Disclaimer: All the characters from the "Magnificent Seven" T.V. series are property of Trilogy Entertainment, The Mirisch Group, MGM Worldwide. Please note that the character of Amanda in this story draws its inspiration from the short story written by SuLu of the same name.
Chris left the jailhouse with Josiah taking his place and decided it more than past time that he and Caleb Patterson had a private chat about the death of Jesse Kincaid.
After his thinly veiled threat against Alex and Nettie's life trying to coerce Vin into confessing the crime and thus eliminating the need for a trial, Chris was more than convinced that Patterson had somehow engineered the murder. Forcing Vin to confess would prevent any anomalies from being raised at the subsequent proceedings enough to imply that someone else might have been responsible. This in Chris' opinion was evidence enough to convince him of the man's guilt. If he could not prove it in a court of law, then he was going to turn the tables on Patterson and show the rancher that he was not the only one who was capable of coercion.
Besides, Patterson had no idea what he was playing with when he made those threats against Alex and Nettie. Chris had the gift of evaluating an enemy and sizing him up as being a worthy opponent and his instincts told him Patterson was not accustomed to making threats or hiring murderers to do his bidding. There was something about his actions to give off just a whiff of panic and Chris knew it would not take much to push him over the edge if the right amount of pressure was applied. Patterson's action of hiring men to kill them the night before had just enough desperation to make Chris believe that the man was pliable to such tactics.
Besides, Chris was mindful of the threat he had made to poison the minds of those in Amarillo before the trial even reached the town. The whole basis of Dunwill's purpose in moving the proceedings to Amarillo was so Vin could stand trial without the weight of public bias and personal friendships with Kincaid against him. If Patterson were to taint those waters before the people of Amarillo had a chance to hear the facts, then Vin's chances of an acquittal would be nonexistent. As it was, Chris was actually starting to believe than Dunwill might pull off a verdict of not guilty. The man had a sharp and logical mind and while he was probably useless with a gun and saddle, what he was doing for Vin gave Chris a healthy respect for him.
Thus he was going to give Dunwill every assistance in pulling off this feat of legal magic because Vin needed to be free of this price on his head and Chris could not bear the thought of his best friend hanging for a crime he did not commit. It was almost two hours after Patterson's departure before Chris left Vin with Josiah and returned to the saloon with a definitive course of action forming in his head. The tracker's spirits had lifted a little, knowing that Alex was in town even though he respected the decision she had made for both of them by staying away. As much as he did want to see her, Vin did not want Alex to see him through the bars of a cell. He had too much pride for that.
Chris made a mental note to go see Alex once he was done in the saloon. Dunwill would have probably told her the outcome of the hearing already but Chris wanted to check on her anyway. It could not be any easier for her to be here and unable to do a thing for Vin, not even to see him, when the possibility that Vin could die hung over her head. Besides, she had to be told that Vin was aware of her being here and he did not want her to hear it from anyone but him as Vin learnt it from Patterson.
Chris entered the saloon and found himself stepping into eruption of dissent and dislike upon his arrival. Judging by the glares he was getting by some of the patrons, Chris came very quickly to the realisation that they were not very happy about the court proceedings today. However, no one was about to voice their discontent to the stranger in black whose imposing manner and intimidating stare was enough to make the bravest of them quiver from fear. Instead, they limited their anger at the hearing today to silent stares and quiet whispers amongst themselves and allowed the gunslinger join his comrades, who were at a table in the far corner of the room, unimpeded.
The rest of the seven were already congregated at the table they had been occupying during most of their stay in Tascosa, keeping a close eye on the other patrons in the establishment lest the mood of silent intolerance led to a more physical reaction. The atmosphere in the saloon despite the lack of real courage was smoldering with tension and it would take only a nudge to inflame it into a situation as Patterson had clearly demonstrated was possible, the first night they were in Tascosa.
"I'm guessing no one's very happy about the trial being moved to Amarillo." Chris remarked as he sat down at the table and gestured to the barmaid passing by to bring him a beer.
"The mood is decidedly ugly." Ezra answered his eyes scanning the room, searching not for easy marks this time but for anyone who might be a danger to them. With the amount of hostility being generated inside this room at the present, an unexpected attack was not impossible.
"They actually think Vin is going to be freed." Nathan added.
"He could though." JD declared with more excitement than he ought to be feeling when nothing was certain, no matter how skilled Dunwill might appear inside a courtroom. Legal trickery was not going to free Vin; they needed evidence for that. "That lawyer Dunwill looks really smart and some of the stuff he said to the sheriff shut Ritter right up."
"Kid's right," Buck agrees taking a sip of his beer. "I notice after last night though, Ritter ain't as hard nosed as he was when we first got here."
"Probably because he's starting to believe that there might be a chance Vin's innocent." Nathan volunteered. "What with Patterson trying to kill us and everything."
Chris tended to agree with the healer's assertion since Ritter had lifted his ban on their being armed when they were guarding Vin. Although Chris felt it safe enough to leave Vin in Ritter's custody without any of them being present, he was taking no chances with the tracker's life. Especially when Vin was behind bars and unable to defend himself should Patterson get it into his mind to end his problem that way or if they were wrong about Ritter's loyalties.
"Well at least we know Jamieson will be responsible for moving Vin to Amarillo." Buck informed Chris who was unaware of this fact. The Federal Marshall had been in the saloon earlier and had told them that he would assume the transportation of Vin to the jailhouse in Amarillo. The sheriff of that town was a fair man so they could be assured of Vin's safety. Although Buck had thanked the man, he knew that Chris would not be willing to take Jamieson's word on it alone and would insist upon accompanying the man when journeying to Amarillo.
"Jamieson's a good man." Chris remarked which was about the highest praise anyone could get from the gunslinger. "We'll still be there though." He added and was a surprise to no one at the table who knew Chris Larabee with any depth.
"In the mean time," Chris straightened in his chair as he made his next announcement. "I think its time we paid Caleb Patterson a call. He was in the jailhouse earlier trying to get Vin to confess."
"Son of a bitch..."Buck's expression darkened.
"Obviously, Mr Tanner was not about to fall prey to such coercion." Ezra said automatically.
"No he didn't," Chris frowned as he replayed the incident where Patterson had unknowingly let the news slip about Alex. "But he told Vin that Alex was here."
"Aw hell." Buck swore because Vin would not have been happy to learn that they had all been keeping that information from him. They were his friends and would have expected them to keep no secret from him. Especially when it involved Alexandra Styles.
"It's okay," Chris said quickly as he saw the faces around him showing their guilt at being forced to keep that secret from their comrade and their distaste at being found out, especially because of Caleb Patterson. "Vin understands but he let it slip that Alex and he are together so Patterson knows about her."
"Which means he might go after Miss Alex." Nathan concluded out loud.
"Right." The gunslinger nodded grimly. "So we're going to see Patterson and have a little talk to him, maybe convince him it ain't such a good idea to bother Alex or Nettie for that matter. I have a feeling if he can't get the trial stopped he may try for them or even Dunwill to cause trouble. He's got a lot to hide and we're gonna find out what that is."
"A little show and force?" Ezra said with a little smile, liking how the mind of their illustrious leader worked.
"More than a little." Chris answered, returning Ezra's smile with one of his own only his did not appear amused or cocky as Ezra's always did but rather predatory and dangerous. There were men who were reduced to gibbering wrecks on the strength of that smile alone. Chris could be that intimidating. The infamous Larabee glare was known to all of them and they were his friends. It could be utterly merciless when aimed at someone he did not like.
"I'm all for that." Buck nodded. "Should we get Josiah?"
"No," Chris shook his head. "I don't think I want to leave Vin alone even if Ritter is starting to believe he could be innocent. I'd be happier if Josiah was keeping an eye on Vin just in case Patterson's hired more talent than we know about. Besides, him finding out about Alex was an accident but I don't want to gamble that he has not sent someone after her already. If trouble comes, Josiah can handle it."
"Perhaps we may even coax Mr Patterson into revealing something that might be of assistance to Mr Tanner's legal predicament." Ezra suggested, checking the derringer under his sleeve whose presence was not a secret to anyone after last night's incident.
Chris looked up at the gambler and nodded slightly even though he had every intention of going to the Patterson place and shaking the truth out of the man if it was necessary. He was certain that Patterson was at the bottom of everything. While Amanda Kincaid might know something and was afraid to reveal what she knew for whatever reason, Chris was certain that she was covering up for Patterson. He could not understand what that could have been but he had no wish to attack the problem from that avenue. There was something about Amanda Kincaid that appeared wounded enough as it was and he had no wish to cause her further heartache.
"Never can tell." Chris remarked tautly as he rose to his feet and prompted the others to do the same. "Let's saddle up."
After her encounter with Amanda Kincaid, Alex had come to a conclusion she did not like and would have even greater trouble proving if she was right. All this time, Alex had been operating under the assumption that Amanda had a secret in her stead that would liberate Vin and clear his name completely of the murder charge, however, now she was not certain of anything. While she was glad that Dunwill's efforts at the hearing had proved to be so successful and the possibility that Vin might be acquitted was becoming very real, it was still too much of an uncertainty.
Dunwill had a lot of inconsistencies in the case that might shed doubt on Vin's involvement but the fact that he was the only suspect made it difficult for him to be completely exonerated. Alex knew that for Vin to be freed, they needed a name to place their accusations or else they would never see past Vin's possession of the body to believe he was innocent. Alex left her hotel room, making her way to the saloon where she was certain Chris Larabee would be, if he were not at the jailhouse. Although she had explained her suspicions to Dunwill, the lawyer was more interested in what he could prove in a courtroom and not something as intangible as her instincts.
Chris would understand Alex though as she crossed the street. While she found the gunslinger intimidating at the best of times, they had reached an understanding with each other. Bound by the mutual affection for Vin Tanner, Chris and Alex stood on neutral ground most times. He knew never to cross her when it came to the medical health of any member of the seven, himself included and those in their tight knit circle, while she understood that as leader, he had to make hard decisions at times which she might not agree with but nonetheless respected.
She was halfway across the street when she saw him emerging from the saloon and let out a sigh of relief that she did not have to enter the establishment to seek him out. As they strode purposefully past the batwing doors, it appeared that something was happening or was about to happen and for a moment, her heart tightened at the awful possibility that something might have happened to Vin to precipitate the grim expression on Chris Larabee's face. Lifting up her skirts, she hastened her pace until she caught up with the lawmen from Four Corners.
"What's happened?" Alex demanded as she hurried along side of Chris and stopped the man in his tracks as he turned to face her.
"We're going to go see Patterson." Chris said shortly, not wishing to be delayed now that he had made the decision to go. "I'm going to get the truth out of him one way or another."
"Are you sure?" Alex looked at him skeptically; not believing Patterson was responsible for Kincaid's murder even though he was guilty of something.
"Mr Larabee has good reason to believe so Alexandra," Ezra spoke up. "Mr Patterson tried to coerce Mr Tanner into confessing to the murder by threatening your life and that of Mrs Wells."
Alex stared at Chris. "Vin knows I'm here?" She gasped, not wishing this at all. Now the urge to go see him was even worse and she wondered if he was angry with her for keeping away, even though she was only acting this way out of love for him.
"I'm sorry Alex," Chris apologised, feeling sincerely regretful about that. "Patterson let it slip you were here, I had no choice but to tell him."
Alex's expression melted into dismay and Chris could see this troubled her. "He isn't mad Alex," he quickly responded to reassure her. "He understands why you kept away but Patterson knows you're here and what you mean to him so we have to go and make sure he doesn't try anything."
"Maybe get the truth out of the bastard as well." Buck snorted, feeling just as eager to get started. He hated the idea of Vin being trapped in that cell as much as Chris did, even more so now that they had started a business together and Buck had a deeper sense of the man than he ever did after two years of riding together.
They continued walking, leaving Alex a few steps behind as they headed towards the livery to get their horses when she quickly caught up with them again. "Chris, I don't know whether that's such a good idea."
Chris did not stop walking. "You got any better ones, I'm listening." He did not bother to hide his annoyance at her questioning him like this.
Alex noticed this and knew she was prodding a lion with a stick by being so persistent but she had to say what was on her mind. "Chris, I don't think he did it."
He stopped in mid stride then and turned to her slowly. "What do you mean?" He demanded his voice little more than a low hiss.
"No one sends men after someone if they ain't guilty of something Alex," Buck pointed out before she could answer.
"I know that," Alex sighed, feeling all their eyes on her and unable to deny that she was intimidated. "He might be guilty of something but I don't think he is responsible for Jesse Kincaid."
"Why?" Chris asked sharply, his lips thinning into a taut line which made Alex feel like she was ten years old, forced to tell her father that the reason the dog had gone to sleep was because she was playing with his ether.
"I've been talking to Kincaid's wife Amanda and I'm telling you, she's hiding something. Something really bad." Alex lowered her voice as she made this confession. "Something she's utterly terrified to let anyone find out."
"That don't mean she has anything to do with Kincaid's death." Chris softened a little because when he had first laid eyes upon Amanda Kincaid, he had been confronted by similar suspicions and could understand why Alex would come to that conclusion.
"I disagree," Alex continued, certain she was right even if it that conclusion was supported by nothing more than just her vague and undefined suspicions. "Chris, when we were having tea in her shop, I saw burns on her arms."
"Burns?" Nathan asked immediately, his brow furrowing. "What kind of burns?"
"Judging by the look of them, I would say they were cigar burns."
"Jesus." Ezra whispered, unable to hide his disgust. "Our Mr Kincaid might have deserved the death he received."
"Alex that don't prove nothing." Chris continued, just as determined as she was that he was right about his own conclusions regarding Patterson. Spousal abuse as disgusting as it was, was not uncommon. It happened a lot more than people would like to admit and in the frontier where women were considered second class citizens, it happened even more often. "What he did ain't right but abuse like that don't translate into murder."
"How the hell would you know!" She hissed angrily because he did not understand what she was trying to tell him. All he could see was that Amanda had been hurt with no concept of psychological scarring that was left behind after such prolonged abuse. "You're a man for god sakes! Have you ever had to have sex with someone you couldn't stand? I don't think so." She said not all padding her words for their benefit because they had to understand what could drive a person to commit murder.
"No?" She looked at them when they did not answer and saw Chris staring at her with some measure of shock. "Well then imagine what its like to have sex with someone for ten years whose only use for you is as the receptacle for his seed and when he's not having sex with you, amuses himself lit cigars and belt buckles. Do you have any concept at all of what that does to a person? It wears away at the spirit and the mind. People kill themselves for less."
"Christ." Buck capitulated first because he knew men who indulged in that kind of cruelty and he knew the women left broken in pieces after such experiences. "Kincaid did that to her?"
"And more I think but she won't tell me." Alex swallowed; glad someone had an idea of what she was trying to impart upon them. "She's been through ten years of hell and right now, something is spooking her really bad. She feels a tremendous amount of guilt, which I don't think, is just because she was happy to be rid of the bastard. There's something more and you could be making one hell of a mistake if you ride over to Patterson's, trying to make him give you answers that might not have anything to do with Vin."
"It still doesn't explain why Kincaid would come after us." Chris countered even though her words did penetrate. Perhaps Amanda did know something about Patterson's involvement and was too afraid to speak them out. "Alex, he threatened your life and Nettie's so that Vin would confess to the murder. That ain't the actions of an innocent man."
It was pointless trying to convince him, Alex sighed. He was determined to believe that Patterson was responsible because that was an enemy he could fight and as passionately as she believed in her own suspicions, there was a kernel of doubt that gnawed at her that she might be wrong. After all, Patterson had proved himself to be capable of murder, why was it not possible that he might have something to do with Kincaid's death?
"I suppose," she said reluctantly. "Just don't get too heavy handed will you?" She sighed. "The last thing Mary needs in her condition is you getting thrown in jail."
Chris stared at her. "Condition?"
Alex groaned inwardly. Stupid! Stupid! Stupid!
"A new bride and all." Alex cleared her throat hoping to cover the mistake she had made and wondered if this was going to be how the rest of the day would go. Damn! So much for doctor patient confidentiality, she scolded herself for as many times she could cram into the seconds after she had blurted out Mary's secret so inadvertently.
"Even I ain't buying that." JD quipped and Alex threw the young man a dark look and sent him withdrawing behind Buck to avoid her murderous glare.
"What condition?" Chris repeated himself and this time his voice had hard edge that more or less told her he wanted an answer and he wanted it right now.
"She wanted to tell you herself but with everything that happened with Vin, I guess she never got around to it." Alex sighed unhappily; unable to believe she could have simply blurted out Mary's secret like that. Mary was never going to forgive her, or let her forget it for that matter.
"Tell...me...what?" He said slowly, with even more menace than previously if that was possible.
"That she's going to have a baby in spring."
Chris' eyes widened and then he fell silent.
"Hey!" Buck burst out grinning before he could stop himself. "All right pardner! Congratulations." He slapped Chris hard on the back before the gunslinger looked over his shoulder and shot him a look that immediately stilled his exuberance.
"She's pregnant?" Chris was finally able to respond.
"Two months." Alex said reluctantly. "She found out the day before Jamieson came to town."
Chris swore under his breath because he had suspected there was something on Mary's mind when he departed Tascosa that she never got to tell him. He had believed it could wait until he got back and assumed it could not be very urgent since she had not insisted on telling him. Suddenly, he remembered the special dinner she had prepared the evening Vin had been taken and had questioned why she had sent Billy to Julia, believing she had been planning an intimate evening. Well she had, he supposed, just not for the reasons he thought. He did not even notice when the vein in his temple, the one he had secretly called the 'Mary vein' had started throbbing.
"Try and contain your enthusiasm when Mary tells you." Alex replied, wondering why he was rubbing his temple like he was having a headache.
"I guess I ain't the only one who's going to be up to my ass in dirty diapers." Buck grinned.
"You paint a most inviting argument for fatherhood, Mr Wilmington." Ezra remarked sarcastically, his face tightening into a wince of distaste.
"A spring baby is good luck," Nathan added, trying to sound just as enthused by the news even though Chris did not seem to be able to say much on the subject after that initial inquiry.
"Yeah, Billy will be thrilled to have a baby brother." JD said, knowing this for a fact after the numerous conversations he had with the child on the subject in the past.
"Enough." Chris said harshly with more intensity than he intended. He could not deal with this at the moment. The idea of another child brought with it emotions he did not want to deal with. It had taken him long enough to get used to the idea of marriage after the tragic way he had lost Sarah and Adam. Chris was not a man who accepted change well and having a family again was taking some getting used to even after the many months he and Mary had sealed their union.
A part of him was happy that he was going to be a father again. He remembered holding Adam in his arms for the first time and thinking to himself that there was nothing in the world he would not do for this child and delighted in the incredible years that followed. Bathing this tiny form that relied solely upon him for everything, feeding him even though food never seem to stay in his mouth long enough to be swallowed and the sheer joy of seeing that cherubic face looking up at him and call him pa for the first time. His heart had melted on the spot when Adam said those words to him and Chris who was never an emotional man had almost felt tears in his eyes when his son looked at him and knew that Chris was his father. Chris kept Adam in his mind in every vivid detail, he could remember whether or not it was cold or hot outside the day Adam had taken his first steps. Apart of him looked forward to experiencing all that again. He had missed it for Billy but there were firsts there too.
Unfortunately, another part of him was terrified.
Terrified because with all those pleasant memories were not so pleasant images. It was strange the betrayal that the mind could perpetrate upon someone by leading them down poignant memories before bringing them to a place of utter horror. That same smiling face, the one that had called him father burned beyond recognition until its skin felt like paper and he was forced to watch as dirt covered it forever. Chris had spent the next three years trying to block the image out of his mind with as much liquor as he could drink and it was still never quite enough. Chris was not sure he wanted to go through that again but it looked like he had no choice now. When Mary had fallen pregnant before, there had been so much going on at the time, he had been more concerned about her not being married to think about the child itself.
Things were different now. They were married and children were always going to be a natural extension of that commitment. He knew this was a possibility when he chose to become a husband again but until this moment, had not realized how truly little he had given the matter any real thought. Well according to Alex, he was going to have at least seven months to think about it.
"We don't have time for this." He said after a moment. Even though it was second since he had spoken, it felt longer. "You get back to the hotel." Chris looked at Alex, deciding that he would deal with his feelings on impending fatherhood later.
The tone in his voice told Alex not to argue with him. She felt awful enough as it is about telling him about the baby at a time like this. "Okay." She swallowed.
"I want you, Nettie and Dunwill to be on the look out." He continued. "I won't put it past Patterson to come after you this soon. Anything goes wrong, you go find Josiah at the jailhouse. Understand?"
"Yes," she nodded obediently, not about to argue with him after what she had done. Alex was mortified beyond belief that she had betrayed Mary's confidence. "Chris, I'm sorry..." She started to say.
"Don't." He said abruptly cutting her off because he did not want to hear it, not now. He glanced over his shoulder and looked at the others who recognised the Larabee glare daring them to say a word. None of them were game.
"Let's go." He ordered and started walking, black duster trailing behind him.
Alex watched him go and then thought to herself, Mary is going to kill me.
The ride to the Patterson placed took less than an hour even though it would take nearly a day to cross the wide expanse of the rancher's property once they had reached it. Nevertheless, the journey was silent with the majority of the seven, excepting Chris of course, feeling awkward and at a loss at what to say to the gunslinger since the news of his impending fatherhood was received with anything that could be remotely described as enthusiasm. Despite their belief that such news ought to be a cause for celebration, they could very well understand why the gunslinger was having such difficulty with the prospect of being a father to newborn in light of the family he had lost before the creation of the fellowship.
Buck Wilmington who was possibly the only person who could approach Chris' on this subject because he had seen Chris Larabee at his absolute worst and was capable of handling anything the man said to him, sidled his horse alongside his old friend. Even though Chris was a mask of concentration, only Buck knew him well enough to see through the façade of indifference to know that turmoil was churning inside his guts. Chris was never silent for a reason. Even when one would think he was at peace, he was thinking his dark, sombre thoughts. There were times when Buck believed Chris was never any other way.
"You okay Chris?" Buck asked, knowing that Chris needed to be focussed on dealing with Patterson for them to get anything out of the man when they finally confronted him about Jesse Kincaid and his association with Ely Joe. As it was, Alex's words had effected the lawman more than he would like to admit and after the doctor's impassioned argument, even Buck felt the rock solid contention of Patterson's guilt wavering. He needed to hear that Chris was sure that they were doing the right thing but knew that Chris was in no condition to make that determination while his mind was elsewhere.
"I'm fine." Chris said tautly, not wishing to discuss this matter with Buck or anyone for that matter because he knew what Buck was going to say. Buck was all fired up on the dazzle of being a new family man to have no concept of how utterly devastating it could be to lose a wife and child the way he had. Chris prayed secretly that Buck would never know that kind of agony and secretly excused his old friend for trying to help even if his empathy of Chris' feelings could not translate into understanding.
Glancing briefly at his friends, Chris felt a stab of guilt that the mood of the group was so dismal. He knew that it was his fault that was forcing them to tread around him like they were walking on eggshells, recognizing that he had descended into one of his black moods and that it was not wise to provoke him with meaningless attempts at conversation. Chris felt sorry for that but he was not about to apologize for himself.
"It ain't so bad, you know." Buck pointed out. "I never thought I could do any good as someone's pa." He confessed, unable to deny that the last two months had been something of a revelation to him. All his life, Buck had searched for a family even though he refused to settle down, believing himself too much of a ladies man to ever find love with just one woman. Inez had changed all that and shown him that he was capable of much and Elena Rose had sealed his doom with little more than a gurgle and a smile. After so many years trying to pull Chris from the abyss of sorrow after the death of Sarah and Adam, Buck could finally sympathize with what it was that had left his friend so distraught when he lost them. Now more than ever, could he appreciate how difficult it must have been for Chris to decide to live after that loss because Buck was not sure he could, if he was faced with the same horror.
"I don't want to talk about it." Chris said firmly, knowing from experience that Buck was too stubborn to let the matter rest, at least without a good deal of pummeling to the side of the head.
"Okay, I understand." Buck replied.
Chris looked over his shoulder and grunted. "No you don't," he countered. "You're just saying that you do but in real fact, you don't understand at all. You're just trying to get under my skin."
"Whatever you say Chris." Buck rolled his eyes as if he were humoring him which only served to anger Chris more.
"Damn straight." Chris nodded and faced front. "I am fine and I don't care if you don't understand or if you think you understand or whatever. You've been at it for two months. Wait until its eight years and everything that defines you is your family and even the thought of being without them makes you sit up at night in a cold sweat. When you can do that and then be faced with losing them, you'll know what I'm talking about."
"I ain't arguing with you on that Chris." Buck said with that maddening complacency which only served to infuriate Chris even more. How did he do that? Chris thought with smoldering annoyance as he forced himself to keep silent and listen to what Buck had to say because he would not let the matter rest until he did so.
"I'm just happy for you that's all." Buck replied. "Mary's a fine woman and you are a great father to Billy as you were to Adam. I think when you get over the fear that's eating you inside, you might actually start to enjoy being one a third time."
With that, Buck kicked his heels in and pushed his horse a few paces forward, leaving Chris behind him to contemplate his words.
Alexandra Styles decided against returning to the hotel following the departure of Chris Larabee and the others, stinging in anger at her blatant stupidity in allowing herself to reveal to Chris that Mary was pregnant. A part of her flared in outrage at how he taken the news particularly since Mary was so ecstatic about the new arrival. Walking along the boardwalk of this dusty old town, garnering looks that ranged from indifference to pure dislike by her attachment to Vin Tanner even though they did not know how for certain and by the fact that she was something of a curiosity to them. This was nothing new to Alex and she went on her way, making conversation and hurdled their initial hostility until she soon wore them down enough to get them talking.
Alex seldom let racial prejudice get in the way of what she wanted and she had dealt with enough times in her life to become quite adept at forcing people to see past her the color of her skin. It was no different in Tascosa and it was no different when she had first arrived in Four Corners.
They had not known what to make of her there either. Neither colored but not white either, she was paradox of something different while retaining all the airs of a gentlewoman. It did not help that she was also the only other healer in the place other than Nathan Jackson or that she walked the line that only Mary Travis had dared to traverse until then being unmarried and both financially and socially independent. She had been accepted eventually because of Mary and Inez but largely because of her association with the seven. When she mended their wounds and pulled bullets from their flesh, she had shown everyone in Four Corners that she was a healer worth her salt and then some. She was not just a healer who dealt in herbs and other exotic remedies, nor was she a sawbones but an honest to god, physician borne of one of the best medical school in Europe.
Alex had not thought she would be so passionate about the place when she had first arrived, considering that she had journeyed to America and this lonely place in the Territory because there was decided lack of doctors in that part of the frontier and she needed to practice somewhere. Sweet Water and Bitter Creek had their physicians but Four Corners was devoid of proper medical expertise and so she had chosen that town, known to her only by its name to build a life for herself. Perhaps in anticipation of the difficulty she would always have because of her mixed heritage, her father ensured that she would never have to worry about money by the time he passed on. So she knew that she never really needed to earn a living in the town, just a find a place to be the doctor she always dreamed of being.
In Four Corners, she had done that and more. She had discovered she was not only a qualified physician but she was also a damn good one and if she had a white male, she would have been something great. However, it was the effect upon her personal life that Four Corners really left its mark. For as long as she could remember, there was herself and her father, William Styles. They had been each other's best friend as they journeyed throughout the world and when he died, a part of her went with him she was certain she would never get back. However, her father had raised her strong, far more than he had ever thought and she accepted that the loneliness would be the rest of her life.
The family she found in Four Corners was more than just a surprise, it was a revelation.
They all held a place in her heart even though she seldom admitted to anyone just how deeply she cared for each of them. From the kinship she shared with Mary and Inez Rosillos for being women who lived life on their own terms, ignoring tradition and society idea of what a woman should to become what a woman could be. Even though they had rocky start to begin, she had come to feel the same about Julia Pemberton who thumbed her nose at convention with more disregard than any woman Alex knew. Julia, was one of those rare individuals that made those around her do nothing but stand back and gape in awe at the sheer strength of character that allowed nothing to get in the way of what she wanted.
This was the family she had always dreamed of having and the seven men upon whom she did her best work were also apart of that circle. Nathan who was her friend and her confidant, the brother she always, the sister he had lost. Nothing had pleased her more then to be able to help him realise his dream of becoming a doctor. Josiah whose calm, serene manner had the tendency to soothe her worries with his recitals of poetry when they were all lying at ease in the sun, had the amazing ability in his voice to show them all just how much they had. Buck Wilmington who was incorrigible in all things playful and mischief, who seemed to make her laugh no matter how inappropriate the moment. JD who would reluctantly ask her questions about women even though he would go bright red each time he was force to make the inquiry and often beside himself when he received the answer.
There was Chris Larabee, who sat at the head of that family, whom infuriated her and frightened her at the same time. She admired Mary's ability to see past that hardened exterior to see the soul beneath. Lord knew Alex could never do that herself. Frighten her he may, but in a crisis, save her father and even superseding her fiancée, there was no one else in this world in whom she had more confidence. When Chris took a hand in a situation, one could be assured that things would right itself. The power of the man was blinding at times and one would question why he would content himself with the life he had when the mind behind those intense eyes could do anything or be anything.
Ezra.
Best to leave that alone. There were too many memories about him, some not her own that she did not wish to ever deal with, to know that any reflection of him would never entirely paint the true nature of feelings for him. They both knew why and they both respected the choice to let sleeping dogs lie.
What had she thought about Vin Tanner when she first saw him?
He had nice eyes.
There was something slight but not enough to shift her affection from Ezra the first time she met Vin Tanner. However, once it seeped into her bones like ink on a fabric, its left a mark that remained forever. Slowly it evolved into something that even now Alex could not fathom and once overwhelmed by it could not imagine how she survived so long without. He was not just her lover, her friend but everything that made the dark inside her fade away. When she was with him, even being a doctor meant nothing if she could be at his side. She loved him more than her life and knew that it was no idle claim.
If he were taken from her, Alex would never recover and she knew it.
The idea that he could die in this decaying town was driving her insane with worry, no matter how much hope was starting to filter through the cloak of despair that wrapped itself around her since the moment Federal Marshall Jamieson had appeared at her door. Alex knew that there was a way to save him, to keep the dreams they whispered about in the soft, tender moments following their passionate lovemaking. She had taken this walk because she knew that it was Amanda Kincaid who was the key to his freedom despite what Chris believed about Patterson. The gunslinger needed an enemy he could fight because he was just as wracked with worry and though she dared not voice it to him, Alex was thinking more clearly than he was. If Vin died, he would be losing his best friend, she on the other hand, would lose her reason to live.
The urgency of that pressing against her, made things clearer because she simply had to be to save him.
Of course, knowing that she had to save Vin and being actually able to do it were two different things, no matter how imperative it might be. Alex did not know how long she walked as she debated with the course of action she was about to embark, knowing only that it was Vin's last hope of freedom and praying she would be able to live with herself after. In truth, Alex felt a deep sympathy for Amanda Kincaid, too much in fact for her to ever really feel comfortable with what she intended to do especially what the consequences would mean to the woman if Alex's desperate gamble had the results she intended.
Ever since she had left Amanda Kincaid's presence, Alex had been debating the connection that would link her to the murder of her husband. In the beginning, Alex had believed that Amanda had something to hide and was justified in her opinion that Amanda's secretive ways were mostly to hide the abuse she had received at her husband's cruel hands as well as not feeling any real remorse for his death. However, the more Alex spoke to Amanda, the more her instincts told her that there was more to the widow's guilt and Amanda did indeed feel guilty. Compassion was not usually shown to the lover of someone who was suspected of killing a loved one.
Alex suspected then and certainly believed it now with very little doubt that Amanda Kincaid's dark secret was far more sinister than simply keeping a secret of what had transpired the day her husband died. The more the doctor thought about the matter, the more evident it became that Amanda had endured her husband's abuse, believing no end in sight until Ely Joe had happened upon Kincaid and killed him. Was it coincidence? Alex did not believe so. During her travels across town later that day, she spoke to people about Ely Joe under the pretence that she had been from a town that had been similarly terrorised by the outlaw. While people viewed her with trepidation, some saw little harm in gossiping about their most infamous son.
Ely Joe had come from Tascosa and had been a bad seed from the day he was born. The only child of a drunken father who took to beating on his child as drunks often did, Ely Joe was taught from an early age that force was the way of the world. He was always getting into trouble in one shape or form throughout most of his teens until the school would no longer take him back and then he was left to roam the streets, escalating the severity of each new crime. When he robbed the bank and killed the people inside the premises, it was or no surprise to anyone although the town's desire to see him hang was intense particularly because he had lived among them.
At first, Alex could not imagine why Ely Joe would come back here. In this town, he was known. To be spotted would mean being shot on sight by angry townsfolk. While it made sense to make this the perfect venue for his framing of Vin, it was still risky. Chris had mentioned something about a lame horse, that Ely Joe had been passing Tascosa at the time his animal threw a shoe. Kincaid was not killed until the next morning, almost a good twelve hours from the time Vin had first discovered the tracks to the point where the warm body was first located. No horses were stolen from the ranch and with the exception of the dead body, everything seemed intact. Alex could not imagine Ely Joe killing Kincaid and then stopping to fix the shoe of his horse. He would need tools for that chore, tools she doubted a hardened outlaw would have on him, especially when he was accustomed to being on the run.
Thus Alex was led to the conclusion that Chris Larabee would rather disregard because Patterson was the more obvious suspect. What if Ely Joe had sought aid at the Kincaid farm to shoe his horse? That would explain much. Kincaid was not from Tascosa originally and it was altogether possible that he might not have recognised Ely Joe when the man first appeared on his doorstep. If Kincaid did not recognise him, Amanda might have and the lady seemed too indifferent to make an issue about it unless she saw the arrival of this outlaw, known for his callous disregard for life, as a means of escaping the brutality of her life. If Ely Joe was already looking for a victim in order to frame Vin, Amanda's offer to say nothing if he would only rid her of her husband would have been inviting indeed.
However, there was more to it than just that. Ely Joe was a hardened criminal and Alex doubted he would not have attempted to turn the situation to his advantage. The question remained on how Amanda had managed to convince him? Ely Joe was a brutal savage no different in some respects from Kincaid and far worse by all other account, what would induce him to help a widow escape her bondage? Alex doubted Amanda would have had much money to pay him if Kincaid was that abusive. Knowing Kincaid, allowing his wife to have some measure of financial independence would have been too much; after all, Amanda was young and beautiful while Kincaid was almost twenty years older than she was.
Then it hit Alex with perfect clarity and understanding just how Amanda had done it.
In retrospect, it should have been no surprise as odious as it might seem to her. After Kincaid, how much worse could it be for Amanda to use that as a last resort. Perhaps it might have even been better since Ely Joe might not have the propensity for physical abuse that Kincaid did. He was a professional criminal and the man that had been described to Alex in her inquiries around town did not fit the profile of a sadistic just a ruthless outlaw. He killed because it was expedient to do so, and there was no particular evidence to prove that he enjoyed it. Given a reason that suited him, Alex believed Amanda could have swayed Ely Joe into making the decision that saw him use Kincaid as the instrument of his revenge upon Vin Tanner.
With this in mind, a plan had taken shape in Alex's psyche of a risky gamble to bring the truth out into the open. She needed a corroborating witness to be present when she put this plan into effect because no judge would believe her if she were to make her claim, not merely because of her relationship to Vin but besides her racial differences, it would be her word against Amanda's. Unfortunately, none of the seven could be relied upon to provide this collaboration either, for almost the same reason. Their relationship with Vin would make them unreliable as Mr Dunwill would no doubt point out at this juncture. She needed someone who was beyond reproach.
The sheriff was out of the question. As far as Alex knew, the man was convinced he had found his killer and there was no reason to trouble the widow of the victim. Besides, just the mere suggestion of her impugning Amanda Kincaid's name would probably result in having herself thrown into jail cell next to Vin, hardly the way she envisioned their reunion to take place. No, she could not go to Ritter for assistance. Suddenly, she remembered that Marshal Jamieson was in town. Jamieson had proved himself to be a fair man from her previous experience with him. He could have been very heavy handed with Vin when he had come to apprehend him in Four Corners but Jamieson had shown himself to be quite compassionate. Even when Vin had broken free and escaped, he had allowed Chris to go after the tracker and bring him to Tascosa without any further bloodshed. Alex was certain that if she brought forward her suspicions to Jamieson, he would help her. Jamieson appeared to be a man who would see justice done.
Alex hoped it was justice she was seeking, not a sacrificial lamb to take Vin's place at the altar.
Patterson was expecting them.
No that was unfair. The rancher had not really been expecting them as such but was anticipating some kind of trouble because when the seven finally approached and placed the ranch within their sights, it was plain to see by the men stationed across the homestead, that Patterson was taking no chances. Unfortunately the place was wide open as most ranches and not at all defensible when nestled on the flat terrain of the Texas Panhandle where everything was even without even the advantage of large hills to keep an intruder from getting a lay of the land.
Although their number was weakened by the lost of two, five was still a number of power. Though devoid of the mystical energy of the seven, they were still enough of a force to be reckoned with. It was not quite dark when they reached the homestead, with the sky pulling the sun into the horizon as the canvas of black descended steadily. Arriving shortly before the twilight had come, Chris had an opportunity to see the battleground while there still something of the day left. It was at this point that he discovered that Patterson had his home fortified against a number of men who were well armed and appeared ready for trouble.
Chris was not about to risk his friends in any full frontal assault so they held back until the darkness had completely descended while he took the time to formulate his strategy on how they would confront the man. He wanted it done with as little bloodshed as possible, despite what he had initially told Alex about getting the truth from the man. During the journey here, he had reason to do some deep thinking, some of which had related with his own personal demons but also on the question of Patterson's possible innocence. Chris considered himself a fair man and the fact of the matter was, Alex had sewn enough seeds of doubt in his mind to question the desire for all out aggression.
They waited until dark so they could move in unencumbered but with men watching in all directions for intruder, Chris knew that Patterson's hired guns would spot them even through the darkness. What they needed to get into the grounds of the homestead without bringing themselves to the attention of Patterson's men was a distraction. As Chris sat astride his horse watching the ranch in the distance under the cloak of night, he reached into his coat and produced the pocket watch that was always with him, whose existence unlike Buck's own ornate timepiece, was really an heirloom. He glanced at the worn glass face, considering with silent pride that the mechanism still ran well even though it had survived almost twenty-two years in his possession and occasionally needed maintenance to keep perfect time.
He recalled briefly the day he had received it and the person who had given it to him. As surprised as he had been to receive the gift, it was one of the few times in his life when he felt proud to be on the receiving end of such affection. He rarely felt such kinship or bonding with the man who had presented him with the time piece and despite what would happen between them later and the enmity that followed, Chris still cherished the moment though he would admit it to no one, not even Mary.
Chris stared at the clock face and saw that enough time had passed for him to make his move at last. Even though he could not see his comrades, he knew they were crossing the terrain between himself and Patterson's ranch and would soon be at a point where they would become visible to the enemy. It was time for him to move and he dug his heels into the sides of his animal, causing the horse to break into a robust gallop when it surged ahead.
As he rode forward in plain sight, unafraid of being seen by anyone, Chris thought to himself that it felt odd to make this journey without Vin at his side. He was so accustomed to seeing the younger man next to him that his absence was disconcerting. He continued forward, noticing the faces in the dark that were discovering his advance from their places where they had taken point in watching for intruders. It was just as Chris wished when he thundered forward, unafraid of falling under their notice. It was the entire point of the exercise that their attention be firmly fixed upon him.
It was entirely possible that he could have been shot as he progressed towards the ranch but Chris would reserve the unenviable position as decoy for no one but himself. Even though he had as much to lose anyone else, Chris would risk none of his friends to become target practice, since it was in all honesty his plan to begin with. As he narrowed the gap towards the main gates, he could see rifles being raised and aimed at him. Men were shifting from roles as sentries to those of defenders and Chris unbuttoned the flaps of both his guns as he continued forward.
When the house came into clear view, he saw the main doors swing open and Patterson emerging from the house, flanked by two of his men as the rancher came further away from his home to see the intruder that was fast approaching. Chris made no threatening moves, aware that his entire plan relied upon him penetrating the fortress without harm. Patterson had to believe that he was here to talk and in actual reality, it was not far away from the truth. As the plan had been formulated to breach its walls, Chris suddenly found himself again nagged by doubt at what Alex had said prior to his departure from Tascosa about Amanda Kincaid.
He had intended to come here with threats and bluster but the more he considered her words, the more the possibility became plausible. If Vin was cleared then it might be possible that Sheriff Ritter would suspect complicity by another person. Considering all the bad blood between Patterson and Kincaid, it was quite conceivable that the rancher feared that suspicion might be shifted to him since he did have the motive. Was that fear enough to precipitate the threats and coercion he had attempted. Was it possible that Patterson was behaving like this out of some knee jerk reaction to avoid implication.
That disturbed Chris greatly because if Alex was right and Patterson was innocent, then their chances of freeing Vin was negligible at best.
Chris arrived at the timber fences that surrounded the Patterson homestead. The gate was meant mostly for the protection of the main house since the property itself was impossible to fence with any measure of entirety. He slowed his horse to a light trot as he passed through the gate and immediately saw a number of hired hands closing in on him, surrounding him with their guns drawn. Patterson however, was barking orders to hold their fire, which gave Chris some measure of relief because it appeared the man was willing to hear him out.
Chris kept his hand poised on his gun though, unwilling to believe that accidents did not happen as Patterson walked through the group of men before him, staring at Chris in a mixture of confusion and suspicion. He knew that Chris was placing himself voluntarily in danger by coming here alone and wondered what the man was up to.
"Mr Larabee," Patterson approached his horse as Chris remained in the saddle, unwilling to dismount just yet. "What a surprise." Of course his tone indicated that it was not one that was pleasant but rather opportune, considering he tried to have the man killed the night before.
"We gotta talk." Chris said shortly. "I didn't have to come here alone but I think we need words saying to each other." The gunslinger met his gaze.
His response threw Patterson who had not expected this for anything. Until this moment, the man had been still planning his strategy, trying to decide what was the best course of action to take in relation to his troubles with Vin Tanner and Jesse Kincaid's murder. "Like what?"
Chris exhaled loudly. "I don't think we can speak this out in the open." He remarked, allowing his gaze to sweep over the faces around him. "This needs to be done between us alone."
"So you can kill me?" Patterson declared sceptically. "Not likely."
"I ain't here to kill you," Chris retorted automatically. "I'm here to say that I don't think you were responsible for Kincaid's death. In fact, I don't think you had anything to do with it or Ely Joe at all."
Of all the thing that he could have said to the rancher, this was the one response that Patterson had least expected. He blinked twice, uncertainty draining into his face as he considered his options before remarking. "Come inside." He said abruptly and turned on his heels. "Let him through boys." He issued that order as he strode back to the house, not waiting for Chris to follow.
Chris dismounted quickly and was given right of way as he moved through the men keeping sharp eyes on their employer and until Chris saw their faces, he had thought them to be hired guns. However, now as he had a closer look, he suddenly realised that these were not hired guns at all but hired hands. These were not men who killed for a living but rather men who herded cattle and lived out on the land. Suddenly, Caleb Patterson was not the only one who was surprised.
Chris entered the luxurious home and found it to be no different from any belonging to a wealthy rancher. As he entered the house, he heard Patterson ushering his wife and children out of the parlour and waited to receive his unexpected guest with two of his men standing close by in case this was some attempt at a ruse. Chris did not mind, admitting that in Patterson's place he might be just suspicious of his intentions as well.
"All right Larabee," Patterson urged, talking a seat. "Talk."
"Like I said," Chris remarked. "I don't think you did it."
"You think Tanner did it?" The man looked at him with astonishment.
"No," Chris shook his head and started to realise something else, that Patterson really did not have any idea who was responsible for Kincaid's death. "I think it might have been his wife."
Patterson's look of genuine astonishment more or less confirmed his innocence. Chris who knew how to spot a lie better than any person alive with the exception of Ezra Standish knew the man was telling the truth. However, innocent or not, he still had something to hide that he was willing to kill for and Chris wanted to know what that was.
"Amanda?" Patterson snorted in disbelief. "You're insane. That little girl wouldn't hurt anyone."
"She would if Kincaid was beating on her." Chris added, suddenly becoming more and more convinced of his innocence.
A look of distaste flooded into Patterson's face as if the idea of any man treating a woman that way was abhorrent to him. Chris marvelled at the sentiment that would make it permissible for him to allow the murder of a man in his bed but would still have moral objection to the physical of a woman. He supposed that something were even too much for some people to tolerate, especially a family man like Patterson appeared to be. "How do you know this?"
"A friend of mine seen burns on her hands of the kind that are left behind by a cigar." Chris replied.
"Then he deserved to die." The rancher sneered viciously. "The man was a bastard.'
"I don't argue with you there," Chris added. "But since you didn't have nothing to do with Kincaid dying, why you so hung up and proving that my friend done it." The gunslinger narrowed his eyes as he put forward that question to the rancher who shrugged uncomfortably as he searched for a response.
"I wanted to see justice done." The man lied.
"Bull shit." Chris retorted sharply. "You tried to have me and mine killed, I want to know why. More importantly, I want to know why it is so important to you that Vin confess to murdering Kincaid, if you didn't have anything to do with it."
Patterson eased back in his chair and started to gloat. "I don't have to tell you anything Larabee," he gestured to the two men who were behind him. Both men brandished their guns in a display of force to impress upon Chris that he was alone and they were prepared to kill him. "You ain't with your friends now. What's to stop me from killing you?"
"Not much." Chris said unperturbed as he faced the rancher, confident that the enemy had misjudged the situation considerably. However men liked Patterson often did, until the situation came up bit them on the ass and reminded them otherwise. Caleb Patterson was about to get a rude awakening. "Except that I wouldn't assume anything when it comes to me or my friends."
Patterson's brow furrowed as he tried to decipher what Chris' enigmatic words meant before the roar of gunfire explained it with perfect clarity. As the noise erupted, Chris spun around, both guns blazing. It was still his intention not to kill anybody so he aimed carefully and Patterson's men though armed were easily distracted by the shots outside the home as Chris' contingency plan moved into full effect. Coupled with the screams of Patterson's wife and children from the upper floor, no doubt moved to fright by the violence taking place outside, the hired hands were not quite fast enough to outshoot the gunslinger who was better at this than they were. One bullet slammed into a shoulder, slicing through the nerve that kept fingers around a gun. The weapon clattered to the floor noisily as the man clutched his injured arm, while his companion screamed in when his palm oozed blood from where the second bullet had penetrated and exited in a blink of an eye.
Chris wasted no time in retrieving both weapons before he turned his attention to Patterson, who was still somewhat dazed at the sudden change in circumstances. Chris motioned the two men to join their employer and waited patiently as they obeyed, throwing angry gazes at him while holding their injured limbs. Finally they nestled in a position where Chris could keep a close eye on all of them and begin his interrogation. Outside the shooting continued and Chris moved to the window to try and gauge how it was going. It was difficult to see and finally he decided his time would be better served if returned his attention to Patterson.
"Now Patterson," Chris Larabee said with that infamous smile of predatory ice. "You don't got to tell me nothing but there won't be anything to stop me from killing you either."