“That’s not true; it was a fair fight, and I’m just stronger than he is.”
“So,” said the Sheriff, “you were fighting in my town where you know there is zero-tolerance for such business?”
“Now, wait a minute, Sheriff,” he stammered. “It wasn’t my fault. He was trying to steal my food!”
“I think you mean my food, don’t you, big guy?” In a quieter voice he added: “I don’t think we even need the Judge’s ruling on you two. What would you like for your last meal?”
“You mean my next meal, right?” asked the nervous man.
The Sheriff laughed. “Don’t ever mock the most powerful man in town, gentlemen,” he said, loud enough for both men to hear.
James and the families headed home with full bellies. The girls sang church hymns, while Danny tried to learn the words.
Chance let out a low growl two miles from the ranch. “What is it, boy?” asked Janice, as James slowed the truck.
Looking ahead 50 yards, several tractors and two vehicles were stopped in a country-style traffic jam.
“What’s going on?” asked Lauren.
“Probably just someone broke down,” said James, motioning for Jason to follow him.
“Janice, you’re on cover, just in case,” he added.
James grabbed his rifle and turned off the radio on his belt, while slowly approaching the vehicles on foot.
“Slow and easy, Jason, until we know what’s going on here.”
All eyes were on James as they approached the scene. He recognized a few of his neighbors, no doubt heading home from church, as it had ended just a couple of hours ago.
“What’s going on here?” asked James. He was now close enough to see the worry in his neighbors’ eyes.
“That’s far enough,” shouted a man, stepping out from behind the lead tractor, rifle at the ready.
“That’s a nice truck you got back there, trailer and all,” he added.
“What’s this about?” James asked sternly.
“Well, it’s about like this. This here is now our road.” He pointed around to his six or seven men, all armed with rifles. “And we say who crosses and who doesn’t.”
“This here road,” replied James, “is officially the property of the town of Weston, and I do believe you all are not welcome in our town. I would suggest you give these fine folks their money back, or whatever else you have likely already taken from them, and then you can be on your way back from wherever you came.”
Janice kept Lauren and the girls low while calling the Sheriff on her radio.
She relayed only what she could see, as she couldn’t hear the conversation.
“We’ll be right down. Don’t let your husband be a hero,” he told her.
Jason was getting nervous, and James didn’t need anything else distracting him.
“Hands to your sides, and no quick movements,” James whispered to Jason.
“Take this rifle, Lauren. Stay low and watch the kids,” said Janice.
“Wait. Where are you going?” she asked nervously.
“I have to get a message to James and Jason that the Sheriff and his men will be here soon.”
Messing her hair up, she grabbed a mason jar of moonshine left over from yesterday’s trade days and opened the lid.
Crawling out of the truck, she zig-zagged her way towards James, occasionally stumbling and slurring her words.
“What’s goin’ on, Harney? I don’t feel so good, and I want to go home,” she said, loud enough for all to hear.
The trespassers laughed at her.
Jason didn’t know what to say, never having seen her like this before.
James, on the other hand, had seen this little skit a long time ago, back in Chicago. The gang he was about to leave forever had gotten an anonymous tip about him leaving, and Janice had bought him an extra day with this same distraction. The very next morning, they were both on a train headed to Los Angeles.
Heading straight for her husband, Janice wrapped her arms around him, whispering, “The Sheriff and his men are on their way.” Without another word, she zig-zagged back towards the truck.
“You ought to keep a better eye on your lady, or she just might get herself in trouble,” said the lead man, getting a laugh out of the others.
“In fact, I may just take her from you; she seems like a lot of fun.”
James didn’t answer. He glanced at a red-faced Jason.
“We’re okay, Jason,” he said quietly. “Just keep calm. Help is on the way.”
Ignoring the last comment, James suggested the men let the other ranchers through, and he would stay put.
“Now, why would we do that?”
“Because I have all the money,” James replied, pulling a small leather bag from his back pocket. Carefully opening it, he took out ten one-ounce silver coins, holding them out for all to see.
He was carrying the gold ones from the restauranteur as well but decided to keep those hidden for now.
“Where did you get all that money, farmer?” the lead man asked.
“That’s not the point, son,” said James, feeling he was starting to get the upper hand.
“I’ll give you one silver coin for each person you are holding here. Looks like about eight or nine,” he added, looking around.
“I’ll consider that if you throw in the woman as a bonus,” the man said, spitting tobacco onto the dusty ground.
James had had enough of this guy, but his entire family was right behind him so he took a slow, deep breath.
“What do we do?” asked Jason quietly. “Do we shoot?”
“No, we stay calm and listen to this man’s ramblings until the Sheriff gets here. He’s trying to get me into a fight we can’t win. Plus, any shooting they do will be straight towards the people we care most about.”
“I’ll ask
