Gabriel walks out the front door and greets Sgt. Oakley, "Good Morning! Miss Lexi Ramsey and Simon are sitting in the living room. I think it may be best if you talk to him with her in the room. I believe it will comfort him. However, hearing about the abuse that I do believe was inflicted by Simon's uncle, is going to make Miss Lexi angrier. While I am thinking about it, maybe I should ask her if she would like to have me keep her gun in the Mountie office so none of the children get a hold of it."
Staff Sgt. Oakley nods and says, "I will ask her before we start the interview." He heads into the house to meet with Lexi and Simon. A minute later, Sgt. Oakley opens the door and hands Gabriel the gun from Lexi's pocket.
Gabriel considers riding Apollo back to the Mountie offices when he spies Lillian walking back to the orphanage. He decides to walk out to meet her. Once he reaches her, he leans down to give her a quick kiss since they are in view of the town and Gabriel knows that his Lillian his reserved. However, she surprised him by wrapping her arms around him and deepening the kiss. After several minutes, they pull apart and Gabriel teases, "Did you forget we were in full view of the town?"
Lillian blushes and mock scolds, "No, Mr. Smarty Pants. I am finding that being loved by you outweighs what the townspeople think! Besides, I am so happy that Grace and Chuck are coming back to Brookfield and I'm going to be an aunt!"
"Did you tell Grace that you were the one who initiated our first kiss? There I was trying to share how I felt, and a saucy redhead lays one on me!" Gabriel laughs.
Lillian begins, "Well, remember," "Actions speak louder than words." Gabriel and Lillian finish together laughing. Gabriel puts his arm around Lillian's shoulders, and she puts her arm around his waist and they walk back to the orphanage and sit on the front porch. Neither wants to interfere with the interview with Sgt. Oakley, but they want to be nearby in case they are needed.
Inside the orphanage, Sgt. Oakley introduces himself to Lexi and Simon. Miss Eleanor enters the living room to see if either Lexi or Sgt. Oakley would like some coffee. Both decline, but Sgt. Oakley tells her that he wants to discuss the bandits with Lexi first. Miss Eleanor suggests that Simon comes into the kitchen with her to help her bake some cookies. Simon's whole face brightens, and he runs to join her in the kitchen.
Once Simon is out of earshot, Sgt. Oakley turns to Lexi and asks for the events that led up to the bandits attacking the stagecoach.
"Well, as I told Constable Kinslow, we had just hit a particularly nasty bump when I heard an 'Oof' from the bench seat. Knowing that benches don't talk, I investigated and I found Simon hiding underneath the cushions. Just as I pulled him out, I heard gunshots and horses approaching quickly. I told Simon to get in the footwell, and I pulled my gun from my right pocket. I looked out on my right side and saw a bandit approaching on horseback and firing on the stage. So, I shot him between the eyes. Then, I heard gunshots coming from my left side, so I move over to that window and I fire on the second bandit, hitting him between the eyes. I heard more shots coming from the right side, so I moved back over there. Before I could look out the window, a bullet hit me in the right shoulder. I fired back on the bandit, but due to my injury, I hit him in the temple. The stage continued on to Brookfield, and I tried to doctor my shoulder with young Simon's assistance." Lexi finishes.
"Well, having seen the bandits and received Constable Kinslow's report, I agree that having you on board that stagecoach not only saved lives, but saved two companies lots of money. Also, I agree with Constable Drake that once your shoulder heals you should be teaching Mounties how to shoot in different scenarios. The fact that you killed three men firing from a bouncing conveyance is amazing. Very few of our Mounties could have done it with such accuracy especially being wounded on your firing arm! Now, what can you tell me about the bandits that you killed and the ones that may still be at large?" Sgt. Oakley queries.
"The three that are dead are my younger faux brothers, Gregory, Gilbert, and Grayson. I am not sure how they came to be here in Canada since the last time I saw them they lived a few hours out of Savannah, Georgia." Lexi explains, "Up until the night I left, all of them still lived at home. I guess their dad wouldn't share the stipend my grandfather sent every month if they didn't live in the house. The three brothers that are at large are Gordon, George, and Gideon. Gordon, if he is alive, is the ringleader. All five of the others always followed his lead when we were growing up. They were quite brutal with everyone in the area, especially the women. I heard stories that I don't want to repeat or think of again. I used to be so ashamed thinking that I was related to them. About a year after I left for England, my grandfather sent an investigator because neither of us had heard from my mother. He reported back that she had died three days after I left by falling down the stairs. After she died, their father moved his mistress who was the one that gave birth to the brothers into the house. When he did, the brothers moved out in disgust and were 'lost in the wind'. Once my grandfather found out my mom was dead, he stopped sending the stipends. Which is probably why their father demanded I come home. I burned that letter, and about a year later, he died. After that, my grandfather formally adopted me and changed my last name to Ramsey."
"Before your grandfather changed your name, what was your family name?" Sgt. Oakley asks.
"Trent." Lexi supplies. "Now, what will happen to Simon? He has alluded to Constable Kinslow and I that he was abused by the uncle. What can be done to keep him safe?"