Everyone - I am so sooo sorry. Life has been getting the best of me. Where to begin? I'm moving offices at work, so I had to pack everything... I got sick for a while, and through all of this my husband and I have been replacing the windows and siding on our house - all by ourselves! Why did I have to marry such a handy man? Well, he's off purchasing an antique pistol or something ridiculous at the moment. Looks like I might have a chance to finish the next chapter today! I hope this pretty exciting and maybe a little longer chapter will help you all to forgive me for my slowness.

I hope everyone's summers has gotten off to a good start! Love, Cherry

Chapter 25: One Final Lesson

Judge - or technically ex-judge - Sanders stood in his old office, gathering up his personal effects. He heard laughing voices and peered out the window at the street below. The lights were glowing brightly in that masculine woman's restaurant, and he could just make out dancing feet stamping to the music of a guitar.

A frown creased his brow angrily. How dare they celebrate after what they had done. Ruined his good name, sent him away… He shoved a few more items into a leather case with more force necessary. The floor creaked behind him and he whirled to see the shadowy form of Sheriff Burns.

"Where have you been?" he snarled.

"Around," the mustached man replied sardonically. "Heard you've been having some trouble. Thought that I'd get the prisoners bedded down and come up to check up on my old friend."

"What are you getting at, Burns?"

"Heard you're gonna be heading to D.C. to be worked over by the folks there."

"What about it?"

Burns shook his head slowly. "Those guys have a way of getting around to the truth, one way or another. It would be a shame if someone were to, say, help them."

Sanders' back stiffened sharply. "Are you trying to blackmail me?"

"No, not me. I have as much to lose as you if certain information gets out."

"Who?"

"Who do you think?"

Sanders had only to think a moment before his stomach churned. "Ames."

Burns snapped his fingers. "Right on the money. He just told me that he only held back during the trial today because he wanted to see if he could get anything out of you."

"Doesn't he realized that I can't do anything for him anymore? I clearly can't dismiss his case or something like that. I'm no longer a judge."

Burns nodded in agreement. "He's figuring on another type of help. One that involves a sleepy sheriff and horses tied up back."

"Oh does he?" He gripped his wrist behind his back and started to pace. Laughter from the party spilled upward again, and he angrily slammed the window closed.

Burns peered through another window at the same scene. "I heard Harper and the Turner girl got their marriage annulled. Seems like nothing can stop him now from doing what he wants." He looked pointedly at the ex-judge.

Sanders stiffened as he understood what the sheriff was implying. He had not even considered Malinda, and with him off to D.C., nothing would stand in the way between his niece and that wild and dangerous young man.

A thought stuck him, one that was so devious that he almost pushed it aside. Then he squared his shoulders. He had come this far to protect his niece. He would not let her down, not like...Samantha. "How far are you willing to go with me?"

The sheriff shifted his feet. "As far as I need. You've done me a good turn in the past, getting me this job. Consider this a payback for my debt."

"You might have to leave this town. Are you prepared for that?"

"Leave my name out of your dealings in D.C., and I'll do what you ask."

They shook hands, both well aware that they were shaking hands with the devil.

XXXXX

The party wrapped up at Meg's, and everyone started home. The Turners loaded up in their wagon and bid the remaining people farewell for the evening. Jess strode along with his friends, Slim and Wayne. A companionable silence accompanied them.

"Good day," Wayne commented.

"Yep," Slim agreed.

Jess said nothing, his shoulders still too tight for Slim's liking.

"Well," the blond rancher stretched his arms. "I reckon we're all about ready to hit the sack. How about you, Jess?"

Jess shrugged. "I reckon I've had enough layin' 'round to last me a while."

They paused in front of the sheriff's office. Wayne smiled a little at Jess' complaint. "How about a round of checkers? I've got night duty at the jail."

"Maybe later. I think I'll just walk a spell."

"You sure, pard?" Slim asked concernedly. "The doctor said to keep out of the cold air. And don't you dare say 'I'm fine.'"

Jess smirked. "But it's true, pard. I will be fine."

"Sure you will!" But Jess wasn't listening. He shuffled along, leaving them behind at the jail.

Slim went to follow, but Wayne put a hand on his arm. "You know him better than me," Wayne said quietly, "but I've been where he's been, in a manner of speaking. He needs some time alone. He's that type."

Slim nodded reluctantly. "And it's not my type to let things lie."

Wayne laughed. "I can see that, too. Off to bed?"

"Maybe I'll take you up on that offer for a game."

"Sounds good. Hm, I wonder why there's no lamp? So dark in here…"

Thump! Crash!

"Wayne! What...unghh…"

The door closed slowly and quietly.

XXXXX

Jess walked along the boardwalk, a nameless tune running through his brain. His chest felt heavy, but his coughing was easing. It felt good to stretch his legs, feel the breeze on his face. He peered upward, enjoying the stars but missing the view from home.

He didn't know how far he walked, but eventually he found that he had made a loop around the main street. He was approaching the hotel, so he decided to go upstairs and see if Slim had come in yet.

Slim's bed was empty. Jess lit a candle sat a moment on his own bed, taking a breath. His lungs seemed to have a harder time with that simple function as of late. A weight slid against him when his body sank into the mattress, and he reached down to pick up the object.

The smooth leather was familiar in his hand, and his fingers automatically felt for the walnut grip of his pistol. "Hello, old friend," he greeted almost sadly. Slim must have recovered the weapon for him from one of the outlaws' saddlebags. He stood and strapped the holster to his leg, bouncing that knee back and forth, feeling the sense of balance he had missed.

Not wanting to sleep, he went back downstairs and onto the street. He looked down the street and realized that he was not far from where he had started his long walk. The jail was just ahead. He went toward it with purpose, changing his mind about spending time with the deputy.

He paused outside the building, a feeling of dread filling him with no clear reason. Then it hit him - there was not a light on in the place. He chased away the nervousness. Slim and Wayne had probably just stepped out for a drink or something.

Jess went to continue down the boardwalk when that nagging thought returned. The hairs on the back of his neck tingled, and before he knew what he was doing, his hand was pulling out his pistol and checking the load. He spun the full camber against his arm before uneasily sinking it back into its place against his thigh. Why was he so jumpy?

He went to the door and knocked. No answer. He tried the knob, but it was locked. He smiled a bit, mocking his own foolishness. "Get a grip, Harper. Next thing you know you'll be chasin' ghosts."

He thought again about checking the saloons when he heard it - a door squeaking to the side of the building. He walked slowly to the corner and peered around into the alley. The streets were dark but the alley even more so, shadows too thick to be broken by the stars.

The door was slowly opening and two figures crept out, but it was too dark for Jess to make out who they were. He thought of calling out to them, but before he could he heard a banging and muffled shout coming from within the office. The two unidentified persons started at the noise. One of them cursed, saying something about the plan being started too soon. They quickly ran down the alley into another street.

Jess drew his pistol and followed. He reached the door they had just exited when it suddenly swung wide. Jess spun, trying to avoid whoever it was coming out. A shout of surprise sounded and before Jess could stop him, the other man slammed the door shut again.

Jess rattled the handle, but he could tell it had been locked. "Open the door! What's goin' on in there?"

No one responded, so Jess was forced to take drastic measures. He kicked next to where the latch was. It took him more times than he was proud to admit to break the door frame. By the time he had accomplished this task, he was heaving for air. Swallowing hard, he put his shoulder into the broken door, pushing it into the hallway. He was inside the jail.

He stopped for moment, listening. His eyes did him no good, for it was even darker inside than out on the street. He had a vague idea where he was, since he had spent some time in the fine establishment. The side door was just next to the door that led into the cell block. Jess peered as hard as he could through the barred window in the ironclad door, but could not make out any prisoners.

He sunk low to the floor to get out of the line of fire, for he did not know what could be lurking in the darkness. He started to shuffle forward on his knees as quietly as he could, his gun held tightly in his hand.

The silence was oppressive, pressing against his eardrums like a physical force. A whisper of fresh air brushed over his face, cooling the sweat beads that were forming on his brow. Just ahead, he could vaguely make out the outline of the windows, but the shades were pulled.

He hesitated a moment, trying to control his breathing. It was at this time that he realized where the fresh air was coming from - the front door was open a crack… but it had been locked just moments earlier! Whoever had slammed the door must have fled through the front while Jess was breaking into the back.

Due to this revelation, Jess decided to take the chance that there was no one left inside the main office. He laid low and whispered, "Hello?" He dropped his head and waited for gunfire or some other response, but there was no reply.

Gathering his bravery, he struck a match on the rough planked floor. The tiny fire sparked brightly, nearly blinding his dark-adjusted eyes. His vision quickly adjusted and he could confirm now that the office was empty. Feeling rather foolish, he picked himself up off the floor and lit the lamp. The stronger light filled the room more effectively, and with a shock, Jess took in the status of the room. The desk had been shoved from its place, and a couple chairs were knocked over. Some papers, most likely from the desk, were strewn about the floor. Dirty tracks were pressed onto the white sheets, and Jess was startled to note several red drops mingling with the mud - blood. But whose?

He cast about, not knowing what he was looking for, when he noticed that some of the papers were scattered toward the cell block door. Almost like somebody had been dragged across them…

Realization stuck him like a mule's kick, and he grabbed up the lamp and rushed forward. He tried the door, and it swung freely. He saw two figures inside a cell together, and for a moment he thought it was Fred Ames and Lansing. However, the sight of too familiar blond hair shining in the lamp light quickly changed his mind.

Jess ran the last few steps to the cell door. Of course, it was locked. He yanked at the metal door angrily. "Slim, Slim! Are you alright?"

Slim and Wayne remained slumped as they were, bound and gagged. Jess whirled to re-enter the office to search for keys to the cells, but the disturbed room made that very difficult.

Footsteps approached rapidly on the boardwalk, and the door banged open. Jess flinched at the noise but continued his frantic hunt.

"What the heck is going on?" A hand grabbed Jess' arm and spun him around. It was the sheriff. Despite all the things the man had done to Jess in the past, Jess took a chance and trusted him.

"The prisoners have escaped! Wayne and Slim are tied up back there. I can't find the key…" His hands rifled through the papers once more, sending even more to the floor.

The sheriff pulled out a set from his pocket. "I have the spares right here! I'll send for help for those two. Head to the stables and saddle up a couple horses. They can't have gotten far. I'll join you directly."

Jess didn't argue the plan, but took off toward the stables that were just a block down the street. He charged through the open barn door, happy to see that a lantern was hanging on a post. He started throwing tack onto the nearest horse with a frantic speed that belied his injuries.

He had the first horse saddled and was working on the next when a crash sounded from the small room that made up the office and sleeping quarters of the stable manager. Jess blew out a frustrated breath before poking his head through the doorway, meeting the terrified eyes of the boy who worked there. The youth was bound and gagged in the same manner of Jess' friends back at the jail.

Jess felt the blood leave his head. "They've been here...they could still be here…"

Just as the thought struck him, he heard the door swing shut to the front of the stable and the large board fall into to place that made it impossible for somebody to gain access from the outside.

"Why, hello there, pretty boy."

Chills raced up Jess' spine. He felt like he couldn't move, couldn't turn around. Dry clicks of a pistol hammer being pulled back barely carried the dusty air, but to Jess they sounded like cannon fire.

"Just drop that lil' iron, sonny, and turn around."

Jess' fingers felt nerveless as he opened them to release his Colt to fall onto a nearby hay bale. Swallowing hard, he turned slowly in the doorway. Lansing stood directly before him, his pistol pointed straight for Jess' middle. Fred Ames was next to the door, his gun also drawn.

Jess took a shaky breath before gathering his wits together. "Howdy, gents. Nice seein' you again."

"Likewise, Jess," Fred's whining voice returned. "Mighty nice of you to saddle up them horses for us."

Jess shrugged his shoulders, feigning indifference. "Anything I can do to be rid of you too, I'm game. Be seein' you fellas, hopef'ly no time soon."

Fred went to one of the horses, apparently to mount up, but Lansing held out a hand. "Not so fast, Ames," the madman said. "You forgot what we're doin' here."

Fred threw up his hands in frustration before he signaled Jess to come forward. Jess reluctantly did so, hating the new distance between himself and his gun. "Now, Jess, you know there is nothing I'd like better than to put a bullet right between those angry eyes of yours, excepting that a shot would raise attention. So we're gonna take ya out into the woods someplace and finish you off there. How's that sound?"

"Wonderful," Jess answered drily, some of his Harper confidence returning. "I always did love bein' out in nature."

"Then you'll get as much as you could ever hope when we leave your carcass for the wolves."

"So this was the plan?" Jess mused aloud. "Kill two birds with one stone?"

"What're you talking about? There's only one of you."

The thought had hit Jess like a ton of bricks. "Don't you lugheads see? The sheriff sent me over here, knowin' you'd be here waitin' for me."

"Sure, since you're dyin' anyway, I can tell ya it was all part of the plan."

"And you two idiots think that the road is goin' to be free and clear when you open those doors again?"

Jess could see the wheels turning in Lansing's head, but Fred blustered, "You can't trick us, Harper! We made a deal…"

"A deal with the sheriff, who has every legal right to shoot you down like the mangy dogs you are. You are escaped prisoners, after all."

Panic struck Fred. "I don't believe you…"

"You know too much, Fred. Did you really think you could blackmail the judge and the sheriff and get away with it? Look what they did to me, the lengths they went to to get rid of me. This is just another part of their drawn out plan."

Fred gathered himself. "Since you seem to have all the ideas, why don't you prove it and stick your head out the door? See if it gets shot off, then I'll believe you."

However, they did not need to test their theory, as something hit the door of the stables, sounding a bit like a thrown rock.

"Ames! Are you still in there?" a muffled voice whispered through a crack.

"There he is now, Fred. Looks like you need to be the one to stick your head out."

"Ames!" The voice was a little louder and a lot more annoyed.

Fred looked torn, like he couldn't decide what to do.

Finally, Lansing butted in. "Let him in, Freddie."

"What? Why?"

"Just do it."

Fred unbarred the door. "Sheriff, come in here, we've got a big problem."

The hesitation was plain in the lawman's voice. "What's the matter?"

"We've got a few questions about our arrangement."

"What questions? You know the plan. Do you have Harper yet?"

"Yeah, we got him."

"Well, then what's the problem? We don't have all night."

Fred looked toward Lansing, who nodded evilly. "It won't take but a minute, Sheriff."

A huff was heard, then the scraping of feet. "Oh, all right. But this better be important."

Lansing reached toward his side, and if memory served him correctly, Jess knew what was kept there. His stomach tightened as he realized what was about to happen. He ran forward. "No, don't-"

Fred opened the door and Lansing met the sheriff, a long knife in his large hand. The blade glittered in the lantern light, but soon the metal was no longer visible.

"Gah…," the sheriff choked, crimson spreading across his shirt. Lansing pulled the knife back out, bringing forth another gush of blood. The heavy lawman collapsed to the ground, hands clutching his side. Lansing went to finish off the downed man, but Jess leapt in to stop him.

Jess grabbed Lan's arm that was holding the knife, struggling to prevent him from taking yet another person's life. Lansing smirked, and with his free hand, grasped Jess by the collar, meaty fist tightening.

Jess was not to be put down so easily this time around. He kicked out with his boots and managed to hook one heel around Lansing's knee and caused it to collapse toward the ground. Lansing stumbled forward and fell to the same knee that Jess had momentarily incapacitated. However, Jess' maneuver was costly, for now he was half underneath the giant man. Lan took full advantage and switched his hold on Jess' neck to one bandaged wrist. His yellow teeth glowed gold in the lantern light as he twisted his fingers. Jess couldn't help the groan of agony as the wounds were torn open again, and his left hand involuntarily loosened.

With this victory, Lansing was able to fling Jess away. He tumbled in the loose dust, disoriented for a moment. He scrambled to get to his feet again when the other man stood over him.

"Going somewhere, Harper?" Ames asked in a snarky tone. He held a gun in one hand and a loop of rope in the other. He shook the cord out with a small snap. "I think you know the drill."

Jess' eyes darted toward Lansing and the sheriff. Lansing was already lumbering to his feet, wiping his knife on the sheriff's pants. Jess could not tell if the lawman's chest was moving, but he was doubtful it ever would again.

Lansing tucked the long knife into a sheath before making his way over. A sly smile crept over his face. "Thought you was smart, huh? Looks like you might be a little bit, figgerin' out the plan, but that sheriff sure weren't."

"Come on, Lan," Fred urged, "we gotta get outta here! Somebody's gonna notice something's wrong! Get him ready to go."

"Alright, sonny boy," Lan intoned. "You're comin' with me. It's time for your final lesson, done right this time."

"No," Jess couldn't help but groan as Lan accepted the length of cord from his accomplice.

The small utterance stopped the huge man. "What did you say?"

Jess' hands shook with a cold rage that had climbed from within his soul. "NO! Never again will I be pushed around by the likes of you!"

Large, stained teeth showed in a snarling grin. "You're about to be, pretty boy, one last time."

"Lan, come on!" Fred urged. He had pulled out the two horses. "We can finish him in the forest as planned!"

"Oh, Freddie, you know I don't follow plans."