Deborah's Dilemma

by Caroline Clemmons

  Jeff Taber walked by as Trey mentioned the box lunch. He toed a chair away from the table and took a seat. “Yeah, especially since that loudmouth Eric made such a scene.”

  Trey shook his head. “You’d think he’d understand that’s not the way to impress a nice woman.”

  Jeff toasted him with his beer. “Thanks for helping my sister. She hates Eric.”

  Trey smiled and raised his beer. “Trust me, dining with her was my pleasure.”

  The noise increased and they saw Eric talking to rancher Norris Kirby. The two had been at loggerheads in the past. Seeing them conversing without fists involved was new.

  Trey overheard Norris rabblerousing. “You can bet that if a man had stolen my girl like that, I’d do something about it.”

  Ron leaned forward. “Kirby is trying to rile Eric against you. What’s his purpose?”

  Jeff watched the scene. “You can bet it’s something to help Kirby and not Eric. That Kirby pretends to be interested in the community but I think he’s up to no good. I’d hate to see him as mayor.”

  Ron set down his beer. “Good, at least he’s leaving.”

  Eric strode toward the table and glared at Trey. “You have a nerve coming in here after you stole Deborah on Sunday. You stay away from her, you hear? She’s gonna by my girl.”

  Trey fought to remain calm. “I’m a member of this Lodge and able to attend whenever I wish. For your information, Miss Taber chooses with whom she does and does not spend time.”

  Eric leaned over him. “Oh, yeah? I’m telling you to stay away from her.”

  “That’s for her to decide. I refuse to be drawn into confrontation here. Ron, Jeff, sure great to see you but I don’t want a fight. I’ll be going home now.”

  Trey stood and poked a finger at the shorter Eric. “Miss Taber is not one of the loose skirts you favor. Never again bandy that lady’s name about where alcohol is sold.”

  Eric shouted, “You think your money can buy anything and anyone you want. I’m warning you, I’ll make you sorry you ever came back here. Do you hear me?”

  Trey walked away but Eric followed, reaching for Trey’s arm. Determined to avoid a fight, Trey evaded the other man and strode toward the door.

  Jeff followed. The last thing Trey heard from the Lodge was Jeff trying to calm Eric. “He’s leaving, Eric. Let it go.”

  Stewing, Trey rode home. Some pleasant evening out he’d had. After he finished caring for his horse, he went into the house. He had a wing to himself now but he traipsed through the kitchen.

  The family housekeeper, Rosario Dominguez, held a glass of milk. “You are home early. Shall I prepare you a snack or some milk?”

  He patted her shoulder gently. “No, thanks, segunda mamà. I’ll visit with the folks a while and then go to bed early.”

  Rosario patted his arm. “Eres mi buen chico.”

  He kissed her cheek. “I try to be your good boy.”

  He went into the room they called the great room and sat in his favorite chair.

  Papa looked at him over the magazine he held. “When you said you’d be home early, I didn’t think you meant so soon.”

  Trey crossed his feet at the ankles. “Earlier than I’d planned, that’s for sure. That bully Eric Barton tried to start a fight so I thought the best thing was for me to leave. Couldn’t figure why, but Norris Kirby was pushing Eric to confront me.”

  Mama sighed. “I hoped you’d gone to see that nice Taber girl.”

  He smiled at her. “Sorry to disappoint you, Mama. If it counts, I saw her brother at the Lodge. Eric was going to follow me but Jeff tried to calm him.”

  Grandpa wore a solemn expression. “Barton’s worthless, just like his father. I can’t figure out that Kirby, though. I sure hope he doesn’t win the election for mayor.”

  “Who’s running against him?”

  “So far, no one. Worries me. He’s a devious man. When he dammed the creek, he pretended it was his foreman and hands without his consent or knowledge. Harrumph, no one bought that lie.”

  His grandmother glared at her husband. “Wade, don’t go getting upset over things you can’t change. The thing to do if you feel strongly is to line up a man to run against Kirby.”

  “Danged if you’re not right, Marianne my love.” Grandpa rose and kissed her forehead. “Why don’t we just go to bed instead? I’ll let the next two generations worry about such things.”

  They were interrupted by a loud knock.

  Grandpa held up his hand. “I’ll get it since I’m already on my feet.”

  He opened the door and stood back. “Come in, Virgil, Milton. What brings you out this way?”

  Virgil and his chief deputy, Milton Sprouse, came inside.

  Virgil shifted from one foot to the other and held his hat brim in his hands. “I sure hate to do this, but I have to take Trey into protective custody.”

  Everyone in the room gasped.

  Trey leaped to his feet. “Why?”

  “After you left the Lodge, someone shot at Eric and Jeff. Killed Eric and Jeff is seriously wounded and unconscious. Barton’s father accused you. He and some of their friends are talking forming vigilantes and ‘stringing you up’. I can’t let that happen.”

  Trey’s father rushed forward. “You know Trey isn’t guilty. We can take care of our own.”

  Virgil held up a hand as if to stay protests. “Duece, you can’t protect him every minute. Unless he stayed in the house and away from windows, he could be picked off by a sharpshooter.”

  Milton said, “There could be a run on the house, which would mean exchange of gunfire and someone injured or killed.”

  Virgil looked at each of the family. “I want to take him into town so my deputies and I can protect him. If he’s in jail, those talking vigilantes’ will be quieted.”

  Trey stood tall. “I want to say plain and clear that I’m innocent. I didn’t like Eric, but I wouldn’t shoot him, much less kill the man. I like Jeff and wouldn’t want anything to happen to hurt him. I’ll go with you, Sheriff, because I see the value of what you’re saying.”

  Mama was crying. “Oh, my boy. I can’t bear you being in jail.”

  Grandma put an arm around her shoulders. “Now, Judith, Trey will be all right. We know he’s innocent and the sheriff will catch whoever’s responsible.”

  Virgil nodded. “Thank you for those words of confidence, Mrs. Pearson.” He used his hat to gesture at the family. “I’ll appreciate your cooperation. I don’t know Trey, but I know and respect your family. I promise I’ll do my best for him and keep him safe. You can bet we’ll work hard to find the guilty person.”

  Trey looked around. “Do I have time to gather a change of clothes?”

  Rosario hurried into the room. “I got you some clothes and that book you was reading.”

  “Thank you.” Trey took the bundle from her. “Then I’m ready. My horse is in the barn.”

  Milton nodded toward the door. “We brought one for you to ride, Trey. Didn’t want yours to have to stay at the livery until one of your hands could come for it.”

  Deuce reached for his hat. “I’ll ride in with you.”

  Trey grabbed his father’s arm. “No, Papa. You stay here. You were already tired and have no business being up all hours. Riding home alone, you’d make an awfully good target.”

  Mama grabbed his arm. “Trey’s right, Deuce. You stay here. We’ll all go in tomorrow in the daylight.”

  Chapter Three

  Deborah was sitting in the parlor helping her mom make quilt blocks. Papa leaned back in his chair, half asleep. Commotion at the door preceded a loud knock.

  Papa stood. “I’ll see who that is.” When he opened the door, men carried in Jeff on a stretcher.

  Ron said, “Doctor Ross is on his way.”

  Mama rushed forward. “Jeff! Right this way.”

  Papa followed. “What happened?”

  Ron kept hold of his corner of the stretcher. “Someone waited until Eric left the Lod
ge. Jeff was beside him trying to calm him and keep him from riding out to the Pearson ranch. They were both shot.”

  Deborah turned back the cover so her brother could be moved to his bed. The amount of blood on his clothes worried her more than the fact he had to be carried. Had he lost too much to recover? He was unconscious and deathly pale.

  Doctor Ross entered the room. “Careful now, we don’t know how badly he’s hurt.” He set his bag on the foot of the bed and went to work on Jeff.

  Papa looked at Ron. “Eric?”

  Doctor Ross glanced up. “Dead. Shot right through the heart. Looks like this bullet missed Jeff’s heart but went through his lung. Going to be touch and go.”

  Mama cried, “Who did this to our boy?”

  One of the men who’d helped carry Jeff inside said, “Most think it was Trey Pearson.”

  Deborah staggered against the wall. Not Trey, surely. He took up for people, not bushwhacked them.

  Ron touched her arm and spoke to everyone in the room. “No one saw who it was. Eric’s father was talking vigilantes. Virgil won’t tolerate that. He and Milton have ridden to Pearson Ranch to place Trey in protective custody.”

  Vigilantes? They’d hang Trey before he had a chance to defend himself. Deborah reached for Ron’s arm as her legs gave way.

  He helped her to a chair and knelt beside her. “Trey left to avoid fighting with Eric. He was being a gentleman and he’s no killer.”

  “I hope you’re right but someone is a murderer.” She couldn’t suppress the sob that slipped between her lips. “My poor brother. I hope Virgil finds the guilty person quickly.”

  “He will.” Ron stood. “Unless there’s something I can do here, I’ll get out of the way.”

  Deborah shook her head. “Nothing anyone but the doctor can do now. Thank you for your help, Ron. Please, ask your family to pray for Jeff.”

  “I will, but they would anyway.” Ron patted her shoulder and left.

  Deborah stood to go to her mother. “Mama, I’ll help the doctor. You go on and try to rest.”

  “I can’t rest while my boy is like this.” She sat in the chair and sobbed while her husband tried to comfort her.

  Deborah met the doctor’s eyes.

  He handed her a packet of powder, his voice low, “Mix with tea or milk. She’ll sleep. There’s enough for two.”

  “Thank you.” Deborah slipped into the kitchen. While the milk heated, she divided the powder into two mugs. When the milk was warm, she poured it into the cups. She stirred and brought both mugs into her parents.

  “Drink this to calm yourselves.”

  When they had, she addressed them. “I insist you go lie down in your room. I’ll be here with the doctor and will call you if Jeff wakes.”

  Her mother shook her head. “I can’t leave my boy.”

  Doctor Ross sent her a stern gaze. “Olive, Herman, there’s nothing you can do here. You’re going to need your rest for tomorrow. I’ll stay with Jeff tonight. Now get out of here.”

  Papa gently guided Mama from the room. “Come on, Olive. You know Steven is right. We’ll have a circus to deal with tomorrow.”

  When they’d gone, Deborah emptied the water from the pan Dr. Ross had used. Horrified at the bright red color, she realized her brother’s blood had created that shade. She brought the doctor two pans of fresh water for washing his hands and instruments. She also brought him a cup of coffee and a slice of apple pie.

  “Thank you for sending my parents to bed and making sure they can sleep. Papa’s been tired lately and needs his rest.”

  “You’re a good daughter and sister, but you might as well go to bed too. There’s no point in both of us losing sleep. I need to sit here and make sure this young man doesn’t have any complications. I’ll call you if I need help. Thanks for the coffee and pie.”

  “I hate to abandon you but I understand the sense in what you say. I’ll have to fill in for Jeff while he’s recovering. Normally, he has twice the energy of any normal person. There’s more coffee on the range and more pie in the pie safe. Goodnight and thank you again.”

  She moved slowly to her room. Today had been such a nice day until this evening.

  ***

  Deborah rose the next morning after tossing and turning all night.

  Dr. Ross was beside Jeff’s bed checking her brother’s pulse. “He’s not out of the woods, but his pulse is steady. I believe the bleeding has stopped. I’ll be by later today and check on him.”

  “I hope you have a chance to go home and sleep.”

  “Aw, I’ve learned to get by on short naps for stretches. I catch up occasionally when there’s no need for my services.”

  Mama rushed in. “Is he better?”

  Doctor Ross added his stethoscope to his bag. “Yes, but still unconscious. You might talk to him and read to him for short periods while he’s unconscious. I think it helps people heal.”

  “Oh, I will. I’ll get one of his favorite books. Deborah, you stay here until I get back.”

  Doctor Ross closed his bag and smiled at Deborah. “I’ll leave you to sort your parents. Take care you don’t overdo. They don’t need two patients.”

  “I’ll be careful. You take your own advice. We’d be in terrible trouble if you were ill.”

  When the doctor had gone, Deborah prepared breakfast for her parents. She took Mama a tray in Jeff’s room.

  After Papa ate, he stepped in to talk to them. “Deborah, I hate to ask but you’ll need to help fill in for Jeff.”

  “Of course, Papa. I thought I’d interview the sheriff and Trey today. Does that meet with your plans?”

  He smiled at her. “Those are my plans.”

  Mama snapped, “I don’t see why you need to interview that boy who shot Jeff.”

  “Mama? I’m surprised you’d condemn him without proof. We don’t know who shot Jeff. I’ll be impartial no matter what I think, just as Papa has trained us.”

  Papa patted her arm. “Good girl. As soon as you get me the interview, I’ll start setting the type. I’ll head over to the office now but I’ll save the lead space above the fold for your stories.”

  Deborah dressed in her newest ensemble. Her bodice, three-quarter sleeves, and skirt’s front drape were of lavender print on white silk polonaise. The skirt was of purple faille. White lace edged the neck, sleeves, and front drape.

  She turned in front of the mirror. Did she look business-like or as if she were going to a tea? With a sigh, she stuck a pin in her small straw hat. Her notebook and pencils were with her purse.

  Before she left, she peeked in to tell her mother goodbye.

  “Why are you wearing your new dress to go to the jail? I hope you didn’t dress up because of that boy who shot Jeff.”

  “Mama, Trey’s innocent unless proven guilty.” Deborah rolled her eyes. “As to my dress, we were all out of sackcloth and ashes. I’ll let you know when I return.”

  Mama sent her The Look she used when displeased. “You needn’t be saucy, young lady.”

  Notebook and pencils in hand, Deborah strolled the few blocks to the jail. A flock of butterflies swirled in her stomach. She was shy and could never do this job as well as her extroverted brother. But, Papa was depending on her and she wouldn’t let him down.

  Sheriff Virgil Witt looked up from his desk when she entered. “Miss Taber, what can I do for you?” He called her Deborah at social situations.

  She’d follow his cue and be formal. “Sheriff Witt, I’m here on behalf of The Pearson Grove Gazette. With Jeff laid up and Mama caring for him, I’m helping my father. I hope you’ll give me an interview and let me question you about the shooting that occurred last night outside the Lodge.”

  He leaned back so far she feared he’d tip over backward. “I don’t have many answers but ask away.” He gestured to a chair near his desk.

  She sat and opened her notebook. “What can you tell me about the shooting?”

  “About eight last night inside the Lodge, Eric Ba
rton started an altercation with Trey Pearson. Pearson was seated at a table with Ron Novak and Jeff Taber. Barton tried to get Pearson to fight, but—as any law abiding person would—Pearson refused. Instead, he said he didn’t want trouble and bid his friends good night. He said he was going home. As far as anyone knows that’s exactly what he did.”

  “So, why is he under arrest?”

  “He’s not under arrest but is here under protective custody.” Virgil straightened. “According to witnesses, Barton was determined to go after Pearson and force him to fight. Jeff tried to calm him but others were encouraging him to go after Pearson. Barton left the Lodge with Jeff still trying to talk sense to him. That’s when they were shot.”

  “Did anyone see who fired or from where?”

  “Near as I can figure, the shots came from the shadows of the alley between the buildings across the street. No one saw who fired. Barton’s father and some of the riff raff that poured out of the saloon were all set to go after Pearson and ‘string him up’ without a trial.”

  Deborah couldn’t prevent her gasp.

  “We have a nice community here in Pearson Grove.” The sheriff slashed the air with his hand. “No way will I allow a group of drunks to take the law into their own hands. You can probably understand why my Chief Deputy and I had to bring Pearson in for his own protection.”

  “I certainly do. Even riding on his family’s land, Trey… Mr. Pearson would be easy to kill.”

  “That’s correct. As for the guilty person, we’re investigating leads. As soon as my additional deputies arrive, I’ll join my Chief Deputy in looking for answers. That’s all I can tell you at present.”

  Deborah stood and smiled. “Thank you, Sheriff Witt. May I interview your… well, he’s not exactly a prisoner?

  Virgil stood and gestured toward the cells. “Go right ahead. I see my two deputies coming so I’ll be on my way.”

  Chapter Four

  Deborah smoothed a hand over her hair. Surely Trey wasn’t guilty. Thoughts of her brother lying unconscious and her mother sobbing beside him created warring loyalties. Was she being unfair to believe in Trey’s innocence?

  Trey looked up when she approached. He rose to his feet and came to the bars. “Nice of you to come. Door’s not locked so you can come in and sit down if you wish.” He was pale and appeared disheveled.