{"id":14624,"date":"2017-08-05T23:03:27","date_gmt":"2017-08-06T03:03:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=14624"},"modified":"2025-09-25T15:41:06","modified_gmt":"2025-09-25T19:41:06","slug":"the-cup-of-bitterness","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=14624","title":{"rendered":"The Cup of Bitterness (by Questfan)"},"content":{"rendered":"

Summary:<\/strong>\u00a0 After being cleared for shooting Zach Crenshaw in self-defense, Joe tried to square things with Zach\u2019s father. While he thought he was helping Amos Crenshaw to dig a well, Amos had other plans for that hole. \u00a0\u00a0A WHI for “The Wormwood Cup.”<\/p>\n

Word Count: \u00a09,689 \u00a0 \u00a0Rating: T<\/p>\n

Disclaimer: All publicly recognisable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author.\u00a0 The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise.\u00a0 No copyright infringement is intended.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The Cup of Bitterness<\/strong><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The story so far: \u00a0Joe was exonerated for shooting Zach Crenshaw in self-defense after witnesses stated that Zach had drawn first. Zach\u2019s father, Amos told Joe he blamed him and wished he was dead, but then a stranger showed up in town putting up posters everywhere, offering $1000 to anybody who killed Joe Cartwright in a fair fight. The person responsible was Linda Roberts whose brother had been gunned down in Carson City. \u00a0Joe was initially questioned, but then allowed to go after an eyewitness said it wasn\u2019t him. \u00a0Linda came to Virginia City seeking her own brand of justice, while Joe was busy trying to settle things with Amos Crenshaw.<\/p>\n

Two grieving people, hellbent on revenge, both setting their sights on Joe!<\/p>\n

**********<\/p>\n

Amos Crenshaw paused and leaned on the shovel. His back ached from the untold hours of digging and he slowly flexed his shoulders as if he could make the ache shift. It was nothing in comparison to the ache that had settled in his chest and refused to move. It was an empty hole where his heart had been ripped from his chest the day Roy Coffee had told him that Joe Cartwright had gunned down his boy. It would never be whole again. The fact they\u2019d both been robbed of justice burned like a fierce forest fire and he struggled to keep it in check.<\/p>\n

\u201cZach \u2026 I promise you, boy \u2026 he\u2019ll pay for it. I promise you!\u201d Amos muttered the oath he had spoken so many times he\u2019d lost count. Once again he hefted the shovel into his hands and resumed digging. The well was almost deep enough to drop that murdering whelp into. Six feet wasn\u2019t anywhere near enough for Joe Cartwright.<\/p>\n

Once he was done, he\u2019d claim the other five hundred dollars he was promised and he\u2019d think about what to do next. The land he\u2019d worked for so many years held nothing for him anymore. A thousand dollars was no kind of compensation for Zach\u2019s life, but it would be something to start over with. It would take him far from the bitterness of Virginia City and its corrupt coroner\u2019s jury and sheriff. The same coroner who said the evidence showed Little Joe had killed his boy in self-defense. As his rage began to well up again, Amos felt his arms mechanically hefting more dirt into the bucket. \u00a0Evidence, be damned! Joe Cartwright had wriggled out of a murder charge again because his pa had the clout to make folks look the other way. Just like had happened over in Carson City where he\u2019d gunned down Linda Roberts\u2019 brother and gotten away with that one too.<\/p>\n

Amos\u2019 fingers clenched around the handle of the shovel as he forced down the bile once more. Justice might have failed at the hands of those who claimed to uphold the law, but it wouldn\u2019t fail a third time.<\/p>\n

Yes, Joe Cartwright would be buried so deep that nobody would ever find him. Maybe then, Ben Cartwright would have some idea of how it felt for him. \u00a0Of course, he had a gravesite to visit. Ben Cartwright would be left waiting and wondering for the rest of his life just where his boy had gotten to. It seemed like a fit punishment for the man who had sheltered his son from justice. The man who had paid money to protect the guilty, just because he was wealthy enough to do so. Well money wasn\u2019t going to do him any good in the end. His son would be just as dead as Zach. Only where Zach\u2019s grave was dug just six feet down, Joe Cartwright\u2019s final resting place would be at the bottom of a deep, dark well shaft. It seemed a fitting ending for someone so high and mighty to fall so far.<\/p>\n

An eye for an eye. That was justice.<\/p>\n

The never-ending rage fueled his arms as he continued digging. It was a bitter kind of triumph<\/strong>, but he would come out on top or die trying.<\/p>\n

\n

Joe stared at the words on the paper, his mind turning in three directions at once. He felt his father\u2019s calming presence beside him and didn\u2019t need to look up to know his pa\u2019s eyes were on him. Exoneration had been slow in coming, but at least now Clem could do something direct to publicly clear his name, once and for all. The evidence<\/strong> presented at the inquest had been enough for the coroner, but clearly not for some of the townsfolk, but this left no doubt as to his innocence.<\/p>\n

He glanced up to see Miss Roberts staring at him. Her face was an open mixture of regret and something else. As he watched her for a moment, it became clearer what it was.<\/p>\n

Fear.<\/p>\n

He couldn\u2019t tell if it was fear for him or fear of the cost to herself over her own actions. Joe smiled automatically at her in a vain attempt to wipe that look away. Truth be told, he carried the same fear in his gut. Not that he would admit it, but a thousand dollars was a lot of money to any man and Miss Roberts had been very open and vocal about her willingness to pay it. Despite his angry responses to his family about keeping him out of sight and away from stupid young men willing to collect on his death, he\u2019d carried that nagging fear with him for days.<\/p>\n

Joe startled as he realized that Clem was speaking again and he\u2019d missed it.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ve been to the newspaper and told them to print an update, but it won\u2019t be out until tomorrow and it\u2019ll take a few days for the news to filter out. So stay put, Joe, for a few more days.\u201d Clem watched him closely, knowing just how much Joe had rankled at being confined.<\/p>\n

\u201cJoe?\u201d His father nudged his arm and he looked up again to see a round of expectant faces.<\/p>\n

\u201cHuh? Yeah, sure \u2026 a coupla days.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben looked closer at his youngest boy and frowned. Joe was clearly not with them in the room.<\/p>\n

Miss Roberts was trying to apologize once again and Ben watched as his son moved towards her and spoke words of grace and forgiveness. His son\u2019s easy smile didn\u2019t fool him one bit even as their guest finally relaxed a little.<\/p>\n

It wasn\u2019t until Clem said he\u2019d ride out and let Amos know about the wire that Ben understood where his son\u2019s thoughts really were. His gut clenched as Joe said he\u2019d ride out with the news himself. He couldn\u2019t explain why, but he\u2019d been uneasy about Joe going out each day to help Amos with his well. The first day he\u2019d almost rushed into the yard when he heard Joe\u2019s horse returning. The fact it had gone so smoothly finally allowed him to put aside his misgivings and agree that Joe\u2019s approach had been the right one. If Amos Crenshaw was ever going to heal and forgive his son, they needed time to work it through.<\/p>\n

Long after Clem had left with Miss Roberts in tow and Joe had ridden off to the Crenshaw ranch, Ben sat staring into the fire.\u00a0 What would he do if one of his sons had been gunned down by a friend\u2019s son? Could he forgive the boy? Or would he allow bitterness to take over?<\/p>\n

Ben leaned back in the chair and rubbed a tired hand over his eyes. What would he do if one his sons murdered another person? It was such a preposterous idea and yet he could not shake it. Another day, not so many years ago, arose in his mind. He\u2019d sat out the night watch with a virtual stranger as he waited for his three boys to return. First Adam and then Hoss had walked through the door, with a tale to tell of how they had tracked a man they believed had murdered their father. Neither of his sons had broken the law in their pursuit, but his youngest had not returned straight away. Ben closed his eyes and squeezed the arm of the chair as he recalled his first sight of his youngest boy arriving with the dawn. Joe carried his father\u2019s rifle and ugly doubt had burned in his heart. Had Joe taken an innocent life, albeit under mistaken beliefs?<\/p>\n

That moment still tormented him in his dreams from time to time with the nagging fear of Joe being sent to the gallows for murder. It was an image he still struggled to cleanse from his thoughts and it churned his stomach every time he awoke breathing wildly, hands clenching the sheets into knots. What bothered him most of all was his apparent lack of faith in his youngest boy. He had never discussed it with anyone, but he knew that both Adam and Hoss had seen it. Or sensed it, maybe.\u00a0 He\u2019d been rattled to find himself asking just how much he knew about his youngest son.\u00a0 When Joe had been accused of murdering Zach Crenshaw and vehemently denied it, he had leapt to his son\u2019s defense. He had believed Joe\u2019s explanation without question. So why had he harbored doubts when Joe had been slow to return that long, dark night?<\/p>\n

Ben pushed forward in the chair and slowly headed towards the cabinet. He poured himself a glass of brandy and slowly pushed the stopper back into the decanter.\u00a0 It had been an anniversary gift from Marie. She had ordered it months in advance to be shipped out from the East to the wilds of Nevada where men slugged whiskey and warm beers. Brandy was a genteel drink. Something to remind him there was more to life than the harshness of a frontier life in a wild part of the land. He smiled as he recalled Marie presenting him with the gift and her radiant smile as he opened it. Each time he poured a drink from the beautiful crystal he could not help but be reminded of the woman who had given it to him. The fact her son had been the cause of many of his drinks was not lost on him.<\/p>\n

\u201cJoseph!\u201d Ben whispered to himself as he lowered himself back into the chair and raised the glass to his lips. He was oblivious to the sound of the door opening and heavy booted feet moving across the room towards him.<\/p>\n

\u201cPa? You okay there?\u201d<\/p>\n

Hoss settled himself on the table, across from his father and waited to see if he would respond.<\/p>\n

Ben looked up, almost surprised to see his son sitting so close.<\/p>\n

\u201cSorry, Hoss. I was just thinking.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWorryin\u2019 more like it.\u201d Hoss chewed at his lower lip as he watched his father\u2019s face. The glass of brandy was almost empty and he wondered if he should offer to refill it.<\/p>\n

\u201cNo \u2026 not worrying.\u201d It was almost the truth and Ben glanced down at the floor, unable to meet his son\u2019s gaze. \u201cJust wondering.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAbout?\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben looked up again, seeing the face of his middle son with the firelight playing over it. Hoss was the most honest and straight up man he knew. It never occurred to the boy to deceive others. It was a side of his son\u2019s character that had left him gullible at times to others\u2019 deceptions, including Little Joe\u2019s when the boys were younger and Joe had taken great delight in playing tricks on Hoss. Adam had often just rolled his eyes as Hoss was left covered in flour, or holding the heavy object that Joe was supposed to be helping him with. Or worse still, left trying to cover for his younger brother to keep Joe out of trouble. Those were the ones that grated most as his honest nature went to war with his protective instincts.<\/p>\n

\u201cAbout what kind of man Joseph has grown into.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat\u2019s to wonder about, Pa? He\u2019s still just as annoyin\u2019 as he\u2019s been since he was knee high to a grasshopper!\u201d<\/p>\n

It was meant to elicit a smile and Ben \u2018s mouth twitched at the corners.<\/p>\n

\u201cPa?\u201d Hoss\u2019 smile had disappeared as he stared at his father\u2019s tense features again. \u201cJoe\u2019s gonna be okay. That newspaper article\u2019ll clear things right up and pretty soon the Virginia City gossips\u2019ll have somethin\u2019 else to waggle their tongues over.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re right, Son.\u201d Ben smiled at Hoss once again and nodded in agreement. How could he share his fear with his son when he couldn\u2019t even really define it for himself?<\/p>\n

Hop Sing chose that moment to call from the corner of the dining room that dinner was almost ready and the opportunity slipped away. As the two of them sat down to eat, the empty chair on his right was like a bugle call in the wind, alerting him to danger, but telling him nothing of substance. As Hoss talked about something to do with stocking line shacks, Ben nodded and commented as needed while his thoughts rode along a dusty track to a ranch where a brokenhearted father would be hearing the news his youngest son had to deliver. He just prayed that Amos Crenshaw had the ears to hear it.<\/p>\n

\n

Joe tugged on the reins, even though there was no real need, as Cochise knew the way around into the yard even without his lead. It was more of a way to keep his thoughts from running away and keep them focused on something mundane more than anything else. It was almost mechanical as he slid down from the saddle and wrapped the reins around his hand. The next twenty minutes disappeared as he unsaddled his horse and began to brush him down. By the time Ben stepped into the barn looking for him, Joe was still lost in thought. He had expected his son back hours ago and had almost been ready to go looking for him.<\/p>\n

\u201cJoseph. Are you alright?\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe\u2019s elbows rested against the stall railing as he absently rubbed at Cochise\u2019s nose.<\/p>\n

\u201cJoe?\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben watched as his son startled at the sound of his voice.<\/p>\n

\u201cSorry, Pa. Just gettin\u2019 Cooch bedded down for the night.\u201d He reached for his hat that was planted on top of a corner post and grinned at his father as he walked towards the door.<\/p>\n

\u201cJoe \u2026 how did it go?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh \u2026 fine, Pa! Just fine.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben caught himself from commenting about how \u201cfine\u201d was Joe\u2019s answer to everything, especially when he didn\u2019t want to talk about something. It was clear that everything was not fine, but his son was a grown man who would speak when he was ready and not before.<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, Hop Sing has kept some supper warm for you.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSounds good, Pa. I\u2019m starved!\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben chuckled as the comment was more like Hoss than Joe. By the time Joe had settled himself at the table with a plate before him, Ben was barely holding himself from pacing. He wanted, no needed, to know what had happened. He needed to know that Amos had taken Joe\u2019s word as truth and there was no more need to worry for his son\u2019s safety. When it was obvious that Joe wasn\u2019t going to volunteer anything, it was Hoss who came to his rescue.<\/p>\n

\u201cSo \u2026 how\u2019d Amos take the news?\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben held his breath at the directness of the question, knowing Joe could go either way. He slowly let it out when it appeared his son was actually going to talk and not clam up.<\/p>\n

\u201cHard to tell.\u201d Joe paused with a forkful of potato half way to his mouth. A faint frown crept across his face as he recalled Amos\u2019 strange demeanor. He shoveled the food into his mouth and chewed slowly, as if giving himself time to think.<\/p>\n

\u201cBut he believed you, right?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, Pa. He believed me.\u201d<\/p>\n

The tone behind the comment wasn\u2019t lost on either of the two men and Hoss glanced across at his father.<\/p>\n

\u201cBut? What ain\u2019t you tellin\u2019 us Joe?\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe shoved the plate away from his as he simultaneously pushed himself up from the chair.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt doesn\u2019t make his son any less dead!\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben rose and followed his son across the room, before placing a calming hand on his shoulder.<\/p>\n

\u201cJoe, we all know that what you did was self-defense. If you hadn\u2019t fired, Zach would have killed you!\u201d<\/p>\n

And I\u2019d be in Amos Crenshaw\u2019s boots instead!<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cI know that, Pa. I guess I\u2019m just tired. I\u2019m gonna call it a night.\u201dLong after Joe had made his way upstairs, Ben sat and stared into the fire. Something more had happened and whatever it was, it had rattled his youngest son.<\/p>\n

\n

Joe stared at the face that reflected back at him in the mirror.\u00a0 He tried to see himself as Amos Crenshaw saw him. He pulled back from the mirror and sat down heavily on the bed instead.<\/p>\n

He\u2019d arrived at the ranch the day before and found Amos sitting at the table with two places laid out and a loaf of bread and coffee pot on the table. He\u2019d heard a voice as he stepped up onto the verandah and glanced around for another horse. Surely if Amos had a visitor, there\u2019d be a horse. Maybe it was in the barn instead. It was enough to make him pause as he didn\u2019t want to be delivering his news while Amos had a guest. Then again, it was news that wouldn\u2019t wait.<\/p>\n

When he discovered that Amos was in fact alone, he\u2019d been surprised and more than a little unsettled. He glanced around the small cabin, noting some of Zach\u2019s things about the place.<\/p>\n

\u201cTake a seat, son. Just made a pot of coffee for us.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe edged into the seat, wondering at the strange comment. Amos had no way to know he was even coming, let alone make a pot of coffee for him. He brushed it aside and tried to focus on why he was there.<\/p>\n

The piece of paper in his pocket carried his exoneration, but would a grieving father see it that way?<\/p>\n

As he sat on the bed and stared at the floor, Joe heard somebody hammering on the front door. It was enough to jolt him out of his thoughts and he hastily pulled on his boots. It was far too early for a social call and anything else usually meant trouble. Hadn\u2019t he had enough trouble for one month?<\/p>\n

Hoss tugged the front door open and was surprised to see Clem standing there. He\u2019d promised he\u2019d get things sorted with the newspaper and when Joe agreed to stay out of town for a few days, they didn\u2019t expect to see him again so soon. The look on his face didn\u2019t bode well either.<\/p>\n

\u201cHoss, is Joe in?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAhh yeah, he\u2019s just up \u2026 \u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m right here. What\u2019s wrong?\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe stood at the top of the stairs, looking like he hadn\u2019t slept a wink the night before. He made his way down the rest of the way, never taking his eyes off the lawman. He noted his father had come out of the kitchen and all three men moved together and stood like some kind of barrier against whatever was coming.<\/p>\n

Clem tugged his hat off and began to slowly circle it through his fingers. The look on his face spoke volumes.<\/p>\n

\u201cJoe, I\u2019m sorry to do this, but I need to know where you were yesterday, after I left here.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat\u2019s this about, Clem?\u201d Ben edged closer, as if sensing trouble before knowing what it was.<\/p>\n

Clem held up a hand and pointed towards Joe. \u201cI need an answer, before I can tell you that. Where were you Joe?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI went out to see Amos Crenshaw, like I told you I would. Why?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd did you go into town at all?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo! You told me to stay out of Virginia City until you got things settled.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat\u2019s this about, Clem?\u201d Ben\u2019s voice had an edge to it that Clem knew only too well. He ignored it and stayed focused where he needed to be.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat time did you get back, Joe?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cLate. I wasn\u2019t watching the time, but it was late.\u201d<\/p>\n

Clem glanced across at his father and brother. \u201cEither of you two know what time Joe got home?\u2019<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was after ten. Pa was gettin\u2019 worried and we \u2026\u201d Hoss trailed away as he saw Clem shake his head.<\/p>\n

\u201cJoe, I was here before noon yesterday. Can you explain why you were gone over ten hours?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat is this? An interrogation! I told you I went to see Amos Crenshaw.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s about a half hour ride from here, Joe. You tellin\u2019 me you spent eight or nine hours out there with Amos?\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben laid a hand on his son\u2019s shoulder, warning him to keep his temper in check. \u201cAll right, Clem. Joe told you where he went. Now \u2026. what\u2019s this about?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cLinda Roberts was murdered last night. Her neck was broken.\u201d Clem allowed that to sink in before continuing. \u201cThere\u2019s more than a few folk in town pointing the finger your way, since you\u2019re the only person with an obvious reason to kill her.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat!\u201d\u00a0 Joe shrugged off his father\u2019s hand and took a step closer before pointing a finger at Clem. \u201cYou were here yesterday. We squared things! Why would I kill her now when it\u2019s all been sorted?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNow Joe, I ain\u2019t saying I agree with them, but you have to admit, it\u2019s a fair assumption. Now, care to tell me again what happened yesterday?\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe seemed to wilt before their eyes. Ben grasped at his elbow and gently steered him towards the sofa. He had a bad feeling that whatever Joe had kept from them yesterday was about to come out. He hated feeling unprepared, especially when he was going to be needed to defend his son against yet another unfounded accusation.<\/p>\n

\u201cLike I said, I went to see Amos Crenshaw. He was acting \u2026 well \u2026 strange!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat do you mean by strange?\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe looked up at the lawman, knowing that anything he said was being noted.<\/p>\n

\u201cStrange! I heard somebody talking when I got to the front door and figured he had a visitor. Turns out he was just talkin\u2019 to himself.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cLots of folks do that. Don\u2019t mean nothin\u2019.\u201d Hoss settled on the table across from his brother.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was more than that. He had a second place set at the table and when I came in he thought I was Zach.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThe man\u2019s still grieving. Maybe he was just confused for a moment.\u201d Ben watched his son closely as he grew more agitated.<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, Pa! It was more than that. I can\u2019t explain it.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cTry, Son. It\u2019s important.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHe got real mad at me. I showed him the telegram from the sheriff at Carson City and he told me I\u2019d murdered Zach and was making up stories to make him look like a killer. He said that other folks knew that now too because Linda Roberts had made sure everybody knew.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben felt his anger rising as the young woman\u2019s misguided attempt at achieving justice was causing his son a world of grief.<\/p>\n

\u201cI told him Linda had retracted her offer of a thousand dollars because the sheriff at Carson had proved I was innocent. I told him it\u2019d be in tomorrow\u2019s paper.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd what did he say to all that?\u201d Clem was taking careful note of the story as it tumbled out.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe collapsed. Dropped into the chair like a sack o\u2019 potatoes. I thought I was gonna need to go for the doc, but he insisted he was fine and didn\u2019t need no doctor.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDoes he still think you murdered Zach?\u201d Ben reached a hand for his son\u2019s arm, half afraid of the answer.<\/p>\n

\u201cNo.\u201d Joe shook his head slowly as if considering the answer. \u201cHe said the sheriff at Carson must have known what he was doing and Miss Roberts got it all wrong after all.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cJoe, that still doesn\u2019t explain why you were gone for so long yesterday.\u201d Clem waited patiently, looking for the final piece of the story to make sense.<\/p>\n

Joe scrubbed a hand across his face. He hadn\u2019t let on just how rattled he\u2019d been by the whole mess and he needed time to think. He\u2019d promised his father he\u2019d stay on the ranch so he\u2019d gone to the one place he could. The lake. Time up there always calmed his nerves as he talked out his fears in private.<\/p>\n

\u201cI \u2026 well I wanted to make sure he understood things. I offered to help him with some chores and chopped some wood and stuff.\u201d<\/p>\n

He carefully left out the part where Amos had called him Zach another time or two. The old man\u2019s behavior was odd and he\u2019d needed time to clear his head before coming home. Maybe he\u2019d talk to his pa about it once Clem was gone.<\/p>\n

By the time Ben ushered Clem out the door and stood by the man\u2019s horse, the unsettled feeling in the pit of his stomach had not gone away. A father was still grieving the pointless loss of a son and a young woman had been needlessly murdered. Since not even Linda Roberts knew the identity of the man who had taken the first five hundred dollars from her, Clem had his work cut out for him figuring out who had murdered her. What he hadn\u2019t told Joe was that there was no sign of any money in Miss Roberts\u2019 room. Even if he\u2019d had the slightest inclination to believe that Joe had killed her, the money going missing seemed to prove otherwise.<\/p>\n

\u201cBen, this isn\u2019t over yet. You need to keep Joe out of Virginia City. And watch out for strangers until I get this thing sorted out.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat aren\u2019t you telling me, Clem?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhoever killed Miss Roberts took the rest of the money. Now it could have been simply an opportunistic theft, but it could mean that \u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat Joe is still in danger!\u201d Ben felt his anger rising once more.<\/p>\n

\u201cExactly.\u201d<\/p>\n

Small spits of rain began to fall from the sky as both men realized the morning had darkened while they\u2019d been inside.\u00a0 Black clouds scudded across the sky from the west and Ben frowned as he looked up. At least bad weather might keep his youngest son from straying too far.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019d better get moving before this rain hits.\u201d Clem pulled his hat down a little lower as he nudged his horse forward. \u201cI\u2019ll keep you posted, Ben.\u201d<\/p>\n

It had been many years since his sons had needed their father to protect them, but it did not stop a father worrying. As he glanced upwards again, he felt the heavens reflected his own mood.<\/p>\n

\n

Ben had been saved the argument that he knew would have ensued when the thunderstorm rolled in and hovered over the Ponderosa and surrounds for two days. It kept them all close to the house as only the most urgent jobs were taken care of. The bulk of the herd was in an upper pasture and would simply have to take shelter as best they could. By the time the last of the storm had blown itself out, the damage was obvious. Trees had come down and the yard was turned to mud. There was no telling how bad the damage would be elsewhere and each man was dispatched to check and either repair what they could or report back what was needed. Ben deliberately made sure that Joe was assigned an area that was deep within the Ponderosa boundary and if his son noticed, he kept it to himself.<\/p>\n

\n

Amos sat at the table with a stone cold coffee pot, staring at the far wall. His eyes didn\u2019t register the rough-hewn timbers or the play of sunlight against the window. His fingers clenched around a wad of notes.<\/p>\n

That stupid girl had been sucked in by the Cartwrights and their lies, but he hadn\u2019t been fooled. She might have retracted her story, but he knew better. Ben Cartwright had simply paid her enough to shut her up. He felt his fingers flexing against the paper and he choked back a sob. Mere money would not do anything to erase his loss, but his plan still stood. It was just a matter of time before that no-good murderer showed up again, trying to assuage his own guilt by helping him dig a well and chop his wood for him.<\/p>\n

Amos closed his eyes as if he could blot out his anguish. This house had been his life for so long and now it meant nothing. It had once rung with laughter and life and now a shroud of death hung over it. Unbidden memories danced before his eyes and he reached for the whiskey bottle on the shelf.\u00a0 Sarah had never liked liquor in the house and he groaned as her face played before him. She was laughing as he took her in his arms and tried out a waltz<\/strong> across the kitchen. He had two left feet, but she never seemed to mind. She was a good woman who\u2019d been taken from him too soon. \u00a0The promised blessing of a second child had turned to a nightmare when first his tiny newborn daughter and then his wife had lost the fight to live.\u00a0 Zach was the last of her he had and now that had been taken from him too. He groaned again as the pain caught in his chest. A swig from the bottle did nothing to ease it so he took another. And another.<\/p>\n

\n

Joe rubbed his hand across his brow before replacing his hat on his head. He\u2019d had enough of riding fence for one day. The storm had wrought some heavy damage in the lower pastures where rivers of water had gushed through fences, dragging loose branches and debris with them. He\u2019d pulled enough fence posts into line as far as he could without tools and noted where he needed to return to tomorrow.<\/p>\n

As he sat astride Cochise and surveyed the valley below, he wondered again how the Crenshaw ranch had made out. It was lower set than most of the Ponderosa and there was a sizeable creek at the top end. If it had burst in the storm, it could have done some serious damage.<\/p>\n

Amos Crenshaw had left him spooked the last time he\u2019d seen him, but as Joe considered all that had been said, he felt a nagging need to go and check on the man. After all, Pa was right. The man was grieving and confused. That was all.<\/p>\n

\n

It was over an hour later that Joe dropped from his horse and tied Cochise\u2019s reins to the railing outside Amos\u2019 door. The yard was a mud pit, much as the Ponderosa looked. Hop Sing had been hard-pressed keeping the floors free of mud and had loudly threatened in both English and Chinese that he was going back to China if they didn\u2019t stop making work for him. Joe chuckled as he thought of the man and carefully picked his way across to Amos\u2019 door.<\/p>\n

When he got no answer to his knocking, he became concerned and nudged the door open.<\/p>\n

\u201cMister Crenshaw? You in here?\u201d<\/p>\n

Amos raised a hand to ward off the sunlight that streamed through the door. He blinked several times and saw his son silhouetted against the doorframe.<\/p>\n

\u201cZach?\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe stopped at the threshold and shook his head.<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, sir. It\u2019s me, Joe Cartwright.\u201d<\/p>\n

Amos felt the bitterness rising up from the pit of his stomach and he lurched forward from the chair. The almost empty whiskey bottle tumbled from his fingers and smashed on the floor. The preacher had once said something about the bitter taste of wormwood and he knew just what the man meant. Death brought bitterness. Injustice brought bitterness. The only thing that could erase the taste was what he had been planning for weeks.<\/p>\n

The light behind him gave Joe an other-worldliness and Amos frowned in disgust. The boy always did have the air of an angel about him. Got away with murder, he did! Just because he could smile and charm the boots off everyone. Well his halo was about to slip right off and fall in the mud where it would never polish up again.<\/p>\n

\u201cAin\u2019t nothin\u2019 ever gonna fix that again,\u201d he muttered to himself.<\/p>\n

Joe felt the tension in the room, but it was too late to back up now. Something was very wrong as he\u2019d never seen any sign of the man drinking before and yet he was clearly drunk. Before he could think what to say next, Amos had shuffled towards the table and grasped at his handgun.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou thought you were so smart! You thought that your looks and your money would save you from the noose!\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe froze as the gun wavered in his direction and he tried to gauge if he could make it to the door or not. Amos\u2019s aim was unpredictable, but even a lucky shot could kill a man.<\/p>\n

\u201cWell maybe you were right about that! Maybe justice only comes to those who can\u2019t afford to pay off people.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe bit his lip as objections arose in his mind. Winding the man up would do no good while ever he held that gun.<\/p>\n

\u201cNow drop that gun of yours, nice and slow on the floor.\u201d Joe felt his fingers itching to grab hold of the gun and fire, but he would not take down a drunken, broken down old man. There had to be another way to stop him before it came to that.<\/p>\n

\u201cLinda Roberts knew what you are and she at least had the gumption to do something about it. I took her money. Not because I wanted the money, but I wanted to be the one who brought you down.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe stared across the table at the broken father and saw the truth in his eyes. He\u2019d taken the blood money and plotted his revenge.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou killed her?\u201d The words were little more than a whisper.<\/p>\n

\u201cDidn\u2019t mean to, but she was gonna scream and I couldn\u2019t have her ruining things. Not when I was so close. Don\u2019t matter now, because I got you right where I want you. All the time we\u2019ve been diggin\u2019 that hole out there, you had no idea it weren\u2019t no well. It was your grave!\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe flinched at the venom in the man\u2019s voice as the final piece of the puzzle dropped into place. His pa had been right to worry and he\u2019d missed what was right under his nose.<\/p>\n

\u201cNow move, boy!\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe stared back as Amos waved his gun towards the door.<\/p>\n

\u201cI said, move!\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe slowly stepped back outside, his mind racing.\u00a0 Cochise snorted as he passed by. There was nowhere to hide and the ground was too sodden to run. Amos pressed the barrel of the gun into the back of his head and pushed him forward across the muddy yard.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou don\u2019t want to do this. It won\u2019t bring Zach back.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, but it\u2019ll make me feel better.\u201d<\/p>\n

As he neared the edge of the well, Joe saw that several pieces of boarding had pulled loose. He knew it must have been the storm and that water had flowed into the hole. He had no idea how much or how deep it was, but it wasn\u2019t going to make much difference if he had a bullet in his head.<\/p>\n

Joe could smell the sour stench of whiskey on the man\u2019s breath as he paused at the edge. The hand that held the gun was shaking and he held his breath, praying that something just might turn in his favour.<\/p>\n

“This is for you, Zach.” The words tumbled out in a rush and Amos reached forward to push Joe’s shoulder. He didn’t count on younger, sober reflexes and Joe grasped at his wrist as he turned back towards him. Amos pulled his hand back while still trying to take aim, but suddenly found he had no traction in the mud. With nothing to lose and possibly everything to gain, Joe pushed against the older man, trying to dislodge the gun in his hand. The muddy sides gave way beneath their feet and they both stumbled on the slick ground. If Amos hadn’t been so intent on following through on his plan, Joe might have managed to stay upright. Instead, he felt Amos grasp at him again and the gun fired as the two of them tumbled together into the hole.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\n

Hoss watched as his father paced the length of the room once again. Normally he\u2019d be offering excuses of where his wayward little brother could be, but he held his tongue. His father\u2019s worry was no more than his own and he couldn\u2019t believe that Joe would keep either of them waiting while he slipped into town for a beer or some such nonsense. He knew Joe was champing at the bit to be allowed off the Ponderosa, but his brother wasn\u2019t stupid either. Until Clem said otherwise, the threat was still there, hanging over all of them.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe was goin\u2019 up to the northern fence line again today.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben stopped pacing and looked at his middle son.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll saddle some horses.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben nodded as he saw his own worry reflected back at him.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ll find him, Pa. Don\u2019t you worry.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben shook his head as he reached for his gun belt. It was a father\u2019s job to worry and with Joseph in mind \u2026 well worry just seemed to go hand in hand with his youngest son.<\/p>\n

\n

Sensation was slow in coming back. He wasn\u2019t sure where he was at first. The water that covered his legs smelled like damp clay and something else.\u00a0 It took a few minutes for his thoughts to catch up with his senses. All around him it was dark.\u00a0 And wet. \u00a0He shivered as he looked around before finally looking up. A square patch above him twinkled with distant starlight and he frowned at the strange image. \u00a0Sitting together beneath a starry sky<\/strong> was supposed to be a romantic thing, at least as far as Becky had told him. He struggled to recall when that had been. Last week? The week before? Whatever the case, it wasn\u2019t romantic now. The stars looked different and he shook his head in a vain attempt to make things make sense. Now the stars seemed to dance around him instead.<\/p>\n

Finally, Joe remembered where he was. Sitting at the bottom of a half-dug well. He reached up with his hand to rub his face and was rewarded with a shooting pain up the length of his arm. As he sank back into oblivion, he vaguely remembered that someone else had been with him.\u00a0 He just couldn\u2019t remember who that was.<\/p>\n

\n

\u201cWe can\u2019t track in the dark, Pa.\u201d<\/p>\n

It was an obvious statement, but Hoss wasn\u2019t sure his father was listening.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ll be back out at first light. We\u2019ll find him, Ben.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cJust like you found who murdered Miss Roberts?\u201d<\/p>\n

It was an unfair question and Clem bit back his immediate response. He\u2019d told this family he\u2019d keep Joe safe if they just kept him on the Ponderosa. Well Ben had done his part, but Joe had still gone missing. It was possible somebody had snatched him from right under their noses. The question still remained \u2013 who would gain anything from such a thing? Linda Roberts\u2019 retraction had been printed and gossiped about far and wide. There was no money left to gain from the bounty on Joe\u2019s head. \u00a0Had her challenge stirred up something that couldn\u2019t be stopped and somebody had gone after the young man anyway?<\/p>\n

Hoss stepped closer to his father and tried to defuse the anger in the man\u2019s stance. Clem wasn\u2019t the enemy. The problem was, he didn\u2019t know who was.<\/p>\n

\u201cPa, we\u2019ve got men ready to ride and Clem\u2019s gonna pull together a posse in Virginia City.\u201d<\/p>\n

It was logical and organised and made perfect sense and yet Ben could not shake the sense he was missing something. He nodded as he looked at his son\u2019s worried face. Hoss couldn\u2019t hide anything if he tried and Ben patted his shoulder as if they could somehow draw comfort from each other.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re right. First light.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ll find him.\u201d Clem tipped his finger against his hat as he made for the door. The problem was, he wasn\u2019t half as confident as he sounded.<\/p>\n

\n

The first streaks of dawn turned the sky a faint pink. Joe struggled to open his eyes and shivered against the cold. His legs felt like they were no longer attached to him and he glanced down to see he was sitting waist-deep in muddy water. Across from him, Amos Crenshaw was huddled against the side of the well. His eyes were closed and Joe couldn\u2019t tell if he was even breathing.<\/p>\n

It took far longer than he would have expected to pull himself upright against the wooden planking that shored up the side of the well. His left arm was clearly broken and he sucked in a groan of pain as he gingerly tucked his wrist in between the buttons of his shirt. It wasn\u2019t much of a sling, but it would have to do.<\/p>\n

\u201cMister Crenshaw.\u201d He pushed against the older man\u2019s shoulder, hoping for some kind of sign of life. His own fingers had very little feeling in them, but he pushed a hand in under Amos\u2019 neck. Before he could find a pulse, the man stirred and lifted his face upwards.<\/p>\n

\u201cZach? What are you doing?\u201d Amos looked up at the young man\u2019s muddied face in confusion. \u201cDid something happen?\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe stared at him for a moment and only then realised that Amos’ other shoulder was covered in blood.<\/p>\n

\u201cLet me take a look at that.\u201d<\/p>\n

Amos frowned at him as Joe peeled back his worn work shirt and inspected the bullet wound. He eased the man forward to see if there was any sign of an exit wound and barely held back a comment when he saw smooth skin.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ve gotta get you out of here.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe\u2019s legs buckled under him as he went to step back and he tumbled backwards into the muddy water. On instinct, he went to break his fall with his arms and he screamed as his left arm made contact with the mud beneath him.<\/p>\n

\u201cZach! What\u2019s wrong, boy?\u201d<\/p>\n

Amos scrambled across the space between them and reached a hand out to Joe\u2019s face. The tenderness in the touch reminded Joe of his own father\u2019s hand and he bit back what he had intended to say. If Amos believed he was Zach, then maybe he\u2019d be more co-operative.<\/p>\n

\u201cBroke my arm when I fell.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cZach, what are we doin\u2019 down here?\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe studied the man\u2019s face and saw confusion in the older man\u2019s eyes as he looked all around their muddy prison.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was an accident. But it\u2019s okay. I\u2019ve just gotta climb up that shoring and we\u2019ll both be getting outta here real soon.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe reached for the wooden structure and felt it shift against his hand. The rain had loosened the sides of the well and nothing was guaranteed to still be anchored. Still, nobody knew where they were and neither of them could afford to stay put. As he reached out a hand and tried to figure out a one-handed climbing technique, Amos pulled him back from the wall.<\/p>\n

\u201cNow Zach, it\u2019s clear as day that your arm ain\u2019t gonna hold up to that. Let me get up there, Son and I\u2019ll get us a rope to get you out too.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe couldn\u2019t be sure if the man who\u2019d threatened his life would change his mind once he got to the top or if the confused father would do as he said. Either way, he was right. Joe was in no shape to be climbing.<\/p>\n

Amos had barely made it much more than six feet up the rickety bracing when it gave way. He toppled backwards and Joe had nowhere to go in the cramped space. As Amos crashed into him, Joe was forced into the water face first. He tried to push off the bottom of the well and gulped a mouthful of foul water. His arm was on fire as he crawled back up against the wall and tried to stop himself from vomiting. It took a moment to realize that Amos had fallen and not gotten back up again.\u00a0 His head was turned side on and Joe scrambled to pull him upright out of the water. The older man made no sound as Joe tugged him up against his chest and tried to check he was still breathing.<\/p>\n

\u201cCome on \u2026 you can\u2019t quit on me now, you old buzzard!\u201d<\/p>\n

\n

\u201cYou sure he went to the northern fence line, Ben?\u201d<\/p>\n

“He was up there the day before yesterday and said there was still a swathe of fence he needed to check on. It\u2019s where he said he was going and when we rode up that way yesterday, we could see where he\u2019d been working. He was there, Clem!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell hopefully we\u2019ll pick up some tracks from there. The ground is still soft from all the rain and Hoss should be able to find something.\u201d<\/p>\n

It had been over an hour since that conversation and not much had been said since as riders covered the ground, looking for clues.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis way!\u201d A shout from Hoss had them all moving towards a rocky outcrop from all directions. Ben reined in beside his son, trying to see what Hoss was pointing out.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere, Pa. There\u2019s a track leading down that way. There ain\u2019t no other tracks up this way and I\u2019d bet that\u2019s where Joe went.<\/p>\n

Before anyone could comment, Hoss nudged his horse forward with Ben following closely behind.\u00a0 It made no sense that Joe would have headed away from home as he had clearly been working on the fence line.<\/p>\n

After some time of trailing along in silence, Clem pulled his horse alongside Ben.<\/p>\n

\u201cHow far is it from here to the Crenshaw ranch?\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben\u2019s eyes narrowed at the question. \u201cWell over an hour\u2019s ride at this pace.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat are you gettin\u2019 at Clem?\u201d Hoss turned back in the saddle towards the two men.<\/p>\n

The lawman had worked under Roy Coffee for long enough to know that hunches often were worth listening to. \u201cI don\u2019t know for sure. But Joe clearly didn\u2019t head for home and there\u2019s no other tracks that Hoss has found.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou reckon Joe mighta gone to check on Mister Crenshaw after the storm?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s certainly possible.\u201d Ben knew his son felt somehow responsible for ensuring the man was managing after losing his son. \u201cBut that doesn\u2019t explain why Joe didn\u2019t come home last night!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, from what Joe said, Amos Crenshaw isn\u2019t exactly a full bottle at the moment.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd he told Joe outside the courthouse that he wished he was dead.\u201d Hoss had struggled to keep his fists to himself that day.<\/p>\n

Ben felt his fear etching up another notch and he hastened to quiet it down again.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat was weeks ago! Amos stopped those two new hands we hired from collecting on the bounty on Joe. He\u2019s a grieving father who said some things in anger, sure. But if he really wanted to harm Joe, why would he have saved him from those two? Surely he would have left them to it.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI guess you\u2019re right, Ben. I\u2019m just trying to figure where Joe could have gone and I\u2019m just putting the pieces together as they seem to fit.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hoss swallowed down the nagging voice that told him he could be trading a tangible trail for an unknown. \u201cPa, it makes more sense than anything else so far.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben hesitated for only a moment before digging his heels into his horse\u2019s flanks. He didn\u2019t stop to look behind him, but he could hear the pounding of hooves behind him as raced towards the Crenshaw ranch.<\/p>\n

\n

Joe was beyond cold. The water had taken away any sense he had left in his legs. He\u2019d tried several times to pull himself up the wooden shoring, but each time either his strength or the wood had given out, sending him plummeting back into the water. Finally he\u2019d been forced to concede defeat and he\u2019d settled down to wait. While it was true that nobody had known where he\u2019d gone, he figured that sooner or later somebody would think to try the Crenshaw\u2019s. He just prayed it was sooner rather than later.<\/p>\n

Amos had awoken a few times and each time he was no more coherent than the previous time. Joe had given up on reminding him that he was not Zach and allowed the man to think he was leaning up against his son. Beneath the smear of mud across the old man\u2019s face, he could make out skin that looked almost grey. He wasn\u2019t sure if it was from blood loss or the cold, but either way, Amos wasn\u2019t looking good.<\/p>\n

The morning sun had shifted into the sky, bringing a little warmth into the darkened hole and Joe jolted awake. He\u2019d been dozing on and off with no real idea of how much time had passed.<\/p>\n

\n

Ben pulled up his horse alongside Cochise and almost fell from the saddle. It was clear the horse was unharmed and he prayed his son would be in the same condition.<\/p>\n

\u201cJoseph! Where are you?\u201d He shouted as he ran for the door and pushed it open. He had no use for manners and wouldn\u2019t wait for Amos to open the door.\u00a0 The room was empty and cold and the fire had long since burned out in the hearth. \u201cJoseph!\u201d<\/p>\n

Hoss clambered down from his horse and stood in the empty yard, surveying the churned up mud. His father raced back out on the verandah and hollered again.<\/p>\n

\u201cJoseph! Where are you?\u201d<\/p>\n

Clem already had men spreading out to search the outer buildings as Hoss held up a hand. \u201cQuiet down!\u201d<\/p>\n

It took another moment of silence for them to hear it.<\/p>\n

Joe had wondered if he was dreaming when he heard his pa\u2019s angry morning bellow rousing him out of bed. It hadn\u2019t been that long since he\u2019d gone to bed and he really \u2026<\/p>\n

\u201cPa?\u201d<\/p>\n

The chill surrounding him caught his voice in his throat, but he tried again.<\/p>\n

\u201cPa! We\u2019re down here.\u201d<\/p>\n

A moment later, the square of light above him grew darker as multiple heads appeared at the edges.<\/p>\n

\u201cJoseph! Hold on, Son. We\u2019ll have you out of there very soon.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe couldn\u2019t muster a reply so he nodded instead. Somebody was coming to take care of things and he could let go.<\/p>\n

Hoss had volunteered to be lowered down into the hole, but it was decided he was needed to help haul the two men up instead. One of the hands, who was not much heavier than Joe, looped the rope around his boot and allowed himself to be lowered into the darkness. As he dropped into the knee-deep water, he was surprised at just how cold it was. Joe was watching him, but seemed sluggish in his movements. A man he\u2019d never seen before, but assumed was Amos Crenshaw was leaning against Joe\u2019s shoulder.<\/p>\n

\u201cTake him up first.\u201d Joe tried to help pass the second rope around the man\u2019s torso, but his hands seemed to cramp up.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s alright, Joe. I got him.\u201d<\/p>\n

Matt watched as those above hauled on the rope and the limp body rose from the mud. He wasn\u2019t a doctor, but he didn\u2019t see any real sign of life in the man.\u00a0 Minutes later the rope descended again and Matt reached behind Joe to secure it around his chest. He tugged on the rope and helped ease Joe to his feet as the rope went taut.<\/p>\n

By the time he was hauled up from the well, he could see the two men had been taken inside. Smoke curled from the chimney as somebody hastened to get a fire going and he knew enough from being down in that cold hole for less than twenty minutes that both men were in dire trouble.<\/p>\n

\u201cPa?\u201d Joe was shivering so hard inside the blanket he could barely form the words his mind was searching for. \u201cIs he \u2026 is \u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

The man laid out on the floor and wrapped in layers of blankets looked dead. His cheeks were so pale against the mud spatter and he hadn\u2019t so much as twitched.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s alive, Son.\u201d Ben held back any further comment, afraid he\u2019d lose control if he said anything more about the man who had tried to kill his boy. \u201cNow let\u2019s get you both warmed up.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n

Joe pushed at the heavy log with the iron poker and watched a shower of sparks rise up the chimney. He\u2019d tried sleeping, but had given up on that idea. It was the same most nights. Every time he closed his eyes, he found himself falling down an endless black tunnel.<\/p>\n

\u201cCan\u2019t sleep?\u201d<\/p>\n

He jumped as his father moved up alongside him. He\u2019d been so lost in thought that he\u2019d been oblivious to the footsteps on the stairs.<\/p>\n

\u201cNo.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWould a brandy help?\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe shrugged his shoulders and nodded anyway as his father made his way across the room to the decanter. Whiskey hadn\u2019t helped Amos Crenshaw deal with his demons.<\/p>\n

He slid back down onto the table and accepted the glass being held out to him. It still felt strange using his right hand, but it would be a few weeks yet before he could take off the splint on his left arm.\u00a0 He looked down at his arm and frowned. A broken arm and a bruised head was all he had to show for what Amos had done. Sure it had been days before he truly felt warm again, but it seemed so little on the outside against what was going on inside. He\u2019d kept that part buried. Nobody needed to know about that part.<\/p>\n

\u201cSon?\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe jolted as he felt his father\u2019s hand on his shoulder. Clearly he\u2019d missed something.<\/p>\n

\u201cJoe, talking might help.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat\u2019s there to talk about? Zach is dead. Linda Roberts is dead. Mister Crenshaw is dead. Nothin\u2019s gonna change that!\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben had seen the money strewn across the table and his son\u2019s gun lying on the floor. It didn\u2019t take a genius to put the pieces together and see what had transpired in that room. For all his words of peace towards Joe, it was clear that Amos had just been biding his time and plotting to kill his son after all.\u00a0 The fact he\u2019d died less than an hour after being hauled out of that well had meant he\u2019d never be held to account for his crimes. Perhaps that was just as well because he didn\u2019t think Joe could withstand another inquest so soon after the whole saga with Zach.<\/p>\n

Ben slipped an arm across his son\u2019s shoulder and pulled him closer. \u201cSon, none of that is your fault.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was my idea to stick my nose into things at their ranch. I said I\u2019d help dig that well. I shoulda just stayed away like you said.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben tried to find the right words. Something that would shift the impasse for his son. Regret could hold a man captive just as surely as prison bars could.<\/p>\n

\u201cJoe \u2026 grief is a strange beast. It can twist a man\u2019s mind and make a sane man, crazed. Amos had more than his fair share of grief. His son had drifted and was making choices that cost them both dearly. He couldn\u2019t see past that grief.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe twisted on the table and looked up at his father\u2019s face.\u00a0 \u201cBut you\u2019ve known grief too. And you\u2019ve never done anything crazy!\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben turned away to stare at the fire, deciding whether sharing would help or hinder his son.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve come closer than you think.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cJoe \u2026 when your mother died \u2026 I wanted to die too. I was so broken that I couldn\u2019t see past the thought of a day without her.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe felt his father\u2019s body stiffen as if he was willing himself to stay strong.<\/p>\n

\u201cOne day \u2026 one very black day \u2026 I was out in the barn with my gun in my hand. It would have been so simple to end the pain.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe stared at his father, tears welling in his eyes as he heard the story for the first time.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat stopped you?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou boys.\u201d Ben rubbed a hand across his face as he tried to pull his emotions together. \u201cYou all walked into the barn and you ran up to me, chattering about something. It was enough to jolt me back to my senses and realize I had so much more to live for.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe swallowed hard as he took in what his father was saying.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe had nothing left to live for.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNot that he could see.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHe thought I was Zach. He was confused and he kept calling me Zach.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben laid his hand on his son\u2019s shoulder once more. \u201cThen in a way, you brought him comfort at the end.\u201d<\/p>\n

Father and son sat in silence for some time, each lost in their own thoughts. Decisions, once made, could have a lifetime impact.<\/p>\n

The look of shock on Adam\u2019s face as he took in the scene that day in the barn was something Ben would never forget. He\u2019d almost made a decision that could have destroyed them all. The home that rang with life and laughter, that celebrated the festive<\/strong> season and other special days with gusto, could well have been destroyed in one fatal decision.<\/p>\n

He\u2019d thanked God many times over for pulling him out of the mire of grief and setting him on solid ground again. As he watched the firelight dance across his son\u2019s face, he knew that healing wasn\u2019t yet done, but it would come. Just as surely as day follows night, his son would come out of the darkness and his cup would turn sweet once more.<\/p>\n

The End<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Written for the 2017 Ponderosa Paddlewheel Poker Tournament.<\/p>\n

The words\/phrases dealt to me were:<\/p>\n

triumph<\/p>\n

evidence<\/p>\n

waltz<\/p>\n

festive<\/p>\n

beneath a starry sky<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Tags:\u00a0 Angst, Ben Cartwright, Clem Foster, ESJ, Family, Grief, Hoss Cartwright, Joe \/ Little Joe Cartwright, JPM, SJS<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Summary: After being cleared for shooting Zach Crenshaw in self-defense, Joe tried to square things with Zach\u2019s father. While he thought he was helping Amos Crenshaw to dig a well, Amos had other plans for that hole. A WHI for “The Wormwood Cup.”<\/p>\n

Word Count: 9,689 Rating: T<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":9743,"featured_media":14594,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"template-full-width-post.php","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_members_access_role":[],"_members_access_error":""},"categories":[23,41,27,40],"tags":[158],"class_list":["post-14624","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-drama","category-hurtcomfort","category-whi","category-challenges","tag-pppt","wpcat-23-id","wpcat-41-id","wpcat-27-id","wpcat-40-id"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/08\/Poker-2017.png?fit=931%2C664&ssl=1","jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14624","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/9743"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=14624"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14624\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/14594"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=14624"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=14624"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=14624"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}