The makeshift courtroom in the lobby of the Dodge House was packed with curious citizens and those who had to be in the presence of Judge Brooker. There was a jumble of voices - folks listening to half truths told and long twisted out of proportion.

The bailiff stepped into the room and ordered, "All rise..." as Brooker walked through the doorway and took his place behind the large oak desk placed at the end of the room. "Be seated." The man shouted again. Brooker eyed the man and wondered if he was letting his newly appointed power go to his head. Brooker shook his head slightly in amusement before turning his attention to the crowd before him. The room was silent.

Jed Fleming sat with the irons around his wrists. He played with the chain between, tugging at them to see if one link would give. His eyes were dark and they slowly, methodically scanned the room and finally rested on Galen Adams. The doctor was paying full attention to what the judge was saying. To Fleming it was just a jumble of words.

"In this court of law, all shall and will testify under oath. The matter of Mr Flemings future will rest in the hands of the jurors, after all testimony is given. Now. I call upon Ross Squire from Mr Johnson's cattle company to testify about the night in question." The judge looked into the crowd and watch the young cowpuncher stand and move toward the bench. Along the way, several of his men stood and patted him on the shoulder. Moose stopped him and looked him in the eye. "It's for Randy...remember that..." Ross nodded and continued to the front of the room. He felt every eye on him, including Fleming's.

The bailiff held out the Bible and asked Ross to place his right hand on it. Slowly and nervously he did and also swore upon it. He wanted nothing more than justice for his friend and what was coming to the man that killed him. Ross sat in the chair next to the judge's table.

"Council precede with your questioning." Brooker awaited the session to get under way.

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Ross Squire had finished and so had Sam Noonan. Both confirmed that Randy Brant was at the Long Branch the night of the murder, and that he and Squire had left at separate times, Brant leaving behind Squire.

Brooker asked the council to investigate a possible motive for Fleming to want to kill Brant and it became clear through Festus' testimony that Fleming acted in a way of revenge against Brant for pointing out that Templeton Brown had pulled a knife on the marshal. Matt confirmed the story, which then brought the event of the murder into the forefront. "Doctor Galen Adams, please take the stand." Brooker spoke with authority.

Doc slowly stood, pushing himself up from the chair where he'd been sitting still for the last several hours. His side pained him, but he continued on, wanting nothing more then to end this one way or another. He stepped slowly up and then turned to place his hand on the Bible. His crystal blue eyes left the bailiff's and over to Fleming's. The accused man's eyes bore a hole through him...he could feel the discomfort growing with Fleming's eyes on him. He swallowed and slowly sat in the chair.

William Kelly stood and strutted toward the doctor. Doc noted the cockiness in his walk so he figured that Fleming and Kelly hand been talking. Kelly placed his left hand on the arm of the chair that Doc sat in and smiled at him. "How you feeling today, Doc?"

Doc nodded. "Fine enough to testify..." He didn't like the tone of Kelly's question.

Kelly smiled again before he pushed off to look around the room to gather his thoughts. After an awkward moment of silence, Kelly turned to Doc. "I see by the case in your vest pocket you wear glasses..."

Doc looked down at the case and then cautiously back to the young lawyer. "Yes..."

"Could you tell the court, why you wear glasses?" Kelly seemed to be showboating.

"So I can read." Doc's left hand slowly swept across his moustache. His eyes stayed with Kelly.

"So you are saying you do not need eye glasses to see far...correct?" The young lawyer turned and faced the doctor.

"That is correct..." Doc answered cautiously again.

"Can you tell me, without looking at your pocket watch, what the clock over the desk reads?" Kelly asked in a rather flamboyant manner.

Doc looked at Judge Brooker and barked. "Who's on trial here!"

Brooker sighed. "Doctor, please answer Mr Kelly's question..."

Doc glared at Brooker and then at William Kelly. He looked past the young man and squinted slightly, "It's 3:40."

Kelly looked at the clock. "That's good Doc. But it took you a moment to actually see the time didn't it?"

Doc sat back. He was growing angry at the direction that this young wiper-snapper was heading with his questions. "I'm not the one on trial for murder!" he blurted which pulled something inside and he grabbed tight of the chair arm to fight the pain.

Kitty, Matt and Festus noticed their friend's discomfort. So did Judge Brooker who quickly called for a break. "Let us give Doctor Adams a few minutes to regain his strength..." He lowered the gavel with a single bang.

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Kitty, Matt and Festus rushed forward to Doc's side. The doctor's eyes were watery with tears brought on by the pain in his lower chest. He tried to slow his breathing. Kitty swept a caring hand over his brow pushing his tussled bangs back into place.

"Jist calm down, Doc. Don't let that youngin' know-all-lawyer feller get the best of ya. You done told me what you saw when that Jed killed that other fella. And if anyone has an eyeball fer seeing detail, it's you..." Festus scrunched his left eye up at the doctor. Doc merely nodded in understanding and with a slight wink to Festus he smiled.