Sergeant Cox stood at the front door of the Jonas' residence. He paused for a moment before knocking on the door – he was trying to formulate his questions and not upset the store owner any more than he already likely was.

Cox rapped on the closed door and waited. He heard someone moving around and then finally heard the latch of the door click. The door opened inward and an older woman stood slightly behind it. "Yes?" Ellen Jonas asked.

Cox removed his hat, "I'm sergeant Cox with the United States Army. I'd like to talk to Mr. Jonas about the stagecoach accident, if I may," Cox stated.

Ellen stood aside and allowed the sergeant into the house. It was modest and well kept. The living room and kitchen were one long room, which was partly separated with a large stone hearth; the bedrooms where at the back of the house, off the living room. Cox could see a scullery off the kitchen from where he stood as Ellen Jonas went to talk to her husband.

"Wilbur?" Ellen spoke quietly as she nudged her husband gently to wake him.

Jonas' eyes fluttered open and at first he was confused to his whereabouts. With a heavy sigh, he relaxed and looked up at his wife.

"There 's a sergeant Cox here from the army who wants to talk to you about the stagecoach accident," Ellen said in a hushed voice.

Wilbur blinked his eyes in thought, "Yes. Fine, I suppose," he said as he rubbed his eyes with his knuckles to try and clear his head. Ellen nodded and left the room to talk Cox that her husband was willing to talk to him. "He's a wake now. Please try not to be too long. He's been through so much," Ellen said.

"Thank you ma'am. I would be long. I just need to get some information," the tall sergeant said as he walked to the bedroom.

Jonas was struggling to a sitting position when Cox entered the room, "Oh, hey. Here. Let me give you a hand," Cox stated and assisted the store owner with some more pillows to prop him up. "Thank you," Jonas said as he watched the sergeant move a wooden chair closer to the bed and sit down.

"Looks like you got banged up pretty good in the crash," Cox stated as he looked at the sutured wound on Jonas' forehead. "How are you otherwise?" the sergeant asked with concern.

Jonas shrugged, "I seem to have a black cloud over me lately," he said as he looked down at his hands and thought of all the things in the past seven months that he and Ellen had been through.

Cox was patient and planned his questions, "How so?"

"Oh, just one bad thing after another. I just wish I could get my store reopened," Jonas' voice held resentment for the lost time and money.

"Well, I'm sure after some good rest, that will happen," Cox smiled. Jonas tried to smile too.

"Can you tell me about the stagecoach robbery?" Cox then pressed for information. Jonas looked around the room. Really it wasn't something he wanted to talk about but knew he really had little choice if he wanted the men responsible caught and charged.

"It seemed like a routine trip. That was until the marshal found out about the payroll that the army placed on board," Jonas started. "The marshal and the drive were confident that nothing would happen. That is until we left the stage stop and all hell broke lose," Jonas sighed.

"Go on," Cox urged.

"Now, I didn't see the fellows, as the marshal was the one who got off the stagecoach to talk to them, but we heard them. They claimed to be with the army and were redirected to pick up the payroll rather than it go to Dodge," Jonas paused, "At least that was my impression," he looked at the sergeant.

"Then what?" Cox asked.

"It all happened so quickly," Jonas stated. "There were several gunshots, what seemed like all at the same time. I saw the marshal fall, and then Doc jumped out the door to help him, just as the stagecoach began to move and there was no slowing it down. Miss Kitty and I held onto whatever we could - for dear life!"

"The coach was driverless?" Cox asked.

"The way it was moving, it most certainly was," Jonas said.

"Can you tell me any more about the men who were at the robbery?" Cox asked.

"I recall seeing three men on horsebacks and I'm almost certain I heard another gunshot, but it didn't seem to come from them. I think I saw they mounted men riding up the hill," Jonas' eyebrows knitted together in thought. "I didn't have much time to watch with the way the coach was bouncing around, and then within minutes the stage flipped over. That's all I can remember about the actual accident," Jonas stated.

Cox stood, "Thank you for your time, Mr. Jonas," he extended his right hand and Jonas shook it. "I hope you find them," Jonas stated.

"Oh, I'm sure we will. You take care of yourself," Cox smiled. Jonas nodded, "Thank you," he smiled.

Kitty Russell's story mirrored Jonas' except she actually saw the stagecoach driver fall from his seat after being shot. "That's all I can recall," Kitty said. She was getting uncomfortable.

"I'm very sorry you had to go through this terrible ordeal," sergeant Williams said as he stood from the bedside chair. "I assure you that the men responsible will be caught and punished for this crime," Williams stated. "The army will accept all responsibility if it is proven that the three men were the ones assigned to the job." Williams' tone was ice cold. Kitty sensed his meaning, "Hope you make them pay heavily," she said rather callously as she thought of Matt.

Williams walked to the door, "Thank you for your time, Miss Russell," he smiled.

Kitty just nodded and watched the sergeant leave closing the door behind him. She couldn't stop wondering how Matt was doing, and Doc for that matter. She knew Doc had been on the go since they boarded stagecoach early the previous morning.

Sergeant Williams walked down the stairs and place his hat back on his head before he left the saloon. He'd just stepped out onto the boardwalk when he spotted sergeant Cox. Williams walked toward his friend, "Certainly seems that Dwight Hodgson, Frank Elcombe and James Doris have some explaining to do," Williams said. Cox nodded.

"We'd better check with the doctor and get his story," Cox pointed up the stairs to the doctor's office.

"I doubt it'll be much different," Williams said as he stepped up the stairs with Cox right behind him. Williams' statement sent a shiver down Cox's spine – he could hear the cold tone and loathing that was running deep within his friend. He knew that Williams hated to be duped and so far the three troopers have made him look the fool.