“You’re going the wrong way, deputy,” said the Sheriff from behind him, taking the safety off his weapon. “Back,” he motioned with his pistol. “We have an open cell that needs an occupant.”
“Please,” the deputy begged. “Please give me a chance to make this right. Kate, don’t let him do this,” he called out. The deputy was led back to the cell and there was a clank as the door was locked.
* * * * * * *
Chapter Five
Weston, Colorado
“I need some air,” said the Sheriff, brushing past Kate and out the door.
Getting on his radio, he called the rest of his men. “We’ve had a breach of the jailhouse. Judge Lowry has escaped. Check the courthouse and main roads around town, and don’t forget what day it is. Trading starts in one hour.”
Ken was feeling bad for the lead deputy, as the deputy had always been fair with him. He hoped he would be released eventually.
“How is it that I can’t trust anyone?” asked Sheriff Johnson.
“You can trust me,” Kate said, hugging him.
“That’s not what I mean,” he replied.
“I needed to trust the Judge before, and James and my deputies now. Everyone is against me in my own town.”
“No, babe. It’s not like that at all. To be honest, Judge Lowry didn’t betray you until the very end, and James didn’t help him with his plan. And your deputy.”
“What about him?” he asked gruffly.
“He may be guilty of making some extra keys for a little time off, but I think that’s it. Today is a huge day for the town; you need him out around town, helping to keep everyone safe. The Judge is gone. So what? Isn’t that what you wanted? I mean, you didn’t have any plans for him anyway, and after today the jailhouse will be cleared out. He won’t show his face around here again. Why, I’ll bet he’s headed back to Pennsylvania as fast as he can get there. Besides, I thought you wanted to go fishing, just you and me… The old couple two doors down…the ones with the airstream trailer…”
“Yeah, what about them?” he asked.
“Well, I talked to them about a week back, and they offered to let us use it for a few days. We could take off Sunday after church and be back on Wednesday by lunch. What do you say?”
“I could use a vacation, but who do I trust while we’re gone?”
“You trust your lead deputy, James, and as long as that Ken guy you think so highly of makes it over the courthouse, you can count on him as well.”
“Wait here,” he said, walking back inside. “Come on out,” he called to his deputy as he opened the cell door. Walking to the office, he said, “Look at me in the eye, and tell me you had nothing to do with the Judge’s mess.”
“Sir, I had nothing to do with it and zero knowledge about any of it,” he said, looking the Sheriff square in the eye.
“Okay, I believe you. I don’t have any more time to waste on this. If you see him in town, shoot him on sight. Tell the other men the same.”
* * * *
Sheriff Johnson got the trading under way without fanfare, just like every other Saturday before. He spoke briefly with James VanFleet and Jason Davis about the Judge, ending with the statement that it might just be the best thing, after all.
“I’m betting he tucked tail back to the East Coast; and besides, I wasn’t really sure what to do with him anyway,” remarked the Sheriff. “I’m glad not to have him oversee any future elections in this town. He can’t count for crap. And James, today is your day. I’m sure you will enjoy it, and after church tomorrow me and my girl are taking a few days off to give the fish over in Lake Trinidad something to worry about. Happy trading, and I’ll see you in front of the courthouse at 4:15… Don’t forget the family dinner right after the strongman event!”
Ken was given as much time as he wanted to test the bike, and he inspected both ramps. He was never asked about the Judge by anyone and spent most of the morning riding start-and-stop sprints. He glanced every now and then at the overcast sky.
“Stay dry,” he said. “At least until 4:30. Then you can dump all you want,” he repeated a few times each hour.
Sheriff Johnson could hardly contain his excitement for the upcoming events. “Screw the Judge,” he told his girlfriend. “We have a show to put on, and it’s going to rival any town in the whole country. Who else would do all of this for their citizens? No one, that’s who! The people will talk about this for generations to come. And don’t even get me started about James. That old-timer Cam isn’t even half done with his chair, and I’ll be delivering mine today.”
“You’re a proud man,” she said, taking his hand. “Don’t stop.”
* * * *
Trading was getting bigger every week, as news traveled to the new borders of the once-tiny town. The booth count was up to 210, as everyone tried selling odds and ends from their houses and garages. Setup was free and required only a table and five percent of goods sold to be returned to the town, on the honor system.
“Are you ready, James?” asked Janice.
“Ready to go back to work? Yes, I am,” he replied.
“Not ready for an entire city program dedicated to you?”
“If it was you, honey, throwing the party, then of course I would be ready and excited, but it happens to be one of the two most powerful men in town, and I don’t trust either of them. But we will show up, accept the new chair, and I’ll be back to work on
