Shattered, Chapter 4

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Heyes closed his eyes and slowly slipped down the side of the tub until he was completely submerged. He could hear his heart pounding loudly in his ears. He finally resurfaced and glanced to his right, imaging Kid's tanned body lounging with his knees bent and a cigar poking out of a corner of his mouth in the warm soapy water. A sad bittersweet smile grew on his face. Taking a bath after a hard ride was Kid's favorite…well maybe second favorite thing to do.

Heyes choked back a sob and with a heavy sigh got out of the tub.

He picked up the clean towel and wrapped it low on his hips. He tried unsuccessfully to shave, cursing his razor as it tugged painfully at his overgrown whiskers. Finding Kid's valice he retrieved it from under the bed. Heyes paused before opening it and quickly searched for Kid's razor. Heyes went through razors much quicker than his partner and teased him unmercilessly the few times Kid had grown a mustache.

Heyes grabbed his watch off the dresser and mentally added time to the notoriously slow watch.. He had enough time to eat, but chose not to for fear his stomach would not cooperate.

He wanted to make sure he got to the courtroom early enough to sit in the front row of the proceedings.

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When he arrived there was already a line at the door. Seeing Heyes the people stepped aside and allowed him to pass.

Heyes gave them a grateful nod.

.Eight fifty-seven in the morning and already the air was still and growing sultry. Even open windows in the courtroom did not provide the slightest cross breeze in the room packed tightly with people eager to witness what many were calling an open and shut case. Heyes settled into a front row aisle seat that gave him a clear view of the prosecution's table.

As Eli Rawlins was led in through a side door and into the courtroom, his eyes searched the room and for a brief moment, locked with the piercing black eyes of Hannibal Heyes. A quick poke in the back by a deputy broke the omnious connection as Rawlins found his seat between his counsel and sat down, his back to the rows of spectators

"The Honorable Samuel M. Blatchford presiding. All rise."

Heyes' head jerked up from his front row seat in the gallery.

Samuel Blatchford?

He could have sworn Sheriff Wilkes had said the Judge's name was Morrison. Heyes' startled eyes meet the sheriff's who suddenly looked uncomfortable.

A large black robed man entered the courtroom. He was a middle aged man with a prominent cleft chin. Strands of gray streaked hair were plastered from left to right across his receding hairline. Heavy skin over his eyelids gave him the expression of both weariness and impatience.

"Are you ready to present your case?"

"Your honor we are merely looking for a ruling by you before we proceed. My contention is that my client, Mr. Eli Rawlins, did not commit the crime of murder, but merely…under the confines of the law…eliminated a notorious Outlaw which was a legal killing. And as such deserves the reward associated with said killing."

"And who was this supposed outlaw?"

"Jedidiah "Kid" Curry"

The Judge straightened up in his chair. "The Kid Curry?!"

"Yes, your honor. He was shot dead by my client two days ago."

"So what seems to be the issue? Mr. Curry has been an outlaw wanted by the law…dead or alive for…"

Heyes jumped to his feet, "HE WASN'T AN OUTLAW!"

Startled by the outburst, the judge quickly regained his composure. "Mr. Curry was certainly an outlaw…"

"Not no more! Not no more! And I got proof," Heyes said waving the amnesty papers in the air.

"And who are you Sir?"

"I'm Hannibal Heyes."

The Judge's eyes widened in disbelief, as he eyes settled on Heyes' gun strapped to his side. He swallowed hard and looked nervously around for armed officers. The court bailiff placed a hand on his gun and quickly pulled it from his holster pointing it at Heyes.

"Why isn't this man under arrest?!" The judge demanded addressing Sheriff Wilkes.

"Because what he's saying is true, Your Honor."

"I don't understand," the judge said.

Sheriff Wilkes crossed to Heyes and took the amnesty papers from his hand.

He handed the papers to the bailiff, who backed his way to the judge with his gun still trained on Heyes.

"What am I…", the judge asked.

"Read it." Sheriff Wilkes said, "It's all in those papers."

The judge adjusted his glasses and began reading. He looked up several times at Heyes then resumed reading.

He finally raised his head when he had finished scrutinizing the documents and took off his glasses. The Judge tried to maintain a neutral expression, but was failing miserably. After chasing their tails for years trying to catch Heyes and Curry, the damn Governor from the Wyoming Territory cuts them a deal.

Well at least Curry was dead, thought the unsympathetic judge.

"We seem to have a bit of a dilemma…Unfortunately, this appears as if this is a legal binding document signed and dated by the Governor of Wyoming, granting amnesty to both Hannibal Heyes and Kid Curry."

Unfortunately. Heyes hadn't missed the comment.

"Ain't no dilemma Judge…he murdered my partner. Shot him in the back of the head. Like the damn cowardly son of a bitch he is." Heyes turned dark eyes on Eli. His stare unwavering. "He had the jump on him. There was no need to do what he done. Could have walked him straight to the sheriff's office and gotten the whole matter cleared.." Heyes swallowed hard, "He didn't need to kill him."

"The hell I didn't!" Eli said, jumping out of his chair with his lawyer hanging on one arm trying to restrain him.

"Ain't no way I was going face to face with Kid Curry."

The Judge banged his gavel loudly.

"SIT DOWN BOTH OF YOU! QUIET! QUIET!" He demanded addressing the packed audience that had erupted in shouts.

"It's apparent Mr. Curry was killed after the papers were signed…but I'm sure this man Mr. Rawlins had no knowledge of the agreement. My educated guess, with the exception of a few people that were privy to it, no one knew. As no one knew, I feel Mr Curry was killed without malicious intent, so I cannot in good conscious deem this as a intentional murder. Or really a murder at all."

Heyes was on his feet again,

"I…don't…know…how…this…couldn't…have…been..more…intentional. " Heyes said through clenched teeth, his voice low with a simmering rage. "When you stand directly behind someone and…"

The Judge glanced quickly at the bailiff, still holding a gun on Heyes' before he continued, "That is my judgement. No murder. Just an unfortunate…"

Heyes stared at the judge before pushing his way out of the courtroom. Before he got through the door he heard the lawyer ask, "What about the $10,000 reward?"

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There was a knock on the hotel door, but Heyes refused to get up off the bed.

"This is Sheriff Wilkes…Mr. Heyes?"

He knocked again, and waited but there was still no response. He took the amnesty documents and slid them under the door before leaving.

Heyes stared at the papers lying on the floor. After everything they had gone through to obtain this often elusive amnesty, to have it end up like this was an irony too bitter to fathom. Without Kid, the amnesty meant nothing to Heyes. Justice was the only thing of importance, and keeping Rawlins from collecting ten thousand dollars of blood money.