"Ezra Pettigrew Standish the Second, that is no way to talk about your motha!" Maude's silky voice carried a cutting edge.
Ezra sighed tiredly and turned away.
"Don't you turn your back on me," Maude hissed.
"Motha, since it seems to have escaped your attention, a young woman was just . . . murdered. Bringing the known death count to three in less than twenty-four hours. Pardon me if I don't seem overwhelmingly pleased to see you," Ezra snarled. "Ah am fatigued, and would much prefer not to have to converse with some of your large incensed ex-friends. Such as that Neanderthal, Guido who visited with me on the last occasion upon which you came to visit," Ezra drawled tiredly.
"Ezra, please cease making me into some heartless witch. I was not acquainted with the young woman. Such a pity, was she important to you darling boy?" True concern might have flickered in Maude's eyes as she noticed the splint for the first time.
"Ezra, darling, are you injured? That must be why you are treating your mutha so callously."
"Mutha, you deliberately chose to ignore mah wishes and came to this structural monstrosity. Surely you do not expect me to welcome you with open arms," Ezra drawled and turned to face Angel.
"Forgive me please, Ms. Angel but I find I have lost mah appetite and will not be dining on the repast you were so kind as to prepare," Standish apologized, before shakily walking back to the fireplace.
Ezra plopped into his chair gracelessly, rested his head against the back and closed his eyes in pain, while his mother berated him for his less than exemplary behavior.
"I'll put everything up." Angel looked green. "I don't think anyone is hungry."
Choked voices agreed. The group broke up as everyone, in their own way, tried to deal with what they had just seen.
Chris shook his head in disbelief as he realized Mary was dozing in the chair. Was it worth it, Mary? Even if you get those damn diaries, was it worth three deaths? Chris thought angrily before stalking back to the French door, parting the curtains carefully he made certain that the doors were still sealed. What is it you want Larabee? Opened we can get out, but locked, those damn things can't get in. I want Barbara E. G. Petrie dead once and for all. I want this nightmare over and this damn house burned to the ground and her with it. Chris fumed to himself.
No one noticed as Tanner's head lifted and his head turned toward Larabee. Keen intelligence showed for an instant before the shaggy head lowered and Vin returned to his rocking and petting.
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Josiah wrapped gentle arms around the suddenly shaking Nettie.
"I'm so tired, Josiah," Nettie rested her head against the broad chest. "The children need me to be strong, not some wore out old woman."
"I have you sister, just rest a moment." Josiah rocked in place.
"Lost forever," Nettie sobbed. "Another soul lost forever." .
Josiah rocked and rumbled soothing words for long minutes. Nettie stiffened in his hold, then took a step back.
"I'm fine now. As my momma always said, the world isn't going to stop for yer troubles, girl. Chickens need ta be fed and cows milked so git on with it," Nettie wiped the tears off and schooled her face once more. "Thank you Mr. Sanchez, now go sit down, I'll get you a fresh ice pack."
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"Josiah, do you think bourbon is strong enough to clean the bathroom, or should we try to find the laundry room and see if there is any bleach?" Nathan asked softly. "No telling what kind of contagions are in there right now."
"Bleach or ammonia would be best, but whiskey is better than nothing." Josiah gingerly sat down.
"There is no need to be embarrassed Josiah. I'd feel better if you'd let me see how much damage Cedric did," Nathan coaxed.
"I'm badly bruised is all," Josiah grimaced. "Forgive me, but I am not dropping my pants in front of those little girls, and I am not going it in that bathroom!"
"Yeah, I can sure understand that. Promise to tell me if the pain gets worse," Nathan grumbled.
"Nathan, I'm bruised, nothing is ruptured, calm down," Josiah huffed.
"Son, you did everything in your power for that girl. She was eaten up with those worms. Her navel was only a small part of it." Josiah reminded. "What happened out there . . . I have to say I'm glad you didn't make it out that door, very glad!" Josiah admitted.
"We're not gonna make it out of here, are we?" Nathan whispered.
"Yes we will, because we won't give in to Her," Josiah snarled.
"Put up one hell of a fight anyway," Nathan scowled and straightened.
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"Casey, where are you going?" Nettie asked sharply, as the girl started out the door carrying a large garbage bag.
"I'm going to take care of our clothes from earlier," Casey said shakily. "I don't want them to be laying out for everyone to see. Then I'll clean the bathroom."
"No, I clean the bathroom," Nettie said softly, cutting off any protest from the girl. I know decontamination procedures for bio-hazards that you don't, child.
"I need to do something, Aunt Nettie," Casey choked.
"Okay, put some gloves on before you take care of the clothes. Dr. Jackson will let you have some," Nettie's voice trembled. "You can help me."
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"You alright, Ms. Nettie?" Buck asked softly.
"I've never been more proud of her, or sadder either. My Casey's doing what needs to be done. She's not my little girl but a woman grown. No protecting her anymore." Nettie smiled faintly, watching as Casey took a deep breath and stepped into the hall.
"Guys," Casey stepped back in the room with a spooked look on her face. "Did any of you move the clothes?"
Heads shook and voices responded with a series of no's.
"They aren't here." Casey said flatly.
JD peered out along with Bruce and Jock. Except for the trail of cards along the baseboard, the hall was immaculate.
"She's right, they're gone," JD blurted.
Chris scowled and stepped into the hall, looking both ways. Moving to the bathroom door, he opened it to reveal a spotless room as if the maid had just left.
"Looks like the damn place cleans up after itself," Chris hissed.
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Ezra abruptly sat up and looked toward Mary's chair. That side of the room seemed heavily shadowed, darker than it should with all the lights on like they were. Ezra frowned as the 'wrongness' registered with his aching brain.
"Might I draw your attention to the fact Mister Tanner is no longer present!" Ezra exclaimed after perceiving the all too empty space.
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"This is getting old," Chris growled, grabbing up a flashlight. "Who's coming?"
Bruce grabbed up a rope and started to fasten it once more to the pool table's leg. Stopping, he stared at the end of the rope for a minute, before standing and walking over to Vin's spot in front of the fire.
"Seven of spades," Bruce muttered, holding up the card that had been placed under the dragons front feet. "Nothing else is making any sense, so . . . don't ask, this just feels right." Bruce huffed, before tying the rope around the heavy metal dragon.
"I'll have to be moving soon enough," Josiah sighed, "Think I'll stay right here."
"Let him go and good riddance." Crooks huffed bitterly from his seat in the rocker.
"I'm going to keep an eye on Mary." Nathan scowled at the sleeping woman.
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"Ah do believe ah'll get better acquainted with these fine gentleman. Ezra was always such an emotional child, such an imagination. Ah'd like a chance to undo the damage his unfounded accusations may have caused. Now then, you're a professor at the college Dr. Crooks? Why ah do declare, you must be a genius. Ah have always admired intelligent men and you're so handsome as well. Please call me Maude. Now, tell me more about yourself, Sydney. Ah may call you Sydney, might ah?" Maude wove her magic.
"Interesting woman, your momma," Buck looked over at Ezra.
"Mutha is not now, nor has she ever been, momma." Ezra's voice was icy. "Ah could almost feel sorry for Crank. His behavior, however, has warranted a touch of Maude's magic."
"Your mother has a 'talent' too?" JD asked excitedly.
"Unquestionably. She has an incredible skill in detecting currency and relieving its rightful owner of said currency," Ezra admired.
"She's gonna scam Crooks?" Tony smirked.
"Undoubtedly! While Josiah and Nathan, are certainly not immune to her scheming, they are far to focused on their clinic for Mutha to exert herself, not when a much easier target is available," Ezra explained as he and the others escaped the room trailing the elusive Tanner.
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"What item caught Mr. Tanner's interest on his last little jaunt?" Ezra asked curiously.
"A mortar and pestle in the south wing," Buck grunted.
"Mr. Dunne, did you perchance examine the items?" Ezra looked thoughtful.
"A healer, and he was beaten to death by a bunch of cowboys. I thought it was Nathan at first," JD answered shakily.
"West," Chris huffed, coming to the grand stair case and looking down at the new trail.
"Mr. Wilmington, might I inquire as to your birth place?" Ezra asked.
"Peoria, Illinois. Why'd you want to know?" Buck looked over in puzzlement.
"Mr. Dunne was born in or around Boston by his accent," Ezra mused.
"Yeah I was, does it matter?" JD asked curiously.
"East and the sheriff's star seem personal to you," Ezra's frown smoothed out. "Dr. Jackson is from Alabama, despite his suppression of his regional accent. And a mortar and pestle were part of a physician's trade through-out antiquity. I expect the next item will be connected with Dr. Sanchez in some manner." Ezra said thoughtfully.
"Just the talents?" Angel asked.
"So it would seem, Ms. Lemon," Ezra smiled comfortingly.
"Power points, you think Vin's setting up a focus of some kind." JD gasped.
"Indeed I do. Under the radar of our lovely Mary Travis as well." Ezra admitted.
"So he's fighting the house," Chris stopped and turned around.
"I am uncertain which 'he' is in control," Ezra hesitated.
Chris scowled and started walking. "Guess we'll find out if you're on the right track soon enough, we're out of house.
Entering the room, they found Vin sitting and facing the western most window. He was playing with something in his hands and humming an old hymn.
"Vin honey," Nettie knelt down. "Are you alright?"
Tanner raised his head, a sweet lop-sided smile on his face. "Preacher, happy." Vin held up a roughly fashioned cross on a leather thong. A worn old bible was tucked into his shirt for safe keeping, joining his precious Pony. Tanner fished out Ezra's carved wooden box of cards, holding it tightly he stood up, then helped Nettie to her feet.
Cocking his head, Tanner held out the cross to JD.
"Thanks, but no," JD stepped back.
"JD," Vin scowled and pushed the cross into Dunne's hands.
"Jeez," JD hissed, a grimace of pain crossed his face before he smiled sadly. "Pain, satisfaction, peace, joy," JD breathed.
"JD?" Casey rubbed JD's shoulder.
"He looked like Josiah, but he must have been 90. The house was burning and they were locked in. He broke down the door and got the baby out, his grandson Elisha. I think he had a heart attack. He was content, the baby was safe. He was the last and he was ready to go." JD trailed off, tears on his cheeks and a smile on his face. "He missed his brothers."
Vin pulled the cross free and laid it on the window sill. Then, taking Nettie's elbow in a gentle grip, he escorted her out of the room, followed by the rest of the searchers.
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"Vin's finding those things, but JD's the one triggering them, isn't he?" Buck fell back to consult with Ezra.
"I believe you are correct, Mr. Wilmington. Until just now, I did not ascertain Mr. Dunne's importance to the focuses."
"These focus things, are they a good thing or not?" Buck asked uncomfortably.
"I wish I knew," Ezra answered.
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"Whoa, Cowboy!" Chris blurted, as Vin stopped suddenly almost tripping Larabee. Cowboy? Why in hell did I call Tanner Cowboy?
They were once more at the grand stair case. Vin turned loose of Nettie's elbow. Looking down, he began to follow a new trail. This time he was headed north.
"I thought Vin was making the trails," Casey whispered in shock.
"Well?" Everyone looked to Chris to decide their next move.
"He's bound and determined to do this. Maybe he'll stop wandering once he finishes." Chris shrugged and started following Tanner.
Vin hesitated. Looking back, he placed his momentarily empty hand in front of his face. Dancing twinkling eyes peeked through the spread fingers, a delightfully mischievous grin was shared for an instant before he became engrossed in the card trail once more.
"Now that was plumb terrifying," Buck chuckled.
"He's sure as hell up to something," Chris snorted before following the determined trail blazer.
"Didn't take him long to run out of room." Buck stared at the sealed front door. "Now, why would anybody with a lick of sense face the front door north? Every storm, the cold wind would blow right through the house."
"Does anything about this place make sense?" Bruce scowled.
"Where'd he get the watch?" Tony asked.
Tanner settled cross-legged onto the hardwood floor holding an opened antique pocket watch in his gentle grasp. This time there was no humming or rocking.
"Vin honey, what is it?" Nettie coaxed.
Tanner's head rose, his eyes full of rage. His whole body trembled. The tinkling of crystal could be heard and everyone looked up to see the crystal chandler shake as the anger became manifest.
"Vin, stop it!" Nettie ordered, taking the pocket watch out of his hands. Immediately, the chandler became still. Looking at the now opened watch, Nettie blurted, "It's you."
She handed Larabee the old watch. Inside the frame, on the watch cover, was a very old picture of Chris and Buck together.
"This doesn't make any sense," Chris breathed before offering the watch to Buck.
"Whoa, Junior! Alright, I won't touch it," Wilmington gasped as he slid across the hall. Immediately the force stopped and he walked back over.
"JD, you might want to turn that thing on," Buck jerked his chin towards the watch in Larabee's hand.
JD obviously braced himself, then held out his hands for Chris to set the watch in. "Shit!!" Dunne blurted before dropping the watch on the floor. Bracing his hands on his knees, JD panted, trying to regain his breath.
"Kid are you OK?" Buck demanded, hovering over JD worriedly.
"Yeah, that was just really intense. Belonged to the guy that looked like you. He was furious, on his horse riding like a bat out of hell. He discovered something that Chris had to know, something dangerous . . . evil. Then its despair," JD struggled to explain the watch owner's emotions. "Somebody shot his horse. It went down. Then they shot him . . . in the back. She laughed at him as she took the watch. I think she left him to die."
"Hell," Buck hissed.
"If your doppelganger's emotions were that intense, Mr. Tanner may have just saved your life," Ezra muttered.
"What?" a ragged chorus rose from the group.
"JD was forcefully affected by the emotions carried within the watch. If Mr. Wilmington is as close a match as indicated by the picture, his heart may have stopped due to the shock." Ezra said uncomfortably.
"Hell," Buck breathed, taking a step back.
"They're getting clearer and a whole lot stronger, the images, I mean. I think I closed a circuit somehow." JD raised troubled eyes.
"Has anyone else noticed that Vin does most of his wandering when Ms. Travis is sleeping? I know she's making my skin crawl. He's hiding this from the house." Bruce chewed his lip thoughtfully. "I think we need to help him finish whatever he's doing."
"I sure wish you could tell us what you know," Chris squatted down beside Tanner. "Guess you're trying, aren't you, cowboy? Time to go." Chris urged Vin to his feet.
Vin picked up the watch and set it on one of the window sills of the ornately cut, leaded glass windows framing the front door. Taking Chris' hand, Tanner waited.
"Let's go back now, the others will be worried," Chris coaxed.
"Nate, 'Siah?" Vin asked faintly.
"Yes, that's where they are," Chris responded.
"Soon," Vin whispered as he followed Larabee's lead calmly.