"I have to turn myself in. I can't give you any kind of life with the robbery and kidnapping hanging over my head—"
"No," she gushed. "I can deny the kidnapping. My father can tell Mr. Wick to deny it, too. I'm sure the stagecoach driver can be persuaded to keep quiet. Nobody else knows what really happened--"
"No. I won't having people lying for me. There's been too much lying already."
"Then let's just go away--" Bella's eyes filled with tears, and it took all Cade's strength not to give in.
"I won't do that. I won't spend my life on the run, and I won't ask you to do that either. If I go to prison for a while, that's the way it has to be."
"Please, Cade, don't do this."
"I have to. If you still want me when I'm free …" He let his voice trail off. He didn't expect her to wait for him, but God help him, he prayed she would.
"I will. You know I will." She reached up and kissed him long and hard.
"Will you come with me to the sheriff's office?" he asked a few minutes later.
She nodded. "I'll go anywhere with you."
"Then let's go.
The saloon serving as the courtroom for the trial was packed. Edward's trial the day before had been short. He'd been found guilty of murdering Bessie Morgan and was awaiting execution in the town jail.
Again early that morning, the circuit judge had arrived and was now seated behind the bar. Chairs and tables had also been arranged for the prosecution, defense and witnesses.
Isabella sat perched on the edge of a chair near the table where Cade's lawyer, Jeremiah Peterson, was arranging papers on the scarred wooden table.
Conversation halted for a moment as the saloon doors swung open. Isabella looked on as Cade, Zane and Trey were led in handcuffs to his lawyer's table. She'd been surprised when Zane and Trey had turned themselves in. They were family, they'd told her. And family stuck together no matter what.
Cade sent her an encouraging smile as he passed, but she sensed the nervousness he was trying so hard to hide.
Her heart pounded so loudly in her ears that it was difficult to hear the voices around her.
The judged banged a gavel on the bar. "Let's have some order in here."
The voices faded away. "Let's get started," the judge said to the crowd. "Sheriff, take the stand."
The sheriff rose and crossed to the witness chair. The judge swore him in and the questioning began. All morning witnesses testified, the story the same. Cade and two unidentified men had held up the stagecoach and abducted Isabella Morrow.
Finally, the prosecution was finished. The judge turned to Cade's lawyer. "Jeremiah, call your first witness."
First, the stagecoach driver testified. Yes, he'd been held at gunpoint. No, he hadn't been hurt.
Next, Mr. Wick was called to the stand. He agreed with the stagecoach driver about the order of events. "Were you robbed?" Mr. Peterson asked.
"Yes. That is … well …"
"Were you robbed or not?" Mr. Peterson pressed.
"Well, we were robbed," he began.
"So you didn't get your belongings back?"
"Well, yes, we did. Before they left, they told us they were leaving our things a mile down the trail."
"And did they?"
Mr. Wick nodded.