Wayne is on the phone at his desk.  After a few minutes of conversation, he hangs up and walks into Larry's office.

 
[Wayne] I just got a call from my contact in the London Interpol office.

 
Wayne announces as he walks up to Larry's desk.

 
Larry looks up from the computer monitor on his desk and quirks an eyebrow, questioningly.

 
[Larry] You gonna make me ask?

 
Larry asks...a tinge of aggravation in his voice.

 
[Wayne] No.  Sorry, Boss.

 
Wayne says apologetically.

 
[Wayne] He said that they sent an agent to Raheen, Ireland to interview Flynn's father and he should hear something in a day or so.

 
Larry nods his head and returns his attention to his computer monitor.

 
[Larry] Good.  Stay on it.  Any word from Porter?

 
Larry asks without looking up at Wayne.

 
[Wayne] Nothing, yet today, Boss.  He said last night that he was going to follow up on some lead this morning.

 
Wayne says as he heads for the office door.

 
[Larry] Ok.

 
Larry says, absentmindedly.

 
Wayne returns to his desk and sits down.  He opens a file folder that has been laying on top of his desk and begins examining its contents.

 
Brian walks in to the squad room and goes over to his desk.  He slips his back pack off of his shoulder and drops it, angrily, on the floor, then plops down in his chair.

 
Wayne looks up, curiously.

 
[Wayne] What's up?

 
Wayne asks, quirking his eyebrow, questioningly.

 
[Brian] I just spent the morning on a wild goose chase.

 
Brian grumbles.

 
[Brian] What kind of mood is the ol' man in today?

 
Brian asks, quietly...leaning closer to Wayne's desk.

 
Wayne leans closer to Brian, keeping his eyes on Larry's office.

 
[Wayne] Same as it's been since we caught this case.

 
Wayne says...his voice is almost a whisper.

 
Brian rolls his eyes and sits back in his chair.

 
[Brian] Wonderful.

 
Brian says sarcastically to the ceiling.

 
[Brian] I'm gonna go get some coffee.

 
Brian says, getting to his feet.

 
[Brian]Want some?

 
Brian ask Wayne as he walks around to the front of his desk.

 
[Wayne] Thanks.

 
Wayne says, lifting up the coffee mug that has been sitting on his desk.

 
[Wayne] I'm good.

 
[Brian] Cool.

 
Brian says and heads for the coffee room.

 
Wayne goes back to his file folder.

 

 Brandon looks up from the entrance of the limestone cave where Haley and him were having a picnic, when he realizes the sun had stopped shining. "Great, now it looks like rain." He says before he takes a deep, unhappy, breath. He side glances at the horses under the nearest trees and wonders if he should get then or not.


 
Brandon:I'd suggest we'd go back to the ranch, but I doubt we'd make it on time.


 
Brandon tells Haley, while he looks up again and wrinkles his nose at the black clouds over them. He decides to leave the horses where they are for now and waits to see what Haley is going to decide.


 
Haley: Hopefully it won't last too long.


 
Haley says pondering the sky.


 
Haley: But if it's like most of the rest of the rains I've seen here, the first half hour to hour will be the heaviest.


 
Brandon: Yeah, it will stop eventually.


 
Brandon nods as he picks a sandwich from the blanket they were using as table cloth and starts eating it.


 
Haley leans against the cave wall, watching the clouds for a few minutes, before turning and returning to the blanket and picking up her own sandwich.


 
Brandon takes some bites at the sandwich in silence, while he frowns at it, he could feel his mood was turning like the weather.


 
Brandon: I'm getting sick and tired of this, you know? It was fun in the beginning but now...


 
Brandon shrugs hoping she'd get the idea. He takes another bite and sighs unhappily.


 
Brandon: Sick and tired of hiding.


 
Haley shrugs.


 
Haley: You're the one who insists on hiding it from Liam.


 
Haley points out.


 
Brandon: Yeah, I know but he's sort of like a second father to me and you're here with Nikki and it was already embarrassing what happened at the barn.


 
Brandon tries to explain while he looks at Haley, wondering if he should tell her what has been in his mind lately or not.


 
Brandon: And he's kind of old-fashioned, no need to shock him?


 
Haley: I suppose.


 
Haley chuckles a little, thinking that Liam wasn't old-fashioned, he was just old.


 
Brandon: In fact, maybe I'm also a little old-fashioned or I wouldn't feel the need to hide.


 
Brandon admits chuckling at himself. He takes a deep breath as he prepares to continue, then hesitates again if he should say it right there and then, maybe he should wait till later?


 
Haley: Nothin' wrong with that.


 
Haley says, thinking that it's actually a nice change, from the guys she's been with before, or her dad for that matter.


 
Brandon: I'm glad you think that way because ever since I found out I was in love with you, I've been trying to find a way to...


 
Brandon trails off and swallows as a thought comes to his mind, what if she told him no, or laughed on his face?


 
Haley: Find a way, to what?


 
Haley asks looking over at Brandon, and raising her eyebrows slightly.


 
Brandon takes a deep breath to prepare himself, when he realizes he's gone too far to stop now.


 
Brandon: I think we should get married.


 
Haley looks at Brandon in surprise. A range of emotions flicker over her face, before she shakes her head.


 
Haley: You don't want to marry me.


 
Haley says softly, turning to stare back out the mouth of the cave.


 
Brandon frowns at Haley's answer, he was expecting anything but that.


 
Brandon: Hmm, I do. Maybe it's you who don't want to marry me?


 
Haley shakes her head.


 
Haley: You shouldn't want to marry me.


 
Brandon: Why not?


 
Brandon asks as his frowns deepens trying to understand what's she's trying to tell him.


 
Haley: You should marry someone whose... well, not like me.


 
Haley replies softly.


 
Brandon shakes his head as if to clear his thoughts, too confused to know what to think, it seemed they were speaking two different languages here.


 
Brandon: Not like you? What do you want to mean by that?


 
Haley: Someone who isn't tainted.


 
Haley says flatly.


 
Brandon rolls his eyes at her choice of words.


 
Brandon: Now who's being old-fashioned? I know I wasn't the first, of course, but that doesn't make you tainted.


 
Haley: You want to know what is tainted?


 
Haley says sharply turning back to Brandon.


 
Haley: My "first" was my own father.
Haley spits out, and then moves to her feet and moves to the mouth of the cave, not actually leaving the cave, not mad enough to leave the cave, and not mad at Brandon. But knowing the only reaction to her statement can be disgust, and not wanting to see that in Brandon's face when he looks at her.


 
Brandon is too dumbfounded to do anything but stare at Haley's back for a long moment, then he slowly gets to his feet and walks to the entrance of the cave to be near her, even thought not near enough sensing she might need some room.


 
Brandon: I'm sorry. I had no idea.


 
Brandon says just loud enough for her to hear him.


 
Haley: Now you know why you shouldn't marry me.


 
Haley says, not looking at Brandon, not wanting to see his disgust.


 
Brandon frowns thinking for a while looking outside, then shakes his head.


 
Brandon: Still don't see why that would make you tainted, it wasn't your fault.


 
Haley: I know that it wasn't my fault. But you should still marry someone better than me.


 
Haley says.


 
Brandon: You judge yourself too harshly.


 
Brandon says shaking his head again.


 
Brandon: Besides I don't want to marry anyone else but you, so that settles it, no?


 
Haley turns to look at Brandon, tears in her eyes.


 
Haley: How can you still want to marry me, knowing the truth?


 
Haley whispers.


 
Brandon: Maybe that's what love is all about? I just know that whatever you did in your past, isn't going to make me stop loving you, so...


 
Brandon shrugs not knowing how to explain it.


 
Haley felt her eyes over flow slightly, and felt the trickle of wetness go down her cheek.


 
Haley: I don't deserve you.


 
Haley whispers.


 
Brandon: Ah come on, Haley. Don't turn me into a saint, I know I'm not.


 
Brandon smiles softly as he slowly wipes her tears with his fingertips.


 
Brandon: So Haley Colson do you want to marry me?


 
Haley nods her head.


 
Haley: Yes.

 
To be continued

 

 
Brandon looks around trying to find out if anyone is looking at them, "Come on." He whispers to Haley despite no one is near enough to hear it, "Coast's clear."


 
Haley: Okay.


 
Haley whispers back and hurries after behind Brandon.


 
Brandon sneaks inside the barn and points up at the hay loft. "No one will remember to look for us up there." He explains as he goes towards the ladder to go up. "And I've put a blanket up there when I came to check it out." He explains as he starts climbing the stairs.


 
Haley: Sound Perfect.


 
Haley grins, waiting for Brandon to get far enough up for her to start up after him.


 
Brandon: Yeah, too cold to stay outside now.


 
Brandon nods while he waits she gets to the platform in case she needs some help.


 
Haley: Well, this will certainly be more comfortable.


 
Haley grins.


 
Nikki has been in town on a shopping spree. She pulls up in front of the main house, gets out of the car and carries her packages inside. She takes them up to her room and removes a couple pair of jean, a couple of shirts and a new pair of cowboy boots which she takes to Haley's room. She knocks on Haley's door and when she doesn't get an answer she goes in and lays everything on Haley's bed then leaves the room. She heads downstairs to look for Haley.


 
Liam is in the small pen used for breeding. He is holding the lead on one of the ranch's stallions as three ranch hands tend to a mare. Another of the men cleans the stallion and, when he's finished, Liam slowly leads the stallion up behind the mare. The stallion mounts the mare without incident and a few minutes later climbs off of her and Liam leads him to the other side of the pen.


 
Brandon helps Haley get to the platform and then moves to get the blanket intending to put it over some hay bales, "Come on, help me out in here." He says as starts unfolding the blanket.


 
Liam: Give her some extra oats.


 
Liam instructs the ranch hand holding the lead of the mare. He leads the stallion out of the pen and to a corral a small distance from the main barn. He ties the horse to the corral fence and looks for a nearby ranch hand. When he spots one he calls him over and asks him to bring him a curry brush. When the hand brings it to him, he proceeds to brush down the stallion while whispering to him.


 
Haley moves and grabs the other end of the blanket and helps spread it out. Then climbs onto the blanket.


 
Brandon lays down on the blanket near Haley and smiles smugly as he puts his hands behind his head, "Cozy huh? Didn't I have a great idea?" He turns his head to look at Haley, "And no one will ever know."


 
Nikki leaves the house and heads for the main barn. She sees her father brushing one of the stallions and walks up to him.


 
Nikki: Hey, Da. Who's this?


 
Nikki asks leaning against the fence.


 
Haley: Makes it Perfect.


 
Haley grins and leans forward to kiss Brandon.


 
Liam: This is Colorado King.


 
Liam answers.


 
Liam: He was just bred to the Bay mare.


 
Nikki steps up and rubs the stallion's forehead.


 
Nikki: Congratulations, Ol' Man.


 
Nikki says to the horse with a mischievous grin.


 
Brandon puts Haley to him and rolls her over chuckling softly, "Besides always wanted to do it in the hay." He confesses before he moves his head down to kiss her.


 
Liam finishes brushing the stallion, unties him and leads him to the gate of the corral. He leads him inside, lets him loose and walks out of the corral, making sure the gate is securely latched behind him.


 
Liam: So....where have you been all afternoon?


 
Liam says, putting one arm around Nikki's shoulders.


 
Nikki: Shopping. You haven't seen Haley around...have you?


 
Nikki asks.


 
Liam shakes his head.


 
Haley responds eagerly to Brandon and works on removing his shirt.


 
Liam: No. But I also haven't seen Brandon around either so I assume they are together somewhere.


 
Liam says as he starts walking towards the main barn to put the curry brush away.


 
Nikki falls into step with her father.


 
Nikki: They've been spending a lot of time together.


 
Nikki says, then giggles.


 
Nikki: I know that Haley has had that dreamy eyed look on her face the last week or so.


 
Brandon pulls Haley's sweater out of her pants so he can move his hands over her skin as he keeps kissing her.


 
Liam leads Nikki into the main barn and puts the brush away.


 
Nikki: Oh. By the way....as I came through the kitchen Mrs. O'Brian said that dinner would be ready in an hour or so.


 
Nikki says as she walks up to one of the stalls and pets its inhabitant's muzzle.


 
Liam: Well....what say we go looking for our two love birds?


 
Liam suggests.


 
Nikki: Where should we start?


 
Nikki asks, thinking that it is a big ranch and they could be anywhere.


 
Liam looks around and sees one of the ranch hands.


 
Liam: Kenny? Is Ridire still in his paddock?


 
Liam asks the ranch hand who says he is.


 
Liam: Hmmm. Well....there aren't too many private places to go.


 
Liam say thoughtfully and rubs his chin as he thinks.


 
The ranch hand walks over to Liam and Nikki and asks, "Are you looking for Brandon, Boss?" Liam nods. "Well....I haven't seen him lately but earlier I saw him carry some of the old horse blankets into the hay barn....I assume to store them," Kenny says. Liam thanks him and takes Nikki by the hand.


 
Haley reaches for Brandon's belt and starts working that free


 
Liam: Come on. I think I know where they are.


 
Liam says with a mischievous grin on his face.


 
Nikki follows her father as he leads her out of the main barn and heads for the small hay barn.


 
Brandon starts helping her out of her own clothes while he keeps kissing her.


 
Liam walks into the entrance of the hay barn. He switches on the light and stands just inside the door, looking around.


 
Nikki stops next to her father and looks around, also.


 
Liam doesn't see any sign of Haley or Brandon and is about to give up when he hears the sound of cracking wood.


 
Nikki hears the same sound and looks up in the direction it came from.


 
Brandon sees the light on by the corner of his eye, and puts his finger across the lips to tell Haley not to say anything, but he frowns when he hears something alarming coming from the platform they're laying on. "Damn." He murmurs to himself.


 
The sound of cracking wood gets louder and Liam looks up at the hay loft above them just as some strands of hay and dust come falling down. A loud snap comes from over head and.....


 
Brandon 's eyes get wider at the sound and he tries to zip his pants while he whispers to Haley, "Get dressed, we have to get out of here."


 
Haley: What why?


 
Haley whispers back, when suddenly the loudest crack yet sounds.


 
Brandon: I think this thing is going to collapse.


 
Brandon explains fighting to hook his belt as he speaks.


 
Haley moves to pull her shirt back down, when the wood gives way.


 
Haley: Eeeek!!!!!


 
Haley screeches as they fall.


 
Nikki: Da! Look out!


 
Nikki calls out and grabs her father's arm, pulling him out of the way.


 
When the dust clears, Liam places his hands on his hips as he looks down at Haley and Brandon. Although he has a stern look on his face he is trying hard not to laugh.


 
Liam: Well, now. What have we here?


 
Liam asks, trying to sound stern.


 
Nikki coughs and waves the flying dust away. When she sees Haley and Brandon on top of the hay that has fallen from above, she covers her mouth and turns her head to hide a smile and she fights to suppress a giggle.


 
Brandon looks around with a surprised look on his face, he can't believe he didn't break anything. He looks back between Liam and Haley and remembers to ask Haley in a quivering voice, "Are you OK?"


 
Haley nods her head.


 
Haley: Yeah... be sore tomorrow though.


 
Haley murmurs back to Brandon.


 
Liam: I trust nothing is broken?


 
Liam asks, still with his hands on his hips.


 
Haley: No, I think I'm good.


 
Haley says sitting up.


 
Brandon: Hmm no.


 
Brandon answers too embarrassed to look up at Liam, looking around for his shirt.


 
Liam: And I trust you'll clean this mess up after dinner, Mr. Cavanaugh?


 
Liam says sternly as he looks up at the hole in the hay loft.


 
Nikki turns back around and looks at Haley. A snicker escapes her and she has to turn her head again to hide it.


 
Brandon: Oh yes, sir, and I'll fix it.


 
Brandon nods, briefly looking up, but looking down again after a moment.


 
Liam: Good. Now I suggest you two get dressed because Mrs. O'Brian has dinner waiting.


 
Liam says and turns on his heels and walks out of the hay barn.


 
Nikki looks back at the couple and shakes her head.


 
Nikki: Tsk, tsk.


 
Nikki says and turns to follow her father to the main house. Once she is a few feet from the barn she burst into laughter which she muffles with her hand.


 
At the sound of his daughter's laughter, Liam can no longer suppress his own and he joins in.


 
Brandon is finally able to take a deep breath, before he stands up to look for his clothes. "Damn, this was embarrassing."


 
Haley: I wouldn't worry about it.


 
Haley says as she finishes adjusting her clothes so they were where they were supposed to be.


 
Haley: Besides, you look really great, all red and blushing.


 
Haley grins and leans over giving Brandon a brief kiss on the cheek, before bouncing up to her feet.


 
Haley: We'll have to try again later.


 
Haley grins and leaves the barn.


 
Brandon manages to chuckle softly at that, "Yeah, preferably at a place that doesn't collapse under us." He says as he follows her out to get to dinner.

 

 
To be continued

 The year was 1844.  A nine year old Nikki was standing at the living room window, watching for her father, who had been called to the ranch's north pasture where one of their prize racing stallions was pastured, as she did every time her father was away.

Liam rode up to the barn...but instead of riding his horse, he was kneeling in the back of the buckboard that was being driven by one of the ranch hands...his focus on the stallion lying on its side in the back of the buckboard.

Nikki jumped from chair she had been kneeling on as she held vigil at the window, and ran through the living room and kitchen and burst out of the back door as her mother called after her, “Nicayla Flynn...don't run through the house!”  She ran the distance between the house and the barn as fast as her legs could carry her.

 
“Easy now,” Liam instructed as he and three ranch hands pulled the litter the injured horse was lying on, out of the buckboard.  They, carefully, carried the litter into one of the larger stalls in the barn and, gently, lay it on the floor.

 
Nikki ran into the back door of the barn just in time to see her favorite stallion being carried into a stall and her stomach knotted up. “Daddy?” she called out.  “What happened?  What's wrong with Ghost?” she called out as she ran toward the men and the injured stallion.

 
“Not now, Nikki,” Liam warned as he helped carry the litter into a stall.  “Now set him down easy, lads,” he instructed.

 
Nikki ran up to the door of the stall and stopped, making sure to stay out of the way.  She muffled a gasp by covering her mouth with her hands, when she saw how the pure white stallion's front leg was bent and tears began to flow down her cheeks.

 
“Michael! Go for Doc Sweeney!” Liam ordered and one of the ranch hands left the group and sprinted out of the barn.  Liam knelt by the injured horse and placed his hand on the stallions cheek.  “Easy boy.  Easy now,” he said soothingly.  One of the ranch hands brought in a bucket filled with bandages and set it down next to Liam.

 
“What do ya think, boss?” one of the ranch hands asked as he knelt on the other side of the litter and began, gently, caressing the stallion's neck.

 
Liam shook his head, slowly.  He had seen a lot of horses with broken legs but never one as severe as this one.  “It doesn't look good,” he said quietly.  He looked into the stallion's eye and could see how much he was suffering.  He glanced at the stall door and saw his daughter standing there in tears and his heart went out to her.  He motioned to her to come in and pointed to the floor behind the stallion's head.  Winter's Ghost and Nikki had been practically inseparable since the pure white Andalusian made his entrance into the world two and a half years before.  He was hoping that her presence would help to calm the injured horse as well as giving her something to do so she felt helpful.

 
Nikki rushed into the stall and dropped to her knees at the horse's head. She lifted his head and cradled it in her lap, rubbing his neck, comfortingly.  “Help him, Daddy,” she begged with tears streaming down her face.  “You gotta help him.”

 
Liam's relationship with his daughter had always been based on his being honest with her...some times against the wishes of his wife...no matter how difficult it may have been for her to hear.  So he wasn’t about to go against that now, even though it would have been easier to shield her from the truth.  “I'm afraid it may be too serious a break, honey,” Liam said, softly.

 
“No, Daddy! You gotta help him,” Nikki pleaded.  “You can fix him, Daddy.  I know you can.  He'll be Ok.  I know you can fix it,” she said, tearfully.  Confidently but tearfully.

 
“Some things can't be fixed,” Liam said, sadly, as he looked down at the stallion's fractured leg.  The horse's cries of pain cut him to the bone as if he were feeling the pain himself.  “What is important is that he is suffering,” he said and looked back at his daughter.

 
“No, Daddy! No!” Nikki wailed, knowing what her father meant.  “You can't, Daddy.  You can't!”  She hugged the horse's head, protectively.  The last time her father had to put a horse down, Nikki was only five years old but she still remembered the sound of the gun shot and she couldn't stand the thought of hearing it again...especially to the horse she had considered hers for two and a half years.

 
Liam reached out and placed his hand, lovingly, on Nikki's cheek then he glanced at his foreman who was kneeling next to him.

 
“If we rigged up a kind of harness suspended from the rafters...,” the foreman began.

 
Liam looked up at the rafters and was able to picture where his foreman was going.  As good as the idea was...it all depended on one thing and that was the one thing Liam wasn't confident that he would be able to do.  “All depending, of course, in whether or not we can successfully set the fractured bones,” Liam said more to himself than to anyone particular.

 
Nikki looked up at the rafters and her face lit up as she suddenly understood what her father's foreman was getting at.  She looked at her father and said, confidently, “You can do it, Daddy.  I know you can,” because in her mind....Liam Flynn was her hero and could do anything.

 
“I wish I had your faith,” Liam said and looked, doubtfully, at Ghost's broken leg.  Just then the sound of horse's hooves pounding against the cobbled ground outside of the barn made them, all, look toward the door of the stall and the front of the barn.

 
“It's Michael!” one of the ranch hands standing at the stall door announced.

 
Michael came running to the stall door and said, “Doc Sweeney is out of the county.”  As he tried to catch his breath, he continued.  “He's not due back until late tonight...maybe morning.”

 
The ranch hands groaned and grumbled.

 
“Cac!” Liam cursed in Gaelic.ⁱ “That means it's up to us,” he said, looking extremely dubious.

 
“Please, Daddy!” Nikki begged.  “Please try.  Ya gotta try, Daddy. Please?”

 
Liam looked at his daughter eyes and saw the hope in them.  Then he looked down at the stallion's injured leg.  The barn was, uncharacteristically, quiet.  You could hear a pin drop as everyone looking on waited, expectantly...and held their breath. Finally...after what seemed like an eternity...Liam cleared his throat.  “Michael?  Bring me as much ice as you can,” he said without looking away from the fractured leg.  “Sean?  I need some ether, two pieces of wood for a splint and some strong tape,” he went on.  Then he got an idea.  His wife, Mary, had started playing around with crafting small plaster figurines a few months ago and had some of the dry plaster mix that she hadn't used yet.  “John?  Go ask my Mrs. for some of that plaster mix of hers.  Enough to make a cast...of sorts,” Liam instructed and glanced at his foreman who was nodding his head in agreement.  Then he looked back down at the stallion.  “Hang in there, boy,” he said, quietly.  Silently to himself he prayed, “Dear Lord...give me strength and guide my hand,” then he crossed himself.

 
Nikki laid her cheek against the stallion's.  “It'll be Ok, Ghost.  Da' will make everything Ok,” she whispered.  “He's mo laochⁱⁱ.”

 
Present Day

 
Nikki silently stands out of the way in a corner of a large stall in the main barn and watches as her father, with the help of his on site vet, sets the broken leg of a white Andalusian mare and puts her in a modern day version of the harness he had used on Ghost one hundred and sixty nine years ago.

 
Liam finishes buckling the straps of the sling and steps back to see if the mare has been raised high enough to prevent her from putting too much weight on her injured leg as it healed.  Satisfied, he steps back up to the horse's head and rubs her forehead, affectionately.

 
[Liam] How's that, girl?  Better?

 
Liam asks in a soft and soothing voice.  The mare tosses her head a little as if to say, “yes” and Liam gives her neck an affectionate pat.

 
[Liam] You get some rest now.

 
Liam says to the mare, who is still groggy from the sedatives given to her while her fractured bones were set.  Then he steps away and turns to leave the stall.  As he turns he sees Nikki watching him from the corner of the stall and he stops.

 
[Liam]She's going to be fine.

 
Liam says, reassuringly.

 
[Nikki] Of course she is.

 
Nikki says as she steps out of the corner and walks up to the mare and gently rubs her soft muzzle.

 
[Nikki] She has the best trainer in Universe.

 
Nikki says, looking up into the mare's eye.

 
[Liam] I wouldn't go that far.

 
Liam says, humbly.

 
[Nikki] I know YOU wouldn't.

 
Nikki says, walking up to her father and linking her arm through his.

 
[Nikki] But I would, mo laoch.

 
Nikki says, looking up at her father, lovingly.

 
Liam looks down into his daughter's eyes and sees the look he remembers seeing in her eyes when she was a child...a look filled with love and admiration...and he remembers how it felt to be Nicayla Lynn Flynn's hero and it warms him.  Unable to say anything, he simply puts his arm around Nikki's shoulders and gives her a squeeze as he guides her out of the stall.

 
As Nikki walks alongside her father, she lays her head against his upper arm and smiles, contentedly.

 
To be continued

 
  iGaelic for “****!”

 
   iiGaelic for “my hero”.
 

Robin wasn't the only friend Duncan had made in the short time he had been in Fords Prairie. On the nights that Robin was on duty...and there wasn't a good poker game going on at the Lucky Ace...Duncan could be found playing chess with Roger Wells and they became fast friends.
 
One afternoon while Robin and Doc Hudson were visiting the Lakota village, a group of young cowboys rode into town. Robin's new deputy, Robert Dixon, was able to disarm them (or so he thought) and they went inside the Lucky Ace. A couple of hours later one of the cowboys left the saloon, walked across the street to the General Store and went inside.


Roger was stocking the shelves behind the counter when the young man entered his store and walked up to the counter. “May I help you, young man?” Roger asked.


The young man pulled a piece of paper out of his vest pocket and handed it to Roger. “I need the things on that list,” he said simply.


Roger looked at the list of the usual supplies for several weeks on the road. “It'll take me a while to fill this,” he said as he headed to the flour bin to fill the first item on the list. “You're welcome to look around or you can come back in an hour,” Roger added as he scooped flour into a sack.


“Thanks,” the young man said as he wandered over to a stack of folded men's shirts. He took one from the middle of the pile...the only dark blue one in the stack...and unfolded it. He held it up to himself and checked the sleeve length. “How much for this shirt?” he asked.


Roger stopped what he was doing to look over at the young man. “That one's $2,” he answered and moved over to the scale to weigh the sack of flour.


The young man draped the shirt over his shoulder and moved to a stack of men's pants. He picked a pair from the pile and checked the tag for the size.


Roger saw the pair of pants that the young man was examining out of the corner of his eye. As he adjusted the scale he said, “those are $3.50. But the ones in the stack next to that one are on sale for $1.75.”


The young man moved to the sale pile and chose another pair of pants from that stack. Slinging both pairs of pants over his shoulder, he noticed a pair of chaps hanging on a hook on the wall and he walked up to them. “These look like they're handmade,” he said as he looked closer at the stitching.


Roger looked up to see what his customer was referring to. “They are,” he confirmed.


“How much?” the young man asked.


“$15,” Roger answered and moved on to the next item on the cowboy's list.


The young man worked his fingers as though adding in his head then he moved away from the chaps and began, slowly, wandering around the store.


When Roger finished filling all of the items on the list and had everything either in sacks or wooden boxes, he went back behind the counter and added up the purchases. “That'll be $50,” he announced.


“Add these,” the young man said, laying the two pairs of pants and the shirt on the counter.


Roger added the items to his previous total and said, “$57.25.” He held out the tally sheet for his customer to see.


The young man looked at the tally sheet, then took some coins out of his pants pocket, one of which slipped out of his hand and fell to the floor. He bent down, but instead of retrieving the coin from the floor, he produced a snubbed nose revolver from under the bottom of his pant leg and straightened up. He pointed the gun at Roger. “Put it on my tab,” he said, sarcastically, and grinned.


Roger had built his store from the ground up ten years ago and the closest he had ever come to being robbed was when the Woodrow twins, each, tried to steal some candy. He wasn't about to let a single cowboy take him for $57 worth of inventory.


“And while you're at it,” the young man said, “fill a bag with what ever's in the cash register.” To put emphasis on his demand, he waggled the gun at Roger. “And make it quick,” he added.


Roger got a bag and opened the cash register. He slowly began to take money out of the register and stuff it into the bag. He was halfway done when Mirna, his wife, came downstairs and called out to him.


The unexpected voice from the stairway startled the young cowboy and he whirled around, pointing his revolver in the direction of the voice.


“No!” Roger yelled. “Mirna get back upstairs.” He reached under the counter and took out the shotgun he kept under there and leveled it off at the cowboy.


“Roger?” Mirna said from the bottom of the stairs...still trying to figure out what was going on.


As the cowboy whirled back around, Roger pulled the trigger of his shotgun. The young cowboy was hit square in the chest and was lifted off of his feet and sent flying backward and up against a display table. As his body slumped to the floor, Mirna ran from the stairway to her husband who wrapped his arms around her, protectively. Over his wife's shoulder he looked at the surprised look on the now dead cowboy's face. It was then that he decided it was time to retire and find a safer way of living. That night...over a game of chess...Roger told Duncan about his decision.


“Duncan.....I don't have a son to leave the store to and I hate the idea of selling it to just anyone,” Roger said as he chewed on the stem of his pipe. “I would, however, consider selling it to you....if you'd be interested.”


Duncan was surprised and looked up at his friend. “Me?” he asked, incredulously.


Roger nodded. “You have the respect of the other businessmen in town and have become a familiar fixture around here,” he said. “It wouldn't be like opening a store in a town full of strangers and whom you are a stranger to. Business would simply continue as it always has.”


“I don't know,” Duncan said as he stared at the chess board without really seeing it. His mind raced...listing the pros and cons of such a venture.


“Look.....it might take months to find a suitable buyer and Mirna is desperate for us to get out from under it as soon as possible,” Roger said. “The robbery really scared her. And me, for that matter. And I would hate to simply close it up. It's the only store in town. It would really put a hardship on the people I have been providing for for so many years....all of whom are friends.”


Duncan had to agree with what Roger had said. He continued to stare at the chess board in silence for several seconds then he moved one of his rooks and captured one of Roger's bishops. He sat back and looked at his friend and asked, “what kind of price tag are we talking about, Roger?”


Roger picked up the paper they had been keeping score on and tore off the bottom half of it. He wrote down a figure and slid the paper over to Duncan.


Duncan picked up the piece of paper and looked at it. He made some mental calculations then made his decision. He extended his hand across the chess board and said, “alright, Roger. You've got a deal.”


Roger smiled and shook Duncan's hand. “Thank you, Duncan,” he said. “Thank you.”