Last Bride, Last Man (Book Three of the Red River Valley Brides Series)

by Hestand, Rita

  "I know I shouldn't worry, but you get used to problems like this and you have to worry." Nadine cried.

  Joe shook his head and glanced around the table. "Look, I talked to Harry this morning. He said he's holding him over until the judge gets here and that he'll personally swear that Gabe killed in his defense. Plus, he told me he wasn't about to let that bunch get a hold of Gabe after he saved his life! Harry might not be the biggest man in the territory, but he can stand against a lot of men. He means what he says Nadine. He's protecting him."

  "Innocent people could get hurt because of this." Nadine's eyes met Joe's.

  "Have you known Harry long?"

  "As long as any of the other girls have, I guess." Nadine answered.

  "Well, in the time you have known him, have you ever seen him shirk his duty. Gabe's our friend and so are you. We aren't going to let anything happen to you, either of you." Joe promised and winked. "Besides, you got someone more powerful than all of us put together."

  "Who?" Nadine asked.

  "God!"

  Nadine digested that and some of her fears dissipated.

  "You’re a preacher, what can you do?" Nadine chuckled.

  "Pray for one. I'm also a rancher. I also know how to use a gun. Harry has deputized me many times to help out. I'm not afraid of violence, God's on my side." Joe chuckled.

  "Nadine, you and Gabe have made your home here. You belong here in Vada. You're a part of this town. Wasn't it you who fought off the Scarlett fever? And there wasn't a bunch of people marching around trying to help you either, was there. No, you did it yourself. You and Gabe have proved time and time again what responsible citizens you are. This town cares for you, both of you."

  "Well sure but…"

  "Then don't you think we owe you somethin' for that?" Joe asked. "Our children could have come down with it. They didn't because you kept things under control and you stayed with those children all the way. Despite the deaths, you were there. That means something to people. People will remember that."

  After everyone reassured her and she stopped long enough to eat some breakfast, Jo Ella suggested they take Harry and Gabe a tray of food.

  Nadine was anxious. She made Gabe a big plate and they went to the jail.

  Gabe was talking with Harry.

  "We brought you fella's some food." Jo Ella announced clearing her throat.

  "That was mighty thoughtful of you. How's the crowd this morning?" Harry asked motioning to the street outside.

  "Not many out there right now." Nadine said giving Gabe a tray through the slat in the middle of the bars.

  "Evidently his foreman couldn't keep the people interested enough to hang around all night. He'll have to rally them all over again. All we got is one more night and the judge will be here. So you girls go on home and Nadine you look as though you could use some sleep. Bring us some supper as big a breakfast as this is, we won't need anything until close to dark. But be sure and come before dark, I don't want either of you on the street after the sun goes down." Harry instructed.

  The girls gathered the basket, kissed their husbands and told them they would be back.

  Gabe didn't seem overly concerned and that made Nadine relax a little.

  When they got back to the boarding house Nadine decided to try to get some sleep.

  She slept much longer than she thought she would. It was almost time to take the men some supper. She went down stairs to see where everyone was. Ma and Jo Ella were working on the quilt. The house was quiet and sounded as though no one was about.

  "What are you two doing?" She asked as she grabbed a cup of coffee.

  "Thought we'd do a little on the quilt. We want it done before winter sets in." Ma said, not even bothering to look up. "Are you feeling better now?"

  "Yes, I am. Thank you." She sat her coffee on a table next to the wall and sat down in front of them to work. "I didn't mean to sleep so long though…"

  "That's alright, you needed the rest. Gabe doesn't need to worry about you too, you know." Ma told her.

  "You're right, and he would worry." Nadine chuckled to herself.

  "This is going to be so lovely." Nadine smiled as she relaxed and began to make stitches. "I can't believe it's going to be mine."

  "Aren't the colors beautiful in it?" Jo Ella asked.

  "They are…"

  ~*~

  At the jail, Harry had set up a checker game to play with Gabe while he gave orders to his men where he wanted them stationed. Mostly some out back, some on top the roof so they could pick anyone off that got gun happy.

  "Do you think they'll try something tonight?" Gabe asked him nonchalantly.

  "I don't know. If he can get them fired up again, maybe. But it might take some doin'. Folks have had time to think about it, and realize that I've done the right thing. A lot of them won't act until they see what the judge thinks. He carries a lot of weight around here." Harry said jumping Gabe's men on the board.

  "I seen Harold and Butch going into the saloon just a few minutes ago. Lon's been there all day." Jeff said as he came up to the game.

  "It'll take them a while to get liquored up, and a lot longer to get anyone else to react. I don't look for a lot of trouble, but if we have it, we'll be ready." Harry told them all.

  Several deputies drifted in and out, letting Harry know they had to get a drink or tend to personal matters.

  "I wish Nadine wasn't so upset about it." Gabe shook his head.

  "Yeah, women tend to get that way. This will all be over in a day or so now, so don't fret about it."

  "Is the judge a good man?" Gabe asked. "I mean, can you trust him to be fair?"

  "If Judge Brown comes yes, if it's another, I can't rightly say, but what can he do to you if I say it was self-defense."

  "I'm just glad Nadine's not due yet." Gabe moved a man and Harry jumped him. "I know how emotional she is when she's pregnant and it makes it harder on her. I think she'll begin to see what a good town you have here Harry when this is all over.

  "I'm sure she will. And I'm glad she's not due yet too, we don't need that much excitement!." Harry chuckled. "The girls should be coming any minute now with our supper." Harry reminded him.

  "That was the best breakfast I ever had, I think. Your Ma sure is in the right business."

  "This is true."

  "How long she had the boarding house?"

  "Since way before my father died, but she didn't make it into a boarding house until he died. He was the Mayor here for a long time, then he got sick. Ma took in boarders to pay the bills, that's when it all started about fifteen years ago. She's made it a good business and she handles it well too. I don't have to worry about Ma. Everyone in Vada knows and loves her."

  "She's a wonderful lady. Nadine's told me how she made all the girls feel right at home when they came here. Not many would do that."

  "Ma's like a momma hen with those girls." Harry chuckled. "She frets over them all."

  When the girls walked in with the food, the men were more than ready for it. Nadine stayed by Gabe and talked to him. Gabe kept reassuring her that all was going to be alright.

  "I just want you out of there. I want to go home." Nadine cried.

  "We will, soon. But we got to do things right, Nadine." Gabe told her.

  "You spend the night again at Ma's. I might be out of here by tomorrow, if the judge shows up." Gabe smiled at her and pulled her against the bar so he could kiss her.

  Jo Ella was talking with Harry, and she kissed him before she gathered up the dishes and they went back to the house.

  Harry came back to the checker game and studied Gabe's serious face. "I sure do like bein' married Gabe. I never thought I'd say that. But Jo Ella makes me happy and content all the time. I couldn't ask for a better wife." Harry said, patting his full stomach.

  "I know, I feel the same about Nadine. We had our ups and downs at first, but now there are only ups, no downs." Gabe smiled.

  "We're pretty lucky aren't we?"


  "I'd say so, yes." Gabe laughed for the first time since he'd been in jail.

  "It's gonna all work out fine…" Harry assured him.

  Chapter Twenty-Six

  The night passed quietly and there were no problems. Harry seemed relieved. Gabe could understand that. He expected them to come charging up to the door demanding Harry release him to them. But it didn't happen. Harry must have been right about the people. It gave Gabe pause to think on it.

  Given time to think, they must have figured all the fuss was for nothing.

  The next morning it was pouring rain. Gabe let the dull lull of the rain hitting the roof lull him almost to another sleep.

  The girls brought breakfast and stayed around to talk to them for a while, surprised that there had been no real trouble.

  Harry looked around the jail, some of his deputies were sleeping around inside, since he wanted them handy in case of trouble.

  "I told you I knew these people Gabe."

  "You did at that. I'm sorry I misjudged them." Gabe admitted.

  "In your shoes I probably would have too." Harry smiled.

  A deputy ran in and hollered, "Judge Brown is here."

  "Good. We'll get this taken care of early on, and you'll be going home soon." Harry promised.

  ~*~

  "All rise for the honorable Judge Brown." The bailiff hollered.

  A huge crowd of both black and white people joined the courtroom that day to see justice done. Dillon's men were there, Jo Ella and the girls were there. Most of the town turned out to see what the judge would do.

  The courtroom was a alabaster white room, with scrolls of cherubs on the wall. A long fan hung from the ceiling cooling the room. The windows were crowded with the people that couldn't get inside to watch.

  The people in the courtroom quieted down when the judge came in.

  The judge looked around and banged his gavel once as he sat down in the big chair behind the huge oak desk.

  "Be seated. Now, this is not a trial, it's a hearing to see if we need a trial. We'll hear testimony from the Sheriff first." The judge explained.

  Harry took the stand, and swore on the bible with his oath.

  "Now tell us in your own words what happened, Sheriff." The judge instructed.

  Harry looked at Jo Ella and she nodded to him with a smile.

  "Well, to begin with Dillon Spears was shooting his gun off in town. He'd just gotten home from a long cattle drive and needed to let off some steam, which I took into consideration. There's an ordinance about shooting in town though. I could have arrested him then. He shot the big window in the general store out, that was grounds for arrest right there. But knowing that cattlemen often come to town after a drive and let off some steam, I decided not to. I figured I could reason with him, and keep the good will between ranchers and townspeople. Besides, he was rich enough to pay for that window."

  The crowd laughed.

  "And was that successful?" The judge asked.

  "No sir. Dillon wasn't listening to me or anyone else for that matter. He was drunk and I knew I'd have to take him to jail until he sobered up. He kept shooting randomly at first. No real harm done that he couldn't fix. But then things changed."

  "Go on, then what happened?" The judge encouraged.

  The people got loud in the courtroom and the judge banged the gavel once more. "Any more outbursts and you'll be held in contempt of court, all of you."

  "Go on…"

  "Well, Dillon saw Gabe coming out of the feed store and he took random shots at him. Said he wanted to see him dance."

  The courtroom laughed.

  "Gabe told him he didn't dance to guns."

  There was more laughter.

  "Get the point Sheriff…"

  "While Dillon was annoying Gabe, I jumped Dillon and tried to take the gun out of his hands. We struggled, I heard him cock it, I saw his finger on the trigger. I figured as good a shot as he was, I was dead. But Gabe shot him. And he died…saving me."

  The crowd got loud again.

  "Order, order in this court." The judge frowned.

  "Then what did you do?"

  "Well, since he saved my life, I figured he was in the right and I was gonna let him go. But someone in the crowd took offense, so I arrested Gabe and brought him to jail. Mainly to avoid further trouble. Gabe gave his gun up the minute he fired. There was no struggle. I told him I'd hold him until you came to town to settle things once and for all. By the law…Gabe respected that."

  Harry glanced around the room and everyone got quiet again.

  The judge seemed to wrestle with the information for a long moment, then he asked. "If he hadn't shot and killed Dillon, would you be alive now, Sheriff?"

  "No sir, I wouldn't." Harry said and looked around at the crowd. "Dillon was drunk, and whether he intended to kill me or not, his gun was ready to go off. If Gabe hadn't have fired when he did, I'd be dead. He saved my life, judge."

  "Case dismissed…" The judge hit the gavel and the crowd broke out in all kinds of reactions.

  The judge banged his gavel once more and glared at the crowd.

  "The Sheriff has said this man defended him. There is no reason to take this to trial. As we all know that our Sheriff is an honest man. Go home and forget this. Although Dillon Spears might have been a good friend to some of you, he was trying to shoot a law officer in the performance of his duty. This man saved our Sheriff. Therefore there will be no trial."

  "You cain't let him get away with murder," the foreman shouted from the back of the room.

  "Dillon Spears went too far, this time. He got his come uppance. Justice is served. Go home!" The judge advised and left the chambers.

  When the foreman pulled a gun and aimed it at Gabe, Harry pulled his gun. The two men faced each other.

  "Stay out of this Sheriff."

  "He's a free man, Lon." Harry shouted. "Now put the gun down."

  "I cain't. I cain't do it. He killed Dillon, and I'm going to kill him." Lon hollered.

  Lon aimed his gun and cocked it, his finger was on the trigger.

  Gabe felt the sweat break on his brow as he faced the man.

  Harry pulled his trigger. Lon fell.

  The judge was ushered back into the room to rule on the killing immediately.

  He looked up after observing the victim. "The law will be upheld in the town of Vada. Bury this man, Sheriff."

  The judge walked out and no one said another word in the courtroom that day.

  Nadine grabbed Gabe and kissed him. The black community nodded their satisfaction in the trial and began to disperse.

  "What you are seeing here today is nothing short of a miracle." Harry came up to Gabe, grabbed his hand and smiled. "We made some history in this town. Justice was served."

  Gabe nodded, he humbled himself. "You are right, Harry. This is a good town, and I'm proud to be a part of it. I guess I know as well as anyone how this could have gone. But it didn't. You're right, history was made!"

  Joe and Sarah joined them in congratulating Gabe.

  But what impressed Gabe was the way the people, the white people of the town came and congratulated him. People he did business with, people he had known for a long time were happy to see him set free.

  Jo Ella seemed more melancholy than the rest of them that day though.

  "You miss him, don't you?" Harry approached her.

  "No…it's not that." She reached for Harry's hand. "Dillon was wild, like a stallion that couldn't be tamed. I figured a long time ago that he'd end up like this…I'm just sad that he did. I saw the good in him too. I'm not in love with him, or his spirit. I simply need to bring closure to it all. Everyone needs someone to mourn their death, don't you think?"

  Harry looked straight at Jo Ella, "You're right honey. They do. In my own way, I'll miss him too. We were kids together Jo Ella. You don't forget that."

  Gabe came up to Harry. "I'm sorry for him, but I’m even happier for you…"

  He grabbed Harry
and hugged him.

  Harry laughed. "Let's go see what Ma's cookin' up for us. She's gonna need some help with all the boarders she's got right now!"

  Jo Ella looped her arm in Harry's, "You're right, let's go. Besides, I'm sure she is anxious to know how things turned out."

  Nadine hugged Gabe tight. "I can't believe it. I didn't think they'd be fair to you. I’m sorry, I kind of lost faith there."

  Gabe grabbed her, kissed her and smiled into her worried face. "We won this one, didn't we? We got us a place to live, with friends and love all around. And through all the bad there's been a lot of good, Nadine. We can't forget this, we can't let our people forget it. Vada is moving forward instead of backwards, and it's our home."

  She put her arm around him and they walked to Ma's.

  Ma had dinner on the table practically and several of the boarders were gathered around.

  Gabe glanced at the table, then Ma. "Fried chicken?" He grinned at her.

  "You bet, I figured you'd be mighty hungry when they set you lose."

  Gabe laughed. "You figured right, Ma. You figured right."

  It was a day of celebration, a day to say goodbye, a day to mourn, Gabe reasoned. But more than that, it was a good day!

  Epilogue

  "You don't mean it…" Nadine covered her mouth and gasped aloud.

  "The Mayor went out one last time to find her. They had no luck at all. It's as though they vanished into thin air. No one can find her. There's no note, not nothing. She's gone, and so is Dakota. Either she went with him willingly, or he took her." Jo Ella was saying as they sat in the kitchen at Ma's.

  "I can't believe Maggie would go willingly. I mean, he's an Indian. Everyone said she was kidnapped." Nadine blurted.

  "Well, that's what the Mayor wanted to believe. But we know Maggie."

  "Can you imagine Maggie out there on the prairie, skinning a buffalo or something." Nadine chuckled.

  "No I can't. But—she was in love with him." Jo Ella admitted. "And you know as well as I what a woman will do if she thinks she's in love.