In the Sheriff's Protection Page 18

  In all his years, he’d never had so many things weighing so heavily on his mind. A fair number of them had to do with Clara. What she would do now that Hugh would be spending the rest of his life in Leavenworth.

  Chester had offered to escort Hugh to the prison, and so had Brett. Tom had thanked them, but declined. It was his job and he’d do it. Taking Hugh where he belonged wasn’t what was so troubling. The train trip there and back wasn’t too long. He’d be gone three days at the most. What troubled him was if Clara would still be here when he returned, and if he could ask her to stay.

  That wasn’t his place to do, especially when he didn’t have anything he could offer her. A splattering of regret washed over him as he stopped on the stoop of his house. It was small. A front room and a bedroom. Not nearly enough room for a husband, wife and child.

  He opened the door and stepped in. Other families lived in smaller places; he’d seen them. As the sheriff, not only of the town but of the surrounding area, he’d visited most every ranch, farm, home and business in a hundred square miles of Oak Grove. Glancing around at the rough-hewn boards making up the unpainted walls, he sighed. True, this was not what he’d want for his wife, but it wasn’t the size of the house or the way it was built that was the issue. He could find a new house, build one that would have plenty of room. However, he couldn’t marry. It wasn’t because of what Josiah said, although seeing what Rollie had gone through tonight did cement what he’d already known. A wife needed her husband.

  Clara needed that. If Hugh had been home instead of out robbing trains and people, she would have had a very different life. A life she deserved. A home. A husband who was there with her.

  In some ways, being a lawman was as bad as being an outlaw. Because he’d had to testify in this case, things had been different, but usually, when there was a prisoner behind the bars, he slept in his office. Ate there, too. That was why this little house had suited him just fine. Traveling had suited him, too. Wherever and whenever needed.

  “And will continue to,” he said aloud, as if that would solidify his thoughts. Convincing himself it would, he went to bed.

  It didn’t, of course, and he tossed and turned all night, unable to get comfortable with either the lumpy mattress or his thoughts.

  Morning came just as scheduled, and he walked the short distance to his office while the sun was still rising and the morning birds were just starting to sing their songs. The chirping reminded him of Angus. Yesterday the old man had spouted one of his many idioms, something about not loving songbirds until hearing the right one.

  Tom shook his head. He had no idea what kind of bird was singing. Had never taken the time to pay attention or notice. Just like he’d never noticed women before Clara. “Damn it,” he muttered. That was what Angus was talking about, and the old man knew that Clara had him tied up in knots. Tom increased his speed. No one else could know. No one. He had to make sure of that.

  The town, his town, wouldn’t look upon him the same way if they knew how Clara affected him. Josiah had pointed that out more than once: a married man had too many of his own worries to take proper care of a community.

  Tom opened his office door, and Chester sat up on the cot he’d been sleeping on in a cell exactly like the one next to it. Except, unlike Hugh’s cell, Chester’s wasn’t locked and the door was open.

  “He give you any trouble?” Tom asked. Hugh had sat up, too, and was scratching his head with both hands.

  “Nothing I couldn’t handle,” Chester replied while pulling on his boots. “Other than his constant complaining.”

  Tom knew all about that.

  Chester tossed the single blanket over the cot before leaving his cell. “Says his arm’s hurting.”

  “It is,” Hugh said. “That backstabbing wife of mine waited too long to take the bullet out. She gave me blood poisoning.”

  Ignoring Hugh, Tom said to Chester, “Doc said it was fine.”

  “Yep,” Chester said. “Just fine.”

  “No, it’s not,” Hugh said. “She was too busy doctoring you, Tom, to see to my wound in time. It’s blood poisoning.”

  Tom picked up the coffeepot and carried it to the door so he could dump the old grounds around the side of the building. “Then you won’t have to worry about it too long, will you?”

  Chester nodded. “That’s what I told him. If it was blood poisoning, he’d already be six feet under, or well on his way.”

  Tom walked outside and around the building. After emptying the pot, he went to the well and rinsed out the pot before filling it with fresh water. His thoughts weren’t on Hugh; they were on Chester. He was married, and had two children. A daughter and a son. But he only filled in as deputy when needed. His regular job was at the hardware store.

  More focused on what was going on inside him than around him, Tom skidded to a stop as he rounded the corner of his office.

  Clara and Billy were walking up the boardwalk. She was wearing the same dress as yesterday. The blue one that Martha had given her. She smiled slightly, but he could tell it was only for show. He said nothing, did nothing, except stand there and watch them approach.

  “Hi, Tom,” Billy said when they stepped beneath the awning of his office.

  “Morning,” he replied. Billy had been mad at him when he’d left their place, but last night had acted happy to see him. Children were like that. Got over things far more quickly than adults. “You’re up early.”

  Clara was holding Billy’s hand, and as they stopped before him, she placed the other against her stomach. She also swallowed hard.

  Concern leaped inside him. Whatever she had to say wasn’t easy for her.

  “Is there something you need?” he asked.

  “Yes.” She glanced down at her son. “Billy would like to say goodbye to his father.” Lifting her gaze to him, she asked, “Would that be possible?”

  He wanted to say no, but couldn’t. Clara would have considered Billy’s request long and hard before coming to this conclusion. Even though he wished otherwise, Tom nodded. “But he can’t go in alone.”

  She shook her head and then nodded. “I already told him that. I’ll be with him the entire time.”

  Tom shook his head. “I meant the two of you can’t go in there alone.” Not wanting her to think he didn’t trust her, he added, “By law.” That wasn’t a lie. He was the sheriff and he made the laws when needed.

  “That’s fine,” she said. “We understand.”

  Tom then stepped over and pushed open the door, while nodding for her and Billy to enter. Hugh was spouting off about something, but stopped momentarily.

  The silence didn’t last long. “What do you want?” Hugh shouted. “Here to gloat? Don’t get used to it, Clara. Others will learn about what you did. I warned you about that. About this. Not even your precious Tom will be able to save you.”

  Although anger filled him, Tom was also proud of Clara. How she’d kept her composure. With her chin up, she placed both hands on Billy’s shoulders and guided the boy a few steps closer to the jail cell.

  With a steady, calm voice, she said, “Billy wanted to say goodbye to you.”

  Hugh’s lip curled as he glared at her, never once glancing down at the boy.

  Keeping his eyes on the trio, Tom walked over and set the coffeepot down. Not only did Clara deserve so much more than Hugh Wilson, so did Billy.

  “Why’d you lie to me?” Billy asked. “Why’d you tell me you didn’t rob that train?”

  Hugh still didn’t pull his nasty gaze off Clara. “Your mother’s lying, son. I didn’t rob any train.”

  “Ma didn’t tell me,” Billy said. “Rhett and Wyatt did. And Kade and Wiley.”

  A bout of fury raced over Tom. Billy’s face was pained as he stared up at his father. Sympathy for Billy swarmed inside him, too. The entire town had been talking about the train robbe
ry for months, so it wasn’t surprising that Brett’s sons and Rollie’s would talk about it, too.

  “They’re lying, too,” Hugh said.

  Tears formed in Billy’s eyes. “No, they aren’t. They’re my friends.”

  “You don’t have any friends,” Hugh said. “Just like your mother. She thinks Tom’s her friend, but Tom’s already got what he wanted from her.”

  It took all Tom had to stay still.

  Clara slid her hands off Billy’s shoulders, down onto his chest, as if protecting him. “Say goodbye now, Billy.”

  “’Bye,” Billy said. Then, as Clara turned him and her around, he glanced over his shoulder. “I’m glad you ain’t gonna be my pa no more.”

  “Me, too,” Hugh sneered.

  Chester slapped the jail cell. “Sit down!” As he walked away from the bars, Chester shook his head. “That idiot doesn’t even care about how many people he’s hurt, or what he’s losing.”

  Tom agreed, but kept silent.

  Clara didn’t. “He never has cared, Mr. Chadwick.” With another forced smile, she then said, “Thank you, Sheriff.”

  Tom crossed the room and opened the door, then followed her and Billy outside. He searched for the right words, but concluding there probably weren’t any for what the boy had just experienced, he laid a hand on Billy’s shoulder. “You’re one brave boy. I’m proud of you.”

  Looking up at him, Billy wiped at both eyes with his fists, before saying, “You’re my friend, aren’t you, Tom?” Scrunching up his face, he wiped his nose on the back of his hand. “I know I acted mad at you. I’m sorry about that, and I’m not mad at you anymore.”

  Tom knelt down in front of the boy. “Yes, I’m your friend. I consider you a good friend. And it’s all right to get mad. Everyone does. It’s just never all right to hurt someone when we’re mad at them. Not even their feelings. And thank you for apologizing. That really is a good friend.”

  Billy smiled and nodded. Tom was about to stand up, when Billy asked, “You wouldn’t lie to me, would you, Tom?”

  The desire to throttle someone had never struck Tom as hard as now, when he wanted to lay into Hugh for how badly his words had hurt Billy. “No, Billy, I won’t. Good friends don’t lie to each other. Good people don’t lie.”

  Billy wiped at his nose one more time before asking, “Rhett and Wyatt and Kade and Wylie are my friends, too. Don’t you think they are?”

  Tom gave him a full smile, hoping it would help ease Billy’s troubled little mind. “Yes, they are. I’m sure they are hoping you’ll be visiting them again today.”

  Billy’s eyes lit up as he smiled. “I told them I’d be back today. I like playing with them.”

  “That’s good. Be a good friend to them and they’ll be good friends to you.”

  Billy nodded again, but then frowned. “Can I ask you something else?”

  “Of course.”

  “If I don’t tell them that...” He glanced toward the office door. “...that he’s my pa, is that lying?”

  It certainly wasn’t right that this little guy had so much to deal with at his age. Tom would have liked to say that would be fine, but he couldn’t. He’d just vowed not to lie, and he wouldn’t. “Well, if they ask you directly, and you say no, then that would be a lie.”

  Billy gnawed on his bottom lip as it started to quiver.

  Tom squeezed the little shoulder still beneath his hand. “I’ll tell you what I’d do if I was in your shoes.”

  Hope filled Billy’s eyes as his head bobbed up and down.

  “I’d tell them that he was my pa, but that now he’s in a place where he can never hurt anyone ever again.”

  Astonishment covered the boy’s entire face, making his eyes shine as he smiled. “I could. And I could tell them I was there when you arrested him. You arrested him just like when we were playing good guys and bad guys yesterday. And...and I could tell them that Ma helped.”

  Billy’s excitement made Tom smile. “You surely could,” he said. “And you could say you helped, because you did. You took good care of Bullet. Every lawman needs a well-cared-for horse to help do his job.”

  “That’s right! I did!”

  The way Billy leaped forward and wrapped both of his little arms completely around his neck filled Tom with something he’d never felt before. It filled his heart with light brighter and warmer than the sun ever had. He put his arms around Billy and hugged him tight.

  “Thank you, Tom. Thank you.”

  Releasing Billy, Tom had to clear his throat before saying, “You’re welcome. And in case I didn’t say it before, thank you for taking such good care of Bullet.”

  With his shoulders square and his chest puffed out, Billy said, “You’re welcome.”

  Tom stood then, and the tears that rolled out of Clara’s eyes faster than she could wipe them away made him want to hug her as tightly as he had Billy.

  * * *

  Some might not call what had just happened a miracle, and maybe it wasn’t, but to Clara, it was the most magical, the most wonderful, moment she’d ever witnessed. She’d been at her wits’ end while walking out the door, wondering how on earth she could help her son understand life. Understand that he hadn’t done anything wrong, yet was being blamed, and paying for Hugh’s actions.

  Unable not to, she stepped forward and stretched up on her toes to kiss Tom’s cheek. Before stepping back, she whispered, “Thank you. I’ll never be able to repay you for what you’ve just done.”

  He shook his head, and she pressed a finger to his lips. He would deny having done anything worthy of repayment. That was who he was.

  As she removed her finger, she whispered, “Just say ‘you’re welcome.’”

  He nodded. “You’re welcome.”

  After wiping the moisture off her cheeks one last time, she took a hold of Billy’s hand. “Ready?”

  “Yes,” he replied. “Can I go over to Rhett and Wyatt’s now?”

  Billy’s smile made her so happy she couldn’t stop smiling, even while saying, “No, it’s too early. Most everyone is still sleeping. But maybe later.”

  Billy accepted that easily, and as they started walking, Tom fell into step beside her.

  “I’ll walk back to the hotel with you.”

  Though she didn’t mind in the least, she said, “That’s not necessary.”

  “Yes, it is,” he replied. “I have to haul some breakfast back to the prisoner and Chester. And remind Judge Alfords the train doesn’t stay long this early in the morning. Most folks in town use the whistle as a signal it’s time to start their day.” With a grin, he added, “It’s better than a rooster.”

  “I’m sure it is.” Appreciating how he’d refrained from using Hugh’s name, she said, “Judge Alfords said that he’s traveling to Leavenworth today.”

  “That’s correct. I’ll be traveling with him.”

  Her heart took a tumble. “Must you?”

  “Yes, I must. It’s my duty.”

  His commitment to everything he did was just a small part of what she admired about him. “I understand that.” She bit her bottom lip for a moment, not entirely sure it was her place to say more, but she had to. “I’m just concerned about your safety. You will be careful?”

  He gave her one of those quick little winks that sent her heart into a flutter.

  “I always am.” He was looking forward again, but his profile showed he was no longer smiling. “I’ll be gone about three days. If you need anything during that time, you can ask Chester. He knows where I keep—”

  “We’ll be fine.” She’d had to stop him. Her entire life she’d been depending on someone else to provide for her, and had to stop. Yet, not wanting him to think she wasn’t grateful for his kindness, she said, “But thank you. I appreciate the thought.”

  They took several more steps befor
e he asked, “What are you going to do now? If you don’t mind my asking?”

  “I don’t mind you asking, but I don’t have an answer. I’m not sure.” She did need to figure that out. Actually, she had a lot of things to figure out.

  “May I ask a favor?”

  He didn’t sound like himself, and that made her stop walking. “Of course. Is something wrong?”

  “No. I—I just would appreciate it if you and Billy were still here when I return.”

  She drew in a deep breath, trying to tell her heart that it was putting more into his words than was there.

  “We’ll still be here,” Billy said before encouraging her to agree. “Won’t we, Ma?”

  She squeezed Billy’s hand and started walking again. “Yes, we will still be here.” In that, they didn’t have much of a choice. She was broke. Until the reward money arrived, she couldn’t go anywhere.

  “Good,” Tom said. “It shouldn’t be more than three days, and remember what I said about Chester. He’ll help with anything you need.”

  “Thank you, again, for the offer.” She left it at that. There was still too much unknown to say more.

  They crossed the street and entered the hotel, at the same moment a loud crash echoed off the ceiling. She and Tom shared a look as they all three hurried into the dining room.

  Judge Alfords was the only one there, and he gestured toward a swinging door. She hadn’t been in there, but knew that door led to the kitchen.

  “Rollie’s on his own this morning,” the judge said, stopping near a table. “I was just on my way to check on him. Hoping to have some breakfast, or at least a cup of coffee, before that train arrives.”

  Another clatter had Clara waving toward the table. “You men sit down. I’ll go help Rollie.” Nodding toward the judge, who’d saved her life as much as Tom had, she added, “You’ll have breakfast, complete with coffee, shortly. I promise.” Still holding Billy’s hand, she said, “You can help.”

  Opening the kitchen door, she nearly gasped aloud. She most certainly had never seen a kitchen in such disarray.