Chapter Twenty-five
Walker glared down at Chet as he held him pinned to the floor and saw the absolute terror in Chet's eyes. He knew Chet believed he was facing death, and he liked putting that fear in him. He was ready to finish what he'd started, but Jim and Sheriff Protzel had both gone for their guns and were now backing him up.
"Don't do it, Walker," the sheriff ordered. "Let the judge sentence him. Let's do this real legal-like."
Walker was so tense it took a few moments for what the sheriff had said to sink in. Only then did he slowly let go of Chet. Knife in hand, he got back up and stood ready, just in case Chet was fool enough to try anything else.
Sheriff Protzel got Chet to his feet and shoved him out of the house. Chet fell in the dirt at the foot of the porch steps and lay there in misery, bleeding heavily. Jim kept his gun on him while the lawman got his rope and made short order of tying him up.
Roni knew Chet was wounded and followed them outside. "Do you want me to bind his wound?" she offered.
"That's okay, Doc. I'll take care of my prisoner." Then Sheriff Protzel made a makeshift bandage from his bandana and stuffed it inside Chet's shirt to stanch the bleeding. That done, he dragged the prisoner to his feet.
"You ain't dying," the sheriff scoffed as Chet staggered before him. "Let's get you on your horse."
Chet was a defeated man as the sheriff pushed him up into the saddle.
Zach and several of the ranch hands had realized there might be trouble up at the house. They had been on their way there to see if Stacy needed help when they'd seen the sheriff push Chet out the door. They stopped to watch for a moment, then hurried on to find Stacy. They had just about reached the house when they saw Walker and Stacy step outside to join Roni on the porch.
Completely caught off guard by Walker's unexpected appearance, Zach stopped where he was to stare at him in amazement. The other men did the same.
"Hello, boys." Walker greeted them with a big smile.
"Walker!"
They wasted no time running the rest of the way up to the house to shake his hand and welcome him "back from the dead." They were all eager to hear the story of how he'd survived.
"I'll fill you all in on that later. Right now, I need a few of you boys to ride back into town with Sheriff Protzel and help him keep an eye on the man who shot Ben Thompson."
"What?" Zach and the others were startled by the revelation.
"That's right," Sheriff Protzel added. "Walker was wrongfully convicted. Chet here is the man who killed Thompson."
Zach looked up at the man who, in a few more months, would have married Stacy and become the owner of the Dollar. "Good work, Sheriff."
"Don't thank me." He nodded toward Roni and Jim. "Thank the lady doc, there. She and Jim are the ones who put it all together. I just came along for the ride."
Walker went up to Sheriff Protzel to shake his hand. "And I'm real glad you did."
The lawman looked him square in the eye. "So am I, Walker. Welcome home."
It was a powerful moment for Walker as he realized for the first time he really was a free man again.
"I'll take care of everything with the law. You just get back to running the Dollar like your pa wanted you to."
"We'll get saddled up and be ready to ride, shortly," Zach told Sheriff Protzel.
A few minutes later, Walker stood with Roni, Stacy and Jim on the porch, watching them ride away.
Chet was slumped in the saddle, knowing he was going to pay the price for what he'd done.
When they had ridden out of sight, Walker, Roni, Stacy and Jim went back into the house.
As they returned to the parlor, Stacy looked over at her brother and started to both laugh and cry at the same time. "I still can't believe you're here."
Walker opened his arms to Stacy and gave her a big brotherly hug. "Neither can I."
Roni and Jim were smiling as they watched them together, celebrating the joy of their reunion.
"You know, Walker, it sure is a good thing you know how to use a knife," Jim said, grinning.
"That's right," Roni added. His expert throw had saved her life. "That's the second time you've saved the day using one—but this time I don't think it will get you thrown out of school."
Walker looked over at the woman he loved and asked, "What do you think it will get me this time?"
Roni went to Walker as Stacy left his side. Roni's expression was serious as she looked up at him. All the love she felt for him was plain to see in her eyes. "A woman who will love you forever."
Walker didn't care that Stacy and Jim were there. He gathered Roni close and kissed her.
"Let's go," Jim said to Stacy, taking her arm to draw her from the room so Roni and Walker could have some privacy.
They went out to the kitchen and sat down at the table. For the first time, they had a moment to think about what they'd just gone through.
"I'm sorry about the way things turned out for you with Chet," Jim offered.
She looked at him across the table. "I'm not. You saved the day for me, too."
"What are you talking about?"
"I had just broken the engagement and given Chet his ring back when you rode up. He was real angry about it, and things could have gotten ugly if you hadn't shown up when you did."
"He didn't hurt you, did he?" Jim tensed. The thought that Chet might have hit Stacy as he'd hit Suzie horrified him.
"No. You got here just in time."
"Thank God. I'm glad. I don't want you to be hurt—ever," he told her. He knew she'd just broken off with Chet, but he'd kept his feelings to himself for so long, he didn't want to waste another minute. "Stacy . . ."
His tone had changed, and she looked at him questioningly, unsure of what he was about to say.
"Stacy, I love you." He waited uncertainly for her reaction, unsure of how she was going to respond.
"Oh, Jim." Stacy got up and went around the table to stand beside him. "I love you, too."
To say he was shocked was an understatement. "You do?"
Stacy reached out to touch his cheek. "I do. It's taken me a long time to realize it, but I love you, Jim."
"I never knew."
"I didn't either—until you kissed me."
He stood up and took her in his arms.
"You want to try it again?" he asked, grinning down at her.
"Oh, yes."
Jim kissed her hungrily, telling her without words how much she meant to him.
"Well, well, well, what do we have here?" Walker asked, smiling as he and Roni came into the kitchen to find the two of them in a heated embrace.
Jim broke off the kiss, embarrassed, but Stacy wasn't about to leave his arms.
"We saw what you and Roni were doing, and we thought it looked like fun," she teased.
"It is," Roni said, thrilled that Jim and Stacy had finally found each other.
"Roni and I have some news for you—" Walker began.
"What?" Stacy looked from one to the other.
"We're getting married."
"Well, it's about time!" Stacy exclaimed, excited for them both.
"I'll say," Walker agreed.
"We'll have the wedding as soon as we can arrange it with the reverend," Roni said, slipping an arm around Walker. "I don't want to let this man out of my sight again."
"I understand," Stacy agreed. She looked up at Jim adoringly and then back at her brother. So much had happened so quickly, she almost felt as if she was living a dream. "Oh, Walker," she sighed. "I am so glad you're here."
"So am I, Stacy," he told her with heartfelt emotion as he held Roni close to his side. "So am I."
He was home.