The saloon was packed in this noon hour, which was uncommon in this time of the day. So drinks being sold and no cards being dealt. A trial was going to take place and the people were thirsty for blood to pay for Melissa’s. Shuster kept yelling words of revenge and justice. Lou squirmed every time she heard his voice. Buck sat in front of her his back straight and high, staring ahead. Kid was sitting beside him. Finally, his deputy came in to announce the judge was coming. Lou put her hand on Buck’s shoulders for reassurance, hoping to pass him some of her strength, as they stood to greet the judge.

The judge told them to sit and looked at Kid. "Marshal," He started, "I understand this man is being accused of murder."

Kid stood quickly. "Yes sir." Kid said. "However…"

"Who’s the prosecutor?" the judge cut him.

Buck reluctantly sat in his seat. "I’ve never raped anyone." He mumbled.

Kid leaned closer to him. "I know you didn’t," he said, "but you have to stay focused."

"This trial is not about rape, it’s about murder." The judge reminded Shuster. "It won’t make any difference if I’ll find him guilty. Now who’s your first witness?"

"I am." Shuster said as he took the seat next to the judge. "I came home and saw my wife… dead, in her bed… and this Indian in her room."

"You have any questions, Marshal?" the judge asked.

Kid stood. "Was Buck conscious when you found him?"

"You will refer to the defendant as Mr. Cross, Marshal." The judge reprimanded.

"Sorry, your honor." Kid said. He glanced at Lou for support and she smiled at him, telling him with her eyes that she’s there behind him. "Was Mr. Cross Conscious when you found him?"

"What do you mean?" Shuster said. "And what difference does it make? He killed my wife."

"I want to know if it’s maybe possible that there was someone else in the room, before you made it there, someone that killed your wife and knocked Mr. Cross unconscious."

"There was no one there beside him, when I came back there, and besides, his knife was found there, and you yourself said that was the weapon that killed her."

"Is that true, marshal?" the judge asked.

"Yes, but…"

"That what is there to say? It’s obvious he did it."

"Your honor," Kid tried again, "there must have been someone else to knock Mr. Cross unconscious. And that someone could have taken that knife and use it…"

"You have to agree with me it’s highly unlikely." The judge said, stopping the Kid. "Is there anything else you want to say before I decide on the verdict?"

"Sir, your honor," Kid started, knowing this was his last chance to save his friend. "I vouch for him." The crowd started shouting and cursing at him.

"Quiet! Quiet!" the judge shouted. When the crowd was silent again, he ordered Kid to continue.

"Marshal Hickok will vouch for him too." Kid said.

"You know ‘Wild Bill’ Hickok?" the judge asked.

Buck just nodded.

"Your honor, actually, I just got a letter from the marshal, saying Mr. Cross was staying with him, along with Mr. William F. Cody and marshal ‘Teaspoon’ Hunter."

Lou looked at her husband, afraid he will trip over his lie. The judge, on the other hand, was quite impressed. "You know all these gentlemen?" he asked in awe.

Buck nodded again.

"Marshal Hickok also said that Mr. Cross helped him track some men…"

"When did you leave?" the judge asked, not letting the Kid finish.

"I’m sorry, sir?" Kid asked.

"When did he leave the presence of these fine gentle men?" the judge asked again.

Buck saw Kid hesitate. "Two days before the murder." He said, seeing there was no point in saying anything else, since he was found at the scene.

The judge looked at him closely. "Then you could have done it."

"I did not murder Melissa Shuster." He said determinedly.

"That’s for me to decide." The judge said coldly. "And I find you guilty."

The crowd started mumbling and yelling at the verdict, and the judge continued. "You will be hanged by your neck ‘till death at dawn the day after tomorrow."

Lou gasped as tears roll down her face. Kid bowed his head, looking at his hands. Buck kept a straight face. He knew that will be the judge’s decision. In two days he will be dead. He just hoped the Kid would tell his family about it. He was not angry nor disappointment. He was ready. Not that he wanted to die, but he already understood this was his destiny. At least he would die with dignity.

Kid looked at him and then at his crying wife, his own eyes glassy with tears. Lou reached to squeeze his shoulder. It seemed as if he was the one needing support and not Buck.

"Marshal, take him back to jail. This trial’s adjourned." With that, the judge left the saloon.

Kid sat dumbly next to Buck.

"Come on, Kid." Buck said.

Lou ran outside, needing to be alone as Kid and Buck walked back to the jail.

"It’s okay, Kid. Really." Buck said as his friend closed his cell-door.

"It’s not okay, Buck." Kid said. "I can’t tell you how sorry I am."

"I know." Buck said. "But right now I think your wife needs you, and I’d like to be alone for awhile."

Kid nodded and went out to look for his wife. He found her sitting on a barrel just behind his office. She wasn’t crying, just staring ahead, not really seeing anything.

"We’re losing another one." She said. "And now it’s all our fault."

He moved closer to her. "We’re not going to lose him. And he’s not going to die." Kid said earnestly. "I’ll find something."

Lou looked at him. "I don’t want you to get yourself in trouble, Kid." She whispered.

"Don’t worry, I’ll be okay."

"How’s Buck taking it?" she asked.

Kid shrugged. "He asked to be alone, but it doesn’t seem to bother him as much as I thought it would."

"I think he accepted it before the trial even begun." She said sadly. "It’s like when we took Elias Milles to hang. He was so calm…"

"Buck is nothing like Milles." Kid said angrily. "Milles did kill those people. Buck didn’t. See the difference?"

"He wasn’t such a bad person, Kid. You didn’t spend all that time with him…"

"But you and Jimmy sure had a lot of fun." He said bitterly. He hadn’t think about that in years, but it cut through his heart exactly like the first time she told him about the kiss she shared with the man who was his best friend at the time.

Lou looked at him. "I’ve never regretted marrying you, Kid. Not ever."

"I know, Lou. I’m sorry. But being so helpless…"

"I know. It’s okay. Kid, you’ve tried your best."

"It wasn’t enough and it was too late."

"But what counts is that you’ve tried."

"Count by whom?" Kid asked sarcastically. "By the man who’s about to die or by the town’s people, whom I lied to?"

"By me." Lou walked closer and pulled him into her arms. "We’ll find a way, Kid. We’ll find a way."

They returned to the jail an hour later. They still hadn’t find a solution, but thought they should check on Buck. He was lying on his bunk, his eyes closed.

"Kid, what about his family?" Lou asked in a whisper, figuring Buck was asleep.

"They won’t make it in time for the hanging." Buck said, not even bothering to open his eyes. "Just, please, tell them what happened and that I loved them."

"Buck, don’t give up." Lou said kneeling at the door of his cell.

"Shuster paid me a visit when you weren’t here." He said. "He was happy to see another one of my ‘filthy pagans’ dying."

"You’re not going to die, Buck." Lou said. "And don’t take Shuster too seriously."

"I think he knows something about what happened to me." Buck said. "Something he said about my boy. Maybe he knows the murderer as well."

"I still don’t understand why anyone wanted to kill Melissa." Lou said.

"Shuster said she’s been raped. Maybe that man didn’t want her to recognize him." Buck suggested.

"She wasn’t raped." Kid spoke. "I don’t know why Shuster said that, maybe he wanted to gain some more sympathy. She was found naked, but again, Shuster is the one who found her, so anything can be the truth, but the doctor said she wasn’t raped."

"You think he killed her?" Lou suddenly asked.

Kid looked at her carefully. "Well, it is a possibility. The question is why."

Lou looked at him for a long moment, then at Buck. Without saying anything, she stormed out, leaving the bewildered men.

She went to the telegraph office, putting on her most alluring smile.

"Oh, hello Mrs. McCloud." The clerk said. "What can I do for you?"

Lou smiled again, leaning closer. "I was wondering if you could help me."

"Sure. Anything you need."

"Well, I was wondering… about Mrs. Shuster. She wrote to her sister, asking her something for me, and it’s pretty important. I was wondering if she got any mail after… well…"

"No, ma’am." The clerk said. "Nor did Mr. Shuster."

"Did he send anything?" Lou questioned. "Well, I mean, maybe she didn’t get to send it."

The clerk shook his head. "The only telegraph he sent was to some lawyers back east to tell them she’s been killed."

"Oh." Lou said, needing more time to think. "And they didn’t send him anything?" she asked hopefully.

"No, ma’am, but if you want, I guess I can tell you when he will get any letters or telegrams. Of-course, I wouldn’t be able to tell you what’s in the letters…"

"I understand." Lou said. "Thank you."

"No problem, ma’am."

Lou nodded and walked away, disappointed she couldn’t find answers.

She took her time walking back toward Kid’s office, not really wanting to see any one of the awaiting men. They knew it, when they saw her coming in. The disappointment and frustration were written all over her face.

"Where’d you go?" Kid asked for the both of them.

"I went to the telegraph office, but I didn’t find anything. It’s all for nothing. And it’s too late to find anything now." She said.

At her last words Kid’s face fell even more and he excused himself. There was no need for her to say that. He already knew it was his fault. He said he was sorry. What lese could he do now? He went to the livery stable, to take Katy. In order to think in a clear mind, he knew he had to get away from the town and from Lou. He rode about a mile out of town, until he got to a clearing. He found a log and sat on it, listening to the silence that surrounded him. He thought about his life and the course they took lately. He knew Lou was right. He was putting his job before his family. It wasn’t consciously. He still loved them as much as he did at the beginning, probably more, but he had more responsibilities now. They weren’t the family of three they used to be when they just left Rock-Creek. He had to take care of them, and even though Lou was working as well, he still was the man of the family, and he had to do his best for them. He wanted them to have all the possibilities, to have everything he didn’t have as a child, but in the process, he deprived them of their father. And now, this. He couldn’t help but feeling he was the reason Buck was about to die. If only he believed him, if only he’d listen to what Lou was trying to tell him, he wouldn’t be in this situation now. As Lou said, "now" was too late. They couldn’t find any more clues as too much time has passed, but he knew he had to do something. He couldn’t just let them hang Buck. It took him only a moment to realise he will be the one to do the hanging, and he couldn’t stop the tears.

On to Chapter Seven

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