"The law is the law."
"Mining's not everyone's choice of hobbies, it just happens to be mine."
Mature Content: Nope
With: Speed and Pronto
Time of Day: Mid-Morning over coffee
It was going to be another hot one out there, both men were aware of that, but there was another weight in the air. Pronto had felt it over the last month. It was nothing between the two men, there was a bond that was it a problem between them, it would be out in the open.
"Somethin' here ain't right, Speed. Like ya got a dark cloud over ya." Pronto spoke softly as they sat at their desks, drinking coffee. "Reckon it's somethin, rather than nothin'."
Speed smiled and turned his chair to face his deputy. "Haven't been right since the trials. The verdict on Case just didn't set right with me." He confessed. "And after getting cornered by Alice the other day at the Lickskillet, I don't know, Pronto. I just thought it would be different, not with her, with the verdict."
"I know what you mean, pard. Didn't seem fair ta me either. I mean, the man was gonna shoot you, that was his intent, t'was clear as creek water!"
That damned Goodnight made it look like I was gonna shoot Case, not the other way around." He shook his head. "I'm just not sure what could happening the future. I mean, not every outlaw, or trouble maker is going to have the resources of Elias Steelgrave. Now I believe that Dutton did as good of a job as was possible. The witnesses he had were the ones right there, but they just weren't enough against the ones Goodnight came up with."
Yeah, sayin' the evidence didn't support the charge, that was jest the impact of ol' man Steelgrave, an' now we got us an angry Case Steelgrave out there up to no good, to be sure." Pronto leaned back. "Well, the county'll pay for this, that's a fact. Folks i'll be short cattle, nesters'll get burt out, cuz you know his crowd's still out there!"
"Yes, I know. And for the time being, we got no County Sheriff. That means anything outside of town is fair game, with an unfair actor who wanted to be the law."
"Well, you should win in a walk." Pronto said confidently.
"Nope. Not gonna run." Speed replied firmly. "Let someone else take that on. I figure I've done my time as the law here in town, believe the Marshal's job needs new blood. Fact is, you'd be the perfect choice."
"In a pig's eye!" Pronto blurted out. "If anybody's done their time behind a badge it's me, an I want nothin' ta do with your job! Simple as that." Then he paused, "You ain't steppin' down afore the election are ya?"
"Not sure just yet. I wouldn't want to leave the town without law, that wouldn't be right."
"Lemme ask, this ain't on account of Alice Fletcher, now is it?" Came the inevitable question. Speed laughed at the thought of it.
"Well now, yes she has a hold on me, but that don't mean I'm making decisions like this on account of her. Just not who I am. I am partial to he, I'll admit that, but as far as any woman making my decisions for me, that's not about to happen. Not even for Alice Fletcher."
"The law is the law."
"Mining's not everyone's choice of hobbies, it just happens to be mine."
"The mining and resources business is going well, maybe it's time I took far more of an interest in that. Fact is, there generally ain't no shooting, at least not in the office. Ada Fetterman just wouldn't have that, not at all. The other part is getting out seeing what the boys are finding. There a lure to that. Been polishing this chair a while now." He smiled wide. "Guess I just don't take to losing."
"You didn't lose, Dutton didn't lose either, t'was the court, it lost. Paid liars turned the trial to Case's benefit." Pronto exclaimed. "Hell not a one'a them witnesses saw a damned thing they swore to! Not one! So ain't no way you lost that trial. No way!"
"Hardly matters though, it's over, he's free and I figure he's got grudge to settle with me. Well, if he ever turns up again, which I figure he will, sooner or later, guess I'll have to face him."
"Maybe so, maybe so. Then again, maybe not. Near as I can figure he cleared out of the country. Means he's someone else's problem now." Pike reported. "Man could be anywhere, but I'm figurin' he'd be where there' action a plenty. Someplace where the laws loose, not like the bigger cities an' town with a large force keepin' the peace. Nope, Case is out there where he can make easy money, hell, he could be the law wherever he's at."
"That seems reasonable. Be just the thing he'd be doing." Speed agreed. "Well, good riddance, I say. Flathead County's better off with him gone, that's for sure!" He laughed, "Probably meet his end wherever he went, a lot tougher places than Kalispell to try and sling one's weight around. No matter how many men he has."
"Damn sure hope so." Pike said.
"The law is the law."
"Mining's not everyone's choice of hobbies, it just happens to be mine."
Speed was under no illusion that a man like case Steelgrave would just up and forget him. Hardly. But he couldn't let that thought, or rather, that knowledge run his life. He had some things he wanted to do with it yet. Alice for one, the mining operation for another. Not the sort of things Case Steelgrave would be thinking about.
Case was certainly a consideration, no doubt about that. He could always move the operation further west, which had been the original plan before he set out from New York. The truth be told, he liked Kalispell, like what he had started here, liked the people for the most part, yet he could always pull up stakes and head west. Northern California, Oregon, and Washington held a lot of timber rights. And minerals? No on knew for sure, or so he thought. Probably some gold or silver. Worth sending someone to investigate.
"So, if I step down, you're not stepping up, then." He said
"Nope. I signed on with ya, cuz I liked who you wuz, who you are, what you stood for. It was a we deal as I saw it. With one of us gone, that makes it an I deal. Not my cuppa tea." Pronto said. "An' before you go askin', got me a wife an' a ranch. Be headin' out on our huneymoon right shortly. So twixt the two, I'll be plumb busy enough."
Speed laughed. "I reckon you will."
"The law is the law."
"Mining's not everyone's choice of hobbies, it just happens to be mine."
You know Pronto, the town will need law and order..."
"Don't be handin' me that, not with you turnin' down both jobs. Hell's bells Speed. How can you just toss in the badge and walk away?" Pike asked.
Haven't done it yet, but, I'm thinkin' on it. Listen, things are pretty quiet here anymore, hardly even have a fight in the saloon. With Case and his crowd gone to wherever, well, things are quiet, maybe too quiet. And besides, after i took a beating in court, I get the feeling maybe there are those that would rather someone else was Town Marshal." He said. "It was a fair trial, seems that they had the better lawyer on their side, not begrudging the job Dutton did, Christ it was all but open and shut, except it wasn't."
"Could be, could be. Maybe there's folks agin us. Want us outta their hair, 'er jest want new blood. I can understand that. It's their town. Ain't sure they got anybody that'd wanna get shot at to take either of are places, but I can buy a need for change." Then he added, "Not sure how much time I'll be havin' with Em an' the ranch."
"Well Pronto, won't be our problem."
"Nope, well I'm on the way to the Lickskillet, I'll take a turn around town on my way." Speed nodded at him as he went out the door.