After the Long Branch had closed and the children were asleep upstairs, Newly looked over the papers and sighed.

"I don't see anything in here that would stop him from taking you both to court," he said passing the papers back.

"What about Judge Brooker," Kitty said as Sam filled her cup with coffee. "Is he the one who's going to oversee the case."

"I don't know," Newly said thoughtfully, "This Strom fella knows the law, he could ask Judge Brooker to recuse himself."

"Would Judge Brooker do that," Matt asked looking at Newly.

"If he believes he couldn't rule impartially," Newly replied with a nod. "Then he wouldn't have no recourse but to comply with Strom's request."

"Wal, I just can't believe that Judge Strom," Festus said angrily as Abelia squeezed his hand. "After all these years, he still thinks he can get us back."

Kitty played with her cup a moment in thought and then said the first thing that came to her mind without really meaning to. "What if we just tell him what he wants to hear," she said softly looking at Festus. "Maybe he'll leave us alone then."

"What are you talking about," Doc said as Matt sat up straighter.

"Kitty," Matt said looking at the red headed woman. "You know what he accused you of all those years ago, are you really prepared to tell him he was right!"

"If that's what it takes, Matt," Kitty said angrily. "He could ruin me, don't you know how hard I've worked for this business, how much it's worth!"

"Well, it's certainly not worth that," Matt replied harshly.

"Maybe not to you," Kitty said quickly. "But it is to me, this is all I have. I don't have a home or land and what about Festus and Abelia, they have children to think about! If Strom wins where will they end up?"

"Miss Kitty," Festus said gently. "Ya can't, now. Just wait, it ain't ta gonna have ta come ta that."

"It's a way out maybe," Kitty said nervously. "It's all he wanted to hear all those years ago in that root cellar..."

"He would just hung you sooner if you would have told him that," Doc said harshly. "That man has no morals!"

"Ol Doc's right," Festus said evenly. "No matter what, we got ta just trust in the law."

"I can send a few wires tomorrow," Newly said with a nod. "I'll try to get some advice about these types of cases."

"Thank you, Newly," Kitty said with a smile. "Festus and I both know you'll do your absolute best to represent our interests."

"What do we need to do next, Pa?" Cal asked once Strom and his men arrived back at their camp.

"Next," the Judge said softly. "We visit the bank. I want to see who holds the loans on that Saloon and that deputy's house and land."

"Good idea," Cal said stoking up the fire. "I got the boys keeping an eye on those two, we'll know everything they do, everyone they know and everything they got before the trial starts."

"Good," the Judge said with a smile. "We may not be able to bring your brothers back but we can at least punish those responsible!"

"Festus," Abelia said later that night in their own bed. "Are you going to tell me what happened now all those years ago."

"Aw foot, Bee," Festus said slowly while rolling over. "Ya don't need ta worry bout that crazy ol Judge and what he thinks no how."

"What does he think happened," Abelia pressed.

"He thinks me and Miss Kitty was a in cahoots together ta make his son go up ta her room where we was a gonna rob him and when it didn't work supposedly I kilt the boy," Festus replied curtly. "And that there's the whole story. Now ya know."

Abelia nodded and kissed him before breaking out into a smile. "Your right," she said wrapping an arm around him. "I shouldn't worry about what any old Judge thinks."