Disclaimer: All the characters from the "Magnificent Seven" TV series are property of Trilogy Entertainment, The Mirisch Group, MGM Worldwide.
"Miss Styles!" Nathan Jackson called after her. "You can't go up there on your own!" The healer was following the lovely young doctor as she walked down the board walk clutching her worn doctor's bag. It was early morning in Four Corners and his frantic voice carried through the length of town, alerting passers by to the altercation that was quickly moving towards the livery.
"Look," Alexandra Styles paused and turned wearily to Nathan, "you can't go because Mrs. Doherty won't let a man treat her. I know the journey is a day's ride but I'll make it. How hard can it be?" She was dressed in her riding clothes and the weather was insufferably hot for it. Even though summer was well and truly gone, the chill had yet to settle into the fall. In truth, she was not that good a rider and did not relish making such a trip alone. However, Agnes Doherty, whom Alex had been seeing on consultation, had not come in for her weekly examination. The woman had a severe heart condition and although Alex did not know for certain, she felt that Agnes' inability to meet her appointment today was cause for concern. She was an old woman, on her own, and if she had hurt herself there would be no one to help her before it was too late.
"It's through some pretty nasty terrain ma'am!" Nathan tried desperately to convince her. "I ought to be going with you."
"But you can't" she said firmly. "There's three cases of yellow fever in this town for which you are the attending physician, and since I'm the only one who can treat Mrs. Doherty, I'm going to have to go." With that she resumed walking once again.
Nathan let out an exasperated sigh and shook his head as he continued after her. She was right of course. Even Chris Larabee had been aware of the situation when he had taken the others to escort the stage into town. For the past two weeks, the stage had been ambushed somewhere along the trail from Sweet Water, and lives had been lost. Despite the leader of the seven desiring his presence, since Vin had taken off to Purgatory to get a lead on who might be responsible for these robberies, Chris knew how important it was that he remained to aid the sick.
However, Nathan was not about to let her go riding off on her own either. This was Territory where a woman, especially one as beautiful as she, was in serious danger of coming to harm. Unfortunately, she had a healer's instinct that was almost as strong as his, if not more, and that meant she often went where angels feared to tread. He supposed that in the scheme of things it was to be admired that she was so dedicated, but it was dangerous and they both knew it.
"I appreciate the concern, Nathan" Alex smiled warmly. Since her arrival in town, Alex finally knew what it was like to have a brother. Nathan was like that to her. They got along so well, it was a friendship that would be ruined if there were anything sexual about it. They not only worked well together professionally, but also understood what it was like to feel like an outcast for no good reason. In their kinship, they had become more then just friends. They were family.
"You appreciate it," he retorted unhappily, "but you gonna do this fool thing anyway."
"You got it" she winked and resumed walking down the boardwalk, even more determined than ever.
Nathan rolled his eyes and mumbled to himself. "Good Lord give me strength."
"Howdy Nathan." Vin Tanner's voice suddenly came up behind him. The healer jumped slightly and turned around to offer the tracker a sharp glare.
"Will you not do that!" Nathan barked. "If I had a gun, I might have shot you dead." The tracker had the most annoying habit of being able to sneak up behind people without giving away the slightest hint of his presence. Nathan supposed that came from tracking buffalo and people, but sometimes, when his nerves were like they were right now, Vin's ability could just rub him the wrong way.
"Okay" Vin took a step back looking at him with a raised brow. Nathan was not usually this upset for no good reason. "Something wrong?"
"No," Nathan shook his head, feeling sorry that he had bitten at Vin like that. He knew why he was angry and it was not Vin's fault that he was just a naturally stealthy person. "I thought you were in Purgatory getting leads on these robberies."
"There ain't none" Vin frowned unhappily. "If there is, they did a pretty good job of hiding it." He sighed. "I think I done talked to half of Purgatory and nobody knew anything about who's been robbing these coaches. I tell you, its like they vanish into smoke after the job."
"My three cases of yellow fever are still pretty bad." Nathan sighed, not being able to offer Vin any better news. "I need to be close to town and Miss Styles has got it in her head to ride to the Doherty place by herself to check on Miss Agnes."
"Alone?" Vin looked at him, knowing the terrain well. The Doherty homestead was in rough country, with craggy, uneven ground that made it an effort even for an experienced rider to traverse, let alone an inexperienced one who was mostly accustomed to riding in a wagon.
"Yeah." he nodded looking at the tracker unhappily. "Mrs. Doherty won't see no one but her, so I can't go and have her stay with the yellow fever cases" Nathan grumbled. He glanced in the direction of the livery and saw Alex almost reaching the public stable where her horse Calliope was kept. Suddenly an idea came to him.
"Vin, you can go with her" he stated. "Its too late for you to meet Chris and the others."
Vin did not like that idea at all. Not one damn bit. "No," he said quickly stepping back as if the suggestion was hot water scalding his skin. "She doesn't like me too much Nathan and she won't go for it." He hoped that excuse sounded even partially credible.
"I'm asking you to escort her on a ride," Nathan exclaimed, "not marry her. What is it with you folks today? Has everyone got to give me an argument?" The black man boomed before grabbing Vin by his jacket and pulling him along as he continued walking.
"Nathan, this ain't a good idea" Vin protested as he was dragged down the board walk by the determined healer.
"I'm not listening to you Vin" Nathan said firmly as he towed the tracker unwillingly to the boardwalk. He knew if he let go of Vin, the man was only going to think of a reason to squirm out of this task. Vin and Miss Styles had never really gotten along since her arrival in town. They were so different that they reacted to each other like fire and oil. No matter what the subject, it was always guaranteed to end up in an argument. Although he did not wish to inflict their company on each other, Nathan knew that this was the only solution. At least with Vin escorting her, Nathan did not have to worry about any harm coming to the good doctor. Also, Vin knew that part of the country better than anyone else. He could make the trip go considerably faster, which was some consolation, Nathan supposed.
By the time they arrived at the livery, Vin had exhausted every possible argument he could think of, to not accompany Alex Styles to the Doherty place. Unfortunately, Nathan's determination that he go was as inexhaustible as his ability to block out those very same arguments. He merely nodded patiently and ignored every single word that Vin had said before repeating that Vin was going. Vin was starting to wonder if his consent was every really an issue with the extremely irritated healer.
"Miss Styles, look who I found to go with you" Nathan announced proudly when they found Alex saddling her horse.
Alex met Vin's gaze briefly and then said very calmly to Nathan. "May I speak to you outside Mr. Jackson?" Judging by the expression on her face, she was not any happier at Nathan's suggestion than Vin himself.
"No." Nathan shook his head, folding his arms to show that he was immobile on this subject. "Cause you're only going to try and talk me out of it. Vin is going with you."
"I do not need a baby sitter." Alex retorted giving Vin a look that could only be interpreted as distaste. "What is it with you men and this chauvinistic crap?"
"That does it" Vin said quietly, exhaling loudly as he looked at Nathan. "Get someone else. I just rode back from a den of thieves and outlaws, meaner than spit. I am not going out on the trail so I can spend a whole day listening to that." He shot Alex a filthy look, which she returned in kind. With that, he started walking out of the building while Alex turned back to her horse.
"Freeze!" Nathan Jackson fairly roared and froze them both in the tracks.
Slowly, Vin and Alex turned back to Nathan and found themselves facing the healer who was glaring at them furiously. "Now I don't care what petty snit the two of you have got going, and I don't give a rat's ass at this moment." Nathan's eyes darted to Vin and then to Alex. "But you are going with her," he pointed his finger at the tracker in no uncertain terms before turning to Alex. "You are going to let him escort you, if I have to tie you down in the saddle and have him lead you there!"
"Actually I'd pay to see that." Vin quipped.
Nathan silenced him with a look.
"Do I make myself clear?" He demanded, staring at them both hard, defying them to challenge him on this point. It was not often that Nathan exerted his temper like this, but he was hard to ignore when he was this riled. Despite themselves, both Alex and Vin had come to the conclusion that perhaps they were behaving a little childishly and conceded defeat in silence.
"Yes." Alex spoke first reluctantly.
"Yeah." Vin nodded a moment later.
"Good," Nathan smiled broadly, his pearly white teeth against his mahogany colored skin making it almost a grin. "Now have a pleasant trip."
The robberies had been strange from the very beginning. Stagecoach robberies usually took place in a set pattern. Outlaws waylaid the carriage on some forgotten track and ransacked all the passengers' belongings until they found something of value. On very rare occasions, they shot someone if the victim made an attempt to flee or put up a fight. Most of the time, the passengers knew it was best to give up without a struggle to prevent any provocation that might give the gunmen reason to fire. However, as Chris Larabee rode with the four men who were the unofficial peacekeepers of Four Corners, he knew that there was something not right about this particular band of outlaws.
Most outlaws had a reputation somewhere, even if it was merely speculation. The men who robbed the stagecoach during the past two weeks were professionals, that much Chris knew. They knew exactly who was on the stage and they knew what they were looking for, even before they held it up. This suggested to Chris a certain amount of discipline that came only with experience. However, the identity of the outlaws was a guarded secret because they did not leave anyone alive after the robbery.
The outlaws murdered everyone, including the driver during the first robbery. There had been five people on the stage and all of them had been shot, including a seven-year-old child. The infamy of it incensed them all, for it was an unnecessary act of violence. Vin had read the tracks when they found the scene and knew that there had been no attempt to interfere with the criminals. The passengers had accepted the robbery and allowed the outlaws to pick their belongings clean. Unfortunately, once there was nothing left to steal, the outlaws turned their guns on the helpless passengers and murdered every one of them.
The slaying sent shock waves throughout the area for good reason. Every lawman from Four Corners to Eagle Bend was on the alert for these outlaws, whoever they might be. Unfortunately, the trail was cold because of the decided lack of witnesses to the crime. Approximately a week after the initial murders, another coach was attacked, this time leaving Four Corners to Bitter Creek. Once again, the stage had been detoured to a disused trail before its drivers and passengers died under a hail of bullets. Like the first time, there had been no survivors and the body count rose by a number of eight.
This time, Chris Larabee was taking no such chances. He knew that the other towns were guarding their stagecoach trails with similar tenacity and he did not intend to let Four Corners suffer the brunt of another vicious attack. He had seen the body of the child in the first robbery and it struck too close to home, particularly in the light of Mary's miscarriage almost six weeks before. Although she had recovered somewhat after that ordeal, he could not forget the look in her eyes at the news of that dead child. The boy was no older than her own son Billy.
"They should be here soon." Josiah commented, staring up the trail from their hiding place in the trees.
"Unless someone got to them first." JD pointed out that grim possibility and engendered a frown from most of the older members of the group. No one liked the idea of what that would mean. This whole stake out was meant to be a preventative measure, not a clean up operation.
"Always an optimistic soul ain't ya?" Buck retorted, patting the young man's back.
"Sorry." JD apologized, not wanting to sound as if he was being a pessimist. He did not think it should be right for anyone to be killed in cold blood the way these murderers had been doing. It left a bad taste in his mouth thinking anyone could be so callous. He wanted to find those men just as much as the others, it was just the waiting that he abhorred.
"That's perfectly all right, Mr. Dunne." Ezra remarked, understanding the boy meant no harm. He was young and felt things deeply. There was a time when they had all felt that way, even if none wished to speak of it aloud. "These are unscrupulous men indeed. There is no reason to assume they may not have altered their patterns."
"What do you mean?" Josiah turned to the gambler sharply.
"He means," Chris answered before Ezra could, his eyes never moving off the trail of the anticipated stagecoach, "if they're willing to kill a stage load of people to hide their identity, then they're smart enough to change tactics to throw us off their track."
"Precisely" Ezra said with a slight tip of his hat at his leader's direction. "Spoken like a true commander of the field."
Chris did not react to Ezra's compliment, if that indeed was what the gambler had been aiming for, instead he remained silent as always, watching the road and listening closely. Realistically, if the stage was ambushed, they would only know about it if they were close enough to hear the gunshots. Chris hoped it did not come to that.
"These varmints need stringing up" Buck said with more venom in his voice than he normally cared to show. The outlaws had been most indiscriminate about whom they killed and finding the bodies after their massacre, left an image in his mind he could have lived without.
"We'll oblige them for sure." Chris said simply. "When we find them."
He could understand the feelings of those around him and knew that these murderers had stabbed at the very heart of what they had tried to accomplish in Four Corners for the last year. By their presence alone, the town had become a safer place and each man felt a certain amount of pride because of that, even if they would never admit it. All of them considered the town their home. Chris, in particular had reason to keep it safe. Billy often returned home by stage, and if they could not put an end to this his trips home would be less frequent. After her miscarriage, Mary needed to see her son without fearing for his safety.
The time moved by slowly, and before they knew it the stage was late. A few minutes stretched into five and then ten. By the time it was twenty minutes late, Chris knew he was not waiting any longer. Digging his heels into his horse, he tore out of their hiding place giving his companions little warning of his intentions. Nevertheless they were used to his behavior by now and were content to merely follow him instead.
They had not traveled far when they heard gunshots in the distance. The sound made them ride faster, racing against time as they tried to reach the stage before it was too late. Chris, as always, was in the lead with JD keeping pace easily. The only reason Chris had outdistanced him was because the gunslinger had a head start. Under normal circumstances, JD was more than capable of riding them all into the ground. Amazingly enough, this skill had developed while the young man had lived in the east. JD's only knowledge of the west was what he had learned from those cheap dime novels that inspired his youthful imagination.
The terrain was dry, with the surrounding trees undergoing the process of autumn discard. Leaves covered the ground in an array of bright, vibrant colors. Against the backdrop of a clearer sky than any found across the country, the effect was nothing less than breathtaking. The gunshots had traveled some distance to reach them, but Chris knew that it was not far enough away that they could not reach the beleaguered stage in time, if that was what where the shots had rung.
As they neared the source of the gunfire, the shooting stopped abruptly. It was followed by the terrified scream of a woman.
"Down there!" Chris pointed to a narrow trail away from the main track, just narrow enough to fit the stagecoach. Thick bushes and shrubs shrouded it and presented every indication that they had recently been forced aside, if the leaves and broken branches was any thing to go by. If Vin was present, he would be able to tell Chris in an instant. Unfortunately, without the benefit of the tracker, and with the urgency of the situation now escalated, Chris was forced to go on instinct. It would be the perfect place to divert the stage and murder its occupants.
As they broke through the thicket, Chris became aware of hoof beats riding away that did not belong to his companions. Straining to see through the dense foliage in front of him, he saw riders in the distance, making their getaway. He counted at least five, and they had seen Chris. Immediately, they began firing and Chris crouched down low because they were too far away to make an accurate shot. By the time he had broken through the worn path of leaves and branches, Chris knew that they were too far away for the lawmen to catch them. The realization of this escape made Chris swear, until he saw the stagecoach and the bodies.
God, not again.
Grimly exchanging glances as their mounts slowed to a trot towards the crime scene, they all feared the worst. The stage lay titled slightly to the side on uneven ground. The horses harnessed to the wooden carriage were stamping their feet in distaste, made uneasy by the scent of death in the air. While the humans approaching did not have as sharp a sense of it as the team of horses awaiting their arrival, the feeling of bad tidings was palpable in their lungs as well.
The luggage scattered in the surrounding area seemed to confirm this fact. Ransacked suitcases and trunks were strewn about the ground in an expanding field of debris that only spoke in hushed tones of the violence committed in this grove, far away from civilization. Personal belonging trampled underfoot by the outlaws and their horses covered the ground as the lawmen dismounted and neared the silent carriage with growing trepidation.
"We're too late" Buck whispered. He did not want to face another scene of carnage as they had done twice before. It twisted his insides as it soon became painfully apparent this was precisely what they would find. The scene before them was no different than the last time, only the location and the faces had changed.
"We don't know that" Josiah said quietly but no one seemed to speak up in agreement. The outlaws had left no survivors previously, and there was enough evidence before them to indicate that this time was no different. Chris looked around, recalling with absolute certainty that he had heard the cry of a woman shortly after the shots. He strode forward, unafraid of anything that could be waiting for him inside the carriage because horror and he were old acquaintances. After finding Adam and Sarah's charred bodies in what was left of their home, nothing had the power to frighten him after the horror of that discovery. As he rounded the carriage, he came into sight of a woman.
Upon his approach, she looked up at him with the most astonishing emerald colored eyes he had ever seen. They were filled with tears and those perfect lips seemed to quiver with sorrow as she wept for the four bodies before her on the grass. Her long, copper colored hair was loose against her white skin, which seemed a great deal paler in the face of the tragedy before her. She did not seem hurt but the top four buttons of her blouse were undone, revealing enough cleavage to give him concern.
"You scared them away" she said, fumbling for those buttons as he came towards her, before picking up gloves that were resting on a nub of rock near her.
"Are you all right, ma'am?" Chris asked, worried that the men who had murdered these people, an elderly couple, a middle aged man who appeared to be the stage coach driver and a boy not much older than JD, might have harmed her. It was nothing less than a miracle that she had been left alive, although if they had intended to have their way with her, she might be happier with the alternative. As it was, all, the victims had been shot in the back of the head. Chris could see the sickening moisture of pulp on their skulls and stepped in front of the woman so she had to look at him and not at the grisly scene before her. He dropped to his knees to help her off her own.
"They wanted to force me" she whispering, shuddering visibly by the odious notion. The tears started running down her cheeks faster now, they made her cheeks sparkle with luster.
"You're safe now ma'am." he reassured her, placing his hands on her shoulders to help her to her feet. She slid up with him, never more than a hair's breath away. Chris could smell the scent of lavender and wondered wildly whether she bathed in it or was it merely perfume. Suddenly, he noticed that he was becoming too aware of her and took a safe step back.
"What happened here?" Chris asked, noting the look of surprise on the face of his companions. Chris was not normally so taken by any woman, except Mary. He glared at them with a look that spoke volumes as to what they could do with their assumptions of his reaction. Hell, she was a beautiful woman. He was man wasn't he? He was allowed to look if not touch. Besides, his heart was and always would be with Mary Travis. No spectacularly beautiful woman could ever change that.
And if Mary knew he had looked at this woman like this, she would utterly kill him.
Chris was almost grateful when Buck Wilmington closed in on them, knowing that his old friend was in a better position to be of comfort to her than Chris was himself. For obvious reasons, she made Chris feel uncomfortable. However, there were also some not so obvious ones that put him on guard for the same reason. Was it right to complain if something seemed so flawless? Could it not mean that the imperfection was only buried deeper?
Buck handed her his handkerchief and produced his most charming smile. She was, in his opinion, the most dazzling creature he had ever seen, and he had considerable experience to be able to make that statement with some accuracy. "Now darling," he said with the warmth that Chris would not show, "we're the law in these parts and we're here to protect you." He gestured towards the others, who were spreading out over the crime scene to make a thorough examination. Only Ezra and Chris remained.
"I was so scared" she spoke with an eastern accent with a soft and breathless voice, holding onto Buck's linen handkerchief like it was made of silk. "They killed everyone for no reason. They forced the coach to this terrible place," her eyes moved over the grove like they belonged to a frightened doe. "They killed the driver" she whispered, stealing a reluctant glance in the direction of the body belonging to middle aged man. "Then they made us all climb out while they went through our things, trying to find our valuables. After they took everything, they started shooting." Her resolve seemed to break then and she descended into tears while taking refuge in Buck's comforting arms.
Buck looked genuinely touched by this poor woman's ordeal and offered Chris a look of helplessness as she wept in his arms. Chris rolled his eyes, seeing Buck's interest was more than just passing before looking at Ezra's whose expression was one of quiet amusement. Chris had no idea what the gambler found so amusing with four bodies and a woman who was frightened out of her mind. Chris made a mental note to be let in on the joke when they returned to town. After the grisly work they would soon have to perform with collecting and returning the bodies to Four Corners, Chris was going to need a good laugh. Sometimes Ezra's ability to remain so detached surprised even Chris Larabee.
When she had composed herself, she continued her story, drying her tear filled eyes as she spoke. "They were going to force themselves on me! I fought them but there were five and all I managed to do was pull off one of their masks. I saw one of their faces very well indeed."
That immediately caught Chris' attention. Finally, an eyewitness who could identify one of the killers! He strode towards her again. "What exactly did you see ma'am?" he asked.
"Now Chris," Buck looked at him sternly. "The lady's been through a difficult ordeal. Can't we spare her this until we get back to town?"
"Yes," Ezra said for the first time. "We wouldn't want this delicate flower to wilt under such strong interrogation. I am certain, she will accommodate our questions after she has had a moment to regain her strength."
There was something in Ezra's voice that made the gunslinger look over his shoulder. For a moment, he could not tell if Ezra was being serious or not. It sure as hell sounded to Chris like Ezra was almost enjoying this poor girl's suffering. Buck seemed oblivious to it, but Chris had learnt enough about Ezra to pick up the subtle inflections in his voice. This was one of those moments when Chris could not decipher his intentions. Chris was at a loss whether to thrash the crap out of him for his behavior or shake a reason out of him.
"I don't see why not." Chris conceded, still somewhat bewildered by Ezra's attitude. "They're long gone anyway. We couldn't catch up with them even if we wanted to."
"May I have the honor of your name ma'am?" Buck inquired, realizing that proper introductions had not been made.
"Why certainly," she said smiling a little. "I am Julia Pemberton of Pennsylvania."
"Why that's a might pretty name, Miss Pemberton." Buck said taking her extended hand and kissing it in that most cosmopolitan way.
Chris and Ezra exchanged knowing glances, wondering if there was any moment which Buck found inopportune to make a play for a lady. Granted this female in particular was especially fetching, but Buck might have found a better venue to nurture a future dalliance. For a moment, it seemed that neither was aware that there were four bodies lying in the dirt only a few feet from them.
"I am Buck Wilmington," Buck introduced himself with a smile before turning to his friends. "That there is Chris Larabee and Ezra Standish."
She turned to them and exclaimed. "You are my knights in shinning armor, all of you."
Chris cleared his throat and replied uncomfortably, "We should get you back to town Miss Pemberton." Somehow, Chris did not trust Buck alone with this young woman. When his old friend was anywhere in the vicinity of a beautiful woman, Buck didn't have the sense that God gave a dog. Chris did not want to chance Buck being distracted on the unlikely chance that those killers were still out here. She was the only witness they had, and the first real lead to these slayings since they had begun. He was not going to lose that for any reason. No, Buck was not a good choice to escort Miss Pemberton to Four Corners. If she could identify even one of the men carrying out these vicious crimes, then it was imperative she reach Four Corners safely.
"Ezra," he said quietly motioning the gambler closer. "Can you take her into town? We're going to need the coach to transport the bodies."
"Certainly Mr. Larabee." Ezra turned to the young woman wearing that same bemused expression that Chris was at a loss to explain. What was it he was seeing?
"But Chris!" Buck protested almost immediately for reasons that were obvious to all except the young lady. "I can do that." He marched up to the gunslinger to prove his point, casting another smile in the lady's direction, assuring her that he would handle this slight problem of her escort.
"Chris what are you trying to do to me?" He hissed quietly, grabbing Chris arms and veering him out of Miss Pemberton's earshot. "Are you trying to ruin my chances with her? That is the most gorgeous creature that ever walked the earth!
Chris shook his head in disbelief wondering if Buck was for real or not. It took less than a second for Chris to realize that he was perfectly serious. Well, Buck was not the only one who could do that. "Buck," he said calmly, not in the mood for this when people had died because of their inability to reach them in time. "I am not having this conversation with you. I need you here with me, with your brain any place other than where it is right now. She goes with Ezra."
Buck opened his mouth to protest and saw the icy glare that Chris was giving him. It was a lost cause and he knew it. "Fine" he said gruffly, throwing Ezra an unhappy scowl. "But I'll never forgive you for this."
"I'll try to get over it." Chris retorted and took a step towards the slightly disheveled Miss Pemberton. "Ma'am, Ezra here will take you to Four Corners, if that's agreeable."
The young woman looked at Ezra as if noticing him for the first time. Her eyes held Ezra's gaze for a few seconds before she looked graciously at Chris once more, with that near perfect smile on her lips. "That would be most accommodating, Sir." She said in a voice full of breathless charm.
Chris walked towards Ezra to have a private moment with the gambler as the lovely Miss Pemberton gathered her belongings from the coach. Predictably Buck was in attendance, providing support for the young woman as they steered around the grisly collection of bodies. By now, Josiah had returned and was performing last rites over the bodies, even if they were somewhat belated. JD had found a quilt from the strewn belongings to cover the bodies from exposure to save Miss Pemberton further need to view them in full living color.
"Don't let her out of your sight." Chris instructed Ezra, who was still watching the woman under Buck's ministrations. "If she saw them, there's a chance they might come back to finish the job. They've been pretty determined to hide their faces, I don't think they'll appreciate having a witness around to identify them."
"I will ensure that the young lady is properly supervised. Mr. Tanner should be in town by this time so we should be able to deal with anything, should it arise." Ezra reassured the gunslinger.
Chris nodded before letting out a deep sigh. "This smells bad."
With that Ezra could not disagree. The carnage that resulted from a mere stage robbery was disturbing. There was no reason to kill like this. From what little Miss Pemberton was able to impart on them, the outlaws had taken precautions to hide their faces. Why do that if the intention to kill was always there? Ezra could understand Chris' puzzlement at the unnecessary shedding of blood and the total lack of discrimination in the victims selected. "It does seem to be somewhat overkill for a mere act of theft."
"Overkill is an understatement." Chris grumbled. "They kill women and children." His voice was a hard line of barely concealed anger, which was rare for Chris Larabee in Ezra's opinion. Chris had a tighter rein on his emotions than most people Ezra knew. If the gunslinger had chosen to make gambling his profession, he would have had the most perfect poker face.
"There is going to be an outcry until we catch these villains." Ezra pointed out. Lawmen in all the surrounding towns, including Four Corners were under community pressure to end the killings. It had produced a measure of unprecedented cooperation between local law enforcement in all the towns and the directive had now slipped beyond the prestige of being the first to catch these outlaws, to simply ending the threat.
"I know" Chris nodded somberly. "I'm starting to think that this is not about a robbery."
Ezra looked at him, interested in where that well honed intellect was leading Chris Larabee. Ezra had seen Chris offered clues that were absolutely meaningless to the others, only to craft a perfectly plausible reason for its existence. He had a logical and deductive mind that was capable of taking apart a problem to its bare elements and then devising an equally logical solution. If Chris thought there was more to this than just petty theft then Ezra believed him with almost complete faith.
"She's a pretty woman" Chris remarked suddenly glancing in the direction of Miss Pemberton who was returning with a small valise in her hand and Buck still following closely. The present subject was too grim and there would enough time for him to suffer its tragic consequences when Ezra was gone. At the moment, Chris wanted to forget about the deaths so he could concentrate on the job.
Ezra had to agree with him with the change of subject and his observation of the young woman. Miss Pemberton was extremely lovely. He found himself invariably comparing her to Alexandra who was very attractive herself, except Miss Pemberton knew she was beautiful and Alex viewed her features as another reason why she should not be taken seriously. "Mr. Larabee, as Mrs. Travis' beau, you should not be noticing such things." he quipped.
Chris scowled at him because the gunslinger truly detested that word. It had been a full month since Chris and Mary had gone public about their relationship, and even if the town was hardly surprised, Chris found that people who had previously avoided him were now speaking to him like they were old friends. Suddenly, he was being invited to church socials and asked to participate in local events. He was actually invited to a barn raising a few days ago. Chris could still remember the laughter when Buck had heard that. Not to mention the invitations to dinner whenever Mary was out of town for the day. For some reason, they believed that he was incapable of feeding himself when she was not around to cook for him. Nevertheless, he bore the embarrassment in silence even though it gave the rest of the seven much fodder for amusement.
"I have two words for you." Chris glared at him.
"I think I know what they are." Ezra chuckled.
"Well Mr. Standish," Julia announced her return with another one of those practiced smiles meant to dazzle, "I am in your hands."
Ezra smiled faintly, trying to remain polite even though he was perfectly aware of what was going on. "I shall try to handle you delicately" he responded with every ounce of southern chivalry in his voice.
Buck kept his frown in place, clearly unhappy that Ezra was escorting her to town. Ezra wished he could tell the tall cowboy that he had no reason to worry. After all, he already had the affections of a woman he cared for deeply, he was not foolish enough to toss everything aside for someone who appeared to be more window dressing than an actual person.
"Miss Pemberton," Buck said to her, "it would be my pleasure to call on you in better circumstances."
"You have been most kind Mr. Wilmington," she gave him a look of suggestion that hinted her interest was more than just fleeting. "I should be delighted to have your company at a later date."
Buck grinned at that, happy with his success. He offered a triumphant look in Chris and Ezra's direction before Chris finally stepped forward and took him by the arm. "Come on Buck." He said towing his old friend away from the engaging Miss Pemberton.
"I'll see you in town!" He cried out as Chris distanced them both from Ezra and her.
"Are you ready Miss Pemberton?" Ezra said, shaking his head as he turned around and walked towards his horse, making no offer to help her with her valise.
She was waving goodbye to Buck when she noticed him leaving. With the slightest hint of a frown, Julia hurried after him, somewhat confused that her usual repertoire was not working with this dapper young man. Julia knew the type of course. She had met a few Southerners in her lifetime although she could not say she had ever had one. He was a southern dandy, probably used to mint juleps and sitting on the porches of large plantations while their black slaves fanned the heat from their 'oh so gentle' brows. Julia did not like Southerners or their way of life. The women in their world were even more repressed than the high born society from which she had just escaped. She did not like their world where any man or woman should be the property of others. She had very few morals in some things, and often surprised herself by the existence of high-minded ideals whose origins still mystified her. Perhaps, the question of ownership angered her because she remembered how it felt when her father had sold her to Roderick Packard. The only difference between her and a slave of the old plantations was the color of her skin.
They did not speak immediately after departing from the site of the latest murder, but rode in silence for some distance. Ezra tried not to pay attention to the way her hands were wrapped around his waist or the manner in which she placed her breath, near his ear. He smiled faintly at the obvious tricks, wondering how long it had been since he had last fallen prey to the most ancient of the arts. To her credit, he had to admit she played it well. Any woman who could make Chris Larabee notice her was quite formidable indeed. When Ezra scratched the back of his neck in irritation as a subtle signal for her to stop her attempts at whatever it was she was trying to do to him, he heard the slight huff of disappointment.
"Have I done something to offend you, Mr. Standish?" she asked in the sweet voice of hers.
"Not at all, Julia" he replied as they moved out of the wooded grove and rejoined the main trail back to town. After what they had discovered, he was looking forward to dinner with Alexandra. "I am however, curious."
"Curious?" He did not need to look behind his shoulder to know that she was looking at him with a look of wide-eyed innocence.
"Yes" Ezra nodded. "I've never met any man who, intent on violating a woman, is good enough to undo her buttons with such care or allow her the time to remove her gloves and place them aside."
For a few seconds she did not answer. When she did finally respond, her voice was full of wounded indignation. "Whatever do you mean?" she protested. "Those men were going to rape me!"
"I'm sure they would have partaken in the offering, but I have this sixth sense that you might have bought yourself some valuable time by being a little more accommodating."
"How dare you!" she declared in outrage and Ezra felt a sharp slap on his back, to which he only smiled wider. "You vile beast!" Her anger was quickly followed by the predictable onslaught of tears.
"You are wasting your time." Ezra remarked. "Tears have little effect on me."
"You are a horrible man!" she exclaimed.
"You misunderstand me, Julia." he replied calmly, showing no indication of being the least bit effected by her tears. If anything, it only served to confirm his suspicions. After being raised by Maude Standish, Ezra was accustomed to every possible guile capable of being produced from a conniving female. Perhaps that was why he found Alexandra so refreshing. She was incapable of such cunning because she was frightfully honest.
"You did the intelligent thing. You used the resources that were available to you and escaped the encounter with your neck in one piece. You bought yourself some valuable time with the ploy although, had we not come along, I am certain they would have killed you anyway."
There was a slight pause before he recognized the sounds of a nose being blown and sniffles subsided. "Are you going to voice these suspicions?" she asked after a moment, no trace of the former distress in her voice.
"Of course not." Ezra replied, unsurprised by this sudden about face. "Call it professional courtesy."
"Professional courtesy?"
"Yes," he nodded. "Miss Pemberton, if that is really your name, I have been in this game since you were still deciding what to wear on your society debut. It is my gift to spot a con a mile away, and you, my charming Julia, have made an impressive start."
"Thank you" she frowned, wondering whether this discovery was a good thing or not. "I so enjoy making a good performance."
"First rate," he chuckled. "Truly, you should be on the stage. I shudder to think what new depths of vile you could bring to the role of Lady MacBeth or perhaps even Helen of Troy."
Julia felt herself bristle. She despised the fact that he was able to see straight through her. She often expected such clarity from women because they felt so intimidated by her that it was all they could do when she stole their men away. However, it was a novel experience to be unable to use her arts on a man. He was absolutely correct of course. When the stage had been robbed and Julia had seen what they had done to the others, she had made them the only offer she could to save her life. As odious as it was, she would have allowed those men to touch her, even if it was a stall for more time while she came up with another plan.
"And how did you come to be the law around here?" Julia questioned after a moment, suddenly curious as to his background. "You hardly seem the type to be playing constable."
"I seem hardly the type for many things" Ezra deadpanned, glad that she had dropped the false attempts at trying to trick him. In truth, he sometimes wondered why he was still in Four Corners, continuously risking his life for the town and the six men he called his friends. Deep inside, in that place he admitted the existence of to no one, Ezra Standish had a need to belong. Throughout his life, there were few places he could call home, and even fewer people he could call friends. In a strange way, he now had the family he always wanted. Not just with the six, but with Inez, Mary Travis and her son and, of course, Alexandra, for whom he cared deeply.
"Let's just say, even a con man needs to retire" he replied after a moment, giving her any reason but the truth. He was good enough with facades himself, to make the lie believable. "I own a saloon in town and it is in my best interests for law and order to be maintained. Until our arrival, there was a decided lack of it in Four Corners."
"So I've been made aware." Julia replied. Her resentment was fading somewhat because it was liberating to be herself for a change, without the persona she was forced to maintain around men to get what she wanted. "I would not have bought the Emporium if I had known this area was running rife with highwaymen."
"The Kendall Emporium?" Ezra said with some measure of surprise. "I am sorry to tell you that particular establishment was burnt down" he pointed out.
"I know" she nodded. "However, it will soon be rebuilt and open for business."
"You selected a very unusual choice for a new business" he remarked. Personally, he had not counted on her trying to establish any kind of business. She did not seem like a woman who would be content with the rigors of a career. Women like Julia Pemberton preferred being cared for hand and foot, to be adored up close and adorned in the best.
"I agree" Julia replied, wondering what had been in her mind when she bought the property. She wanted somewhere far away from the world of Philadelphia and the West was a perfect place to hide from the likes of her father and possibly Roderick Packard, should he take it in his mind to find her. After all, she had left him at the altar and he struck her as the kind of man who would be small enough to crave vengeance for his wounded ego. She had read the newspapers saying that opportunities awaited those willing to take the risk in the Territory and there was just a hint of challenge in the article to inspire her excitement. She was through being cared for and pampered. From now on, she was taking charge of her life.
"However, it shows promise" she added after a moment. "I want to build something on my own, without anyone telling me how to do it or whether or not it's proper."
Ezra raised his brow at that remark. "My dear Miss Pemberton," he found himself commenting, "I do say you surprise me. It appears that you may not be as shallow as you seem."
"Why thank you Mr. Standish," she found herself producing a smile that was genuine instead for the benefits of others. "I am so honored that you have favored me with some measure of depth. The lawyer who sold me the business was not so optimistic. He believed that a woman of my delicacy would not enjoy a place like Four Corners." Julia did not add that at the time, she had been sharing the delightful Mr. Porter's bed and that he had practically begged her to marry him by the time she boarded the train to Eagle Bend. He would have said anything to keep her.
"On the contrary," Ezra answered, oblivious to her current line of thought, "Four Corners seems to attract strong women. As you will later learn, and it is fair warning to you now, Mr. Larabee is involved with a highly spirited newspaperwoman who wields considerable influence in town. My own business partner is a lady, and my saloon would probably fall to pieces without her. Not to mention the presence of a lady doctor."
"How very forward" Julia said, slightly impressed, even though she was disappointed that the beautiful Mr. Larabee was taken. Normally that would not stop Julia, but she could not afford to alienate a powerful member of the community in which she was trying to establish herself. Alas, Mr. Larabee, she sighed. It was not to be.
"One other thing," Ezra warned, since they were now having this very frank conversation. "Mr. Wilmington considers himself to be quite the ladies man, and while I believe it is entirely possible that his interest in you is purely carnal, he does seem more taken than usual. If you have no serious affections for him, I would prefer that you did not trifle with his feelings. He is my friend and is one of those rare individuals that bears malice to no one. I would not appreciate it if you hurt him."
"Why Mr. Standish," Julia returned coyly. "Perhaps, this is motivated by a little jealousy?"
Ezra laughed derisively. "Hardly Miss Pemberton. My heart lies elsewhere."
"Truly?" she asked, her interest suitably piqued. Ezra Standish was a most intriguing man. Despite his manner of supreme confidence and his clairvoyance in reading her so accurately, Julia sensed depths to him that were not easily understood. He subtly challenged the rebel in her, and she wondered if it was at all possible to turn his head. "I didn't think it possible for any woman to keep you faithful to her charms."
"Alexandra doesn't need charm to keep me faithful" Ezra replied brusquely. "She just cares."