"Who was that?" Jess asked Kevin as he came up onto the porch after talking to a man in a buggy. From what she could see, the visitor was well dressed, a little older than Kevin.

"Said his name is Rex Hubbard," her brother said, watching as the buggy disappeared down the road. "He's interested in purchasing some land locally."

"A land speculator?"

Kevin nodded. "Apparently so. I think he's talked to a few of the smaller landowners - and they all turned him down."

"Because their deeds all read that we have the right of first refusal," Jess noted. "Pa knew what he was doing when he claimed almost all of the land here and then gave it to the settlers."

"Hubbard said the same thing - only he implied that John Donager took advantage of the settlers, making sure that he would get the land back if the owners wanted to sell."

"He's not the first to make that claim," she reminded him. "It doesn't matter anyway. None of them will sell."

"Not unless they know they can't count on the Diamond D to be here to back them up," Kevin said, frowning.

"We'll always be here," Jess said. "Six grandchildren - including the one that Elizabeth is expecting - and the way the will is set up, this place will still be here long after you and I are in Heaven." She shook her head. "I don't expect that Mr. Hubbard will be around here much longer. There's no profit here for him."

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

"All I know," George Lansing told the other players in the card game, "is that Hubbard made me yet another offer for my place the other day."

"How many does that make in the last three months?" Leroy asked.

"Three. Once a month he rolls up in that buggy and asks if I want to sell. This offer was higher than the last one."

"You can't sell," Del said. "Not until you talk to the Donagers, anyway."

All eyes turned to Nick. "If you'd like to sell, George -"

"I don't," George told him, glaring at Del. "My father ran that ranch before me, and my boys will take it over some day. I have no plans to sell to anyone."

"He's been here for three months - has he bought even one property in that time?" Leroy wondered.

"Not that I've heard about," George said.

"Doesn't make sense that he's still here, then," was Del's comment. "Why hasn't he moved on to other pastures?"

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

In an office around the corner, Rex Hubbard poured himself a glass of whiskey as he was asked almost the same question. "How much longer are we gonna stay here, Mr. Hubbard? You still haven't bought any land - no one will sell."

"Yeah," another man said, "because of the Donagers. If they weren't here -"

"But they are, my good man," Hubbard said. "I'm thinking about a way to remove them - in a manner of speaking."

The first man drew his gun from its holster, rolling the cylinder on his sleeve. "I can take care of that -"

"No, Craig. I think there's another way to handle it before we resort to that. I'll need a few more men. I want you to find a few who can handle a gun - but look quite respectable. You know the type I mean."

Craig nodded, putting his gun back. "Yessir, Mr. Hubbard. I'll leave tomorrow morning."

"I want all of them to come into Providence one at a time. For the time being, it might be best if people aren't aware that they work for me."

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

"Hubbard made George Lansing another offer," Nick told Jess and Kevin the next day. "I asked George how much it was for - and it's far more than the land is worth."

Kevin frowned. "I don't understand why he's still here," he said. "He's yet to buy one piece of property in the area, but he's opened a land office -"

"And made himself a part of the community," Nick pointed out. "He's attends church every Sunday -"

"But his hired men don't," Jess pointed out. "I've seen them around town a few times - they don't look like land men to me."

"I don't think they are. I'm sure they're usually Hubbard's muscle to 'convince' potential buyers to accept his offers."

"But he hasn't used them here," Kevin said.

"He must have some other plan," Jess speculated. "Maybe he knows about something that's going to happen -"

"Possibly," Nick said. "I talked to Lucas the other day. He said that he hasn't gotten any flyers or alerts about Hubbard or his associates. By all accounts, he's a legitimate businessman."

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

"I found four men, boss," Craig told him. "They should be in town over the next few days."

"You know how I hate being called 'boss', Craig," Hubbard said, lighting a cigar.

"Sorry. Mr. Hubbard. Are were going to use them to intimidate some of the local property owners?"

"Oh, no. Nothing so crass. All they're going to do is keep an eye on certain people. While you and Timson will watch one man. Let me know when they get here. The two of you will have to relay my instructions to them. Discreetly, of course."

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

"How was tonight?" Jess asked, sliding her arms around Nick when he entered the bedroom. "Busy?"

"A little. There are some new men in town - Jake said two of them were there last night, and then two more tonight."

"Who are they?"

"From what the girls were able to discover, they're here looking for work."

"All four?"

He looked around. "Where's Caleb's crib?" he asked.

"Oh, well, he's almost a year old - and I decided it might be time to move him into the room next door."

"Alone?"

"I can hear him if he starts to cry," she told him. "What? You don't want to be alone with me?"

He smiled, pulling her closer. "You know I do. I just didn't expect you to make that decision."

"You can thank Lily for helping me to make it. She said that we need our privacy, and Caleb needs to start learning how to be on his own - now that he's close to walking."

"Hard to believe he'll be a year old in a little over a month. It doesn't seem that long."

"Cole said the same thing this evening," Jess nodded, unbuttoning the final button on his shirt. "I saw Iris Drummond when I was in town visiting Elizabeth."

"I saw her and Ernie having supper at the Cafe," Nick told her.

"She seems very happy. Cole tells me that she has lunch with Ernie most days."

"I still have another month before school ends."

"You're still convinced that they'll be engaged before then?"

"I am. But I've resisted the impulse to push Ernie to ask."

"Good for you." Jess put her arms around his neck. "I think that you deserve a reward for that."

"A reward, darlin'?" he questioned, reaching out to untie the belt of her robe. "And what might that be?"

"Why don't you come to bed, darlin', and I'll show you?"

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

Ernie smiled as he saw Nick enter the newspaper office late the next afternoon. "Hello, there. Want some coffee?"

"I'll get it," Nick said, entering the back area of the office to grab a cup and pour some of the dark liquid before going over to sit in a chair beside Ernie's desk, which was cluttered with papers and file folders. "How on earth do you find anything in this - maelstrom?"

"I know where I put it when I last saw it - now, if someone comes along behind me and moves it, then we have a problem. Matt knows not to mess with my desk."

"How's he doing?"

"Matt? Very well. He's out right now picking up renewal orders for advertising. You're in town early today."

"I wanted to ask you a favor."

"Ask. You know I'd do anything."

"How much trouble would it be for you to contact your friends back east and see if they have any information about Rex Hubbard?"

"I've already sent out a few inquiries," Ernie told him. "It doesn't make sense for him to still be here after three months and not buying one piece of property. I haven't gotten any answers yet, though. Last I heard, he's been increasing his offers in the hope someone would call Jess and Kevin's bluff on first refusal."

"It's not a bluff," Nick told him. "They'd pay whatever was asked. And I'm sure that Hubbard knows that."

"So the question is," Ernie said, "what's he up to? And why is he waiting so long to start doing it?"

"Something like that. There's a reason I bowed out of my father's business world," Nick said. "I don't like playing this kind of game. Poker's more cut and dried. You know where you stand."

"I have a feeling that Jess thrives on that kind of thing."

Nick laughed. "Oh, yes. There are times I wonder how she would handle a board meeting - I guess that's why we make such a good team."

"I'm not sure I've seen a couple better suited than you and Jess," Ernie told him. "I'm glad that you found her."

"So am I. I can't imagine still moving from place to place. Jess and the boys - they're my life. I hope you'll find the same peace -"

Matt came into the office, pausing as he saw Nick. "Oh, I'm sorry, Mr. Everett. Didn't mean to interrupt."

"Not at all, Matt," Nick assured the young man, standing up. "I need to get over to the saloon." He put his cup on the table near the stove. "Talk to you tomorrow, Ernie. You and Iris are invited for dinner on Sunday -"

"I'll ask her about it," Ernie said. "Don't work too hard," he teased.

"That depends on the cards, my friend," Nick replied with a crooked grin as he nodded toward Matt. "Bye."

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

"I think I'll head home early," Nick told Jake.

"Might as well, seeing how slow we've been. I guess those men who said they were looking for work left town, since they weren't here tonight."

"Possibly," Nick said. "See you tomorrow night."

"Night, Boss."

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

"How much longer are we gonna wait?" Craig asked as he and Timson sat on their horses beside Hubbard's buggy.

"As long as it takes," Hubbard said. "He takes this road back to the ranch - he'll be along. Timson, ride back that way far enough that you can get behind him when he does get here. Give us a signal when he passes."

Timson nodded and walked his horse slowly toward town, staying off of the road, listening for the sound of another horse approaching.

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

Nick sat a little straighter in the saddle when he heard a whippoorwill off to his right, and pulled up sharply as a buggy was pulled across the road in front of his horse. "What the -?!" he said as Rex Hubbard sat forward to light one of his ever-present cigars.

"Good evening, Mr. Everett."

Before he could reach for his gun, Nick heard Hubbard's 'associate' Mr. Craig pull back the hammer on is own weapon. "Your gunbelt, please." Nick unfastened the belt, letting it fall into Craig's hand. "And the derringer," Craig said after handing the gunbelt to another man that Nick recalled having seen around Hubbard's office. Sighing, Nick reached into his coat for the hold gun. "Slowly, Mr. Everett," Craig warned.

"You won't get away with this, Hubbard," Nick said.

"We're just going to talk, Mr. Everett," Hubbard said. "Taking your guns is simply a precaution for *our* safety."

"I don't think that we have anything to talk about."

"Not even the safety of your wife and her siblings?" Hubbard asked.

That got Nick's attention. "What are you talking about?"

"Once Mr. Timson has your weapons unloaded, we'll all start back toward town and I'll explain. I should tell you, however, that if you decide not to cooperate, we'll have no choice except to kill your wife and her brother and sisters."

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

Cole came out of his room as Jess exited Caleb's room. "Pa didn't come home last night, did he?"

She shook her head, clearly worried. "No, he didn't. I know he's stayed in town before when the weather was bad, but it was clear and dry last night -"

"I'll saddle our horses," he told her. "Is there someone who can watch Caleb?"

"Mariana's probably downstairs already. I'm sure she'll take care of him until Lily comes down or Cassie gets here."

"We'll find him," Cole assured her.

Jess explained what was going on to Mariana, who took Caleb with a reassuring smile. "I'm sure he's fine. Maybe his horse went lame and he had to stay in town."

While she nodded, Jess knew that Nick would have rented another horse from the livery stable if that had been the case. Something was wrong. Grabbing her gunbelt from the wall, she fastened it on before going outside as Cole brought their horses to the front of the house. "I've been praying all morning that he's okay, that he would get home. I keep seeing him laying beside the road -"

Cole reached over to grasp her hand. "Let's go find him, Ma."

As they entered town without seeing any sign of Nick on the road, Jess' worry began to change into something else. "If he was hurt, someone would have come to let us know," she told Cole. "Why don't you go into the livery, and see if Spirit's there and I'll go to the hotel?"

Cole broke off toward the stable as Jess continued on to the hotel. Seeing Grace at the desk, she asked, "Is my husband here?"

"Yes, ma'am," Grace told her. "He checked in last night. He's in room 4 on the second floor."

"Did he say why he was staying here?" Jess wanted to know.

"No idea, Miss Jess. He came in after the desk closed. Knows that if the key's in the box, he can sign th'book and go up."

Jess frowned as she turned toward the stairs and started up them.

The door to Room 2 was closing just as Jess entered the hallway and moved to knock on the door to Room 4. She knocked harder. "Nick! It's Jess!"

It seemed like forever before the door opened. "Come in," he said, stepping back and closing the door behind her.

Relieved to see him apparently well, Jess moved toward him, but Nick stepped back, away from her. "Nick? What's going on? Do you realize how worried I was when you didn't come home?"

"I'm sorry," he said.

"Sorry? About what? Nick, please -"

This time he shook her hand off of his arm, putting the width of the room between them. "Look, Jess, I can't explain, but - well, it's over. Finished. I can't do this anymore."

"What are you talking about?" she asked. "Over? Finished? You can't do *what* anymore?!"

He turned away from her, running a hand through his hair before turning back to her. "I'm leaving Providence, Jess."

"You're - leaving." She shook her head, as if denying what she was hearing. "You promised me. You told me that you'd never leave. You said -"

"I said a lot of things," he agreed. "But sometimes things just don't work out."

"Nick," she whispered, and he turned away from the tears in her eyes.

He knew what she needed. That she wanted to be held while she cried. To be comforted. But the one person she would let give her that comfort with was the person who was causing her pain. He closed his eyes as he said, "It's for the best. I'll let you know where to send my things - and I won't fight a divorce -"

"You know that I don't believe in divorce," she told him, taking deep breaths as she fought back the tears that were still threatening to escape. "What about - Caleb and - and Cole?"

"I'll try to stay in touch - thought I doubt Cole will understand or want to talk to me. I'm not sure I blame him," he murmured, hoping she wouldn't hear.

"Then why are you doing this?" she wanted to know, revealing that she had heard.

"I can't explain so you would understand," he insisted. "I've left a letter for Jake and Cara - I'm giving them my half of the saloon. As a wedding present."

"When - when are you going?" she asked.

"The morning train," he answered. "I'll take it to Mesa City and then go on west from there."

"California?"

"Haven't decided yet. New places, new people. New experiences," he said. "I'll be happier -"

"I thought you were - h-happy here," she whispered as she turned toward the door, reaching out almost blindly as she blinked back the tears.

"Jess!" he called out, and she stopped. "I'm - sorry. Really I am."

She jerked the door open and slammed it behind her as Cole came into the hallway. "Ma," he said, following her toward the stairs. "What's wrong?" he asked.

"He's -" she took a deep breath, finally pulling herself together as they reached the bottom step. "He's leaving."

"Leaving?" He made a move as if to go back upstairs, but Jess put a hand on his arm to stop him.

"Let him be, Cole. He's -" another deep breath. "He's made his decision.

"But Ma -"

"Let's go home."

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

The train had pulled up as they started down the street, so Cole and Jess had taken First Street to leave town. As the train pulled away from the station, Jess stopped Midnight and turned to look back. As he turned to follow her gaze, Cole thought he saw someone behind them, but if there was, the rider was too far away to be sure.

"Did he say why he was leaving?" Cole asked.

"Not really," she replied, her voice sounding oddly flat. "He just said that he had to go."

"He wouldn't do that, Ma!" Cole insisted.

"Well, he did!" she told him, and would have spurred Midnight into a hard gallop if Cole hadn't grabbed the reins to stop her attempt to flee. "After I get you back to the house, I'm going back and talk to him."

"He's not there," she said. "He left on the train."

Cole realized why she'd been watching it, and shook his head. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"Because I knew that you would go up there and confront him - and get into trouble. I need you, Cole," she told him. "It might not be fair, but right now, I need you with me. Can you understand that?"

He moved his hand from the rein to her arm, nodding. "I understand," he told her. "Let's go home."

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

"Are you about ready to open for the early crowd?" Jake asked Cara as he came from behind the bar, only to find her arms wrapped around his chest.

"After you give me a kiss," she told him.

"With pleasure," he said, kissing her.

"Mmm," she murmured. "Two more weeks."

"And we'll be married - are you sure it's a good idea for me to move in here?"

"Why not? You'll be off the market - and we'll finally have someone here to keep all of us safe if something happens."

Jake gave her another kiss. "Let me unlock the doors -" As he pulled the doors open, a white envelope fell to the floor. "What's this?" he asked, frowning as Cara joined him.

"It's got both our names on it," she said, taking the envelope over to the bar and opening it with a knife and pulling out several folded pieces of paper. "It's from Nick," she told him, her eyes growing wider as she read the writing. "Jake -?"

He grabbed the pages from her nerveless fingers, scanning the letter before reading part of it aloud.

"I'm leaving Providence on the early train, but I wanted to let you know that I'm giving you my half of the saloon. Consider it a wedding present, since I won't be there for the wedding. I'll send another letter later, trying to explain why I'm going. The enclosed papers are the documents of transfer. You'll have to get Lily's signature as the other owner, but I doubt that will create any difficulty. My best to you both on your marriage.

Your Friend, Nick."

"Why would Nick have left town?" Cara asked. "Didn't he say he would see us tomorrow - today?"

"Yes, he did," Jake confirmed, folding the papers and removing his apron.

"Where are you going?" Cara asked.

"*We* are going out to talk to Lily - and Jess."

"But - we were about to open -"

"Opening's going to be late today," he told her. "Go tell Ruby, and I'll be right back with a buggy."

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

Nick saw Hubbard's man Timson sitting at the other end of the car, covertly keeping an eye on him. Stretching out across the seats, Nick sat back, putting his hat over his eyes and began to pray, something he'd spent most of the early morning doing once he'd finished writing the letter to Jake and Cara and creating the transfer document. His plan to create a note to slip to Jess was foiled when Timson had taken the pen and paper out of the room before telling him that he would be watching the room, and if Nick so much as opened the door, Jess and her brother and sisters would pay the price.

Nick was sure that Hubbard had no intention of letting him live - or get away from Timson's eagle eye, since the first thing he would do would be to find a way to protect Jess and the others. But until the train arrived in Mesa City, there was no way that Nick - with two empty guns - could do anything.

For the moment, prayer was his only weapon, and he intended to use it.

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

"I can't believe that Nick would do something like this," Lily insisted as Jess held Caleb on her lap. "And he didn't say why he was leaving?"

Jess sighed. "No." She stood up. "I'm going upstairs. Could I get someone to help me bring Caleb's crib back - back into -"

"I'll take care of it in a little while, Jess," Kevin said.

She nodded, a sharp, jerky movement, before she left the room.

Cole, standing in the doorway, watched as she went up the stairs, whispering quietly to Caleb. Once she was out of sight, he turned back to his Aunt and Uncle. "I'm worried about her. Maybe she shouldn't be alone right now -"

"She's always handled things like this by herself," Kevin explained, frowning as he added, "Until Nick came into her life, that is."

"I don't understand -"

"Jess holds things in, Cole," Lily explained. "She's the one who has held the family together during times of crisis. If it became too much for her to handle, she would go for a ride - usually out to the Western Ridge, and deal with her pain."

"So no one would see her as weak," Cole said, and Kevin nodded.

"She's always been the strong one. You've seen that yourself. Nick- Nick was the first person who ever managed to get behind that facade."

All three heard the sound of someone approaching, then a man yelling, "Whoa!" and they went to the front door.

"Cara! Jake!" Lily called. "What are you doing out here?"

Jake helped Cara out of the buggy, coming up the steps to hand Lily the envelope. "Because of this. It was on the front door of the saloon this morning."

Lily glanced at Kevin and Cole as she pulled the papers from the envelope. She read it, shaking her head as she did so. "Let's go inside," she said, handing the papers to Kevin.

"Where's Jess?" Cara wanted to know.

"I'm here," Jess said, causing them to turn as she came down the stairs. "Caleb's asleep in his crib," she told them. Holding out her hand, she took the papers from her brother. "He said that he was going to give his share to the two of you."

"What's going on?" Jake wanted to know. "I mean, I'm sorry if it's none of my business, but - what happened last night to make him leave Providence?"

"I have no idea," Jess said. "He never came home."

Jake began to shake his head as Cara told them, "But he left early to come home - around eleven, I think. And the last thing he told Jake was that he would see him tomorrow."

"He was coming home? You're sure?"

"That's what he said," Jake told her.

"I *said* something wasn't right, Ma," Cole said. "I didn't have a chance to say anything before, but Spirit was at the stable - but Mr. Bradford told me that he'd put the horse into one stall when Pa left him yesterday afternoon - and this morning, he was in another stall. Like maybe Pa had taken the horse out and someone else had brought him back."

"Nick could have done that himself," Jess said.

"What about the man I saw outside of the door of his room at the hotel?" Cole asked.

"What man?" Kevin asked.

"When I started up the stairs, I looked around the corner and saw a man standing at the door, like he was listening. I ducked back, and heard Pa call your name. I heard the door of the next room close and you came out of Pa's room."

"The door to Room 2 was closing when I went upstairs," Jess recalled, frowning.

"And there's something else, Ma," Cole told her. "I think someone followed us out of town. They were too far away for me to be sure, but -"

"What does it matter?" Jess asked. "He's still - gone!"

Kevin came over to put his arm around her shoulders. "Jess, we need to find out."

"I'm going to town," Cole announced. "Maybe someone else saw something."

"I'll go too -" Jess began, but Cole shook his head.

"Ma, if someone is watching you, then your going into town could put Pa in danger. I'll make my first stop to see Jacey. He's a friend, and someone I'd likely go to see after what's happened. You stay with Caleb. I'll be careful. I promise."

She pulled him into a hug, watching as he left toward the back of the house. Shaking her head, Jess sighed. "And Nick thought Cole would be angry with him," before going back upstairs.

Kevin looked at Lily. "I'll go move that crib for her."

"I think we need to head back to town, too," Jake told Lily. "About the saloon -"

"We'll talk about it next week," Lily told him. "But until then, we'll just keep operating as if the transfer is in order." She embraced Cara. "I'll see you tomorrow at church."

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

"Where are you going?" Ben asked Cole, causing the older boy to turn from saddling Ranger.

"Back into town," Cole said, lifting the stirrup to tighten the cinch. "I need to talk to Jaycee about something - and bring Pa's horse back here."

Ben frowned. "Won't he need Spirit to ride home?"

"Not right now," Cole told him, taking note of the fish hanging from the pole over Ben's shoulder. "Looks like you caught a few."

"Yeah," Ben nodded, but he was still frowning. "Is Uncle Nick okay?"

"He - had to go somewhere - Look, cousin, I really need to get into town. I'm sure your Ma will explain what's going on if you ask."

"No, she won't. She's like everyone else - they treat me as if I was still a kid," Ben said as Cole got into the saddle.

"Ben, if Aunt Lily won't tell you anything, then I'll talk to you when I get home, okay?"

Ben nodded, watching him ride away before turning toward the house with his catch, planning on Mariana making use of the fish for supper, and then wondering if anyone would even want supper.

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

As soon as Jake and Cara left the house, Lily looked in to make sure Katie was happily playing in the pen before going upstairs. When she reached the back hallway, she saw Kevin standing at the door to Jess and Nick's room. Catching sight of her approach, he lifted a hand to signal for her to stop, but she continued quietly until he was able to take her hand and pull her close as they listened to Jess.

"Please, dear Lord, keep Cole safe as he goes to town seeking answers. And watch over Nick, wherever he is. If it's Your will, I pray that you would bring him safely home to us. But if that's not to be, keep him safe and close to You."

Kevin whispered in Lily's ear. "Let's go get the crib ready to be moved and let her finish her prayers."

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

Cole kept a watch behind him, looking for any sign that he was being followed, but there was no sign of anyone. Jaycee was sweeping the platform of the station, and waved, coming to the edge when Cole stopped. "Can you take a break?" Cole asked.

"Sure. I figured you'd be back in with everything going on."

"Let me take my horse to the stable and I'll be back," Cole told him before continuing on. He kept an eye out for anyone watching - but all he saw were familiar faces looking at him with a combination of what he thought was concern and pity. He dismounted and led Ranger into the stable, where Mr. Bradford took the reins.

"How's Jess?" he asked.

"Quiet," Cole told him. "I'll be taking Spirit with me when I go, Mr. Bradford -"

"He's ready whenever you are." He shook his head. "Hard to believe that Nick would just take off like that."

"For everyone," Cole acknowledged as he left the stable. Climbing the steps up onto the platform, he went over to where Jaycee was still sweeping. "Sorry. Mr. Bradford started talking."

"Understandable," Jaycee said, putting the broom aside and reaching behind him to untie the black apron he was wearing. "Pa! I'm taking a few minutes!" he called.

Paul Grover's head appeared from the door. "Don't be too long - Hi, Cole."

"Mr. Grover," he said. "I just need to ask him a few questions -"

The man looked at him for a moment. "Why don't you come inside?" he suggested.

Cole looked at Jaycee, who shrugged and shook his head before they both turned and followed Paul. Inside, Paul Grover was sorting the mail that had come on the morning train. "If you want information about your Pa, Jaycee can't help you. He wasn't here when the early train pulled out of the station."

Cole could tell there was more to that story by the look Jaycee had on his face. "Pa -"

"It's not important right now, son," Paul said. "What do you want to know, Cole?"

"Was Pa alone when he left?"

"He got on the train by himself," Paul told him. "Barely said two words when he bought the ticket, even though I tried to talk to him."

Cole nodded. "Thank you, sir. Did he have his gun with him?"

"He did. Now that you mention it, there were no bullets in the belt. I hadn't thought about it until you asked. He didn't have any luggage."

"Was he the only one who took the train to Mesa City?"

"No. There was another passenger - Mr. Hubbard's associate. Timson, I think is his name. The one who doesn't talk much. Told me that Mr. Hubbard was sending him over to Mesa City to meet with a potential client."

"Was his ticket for a return trip, or -?"

"He said he might be in Mesa City for a few days. It was the most I've heard him say since they've been in town. Cole, how is your Ma doing?"

"She's managing, sir," Cole told him. "Have you seen any strangers in town?"

"One came in the other day on the train from the east. Didn't get his name. But I think a few more came into town on horseback - you might ask Jake at the saloon - or Carl Collins at the hotel about them."

"I'll do that. Thank you again, sir."

"Cole, tell Jess - if there's anything she needs, -"

"I'm sure she knows that, Mr. Grover. If you'll excuse me, I need to talk to some other people."

Jaycee followed him out to the platform. "Will you be at church tomorrow?" he asked, picking up the apron again.

"As far as I know. I can't see this making Ma not go to church."

"Pa asked how she was - are you okay?" Jaycee wanted to know. "I know close you and your Pa were."

"Are," Cole corrected. "He's still my Pa." He smiled. "I'm okay. But right now, I need to get some answers."

"Good luck."

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

Sam was busy working on another saddle when Cole entered the shoe/leather shop. His grandfather smiled at him, continuing his own work on a pair of boots. "I'm surprised to see you back in town today," Sam said. "Sorry about -"

Cole nodded, forestalling the comment. "Would you mind if I went out the back door into alley?" he asked. "I'll explain why later."

"Sure," Sam told him. "See you tomorrow."

Once in the alley, Cole turned toward the newspaper office. But as he neared the back door, he saw someone standing at the end of the alley in the shadow of the Town Hall. As Cole watched, the man stepped out onto the boardwalk and turned toward the front of the Hall. Cole followed him to the corner of the building, peering around the edge to see that the man was now sitting on one of the wooden benches, lighting a cigarette. It appeared to Cole that he was watching something across the street - probably the parsonage where the Lees lived.

Frowning, Cole turned back the way he'd come and went to the back door of the newspaper. Ernie opened the door, clearly more than a little frazzled. "Cole!" he said. "Come in! I was just out selling papers - and I heard - is it true?"

"That Pa left town this morning on the train?" Cole asked. "It's true."

"I was hoping it was just a rumor that someone had started. He seemed perfectly fine when I saw him yesterday afternoon."

"He was here?" Cole asked.

"He was. Came in for a cup of coffee, telling me how happy he was. I thought maybe he was hinting that I needed to propose to Iris, but Matt came in and interrupted him, and he left - but he said he'd see me in church - and invited us to dinner on Sunday."

"He told Jake and Cara the same thing when he left the saloon last night," Cole said. "He left there early to go home, but ended up at the hotel."

"Now, I did hear him ride out," Ernie recalled. "I glanced out the front window and saw him on that white horse heading out of town."

"Did you hear him come back?"

Ernie shook his head. "I grabbed a few minutes of sleep right after that - but I guess he must have done, didn't he?"

"Spirit was back in the stable this morning - in a different stall."

"He told me once that he prefers that second stable - was there another horse in it this morning?"

"No," Cole told him. "It was empty. And he told me the same thing. Except that it isn't him who prefers it but the horse."

"You know, Nick did ask me about Rex Hubbard - if I knew anything about his past."

"One of Mr. Hubbard's men was on the train to Mesa City that Pa left on."

"Which one? Craig or Timson?"

"Timson. He told Mr. Grover that he had some business there for Mr. Hubbard." Cole gave Ernie a curious look. "What do you know about Mr. Hubbard?"

"No more than anyone else in town. I sent some inquiries out last week, but haven't received any responses yet." Ernie shook his head. "Why would Hubbard somehow force Nick to leave? I mean, what could he possibly hope to gain?"

"I know he's been trying to buy several properties in the area, and that Ma and Uncle Kevin have something to do with why he hasn't been successful." He sighed. "Maybe he thinks that Ma would give up on blocking him with Pa gone."

"I haven't been here long, but I do know that Nick leaving wouldn't affect your Ma's business acumen." Cole frowned at the word, and Ernie smiled. "Ability or understanding," he clarified, and Cole nodded.

"Maybe, but you didn't see her after we left Pa at the hotel this morning. I've never seen her like that."

"Give her a little time. I'm not saying she'll forget what's happened, but from what I've heard, she'll focus on that ranch and you and your brother."

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

As the train pulled into Mesa City, Nick got off at the station, aware that Timson was behind him. Going to the stage depot, he purchased a ticket for points west, only to find out that the stage wouldn't be leaving until the afternoon. Sighing, he went back out onto the boardwalk, looking up and down the street.

The only options, as long as Timson was there, were the restaurant or the saloon. But he wasn't hungry, and the last thing he wanted was a drink - but maybe there was someone looking to play poker, even this early in the day.

He didn't recognize anyone in the saloon as he sat down at one of the tables. A young woman came over to him, smiling. "Hi, there," she said. "What can I get for you?"

"Nothing right now," he told her. "What are the chances of getting a game going?" he asked, pulling a deck of cards from his coat pocket.

"There'll be a few come in before long," she told him. "It's still a little early."

"How about getting something to eat here?" Nick asked, seeing Timson enter the saloon and go to the bar.

"We don't offer much - I think I could find you a ham sandwich."

"In that case, I'll take a sandwich - and a glass of beer."

She grinned. "Be right back."

Nick shuffled the cards, then put them up as the girl returned with the sandwich and beer. "Thank you," he said, smiling up at her. "What's your name? In case I want another beer -"

"Minnie," she answered. "That's short for Minerva, in case you're wondering."

"Got time to sit down and talk?"

"It's what I get paid to do," was her answer as she sat down next to him. "What's your name?"

"Nick." He took out his pocket watch, checking the time. "So, Minnie short for Minerva, tell me, how did someone as pretty as you end up working here?"

"Oh, that's a long and not very interesting story," she insisted. "I'd much rather hear about you."

"You'd be bored to tears," he told her, pushing the empty plate away. "That was good."

"We don't usually have any until the evening. Most people go to the restaurant for lunch. You want another beer?" she asked, seeing that the glass was half-empty.

Nick grinned, checking the time again. "You know I'd really like?" he asked.

"What?"

He leaned forward, whispering into her ear. "Someplace where we can be alone. Do you have a room here?"

She pulled back, looking a bit shocked by his change of attitude, before she smiled at him. "It's upstairs," she answered.

Nick stood up, taking her hand in his to pull her to her feet, noting Timson's amused smirk at the idea of 'family man' Nick Everett going upstairs with the young hostess. "Shall we?" he asked, dropping a brief kiss onto Minnie's hand.

This time she giggled softly and led him upstairs, her hand still in his. "Here we are," she told him, stopping at a door and opening it.

Nick took a second to glance downstairs as Timson moved toward the stairs, trying to see what was going on. Desperate now, Nick entered the room and closed the door as Minnie watched him. "What's going on?" she wanted to know.

"I'm not sure what you-," he said, but she shook her head.

"I haven't been doing this very long, but it's been long enough that I know how a man looks when he wants more than companionship. You barely looked at me. And then there's that ring on your finger -" she touched the gold band. "You're married."

"And married men don't -?"

"Some do. But not you. My father - he was a one man woman," she told him. "After Mama died, he never looked at another woman until the day he died. You have that same look."

Nick smiled at her. She wasn't much older than Cole, he guessed, and wondered what could have happened to her that she had ended up here. "I need a favor," he told her. "And a few questions answered."

She sat down on the edge of the bed. "Ask away."

He glanced out of the window that looked down into the alley, making note of the height. "Is there a back stairs out to the alley?"

"Yes. Go to the left and you'll find the stairs. The door is at the bottom."

"Where is the telegraph office and can I get there from here without being seen?"

"That's easy. It's two doors down the street, and there's an alleyway beside it."

"Now, for the favor. Can I ask you to stay up here until you hear the train whistle?" He pulled his wallet from his coat, taking some money out. "This should cover the sandwich and beer - and the rest is for you."

"You're running from someone," she realized, studying the money in his hand.

"The man who was standing at the bar when we came up here," Nick nodded. "He'll probably ask you where I went. Tell him I took the back stairs and was trying to catch the train."

Minnie took the money, sliding it into the bodice of her dress. "She's a lucky lady," she said.

"I'm the lucky one," Nick said. "If you're ever looking for another job - head over to Providence. I have a little pull with the saloon keeper there."

She stood on tiptoe to kiss his jaw. "I might just do that." As Nick opened the door to make sure Timson wasn't in the hallway, she whispered, "Good luck."

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

Timson was nursing his glass of beer as he heard the train whistle, signaling that it was heading back toward Providence. He finished the beer, glancing up to see the girl coming back down the stairs - alone. Slapping some money onto the bar, he moved over to the girl. "Where's the man you went up there with?" he demanded to know.

Minnie looked down at his hand wrapped around her arm before pulling away. "If it's any of your business - he said he had to catch the train to Providence and went out the back way."

Timson turned and ran for the door, almost knocking several people over in his haste.

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

After going through the passenger car without finding Nick Everett, Timson watched the train pull out, scanning every window. Once the train cleared the station, he hurried down the street to the telegraph office. He entered the small building, going directly to the telegrapher, who was sitting with his back to the door. "I need to send a telegram to Providence."

The man turned around, and Timson's hand moved toward his gun - but Nick already had his gun out. "It's loaded now, Timson," he said. "Thanks to Mr. Hanks here -" he indicated the middle aged, balding man coming from the back office. "Take the gun out and put it on the counter. Carefully." Timson put his gun on the counter, and Nick picked it up, returning his own empty gun to its holster. "Mr. Hanks, would you be so kind as to fetch Sheriff Stillman for me?"

Hanks nodded and sidled past Timson to leave the office. "This won't do you any good, Everett," Timson growled. "You've just signed your wife's death warrant."

"Why? As far as your boss knows, everything's going according to plan. You've followed me here to Mesa City - and you are going to send him a telegram."

"Telegram?" Timson said. "That's not -"

"Part of the plan?" Nick questioned. "It's probably not part of the plan for you to follow me out of town to make sure I wasn't going to double back, either. But that's what your telegram will say."

"And where will I really be?" Timson wanted to know. "You won't kill me -"

"Not unless you force my hand," Nick told him. "But I do wonder what your employer will do to you for letting me get away." Timson paled slightly at the thought.

Mr. Hanks returned, followed by the Mesa City Sheriff, who looked at Nick and smiled. "Mr. Everett! It's been awhile. I've heard good things since we last met, though."

"Sheriff Stillman."

Stillman turned to look at the man that Nick was holding at gun point. "And who is this?"

"Allow me to introduce Mr. Timson. He's an associate of Mr. Rex Hubbard, a land speculator who's been trying to buy property around Providence."

The Sheriff gave Nick a look of surprise. "Everyone knows that won't happen. The Donager family has a lock on all of the land over there - even the land that the town sits on."

"Look, Sheriff," Timson said. "I can explain. It was just coincidence that I was on the same train with Mr. Everett. Mr. Hubbard sent me over here to meet a prospective client. If you would allow me to send him a telegram -"

Nick pulled back the hammer on Timson's gun. "I wouldn't do that, Sheriff," he said. "I'm filing charges of kidnapping against Mr. Timson - and his employer, once I get back to Providence."

Stillman looked at Timson, then at Nick. "Why don't we continue this over in my office?" he suggested.

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

"But there's no proof that Hubbard's done anything illegal," Jess insisted when Cole returned to the house. "So nothing's changed."

Cole sighed, shaking his head. "Ma, don't you understand? There are men watching Aunt Amanda's house, and the hospital. And I found tracks out of town toward this house - two different sets, so there are two men watching here - probably you and Uncle Kevin. Mr. Hubbard's friend - that Mr. Timson - he left on the same train that Pa was on. And I can't swear to it, but I think Timson was the man I saw outside of Pa's room at the hotel."

Jess stood and went to the window, her arms folded across her chest. "And Ernie Graves saw Nick leaving town last night?"

"He did. He said Pa asked him to check into Mr. Hubbard's past - something he'd already started doing."

"What could he have said that would make Nick leave?" Lily wondered.

"There's only one thing I can think of," Jess said, still looking outside. "If he threatened to kill me. Or Kevin - or the twins."

"But what would that get him?" Kevin wanted to know. "The way Pa's will was written - and ours -"

"I'm the trustee for the ranch," Jess told him. "The man's an insufferable -" she bit off what she had been going to say as she turned around. "No doubt he thinks that I'll fall apart without Nick." She took a deep breath. "That I'll tell the other landowners that if they want to sell out to Hubbard, we won't stop them."

"Anyone who knows you knows that wouldn't happen," Lily insisted. "Someone with your strength -"

Jess sighed. "I need to make sure Nick is all right," she said. "Because until I do that, I can't risk -"

Cole shook his head. "You and Pa are two of a kind," he said. "So what *are* we going to do?"

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

Arriving for the church the next morning, Jess did exactly what Nick said she always did when faced with adversity: held her head high and graciously accepted all of the expressions of sorrow and shock generated by Nick's apparent desertion. She knew that her friends in town would expect nothing less.

During the service, Brother Andrew said a special prayer for "comfort for the sad of heart and for the wanderer". By the time the service ended, Jess was more than ready to return to the ranch, but took time to speak with her sisters. Elizabeth, only two months away from the birth of her child, was frustrated that Thad refused to let her make the trip out to the ranch.

"I feel like we should all be together right now," she told Jess. "I know Ma's upset by what's going on - everyone is." She took Jess' hands. "But you - you're incredible. If Thad had done that to me, I'd be devastated -"

"I have two children to take care of," Jess reminded her sister. "And then there's the ranch. I don't have time to fall apart." Elizabeth gave her a hug as Jess said, "Take care."

Ernie caught up with her as she was about to get into the carriage. "Jess, can we talk?"

"Of course - but can't it wait until you get to the house for dinner?"

"Yeah, it can wait," he finally said, helping her into the carriage. "See you in a bit."

"Where was Lucas this morning?" Kevin asked, "Did anyone hear?"

"No one seemed to know," Cole answered, looking around. "Did anyone see Mr. Hubbard?"

"He came in late," Kevin told him. "He and that other man that works for him. Mr. Craig."

The whistle for the afternoon train sounded as they reached the tracks. "Train's late today," Jess noted. "It's usually in the station by now."

Ben looked toward the train as they crossed the tracks, pointing at something. "There's a horse tied in the cattle pen," he said, and Cole nodded.

"Probably left there for someone coming in on the train -" he said, turning to watch the horse. By the time the train got to the station, the carriage was too far away to see anything, so he turned back around, watching for the two men who had followed them into town earlier. "I don't see those men," he leaned forward to tell Kevin.

"They might have gone back toward the house - but I told the hands that if they saw anyone they didn't know on the ranch to tell them to move along and then tell me about it."

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

As soon as Ernie and Iris arrived, he handed Jess a slip of paper. "What's this?" she asked.

"A telegram I got yesterday afternoon," he told her. "I think you should read it."

"Donagers in danger. Stop. 4 men hired by Hubbard. Stop. Am ok Stop. NE"

Jess sank down onto the sofa. "He's okay," she sighed. "Thank you, God. Thank you."

"Amen," Cole replied.

"I took the telegram to Sheriff Morgan," Ernie told them. "He spent the morning arresting the two men who followed you and your brother into town this morning."

"What about the other two?" Kevin asked.

Cole nodded. "The two who've been watching Aunt Elizabeth and Aunt Amanda."

"He told me he would wait until after Mr. Hubbard and Mr. Craig returned to the land office after dinner so they wouldn't be aware of the arrests."

"So they're all four in custody?" Lily asked, and Ernie nodded.

"They should be."

"So what happens now?" Lily wanted to know.

All eyes turned toward Jess as she spoke. "I think it's time for me to have a meeting with Mr. Rex Hubbard."

"Now?" Kevin asked.

"After dinner," she said.

"But - it's Sunday," her brother pointed out.

"All the better, in case he doesn't react well to what I have to say. Fewer people in town that might get hurt."

As they went into the dining room, Kevin sighed, shaking his head, aware that trying to change her mind was an impossible task.

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

Cole rode into town ahead of Jess, going directly to the Land Office around the far corner, in the opposite direction from the Town Hall. Stepping up onto the walk, he knocked on the door. "Mr. Hubbard?" he called when there was no answer. "I have a message for you from Jess Everett!"

The door was finally opened, and Rex Hubbard stood there staring at him, a faux smile on his face. "Forgive me. I was busy in the back room. You mentioned a message, young man?"

"She wants you to meet her at her office on Front Street in ten minutes."

"Did she say what it was in reference to?"

"About you buying some property in the area," Cole told him.

"Tell her that I'll be there," he said, the smile slightly relaxed, as though he thought perhaps he'd won the battle.

"Yes, sir," Cole said, turning away from the door and going back to his horse. Getting on, he rode back over to the stable, where Jess had just left the buggy. "He'll be here, Ma," he told her. "I wanted to put my fist into that smug face."

"You just let me handle Mr. Hubbard," she said. "Why don't you go over and talk to the sheriff? I would, but I need to get into the office."

"You don't want me to go with you? Ma, you're not going to face him alone?"

Jess looked at him and asked, "Do I have to say it, Cole?"

The young man shook his head. "No. But I don't have to like the idea. I'll go see Lucas, let him know what the plan is."

Jess continued to her office, unlocking the outer door, then the door into the private office. Lighting the lamp on the desk, she found a towel and wiped the desk off, wondering when she had stopped making sure that it was always ready for her to use. Just as she finished the task, she heard someone approaching the open outer door, and looked out to see Rex Hubbard standing there. "Come in, please, Mr. Hubbard," she said, waiting for him to enter the office before closing the door behind him. She went to the chair behind the desk. "Thank you for coming."

"I've been looking forward to speaking to you, Mrs. Everett. I've spoken to your brother, of course, but never had the opportunity to meet with you."

"And now the moment of opportunity has arrived," she noted.

"Before we begin, I want to tell you how sorry I am about your husband's - "

"Desertion?" she finished. Folding her hands before her on the blotter, she said, "Shall we get down to business, Mr. Hubbard? It's Sunday, and I'd much rather be at home with my family."

"Very well. As you know, I've made rather - substantial offers to several people in the area for their land - only to be told that they can't sell without the approval of the Donagers."

"And you'd like to find out what it would take for that approval to be given," Jess said.

"In a nutshell, yes."

Jess sat back in her chair, her eyes still locked on him. "No doubt, Mr. Hubbard, you believe that losing my husband might cause me to fall apart - to be ready to simply give up and let you take over all of the land in the area except for the town and the ranch. Am I correct?"

"Well," he said, a bit nervously, she thought, "I'm sure you have - other things to concern yourself with now -"

"I live by a code, Mr. Hubbard. God, Family, and the Ranch. Those are the things that I concern myself with. We'll skip the first two, since they're taken care of. As for the ranch -" she stood, bracing her hands on the desk, "when John Donager came to this valley, he claimed all of the land. Every square inch of it. It was given as gifts to the town, and to the various families to farm and use as they saw fit. The only proviso for the gift was that if the landowner wanted to sell at some point in the future, the Donager family would be given right of first refusal at the price being offered by a third party. I thought you'd like to know that as the trustee for the Donager estate, that none of that property will ever be available for sale to you or any other land speculator for any reason."

Hubbard's eyes narrowed as he rose slowly from his chair. "Do you really think that you can get away with this high-handed attitude?"

The sound of glass breaking coincided with a gunshot, and Jess dropped to the floor, hearing someone call out, "Stop right there!" along with another shot in the alley while the door into her office flew open and Cole appeared, his gun pointed at Hubbard.

"Don't move!" he warned, and Jess, coming up with her derringer in her hand, saw a similar weapon in Hubbard's.

"I believe you asked me a question, Mr. Hubbard," Jess said as Cole took the hold gun and handed it to her. "I think it's one that you need to answer. Did you really think that you could get away with this?"

"I'm not saying a word," Hubbard growled as Cole pushed him from the room and through the reception area, where Lucas was waiting.

"Here you go, Sheriff," Cole told him.

"You know where the key to the cells are, Cole," Lucas said. "Put him in with the other four."

Hubbard frowned. "Other four?"

"Didn't you notice that your hired guns were missing after church?" Cole asked as he pushed the man toward the jail.

"I'm tempted to hire him as a deputy," Lucas told Jess.

"He's too young."

"What'll be your excuse once he's older?"

"His heart's in the ranch, Lucas," she said. "I guess I should thank you for taking care of whoever was in the alley -"

"Not me," he said, nodding toward the office, where the back door was now open. "Thank him."

Jess turned to go back into the office, drawing a deep breath as she saw Nick standing there. "Nick!" she cried, rushing into his arms. "Oh, Nick!" She never heard Lucas closing the door behind her as she held onto him, tears finally falling.

"Jess," he whispered. "I'm so sorry. The things I said -"

"You had to say them," she said.

"Yes," he nodded. "But I'm still sorry that I had to. Hurting you is the last thing I wanted to do. And seeing you walk out, knowing that you needed my arms around you -"

"It's all right now, though," she said. "You're back. And you're going to stay."

"Forever and ever," he said, capturing her lips with his. "I love you," he said once the kiss ended. "Having to leave was the hardest thing I've ever done."

"Who shot at me?" she asked, and Nick smiled at her return to normal, but he kept his arms around her.

"Craig. He was getting ready to shoot a second time when I fired at him."

"Is he -?"

"No, I just shot the gun from his hand. He'll live to stand trial."

"What about the one who was watching you?" she wanted to know.

"He's in a jail cell over in Mesa City."

Jess smiled. "I think I'm going to enjoy hearing how you accomplished that."

"I'll tell you later," he promised, kissing her again.

Someone cleared their throat, forcing the couple to end the kiss and turn toward the broken, open window. "You going to do something about covering this window?" Lucas asked as Jodie Baker took Craig toward the jail.

"Should be some plywood in the old freight depot," Nick told him. "I'll get Cole to help me with it."

"He's still in my office, watching the prisoners til I get done here," Lucas told them, giving Jess a grin.

Jess turned and pointed out where the bullet had lodged in the far wall. "I'll have to get that repaired, too," she told Nick.

"We'll take care of it tomorrow. What was that grin on Lucas' face?"

"He wants to recruit Cole as a deputy," she told him.

"You know that the first time Lucas has to form a posse, Cole will be front and center, Jess."

"I know. And I don't have any reason for him not to do it other than I think he's too young."

"In years, maybe. But Cole's not a child. Why don't we go find him and take care of this window so we can get home?" he suggested. "I'm sure Kevin and Lily are pacing the floors, wanting to know what's going on."

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

Nick was barely in the house when Ben launched himself at his uncle. "Uncle Nick! You're home!"

"That I am, buddy," Nick said, accepting Lily's embrace as well. "Maybe I should go away more often," he commented, giving Jess a crooked grin.

"Don't you dare," she told him, leading him into the parlor, where Nick picked Caleb up out of the pen before going to sit beside Jess.

"What happened?" Kevin asked. "With Hubbard, I mean. Did you meet with him?"

Over the next hour, Nick explained what had happened on Friday night, and his forced departure for Mesa City. He told them how he had managed to use the back door out of the saloon there to trick Timson into going to the telegraph office and end up in Sheriff Stillman's jail. "After that, I sent Ernie that telegram, and then another to Lucas telling him that I would be coming in on the afternoon train today."

"Why remain in hiding by that point?" Lily asked.

"We still needed to find a way to trap Hubbard into admitting what he was doing, remember," Nick told her. "Once Lucas assured me that all four of the men watching Jess and the family were in custody, I went from where I'd been hiding in the freight office of the depot to Lucas' office. We were discussing how to get to Hubbard when Cole came in -" he grinned at the young man.

"I was surprised to see him there," Cole explained. "And when I told him what Ma was about to do -"

Nick put his arm around Jess. "I realized that it was the best way to take care of Hubbard - because I knew that if Craig wasn't with Hubbard - and he wasn't - then he would be in the alley, waiting for a sign from his boss to kill Jess."

"He very nearly succeeded," Jess said.

"Oh my," Lily sighed. "Hubbard would have been blamed, though -"

"No," Nick said. "Their plan was to eventually kill all of the family - Kevin, Jess, Amanda and Elizabeth - and then have my body found just outside of town and claim that I had killed them."

"How diabolical," Lily said, shivering. "I hope he gets what's due him."

"Well, the four hired guns are already talking," Nick told her. "And Timson was hinting that he might be willing to do the same when I left him in that jail cell in Mesa City. He was a bit worried about what Hubbard would do to him for letting me get away and come back to Providence. Apparently no one's ever stood up to Hubbard to try and stop him."

"Until he met us," Cole said. "Did Mr. Graves know you were back in town when he and Mrs. Drummond came out here after church?" he asked Nick.

"No. The only person who knew I was on that train was Lucas."

"The horse!" Ben declared. "Remember? I saw a horse in the cattle pen on this side of the train when we left town!"

Nick nodded. "Lucas left it in case I needed to get away so that Hubbard or his men wouldn't know I was back in town. I knew Hubbard would have Craig target Jess if he knew - I also knew that I could trust Cole to keep an eye on his Ma."

"I did my best - til I knew you were back to take over."

"Since when did I ever need someone to keep an eye on me?" Jess wanted to know. "I'm perfectly capable of -"

"Taking care of yourself," Nick finished, smiling. "We know, darlin'. We know." As the laughter in the room began to fade, he looked toward the dining room. "I wonder if Mariana left anything on the stove? I haven't had anything to eat since before getting on that train."

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

Iris sat watching as Ernie worked on his story about the day's events. "You can't include all of the details before you talk to Mr. Everett, can you?"

"No, I'll have to get some details from him. But Sheriff Morgan gave me enough information that I can get the article started, at least. I'm sure Nick will be in town tomorrow, and I'll talk to him then."

"I'm so glad that he's home and safe," Iris said. "They're probably the most perfect couple I've ever known. Don't you agree?"

Ernie stopped writing, looking across the desk. "They are, indeed." Standing up, he came around the desk to lean against it close to her. "Iris - I need to tell you something -"

"Oh my. That sounds a bit ominous," she told him.

"Not really. But I feel that I need to tell you some things about myself - things that might make you feel differently about - spending time with me."

"Is this the story about Nick getting you out of trouble?"

"No," he said. "That was just youthful exuberance," he said, and then shook his head. "No, this was after Nick left -" He rose and moved to stand at the windows. "Do you remember the story we discussed from the Guardian about the politician and the young woman who - killed herself?"

"Yes," Iris told him. "Your father was trying to ruin the man by implying that he and the woman were involved in a relationship."

"He had another reason for the article as well," Ernie told her. "I was spending quite a bit of time with Elise." He turned to look at her. "I thought I was in love with her, as a matter of fact, and told my father that we were going to be married."

"Oh. I take it that he - didn't approve of your plans?"

"That's putting it mildly. He threatened to disinherit me if I married what he referred to as a 'dance-hall girl'. And that was the nicest way he referred to her."

"So he found out that she and the politician were somehow tied together -"

"And tried to tell me that she was only using me while she was having an affair with him. I refused to believe it - but it lead to my drinking heavily, since I saw the other man leaving her room one night, and started to think that maybe - just maybe Father was right." He sighed. "I finally confronted her about it, but she insisted that there was no affair, but that she had sworn never to talk about her relationship with the man. That she had promised him that she wouldn't, without his permission. That was the last time I saw her alive. Two days later, Father published his article accusing the man of having an affair with a saloon girl young enough to be his daughter."

"Surely her father released her from her promise to tell the truth -"

"No," Ernie replied. "He was afraid for people to know that he had had a child out of wedlock and had let her work in a saloon instead of providing for her. Elise was devastated by the accusation - and took an overdose of laudanum one night."

Iris rose from the chair and came over to him. "Ernie -"

"I spent the next year more drunk than sober. It was only after Elise's father went public with the truth that I started trying to stop drinking. Father actually apologized to me and helped me as much as he could. He offered to let me work for the Guardian, but I couldn't stay in the City any longer. That's when I decided to follow Nick's path and go out on my own."

"And ended up here," she said, her hand on his arm. "I'm so sorry that you had to go through all of that. It must have been terrible for you. At least now I understand why you only have one drink. Does Mr. Everett know about this?" she asked.

"No. You're the only one I've talked to about it since I left the City."

"I'm glad you felt that you could confide me," she said, touching his cheek.

"There's a reason for that," he told her, covering her hand with his. "I love you, Iris."

"Oh, Ernie," she sighed.

"Now, before you say that it's too soon, and that you don't -"

"I love you, too," she said, interrupting his nervous speech.

"You do?"

"I do. I never thought I'd feel this way again after losing Philip. But there was something about you that first day - and the more I saw you, the more I realized what it was."

Ernie leaned in to give her a gentle kiss. "Iris Drummond, will you marry me?"

"Only if you don't mind my continuing to teach."

"I fully expected you to," Ernie said.

"And if you're willing to wait until school is out for the summer to have the wedding."

"I expected that, as well."

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

Nick was upstairs rocking Caleb when Jess entered the room, giving him an apologetic smile. "I forgot that I moved his crib back in here yesterday," she said. "We can move it back -"

He shook his head. "He's almost asleep. He might as well stay in here for the night."

"You're sure you don't mind? I was - a little upset after I got back from town yesterday."

"Understandably," he told her, watching as she removed her skirt and blouse.

"Why do I think there's more to the story about how you managed to get out of that saloon in Mesa City?" she asked as he slowly rose to his feet and placed the now sleeping baby into his crib.

"A little more," he confirmed with a grin, pulling her into his arms. "There was this girl -"

Jess pulled back to look at him. "Really?"

"Are you going to let me tell the story, darlin'?" When she smiled, he pressed a quick kiss onto her lips and told her about how he had met Minnie and suggested they go up to her room - while Timson was watching. "It felt strange," he said, "going up to that room."

"I should hope so," was Jess' comment. When Nick sighed, she said, "Sorry."

"I figured she wasn't much older than Cole - "

"And she was working in a saloon?" Jess shook her head. "That's sad."

"Anyway," Nick began, "once we got upstairs, I realized she knew that it had been a ruse." He held up his left hand. "The ring told her that I was married - and when I pointed out that married men aren't immune to straying, she told me that she thought I was like her father - a 'one man woman'."

"I'm beginning to like this girl," Jess told him.

"I asked about a back stair, and if she would stay upstairs until she heard the train whistle, then go downstairs and tell Timson that I'd told her that I was going to catch the train back to Providence." Nick grinned. "She said he took off out of that saloon like it was on fire."

"You talked to her again, then?"

The grin didn't fade. "Well, I had to stay in Mesa City for the night, and there wasn't much to do - so I went back to the saloon."

"And played a few hands of poker," Jess surmised.

"It kept me out of trouble," he said. "And yes, I talked to Minnie again. She's a month older than Cole. Her mother died when she was eight, and her father was so devastated by that loss that he buried himself in a bottle, leaving Minnie to more or less fend for herself."

"Poor girl," Jess sighed, undoing the buttons on is shirt. "How did she end up working in the saloon?" she asked, pushing the shirt off his shoulders.

"I'm getting to that," he told her, wondering how far she would go in undressing him as he watched her drape his shirt over the back of a chair. "When he started drinking, they lost the small farm they were living on, and had to move into town. She was around thirteen when she convinced the saloon owner to let her help the bartender so that she could keep an eye on her father - but there was a catch." Jess had returned to put her fingers on the first button of his trousers, and that's when Nick grabbed her hand. "Jess, darlin' -" She looked up at him, a playful smile on her face. "I'm never going to finish this story if you don't behave."

"You can finish it later," she told him. "Because I have no intention of 'behaving', darlin'."

Some time later, as Jess lay with her head on his shoulder, she said, "Nick?"

"Hmm?"

"What was the catch?" she asked, smiling as she heard his soft laughter and felt the rumble of it in his chest under her hand.

"Well, he figured that Minnie would attract customers to the place - and had one of the girls kit her out. At first, she only helped behind the bar - then her father was killed by another customer who was making a pass at Minnie."

"Oh no. And she stayed on?"

"She really had nowhere else to go at that point - and the saloon owner offered to pay her more money than she'd ever seen."

Jess turned to look at him. "But she's not just serving drinks now, is she?"

"No. She claimed it was her decision to make, a good looking customer who offered her money to spend time with him - but I had the feeling that she wasn't being completely honest about that."

"Still, I'd like to thank her for helping you."

"You might get that chance. I told her that if she ever wanted a change, to come to Providence and if she wanted to work in a saloon where she didn't have to do anything except talk to customers and serve them drinks, I could get her a job."

"I just realized - you don't own part of the saloon anymore."

"Well, I had already discussed giving my half to Jake and Cara with Lily before this happened."

"Tired of running a saloon?"

"I didn't really do much of the actual running. Jake and Cara and Eban have been taking care of the day to day. I was just there, playing poker and keeping an eye on things. I can still do that, but now I won't have to be there, and can spend more time with my family. I'm sure that I can find things to do around here."

"I like the sound of that - but are you sure you won't get - bored?"

Nick pulled her into his arms, shaking his head. "With you? Never. Besides, I think it's time we changed the sign on the office again."

"To what?"

"Oh, how about 'Everett and Everett, Attorneys at Law'?"

"So you intend to take an - active hand in things?"

He laughed softly again. "Oh, a *very* active hand, trust me."

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

"Are you sure about this?" Jake asked Nick. "Just - giving us the saloon?"

"You and Cara have earned it, Jake," Nick told him. "Even before what happened, Lily and I had discussed the idea. All that needs to be done is for you to meet with the Town Council and assure them that you intend to continue to operate under that same rules that Lily and I have. I'm sure that's not a problem."

"Not at all," Cara agreed. "But - what are you going to do?" she asked. "Start working out at the ranch?"

"Sometimes. But I'll still be coming in here to play poker a few nights a week, if you don't mind."

"Mind? I was worried that if you didn't, half of the business would disappear," Jake told him. "We'll keep that table open for you."

"We're just glad that everything's okay and that you're back where you belong," Cara said.

"I do have a favor to ask -"

"Anything."

"If a young lady named Minnie comes in and asks for a job, give it to her."

"Minnie?" Cara questioned.

"It's short for Minerva - and she helped me out in Mesa City, so I owe her."

"Will do, B-" Jake broke off, shaking his head. "That's gonna be a hard habit to break."

"Make it Nick, Jake. Now, I'm going to find my wife and go see her sisters while the repairs are made to the office."

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

After spending time with Ma, Elizabeth, and Amanda, Nick and Jess went to the Cafe to wait for Ernie and Iris to join them for lunch. "I just hope Cole and Ben delivered the message about meeting us here," Jess said, watching through the window.

"Cole said they would, so I'm sure they did," Nick told her, nodding. "There they are."

Once they were all seated and orders given to Milly, Ernie said, "I'll forgive you for not coming to see me yesterday after it was all finished, Nick - if you'll give me an interview about what happened."

"It's a deal," Nick said. "Honestly, all I wanted to do yesterday was get home."

"That's understandable, Mr. Everett," Iris said. "After everything that happened -"

"Tell you what - why don't you call me Nick?" he suggested.

"Oh, I -"

"You call Jess by her first name -"

"I've known her for years," Iris reminded him.

"You might as well, Iris," Ernie said to her, reaching over to take her hand in his. "It's going to be
awkward for you to call my best man 'Mr. Everett'."

Jess looked at Ernie. "Best man?" she asked, studiously ignoring Nick's delighted smile.

Iris' cheeks were tinged with pink as she explained. "Ernie and I are going to be married."

"That's wonderful news!" Nick said. "Isn't it, Jess?"

"Yes," Jess nodded. "Delightful. I had no idea that things had progressed so to that point."

"I wore her down," Ernie said. "Walking her home every afternoon, meeting her here for lunch, and an occasional supper as well. I think she finally said yes because she felt sorry for me."

"That's not true, and you know it, Ernest Graves," Iris said, smiling at Jess. "It simply took his letting me see his vulnerable side - the part he hides from everyone else."

"I didn't think you had one of those, Ernie," Nick joked.

"And here I thought *my* husband was the only one who tried to hide his vulnerable side," Jess told her.

Ernie glanced out of the window. "What's going on over there?" he asked.

"Where?" Nick wanted to know, following his gaze.

"At Jess' law office - I know they were doing repair work - but the front window wasn't broken, was it?"

"No, the only broken window was the back one. It's being repainted," Jess told him. "I've decided to take on a partner."

"A - partner?" Ernie repeated, and Nick grinned, pointing toward himself.

"Me."

"What about the saloon? Or was the rumor I heard about your having given it to Jake and Cara when you 'left' not a rumor?"

"I'd been considering it for awhile now," Nick explained. "Lily and I knew that the two of them deserved to be more than just managers."

"So what now? Do they just take it over?"

Iris spoke up. "Not in Providence. They'll have to talk to the Council before it's done." When she saw Jess and Nick's surprised look, she smiled. "How long have I been in Providence? I'd be a bad teacher if I wasn't aware of how government works in this town so that I could teach it to my students."

"What does the council need to talk to them about?" Ernie questioned.

"Well, when the saloon first opened, the original owner -"

"Carl Collins' brother, right? Gerald," Ernie said, and Jess nodded as she continued.

"Gerald Collins knew that a normal saloon would never be accepted here. Drunken brawls, painted -" she paused, looking for the right word.

"Painted ladies who allowed customers into their rooms," Nick suggested. He took up the story. "Gerald assured the Council that none of that would happen in his place of business. A limit on drinks - any fighting would be ended swiftly with a night in jail and a fine - and the girls wouldn't be allowed to take customers upstairs to their rooms. Any violation of the rules would result in the saloon being closed. When Lily bought the place, she agreed to the rules. So did I. And so will Jake and Cara. Honestly, I don't think either one of them would want to go back to the kind of places that they worked in before coming to Providence."

"And you're going to share Jess' law practice?" Ernie asked.

"That, and occasionally help at the ranch. Other than that, I plan to just enjoy spending time with my family. Coming so near to losing that made me appreciate it all the more," he said, reaching over to take Jess' hand in his.

"That's part of the reason why I finally asked Iris to marry me," Ernie said. "After the talk we had the other day - I guess the day Hubbard waylaid you on the road."

"Talk?" Jess asked, and Nick looked around.

"I wonder where our food is?" he said, trying not to look at Jess, but she was determined, it seemed.

"Yes. I couldn't help but see how happy he was to be married and have a family to take care of. That's why when I heard about what happened the next morning, I was sure something wasn't right."

"Milly!" Nick called when he saw the woman, carrying a couple of plates.

She brought them to the table, putting them in front of Ernie and Iris. "Sorry. As you can see, we're a little busy - I know that Mrs. Drummond needs to finish her lunch so she can get back to the school. I'll bring Jess and yours right out."

"You know, I think a story about the saloon changing hands will make a good addition to the one about Hubbard's downfall," Ernie announced. "Speaking of which - about that interview-."

"Why don't we get that done after lunch?" Nick suggested, thinking that the interview would delay having to face Jess' questions about his conversation with Ernie. He smiled at her. "I'm sure Jess won't mind waiting, right, darlin'?"

"Of course not," she told him, her own smile cloyingly sweet as she added, "Darlin'."

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

Jodie Baker was just finishing his work and closing his paint cans when Nick left the newspaper office and started toward the law office. "How's that, Mr. Everett?" Jodie asked, and Nick nodded, patting him on the back.

"Excellent work! Thank you." He looked around. "Would you happen to know where my wife might be?"

"In the office," Jodie told him. "She said to send you in when you got here."

"Oh. Thanks again," Nick said, opening the door and looking inside. "Jess?" he said, entering the reception room and closing the door. "Jess, where are you?"

"In here." Her voice came from the inner office, and Nick approached the doorway with minor trepidation.

"Jess -" He didn't see her when he entered the room, so he kept going - until he heard the door close behind him. Turning, he saw Jess turning the key in the lock before leaning against the door. Nick turned back to the window. "Looks like they did a good job replacing the window - and the bullet hole -" he moved over to try to find where the hole had been. "Niles' carpenters are -" he made the mistake of glancing at Jess, who was standing there, watching him, her arms folded across her chest. "Now, Jess, darlin', I never mentioned marriage to Ernie the other day."

"Likely story," she said.

"Would I lie to you?" he asked, moving to stand in front of her, bracing his hands on the door. "Especially since I'd been so amply rewarded the night before for not having done that very thing?" He saw her blush slightly at the memory of that 'reward', and grinned.

"Well," she began, a smile slowly appearing, "I - If I'm wrong, I apologize." she told him, placing her hands on his waist.

Nick lowered his head to whisper in her ear, "and just how are you going to apologize, darlin'?" he asked. "I wouldn't mind a repeat of my reward, if you were so inclined."

Jess gasped at his suggestion, pulling back to look up at him. "And you say that *I'm* shameless."

"Never said that I wasn't," he told her, pulling her fully into his arms for a long kiss.

Once the next kiss ended, Jess sighed. "This is never to work."

"What? My kissing you?"

"No," she told him, "our sharing an office. We can't seem to be in the same room alone without -"

"So, we won't be alone if there's a client, will we?"

"No, but -"

"So there won't be a problem. Now, what happens when there *is* no client -"

"I take it back. You're not shameless."

"I'm not?" he questioned. "Then what I am I?"

"Incorrigible."

"Incorrigible," he repeated, and grinned crookedly as he kept his arms around her. "I think I can accept that."

Jess laughed. "We do need to figure out how to get another desk in here - unless you intend for us to share the same desk?"

"No, that won't work," he said, looking around. "There's no way with that desk - what about two smaller desks?" he suggested.

"Pa bought me that desk when I got home from law school," she told him.

"Then how about this? We enlarge this office and make the reception area smaller."

Jess looked around. "Can we do that?"

Nick grinned. "I've already discussed it with Niles. But we're going to make two separate offices - with a small law library in between. We'll use the far end of the reception area, and put a wall up here across this office, with a door from each office. That way, we'll be able to see two different clients if need be, and researching won't interrupt if something's going on in one or the other office." He saw her looking around, trying to visualize the idea. "He said he would have the preliminary plans ready in the next few days. So we'll just to muddle through with a single office until then, I suppose," he said with a sigh.

"I think we'll manage," she assured him. "Oh, I sent Uncle Otis a telegram that he was needed here to try Hubbard and his men," she finally

remembered to tell him.

"I hope he gets here soon. We can't bring Timson back until we're sure he'll be safe, since he's willing to testify against Hubbard and Craig."

"Are you going to let me go?" she asked.

"Nope," he told her, pulling her closer again. "So - why don't we discuss what I want for breakfast in bed over the next two weeks?" he asked.

"There was nothing in the bet about getting to choose what you want," she told him. "So you'll get whatever the rest of us have."

"I only have one request," he said.

She looked at him with some suspicion. "And what is that?"

"The only thing I want in bed for the next two weeks - is for you to be there-" Jess started to speak, only to stop as he continued, "-when I wake up. Or, is that too much to ask?"

Knowing that she tended to wake up before him and get out of bed, Jess put her arms around his neck. "I think that can be arranged, darlin'," she told him.

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

When Judge Otis Maxwell arrived, he shook his head after hearing the complaints against Rex Hubbard and his associates. "I'm sure the two of you are aware that since you're both complainants and witnesses in this case, neither of you can serve as prosecuting attorney." He sighed. "I don't suppose Mr. Hubbard or his friends will be willing to plead guilty?"

"I doubt it, Judge," Nick told him. "We haven't spoken to any of them since they were arrested for precisely the reasons you gave. I have talked to Mr. Timson - who's still in Mesa City, awaiting transfer back to Providence."

"Why hasn't he been brought here?" Otis wanted to know.

"There's no room, Uncle Otis," Jess pointed out. "With six prisoners already in the town jail, it's already over-crowded. And since Mr. Timson has stated his intention to testify for the prosecution, putting him in the jail would endanger his life."

"He could be placed under house arrest at the hotel, if necessary," Otis told her. "I'll need him here for the preliminary hearing. But we can't hold *that* until I get another attorney here to prosecute, and until Mr. Hubbard and his associates obtain representation."

"I think Hubbard asked the Sheriff to send a telegram to his attorney in Denver. I believe the name was Todd Logan," Nick said. "Now, I don't know if Logan's supposed to defend all of them, or if he's leaving the rest to fend for themselves, but -"

"I'll speak to Lucas," Otis nodded. "He can find out if the others want their own attorneys. And I'll arrange for him to bring Mr. -" he paused, looking at his notes before continuing, "-Timson back from Mesa City." With that, he closed the folder and looked at them with a smile. "Now, on to personal business. How have things been going?"

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

"Uncle Otis!" Elizabeth declared as her godfather entered the downstairs sitting room where she was laying on a chaise with a crocheted blanket over her legs. "Thank goodness! Maybe you can save me!"

Otis chuckled at her over-dramatization of her situation as he sat down in the chair beside her. "Save you from what, Elizabeth?"

"Boredom! Thad refuses to let me take more than a few steps - he won't let me go anywhere - except across the street to visit Amanda or go to church, and Heaven forbid that I be allowed to help with a patient!"

"I'm sure that Thad's just erring on the side of caution, my dear. He wants to make sure you're okay."

She grunted. "Humph! I should have known you'd take his side, just like everyone else has - even Jess refused to help me!"

Otis smiled, taking her hand in his. "There's no 'side' for me to take," he told her. "I know how he feels. That young man loves you, and doesn't want anything to happen to you. When I was still a young attorney, trying to establish a practice in Denver, my wife lost a baby, and died herself shortly thereafter."

Elizabeth's eyes grew wide. "I didn't know you'd ever been married, Uncle Otis."

"Not many people do. It was well before you and Amanda were born."

"I'm sorry," she said.

"You don't have reason to be sorry. But you do need to realize that you only have two more months to put up with Thad and everyone trying to protect you. And you know what? Once you hold that baby in your arms, all of this frustration will be forgotten."

She sighed, and then nodded. "You're right." She squeezed his hand in gratitude. "Thank you for putting things in the proper perspective, Uncle Otis."

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

"Was that the truth?" Jess asked Doc as she, Nick, and Ma stood in the kitchen, listening.

"Yes," Doc confirmed. "Your Pa went to Denver as soon as he got Otis' letter about his wife's death."

"Mebbe now that girl will calm down," Ma said. "She's been usin' more energy fussin' about not being allowed t'do things than was healthy."

"I thought you were handling most of the local babies, Martha," Otis said as he joined them.

"Well, I am," she told him. "And if it 'twas up t'me, that girl'd be up and about. But 'cause she happens t'be married to a doc, I'm not gonna go against his wishes."

"It hasn't helped that he lost a few babies before letting Martha take over the midwifing," Doc added.

"That would tend to make him concerned," Otis agreed. "Now, Martha, I'd like a cup of your famous coffee before I go pay a call on Amanda. And I was asked if we could all join Elizabeth and keep her company."

"I was doin' that a'for you got here, Judge," Ma told him as she grabbed a tray for the coffee pot and cups. "Jess, would ya mind grabbin' a glass of milk for y'sister?"

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

"You've really given up your half of the saloon?" Otis asked Nick later as he and Kevin sat on the front porch after dinner.

"I have. I never planned for it to be long term anyway, and this seemed like a good time, with Jake and Cara getting married soon."

"What about playing poker?"

Nick grinned. "Oh, I'll still do that - but on my schedule. And I won't have to stay as late."

"I'm trying to convince him to help out on the ranch," Kevin said.

"I'll do that - occasionally. But for right now, being with Jess and the boys and helping her with the law practice will be enough."

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

Todd Logan arrived the next morning, and went directly from the train station to the jail to talk to his client. "Client?" Jess asked, watching from the Cafe as the man walked from the jail to the hotel after that talk. "Singular?"

"According to what I heard," Nick told her. "I talked to Paul Grover, and he asked for directions to the jail because he was supposed to meet there with his client."

"So he's even leaving Mr. Craig out in the cold?"

"Apparently. Lucas left on the same train to bring Timson back from Mesa City. The Judge said that he'd requested someone to serve as prosecutor - he should be here tomorrow."

"Who did he request?" she wanted to know.

"I believe he said the name was - Porter."

"Zane Porter?" Jess asked, and when Nick nodded, she sighed and closed her eyes. "Oh my."

"You know him?"

"He was here a year or so before you arrived to prosecute a minor case that I was defending."

"And?" Nick prompted, sitting forward and taking her hand in his.

"It's not important," she told him. "I'm sure he's forgotten all about it."

"Oh, now I know that I have to find out what happened," he told her. "I wonder if the Judge would -"

"Nick," she said, watching through the doors into the hotel as Logan checked in. "It's not important."

"If it wasn't important, you wouldn't be acting this way," he reasoned. "Have you finished your coffee?" he asked, standing up and putting some money on the table.

"Yes, but -" She had no choice but to take his outstretched hand and let him help her to her feet before they left the cafe.

Once in the office, he sighed. "I'm glad they're not starting the rebuilding until next week," he told her, opening the inner office door and stepping aside for her to enter. This time, it was his turn to lock the door and turn to watch her. "Now, tell me what happened."

"He was in town for a week," she said, pacing around the room, stopping to inspect various items as she talked. "And after his shock at going up against a 'female' attorney, he asked me to dinner, and came out to the ranch to take me for a ride. He seemed to be trying to influence my actions in court."

"Who won? Or should I ask?"

She smiled. "I won the case," she admitted.

"And his charm vanished," Nick guessed.

"Enough that he cornered me as I was leaving the room and made a few - not very nice comments about my femininity."

Nick shook his head. "Idiot," he muttered.

"He might have been lynched," she said, smiling again, "if I hadn't slapped his face and suggested that he might want to leave town sooner rather than later before leaving the saloon."

"No doubt with your head held high as always," Nick guessed. Extending his arm, he held out his hand. "Come here."

Jess took his hand and let him pull her close. "I love you," she said, snuggling against him.

"And I love you. What on earth was Otis thinking by asking Porter to come here?"

"It doesn't matter anymore," she assured him. "Besides, he also asked you to come here, remember?"

"Best day of my life," Nick assured her. "But I understand a little better now why you reacted to me the way you did."

"The difference was your reaction to losing that first case against me," she told him. "It didn't seem to bother you."

"Like it did Porter," he nodded. "No, and it never has. Watching you in court is a joy. You handle a witness better than anyone I know."

"Flatterer," she sighed, looking up at him. He took advantage of that look to kiss her.

"I think I'm going to enjoy meeting Mr. Zane Porter," he told her, kissing her again. "Did I thank you for being there when I woke up this morning?" he asked, cupping her head as he hovered over her lips.

"I'm not sure," she replied. "Maybe you need to remind me."

"With pleasure, darlin'," he said, capturing her lips as he pulled her closer still.

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

Zane Porter was a few years older than Nick, a bit shorter, with graying blonde hair and a carefully trimmed mustache. His green eyes were changeable with his mood, and Jess found herself trying to judge that mood as he entered the office.

Hat in hand, he nodded in her direction. "Jess. I'm sorry. The Judge told me that you're married now." He glanced at the window. "Mrs. Everett."

"Mr. Porter," Jess responded as Nick came out of the office to join them. "Zane Carter, this is my husband, Nick Everett."

Porter extended a hand, but Nick continued to hold Jess' arm instead of shaking that hand, forcing Porter to drop his hand in an awkward manner. "I wanted to - discuss this case with you - what you can testify to -"

"Why don't we go into the office?" Nick suggested, letting Jess take the chair behind her desk. "Would you like some coffee, Mr. Porter?" he asked.

"Uh, yes, please. I just spoke to Mr. Logan, the defendant's attorney -"

"He's only representing Hubbard isn't he?" Jess asked.

"That's right."

Nick gave Porter his coffee as he asked, "Not his associate Craig?"

"Not officially. They were both surprised to hear that Mr. Timson is willing to testify against them, and it might be that the four men who were allegedly employed by Mr. Hubbard will do the same."

"Allegedly?" Nick questioned.

"Apparently none of them had actually met Mr. Hubbard until they were all in jail together. They were hired by Mr. Craig, according to their statements."

"At the request of Rex Hubbard," Jess clarified, and Porter nodded.

"That's right. Now," he took a notepad from the briefcase he had brought with him, "Why don't we begin with you, Mr. Everett?"

"It's all in my statement," Nick told him. "Hubbard, Craig and Timson waylaid me on the road out of town one night as I was leaving the saloon."

"Had you been drinking?"

"I had one glass of beer when I arrived at the saloon around five."

Porter looked doubtful. "You were at the saloon from five until -" he flipped through another set of pages until Nick spoke up.

"I left at eleven."

"You were there for six hours and only had one beer?"

"Nick doesn't drink when he's playing poker," Jess said.

"Poker," Porter repeated, shaking his head.

"Is there a problem, Mr. Porter?" Nick asked.

"Oh, no, of course not. According to your statement, you were brought back to town and told that if you didn't cooperate, Hubbard's men would kill your wife and her brother and sisters. Is that correct?"

"Yes. Mr. Porter, let me save you some time. Jess and I are both attorneys, as you know. Our statements include all of the information that you'll need to know what we can and can't testify to. If you have a specific question about those statements, ask and we'll answer. If you have no questions, then we would both like to go home."

Porter looked at Nick, then at Jess before putting the notepad and papers away. "I think, perhaps, I should have begun this differently. No doubt Jess has told you about my boorish behavior the last time we saw each other."

"She did. And I think she should have done more than slap your face," Nick told him.

"I agree," Porter told him. "Jess, I'd like to apologize for the way I reacted when I lost that case. The things I said were beyond the bounds of propriety. I'm not asking you to forgive me, but for the sake of this case, I hope that we can work together without any problems." He stood, clearly ready to take his leave. "I just want to say that I could tell the moment that I saw you that you're happy."

Jess stood as well, joining Nick as they followed Porter into the reception room. "I am happy," she told him. "Blissfully so."

Porter looked from one to the other before sighing almost regretfully. "I was an idiot," he decided and held out his hand again toward Nick. "You're a very lucky man, Mr. Everett."

This time, Nick grasped the offered hand and shook it with a smile. "I prefer to think that I'm blessed, Mr. Porter," he replied as the door from outside opened and Cole entered.

"Ma, Pa -" he stopped as he saw that they weren't alone. "Excuse me."

"Mr. Porter, this is our older son, Cole. Cole, this is the special prosecutor, Zane Porter."

Cole stepped forward, extending his hand with a smile. "Mr. Porter," he said.

Porter hesitated as he looked at Jess and Nick. "Your son?" Jess smiled and nodded as Cole started to pull his hand back, but Porter quickly grabbed it. "It's a pleasure to meet you, young man. Cole - Everett. I believe I have a statement -"

"Yes sir," Cole confirmed. "I didn't really see anything - I couldn't really identify who the man was in the hotel hallway. It was just an impression. And then, I opened the office door there -" he pointed at the inner office door, "and saw Mr. Hubbard pointing a gun at Ma."

"I might need to call you to testify about that last bit - but it will be a couple of days before we can begin the trial. If I need to talk to you -"

"Just let my folks know if you do," Cole told him.

"I will." Porter shook his head again as he moved toward the door. "It was nice to see you again, Jess, and nice to meet you, Mr. Everett," he said as he left the office.

"You know him?" Cole asked Jess once he was gone.

"He came to town a few years ago for a trial," she told him. "Now, what was so important? And where's Ben?"

"He went to get the horses. I was just curious if you two were still in town."

"We were just about to head for home," Nick told him. "Why don't we all go together?"

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

Over the next two days, the four hired guns made known their intention to testify for the prosecution, mostly due to the fact that Hubbard hadn't asked his attorney to help them. When that fact had come out, Hubbard *had* asked Todd Logan to represent Craig - and Timson, if necessary, upon his return to town. Logan entered the jail the afternoon after Timson's return, frowning.

"Well?" Hubbard wanted to know. "Where is he? Didn't that sheriff bring him back?"

"He did. He's staying at the hotel," Logan told him. "I just finished talking to him. He's - refused my assistance - Rex, he's going to testify against you - and Mr. Craig."

Hubbard's eyes narrowed to tiny slits. "What?"

"Timson is selling the both of you out," Logan told him. "And not just about what happened here."

"Boss," Craig said, clearly worried. "He knows things that -"

"I'm aware of what Mr. Timson knows. And don't call me boss!" he hissed in anger. "Without his testimony, I had a chance to make the testimony of those four look like I had no idea what was going on -"

"You would have thrown *me* to the dogs?" Craig asked.

Hubbard began to shake his head, backing away from the huskier man. "Of course not. I would have had Mr. Logan take care of -"

"How? Once you made the court think that I had hired those four men to follow the Donagers, and that you hadn't known anything about it - Maybe I should join them and Jack and tell the court everything that *I* know about you and your business." He'd backed Hubbard up against the wall by now, and lifted his hands menacingly. "On second thought, I have a better idea!"

"No, Craig, no! I'll make it right. No!"

Logan joined the men in the other cell, yelling, "Sheriff! Help! Help!"

Lucas ran into the cell area, pulling his gun from its holster. "Craig, stop! Back away!" Without looking away, he called for Jodie. "Get in here!"

But Craig was past listening as he wrapped his hands around Hubbard's neck and began to squeeze as though of one his hands hadn't been injured. "Sheriff! He's going to kill Mr. Hubbard!" Logan cried out, standing just inside of the bars, terrified.

As Jodie entered, Lucas put the key into the lock. "Out, Mr. Logan!" he ordered, waiting until the lawyer was out of the cell before going in and pressing the gun into Craig's back. "Stop!" he said again, and Craig released Hubbard, who slid onto the floor. "Jodie, get me some handcuffs, then go get Doc Mitchell."

Craig sat heavily on the cot, shaking his head. "I won't fight you, Sheriff," he said. "I want to talk to that prosecutor."

"Right now," Lucas said as he put the handcuffs on Craig's wrists, "if I were you, I'd be more worried about Mr. Hubbard." He knelt to put his hand on the man's chest, then held his hand under his nose. Sighing, Lucas told him, "I don't think that the doctor's going to be able to help him."

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

After a quick examination of Hubbard, Thad agreed with Lucas' statement. "His neck is broken. His heart's still beating, but it won't be for much longer, most likely."

"He should have been in a cell by himself, Sheriff," Logan declared, following Lucas out of the cell area.

"I made a concession to put him with the only other defendant who seemed to want to have anything to do with him, Mr. Logan," Lucas answered. "Now, if you wouldn't mind, I'll need a statement from you about what happened in that cell - Jodie, would you go round up some men to move Hubbard's body?"

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

"This is a mess," Zane Porter told the Judge. "The defendant is dead, murdered by a co-defendant. I've never handled a case like this," he sighed.

"Craig has said that he'll plead guilty to manslaughter," Jess told Porter. "As well as the charges of attempted murder against me and Nick. Mr. Timson's willingness to testify against Hubbard and Craig should be taken into account - but he will plead guilty to kidnapping and conspiracy to commit murder."

"And the four men that Craig hired for Hubbard -?" Porter asked.

"They really didn't do anything illegal," Nick began, but Porter shook his head.

"They came here with the knowledge that they might be asked to kill someone," he pointed out.

"But they were never given those orders - only to keep an eye on Jess and her family. So I think they could be released with time served and told to leave the territory."

Judge Maxwell nodded. "I think that will be acceptable, don't you, Mr. Porter?"

Porter sighed, shaking his head. "What about an attorney for Mr. Craig?" he asked. "I doubt that Mr. Logan will agree to represent him, since he's the territory's main witness."

"No need for a witness," Otis said, "since Craig will plead guilty on all charges."

"Which means that I can represent him for the hearing," Nick said, to which Jess sighed and shook her head.

"Really?" she questioned, and Nick just smiled more broadly.

"Just following your example, darlin'." He stood, pulling Jess up as well. "Excuse us, Mr. Porter, Judge," he said as they left the Town Hall where they were meeting.

Porter watched them go, and turned back to find Judge Maxwell grinning. "I take it that's normal?"

"For them? Yes, it is. Don't ask me to explain, it's a very long story."

"You know, Judge, when you asked me to come to Providence to handle this case, I couldn't figure out why - but I think I know now. You wanted me to see just how wrong I'd been about Jess. And while I wasn't right for her - I'm glad she found someone who is."

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

Judge Maxwell took the train out of Providence after the hearing was over - with the promise of a telegram as soon as Elizabeth had her baby.

After Caleb went to sleep that evening - in his own room - Jess and Nick took a walk out to the corral. "This is nice," she told him, leaning against the fence rail. "Reminds me of -"

"The times we came out here before you finally realized that I was the perfect man for you?" he asked.

She laughed softly. "Something like that." She moved close to him, resting her palms against the brocade vest. "You are, you know."

Nick slid his arms around her. "Why didn't you tell me about Zane Porter?" he asked.

"It was a - painful experience," she admitted. "Some of the things he said to me - after he had been so charming - they tended to reinforce the things I believed about myself at that time."

"That you were condemned to never find a man who loved you and could handle the fact that you're a smart, wonderful, beautiful woman?" She nodded, and Nick sighed. "Oh, Jess. It's a good thing I waited to ask this until he left town. Because if I'd done it while he was still here, I might have done a good deal more than slap his face."

She was smiling when she looked up at him. "You'd really have - hit him? For me?"

"I think I would have." She reached up and cupped his cheek. "I take that back. I know I would have," he assured her, lowering his head to capture her lips.

"You know what I think?" she asked.

Nick was leaving a trail of kisses along her jawline. "Mmmm?" was he response.

"I think we need to go to bed," Jess told him.

"Excellent idea, darlin'," he agreed, keeping his arm around her as they turned toward the house.

The End

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