A/N: And here we are again, a week later than I planned, still tracking our way back to California. Also of note, we are now officially into 1871 on the canon timeline. For this one, I recycled the premise of a season 7 episode, Found Child. A big thank you to everyone who has favorited/followed/reviewed this story! As always, I own nothing but my OC.
January 3, 1871, north of Humboldt Wells, Nevada
"Something's happened." The three of them reined their horses up sharply at the sight of an overturned stagecoach at the bottom of the rise. "We're still north of the main trail," Candy said with another look around. "Come on." They rode down the rise slowly, hands on their guns. Unease flooded Annie's stomach. The coach shouldn't be here, which meant trouble.
They hadn't seen hide nor hair of Whitaker all the way down out of Idaho and that made her nervous. At least they hadn't run into Joe either, somehow managing to stay ahead of him the whole way which she considered a minor miracle.
Or maybe he'd actually listened to the note she'd left behind with the hotel clerk in Leadville. Go home. Two words that had to convey so much more.
It looked normal, she noted as they rode closer, if you overlooked the missing horses and splintered wood. How long had it been here?
"Beats me," Candy called out as he circled the coach. "Oh. Hello." He looked down at the ground behind the roof. "Sam … you might want to come here." She nudged her horse around the shattered tongue and front axle and stiffened when the little girl came into view.
No more than six or seven years old, wispy blond hair hanging around a thin face, clad in a calico dress and wool cloak, the child sat on the ground as though she didn't notice the freezing temperatures. Big blue eyes stared at nothing. Candy shifted in his saddle, eyebrows raising. She shook her head and dismounted slowly. From what little experience she had, a child that age was never this quiet unless they were sick.
Or scared out of their mind.
What had happened out here? She started to peek into the coach and Candy made a noise in his throat. She glanced over and he shook his head, holding up three fingers.
Her parents?
Maybe. A frown creased his brow. "The woman's blond," he said in a low aside. "Driver's back over that way." he nodded back over his shoulder.
"What happened?" Griff asked as he circled the wreckage. "Were they attacked?"
"I don't know. Stay back a minute and let Sam see what she can do."
"Hi." Annie crouched in front of the child. "Are you alright?" No answer, not even a blink. "Can you tell me your name, sweetheart?" Nothing. She sat back on her heels, suppressing a shiver as the cold seeped through her pants. How was the child sitting there like that? "Would you like to come sit on my horse?" There was still no answer and she looked to Candy, at a loss.
"Danged if I know what to do."
"You knew someone doesn't get hysterical without an audience."
"She's about as far from hysterical as you can get."
"Don't look at me," Griff put in. "Only thing I know is how to keep out of the way."
"We've got to figure something out, she can't stay out here." She knew she was stating the obvious, but it felt better than saying nothing.
"I seen a handful of fellas act strange like after battle sometimes, just not to this degree." Candy scratched his head. "They usually got jumpy and real nervous, not … this," he finished. "And they never sat still like that, they was guaranteed to be moving fast, in whatever direction would get them out of firing range the quickest. I've never seen this."
"So what do you suggest we do? Just pick her up and take her into Humboldt Wells?"
"Haven't really got much of a choice. Sam, see if she'll let you take her over that way and we'll see if we can find out anything." He flicked a glance at the coach and she knew he didn't want the little girl seeing them digging around in the wreckage.
"Come on, sweetheart, my name's Samantha, but everyone calls me Sam. We'll take you back to town and you can warm up and get something to eat, how does that sound?" She felt stupid carrying on a one-sided conversation. Carefully, she reached for the child, ready to jump back should the little girl lash out without warning.
But nothing happened. Annie stumbled a little getting to her feet with the child in her arms; the girl was heavier than she looked. Griff reached over and picked the pinto's reins up, looping them over the saddle horn and she whistled softly. The gelding pricked up his ears and turned to follow her, hooves crunching on the frozen ground, as Candy and Griff dismounted.
"Can you tell me your name?" There was still no answer and she sighed. "I guess that can wait." The girl was definitely too big to be carried comfortably on her hip. Her mother wouldn't have cared about that. She stopped walking next to a cluster of trees and turned to settle the child in the pinto's saddle. "There, now you can see all the way to the horizon, what do you think?" She waited a minute, but the child didn't even blink. Annie rubbed her forehead and glanced back at the coach. Griff was digging through a trunk and Candy was down in the coach itself. Griff closed the lid and shook his head. Her husband worked his way out of the coach, empty-handed. They collected their horses and mounted up, then rode over to join her. She raised her brows and Candy shook his head.
"I don't get it, it's like the team just broke free and took off, but there's no sign of what made 'em do it."
"Think it was coming or going?"
"The way it's sitting says going, but without knowing if something turned 'em around …"
"Maybe somebody in Humboldt Wells knows who she is." Griff adjusted his coat.
"I hope so." Candy's eyes met hers. This trail is no place for a child. She nodded and carefully swung into the saddle behind the girl.
"Have you ever ridden a horse, sweetheart? Do you live in Humboldt Wells?" Still nothing. "Alright, I guess you'll talk when you're ready." She nudged the horse into motion, keeping to an easy walk. They weren't that far from town, they should reach it by suppertime.
A train whistle shrieked, but only Griff's bay snorted in alarm, giving the metal beast a wary look. Steam hissed around the great iron wheels as the engine pulled into the station across the street. Despite the weather, a small crowd of people waited outside, and more were going about their business. "Busy place," Candy remarked. Too busy, is what she heard. Every additional person on those streets was yet another chance they could be recognized.
"Looks like the stage office is over there," Griff said with a nod down the street. They headed that way and stopped at the closest hitch rail. Candy dismounted and helped her with the little girl, then they all went inside.
"How do, folks?" A short man with wire-rimmed glasses looked up from a ledger. "East or west?" He looked down at the little girl and his forehead wrinkled.
"There's a wrecked coach about ten miles north of here. She's … the only survivor." Candy gestured at the child. "We were hoping you might have some answers."
"What?" The man jumped to his feet. "The east-bound out of Elko is behind schedule but I thought it was the weather." He scrambled around the desk and scurried to the door. "Hey, Fred, get the sheriff and bring him down here, there's been an accident!" Griff's eyes widened in alarm and Candy shook his head real quick.
There was no way he didn't have paper on them hanging up in his office. No way he wouldn't know who they were if he thought about it long enough. She and Candy traded glances.
All we can do is see how the dice land.
I know.
Within minutes, the office was swarmed with people talking over each other. "Quiet, all of you!" A thick-set man with a star on his chest pushed his way through the crowd. "I'm gonna need ten men or so to ride north and bring back the bodies. Anyone wanting to help should head back outside and bring their horse down here, wait till I'm ready to ride out." A few men left the office, but it was still crowded. "As for the rest of you, I can't answer any questions right now as I don't have the answers myself. Hank, go down to the livery and pick up some extra horses, tell Lou to put it on my tab." The sheriff finally turned to them as the crowd slowly dispersed, still whispering among themselves. "Alright, what can you folks tell me? I'm Sheriff Regan by the way."
"Andy Stoddard. My sister Samantha and our little brother Griff. As for the little girl, she hasn't said a word. We were riding through and came upon the coach about ten miles north of here. Sam kept her occupied while we went through the wreckage. I was hoping we'd find some kind of identification, a letter, or something, but there was nothing. She doesn't look too bad off so it can't have happened that long ago. There's three dead, the driver, a woman we figure is her mother, and another fella. If there was a shot-gunner, I don't know where he is."
"Any sign of what happened?"
"Nothing," she said softly, one hand stroking the child's hair. "Like Andy put it back there, it's like the horses just up and broke loose. No idea why."
"They weren't attacked?"
"No sign of it, Sheriff." Candy shifted his weight. "The way it's sitting off the trail, it looks like it was outbound from here, but the fella said the east bound from Elko was late, so something turned 'em around if it's the same coach."
"You can read sign?"
"Some," Candy said with a shrug. "We figured it was better to get the child to town so we didn't try and follow the tracks back to wherever it happened. If there are any, ground's still pretty frozen."
"Sensible." The sheriff studied them a moment and her heart kicked. Did he know who he was talking to? "Unfortunately, I don't know who she is. I'll send a wire to Elko and find out who was on the stage, see if anybody's missing." His face clouded. "I hate to ask, but do you mind staying in town until we can find out where the rest of her family is? I see she hasn't moved an inch from your sister's side the whole time. I don't know how she'd handle being passed off to someone else new."
"We can wait."
"I'll tell Gus to bill the town." The sheriff scratched his head. "If you'll excuse me, I better get my horse and see if we can get those poor people to town." He turned on his heel and left the office. Candy sighed.
"Griff, see to the horses then meet us at the hotel."
"You got it." The kid hurried outside and they traded glances. Candy looked down at the little girl and his throat worked.
"Come on, might as well get settled." They headed down the boardwalk, the little girl between them. Inside the hotel, they ran into a small crowd of people, all of them giving the child pitying looks.
"Poor thing," one woman said softly. "What she must have seen …"
"Look at her eyes, the poor darling."
"She looks about the same age as my Mary," one woman said as she approached them, a small box in her hands. "I ran home and picked out a fresh dress for her, she'll feel much better once she's cleaned up, I'm sure."
"Thank you." Annie took the box and smiled down at the child, but they might as well have not been there for all the notice she gave them.
"If you need anything else, just give a holler. My name's Alice Gardner."
"Samantha." The woman smiled sadly and hurried out. The clerk came out from behind the desk and ushered them upstairs.
"I put you in one of our better rooms," he said. "Figured it was the least I could do. I'll have someone set some water to heating for baths."
"Appreciate it."
"Poor little mite. I hope the sheriff can find some relatives."
"So do we."
"Here we are." He unlocked the door and handed Candy the key. "I'll bring the water up with a tub once it's ready." His footsteps faded on the stairs and they hurried inside the room. Candy shut the door with a soft click and leaned back against it.
They were stuck now. Give it a day for someone to respond from Elko … another day or two for the child's relatives to get here … even longer if she wasn't from Elko at all … she looked at her husband.
Two weeks if we're lucky, his eyes said. And Boot Hill if we're not. He looked down at the little girl and his throat worked.
We've made it this far. He nodded and pushed off the door.
"How about I see if I can rustle up some food, what do you say?" He crouched in front of the child. "Are you hungry?" The little girl didn't even blink. "Well, I'm going downstairs anyway." He glanced around with a conspiratorial grin. "I might even see if I can find some cookies, how about that?" He winked and stood up. "Be right back." The door closed behind him and Annie was at a loss. What was she supposed to do with a child that didn't even acknowledge that anyone was there?
She didn't have any toys or books a child that young could read – if she even knew how to read. And she rather doubted any relatives left would appreciate a sudden knowledge of poker or faro. An uncomfortable silence filled the room, but Annie didn't know what to do about it. She was surprised when the little girl walked over and sat down on the closest bed, eyes trained on the floor. After another moment of silence, Annie sighed and went to dig her hairbrush out of the saddlebags.
The bath water arrived before Candy returned and she handed the clerk a few coins on his way out the door. Turning around with a bright smile, she held up the clean dress the woman had given them. "Isn't this pretty?" By now, she was almost used to the lack of response. "Come on, let's get you cleaned up."
There was a knock at the door while she was washing the little girl's hair. "Whoever it is, don't come in." She dried her hands on the towel and hurried to the door. A low chuckle sounded through the wood.
"I've got supper." She cracked the door and Candy grinned. "Soup and some rolls fresh from the oven. I brought us and Griff some sandwiches, too. And the cook did have some sugar cookies." His smile dimmed. "She said anything yet?" Annie shook her head and he sighed. "I hope that sheriff can find her family real quick."
"Me too." She took the container of soup and the rolls wrapped in a napkin and closed the door, then set the food on the dresser. She forced a smile at the little girl sitting in the tub, watching her in silence. "Let's finish your hair and then you can eat, how about that?" Not that she expected an answer.
She was braiding the little girl's hair while the child nibbled at a cookie when someone knocked on the door again. "Who is it?"
"Griff."
"Door's unlocked." He came inside and turned his battered hat over in his hands. "She say anything?" Annie shook her head and his face fell. "I was hoping …"
"I know. If the sheriff could find her family, I'm sure she'd be fine in no time."
"Maybe he will."
"If she's from Elko he might, but if they were traveling from farther west it's gonna take time to back track the stage." He swallowed hard and handed over a folded paper that she unfolded to reveal hers and Candy's faces taken from the photographs George's uncle had made two years before.
She wanted to fry his ears with curses for being stupid enough to take the blasted thing – someone was bound to notice it missing and would question the timing – but she couldn't in front of the child. Boy, we're gonna have a talk, real soon, about impulsive decisions.
"How long, do you think?" A muscle twitched in his jaw.
"Too long. Where's Andy?"
"General store. Said he wanted to see if they had anything she might like."
"They might." Not that a toy would fix the situation, but it certainly wouldn't hurt. "There's food on the dresser for you." He was still young, and she hoped he'd get the chance to learn. She crossed to the stove and shoved the paper into the flames.
"Thanks." He ate quickly and was finished by the time Candy returned, a grin on his face and his eyes dancing, a paper-wrapped parcel tucked behind his back.
"Well, Sam, who is this pretty, young lady?" He closed the door behind him and hurried over, bringing the package into view. The child's eyes latched onto it, but she still didn't utter a word. "I just happened to be down at the general store and what do you think I found?" He untied the twine and the paper fell away, revealing a blond doll wearing a pretty blue calico dress. "The clerk said she was lonely and needed a little girl to take care of her." He handed the doll over and the child's eyes widened, but not a sound escaped. "You'll have to come up with a name for her, he said she doesn't have one yet." The delight in his voice cut Annie to the quick.
Why couldn't she have realized it sooner? If she hadn't held back, they could have been married sooner, could have had children … memories of how patient he'd been with Samantha brought a lump to her throat. Candy would make a wonderful father ….
"Sam?"
"Nothing," she murmured softly to Griff, wondering how he'd noticed anything in the first place. "I was just thinking."
About things she couldn't have for maybe a very long time.
"She's not from Elko, we figured out that much," the sheriff said sadly. He shifted his weight from foot to foot and worked his fingers on the brim of his hat. "Came over the wires just a little bit ago, Sheriff Till said the descriptions don't match anyone he knows, nor is anyone missing. He'll spread the word and see what he can turn up, but for now … I don't know. I sure hate asking you folks to linger open-ended like this after everything you've already done."
"Can't leave her alone," Candy said with a shrug, but she noticed the tension in his jaw. Two days waiting on the reply from Elko had stretched nerves. Every time one of them stepped out of the hotel, she was certain someone was going to recognize them, certain they'd be forced to flee in a hailstorm of lead.
If they made it that far.
The sheriff had to know who they were, there was no way he couldn't know. He had wanted posters a dozen deep on the board outside the jail, and more stacked on his desk. They were less than four hundred miles from home and that kid sheriff was out for blood and vengeance. She wouldn't doubt he'd drained Carson City's coffers to paper every town west of the Mississippi neck deep in wanted posters.
"It's a wonderful thing you're doing," the man said as he set his hat on his head. "I know if it was my little girl, I'd be mighty grateful someone was looking out for her when I couldn't."
"Anyone else would do the same," she said lightly. The sheriff shook his head.
"No, miss, not everyone would go out of their way for a stranger's child. Some folks might have even kept on riding out there."
"Not us, Sheriff." Candy leaned back against the wall, his eyes watching the child sleep with her doll tucked under her arm. "We made the only choice we could live with." The man eyed him sharply and a chill shot down her spine. Dear God, he had to know …. What would they do if he called them out? She didn't think she could shoot an honest lawman … Candy had already said he couldn't …
It's not what you do, but what they think you'll do. Her own words to Padre Javier drifted out of the past, and she shifted her weight, ready to go for her gun if the sheriff made his play. The last thing she wanted to do was scare the child even more, but if it came down to that or losing Candy … there was no contest.
"Made a few of those myself," the sheriff said as he fingered his mustache. "I best be getting back to the office. Afternoon."
"Afternoon, Sheriff." Candy stared at the door for several seconds after the sound of boots had faded down the hallway. He turned and their eyes met; Annie swallowed hard.
"He knows," he whispered after another quick glance at the sleeping child. Griff hung his head.
"It's my fault. Shouldn't have taken that poster, but I didn't …"
"No, you shouldn't have touched it," she hissed. "I hope we don't have to fight our way out of here after they find her family." Candy laid his hand on her shoulder and squeezed gently, bringing her to her senses. She drew in a breath and sighed heavily. "I'm sorry, Griff. He'd still know even if you hadn't seen it. I just don't like it that he knows and we have no way of knowing what he's gonna do about it."
"Find out soon enough, I suppose. Well, hello there, sweetheart." She blinked, but he was looking past her. Annie turned and found the child staring at them with big blue eyes. "You want to come downstairs with me and find some dinner?" The little girl blinked once, then pushed back the blankets and hopped off the bed, dragging her doll with her. She reached up for Candy's hand and Annie's eyes misted.
The door closed and she squeezed her eyes shut to keep the tears from falling. "Thought it was you she was attached to."
"I didn't give her a pretty, new doll, remember. Besides, Candy could charm the fangs off a rattler if he put his mind to it. Winning over a scared child isn't always difficult." Lord knew Samantha hadn't been easy, though. "God, why did she hate him so much? He never did a thing to her in his life. It's not fair."
"What did I do to get him for a stepfather?" Griff said softly. "None of it's fair, and I doubt it ever will be."
"No," she agreed. "It won't. That sheriff won't touch us as long as she's here, he won't risk traumatizing her even more than she already is. But as soon as her family gets here, all bets are off."
"What if she doesn't have any family left?"
"We can't take her with us."
"Could we take her to the Ponderosa?"
"I won't risk Candy's life by going home until we have Whitaker draped across a saddle."
Two days later
"We might have something." The sheriff stopped at their table in the hotel dining room. "I got a wire from some town in California called Porterville. A fella by the name of Frank Wheeler thinks this might be his daughter, Susan." The little girl's head flew up and her eyes gleamed. Under the table, Annie felt a light kick against her leg.
"He's already on his way, isn't he?" Candy set down his coffee. The sheriff cocked his head and Candy shrugged. "I would if it was my little girl."
"Bought a ticket east as soon as the descriptions reached Porterville. Should be here in four days at most, depending on the weather." He smiled at the little girl who was still staring at him. "Just thought she'd like to know." He tipped his hat and walked away.
"Is your name Susan?" Annie asked softly. The little girl smiled and hugged her doll. Candy grinned.
"I'd say that's a yes." Then his smile faded a little and she knew he was wondering the same thing she was:
When would the sheriff make his move?
The stage rumbled down the street and people scattered out of its way, multiple eyes watching them as they stood there with Susan between them. Would it be this stage? The last two hadn't delivered an anxious father and Candy was betting on this one. He had Susan in his arms, her head level with his, those bright blue eyes watching the coach roll to a halt in front of the stage office. Annie's throat closed. Even with the difference in hair color, they could pass for father and daughter.
Until a man jumped out of the stage and looked around like he'd lost something important.
"Papa!" Susan's shriek was loud enough to hurt her ears. The stranger's head swiveled and his face lit up, visible even from fifty feet away.
"Susan!" He dropped his bag and ran. The child squirmed and Candy set her down. Father and daughter met in seconds and he scooped her up and spun her in a circle, hugging her tight against his chest. Loud sobs filled the afternoon as she buried her face in his shoulder while he rubbed her back soothingly, his own eyes suspiciously wet.
"Mama said we were leaving," she sobbed. "I didn't want to go but she made me!"
"It's alright now, sweetheart, I promise."
"But the bear spooked the horses and Mama wouldn't wake up!"
"Shh, you're safe now, honey."
"So that's what happened," Candy mused to himself. "Didn't think a bear would be out of hibernation this early. Let's get packed," he said softly, and they turned and headed for the hotel.
They had barely begun stuffing clothes into saddlebags when a knock came at the door. All three of them froze at once. "Who is it?" Candy called out.
"Frank Wheeler, Mr. Stoddard."
"And Susan!" Griff was closest and opened the door. The man hurried inside, Susan still clutched in his arms.
"I can't thank you enough for what you've done. If you hadn't been there, Susie would have …" His throat worked. "I'd have lost my whole world."
"We know something about that," Candy said hoarsely. "I'm glad the sheriff found you. And glad we were on that trail." Wheeler nodded, his eyes still red.
"I hope you never know as much as I do," he replied. After a quick glance down at the blond head on his shoulder, he drew in a deep breath and continued, "My wife left me. Her letter said a blacksmith wasn't good enough for her anymore and she was taking up with the hardware salesman that came through the week before." His voice broke and Annie looked away to help him save what pride he had left. Damn hardware salesmen …
No one said anything for several minutes, probably because she suspected they didn't know what to say. I'm sorry? I understand?
"At least let me buy you supper, it's the least I can do."
"You don't owe us a thing, Mr. Wheeler." Candy crossed the room and offered his hand.
"The doll – her dress –"
"Don't worry about it. A few bucks aren't gonna break us." Wheeler shifted his daughter's weight so he could shake Candy's hand.
"Mr. Stoddard, you and your family are a rare breed. If there's ever anything I can do –"
"We'll know where to find you," she finished. "But we need to get riding, we've got our own world to find."
"If you're sure …"
"You two go downstairs and enjoy supper for us, how about that? We truly appreciate the offer, but like Sam said, we need to get back on our brother's trail before it goes cold."
"Oh. I can understand that. We won't keep you any longer. And thank you again for saving my little girl."
"Don't mention it."
"Good bye, Uncle Andy, Uncle Griff, Aunt Sam." Susan turned in her father's arms so she could see them. "And thank you for my dolly."
"You're welcome, sweetheart." Griff shut the door behind the pair and clothing flew. "We need to get out of here before the sheriff comes calling." Candy tossed his saddlebags at the kid and grabbed his hat. "Let's go." They opened the door to find the sheriff leaning against the opposite wall.
"Where's the posse?" Annie's gut soured. He stroked his mustache and pushed off the wall, herding them back into the room unless they wanted to make a scene right here and now. They fell back and he closed the door behind him, leaning back against it, head tilted. "I thought I was wrong at first, the kid threw me off. Both of them," he clarified. "That wasn't the only poster I had, Carson's sheriff made sure of that. She looks different without the fancy dress and swept up hair, but you? You're unmistakable, Canaday." He folded his arms. "I have to say, what I heard out of Carson City don't match what I see in front of me."
"How so?" Candy's voice was tight.
"For one thing, a killer ain't likely to stop and save a traumatized child from a wrecked stagecoach. Nor would a thief leave behind the few valuables in the baggage."
"It's not mine."
"Unless he's not either of those things because he already has more money in the bank than he supposedly stole from the other bank. For another," he went on, "a man on the run ain't gonna stick around and risk his neck to keep said child happy while we're trying to find her family." He flicked a glance at Annie. "Especially if they know the law knows who they are. Frankly, after I figured it out, I wondered if I might have earned myself a bullet in the back."
"We would never," Annie hissed, and he nodded.
"Figured that out myself. The only way it made sense was if someone made a mistake."
"I wouldn't call a bald-faced lie a mistake, Sheriff." Heat filled her voice.
"Hard trail you chose to ride."
"So we've been told."
"Now what?" Griff broke in nervously. The sheriff shrugged.
"Why should I repay a fella's good deed by sending him to his death? I seen enough of the two of you over the past week or so to know something ain't right about the situation."
"You – you believe he's innocent?" Annie could barely get the words out. Relief washed over her like waves on Tahoe during a storm. "Thank you."
"It's not hard to see once you look at everything without emotion getting in the way. If one town says he's here, the other says he's there, and no one's lying, there has to be two of 'em."
"There is."
"He really your brother?"
"No."
"Good. Easier that way." He pushed off the wall. "Goes without saying, but steer clear of the Tahoe basin, bounty hunters are thick down there. I'd hate for you to hang after you'd made it this far."
"Wasn't in our plans, Sheriff."
"I take it he wasn't either?" The man nodded at Griff and Candy shrugged. "Just make sure you don't help yourself right into a noose. I hope we get the chance to meet again one day when you can enjoy a supper invite." He let himself out and they stared at each other in shocked silence. Candy finally shook himself out of it.
"Let's ride."