The sun broke bright on Christmas morning, all clouds and weather threats from the night before gone. The winds had blown branches around and sent a few shutters flapping loose, but now the calm was fitting to the day. Tiny debated briefly allowing himself a coffee before taking care of the horses, but knew before he'd finished the thought that this morning wouldn't differ from every other day of the year. Still, it was Christmas, and he was going to allow himself a bit of a treat later in the day, as he glanced at the small amount of whiskey he had left in his bottle. When he did get around to the coffee, it was going to be especially sweet.
He opened the door and almost tripped over a package left on in front of it. He cursed the idiot who would be so careless and started to kick it away, assuming it to be garbage. Before his foot made contact he realized it was wrapped and enclosed with a red ribbon. A gift? For him? Well that had to be a mistake. Someone must have dropped it, or mistaken his place for someone else's. He picked it up to see who was the intended recipient and was stunned to see his own name on the tag. "To Tiny, with gratitude from your four-legged friends." He stood silently looking at the bundle, then over to the livery. After a moment he ripped at the package, his eyes widening with shock and pleasure. A long scarf that would easily wrap twice around even his neck, maybe more. A hat that warmed his ears the second he pulled in on. And glorious heavy duty lined leather working gloves. He stared at his hands, afraid to close his eyes and have it all disappear. A grin that almost shattered his cheeks spread over his face, as he headed to feed the horses.
"Mama look! Isn't she beautiful? This has got to be the prettiest doll in the whole world. How did Santa know?" Emma Potter looked at the pure joy on her daughter's face. She hadn't seen her this happy since before her father had been killed. Her son was too busy making train sounds as he dragged the tin locomotive across the floor to notice the tears in his mother's eyes. The bundle had been outside the door, found when she went out for morning firewood. In addition to the toys was a small box, with a delicate gold chain and locket. The last type of thing she would ever buy for herself, and the perfect receptacle for Mr. Potter's photo. "Well honey, he is Santa Claus. I guess he just knows everything."
Inez gently rubbed her hand over the beautiful shawl she had wrapped around her shoulders. The package had been sitting on the bar when she arrived in the early hours. She looked around for the source, but the saloon was empty. Her eyes landed on the table in the corner. Seven bundles sat there, waiting for the usual inhabitants to arrive.
Vin was first through the door, stopping when he saw the table. He looked to Inez, but she merely shrugged to show her confusion, and turned to start up the kitchen stove. Before taking his seat, he sprinted up the stairs. Ezra would not be happy about being disturbed this early, especially after what was obviously a late night, but Vin didn't really care. None of them had been able to come up with a logical explanation for the man's absence last night, and Vin needed to know Ezra was OK. He'd poked his head into the livery early and was relieved to see Chaucer in his stall. He knocked lightly, then pounded harder when there was no sound from within. He was debating the merits for breaking down the locked door when Chris voice from behind startled him. "Give him a bit more time. Be pissed if we bust in and it turns out he's been keeping company with someone."
"You really think that's what's going on?" Chris just shrugged his response as the duo headed back down, intercepting JD on his mission to check out the room.
They sat, looking at the bundles before them. Vin picked his up, but fought the temptation to rip it open, leaning back to wait for the others.
"Well, none of them look like dynamite, so I reckon we're safe." was Buck's first comment. JD looked like, well, like a kid a Christmas. Each of the men had examined their bundle, and JD was unable to resist the urge to heft and shake Ezra's as well. Nathan speculated they were from the judge, but Chris couldn't imagine the man being so secretive about giving them something. He was more likely to buy them a few rounds of drinks than to leave mysterious unsigned bundles. Josiah was the 6th man to arrive at the table.
"Checked the livery." Vin smiled, realizing the others had likely done the same as well. "Chaucer's back in his stall. Tiny said he was out last evening when he fed the horses. Oh, you should see the outfit Tiny has on." They looked at him, silently asking the question. "New hat, scarf and gloves. Left for him at his door. Saw a few more bundles on peoples porches as well. Mostly houses with kids. There's one at Mary's place too. So – who here believes in Santa?" He grinned.
"Gotta admit, I'm starting too." Buck smiled, lifting the package in front of him. "So do we open these, or wait for Ezra to show up." He looked to Chris, and went silent at the concern on the man's face.
"His horse is in the stall, but no one has seen him since – since when?"
"He had his lunch here yesterday." Inez offered as she brought coffee cups to the table. "I haven't seen him since. He seemed fine. Coffee will be ready soon."
They sat silent at the table, each considering the possibilities. Without a word, Chris rose suddenly and grabbing his jacket from the back of his chair head out and turned toward the livery, the others following closely.
"Tiny – you see Ezra last night – this morning?"
"Nope – just know Chaucer's back, but mighty fidgety this morning. Tried to bolt when I opened the stall to feed him. Never done that before."
Chris headed to the stall and saw immediately what Tiny meant. Chaucer pranced in place, restless and agitated. Clearly he'd been groomed and settled when Ezra had returned, but something had occurred since then that had him almost destroying his stall in an effort to get out.
"Easy boy. We're gonna figure this out." Chaucer calmed slightly at the tone of Chris's voice, but the tension remained. "Anything out of place in here this morning?"
Tiny looked around, giving full consideration to the space before answering. "Not that I can see Chris. Things were pretty much where they were supposed to be. Back door wasn't latched, but that lock don't hold right, and the wind was fierce enough to have pushed it around." Chris was moving before the man finished speaking. He opened the door, looking at the lock for signs of forcing. It was Nathan who spotted the blood. Not a lot, but a smear of it, head high on the outer edge. JD spotted the boot a few feet from the door, behind stacked bales of hay. He grabbed Buck's arm and pointed, and the big man ran to the spot.
"Damn. Nathan, get over here." He reached out, not moving Ezra, but gently feeling for a pulse. The skin was cold, but after a few seconds he felt it the weak beat. He moved back quickly to let the healer step in.
"Guys, I need you to help me turn him, slowly. JD, get to the saloon and tell Inez we're gonna need lots of warm water. OK, let's try to keep his head and neck from moving too much." They rolled him slowly onto a blanket Tiny had brought outside, then each took a corner to bring him in from the elements. His face was white from cold, making the blood trail from his temple stand out even more. They carried him as far as the wood stove, then settled for Nathan to take a better look. Chris and Vin needed to feel useful, so headed back to the door to try to figure what had happened.
"Think he was ambushed?" Chris asked, his hand unconsciously gripping at the butt of his gun.
Vin looked at the trail of blood drops and the stain on the door, thinking back to the night before. "Yeah, by the wind. I'm betting it grabbed at the door when he opened it, probably emptying out Chaucer's second water pail." He pointed to where it had rolled or been blown several feet away. "Likely bounced back and slammed him in the head. Looks like he was able to take a few steps before passing out."
"So he's been lying here all night? Coulda froze to death."
"Don't imagine he was here all night. Don't know that he'd still be alive it he'd been here that long. Probably got in real late - after midnight, once everyone in town was asleep. Otherwise someone would have heard something."
"Even if they did, they would have assumed it was just the wind. No reason to figure anyone needed help." Chris looked over and saw Nathan standing, rubbing his hand across a worried face. He took only a few steps to be at the healer's side.
"Got a concussion, pretty bad. Not responding to anything I say or do. And the cold didn't help matters. Hands got frost bite. He may lose a couple of fingers to this Chris – or worse."
Chris looked down at the unconscious man with fear gripping him. This shouldn't have happened. What was he doing out so late? What was going on that he had to be so mysterious about. Why could nothing ever be simple when it came to Ezra?
Vin turned to the healer. "I'll head up to the infirmary and get things ready for him."
"No. It'd be better to take him to his own room. He'll be warmer there, and more comfortable. Plus, Inez can keep supplying us with warm water easier than we can get anywhere else."
"OK – I'll get the room unlocked and you come along in a few minutes. You guys stay here, help carry him."
Tiny provided clean blankets for Ezra to be wrapped in while being moved. He'd shown no signs of life, no reaction to activity around him. His face remained ghostly white, but the blue tinge to his lips had begun to fade a little. By the time JD returned to let them know Ezra's room was pen, they were set to carry him. Chris, Buck, Josiah and Tiny each took a corner of the blanket and carefully lifted Ezra off the ground and toward his own room. The last sound they heard was a soft whiney from Chaucer.
Vin was waiting at the top of the stairs, a stunned yet slightly bemused look on his face. He watched as the men gently carried their charge up the stairs, speaking only when they got close. "You guys are not going to believe what you see in there."
It was only after they had Ezra settled on his bed that they took a proper look around. The room was littered with shipping boxes, wrapping papers, ropes and ribbons.
"Ezra?" Buck couldn't contain his disbelief. "Ezra was Santa? That's crazy. Why?"
"That's why he was out last night? That's what he was doing out in the storm? Delivering gifts? Ezra?"
"Sure looks that way Chris." Vin answered. "As to why…well that beats the hell outta me."
"I can't come up with a less likely guess. Never would have picked him for this."
Tiny had stood by quietly, looking on the scene with wonder. "I shoulda guessed. Mr. Ezra is always thanking me for taking care of Chaucer. Says I'm just about the only other man his horse likes. Nobody else would have thought to give me anything. Nobody ever has. Guess he gets what it's like being the odd man in town." He walked away without looking at the others. "I gotta get back to the horses."
"Tiny?" Chris called after him. "Ezra didn't want folks to know, else he wouldn't have done all this in the middle of the night."
"Don't worry – I can keep his secret. Ain't right though. Folks should know what he done for everyone."
Nathan looked up as he left. "You guys should head out too. Don't need everyone up here, crowding us. Josiah, if you could bring up the warm water and some towels. I'm gonna soak them and wrap his hands. This might not be quite as bad as it looked, but we're gonna have to get lucky to keep him from losing a few fingers – or worse."
TBC