Destiny of Eagles by William W. Johnstone Read Free Book Online Page A

Falcon invited.
    Puckett shook his head. “Wish I could,” he said. “But the judge is over at my office now, and he wants to see you.”
    â€œAll right,” Falcon said. He stood up, took a last swallow, then left fifty cents on the table, which not only paid for his meal, but left a generous tip.
    Judge Heckemeyer was a relatively large man, bald, with a round face and bulldog jaws. He was sitting at Sheriff Puckett’s desk reading a newspaper when Puckett led MacCallister in.
    â€œJudge, this is Falcon MacCallister, the fella I was telling you about,” Puckett said.
    â€œYour Honor,” Falcon said with a slight nod of his head.
    â€œI understand that you killed all three of them?” Heckemeyer said by way of reply.
    â€œYes,” Falcon said, not elaborating on his answer.
    â€œWas it really necessary to kill all three of them?”
    â€œYes,” he said again.
    â€œNot one of them offered to surrender, or made an effort to get away without creating danger to you or any of the passengers?”
    â€œNot one.”
    Judge Heckemeyer drummed his fingers on the desk for a moment as he looked up at Falcon, studying him over the top of his glasses.
    â€œJudge, I’ve already interviewed half-a-dozen people on the train,” Puckett said. “They tell me that Falcon wasn’t only defending his own life, but was defending them as well. Two of the passengers were shot, you know. Micah Peters was killed and Harley Jones was shot in the shoulder. Harley, he’s over to the doctor’s office now, if you would like to talk to him.”
    â€œI don’t need to talk to him,” Judge Heckemeyer replied. He continued his questioning of Falcon. “There were four train robbers, you killed three. Odd, isn’t it, that the one who got away got away with the money?” Heckemeyer asked.
    â€œWhat is so odd about it?” Falcon asked.
    â€œWell, perhaps odd isn’t quite the word I wanted. Perhaps ironic would be better. How did it happen, by the way, that the one man who did make good his escape, did so with the money?”
    â€œI had to make a choice between retrieving the money, or keeping the outlaws who were on the train from shooting any more passengers,” Falcon said.
    â€œI have heard of you, sir. I have also heard of your prowess with a gun. And I don’t like what I hear.”
    â€œI have always tried, to the best of my ability, to obey the law,” Falcon said.
    â€œSo you say. On the other hand, you always seem to be walking very close to the edge. I know for a fact that there have been wanted dodgers posted for you. And on more than one occasion.”
    â€œAnd they have been withdrawn every time,” Billy Puckett said.
    â€œAh, yes, they have been withdrawn. But the question remains, how is it that so many of them have been issued in the first place, only to be withdrawn?”
    â€œI can’t explain that.”
    â€œWell, perhaps I can,” Heckemeyer said. “This is what I think, Mr. MacCallister. I think that you are a murder case waiting to happen. You are like a moth, flying close to the flame. So far you have avoided the flame . . . you have managed to stay on the right side of the law. Though, I think that even you will agree with me, you have barely managed to do so.”
    â€œYes, sir.”
    â€œMr. MacCallister, it has been my experience that wanted posters are not frivolously issued. In every case, a law enforcement authority somewhere has been convinced that you were guilty of one felony or another. Then, no sooner are the circulars issued than something turns up that temporarily exonerates you.
    â€œBut your luck cannot continue, Mr. MacCallister. Where there is smoke, there is fire, and I feel certain that one day that fire is going to flare up and . . . like the moth, you will be consumed by it.”
    â€œYour ruling, Judge?” Sheriff Puckett asked.
    Heckemeyer