Read Miss Katie's Rosewood for Free Online

the captain hurried in. In the dim light it took him a few seconds to make sense of the situation.
    â€œWhat’s going on here?” he demanded.
    â€œI am making a citizen’s arrest of Sergeant Damon Teague for murder,” said Robert.
    Again Teague laughed. All the while Robert kept the gun pointed straight at his chest.
    â€œThe kid’s crazy, Captain,” said Teague. “Can’t you get rid of him? He’s a lunatic. He barged in here waving that gun and making ridiculous accusations.”
    â€œDon’t make a move, Captain,” said Robert. “Or any of the rest of you. This man is a murderer.”
    â€œWhat’s it all about, Teague?” asked the captain.
    â€œI tell you the kid’s a lunatic. I don’t know what he’s talking about.”
    â€œYou’re going to have to come with me, son,” said the captain, taking a step forward and laying a hand on Robert’s arm.
    Suddenly a shot echoed through the small tent. Teague cried out in momentary alarm as dirt flew up beneath his cot. The two corporals watching from their bunks leapt up and ran outside.
    â€œI’m serious, Captain,” said Robert, again pointing the gun up at Teague. “I am taking this man with me.”
    He stepped forward, reached down, and grabbed Teague’s arm and yanked him to his feet. His strength took Teague by surprise. He found himself in a vise grip and on his feet before he could resist, with the barrel of the 45 jammed into his ribs. Robert pulled him toward the door of the tent.
    Not anxious to lose one of his men, and now convinced that Teague’s accuser was indeed crazy, the captain cautiously stepped aside. Outside, men were running to the scene from all directions, several with weapons in hand.
    Detective Heyes and his men, who had arrived momentsearlier and had also heard the shot, saw the movement and hurried toward it.
    A standoff had just begun to develop. They saw the minister’s son emerging from a tent with a Colt 45 in the side of a soldier, with eight or ten rifles trained on him from the man’s fellows.
    They ran up as the captain walked out of the tent. He saw them and approached.
    â€œIs this boy with you men?” he asked.
    â€œI know him,” replied Heyes, “but he’s not one of our men.”
    â€œHe’s making wild accusations and talking about a citizen’s arrest of my sergeant here.”
    Heyes could not help smiling. The kid had guts, he’d give him that much!
    â€œThis is the man I was telling you about, Detective,” said Robert. “Now that you’re here you can arrest him.”
    The captain looked at Heyes again. Heyes glanced about at the growing crowd of soldiers.
    â€œLook, Captain,” said the detective, “this is a tense situation. None of us want anyone to get hurt. Why don’t you call your men off and we’ll talk about it.”
    â€œThen, what’s it all about?”
    â€œWe’ve got a pending homicide in the city. We’d like to ask your man here some questions regarding it—that is, if you have no objections. If he’s innocent, he’ll be returned to you with an official apology. If it turns out there’s evidence, then he’ll get a fair trial.”
    â€œWhy do you think he’s involved?”
    â€œThe boy here was a witness.”
    â€œAnd you’re going to take his word for it above my sergeant’s? Look at him, he’s just a kid.”
    â€œThat may be. But that is no reason to take your sergeant’s word above his. That’s why we want to question your man and get his story. That’s how the law works. Believeme, I’m inclined to think this kid is as crazy as you do. But I can’t ignore what he says. He was a witness to the shooting. I’ve got no choice but to investigate. These two are telling different stories and we’ve got to get to the bottom of it. We all want the