It had been six months since the last time Eli saw a Syndicate associate. Today he had seen a dozen, standing in front of the judge, receiving their sentences for their part in the devastation that had stretched from the mountains of California, through the desert plains of Arizona and tearing through his beautiful home state of New Mexico. 

The seats in the courthouse had not been comfortable. His back ached as he went down the stone steps from the courthouse to the street. Although it was a cloudy, stormy day, there were many people all around him. A man on the sidewalk just after the steps was selling newspapers under a large canopy that kept him and his papers dry. Whoever bought one had to keep it dry themselves. 

He was busily handing out papers while constantly calling out, “Get your paper here! Syndicate men see their day in court! Read all about it! Papers! Get your paper here!”

Out of curiosity, Eli walked casually toward him, stepping under the canopy and handing the man two pennies. “I’ll take one,” he said. The man didn’t even look at him. He gestured to the bowl on a tall stand beside him and held the paper out. 

Eli took it with a “thank you” and walked on down the street. He glanced down at the paper, his heart beating rapidly for a moment when he caught the headline. 

SYNDICATE SINS COME TO ROOST IN STATE COURTHOUSE

Was he mentioned? Johnny? Reverend Sam? 

He folded it in half and tucked it under his arm, glancing up at the sky. The clouds swirled, thunder rumbled, brief bursts of lightning making the clouds bright for a moment or two at a time. 

His first stop was the telegraph office, where he sent a message to the Copper Ridge relay station, giving them the news of what had happened. Sentences were handed down. Men had gone to prison. Others to the gallows. Some were allowed to return to their families but were on a probationary period that would be rescinded if they were caught in any nefarious deeds. 

Most of the men he didn’t recognize had been sent home. He’d noted that they all had administrative duties in the Syndicate, a job he himself would have been doing, had he not rejected their invitation so he could raise Johnny. The realization had given him pause and much thought as he left the courthouse afterward. 

Eli stepped out of the telegraph office and headed for the station paddock to get his horse and head back to Copper Ridge. He was several yards away when he saw a familiar buggy pulled by unfamiliar horses. The occupants were hidden by the colorful canvas stretched over the top and down the sides, held in place by large wooden tassels. 

A head poked out from behind the canvas to look directly at him. 

He gasped, smiling at the same time. It was Rosa, decked out in an impressive dress that made her look like a queen, the barrettes in her hair looking like bright jewels entrenched in gold. She had added a touch of rouge to her cheeks and lips, making them just a bit redder than usual. He appreciated the gentle color on her smooth pale face.

“What are you doing here?” he cried, exaggerating his surprise a bit. Next to her, Johnny leaned forward, a big smile on his face. “And you, too! All right, what’s going on here?”

Just a moment later, the buggy shifted and Sam’s face appeared above Johnny’s. 

“Here I am!” he announced loudly, making Johnny cringe and give the preacher a funny look. Sam returned it with a chuckle. “Sorry about that, kid.” 

Johnny’s smile was bigger when he turned his face back to Eli. “How did everything go, Uncle?” he asked, pushing Sam back into his seat so he could get out of the buggy. Eli walked over and held his hand up to help Rosa out. 

“It went as expected,” Eli replied as Rosa grasped his hand, giving him a grateful grin.

“Thank you, dear,” she said. 

Eli nodded. “You’re welcome.”

“And what do you mean by expected?” Johnny pushed on. “I don’t know anything. I wish I could have been in there with you. I wanted to see what it’s like.”

Eli shrugged, taking in his friends as they made a circle near the station building. “It was a bit boring, Johnny. I’m not sure you would have enjoyed it. The men at the top, those who were identified as gunslingers were charged with murder. Some men were charged with conspiracy and other minor offenses. Some were only charged for being a part of the Syndicate, running the offices, making cuts in the telegraph lines.” He gave a pointed look to his nephew, who raised his eyebrows. 

“Well, I didn’t expect them to be charged!” Johnny exclaimed. “Just think, Uncle. That could have been you!”

Though his nephew was making light of something he’d also considered, Eli didn’t let it be known he had taken the threat seriously. 

“Truly, I’m grateful to you, Sam,” he said. 

Sam looked surprised. “What are you grateful to me for?” he inquired, his voice soft with emotion.

“You sent me Johnny.” The words sounded so plain to Eli’s ears. But they were filled with gratitude. 

Johnny’s face reddened. His eyes misted over. “Aw, Uncle. What a nice thing to say.”

Eli held out his arm and Johnny walked to him, letting his uncle pull him into a side hug. “You’re a great motivator, Johnny. You kept me going when I thought there was nothing left to live for. When you were a toddler, your laugh made me laugh. As you grew, you learned so much, made me learn too. There’s a good chance I would have joined the Syndicate if it hadn’t been for you.” He pointed at Sam. “And you’re the one to thank for that, Sam. So both of you saved me.” 

“What a wonderful tribute to your friend and your nephew, Eli.” Rosa smiled, taking a step forward to put one hand on Johnny’s shoulder. “I think you’re all just wonderful men. I’m glad I could be a part of this day with you. Thank you for bringing me, Sam.”

Sam grinned, giving her a nod. “It wouldn’t be a celebration without your presence, Rosa.”

 

Two hours later, the carriage rumbled up to the relay station at the mountain pass. Eli hadn’t been gone long but for some reason, he felt like it had been years. Just the sight of the building made him smile, a feeling of warmth flowing over him. He was the first to climb out of the buggy. As anxious as he was to get inside and see the new additions to the station, he waited to help Rosa out of the buggy. 

The door opened and a man stepped out, holding one hand up in greeting.

Eli didn’t recognize him. He looked at Sam. “Who’s that?” he mumbled, leaning toward his friend. Sam glanced at the entrance as he climbed down from the buggy.

“That’s Lance Barker. He’s the new deputy sheriff now that Cal is gone. He’s a good man, decent, friendly, a little strict on business. But he’s easy to work with.”

“Lord, how long was I gone?” Eli remarked. 

“A lot of things can happen when you’re not in town for a month.”

Eli headed for the station with Sam on his heels. Johnny hurried forward and beat them up the steps to the deputy who patted Johnny on the shoulder while shaking the young man’s hand. The smiles on their faces when they greeted each other told Eli they were already good friends. After shaking hands, Johnny headed inside and Lance turned to Eli. 

“Hello, stranger,” the man said. “You may not remember me but I met you a couple years ago when I was first training in this job.”

Eli cringed. “I’m so sorry, Deputy Lance. I don’t remember you.”

Lance laughed. “Didn’t think you would. Don’t apologize! I’m sure I didn’t make an impact. You were very busy with your young man in there. Johnny is a delight, Eli. It’s been great learning about New Mexico and Copper Ridge from him. He’s very intelligent.”

“Thank you for saying so.”

“Come on in!” Lance held out his hand toward the door. “Welcome home!”

Eli never thought he’d enjoy hearing those words from a stranger. It meant almost as much as if Johnny or Sam had said it.

He followed Lance into the lobby of the station, stopping the moment he stepped inside. He breathed in deeply, inhaling the delicious scent of cooked meat and fresh bread. 

“What is that!?” he asked, instinctively placing one hand on his stomach. 

“That’s a delicacy my mother taught me how to make,” Lance replied. “Come and get a bowl. You’ll love it, I’m sure.”

Eli’s stomach growled for the food. He hadn’t known he was so hungry until he smelled the food Lance had made. The interior of the station looked different, too. The floors had been recently overlayed with fresh boards. They were almost as shiny as a mirror. The walls had been repaired, more than just putty filling the holes, although Eli remembered fondly that Deputy Cal had taken that job on without even being asked. 

As he passed the key room, he looked in, holding the door with one hand. The new sturdier table with the second key was still in place but another one had been put in another part of the expanded room. He hadn’t seen it with the extra four feet that had been added. He wondered how they had done it so quickly. While he’d been gone. It was hard to believe it was a month. 

He was about to turn away when the receiving machine began to make its distinctive clicking sound. Eli glanced into the kitchen and dining room. Johnny, Rosa, Deputy Lance and Preacher Sam had gathered around the table. They were chatting, laughing, smiling. Eli’s heart sang with joy that his home was now much more of a family atmosphere, instead of the relay station he’d tried to make into a home for himself and his young nephew. 

He went in the key room and sat at the receiving key, pulling a pen and a piece of paper from the slot under the tabletop. He sat there, jotting down the letters as they were sent by Morse Code. 

By the time he had written two sentences, he realized it was a cipher. One he hadn’t seen in several years. Maybe even longer. The message sounded ominous, if what he was understanding was correct. 

He sat for a moment after the message was done, staring at the cipher. He made a few adjustments. With a quickening heart, Eli realized the terminology reminded him of messages he’d been receiving a year ago, two years ago. As far back as five years. It was similar to the cipher used by the Syndicate in the middle of their reign of terror through Arizona and New Mexico. 

It was a different operation. Different men, same M.O. 

Someone in the upper part of Texas was using the same playbook, the same techniques as the Syndicate. What he had was just a fragment of what was going on. Not the whole picture. 

Eli stood up, tucking the paper he’d written the cipher on into the back pocket of his trousers. He paused, staring out the window by the key for a few moments into the back yard, staring at scenery that, while the relay station may have been changed, the woods and the mountain would never change. 

He left the key room behind, a new mission in the back of his mind. He grinned at Johnny, resting a hand on the boy’s shoulder before pulling out a chair and sitting at the table. 

Soon he had joined the lively conversation between his friends, his future taking a back seat in his mind. For now, he would just enjoy being home and being in the presence of good friends and family.

THE END