Moving On Chapter 11 "No. You're not taking him anywhere," said Chris. Not taking his eyes off Vin, Brad replied, "Yes, I am. He'll be going back to Tascosa." "I didn't murder nobody. I was set up and I refuse to hang for somethin' that I didn't do!" exclaimed Vin. "Your guilt or innocence is for a jury to decide. All I know is that you are worth five hundred dollars." Ezra decided that he'd better speak up. "Brad, you can't take Mister Tanner in. I firmly believe that he is innocent. He will not receive a fair trial in Tascosa." Brad sighed. "He's worth five hundred dollars, Ezra. That's a hell of a lot of money." "I know. Believe me, I know. But reconsider. Please. As a favor to me." After a few tense moments, Brad sighed and nodded. "Fine. I'll reconsider. For now." Looking at Vin, he said, "If you're really innocent, you should return and clear your name." Vin nodded. "I've been meanin' to. But I figger nobody's gonna believe me. Especially since Eli, the actual murderer, is dead." "Well, you should still try. It's better than always bein' a wanted man." Turning to face Ezra, Brad said, "I'm going to leave for a little while. I have a meeting with Mister Thompkins. He's wanting to sell his building and I think it would make a great place for our casino. But, don't worry, I won't make any final decisions until you see the place." Ezra nodded. "Thanks." After Brad left, JD spoke up. "I can't believe that you're still staying here, Ez! Nathan apologized. We all have." "Mister Dunne, there comes a time in every man's life when he must move on. That time has come for me. Besides, it has always been my life-long ambition to own a casino. Now's my chance." "But, Ezra--" JD continued. "Save your breath. He's made up his mind," huffed Nathan. JD just shot him a glare. "Listen, Mister Dunne, I enjoyed my time in Four Corners and with all of you. Mostly, anyway. But... don't feel welcomed there anymore." "You are welcome, Ezra. You're one of us," said Buck. Ezra gave him a slight smile. "Thanks. I hope you all will be able to understand... one day." "I already do, Brother Standish," said Josiah with a little sad smile. When Ezra looked into Josiah's eyes, he could see understanding in them. A WEEK LATER Ezra had been released and was back in his own hotel room. His bruises had started to fade and his ribs had mostly healed. He was looking quite a bit better. Ezra had seen the building that Brad was wanting to buy from Mister Thompkins and had to agree that it would be perfect for the casino. He could already picture what it would look like and he could hear the money rolling in. The other six peacekeepers were still in town. Ezra knew that they were still holding out hope that Ezra would return with them to Four Corners. But he had no plans to do that. There was a knock on his hotel room door. Opening it, he saw Chris. "Come on in, Mister Larabee." After Chris had entered and the door was shut, Chris got right to the point. "We'll be leaving in the morning. Are you sure that you wanna stay here?" Ezra nodded, after a slight hesitation. "I'm sure, Mister Larabee. I think that it's for the best. Besides, Brad and I will be becoming casino owners in about a week." Chris nodded. "Alright. We're happy for you, Ezra. Even Nate." Ezra gave a small snort at that, before trying to act like that noise hadn't been made by him. Chris laughed and was about to say something, when they heard shouting. "That sounded like Mister Tanner," said Ezra as he and Chris walked over to the open window. Looking down, they could see Vin being escorted to the jail by two men while the others were held back at gunpoint by three men. Vin struggled the whole way. "What the hell's goin' on?" Chris wondered. "Let's get down there post-haste and find out," commented Ezra. While he and Chris hurried down the hotel stairs to the outside, Ezra had to wonder what else could go wrong. He had a bad feeling about what was happening. Return to Moving On
Moving On
Chapter 11
"No. You're not taking him anywhere," said Chris.
Not taking his eyes off Vin, Brad replied, "Yes, I am. He'll be going back to Tascosa."
"I didn't murder nobody. I was set up and I refuse to hang for somethin' that I didn't do!" exclaimed Vin.
"Your guilt or innocence is for a jury to decide. All I know is that you are worth five hundred dollars."
Ezra decided that he'd better speak up. "Brad, you can't take Mister Tanner in. I firmly believe that he is innocent. He will not receive a fair trial in Tascosa."
Brad sighed. "He's worth five hundred dollars, Ezra. That's a hell of a lot of money."
"I know. Believe me, I know. But reconsider. Please. As a favor to me."
After a few tense moments, Brad sighed and nodded. "Fine. I'll reconsider. For now." Looking at Vin, he said, "If you're really innocent, you should return and clear your name."
Vin nodded. "I've been meanin' to. But I figger nobody's gonna believe me. Especially since Eli, the actual murderer, is dead."
"Well, you should still try. It's better than always bein' a wanted man." Turning to face Ezra, Brad said, "I'm going to leave for a little while. I have a meeting with Mister Thompkins. He's wanting to sell his building and I think it would make a great place for our casino. But, don't worry, I won't make any final decisions until you see the place."
Ezra nodded. "Thanks."
After Brad left, JD spoke up. "I can't believe that you're still staying here, Ez! Nathan apologized. We all have."
"Mister Dunne, there comes a time in every man's life when he must move on. That time has come for me. Besides, it has always been my life-long ambition to own a casino. Now's my chance."
"But, Ezra--" JD continued.
"Save your breath. He's made up his mind," huffed Nathan. JD just shot him a glare.
"Listen, Mister Dunne, I enjoyed my time in Four Corners and with all of you. Mostly, anyway. But... don't feel welcomed there anymore."
"You are welcome, Ezra. You're one of us," said Buck.
Ezra gave him a slight smile. "Thanks. I hope you all will be able to understand... one day."
"I already do, Brother Standish," said Josiah with a little sad smile. When Ezra looked into Josiah's eyes, he could see understanding in them.
A WEEK LATER
Ezra had been released and was back in his own hotel room. His bruises had started to fade and his ribs had mostly healed. He was looking quite a bit better. Ezra had seen the building that Brad was wanting to buy from Mister Thompkins and had to agree that it would be perfect for the casino. He could already picture what it would look like and he could hear the money rolling in.
The other six peacekeepers were still in town. Ezra knew that they were still holding out hope that Ezra would return with them to Four Corners. But he had no plans to do that.
There was a knock on his hotel room door. Opening it, he saw Chris. "Come on in, Mister Larabee."
After Chris had entered and the door was shut, Chris got right to the point. "We'll be leaving in the morning. Are you sure that you wanna stay here?"
Ezra nodded, after a slight hesitation. "I'm sure, Mister Larabee. I think that it's for the best. Besides, Brad and I will be becoming casino owners in about a week."
Chris nodded. "Alright. We're happy for you, Ezra. Even Nate." Ezra gave a small snort at that, before trying to act like that noise hadn't been made by him. Chris laughed and was about to say something, when they heard shouting.
"That sounded like Mister Tanner," said Ezra as he and Chris walked over to the open window.
Looking down, they could see Vin being escorted to the jail by two men while the others were held back at gunpoint by three men. Vin struggled the whole way.
"What the hell's goin' on?" Chris wondered.
"Let's get down there post-haste and find out," commented Ezra. While he and Chris hurried down the hotel stairs to the outside, Ezra had to wonder what else could go wrong. He had a bad feeling about what was happening.
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