Tears clouded his eyes as he took his old friend in his arms and put him in a cell inside the jail.

"I want him to pay for what he did." Shuster said from behind Kid. "I want him to die."

"I want the whole story. Now!" Kid growled. He was confused and angry at the man before him, at Buck and at the whole world.

"I was in a busyness trip since last Thursday and when I came home this morning I found my wife dead in her bed and this…" he pointed toward Buck. "This filthy savage in her room."

"I didn’t do it, Kid." Buck said in a weak voice.

Kid rushed to stand in front of him, the hurt clear in his eyes. "I never thought you’d change this much." He said disappointedly.

"Kid, I didn’t…"

"You know him?" Shuster broke in, shocked.

Kid nodded sadly and walked away from the cell. "We used to ride for the express together." He said.

"That’s great!" Shuster yelled. "And I’m sure now you’ll let him go, for old time sake." He said sarcastically.

"If he did what you say he did, than he will get a trial." Kid talked calmly.

"I’m telling you, Kid, I didn’t do it." Buck said through clenched teeth.

"I will write to Ft. Laramie and ask them to send a judge."

"Kid…" Buck pleaded.

Kid shook his head tiredly and walked out. He stopped near the dead woman and kissed her head. The jumped on Katy and galloped away. He knew Lou would hear the news, and thought it would be best is she heard it from him.

Lou looked up when she heard someone riding toward them. She smiled as she saw it was her husband.

The girls ran to greet him as he dismounted, and Lou saw him whispering something in their ears. He climbed the porch steps and sat on the railing across from her. "Where’s Jed?" he asked.

"He’s reading in his room." She said, sensing something troubled him. "What‘s wrong?" she said, coming closer to him, taking his hand in hers.

"Louise, honey, I’m sorry." He said and pulled her into his embrace.

"It’s okay, Kid, I got your note, but I didn’t dare to think you’d come back this early." She joked nervously.

"Lou, Melissa is dead." Kid said, holding her face in his hands, looking straight in her eyes.

Lou stepped back, shaking her head. "I saw her only a couple of days ago." She said. "She was here for Jed’s party."

"Lou, sweetheart, I hope I was wrong but I saw her." He knew there was no point in holding the rest a secret. "Her throat was slashed."

Lou’s eyes popped out and she let out a gasp. "Murdered?" she mumbled, stunned. "She did no harm to anyone, Kid." Lou started sobbing and Kid pulled her into his embrace. "Why would anyone want to hurt her?"

"Her husband found her in her bedroom," He said, "And her killer was still there."

"A lover?" Lou asked surprised.

"I doubt it." Kid said. "It’s Buck."

Lou was sure she heard wrong. "What do you mean – Buck?"

"He’s in jail now, Lou. Shuster found him in Melissa’s room."

Lou entangled herself from his arms, looking amazed. "Kid… it can’t be true. You know Buck."

Kid shook his head. "We knew Buck, Lou. Eight years ago. A lot can happen in eight years."

"Not Buck, Kid. You know it can’t be right. He’s like a brother to you."

"Lou, Jed was my brother and he did kill those soldiers and I killed him." Kid said sadly.

"Jimmy killed him, Kid, not you."

"I would have."

"No you wouldn’t. And you wouldn’t do it to Buck either."

"I have to, Lou. If he’s guilty…"

"If, Kid. Remember that." She cut him mid sentence. "You have no proof yet."

"I’m going there right now."

"What are you going to look for, Kid? Proof against him or proof to set him free?" she had tears in her eyes.

Kid didn’t answer her. He turned his back to her and went down the stairs, mounted Katy and rode off.

Lou stood silent for a minute, then called for her son.

"What is it, ma?" he asked as he came to the porch.

"Look after your sister. I’m going to town." She didn’t even look at him and ran toward the stables to saddle Lightning.

She fought against the bigger men that gathered at the jail door. "Where’s your husband?" one of the angry men asked her. She didn’t answer him and run to stand in front of Buck’s cell.

When Buck saw her he stood up, tears tingle in his eyes. Lou didn’t even try to hide the tears that were running down her cheeks. "Buck…" she whispered, reaching her hands to him through the bars. She touched his face, following the changes in him. He looked a lot older than his twenty-eight years, though he still was a very handsome man. His eyes were sadder.

"What happened?" she asked him, wanting his version of the story first.

Buck shrugged. "Where’s Kid?" he asked.

"What happened?" she repeated without answering his question.

"I killed that woman." Buck said defeated.

The look on Lou’s face was a mixture of disbelieving, horror and disappointment and it cut him like a knife. "You did it?" she needed another confirmation.

"That’s what that woman’s husband said. That’s what your husband believes."

"But did you do it?" she asked in a whispered, too afraid to hope.

Buck shook his head no. "I did not kill that woman."

"‘That woman’ had a name, Buck." Lou jumped into his words, angry at the lack of respect. "Her name was Melissa and she was my friend."

"I’m sorry, Lou. I didn’t know."

"And way should you?" she asked, still not completely forgiving. "You disappeared for eight years." She started sobbing. "I missed you, Buck. There were so many times that I needed you, needed to talk to you. I thought you’d like to know your nephew and nieces."

Buck smiled sadly. "I missed you too, Lou. But my people needed me. Every time I wanted to take a few weeks to come and visit you, something came up. After awhile I just figured it will be best to leave things as they were. After so long, I wasn’t sure how you’d feel about me."

"You’re family, Buck. You’re like a brother to the Kid and I. We love you."

They fell silent, thinking of the situation before them.

"Lou!" Kid came into the jail. "What are you doing here? Where are the kids?"

"They’re fine." Lou said. "Jed’s keeping an eye over the girls."

"How many kids do you have?" Buck asked.

"Three." Kid answered coldly, without even sparing Buck a glance.

Lou was amazed by Kid’s attitude and gave Buck an apologetic smile. "Our oldest son, Jed is seven. Mary Sarah is four and Emma Rachel is three. I’ll bring them here tomorrow." She said.

"No you won’t!" Kid ordered his wife. "I found his knife near Melissa’s bed."

"He didn’t do it!" Lou persisted. "Tell him, Buck."

Buck just stared sadly at Kid.

"I’ve already called for a judge." Kid said, staring at Buck with contempt.

"Tell him, Buck." Lou begged.

"Lou!" Kid shouted, scaring both Lou and Buck. "Go home!"

Lou looked dumbly at her husband. It was the first time since they met that he shouted at her like that. Tears were welling in her eyes. "Buck…" her voice trembled as she spoke to him, her eyes downcast. "I’m sorry." She apologized for her husband. "I’ll see you tomorrow." She reached her hand through the bars and he took it in his, smiling sadly and whispering a think-you.

"Don’t you touch her!" Kid shouted and, taking a hold on Lou’s shoulders pushed her aside and out.

Lou looked back at him, then mounted Lightning and rode back to the house, tears blurring her sight.

"I want you to leave." Lou said quietly.

Kid stood stunned in his place. "What are you talking about?"

"I’ll leave, then." She said.

"Lou," he took a hold on her arm as she started to walk away. "I don’t understand what you talking about. But I have to go to work now, so we’ll talk about it tonight."

"I won’t be here tonight."

"When will you come back?" he asked, still not understanding what she was talking about.

"I’m leaving, Kid." She said, not looking at him.

Finally, it downed on Kid what she was talking about. "We’ll work it out, Lou." He said. "I’m sorry I yelled at you last night."

"There’s no point for you to apologize, Kid." She said. "It’s not just that you yelled at me. It’s everything. It’s the way you’re treating Buck and it’s the way you neglect me and the kids." She cleared her throat from the tears. She waited for him to say something, and after he didn’t for a few minutes, she decided it was time to go.

"Where will you go?" Kid asked desperate.

Lou just shrugged. "I don’t know."

"What about the kids?" he asked.

"I’m taking them with me. You don’t have the time to take care of them anyhow."

"Please stay, Lou."

"I can’t live with you anymore, Kid. I don’t know you anymore. You’re not the man I married."

"It’s all because everything that’s happened with Buck, right?"

"That thing with Buck only made me see things more clearly, Kid. We’ve been growing apart for awhile now. I don’t want to end up hating you."

"I’ll leave, Lou. You stay here." Kid begged.

"I don’t want you to do me any favors." Lou said.

"I love you, Lou." He said. "I don’t want any of us to leave."

"One of us have to." Lou said determined. "I love you too, but I can’t live with you. I want a divorce."

On to Chapter Three

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