Bombshell
Ben and the boys looked at her shocked. "Amelia what do you mean that it wasn't an accident?" asked Ben sternly.
"I mean that someone tried to kill me and Adam" said Amelia. "How do you know that?" asked Hoss.
Amelia pulls out the message and the bolt. She shows them the bolt. "I found this bolt next to the wooden wheel. There's was no way that bolt could have fallen out of the wheel unless it had to be loosened" explained Amelia.
"That still doesn't prove that someone try to kill both you and Adam" said Joe putting his hands on his hips.
"Maybe this would" said Amelia she hands Ben the message and Ben reads it out loud. "Two Cartwright's down, three to go".
The boys were shocked. Ben reads it again and like Amelia it sent a cold chill down his spine. "Who would want to kill us?" asked Hoss.
"I could think of someone John Carter" announced Amelia.
"Amelia honey why would he want to kill us for?" asked Joe.
"He wants to kill me more than he wants to kill the rest of you. I was the one who identified him as my attacker and the one who kill those girls" said Amelia.
"At least we now know why he's back" said Adam.
"I'm going to town tell Roy what happen. Maybe there's something he could do" said Ben.
"I'm going with you Pa" said Amelia. "I don't think that's a good idea. You just walked away from an accident" said Ben. "I want to go Pa" Amelia insisted.
Ben looks up at his sons' curious gaze. "Alright" said Ben knowing that Amelia would go no matter he said.
Moments later they rode into town and up to the Sheriff's office. They mount off their horses and walks in.
Roy was sitting at his desk when Ben and Amelia walk in. Roy stands up and greets them. "Ben! Amelia this is a nice surprise I was about to ride out to the Ponderosa. I heard about the accident I'm glad to see that you're alright Amelia" said Roy.
He turns to Ben. "How's Adam?" asked Roy. "He's fine Roy I'll tell him that you were asking for him" said Ben appreciatively.
"What brings you to my office?" asked Roy curiously. "Amelia suspects that someone tried to kill her and Adam" explained Ben. Roy looks at Amelia. "What makes you think that?" asked Roy.
"After Adam and I crashed I notice a bolt to the wheel lying on the ground. That bolt couldn't have fallen off the wheel unless someone had loosened it" explained Amelia.
"Do you have any other piece of evidence to prove your suspicions?" asked Roy. Ben hands him the message.
Roy reads it then looks at them. "Ok that proves your suspicions but who would want to kill you?" asked Roy. "John Carter" stated Amelia firmly.
"Now Amelia I know you're upset that he's back and what he did to you but that doesn't prove that he is out to kill you. I'm sorry but you're gonna need more proof" said Roy.
Amelia storms out of the office. "Sorry Ben I wish I can help" said Roy apologetically. Ben nods and walks after his daughter who was standing on the sidewalk.
"I have some things to do I'll see ya at home" said Amelia. Ben understood she needed time to herself and figured that Carter wasn't gonna try anything at least not in town.
"Be careful and don't go looking for trouble" advised Ben. "That's Little Joe's job" teased Amelia. Ben laughs and kisses his daughter on the head before she walk down the street and over to the Courthouse.
Amelia walks into the Courthouse and marches into the Judge Longworth's office. The judge was sitting at his desk when Amelia storms in.
He looks up stunned to see Amelia. "Miss Amelia this is a wonderful surprise. What brings you to my office?" asked the Judge in a friendly tone as he gets up. "Cut the crap and tell me why John Carter only got three years in prison when you and I both know that he should've been hanged" demanded Amelia in a no nonsense tone.
"There wasn't enough evidence to prove that he had killed the girls and there wasn't really any strong evidence to prove that he raped you" stated the judge firmly.
"NOT ENOUGH EVIDENCE! ARE YOU KIDDING ME? That son of a bitch admitted to me that he killed those girls and he did rape me" yelled Amelia.
"I didn't say that he didn't I just said that there isn't any proof" said the Judge.
Amelia looks at the Judge and notices his nervous demeanor and makes a shocking realization.
"John Carter threaten you just before he went on trial didn't he?" accused Amelia.
The judge nods embarrassed. "He threatened me so I gave him a lighter sentence" said the Judge.
Amelia was shock and storms out of the office. She was determined to find out how Carter threatened the judge and to find out if he was behind the accident that almost killed her and her brother.