Stephen chilled out in Blackwater for two days before moseying north on horseback.

  Crossing the Upper Montana River and passing Riggs Station, he saw the same train he'd taken on the way there, still stuck.

  Those knucklehead O'Driscoll gang members had really done a number on it, wrecking a bunch of parts when they stopped it.

  Out in the boonies like this, there was no fixing it. They were stuck waiting for some techie to come all the way from Saint Denis.

  Once at Riggs Station, Strawberry wasn't far off. Just a hop and skip up the little road along the tracks.

  Strawberry was a cute little town. Their mayor was hell-bent on turning it into a nationally famous tourist spot.

  The town snuggled at the foot of the hills, hugged tight by woods all around.

  A crystal-clear creek trickled down from the hills and through the town, giving it that resort vibe you see later on.

  Here's the thing: Strawberry was a dry town, and they meant business.

  Raise a ruckus drunk, and you'd find yourself cooling your heels in the slammer.

  That's why Strawberry was probably the most law-abiding town around.

  Stephen rode easy down Main Street, nodding and waving as vendors called out friendly greetings. Folks knew him around these parts after a year of helping the Sheriff's office bag bad guys.

  He was kind of a big deal in the town.

  Stopping in the middle of the little bridge at the town center, Stephen just had to snap a shot of the place with his camera.

  *Click!* and there it was, a photo that screamed old-timey.

  Pleased as punch, Stephen stowed away his camera and rode toward the hotel.

  He wasn't the kind to buy a house anyway. As he liked to say, he spent more time in the wilds than indoors.

  Mostly, he was camping out under the stars or holed up in some hotel.

  "Ha, the bounty hunter rides again! Looks like you had yourself a good haul," the hotel owner said with a grin. "Judging by that white horse you're sitting on, I'd say you struck it rich."

  "Heh, not really. Just a good horse, that's all," Stephen chuckled. "That room I always take, is it still open?"

  "Sure is. It ain't exactly tourist season. Truth be told, things have been dead as a doornail." The owner shrugged, sounding bummed.

  This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

  Stephen piled his stuff on the counter. "Stow this for me, will ya? And have the stable boy see to my horse. I gotta swing by Sheriff Malloy's office next door."

  "You got it," the owner replied with enthusiasm. "Want me to get your supper going? Same as always?"

  "Yup."

  Stephen flashed two bills on the counter, turned, and walked out.

  The Sheriff's office was a stone's throw away, right next to the saloon.

  Perched on a little rise at the north entrance of Strawberry, it overlooked most of the town.

  Stephen pushed the door open, finding Sheriff Malloy sitting there all alone.

  The sheriff looked up at Stephen with something that sounded a lot like a sigh of relief “Thank god, you’re finally back”

  Hearing those words, Stephen had a sinking feeling, trouble had found him again.

  “Lay it on me, what is it now?” Stephen flopped down on the chair across from the Sheriff with a weary sigh.

  The sheriff seemed uneasy. He shuffled a few times in his chair, “There was… A murder over at Beryl’s Dream”

  "Beryl's Dream? How is that even news?" Stephen asked, tilting his head “Who'd they kill?”

  In the West this sort of thing was pretty common

  Stephen knew Beryl’s Dream, its north of Strawberry with great scenery, but really deserted.

  "My... My Cousin." The sheriff had to gather up his strength to even get those two words out, “he and his family used to work at some Factory in the East, until he was laid off, so i had them come out here to see me...”

  “I had them get off at Riggs Station so I could meet them.”

  “But for some reason they ended up at Wallace Station then walked all the way to Beryl’s Dream.”

  "Sorry to hear that" Stephen sighed looking over at the shell of a man behind the sheriffs desk and consoled “Did anyone say what happened”

  The sheriff simply shook his head starting to choke, “I… don’t know. But that isn’t the problem. My cousin and his wife were murdered but their kids… their kids are missing!”

  “No…” The sheriff looked up “There wasn’t anything at the scene other then two corpses.

  Seeing his sheriff looking really out of it, Stephen pulled out a bottle of beer from his satchel.

  Sam downed it straight from the bottle ignoring manners

  He downed the whole bottle in one fell swoop “Thanks. All the cops I have are a bunch of deadbeats”

  “So you want me, bounty hunter extrordiaire, to sub in as a Detective to rescue you relatives and get revenge” Stephen asked hesitant about committing himself.

  “Your the expert at catching criminals; but this, well.”

  Beryl’s Dream was sprawling hills going up against mountain regions, It wouldn’t be a walk in the park

  “I beg you, Stephen I don’t have anyone else I can ask” Sam was really old as he locked Stephens hand with his and almost burst into tears.

  “I’ve let my guys loose looking for clues, but its been days without end. Even worse some two of them got mauled by wolves. Please, help me I don’t know what to do”

  “Stephen you’re the only competent Lawman I know and I really hope you’re there for me now”

  Sam rambled about to the point where the situation was almost comical so with a deep breath in Stephen relented “Alright alright. I’ll think about this tonight and come over tomorrow for an answer”

  “I have to thank you over and over. It means everything that you will help” The sheriff had started up from his chair nearly giving Stephen a bow.

  “Well let’s not get hasty now,” Stephen spoke back “I have to let you know, I can't guaranty there will be anything conclusive with the matter, only I’ll commit to searching high and low, wherever they might be. Deal?”

  “More then any promise I could want. Now that's everything, thank you."

  Doing the best to console the situation as it came Stephen went away

  Standing around the Sherriff’s office at the setting of sun the colors gave off such beautiful shades and highlights

  Everything there made the current land all the more desirable in its beautifulness

  Regardless as the situation has shown you cant say anything regarding such

  “It seems like my existence is destined only by strife.” Stephen uttered out loud