III.
WHAT HAPPENED WITH BEN THAT MORNING
Adam came down the stairs slowly, yawning widely.
"There's older brother, awake at last," grumbled Little Joe from the table. "You're sleeping away the day. Must be getting old."
Adam gave his characteristic smirk and said, "I'm still young enough to put you in your place, baby brother."
"Watch it, grandpa," warned Joe with no real venom.
Usually at this point Hoss or Pa would interject a peacemaking or downright cross word. But Hoss was too busy stuffing his face full of Hop Sing's breakfast, and Pa seemed to be distracted by the letter he was reading while sitting at his desk.
Adam scratched his chest once, and then finished buttoning up his usual dark shirt. He sat down for breakfast. "Bad news, Pa?" he asked, helping himself to the food.
"Hmm?" Ben looked up. "Ah…no, no. Don't worry about it."
Adam's mouth snapped shut before his fork reached it. When Pa said 'don't worry' like that, how could he help but worry?
"Who's it from?" asked Hoss.
"An old friend of mine," replied Ben.
Hoss didn't think that was so suspicious. Why were Adam's eyebrows on the rise? He shrugged mentally. Perhaps Adam was feeling a little off-kilter this morning. The big man went back to eating. Hop Sing's eggs were sure good today.
"Anyone we know?" asked Joe curiously. He was half-asleep, and noticed neither the tightness of Pa's voice nor the look on Adam's face. It always took Joe a minute or so to wake up completely, and the truth was that he had not made it down the stairs much earlier than Adam.
"I seriously doubt that, son," said Ben kindly, and the boys let the subject drop.
"Well, Joe, ready to go?" asked Hoss. "We got chores to do."
"Sure," said Joe, and stood up.
"I'll be right out," said Adam. The other two left without him, putting on their hats and gun belts as they made small talk all the way out the door.
Ben went back to his letter and when he looked up, Adam was standing in front of him, looking solemn.
"Pa, are sure everything's okay with that letter?" asked Adam suspiciously. Didn't he know his own Pa well enough to know when something bothered him?
Ben sighed. "I'm sure everything's fine." Adam did not look convinced, so Ben continued, "But I'll have to be careful for a while." Without another word, Ben gave Adam the letter.
"Dear Ben," it read:
"Here's hoping this letter finds you safe. It's been too long since we've seen each other, but I'm afraid I'm not writing to say hello. I need to warn you. I've also sent a telegram, but in case you don't receive it for whatever reason, I'm also writing this letter."
Adam walked over to the couch and sat down, putting his feet up. That was something he privately relished being able to do, when it got Joe in so much trouble every time he tried it.
"There was a recent jailbreak at my prison, and our old friend Johnny Malone was one of the three that got away. We're following the only trail we've found, and expect to get him soon, but I thought, in the meantime, you should be informed. His hatred for you has not decreased over the years; not too long ago I heard him telling a fellow prisoner that he would kill you if he could, and if not he'd thank the man who got there first.
"The trail we found does not head in the direction of the Ponderosa, but I remember that he has all that money stashed away somewhere, more than enough to bribe as well as hire someone else to do the job – really, enough money to do a number of things. Money is power. That is assuming that he did not split from the others and go his own way.
"I'm not sure that there is any immediate danger or any danger at all, but now you have been warned. I will keep you updated on our search. Until then, stay safe, old friend.
Sincerely, G. M. Mayeaux, Warden of…
Etc. Etc.
Adam put down the letter. "This is bad, Pa."
"Not as bad as it sounds. Remember, everything he thinks is just a guess. Besides, Greg has always had the tendency to assume to worst." Ben shrugged but looked worried just the same.
"Why does this" – Adam looked down at the paper – "Malone hate you?"
Ben sighed. "Malone was an acquaintance of mine, both he and his brother. They weren't the best role models in the world, but they were mainly honest and mostly harmless, except when they were drunk. Which they often were."
Adam nodded to show he understood.
"They were both drunk that night several years ago, down in California. And they were raising some Cain. John's brother, Andrew, was smashing up the place and shooting everywhere. I yelled for him to stop and he shot at me. I dived behind a wall, but he kept firing. Finally I pulled out my gun and shot him in his arm. He fell backward, hit his head on a shelf of whiskey, and died. Johnny snapped to his senses at once, started screaming that I'd killed his brother. He's hated me since then. I guess he just 'went bad' after that, ended up in jail for a short time twice and finally got a sentence of many years. He's broken out, as you read."
Adam tossed the letter in his hand back onto Pa's desk as though he found it distasteful or particularly offending. He leaned against the desk, almost sitting on it but not quite: his usual way. "Don't worry, Pa. We'll make sure nothing happens to you."
"Don't tell your brothers just yet. Promise me. You know them; they'll take it just a little too far."
"All right, Pa," conceded Adam. "Not yet."
"Good. You'd better go help your brothers. Tell them I'm going into town for supplies later. We can make a family trip of it. I think we all deserve a half holiday."
"Are you sure, Pa?" Adam gestured at the letter.
"I'm sure. I'll watch out. Now get to work."
"All right, Pa. All right." Adam retained his worried scowl.
A/N: Thanks to anyone who read this far. Review and I'll post more.