"I wouldn't bet on that…" Jim said. "Let's ride."
Chapter Nineteen
The Mob
It was nearly nightfall when they got back to town and they wasted no time getting back to the jail.
"So how did things go, boys?" Jim asked as he took his gun off and hung it up, then hung his hat beside it.
Smitty did the same.
"They came, and we talked them down." Johnny explained. "They left went toward the saloon, and directly they sent a message that there was trouble at the saloon. It was a ruse to get us out of here, and I told Robert we weren't goin' nowhere. I knowed that trick."
Jim smiled demurely. "I thought they might. Who all was with them?"
"The mayor, the bartender, the banker, and half the town. They had their guns on, but no one drew. We fired a couple of shots to the ground and made them move back and told them they wouldn't get in. Told them they'd have to wait on you to get back."
"Good. You boys did good. Now, go get something to eat, and report back tomorrow if you can." Jim instructed.
"Did you find out anything?" Johnny asked.
"We're working on a hunch, but we don't have any proof." Jim informed them.
"Well, good luck…see ya tomorrow then." They both headed out the door without being asked a second time.
"I didn't think anyone would bother until we got back." Smitty shook his head.
"They didn't know we were gone, until we were gone, Smitty. I knew Johnny would be stubborn enough to hold them off. But you can bet your boots they are gonna be back, maybe even tonight." Jim countered.
"They want to hang them without a trial?" Smitty shook his head. "All of them upstanding citizens. Why you reckon people change so when things like this happen?"
"Human nature I guess." Jim shrugged.
"They'd like to hang them without a trial so they wouldn't feel as guilty about it. They think this would settle it all. But it won't. Because those two in there didn't do it. Say, why don't you run over to the café and get them some grub. I'll hang out here."
"Alone?" Smitty asked.
"Well, for one thing Smitty, that door is made of iron. They can't break it down. That's why I had it put up in the first place. We are relatively safe here no matter what they do. So quit fretting." Jim cajoled.
"Okay. I'll be back with today's special."
"Sure, tell them to put it on the bill. And get us something to eat too."
"Sure thing. I'm starvin', but you know what? I could go for some of those dumplings again. Those were the best I've ever eaten. Wonder what she does to them?"
"No tellin'. If you go back there you can ask her." Jim smiled.
"I sure will."
Jim chuckled and opened the door to the jail cells.
"How's things going boys?" Jim asked.
The doc had a shadow on his cheek, and Fred looked almost like a Wildman.
"Sheriff I told you I don't do too good in one of these places. I got to be able to see out…"
"I know Fred, but I'd rather you be in here pulling your hair out, than dead. The towns fixing to bust wide open and this is the safest place for both of you."
Rusty looked at him with a vague glance, "Did you find anything out?"
"Maybe…I'm working on it, Rusty." He gave him another glance. "Want me to send for some fresh clothes and a razor?"
"I'd appreciate it. I may be thought of as a criminal, but I don't want to look like one." Rusty chuckled.
"He's such an optimist. I'm already sick of this place. But I guess you are right. I heard them out there last night and those boys did a good job of holding them off."
"Well, that's not over, Fred. They'll be back, maybe tonight."
"What are you going to do Jim?" Rusty asked, concern lacing his words.
"Not sure yet. I might let the mayor come in and have a look as long as he leaves his gun outside. Just to satisfy their curiosity." Jim said.
"Would you get word to Vivien that I'm fine, and hope she is too."
"I'll be talking to her soon. I'll have her and Ruby bring some things over. You guys just rest comfortably as you can. As soon as I get some proof, you two will be released, but I've got to protect you as much as I can until I can persuade the crowd of people out there."
"That will be some trick…" Fred sighed.
"Anything I can get special for you Fred?"
"Ain't got nobody to worry about out there, but you might check on my dog. He'll need feedin'."
"Sure thing. I'll take care of it. Smitty is gone now to get some grub and we'll get a hold of the girls to bring some stuff for you."
"Thanks…" Rusty nodded. "You know Jim, I don't envy your job one bit. Having to deal with the town's people and a crazy person can't be easy."
"No it isn't, but I’m learning a lot as I go." Jim smiled. "I better check this back door again, maybe re-enforce it. It's not made of iron, I guess they didn't think about it."
Half an hour later Smitty showed up with their food and he opened the cells and let them have it, along with a jug of coffee they sent over. Jim and Smitty brought a couple of chairs from the office and sat with them.
The men ate and gave the plates back to Smitty.
"That wasn't half bad." Fred remarked.
"No, but if you'd had the dumplin's I had the other night, you would have thought you died and went to heaven. They were the best I've eaten." Smitty bragged.
"Where from?" Fred asked.
"Cross Timbers. Got a little café up there." Smitty smiled.
"You went clear to Cross Timbers?" Fred asked. "What in heaven's name for?"
"Went to see a butcher Fred." Jim came into the room and watched them shuffle about the cells.
"That butcher you were askin' about?"
"Yep."
"You found him?"
"We did."
"And…"
"And I’m not through with him yet. But I figured we had better get back here and see if there was a ruckus first. I don't want to get your hopes up. This isn't going to be settled fast. I'm not at all sure about what we found there and I'm gonna have to make some more trips."
"Well, if you go back, bring me some dumplin's," Fred insisted.
Smitty nodded. "I'll do it."
"So what do you think you found there?" Rusty asked.
"I'm not sure, Rusty. Elmer seems a little on the slow side. But he's a happy man, and a clean one, just like Fred. Fred, can you show me your hands?"
Fred stuck his hands out and Jim shook his head. "I guess I'm not as smart as I thought I was. Fred's hands are as clean as yours Rusty. No dirt under the fingernails. Nothing. Elmer's were like that too. I thought it peculiar. But I guess it's normal. You wash your hands a lot Fred?"
"All the time."
"Is there anything you can tell me to look for? Anything that would set him apart from another?"
Fred studied the question for a long moment. "In order to do what they say was done, he'd have to have a very, very sharp knife. A big one. Maybe even some kind of saw. You might check and see if the hooks he uses to hang his meat are all there. I still say he killed with a hook."
Jim thought about that angle. He'd seen the beef hanging up, wondered where it might have come from.
"Tell me, can you see a brand on the fat or meat of the animal after it is skinned?"
"Only if an iron is left too long on the spot. Then you might make it out. But that would take some real detective work on your part to prove it. Most of the ranchers and their regular crew are good at branding and it won't leave a scar on the inside of the hide. But sometimes a greenhorn might. So you'd be taking a long chance."
"Well, just trying to figure something out. Some sort of proof."
"Yeah, but it would be hard to figure."
"If this fella is guilty, then he'd have to have a place that is half way between his home and the ranch area to work. A place he could set up as a butcher. Either of you know of anything like that?" Jim asked.
Fred nodded. "Now that's an interesting idea. He'd need an abandoned shack where he could put those hooks up to drain the blood. Or an old slaughterhouse that has been used by ranchers or something of the sort. But finding something like that would take a while, covering a lot of territory."
"Yeah, that's what we figured."
Jim looked at Smitty. "I think I'm going to have you scouting out the boundaries between ranches and Cross Timbers, for a place that he might be working. There has to be something out there. He wouldn't go home and kill them and bring them back, that would be too long a trip and he might be spotted."
Smitty seemed to study the idea.
Jim could tell his mind was working.
"I will do it Jim, it might take some time to cover all the territory, but I'll get right on it." Smitty nodded. "Who knows maybe one of the ranchers could tell me."
"Good."
Chapter Twenty
Vivien's visit
"I hope you don't mind, Rusty, I brought you some clothes from your closet." Vivien was saying the next morning. "I thought you might need a few things and I wasn't snooping. I locked the office up for the day. I'm taking the day off, it's been kind of hectic."
"I don't mind at all. Glad you could find some things. And I appreciate you bringing them over. I'm sure when you made the trip out here, you weren't expecting something like this to happen." Rusty smiled at her.
"No, but I'm so glad I came. You needed me more than I anticipated. I can see that now. You have a full practice here, and the people adore you. I'm very proud of you Rusty. You've accomplished so much. Now don't you fret so. This will all be over soon and you can go home. And I'll be waiting for you to get out. So…just leave me your dirty clothes, I'll wash them."
"I hate to have you wash them." Rusty frowned. "You don't need to be doing my laundry."
"Nonsense, today I've set aside for things of the mundane. I want to forget I'm a doctor for a little while, and just be a lady."
"And a fine one you are." He smiled and stroked her cheek through the bars.
"This nightmare will be over soon…I'm sure of it."
"I hope so…for both our sakes."
"There is a razor in there and a few other things I thought you might use." Vivien smiled through the bars at him. "I wish you didn't have to go through this."
"Me too, but I guess it is the safest place to be." Rusty admitted.
"Do you need anything else?" She asked coming closer.
"No, how are you holding out? Had much business?" He asked as he came to cover her hands at the bars.
"Yes, quite a few of your regulars came in to see me. Old Mrs. Stanley came in, needed some medicine for her heart. I checked what you'd been giving her and how often and gave it to her. I'm so glad we went over some of the files together, otherwise I might not have been able to help her. Mr. Henderson thought he had a mild heart attack, turned out he just had indigestion. I sent him home with some medicine and bed rest. Buck Trenton came in with a broken arm from being tossed from a wild mustang. I set it for him. I tried to give him medicine for his pain, but he wouldn't take it."
"Buck would rather eat dirt than take a pain medicine. I've tried the same and he always refused. But, I can't tell you how much it means to me to have you here." Rusty began.
"I know…" she whispered.
"I'd hoped your first visit would be more pleasant." Rusty smiled.
She squeezed his hand, "Don't worry about it. I'm just glad I could help you. I rather like it here, the people are friendly and I get to see you…And oddly enough, they seem to accept me as a doctor. I find that odd since I've had some places almost throw me out of town."
"The west is different than the east, Vivien, out here doctors are needed so bad, no one can afford to be picky about whether you are female or male. And the people here are very nice, as a general rule. It's just this case seems to have thrown them into some strange panic."
"Yes, I understand. In a few months, everything will settle out, I'm sure." Veronica smiled.
"I'd like to have you stay on here. We could do so much together, but I guess you are looking forward to starting you own practice?"
Vivien studied him a long moment, her face serious. "I'll consider it, Rusty. I really will…And when you get out of here, we'll talk about it again, okay?"
"Good…" He smiled
When Jim interrupted them, she made her excuses and left.
Ruby came in a few minutes later. She came straight back to the cells and smiled at Fred. "Hey Fred, I fed your dog, and got you a few things to wear. Just leave your dirty clothes out here and I'll take care of them."
"Thank you ma'am. It was nice of you. Did Bodiddle give you any trouble?"
"Your dog is very friendly, at first I wasn't sure he would be, he's so big. But he's a real pussy cat, and such a shiny coat he has." She smiled. "You must feed him well."
"You probably wouldn't believe it but I mix fresh catfish in with his food. He loves it, and it does give him a shiny coat."
"He's a beauty."
"He don't like most men, but women, he caves in for." Fred laughed.
"I locked the place up as good as I could and made sure everything was turned off before I left."
"Thank you ma'am for taking care of things." Fred nodded. "It's mighty kind of you."
"Hey, this will all blow over before long and just be a bad memory. Don't you fret none. Jim will take good care of you."
"Yes ma'am, he already has. And I guess I'm getting used to the four walls as good as I can. Things like this teaches you a lot of patience."
"That's true. Jim said Smitty is on the way back with supper so I'll let you go. But if you need anything, get word to me, you hear."
"Thank you, Miss Ruby." Fred smiled.
Smitty had gone to get the evening meal from the café and as Ruby closed the door she went straight into Jim's arms. "God, I've missed you, Jim. I've been so worried."
The flame of desire and sensual light in her eyes made him pull her tight against him. Needing the feel of the warm and beautiful body to assure him. He kissed her tenderly and held her in his arms. "Me too."
The intensity of their feelings for each other seemed magnified. He gloried in the love she returned him. He wanted her here and now and without any barriers between them. It was impossible, and yet just holding her brought so much relief to him he couldn't express it in words. But the way he held her, so gently in his arms, and the way she responded to his kisses told him everything he needed to know about her.
Ruby was his for the taking. Only that day would come much later. And someday she would know just how much he valued her, respected her, and gloried in her love for him. She would be treated like the lady she was. For someday, Ruby Mae Casings would be his bride. He was never more sure than this moment of bliss in her arms. She gave him strength and hope for their future together. And they would have a future together.
It was a luxury neither shared often, but right now Jim needed a warm heart and maybe even a few kisses.
As he pulled away he looked into her soft brown eyes. His heart turned over in his chest, and for a moment he couldn't speak. "When this is all over, I want to talk to you…"
"Oh you do, do you?" She chuckled.
"Yes ma'am, I do…" he whispered just before he took her in his arms and kissed her hard and long. Ruby's kisses reminded him that there was a better world than where he had been living lately. It took all the bad away and gave him courage to face what he would eventually face.
When he pulled away, they were both struggling for air. "I love you Jim Bonner." She whispered.
"I love you too, Ruby." He nuzzled her ear lobe.
"Stop that," she fussed. "I want you too, but this sure isn't the time nor the place."
"I only wish it were…"
"I know. But I’m not here to distract you. I'm leaving, you now, just remember we have a date…" She promised, kissed him lightly on the lips and headed for the door. "And…plea
se be careful. The mayor and his mob of up standing citizens were in the saloon the other night, boasting at how they would take care of things, if you didn't. I think they meant it, Jim. I know how it pains you to have to stand against them, but they really aren't thinking very straight. They don't want to listen to reason. They've made up their minds. It's hard to believe that some of them would join in on this…"
"Don't fret. They won't get in here. I didn't have that door installed for nothing."
"But will they give up?"
"I don't know. If they want this thing solved they better. I can't be in both places at once."
"I know honey. Is there anything I can do?"
"Only keep your ears open. If anything changes in their plans send me word. Don't come out here when they riot in front of the jail. Stay in the saloon. Everything will settle down as soon as I can get a lead on this. I've got some ideas already and I just have to have some time to work through them."
"In the meantime…we have a date…" She smiled breathlessly.
"We sure do, lady," He smiled as she walked out and Smitty walked in. He'd remember the love that shone from her eyes forever.
Chapter Twenty-One
Forcing Jim
That night the good citizens of Melville gathered once more in front of the jail. They were thirsty for action. A crowd that had ceased using their heads, and bent on forcing Jim's hand.
"Sheriff, we want to talk to you." The mayor yelled.
"Go ahead. I can hear you." Jim responded quickly, noting their torches and guns ready.
"We want to see the prisoners." The Mayor announced boldly.
"Alright, you can come in, alone, without the torch or gun." Jim answered.
The mayor grimaced but nodded slowly. "Alright Jim, I'm coming in…"
His gun and holster made a thump on the porch. He handed the torch to someone and walked in.
Although the mayor took the liberty of calling Jim by his first name, Jim didn't acknowledge that privilege.
Jim unlatched the door and as he opened it he looked out at the neighbors and friends he had known so long. "Everyone just stay calm. I'll send the mayor back out to you in a moment."
Good Day for a Hanging (Book Two of the Western Serial Killers series) Page 14