Amiville.
I walked down the street and greeted Rebbekah and Dymitr. We talked for a while and went for coffee. I talked with Gramps and Adder and others who were there at the saloon. I heard noise down the street by the marshal’s office and wandered over that way, nodding to Jake and Adder.
“Howdy. I hear we have good news,” I said as I walked over to them.
“Yup sure does assault on a lawn man. You may as well arrest her now and be done with it,” Jake said.
“Arrest who?” WhiteRose asked.
“Tessa! Come here please!” Cathy shouted.
“I reckon she’ll need to go in your cells Logan. Want to do the honors?” Adder asked.
“I told you about these weeks ago now you can see it first hand,” Pablo complained.
“Why you locking Tessa up? You going to lock up the baby too?” WhiteRose asked. “What did she do?”
“Assault,” Adder said.
“Well of course I’m not going to lock the baby up....” Logan said.
“Si whats the baby done? You can’t arrest a mother for being in the wrong place and speaking her mind,” Pablo said.
“Assaulted me,” Adder answered.
“How?” WhiteRose asked.
“Reckon next time she’ll learn to control her lil fits,” Jake said.
“That was child endangerment. She could have dropped her infant,” Logan said.
“Ohhh adder...the lady hurt you si?” Pablo asked.
“What lady?” Adder looked around.
“You can’t force the future, Logan,” Cathy said. “There was no danger to the child.”
“I said she could have,” Logan said. “Thus child endangerment.. and not abuse.”
“The child was there during the arrest?!” I looked at Jake.
“You know they are beating that poor man senseless why the marshals try and arrest an innocent senorita?” Pablo asked.
“Huh?” Jake looked at me, confused.
“Thus your being an arse as always,” Cathy muttered.
“How did she assault you, Adder?” WhiteRose asked.
“She punched me,” Adder said.
“Thank you for your kind sentiments Miss Cathy,” Logan smiled.
“Why did you give her reason to?” WhiteRose asked.
“She punched him and spit on him ma’am,” Jake answered.
“I did not,” Adder shook his head. “And kicked me too.”
“Is his job to be abused, he’s a marshal,” Pablo said.
“You mean she just walked up to you punched you and spit on you while you were just standing there?” WhiteRose asked.
I looked over at Adder then and noticed the marshal badge he was wearing and raised an eyebrow.
“Pretty much,” Adder nodded.
“She must have had cause to do that,” WhiteRose said.
“You musn’t know her too well.”
“Tessa why did you punch Adder and spit on him?” WhiteRose asked.
“Yes Ms. WhiteRose, she does have a reason,” Jake said. “The reason of she’s done lost her damn mind.”
“Rose, when did you become law?” Cathy asked.
“Because the law is corrupt,” Tessa said. “They beat that man when he was in jail. Handcuffed.”
“Do you not remember that they beat YOU?” Logan looked at her with astonishment. “Are you mad, woman?”
“That man is a murderer. and regularly has escaped custody,” Adder told her.
“So you handcuff him and beat him?” WhiteRose asked.
“Who did he murder?” Cathy wanted to know.
“Law is suppose to be better then the outlaws...not as corrupt,” Tessa said.
“WhiteRose, you want us to release him so you can take him out for dinner? Be my guest,” Logan looked at her.
“I say burn down the marshals office..and get him out,” Pablo said.
“I have lost all respect,” Tessa said.
“You never had any respect,” Adder told her.
“Miss Tessa, the time of decency has past. This is the only way that this criminals will learn,” Logan said.
“I used to, Adder,” Tessa said.
“No, but I don’t understand why you beat him when he was handcuffed,” WhiteRose said.
“That’s why I so angry at law...” Tessa said.
“Seems like handcuffed is pretty much controlled,” WhiteRose said. “So you took your anger out on him?”
“I gave him justice,” Logan shrugged and I went to stand beside him.
“If you all must know..it seems like ya forgot he killed Avery or does that mean anything to ya all?” Chels walked out of the office then and told us.
“Stacie was law..its an occupational hazard no?” Pablo asked.
“Would you like to be beaten when handcuffed?” WhiteRose asked.
“When you want to train a dog to behave, you hit it,” Adder shrugged.
“If we were as corrupt we had jus killed him when we found him, we brought him back here to stand
trail and for justice too be served. Now if any of you have a problem with how we do out jobs... please take it up with the governor of Colorado!” Jake exclaimed.
“Do you think he would hesitate to do that to me Whiterose?” Logan asked.
“And you wonder why I have no respect for law,” Tessa muttered.
“Do you think he would show compassion for me?” Logan asked.
“You can beat a man because you theenk he’s guilty he needs to see a judge then let him make hes mind up,” Pablo said.
“Do you think that if you battled outlaws day in and day out and you finally has the worst beast of them all in your grip that you would deny yourself the satisfaction of beating him senseless?” Logan asked.
“I don’t know but I DO know it is up to a judge to decide how he is to be treated,” WhiteRose said.
“He left those boys without a father..Avery was a good man and all of you,” Chels looked around and continued, “Seem to forget that.”
“Oh great defender of the rule of law are you Pablito?” Adder asked. “Arsonist, shooter, thief, extortionist.”
“Si that’s me... at least you know which side of the law I stand on. You’re supposed to be the law. Beating up innocent people isn’t right.”
“That’s true. Beating up innocent people isn’t right,” Adder nodded. “He ain’t innocent.”
“He no seen a judge,” Pablo said.
“That is not innocent...” Logan pointed to the office with exasperation.
“You’re judge now, Adder?” Pablo asked.
“Now you all tell me who is corrupt..to me it’s the citizens..that want an outlaw released,” Chels turned and walked back into the office.
“Innocence or guilty doesn’t enter in to it that is not the way to treat anyone,” WhiteRose said.
“You wonder why I get so angry at the law...when I hear u beating a prisoner...how am I suppose to respect you...You wonder why I beat and kick u guys,” Tessa muttered. “You make me angry and sad.”
“I’ve tried my hardest to protect you people and this is the kind of treatment I get,” Logan sighed.
“Judge? No. Witness? Aye,” Adder said.
“Protection is one thing beating a handcuffed person is another,” WhiteRose said.
“He has not been tried... Isn’t that the way your law works?” Pablo asked.
“Is this what the law has become? Beating prisoners?” Tessa asked.
“So the marshals are all judges too..I see,” Pablo muttered. “And executioners too?”
“No wonder the scum of the earth love this town,” Adder sighed.
“What makes you any better then they are?” Tessa asked.
“Yes if we see it fit we sure will be the judge too,” Jake grinned at him.
“Says the man who tried to burn me alive?” Adder looked at Pablo.
Logan took his badge off furiously and held it out to WhiteRose. “Since you are so damned high and mighty about it... why don’t you try it out. Here... go rid the town of crime.”
“I don’t want your badge. I want you to see what is wrong in what you did,” she told him.
“I want never gets,” Adder muttered.
“Why did you whip him?” Tessa asked.
“Look lady... I’m fed up with it all. Don’t you dare come here and tell me how to do my job,” Logan glared at her.
“Logan...” I put my hand on his shoulder finally, trying to calm him down.
“Way I see it, this town bitches and moans for us to go after the bad men. Then they bitch and moan when we do. Why don’t some of you get a damn spine and do it yourself. Try the damn job out,” Adder said.
“Sorry Miss Rose, I have been trying to be good,” Tessa said, “And stay out of trouble.”
“I am sorry you feel that way Logan,” WhiteRose nodded. “I know, Tessa.”
Chels walked out then and said, “You all, go on about your business.”
“I’m sorry that you have sympathy for a murderer,” Logan shook his head and I squeezed his shoulder.
“You let them get away with this now they get away with it forever,” Pablo said.
“I know they are trying to do their jobs but they take it to far sometimes,” Tessa said.
“You haven’t got a clue about what we do Tessa,” Adder said.
“I don’t have sympathy for a murderer I want justice for him like anyone else would but because he is a murderer doesn’t mean you have the right to beat him senseless when he is handcuffed,” WhiteRose said.
“He wasn’t beaten senseless. He was born that way,” Adder said.
“He should not have been beaten at all,” Tessa said.
“I suppose that you haven’t noticed how much patience I have had with these outlaws. It’s high time that they get the treatment that they have been giving to us,” Logan said.
“He should not been beating,” Tessa pointed out.
“Tessa you’re mighty keen not to see him get beaten, but you don’t have a problem assaulting me,” Adder looked at her.
“I am not law,” Tessa said.
“You have that sort of face marshal,” Pablo pointed out. “I know that feeling.”
“You are to protect the town not take justice into your own hands,” Tessa said.
“You are to protect your baby, not hang around outlaws,” Adder said back to her.
“Sometimes that is required Tessa... this is the wild west is it not? Where outlaws gun down innocent civilians? Why should I be so kind and compassionate?” Logan looked at her.
“I did not get into the gun fight did I?” Tessa asked.
“Come on Tessa, it is like talking to a brick wall they only see what they want to see,” WhiteRose said.
“As do you ma’am,” Adder pointed out.
“Besides... I was being gentle. If this were Brooklyn, his skull would be cracked open,” Logan laughed.
“You see that they have the newspaper on there side too..so that they are untouchable,” Pablo said.
“If I was not looking out for my baby don’t u think I would of shot at u today?” Tessa asked. “I did not draw a gun on you today.”
“You could easily have been hit by a stray bullet,” Adder said.
“I’m not here as the newspaper publisher. I’m here as a detective,” I looked over at Pablo.
“And therefore you are still standing,” Logan said.
“As could your baby,” Adder said.
“And your baby is not an orphan,” Logan said to her.
“I did not know you were coming back,” Tessa said.
“That’s right, Miss WhiteRose. We see see it as the law side as we have served justice and takin’ a murder and put him behind bars. Do you can walk the streets and feel safe,” Jake said.
“It’s highly irresponsible,” Adder said.
“Oh I see, that’s handy detective,” Pablo snarked at me.
“That is the cooperation I get from this town,” WhiteRose muttered.
“I thought you had moved away. I did not hear gunfire, so I came out,” Tessa said.
“Handy?” I looked from Logan to Pablo.
“As soon as I did see you guys, I went back in and tried to stay out of the way,” Tessa said.
“Si, handy for you,” Pablo grinned.
“You shouldn’t be around people like that,” Adder said.
“So why should I even bother to open the store? Most here only seem interested in drinking in the saloon and gun fighting not supporting the stores,” WhiteRose muttered.
“I can’t stop where people go,” Tessa said.
“You can stop yourself,” Logan looked at her.
“YOU ALL ROT IN HELL!” I heard Levi’s voice shouting from inside the office.
“I go north to pick plants.... should I not go there because outlaws go there?” Tessa asked.
“That doesn’t mean that you have to follow them into their hideouts,” Logan said.
“That is not a hideout.”
“Give him a fair trial and no beating by the marshals!” Pablo shouted.
“Tessa, your baby is obviously hungry. Why don’t you go do your motherly duty and feed it?” Logan suggested.
“She eats a lot,” Tessa sighed.
We watched as Levi was dragged out of the sheriff’s office towards the gallows and I watched, looking between Logan and Adder. Clif read the man’s charges and I stayed back to watch from a distance but still in hearing range. People complained that there had not been a fair trial and I watched as they hanged him. I suddenly realized that we still hadn’t found the other two black brothers and that this was not over.
I walked towards Logan and put a hand on his shoulder. “Logan... We need to talk soon.” I nodded towards the sheriff’s office and headed there to write an article about the Black Brothers.
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