Westward Dreams (17 page)

One man stepped forward.  “He’s the brother of that murderer in that jail!”

“What’s that got to do with anything?  He’s not the one that killed Clive.  Marcus has never done anything but help you all.  If there’s anyone here that Marcus has ever wronged, step forward now and let’s hear it!”

There was a general shuffle among the people, but no one could honestly say that the younger doctor had been anything but kind.

“That’s what I thought.  So quit being idiots and go see your doctor.  Don’t take any of this out on him and Hannah.  That’s all I got to say,” Doc said.

As they descended the steps, Marcus said, “Thanks, Doc.  I don’t know if it’ll do any good, but thanks for trying.”

“No thanks needed, son.  Well, I’ll leave you to it.  I got some things to do, but I’ll see you soon,” Doc said.

Marcus smiled as he watched his mentor walk on down the street.  He continued on to the clinic to tell Hannah what Doc had done.

Owl paced in his cell.  He felt like he was suffocating.  His nomadic spirit was chaffing from the forced confinement.  If he could only have a little fresh air, it would help.  Seeing Hannah would be even better.  Anger at the injustice of it all surged through him and he barely avoided punching a wall. 

“Sammi!” he called out.  “Sammi!”

She appeared.  “What are ya hollerin’ for?”

“Can I have some stuff to write with?” he asked.

“Sure.  I’ll be right back,” Sammi said.

As soon as his friend had given him a tablet and pencil, Owl sat down and began to write.

Joe sat cross-legged in the council tipi.  He was frustrated because the council just wouldn’t budge on their position.

“Now look, ya’ll.  Owl killed a man.  I know that he acted in defense of Hannah and I don’t blame him for what he did.  Other people don’t see it that way.  What if a white man had attacked one of your maidens?  Ya’ll would be feelin’ the same way and that white man would be tried by your standards.  All I’m askin’ is that you hold off doing anything until things are settled.  Even after that, there doesn’t need to be any violence.”

One of the council members spoke and Black Fox translated.

“If Owl is hanged, we will strike back and that’s all there is to say about the matter,” the old man said.

Several of the council members nodded. 

Joe sighed.  “Look, most of you voted for me and I’ll always be grateful to you.  It’s that gratitude that keeps me pleading for understanding, for you to really think all of this through.  We’ve all been living in this area for some time now with no real issues.  Working together, we can keep it that way.  I’m willing to do whatever it takes to keep all of our people safe and happy.  Can’t you meet me halfway?”

Black Fox said in Lakota, “I think that this is wise and that we should work with Joe so no blood has to spill.  Owl himself has sent a message asking that we do not do anything rash.  That is my position on the matter.”

White Horse spoke up, “I agree.  Brown Stag was wise in bringing Silver Ghost into our family and in becoming friendly with the white people here.”

Another council member, Red Bear said, “And you see where that’s gotten us.  If it had been another white man who had killed this Clive, he would be considered a hero.  But because a red man killed him, Owl is a criminal.  So things have really not changed as much as you thought.”

Joe challenged him with a direct stare after Black Fox translated.  “You’re wrong, Red Bear.  When was the last time one of you was killed by one of us?”

Red Bear was silent.

“Exactly.  It’s been years, which is rare,” Joe said.

Red Bear came back with, “Yes, but as our two worlds are now mingling, the trouble is beginning.  It was fine when we did not associate much.  Silver Ghost brought all of this about.”

“Marcus?  He’s always been a friend to everyone, white or red.  What’s your problem with him?” Joe said.  He couldn’t fathom why they would be against his friend.

“It is because of him bringing the two worlds together that this is happening,” Red Bear countered.

“Well, I think you’re wrong about that, but I can see that you’re not going to change your mind about it.  It’s your loss on a lot of different levels and I hope you come to see that,” Joe said.  “I’m going for now, but I’ll be back.”  Joe rose to his feet and held out a hand to Black Fox.  The other leader took it and looked into Joe’s eyes.  Joe could read the regret in the chief’s black eyes and knew that the man was aggrieved over the situation.

Joe left and Black Fox looked after him.  It if had been up to him alone, he would work with Joe, but it wasn’t.  With a new resolve to fight for what he believed would be best for the tribe, he turned back to the council as the arguing began.

Dear Hannah,

              How are you feeling?  I hope that you are not in pain anymore.  I miss you so much.  Please come see me as soon as you can.  I’m so sorry about all of this.  You have no idea how sorry I am.  And yet, I know I did the right thing.  I would never let anyone hurt you.  I love you too much to let anything happen to you.

              I know that people are staying away from the clinic because of your relationship with me and I’m sorry about that, too.  I feel so bad for Marcus because of what our tribe has done to him and to all of our friends.  I wish I could go talk to them and make them see that what they are doing is so foolish.

              I miss your beautiful smile and I miss holding you.  I miss making love with you.  I’m going crazy in here.  I feel like an animal that’s been locked in a cage or caught in a trap.  I hope they decide what they’re going to do about me.  Joe had a lawyer come talk to me about what he called, “my defense”.  I guess that means what he’ll say in court.  I don’t know.  I just want it over one way or another.

Love,

Owl

              Hannah finished reading Owl’s letter to her and ran out the door of the clinic.  It was the end of the day and she and Marcus were finishing up a few things.  She didn’t care if a couple were left undone until the next day.  She had to go to Owl and wasn’t going to let anyone stop her.  Her hair streamed behind her as she ran.  She pounded on the door of the sheriff’s office.  Sammi opened it and Hannah rushed back to the cells before Sammi or Jack could stop her.

              “Owl!” she cried as she saw him sitting on his cot.

              He hurried to the bars and put his hands out to her.  “You’re here,” he said with a big smile.

              “I couldn’t stay away anymore,” she said.  Tears spilled down her cheeks as she said, “I love you and I needed to see you.”

              They shared a kiss as best they could through the bars and laughed about it being a little awkward.  Hannah put her arms through the bars and put them around his waist.  Having him near again helped ease her pain a little, but she fervently wished that she could embrace him properly.  Owl ran his hands through her silky hair and over her shoulders.  Her presence brought him the familiar peace she created within him and he desperately needed it. 

Sammi tried to give them as much privacy as possible while still doing her duty.  As she saw the couple stand together, tears began to fill her own eyes.  It wasn’t fair that they had to hug each other through bars like that.  Before she changed her mind, Sammi went to the cell door and nudged Hannah aside. 

She looked into Owl’s eyes and said, “If you try anything funny, I’ll have to shoot you.  Do you understand?  Please don’t make me do that, Owl.”

He smiled and said, “I promise you that I won’t do anything stupid.”

Knowing Owl’s hatred of dishonesty, Sammi took him at his word.  She turned the key in the lock and opened the door.  She motioned Hannah inside and then shut the door and locked it.  Then she stepped as far away as she dare.  She was able to see Jack and the front door in case someone came in.

Hannah stepped into Owl’s arms and the kiss they shared was sweet and filled with longing.  Neither of them wanted to stop, but they were mindful of Sammi’s presence.  As they parted, Owl pulled Hannah with him to sit on the cot.  He gently caressed the side of her face where there was still some bruising and frowned.

“Does it hurt much?” he asked.

Hannah said, “Not too much now.”

“Marcus said that you had a concussion,” Owl said.

“I did, but I’m better now,” Hannah said.  She lowered her voice to a whisper.  “Black Fox is sending Raven to my house for information on what’s going on with you.”

Owl’s one eyebrow arched.  “He is?  Raven needs to be careful.  If the council has forbidden contact with the people here, it would not be good if he were caught.”

His statement made her worry for Raven’s safety.  “Should I tell Raven not to come anymore if I see him?”

“No.  Let that be Black Fox’s decision,” Owl replied.  “Just caution him again so he doesn’t get careless.  He’s a smart boy and knows how to be sneaky.  He’ll be all right.”

Hannah nodded.  “I can’t believe they’ve disowned Marcus.  He’s heartbroken over it.  He hasn’t been himself.”

Owl was distressed about that subject, too.  “I would have never thought that they would turn on him in that way.  When his white family, well, Dean disowned him we said that it was despicable.  Now we are doing the same thing.”

Hannah squeezed his hands.  “Not you, Owl.  And I could tell how much it hurt Black Fox.  No, his brothers are still standing with him, even if the rest of the tribe isn’t.”

He smiled.  “I’m glad that you can see that.  Not everyone would.”

“Not everyone knows you like I do, either,” Hannah replied.

Sammi came over to the cell and said, “I’m sorry, but time’s up, Hannah.”

Owl gave Hannah a passionate kiss and then released her.  “I love you.  Please come back tomorrow?”

“No one’s going to keep me away,” she said fiercely.  “I love you.”

Sammi opened the door and let Hannah out.  Then she closed the door and locked it and moved away. 

“See you tomorrow,” Hannah said.

He nodded and watched until she was gone from the cell block.  Then he sat on the cot cross-legged and put his head in his hands.

Sammi and Jack were surprised when a little while after Hannah had left, Dean showed up.

“Can I talk to him?” he asked.

“Sure,” Sammi said.  “You only get fifteen minutes.  Sorry.”

“That’s fine.  That’s about all the time I have.  Joe’s called a council meeting and I don’t want to be late,” Dean said.

Sammi led Dean back to the cell block.

Owl heard, “Hey, little brother,” and couldn’t believe he was hearing right.  He looked at Dean who smiled at him.

Owl stood up.  “What are you doing here?”

“I came to see you.  That’s what you do when your family is in jail.  You go see them.  Especially when they shouldn’t be in here in the first place,” Dean said.

Owl moved over to the bars and looked Dean in the eyes.  “So you aren’t angry with me or blame me?”

“Nope.  If that had been me in your situation, I wouldn’t have hesitated, either.  Of course, I can’t throw a knife, and I don’t normally carry a gun, but I’d have done something,” Dean said.

Owl laughed.  “Thank you for coming to see me.  It’s good to see you.”

Dean nodded.  “Yeah, you, too.”

“I’m sorry about all of this and everything that’s going on with Marcus.  I can’t believe they rejected him that way,” Owl said.

Dean’s gaze sharpened and he said, “They did what?”

Owl saw Dean’s eyes begin to fill with anger.  “You didn’t know?  Marcus didn’t tell you?  They’ve thrown him off the council and forbidden him or his family from going to camp or else…”

“Or else what, Owl?” Dean asked even though he was pretty sure of the answer.

“He’ll be killed.  Basically they’re treating him the same as all of the townspeople.  I’m so sorry.  I didn’t know he hadn’t told you,” Owl said.

Dean just nodded.  “It’s not your fault.  Is there anything you need?”

Owl said, “For this to end quickly.”

Dean reached through the bars and clapped him on the arm.  “I’m gonna see what we can do about that.”

Owl said, “I had an idea.  I want to be tried by the townspeople.  I don’t want to be tried by some stranger.  Is there any way to make that happen?”

“Are you sure about that?” Dean said.

“Yes.  Please talk to the council about it,” Owl said.  “It will go much quicker that way.”

“Ok.  I’ll ask them.  Anything else?”

“No.  Nothing,” Owl said.

“All right, little brother.  I’ll let you know what they say,” Dean said and left for the meeting.

Dean had gotten Joe aside in the few minutes before the meeting and told him what Owl wanted.

“Has anything been filed with the clerk of courts yet?” Dean asked.

“No,” Joe said.  “The man just had to be visiting family in Georgia right now.  It’s gonna delay things even more now.  ‘'Til Owl’s case gets filed and put on the court docket, Lord only knows how long this is gonna take.  Meanwhile, I’ve got a bunch of angry white people and a bunch of angry Indians to deal with.  I’m tryin’ to keep everyone from killin’ each other.”

Dean said, “Good.  Don’t file it yet.  Owl wants to be tried by the townspeople.  I think he thinks his chances for acquittal will be better with them than some judge who doesn’t know him.”

An expression of doubt settled on Joe’s face.  “That’s the way he wants to do this?  I don’t know, Dean.  Isn’t that kind of like suicide?  What if they decide to hang him?  If that happens, there’s gonna be hell to pay with his tribe.”

“I know and we have to be prepared for that, but I think he may be right.  Just listen to me,” Dean said and went on to outline the reasons it would be beneficial.

By the time Dean was done, Joe was convinced.  “I knew putting you on the council was the right decision.  Let’s go.”

Hannah lie in bed that night unaware of the debate taking place over the fate of the man she loved.  It had been a busy day at the clinic thanks to Doc’s impromptu tongue lashing in the town square.  People were coming into the clinic again and while they had been reserved at first, Marcus’ wit and compassionate personality had won them over again.  Hannah had even seen sympathy for her in some of the women’s eyes as they looked at her bruises and they had inquired after her well-being.

After she’d arrived home, Raven had shown up and she’d quickly gotten him in the house.  She told him that Owl was doing well but that he missed everyone. 

Raven had given her a small parcel and said, “It’s his favorite pemmican.  Aunt Squirrel made it for him.  Will you give it to him?”

“Absolutely, I will.  He’ll be very happy to have it,” Hannah said as she stroked the boy’s hair.

“Ok.  I better get back to camp.  I’ll tell Father what you said.  Thanks,” he said and had given her a quick hug.

“Raven, please be careful.  Be sneaky like Owl says you can be,” she’d said.

“I will.  Goodbye,” he said and had faded away into the night.

She couldn’t sleep because her mind kept playing all of the special moments she’d shared with Owl and the way their unlikely relationship had developed.  His dark, exotic looks and smile had captivated her from the first moment they’d met.  Hannah had been stunned the day that Owl had kissed her in the examination room at the clinic.

She put her fingers to her mouth as she remembered it.  Hannah had been caught up in the sensual spell in which he could entrap her without even trying.  Resisting his kiss hadn’t even entered her mind.  It had been wildly improper, but she hadn’t cared.  Pulling his pillow close, Hannah inhaled his scent and cried until she fell into fitful slumber.

Dean arrived home to find Tessa in a frantic state.

“Have you seen Mikey?” she asked him.  Her eyes were wild with fear.

He grasped her arms and said, “No, I haven’t.  It’s late.  He’s not in bed?”

“No.  We’ve looked everywhere.  He’s not here,” Tessa said.  “Do you think he went to the camp?”

They had repeatedly told Mikey that he couldn’t go to camp anymore for a while and while Mikey had been saddened by it, he seemed to understand.

“I don’t know.  Is his horse here?” Dean asked.

His question stopped Tessa and she said, “I don’t know.”

“I’ll go look,” Dean said and ran to the barn.  Shadow’s stall was empty.  “Damn it, Mikey.”  He thought about what Owl had told him about no whites going to the camp under the threat of death and he began to saddle Twister.  He had to get to camp.  Once the horse was saddled, Dean did something he hadn’t done in years; he retrieved his gun holster and gun from the locked chest in the tack room where he kept them and strapped them on.  As he left the tack room, he encountered Seth.

Seth saw the guns and said, “Let me saddle Hank and I’ll go with you.”

              The two men tore through the darkness on their mounts that were now well acquainted with the trail to the camp.  They never announced their identity to the sentry.  Instead they rode at full speed right through the camp to Black Fox’s tipi.  The man himself sat by the fire outside his home and stood up as soon as he saw them.

              “What are you doing here?  You cannot be here,” Black Fox said.

              “Where’s Mikey?” Dean demanded.

              “I haven’t seen him,” Black Fox said.

              “I don’t believe you,” Dean said.

              By now there were many braves surrounding Dean and his brother.  Seth had his pistol pulled and he aimed one at Red Bear’s head and said, “First one that moves is a dead man.”