Chapter 4

As supper time came with the setting sun the riders had gathered around the table once more. They had just finished eating when a knock came at the door. The door opened and Mr. Tompkins stuck his head inside. He glanced about the riders and then spoke to Teaspoon, "Can I speak to you outside, Marshal?"

"I'll be right there," he stood up figuring it was a nonsense issue as usual. He wandered out the bunkhouse feeling rather full. "What is, Bill?"

"Two of your riders stole a very expensive purse from me today." he accused.

Teaspoon cocked his head, "What?"

Mr. Tompkins insisted, "I saw Lou and the new one looking at the purses and when I was cleaning up at close I noticed a purse was gone. It's a blue silk purse with a white pearl. It's very expensive and they were looking at it."

"My riders didn't steal any purse." he started.

"It's missing!" he declared.

"Okay," Teaspoon replied. "I will search their belongings but if nothing come up it wasn't them." He turned and walked into the bunkhouse with Mr. Tompkins behind him. He took a deep breath, "It appears a very expensive silk purse was stolen today from Mr. Tompkins' store. He saw you and Pip looking at it earlier, Lou. It's a blue silk purse with a pearl."

Lou gave a funny look, "We were looking at holsters and some purses this morning. Someone stole it!" Her heart sank for when Pip suggested she could have the extra money in interest from a savings account to buy the purse she was considering the idea.

Pip figured, "You think we stole it."

Teaspoon held up a hand, "A quick search and we can eliminate that possibility."

Lou gasped, "I didn't steal it."

Kid came to her defense, "Lou didn't take it!"

Pip held up a hand, "Excuse me but don't you need a search warrant to go through our personal belongings."

Teaspoon was actually impressed for few knew the law. He cocked an eyebrow, "Unless you give me permission."

Lou stood up and marched over to her bunk. "I didn't take anything." She held up her coat she wore and emptied the pockets, "See!"

Teaspoon asked, "Let me just take a quick look." He quickly went over her bed and found nothing out of sorts. He then looked to Pip.

She crossed her arms and dug her heels in, "Go get a warrant!" She wasn't about to let anyone invade her privacy.

Rachel gave a heavy sigh for Pip's response didn't clear her name but rather made her look suspicious.

Bill Tompkins huffed, "He stole it! That new rider must have stolen it."

"I did not!" she huffed.

"Then why won't you let the Marshal check for it?" he argued.

"Lou and I were in your store early this morning. You just noticed it was missing after the entire day. Anyone could have taken it after we left. Are you gonna go to everyone who went to the corner of the store today or just us two?" she challenged.

"I saw you two looking at it!" he snorted.

"So what!" she huffed back. "Just because we were looking at something doesn't mean we stole it."

"Then let Teaspoon look for it to prove that." he insisted. He was now certain that Pip must have stolen the purse.

Pip shook her head, "Go find the judge and get warrant." She added, "You need probable cause and I do not believe you have it. You didn't see who sole it or for that matter if it is actually stolen. It could have just been misplaced. Your probable cause is very weak."

Tompkins asked, "You a lawyer?"

"I grew up in a lawyer's house." she reminded him. "I know the law and my rights."

Teaspoon tried to coax her, "Pip, if you just let me do a quick look-see we can clear this up without a judge."

"Nope," she shook her head. "I want to see the look on the judge's face when you tell him how stupid this all is. I have a fourth amendment right against unreasonable search and seizures." She repeated, "Go get a warrant."

Tompkins huffed, "Which bed is it? I'll look myself." He started to move towards the bunks.

Teaspoon physically stopped him, "You can't go searching through the bunkhouse like that, Bill. Pip is right about the law. I need a warrant to search it."

"Then get the warrant." he demanded.

"I'll have to see the judge." he told him. He looked back to the riders as he gathered his coat and hat, "I'll be back soon, boys." He led Mr. Tompkins out of the bunkhouse and closed the door behind him.

Bill Cody asked Pip, "Why didn't you let him look?"

"I didn't steal it." she told him. "He has no proof! There has to be a burden of proof."

"But if you just let Teaspoon look he could have proven you didn't steal it." Billy rebutted.

Pip replied, "Let's say someone accused you of stealing five dollars. You have five dollars you saved under your bunk. You didn't steal the five dollars and let Teaspoon search and he found five dollars. Now, you know that was money you saved but to the person who is missing the five dollars thinks you stole it. So, Teaspoon takes the five dollars and gives it to whoever accused you of stealing it. You are now our five dollars and everyone thinks you are a thief. Then the person who accused you finds the five dollars that they thought you stole. Do you really think they will bring your money back and apologize because most won't and let everyone think you stole from them because it would be too embarrassing to find the missing money after the money was stolen legally from you." She shook her head, "That is why we have a burden of proof system."

Rachel rebutted, "If Teaspoon comes back with that warrant and finds that missing purse it won't look good for you!"

"I didn't steal it." she shook her head.

An Hour Later

Teaspoon returned with Mr. Tompkins and a warrant from the town judge to search the bunkhouse for the purse. He stood before Pip and held it for her to read. She grasped the paper, "My god! The judge actually gave you one."

Teaspoon didn't look happy, "I need to search your bunk."

She rebutted, "This is for the bunkhouse. Not my personal belongings. You can search the bunkhouse."

Mr. Tompkins rolled his head back, "You have got to be kidding."

She shook her head, "A warrant has to be direct and precise. It says the bunkhouse and for the purse. That's it!" She motioned towards the bunkhouse, "Search away!"

Teaspoon stated, "I need to search under your mattress."

She hopped up, "Okay!" She then walked over to the wall and leaned against it shaking her head at the ridiculousness.

As Teaspoon ran his hands under the mattress he found a small box. He pulled the box out and looked at the familiar blue trinket box. It was just like the box that his late wife Isabelle gave him decades ago. He simply held it in his hands as he recalled the day he was told about the baby that he assumed had died.

Pip spied the box. She became alarmed, "That's mine and not part of the warrant."

Teaspoon looked over to her, "What's in it?"

"It's personal." she replied. She stepped forward and held out her hand, "It's mine!"

He was tempted to open the box but knew he could not legally. Slowly, he handed her the box as he wondered if the silver spoon he lost with his wife and baby was somehow back in his life. She grasped the box tight and would not let go.

Lou figured the box was the family heirloom she spoke of at the bank. She wondered what was so important that Pip seemed upset when Teaspoon found the box.

After looking for the purse Teaspoon turned to Mr. Tompkins, "I didn't find it."

Tompkins was certain Pip stole it and must have hid it when they were getting the warrant. He demanded, "Go through his clothes! He must have hid it when we were gone."

Teaspoon replied, "The warrant from the judge doesn't allow that."

"This is insane!" he huffed and stormed out the door.

Teaspoon gave a heavy sigh and walked over to Pip. He softly spoke, "It would have been easier if you just cooperated."

"But it wouldn't have been right." she countered.

He gave a nod and said nothing more to her. He turned to the riders, "Get some sleep boys. Got another ride tomorrow." He then walked by Pip and to his private room in the back of the bunkhouse.

Kid went to his bunk and stated, "You made things real hard on Teaspoon tonight, Pip. You should have just cooperated."

"That's okay, Kid. If someone wanted to go through your things I would have them get a warrant too." she smirked at him.

Rachel spoke up, "I think it's been a long night for all of us. Get some sleep, Kid." She walked by Pip to leave and mentioned, "You know Teaspoon is like a father to these here boys and it hurt seeing you make him go through hoops tonight."

"I didn't make him got through hoops. Mr. Tompkins did!" she disagreed.

Rachel shook her head, "That's not how the boys here see it."

She shrugged, "Not everyone can see cause and effect."

She shook her head disappointed and walked by, "Get some sleep boys….Lou…" she walked out the door to go back to the house.

Lou asked, "Why didn't let him look? I know you didn't steal it. I was right there with you."

"Exactly!" she cocked her head. "You are my witness and you gave permission to a search that turned up nothing. At that point there was proof of our innocents and no further investigation was needed." She walked over to her bunk, "Teaspoon should have stopped it but he didn't."

Jimmy balked, "He was just trying to clear ya."

"He did with Lou." she rebutted. She put the small box under her pillow.

Jimmy asked, "What's in that little box anyways?"

She looked at him and bluffed, "A silver bullet that can kill the undead."

"What?" he balked.

"Haven't you heard of the undead?" she teased.

He settled down in his bed. "Undead! You're pulling my leg." He rested his head on the pillow and wondered, "What is the undead?"