A smug smile crossed Ezra's face as he pushed away from the poker table. He'd just won the fourth hand in a row. Sheriff Blanchard swore several times at the samll amount of money remaining in front of him. He'd lost two weeks salary to the gambler.

"Perhaps, Sheriff Blanchard, you would be luckier with another endeavor." The sheriff grunted in exasperation and moved to the end of the bar.

"Smith," the man to Blanchard's left leaned in. "Go over by the door. When I give you a signal start a fight."

"Why?"

"It don't matter why. You just do it!"

Chris joined Vin in front of the jail. In the evening light he watched a handful of people milling about in the street. He nodded in acknowledgement to JD who still stood watch outside the hotel.

"What ya think the judge is gonna do?" Vin's voice broke the silence between them.

"He said he'd listen to Cheyenne. Hear her side of it. After that . . ." His voice trailed off. "I'm gonna check things over at the saloon. Make sure the fellas from Coyote Springs aren't causin' any trouble."

Lily wiped up a spill at the far end of the bar. She could feel Sheriff Blanchard's eyes watching her every move. She remembered Chris's warning to watch out for the man. Ezra had pocketed his winnings and now joined her behind the bar.

"Lily, you're looking a bit pale this evening."

"It's been a long day." She tried to smile at her business partner. "I think I'll go up to my room for a few minutes." Sheriff Blanchard watched Lily out of the corner of his eye as she climbed the stairs. As she reached the top he nodded toward Smith at the door.

Angry voices rang out. The sound of a chair breaking pulled Ezra from behind the bar. Blanchard quietly sped up the stairs while everyone was occupied by the fight. Turning the corner at the top he saw Lily pause at her open door. He quickly crossed the feet between them.

"Wha-," Lily's question ended in the air as the sheriff shoved her harshly through the door. She caught the edge of the dresser to keep herself from falling. The click of the door's lock echoed behind her. The sheriff's large hands spun her around.

"You lied to me. I been talkin' to some people and it sounds like you and Sanchez were friends."

"I suggest you take your hands off of me and get out of my room." She pushed at him with both hands. He grabbed her wrists and forced her hands behind her.

"Yeah, well, I think we're gonna have a little talk first."

Chris heard the shouting and breaking glass from two buildings away. He quickened his step to the saloon. The swinging doors gave way to a fight that was gaining participants. He quickly separated the pair in front of him. He watched as Ezra ducked a punch. The gambler struck his opponent with a hard blow to the jaw sending the man sprawling on the door. Chris quickly glanced around the smoky room.

"Ezra, where's Lily?"

"She went upstairs right before this happened."

"Where's Blanchard?" Ezra sucked in a deep breath and scanned the room.

"He was at the bar a moment ago."

"Damn!"

"Make it easy on yourself. Tell me where Sanchez is hiding." Blanchard's left hand held Lily's hands behind her. His other hand grasped her throat tightly.

"I don't know." Her voice creaked out through difficult breaths.

"No one's gonna care if I break the neck of some whore." His fingers tightened even more. The edges of her vision began to blur. She tried to struggle against him but he only grasped tighter.

Wood cracked and splintered behind them. It took a second kick by Chris before the lock broke sending the door flying open. In one quick movement he pulled Blanchard from Lily. He sent the sheriff flying into the hall. Ezra had followed on Chris's heels and now watched the two men wrestling in the hall. Chris broke free and pointed his gun at the sheriff's head.

"You're leaving!" Chris's voice rang with rage.

"I'm here on official business. I got every right to question her." The sheriff stood slowly brushing his clothes.

"You can take it up with Judge Travis in the morning, but right now you're leaving." He pushed Blanchard toward the stairs. He nodded to Ezra in a silent request to check on Lily.

"Lily?" Ezra knelt down where Lily half lay on the floor. She rubbed her neck where the sheriff had held her.

"I'm alright." She took Ezra's offered hand and stood. "Where is he?"

"Mr. Larabee is escorting him from the premises."

Sheriff Blanchard protested all the way to the saloon's doors. Chris tried to ignore the comments the man made about Lily. He ordered the other men from Coyote Springs out of the saloon along with the sheriff. Outside the swinging doors Chris gave the man a final shove.

"You'll regret this Larabee."

"Touch her again and I'll kill you." His tone left no doubt that Chris meant the threat.

Across the street Chris could see JD and Molly watching the scene with interest. The young man's hand was poised on his gun. Chris gave a short wave as an instruction that the trouble was over and to stay at his post.

The remaining saloon patrons whispered among themselves when Chris reentered. He wanted to get back over to the jail and make sure all was quiet. But first he needed to check on Lily. Ezra stood silently behind the bar sipping a glass of whiskey. He waved for Chris to join him and poured a second drink for the gunslinger.

"I see you have effectively dispatched the sheriff and his men."

"I don't want any of them, especially Blanchard, back in here."

"That's agreeable to me. I seemed to have relieved the sheriff of most of his money anyway." Ezra saw Chris take a long glance up the stairs. "She's out back."

"What?"

"Lily, she's out back. She said that she needed a breath of fresh air."

Chris slipped down the hall past the store room to the back door. The night was bright from the stars above. He heard Lily before he saw her. In the quiet night the sound of her vomitting was easy to follow. He saw her silhouette as she bent over the water pump. He allowed her a moment of privacy as she pulled herself together.

"Lil?" She turned at his voice. She wiped her face with a wet hankerchief.

"I'll be fine." He moved close taking her face in his hands. In the darkness he tried to search her eyes to see if she was telling him the truth.

"Uh huh." Lily knew by his tone that Chris didn't believe her. She reached out resting a hand on his chest.

"I will. It was a bit upsetting but I'll be fine."

"I want Nathan to have a look at ya."

"That's not necessary. I just need to go to bed. Besides Nathan and the rest of you have more important things to attend to."

Chris took her arm and lead Lily back into the saloon. He pulled Ezra aside and whispered a few words before leading her up to her room. She laughed at the broken wood around the lock and door knob.

"I guess I owe you a new door."

"Let's not think about that tonight."

"Ezra's been given orders not to disturb you the rest of the night. You should sleep in one of the empty rooms. I'd stay but-," Lily held up her hand halting his stream of words.

"You have other responsibilities. I'm fine and Ezra will keep an eye on things. Please, just go."