Redemption - Book lll

Political Realities in Armadillo

Entering the small building of Sheriff Johnson's office, the smell of urine and body odor caused John, Arthur, and Minnie to curl their noses in disgust. Seeing only one prisoner, the other cell was occupied by what appeared to be the Sheriff himself. "Hey! Hey! You got a visitor!" The prisoner laughed, rattling the bars of his cell. 

"Shut up, you!" The Sheriff snorted, spitting onto the stone floor and wiping his eyes before looking up to the three outlaws standing before him. "What you want?" 

"My name is John Marston. You wanted to speak to me." 

He snorted, "I did?" 

"Apparently so." 

"Why?" 

"I guess because we're both in the business of the law."

He stood up, stretching his arms above his head and spitting again onto the floor before leaning up against the doorframe, "You that fella from the train company?" 

"No, I'm from Fort Mercer." 

"F-Fort Mercer? You're one of those Williamson boys!" He shouted, attempting to remove his Cattlemen Revolver from his holster, unaware that all three of the former outlaws had already had him at gunpoint. 

"Calm down." John warned.

"Come on, Mr., shoot him!" The prisoner pleaded. 

"What? You gettin' cute with me boy?" 

An older man huffed from behind Minnie and Arthur, puffing on a pipe and removing his hat, "What's goin' on here?" 

"I've got me some of Williamson's boys... and a girl!"

"And I got me one of them idiots who give Sheriff's a bad name." 

"Jonah, put your gun down," The old man said, watching the younger man do as he was told followed by the former outlaws. "You must be the ones from Blackwater."

"Yes, sir. Listen that dog ain't too bright, but he seems loyal." John commented. 

"Jonah, get out of here for a minute." 

"Yes, sir, Mr. Johnson sir," Jonah nodded before spitting on the floor again and making his way towards the door. "And you, I've done seen enough of your hide around here, friend." 

John chuckled sarcastically, "I think there's some school children on down the way you can go and frighten." 

"Oh, hardy fuckin' harr!" He mocked. "Dickhead." 

"What're you doin' here, Mr. Marston? I presume your colleagues are Mr. and Mrs. Morgan?" 

"Yes, sir. We're here to capture or kill Bill Williamson." 

Sheriff Johnson laughed, "Okay." 

"Can you help me?" 

"He's outside my jurisdiction. He's in the next county. Of course, Bill Williamson and his boys have tended to keep themselves away from my town."