No Justice For Jeremy Chapter Seven

"Oh, Jeremy! What have you done?" Joshua was on the verge of tears.

"I'm doing what I have to do, Joshua. I'm saving our oldest brother's life." Jeremy answered.

Jason didn't say anything. His head was tilted back, and his eyes were closed. His breath was coming in snorts.

"I'm going to have to lock up the three of you until we can have a hearing tomorrow to get all of this sorted out. Jason Bolt, Joshua Bolt, you are under arrest as accomplices in the escape of convicted murderer, Jeremy Bolt." Sheriff McGrady told them.

The sheriff put the three brothers in the same cell and locked the door. The sheriff and the deputy left to patrol the town. The key to the cell door was in the sheriff's pants pocket. There was no one in the building other than the Bolts.

There were two sets of bunk beds in the jail cell. The bunk beds were on opposite walls. The bunk beds were made out of wood.

Joshua and Jeremy sat down next to each other on one of the lower bunks. Jason was standing with his back to them facing the other set of bunk beds.

"Jason, we know you are angry, and you have something to say. Just go ahead and say it." Joshua told him.

Jason turned around. He walked toward his brothers. With one swift jerking and heaving motion, Jason tore off the entire top bunk and slung it across the cell.

Joshua and Jeremy jumped. They instinctively leaned back against the wall as far as they could. Joshua put his arm around Jeremy and pulled him close.

Jason towered over Jeremy. He spoke in a low deep angry growl. "Jeremy, if you were so hellbent on turning yourself in, why did we go to the trouble of escaping? You could have just stayed in jail in Seattle."

"J-J-Jason, I c-c-can…"

"Shut up! You will speak when I tell you that you can speak!" Jason growled through tightly clenched teeth.

"As I was saying, if you were just going to turn yourself in, we could have stayed in Seattle. You could have been hanged there." Jason was still talking in the low deep angry growl as he towered over his baby brother.

"Here's an idea. If you can't wait until tomorrow afternoon to be executed, Joshua and I can go out and build your gallows this afternoon. Then we can walk you up the steps. We can put the bag over your head. Or do you want to watch the whole grisly thing?" growled Jason.

Jeremy panted for breath. His heart was pounding. He was in a

cold sweat. In spite of this, he maintained eye contact with his infuriated brother.

Joshua tightened his hold on Jeremy. "Back off, Jason! You're scaring him."

"I'm not finished yet! As I was saying, we can put a bag over your head, or you can watch. Then I'm going to do this myself. I'm going to put the noose around that tender little neck of yours and I'm going to tighten it as tight as I can. Next, Joshua will cut the rope. He and I will watch you drop through the floor of the gallows. Then we will stand there and wait fifteen or twenty minutes for you to die. If that's what you want, baby brother, that's what we will do!" Jason growled in Jeremy's face.

Jeremy was still panting for breath. His heart continued to pound. He was drenched in cold sweat. Jason was glaring right in his face.

"I love you, Jason. I'm sorry I terrified you so badly." Jeremy placed his hand on his brother's shoulder.

The anger in Jason's eyes melted. He turned and walked to the other set of bunk beds. Jason put his head down on his folded arms on the top bunk. After a few moments, Jason raised his head. He turned around.

As Jason walked back toward his brothers, he said, "Great God in Heaven! Joshua! Joshua! I just described myself murdering our brother by hanging. What is our brother's response? He says he loves me, and he apologizes for terrifying me. I don't deserve him, Joshua. I don't deserve him!"

"I don't deserve him either, Jason. But we are blessed that he is our brother and that he loves us so much. That's the reason he surrendered today." Joshua told Jason.

"Yes, I know Joshua. I imagine that my terror caused me to forget. But there is no excuse for what I said." Jason was standing in front of Jeremy.

Jason fell to his knees sobbing. "Forgive me, Jeremy. Please! I'm so sorry! I was wrong to say that to you! I'm so ashamed. I love you, Jeremy. Please say that you forgive me!" Jason put his head in Jeremy's lap and cried his heart out.

Jeremy stroked Jason's hair. "I forgive you, Jason. I know you didn't mean it. I love you, Jason!" Jeremy buried his face in Jason's hair and cried gut-wrenching sobs.

Joshua still had his arm around Jeremy. He looked at his two brothers crying. Suddenly Joshua's heart was in his throat. He hid his face in Jeremy's hair and cried his eyes out.

When the three brothers had cried it out, they sat up.

"Well, it's been a long time since we did that." Jason stood up and stretched his arms over his head for a few seconds.

"Yeah, it sure has. The last time for you and me, Jason, was when Jeremy tried to blow himself up busting that logjam." Joshua said.

"Jason and I have shed some tears over you too, Josh!" Jeremy exclaimed.

"Yeah? When was that, brother?" Josh asked.

"Well, it was…uh…. Jeremy tried to remember.

"You, see? You can't remember a single time." Joshua grinned.

"I can too! How about the time you stepped on that rusty nail and the doctor thought he was gonna have to take your foot off? Jason and I cried and sat up with you all night. We prayed for you too." Jeremy told him.

"How do I know you're not making that up?" Joshua asked.

"You still have two feet, don't you?" Jeremy smirked.

Joshua hit Jeremy with a pillow. Jeremy hit Joshua back with a pillow.

Jason laughed at his brothers. His brothers threw both pillows at him.

The three brothers laughed and hugged each other.

Jason looked at the bunk bed that he destroyed. "I'll sleep on the busted bunk beds. You can have the beds that are intact."

"Okay. Thanks, Jason." Joshua said.

Jeremy and Joshua helped Jason move the pieces of the broken bunk to the corner of the cell.

Sheriff McGrady and Deputy Roberts returned with supper for the Bolts.

"We have an arrangement with Peggy's Palace here in town to get meals for the prisoners." Sheriff McGrady said. "The food is good. Nearly everyone in town eats there."

The deputy gave the brothers their plates. The Bolts were hungry. They devoured their food. It was very good.

Later when Sheriff McGrady got their plates to return them to the restaurant, he noticed the busted bunk bed. He didn't say anything. Jason didn't offer an explanation.

Later that night, after the three brothers had gone to bed, Jeremy was lying awake. "Jason?"

"Yes, Jeremy?" Jason asked.

"Do you think they will hang me tomorrow?" Jeremy asked.

"Now, Jeremy….I was angry when I said that. I didn't mean that it would actually happen tomorrow." Jason answered sadly.

"I know that, Jason. But, all that's left to do before my hanging is for a judge to schedule the date. What's to stop the judge tomorrow from saying go ahead and do it today?" Jeremy worried.

"It won't be tomorrow, or ever, Jeremy. Try not to worry." Jason had tears in his eyes.

"Don't worry, brother. Everything will work out." Joshua murmured as he went to sleep.

Jeremy worried the rest of the night.

The next morning, Sheriff McGrady was almost ready to transport the Bolt brothers to the courthouse. A young woman walked into the sheriff's office.

"May I help you, ma'am?" Sheriff McGrady asked.

"Yes, I need to speak to the sheriff, please. It's very important." She replied.

"I'm Sheriff McGrady. What would you like to talk about, ma'am?" He asked.

"My name is Juniper Johnston. I know who killed Constance Merriweather. It wasn't Tommy Winthrop." She answered.

The Bolt brothers were surprised. They listened carefully to Ms. Johnston.

"Was it a man by the last name of Bolt?" The sheriff asked.

"No." Ms. Johnston replied. "It was Wesley Tate."

"Please sit down, Ms. Johnston and tell me how you became aware of this information." The sheriff told her.

Ms. Johnston sat down at the table in the sheriff's office. McGrady sat across the table from her.

"I know Wesley killed her because he told me he did it. I would have told someone sooner, but he threatened to kill me too if I said anything." Juniper explained.

"When did Mr. Tate tell you this, Ms. Johnston?" The sheriff inquired.

"He told me the night he did it. That was two nights ago. I'm on the wagon train. The same wagon train that Mr. Winthrop and his brothers and their wives are on." Juniper nodded to the three brothers in the cell.

The Bolts nodded at Ms. Johnston. Sheriff McGrady looked at the brothers with a relieved expression on his face.

"Please tell me what happened, Ms. Johnston." McGrady said.

"Would it be alright if I start at the very beginning?" She inquired.

"Yes, that's fine." The Sheriff replied.

"I lived in Sweet Home. Constance lived there too. We didn't know each other then. We met on the wagon train. I met Wesley Tate at church."

Juniper laughed. "I mean all of us are sinners, but you never expect to meet a gunslinger at church. Wesley didn't tell me right off that he was a gunslinger. At first, he said he was a farmer. He seemed very nice and he was so handsome. I fell in love fast."

Juniper paused for a minute. She sighed and looked out the window.

"Ms. Johnston, would you like a cup of coffee?" asked the sheriff.

"No, thank you. After Wesley and I had been seeing each other about a month, I got up my nerve to tell him that I loved him. I had every reason to believe that he loved me too. One night, I invited him to supper. After we ate, we were sitting on the sofa. I told Wesley that I loved him. Do you know what he did? He laughed a mean laugh. I asked him how he could laugh at me. Didn't it matter to him that I loved him. He laughed harder and said every girl he met fell in love with him." Juniper looked sad.

Juniper took a handkerchief out of her purse. She wiped her eyes.

Juniper continued talking. "I told Wesley that since it was plain that he didn't love me, I didn't want to see him anymore. He got angry. He said no woman ever dumped him. He said he would say when it was over between us. Wesley slapped me around some. Then he left. After that, every time he came to my house, I had to….uh…..sleep with him." Ms. Johnston blushed.

"I understand that this is difficult to talk about, Ms. Johnston. Do you mind telling me why you are on the wagon train?" Sheriff McGrady asked.

"I got on the wagon train to get away from Wesley. I got tired of being mistreated. My mama used to tell me to never put up with a man being mean to me. I didn't think Wesley would follow the wagon train. But, he did. That's when he met Constance. She came to see me not long after she started seeing Wesley. He had told her about me except he made it sound like we had just met too. Constance warned me that he was mean. I told her that I didn't want anything to do with him anymore. Constance said she would try to get Wesley to leave me alone. I thanked her for helping me. I told her that she needed to get away from Wesley too. Constance said she was experienced with men and she could handle him. That was the only time I talked to her. A few nights later, Wesley came to my wagon about three in the morning. He bragged about killing Constance." Juniper had tears in her eyes.

"Juniper, did Tate tell you why he killed Ms. Merriweather?" McGrady queried.

"Yes, he said he killed her because she was expecting his baby. He also said she was cheating on him with another man. He found Mr. Winthrop's knife. Wesley bragged about using the sorry bum's knife to kill Constance. He said maybe the child was Mr. Winthrop's and not his. He said he was glad the brat would never be born whoever it belonged too." Juniper answered.

"That son of a…." Jason caught himself. Joshua and Jeremy patted their oldest brother on his back.

"Juniper, I talked to a lady on the wagon train who said Ms. Merriweather was afraid to tell Tate she was expecting." The sheriff said.

"Wesley said she told him that didn't say why she told him. I should have come forward sooner, but I was scared. I'm still scared, but last night I heard the Winthrop ladies talking to Sister Pauline about how worried they were about their husbands and Mr. Tommy. So, I knew I had to come talk to you, Sheriff." Juniper told him.

"I am very grateful that you decided to tell me, Juniper. I know the Winthrop brothers are grateful as well. There's a café just down the street. Why don't you go get a cold drink? I have some papers to complete with the Winthrops. After that, they and Deputy Roberts will accompany you back to the wagon train. Deputy Roberts will stay with the wagon train until Tate shows up. My deputy will arrest the varmint and he won't hurt decent people ever again." Sheriff McGrady smiled.

Juniper was happy. "Thank you, Sheriff McGrady. Thank you too, Mr. Winthrop and your brothers. I'll be waiting for you at the café."

"Thank you, Ms. Johnston. We are deeply grateful." Jason replied.

"Yes, we are!" Joshua and Jeremy said in unison.

Juniper smiled at the Bolts. She left the sheriff's office.

Sheriff McGrady unlocked the jail cell. "All of you can come out now."

The three brothers walked out of the cell.

"Sheriff, this takes care of the case regarding the murder of Constance. But, what about Jeremy telling you he is wanted for the murder of Walter Phelps? It's true that my brother is wanted. But, Sheriff, he was falsely convicted. Jeremy is innocent." Jason explained.

"Yes, Mr. Bolt. I know that Jeremy is innocent." McGrady replied.

Jason turned his head slightly to the right. He squinted a bit at McGrady. "How do you know that?"

The sheriff frowned. "I am a close friend of Aaron Stempel. We knew each other when he lived in Arizona. I helped him get through a lot of gut wrenching days when he was grieving for Ellen. When I realized that you and your brothers are from Seattle, I sent a wire to Aaron. He answered immediately telling me that Jeremy is innocent. Aaron explained what happened."

"So, this means that I can go?" Jeremy asked.

"Yes, it does. Let me caution you not to surrender again, Jeremy. The next sheriff might not be a friend of Aaron's." Sheriff McGrady said somberly.

"Don't worry, sir. I have learned my lesson." Jeremy replied. "Thank you for contacting Aaron about us."

"Yes, thank you, Sheriff." Joshua told him.

"Thank you, Sheriff McGrady." Jason shook his hand.

"You all are welcome." McGrady replied. "Joshua, try to keep those brothers in line!"

"Yes, sir! I'll do my best!" Joshua said as he and his brothers went out the door.

The Bolt brothers went down the street to the café. Juniper was ready to leave. By the time they got back to the sheriff's office, Deputy Roberts was waiting on them. The deputy told them the sheriff had gone to talk to the Judge to cancel the hearing.

The group returned to the wagon train. Candy and Biddie were relieved to see their husbands and their brother-in-law. Candy was so happy to have Jeremy back that she did not get angry because he had turned himself in. Jason introduced Juniper to Biddie and Candy and the Carpenters. He explained how Juniper had saved them. Jason told them about the sheriff being a friend of Aaron's.

It was agreed that Juniper would stay with Sister Pauline in her wagon at night. Brother Len said that Juniper's wagon could be between his and Sister Pauline's wagons when the wagon train was moving.

"That's a kind offer, Brother Len. But, don't you think it would be safer if Deputy Roberts drove the wagon from farther back in the line?" Jason asked.

"Oh, Tommy, we will be fine. If Deputy Roberts needs any help with Tate, I'm a pistol packing preacher." Brother Len said in his deep baritone voice.

"It's the truth!" Sister Pauline exclaimed.

Everyone chuckled.

The wagon train moved on. Deputy Roberts had been instructed to stay with the wagon train until Tate was captured or killed.

The next few weeks were routine except for being on the lookout for Wesley Tate. The wagon train progressed to Idaho Territory.

Jeremy developed a cough. Candy was concerned and she kept a close eye on him. She tried to make sure that he got enough rest and ate regular meals. Jeremy had problems sleeping because of his worry about being caught. His appetite was dwindling due to the cough.

About a week after his cough began, Jeremy started feeling achy and tired. Candy told him it was because he was not eating and sleeping properly.

"Donnie, I made some rabbit stew and dumplings. Will you try to eat some, please?" Candy asked.

"I'll try, Kelly. I just don't care about eating right now." Jeremy answered. "Thank you for making it for me. Where did you get the rabbit?"

"From Meg. Alex is teaching her to hunt. She killed a few rabbits yesterday and she wanted us to have some." Candy answered.

"That's kind of her. But, I just can't imagine Meg going hunting." Jeremy laughed.

Jeremy's laughing turned to a bad coughing spell. When the coughing subsided a little, Candy gave him some hot tea. He drank most of it.

Candy persuaded Jeremy to lie down for awhile. He agreed. He went to sleep a few minutes after he got in bed. Candy sat by the bed sewing while Jeremy slept.

About an hour later, Jeremy woke up. A storm was brewing. Lots of the men were hurrying to get the wagons secured and the horses settled before the storm began.

Jeremy sat on the side of the bed putting on his socks and his boots. He had napped in his clothes.

Candy looked at him. "Oh, no, sweetheart! You are not going out now! They have plenty of help. Donnie! You are sick! You don't need to exert yourself or get caught in the rain."

"I'm okay, Kelly. It's just a little cough. I have to do my share of the work. I'll be back before you know it." Jeremy told her.

Candy sighed. "Be careful."

"I will. I love you, sweetheart." Jeremy kissed her cheek.

Jeremy left the wagon. He went to help with the horses.

It began thundering and lightning. One of the horses named Cubbie got spooked and ran. Jeremy helped search for the scared creature.

It took about thirty minutes to locate Cubbie. He was trapped in a mass of briar bushes. Cubbie was frightened and frustrated.

Brother Len was with Jeremy and the other men when they found Cubbie. It was starting to rain.

Brother Len tried to approach Cubbie. Cubbie tried to rear. Brother Len backed away. The way that Cubbie was trapped could cause him severe injury from the briars if he tried to rear again.

"Hey, Donnie. I have an idea. Why don't you and I sing to Cubbie while we cut him out of this briar bush?" Brother Len asked.

"Okay. That's a good idea. How did you know I sing?" Jeremy asked.

"Tommy and I were talking one day. We started talking about singing in church. Tommy said you and Alex are excellent singers, but he can't sing a note." Len told him.

"Our parents could sing too. I think Tommy feels left out of that part of our life. He always called himself an enthusiastic listener." Jeremy said.

Brother Len and Jeremy agreed on There is a Fountain, Sister Pauline's favorite hymn.

Jeremy and Brother Len began singing as they each took out their pocketknives and approached Cubbie. They continued to sing until they got all the briar branches cut away from Cubbie.

This is what they sang. Each of their beautiful voices soaring up to Heaven.

There is a fountain filled with blood,

Drawn from Immanuel's veins,

And sinners plunged beneath that flood

Lose all their guilty stains:

Lose all their guilty stains,

Lose all their guilty stains;

And sinners plunged beneath that flood

Lose all their guilty stains.

E'er since by faith I saw the stream

Thy flowing wounds supply,

Redeeming love has been my theme,

And shall be till I die:

And shall be till I die,

And shall be till I die;

Redeeming love has been my theme,

And shall be till I die..

"Good job, Donnie! We got Cubbie free! And your brother was right about your singing. You have a great voice!" Brother Len complimented.

"Thank you, Brother Len! You have a wonderful voice too!" Jeremy told him. "I think we are going to get soaked!"

It was pouring rain along with thunder and lightning.

Jeremy and Brother Len along with the other men hurried Cubbie back to the wagon train.

Jeremy went quickly to his wagon to dry off and change clothes.

"Oh, Donnie! I know you want to help everyone, and I love that about you, but sometimes you have to think about yourself." Candy exclaimed.

"I'm just a little wet, Kelly. I'll be okay. I couldn't let Cubbie stay trapped in those briars." Jeremy said.

Jeremy grinned and put his arms around her. "I love you, Candy." He whispered very softly.

"I love you, Jeremy." Candy whispered softly too.

They hugged each other tightly.

It kept storming all evening.

At about 2am, Jeremy cried out, "Candy! Candy! I'm sick. Please help me!"

Candy woke up immediately. She felt Jeremy's forehead. He was burning up with fever.

Jeremy had violent coughing fit. He coughed into his handkerchief. When the coughing spell finally stopped for a minute. Jeremy showed Candy his handkerchief. He had coughed up some blood.

"Oh, Jeremy! I've been worried that you might have Pneumonia. Now, there is no doubt." Candy was frightened.

Jeremy began gasping for breath. "Get Jason and Josh!"

"I will, Jeremy! You're going to be alright! I'll get Sister Pauline and Brother Len too! I will hurry, sweetheart!" Candy said frantically.

Candy ran out of the wagon. Fortunately, she remembered to use their aliases outside the wagon. In their panic, she and Jeremy had used their real names.

"Tommy! Tommy! Alex! Alex! Donnie is sick! He needs you!" Candy ran shouting.

Jason and Joshua came running to Candy. "What's wrong with Donnie?" Jason asked.

"He has Pneumonia. He's on fire with fever, coughing up blood, and gasping for breath." Candy answered. "Please get some cold water from the river. We have to get that fever down."

"We are on the way to get the water now, Kelly." Joshua told her. "Meg is looking through her medications to get some salve that will help Donnie."

"Thank you, Alex." Candy said.

Candy ran to Sister Pauline's wagon.

"Come on in sugar! I heard you yelling. I'm getting my medical supplies together. Run next door and tell Brother Len that your sweet husband is sick." Sister Pauline said.

"Thank you, Sister Pauline." Candy replied.

Candy ran to Brother Len's wagon. "Donnie is awfully sick with Pneumonia, Brother Len. I'm so frightened!" Candy cried.

Brother Len put his arm around her. "He will be alright. We are going to doctor him. Then we are going to pray and ask The Great Physician to make that young man well again. You know what's going to happen, don't you?"

"Donnie is going to get well." Candy told him.

"That's exactly right. Let's go to your wagon. Juniper will help Sister Pauline bring her medical kit." Brother Len said.

Candy and Brother Len went back to her wagon. Jason and Joshua got there at the same time as they did. Jason went inside the wagon first.

"Candy! Jeremy is gone!" Jason shouted.

"Oh, Dear God! Jeremy died!?" Candy screamed.

Jason stepped out of the wagon.

"No, Candy! Jeremy isn't dead. He is not in the wagon. Where would he go? Since he is so sick, how did he go?" Jason wondered.

Candy burst into tears. Joshua put his arms around her. Brother Len said a silent prayer for Jeremy.

.