Chapter 16 – The Questions Continue

Once again, Bart ate very little. He was afraid to fill his stomach lest it came back to haunt him. They took their time walking back to the sheriff's office and arrived about ten of three to find the judge and Parker already returned. Smithson hurried in at the last minute.

"Alright, let's see, we'd gotten to the point where Marshal Cole had been informed that there was to be no wedding, and he blamed you. Didn't he threaten you?"

"Not directly. He told Jody that I would 'pay for my sins.'"

"He thought you had caused her decision because she thought so much of your 'persuasion.' What did he mean?"

Bart cleared his throat and shifted in his chair but there was no reaction from his attorney. "Travis had seen some very innocent situations and misread them."

"Such as?"

"When Jody was struggling with her decision, one time she burst into tears. I put my arms around her to comfort her until she stopped crying. Travis walked in on us and left without our knowledge that he was there. He didn't know she was crying at the time."

"And what about the night she spent in your hotel room?"

Smithson grabbed Bart's arm. "Could you rephrase the question, your honor?"

The judge looked a little taken aback. "I'm not sure I know how, counselor."

"That's alright, Smithson, I know what he means. Jody had joined me in my suite at the hotel for dinner. We had wine and a very fine steak, too much of both, and Jody lay down on the settee for a nap. She looked so comfortable I didn't have the heart to wake her, so I covered her with a blanket and let her sleep, then went to bed myself. In my own bed, alone. Unfortunately, we both slept all night. As I said, too much steak and too much wine. The next morning she was horrified that she had spent the night on my couch and I took her back to the saloon. Travis saw us leave the hotel and assumed . . ."

"Yes, I understand. What was the marshal's next move? Didn't he assault you?"

"Yes."

"Explain."

"I was gettin' ready to leave Dr. Beckam Dooley's office. Marshal Cole pulled me outside and sucker punched me. He hit me in the jaw and the stomach, and left me lying on the boardwalk."

"And what was the result of that assault?"

"I had a swollen jaw and a large purple bruise."

"Jody urged you to leave town, didn't she?"

"Yes, after she laid into Travis for attacking me when I had nothing to do with the decision to call off the wedding."

"Why didn't you?"

"Because I was afraid Travis would hurt her if I left. He was looking for someone to take his anger out on, and if I wasn't there I was afraid it would be Jody."

"Judge Collins, if I may interrupt. It's getting late in the afternoon, and this next area you're going to get into could take some time. Why don't we stop for the day and resume tomorrow at ten o'clock?"

"I think that's an excellent idea, Counselor. Tomorrow at ten."

The judge wasted no time in leaving, and Smithson hustled Bart and Doralice out of there as fast as he could.

"Thanks, Smithson. I was about exhausted," Bart explained.

"Tomorrow's going to be the day of decision, so be prepared. There's no need to come to my office. I'll meet you at the jail, ten o'clock sharp."

As the attorney walked away, Bart turned to his wife. "Do you want to get something to eat? We could go to the hotel. They've got that soup I like."

"Can we just go home? I'm tired, and Lily Mae promised to make something light for dinner."

"Sure, blue eyes, we can do that. You drive?"

Doralice nodded, and Bart helped her up in the buggy. It was quiet all the way home, and when they pulled up in front of the house, he took the reins from her and said, "Leave it. Lucien promised to come up and put the rig away."

Once they got in the house they found that Lily had made chicken soup for supper, which was perfect for tonight. Bart actually consumed two bowls before retiring to the bedroom, and Doralice spent some time with the younger children. She found her husband in the bedroom, sitting quietly in a chair. "What are you up to?" she asked.

"Thinkin' about what I'm gonna say tomorrow."

"Is it gonna be that bad?"

Bart looked at her with sadness. "I don't know. Maybe. Maybe not." Long silence. "Talkin' about it is not somethin' I look forward to doing."

"Let's just try to get some rest tonight. We'll deal with tomorrow when it gets here."

"Alright." Bart began to undress and decided to walk down the hall first. He ducked his head into the twins bedroom and found both girls sound asleep. He hadn't gotten to spend any significant time with them, and he missed them. He made his way to Maudie's bed and pulled up the covers, then leaned down and kissed her forehead. A few moments later he did the same for Belle. He thought about when they were little tiny babies and Maudie cried all the time . . . it all seemed so long ago. Now they were almost grown. Would he get to see them turn into beautiful young ladies, or would they have to come to maturity with only their mother to guide them? Dear Lord, please let me be here for them.

"Bart?" Doralice called softly from the doorway.

"We made beautiful babies," he whispered as he joined her.

"Yes, we did. They're going to be beautiful young women, too. Come on, papa, time for us to get some sleep."

As she climbed into bed beside him, she lifted up her own prayer. Please let me keep him, Lord. I can't do this alone. Don't take him away from us.