Ride for Vengeance by William W. Johnstone & J. A. Johnstone

Author:William W. Johnstone & J. A. Johnstone
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Fiction, Westerns
ISBN: 9780786018734
Google: clj6zD3mYksC
Publisher: Pinnacle Books
Published: 2008-02-15T22:40:09.425650+00:00

Chapter 14

Since the deaths of the two cowboys named Rusty and Bill, Shad Colton hadn’t tried to keep Esau Paxton’s cows from drinking at the creek between their ranches. The judge had promised a speedy hearing and a decision on the case within a week or two. Colton had decided that he could tolerate Pax cows drinking his water for that long.

Because of that, when his lawyer, Colonel Hugh Addison, drove up to the Double C ranch house in a fine buggy pulled by a pair of magnificent horses, Colton assumed the lawyer was there to tell him that Judge Wilbur had set a date for announcing his decision in the case.

Colton stepped out onto the porch and stuck his hands in the hip pockets of his jeans. “Howdy, Hugh,” he called to Addison. “What brings you out here?” he asked even though he thought he already knew the answer.

The rotund, ruddy-faced lawyer climbed down from the buggy. “Got some news,” he rumbled in his usual growling tones as he pulled a bandanna from his pocket to wipe sweat from his face. “Rather come up there on the porch and sit in the shade to tell you about it, though.”

Colton waved him up the steps. “Sure, come on. I’ll tell my missus to bring us some lemonade.”

“Sounds mighty fine,” Addison said as he climbed to the porch. He tapped his coat pocket with a blunt finger. “And I got a little somethin’ here that’ll go just fine in that lemonade, too.”

Colton grinned, knowing that Addison never went anywhere without a flask on him.

They didn’t talk business until they were both settled down in cane-bottomed chairs with sweating glasses of lemonade in hand. Colton took a sip of his, appreciating the way the addition from Addison’s flask made the cool liquid go down even smoother.

“Now, what’s this news you mentioned?” he asked. “Judge Wilbur ready to announce his decision, is he?”

“Judge Wilbur’s not gonna be announcin’ any decision,” the lawyer replied. “He’s recused himself from the case.”

Colton sat up straight in his chair, confused and surprised by Addison’s answer. “What in blazes does that mean?”

“Means he’s taken himself off the case. A judge usually does that when he’s got some sort o’ conflict of interest, like one o’ the parties is his brother-in-law or something. But this was for health reasons. The judge got knocked down by a runaway horse a few days ago. Broke his right leg and a couple of ribs.”

Colton frowned. “That shouldn’t mean he can’t decide one way or the other in the case between me and Paxton.”

Colonel Addison’s beefy shoulders rose and fell in a shrug. “That’s up to the judge, and he didn’t think he was in good enough shape to render a fair and proper verdict.”

Colton stood up and began to pace. “What are we supposed to do then? Wait until he’s better and start the whole damned thing over?”

Addison took another swig of spiked lemonade and said, “No, there’s a federal circuit judge

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