Episode 14

Truth Be Told


"Brrr!" Cole said, rubbing his hands together as he and Ben entered the Community Center. "It's getting colder out there!"

 

Ben nodded as he looked around the room at the tables. "Pa said he thought it might snow tonight."

 

Cole shook his head. "I don't think so. Why are we here?" He wanted to know.

 

"It's the Christmas Bazaar," Ben said. "I wanted to see if I could find some presents for everyone."

 

"Ah," Cole nodded. "Does that include me, cousin?"

 

Ben grinned. "I've already got your present at home."

 

"What is it?"

 

"You'll find out on Christmas morning," Ben told him, moving to a table with ribbons made from various fabrics.

 

"That's almost a week away," Cole said, smiling.

 

Ignoring the comment, Ben continued the survey the table. "These are pretty," he said, picking up a green velvet ribbon. "This would be pretty in Aunt Jess' hair. It's almost the color of her eyes."

 

Cole nodded, fingering a length of light blue ribbon as he saw Clara Hall across the room. Picking the ribbons up, he asked Mrs. Carter, "How much for these?"

 

"The ribbons are two sets for a nickel," she told him.

 

Grabbing another set, he handed her a nickel and stuffed the ribbons into his pocket while Ben bought four sets. "Let me know when you're ready to go," Cole told Ben before crossing to the table where Clara was working, selling crocheted items.

 

"Hello, Cole," she said, smiling at him.

 

"Hi," he replied, looking over what she had to sell. Picking up a pair of crocheted gloves, he asked, "Do you think these would fit my Ma?"

 

"Probably."

 

"Did you make them?"

 

"No. My mother did those." She pointed to a shawl. "I made that."

 

He touched the shawl. "It's nice. I'll take it."

 

"Shall I wrap it for you?"

 

"Sure."

 

By the time the two boys left the hall, Cole was carrying several wrapped packages in addition to the three that Ben had. "How are we going to get all of these home?" Cole asked his cousin.

 

"I didn't think about that," Ben said, frowning as he tried to figure out what to do.

 

Cole let him think until they got back to the stable. "I have an idea," he said. "Here," he said, piling the packages into Ben's arms.

 

"What are you doing?"

 

"Just a minute." Cole pulled the blanket from behind the saddle and spread it out on a nearby bale of hay, then moved the packages into the middle of it. Ben watched as Cole tied the corners of the blanket together and held it up. "There."

 

"Wow!" He got into Brownie's saddle, and waited while Cole hooked the blanket over the saddle horn.

 

Cole stepped up onto Ranger. "Put your gloves on and make sure your coat is fastened before we leave. It's gonna be cold getting home."

 

"At least the wind's at our backs," Ben told him, kicking the pony gently in the flanks to get him going. "Com'on, Cole!" he called as they left the livery stable.

 

Neither boy saw the man in a dark coat who came from the shadows of the train station to stare after them, watching as they rode toward home..

 

===================

 

"I was starting to worry," Lily said when the two boys entered the house, the packages once again in their arms.

 

"We stopped by the Christmas Bazaar after school," Ben told her.

 

"I hope it was okay, Aunt Lily," Cole told her. "Ben said he wanted to go without everyone else being there -"

 

"It's perfectly fine, Cole," she assured him. "Are all of these yours, Ben?"

 

"No, Cole bought a few things, too. Excuse me, I need to get these upstairs so I can hide them," Ben told her, moving toward the stairs.

 

"He takes the holiday pretty seriously, doesn't he?" Cole asked Lily, who nodded.

 

"Oh, yes, indeed." She indicated his packages. "Only three items?"

 

"Three packages," he said. "I asked them to wrap some of the things together. Where is Ma?" he asked.

 

"In the study. She has a meeting with a client tomorrow about a will."

 

"Then I won't bother her," he decided. "I'll take these upstairs and put them away."

 

Upstairs, Cole put the three packages into the bottom of the wardrobe. Reaching into his pocket, he pulled the ribbons out, looking at them before folding them neatly and placing them in one of the chest of drawers.

 

=================

 

"Wasn't sure you would be here tonight, Boss," Jake told Nick. "With the cold weather, I doubt we'll be very busy."

 

Nick looked around the room. "I might close it up early," he said, frowning. "Where is Rose?" he asked.

 

"Might as well tell him, Jake," Cara said, joining him.

 

"Tell me what?"

 

"She and Eban got married this morning," Jake said.

 

"Really." Nick grinned at the news. "That was sudden."

 

"Eban came in this morning and they started talking -"

 

Cara interupted. "Eban was upset that the last few items they've been waiting on weren't here yet. And Rose told Eban that all she wanted for Christmas was to celebrate Christmas as husband and wife. Next thing I knew - Eban was asking Jake and me to get Ma and Doc and Grace to the church. Miss Amanda and Mrs. Lee provided the music."

 

"Cara and I were witnesses," Jake told him. "I didn't tell you about it, but you said that you weren't going to replace Rose right away -"

 

"That's still the plan," Nick told them.

 

"Excuse me."

 

The three of them turned to see a man standing at the bar. "Can we help you?" Nick asked.

 

"I hope so. I'm looking for Nick Everett."

 

"I'm Nick Everett, Mr. -"

 

"Lucius Dawson," he said. "I'm Cole's uncle."

 

==================

 

After telling Jake to close early if business was slow, Nick suggested that Mr. Dawson join him over in Jess' office. Nick sat behind the desk, looking at the man. "Now, you said that you're Cole's uncle?"

 

"That's right. His mother was my sister. I went to visit the boy and found that the place had been sold. The new owner told me that Cole had been adopted by you and your wife after Buck was killed. How is he doing?"

 

"Cole's doing very well. We had no idea that he had any family."

 

"Ruth and I weren't close, but well, we *were* family - and I guess that makes me Cole's only relative. The people who bought the ranch told me that there's a baby from Buck's second marriage -"

 

"Which you would have no claim to," Nick pointed out.

 

"I suppose not. I'd like to see Cole -"

 

"Tomorrow," Nick said.

 

"I'd like to see him -"

 

"Tomorrow," Nick repeated. "I'll have him here at ten a.m."

 

"Very well."

 

Nick locked the door, then turned to watch as Dawson entered the hotel. Crossing the street, Nick retrieved Spirit and rode back to the ranch.

 

=================

 

"You're home early," Jess said as Nick entered the house.

 

"We have a problem. Where's Cole?"

 

"In his room - why? Nick, what's going on?" she asked, following him upstairs.

 

He didn't answer as he knocked on Cole's door. "Come in," Cole said, standing up from the window seat as they entered the room. "Pa. Why are you home so early?"

 

"Who is Lucius Dawson, Cole?"

 

"A friend of my father's," he said, frowning. "He came to the ranch a couple of times with Buck." He had taken to calling his dead father by his given name, since he no longer considered anyone but Nick to be his Pa. "Why do you ask?"

 

"He's in town," Nick told him. "And he says that he's your uncle."

 

"What!?" Jess asked.

 

Cole was shaking his head. "He never said a word - neither did Buck. I don't remember him ever coming to the ranch while she was alive. Does it matter?"

 

"If he *is* your uncle," Jess told him, "then he could go to court and claim custody."

 

"You mean - he could force me to leave with him?"

 

"That's right," Nick said.

 

"I won't go!" Cole insisted.

 

Jess put her arm around his shoulders. "We'll do whatever we can to prevent him from trying to do that," she said.

 

Cole looked worried as he asked, "What about Caleb?"

 

"He'd have no legal claim to Caleb - only Angie's family -" Nick assured him.

 

"She didn't have any family at all."

 

"You didn't think your mother had any family, either," Nick pointed out.

 

"She didn't. She *told* me that she didn't. Said that neither one of them had any family."

 

"Dawson says that they didn't get along."

 

"What do I have to do to make you believe me?" Cole wanted to know.

 

Nick sighed. "I believe you, son. But we have to find a way to prove that he's lying. We'll go into town tomorrow morning to see him - maybe we'll find out more then."

 

"I don't want to see him," Cole told them.

 

"Cole -"

 

"I don't want to see anyone with ties to Buck. He's probably another killer. Maybe Buck had a partner -"

 

"I'll talk to Lucas tomorrow and ask him to check his wanted posters."

 

"Thanks, Pa."

 

"But you need to see him, at least. Maybe seeing him will remind you of something to help prove that he's lying."

 

"Do I have to?"

 

"We'll be there with you," Jess said.

 

===================

 

Jess was up early the next morning, going to Lily and Kevin's room to tell them what was going on - and to ask Lily if she could watch Caleb. "I know that whoever this is has no claim on Caleb, I'd rather not -"

 

"I understand," Lily told her. "You go and take care of this. I'll watch Caleb. I wasn't going to do anything except go to the Bazaar this afternoon."

 

"Tell me what you want, and I'll go in a pick it up," Kevin suggested.

 

"And what if it's something for you?" Lily questioned. "I'll say a prayer for this to be resolved quickly," she told Jess.

 

"Thank you."

 

===================

 

It was almost a quarter before ten when Jess, Cole and Nick rode into town. Once they handed their mounts over to Niles Bradford, Nick told them, "I'm going to stop over and talk to Lucas - I'll be along shortly."

 

"Don't be long," Jess told him. "It's nearly ten o'clock -"

 

"We have a few minutes," he assured her.

 

Jess saw Cole glancing at the hotel before she took his arm. "Let's go to the office and get it opened up, shall we?"

 

"I'd still rather not be here," he said, waiting for her to unlock the door.

 

She opened the door and entered, waiting for him to join her. "Cole?"

 

He sighed and followed her. "I don't know why we're doing this. He's not my uncle."

 

"There has to be some reason for his claiming to be, and we need to find out what that might be," she told him, opening the door into the private office. "Would you mind starting a fire in the stove in the other room?" she asked.

 

"We're not going to be here long enough -"

 

"Please, Cole? I do have a client coming by after lunch."

 

"Yes, ma'am," he said, going back out into the waiting room and opening the small stove.

 

Nick entered as Cole was putting a match to the kindling. "Good idea," he declared, stopping to warm his hands. "It's really cold out there."

 

"Ben told me that Uncle Kevin thinks it will snow soon."

 

"It could, but Kevin's prediction of snow isn't usually very accurate," Nick told him, removing his coat and gloves before joining Jess in the other room.

 

"What did Lucas have to say?" she asked.

 

"He'd never heard of Lucius Dawson, but he's going to go through his posters - He said that from what he remembers about Buck Martin, he never worked with a partner, so -"

 

"Hello?"

 

Cole eyed the back door, as if he might use it, but Nick placed a hand on the boy's shoulder as they turned to greet Lucius Dawson. "Mr. Dawson," Nick said, indicating Jess. "This is my wife, Jess Everett."

 

"Ma'am," Dawson said, tipping his head before turning to look at Cole. "Hello, Cole." When Cole didn't respond, Dawson sighed. "I was sorry to hear about your father's death."

 

"I wasn't," Cole said.

 

"Cole," Jess said in a warning tone, but Cole shook his head.

 

"He would have ended up at the end of a rope if he hadn't been shot," he said.

 

Dawson shook his head. "I kept telling Buck that he needed to tell you the truth. At least some of it, anyway. It was Ruth - your mother who insisted they keep it from you. It was one of the reasons why she and I stopped talking to each other. My poor sister -"

 

"If she was your sister, why didn't you take her out of there so she wouldn't have died?" Cole asked. "You weren't there to see her work herself to death on that ranch because he was never there."

 

"I wanted to, but she refused to leave, said that her place with with her husband."

 

Nick put a hand on Cole's arm again. "Where was she born?" he asked Dawson.

 

"East Texas," Dawson told him. "Folks had a little farm there."

 

Nick looked at Cole to confirm the information. "Doesn't mean anything that he knows. Buck could've told him about it. He knew all about her - they grew up in the same area."

 

"Do you have any proof that you were Ruth Martin's brother?" Jess asked. "Birth certificate, letters -?"

 

"I'm sorry, Mrs. Everett," Dawson answered, shaking his head. "I don't. I only went back to the ranch after she died to try to talk Buck into letting me take the boy away and give him a good home and an education."

 

"Are you married, Mr. Dawson?"

 

Jess' question seemed to surprise Dawson. "Uh - no. But doesn't mean I couldn't take care of Cole - I have enough money that -"

 

"What do you do for a living?" Nick wanted to know.

 

"I'm in investments."

 

"You're not my uncle," Cole said. "Mother told me more than once she'd been an only child, and had wanted another child so that I wouldn't be one, too."

 

"Cole," Nick said, but this time the boy refused to be silenced.

 

"No, Pa! He's *not* my uncle, and I won't go with him!" he declared, running out of the office, slamming the outer door behind him.

 

"I'm sorry, Mr. Dawson," Jess apologized.

 

"No need to apologize, Mrs. Everett. His reaction is perfectly understandable. Other than her anger at me over trying to take her away from Buck Martin, I have no idea why Ruth would have told the boy something like that."

 

"Perhaps it was wishful thinking on her part," Nick speculated, "that she was an only child."

 

"That's possible, I suppose," he nodded. "Still, it's not going to an easy matter to overcome Cole's distrust of me."

 

Jess and Nick looked at each other before he asked, "Mr. Dawson, exactly what is your - intention regarding Cole?"

 

"Well, he is my nephew - my late sister's only son, but I doubt that he would be happy if forced to leave his brother and his adopted family -"

 

"We wouldn't be happy, either," Jess told him. "Nick and I think of him - of both boys - like they were our own."

 

"I'm glad to hear that - perhaps just being able to spend time with him - perhaps have him come to Denver and visit me occasionally - would be enough. If he would be agreeable to that." His smile faded. "On the other hand, as I said, he is my only relative - my heir, basically. Having him with me would give me the chance to make amends to his poor mother in some, small way."

 

"So you're saying -"

 

"That I haven't decided what I'm going to do yet. One option would be to file a claim to get custody of Cole, I suppose."

 

"Without any proof, that would most likely fail."

 

Dawson nodded. "You're right. But either way, I'll be around town for a few days - I hope he'll get used to the idea of spending time with me -"

 

"We'll discuss it with Cole," Jess said, "but it will ultimately be his decision."

 

"I suppose that's fair enough," Dawson told her. "Well, I'm going over to the hotel. It was a pleasure to meet you, Mrs. Everett. Excuse me."

 

Jess and Nick watched him leave. "What do you think?" Nick asked her.

 

"I don't - there's something about him that - bothers me, but I can't pinpoint exactly what it is."

 

"Well, I know one thing we need to do."

 

She nodded. "Find Cole."

 

====================

 

Their first stop was to the office of the Providence Herald. "I haven't seen him," Ernie told them. "Matt's still out selling papers over at the bazaar. What's going on? You both look worried."

 

"There's a man in town claiming to be Cole's uncle," Nick told him.

 

"And Cole insists that he's lying," Jess added. "He ran out of the office -"

 

"Not sure I blame him," Ernie said. "Is he sure this man isn't related?"

 

"According to him, there's no way it's true," Nick said.

 

"If I see him, I'll let him know you're looking for him."

 

"Thank you, Ernie."

 

Outside, Jess asked, "Where to next?"

 

"We have three choices. Ma, Mrs. Drummond, and Andrew."

 

"I can see him going to the first two," she said, "but do you really think he would go to talk to Andrew?"

 

"It won't hurt to check," Nick told her.

 

===================

 

"Hello, Jess, Nick," Andrew said after seeing them at the door. "If you're looking for Cole - he's here."

 

"Thank God," Jess said softly, entering the house as he stepped back.

 

"Sorry, Ma," Cole apologized as she pulled him into a hug. "I shouldn't have run away like I did."

 

"We were about to pray before you arrived," Andrew told them. "Would you like to join us?"

 

===================

 

Cole fretted the rest of the day, chafing because it was too cold to go for a long ride around the ranch. He finally went up to his room and sat down on the window seat, picking up the journal he'd been reading. He was finally in the one where they arrived in the valley, and Kevin was born.

 

"Tonight I entered the birth of our son into the Bible that my mother left me, creating a record. . ."

 

He put the journal down and went over to the dresser, digging deep into the bottom drawer.

 

=====================

 

"Ma! Pa!" Cole's voice reached them in the study, where they were researching adoption law, and Nick went to the door to see Cole running down the front stairs with a book in his hand.

 

"Cole! What are you yelling about?" he asked as Ben came out of the parlor.

 

"What's wrong?" Ben wanted to know.

 

Kevin came out, taking the boy's arm. "Nothing to do with us, son," he said.

 

"But -"

 

Nick ushered Cole into the study, where Jess was picking Caleb up from his cradle. "Now, what's this all about?" Nick asked.

 

Cole held out the book in his hand. "This is her Bible," he said. "My mother's. The one I told you about -?"

 

"That Angie showed you after the Cochrans left the ranch," Jess recalled.

 

Cole opened it to the pages where Ruth Martin had been keeping family records. "Look!"

 

"It was her mother's Bible, too," Jess told Nick. "The only entry for a child to Parker and Emily Green was Ruth, and then an entry for her marriage to Buck Martin, and your birth."

 

"That proves Lucius Dawson isn't my uncle," Cole declared. "Doesn't it?"

 

"It does," Nick confirmed, nodding and mirroring Cole and Jess' smiles.

 

"And he can't take me away?"

 

"He wasn't going to do that anyway," Jess told him.

 

===================

 

"Thank God that's settled," Jess told Nick later as they prepared for bed.

 

"Dawson's claim is settled," Nick told her. "But not what he thought he could gain by making it. He had to have had some reason for coming to town claiming to be Cole's uncle."

 

"Should we confront him tomorrow?" she asked.

 

"Not unless he contacts us. Let's wait and see what his next move is, then we can tell him that we know he's not related to Cole."

 

"Whoever he is, we do know that he knew Buck Martin. And if Buck felt comfortable enough to invite him to the ranch -"

 

"Then he knew who Buck was away from the ranch," Nick finished. "But I don't think he would have come in here the way he did if he's wanted for anything."

 

"Buck wasn't wanted in the Territory," she pointed out, picking up her hairbrush. "And it's likely that Dawson's not, either. Lucas will hopefully have more information tomorrow."

 

"Whatever is going on, it needs to be resolved by Christmas," Jess told him.

 

"Five days," he said, getting into bed. "That's going to depend on Dawson."

 

=======================

 

"Something wrong, Cole?" Jaycee asked as the "Four Amigos", as they called themselves, stood talking before church.

 

"Not really sure," Cole said, shaking his head, turning to see Lucius Dawson standing on the boardwalk across from the church.

 

"Who's that?" Corey wanted to know.

 

"I've seen him around town for the last couple of days," Sam said. "Don't know who he is, though - wasn't he in your Ma's office yesterday?" he asked Cole.

 

"Yeah. I think I heard Pa calling me," Cole told them. "See you later."

 

"Won't see you again before Christmas," Jaycee told him. "So Merry Christmas."

 

"Merry Christmas," Cole repeated, turning toward the church.

 

"Did you see him over there?" he asked Nick at the bottom step.

 

"We saw him. Doesn't look as though he plans on attending the service."

 

"Well, I'm here," Ernie said, rushing across the street to join them. "Sorry. I was up late, writing."

 

"Let's go," Nick said, ushering Cole and Ernie up the steps and into the building.

 

====================

 

"You should have let us all know," Ruby, one of the hostesses at the saloon, was staying to Rose and Eban when Jess and Nick exited the church.

 

"We just decided that it was time," Rose told her friend. "Cara and Jake knew."

 

Jess looked up at Nick. "Did you know about this?" she asked.

 

"I did. I found out just a few minutes before Dawson came over to as to talk to me, and after that, it went out of my thoughts."

 

"So you won the bet."

 

"Seems that way," he said. "But we can discuss it later -" he said as Ernie passed by. "Ernie! Are you still coming to dinner?"

 

"Well, I, uh," he glanced toward Mrs. Drummond, who was waiting on the walkway. "I thought I would have dinner at the Cafe with Iris -"

 

"She's welcome to come as well," Jess assured him. "If she doesn't mind that long, cold ride out there and back."

 

"Let me talk to her," Ernie said, moving away.

 

Jess saw Iris look in their direction before nodding in agreement as Ernie returned. "What time do we need to be there?" he asked.

 

"Get a surrey from the stable and follow us out," Jess told him.

 

"Mr. Everett."

 

Jess and Nick turned to find Lucius Dawson standing before him. "Mr. Dawson," Nick said, subtly shaking his head as Cole made a move in their direction.

 

"I think we need to talk. Perhaps in your wife's office again?"

 

"It's Sunday, Dawson," Nick told the man. "Tell you what - why don't you have dinner at the Cafe and then come out to the ranch around 2 pm? We can talk then."

 

"Just follow the road out of town to the south," Jess continued. "You can't miss the house."

 

"I'll see you at 2, then," Dawson said, tipping his hat to her. "Ma'am."

 

Nick saw Jess shiver. "Cold?" he asked.

 

"That man give me the same feeling that I get when I see a snake," she told him, letting him help her up into the carriage.

 

"Cole, Ben!" Nick called, summoning the cousins.

 

"What did *he* want, Pa?" Cole asked, leaning forward.

 

"We'll discuss it after dinner," Nick answered.

 

==================

 

After making sure that Ben was bundled up against the cold, Lily sent her son out to the barn to play with Daisy, but Cole insisted on joining the adults. "This involves me and my future," he said. "You can't send me out of the room like I was a child for that reason."

 

Nick nodded, putting a hand on his shoulder. "You're right, son."

 

"What's going on?" Ernie asked. "I saw that man talking to you after we moved away - isn't he the one claiming to be Cole's uncle?"

 

"Your uncle, Cole?" Iris questioned with a look of surprise and concern.

 

"He's *not* my uncle," Cole told her. Suddenly he stopped, looking at Ernie, and then at his parents. "You all know -?"

 

"We found out, quite by accident, that you had told Mrs. Drummond about your past - "

 

"And she assumed that I knew the truth, without telling me anything," Ernie clarified, "and I asked Nick about it. Right now, the question is if you're sure he's not your uncle."

 

"My mother's family Bible doesn't mention a brother," Cole told him.

 

"What can he possibly want out of all this?" Lily wondered aloud.

 

"We'll find out at two o'clock, when he gets here," Nick told them.

 

================

 

Nick opened the door to Dawson, stepping back. "Come in, please."

 

Dawson looked around the entry hall, moving as though toward the parlor. "This is a remarkable house, Mr. Everett," he observed.

 

"Thank you." Nick indicated that he should head toward the open doorway into the study. "This way, please."

 

Jess was standing behind the big oak desk, waiting for them. "Good afternoon, Mr. Dawson," she said as Cole - the Bible in his hands - turned from the window and came over to the desk. "I hope you enjoyed the ride out."

 

"It was cold," he told her. "Hello again, Cole," he said. When Cole didn't respond, he shook his head. "I simply don't understand why you refuse to speak to me."

 

"You said you wanted to talk, Dawson," Nick reminded the man, moving around the desk, presenting a united front with his wife and son. "Talk."

 

"I know that Cole will probably resist the idea, but - I really believe that he should be with family, no matter how much you and your wife have done for him. So I feel that I have no choice except to file with the court to gain custody of my sister's son."

 

Cole shook his head. "You're not my uncle," he declared, opening the book in his hands and placing it onto the desk so that Dawson could see it. "This was my mother's Bible," he said. "Given to her by my grandmother."

 

"It shows a registration for the birth of one Ruth Green - with no other siblings," Nick said.

 

Dawson shrugged. "That's easily explained," he told them. "I was her step brother. My father married her mother -"

 

"That would have had to be a very short marriage," Jess continued. "Ruth's parents passed within days of each other when Ruth was sixteen - there are no entries for a subsequent marriage for either parent."

 

Dawson stood there, glaring at the three of them. "All right. I'm not a relative. Buck and I were old friends - I stayed away while Ruth was alive because she didn't like me. Said I was a bad influence on him, when all I was did was line up work for him to pay for that ranch she had wanted to badly."

 

Cole's eyes narrowed. "You arranged for him to - kill people?" he asked.

 

"Of course not. I found situations that needed to be - cleared up. How he did it was his choice."

 

"I think you'd better leave, Dawson," Nick said.

 

Not - quite yet," Dawson told him, taking a cigar from his coat and lighting it. "We haven't finished our business."

 

"Why did you come here?" Jess wanted to know. "You had to know that you didn't stand a chance of gaining custody of Cole."

 

"He never wanted custody," Nick told her. "He wants money."

 

Dawson laughed, a low, rolling sound. "I suppose I should have gone after that baby instead of Cole," he said, leaning against the front of the desk as he studied the glowing tip of his cigar. "I knew that Angie had no family - you wouldn't have been able to stop me from taking him -"

 

"Unless we gave you money to keep him," Jess said. "You're a snake, Dawson."

 

"I decided going after Cole gave me more of a chance in case you were able to disprove my claim."

 

"What chance?" This time it was Cole who asked the question.

 

"Well, let me put it this way: how much would it be worth for me not to tell everyone in the town of Providence that the adopted son of the town's leading citizens is the son of a cold blooded killer?"

 

Jess met Dawson's gaze evenly, aware that both Nick and Cole were mildly rattled by the idea of the truth about Cole's parentage coming to light. "Not one cent," she told him.

 

Dawson looked from Jess, to Nick, to Cole, and back to Jess. Realizing that she wasn't going to back down, he stood up. "I think I'll give you a little time to consider the options - to think about what might happen once the good folks 'round here know the truth about this fine boy's father. When you make your decision, I'll be in town -" he picked up his hat and coat, opening the door. Turning again, he said, "Just don't wait *too* long. I'd hate to slip up and say the wrong thing to the wrong person. Those good, Christian people in town might not like the idea of having a potential killer in their midst."

 

"Why you -" Cole said, starting forward, but Jess grabbed his arm.

 

"Don't Cole," she said as Nick followed Dawson outside, watching him get onto the rented horse.

 

"Be out of town on the train tomorrow afternoon, Dawson," Nick warned him. "If I see you after that -"

 

"In case you haven't noticed, I'm not wearing a gun. And I won't until our business is concluded," he said, turning the horse to ride out of the yard.

 

======================

 

"Jess, darlin'," Nick said as he returned to the house, "I think you have ice-water in your veins." He had seen her in court before, but tended to forget how she could intimidate a witness with a look.

 

"What happened?" Iris asked as Ernie came from the kitchen hallway, where he had been during the entire conversation as a non-family witness.

 

"Jess was remarkable!" he declared. He turned to Cole. "You realize, don't you, that the only way to do this is for you to tell your story before he has a chance to? Beat him to the draw, so to speak?"

 

Nick put a hand on Cole's shoulder. "It's your decision, son. Whatever you decide - it won't make any difference about how we feel about you or your place in our family."

 

"And I've said all along that I really believe that most of the people in town will accept you. Just because Buck was who he was doesn't mean you're anything like him," Kevin said.

 

"Cole," Iris Drummond said, attracting his attention. "If it's any help, remember my first reaction after you told me about it. You have friends here, people who care about you."

 

He nodded, looking at his parents. "I need to go talk to some people - ones that need to hear the full story directly from me -"

 

"Your friends," Nick guessed.

 

"Yes."

 

"Any of those friends in town?" Ernie asked.

 

"A couple," Cole confirmed.

 

"Iris and I are going back to town. When you get finished talking to your friends, come and see me. We'll get something written up."

 

"Ernie -"

 

"I won't print anything until you've been in to see it tomorrow morning," he assured Nick.

 

"Thank you."

 

Cole said, "I'll get my coat," as he climbed the stairs.

 

Lily retrieved Ernie and Iris' coats as the group said their goodbyes. "Thank you for inviting me," Iris told them.

 

"Hopefully you won't be a stranger in the future," Lily told her. "You're welcome out here anytime."

 

"Thank you, Mrs. Donager. Mrs. Everett."

 

As she and Ernie left the house, Cole came back downstairs - and Jess saw that he was wearing his gun. "Cole," she said, moving over to him and lowering her voice. "Is that a good idea?"

 

"You heard him, he's not going to wear a gun, so I won't be able to call him out - or vice versa." He turned to her. "Ma, I'll leave it on the horse while I'm talking to - everyone. Don't worry."

 

"You keep telling me that, and I keep telling you that it's part of being a mother. So is praying." She gave him a hug. "Don't be too late."

 

================

 

Ben was watching Cole saddle Ranger when Nick entered the barn. "Uncle Nick, Cole's going somewhere."

 

"I know, buddy," Nick said. "Why don't you go inside and see if your Ma will get some some warm milk? I know you have to be cold."

 

"A little," Ben said, glancing at Cole several times before finally leaving them alone.

 

"Do you think she did the right thing?" Cole asked at last.

 

"Who? Your Ma?" Nick sighed. "I shouldn't have expected anything else. Her faith in the people of Providence is strong and mostly unwavering."

 

"Mostly?" Cole turned to ask.

 

"Remind me to tell you about it sometime when you're a little older. But in this instance," Nick paused, considering his answer, "yes, I do. You be careful out there. It's cold, and getting colder."

 

"Still not gonna snow," Cole told him. "We had snow back in Taos. I know the feeling." He got up into the saddle. "I'll be back as soon as I can. Love you, Pa," he said quickly, as though if he had waited too long, he would have lost his nerve to say it.

 

Nick drew a deep breath and sank to his knees, "Dear God, watch over him, keep him safe. Give him the words he needs . . ."

 

==================

 

Since Corey lived outside of town, Cole rode first to the Garnett farm and knocked on the door. When Corey's mother answered, she looked shocked to see him. "Cole Everett! Why on earth are you out on a day like this? It's cold out there!"

 

"Yes, ma'am," he said. "I need to talk to Corey, if he's not busy."

 

"Hi, Cole!" Corey said as he came from the front room.

 

"Would you like some pie?" Mrs. Garnett asked.

 

"Uh, no thank you, ma'am. Corey, I need to talk to you."

 

"Let me get my coat. We'll be out in the barn, Mother," Corey told her. Once in the barn, Corey turned to look at his friend. "What's going on?"

 

"That man who was in town this morning -"

 

"Someone said they heard he was your uncle," Corey told him.

 

"He claimed to be, but he's not. And now he's trying to get money from my folks."

 

"What for?"

 

"To keep him from telling everyone who my *real* father was."

 

"Who was he?"

 

"Before I tell you that, I need to tell you about my life in Taos. Remember how I told you that we lived on a ranch, and that my father wasn't there very much?"

 

Corey nodded. "And your mother died when you were ten, and your father came home for awhile. That's when he taught you to shoot the way you do." Cole nodded as Corey continued. "And that when he came home around a year ago, he had remarried, and she was gonna have a baby."

 

"That's when everything went downhill," Cole said. "Father was gone again, and Angie was close to her time when two men rode into the ranch looking for Buck Martin."

 

"Buck Martin?"

 

"I'd always been told my father's name was Buck Morgan. I'd never even heard of Buck Martin. I told the men that, but all they did was laugh and threaten Angie and me. I insisted that I didn't know Buck Martin, so they gave me a poster saying Buck Martin was wanted for murder in Colorado, said there were others. Angie told them that my father would be coming home soon, and would go through town, so they left to wait for him." Cole sank onto a bail of hay, looking at Corey's face as he spoke. "That's when Angie told me that my father was Buck Martin, that the wanted poster those men had given me was the truth. She showed my mother's Bible with the name Martin instead of Morgan."

 

"Wow."

 

"Angie insisted that she had to leave the ranch before those men came back and killed us both, so left to keep her from being hurt -" he sighed. "And she still died because I wasn't able to get her to a doctor in time."

 

"At least your brother was okay, though," Corey told him. "So your father was a -"

 

"Killer," Cole said.

 

"A hired gun is what I was going to say," Corey said.

 

"There's more -"

 

"Most everyone knows about Buck Martin being killed by those two bounty hunters out at the Diamond D," Corey reminded him. "And how you and Mr. Everett killed them."

 

Cole nodded. "I hadn't realized how much I've told the three of you."

 

"And you're telling me this because of this man in town?"

 

"Yeah. Because unless Ma and Pa give him money, he's threatened to tell everyone in town who I really am."

 

"Who you really are is Cole Everett," Corey told him. "But you're worried about how everyone will react to all this, aren't you?"

 

"Do you blame me? Everyone knows all of the horrible things that Buck Martin did -"

 

"And they know you. I don't think there will be any real problems. Oh, a few parents might have to think about it some, but if you give it a little time, I think it will be okay."

 

"Thanks. I know my friends will be okay with it, but -"

 

"You're one of my best friends, Cole," Corey told him. "Guess you're going to see Sam and Jaycee after this?"

 

"Uh huh. What're you gonna tell your mother about why I needed to talk?"

 

"She won't ask, trust me. Ever since she started feeling better, she's much happier."

 

=====================

 

Sam and Jaycee's reactions were about the same as Corey's had been: total acceptance. It led Cole to relax a little as he tied Ranger up in front of the house on Second Street where the Halls lived. Taking the small package out of his pocket, he fingered it for a moment, ignoring the cold, before taking a deep breath and going to the front door.

 

Artie Hall opened the door, holding the newspaper and a pipe. "Cole?" he questioned.

 

"I'm sorry it's late, Mr. Hall, sir, but, I need to talk to Clara for just a moment - if that's okay."

 

"Come in, and I'll get her," Artie said, disappearing into the front room. Cole heard Clara's mother faintly.

 

"What in the world is he doing here on a night like this?" she asked.

 

"I'm sure he has his reasons, Mother," Mr. Hall replied as Clara came into the hallway.

 

"Hi," Cole said.

 

"Hello. Is something wrong?"

 

"I just wanted to get this to you before - well, before Christmas," he said, holding out the package.

 

She took the package, telling him, "You didn't have to ride out here tonight to give me a present. Something's wrong."

 

"You remember the things I told you -?" he asked, aware that Mrs. Hall was hovering just beyond the door into the front room, listening.

 

Clara frowned. "I remember."

 

"Well, I don't have any choice now - and I just wanted to make sure -"

 

Clara put her hand on his arm. "Cole, it will be okay."

 

"I hope you're right. Anyway, Merry Christmas -"

 

"Merry Christmas, Cole," Clara said as he left the house.

 

"What was that all about?" her mother asked as she closed the door behind him.

 

"He just wanted to bring me a present," Clara told her mother. "I'll take this up to my room and then help you finish the dishes."

 

=========================

 

Cole saw a light downstairs in the Lee house, and found himself turning Ranger into the hitching post. Going to the door, he knocked softly, not wanting to wake anyone. He was a little surprised when Amanda Lee opened the door.

 

Cole whipped his hat off out of respect. "Excuse me, - Aunt Amanda. I need to talk to Brother Andrew."

 

She smiled at him. "Come in. Andrew's in the parlor -"

 

"Who is it, dear?" Andrew asked, joining them as she spoke. "Cole. What a pleasant surprise. Amanda, would you get this young man something warm to drink while I put another log on the fire? Come in," he said, drawing Cole into the parlor and over to the fire.

 

"Thank you," Cole said. "I need to talk to you again -"

 

"Of course. I'm always happy to talk to those in my congregation. Sit down, please." Cole unbuttoned his coat as the heat from the fire began to warm him. "Now, what's the problem?"

 

As Cole was explaining what had happened, Amanda returned and sat down beside Andrew, head bowed, listening. "Ma refused to pay Mr. Dawson, so now we're left with only one option," Cole told them.

 

"That sounds like Jess," Amanda told him.

 

Andrew nodded, smiling. "Indeed it does."

 

"I went to see my friends - I'd already told them most of the truth -"

 

"And what was their reaction?" Andrew wanted to know.

 

"They were accepting - but they're not adults. Kids, well, we tend to forgive stuff easier than grown-ups do."

 

"That's true," Andrew told him. "What grown-ups need to be reminded about sometimes is that we've all done things that we need to be forgiven for. But Cole, you don't need to be forgiven for who your father was. You had no say in that, anymore than me, or Nick or Jess had that choice."

 

"But -" Cole began, but Andrew held up a hand to forestall any comment as he continued.

 

"God sent you to the parents that He chose for you - to the place you were so that Caleb would have a big brother to save his life, and so He could use you to save Jess, Nick and Kevin's lives. So that you would be a part of Jess and Nick's family."

 

"But - how will people react when they find out - who I really am?"

 

"Cole, you're no longer Buck Martin's son. You're the son of Nick and Jess Everett. A member of the Donager family. There might be a few people who are shocked or surprised when they first hear about your history and will need some time, but it won't be long before you'll suddenly realize that you're not being treated any differently than you were before all of this happened."

 

"Do you feel better now?" Amanda asked.

 

"I think so. Thank you."

 

"Why don't we say a prayer and then you can start for home?" Andrew suggested.

 

"I have to go talk to Mr. Graves first," he said. "He's doing to write the story up and print a - special edition of the paper." He smiled. "But I won't turn down a prayer, Brother Andrew," he said, bowing his head.

 

Andrew exchanged a look with Amanda as he reached for her hand and bowed his own head. "Dear Lord, we thank You . . ."

 

=====================

 

"I really should walk you home now," Ernie told Iris.

 

"No," she insisted, shaking her head. "I'd rather stay until Cole gets here."

 

"He might have changed his mind," Ernie pointed out.

 

"I don't think so. It's taken him too long to come to this decision, even if it was practically forced upon him by that - monster."

 

A light tap on the back door caused Iris to frown, but Ernie said, "Would you mind going to pull down that last shade, please?" as he went to the door. "Who is it?" he asked.

 

"Cole Everett, sir."

 

Ernie opened the door once the shade was down. "I'm surprised you came in the back way," he told the boy.

 

"I was worried that Mr. Dawson might be watching the street in case I came into town, and I remembered Pa using the back door to visit you before the Festival. Ranger's out back, too." He smiled at Iris. "Mrs. Drummond. I didn't expect to see you here."

 

"She wanted to wait for you to get here," Ernie explained.

 

"Did you speak to your friends?" she asked Cole.

 

"Yes, ma'am."

 

"I really should go home now, I suppose," she told them. "I'm not usually up so late - I'll probably sleep in tomorrow."

 

Cole nodded. "And then you're catching the afternoon train to Denver to spend Christmas with your sister, right?"

 

"Actually," Iris told him, smiling at Ernie, "I've decided to stay here in town. The idea of a frigid train ride just doesn't put me in the Christmas Spirit, somehow. Besides," she added, touching his arm, "I want to be here to give you moral support."

 

"Because you think it's going to go badly?" he asked.

 

"Not at all. Don't sell yourself - or this town - short, young man. And I want you to know that I'm very proud of you for making this decision."

 

"Thank you, ma'am."

 

Iris took her cape from the coattree by the door as Ernie said, "I'll walk Iris home and be right back, Cole -"

 

"I can walk myself home," Iris insisted. "Cole's already been up too late, and he has that long ride back home after you finish. So go ahead and get started."

 

Ernie went to the door with her. "Are you sure? I'm sure Cole wouldn't mind waiting -"

 

"Not at all," Cole told her, but Iris shook her head.

 

"No. Thank you for a lovely day, Mr. Graves."

 

Ernie took her hand and bowed over it. "You're very welcome, Mrs. Drummond," he replied, opening the door, making sure that Cole was out of sight before doing so. "I'll see you tomorrow."

 

"Try to get some sleep," she told him before leaving the office.

 

Ernie watched her down the boardwalk, then closed and locked the door, blowing out the lamp. "Let's work up here," he told Cole, leading the way upstairs. "It's warmer."

 

====================

 

Nick sat before the fireplace, watching Jess pace across the room. "Sit down, Jess," he said. "You're going to wear a hole in the floor at this rate."

 

"He's been gone for almost 9 hours, Nick," she said. "The only friend of his who lives out of town is Corey Garnett." She finally stopped directly in front of him, hands on her hips. "And why aren't *you* pacing?" she wanted to know.

 

"Because you've been pacing enough for both of us," he told her, reaching out and pulling her onto his lap. "He'll come home when he's finished."

 

"What if Dawson was waiting for him? Or saw him in town -"

 

"Cole's too smart to let that happen," Nick told her. "He'd be aware that Dawson would be keeping an eye out for any of us coming into town. "Like most boys, he's already found the little short cuts."

 

"I guess I'll go upstairs and check on Caleb - he was asleep when I came down here -" suddenly she stopped as Nick's head came up. "What-?"

 

He stood, pulling her to her feet as he did so. "I hear a horse," he told her, going to the back window.

 

Jess joined him, watching as they saw Cole and Ranger ride toward the barn. "Thank God," Jess whispered, turning to rest her forehead on Nick's chest. "Thank You for bringing him home safely."

 

"Amen," Nick said, before releasing her and heading toward the dining room doors.

 

"Where are you going?" she asked, grabbing his hand and following him.

 

"He'll come in the back door and take the back stairs if we don't get to him first -"

 

"He needs to get to bed," she pointed out.

 

"He will. I just want to make sure he's okay and find out how things went."

 

They both turned as the back door opened and Cole entered the kitchen. "I figured you two would still be up, waiting for me," he said, accepting Jess' hug.

 

"We were worried," she told him.

 

"Did you talk to everyone?" Nick wanted to know. "Come on into the parlor. The fire will warm you up."

 

Cole took off his jacket and gloves. "It is cold out there," he said, sitting on the hearth. "That feels good," he said.

 

"Do want something warm to drink?" Jess offered, but he shook his head.

 

"No, thank you."

 

Nick sighed. "Are you going to answer my question, son?"

 

Cole grinned. "Yes, Pa, I talked to everyone. Corey, Sam, Jaycee - and then I stopped in to talk to Bro. Andrew again before going to see Mr. Graves."

 

"Did he get the story written?"

 

"He got it written. Said that he'd set the type tonight and get the paper into print tomorrow by noon."

 

"Then it sounds like I need to be in town around noon," Nick told Jess.

 

Cole spoke up. "Don't you mean that *we* need to be in town around noon?"

 

====================

 

"How about that Cole," Nick said as he got into bed. "For a boy who didn't even want to go to church when he first got here to going to talk to the preacher twice in three days."

 

"Mm-hmm," Jess agreed, sliding into his arms. "Are you ready to talk about our bet now?" she wanted to know.

 

"Bet?"

 

"There's no need for that. You won, remember? Eban and Rose got married before Christmas, just as you said they would."

 

"I can wait," he told her.

 

"We made a bet, and I always pay when I lose."

 

"Which isn't often. How about another bet?" he suggested.

 

"What now?"

 

"That Ernie and Iris Drummond will be engaged to be married by the end of the school year."

 

"Not married?" she questioned to clarify his statement. "Just engaged?"

 

He nodded. "Yep."

 

"What's the bet?"

 

"Double what's on the table: Two weeks breakfast in bed."

 

"You're on."

 

"You don't think they'll end up getting married?" he questioned.

 

"Oh, I'm sure of it. But Iris Drummond is the most dedicated teacher I've ever known. Until the railroad got here, she had never taken a vacation, even during the summer. She lives, eats and breathes her work. I think Ernie's going to have his work cut out getting a place carved out in her life."

 

Nick pulled her closer. "And have I - 'carved out a place' in your life, darlin'?"

 

"A huge place," she told him. "Just my whole heart."

 

=================

 

As Nick and Cole were saddling the horses the next morning, Cole said, "Pa, can I ask you something?"

 

"Of course."

 

"The way Ma treated Mr. Dawson in the study yesterday - is that how she is when she's in court?"

 

Nick smiled. "Yes. I saw her bring a grown man nearly to tears after accusing him of lying to the court and then giving him that look."

 

"Huh," Cole said. "I thought it was just her 'Ma' look."

 

"That's possible, too," Nick agreed. "I can see her using it on her sisters when they were growing up. And she's used it on me a few times as well."

 

Cole chuckled. "I hope she never uses it on me. She certainly made Dawson back down for the moment."

 

"Let me tell you a secret," Nick said, leaning closer. "I think you're safe. That woman has your back no matter what comes."

 

"And you don't?"

 

"Of course I do. But with your Ma - it's different."

 

"I know, Pa," Cole nodded. "I know." He finished tightening Midnight's cinch. "There. I think we're ready now."

 

======================

 

"Have either of you given any thought about how we're going to do this?" Jess asked as they rode toward town. "If we all ride in to the Herald office, Dawson will become suspicious -"

 

"Why don't we go in the back way and use the back door into Mr. Graves' office?" Cole suggested. "That's what I did last night. I went into town on Second Street and down the alley after I left Bro. Andrew's."

 

"You two go on," Jess said. "I have an idea of my own."

 

"Whoa," Nick said, grabbing Midnight's rein when she would have taken off. "What's your idea?"

 

"I'm going to make Dawson think that we - that *I've* caved by going into the bank. It should distract him long enough for you to get things done at the paper and for Ernie and Matt to start handing the paper out along the street."

 

"Jess -"

 

"I'll go into the Bank and talk to Greg March, then go talk to see Lucas. Maybe he's found something -"

 

"Sounds good to me," Cole told Nick.

 

Nick sighed. "Okay. Let's do it."

 

=================

 

Just before the last rise into town, Jess broke away from Nick and Cole to ride toward the train station and into town. As she passed the Cafe, she saw Lucius Dawson sitting inside at a table, watching the street through the window. She saw him sit up when he saw her, and stopped to glare at him before tying Midnight to the rail and going into the bank.

 

"Miss Jess," the teller said in greeting. "Can we help you?"

 

"I'd like to speak to Mr. March, Paul" she told him.

 

Greg March, sitting at his desk, hear the exchange. "Jess," he said, standing up and moving to open the gate leading to his desk. "Welcome! It's been awhile since I've seen you in here."

 

"I don't usually have a reason to come in," she said, removing her gloves.

 

"But now you do, I take it?"

 

"We need your help, Greg," she began.

 

"You know I'll do anything, Jess."

 

"Right now, can you tell me if there's a man looking through the window into the bank?" she asked, keeping her voice low.

 

He glanced behind her, then back. "There is. How -?"

 

"I'll explain later. Just let me know when he goes back across the street, please. I will tell you that he thinks that I'm taking some money out of the bank to give to him to pay blackmail -"

 

"Black -?"

 

She shook her head quickly, and Greg fell silent for a moment, giving her a chance to continue. "I don't intend to pay him, but it's important that he thinks I am."

 

Greg took a deep breath, smiling. "That's the Jess I know. What do you need me to do?"

 

"Let me know when he's gone, and then let me out the back door into the alley."

 

He took a slip of paper from a stack on his desk and gave it to Jess, all the while keeping an eye on the window. Jess signed the paper and returned it to Greg, who carried it over to the teller, where he stamped the fake bank draft before carrying it back to the desk. As he sat down, he told her, "He just went back across the street toward the Cafe."

 

Jess nodded, standing up from the chair. "Thank you, Greg," she told him as he unlocked the back door and opened it.

 

"What if he comes back?"

 

"Hopefully, by then it will be too late."

 

Jess took the alley to the back door of the Sheriff's office, grateful that Lucas still left it unlocked during the day. "It's me, Lucas," she called out before pushing aside the fabric curtain that separated Lucas' sleeping area from the office. Making sure to stay close to the curtain, she smiled at the Sheriff as he glared at her.

 

"What in the world are you doin' sneaking in the back door, girl? Come on in and sit down -"

 

"Before I do that, where is Lucius Dawson now?"

 

He looked out the window. "Sitting over at the Cafe where he's been all morning except for when you rode in and went to the bank."

 

Jess entered the room and sat down in a chair. "Got any coffee?" she asked, blowing on her hands to warm them up.

 

Pouring two cups, Lucas brought one of them to her. "His name *is* Dawson, by the way."

 

"Thanks," Jess said, wrapping her hands around the cup. "It is?"

 

He pulled a poster out of his desk and held it out toward her. "Lucius Dawson. Wanted for blackmail in Colorado and Kansas and California. According to the telegram I got this morning, he was going to men who hired a certain killer and threatening to turn them into the authorities if they didn't pay him not to."

 

"So in a way, he *was* working with Buck Martin," Jess realized. "How do they know he was doing that?"

 

"One of the men's conscience started bothering him after he had someone killed, and Dawson's threat was the final straw. That man told the authorities who had recommended Martin, and that one told them about Dawson and how *he* found out about Martin . . ."

 

"Well, he's still playing the same game," Jess told him, explaining Dawson's visit to the house and his threat to expose Cole's past.

 

Lucas listened to her story, shaking his head. "That explains why he was sitting all bundled up outside the hotel until late last night - guess he was waiting for one of you to come in and confront him."

 

"As soon as Ernie gets the special edition of the paper finished, they're going to start handing it out, and that will remove Dawson's reason for blackmail."

 

=================

 

"How many does that make now?" Ernie asked Matt as they ran the last batch of sheets through the press.

 

"A hundred, sir," Matt answered.

 

"That should do it," Ernie decided, giving several to his assistant as Iris, Nick, and Cole watched. "Are you ready?" he asked them.

 

"As we'll ever be," Nick said, feeling decidedly nervous.

 

But Cole's voice was clear and firm. "Let's do it."

 

Iris went with Ernie and Matt out onto the boardwalk. "Matt, take the north end, I'll go south."

 

"Give me a few and I'll help you," Iris told Ernie, giving Cole an encouraging smile.

 

Matt nodded and moved away, handing a paper to the first people he encountered. "Special Edition of the Providence Herald!" he called out.

 

Nick and Cole followed Ernie and Iris as they went down the street, stopping in shops and at each citizen. "Special Edition!" he called, smiling.

 

"Let's go into the law office," Nick told Cole, but the boy shook his head.

 

"No. I'm not going to hide, Pa," he said. "I have nothing to be ashamed of."

 

All around them, people were reading the paper in their hands, and looking at Cole. Jess and Lucas came out of the Sheriff's office as they approached. "I think we have someone's attention," she told them, pointing toward the Cafe.

 

Dawson came out onto the walk, grabbing a paper from Ernie as he passed. He scanned the words printed on the page, then crumpled the page up and tossed it away as Nick smirked and gave him a salute. Eyes narrowed, Dawson went into the hotel as a train whistle sounded in the distance.

 

"Lucas has a poster on Dawson," Jess told them. "He's wanted several places for blackmail."

 

"In the Territory?" Nick questioned.

 

"No," Lucas answered. "Just like Buck Martin."

 

Dawson came back downstairs, carrying a small valise - and wearing a gun. Dropping the valise on the walk, he called, "Everett!"

 

"You think our business is finished, I take it?" Nick asked, stepping onto the street as Jess tried to stop him.

 

"I'm calling you, Everett!" Dawson said, moving to face Nick in the middle of the street.

 

"If I were you, Dawson," Jess said, "I'd reconsider that move. Take a look around."

 

Dawson slowly looked away from Nick, finding himself in the sights of guns from almost every doorway. "What is this?" He called. "Don't you people realize who this boy is?"

 

"We know, mister!" Carl Collins said, stepping out of the hotel with a rifle in his hands. "He's Cole Everett, the son of Nick and Jess Everett." The train's whistle sounded again, much closer this time. "I think you need to think about getting to the station and get out of Providence while you can."

 

Dawson shook his head as he slowly walked to retrieve his valise, telling Nick, "We'll meet again, Everett. This is far from settled."

 

Finally, Cole spoke. "I think it is. Because if anything happens to my Pa - or any of my family or friends, you'll have to deal with me."

 

As the train pulled into the station, Dawson hurried to meet it.

 

Jess and Cole joined Nick in the street as some of the town's citizens slowly began to gather around them. "Thank you," Cole told them. "I wasn't sure -"

 

Leon Carter reached out to place a hand on Cole's shoulder. "I'm only going to say this once, young man. You're one of us. And if anyone says other wise, you send them my direction." He looked around, "And I think I'm speaking for all of us gathered here when I say that." There was a chorus of agreement before the crowd dispersed, several people shaking Cole's hand.

 

Cole saw Sam's grandfather in the crowd, and smiled at Sam, who had remained on the sidewalk. Ernie and Iris joined them as they moved off of the street. "Well, so far, so good, right?"

 

"I'm going to go make sure that owlhoot gets on the train," Lucas told them, moving away toward the station.

 

"Thank you, Mr. Graves," Cole said, shaking Ernie's hand.

 

"You're welcome," Ernie told him. "Considering how many scrapes your Pa got me out of - this was just part of trying to balance the books."

 

Nick shook his head. "The books are long closed, my friend."

 

Jess took Nick's arm, smiling at Iris. "If I were you, Iris, I'd insist that he tell me everything."

 

Ernie sighed. "Don't worry. I will. Well, I need to finish handing these out."

 

"We expect you both at the house for Christmas dinner," Jess told them. "And I refuse to take no for an answer."

 

=================

 

"Cole, would you mind helping me get some more wood in for the fireplace, please?" Kevin asked after they returned home. "It's going to snow tonight."

 

"You've been saying that for the last week, Kevin Donager," Lily told him. "And I've yet to see a single flake."

 

"He's right, Aunt Lily," Cole said as he left the room to get his coat. "This time. It'll start by daybreak."

 

Kevin shook his head. "Send him out when he gets back down here."

 

"Can I help, Pa?" Ben wanted to know.

 

"Get your coat and come out with Cole," Kevin said. "I guess you can carry a few pieces."

 

"I can carry more than a few, Pa. I'm not a kid!" he declared as he turned and ran toward the stairs.

 

"Benjamin!" Lily called without even looking.

 

"Yes, Ma," he sighed, walking up the stairs as fast as he could. From the parlor, they heard him calling, "Hey, Cole, I'm going out, too. Wait for me!"

 

"Nick?" Kevin asked. "Would you like to join us?"

 

Laughing softly, Nick shook his head. "Thanks, but I think I'll stay in here where it's warm. Have fun."

 

"Coward," Kevin jeered, but he was smiling as he turned toward the kitchen.

 

"Yep," Nick called after him, moving over to sit beside Jess, who was holding Caleb in her lap.

 

Lily sighed as Katie dropped a cloth doll out of the pen then whined, forcing Mama to pick it up for her. "Do you think Dawson's gone for good?" she asked them.

 

"There's no profit in his being here. And since he could be arrested for attempted blackmail, I don't think he'll come back," Nick told her.

 

"And since he knows how fast Cole can draw that gun, I doubt he wants to face that eventuality," Jess added.

 

"How does he know that?" Lily wondered

 

"Cole told us on the way home that Dawson had been at the ranch when he was practicing one day - and that Buck told Dawson that Cole was faster on the draw than he was," Nick answered, taking Caleb from Jess. "Come here, little man."

 

Cole came in with some wood, turning to look at Nick. "Uh, Pa?"

 

Nick looked at Caleb. "Back to your Mama," he said, handing the baby back to Jess before standing up and transferring the wood into the metal rack. "Where are Kevin and Ben?"

 

"He's helping Ben put some more wood in the kitchen for the stove - and in the bath room in case anyone wants hot water for a bath."

 

"Sounds like you're expecting a lot of snow," Nick told him.

 

"A couple of feet," he said. "I'm going to get some more." He stopped and grinned at Nick. "Unless you think it might be too much, moving more."

 

"I'll manage," Nick told him.

 

"You *could* come out and grab some yourself -"

 

"And who would transfer it if both of us had our arms full?" Nick pointed out.

 

"Give it up, Cole," Jess said. "You can't win."

 

==============

 

Once the wood was in, and supper was finished, Ben went upstairs, but Cole lingered in the parlor with the adults. "Pa?" he asked as Nick was entertaining Caleb.

 

"Hmm?"

 

"Ma said earlier that I couldn't win - but I think there's a way that I can -"

 

Everyone turned to look at him as Nick asked, "Really?"

 

"I don't think you believed me when I said it would snow by sunrise."

 

"If you're going to suggest what I think you're going to -"

 

"What do you want to bet that I'm right?" Cole wanted to know.

 

"You're going -" Nick said, looking up at the ceiling.

 

"Cole," Jess began, shaking her head.

 

But Kevin and Lily both laughed softly. "I think I want a piece of that bet," Lily said, and Kevin's eyes widened.

 

"I see," Kevin said. "You believe it when Cole says it's going to snow, but when *I* -"

 

"You always say it's going to snow," she pointed out. "And it never does. I'm willing to trust Cole on this. Well, Nick?"

 

"If I say yes - what's the bet?" Nick wanted to know as Jess covered her face.

 

"You let me sit in on a hand of poker at the saloon," Cole said.

 

"No," Nick said. "I won't even let your Ma do that -"

 

Jess nodded. "He's telling the truth. I wanted to see Leroy's reaction when I beat them both, but -" she lifted her shoulders.

 

"I think he's afraid of the competition," Cole told her, grinning as Nick's eyes narrowed.

 

Jess glanced at Nick. "You could be right."

 

"Afraid?" Nick repeated. "Even if I agreed to the bet, if I let you play, I'd have to let Jess -"

 

Jess lifted her hands. "I'm not part of this," she told them. "This is between you and Cole."

 

"What if it doesn't snow and you lose the bet?" Nick wanted to know.

 

"I'll never ask you to let me play at the saloon again."

 

"Promise?"

 

"I promise," Cole confirmed, raising his hand as he spoke. "I'll go get a Bible if -"

 

"That won't be necessary," Nick said. "It's against my better judgment -"

 

"What about my part of the bet?" Lily asked.

 

Cole turned to her. "You'll get half of my winnings," he said. "How's that?"

 

"Good enough."

 

"Wait a minute. You're also betting that he'll win the game?" Nick asked.

 

"Well, Jess tells me that she beat you - and Cole's pretty sure of himself -"

 

Nick started to laugh. "Okay, son, you're on. If it snows by sunup tomorrow morning, you'll sit in on one hand of poker at the saloon."

 

"Make sure he has to show you his hand when he loses, Cole," Jess said, plucking Caleb out of Nick's hands and standing up. "Just to make sure he doesn't let you win. Night, everyone."

 

"Thanks for the advice, Ma," Cole said as Nick stood as well.

 

"We'll discuss this later," Nick promised. "Night," he said as he turned and left the room, heading toward the back stairs, the sound of laughter following after him.

 

==============

 

Jess entered the bedroom, fully expecting Nick to follow. She put Caleb into his crib, taking a moment to light the lamp on the table beside the bed.

 

"And you accused me of being afraid." Nick's soft voice caused Jess to start and turn.

 

She recovered quickly, however, smiling as she told him, "I call it like I see it, darlin'." Turning back to Caleb, she picked him up to get him ready for bed. "And I consider my leaving the room to be a strategic retreat."

 

"I've heard that before," he said, sitting down to remove his boots. "I can't believe that you encouraged him to make that bet."

 

"I didn't," she told him. "I never encouraged him to make the bet - or you to take it up."

 

"There's a fine line that somehow -"

 

"I didn't get his bottle," she said. "I'll be right back -"

 

Nick grabbed her arm. "This isn't finished, darlin'," he told her, dropping a kiss onto her lips.

 

Jess simply smiled and continued out the door, leaving Nick to go over to pick up Caleb. "When you're a little older, remind me to tell you about your Mama. But I do need you to promise me something: don't start gambling." Nick chuckled as Caleb babbled something. "I know. With your family, that's a hopeless cause." Sitting in the rocking chair, Nick began to softly sing, "Hush little baby," causing the boy to look up at him.

 

When the door opened, Caleb turned toward the sound and held out a hand toward Jess - and the bottle that she was carrying. "Why don't you give it to him while I get undressed?" she suggested, handing the bottle over to Nick before a quick kiss to the baby's hand.

 

Caleb pulled the bottle to his mouth, his eyes already closing. "He'll be asleep before he finishes the bottle," Nick told her, watching as she disrobed.

 

"Lily said that he played a lot this afternoon while we were in town, and then refused to take a nap."

 

"Did she mention something about him pulling himself up on the side of the pen?"

 

"She did. That doesn't mean he'll start walking for another few months," she told him, pulling on her robe before moving to take the ribbon from her hair and brush it out, aware that Nick was still watching her. "I can't decide if I'm ready for that or not."

 

"Because he won't be a baby anymore?" Nick asked.

 

"Oh, he'll always be that," she said, putting her brush down and standing up. "I'll take him -"

 

"No need," Nick said, "He's asleep. If you'll take the bottle -" Once she did, he stood up and carried Caleb back to his crib, pulling the covers up. "Think he'll be warm enough?"

 

"If he gets cold, he'll wake up and we can put him into bed with us," she told him.

 

Nick pulled her into his arms. "I'll finish getting undressed while you warm the bed up."

 

"Mmmm," she murmured. "Don't take too long."

 

"Two shakes," he promised.

 

When he finally joined her, she smiled. "That was three shakes," she told him, moving to kiss his jaw.

 

"You're trying to distract me," he accused softly.

 

"Distract you? I don't know what -"

 

"Jess, do you realize that if Cole - my son - beats me at my own game, I'll be a laughingstock? My only option in that case might be to leave town -"

 

"Uh uh," she said, cupping his jaw to turn his face toward her. "You made me a promise that you'd never leave - and I'll hold you to that."

 

He stared at her for a moment. "You would, wouldn't you?"

 

"You bet I would," she told him, smiling. "I know a attorney who would be willing to take the case."

 

"So do I," he said. "And mine would probably tell me to throw myself on the mercy of the court." He turned enough to capture her lips with his.

 

When the kiss ended, Jess sighed. "I'll talk to him, try to -"

 

"No, I agreed to the bet. I'll live with it. Besides, maybe it won't snow."

 

=================

 

Jess and Caleb found Lily in the dining room with Katie and Ben the next morning. Lily looked at her with a wide smile, and Ben declared, "It snowed, Aunt Jess!"

 

"I know," Jess nodded. "I saw it from the bedroom. Where are Kevin and Cole?" she asked, having seen Mariana carrying two plates from the room.

 

"They went out to check the calves. I think Cole went to keep himself busy more than anything else. Does Nick know?"

 

"He was still asleep when we came down," Jess said.

 

Ben finished his bowl of oatmeal. "Ma, may I go play in the snow?"

 

"For a little while," she agreed. "Dress warmly."

 

"Yes, ma'am," he said, rushing from the room.

 

"What was Kevin's reaction to Cole's prediction about snow coming true?"

 

"He took it better than I thought he might. He was quizzing Cole over breakfast about how he'd known it was going to happen."

 

"I think Nick's regretting agreeing to the bet," she told Lily.

 

"Let me guess: he's worried that Cole will beat him at the table."

 

Jess nodded. "I don't want his ego bruised, -"

 

"Nick's ego, as you well know, is big enough that it'll recover. As you said, it might get a tad bruised, but -"

 

"Morning, Mariana," Nick said as he came downstairs, his voice a disgruntled growl.

 

Sensing his mood, she said, "I'll make you some fresh eggs and bacon, Mr. Nick."

 

"Thanks." He entered the dining room and went to the coffee pot, pouring a cup and carrying it over to the table as Ben returned, bundled into boots, gloves, a coat, scarf, and cap.

 

"Good morning, Uncle Nick!" he said. "I'm going out to play in the snow! You want to come out, too?"

 

"Not right now, buddy, maybe later, after I've had my breakfast."

 

"I'm going to make some snowballs to throw at Pa and Cole!" Ben declared, leaving the room.

 

"I guess Cole's outside, then?" Nick asked, smiling at Mariana as she brought the promised plate. "Thank you, Mariana."

 

"Cole went out to help Kevin with the calves they put into the corral," Lily told him. "Kevin's probably still trying to find out how he knew it was going to snow."

 

"I'm a little curious about that, too," Nick told her.

 

================

 

When questioned, Cole shrugged. "Just something I've always been able to do," he told them. "My mother told me that her father could do the same thing, so I guess that's where I got it from. I wasn't sure it would work here, the way it did back in Taos, but -"

 

"But you don't know *how* it works?" Jess asked.

 

"Not really. It's just - a feeling I get." He looked at Nick. "Pa, can I talk to you - in private?"

 

"Of course," Nick said, rising from the settee he'd been sharing with Jess. "Excuse us." He led Cole to the study. "What is it?"

 

"Well, I've been thinking about our bet - and - if you'd rather not -"

 

"We made a bet, and we'll stick to it," Nick said. "I probably won't be at the saloon until next week, but the first night I'm back, you can sit in on a hand."

 

"You're sure?"

 

"I'm sure. I told you that the best way to find out how well you can play would be to sit in on a game with a full table. Leroy's good. So are a couple of the other regulars."

 

"Including you -"

 

Nick grinned. "Well, that goes without saying. As for showing my cards after the hand -"

 

"If you'd rather not -"

 

"I'll find some way to do it - I just don't want the other players wondering if I'm throwing games to keep them interested."

 

"I can understand that."

 

"Just don't expect me to make it easy for you."

 

"I don't want you to," Cole said. "I'm going to beat you fair and square."

 

===================

 

Christmas morning in the Donager house was always an event. Jess watched Cole's rapt attention to the tree sitting in the corner of the parlor, touching his arm. "Are you okay?" she asked.

 

He nodded. "Christmas was nothing like this for us. Even when my mother was alive, it was usually just the two of us. She would have one present for me. If Father was home, he'd have a couple for each of us, but -"

 

"We take the day seriously here," she told him.

 

"I can understand that." He sighed. "I wish now that Mother had at least told me what it was about."

 

Ben, taking his 'job' of doling out presents seriously, distributed them quickly. He looked around under the tree - "The rest are for Aunt Amanda and Aunt Elizabeth and their families," he finally announced, going over to sit beside those with his name on them. "Cole gets to go first," he said.

 

"Why me?" Cole wanted to know.

 

"Cause you're the newest member of the family," Ben told him.

 

"What about Caleb?" Jess asked.

 

"Well, you have to open his, since he's still a baby. Cole's grown."

 

"Almost," was Nick's comment. "I have a feeling that it's a specific gift that he wants you to open, Cole."

 

Ben nodded, pointing to one. "That one. It's from me."

 

Cole picked up the package and untied the ribbon, slipping the fabric from the brand-new Bible. "Oh wow," Cole said, smiling at the boy.

 

"It's got your name on the front in gold letters," Ben pointed out. "Ma helped me order it."

 

"Thank you, cousin," Cole said, flipping through the pages. Picking up the next one, he untied the twine around the box, opening it to find a new holster and belt. "This looks like one that Sam was working on last week," he noted.

 

"It is," Jess told him. "He told me that you'd seen it. I noticed that the one you've been using is in the last hole -"

 

"I got it when I was ten," he reminded her. "We had to punch a hole to make it fit then."

 

"There should be some growing room in this one."

 

"Thank you," he told her. There was a new shirt from Lily, and a new straw hat for the summer from Kevin. The last present was a small box, and Cole picked it up with a glance in Nick's direction. "From you?" he asked.

 

"It is."

 

Opening the box, Cole's smile grew. "Wow," he said.

 

"What is it, Cole?" Ben wanted to know.

 

Cole pulled the small gun from the box. "A four-shot hold gun," he said. "But - four shot?"

 

"Three warning shots," Nick said, and Cole nodded, understanding.

 

"Wow," Ben echoed his cousin's sigh.

 

"It even has my initials on the grip," Cole said, examining the CD engraved in the ivory.

 

"You know the rule -" Nick said.

 

"Keep it in my saddlebag while I'm in school," Cole nodded, staring at the small gun. "Thank you."

 

The others opened their gifts, hair ribbons for Lily and Jess and Katie, a shawl for Jess from Cole, a gold watch pendant for Jess from Nick, a .22 rifle for Ben, and then the family and other guests began to arrive.

 

====================

 

"The only thing anyone has wanted to talk about," Elizabeth said over dinner, "is Cole and that special edition that you put out, Mr. Graves."

 

"I've been buttonholed about that myself," he nodded.

 

"Is public opinion still positive?" Jess asked, and Ma Hawkins laughed.

 

"'Course it is! I ain't heard anyone say anything bad about this boy."

 

"You wouldn't have, Ma," Cole told her. "No one would dare risk saying anything for fear of upsetting you."

 

"He's right, Martha," Doc agreed. "But by and large, I think you made the right decision, Cole."

 

"I think it was a very brave decision," Iris Drummond said.

 

"Are we all finished with dinner?" Jess asked, looking around the table as Mariana came into the room. When everyone said they were, Jess said, "We're finished, Mariana - why don't you go have your dinner with Pedro and the hands? We'll clear the table and clean up later. Merry Christmas!"

 

"Merry Christmas!" Mariana replied.

 

"Shall we adjourn to the parlor to open the rest of the gifts?" Jess told everyone.

 

==============

 

Amanda was delighted by the gift of a baby pen for Jonathan from Cole and Kevin and Lily. "I've been trying to decide how to ask for one of these," she told them. "I'm sure they're a lot of work."

 

"Not really, Aunt Amanda," Cole said. "I think Aunt Lily spent more time making the mattress than we did making the panels."

 

Elizabeth spoke up. "Well, I'm not going to be so shy and just ask. Of course, I won't need it until next Christmas."

 

"What?!" Jess questioned. "Elizabeth!"

 

"Are you expecting?" Lily asked.

 

Thad was grinning from ear to ear, and so were Ma and Doc as Elizabeth nodded. "Yes. Sometime in late June or early July, we think."

 

Ben, not really excited by the prospect of yet another little cousin, went over to Cole. "What happened to those blue ribbons you bought at the bazaar?" he asked.

 

"What? Oh, they were for someone else," Cole said. "Not a family member."

 

"Who?" Ben wanted to know.

 

"A friend," Cole said as he saw Jess glance in their direction. When she turned her attention back to the others, he slipped out of the room, taking his new gunbelt with him. Moving to the hooks across the entry hall, he took the old one down and hung the new one in its place, putting the gun into the holster and transferring bullets from one to the other.

 

"You really like it, don't you?"

 

You know I do," he confirmed. "The holster's a perfect fit."

 

"Since we use the same gun, I had Sam use mine to make sure. What was that about ribbons?"

 

"I bought some ribbons at the bazaar," he told her.

 

"For a friend."

 

Cole finally finished transferring bullets and turned to look at her. "Ma -"

 

She smiled. "It's okay. You don't have to tell me." She pointed toward the old gunbelt. "What are you going to do with that?"

 

"I thought I'd put it back in case Uncle Kevin decides to get Ben a six gun."

 

=====================

 

As they entered town on Sunday morning, Cole returned the waves and greetings from people that had barely paid him any real attention before the truth about his past had become common knowledge. But he was busy looking toward the direction of Second Street.

 

The air was still cold, but the snow had melted, and most of the women were wearing hooded capes over their holiday finery, but Cole finally saw her, wearing a tan cape with dark brown fur around the edges. With the hood up, he wasn't able to see her hair, though, and sighed with disappointment as he went to join his friends.

 

He thanked Sam for the gunbelt, and they laughed at the fact he'd been working on it right under Cole's nose without knowing it was meant for him. They were all comparing gifts when he looked up and saw Clara watching him before she turned toward the church and lowered the hood of her cape.

 

She was wearing the blue ribbons in her hair.

 

=================

 

"Did it seem to you that Cole was in an exceptionally good mood this afternoon?" Nick asked Jess that night.

 

"Now that you mention it, he did seem happy about something," she said, smiling.

 

Nick turned to look at her. "You know why, don't you?"

 

"Do you remember the day we saw him talking to Clara Hall after school?"

 

"Clara - Yes. What -?"

 

And did you notice the blue hair ribbons she was wearing today?"

 

"Not really -"

 

"Cole gave them to her for Christmas," she explained. "And by wearing them, she let him know that things are okay."

 

"What if her parents don't know that he gave them to her?" Nick asked.

 

"You talked to Artie Hall after church- do you think he -"

 

"He was fine - but I think he sees Cole as a customer since he's a gunsmith. His wife seemed a bit more - uncertain."

 

"She'll come around," Jess told him.

 

"You sound sure of that."

 

"I can't see any woman resisting that boy's charm for very long." She slipped into his arms. "I think that's your influence."

 

"Are you saying I'm irresistible, darlin'?" he asked.

 

"Totally. Why else do you think I married you?"

 

"Is Caleb asleep?" he asked.

 

When she turned to check, he scooped her into his arms and carried her to bed.

 

===================

 

Jake smiled as Nick and Cole entered the saloon on Monday evening. "Hi, Boss!" he said. "Cole."

 

"Cole's going to sit in on an early hand tonight, Jake."

 

"He lost a bet," Cole told the bartender, smiling as Nick's eyes narrowed and Jake laughed.

 

"A bet?"

 

Nick grinned. "He said it was going to snow last week, I bet him that it wouldn't."

 

Cara approached them, smiling at Cole. "Hello, young man."

 

Cole, still not totally comfortable around the hostesses, looked embarrassed. "Miss Cara."

 

"I'm harmless," she assured him. "Aren't I, Jake?"

 

"Well, I wouldn't say that, exactly," Jake replied. "But you know I love you."

 

"Oh ho," Nick said, "is there something I need to know here?"

 

Cara and Jake exchanged a look before Cara held up her left hand. "It's not general knowledge yet, but - we're engaged."

 

"That's great!" Cole said. "Congratulations!"

 

"It is great," Nick agreed, giving Cara a hug and shaking Jake's hand. He looked at Cara. "Does this mean that you're -"

 

"I fully intend to keep working," she said. "No way am I going to leave this one on his own with all these pretty girls."

 

"You're the only one I see, honey," Jake assured her. "Prettiest girl in the place."

 

"You smooth talker."

 

"So when's the wedding?" Nick wanted to know.

 

"When it warms up," Jake said. "Cara's planning a huge wedding."

 

"She deserves it. Do the other girls know?"

 

"Oh yes. They all saw the ring."

 

"Cole, you can go sit at my table, if you want. Got any water, Jake?"

 

"Com'n up," Jake told him. "Got some sarsaparilla, if you'd prefer."

 

"I think I would," Cole said, waiting to take the bottle. "Thank you."

 

Nick watched Cole sit down at the table before going to get a cup from behind the bar and filling it with coffee. "We'll wait over here until some of the regulars show up," he told Jake.

 

=======================

 

Nick dealt the cards to the table, keeping a watch on Cole as he picked up his hand. "Twenty dollar limit on this hand, gentlemen," he said. "Nothing wild. Aces to open."

 

For a moment, Nick hesitated, wondering if it would throw the boy, playing with six others when he had only played two handed with Angie. But it wasn't long before he realized that Cole knew what he was doing and began to relax - a little.

 

Before Nick even realized it, Leroy was folding his hand, leaving the game between just two players: Nick and Cole. It seemed that every eye in the place was focused on the game. "I call," Cole said.

 

Nick put his cards down face up. "Four treys," he said.

 

All eyes turned toward Cole. His expression never wavered - until he put his cards down. "Straight flush," he announced, and he grinned. "Sorry."

 

Nick laughed softly, shaking his head as he waved toward the money on the table. "Your pot, boy. Take it. You earned it."

 

Cole picked up the money, standing up. "You sure I can't sit in on another hand?" he asked.

 

"Not tonight." Nick stood up as well, telling the other players, "I'll be back in a minute." He went outside with Cole. "You go straight home. That's quite a bit of money for you to be carrying -"

 

"I'll be fine," Cole assured him. "Thank you."

 

"Nothing to thank me for. You're good. Tell your Ma I'll see her later."

 

"Night, Pa."

 

"Night." Nick watched him disappear into the darkness before turning back to the saloon and returning to the poker table.

 

Leroy called for another drink, telling Nick, "Give the kid a few years and he'll beat you every time."

 

"A few years? Why do you think I only agreed to one hand? He *is* good."

 

"I hear a proud Pa," George said.

 

"I'd be proud if I'd been the one who taught him to play. As it is, all I can do is sit back in amazement. Now, are we going to play or not? I need to win some money."

 

=====================

 

"You should have seen Cole when he got home," Jess told Nick later. "He was so proud of himself."

 

"He had a right to be. He's good. Did he give Lily her cut of the take?"

 

"He did. I think she got a bigger kick out of his having beat you than he did."

 

"You know, I never saw his tell. And I looked for it."

 

"Not everyone has one," she told him. "I learned to change mine up thanks to Pa. Yours, however -"

 

"Mine? I don't have a tell," he insisted, seeing Jess shake her head. "What are you talking about, woman?" he asked.

 

"You can't see it unless you're watching very carefully, but you tend to breathe faster when you don't have a good hand. And your breathing slows when you're sure of your hand."

 

"You're - No. I don't."

 

"I probably shouldn't have told you, since now you'll be paying attention to it and others might notice."

 

"Did you by chance tell Cole about this?"

 

"Would I do that to you?" she questioned, her eyes wide.

 

"Jessica Donager Everett, if I thought for one minute that you conspired with that boy -"

 

She laughed quietly as she slipped into his arms. "No, I didn't tell him. And you don't have a tell. I was only joking."

 

He studied her face, trying to decide if she was telling him the truth. "Oh, darlin', sometimes I wonder about you."

 

"Why? Because I'm like you?" Sliding her arms around his neck, she smiled. "It's entirely due to your influence, you know."

 

"Says the woman who left frogs in her teacher's desk. And put water in inkwells. And -"

 

Jess stopped him talking the best way she knew: by kissing him.

 

The End

Jess, Nick and the rest will return in the next installment of "The Donager Saga".