Disclaimer: They weren't mine last week. They weren't mine yesterday. They aren't mine today. I sense a pattern.
Chris Larabee sat in the sheriff's office of the town now named New Hope. He stared at the men incarcerated within the cells and shook his head, reflecting only briefly on the circumstances which had brought them, and him, here. Black Ridge and Creek Hollow had been nearly destroyed; only the sheer refusal of the surviving citizens had prevented that from happening. As it was, the two towns had merged together in order to survive. Even now, wagons from the former town of Black Ridge were bringing supplies and other personal effects to New Hope.
The town was beginning to start looking less like a desolate ghost town and more like a community. Children ran down the street, playing. It was hard to believe that only a week ago, the towns had held a mass to bury all of their lost loved ones. Despite the tragedy which had plagued them, the citizens of this town were trying to get on with their lives. But until the ones who were guilty were punished, this town could not completely begin to heal.
Judge Travis was expected to come soon to hold the trial for the men Chris now guarded. The trial couldn't be held soon enough for Chris's taste.
The stagecoach rattled through the town and Chris watched as it stopped. Judge Travis stepped off the stage and walked straight to the sheriff's office.
Chris stood up as the door opened. "Judge," he said simply by way of greeting.
"Chris. Care to fill me in on the situation?"
Larabee nodded. "I'll meet you at the saloon. Buck's there, so send him over here when you get there."
Travis acknowledged Chris's request with a nod then left.
Chris turned to the prisoners. There were eight men sitting cramped in a jail meant to house four. Each of them was hand-cuffed. The prisoners were under twenty-four-hour guard. Larabee was pleased that the sheriff of Potter's Landing, Kyle Sheridan, had left him some men to help with guarding the prisoners as he was two men short. Nathan and Ezra were tending to Maude.
As soon as Buck walked into the jail, Chris walked out. He headed straight to the saloon. He saw that Travis already had procured a bottle of whiskey and a table near the back. Chris headed to him and sat down without preamble.
Travis poured Chris a shot. "So, tell me about your prisoners."
Chris drank the shot. "Thomas Marshall. He was the one in charge." Chris shook his head. "Way I understand it, he had a buyer who wanted ready-built towns. Marshall took it on himself to use the citizens as slave labor to do some mining. And used the women as…." Chris trailed off. "If I hadn't seen it, Judge, I don't think I could have believed anyone capable of that."
"Tell me what you saw, Chris."
"Women, tied to poles like lambs waiting to be slaughtered. When we got there, Mrs. Standish was tied to a post and Marshall was in the process of beating her with a whip. The other women were suffering from dehydration and starvation. It wasn't pretty. We buried, I lost count after thirty, women in the cemetery. All murdered brutally after being raped." Chris's voice was harsh and soft.
The judge nodded.
"The town is doin' real well, all things considered. Vin saw a man kill a little girl. Buck saw a man shoot another woman. Neither of those individuals were captured alive. We buried them all in an unmarked mass grave at the compound. The other men in the jail-George Jones, Stephen Marks, Jacob Christian, John Timms, Marcus Stiller, and two brothers-Michael and Gabriel Saint. Far as I can tell, they were all guarding the men."
Judge Travis nodded. "Who's willing to testify?"
"I reckon the whole town is."
"Gonna make it hard to raise a jury."
Chris raised an eyebrow.
"Now, ordinarily, I'd just move the trial. But in this case, I think it should be held here. Especially considering the number of witnesses in town. You think we could get some folks from Four Corners to stand on the jury?" the judge asked.
"Lots of them have been helping out here. And the same is true for Potter's Landing. Reckon the closest town that don't know nothin' about this would be Sterling."
"That's a three-day trip one way. Gonna be hard to get volunteers to travel so far. We'll see what we can do. If we can't get one, I'll hold the trial without one. Who's presenting the case?"
Chris shrugged.
"Anyone representing the prisoners?"
"No one here is interested in doing that."
Travis nodded. "Didn't figure they would be. I'm gonna need to talk to the prisoners, and I want some privacy when I do."
"You'll have it."
"I also want to talk to each of your men, Mrs. Standish, and a few of the other folks."
"Don't know if Mrs. Standish will talk. But I think the rest will. She hasn't said much since we found her. And I doubt Ezra will let you speak with her alone."
Judge Travis nodded. "Well, I'll see if she'll talk. If not, we have enough corroborative evidence against Marshall, I'm sure. I'll send word to Sterling and see if we can raise a jury from them." Travis stood. "Tell Ezra I'm coming up in a few minutes."
Chris nodded. Judge Travis left the saloon. Chris poured another shot of whiskey and drank it before leaving.
Ezra sat next to Maude's bed, reading. Maude was sleeping. He hated seeing her like this. To Ezra, his mother was an icon of strength. He saw her fighting to keep her emotions in check when she was awake, and failing. Ezra was there for her, but he wouldn't ask her any questions. When, and if, she was ready, she'd talk to him. And if she didn't, he wasn't going to press it.
He heard a knock on the door and moved to answer it.
"How is she doing?" Chris asked. He glanced over at Maude and frowned slightly before looking back to Ezra.
"Sleeping, for the moment. Her injuries are healing quite well, and Mr. Jackson feels she'll be able to travel within a week. Two weeks at the most."
Chris nodded to him. "Judge Travis is in town. He wants to talk to her."
Ezra stiffened.
"If she doesn't want to answer his questions, she doesn't have to. I already told him she might not."
Ezra nodded. "All right."
"He also wants to talk to you. All of us really."
Ezra nodded and looked back at Maude as she stirred slightly. "She may be more willing to talk if I am not present. My mother does not desire me to know the nature of her injuries." Ezra spoke softly. He understood that in her own way, Maude was protecting him.
"I'll send Nathan over with the judge. How are you holding up, Ezra?"
Ezra glared at Chris for a moment. "Mr. Larabee. I am not the one lying in that bed. I was not beaten to within an inch of my life by brutish bastards with nary a regard for human life." His words were venomous.
Chris just raised an eyebrow and nodded.
Maude Standish awakened slowly. She took in her surroundings and listened to the voices she heard. Ezra. She opened her eyes and looked over to the door where Ezra was talking to Chris. Chris noticed her glance and nodded in her direction by way of greeting.
Ezra immediately came to her side. "Mother." His voice was laced with concern and she hated hearing the raw emotion in his voice. Worse still, she hated the feeling of helplessness that had her own emotions out of control.
Ezra sat next to her and took her hand. "Are you hungry?"
Maude nodded. Ezra turned to Chris.
"I'll ask Nathan to bring a tray with him."
"Thank you, Mr. Larabee," Ezra replied.
Maude relaxed slightly as Chris Larabee left the room. She knew she would have to get a hold of herself, pull herself together. I survived this once. I can do it again.
Last time, no one had cared about the condition of the unknown girl she had been. Last time, she had been alone. This time, she had Ezra.
Maude hadn't been paying attention, but she realized Ezra was speaking to her.
"…Now, you don't have to talk to him if you don't wish. I'll even depart and allow you some privacy with the Judge."
Talk to the Judge? Maude didn't want to relive the humiliation by talking about it.
Ezra continued. "Truthfully, Mother, you don't have to. Mr. Jackson and Mr. Sanchez did witness some of the activities. And there are other women who will testify. Your testimony is not necessary; the man will hang even if you say nothing. I just want you to know this."
Maude shook her head, and Ezra nodded. He took her hand in his and held it for a moment. Then he picked up the book on the nightstand, and like a gift, began to read aloud to her.
Nathan Jackson stood with Judge Travis outside the room. "You know she might not talk. Heck, Ezra might not even let you in."
"That protective?"
"You didn't see this stuff, Judge. I can describe it to you, but until you look in an open pit filled with the bodies of women who been murdered, and walk into a cellar where more ladies been trussed up like so much beef in a slaughterhouse, you ain't gonna see it. Them's just words to you. Horrible words, describin' somethin' no man should never do...no man should never see."
Judge Travis nodded soberly, unable to refute what Nathan said. "You're right, Mr. Jackson. I can only imagine from what you've told me. I also hope I never see anything like that, never hear anything like it again."
"Me too, Judge," Nathan said as he knocked on the door.
Ezra opened it soon afterwards. He looked to the judge and shook his head.
"I take it that Mrs. Standish is unwilling to speak with me," Judge Travis said.
"Indeed. Mr. Jackson, would you mind sitting with my mother while I speak with the judge? I fear our interview would be distressing to her if she were to overhear it."
Nathan nodded and carried the tray in to Maude's room, leaving the two men alone in the hallway.
"Good afternoon, Mrs. Standish. I brought you some nice chicken and dumplins." Nathan smiled as he set the tray down on the dresser. Then he moved over to the bed and assisted her to a seating position. He fluffed the pillows behind her.
Maude nodded at him, then looked out the window. It pained Nathan to see her so quiet, but he also saw something in her eyes that was different. She looked like she was working something out on her own. Nathan decided not to pressure her. Instead, he placed the tray in front of her. Maude ate without a word.
Then she looked at him. "Ezra knows, doesn't he, Mr. Jackson?"
Nathan nodded. "Yes ma'am. He does. But none of us told him."
"My darlin' boy always could read anyone like a book. Except me," she whispered, "Never could read me when I didn't want him to." Maude sighed sadly. "Until now."
Nathan took her hand. "Ma'am, he loves you very much. Even I can see that 'bout him." Then he smiled to her and lifted the tray.
After Nathan put the tray back on the dresser, he went back to her. "Let me help you lay back down. You look a bit tired."
Maude nodded and allowed the contact again. "Thank you, Mr. Jackson."
Nathan sat down by the window and nodded to her. "Ma'am, if you need anythin', don't hesitate to ask."
Maude smiled slightly. "Thank you again, Mr. Jackson."
Judge Travis looked at Ezra. "I have acquired a room here at the hotel, why don't we conduct this interview there?" Ezra nodded and followed Travis down the hall. The two men entered the room. Travis sat down at the small table. Ezra paced.
"Mr. Standish. Ezra. Sit down."
Ezra sat down and took out his cards. Travis didn't comment.
"I understand you're the one who discovered the initial disappearance. How did that happen?"
"I visit Black Ridge every three months or so. Just for a small trip, but it allowed me to replenish some personal items. When I visited, Black Ridge was empty."
For the next hour, Judge Travis listened to the horrible tale that Ezra told. The tale left him angry and sickened. When Ezra spoke of the helplessness he had felt while waiting for the men from Potter's Landing, Judge Travis could feel the despair. He could hardly begin to call himself an impartial listener after those first few minutes.
As he finished listening to Ezra, Judge Travis began to dread all the pre-trial interviews he would be conducting. Hearing first-hand accounts of the atrocities was bad enough the first time. He did not relish hearing them a second time during the trial.
It took Judge Travis just one day to find an attorney for the defendants. However, it took that attorney four days to arrive. Twelve men from Sterling agreed to serve as a jury for the case. He had decided to try all the men at the same time rather than separately. They had acted as one, and he would try them in the same manner. However, each man would receive a separate verdict.
Another problem was the number of witnesses, and deciding if he should restrict the number of witnesses for the prosecution. However, each resident of this new town had been a victim of these men. Travis decided that any man or woman who wanted to bear witness would be allowed to do so. But no children were to be in attendance.
