Chapter 8

Ezra glanced over at Morgan. She looked at him and cocked an eyebrow in question.

"You've developed such a bond with our reluctant hostess that you want to seek her out and say hello?" he asked.

Morgan looked straight ahead. Her fine jawline tensed slightly. "I had to get out of that house," she said. Her hands curled into fists.

Ezra was used to looking for tells with Morgan. She didn't let people in easily. A smirk was usually her go-to defense. Honestly, it was one of the things he admired about her. She had admirable talent at bluffing. Which was why it was slightly concerning that she was showing so much now. It would take an overwhelming amount of emotion to move Morgan to show this much agitation.

"Out of the house, or away from the inhabitants?" Ezra asked without judgment. Goodness knew he often needed space from Vin's do-gooder tendencies and Chris' stifling code of conduct.

Morgan didn't answer right away, a frown marring her face as they walked down the empty streets. Suddenly she stopped walking and whirled to face him.

"Every time I look at everyone, I think about how we got here!" she burst out. "That—that necklace I was wearing—"

"That I gave you," Ezra interjected, not sure how she was managing to take the blame.

"That I was wearing," she said adamantly. "I did something that made that necklace go crazy. I know I did!"

Behind her a car window spontaneously burst.

Morgan winced and kept her eyes closed.

Ezra gently took her arm, turned her in the direction they needed to head and kept her walking.

"Curious after shocks of time travel," he said blandly.

Morgan grit her teeth, her nostrils flaring as her breathing came quicker, but she didn't say anything.

Lightbulbs in the tall street lamps overhead burst. Every one they passed under, shattered with a pop as they walked by.

Ezra didn't say anything more. He veered into the vacant field. Casey's directions had been instructions based on streets and street names, but it appeared less likely for them to leave a trail of destruction in their wake if they were in the field.

Away from the noise and breaking glass, Morgan started to relax, her fists uncurling, her breathing slowing.

Ezra tugged at his shirt. "I don't know what sort of this fabric is, but I'm certain it's lesser quality than my personal affects."

That earned him the hint of a smile from Morgan.

"You should have worn the t-shirt," she said, the unfamiliar word sounding awkward on her tongue.

"And you should have worn the long skirt," he countered.

Morgan let out a snort of laughter. "And miss the chance to see Buck's head nearly explode?"

"Mr. Larabee didn't look much happier," Ezra informed her.

"They'll get over it," she said easily. "I may even bring these pants back with us. They're much easier to move in. Bootcut jeans," she said, as though speaking a foreign language. But really, nearly everything in this world was foreign.

"I for one will be thankful to return to my regular attire," Ezra informed her. They were nearing the edge of the scraggly field that backed up to a neighborhood of houses and businesses that looked more rundown than Cheyenne's none-too-prosperous neighborhood on the opposite end of the field. Ezra nodded to the right, recognizing landmarks on the street Casey had described.

Thankfully nothing exploded when they veered their course back onto the street. Ezra shifted his arm slightly, feeling for his concealed gun at his wrist. The long sleeves of the dress shirt he wore covered it well enough, though not as well as his custom tailored coats did. He didn't enjoy the thought of bringing Morgan into the presence of Cheyenne's brother and his friend. But he knew Morgan well enough to know any word of doubt would be taken as a personal challenge. Escorting her without comment had seemed like the prudent choice.

"What do you think she does here?" Morgan asked as they walked through the small lot filled with the horseless carriages. Cars, Cheyenne had called them.

"I haven't the faintest idea," Ezra said.

He opened the door to the mechanic's shop and held it for Morgan.

Morgan went in without hesitation. The way she tossed her hair over her shoulder was a dead giveaway to Ezra, though, that Morgan wasn't as comfortable as she let on.

"Be right with you," a voice called from the back. A familiar voice. Ezra tensed. His skin pricked with awareness. It was Cheyenne's brother.

"What do ya need—" he asked, coming from a back room. His voice trailed off when he saw Ezra and Morgan and a slow grin spread across his angular face. "Hey there," he drawled.

Morgan didn't return his greeting with a flirtatious smile the way she would with any number of men. Her face remained unimpressed, impassive. "I stopped by to see Cheyenne."

Cheyenne's brother moved a step closer. "You sure it wasn't to see me."

Ezra moved carefully, not wanting to provoke the man into making further moves towards Morgan in an attempt to antagonize Ezra. "Is Cheyenne here?" Ezra asked mildly.

"I'm here," Cheyenne said, coming into the front office area. She frowned at her brother. "Leave her alone," she muttered under her breath.

"I think she likes me," the brother said, giving Morgan a grin that made Ezra's blood simmer.

"Go help Hunter finish up, ok?" Cheyenne said.

The man looked at Cheyenne with an annoyed look.

"Then I can get out of here sooner and get the Lexus," she said.

Ezra didn't move, but every muscle was tensed in the silence that followed, ready to come between the man and Morgan if he tried to get anywhere near her.

"I'll see you later," the brother said. He puckered his lips in a kiss towards Morgan, laughing when Morgan recoiled slightly and cast a worried look toward Ezra.

Cheyenne waited until the man opened the door to a cavernous room, the loud whine of machinery coming in until the door closed behind him.

"Sorry about that," Cheyenne said stiffly. "Eli Joe's not easy to get along with."

"It's fine," Morgan said. She looked around the small room. "You work in here all day?"

Cheyenne hesitated just long enough for it to draw Ezra's attention. "Most days," she said.

"But you…boost cars…" Morgan said, once again unfamiliar, foreign words coming from her, "sometimes? Does that mean you fix them like your brother and his friend? You boost them?"

Cheyenne quickly shushed Morgan and pressed her lips together. Now Ezra's interest was definitely piqued.

"You shouldn't talk about that," Cheyenne whispered intensely. "Don't talk about boosting cars. It's not…" she stopped and bit her lip. "It's not legal, ok?"

Ezra could see it was the wrong thing to say to Morgan. Now her eyes lit up with questions.

"It's not?" Morgan asked. "What does it mean?"

Cheyenne's face made it clear she didn't want to say anything more. "It means to steal a car."

Morgan's shock was clear. "Steal them?" she asked as the door from the shop opened again and Eli Joe came back in.

Ezra moved closer to Morgan, resting a light hand against hers in an unspoken direction to not say anything more.

"I was thinkin'," Eli Joe said. "Your friend should hang around here. She dresses the place up real nice. Maybe she can give me a hand in the back."

Cheyenne's face showed exactly what she thought of that idea. She quickly grabbed at a set of keys. "She's heading up to Two Springs with me."

Eli Joe frowned.

"Come on," Cheyenne said, ushering Morgan and Ezra toward the door. She didn't say anything, just headed toward a silver car and opened the door.

Ezra willingly got in, not sure where they were going, but anything to get Morgan away from the leering man inside the shop.

Cheyenne started the car and pulled a strap across her shoulder and waist, clicking it into place near her hip. She looked over at Ezra in the front seat next to hers and Morgan in the back. "Seatbelts," she said.

Ezra pulled the strap awkwardly across him and slipped it into place with a click. In the backseat Morgan was wrestling with hers.

"Let go of it," Cheyenne said. "Try again."

It took Morgan a couple tries, but she managed to get it in place. "Is this so your passengers can't escape?" she asked dryly.

"It's to keep you from being thrown through the windshield if we crash," Cheyenne answered bluntly.

Ezra was surprised with how quickly the conveyance picked up speed. It pushed him back into the seat. He heard Morgan's gasp of surprise. Cheyenne worked the pedals at her feet with ease.

"I can drop you back at my house," she said.

"Or," Morgan said. "You can bring us with you to boost a car."

"Don't say that," Cheyenne said, flicking a furrowed look in the mirror at Morgan.

Morgan didn't look repentant. "It's not like we have anything better to do," she said. "Right, Ezra?"

Ezra paused. He thought of Mr. Larabee's reaction if he found out that Ezra had gone with Morgan to steal a car. He figured giving it a passing thought was a sign of moral growth. Then he ignored the thought. "I'd be interested to see the other side of your career."

Cheyenne frowned.

"Maybe it will be a skill we could use while we're here," he said. "Or at least be of assistance to you. Company on the drive if nothing else."

Cheyenne slid her eyes toward him, lifting her eyebrow.

Ezra didn't think she was going to agree, but finally she heaved a sigh. "Fine. Just for today. One car. One time."

He looked back in time to see Morgan's eager grin. Then Morgan leaned forward between the seats.

"Is it like being a horse thief?" she asked. "If we're caught will we get hanged?"

Ezra wondered if he should be concerned that Morgan sounded like she would enjoy the show of a run in with the law.

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Buck followed after Casey and JD, trying not to gawk at all the sights. The building she led them into was huge, glass doors like Buck had never seen before leading into the museum.

"This is somethin' else," Vin muttered under his breath.

"Sure is," Buck agreed. He had hoped going along with Casey to her museum would get his mind off Morgan traipsing around in this unfamiliar place. So far it was working. He craned his neck to look up to the ceiling that rose three floors above them, those electric lights everywhere.

A screen with one of those moving pictures greeted them on the opposite end of the lobby. But it was taller than Buck. It stretched almost twice his height. Some fella was on the screen, dressed in boots, a gun slung around his hip.

"Howdy Pardner," the cowboy spoke.

Vin and Buck slowed, watching him. Even JD stopped, his attention pulled from Casey.

"Step back into history with me. Take a tour of the towns I roamed, the gunslingers I fought. See if you're tough enough to ride with me and my gang. I'm… Doc Holliday."

JD snorted with laughter and Buck chuckled. Even Vin grinned.

Casey's brow wrinkled. "What?"

JD cleared his throat. "Nothing."

Casey looked up at the large screen, starting the monologue over. "What's funny?" she asked.

"It's nothin', miss," Buck assured her, not wanting to offend the gal who had already been so helpful to them. She was bringing them with her to have Vin's money appraised, after all.

"It's just…" JD started.

"Doc don't sound nothing like that," Buck said. He laughed again. "And he sure ain't that welcoming."

"He's not…" Casey looked baffled, then her eyes flew open wide. "You know Doc Holliday?" she asked, then quickly clamped a hand over her mouth. She looked around them, but the families on their way into the museum didn't look at them.

"Run into him a couple times," Buck said. "But Ezra knows him best. Played quite a few hands with him over the years."

"Probably shouldn't ask Ezra about that," Vin said.

Buck grimaced. "Yeah. Might not want to bring that up. Their last game didn't end on friendly terms."

"Unbelievable," Casey whispered, shaking her head. "This is unbelievable!" She reached out a hand and gripped JD's arm. "You all have to come tour the Old West exhibit. Let us know what we got wrong!" Her eyes sparkled with excitement.

JD didn't answer, just staring at Casey's animated face.

Buck gave the kid a hard nudge in the back. "JD'd love to do that with you. Name the time."

Casey smiled happily at Buck. "I still can't believe this. That you're all here. This is amazing."

She had already said that numerous times. Buck wasn't sure he shared her excitement about them being stuck in her time, but he didn't say anything to shake her enthusiasm.

"Let's get the coins looked at," Vin said. "Get on out of here." He looked up at the huge screen as Doc welcomed them to the museum again. He frowned slightly and looked at Buck.

Yeah. This was one strange place they had landed alright. He left the phony Doc Holliday behind and followed Casey toward a long hallway. He hoped Morgan and Ezra were staying out of trouble.

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