With Michaela and Sully riding well outside of town, Dr. Mike stops to see a female patient. Tragically, as the two inspect the cabin the woman was known to stay in, it turns out that the woman has recently died. Additionally, a 10 year old boy has been hiding in a closet.
Sully and Dr. Mike take the boy back to town (Colorado Springs). Some of the townsfolk seem to semi-recognize him, and start privately gossiping about him, especially in light of hearing the name of the woman who was caring for him.
Despite being 10, the boy rarely talks, and apparently hasn't had any formal schooling. Mikaela provides clothing for him, but the boy is antagonized for his relative silence. Even the adults seem eager to be rid of him. Only Brian seems to be willing to make attempts to make a connection with him and befriend him.
Eventually, Mikaela finds out that there is a connection: Hank, the saloon owner. Hank takes the boy in, and puts him to work (he has been nicknamed Zach at this point), but refuses to say why he's being so charitable. Also, Zach draws an elaborate drawing for Brian, who initially allows people to think that he himself drew it (he later comes clean). It is eventually revealed that Zach has a form of autism-- though in the context of the story's timeline, this is obviously not mainstream medical knowledge yet. Some of the townsfolk simply want to see Zach institutionalized.
Finally, there is a "public confrontation" with Hank at the Saloon, where he publicly admits that Zach is his son. Zach's mother was one of the prostitutes at his saloon. Hank was intimate with her regularly and is said to have "loved" her. He apparently allowed her to stay at the Saloon with Zach until he was 5 years old, when she died. At that point, Ruby, a former prostitute, took in Zach. She was the woman who had recently died in her cabin, seen in the opening.
Hank admits to Mike that he's not going to be the best father figure. By the epilogue, Dr. Mike has located an art school that is apparently a boarding school, where Zach can live and learn. (Though he may visit on Christmas).
Sully and Dr. Mike take the boy back to town (Colorado Springs). Some of the townsfolk seem to semi-recognize him, and start privately gossiping about him, especially in light of hearing the name of the woman who was caring for him.
Despite being 10, the boy rarely talks, and apparently hasn't had any formal schooling. Mikaela provides clothing for him, but the boy is antagonized for his relative silence. Even the adults seem eager to be rid of him. Only Brian seems to be willing to make attempts to make a connection with him and befriend him.
Eventually, Mikaela finds out that there is a connection: Hank, the saloon owner. Hank takes the boy in, and puts him to work (he has been nicknamed Zach at this point), but refuses to say why he's being so charitable. Also, Zach draws an elaborate drawing for Brian, who initially allows people to think that he himself drew it (he later comes clean). It is eventually revealed that Zach has a form of autism-- though in the context of the story's timeline, this is obviously not mainstream medical knowledge yet. Some of the townsfolk simply want to see Zach institutionalized.
Finally, there is a "public confrontation" with Hank at the Saloon, where he publicly admits that Zach is his son. Zach's mother was one of the prostitutes at his saloon. Hank was intimate with her regularly and is said to have "loved" her. He apparently allowed her to stay at the Saloon with Zach until he was 5 years old, when she died. At that point, Ruby, a former prostitute, took in Zach. She was the woman who had recently died in her cabin, seen in the opening.
Hank admits to Mike that he's not going to be the best father figure. By the epilogue, Dr. Mike has located an art school that is apparently a boarding school, where Zach can live and learn. (Though he may visit on Christmas).
