Disclaimer: All the characters from the "Magnificent Seven" TV series are property of Trilogy Entertainment, The Mirisch Group, MGM Worldwide.
Home | Prologue | Part One | Part Two | Part Three | Part Four | Part Five | Part Six | Epilogue
Peso, the horse, was not happy, but then neither was Vin Tanner for that matter. The ride to the Doherty place was initially a silent one with neither Alex nor Vin speaking a word unless it was absolutely necessary. Both had decided to accept the situation because Nathan was not allowing Alex to make such an arduous trek alone nor Vin to squirm out of taking her. The heat that was baking the landscape did not make the trip any more bearable as the terrain ahead took them through the Badlands, being one of the harshest stretches of land in the Territory. While the heat was somewhat tolerable with the shade of trees and the air cooled by grass early in the journey, by the time they started to cross the Badlands it was almost noon and the temperature was rising off the ground in waves of shimmering heat.
He could see Alex suffering under the heavy riding cloak she was wearing. Her tanned skin was taking on the luster of dark bronze that seemed moist to the touch. He watched her struggle with the temperature valiantly, determined for him not to see that she was battling the heat. He supposed he had to admire her tenacity. This was a woman who believed emphatically that neither retreat or surrender was an option, and made it into an art form. Vin glanced over his shoulder occasionally, to see how she was faring as he led them through the bitter landscape. He knew Agnes Doherty from his conversations with Nettie Wells, who called the woman a stubborn old mule who would not take good advice even if bit her on....
Well Vin got the general idea by that point.
The farm, which Agnes Doherty would not leave, was almost a full day's ride from Four Corners. He wondered whether it had occurred to Alex Styles that their trip would most likely be an overnight stay, since it was unwise to cross this inhospitable place under the cover of dark. Coyotes made it a point to scavenge here during the night, in search of animals that might have wandered into the Badlands and died from either dehydration or sunstroke, whichever came first. Already, they had happened upon the carcasses of dead horses and stray cattle that had wandered away from the herd.
As it was, Peso was showing ambivalence at being forced to traverse the cracked ground beneath his hooves. The stallion had picked up the scent of death in the grisly end of the animals already passed and was unsettled. Vin supposed that it was some consolation that they were only travelling the outskirts of the Badlands instead of trying to cross its wide expanse. This was only the first leg of a difficult journey. After leaving the Badlands, they would then have to follow a steep climb up the mountain for several hours before reaching the farm. It was not a farm really, there was too much shale in the ground to grow anything and it was useless as grazing land. Nevertheless, Richard Doherty had believed that there was gold in these hills and wanted to remain close to the mother lode he never found.
"How you doing Alex?" Vin asked as he wiped the sweat from his brow, surveying the terrain ahead of them. In the distance, he could see the green of the hills and knew for a fact, that there was a river running not too far from here. Both were still hours away, but at least they would be able to water the horses and stop for a break before making the trek up the hills. Personally, Vin was looking forward to the interlude, and by the looks of her, Alex appeared to need it just as badly.
"I'm fine Mr. Tanner" she answered trying to inject as much ease into her manner as possible.
However, in the last hour or so, she had firmly decided that she was not going to endure this trip unless she made some quick changes to her present wardrobe. First, this riding cloak was going to have to go. She had not anticipated that the length of the journey would take them through such laborious terrain, and what was usually suitable attire for a quick ride now felt like sheets of wool against her skin. From a medical point of view, Alex knew if she did not shed the cloak, she would be in real danger of overheating. Struggling to hold onto the reins while slipping out of the cloak, she did a curious dance on Calliope before divesting herself of the garment. Underneath, she wore a thin cotton shirt buttoned up high with a burgundy colored vest and a long dark skirt. All were tolerable once she undid the top buttons of the shirt and let the air breeze down her chest. She still appeared modest as ever but slightly less uncomfortable.
Vin watched her perform this little task, trying not to notice the length of her slender neck exposed by the part of white cotton, tapering into the cleavage that was tantalizing him with what he could not see but rather what he imagined. He shook the thought out of his head, once again furious for allowing himself to fall into this situation. "There's a river a few miles up ahead" Vin said, deciding that it was best if he looked ahead and not anywhere else. "We'll stop for a while."
"You know," Alex sighed, feeling a great deal more comfortable now and a lot less hostile. "if I wasn't sure that Agnes was in trouble, I wouldn't mind stopping there for the rest of the day so I could soak in it."
Vin resisted the urge to conjure a mental image of what that would look like.
Instead, he glanced up at the noonday sun and squinted away the bright glare in his eyes. "I can't say I blame you," he admitted. "It sure is a scorcher. Don't feel like fall at all."
"You could never get this hot in an English summer" she replied as she kicked her heels and forced Calliope forward. She wondered how he could remain so unaffected with that thick buckskin coat of his. While there was a thin film of sweat covering his skin, he showed no other effects of languishing in this temperature.
Calliope sidled beside Peso and Vin found himself riding alongside her. She was close enough to him for Vin to see the slight curve of cleavage beneath the white shirt. He faced front immediately, abashed by his behavior, even though she was oblivious to it, or more importantly, oblivious to him.
"This is nothing" Vin commented. "A couple seasons ago, it was so hot we had grass fires. Killed a lot of livestock and people too. Land's harsh if you ain't ready for it."
"I know" she nodded. "That's why I'm worried about Agnes." Alex bit her lip thinking how the woman looked during her last visit into town. Nothing that Alex could do would convince the elderly lady to remain in town with the condition of her heart the way it was. Extreme heat like this could exacerbate an already tenuous state of health. Despite herself, Alex did not want to admit that it might already be too late. Agnes might have already fallen prey to the worst outcome of her illness. Her absence in town today certainly proved it. Agnes Doherty may have been a stubborn old crone but she was extremely punctual. "She's very old and her heart is not good. I tried to talk into staying with Nettie or somewhere in town but she's thickheaded and stubborn."
Vin gave her a look. "Well you ought to know" he said with a faint smile.
"I am a doctor, I am trained to render aid when it is necessary" she said hotly. "Agnes is my patient and my responsibility. I could have made this trip on my own you know. If Nathan was not so damn protective, I would have."
"You would have gotten lost in an hour and then I'd still have to come looking for you" he retorted. "This saves time."
He saw her bristle visibly at that remark. "I'm sure someone else could have done the honors. Ezra perhaps."
Now it was Vin's turn to bristle, feeling an involuntary pang of jealousy when it was made obvious that it was Ezra who had her affections and not him. "Then Ezra would get lost and I'd have to come find both of you" he replied. "Why do you delight in making me lose my temper with you?" she eyed him critically. Vin Tanner was one of those unexpected mysteries of life that came at you when you least expected it. Of the seven, he was the one she least understood. He was so quiet and enigmatic most of the time and only seemed to be vocal when he was around her. There was a part of Alex that enjoyed their verbal jousting, delighted in crossing swords with him. When they argued, she felt her blood rush and ....
Alex found herself blushing when she followed that thought to its inevitable end. Vin was staring at her intently with those dark eyes of his and she shook the thought away. She thanked God that her coloring hid such embarrassment from him, because she could not face the wicked thought that had crossed her mind at that moment. She loved Ezra. She loved Ezra's gentleness and looked forward to the time when she could show the gambler just how deep those feelings were. She wouldn't even require a wedding ring to do that.
"I don't" Vin said simply. "I just call it like it is."
"Let's just call a truce, shall we?" Alex suggested with a raised brow. There was no anger in her voice, merely resignation. Sometimes there was even mischief, like now. "At least for the rest of this trip. It's hell enough as it is."
"We can always turn back" he teased.
"Now see," she rolled her eyes in exasperation. "You got me all hot and bothered again."
He was actually smiling at that remark when Alex realized what she had said. Letting out a loud groan, she waited for the return jibe and decided, she probably deserved it.
"I wouldn't want to do that Alex" Vin retorted, unable to allow such a golden opportunity slip past. "With Mrs. Doherty waiting on you, we wouldn't have time for me to cool you down."
Alex rolled her eyes in exasperation. "In your dreams Mr Tanner, in your dreams" she laughed taking the remark with good humour. Vin watched her looking ahead once more, unable to deny the satisfaction at winning this particular round. He looked forward to their next confrontation with unspoken anticipation.
Still, Vin should not be baiting her like this because he knew he derived pleasure from it. Yet, Vin was almost certain that it was the same for her as well. Of course, she had no idea how he felt about her, and Vin was more determined than ever not to reveal his true feelings. Still, there were moments when he saw something in her eyes that almost grasped the truth before she would quickly brush it away as little more than imagination. Everything she did and said made Vin twist with a desire so intense that it was hard to breathe at times. Ever since she had breezed into town that first time, he had been just as spellbound as Ezra, but circumstances had placed the gambler in a position to win her favor first and so Vin had stepped aside.
Because he was not going to behave like he had with Charlotte.
He had genuinely loved Charlotte, loved her with a passion so fierce that it had robbed him of all good sense, until he realized what he was trading for that love. Keeping Charlotte meant losing the friends whom had taken away the unbearable loneliness of his existence, and the self-respect he knew would surely disappear if he stole another man's wife. When he sent her back to her husband, Vin knew it was not only for her sake, but for his as well. There came a time when he was uncertain whether her love for him was motivated by the longing of what her husband could no longer give her. Perhaps the atmosphere of the wagon train had inspired within him the desire to put down roots somewhere with someone special. None of them had been thinking straight during that journey, not him and not even Chris.
And here was Alex whose concern for others would force her to embark on the most foolish of quests because it was in her nature to help and heal. She burned with such dedicated fire that Vin felt awed at times and mindful of the need to protect her from those who would take advantage of that kindness. It was not to say that she was not an infuriating woman though. Vin had not encountered many women in his life. He had known even fewer on an intimate level, and with the exception of Charlotte, had mostly paid for those. It was not that he was unattractive to women, it was just that he had never been anywhere long enough to get to know any. Not until he came to Four Corners.
Now it just did not feel right to take up with working girls, especially when he was living in town permanently. When he was living his nomadic existence, he did not mind taking such liberties because he was allowed some measure of anonymity. Vin was a private person and felt that it was no one's business but his own with whom he kept company. It had become worse with Alex in his life because now he could not bring himself to partake of the company of another woman without wanting it to be her. Sometimes, when they were arguing, he could almost smell the scent of her, and Vin would find himself wondering whether Ezra had made love to her yet.
The thought was enough to make Vin sick with envy.
"Hey," Alex suddenly called out, looking at him, completely unaware of the thoughts that were presently running through his head. "I thought you were supposed to be leading this expedition."
Vin realized he was lagging behind a little and immediately urged Peso forward to take up position next to her once more. She looked at him with a smile, all traces of their previous altercation having evaporated from her face. Vin was unsurprised by her change in demeanor, for she was incapable of bearing a grudge and normally after one of their little jousts, one of them would make an overture of peace. He guessed this time it was hers.
"Sorry," Vin replied, "I'll try not to get left behind."
"You better," she chuckled. "I wouldn't want to have to coming looking for you."
Vin could only laugh. "I feel safer already."
It was early afternoon when Ezra and Julia finally arrived in Four Corners. Overhead, the blue sky had suddenly disappeared to be replaced by the thick pregnant clouds that were massing to chase the sunshine away. Although the rain was still some hours away, there was no doubt that the portents of the weather were clearly heralding the onslaught of a serious rainstorm. The air felt damp as Ezra observed the cumulous overhead becoming thicker with each gust of strengthening wind. Considering what Chris and the others would soon be escorting to town, the weather seemed to suit the occasion.
In anticipation of the coming storm, people were beginning to get indoors. It was a weekday, and usually at this time the streets were crowded with people going about their business. He could see them scattering to their houses as he and Julia rode by. Some had paused long enough to take note of the stranger nestled comfortably behind Ezra, but their curiosity was soon outweighed by the low rumble of thunder in the greying sky.
"What a charming town" Julia remarked, as her green eyes surveyed the town in which she had placed so much hope. It was, as she expected, one of those dreary rural towns where everyone was either a farmer or a farmhand. It was the kind of place where someone of her refinement could sweep into town and dazzle everyone with her acumen and savvy. She wanted the world in the palm of her hand and Four Corners seemed like an adequate start.
"It has its moments" Ezra retorted, not missing the distaste in her voice.
Their journey back had been illuminating, and while Ezra did not know exactly everything about Julia Pemberton, he did know that this was a woman accustomed to getting her own way in all things. She had very little scruples and even fewer inhibitions. To a certain extent, he was almost curious to see how she would fare in Four Corners. In some ways, she reminded him of Maude Standish, but she had not quite the killer instinct or the Machiavellian cunning of his mother. It was not just experience that set them apart, Ezra decided. It was merely the fact that Julia was petulant and demanding because, he believed, no one had actually said no to her in whole life. "There is your Emporium." Ezra pointed out as they trotted past the burned out wreck of the Kendall Emporium. The place was hardly in any position to provide a fitting first impression, but Ezra glanced at Julia to see that she really did not mind. The structure had remained intact and although it was in severe need of repairs, the building appeared sound. Four Corner's fledgling fire service had done an admirable job of dousing the flames during the fire. While they were unable to save much of the internal structure, the walls were still standing and required only reinforcement to make the building safe. "I'm afraid it's not much to look at." Ezra added as he looked over his shoulder at her.
However, Julia did not seem upset all. To his amazement, he saw her eyes light up as she studied the building. Suddenly, he could see the possibilities that were dancing through her imagination and marveled that he had not seen such potential in her before. She struck him as vainglorious and shallow, with a taste for life that only came with the indolent. For the first time, he saw something of a pioneer spirit in her smile, and that did make her look extremely engaging.
"It doesn't matter" she replied quickly, sounding like a youthful teenager as she spoke. "I've got the money to fix it up and maybe I'll get a dressmaker on premises who can do alterations and I'll even set up a little café inside the building, where people can have coffee or something."
"An audacious plan" Ezra found himself becoming lost in her enthusiasm and felt somewhat surprised that something so simple could touch his jaded soul.
"Not audacious," Julia retorted, her eyes still dancing with the vision she had for her Emporium, "just common sense. It's done in the city all the time. I don't intend to do anything that grand, of course, but smaller, and I need to make it personal somehow. Communities like this don't take well to strangers, so I'm going to have to get some local support. Who was this friend of Mr. Larabee's again?"
"Mary Travis" Ezra replied, trying to hide the astonishment in the sudden change of manner in the confusing Miss Pemberton. "I had no idea you were so determined."
"I am through letting anyone tell me what I can and cannot do" Julia stared at him hard. "All my life, this face is all I've ever had to use to get anything. Maybe if I can make this work, it won't matter how pretty I look."
Ezra could understand the need to be more than what everyone thought you were good for. Had not his life followed the same path? It was naturally assumed he would be no good because he was Maude Standish's son and the apple never fell too far from the tree. True, he had been raised to believe he was going to be bad from the day he was born by the relatives whom he was thrust upon and by Maude herself, when she decided he was old enough to learn the trade. Until he had come to Four Corners, Ezra Standish had never believed he could be anything else.
To his utter horror, he found that he was warming to this little schemer.
Deciding that a change of subject was definitely in order, since he was not about to chart these waters with her, Ezra snapped his heels against his horse and moved it quickly past the Emporium towards the hotel.
"I am assuming you kept your finances on your person and not unwisely in your purse?" He inquired.
"What fool would?" Julia replied. Her gaze was still fixed on her Emporium and what it was soon to become.
Ezra could not argue with that. He kept his money tucked safely in his right boot at all times. He trusted neither wallets nor banks. "Certainly not I." He retorted. "I shall take you the hotel where you can refresh yourself."
"You were meant to protect me" she pointed out.
"The hotel is presently occupied by a good assortment of individuals. I am certain that if outlaws were attempting to do away with you, they would allow some time to pass before making the attempt. Besides, I will not be long. I need to confer with my associates and apprise them of the unfortunate situation with the stage."
"Yes that was awful" Julia found herself admitting. Even when she had pulled a gun on her papa, she had done so with the absolute knowledge that the shock alone would have kept him from trying to interfere with her departure. She had never killed anyone in her life, and she had secretly hoped that the first would not be her misguided father. With a sigh, she found herself missing him despite her anger at his betrayal. A sliver of satisfaction crossed her mind at how angry Roderick Packard must have been. Good. He really was a pig. Unlike those people in the coach with her, whose only crime was to be in the wrong place at the wrong time.
"They will be coming into town soon," Ezra replied unhappily, knowing he would have to tell Mary first, who would have to wire the other town and produce a passenger manifest to present to the undertaker.
"Are you going to see your lady doctor?" Julia inquired with a hint of jealousy. She hated how he refused her advances throughout the trip and the affection in his voice when he spoke about this Alexandra of his, made Julia want to spit in outrage. Finally, she found herself meeting the one intriguing man with whom sex might be a pleasurable experience instead of a means to an end and he was taken! This had to be God's idea of retribution.
"That is none of your business" he replied firmly, feeling uncomfortable for some reason to hear her mentioning Alexandra. Suddenly, he regretted speaking so much about Alexandra to Julia. He could not explain why.
"I did not mean to offend," she said with a slight pout.
"I told you," Ezra looked at her impatiently, "that does not work on me. You powers to move me Miss Pemberton are slight."
She let out an audible sigh of resignation. "You cannot fault a lady for making the attempt" she remarked before brightening up again. "So where shall we have dinner?"
"Dinner?" Ezra met her gaze sharply. "I believe I am otherwise engaged."
"You are meant to protect me" she said firmly. "I did see those killers."
Unfortunately, Ezra could not ignore the truth of that statement. Chris wanted her protected and he had specifically instructed Ezra not to let Julia out of his sight. As much as Ezra wanted to find Alexandra, he had a responsibility to the leader of the seven. Chris had trusted him, a difficult enough thing to do after Ezra had made his hasty departure during the line fire, at their first meeting. It had taken a long time for Ezra to earn Chris' trust again and for some unfathomable reason, the gambler found it necessary to maintain that relationship.
"You do seem to have a point" Ezra frowned, knowing that she had him over a barrel in this instance. "I will accompany you to your hotel and allow you to freshen yourself, but I warn you, if these men intend on harming you, we may have to move you to a safer location."
"Mr. Standish," Julia grinned with clear triumph in her voice, "I am in your hands."
"I am rejoicing inside" he said sardonically.
The rain had started to pelt down in huge pregnant drops by the time the stage made its arrival in Four Corners. By now, news of yet another stage robbery had reached the community and despite the rain, it seemed people somehow managed to appear when the carriage rolled into town escorted by the lawmen who had been unable to prevent the killing. Residents stood on the boardwalk under shop awnings, they peered out their windows and out their doors, observing in silence the unofficial cortege moving through the muddy streets.
Mary Travis stood outside the door of the Clarion watching Chris Larabee leading the solemn parade through the center of town. She could tell from this distance that he was angry, even though nothing reflected in his face. The others with him were similarly dour and she ached for them all and how painful it must be to know that one is helpless to prevent such unnecessary loss of life. Even though their actions had saved one person from a similar death, that did not lessen the fact that four others had not escaped.
Chris raised his eyes as he passed by the Clarion on his way to the undertaker, the rain spilled over the brim of his hat as he searched the faces and saw the only one he cared about. Mary was staring at him, her blue grey eyes conveying the sorrow she felt for the victims and for him. Chris felt himself warmed by her concern. She knew he had a tendency to blame himself for these things and was always on alert to give him a sharp kick to his senses whenever she felt he deserved one. Unfortunately, this time nothing was going to help until he found these murderers.
He saw Nathan standing at the top of the stairs that led to his infirmary and saw the slight wince on the black man's face as the healer saw the stagecoach. He did not seem unsurprised, which meant that Ezra had given him fair warning of what they would find. Such senseless death often bothered Nathan the most, and Chris could understand why he felt so driven to save every life no matter what the consequences to himself. The alternative was to find oneself escorting this stagecoach reeking of death through the center of town.
As they passed by the hotel, Chris saw Ezra and Julia Pemberton together. Chris nodded at the gambler as they passed by and knew the gambler was following on his duty to keep the young woman safe. Julia's eyes were fixed on the carriage and Chris reminded himself that he would need to question her once this particular task was done. It was a miracle that she had survived the killing spree. Actually, it was no miracle at all. It was the outlaws' lust that had saved her. That and the timely arrival of the lawmen. Julia Pemberton could give them an accurate account of what had transpired from the time the stage had been forced off the track until the last gunshot had been fired on the last victim. More importantly, she could give them a face upon which to blame the murder and a place from which to begin.
"We've got to stop this" Buck said riding along side Chris as they made the last leg of their journey. Through the teeming rain that was slowly gaining momentum with the high winds propelling it to a thunderstorm, he saw his friend's eyes were just as hollow as his. Buck did not like to think about death or anything to do with the dark side of nature.
"You and me both Buck" Chris remarked, hating the look he saw on people's faces. Even though they did not speak it out loud, Chris could see the accusation in their eyes. He and the other six represented the law in Four Corners and were charged to protect the citizenry from the scum who had been committing the murders. No doubt, the sheriffs in Bitter Creek, Sweet Water and even Eagle Bend were feeling the same pressure.
"I hope Vin found something in Purgatory" Buck remarked.
Now that he mentioned the tracker, Chris realized he had not see the young man while they had been moving through town. Chris felt a flare of hope thinking that Vin might have remained in that shantytown of outlaws and bandits because he might have a solid lead on some information. At the moment, Chris was ready to ride out with his men to scour the plains until they found something. Certainly, he did not want to have another experience like this one again.
"I didn't see him around," Chris retorted, "he might have found something if he's still there."
"Let's just hope nothing found him" the cowboy said gravely.
"Cut it out Buck," Chris looked up at him. "You're a lousy pessimist."
Buck managed a sad smile and wiped the rain from his face. "Well I can't let you have the monopoly can I?"
"You don't do it as well" Chris retorted as they arrived at the undertaker's premises. The tall thin man in the customary black suit always made Chris uncomfortable. The mortician always studied him with that expression Chris just knew was reserved for potential customers. Right now, Chris wanted to be as far away from him and his establishment as possible. He wanted to get out of the rain, where he could drown in a bottle of whiskey and be with Mary, and he was very particular in what order that came. Most importantly, he wanted to speak to Julia Pemberton to hear her account of what she had seen, because Chris Larabee sure as hell was not going to make this ride again.
The next time he rode into town bringing bodies, he wanted it to be the outlaws who had done this.
An hour later, the group found themselves in Mary Travis' kitchen after the grisly work of delivering the bodies had been concluded and Mary had wired Sweet Water to inform them of the murders and to receive a passenger manifest. As she brewed coffee and handed them towels to dry themselves, Chris had Ezra bring Julia Pemberton so that she could finally relate her account of events and offer some description of the man she had seen. Since it appeared that Vin had not returned from Purgatory with any useful information, the young woman's eyewitness recollection was all Chris had to solve these murders.
"Boy it's really coming down out there" JD remarked staring out Mary's window to the garden outside. Sheets of rain shimmered through the air as the grass became covered in a continuous puddle of water that stretched beyond the patch of green and turned the dirt beyond it into mud. The wind was howling and JD saw trees battling the gusts as leaves struggled to remain on the swaying branches. There were no signs of any sun outside and the heavy dark clouds were being propelled by wind into a stormy frenzy.
Ezra said nothing, but his thoughts were with Alex at this moment, wondering whether or not she was all right. He had been none too happy to learn about the quest she had embarked upon earlier this morning, and even though he was certain Vin would see no harm come to her as her escort, Ezra could not help worrying that this weather might be even too much for the tracker. "We can hear, Mr. Dunne." Ezra said with a little more sharpness to his voice then he intended. Immediately after, Ezra felt guilty when he saw JD's fallen expression. "I apologize my young friend," Ezra quick replied as Mary walked past and squeezed his shoulder in comfort. "I did not meant to bite."
"That's okay Ezra." JD nodded in understanding and realized he should be quiet anyway while Chris was trying to conduct his questioning of the lovely Miss Pemberton.
"I'm sure she's fine Ezra," Mary whispered in his ear. "Vin knows what he's doing."
Ezra offered the pretty widow a warm smile and understood then what Chris Larabee loved so much about her. Mary Travis was one of those rare people who saw the best in everybody and whose desire to help was tempered with a genuine kindness that was all too lacking in this world. He supposed anyone who could bring comfort to the tortured soul of the gunslinger must be pretty exceptional. At this moment, Ezra thought she was too. "You are a lady without peer" Ezra replied, taking her hand and kissing it gently.
Mary chuckled softly before they both turned their attention back to Julia who was seated at the kitchen table with Buck standing close by, as if standing guard in case Chris' questions became too hard. Mary could tell by the look in Chris' eyes that her lover was almost at the end of his patience with his best friend. Buck was holding Miss Pemberton's hand as Chris fired his questions at her.
"As you can tell ma'am, this ain't the first stage that has been robbed. We've had two other hits in two weeks with almost a dozen people dead." Chris stated with a grim expression on his face.
"How awful" Julia exclaimed, her lips quivering in typical doe like fear. "I am truly lucky to be alive."
"Yes you are darling," Buck said interrupting before Chris could ask another question. "It would have been a loss to men everywhere."
Although no one voiced it, almost everyone in the room had their personal reactions to the display. Josiah merely shook his head in disbelief. Nathan stifled a silent snort of derision. JD watched the master at work in fascination, while Ezra and Mary exchanged glances that said in volumes what words could never express as succinctly. However, Chris was another matter entirely.
Miss Pemberton returned his gaze with a quick bat of her lashes and reveled at how easy it was to make men like this squirm. "Why Mr. Wilmington, you are so sweet."
"Buck" Chris said almost as sweetly. "Can I see you for a moment?"
"Sure Chris" Buck replied and followed Chris as the gunslinger walked towards the back door. Even though everyone else could see what was about to happen, Buck was oblivious to Chris' nonchalant manner.
"What's up?"
Chris opened the door suddenly and shoved Buck outside without another word. As Buck opened his mouth to speak, Chris cut him off abruptly. "Get out and don't come back until I'm done."
With that Chris Larabee slammed the door.
Mary rolled her eyes and looked at him sarcastically. "That was truly subtle."
"But not undeserved" Ezra retorted. "Mr. Dunne perhaps you ought to join our local Lothario and smooth his ruffled feathers at the saloon. Tell Inez the drinks are on the house."
"Sure Ezra" JD glanced at Chris, who nodded his permission for the young man to go. No doubt, Buck would be incensed, but he knew Chris well enough to realize when he was becoming a strain on the gunslinger's patience. In a moment, the young man had slipped out the door and Chris resumed his interrogation without interruptions.
"Why Ezra" Josiah looked at him in surprise. "That's uncommonly generous of you."
"Not really" Ezra returned. "Inez knows which bottle to use when the drinks are free."
"Now," Chris turned his attention back to Julia who was watching the interplay between the group with some amusement, "Miss Pemberton, can I ask what you saw?"
Dropping the charade of feigned gentility, Julia decided that Mr. Larabee's patience would not extend to her if she decided to play the wounded bird. She could see the intensity in his eyes and knew this was not a man to be trifled with. He wanted answers, and she had no doubt he would keep her here until he received them. To a certain extent, Julia did want to help him find the murderers who had slaughtered those innocents on the stage with her. She wanted those men to pay for her humiliation, and on a lesser note, the lives they had taken. Besides, it might be one way to show Ezra Standish she was not all bad.
"Certainly, Mr. Larabee" Julia nodded, her voice sounding all business now. The change was almost instantaneous, and everyone in the room noticed it. Only Ezra was unsurprised. However, his eyes kept darting to the window while thoughts of his lady doctor no doubt filled his mind. "As I told you before, we were only a few hours from Four Corners and the driver had told us we might even arrive ahead of schedule."
"We heard gunshots" Julia said, remembering the fear in the carriage as the first sounds erupted....
Mrs. Henderson squealed in fright, dropping her velvet purse onto the floor as her frantic eyes looked to her husband. Unfortunately, there was fear in his face too. Both of them were past the day where adventure or excitement held any sway for them. They had the look of urbanities, with their store bought clothes and the slight tinge of accent that might have been Irish.
She had remembered the couple prattling on about seeing the country, now that the factory was sold and the children were at school. She had not paid much attention for her mind was still focussed on her escape from Philadelphia. She had banked the money almost immediately under the name of Pemberton, a former lover from years past. Julia Avery had ceased to be for the last six days.
"Be calm love," the old man had said "if it's a robbery we can handle that. We've seen them in the city haven't we?" He tried to sound reassuring and held his wife's hand in his, as if willing his strength into her frail disposition.
She nodded meekly, but the fear had not faded from her face and was not likely to with the sudden surge in the speed of the carriage.
Julia looked out and saw the horses thundering alongside the stagecoach, a difficult accomplishment with the carriage rocking dangerously from side to side as it trundled across the uneven terrain. She peered out of the window long enough to see a branch snapping in her direction before a strong arm yanked her back into the carriage.
"Stay inside Miss!" The forth passenger ordered as she fell heavily into the cushioned seat.
"I think there are five of them, Mr. Baker" Julia replied, starting to feel the charged excitement of the whole situation. She had read about stagecoach robberies in the west but to actually experience one was another thing entirely.
Suddenly, the entire group found themselves tilting to one side of the carriage as the stage made a sharp turn. The sound of gunfire had ceased now but the stage was on different terrain for it no longer swayed from side to side but was shuddering as if the ground beneath was hard and rocky. Mrs. Henderson started to whimper in fright and no matter what her husband did, he could not keep her from crying out each time that they hit a particularly nasty bump.
By now, Julia was using the walls to brace herself from being shaken into to nausea within the belly of the carriage. The novelty of the experience had faded to genuine terror that her life might be in danger. Suddenly, she remembered the money in her purse and quickly rummaged through the trifles within. With the exception of the cash inside it, all the money that Julia had stolen from her father was now sitting in a bank awaiting use in her new life when she arrived at Four Corners. She slipped the bulk of the notes in her boot, knowing that removing all of it would only inspire the robbers to search her person. It was unconscionable for a woman of her breeding to be travelling without any form of financial support.
"It's slowing down!" Mr. Baker announced and Julia realized he was correct. The shuddering was abating, even though they were treated to a few jumps and rises over the next few minutes before the carriage came to a complete halt.
Julia resisted the urge to look out the window even though from what she was able to observe from her seat, they had certainly moved off the main trail. This new place was densely wooded with branches and trees looming a foreboding canvas over the coach. For a few minutes, no one spoke as they listened closely to horses that soon surrounded the stationary carriage. There were voices here and there, angry, deep voices spoken with a Southern and Texan drawl. The words were clear and the threat was even clearer.
Inevitably, they heard the soft thud of the driver dismounting the front of the carriage before hearing a loud booming voice shout at them from outside the door.
"Get out! All of you!"
Reluctantly, Baker went first. He was the only able bodied man in the carriage, even though he had confessed to being a travelling salesman. His fear was apparent by the way he kept straightening his tie. Julia followed him next because she wanted this over and done with. Let them finish their thievery, she cared little for the pittance that she would lose, even if they did find the money in her boot.
The five were staring at the passengers when they emerged, studying all of them carefully as if look alone could decide how much each of them was worth. They shoved the stage driver into the forming group. Their clothes were nothing unusual for men of this region. All however, wore hats with bandanas hiding their faces. Julia knew immediately all of them were professional outlaws, except for one. His fingernails were clean and manicured while the others were covered in dirt. She took a gamble that he was the leader and filed that information away for future use.
Mr. and Mrs. Henderson were the last to emerge, and upon their arrival, the four with the dirty nails begin ransacking the luggage loaded on the upper side of the carriage. The leader began to rummage through their wallets and purses, taking cash only and discarding the rest. His men conducted their search in similar fashion and were not thorough. They created more mess than finding anything of value. Very soon, the grove was covered in an array of objects, clothes, brushes, shoes and the socks that Mr. Baker sold to general stores across the Territory. The passengers watched and waited, knowing that this could not go on forever.
The leader called out to the pack after awhile. His voice sounded muffled through the clothes. He told them that that it was enough, it was time to go. The others disembarked the carriage and came to join him at his side. There was a moment of pause when Julia tried to comprehend what they would do next.
When they killed Mr. Baker, it was almost a complete surprise to her.
Julia was so horrified by the sight of blood exploding from his head, spraying the coach with his flesh and grey matter that she barely had time to scream before they turned the gun on Mr. Henderson. What she could not do, Mrs. Henderson was able to produce in a loud and piercing scream that seemed to filled the world. Birds had flown the trees, frightened by the sound of violence. Mr. Henderson took a bullet to the head and had no time to utter a cry as it tore through his head and took away his life before he even hit the dirt.
Mrs. Henderson was almost hysterical by the time the leader did the same thing to her. The shrill cry cut shot by the eruption of gunfire. The kill was almost execution in style, with one bullet to the head. Julia had been around enough guns in her life to know that the shots were not random. She had little more than a moment to spare when she saw that gun move in her direction before she cried out in desperation.
"Wait!" she called out, gambling her life on the most fragile of all enchantment.
He paused, if only because he was curious as to what she would say.
"I'll do anything if you leave me alive" she reached for the hair perched up on her head and removed the pin that held it in place. Copper colored hair fell around her shoulders as her fingers moved to the high buttoned blouse she was wearing. Her fingers trembled as she loosened them and watched the reaction of the men before her. By now, she had released enough buttons for them to have a clear picture of what she was offering. The leader's eyes met hers and she knew with certainty that he would take the bait.
Slowly, she removed her gloves as he came forward, the others were watching with leering eyes while their guns were aimed at her direction. He buried his face in her chest and she tried to quell the revulsion at feeling his lips tasting her skin. Her eyes were fixed on the bodies before her so she knew that what she risked was far greater than her dignity.
Suddenly, they looked up at the sound of hoof beats in the distance. The sound was loud and fast approaching them. The leader recoiled from her, raising to shoot when suddenly, he realized that his bandana had slipped off his face in his moment of lust. Julia saw that he was a young man, clean-shaven, no more than twenty-five, with dark hair and sharp blue eyes. He raised his gun to fire at her when the others who had scattered for their horses by this time, barked at him to hurry.
She saw the confusion on his face as he tried to decide what to do, while the thundering horses in the distance became visible. With a look she could only describe as anguish, he turned and fled....
Of course, for the delicate sensibilities of those who were present, certain events were sanitized by Julia in the telling of the tale.
This was really starting to turn into a bad idea.
Unfortunately, by the time Alex Styles made this discovery, it was far too late to turn back and she was not prepared to face the embarrassment of admitting to Vin Tanner that she might have made a mistake. Perhaps it was not such a smart idea, setting out from Four Corners to render aid to the old widow Doherty. At the moment, it appeared that Agnes might be in a better situation that the one Alex and Vin now found themselves.
While they had been crossing the Badlands the temperatures had soared so high that it was almost stifling to breathe the warm air in their lungs. Once the had spanned the expanse of baked ground and almost desert terrain, Vin had noticed a sudden shift in the wind, and commented when they reached the cool waters of the river that a change in weather was coming. Of course, that did little to deter Alex's course because her determination to reach Agnes had swept aside any need to consider what he was actually saying.
After a short interlude at the river Alex was eager to continue their journey, even though Vin was becoming increasingly aware of the climate. She saw only the arrival of some grey clouds that obscured the sun enough to let the air cool down considerably and made the journey tolerable in comparison to what it had been earlier. However, by the time they reached the foot of the steep hills upon which the Doherty place was perched, she began to understand what Nathan had said about the terrain being treacherous.
She was not the best rider in the world, in fact as horsewomen went she was actually quite bad. Alex had spent most of her life in carriages, as was the custom for women in the Old World. Riding like this was a relatively new experience and she had not been forced to test her skills to the fullest until this moment. She also knew that Vin was aware of this point and saw him keeping a close eye on her as they started up the steep incline. The track that meandered through the dense growth barely allowed for a horse and rider, let alone Agnes' wagon. She wondered how the old woman did it.
It made matters even worse, those harmless grey clouds overhead soon evolved into a raging thunderstorm that battered them relentlessly with huge rain drops that were almost sheets of water pouring from the heavens above. Vin kept glancing over his shoulder at her in concern, knowing that she was having trouble staying on Calliope. With the terrain the way it was, if she were to fall she could injure herself badly. He could tell she was afraid but her natural pride was keeping that fear silent. Vin considered his options before finally glancing over his shoulder again.
"I think you should ride with me" he said firmly.
"Ride with you?" she looked at him uncertainly. "Why?"
"Calliope is making me nervous." Vin replied, hoping she would not see through the lie. "I don't think she's handled this kind of track before. When a horse gets skittish like she is, they're liable to throw the rider off. This ain't the place for you to take a tumble."
Alex could not disagree with him as she saw the sharp incline to the ground, obstructed by shrubs, trees and the occasionally rock protruding from the shale ground. She did not relish the journey she would take if Calliope did indeed do what Vin feared. Alex knew she was not experienced enough to remain in the saddle if the horse displayed such behavior.
"What about Calliope?" she asked, feeling the fear a little more than she would like to admit. Alex prided herself in being unafraid of anything, but since her youth, she had never really liked horses. She could ride if she had to, because it was a necessity in this day and age if she wished to travel anywhere on her own, but in truth she preferred the safety of a wagon, where she felt she had better control of the animal.
"I'll tether her to Peso and just lead her along." Vin replied as he brought the stallion to a stop in the middle of the track. He looked up into the sky and could see neither cloud or sky. The whole world above was nothing more than a canvas of grey water raining down upon him. He climbed off the horse and felt his foot sink a little into muddy ground. Behind him, Alex had followed suit. She removed the riding cloak that hung off her like a blanket of water. He observed the beads of water running down her neck, disappearing into shirt that was now plastered to her skin and left nothing to the imagination. He shook the obvious effects of the image from his mind and returned his attention to her horse.
The whole procedure took a few minutes and when Calliope was finally tethered behind Peso, Vin climbed back onto the animal and offered his hand to Alex as she climbed up to him. It took a further few seconds for Alex to position herself comfortably behind him before she slid her arms around his waist. The moment he felt her arms around him and the weight of her chest pressed against his back, Vin suddenly decided that this was not the best idea he had all day. He froze for a moment, feeling her breath against his ear, the sensation magnified because they were both wet and cold and were naturally drawn to the heat of their bodies.
"Come on Peso" he said quietly, urging the horse forward as he reminded himself to concentrate on getting her to the Doherty place and not on the stirrings inside him that could become uncontrollable if allowed to continue unchecked.
Alex said nothing as she held on, unable to deny her own awareness of him. She tried to ignore the wonderful smell of him so near her, and the taut muscles of his stomach as she hung onto him, knowing with every fiber of her being that such feelings were wrong. It was wrong because it was carnal desire and not any real feeling for him that generated it. She was a grown woman after all and it had been a long time, a very long time since she had been with a man. Alex told herself the reaction was purely physical, almost scientific if you wanted to analyze it down to its bare bones. She told herself that this is what came of not indulging her feelings for Ezra and that when she returned to Four Corners, she and Vin Tanner would return to their adversarial roles once again.
This was just the rain and the cold, she told herself firmly and then found a stray thought running randomly across her mind almost involuntarily.
What a load of crap.
When Vin and Alex finally arrived at the homestead, they were not only soaked to the skin but chilled to the bone with the descent of night. There was no light to welcome their arrival and the whole place seemed so quiet that it sang a foreboding note. The house was not very big and it was difficult to see the lay of the area with the darkness almost pitch black. Vin however, was accustomed to such darkness when he had camped out on the plains alone, during his years hunting buffalo.
"Stay where you are" he ordered as he climbed off the horse.
"You get no argument from me" Alex replied, feeling very tense by all the darkness around her. It was possible that Agnes was asleep and had put out the lights in her slumber. She was after all an old woman, they tended to sleep early.
"That's a change" Vin commented.
"Very funny" Alex retorted, unable to see his face since he was little more than a dark shape walking towards the outline of the house. She could hear the trees rustling in the distance and hear what she guessed might be the sound of a shutter banging against the window.
As he kept walking, Alex called out, "Mr. Tanner?"
"Yeah?" he said reaching the front door.
"Talk to me would you?" she said quietly. "I'm not my best in the dark."
"I think you'd do just fine in the dark" he remarked, pleased that she was unable to see his wolfish smile.
"Will you just go find Agnes!" Alex retorted in exasperation, catching the innuendo in his statement. In light of the ride they had to share in the last leg of their journey, the subject was too close to home.
"Going" he replied and twisted the front door of the house, which was little larger than a cabin.
Alex heard the door swing open and his footsteps as he disappeared through the entrance. There was a few seconds when she lost sight of him completely and could hear nothing but the hooting of owls and thunder clapping in the night. She told herself that he was quite capable and that nothing could possibly happen to him inside a house. Even if that house belonged to an old woman who was still missing, who was helpless and frail and unable to stop anything from harming her if it set its on doing so. In fact, the more that Alex traveled along that line of thought, she realized that it could be watching her right now, using the sound of teeming rain to mask its approach towards her, having waited until Vin was far enough away to...
"Alex" Vin called out.
Alex almost jumped out of the saddle at the sound of Vin's voice and fell unceremoniously off Peso. Vin caught her before she hit the ground but the unexpected weight tipped him over and they both landed on the wet ground.
"God damnit! Would you please not do that! You scared the hell out of me!" she growled as she picked herself off him.
"You know," he grumbled standing up, feeling just as cold and miserable as she did, "it would be a lot easier if you'd just admit that this was a bad idea."
"Agnes was in trouble!" Alex declared angrily.
"Well she ain't here!" he snapped, feeling his ire surge as well. They were out in the middle of nowhere, caught in a storm because she was too pig headed to consider the possibility that Agnes may have left for some other destination.
"What do you mean she's not here!" Alex retorted, glaring at him before she swept past him and made her way to the house.
"I'm telling you, she ain't in the house!" Vin repeated himself as he followed her. "It don't look like anyone has been here! Did you ask around town before you decided to come out here?"
Alex froze in her steps. She turned around and looked at him. Well in his direction at least. It was still very dark. "It never occurred to me...." she mumbled. "Agnes always comes to see me when she's in town..." The words died in her throat because she had not anticipated that the old woman might have returned to Four Corners. Of course it was possible but unlikely because Agnes was very set in her ways. Still, her habits were not set in stone.
"That's just great" Vin grumbled, visibly angry at being dragged out here without her checking all the possibilities. "So as far as we know, Miss Doherty could be living it up in the hotel in Four Corners?"
"I suppose," Alex bit her lip guiltily, feeling somewhat ashamed and unable to refute his anger because he was perfectly justified in what he was saying. She had not checked and she should have. Now there were in the middle of nowhere, a day's ride from Four Corners and worst of all with each other!
Could it get any worse?
"Well that's it," Vin said throwing his hands up in the air. "I'm going in there to get dried off and warm. Are you coming?"
"Obviously," she snapped. "I'm not going to stay out here."
"Good," he retorted as he strode past her. "We're going to have to spend the night."
Oh yes, Alex cursed silently to herself. It could get a lot worse.
Julia slept alone.
She was unhappy to be alone because she knew without doubt she wanted company inside her hotel room, and furthermore it was not Buck Wilmington's presence for which she craved. The cowboy had been at her side all night while Ezra had withdrawn to the saloon where he no doubt waited for the return of his precious doctor. For some reason, he no longer wanted the responsibility of guarding her and it was a task Buck Wilmington and JD Dunne were eager to take on in his absence. Julia felt the sting of rejection for the first time in her life and had come to the firm conclusion that she did not at all like it.
She tossed and turned in her sheets, knowing that there was no reason for her to be enduring the night in solitude. All she needed to do was crook her finger and Buck Wilmington would be more than happy to oblige. He was mildly attractive and had all the indications of being an interesting lover if she chose to allow him the pleasure. Except there was only one problem.
She wanted Ezra Standish.
In her entire life, she had never had a man say no to her advances, no matter how overt she behaved. Not only did he reject her sexual favors, he behaved as if she were a sheet of transparent glass, to be seen through with absolute ease. She knew he was aware of her as a woman because not even his nonchalance could hide the reactions endemic to all males around her. However, his desire was tempered with the knowledge of what she was and that forced him away from her. Julia had known him for less than a day, but already she was more intrigued by the gambler than any man she had ever met in her life.
She knew she could break down his defenses, provided his doctor stayed away from town a few more days.
Tomorrow, she would move her belongings to the home of Mary Travis to stay until the outlaws were caught. For the moment however, Chris Larabee believed she would be safe in the hotel. Knowing Ezra was more centered than Buck in her presence, the gunslinger had appointed both of them to guard her during the night. Thus both Ezra and Buck had taken a room at the hotel and were no more than two doors down from her room. Chris doubted that anyone would make an attempt on her life so soon but he wanted to take no chances. Although it was quite apparent that nothing she did would ever turn the gunslinger's head from the formidable Mrs. Travis, Julia had come to possess a healthy respect for him. She had no doubt that he would find those outlaws eventually. It was just a matter of time.
Suddenly, she heard the sound of a doorknob twisting through the continuos pitter-patter of rain against the ceiling. She sat up immediately, wondering if it was Buck showing more backbone that she believed he possessed by attempting a midnight dalliance with her. She would not mind his attentions really since it appeared sleep was not forthcoming and she needed to release the pent up desires inspired by Ezra Standish.
Besides, it might even prove mildly entertaining.
As the crack of the door widened, Julia lay back in bed, rolling onto her side as she removed her nightgown and tossed it aside in anticipation of the man's arrival. However, it opened wide enough for her to see a gun barrel makes its appearance instead of a man. It took a few seconds to register the danger before the gun discharged. Julia let out a short squeal of fear, rolling off the bed onto the floor with a loud thud as the bullet tore through the pillow where her head would have been. Feathers and cotton erupted from the burnt fabric, drifting through the air as he cocked his weapon and fired again.
Julia screamed again as the second gunshot was heard, this time it shattered a window and created a spray of glass on the floor. She cringed further beneath the cover of her bed, trying to think where she had kept the derringer and realizing with anguish that it was in the trunk on the other side of the room. Missing a second time, the shooter did not bother to make another attempt as the pounding of approaching footsteps signaled the arrival of her guardians who were running down the hall. Julia let out a sigh of relief hearing their impending arrival while scrambling for her nightgown.
"You check on Julia!" She heard Buck cry out as he ran past her room, continuing down the corridor in pursuit of the assassin who almost ended her life. Julia thanked God that she had been unable to sleep, knowing that had the assassin caught her unawares, she would be dead by now.
"Julia!" Ezra called as he entered the room. Ezra's eyes searched the room and feared the worst when he saw the feathers and cotton floating around the room from the punctured pillow.
Julia stood up to show that she was unharmed while at the same time slipping her nightgown over her naked form. When she had pulled the fabric over her head, she caught sight of Ezra who was barefoot and wearing only pants with an unbuttoned shirt hanging loosely from his muscled body. He let out a sigh of exasperation at the sight of her undress before remarking sarcastically. "I was going to ask if you were alright but somehow a more important question comes to mind."
"Really?" she asked, trying to sound brave, but the attempt on her life had shaken her badly as she climbed over the bed to avoid the broken glass on the floor. "What would that be?"
"Do you always sleep in the nude?" he asked, seemingly annoyed even as his eyes were moving up and down her body revealing that his interest was more than just curiosity.
"I thought it was Buck" she snapped angrily.
"Well naturally, that explains everything" Ezra replied and then asked her seriously. "Are you hurt?"
"No," she said hugging her arms as she felt the slight chill in the air. "I'm fine." She could not tell if it was because of the temperature or the experience that she had just endured. Julia sauntered towards Ezra until she was standing inches away from him. "I would have preferred it to have been you." She smiled suggestively.
Ezra shook his head and turned away. "Please, do not embarrass yourself." He started towards the door, suddenly feeling like he needed to help Buck.
"Embarrass!" she exclaimed in outrage. "Why can't you admit that you want me? I could be your greatest experience. I could be the one to tell your grandchildren about" she said imperiously.
Ezra looked over his shoulder to send her a glare that could only be described as unfathomable. "I have no affections for you Miss Pemberton. I have been charged to protect you because it is my duty to do so. Nothing else."
"It's not so bad," she purred seductively as she approached him. "I will still respect you in the morning."
Ezra felt her soft skin against his own and immediately felt unspoken desires flare up inside him. However, he forced them aside ruthlessly because he was not going to betray Alexandra Styles, no matter how much of a temptation Julia Pemberton might prove to be. It was bad enough that he had recognized a kindred spirit in those amazing emerald eyes, now she was offering herself to him and Ezra was only human after all.
God, he wished Alexandra were here.
"Get dressed" Ezra ordered. "We need to find you some other accommodation. This establishment is obviously not safe after this recent intrusion."
At that moment, he saw Buck walking down the hallway. His return indicated that he had been unsuccessful at capturing Julia's would be assassin. Ezra swore under his breath, knowing that this was just the first of these attempts. While Julia lived, the killer risked exposure and that was good enough reason in Ezra's opinion to remain vigilant about ending her life. Buck swiped the wet hair from his face and it looked like he was soaked to the bone in his long johns.
"He got away" Buck announced unhappily. "Varmint had a horse waiting for him."
"I am the last one to question a gamble, but this attempt has a hint of desperation in it. After all their efforts to remain anonymous, I am surprised that they made such a fool hardy attempt."
"Is she alright?" Buck asked, itching to enter the room to see for himself.
"As well as she can be" Ezra grumbled unable to hide the chagrin in his voice which Buck immediately picked upon. "We need to remove her from the premises."
Buck nodded in agreement. "Damn that was fast." The tall man commented. "How did word get to them so fast that she was here?"
Ezra could not answer that question and had a feeling that Chris was right. This was more than just about a robbery. The question was, if not about a robbery than what?
Home | Prologue | Part One | Part Two | Part Three | Part Four | Part Five | Part Six | Epilogue | Top