“Amelia,” he said.
The sheriff stepped aside and the other men seemed to withdraw as he turned to her. Oliver felt nervous, but he had to do this. Amelia looked up at him waiting for him to continue.
“When we went to town I ran into that man. Rayner,” he said slowly. He noticed Russell shift out of the corner of his eye. He never mentioned knowing the man to his ranch hand, but now it was clear that Oliver was keeping a secret when he had been so forthcoming. He felt bad about it, but Oliver didn’t like people getting into his business. He liked to handle matters himself, though he was slowly beginning to realize that sometimes he did need help.
“Who’s Rayner?” she questioned.
He swallowed his anxiety. “The man we encountered that day, fighting with that other man in the street. The same one who followed you into the general store.”
“What?” Sheriff Manchester interjected. “What do you mean by ‘he followed her’?”
“That man’s been harassing Miss Amelia,” Melvin interjected. “That’s why Oliver got so upset after what he said the other day.”
“What did he say?” Amelia interrupted. The room went quiet as she stepped closer to Oliver. She was clearly upset, with the fact that he’d been remiss in telling her this particular tale.
“He insulted your dignity,” Oliver explained.
Amelia’s nostrils flared. “What did he say?”
Oliver swallowed hard. “I’d rather not use the terms that he did, but they weren’t flattering at all.”
“I see,” she whispered, her hands adjusted themselves on her hips. “And you…hit him because of it?”
He sighed. “That and other things.”
“What things?” she insisted. Oliver could see the anger building up inside of her.
He shook his head. “Nothing I can talk about now,” Oliver replied. He placed a hand gently on Amelia’s arm. “I promise you, once I get a few things sorted out, I will explain everything.”
“You better,” Amelia said quietly. She was angry at him and Oliver didn’t blame her. He’d kept a lot from her, despite her numerous attempts to find out the truth. It was bound to catch up to him eventually. He only hoped that when the truth came out, Amelia could forgive him. She stepped away from him. He hoped only for the moment.
Sheriff Manchester stepped forward. “I think there are some things you need to tell me about as well,” he stated. He looked Oliver in the eyes.
He nodded. “Yes, Sheriff.”
“I think the station would be the best place for that conversation,” the sheriff continued.
Oliver nodded. “Let me get my hat and coat and I’ll go with you.”
He walked to the hat rack and got his belongings. He put them on and walked back to the sheriff’s side. “Look after everything here, Melvin. I’m sure I’ll be out as soon as possible.”
The other men look tense.
“This isn’t right,” Elmer replied.
John shook his head and folded his arms over his chest. He sucked his teeth but didn’t say anything.
The other men mumbled protests under their breaths, but no one openly defied the sheriff. Oliver had no recourse, and they knew it. Rayner played him like a fiddle at a dance and he’d fallen right into his hands.
Melvin walked toward Amelia and wrapped his arm protectively around her shoulders. She rested her head against his as she hugged herself. Oliver hated seeing her so distressed. He hated being the cause of it.
“Everything will be all right,” Oliver assured her. He turned his gaze to the sheriff. He caught on immediately.
“Of course,” the sheriff said with a smile as he turned to Amelia. “Oliver won’t be gone a second longer than he has to.”
“How long will that be?” Amelia asked gently.
The sheriff smiled, his lips sealed as he did so. He didn’t answer. He turned to Oliver. “We should go.”
He nodded. Oliver turned and followed Sheriff Manchester out of the house. He walked down the steps and approached where the sheriff was standing by his horse.
“You can get your own horse,” the sheriff informed Oliver. “That way you can ride it back home when all of this is done,” he said with a smile.
Oliver sighed. “You want to come along to make sure I don’t run off?”
“You planning on it?” the sheriff questioned.
Oliver shook his head.
“I didn’t think so.” Sheriff Manchester turned and threw his leg over the back of his horse and settled in the saddle. “I’ll wait for you right here.”
The walk to the barn never seemed so long, each step laced with regret. How could he have been so foolish? How could he have allowed Rayner to push him the way he did? He should have known better. He should have seen it coming.
“Stupid!” he seethed. Oliver slapped his hand hard against his thigh.
The barn was quiet as he prepared his horse. Oliver smiled and patted his flank. Even his horse seemed nervous and knew things weren’t right. Oliver wondered how much trouble he was really in. How far would Rayner take this? Was this his way of showing Oliver he could break him and take everything from him, including his freedom? Or did this have something to do with Amelia? Was he trying to get him out of the way to leave her vulnerable?
“Oliver?”
He turned and there she was. Her expression was sad. A shawl was draped around her shoulders. He stepped toward her.
“How much trouble are you in?” she asked before he was close.
Oliver didn’t stop until he was standing in front of her. He shook his head. “I don’t know.”
“I feel guilty,” she said softly.
“Why?” Oliver asked incredulously. “It wasn’t your fault.”
“You did this because of what he said about me. If he didn’t know that there was any connection between us, then….”
“It would still be the same,” Oliver interrupted. “He would have found out and if he said anything, I still would have done what I did.”
“You don’t know that,” Amelia replied.
“Yes I do. I will always defend you,” he declared. He placed a hand gently on her cheek. He stroked it with his thumb as he looked at her. “I mean that. No one can ever say a bad word about you in my presence and have it stand. You’re a good person. You don’t deserve to be treated as anything less.”
Amelia closed her eyes. She sighed as she leaned into his hand. “What does this man want? Why is he doing all of this? We have this perfect place here and now the world is trying to destroy all of it. First the rustlers now this Rayner man. What next?”
Oliver lifted her chin with his finger. “I don’t want you to worry about anything. Things will go back to normal real soon. You wait and see. Once all this with the sheriff gets settled, life will go back to the way it was.”
She opened her eyes hopefully. “Will it?”
“Yes.”
“Promise me, Oliver,” Amelia pleaded.
Oliver hesitated momentarily. Could he make such a vow when he had no idea of it were true or not? He had to. He couldn’t stand the disheartened look in her eyes. He only hoped that it would become the truth.
His name sounded like it belonged on her lips. It was tearing him up inside. “I promise.”
Amelia helped him finish getting the horse ready. They didn’t talk after that. The threat of him going to jail was heavy between them. He didn’t want to encourage her further when he wasn’t sure that what he was saying was going to be true. He believed she was afraid to ask any more.
Melvin and the others were on the porch by the time Oliver led his horse to meet Sheriff Manchester. He nodded to them and assured them he’d be home soon before he climbed onto the horse’s back.
Sheriff Manchester tipped the brim of his hat. “Goodnight, all.”
“Goodnight,” Amelia replied. The men remained silent.
Oliver and Sheriff Manchester rode slowly away from the house. The further they got the more forebodi
ng the feeling Oliver got. When would he be coming home again?
“Tell me, Sheriff. What kind of trouble am I looking at here?” he asked.
The other man took a deep breath. “Some serious trouble,” he stated. “If Rayner takes this all the way, you could be looking at a year and a fine,” he replied.
It felt as if his heart stopped beating entirely and his breath seemed lost. He stopped his horse. “A year?”
Sheriff Manchester nodded and stopped his horse just in front of him. He turned back to look at him. “That’s the maximum penalty for what you did. You beat that man in front of witnesses, Oliver. He has people who will testify to that, even if they don’t like him.”
“Why do you let that man stay in town, Sheriff?” Oliver asked. “He’s trouble.”
“That may be, but I can’t prove it. I’ve never seen him do anything illegal.”
“What about the brawl I found him in? Isn’t that a crime?”
Sheriff Manchester shook his head. “He didn’t strike first. Just like you. He might fight back but he doesn’t lay hands first. He’s smart.”
“You know he’s bad news,” Oliver reiterated.
Sheriff Manchester replied. “If he doesn’t do anything wrong in the eyes of the law, and if no one reports it when he does, then what can I do?”
The sheriff turned his horse and continued down the long trail that would eventually lead them to town. Oliver lingered a moment, watching the other man’s back as he went.
There has to be some way to stop him. The man loves to take from others. He’s trying to cause problems. He did it with Garrett. I’m sure he’s doing it here, too. There has to be someone who will speak up.
Oliver gripped the reins on his horse and gently kicked his heels into his flanks. The horse began to walk, but Oliver hardly noticed it. His mind was still lingering on what the sheriff told him.
A year? A whole year?
Oliver knew that Rayner would do it. He would send him away. The man was evil.
Someone has to stop him. If they don’t, then life in Rattleridge isn’t gonna be the same. That man will turn this town upside down.
Chapter Twenty-One
Amelia cried herself to sleep after Sheriff Manchester took Oliver away. The house felt empty without him and it broke her heart. He was in trouble because he defended her honor. She only wanted to help Oliver, and repay him for everything he’d done. Oliver couldn’t go to jail. He couldn’t.
The next morning the house felt even emptier. She woke as usual and prepared breakfast, but there was no mirth or excitement to what she was doing. It was as if Oliver’s absence had stolen her purpose. She loved cooking and keeping the house. She realized just how much of that had been because of Oliver.
“Mornin’,” Melvin said, lackluster as he sauntered into the room. The older man seemed as downtrodden as she felt.
“Morning, Melvin,” she replied. She prodded the eggs she was scrambling and sprinkled a little salt on top.
“You sleep last night?” Melvin asked as he settled into a seat.
“Not really,” she replied, melancholy. “I couldn’t seem to get my mind to turn itself off.”
Melvin nodded gently. “I know what you mean. I was feelin’ that way myself. I just kept thinkin’ about Oliver. I should’ve known better. I should’ve seen what Rayner was up to. I should have stopped Oliver.”
“I’m sure you did all you could, Melvin,” Amelia replied. She took the pan from the stove and scraped the eggs onto a plate, then set it on the table. She pulled open the oven and pulled out the sausages, ham, and potatoes she had cooked earlier and set them on the table, too.
“Looks good,” Melvin commented. He smiled at her, but her heart was still heavy.
“I did my best,” she replied. “I really didn’t feel like myself this morning.”
Melvin nodded again. A moment later Russell and the others entered the room.
“Morning, fellas,” she greeted them.
They nodded and mumbled their greetings, but Amelia could tell they felt the same way she did. They ate breakfast in silence for the first time since they’d all come together at Glenore.
“Melvin?” Amelia called as the older man was walking out of the room.
“Yes?”
“I’m going into town,” she informed him.
He looked at her quietly. “What for?”
“I want to see Oliver,” she replied. “I want to be sure he’s all right.”
Melvin took a deep breath. “I’ll go with you.”
“You don’t have to…”
“But I am,” he interrupted. “I am not lettin’ you outta my sight,” he declared. “Oliver told me to take care of things, and I’m gonna do that. He’d be real mad at me if he knew I’d let you go to town on your own, especially with Rayner hangin’ around the place.”
Amelia nodded. “All right, Melvin. Thank you.”
“I’ll tell the fellas what we’ll be doin’ then I’ll get the wagon ready.”
“I’ll meet you out front,” she replied.
Melvin left the room and Amelia heard when the front door closed. She stood in the kitchen, staring at the empty room and her heart began to beat harder. She’d come this far to have a better life. She wasn’t going to let it go so easily. Oliver had to come back.
He has to.
She picked up the dishes and started to wash them. She would tidy the kitchen and go see Oliver. Maybe she would feel better then. Maybe he could come home.
The ride to town was a quiet one. Both Amelia and Melvin couldn’t bring themselves to talk. The fields spread before them, an ocean of pale green and gold, interrupted by small rolling hills, and the shadows of large mounds in the distance where wild horses roamed.
Amelia was anxious to see Oliver. Melvin, on the other hand, seemed pensive. She wondered what he was thinking? Was there more that she didn’t know?
More than likely. Something has been going on for a long time now and they wouldn’t tell me.
The moment they crossed the border of town, Amelia felt her stomach knot. A small tendril of fear crept up her spine. Was Rayner in town? Was he waiting for them? Was he watching? What if they came home and something had happened to the ranch? What if the rustlers attacked when they weren’t there? Her mind was full. She needed it to stop.
Breathe, Amelia. Just breathe.
Melvin dropped her off outside the Sheriff’s Office. He watched her walk inside before he went to the blacksmith. He would follow later.
The moment Amelia walked in the door she was greeted by a smile. Sheriff Manchester got to his feet and walked towards her with his arm outstretched. “Miss Amelia, what are you doing here?”
The greeting made her feel a little better. If the sheriff could be so chipper, perhaps things weren’t as dire as she believed. Maybe Oliver really could come home that day.
“I came to see Oliver,” she stated. She held up the basket that hung from her arm. “I brought him some things.”
Sheriff Manchester smiled and gave her a slight nod. “I expected you might. He’s back there,” he indicated as he pointed to the rear of the building. The Rattleridge Sheriff’s Office wasn’t the largest place, it had an open office area with three desks where the deputies were seated, a small potbelly stove in the corner, and several shelves with various books and documents on them. It also had several holding cells at the end of a long corridor.
Amelia walked down the corridor. Her heart was racing with each step she took. Finally, she saw him, and it was heart-breaking. Oliver looked normal, but seeing him standing behind steel bars, prevented from leaving, and knowing that there was a chance that he might have to stay there for an undetermined period...it was too much.
“Amelia?” Oliver called as he stepped closer to the bars. “What’re you doing here?” He peered behind her. “Where’s Melvin?”
“He’s leaving the wagon at the blacksmith. He dropped me off here first. He’ll come in a little while
,” she replied.
“Here, Miss Amelia,” Sheriff Manchester called. He strode towards her with a chair in his hands. He set it down in front of the cell before her. “I thought you might want to be a little more comfortable.”
She smiled at the sheriff. “Thank you.”
Amelia sat, and Oliver pulled the short stool from the corner of the room and brought it up to the bars near her. “How are you?” he asked.
For the Love of a Wounded Cowboy: A Historical Western Romance Book Page 19
