The General sat with his arms folded across his chest. He looked at the doctor and each lawman as he tried to control his temper. "This is as serious of a charge as they come, marshal," the General growled from his chair. "I want my son released. Now," he ordered, pointing quickly to the grey wooden door that separated the room from the holding cells.
Matt nodded, "Fine, but until I catch the murderer we're all staying in this room," he warned.
"You can't be serious! None of my sons would commit such a heinous crime!" the General was outraged, his face red with anger. "You are making this up to destroy me and our family name!" He then looked at the doctor, "You're in on this too, aren't you?" he growled.
Doc drew his hand across his moustache, "I'm only offering my medical expertise," he stated firmly.
"I've already questioned that," the General snapped as he glared at the doctor.
"Well, I see that you are on your feet and out of that bed," Doc responded in an equally curt tone. The General had nothing more to say about that at the moment. The turned his attention back to Matt, "Get my son out of that jail cell," he ordered again.
Matt stood up from the corner of his desk and reached for the ring of keys. Slowly he opened the wooden door to find young Clement still clinging to the iron bars. His knuckles were as white as fresh fallen snow. Clem watched the marshal as he silently unlocked the heavy metal door. He then motioned for Clem to leave the little cell and to join his family.
Clement nervously moved passed the marshal and entered the main office area of the jail house. Sheepishly he moved across the room to be with Randall, who patted him on the shoulder in reassurance that things would be all right.
The General got to his feet, "Now, marshal, you tell me how my son, or sons, are implicated in this alleged murder," he turned to watch his sons before he turned back to face Matt.
"It's no alleged murder, General. A young woman is dead and the evidence is damming, I'll tell you that. And I'll tell you another thing," Matt warned, "Whoever the guilty party is, will pay for the crime, in full"
Zach swallowed at the words be remained seated. He did his best to hide his growing anxiety.
Matt walked around his desk and sat down. He motioned for the General to do the same, "It is my professional opinion that Zachariah is the murderer," he came right out and said it.
"That preposterous!" the General yelled, getting to his feet again. "What have you got against my sons?" he demanded. Zach glared at the marshal.
"I have this," Matt said presenting the boot print cast that Newly had made of the boot print.
"What on earth is that?" the old man said as he quickly took a look at the object on the marshal's desk.
"This is a plaster cast of the boot print we found near where we located the body of the deceased," Matt explained.
"Clearly I can see myself that they don't match Zachariah's boots," the General challenged pointing to his son's boots.
"No. The match Clement's boots that he's wearing right now," Matt stood up and walked around his desk and looked at the young man. "I didn't kill no one father!" Clem pleaded. "I've been good, just like you said to be," his face was red and clearly he was nervous about what was happening.
"I don't think you're guilty Clem," Matt smiled.
Newly stepped forward, "We followed those tracks through the alley and along the back street to an old building near the bridge, where we found the body," he pointed out.
"The night before we found the body, I saw what looked like two people below my window. At the time I thought they were drunks, but no that I think about it, they could have been struggling," Doc noted.
"Don't listen to him, Pa! The day I went to see him about you, he was out of his mind!" Randall blurted out. Doc's eyes popped open is surprise.
"Is that true?" the General stared at the doctor.
"Yes. I was fighting a fever," Doc answered.
"So you could have been seeing those people below you window, then," the old man challenged.
"Well, I'll tell you sir," Doc was getting riled at the direction of the conversation, "those 'people' were real enough for me to get out of bed and look, and break a toe getting back into bed," he shot back. Matt, Newly and Festus looked at each other before looking at the doctor with slight bemusement. "What are you looking at?" the doctor barked before he ran his right hand gruffly across his moustache as he eyed the three lawmen.
Randall stood with his arms tightly crossed over his chest. "That's some evidence," he huffed.
"Maybe these will help," Matt then presented Clement's discarded boots. "You see, according to Wilbur Jonas, the owner of the general store across the way, Zach bought a new pair of boots the other day," he place Clem's old boots on his desk and walk over to the young man, "You wanted the old boots, didn't you?" he asked softly. Clement nodded. They're my boots now."
"This is rubbish!" the General growled. "All sorts of boots look like that," he pointed to Clem's footwear. "That's hardly evidence," he huffed.
"How about the skin under the victim's fingernails?" Doc then challenged.
Zach's eyes watched around the room.
"You see your son's face there," Doc pointed to Zachariah. "He's told us that he fall into a wall on his way to the hotel the other night," Doc stated. "I believe that the skin under the dead woman's fingernails is his," his eyes narrowed as he watched the General turn and look at his son.
Zach's mouth hung open, "I swear, Pa this is all lies," Zach stated and got to his feet to face his father. "I did fall. Just after I left the Long Branch, shortly after Clem left," his heart was pounding.
Clem, not one for lies, "I saw you come in late, Zach," he stated thinking he was helping.
Zachariah laughed, "You must have dozed off for a moment, Clem!" he said looking at his brother. "I was only behind you by half an hour," he smiled.
"No, I remember because I was afraid to sleep with Randall gone," Clement replied.
Zach wet his lips, "Look, I didn't kill anyone, especially that saloon girl, Jane Rose!" he said frantically. The room went silent. Matt walked over to the young man, "Up until now, we never said who it was we found," he looked down at Zachariah who looked like he was about to bolt. Festus stepped in front of the door.
"I didn't kill her!" Zach again tried to get out of the dire situation that he now found himself in.
"You're under arrest for the murder of Jane Rose McKay," Matt lunged forward and quickly grabbed the gun from Zach's holster.
The General stood in stunned silence. "I raised a murderer?" he said quietly as he moved toward his son. "I raised a murderer?" he then yelled grabbing Zachariah by the shoulders. "You have brought shame to my name and your brothers. How dare you," he then back-handed his son across the face, sending the man to the floor. A small rivulet of blood trickled from the corner of his mouth.
"I didn't do it, Pa," Zach said from the floor. Matt pulled the man to his feet, "We'll let a judge and jury decide that," he growled as he took Zach by the arm and led him to the same cell that Clement was in. He locked the door, leaving Zachariah staring out through the iron bars. "Don't leave me here! Pa? Come back! I can explain everything!" he yelled reaching through the bars.
The marshal hung the ring of keys off the peg as he pulled the door closed. He could see the mixed emotions racing around in the General's mind. The old man sat down, "What will happen now?" he looked up at the marshal.
"He'll get a fair trial. Once we know how she died in his hands we'll determine whether he hangs or not," Matt put it matter-of-factually.
"Can't we do something, Pa?" Randall asked; pleading with this father to fight the charge. The General's shoulders sagged.
The General slowly stood up, "Yes, we can," he stated.
Matt braced himself.
"We can pay for the young lady's funeral," the old man stated and left the jail house. Clement and Randall silently followed. Doc ticked his head, "I'll be," he said as he swipe his hand over his moustache.
Jane Rose McKay was buried in a solemn ceremony at the Boot Hill Cemetery. And the talk of the town was the trial of Zachariah Clanton, who managed to convince the jury that Jane Rose's death was accidental, although he was found guilty of kidnapping, forcible confinement, and with intent without consent. He was sentenced to life in prison due to Doc's testimony of the victims bruises among other things.
A week had passed and the old General walked down the boardwalk and entered the Long Branch. Randall and Clement were already in the establishment. He walked over to the table, "Are you ready to go?" he asked.
"Sure, Pa," Randall stated as he finished his drink.
Doc stood with Kitty stood at the bar, "Moving on?" she asked the old man.
"Yes, Miss Russell we are," the General said with a tip of his hat. "Again my condolences," he tried to smile. "And doctor, thanks for the pills," he shoot Doc's hand. "Well, I'm just pleased that they worked," the doctor offered. "Try and stay out of fowl weather," he added.
"We'll do that," the General again tipped his hat and walked with his sons to the swing doors and stepped out onto the boardwalk. The General drew a deep breath, "Come along," he said as he walked to the wagon the Randall had ready in front of the general store. The Clanton's climbed aboard and Randall took the reins. With a couple of flicks they were on their way.