A/N: This story spans across two episodes of Season 1 of Bonanza. One particular scene in Escape to Ponderosa would not be overlooked, even though I couldn't work out a way to insert Shannon into the rest of the plot. The episode The Avenger, however, was perfect for putting Shannon through misery. Recognizable dialogue has been taken from these episodes and does not belong to me.
Yawning, Shannon Cartwright closed her schoolbooks as gently as she could. She glanced to her right where her older brother, Hoss, was intent on his house of cards. He'd already gotten after her for being too loud earlier, and it would seem this time, she'd managed to be quiet enough for her brother to build his house.
She wasn't sure exactly why he had decided to build a house of cards, but ever since he'd come in from his work, he'd been at it. The front door opened and Joe came in. He pushed the door, and it closed with a loud slam. Immediately, Hoss had his hands up trying to get Joe's attention and get him to be quiet before anything disturbed his fragile house.
A grin appeared on Joe's face. He took his blue jacket off and tossed it onto the chair against the wall. "I always knew you were good for something, brother, but I never figured it would be making houses out of cards," he said as he approached the table where Hoss was at work.
Knowing her brother as she did, Shannon edged closer to get a better view of just what he intended to do. Joe clapped Hoss' shoulder hard and loud. "Uh-uh!" Hoss protested, carefully placing another card on top of his card house. "I ain't got but three cards left. I'm going to make it this time for sure."
"Gee, I'm proud of you brother," Joe said, his face close to the cards.
"Yeah. You have to breathe so dadgum hard when you're talking? You're going to blow down my house of cards here."
"Well, you see, when I say I'm proud of you, I mean I'm really PROUD of you," Joe proclaimed, leaning in close as he practically shouted the last few words of his sentence.
The strategically placed cards were knocked out of balance as the house fell in on itself. For a moment, nothing happened. Joe made a slight sound of remorse. Then, Hoss slammed his hand down on the table.
"Dadgummit, Little Joe!"
Squeaking, Shannon dove to the wall to be out of the way. Joe bolted from the card table as Hoss lunged after him. She watched in interest as Joe went over a table to get it between himself and Hoss. Her larger brother was undeterred, following Joe with tenacity. Shannon wasn't sure what would have happened if their father hadn't entered right as Joe was making a dash for the door.
"Oh, hiya, Pa. How are ya?" Joe asked, getting behind their father. His tone was nonchalant, as though everything was absolutely normal as he closed the door.
"Oh, it's nippy out there," Ben said, removing his gloves. He moved for the desk, seeming not to notice that Joe moved with him or that Hoss was following with single-minded determination. "Did you collect those strays?"
"Yeah, yeah," Joe said, trying not to trip over anything in his haste to keep away from Hoss. "I got a couple of them and I checked them right off on tote sheet." He inadvertently put his hand on the stove and snatched it back.
"Good. Did Adam get back too?"
"No. No. But he said he'd be right along." Joe took refuge behind their father's desk. "Sit down, Pa. Glad to see you."
Fascinated by how Hoss was tracking Joe's every move, Shannon crept forward to be able to greet her pa. Ben shrugged his jacket off and Joe hurried to help him with it.
"You boys were riding the line out oat ranch, weren't you, Little Joe?" Hoss moved around the desk. Joe was caught, unable to get by Ben's chair no matter how hard he tried. "Maybe Adam decided to go pay Miss Nedda a visit, Pa."
His arm went around Joe's shoulder, holding him fast as he hauled him away from the safety of their father. "You know, I wish one of you boys would spark to Miss Nedda," Ben said, as he searched his desk. "She's a fine girl. A handsome one too."
"Hey, Pa," Hoss said, a thoughtful note in his voice. The start of a grin appeared on his face. "What about Little Joe? Don't you think he'd make a nice husband for Miss Nedda?" He winked at Ben. "You could arrange it too, couldn't you, Pa?"
Ben's eyebrows went up for only a moment. "That's not a bad idea," Ben said, his eyes flicking between his two sons.
Just how far was Hoss going to take it, Shannon wondered as she watched. "Now look, you're kidding! I don't want to get married, Pa," Joe protested.
"She's a pretty girl, isn't she?" Ben asked, leaning back in his chair.
"Well, yeah, but—" Joe said reluctantly.
Hoss squeezed tighter. "She's pretty, ain't she?"
"Pa, I think she's one of the prettiest girls I've ever seen," Joe said,
By this point, Ben wasn't even hiding his amusement. "Of course she is," he said.
"And she's got the makings of one of the finest little horse ranches in this country, doesn't she, Pa?" Hoss continued, keeping Little Joe trapped.
"She certainly has."
"All paid for and clear, Little Joe."
"Well, I don't care. I just don't feel like getting married," Joe tried to protest once again. Hoss squeezed even harder. "Not for a couple of days, anyway."
Ben laughed out loud. "You know, Hoss, I think he's going to change his mind!" He rose from his chair and clapped Hoss's shoulder as he went past his son's. "Shannon, how was school today?"
"I'm sure he will, Pa, and when he does, we're all going to be real proud of him," Hoss said, emphasizing 'proud' with one last squeeze.
"School was good, Pa," Shannon said, taking pity on Joe. He shouldn't have destroyed the house of cards, but he didn't deserve to get pushed into a romance, even if it was just pretend. "I'm still behind on math, but I'm working on it."
"Heyo," a shout came from outside.
"That must be Adam." Ben went to the window and looked out.
But Hoss had heard what Shannon had: the pounding of more than one horse's hooves. "Sounds like more than one to me, Pa."
"Soldiers," Ben said, a frown creasing his forehead. "That's strange. Shannon, stay back."
Obediently, Shannon took refuge on the settee, though she sat on her knees and looked over the back. A knock sounded on the door as Ben went to it. When the door was opened, a man in a blue uniform stepped inside.
"Mr. Cartwright?"
"Yes, that's right," Ben confirmed.
The man turned on his heel and went back out. "Detail, dismount!" the man's voice ordered. "Stand to your horses." He returned a moment later, removed his glove, and held his hand out. "Captain James Bolton. Provisional barracks, Fort Dayton."
"Hello, Captain," Ben said, his tone holding a wary note as he shook the man's hand. "Please come in. These are my sons, Hoss and Little Joe, and my daughter. Shannon, would you go up to your room, please?"
Captain Bolton walked past Joe and Hoss's attempts to greet him. Knowing better than to protest getting sent from the room, Shannon scrambled off the settee and headed for the stairs. She'd hear just as well from upstairs if she was careful about where she stood.
"Well, Captain, I suppose you must have your hands pretty full these days what with the Indian uprising and all," Ben said, moving to get the visitor's attention. Glancing over her shoulder as she reached the top, Shannon saw her father gesture to the chairs in front of the fireplace. "Please sit down.
"Fort Dayton is a casuals post," Captain Bolton remarked as though it would make perfect sense.
Crouching down at the top of the stairs, Shannon frowned. "What's that?" Hoss asked, for which she was grateful.
"A place for troops deemed not fit for line duty."
What did that have to do with anything? Why was he on the Ponderosa? "Well, the least we could do is get your men some coffee. It's pretty cold out there today," Ben said, ever a gracious host. "Uh, Hoss see that Hop-Sing gets some coffee out to the men."
"Hold that," Captain Bolton said over Hoss' acceptance. "My men are on duty."
There was a pause. "Well, I ain't on duty, Captain," Hoss said. "You want some coffee?"
"No." The captain's refusal was swift and firm. "I'm trailing three deserters that escaped from my stockade." Footsteps accompanied his words as though he were walking around the house.
"Well, Captain, do you think they headed up this way?" Ben asked.
"Their trail led to your land."
Army deserters were on the Ponderosa? Shannon shook her head as she listened. If it wasn't one thing, it was another. She paused. Wasn't Adam still out there, though? "Well, as I was riding the fence all morning, I didn't see anything," Joe said. "How about you, Hoss?"
"Nope," was all Hoss said. There was a note of dislike in his voice that Shannon wasn't used to hearing.
"Hmm," Captain Bolton said, infusing a lot of disbelief into that one note. "No tracks, campfire, trampled-down brush?"
"I didn't see anything," Joe repeated.
"Well, that's odd."
What was he trying to imply? Shannon leaned forward to see if she could peek around the corner and not get caught. "Captain, I don't see why that should be so odd. We have a pretty big piece of land here," Ben said, his tone reasonable. "Three men could very easily lose themselves on it."
"Perhaps. Who else is in the house with you now?"
"Hop-Sing, our cook, and you saw my daughter when she went upstairs," Ben said, his tone puzzled by the sudden question. "Captain. Now surely you don't think that those three men are hiding in this house."
Shannon saw her father and brothers facing the fireplace which was out of her view. "It's not within my province to think one way or another, Mr. Cartwright," Captain Bolton said from that direction.
Hoss spotted her and gave a slight shake of his head. Sighing, Shannon pulled back as her father said, "Then, let me set you straight, Captain. Those men are not here."
"Then, you'll have no objection to my men searching the area." Captain Bolton's voice sounded closer. A swift peek revealed he had come towards the staircase. Stifling a squeak, Shannon inched back.
"Captain! I just told you. Those men are not in this house. And I will not have your men frightening my daughter for no reason."
"Let me state the situation very precisely for you, Mr. Cartwright," Captain Bolton said, not backing down. "We know that those three men came to this general area. It is also quite obvious they cannot evade detection without some outside help. Now, anyone aiding them in any way will be charged with and tried for obstructing military justice."
"Hoss, will you be good enough to show the captain out?" Ben asked, his tone sharp with anger.
"You betcha, Pa," Hoss said immediately.
"Captain!" A shout from outside interrupted whatever Hoss's method of removing the unwanted man from their house would have been. "We've got a man out here, captain."
Unable to stay where she was, Shannon lunged to her feet and scrambled down the stairs. Her father, brothers, and the captain were already going out the door. A moment later, Ben called out, "Adam! He's my son, let him go. Let him go."
"Release him," the captain ordered.
Creeping to the door, Shannon looked out and saw her brothers supporting Adam between them. There was blood on his face. Her breath catching in her throat, Shannon ran for the kitchen. Whatever had happened, hot water and clean rags were going to be needed.
"Hop-Sing," she said as she entered. "Adam has been hurt."
To his credit, the cook didn't waste time asking for details. With efficiency, he moved around the kitchen, lifting a kettle of hot water from the stove. "Lil Missy get rags from pantry," he ordered as he poured the steaming liquid into a bowl.
Happy to be useful, Shannon did as he asked and grabbed from the pile of rags that had been made from remnants of shirts and other clothes. Little Joe was in the kitchen when she came back, asking for liniment. "Liniment no good if wound not cleaned first," Hop-Sing said sharply.
"Pa asked for the liniment."
Muttering, Hop-Sing went to a cupboard and drew out a bottle. He put it in Joe's hand, and Joe rushed out with it. "Rush, rush, not good rush," Hop-Sing said in a low voice, tempering the hot water with cool water from the well.
"I'll take it to Pa," Shannon said, holding her hands out. She wanted some excuse to be able to hear what had happened. Hop-Sing gave her a look that said he knew exactly what she was doing but handed her the hot water anyway.
"...could you tell if there were three of them?" Shannon heard most of Captain Bolton's question as she entered the dining room.
"Well, I know there were at least two of them," Adam said from the chair. "I...somewhere in the back of my mind I heard 'em talking about whether to kill me or not. There could have been a third. Take it easy, Pa."
"Pa, it looks to me like it's right now time for some settlin' up to be done," Hoss said with fierceness. The large man could be an intimidating force when he wanted to be, and he always wanted to be when someone hurt one of his family.
Shannon carried to the bowl to the closest table and set it down. "Oh, we'll do the settlin' up," Ben said, dampening a handkerchief with more liniment. He bent down once again. "Move over. Now, Hoss, I want you to bandage Adam up and get him up to bed."
"Well, Pa, I kinda figured on ridin' with you," Hoss said, his fierce tone becoming bewildered.
"Little Joe knows exactly where Adam and he were rounding up those strays." Ben handed over the liniment. "Now here."
"Any time you say, Pa," Joe said with a confident nod.
Ben strode to where he had left his coat, not fifteen minutes previously. Captain Bolton followed him over. Shannon took the opportunity to get closer to her brothers so she could see the damage herself. A large bruise, the skin oozing blood where it had been broken, was on his forehead.
"I have some water and rags," she said softly. "Hop-Sing said it will help clean things up better."
"If these are the men I'm after, they belong to me," the captain said loudly.
"I think there's something we'd better straighten out, Captain," Ben said, his voice like steel. "This is my land you're on, and that's my son who's been ambushed. Now, if you want to ride along, fine, but you ride where I say and you ride behind me. Otherwise, take your men and get off the Ponderosa."
"And if they are the men I'm after?" Captain Bolton demanded, following Ben to the door.
"Joseph," was all Ben said before he went out the door.
After the door shut, there was a moment of silence. "Tell me if I've got this straight because my head does hurt and it's been a long day," Adam finally said. "There are three men, and since an army captain is following them, they're deserters. And the captain thinks they're on the Ponderosa. Do I have that right?"
"Pretty much," Hoss said, dabbing at the bruise.
Adam flinched. "That stings, Hoss. Take it easy."
"Pa said to get you cleaned up, bandaged up, and into bed, so that's what I'm doing."
Clearing her throat, Shannon went to where she had set the water and brought it closer. "This should help clean the blood up better," she said helpfully. "It probably won't sting as much either, either."
"Are you even supposed to be down here?" Adam asked as Hoss set down the liniment to dampen a rag with water.
"Pa didn't get mad at me so you can't."
It was telling how much his head must have been aching because Adam didn't even try to argue the point.
Pa didn't return home that evening. When Joe and Hoss came in, they explained that one of the deserters had been found. The man had been shot by Captain Bolton when he 'tried to escape' thus prompting Ben to ride to Fort Dayton to issue a complaint about the captain's actions.
When Ben returned in the morning, he sent Hoss to warn Miss Nedda about the danger. Hoss's report that things didn't seem quite right at the little horse ranch sent Ben, Joe, and Hoss back there, leaving Adam to hold down the fort.
Though her complicated feelings regarding her brother hadn't abated, Shannon had a question she knew she needed an answer for. And there was only one person she could ask. "Why do you think those three men deserted?" she asked, abandoning her math homework.
Adam turned a page of the book he was reading. "It could be any number of reasons," he said without looking up. "Do your homework."
Tapping the slate with her chalk, Shannon kept thinking about the situation. "I don't think Pa liked Captain Bolton much. Do you think the deserters ran away because the captain was mean or cruel to them?"
"Cruel or not, when a man joins the army, he gives his word to obey orders," Adam told her. "I'll admit I was not overly impressed with the captain myself, but he is in a position of authority. He may have been abusing his power, but only the army can investigate and make that decision."
"I don't think I like military justice," Shannon said, using her chalk to doodle on her slate.
"But you do like being safe from Indians and marauders, don't you?"
Shrugging, Shannon leaned back in her chair. "Yeah, I suppose so. But just because someone's in the army doesn't mean they can just come on the Ponderosa and start implying things and ordering us about, can it?"
"Is that what this is about? You didn't like Captain Bolton doing his job?"
"I didn't like the way he was doing his job," Shannon corrected. "Besides, his job isn't to be rude or superior to anyone else. And Pa did say the one deserter's death was suspicious. I'd trust Pa over anyone else."
Adam lowered his book. "Oh? Weren't you supposed to be helping Hop-Sing in the kitchen when Pa was talking about how it went at the fort?"
"The kitchen is not that far away," Shannon said defensively. "I can't help it if I hear things or not. What was I supposed to do? Cover my ears with my hands and hope you all didn't talk long?"
"I suppose you would have me believe you weren't standing at the doorway with your head turned to catch every word?"
Scowling, Shannon dropped her chalk and crossed her arms. "How else am I supposed to know what's going on sometimes?"
"Wait for pa to tell you what he thinks you need to know."
Rolling her eyes, Shannon leaned her head back. "If I did that, I'd never know anything because you and Pa don't think I'm old enough to know anything interesting or important. I'm not eleven anymore, you know."
"Of course. Practically a grownup."
Ignoring her brother's sarcasm, Shannon decided to further prove her point. "Like how you and Pa are upset about something being stolen. You won't talk about that when I'm in the room."
"And yet, you know all about it. There are some things, Shannon, that you don't need to know." Adam shook his head and turned the conversation back to the topic they had started off with. "In any event, Captain Bolton's idea of justice may be a bit harsher than what we're used to seeing, but it does serve a purpose. He has a hard job, and he goes about it the best way possible."
"Anyone who can annoy Hoss in under five minutes is still never going to make my favorite people list. If you'd have been here, Adam, you would know what I'm talking about. You wouldn't be trying to change my mind"
"Yes. It was a shame I was occupied getting ambushed instead. I won't make that mistake next time."
Straightening up, Shannon grabbed her chalk. "You're impossible."
It was the most conversation she'd had with her oldest brother since the incident with their father. Somehow, the right opportunity to apologize for saying she hated him had never really happened. Now it just felt like it would be too awkward to bring it up.
"Did you finish your homework?"
On second thought, maybe she did hate him after all. "I'm working on it!"
Somehow, Shannon wasn't surprised when their pa reported late that night that Captain Bolton and the second deserter were dead. The third man had given himself up, and Miss Nedda had vowed to wait for him to return from serving out his punishment.
Besides the attack on Adam, Shannon was glad that her family had escaped the situation relatively unscathed. No one had fallen in love and had their heart broken. Adam's head was bruised, but no one had required a doctor's care. Justice had been done, and Shannon was happy to have it all over with and life back to normal.
If she'd known what was coming next, she would not have been so optimistic.
Shivering, Shannon huddled down in her cloak as she sat on the steps of the schoolhouse. All of her schoolmates had long gone home, leaving her to keep waiting. When Miss Jones stepped out of the building, Shannon knew she'd been waiting for a very long time.
"Your family hasn't come to get you?" the teacher asked in surprise. She shifted her cloak aside to check her watch. "Shannon, it's after five o'clock."
"I know," Shannon said, rubbing her mittened hands together. "Something must have happened to make them late. They'll be here soon, though. I'm sure of it."
"You poor thing, you must be freezing," Miss Jones said, kneeling down. "Why don't we leave a note on the door and you come with me. My mother will be waiting, so I can't wait here much longer."
"I could start home on my own," Shannon said, not at all enamored with the idea of going to the Jones' home in town. After all, she'd made the trip dozens of times alone. She knew it like the back of her hand.
Miss Jones shook her head. "I've already heard your father insist you wait to be taken home by either himself or one of your brothers. Disobeying him would not be wise."
The subtle reminder of the many times she'd abandoned school because of an emergency made Shannon duck her head. She did have a tendency to do whatever she thought was best at the moment, especially if she felt threatened. What made the punishment worse was knowing how much it interrupted her family's day, making one of them come to Virginia City to get her.
"You can't stay here alone," Miss Jones said gently. "And I cannot stay any longer."
Heaving a sigh, Shannon nodded and stood up. "Alright." Maybe something had happened in town, again, and going with Miss Jones was the only way she'd be able to learn what it was.
After writing a message on a slate, Miss Jones left it leaning against the door where it would be easily seen by her brothers if they came. The teacher and student began walking towards the edge of town.
"I heard your brother Adam was injured last week," Miss Jones said as they walked. "A group of army deserters ambushed him and hit him over the head with a rock? How terrible that must have been!"
"He had a headache and an awful goose egg on his forehead," Shannon said, choosing his word with care. "But after a few days of rest, he was fine."
"Oh, that's good. I was wondering why I hadn't seen him come get you. I thought perhaps it was more serious than what I'd been told."
Cringing, Shannon said nothing. The teacher's open crush on Adam was the reason her oldest brother always had some excuse for not being the one to pick Shannon up from school. Hoss and Joe found it hilarious, but the girl would rather not be caught in the middle of the situation. She'd been in the middle enough times to know how uncomfortable and inconvenient it could be.
As they drew near the edge of town, shouting could be heard. "My goodness," Miss Jones said, her tone alarmed. "What can be happening? Let's try to avoid that if we can."
The pit of worry that had been making itself known the longer Shannon waited twisted even more in the girl's stomach. "I-I'd like to know what's happening," she said. "It sounds important."
"No, it sounds like there's a mob in town." Miss Jones reached out and put her hand on Shannon's shoulder. "I think it would be best if we go the back way to my house. The last thing your father would want is for you to get pulled into whatever ridiculousness is happening in Virginia City."
Reluctantly, Shannon let the teacher pull her away from the noise, knowing the wisdom of what had been said. She just hoped whatever it was wouldn't keep her brother—whichever one was supposed to be getting her—too late.
Mrs. Jones set an extra plate at the table. "Shannon, come and eat something," Miss Jones said cajolingly. "You'll feel better once you do."
"No, thank you. I'm not hungry," Shannon said, staring out the front window. Though the sun was fast disappearing below the horizon, the downtown of Virginia City looked as though it were lit up by every lantern in town. "I'll just keep watching for my brother."
"Poor thing," she heard Mrs. Jones whisper. "The Cartwrights have never been this late before. What do you suppose could have happened?"
Whatever her teacher had to say in answer to that was lost as Shannon spotted a familiar, large figure coming towards the house. "Hoss," she breathed out in relief. "Miss Jones, Hoss has come for me."
"Don't run out! Let him come to the door!" Miss Jones exclaimed as Shannon bolted for the door. "Oh, dear."
On the porch, Shannon paused. There was something about her brother's posture that made the worry twist again. Hoss's shoulders were hunched, and his steps were slow. For a moment, Shannon didn't want to know what was weighing on her brother in such a way.
"Hoss?" she said, her voice shaky.
Hoss lifted his head. "Sorry for being late, Shan." His gaze moved past her. "Thank you for looking after her until now, Miss Jones. We...didn't mean to be so late without sending word."
"Of course, Mr. Cartwright," Miss Jones said, putting her hand on Shannon's shoulder. "I hope nothing has happened."
"Thank you, ma'am," was all Hoss said. He held his hand out for Shannon to take. "I reckon you'll hear about it soon enough. You and Miz Jones have a good evening."
Something terrible had happened. There was no other reason for Hoss's tone to be so flat and...sad? Shannon held her tongue until she and her brother were several yards from her teacher's house. "Hoss, where is Pa?" she asked.
For a moment, she was afraid he wasn't going to answer. Then, he heaved a sigh. "Pa and Adam have been arrested for murder."
Dumbfounded, Shannon stumbled. It was only her brother's hand in hers that kept her from falling. "Arrested?" she repeated, trying to make sense of what she'd just heard. "Murder? Who? Why would anyone think Pa and Adam would...Hoss, how did this happen?"
"I'll explain all we know once I get you and Joe out of town," Hoss told her. "You know there's a whole passel of people who don't like our family, and they are celebrating this whole thing. It ain't safe in Virginia City for anyone with the Cartwright name."
"What about Pa and Adam? When can I see them?" As much as she loved Hoss and Joe, and trusted they would protect her, the idea of being without the two men who made her feel the most secure made Shannon's heart race with fear. "Sheriff Coffee will find who really did this, won't he? He'll keep looking for the truth, right?"
Hoss hesitated. "Shan, Roy is still away. Even if he were here, with two eyewitnesses, I don't know that he'd think more searching needed to be done. There's some say there don't need to be a trial, but we're going to make sure that happens at least."
Two eyewitnesses? How could two people make up the same lie? But it had to be a lie because her Pa and Adam wouldn't have killed anyone unless it was in self-defense. Was that what had happened? Pa and Adam were attacked and someone was just using it as an excuse to get at the whole family? Pa and Adam wouldn't have just killed someone.
If there was one thing Shannon knew, it was that.
And why wouldn't someone want a trial? Did they intend to take justice into their own hands? But that would mean...
"Hoss, they're not going to lynch Pa and Adam, are they?" she asked.
"No, Sheriff Hanson will make sure of that." But Hoss didn't sound all that confident.
Shannon was so caught up trying to understand, she didn't realize they had reached the stable until she walked into the door of the building. Hoss didn't seem to notice, hurrying her to Chubb. "Let's go, Joe," he said, lifting Shannon up first.
"I still think we ought to get a room in town," Joe said, moving out from the shadows. "We have to be back in the morning, anyway. Why spend the time riding back and forth? What if Hanson needs help in keeping that mob out of the jail?"
"You know what Pa said. He doesn't want Shannon in town," Hoss said sharply. "You heard the crowds outside the saloon. They'll be occupied for some time and by the time they're done drinking, they won't be able to walk straight. Getting caught in a fight won't do anyone any good if we were to stay."
"Is that what Miss Jones and I kept hearing?" Shannon asked quietly. "People celebrating because Pa and Adam were arrested?"
How could they? In a town where almost every man called Ben Cartwright 'friend', it seemed, of late, no one really was a friend to the Cartwright family. From hiding when an outlaw wanted to kill him and now to celebrating at an arrest, Shannon was certain they had very few real friends in Virginia City.
"It will get worked out, Shan," Hoss told her, his tone reassuring. "Hiram has already been informed and he's going to do everything he can to get Pa and Adam out of jail."
Joe gave a disbelieving snort. "What will he be able to do? Hoss, you saw that crowd. They were ready to lynch Pa and Adam. There might be a trial, but we both know how that is going to turn out. It'll just be a formality unless we can find the real murderer."
"Joe, enough," Hoss said with unusual sharpness.
It was enough to make Joe stop talking. Shannon wasn't sure whether she appreciated the silence.
Come morning, after a sleepless night, Shannon begged to be allowed to remain home from school. She was sure Joe would have allowed it, but Hoss firmly told her their pa would want her to go on as if everything was normal. He did, however, consent to allow her to go to school on her own after exacting a promise that she wouldn't go into Virginia City.
Hearing the crowd the night before had been enough so Shannon gave her word readily. She dreaded having to face her schoolmates once again, but she resisted the urge to ride slowly and arrived just before Miss Jones rang the bell. She kept her chin up as everyone stared at her.
Amy Jackson came running up to her. "Oh, Shannon!" she exclaimed as she grabbed Shannon's hands. "I've heard all about it. I'm so sorry. This has to be all a mistake."
"That's what I keep thinking," Shannon said, grateful to have her friend's support. "I just can't work out how a mistake this big could have happened."
"Well, well, well," Jimmy Walters said as he walked up to the pair. "I honestly didn't think you'd show your face here, Shannon Cartwright. Your family has finally been caught out in a crime."
If Amy hadn't been holding her hands, Shannon would have curled her fingers into a fist. She wanted nothing more than to wipe the grin off the boy's face. "Go away, Jimmy," Amy snapped. "Your stupid opinion isn't wanted here."
"My pa says this time, Ben Cartwright will hang," Jimmy continued, ignoring Amy. "He says there won't be any getting out of this crime."
"Take that back!" Shannon said angrily as Amy protested the boy's words.
"No. Why should I? Everyone knows the Cartwrights get by on their wealth. Any time they've been implicated in a crime, they've been able to get out of it. This time justice will be—"
Shannon's fist slamming into his jaw interrupted his sentence. Pain radiated through her fingers, but she shook it off as she stared at the boy. Jimmy reeled back a few steps before he recovered himself.
"Y-you hit me!" he stammered out as giggles and snickers spread through their classmates.
Why he was so surprised was a mystery. It wasn't the first time she'd punched the stupid boy. At least this time. she'd been careful not to break his nose like she did before.
"You insulted her family! What did you expect her to do?" Amy demanded, her tone smug. "Why don't you take your stupid, unwanted opinion somewhere else before I hit you too!"
She grabbed Shannon's hand and started to pull her towards the schoolhouse. More than willing to get away from Jimmy Walters, Shannon let herself be pulled along. She hadn't gone more than a few steps when she felt a pair of hands on her back. It was only because of Amy's hand that she kept from hitting the ground.
Spinning, Shannon pulled out of Amy's grasp and launched herself at Jimmy. She tackled him and knocked him to the ground. He pulled her hair and she punched his nose.
By this point, all of the other children were shouting. Some of the boys had encouragement and advice, while the majority of the crowd was less approving.
"Enough! Enough! Stop this at once!" Miss Jones's voice rang out above everyone else's.
Hands grabbed Shannon's shoulder and pulled her up. "Shannon, you have to calm down," Emma's familiar voice said in her ear. "Don't make it any worse."
Huffing, Shannon turned her attention to her town sleeve. It was definitely more than she would be able to fix. Hop-Sing would fuss and Hoss was bound to find out.
At least, Shannon thought, Pa and Adam wouldn't find out about her fighting. Not until the stupid misunderstanding was resolved. Any punishment would be bearable if it meant they were back home and not in any danger.
"I am ashamed of you both," Miss Jones said, standing between Shannon and Jimmy. "You are both old enough to know how to behave, and you both have been warned about fighting. I will be speaking to your parents again. I will not tolerate this in my classroom."
"It's not like her pa can do anything," Jimmy muttered, wiping the blood away from his nose with the back of his hand.
Shannon's hands clenched again. Miss Jones grabbed the boy's ear. "For that, Mr. Walters, you will remain an hour after class, assisting me and writing lines on the board. And you will do this for the rest of the week."
Jimmy yelped in pain. "But what about Shannon? She started it!"
Miss Jones glanced over at Shannon, who held her breath. She couldn't be kept after school. She was going to see her pa and Adam at the jail. If she couldn't go because of being punished...well, it would only make things worse and she might never convince Hoss to take her again.
"Shannon will be writing a thousand-word essay on why violence is bad," Miss Jones announced in a loud clear voice. "And it will be due by the end of the week. Would you care to have that added to your punishment, Jimmy?" The boy gave a slight shake of his head. "That's what I thought. Now come along. Five minutes, everyone."
"You shouldn't have done that," Emma said, finally letting go of Shannon's shoulders. The teenage girl sounded tired and disappointed. Shannon couldn't bring herself to look up. "Jimmy likes getting a reaction out of you. That's why he keeps teasing you."
Rubbing her sore knuckles, Shannon winced as she nodded. "I know, but there are some things he should know better than to tease me about. You don't think my pa and brother did it, do you, Emma?"
"From what I know of your family, it doesn't seem likely," Emma said kindly. "But my opinion isn't important. Come on. Let's get your hands cleaned up before class starts."
When the school day finally ended, Shannon waited once again for one of her brothers to come. She wasn't completely sure she was ready for them when Joe and Hoss came riding towards the school. Seeing her pa and Adam behind bars was not going to be fun.
During recess, Emma had managed to do a temporary fix on Shannon's sleeve. Anyone looking close would see the damage, but it was enough that Shannon hoped she could get through the jailhouse visit without arousing suspicion. Hoss didn't seem to notice anything amiss.
"The sheriff agreed you have a right to see Pa," Hoss said to her as they entered the town. "He wasn't happy about it, but he's not going to put up a fuss."
"Pa will, though," Joe said from the other side of Shannon. He was set on glaring at everyone they passed. "He and Adam will probably say we should have waited for this misunderstanding to be resolved at the trial."
"Has Mr. Woods talked to Pa? Does he have any ideas about how to defend Pa?" Shannon asked.
"We talked it over with Hiram, and he said he was going to go to the jail to talk with Pa and Adam," Hoss said, his tone serious. "With the judge already in town, I expect the trial will happen sooner rather than later."
Shannon couldn't decide whether it was better to have the trial sooner or later. She did not like to be kept in suspense, but what if there hadn't been time to find the real killer? It wasn't easy to ignore the looks that came their way, or the way most made sure to avoid the Cartwrights on the boardwalk. It felt all-too like when outlaws threatened the town and no one wanted to be associated with the family.
Why was it so easy for the town to turn their backs on the Cartwright family?
They entered the jail. The man who was currently acting as sheriff, Hanson, was seated at the desk just to the right of the door. Sheriff Hanson stood up, but Shannon's attention was to the left where she could see through the first open door.
Her pa and brother were sitting in one of the barred cells. It was a sight that made absolutely no sense, even though she was staring right at it. Of all her family, she knew only one deserved to be locked away where they couldn't cause harm: her aunt. Never her pa or Adam. Never them.
"Pa!" She rushed for the cells as Ben stood up from the bunk where he had been sitting.
Behind her, the sheriff exclaimed, "Now hold on there, missy." He reached out as though he was going to stop her. "You can't just go rushing back there."
Ducking away, Shannon ignored him, fully intent on getting to her pa. "What, Hanson?" Joe asked, his tone sarcastic. "You think a twelve-year-old girl is going to have a weapon?"
"There are rules, Little Joe," the sheriff said, his tone patient but tired. "You know what they are. Hand me your pistols."
Ben reached through the bars to catch Shannon's hands in his. "Pa, how long are they going to keep you locked up?" she asked, looking up at him. Her words came out in a rush. "They're looking for the real killer, aren't they? It's not right that you're here! It's not!"
"Hush, sweetheart. Everything is going to be fine," Ben said, squeezing her hands to reassure her. Shannon tried not to flinch as her fingers protested the touch. He frowned and looked down. "Shannon, what did you do to your hands?"
"Nothing." Shannon realized her pa was still wearing the clothes from the last time she'd seen him. Adam was too. Why hadn't Hoss or Joe thought to bring a change of clothes for them? "Pa, what will happen next?"
Adam joined them, and his cynical eyes held a knowing expression. "Shannon, have you been fighting?" he asked, nodding towards her hands. "Because I've seen those kinds of bruises and scrapes every time we caught Joe in a fistfight."
Of course it would be Adam who would harp on the subject. "Who's been in a fistfight?" Joe asked as he walked up.
"Shannon," Adam said without hesitation.
Shannon shook her head, trying not to scowl. What did it matter what she had done when two of her family were in jail for murder? "What did Hiram have to say, Pa?" Hoss asked before that particular subject could continue.
"The trial is in two days," Ben said, his tone serious. He lifted his gaze from Shannon to look at his sons. "He says Sally Byrnes and Dues Martin's testimony are air tight. He doesn't have much hope of shaking either one."
"So Sheriff Hanson hasn't even looked at anyone else?" Joe said, his tone angry. He sent a glance over his shoulder as if to check whether the sheriff was listening. "There's got to be something we can do."
"No," Ben said firmly. "We have to let Hiram do his job. I don't want to hear you have been harassing Miss Byrnes or Dues Martin either, Joseph. We have to let the jury decide on the facts."
Joe scoffed. "I think we all know how well that will turn out. This entire town would rather believe the worst of us than what 'the facts' have to say."
Shannon just barely kept herself from agreeing out loud. How many times had the people of Virginia City turned their backs on the Cartwright family to protect themselves? How many times had someone in town been jealous of what Ben Cartwright had built and tried to get it for themselves?
"Joseph," Ben said, his tone chiding. "That kind of attitude won't help us."
"Neither will thinking the town will stand by us when they have shown they couldn't care less," Joe fired back.
"Pa, someone is trying to frame you for murder. We can't sit back and do nothing."
Even Hoss looked like he rather agreed with his youngest brother. "Let the sheriff do his job, and Hiram will do his in defending us in front of a jury," Ben said, his tone firmer than before. "Now I want the three of you to go back to the Ponderosa and wait for the trial."
"The entire town would like nothing better than to see all of us behind bars," Adam added, his tone serious. He glanced past his brothers and sister. "Try not to give them a reason."
"All right, you've had plenty of time to talk," the sheriff said as he came back. "Town's getting restless and the sun will go down soon. You know that's not a good combination. Best get the girl out of town."
As best she could, Shannon reached through the bars of the jail cell to hug her pa. The iron bars were cold against her cheek. She desperately wanted to tell her pa that she was scared, but didn't want to look or sound like a baby in front of her brothers. And the admission wouldn't help anyone and would only make her pay worry more.
"Listen to your brothers and try to stay out of trouble," Ben told her. "And stay out of Virginia City."
Time seemed to stop and move at an impossible speed all at the same time. There was nothing Shannon could do to help her father and brother, and the school was the closest she got to the town. The news she heard from her brothers every night was concerning, to say the least.
With the town crying for justice, the judge had scheduled the case to be tried a mere week after the murder happened. Dues Martin had already vanished after providing the acting sheriff with his witness statement. No other search was being made.
School was a nightmare. Though Jimmy was careful to keep his opinions to himself when Shannon was nearby, the other boys were not so considerate. Taunting Shannon about being the daughter of a murderer had become the newest fun on the school grounds.
As a result, Shannon spent more time alone inside the schoolhouse as punishment for fighting than she'd ever done before. She was thankful her pa wasn't there to hear how many fights—physical and verbal— his only daughter was in each day. Since her brothers hadn't brought home any scoldings she assumed they hadn't told on her either.
Joe was the only one to say anything about her scraped knuckles and that was only to send her to Hop-Sing for some medicine.
The men who worked on the Ponderosa were even more unsettled by the incident. At least five quit and another three were hinting that they wanted to do the same. Joe said they were better off without them, but Hoss was concerned about how all the chores on the ranch would get done.
How had things gone so wrong so fast?
The question remained in Shannon's mind as she stared out the schoolhouse window. The rest of her classmates were outside, enjoying the sunshine during the recess time.
"Fighting like a boy will get you nowhere, Shannon, " Miss Jones said as she walked to the girl's desk. "Do you think the boys learned anything? Do you think I like to keep you inside?"
Shrugging, Shannon kept her gaze on the trees in the horizon. The town was just past those trees. So close and yet so far. Tomorrow was the trial and she needed to think of a way to be there.
"For what it's worth, I don't believe a word of it," Miss Jones said, putting her hand on Shannon's shoulder. "Justice and truth will win the day."
Uncomfortable with the touch, Shannon shifted in her seat. "I think I should be there," she blurted out.
Her teacher frowned at her. "What do you mean?"
"At the trial. I think I should be there."
"Oh, Shannon."
"A daughter should be, don't you think?" Shannon continued quickly. "If I'm not, what might people think? Will they think that I think my pa and brother are guilty? Will that affect the jury do you think?"
She almost felt sorry for the manipulative twist she put on the words as Miss Jones stared at her. "I-I would hope the jury would listen to the facts," the woman stammered, taken off guard by the questions. "But now that you mention it..."
Her voice trailed away with uncertainty. "It is possible," Shannon whispered, letting her shoulders lower even more. "You've seen how the town has been. They will take any chance to condemn Pa and Adam."
Miss Jones' hand fell from her shoulder. "I'm afraid you're right. If you are unable to join us tomorrow, I will understand and won't penalize you," the woman said kindly. She turned and hurried for the door of the school.
Breathing out, Shannon closed her eyes. Pa would definitely not approve, but if all went well, he would never know.
After tossing and turning for what felt like an eternity, Shannon finally sat up. She slipped out of her bed and went to the window. She stared out at the barnyard below her, watching how the clouds that crossed in front of the moon cast their own kind of shadow on the ground.
Through her open doorway, she could hear footsteps and the slight creating of the floor. At least one of her brothers was still awake, if not them both. Were it any other night, she might have gone to Hoss' room for comfort but she wasn't entirely sure she'd find it.
Dinner had been a somber and tense affair. For once, Hop-Sing hadn't chided them for their lack of appetite. The meeting with Mr. Woods hadn't gone well that day. No other witnesses had come forward, not that the acting sheriff had made much of an effort to go looking for any. Dues Martin was nowhere to be found. The lawyer had advised Hoss and Joe to expect the worst.
The worst.
Her pa couldn't die. He couldn't be hanged for a crime he didn't commit! Shannon knew that much about the kind of sentence a murderer usually received. Even if the judge showed some mercy, the town wouldn't stand for it.
For what? Why had Mr. Byrnes been killed? Why was everyone so eager to point fingers at the Cartwrights?
Closing her eyes, Shannon heaved a sigh. She knew the answer.
Would she have time to say what she needed to her family? What would she say? She wasn't even sure.
"Shannon, you should be in bed."
Opening her eyes, Shannon turned to see the silhouette of Joe in her doorway. "So should you," she said quietly.
Joe leaned against the doorframe. "I couldn't sleep and I heard you moving around."
That last bit Shannon didn't believe. She hadn't made that much noise walking from the bed to her window. Which meant Joe had come to check on her. Despite everything, her heart warmed just a little. While her two oldest brothers and her pa would look in on her at night, Joe seldom did.
"I take it you can't sleep either?"
Shannon shrugged and then realized he probably couldn't see her clearly enough. "No. How could I?"
"Yeah." Joe paused for a moment. "So. How are you?"
Of all the questions he could have asked, that had to be the most unexpected and most stupid. Shannon narrowed her eyes, regardless of whether he would see it or not. "I'm just fine, Joe. Thank you for asking. How are you?"
Joe let out a huff. "I didn't mean it like that. Just...I know it can't be great at school right now."
Shannon's knuckles ached at the reminder. "I'm fine," she repeated. "I'll be better tomorrow afternoon if the judge finds Pa and Adam innocent, but I know that's just wishful thinking on my part."
"Hoss and I won't let them die."
Her breath caught in her throat. Such a statement could only mean... "Pa won't like that," was all she could think to say.
"Pa won't know about it until it happens and then it'll be done," Joe said, his tone grim. "Did you really think we would just stand by and let Pa get framed for a murder he didn't commit?"
Letting her breath out slowly, Shannon shook her head. Of course she hadn't thought that, but how many times had their pa told them to obey the law? Let the law handle matters? He'd taken it to the point of going with a man he knew would kill him because he believed in the rightness of the law and those who upheld it.
But what Joe was hinting at...
"Do you think it will come to that?" she asked softly. There was a sliver of hope that she had kept hidden away in her heart.
"Yeah, I do."
Closing her eyes again, Shannon leaned her head back. "Ok."
"There's no way it will end any other way. Hiram will go down fighting, but I don't think it will be enough."
Why did it feel so awful to have one of her brothers being honest with her? Usually she had to eavesdrop to learn anything important when something was happening. But this didn't feel right and she wasn't sure she really wanted to hear these words.
"And what happens after?" she asked. If Joe and Hoss tried to take on the town to save their family they'd all have to go on the run, wouldn't they? The law—that institution that Pa and Adam respected so much— would come after all of them.
There was a pause. "We'll figure it out." Joe straightened up. "Now go to bed before Hoss hears you."
"I will," Shannon lied, staying right where she was. Joe took her words at face value and left her doorway. More troubled than ever, Shannon returned her gaze to the yard below.
As if sleep were anymore possible now than before.