Montana Summer Ch. 16

After standing up, Charlie felt weary. He hadn't slept at all. "I'm feeling tired now. Let's go back. If Milt doesn't need me for anything else today, I think I'm going to have Walt take me home."

---

"You know more about what went on than you're telling." Jessi looked at Ryan.

Josh and Becky had just left. Ryan's parents had followed Bill and Suzanne up to bed. Just Jessi and Ryan remained up.

"I couldn't tell them everything."

Ryan's mind went back to the last minutes when the other four riders had charged after the fleeing men. The riders rode single file through the men. The men panicked and began to fire wildly at the Wanagi. In the mayhem, they ended up shooting their companions. Ryan shivered as he saw the pale rider rising to the sky. He had reaped his bounty in the early hours of the morning.

"Are you going to tell me?" Jessi's voice was quiet.

"If it's something you really want to hear." Ryan wrapped his arms around Jessi and kissed the tip of her nose. "I don't want there to be secrets between us, but just give me a day or two and then I'll tell you."

---

"You got a visitor," Norm looked up as the deputy opened the cell.

The deputy held the door open and motioned for Norm to exit the cell.

"A visitor?" Norm questioned. He wondered who could possibly be coming to see him.

The deputy led him into the visiting area. "You have thirty minutes. You aren't to give anything to, or take anything from your visitor. No touching, and keep your hands in plain view, preferably on the table."

Norm was surprised to see the old man Vincenzo had taken prisoner sitting at a table in the visiting area. He walked up to Charlie and asked, "Are you here to see me?"

Charlie stood up, and extended his hand out of habit. "Yes, I thought I would come in and thank you for what you did."

"We're not supposed to touch." Norm looked at Charlie's hand as he remembered the deputy's words.

Charlie nodded and sat down. "I forgot. It's been a while since I've dropped in here. My name's Charlie Red Elk, and I probably owe you my life."

"I'm Norm Campbell. I'm just glad I was able to do something."

"Can I ask why you did it?" Charlie was curious.

"I don't know." Norm shook his head. "They were planning on killing me when my usefulness was done. I thought your life was in danger, too." Norm studied Charlie's face. He could see kindness in it. "I want you to know one thing. I'm not like those other men." He stopped for a moment. "I made some mistakes, and then some poor choices. That's how I fell in with them."

"I know about making poor choices." Charlie replied. "It's what we do with our second chance, that's what matters."

"Yeah, it looks like I might get a second chance. That's if I don't end up being charged with anything."

"I think what you did for me will go a long way. Milt says you're co-operating. That'll help a lot as well."

"I hope so." Norm nodded. "I'll have to try a real job when this is over."

Out of curiosity, Charlie asked, "What kind of work do you do?"

"I'm a mining engineer and a geologist." Norm sighed. "Well, that's what I did before getting into this mess."

"Hmm." Charlie looked at Norm, and thought about what Ryan had said. "Would you consider moving here?"

Norm paused for a moment. "I don't know. I hadn't given it any thought."

"You think about it and I'll come back and see you again." Charlie stood up. "I have to meet my wife for lunch. She doesn't like to be kept waiting. Oh, I left some magazines and things for you with the deputies."

"Thanks. I appreciate it."

---

"Do you love him?" Margaret looked at Jessi. She was pleased she had some time alone with Jessi. Suzanne had gone into town to pick up a few things. Ryan, Roy, and Bill were doing chores around the ranch.

She was glad they had come back to the ranch. It had been a long time since she had seen her husband so happy. Her pride would prevent her from telling anyone, but she was proud of what Ryan had become. Her son had found himself, discovered what he wanted to do, and had seized it.

Jessi blushed and smiled. "Yes. I really love him."

"Are you sure?" Margaret pressed. "I want to make sure it's just not some sort of crush or passing infatuation."

"No, Ryan is my life, just as I am his."

"Have you two talked about getting married?"

"No." Jessi shook her head. "Not really."

"Just don't do something foolish like elope to Las Vegas. I want a proper wedding."

Jessi giggled. "My dad had the same talk with Ryan. We haven't talked about getting married. I don't think either of us wants to run off and get married. I want a real wedding, too. I want Dad to give me away."

"I can't believe how much Ryan has changed." Margaret wondered how much the young woman sitting across from her had to do with the change.

"I know what you mean." Jessi thought back to the quiet, almost shy city boy, and what he had become. She had a hard time believing she had known Ryan for less than six months.

"He belongs here." Jessi broke the quiet pause. "Did mom show you the picture of Will and Ellen?"

"No." Margaret shook her head. "I don't believe she did."

Jessi got up from her chair and disappeared upstairs. She returned in a few minutes carrying the old photograph Ryan and Bill found while cleaning the loft in the barn.

Margaret's heart almost stopped when she looked at the picture. "Oh my God!" She looked up from the picture and stared at Jessi for a moment and then back down to the picture. "It could be you and Ryan in this picture."

"Yeah, I know." Jessi looked at the couple in the picture. "It's eerie."

---

"It's days like this that make me want to chuck my job and come back to this way of life." Roy paused and looked at the sunlight reflecting off the snow-capped mountains.

"Then why don't you?" Bill heaved the last bale of hay off the wagon.

Roy watched the white-faced Herefords gather around the hay and begin to eat. "I don't know. I don't think Margaret would go for it. And I don't want to make Ryan feel like I'm moving in on his territory."

"I don't think he'd see it that way." Bill held on to the hay wagon as Ryan began to turn the tractor around and head back to the ranch.

"Maybe in a few years I'll come back, buy a bit of land back, and play rancher."

"You'll never have to pay for a piece of land. Leastwise, any land from me." Bill put his hand on his cousin's shoulder. "This was, and always will be your home."

"Thanks, Bill, I appreciate that. Maybe I'll talk to Margaret about building a vacation home here. A place to get away to." Roy nodded as he thought about it. "Yeah, I'll think I'll run that past Margaret."

As the tractor rumbled over the pasture, the wagon bounced along with the two men laughing and talking about old times. By the time they arrived at the ranch, both men were red faced with tears rolling down their faces.

"God, I haven't laughed that hard in a long time." Bill wiped his eyes.

Ryan stopped the tractor and shut it off. He climbed down and walked back to the wagon. "Looks like you two have been having fun."

"Swapping lies from the past." Bill hopped down off the wagon and pointed toward the driveway. "Looks like Walt and Charlie."

As Walter pulled up and opened his door, Bill put his fingers in his mouth, let loose with a shrill whistle, and waved.

"Howdy!" Charlie greeted Ryan, Bill, and Roy.

"Good to see you, Charlie." Roy extended his hand.

"It's good to see you too, Roy."

"How are you feeling?" Bill asked.

"Good. Esther's cooking and good night's sleep, that's all I needed." Charlie grinned.

Ryan stepped towards Charlie and gave him a hug. "It's good to see you."

Charlie's and Ryan's eyes locked for a moment. Ryan could see the gratitude in the older man's face.

"Did you find your horse?" Bill asked.

"Yeah, he beat me home. Esther got up and found him standing at the gate to the corral waiting to be fed."

Ryan laughed. "Sounds like a certain horse I know around here."

"Ryan, you said you had an idea for the gold, and you wanted to talk to Bill and me together about it. I don't want to be too pushy, but I'm a bit worried. There's word all over town now about the gold."

"Well, I'll leave you three alone to discuss your business." Roy went to leave when Ryan grabbed his arm.

"No, stay, Dad. I'd like you to hear it too."

Ryan paused for a moment, and organized his thoughts. "You've already said it, Charlie. The word is out about the gold. That was the reason for Spotted Owl and the Wanagi. They were here to protect the gold until the time was right."

Charlie nodded, and understood what Ryan meant. Bill and Roy were listening intently to Ryan.

"The time is now. We need to plan on mining the gold beginning in the spring. I know some of the gold is on the ranch, and some is on reservation land. Here's what I propose. We need to set up a joint venture. Part of the money goes to the reservation in a trust, and part of it goes to the ranch."

Ryan pointed at his uncle. "You've talked to me about an idea you've had, to bring the buffalo back. I want to do that, but in a bigger way than what you thought. I want us to buy those two sections that are for sale on the other side of the creek. It's marginal pasture land for cattle, but I think it would work for buffalo."

Bill nodded. Ryan didn't know it yet, but Bill had already made an offer on the property.

"I want to have a herd of a few hundred animals. I want to establish a breeding program where we can end up donating animals to other groups wanting to start their own program."

Charlie couldn't help but think of what Ryan had told him from the vision. "I like it. I would like to see the buffalo back."

"Charlie, you can do a lot for the people on the reservation. You're a strong leader, and I know you'll do a good job with the reservation's share of the gold."

"I'm all for it," Bill responded. "The biggest problem I see is figuring a way on getting the gold out of the creek and the ground."

"I think I might have a solution. I visited the fellow that Milt has locked up for questioning. He's a mining engineer or something." Charlie replied.

Bill smiled as he watched Ryan and Charlie. He turned and winked at Roy. "I know an old man and a boy who are going to be surprised."

Roy grinned and replied in a hushed tone. "I wish I could stick around and see it."

---

"I think this is yours." Milt passed a cell phone across the table.

Norm nodded. "Thanks."

"I've talked to the DA, and I don't think any charges are going to be brought against you. You obviously weren't around when the shooting started. You have an ironclad alibi for the period of time in question. I'd like you to stick around for a few days, but I don't want to keep you locked up."

"You've done a lot to make my stay here comfortable."

"I can put you up at a hotel at the county's expense while the investigation continues. I need your word that you won't leave town until I'm finished." Milt studied the man sitting across from him. A lifetime of experience in law enforcement had told him Norm Campbell wasn't a criminal.

"No, that's fine. And you have my word that I won't try to sneak out of town."

Milt called one of the deputies in to the interview room. "Take Mr. Campbell over to the hotel and get him set up there. The county will be paying for his room and meals for the next few days. If they give you any trouble, just have them call me."

Milt retreated into his office and stared at his notes. In most investigations, he would take the facts and the evidence and try to re-create what had happened. This case was different. He was trying to come up with a story that fit the clues. He had suspicions of what really happened, but he had a feeling no one would believe it.

---

"You take care, too." Kenny set his cell phone on the dash and looked out of the window of the motor home.

"Is something wrong?" Stella looked with concern at Kenny as she took her seat beside him.

Kenny shook his head as he tried to put his thoughts together.

"Who was on the phone?"

"Norm Campbell."

"Is he okay?"

Kenny nodded as he turned and looked at Stella. "Yeah, he's fine."

"Did he get away from Tony's men?"

A smile grew on Kenny's face. "Yes, he got away."

"That's a relief." Stella was glad Norm was safe.

"There's more." Kenny paused for a couple of seconds. "Tony's dead."

"What?" Stella's mouth dropped open.

"Yeah, him and his men. Campbell didn't know exactly what happened. He made his getaway, and found his way to a house. By the time the law got there, everyone was dead." Kenny could scarcely believe the news.

Stella shivered. "I knew something was wrong with that gold. It just seems to be bad luck."

"I tend to agree with you there."

Another thought hit Stella. With Tony gone, there was no need for them to be hiding out on the road. She was enjoying their life together in their house on wheels. "What does this mean for us?"

He knew what she was getting at. Kenny smiled and took her hand in his. "It can mean whatever you want it to mean."

Stella's voice got quiet. "I like what we're doing, the way we're living right now."

"So do I, I've had some thoughts over the past few days, of what we'd do if..." His words stopped for a moment. "When we thought we were safe."

"What did you come up with?" Stella was curious.

"I like this life. I was thinking of selling out to my partner. I think I've had enough of the 'high life.' I was thinking of selling the house, and a bunch of the stuff. Things I don't really need."

"And?" She liked what she was hearing and wanted to hear more.

"I don't know." Kenny shrugged. "Wander around. I do like the idea of having a place to go back to."

"Where?"

"I don't think we've found it yet. We'll know it when we find it." Kenny felt free, freer than he had ever felt before.

"I like that idea." Stella felt like she was in a dream. If she was, she didn't want to wake from it.

"In the meantime, I would like to turn around and head to Las Vegas."

There was a bit of trepidation in Stella's voice when she asked, "What's in Las Vegas?"

Kenny turned the key and started the motor home. He turned and smiled at Stella. "Wedding chapels."

---

"Can I talk to you alone for a moment?" Roy looked at his wife. He held her coat in his hand.

"Outside?" Margaret gave him a quizzical look.

"If you don't mind."

Margaret shrugged her shoulders. "Sure, why not."

Roy took his wife by the hand and began to walk up the driveway towards the road. There was a chill in the afternoon air that hinted winter could be just around the corner.

"I really love it here," Roy commented to his wife as he gazed up at the mountains.

Margaret didn't say anything. She could tell Roy had something on his mind.

"I'd like to build a house here for us." He continued looking up at the mountains.

"You're not suggesting we move here?" Roy's statement didn't surprise Margaret. After the past few days, she had been expecting it.

"Not permanently. Like a vacation home. I'm thinking about going part time, like Ralph Wickford did last year." Roy finally turned and looked at his wife. "I want to do more with my life than just work, I want to be able to enjoy myself."

"So we'd still live in the city?" Margaret wasn't ready to give up her social life at home.

"Yes, there, and here. There is the possibility we could have grandchildren here at some time in the future. I'd like to be close to them."

Grandchildren. The notion of Ryan and Jessi having children hadn't crossed her mind. She couldn't imagine being a grandmother. "I never thought of that."

"Where would you want to build your vacation home?" Margaret asked her husband.

"I'm not sure. I would have said the old cabin, but Bill tells me that's where Ryan wants to live."

Margaret thought about the picture Jessi had shown her. "I can see him wanting him to live there."

Roy turned around and pointed in the direction of Baxter's. "There's some great spots back up in there for a house."

"Has Ryan changed? I mean, to you, does he seem different?" Margaret changed the subject.

"Yes," Roy answered. "He's changed a lot." He was proud of what his son had become. "For the better."

Margaret nodded. Her son had changed. She could see some of her father in him now. The same quiet confidence seemed to exude from Ryan. There was no doubt in her mind her son would become a leader. He was turning into the type of man other people liked to follow. She understood now why her father had been happy with Ryan's choice.

When Ryan entered politics, she wanted to be close, to guide him and support him. A smile grew over her face. She might get what she wanted after all. Margaret hugged her husband. "I think building a house here would be a wonderful idea."

"Really?" Roy was stunned. He hadn't expected Margaret to agree so quickly. He sensed she had an ulterior motive, but he didn't care. Victories were rare to come by with Margaret. He would gladly accept this one, no matter what strings were attached.

---

"I like it here." Josh turned to Becky.

They had hiked up the trail behind the house. Within minutes, they were out of sight of the house. They now stood on the crest of a large hill. They could see most of the town laid out below.

Becky squeezed Josh's arm. "I love it here. After I graduate, I'd like to come back and live here."

"What do you want to do?" Josh couldn't remember Becky stating what her major was.

Becky smiled and shook her head. "I don't know. I haven't decided yet."

Josh pointed to a squat, flat-topped mountain in the distance. "Is that where...?"

"Yes, it is. You'll have to get Ryan to tell you more about it. I've never been up there. Some people think it's haunted. There's a Lakota burial site up there."

"A guy could fall in love up here," Josh mused.

Becky put her arms around his waist and looked up into Josh's eyes. "Yeah? Then kiss me."

---

Milt looked up as he heard a knock at his door. "Come in."

Angus Ferguson's head poked through the door. "Are you busy?"

"No, I was actually waiting for your call. Come in and have a seat."

"I brought the results with me. I wanted to go over with them you in person."

Milt watched as Angus pulled a stack of files from his old-fashioned briefcase. "I thought you only carried your lunch in that thing."

Angus grinned. "Aye, that and the latest Playboy. My wife would never think to look in there."

"So what's the verdict?" Milt asked.

"Five died of trauma due to gunshot wounds. The sixth died from blunt trauma to the head, presumably from falling and his head striking a rock." Angus peered through his reading glasses. "And he would be one Mr. Antonio Scarlucci."

Angus set the file aside and opened the next one in his stack. "Mr. Vincenzo Napolinni died from a gunshot wound to the head. Single shot. He probably died instantly. We found the weapon on John Doe number four."

Milt began taking notes as Angus spoke. "What about the other four?"

"They were fingerprinted, and the prints were sent to the FBI at your request."

"Yeah, I thought they might be the people to contact based on my conversations with Phil Rivers."

Angus nodded and looked at the other files in his lap. He set them down in front of Milt. "You can read all the details for yourself. Each of the remaining four was killed by a gunshot, or gunshots. Each slug matched samples obtained from one or more of weapons retrieved at the crime scene. Bottom line, we have a weapon to match each slug retrieved. I'm confident there is no missing weapon or weapons."

"Based on my discussions with Norm Campbell, he is the only survivor of the party. And he has an alibi as to where he was at the time of the shooting."