"I knew something had changed. As soon as they walked through those saloon doors, I could tell by the look on their faces. There was a somber air about them. They'd found out something, something they wouldn't tell me. They told me to wait 'til morning.

I went back to my hotel room. But there was no rest to be had. I sat in the chair by the window, staring out into the moonless night. A million things went through my mind. What had Billy done to deserve this, how could I ever be at peace with it? Who had killed him and Caleb? My friends assured me it wasn't the banker Blodgett. So in my mind, that left only one suspect...Kenneth Blake. It had to be him. A mother just knows these things. That man had killed my son, there was no doubt in my mind.

Now I'm normally not a violent person. People can mess with me all they want, I just let it go. You kinda need to be like that making your living in the gambling business. Setting up a table in saloons, you get called things and treated all kinds of ways. I use my charm and feminine wiles to deal with that.

But one thing nobody does is mess with my son. I know he's a grown man, but he'll always be my little boy. And when Kenneth Blake decided to use and then kill Billy to try to get away with robbery, he crossed the line. I just couldn't let him get away with that. Hanging wasn't good enough for him, if he even got convicted of murder. I knew I'd never have any sort of closure if I didn't avenge my boy. I guess you could say I had a breakdown that night in that hotel room. I cried, I punched the bed over and over, I threw things. I thought about just getting a bottle of whiskey and trying to drown my sorrow. But that wouldn't help anything. The misery would still be there when I sobered up. I guess at that point you could say I crossed a line too.

It was then I made my final decision. I always carry a deringer with me. I would take care of this myself.

When I woke up the next morning, I sat for a while crying and thought about what I was about to do. I knew I'd be arrested and probably hung. But I didn't care. The anger seething inside me blocked out all other emotion or rational thought.

Then I heard about the money being found and the letter supposedly signed by Billy and Caleb saying that they were the ones who did the robbery, not Hannibal Heyes and Kid Curry. My boy could never rob a bank, let alone do it by opening the safe without the combination or dynamite.

So, I got dressed and left the hotel. I was determined to do what I had decided come hell or high water. I was actually calm as I casually walked into the bank and over to Blake. He asked if he could help me. I told him he could. So I bent over and whispered in his ear. I told him nobody hurts my son and gets away with it. Then I raised up, he gave me an anxious look, and I pointed my gun at him and fired.

It was odd, but at that moment, I felt peaceful. I didn't really care what happened to me. I stood there looking at Blake's lifeless body slumped over his desk. He got what he deserved and I was glad I was the one to give it to him.

The sheriff ran in at that moment and I just turned and handed over my weapon. I wanted to cry, but couldn't. I told him I was ready to go and he escorted me out of the bank. As I walked out, I smiled and nodded at my friends that had helped me figure it out. I'm sure they of all people knew how I felt.

So here I am now in this courtroom. I feel empty inside. My emotions are spent. But I ask you, if it had been your child, wouldn't you have done or at least wanted to do the same?"