Publisher's Synopsis
In all the history books about the Wild West, Cody Dalton is portrayed as a notorious bank robber. In 1899 he was convicted of five bank robberies in the Territory of New Mexico and spent 30 years in prison paying for his crimes. When Cody dies in 1933 at the age of seventy-eight, newspapers across the country perpetuate the legend of Dalton as an infamous western outlaw. But is this the truth? Cody's daughter, Sarah, and his best friend, Jesse Carey tell a different story. They claim the Santa Fe and San Pietro "Rings" - groups of powerful and corrupt politicians, businessmen and lawyers who, at that time, controlled most of the economy and commerce in the vast and violent New Mexican Territory - framed and railroaded Cody because he would not sell to them something he owned and they desperately wanted. Cody's ranch, just outside the small town of San Pietro, had an abundance of what everybody needed in the southwestern area of the territory - water. So the men in the "Rings" used all their power in an effort to destroy Cody Dalton and take his land. In New York a popular columnist for the New York Free Press named John Bondi reads the news of Dalton's passing with great interest. His instincts tell him that there is much more to this story than meets the eye. He convinces his editor to send him to New Mexico in the late summer of 1933 to seek the truth. What John uncovers is an inspiring story of the courage, character and dignity Cody Dalton showed in battling the corruption, lies, deceit, manipulations and abuse of power he fought against - and the steep price he paid to hold on to what was rightfully his. While in New Mexico John and Cody Dalton's daughter, Sarah, fall deeply in love and fervently hope they can build a life together. But the commitments and responsibilities both have in their lives and the thousands of miles that separate them are obstacles they must overcome to ever have a chance of realizing their dreams of a home and family. The Last Outlaw is a moving and powerful story of how the flame of hope that burns eternal in the human heart can never be extinguished. It is this hope that enables us to endure, to pursue our dreams and believe that tomorrow will be better than today.
