America 1881: Legend of the West

Chapter 158 Sheriff Peller's Insistence

James didn't take a few steps and stopped when he heard these words.

He turned around, his hands trembling slightly, not sure if it was because of the battle just now or because of his current anger.

"Pale! Do you know what you are talking about? Why don't you open your eyes and see! What happened here?" He shouted at the police sergeant in front of him who was the same age as his dead son.

"My house was burned down! My sheep were beaten to death! My relatives were hurt!" The rancher's eyes were filled with fire. "Do you want to go to the house and have a look! Raymond is dead!" Blitzcrank is dead! Howard's leg is broken! They all watched you grow up!"

"I can't tell what happened here now. People are dead on both sides. This is a private fight within the jurisdiction." Pile said expressionlessly.

"But you know it in your heart! You know it! Right?" James pointed to the position of the Sheriff's heart.

"I will collect evidence on the spot." Paylor walked to James' father and said softly, "Don't make it too difficult for me, uncle."

"Dad, no need to say anything, let's go." Emily looked at the body that was taken out of the house, and her mother.

At this time, Mrs. James had woken up after the doctor's rescue and was sitting on a wooden pier at the door to rest.

Emily's expression was calm, and she didn't even look at the Sheriff the whole time.

A dozen heavily armed law enforcement officers came up. The leader was holding a rope in his hand and looked a little hesitant.

"What are you doing with the rope!" Peller turned around and saw the rope and scolded him sternly.

The police officer trembled with fright and quickly put away the rope in his hand. He muttered and walked towards the people in front of the house.

He hesitated to speak.

However, the people in front of the ranch did not make it difficult for him. They had no intention of resisting. The fierce battle just now had exhausted their energy.

They boarded the carriage which the constable had found for them.

"Sir! There's someone else here!" A law enforcement officer suddenly shouted from the other side of the warehouse.

The police officer and his companions were surveying the scene around the warehouse, where the bodies of Fred's people were lying in various forms.

"It's too tragic." The police officer shook his head, "This hit was too accurate."

The companion behind also agreed: "In Lincoln County, the only ones who can do this are Billy the Kid and our chief."

"Shut up! What are you talking about?" The police officer heard this and glared at his companion, "Are you trying to say that our commander has the ability to clone himself, or that Billy the Kid is not dead at all?"

After saying these words, both of them suddenly felt a chill on their backs.

Because they evaluated it, it seems that the possibility of the latter situation is higher.

Billy the Kid was the farmer's son, and if he hadn't died, now...

The two men suddenly raised their guns and aimed at the warehouse.

There was actually a man in the warehouse, standing next to a cart, as if he was sorting something. When he saw them, he waved to them and said hello.

"Oh, you guys are here, you scared me to death just now."

Chen Jianqiu originally planned to go to the stable and run away silently, but as soon as he walked out of the door, he heard Pile's words, so he stepped back.

Then I was spotted by these two guys.

The two of them were relieved when they saw that he was an honest and friendly Chinese man who could also speak English.

They lowered their guns and reported to Pilot.

Soon, Sheriff Pilot appeared at the door of the warehouse, but what he saw made him furious.

There was an open wooden box on the seat of the cart, with two rows of cigars inside.

The top row is missing two pieces.

The two missing ones were currently hanging in the mouths of the two police officers, who were chatting and laughing cordially with Chen Jianqiu.

"What are you doing!" The sergeant looked at his two men and was very angry, "Who told you to take other people's things casually?"

The two police officers looked at each other, wondering whether they should throw away the cigar in their hands or return it to Chen Jiaqiu.

"It's not in the way, it's not in the way, haha, it's just two cigars." Chen Jianqiu greeted him with a smile.

This box of cigars belonged to Holmes and was originally from Connecticut. A geologist found this thing in a grocery store and it was like a treasure.

Chen Jianqiu took out another one from the box and handed it to the police chief with both hands.

Pailer did not reach out to pick it up, but looked at Chen Jianqiu in front of him.

"I think I've seen you before."

"Hmm, yes, Sheriff Pilot, we met at the grocery store in Lincoln County yesterday." Chen Jianqiu nodded repeatedly.

"Why are you here?" the police chief asked doubtfully, "Where are the other two people? They are the black man and an old man."

He was deeply impressed by Sean, and the old man naturally pointed at Holmes, who had aged prematurely.

"Hey, don't mention it." Chen Jianqiu sighed.

He told Pile what happened yesterday when he was stopped and robbed by robbers, then rescued by Emily's people, and then came to this ranch after his car broke down. Of course, he also concealed the part where he took action.

"It was raining heavily outside just now, and there was the sound of gunshots everywhere. You know, Sheriff, I am a timid person. I was so scared that I almost died." Chen Jianqiu covered his heart with a look of lingering fear.

"Where were you just now?" Pailer looked at Chen Jianqiu with sharp eyes.

"It's in the warehouse, Sheriff." Chen Jianqiu pointed at the cart with an innocent look on his face. "It's behind the cart." The Sheriff took a look at Chen Jianqiu's dry clothes and pants and nodded. "Then please come with us to the Lincoln County Sheriff's Office."

"I also need to go?"

"Well, yes, just come with me and understand the situation. There shouldn't be any big problems on your side," Pile said.

Chen Jianqiu thought for a moment.

"Then Mr. Sheriff, can I take my car with me? I don't want to come back to this place again."

"Okay, you can go find two horses in the stables, then hitch them on and follow us," Sheriff Pilot said.

An hour later the procession back to Lincolnshire set off.

The team did not move very fast. Sheriff Pilot led two people at the front, followed by a carriage carrying everyone in the ranch.

The carriage was driven by Father James, keeping a long distance from the Sheriff in front.

Several law enforcers surrounded them, saying they were protecting their safety, but the people on the ranch didn't seem to appreciate it and said nothing on the road.

Emily, who was sitting on the cart, looked at the injured old cowboys around her and her mother who was staring into the distance in a daze.

She took out a harmonica from the sack beside her, put it to her mouth, and gently played a long New Mexico tune.

The tune is sad.

Pile, who was on the horse in front, heard this piece of music and felt that something was tearing apart piece by piece deep in his heart.

However, he did not turn his head, but continued to be silent and moved forward slowly.

Behind them followed a long line of Fred's men, strung forward by ropes.

These old hands were not dejected, and each of them had a look of relief at having gotten through the holidays.

Anyway, going to jail is a common occurrence for them. It is as easy as going home. At most they will be detained for a few days and then released.

Compared to being imprisoned, the sheepfold is the shadow that will haunt them throughout their lives. Compared to their colleagues lying there, they are much luckier.

However, what they didn't know was that Shadow Umbra was leisurely driving his carriage and following at the end of the team.

Chen Jianqiu had thought about slipping away, but it was a waste of time. He could have returned to Geronimo's base yesterday and wait for Camilla and the others before continuing on his journey.

But he wasn't sure whether Sean had waited until everyone left the town.

If I leave halfway or arouse Paile's suspicion, they might be in trouble.

Anyway, from the current perspective, the risks are controllable and will not waste too much time.

If it really doesn't work, find a way to leave.

If it were just these law enforcers from Lincoln County, no one would be able to stop him if he really wanted to leave.

It was already evening when the team arrived in Lincolnshire.

Chen Jianqiu originally thought that the seemingly inconspicuous police station could not accommodate so many people, but when Paile opened the gate of the opposite yard in front of him, he discovered it.

It turned out that what he had seen before was not all.

This used to be the private residence of former Sheriff Brady, who used corruption and bribery as his motto while in office, and accumulated such a fortune. Then he was shot by Billy the Kid on his way home.

So this place was confiscated by the successor Sheriff Peller and converted into a prison cell and temporary office space when necessary.

The sheriff doesn't usually live here, but works in the small, shabby police station across the street.

Fred's people were taken to the cell, while the people from James Ranch were placed in separate rooms. Although their treatments were different, there was no essential difference. Their freedom was temporarily restricted.

Pile will conduct questioning and await the results of on-site evidence collection.

When he finished everything and walked back to the office opposite, he found that there was already someone waiting for him at the door.

It was Fred's lawyer, Alexander McSwain.

At that time in the West, being a lawyer was a very promising profession. Every prominent person in the West like Fred would more or less face some disputes over contracts or land ownership.

Sometimes they choose to use guns, but more often they hand it over to these lawyers.

They have both legal and illegal ways.

"Sir, as Mr. Fred's lawyer, I hope you can treat my client fairly." The lawyer sat opposite the sheriff.

"How did you know this news?" Peller raised his head and glanced at him. He was very surprised that this lawyer appeared just after he returned to Lincolnshire.

Fred hadn't come to himself yet.

"I need to meet my client." The lawyer avoided the question and directly stated his request.

Any other sheriff in the West would have scoffed at such a request.

But Peller is different. He firmly believes in procedural justice and uses it as his professional principle.

He glanced at the lawyer and said to him:

"Then come with me."

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(End of this chapter)