Chapter Nine
No new leads developed during the days that followed, and as the morning of the trial dawned, Walker found himself even more deeply worried than before. His lawyer had explained to him how quickly a jury could reach a verdict once they'd heard all the testimony, and Walker realized by the end of that day his fate might be known.
Going to stand near the small cell window, he stared out at the sunrise. Memories of his vision quest returned, and he recalled how the spirit had told him of the betrayal and hardship he would face in his life. He understood now what the warning had meant, and he searched his soul for the strength he needed to get through this day and the days to come.
Sheriff Protzel came to the cell with his breakfast a short while later and brought him the set of clean clothes Stacy had dropped off for him the previous day.
"We have to be at the courthouse before nine," he told Walker. "Is there anything else you need?"
Walker looked at the lawman, his expression serious. "Just for the truth to come out."
Protzel nodded in understanding and left him alone to get dressed.
When the time came to leave for the courthouse, Sheriff Protzel warned Walker that all the Thompson ranch hands were in town for the trial. The lawman had expected as much and had arranged for Deputy Davis to accompany them in case of trouble. They took extra care on their way across town and were glad to find that the rowdy men were not waiting for them on the streets.
Nearing the courthouse, they could see a lot of the folks from town milling around outside, waiting for the trial to start, and as they drew near, everyone stopped to watch the accused man pass by. Once they were inside, they started down the narrow aisle in the crowded courthouse. It was then that Walker heard someone call him a murdering savage.
Sheriff Protzel heard the muttered comment, too, and told him in a low voice, "Just keep moving."
Walker showed no emotion and kept moving. He kept his gaze focused on the front of the courtroom. At that moment he spotted Roni sitting with Stacy, Jim and Chet off to the side behind the defense table.
Roni had arranged to meet with her friends earlier that morning, so they could go to the courthouse together. Zach and many of the Dollar ranch hands were there, too, in a show of support. They were all seated directly behind the defense table.
When Roni heard the talking grow louder in the courtroom, she turned in her seat to see Walker coming her way with the two lawmen beside him. Across the distance, their gazes met, and she managed a tight smile, wanting to encourage him.
Walker nodded only slightly in her direction as the sheriff directed him to the chair at the defense table where Ralph was awaiting him.
"Walker," Stacy called his name as he took his seat. She wanted to get up and go to him, to hug him, but knew she had to stay where she was.
Walker wasn't allowed to speak, but he turned to Stacy and gave her a quick, slight smile to reassure her that he was all right.
A few short moments later, the trial began.
"All stand!"
Everyone rose as Judge Richardson entered and called the proceedings to order.
"You may be seated."
"There will be no drinking in my courtroom!" the judge ordered first thing, when he saw that one of the cowboys in the back had a bottle of whiskey in hand. He knew tempers were flaring in town over this murder, and he didn't want any drunks starting trouble in the courtroom during the trial. "Deputy—get that whiskey!"
Deputy Davis went to take the bottle from the drunk.
The judge went on, "And all weapons should have been left at the door. Anybody armed?" He gave a sharp-eyed look around the room and was glad to see that order had been obeyed.
The jury was ready and the trial began.
Luther Evans, the prosecutor, was a thin, dark-haired, sharp-eyed weasel of a man, but he was a smart weasel who used every trick he could to gain convictions. Luther stood up to give his opening statement. "I am here today to find the person responsible for the death of Ben Thompson, and I believe that person is sitting right in this courtroom." He looked over deliberately at Walker. "I intend to prove to you that this man"—he pointed at Walker—"Walker Stevenson, deliberately and cold-bloodedly killed Ben while he was sleeping."
A roar of approval at his accusation went through the courtroom, and the judge had to pound his gavel to restore order.
When the room quieted, Luther Evans went on fervently, "Walker Stevenson had the opportunity to commit this crime. No one saw him during the late-night hours when the murder was committed. Stevenson had ample time to track Ben Thompson down and shoot him. Stevenson also had the motive to kill him. He and Ben had had a fight at the dance. Everyone there saw the fight and heard the threats that were made. I have numerous witnesses prepared to testify to the ugliness of that encounter. I will prove to you that Stevenson hated Ben Thompson with a passion, and hating him as he did, he wanted him dead." He concluded his remarks fervently and returned to sit at his table, looking very smug and confident.
Ralph got up to give his opening remarks. "It is a terrible thing that Ben Thompson was murdered, but my client, Walker Stevenson, had nothing to do with it. Walker Stevenson did not kill Ben, and I am here today to prove to you that he is innocent of the charge against him. Everyone in this room knows what a mean, vengeful man Thompson was. There are any number of folks in the area who had trouble with him, and they could have used this opportunity to frame Walker for the murder. I will prove to you that my client is innocent." He sat back down.
"Call your first witness," Judge Richardson ordered the prosecutor.
Luther called to the stand several witnesses who had been at the dance and had seen the fight and heard the threats. Then he called Stacy to testify.
"Tell us what happened that night," he instructed, after she had been sworn in. "Tell us how Walker attacked Ben Thompson."
"My brother was defending me—" Stacy countered his assertion.
"Don't you mean your half brother?" he interrupted snidely.
Stacy fixed a heated glare on him as she responded. "Walker is my brother."
"He is also half Comanche, isn't he? Wasn't his mother a Comanche? He's half savage, isn't he?" Luther taunted her, playing on the jurors' prejudice.
"His Indian blood has nothing to do with Ben Thompson's murder!" she argued.
"Oh, but I think it does," he countered. "Please, go on."
It took Stacy a moment to gather her thoughts before continuing. "Ben started the fight. He hit Chet! Walker fought with him, that's true, but Walker would never shoot anyone in cold blood."
"So you say," Luther replied.
"But—"
"That's all the questions I have," he cut her off.
Ralph got up to cross-examine her, and she repeated her claim that Walker was no murderer. She also testified to seeing him Sunday morning, coming out of his room at the hotel.
Luther called Chet to the stand next. He was sworn in and the questioning began.
"Please tell us what happened the night of the murder," Luther directed.
Chet repeated the testimony of other witnesses and then went on to tell of the late-night encounter near the hotel.
"So there was a second confrontation between Ben Thompson and Walker Stevenson that night?" Luther emphasized.
"Yes. Ben and a bunch of his men jumped Walker and Jim. They'd knocked Jim unconscious and were ganging up on Walker when I happened by."
"And when you saw them fighting, what did you do? Did you go for the sheriff?"
"No, there was no time. I drew my gun and broke up the fight."
"Were any shots fired?"
"Yes, but only after Ben started to go for his gun. I made sure no one was hit. Ben and his men took off after that."
"What happened next?"
"Walker and I took Jim over to Dr. Reynolds's office."
"How angry was Walker after this confrontation?"
"It wasn't a 'confrontation'!" Chet argued, playing his role to the hilt. "It was an ambush!"
"Answer my question," Luther demanded haughtily. "How angry was Walker?"
"He was more worried about Jim than anything . . ." Chet deliberately hedged a little, hoping the prosecutor would sense that Chet was hiding something.
And he did.
"Are you saying he didn't threaten to go after Ben and get even?"
"He only wanted to make sure Jim was going to recover. I didn't stay at the doctor's office for too long. I had to get back to my ranch."
"You're telling this court—and may I remind you that you are under oath—that Walker Stevenson didn't say anything that night about wanting to get even with Ben?"
Chet looked decidedly uncomfortable. "He didn't say anything to me," he answered evasively.
"I didn't ask if he said anything to you." Luther was going after him hard and fast. "I asked if you heard him threaten to go after Ben?"
"Well . . ." Chet glanced toward Walker and saw his strained expression. Stacy, too, was watching him carefully.
"You are under oath," Luther repeated harshly.
"I heard him tell Roni that Ben was going to pay for what he'd done," Chet admitted miserably.
A loud murmur went through the courtroom, and the judge banged his gavel again to restore order.
"Thank you. That will be all."
Chet maintained his serious expression, but he was pleased with the way the prosecutor had dug deep for that information. He certainly hadn't offered it willingly, and Stacy would realize that he'd had no choice but to tell the truth, as bad as it was. When Ralph stood up and began to question him, Chet knew he was going to make it through his part of this trial just fine.
"Chet, how angry would you be if someone had attacked you the way Ben and his men attacked Walker and Jim that night?"
"I'd be furious," he answered quickly.
"And would you say things you didn't mean in the heat of the moment?"
"Yes."
"Do you think Walker tracked Ben Thompson down that night and shot him in cold blood?"
"No. I'm sure Walker didn't kill Ben," he insisted.
"Thank you."
"Next witness, Mr. Prosecuter."
"I'd like to call Dr. Veronica Reynolds to the stand."