"She doesn't look familiar…" Maria held the picture closer up to her eyes, studying it intently. Finally she lifted her eyes from the photograph, leaning back and handing it to Chris, "No, sorry Chris she hasn't been in Purgatoria."

Chris took the photograph from Maria's hand, catching a glimpse of it. Ella Gaines was smiling up at him, a full beaming smile, dressed to the nines. He had acquired the photograph from Mary, who had dug it up from past archive files. He could tell that it had taken her some trouble to gather, after all photos of Ella were not exactly commonplace in the newspapers, but Mary had presented him with the picture, shrugging off any effort she had made.

"It was really no trouble. If anything I was happy to get it for you…"

Mary had paused, biting her lip, it was obvious that she wanted to say something, but was unsure as to whether or not to voice it aloud to him. Then she had looked up at him, fear shining through so clear in her green eyes,

"I know you need answers, but…be safe Chris."

He realised he ha been staring down at the photograph, and quickly tucked it away into the inside pocket of his black jacket. The smile on the murderess' face was already imprinted on his eyes. Whenever he closed them he saw her there. He tried to soothe the burning rage he could feel swelling inside of him, she had already taken away his wife and child from him in reality, but now she had also replaced their image. He looked up at Maria, forcing a small smile,

"It don't matter, knew it was a long shot anyway." It was true, he had been sceptical that Ella would have been in Purgatory, and he had known that if she had been here, she wouldn't have been so careless as to let herself be seen. He sighed, running his hands through his hair carelessly. He and Buck had decided to stop in Purgatory only briefly, a chance to grab a quick rest for them and the horses, and to ask a couple of questions. He had known that it was highly unlikely anyone would have any information on Ella, but he had been silently praying to himself the whole journey. Without Ella he was just grabbing at straws, any other leads, like 'Handsome Jack', and Cletus Fowler had been killed. He stood up, grabbing his hat from its place on Maria's bed, but she was standing beside him before he could place it back onto his head,

"Maybe I could make it up to you some other way, no?" she seductively purred into his ear. Memories of how he had drowned his sorrows in Maria's company on the third anniversary of Sarah and Adam's deaths flooded back. How easy it had been to fall into her arms, a woman who he knew barely anything about, and she him. That had been a large part of the attraction, but not this time. He wouldn't allow himself to be distracted, wouldn't take his eyes off the ball, but somehow he knew this wasn't the only reason.

"I'm 'fraid not Maria. Thank you for your help though."

He tipped his hat at her as he walked past towards the door, knowing that he wouldn't be coming back into this room again. Maria wasn't the one that could console him anymore.

Chris easily spotted Buck as soon as he walked into the saloon. The bar was filled with rowdy Mexican peasants, raucously murdering some lively tune, clinking glasses and slopping beer and tequila everywhere, apart from the moustached gunslinger, who stood at the far corner of the bar, laughing into his beer at the spectacle. Upon noticing his friend approaching, a wide grin lit up Buck's face, accompanied by an arched eyebrow,

"Well, I wasn' expectin' ta' see you for a good while yet Pard."

Chris let out a short chuckle, as he signalled for the bartender to bring him a shot of whiskey,

"Sorry to disappoint ya' there," he grinned as he seated himself down beside his friend. A sombre expression filled Buck's face,

"No luck?"

Chris grabbed the shot glass, necking the alcohol in one motion,

"Nope," his reply came out breathy on the bitterness of the whiskey.

"I'm ready ta' ride when you are."

Chris thanked Buck wordlessly, and he knew his friend understood the notion. Buck knew the unspoken code between them that meant mentioning Ella and their current plan as little as possible. This was part of the reason that he had brought Buck along instead of Vin. He had seen it in Vin's expression, although he had said nothing, that he was slightly put out that Chris had chosen Buck to keep him company on his mission, and instead had asked Vin to keep an eye on Four Corners. Particularly one newly gained resident. He hadn't mentioned it to Vin, but he felt that he was leaving him with the most important job of all. The whole new life that Chris had forged for himself after Sarah and Adam was in Four Corners, and Vin was protecting that for him. Also the price on Vin's head had been considered by Chris when he selected Buck for his companion on this ride, knowing that they would be pit-stopping in many bandit towns where, as much as he would risk his life to help Chris, Vin's presence might have been more of a hindrance than help.

"Lets go, ain't no point wastin' more time here."

The two men exchanged a look, knowing that after they left Purgatory, the jesting element of their journey would be over. The closer they got to Red Fork, hopefully the closer they got to being rid of Ella Gaines for good, and that was no laughing matter.