Moments later, a young man, powerfully built, comes out the door, wiping his hands on an apron. Immediately John feels a negativity exuding from the young man. As he turns to look at the woman, John sees several scratches on the side of his face, as well as what appears to be several bruises on his face, neck, and upper chest. The young man levels his gaze on David and his eyes narrow. He asks the woman in a flat tone, “What?”
She points to John and David, then says, “These two want to search the house for the girl you helped. What do you say to that?”
The look he gives John is nothing but pure malice. The young man’s very presence makes John’s gun hand itch. Rarely has he ever reacted like this to meeting someone. The young man reeks of malevolence. John is surprised he isn’t watching clouds of darkness coming off the young man’s body.
Languidly, the young man asks, “Got a warrant?”
John’s eyes narrow. “No. If I have to get one, I wouldn’t be asking for permission to search. If you make me get one, I will be sure to come with enough officers to make things difficult for you.”
“No. Don’t come back on to our property until you have a warrant and an army to be able to search with.” He turns and heads back into the store.
John shudders a bit in relief as the young man re-enters the building, the negativity he exudes follows him like a swarm of flies.
“You heard what my son just said. Now, leave before I send for the sheriff!” The woman’s eyes take on a wild look.
David raises a hand and says, “Look, I am pretty sure she can’t travel yet. Is there a reason you don’t want me to look in on her and check her out again?”
Just then, an older man walks out of the store and says, “Leslie, Richard needs you in the back. Now.” He looks at John and David. “Goodbye. Until you come back with a warrant, I don’t want to see either of you on my property, at all. Understood?” Without waiting for an answer, he turns, goes back inside the store, closes, then locks the door, and turns the “Open” sign to say “Closed”.
John looks at David. “Nice people.” They both move toward their horses and mount them. John turns to his young friend and says, “Wanna get some food?”
David’s face has a greenish tint to it, but he nods and leads the way to a small Mexican restaurant down the street. During lunch, David asks John what can be done about this situation.
John replies, “Legally, my hands are tied. Unless you want me to challenge either of them to a duel, or push one of them into challenging me to one, I can’t do anything.”
“I can’t ask you to do that. It’s against my beliefs to murder someone, even if they do make your skin crawl with their very presence.”
John shudders. “I still can’t shake off the case of the willies Richard gave me.” He looks at his young friend a little more closely. His condition seems to be improving, but he still appears to be experiencing some fair amount of distress. “You alright there?”
“Being around Richard turns my stomach. I have my suspicions as to why, but I’m not going to put voice to them, until I know for a fact.”
“He DOES seem to exude hatred, doesn’t he?” John asks curiously.
“It’s much worse for me. I don’t know why, and I’m not too sure I want to.”
John grimaces at the statement. Deciding on a change of subject, he asks, “What now?”
David shakes his head. “I guess, now, home. I’d hoped we could see Brigit, but I guess not, huh?”
An hour later, as the two men are riding out of town, they pass by the general store once more. Leslie is out front, sweeping. John notices what appears to be tear-streaks on her face and a set of fresh bruises on the exposed parts of her body. He decides not to say anything about it to David, as it will only upset his young friend further.
Just past the store, John feels a pair of eyes on him. He turns in the saddle and sees a curtain in the store move, as if someone were just watching them through it. As they ride out of White, John breathes a sigh of relief, glad to be well away from those people. Still not able to shake off the feeling of unease, he looks forward to going back home to see what his future holds.
It is a blazing hot late afternoon that finds the two riders coming into Denver. John looks over at David and is glad they stopped for water a mile back.
The road back to Denver from White takes the riders to the south of Red-Feather’s ranch. The same creek John bathed in ends close to where the road runs. One look at David’s face makes John glad he knew about it.
This blasted heat makes travel a miserable ordeal. I’m glad we’re close to home. He looks around. If he didn’t know any better, John would think this a ghost town. Though there aren’t any workers at it currently, there is the frame of a building going up, not far from the hotel. There are several wagons, holding building materials, parked next to it.
Rebekah’s voice calls out from just inside the door of the hotel. “Ben! Where did ya run off to, now, boy?” A few seconds later, she emerges from the door and sees the two riders coming down the street. Her hand goes to her mouth as she gasps. She gathers the front of her skirt up and rushes toward the mounted men.
John turns, preparing to tell his young friend his woman was about to rush them, but sees David is already dismounting.
The beautiful young woman grabs the young doctor in a rough embrace, kissing him fiercely. John can barely hear her low voice say, “I love you. I missed you so much.”
“I love you, too. I couldn’t wait to get back either, my love. We have a lot to talk about,” comes the muffled reply between kisses. “Sweetheart, beloved, please, not in public.”
John chuckles quietly, suppressing the urge to get sick in the street. He truly is glad his young friends are happy together, he just doesn’t want to see it. He hears her say, “I don’t care. I don’t want you going anywhere that long without me again.”
John dismounts and says, “Good evening, Miss Rebekah.”
“Hello, Marshal. Your trip went well, I take it?” she replies, without taking her eyes off the young doctor.
“Well enough. Like David said, we have a lot to talk about, though. If you wouldn’t mind letting go of your fellar for a moment, we can put up our horses and get to it?” he asks archly.
With a final sigh and a close hug, she lets go of the doctor and turns to look at the marshal with a discontented look. “Better?”
John looks at her. “Well, it’s not like you don’t have time to get reacquainted or anything. Plus, we need to get our horses out of this heat.”
She nods, then motions the two men forward. “I have to find Ben, anyway. I need to talk to him about some dishes.” She sighs disconsolately. “One of these days, I’ll find all of that boy’s hiding places and make sure he can’t get away anymore.”
Her tone of exasperation brings a grin to John’s face. He looks at David and sees an amused expression on his young friend’s face.
Rebekah turns and looks at the pair of grinning men and says, “Ooooh! You two!” She turns and goes back down the street to the hotel.
John looks at the retreating young woman and starts laughing.
David’s look goes from amusement to being slightly abashed. “She does seem irritated, doesn’t she?”
John shakes his head ruefully. “Yes, but not at you. At Ben. Let’s finish this up, so you can get back to being near her.”
An hour and a half later, John, David, Rebekah, Red-Feather, and Heart-of-Falcon are seated around a table, drinking coffee, water, and lemonade. Red-Feather and Heart-of-Falcon are sitting next to each other, holding hands, with David and Rebekah doing the same.
John and David are taking turns explaining the events that happened in Norman, while leaving out the discovery of Joey’s true identity.
When John explains the materials coming in, the gesture is met with surprise from his beautiful hostess. She is completely nonplussed by his purchase. David’s answering grin is wolfish.
John is rather pleas
ed by her reaction as well. John asks, “So, what all have we missed while we were gone?”
Red-Feather sighs, crosses his arms and leans back in his chair. Heart-of-Falcon leans in on her elbows and looks at John intently. She replies in a low voice, “Junior Johnston woke up. He’s still a bit out of it, but he’s given us a little more information on who took liberties with his mother.”
“And?” John demands.
“He said someone called the guy ‘Jeff’. He doesn’t remember much after that, but he does remember at least that much.”
John becomes considerably more alert. “He was sure? No question about it at all? That’s all the information he can give us?”
Heart-of-Falcon shakes her head. “None.”
John leans back in his chair, stunned at the implications of the statement. He thinks quickly. “Too bad him testifying would make more trouble than it’s worth.”
“Why is that?” Her face is a study of curiosity.
“His race and his age. Since the Jacobsons are gonna get themselves a good lawyer to defend their nephew, it’s gonna be bad. Any decent lawyer will eat Junior alive.”
Heart-of-Falcon sighs.
David nods and says, “It’s sad, but true. At least we know the truth, right?”
John nods, the sour taste of disappointment filling his mouth. “Honestly, we might be jumping the gun on this. Trying to build a case against a criminal that isn’t even in custody, is like counting your chickens before they’ve hatched. Has anyone come forward with anymore info about his whereabouts, yet?”
“Just some passerby mentioning seeing a group of people down by the south creek,” Red-Feather says in a sour tone.
John leans forward onto his forearms. “I think, other than using the lumber we bought, we’re gonna need to focus on catching that piece of garbage.”
Everyone at the table nods in agreement. John hears Rebekah whisper to David, “Think we’re almost done here?”
John clears his throat meaningfully. “I think it’s been long enough of a day. Miss Rebekah, might I impose upon you for a room?”
The young lady nods. “Without a doubt. I have been hoping you would accept my hospitality anyway. Now that you’re bringing so much stuff, I would feel bad for turning you away, anyway.”
John smiles tightly. “Well, you’re still trying to run a business. And, of course, you aren’t supposed to owe me anything for having that stuff brought in anyway.”
Rebekah waves off the comments. “We have two rooms available. You can have one, and David the other.”
David shakes his head. “I’m gonna crash in my office. With the lumber coming in, I need to work on some designs for my new office. Think I might be able to get the lot next door? I would like my office to be as close as possible after all.”
Rebekah grins. “Oh, dear. I don’t know. I think you will have to convince the owner to sell out. I heard she was planning on building her house there, once she got married that is.”
Catching the hint, John laughs raucously.
It takes David several moments longer to understand. His face reddens in embarrassment. He looks over at Rebekah’s look of feigned innocence and smiles wide. “I think I might be able to find a way to convince her. What do you think it might take to soften her displeasure at my absence lately, my love?”
The look the young woman gives him is smoldering. “Oh, I think it’s something we can discuss in private, dear.”
John clears his throat meaningfully. Rebekah blushes. She disengages her hand from the doctor’s, stands, and goes to the registration desk.
Red-Feather looks at Heart-of-Falcon and smiles. A look passes between them, ending with Heart-of-Falcon nodding in agreement. She rises and immediately heads upstairs.
John looks at David with a bemused expression on his face. I have the feeling David is in for far more than he realizes. “So, David, do you think the lumber will get here before Sean does?”
“I doubt it. They had almost a full day head start on him, but you never know.”
John nods and stands. He yawns widely. “I guess I’m gonna grab what sleep I can. I get the feeling we’re gonna be super busy for awhile.”
David nods, waves bye, and turns back to his coffee in silence. Red-Feather nods his agreement the evening is at an end and finishes his drink as well.
Chapter 54
The following morning, after breakfast, David gets down to the serious business of designing his new office. Earlier in the morning, he went to the Lion’s Law owners and told them about him building a new site for his practice. They thanked him for telling them in advance and let him know they were moving their practice to Norman soon, anyway.
Late in the morning, the lumber arrived. John has the delivery guys drop two of the wagon loads at the empty lot next to the hotel, and the third by the Marshal’s Office.
While the unloading progresses, Quan rides into town. When he sees John has returned, he rides up to greet his friend. He indicates he was going to leave a message for John at the hotel, for when he returned. He hands a note over to John, who then nods absently, promising to read it as soon as he can get away from overseeing the unloading.
Thankfully, the process progresses smoothly and he’s able to take his eyes away from the site. He’s glad that the guys unloading are practiced enough to know what they’re doing. Judging this won’t take much longer, John quickly reads the folded piece of paper he had put in his pocket.
In it, Ling We says they are going to be moving into Denver and setting up a restaurant. She asks for his help in buying a plot of land for their new restaurant home.
John has to re-read the letter several times to make sure he read it correctly. He is rather surprised that they aren’t going to continue to fight for their property. He looks at Lion’s Law and considers the implications of them being able to buy the building. It makes the most amount of sense for them to buy the building and re-purpose it to their own needs.
Once the unloading is done, John invites the unloading crew over to the hotel for lunch. As the crew comes in and eats, John asks Rebekah about what’s being built across the street.
She replies, “A saloon. About four days ago, a guy by the name of Hesche came into town with two wagons of wood, a wagon of his family, and another wagon full of casks of alcohol. He talked with Daniel Jacobson about buying that lot and a few hours later started building there. His family is staying in a tent on the east side of town. Why do you ask?”
“Now that I’m Town Marshal, I need to keep track of that sort of thing. Heshe, you say? What an odd name.” He strokes his jaw thoughtfully. “Did Red-Feather talk to him about anything?”
“No. He’s been keeping mostly to himself and his family. Only reason I know anything is because he came by and asked for directions to the land office.”
“It sounds like I need to have a chat with him, then. You know, do the neighborly thing?”
Rebekah nods. She looks like she’s about to say something, but stops before uttering the words. She nods again, seemingly more to herself than anything else and walks off without another word.
John stares after her curious as to what she decided not to say. He shakes his head, marveling at how the people he has so recently met seem to have become so indelible to his life.
John leaves the hotel, going across the street to the construction area. There are only a few people there, working on the building. All three men appear to be related. John approaches the building site, calling out, “Ho, the site!”
All three men turn as one. The one that appears to be eldest, waves at the other two, telling them to get back to work and approaches John. When he gets close enough to speak comfortably, he asks, “Yes?” The old man is easily in his fifties. His face is fairly scarred, as if he’s been in more than his fair share of fist fights. His voice is rough, almost gravelly. With that one word, it is impossible for John to tell what type of accent he has.
John steps forward and offers his
hand. “M’name’s John. I’m Marshal ‘round these parts. Yours’ is?”
The man considers a moment, then takes John’s hand. “Hi, Marshal. Name’s Josiah Hesche. This’ll be my saloon. Them’s my boys. The big one is Joseph, the smaller Caleb.”
John waves to the two younger men. They wave back, perfunctorily and turn back to their tasks at hand.
John turns back to Josiah. “So, what makes you choose Denver to set up shop in, if you don’t mind my asking? We’re not exactly a bustling metropolis or anything. So, why Denver?”
“I had a pub in New York City a few years back, I don’t want a bustling metropolis. Too many problems for too little money. At least here, my sons can leave the house and not get robbed the moment they set foot out the front door.”
“We try to keep the attacks to a minimum,” John replies sardonically. “Actually, just got back from Norman, delivering prisoners accused of claim jumping. I’m hoping things will calm down quite a bit now.”
The older man looks concerned at the statement, but apparently chooses not to say anything. He nods and points to the wood piled by the Marshal’s Office. “Planning on expanding?”
John smiles and nods. “The previous Marshal wasn’t worth anything, and left me with quite a mess. It has no floor in the office or anything. I figure things are gonna be quiet enough I can do most of it myself, maybe have a few friends help, and get it done right.”
“You mean you’re not the first marshal? Did the previous one leave?”
“In truth, I killed him. He was working with the claim jumpers and when I arrested the leader, he drew down on me, so I had to defend myself.” John’s smile widens. “That’s when I called in the Cavalry. They helped capture the prisoners and transport them to Norman for trial.”
“It sounds like you’ve been busy.”
“More than you know. Come on over sometime, and I can tell you all about it.”
Josiah nods in agreement, then looks over John’s shoulder.
John turns and sees Sean’s wagon approaching slowly down the street. He jabs his thumb towards the approaching wagon and says, “There’s the rest of the equipment, now. If you’ll excuse me, I need to check into this.”
The Marshal of Denver Page 30
