It was about time for Queens’ trial. Charlie had left to find him, and I thought it best to remain away from the scene and show up in the courtroom when it was time for me to testify. I had a little over a half hour to wait before he came on the docket. After the trial, Sheriff Gold, Charlie, was heading to Silverton to check on Mateo. Nothing special, just routine.
I had just taken a sip of coffee when through the doors of the diner came Mrs. Blackstone. “You lied to me!” she bellowed, then looked around at the customers gawking at her.
“Sit down, I’ll get you a cup of coffee,” I said pulling out a chair for her.
“I don’t want to sit, I want to know why you lied!” she exclaimed but had calmed her voice some.
She did take a seat, so I poured her some coffee. “Missus Blackstone, I have never lied to you. Would you care to explain?”
Her fingers were fiddling with the cup, her eyes upon it then she looked up at me. “You said you didn’t know where my husband was.”
Well, at the time I didn’t know that Frank Black of Silverton, owner of the Empty Diggin’s Saloon and drunk was her husband. Since then I had said nothing of him to her. She had taken a job at Foster’s Mercantile working with Darnelle.
“I didn’t lie to you. I recently found out that Frank Black may be your husband. By the way, how did you come upon this information?”
“Marshal Queens told me,” she paused, then stared at me, “He also told me how you were trying to get his job.”
That gave me pause to ponder, was Queens becoming sweet on Mrs. Blackstone, or using her? I didn’t want to push the job over on Rev. Chapman, but I did anyway. “Listen, I have to be in court in a few minutes. I want to take you to talk with the Preacher, he can better explain than I.”
She didn’t say anything and I was able to motion to Molly with my head to come over. As Molly was walking to the table, Charlie burst through the door. The anger in his eyes were plain to see. Marta saw it also and came quickly to the table putting her hand on his shoulder.
“Miles, Queens is at the courthouse,” he said clenching his fists. “He is holding Offut and Judge Klaser waiting for you!” he exclaimed, and I could see he was very frustrated. “I tried to talk with him, but he said if I poked my head in the courtroom again he’d shoot the Judge… He wants to see only you.”
I looked at Molly with a grimace on my face. “Take care of Mrs. Blackstone until I get back will you?” I got up and picked up the Greener.
“He said to leave the shotgun,” Charlie informed me.
As Charlie and I left the diner I could see the concern in the eyes of Marta and Molly. I winked at Molly, and Charlie gave a nod of his head to his wife. We didn’t talk as we began to march the two blocks up to the courthouse. “Lord, You’re in charge of this, I’ll leave it in your hands,” I prayed quietly.
“Huh?” Charlie muttered. “Did you say something?”
I turned my head in his direction as we continued on our way. “Just a little prayer. I don’t know what’s up there, I don’t know what’s going to happen, but I know that the Lord does so I just asked Him for some help.”
Arriving at the courthouse, we walked up the few steps that led into the entrance. There were offices on both sides, clerks and lawyers, with the courtroom in the back. All was empty and our footsteps echoed as we walked to the door. I pounded on it rather hard. “Queens! It’s Miles Forrest!”
I heard steps on the wood floor and a voice muttering something. Then Queens called out, “Is the Sheriff with you?”
“He’s here!”
“Tell him to go outside and across the street. I want to see him through the window so I know where he is,” hollered Queens.
“Listen, Queens, it doesn’t have to be like this,” I began.
“Shut up! Tell him!
I turned to Charlie, “He wants you outside and across the street where he can see you.”
After Charlie had cleared the entrance I opened the door and yelled, “Queens, I’m comin’ in.”
Entering the room I wasn’t ready to see what was before me. Queens had his gun pointed in my direction and…