Silver Creek - G.L. Snodgrass Page 0,61

this over with. I hope to be on the road before dinner.”

A chuckle washed across the room. These might be serious moments with serious people. But the crowd were westerners and they loved a good show.

The judge read the charges of assault and attempted murder of a peace officer and asked the defendant how he pled.

“Not Guilty,” Mr. Chambers said for his client.

The judge shook his head, made a note on the paper in front of him then nodded for Mr. Braum to begin.

The prosecuting attorney stood up and began laying out the evidence.

Rebecca’s mind drifted at the long list of statements and witness testimony he hoped to introduce. Instead, she watched Luke. Really, was there any better way to spend her time? The man was so handsome. So strong. A wall against hurt. He had always been that to her.

She thought back to the Oregon Trail. To the times he had simply put an arm around her shoulders to let her know everything would be all right. The night she had woken up screaming. Hanna had tried to calm her down. But it had been the face of Luke Parker peaking over the end of the wagon that had pulled her back to reality.

When they had been attacked by outlaws, it was Luke who had stepped in front of her, putting himself between her and danger.

Rebecca’s heart softened as she thought about the hours and hours she had walked next to him as he led their brindle ox and the team pulling the wagon over the trail. The open prairie stretching out in every direction. A thousand dangers all around them. Or, when her uncle had been hurt. It had been Luke, a boy of thirteen, who had taken over the responsibility of getting her family up the trail.

He had done all of this without ever being short with her. Never a cross word. He was five years older than her, but never treated her as a child. Never teased, nor ignored her. It was as if he had known exactly what she needed without having to ask.

Sighing to herself, she focused on the trial. It surprised her how quickly things progressed. Mr. Braum called both Sheriff Reed and then the miner who gave their stories. Nothing she hadn’t already heard. Then, the lawyer called witnesses to corroborate the stories.

The final witness was Scarlet Perkins. She kept wringing her hands as if she wished she could be anywhere but there. But she pulled herself together, placed her hand on the bible, and swore the oath.

No one laughed, no one made a rude comment about trusting the word of a harlot. The look in Luke’s eyes told them to mind their manners. If that wasn’t enough, knowing that Bill Carver would shoot any man who said the wrong thing, had a dampening effect.

Scarlet sat up straight and confirmed both that Mark Felton had attacked the miner from behind. And the next day, drawn and shot the sheriff without provocation.

Mr. Braum thanked her, then nodded to Mr. Chambers. Rebecca held her breath, terrified the man would attack Scarlet’s character. Heaven knew there were more than enough … issues that might be brought up. But instead, he studied her for a long moment then glanced over at the Jury.

Rebecca watched the twelve men closely. She wondered how many of them had been customers of Scarlet’s over the years. Several were staring daggers at the attorney, silently telling him to go easy. She might be a bar girl. But she was still a woman, and they were rare enough in these parts that they couldn’t be abused.

Mr. Chambers took a deep breath then simply thanked the witness and returned to his chair.

Once the prosecution rested its case. Mr. Chambers called several witnesses to testify to Mark Felton’s character. All Circle B riders of course. But none of them were willing to dispute what the witnesses had seen.

And with that, the case was complete. The jury stepped out of the room and within a minute was back in. Mr. Strumph, as the foreman, rose and pronounced the defendant guilty on both counts.

The crowd erupted with cheers. She wondered if they were more pleased to see justice served or at seeing the Feltons brought down a bit.

Joshua Felton slumped in defeat. She wondered if he was surprised. Maybe thinking that his family’s reputation and standing would protect his brother. Mark Felton’s head fell to let his chin rest on his chest. Sarah Felton twisted in