OW

Dawn was breaking as Chris Larabee emerged from the livery, so he blew out the lamp he’d been using to ready his horse for morning patrol.

“What the?” he murmured as he glanced toward the saloon.

In a chair, pillow tucked behind his head, boots propped on a barrel, mouth gaping wide as he snored, sat Buck. An empty coffee cup dangled from his fingertips, dropping with a clank and bringing him to wakefulness with a snort and a grab for his gun.

“Easy big fella,” Chris laughed. “What happened to you?”

Buck yawned and stretched. “Blossom’s husband came home.”

LB

“Sit cross-legged on the pillow.”

“Like this?” JD said, taking his position and holding his arms wide.

Vin frowned. “What are you doing?”

“Making like the lady with all the arms in that picture Uncle Josiah showed us.”

“Oh, well put ‘em down.”

JD dropped his hands. “Here’s the cup.”

Taking it, Vin corrected, “The magic lamp.”

“Right.”

Vin rubbed the object vigorously and JD jumped up, arms crossed. “What is your wish, master?”

“Genie, I want new boots just like Da’s.”

JD frowned. “You’re s’posed to wish for money and flying carpets and stuff. Next time, I’ll be Aladdin!”

OW

Ezra groaned in relief as he fell back into the wide welcoming embrace of his down pillow. A patrol to check on outlying properties, an all night poker game, followed by an unexpected order from Judge Travis to ride out after a stagecoach robber at dawn. He was exhausted.

“Should take my boots off,” he mumbled, making no move to do so. Another cup of Vin Tanner’s disgustingly strong coffee might give him enough energy, but lacking that stimulant the most Ezra could manage was to roll onto his stomach and extinguish the lamp before succumbing to a much-needed sleep.

CSI - AU

Josiah’s eyes narrowed as he observed the scene. “These boots aren’t his,” he said, checking his rubber gloves before picking one boot up and holding it to the glow of the lamp. “The victim is at least a size 10-Wide and these can’t be more than an 8.”

Nathan nodded. “That cup next to the bed tests positive for sedatives. The killer drugged him first and then suffocated him with a pillow. I’ll bet he never knew what happened.”

“Oddly merciful for a murder,” Josiah murmured. “And we know he’d been sick. Has anyone questioned the ex-wife?”

“I’ll call Chris.”