The Outlaw Bride (2 page)

The judge filled his whiskey glass and tapped it on the bar. “You boys quiet down back there.”

The grumbling stopped when the judge addressed Josie. “Well, now, little lady, you ready to give up? The way I see it, unless you got more proof there ain’t no use wasting my time.”

“Wait just a second, Judge,” she said. “We believe we can offer proof that will contradict Mr. Wayne’s claim.”

Josie was beginning to see a way out. It meant reaching back into her past, a past she’d thought she’d left behind. Proving Ellie’s innocence wouldn’t come from upholding the law, but from breaking it. If Josie failed, she’d be ruined. If her ruse worked, Ellie would be free.

“Mr. Wayne, how long would you say you occupied my client’s bed?”

“I don’t know. Maybe five, ten minutes, all tol’.”

“And did you remove your clothing?”

There was a gasp. Josie could tell from his expression that Wayne didn’t want to describe his actions.

“Uh, no, ma’am. I didn’t. I just unbuttoned my pants and she kinda laid herself on the bed.”

“And where was your watch?”

“In my coat pocket.”

“Is that the same coat you’re wearing now?”

“Yes, ma’am.”

“And were you wearing it when … when you unbuttoned your trousers?”

“No, ma’am. I wasn’t wearing it. Didn’t want to wrinkle it none. Hung it on the back of the chair.”

Josie turned to Ellie and whispered, “You sure you never saw the watch until you asked for your money?”

“Sure as can be, ma’am.”

Josie turned back to Wayne. “And how much did Ellie charge you for this five minutes?”

“Ah … I don’t rightly remember. I’d had me a few drinks by then.”

“But you do remember taking precautions against losing your gold watch, don’t you?”

He looked startled. “Of course.”

“Mr. Wayne, if the watch was safely in your jacket pocket, then how did Ellie get it?”

“Well … it must have happened when—when—when she hugged me after.”

Ellie blanched and shook her head.

“She hugged you?”

A ripple of laughter broke out from the crowd.

Wayne grinned. “Yeah, reckon she was grateful.”

“Why don’t you show me how she hugged you, Mr. Wayne,” Josie said, walking toward the witness in the chair by the bar.

“Show you?”

“Show me. Just stand up and pretend that I’m Ellie.”

“But I couldn’t do that, ma’am. I mean, you ain’t no—”

“Thief? Neither is Ellie. This is Wyoming and we pride ourselves on being fair, Mr. Wayne. This jury won’t convict a woman of theft unless you can show us how it happened.”

Josie swallowed hard, knowing that she was about to commit an illegal act. “I’m a little taller than Ellie, but tell me where she put her hands and where you put your hands.”

Wayne looked at the judge pleadingly.

“Hug her,” the judge said, a big grin now covering his face. “If that’s what she wants, hug her.”

What Josie wanted was to administer a little old-fashioned western justice to the judge. Instead, she waited for Wayne’s response.

Awkwardly, Wayne put his arms around Josie.

“And where were Ellie’s arms?” Josie said.

“I reckon they were around me.” His voice cracked from sheer nervousness.

Josie slid her hands inside his jacket, fumbling a bit as if she were uncertain, embarrassed even. “Like this?”

“Yes, that’s it.”

“And where was your watch?”

Wayne patted his chest. “It was right in here, in this coat pocket.”

Josie bit her lip to keep from smiling. “So you think she picked your pocket?”

“She did. That’s why I had her arrested.”

Wayne was beginning to sense trouble, but he couldn’t figure out where it was coming from.

Josie removed her arms from Wayne’s jacket and walked away from him.

“Let me ask you again, Mr. Wayne, are you sure you just didn’t lose your watch or maybe—since you’d been drinking—forget where you put it?”

“Course not. I always put it right here, in this inside pocket.” He poked two fingers inside and went silent. His eyes widened, and he seemed to have lost his voice.

“What’s wrong, Mr. Wayne?” Josie stepped back toward the frustrated bridegroom and took his hand by the wrist, pulling his fingers from the pocket. Curled around the fingers was a gold pocket watch. His eyes grew even wider.

“Is that your watch?” Josie asked. “Better let me check the inscription.”

She took it from his hand, flipped it open, and read aloud, “
To Poopsie from Sweetie.
” Josie turned to the judge. “Looks like Mr. Wayne made a mistake, Judge. That’s understandable. What do you say we dismiss the charges against Miss Allgood?”

Wayne began to stutter, “But … But … I know that girl had it. I gave it to her myself. I just meant to—”

“What’s that?” the judge said. “Did I understand you to say that you gave it to her?”

“Well, yes. I mean, no.” Wayne began to backtrack. “I guess I just lost it. But it appears to be found now. So I reckon I’d better get on up the road.”

The judge shook his head. “Son, if you’re going to marry Azzilee Gunther, I guess you deserve a break. Case dismissed.”

“Not yet, Judge McSparren,” Josie said. “In the interest of justice, I insist that my client be paid. She performed a service for which she is owed a fee of”—she leaned toward Ellie, then straightened up—“two dollars. But because of the trouble he’s caused her, we’re asking an additional fifty cents in attorney’s fees to be donated to the Laramie City Fund for Women and Children.”

Judge McSparren looked at Josie in disbelief, then burst out laughing. “You know, girl, I think you’re right. Wayne, give
Miss
Allgood two dollars and fifty cents.”

“But, Judge, I done said, I ain’t got no money.”

The judge pursed his lips. “What about this, Miss Josie, suppose I have a little talk with Miss Azzilee’s pa. I’m guessing he’ll be more than happy to discreetly take care of Wayne’s bills.”

“That would be fine, Judge,” Josie agreed.

The judge leaned across the bar and gave Josie a stern look. “I don’t know how you pulled that watch business
off, but it was a pretty slick move, and I know you didn’t learn it from a law book.”

“I don’t know what you mean, Judge, but I thank you,” Josie said, and began to gather up her papers before he charged
her
with a crime. He had to realize that she’d committed a morally justified act.

“You do right good, for a woman,” the judge said. “Course, it comes natural, I reckon, with a mama who’s a doctor and a daddy who’s a government official. Hear your little sister’s smart, too. Guess it runs in the blood.”

“Thank you, Judge.” Josie could have told him that her sister, Laura, was the natural child in the family, while she herself was adopted. Josie’s real pedigree would have put the judge back a step. And it wouldn’t help her fledgling law career for the world to know she’d won her case because she was as good a pickpocket as she was a lawyer.

Ellie approached Josie with a grateful look. “I thank you, ma’am, fer getting me off,” Ellie said. Her voice dropped to a whisper. “I know you put that watch back in his pocket. Why’d you do it, Miss Miller? You could have gotten into some terrible trouble.”

“A person sometimes has to take a risk when she believes in her cause. You deserve to be paid.”

Elbe nodded and gave Josie a sudden smile.

“Now promise me you won’t earn any more money taking care of men.”

A quick wince crossed Ellie’s face, then disappeared. She nodded. “I promise.”

Ellie was leaving through the side door just as Sheriff Will Spencer came in. “Josie?” Will said in a worried voice, “somebody just brought word there’s a wounded man out at your house.”

“Holy hell, Dr. Annie and Dan have gone to New
York. How’d he get out there instead of the office here in town?”

“That Indian friend of your mamas, Bear Claw, brought him.”

Josie stuffed her law books and papers into her carrying case. “I’d better get going,” she said as she pushed open the saloon doors and dashed across the street to the livery stable where old Solomon was still hitched up to the Miller buggy. Will followed close behind.

“I’ll ride out there with you,” Will said, “and we’ll bring him back to town.”

“Will, that’s not necessary. I don’t need protecting. I can look after myself.”

Will reached out to help her up into the buggy, but Josie didn’t wait. She lifted the mud-stained train of her walking dress, climbed up, plopped down on the seat, and gathered the reins. “Let’s go boy, we’ve got an injured man at home.”

Will jumped into the buggy at the last minute. “I’m sure you can take care of yourself, Josie, but I’m coming with you.”

“All right,” Josie said impatiently. “Let’s go.”

The sheriff smiled. From the time Josie came to Laramie fourteen years ago, she’d been the most talked-about, envied, and admired female in the territory—outside of Dr. Annie. Everyone knew that Josie Miller tried to be a stern lady lawyer. She even dressed like one, corseting her curvaceous frame into the hourglass dresses now in style. Her honey-blonde hair refused to be confined in the curls of the times, so she braided it and pinned it in a knot. But the knot tended to slip and the strands escaped regularly. With her wide blue eyes and disheveled dress, her attempt to look like a professional attorney was doomed to failure. But she was smart.
She knew the law and she knew almost as much about doctoring as her ma.

“What do we know about the patient?” Josie asked.

“Bear Claw said he found him west of the mountains. He kept talking about a black-and-white horse.”

“Black-and-white horse?” Josie was afraid she knew what Bear Claw was talking about. Some of the Sioux believed Death rode a black-and-white horse. Others believed the horse was just a messenger from the spirit world. If Bear Claw was right, she’d better get home quick.

“Did anyone else see the horse?”

“Not that I know of. Could be it belonged to the man.”

“Yeah. And it could be a maverick, running loose out there on the plains.” Josie gave Solomon another sharp rap, urging him into a trot. The buggy bumped across the ruts. Her hairpins fell out and her face was streaked with perspiration.

Will didn’t say anything else. And Josie concentrated on her driving. She had a peculiar feeling about this, a feeling of danger she hadn’t had in a long time. Something was about to happen. And it might not be as easy to fix as picking a pocket.

2
 

The Miller ranch was an oddity in Wyoming. Dan Miller had designed it to look like a Spanish hacienda he’d seen in New Mexico, with a courtyard wrapped around the rambling adobe-brick house.

Josie drove the buggy up the long drive toward the house and smiled. Protected by the mountains to the east and the west, the trees were green and wild animals scurried away from the sound of the wheels. The afternoon sunlight gave the adobe a pink glow, and the smell of flowers caught by the summer wind brought a special kind of welcome. Dan had built the house the third year of his marriage to Dr. Annie, the year Laura was born.

Laura was ten now, the same age Josie had been when she’d picked Dr. Annie’s pockets at the rail station and Dan had entered both their lives. That’s where the similarities ended. Laura was calm and studious, with a voice as melodious as a bird’s and beauty that caused people to
stop and stare. Laura was the lady that Josie had tried to be—tried and failed.

There were two wings to the Miller house. One wing housed Dr. Annie’s clinic, and the other contained the family’s sleeping quarters. Connecting the two were a foyer, a large gathering room, and a dining area.

Josie urged Solomon to the clinic wing and climbed down, handing the reins to Wash, the old ranch hand who had emerged from the barn.

“Take care of Solomon,” she said, moving toward the door to the clinic and nodding at Lubina, the Millers’ housekeeper who hovered nervously inside.

Josie approached the unconscious man Bear Claw had brought to her mother’s clinic. She took one look at him and felt a funny shiver run through her. He’d been laid out on the examination table. His clothes were caked with blood. His face was turned away and the side nearest her was obscured by a strand of thick dark hair that lay like a whip across his cheek. It was entangled in the dusty growth of his beard. He looked like a dark angel who’d been shot out of the sky. Josie thought that if she ever had to defend this man in court, he’d be convicted on his looks alone.

She pressed her fingers against the artery in his neck and felt the pulsing. Josie was once again struck with a sense of impending danger.

“Es too much blood,
señorita
,” Lubina said, wringing her hands and wailing loudly.

“Stop that caterwauling, Lubina!” Josie snapped. “I don’t want him scared to death.” She tried to lift his shirt front, but the blood had stuck it tight to his shoulder. She didn’t force it. “Looks like he was shot a couple of days ago. You know who he is, Will?”

“Never saw him before. And until we find out, I think
I’d better hold him in town, where I can keep an eye on him.”

Even though he seemed unconscious, Josie had the uncanny sensation that the stranger could hear her. The danger she’d sensed skittered up her backbone and hovered somewhere behind her lungs, vibrating like the tail of a rattlesnake poised to strike. The feeling created a tension so strong she was surprised she wasn’t visibly shaking.