Thirty-three

Sheriff Daniels took the chair next. When he allowed a quick glance Jessie’s way, it was as apologetic as the doc’s. It was clear to Duel where the lawman’s sympathy lay.

“Now, Sheriff, is it against the law for a man to lay a hand on his wife to keep her in line?”

“As the law reads, I can’t legally arrest a man for that. But if I’d knowed—”

“Just answer the question yes or no, Sheriff.”

Bart twisted uncomfortably. “No, it’s not against the law.”

“And is it a crime for a woman to shoot her husband dead?”

“Robert, you know good an’ well it is.”

“Then we’re all agreed that Miz Jessie Foltry is the one on trial here.”

“Plain as the nose on your face.”

Langtree pointed his finger at Jessie. “Is it a fact that Miz Foltry, with malice aforethought, shot her husband, left him in a pool of blood, and ran from the law to avoid facing what she’d done?”

“That’s her confession.”

“Is it indeed a fact, yes or no?”

“Yes.”

“Thank you. That’ll be all, Sheriff.”

Duel listened intently as Tom Parker got his turn. In his opinion, Bart had damaged their case. Yet, by the time Tom got finished, he’d let Bart state as a matter of record that no matter the limitations of the law, the man found other ways of dealing with wife-beating. It wasn’t tolerated when he knew of it.

Phoebe Sutton interrupted Duel’s concentration with a tug on his sleeve. The woman held Marley Rose in her arms.

“Mr. McClain, I want you to tell Mister Parker that I aim to tell that judge what a rotten, evil man Jeremiah Foltry was. I want to help my daughter.”

“Thank you, Mrs. Sutton. I’ll pass that along first chance I get.” He also meant to find out why Parker hadn’t asked the doc about the brand on Jessie’s shoulder. It occurred to him that Jess might not’ve mentioned it. He’d seen firsthand her fierce privateness.

Two Bit climbed into the crook of his arm. She seemed unusually quiet, as if she sensed the trouble her mama was in. Her dark curls pressed against his chest.

Protectively, he wrapped his arms around her. Through narrowed eyes, he watched Luke being sworn in. God help his brother if he made things worse for Jess.

“Ranger McClain.” Langtree still spoke as if he could drive home his points through sheer volume alone. “After months of endless searching, you arrested Miz Foltry and brought her back, ain’t that right?”

“Yes.”

“You found her after she weaseled her way into your family, ain’t that true?”

Before Luke could answer, Parker jumped angrily to his feet. “I object to the derogatory terms and tone of voice Counsel is using, Your Honor. This trial can be carried on in a decent, respectful manner. Besides, I can’t see what these questions have to do with Foltry’s murder.”

“I’m provin’ to the court to what lengths Miz Foltry went to avoid detection. Merely pointin’ out the bare truth, Your Honor. If Mr. Parker can’t handle the facts…”

“Mr. Langtree, try to refrain from such tactics. We’ll have no name-callin’ here.”

The prosecutor shifted his weight from one side to the other. “The defendant is your sister-in-law, ain’t that true?”

“Yes.”

“She married your brother a few weeks after she committed this awful atrocity. By her actions, changing her name, taking on another husband an’ child, didn’t she seek to establish a new identity to avoid arrest?”

The truth in Langtree’s accusation hit too close to home. Only Duel alone knew, and he’d cut out his tongue before he admitted a word of it.

An angry flush engulfed Luke’s face. “No! Jessie married my brother because she deserved some kindness. Because she needed to know that there were decent people in the world. Lord knows she’d never gotten anything but grief from Foltry. Or this town for that matter.”

Amen. And she deserved to have the child that had been denied her. He knew how it felt to have a babe snatched away.

“Did she put up a fuss when you placed her under arrest?”

“No. She came willingly.”

Langtree marched to stand before the twelve jurors.

“To sum it up, Jessie Foltry shot her husband in cold blood, shot Pete Morgan when he tried to stop her, rode off in the dead of night to meet up with Duel McClain, an’ got herself married to him to further cover her tracks. Ranger McClain, I’d say your brother’s a lucky man to still be breathin’.”

The insinuation released a stream of molten fury. The man made it sound like Jess had planned every move beforehand, and even more subtly, that he’d helped her. Duel stepped toward the witness box and Langtree. But Tom Parker stopped him.

“You’re only going to make things worse,” Parker mumbled.

Duel owned that it might, but he’d sure like to wring that Langtree’s neck. However, he moved back to his spot.

“My brother was lucky, but not in the sense you suggested. He’s mighty lucky to find a fine woman like Jessie. I only hope to find one like her someday.”

Luke’s outburst brought down the judge’s gavel. “Your comments are uncalled for, Ranger.”

So were Langtree’s lies, but the judge couldn’t see that. Duel longed to tell them all how wrong they were about his Jess.

Thank goodness Langtree finished and now it was Tom’s turn. “Ranger, in all the months Miss Jessie lived in Tranquility, did she have access to any number of weapons—knives, guns?”

“Yes.”

“And she never once gave in to this killer instinct my esteemed colleague suggested. Never even threatened anyone?”

A thin smile formed when Duel remembered Jess’s encounter with Hampton Pierson that day in the woods. No call for them to know about that. He’d seen what happened when anyone backed her into a corner.

“As far as I know, Jessie never shot or threatened anyone.”

“Thank you, Ranger. You can step down.”

“Your Honor, I call Pete Morgan,” Langtree bellowed.

Duel’s jaw clenched as his gaze followed the one-eyed jackal to the front. So he’d been right. A turbulence boiled inside him.

From where he was, he could see the color drain from Jess. She slumped lifeless in her chair. He prayed Morgan wouldn’t favor her with a full-face view, for she seemed paralyzed with enough fear already. He prayed the man would be struck down by lightning when he opened his mouth.

Langtree sent Jessie a smug I’ve-got-you-now smirk that made Duel feel like grabbing the man by the throat. “Pete, you were there that night when Miz Foltry began her terrible rampage. Tell us what transpired.”

“Transpired?”

“You know. Tell us what happened.”

“Poor Jeremiah. He never lifted a finger to hurt that woman o’ his. Always tried to shield her from harm an’ from townsfolk learning the real truth—that she was tetched in the head. That’s why he never allowed Miz Foltry to go to town. If’n he kept her locked up, it was fer her own damn good.”

Shocked gasps echoed throughout the saloon.

Forget wishing for lightning. If it hadn’t come after that cock-and-bull story, it wasn’t coming. He’d known from the start the one-eyed jackal would spread lies. Only, nothing had prepared him for these whoppers.

Nor had it Jess. Her mouth hung open in disbelief, and he could see a red flush creeping up her neck.

“Go ahead, Pete, what happened?”

“Jeremiah, me, an’ Josh was jawin’ at the foot o’ the stairs. Miz Foltry came down, yellin’ like a banshee. Well, I knowed right off the woman had fallen off her rocker. Had a wild look about her. Spooked me real good.” Morgan shifted in the seat and wiped spittle from his mouth.

“What next?” Langtree prodded.

“She grabbed Jeremiah’s forty-five afore he knowed what was happenin’. Then she shot him point-blank in the chest. Well, I tried to wrestle the weapon out o’ her hand, and she shot me too. Only thing I saw after that was a flash o’ her sweet little ankles as she ran out the door.”

Langtree wore a cat-that-ate-the-canary expression as he took his place at the prosecuting table. Duel had never known such fury, not even at the Good Lord when He took his Annie. This was like a boiling cauldron, consuming his every thought.

If the sheriff hadn’t confiscated his six-shooter at the door, he’d surely have shot Morgan and Langtree and anyone else who cared to try to stop him. In all the years he’d bounty-hunted he had never taken pleasure in killing a man, but he would these two jackals.

Tom Parker stalked up and down in front of Morgan for a long moment before he stopped and stared at him. The crowd became eerily quiet.

“In your opinion, Mr. Morgan, my client is loony. You arrive at this professional deduction because you’re medically qualified?”

“I seen plenty o’ cows ’n’ horses with the walleye,” Morgan blustered. “I know a crazy woman when I see one, an’ that woman is sure ’nuff crazy.”

“You stated Jeremiah Foltry never laid a hand toward his wife. Mr. Morgan, how do you account for her broken bones, bruises, and assorted other maladies?”

“Clumsy. Pure an’ simple. The woman was always fallin’ an’ hurtin’ herself.”

“What were you doing at the ranch that night, Morgan? Isn’t it true Jeremiah Foltry told you and Evers that he was giving you Miss Jessie because she’d outlived her usefulness to him? Isn’t that true? Remember, you took an oath to tell the truth.”

“Well, part of it might be.”

“Which part?”

“Jeremiah was tired o’ her. Weren’t no use to a fam’ly man. Couldn’t begat him a brat. Not sayin’ he ever was of a mind to want one. Don’ know nuthin’ about that. Firsthand, I know he had to keep ’er locked up or she’d run off. Josh ’n’ me, we earned the right to give her a poke after ever’thing we did fer him. Only we never got the chance.”

“What services did you render for Foltry?”

“You know. Things to keep folks in line, including his wife, an’ making ’em pay when they stepped over.”

“You punished Miss Jessie when she tried to leave?”

Morgan gave Tom Parker a belligerent stare. “Didn’t break no laws. Only did what Jeremiah told us. That woman’s still alive, ain’t she? An’ Jeremiah’s cold in the ground.”

“What sort of things did he ask you to do?”

“Scaring people mostly. Said once that a healthy dose o’ fear is all the weapon a man needs.” Morgan sneered and wiped his mouth again with the back of his hand.

“So, Jeremiah was tired of his wife, considered her a hindrance. Yet he bore the blame for her condition. Seems to me he meant to be shed of her one way or another. Either by killing her or giving her to you and Evers to share.”

“I ain’t sayin’ he did nothin’ wrong.”

“You don’t have to, Mr. Morgan. The facts speak for themselves. I’d say Miss Jessie is more sane than the lot of you.”

Parker started back to his seat, apparently finished with Morgan. He stopped, pulled a watch from a fob pocket by the gold chain, and turned to Judge Warner. “The noon hour is approaching, Your Honor. I propose we adjourn for lunch.”

“I’m going to overlook your high-handed ways, Mr. Parker. I’m the judge in this here court and don’t you forget it.”

Tom’s smile could’ve melted butter. “My apologies, Judge.”

“Court’s adjourned till one o’clock. Sheriff, take the defendant back to the jail.” The gavel signaled an end.

* * *

Duel, along with his family, Jessie’s mother, and Yellow Dog, paraded after Sheriff Daniels with his charge. As soon as the jail door closed behind them, he handed Two Bit to Walt and pulled Jess against him. The fact that he could make the pulse throb in the hollow of her throat gave him immense satisfaction.

“Would that I could spare you this humiliation. I’d take your place in a heartbeat.”

“I know.” Her body trembled in his arms.

“I’d like to get my hands on that lying sack of manure,” Vicky interrupted. “Tryin’ to make people believe you’re crazy. I just wish I had as much gumption as you, Jessie. When I think of all those years in that man’s—”

“Honey, why don’t you an’ me take a walk to that hotel I saw down the street an’ get some food to bring back to these folks,” Roy broke in when his wife paused for air.

Jessie turned with gratitude. “Thank you for coming all this way, Vicky. You and Roy don’t know what your support means to me. And Walt.” She kissed Pop’s cheek. “I love you like my own father.”

“Do me a favor, Jessie girl. Can you call me Pop?” The McClain patriarch shot Phoebe a quick glance. “That is, if it meets with your approval, lovely madam.”

“Don’t know why it wouldn’t.” Phoebe smoothed her hair into the severe bun at the nape of her neck and smiled.

Why indeed. Duel caught the flash of interest between the pair. Jessie’s mother just might be the thing Pop needed. Maybe? The man had to be lonely since his Lily of the Valley passed on. Walt’d used that endearment for Duel’s mother as long as he could remember.

“All right, Pop.” Jessie gave Walt a sweet smile that told Duel how pleased his father’s request had made her.

He liked the sound of the word on her tongue.

“Shoot, we couldn’t let you go through this horrible trial without family by your side. So we got Gladys Stanton to stay with the children, and we came lickety-split.”

“Come on, Vicky. Food, remember?” Roy prodded her toward the door.

“G’anpa. Boobie?” Marley scooted down. Then, taking Walt’s hand, she pulled him toward her favorite playmate. “Boobie.”

“Hold up there, little angel. I’m comin’.”

The clickety-clack of a cane on the sidewalk outside came seconds before Tom Parker pushed his way inside. Duel quickly pulled him apart from the others.

“Tom, how are our chances?”

“Too early to tell. Truth be known, I’m a little concerned about the jury. A trifle too passive, if you ask me. Can’t tell what they’re thinking. Could go either way.”

“Do you think they believed Morgan?”

“Be fools if they did. Son, we’re not done yet. I just hope Miss Jessie can hold up.”

Duel followed Tom’s gaze. Jessie stared out into space, completely unaware of the commotion around her, lost in her own inner turmoil.

Doc Willoughby’s testimony sounded in his ears. Saw where someone had repeatedly jabbed a sharp instrument into her womb, rendering her unable to ever bear children.

Horror washed over him now as it had earlier. He thought back to when she’d ridden into his camp all bloody and afraid. Recalled how she’d shrank from his touch, wincing as if he’d struck her. They’d traveled a far piece from that. Now she flourished under his attention.

“Don’t worry about Jess. She’s made of pretty strong stuff. Has to be, or she’d not have survived that hell.”

“The lady’s made an impression on me. I’ll do everything I can to see she goes free. Nothing short of that will do.”

“Jess is something, all right. Mrs. Sutton wants to tell what she knows about Foltry.”

“That’s good. I hadn’t decided whether to put her up there or not.”

“One thing more. When you questioned Doc Willoughby, why didn’t you ask him about the Diamond J brand on Jessie’s shoulder?”

Shock rippled across Tom’s features.