Chapter 3
Vin knocked on the door to Mary's apartment. It was late, Mary was probably already asleep, but Vin needed to see that Lucy was settled in for the night.
Mary opened the door, stepping back to invite him in.
"She's sleeping," she said quietly, but motioned for Vin to go check on her.
Vin pushed open the door to the bedroom. Lucy, still in the dress she had been wearing earlier was on the bed, covers pulled over her, her breathing slow and steady.
"Nathan gave her something to help her sleep," Mary said.
Vin nodded. He had checked on Lucy, he should leave Mary and let her get some rest, but he couldn't seem to bring himself to leave his sister again.
"Why don't you stay the night?" Mary asked. "If she wakes, she'll want you."
Vin shook his head, knowing that would mean he was putting Mary out of her room.
"I have a cot I set up in the kitchen when Billy's home," she said, reading his thoughts.
Vin looked at her, she nodded encouragingly. His shoulders slumped in relief that he could stay near his sister. "Thanks, Mary," he said quietly. He made his way to the chair in the bedroom. It was too small for his taller frame, but he settled in anyway.
He watched Lucy, reassuring himself that she was safe and would be alright, her brow smooth and without concern in her medicated sleep, until he drifted off.
There was a faint stirring that pulled him from sleep. Vin blinked against the early morning sun coming into the room, taking a beat to get oriented. He wasn't sleeping in his wagon. The movement that had awakened him drew his attention again. Lucy was blinking her eyes open.
Vin started to stand, a blanket sliding from his lap. He glanced at it and felt affection for Mary. He picked up the blanket, setting it on the chair before crossing to the bed.
Lucy was looking around groggily. When her eyes landed on him, she instinctively flinched before recognition made its way through her sleeping powder hangover and she relaxed.
"I'm really here?" she asked, her voice rough from sleep. "I made it to Four Corners?"
"Yeah," Vin said. "You're really here."
She closed her eyes again, a sigh escaping.
Vin studied her, debating asking the question that had been haunting the back of his mind since he saw her for the first time yesterday. Deciding it could wait longer, he stepped back.
"You feel up to some food?" he asked.
Lucy opened her eyes again and started to push up to sitting, wincing and reaching a hand to her head. "Everything's spinning," she said.
"Nathan gave you something to help you sleep," he said.
Lucy nodded slightly.
"I'll be just outside," Vin said. "The hotel has a good breakfast."
Another slight nod.
Vin left the room, pulling the door closed quietly behind him.
Mary was already up, moving around the kitchen. She stopped when Vin came out, turning to him. "How is she?"
Vin shifted a shoulder in a shrug.
"I'm making porridge," Mary offered.
"No thank you, ma'am," Vin said. "You've done plenty already. I'll take care of Lucy from here on out."
Mary didn't argue, but removed a pot from the heat. She folded her hands loosely in front of her full skirt. "I'm here if Lucy needs anything. You too, Vin."
Vin inclined his head in thanks.
The bedroom door opened and Lucy stepped out, her hair smoothed back into a fresh braid, her dress slightly wrinkled from sleeping in it, but otherwise no outward signs of her ordeal. Vin swallowed hard, knowing it wasn't the physical trauma that would be the worst. He wondered if she had confided in Mary what had happened yesterday.
He schooled his features into an impassive face, showing nothing but a warm greeting for her.
He started for the door, but Lucy crossed to Mary, hesitating in front of the older woman.
"Thank you for everything, Mrs. Travis," she said softly. Then impulsively gave Mary a quick hug before darting back again.
"I'm here if you need anything," Mary assured her. She looked to Vin, including him in the promise.
Vin held the door for Lucy and followed her down the narrow staircase. He guided her to the front door of the Clarion office. She froze when he opened the door.
He looked down at her and saw the fear on her face, the way her eyes darted around, scanning the street for any perceived threat.
"We found both men that attacked the stage," Vin said. "They ain't gonna hurt you no more."
Lucy didn't look reassured. She looked up to Vin, biting her lower lip. "It's not just—"
"Hey Vin!" JD's shout carried across the street and he jogged over toward them.
Whatever Lucy had intended to say was cut off and she pressed back from the doorway at JD's approach.
Vin let her slide halfway behind him when JD stepped up onto the boardwalk in front of the newspaper office.
"Howdy, Miss," JD said to Lucy, tipping his bowler hat. "I'm real sorry about everything that happened to you yesterday. I gotta say, though, it's real impressive how you handled that knife and fought off two bandits."
Lucy was trembling behind him and Vin felt her move further away from JD.
"What do you need, JD?" Vin asked. He reached a hand behind him and laid it on Lucy's arm, reassuring her that he was there.
JD was trying to see around Vin to look at Lucy. When she didn't respond, he frowned in confusion, but turned his attention to Vin. "Chris wired the judge. He's sending Nathan and me to bring the prisoner over to him. He didn't think it was wise to keep that varmint here, what with the way it was your sister on the stagecoach and all."
"He's here?" Lucy's voice came from behind Vin.
"Thanks, JD," Vin said, hoping the younger man would get the hint.
"Sure thing," JD said, his brow knitting in confusion. "Miss," he said with another tip of his hat to Lucy, though she was entirely behind Vin by then.
Vin waited until JD was back across the dusty street before turning around and trying to meet Lucy's eyes.
Her fingers twisted together nervously. She had her eyes squeezed shut. This wasn't the sister he had known, this fearful, timid wisp of a girl. He had never seen anyone so shaken up by a hold up. His gut twisted and he started to think his worst fear was accurate.
He started to ask her what happened, if those men had violated her, but a wagon clattering down the street had her flinching and he decided to get her somewhere less exposed, less frightening, before trying to talk. Changing tack, he closed the front door and gave her a minute to calm down with the bustle of the street closed off from them.
He put a hand on her shoulder and tucked her close to his side. Guiding her toward the back door, he opted to go out into the alleyway, quiet and empty.
He could tell Lucy was starting to calm down, her shoulders loosening, her hands no longer fidgeting nervously, though her bright blue eyes continued to dart around, constantly scanning for any possible threat.
Vin continued on past the hotel, out to the edge of town. When they cleared the last of the group of tightly packed buildings, he felt Lucy take a breath. He knew the feeling. It was one thing they had always had in common, feeling like they couldn't breathe after being cooped up too long.
The church was just a short distance from the edge of town, close enough to be considered part of Four Corners, but with enough space to give it a feeling of solitude.
Lucy glanced up at Vin in question.
"Hotel's too crowded," he said. "I'll get food and bring it here." He slowed his steps and waited for Lucy to pause alongside him. "My friend Josiah lives here," he said, knowing the big man with the deep voice wouldn't be a welcome surprise for Lucy. "He's a good man. You can trust him. Just like you can trust JD."
Her eyes said she trusted him implicitly, but for whatever reason, facing the men he trusted his own life to was coming hard for her.
Lucy finally gave a slight nod.
Josiah's large frame filled the doorway of the church as they approached. He didn't look surprised to see Vin bringing his sister to the dilapidated building. But then, Josiah took life as it came and Vin didn't think the older man could be surprised.
"Fine morning today," Josiah said, his voice rumbling out to them.
Lucy tensed, but her step didn't falter. Vin wondered if she could feel the peace Josiah seemed to bring to those around him.
Josiah stepped back to allow them entrance, a warm smile for Lucy. "You must be Vin's sister. It's a pleasure to meet you." He wisely refrained from extending his hand.
Lucy gave Josiah a hesitant smile and something in Vin uncoiled a little at that hint of the sister he had known.
They entered the church and Lucy froze, nearly causing Vin to knock into her. He instinctively reached for his gun before he registered there was no threat. Chris was leaning against the wall, Ezra sat in the front pew, idly shuffling a deck of cards in his hand.
Vin put a reassuring hand on Lucy.
"You met Chris yesterday and that's Ezra," Vin said. Ezra, an expert at reading others, didn't move from his pew and offered a charming smile and if Vin was better with words, he would have found a way to thank Ezra for the effort of putting his sister at ease.
Chris Larabee had no access to charm and opted to just stay still, inclining his head slightly in greeting. Vin figured there was nothing the man in black did that would make him seem less a threat in Lucy's mind.
Josiah motioned to the front pews and Lucy slid in, smoothing her skirts with hands that only shook slightly. Vin kept himself close by, Josiah taking a seat farther away.
Since Lucy looked slightly more at ease than she had been since she got there, Vin figured he may as well try to get some answers from her.
"How'd ya find me here, Luce?" he asked gently, starting with the easier ones before he pushed for answers about the stage attack. He couldn't for the life of him figure out how his little sister had tracked him down when bounty hunters hadn't been able to do the same.
She looked at him then, blue eyes stricken with terror and…guilt? But that didn't make sense.
"I didn't," she said with a slight shake of her head. Her hands curled into fists, bunching and twisting the fabric of her skirt in their grip. "Eli Joe did," she whispered. "He knows where you are."
Vin let the words settle on him. Eli Joe knew where he was. He saw Ezra's hands still their shuffling of the deck at the news, sensed Chris tensing.
"How'd you find out what Eli Joe knows?" Vin asked. It took everything in him to keep his tone mellow. The thought of his baby sister anywhere near the violent killer firing up a white hot rage at the man who had framed Vin for murder and forced him on the run.
Lucy's hands tightened on the skirt fabric, her slight frame trembled slightly. She shifted almost imperceptibly away from Vin.
When she finally spoke, her words were barely a whisper, but echoed through the church.
"Because I married him, Vin. Eli Joe's my husband."
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