"Hello, Louise."

Lou heard Wicks fumbling with the lock and knew he'd been drinking even before she heard the slight slur of his words. She refused to turn her head and meet his eyes, instead continuing to defiantly strain against the ropes that held her hands tied to the bed frame above her head. Her wrists already chaffed raw, and pain surging through her body with every new twist and turn, Lou didn't care. She was determined to fight him with every ounce of her energy.

Locking the door behind him, Wicks turned and watched Lou struggle. "Don't bother to waste your energy, darlin'. I got those ropes so tight they might as well be irons." Moving closer to the bed, he began removing his jacket.

Heating the rustling of his clothes, Lou began to thrash violently. She tried to scream against the gag tied over her mouth, but all that escaped was a muffled yelp. I can't go through this again! How would she ever face Kid after Wicks touched her, laid with her, used her, again?

Sitting down on the edge of the bed, Wicks trailed his fingers along Lou's skirt, moving up her leg and across her hip. He felt his touch cause her to shudder and it only made him bolder. Continuing up her side, he brushed across her breasts before grabbing her chin and forcing her to meet his eyes.

"Had a very interesting evening tonight, Louise. Met someone you know."

Lou gasped against the rough cloth closing off her mouth. It could only be Kid. Kid was the only person in St. Joe who knew her. He was likely searching the whole of the city for her.

"And you want to hear the most interesting part, seems I know him too." Wicks watched Lou's eyes narrow as she listened intently. "I'll tell you, Louise, it really is a small world. Seems you should be callin' me Daddy." Her confusion evident still, he could see the full impact of his words was not getting through to her. "It seems your beloved husband is my youngest son. Therefore, I'm your father-in-law."

Time seemed to stand still and denial was the first thing on her mind. Had she been able to scream out that he was a liar she would have. Instead she shook her head frantically to erase his horrible words.

"It's true, Louise. Your Kid is my kid." Wicks loved the irony of it all. "He's from Virginia, his mother is dead, he had a brother named Jed." He could tell those few facts were enough to prove he spoke the truth, so he didn't bother to continue. He laughed crazily as he watched the realization sink in for her. Face paling, Lou's chest started to heave as she struggled for air.

The gut-wrenching sob that escaped Lou's throat could be heard from behind the gag as the devastating news fully registered. The sound was almost animalistic as it set her thrashing against the restraints even more. This can't be happening, her mind screamed. How could Kid, her gentle, loving, caring husband come from a man so evil? As the ropes tore deeper into her already wounded skin, she grew exhausted from the effort and eventually, stopped fighting. Wicks' words had had their desired effect on her. Without so much as a touch, she was broken.

He could see her body go slack; unshed tears glazing over her eyes. For a brief moment he wasn't sure if he liked it better knowing she wouldn't fight him or if he wished she would. Pushing the thought aside he looked down at his prize. Louise was his again. He untied her gag, knowing she would not scream and as he lowered his lips to ravage hers he whispered, "Welcome to the family."

It was almost sun-up before he finally left her alone and although she tried to sleep, the fresh memory of his smell, his touch, the feel of his body on hers, refused to let her rest. Although Wicks' initial revelation defeated her, once his hands started tearing at her clothes and pulling at her legs, she sprang to life and valiantly fought his attack. In the end, with her hands still bound, she was no match for his strength.

He hadn't been happy with just having her once, and several times during the night they battled as he forced himself on her. She felt as bad as she likely looked. Her face was still sore from the attack in the alley and her body was bruising where he'd grabbed at her. Her only salvation was that he had retied her in a more comfortable position with her hands and feet bound together instead of to the bed and covered her when he left the room.

Sadly, it truly was her only salvation. Wicks had been more than happy to share his plans to see Kid again under the pretense of helping him search for his missing wife. His eyes had danced as he spoke of his plans to convince Kid that Lou had run off with another man, heading maybe east, maybe west. He wasn't sure.

"Don't you plan to beg me not to tell him all about you, Louise?" he'd asked as he climbed off her for the last time that morning. "You don't want him to know you were a whore before you married him, do you?"

"I was never a whore!" she spat at him. The first real words she'd spoken since the alley. "You're just a twisted man who ruined me as a child. He won't believe you. Kid knows I'd never leave him. He'll see right through you, Wicks."

"Not once I'm through talking to him. It's amazing what people will believe when they're distraught. You should be happy though, Louise. Before I knew who your young fellow was, I'd already decided to kill him. At least this way you'll know he's still alive out there. He may be hating you with his every breath, but he'll be alive."

Wicks had finished dressing and after securing her legs and hands he'd whispered, "I'll be back for more." Lou knew he would be. She felt the tears rolling down her cheeks and cursed that he'd brought her to this breaking point. She wanted to stay strong, to resist what he was trying to do to her mind, but she knew that every time he touched her he made her feel dirtier, made her dislike herself even more, and in a small way dislike the Kid for being the son of such a vile man.

Lou could only hope that Kid saw through Wicks' guise quickly and found her. She knew the longer it went on, the harder it would be for her to recover and regain her life.

Kid was out of bed by sunrise, having slept only a few restless hours. He didn't remember doing it, but sometime during his crying spell he'd gotten up from the bed and searched through the items Lou had purchased for their new life together. Apparently, he'd found his prize and taken it back to bed with him because when he woke up he was still clutching the new, well-oiled, leather boots he'd neglected to go buy himself.

Now, he stood at his window watching the telegraph office for any signs of life. Before meeting with Wicks he intended to get a telegram off to Teaspoon and appeal for his help. He wasn't sure if it was out of loyalty to his mother and brother or his own instincts, but Kid didn't trust Wicks to lead him to Lou.

Running through the plan in his head, he knew it would only take Teaspoon and whomever he could round up a day or less to reach St. Joe. That meant he would only have to rely on looking for clues and asking questions with Wicks' help for a short period of time. He knew the most important thing would be to keep Wicks from poisoning his mind against Lou as he'd already started to do the night before.

The thought of Lou with another man was almost more than Kid could bear, but he knew it was impossible. Not only did he not know when she would have had the time to meet another man, he knew there was no one else she wanted like she wanted him. Lying in the darkness his grief-addled mind had stopped on the image of Jimmy. He'd long ago given up the petty jealously that use to invade his brain when he saw Lou with Jimmy and it still made Kid shudder to think that in his moment of weakness he would suspect Lou of running off with his best friend for even a second.

No matter what problems Kid and Jimmy were having, they were still like brothers and although Kid knew Jimmy once had feelings for Lou and he suspected Lou previously had un-friend like thoughts about Jimmy, he truly believed they had all worked past them. As much as Kid hated to admit it, Jimmy seemed content with Rosemary Burke and before leaving Rock Creek, he'd done what he could to mend the rift she'd brought between them. There was no way Lou had run off with another man. If it was to be anyone, it would have been Jimmy, and Kid was confident Jimmy was safe at home, tucked in his bed next to Rosemary, oblivious to the message that would wake him from a contented slumber.

Kid instantly recognized the man who ran the telegraph office as he watched him hurry to open his shop. The day before he'd spent over an hour sending a telegram to the Sweetwater Bank and chatting with the clerk about the wonders of the new method of communication. Dropping the curtain and grabbing his hat, Kid rushed out to start moving his plan along.

The message surprised the operator, but Kid insisted he send it as he'd spoken it. He was brief and to the point, telling Teaspoon that Lou was missing and he should come to St. Joe at once bringing help.

"Will you be waitin' on a reply, sir?" the clerk asked him.

"Won't be one. They'll come."

"Hope you find her, sir."

"I will."

Kid left the office and began to walk the streets of St. Joe. They were just beginning to come to life and Kid dreaded the nine o'clock hour. He wasn't feeling very conversational and he knew that dealing with Wicks would be trying.

"Marshal Hunter, Marshal Hunter!" the breathless young boy shouted as he raced into the Marshal's office.

Tipped back in his chair with his feet up on his desk and his hat low over his eyes while he took his morning nap, Teaspoon Hunter didn't even bother to sit up or uncover his face as he spoke. "Douglas Parker, I know your Ma and Pa taught you better manners than that. There ain't no use for all that shoutin'." Trying to keep his fatherly smile from the child he asked, "What can I do for you today, Douglas?"

Bent at the waist, hands clutching his knees as he tried to catch his breath, Douglas held a piece of paper in his sweaty palm. "Pa sent me right over from his office. Told me to run all the way. I got an important telegraph for you, Marshal."

Planting his feet back on the floor and settling his hat back into place, Teaspoon looked at Jimmy and Buck who were playing checkers in the corner. "Who could be sending me a telegraph? Alls the people I know is right here."

"Maybe it's from Sam and Emma," suggested Buck as he jumped Jimmy twice and removed two black pieces from the board.

"The last letter did say she was fixin' to have that baby soon. Maybe the proud parents wanted to tell us right away," added Jimmy as he scowled at the board.

Handing the paper to Teaspoon, Douglas spoke before rushing back to his post. "Ain't from no Sam and Emma. It's from the Kid, all the way in St. Joe."

Suddenly the paper felt weightier to Teaspoon. Good news was always light. Bad news, well bad news usually felt like you were supporting the weight of the world with one hand.

Buck and Jimmy eyed each other as they watched their mentor, the glue who held their family together, turn a sickly shade of white. Jimmy rose to go to Teaspoon's side as he slumped wearily in his chair.

He slowly opened the folded paper. After reading it twice to be sure he'd read it right, the only thing he could say was "Dear God."

Jimmy didn't wait to be handed the telegram, instead pulling it from Teaspoon's hand and reading it for himself. Handing it to Buck when he was through, Jimmy headed right for the pegs where his twin Navy Colts hung.

Finished with the message as well, Buck rose and followed Jimmy's lead.

"Now hold on a minute here! Just where do the two of you think you're goin'?"

Jimmy didn't look up as he fastened the strings that held his holsters to his legs. "St. Joe. Where else?"

"Hold up, I said!" Teaspoon's voice boomed in the small office and stopped the two former riders before they could exit. "We can't all go runnin' off to St. Joe. We got responsibilities here."

Buck sensed that Jimmy was ready to jump at Teaspoon and placed a steadying hand on his friend's shoulder to hold him in place. "Teaspoon, how can you even say that? This is Lou we're talkin' about, and Kid. Our family. They need our help and you're sayin' we can't go?"

"I ain't said that, Buck. We just need to think this through for a few minutes."

"What's there to think through!" Jimmy exploded as he shook himself free of Buck's grip and started to storm around the room. "We go to the station, we get our stuff, we get on the horses and we ride out to St. Joe. What's so hard about that?"

"Jimmy are you forgettin' that if the two of us ride out of here, we leave Rock Creek with no law. I'm the Marshal; you're the only Deputy. We got obligations. Would you quit that pacin', Jimmy! I can't think!" Teaspoon realized he was pacing nearly as much as Jimmy and stopped immediately. "Now, we're gonna go help the Kid find Lou, but we gotta do it wisely."

Jimmy slowed his pacing, but refused to stand still. His heart was beating rapidly and wild images of Lou kept passing in front of his eyes.

"Buck," Teaspoon said deliberately as he started to form a plan. "Go get Rachel from the school. She needs to know what's goin' on. She may want to think about sending the children home for the day. Then, I want you to take her home and start gettin' ready."

Buck nodded silently and slipped out the door. Teaspoon could see him take off at a run towards the schoolhouse. Once Buck was out of sight he turned his attention back to Jimmy. "You know we talked about this too many times already. You just can't go about makin' rash decisions without thinkin' 'em through. You won't live to see thirty if you don't start learnin' that."

Jimmy stood silently, his fingers gripping the bridge of his nose. He didn't know why it helped stave off the pressure that built in his forehead in situations, but it always did. He'd found himself doing it less as he settled into life as Rock Creek's deputy and a life with Rosemary. Rosemary! Just the thought of her reaction to his leaving for St. Joe made him groan out loud.

"Now it ain't nothin' to moan and groan about, Jimmy. We just gotta find ourselves a temporary Deputy to take over and then we'll be on our way." The ability of his boys and girls to overreact to things never ceased to amaze him. "I'm thinkin' of askin' Adam Stevens again. He worked well with us last month and has some real experience."

Jimmy could see Teaspoon's lips moving, but wasn't paying attention enough to hear what was coming out. The only sound in his head was the impending argument with Rosemary.

"Are you hearin' me, Jimmy?"

Jimmy heard his name and looked up blankly.

"I'm guessin' not from that look on your face. I was asking about Adam Stevens. What do you think?

"He'll be good."

"Don't sound so enthusiastic. Listen, son, I know you're worried about Lou and I am too. Worried about the Kid as well. I love them and all of you like you were my own and I know we'll find her, but you can't go and get all worked up about it. We ain't never failed each other yet and I ain't about to start now.

Sighing and releasing the tension he felt building in his hunched shoulders, Jimmy knew Teaspoon was right. "Want me to ride to the Stevens' place?"

"I'd best be doin' it. I'll need to swear 'em in if he takes it. I don't think his Mrs. will like it, but we shouldn't be gone too long."

"Rachel can help you with Margaret Stevens if you need her to. They've been spendin' a lot of tea time together."

"I'll keep it in mind. Head out and get your things ready. I'll meet you and Buck at the station is less than an hour." As Teaspoon turned to check the papers on his desk, he called out to Jimmy's retreating form. "You gonna go by Rosemary's first?"

Jimmy stopped halfway out the door. "Yeah, but I ain't lookin' forward to it. She's not gonna like this."

"Jimmy, I don't mean to be talkin' bad 'bout her, but if she's the kind of person who can't understand family obligations... If she can't understand that this is important, then is she really the kind of person you want to be spendin' time with?"

Jimmy felt his shoulders tense again and left without another word.

Standing in her kitchen and listening to Rosemary rant and rave, Jimmy thought about Teaspoon's final words as he'd left the office. He'd have to give the issue some long thought when he got back from St. Joe.

"James, you're not even listening to me are you?" Rosemary stepped closer and stared up into his face as she balled her fists on her hips.

"I'm listening, Rosemary. You're just not gonna change my mind. It's not a matter of wanting to go to St. Joe. I have to go to St. Joe. Lou and Kid are my family. Hell, they're almost more kin than Celinda and Nathan and Kid needs our help. It's always been that way with us. Family takes care of its own."

"The way it's always been is she comes first, before me! That's never going to change, is it James?" Rosemary knew she sounded like an insolent child, but she didn't care. She didn't want to play second fiddle to Lou, especially when Lou was married to the Kid and should no longer be a part of Jimmy's life.

Rosemary's accusation hit Jimmy a little closer to home than he cared for. He would never admit it out loud, but for a long while he'd hoped that Lou and he could try and be something more than just friends. Yet, as they grew, both as people and friends in their time with the Pony Express, he knew it would never happen. Lou was meant for the Kid and the Kid for her and he would lose her to his best friend forever. He kept the tinge of envy inside, so he always knew his heart was alive, but he valued their friendship too much to ever let it be spoiled.

He grabbed her arms and held them tightly. He wouldn't hurt her; he only wanted to show how serious he was. "Be careful what you say, Rosemary. You don't know anything about our family. You don't know what we've been through alone or together and you don't know what we'll do for each other. Maybe you can't understand loyalty or friendship or love, but because of these two people, I do. We're leaving within the hour. I can come see you when I get back, or not. It's up to you, but understand this. My family is my life, it's a major part of me and anyone else I let in has to learn that to be with me means all of me."

Rosemary stood as still as stone when Jimmy released her arms and she watched him walk out the door. A chill ran through her body and she doubted it was from the breeze blowing in through the door he'd left open. She wanted to call out to him, but thought better of it. She figured if she didn't have anything nice to say, then she shouldn't say it at all. Probably ran off with someone else, she thought as a sardonic smile broke the tight lines of her face. Maybe, Louise McCloud isn't so perfect after all.

Chapter 8