He dropped the four sausages into the small skillet and just as he was about to crack open the first egg, Sara popped back into the kitchen. She was surprised to find Jake not only already dressed, but about to cook their breakfast.
Jake turned and said, “While you take your bath, I’ll fix your breakfast, Mrs. Elliott.”
“My eggs will be cold by the time I’m dressed, Jake.”
“I know. I thought I’d have enough time to scramble the eggs before your returned from visiting the privy, but I’ll wait until you’re dressed now.”
“I’ll be ready in thirty minutes,” she said before kissing him quickly then jogging out of the kitchen.
Jake was still smiling as he returned the egg to the bowl, then slid the skillets off the hot plates.
_____
When Sara returned to the kitchen exactly twenty-seven minutes later, she smiled when she found the table set and two platefuls of scrambled eggs and sausages waiting. Jake was pouring their coffee as she sat down behind the plate with a slightly lower mound of steaming scrambled eggs.
As Jake sat down, he asked, “Sara, how are you with needle and thread?”
“My sewing is better than my cooking. What do you need?”
“I’ll show you after breakfast. It shouldn’t take long, but I’d probably mess it up if I tried.”
Sara was curious what he needed stitched but didn’t want her breakfast to get cold and knew that she’d find out soon enough.
_____
After they’d washed the dishes, Jake walked with Sara down the hallway and soon entered the office.
As they passed through the doorway, Sara looked at his father’s Stetson on the desk and said, “I cleaned it as well as I could, but it still looks pretty sad. Do you think Mister Twitchell can return it to almost new condition?”
Jake picked up the hat and replied, “No. It think it’s too badly damaged. But can you remove the elk band and add it to my light gray Stetson?”
“Of course. It should only take me a few minutes.”
He said, “Thank you, Sara,” as he handed her the hat.
She nodded then asked, “Are you going into town this morning?”
“When I left Sheriff Zendt, I didn’t think I’d have the time, but it might be a good idea to write my statement now.”
“How long will you be gone?”
“I’d guess about two hours. I’ll be back in time for lunch and then we can meet with the men before the burial.”
“I’ll have your hat done long before then.”
“Maybe tomorrow will be just a normal day on the Elk for a change. I don’t think I’ve had one since I walked into Major Brotherton’s office.”
“I hope so. I can finally admit that I was relieved when you told me that you’d let the law handle Dave Forrest.”
“I’ll try not to bore you to death before the month is over.”
Sara laughed, kissed him then as she walked away, she said, “I don’t believe that I’ll approach boredom for another fifty years, Mister Elliott.”
Jake walked to the gun rack, pulled down his Winchester, then left the office to saddle Mars.
_____
An hour and ten minutes later, Jake slid his statement across the desk to Sheriff Zendt. To his left, deputies Willie Jacobs and Joe Farley were sitting in chairs along the wall just watching. When Jake entered the jail, he’d been surprised when both deputies shook his hand as if they were old friends. He assumed it was because he was now the owner of the Elk and not some spoiled kid.
While both deputies were still young, even Joe Farley was older than he was. He wouldn’t turn twenty-one until the second of September yet felt much older. The events of the past month had aged him.
Arv Zendt finished reading his statement and said, “This is very concise and well-written, Jake. If you weren’t a rancher, I’d offer you a job as a deputy.”
“Thanks, Arv, but I’ll let you and your deputies handle the law. I’ll stick to handling cattle and horses.”
Joe Farley snickered and said, “And your new bride.”
The sheriff glared at Joe and was about to express his displeasure when Jake said, “She’s the boss now, Joe. I just take care of the four-legged critters.”
Joe and Willie laughed, and Arv was impressed that Jake hadn’t tossed a much harsher insult back at Joe.
Jake then asked, “Do you need anything else, Arv?”
“Nope. I sent out a telegram to all of the territorial lawmen an hour ago, so maybe we’ll get word that somebody has him in jail in a little while.”
Jake stood and said, “Then he’d be escorted here for trial and hopefully, he’ll hang for what he did.”
“I’m sure he would and so does Mister Jones. It’s just a matter of finding him.”
“My father’s burial is being held on the Elk at three o’clock if you want to come. It’s nothing formal, but I thought you’d want to know.”
“I’ll see if I can make it.”
Jake nodded then waved to the deputies and left the jail.
He was about to mount Mars when he decided that he’d visit the bakery. He felt the need to explain what he’d found to Mrs. Kemper.
When he entered the bakery, Mrs. Kemper was helping Mrs. Goforth. Margaret Kemper glanced at him but continued to talk to her customer, so he removed his hat and walked to the back of the shop to wait for her to finish.
Gladys Goforth noticed Jake as she turned to leave but seemed uncomfortable when she saw him, so she just hurried from the bakery.
Jake approached Mrs. Kemper but before he stopped near the counter, she said, “I’m sorry that you had to find your answer in such a horrible way.”
“It
