Chris and the others had already passed the spot they’d camped in the night before. They were making good time. But their emotions were grim. Not only had they picked up Jameson’s trail, but they saw that it was following JD, Nathan and Vin’s trail as well. Their horses were tiring. Chris knew they’d have to give them a break soon, before they were too exhausted to continue. He was about to call the others to a halt, or at least slow them down, when he heard the shots in the distance.
“Let’s go!” he ordered and kicked his horse onward.+ + + + + + +
Nathan watched the emotions play across Vin’s features. Saw them harden.
“Let him go!” the tracker shouted, rising shakily to his feet, leaning heavily against a tree.
“Vin….,” Nathan trailed, his voice warning, not knowing what Vin was going to do.
“He ain’t as cute as you, lawman! Or even those two little girls!” Jameson began, taunting the tracker. “But I bet he’s still a virgin, not like someone else I know! Ooh, feisty, too!” he added, after they heard a short yelp from JD.
“Leave him alone!” Vin yelled back, starting to step away from the tree that was providing him his cover and strength.
Nathan grabbed his arm, tried to hold him back. But Vin just pulled away.
“Or what, lawman?” Jameson asked, not intimidated in the least.
“Or I swear it’ll be the last thing you do!” Vin threatened, coming out into the open.
“Vin! You’re gonna get yourself killed!” Nathan scolded, unable to prevent the tracker from leaving cover, his own wound leaving him too weak to even pick up his gun anymore.
Now that he was in the open, he saw Jameson, holding JD in front of him with his gun to the boy’s temple. Vin stood there shakily, the pain from his wounds shouting at him, threatening him, wanting him to drop to the ground where he was. But he saw JD’s frightened eyes. He knew that he was the only thing standing between JD’s safety and Jameson’s sadistic wishes.
“Let him go, Jameson,” he said. “He ain’t done nothin’ to you. Take me again if you want. Kill me if you got to. Just let him go.”
“Vin! No!” JD shouted, struggling in Jameson’s grasp.
“Let me take you willingly? Oh, that does sound interesting,” Jameson responded, thinking about Vin’s offer. “But I don’t know,” he mused, stroking JD’s hair. “Making you watch sounds so much more fun. I do remember how you liked to watch,” he said with a wink.
“You hurt that boy and I’ll drop you where you stand,” Vin threatened.
“Fine. Have it your way, lawman,” he replied, feigning disappointment. “Drop your weapon and come over here. Slowly,” he instructed.
Vin, seeing no other alternative, knowing he’d be saving JD from the hell he’d already been through, complied. He was about four feet away from Jameson when the big man shoved JD down and away from him, quickly training his gun on Vin. He motioned with the weapon and had Vin turn around. Before he knew what was happening, Vin felt the hand in his hair again, yanking him back against Jameson’s chest, as the gun went to his temple.
“There now, seems like old times, doesn’t it, lawman?” he laughed. “And I do remember how much you loved the feel of my fingers through your hair. What did it remind me of? Oh yes, like reins on a horse.”
Vin shuddered at the words, but quickly focused again. Opening his eyes, he looked toward JD.
“JD, get back into the woods. Nathan’s hurt and needs tendin’,” Vin told the boy. “Don’t worry about me,” he added. “Let’s get this over and done with,” he directed at Jameson.
Jameson backed up, headed for his horse, bringing Vin with him. Vin stared back at JD, who stood there, not believing that Vin willingly put himself back into Jameson’s cruel hands.
“See to Nathan,” he said, reminding the boy that the healer was hurt, telling him that it was alright - that he’d made his choice.
Vin was also thinking about ways of escape. He’d hidden one of Nathan’s short knives under the bandana covering his left forearm. He just needed the opportunity to get to it. He felt the barrel of the gun move to the back of his head. Jameson pushed him down to the ground, then slowly released his grip on Vin’s hair.
“You’ve even come prepared,” Jameson remarked with amusement. “Longjohns with the flap in the back. How handy! Now if you don’t try anything funny, you might even enjoy it this time around,” Jameson told him as he reached for the flap buttons.
Vin found his moment and quickly squirmed around, grabbing onto Jameson’s wrist. He struggled with the big man for control of the weapon. He slammed it down on a rock and Jameson released it. The gun skittered away out of reach. Still holding onto Jameson’s wrist, Vin managed to get an advantage and rolled over on top of him. He let go with his right hand and reached for the bandana on his left, untied it and grabbed the knife. But Jameson was quicker and stronger and now the two struggled for control of the blade. The knife was turned toward Vin and he began to lose hope along with his strength. With one last effort, he turned the knife back toward Jameson. That was when he heard the shot ring out - saw the man above him flinch with surprise and pain. Vin took the moment for what it was and drove the knife home, burying it in Jameson’s side. His strength gone, he could not even move out of the way when the big man’s body came crashing down upon him. He did not hear the roar of hooves as the others came to him.
“Vin? Vin, you alright?” Chris called.
“Get him off me. Get him off me,” Vin begged.
Soon, Chris and Buck were lifting the body off of him. Vin rolled over, away from it.
“Nathan’s hurt. JD’s in the woods with ‘im,” Vin said, trying to get to his feet.
“Don’t you worry about that,” Chris said, stopping him, keeping him on the ground. “Josiah and Ezra will see to him.”
Vin struggled with Chris, tried to get away from his grasp.
“Vin, come on. Lie still,” Chris scolded, still trying to keep him down.
“I don’t want him on me no more,” Vin whispered, eyes pleading with Chris.
“He can’t hurt ya no more, Vin,” Buck said. “He can’t hurt no one, thanks to you,” he added, looking at the tracker, making sure he’d heard him.
“It’s done with,” Chris said.
Vin stopped struggling.
“Please, just get me outta here,” he asked. “Get me outta these clothes,” he added weakly.
“Alright, Vin,” Chris soothed, forcing himself not to brush the stray, sweaty locks off of Vin’s forehead. “Don’t you worry none. We’re gonna take care of ya,” he promised, watching as his friend finally succumbed to unconsciousness.+ + + + + + +
The ride back to Four Corners was slow, with two horses pulling litters. Buck had been able to take care of Vin - fix up the wounds that had reopened during his perilous ride with Nathan and later struggle with Jameson. Nathan’s wound, though it bled heavily, and left him very weak, did not need any more care than bandaging. He opted not to have any of the remaining laudanum from his bag, telling Buck to give it to Vin, instead. And so, the tracker slept. Probably the best sleep he’d had since that night.
He woke up as Chris and Buck were lying him on a bed. He saw that they were back in town, inside Nathan's clinic.
“How ya feelin’, Cowboy?” Chris asked, tucking the cover up around his shoulders.
“Better, I reckon,” he replied. “How’s Nathan?”
“I’m just fine,” the healer replied from the bed across the room.
Vin looked around and saw that all of the seven were present, safe and sound.
“I, uh,” he stammered, searching for words.
“Vin, we understand, now,” Buck told him.
“I know,” Vin replied. “And I want to thank y’all. For understandin’. For stickin’ by me. I thought I could handle it by myself. Thought I’d have to.”
“We’re your friends, Vin,” JD said. “Hell, we’re like family - we’re supposed to understand and stick by ya.”
Vin looked at the others - saw them nodding in agreement with the boy’s statement.
“Thanks,” he said quietly. “I only hope those two little girls got kin as good as I do.”+ + + + + + +
Buck carefully and quietly closed the door, wincing, as the squeaky doorknob seemed to scream in the silence of the night. He looked around quickly, hoping he hadn't woken anyone up, especially the occupant of the room he'd just left. He listened carefully, ear to the door, and was relieved that JD hadn't stirred. He'd just spent the last hour talking with the boy, making sure he was alright. Buck, being ever protective of JD since they'd met, didn't want the events of the past few days affecting his young friend. The big man knew too well what a burden JD had carried when he kept Vin's secret. And then, to have been held by the same cruel hands that had hurt Vin…well, Jameson was lucky that he was already dead by the time Buck had gotten to Vin's side.
He left JD's doorway and headed down the hall to another set of rooms. He opened the door to Nathan's room and entered quietly. Chris, sitting by Vin's bedside, looked up at his old friend and gave him a slight smile.
"How they doin'?" Buck asked, whispering as he'd seen that the two other occupants of the room were sleeping.
"Good. Nate finally let me give him a dose of laudanum. He's out cold," Chris reported. "Vin's been restless, but asleep," he added.
Buck nodded and said, "You need anything? I'm headin' out, gonna scrounge up some dinner or somethin'."
"Nah, I'm fine, thanks," the gunslinger replied.
Buck was about to turn and leave when Vin started tossing and turning in the bed, moaning with the movements.
“No!! Fuck you!! Fuck you!!” Vin cried out, tear-filled and angry.
Buck and Chris reached Vin's bedside just as he was about to roll out of it.
“Easy, pard’,” Buck soothed, pulling Vin back onto the bed.
“Vin? Vin, it’s all right,” Chris put in at the same time, trying to untangle the sheets from around the tracker’s writhing form.
“Leave me alone! Leave me the fuck alone,” he continued to cry, flinching at their touch, adding some Comanche curses as well.
“Come on, Vin, wake up. It’s just us,” Chris continued, shaking Vin’s shoulders, now.
“You’re safe, Vin. No one’s gonna hurt you no more,” Buck added, putting his hand on the tracker’s brow.
At the touch of Buck’s hand, Vin’s eyes flew open and he bolted upright. Gasping for breath, he searched the room wildly, gaining his bearings, finally settling his gaze first on Buck and then on Chris.
“That’s it, Vin, you're okay,” Chris said, giving his friend a reassuring smile, patting his arm. “You’re here at Nathan’s," he added, glancing over at the healer's still sleeping form, surprised he hadn't woken up.
Vin closed his eyes and sank back down onto the bed, nodding his head on the pillow, acknowledging his friend’s remarks.
“Sorry ‘bout that,” he whispered.
“Nothin’ to be sorry about,” Buck admonished lightly. “Bound to happen, considerin’,” he added.
Vin opened his eyes again and looked at the ladies’ man. He had that knowing, compassionate look in his eyes again.
“How’d you know, Buck?” he asked quietly.
Buck took a deep breath and looked at his two friends. He had been waiting for that question. Wondering when someone was going to ask about how he knew Vin had been taken. How he knew how to take care of someone who had been hurt that way. He pulled a chair close to the bed and sat back into it, getting comfortable. Or, at least as comfortable as he was going to, considering what he was about to tell the two men with him.
“I don’t know how much you know about me, where I came from and all,” he began. “Didn’t have much growin’ up. My Ma was a workin’ girl. My Pa was one of her customers. Never did tell me which one. Don’t know if she even knew,” he added with a half smile. “She loved us and that was all that mattered.”
“Us?” Chris asked.
“Yeah,” Buck nodded solemnly. “Me and my little brother, Andy,” he replied. “Didn’t know who his daddy was neither,” he added.
He took another deep breath and Chris and Vin could tell that the memories, good and bad, of Andy were flooding through Buck’s mind.
“Andy was a typical little brother, I guess. Always getting into some kind of trouble. Shoot, we was both always getting into trouble,” Buck laughed, a gleam in his eye. “Anyways, it was my job to watch him while Ma was workin’. It was no big deal most of the time. Until…”
Buck stopped, then, a pained look coming to him as he recalled the event.
“Buck, you don’t have to tell us anything,” Chris said, looking at his old friend.
“I know,” he replied. “I want to, though. I guess I need to, just like Vin needed to tell you,” he said. “It can only help,” he added.
Chris nodded and readied himself to listen again to Buck’s story. Vin nodded too, though the nervousness he felt, knowing that whatever Buck told him would only make him remember his own pain, kept him from looking back at the other two men.
“One day Andy went out on his own. I couldn’t find him,” the big man began again. “Shit, he was thirteen then, hardly in need of a babysittin’ big brother. But somethin’ was naggin’ at me that day. I couldn’t put my finger on it. Then Ma came lookin’ for me. She told me to find Andy right away and bring him home. She wouldn’t tell me why, just told me to go find him. About two hours later, I did,” he said, pausing to gather his thoughts, unconsciously wiping a tear from the corner of his eye. “I found him in the livery, huddled up in the corner of a stall. He was naked and the hay underneath him was stained with blood. His eyes were empty. I’d never been so spooked in my life as when I looked into them eyes of his. It was like everything anybody could ever be afraid of had come and taken his soul away. I saw that same look in your eyes, Vin,” he said, looking at the tracker that lay in the bed next to him. “That’s how I knew.”
Vin finally opened his eyes again, looking up at Buck, acknowledging the big man’s words.
“I wrapped him up in a horse blanket and carried him back home,” Buck continued. “Andy didn’t say a word the entire time. Ma tried to get the doctor to come up and take care of him, but he wouldn’t. Said he ‘didn’t work for no whores, much less take care of their bastard kids,’” Buck remembered, trying to hold back his anger. “One of the other girls came and helped, though. Lucy was like the mother hen around there. Took care of the girls when the customers got rough. Ma couldn’t handle it, seein’ her baby boy hurt like that. So Lucy had me stay and help.”
Buck stopped then, unsure if he could or even wanted to go on. He hadn't told this story to anyone before.
"Buck? What happened to Andy?" Vin asked, dreading the answer, knowing that his own fate could lie in the big man's reply.
"We took care of him, best we could without a doctor," Buck went on. “And Andy got better, physically. But he wasn’t the same,” he said, no longer looking at Vin or Chris, but at the space somewhere between them. “He wouldn’t talk about what happened. Wouldn’t tell us who did it. Don’t think I ever saw him eat anything unless one of us was watchin’ him, basically forcing him to do it.”
Vin felt himself squirm at Buck’s words, recalling his own actions. Hearing the hurt in Buck’s voice, he realized what his silence must have been doing to the others, especially JD, who knew the reason for it. He listened again as Buck continued.
“My baby brother was just dyin’ inside, right in front of me and I couldn’t do nothin’ about it. He wouldn’t let me. Then one night, after I got done workin’, cleanin’ up the saloon, I heard my Ma screamin’,” he got out, his voice barely audible now, as he felt himself reliving the moment. “I got upstairs and found Andy in his bed. He’d slit his wrists.”
“God, Buck,” Chris began, not knowing what to say to his old friend.
Vin stayed quiet. Suicide. How many times had that thought gone through his mind in the past week? He’d thought of all the possible ways – from a bullet, poison, a rope, all the way to a knife across his wrists. The day he actually planned to carry out the deed, the day he’d played Russian Roulette, was the day Chris told him about those two little girls.
“I bet you’ve thought about it, too, Vin,” Buck said, breaking the tracker from his thoughts.
Vin nodded, somewhat guiltily now, seeing and feeling Buck’s fixed gaze upon him.
“Andy was thirteen years old. Barely knew what the hell had been done to him, let alone how to explain what he was feelin’ to someone else,” Buck said. “And me, bein’ barely fifteen, what the hell did I know about helpin’ him? But you,” he continued, still staring at the tracker. “You’re old enough to know what happened. You’re old enough to sort out what you’re feelin’ inside. And you’ve got lots of friends here with enough experience in life that can help you do that,” he finished, continuing to stare at Vin, making sure his point was gotten.
Vin nodded, message received.
“We’re here for ya, Vin,” he said, extending his hand.
“Thanks, Buck,” Vin said, grasping the offered hand, squeezing back, giving Buck his support as well.
“We’re all here for ya, Vin,” Chris put in, putting his hand over the other two. “And you, too, Buck,” Chris said, turning his gaze from Vin to his older friend.
Buck just nodded to them both, chuckling, “What do they say? All for one and one for all?” before letting go and rising from the chair. “I’m just gonna go check on JD, now. See how’s he’s doin’,” he said, heading out the door, all previous thoughts of ‘dinner or somethin’,’ gone.+ + + + + + +
It was around midnight as Chris sat in the chair between the beds in Nathan’s clinic. The injured men on either side of him were resting comfortably. Nathan was still asleep, thanks to the dose of laudanum. Vin, feeling a little better, had again refused his offered dose. The gunslinger looked down at the tracker. Though his eyes were closed, Chris knew he was awake. Chris was still reeling from the story Buck had told about his brother’s experience, but recalling Buck’s encounter with Vin on the trail to Eagle Bend, he was almost grateful. Without Buck’s intervention, who knew what Vin would have done to himself.
“Wanna talk about it?” he asked quietly.
Vin opened his eyes and shook his head. Chris nodded his head, in return, understanding. He was just about to ask Vin if he needed anything, when the tracker spoke.
“I’m sorry,” he said.
“Sorry?” Chris questioned, dumbfounded. “Vin, what have you got to be sorry about?”
“If I had just told y’all what happened, those little girls…,” he began but couldn’t finish.
“You don’t know that, Vin,” the gunslinger countered.
He was about to continue when Buck and Josiah entered the room. They knew they’d interrupted an important conversation, but continued in anyway.
“Chris,” Buck called from the open doorway. “That other matter we discussed…,” he continued, holding up a piece of paper and giving Chris a look, hoping he’d know what he was referring to.
After a second or so, Chris did remember and responded, “Yeah?”
“We’ve got our answer and the opportunity,” Buck replied, still cryptic in his manner.
“What’s goin’ on?” Vin asked, clearly upset over being left out of the others’ silent communication.
“Nothing to worry about, Vin,” Chris replied, patting the tracker’s leg as he rose from his chair.
Josiah took the seat Chris vacated and nodded to the two men as they left.
“What’s goin’ on, Josiah?” Vin asked, clearly irritated.
“Just a little unfinished business,” Josiah replied, avoiding Vin’s gaze.+ + + + + + +
Chris and Buck met up with Ezra in the saloon.
“Where is she?” Chris asked.
“She just went upstairs with a customer,” Ezra replied, looking at the staircase.
“Let’s do it,” Buck said.
Chris looked around at the crowded saloon and then followed the other two men upstairs. When they got to room number four, Buck didn’t even bother to knock. He opened the door and was greeted by the surprised shouts of both Miss Emma and her customer.
“What’s going on?!” the saloon girl shouted, pulling her dress up around herself. “I’m here with a customer!”
Ezra entered the room, grabbed the purse on the nightstand and took some money out of it. He threw some to the man.
“Not any more,” Chris told her, motioning the man to leave.
The man saw the deadly look in Chris’s eyes. He took his money and left, not even bothering to get dressed, just grabbing his clothing on the way.
“What do you want?” she asked, upset and suspicious.
“It’s time for you to leave Four Corners,” Buck told her.
“Excuse me?” Miss Emma balked. “I have every right to work in this town.”
“I’m afraid not, my dear,” Ezra countered. “Your services in this saloon are no longer needed. You will vacate this room immediately.”
“On what grounds?” she asked.
“On the grounds that we don’t like thievin’, connivin’ bitches in this town,” Buck whispered harshly to her, standing in front of her, using his height to its full advantage.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” she returned, looking at the three of them.
“Tell that to those two little girls in Eagle Bend that lost their parents to robbing, raping, murderers,” Chris growled back, shoving the telegram Buck had gotten down into the woman’s cleavage.
The look of surprise and guilt she flashed was quickly hidden, but not before Chris caught it.
“Quite a bit of money you’ve got here, considering your station in life, Miss Emma,” Ezra cut in, holding the wad of cash he’d pulled from her purse.
“You have no right to go through my belongings!” she shouted, making a grab for her purse.
Buck stopped her and held her, struggling, in her place.
“You’re under arrest for conspiring to commit murder, rape and robbery,” Chris told her. “The Marshals’ll be here in the morning.”
“What!?” she balked.
“Or, if you prefer, we can tie you up and leave you out in the middle of nowhere,” Chris added quietly.
Miss Emma smiled suddenly as realization hit.
“You’re friends with that long haired lawman aren’t you?” she asked, now knowing the reason behind their menacing manner.
“That’s right, we are,” Buck said. “And you’re just as guilty as that bastard Jameson that hurt him. So if you’re as smart as you think you are, you’d best come along quietly,” he added, menacingly.
“Clock’s ticking,” Chris announced. “Do we need to get the rope?” he asked.
She looked around at the three men again.
“Fine. I’ll go. Just as quietly as your lawman friend was when he was begging for more!” she spat, kicking Buck in the knee as she did.
Before he knew what he was doing, Buck brought his fist up and hit the woman across her jaw, sending her sprawling to the floor. She looked up at him, dizzily rubbing at the blood coming from her open mouth.
“My Ma taught me to never hit a lady,” he said. “Good thing you ain’t one,” he added, grabbing the woman up off the floor. He swung her up over her shoulder and walked out of the room.
“Well said, Mr. Wilmington,” Ezra spoke quietly as he left. He held up the small purse and the money and asked, “What shall we do with this?”
“Oh, I’m sure we’ll think of something. Maybe we’ll let Vin decide,” Chris said, leaving the room to follow Ezra, Buck and Miss Emma to the jail.+ + + + + + +
Two weeks later, in Eagle Bend, two little girls opened packages marked with their names on them. Inside they found pure white dresses, covered with lace, with matching hair ribbons pinned to the collars. They’d been wrapped in colorful bandanas in shades of pink.