I try to write everyday so that I can post another chapter the next but I won't have much time to write today so in case anyone who's reading checks in, there won't be a chapter New Years' day. Have a wonderful 2015 and hope to see you back as I really am close to the end of this story-promise. Thanks to all of you who read and express your opinions-good or bad. ;-) At least I know someone's out there.
Chapter 33
Hoss watched nervously. He didn't like the idea of Adam fighting Judd when they had the drop on him and could easily take custody but Hoss decided it was better than having Adam just shoot down the man like he would a rabid dog.
"Hoss there isn't going to interfere, is he?" Judd asked. "He's not going to hold me while you beat me, is he?"
"No," Adam said, tossing his hat aside. "Even if I lose, he's not going to do a thing except turn you in to the law all peaceable-like."
"How about this?" Judd asked, smiling. "If I win, I go free." Judd circled Adam and Adam followed, turning to keep Judd in front of him.
"No—no," Adam said grinning. "You're going in for what you did. I'm going to see to it."
"If you're able to open your eyes after I'm through with you. But why? I didn't do anything. The whole idea—everything—takin' your wife, askin' for money—all that was that that Irish bastard's idea, that Darby. I just went along; seemed an easier way to make money that punchin' cattle. It was him who killed your wife—not me. He left her there to bleed to death."
"No, no—you're a liar. I know what happened and I'm going to make you pay for what you did." Adam's voice was calm, deep and controlled—he spoke almost in a sing-song. No anger showed, no fury, none of the hate he felt inside escaped. "You were as much to blame as Darby, if not more so. My wife didn't die. If she had, I'd hang you right here from that tree—not by your neck—that's too quick, but by your feet. And then, while you begged and cried for mercy, I'd gather all the dry wood I could find, pile it up below you and set it on fire. I'd enjoy that, watching you plead with me until you screamed when the fire reached your hands and caught your sleeve, the flames climbing up your body and your hair would flame up like a match-head—oh, how you'd scream before you died. But you're lucky. My wife is recovering but our child, it died; she miscarried it and then you left her to die alone in that God-forsaken cabin. For that, I'm going to beat the all-fired shit out of you. For that, I'm going to make you want to beg for mercy but there won't be any. For that, I'm going to break you—destroy you."
The whole time Adam had talked, Judd's mind ran in circles; he was truly afraid of Adam Cartwright and had always hated him because Adam rode around the Ponderosa on his tall stallion giving orders that Judd had to obey. But now he had the chance to get back at the man, to break those white teeth and crack his skull open—if he could. Judd felt that he should make the first move—attack first, surprise Adam-so he moved in slowly and then quickly swung out with a fist. It landed on Adam's left jaw and he fell backward but was soon on his feet again. Adam's jaw began to swell immediately.
Adam reminded himself to stay calm but his blood was singing with the need for revenge. He stepped in and defending himself with one hand, punched Judd with the other. Judd backed up, shaking his head as he recovered from the blow. Judd moved in again, ready to punch Adam but Adam, moving from foot to foot, caught him first and even Hoss could hear the crack as Adam's fist landed hard on Judd's mouth. Judd backed up, spitting blood and pieces of his front teeth.
Adam opened his hand and shook it loosely; Judd's front teeth had caught his knuckles and torn them and the pain was keen. Adam closed his hand again into a fist and now circled Judd who kept turning to keep his eye on Adam. "C'mon," Adam taunted in his musical voice, "hit me. Hit me again before I do you. C'mon."
Judd flew at Adam and that was what Adam hoped for, His fist slammed again into Judd's face and Hoss saw a stream of blood fly from Judd's nose and hit Adam's shirt-front. Then Judd fell backwards, making a gurgling sound. Adam reached down and jerked Judd up by his shirtfront. He drew back his fist and Judd made an animalistic sound of fear but Adam slammed his fist into the man's face again and while he still had him upright, Adam punched him upward in the solar plexus. He could hear the sudden expulsion of air from Judd's lungs and the man gasp silently like a fish dying on dry land as he tried to suck in air.
Adam pulled Judd closer. Judd's eyes were wide with terror. "That was for my wife and her suffering. That is for the pain you caused her. But for you, it's not over." Adam dropped the man to the ground and Judd landed with a thud, pulling his legs up as he finally was able to catch a breath. Adam stared down at him and then stepped over his writhing body and walked away sucking on his bruised and bleeding knuckles.
"Damn, Adam," Hoss said as he walked closer to Judd. "I thought I was gonna have to shoot you to get you to stop. You don't think he's gonna die before we get him back to Virginia City, do you?"
"There was a doctor at Cooperville. We can take him there and once he's patched up, turn him over to the sheriff. But he's going the whole way to Cooperville tied over the saddle of his horse like a sack of shit." Adam looked at his split knuckles, flexing them. "I could use a doc myself." He reached into his back pocket and pulled out a bandana. He wrapped it around his knuckles. "Tie this, would you?" he said to Hoss and he did, bringing up one tip from the first wrap and tying it to the last tip on the outside.
"I don't think he's any too hungry, Hoss," Adam said, motioning to Judd. "Want to split those beans and bacon?"
"I am hungry, Adam—no denying that. Let's eat. Shame to let them molasses beans go to waste."
After Adam and Hoss ate, they spread out their bedrolls to sleep for a few hours. Now that Judd was theirs and his hands tied together with his own neckerchief and sitting against a tree, Adam felt the heaviness of fatigue weigh on him.
"I'll fix up his bedroll," Hoss said, beginning to spread out the blankets he had found in the camp.
"Tie his ankles—like he did to Sylvia. He'll still be able to move, slither like the snake he is, but he won't get far if he decides to escape me." So Hoss retrieved the rope from his saddle and hog-tied the man and then lifted him and placed him on his blanket, throwing the other one over him.
Judd mumbled as best he could, that he had to void.
"Adam, he's gotta take a leak?"
"Well, unless you want to lift him up and hold it for him, let him wet himself. I don't really care."
Hoss sighed and shrugged down at Judd. "You heard older brother." Judd moaned and Hoss went to his place by the fire and bedded down for the night.
It was early morning, the sun just kissing the sky when Adam bolted awake. He quickly looked to Judd and saw the man was still there. He reached out and pushed Hoss' arm. "Wake up, Hoss. We've got to be going. Check and see if he's dead yet and if he's not, give him some water and then throw 'im over his saddle."
"Adam, ain't that goin' a little far? He ain't in such good shape."
"No, it's not going far enough." Adam said as he stood up and began to roll his blankets. "Too far would be if I cut off his privates, fry 'em in the left-over bacon grease, and made him eat them for breakfast."
Hoss just shook his head and Judd looked up at him with fear. Judd's nose was broken and his breathing was harsh. His front teeth were shattered and his gums had bled; the dried brown blood was mixed with his three-day's stubble on his swollen jaw. "Boy, you're one ugly mess. You never should've messed with a Cartwright, 'specially Adam." And Hoss went to saddle the horses.
Sylvia was sitting on the porch reading when Roy Coffee rode up. It was the third day after Adam and Hoss had left and no matter what she did, worry ate at the back of her mind. She smiled as Roy, smiling in return, dismounted.
"Glad to see you're up and about, Mrs. Cartwright," Roy said as he approached the house.
"Well, I am up but not about. Dr. Martin said I could sit outside and get some fresh air but that I still had to keep from exerting myself. Staying in that room was giving me cabin fever." She smiled but she found herself ready to cry with Roy giving her a sympathetic ear.
"Well, you're looking lovely—as lovely as this morning is. Is Ben to home?"
"Yes. He's getting ready to go out to the mill—something about fulfilling a contract—but have you heard from Adam or Hoss?"
"Not from them but…" The front door opened and Ben walked out.
"Roy! Good to see you. I thought I heard someone talking out here."
Sylvia could tell from Ben's forced smile that he was expecting bad news as the reason for Roy's visit.
"Mornin'. I was just telling Mrs. Cartwright here that I got a wire from the sheriff of Cooperville. He has Judd in his jail and asked me to come fetch him—with a wagon. Said that Judd wasn't in any shape to ride."
"Not in shape to ride? What…"
"He didn't elaborate. But he did say that he was brought in by two men who told him that Judd was a wanted man in Virginia City but I had already sent a wire the other day so the sheriff knew. But I need a deputy to go with me to bring back Judd—and a wagon. I have to leave Clem here to run the store but with Judd in the bed of a wagon and my back to him, I'll need a deputy. I was thinkin' of Joe. Is he here?"
"No, he's out on the property but I can go with you. Be glad to."
Roy shook his head. "No offense, Ben, but I'd rather have Joe. I think I need a young man."
Ben raised himself up to his tallest. "I can do a better job that any man half my age. And you're even older than I am."
Roy stroked his chin, looked to Sylvia and winked. "Okay, Ben—I'll take you and your rifle along. Now if you'll hitch up a buckboard and meet me at my office, we can head out. And maybe you can talk Hop Sing into packing us some food?"
"I'll be there in less than two hours—with food. We have some left-over fried chicken since Hoss wasn't home."
"I'll be waiting." Ben tipped his hat to Sylvia. "Ma'am." He then untied his horse, mounted and before he rode away, grinned at Ben. "See you in two hours." He rode away and Ben stood with his hands in his pockets. He turned to his daughter-in-law.
"Why do I have a feeling that that old fox manipulated me into going along with him?"
Sylvia laughed—the first time she had laughed in days and it raised part of the shadow over her. "Because you have been! You're like Adam—actually all men. I'll tell you a secret, Mr. Cartwright, one that all women know and that Roy obviously does as well: appeal to a man's vanity and he'll do whatever is asked of him—and more."
Ben laughed. "I suppose you're right." Ben turned to go into the house but Sylvia stopped him.
"They were Adam and Hoss, weren't they? I mean the men who took Judd to the sheriff. They were Adam and Hoss, don't you think?"
Ben looked at Sylvia's face, so careworn for one so young and yet so full of hope. "Yes, I'm sure the two men are Adam and Hoss. I would imagine they're on their way home as we speak." Ben started to leave but then paused. "I'll send a wire when we make Cooperville. Adam and Hoss should be home by then. If they're not, wire me back—I'll wait a few hours whether Roy likes it or not. If they're not home, let me know and we'll look for them." He put out his hand and patted Sylvia's shoulder. "Don't worry so much. They'll be fine. As many times as I've paced the floor, sat up and prayed, as many times as I've suffered the torments that plague all parents, God has always sent my children home. They'll be here." He smiled again and went into the house to prepare for the trip to Cooperville.