From the Ashes of War: A Marshal's New Mission Out West

 Just You, Your Badge, and the Law, written by Kimberly Wadley, is a fiction mystery book where the final volleys of the war have fallen silent, yet their echo lingers within Lieutenant General Anson Paul Smith. A man defined by military service, he finds himself in Washington, D.C., facing a new internal conflict. His uniform, once a symbol of honor, now feels empty. The conflict has ended, and with it, his sense of direction.

General Charles Wilkes, a trusted friend and his commanding officer, offers an unexpected opportunity. The U.S. Marshals Service is growing and needs a man of Anson's specialties to come west. A different, and perhaps more insidious conflict, is taking place along the Humboldt River in Nevada. A climate of fear exists due to unexplained deaths and disappearances. This is not a battlefield of cannons, but a battle against a more insidious evil.

Anson accepts the assignment, trading his general's stars for the authority of a marshal's badge. His new objective is clear: uncover the truth behind the violence and restore order. This is a fresh chapter, a mission he must undertake alone, guided only by the law.

Creating a Road West

Anson struggles with memories of his past as he makes his way by train. He meets a passionate young man named Eli during the passage, who is also traveling west on a personal mission to locate his missing family members. Anson adopts Eli after noticing a similar level of drive in the young man and offers to help with his search.

They make stops in St. Louis, Missouri, and Wheeling, West Virginia, and along the way, Anson teaches Eli things like tracking, survival, and how to understand the world around him as best he can. They begin to build a quiet friendship by sharing meals, stories, and time together to prepare for the long journey ahead.

Search for Justice

 Their arrival in Nevada signifies the beginning of their investigation. It is an elusive country, made of stunning beauty and terrible danger. With Anson's knowledge and Eli's refusal to quit, they each take their turn following the trail of leads as they search for the truth. Anson's western work is much more than a new job. It is an opportunity to regain a sense of purpose, seek justice, and begin healing the scar that a war would not leave in the past. Now, with his new mission and his badge, he is ready for the different war that awaits him in the American West.

Source of Strength

 Anson's passage westward is more than just physical distance traveled. Anson contemplates the lessons of life instilled by his mother. Her logic and arguments that "kindness is a woman's first gift" and that a man is "made by how he walks through the fire" give him a quiet sense of strength. Anson holds the memories close- even the appreciation of his current friendship with Eli becomes a source of comfort that he hasn't felt since before the war.

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