Fool's Gold (36 page)

‘Good try, Cornish,’ sneered Fisher. ‘But they ain’t his warrants to tear up. I took them out and I ain’t going to drop them, not less I get the woman.’

‘That’s right,’ said the Sheriff heavily. ‘Even if I hand these over to you, ain’t nothing to stop him swearing ’em out again.’

Cornish slipped his hand into the Sheriff’s jacket and drew out the documents. ‘This all of them?’ he enquired.

Hooper nodded miserably.

Taking his time, Cornish opened up the papers and read through them. ‘So, you want to charge us with bigamy?’ he chuckled.

‘Mrs Langdon was already married. To Robert Langdon.’

‘But my wife was Widow Owens,’ he said blithely. ‘And you can’t prove any different. You’ll have to do better than that!’

‘Sheriff Hooper said it would never stick,’ volunteered the deputy. ‘Nor the one about kidnapping the little girl. He said they might lynch the Chinee, but they’d never indict her for it. That was just to get her to come along without a fuss.’ He looked shamefaced. ‘Sorry, lady. If I’d known …’

‘That so, Hooper?’

‘Yeah, that’s so,’ muttered Hooper. At his side Fisher snarled. ‘Ain’t no use, Fisher. You gambled and lost. And I ain’t goin’ down with you.’ Once he’d started, there was no stopping him. ‘All those names on the depositions are false,’ he admitted. ‘Any half-decent lawyer would overturn them in no time. Only thing he could get her on was the murder of Parker, and I guess even if he could, prove she was this Langdon woman, who for all I know died in prison, she could get off with self-defence. ’Course,
he
didn’t plan it ever to get to court.’

Cornish looked thoughtful for a moment. ‘Then if I could persuade Fisher to drop the charges, you’d have no reason to proceed any further against my wife?’

‘Just let me go,’ begged Hooper, ‘and you’ll hear no more from me.’ He knew what was likely to happen if the hanging mob in San Francisco got their hands on a crooked sheriff and the prospect was not appealing. ‘That goes for my men too.’

That left only Fisher’s man. ‘And you?’ Cornish demanded, cocking the hammer deliberately, so that only the lightest pressure on the trigger would suffice to discharge it. He levelled it at his head.

‘Hey now, mister! Don’t have no call to go pointing that thing at me!’ he yelped. ‘I just look after his horses …’

‘… and tote his guns!’ added Cornish sharply.

‘Look, I won’t trouble you nor your good lady no more,’ he promised. ‘I don’t know nothing about all this court stuff. I only worked for him a month. Honest!’

‘That’s true,’ confirmed Morgan. ‘He’s just a layabout from Coloma that Fisher took up.’

Cornish slowly let the hammer fall back and the man let out a deep sigh of relief.

‘So that just leaves you, Fisher. Will you give up these papers and leave my wife in peace?’

‘The Hell I will!’ snarled Fisher.

‘Then I’ll fight you for them,’ stated Cornish calmly.

‘No!’ cried Alicia.

‘Guns or knives, your choice,’ said Fisher, licking his lips in anticipation.

‘Just fists,’ said Cornish equably, ignoring Alicia’s outburst.

Fisher looked at Cornish’s arm with an evil smile, then across at Alicia. ‘No holds barred?’ Cornish nodded. ‘I agree.’

‘My companions will hold the ring,’ stated Cornish. ‘Hooper will be untied to see fair play. Kerhouan — keep your eye on him.’

She crossed to his side and took his arm. ‘Jack, don’t do this,’ she pleaded. ‘He’s evil. He’ll try to kill you, I know it.’

Cornish looked down at her enigmatically. ‘Best if you don’t watch,’ he said. He began to strip off, laying his clothes on a fallen tree at the side of the clearing.

Chen Kai crossed to his side and drew out a little bottle. ‘This will help kill the pain,’ he said. Jack tipped his head back and tilted it down his throat.

‘Kerhouan,’ pleaded Alicia. ‘Can’t you stop him? This is madness!’

‘You don’t interfere,’ said Kerhouan firmly. ‘Jack, ’e know what ’e is doing.’ She could almost believe that he was looking forward to the fight, for he was grinning from ear to ear.

Cornish stripped off to the waist, while Fisher kept on his jacket and a broad leather belt with a vicious-looking buckle.

She had always thought of Cornish as being a well-built man, but against Fisher’s bulk he looked very slim. And with his arm barely healed and still in the leather support, she thought miserably, what chance did he stand?

A nervous Hooper gave the signal for the fight to start and Fisher charged in like an enraged bull, fists flailing.

Alicia gasped and waited for Cornish to be knocked to the ground, but by some miracle he managed to sidestep and the blows whistled ineffectively past his ear.

With a frustrated roar, Fisher turned and rushed in again and this time his massive fist caught Jack on the cheek, but as Fisher’s fist travelled on over his shoulder, Jack reached up and jerked on it. The momentum of the attack was so great that Fisher could not reverse it and flew straight over Cornish’s shoulder, landing on his side with a crash that startled the birds from the trees.

Curiously, Cornish made no move to grapple with him on the ground, but stood back. Fisher was on his feet again within a moment and moving in to try and land a heavy punch on his opponent, but he had winded himself badly and when he did manage to strike him, the punch did little damage.

For a few minutes more, they circled around each other, Fisher punching furiously and Cornish concentrating on agile footwork to keep out of range of the massive fists.

There was a sudden flurry of jabs, then Fisher moved in behind a punch and grabbed at Cornish’s injured arm.

‘His first mistake,’ whispered Kerhouan hoarsely. Fisher wrapped his arms around Cornish and was attempting to hold him in a bear hug when Cornish hooked his hands in Fisher’s belt and with a grunt, tripped him and threw him heavily to the ground.

Four more times Jack Cornish succeeded in wrestling his opponent to the ground in the same way and each time Fisher got up there was less and less strength in his punches.

Both men were blown and tired. Cornish’s face was scraped and bloody where Fisher’s punches had connected, but Fisher was in an infinitely worse state. There was something badly wrong with his ribs and since the last fall, he was moving very awkwardly.

‘Why doesn’t he finish it?’ muttered Chen Kai. ‘A few good punches now while he’s off-guard …’

‘He waits his moment,’ said Kerhouan.

Next time Fisher punched almost drunkenly at Cornish, he ducked and closed in, coming up at the side under his fists. But this time, instead of catching Fisher’s belt, he locked the arm with the leather shield around his opponent’s neck and leant on it. Through the mists of his rage and pain, Fisher suddenly realised what he intended. ‘Hooper!’ he croaked. ‘He’s trying to …’

The pressure on his windpipe silenced him. Fisher put every ounce into a last desperate effort to wrestle Cornish to the floor. Jack went down beneath the onslaught but just as it seemed that he must be flattened by Fisher’s fall, he arched his body and with one fluid movement jerked his legs up into Fisher’s stomach and flipped him almost effortlessly back over his head. Fisher seemed to hang a moment, suspended in space, then, as he began to fall, Cornish’s leather clad arm somehow caught under his opponent’s chin. As the heavy body crashed to the floor there was a sickening crack that echoed all round the clearing. Fisher didn’t get up again.

Into the eerie silence rode three men, guns in hand. The sinking sun shone brightly on the stars pinned to their jackets.

Chapter Twenty-Six

‘So you admit the charges?’ asked Brenchley.

‘Hardly deny it, could I?’ said Cornish wryly. ‘Not after the marshal turning up like that. The one thing I never calculated was that Fisher had more men. Thought he’d have all his guns with him.’

‘You could hardly anticipate that the one man he left behind would be involved in a bar brawl and the marshal would be trailing him out of town!’

‘Maybe it’s best this way. At least I won’t have to keep looking over my shoulder to see if Hooper or one of his men is going to try blackmailing me. I’ve seen what that can do to a person.’ He drummed his fingers anxiously on the table. ‘How is Alicia?’

‘As well as can be expected. Angelina and Chen Kai are clucking around her like a pair of mother hens, of course.’ He looked at Jack from under a frowning brow. ‘You’ve taken a great weight off her shoulders,’ he said slowly.

‘That was the intention.’

‘She wants to come in and see you. She can’t understand why …’

‘You think it would help her to come here?’ he demanded. He gestured grimly at the barred windows and the locked door with its guard outside. ‘It may not be as dreadful as San Francisco jail, but it’d stir unhappy memories. Besides, I don’t want to remind the marshal of her existence. She can do without being dragged into this.’

‘If they knew her history, there isn’t a man on the Coroner’s jury would blame you for what you did …’ began Brenchley.

Cornish banged his fist angrily on the table. ‘No! I forbid it, do you hear me? I won’t have that brought up for the gossips’ delight. She’s suffered enough without being made to go over it all again for their delectation. I’ll never forgive either of you if you even breathe it. Tell Crocker that!’ He shoved back his chair with a clatter and began to pace restlessly up and down the small room. ‘Of course, if our leading attorney and a smart New York lawyer don’t think they can cope with a Coroner’s jury …?’

‘Crocker anticipates no particular problems,’ Brenchley assured him hastily. ‘Just that it would have made it easier …’

‘I’m not concerned to make matters easier for you or Crocker — or me!’ snapped Cornish. ‘It’s Alicia I’m worried about.’

‘Jack — does she know how you feel about her? I mean, that was a pretty strange marriage you went through by all accounts.’ He saw the scowl that settled on his companion’s face. ‘I don’t mean to pry. I just wondered if someone should tell her.’

‘Get me out of here and back to Tresco and I’ll deal with my own private life!’ he growled. ‘But she will
not
go on the stand!’

‘All right. But I promised Crocker I’d ask. Sit down, for goodness’ sake! Prowling about like that, it wears me out just watching you.’

‘How much longer are they going to keep me here?’ he demanded.

‘They start swearing in the jury tomorrow morning. With any luck, they’ll get through evidence of identification tomorrow afternoon. You should be in court day after.’

‘That wasn’t what I asked.’ He shifted his arm uncomfortably. It had been aching like fury since the night before, when Chen Kai’s wonder potion had finally worn off.

‘I know. But I can’t make you any promises. I never thought Crocker would fail to get you out on bail. Still,’ he looked around him at the sparse room, ‘given over into the custody of the marshal is better than the jail.’ He looked up at Cornish, leaning against the wall with his arms folded, brooding. ‘Jack, I have to ask you — is there something the court knows that we don’t?’

He shook his head. ‘Only I know why I did what I did.’ His voice dropped. ‘You might guess, but no one can prove it was anything but an accident.’

‘That’s what I thought.’ He looked at his friend. ‘Jack, about the Valley Hall deeds …’

‘God’s sake, don’t let anyone get wind of them, or that’ll hand ’em a motive on a plate!’

‘I’m not a fool. But I’m wondering if you are.’

‘Because I’d return Alicia her rightful inheritance?’

‘But a wife’s property …’

‘… is her husband’s? Not in my book. Dammit all, man, that puts me in the same bracket as her first husband! No. Tresco’s mine, by the sweat of my brow, and Valley Hall is hers by her rightful inheritance. What she chooses to do with it is up to her.’

‘And if she chooses to go back east?’

‘Then I don’t choose to stop her.’

A discreet knock fell on the door and the City Marshal put his head round the door.

‘Time’s up, Mr Brenchley,’ he said apologetically. ‘And Mrs McAlpin’s wishful to know if you’d care for a haunch of venison for your supper, Colonel.’

‘Mrs McAlpin could make a bowl of hash taste like a dish for a king,’ said Cornish with a smile, ‘so I’ll enjoy whatever she wants to serve up to me!’

‘I’ll pass the message on, Colonel!’ he said, a friendly grin on his battered, suntanned face. ‘Now — guess I got to search you again. Regulations.’

Cornish submitted to this with as much patience as he could muster; his lot could have been much worse if the marshal wanted to make it so.

‘Lost track of the number of folk who’ve called by to see you,’ McAlpin told him cheerfully. ‘Couldn’t let ’em in to see you though. Don’t know who might be called to sit on the coroner’s jury. Orders is only to let your lawyers in.’

‘I appreciate all the trouble you and Mrs McAlpin have been put to.’

He shrugged. ‘Town pays for it, Colonel. An’ I see no call to put a leading citizen in jail when it’s only a matter of a coroner’s jury. Oh, an’ that Chinee servant of yours came by. Said he’d call back in this afternoon. Wanted to see to your arm, but I can easy fetch in Doctor Harrap for you.’

‘I think I’ll stick with Chen Kai, if you don’t mind,’ said the Colonel. His arm had been badly bruised in the fight and he could do with some more of Kai’s pain-killing brew. And he would be able to find out more about Alicia.

The Marshal decided there was no harm in letting Chen Kai in, once he’d searched him and his medicine box thoroughly.

‘You can change the dressings, but call me when you’re putting that leather splinting back on.’

Jack grinned at Kai. ‘He can’t believe I don’t plan to escape! Madness!’

‘How are you, Jack?’

‘Well, except that this arm is aching like the devil.’

‘What can you expect?’ he said, unwinding the bandages.

‘How’s Alicia? Is she — is she still at Tresco?’

Kai looked up in surprise.

‘Of course not. She’s here in town. To attend the inquest.’

‘Damn!’

‘There!’ Kai drew off the last dressing. ‘Heavily bruised,’ he said gruffly, probing it as gently as he could. ‘But the bone hasn’t slipped.’ He looked up. ‘You took a big risk.’

Jack shrugged. ‘It paid off.’ He dropped his voice, ‘Listen, Chen Kai. I don’t want Alicia to go into the witness box. If she has to, then she must say as little as possible — only what happened yesterday. Make sure she understands that.’

‘You underestimate her, Jack. You’ve lifted a great weight from her shoulders and she’s like a new woman.’

The marshal came to check the leather casing before it was laced up. When Chen Kai was gone, Cornish threw himself down on the bed and thought longingly of Tresco — and Alicia.

*

Thirty-six hours later — hours longer than any he had ever experienced — Brenchley came to walk with him in the stifling mid-day heat across to Garrison’s, where the Coroner’s inquest was to be held.

‘Murray’s the Coroner,’ he said briefly. ‘Don’t know anything about him, but I guess he hasn’t any axes to grind. Evidence of identification was given this morning by Elzevir Kane. Crocker says you know him, he’s one of Lamarr’s sidekicks. Claims to have been Fisher’s partner. They’re trying to make Fisher out to be a respectable businessman.’

‘Even respectable businessmen can be kidnappers and murderers,’ replied Cornish softly. ‘And I know a thing or two about Kane’s businesses that’d make your hair stand on end!’

‘We’ll keep that up our sleeves in case of need,’ counselled Brenchley. ‘I’ve got someone up in Coloma watching Hooper in case we need to get him up in court, though I know you’d rather not use him.’

‘Put him in the box and he’ll spill all the beans,’ advised Cornish. ‘He’ll tie Alicia in with Fisher and that’s what I don’t want.’

‘If he volunteers a statement, we could be in real trouble.’

‘And lay himself open to a charge of kidnapping? Not him. He and his deputy were in the saddle before Fisher even hit the ground.’

They went up the steps to Garrison’s, the marshal behind them, wondering anxiously whether he ought to have handcuffed his charge.

The warehouse was pleasantly cool after the heat of the streets. It had been cleared of its goods and rows of chairs filled the room where the sacks and barrels were normally stacked.

There was not an empty seat in the place.

As he walked in, all the faces turned expectantly towards him and an excited buzz of conversation ran round the room. Clive Revel was sitting with Alicia, and Letitia and her brother sat to her right. He grinned at her. She just managed a wan smile in return.

As he passed down the aisle, a number of men rose from their seats to reach out and shake his hand, turning it into something of a stately progress.

‘Why can he not sit with us?’ Alicia asked Revel anxiously, under cover of the excited chatter. ‘Why has he to sit up there? He is not on trial, after all!’

‘It’s still open to the jury to bring a verdict of murder,’ explained Clive Revel sombrely. He saw her turn pale. ‘I told you you should not have come.’

As Cornish shook hands with Attorney Crocker, the conversation grew louder and more excited until the Coroner banged his table with his gavel.

‘I’ll remind you all that this is a coroner’s court and not a raree show!’ he said irascibly. ‘Any more disturbances and this court-room will be cleared!’

At last the noise died down and the jury filed back in, among them Edward Spalding, who had smiled at her, and one of the Reverend Cooper’s churchwardens. All of the jury knew her husband. Twelve good men and true who knew him for the fine man he was.

Why had it taken her so much longer?’

‘Call Colonel Cornish,’ intoned the county clerk. Jack stepped up onto the stand and took the oath, swearing to tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth.

God help him if he did.

‘Now, Colonel,’ began the Coroner. ‘This here is an inquest on Josiah Fisher to establish the cause of death. It will be for the jury to decide whether there is a case for anyone to answer. You are not on trial here, nor at the moment is anyone else. I recommend you be frank and open in your answers to my questions.’

‘It is my intention, sir,’ agreed Cornish.

‘Good. Now how long had you known the deceased, Josiah Fisher?’

‘I first met the deceased a few months ago, when he came to dine at my home,’ answered Cornish in a clear, strong voice. ‘Incidentally, he was introduced to me as Joel McCann.’

There was another outbreak of speculation across the courtroom and Alicia could hardly disguise her satisfaction. Respectable businessmen did not run under aliases. Without any effort, Jack had effectively smashed that image.

The Coroner looked across at the marshal with raised eyebrows. ‘The deceased was recognised under both those names, your honour,’ replied McAlpin. ‘We believe Fisher to be his real name, but ain’t no one’s certain about it.’

‘Dear me!’ He turned back to the witness. ‘And you met him again after that?’

‘Not until three days ago.’

‘Now, as to the events of that unfortunate day.’ He adjusted his pince-nez and looked down at the papers in front of him. ‘I have before me a statement from Marshal McAlpin that, while in pursuit of a known criminal, in a clearing to the north of Washington he stumbled on a fight between yourself and the deceased.’

‘I do not deny it,’ replied Cornish when the coroner looked up.

‘Dear me! And why was that?’

Tell him, Jack! she prayed frantically. Or let them call me and I’ll tell them!

In a slow and gentle voice, Cornish began to tell them of the events of that fateful day while Alicia sat, hands tightly clasped in her lap, anxious thoughts scurrying around her mind.

‘… and when I heard that Fisher had kidnapped my wife and shot one of my foremen, of course I rode straight after them.’

There was an excited chorus of ‘Oohs’ and ‘Ahs!’ throughout the courtroom and she knew that every eye was turned on her.

The Coroner banged his gavel again. ‘Silence in this court!’ he demanded. ‘Go on, Colonel.’

‘We managed to catch up with him and surprise him. Once my wife was safe, there was a fight.’

‘Cain’t understand why you had to fight,’ said the Coroner curiously.

‘Your honour!’ said Brenchley indignantly. ‘The man’s home was invaded, his wife carried off and his foreman shot, and you can’t understand why he fought the man who did it?’

There was a rumble of support from the body of the court and even the marshal and the members of the jury seemed to think the comment ridiculous. Once again the Coroner had to bang on the table to call the room to order.