Disclaimer: This story is the copyright of nesciri and are published for others to read. Any abuse or infringement of the author's rights will be governed by Swedish law. The characters have been borrowed from the TV-drama "The Young Riders" . This has not been done in order to violate the copyright of the authors of that show, however, if an infringement has been done, please notify nesciri and this page will be removed.

Part 27

For a few seconds following this statement there was nothing else but silence. Teaspoon's eyes wandered between the involved, Ike, Noah and Emery as if he didn't believe what he just had heard. He had only to look once on Ike and Noah to see that they were as confused as he was. Before any of them could react, Carter stepped forward.
"Considering the circumstances, I suggest that you take all necessary precautions to keep this man safe, marshal - at least until the trial."
Teaspoon ignored him. "Get out of here," he ordered as calmly as he could.
"We will," Carter said and grabbed Emery by the arm. "Come on, Emery, lets get over to my office and we'll get you cleaned up."

"Now I want to know what the hell happened here?" Teaspoon turned to Noah and Ike.
"Nothing much," Noah replied with a quick look at Ike. "Ike and I just did what you had asked us to do - we decided to see if we could rattle Emery a little."
<Noah had nothing to do with it," Ike objected. <It was my idea…>
"I don't care who's idea it was - all I want to know it was happened," Teaspoon said and sat down behind the desk. "So, who of you are going to tell me?"
Shortly, but keeping to the point, Noah told him the story on how they had followed Emery to his hut, carefully avoiding pointing out Ike as the one starting it. When he was finished, Teaspoon nodded slowly.
"I understand what you were trying to accomplish boys, even if I'm not sure that it was the best way. But what is done, is done, and there ain't anything we can do to change it. We better concentrate on what is going to happen. Any one of you having any idea about what this evidence is that Emery was talking about?"
Both Noah and Ike shook their heads.
<There's no way he can have any evidence - Buck didn't kill Craven,> Ike insisted vigorously.
"Still, there must be something - else he wouldn't have said anything in front of Carter."
"He's bluffing, Teaspoon," Noah stated. "He just wants his 15 minutes of fame - he'll keep telling us that he has proof until a judge shows up - then Emery will disappear quicker than you can say 'proof'."
"I hope that you're right, Noah," Teaspoon sighed. "But from now, I want the both of you to stay away from Emery - at least until we have get rid of this accusation against him."
<But Emery killed Craven!> Ike signed.
"Can you prove that Ike?"
<No,> came the reluctant reply.
"Then get it out of your mind - and concentrate on finding things that might clear Buck from any guilt. Noah, why don't you keep an eye on Carter - and Ike…"
<I'll stay here with Buck.>
"I know. And Ike, when Buck's feeling better, I would appreciate if you could ask him what happened on his run that made him late."
<Why?>
"I don't rightly know, Ike, but something must have happened out there - and maybe it can help us get a solution to all this."
<I'll ask him,> Ike agreed and rose to get over to the cell area. He hesitated for a minute before entering as if the mere thought of seeing his best friend in a cell was repulsing.
"Why do you want me to keep an eye on Carter?" Noah asked as Ike join ed Rachel.
"Because he's got another angle than the rest of us." Teaspoon sighed. "This is not the open and shut case it should be," he begun. "Everyone seem to have an alternative reason - some of them I think I know of, other's are just hidden in the dark."
"What do you mean?"
"There's a lot of feelings that drives man. Fear's one of them. And no matter how the townspeople feel about Buck, he's still different. And them people have been told all their lives to fear Indians."
"I know what you mean," Noah said and seated himself on the edge of the table. "Sometimes I can feel it too. It scares me that people can feel that way for somebody they don't know the first thing about."
"It's the difference that scares them," Teaspoon pointed out.
"What difference?" Noah replied. "I ain't no different than them - I too was brought up to believe in God and take care of myself - now you tell me where the difference lay?"
"I don't argue with you Noah. I don't see any difference any more than you do - but I'm afraid that most people don't see it that way."
"Don't I know it. What's all this have to do with Buck."
"That there's a lot of people out there that ain't too interested in finding the truth. That they think their lives would be safer if Buck wasn't here. I ain't saying that they would hang him, just that they won't do much to help him either. Then we have the likes of Carter" Teaspoon frowned. "They are really scary ones - they see an opportunity to boast themselves in public and they jump at it - no thoughts on those that they hurt in the process. And Carter know what makes people scared. If he can get Buck hanged, and have it legal and all, he's gonna do his best to make it happen."
"Why?"
"Because the publicity can get him what he wants most - the position as mayor - and from that he might even look towards the position as Territorial Governor. And that's what he wants. He don't give a damn about the people in Sweetwater as long as they keep voting for him." Teaspoon shook his head. "And now he's gonna use this accusations against Buck to strengthen his position in town."
"You want to know what he's planning to do?"
"I wish - but for now all I can do is to keep an eye on him, to listen to the gossip from the town's council. Carter's got something up his sleeve and I want to know what it is before he decides to reveal it."
"You really think he's gonna go through with this? I mean, even with his political ambitions, it's a bit strong to have people killed because of it."
"Carter doesn't see that way. He won't have anybody killed - he would just have served the townspeople by helping them get rid of a murderer - someone that killed a family man, leaving his wife and children without support. And in doing that he will also reinforced their prejudice against Indians. He will increase their fear because that fear is something he can use for himself. If you're feeling uncertain or scared, you will trust the fella that tells you that he will protect you - and if he can point out that he already done that once, then you're more likely to trust him, ain't you?"
"I'm not sure I like what you are saying, Teaspoon," Noah admitted.
"Seen it too many times to be fooled by it again," Teaspoon stated. "When it comes to politics and men's ambitions - that something of the scariest thing you can experience. I'm just sorry that you boys have to end up in the middle of it."
"Well, let's just hope that we can get out of it too," Noah muttered and placed his hat on his head. "Is it all right if I head out to the station first and tell the others. Maybe one of them can give me a hand in keeping an eye out?"
"That's a good idea - do it."

"Teaspoon's not gonna do anything?" Lou was visible upset as she paced the bunkhouse. "How can he just lock Buck up in a cell as if he had done it?"
"He had no other choice Lou," Kid tried to defend Teaspoon.
"Of course he had," she bit back.
"What would he have done then?"
"Oh, I don't know," she admitted reluctantly. "But there must have been something else he could have done."
"Well, that's the way it is anyhow," Noah said firmly. "Ain't no way of changing it now, I suppose."
"You're saying that we should give up?" Cody asked.
Noah shook his head. "No, just that we might have to think about a different way to help."
"Got any ideas?" Kid wanted to know. Noah shook his head sadly.
"Afraid not. Teaspoon asked me to keep an eye on that lawyer, Carter."
"Then you better do that," Kid suggested. "Cody, why don't you join him."
"Why not," Cody agreed. "Ain't anything else to do around here anyway."
"I want to see how's Buck's doing," Lou stated when Kid held her back.
"You think that's such a good idea, Lou? The more the townspeople see of you, the bigger the risk that they recognise you as Lou McCloud - the Express rider."
Lou sighed. She didn't want Kid to be right, but in her heart she knew that what he was. The risk that she would be recognised was too big. She sighed again as Kid placed him next to her, gently placing his arm over her shoulders.
"Why don't you tell me what has happened since you and Buck left," he suggested. "I'm sure that Rachel will be back with news soon."
Seeing the concern in his eyes and knowing that he was trying to get her mind off their friend being in jail, she smiled faintly and leaned her head on his shoulder. Then she started to tell him everything that had happened, well, almost everything.

It was one of the longest nights each of the riders had experienced. Things that they rather not think about kept invading their thoughts and made it hard to get some sleep. Ike tossed and turned in his bunk, wishing that he had been allowed to stay with Buck, but Rachel had been firm in her decision. She would sit with Buck and Kid and Noah would stay to help Teaspoon keep the peace, as the marshal had put it. The others would rest and that was it. Ike couldn't help wondering what the point was with it - he wouldn't be able to get any sleep anyway. He knew only too well why Kid and Noah had been asked to stay - in case there was trouble. And with that came terrible images of Buck being dragged away by a masked gang, images that effectively prevented sleep. Sighing heavily, he turned and looked out over the dark room. It was obvious that he wasn't alone in his sleeplessness. Lou had her head propped up against the wall, stirring at a point across the room, too deep into her own thoughts to even notice Ike's stare. Her lips was pressed together, forming a tight line and Ike knew that the same images that was haunting him was also visible for Lou. Next to her Jimmy had turned his back towards the room, but Ike just needed one glance to tell that he was awake. The tension showed in his body just as well as if he had shown in face. There was nothing telling of a relaxed sleep over Jimmy and Ike knew that apart from the unbearable uncertainness that they all felt, Jimmy also felt guilt. After all it was Jimmy that had led Emery and his gang to Buck in the first place. If he hadn't, Ike started to ponder, but stopped himself before he let his imagination ran wild. Maybe Jimmy was partly to blame for Buck's present situation, but when you looked at it, the one thing that had started it all was the murder of Craven. And the fact that the real murderer still was at loose was the heart of the problem. And Ike had made up his mind of whom it was - Ambrose Emery.

He had no idea why Emery should have had killed Craven, but that didn't stop him from knowing that it was the truth. That was the reason for Emery's relentless persecution of Buck, Ike was sure of it. Turning away from this annoying stream of thoughts, Ike turned his gaze away from Jimmy and turned to the bunk above him, where Cody tried to feign sleep. But Ike knew better, and he missed the deep sonorous sounds that were Cody's trademark while sleeping. In the beginning, when he had just joined the Express, he had had a hard time sleeping and he had slowly learned to recognise each of the rider's sleeping patterns. He could wake up in the middle of the night and by just listening he could determine who was out on a run or missing. He smiled to himself he remembered waking up when night and realising that two people that should be there was missing, but the smile quickly faded from his face as he remembered the present situation. He had no time to ponder the relationship between Lou and Kid at the moment. Not when Buck was locked up in jail, suspected of a crime Ike knew that he hadn't done. He turned away from his friends and closed his eyes. If he was to be of any help tomorrow, he'd better get some sleep, but his thoughts kept returning to what had happened earkier.

Ike hadn't even been allowed to stay at the jail ask Buck the question that Teaspoon had asked him too, and although he was grateful for that, he would have preferred to stay. But to ask that question - it didn't feel good. Ike had known Buck for a long time and if Buck had wanted to tell him what had happened he would have done it by now. But sometimes there were things that Buck didn't even share with him, his best friend. At one time it had bothered him, but it didn't any more. Buck needed his space, needed the right to be who he was, both Indian and white. And Ike knew that it wasn't an easy life Buck had chosen, or rather had been given. He was caught in a no man's land between the Indian world and the white and Ike wasn't sure he'd reached either border safely. And if Buck needed secrets in order to keep a level head in that no man's land, then Ike was not the one to question it. After all, he had his need too to keep things to himself; memories that were precious to him, memories that he was reluctant to share with anyone else that didn't share them. It had taken him a long time and a tensed situation to relieve his anguish and guilt connected with the murder of his family. And when he finally did, in tears and in front of the others, none of them had turned away from him, as he had feared. And he had learned to trust his new family. Therefore he hated the thought that he might have to leave them. But the more he thought about, the more he became convinced that it was his only option. So far everything Teaspoon had done and what the others, including him, had proved to be worthless to save Buck. Now it was up to him. All he had to do was to wait until Buck got better. Rachel had promised him that Buck would be better, so all he had to do was wait. Silently he prayed that Buck's recovery would be here sooner than the judge.

Buck slowly opened his eyes and tried to focus on his surroundings. He was tugged in under numerous blankets and for a second he thought that he was back in the bunkhouse. It wasn't until his hand reached out and touched one of the cold bars surrounding the jail, he realised that he was wrong. He frowned as he tried to remember if his image of Rachel and Teaspoon taking him with them was just his imagination and that he was still in the jail in Blue Creek. It seemed strange, because he was so sure that he had heard Rachel telling him that they were taking him home. He turned and tried to get a better view of his surroundings in the pale moonlight that seeped into the room by the windows. As his eyes got use to the light, he managed to make out Teaspoon snoring in his chair by the desk and in the cell next him he saw Rachel sleeping draped in a blanket. He closed his eyes, trying to diminish the headache as he realised that he had been brought back - but not back to the bunkhouse as he had been led to believe, but to another cell in another jail. He fought back the disappointment he felt as he tried to figure out what that meant. Obviously he was still suspected of the murder, a murder that he hadn't committed. Slowly he tried to sit up. He was thirsty and his eyes looked around for something to drink, when his movement managed to wake up Rachel.

"Buck, you're awake," she stated as she sat up and quickly got to her feet. Without hesitation she walked up to Teaspoon and nudged him awake, before she reached for the keys and walked up to Buck's cell. She noticed the frown in his face when she locked up the door, and she felt a twinge of guilt. She hated seeing him locked up like this, but in the current situation they really didn't have any choice. But she doubted that Buck felt that way. She remembered all too well her own feelings of being locked up and charged with a crime that she felt she hadn't done. But for now, she would keep her own emotions down, as they would not help Buck.

"How are you doing?" she asked as she walked in and forced him to lay down again.
"Thirsty," Buck replied sullenly. Rachel smiled encouragingly at him, hoping that she could help him in some small way.
"I'll get you some," she promised and rose to leave room for Teaspoon.
"How are you doin'?" Teaspoon asked softly as he sat down next to the boy.
"I'm locked up," Buck muttered, "how do you think I'm feeling?"
Teaspoon sighed softly.
"I know that," he said, "but I'm afraid that's the best way to keep you safe - for the moment."
"I didn't kill Craven," Buck muttered as he tried to get rid of the annoying headache by closing his eyes.
"I know you didn't," Teaspoon agreed. "The trouble is that others aren't so easy to convince." He was interrupted by Rachel who returned with water that she poured into a glass and handed him. Helping Buck into a more comfortable position, Teaspoon helped him to a mouthful of water. When Buck's thirst had been clenched, Teaspoon returned the glass to Rachel and turned his troubled face to Buck.
"I need to know what happened on your run, Buck," he requested softly.
"Nothing happened," Buck muttered.
"You were two hours late to Ft. Laramie," Teaspoon pointed out.
"So? That doesn't mean I killed Craven," Buck replied. "If you don't believe me, then why not say so," he added with a hint of anger. "But you doubted me from the beginning, didn't you - you sent Lou to check on me."
"I didn't send Lou out because I thought you'd done it, Buck," Teaspoon explained patiently. "I send out Lou to easier prove your innocence. And as far that goes, nobody else knows about that and I would like to keep it that way. If it comes out that there's two hours missing on your run, then nobody will believe in your innocence. That is unless you have a good reason for what you where doing those two hours. I'm not asking because I don't believe you, Buck, I just need to know - just in case."
"Then you can just stop asking," Buck suggested bitterly. "If they find out that, as you say, then nobody will believe me anyway, so I don't see the point."
"Maybe somebody saw you, somebody that can vouch for you not being out by Craven's that evening…"
"There was nobody there but me."
"Are you sure? Maybe there was something you didn't see, maybe something you missed…"
Buck pressed his lips into a thin line. "There was nobody else there."
Teaspoon sighed. "I know how you feel about this, Buck, but please see my side here for a second. Sooner or later, Carter or somebody else might send somebody to Ft. Laramie to check your story. All I want to be is prepared for when that happens, if it happens. Do you understand that?"
"What differences will that make?"
"I don't know," Teaspoon sighed, realising that Buck would not tell him what had happened during those two hours. And he couldn't really tell why he needed to know. He feared that it was for his own reason, that he needed to know that Buck hadn't been close to Craven's homestead that day, that he could believe that the boy before him was telling the truth, that he could have faith in his honesty. It hurt him that no matter how he looked at the matter, there was this tiny ray of doubt, of distrust. He wanted to believe Buck and he didn't know why he couldn't. How long had he known Buck? Little more than a year. He tried to remember when Buck ever ha let him down, but couldn't find anything in his heart that said that Buck ever had lied or deceived him. Buck didn't lie - Teaspoon didn't know if it was the Indian upbringing or the lessons learned at the mission school. The simple fact was that Buck didn't lie. Or at least Teaspoon thought that. If Buck wanted to hide something he simply kept it to himself. Why wasn't that enough for Teaspoon to believe him this time? What was it that kept that doubt inside him, that kept nagging him to find out what had happened during two hours? Teaspoon wanted to say that he trusted Buck, that Buck's word that he had nothing to do with Craven's death would be enough. But it wasn't. He couldn't explain it, nor could he erase the doubt. Why? That bothered him more than he could express. Why couldn't he trust Buck? Was it because there was something the boy was hiding from him, something that was too awful to tell? Was Buck lying to him? Years spent distrusting people, looking over your shoulder in case somebody would be standing there, ready to take your life and a instinct for trouble that had kept him alive, told him that there was something wrong; he just couldn't put his finger on it. An old image of the tar and feathered Buck entered his mind and the need for revenge he had seen in the boy's eyes back then. Sam had told him what had happened to Devlin's men, but he had never discussed the matter with Buck. After all Teaspoon had only told him not to go after Devlin, not his men. But if that was Buck's revenge after the humiliation he had endured in their hands, what would it then be after being whipped? The feeling that something was wrong became stronger. And no matter how he tried he couldn't ignore that feeling.
"You do as you want to, Buck," he said slowly. "If you don't want to tell me, there's nothing I can do to make you."
Buck looked hesitantly at him - he hadn't expected the stationmaster to give up so easily and there was something in his voice that made Buck uneasy. He was angry, but there was other emotions mixed in with that anger. Fear was just one of them. He wanted to tell Teaspoon, but at the same time he couldn't. But what hurt him more than anything else was the suspicion that Teaspoon didn't believe him. Swallowing that hard lump that had settled in his throat he turned away. Teaspoon rose and sighed silently. He would have to continue the discussion with Buck at another time - right now the boy was too tired, too unwell, to be pushed. But whether or not Buck realised it or not, he needed to help in his own defence should things get worse. And Teaspoon desperately hoped that it wouldn't.

When Teaspoon left, Buck sank down into a depressed state. He had wanted to tell Teaspoon, had wanted to trust him, but at the same time he was reluctant to create any trouble. Or to be truthful towards himself, he didn't wanted Teaspoon to get hurt. He didn't believe that anybody would believe him innocent if it came to a trial and he knew that his only hope lay in getting out of jail before that occurred. And he had to get out on his own. He didn't wanted anybody else to be involved and getting into trouble on his account. And without thinking, he had alienated himself from the others as to prepare for his departure. He knew that Ike would not just let him disappear, but Ike would be better off staying with the Express. Buck wanted his best friend to have that life that their new family provided. And if that meant that he, Buck, would have to sever his ties with Ike, then he would do that. Buck didn't want to, but in his heart he knew it was the only way. It had worked before. He had left the Kiowa without telling his brother of his plan, thus keeping Red Bear without blame. All he had to do was leaving, and make sure that nobody followed him. He found it hard to breathe at the thought of leaving his family, but he had done it before. Surely he could do it again. All he had to do was getting out of here before it was too late.

"We're missing something," Lou stated at breakfast and stared at the others around the table. The subject that morning had been Buck's imprisonment and how to get him free. Red eyes and tired eyes told its own language of sleepless nights. Ike had already headed into town, eager to see Buck. Noah and Kid had returned after their vigilance outside the marshal's office, bringing with them the news that Buck had woken up and was feeling better.
"What, Lou? What are we missing?" Jimmy asked frustrated as he pulled his hand through his hair. He had asked himself the same question numerous times during the night and had still not found the answer.
"I don't know, but there's something," Lou insisted. "We just haven't found it yet…"
"We're doing this the wrong way," Kid stated and shook his head.
"What do you mean?" Noah asked curiously.
"Well, so far we concentrated on Emery, since his drinking buddy said he was out by Craven's that night. And the boy -" Kid glanced at Jimmy, "- but nothing had revealed anything new. Now, what if we assume that they are saying is true?"
"Buck didn't kill Craven," Lou said coldly, staring at Kid.
"That's not what I said," Kid said softly. "Just hear me out, all right?"
When the others nodded, Kid continued.
"The boy said he followed his father out in the woods, and then he saw his father get shoot. But he never said he saw clearly who it was. We just assumed that it was Buck, since he pointed him out, right?"
"But he said he never had seen Buck before," Noah pointed out.
"What if he had? Just because Teaspoon and Buck didn't see him, doesn't mean the boy didn't see them. When I was a boy I used to sneak around, trying to see people without being seen." Kid blushed slightly. "It was a kind of game. What if James Craven did the same thing?" He looked at the others until his eyes ended at Jimmy.
"Jimmy, you told me that Craven was full of hate for Indians."
"Against anybody that didn't fit his view," Jimmy muttered, but when he saw Kid's look he added, "But yeah, Indians in particular."
"What if James didn't clearly saw who it was? Was if, in his agitated state, assumed that it was the same man he had seen his father threaten to kill? A boy his age might very else believe that what he thought he saw is the truth. And what if he, when being scared and alone just after his father had been killed, placed Buck on the scene - maybe because his father had warned him about Indians? Buck didn't have to be there at all, all it took was the boy's imagination."
"So he was lying?" Cody asked.
"No. The boy believes it - the only thing is that what he believes is not what happened - it's just what he thought happened."
"I don't get it," Cody complained.
"Never mind, I think I'm beginning to understand," Jimmy said and leaned forward. "You think this is what happened?" he asked Kid.
"Could be," Kid replied carefully.
"But what about Emery?" Cody asked. "Even if we say that the boy believed what he didn't see, only what he imagined, "Cody shrugged and shook his head at the thought, "then who killed Craven? Emery?"
"I don't think so," Kid replied. "Emery would have told somebody and then Ike and Noah would have found out. No, Emery might have been there, but I don't think he's seen anything. He's just playing along."
"Then who killed Craven?"
"Maybe somebody we haven't thought of - maybe somebody we have missed completely."
"We checked the hotels," Noah reminded him. "No stranger was in town that day or the day after."
"It doesn't have to be a stranger - what if it is somebody in town. You said that Craven had a rather murky past, Noah. Maybe an old enemy was already here when he moved here - and decided to get rid of Craven."
"Got any idea of whom?" Noah asked,
"No," Kid admitted sadly. "It could be anybody, I suppose - somebody with a son or a relative in the army that got in trouble with Craven, an old fight over land - could be anything."
"Then we're back were we started," Lou sighed.
"And it doesn't help Buck," Noah pointed out wisely.
"We just have to start over," Kid suggested firmly. "Noah, try and remember everything that you heard about Craven - maybe there's something there that we overlooked."
"What about the rest of us?" Cody wondered.
"I'll talk to the boy again," Jimmy said. "If it is like you said, Kid, then maybe I've been asking the wrong questions."
"I'll join you," Lou said quickly, which caught Kid's attention. When she saw his look she quickly added. "Maybe the mother knows something - and maybe it's easier for her to talk to another woman. It's worth a shot."
"All right," Kid nodded, only partly convinced, but unable to deny Lou the right to go. "The rest of us have to ask around in town - but remember this time we're looking for somebody that might have known Craven before he moved to Sweetwater."
They broke up from the table, eager to head into town and find something that would be able to clear their friend from all suspicions when a rider approaching brought them outside.
"It's Ike," Lou stated with surprise. They had thought that he would stay with Buck for the rest of the day.
"And he's riding like the devil is after him," Noah said worriedly.
Ike rode straight for the bunkhouse as soon as he noticed the others waiting there. He was no more than off his horse before his hands moved. Kid stepped down the porch holding up his hands.
"Take it easy, Ike," he called out to the agitated young man, "you're not making any sense!"
Ike took a deep breath and tried to collect himself before he slowly repeated the words.
Kid looked at his hands, a cease forming in his forehead for each word that the hands revealed. When Ike was finished he looked up at him in disbelief.
"The judge arrived today, just an hour ago?" he repeated slowly.
Ike nodded fervently as his eyes looked at his friends with fear and frustration clearly showing in his face and in his eyes.

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