Vin came by with lunch in the early afternoon. He had passed over the Maude patrol to Nathan very shortly after it had been given to him. Contrary to what Chris thought, Vin was not at all certain he wouldn't forget himself and tell Maude exactly what was on his mind. He would have been quite happy to do so, but knew Ezra wouldn't want that, no matter what had transpired.

The 'prisoner' was still stretched out on the hard cot, his arm covering his face. He did not react to Vin's entrance, but did speak when he heard the key in the cell door.

"You are aware of the protocol sir. You are not to unlock the cell door unless you are transporting the prisoner. Nourishment is to be passed through the appropriate aperture in the cell door."

"You gonna jump me and try to escape Ezra?" There was no reply. "Well, are you?"

"That is not the point."

"It's my point. Sit up and eat."

"I have no appetite."

"We have to give you at least two meals a day and you've already missed breakfast."

"You are required to provide them. There was no corresponding demand that I accept."

"Ezra, don't make me get Buck to come over here and force-feed you. It just wouldn't be pretty."

Ezra moved his arm enough that he could turn and glare at Vin, who was giving him a slightly evil grin. "Yes, you would do that. Very well then leave the tray and stepped back."

"Oh, for God's sake Ezra…"

"Please follow the rules Mr. Tanner. I have no desire to be responsible for any more problems than I already am at present."

"Fine. You go right ahead and be stupid about this." Vin closed the door and removed the key, placing it back in the desk drawer. Only once that was done did Ezra sit up.

"You know this is just a waste of time and energy, right? Soon as Maude leaves we're kicking you out here."

"I've turned myself in, and you are required to keep me in custody until Judge Travis arrives to hold court."

Vin's head snapped up. "You contacted Travis? What the hell are you playing at Ezra?"

"Justice. I believe that is the cause which we have been sworn to uphold."

"If it's about justice Ezra," Chris spoke from the doorway, "I think this discussion is over."

"Exactly. Please be so kind as to explain that to Mr. Tanner and the others."

"No. You're the one who doesn't seem to get it." Chris walked over to the cell, handing several slips of paper through to the 'prisoner'. "Sent telegraphs to the law in Baton Rouge, and them other places Maude talked about. They don't have warrants out for you in any of them."

"They don't know me by the name you searched."

"Yeah, they do. Maude and I had a little chat."

Vin looked at him in surprise. "Thought you said we were supposed to stay away from her?"

"I said the rest of you were. Didn't say that applied to me."

Ezra turned his gaze away. "I have no doubt she was eager to provide you with a myriad of details."

"Not really. She actually tried to backtrack on what she said. Took some convincing to get the information I needed. Oh, by the way, her stage left 30 minutes ago." Ezra took the news of her departure with no reaction.

The door opened again before Chris could continue, as the rest of the team made their way in. He stood to block them. "This isn't an open court, no need for you to be here."

"It's fine Mr. Larabee. This will all be public knowledge at the trial soon enough, they might as well stay." At Chris's confused look, Vin explained.

"He telegraphed the judge with his confession."

"Dear God Standish! Are you trying to kill me? JD, send another one. Tell him Ezra's was a mistake. A practical joke. I don't care what you say but tell him not to come."

"That is only postponing the inevitable Mr. Larabee."

"For fuck's sake Ezra. Stop being so formal and pigheaded and - and…" He stammered, too angry to come up with another term.

"So Ezra." Josiah finished for him.

"Yeah – that."

"You heard what my mother said, and in an ironic twist of fate, it was one of the rare occasions she was neither lying nor exaggerating."

"Maybe not. But she was wrong. Look at the damn telegraphs Ezra. You aren't wanted anywhere on anything worth mentioning. When Travis is next in town on his regular schedule, we'll talk to him about dealing with the pardons on the little things. He did it before, and he's got even more reason to now."

Ezra tossed the papers through the bars to the floor of the jail. "This is incomplete. Trust me. I know where I am being sought."

"I've been sending and receiving these most of the morning. I know what's going on."

Buck began thumbing through the telegraphs. "This is just an awful lot of nothing Ezra."

"And," Chris added, forcing himself to calm down, "Roger and me got to talking between telegraphs. He gets pretty bored in there when nobody is sending anything. He tells me this was the busiest he's been in a while. Only time it gets, busier is when you come in." Ezra looked at Chris with a clear request for him to stop talking, which was ignored. "Seems you're in there fairly often. Arranging banking transfers of funds. Most going to some of the very same places these warrants say you – or more likely Maude – took money from."

"You've been paying them back?" Nathan shook his head. "You're constant source of surprise to me Ezra."

"I would be willing to bet my next week's salary on the fact those widows and orphans Maude was talking about don't know any money is missing because you never actually took it – right?"

Ezra chose to not answer the question. "Mr. Mitchell is incapable of keeping his promise of discretion. And you are no better. And, for the record, they were – are – my crimes."

"Well, we can chat with Roger about his discretion later." Chris grinned. "Bottom line here Ezra, is there is no reason for you to be in there."

"I have not been pardoned on the remaining offenses."

"Bound and determined to punish yourself, aren't you?" Vin shook his head. "You don't have to prove anything to us Ezra."

"Or are you trying to prove it to yourself?" Josiah asked quietly. He got no response, but Ezra turned and headed back to the bunk. Josiah nodded to Chris, signalling him, all of them, outside.

"Okay – he wants to beat himself up, but this is just stupid" JD began.

"Maybe, but I think he needs it. Wiping the slate once and for all."

"I don't intend to leave him locked up until Travis shows up. That could be weeks off."

"You got a better plan? Nathan asked.

Chris stared off for a couple of minutes, then smiled slightly. "Maybe. Need to work out a couple things. Nathan, take guard duty on our prisoner. Josiah, you and Vin are going to help me work this out."

"What about us?" JD stood next to Buck, who answered before Chris could.

"Patrol kid, what else?"

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