Blame

I couldn't let Clint carry any blame for Mr Bowen's murder.
Sure, they'd blame Samuel and Zeke first, you can hear them all now, shaking their sorry heads, ringing their pathetic hands, "Them boys only back in town a season and there's another murder!" or "Cougars don't become puppies overnight."
Or "Hang them both!"
But Mr McGinley was Mayor, after all. In cahoots with Sheriff Cole. They got power. And Power can hush a tornado if it means saving one of their own from perishing.
And Clint was an easy scapegoat.
And he had Mr Bowen's blood on his trousers.