave a small nod before standing. "Very well. Now, if you gentlemen will excuse me, I do have an afternoon patrol for which to prepare."
Josiah had the feeling that was too easy as well. "Hold up Ezra. You ain't planning on heading west?"
"I offer my word that my travels will not intentionally intersect with those of the stranger in our region."
They all picked up on the precision of the language. "But you're guessing he might be out trolling for you, so making yourself a target strikes you as a good idea?" Buck challenged. "I don't think so. I got your patrol for the day. You can pay me back some morning after I've exhausted myself at Miss Sadie's place."
"Don't make me turn that into an order Ezra."
Knowing the stubbornness of the men at the table, surrendering was clearly the only option. "Provided you in turn, Mr. Larabee, offer your assurance none of you will head out to confront this - man - without permitting me to accompany you. Without that promise, I assure you I will find a way to make the journey on my own. There is not a thing you could do to prevent it."
Chris grinned. "Could lock you up."
"You would not dare." Ezra replied, with far more confidence in his voice than in his thoughts. Watching the dead-eye glare he got as a response he sighed. "Yes - you would."
"We won't keep you out of this Ezra, but you gotta promise the same. If it is Jessop, he's had time to set up an ambush or trap if that's what he has a mind to do. No point walking into it."
As there was no acceptable response to that, Ezra merely nodded, pushing his chair under the table. "Well, as it appears that I am not required to patrol today, I shall make an effort to find some other activity to pass the afternoon. Please let me know when you are ready to formulate an appropriate strategy for this undertaking." He left without looking back.
"He ain't nearly as confident as he lets on, is he?" Buck shook his head sadly when Vin agreed with the observation. "Ain't fair that the one man amoung us with both a ma and pa still around has such lousy ones to deal with."
Chris stood to leave. "Fairness has very little to do with that man's life Buck."
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