Comeback Trail

by Carolina Mac

  “I think I put it in there,” said Jack. “You must have missed it.”

  Ivan screwed up his not-so-handsome face. “Do we know where this Buster guy lives?”

  Jack nodded. “I know where he lives, but right now he’ll be at work at the feed mill. Let’s go ask him a couple of questions.” Ivan hopped up and followed Jack out to the squad car.

  Preston Feed Mill.

  JACK pointed. “Ivan, drive around back to the loading dock. Buster loads the trucks when the ranchers come to pick up their feed orders.”

  Ivan wheeled around the huge mill and parked the squad car away from the waiting pickups. They hopped out and Jack spotted Buster on the dock with a hundred pound bag of grain on his shoulder.

  Jack hollered up to him. “Come on down here a minute, Buster. Need to talk to you.”

  “I’m busy, Jacky.”

  “Come on, Buster. Only take a minute.”

  Buster slung the bag of feed into the back of a blue pickup, cursed the air blue and jumped down from the loading dock. “What’s so all fired important that you can’t wait a minute?”

  Jack pulled his handcuffs off his belt. “How much was Paisley paying you for setting him up with Jessup Spinner’s horses?”

  “I ain’t talking about that, Jack. Private business.”

  “Nope, it ain’t,” Jack hollered. “It’s my business, Buster.”

  Buster took a hefty swing and caught Jack on the side of the head. Jack stumbled back a couple of steps, shook off the punch, then charged forward and rammed Buster into the side of the blue pickup. Jack smashed his right fist into Buster’s face and blood gushed out of Buster’s nose and ran down into his beard.

  Buster groaned and clamped a big dirty hand over his face, smearing the blood all over.

  Ivan was right there and snapped a cuff on Buster’s free hand. Ivan made a face as he grabbed the bloody wrist and snapped the other cuff on.

  Deputy Ivan marched Buster to the squad and shoved him into the back seat none too gently. “Another arrest, partner. We’re three for three today.”

  “The jail will soon be full,” said Jack.

  “What are we charging this guy with, Jack?”

  “Conspiracy to commit robbery.”

  Ivan grinned. “That sounds about right. I figured you didn’t read the manual, but maybe you did.”

  “Let’s lock Buster up and get a coffee before you write the report.”

  “I’m for that.”

  Jack wanted to punch Ivan, but instead he gave him a friendly fist bump.

  Sheriff’s Office. Preston.

  SHERIFF Tucker glared as they brought Buster Tate in. “Another prisoner, Jack? What did Buster do?”

  “Conspiracy to commit robbery. He put those horse thieves onto Mr. Spinner, Sheriff.” Jack touched the side of his face. “And he punched me in the face and resisted arrest.”

  “Yep, he did,” said Ivan. “I was the witness.”

  The sheriff managed a half smile. “Damn, boy, you are on a roll. Lock him up.”

  “I didn’t do nothing, Sheriff Tucker,” hollered Buster.

  “You clocked one of my deputies, Buster. That ain’t nothing.”

  “It was accidental.”

  “Yeah?” The sheriff chuckled. “And we’re accidentally gonna lock you up.”

  McKenna Ranch.

  RIP and Chuck came for practice just as I finished reading all the arrest reports on Micky Swain. Gave me a feeling that I knew him a little better and knew what to expect if I had to come up against him face to face in the near future—like tomorrow at the courthouse. We weren’t sure if he’d show up, but it didn’t hurt to be on the lookout for him. He was bad news.

  I ran out on the porch as the boys were taking their ropes out of the truck. “Let’s saddle up and get to it, boys. Only two days left until your first rodeo.”

  Chuck laughed. “I’m so freakin nervous, Logan. Ain’t like before when I entered knowing I couldn’t win. I might have a chance this time and it’s scaring the crap out of me.”

  I chuckled. “Normal reaction. If you weren’t nervous, you wouldn’t be any good. Let’s go get started.”

  We were half way back to the field when a red Bronco caught up with us. Fiona stuck her head out the window and hollered, “Morning, Logan. Your barn is looking amazing. Mind if I watch you practice?”

  “Yes, I do mind. I’m giving private lessons here, Fiona. You can’t keep dropping in uninvited. I’ve got work to do.”

  She smirked and I could barely stand to look at her. “My, but you’re in a bad mood this morning, sweetheart.”

  “I wasn’t until you came along, Fiona, and I’m not your sweetheart. Go back to your clinic. I don’t want you here.”

  “That was downright rude, Logan McKenna. I’m not happy about your tone.” She turned the Bronco around and raised a lot of dust on her way out the lane.

  I wasn’t happy about her tone either.

  “Got woman trouble, Logan?”

  “Yep. Can’t get rid of that one. She’s on me like glue.”

  “She’s pretty enough,” said Chuck. “Can’t wait until women are on us like glue, can we Ripper?”

  Rip laughed. “Can’t imagine it.”

  CLAY sat on the porch practicing his guitar until his arm ached. He put the guitar down and took his cell phone out of his pocket. “Hey, Bonnie Sue, how is work going?”

  “I’m on desk duty, Clay. All I do is answer the phone and write reports. Pretty boring stuff.”

  “Are you coming to the courthouse tomorrow?”

  “Umm… I can’t come until it’s my turn and I’m the last witness for the prosecution. Mr. Pace said Monday or Tuesday.”

  “I’m singing tomorrow night at the Spur. Want to come?”

  “I do want to come. Thanks for asking. I haven’t been out since… you know how long. What time are you going to be there?”

  “Why don’t you come at seven and we’ll have dinner first.”

  “That’s a nice idea. I’ll meet you there at seven. Thanks for inviting me.”

  “No problem. I haven’t been doing much either. Sitting on the porch and trying to play my guitar. Logan won’t let me do any ranch work yet because my therapy isn’t finished. Some days are better than others.”

  Sheriff’s Office. Preston.

  JACK spent most of the afternoon learning how to book people after they were arrested and how to make fingerprint cards properly. Ivan was fussy and he like to be Mr. Perfect. He drove Jack nuts most of the time.

  When Jack finished the lessons and he had all that stuff down, he stuck his head in Sheriff Tucker’s office and asked, “I’m wrapped up here, Sheriff. Can I go to the range for a couple of hours?”

  Tucker nodded his head. “Good idea, Jacky. I don’t want you to be caught short, you doing all this arresting n’all so sudden like. You better know how to use your sidearm.”

  “Thanks, Sheriff. See you in the morning.”

  “What time are you on the witness stand?”

  “I think I’m after Logan.”

  “Opening statements will be first,” said the sheriff. “You’ll be lucky to get called before the noon recess.”

  “They can call over here like ten minutes ahead, can’t they?”

  “Uh huh. Won’t take you long to get there, long as you ain’t on a call.”

  “Ivan will have to take the calls if they don’t come in at the crack.”

  The sheriff grinned.

  Target Range. Preston.

  JACK hustled inside the shooting center and tried to find Dakota. He spotted her down at the end of the run working with a big guy wearing a tight black t-shirt. He had sleeve tats down both arms and an earring in his left ear.

  “Biker,” Jack said to himself as he found an empty spot and put the noise mufflers on. “Hope I can hit something today,” he mumbled to himself.

  He was squeezing the trigger like Dakota had showed him and concentrating hard on the target
s when he felt a hand on his shoulder. A smile crossed his lips thinking Dakota had seen him and sneaked up on him.

  Jack turned, thinking he might kiss her and was looking into the dangerous dark eyes of Micky Swain.

  Micky jerked the mufflers off Jack’s head and grabbed a chunk of his hair at the same time. He leaned down and whispered, “This is a message for you and your idiot brothers. Don’t be heros at the trial. I want a self-defense verdict for Harper. Nothing less. Hear me?”

  “I hear you, Mr. Swain, and you’re under arrest for threatening an officer.” Jack pointed the Sig at Swain’s chest. “Get down on your knees. Hands on your head.”

  Swain laughed. “Like you can make that happen.”

  Jack throat punched Swain with his left hand and when his head jerked back, he drove him in the gut as hard as he could. Swain bent forward and Jack cold-cocked him with the butt of his gun. Swain dropped to the concrete, Jack dropped down on top of him and stuck his knee in Swain’s back. He cuffed him and pressed Ivan’s number.

  “Need backup at the target range,” Jack hollered at Ivan. “Officer needs assistance.”

  I always forget what the hell to say.

  Sheriff Tucker arrived with Ivan five minutes later and wanted an explanation. He didn’t like being disturbed from his office sitting and coffee drinking.

  “Mr. Swain threatened me and my brothers,” said Jack. “He said the jury better find Harper Gabriel shooting Bonnie Sue was self-defense.”

  “Interesting,” said Sheriff Tucker. “We’ll let Mr. Pace come and speak to Mr. Swain at the jail.”

  “Thanks, Sheriff,” said Jack. “Do you want me to come and do the booking part?”

  “You go on home, Jacky. You’re the victim here. Ivan and I have got this.”

  Micky was hauled outside by Ivan and Sheriff Tucker and Jack shoved his gun back into the holster. He was about to leave when Dakota came running to catch up to him.

  “What was going on, Jack? I saw the sheriff here.”

  “Yeah, a little incident.” Jack tried to shake it off, but he was a bit shaky and couldn’t quite get there. “We still on for tomorrow night?”

  She smiled. “For sure.”

  “Meet me at seven at the Spur and I’ll buy you dinner before the band starts.”

  “It’s a deal. See you at seven.” She kissed him on the cheek and ran back to her customer.

  On a high thinking about his date with the Dakota, the hot looking shooter, Jack jogged out to the parking lot. He couldn’t believe it when he saw Sheriff Tucker leaning over the hood of his Jimmy and Ivan beside him with a hand on the big guy’s shoulder.

  “Where’s Swain?” asked Jack.

  Sheriff Tucker was breathing hard and rubbing his neck. Jack noticed the blue tinge on Tucker’s face.

  Ivan answered and said, “The prisoner kicked the sheriff in his private parts and ran off. He jumped on his bike and disappeared.”

  “With handcuffs on?” Jack asked. “How could he ride?”

  Ivan shrugged and rolled his eyes.

  Something else happened.

  Broken Spur Roadhouse.

  JACK called ahead to make sure both his brothers would be waiting for him when he got to the roadhouse, and they were. Clay and Logan were sitting in a booth half way back with a pitcher of Lone Star in front of them and a frosted glass waiting for him.

  Jack sat down, filled up the glass and drank most of down in one long pull.

  “What’s the big emergency, Jacky?” asked Logan. “You sounded weird on the phone.”

  “Swain came to the shooting range and threatened me.” He made a circular motion with his hand. “All of us.”

  “Swain showed up in Preston?” Clay’s blue eyes were wide.

  “Came to the target range,” said Jack. “Must have been following me. How else would he know where I was?”

  “And?” Logan prodded him.

  “He said we better not mess with Harper’s case. Swain wants the jury to rule self-defense.”

  “Sheriff should arrest him,” said Logan. “He can’t go around threatening witnesses.”

  “I arrested him.” Jack pointed at his own chest. “Me, Jacky, the two-day deputy. He fought me and I had to fight the big thug. It was brutal.”

  “Jeeze,” said Clay. “Are you hurt?”

  “I’m a bit sore, yeah. I called for back-up and Ivan and Tucker came and took him away.”

  “Shit, Jacky,” said Logan. “Never expected him to show up in town after he burned our barn down.”

  “That ain’t the worst part.” Jack tipped up his glass, drank down what was left and refilled it.

  “Tell us the bad part.” Clay leaned in closer.

  “Sheriff Tucker and Ivan took Swain to the squad in the parking lot to transport him and when I came out of the Range, Swain was gone. Ivan said Swain kicked Tucker in the nuts and rode off on his Harley.”

  “With cuffs on?” asked Logan.

  “Something else happened that Ivan wouldn’t tell me in front of Sheriff Tucker.”

  “Call Ivan and ask him what really happened,” said Clay.

  “Guess I could. Don’t know if Ivan would tell me. He’s pretty loyal to the sheriff and they’re kinda tight.” Jack picked up his cell and pressed Ivan’s number. “Hey, Ivan this is Jack.”

  “What’s up, Jack. We’re off duty.”

  “I know we’re off duty, but it was bothering me something terrible bad that Swain got away from you and the sheriff and I want to know the truth about what happened.”

  “Umm… don’t know if I should tell you, Jack.”

  “Hey, Ivan, Swain was my prisoner and y’all let him get away. You owe me an explanation.”

  “Yeah, I guess, I do. I’d be pissed if you did it to me.”

  “So… what happened?”

  “Don’t tell the sheriff I told you, Jack. He’ll fire both of us.”

  “I won’t let on, Ivan. I just want to know. I had to fight to get the cuffs on Swain and I wanted him in jail.”

  “We got him out to the cruiser, and he was hollering and kicking. He’s a big guy, and strong so I took my sidearm out to point it at him while we got him into the back of the Jimmy. Then Swain makes a move. He loops his arms over the sheriff’s head and pulls the chain on the cuffs tight around Wade’s throat. Wade’s face started turning blue and Swain made me unlock the cuffs and let him go.”

  “Rat shit, Ivan. He never should’ve got the drop on Sheriff Tucker like that.”

  “No, he shouldn’t. Sorry, Jack. I know Swain’s a bad one and he’s hard to catch. You did it alone, and I’m sorry we messed you up.”

  “It’s okay. I just wanted the truth. See you tomorrow.”

  Logan and Clay were waiting to hear the story when Jack ended the call. Jack shook his head. “Better if we don’t talk about it here.” He glanced around at the crowd. “Let’s drink another pitcher before we go home.”

  “That bad?” asked Logan. “Having a deputy in the family is pretty interesting, Jacky.”

  Clay grinned. “Sure is, Jacky boy.”

  CHAPTER FIVE

  Friday, May 22nd.

  McKenna Ranch.

  I showered after chores and dressed in a pair of black pants and a white shirt. Most of my clothes were for life at the ranch, and I’d never been to court before. I stuck my head in Clay’s room to see if he was coming down for breakfast. He wasn’t allowed in the courtroom until it was his turn, and it wouldn’t be today.

  “I’m up, Logy. I want to talk to you before you go to court.”

  “Why, is something wrong?” He followed me down to the kitchen and I poured both of us mugs of coffee.

  “Nope, I just hate missing out on what’s happening during the trial. I wanted to be there. Harper shot me and Bonnie Sue and I didn’t want to miss a single minute of it.”

  “As soon as I testify, I can sit in on all the rest and I’ll be your eyes and ears until you get there. I’ll make notes of everything
that’s important.”

  “Would you? It’s going to be hell waiting my turn.”

  “What do you make of Swain threatening us?” I asked Clay.

  “I wouldn’t have been so nervous about it if he was in jail where Jacky boy wanted him. Can’t believe Tucker let him get away like that.”

  “We can’t talk about that mess up outside this kitchen. We promised Jacky.”

  “I won’t,” said Clay. “I won’t even tell Bonnie Sue, but I know she’ll be curious about it. She knows everything that goes on inside the sheriff’s office.”

  “I guess we will too from here on out,” I said. “We got Sheriff McKenna living here.”

  Clay shook his head. “I can’t believe all the arrests he’s made in his first week. Maybe Tucker was right about Jacky being deputy material.”

  I chuckled. “Lucky guess is what I’m putting it down to.”

  Clay laughed. “Yeah, could have been a lucky guess.”

  Preston Courthouse.

  I sat in the witness room by myself with a newspaper and a bottle of water in front of me while the opening statements were being presented by Mr. Pace and by Harper’s attorney, Big Sandy Shaver.

  A couple of hours later, the door opened startling me and the bailiff was standing beside me. “You’re up, Mr. McKenna. Come with me.” He led me across the courtroom in front of both long tables where the lawyers sat and placed me on the witness stand. He held up the bible and swore me in.

  After saying the words, I sat down and blew out a long breath not knowing what to expect. From where I was sitting I had a clear view of Harper glaring at me and daring me to tell the truth about her. She was wearing a blue dress and her long red hair was pulled back and tied. She didn’t look as wild as she usually did but I decided it would be best not to look at her while I was giving my testimony.

  Mr. Pace would be first with his questions and then it would get sketchy after that.

  The district attorney, Mr. Pace, was dressed in a light blue suit with a dark blue tie. He walked back and forth in front of the judge and the witness stand while he talked to me.

  “Mr. McKenna. I’d like you to tell the jury everything you remember about Friday night, April seventeenth, starting with the moment you and your brothers and Doctor Lonnigan arrived at Doyle Hutton’s ranch.”