The roar of approval nearly took the roof off.
Later, after most people had filtered out or passed out, Caleb sat with Arthur on the clubhouse porch, watching the desert stars. Sentencing's in 4 weeks, Arthur said. You going to be there? Wouldn't miss it. Dalton's looking at life without parole.
30 years minimum on the attempted murder alone, plus the federal charges. Arthur smiled grimly. He'll die in prison. Good. Caleb didn't feel conflicted about that.
He deserves it. Yeah, he does. Arthur was quiet for a moment. You know what the best part of this is? Not that we caught Dalton, though.
That's pretty damn satisfying. It's that you proved something important. What's that? That one person can make a difference. That doing the right thing matters.
That stopping to help someone, even a stranger, even when it's dangerous, that creates ripples that change everything. Arthur looked at him. You saved my life, but you also saved a dozen other lives we didn't even know about yet. The evidence you protected, it's led to 17 more arrests, cartel members, corrupt officials, dirty cops, a whole network of scumbags going down because a 19-year-old kid pressed a shirt against a wound and refused to look away. Caleb felt his throat tighten.
I was just trying to keep you alive. I know. That's what makes it matter. Arthur stood stretching. Come on.
Stella's making breakfast and she gets pissy if people miss it.
The sentencing hearing 4 weeks later was anticlimactic after the trial. Dalton stood before Judge Martinez, shackled and defeated, and listened as she handed down sentence after sentence. Life in prison without possibility of parole on the attempted murder charge. 30 years on conspiracy charges. 20 years on racketeering.
To run consecutively, not concurrently. Dalton would die in prison. There was no other outcome. As they led him away, he didn't look at Caleb, didn't say anything. Just shuffled off in chains, a broken man who'd bet everything on corruption and lost.
It's over, Linda said shaking Caleb's hand. Really, truly over. You can get back to your life now. Thanks for everything. Thank you for having the courage to testify.
This case makes my career. She smiled, And more importantly, it puts a dangerous man away forever.
The months that followed were the best of Caleb's life. He threw himself into work at Desert Dreams learning advanced fabrication techniques, design principles, the art of making motorcycles that were equal parts machine and sculpture. Jack promoted him to lead mechanic with a raise that made Caleb's head spin. He rode with the Hells Angels every weekend, long runs through the desert up to Flagstaff, over to California. He learned their traditions, their codes, their bonds.