PART 12
Late that evening Jo road up to the jail where Dan was busy pouring over law books. She knocked on the door and Dan's tired face greeted her. "Dan! It's late, aren't you going to come home?" she asked.
Dan glanced over at Foggs, who was listening from his cell, and gently pushed Jo outside, following her himself. "Judge comes tomorrow," he said, "I gotta be prepared."
"Can't you hire a lawyer or something?" Jo asked, "I mean, I'm sure Laurie would help-"
"I gotta do this on my own Mrs. Jo," Dan said firmly. "Oh," she said softly. "Actually," he said, "I-I…I'm afraid, Mrs. Jo." Dan looked confused and unfamiliar with the odd feelings of fear and lack of control.
"Well then you can certainly ask Laurie-"
"But Mrs. Jo, ya see this is my fight. I gotta do this. Don't mean I gotta like it," he sigh.
"No, no you don't," Jo agreed, "But you'll pull through. I'm certain of it. You always have."
"Yeah, and that's 'cause of what you taught us Mrs. Jo. You taught us all real good Mrs. Jo, but I'm just worried that when the time comes for me to stand up for everythin' I believe in….that I just won't be able to do it alone," he finally met her gaze and her heart begged her to take care of this, to fix this problem of his. Yet she knew she could only offer one thing…
"You don't have to do it alone…your family is with you, every step of the way," she said with a soft smile, "Now you get back to work alright? I have to go visit Nan." He smiled and nodded and they parted ways.
Dan walked back into the jail where Foggs was smiling madly. "What's so funny?" Dan asked.
"That Mrs. Jo is such a woman, isn't she?" his vile voice dripped.
"You know Foggs," Dan said, "The one good thing about you bein' in here is that - for the time bein' - everyone I love is safe."
"Quite right," Foggs said in a firm voice, "Quite right." After Dan went back to reading Foggs' smile returned and he gazed out the window saying ever so softly, "Or not…"
"Whoa, watch your step," Nat said, almost having to catch Nan as she made her way down the stairs of the clinic - she was finally going home.
"Geesh, they couldn't just put me in a room on the first floor huh?" she joked, "I thought that's what I reserved."
"Well don't worry, Franz said you could set up a cot in his room at home," said Nat. He helped her up into the wagon and then noticed she was giving him a funny look. "What?" he asked, smoothing his hair and looking down at himself self-consciously.
"Nothing," she muttered, "Where did you say Dan and David were?"
"Well Dan's at the trial, and David…I dunno. I haven't seen him all morning," Nat said. He sigh to himself and shook his head. What was Mrs. Jo thinking when she roped him into this? Actually, it had been all of them…plotting and scheming…
"Nat!" Nan said again, giving him another weird look, "Do you hear me?"
"Uh…what?"
"I said I want to go over and see the trial," Nan said.
Nat chuckled and said, "Sure thing Nan. And when we get home what do you say we play a game of tag?"
"You're not being serious. I don't believe you. Nat! Come on, I need to go to the trial!"
"Sorry Nan," he said, getting the wagon moving, "But the only place you're going is home." She folded her arms, a bit flustered, and turned her head away. Nat looked at her thoughtfully and said, "Nan, do you remember the barn?"
"No Nat," she sigh, "I told everyone, it's just a big blur-"
"No, I mean us in the barn the night before the fire," he said softly.
Nan squinted in the sunlight and said, "The night before? Hmm…." Clipped images appeared in her mind, but she couldn't piece them together well enough. "I…I can't Nat. Why, what happened?"
"Nothin'," he quickly said. She was about to protest but something told her now was not the time. 'When?' she thought glumly, 'When would be the time?'
"How'd it go?" Jo's voice caught Dan just as he was walking out of the jail later that night.
"Not so good," he admitted, "But hey, it ain't over yet."
"No," she smiled, "It's not."
"What are you doin' here so late?"
"Oh, Nan left something at the clinic and I told her I'd go pick it up," Jo smiled, "You going home?"
"Yeah, I think I need to get some rest," Dan smiled, "I'll wait for ya here."
"Alright, it'll only take me a minute." She smiled and walked off down the road. After she'd gone to the clinic, she decided to take the longer way back to the jail so she could avoid the saloon. Suddenly, the tiny hairs on the back of her neck stood on end and a chill ran down her spine.
She quickly spun around, but there was no one there. Shaking her head, she instead brought her gloves out of her bag. She continued on her way, managing to put on a glove before she heard footsteps. She turned around again, and again saw nothing. Suddenly she felt strong arms pull her from behind, and something was pressed over her mouth and nose…a handkerchief…so sweet smelling…..
Jo's eyes slowly closed and she went limp in the arms of her assailant. The man, cloaked in the shadows, carefully picked her up and scurried off…leaving a single glove lying on the corner.
"Hey Dan," Nick said walking into the barn, "Jo go in?"
"I dunno. I didn't bring her home," Dan said with a slight laugh.
"What do you mean?"
"I was waitin' for her to get somethin' from the clinic for Nan, but she never came back. I eventually walked over to the clinic and the doc said she'd left a while ago. I just assumed that she'd gone home…," Dan's eyes darkened, "She ain't here?"
"No," Nick said, his eyes just as dark, "Get Nat and Laurie." He grabbed a saddle and walked over to one of the horses.
"Where're you goin'?" Dan asked.
"I'm goin' to town to see if she's there. You all look on the road from here to town," Nick said, "And Dan-" Dan turned back quickly and looked intently at Nick. "Be quick, 'cause it's gonna get real dark soon." Dan nodded and ran towards the house.
Nick road straight into town and stopped at the clinic. He began to walk down the street, looking down every 'alley' and in every crevice and doorway. Once he'd gone down the street one way he decided to try the other side in desperation. He'd found nothing and paused at the corner to catch his breath. He looked down at his shoes, shaking his head and that was when he saw it. A tiny lace glove softly resting in the dirt. He picked it up and cradled it in his hands. She'd been here! But who knew where she was now?
"Nick!" Dan called out as he road down the street.
"Any luck?" Nick hollered.
"Naw, we found nothin'. You?" Dan asked. Nick silently held up the glove, a vacant look on his face.
"Sheriff!" voices called out from the other side of town, "Come quick!" Dan gave Nick and look and the two hurried over to the origin of the voices - the saloon. In the alley next to the saloon was a crumpled figure just regaining consciousness - Jo.
"I just found 'er here," said the bartender, "I ain't got nothin' to do with this here Sheriff." Dan nodded and began to move people away while Nick quickly knelt next to Jo.
"Mmm…..Nick?" she murmured, opening her eyes a little, "What happened?"
"Aww, don't worry. We're gonna take you home and get ya cleaned up," Nick said with a grin, "You just sleep now." He stood up and walked over to Dan.
"She alright?" Dan asked.
"Yeah, just a little shaken up and tired is all," Nick replied, "I think someone did this to get our attention."
"You don't think they were gonna hurt her?"
"Dan, if they were goin' to hurt her…she wouldn't be here right now," Nick said quietly, "This was just a warnin' to make us itch." Both men looked over to where Jo lay, their gazes intent.
PART 13
