Oklahoma kiss (49 page)

      
"All right," Adam said slowly. "But I think you people ought to realize something right now; you all know Warren Townsend. He's not going to sit by and let me bring in his kid brother without some kind of assurance that he will be safe. Don't be surprised if he and his men decide to come back with us just to insure Coy's safety. If they come —and I know they will because I would if I was faced with this sort of situation —I don't want any trouble. A double-barreled shotgun doesn't care who gets in its way. And I'll pull the triggers on any man who tries to interfere or start trouble. Matthew, you go to the jail and get it ready, turn loose those drunks you locked up last night."

      
Adam then looked at Tom, his face tense. "Let's go." When one of Tom's hired guns started walking with them, Adam stopped abruptly. "No, Tom, just the two of us."

      
Adam and Tom dismounted and tied their horses to the hitch rail in front of Warren's house. Warren, sitting out on the front porch with his leg propped on a pillow-covered stool, smiled and greeted them; then, when he noticed their somber expressions, his face darkened. "I was about to say how good it was to see you, but suddenly, I’m not so sure I’m going to enjoy this visit."

      
"I don't think you will either," Adam said slowly. "I have bad news."

      
Hearing the low mutter of voices coming from the porch, Blair walked out of the kitchen, listened for just a moment, then raced outside the instant she recognized Adam's voice.

      
"Adam! Adam! I was beginning to think you would never come!" she squealed joyously, as she ran and threw her arms around him. When Adam did not respond to her embrace, she stepped back, frowning. Then, it occurred to her that Tom was with him and they barely tolerated each other. She looked anxiously at Warren, and saw the expression on his face, then she slowly noted Tom's obvious discomfort and Adam's pained countenance.

      
Her heart plummeted to her feet. "What's wrong? What's happened?"

      
Chapter 29

      
"It's Coy, he is in serious trouble this time, Sis," Warren mumbled. "Adam has come to arrest him."

      
"Arrest him!" She jerked her head toward Adam. "On what charge?"

      
He drew a deep, heavy breath. "Suspicion of murder."

      
"Murder! "Blair gasped, her countenance twisting into a painful grimace.

      
Adam steeled himself against the excruciating pain so evident in her eyes. "Sweetheart, I never said he was guilty of the charge."

      
"Then why arrest him?"

      
His face was grim. "I have no other choice. You saw the people's mood that night of the dance, when Radigan's store burned —well ... it was much worse today. They turned into an ugly mob, ready to lynch him. I realize this isn't much consolation, but at least in a court of law he will receive a fair trial."

      
Instead of comforting her, Adam's words ignited her temper. "Just where will the trial be held, in
      
Doughtery?" She laugh bitterly. "You know how fair that will be!"

      
"No, not in Doughtery, I’ll have to take him to Fort Smith."

      
"And stand trial before the notorious Hanging Judge Parker! Why, that makes me feel better already! I suppose you plan to use that as your new motto: Deputy Adam Cahill —he'll hang them now or later!" She began to shake as fearful images filled her mind and she looked away so they could not see the tears that had suddenly filled her eyes.

      
Tom quickly reached for his handkerchief and pressed it in her hand. He gently patted her shoulder. "Blair, I am so sorry about all of this ... I realize mere words are not too comforting but if there is anything I can do, please don't hesitate to ask."

      
Nodding, Blair accepted the handkerchief and dabbed at her eyes. "Warren, are you just going to sit idly by and allow them to take him in?" she asked, sniffing back her tears.

      
"I don't have any. . . ." His attention shifted to the direction of the barn when he saw Coy walking toward the house.

      
Seeing Adam, Coy yelled a greeting and started walking toward them.

      
"Run, Coy, run!" Blair suddenly shouted, frantically gesturing for him to go back.

      
"Shut up, Blair," Warren roared. "You will get him killed!"

      
"Adam wouldn't shoot him and neither would Tom!"

      
"No, but that lynch mob will track him down, and they won't think twice about stringing him up! With Adam he has a chance!"

      
Hearing their loud voices, Coy began running toward them. When he saw the distressed expressions on everybody's face, he breathlessly demanded, "What's going on here? Looks like you've all just returned from a funeral." He sharply looked at Blair when she gave a strangled cry.

      
Adam awkwardly cleared his throat. "Coy, by the powers granted to me under the jurisdiction of Judge Parker's Federal Court, I'm placing you under arrest for suspicion of murder."

      
"Suspicion of murder?" Coy mouthed incredulously.

      
Reluctantly, he nodded and reached into his back pockets for a pair of handcuffs. "I will leave these off you until we get close to town if you give me your word not to make a run for it." Adam drew a deep breath, realizing from Coy's past behavior what a risk he was taking. He simply could not bring himself to let Blair see him taking her brother away in handcuffs.

      
"Who in the hell am I supposed to have killed?" Coy asked, appearing to be completely confused and bewildered.

      
"Radigan and one of the men who beat you so badly the night of the dance ... I don't know his identity yet. I wasn't given time even to start conducting an investigation."

      
Coy was trying so hard not to show how upset he was. He laughed but it was a pathetic attempt. "I always thought that an investigation was conducted first, then if there was any evidence, the suspect was arrested."

      
"That is the usual procedure but there is enough circumstantial evidence to warrant my arresting you, and besides. ..."

      
". . . he has a duty to perform!" Blair said scornfully. "To hell with justice, duty comes first!"

      
Adam shook his head. "That's not the reason and you know it, sweetheart."

      
"Don't you dare call me that name again!"

      
The muscles in Adam's jaw tensed. He felt she was only lashing out at him through frustration and fear. Later, after she had time to reason everything out in her mind, she would understand . . . at least he hoped so.

      
"Coy, there will be less trouble by my arresting you now. A lynch mob gathered in town and they were too fired up to consider the evidence is almost all circumstantial. All they know, two men were murdered—and there was bad blood between you —and you swore to get even with the men who beat you so badly. I'll admit, I made a bargain with that mob. They were in such a frenzy, it was either I had to come out and arrest you, or they would have come with guns and a rope. And, you know how loyal the Bar 4 men are. They would never have let them take you without a fight."

      
Coy squared his shoulders. "Since you put it that way, seems like I don't have much of a choice, does it? All right, I'll go with you . . . and I will give you my word not to make a break for it."

      
"Since Coy is willing to go with you," Warren stated gruffly, "I'll not object, but me and my hands are riding in, too. I trust you Adam, but I refuse to take the chance that one man can control an angry mob."

      
"I figured you would want to. I've already told the townspeople that you would be coming in, and what they could expect if they tried to storm the jail or start trouble. Just give me your word that you or your hands won't start anything."

      
Warren wagged his finger at Adam. "You have my word. We won't start anything, but we'll damn sure finish it if they decide they don't want to wait for a fair trial!"

      
"That's all a man can ask."

      
Warren looked at Blair. "Go tell Jake to get the men together and to hitch the wagon."

      
"All right, but I'm going, too."

      
He had already started shaking his head before she finished talking. "No, you need to stay here where it's safe."

      
She defiantly tossed her head and placed her hands on her hips. "I'm going, Warren, and there is absolutely nothing you can say or do to stop me!"

      
"No," he said slowly, "I suppose there isn't."

      
She paused on the steps and gave Adam a vicious, burning look, then she raised her chin and pushed past him without a backward glance.

      
Coy rode into town between Adam and Tom, followed by Warren and Blair in the wagon, and they were followed by almost every man that worked for the Bar 4. But right before they reached town, each man pulled his rifle from the saddle boot. They all propped the rifle butts on their legs with the barrels pointing to the sky. It was their way of stating their readiness to fight, but the manner in which they held their rifles indicated their willingness to keep it peaceful.

      
The mob that had been so boisterous was now quiet, but sullen and still angry. The men stepped off the sidewalks and walked on either side of the formidable-looking force that rode in, although, they did keep their distance.

      
Noticing Seth tugging at his ear, Adam dismounted near where he was standing and whispered under his breath, "Hit Matthew, force me to arrest you. I want you with us."

      
When Matthew came out to assist with the prisoner, Seth lurched right into Matthew's path and nearly fell. After regaining his balance, he roughly shoved him. "You smart . . . why don't you look out where you are going? What makes you think you have the right to push men around just because you wear a badge?"

      
Matthew was confused but not dense. He realized Seth was up to something but did not know what. Since he was obviously spoiling for a fight, he would oblige him. "Mister, I don't know what kind of a burr you have under your blanket, but you stumbled against me! I suggest you stay out of the saloon until you have a chance to sober up."

      
"This is what you can do with your damn suggestions!" Seth drew back his fist to hit him, but froze when he felt a gun press into his back.

      
Adam muttered coldly, "Hit him and that's the last thing you will ever do!" He glanced at Tom. "Watch my prisoner in case this is a plot to throw me off guard so the mob can grab him."

      
Tom shook his head. "I assure you, it's not a plot. That man works for me. Let him go."

      
"I don't care who in the hell he works for! The mood this crowd is in, I’ll not tolerate any man pushing my deputy around. He can cool his heels in jail overnight . . . maybe tomorrow he won't be so hot-tempered. Besides," he smiled thinly, "I can't be showing any favoritism, now can I?"

      
"No, I suppose you can't," Tom replied, obviously piqued, but unable to protest further as Matthew escorted his hand into the jail.

      
Adam climbed into the back of Warren's wagon and addressed the crowd. "I have something to say to all of you. The Bar 4 men have rifles and are ready to fight, and I’ve noticed you men who were so anxious to have a hanging are wearing guns now." He looked out over them, his brow furrowed with concern. "You men know what's at stake here. I wish you would all go home and stay there, but you're too damn stubborn and you're filled with too much hatred. But one gunshot, one wrong word, one look taken the wrong way, and this town will destroy itself. You people asked for law and order, so give it a chance to work. If Coy is found guilty, he will be punished. If he is innocent, then it is up to the law to find the guilty party. So for God's sake ... no, for your sake, and the sake of this town, act like rational human beings."

      
After Coy was safely locked up, Warren's men split into two groups; half of them took position across from the railroad tracks, and the other half stood behind the jail but across the street, since the back of the depot faced the town's main street. To acknowledge Adam’s plea for peace, Warren instructed his men to lay their rifles aside but to still wear their gunbelts.

      
The men who had been part of the mob gathered into small groups, and it was noted that a few had even removed their gunbelts. Tom joined Matthew who stood guard outside the jail door with a shotgun in his hands.

      
Inside the jail, Adam stepped close to the cell and said in a low voice, "Now, maybe we can get to the bottom of all this. Seth, you gave the signal for trouble, what are they planning?"

      
"There is going to be an attempt made on Coy’s life tonight and it won't be by a lynch mob." He started to say something else, but quickly clamped his lips tightly together when the door opened and Blair walked inside.

      
"Damn it, Blair ..." Adam muttered angrily.

      
She spoke, her voice infused with biting sarcasm, "That was quite an interesting speech you gave out there . . . very touching! But it was just as I thought, all of your concern is for this blasted town and none for Coy!"