The office was heat-hot from the extra bodies: everyone sitting or standing and waiting for more excitement. Franklin had half-hoped Rolfe would have taken his grown cub and leave, but, no, the Dutchman just stood there daring any to ask him to leave. Franklin, like most Americans, heard Deutsch as Dutch and rarely made the correct country connection.
The boy came in first, face set and jaw tightened. MacDonald had evidently rough broke him. MacDonald nodded at Rolfe and the assembled audience, but he spoke directly to Franklin.
“Are we in agreement that the laddie goes home with me, and I send the telegram to Mr. O"Neal, sparing the county the expense?”
Franklin would have liked to reject MacDonald"s offer. Reality, however, was the small jail he ran had no extra room, and since the So
