Chapter 29
Frankie and Garcia were sitting at a desk in the office playing cards when Jane walked in. She looked at them, cocked an eyebrow and shook her head. She rested her hand on the butt of her pistol, hanging off her left hip as she approached the cell. Jacob was laying on the cot just staring off at the ceiling. She shook her head and turned around. She grabbed a chair and pulled it up to the desk.
"Deal me in," Jane demanded.
She knew that Jacob knew she was there. She knew that he knew that she wanted to question him, but she wanted him to wait. The Justice would be in town soon. They would question him together and then he would be sentenced.
Jane could hear him seething in the cell and she honestly didn't care. She was glad that both Garcia and Frankie were there to keep her company. Korsak had taken over as patrol commander. Even though they had Jacob in custody, they were stopping their search for Hoyt. Korsak and Jane both knew that he had to be close if Jacob was here. That was all she wanted to know now. Where was Hoyt?
A tall man dressed in a black suit and a white shirt entered the sheriff's office. Jane set down her cards and stood up. Her left hand automatically moving towards her hip as she smiled at the man. He took off his hat and smiled back at her.
"Jane Rizzoli, as I live and breathe. Didn't know you'd be home for this one. What'd he do?"
"He burnt down Pecos."
"He's the arson?"
"Yup," she replied.
"Well, this should be quick, then. Anything else? You know before we hang him?"
"Well, Loren, he's working with Hoyt," Jane replied.
He turned and stared down the man in the cell. He patted Jane on the shoulder as he walked to the back of the office to see the man in the cell closer. His dark brown eyes were hard and cold as he went.
"Janie?"
"Oh, Loren is the Justice, Frankie. He's done a bunch of cases that I've worked on in the territory. He's honest and fair, but he's quick to punish. He's what is need out here," Jane explained as she watched him.
Frankie stood up and moved next to her. He took in the man. He was near six feet tall. His long dark black hair hung just to his shoulders. The dark suit suited him and his stature. It made him look more imposing. His boots were black as well. He took the duster off and handed it back to Jane as he grabbed a wooden chair. Jane came back to the desk areas and laid the duster down on the desk.
"What's his last name?" Frankie asked her.
"Loren Reynolds."
"Where's he from?"
"Baltimore originally and then DC. He was working for the Governor when I started with the Rangers. I think that is why he was so surprised that I was here. He usually works my eastern territory. This is the first time he's been this far west that I know of," Jane said as she sat back down.
"You gonna go back there?"
"In a minute, Loren likes to the get a feel for them first. He has his own questions to ask and then he'll have me ask him some stuff. Then he'll go somewhere to think. More than likely, he'll head to Pecos to see the damage and the rebuild. He'll take everything in to account. He'll talk to some of the town's people and then he'll render his judgement. It'll probably be tomorrow before we know what he's going to do with Jacob, but I doubt he'll free him," Jane told them.
They went back to playing cards. Jane was quietly listening to Jacob's replies as she continued to play. Smiling as she knew that Jacob was digging his own grave. She looked up at Frankie.
"You might want to get a rope ready for a hangin'," she told him.
"We use a tree outside of town. It'll be ready and waiting. Don't you worry about that, Jane," Frankie said.
She nodded and then stood up. She went over to the stove in the corner. It doubled as a heater and a cooking stove for Frankie in the office. Usually he just kept coffee on it. Today was no exception. She grabbed a tin cup and poured herself a cup.
She turned back around and surveyed the office again as she took a sip of the hot black coffee. Frankie and Garcia were laughing at something, probably something that Frankie said, as they continued to play cards without Jane. Loren was sitting on the chair. His posture perfect and intimidating. She couldn't help but grin. In another life, Jane may have gone for a man like Loren.
"Too bad he didn't have a sister," she whispered to herself as she took another drink of coffee.
She started across the office, coffee in hand. Loren stood up and walked back in. He looked at Jane and then over her shoulder at the stove. He walked across and got a cup and poured himself a cup of coffee. He grabbed a chair on the way back over to the desk and sat down with them.
"Jane, did he really just walk into to town and turn himself in?" Loren asked her.
"Something like that."
"Well, that makes things interesting."
"Interesting how?" Frankie questioned.
"I'm just wondering what he thought he was doing coming here. Surely he had to know that the Army and Rangers were here to help find the man behind the burning of Pecos. A fire that big wasn't an accident. And, added to that fact, he admits that he is working with Hoyt. He is a walking target. If we didn't get him or a patrol, he would have been killed by Hoyt and he doesn't even realize that. Could he honestly be that stupid?" Loren wondered.
"He was with Hoyt. That should tell you enough. He's a puppet," Jane answered.
"But, how did he know that you'd be coming here, Jane? How did Jacob know that you'd be the one to come? Was the fire lit to draw you out?" Frankie asked.
"Could be. We need to be careful about this, Jane. We all know that Hoyt wants you because you were the one that got away. He didn't get to kill you. Jacob wasn't sent to kill you. He was probably here to confirm that you were here. Hoyt has to know about the patrols. He has to know that he's been spotted in this general area. If he did, then he sent Jacob in here slaughter. He is giving up Jacob. He is no longer useful. If Jacob isn't useful, then Hoyt's found someone else or something else to keep his interest. But, what is it?" Loren inquired.
"My family is here. He knows that. He has to know that, now. He was going to draw me out. He would have used my family to do it and we all know that it would have worked. I would have stopped everything to come here. Jacob just gave him a different way to do it. He has to know that this my territory. He's been looking for me and now he's found me. He isn't going to give up until he has me, either. You're right. I'm the one that got away," Jane said as she leaned back in the chair almost in defeat.
"That is not an option, Janie. Ma and Pop are off the table. He won't get them. I'll make sure of it. We'll put men in the hotel," Frankie stated.
"He'll expect that Frankie. He isn't worried about them. He wants me. He'll draw me out. It won't even have to Ma, Pop, you or Tommy. He'll get me out of town. That is what he wants."
"Where would he go?" Loren asked.
"I don't know. He's got to have some place in my territory though. It would have to be somewhere that we would think of looking, somewhere secluded, somewhere not a lot of people would know about. And, out here on the prairie, that is a lot of land to cover and he knows it."
"I'll tell Korsak. He'll get the Rangers looking. Do you think that Cavannaugh will help?" Frankie asked.
"I doubt it. We've got our man for Pecos. That is all he was allowed to do. We'll have to petition to keep them here much longer," Jane replied.
"Indian attacks?"
"We'd have to provide proof of a raid and let the Army loose on the Apache. I am not going to do that. The Apache haven't done anything to us. I am not willing to destroy them just to find Hoyt. We'll just have to be careful and make sure that we are all protected," Jane told them.
"I'm on it. Garcia stay here and make sure that Jane isn't alone. I'll be back later," Frankie said as he jumped up from his chair.
The chair hit the wooden wall as Frankie made his way towards the door. He grabbed his hat and coat and headed out. He didn't bother to wait for Jane to say anything. She knew why. This was his town to protect and not hers. He was doing what he thought was best. She also knew that Korsak and Frost wouldn't leave until they knew that Hoyt was dead. They weren't going to leave her side no matter what cases or warrants came their way. Jane was more important. For a minute, she was happy that she had people that cared about her so much. But then, she was angry that they would disrupt their lives, the law, and their responsibilities to protect her.
"I don't need babysitters," she muttered.
"Si," Garcia replied.
"Let them help you, Jane. I'll let all the Justices in the western counties to be on the look out. He might try to pull you out of Stockton, too. He wants you bad, Jane. I doubt that this Hoyt is going to stop until he has a bullet in his head," Loren told her.
"I'll be happy to oblige him that bullet," she responded.
"I bet you would," Loren said, quickly chuckled, and continued. "Don't worry about him right now. We've got a firebug to take care of. Do you think that he'll give you anything on Hoyt?"
"I don't know, Loren, but I'm willing to ask."
"Then, let's go ask him," Jane said as she put down her coffee cup and headed back to the cell.
They both grabbed chairs and parked them in front of Jacob's cell. Jane reached down to her left side and pulled her pistol. She made a show of handing to Loren in front of Jacob. She did for two reasons. She didn't want to shoot him before she got the information that she needed and she thought that shooting him was too good for him. She gave him an "I've got you now" smile as she got as comfortable as she could in her wooden chair.
"You ready to tell me more about Hoyt, Jacob?"
"You know all you need to know," he replied.
"You know that he sent you here to die, right?"
"I came in on my own."
"You know that Hoyt would eventually kill you, right, Jacob?" Loren question.
"I am his apprentice."
"No, you're his patsy. You are completely expendable. You brought attention to him. He didn't want that. He wanted to find me on my own. And, for stupid, idiotic reason, you thought that you would just come in here and get me to take back to him. You see how well that worked out. You were arrested as soon as you came into town. Hell, Frankie made you before you got here. Why do you think that he sent Garcia back into town with you? You're a fool. You were just and means to an end. You've outlived your usefulness for Charles. He isn't going to rescue you. And, you're gonna hang for Pecos. How does that make you feel?"
Jacob stood up from his cot and walked towards the bars. He still looked like he was on fire to Jane, but she knew that Loren couldn't see it. He was engulfed in it. She pushed back a little, but not enough to look like it was in fear or to get away from the flames. To anyone else, it would like she shifted on the chair and it moved with her.
"I am not worried about any of that, Jane."
"Why not?"
"Because, like you said, I am not the one that Charles wants," he replied with a strange look in his eyes.
He moved back across the cell to the cot. He sat down on the side and faced Jane. He knew that he was getting to her. It was something that Charles Hoyt would be proud of him for doing. He was drawing out Jane's fear. Hoyt would be able to smell her and he would be so happy about it. No, Jacob wasn't scared to die. He was still helping his master and his master would very happy with him even in death. He just laughed at her.
