Many thanks for your continued support. It always makes me feel good. Always great to hear from you.
Chapter 9
The following morning everyone was waiting for the Judge to enter the courtroom. Davy was sat next to Adam, who had his arm around Davy's shoulder. Cathy and Grace were over at the International Hotel awaiting the outcome there. Adam hadn't wanted either of them in the courtroom, especially Grace in her condition, getting all upset at what was being said. It was better they stayed out of it. They were to meet them there after the trial was concluded.
Adam acknowledged Roy as he and his deputy brought the prisoners in and sat them down at the defendant's table. He then sat at the side of the courtroom, keeping a close eye on the prisoners. Jacob Edmonds looked nervous but Jessie Hudson just stared in front of her. Only a short time before, while Davy was with his grandfather, Adam had related to Roy all that Davy had told him, which revealed to them both why the kidnapping took place. Hopefully, once Davy's testimony was given, the prosecutor would be able to expose who this woman was.
The Judge entered and the proceedings began. He banged the gavel. "This court is now in session." He announced.
The prosecutor stood up. "I call David Cartwright to the stand."
Adam helped Davy stand. He could feel him shaking. Then whispered in his ear, "Just say exactly what you told me yesterday and everything will be all right. Now go on up there and swear on the bible, like I showed you."
"Yes, Pa." And with a gentle push from Adam, Davy made his way over to the witness' chair. Then raising his right hand and placing the other on the bible, "Do you swear by Almighty God to tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth," the Clerk asked.
"I do." Davy answered and sat in the chair. He looked to his father, who gave him a wink for confidence.
The Prosecutor stood up and approached Davy. "Now David, I want you to tell the court what happened to you on Wednesday the second of November. And take your time."
"Yes, Sir. I was just coming out of the school outhouse when I was taken ahold of and a hand came over my mouth. I tried to get away but I went dizzy. The man put a handkerchief over my nose and mouth, and I guess I passed out."
"What do you remember next, David?"
"I woke up in a dark room and couldn't see nothing, but I could hear voices, a man and a woman, but I couldn't make out what they was saying." Adam smiled to himself as he thought he needed to further tutor his son in his grammar.
"I was sick and other things."
"What other things, David?" Davy hesitated, not wanting to answer that question. He looked to Adam, who nodded his head.
"David, answer the question, please." The prosecutor knew he needed the jury to know all the conditions David had gone through, to sway the them to a guilty verdict.
"I….went to the toilet…..in my pants."
"More than once?"
"Yes, Sir, a few times." Davy said, looking down at his hands, feeling embarrassed at having to tell all these people that fact.
"Were you given anything to eat?"
"No, Sir, only a little water."
"Go on with your story, David." The prosecutor stepped up to Davy and gave him a smile and squeezed his hand to encourage him to stay strong.
"I was scared and prayed my Pa would come get me. And then that morning, when everything happened, she came in. Well, she told me she would kill me if my Pa didn't pay up. And then she told me that my Pa, my first Pa that is, had got her husband hung. She told me his name was Harry Hudson and that she was Jessie Hudson. I didn't understand. It made me more scared."
Adam knew how brainless this woman was, as Davy related to him all that happened. Why else would the kidnapper reveal who she was to Davy.
"You're doing real well David. Is there anything else you have to tell us?"
"Well, it was just after that that I heard a voice, it sounded like Uncle…..Sheriff Coffee. And there was shooting. And then my Pa came in a back window and I was saved. I didn't know there was a window as the room was just dark. It must have had a thick cover over it. SHE came back into the room but Pa stopped her. Then we heard more shooting. Pa made me stay in the room while he made HER go into the front room."
"Is that woman in this courtroom, David?"
"Yes, Sir."
"Can you point her out to us?"
"Yes, her." Davy said, pointing to Jessie Hudson, sitting at the defendant's table.
"Thank you David. No more questions." He returned to his chair. Davy was about to stand up when a voice stopped him.
"Just one moment, young man. I have a question."
"Sorry, Sir. Yes, Sir."
"How can you be sure my client is the woman who abducted you and threatened you? You said yourself it was too dark to see."
"In the back room it was, but it was light in the other room. And when she came in to me I could see her through the light. But….I also….sneaked a look around the door and watched her and the others. There was a man lying on the floor too." The prosecutor smiled. 'Can't get anything over on this kid', he thought. Then Davy heard his Pa clear his throat and saw his right eyebrow rise. 'Uh oh', he thought. 'I'm in trouble again.'
The lawyer was clutching at straws here and knew he wasn't impressing the jury. "No further questions, your Honour." He then sat back down beside his clients.
The Judge spoke to Davy. "Thank you David. You may step down."
As he approached his father, Adam leaned forward and whispered, "I'll see you at home," with a look that told him there was more to come. "Go with Hop Sing now. He'll take you to the International Hotel so you can be with your mother and sister."
"Did I do all right, Pa?"
"You did fine. Now off you go with Hop Sing."
"Yes, Pa." Hop Sing was right there and guided Davy through the courtroom and outside to the buggy. When they reached the hotel, Grace jumped right up and hugged him.
"Did you do it well, sweetheart?" She asked.
"Yes, Ma. I think so."
"I'm sure you did good Davy." Cathy added, giving him a hug too.
"Everything went well, Missy Grace. Now we must wait for the others. I don't think they'll be much longer.
….
Ben, Adam and Sheriff Coffee all gave evidence of their part in receiving the ransome note, the handling of the money and the rescuing of Davy. Jessie was found guilty and given as prison sentence of five years. She was taken from the court by Sheriff Coffee and his deputy and returned her to her cell to await the stage and deputies, to transport her to Yuma prison.
After a break, the court resumed to deal with the case against Jacob Edmonds, which was quickly dealt with. He pleaded guilty and explained his part in it, of taking the boy and delivering the ransome note and picking up the money. He also told them of Jessie's decision to kill the boy. He was found guilty and sentenced to three years.
…
They all arrived at the hotel by late afternoon. Grace and the children were anxiously waiting for their return.
"Oh my love, you're here at last." Adam kissed Grace and gave her a crushing hug, well as much of a hug as he could, due to her large baby bump, which seemed to be getting bigger by the day. Then both children ran to him and hugged him too. Adam knelt down and kissed them both. And as Davy turned to greet his grandfather, he felt a fairly gentle swat to his backside. He turned back to face his father.
"What was that for," he said, rubbing the spot.
"I think you know what that was for."
"Yes, Sir. Sorry."
"What did you do to deserve that?" Ben asked Davy as he picked him up to hug him and tell him he was proud of the way he acted in court.
"I did something I shouldn't. As soon as I said it in court, I knew I was in trouble."
"I think I can guess what you did now. You moved from the back room, didn't you?"
"Yes, Grandpa. I did wrong, but I'm glad I watched, otherwise I wouldn't have been able to point her out in the courtroom. It was a little dark in that back room, but I could see well into the front room from the doorway."
"And I wasn't too happy about it, was I Davy." Came Adam's voice from behind them.
"I hope your not planning a necessary talk, Adam, after all Davy's been through, and his testifying."
"No, Pa. That one swat will suffice. Come 'ere, Davy." Adam held out his arms and as Davy was put back down by Ben, he rushed back to Adam and his arms.
"Is it all over?"
"Yes, Davy," Adam said as he lifted him up. "They were both found guilty and have been sent to prison."
"Why did they do it, Pa?" Cathy asked, coming to stand next to them and holding on to Adam's arm.
"Do you remember me telling you about how your father had done some bad things, but that he had done his best to protect you both?"
"Yes, Pa." Davy answered.
"Well your father was a member of a gang who robbed banks. But he didn't like doing it. So he went to the authorities and named the gang members, for which he was granted amnesty, and a new life. But two of them escaped and eventually caught up with your father and shot him. But these men were caught robbing a bank in Colorado, killing the bank manager and were executed following a short trial. The woman who had you kidnapped was the wife of the leader of that gang. It took her long time to find out what your father had done and decided to exact revenge on his family. You two. The rest you know."
"So what happened to the money?" Cathy asked.
"It's all back in the bank, sweetheart." Ben told her.
"That's good. You saved the money and me." Davy put his arms around Adam's neck and squeezed.
"Are you both okay with what I just told you?" Davy nodded his 'yes'.
"Yes, Pa. I'm glad you told us." Cathy said. "All our Pa wanted to do was protect us. And now you are our Pa, we've got you to protect us."
"Right. So I think we should all make our way home, clean up and enjoy our dinner tonight." ….
Hop Sing's dinner was delicious, brought out a little later than usual because he had been in town with the others. But had left instructions with Tony, one of the hands, to put it all on to cook by four o'clock. So by the time he got back home there was only a little more preparation needed.
By the time their dinner was over, Davy was practically asleep.
"Let me take him up," Ben suggested. "You and Grace could do with a rest tonight."
"Thanks, Pa." Adam said.
"I'm going to help Hop Sing with the dishes," Grace said as she rose from the table. "I'll bring you out some coffee, while you and Cathy relax."
"I'll take care of the evening chores in the barn," Hoss said, as he left for the barn.
While Ben carried Davy upstairs, Adam and Cathy sat down in his favourite chair. Cathy sat down on his lap.
"I love you Cathy, and no one is ever going to take you or Davy away from me."
"I know, Pa, and I love you and Ma too. I want us always to be together."
Grace came in with the coffee.
"That was quick, Grace." Adam said, smiling.
"Hop Sing wouldn't let me help him, said I was to come and sit with my family."
"Good, you need your rest as much as the rest of us. I think an early night is in order."
"But, Pa…"
"No buts young lady." Adam said, kissing her cheek. "You go on up and get ready for bed and we'll come in to say goodnight, and then you can read one more chapter of your book."
"Okay, Pa." She kissed him back, got down off his lap and kissed Grace too. "I love you so much." She said.
"And I love you too, sweetheart," Grace replied, giving her a gentle squeeze. Cathy then made her way upstairs.
By the time Ben returned downstairs, Grace and Adam were drinking their coffee. "Can you pour one for me, Grace dear?"
"Of course, Pa." While Grace was pouring out Ben's coffee, he was pouring two glasses of brandy just as Hoss walked back in.
"Could I have one of those too, Pa?" He asked.
"Of course. Here you go," Ben said as he handed Hoss a glass.
"I'm glad everything has ended happily." Grace said.
"Yes. You would have been so proud of Davy today." Hoss said, with a big smile on his face.
"I'm always proud of him and Cathy both. He's a darling and I love him to bits, along with Cathy."
Ben handed Adam his brandy and with his own sat down in his usual red leather chair.
Hoss raised his glass and offered a toast. "Here's to a successful outcome and to us all as a family."
"Here, here." Ben said in agreement. They all then took a sip of their brandy and Grace her coffee.
"Well that's it for me," Adam said, as he downed the rest of his brandy and coffee. "I need my rest. You coming Grace?"
"Yes, my love. Goodnight Pa, Hoss. See you in the morning."
"Night you two. Have a good night's rest."
"We will, Pa. Goodnight."
Adam and Grace made their way up the stairs and looked in on Davy, who was dead to the world, and once again his sheet and blankets were all askew. Grace straightened them out and covered him back up, kissed his forehead and with the back of her hand, gently touched his cheek.
"Goodnight, sweet prince." She said. " I love him so much," Grace whispered to Adam.
"I know you do. You loved him from the moment you first met."
"That's true and Cathy much later. We're all so good now. We are truly blessed."
They quietly opened Cathy's door and found her asleep too, but sitting up against her pillows with her book still on her lap.
"That's a beautiful sight." Adam said, putting his arms around Grace's shoulders. Together they removed the book and gently laid her down. Both kissed her, a cheek each. Cathy moved slightly, her eyes almost opened but quickly closed again. She was fast asleep.
When once in their own room, Adam took hold of Grace and kissed her thoroughly. "I've waited all day to do that."
"And I've waited all day to receive it."
They kissed again.
"Let's get to bed." He said.
"I agree."
