Stillwater II: Final Justice

By Corey Haga

In this worldthe battle between good andevil must take place. Good menmust answer the call to face anuncertain destiny. The championswere chosen. Some were seekingglory while others only hopedfor peace!

• Language: English
• Publisher: Covenant Books, Inc.
• Release date: Mar 29, 2021
• ISBN: 9781636305370

Book preview

cover.jpg

Stillwater II

Final Justice

Corey Haga

ISBN 978-1-63630-536-3 (Paperback)

ISBN 978-1-63630-537-0 (Digital)

Copyright © 2020 Corey Haga

All rights reserved

First Edition

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods without the prior written permission of the publisher. For permission requests, solicit the publisher via the address below.

Covenant Books, Inc.

11661 Hwy 707

Murrells Inlet, SC 29576

www.covenantbooks.com

Table of Contents

Chapter 1

There was quite a stir in the territory that summer. The headline in the territorial newspaper read Lieutenant Governor Shot Dead on the front page. The folks in Stillwater never bought a single copy. A stack of newspapers lay unclaimed on the steps of the general store. Passersby would glance at the cover and turn away. No one cared about the man responsible for the murder of their friends and neighbors, the burning of their town, and the loss of the beloved sheriff of Stillwater, who gave his own life to save the men who fought with him in the saloon that awful day. For the townsfolk, it was bittersweet. The town was saved, but the people who were lost would be greatly missed.

The five businessmen were still in jail where they waited for their trial. Their heinous actions would undoubtedly get their necks in the hangman’s noose. A court date was set for two months away. Almost the whole town of Stillwater would be there along with half of Beaumont, and everyone from Wolf Creek would attend. These five men responsible would enrage a nation with their actions and how they could kill so many hardworking people just so they could line their pockets with more gold.

At the same time, the families of these malicious five were being publicly scorned. They wouldn’t even attend any social gathering. Once, their wives walked with pride, their heads held high. Their status and wealth gave them an easy, convenient life to go where they pleased. Every door was opened for them, and every store catered their every wish, but this all changed the day their husbands came home in chains, branded as murdering criminals, barbaric men full of greed and deceit.

Over the next eight weeks, the sons and daughters of these men were branded as outcasts. Some even got divorced from their spouses and were headed to financial ruin. Many businesses hung in the balance as well with their ties to the late lieutenant governor and his connections in the South. There were many on both sides who had a very uncertain future indeed. This would set the stage for a confrontation between good-hearted people and bloody men driven by a thirst for power and riches. Many wrongs were about to be made right. Both sides would be brought face-to-face with pain of their past. An old hatred would visit the Forman family once again, but many things had changed in big ways.

Dutch had become a United States marshal. He had the power to go anywhere to get the job done, and he was well able to do anything to get his man. His reputation was growing faster than any before him or any who would come after. Dutch was decorated many times by the governor for going above and beyond the call as a marshal. When asked where he got his inspiration, his answer was always, The bravest man I ever met, referring to Sheriff John of Stillwater.

Dutch only told the story once of how John stood in front of the four brothers when the gunfire broke out in the saloon that day. He said the sheriff looked him in the eyes and said, When the shooting starts, they’re going to be shooting me first. Brace yourself against me. Hold me up. Don’t let me fall. Kill as many as you can. Maybe we will get lucky! Then Dutch told me of when Sheriff John fell back against him. Even through the gunfire, he could hear John moaning in pain as each bullet hit him. And then Dutch said, I could feel the bullets, him, and the moaning at the same time. I am alive because he gave his life for me, and I felt him leave this world. Tears were building in Dutch’s eyes now. He never spoke of it again. He would always give honor to his hero Sheriff John of Stillwater!

Now as the territory agent prepared his case against the five businessmen, they were also busy building their defense. At least ten lawyers came to their aid from many different places. Many were from the North, and the rest came up from the South. One in particular was from the very town where Sam and Maria were former slaves. Of course no one knew any of this because the trial was two months away, and no one on either side had met one another or knew who would be there. The newspapers were very busy making as much money as they could. Many reporters kept coming to the towns and forts asking all kinds of questions. This was something the whole country had taken interest in.

At one point, it was all becoming too much for most people. The towns and the forts had been burned, looted, and killed. Many were in mourning over lost loved ones and now were being pursued by writers looking for the next story. One day, Ms. Hattie was in town collecting her mail and buying food. She had three boys. All fine young men. Her husband was gone. He was lost in the fighting, and now she was a widow. The mob—as the townsfolk had called the writers—noticed Hattie alone in town, so they approached her and began to ask about what happened. She was very helpful and told them all about the fighting, who the town had lost, and how grateful she was for the Forman family and Sherriff John’s brave sacrifice. And then she told how her husband had died and that she missed his presence in the home. The writers thanked her kindly and began to leave.

A certain man whose name is not worth mentioning overheard what she said and began to speak disrespectfully to Hattie. He went on to say how he thought Stillwater and Beaumont should be brought up on charges for killing so many men. As he spoke, he kept getting closer to Ms. Hattie and getting louder all the time. Now the writers were becoming concerned by this man who kept approaching this sweet lady and using such a loud, arrogant tone. Ms. Hattie was feeling quite threatened.

Arthur, now sheriff of Stillwater, had seen enough and crossed the street to stop this insulting