"The law is the law."
"Mining's not everyone's choice of hobbies, it just happens to be mine."
Mature Content: Not Sure Just Yet. Language perhaps.
With: Speed, Billy, Case, Pike
Time of Day: Morning and on.
It was nearly six in the morning as Marshal Guyer made his way to the office, not his office, the Marshal's Office. There was a situation that needed correcting as well as some plans the he needed to make.
Having Case Steelgrave behind bars might be cause for problems he really didn't need, but might have to face since word would eventually get to the Evergreen Ranch of his incarceration. And, word would surely get out that Marshal Speed Guyer was holding him for trial, a decision he had made before he went to a troubled sleep the night before.
He opened the office and taking the keys he walked into the cell block, "Billy, get up!" The key was close to the lock, but not yet in it. The other cells were were stirring. Case was alone, the robbers were together and Billy was in with Greer. "Come on son, ain't got all day, less you like it here."
Storyteller / Shared NPC
Billy didn't need a second shout, he was more than ready to get out of that cell. He hastily pulled his boots on then stood waiting for the man to open the door for him. It looked like he was getting released. Well unless, they were going to do something else to him? Like question him or rough him up? No, they wouldn't do that. He had not actually done anything but stand there in the street and watch Greer make an idiot of himself. And now once inside the jail cell, he had behaved himself too. Been quiet and respectful, the model prisoner one might say.
"Yes sir, I'm ready. So are you releasin' me then?" he asked hopefully.
"The law is the law."
"Mining's not everyone's choice of hobbies, it just happens to be mine."
He looked at the young man. "Follow me," he said almost quietly, and led Billy to his office. "Have a seat."
Next he went to the stove where the coffee was done and poured himself a cup, "Coffee?" He asked.
"Now, Billy, you spent a night in custody with some real outlaws. Don't know or care what they might have said to you, but I know this, you can work on the Evergreen and keep your nose clean, or you can partner up with the likes of Greer and end up spending time behind bars. That choice is up to you. Where you go, what you do, what you say, it's up to you."
"You're free to go. You can head on up to the Lickskillet and have a meal on the city or not, as you choose." Speed said.
Storyteller / Shared NPC
"Yessir, I'm followin', " Billy nodded and did as he was instructed whereupon he was told to sit down in this man's office. So of course he complied.
The lawman poured himself some coffee and offered him some too.
"No thank ya," Billy remembered to be polite about it. He needed to be on his best behavior.
"Now, Billy, you spent a night in custody with some real outlaws. Don't know or care what they might have said to you, but I know this, you can work on the Evergreen and keep your nose clean, or you can partner up with the likes of Greer and end up spending time behind bars. That choice is up to you. Where you go, what you do, what you say, it's up to you."
Billy had to grin a bit about the part about working at Evergreen and keeping his nose clean. That whole ranch and especially it's owner were a bunch of crooks. Almost every one of those jaspers had done far worse things than he had ever done.
"Actually, marshal, it was the ranch foreman who paired me up with Greer," he just wanted to throw that little tidbit of info out there for the man.
"You're free to go. You can head on up to the Lickskillet and have a meal on the city or not, as you choose." Speed said.
Billy blinked, "Really? I can just up and leave? Ummm, thanks."
Plus a free meal, that joint had good food. Plus it had that Redmond girl working there. Still she could hardly kick him out when he was sent by the marshal and paid for by the law. He stood up then.
"I'll take you up on that then. I might not look like it but I'm always hungry," he declared.
"Oh, do I get my gun and holster back?"
"The law is the law."
"Mining's not everyone's choice of hobbies, it just happens to be mine."
"You do. Wouldn't send a man out without his rig." Speed reached in the lower drawer and pulled out the young man's gun, holster, and, cartridge belt, handing it to him. Wondering if it might not be too late for him already. The outlaw trail is easy to get on, and sometimes impossible to get off of.
"Well, you take care Billy." He said in farewell, there was more he wanted to say, but he felt it would fall on deaf ears. Besides, he needed to lay out charges for those remaining in custody, And Billy's friend Geer was in serious trouble. Threatening a peace officer, would be good because unofficially, Speed had deputized Cantrell.
Now Case Steelgrave was somewhat more serious and he had pulled a gun, granted his own, but it was pulled from Speed's waistband with intent to murder him, or at least cause bodily injury. Marley and Simpson would be held for attempted bank robbery and the murder of John Olson.
He turned to his stack of circulars to see what the two he had were worth as well as the dead ones.
Storyteller / Shared NPC
Billy was happy to get his gun back, a man wasn't a man without one of those. Though granted, he had never shot anybody, he had never even aimed at anyone. But hell, there were snakes and possible Injuns who might attack.
"Thanks," he wrapped the gunbelt around his waist but did not pull out the pistol, he trusted the law didn't empty the cartridges on him.
"Well, you take care Billy."
"I try and you too, marshal. You've been real fair. And...." Billy leaned in closer then lowered the volume of his voice for the next part, "Don't tell Case but if I could vote, I'd vote for you in the election."
And once out the door, Billy headed straight toward the Lickskillet for that free meal.
"The law is the law."
"Mining's not everyone's choice of hobbies, it just happens to be mine."
Having gone through his circulars, he calculated all together there was almost two thousand dollars in rewards for all of them. But Dade Marley would be worth a thousand dollars alone. He would print out telegrams announcing their killing or capture to the various agencies that wanted them and wait for their response.
Refilling his coffee he thought about Billy, young, impressionable, probably easily swayed. He hoped that a night in jail with the dregs of society might wise him up. Just then the door opened.
Cole Latham entered, nattily dressed, and in the office for one reason, Case Steelgrave. "Marshal." He greeted.
Mister Latham, what can I do for you this morning?" Speed responded, as if he didn't know.
"I'm here to negotiate the release of Case Steelgrave." Came the reply.
"Mister Steelgrave is being held for several charges, sir. I'm afraid he's being bound over for trial, so I'll not be negotiating any release. I'm sorry."
"And what are these charges?
"Threatening a peace officer, Assaulting a peace officer, attempting to disarm a peace officer with intent to cause bodily harm, drunk and disorderly, take your pick." Speed informed the attorney. "So he's not going anywhere."
"We'll see about that!" Latham turned on a heel and stormed out the door nearly knocking Pike over as he rushed by him.
Pike came in and shut the door. "What was that all about?"
"Wanted Case released. I'd say he's on his way to Robertson."
"Count on it." Pike replied.
Meanwhile, Cole Latham drove his buggy directly to retired Judge Robertson's home. He left the buggy, dropping the reigns anchor and strode directly to the door knocking heavily. It was barely a quarter past eight in the morning.
We may think we leave the past behind but it has a habit of catching up with us
Retired Judge Ben Robertson, looked over at the clock on the wall of his dining room. Whoever it was, they were disturbing his breakfast. Getting up, he went over to the front door and opened. A look of surprise came on his face when he saw who it was.
"Cole Latham," Ben exclaimed, "What have I done to deserve the pleasure of an early morning visit from you?"
Storyteller / Shared NPC
"Sorry for the intrusion Ben, however, Case Steelgrave was arrested last night said he's being bound over for trial and I need to get him out." Cole stated. "Before this gets back to the Evergreen Ranch and Elias gets wind of it. When are you going to hear the case? With the bank robbers?"
He was flush with anxiety about this, there would be no telling what Elias Steelgrave might do. Of course when Robertson heard the cases for those in custody, unless it was that morning, it might too long for Elias to wait . "I believe I saw Nolan Ashworth high tailing it out of town, so one guess where he's headed."
"The law is the law."
"Mining's not everyone's choice of hobbies, it just happens to be mine."
"I'm gonna cut Greer loose." Speed said suddenly. "Most we could get him on is public drunk, and the part about Quentin being a peace officer wouldn't float with the circuit judge, hell, not even with Robinson."
"'spose yer right about that." Pike said. "No need of him bein' locked up, but you know he'll high tail it for the Evergreen."
"Truth be told they already know, and they're already making plans for us. You let him out, I'll get his rig ad we'll be rid of him. Make Case a bit angrier than he already is."
Pike laughed, took off his guns, as a precaution, then went out the door and down to the cell block. He stepped in looking at the men in the cells. Speed had put Greer and Billy in a separate cell, probably anticipating this.
"Greer, on your feet, you're gettin' out. Marshal's got your gun rig." Pike said.
"Better open this cell door and let me out Pike, or there'll be hell to pay!" Case bellowed.
"Shut up Case, you ain't goin' anywheres, lessin' the circuit judge arrives today." Pike took Greer by the arm to lead him out.
"I'll kill the both of you when I get out of here! You hear e Pike? I'll kill you both for this!"
"Ha, no supper for you. Move Greer." he shove the man and followed him out shutting the door, leading Greer out and then into the office.
Speed handed Greer his outfit, then the cartridges from his gun. "Get out."