Chapter 29
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Rod glanced around the room. It took him by surprise to see Janice Cartwright on the City Council.
Janice was a colleague when he was at a WBCC.
He also noticed Alfonso Ortega sitting next to Mitzi.
Perhaps Alfonso was involved in the barn fire incident.
Rod tensed. No good could come from the team of Mitzi and Alfonso.
The council meeting was called to order. The council addressed all agenda items except the public forum, the last item on the list.
“Mrs. Sterling, I believe you wanted to address the council,” the mayor said.
“Yes,” she said. “I have with me a gentleman who has information supportive of my purpose here. May I ask him to speak first?”
“Who is this gentleman, Mrs. Sterling?” the mayor asked.
“He is Alfonso Ortega, formerly employed by WBCC as a science instructor.”
“Very well. Mr. Ortega, you may speak.”
Alfonso approached the podium. “Mr. Mayor. Honored Council members.” Alfonso turned and pointed to Rod and Wyl. “Those two and their deviant lifestyle are responsible for my dismissal from the college!” His loud, angry words echoed through the room.
The mayor banged his gavel against the desk. “Mr. Ortega, this is not a forum for your personal issues with these two gentlemen.”
Janice Cartwright spoke up. “Mr. Mayor, if I may?”
“Miss Cartwright, you have the floor.”
“Mr. Ortega, is it not true that you manufactured a story to discredit Dr. Rod Bonner in hopes of having him dismissed from the college?”
Mitzi jetted up from her seat. “Mr. Mayor, if I may speak now? Mr. Ortega was merely pointing out a lifestyle at odds with the fine, conservative atmosphere Blackfield has come to represent.”
“Very well, Mrs. Sterling. You may approach the podium. Mr. Ortega, please be seated.”
Mitzi walked to the podium. “Mr. Mayor, Council Members, I appear before you today to make you aware of questionable conduct by two Blackfield citizens. Not only are they engaged in a homosexual relationship, but they also sullied the name of Blackfield across the country by being featured on the cover of a leading gay magazine.”
Mitzi held up a copy of The Advocate so the council members could see the cover.
“I witnessed them appearing before a large audience in San Francisco, where their relationship was shared in great detail, including details of their sex life.”
The mayor interrupted. “Mrs. Sterling, may I ask how you came about this information?”
“I prefer not to reveal my sources, Mr. Mayor.”
“Mrs. Sterling, I possess a detailed record of your contact with the two Mr. Sterlings. It appears you made it your mission to discredit them.”
“Mr. Mayor, I assure you that was not my intent.”
“Mrs. Sterling, do you see the Sheriff over there?” he pointed to Jack Johnson.
“Yes, Mr. Mayor.”
“Mrs. Sterling, the evidence shows a clear intent to stalk and harass Wyl and Rod Sterling. Are you aware that stalking and harassment are illegal and are grounds for arrest and possible conviction?”
“Mr. Mayor, I assure you no such intent exists.”
“Mrs. Sterling, let’s not add perjury to the list.” Jack moved toward Mitzi, reaching for his handcuffs and ensuring she saw him.
Alfonso glanced nervously between Jack and Mitzi.
“In addition to harassment and stalking, I see evidence of a smear campaign involving the Blackfield Daily News.” The mayor held up a newspaper. “They will testify you attempted to get them to write a negative article about the Sterlings.”
“But…” Mitzi countered.
“And the use of social media in an attempt to out them is additional evidence of your harassment campaign.”
“Mr. Mayor, these two are the ones with the campaign.” She aimed a raised arm at Wyl and Rod. “They attempt to pin all their troubles on me. I cannot be blamed for gay slurs painted on their ranch entrance structure or rocks thrown through the front window of their home.”
Jack spoke up. “What did you say, Mrs. Sterling?”
Mitzi glanced at the sheriff. “They try to blame me for their troubles.”
“No…the part about rocks thrown through their window.”
Mitzi nodded. “The rock with the note that said you’ve been warned. Why blame that on me?” A flash of ‘oh shit’ crossed her face, quickly replaced by a scowl. She attempted a cover with a hand on her hip to show indignation.
Jack pulled out his handcuffs again. “Mrs. Sterling, you are under arrest for destruction of property, collusion in the commission of the crime of arson, and unlawful harassment.”
Her indignation morphed into terror. Her eyes darted around the room. First at the commissioners, then at Rod and Wyl, then at the door. She bolted for the exit just as one of Jack’s deputies stepped into the doorway.
“Going somewhere, Mrs. Sterling?” The mayor asked.
Mitzi jerked her arms in the air to avoid cuffing. “You can’t arrest me. I have a ch…” She clamped her mouth closed.
“You have a what, Mrs. Sterling?” The mayor asked.
She shook her head and lowered her arms, staring at the floor.
Jack moved behind her and cuffed her wrists. “No information about the rock through the window or the location of the fire was ever made public. You could only know about it if you participated in the crime.”
“But…” Mitzi muttered to the floor.
Jack turned to Alfonso. “Mr. Ortega, given your history with the Sterling gentlemen and your association with Mrs. Sterling, I need you to come to the station for questioning.”
“I had nothing to do with those crimes,” he protested.
“Nevertheless, your threats during this meeting are enough grounds for questioning.”
One of Jack’s deputies stepped forward to usher Alfonso from the council chambers.
The mayor spoke up as Jack led Mitzi to the exit. “Mrs. Sterling, rest assured, your desire for this story to appear in the newspaper will come true. You can bet these proceedings will be in tomorrow’s Blackfield Daily News.” The mayor glanced toward Ken Markham, BDN reporter.
“Wyl and Rod, any future contact from Mrs. Mitzi Sterling or Mr. Alfonso Ortega is to be reported to both your attorney and the city attorney. This city will condone no further stalking, harassment, or extortion attempts from either party.”
Wyl stood and nodded. “Yes, Mr. Mayor.”
“That completes our agenda for this meeting.” The mayor banged his gavel on the desk, and everyone rose.
“Looks like your issues with Mitzi are over,” Sam said. “She certainly was determined to get her hands on a chunk of Sterling money. At least she will be out of commission for a while.”
Rod nodded. “You’re right, Sam. Whether she goes to trial remains to be seen, but I bet the stalking is over.”
“I wonder what she started to say at the end?” Wyl said. “Do you think she has a child?”
Rod chuckled. “If she does, poor kid. Can you imagine having Mitzi for a mother?”
* * *
Wednesday morning arrived. After showers and breakfast, they saddled up Sarge and Princess. Rod needed no help with Princess, and Wyl watched with pride as Rod expertly handled the saddling and bridling process.
They rode out to the bluff, where Wyl had taken Rod the first time he put him in a saddle. The view from the bluff was magnificent: the green spot in the valley where the spring flowed, the vast open prairie, the mesas rising in the distance. And most of what they saw belonged to them.
They dismounted and stood admiring their land. “I love the view from this bluff,” Rod said softly, “but I love you more than anything.”
Wyl stood behind Rod and wrapped his arms around him. “Your love keeps me going, Roddy,” Wyl whispered. “This is all ours, and you belong here with me. As long as we’re alive, and the government doesn’t give us any nasty surprises, this is home, and we are safe here.”
So much had happened in the past year. Just over one year ago, Rod had never heard of Wyl Sterling and was planning a long career at the college.
And, figuring he would spend the rest of his life alone, he never envisioned having another partner.
And now, he had the best husband ever, owned half of a large ranch, and had so much money it was scary.
At least Mitzi was out of their lives for good…
or at least for a few years. Given their challenges that year, was something else waiting to haunt them?
Fingers crossed, he was just being paranoid.
Rod could hardly wait for his first uninterrupted autumn on the ranch with Wyl.
THE END