Prologue
Amanda

She was seventeen years old when she married him.

She had not much choice in the matter. Her father had passed away, leaving her mother with three other mouths to feed. In his death, he left them virtually penniless, and they were faced with destitution if a solution was not found. For a time, she tried to find work, taking in sewing after giving up any hope of an education. School had become too much of a luxury, and she was made increasingly aware of the burden she posed to her struggling family by wishing to remain there. To some extent, her attempts to produce revenue after abandoning her education was partially successful. She generated enough of an income to help her mother, but the struggle was soon taking a toll on her.

She did not know whether he was aware of her circumstances when he first approached her, and later she would wonder whether or not he chose her because he knew she could not blithely refuse him or because he actually liked her. All she knew for sure was that in the beginning, she did not like him very much. For starters, he was much older, with almost twenty years between them. He smelled strongly of tobacco and liquor, and her first instinct was to run and never stop running. However, in his proposal, he had promised to take care of her, that she would never want for anything, and he would help her family. Wishing to share the burden of responsibility with someone whose shoulder was broader and more up to the task than she, she had accepted his offer of marriage.

They married early in the spring, the season people often associated with hope. Indeed, when she married him, she had felt all those things and more. She resigned herself to the knowledge that though she did not love this man with the passion spoken of in the romance books she used to indulge herself with when Pa was still alive, she would be a good wife and learn to love him as time went by. After all, he accepted her with the burden of her family following closely behind and promised he would cherish them all as his own kin.

He did not lie when he made the promise, but there was much he omitted to tell her about himself, which might have a bearing on her decision to marry him. She learned he spent much of his life chasing gold and had come away from a lifetime of dedication and dreaming with nothing more than a paltry sum allowing him to buy a farm in the outskirts of town. Until her, his contact with the opposite sex was limited to the working girls frequenting gold rush towns whom he paid for. He expected the same from his wife and was disappointed when she as sure of herself in their marriage bed.

Her wedding night had been the stuff of nightmares.

After it was all said and done, she had lain broken and bleeding with wounds so deep, they did not leave marks on the skin but instead on the soul. She had fled home, hoping she would be offered solace and comfort after her ordeal. Begging sanctuary in the home which she had known all her life, she was soon made aware of the reality of her new situation. There was no room for her at home. The money provided by her husband for their expenses was too valuable to lose by offering shelter to his estranged wife. As she heard the words from her mother's lips, a part of her felt betrayed, and they did not speak after that day, even though her mother tried to make conciliatory gestures. She went home seeking compassion and discovered it was more comfortable for her family to see her prostituted then to offer her the help she so desperately needed.

She returned to her new home with nowhere else to go, aware in her desolation she willingly placed herself in a hell from which there was no escape. As she trudged back in broken silence, her mother's voice resonated in her head. It was not a wife's place to question her husband, her mother had said before telling her to go home. With no choice left to her, she returned to the husband who had not been pleased by her departure and decided discipline was required. The cycle of violence would become familiar to her for the rest of her marriage.

She bore it all stoically, weeping into her pillow after he was done with her, lamenting her fate even though she was not brave enough to escape. Her tears always came in the dark, when she was sure he could not hear her because that was one dignity she would keep for herself. He, in turn, showed little remorse, believing a wife was property, as livestock was something to be owned, except a wife was far more useful as a beast of burden than cattle or sheep. After a time, it became almost second nature the life she led, until the pain and the abuse became so commonplace she accepted it with almost no question.

Of course, the situation was not improved with the lack of children a decade after their marriage. She wasn't sure the fault lay with her, although it served his ego to have her believe that. In truth, she was pleased no offspring had come because she thought a man who would use his fists on his wife, would have little restraint in doing so to a child and she would allow none of hers to suffer such abuse. He was a bitter man, and he attributed the failures of his life to everyone else, never where it had always been himself. He blamed her for their lack of children, and although she could not be saddled with the guilt of his failed aspirations as a prospector, she could certainly bear the brunt of his anger and disillusionment.

Ten years after that first night, she eased into a begrudging acceptance of her existence and was content it could get no worse. Although he still blamed her for everything that went wrong in his life, his enmity dwindled into a sour dislike surfacing when he was drunk or simply needed a reason to get mean. The beatings and the degradations were so much a part of her now, she accepted them and moved on. 

On occasion, she had momentary flights of fancy where she dreamed she would escape him and disappear without a trace. To that effect, she even accumulated a stipend by saving up a tiny portion of the money she earned from taking in sewing. Still, it was never quite enough to make good her departure, but she felt comforted knowing it was there, even though it was likely that she would never make use of it.

The last year in the decade of their marriage, brought new troubles that had little to do with children or his failed dreams. The farm upon which he made his livelihood never produced the kind of prosperity he dreamed of finding for himself when prospecting for gold, but as parcels of land went, it was farmed with moderate success. This had to do with the waterway running through the property. As the only in the area, it was much coveted by their neighbours, requiring them to deal with him before they could irrigate their crops or water their animals.

It did not take him long to find there was a way to cultivate a tidy profit from being the sole owner of this waterway and very soon, those wishing to make use of it were required to pay for the privilege. Though most did not mind at first, with his increasing demands, resentment soon grew, particularly from a rancher named Caleb Patterson. Patterson, whose extensive spread was brought to a stranglehold by the wells drying up on his own property, was forced to rely on the plentiful waters of their farm to provide water for his livestock. He disliked the idea of buying permission and attempted to buy the place outright for quite a handsome amount.

Of course, her husband liked the power he wielded over his friends and neighbours and refused most strenuously and with a measure of sadistic pleasure. His attitude infuriated Patterson, who saw his entire livelihood on the brink of destruction because of one lone farmer. It was not long after that the attacks started to take place. Animals were killed, the well was poisoned, and someone burned down the barn. Through all this, Patterson continued to press for the sale of the property.

She offered no opinion on the matter because ten years of marriage had taught her it was neither warranted nor required by her husband. She allowed him to continue his battles with Patterson, once again accepting things as being out of her control, remaining in the background. To him, her spirit was well and truly broken, and that brought him some measure of satisfaction, knowing she was the one thing over which he had absolute control. He liked that feeling a great deal. With everything else slipping out of his sphere of influence, it gave him great pleasure to know there was one realm in which he reigned supreme.

The harassment by Patterson continued for months until one night, a stranger arrived on their doorstep. His horse had thrown a shoe, and he needed a place for the night. At first, her husband was cautious about allowing anyone a roof for the night, particularly after what they suffered at Patterson's hand. However, the stranger had offered to pay and did not sound as if he was native to these parts, assuaging whatever suspicions her husband felt that he might have been Patterson's agent. Once again, she had no opinion on the matter even though she recognised the stranger as someone familiar. 

The next morning, he had bid her farewell, and she made preparation to go to town to do run some errands. Although he was not an attractive man, she wished him well on his journey, for he was to be gone by the time she returned. Before she had departed, he had remarked that he would not see her again.

She spent most of the day shopping for household items, taking some measure of enjoyment in the fleeting moment of being away from the oppressive thumb of her husband. She kept thinking about how wonderful it would be when he was finally gone, and she would be free to enjoy more than just a few hours of respite. The sun was beginning its descent into the evening when she was finally ready to return home when the town became alive with news of a bounty hunter that had come to town bringing with him the dead body of a notorious outlaw by the name of Ely Joe. She knew instantly he was the stranger they had given shelter the night before and immediately went to the jailhouse to inform the sheriff of this fact.

The moment she arrived at the jailhouse, she knew something was wrong. The bounty hunter named Vin Tanner was taken into custody, and Sheriff Ritter was hesitant to meet her gaze when she walked into the premises. Reluctantly, she was told her husband was murdered by Tanner who attempted to claim the reward for Ely Joe's head by substituting his body for that of the outlaw. Ritter was more than surprised when she asked to view the corpse and upon being allowed to do so, confirmed her husband Jesse Kincaid was really dead. She did not reveal the clothes worn by him at the time of the death were the same as those worn by the stranger who visited the farmhouse the night before, nor did she make any mention she knew Ely Joe at all.

Days after Jesse's death, Tanner managed to escape his cell and disappeared for parts unknown. A posse was sent in pursuit, but she learned the man had been an expert tracker and knew how to vanish without a trace. Although the warrant for the murder was outstanding, no one had attempted to claim it. Finally, Sheriff Ritter was forced to turn the matter over to the Federal authorities.

For Amanda Kincaid, it mattered little whether or not Tanner was caught. The only thing that mattered was after ten years of marriage, she was finally free of his abuse and humiliation. She sold the farm promptly to Caleb Patterson, who was kind enough to give her a generous price for the place. Buying herself a small house in town, Amanda began life anew, supporting herself by taking up dressmaking and trying to forget she was ever married to Jesse Kincaid.

She heard later on Ely Joe was killed in a small town called Four Corners and felt some measure of sorrow at his passing, only because he had done her a service. Tanner was still at large, but Ritter was determined not to let the tracker get away with his crime. As far as Sheriff Ritter was concerned, Tanner had killed an innocent man and should be made to see justice.

Only Amanda knew Jesse was far from innocent, but those were her secrets, and it was one of many she shared with Ely Joe. 

Chapter One
Domestic Bliss

Buck Wilmington never ceased to surprise Chris Larabee.

After so many years of their friendship, through some of the most challenging times, and two friends ever faced, his oldest friend still managed to throw him off balance with some startling new aspect to his personality Chris had not suspected prior this point. In truth, the last year had been an eye-opening experience concerning what Buck Wilmington was capable of when given a chance. Not only had the confirmed and longstanding bachelor abstained from the company of the fair sex to win his lady love, but he was also now married and playing the role of doting father to his new daughter, Elena Rose.

Chris had to admit to feeling some scepticism at Buck’s ability to be a family man. For as long as Chris knew him, Buck had been chasing tail like it was a religious quest. Chris knew of no man who could find female company faster than Buck Wilmington. Still, to everyone’s surprise, Buck launched himself into the endeavour of marriage and fatherhood with earnest effort. He was still the same happy go lucky rogue he had always been, but now he seemed happier if such a thing could be. Buck always had strong sensibilities when it came to family, possibly because he lacked one most of his life. Chris knew it had hit his old friend just as hard when he had lost Sarah and Adam and felt equally reinvigorated by the introduction of Mary and Billy into Chris’s life.

Today, with the opening of business for the horse ranching venture he, Vin and Buck had poured their time and effort into these past months, Chris had another reason to be pleasantly surprised. Neither Chris nor Vin was sociable creatures. People tended to annoy Chris, and he liked having little to do with them, while Vin was painfully shy at the best of times. Being with Alex had drawn the younger man out a little but not much. In the running of a business, at least one of them needed to have people skills. Buck was always comfortable around people, and he had a manner that was approachable as well as extremely likeable.

As the first customers began showing up from across the region to inspect this latest enterprise coming to life in their midst, Chris and Vin had found themselves withdrawing into the background to let Buck contend with these new arrivals. They had several good horses ready for the selling, and both Chris and Vin preferred the more physical work of breaking the animals rather than the buying and selling process that came when it was all said and done. While Buck was equally skilled as they were in this, he was a better salesman and when combined with Ezra, who could never stay out of it when there was any trading to be done, made quite a formidable pair when it came to driving a hard bargain.

People had drifted in from all over the region. Some came from Four Corners and Bitter Creek, while others rode in even farther from Sweetwater and Vesta City. Word had a way of getting around, primarily when the horse ranch in question was owned by three of the seven men who guarded the town of Four Corners. Chris had a feeling most of the buyers who turned up the first day were merely curious to see how they would fare as respectable horse ranchers rather than some genuine need to buy a horse. Nevertheless, when the day finally came to an end, they had sold four horses and made themselves close to a thousand dollars, not a bad day’s work as far as Chris was concerned.

"Mr Wilmington I am impressed," Ezra Standish commented when the day was done, and they were all sitting around the front porch of Vin’s shack, enjoying a drink before they headed back to town. "I had no idea your powers with the ladies could transfer so well to a more commercial venture. I do believe you had those people positively eating out of your hand."

Buck smiled faintly and remarked. "Well, it’s what I do." Despite himself, the newlywed was somewhat surprised at how easily it all came back to him. It was years since he and Chris were horse ranching and so much of it had been lost in the hard-living of the recent years.

"You did it well." Chris found himself commenting and raised his cup of coffee in the gesture of a toast.

"Yeah, Buck," Vin agreed. "I’m glad it was you, not me." Vin could not imagine anything worse than having to sell a product. He had enough trouble just talking to the people he knew, let alone having lengthy conversations with strangers about buying and selling. Although he had not voiced it to either Chris or Buck, Vin dreaded that part of the enterprise. While he enjoyed working with the horses, Vin preferred to remain in the background where no one would notice him. It was not as if he was afraid of dealing with people, he liked his anonymity and considering he was still a wanted man, it seemed a logical course of action. "I gotta stay low. You never know when someone might want to come looking for me."

"I seriously doubt anyone is still in mind to apprehend you, Mr Tanner," Ezra said confidently, leaning his chair on its legs up against the wall. "Other than that unfortunate incident with Ely Joe, the law has been more or less indifferent to the crime. After all, Texas is hardly the place where murders are rare."

"That don’t mean nothing." Chris retorted, unprepared to dismiss Vin’s situation so blithely. "Just because they ain’t here don’t mean they've forgotten you."

"Way to be optimistic, Chris," Buck frowned, seeing the worry lines appear in Vin’s face at the remark. The young man tried hard not to show people he was concerned about the price on his head at most times, but the fact was, Vin had the same dreams and aspirations they all did. He wanted to marry the woman he loved just like they had and build a future of himself. None of which could be achieved until he was free of this charge of murder.

"It’s okay Buck," Vin shrugged, preferring honesty rather than veiled attempts to hide the truth. He tended to agree with Chris on this matter anyway, the price on his head was not gone or forgotten. Eventually, it would catch up to him, and if he had the slightest idea how to deal with it, he would have already done something about the situation. Unfortunately, the solution was far from over, and Vin knew time would soon catch up with him. "Chris is just saying it like it is."

"Perhaps, we ought to make inquiries into the matter," Ezra suggested. "Surely, we could prevail upon Judge Travis to make some preliminary investigation into how Texas law intends to deal with Mr Tanner’s unfortunate circumstances."

"The Judge is a territorial judge," Chris replied, agreeing with the gambler some inquiries ought to be made though not in the method he suggested. "He’s got no jurisdiction in Texas and I ain’t too eager to wake any sleeping dogs."

"Unfortunately, what is required here is a criminal trial lawyer." Ezra understood what Chris was getting at. By definition, murder was a state crime, and thus any punitive outcome would be dispensed by the state, in this case, Texas. It was beyond the reach of Judge Travis to aid Vin in any way because his influence only extended as far as the jurisdiction to which he was appointed.

"That ain’t gonna happen any time soon." Vin drawled, uncertain what the difference between a regular lawyer and criminal trial lawyer even was, let alone being able to acquire the services of one.

"Look," Buck said, hating the mood to dampen with such gloomy talk. "We’re making money. We got off to a fine start today. All we got to do is wait a little while longer, and we can get the kind of fancy lawyer Ezra is talking about."

"Sounds like a plan," Chris muttered taking a sip of his coffee and wishing they could do more than that. Although he remained silent, not wanting to dampen the mood with talk of doom and gloom, Chris was becoming increasingly mindful of Vin’s situation even if the younger man barely brought up the subject. The truth was, the longer it took for them to clear his name, the more difficult it would be. Of course, all Vin had to do to get the lawyer he needed quickly was to ask Alex. While Chris was uncertain as to the exact nature of the lady’s finances, he had the impression she was very well off. Vin would never ask Alex for that kind of help though, even Chris was realistic enough to know it. The tracker was too proud, and Chris was aware of how sensitive he was about the issue of Alex’s income.

Ezra felt a change of subject was definitely in order and turned to Buck. "And how long will it take the fair Mrs Wilmington to complete her maternity leave and return to work? Or does the darling Elena Rose still require her full-time attention?"

An involuntary smile stole across Buck’s face at the mention of both his daughter and wife. "Not for a while yet. She might come into the saloon in a few weeks when Rain starts babysitting for her."

"How is that little girl of yours Buck?" Vin inquired.

"Well, she’s just fine." Buck grinned even wider, the happy emotions engendered by his idyllic domestic situation, reflecting in his eyes as he spoke about his little girl. "Drove Inez and me crazy for the first few weeks, damn kid couldn’t stop crying. The late-night feeding just about drove me to drink."

"Every three hours during the night," Chris replied, remembering with a little sadness how he and Sarah had experienced the same thing with Adam. It was becoming more comfortable to think about his wife and child. Sometimes, it amazed him how he was able to cope with the knowledge they were gone and had no wish to be dead alongside them as he once had. Mary and his friends were mostly responsible for this healing and was glad Buck could enjoy the experience of these early years as much as he had when Adam was a baby. He supposed in the end, every moment he had spent with Adam was all the more precious because of just how young his son had been when he was taken. "Best time that Sarah and I ever had was the first night Adam decided to sleep the whole night through."

"Only way we could do it and still get some sleep is to take turns," Buck explained, recalling how the arrangement had allowed both Inez and Buck to get more than three hours sleep without being woken up. Buck was determined not to be one of those fathers who left everything in his wife’s hands. Just as he was eager to participate in the child’s life before its birth, Buck was equally determined to play an active role now that Elena was born. Thus, the late nights, the diaper changing and the crying was not enough to sour the pleasure he got when his little Rose looked up at him from her crib and rewarded him with a smile of recognition.

"The customers are complaining and missing the delights of her culinary expertise in Mexican cuisine. While Miss Rain is quite adept in the kitchen, amazingly enough, they do miss your wife’s brand of bar tendering."

"You’re just saying that cause you own the place now, Ezra." Vin pointed out.

"I cannot tell a lie," a satisfied smile crossed the gambler’s face at the knowledge the Standish Tavern was back in his hands as it should have always been and not in his mother’s possession. Even though he was grateful Julia Pemberton, his lover had purchased the establishment from Maude to make a gift of it to him, Ezra still wanted to earn enough profit so he could pay her for her investment. Once upon a time, it would be unimaginable for him to front his own money when someone else could do so, however, Ezra’s feeling for Julia would not allow him to take advantage of her. She had bought the place from Maude because she loved him and knew it had hurt when Maude had humiliated him by buying the tavern out from under him. He was going to pay Julia back every cent she paid for the place because he loved her too. "There is a great deal of satisfaction, knowing I am now Inez’s employer."

"I’ll bet." Chris gave him a look knowing perfectly well just how deep that sentiment ran. If there was one person who could see through Ezra’s facade without any difficulty whatsoever, it was Chris Larabee. Some might say marriage had mellowed the man, but any who did were making a fatal mistake. The gunslinger may not be as sullen and disagreeable as he used to be, but his wit was sharp, if not more barbed because his judgment was no longer clouded or impaired by grief or anger.

"Don’t even think about giving her a hard time when she does get back to work Ezra," Buck warned good-naturedly even though he could become deadly serious in a moment if he thought Ezra was going to cause any distress to his wife.

"Now I take umbrage at that remark," Ezra retorted, seemingly crushed by the mere suggestion he might behave in anything less than a gentlemanly manner. Inez was after all his friend far longer than she had been Buck’s wife. "I’ll have you know I only want her back because she is an integral part of the business."

"And because you ain’t no good at running the place like she is." Vin ventured a guess.

"Exactly." Ezra let out a sigh. "The woman does know how to make the place run like clockwork." While Rain was more than adequate at seeing to the drinks were served, and the kitchen facilities were managed quite adequately during Inez’s absence, Ezra could not fill the role of manager Inez had performed so superbly. If he wanted to maintain the profit margin, he needed to pay Julia back for her purchase of the saloon for him, he required Inez. Perhaps the offer of a partnership she had once suggested to him was not so outlandish in retrospect.

"Well, she ain’t planning on coming to work for a while yet." Buck offered, sympathetic to Ezra’s position, but mindful Inez was thoroughly enjoying her time with her daughter. "She’s too happy being a mom at the moment. Can’t say I mind it though. It’s good to have them both waiting for me when I get home at nights. Except for tonight, of course. Inez wants to get out of the house a bit, so she’s heading in town with the baby. She’ll probably drop in and say hi to Mary, Chris. You know how women are when they get together."

"That means I’m heading to the saloon," Chris remarked, deciding he had no intention of intruding on any heated gossip session the ladies might be having. "Want to join me?" He looked at the men around him.

"I probably will," Buck replied, not wishing to admit he hated going to the homestead when neither Inez or the baby was there. He never believed he could miss the sounds of Elena cooing in her crib or that pleasant baby smell of milk and powder lingering in her room. Then there was also Inez’s cooking, the warmth of her arms around him as she offered him greetings upon his arrival. Buck had never thought he could be so lost to anything so domestic.

"I suppose I can bestow upon you my company for the evening," Ezra replied, completing the triumvirate of agreement over their evening plans. Instinctively, they shifted their attention to the only one of them who had yet to voice his intention to join them.

"Sorry I got plans." Vin declined to join them. "I promised Alex we’d go riding tonight."

"Riding, huh?" Buck said sceptically, not believing it for a second, causing Vin to dip his hand into what was left of his coffee and flicking the drops at the new father.

"You got a mind like a gutter," Vin remarked with a frown, disliking the innuendo even if Buck was right. He seriously doubted there would be any riding being indulged in tonight, horseback that is.

"Yeah but he’s right." Chris grinned, taking the rare opportunity to indulge the devil in him,

"Now gentlemen," Ezra spoke up, coming to Vin’s defence. "Is that any way to support out shy comrade here. After all, I am certain Mr Tanner has only the purest intentions for dear Doctor Styles, especially in this lone, deserted place where they will be the only two souls within hair breath of each other. I am certain this is completely innocent." The gleam in his eyes indicated anything but that."

"Ezra," Vin rolled his eyes. "Don’t help me."

"Okay, enough," Chris spoke up, putting an end to the gentle teasing when he saw Vin starting to become crimson with embarrassment. The tracker still did not like discussing his feelings for Alex even though they had been together for more than a year now, and most of the seven knew they were on intimate terms. "Leave the poor man alone. We’ve all been a little less than proper with our relationships."

"Agreed." Ezra had to concede the point. They all had the fortune of meeting women who were not at all conventional in their existence, who believed the affairs of the heart took precedence over the customs and traditions of polite society. Thankfully that meant giving their love to men most women of their calibre would hardly give the time of day. "To Doctor Styles," Ezra raised his cup. "A more generous woman there has never been."

It was a toast Vin was happy to make. "To Miss Julia, who seems to be the only one who can take you down a peg or two Ezra." The tracker eyed him with a glint of mischief in his eyes, determined to pay Ezra back for some of his earlier remarks, since Ezra and he were more or less in the same position when it came to their conduct with the women they loved.

"To Mary Travis Larabee," Buck grinned, following the flow taken by the toast. "The woman to whom we owe everything. Without her, we would still be a bunch of gunfighters and not much else."

Chris could not disagree and raised his cup to complete the circle. "To Inez Rosillos Wilmington, who has finally made it safe for fathers in at least three counties to let their daughters out of the house now she’s made an honest man out of Buck." The gunslinger joked and elicited a series of chuckles from the other two men present who agreed with that statement most wholeheartedly.

"Very funny," Buck threw him a look of mock offence before they all clicked their cups and completed the toast.

Perhaps they were a little more settled because of the women in their lives, but considering what it had been before Four Corners, there was not a man present who could honestly say they regretted the turn of their fortunes or the women they shared it with.

***********

Mary Travis Larabee had a secret.

In truth, she had carried it with her for almost a month, feeling as if she would burst from the sheer anticipation of what Mary suspected, even though Mary not absolutely sure and knew she should be before becoming so excited about the possibility. After how it had transpired the last time she found herself in this position, Mary had been too afraid to imagine or hope she might have another chance at what was so cruelly taken from her more than a year ago. Even though she rarely spoke about the anguish of that loss, Mary still carried it inside her, and though she had learnt to live with the pain, she had not forgotten it.

The first time she had faced this, it had been a dilemma and justifiably so. Their relationship was just beginning, and they were only starting to get used to being together after so many years alone. Even though the tragedy that followed was not one she wished for anything in the world, Mary could not deny in the end, it might be for the best. Rushing into things was not the way to start a marriage. Which was what would have happened, if not for the arrival of a mechanical monster from the future. Nevertheless, it still stung whenever she thought about what that child might have been.

Yet there was a part of her that accepted why it was not meant to be. Of course, this was hardly the case now. Things had changed as they usually did when the seasons passed.

When she had first found out she was pregnant with Chris’s child more than a year ago, Alexandra Styles was newly arrived in Four Corners and only just beginning her relationship with Ezra Standish. Julia Pemberton was not even in town at that point, and Inez was still recovering from her assault at the hands of Saul Willis and his men. Everything back then had been in a state of flux, with players still finding their places on the chessboard. Time had forged their friendship and camaraderie with chains of affection so thick they were almost unbreakable, and Mary found all the reservations dogging her before about Chris’ child had now evaporated into nothingness.

She had gone to Alex’s clinic this morning, convinced her suspicions had merit and yet not wishing to pin too much hope on the possibility of life growing inside of her until she knew for certain. Mary almost wanted to live with the illusion instead of the truth as she found herself inside Alex’s examination room. The doctor as always was silent and not forthcoming about her opinion until it was all said and done, and Mary was almost ready to strangle her for not being more vocal. However, she knew Alex was a complete professional when it came to these matters. Alex would not say anything to engender false hope. So she had left Mary on pins and needles throughout the entire examination, limiting their conversation to polite chatter even though their relationship was a great deal more personal than that.

Finally, when Mary was getting dressed, Alex disappeared into her office to carry out her final analysis while leaving the editor of the Clarion News so full of anticipation Mary thought she might burst before ever hearing the news for herself. When Mary was finally clothed, she had emerged out of the sterile examination room and found Alex seated behind her desk, waiting patiently for her to appear.

"Okay, tell me." Mary gushed, unable to stand it any more. "Am I pregnant?"

Alex said nothing as she scribbled in the note pad on her desk before looking up at Mary, with the faintest hint of a smile on her face. "Congratulations Mrs Larabee, you are approximately six weeks into term." Alex was rewarded with the most dazzling smile of happiness she had ever seen from the blond woman.

"I knew it!" Mary exclaimed jumping to her feet with almost euphoric joy. It was infectious, to say the least, and drew Alex out of from behind her desk long enough for both women to exchange a warm embrace.

"I just knew it!" Mary gushed once she had disengaged herself from Alex. "I’ve been keeping my fingers crossed all this week because I haven’t been feeling all that well and the only time I recall being off my food the way I’ve been is when I’ve been pregnant with Billy, and there was the other time." Her exuberance dampened a little upon touching the subject, and Alex offered her a look of empathy before Mary shook the sadness from her. This day was too happy to be spoiled by the sorrows of the past. Not when there was so much to look forward to.

"How are you feeling?" Alex asked and not referring to her physical state of health. The mind was as important as the body in a situation like this, and her recollection of Mary’s last pregnancy and how it had ended made the question an essential one.

"I’m thrilled!" Mary found herself grinning from ear to ear. "Oh Alex," she tried to contain her emotions, but it was terribly hard when she was so overjoyed. All Mary wanted to do was rejoice in the exhilaration of the life growing inside of her. The one she and Chris created. "I’ve wanted another chance at this for so long. I mean the last time, so many things went wrong."

"Yes," Alex nodded somberly, recalling those events well. "How many people can claim to have mechanical monster travel through time to murder you?" Alex still had difficulty believing any of it happened. Still, it was no more difficult to believe than somewhere in the desert, there was a gateway capable of taking human beings to the stars.

The world was full of mysteries.

"Not many," Mary remarked with a loud exhale before falling back into her chair as Alex leaned against the side of her desk. "Fortunately, this time, things might progress with a little less insanity," Mary said hopefully.

"I doubt it," the doctor said with a faint smile. "Normal is not a word that seems to revolve around our men or us. Hell, I had a patient who gave birth in a prairie while exchanging her marriage vows during labour, how sane is that?"

"You will not be a storm cloud on my mood, Doctor Styles," Mary said with a mock frown. "I am extremely delighted that I am going to have a baby!" She laughed with almost schoolgirl glee and was soon reduced to girlish tittering.

"Okay, now you’re making me want to prescribe something for those mood swings." Alex teased but was nevertheless pleased to see Mary so delighted about this wonderful news. The last time she had told Mary she was pregnant, the woman had almost passed out from the shock of it. Alex supposed if she were to find out she was having Chris Larabee’s baby, her reaction would not be all that different.

"I can’t wait to tell Chris." Mary sighed, confident he was going to be just as deliriously happy about her news as she was to hear it. Not to mention Billy, who had complained since their marriage, it was time for another child in the house. He was entirely serious when he sat at the breakfast table one morning not long after the wedding and announced very calmly he wanted a brother or a sister. While Billy had claimed to have no particular preference, he did cite the new child was going to have to be able to fish and go hunting, so Mary assumed she was either going to have a boy or Annie Oakley.

"Please," Alex looked at her and said with a completely straight face. "When you have the baby, I’ll donate a thousand dollars to its college fund if you just let me be there with a photographer when its time for Chris to change a diaper."

Mary rolled her eyes. "You have an utterly wicked sense of humour, Doctor Styles." The editor of the Clarion News said with a hint of mock reproach.

"I’m starting to feel like there’s a trend going with all these pregnancies," Alex sighed as he returned to her desk. "Between you and Inez, I think I should just give up general practice and just go into gynecology."

"Well, I would prefer no one else to be attending physician," Mary said graciously, aware of how comforting Alex had been as a doctor to Inez during her pregnancy. While Mary had complete faith in Nathan, she felt a little intimidated, as Inez certainly had to be examined by a man for such a purely feminine condition. Having a lady doctor around, especially during times like this was extremely comforting. "Oh, I just pity Chris for what I am going to put him through. Steven said he was almost tempted to run off and live with the Indians during those nine months. Apparently, I was quite the harridan."

"Can’t imagine that," Alex said sweetly. "You’re such a calm and passive personality."

"This from the woman who calls chocolate ice cream a medical prescription." Mary looked at her with a brow of accusation.

"Hey," Alex defended herself. "I didn’t hear you complaining. Besides, it was either that or sedate you. I don’t think I’ve ever seen you so ropable."

Alex was referring to one of the more spectacular arguments Mary and Chris had indulged in during their early days of marriage. Apparently, Chris Larabee accustomed to doing his own laundry had opted to hang socks on the window sill for the entire town to see. The argument stemming from that mistake had everyone running for cover before Alex and Julia had dragged Mary off to the Emporium to salve her exasperation with chocolate ice cream. When Mary took home a quart of the stuff later that evening, Alex had this feeling that it was not for her to eat by herself. The mental picture it drew in the doctor’s head suddenly made Alex wonder what Vin was doing tonight.

"Oh, apparently I’m worse than that," Mary confessed with genuine sympathy for Chris, who had no idea what he was going to endure during the next few months. "Maybe you better give me something for Chris."

"Once again, chocolate ice cream comes to mind." Alex grinned mischievously and made Mary smile devilishly at the suggestion.

"Well," the blond said with a twinkle in her blue-grey eyes. "I suppose it’s too late to worry about family planning at this point."

"You’re not kidding," Alex replied sarcastically. "So, does Chris have any idea, or like every other male in the universe, has he been simply walking around without a clue you might be making him a father again?"

"He has no idea." Mary sighed, feeling something akin to reservation seeping into her bones now the euphoria of knowing definitely she was pregnant had passed. "I hope he is happy about it, I know I am."

"Any reason why he might not be?" Alex asked seriously, all humour draining from her voice as she reverted to type as a doctor, listening to the troubles and concerns of her patient to help.

"Yes," Mary nodded, meeting her gaze. "After how he lost Adam and Sarah. Maybe he won’t be happy to go through raising a child again."

"Don’t sell him short," The doctor said quickly, earnest in her belief of Chris’s reaction in this matter. "Chris Larabee is a grim, brooding, arrogant, pain in the ass, but he’s a good man, and he loves you more than anything in the world. You just have to see how he looks at you to know that. I think there will always be a little fear inside of him. After losing a family the way he had, there is no way you can entirely expect him to avoid that, even in the slightest degree. I do know you've made him happier than anyone has ever seen him, and I don’t think he could ever be disappointed in anything you do."

Alex’s words had a profound effect on Mary. The former widow was not certain for a few seconds if the tears filling her eyes were from the truth of the doctor’s claim about Chris, or just the symptom of the mood swings that would make themselves felt most prolifically over the new few months. In any case, warm tears streamed down her cheeks, and Alex found herself going to Mary and embracing her once again.

"I’m sorry I didn’t mean to make you cry." Alex apologized, unable to stand seeing anyone in tears because it made her weepy too, and that did nothing for her professional detachment as a physician.

"No," Mary shook her head and tried to make the doctor understand her tears were not because of sorrow but because of happiness at the realization Alex was right about how Chris felt about her. It was quite something to know one was loved so deeply. "I’m just happy, Alex." She swallowed. "I never thought I would have this again. After Steven died, I thought my days of having a family were over and now I not only have Chris and Billy, but I have you and all the others as well."

"Oh, those hormones are really kicking in aren’t they?" Alex remarked in her usual flippant manner, which Mary knew to be her way of coping with overt sentimentalism. It was not meant in malice or cynicism. It was just the way Alex dealt with her emotions when they became even too much for her precise control.

"Yes, they are," Mary laughed, wiping her eyes. "Well," she let out a deep breath as if she was about to go off and face the lions in the arena. "I have to get home and tell Chris the good news."

"Remember," Alex called out as Mary started to withdraw out of the room. "Thousand dollars for the first look at him changing a diaper."

Mary shook her head in disbelief. "You have no shame."

***********

The ranch was called the Lucky Seven.

The intruders moved stealthily in the darkness, closing in on their prey like a wolf pack hunting in the dead of night. They knew the terrain well, both in the twilight and in the day when they closed in on the prey who were still unaware of their presence. They could hear the sounds of life, drawing them in like animals catching the scent of blood and preparing for the kill. By night, the ranch was silent and devoid of the hustle and bustle that was its ilk during the day. The three intruders, varying in age and disposition, moved silently forward, confident there was no danger in the undertaking that would transpire tonight. However, they were perfectly prepared for a confrontation if it came to it.

Although the ranch was open for business and conducted brisk trade during the day, there was not much else built upon the land owned by Chris Larabee. Aside from a house, which was no more than a shack really, there was little on the property made for comfortable living. There were, of course, the necessary structures required when one was entering a trade revolving around horseflesh or any livestock for that matter. There was a large barn was a new addition to the site, several holding pens and corrals for horses to be kept and for breaking purposes. Not to forget a large water tower collecting precious rainwater when it did decide to rain in this dry, temperate climate. Although there was a creek located on the property, it was always wise out here to take precautions, especially when it came to water.

The three shadows had left their horses far enough away to ensure their arrival would remain unheard by the prey who was awaiting their ministrations. They could see evidence of the target’s presence by the horses were hitched to the post in front of the house and the sounds of voices, one male and female being carried through the cool night air to their receptive ears. With a smile, the leader looked at his companions and signal it was time to proceed with their plan.

Time for a little game of acquisition.

***********

WARNING: ADULT SCENE AHEAD

Oh, they were bad, and they knew it.

Above them, the moon gazed upon their late-night tryst, offering no judgment as they delighted in the privacy of a moonlight swim in the self-contained environment of the water tank located high above the ranch. It was well past nine o’clock, with Chris and Buck departed long ago for their respective homes. Now the ranch was well and truly open for business, it became doubly crucial for one of them to remain at the premises when the sun went down. Since Vin Tanner had been residing at the shack that was Chris's home during his early days in Four Corners, it was more or less his responsibility to keep guard on the place. Tonight, however, he had company as Alex had joined him for a little opening celebration of their own.

"If anyone finds us in here," Alex whispered as her lips moved over Vin’s neck, as they stood up their shoulders in the cool water, delicious against the skin especially on a warm summer night like this. "I am never going to forgive you."

"Ain’t no one here except us." He grinned, his head drooping back slightly as he enjoyed the feel of her lips against his wet skin, especially the contrasting sensation of her warm breath and the freshwater inside the tank all at once. He felt himself hardening beneath the surface at the feel of her body against his. The intense arousal prompted his palms to glide up the curve of her bare back.

"Besides, who would be out at this hour of the night?" He said with a hint of schoolboy mischief in his blue eyes.

"I hope you’re right," she smiled, aware he was very hard to resist when his eyes twinkled this way and parted her lips slightly just as he leaned over and took charge of her mouth. She closed her eyes dreamily, feeling his tongue probe past her teeth, exploring the warmth recess with that same sweet tenderness she had come to love and would surely die without. His hard muscled body pressing against her breast created a surge of passion within her, and instinctively, one of her hands raked the dark length of his hair, luxuriating in the wet strands. Her other hand found the particular curvature of spine extra sensitive to touch and caressed it with slow circles of her fingertips, generating a swirling sensation that expressed its pleasure by the hardening cock pressing into her thigh.

"You make me crazy Doc," he whispered as he looked at her with heavy lids, shuddering with pleasure at the jolts of electricity she sent through his skin by how she was manipulating his body.

"Oh good," she giggled and removed her hand from his hair, and it disappeared beneath the surface of the water to satisfy the hunger of the cock demanding attention by its insistent nudging against her belly. Her palm moulded around the shaft and she ran her soft hand over the wet skin to feel him pull away from her lips momentarily when a sensation gripped him so intensely, he fought for control as his fingers dug into her skin.

"You’re evil." He grunted, closing his eyes as the pleasure of her ministrations tugged at him and reduced him to a heavy pant. Vin felt her increase the tempo of her smooth palm running along his throbbing shaft, carefully avoiding the head as she tortured him with the perfect understanding of what it took to make him cry surrender from the sheer pleasure of her touch.

Vin could sense the familiar stirrings brought him closer and closer to orgasm and knew he wanted to be inside her when he finally crested. Forcing himself tortuously to ignore the swell of ecstasy delivered by her touch, he snapped back to coherence and pressed his lip against her once more, hot and demanding as he wrestled control away from her. She was taken back by his forcefulness and decided very quickly; she did not mind the shift. Alex liked Vin being in control and delighted in the sensation of his hands slipping under the curves of her buttocks to lift her up gently, aided by the buoyancy of the water. Pushing her back against the wood of the tank, Alex hardly noticed the obstruction as his mouth slid past her lips and began devouring her neck, alternating between gentle nips and the luxurious swirling of his tongue against the tender skin. The pleasure wrought from his beautiful mouth made her head swim, and she was barely aware when his hand hooked her thigh around his waist, and the hard tip of his cock began searching her folds for entry.

The water had made lubrication minimal, but Alex could hardly care less when she felt him slide inside her. The friction of water generated its own pleasure, and she felt every inch of him entering her. It was not any better or any worse from their previous lovemaking, just very different and the difference made the arousal all the more potent. His entry was not quick and smooth, but the extended plunging of his throbbing cock deep inside her pulled a sound from her lips before she even knew it had escaped.

"Oh, God, Vin!" Her nails dug into the wet skin of his back as he grabbed her other leg and slid it around his waist, the bounce of the water keeping her afloat and creating a steady rhythm of sensations that were beginning to overwhelm him too.

Vin heard her cry out, but he was in no better condition than she, even if he was more restrained about his vocals. The ecstasy of making love to her was, as always, all-encompassing, filling him with sensations he could feel starting from his fingertips and coalescing in his gut as his body climbed steadily toward apogee. His fingers dug into her rounded cheeks, holding her firm as Vin continued pushing into her, equally inflamed by the friction of water instead of juices. It was so new and so different he could do nothing but become lost as he pumped harder into her warm inner passage, biting down as the pleasure of her became a scalding heat that would have sizzled the water if allowed to become something real and tangible.

Lord, Lord, Lord. The word repeated his mind over and over again in his head as he continued thrusting harder and harder, starting to groan as he felt the barrier of flesh. She felt so damn good! The tight pressure of her contracting inner walls against him as he pushed past was driving the sense from his world as the pleasure created by friction resonated throughout his body. She was cradling his head in her arms, pulling him against her breasts as he pounded harder into Alex until he felt his cheek tingle at the gentle brush over the tip of a hardened rosebud nipple. Wanting to savour her taste, he opened his mouth instinctively and took one hard bud into his mouth.

"Vin!" She moaned as the insistent suckling of his mouth against her nipple forced her over the threshold and felt herself plunge headlong into a kaleidoscope of colour. He felt her arch in his grasp, her body curving in taut ecstasy to allow him for a few seconds, ever further penetration until he hit a hard ridge of flesh permitting him no deeper. The pleasure from the collision of his cock against her innermost barrier, coupled with the forceful contraction of muscles as her orgasm came over her, ripped away any remaining control. He felt her crush him on all sides and the excruciating pleasure afforded him upon her release shattered his soul until he felt himself groaning out loud, feeling it torn from him like rage from the soul.

"God, Alex!" He moaned, unabashed and not caring for anything except this vision of ecstasy he could see before his eyes. He continued pumping until every drop of him was warming them both inside her. Their hot fluids created an erotic blend of heat, drawing them closer to each other to evade the chill came from water against the skin. Alex’s head dropped into his neck, breathing hard as she came down from the plateau he was descending himself. Vin felt her trembling in his arms and confessed to feeling the same shudder in the wake of their mutual surrender. He felt her rubbing her cheek against the flesh as he slid his hands up her sides once he had set her down again and took a deep breath of her wet, perfume-like hair.

They remained unspeaking for a few minutes as they held each other, recovering their senses inside their private playground. Alex gazed into the stars above, feeling extremely happy at how perfect her life was since she had found him and Four Corners. She wanted none of it to change and would be thoroughly content if things remained like this forever.

"I suppose we should be more careful about doing this," she purred in his ear. "Now you're a respectable rancher and all." 

"Respectable?" He said perfectly happy to stay where he was in her arms. "I ain’t respectable and ain’t ever going to be until I get this damn price off my head."

"Oh, I don’t know," she showered his neck in gentle kisses. "I kind like having an illicit affair with a dangerous outlaw."

He laughed softly and drew back far enough to deliver her a lingering kiss before remarking. "You’re crazy Doc."

"You ought to know cowboy," she winked at him when suddenly her eye caught sight of something amiss, and she became very serious as she met his gaze again. "Vin, where are our clothes?"

Vin immediately looked up, his eyes moving to the spot where they had draped their clothes over the edge of the water tank. Unfortunately, there were no signs of any kind of garment, except for his gun belt, which was probably the most useless apparel left at this time. "It was here!" He stated, knowing clothes couldn't have just vanished. Splashing across the length of the tank, Vin pulled himself out of the water over the edge far enough to see the missing items had not fallen over the side to the ground either. As he peered into the night below, he suddenly heard sounds of muffled giggling.

"Goddamn it, you bastards!" Vin called out, sure one of those voices belonged to Buck Wilmington and guessing his co-conspirator was mostly likely JD Dunne and Ezra Standish. "Give us back our clothes!"

"I’m sorry Vin," Buck’s loud guffaw returned through the darkness and Vin knew precisely where the man was hiding in the trees below. "I can’t hear too well, can you come down here and say that?"

"I am gonna get you for this!" Vin cried out impotently, aware he was going to have to emerge from the tank as he was because his friends were going to enjoy his discomfiture too much for them to mercifully give him back their garments.

"What was that, Mr Tanner?" Ezra returned with just enough lilt in his voice to convince Vin all three were probably drunk as coots.

"What’s going on?" Alex demanded as she climbed up next to him, investigating the cause of all this shouting.

"We have a problem," Vin cleared his throat, uncertain how to tell her.

"No, no," she shook her head with a sarcastic smile. "You have a problem. They’re your friends, and you’re going to look awful silly when you have to go down there and get my clothes."

"I ain’t going out there buck naked!" Vin fairly squealed. His idea of being undressed was not wearing his hat let alone, walking out in the open completely nude. Oh, he was going to make them pay. He did not know how, but he was going to do it! "When I get my hands on you, I’m gonna kick all your asses from here to kingdom come!" Vin roared angrily.

"Just as long as we get to see yours first!" Buck sang out in response and further caused Vin to smoulder where he stood at the edge of the tank.

"No one out here at this time of night, huh?" Alex looked at him, trying not to get angry because it was hardly his fault that his friends were a bunch of idiots. "Good call, cowboy." 

"This ain’t my fault!" He said exasperated, trying to make her believe him while not becoming more enraged by the sound of laughter drifting up from below.

"Well one of us is going down there, and I can tell you, Vin Tanner, it is NOT going to be me." She stared at him folding her arms and feeling decidedly vulnerable at this time. "I mean I could go if you like, but I’m sure you’d rather those fools down there to see your ass rather than mine."

Well, she got him there.

"I’m going to kill them," Vin growled as he took a deep breath and steeled himself inwardly for the inevitable. "I am going to fucking kill them."

On that note, Alex remembered something even more disturbing than the lack of clothing. She leaned over the edge and barked at their tormentors. "Just how long have you morons been down there?"

"Long enough to know you’re quite the stud, Vin!" JD giggled, and Alex knew the kid had to be blind stinking drunk to be so forward. Her cheeks flushed with embarrassment, and she suddenly felt a headache coming on amid the diabolic plan of vengeance forming inside her head. She discarded the idea to have them stripped naked, covered in honey and tied to an anthill because of the logistical problems but an alternative had to be found.

"You have no shame!" She barked back at them, feeling the same ire Vin was experiencing at the moment.

"At least give Alex back her clothes!" Vin snapped, horrified their privacy had been breached and fuming that their passionate exchange a short time ago had been overhead. He renewed his vow to have them all die a terrible death when he caught up to them and then fumed, realizing he would have to do it wearing nothing.

"Only if you come down and get it yourself." JD retorted.

"Don’t worry," Alex kissed him on the lips and then decided against doing too much of that. On top of Vin having to wander out without a stitch on, this was not the time for him to get excited."We’ll get them back.." She glared into the darkness and frowned hearing the chortles and drunken laughter of Buck, Ezra and JD.

"Damn straight, we will." He grumbled, preparing himself to leave the safety of the tank to make the humiliating trip to retrieve their clothes. "You hear that I’m going to kill you guys when I get down there!" Vin shouted again, feeling some need to reinforce the threat because of his vulnerable and not to mention, somewhat chilly perspective at the moment.

"You still got to come down here to get your clothes, Vin!" JD retorted and reaffirmed Vin’s desire to have them all skinned alive when he got to them.

"First things first," Alex replied, "Get our clothes and then, " she looked at him with a slow smile stealing across her face when she realized how their revenge was to be delivered. "Then I’m going to show those jerks why you do not trifle with a doctor who minored in chemistry!" 

He looked at her blankly. "What do you mean?"

Alex's answer was a vengeful smile.

Chapter Two
World's End

The mood was set.

In her nursery, Elena was fast asleep and would be (hopefully) for at least the next three hours. The anticipation Buck felt after Inez had whispered gently in his ear, with soft tones of seduction oozing from every word was enough to make him pass out from the sheer expectation of it. Intimacy had been impossible following the birth of the baby, and Buck had not been so forward as to impress his desires upon his wife before she was ready. After all, though they were married and conceived a child together, they only made love once. Their marriage had come so quickly upon them, there was little time to familiarize themselves with the physical intimacy that came with long-standing relationships.

It appeared she was quite willing to accommodate him tonight, and for a man who until a few months ago was accustomed to spending almost every night with a woman, the fast had been long and painful. Still, he had been determined to prove to Inez he could be faithful to her throughout the length of her pregnancy and was equally careful not to rush her after the baby had been born. Besides the physical after-effects of birth, which she had to recover from, Buck knew it was a big step to move into this phase of their relationship, so he had been determined not to rush.

Buck felt his heart pounding with anticipation as he imagined her waiting for him in their bedroom, dusky skin bare. He recalled that blissful night together where she had taken charge and led him into the most searing sexual experience of his life. Picturing her smooth skin under his hands again, the curve of her breast and the mind-numbing pleasure of her incredible lips delivering ecstasy, made him let out a wistful sigh. Buck could see the crack of amber light emanating from the slightly ajar door. Swallowing deeply and praying to God if he was up there to let his little Rose sleep peacefully in her crib for at least an hour, Buck entered the room and scented the slight whiff of something sweet in the air.

Inez was waiting for him in bed, not dressed and only partially covered by a thin sheet of cotton, exposing enough for him to take a deep breath at the sight of her glorious curves. While he could not see all of her, he saw enough to remind himself why he was such a lucky man. The pregnancy had affected her figure only slightly, with very few stretch marks. Still, to Buck, they were hardly noticeable, and he envisioned tracing the outline of each one with his fingertips when he finally was allowed to explore her.

"Are you sure?" he asked breathlessly, not wishing to sound overly eager, even though she was killing him with anticipation.

"Its time Buck," she whispered with a look of yearning in her eyes that almost brought him undone.

"You ain’t hearing any argument from me," he grinned as he closed the door behind him and made another silent prayer he was willing to do anything for the Almighty tomorrow.

Just as long as he was not interrupted tonight.

***********

"This has never happened to me before." Ezra Standish muttered dumbfounded as he sat up in bed, looking mystified by the most embarrassing situation he ever faced in his adult life.

"Ezra, it's not a big deal," Julia said sympathetically, never knowing what to say to a man in situations like this. Not that it had happened to her at all in the past. It was so hard…oh, wrong choice of words…so challenging to know how to assuage an ego after such an undignified moment. Inwardly, Julia would not have minded an early night anyway, which was probably why she was in such good humour about this instead of being offended. However, she had to admit a certain amount of wicked amusement in how desponded he looked as he sat up in bed, legs folded, without a stitch on, trying to work out why he had not…..well had felt…..damn, she was not good at this!

"It is to me," he grumbled, not wishing to be unkind, but his nerves were somewhat frayed at the moment. Here was the woman he loved, naked before him, luminous skin waiting for his touch, with her fiery coloured hair and those amazing eyes staring at him without a hint of reproach at his inability to….oh this was so humiliating! What was wrong with him? Ezra wanted her, he always did. Right now, he wanted nothing more than to make love to her, but as he looked down, nothing was happening! Not even the slightest reaction!

"Look," she sidled up to him and wrapped her arms around his shoulders, kissing the tender skin behind his neck which usually produced the results lacking at the moment and the cause of so much embarrassment. "Sometimes these things just happen, maybe you are a little tired."

"I do not recall having a problem like this before," he said, folding his arms and curling his lips into the slightest hint of a pout as if he were a little boy preparing to throw a tantrum. "I am at the prime of my life! This is the sort of thing that happens to older men, not me!" he declared with exasperation.

Julia rolled her eyes, wondering if it was best to just give up on this whole idea of trying to make him feel better. "Maybe you were trying too hard…."

He winced at her choice of words and gave her a look that spoke volumes.

"Oh, boy," she swore under her breath. "I meant to say maybe you should relax and we’ll try again later. I’m sure things will be alright once you get your mind off it." Julia let out a sigh of relief at being able to deliver the sentence without invoking any mental picture that would only make things worse.

"I just do not comprehend why this would happen. I am not under any extraordinary pressure, in fact, events at present are transpiring as I always wanted. I just do not understand how this could happen." He continued to ramble, "I have never had any trouble in that area in my entire life. I mean it's not like I have not managed to perform before this, and you are certainly not ugly or undesirable."

"Thanks," Julia said unamused. She reminded herself this was a sensitive issue. She involuntarily found herself thinking with a sadistic smile, apparently not sensitive enough, he was going through something difficult, and she should be more supportive. "Well I think we should just get some sleep, we can try again in the morning, and I’m sure you’ll be up to your old self again."

Damn! She groaned at the use of the word up and saw him stiffen with annoyance at that word. She was just no good at this! "I mean not up but back, that’s what I meant, back to your old self again." Julia tried to recover but could see him starting to climb out of bed in reaction to those words. Despite the absurdity of the whole situation, she knew this was indeed a humiliating experience for him, and her making light of things was probably not going to help. "Ezra, I’m sorry. Just come back to bed, please?" She implored. "I didn’t mean to embarrass you!"

Unfortunately, Ezra was not listening and was already striding out of the room, bundle of clothes in hand, with his chin raised high, since nothing else was going to be doing that tonight. "I’ll see you tomorrow," he replied as he paused at the door.

"Okay," she conceded, understanding his need for some time alone. "Just don’t worry too much about it please, I’m sure this is just temporary. It's just a bad spell. It happens to everybody at some point, I mean men that is. Women are lucky, we can fake it…."

At this point, she decided to just shut up and let him go.

***********

He could not believe this was happening.

JD and Casey were sitting by the creek near the Well’s place. She had snuck out of her bedroom, and they were both dipping their feet in freshwater as they talked about all manner of things familiar to young love as they watched the moonlit sky high above their heads. She was wearing a dress for a change with her hair loose, and Casey never looked prettier than when she wore her hair down. Waves of mahogany crowned her smooth skin, and JD wanted nothing more than to bury his hands in those silky strands.

He behaved like the perfect gentleman when suddenly Casey leaned over and kissed him, which was entirely out of character for her. He felt his head swim as she kissed him gently, as unsure about initiating contact as he was about receiving it. JD closed his eyes and felt her tongue probe nervously past his teeth, tasting him as her lips parted wider and she delivered to him a soul searching kiss of passion. JD thought he might just die from the pleasure of her mouth, exploring his so delicately. Instinctively, his hand reached up to cup her breast and was even further surprised when she did not slap him or worse yet, push him into the creek. Through the rough fabric of her dress, he could feel the curve of her breast and instinctively squeezed gently.

"Oh, JD." She moaned in his mouth, and a surge of passion flared from his fingertips to his...wait. 

Nothing was happening. 

JD was a healthy young man with all the urges and predilections that came of having raging hormones. Until now, he had been the only one present at his sexual awakening, and he knew enough about his responses to be satisfied everything was working. However, at a time when he really needed to have everything performing, as usual, nothing was happening!

He was so shocked he broke the kiss between himself and Casey and glanced at his groin, confused and bewildered why he was not suffering a raging erection by now. How many times had he sat up and dreamed about touching Casey this way? There were times when just the idea of making love to her was enough to make his body react. He could not fathom why his body was acting this way.

"Is something wrong, JD?" Casey stared at him anxiously, worried she might have done something wrong. She was so aroused by his mouth against hers she was actually considering going further tonight than just a kiss. After all, Casey was certainly old enough, and as she had once said to Vin Tanner, reducing the man to a gibbering wreck, she had wild oats of her own to sow. She was intent on sowing them tonight.

"No," JD shook his head, having no idea how he was going to explain it to her. "I’m just fine." He smiled nervously and resumed kissing her, this time taking the initiative in an attempt to engender more of a response from himself. His tongue slipped past her teeth, and he devoured her lips in a clumsy effort to inflame his passion. His fingers snaked past the fabric of her dress and waited for Casey to say stop, but she did not. Eventually, he touched skin and managed to slip most of his fingers past the neckline of her dress until his fingertips grazed the tight bud of her nipple. She arched into his hand upon contact and JD could not believe she was letting him go as far as this and possibly further when he could do nothing about it.

It was not fair!

"Casey!" He quickly withdrew and jumped to his feet on the wooden platform upon which they were sitting. "We can’t do this!" He replied, absolutely hating he had to say these words.

"What is it JD?" she asked equally confused and not wanting him to stop when they were poised on the edge of something beautiful. "Don’t you want to?" she asked, more than a little hurt.

"Oh God do I want to but I can’t!" He exclaimed in frustration. "I don’t know what’s wrong with me but I can’t!"

Casey, proving quite spectacularly the adage of hell hath no fury like a woman scorned, rose to her feet in a huff and adjusted her dress back into respectability. "Maybe you just don’t want to!" She cried out, trying to hide her embarrassment and her tears. "Maybe, I’m not what you want!"

"Oh no, Casey," JD cried horrified. "That ain’t it at all. Its just…." He suddenly broke off in his explanation because he just could not tell her what was wrong.

"Oooh!" Casey fumed at his abrupt silence and took it completely opposite. Enraged, she stormed past him but not before she shoved him into the water.

The last thing JD Dunne saw of Casey as he plunged headfirst into the creek was Casey’s skirt flouncing behind her as she walked into the night. As the water enveloped him beneath its dark surface, JD had only one thing to say on this entire situation.

At least he did not need a cold shower.

***********

Nathan Jackson was having a hilarious day.

Buck Wilmington paced the floor of his infirmary, looking ready to jump out of his skin at the slightest sound. Even though he had been in Nathan’s infirmary for the last ten minutes, pacing and fast threatening to wear a hole in the floorboards under his feet, Buck had yet to bring up the subject of his visit. Nathan who was at his desk, pouring over the books he had been given to study for his accreditation examinations some months away, finally snapped the text close in smug expectation of what Buck would tell him when the man finally worked up the nerve.

"Will you just tell me what’s wrong?" Nathan asked finally, his patience at waiting, even though he knew why Buck was here, had reached its climax.. or not, he sniggered inwardly. "Is there something wrong with Elena?" He prompted, hoping that would get things rolling.

"No." Buck snapped and struggled to reveal the specifics of his humiliation the night before. "The baby is fine and so Inez. It’s me," he said reluctantly.

Nathan had to bite the inside of his cheek to keep from laughing because he was perfectly aware of why Buck was here, just as he had been prepared when JD Dunne had made his appearance this morning. The boy had been beside himself with panic at the possibility some terrible affliction had befallen him after his experience last night with Casey. Nathan had been forced to keep a straight face throughout the entire interview because he could not give himself away at least until Buck and Ezra had shown up. Strangely enough, Nathan had expected to see Buck here before Ezra considering what an inflated perception Buck had about his libido and his so-called ‘animal magnetism’. The gambler had an even worse time articulating his problem, which for Ezra, was saying something.

"What’s wrong?" Nathan asked. "You feeling poorly?"

"Not exactly," Buck said uncomfortably and then knew he had no choice but to tell the healer if he wanted to help on this subject, no matter how unpleasant the idea of revealing such a thing might be. "I had a little trouble last night."

Nathan showed no reaction. "What kinda trouble?" He pursed his lips in a fierce desire to remain sober in his expression.

"Well," Buck hid his face behind his hand as he explained. "I was all set to get to know my wife, you know, in a biblical way and nothing happened."

"She changed her mind?" Nathan asked, innocently.

"No, she didn’t change her mind!" he snapped. "Nothing happened with me!" he said, frustrated he had to go into detail even further. Was this not humiliating enough as it was?

"Oh…you mean nothing happened?" Nathan said, pretending to understand even though he had been aware of the situation since Alexandra Styles had dropped in on him yesterday afternoon and told him he might be getting these visits today.

"Yes," Buck rolled his eyes in exasperation. "Nothing happened? I mean I’ve never had a problem like that before. Ever! I mean what it if it’s permanent? Inez was mighty disappointed! She actually thought I might be fooling around on her!"

It was getting too hard. Nathan’s stomach muscles were starting to hurt from trying to keep himself composed. He took a deep breath to control the outburst threatening to overflow from him at any moment. "I guess it was pretty embarrassing, huh?" he managed to say in a calm voice.

"You damn right it is!" He growled back at the header. "I spent the rest of the night trying to convince Inez I was faithful, and I hadn’t lost interest because she had the baby!" Buck looked like he was in genuine distress, and to that extent, Nathan had to confess to feeling a little sorry for him. He supposed it was time to put the man out of his misery.

"Such things can be pretty humiliating," Nathan agreed and then raised his eyes with a hint of the devil in the smile stealing across his lips. "Almost as humiliating as being spied upon in a water tower before having to run around without a stitch of clothing?"

Buck stared at him for a frozen moment as it started to dawn upon him what had happened. "Wait a minute….."

"Buck," Nathan eased into his chair with a widening grin on his face. "Never, ever mess with a doctor whose nurse also happens to be the bartender at the place you drink."

"You mean Rain slipped something in my beer?" Buck exclaimed, almost brought to the edge of stupefaction with this bit of information.

"Yep," the healer nodded. "You, Ezra and JD got a good dose of Doctor Styles's anaphrodisiac."

"What the hell is that?" Buck almost squeaked.

"She didn't say but," Nathan was revelling in the expression on Buck’s face and almost wished he could be present when Buck finally brought the news to JD and Ezra. "It tends to kill a man’s ability to … rise to the occasion."

"Oh my God!" The big man gasped in understandable horror such a terrible thing could exist. "It ain’t permanent is it?" he asked, almost afraid to hear the answer.

"No," Nathan chuckled. "It should wear off by tonight." The healer started to cave into the absurdity of the situation. "I promised Miss Alex. I wouldn’t tell any of you what it was until I saw all of you. You think you had it bad, I think JD will be crying into his beer for the next year." Nathan laughed out loud, unrestrained in his complete enjoyment of his friends’ discomfiture. Still, having heard what Buck, Ezra and JD had done to Vin and Alex a few nights ago, it was just punishment.

"I’m going to kill her." Buck fumed as he strode towards the door. "I swear to God, lady or not, I’m going to kill her!"

***********

Five strangers entered the town of Four Corners in the late morning, dust trailing them in a small cloud as they made their way up the main street. There was a time when their arrival would have sparked interest by everyone in the locality of Four Corners. These days, however, with the railway just beyond the horizon and new people moving in and out of the area daily, their arrival went relatively unnoticed. The leader of this contingent, a heavyset man, stocky and well-muscled from years of riding across one end of the west to the other, surveyed the town and saw a thriving community.

When he had been given the order to bring the criminal in, he had taken the liberty of investigating the man to be arrested. It always gave him a better sense of the prey when he knew something about them. What he learned did not make him happy to accept the assignment, but unfortunately, he wasn't one to question the decision of his superiors, no matter how it might make him feel personally. The person he was required to bring in was a young tracker who had been accused of murder. Such men usually went to ground and seldom limited themselves to one death. Someone who could kill a perfect stranger in exchange for a bounty that was hardly worth the price of a death sentence, was usually a habitual offender.

Vin Tanner did not seem that way.

What made the issue even more clouded was Tanner had been cooling his heels in this community, acting as one of seven lawmen hired to protect the town from the wrong element. Hardly the kind of behaviour to support criminal tendencies. Federal Marshal Buford T Jamieson had seen enough strange circumstances to know an innocent man could be blamed for a crime he did not commit, and by the same token, he had seen guilty men act as if they were responsible for nothing. It did not matter whether he believed Vin Tanner to be guilty or innocent, it was only his responsibility to make certain the man faced his judges in a courtroom.

The law could make its judgment then.

"Where do you think Tanner will be?" Langstrom, his Deputy Marshal inquired as he rode by Jamieson’s grey mare. Unlike Jamieson, who had rough skin, was in his late fifties and moved surprisingly quick for a man his size, Langstrom, who was not a native of this country, had the fair look of his foreign origins.

"Well he is one of the lawmen in this town," Jamieson drawled and adjusted the wide-brimmed hat on his head as he continued studying the town, taking note of where everything was. Even though he had doubts about Tanner’s guilt in this matter, he anticipated trouble from the men with whom he rode, especially when the number of them was seven. "I’d say he would not be too much out of sight. We won’t move in on him immediately, I want to make sure we don’t get a fight from his friends."

"You think they’ll interfere?" Langstrom asked.

"Yeah, I think they will." Jamieson nodded. Men who rode together for no other reason than friendship had deep loyalties for one another, and Jamieson had no doubt if they tried to take Tanner from here by force, he and his men would have a fight on their hands.

"But they’re the law." Langstrom pointed out, aware of Tanner’s companions from what Jamieson had told him and the others.

"Doesn’t mean they won’t stick up for their friend." the Marshal replied. "Besides, from all accounts, when he was legal, Tanner was one of the best bounty hunters around. They say he used to live with the Indians and learnt their ways, including tracking. If he makes it out of town and goes to ground, we may never find him."

"I don’t like this," the younger man grumbled. "This entire thing smells bad. Why would you kill a man and disappear? Only to resurface in a town like this to act as the law? It don’t make sense."

"I don’t know," Jamieson shook his head. "Maybe some places are worth defending."

"Enough to leave yourself wide open for anyone who wants to claim a bounty on your head?" Langstrom said dubiously. "I wish Sheriff would have just left this alone," he confessed as they directed their horses to the livery.

"He’s an appointed official," Jamieson said speaking in the man’s defence. "Besides, I get the impression someone in Tascosa wants this thing settled once and for all."

"Someone with influence I bet." the Deputy remarked, but could not shake the feeling this arrest was going to be anything but simple.

***********

A short time after Marshal Jamieson and his deputies had arrived in Four Corners, Alex was taking a stroll down the boardwalk, with Vin Tanner in attendance. It was one of her quieter days, and she was taking the afternoon to run some errands, an undertaking Vin was happy to accompany her on since he got to spend time with the love of his life. Of course, as a co-conspirator to their plan of revenge on Buck, Ezra and JD for actions a few nights ago, Vin was just as eager to see the reaction from the trio when they finally learnt who was responsible for their ‘embarrassing’ condition.

Vin was quite the prankster himself, and thus he was delighted to know when Alex was adequately motivated, she could be equally as devious in her own right. Usually, she tended to stay out of the lunacy carried by the boys and their pranks, but the invasion of a few nights ago had inspired her outrage. Thus she had reached into her bag of medical trickery and found this perfect revenge on those wounding her dignity. Enlisting Rain in their scheme, it was Vin who delivered the debilitating substance to the young woman yesterday before the arrival of the seven in the Standish Tavern. They had been playing escort to a shipment of munitions being transported to the army garrison located between Four Corners and Sweetwater, so Vin knew the first place the lawmen would head after a tiring day was straight to the tavern for a drink.

Rain played her part of the ruse to perfection, putting just enough of the powdery substance in the drinks of Buck Wilmington, Ezra Standish and JD Dunne respectively, without them suspecting a thing. Vin wished he could have seen their faces when Alex's concoction did its work and hoped the experience was just as embarrassing as his having to run after them in the dark, buck naked, chasing his and Alex’s clothes. Each time he thought about his humiliation, it only reaffirmed Vin’s belief Alex’s revenge thought sweet, might be served better if he could have strung them up by their toes at the same time.

"You think they’ve been to see Nathan yet?" Alex asked after they had emerged from Gloria Potter’s store.

"Well speaking as a man, if I had their troubles? That’s the first place I’d go." Vin said with a boyish grin of smug satisfaction.

"I’ll bet," she said with a suggestive gleam in her eyes.

People were used to seeing them together, even though many often commented they made a strange couple. Although Alex was not exactly white, it was difficult to consider her anything else because she was so refined and had proven herself to be an exceptional healer. Although she was educated abroad and her voice had that unusual accent resembling rich city folk from the East, Alex had proven herself to be something of a paradox, almost as much as Vin himself. It was hard to imagine someone so rough and tumble had the heart of a poet, and though he was shy, everyone in Four Corners knew in Chris Larabee’s absence, Vin Tanner kept things under control.

While there were rumours their relationship being somewhat scandalous, people only had to look at Vin Tanner and Alexandra Styles to know they were very much in love.

"Alex," Vin approached a more important subject, wondering whether or not this was wise, but the issue had remained in limbo for too long, and it was time to discuss it seriously. "Maybe we ought to think about getting married."

Of all the thing he could have said, that was the one she least expected. She stopped walking and turned to him. Alex looked in his blue eyes and saw he was serious. Her surprise showed, and for a moment, she did not know how to answer.

"You’re making me nervous," Vin said taking note of the silence after he made that declaration even though it did not worry him.

"I thought you wanted to wait." she finally overcame her surprise long enough to speak.

"I do," he answered honestly. "I would like to get this price off my head, but I don’t know how long that’s gonna be and we’ve waited long enough."

"I agree." she nodded slowly, her heart pounding with anticipation even though she always knew he was still going to be the only man in the world she would want as her husband. Hearing Vin speak of it now as more than just a vague idea they might someday indulge had taken her breath away. Never in her life had she loved anyone the way she loved him. It was quite something to know there was someone in the world for whom she was willing to die for, and equally satisfying to see the emotion was returned. They had been passionate, romantic fools from the day they met, and when they came together, it felt as if the stars in the heavens had finally aligned.

"Good," Vin said with a smile, pleased when he was able to shake her equilibrium because she always managed to do the same to him with seemingly no effort whatsoever. "Cause I want to be with you, not just a few hours a night or whenever we get a chance, always."

"I want that too," Alex whispered, unable to keep the emotion from her voice.

"I know I ain’t got much in the ways of money and marrying a man with a price on his head ain’t exactly the most proper thing in the world…."

"Will you just shut up and kiss me?" Alex sighed.

Vin broke into a broad smile and leaned over to press his lips against Alex’s, not caring who saw it when suddenly a voice boomed loudly.

"Oh, I’m glad you two are having so much fun!" Buck Wilmington’s angry voice shattered the moment before their lips could make contact.

Alex rolled her eyes while Vin just shook his head in resignation before they composed themselves in light of the momentous decision they had just reached in their relationship, before straightening up to face Buck and by the looks of it, Ezra and JD as well. No doubt the last of them to see Nathan had probably been informed of how they had happened to suffer their ‘condition’ and now wanted retribution.

"Why hello Mr Wilmington, Mr Standish, Mr Dunne?" Alex said with perfect professional detachment. "How are things today."

"Yeah," Vin added under his breath, straining not to laugh as he said his next words. "What’s up?"

All three faces turned crimson with embarrassment.

"Oh, I forgot," Vin rebuked himself and snapped his fingers. "Nothing, I hear."

"You two ought to be ashamed of yourself!" Buck bellowed. "Do you know what we’ve been through?"

"Do tell," Alex prompted without sympathy, staring at them through narrowed eyes as she folded her arms and dared them to say it.

"Poisoning a man ain’t funny!" Buck declared. "Ain’t that right Ezra, JD?"

"Yeah," JD nodded more embarrassed then he was angry. At the moment, he was so relieved there was no permanent damage he was not about to complain, and in truth, there was a kernel of guilt inside him unable to deny they did deserve what had been done to them.

"Alexandra," Ezra looked at her reproachfully. "I pride myself on being a gentleman, and I am certain there is some code of honour doctors are meant to swear to as well, that prevents them from making use of their knowledge in such heinous and cruel acts of illusion?"

"Ezra I wouldn’t…" Vin started to warn the gambler from going down that particular track.

However, Ezra was not listening and continued his tirade. "You have abused your power as a healer by perpetuating this terrible act of vandalism on our persons."

A storm cloud formed in Alex’s eyes with Vin taking a cautionary step backwards and muttering. "I warned you, Ezra." He almost felt sorry for the gambler because he knew how fiery Alex could get when her morality as a doctor was questioned.

"Now you listen to me you morons," Alex said in a low voice little more than a hiss. "What you men did was unforgivable, humiliating and downright rotten so do not quote to me Mr Standish on a code of honour, which incidentally is the Hippocratic oath. Just be grateful that the effects are temporary. Vin wanted to string all of you up by the toes and leave you to the buzzards. Now, I suggest if you men have plans with the opposite sex tonight, start drinking lots of water. That might put a little lift into things and get you guys up to speed." She made her last remark with a smile of satisfaction on her face, before turning on her heels and walking off in the other direction.

"You gotta love her," Vin said with an equally satisfied smirk on his face before hurrying to join her.

The trio watched Vin and Alex disappear up the boardwalk, saying nothing even though all of them had been appropriately put in their place by the tracker and his lovely doctor. Finally, it was Ezra who broke the silence because being Ezra, he could never be quiet for very long. In this, he could only be rivalled by possibly JD whose youthful exuberance often made the young man unaware when he should be silent.

"Mr Wilmington," Ezra said with a frown because he was not amused no matter how justified Alex and Vin had been in their revenge. "The next time you have an idea for a little bit of levity at the expense of one of our comrades and their ladies? Count me out."

***********

A few discreet inquiries made around Four Corners soon told Marshall Jamieson everything he needed to know about Vin Tanner’s present whereabouts. To his surprise, most people spoke about the outlaw not as if he were a criminal or anyone to fear but as a rather affable young man, shy but honest and always willing to help. Hardly the kind of man one would think to be a murderer. Jamieson discovered while the gunslinger Chris Larabee was the undisputed leader of the seven lawmen in town, Tanner was his trusted second and in his absence usually gave the orders. Despite his growing trepidation perhaps a miscarriage of justice was being perpetrated here because his gut instinct told him Tanner simply did not sound like a criminal, Jamieson had no choice but to carry out the arrest. He was, after all, a creature of duty and despite his personal reservations, he had could not ignore his responsibility, no matter how much he may wish to.

As the sun set over the horizon of Four Corners, Jamieson had learnt everything he needed to know about the probable location of Vin Tanner at this point. It appeared Tanner had been in the company of a local doctor, surprisingly enough, a woman. It was reported they were engaged to be married and were extremely passionate about each other, bordering on the scandalous. People saw them together in town today, so if he was to be anywhere, it was probably at her home, where her clinic was situated.

It was difficult to tell for sure if Tanner was at the place when Jamieson, Langstrom and the rest of the deputies converged on the premises. With the clinic occupying the lower half of the structure and the doctor’s residence above ground, it was impossible to gauge just how many people were in the building. Jamieson preferred to take Tanner alive because he honestly believed if Tanner was innocent, then a trial might be the only way of sorting this mess out if there was some kind of injustice taking place. Fortunately, there was no horse hitched to the post in front of the home, and if Tanner did manage to elude them, he would be on foot, which meant he could not get far.

Jamieson wanted this to be as non-confrontational as possible, hoping Tanner would come quietly, unwilling to risk his lady in any kind of gunfight in a fruitless attempt to escape. Nevertheless, Jamieson still positioned his men around the building as he and Langstrom made their way up the steps leading up the side of the house to the residence itself. While neither man had their guns drawn, both were poised for an escape if one was forthcoming. Tanner had managed to remain elusive from justice for almost three years, there was every reason to assume he would object strenuously to the end of that period of freedom.

Jamieson was here to see that it did.

***********

"Did you see their faces?" Alex giggled as she continued the stir the casserole boiling quite briskly on the stove.

"I know I ain’t forgetting it for a while," Vin said with a smile as he sat at the head of the kitchen table, taking a deep breath of the aromatic scent of spices and herbs wafting through the room as she cooked. It made him wonder how soon dinner would be ready, as his stomach rumbled in anticipation of the meal. Although he often teased her she could not cook, Alex was quite adept at the art but seldom had time to do it as she was usually too busy with doctoring and all the other chores women found compelled to do around the house.

"I think we’ll be left alone the next time we decide to go to the water tower." Alex winked at him with an utterly wicked look of suggestion.

"I don’t know whether I want to be marrying a wild thing like you." He teased, drawing her away from the stove with that remark and bringing Alex to him.

"Liar." She whispered as she sat on his lap and wrapped her arms around his neck. Vin’s hand slid up her back as Alex lowered her head, and he captured her mouth in a deep searching kiss. It never ceased to surprise him how enthralling the scent of her skin could be to him. When he was with her like this, he never felt more alive or aware of anything, which seemed to further convince him he could not bear his existence without her. His mouth slid down her smooth neck, his hands running up and down the rough fabric of her dress, suddenly forgetting all about dinner and remembering with a surge of arousal, it had been on this very table he had first taken her...

Suddenly there was a knock at the door.

"Damn," he muttered in her ear as Alex let out a disappointed sigh.

"It’s always at dinner," she grumbled as she pushed herself reluctantly off him. "In the history of the world, I don’t think there’s ever been a doctor who has made it to the first act of a play or been early for dinner."

Vin adjusted himself, glad they had not become more passionate than that because it was so difficult to explain to company, not to mention embarrassing. Besides, he’d had just about enough people seeing his exposed body parts during the last few days.

Alex went to answer the door and twisted the doorknob to find herself standing before two men she did not recognize. The stern expression on both their faces put her on guard immediately, and she was suddenly glad Vin was here. "Yes, can I help you?"

"Good evening, ma’am," the older of the two tipped his hat politely. "Sorry to bother you at supper time but I believe a Vin Tanner might be here."

Alex froze. She had no idea where the instinct came from, but the minute he had asked for Vin, she just knew. Alex knew everything they just dreamed of had come to a crashing halt with the appearance of this man at her doorstep. "No, I’m sorry," she said with perfect calm, showing no expression on her face. "I haven’t seen him today." She started to close the door, hoping that was enough. It was not.

A hand stopped her from shutting it completely. "Ma’am, can we talk inside?"

"Alex, what is it?" Vin rose to his feet, his hand instinctively moving towards his gun.

"Its nothing," she hissed, aware his voice had now given him away to the men outside she was not alone in here. "I’ll handle it."

"Ma’am, if Tanner is in there, you’re harbouring a criminal!" The loud voice boomed through the door and told Vin precisely what the situation was.

"Get out of here, Vin!" she cried out. "Please!"

Vin remained where he was, refusing to just run out and leave her like some coward. For the last three years, he knew this day would come and finally it was here. Unlike the marshal who came here just before Alex’s arrival in town under the paid instruction of Ely Joe, Vin had could tell by the authority in that voice that this was no deception. If they knew about Alex, then it was likely the place was surrounded and he was not leaving her here to face the consequences of protecting him or aiding in his escape. Chris was right. He could not keep running forever and sooner or later, he would have to stop and face the charge of murder over his head. If the man behind the door was forcing him to make a decision instead of lingering in the illusion all was right in his world, then perhaps it was time Vin did. In any case, this was not the place or time for him to flee because it would not be himself he would hurt, it would be Alex and Vin could not live with that in any shape or form. He was not going to endanger Alex for anything, not even his life.

"Alex, open the door." 

"No!" She stared at him, eyes filled with terror at the possibility of what he was suggesting. "You have to go!" she cried out. "You can’t let them take you! I couldn’t stand it! Please Vin for me, go!" There were tears in her eyes as she made this plea which cut his heart to ribbons seeing the pain in her eyes, but he could not leave.

"Tanner!" the man behind the door declared, having heard enough of the exchange and guessing by Alex’s behaviour the quarry was close. "We have the house surrounded!" he continued firmly. "Come out without a fuss, and we’ll see to it you get a fair trial. I promise you, son, you’ll have your day in court."

"Vin!" Alex started to cry. "Please leave!"

Vin let out a deep breath because her sorrow was a knife piercing his heart and he would have done anything to make the anguish disappear from her eyes, but he could not oblige, not this time. "I’m sorry darling," he shook his head and walked towards her. "I ain’t gonna let them hurt you because I got away from them."

"I don’t care about me!" She sobbed. "I care about you!" Her tears were coming freely because she was filled with anger and frustration at being able to do nothing while they just came into her house and took him away. She could not even think beyond their taking him, if she were to even begin contemplating her existence without him in her life, she would go entirely to pieces. As it was, Alex was not far from that when Vin pulled her gently from the door and allowed it to part wider, giving the duo standing by the doorway entry into her home.

"Alex," Vin said, gently taking her hand in his. "I have to go."

"I won’t let you!" Alex exclaimed and embraced him hard, believing illogically if she held onto him, he would not be taken away from her like this.

Vin had to control his emotions because he knew they had reached a crossroads in their time together. At this point, it could go any way. If he asked her to abandon everything she knew to come away with him, he knew she would do so, but Vin would not have her live in fear of someone always stepping out of the shadows in pursuit. He loved her too much for that. Breaking away from her, Vin pressed his mouth to hers in a kiss of passion. Vin was aware of how much he would lose when he walked through that door. He did not want it to be the last time because just as vital as he was to her existence, Alex had become a part of his. If he could not be with her, he would rather die, and there was a part of him unwilling to give her up, even now.

"I have to go," he repeated and turned away because if he kept looking at her, his courage would give out and he would end up doing something stupid they would both regret. Taking a deep breath, he reached for the Winchester in his holster and handed it to the man before them.

"That’s a wise choice." the man replied, taking the weapon from him. "I’m Federal Marshall Buford Jamieson. This here is my Deputy Keith Langstrom. We are charged by the State of Texas to arrest you and bring you back to the town of Tascosa to stand trial for the death of one Jesse Kincaid."

Vin merely nodded, casting a glance at Alex who was trying to control her tears but losing the battle. "Vin, I’ll be there with you," she said after a moment. "We’ll get you help. If its trial you’re facing, we can fight this thing."

"Listen to the lady," Jamieson responded. "She’s right. If you ain’t done this crime, then we’ll get things sorted out in Tascosa. I promise you there won’t be no lynching on my watch."

Vin looked up at the man, surprised by the compassion he saw there. It was not often kindness came without some form of price, and a plan began to form in Vin’s mind at that moment, even though he felt ashamed of himself for even considering it, but he had no choice. In the last few seconds, he realized he could not leave it to chance he might be freed in Tascosa. The idea of never knowing what it was like to be with Alex again was even more terrifying to him than the death that came with a sentence of guilty.

Langstrom stepped forward with handcuffs, but Jamieson spoke up. "We ain’t gonna need that are we son?" The older man stared at him.

"No," Vin shook his head and felt ashamed because Jamieson really did need it.

"Alex," Vin looked at her as Jamieson nudged him toward the door. "I love you, and we will get through this. I promise you."

"I know," she said a little more composed now but not by much. She wiped the tears from her reddened cheeks, the colour visible through her golden skin. "I love you, Vin," she whispered and watched as they led him out of the house. She stood rooted to the spot, unable to think or move until the sounds of their footsteps became distant. She tried not to let it overwhelm her and knew she was fighting a losing battle. When it came to Vin Tanner, all the calm and professional detachment she thought she had attained with such practised control, could not stem the feelings she had for him. Alex lingered there a few more seconds, trying to pull herself together before she realized there was only one thing left to do.

Get Chris.

***********

Mary had meant to tell Chris about the baby, but with Inez’s visit and his subsequent evening spent with the rest of the seven in the saloon, she never quite managed to give him the news. The next morning, he and the others had left town to escort some army shipment and Mary did not want him saddled with the news when he was going into a life-threatening situation. The last thing Chris needed to know when he might be called on to fight was he was soon to be a father. Besides, her news was not something to be blurted out while he was preparing to ride off into God only knew what danger, it had to be delivered with occasion and finesse.

Thus Julia had taken Billy for the evening and Mary had prepared a special dinner, and Chris was operating under the assumption all this preparation was foreplay to an exciting night of lovemaking. Well, he was a man, after all, Mary sighed. He could not be faulted for succumbing to the basest of his instincts, and after she told him the news, part of his assumption could be acted upon. Mary certainly did not mind. After all, she enjoyed their intimacies just as much as he and in truth, missed him dearly when he did not share her bed.

"This smells great," Chris remarked, enjoying watching her prepare the table for dinner. "Can I help?" He inquired, not subscribing to the belief such things were exclusively women’s work.

"No," she said, always delighted when he asked even though she rarely took him up on the offer. It was just lovely, he asked. "I’m almost done," she answered, laying the plates over the placemats.

"Okay," Chris said as he lifted the lid of the dish to see what culinary masterpiece she had concocted for him tonight. It certainly smelt good and after a day on the trail, eating Buck’s cooking, this was just heavenly. Hot steam escaped from under the lid, bringing with it a pleasant aroma, making him look forward to the eating almost as much as the evening alone with her.

He was about to dip his finger into the stew when suddenly Mary paused what she was doing and gave him a stern look.

"Use....a.....spoon."

"Right," he frowned wishing women were not so civilized.

Reaching for the utensil in question, he was about to enclose his palm around it when suddenly, he heard a loud, frantic pounding against the door. Immediately, he exchanged a concerned glance with Mary and forgot all about the meal, expending enough time to put down the lid before he strode across the room towards the door with Mary following him closely. He reached the door first and pulled it open to see a very distraught Alexandra Styles standing at the porch. Her face was red with tears, and frankly, the sheer panic in her eyes shocked him. Chris had never seen her so distressed.

"Chris! You gotta come! They’ve got Vin!" She said this without any pause. "They’re taking him away!"

"Alex, calm down," he stepped forward and placed his hands on her arms to make her draw breath so he could get some sense out of her string of disjointed words. "Who is taking Vin?"

"A Federal Marshall......" she stuttered. "He said his name is Jamieson."

"Buford T Jamieson?" Mary asked, having heard of the name and the reputation. If Jamieson was here, then Vin was in a lot of trouble.

"That’s him!" Alex nodded. "He just came up to my door and took Vin!" Alex started to lose control again, her tears coming once more.

"Jamieson’s a good man." Chris declared, aware of the same information Mary had. If they had sent Jamieson after Vin, then it was no ruse like the last federal marshal that came searching for the tracker. This was a genuine attempt to bring him back to Tascosa. Still, if Vin were to reach Tascosa, it was likely he would hang long before he ever got to the trial.

"How can you say that?" Alex gasped. "He’s taking Vin back to hang for God’s sake!"

"Mary," Chris looked at his wife in an unspoken plea to handle the doctor while he went and rounded the others up. Fortunately, Buck was the only one out of town. The rest of the seven were still here, and Chris had to act quickly. He could do it better without having to contend with Alex’s state of mind at the moment.

"Go," Mary ordered not even needing to hear any instructions, guessing instinctively what he needed to say. "I’ll take care of Alex."

"I don’t need taken care of!" Alex gushed, and Mary waved Chris to get moving, signalling she would deal with this. There was little time to waste as it was.

Chris nodded, giving her a look of warm affection before hurrying past them both into the night.

***********

"I didn’t do it, you know," Vin replied as he was marched towards the jailhouse by Jamieson and his men. As anticipated, it was too late in the day for them to start towards Tascosa and the journey to the Texas Panhandles could not begin until first light. He had guessed these men just arrived in town for if they had been here any length of time, word would have reached Vin before it had come to them reaching Alex’s door.

"It ain’t my place to say whether you did nor not," Jamieson replied stiffly. "My only concern is to get you back to Tascosa and see you stand trial. If you didn’t do it, the law will prove it."

"How?" Vin snorted derisively. "The only man who can prove I was set up is dead."

"You mean Ely Joe." Langstrom guessed.

"He was the one who killed Kincaid. He framed me cause he knew I was getting close." The sharpshooter pleaded his case as they crossed the street, and the jailhouse came into view. By now, people were starting to notice something was wrong, pausing long enough to look at the unfamiliar group of men escorting one of their guardians with guns. Vin tried not to feel like a criminal as their eyes looked at him, but he could not help feeling like everything Jamieson and the people of Tascosathought him to be, he could not help feeling like an outlaw.

"Tell it to the judge," Langstrom replied. "It does not make any difference to us."

The ripple of agreement from the other deputies seem to indicate the same of them as well, and Vin knew he did not have any time. While he felt Jamieson was a man of his word, he was not so sure about Langstrom and the others.

"Say that gal of yours really a doctor?" The deputy inquired.

"Yes." Vin retorted, not liking Alex’s name was brought up. The pain of leaving her was still too fresh, and he hated she had been forced to watch him being led away like an outlaw. Was it only this morning, he had talked about marrying her? The irony of it left a sour taste in his belly.

"She’s mighty pretty," Langstrom remarked. "I wouldn’t mind getting me a piece of that. What’s she like?"

"Keith!" Jamieson barked trying to shut the man up, but it was too late.

With lightning reflexes, Vin slammed his elbow into Langstrom’s face and kicked the vulnerable side of Jamieson’s knees, dropping the man to his feet. Snatching the deputy’s gun from his hand, Vin locked his arm around the man’s neck before the others were even aware of what had happened. Pressing the barrel of his gun into Langstrom’s forehead, he pulled the man upright and cocked the weapon just to make his point.

"Follow me, and I’ll blow his head off," Vin warned.

"Tanner don’t be a fool!" Jamieson shouted, struggling to his feet. "You ain’t helping yourself by doing this."

"I’m sorry Marshall," Vin apologized, genuinely sorry for taking advantage of the man’s kindness. "You seem like a decent man, and I believe you when you said I’d not be lynched in your hands, but I didn’t kill Kincaid and I ain’t waiting for no judge to say I did because I can’t prove otherwise." 

"This ain’t over Tanner," Jamieson warned. "Even if you make it out of town, I’ll find you, and I’ll bring you in. Make no mistake on that."

"I don’t, Sir," Vin replied in understanding. "But you have to find me first, and that’s gonna be a problem."

As he withdrew into the darkness, taking advantage of the hostage he had in his grip, Jamieson had a feeling the tracker was right about that.

***********

By the time Chris rounded up the seven, Jamieson and his men were already waiting for him in the jailhouse. With him was Langstrom, who was nursing a nasty gash on the back of his head where Vin had cold-cocked him with the butt of his own gun just before taking Peso and riding out of Four Corners. Apparently, the tracker only required his hostage as far as it took for him to get to his horse and discarded the deputy soon after. As Nathan tended to the man’s wound, Chris Larabee found himself in the unenviable position of upholding the law in Four Corners and helping his friend. Although he did not voice it to the formidable Marshall Jamieson, Chris knew his loyalty to Vin would outstrip any devotion to the law.

"You’re the law in town," Jamieson glowered, feeling especially foolish for trusting the young man and not cuffing him when he should have. "Are you going to help us find him?"

Chris stared at the man from the chair he was seated behind the sheriff’s desk. "Maybe."

"There ain’t no maybe about it!" Langstrom declared. "The man’s a fugitive! You’re the law around here, you required to help us!"

"Shut up, you idiot!" Jamieson glared at him angrily, mindful of the fact it was Langstrom’s big mouth that landed them in this situation. Anyone could clearly see by the way the tracker had left his lady she was more than just another tumble in the hay and he might take great exception to any insult delivered upon her reputation or her name. Turning back to Chris, he tried to be more reasonable than his younger colleague.

"I know he’s your friend," Jamieson replied, trying to appeal to Larabee’s concern for Tanner. In fact, the fears felt by every member of the group who was a guardian of Four Corners. From the healer who was patching up Langstrom’s head to the kid wearing a sheriff’s badge, even though the man in black before him was the one who ran things here. "But you know as well as I do what happens now. If it ain’t me, it will be the Texas Rangers next, and God help him when they get their hands on him. They’ll bring him in dead or alive and as good a tracker as he is, he can’t run forever. You know that."

"Vin will stay ahead of you!" JD declared, unwilling to believe anyone could capture Vin Tanner if he did not want to be caught.

"Mr Tanner has proven to be most elusive when he wishes to be," Ezra added his own voice, liking this about as much as Chris did the idea of letting these men take Vin to Tascosa or for that matter, helping them hunt him.

"There ain’t no way you are taking that boy to hang," Josiah stated in his grave and authoritarian voice, seldom used but thoroughly felt. "A finer man there has never been. He would not harm anyone the way you think and what you are not saying Sir, but is the truth that must be acknowledged, is justice is blind, and the law can be wrong." The preacher replied, defying anyone to say otherwise and meeting Jamieson’s eyes to drive his point home. When Silas Poplar had almost convinced everyone even those in this room he was the murderer of women, Vin Tanner had stood up for him and refused to believe it. Vin had been his staunchest supporter during that dark time, and Josiah would do the same for him now.

A long silence followed until Chris spoke.

"But he’s still right," Chris said after a moment, to the astonishment of everyone around him.

"You cannot be siding with Mr Jamieson, surely?" Ezra asked.

"I am not siding with anyone but Vin," Chris replied and met the Marshall’s gaze. "You want my help, here is how it will be. We alone will bring Vin to Tascosa. That way, we can be sure he won’t have any accidents on his way there." Instinctively, Chris glanced at Langstrom as he spoke. "Most of us have lives here we can’t walk away from so you know we ain’t gonna go back on our word. I give you my word, we’ll bring him in, but just you stay in Tascosa because the six of us alone ain’t enough to keep them from lynching him if the town gets into their mind to see that happening. With your men and mine, we have a chance of keeping him alive to see a court of law."

Jamieson let his gaze sweep over the faces in the room, at the men who would gladly die, every one of them, to do the right thing by Tanner, in particular, this notorious gunslinger who was reputed to be one of the fastest in the Territory. He stared at Chris Larabee’s face and knew his word was not given lightly if at all and Larabee had a wife and child in this town. He had much to lose if he became a fugitive protecting Tanner.

"All right," the Marshall nodded. "I have your word you will deliver Tanner to Tascosa?"

"My word," Chris said shortly.

"Buford you can’t be serious!" Langstrom started to object.

"I ain’t gonna tell you to shut up again, Keith." Jamieson looked over his shoulder and silenced him with a venomous glare before turning back to Chris.

"See to it," Jamieson replied coolly and added just in case Larabee intended to take advantage of his compassion as Tanner had. "But you double-cross me, any of you and I’ll run you into the ground before I’m through."

"Understood," Chris nodded and believed it.

Chapter Three
The Road to Texas

Firelight, firelight

Come dance with me in the cool twilight

Sparkling embers follow my wake

Like a dream walk, I often take

Carry me to a faraway place

A fairy tale world hidden behind a veil of lace

Vin had no idea who wrote that odd little verse. He only knew when he had been almost killed by Will Richmond some months before, he had fallen asleep listening to Alex reciting those misty words in his ear, while her hand had stroked his brow to sleep one night during his convalescence. Later on, he had asked her about it only to have her evade the question, and he sensed it was a mystery, like one of many locked away inside a woman’s heart.

As he watched the embers dancing in the fire of his campsite, the glittery dance of fire reminded him of that verse once again, and Vin found himself wanting to hear the rest of it because there was something in the soulful prose that was deeply haunting. At the moment, he wanted to be haunted because it was the only way he could overcome the terrible longing for Alex after his abrupt departure from Four Corners and very possibly, the life he had built for himself over the last three years. When he fled earlier, things were so clear inside his head, his motivations even more precise, but time had a way of blurring the boundaries of what was a certainty into something vague and ambiguous.

Now, he felt like a coward.

When he first broke away from the Federal Marshal and his deputies, Vin thought he was doing the right thing. After all, how could he be assured of a fair trial when any hope of proving himself innocent died with Ely Joe? It seemed as if he was willingly allowing himself to be a sacrifice on the altar of justice erected for Jesse Kincaid. At the time, he was too filled with emotions after his anguished farewell with Alex to think clearly what he was doing. When Langstrom uttered those derisive words about Alex, something inside him snapped and the need to escape overrode all good sense. Suddenly, he was gripped with the terror of dying without ever feeling Alex’s skin against his again, enclosed by walls or worst yet, to be strung up like an animal for all to see. By the time he reasoned out all these fears against the idea of clearing his name, Vin was riding hard into the night with Four Corners behind him.

He had ridden for hours, uncertain at first where he was going before finally opting to seek refuge among Chanu and his people, who had rebuilt their village after bandits had razed it to the ground some months ago. Vin had no intention of remaining there any longer than a night, wishing only to rest and contemplate his bearings. His course of action had precipitated the need to make some hard decisions, and Vin had to address them immediately.

Initially, his ruminations had taken him no further than the need to send word to Alex to join him, as well as letting Chris and the others know he was not coming back. However, as Chanu welcomed him with open arms and Vin was faced with the appreciation of his friendship, it began to dawn upon the tracker what it was he would be leaving behind if Four Corners was relegated to his past. It was more than just a town, and those left behind were more than faces accumulated over a lifetime, they were not merely his friends, they were the closest thing Viin had to family. Not only Chris, whom he would miss almost as dearly as if he were losing Alex but all the others as well.

As his stay at the Indian village lengthened, he suddenly realized he did not want to leave, no matter how untenable remaining in Four Corners had become. He wanted to see how the ranch he had helped Buck and Chris build fared after all their hard work. Almost as much as he wanted to see little Elena take her first steps, or Nathan passing the exam finally making him a real doctor, and whether or not Ezra would make a success of the Standish Tavern. Chanu had been supportive of his decision to leave, understanding the need to stay out of custody since no one could appreciate better than an Indian what it was like to be trapped within the hell of walls. Still, after due consideration, Vin realized his hasty decision to escape was ill-thought and the advice given by Chris Larabee and that damned Marshal returned to haunt him.

He could not run forever.

Four Corners was his home. It had become that after a lifetime of wandering, of fitting in nowhere. He finally found a place for himself among people who cared deeply what became of him, and a woman willing to do anything to be with him. More than anything Vin wished he could get his hands on Ely Joe, so he could kill the man all over again. When he had framed Vin for murder, he had not merely put a price on Vin’s head but created a cycle of vengeance that never seemed to end.

Loath as he might be to admit it, Vin realized Chris was right. He had to face this eventually, and this was as good a time as any. If the odds worked against him and they did find him guilty, Vin would know at least he tried to have a chance at a normal life. The risks were high, Vin knew it. If he took the gamble and lost, his life would be forfeit, but he could not go on this way. He had done all the running he was going to do. Now it was time to face the powers that be and pray justice really could be done for not only himself but also for Jesse Kincaid. As he had once said to Chris when the gunslinger had asked if he had any proof of Chanu’s innocence in the death of Claire Mosely, the truth was proof enough.

For his sake, he hoped that would be the case when he turned himself in at Tascosa.

Vin remained at the village for the rest of the night, intending to go to Tascosa at first light. He left instructions with Chanu to bring word to Alex, hoping she would stay in Four Corners because if things went badly in the Texas Panhandle, he did not want her to see him hang. Never one to assume safety was assured because of familiar surroundings, Vin did not stay in the village itself but at a suitable distance away from the community so Vin could observe from afar and vacate if necessary. He had no intention of bringing any trouble upon the folk who had given him refuge. Although Chanu had declared such measures were not required, Vin would take no such risks with the lives of others. The red man had enough troubles with the federal authorities without his bringing more difficulty upon them for harbouring a wanted fugitive.

Besides, Marshall Jamieson struck him as a thorough man. If he learned enough about Vin to find him at Alex’s, then he might also learn about the tracker’s relationship with Chanu and the Indians at this village. While Vin was confident Chanu would never turn him in, that would not stop Jamieson from coming to the community in search of him, and Vin was not about to let more people become inconvenienced for offering him sanctuary. Vin set up his campsite close to the village so he could view the arrival of any unexpected visitors.

He had sat around the fire warming his hands, debating his choices until finally concluding he had to end his limbo existence by resolving the situation in Tascosa. Until he cleared his name, he could not go on with his life because he would forever be looking over his shoulder, wondering if every shadow was just that or another hunter coming to claim the bounty on his head. He could not put Alex through that kind of life, and he was tired of being trapped in amber, unable to move on. He wanted to marry her and have a family like Buck and Chris were starting to do. He never saw any joy in being bound to the land, as he had once told Charlotte, but there was an inordinate beauty in knowing the choice to roam was his and not out of some need to keep one step ahead of a wanted poster.

He did not sleep at all that night when his mind was filled with such thoughts.

When sunrise came, Vin found he had burned away all the excuses until all that was left for him was the reality of his situation. He could not leave Four Corners behind because Four Corners was Alex, Chris, Mary and all those other faces who become so much a part of his life during the last three years. He spent most of his life alone, even before his mother died. She was his entire universe in life. When she had gone, there were new faces, but his heart remained untouched, and his soul condemned to an island of loneliness finally shed, the first time he gazed across the street and saw friendship in the eyes of a stranger in black.

Vin could not go back to that again. Even if it meant dying. He could accept judgement in Tascosa, even if a court of law found him guilty of the crime. He could accept it because the last three years leading to this point were the best in his life and he could accept dying knowing he had actually lived. Vin was not sure what he was doing before meeting Chris Larabee, but he knew it had not been living. Existing maybe, drifting across the plains like the mist coming with morning, having no real substance and leaving nothing behind.

His life was that meaningless.

It was not yet dawn when he fell asleep finally, but slumber lasted briefly. Not long after he descended into the dreamscape, he heard the sounds of riders approaching. The thunder of hooves beating against the ground resonated through the earth and roused him immediately from sleep. Instinctively, he reached for the Winchester he had retrieved from Langstrom and hurried from his bedroll to the lookout position he had scouted earlier and selected for that purpose. Below him, the Indian village seemed peaceful despite the rapid approach of the new arrivals.

There were six of them, and Vin recognized the horses immediately, having become familiar with them all after three years of riding alongside them as one of their number. At the head of them, he could make Chris out quite clearly and felt some measure of relief seeing his best friend. If Vin asked, he was sure Chris would accompany him to Tascosa. Usually, Vin would not impose upon his friend this way, but he did not want the solitude to make him renege on his decision to turn himself in, and with Chris as his side, Vin was sure the gunslinger would not let him do anything foolish.

Even though Vin would never openly admit it, he needed Chris to keep him from running when the fear became too much for him. Although courage was an emotion he had in significant volume inside him, Vin would not underestimate his desire to run. He had much to stay alive for, the friends riding towards the Indian village was one of those things, not to mention Alex and everything else making his life in Four Corners so blissful. Enough time alone could erode anyone’s resolve at having to lose such valuables, and Vin was determined to face judgement in Tascosa without letting it hamper his resolve.

Taking a deep breath as he saw them near the outskirts of the village, Vin Tanner let it out slowly before turning back to his campsite once again to put out the fire to go down there and face his friends.

***********

"I can’t believe we’re doing this," JD grumbled, making it evident to anyone who would listen, his distaste at what he thought about bringing Vin Tanner to Tascosa. If it had not come from Chris Larabee, he would not have believed it but the fact it did, made it all the more unbelievable. Of all the people JD had expected to fight to keep Vin free, he had expected it to be the gunslinger. Hearing Chris giving his word to that Marshal was beyond his mind to comprehend.

"We’re doing it because we have to." Buck Wilmington said sternly to the boy as their hard gallop towards the village had slowed to a light trot once the settlement came in sight. He offered the warning before Chris turned around and smacked the kid stupid. As it was, the gunslinger was barely maintaining his composure, even though to the others he projected his typical, brooding calm.

"We’re turning him in to be strung up like a dog." JD blurted, unable to rein his youthful impulsion to say whatever was on his mind.

"Mr Dunne," Ezra spoke, having heard the same arguments himself and feeling almost as frayed at the edges as Chris on this point. "It would help if you did not keep referring to this entire debacle as having that unfortunate conclusion."

"But it’s true, ain’t it?" JD demanded, defying any of them to say this wasn’t exactly what was going to happen when they brought Vin Tanner to Tascosa. Vin was his friend and the only member of the seven who did not treat him like a kid. The idea of taking him in was so appalling to JD the youth could barely understand why the others were going along with this insanity.

Buck saw Chris's jaw tighten and knew the gunslinger was nearing the edge of restraint and spoke up quickly before that smack in the head JD was destined to get, came a lot sooner than later. "Boy," Buck gave him a look oozing with uncharacteristic sharpness. "Shut up before someone smacks you in the mouth."

"Look," Nathan broke in, recognizing the mood was becoming decidedly ugly. They all had mixed feelings about this, but in some small part, understood what Chris was attempting to do. "We don’t like the idea of bringing Vin in any more than you do, but its gotta be done. He’s been walking around with this thing on his head for the last three years. How many bounty hunters have we killed trying to keep him alive?"

JD did not respond, and Nathan continued. "Enough to weigh heavily on a man’s mind, that’s for sure. He can’t do anything with Miss Alex unless his name is cleared. Chris is right, it needs to be taken care of now before it gets any worse. Better we take him in alive than some head hunter who couldn’t care less if he gets to Tascosa still breathing. Texas law has changed, they can’t just lynch a man for no good reason. With the Marshal and us protecting Vin, he’ll get to a court of law and maybe we can be done with this mess once and for all."

JD was sceptical, but Nathan had a way of putting things clearly that elevated the issue above the provocative, emotional symptoms it engendered. "I hope you are right, cause if he’s proven guilty, then what?"

"Then if I have to," Chris Larabee answered for the first time. "I’ll break him out of there myself and send him to Mexico."

No one could tell whether or not Chris was joking, but judging by the steely expression in his eyes, no one dared ask him to elaborate. In any case, there was little time as the village was upon them and as they started to dismount, Kojay emerged from the collection of huts to greet them.

"Greetings," Kojay said pleasantly. "It has been many moons, Josiah." The old man remarked as he and Josiah engaged him in a warm handshake. Both men had forged a friendship since the incident with Reverend Mosely and the death of his daughter Claire. Occasionally, Josiah would ride out here to visit with the man, sometimes bringing Lilith, who had confessed to wanting to meet real-life Indians since Audrey was open-minded enough to allow the excursion. Both would spend the day here, with Lilith absorbing all she could about a new society with an eagerness to learn to transcend the enmity existing between the two cultures.

"That it has chief." Josiah tipped his hat. "Unfortunately, this ain’t no social call."

"I believed it might not be," Kojay nodded. "You come for Tanner?" he asked, sweeping his wizened gaze over the rest of the seven.

"Yes," Josiah nodded, glancing briefly at Chris. " Is he here?"

"That depends," Kojay said reluctantly. "On whether you wish to bring harm to him."

Chris immediately stiffened at the suggestion he or any of the men with him would bring any danger to Vin. Josiah caught the anger in the gunslinger’s gait and immediately made an attempt to diffuse the situation. Tempers were running high enough as it was without innocent words becoming incendiary. "We do not wish to bring him harm, but he needs to come with us."

"To face judgement in a white man’s court is not an enviable position," Kojay replied. "I would call that bringing him to harm."

"He has to face his troubles," Chris spoke up, understanding Kojay’s desire to protect Vin because he felt the same way himself. Chris hated the idea he was forced to hunt down his best friend and bring him to Tascosa, but the fact of the matter was Vin had to stop running someday. This was as good a time as any to make an effort to remove this price on his head. "He needs to come with us before men who care less about him than we do start coming after him. They won’t care if he gets to Tascosa, dead or alive, nor will they care about keeping him alive once he gets there."

"Kojay," Josiah appealed to the man. "I don’t like it any more than you do. In fact, none of us are too happy about this, but we have to find him."

Kojay looked decidedly uncomfortable about keeping silent, bound by his loyalty to Vin and the debt owed to the young man for saving his son’s life. Still, the knowledge these men were Tanner’s closest friends and would never willingly wish him ill confused him.

"Its okay Chief," Vin stepped out from behind the huts with Chanu at his side. "They ain’t here to do me no harm, just knock some sense into me I reckon." Vin tipped his hat slightly at his friends upon his arrival in a gesture of greeting.

"Close enough," Chris remarked, unable to hide the small smile of relief sneaking across his hardened features at the sight of the tracker.

"Its good to see you, partner," Buck said boisterously, with more enthusiasm than he felt because the tension needed its edge taken off. If anything, it was the one area in which Buck excelled, since the poison Alex had administered to him had negated his other exceptional talent. He strode towards Vin and offered the younger man a heavy pat on the shoulder.

"We thought you might have absconded permanently Mr Tanner," Ezra remarked, wearing a similar look of pleasure at seeing the tracker.

Vin took a deep breath and released it. "I thought about it," he admitted, meeting Chris's gaze as he made the confession. "I was all set to keep riding and not come back. I got as far as here," he gestured to the village, "and started really thinking about what I was doing."

"Came to some conclusion, I hope," Buck asked hopefully, preferring it if Vin’s choice to come with them to Tascosa was his own and not because they were going to take him there out of fear over what a Federal Marshal would do in their place.

"You’re right Chris," Vin admitted reluctantly. "I gotta face this thing," he said, not happy about the decision or what it could mean if things did not transpire the way he hoped. "One way or another, its gotta end for me sometime."

"But they could hang you, Vin!" JD exclaimed, wondering why no one but him could not see any chance of life was better than merely capitulating to the certainty of death. Vin had said it a dozen times, Ely Joe was the only way to prove he did not kill Jesse Kincaid. With the death of that outlaw, it was Vin’s word against overwhelming evidence he had not been responsible for the crime with which he was charged.

"JD." Nathan groaned softly. "Enough." the black man said with gentle authority, the same voice he used when demanding they rest after being injured and making sure they obeyed his orders.

JD fell silent, although his dislike of the situation showed clearly.

"They could hang me JD," Vin agreed with the youth. "That still doesn’t mean I can turn tail and run," he replied, hoping JD understood he was making a choice to live, not to die. "I got to face it sometime, now is a good a time as any."

"I’m glad you feel that way pard," Chris said, clearly relieved he would not have to convince Vin it was necessary to travel to Tascosa for Vin to be finally rid of this price on his head. He had given the Marshal his word to bring Vin to Texas, but in truth, he had no idea what he would have done if Vin had refused to go. He felt too much for the younger man to bring him in against his will. "I managed to talk Jamieson into letting us take you in."

Vin nodded, deciding he preferred to being taken into custody in the hands of a Federal Marshal. "I appreciate it," he said in his usual understated manner, even though he was brimming with gratitude. "How is Alex doing?" he found himself asking.

"She’s pretty broken up," Chris saw no reason to lie because any other response from Alex over this crisis would have been improbable. "I left her with Mary, so she’ll be fine," Chris assured him and saw the gratitude in the tracker’s expression, knowing the woman he loved would not be alone at this dark time.

"She’s a strong woman," Nathan assured him. "She’ll pick up faster than you know and probably be in Tascosa before we are if I’m any judge of character."

"You’re right," Vin agreed with a faint smile, completely aware of how tenacious Alex could be, and her determination to save him would sometimes lead her into more trouble than she knew what to do with, but Vin would have her no other way. He did not know how he felt about her being in Tascosa, but there was little to be done about it now.

"Chris also fixed it, so Jamieson stays in Tascosa during the trial," Buck added. "So we can all make sure there ain’t no lynching."

"Thanks, cowboy." Vin met Chris's gaze again. "I reckon we better be going if we’re going to go."

"I reckon," Chris said quietly, wondering if anyone had any idea how hard this was for him. Vin was his best friend and delivering him to Tascosa to face trial, quite possibly death, was one of the hardest things he had been called upon to do in his life. He was glad Vin was making it easy for him.

"If one of you give me a ride up to that ridge," Vin glanced in the direction of his campsite. "We can get going, Peso’s hitched up there."

"I am sure Chaucer would have no difficulty fulfilling that role." Ezra offered magnanimously.

"Thanks." Vin offered the gambler a faint smile and turned to Chanu and Kojay who had been so kind with their hospitality and had touched Vin with their efforts to protect him.

"I wish you well, Tanner," Chanu said, shaking his hand. "I hope the truth serves you as well as it served me," sincerely hoping he would see the tracker again.

"It will or it won’t," Vin replied holding no real expectations of hope before turning to Kojay who surprised him with a warm embrace, the way he would a member of his tribe or one of his own sons. Vin was taken back by the show of affection from someone who was normally so stoic about death and everything else surrounding his existence.

"Good journey Tanner," Kojay answered, keeping his passive mask in place even though his eyes were fluid and sad. "May the spirits guide you in your quest and bring you back to us soon."

Vin swallowed, feeling the emotion threatening to choke him before he forced it away again. He had no idea his farewell had the same effect on the men behind him who were trying not to let their own feelings about what was happening, overwhelm them. It was hard to take anything lightly when the farewell Vin made to Kojay, and his son could very well be the first of many such goodbyes if Tascosa found Vin Tanner guilty of murder.

***********

Vin had returned to the Indian village on foot and rode behind Ezra on his horse Chaucer when the seven made their way to his campsite to get his belongings and Peso. Unlike their usual journeys where there was always lively chatter, no one felt in the mood to talk, not with such a grim prospect awaiting them at the end of their travels. Even Buck, who often made lengthy treks tolerable by his ability to capture the interest of everyone with inane but strangely enough, interesting subjects of conversation, remained silent. The purpose of their journey to Tascosa preyed too much on his mind for that.

The sun was just beginning its climb across the sky when the seven took the worn and windblown trail towards Texas, with each possessing mixed feelings on what should be done. Despite their agreement with Vin, it was time he resolved his situation in Tascosa, they could not help be apprehensive over what would happen to the tracker in the event his bid to prove his innocence failed. They had endured too much together to see their fellowship broken by a hangman’s noose and there was a mystical power of being the seven which would not survive the loss of one.

Buck found himself thinking about the time he and Vin had barged in on Chris the night after his stag party. Both men had barely been able to hold in their laughter as they tried to convince the groom to be he spent the night with a dancer named Salome in a fit of drunken lust. Although Ezra played a part in that bit of amusement, it was mostly Buck and Vin who devised the prank and was on the receiving end of a bullet when Chris realized he was the victim of a joke. That was only one of the pranks where Vin was his co-conspirator, and between the two of them; it was a wonder either had their skins since the butt of their jokes always seemed to be Chris.

Josiah was just as involved in his own thoughts about the tracker. His mind kept swirling around the secret Vin kept for him and still did, during the time he was accused of murder. Josiah felt somewhat ashamed by how willing he was to accept the responsibility of those deaths when here was Vin, who had not committed the crime, was saddled with it at the cost of everything else in his life. Josiah had allowed himself to be a creature of guilt and until he purged his sorrows to Vin, had no idea how much his remorse had helped to shape his life. Speaking out about his sister had made him realize his secret could be revealed, and the world would still function after his disclosure. There was no need to bury her away as his father had attempted. Why could he not pull a proverbial rabbit out of the hat and save Vin the way the young man had saved him?

Nathan watched Chris Larabee and Vin Tanner riding ahead and tried not to think what would become of them if they were unable to convince a judge Vin was innocent. Better than anyone present, Nathan knew what it was like to be at the blunt end of injustice. He had faced the dilemma every day of his life until he had escaped from the plantation and was more realistic over the outcome of Vin’s day in court than anyone else, save Chris perhaps. If they could not find any new evidence to cast doubt on Vin’s complicity in this matter, it was more than likely the tracker would indeed hang. The fellowship would never survive such an outcome; even Nathan was realistic about that. They were what they were because each was a vital part of a bond forged in seven parts steel and soul. Losing one was like losing a part of one’s soul, and no matter what they might tell themselves later, things would never be the same again.

Ezra let his gaze sweep over his companions and knew they were all engaged in silent ruminations regarding the fate of the tracker. While he confessed to feeling some concern over Vin’s unfortunate situation in Tascosa, it would have surprised everyone to know Ezra held more optimism about Vin’s eventual freedom than anyone else in the entire group. The gambler could not ascertain what motivated the belief without a shadow of a doubt Vin would leave Tascosa with them when all was said and done. The odds were against them, and Ezra was not fool enough to play against the house, but he learnt much during his time as part of the circle. The one lesson always seemed to penetrate far better than all others was the presence of something unseen guiding them.

He liked to think of it as Lady Luck.

JD was not so introspective about anything transpiring. He was a bunch of emotions awaiting release because he felt fear. How could he not? Vin was his friend, and the situation in Tascosa was serious business indeed. Facing things was all when and good, but there was also such a thing as a fool’s errand and JD could not help but think they were engaged in an undertaking that would make them all rue the day they ever suggested bringing Vin back to Tascosa. The six men with whom he rode were the family he had always wanted, the one his ma had tried so hard to be all at once. He could not imagine the void if they were gone, and he knew if one of them were to die, the others would drift off just as inevitably as if death had taken them too. The heart of what they were would be lost if one of them vanished. Even JD knew that.

And then there was Chris.

Chris who said nothing as he rode alongside the young man, trying to decide what his life would have been like if he had not looked across the street that dust-blown afternoon and seen Vin Tanner. Vin who appeared as if he were wrestling with his conscience at standing by while a mob threatened to lynch an innocent man, probably identifying with the situation a little. After all, who knew better than Vin what it was like to be wrongfully accused? So much had happened since the unspoken agreement had passed between them to deliver Nathan from his would-be killers, and it was hard to ignore Chris's own voyage of healing begin with that simple act of compassion shared between himself and the tracker. Vin’s friendship had done what bullets and a bottle had not. It had allowed him to leave Sarah and Adam behind and begin living again. Chris was not sure how he would fare if he lost that friendship now, even with Mary in his life.

He prayed he would never have to find out.

As they rode together side by side, Chris spied Vin on occasion even when both were silent and lost in thoughts of the moment. Vin’s eyes faced the road ahead, seeing something Chris could not see but the gunslinger could easily imagine if it were he who was faced with the same circumstances. He had no knowledge of the law, but he had given Mary instructions before leaving to wire the judge, to see if Orin could do anything to help. Of course, if the judge was able to help them, he would have done so long before this. Unfortunately, Orin’s appointment as a territorial judge ensured his influence was limited to the area to which he was assigned. Tascosa was in Texas and Vin’s case when it finally went to court would be in the purview of the Territorial judge counterpart to that town as Four Corners was to Orin Travis. What influence Orin might have over one of his colleagues would be meagre, and it would all come down to evidence, which, unfortunately, they had little of.

Before leaving Four Corners, Chris prepared Mary to expect his absence for at least a week if not more. While Chris felt uneasy leaving Four Corners for such a prolonged duration and taking all the others with him, they had no choice. When they had first met, Vin had believed the residents of Tascosa had been ready to lynch him had he not departed when he did. Laws in place to protect such a thing from happening did not offer an iron-clad guarantee it would not happen if folks got it into their minds to make it a reality. Vin needed the protection of them all, including the weight of a Federal Marshal to keep the more determined citizens at bay.

Despite all these other considerations, what concerned Chris most of all was not the lynching or the jurisdictional realities of the situation, what really made Chris fear for his friend was the lack of evidence to prove Vin did not actually commit the crime. Ely Joe had killed Jesse Kincaid and exchanged clothes with the man so Vin would believe he was taking Ely Joe’s body back to Tascosa to claim the bounty. He had arrived there with the body and a motive, and while the murder weapon was not the gun Vin carried, the fact still remained Vin was the only suspect. Chris worried even in a fair trial, the judge was always going to find him guilty.

"What do you know about Kincaid?." Chris finally broke the silence between them.

The question took Vin entirely by surprise. "Not much," Vin admitted. "I know he was a farmer, had a wife and a place, but that's it."

Chris nodded and absorbed the information, trying to find something they could use in a court of law to cast doubt on the decision Vin might be guilty of this crime. As it was, they were going to Tascosa with nothing to add to the case. The evidence available proved Vin’s culpability in the matter instead of exonerating him. "Tell me what happened when you were tracking Ely Joe."

Vin frowned in concentration, giving the gunslinger’s request due consideration, even though he was doubtful about uncovering any new information from his recollections. He was sceptical about finding anything new from what he remembered. After all, it was not as if Vin did not replay the sequence of events in his head a dozen times already. How many times had he followed the same path, repeatedly in his head, wondering why the man had done what he had done and reproaching himself for being stupid enough to be led so blindly? Still, Vin could not begrudge Chris'ss opinion a fresh perspective might aid him in seeing something he had missed through the sheer repetition of the search.

"Not much," Vin replied, recalling the events leading him to the day when he had discovered Kincaid’s dead body, half immersed in the water trough for his horses. Taking the path often travelled inside his mind, he cast his mind back to the first time he had encountered the name of Ely Joe. "I had tracked him across most of the Texas Panhandle where Ely Joe was hitting the banks in every small town he came across. Left a lot of people dead, but by the time I started tracking him, he had a big headstart over me. There were other bounty hunters after him, but I was the one who was closest on his trail and even then, I never actually saw him, other than his picture on the wanted poster."

"So he was wanted in Tascosa for bank robbery?" This came from Buck who edged Beavis beside the duo now someone was actually talking. Prompted by his actions, they were soon joined by the others who were just as pleased to be rid of this sombre atmosphere following them since leaving Four Corners.

"He started in Tascosa, probably thought it was remote enough not to cause much trouble," Vin said, retrieving memories he had not thought of in almost three years. Following the ruse saw him framed for murder, Vin’s thoughts about Ely Joe had mostly centred around that crime and not the events before that day. In retrospect, Vin wondered if he paid more attention to those details, might he have avoided the situation he now found himself in? It was a fruitless debate since the deed was done and he could do nothing to change it. "He robbed the bank there and killed the teller and two customers."

"Charming man." Ezra frowned, his dislike of the brigand having lowered another notch in an already less than stellar opinion.

"Yeah, he was a stone killer, alright." Vin agreed with Ezra’s assertions on the man’s character. "The original arrest warrants were drawn up in Tascosa, but eventually just about every town he came across had reason to write up one of their own. As I said, I got on the trail after he hit Amarillo and I tracked him across most of the Panhandle, got pretty close to catching him a couple of times."

"He must have been good." Josiah had to comment. Vin’s tracking ability was uncanny at times, as the man could read marks in the dirt that were incomprehensible to most. If Ely Joe had managed to evade Vin as long as he had, the outlaw had to be credited with having some skill himself. It was also understandable why Ely Joe had been driven to frame Vin if the tracker was the only one who had come close to catching him.’ "Staying ahead of you like that and all." the preacher added.

"He was one the smarter ones I’ve tracked." Vin had to concede to that much, as well as having to admit Ely Joe was one of the slyest bastards he ever came across, Vin thought inwardly. "By the time he headed out west, most of the towns in the Panhandles knew who he was. I figured Ely Joe was going to head for Mexico with whatever loot he had. Ely Joe had partners, but they tended to wind up dead, so he was alone for the most part. He liked staying close to towns, even though he didn’t always ride into them. I had nearly caught up to him when suddenly, he headed towards Tascosa again. I couldn’t understand why at first, because they knew him well enough there to shoot him on sight if they saw him."

"Perhaps it was for that very reason," Ezra suggested. "He selected Tascosa to undertake his trickery on you because the citizens of that community would immediately recognize a body did not belong to Ely Joe."

"That’s what I figured," Vin grumbled, wondering if it was apparent to everyone as it should have been to him back then. However, he supposed he could not have foreseen Ely Joe to be so crafty because the skill in which he had framed Vin took the tracker entirely by surprise. Although Ely Joe had shown his adeptness at avoiding capture, he had not displayed that level of Machiavellian intrigue. "Anyway, I followed him there, and the tracks I saw seemed to show his horse had thrown a shoe. I thought I had him then until I came across Kincaid’s place the next morning and found the body. He hadn’t been dead long, so I figured some farmer might have recognized him and put a bullet in him."

"That’s when you took the body in and found out it was not Ely Joe," Nathan concluded.

"That’s about the size of it." Vin nodded, hoping the others might have an insight into something he might have missed.

"So what happened to his horse?" JD inquired.

"He took it with him, JD," Buck replied automatically.

"So it took him almost a day to fix a shoe on a horse?" JD pointed out, trying to show Buck and the others he was not stupid.

Chris turned sharply to the young man because what he brought up did make sense. A vague thought surfaced inside his mind, and although he knew he was grasping at straws, there was something noteworthy about what JD had brought up that inspired him to consider deeply an avenue which they previously neglected to pursue. However, before Chris became overly excited by the prospect, he wanted further clarification before he even started to raise Vin’s hopes.

"Wait a minute," Chris said hushing Buck and JD because he needed quiet to work this out in his head. "You said his horse threw a shoe."

"Yeah." Vin nodded, not seeing the significance of it yet but taking note of the intensity of Chris's voice, knowing the gunslinger had a specific reason for the inquiry. "I reckon that’s why he had to stop."

"How long between you finding out his horse had thrown a shoe and actually catching up to him?" Chris asked, staring at Vin in anticipation of his response. Instinct told him he had stumbled upon something important if Vin could only give him confirmation with his answer.

Vin, who now saw Chris was very serious, took a moment to answer his question carefully. In fact, they were all looking to their leader, wondering what insight their leader had stumbled upon with his very pointed questions. "A day maybe more."

"And the body," Chris probed further. "How long had he been dead before you found him?"

"He was in the water," Vin replied, examining every facet of the scene which saw his discovery of Jesse Kincaid, sensing the urgency in being exact over the details. "But the part of him that wasn’t wet was still warm. So I don’t think he’d been dead for very long."

"But you didn’t hear a gunshot." The gunslinger asked.

"No," Vin shook his head. "I heard nothing like that. What is it, pard?"

"What kind of wound was it?" Chris asked again, his suspicions furrowing deeper into his mind because there was something odd about the scene that opened all kinds of possibilities. "Did it kill him instantly, or would he had taken time to die?"

"It was straight through the heart," Vin replied, recalling the grisly scene with some distaste. "He wouldn’t even have known what hit him."

"He took his time leaving," Josiah remarked.

"Well he had to," Nathan interjected. "He had to be sure it was Vin who found him not someone else."

"This Kincaid have a family?" Chris asked again since Josiah and Nathan had brought up the anomaly he was focussing upon so succinctly.

"A wife," Vin replied automatically, understanding now what Chris was getting at. The time difference had never occurred to him because he had not thought it important. "She was in town when he died."

"So Ely Joe waits around all night until Vin catches up to him and kills Kincaid when the wife leaves?" Buck looked at Chris, wondering if that was what Chris was alluding to.

"It takes time for a horse to mend after a new shoe," Chris mused. "I doubt he would have chanced waiting for the wife to leave and after he killed Kincaid to get his horse fixed up. If Vin was still far enough away not to hear a gunshot but close enough to reach him before the body got too cold, then that’s a very narrow margin to chance on tending to a horse with a broken shoe. If his wife saw nothing out of the ordinary before that, then Ely Joe would have to have had his horse shod elsewhere, and that’s unlikely." he pointed out.

"Or he could have undertaken the task at Kincaid’s property itself," Ezra declared, his quick mind crossing the gulf between Chris's speculations and the rest of the seven’s to join the gunslinger in his discovery. "Before he killed the man, perhaps even before the wife left."

"Which means….." Buck’s eyes widened in understanding.

"That’s right," Chris nodded quietly. "She might have seen him."

***********

She was better now.

When Vin had first been taken from her, she had been far from composed. In fact, she had almost gone to pieces. Alex did not remember being so distraught about anything since her father died. The possibility she might lose Vin was beyond her ability to accept, and the words of comfort Mary had tried to offer in her despair had done nothing to convince her otherwise. Alex was never good at accepting a strong shoulder to cry on, and she preferred to endure her grief alone. Taking herself home, Alex did not realize until she closed the door behind her she had willingly walked into another nightmare almost as potent as the one facing her now. She had stopped crying after he had been taken away and to her embarrassment, she had wept in front of Chris Larabee when she was telling him what had happened. When she left Mary, Alex was determined not to shed any more tears, to be strong because Vin needed her to pull herself together.

However, when she walked into her empty house and smelled the aroma of dinner they had not shared, or the sight of one of those colourful scarves he always seemed to be wearing draped on the edge of the bedpost, her resolve shattered into a thousand pieces. She let herself fall onto the soft mattress, clutching the pillow he had used the night before still filled with his scent and wept in loud ragged sobs. She could not be without him! She did not know when Vin became such an ingrained part of her existence, but Alex could not imagine her life without him. She would have willingly become a fugitive for him, followed him anywhere he wanted to be if it meant just being with him. She loved him that much.

Alex had not known how long she was this way, but she fell asleep with that scent in her lungs and that at least, gave her some measure of comfort far more effectively than Mary’s words. Thankfully, her mind had decided she needed a momentary respite from her waking day troubles and had not filled her dreams with him, even though she would have thankfully accepted any presence of him at this time. When she woke up, Alex’s first thought was he was next to her, and it was heart-wrenching realising she was misled by his lingering scent on the bed. She knew he had made his escape and Chris had been sent to find him and bring him to custody in Tascosa. While Alex was initially angry at the gunslinger because it felt like a terrible betrayal of his best friend, in the light of day when she was better able to accept the situation, Alex knew Chris had done the right thing. There needed to be an end to this. For three years, Vin lived with the spectre of Tascosa over his head, and it affected their relationship from the beginning. They could not even think of marriage with that damned price hanging over him, and the future they sought to build together could unravel the moment someone decided to claim the bounty.

With morning, Alex found herself calmer and able to focus with more clarity. She had no doubt Chris would catch up to Vin because he was the only person who could. No doubt, the gunslinger would convince Vin to journey to Tascosa and face the charges of murder. With Chris in Tascosa, Alex could be assured Vin would be safe from a lynching, which meant the only way to fight this would soon be in a court of law. She might not be able to protect him the way Chris and the seven could, but she could certainly help him in that regard. However, long term protection was something not even Chris Larabee could provide if Vin was found guilty of murder.

For that, he would need a lawyer.

Alex started outlining her strategy the way she would draft a campaign for a battle she had to win, she found herself at the telegraph office, sending out a series of wires. The first would be to Doctor Briggs in Sweetwater, informing him she was leaving for an undisclosed time. On the rare occasion when neither she nor Nathan was able to be in Four Corners, Doctor Briggs had assumed the responsibility of health care in Four Corners. Briggs would ensure Four Corners would not lack in the services of a doctor for the time she was required to be away.

Following the telegram to Briggs, Alex sent a message to Gideon Dunwill, a notable criminal defence lawyer whose practice was mostly centred in Silver City. When Alex had first become aware of Vin’s bounty, she had not given it much thought. When realising she wanted to spend the rest of her life with Vin, Alex made inquiries into the acquiring the services of a lawyer aware at some point, his situation in Tascosa would need addressing. However, with Tascosa so far away from their life in Four Corners, Alex told herself she would probably never have use of it and promptly filed the list of names away and had forgotten about it.

However, after last night Alex realized how deluded she had been, and the first thing she had done this morning upon waking was to rifle through her papers to find that list. At the head of it was Gideon Dunhill. The information she had secured about the man seemed to indicate he was a brilliant trial lawyer and was usually called upon to defend upper-crust clients with legal difficulties requiring complete exoneration to save their reputations. His services did not come cheap and getting him to Tascosa was going to cost a considerable amount, but Alex did not care, she needed the best legal mind money could buy to save Vin from a hangman’s noose, so money was no object.

After she had sent her telegrams, Alex made the necessary preparations to depart for Tascosa on the next available stage leaving Four Corners. She had never been to Texas and wished she was not forced to journey there under such circumstances, but neither heaven or earth was going to stop her from being with Vin when he needed her most. Once Alex booked passage out of town, she made her way to the bank. Judging by the looks she garnered the moment she stepped into the premises, it was obvious everyone in town knew Vin’s fate. Although other clients in the bank glanced her way surreptitiously, no one said a word to her; still, she did see some sympathy in their faces.

Alex did not join the queue. Instead, she went to the window that would capture the attention of the bank manager. She did not want to deal with an underling with what she required of the establishment today and her transactions needed to be carried out fast. Dane Crandall, a short, pudgy man with thick fingers who wore a dark suit no matter what the occasion, immediately came to greet her at the counter.

"Doctor Styles," he said politely. "How nice to see you." He smiled with that false front presented only to those with a large cache of money entrusted to his bank. "I am sorry to hear about Mr Tanner." He oozed sympathy that did not seem very sincere, but Alex ignored it since she did not require compassion of him, only compliance with her requests.

"Thank you," she returned tautly. "I need some transactions taken care of Mr Crandall. I expect you to handle them personally."

Taking note of her tone, Crandall acquiesced without any protest. She was one of his best customers, and he was prepared to oblige any request. "Of course Doctor, what can I do for you?"

"I want," she fished into her purse and pulled out a scrap of paper. "One thousand dollars wired to Silver City Bank in the account name of Gideon Dunwill for his retainer and travelling expenses. I want it done before day’s end. Use whatever resources necessary to get it to him, I am willing to incur the expense. I also want three thousand dollars wired to an account in my name at the main bank in Tascosa. I will be leaving for Tascosa on the stage sometime today, so I want it there when I arrive."

Crandall was busily scribbling down all her instructions, careful not to make an error on any of her instructions because Doctor Styles seemed unusually impatient and surly today. Of course, if the rumours about a federal marshal were true, then he supposed she would need this money to clear her fiancée’s name. "I am not certain how much time it will take to wire that kind of money to Texas, Doctor Styles."

"You will find a way to have it there by the time I arrive, Mr Crandall," Alex stared at him with a gaze of intensity, obviously in no mood for refusal at the moment, "or when I get back to Four Corners, I will pull all my money out of this bank."

Crandall swallowed visibly, having carried out enough transactions for her in the past to be aware Alexandra Styles did come from money if not lineage. Too much for his bank to lose. "Of course Doctor Styles," he nodded. "I will see to it personally. Is there anything further?"

"Yes," Alex nodded, feeling a little guilty about being so abrupt with the man since it was no fault of his Vin was in trouble. "I will need some travelling money. Have five hundred dollars in cash ready for me this afternoon when I come back. I have a few more things to take care of in town before I need to leave."

"Certainly," he replied.

Alex was about to leave the counter when she paused and added. "Your service has been exemplary Mr Crandall," Alex found herself saying with a small smile. "I should not have questioned that."

The gesture had the desired effect of smoothening the unpleasantness earlier, and she saw him soften with sentiment at her remark. "Thank you, Doctor Styles," he answered, surprised she had offered those words. "I will have everything ready for you when you come back. I hope it will be enough to help Mr Tanner."

Alex let out a deep breath and met his gaze. "I hope so too."

Alex had one more stop to make before she went home and started packing to meet the stagecoach that would be arriving in Four Corners in a few hours. Riding hard out of town on Phoebe, who was probably not happy about the exertion since her mistress was not accustomed to making her perform so swiftly, Alex arrived at her destination less than an hour after departing Four Corners. It was a track she had taken numerous times before which added to her confidence when making the journey because she was not the best rider

Before leaving town, she had stopped and spoken to Casey Wells who had an afternoon job at one of the stores in town and confirmed her aunt Nettie was at their homestead out of town. Despite her money and her professional status, Alex had to face certain realities. She was not a white woman, and in Texas, which was one of the states where slavery was allowed, she needed someone to act on her behalf in any undertaking she attempted to carry out in Tascosa to help Vin. She could not ask Mary or Julia, who had responsibilities here, and Inez was in the same situation as she was, that left only Nettie.

When she had spoken to Casey, the young woman had only just heard about Vin’s predicament because she lived out of town. JD and the rest of the seven had departed yesterday evening, so it was likely news about Vin had yet to reach Nettie Wells. Considering how Nettie felt about Vin, Alex knew she would want to help Vin in any way possible, and was confident about asking Nettie for assistance by journeying with her to Tascosa. Besides, Nettie was fiercely protective of Vin Tanner, and she had no doubts Nettie would speak very well for her in Tascosa on any matter concerning his life.

Nettie was sweeping the front porch of the house the seven helped build after a campaign of terror by bandits had seen the previous dwelling razed to the ground. Aware Nettie could easily be left destitute by the loss, Vin had rallied the seven, amazingly enough including Ezra Standish, to erect a new home in place of the one lost. While Nettie had offered her thanks with a few words and warm meals for all whenever they were out this way because she was not a woman who expressed sentiment, it was easy to see she was touched by their efforts.

She waved at Alex with a broad smile as the young doctor approached, bringing Phoebe right to the front of the house before Alex dismounted and started up the walk leading to the house. When Nettie saw the absence of a return smile on Alex’s face, the old woman guessed immediately the reason for her arrival was not social. Immediately, Nettie felt a surge of concern, centring mostly on her niece Casey or Vin Tanner because nothing else could bring Alex here wearing such a grave expression on her lovely features. Immediately, the old woman stopped what she was doing, setting down the broom and hurrying toward Alex to meet her halfway.

"Alex, dear, what it is?" Nettie as soon as Alex was near enough to answer.

"Its Vin, Nettie," Alex said, wasting no time because it was not a commodity she had in great abundance at present. With the stage leaving Four Corners in a few short hours, she had no time to waste, and she needed an answer from Nettie immediately. "A Federal Marshal came for him last night. He got away, but Chris and the others have gone after him."

"What do you mean gone after him?" Nettie asked, her face registering her shock at the news Vin’s past had finally caught up with him. Vin was like the son she never had, and to hear he was in such dire straits was an arrow through her heart that any mother could appreciate.

"They had no choice," Alex answered quickly, not wanting Nettie to believe for a minute Chris Larabee would willingly betray Vin, she felt guilty enough about thinking ill of the man when she had first heard what he had planned to do. "Vin needs to deal with this, and if Chris did not take him to Tascosa, the marshal was going after Vin himself, and he might not be too particular about bringing Vin to Tascosa alive or dead." she pointed out.

"I see." Nettie frowned unhappily, hating the waiting game almost as much as Alex probably did at this point. "Come on inside," she started to lead Alex towards the house, not missing the deep grain of worry in the doctor’s attempt to maintain a brave face. "I’ll put the coffee on." Nettie offered.

"There isn’t time Nettie," Alex remained where she was. "I need your help. I’ve got Vin a lawyer to fight this in court when he finally gets to trial. I’m planning on going to Tascosa myself on the stage, but it would help if you came along with me."

"Why?" Nettie looked at her, unable to imagine what use she could be to Vin in Tascosa, other than providing moral support. Alex however, appeared very serious about the request and seemed to have a deeper purpose for which she reluctant to speak out, even if Nettie needed to hear it to fully understand why she was needed.

"Texas use to be a slave-owning state," Alex explained. "I’m not white, and if I go into Tascosa paying his bills and giving instructions to his lawyer, it will just make things worse for him. Nettie I need your help down there, I don’t want to be another liability to Vin. He’s going to have a hard enough time as it is."

Nettie thought quietly for a moment, then concluded there was no debate needed. Ever since she had met him, Vin had gone out of his way to make her load easier to bear. He had once said she reminded him of the mother he had lost as a child, and while Nettie had never come out and said it, he was the son she always wanted but was never meant to have. After Vin saved her farm from Guy Royal, he was a regular fixture on the property, often turning up out of nowhere to mend a broken fence or to help her with whatever chores needed doing around the place. Vin’s presence had made her small family grow just a little and Nettie liked seeing him at her table, sharing supper with her and Casey after he had spent a hard day working on the farm.

Although she had never come out and said it to him, she loved the boy and would do anything to protect him. It was Nettie who had encouraged Vin to express his feelings about Alex when no one else was aware he harboured feelings for the doctor, and no one was prouder than she when they announced their engagement. Suddenly, Alex became the fourth addition to her family and Nettie considered the young woman family as much as Casey or any of her kin. If Alex needed help, and it took a great deal to prompt such an able woman as Alexandra Styles to admit it, then there was no question Nettie could do anything but provide it.

"When do we leave?" Nettie asked.

Alex let out a sigh of relief and found herself embracing Nettie in sheer gratitude because it was no small thing Alex was asking. "Thank you Nettie," she whispered softly as the old woman held her and stroked her hair softly in a way that reminded Alex of how her father used to hold her when she was troubled as a child. She held no such memory of her mother. "I know this is a great deal to ask," Alex remarked as she pulled away from Nettie to speak.

"You hush now," the older woman stopped her from offering thanks because Nettie was grateful of any opportunity to be able to help Vin during this crisis. She certainly preferred to take an active role in aiding him rather than sitting at home, wringing her hands with worry while she waited for an outcome to reach her ears. "I know you wouldn’t ask unless it is important and you’re right, Texas is no place to make enemies, especially in a town looking to lynch Vin for murder."

"Well," Alex let out a deep breath. "Chris and the others are going to stay in Tascosa and see to it Vin gets a fair trial. The marshal seems to be a good man, and he claims he’s going to uphold the law and see justice done, so Vin’s safe for the moment."

"Assuming they don’t find him guilty." Nettie frowned, voicing just how precariously the illusion of safety truly was.

"Exactly." Alex nodded, very well aware of that fact. "That’s why I got him a lawyer. The stage will be leaving in a few hours, and I intend to be on it."

"And so will I," Nettie said confidently. "If you want me."

There was no question of wanting Nettie, as far as Alexandra Styles was concerned. She needed her to be on that stage when it left Four Corners.

Alex needed her, and more importantly, Vin needed her. 

Chapter Four
Surrender

Tascosa had not changed.

Even though it was three years since he fled from this community, running from the price of his head, still stinging at his defeat at the hands of Ely Joe, the memory burned itself into his mind. His horse, Peso, seemed to recognize the town as well because the animal’s movements were slow and reluctant as if it knew to bring his master back to this town was a mistake. Vin could not disagree with his faithful companion on that assertion, but he chose this decision, and now he was riding through the main street of Tascosa, there was little he could do to change his mind.

The seven had become the focus of everyone’s attention the moment they entered the town in the heat of the afternoon sun, days after they had set out from Four Corners. As their horses slowed to a light trot, their group felt like they were part of some kind of parade as people stepped out of their doors and shops onto the street, to witness the spectacle making its way towards the sheriff’s office. The faces stared and pointed at Vin know precisely who he was, and following their realization he had returned were silent whispers of disapproval, hatred and reproach, emphasizing his notoriety in town. Very soon the number of interested onlookers on the street grew to an alarming number making made Vin glad he had the support of his friends and the reassurance of a trial before judgement was passed on him. Just looking at this crowd told him they were ripe to become a lynching party.

"It’s okay Vin," Chris assured him in a low voice, the black-garbed gun slinger’s hand was poised on his peacemaker, even though the gesture looked completely natural and not at all threatening. Vin could tell by the tension in Chris’ jaw it could change in an instant. "You’re going to get your trial. We ain’t letting nothing happen to you."

Strangely enough, when Chris said it, Vin tended to believe him. "Thanks, pard." The tracker said with a wan smile. "But I knew this wasn’t going to be easy when I decided to come back here."

Chris nodded, feeling his chest tighten in apprehension for his friend. He prayed Vin would not require 12 men from this rabble to sit in judgement at his trial because if it were the case, he did not have a chance in hell of being heard fairly. The expression of condemnation on the faces of the townsfolk indicated they already thought Vin to be guilty and Chris realized why Vin had found it necessary to run. With such overwhelming numbers believing him to be guilty, Vin was not likely to get out of a town alive without running into a noose.

"Friendly place," Buck remarked behind them as they progressed further up the street, their arrival drawing more and more attention.

It was actually a relief to see the jailhouse at the end of the road, and Chris wondered if Buford T. Jamieson was here in Tascosa yet. He certainly hoped so. He would not like to hold off a lynching mob with just six men since Vin would hardly be in a position to defend himself. Besides, the presence of a Federal Marshall might be enough to keep the mob at bay, if it came down to a fight, and guessing by the ill-feeling generated as this cortege made its way towards the jailhouse, it was going to be close.

"Well, there was enough bad feeling about Ely Joe without me bringing an innocent man’s body and claiming it to be him." Vin pointed out, understanding completely how the residents of Tascosa must have felt when he had unknowingly passed Kincaid’s body for Ely Joe’s.

"What’s the Sheriff of this town like?" Chris inquired as the stone building came into view with faded letters signifying its purpose stretched over the worn brick.

"Good man," Vin replied, remembering Sheriff Josh Ritter quite well. When the mistake had first been made, Ritter had not believed him to be lying about his claim he was tricked. Unfortunately, that doubt would most likely have withered when Vin climbed onto Peso and disappeared out of town. An innocent man had no reason to run, and Vin had done just that, proving to Ritter and probably the whole town he was anything but that by his escape. "I probably didn’t make a friend out of him by running," Vin confessed somewhat shamefully.

"Probably not," Chris respected him too much to lie.

Chris observed the crowd again, wondering how on earth Vin was going to get a fair hearing in a place like this. Not for the first time, Chris considered the folly of bringing him to this town. What had he been thinking? Chris should have just let him disappear into the wilderness where he would at least be alive. Suddenly, his eyes caught sight of a woman who was staring at Vin with the opposite of anger. Her eyes hazel coloured eyes were looking at Vin with sympathy, and for a moment, Chris was struck by the sadness etched in her face. She was not much older than Vin, with dark hair pulled back into a tight braid at the back of her head. There was something about her face that seemed so terribly haunted, and for a minute, Chris who knew all about spectral inhabitation’s in the soul wondered what pain had made such a lovely face so filled with marked sorrow.

"Vin," Chris nudged the tracker as her eyes met his.

"What?" The tracker glanced his way.

"That woman," Chris nodded in her direction. "Do you know her?"

Vin looked up and met the soulful eyes offering such compassion a moment ago. She seemed startled by his notice and immediately withdrew behind doors once more.

Vin turned back to Chris. "No," he admitted puzzled at her behaviour. "Never seen the lady before."

Chris continued staring for a moment, even after Vin’s attention had returned to their journey towards the jailhouse, taking stock of the building she had entered in case he needed to recall the information later. There was something about her that was strangely compelling, even though Chris could not explain why. The establishment in which she had vanished was a modest shop front, with a simple wooden sign reading ‘Amanda’s Sewing Circle’. Along with the name of the store was also a list of services provided by its proprietress, Amanda.

There was little time to linger on that particular incident as they soon found themselves in front of the jailhouse. While the lawmen's arrival did not cause any real commotion, there was enough noise to alert those indoors to come out and investigate. Chris saw the doors of the saloon swing open at the same time the sheriff appeared from inside his jailhouse. Jamieson came out of the bar, meeting Chris’ gaze in a silent gesture of good faith he would keep his word with the arrival of Vin in Tascosa. Next to the Marshall was his deputy Langstrom, sporting a bandage around his head. As the seven faced Sheriff Ritter, Chris took note of Jamieson and Langstrom coming to meet them.

Ritter was in his mid-fifties and appeared a seasoned man with a dark beard being overtaken by grey. Although he looked old, his brown eyes were sharp and taking stock of the situation before him. His gaze hardened immediately upon catching sight of Vin, familiarity breeding into a contempt for the crime the man had done, even though Ritter was struggling hard not to let personal emotions interfere with his job. As he approached the riders who had brought their mounts to a halt before the hitching post, he carried a double-barreled shotgun which he did not appear to have any difficulty using. When he took a stance before them, Langstrom and Jamieson were by his side, offering a strong wall of support, in case the new arrivals intended to cause trouble.

"Well, you said it, Buford." Ritter declared loudly, never taking his eyes off Vin as the tracker dismounted and walked towards him. "He’s here."

"I gave you my word." Chris, who was flanking Vin on one side while Josiah stood on the other, replied in response to the sheriff’s remark.

"You did at that." Jamieson tipped his hat in a gesture of gratitude. He was pleased Chris had not proved him wrong, considering how sceptical Ritter was about Tanner being brought back by the men he rode with.

"How’s your head?" Vin asked Langstrom. There was no malice in his voice even though the man deserved it for how he disrespected Alex.

"I’ll live." the deputy shrugged. "Maybe it knocked some sense in it to me," Langstrom said with a little bit of smile. "I’m sorry about what I said about the lady," he replied and surprised Vin with his admission. "As people sometimes tell me, I got a big mouth."

"This is all very nice, but this here is a criminal," Ritter said pointedly, unable to understand all this compassion towards a man who had taken another’s life. "I’ve been waiting a long time to put you inside a cell Tanner" he glared at Vin.

"Take it easy," Chris retorted automatically. "He came in here of his own free will. We didn’t have to force him."

"So what?" Ritter stared at Chris in nothing less than contempt. "Are we suppose to forget he killed a good man?"

"I didn’t kill anybody." Vin came to his own defence before any of his friends could. "I found the body, I didn’t end his life!"

"You wanted your five hundred pieces of silver!" Ritter snapped back. "You killed an innocent man to get it. As far as I see it, you deserve to hang! I don’t care how you’re being trying to repent for your crime in Four Corners, pretending to be a lawman. A thousand good deeds can’t erase the stain of one innocent life! Now give up the gun, or I’ll shoot your right here!"

Vin flinched, and Chris saw Josiah’s anger swelling inside his broad chest. Behind him, the rest of the seven were preparing themselves for a fight, willing to defend Vin, every one of them if necessary. Chris saw Josiah’s hand tightening around his guns and knew this could quickly spiral out of control into a shooting match if something was not done immediately. Ritter was riding on a wave of anger and unknowingly lighting a match to an already explosive situation.

"Easy Josiah," Chris commanded using a tone not even Josiah could ignore. The preacher returned Ritter’s hard stare before his hand dropped away from his gun in acquiescence of Chris’ instructions.

Jamieson did the same for Ritter. "Josh," his voice dripping with as much command as Chris’s even though Jamieson’s voice lacked the intensity of the gunslingers. "Our job is to keep him alive for a court of law to decide whether or not he is guilty. I gave these men my word; this was going to happen. Don’t make me have to pull rank on you."

Ritter flinched, not liking Jamieson’s interference in this even though the man was correct. It was not his job to decide if Tanner was guilty, merely act as warden until that determination was made and the sentence carried out. "Fine but he gives up the gun, now."

Jamieson looked at Vin. "I’m sorry son, you heard the man."

Vin swallowed, hating to be unarmed, hating to be put behind bars or enclosed by walls but it was an inevitability he could no longer avoid, no matter how much it twisted his insides in revulsion. Shifting his gaze sideways at his friends whose expressions were pained at being forced into this position, Vin knew he would spare them any more discourse. Reaching for the Winchester in his holster, he saw Ritter tense, the older man’s fingers tightening around his own gun to shoot if Vin were to do anything other than hand the weapon to him.

Unsheathing the weapon from its holster butt first, Vin handed the sawn-off Winchester towards Ritter. It was Langstrom who took the gun away from the tracker. Vin never felt more vulnerable in his entire life as he prepared to place himself into the custody of the sheriff. He was now reconsidering this whole idea of turning himself in now he stood upon the edge of the abyss with no turning back once he took the final step. Inwardly, Vinwished more than anything Alex was here and then recanted it would be too difficult if she were. Taking a step forward, he separated himself from Chris, and the rest of his friends in a gesture was not only physical but symbolic in its presentation. No sooner had he stepped towards the sheriff than he heard the familiar clink of metal as Ritter produced iron handcuffs and prepared to snap them over Vin’s wrist.

"Is that really necessary?" Chris asked, his lips pulling into a white line of anger as he saw Ritter lock the manacles into place around his best friend’s wrist.

"Josh," Jamieson said unimpressed by the display the sheriff was making. "Come on, he’s only going into a cell. That ain’t required."

"After what he did to your deputy?" Ritter said sharply, throwing a sidelong glance at Langstrom as proof of his words. "This here is a murderer, and I intend to keep my town safe from the likes of him. The cuffs stay."

"He turned himself in!" Josiah growled. "What more does he have to do to prove he did not commit this crime."

"He ain’t done nothing to prove it!" Ritter exclaimed. "Not goddamn thing except maybe make all you boys go sweet on him."

"Son of a bitch...." Josiah’s voice dropped an octave above dangerous, and Chris could tell the limits of the preacher’s patience was reached.

"Stand down, Josiah!" Chris ordered as Ritter’s gun rose to fire. "This ain’t the time or the place!"

"Yeah," Vin said suddenly. "Stop it please."

All eyes turned to him as the tracker released a deep exhale. "I’m in your custody now sheriff," Vin replied in the too-soft voice that seemed comforting when spoken amid chaos. "I won’t give you any trouble. I’ll go quietly. Josiah, it's fine." The tracker assured the preacher of this point, not wanting any bloodshed over such a small matter. "These things ain’t so bad, and they won’t keep them on me when I’m in a cell, seems like there ain’t no point to it."

"They will come off when he’s in the cell, won’t they?" Jamieson gave Ritter a critical look, to impress upon the sheriff how close he was to having his jurisdiction usurped if the Marshall was given any reason to believe the man in his custody was in any danger.

"Once he’s in the cell," Ritter answered sourly, not liking the fact he was being dictated to.

"I want one of my men in the room with him at all times," Chris declared before anything else happened. Ritter had way too much hostility towards Vin for Chris to dare leave the tracker alone with the man.

"Not in my jailhouse...." Ritter started to say when Jamieson cut him off.

"That will be fine, but you can’t have your guns in there." The Marshall declared aware Ritter would only tolerate his interference up to a point and the concession with their guns would be enough to pacify the sheriff into allowing one of the seven to occupy his jailhouse guarding the prisoner.

Chris saw Josiah about to balk at the suggestion but knew they would have little choice but to comply. "We’re agreeable to that." As he made that statement, he unbuckled his gun belt from around his waist and handed it to Josiah. "I’ll take first watch. Someone relieve me in four hours."

"Chris, you don’t gotta do this," Vin replied.

"It’s done," Chris said abruptly and looked at Sheriff Ritter with an expression of ice. "Let’s go."

***********

By the time the sun set in Tascosa, just about everyone in town knew Vin Tanner was in custody.

Vin’s six friends remained alert, and the other five maintained their vigil by taking up position in the local saloon, armed and ready in case of trouble. After Josiah had relieved Chris in keeping watch over the tracker while he was in Ritter’s custody, the gunslinger had taken a few hours to rest and get cleaned up, after which he joined the others. The mood in the saloon was ugly, which more or less confirmed Chris’ intuition he was right to accompany Vin here. As he and the others sat in an unobtrusive corner of the saloon, they could see people giving them anxious glances, identifying them as those who rode with Tanner.

"Gentlemen," Ezra said quietly, observing the crowd over his glass of whiskey. "I do not like the atmosphere of our present location."

Chris could not disagree with him. The saloon was like any other they visited in a dozen towns across the Territory, and the mood inside the establishment was deteriorating. Patrons looked their way but tried not to make eye contact as they speculated on the new arrivals and rumbled in dissent at the protection surrounding the tracker after committing such a crime. There was a line of tension running through the place almost palpable in its intensity, and Chris had the sense it required little more than a hair’s breadth to set the townsfolk’s animosity into a full blow self-righteous rampage.

"I gotta agree with Ezra on this Chris," Buck responded under his breath, his eyes fixated on the crowd just as closely. They all felt what Ezra was first to voice, and it made them all doubly ready for action if the need arose. "I’ve heard the talk. They ain’t happy it’s going to trial. Some of them want Vin strung up right away."

"Well, that ain’t gonna happen," Chris said firmly, willing to kill the first man who produced a rope to reach that end.

"They’re itching to lynch someone," Nathan added his voice into the mix. "They’ve been waiting for justice for a long time. Now they got the man, they ain’t willing to wait and let a judge handle it."

That was apparent by the way they were glancing in the direction of the lawmen from Four Corners. Although no threatening gestures were made to the visitors; it was evident the majority of the saloon’s customers did not want their presence. While the bartender seemed nonplussed about them since their money was good as anyone else, the rest of Tascosa’s residents were not so tolerant. They threw dirty looks and whispered in low voices about Tanner’s comrades, reducing them to little more than armed thugs instead of peacekeepers here to ensure justice was done under the law and not the rule of the mob.

"Which one of you has got Josiah’s gun?" Chris inquired, agreeing with his friends' things could get ugly very quickly.

"I got it, Chris," JD answered, showing enough of the preacher’s artillery so only Chris could see it.

"Good," the gunslinger nodded smoothly. "Pass it to me under the table."

JD nodded quickly and slipped the weapons to Chris. The entire maneuver was made discreetly with no one the wiser who was not a part of the circle.

In the same voice, Chris turned to Buck. "Buck, you and Nathan go out to the jailhouse. Keep an eye on things there without letting anyone see you take the point. JD, go find Jamieson and his men. Tell them to be ready to move at a moment’s notice."

"You think there’s going to be trouble?" Nathan asked, allowing his gaze to sweep across the faces full of dark emotions and dislike, and knew the gunslinger was correct in expecting the worse even before Chris could answer.

"Yeah," Chris nodded slowly. "I’d say so. It’s not going to take much to push this bunch over the edge. They’re liquored, and there’s always someone who’s going to have more guts and self-righteous anger than brains."

"I concur." Ezra agreed since he was able to read the moods of men with greater efficiency than most because it was a part of his profession. "The question is, which one will it be?"

That was a difficult question to answer because there was no leader amongst the group, just unfocussed dissent yet to find a voice. If that were the case, it would run its course by the end of the night with no place to go, and no one would be harmed. However, if it did find a rallying voice, then the night was only beginning for everyone concerned, including the seven.

"Go," Chris ordered.

The others rose from the table, almost casual in their movements even though the situation was descending into violence. With practised calm, the trio walked out of the saloon, with eyes following them until they walked through the batwing doors. As they departed, Chris heard the gallop of a single rider nearing the building. Buck, Nathan and JD had not been gone for more than a minute when a new set of footsteps marched onto the boardwalk with powerful strides before bursting in through the front door.

The new arrival was a man in his mid-forties, tall and wearing a tan duster. Judging by his clothes, he was wealthy, with pressed collars even though his clothes were that of a working man. With light-coloured hair and a sturdy build, he carried his tall stature like a man accustomed to authority. He had taken no more than a few steps into the establishment before he paused in the centre of the room.

"Did I hear right?" his loud voice boomed over the sound of the poorly tuned piano and silenced it immediately, as well as the chatter in the room. "They got Tanner in custody?"

"He came in this afternoon." someone said in the background. "Turned himself in."

"Well ain’t that nice." the man declared. "And what are we doing about it?"

"Shoot, Caleb there ain’t nothing to be done," another voice replied. This time Chris identified it as belonging to a rather dull-witted man dressed overalls and had the look of a farmer. "He’s in the jailhouse, waiting for the judge to come and sentence him."

"Waiting for a judge?" the man called Caleb declared. "Since when did we wait for a judge to decide how things run around here?"

"There’s always one," Ezra whispered to Chris as their worst expectations came to fruition.

"Yep, unfortunately, he’s the right one." Chris nodded. "Let’s see how far this goes."

"Mr Larabee, if it were to go as far as we think, I do not believe there is much you, and I can do to change their opinions. Unfortunately, we are outsiders, and in communities like this, our word has very little weight."

Chris did not respond but was paying close attention to the growing tensions in the saloon, mainly when the ill sentiment and resentment festering in the room were being cultivated into the need for action by the incendiary words of one man. The new arrival had centre stage now, capturing the attention of just about everyone except for some disinterested drunks.

"Jesse Kincaid was a good man!" the man continued to bellow. "He deserved better than to be killed because he happened to be there when some scum of the earth bounty hunter decided he was sick of working for a living! It's bad enough some folks in this town have lost kin to Ely Joe but to have another innocent man die so he can keep Ely Joe from coming to justice is just plain sick! Are we going to let this dog sit pretty in jail when Jess is lying dead in the ground?"

"Hell no!" someone else shouted, followed by an angry chorus of voices suitably outraged.

"Let’s go," Chris said abruptly.

"Go?" Ezra looked at him. "I thought the point of this exercise was to keep these men from being inflamed into a mob."

"Like you said," Chris retorted as he pushed himself away from the table and stood up. "Our words ain’t gonna do much. Best take this outside where we can stop it with something a little more impressive than words."

"I really despise it when I am correct," Ezra muttered and followed the gunslinger out of the saloon before the crowd remembered they were present and decided to whet their bloodthirsty appetites with an appetizer of them before moving on to the main course that was Vin. Ezra paused long enough at the batwing doors to see the ringleader was well and truly in his element. Having set the match to the bitter feelings and easily ignited emotions harboured by everyone present, he was not about to let the momentum fade now he had the masses firmly in his grasp.

"There ain’t no reason for a trial!" he roared loudly, engendering more fervent cries of agreement with each word he said until everyone was transfixed by him and waiting for the next name to escape his lips. "We all know he is guilty! He came into town with Jesse’s body! What else do we need? What else should the law need? Why wait for days to see justice done when we get it done tonight?" He searched the crowd and saw the faces mesmerized and knew his power over them was absolute.

"Who’s with me?" he shouted.

More than a dozen voices shouted clearly, and the rest aped their sounds to indicate their enlistment into the night’s duty. Ezra watched long enough to see the numbers crossing the floor in favour of lynching and decided it was time to go. He hurried away from the door just as the ringleader started to scream with almost fanatical intensity.

"Lynch him!"

It chilled Ezra down to the bone when that lone voice became the chant of dozens.

"We got trouble," Chris announced as he burst into the sheriff’s office and immediately garnered a reaction of anger from the man who was seated behind his desk.

"You don’t come in here with those guns." Ritter barked instantly, emerging from behind his desk and strode towards Chris, who was handing Josiah his gun belt.

"What’s going on?" Vin asked from behind the bars of his cell. He hated being trapped like an animal when his friends were fighting on his defence. Vin felt he should at least be at their side.

"Someone’s in the saloon, firing everybody up for a lynching," Chris said calmly, for the benefit of everyone, including the Sheriff. He turned to the older man as Josiah started to wrap his gun belt around his waist. "Your people are going to be here in a minute, demanding his head for a hanging." Chris stared at the man with his intense gaze. "Are you going to let it happen?"

"I am the Sheriff of this town," Ritter said haughtily as if Chris even asking the question offended him. "I say how the law goes in this town, and that boy’s fate is going be decided by a judge and a jury, not a bunch of liquored-up fools high on alcohol fumes."

"Well I’m glad to hear it, Sheriff," Chris bit back cynically since his opinion of the man had yet to improve since their first meeting. "Because trouble is coming."

As Josiah and Ritter started out of the building, Chris held back long enough to take a private moment with Vin who was looking most unhappy indeed at being left behind. The tracker met his gaze with an expression of misery at being locked in this intolerable situation. "You gonna be okay, pard?" Chris asked Vin as he looked at the gunslinger through the bars of his cage.

"I ain’t got much choice in the matter," he said bitterly. "But you take care cowboy," Vin replied, trying to force a smile but could not quite manage it. He hated this more than anything else in the world, to be left behind while good friends defended him while he was forced to cool his heels inside this damn cell.

"We will." Chris nodded, understanding the hollow expression in Vin’s eyes as he offered that salutation of well being. "You just sit tight, we ain’t gonna let anything happen to you." He started towards the door when he paused and added with a smile. "That lady of yours will never forgive me otherwise."

By the time Chris had emerged into the night air, he could see Buck and Nathan in position at strategic corners of the roofline in the buildings immediately offering a line of sight to the jailhouse. Only his experienced eye could spot them since he knew they were up there and was aware enough of each man’s habits to know where they would nestle themselves. Ritter was armed with his shotgun and Josiah was standing next to him, uncertain allies who now found themselves on the same side. In the far corner, he saw Jamieson’s men fanning out perhaps guessing what Chris had in mind by JD’s relating of the events that had caused him to seek out the Marshall. In any case, the players were in position by the time the first handful of men emerged from the saloon.

Chris was not surprised when the ringleader was absent.

The man who had inspired all this wrath disappeared entirely from sight. Unfortunately, his disappearance did not prevent the tide of sanctimonious outrage, presently moving up the street towards them. With most of the saloon’s patrons properly incited, they had appeared on the streets, sweeping along anyone who had was gullible enough to be won over by incendiary words under the misguided notion they were attempting to see justice done. They came armed with torches, guns and any other tool useful as a weapon.

Ezra took his place by Chris Larabee’s side, creating the battle line where none may cross before the jailhouse as they prepared to face the crowd. The gambler tried not to draw parallels between this incident and the time he was forced to take part in a gathering of Ku Klux Klan members. Even though his participation was minimal, Ezra saw enough to recognize the same thrall of bloodthirsty desire in the eyes. Most were just caught up by words, but there were a few who wanted to see a lynching, and these were usually the hardest to disband.

"Here, they come," Chris said under his breath. "You know these folk." he turned to Ritter. "You think they might get scared off?"

Ritter did not answer for a few seconds. In truth, he had not expected them to reach this point. Mainly when it was Slim Rawlins who was leading them. Rawlins had a farm not too far away from the Kincaid place, and while he had a big mouth at times, he was also as stupid as a post and not quite forceful enough to light a spark the likes of this.

"I don’t know," Ritter confessed. "They ain’t felt strongly enough about anything to want a lynching."

"Charming," Ezra said unhappily, not wishing to shoot anyone gullible enough to be swayed into such behaviour. Death was not a just punishment for stupidity. "Well, I certainly hope they pay some heed to force."

"They will." Chris declared as they watched the rapid progress of the group with their torches held high, and their voices raised to the heavens in rage, sounding like the low rumble of a thunderstorm just before the first clap was heard in the sky.

"Marshall’s men are in place," Josiah remarked as he spied Langstrom taking the point behind the edge of a building with Jamieson making the approach to join them at the front line, possibly adding some legal weight behind their determination to protect Vin.

Ritter did not like being usurped by this black-garbed stranger, but he could not deny the man’s measures to defend his friend was excellent, especially when he had not broken the law to do it. Still, he felt comforted knowing Jamieson and his men were on hand to offer them additional support if he could not compel the group to disband. Most of them were peaceful folk unless, of course, someone had stirred them up. Ritter wondered who would have done it.

The mob paused a few yards away from the lawmen with Rawlins taking the role of the leader so recently vacated by the man called Caleb. He was not carrying a weapon, even though many behind him were armed and would no doubt move to protect him should Ritter make the foolish attempt to move against him. He was a slight man, but in his element, he seemed more than what he was. "Stand aside Sheriff." Rawlins declared in his opening move. "We aim to see justice done. Tanner killed Kincaid, we all know that. He should hang."

"He’ll hang soon enough." Ritter retorted firmly, showing no signs of being impressed by the show of force on display by Rawlins and those behind him. "You don’t need to trouble yourselves. I suggest you go home and sleep it off."

"We ain’t drunk!" Rawlins shouted, furious by the inference. "We want him hanged tonight! We’ve waited long enough for Tanner to swing! What if he runs again? We gonna wait another three years to give Jesse some peace?"

"He ain’t gonna run," Chris spoke up for the first time. "He turned himself in to be heard fairly."

"And who’re you?" Rawlins sneered derisively as he turned to Chris. "You ride with a murderer, what good is your word. All you who ride with him are the same kind of trash."

"Sir," Ezra retorted with a hint of hurt in his voice. "I take great exception to that. I know for a fact I am at least a better class of trash than Mr Tanner. Breeding would suggest nothing else."

"Smart talking ain’t gonna change nothing!" He barked angrily, proving Ezra’s verbal barrage was more than he was capable of handling. "Tanner took a life. It’s an eye for an eye."

"Until the whole world is blind?" Josiah returned. "Is that what you people want? To be nothing better than what you are proposing to call a murderer? You do this thing, and that’s all you are and will ever be. No better than which you sought to rid yourselves of. Taking a man’s life is a serious thing, are you all absolutely sure he killed Kincaid? Even to the slightest degree? If any of you can say you know for sure he did it, then step forward and be counted as one of the certain because if you don’t, you’ll see his face every night for the rest of your lives." Josiah challenged them all and saw a measure of uncertainty creep into some of their faces.

"We are sure!" Rawlins renewed his attack, disliking for a moment his power was being usurped by this lawman with a gun whose manner and soothing tone sounded strangely like a man of the cloth and was appealing to his followers’ conscience. "He rode into town with Jesse’s body, hell he even tried to claim the reward money for that dog, Ely Joe!"

"Ely Joe is the one who killed Kincaid!" Chris shouted angrily.

"You don’t know that!" Rawlins said triumphantly. "Do you?"

Chris could not answer that challenge because it was true. He trusted Vin explicitly, but in a court of law, there was no way to convey trust, and the evidence they did have was weak.

"Enough of this!" Rawlins motioned the others forward. "We want Tanner, and we want him now." His demand was reinforced by the fervent cries of the same from those standing behind him.

"I’m telling you now to go home!" Ritter ordered. "There ain’t gonna be no lynching tonight or any other night! Not while I am sheriff of this town!"

"A bullet can change that!" Rawlins retorted snidely.

Chris had just about enough of this and pulled out his gun so fast that it was pointed directly at Rawlin’s head before anyone else could react. "A bullet can change a lot of things for a lot of people," Chris responded with ice-cold menace in his voice drowning out the rumble into a hush of expectation.

"We’d tear you to pieces if you pull that trigger!" Rawlins said fearlessly.

"Maybe so," Ezra added his calm voice into the fray. "But not before Mr Larabee covers half of your neighbours with your brains."

"You’re bluffing." Rawlins glared at Chris, but he did not sound, so sure any more.

Chris answered by cocking his gun.

There was a ripple of dissent starting to run through the crowd, and Ritter took advantage of the momentary impasse to make a last-ditch effort to salvage things before it descended into a gun battle that would see people dead. He was uncertain in the face of good people dying, he would maintain the oath of his office to defend Tanner. He didn't want to find out.

"I want you people to disband immediately," Ritter shouted. "Rawlins here has been pretty good at firing you all up but you ain’t just facing us. Everyone will be held accountable when it is all over. It ain’t me who’s going to bring you in to face accountability for what you do tonight, it will be a Federal Marshall, who incidentally has got this whole place surrounded with at least seven men who do know how to kill for a living!"

"Don’t listen to him!" Rawlins cried out in a show of last-minute bravado.

The hammer of the gun pulled back, ready to fire and Rawlins stared down the barrel of the weapon, his eyes wide with terror as the last vestiges of his bravery deserted him under Chris’ penetrating glare.

"I don’t want anyone hurt," Ritter continued, starting to see his words taking effect as a few guns were lowered and the fear in their eyes began to outnumber those who were still hell-bent on seeing this through. "Rest assured, we will see to it justice is done. We ain’t savages, we don’t hang a man in this town unless we know he is guilty. It may look like Tanner committed a crime, but we also know when it comes to a man’s life, we better be sure about things before we assume he is guilty. That ain’t our job to do, its a judge’s, and two days from now that’s exactly what will happen."

People started to look around them. They tried to find evidence of his words being true and noticed the signs of the lawmen who were poised and ready to fire from aloft, from behind the corners of buildings, water troughs and any vantage point that might make a convenient place to fight a gun battle. While their volume outmatched the lawmen’s, the sheriff was right. These were men who knew about killing far more than they did. Most of them had families to go home to, and risking it all for a principle suddenly became a price too high to pay.

"Forget this" someone said and with him, other voices soon joined in agreement this entire situation was reaching a point of no return if they did not desist now. The guns began lowering, and the rumble of dissent faded into mutters of compliance as the tight body of marchers started to break up.

"Wait!" Rawlins started to speak when Ritter himself turned around and snarled in the man’s ear.

"You say one more word Rawlins, one more damn word, and I’ll lock you up!" the sheriff warned, disliking his peaceful community was becoming so disquiet, and he was forced to appeal to their reason with the peace of the gun.

"What fer!" The man demanded angrily, watching in dismay as his power base cultivated so easily by Caleb had withered away as they turned their backs on him and started home.

"Anything I can damn well think of!" Ritter replied as Chris lowered his gun. "Now shut up and go home!"

Rawlins wanted to speak but surrounded by the four men with weapons in view and unafraid to use them, he fell silent again and moved gingerly out of Chris’s immediate presence. In a moment, he joined the others scattering the night, now the back of their protests was broken. Chris saw the disappointment in Ritter’s face and concluded the sheriff really did care about seeing justice done even though he might be somewhat gruff about his prisoner. As Vin had warned on their way here, Vin’s escape from Tascosa must have been a source of some embarrassment to the Sheriff, who must have surely suffered following that indignity. Injured pride was difficult to get over as Chris could personally attest to from experience.

"You think this is it?" Josiah inquired as he watched the group disappear into their places once again.

"Maybe," Ritter shook his head, having no real answer. "I ain’t never seen them this fired up and Rawlins don’t have the personality to get something like this going. He’s dumb, and he’s loud, but he’s never been one to get people going."

"It was not Mr Rawlins who stoked the flames tonight," Ezra answered as he slid his gun back into his holster before Chris could.

"Who then?" Ritter looked at him, somewhat surprised the instigator of this lynching party would not be present to take part in his own handiwork.

"I don’t know," Chris answered. "But Rawlins called him Caleb."

Recognition immediately registered in the man’s face as the name bounced off him and they all saw it. "Caleb Patterson." He mused as if the revelation opened up some disturbing possibilities in his mind. "He’s a rancher around these parts."

"Why is it they’re always ranchers?" Josiah looked at Chris and Ezra with sarcasm. There was nothing about the situation could draw any humour from the coincidence they were faced with.

"What’s he got against Vin?" Chris asked Ritter. "The way he was going on in the saloon, it looked a little personal."

"I don’t know," Ritter said gruffly, feeling as if he said too much already. These men were not real lawmen, and he was not obliged to tell them anything, no matter how uncomfortable Patterson’s involvement made things. Possibilities were starting to prey on him that had no business being there. The case was open and shut. Tanner killed Kincaid. That was all there was to it. Any more speculation than that was only going to get more people killed. "If one of you is going to keep an eye on your boy in there, you best hand over your guns." He turned toward his jailhouse and started walking towards it.

"I’ll relieve Mr Sanchez." Ezra offered, removing his gun belt as he made the offer. However, he had every intention of keeping the derringer hidden beneath his sleeve on his person. After what he had just seen of the good citizens of Tascosa, he was not about to leave himself or Mr Tanner open to attack, especially if their sense gave way to mob rules once again.

"Thanks, brother," Josiah said gratefully, hating to admit he needed the rest but the truth was the ride here was hard, and he would not mind a little recuperation.

"I’m going to find out something about this Patterson," Chris replied softly, not missing the look in Ritter’s eyes as the man’s name was brought up. The sheriff knew something he was not telling, and Chris had a feeling for Vin’s sake, they needed to know what that was.

***********

"So this is Tascosa." Alexandra Styles said as she looked out the window of the old Concord as it rolled into the town of Tascosa late that afternoon, a day after Vin Tanner's arrival.

 As her gaze swept over the dust-covered town, she admitted Vin wasn't wrong when he once described the place as flat a tack. Indeed there was not much to see once they crossed over into what was known as the Texas Panhandle. Just a lot of land that seemed to run forever, with nothing to distinguish one place as being different from another. She did not like it. There was desolation about it that made her uncomfortable. In truth, terrain that did not at least have rolling hills and green carpets of grass made her feel like she was back in the desert with her father, moving across the dunes on camels in trading caravans.

"Not much is it?" Nettie found herself admitting as she saw the same view from a different part of the stage. "It seems a might quiet."

That was the truth, Alex thought. Unlike Four Corners which seemed to be bustling with activity all the time these days, the wheels of Tascosa’s progress had appeared to be grinding to a halt. There was going to be a day in the not so far distant future when people would stop shaking out the dust from their clothes, or sweeping it off the boardwalks and simply allow it overcome the town. It would disappear into the wilderness then, just one of many such towns taken by dust and time, forgotten in history.

Alex would not be sorry to hear of its demise.

"I wonder if Vin is here yet." she found herself musing as the coach moved deeper into the unimpressive town.

"I would say so." Nettie slid across the seat and placed a comforting hand on Alex’s, trying to will some of her formidable strength into the younger woman. Alex had brought them this far on will alone, and it was starting to take its toll on her. As much as she might like to believe she could handle any situation, it was clear to Nettie Vin was the one subject where Alex could never be that self-assured.

"God, I hope he’s okay." she eased back into the seat, feeling none of the confidence present when she first embarked upon this mission to help Vin. She worried for him and over the few days it had taken to arrive here, how he fared preyed heavily in her mind. Tascosa with its flat plains and dusty winds intimidated her, and Alex knew nothing about this place that could bode well for either Vin or her.

"Chris wouldn’t let anything happen to Vin," Nettie assured her even though for the moment, her words had minimal effect in offering comfort. Still, Alex couldn't deny the truth of her words. Chris and Vin shared an extraordinary sort of friendship, unlikely some would say. Both men had great difficulty expressing their emotions or conveying to others; they were living breathing creatures beneath the toughened exterior of their hard living. In each other, they had found deep friendship and its bonds were stronger than those forged of the blood. No, short of dying himself, Chris would not allow any harm to come to Vin, this much Nettie would bet her life on.

"I know." Alex sighed. "But he’s constrained to what he can do," she confessed. "Chris is just as locked in this cycle as the rest of us. All he can do is make sure Vin sees trial but if a judge finds him guilty....."

"You must not think like that," Nettie said firmly, determined not to let Alex lose hope.

"I know," Alex swallowed trying to keep the emotion at bay because no matter how much she tried not to feel fearful for Vin or miss him for that matter, it only made the emotion all the more fierce. The ache inside of her at his absence in her life was beyond belief. Oh, she had put up with him being gone for a few days at a stretch, the nature of what he was and his profession in Four Corners made that a part of life, but at least then she could be assured of his coming back. She had no such guarantee now.

"Nettie," Alex said soberly once she had composed herself again. The stage would be pulling up in front of what passed for the depot in this town, and they would soon be disembarking. "I don’t want him to know I’m here."

Nettie stared at her, shocked. "Why?"

"Because it’s going to be hard enough for him to face trial, without knowing he has to deal with seeing me too," Alex said quietly. In truth, she longed to see him, but she could not bring herself to impose her presence upon him when his morale was so depleted. "I don’t want to cloud his judgement. He’s made the decision to face this thing, and it’s a good idea, no matter how much I might hate it." She wiped a few stray tears managing to sneak past her defences before meeting Nettie’s gaze again. "It would kill him to see me, I just know it."

"All right," Nettie nodded, her brow furrowed in dislike at having to keep such a thing from Vin, but she understood Alex’s reasoning all too well. "But if it doesn’t go his way, you may never....."

Alex clamped her eyes closed, not even wanting to address the possibility. "If it doesn’t go Vin’s way and he is sentenced to hang, then all bets are off, and I have no idea what I am going to do."

***********

Gideon Dunwill had arrived in Tascosa at dawn. Instead of taking the stage, he had chosen to travel by train all the way into Amarillo and then acquired himself a horse and carriage to make the rest of the journey. It had saved him a considerable amount of time, and judging by the telegram and the very generous retainer he had received just days before, it appeared time was something of the essence in this particular case. Typically, he took such cases solely based on whether or not they interested him. Fortunately, this case had all the elements of drama, which piqued the good Mr Dunwill’s interest.

After freshening up at the local hotel and getting himself adequately attired for the occasion of meeting his client, Dunwill took a short luncheon at the diner attached to the hotel and then made the trip across the street to the jailhouse. Those who came across this newest stranger in town had hardly a reason to raise a brow. Lately, there were numerous new faces, and the nature of their presence made it wise not to ask too many questions. Dunwill of course hardly appeared to be threatening. He wore a suit as if he was born to it, did not carry a weapon and spoke with an accent that was very British indeed. He was a man in his early forties, whose deep green eyes were often hidden behind a pair of steel-rimmed glasses and he had a penchant for respectable green bow ties.

Dunwill had come from England to the New World about 20 years ago wishing to practice his craft, as well as experiencing the excitement of frontier existence. While Silver City was hardly what one considered the frontier now, twenty years ago it was a world away from life at Meriton, the village of his birth. He enjoyed the Americas, delighting in its unpretentious existence so mired the inhabitants of the continent. In America, Dunwill was able to indulge his eccentricities while not being labelled a lunatic. His peculiarities were accepted by his neighbours as just one of those ‘British’ things.

He arrived at the jailhouse carrying his books and briefcase, looking more like a confused university professor then he did a notable criminal defence lawyer. Knocking on the door quite awkwardly, since his hands were full, Dunwill managed to enter the threshold and was immediately confronted by a rather irate looking man wearing a sheriff’s badge upon entry.

"What do you want?" he demanded, just as the stack of books in Dunwill’s hand decided to break free from the lawyer’s grasp and crumple to the floor in a particularly noisy heap.

"Oh dear," Dunwill muttered and scrambled to pick up his books. "I am sorry. I’m here to see Mr Tanner," he said while collecting his books.

The man behind bars immediately rose to his feet while a boy, no more than twenty, came forward and started helping Dunwill with his books.

"And who are you supposed to be?" the sheriff demanded.

"Thank you," Dunwill offered a note of thanks to the young man wearing a most afflicted bowler hat on his head. "I am Mr Tanner’s lawyer." he flinched at the word, having never gotten over being referred to in that way instead of the proper term, which was a barrister.

"Lawyer?" The prisoner exclaimed. "I ain’t got no lawyer."

"I believe you do," Dunwill looked at his client, assuming by his reactions he was Vin Tanner. "I shall be with you in a moment, I need to clear this matter up." Turning to the sheriff, he said very firmly and sounded very much like a lawyer...there was that word again! "I have been retained as Mr Tanner’s lawyer, and should you wish to bar my access to my client, we will discuss the matter more fully when the judge arrives in town. Of course, barring my client access to legal counsel constitutes as a violation of his rights, and I am certain you do not wish gain censure for failing to carry out your duty as an officer of the law."

"Meaning what?" the sheriff said defensively, obviously not understanding a word that was just spoken to him.

"Meaning you will be denying his right to due process," Dunwill said hoping he did not have to put it any plainer.

Ritter was not completely clear on everything this fancy man was saying, but the threat implied was clear enough, and he was not about to argue the point. "Fine," he grumbled, sitting down behind his desk once more. "Don’t make much difference to me, there’s no doubt he killed Kincaid."

"Why don’t you let the court decide that," Dunwill said coolly and turned away from the man who was angry enough to be exuding smoke from his ears.

"Wow, that was something else, Mister." the boy remarked impressed.

"Thank you," Dunwill replied with a faint smile and then met the prisoner’s gaze. "I take it you are Mr Tanner?"

"Yeah," Vin nodded, uncertain what to make of this stranger with his funny accent sounding almost like Alex’s but not quite. "I’m Vin Tanner, but there’s some mistake, I didn’t hire no lawyer."

"My name is Gideon Dunwill, and I was not hired by you," Dunwill answered as JD willingly gave up his chair and allowed the lawyer to take his place in it. "I was retained by a Doctor Styles of Four Corners. I was sent a most generous retainer and travelling expenses to come here as soon as possible to act as your legal counsel."

"Alex hired you," Vin said not sure whether or not he was happy or upset. "Is she here?"

"She?" Dunwill glanced at him and then at the young man who was obviously Tanner’s friend.

"Alex is my fiancée’," Vin admitted almost reluctantly and then rebuked himself for being so ungrateful. This was not the time to question her assistance when everything she was doing was out of love for him. He wished more than anything she was here but recanted because he could not stand to have her see him caged like this. Vin could not stomach it if he were to see her and not be able to touch her or hold her in his arms. The temptation and the agony of refusal would be too much for him at this time.

"Doctor Styles is a woman," Dunwill’s brow rose slightly. "How extraordinary."

"She sure is," Vin said under his breath with just enough affection for Dunwill to understand immediately how things were between the tracker and his lady.

"No matter," Dunwill brushed the topic aside for the moment and glanced at the young man. "I’m afraid what I have to discuss with Mr Tanner is private."

"It’s alright," Vin said quickly. "JD won’t say anything to anyone." JD flashed Vin a smile of pride at being considered so trustworthy.

"You are the client." Dunwill frowned a little, hoping Mr Tanner had some idea what he was doing in this matter. "Now, I had all the information on your case telegraphed to me before my arrival in Tascosa, so I am familiar with the situation. You located a body you assumed to be a named Ely Joe, is that correct?" He asked as he pulled out a note pad from his pocket and started scribbling some quick points on the lined paper.

"That’s right." Vin nodded, wondering if this man could really help him. Alex would not have hired him otherwise, although he was very impressed with how Dunwill had handled the sheriff a moment ago who was still stewing behind his desk. "I found him dead already."

"You assumed it was the outlaw, Ely Joe and naturally brought him to Tascosa to claim the bounty, only to learn he was not, in fact, Ely Joe at all but a Jesse Kincaid," Dunwill concluded without looking up at Vin, all the while scribbling. "Why?"

"Why?" Vin asked. "What do you mean why?"

"Why did you assume he was Ely Joe?" Dunwill raised his eyes from his note pad and met Vin’s gaze.

"He was wearing some of the skins Ely Joe wore and the description sort of matched. The truth was, I ain’t never saw the man myself, only from afar when I was tracking him, and he was dressed the way I found the body." Vin confessed, thinking how foolish he was to simply make the assumption.

"I take it this Ely Joe is now dead?" Dunwill probed further.

"He tried to kill Vin, Mister Dunwill," JD spoke up before Vin could answer himself. "He paid these men to impersonate Federal marshals to come get Vin in Four Corners."

"I see," Dunwill nodded and glanced in the direction of the Sheriff. "I assume you were here at the time my client brought in the victim, Sheriff?"

"Damn straight I was," Ritter said vehemently. "He brought him in here and plunked him down good as you please, expecting his reward."

"And you did not find anything unusual about a bounty hunter who was quite well known for his skill to be foolish enough to kill a man from these parts and attempt to substitute him for someone else? Not to mention, the source of confirmation being the one person in town who would know everyone residing in the area?" Dunwill looked over his shoulder and challenged Ritter to answer.

"He had the body." Ritter retorted defensively. "What more do they need?"

"What was he carrying?" Dunwill inquired.

"Carrying?" Ritter asked, not understanding the question.

"What sort of weapon?" Dunwill rolled his eyes with impatience.

"A Winchester," Vin answered for him. "That’s what I always use."

"Yeah," Ritter nodded. "A rifle." The sheriff confirmed.

"But you still believed my client killed Mr Kincaid even though it was a 45 calibre bullet removed from the body?"

"What’s your point?" Ritter stared at him.

"A standard Winchester rifle of the make and model Mr Tanner carried, utilizes a 30 -30 calibre projectile," Dunwill remarked still scribbling in his pad. "Did you find a 45 calibre weapon on Mr Tanner or in his belongings when you arrested him for murder?"

Ritter started to stammer. "No, we didn’t find anything like that, which means he could have just got rid of it."

"It could," Dunwill nodded. "Or maybe he never had one." 

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