Page 38 of Wyoming Tough

She relaxed. “Oh. Thanks.”

“I’m a wanted man,” he replied quietly. “I’m not giving up, no matter what. They’ll have to take me down. Prison is a horrible place for an outdoors-man.” He looked around at the towering trees and the blue, blue sky. “This is my cathedral,” he said solemnly. “There’s no place closer to God than the forest.” He drew in the scent of it with closed eyes. “I should never have let her talk me into going to her apartment,” he said. “She was screaming. She said her boyfriend was banging on the door threatening to kill her and I was the only person she knew that she could trust to deal with him. I must have been out of my mind,” he added remorsefully. “She was fending him off when I got there, but he muttered something about her attacking him first. She set us both up. I don’t think she meant for him to die, or me to go to prison… It was just a misguided plea for attention. But she caused it. Now she’s the injured party and I’m being sued for wrongful death by his family.” He gave her a long look.

She winced. “I’m sorry.”

“Hell, so am I,” he said heavily. “Don’t know what I ever did to deserve this.”

“It’s a trial,” she replied. “All of us have them. It’s part of the process of life. You’ll get through it,” she added firmly.

“Think so? If I were a gambler, I’d take that bet and get rich on it.” He looked at her clothing and laughed. “Well, maybe not. You don’t look any better off than I was, no offense.”

“None taken,” she replied.

“I have to go. Thanks for the help. But if I’m caught, I’ll swear you never did a thing to help me,” he added.

“And I’ll swear that I did,” she said proudly. “I’m not afraid of due process. My uncle is a judge. He’d find someone good to represent me.”

His blue eyes smiled at her. “Lucky you. Thanks, kid.”

She laughed. “You’re welcome. I wish I could help you.”

His face softened. “You’re a nice person. My wife was like that. She’d have helped anybody, in the law or out of it. I miss her so much.”

“It’s just a little separation,” she said. “We all go, eventually. It’s a matter of time.”

He cocked his head. “She’d have said that, too.” He looked around. “You be careful out here, all alone. It’s dangerous sometimes. There are other people who shun society. Some of them are homeless people with various mental disturbances. They could hurt you.”

“I know. I’ve got a phone.”

“Keep it on,” he advised drily.

“Yes, well if I’d had it on, the police would already be here, wouldn’t they?” she said pointedly.

He chuckled. “I guess so.” He gave her a last look. “Be safe.”

“You, too.”

He turned and walked back into the woods. She noted that when he was almost out of sight, the rhythm of his footsteps changed and became halting and unsteady. Like an animal’s gait. She realized then that he’d walked in a human pattern to alert her to his presence, so that he wouldn’t frighten her too much by appearing suddenly. She felt sorry for him. She wondered if she could get in touch with Uncle Danny and find him some help. Even if he was guilty as sin, he needed a lawyer. Uncle Danny would know someone. She was certain of it.

THAT NIGHT, SHE CALLED HIM. She knew his habits quite well, and one of them was to work very late at his office on nights when circuit court was in session. Sure enough, he answered the phone himself. He was surprised but pleased to hear from her.

“Having fun at your job?” he asked, amused that she’d defied King to work as a cowgirl on a ranch.

“Lots,” she replied. “But I miss you.”

“I miss you, too, sweetie,” he replied. “Not prying, but is there some reason besides love that you’re calling me at night? Got a problem?”

“Sort of,” she said. “There’s this escaped convict who was framed…”

“Oh, spare me,” he said heavily. “Honey, you have no idea how many innocent people are serving life terms in federal prison. They were framed, the cops were dishonest, somebody was getting even with them…”

“But it’s not like that.” She faltered. “Tank Kirk was a character witness for him. The man fought in Iraq. His wife died. This other woman chased him and couldn’t get him, so she set him up by crying for help when her boyfriend was beating her up. The guy came to her rescue, struggled with the man, who hit his head and died. The woman then swore that the convict did it deliberately. It’s her word against his, and he only had a public defender.”

“Careful, darlin’, I was a public defender,” he chided. “It’s a noble calling.”

“Yes, well this public defender was on the woman’s side and wouldn’t press the case. There’s something else. There was a blood relative of the victim on the jury and it wasn’t caught in voir dire.”

“Now that’s another matter, a very serious one,” Danny replied. “His attorney should press for a retrial on that basis, if she can prove it.”

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