Scrappy was no nearer to disarming the incensed and preternaturally strong young woman than before and as he struggled with her, the best he could do was to point her gun-hand safely into the air. And quite frankly, listening to the intended victim of the attack protesting his innocence and Mayor Wentworth's calm advice to Jemima behind him wasn't much help!
He, held out his hand and said sternly, "Miss Wigfall, may I take a look at your gun? If you're going to persist in trying to kill Mister Steelgrave then the least I can do is make sure that the gun's aim is true because if you miss, you won't get a second chance."
"You... ow... might as well tell a herd of cattle to stop stampeding mister. Just grab it off her will ya! I can't... ooof... hold her much longer!!" bawled Scrappy over the imprecations of the girl to let her go so she could 'finish the rattlesnake off!'
There was no sign of Hector, who still was hidden inside awaiting the turn of events. However, another couple of characters arrived on the scene: the big stray dog around town, Old Smokey, who barked at the situation and then waited with his intelligent eyes on Steelgrave, as if he knew he might be called up to protect the girl, who sometimes threw him scraps, if the big man drew his gun on her. There was also local saddler, leatherworker and all round idiot, Jimmy Miller, who joined in with Scrappy in disarming the girl, upon which, Scrappy quickly unhooked his lariat and roped and tied poor Jemima like a muley calf while the creep Miller handed the gun to Mister Wentworth.
A struggling Jemima was now at the mercy of the four men. "I'll get you yet Steelgrave! I'll get you for trying to kill Mister Redmond!!" she was still yelling. Jimmy Miller slapped her face "Shut up you, or Mister Steelgrave'll sue you fer liable [sic] as well as seein' you hang fer tempted murder!" then he turned and asked the local big shot, sycophantically "Shall I gag her, Mr Steelgrave?"
Scrappy suddenly felt he was on the wrong side of some moral line here, and moved in front of the tied girl to block her from further assault.
Elias Steelgrave might be a lot of things, but a woman killer was not one of them, so his Colt remained in its holster, hand hovering close by in the event the crazed woman got another chance. Then suddenly, there was the newly minted town Mayor on the scene trying to calm the Wigfall girl, as the poor lad trying to disarm her was having a time of it. And suddenly another youngster jumped in to help when the first fellow grabbed his rope and made quick work of tying her up.
"Miss Wigfall, I have said that I ordered no such thing, made no attempts on the life of anyone, let alone Redmond." Elias stated flatly. "But you make another attempt on me and I will be forced to defend myself. Let that be known, Mister Mayor. Maybe you can get young Charlie up here to take her into custody so that she does not get another chance to shoot me for something I had no part in. Feel bad about the man's barn, but I had nothing to do with that!" The last part was almost a lie, but anything he had in mind for Aurelian Redmond did not include the razing of his barn.
@JulieS @Javia
It's not a question of who's right. It's a question of what's right.
For a man who rarely visited town, Matt was impressed with how much he knew. It wasn't a surprise, as Matt figured that Steelgrave's cronies in town would keep him abreast of what was going on. What impressed him was that Steelgrave was still bothered with what was happening in Kalispell considering his obsession with Shade Thornton, Lost Lake and the desire to get more land.
Matt had heard the rumours around town about who was responsible for the attack on the Redmonds and even though Steelgrave was denying any involvement, Matt surmised that Steelgrave would have thought about it a lot.
Knowing that his attempt to placate Jemima had fallen on deaf ears, Matt took the gun from Miller when it was handed to him. He opened the gun and emptied it of its contents. After placing the bullets in his jacket pocket, he closed the gun and turned his attention to Steelgrave's demand.
"As far as I know Charlie is over at Simkin's Barn looking into a case of attempted robbery," Matt replied, "However, I think we can clear this up without him."
He waved at one of the many onlookers that had gathered at the scene. The man came over and took off his hat, "Yes, Mister Mayor."
"You'll find Judge Townsend in his office...go get him."
The man nodded and sped off. Matt went over to Jemima, placed a hand on her shoulder and sternly said, "Now, Miss Wigfall, are you willing to wait for Judge Townsend and air your grievances against Mister Steelgrave to him? If not then I will have no other choice but do as he has requested and put you into custody. Then your mother will have to be informed and we both know how she'll enjoy that."
@Javia @Flip
"THERE'S SOMEBODY AT THE DOOR!!!"
Who really understands the workings of the mind of a woman in love? Perhaps not even the victim of Cupid's arrow herself. For since a minor incident a month or two ago, when the unknowing object of this passion had merely bid 'Good Morning' to the plain looking, muscular girl, the heart of dull, bovine, Jemima Wigfall beat to only one theme: her idealisation of Mister Aurelian Julius Redmond.
She had been bitterly disappointed when she had heard from 'sources close to the family' that Mister Redmond, so handsome, so desperately in need of feminine help since the death of his wife and the marriage of his daughter, had taken up with that Floozie Lucinda Dietrich. It wasn't fair! The woman was, according to all report, useless: she couldn't cook, sew, clean, or any other housewifely thing even a quarter as well as Jemima could! And she was OLD - well over 30, Jemima reckoned. She wasn't young and fertile and able to bear Aurelian scads of sturdy extra children to help run the farm and carry on the Redmond name.
And then, the final straw, the report of the attack on the Redmond Farm, doubtlessly orchestrated by Elias Steelgrave. Jake had told Hector who told her that the hated Dietrich creature had hidden under the table during the assault. Jemima would have drawn a gun and helped defend the sacred hearth, maybe even taken a bullet for her beloved and died romantically in his arms.
Aye, to die for him, that was now the only emotionally satisfying endgame open to her: that is why she was not trying to murder Lucinda Dietrich - that would only turn Mr Redmond against her - she would instead assassinate the author of the man's misfortune and then pay the price for it. And as she dangled in mid-air, hanging by the neck, kicking and gasping for breath (for no long drop could snap that thickly muscled neck!) Aurelian would look up at her and realise that it was she, SHE, whom he should have loved.
"Lemme go, if I can't shoot him, I'll stomp him to death!!" Jemima shouted as Jimmy and Scrappy struggled with her, despite her bonds.
"You're wastin' your breath Mister Mayor - this'n's gone hog wild!!!" Scrappy yelped as Jemima tried to bite him.
"Sure, she's a mental case!!" Jimmy agreed.
"Judge Townsend? You are sending for the judge? And what is it he is supposed to do here? Slap her on the wrist for attempted murder?" Elias was enraged at the idea of the woman getting off scot-free for simply missing the shot she took.
"An inch or two and this would be cold-blooded murder, Mister Mayor. Whether you like me or not, murder in the first degree is still murder plain and simple. Allowing this woman to get off will have consequences, and That sir is not a threat to you, but to the justice that should be of the first concern, but alas, I see that justice in Kalispell has removed her blindfold!" He was angry, angry enough to do just about anything.
At that moment, Cole Latham pushed through the crowd to stand next to his client. "Are you alright, Elias?" Then he turned to Mayor Wentworth, "Matthew, what my client means is anything short of jailing Miss Wigfall for the crime, which is as plain as the nose on your face, will most certainly have legal ramifications. Had this been the other way 'round, well young Wentworth would have shackled Mister Steegrave and drug him off to jail, while you sir, have sent for this new judge to do what? Issue a pardon for Miss Wigfall?"
Meanwhile, half a dozen men stood off a ways, men who found this attempted murder quite amusing, Miss Steelgrave's men. Men who had their own issues with Elias Steelgrave. Maybe Elias would be arrested by the judge for not being dead. To them this was almost funny.
JulieS, Javia, Any...
It's not a question of who's right. It's a question of what's right.
"Now Cole, you know as well as I do, we need someone who is not prejudiced in any way to decide if Miss Wigfall needs to be put behind bars or not. Judge Townsend has stated that he is going to impartial in things regarding the current situation. If the judge decides that she goes to jail then she will. However, he might decide, since this is her first offence, to give her a chance by issuing maybe an apology, a fine or some other way to make amends for what she has done today."
Matt turned to look at the young men trying hold Jemima at bay, "I also think that Mister Steelgrave hold a very large debt of gratitude towards these two for doing their best to keep Miss Wigfall from trying something else."
He then addressed Jemima, hoping that what he would say next would calm her down a little, "Miss Wigfall, it is clear that you are very passionate concerning what happened at the Redmonds. However, I want to you think about this before you try it again...would Aurelian Redmond approve of what you have done today in his name?"
@Flip @Javia
"THERE'S SOMEBODY AT THE DOOR!!!"
"Now Cole, you know as well as I do, we need someone who is not prejudiced in any way to decide if Miss Wigfall needs to be put behind bars or not. Judge Townsend has stated that he is going to impartial in things regarding the current situation. If the judge decides that she goes to jail then she will. However, he might decide, since this is her first offence, to give her a chance by issuing maybe an apology, a fine or some other way to make amends for what she has done today."
"I'll never apologise to that barn-burning bandit!" Jemima growled.
"You want me to gag her, Mister Steelgrave?" Jimmy Miller offered eagerly, pulling a filth-encrusted handkerchief from his pocket. Scrappy wondered if he'd dare try that if the girl had been untied.
Matt turned to look at the young men trying hold Jemima at bay, "I also think that Mister Steelgrave hold a very large debt of gratitude towards these two for doing their best to keep Miss Wigfall from trying something else."
Miller looked pleased at that comment, but Scrappy Craddock did not, he was feeling increasingly that he'd made a mistake and gotten himself on the wrong side of right, here.
He then addressed Jemima, hoping that what he would say next would calm her down a little, "Miss Wigfall, it is clear that you are very passionate concerning what happened at the Redmonds. However, I want to you think about this before you try it again...would Aurelian Redmond approve of what you have done today in his name?"
Until now, the Wigfall girl had reserved her hard stare for the object of her ire, but now, for the first time, she turned her piggy little eyes to the Mayor. "Maybe." she said tersely. "He can't do it himself cause he's got responsibilities. If he shot that low down skunk, he'd hang, and he's got responsibilities, he's got to look after his little boy. It doesn't matter what happens to me." she reasoned. Well, that bit made sense, but maybe the next part was a bit less coherent. "Besides, The Seventh Angel, Chloe, my spirit control, told me to do it. Kill Elias Steelgrave, and save countless innocent lives." she intoned, returning her malevolent stare back to the cattle magnate. "And I saw the beast, and the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against him that sat on the horse, and against his army." Then she became less coherent, speaking some kind of gibberish "Shlamalakh Abūna debišəmayā, yiṯəqaddaš šəmak, ṯēṯē malkūṯak!"
"Jesus, she's crazy!" yelped Jimmy Miller, stepping back a little and leaving Scrappy alone to hold the tethered beast.
"Mister Mayor, I heard this before one time, she's speaking in tongues!!" Scrappy called, holding onto the young woman, if a little more gingerly now.
"Now Cole, you know as well as I do, we need someone who is not prejudiced in any way to decide if Miss Wigfall needs to be put behind bars or not. Judge Townsend has stated that he is going to impartial in things regarding the current situation. If the judge decides that she goes to jail then she will. However, he might decide, since this is her first offence, to give her a chance by issuing maybe an apology, a fine or some other way to make amends for what she has done today."
"Wait, what?" Lathan was shocked by Wentworth's statement, "Impartial? Not prejudiced? Have you simply lost your mind? My God man she took a shot at this man with the full intent to kill him! First offense at attempted murder? Why, there's just no such thing! Steelgrave just stood in shock at Wentworth's words and before he could say anything the young man spoke up,
"You want me to gag her, Mister Steelgrave?" Jimmy Miller offered eagerly, pulling a filth-encrusted handkerchief from his pocket. Scrappy wondered if he'd dare try that if the girl had been untied.
"I'll never apologise to that barn-burning bandit!" Jemima growled. Elias' eyes narrowed even further at her statement
Matt turned to look at the young men trying hold Jemima at bay, "I also think that Mister Steelgrave hold a very large debt of gratitude towards these two for doing their best to keep Miss Wigfall from trying something else."
"You damn right I owe the two of them! But this is preposterous Wentworth! Totally preposterous that anyone, including me, could shoot at someone and not be charged with trying to kill them!"
"Easy Elias, you'll wind up behind bars for words." Latham cautioned as he took Steegrave's arm, "You'll get no justice here today, or any other day!" Latham was incensed at the cavalier approach of the Mayor. "And this new judge? Just where is he? You got quite the crowd gathered, Wentworth."
He then addressed Jemima, hoping that what he would say next would calm her down a little, "Miss Wigfall, it is clear that you are very passionate concerning what happened at the Redmonds. However, I want to you think about this before you try it again...would Aurelian Redmond approve of what you have done today in his name?"
Latham stepped in front of Steegrave, "Are you serious Mathew? Like anyone cares what Redmond thinks in this matter!" He bellowed.
"Maybe." she said tersely. "He can't do it himself cause he's got responsibilities. If he shot that low down skunk, he'd hang, and he's got responsibilities, he's got to look after his little boy. It doesn't matter what happens to me." she reasoned. Well, that bit made sense, but maybe the next part was a bit less coherent. "Besides, The Seventh Angel, Chloe, my spirit control, told me to do it. Kill Elias Steelgrave, and save countless innocent lives." she intoned, returning her malevolent stare back to the cattle magnate. "And I saw the beast, and the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against him that sat on the horse, and against his army." Then she became less coherent, speaking some kind of gibberish "Shlamalakh Abūna debišəmayā, yiṯəqaddaš šəmak, ṯēṯē malkūṯak!"
Both Elias and Cole Latham were stunned at the words the girl was uttering, so much so they were both without words!
"Jesus, she's crazy!" yelped Jimmy Miller, stepping back a little and leaving Scrappy alone to hold the tethered beast.
"Mister Mayor, I heard this before one time, she's speaking in tongues!!" Scrappy called, holding onto the young woman, if a little more gingerly now.
"Just where the hell is your judge, Mister Mayor? This woman's not sane!" Latham cried. Elias looked on, fuming.
"I'm right here," Adam said as he approached the group.
It had only been a week or so since he had officially started as the county Judge and a busy one at that. Thankfully, he had spent a few days in town getting to know the lay of the land before he officially started, so he was quite familiar with all of the stories, rumours, and inneundos where Elias Steelgrave was concerned. Now, he was finally going to meet the man and see if what he had heard matched reality.
"The man sent to fetch me has appraised me of the situation to the best of his ability. He mentioned that Mr. Steelgrave wishes the young lady to be taken into custody and I agree, as attempted murder is a serious matter and shouldn't be taken lightly."
Since it was obvious that the well-dressed man who was fuming was Elias Steelgrave, Adam turned to him, "Sir, in order to keep the young lady behind bars for more than a few hours, I will need you to write a statement about what happened and lodge a complaint so that we can formally charge Miss Wigfall with attempted murder."
@Flip @Javia
"Serious indeed, sir. Cole Latham, Mister Steelgrave's attorney," He turned slightly to face Elias, knowing better than to speak for him.
"Judge, I can certainly accommodate you in this matter, and thank you for seeing the seriousness of the incident." Elias began, "I am not in the habit of having a woman of any social stature arrested, but she did try to kill me, and I simply can't allow that to pass. Letting her off would make it open season on Elias Steelgrave!"
"I have no idea why Mayor Wentworth here sought to brush off the threat on my life, I assume he does not like me, but sir, that is no reason to allow such things to happen on the city streets, as it were. Now if the Deputy arrives from his more important duty, whatever that was, we can move this sideshow to the jail and I will write the statement you need, and I can get on with my day."