Chapter Forty-Nine

 

Jack Jones and Deputy Clark were having coffee at the sheriff’s desk when Francis walked in before sunup with Roady and Judge Wesley on one side and Ashley on the other. Ike, Jonathan, and Bob had stayed in the woods. Following behind were Faith, Leonard Browning, Pedro, Shad, and Colton. All the men, except him, had their sidearms. He would remedy that soon enough. An hour ago, Francis spotted Tanner outside the eatery, waiting for the place to open. The two made brief eye contact, but that was all. No one had heard from Smokey and Nick.

When their group crowded into the small office, Jack shot to his feet, overturning his cup onto his messy desk. Coffee went everywhere.

The deputy stood, a menacing scowl pulling his face.

“What the hell?” Jack barked out. He shook the scalding liquid off his hand, splattering Clark in the face.

The deputy gave an angry growl and wiped away the moisture.

“That’s exactly what I’d like to know,” Harrison responded.

The judge was an imposing figure when angry—and he was angry. Had been since he’d heard the news about Luke being locked up. The glower on his face exceeded that of the deputy and would scare the toughest criminal.

Shock and then relief crossed Jack’s face when he recognized Harrison. “Judge! You’ve arrived. Thank you for coming. Tensions here are running high. I don’t like keeping a man locked up longer than necessary. He needs his day in court. Now that you’re here, should we plan on tomorrow? Will that—”

“Be quiet, Jack,” Harrison commanded stepping forward.

Jack stumbled back.

“I’m not trying Luke McCutcheon on some trumped-up murder charge. You have no evidence except the uncorroborated word of Blanche Van Gleek.”

“I… I do have other evidence,” Jack sputtered.

“What’s going on out there?” Luke called from his cell. “Is that you, Wesley? Damn good to hear your voice!”

Faith broke away and hurried in to where Luke was confined, followed by Y Knot’s attorney-at-law, Leonard Browning.

Others must have witnessed their group enter the sheriff’s office, because people began to pile inside as well, lining the walls on either side. Jed Kasterlee from the hotel, a few early morning diners from the café, as well as Daniel Clevenger, Joe Brunn, Neil, and some cowboys Francis didn’t know.

“What other evidence do you have?” the judge asked.

Jack straightened and held his head high. “Horse tracks to the Van Gleek cabin that come south from Y Knot and then continue into town.”

“Luke admitted he rode into her yard and went up to her door to ask if she’d seen Colton. From there, did they go straight into town?”

Jack’s gaze roamed the group. “No.”

“No? ’Course not,” Wesley went on. “After Luke spoke with Van Gleek, he went back to his campsite where Colton eventually returned. Then they went into town, got cleaned up, and went to Joe’s wedding that afternoon. Those tracks mean nothing.”

Jack’s face flamed scarlet. “You haven’t even spoken with him.”

The judge looked at Jack intently. “I don’t have to. You got anything else?”

Jack shook his head.

“Release McCutcheon,” Judge Wesley said. “Everyone in this room knows he’d never kill a man for money. He’s rich. Besides, who commits murder and then goes to a wedding, for God’s sake? The whole bloody situation is preposterous!” The last word he all but barked out.

Deputy Clark rose to his full height, his face enflamed and forehead slicked with sweat.

Seemed he knew his authority was about to be usurped.

“You don’t have the jurisdiction to march in and—”

Harrison’s eyes flashed. “I have every authority, Deputy! With or without new evidence. Just so happens new circumstances have come to light that will absolve the prisoner.”

Francis was grateful he wasn’t on the receiving end of the judge’s anger.

Grumbling from the townsfolk went around the room.

“We knew this would happen…”

“They’re friends, what did you expect…”

“McCutcheon won’t pay for his crime—not like the rest of us would have to…”

“Quiet!” Joe Brunn said. “It ain’t right to keep an innocent man locked up for something he didn’t do.”

Harrison stuck out his hand palm up while nailing Jack to the back wall with a heated glare. “The key.”

Feet defiantly spread wide, Jack bit out, “First let’s hear the new evidence.”

Judge Wesley’s face became so red Francis feared the man would suffer a stroke.

Harrison turned to the townsfolk. “You’ll need to clear out so we can settle this matter now. I don’t want any disgruntled bystander pulling his gun to even any scores.”

Everyone filed out the door and crowded around the windows looking in. When the room was empty of bystanders, Roady closed the door and started for Luke’s cell.

Luke stood at the bars, a wide smile splitting his face. “Harrison, seeing you is about the best gift I could get today!”

Judge Wesley gave Luke a stern look. “Now you hush up, Luke, and let Browning do the talking for you.”

Browning nodded. “We want to explain what we now know about Mrs. Van Gleek and what happened last night.”

Luke glanced at Jack, his expression turning dark. “You gonna let me out of here or not?” Faith placed her hand over Luke’s.

Jack slid his hand into his pocket and felt around. His gaze skimmed over to Clark and then to the floor. “You got the key?” he whispered to Clark, but everyone in the room heard the question.

The deputy’s nostrils flared. “You brought him his breakfast.” Clark looked like he wanted to storm out.

“So I did,” Jack mumbled. “I’ll find it soon enough.”

Luke pushed his fingers through his hair. “Soon enough is not soon enough!”

“Never mind,” Judge Wesley said. “Let’s hear this new evidence.”

“What’s this about last night?” Jack asked, looking at Clark, who shrugged.

“Tell ’em, Miss Adair,” Colton called out. “Tell what you saw and heard.”

Francis encouraged Ashley forward until she was in front of Judge Wesley, who stood next to the cell bars.

Behind Luke’s head, faces peered in through the small window above Luke’s cot. Francis wondered briefly how they’d managed to get themselves up that high. Must be standing on a wagon. “Just say what you told me, Ashley. Everyone here, besides Jones and Clark, have already heard the tellin’, so you don’t have to be frightened.”

“Now, miss, you ready to swear on this Bible that you’ll tell the truth?” Judge Wesley asked.

Ashley swallowed and stretched out her shaky hand.

Francis knew she’d stay strong. Her voice soft but steady, she pledged to tell the truth. Her good word would be measured against the lying Blanche Van Gleek. Ashley had a lot to lose. He hoped she knew she also had much more to gain.

“Speak up, Miss Adair, with your important information,” Jack snapped. “Why didn’t you come to us straightaway?”

The judge weaved his fingers together and leaned back against the cell bars. “Let her tell her story, man.”

“Last night, a sound outside awakened me after I’d gone to sleep.”

Francis didn’t miss all the men in the room, as well as Faith and Colton, intently watching the sheriff and deputy to discern their reaction to the news about Blanche’s nighttime activities. Pride for Ashley’s strength pushed at his chest. She recounted the story with barely a waver in her voice.

“The moment I saw the figure of a man, Francis’s speculations flashed into my mind,” Ashley continued, and looked straight at Jack. “He’d been right all along.”

Jack’s gaze widened as he digested her words. “W-What? I can hardly—” His gaze cut around the group. “Who was it?”

“A cloak covered his identity.”

Clark puffed out his chest. “That’s the most outrageous invention of a falsehood I’ve ever heard.” He glowered at the judge. “This hick has seduced Miss Adair, and now she’ll say anything, do anything, even lie to all of us to set McCutcheon free.” He frowned at Ashley and pointed a finger in her face. “Did he ask you to marry him, darlin’?”

Without warning, Francis lunged forward and shoved the deputy against the cell.

An outburst went up from the group.

The man outweighed Francis by at least twenty pounds, but he didn’t care. Satisfaction registered in his gut when Clark’s head snapped back and hit the bars. How dare he imply that about Ashley? “Is that cut on her face a lie?” he gritted out as he pressed the man back, Clark’s stale whiskey breath hot in his face. “And the one on her arm?”

“Order! Order!” Judge Wesley shouted. “Cease and desist immediately, or I’ll throw you both out of here.”

“Francis!” Luke said. “Ease up.”

Clark, no longer taken by surprise, shoved Francis.

He stumbled backward, both their gazes full of anger.

“Go on, Miss Adair,” Judge Wesley said. “What else did the unidentified visitor say?”

“For Blanche not to get jittery. To stick to their story. That the law didn’t have any other evidence but her word against Mr. McCutcheon.” She glanced over her shoulder at Luke. “And if Blanche did get any ideas about turning him in, she’d end up like Mildred.”

Jones and Clark took in the new information without twitching an eye.

“We’ll have to worry about the key to Luke’s cell later,” Judge Wesley turned to Jack. “Your next move is to go out to that house immediately. Arrest Blanche Van Gleek before she has a chance to run off.”

Jack nodded.

Clark glowered but remained silent.

Judge Wesley turned and in a loud voice addressed the faces in the window. “If any of you people dare to interfere with your sheriff in the execution of his duty, I’ll be pleased to hang you as accomplices after the fact to murder. So don’t you all go running off telling tales and encouraging people to flee the law.”

The faces drew back, their mouths open and gazes wide.

Then the judge leaned in toward Jack and Clark. “Roady has two men out at the house now, standing watch to make sure Mrs. Adair isn’t hurt. Be sure not to confuse them with the murderer. I don’t want any Heart of the Mountains men getting shot. Is that clear?”

Jack inhaled, his hand falling to his sidearm. “Perfectly.”

“Well, what are you waiting for? Get moving!”

“Roady, Shad,” Luke called. “Go with ’em. Let’s keep everything on the up-and-up.” He looked at Judge Wesley. “But what about the key? And me getting out?”

“We’ll start the search while Jack and Clark go dispense justice. The key must be around here somewhere.”

Jack gave a dirty look around the room and then pushed through the men and out the door, followed by his deputy, Roady, and Shad.