Page 68 of Wellspring
“You’re looking awfully glum, Wolf Boy,” Burke said.“Javier said it went well today.So what’s raised your hackles?”
“It’s still our word against his,” Cade said.“Ulrich confirming their discussion in Austin was a surprise, but Collier’s the only person who could have said outright that Reichardt gave the order, and he claimed it came from Carter by way of Sanders, who are both dead.Now, granted, who else could have told them to attack us except Reichardt, but that’s not evidence.”
“None of that,” Burke said.“The judge is in there now with Miz Roarke and Hoss.If anyone is going to convince him of what’s really going on, it’s the two of them, so get rid of that long face.Reichardt’s going to get what’s coming to him, and we’re going to be free of him for good.”
“I never took you for an optimist,” Cade said.
“I’m not.I’m about as pessimistic as they come, but this is one time even I recognize a good thing when I see it,” Burke said.“So finish this delicious dinner Javi whipped up for us and when the judge is done in there, sneak your man off somewhere to celebrate.Because if it weren’t for the two of you, we wouldn’t have known what was coming to be prepared to fight them off.”
Payne dropped a plate beside Cade’s and straddled the bench.“Judge Morrison decided it’s too late to ride back to town.He’s staying the night, so I’ll be taking Heller’s bed in the bunkhouse.”Burke started to speak but Payne quelled him with a scowl.“And if anyone suggests that isn’t my usual bunk in the judge’s hearing, they’ll spend the next month on night duty.”
“What about Erick?”Cade asked.The only parts of the inside of Miz Roarke’s home he’d seen were the front parlor and the guest room Erick was recuperating in.Surely the judge wouldn’t put Erick out of his bed?
“There’s a daybed in the sewing room.Grace says Heller tried to insist on moving out of the guest room to sleep there, but the judge wouldn’t hear of it.Seemed real impressed with what Heller had to say.”
That didn’t surprise Cade—Erick could talk the birds out of the trees if he put his mind to it.“I hope that’s enough to convince the judge that Reichardt’s guilty.”
“We’ll know tomorrow,” Payne said.“The judge told Grace he was ready to announce his verdict.”
“Already?”Cade said.“I thought it would take… I don’t know… days, at least.Maybe weeks.”
Payne shrugged.“He says he’s heard everything he needs to hear.And really, what is there to figure out?”It seemed whatever he’d overheard from Judge Morrison had eased his earlier skepticism.“Reichardt’s guilty as hell, and everyone knows it.The only reason he wasn’t strung up years ago is because he paid off Lutz.Parnell and Morrison are cut from a different cloth entirely.I don’t know if Parnell will stay, but Eldorado will be a damn sight better for it if he does.”
Cade tried to imagine a life where he didn’t have to constantly worry about the threat of the JR or some other outfit trying to steal their land or their water or pressure Miz Roarke into something she didn’t want.A life where going into town didn’t mean watching his back the whole time, his hand on the butt of his pistol or the fletching of an arrow.Where he could actually get a room at the Lone Star and spend the night with Erick instead of ending up with a bullet in Erick’s back and a wild ride back to Wellspring in the hope of warning his friends before they were all killed.
“I think you might be right about that,” he said.“If he doesn’t stay, maybe we can find someone like him to be the new sheriff in town instead.”
“Hell, with Reichardt gone, maybe you should run for sheriff, Wolfie,” Burke said.
“Oh hell no,” Cade protested.Talk about the last job he’d possibly want….
“Not that he couldn’t do it, but he’d have as much chance of being elected as I would,” Payne snorted.“Logan, now, there’s somebody the townsfolk would get behind.”
Cade thought Erick would make a great sheriff, but his being foreign-born was probably as much of a strike against him as being “colored” or “raised by Indians” to too many townsfolk.“Before we try to solve all Eldorado’s problems, let’s be sure Reichardt gets convicted first.”
“I doubt that will be a problem,” Erick said from behind Cade.Cade jumped up from his seat and made room for Erick on the bench.
“Did the judge say something?”Cade asked.
“Not directly.He would not be so indiscreet,” Erick replied, “but he had read my statement, so he did not seem surprised by what I reiterated at dinner.Indeed he seemed almost to concur with it, as if it confirmed what he already knew, which says to me that he believes Reichardt is guilty.”
“Good,” Payne said.“I want this done.I have a ranch to run and cattle to drive to the railhead in a few weeks.I don’t have time for this bullshit to drag on.Webster, take Heller for a walk.I need him fit for the saddle before we ride for Abilene.I can’t have him lazing around here doing nothing.”
“You are no more eager for me to be fit than I am.”Erick rose to his feet.
“Damn it, with the judge at Miz Roarke’s and Payne in the bunkhouse, there’s nowhere we’ll have any privacy.Unless you need another shower?”Cade asked as they walked away.
“Perhaps we can walk to the creek,” Erick suggested.When Cade grinned, he added, “For nothing more than resting on the swing, I fear, if I am to have the strength to walk back again.”
“It’s a start.”Cade swung their clasped hands between them.“We’ll have you fit for the saddle again before you know it.”
Chapter Thirty-Seven
THE NEXTmorning Cade sat once again in the church turned courtroom, waiting for Judge Morrison to arrive and declare Reichardt’s fate.While he hadn’t managed to convince Erick to make love at the creek the night before, they had spent a very pleasant hour kissing on the swing before walking back slowly in the deepening twilight, and Cade looked forward to another walk tonight.First, though, they had to get through whatever the rest of the day held.
Parnell arrived a few minutes later with Reichardt in handcuffs.He called the gathered crowd to order for Judge Morrison to make his entrance.The judge droned on for several minutes about the charges and the evidence, all of which Cade had lived.Finally, he turned to Reichardt.
“Johann Reichardt, I find you guilty of the charges against you.You are sentenced to hang by the neck until dead.You will be taken to Fort Concho, where your sentence will be carried out immediately,” the judge declared.“If you have a will or any final wishes, advise the court of them at this time.”
