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The Captain cut her off, "Nothing…more…"
But the site of the bodies had Katherine turning away. The stench alone was enough. The Captain wasted no time in going right to the wounds and digging with a knife until he had the evidence in his own hands. Once satisfied, he threw the bodies back in the holes and covered them up.
"Not a pretty site," Lee commented as he watched Katherine.
"No…it isn't." Katherine sighed heavily.
"Guess you and I are off the hook," Lee surmised, waiting for her reaction.
"It would seem…" Katherine said quietly. She looked at Lee and saw his questioning face.
"No matter what happens, Miss Katherine, there is no way I’m going to let Chase Rivers hang," Lee whispered for her ears only. "Hadn't been for him, I'd be dead back at that shack. I won't let him hang."
Katherine's eyes widened. "You have a plan…?"
"Maybe, I'm working on one. It ain't the Captain's fault. But we can't let this happen. If it wasn't for Chase, none of us would be alive right now. Out here, in the rough of the land, things happen. Can't be helped. But I won't see a man like that hung. No ma'am, I won't."
Katherine looked down on the ground, not at anything, but not wanting anyone to know she was talking to Lee in private. "If I can help, let me know…"
"I will, just don't say a word about it…"
"You have my word," she whispered and walked away.
Katherine went to the burnt out ruins of the station and started prowling around. Everything lay in ash. She knew where she kept the locket and was determined to find it. She rummaged through the ash, raking it with a limb from a mesquite tree.
"Looking for something?" Chase asked as he watched.
"Yes, as a matter of fact, I am. It was a locket, it had my brother's picture in it. We had it taken back in Missouri. It meant so much, I'd love to find it."
Chase joined her trying to find it. They raked through several places. Katherine didn't seem to mind the soot and grime all over her, but Chase soon chased her out of the area, vowing he would find it for her.
Two hours later Chase brought it to her. Dulled from the fire, tarnished, yet still intact, and the picture was still there. She showed it to him. "Josh was very young here," she explained.
"Still the same smile, though," Chase added handing it back to her. "I wish I could have saved him…"
"Me too…."
She nodded, as a tear escaped down her smudged cheek.
***
It was nearly noon when Chase came back with what looked like a wild turkey dangling from one hand.
Lee smiled. "'Bout time we changed our menu."
Everyone chuckled.
Katherine began to clean and pluck the turkey, as Chase built a spit for her to cook it on.
The Captain came to join them and poured himself a cup of coffee into one of the burnout tin cups they'd found about. He glanced at Chase. "I'm satisfied with your story, Rivers."
Chase looked at him with a smile. "Good."
"You know, I wish I could verify your story from Sweetwater," the Captain explained.
Chase stared at him. "It's okay Captain. I'm resigned to my fate."
The Captain eyed him. "After all you've done to help…I don't feel it's an adequate thank you."
