"The law is the law."
"Mining's not everyone's choice of hobbies, it just happens to be mine."
"I believe that Misses Pike is probably the one who needs to explain what happened to her, and then Mister Pike probably should explain his part in this matter, as well as information on the perpetrator of this whole unfortunate business." Speed offered to the County Sheriff. "Barnbas here is a deputy town marshal for Kalispell, retired but on hand as a special deputy for now."
Barnabas nodded to Harper, then looked to his wife, "Gonna be jest fine. Tell the man what happened, that's all he wants to hear." He didn't like this, but it was what he would expect from any victim of a crime.
"Good to finally meet you, Sheriff," Emeline murmured as she settled into a chair. She took a deep breath, calming herself before starting...and she didn't stop until she was done, the facts laid out slowly and evenly.
"Yesterday afternoon, I set about making some pies for the men, and decided to go gather some huckleberries. I saddled my horse, had my rifle, Wheeler was in a sling on my chest. We rode out, north, maybe four miles. I tied Noel -- she's my horse -- to a tree and started gathering the berries. I thought everything was fine until I went back to Noel, but she wasn't there. It seemed a little odd, but there wasn't any choice but to walk back."
Emeline took a short breath before continuing. "About a mile back I found my rifle on the trail. That was odd, too, since it had been secured in its scabbard, but I did feel better having something more substantial than my derringer. It was just after I found the rifle that a man and woman stepped out of the brush and blocked my path." She grabbed for Barnabas' hand and squeezed it. "This was still on our property, mind you. "Then the woman asked for Wheeler. Or course, I said no. And the man..." her tone dropped to a whisper, "he told me to take off my clothes."
There was an imperceptible shudder before she continued. "I brought the rifle up then, but the girl held out her hand...she had the bullets, then the man pulled out a revolver...that's when I grabbed my derringer and shot him, twice, then ran." For an instant she closed her eyes, pushing the vivid memories into simple words. "She came after me, was right behind me, and then Mr. Pike was there, we were safe..."
Any more after that, Barnabas could fill in.
Barnabas exhaled and then said, "I come a running' when I heard the shots, "All I seen was Em and that woman running toward her, I had my gun in hand and snapped off a shot which took her in the shoulder, an' thet was enough fer me ta get ta my wife. Thet's when the rest of my hands rode up. They got her aboard a horse, and we took her back to the ranch where there was a doctor from town, an' the Marshal a waitin' on us, so the girl was seen to right proper."
Barnabas Pike stood ready for questions that he was sure would come. The man would have questions, he was sure of that, he would have. But maybe the worst of it was over as far as Em was concerned.
"Hmm," Mark frowned, "From what you've told me, there was at least two people involved. Do you know if there were any others?"
He paused for a moment, then continued on, "Then there's also the question of what you plan to do with the girl. Do you want to press charges?"
@Bongo
@Flip
"Yes, sir, there were at least four men secluded above where this took place. The girl, Cicely Jane Lister, who we brought in to town with us and her deceased brother, Clement Lister, who Em shot, was under the control of one Thomas Love. We believe that the plan was to kill myself, my wife, and our son Wheeler, as well as the Listers." Barnabas said.
"They hightailed it thopugh some of my men found their camp and trailed them some distance away from where it all took place." He continued. "Might be out of your jurisdiction, though."
@JulieS
@Bongo
"Press charges?" Emeline glanced between Barnabas and Speed, uncertain how she felt on the matter. Yes, the young woman had put her through hell, and worse, involved Wheeler, but then, Emeline was inclined to believe that she'd been duped by this Love man, and really didn't understand what was going on.
And more, she'd said that she wanted to protect Wheeler, even though she had no problem with her brother...
Well...
Emeline sighed and shook her head. "I'll leave it to Barnabas, what to do with Miss Lister. I do forgive her, but that's between me and God, and doesn't effect the law."
Cicely Jane Lister, would have taken Wheeler, and what might have happened afterward? That was anybody's guess, though Tom Love had a plan, and as far as he was concerned, he planned to kill Em, Barnbas was sure of that, but Wheele? Cicely, and Clement? He had no idea other than something really bad for them.
"I can press them charges whenever I like, within reason, right? I mean, if I wait, say a week 'er so, I can still have her arrested, right?" Barnabas asked, a bit hesitant to just do it. Cicely and Clement had been duped, tricked into something they might have shied away from.
@JulieS
@Bongo