“God loves you, you know.”
Colt stared at him as if he’d gone daft.
“I rightfully earned my spot in the hereafter. I’m not going to get all religious and pretend otherwise. The Lord ain’t never had a place for me in His life, and I reckon I ain’t never had room for Him in mine. It’s nothing personal.”
“I used to think the same thing,” Will said quietly. “But I learned that God loves all kinds. If He could love Paul, who persecuted the early church before becoming a follower himself, then why can’t He love sinners like us?”
Colt walked over to his bed and sat down. “I s’pose if you consider yourself a sinner, then that’s all good and well. But I didn’t choose the life I led. It chose me.”
He stared at Will as though he expected a fight. But this wasn’t Will’s battle. Given that Colt uttered the same words Mel once had, Will knew the battle was bigger than that. It was waging in Colt’s soul, and Will could only pray that, somehow, the truth of Will’s words, of God’s word, would get into Colt.
Before today, Will would have never believed Colt wasn’t a bad person. But seeing Colt’s love for Mel, combined with the self-righteousness of feeling as if he’d been acting in some warped form of justice, made Will realize that Colt was just as lost as the rest of them.
“Just remember it’s never too late. To let God in, or to tell me where I can find Daisy. She’ll have a good, honest life with us. The pastor has promised to help with that.”
“Maybe she likes the life she has.”
With that last defiant statement, Colt lay down and rolled on to his side so his back was to Will.
Will had done his best. Tried talking sense into Colt, but Colt felt too much justification in his actions. All Will could do was leave it in the Lord’s hands, and that was enough.
Turning to sit onto his own bunk, he watched as the door to the cell area opened, and Marshal Whitaker entered.
“Lawson. You’re free to go.”
He opened the cell, but Will didn’t come forward. “Am I going to be back in here in a few days when there’s more evidence against me?”
“Is there evidence against you?” The marshal cocked an eyebrow at him.
Colt’s bed rustled, and Will turned to see the other man coming to where their cells met. “None that wasn’t manufactured.”
“That’s what I thought.” Marshal Whitaker nodded and held his arm out toward the door. “A diamond necklace from the Century City bank robbery was sewn into the lining of Ben’s coat. Sheriff Rusty Horton has a few stolen items of his own to explain. Between that and some other evidence we’ve found, I think I can safely say you won’t be back in here anytime soon.”
Marshal Whitaker looked over at Colt. “As for you, well, I’m not sure I’ll be able to say the same.”
Colt shrugged and went back to his cot. Before Will could say anything, Mary burst into the room.
“I know they said I should wait out there, but I am not waiting another minute to see my fiancé.”
Will held out his arms, and though it was hardly the proper thing to do, he held Mary close. “I am so glad God gave me this chance.”
She smelled of lilacs and summer, even though fall was upon them and they’d soon be knee-deep in snow. Will wasn’t a man for fancy notions, but if he had to say what blessings smelled like, this was the scent he’d choose.
Marshal Whitaker cleared his throat. “Speaking of chances, I got word from Mayor Harris that they’re looking for a new sheriff in Century City. He feels real bad about siding with Rusty against you, considering it was Rusty all along.”
After giving Mary a final squeeze, he turned to look at the marshal. Just a few weeks ago, this would have been the very opportunity Will would have desired, even though he’d have never believed it possible.
“I appreciate the offer. But I need to stay in Leadville to help my fiancée and her family.”
He held out his hand to the marshal and was given a firm shake in return.
“You ever need a job, you let me know, and I’ll put in a good word for you.”
“Thanks.”
He turned his gaze back on Mary, whose eyes were shining more brightly than any silver pulled out of the hills. “I mean that, Mary. I’m here for you. And your family. Especially that rascal Daniel I keep hearing stories of.”
The loving but exasperated smile Mary rewarded him with confirmed to Will that he was making the right decision. As much as the events leading up to this point had made him question his life and his faith, they’d brought him to this place of complete and utter peace.
There was no place he’d rather be than here, now, with Mary.
Sounds of the jail around him reminded him that perhaps here wasn’t exactly right.
“Shall we?” Will held his arm out to his bride-to-be.
Arm in arm, they walked out of the jail. Will, a free man, without the stain of his past or the accusations that had once followed him. And Mary, a woman of such strong faith and willingness to face her past that Will could hardly believe himself worthy of such a blessing.
Epilogue
It was a fine day for a hanging. Or at least that was what the good people of Leadville kept saying. For Mary Stone, however, there was no joy to be found in this day. As Will put his arm around her, they silently walked away from where the crowd had gathered to watch the vigilantes hang Ben. The warmth of his arm reminded Mary that she did, indeed, have something to
