Comeback Trail

by Carolina Mac

  “Okay. Clay drove us there and Doyle’s house was in darkness when we arrived. We figured Doyle Hutton had used his cattle truck to steal our bull, Presto, and we were looking for the bull.”

  “And did you find your bull on Mr. Hutton’s property, Mr. McKenna?”

  “Yes, we did. Our bull was in Mr. Hutton’s barn.”

  “Once you confirmed that Mr. Hutton had possession of your livestock, what did you do next?”

  “We wanted to use Mr. Hutton’s truck to take our bull back home but first we called the sheriff because we didn’t want to take the truck or the bull without the sheriff being present.”

  Mr. Pace nodded. “A sensible decision. And you waited how long for the sheriff to arrive?”

  “We waited in Clay’s truck and it was over half an hour before Deputy Dempster arrived. She came alone and told us Sheriff Tucker was in bed and he sent her instead.”

  “Deputy Dempster came alone. Then what happened?”

  “We told her Presto was in Mr. Hutton’s barn and we wanted to use his truck to take our bull home. She thought that was a fair solution and she knocked on Doyle Hutton’s door.”

  “Objection,” hollered Sandy Shaver. “The witness doesn’t know what Deputy Dempster thought.”

  “Sustained,” said Judge Vance.

  “Go ahead, Mr. McKenna. Deputy Dempster knocked on the door…”

  “Doyle Hutton opened the door and Deputy Dempster tried to arrest him. Hutton slammed the door on Bonnie Sue, and she stumbled backwards. My brother Clay, pushed the door open so Deputy Dempster could get inside the house.”

  “And did Mr. Hutton have anything to say at that time?”

  “He said he didn’t want to steal our bull, but he owed somebody a favor and he was forced to take Presto out of our field.”

  “Did he say to whom he owed the favor?” asked Pace.

  “No, he didn’t.”

  “What happened next, Mr. McKenna?”

  “Deputy Dempster asked Mr. Hutton to come to the station. Mr. Hutton said he would come in the morning and explain everything to Sheriff Tucker. Bonnie Sue—Deputy Dempster took out her handcuffs and said Mr. Hutton had to go with her right then, and not the following morning.”

  “And Mr. Hutton refused?”

  “Yes. He refused. At that point, Deputy Dempster drew her weapon, pointed it at Mr. Hutton and gave the handcuffs to my brother to cuff Mr. Hutton.”

  “Go ahead,” said Mr. Pace.

  “Clay reached for Mr. Hutton’s wrist and Harper Gabriel came out of the kitchen with a shotgun pointing at Clay. She told Clay to get away from Doyle Hutton.”

  “Go on.”

  “I said, ‘Harper, you don’t want to do this’, and she told us all to get out of the house and leave Doyle alone.”

  “And then…”

  “Deputy Dempster told Harper to put the gun down. Bonnie Sue told her that threatening an officer was a crime.”

  “And what did Miss Gabriel do?” asked Pace.

  “She laughed and poked Deputy Dempster in the chest with the barrel of the shotgun. Clay asked Harper if she was part of the kidnapping ring and she waved the gun at Clay and warned him to get out of the house.”

  “What did you do then, Mr. McKenna?”

  “I tried to calm the situation down by asking Mr. Hutton if I could borrow his truck to take our bull back to our ranch, and he agreed.”

  Mr. Pace glanced at his notes and nodded for me to keep going.

  “Deputy Dempster told Hutton he’d have to make a statement at the sheriff’s office, and Doyle promised to be there at nine the next morning. He said he’d tell the sheriff what he knew about the people involved in the kidnapping scheme.”

  “And did Deputy Dempster agree?”

  “At the time, she was more concerned with the shotgun pointing at her. She asked Miss Gabriel again to put the shotgun down and stop threatening her while she was trying to do her duty.”

  “And did Miss Gabriel comply?”

  “No. Then Doyle Hutton told Miss Gabriel to put the gun down and Miss Gabriel said she wasn’t going to be arrested.”

  “Tell the jury what happened next, Mr. McKenna.”

  “Deputy Dempster took a couple of steps towards Miss Gabriel telling her to put down the gun, get down on her knees and put her hands behind her head. Miss Gabriel yelled, ‘make me’.”

  “What did Deputy Dempster do at that point?”

  “She told Miss Gabriel to put the gun down or she would shoot her.”

  “And?”

  “Miss Gabriel laughed and pointed the shotgun at Deputy Dempster. Deputy Dempster pulled the trigger and her gun clicked. She didn’t have a shell in the chamber.”

  “And when Deputy Dempster’s gun misfired what did Miss Gabriel do?”

  “She shot Deputy Dempster and my brother Clay who was standing next to her. It was close range and they both fell to the floor bleeding badly. I charged at Harper Gabriel, knocked her backwards and jerked the gun out of her hand. My brother, Jack picked Deputy Dempster’s handcuffs up off the floor and between the two of us we managed to cuff Miss Gabriel.”

  “Someone called for assistance?”

  “Doctor Lonnigan called 911 and she tried to stop the bleeding in both the victims while we waited for the ambulance.”

  “Thank you, Mr. McKenna.”

  Mr. Pace turned to the defense table and gave me over to Big Sandy Shaver. “Your witness, Mr. Shaver.”

  The big blond-headed defense attorney wore a cream colored suit with a black shirt underneath and a cream tie that matched his suit exactly. He reminded me of the mafia guys on TV.

  Looking at his notes while he rapid-fired questions at me, he tried to make everything I’d told to Mr. Pace look like Harper’s life was in danger the whole time.

  “She was the one doing the threatening,” I said. “It wasn’t any of us or Deputy Dempster. All Deputy Dempster said was, ‘Put down the gun.’”

  “You testified that Deputy Dempster pulled the trigger and tried to fire her gun. That tells me right there, Mr. McKenna, that my client’s life was threatened, and she had every right to defend herself.”

  “She was resisting arrest and she wouldn’t put the gun down. If she’d done that her life wouldn’t have been threatened at all,” I argued, and Shaver glared at me.

  “Just answer the questions I ask, Mr. McKenna.”

  I was on a roll and didn’t shut up like he wanted me to. “Harper Gabriel shot Bonnie Sue down in cold blood the second she realized Bonnie Sue’s gun wasn’t ready to fire.”

  “Move to strike,” hollered Shaver. “Mr. McKenna can’t testify to Miss Gabriel’s thought processes.”

  “Sustained.”

  “No further questions for this witness.”

  “You may step down, Mr. McKenna,” said Judge Vance. “We’ll take a break for lunch and reconvene at one forty-five.” He whacked the gavel down as I walked through the gate and rejoined Miss Jane and Linda.

  Miss Jane dabbed at her eyes with a lace handkerchief. “Your testimony was so moving, Logan.”

  I was worked up and found it hard to smile.

  “You did great, Logan.” Linda smiled and squeezed my hand. “Let’s go to lunch.”

  Preston Diner.

  We walked to the diner a couple of blocks down the street from the courthouse figuring it would be the quickest place for a bite to eat. A lot of other people had the same idea and the small restaurant was packed.

  “Isn’t that Doctor Lonnigan,” asked Miss Jane as Fiona walked in and sat on one of the stools at the counter.

  Fiona pretended she didn’t see us, but I’d seen her in the courtroom watching me on the stand. It gave me a creepy feeling seeing her everywhere I went. Was is coincidental or was she following me? A question I’d been tossing around for a few days.

  “Yes, that’s her. She seems to be everywhere I am.”

  “I’m having the special,” said Linda. “It will be the quick
est.”

  “What is it?” I asked and Linda pointed at the blackboard. “Beef barley soup and a turkey sandwich.”

  “Sure, that’s fine for me,” I said. “What about you, Miss Jane?”

  “I’ll go with the flow. I want to get a good seat when we go back to the courtroom. Jacky is up next.”

  Sheriff’s Office. Preston.

  JACK, Ivan and Bonnie Sue sat at their desks in the squad room and they could hear Sheriff Tucker hollering in his office. He was on a phone call to somebody.

  “Assault on a police officer. I want Swain hunted down and locked up. Wanted posters are being printed as we speak, and I want them circulated state-wide. Swain is a dangerous criminal and he has to be caught ASAP.”

  “We should be following his wife,” Jack whispered to Bonnie Sue at the next desk. “She would lead us to him.”

  “Good idea,” said Ivan. “Where’s his wife at?”

  “Don’t know,” said Jack, “but she might show up at the courthouse during Harper’s trial.”

  “You’d better get over there, Jack,” said Bonnie Sue. “It will soon be your turn.”

  “Yeah, I’d better get going. Tell Sheriff Tucker where I’m at.”

  “Good luck, Jack,” said Bonnie Sue.

  Preston Courthouse.

  OUR seats for the afternoon session weren’t as good as in the morning. We had to sit farther back and the three of us were squished into a spot big enough for one person. Not that I didn’t like sitting close to Linda, but I could barely breathe and I was holding a lot of tension for Jacky boy.

  “I hope I can see Jack from here,” said Miss Jane. “We shouldn’t have left for lunch. On Tuesday, I’m stuffing my purse full of granola bars and I’m not giving up my seat.”

  I chuckled.

  The court was brought to order and Judge Vance took his seat on the bench. “Call your first witness, Mr. Pace.”

  “The prosecution calls Deputy Sheriff Jack McKenna.”

  The bailiff trudged to the witness room and brought Jack out looking official in his uniform. Jack was sworn in, then sat down.

  “Deputy McKenna, tell the court, if you will, about the events that took place on the night of April seventeenth.”

  “Okay.”

  Jack started and gave his version of how things had gone down. His testimony was much the same as mine, although slightly more flowery and descriptive. Jack was a smooth talker and he enjoyed adding details.

  When he was finished, the judge excused him, and he headed back to work. A few minutes later I received a text telling me he’d meet us at the Spur later.

  Court was adjourned for the day and we left by the front door. When I stepped out with Linda and Miss Jane we were mobbed by the press.

  Preston only had one small newspaper, so all of the people in front of us were from out of town—probably Lubbock. TV cameras were rolling, and microphones were shoved in our faces.

  “Mr. McKenna, when is your brother Clay going to testify? How do you think the jury is leaning? Do you think they’ll give Harper Gabriel life without parole?”

  “I have no idea. I guess y’all will have to wait and see.”

  “Mr. McKenna, there’s a rumor going around that you’re going to make a comeback soon at the rodeo. Is that true?”

  How would they know that?

  “Where did you hear that?”

  “Reliable source.”

  “No comment.”

  Broken Spur Roadhouse.

  IT was after six by the time I got to the Spur with Linda and Miss Jane, so I didn’t bother going home to the ranch. Clint and Jay would take care of the chores and Clay was there to help them. They knew Jack and I were tied up in court.

  Clay and Jack were both meeting dates here at the roadhouse at seven, so I figured Linda and I might as well have dinner with them and wait for the band to set up.

  Jacky was first to arrive about ten to seven. He’d gone home to the ranch, showered and changed out of his uniform. This was his first date with Dakota and Jack knew how to win the ladies over. He was an expert in the field and a sharp dresser.

  “Let’s get a table close to the dance floor so we can see Clay when it’s time,” said Linda. She led the way across the polished plank floor and chose a booth. “How about here?”

  I nodded. “Uh huh. Fine for me.” Ricki rushed over to take our drink order and didn’t look happy to see me with Linda.

  “How was court, Logan? I heard you testified against the bitch who shot Clay and Bonnie Sue.”

  “I did, Ricki. Wasn’t the most fun I’ve had, but it’s over.”

  “I hope I’m off the day they sentence her.” Ricki made a face. “I hope they hang her.”

  “I don’t think they hang people anymore, Ricki, but good thought all the same.”

  Linda smiled. “This is going to be a fun date night.”

  “I hope so. I haven’t had too many of those lately and neither have my brothers.”

  JACK rushed across the dance floor when he saw his brother and Linda. “Do you want me and Dakota to sit with y’all or should I put my stuff in the next booth and save it?”

  “You can sit with us, Jack,” said Linda. This booth is big enough for six people. Clay and Bonnie Sue can sit here too. This will be our party table.”

  “Yahoo,” hollered Jack. “I feel like celebrating now that I’m done testifying. I didn’t like Harper’s lawyer too much.” Jack made a snarly face. “Big asshole. He tried to make me say stuff I didn’t mean.”

  “Are you watching for Dakota, Jack?” Linda pointed. “There’s a pretty girl I don’t know.”

  Jack jumped up like his ass was on fire and tore across the cavernous room. He was all smiles when he returned tugging Dakota by the hand. “Dakota, this is my brother Logan and his girlfriend, Linda.”

  “Hi, y’all,” said Dakota with her cute smile. “I haven’t been to the Spur in ages. This where y’all hang?”

  I nodded. “Yep, this is it.”

  “There’s Clay and Bonnie Sue,” said Linda. “We best shove over.”

  “Hey, you two, we were waiting on y’all to order,” I smiled at them. Clay and Bonnie Sue made a cute couple.

  “We want to hear all about court today,” said Clay. He picked up an empty glass, filled it and passed it to Bonnie Sue.

  “Not much to tell,” I said. “Jacky and I told our story and then Sandy Shaver tried to rip us up best he could.”

  Jack nodded. “Yep. That’s how it went, then we were excused. Gonna be a lot different for you two. You’re the victims of Harper’s crime and y’all will have the most credibility with the jury.”

  “Shit, Jacky boy,” I said, “you’re sounding more like a cop every day.”

  “Only been one for a couple days, Logy. Don’t feel real to me yet.”

  “He’s the best deputy we ever had,” said Bonnie Sue. “Nobody in the history of Preston County Sheriff’s Office ever arrested so many people in their first week on the job.”

  Clay grinned and poured a glass of beer for himself. “We’re proud of you, Jacky boy.”

  “Clay, where’s your guitar?” I asked.

  “Have to get it out of the truck when it’s time.” Clay checked the time on his cell. “Early yet.”

  AFTER dinner the band started setting up. “You better go get your guitar, Clay,” said Bonnie Sue. “Want me to walk out with you?”

  “No. Stay here. I’ll run out and be right back.” Clay ran out the back door and he was gone for about ten minutes when Bonnie Sue said, “Wonder what’s taking Clay so long?”

  “I’ll check on him,” said Jack. “I need a smoke anyway.”

  “I’ll go with you and have a quick smoke,” I said. “Be right back girls. Order another pitcher.”

  Jack held the back door open for me and we walked out into the dark in time to hear a bike rumbling out of the parking lot. Jack spotted Clay’s truck and pointed.

  We ran over and Clay was covered in bloo
d lying on the ground beside his truck. I pressed 911 then lifted Clay’s shirt to see where the blood was coming from. There were two deep gashes in Clay’s side and that’s all I could see. Too much blood.

  Jack had turned a whiter shade of pale and looked ready to hurl. He leaned on the truck box and hollered at the top of his lungs, “Micky Swain stabbed Clay. I’ll get him for this.” Then he folded at the waist and puked up beer all over the asphalt.

  The ambulance was first on the scene and Sheriff Tucker wasn’t far behind. “What happened to Clay?”

  “Micky Swain stabbed him,” said Jack. “We’ve got to stop that maniac.”

  “You’ve got that right, son. Did you see Swain?”

  “We heard his bike taking off when we came outside to see where Clay was.”

  The girls came running out as the ambulance attendants were loading Clay in and closing the doors. “What happened?” Bonnie Sue was in tears.

  “We’re going to the hospital,” I said. “Swain doesn’t want Clay to testify.”

  “Sheriff,” said Jack, “you better put some protection on Bonnie Sue. She’s the star witness for the prosecution.”

  “You’re right, Jacky. Don’t you let Bonnie Sue out of your sight.”

  CHAPTER SIX

  Saturday, May 23rd.

  McKenna Ranch.

  AFTER a late night at the hospital, I didn’t feel much like getting ready for the rodeo, but I had entered the boys and there was no turning back now.

  Jacky was guarding Bonnie Sue until Tuesday when she testified, so he brought her home to the ranch to keep her safe and Linda came along to help out with the cooking. It had turned into an emergency lock down situation.

  When I managed to make it to the kitchen, Linda had coffee on, biscuits in the oven and was making breakfast. “How you feeling, Logan?” She gave me a hug and a quick kiss.

  “Tired and stressed for Clay. He’s been through so much pain already.”

  “He’s sewed up now and out of danger,” said Linda. “The nurses and Doctor Knowles are watching him close. We’ll go see him right after you’re done coaching the boys through their events.”