Roy was more than a little surprised when Ben and Adam Cartwright came stomping into his office while pushing Morgan Decker ahead of them. Adam gave the man one last shove and he ended up crashing against Roy's desk. The sheriff jumped to his feet. "Adam, was that really necessary! What's he done anyhow?"
"He's the one who killed that girl and arranged for Evangeline's kidnapping," Ben spoke up in his son's defense.
Roy glanced at Decker and the man picked that moment to protest, "Sheriff! Sheriff he's lying, I didn't kill nobody..."
"Shut up, Decker!"
"But..."
"I said shut up! Don't make me remind you of our earlier conversation," Adam returned his attention to the sheriff.
Judging from the bruises on the gunslinger's face, Roy was interested in knowing exactly what Adam had said. "Adam, you know that a confession under threat has no weight in front of a jury."
Adam nodded. "I know, Roy. He tried to get away. I subdued his sorry carcass and then merely reminded him of what his life could be like in different circumstances."
Roy grunted with exasperation. In his opinion, everyone was always trying to do his job. Although, in this instance, Roy wouldn't have minded a little extra bruising on the prisoner; he had always disliked Decker and what he stood for as a human being. At least, Adam hadn't been too rough with him, that would have caused trouble if he had been.
"Sheriff! Sheriff, do you hear me? What's going on out there?"A disembodied voice floated from the next room.
Adam quickly walked into the cell block to talk to the current prisoner. "You're getting out of here, Frank. I just brought the man in who did kill that girl."
Williams jumped to his feet and grasped the iron bars. "Are they sure? Are you sure it's him?"
Adam nodded and smiled. "Roy's questioning him now. He's more than ready to sing. We'll be finding Evangeline soon, just sit tight."
After what seemed like hours of questioning but in reality was only about twenty minutes, Decker had revealed many new tidbits of information, including which trails taken by Jenkins. He also admitted to Gaynes' full involvement and the planting of the "evidence" to get Williams in trouble. Hesitant at first, the overbearing power of both of the Cartwrights had loosened his tongue. With their connections and money, he had no doubt that they could send him to the worst prison that could be found and a possible clean hanging would be better to endure than that prospect. Once Roy was satisfied of the man's guilt for both the murder and the beating, Decker exchanged places with the liberated Williams and the latter approached the Cartwrights with an apologetic look on his face. Self-conscious of his dilapidated appearance, he straightened his wrinkled jacket and extended his hand to Ben. "Its a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Cartwright. You have quite a son there."
"I know."
A proud smile touched Ben's face. He glanced at Adam standing by his side. The office door opened and Clem entered. He greeted the Cartwrights and they informed him of what had happened over the past night and morning. When Roy joined the discussion, he was adamant that Ben and Adam did not attend the arrest of Gaynes. Ben blustered for a bit but he was silenced when Adam unexpectedly agreed with the sheriff. Roy gave up trying to figure his young friend's thinking while Adam argued on his behalf.
"Pa, we'll get to Angie faster if we let Roy do his job and we can go to Falloff. Frank can come with us if he's willing." Williams was nodding in agreement and then asked to be excused so that he could go home and change his clothing and get a horse. Adam volunteered to go with him and both men left the jailhouse.
Ben was perplexed at this sudden passive behavior on his son's part but he naturally assumed that Adam was anxious to be on his way so he reluctantly agreed with Roy as well. Something in Adam's eyes though had spoke of another reason that was allusive to Ben and his powers of observation. He resolved to let it be for the moment but Adam would be answering his questions once he could get him alone.
I* * * * *I
Containing an innovative style in its lines, the Williams' home was as attractive on the outside as it was lavish on the inside. Adam had only been past the front door a few times but he had been impressed by the house's grace each time. A true splendor of architecture in such a small town as Virginia City was pleasing to his cultured mind.
As he stood in the foyer and waited for Frank to finish gathering himself upstairs, Adam let his eyes roam over the rooms that he could see. The splendid quarter-landing staircase with its polished cherry wood and carpeted steps was the obvious focus of the house and now held its observer's appreciative attention for quite some time. Paintings and trappings seemed to layer the richly-wallpapered walls. Adam approached a particular painting that hung above a large vase of flowers set on a sturdy table. The pale-blue eyes of the portrait seemed to stare down at him with the affection often seen in the model's eyes when she looked at him. Adam couldn't help but feel both pleasure and pain at seeing Evangeline's likeness. The painted eyes were so familiar and yet so distant at the same time; an artist could never truly capture the endless sea that could be seen in a woman's eyes, Adam mused in distraction.
"A very good likeness, wouldn't you say?"
Adam spun around and Frank smiled as he descended the stairs. "I had that captured by a prominent artist in Philadelphia about four years ago. Edward F. Petticolas, do you know his work?"
Adam nodded and returned his gaze to the painting. "Yes, I'm familiar with it but I thought he only paints miniature portraits."
Frank came to stand beside Adam and he chuckled softly at a fond memory. "He does but about four years ago, he was a guest in my home in Philadelphia and my wife...she was so enthralled with his work that she insisted that Evangeline should be painted in a large format." Adam saw the soft smile disappear and a pained look crossed Frank's eyes. "She was like that, my Margaret was...that woman had a mind of her own..."
"Like Evangeline?"
The smile returned as Frank turned to the younger man.
"Exactly."
Adam realized that his fiancée's father had a lot more of a troubling past than a casual observer would initially consider. Frank seemed to shake his musings aside and he gestured expressively at his own clothing. "Well, I'm ready and the stable boy has been told to saddle two mounts so let's go." Without a word, Adam followed Frank back to the door but then the man turned on his heel.
"Oh, I forgot..."
Frank walked a few paces and opened a pair of sliding doors off to the right and disappeared into the room beyond. Adam put his hat on and moved to peer into the room. It was obviously meant to be an office but the five empty wine bottles discarded on the desk spoke of another use of the otherwise neat room. Frank rummaged around in a dark-wood wardrobe before producing what looked like Evangeline's green cloak. He sheepishly folded it and explained as he closed the doors. "She never uses anything else when it's cool outside. It was Margaret's, I guess she likes to have her mother close."
"I'll pack it with my other supplies," Adam took the garment with a lump tightening in his throat.
The horses were waiting in the stable when the two men arrived. A gray gelding for Frank and a red-bay mare had been saddled with a sidesaddle. Adam collected Sport and the men mounted up on their respective horses and they soon had joined Ben back at the sheriff's office. Roy wished all three men the best of luck and, after discussing exactly which route that Decker had described that Jenkins had taken, the Cartwrights and Williams could be seen galloping through town on their way up the mountain roads to the town of Falloff.
I* * * * *I
The branches of the pine tree rustled as the disheveled girl pulled herself from under them. Evangeline stood and swayed dangerously before falling to her knees. She felt so hot, so flushed and her arm was hurting almost to the point of madness. She rubbed her sore neck and squinted up at the sun's rays piercing through the branches of the tall trees overhead. It was morning at last but she didn't know if that fact helped her or not. A night of animal noises and frigid air had stolen any real rest from her and she felt more tired now then she did before.
Panting, she pushed her loose hair from her face and let the warmth of the day soak into her chilled body. Unbeknownst to her, a fever, initiated by infection, was slowly stretching out its weakness through her veins and muscles. Consequently, she didn't make it far that day before she collapsed. By noon she was losing lucidity and by early afternoon she was unconscious. Her thoughts were of two men as she drifted into the black oblivion.
Adam...I'm...sorry...my...love...Poppa...don't...blame...yourself...
