SMALL TOWN BIG CATCH 18

a long hour passed. del and sharon were restless jerry was dozeing in his chair. mike was running around the lobby bucking and playing bronc rider. a bailif came to them and said" courts in session the judge requests your presence. follow me please." the court room was empty when they entered. the judge sat behing his high desk wwith the county attorney.del looked around his head swivling like a night owl a light was suddenly shined on. " ive read all the documents you have brought me" the judge began" the attorney here has also read them and concures with what ime going to rule. ime doing this here so a solid record will exist. these documents are the final will and testement of the rancher knowen as jake brown. i wont reaad all the legal mumbo jumbo but will summerize. jake brown states he has no knowen family. since he has been ranching in this area only one person has showen him the respect he felt he had comming. he had been a cowboy all his life and didnt want his ranch falling into someone who wasnt a bona fide cowboy. that person is del green. everything , livestock, equipment and anything else on the ranch is now the property of del green as part of this agreement you cannot sell the ranch for ten years.do you understand what i say and hav e ruled upon?" del was in shock. his knees were shakeing and in danger of collapsing"i undrstand your honor, but why me? and what does this do to the problem with the state and nafzigger?" jerry was all but danceing a jig from where he stood. "i will notify the state land department of these developments. you go on and operate the ranch as it should be.all of this will be put on file here at the county level and the state level. now, for the contents of the second wallett. since the deceased, mr. brown didnt believe in banks this wallet has a substancial amount of money that amount comes to onehundred seventy five thousand dollers. that is yours to do with as you wish."the judge pushed the wallet to the bailif who handed it to del. del collapsed into a seat. his face white, his hands shakeing. a sly grin crossed the judges face" i think all this will put a certain land developer on the bench. you have our good wishes sir." del was in shock. sharon grabbed one arm and jerry the other and walked him from the court room when the judge declared case dismissed. out side at jerrys car del leaned against the front grill." ime not jake, i want to put this in a bank instead of a dirty clothes hamper. then lets go home and make a plan!"everyone broke into laughter at that point except for mike who stood looking at the adults in confusion. the next few days went by in a hirl wind. del wanted to finish gathering the cows to take the big calves off before a winter freeze whenhe had the bulk of the cows gathered he and jerry and sharon sorted the big calves off and sent them on to the auction bar, nafzigger hadnt been heard from. everyone assumed he had got the word and backed away. the calves went to the auction barn on the last day of the weeks notice. the cows were turned back out on the range for the winter that was comming. sharon had gone to town and traded her old car for a new suv. with the money her brother had given her she bought a new wardrobe and decked mike out in a cowboy set befitting a cowboy. everyone was relaxed and concentrating on what lay ahead.

SMALL TOWN BIG CATCH 17

the next morning del just stepped down off his porch into the dark yard when jerry pulled up. " breakfast is over so come with me we got cows the gather."del chided jerry. just as the stepped off toward the barn sharon called out the screen door." you two better come look at this." the two men turned and looked to each other and started to the house. inside on the kitchen table lay two, leather bound wallets. big ones. sharon pointed to them " they were in the bottom of jakes dirty clothes hamper" del steped over and gently turned them over and looked at them they had a strap buckled in holding them shut. each had jakes brand burned into the leather. del started to pick one up but jerry placed his hand on del s arm" dont, ime still a officer of the court, ime a independent party. let me open it." del nodded in agreement. and stepped back next to sharon. jerry sat down and pulled the smaller of the two wallets to him. he turned it over, looked at the ends then knowingly unbuckled the strap holding the wallet shut. when he did the contents stuffed tightly inside sprung the accordien folks apart. jerry slowley reached inside and drew a official document from the wallet. he quietly sat there as he read it but a big smile slowley spread across his face. he refolded the document and pushed it down inside and buckled the strap to hold it shut. " we going to town this day, we gotta see the judge, the attorney or both. lets go now!"jerry pickeed up the wallets and started to the door. "whats going on?"del blurted sharon at his arm. " ill tell you on the way now come on times a wasten!"jerry was half way down the steps. " ime comming to! let me get mike!" sharon ran back into the bedroom and grabbed the boy from the bed and caught up out side just as jerry started the car. jerry spun the tires ALL THE WAY TO THE ASPHALT. they got to the court house just as the security was opening the doors. they took seats just inside while waitting for the judge. del and sharon were still confused of what jerry had told them. but jerry asurred them he understood it all to well. at half past eight the judge strolled into the court house, but stopped when he saw the bunch sitting there. jerry stepped up and politley asked the judge for some time in his office. looking from mike up to del . the judge nodded and turned and started down the hall to his office. once in the judges office del, sharon and mike sat down. jerry took the wallets and layed them on the judges desk. the judge looked at the but didnt touch them. jerry then explained that del and sharon were following the court order when sharon had found the wallets.jerry explained he had opened one and then decided it was the judges duty to see the contents. the judge had a look that would curdle milk. "what makes you think you can decide what i do or dont do?"the judge growled. "please your honor, just look at them." jerry pleaded. the judge pulled the same wallet jerry had opened over in front of him and unbuckled the strap holding it shut. when it opend he dumped the contents on the desk and started sorting them out into little piles. he read just a bit from one document." ok you all wait out in the lobby. ill need the county attorney with this. jerry will you fetch him then wait out side." the judge ordered. out in the lobby del and sharon sat down again with mike. jerry hustled across the lobby to the county attorneys office. in just a moment the attorney came hustling back, went in the judges office and slamed the door. jerry strolled back, his hands behind his back whistling a cherry tune,"gonna be a bright sunshiney day friends."was all he said.