As the weary group reassembled on the steps to the hotel, none were feeling too optimistic. They'd searched since their meeting with the Marshal, yet except for the ring, they'd found nothing.

Teaspoon returned shortly from Marshal Weston's office with no new news. "I don't like that man very much," he stated to no one in particular. "His two bumbling deputies are still outside of town searching and he's just sittin' there mindin' the shop, as he put it. You boys have any luck?"

Buck, Cody and Jimmy shook their heads and watched as the Kid paced back and forth. He was still filled with anger, but it was easy to see the fear starting to creep back in. No words needed to be spoken. They would continue to search as soon as they grabbed some food and a chance to refuel their tiring minds and bodies.

Buck noticed the motion first and nudged Cody to his left. Both men turned to the west edge of town where they could almost make out two horses hitched to a wagon or buckboard and pulling it along at a dangerous speed.

"Those people don't slow down before they get to the edge of town, there's gonna be trouble on these busy streets," observed Buck as he looked down through the crowded main street.

Watching the horses churn closer, all of the men stared with mixed curiosity and interest.

"Must be bad news," offered Buck.

"Why do you say that?" asked Cody.

"Bad news always travels on a fast wind," he answered solemnly.

Cody rolled his eyes at Buck's spiritual answer. "It's likely some kids who are messin' around with their Pa's wagon when they shouldn't be."

Jimmy squinted in the afternoon light as the passengers came into clearer view. "Uh, I think Buck may be right. That looks like Rachel tearin' into town and I'm pretty sure that's Charlotte and Travis McKay with her."

"Blasted woman!" Teaspoon started pacing while Kid stopped. "Just couldn't stand bein' left behind! Probably convinced the McKays to bring her here. I should know better than to get involved with women. I been married six times and I guess I ain't learned one thing," he muttered and mumbled to his former riders.

Kid no longer paced, but stood perfectly still waiting for the buckboard to finish its approach and slow before them. He could sense that this was not a social visit - it was much more than Rachel feeling left out. She and the McKays would not have traveled for more than a day unless they had news that couldn't be trusted to a telegram.

Rachel was up and out of her seat before Travis could get the horses to a complete stop. She allowed Jimmy to help her down and put up her hand to silence Teaspoon before he could start with his tirade. "I'm so glad we found you so quickly. We tried to catch you after you'd gone, but you were too far ahead."

"Have you been ridin' all night?" Jimmy could tell by the trail dust on their faces and clothes that they had not been driving along at a leisurely pace.

"Straight through," answered Travis as he stood to help Charlotte down. "'Fraid we about did in your horses Marshal Hunter."

"Don't worry about that right now, Travis. What are y'all doin' here, Rachel?" He turned back to the blonde-haired woman who'd only recently captured his heart and the look of despair in her eyes was enough to make him pull her into his arms.

Kid watched Charlotte as she watched the ground. She hadn't said a word since they'd stopped the horses. Stepping beside her, he spoke quietly. "You know what's happened to Lou, don't you?" He'd always suspected there was more to Charlotte Rowan McKay than either she or Lou would tell him and now he would find out the truth.

The nod of her head was almost imperceptible. She didn't know how to tell him, tell any of them, that this entire disaster was her fault.

When Charlotte remained wordless, Kid grabbed her by the shoulders, "Damn it, Charlotte! This is my wife, my life, you're playing with here! If you know what's happened to Lou just tell me! Whatever it is, please!"

Jimmy grabbed Kid off of Charlotte and Travis rushed to his wife's side. "Now, Kid. Take it easy with her, this has been upsetting enough."

"We don't have time for easy! Lou's here somewhere and we need to help her." Kid stepped back in front of Charlotte and pleaded, "Please tell me what I need to know to find her."

She took a deep steadying breath and told them the details of her and Louise's shared past. She told them of her long-term employment as a saloon girl and Louise's employment as a laundress. In a voice that shook with tears she told them about Lou's selection by the owner as his girl of choice. Her young friend's right to privacy no longer an issue when it was obvious her life was at stake. Charlotte knew these people would not judge her; they would be the ones to help her. Finally she told of helping Louise escape and turning her into a boy before sending her off to St. Louis.

She couldn't look up at them as she finished. "I told her the man who did this to her was dead. That's the only reason she would have agreed to come back here to St. Joe, but he's not dead. I lied. I escaped too and told Louise that he was dead so she wouldn't be afraid of having me as her friend again. I fear he saw her here. I fear he's the one who has her now."

Her inability to meet their eyes kept Charlotte from seeing the blood drain from Kid's face. She hadn't said either the name of the saloon nor the name of the bastard who'd raped Lou as a young girl, but somehow Kid knew. He knew it was Ethan Wicks. Just as he knew his father was the man who had Lou now.

This time when Kid grabbed Charlotte's shoulders and shook her, no one rushed to stop him, not even Charlotte herself. "It's Ethan Wicks, isn't it? Damn it, Charlotte!"

She was crying now. "Yes, we worked for Wicks, not a rich widow in St. Louis."

Kid released her shoulders and took off at a run for the Diamond Saloon. No thoughts ran through his mind, only a bright, stabbing anger. He didn't hear his friends calling to him or running to catch up. He only had two things on his mind - finding Lou and killing his father.

Charlotte was breathless from the effort to keep up. Cody had her by one arm, Travis by the other, as they pulled her at the back of the group. "How did Kid know where to go? How does he know Wicks?"

Cody didn't want to be the one to tell her and he wanted to catch up to his friends as they neared the saloon. Pulling Charlotte along faster, Cody didn't have the chance to say anything more as Charlotte tripped over her own feet, slipped from his grasp and fell to the ground.

Travis McKay dropped to his knees, started to check his wife over and waved Cody away. "Go help them. I've got her."

Grateful to be free to help with the rescue, he sprinted to catch up. Rachel heard him approach as they reached the saloon.

"Where are Travis and Charlotte?" she gasped, breathless from the run through the town.

"She fell. Travis stayed with her."

Surveying the saloon, Rachel wondered out loud how Kid knew where to find Ethan Wicks so easily.

Cody dropped his head as they climbed the stairs.

"William F. Cody what do you know?" They pushed through the swinging doors in time to see Kid and Jimmy dragging the barkeep over the top of his bar and pressing his back into the rail on the edge of it.

Pulling his gun to aid in the interrogation, he called back over his shoulder, "This Wicks fellow is Kid's father." He never saw Rachel's knees buckle or her grip the nearest chair to keep from sliding to the floor.

Kid was ready to beat the barkeep senseless, but Jimmy kept him in check. They needed him to find both Lou and Wicks. "Tell us where your boss and the girl he's keepin' are or I'll let this one loose on you." Jimmy nodded towards Kid who, with his wild eyes and bared teeth, was being to resemble a rabid animal.

"Boss ain't here, rode out a few hours ago and I don't know nothin' about a girl. All the girls who work here are on the floor."

Jimmy didn't like his answers and landed a punch in the man's extended gut. "He's been hiding a girl here since day before yesterday! Where is she?"

The room was noiseless. All eyes were on the ruckus at the bar. No one dared to draw a gun. It was clear the two men holding the bartender had friends ready, and likely willing, to shoot anyone who got in their way.

The man groaned in agony as he shook his head. "I ain't seen a new girl here."

"Still not the right answer." Kid landed a fist to the man's nose and the entire room heard a distinct crack. Kid gained no satisfaction from the blood that gushed from the man's nose. "You know me, you bastard! I was in here lookin' for my wife. You know that I found out your boss is my father and you also know that he has her here! You'd best tell me where he'd keep her or your nose won't be the only thing that's bleeding." His gun cocked, he set it to the man's temple.

Jimmy was astonished by what Kid's anger was driving him too, even though he knew he shouldn't be because this involved Lou. Yet, he wouldn't dare stop him. Kid had earned the right to this anger. "I can't say my friend won't pull that trigger anyways, but he might not, so you'd best just tell us."

"Wicks has private rooms on the third floor," called out Charlotte as she entered the room. Gasps were heard as many recognized the once very popular whore who had disappeared less than a year ago. No one could forget Ethan Wicks storming around for weeks.

Dropping his hold on the bartender, Kid turned to Charlotte. "Show me."

All to familiar with the saloon, she raced to the stairs in the far corner, with Kid, Jimmy, Buck and Cody close on her heels.

"Hold it right there!"

The group stopped, only feet from the stairs, as they heard guns cock at their backs. Turning, they saw Sherman Weston and his deputies standing in the doorway.

"You ain't got no business up there, so just step back over by the bar." He waved them over with his gun.

"Marshal, I got all the business in the world up there," called out Kid without moving an inch. "My wife's up there." He turned and started pulling Charlotte up the stairs.

"I said, hold up there, boy! I already done told you your wife was seen ridin' out with another fella." The Marshal started to approach the group. "Now step over here so I can take you boys in for messin' up Horace over there."

"Don't take another step closer, Marshal." Jimmy nodded to his friends to go past him. He'd cover them while they went to Lou. "You know she's up there. You been sendin' Kid on a wild goose chase to cover for your buddy."

Sherman Weston laughed at the boldness of one boy against three men. He didn't care if it was Wild Bill Hickok at the other end of those Navy Colts. "What're you gonna do, boy, take us all?" He dared to step closer.

Jimmy didn't hesitate. The man had been warned. Three shots rang out and in seconds the Marshal and his deputies were dead on the floor. Jimmy knew he'd only had time to fire two shots and it wasn't until he saw Teaspoon step out from where he'd been tending to Rachel that he realized Teaspoon was the third shot. He didn't stay to make sure they were dead; he knew they were. He'd aimed to kill. Turning on his heel, he ran up the stairs to assist his friends.

Charlotte reached a doorway that she knew all too well. "These are Wicks' private rooms. He has a front room and two sleepin' rooms. His bedroom is on the right. If Louise is here, she'll be in the one on the left."

Kid gave a terse nod. With his gun drawn and ready, he turned the doorknob. Unconvinced that Wicks wasn't holed up waiting to ambush them, he was ready for him.

Pushing the door in slowly, Kid stepped forward with Buck and Cody close behind. He heard shots ring out from the saloon below and wondered briefly if Jimmy was okay. The front room was empty. Heading to the door on the left he tried the knob, but found it locked. In desperation he started rattling it, tugging on it, anything to get it open.

"Step back, Kid."

Kid looked over his shoulder to find Jimmy behind him, gun at the ready. He nodded and pulled Charlotte out of the line of fire.

It took only one shot. Jimmy pierced the lock and the door slowly popped open yet, even with the last obstacle to Lou gone, no one rushed forward. Not even Kid. Fear of what they would find, of what Wicks had left behind, was enough to root them in place.

With a deep breath, Kid finally stepped forward and placed a shaking hand on the door, opening it wide enough to fit through. When everyone started to follow behind him, he held up his hand to stop them. This was something he would have to do alone.

She heard the commotion outside the door, but couldn't distinguish the voices through the pounding in her head. She wanted to open her eyes, but both were swollen shut from Wicks' brutal blows. Even if she wanted to forcefully pry them open, the ropes chaffing at her wrists kept her from moving her hands. At the sound of the gunshot penetrating the door she curled herself up as small as possible, fearful the next bullet was for her.

She could hear footsteps coming into the room and her first instinct was to plead for him to leave her alone. She hated the words even before they crossed her lips, but begging was what he wanted to hear, what would save her life.

"Please let me rest. Not again." Her voice was hoarse and barely above a whisper.

Kid turned towards the voice and his stomach began to churn at the sight. Never in his life had he seen anything like it. There was Lou, naked and bound, dirty, beaten and bloodied curled into a ball with her head tucked down and begging as if her life depended on it. "Lou." He could barely get her name out.

It wasn't him! The voice wasn't Wicks'. It was one infinitely more familiar.

He stepped closer and watched her shirk away at the sound of his footsteps, curling herself into an even smaller form. "Lou, it's me. I'm here now." He whispered to her like he would a frightened child

Kid! He'd come for her! Raising her head and turning to his voice, she could hear him gasp as he saw her face for the first time. Mortified, she tucked her head back down and started to shake.

"Rachel!" was all Kid could yell before he started heaving what little was in his stomach onto the floor.

The last to climb to the third floor rooms, Rachel was waiting in the front room with the others. Hearing Kid's call for help she burst into the room and had to cover her mouth with both hands to keep from crying out loud. Sensing trouble and hearing Kid retching, everyone else tried to push into the room. Rachel pushed the door closed imploring Teaspoon with her eyes to keep them all at bay. She wouldn't let them see Lou like this. She didn't want to see Lou like this. It was a sight she'd never forget.

Rachel moved to Kid's side, rubbing his back, as he gasped for air. She didn't know how to approach Lou, afraid to touch her, afraid to scare her even more. Slowly moving closer she crouched by the bed.

"Louise, sweetie, it's me, Rachel. Kid and I are here to help you now." She wiped at the tears that ran down her cheeks. She'd never seen anything like this. How could one human treat another so savagely?

"Rachel? Lou lifted her head and tried reaching out with her painfully bound hands.

"It's me. We're here to take you away now." Rachel looked at Kid and mouthed the word 'doctor'.

Kid mouthed back 'not here'. He wanted her out of this torture chamber as quickly as possible. Going back to the door he leaned out and asked Buck to go to the doctor's office nearest the hotel. "Tell him we're bringing Lou to him." Before letting Buck leave, he took his knife from him.

Back in the room he pulled off his coat and then his shirt. He carefully approached the bed with the knife. "Lou, I'm gonna take your ropes off now, okay?"

She nodded against the pain in her head and slowly stuck her hands out for him. With one quick slice her arms were free and Lou immediately wrapped them around herself like she had in her early days with the Express.

Watching her, now knowing her history, all of Lou's old habits and tendencies made sense to Kid. It was killing him to watch her. "I have to do your feet too, honey."

Lou didn't want to stick her legs out; she knew if he did Kid would be able to tell what Wicks had been doing to her.

He'd been expecting her uneasiness and wordlessly, Kid passed his shirt to Rachel.

"Louise, why don't we get you dressed so Kid can cut the other ropes?" Rachel's heart broke as Lou reluctantly nodded and allowed her to dress her. The blue shirt dwarfed Lou's petite frame, but it gave her the security and coverage she needed and holding Rachel's hand, Lou extended her legs so Kid could cut the remaining ropes.

He carefully pulled the ropes away from the sores they'd made and felt Lou flinch at his touch. He watched her pull her legs up and hide them beneath the shirt as soon as they were unburdened. He hoped it was the pain and not his touch that made her do it, but in his heart he knew the truth. It was his touch, his very nearness that had her scared. Kid looked down at his hands. How could it have been only two days ago that he'd held her, loved her? Would she ever let him near her again? He just wanted to hold her close, make it all go away, and he feared he might not ever be given that chance again.

"Sweetie," Rachel crooned as she stroked Lou's matted hair. "We're gonna get you out of here now, okay?"

"Are we going home?" She'd dreamed of home during her conscious hours. Not the home she and Kid planned to make in Sweetwater, but the safety of the Rock Creek Way Station. It was closer, more tangible, more easily remembered, and she longed to be back there in the safety of the familiar.

"Soon, but first we want the doctor to look at you." Rachel was gently helping Lou to the edge of the bed. Seeing the bruises on her slender legs Rachel was unsure if she'd be able to walk.

"No doctor!" Lou withdrew and cowered on the bed again. She didn't want anyone to look at her or examine her. She felt dirty and ashamed, and having more people know what happened to her would make it more unbearable.

"Lou, please," Kid pleaded. He'd moved to stand beside Rachel and now crouched before Lou's rocking form. "You're hurt and the Doc will make you feel better." Seeing her contorted, swollen face he knew what she was thinking. "He won't judge you," he whispered. "I promise you that."

Lou knew she had to see the doctor if for nothing else than for the broken rib she was convinced she had. Trying to think clearly, she knew it would be good for him to tend to the marks left by the ropes. She didn't want him to examine anything else. She knew what Wicks had done and that was enough. She'd heal like she had years earlier. Speaking no words of consent, Lou did move closer to the edge of the bed. She put her bare feet on the ground and tried to stand on her own. The sudden movement to vertical had the blood rushing from her head. Her muscles weak from dehydration and shear exhaustion, Lou fainted before ever taking a step.

Kid caught Lou as she teetered and started to slide to the floor. Scooping her into his arms he held her close to him for the first time in too long. She felt lighter than she had two days before and he wondered if Wicks even fed her. He stooped so Rachel could adjust Lou in his arms without hurting her and when she was done, he closed his eyes and rested his head against Lou's as it lay on his shoulder. The tears that flowed unchecked from his eyes fell onto her cheek. They didn't rouse her and he doubted the trip to the doctor would either. Finally rescued, she would be better off in the oblivion she now rested in than the reality that lay ahead.

As his tears came faster, Rachel urged Kid to sit on the bed and rest before the long walk. "We can get a wagon if you'd like."

Kid looked back at the bed, the place where his own father, the man whose seed he came from, had done the unspeakable to the precious woman he held in his arms, and he refused to sit there. He wanted to burn it; he wanted to burn the whole place down so she would never have to see it again. It wasn't an idea he dismissed too quickly; there would be time before they could ride out to think more on it.

He turned to an upholstered chair by a small table and moved to it slowly. He agreed that sitting for a minute or two was a good idea. He needed to breathe, to pull himself together, before seeing everyone who was waiting in the outer room. "No wagon needed. I'll carry her."

Rachel nodded and brought Kid's coat to cover Lou as if it were a blanket. "I'll be outside here, but don't be too long, honey. She needs tendin' too."

Kid didn't even bother to nod his head and couldn't look up at the curious faces that peered through the door as Rachel quickly stepped out.

Finally alone, Kid pulled Lou closer. His grip was solid, but tender. He was holding her like one would hold a fragile doll. At that moment he felt like he was holding delicate porcelain, not mere flesh and blood, and he would care for her as such. The tears were now sobs as he rubbed his cheek against her hair and gently touched his fingertips to her split lip and the purplish bruises dotting her swollen cheek.

"I'm so sorry, Lou," he murmured. "I should have gone with you to the stores. If I had, this never would've happened. I'm so sorry it was him, so sorry that I couldn't stop this from happening." He continued with his rambling apology, but after a while, the words were incoherent. He rocked her in his lap, the slow steady rhythm doing nothing to calm his nerves.

"I don't know what I would have done if we didn't find you." He held her closer, relieved to have her in his arms again. "You're my world, baby. I'm not sure I tell you that enough, but you are." Kid gently kissed the wounds along her face, finally resting his lips atop her forehead and keeping them there for long seconds. "Oh, Jesus, Lou will I ever be able to hold you like this when you're awake, again?" he wailed. "Will you still love me and let me love you? I'll make this all better, baby, I will. No one will ever hurt you again." Kid continued to rock her until Teaspoon opened the door.

He tried to hide the horror on his face at the sight of Lou looking like a broken bird in Kid's arms. The fresh tears that greeted Kid's upturned face gave the gruff older man away.

Kid saw the sadness in his mentor's eyes. "She's resting now, Teaspoon"

Teaspoon cleared his throat and tried to keep his voice from breaking. "I can see that, Kid, but it's time you took her to the Doc's. He's waitin' for us."

"I know." And Kid did. He knew his private time with Lou was over for a while. He caressed her hair gently. "I just wanted to tell her I loved her."

"She knows that, son."

"Maybe, but I don't tell her enough." Kid gathered Lou closer. "I didn't tell her before I left the room the other day."

"I know you're hurtin', Kid, but I really think it's time to go." Looking down at the young girl's bruised and battered face he tried not to imagine what was below the coat that was draped over her.

Nodding, Kid rose slowly and stepped past Teaspoon into the anteroom. He would only look straight ahead. He couldn't bear to turn his head to either side and see the pain and shock in his friends' eyes as they parted and formed a human corridor for him to walk through.

He heard a fist meet wood, a wall or furniture he wasn't sure which, but he knew the telltale signs of breakage. Jimmy. Only he would react so violently, so desperate for an outlet for his anger, that he would destroy whatever was in front of him.

The gasp was definitive in its femininity. Charlotte. Only she knew what Wicks was capable of, what he'd done to Lou before. He knew the sight of Lou's face pressed into his shoulder, smeared with dried blood, and swollen almost beyond recognition, would be enough to have her in tears. This was undoubtedly worse that it had been when Lou was fourteen. She had recovered then, he didn't know if she would this time.

The descent to the saloon floor was longer than he remembered from their climb. Kid carefully felt for each step so as to not jostle Lou. Finally stepping onto the main floor, he refused to acknowledge the curious stares of the people who'd remained behind after the shooting. Stepping out into the afternoon sun, Kid paused only to allow his eyes to adjust to the harsh light.

Starting up the main street of St. Joe, the man carrying the injured girl and his group of supporters that surrounded him made an imposing picture. The news of the goings on in the saloon had already spilled out to some of the citizenry and most stopped to gawk as they passed. Reaching the doctor's surgery, Kid refused to hand Lou over. He placed her on the examining table himself and only moved to stand by her side and hold her hand.

The doctor eyed the man wearily. He needed room to work, but most of all he didn't think it was a good idea for him to stay and see what damage had likely been done to his lovely wife. "Son, why don't you go wait outside? I need some time so I can check your wife and help her."

The space was small and he knew the doctor needed room to work, but Kid didn't want Lou to be out of his sight ever again. "I'll stay here," he answered tersely.

Drying his hands before stepping closer to remove the coat, the doctor tried again with harsh honesty. "You're not going to want to see this. I'll call you as soon as it's over."

Kid knew the doctor was telling the truth. Based on what little he'd been able to see at the saloon, he knew he was terrified to see what Wicks had actually done to Lou. Yet, he didn't want her to wake up and be alone in a strange place with a strange man touching her. "I understand what you're saying, Doc, but if she wakes up, she'll be frightened. Can I send our friend Rachel in to help you?"

The doctor agreed, but offered, "I think she'll rest through most of it."

"She just fainted a bit ago, she hasn't even stirred." This was something that scared Kid the most.

"I don't think it's because of her injuries. I'll know more in time, but I think it's the overall shock. It's sort of like she's in a deep sleep right now. She's resting her mind and her body." Seeing his words were not having a calming effect, the doctor squeezed Kid's shoulder as he steered him out and tried to look reassuring.

Dr. Bailey held back the curtain separating the examination room from the waiting room as Kid stepped out and Rachel passed through. He nodded at the assembled group straining to see past him towards the patient. "I'll take good care of her." It was all he could offer them and it seemed feeble even to his educated ears.

Ethan Wicks rode hard to the north. He'd spent the day in the shadows. Instead of leaving as he'd promised the Marshal, he'd watched Kid and his friends search for Louise. He didn't want to leave when it was infinitely more fun to watch them suffer, but the moment he saw Charlotte Rowan pull into town he knew he was out of luck.

Making a desperate and undetected run for the east end of town as Kid climbed the stairs to his saloon, Wicks stole a horse from the livery that had been saddled for someone else. He knew they would search for him to the south in Kansas City, so north was the obvious direction to head. He figured he would be safe in Omaha for a while.

What a shame, he thought. He'd been enjoying his time with Louise and honestly thought she would have come around to him once he got back from Kansas City. With a small, depraved smile Wicks licked his lips at the memory of her taste. Racing towards his hiding place he thought, there's always next time. I'll see you again, Louise.

Chapter 11