Chapter Twenty-two
But Walker's dead now. Why do you care?" Suzie demanded. "We care because the real killer is still out there," Jim put in.
Roni added, "And we can't let him get away with this—"
"I don't understand. What does this have to do with me?" Suzie was visibly shaken.
"Suzie," Roni pleaded, "Jim and I need to know exactly what happened the night Chet assaulted you. Did he say anything unusual while he was with you? Was he angry about something, or with someone in particular?"
"You think Chet might be involved with the murder?" She looked quickly from one to the other of them.
"That's what I'm trying to find out," Roni answered.
Suzie frowned. "You know, the night Ben was killed, Chet was with me for a while. He showed up late and didn't stay too long. I remember mentioning to him that Ben's men were still there in the saloon, but that Ben had ridden home."
Jim and Roni exchanged knowing looks.
"Can you tell us what you remember him saying the last time you were together?" Jim asked.
She looked over at Jim, her expression serious and troubled. "There were a few times during his earlier visits to me when Chet did talk about how glad he was Walker were gone."
Jim nodded slightly, not the least surprised by her revelation.
"He used to talk about how, once he married Stacy, he was going to be the biggest, richest rancher in the area. He promised he would set me up in a place all my own, so he could come and go whenever he pleased. And then that last night—He'd changed so much . . ." Suzie frowned as memories of that terrible ordeal returned.
"What did he do?" Roni urged her to go on.
"He was so mean—I'd never seen him like that before," she began. "It was strange from the very start. He'd always kept his visits to me a secret. He never wanted anyone to know because of his engagement. So, whenever he was going to spend any time with me, he used the back door. On the day he beat me, though, he was sitting at the bar getting real drunk and then just decided we should go upstairs right there in front of everybody. I admit I was surprised when he did that, and I should have known then that something wasn't right." She shuddered as the horrible memories came rushing back.
Roni put a hand on her shoulder to comfort and reassure her that she was not alone.
"I'm not sure exactly what started it all—what I did to set him off. I was trying to tease him. When he told me to undress, I said 'no,' and that's when he started yelling at me and hitting me. It went on most of the night. He was saying strange things like no woman was ever going to tell him 'no' again, and once, he did say something like—'you women are all alike.'"
Jim realized Stacy must have stood up to Chet, and Chet had taken his frustration and rage out on Suzie.
Suzie frowned as she remembered something else. "Now that I think about it, he did say something like 'everything's supposed to be mine with her brother out of the way.'"
Roni glanced sharply at Jim.
"Has he been back to see you since?" Jim asked.
"No!" Suzie exclaimed. "Antonio swore he'd never let Chet set foot in the Ace High again!"
"Good." Roni grew even more serious as she asked her, "Would you be willing to talk to the sheriff?"
Suzie met his gaze straight on. "After what Chet did to me? Yeah, I'll talk to the sheriff. What do you want me to tell him?"
"Just the truth. Just what you told us," Jim advised.
"I'll do it."
"Thank you," Roni said.
"So you really think he's the one who killed Ben Thompson and then framed Walker?" Suzie asked.
"It looks that way," Jim answered.
"Chet really is no good, and here all this time I thought he was a decent sort of man," Suzie said.
"You weren't the only one who felt that way," Roni offered.
"Let's hope he gets what's coming to him," Suzie said with a grim smile.
"I'll go get the sheriff," Jim said. "I'll be back with him as soon as I can."
Jim left the room to find Walker standing in the bedroom doorway. Walker had heard every word and he nodded to Jim as Jim started downstairs.
Sheriff Protzel was at his desk when Jim came in the office door.
"Well, this is a surprise," the lawman greeted him. "What brings you in today?" Since Jim didn't look upset, he figured there weren't any problems down at the bank.
"Dr. Reynolds sent me over to get you. There's something she needs to show you down at her office."
"Has there been some trouble I don't know about?"
"I don't think it's anything too serious, but she did ask me to bring you back so she could talk to you about it."
"All right," he said, getting up from his desk. "Let's go pay our lady doctor a little visit."
Jim was glad none of the deputies were around. He'd been afraid the sheriff might be busy and would want to send one of them in his place, and Jim didn't trust anyone but the sheriff. Relieved that things were going good so far, he accompanied Sheriff Protzel back to Roni's office.
"What's she got the closed sign up for?" the sheriff asked as they reached the door.
"She felt it was important that we not be interrupted right now."
He gave Jim a puzzled look, but said nothing more as Jim knocked and Roni came downstairs to let them in.
"Thanks for coming, Sheriff Protzel."
"Jim said there was something you needed to see me about." He glanced around the office, but didn't notice anything out of the ordinary.
"Yes, please come upstairs." She didn't offer any more as she led the way.
Jim locked the door and followed them. He had noticed the lawman was armed, and he hoped the sheriff wouldn't get any wild ideas when he first set eyes on Walker.
Sheriff Protzel reached the top of the stairs and went into the sitting room to find the saloon girl there. He could see that she'd suffered some abuse.
"What happened to you?" he asked.
Suzie looked at Roni, unsure of what she was supposed to do.
Seeing her uncertainty, Roni took over. "Suzie came to see me a few days ago. Chet had gotten real drunk and had beaten her."
"Why did you wait so long to tell me? I could have had him locked up that same night."
"I didn't want to tell you about that. I'm afraid he'll come after me again," Suzie blurted out, nervous about talking to the lawman.
"Then why am I here?" the sheriff asked, confused.
"Because I needed to talk to you," Walker said, coming to stand in the doorway behind the sheriff. He believed it was safe to show himself now that the lawman was there.
Sheriff Protzel spun around at the sound of his voice and stared at him in complete shock. "Good God! Walker—"
"Walker, you're alive?" Suzie was shocked, too.
"Yes, I'm alive."
Walker stayed where he was, waiting to see what the lawman was going to do. "Hello, Sheriff."
Sheriff Protzel couldn't believe what he was seeing. "I don't understand. The authorities said that you'd drowned."
"I managed to survive the flash flood and then I made my way back here."
"Why did you come back? If they all thought you were dead—" The lawman knew Walker could have just disappeared and started his life over again where no one knew him.
Walker met his gaze straight on. "I came back because I know Ben's killer is still on the loose and I want to bring him in."
"That's why I wanted you to speak with Suzie," Roni told Sheriff Protzel.
"You know something about this?" The sheriff turned to the saloon girl.
Suzie looked uneasy, but told him all that had happened and the things Chet had said to her during their time together, ending with, "And then he said, 'Everything's supposed to be mine with her brother out of the way.'"
Sheriff Protzel's expression was grim. He looked at Walker, the man he'd always believed was innocent of the charges brought against him. "So it was Chet who set this whole thing up. It was Chet who framed you."
"It looks that way," Walker told him solemnly.
"What can we do?" Roni asked, eager to clear Walker's name.
"I can pay Chet a visit, that's what I can do," the sheriff ground out, angry that an innocent man had been convicted and sent to prison.
"I'm going with you," Walker said. "I want to see his expression when we tell him we know the truth."
"I'm going, too," Roni added.
"So am I," Jim said.
"It might not be safe," the lawman advised.
"I don't care," Roni told him. She wasn't about to abandon Walker now.
"All right. I don't want anybody to see you yet," he told Walker, "so I'll meet you around back in fifteen minutes. Be ready to ride."
"We will be," Walker assured him.
Jim went downstairs to let the sheriff out.
Walker turned to Suzie. "I can't tell you how much I appreciate your help."
"I'm just glad the truth of your innocence will finally be known."
"I'll walk you back over to the Ace High," Roni offered.
"Thanks."
Roni left with Suzie, leaving Walker alone for a moment. He went to stare out the window.
The moment he'd been waiting for had finally come.
The truth was known.
Chet had killed Ben Thompson.
Fury ate at him as he thought of the man he'd once considered a friend.
He had trusted Chet.
He had been ready to consider him family—but not anymore.
He couldn't wait to see Chet's reaction when they faced him down.
"What are you thinking?" Jim asked when he returned to find his friend standing at the window.
"I'm thinking I'm a very lucky man," he answered. "But this isn't over yet."
"It will be soon—real soon." Jim was confident as he left to get his own horse and his sidearm. He didn't carry a gun often, but he knew how to use one if he had to.
Roni returned from the saloon and found Walker waiting for her. She didn't say a word, but went into his arms. He could feel her trembling as he held her close for a long moment.
"I want to kiss you, but if I do, I'm not sure I'll be able to stop," Roni told him as she looked up at him. All the love she felt for him was shining in her dark-eyed gaze.
Walker bent to her and claimed her lips in a passionate kiss before setting her from him.
"Later," he promised.
And she smiled in anticipation.
They left the building to saddle up the horses and wait for Sheriff Protzel and Jim to return.
It was only a short time later that the lawman rode up. He dismounted and went over to Walker.
"Here," he said, handing him a holster and gun. "You might need this."
"Thanks." Walker had been carrying Roni's father's gun, and he handed it over to her as he took the gun belt from the lawman and strapped it on.
Roni decided to take her father's gun with her, just in case there was any trouble.
When Jim joined them, they all mounted up and were ready to ride.
Sheriff Protzel looked deadly serious as he told them, "When we get to Chet's place, let me handle it."
"We'll back you up," Walker told him.
He trusted the lawman and knew he would do what was necessary to make the arrest.
They were determined to see justice done as they headed out of Two Guns.