He mounted his horse and rode beside his brother toward town. As Cal told him about how he captured the two men, Jesse’s mind couldn’t stay on the conversation, especially when they passed the church. Although he should go to Summer’s wedding, he just couldn’t bring himself to suffer through the agony. He would certainly be tempted to say something after the minister said,if anyone knows why these two should not be sealed in holy matrimony, speak now or forever hold your peace. Jesse would declare his love for Summer to her wedding guests.
However, it wouldn’t do any good. He knew she would still marry Adam because of his money.
The morning sun shone through the window into the jail as Jesse, and his brother entered. Cal moved to one of the men locked behind bars, while Jesse went to the second man. Cal opened the jail cell and took his prisoner in handcuffs into one of the side rooms. Jesse had interrogated men a few times, so he knew what words to use to get them to confess. Of course, the key to getting the truth was to separate the two suspects.
Jesse left his prisoner in the jail cell but pulled up a chair to look the man in the face during the questioning. The suspect looked to be in his mid-forties, and although the man dressed like a cowboy down on his luck, Jesse was willing to bet the man was in disguise. During the ride to the jail, the few things Jesse recalled his brother telling him was that they kidnapped women between the ages of sixteen and twenty-five and sold them as enslaved people, shipping them to other countries for trade.
Folding his arms across his chest, Jesse leaned back in his chair, trying to look relaxed as he glared at the man behind bars. He didn’t say anything at first, only to make the suspect restless.
“You don’t have anything on me,” the man spat. “I’m innocent.”
Jesse shrugged. “Maybe, maybe not. But I can tell you this. Sheriff Slade is good, and he doesn’t make mistakes.”
“Well, if my case goes to court, the sheriff will have to turn over evidence, and since I’m innocent, he won’t have anything to show.”
“Then you don’t have anythin’ to worry about.”
The man jiggled his leg, testifying to being nervous.
Jesse straightened and leaned forward, gripping his thighs. “But I’m sure you know somethin’ about your friend, and you can help us to find the right people who are guilty.” He motioned his head toward the room Cal took the other prisoner to.”
“You can’t make me rat on my friend.”
Jesse shook his head. “You’re not goin’ to be the one rattin’ on his friend.” He chuckled. “But I bet you money, your friend is goin’ to squeal like a pig in the next ten minutes. It’s like I said, Sheriff Slade is good and doesn’t make mistakes.”
The suspect’s mouth tightened, but the way his skin color faded told Jesse that it wouldn’t take long before this particular prisoner started singing like a nightingale.
Silence stretched in the room as Jesse waited for the moment that would change the course of their interrogation. Finally, the door opened to the room where the other prisoner was being held, and Cal walked out, closing the door behind him. He moved to the coffee pot by the fireplace and poured himself a cup.
Jesse casually moved to get coffee for him. Cal leaned over to whisper something in Jesse’s ear. Of course, his brother didn’t say anything. This was all for show for the suspect who watched them.
Chuckling, Jesse stepped away from Cal, shaking his head. “Well, that’s good to know.” He glanced at his prisoner. “Because he assured me he was innocent.”
Cal belted out a laugh. “They all think they’re innocent until their friends talk.” Cal moved away from Jesse and back into the room, closing the door behind him.
Wearing a victorious grin, Jesse mosied back to his chair and sat. The prisoner’s face was white now.
“What did the sheriff say to you?” the man asked in a voice that was no longer confident.
“Well, let’s put it this way.” Jesse rubbed his unshaven chin. “We now know one of you is guilty of sellin’ the poor girls as slaves.”
The man’s throat jumped in what must have been a hard swallow. “I didn’t sell them. All I did was find them.”
“Findthem? Don’t you meankidnapthem?”
“Not all of them,” he snapped. “Only two.”
“Oh, and I suppose your friend in there,” Jesse nodded toward the closed door, “did everythin’ else?”
“He did, and Harold also arranged the trade.”
“Really?” Jesse cocked his head. “I would have thought the man in charge would have arranged the trade.”
“Well, of course,hedid. But Harold also helped.”
“There were ten girls who were kidnapped in Denver. If you only took two, then I’m assumin’ Harold took the other eight?”
“Yes, sir.” Sweat coated the man’s forehead. “But I didn’t want to do it. I... I was blackmailed.”
