Denver (50 page)

“Related to Javier?” the man said, standing, his dark eyes friendly as he offered his hand.

“Yes, I’m his son,” Dan said as he shook hands. “This is my brother, Luke Danby. I want to turn myself in. Luke is my attorney.”

The sheriff stared at them, blinked, and looked down at the paper. He looked up at Dan. “Wanted for murder?” he said, sitting down to study the poster.

“Yes, sir. For murdering Fred Craddock.”

“That was years ago. You’re Javier’s boy. I’ve heard about you. Heard you were killed out west. I’m Gilberto Padilla.”

“I was told Judge Farnsworth will be here tomorrow or the next day, so we can have a trial right away,” Luke said.

“You’re giving yourself up?” the sheriff asked.

“Yes, sir.”

“Where you folks staying?”

“At the hotel,” Luke answered. “As a matter of fact, if possible, Sheriff, since my client has voluntarily come in and given himself up to stand trial, can he just stay at the hotel tonight? His parents are here.”

“Javier is at the hotel?”

“Yes.”

Dan couldn’t believe what Luke had just asked, but he kept his features impassive.

“Yes, you may stay at the hotel. And tell your father I’ll come say hello. My brother worked for him for a time. I don’t like the Craddocks.”

“Thanks, Sheriff,” Luke said cheerfully.

“Thank you,” Dan said, shaking hands again with Sheriff Padilla.

“Judge Farnsworth gets here tomorrow. We’ll have court right here in this room. Get yourself over here about eight in the morning. The Craddocks will be here. They know everything that happens.”

“Thank you, sir,” Dan said.

“You’re wanted for murder. I don’t remember the details of the case.”

“You’ll hear about it in court,” Luke said, taking Dan by the arm to get him out of the sheriff’s presence. They walked back across the road, Luke’s spurs jingling with his long steps.

“Damn, if the rest is as easy as that—”

“It won’t be. I can promise you,” Luke said grimly. “You tangled with men who are powerful in this little bit of the territory. Word will go around like wildfire now. First of all, we have to keep watch that Craddock’s boys don’t ride in to finish the job they started years ago.”

“You think they’d try to come to the hotel and take me after all these years?”

“How easily are these things forgotten? You’ve gone other places, done other things, but they’ve been sitting right here, and your pa won his battle with them.”

“How will they even know to come in and testify against me? Who’s going to prosecute?”

“Dan, this won’t be like a city trial. Hell, last time, they didn’t give you a trial at all before they tried to string you up. We’re damned lucky a federal judge is coming through here to listen to this. There may not be anyone to testify against you. There won’t be a prosecutor. I’ll stand up and plead your case. If word
gets out, someone will testify against you. The judge will decide, and it’s over. You’re still on a frontier, where justice is primitive and law is often determined by a Colt.”

When they returned to the hotel, the men agreed to watch for trouble, and the family cooked in a shady expanse behind the hotel. They had brought food, and soon enticing aromas wafted into the air. Dan felt reprieved to have one more night with Mary instead of spending it in a cell, as he had expected. They told the others good night early in the evening and shut themselves in their room. He held her tightly in his arms, unable to sleep after their lovemaking, knowing she wasn’t asleep either, both of them clinging together.

In the morning, in the early light of day, Dan heard a rap on the door. Mary was dressed, braiding her hair, when Dan went to the door to see a grim-faced Luke. “You want to see your opposition. Go to the window.”

All three of them crossed to the narrow windows that looked out to the east. A string of riders was coming down the street, eight abreast.

“Holy saints,” Mary whispered, sliding her arm around Dan’s waist.

“It occurred to us—Ta-ne-haddle brought word of them riding into town—that if we win today, they may try to gun you down before you go. I don’t think they’d do it in front of the judge, so it’ll come on the way home.”

“Dammit! The whole family is here. Get them out of here.”

“I agree,” Luke said over Mary’s protest. “After the trial, Mary’s father can go with the women and children. They can all ride southwest toward Albuquerque. These men will expect you to go back north. There are eight of them, six of us.”

“A gunfight?” Mary sounded stricken.

“It’s better than being shot in the back,” Luke said grimly. “We have to be ready for it. If it doesn’t come in a day’s ride, I don’t think it will. We can drop back,
and Mary’s brothers and Paddy can bring her back to you.”

“What about them leaving before the trial?”

“No. You should have family here.”

Dan nodded as he watched the riders pass. “What’s to keep them from gunning me down right now?”

“We’re ready for that. It’s time to go. The judge is in town. He came in half an hour ago.”

The family waited in the lobby, the women dressed in stylish clothes, the men in suits with broad-brimmed hats. They crossed the street and filed into the small room where planks had been laid across cottonwood stumps for seats. The small jail was crowded. The Craddock men already filled seats to the left of the center aisle, and Dan’s family filled the seats to the right, nearest to the door. Spectators took any empty space and crowded around the back of the room.

Mary felt as if she had turned to ice. Dan and Luke sat at a table to the left of the judge. The sheriff was at the front. People crowded in to watch, and the morning air warmed with the crowd. Sheriff Padilla called the court to order and Judge Farnsworth sat down behind the desk.

The first to testify was Paul Craddock, a tall, heavy-set man in a broad-brimmed hat. He came forward, spurs jingling. He told how Dan had killed one of his men and escaped when they tried to hang him.

Luke was next, his deep voice eloquent in the small room as he told Dan’s side and then asked to swear Dan in as a witness. Mary glanced to her left at the men who filled two rows. They wore pistols and looked grim and strong, and she feared them more than the judge.

“You tried to defend yourself?” Luke asked Dan after he had told his version.

“Yes, sir.”

“And you almost had your throat slit by one of the men?”

“Yes, sir.”

“Show us the scar.”

With a jingle of spurs Paul Craddock stood up. “He could have the scar from anything!”

“Sit down, Craddock,” Judge Farnsworth snapped, and the man sat down.

Dan pulled down his shirt to show the faint white line. “And you were not given a trial before a judge or jury at the time?”

“No, sir.”

“That’s all. One more witness, Judge. Will Dr. José García come forward.”

A man standing in the doorway moved forward. His hair was gray and he was stoop-shouldered as he walked to the front and was sworn in by the sheriff.

“Have you seen this man before, Doctor?”

“Yes.”

“Will you tell the judge when and where?”

They listened as the physician told about tending Dan’s wound. Dan had been brought to him by two men the night of the incident.

“Thank you,” Luke said, dismissing him. Luke gave his summary in front of the judge, pointing out Dan’s lawful life in Colorado, his family, his voluntary return.

“Now, look, Judge—”

“Craddock, you get up and interrupt again, and I’ll fine you. Sit down.”

Luke finished and sat down beside Dan.

Judge Farnsworth studied notes he had made, shuffled papers, and finally looked up. “After hearing testimony in this case, I declare Tigre Danby Castillo not guilty of murder.” He banged his gavel. “Now we’ll get to the bank- and train-robbery charges. Mr. Danby, what have you to say for your client?”

“Judge, I protest!” Paul Craddock shouted, standing up. One of his men yelled, and another stood up.

“Craddock, you’re fined. Sheriff, put this man down for contempt of court. Five dollars.” He banged the gavel again. “Mr. Danby?”

Once again Luke stood and gave a long plea about circumstances, Dan’s youth, that he had reformed and voluntarily turned himself in. Luke swept out his arm
and pointed to the family, extolling Dan’s character, and finally he sat down.

“Any arguments?”

“Yes, he’s a thieving, lying—”

“Sit down. I didn’t ask for opinions.”

There was silence in the room and Judge Farnsworth banged his gavel. “Tigre Danby Castillo, I hereby find you not guilty. Case dismissed.”

“No!” Craddock thundered, jumping to his feet to fire at Dan with pistols in both hands.

Noah came up in a crouch, his colts blasting while women screamed. Glass shattered as shots hit the windows.

People dropped to the floor. Mary pushed Aaron down, covering him. In seconds there was silence. Noah stood with his pistols aimed at Craddock’s men. Javier also held a pistol pointed at the men, and Michael aimed at them as well as Brian. “Drop your weapons,” Luke ordered. “Doc, look at the judge first.”

“I’m all right. Padilla was hit. Two of Craddock’s men are down.”

Dan’s gaze swept the room, which reeked of gunpowder, and he felt faint with relief when he saw the family was all right. The windows behind him were smashed. He noticed a red stain on Luke’s coat sleeve.

“Doc!” Rage filled him and he wished he had a pistol He looked at the man who had caused the trouble. White-haired and broad-shouldered, Paul Craddock stood with his hands in the air. Two of his men lay still on the floor, and another clutched a bloody leg.

“Doc, get over here as soon as you finish with the sheriff,” Dan called.

Judge Farnsworth stood up. “You’re under arrest, Craddock. You and your men, every damned one of you. One of you boys with a pistol, herd ’em into a cell. Drop your weapons first. Slow and easy.”

Dan wiped his forehead, feeling a wet stickiness, and realized he had been cut by glass from the windows. He helped Luke remove his coat, and Catalina ran to him.

“I’m all right.”

She talked in rapid Spanish in an undertone, peeling back the sleeve of his shirt.

“They’re locked up, Judge,” Noah said, tossing the keys in front of Farnsworth.

“How’s Padilla?”

Dr. García stood up. “He’ll be fine. Some of you come carry him to the saloon. Put him on the bar. I can work on him there. It isn’t bad. If he comes around, give him some whiskey.” He walked over to Luke to look at his arm. “Not bad. Lucky it wasn’t a few inches to the right.”

“I know that,” Luke said, looking at Catalina and pulling her to his side. “See, it’s not bad.”

“Wow, Pa, that was something!” Jeff exclaimed, scooting close to Luke. “Did you see Uncle Noah?”

“Pa’s bleeding, Knox!”

“I saw,” Luke answered, “and I’ll thank him in just a minute.”

Catalina glowered at Luke while Dr. García cleaned and bandaged the wound. Luke looked down at her. “I’m all right, Catalina.”

She let out a long breath and moved closer to him, lacing her fingers in his. “It frightens me when you are in such danger.”

“He’s going to be fine,” García assured her.

April was sitting on the bench when Noah finally put away his pistols and joined her. “Sorry if I startled you.”

“Noah, that was frightening, and Luke was hit!”

“Luke’s okay. I heard the doc say so, honey. And it could have been far worse if I hadn’t done something.”

“I know. She leaned against him. “Noah, I couldn’t bear anything to happen now.”

“Are we going to tell everyone our news or not?”

“I told Ma and Catalina last night, so I guess we can tell everyone.”

“Good.”

Javier stepped to his side to clasp him on the shoulder. “I owe you much, Noah. Thank you. You may
have saved my son’s life, as well as the lives of others.”

“I just happened to see Craddock go for his six-shooter. I had some help from all of you.”

Javier nodded and went to Luke to thank him. Outside, a crowd had gathered, staring with curiosity at the jail. Finally the Danbys and O’Malleys filed out into the sunshine to congratulate Dan and Luke.

Dan hugged Mary. “I’m free, honey. I’m not a wanted man.”

She was still shaken by what had happened so quickly. “Dan, let’s go home,” she pleaded, and he held her tightly and nodded.

It was another two hours before they had told everyone good-bye and loaded up for the ride back to Denver. Noah and April had wanted them to come to Albuquerque, but they needed to get home, so they promised they would come later in the year. And while everyone was together, Noah announced that they were expecting another child.

Dan and Mary spent almost half an hour in farewell hugs before parting, Mary, Dan, and her family heading north, the others heading south. They reached Denver the next night, telling the O’Malley men goodbye and turning toward their home. He unhitched the wagon while Mary drew a hot bath. She hummed as she bathed, hearing bootheels in the hall and looking up to see Dan in the doorway. He was dusty from the ride, his clothes rumpled, a gunbelt slung low on his hips as he paused in the doorway. His golden hair was tangled from the wind, but he looked marvelous to her and she felt refreshed and happy, because on the trail back to Denver she had made a discovery.

“You do look good!” he drawled, pulling his shirt over his head and tossing it down.

He poured a brandy and drank it. “I’m glad to be home. I’m thankful to be a free man. And we’re finally going to have our own little celebration.”

“Are we, now?”

She had her hair pulled up and tied on top of her
head with a blue ribbon. Water filled the tub up to her breasts. Her flesh was glistening, and she looked beautiful. Dan felt desire kindle and burn. He took a long drink of brandy and set down the glass, wanting to take Mary to bed now.

“I’m dusty, Mary,” he said, unbuckling his belt and pulling off his boots. He undressed swiftly, taking the bottle of brandy and climbing into the tub with her.

“Dan!”

“This is the advantage of such a big tub. Takes longer to empty and fill, but it sure as hell is fun while you’re in it!”