A Sudden Gift of Fate

Deputy Jared McCall swore under his breath as he and his young cousin Miranda galloped back to Eagle Bend. Damn, damn, damn ... when he got his hands on Staines for this, he'd kill the son of a bitch himself, never mind he was his boss! Staines had made a deal with the devil this time, and it was up to McCall and Miranda to make sure the entire population of Eagle Bend ... and Four Corners ... didn't burn in hell for what he had done.

Miranda was clinging to his waist, her face pressed against his back. For once, Jared didn't protest. He needed to have his cousin nearby, and know she was alright. She had come so close to dying. Would have died, if she hadn't escaped. Which made her captor furious. Seems young girls had a habit of escaping from his grasp, and thoroughly humiliating him. He didn't take humiliation well.

At last, they passed the city limits. Miranda whispered, "I'm not leaving you. Not even if you go into the saloon ... I'm not leaving you." Jared patted her knee with one hand, and cantered up to the jail first. He wanted to make sure Wilmington and Tanner arrived with the prisoner. Someone would be on duty at the jail. He dismounted first and then helped Miranda down, leading her inside.

"McCall! What the hell are you doi ... oh shit," Deputy Roy Calder muttered. Jared spared a quick glare for the prisoner, then catapulted across the jail to grab his colleague by the collar and slam him into the wall. Calder's reaction told Jared exactly what he needed to know. The sheriff and Calder had lured Tanner and Wilmington into a trap of some kind, using the prisoner. And the bastard who had kidnapped Miranda had something to do with it.

"You tell me, you son of a bitch," Jared hissed, "you tell me what Staines is up to, and you tell me right now, or so help me, I'll beat the living shit out of you. Miranda, make sure you stay away from the prisoner, honey. He's dangerous. I want you to find Buck Wilmington. He's a big man ... black hair, and a mustache. He'll be with another man ... shorter, with light brown hair. Vin Tanner. Find them. You'll be safe with them."

"Not hardly ... Tanner can barely protect his weak belly, much less his back, much less some chit of a girl," the prisoner chimed in. Nailing the corrupt deputy with a glare, Jared pulled his pistol and fired over the prisoner's head. He knew about the stabbing the previous month, and he knew what the prisoner was trying to do ... he was damn sloppy at it. The prisoner yelped and dove under the bed.

"Go, 'Randa. You'll be okay. Tanner was hurt protecting a girl last month, but he wouldn't be here if he couldn't do his job," Jared told the girl. Miranda nodded, and dashed out the door, heading for the saloon. Jared looked back at his colleague, hissing, "Now. You are gonna tell me about the sheriff's deal with the devil. The son of a bitch had my cousin kidnapped, and when she escaped, the devil who kidnapped 'Randa killed one of his own men."

"I don't know much about him ... but he's supposed to be coming tonight. For Wilmington and Tanner. He approached the sheriff about a month ago, while the Seven were in Pordios. He said that Wilmington was his son, and he betrayed him. He gave Staines a chance to get back at Larabee, and he wanted the chance to get his own revenge against his son. I swear to you, I didn't know about Miranda! Wilmington ... his name is Judge Avery Wilmington ... he said that he would arrange for you to leave town, and lure members of the Seven here. He made up the story about the kid's family being involved in some robberies here," Calder gasped.

"Judge Avery Wilmington? Shit, you two really screwed up! He's a disbarred judge! He's got no legal authority, of any kind! If you two idiots would pay attention to what's going on around you, instead of trying to get revenge on Chris Larabee for doing his job, maybe you would have known that! He was disbarred ten years ago, while he was back East. My uncle knew him there, and warned me about him. I told Staines about him!" Jared growled, slamming him into the wall out of sheer frustration.

"This guy is Wilmington's father? Huh. Wonder if he knows his daughter is in Four Corners, too?" the prisoner asked. Both Calder and Jared looked at him at the same time, and Micah Reed continued, "I saw her ... she's my age. Think Tanner called her 'Drina' or something strange like that." Drina ... Adriana? The man whom Wilmington had killed for allowing Miranda to escape mentioned that name. She was the other young girl who had eluded Wilmington's grasp, escaping every time he thought he had her cornered.

"Oh Jesus. Oh, Jesus ... what have we done?" Calder whispered. Jared jerked his head back at the other deputy, who continued, "You were right ... we've made a deal with the fucking devil, Jared. Wilmington ... " He never finished the sentence. There was a gunshot, and Calder went limp in his hands. There was a second shot and Jared dove away from the already-falling body, rolling across the floor as gunshots peppered the prison. Reed yelped and dove under his bed once more, but at the moment, he was the least of Jared's worries.

'Randa ... god, he hoped 'Randa got to safety! He knew, once she was with Wilmington and Tanner, that she would be safe. He wondered vaguely what Calder meant, just before he died. Calder had the same ideas as Staines himself, which meant trouble. If Wilmington scared Calder, they were all in trouble. Something which Jared knew, but this worried him even more. Even more than what he knew about the former Judge.

"Let me outta here!" Reed gasped. Jared just glared at him. What the hell was he worried about? Unless they blew the jail, Reed was safer than Jared was! The deputy ignored the prisoner for the moment, choosing instead to focus on where the shots were coming from. He heard the distinctive boom of a sawed off, then shouts. No more shots. A half second after that, the door exploded open and Jared jerked his pistol back toward the intruder.

Only to find that it wasn't an intruder after all, but Vin Tanner. The tracker for the Seven rasped out, "The girl's with Judge Travis ... Buck's seein' if he can find the sniper. Reckon I mighta winged him." He walked further into the prison, only a minute grimace around his mouth telling that he was still in pain, and held out a hand to Jared. The deputy accepted it and Tanner continued, "Ya know what's goin' on here?"

"I'll meet you at the saloon in fifteen minutes, after I take care of Calder here. And then we'll decide what to do," Jared told the tracker. Tanner nodded, but as he turned away, Jared saw him put his hand to his gut. Jared cringed and turned back to Calder. The man was dead. Shot in the back. Jared shook his head and knelt beside the other deputy. He lifted the man off the ground, just enough to get a good grip on him, then put him over his shoulder.

He carried Calder out of the jailhouse, glaring at Staines as he started to enter, then turned to make sure Staines could see the mess of Calder's back. He growled, "You went too far this time, Sheriff ... the minute you had that bastard from back east kidnap my cousin, you went too far. And you may have damned all of us. But I ain't about to give up. Now, 'Randa is with Judge Travis, and she's safe, no thanks to you."

With that, he brushed past Staines and headed for the undertaker. From the corner of his eye, he saw Wilmington and Tanner on the porch of the saloon, Wilmington aiming his pistol and Tanner with his hand on his mare's leg. Staines wouldn't shoot him in the back ... Tanner and Wilmington would see to that. McCall headed to the undertaker, considering his next move. He knew Staines wouldn't stop here.

In some ways, his alliance with Wilmington ... the judge ... made perfect sense. Both Staines and the senior Wilmington had a hard time dealing with humiliation. Their pride was hurt, and now they were out for revenge. Neither gave a damn about the people they were supposed to protect ... and while they were both officers of the court (or, at least, had been at one time), neither gave a damn about justice.

With Calder safely delivered to the undertaker, Jared next set out for the saloon. He found both Tanner and the younger Wilmington there, along with the grim-faced Judge Travis, and his cousin, clinging to the judge for dear life.

As McCall reached the table, he said in a low but clear voice, "We got trouble. Staines has struck a deal with Lucifer himself ... Judge Avery Wilmington." He had expected Wilmington's son to react strongly ... but Tanner's face suddenly lost all color, and for a moment, Jared thought he would fall over in his seat. Then the bright blue eyes narrowed. And Judge Travis just stared at the deputy, dumbfounded.

McCall continued once he was sure Tanner wouldn't keel over on them all, "I dunno if you know this, but Wilmington was disbarred about ten years ago back east. He was a big judge in St Louis. Then, right before the beginning of the war, he was caught in dirty dealings. He was disbarred, his wife left him, and he lost everything. My uncle is a judge back east, too, and he told me about him. He was the one who found him guilty on all counts."

"Jesus," Wilmington whispered, and McCall nodded. So Buck Wilmington was the son of the disgraced judge. Wilmington continued, looking at the deputy, "I never knew any of this. Your cousin here, told us that he abducted her ... was this her father? The judge who found my father guilty?" McCall bobbed his head grimly. The year previously, his uncle sent him a wire, telling him that he received word that Avery Wilmington was up to his old tricks again. He was starting an investigation, and he wanted Miranda to stay with Jared.

"Yeah. Uncle Francis was worried that Wilmington would go after Miranda. See, for the past ten years, Uncle Francis has been searching for a young girl named 'Adriana.' He's afraid that her life is in danger from Wilmington, but Uncle Francis has never said why she's in danger. The only thing I can figure out is, this girl saw something she wasn't supposed to of the dirty dealings," McCall explained.

"Naw," Tanner hissed, "he's after her money. Shit, it all makes sense now! Sorry, Miss 'Randa. But we been tryin' to figure out why that lowlife bastard wants Drina's money so bad. Whaddaya wanna bet, has somethin' to do with this deal he cooked up ten years ago? The same time he sold her to them white slavers? Whaddaya think, Judge Travis? He originally sold her to get his hands on her money, and when he couldn't git it, he had her kidnapped and taken to the insane asylum?"

Jesus! McCall stared at the tracker in horror, and the sharpshooter turned back to face him, explaining with a cold smile, "Ya see, Deputy, it's like this. That girl who made a fool outta him twice? The one he had sold to white slavers and sent down to Mexico? She ain't just any heiress ... she's his daughter. Adriana. And he's been tryin' to get his hands on her money for the last ten years. One little problem ... ain't no certificate sayin' he's her pa."

His daughter? McCall thought back to the henchman bleeding into the earthen floor of the shed where his own cousin was being held. Adriana? And Micah Reed told him about Wilmington's younger sister, who was a friend of Tanner's ... Drina. It made sense. Lord help them all, it made sense. Buck Wilmington said, his voice low and cold, "If our pa's anywhere near here, he's dead ... 'cause there ain't no way I'll let him hurt DeeDee again!" Which meant, McCall decided, that Wilmington Senior was a dead man. Buck Wilmington wanted his hide for hurting his little sister ... and McCall for hurting Miranda. Oh yeah. He was dead.

Part 12

Orrin Travis was nothing short of furious. He hadn't heard back from any of his contacts back east ... and here was this young deputy, telling him exactly what he had been trying to find out for the last month! Well, there was no help for it. He had to figure out how he would protect his men ... because it was a better than even chance Buck would try to get to his father. Orrin wanted Avery Wilmington to pay for his crimes.

But if Buck went after his father now, Wilmington would realize his daughter was very much alive, and her life would be in danger once more. Unless ... As silence fell at the table, Orrin asked quietly, "What do you think would happen, Vin, if we spread the word that Adriana died shortly after her escape from Pordios? If Wilmington realizes where she is, and that she's alive, we'll have a bloodbath on her hands when he tries to get her back."

"We'd have to shut up Reed ... he knows Drina's alive. He saw her in Four Corners, before we left," Vin replied quietly, his hand moving back and forth across his midsection. Travis knew the boy was still hurting, but that hadn't kept him from bolting out of the saloon when the shots were fired, after Miranda arrived in the saloon, seeking the judge and the two peacekeepers. Buck was right behind him, splitting off to track down the sniper while Vin ran to the jail and Orrin remained with Miranda.

About twenty minutes earlier, while they were eating, a young girl of about thirteen or fourteen had come into the saloon. That was something of a misnomer. As Vin observed quietly when she appeared, the girl was runnin' like the hounds of hell were after her. She dashed over to the bartender, then ran over to them, asking, "Are you Judge Travis?" When Orrin said he was, indeed, Judge Travis, the girl continued, "Oh, thank goodness! Jared McCall, Deputy McCall, is my cousin. He told me that I'd be safe with you."

They learned that she was Miranda Cole, she was fourteen years old, and had been living with her cousin for the last year. Her mother died when she was two, and her father had raised her as he would have raised a son. Now that sounded familiar! Which explained why she reminded Orrin of Mary at that age ... although, there were a few times he and Evie caught the fourteen year old Mary swearing like a longshoreman ... not that they ever called her on it. After all, she wasn't their daughter at the time.

The previous year, her father-the brother of Jared McCall's mother-had sent Miranda west to live with her cousin. Miranda didn't know why, not exactly ... just that her father wanted to protect her from an investigation he was conducting. Miranda's presence forced young Jared to settle down, as he had been just as wild as Rafe Moseley. Orrin tried to remember if Jared had been with the lynching party who tried to hang Obadiah Jackson.

He couldn't remember seeing the young deputy, so he figured the boy must have been settling in as the guardian of a young girl. In any event, Miranda provided the clues Orrin had been missing. She was kidnapped by Judge Avery Wilmington ... probably at the request of Sheriff Staines ... and held for a matter of hours before she escaped. Which probably enraged the disgraced judge to no end, as this was the second time a young girl showed him up.

In any event, she escaped and headed back into town. She found her cousin in the telegraph office, as the first telegraph was being sent to Four Corners. Jared learned of the kidnapping, and her escape, and Miranda led him back to the shed where she was held. There, they found the man who had been hired to keep an eye on her until Wilmington Senior returned from his errands ... the man was dying.

They learned from the dying man that this was the second time a stripling of a girl had escaped from his master's clutches, the second time a mere girl had humiliated him. Adriana, of course, was the first. As Miranda finished her story, the first shot rang out. Vin bolted from his seat, Buck right behind him. And Miranda, who had to have been terrified during the last few days, who had been so brave, finally broke down.

So. Now they knew that Avery Wilmington was in the area, that he was disbarred and had been for the last ten years. What Orrin didn't know was what exactly he had done, and what kind of power he wielded. The disbarment meant little in the West, because of the lawless nature of the land. And by telling people that he was a judge, that was a power in and of itself. He had lost everything once, which meant he had nothing to lose. That made him even more dangerous.

No, they had to proceed very carefully. Judge Orrin Travis said now, "Then I'll take Reed back to Four Corners with me. Buck and Vin, you two are heading back in the morning. We leave now, and both Staines and Wilmington will figure out something's up. Take the scenic route back to Four Corners. Deputy McCall, what are your plans?" The young deputy heaved a huge sigh, his dark green eyes reflecting his indecision.

"I can't stay here ... but I can't leave, either. That'll leave Eagle Bend alone with Sheriff Staines, and the only interest he has in Eagle Bend is the power it gives him," the deputy replied.

"True ... but didn't the good people of Eagle Bend choose him to be their sheriff?" Buck asked. There was a slight hesitation, then McCall nodded. Buck responded with a triumphant, and feral, grin, saying, "Well, then ... seems to me that the good people of Eagle Bend made their bed ... they can lie in it now." There was a snort from the quiet tracker beside him, and Buck glared at him, asking, "What the hell is so funny, boy?"

"Ya got any idea how funny that sounds, comin' from ya, Buck?" Vin asked, his blue eyes twinkling with laughter. Buck's glare intensified, but if the Larabee glare had no affect on Vin Tanner, there was no way Buck's glare would work, either. After a moment, Buck's glare disappeared, to be replaced by an impish grin as the big cowboy wrapped his arms around Vin and hugged him tightly. Vin gasped, "Aw hell ... Buck, lemme go!" Orrin Travis just grinned as Buck held onto Vin, and the young tracker squirmed. He would enjoy this while it lasted. Orrin knew better than to think the plan would go off without a hitch.

Part 13

Back in Four Corners, as the sun completed its dip in the West, Mary Travis and Adriana Wilmington finished washing the dishes, while Chris Larabee read to the two children. Ever so often, they would hear giggling from Billy and Laura. The two young women would exchange a smile, and keep working. Mary had been both scandalized and amused when she learned that Adriana had punched Chanu in the jaw.

Scandalized, because she was supposed to be, and amused, because that was her first, instinctive reaction. Chris told the story while she and Adriana were fixing dinner, and while the two children were outside playing. He was laughing now, but if Mary knew him as well as she thought she did, he hadn't found it as funny when it happened. No, at the time, he would have been worried that Chanu would harm Adriana for the liberties she had taken.

"So," Mary said softly as she handed the last plate to Adriana for drying, "Tell me something, and be honest." Adriana accepted the plate, a slight tilt to her head telling Mary to go ahead. The newspaper editor and owner continued, "Did you ... did you enjoy it when you hit Chanu?" Adriana rubbed the dish towel slowly over the plate, a thoughtful expression on her face as she considered the question.

"Yeah ... I did. I guess I wasn't just hitting Chanu at the time. But also Gideon ... Doc Powell ... Browner. Everyone who ever hurt me or someone I loved," Adriana replied quietly. Mary nodded her understanding as she untied the apron at her waist. Her companion put the last of the dishes carefully with the others, then did the same, sitting at the table with Mary, and asked, "Do I shock you?"

Mary shook her head, replying softly, "No. Because I've ... felt the same way. Last year, when Billy returned to Four Corners. The men who murdered his father ... made several attempts to silence Billy. We set up a trap ... I would go with Buck, JD, Ezra, and Vin, while Billy went with Chris. To our old house, where Stephen died. I think the plan was ... their plan, at least, the men who killed Stephen ... was to hold up the stagecoach and kill both Billy and myself, making it look like a robbery."

Adriana didn't speak and Mary continued, "Their plan didn't work. And, uhm ... when Buck opened the stagecoach door, I flung myself out and started pounding on the nearest outlaw." Mary watched as Adriana's dark eyes grew wide with disbelief. Mary blushed, adding, "This big, tough bandit who had been threatening my son only moments earlier was now lying on the ground, pleading with your brother to get me off him. Buck finally had to physically pick me up and pull me away from him. But, not before I managed to get in one last kick."

Adriana's eyes just kept getting bigger and bigger, and Mary added, feeling her face grow ever warmer, "My father would have been shocked and appalled at my behavior. Ladies do not beat bandits or outlaws." Adriana actually giggled at that, her eyes shifting from shock to outright amusement. Mary continued, "I never understood that, you know. After my mother died, no other woman ever entered our home, and yet, my father expected me to be a lady."

"Men are stupid that way. They think we're born knowing things, and then they turn around and get all condescending, 'oh, we're just women.' So ... since you were such a hoyden when you were a girl, where did you learn about being a lady ... and, why would you want to be one?" Adriana questioned. Mary looked at her companion inquiringly, and Adriana continued, "Didn't you realize how boring it would be, how boring it is?"

"No ... no, at the time, I was seventeen, and I had decided I would stand a better chance of getting Stephen's attention if I was a lady, rather than a tomboy. So, I went to Evie Travis, and she turned Mary Douglas, tomboy, into a lady. Besides, I was raised to believe that what I wanted, what was right for me, was immaterial. The Douglas children had a higher calling, and it was our duty to stuff ourselves into the roles that were chosen for us, regardless of what felt right and natural to us. I suppose we were no different from anyone else, though, in our social standing. And while I was a tomboy, I also wanted ... needed ... my father's love and approval. Naturally, I never got it," Mary replied.

She heard the bitterness in her voice, and cringed. Adriana was silent, then said, "I'm about to shock you." Mary raised an eyebrow at her new friend, and the dark-haired woman continued, "You know, for so much of my life, I've hated what I am. The daughter of a working girl, someone who would never be accepted as a member of polite society. But now ... now, I'm not sure if ... now I'm wondering if maybe I'm luckier. Because I'll never be accepted by polite society, I'm free to be Adriana Wilmington, instead of trying to make myself into someone I'm not. The pressure is lesser here, in the West ... but it's still there."

Mary leaned back in her chair, eyeing her companion. If she was truly honest with herself, she would admit that not only was Adriana right ... but Mary actually envied her that freedom, the freedom of being outside society. The question was, did Mary have that courage to admit it?

"My turn to shock you ... you're right. No, you'll never be accepted by some people in town. I'm not saying that to be cruel ... but you know it's true. Because you won't accept their idea about what you should be. Once upon a time, I would have approved of that. I'm still shocked you're still speaking to me, after hearing about the working girls from Wickestown," Mary acknowledged. Adriana's dark eyes burned darker, almost as if she was angry, and she reached across the table to take Mary's hand.

"Now you listen to me, Mary Douglas Travis. People make mistakes. And, from what I remember of what I was told, you asked that Nora leave after she recovered. Not while she was still too weak to move. Hell, Mary ... a lot of the women in Pordios, much less back east, wouldn't have even given her that! Okay, you made a mistake. It happens. You judged someone without knowing the full story. That happens too. But you know what's more important? You learned from it, and you didn't make the same mistake again," Adriana replied.

The anger in Adriana's voice shook Mary. Yes, Adriana was angry at her, but not for the reason she had expected. The brunette paused, then continued, "We've both met people who expect us to always be perfect, to never make any mistakes. Well, to hell with them! We are just human beings ... we aren't perfect, we never made that claim. I may not have known you a long time, but I do know you've never claimed to be something you're not. And that's important to me. You're honest, and you learn from your mistakes."

Mary had the uneasy sense that Adriana wasn't just talking about the locals here or in Pordios. She had only to remember the bitterness in Adriana's voice when she talked about Sarah Larabee. The bitterness which worried Mary. Quite apart from the 'don't speak ill of the dead,' Mary was worried about the twin emotions of guilt and hatred which were consuming her new friend's soul. It was no longer acceptable for her to hate Chris or Buck, and it wasn't acceptable for her to hate the dead Sarah. Which left ... who?

Adriana continued after a moment, "You're honest. You make mistakes, and you're honest. You're not a backstabber. I loathe backstabbers. Women who smile at you and make nice, all the time planning how to destroy you. Men and women both." Mary remembered what Chris had said to JD, more than a year earlier, when JD had started to fire at one of the men remaining from those who tried to lynch Nathan. "You don't shoot nobody in the back!"

His surrogate sister had the same ideas, it seemed. And Mary knew they were no longer talking about her own mistakes and failings. But something else. Adriana was silent for several moments, then said softly, "I made a decision last night, Mary. About writing a letter to Serena and the other girls. But I need a favor from you. It's taken me all day to get up the courage to ask this, because it's risky."

Mary simply nodded, and Adriana continued, "I want you to be the return address. I'm not ready to confront my father, and there's a possibility he will return to the cathouse where I grew up. If he does, the chances of him finding me will be minimized if the return address is for Mary Travis, Four Corners, New Mexico Territory. The trouble is, if he sees the letter itself, then you will be in danger."

Mary thought about Adriana's statement, then replied slowly, "Not if he doesn't realize the name is yours. For example, if there's a code of some kind. Something the girls would know, but he wouldn't. A nickname, for example, or even Vin's habit of calling you 'Drina,' instead of 'Adriana.' Did he know your signature, your handwriting, anything like that?" Adriana didn't answer right away.

Then, at last, she replied, "No. No, to the best of my knowledge, he never saw my handwriting. Given that, I wonder why he never tried to forge my signature?" That was a good question. Mary was wondering that herself. She didn't think it was because Avery Wilmington had any scruples ... so there had to be a practical reason for it. Adriana continued slowly, "And there is another nickname, other than 'Drina' or 'DeeDee.' It was a nickname which Caterina, the midwife, gave me. 'Anna.' I think maybe we should use that?" Mary nodded. That sounded like the best idea to her. And they would write that letter, in the morning.

Part 14

After dinner, Buck returned to the hotel room with Vin, while the judge finished making his plans with Deputy McCall. When Orrin returned a half hour later, it was to find Vin sitting up in bed, his eyes at half mast, while Buck watched out over the town. He was tense, his face unusually solemn. Orrin smiled at the barely awake young man and patted his leg, saying softly, "Go to sleep, son." Vin nodded and his eyes closed. Orrin gently maneuvered him until he was lying down, and then he turned his attention back to Buck.

The big man said as Vin's soft, even breathing filled the room, "Shoulda never brought him along ... he's still healing, and still dealin' with them damn nightmares. Don't know what the hell Chris was thinkin,' sendin' him along on this damn trip." Orrin didn't answer first, as he was still covering up Vin with the blanket. Besides, he needed to give himself time to think about what kind of answer he would give Buck.

Then he said softly, "He was thinking that Vin was healed ... and that you'd probably like a chance to build a bridge. Oh, it wasn't for your sake, certainly ... but for the sake of the entire team, for the sake of the town. To give Vin a chance to learn to trust you again." Buck dropped his head in acknowledgment, and Orrin continued, keeping his voice low to avoid waking Vin, "And you do know what Chris would have said, if you protested."

"Yeah," Buck acknowledged, "yeah, he woulda said I picked one helluva time to get all protective of Vin." That was pretty much what Orrin was thinking, in somewhat more diplomatic terms, and Buck continued, "Just ain't natural, though. See him sleeping so much. Like he done after ... after we got him back." Buck turned back to look out the window. After Vin almost died in the prison camp. Orrin was willing to supply the words, even if Buck wasn't willing to speak them. He was still having a hard time with the knowledge he had betrayed a friend.

There was something else that was bothering him, though. Orrin asked softly, "What else is going ... what else is bothering you?" There was a deep sigh, then Buck Wilmington turned away from the window, looking deeply troubled. He sat down near the window, but out of any would-be sniper's line of sight. The man rubbed at his face, then at his eyes, looking exhausted and worried.

"Yeah," he finally admitted, "yeah, there is. A conversation I overheard between Mary and my sister, a few nights ago, before we left town. I just don't ... I mean ... " Buck shook his head, then whispered, "I guess until I overheard that conversation, I never realized how much my little sister has changed. I can remember a time when she didn't hate nobody. Hell, she didn't know how to hate! Our old man taught her that. That, and a whole mess of other things he had no business teachin' her."

Orrin didn't speak ... just listened and waited. Buck looked at him, murmuring, "I taught her how to hate, too, Judge Travis. 'Cause I failed her. She told Mary that if it was Sarah ... Sarah Larabee ... who died in that hellhole, Chris and me wouldn't have left her there. Perfect Sarah, she called her. Perfect, precious, pretty Sarah who could do no wrong. And the hatred in her voice ... when she mentioned Sarah, Lord almighty, Judge."

So that was what this was about. But Orrin didn't say anything, instead choosing to allow the young man to work this out for himself. Buck shook his head, whispering, "Ya coulda knocked me over with a feather, Judge ... Sarah Larabee was one of the finest women I ever met. And my baby sister was sayin' how much she hated Sarah, 'cause she was perfect. Because Chris and I wouldn't have left her in that place, alive or dead."

"What did you expect, Buck?" Orrin asked when Buck didn't say anything more. Buck looked up, and Orrin repeated, "What did you expect? Think about it. I've heard you talking about Sarah Larabee ... you and Chris both. And then think about what your sister has been through during the last ten years. The insane asylum, and before then, her years in Mexico. And then there's Sarah, who was an angel on earth, beautiful, a wonderful wife and mother, incapable of doing anything wrong."

Buck stared at him in shock, and Orrin continued, "Did you really think that just because you and Chris thought Sarah Larabee was a saint, that your sister would blindly adore her? A woman who has had her face rubbed in how imperfect she is during the last ten years, how she's no longer a lady ... faced with a woman who was an angel, too good for any man on this earth or in the next world."

Orrin had never met Sarah Larabee ... but he did know that if he had lost Evie the way Chris had lost his wife and son, he would have probably put her on a pedestal, the way Chris and Buck did with Sarah. And, because he put her on a pedestal, he might never remarry, because he could only see the flaws in other women, instead of their virtues. The women would be competing with a ghost ... and no living woman could ever match up to a ghost. Orrin wondered suddenly if Mary put Stephen on a pedestal. He didn't know. What was more, he wasn't sure if he wanted to know whether or not she put his son on a pedestal.

"I know that ... I know! It just killed me. Hearin' my little sister talk that way. The hate is eatin' her alive, and I don't know how to make it stop. I don't know how to make her stop hurting," Buck acknowledged. Privately, Orrin thought he could make a start on that by having a long talk with Chris.

Orrin didn't know what would have happened, if Chris overheard that conversation. But he did know that with Vin out of town, Chris and Adriana would spend more time together. And Chris would find out the truth. Buck said softly, breaking the silence, "It's just that ... hell, Judge! The only person I ever met who hated Sarah ... was Ella Gaines." Orrin was still a little confused about that woman.

Did she kill Sarah and Adam, have them killed, or did she just claim to? If she did actually have them killed, then what was her hold over Cletus Fowler ... that he would walk into a flaming building for her? If she didn't, why did she claim she did? Despite his years first as a lawyer, then as a judge, Orrin still didn't understand the minds of some criminals. The more diseased the mind, the harder it was for Orrin to understand.

Part 15

One thing he did understand, however ... while Adriana Wilmington was placed in an insane asylum, Ella Gaines actually belonged there. Orrin told Buck, "Your sister is nothing like Ella Gaines. No matter how much she resents Sarah Larabee, she would have never killed her. Your sister only kills when she finds it necessary ... and I know she would have never harmed that little boy. She doesn't resent Adam, does she?"

"No ... no, she doesn't. Just Sarah," Buck acknowledged in wonderment. He was silent, trying to figure that one out, then said softly, "Reckon Sarah was always my idea of what ... well, the woman I'd want to marry, when I was ready to settle down. She was beautiful and sweet and kind. She had a temper on her, but for all that ... I guess we really did consider her an angel on earth, because the only time she'd lose her temper was when she was worried or scared by something dumb we done ... something that coulda gotten us hurt."

"Listen to yourself, Buck. Listen to the way you describe Sarah," Orrin said quietly. He knew for a fact that the anger wasn't as fierce in Adriana as it was when she originally came to town. She had begun letting down her guard with the people in town, and Orrin was heartened to see a strong friendship growing between her and his daughter-in-law. He wondered if he was the only one who saw the similarities between Mary and Adriana.

He knew from talk around town that most people only saw the differences ... Mary was the blonde, beautiful daughter of privilege. Wasn't that how Ezra Standish put it at one point? And Adriana ... Adriana seemed to be dark on the inside and out, a dark heart to match her dark hair, Conklin had said. Old fool. She wasn't beautiful, and while Conklin had no way of knowing this, she was the daughter of a working girl ... albeit a working girl who was born a member of the Dutch aristocracy. So ... maybe they weren't so terribly different on the face of things, after all. But was Orrin the only person who saw their similarities?

They were both young women who had begun to discover their own strength, due to tragedies and hardships. But while Mary was still learning her strength, Adriana knew her own. She was only just learning about her more tender side. They balanced each other out. Mary appreciated Adriana's quiet ferocity, as well as her not so quiet determination, while for her own part, Adriana appreciated Mary's honesty.

Orrin had heard her say on more than one occasion before he left Four Corners to begin his investigation at the asylum that she had more respect for a woman who made an honest mistake than one who never tried. During one such conversation, Adriana had grinned almost sheepishly, adding, "That's what Aunt Dulcie always used to say ... do something, even if it's wrong, because then at least you tried. You never learn anything if you don't make mistakes."

In some ways, that response surprised Orrin ... with the amount of pain in her life, caused by people who had made honest mistakes, he didn't expect her to feel that way. She admitted that she didn't ... not always ... but it was something she tried to remember. The girl gave him a sidelong glance, adding with a rueful grin that she didn't always succeed. But she did try. And usually, once the pain became manageable ... it became easier to remember.

Remembering that conversation, Orrin continued, "Think of what you remember. Never the times when Sarah made a mistake. Never the times when she hurt Chris, during an argument. And don't try to tell me that she didn't ever do anything to hurt you, or Chris, or Adam. I won't believe you. Because while you and Chris think she was an angel ... there's no one that perfect on this earth. Adoration isn't love."

Buck looked away again, and Orrin sighed. Well, there was no help for it. He would understand when he was ready. Besides, Buck's relationship with his sister wasn't his concern. But after a moment, the cowboy said softly, "I just never realized what we was doin.' Hell, no, Sarah wasn't perfect! But DeeDee's right ... alive or dead, we woulda never left her in that hellhole. That's what makes me so sick, Judge. She was right."

Buck turned back to face Orrin, his back to the wall as he whispered, "Do you have any idea what it's like? To realize just how badly you failed someone whom you love? Do you know what it's like to see your baby sister fightin' herself? I didn't just fail her, Judge, I betrayed her! I betrayed every promise I ever made to her, from the moment she was born! I swore that I'd protect her, that I'd always be there for her, I swore that if she needed me, I would come for her, and I broke every damn one of those promises! There wasn't a damn thing I could do for Sarah and Adam, except what I done ... give 'em a proper burial, and that wasn't somethin' I could do for my own sister, my own flesh and blood!"

Now they were reaching the heart of the matter. Orrin didn't speak. Instead, he kept one eye on the distraught man in the corner and another on the sleeping tracker. Buck shook his head, whispering, "I know I done wrong by DeeDee. And I know how hard she's workin' to forgive me. Lord help me, I know that DeeDee hates Sarah 'cause of me, and 'cause of Chris. What's more, I don't think Sarah would blame her one bit. Wasn't nothin' more we coulda done for them. But we still had a chance to do for DeeDee."

"Let the dead bury their dead," Orrin said softly. He was a Christian, but couldn't remember if that came from the Bible. He didn't know his Bible that well. He had almost burned it after Stephen's death. What use was the Bible when his son had been murdered? Where was God, when Orrin's only child was shot in front of his five year old son? What kind of God allowed such things to take place?

"Yeah ... yeah. Let the dead bury their dead. Was my job to take care of the living. And I did that ... I just forgot that there was someone other than Chris to tend to," Buck replied softly. He looked at Orrin, saying, "Me. It was my decision, it was my choice. Chris ain't to blame for the choice I made. He's never forgiven himself for not getting back in time to save Sarah and Adam ... now he's havin' a hard time forgivin' himself for not bein' there for DeeDee."

"Not just your job, Buck. Everyone loses their way from time to time. You, and Chris, you both found your ways back to the living. Everyone loses their way, everyone has to find their way back," Orrin replied. He looked again at the sleeping tracker, adding softly, "You can't do anything for your sister right now. But you can do something for Vin. Quit questioning his ability to do his job."

There was another sigh from the man at the window, then Buck nodded. Orrin continued, "On second thought ... there may be something you can do for your sister after all." Buck turned to look at him again, and Orrin asked, "What can you tell me about your father? I know he was married, and his wife left him about ten years ago. Which is rather strange ... do you know something about her family, why she would leave him at that time? And I know you saw him around when he visited ... your mother's house."

There was a faint smile on the other man's face at Orrin's dodging, but he replied, "He couldn't stay away from my mother or Katrien. Once a month, he would be there ... and his wife would always come to the house to tell us before he showed up. I never understood Rachael Wilmington. The woman was totally opposed to my mother and the other girls ... but she always warned us when he would come. Maybe because she knew he always asked for DeeDee. Mind you, she was only five at the time. Was right around the time Katrien started pushin' her away."

Say again? Buck continued, "He always said that if DeeDee wasn't his daughter, then he would ... he could ... " He fumbled for the words, and Orrin waved his hand. Never mind that, he could figure it out, even though he didn't want to. Buck continued with obvious relief, "Serena had him kicked out of the house the first time he suggested that. She didn't run that type of place. Weren't natural, you know?"

Orrin did indeed know. Buck continued after a moment, "I shoulda known somethin' was goin' on, Judge. I'd get letters from my ma and Serena. Tellin' me about visits from Rachael, in the weeks before DeeDee disappeared, and after Rachael left the old man. Woman was scared out of her mind. Afraid of the old man. She actually sat in the ... house ... and told my mother and Serena how scared she was. The old man lost it. Rantin' 'bout his parents, and what a fool his father was. His father died savin' his mother, and his mother died tryin' to save him ... but he kept sayin' about how his father shouldn't have bothered ... women are weak, they're replaceable."

Orrin swallowed hard at this all-too-common sentiment. He had been raised by his Irish mother to respect women, and it was something he and Evie taught Stephen in turn. He couldn't imagine ever replacing Evie or Mary. They were irreplaceable ... totally unique, and Orrin didn't want to imagine his life without either one. Buck continued, "Serena told me a bit about Rachael in her letters, more than what I knew as a kid. She told me Rachael Wilmington was the reason she never had any desire to get married." Orrin raised his eyebrows at that.

Buck obliged him with an explanation, saying, "See, Serena remembers when the old man married Rachael. She was young and beautiful ... 'bout as feisty as Mary is. And she was the apple of her father's eye. He adored her. And he warned the old man what would happen if he ever hurt Rachael in any way. Serena told me that Rachael's mama died when she was a little girl, and her papa was the type of man who cherished her as a final gift from his wife."

The antithesis of Edward Douglas, then, who had blamed his four year old daughter for his wife's death. Buck continued, "What was more, Rachael's papa was a powerful man. He wanted only the best for his little girl. Truth be told, from what I heard about the man, he woulda felt better 'bout Rachael marryin' someone like me or Chris. He liked honest men, and there was something about the old man that he didn't like."

"And yet he consented to the marriage," Orrin murmured and Buck nodded. The judge asked, "Did you ... do you know her father's name? If he was a powerful man back east, and if he's still alive, he may be a powerful ally." Buck lifted his head, his dark blue eyes suddenly filling with hope, as if this was something he hadn't considered. Orrin's mind was working furiously as he thought about it.

Continued...

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