Have for 11 years. Matter of fact, wondered if that scrawny boy behind the water trough ever grew into somebody worth remembering. Looks like he did. Ezra's hand found his revolver. Ayanna's eyes cut to him.
Sharp, a silent question. He shook his head just slightly. Not yet. You remember me? Ezra called back, keeping his voice steadier than he felt.
Hard to forget a boy who watched his whole world burn and didn't so much as twitch. Crane's voice carried closer now, though still hidden by darkness and rock. I always wondered what happened to that boy. Figured he'd grow up soft, scared. Figured he'd spend his whole life running from men like me.
You figured wrong. Seems that way. A low chuckle entirely without warmth. Tell you what though, I'll give you this much credit. Took nerve riding out here after 200 horses that weren't yours to save.
Nerve or stupidity? Never could tell those two apart in men like you. Why? Ezra called out, and the word came out rawer than he meant it to. 11 years ago, why my family?
Silence for a moment, long enough that Ezra wondered if Crane would even bother answering. You want the truth? Crane said finally, voice losing some of its theater. Fine. Your father fired me.
Ranch hand back before I was anything worth fearing. Fired me over a horse I lost. Fair and square in a card game like it was some great crime instead of bad luck. Something bitter crept into his tone now old and rotted. Man had everything.
Land, family, a wife who actually looked at him like he mattered. and he threw me out over one horse. That's why, Ezra said, disbelief and fury tangling together in his chest. That's the whole reason, a card game. It's never just one thing, Crane snapped, sudden heat flaring. I went looking for shelter that winter, found an Apache camp instead.
Begged for a place by their fire just for one season, and they turned me away, too. called me trouble before I'd ever done a thing to earn it. His voice hardened further. Iron under iron. So maybe I decided if the whole world was going to treat me like trouble before I'd earned it, I might as well go on and earn it properly. From beside Ezra, Ayanna's breath caught sharp and quiet.