Albert listened closely to what his uncle had to say and nodded along with it. He thought a little bit before he responded. "No, ain't too many'll be growin' old if things start ta get really bad 'round here. Mebbe it's time fer this place ta get cleaned up a bit, though. Get ridda summa the bad folk so y'all can return ta livin' a peaceful life."

Al's brow furrowed as the ranch hand paused. "Though you say it ain't up ta you...why not?"

Henry’s eyes move meaningfully over to Alice, Albert’s aunt, who is emptying her basket of apricots on the table behind them. After a moment, she ventures back outside. When she departs, Henry shakes his head. ”She won’t hear of it. Says we worked hard to build our home here. Done ten years of living in this place. Lots of memories. She feels it would be wrong to let ourselves be frightened away from it all.”

Albert nodded. "And she's prolly right. Women usually are. S'pose we just gotta be extra smart and extra careful just about now. Folk are well aware ta keep my name outta any commentary concernin' what happened last night. Assumin' they respect that it gives me some time ta figure out how ta do some prunin'. And weedin'."

He gestured generally toward town. "This kidnappin' thing's got folk riled up, includin' the newcomers I rode in with. Might be just the push folk need ta stand up. Oh, reminds me, one of the fellas I came in with is the new Methodist preacher. Offered ta give 'im a hand if needs. Said you'd be happy he's in town."

Henry nods and smiles. ”I got nothing against Father Narvaez. He’s a good man who loves the Lord, best I can tell. But I was raised Methodist, as were a number of folk around here. Pastor Benton, the last preacher at our church, he done up and vanished. No one knows where he got off to. But him being gone...it’s just been hard not being able to attend service on Sunday, hear a little truth to help you through some of the tough times.”

“So, he was right. I’m glad to hear we’ve got a new preacher in town. Him being here could go a long way to encouraging people. Helpin’ them not lose heart.”

Albert nodded at his uncle's response, glad to hear about his attitude. "Obviously I was raised that way, too. New preacher seems ta be made of purty stern stuff. He went ta help find them kids, too. Though speakin' of Pastor Benton, did anyone ever make any headway on findin' him?"

Henry sighs. ”No. And I tried to help some with that. A few of us started at the parsonage one morning, rode out in different directions, looking for any trace of Reverend Benton. Couldn’t find a thing. It was damned perplexing, Albert. The man had supper sitting out on the table. And he was just...gone. It’s still got several folks shook up.”

“We told the law, too. Before you roll your eyes at that one, I have to tell you, there was one of Sheriff Brady’s deputies, Lena Bauer, who took the Reverend’s disappearance real serious. She’s spent a lot of time tryin’ to locate him. Still is. Jeffrey and Dena Slaight have been seeing to the church while it’s been empty. Deputy Bauer talks to them and to Mike Kibbee at least weekly about anything she’s learned. Seems like she’s really doing all that she can.”

Albert nodded along with what his uncle was saying. "Interestin'. You talk to Deputy Bauer 'bout this recently? Since I'm stickin' my nose in other stuff, might as well do so here as well. Might'nt be a bad idea ta try'n figger out what happened ta Pastor Benton."

He looked out toward the horses. "After chores, of course."

”Can’t say as I have,” Henry admits. ”But I do see Jeffrey and Dena most every time I’m in town. Last week, they told me that Deputy Bauer didn’t have any news for ‘em.”

“Course, I would say Bauer’s pretty approachable, as the law around here goes. I imagine she’d talk to you about Pastor Benton.”

Henry finishes the last of his coffee, then stands with a grimace. ”Well, that fixin’ over on the east side ain’t gonna happen on its own. Sooner I get that ride out of the way, sooner I can get back here, enjoy a smoke on the front porch.”

Albert nodded. "Sounds like I'll be chattin' with her later."

He looked in the direction of his uncle's work, his own work, and his empty plate. "Yup, time ta start the day." He took care of cleaning up his plate and utensils, gave his Aunt a warm greeting, then headed out to do the work his uncle had assigned.

For the most part, the horses prove to be of a mellow temperament, pleased to be fed and watered, cooperative as Cooper changes the hay in their stalls. One of the stallions, a paint, along with Alice’s dun mare, are eager for a gallop in the corral, but their excess energy is quickly, and uneventfully, burned off.

When Cooper has finished tending to the mounts, it is mid morning, the cool air from the mountains still keeping a pleasant hold on the valley, the sun peeking out from behind a screen of feathery clouds

After taking care of his chores, Albert got himself washed and put on clean clothes. He chatted briefly with his Aunt Alice about nothing particularly important, though filled her in on the rescued children, his part in it, and what his plans were.

He then saddled Brandy and headed toward the east side where Albert could find his uncle. He simply wanted to wish the man well before Albert headed into town.

Albert locates Henry wrestling a fresh fence post into the ground at the eastern end of the ranch. He straightens up slowly as he sees his nephew approach, removing his hat to wipe his brow with a bandanna. ”You know the bad part of gettin’ old?” he asks, ”Everything takes twice as long. And it hurts, too.”

He smiles and shakes his head. ”But I just need to be thankful that I’m here to get it done. You off to town?”

Albert smiled at his uncle's commentary on aging. "I'll say what I always say. From my perspective, gettin' old beats the alternative."

Albert looked in the direction of town, then back at his uncle. He nodded at the elder Cooper. "Yup, headin' ta town now. Horses're fed and watered, hay changed, and they gotta chance ta burn off what excess energy they had."

The younger Cooper touched the brim of his hat. "Take care of yerself and Aunt Alice. I plan ta be back later, but I may be indisposed. If that happens, I'll try ta send word." He left unsaid that there was no guarantee of that. But his uncle wasn't an idiot.

Albert slowly turned his horse toward turn and urged some speed into her. Not too much - no need to tire her out. But he didn't want to plod toward Lincoln, either.

OOC: While Albert would want to head toward the deputy, given recent conversation, he will head to the main streets to see if anything catches his eye.

Cooper reaches Lincoln just as the first shops on the Main Street are beginning to open their doors, shopkeepers opening their doors and sweeping their porches. The scent of fresh made coffee and tobacco smoke wafts from the door of the nearby Ramsey Restaurant.  Walking past the eatery, on his way to the Courthouse, is a tall, barrel chested man that Cooper recognizes as Sheriff William Brady. The lawman nods in greeting as he passes.

Lantern light burns in the windows of the nearby Thornton-Curry Saloon, as well as inside the neighboring Wortley Hotel. Across the street, in front of the saddlery, Cooper spies a woman with blonde hair, dressed for the range, speaking with a dark haired bearded man that Cooper immediately recognizes as Javier Sanchez, the saddle shop owner. The woman, Cooper notices, has a deputy’s star pinned to her shirt.

Glancing further down, Cooper notices that there are already four individuals loitering on the porch of Wilson’s Saloon. He also catches sight of Dr. Earl Wood, the town physician, heading east down the Main Street at a brisk pace.

Albert scanned the town as he rode in, and he slowed Brandy to a slow walk as they moved through the streets. The ranch hand nodded politely to those he saw in passing, though eventually made for the saddle shop.

Albert hitched Brandy to a conveniently located post, then lowered his bulk to the ground with a louder sound than he made in his younger days.

He leaned against a nearby fence as the Deputy and Javier finished their conversation, and he again scanned about for anything out of the ordinary while waiting.

Sanchez and the deputy’s conversation lasts only for a moment more. Cooper notes nothing odd in the meantime, save for some raucous laughter from the group gathered in front of Wilson’s Saloon.

”Mornin’ Señor Cooper,” Sanchez says, as the deputy begins to pull on a pair of leather gloves, ”You looking for a new saddle today? Have something that needs fixin’ up?”

Albert nodded at the saddle-maker. "Mornin’, Señor Sanchez. Not lookin' fer a new saddle, no. Actually want a word with the Deputy if y'all are finished with yer conversation." The ranch hand gave the deputy a slight smile of acknowledgement as he mentioned she was the reason for his presence.

”Oh, si. Certainly,” the saddle maker replies. ”I need to get myself to work. I’m not careful, I’ll talk half the day away.” He gives Cooper and the deputy a friendly grin before retreating into his shop.

Bauer tilts the brim of her hat back, regarding Cooper with a curiously raised eyebrow. ”Usually, when someone comes looking for one of us this early in the morning, it means we’re in for busy day. What can I help you with, Mr. Cooper?”

Albert nodded appreciatively at the saddle maker as he made himself scarce.

The ranch hand tipped his head to acknowledge the Deputy's assumption about the day. "Well, ma'am, mostly I was curious 'bout what happened ta the last Methodist preacher. Was talkin' ta my uncle an' he said the fella jus' disappeared. But he also said you've spent some time tryin' ta figger that mystery. An' I was hopin' ta hear 'bout it from ya if ya've both time and inclination."

”Reverend Benton,” she says, ”Of course. I’d be glad to talk it over with you. You never know. Maybe in listenin’ to the story, you’ll catch somethin’ I’ve missed.”

She nods towards Ramsey’s Restaurant next door. ”You mind if I get a cup of coffee while we discuss it?”

Albert shook his head. "No ma'am, no problem if ya have some coffee. In fact I'd be glad if 'twere on my dime." He looked around at the options. "Ramsey makes a good cup."

Al moved ahead of the deputy so he could hold the door open.

Bauer thanks Cooper with a nod of her head. Inside, the scent of cooking food fills the air. A few of the tables are occupied, one of them by Patrick Garrett, who nods to Cooper in greeting upon recognizing him.

The deputy selects a table a few steps from the door, removing her hat as she settles into her seat. Claire Ramsey brings Bauer a cup of coffee and inquires if Cooper wants anything before leaving the pair to their conversation.

Bauer takes a sip from her cup, then looks at Cooper curiously. ”I’m guessing you’re a relation of Henry Cooper. Have to say, he’s one of the few honest men to be found around these parts right now.”

“Now, before I start boring you with a long story, I need to ask something. What’s your interest in the Reverend? Don’t get me wrong. Any help I could get in findin’ him, I’d welcome. It’s just, we’ve had a recent spate of folks wantin’ to take the law into their own hands without really thinkin’ things through. I’m not tryin’ to encourage anything foolish.”

Al removed his hat upon entering the building, and nodded back to Patrick as a return greeting. Albert selected the seat opposite Bauer, then settled his bulk onto the chair. He waved away Claire's inquiry, having eaten and coffeed himself back at the ranch.

The younger Cooper nodded at the deputy's assumption of his relation. "Yes, ma'am, I'm Henry's nephew. Like ta think he and I are mostly cut from the same cloth, though I've a ways ta go ta be worthy of such comparison."

Albert tipped his head slightly to the side at the question. "Well, ma'am, mostly I'm tryin' ta unnerstan' everthin' that's goin' on round here. What with them kids gone missin', an' another Methodist minister in town, it got me ta askin' Uncle Henry 'bout what happened ta the last one. Henry described somethin' of a mystery and pointed me in yer direction. If there's anythin' reasonable I can do ta help find the minister, I'd be keen on doin' so." There were obviously some things too dangerous for one man to tackle.

Bauer considers Cooper’s words. Taking another sip of her coffee, she says, ”I have to be honest, Mr. Cooper, there’s a lot of things wrong in Lincoln right now that I can’t change. But I kinda figured I might be able to get to the bottom of what became of Reverend Benton. He’s a good man and important to a lot of folks around these parts. The Sheriff’s been kind enough to give me a free hand to look into things as I see fit.”

“At first, I thought maybe the man had just up and run off. There wasn’t any sign of anything out of the ordinary at his home, aside from the fact that he’d left supper on the table. But when I looked real close around the house, I started to suspect that maybe somethin’ else had happened. See...”

Outside, somewhere nearby, a trio of gunshots ring out, followed by a full throated yell.

Albert nodded at what the deputy had to say, and leaned in when she started to discuss the specifics of what she'd discovered.

However, as soon as the shots rang out, Albert stood up. His chair toppled to the floor and he looked to the Deputy to see what she was going to do. He lifted his gun out of his holster, though kept it pointed at the floor. "I gotcher back, ma'am. That sounds like duty callin'."