Wild Kat (13 page)

“Back
away Wild Kat, what have you done now?” The sheriff dismounted while the horse
was still trotting.  “You killed her. Did you kill her?  Damn Wild Kat I knew
someday it would come to this.  What did she do to you?”  Sheriff Brown waddled
up the steps to examine the woman.

“She
tried to kill me sheriff.  I could not let her do that.  She said she was here
to see Thomas and one thing led to another and...”  Kat was crying now.  The
sheriff helped her onto his horse and climbed up behind her.

“Why
could you not have took after your mama, she was so kind and gentle in nature. 
Do you know they will hang you for this Kat?”  She cried into her tiny hands
and did not watch where he steered the horse.  “The people of this town will not
let you get by with this Kat.  They will hang you for sure.”  He did not speak
the rest of the way to town.   He helped her down and pulled her into the jail
cell.

“Dewey
take the Doc out to the Whitley farm.  There’s a dead woman out there.  I don’t
know who she is but we will have to find out and tell her family if we can.  I
will be on the noon train to Fredericksburg with Wild Kat.  You mind the town,
I have to go home and pack, and I will be back in an hour.”

“Why
are you taking her there sheriff?”  Dewey was confused.

“So
she can get a fair trial, now do as you’re told.”  The sheriff left for home
leaving Dewey and Kat alone.

“Finally
done it did you?  You never were much better than one of them savages.”  Dewey
snickered looking at her buckskins and moccasins.  He slammed and locked the
office door then went to find the Doctor.

Kat
paced her cell like a caged feline, one side to the other and back.    She could
hear the train whistle coming. It filled her with dread and fright.   Her tiny
hand smacked the cold stone wall with hate.  She did not belong in a cage. 
That monster on her porch belonged here for trespassing and attempted murder. 
Thomas would be upset if he returned to find her gone, he would think she was
angry or that she left.  She took the bars in her hand and shook the cell door.
It rattled but would not budge.  The dank musty air in the cell sickened her
stomach.  She could hear the train pulling into the station now.  Its steam
whooshed and the wheels squealed to a stop.  She climbed up on the cot to look
out and see if she could see the train but could not.

Thomas’
stomach was filled with butterflies most of his excursion but now when his
black leather boots hit the boards of the station walkway he felt better.  The
butterflies and the sick feeling accompanying them left.  He inhaled the sweet
air that was home and was filled with a new hope as he turned in the direction
of his farm and his wife.  He hurried through the throng of passengers with
Toby on a leather strap and took the shortcut through the woods.  Thomas let
him off the leash.  He was tired and hungry but happy.  He wasn’t sure what
ever possessed him to leave her and only made it four stops away before he came
to his senses and turned around for home.  He and Toby walked quickly through
the snagging branches and briars and finally over the three large gray stones
to their side of the creek.  He hoped Kat would be happy to see him and that
she would have him after acting so foolishly.  He secretly hoped she would find
him handsome in his suit.  Thomas knew something was wrong before he got to the
house, he could see the doctor’s carriage near the porch.  He dropped his
satchel and ran the rest of the way closing the distance quickly. 

“What
is going on here?”  He saw Dewey coming out of the house.  “Deputy, what is
going on?  Where is my wife?”  The old doctor simply shook his head saying
nothing.

“She’s
finally gone and done it Tom.”  Dewey walked across the blanket on the porch
floor covered in blood, the same one had covered Kat only hours ago.

“What
has she done?  Where is Kat?”  Thomas’ heart filled with dread.  The blood and
his wife missing were not encouraging.

“Wild
Kat killed some woman.  We don’t know who she is or where she come from.”

“What
woman?”  Thomas looked at the doctor’s carriage and the figure covered with a
quilt.  “She’s under there?”  Dewey nodded.  Thomas went over to the lifeless
figure and lifted a corner of the quilt to find his girl from another lifetime
or it seemed that way.  “Her name is Susanna Beasley.  She is from Ashe County
and her father is the banker, you will have no trouble finding him.”  His voice
was flat but not mournful.  “Where is Kat?”

“She
was at the jail but she is probably on her way to Fredericksburg by now.  The
sheriff thought she would get a fair trial there.  The people here are skittish
of Kat anyway unless they really know her. They would hang her for sure and the
sheriff could not live with that, he was in love with her mama and Kat reminds
him of her.  He did not say any of this and it is not common knowledge any more
so keep it to yourself if you would Tom.”  Thomas nodded.  “I had Mister
Crenshaw come for your animals and he will mind them for you.  You were missing
and with her in jail we could not leave them here unattended.”

“How
could you know I was missing?  I wasn’t gone a day.”

“She
was out prowling all night looking for you, the sheriff finally told her to
come home and he would look for you.  He was coming out here to tell her he had
some volunteers to help him look and to be sure she was here I suppose, when he
stumbled onto this mess.”

Thomas
grabbed his satchel as he headed back to town hoping to catch her train. 
Thomas missed it by thirty minutes the ticket clerk told him and that he could
catch the next in four hours.  Thomas sat on the bench next to the tracks.  He
leaned back and closed his eyes.  If he had only stayed home, none of this
would have happened.  This was his fault more than it was hers.  Thomas thought
there was no one better to defend her than himself, and he may as well get
started.  He picked his satchel up and carried it to the doctor’s house. He had
time before the next train.

“I
would like to see Susanna if I may doctor.”  The doctor looked at him curiously
and scratched his head.

“Son,
may I ask why?”  He still searched Thomas’ face for clues to the odd request. 
Most people did not want to see a dead body anywhere but in the ground.

“I
am a lawyer and I am going to defend my wife.  Most people think I am only a
farmer and for the past few years it is all I was, but now it is time for me to
put my education to work.   By the time I return, Susanna will certainly be
gone.  Whether it is to the next county or into the ground and I will be too
late.  I need to know a few things before I go to Fredericksburg and I need to
know them in a hurry, I have a ticket on the next train.”

“Come
in.  If you get sick, you clean it up?”  Thomas agreed.  “Follow me.”  The
doctor led him through the house, past his wife in the kitchen and out the back
door to his office and to Susanna.  “She is in here.”  He pulled a curtain back
and revealed the body.

“From
what I can tell she died quickly of a stab wound to the left lung and it also
pierced the bottom of the heart I am guessing.  That’s why it was fast.  Kat
could not have done this by herself.  I figure they argued and struggled, this
girl probably tried to stab Kat and when Kat defended herself this girl
actually helped her plunge the dagger deeper into herself.”

“A
dagger you say, not a hunting knife?”  Thomas was looking over the short rotund
doctor’s shoulder.

“Yep. 
It was still in her.  It doesn’t belong to Kat unless she’s been shopping.  I
doubt this thing would do her much good against animals.  This was made for
destroying a human being.”  The doctor showed Thomas the long silver dagger
with the pearl handle.  “It is also not Kat’s for another reason.  This came
from France or somewhere like that and I know for a fact she has never been out
of this county until today.”

“It
did come from Paris, about twenty nine years ago.”  The doctor was perplexed.

“How
do you know that son?”

“Because
it belonged to my mother.  It was stolen from her when she was killed on the
way home from church.  She and my father were robbed and murdered, the knife
was a present on their wedding day from him to her.  He gave it to her to
defend herself if she ever needed to.  Susanna always admired it. She thought
it was the picture of wealth to carry a silver dagger in your garter.  It gave
her a thrill each time my mother showed it to her.  Mother always said she
would leave it to her when she died.  Susanna must have killed my parents.  I
suppose she thought with them out of the way she could have all of their money
and me only I guess she did not count on me being accused and when I was, she
took off with a traveling salesman.  What a tragedy this all is.”  Tears pooled
in Thomas’ eyes, he wiped them away viciously.

“You
could not have known son.  Now that you know the truth, you go get Kat out of
jail.  She has no business in a cage and I hate to see any child I brought into
this world locked up.”  Thomas thanked him and hurried back to the train.  He
climbed the steps and sat down just as it lurched forward.  He listened to the
clacking of the wheels and the creaking of the cars as it gained steam for
awhile before he finally fell asleep.

“They
will take care of you if you behave yourself Wild Kat.  Be a good girl, or try
and you will face the Judge in a few days.  Meanwhile, I will try to find
Thomas I promise.”  She nodded and offered her hand through the cold bars to
shake his.   He took it and held it with both of his own hands.  “I am sorry
about all of this Kathleen.”

“I
know you are just doing your job sheriff.  I do not hold it against you. 
Please, no matter what happens please find Thomas and tell him where I am and
that I love him.”  She sniffed.  “Tell him I’m sorry.  Would you?”  He nodded
and waddled down the long stone hallway.  The sheriff wiped his eyes once
outside.   It was the worst experience of his career.  That girl did not belong
in a cage, but it was his duty, and he was sworn to obey and uphold the law.

Kat
paced this cell just as she had the first.  She was alone in this cell.  She
saw no one else as they passed the first four cells. They were all empty.  Her
moccasin-clad feet were silent on the stone floor that was surprisingly clean. 
Only the muted whoosh her moccasins turning every now and again.

“Excuse
me, is he gone?”  A voice called almost inaudibly.  “What is your name?”

“I
am Kat, where are you?”  Kat looked around curiously.

“I
am one cell past yours.  Is Sheriff Brown gone?”

“Yes,
is there anyone else in here?”  Kat asked.

“No.  My name is Georgia
Wilson.”  Her small voice lilted with just a hint of the south.

“It is nice to meet you
Georgia.”  A small hand, that was smaller than Kat’s came from the next cell,
around the stone partition between them.  Kat reached to shake it.  “Why are
you in here Georgia?”  Kat wondered aloud.

“Well,”
she sighed.  “I am a little ashamed to say now, but at the time I felt it was
right.  I do not particularly like being here but I do not care if they hang
me, I still think I did the right thing except getting caught.  That was my
only mistake.”

“What
did you do Georgia?”  Kat pressed.  Her curiosity elevated.

“I
killed my husband and his mistress with an axe.  I know I did the right thing
Kat.  You see my family had money and gave us a lot when we married.  He seemed
like such a good man at the time.  After we were married, my husband lost
interest in me.  He would not sleep with me nor give me children.  I heard the
rumors around town but I ignored them.  I started noticing things though, I
found long red hairs in my bed and I found a chemise under the tick once.  He
lied about all of it.  He said I had red in my hair and that’s where it came
from, I knew in my heart he was lying but I did not want to believe my husband
would cheat.  It was easier to believe he simply was not interested in those
kinds of things anymore.  When were first married he and I did that all the
time but after a few weeks the newness worn off and I just thought...  Anyway,
when I found the chemise he said it was a present for me but it was too big for
me.  I thought he was gaining interest again and overestimated the size.  One
Sunday I was going to town, to church and I passed a woman on the road.  I
thought it strange for her to be that far out where we lived but when I saw
that long red hair it all made perfect sense.  Every Sunday I go to church and
it was always Sunday evening when I found the clues.  I turned my carriage
around after I thought it over and I could hear them upstairs in my bed.  He
was...   They were so loud.  I could hear my bed banging against the wall from
the barnyard.  He never loved me that way.  I climbed down from my seat and
took the axe from the chopping block and used it for what it was intended for. 
I do not care if they hang me Kat.  They both deserved what they got.  He got
it for cheating and her for being a whore.  I am glad I did it.”  Her voice was
shaking at the end.  Kat wiped a tear from her cheek.  “I really loved him, I
wish he would have loved me like I loved him.  We could have grown old
together.”