DISCLAIMER: The characters of the MAGNIFICENT SEVEN belong to MGM, Trilogy, CBS, and TNN. No profit is made from this fan fic in any way, shape, or form except fun. However, I do not want my original characters borrowed or used without my knowledge or consent. If you are unsure if a character is canon or an original, please click here on original characters for an extensive list of my characters and when they were first introduced in my fan fiction.
Also thanks to Linda Backer and Paula for giving me the idea of 'counting coup'. JT Edson's explanation of 'counting coup' was also a tremendous help in his book THE YSABEL KID.
Ezra Standish had a plan. In fact, his wheels began spinning right after Vin explained everything they experienced since coming within spitting distance of Ivyville. Those were Vin's words, not Standish's. He had meandered into the room where Nathan was checking the stitches on Vin's side.
"Another set of scars with which to charm the ladies, my friend?"
"You already got a plan in mind, don't ya?" Nathan had paused long enough from wrapping the bandages around Vin to look up at Ezra and grin. That got Vin's attention as well as Buck's.
"I rather think I do, my friends, but it will cost quite a sum of money." Ezra looked pointedly at Vin who narrowed his eyes looking at Ezra trying to discern what he meant. Then, it dawned on him.
"The money in the bank we were gonna give back?"
"There is the thirty-five hundred in cash that John Terrell bestowed upon us in addition to the stock certificates. I rather think the bank here would be willing to advance us a tidy sum based on that collateral, and what better purpose than to use the money to aid in the solution to the riddle that now faces us?"
Vin looked over at Buck and Nathan. "We'll need to get everyone to agree on it."
Ezra nodded as if he had expected that and was only willing to proceed with unanimous approval.
"I'll go get the others." Buck disappeared, his words floating after him, only to return later with the other men. The judge and the sheriff had accompanied them. Ezra made his proposal and the others listened with interest. They questioned, rebutted, changed a few things here and there, but overall Ezra's plan was agreed to be their best course of action.
When Chris's absence was noted, Vin was heard to mutter, "Why, he probably don't remember any money we got given to us by my kin."
That earned a frown from JD, but Buck had snorted with laughter. "I reckon Vin's got a point, but Chris was with us when we wanted to return the money. Can't see how he'd object to usin' it to stop these fella's before someone else, especially Chris, gets killed. I'll tell him what's up." Vin nodded in agreement.
"Buck's the one he knows and trusts the most right now. He should tell him, an' if he don't like the idea," Vin paused long enough for Ezra to finish the statement.
"We change it." No one had any objections to that. "However, until Mr. Larabee gives his opinion, we implement this plan. It will be a trifle more difficult to pull off without the actual money, but I have worked cons with less."
Judge Travis raised an eyebrow at that, but it was more in amusement than doubting Standish. Ezra had proven his worth and loyalty too many times for the judge to give it a second thought, and his nod of approval in Ezra's direction meant he was willing to allow the con man to bend the law in order to catch the bigger miscreant. Standish and Travis had arrived at this understanding a long time ago. Travis had no doubts that his six friends could keep Ezra on the straight and narrow, and if occasionally Standish used his 'God-given talents' to capture a criminal, then it satisfied that need to win in Standish while keeping him on the side of the law.
The con man left the others to implement their share of the plan while Ezra set off to take care of his end. With the sheriff's help, he made a rather large scene demanding that the bank manager wire his fellow colleague in Four Corners. After a flurry of telegrams, an early supper with the manager and his wife, and some bold but well delivered hints, Ezra had established himself as a major stockholder in John Terrell's railroad. As he had told the banker's lovely wife, Mrs. Gregory Hanson, he had been the only one of the seven who had accepted the opportunity that John Terrell had offered all of the men in gratitude for saving his life and that of his children. It was this investment with Terrell and his subsequent luck in winning a lucrative gold mine not far from Ivyville that had Ezra accompany his former associates to the quaint little town of Ivyville. In Ezra's own words, he had merely traveled here in order to assure himself that his friends were indeed on the mend before he left to finalize his sale of his gold mine.
Then, he was off to his new home in San Francisco where his mother awaited with the deed to their new gaming establishment. His employment as a peacekeeper and his appellation as one of the seven were soon to end. If his associates wanted to join him in his new ventures, he would be delighted to have them as he was seeking new investors in another business he was seeking to establish. This admission emboldened him to ask Hanson if he had anyone in mind who would care to invest. Mr. Hanson's greed only exceeded his wife's, so he was one of the first to declare he would not only love to invest in Ezra's business interests, but he knew of two bold men who would be willing to invest along with him. He promised an introduction to the mayor of Ivyville only after he had forced Ezra to accept a substantial sum of cash with which to guarantee his presence as Ezra's first investor.
Late afternoon had turned into a cold evening as the other men carried out their prospective assignments. Vin had been right. The rain had completely washed away any tracks, so no one had any idea in which direction one of the killers had gone. Adhering to the plan, Vin had actually followed Nathan's orders and had gotten some much-needed rest as had Buck after they had turned out all of the other occupants of Mrs. Gates' boarding house. One young couple with a child had gladly taken the room downstairs while the other guests grumbled on their way over to the saloon. Since most were leaving in the morning anyway, their displeasure dissipated quickly when Mrs. Gates returned their money for the lost evening. Fortunately, Ezra had the forethought to bring at least five hundred dollars with him, and he had covered the cost. It didn't hurt that four very determined men with very large guns had accompanied Mrs. Gates while she made her refunds.
Nathan saved one disgruntled liquor salesman who first refused to vacate his comfortable room from the very irate Sanchez and Wilmington. The two men had merely stood on either side of the little salesman and pointed out the hazards faced when traveling in strange towns and sleeping in strange beds. JD had stood behind the little man trying his best not to laugh out loud at his friends' outrageous behavior. No one but Nathan had heard the judge come in to stand in the doorway with the sheriff.
"You remember that one little fella that sold buttons and stuff?"
"Vividly, Brother Wilmington. I recollect he walked in his sleep and took that room on the second floor despite that bad habit. Why don't you tell this gentleman what happened to the button man." Josiah stepped closer to the little man, and the grin on his face would have frightened the angels out of heaven.
"That little button man got up in the middle of the night sleep walkin'. Found him the next mornin'. The door was open an' some buttons were on the floor. Bein' the law an' all I went lookin'. Door was wide open an' so was the window." Buck moved closer and bent at the knee so the little man could look him in the eyes to see his sincerity.
"Wwwhatt, hhapppenedd to hhhimm?"
"Walked clean out the window. Hit headfirst. We found little buttons all over the ground for weeks after. It was a shame, real shame, wasn't it JD?"
"Oh yeah, Buck. Took poor ole man Miller nearly a whole day to straighten out his neck so it would stop floppin' around every time they tried to close the coffin."
The little man visibly paled. "Brother Jackson, isn't stuttering and turning pale symptoms of a sleep walker?" Josiah asked Nathan with a straight face. Judge Travis had to look at the floor interested suddenly in the intricate pattern on the rug. Sheriff Lawson stepped back and turned to walk down the hall. Peggy wondered why he was smiling like he was, but shook her head. 'Why bother? Wasn't much in a man's mind that didn't have to do with a willin' woman and a good shot of whiskey, or so her brother Ed had always told her.'
Peggy walked down the hallway with a load of fresh linens. She'd have Marcy come upstairs and change the bedding in the rooms while she started supper. She was nearly knocked down by Mr. Watts, the liquor salesman. His hat was on crooked and his tie was askew. Bits of clothing stuck out from the sides of his suitcase like he had just thrown his stuff in the bag and run. He was usually more fastidious than that. The little man was so distracted that he forgot his case of liquor samples. Josiah and Buck had begun to open the forgotten case when a throat clearing behind them had them both offering to return it to its owner. Judge Travis, giving JD Dunne a scowl for his riotous laughter, had suggested that the sheriff return the case to the ruffled little man. Travis actually grinned as the men turned quickly to carry out his orders. So far, the plan was a huge success. It only needed Larabee's blessing before they could continue, and Buck and Vin tackled that problem as soon as possible.
Chris had listened as Buck and Vin outlined the plan while Mary sat in the chair next to the bed. Her presence seemed to mark a turning point for him because he asked where the others were, and asked like he knew about whom he was speaking. Chris had frowned at one point during Buck's explanation, but Mary had leaned forward and placed her hand over his. A quick look at Vin to see that he had already agreed to the plan had Larabee sitting back. He continued to listen without comment until Buck finished talking, asking several pointed questions and making a few succinct remarks that garnered matching grins from Vin and Buck and a hint of a smile behind the faint blush that appeared on Mary's cheeks. That garnered a quick apology from Larabee that nearly had Vin and Buck bursting at the seams to say something about the new understanding between Mary and Chris. One glare stopped any comments that would have been made. Neither Vin nor Buck bothered looking to see if Larabee was giving them his infamous glare. There was no need. Mary's glare worked quite well. Chris agreed only after the others were ushered in and he had heard their opinions. It was evident upon their entrance that he remembered his friends, but his connection to Ivyville still eluded him. Finally, he looked at Ezra.
"You're taking a really big risk. Other than Vin shadowing you, you'll be mostly on your own." He clearly did not like the thought that one of his friends was putting his life at risk for him. JD was not too keen on this idea as well and had been thinking about it all afternoon.
"What if I side with Ezra?" All eyes turned to him. "I mean, what if I announce I am going to be his partner when he tells everyone that he is leaving at the end of the week?" Buck was frowning, but Vin, Nathan, and Josiah looked pensive though not in a discouraging way. Chris looked at Buck gauging his reaction to the idea. Ezra was frowning almost as much as Buck. JD saw the looks passing between the rest of his friends and he plunged ahead wanting to be heard before he was told in no uncertain terms that he would not attempt anything so foolish. "Think about it. I'm the youngest. I'm a city boy. Most folks'll think I'm tired of this life and I'm getting' bored playing sheriff. Ezra could guarantee my future financially and I could do anything I want. I'll have a reason to be with him and I can watch his back."
He finished with a rush of words. Silence reined for only a few seconds, but they were the longest seconds of his life. He played his trump card. "Chris said I was one of you. If I am, then that means I got the right to decide to put myself in harm's way if that is what I need to do to help a friend. I want to do this." Silence still and JD was about to burst waiting for his friends' reactions to his proposal.
"I said, if I recall correctly, that if you were perfect you wouldn't be one of us." Chris's words almost dashed JD's hopes, but the grin on Larabee's face was encouraging.
"He can watch Ezra's back better if he's with him than I can followin' a few minutes behind. I think it's a good idea." JD beamed at Vin's approval.
"Ezra's not likely to take too many unnecessary risks if he knows JD might get caught in the crossfire." Nathan grinned at JD.
"Nathan won't have to worry 'bout that graze slowin' Vin down if things get out of hand before we can get there. I only wish I had thought of it first." Josiah patted JD on the back adding his approval as well.
Judge Travis and Mary both supported JD. He saw it in the way they smiled at him. That left Buck and Ezra. JD almost held his breath. Buck looked over at Ezra and their eyes locked for a moment. JD was the youngest member of the group. He was still learning his way out here, but he had proven time and again he was quick-witted, and he paid attention to the others. Sometimes he got over zealous and forgot not to rush head in, but his arguments had proven he had thought this over carefully. Ezra shrugged his shoulders, a most inelegant way of telling Buck that it was up to him. Ezra would side with whatever decision Buck made. JD looked right at Buck willing him to agree, and he knew he had Buck when the scoundrel's mustache twitched.
"Hell, you been thinkin' on this all day, haven't ya?" When JD grinned and nodded, Buck smiled. "I'll admit I didn't like the idea of Ezra goin' into this alone, an' your idea makes good sense, JD. With Vin shadowin' the two of you, I think the odds are more in our favor than theirs. Let's do this, boys."
His capitulation was all that was needed for Chris to agree completely. He, like Buck, wanted as much protection for his men as possible. None of them were expendable, and he wondered how on earth he could have forgotten any of them for as long as he did. Remembering the despair in his heart when he woke that day to see he was once again in some strange town with Buck watching over him, Chris thanked God that he had his friends. Vin had been upset and disappointed when Chris had demanded to know who he was, but he had also been patient refusing to sneak around. Tanner had met Larabee's amnesia head on without flinching and without any sort of scene or attempts to force Chris to remember and acknowledge something he didn't remember. Tanner never changed his attitude and treatment of his best friend. Chris thought that was why he had been so willing to accept Buck's explanation that Vin was his friend. Allowing Buck to help Larabee to regain his memory at his own pace had actually given Chris the opportunity to become Vin's friend all over again. It had made Chris appreciate Buck's loyalty and friendship all the more.
The two men had treated him with absolute loyalty and friendship, and that was the one thing Chris had needed more than anything. They had watched his back giving him the time to heal. Then his others friends had come to help the minute they knew they were needed. They had not tried to force him to remember by demanding to see him immediately. They had let Nathan come in first to give Buck the one clue that would let Chris relax and accept the images in his mind as his memories returning. Then, they had sent Mary to him in order to emphasize that he had everything to gain by going forward with his friends' help than to fall into the depression of not remembering everything immediately. He knew without a doubt that his friends were watching his back even though he could not for any reason recollect why anyone from Ivyville would want him dead. He hated the fact that his friends were in danger as long as they tried to protect him, but he also was surprised to discover that their presence gave him the strength to accept their help
For the first time since he had been shot, Chris remembered that it was his friends who had made his life worth living again. They might be strangers in a strange town, but they were not strangers to one another. Chris Larabee was no longer alone to face an uncertain future. He had friends, and the men who wanted him dead had no idea the hornets' nest they had disturbed when they attacked one of the seven. Chris lay back against the pillows and did not even complain once when Nathan told him he wanted him to take a dose of laudanum and get a good night's sleep. Tomorrow the seven would turn the tables on the attackers, and the hunters would become the hunted.
If the townspeople thought eight men and one woman taking over the boarding house was strange no one said anything, or they were keeping their opinions to themselves. Things tended to happen to nosy people in this town. Bad things like Old Man Draper falling headfirst down the back stairs of the old store after he had asked everyone within a thirty mile radius who had bought the old Grainger spread. The next Spring Mrs. Hill was found strangled to death three days after she drove nearly everyone to drink asking the name of and all sorts of questions about the woman seen with the man out at the old Grainger spread. A piece of paper was pinned to the chest of both victims that said they had asked one too many questions. Then, there was Sue Jennings, the saloon girl who had hidden and taken care of Larabee when Garvey had his men bushwhack him.
There were several people in town who had seen her being put upon Larabee's big black stallion. She was acting strange, listless, and willingly going with two strange men who had ridden into town earlier. A few brave souls tried to talk to her on the way out, but the normally friendly girl acted like she did not even hear them. Then, several local boys riding in from one of the outlying ranches had seen smoke coming from Sue's old shack and told how they had met up with a gunslinger who was looking for the girl who had found him and was taking care of him. He was worried because she had ridden out on his horse, an animal not known for its fondness of strangers. They found her about a mile from the shack, lying dead beside the big black stallion. Her foot was still in the stirrup, and her once pretty little head was flopped over to the side like a rag doll. Dead, Sue was deader than a beaver hat. The witnesses who had seen her ride in on the stallion with no problem held their peace knowing that they too could end up like Sue. Few people asked questions now, and no one liked to answer them, even when the sheriff was the one asking. Old timers shook their heads. Lawson was not going to live long if he kept asking questions like he was. It was a shame, but folks in Ivyville knew that if you wanted to live long, you had better not stick your nose in other people's business. Better to remain strangers even with folks you'd known all of your lives.
The mayor tried to get information from the sheriff, but Lawson was not about to divulge anything to the man who had insisted he hire a murderer as his deputy. Mayor Garvey insisted that he had no idea that his cousin was involved in an attempted murder, but just the week before his cousin had tried to borrow money from him for gambling debts. Lawson doubted that very much, but without proof there was little he could do except hope and pray the gambler's plan worked. However, the sheriff's appointment with the mayor ensured the man was in his office near the open window by his desk, which was conveniently situated next door to the boarding house. So it was with wide-eyed interest that Garvey overheard snatches of the shouting match wafting down from the open window of the second story room.
"I don't need some gambler ridin' with me! You want your money? Take it and be damned, but I want mine back now!"
Larabee's tirade was also entertaining quite a few of the townspeople. The poor little liquor salesman was so startled by the horrendous sounds emanating down from the open window that he literally ran back into the saloon and locked himself into his room demanding an escort to the stage that was due within the hour. All thoughts of any breakfast were abandoned.
"Now Chris, damnit, Ezra's a friend, a good friend!"
'So Larabee still hadn't regained his memory?' Garvey smiled to himself. It sounded as if one of the legendary seven was being given the boot just because the self-righteous Larabee could not remember just who were friends and who were enemies.
"Get that filthy conman the hell out a my sight! Next time I see him, I'll put a bullet in him! And if he's such a good friend, why the hell did he spend my money for some worthless piece of rock without tellin' me?"
"But Chris, we all agreed to it!" This voice was younger than the others he had heard trying to convince Larabee that this one fellow was to be trusted.
"I don't remember givin' some two bit gambler permission to rob me blind. I want my money back by tonight, Standish. Tonight! And if I don't get it in cash, I'm going to bury you in that gold mine of yours."
"C'mon, Chris. You don't mean that. Buck? Vin?" The young voice sounded desperate and afraid.
People scattered frightened by the menace in the voice as they heard the final comment. "Go with him, kid, cuz I'm tired of you houndin' me! Git your friend Standish ta wipe yer nose for ya! Go on! Git, 'fore I shoot ya!" A door was heard slamming and shortly after two men exited the boarding house. They were on their way to the saloon when when a huge man with gray hair and piercing blue eyes stopped them as they stalked angrily past Garvey's window.
"Ezra, JD, wait. Chris ain't himself. Give Buck an' Vin a chance to talk to him."
The kid stopped and would have turned around had not the gambler grabbed the younger man by his arm and put himself between the kid and the bigger man. "No, Mr. Sanchez. Mr. Larabee accepted Mr. Wilmington's word that Mr. Tanner was his friend without question. He accepted all of you. But Mr. Dunne and myself were both singled out. It's obvious he doesn't trust either Mr. Dunne or me, and I will not stand idly by while he attempts to place all the blame for his misfortune on either me or my young friend. We all agreed to the purchase of this gold mine after receiving the various reports from the experts recommended by Judge Travis. Surely Mr. Larabee does not think that these friends of Judge Travis could be bought for the small amount of money our group had? Mr. Larabee's amnesia is no excuse for the insults and the aspersions cast upon my character or Mr. Dunne's. I planned for the eventuality of one or several of you to renege on our deal, since you all so obviously mistrust me. Inform Mr. Larabee and the others I will have their cash investments returned to them by this evening." With that Ezra turned and practically shoved JD into the saloon in front of him. Garvey smiled as he watched the older man turn slowly shaking his head sadly and walk back into the hotel. Only four men were protecting Larabee now.
"What are you smiling at, my friend?" The voice sent chills of fear up Garvey's spine. He practically jumped as he turned and confronted Franklin Averill.
"Averill, I thought we agreed you were going to stay out at the ranch and not take a chance on Larabee recognizing you? And don't forget Wilmington. He most likely would remember our faces from the war." His voice was lower than Averill's making certain no one heard their conversation.
Neither man noticed the man leaning outside the side window of the mayor's office. Eager to see if anyone picked up their bait, Tanner had climbed out the window into the alley from the room he had been in the night before. The shadow from the building gave Tanner enough camouflage to hide him from inquiring minds in order for him to catch little snippets of conversation. He could not peak into the window for that would surely alert them to his presence, but he knew the man rode a big bay stallion, an obvious thoroughbred. Averill, that name was familiar and told him why he had seen one of Handsome Jack's men when Chris had been shot, but who and what was Franklin Averill to Chris? Was he kin to Handsome Jack?
This was more than revenge for a dead man. Vin would stake his life on that. And who was Radcliffe Garvey? Sheer luck and a gut feeling had made him pause near this window, and he had been rewarded handsomely. He knew deep inside that these two men were behind the shooting of his friend, and he made a solemn vow that the only way they would kill Larabee was to go through him first. Looking around at the sun growing larger in the sky and moving further overhead, Vin knew the sun would soon illuminate his hiding place, so he turned regretfully and went back the way he had come leaving Averill and Garvey plotting. He knew who the enemy was even if he didn't know the why. For now that would have to be enough. It was up to Ezra and JD now. He would pass them this information this afternoon when Ezra planned to return for his things.
"Relax, Radcliffe. No one even saw me come in to town, and if they did, no one would say anything. Even with a new sheriff nosing around, we still have everyone in the town too frightened of the strange accidents that can happen to people who ask too many questions." Franklin's smile chilled even Garvey's cold heart. "Now why don't you explain that pleased expression on your face."
"Well, it seems that Larabee has run off two of his men. My sources tell me he has amnesia and can't remember the last few years or anyone associated with him during those years. He practically accused one of his own men of cheating him and called the other one a trouble making kid. He is losing his protection quickly."
"Cheating is it? Was it Larabee threatening someone for stealing his money? How much money, and can this gambler and the young boy be bought? We could pay off their debt to Larabee and kill them later. Too many bodies at one time would cal too much attention to us, but once the news that Larabee is dead gets out, no one will oppose us or remember a two-bit con man and a boy. We need to ensure that these men don't return to the fold."
Garvey saw Averill jump at the chance to rid himself of Larabee and get a gold mine at the same time. He was tired of this little backwater town and taking all the risks while Averill sat back and enjoyed the fruits of his labors. Maybe, just maybe Franklin had a good idea here, but instead of killing Larabee and his boys, Garvey thought about life without Averill. As the surviving partner of the murderer, Garvey would be the recipient of not only all of their ill gotten gains but the gratitude of the town of Ivyville for having the courage to place himself in danger to rescue them from the menace of Franklin Averill. He would have to be careful and plan carefully playing Larabee's men against Averill, but he was certain he could do it. The gambler and the boy would help him whether they knew it or not. If Garvey was lucky Larabee and Averill would kill one another leaving no one to identify Garvey as anything but an unwitting pawn. Then everything would be his.
"Garvey and Averill? Who're they?" Vin did not waste time on pleasantries as he stood just inside the open doorway. Judge Travis whipped his head around not expecting that voice to be there and surprised he had not heard him enter the room. The widow jumped a bit, and Sanchez and Jackson just shook their heads and pulled their hands away from their guns. Larabee was the one who didn't seem bothered or even surprised that Tanner had entered the room without even alerting Wilmington, who was sitting on the floor leaning against the wall right next to the door. Murphy Lawson had a moment there where he, too, had begun reaching for his gun at the sudden appearance of Vin Tanner in their midst. Truth be told, he hadn't even noticed the tracker's entrance until he had spoken.
Clutching his chest dramatically, Buck Wilmington admonished the unrepentant man. "Damn, Vin! You got to stop that! One day you're gonna give me heart failure scarin' me like that, an' then it could get ugly what with all the women that haven't had me yet comin' after ya for killin' such a fine specimen of manhood like me!" It must have been a regular piece of banter among the men because Tanner did nothing more than shove Wilmington over with his foot. Tanner managed to walk all the way into the room avoiding Buck's tripping foot while shutting the door with an agility that made Lawson envious. Only Wilmington and Lawson saw the one-fingered salute Tanner gave Buck behind his back. Larabee's flash of a smile confirmed that Tanner had done this many times before.
The sheriff had heard from Peggy that Tanner had lived among the Comanche and Kiowa for Jock Steele had said so. Lawson had scoffed at her tendency to believe everything written in those dime novels of hers, but until he had actually witnessed the man's silent entrance, Lawson had just thought that was all fiction to sell books. Must have been raised or taught by Comanches, for Lawson had experienced Comanche stealth. He thought back to a time when he had just barely escaped with his life when one young Comanche brave decided to count coup by ripping his badge right off his shirt one lonely night in the Panhandle of Texas. The sheriff had considered himself extremely fortunate that the Comanche believed the highest form of counting coup was to take something personal from his victim without drawing blood the first time. Lawson had known that the only thing that had prevented the young brave from taking his scalp was because the sheriff had prevented the boy's brother from being lynched. Tanner asked his question again recalling the sheriff back to the present.
Lawson had been talking quietly before Tanner's entrance about how long he had been in Ivyville. His audience consisted of the group from Four Corners with the exceptions of Tanner, Dunne, and Standish. The remainder of the group had learned that Murphy Lawson had been hired approximately eight months ago by the town council against the objections of the mayor. Vin had heard that statement as he had come into the room. The pieces of this particular puzzle took one step closer to being solved. The mayor wanted to hide something, and he wanted Larabee dead because Chris was a threat for some reason. That much was certain. The sheriff was not here when Larabee had somehow crossed the two men Vin had overheard earlier. He only regretted that he had been unable to stay long enough to learn more on what the miscreants had planned. Tanner shook his head and hid a rueful grin. He had been hanging around Ezra way too long if he had begun thinking in five-dollar words.
"Radcliffe Garvey's the mayor. He's a squirrely sort, one I don't trust at all. Ain't had much to do with Franklin Averill. Man has money to burn. He comes and goes like a ghost. Used to be seen around town with his cousin and a woman who used to stay periodically with Averill at his ranch outside of town, 'bout three miles. Haven't seen the woman or the cousin in the last five months. Heard tell the cousin was killed over near Ridge City. Don't know about the woman."
The others exchanged a look with one another before a rather uncomfortable silence settled over the room. Finally, Chris nodded to Buck and Vin to tell the sheriff what they knew. He was too busy trying to think if the names Garvey and Averill meant any more than the connection of Handsome Jack to Ella. He only half heard what Buck was saying, but he felt Mary stiffen at his side.
"The woman, was she a real good lookin' blonde? Miles of legs and a shape that would make your mouth water, something kinda like a wild cat air about her?"
Lawson noticed the look of disgust and something akin to fear on Mrs. Travis' face as Buck rattled off the description, but he also noticed how Larabee's hand had crept out to claim the widow's hand. He wasn't the only one to notice how she allowed him that intimacy. A knowing grin on Tanner's face as well as the ones cropping up on her father-in-law's face and the other men garnered an answering smile, and she visibly relaxed openly leaning against Larabee's good shoulder as she sat on the bed next to him. Some women would avoid such a display in front of strangers as it might look a little forward for a widow to be sitting on a bed with a man who was not her husband, but Mary Travis looked and was every inch the lady. She made sitting beside a known gunman like Larabee the most ladylike thing in the world. The woman had class.
Besides, the sheriff thought, there was really nowhere else for her to sit unless she wanted to displace one of the older men in one of the three chairs. The sheriff was grateful for the hard wood supporting his aching back and thought that Judge Travis probably felt the same way. Sanchez was sitting near the window where he could keep an eye on his friends in the saloon and the approach to the boarding house. The others were sprawled in various spots around the room. Lawson wasn't a bit surprised when the Tanner dropped to the floor next to the bed right next to Mary Travis's feet that were dangling off the side of the bed. The man was stating his allegiance to the couple as loudly as if he was shouting it to the townspeople, and the others accepted it with their approval.
Lawson could not stop the grin that crossed his face as a delicate foot encased in an expensive leather boot sneaked out from under the petticoats to nudge the tracker in the shoulder. A quick hand caught the foot and gave it a brotherly pat. Larabee grinned as if he knew what was taking place out of his sight, and Mary Travis had only to shoot him a mischievous look from the corner of her eye to confirm she and Tanner were united in defending Larabee from anyone who would dare to harm him.
"You hear the show we put on?" Larabee asked.
"Oh yeah, you scared the life outta me." There was a sound in the laconic man's drawl that forced a quizzical look onto Larabee's face.
Vin Tanner sounded like the cat that had a tasty, fat canary under his paw. Chris's brow wrinkled. Vin was leaning against the bed with his head lying back against the mattress. Chris could see the top of his head, but he couldn't see Tanner's eyes and that left Chris to rely on his knowledge of the young man. It seemed as if it had only taken a word in the last twenty-four hours for a barrage of memories to assail him. Just a casually mentioned word triggered his memory and forced it to surface. Now, it had taken just a hint of quiet confidence in his friend's voice, and he was hit with another rush of memories.
Tanner knew something, and Chris could just feel the smugness emanating from the younger man. Buck had heard it as well and he sat forward watching Tanner. To an untrained eye he was just lazing around, enjoying the company of his friends. However, upon closer examination, Lawson saw the glint in the blue eyes. They were sharp and icy, and Lawson was glad he was not the man Tanner was hunting. He reminded the sheriff of a cougar getting ready for the kill. He found himself leaning forward, too, anticipating Tanner's next words.
Everyone else felt the same anticipation. Vin acted as if the dangerous game they were playing to flush out the men attempting to kill Chris was all but over. Chris couldn't see Vin's eyes, but he knew one fact as surely as he knew his own name.
"You know who's trying to kill me, don't you?"
A feral grin was turned in his direction. "I reckon," was all Tanner would say for the moment.
"You reckon you've got a good idea, or you reckon you know for sure?" Buck was leaning forward his arms resting his knees. He was looking at Vin who was leaning back with his eyes closed. Still a little tired, Vin paused for a moment wishing JD and Ezra knew what he did already. Might make things easier and their plan safer for the other two because Vin was ready to end this and get the hell out of this two-horse town. It might soon rival Four Corners in size, but there was something oppressive about this little town nestled near a small lake fed by mountain snows melting in the springtime. The area itself was beautiful, but still something sinister lay like a heavy blanket over the town.
"Heard that rat-faced mayor an' some guy named Averill talkin' 'bout how he shoulda stayed at the ranch. Was scared of Chris seeing 'em an' maybe recognizing 'em. Mentioned Buck might recognize their faces, too, but it was Chris they figured could cause 'em the most trouble."
Chris answered before anyone could ask him. "I don't remember anyone named Garvey, an' the only Averill I knew is dead. You shot him at Ella's." Vin nodded.
That turned all heads to Buck whose faced reflected his pondering as he was frowning, and his eyes were scrunched up as if he were peering into the past. Finally, "I don't recollect anyone of those two fellas. You say one looked rat-faced?"
"Had beady little eyes with a pointed nose an' chin, dark hair all gray from the temples down. Had one a them goatees, you know like that fancy fella that came through town 'bout a month ago? One Ezra caught cheatin' at cards?" At their nods of understanding, Vin continued, "Other fella shoulda been the one they called 'Handsome'. Looked just like Handsome Jack only softer, not used to workin' so hard. Got brown hair, just a streak a gray or so. Taller than Handsome Jack, way taller than that little rat faced mayor, but I didn't get to see anythin' else cause the sun was 'bout to flush me outa my hidin' place near tha winda."
Chris had remained silent throughout Vin's descriptions, as had the others. His eyes were closed, and his face held the same frown Buck's held earlier. Slamming his good hand on the bed between his leg and Mary's, he vented his frustrations on the helpless mattress. Mary, unafraid of his anger, made no move to contain it, but let him give full reign to his frustrations.
"I can't remember a damn thing about this little town! I can remember all of you, the things we've done. It's all coming back to me, sometimes all in a rush, but this? I can't seem to remember a damn thing at all."
His anger was quickly controlled as a soft hand caressed his. He looked at Mary from under hooded eyes, and she smiled at him offering comfort and understanding in her eyes. Suddenly he was no longer angry. Someone cleared his throat loudly, too loudly, but it reminded the two that they were not alone. Chris grinned at the slight blush that suffused Mary's face. Then, he saw the blue eyes peering over the top of bed. He knew if he could see the rest of Vin's face there would be that shit-eating grin on his face enjoying the hell out of the way Mary could tame him with just a smile or the touch of her hand. Chris knew that later, just when he thought he was safe or had forgotten to put up his guard, that Tanner would make some remark about Larabee tied to the widow's apron strings or some other such nonsense like that. And, Vin would probably say it loud enough for Buck or one of the others to hear, causing another comment to be made until he had to threaten to put some lead into somebody. Not that they would pay any mind to that.
How on earth could he have forgotten his best friend? It would be like forgetting Buck or Sarah or Adam or Mary or any of his other friends. They had been through too much, watched each other's backs too often for him to forget what he owed them all. Just the thought that six men and one woman and her son in some backwater little town could ever bring him out of that hellacious mountain of guilt that had been slowly killing him would have been impossible for him to imagine, so deep was the pit of despair in which he had lived. But, they had. They had given him focus and back-up, and most of all their acceptance. Buck had tried to tell him all along that he had not killed his wife and son, but Chris had been convinced that it was his fault they were dead. It would have been, too, had it been someone Chris had crossed somewhere along the line. However, his wife and son had been murdered because of some woman's insane obsession over him. He and Ella had parted company friends, or so he had thought. She had never given him one-inkling that she was seriously deranged. Everything she had done had appeared to be sane, her sadness over his loss believable. She had never been sane. The wildness in her had eaten at her brain until it had consumed her. Chris had left her because deep down he had realized that Ella played too close to the edge even for him.
Chris had left behind the wildness of youth and had matured into a man who understood what love was and wanted it the minute he laid eyes upon Sarah. He knew in an instant she was the one for him, and Chris would have given his life for her. Finally, he realized that it would not have mattered if he had been there that night or not. Ella would still have found a way to kill Sarah and Adam for she had the money and the connections to take away the barriers that had separated her from her obsession. If it had not been for his friends he would have stayed with the murderer of his wife and child never knowing until it was too late what she had been driven to do in her depravity.
Buck had warned him of why he had left Ella in the first place sensing there was something not quite right about the whole situation. Good old Buck had watched his back even when Chris had done his best to drive him away. Then, Vin Tanner had taken one look at Ella and seen right through that calculated façade to the rotten core of the woman. He had endangered his friendship with Chris to find out the truth and then warn Chris. If it hadn't been for Vin Tanner's loyalty, Chris knew that Buck and the rest of his friends could have been killed by Ella and Handsome Jack. Now, there were other men threatening the people close to him because of him. This Garvey and Frank Averill had not only tried to kill him once, maybe twice, but they had nearly killed Vin in the process. With Mary here, Chris needed to know who and what he was against. Tanner had supplied the names; now Larabee had to supply the reasons.
Looking around the room, Chris saw the determination to defeat this foe on each face, and he relaxed. No on needed to say it, but Nathan voiced what the others were all thinking. "Don't try to force your memory. You might get a look at those two men an' it'll all come back to ya in a rush. Don't matter why they want ya dead. Only thing matters is we know, an' they ain't got a clue we know they're the ones tryin' to kill ya. Gives us the advantage. Only question is how we tip JD an' Ezra off 'fore they make their next move."
"I ain't supposed to meet 'em till tonight, less they get contacted 'fore that." Vin had been pondering on that very thought as he sat there.
"What if I went? I introduced them to the banker an' the mayor was gonna be next. I could tell 'em on the way." Sheriff Lawson was pleased. No one knew that he had been sent here by Army intelligence on a tip that the two men who had stolen $80,000 in gold and killed nearly one hundred men and wounded even more were operating out of this little town. He knew Larabee had been on that train and had survived unscathed along with Buck Wilmington, but the government had no proof, only suspicions that Radcliffe and Franklin had actually survived. If Larabee could be kept alive long enough to regain his memory, he could identify Garvey and Averill as the two masterminds Gerald Radcliffe and Avery Franklin that Larabee had seen forcing the captain into the rail car just before the explosion that had derailed and wrecked the train. Lawson knew he was taking a terrible risk keeping these men in the dark, but he had followed this cold trail for years when he had gotten a break last year in St. Louis. A man known for dealing weapons to the Indians had been caught red-handed and set to St. Louis for trial. He had offered to give up the two men who were his suppliers if the government would not hang him for his treachery. Now, Lawson had the two men under suspicion within his grasp. His brother had been the captain Larabee had seen forced into that rail car, and if they had not found his body in the wreckage with his hands tied and a bullet in his brain, the blame would have fallen on him. Lawson needed to flush out the murderers, and if it took having the wrath of seven men fall on his shoulders, he would do it. He owed that much to his borther's wife and children.
If their lives came into immediate danger, Lawson would warn them of what was at stake. Until then, Lawson was going to trust Larabee's friends to keep Chris Larabee safe until he could regain his memory and identify the men. It was a gamble Lt. Colonel Lawson was willing to take, and somehow he knew that Larabee would agree with him.
It was not hard for Lawson to explain to Ezra and JD what Vin had found out, but it was difficult for Ezra to change any plans and get word back to the others on the short walk over to the mayor's office. He was not worried, however, as his whole life his mother had taught him to expect the unexpected; and then he would never have to worry about surprises altering any of his carefully laid plans. Ezra knew the men who would murder his friend had to be in some position of power with access to easy money, and he had laid his plans accordingly. Knowing who the miscreants were only made his job easier. He knew Lawson was not in on the conspiracy, but he sensed the sheriff had more than a passing interest in keeping Chris alive.
Whatever his reasons, Ezra knew Lawson was no threat to Larabee. Standish would bet his own life on that, so certain he was of his judgement of character. He did recognize that the man appeared a little too qualified for the role of town sheriff. A long chat with Vin in the wee hours of the morning had finally convinced the pair that Lawson was definitely more than he appeared. They agreed that, for some reason, Lawson wanted Larabee safe with his memory intact. No words were necessary, but Vin and Ezra decided to keep an eye on Lawson to see just what it was about Larabee that made the sheriff intent that Larabee would leave Ivyville alive and healthy. Should they be proved wrong, they would themselves deal with Lawson.
Mayor Garvey and the bank owner Hanson were already waiting while Mrs. Hanson was ordering Peggy to make certain there was a fresh pot of coffee before she went back to the boarding house. Wilma Hanson did not care if Peggy had to finish putting out the lunch time meal for the current residents or for the people on the stage that was running three hours late. The little liquor salesman took one look at Buck and Josiah, gasped, spun around, and ran to the stage as if the hounds of hell were on his heels. He refused to get out of the coach even if he had an hour yet to wait. Dirt and debris were preferable to dying from a heart attack. The young couple had no problem with the delay since their young child was having too much fun running back and forth between the party from Four Corners.
The little one kept stopping every time at the chair snuggled in the far corner, however, fascinated by the stern looking man whose white sling was a startling contrast to his ebony clothes. Awed and even a tad frightened by the imposing man in black, the child stood quietly staring up at him. Within seconds of the man's gaze flickering down to notice the child, the little one would begin to back away until Wilmington finally swung the awed child up and pointed to Larabee saying,
"He's got a purty big boo boo, don't he?"
"Yeah, an' I bet it ain't only that glare a his causin' him a world a hurt neither. Smilin' just might kill 'm." Tanner and Wilmington's comments had the stern man grinning and shaking his head. The little one had no more problems running past Larabee after seeing him smile, getting braver each time until a little hand got close enough to pat the gunman on the knee. That brought a full-fledged smile to his face and Chris relented pulling the child up on his knee with his good arm for a short but lively conversation. He didn't even try to glare at his amused friends when first Wilmington and then Tanner winked at him. They were going to ruin his reputation as a hard-nosed bastard, and when it got him killed Tanner and Wilmington would both be sorry. A snort from Tanner proved someone knew exactly what he was thinking.
Chris tried to relax more. His wounds were steadily improving, but his memory still held some gaps. What he desperately needed to know was there; he knew it. So, why couldn't he remember the vital knowledge he needed so badly to prevent anyone else from dying? The identity of the two men and the reason they were trying to kill him were like ever elusive shadows hovering near enough to touch but always disappearing just before his hand could take firm hold of the dark shape. It frustrated the hell out of him knowing that JD and Ezra were out there with no backup putting themselves in mortal danger for him. A shape appeared next to him offering him a fresh cup of coffee.
"They'll be all right. Ezra ain't gonna get JD or himself killed. He knows when to fold a losing hand, but right now he's holding a stacked deck."
Vin Tanner was right for Ezra was, at that very moment, spinning a tale for Garvey and the Hansons. Averill had since sneaked off into the shadows. His liaison at the saloon with Pepper kept him out of sight while Garvey began to plot. Averill, so certain of his superiority over Garvey, never once considered the little man capable of defying him, much less plotting to kill him.
Lawson had taken his dismissal from the room in silence. He had been patient for close to a decade now sifting through one dead end clue after another, but he had never given up the search for his brother's killers. An exceptional intelligence gatherer, Lawson had found this lead out of sheer luck and determination. There was no way he was going to jeopardize the capture of these murderers. They were going to hang, and Lawson wanted to be around to see it. So, after he had escorted Standish and Dunne into the lion's den, he pleaded patrol duty and left the two men too carry out their plan. What he did in fact was to wire the nearest fort for a troop of cavalry to assist him. It would take them two days to get to Ivyville, but he hoped by then to have his brother's murderers captured or dead. The Army escort would be needed to round up the rest of Garvey and Averill's men.
Standish had taken the information in stride chiding his young friend to shut his gaping mouth lest someone suspect before they entered the Mayor's office that had been turned into a credible dining room for five. Dunne had done a remarkably good job of finding his own poker face. Lawson left Standish and Dunne chatting quite amiably with the enemy.
"You are indeed correct, Mayor Garvey. My esteemed partner, Mr. Dunne, and I are now the sole partners in Standish-Dunne Mining. We are indeed looking for investors. Mr. Hanson and his lovely lady are interested in purchasing a 15 per cent of the share of the mine and it's profits. They mentioned that you might also wish to invest."
JD watched as Garvey's face took on a look that could be called nothing less than avaricious. He rather liked that word since it held a more sinister connotation to it than did the word greedy. Lawson had told them Vin's description of Garvey, and JD had to struggle to keep from grinning at how very rat like Garvey appeared right now. As Ezra spoke of the fake reports of how much gold was present in their non-existent gold mine, Garvey's eyes took on a feral quality, like he had just found a large, uneaten wheel of cheese.
"Now is this mine free and clear of all debt, Mr. Standish?" Garvey smiled at the Hansons. "I would not want my dear friends to invest their money, nor would I mine, in a enterprise that could go sour due to an outstanding debt."
It was the moment for which Ezra had been waiting. "There is the matter of a paltry five thousand dollars with which to purchase the rest of our mine from our former associates, but that is quite a small matter, almost inconsequential to the value of the mine itself and the future profit that we shall reap from it. The Hanson's investment should more than cover that expense. Then, there only remains the operating costs with which to begin."
"We knew nothing of the need for five thousand dollars up front. We thought you owned it free and clear. You didn't tell us that you had outstanding debts." Hanson looked like he was ready to back out on them, and Ezra moved swiftly to pull Garvey into his little plan.
"Everything we discussed last night at your lovely wife's repast was, to the best of my knowledge, the absolute truth, my dear friends. After this morning, however, Mr. Larabee has managed to manipulate me into a position where it appears that I have not been totally honest with you." A slight nudge under the table with his boot got JD's unequivocal and rehearsed participation.
"Quit makin' excuses for 'em, Ezra. They treated you like dirt just cuz Chris only remembers you were a gambler. He don't remember how many times you watched his back, or how you've always been totally honest in your business dealings. Even John Terrell offered you a position on his board, but Chris doesn't remember you were too loyal to us to leave an' take it. And Vin an' Buck don't breathe unless Chris gives them his permission. It ain't fair the way they all treated you, Ezra, so stop covering for any of 'em." JD's impassioned defense had Garvey sitting forward with a smile on his face.
There was a definite rift among the legendary seven, and Chris Larabee had never been more vulnerable. Garvey looked at how the Hansons were hanging on every word falling out of the young man's mouth. Standish was a master manipulator, but Garvey was better. Standish did not want to go against his former friends. He was weak in that respect. Garvey, however, was not. He would do everything he could to help these men, and in return, he would only ask for their good will and testimony. That he would use them to set up the impending deaths of Larabee and Averill, they would never know. Garvey needed them as witnesses to his innocence, and later on when they trusted him completely, he could take the mine from them, and they could disappear.
Right now Garvey had to figure a way to isolate Larabee further. Wilmington was the most threatening of the two guard dogs for he might remember something about the gold heist that nearly killed the mustached man along with all the other soldiers. The fact that Larabee was the only man who had seen them take the officer into the rail car with the gold before the explosion kept Wilmington alive. Now, Wilmington had to die, and that younger one was Indian trained, Garvey could tell. He would have to be killed along with Wilmington and Larabee lest he seek revenge. Garvey had already told Averill as much. The others would not offer any opposition without the formidable three Garvey and his partner had already tried to get rid of. Garvey also knew his partner well enough to know the man was over-confident.
Averill was convinced that he could take Wilmington and Tanner out. That unfailing ego would be the death of Averill; Garvey was counting on it. His partner had been away at the ranch when their men had fallen twice to the guns of Wilmington and Tanner, so Franklin had no idea who it was that he had chosen to tackle. Garvey smiled. He had seen the almost brotherly devotion Wilmington and Tanner showed for Larabee, and he was convinced that even if Averill succeeded in taking out Tanner and Wilmington, Larabee would kill him without a second thought, memory or no memory. And if Garvey managed to find a way to let Larabee know that is was Averill who had paid Fowler to kill his beloved wife and child, nothing and no one would be able to keep Averill safe.
Larabee and his men would kill Averill on sight. That would make things easier by far. The seven might regroup to hunt down and kill the man who had caused the death of a woman and a child, and no one would even care. People might even overlook Garvey's partnership with Averill if he could convince Standish and Dunne that he was forced into the partnership with Averill and knew nothing of his heinous deed. Maybe this was how Garvey could have Averill and Larabee both out of the way without any more bloodshed than necessary. The least amount of blood and the fewer bodies, the fewer questions and chances of Garvey being implicated. He would have to be very careful.
If he played his cards right, he could have everything. No more Averill breathing over his shoulder making Garvey take all the risks. Garvey, who had planned the whole operation, had ferreted out the existence of the planned gold shipment, its secret route, and just how many soldiers were guarding it. Averill had supplied the dynamite, the muscle, and the men, but it was all Garvey's devious mind that had come up with the plans that had made both men wealthy and powerful and, above all, relatively unknown and invisible to the authorities.
Garvey had no desire to stay in this wasteland, but Averill always wanted more. One more deal, more money put away, more power. Well, if Garvey planned this right, if he could manipulate these two men dining with him in just the right way, he could rid himself of Larabee and Averill all in one effortless stroke. No one would believe anything other than what the survivor said were the facts. Garvey might have to stay on in this little backwater town for another year until all suspicion had died out, but in the end he could leave and claim the fortune waiting on him in San Francisco. All he had to do was think of a good reason for Larabee to be a threat to Averill that he would kill first his family and then so many others just to eliminate him. He could come up with something he had no doubt, but right now he had to have Standish and Dunne trust him enough to become his unwitting pawns.
Garvey looked downright pleased with himself. JD knew he could trust Ezra to remain one step ahead of Garvey, for no one was better at the con than his friend. Well, with the exception of Maude, no one was better. He sat back as he watched Garvey and the Hansons fall all over themselves to give Ezra money. Standish could smell a mark from a mile away, and his mother had instilled in him razor sharp skills in which to extract money from even the most parsimonious of humans. JD knew that Garvey was motivated by more than greed, but he still marveled at the way Ezra never let on he knew what Garvey really wanted. The younger man smiled at the eager Mrs. Hanson. He figured she thought he was just a kid and therefore not really anything more than Ezra's silent partner. That was fine with him.
JD had learned to take advantage of his youthful and inexperienced appearance to throw many a villain off. Like Vin had once told him when he mentioned that he didn't mind if folks thought he was an ignorant mountain man. If it gave him the advantage over someone bigger or faster than him, who was he to argue with their mistaken impressions of him. Had they asked, Vin would be happy to teach them the error of their ways, but bullies usually tried to hit first and then ask questions. JD settled in to watch Ezra work. The man was indeed a master. He only hoped Vin and Buck were getting their part of the plan set up exactly according to Ezra's instructions without any problems, but this was Vin and Buck they were talking about. Those two attracted trouble like honey attracted bees. Strange, but they all seemed to attract trouble when they were running solo or in pairs. Or maybe, JD thought that trouble just seemed to be easier to handle when they were all together. Strange then that they had to separate in order to stay together and remain one step ahead of Garvey and Averill. It was the only way JD knew to make certain they all came out of this alive.
Continued in Part Four
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