by Natalie Dean
With a scream, she lurched to the side, landing nearly on top of Jake.
“Turn on the lights! Someone turn on the lights!” Jake shouted. There was confusion in the building, but one by one the lights came back on. Barbara scanned the crowd, looking everywhere for one man.
And that’s when she saw him – the man she had spoken with that morning running out the door.
“Stop him!” she screamed, pointing toward the door. But, when no one moved, she got up and began running for the door herself, ignoring the cries of Jake for her to stop and come back.
Barbara grabbed the knees of her skirts and lifted them as high as she dared, making it much easier for her to run. She could see the man running in front of her, fast, but not much faster than herself.
“I’ve got you now, you monster! Lord, give me wings to fly!” she gasped to herself as she picked up the pace as much as she could.
The Truth Comes Out
“Help! Sheriff! Help!” Barbara shouted as she continued to pursue the man. She could hear the sound of running from behind her, and within moments Jake had caught up to her. He tried to grab her arm, but she pulled away, pointing to the man who was quickly disappearing.
“We have to catch him! He just tried to murder me!” she cried, tears running down her cheeks. Jake looked at her as though she had lost her mind, and he shook his head.
What are you talking about? It was crowded in there – I don’t think anyone was trying to harm you. Where is this coming from?” The look he had on his face only made her all the more upset, and she wanted nothing more than to push him away.
“That man murdered my husband!” she shouted, and the people who were on the street stopped and looked at them. At the same moment, a sheriff came running up to them, looking at them both with harshness in his eyes.
“I’m going to have to ask you folks to take this indoors. We can’t have this on the street, you know that, Jake.” He shook his head as he looked at Jake, and Jake held up his hand.
“Wait a minute, there, Carl – she just said something I think you will find of great interest. What did you say?” He looked at her with the same expression the sheriff had had on his face just minutes before, and she felt her cheeks flush red. She hadn’t meant to say it so loud, nor with such passion, but she had been caught up in the heat of the moment, and she couldn’t help herself.
“That man – the tall, skinny man that I was chasing just tried to murder me, and he is the man I do believe is responsible for murdering my husband!” She put her hands up to her face, trying to fight back the sobs she felt welling up in her throat. Both of the men looked at her incredulously, but Jake was the first to speak.
“What are you talking about? You never mentioned that you had been married before – nor that you had someone who was trying to kill you.” He raised his eyebrows, and she looked at him with anger in her eyes.
“I can’t say that it was a pleasant topic for me to bring up, and I didn’t know if I was in any danger or not, which is why I left Boston to begin with.” She put her hands on her hips when the sheriff suddenly spoke up.
“Wait a minute, you’re from Boston? Now it’s all beginning to make sense. Ma’am, I am afraid I am going to have to put you under arrest, on a charge of murder.” Sheriff Carl gently put his hand on her arm, but she tried to pull away. Jake, too, stepped in.
“What are you talking about?” he snapped, and the sheriff sighed.
“This woman was being investigated for the murder of her husband. Claims he was murdered during a play they were attending, but there was no one in the box but her and him. The murder weapon was found in the box, and all evidence points to her being the one doing it. When she was running out of excuses, she did the only thing guilty people do – she ran.” Jake looked at Barbara with disbelief in his eyes, and she couldn’t bear to hold his eye contact.
“It’s not true, Jake. Yes, my husband was murdered, but I am not the one who did it! I swear, that man that you saw me chasing – he followed me here! He tried to kill me, too – right there in the theater! You have to believe me!” She had tears running down her cheeks, but Jake knew that there was nothing he could do.
“I’m going to do everything I can to get you out of there, don’t you worry! I’ll come for you first thing in the morning, and you better spend some time thinking in that cell tonight because Barbara, if you want me to help you, you are going to have to tell me everything.” Jake stood for another moment, clearly torn. It was evident that he didn’t want to leave his wife with the sheriff, but he knew that he couldn’t argue with the law until it went to trial.
She was going to have to go with him to jail, and only hope that she had enough evidence on her side to prove to him that she had nothing to do with the death of her husband.
“Now, I want you to tell me everything,” Jake said as he sat down outside the cell. Barbara felt humiliated. She couldn’t believe she found herself in this position – on one side of the bars while her husband was on the other, while her husband was trying to figure out what happened to her first husband. She had been praying ever since she arrived, asking God to guide him to evidence to prove her innocence.
“I want to be honest with you, but you said yourself that it is nearly impossible to know who is telling the truth when it comes to things like this,” she said, trying to remain calm.
“I know, but we did find a weapon at the stage last night, and that man – Bartholomew Jones is his name – has also been arrested. He’s being held in a separate room here, so you didn’t have to see him. He’s got a pretty convincing story as to why you murdered your husband and why you are trying to blame him, now I want to know your version of what happened.” Jake was speaking with a gentle tone, though it was impossible to mask the gravity of the situation. Barbara shook her head, trying to gather her thoughts.
She was immensely relieved that they had arrested the man, as well as the fact that they had found the weapon back at the theater. But, she didn’t know how the man was so good at turning the blame off of himself and pushing it onto her, nor how he was able to give them a story that was convincing enough that her own husband would dare to think that it may be true.
With a sigh, she began.
“I don’t know what this man wants with me, or why he did what he did to my husband. Mark Hill was a very kind man, one that every woman would be thrilled to marry. We kept to ourselves, we gave to the poor, we went to functions with the rest of the town. As far as I knew, Mark had no enemies.” She stopped and wiped her eyes. Jake offered her a kerchief, which she took and thanked him for.
After a few moments, she continued.
“That night, we went to see one of my favorite plays. Just like last night, there was a part of the play when the room was to go completely dark. I knew this, we’d been going for several years and had seen the play multiple times. Then, I knew something was wrong with Mark. I could feel it. I heard footsteps. When the light came back on, I saw what had happened.” She let the tears run down her cheeks, and Jake stopped writing.
“What did you do?” he asked.
“I screamed – I screamed like I did tonight. I screamed for help. But, they found the weapon under my chair. I admit, I don’t know why things added up the way that they did, I know that it looks suspicious, but I did not murder my own husband, and I did not try to frame that man for doing so, either!” She had passion in her voice as she spoke, and Jake closed his tablet.
“I think that’s all I need right now,” he said as he turned to go. Barbara stopped him.
“Do you think there’s enough evidence to keep me safe?” she asked, and Jake gave her a smile. It was weak, but it was a smile.
“That’s up to the jury to decide, but you can bet you have the best of the best on your side.”
The Trial
Barbara walked nervously into the room and sat down. There were quite a few people gathered in the courtroom despite its small size, and Barbara wondered if the enti
re town had shown up to watch. A jury had been selected and was now gathering, and the man she had seen a few days prior was now seated at the other side of the room.
To her surprise, the sheriff from Boston was also present, along with a few of his deputies. The judge stepped to the front of the room, and before Barbara had time to think, it began.
“Sheriff Baldwin, I know that you have been working on this case for some time now and that your client, Mr. Hanks, has been a pivotal step in finding Mrs. Hill out here in Wyoming.” The judge addressed the other sheriff first.
“That’s right, Your Honor. I told her that I needed her to stay in town until we were through with the investigation, and as you can see, she is a long way from New York City.” Sheriff Baldwin gave a slight smirk across the room, and Barbara intentionally looked the other way.
“Indeed. And you, Mr. Cowell, you believe that your client – who also happens to be your wife – is innocent.”
“Yes, I do, Your Honor,” Jake answered, and Barbara felt her heart skip a beat. He put a reassuring hand over hers and sat down in the chair next to her.
“They are going to be allowed to go first since they are the ones who are pushing the case. Then, it’s going to be our turn to speak. I want you to just sit down and keep silent until I tell you to talk. No matter what they say, no matter what you hear, you have to promise me you are going to do that, okay?” He looked at her with the most serious look in his eyes that she had ever seen. She nodded.
It was difficult, however, to not rise up out of her chair and call the men liars. It wasn’t long before she felt that every word they breathed was an outright lie, each one designed to make it look like she truly was guilty of the crime they were accusing her of. She had to shake her head and bite her tongue, and more than once Jake put his hand over hers to reassure her that they were going to get their turn to say their part as well.
However, it was still difficult for her to hear them say that she never loved her first husband, that she was only after riches or fame. Even that he was too old for her to love, and she was only with him because she hoped to one day have the riches all to herself. At long last, the questioning was through, and the awful man – Mr. Hanks – sat down.
Then, it was her turn to take the stand. Though her heart was racing in her chest, she knew that it was her chance to prove to the entire town – and to the world, that she had never done a thing except love her husband and be the wife that she felt he deserved. In spite of her resolution, however, it was difficult for her to face the questions.
They came quickly, and they were phrased in ways that were difficult to understand. Barbara had to take her time answering them, due to the fact she was afraid she would give the wrong answer because she didn’t understand the question that was being asked.
Jake had told her to take her time and to not allow the other men to intimidate her, but she couldn’t help but wonder if the jury were as convinced of her innocence as her husband was. Throughout all the questions, she couldn’t believe that she had hidden such a secret from him for so long, and she silently prayed that he didn’t regret his decision to marry her.
At long last, the man finished asking her questions, and she was allowed to return to her seat. The judge rose and scanned the group.
“Is there anything you’d like to add to that, Mr. Cowell?” he asked, looking down at Jake. Jake rose from his chair and looked around the room.
“I think it’s safe to say that this woman wouldn’t harm a fly. I know she hasn’t been in this town long, but there is not a person here who dislikes her. She was a woman of great wealth, but you would never be able to tell such a thing by the way she treats those around her.
I fell in love with this woman the day I laid eyes on her, but I have to tell you, looking at the facts of this case alone, I could hate her and still tell you that she is innocent. There is too much that doesn’t add up in her favor – why would a woman who had wealth kill for the same amount she already has? Why would she wait until they were in public when she could have committed the crime at home? Why stoop to the level of murder? Why not take the money and go?
I challenge all of you to think about this rationally. Yes, there appears to be evidence against her, but I tell you, I believe Mr. Hanks is the man who is really to convict. He comes from poverty, he has no family, he has always been taking advantage of Mr. Hill since the day they met – and I have the records to prove it.
Of course, he couldn’t strike when they were at home, but if he could do it in public – in the darkness of the theater – which I would also like to point out he worked at as a masked character in the very play Mr. Hill had been murdered watching – he would have a chance at the money.
I fully believe he intended to murder both of them, and for some reason only could manage Mr. Hill, which is why he came here to finish the job. I have faith in you as my peers and my family, but I challenge you to think about this as it should be, that is all.” Jake slapped his book closed, and the judge gave a curt nod.
“I think we have heard all that we need to make a fair assessment of what is going on here, and what went on back in New York City. Would the jury please step out and deliberate on what they have heard here today, and we will meet back here in one hour to hear their findings. Dismissed.” The judge hit his gavel on the desk, and everyone rose to go.
Barbara wanted to follow, but her knees felt weak.
“What if they find me guilty?” she nervously asked Jake, and he put his hand over hers.
“Let’s pray that they don’t.”
The Storm Subsides
Barbara thought that hour was the longest hour of her life, but when the door opened, and the jury came back into the room, she almost wished she had more time. She knew in her heart that she was innocent, but she also heard the argument Sheriff Baldwin and Mr. Hanks had provided, and she had to admit to even to herself that they were convincing.
But, she had faith in her husband, and she had said exactly what he had told her to say, she had ignored the comments he told her to ignore, and he had stood up for her in front of everyone. She knew if she had any chance at all, it would only be with his help, and he had done his job well. The jury looked grim as they filed into their seats, and she tried not to let her heart sink further than it was.
The rest of the crowd had gathered in the back of the courtroom, and the judge returned. He looked around the group, ensuring that everyone was present and all the jury had been seated back in their assigned seats. Barbara couldn’t help but notice how serious he looked as he sat down in his own chair – clearly eager to hear what the jury found and to move on with things.
“Has the jury had time to discuss the details properly, and has the jury come to a conclusive finding?” the judge asked without waiting. Barbara felt her heart pounding in her chest, and she clenched her hands around her seat. One member of the jury rose and clasped his hands in front of him.
“We have, Your Honor,” he said, a stern tone in his voice. Barbara feared she was going to faint right out of her seat and fall to the ground. Jake put his hand over hers.
“And what did the jury find?” the judge asked, moving the proceedings along. The man looked around the room, as though he wasn’t sure how to say what he was about to say. Barbara wished he would just blurt out the answer – putting her out of her misery of waiting and letting her face whatever it was she was going to have to face.
“We find Mrs. Hill not guilty of the murder of her husband. Furthermore, we find Mr. Hanks guilty of the murder of Mr. Hill, and of the attempted murder of Mrs. Hill a few nights ago.” The man spoke with the same serious tone, but Barbara wanted to leap from the table and shout for joy. A stern grasp on her hand from Jake reminded her that she was to stay serious throughout the entire procession and that she could celebrate after.
“Was this a difficult decision?” the judge continued, and for a moment, Barbara did stop her celebration. She did want to know how close it was. The m
an then turned his attention to the judge alone.
“No, Your Honor. We all voted the same for the case. There is no question in any of our minds how this case should be closed.” He then looked around the room and gave the group a curt nod and sat in his seat. The judge picked up his gavel once more and looked over some papers he had in front of him.
“Mr. Hanks, you have been found guilty of murder and attempted murder, and you will be officially convicted and sentenced when you return to New York City, as you committed the crimes there. Sheriff Baldwin, you will be supervised in the return of Mr. Hanks to New York City, and there you will be put on supervision for one year. I do not feel that you were adequate in your investigation of this case, nor do I feel you remained unbiased throughout. Case closed.” He hit the gavel on the desk, causing Barbara to jump.
It was then that she realized what had happened, and she threw her arms around Jake.
“You did it! You saved me!” she cried as she pulled him as close to herself as she could. Tears were running down her cheeks, and people were staring at her from all over the room, but she no longer cared. All she cared about was that Jake had stood up for her, had believed in her when no one else had, and that he had stood by her merely because she was his wife.
She realized that though Mark was gone, and though she was going to miss him every day for the rest of her life, she had found someone else who was truly worthy of her love as well, and he was someone she knew she could happily spend the rest of her life with.
On their way home, Barbara slipped her hand into Jake’s, walking slowly beside him.