Josiah’s Box 1

“Josiah Sanchez had at one time been a priest, but, as he put it, he had a problem turning the other cheek. He had been raised to be a priest by his father, who had been a traveling priest for the Catholic church. Though he no longer claimed the title or wore the collar, Sanchez did preach occasionally in the church in Four Corners.” Ezra pulled out a very worn Bible and handed it to Josiah as he spoke.

“However his father was a harsh, cruel man, and his cruelty drove Josiah from his home as soon as he was old enough to survive on his own. Josiah’s sister wasn’t so lucky, her father’s abuse eventually left her insane. After her father’s death, she lived in a convent several miles from Four Corners and Josiah only got to see her a few times a year.” Ezra told them sadly as he pulled a small painting of a woman that closely resembled Josiah’s own sister, who had been drain damaged at birth due to a high fever. All of them were sad as the thought of the pain Sanchez would have experienced for her sake.

The next things Ezra brought out were a brightly colored Mexican style poncho and a revolver, both of which he handed to Josiah so that they could be passed around.

“Sanchez rebuild the church at Four Corners, and as you saw, would frequently rope the others into helping as often as he could get away with,” Ezra quipped as he grinned. Next out were sketches as with the other collections; there were ones of Sanchez with various townspeople, and in various places, even one of him standing behind the pulpit of the church.

“According to the histories I have, Sanchez never married. The only two women he ever showed romantic interest in had no real interest in him,” Ezra told them before they could ask.

“Who were they?” Buck asked.

Ezra hesitated a few moments before answering. “A young woman he had known before coming to Four Corners and a woman that visited the town infrequently.”

“Who?” Josiah pressed, seeing that the undercover man knew more than he was telling.

Ezra sighed, loathe to reveal the secret. He slowly pulled another sketch from the box and looked at it for a few minutes before handing it to Josiah and announcing, “Maude Standish.”

The sketch he revealed showed Josiah escorting Maude down the street. Everybody, including Josiah laughed, for she looked exactly like Ezra’s mother now.

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