Arizona Territory (25 page)

“I want some honest men sent to his place to complete the search. We ran out of light up there last night, but I left two men up there to be certain no more was hidden.”

“What's the deal on this man?” Arnold asked. “I heard him bragging he'd be out in three days.”

“Marshal, I've heard that for hours. My chief deputy asked if Brigham Young could give him clemency. I have no idea, but he's pretty sold on the notion he will get off scot-free.”

“Young has no authority over any federally charged prisoner. Get your man over here. We need to talk to him,” Arnold said.

“You want the prosecutor, Alex Prior?” Thomas asked.

“Yes.”

Thomas brought him back to his office. “Alex said there would be several Mormons on any jury panel we assemble here. They are a large part of the voter rolls of this county, where we get our jury pools from.”

“Is that why he's so convinced he'll never serve a day for that crime?” Chet asked. “Arnold, can we have him tried in El Paso?”

“That would be an awful expensive trial. I doubt my superiors would allow it.”

“Wire them. I don't want him walking out scot-free from this courthouse.”

“I'll see what I can do, but the response won't be here for a few days.”

Chet turned to the prosecutor. “Alex, this is murder and a serious robbery. Can you stall the bail?”

“As long as I can.”

“Good. That's our best bet. Move the federal trial to Texas. Men, I'll do anything to see that man is prosecuted. No one is above the law.”

“If we can't, what then?” Thomas asked.

“What do you say, Alex?” Chet asked.

“He could be set free by a jury, despite our evidence. Those people are clannish enough.”

Chet stomped his foot to let the anger and frustration drain away. “We do all this work to bring crime down in this territory, and we face a wall here. I won't ever understand.” He shook his head in disgust.

“My men and I need some sleep. Maybe we can find some justice. I'll check back later. When Roamer and Shawn return today, tell them we'll meet them for breakfast in the hotel lobby in the morning. They have rooms at the Brown Hotel.”

“Chet,” Thomas said. “No matter the outcome, you came and solved this case. I'll see your men get the reward for the return of the money. I know you well enough to know they get it all. And thanks.”

Chet nodded he heard him and went to telegraph his wife. To tell her that he must stay there longer looking for a solution to this problem.
Damn
. . .

Breakfast was a sobering reunion for him and his crew.

“What do they think about his talk?” Roamer asked.

“Alex says that Mormons are eighty percent of the pool they get for jury members from Pima County. All you need is one no vote and the trial is over. I asked Arnold to move it to El Paso, but he fears the expenses will not let them move the trial there.”

“So that damn killer is going to get released and go free?” Cole asked.

“That's what we're trying to work out.”

Chet looked up and saw Marshal Thomas's secretary, Earl, come in the restaurant. He looked around, spotted Chet, and headed for their table.

“The marshal said to tell you three more people paid off their mortgages on Saturday with those gold coins.”

“You have a list of their names, Earl?” Chet asked the young man.

“Yes.”

“What does he want us to do about them?”

“He said you could arrest them.”

“Let's go get some federal arrest warrants and do that.”

Roamer agreed. “Even if they won't prosecute them, they still need to be in jail.”

“He said to warn you that over a dozen Mormon lawyers are in the courthouse this morning, shouting for the release of the bishop on bail.”

“He need any help? We can clean the halls.”

“He didn't ask for that.”

“Earl, tell him we're coming.” Chet tossed down money to pay for their food.

“Thank you, sir. I'm sure he isn't worried they'll kill him, but they are nasty and loud.”

The Force members laughed.

When Chet entered the courthouse, the hall to Thomas's office was clogged with shouting men.

“Wait a minute. All of you get over here,” Chet called over the din.

They turned with frowns, saying, “Who the hell is he?”

“This is a federal facility, not a bar. All of you come out here and line up. Who was the first one here?”

“I was.”

“Who are you?”

“Joe Lewis.”

“Who do you represent?”

“The bishop.”

“I arrested him last night. He never mentioned a lawyer.”

“I am going to be his lawyer.”

“He can't pay you in dollar gold coins, because we confiscated them last night. They were part of a stolen Army payroll, and all people using them will be arrested and charged with the crime. Now, each of you will get a number to talk to Marshal Thomas in your turn, but his recommendation at this time is not to allow any bail for the suspects we arrested since murders were committed during the robbery.”

“You can't—”

“I can lock you up for forty-eight hours for disturbing the peace. Now sit down and wait. Marshal Thomas will see you, one at a time, as his time permits.”

“Who in the hell are you?” asked a red-faced man in a suit with beads of sweat tracing down his face.

“I am the man about to put you in a cell. My name is Chet Byrnes. I am a U.S. Marshal. This is not a place for a riot. Find a place to sit and you'll have a chance to speak to my boss in turn.”

“You can't hold a man of God—”

“That is your opinion. Why did a man representing a religion have possession of thousands of dollars stolen from a U.S. Government agency? I found that gold in his house and even his children tried to hide it from us, and we had a valid search warrant from the federal judge.”

“You had no business—”

“No business? Where did you get your law degree?”

“I am a licensed attorney to practice in this territory.”

“Maybe you should read it. Sit down and wait your turn.” He turned back to them. “Any more questions?”

They shook their heads.

Chet went back and stepped into the office to speak to Earl. “My deputies will hold these lawyers down to a simple first-come, first-see him, and do it orderly.”

“Thanks, Mr. Byrnes.” Earl smiled. “I guess they learned you weren't going to put up with them behaving like wild wolves.”

“At home, I shoot wolves.”

Earl snickered.

“We are going looking for the ones who have paid their mortgages off with new coins.”

“Here is the information I have on where they live. I'll tell the marshal about your plans.”

“Thanks. See you later today.”

“Thank you, sir.”

He left Shawn to sort out the lawyers. Jesus, Roamer, and himself rode off to arrest the people who got out of debt by paying with new gold coins.

They rode up to a farmer's place south of Tucson on the river. A short man came out of the corral.

“You Carroll Holt?”

“Why?” The man blinked at him.

“Are you?”

“Yes.”

“Then you are under arrest for being involved in a robbery of the Fort Grant payroll and multiple murders.”

“I never robbed nobody.”

“Where did you get the coins to pay off your mortgage?”

“Why, I saved it.”

“No, you stole it. Do you wish to tell your wife we are taking you to jail?”

“I never robbed nobody.”

“You had enough of the stolen lot to pay off your mortgage. Jesus, put the irons on him.”

“No!”

“Do you have a horse to ride? One of your family can recover it from the livery.”

“I ain't going to jail.”

“Belly down, or in the saddle. You have two minutes to decide.”

“Carroll, who are these men?” a woman shouted from the porch.

“U.S. Marshals, Greta.”

“What are they doing?”

“Arresting me.”

“What for?”

“Robbing the Army payroll, he says.”

“You never done that.”

“Ma'am,” Chet said loud enough she could hear. “He paid off your mortgage at the bank with stolen money. That makes him a co-conspirator.” He'd had enough. “Find him a horse, Jesus.”

“You can't take him,” she cried, and came hustling off the porch with her skirt in her hands.

Chet wheeled his horse over to stop her. “Don't make me hurt you.”

She tried to get by, but Chet used his mount to block her. “Stop, or I'll take you with him.”

She shaded her eyes with her hand and swore at him. “Get out of my way.”

“Load him on that horse, bareback.”

Roamer dismounted and threw the man on the horse's back and tossed the lead to Jesus and remounted on the run. The three left her screaming in the dust.

Carroll Holt was the second man who had paid off his mortgage with gold coins to be put in jail on charges. Chet told the jailer to keep Holt and Rickard separate from Elliot. He agreed that it might encourage them to be uneasy and start talking about the robbery.

The next day, Chet and his men rounded up six more men who paid off their mortgages with stolen gold coins.

Chet was putting his horse up at the livery when a familiar voice behind him made him spin around. Dressed in a fashionable brown dress, Liz ran in and tackled him.

“I couldn't stay home a day longer.”

He rocked her back and forth in his arms. “I'm so glad you came. Damn, I have missed you.”

“Not near as much as I have missed you. How is this going?”

“Not real good.”

“Why? I read the newspapers. You're arresting the criminals and recovering the money.”

“First you arrest the criminals, charge them, then take them to trial.” He gave his reins to Roamer who hugged Liz and whispered, “Good to see you.”

“You, too. You are keeping him healthy.”

“I'll put your horse up, Chet.”

“Thanks.” He turned back to Liz to finish his story. “The jurors come from voter lists. In this part of the country, those people are mostly Mormons. These men arrested are all Mormons.”

She nodded that she understood. He went on talking as they walked arm in arm out of the barn. “I'm worried that they can't get a jury to say they're guilty, no matter how much evidence we have to prove they did that horrible crime.”

“Chet, you can only do so much.”

He agreed. “I don't like losing a war.”

“You have won lots of them. Are you taking us all to eat?”

“Yes. I am so excited that you are here—” He whirled around.

Jesus came up on one side and Cole on the other, and they had Anita's arms locked in theirs, grinning like Shawn and Roamer, who were right behind them.

“Where we eating at, Father?” Roamer asked.

“The Brown?”

“That sounds good,” Roamer said.

At the hotel desk, Chet secured Anita a room as well as one for Roamer and Shawn. Then they went into the dining room to eat. Seated, they ordered from the menu and the waiter said they had some good locally made wine. He brought them a bottle to see and Chet recognized the bottle.

“We'll take a couple of those and celebrate.”

“You know the grower?” Roamer asked.

Jesus laughed. “It is Liz's wine, from her
hacienda
.”

“Oh, hell. No wonder he bought two bottles.”

They enjoyed a leisurely meal, and nothing broke the fine feelings of being with real friends for a relaxed evening. Chet couldn't believe how much his wife's company settled him.

“How many more will you arrest?” Liz asked.

“I have no idea. Anyone who brings new coins in to pay off their mortgage.”

“How much did you recover?”

“I think they are still counting it at the bank,” Cole said.

“There was that much?” Liz asked.

Chet nodded. “Jesus had to go rent a wagon to haul it into town. No telling what we missed, recovering it from that man's place. Cole stopped his teenage daughter from hiding a bucket that was nearly half full.”

“This all came from the robbery?”

“Let's not talk about it. This will go down as the sorriest thing to ever happen in the territory.”

She reached over and clasped the top of his hand. “Chet Brynes, your men have worked hard to make Arizona a better place. You can't win every battle. Justice may prevail yet.”

“I hope so. When we finish here in a few days, I want you to see Rancho Diablo. Heat and all. We can look at it in the early morning hours and give JD some support so he doesn't think he's the last man in the outfit.”

“I am ready when you are. It can't be hotter than west Texas was herding those cattle.”

“It may be,” he said, and they all laughed.

“That was plenty hot,” Jesus said.

Chet tapped his fork on his empty wineglass. “I want to thank each of you, personally. This may be the most trying case we have ever worked on, and despite any future outcome that might reverse our efforts, you did your jobs. Thanks.”

“Amen,” the men murmured.

That week, they arrested three more men who paid off their loans with gold coins. Chet heard rumors of other men paying off individual debts with gold coins, but the receivers hid the payments for fear the government might seize them.

Thomas and Arnold shook his hand and each one of his Force members on Friday. Both men thanked them and Arnold reluctantly said, “This crime will go down, I fear, in history books as a sad case. The criminal perpetrators may beat us in court, but not because of the efforts of each one of you men. You did your part and thanks for the Force. I've studied the activities of you and your men, Chet. You've certainly helped bring justice to this territory.”

“All of us appreciate the opportunity to help and we'll continue to do that.” Chet nodded and they left. At the livery, Roamer and Shawn parted to go back to Tubac to hold down that Force operation, which Chet told them would continue until further notice. The other five went southwest to the big ranch on horseback. Chet offered Anita a buckboard ride.

She wrinkled her nose at him and smiled. “I can ride a horse.”

Late in the day, they reached Rancho Diablo. Mexican music wafted across the dazzling heat waves that almost obscured the distant sawtooth mountains surrounding the ranch.

“They have already started to celebrate our arrival,” Chet said to his outfit. “I sent him word when we'd get here.”

Everyone nodded. Obviously, it was time to have a
fandango
on the
ranchero
.

A very pregnant Bonnie joined her husband, JD, in welcoming them.

Chet lightly hugged her at their meeting. “Did you ever expect to have a child of your own?”

“No.” Bonnie smiled. “But then I never expected to be here, either. Thanks; I won't ever forget you. It isn't as hot or bad here as those places I was kept when I was kidnapped. I often think to myself how you and your men came to save me in my darkest hour. No, the heat and my very large baby are blessings. A challenging one, but JD helps me a lot. I told him the next time this happens, maybe I could go lounge at your house in the summertime, but I'd rather be with him. So, forget it. I'm sorry, Chet, I'm hoarding you.”

He kissed her on the forehead. “After what we've been doing, you're like a blessed blue bonnet spring in Texas.”

Liz stole Bonnie away and Chet shook JD's hand. “How's hot ranching?”

“We're progressing fine. Water development is moving on, like we planned. I've culled the dry cows and have about six hundred head of Mexican two-year-old steers, who are gaining weight despite the heat. They finally have some grass to eat, and water. We're planting, and in three years should have some citrus and wine grapes. I'm learning a lot about farming. We're making progress on our
casa
expansion for the workers. It's about complete. And, every day, I look for rain.”