Chapter 6

Lucy took a deep breath. She could do this. For Vin.

She opened the door to her room and stepped out into the hallway. Against her will, her eyes traveled to the door of the room next to hers. The door remained firmly shut, with no sign of the man who had appeared in the hallway last night, a silent presence while she sorted through the memories that invaded her dreams. Someone who she thought maybe carried his own burden of history.

She forced her scrambled thoughts from the man her brother trusted and back to her goal. She would go downstairs. She would get breakfast for herself. She wouldn't wait for Vin to come find her.

Equal parts jumpy at every sound and ashamed of what she had become, Lucy ventured down the stairs to the saloon.

Thanks to the early hour, it was empty with the exception of one man at a table, cards in front of him. He dozed in his chair.

The last stair tread creaked under Lucy's step and the man jolted awake, drawing a gun before Lucy thought he was even fully awake.

She bit back the cry of alarm the sudden movement wrought and clung to the railing.

The man blinked at her, then slipped his gun back in the holster.

"My apologies," he said, his drawl thicker than the Texas accent she and Vin carried. "I must have dozed off."

Lucy searched for his name. Vin had told her yesterday, when he had been in the church. Ezra. That was it.

Lucy glanced toward the bar and didn't see Inez there. Vin had mentioned there was a kitchen in the back, that was where her meals had come from yesterday.

The solitary gambler was rubbing a hand over bleary eyes. Lucy held her breath, not sure what to do in his presence. Her mind, trained by the seven months of marriage to Eli Joe, was casting about to find her options. Which option would be least likely to anger him. Should she offer to make him breakfast? Slip out the door and hope her leaving wouldn't offend him? She bit her bottom lip.

With a quick glance at her, he shuffled his cards together into a neat pile. "I saw Vin outside a bit ago."

Relief that her brother was somewhere near had her loosening her grip on the railing, though she didn't let go.

Ezra's gaze shifted to something behind her and Lucy looked up the stairway. Chris was making his way down the stairs.

Lucy wanted to move out of his path, but that would put her closer toward Ezra. She settled on keeping as far from the gambler as she could, pressing against the bar as soon as she got close enough, keeping it at her back so she could keep her eye on both men.

Ezra pocketed his cards. "If you're available, Mr. Larabee, I do believe I'll retire to my room for some shut eye."

Chris nodded.

Lucy didn't risk moving, not wanting to draw attention her direction. She waited until Ezra was upstairs, listening to his boots fading as he went toward his room.

Chris was watching her, but looked away when she looked toward him.

Lucy's palms grew clammy with just the two of them in the saloon. She tried not to fidget. Eli Joe had hated it when she fidgeted.

The lean man didn't take a seat, and he didn't head for the door.

"You get some sleep?" he asked.

His voice was slightly raspy, and Lucy wondered if he had gotten enough sleep.

"I did. Get some sleep, I man," she said, her own voice wavering slightly. "I'm sorry if I woke you. If I kept you up. I didn't mean to disturb you. From your sleep. If I did that. So I'm really sorry if I did."

He stood, unmoving as she babbled out an apology.

"Don't sleep that well, myself," he said in response.

Lucy twisted her fingers together before she caught herself and forced them to still.

The lean man studied her another moment then looked away. Lucy could only imagine all the ways he found her lacking. Compared to poised Mrs. Travis and confident Inez, she knew she was nothing compared to the other women in the town.

Boots sounded on the boardwalk and Lucy tensed the same time Chris did. His hand went toward his gun and he crossed the distance required to stand between her and the door.

Lucy saw Vin before he pushed through the batwing doors. She saw him glance at Chris' hand near his gun and nod slightly to the man before he turned his attention to Lucy.

She didn't miss the way Vin's eyes ran over her, as if looking to make sure she was still in one piece, before his shoulders lowered slightly in relief. "It's good to see you downstairs," he said. He motioned toward a table and Lucy joined him. "Buck's getting us all some breakfast from the diner."

Lucy tried for a smile, but missed. She was too on edge with Josiah entering the room, him and Chris taking seats at the table.

"How was your night?" Vin asked.

Lucy glanced at Chris. Chris' eyes met hers, but didn't reveal anything.

"Good," she said.

"Alright boys," a boisterous voice cut in before Vin could ask anything more. Lucy squeezed suddenly shaking hands together at Buck's sudden entrance.

He gave her a broad smile. "Mornin', miss." Then he turned his attention to his armload of pasteboard boxes he was setting out on the table. "I got pancakes, bacon, sausage, fresh muffins, eggs, grits…" He opened the boxes and the steam escaped with the scent of all the offerings.

"I told Mrs. Hayes we didn't need coffee. Figured Inez would be here." Buck looked at the empty space behind the bar.

"I'll make some," Lucy said quickly, pushing her chair back and hurrying to the kitchen before anyone could find fault with Inez for not being there, or get annoyed the coffee wasn't made yet.

Lucy had stoked the fire in the large cookstove and was preparing the coffee to brew when Vin appeared in the doorway.

"You ok?" he asked.

She nodded, hurrying to get the coffeepot on the stove. "I'll get plates. I should have brought those out first." She searched the cabinets, but then arms reached over her and pulled them out from an upper cupboard.

Lucy jerked away before she realized it was Vin.

"Aw, Luce," he sighed.

And because she hated the look in his eyes when he looked at her, she closed her eyes. "I'm sorry."

Vin didn't respond and Lucy felt tears pressing against her eyelids. "I'm really sorry." She dragged in a breath. "I tried. I tried to keep him from finding you, Vin. I tried—"

Vin cut her off, crossing to her. "Wasn't your job to do that." He looked like he wanted to reach out to her, but didn't want to risk scaring her again.

Lucy frowned and shook her head.

"Lucy," he said. He waited until she opened her eyes and looked at him. "It wasn't your fault," he said softly. "I never shoulda left you in Tuscosa. I thought it would be safer than bein' on the run with me. If I'd a known…"

"Then Eli Joe would have found you and me, and no one would have been able to warn us he was coming," she filled in, her voice trailing off to a whisper.

Vin didn't look like he agreed.

Lucy backed away from him and took the plates he had set down. "I'll just bring these out front," she said, hurrying away from him and all the regrets and disappointment.

#

"I can't imagine what she's gone through," Buck said. His normally sunny disposition was stormy. "The way she skitters around like a scared rabbit makes me want to teach that stagecoach robbin' varmint a thing or two. Not to mention this Eli Joe." He picked up his mug of beer, then set it back down with a slam without taking a drink.

Inez patted Buck's arm from her place behind the bar.

"You'll get your chance when he catches up to Vin," Josiah said from Buck's other side.

Chris took a drink of his own beer, not commenting, but silently agreeing with Buck. He had thought Vin's sister was going to join them for breakfast, but after only a few bites, she had excused herself and gone back up to her room. No one had seen her after that, save for Inez who carried a tray up to her at lunch and supper.

The saloon had mostly emptied out and Inez went back to cleaning up.

At the far end of the bar, JD hungrily devoured the meal Inez had brought to him when he and Nathan had arrived back from bringing the stagecoach robber over to Judge Travis in Silverton.

"What did the judge have to say?" Chris asked, turning to Nathan.

Nathan wasn't inhaling his food at the same rate as JD, but was clearly enjoying the hearty meal. He took a long drink before answering.

"He's not wasting time. Going to hold the trial tomorrow. He said to tell you he'd be in touch."

Chris nodded. Stagecoach robberies were personal to the people in these parts. It was all too easy to imagine it was their own kin, even their own self, on the stage. Chris figured the criminal would be at the end of the rope before the week was out.

He drained the last of his drink and thanked Inez, dropping some coins on the counter. He left the others at the bar to vent their rage. He buried his own fury, keeping it under cover, but letting it grow, ready to unleash it as soon as Eli Joe showed his face in Four Corners.

#