Owen took off his hat and hung it up by the door. “Mrs. Jenkins, this is my house. Jenny didn’t welcome you here and neither do I. Leave before I get you for trespassing.”
Jenny couldn’t help but give a slight grin of satisfaction as Clyde’s mother grudgingly made her way out the front door. It was nice to have a man—and a deputy, no less—put the old bat in her place. The woman didn’t care about Jeremy anymore than Clyde did. Not once in all the time she’d had him did either Clyde or his mother come to see him. Relieved when Owen finally shut the door, she thanked him and turned to the staircase.
“Why don’t you let me talk to him,” Owen suggested.
She glanced over her shoulder. “I try to keep him away from all of this.” She motioned to the closed door. “It can’t be easy on him to know that there are people who should care about him but don’t.”
He strode over to her and took her hand in his. “You’re right. It can’t. And children pick up more than adults realize. Sometimes a boy needs a man he can talk to.”
Sighing, she realized he was right. All these years Jeremy had needed a father in his life, and now that he had one, she needed to let the father do his job. “Alright.”
He gave her hand a gentle squeeze and kissed her. “He’s a good kid. You’ve done a great job with him. But you have help now.”
She smiled. “And good help it is.”
He let go of her hand and turned to the staircase. “Maybe I’ll take him out to the lake. It’s not that cold out today.”
“If you catch anything, I’ll fry it up.”
“Sounds like a deal.”
“Owen?” she called as he climbed the steps.
He glanced back at her.
“Will you tell me what happened today, when everything settles down?”
“Yep.”
Nodding her thanks, she returned to her sewing.
***
The next day, Jenny took Jeremy to the jailhouse so her son could see Owen at work. As soon as she opened the door, she caught him sorting through some Wanted posters. He stiffened and quickly turned to them. His eyes were wide.
She laughed. “Relax. It’s just us.”
He gave a half-hearted chuckle before he straightened the stack. “Uh...just checking on the outlaws.”
“I hope you get them all,” she replied, admiring the way he looked in his denims and vest with the shiny deputy badge on it. She smiled when she saw the fishing rod leaning against the wall. Sure, his methods were unorthodox, but from what she heard, he managed. Maybe that was why he earned himself a stellar reputation back in South Carolina. She scanned the length of the building and frowned. “I thought Clyde was here.”
He sighed. “Was. The sheriff caught Joshua this morning, and it turns out Joshua did the actual shooting. So Clyde was released. Joshua was sent to his hometown where he’s wanted.”
She nodded. She shouldn’t be surprised. Clyde didn’t strike her as someone brave enough to handle a weapon, but it had made her feel a little better knowing he wasn’t running free through town. She glanced at Jeremy and squeezed his hand. Children had no control over their circumstances, and they seemed to handle things well enough. She just hoped that with Owen to take Clyde’s place, Jeremy would have an easier time of it.
“Did you come for a tour?” Owen asked, walking over to them.
“We were in town and thought we’d say hello,” she replied. “What do you think, Jeremy? Do you want to see where Pa works?”
The boy eagerly nodded, so Owen put him up on his shoulders. “Here is Sheriff Meyer’s desk. I share it with him.”
She motioned to the stack of paperwork. “It looks like you do a lot more than catch dangerous men.”
“Yep. Judges and lawyers like reports.”
That made sense.
“Over here,” he began as he directed them to the three cells, “is where we keep the prisoners.”
“Whoa!” Jeremy said when they stopped in front of an empty cell. “Do really bad men go in there?”
“Some more bad than others. We get the occasional drunk or bar brawler.”
“Do you get bank robbers?”
“Sometimes.”
“I want to see a bank robber!”
“Well, you would have if we didn’t stop a robbery.”
Jeremy’s eyes grew wide. “You did?”
“Just the other day. Someone was going to rob Farewell Bank. The sheriff and I got there before the robbers did.”
“Did you see the robbers?”
Owen shrugged. “I’m sure we did, but we aren’t sure which of the men who entered were supposed to do it. They probably saw us and left.”
“And there’s been no attempts on the bank since then?” Jenny asked.
“Nope. We’re keeping a lookout. Right now all I have is a name,” Owen replied. “Does the name Robert Scott ring a bell?”
She shook her head. “I’ve never heard that one before.”
“Probably an out-of-towner then. I’m guessing he has connections with someone in town though.”
“I want to be a deputy when I grow up!” Jeremy said, obviously impressed.
He chuckled as he turned from the bars. “Over here is where we make coffee and heat up the place.” He patted the potbelly stove in the corner with his free hand. “Over there is where we hang our coats and hats. And over here is where we play checkers when we get bored.”
“The sheriff and deputy get bored when there’s that stack of papers on the desk?” Jenny asked, amused by the quaint spot for games.
He shrugged and grinned. “Everyone needs a break.”
“Do you and the sheriff get along?”
“Well enough. I have no complaints about working with him.”
“He obviously adores you,” she said. “I remember before you got here, and he couldn’t stop bragging on you. He kept saying you were the best deputy in South Carolina and that you’d be good to me and Jeremy.” She reached out and touched his arm. “He was right. I’m glad you came.”
His easy smile faltered. “Right.”
She wondered at the change in his mood.
He lifted the boy off his shoulders and placed him down. “Why don’t you go check out the checkerboard? You can stack the pieces.”
Jeremy ran to the board and started collecting the black pieces.
“And don’t put any of them in your mouth,” Jenny added before she went to Owen. Leaning close to him, she whispered, “Is something wrong?”
He let out a slow breath and directed his gaze to her. “Well... You and Jeremy mean everything to me. You know that, don’t you?”
Now she was worried. “What is it? Did something bad happen?” Not that she could imagine what that something could possibly be, but still... He was a deputy. Maybe someone wanted to come after him. She clenched her hands together at the thought of some angry thief coming after Owen with a loaded gun. Why hadn’t she considered that aspect of his job before?
“I should tell you something.”
She closed her eyes and braced herself. “Is someone out to kill you?”
“What?”
She opened her eyes and looked at him. “Did one of those terrible bank robbers get loose and decide to track you down?”
“A bank robber?” The confusion left his face as her meaning dawned on him. “Oh. No. It has nothing to do with that.”
She relaxed. “What a relief. For a minute there, I thought your life was in danger.”
He squinted and glanced at the ceiling. “Well, I guess you could say—”
The door opened and the sheriff walked in. “Howdy,” he greeted, tipping his hat in her direction. “It’s nice to see everyone together.”
“We just stopped by to say hi,” Jenny assured him. “We don’t intend to take up any more of your deputy’s time.” She gave Owen a quick kiss. “I’m glad you’re safe. I’ll see you at home.” She motioned to Jeremy. “Come on, honey. We need to go see your Aunt Sally about Satur
day.” She glanced at Owen. “Is it still alright if we have the supper for her and Rick?”
Owen nodded, looking both relieved and disappointed. “Sure. I’ll even dress up in those fancy clothes the sheriff bought me for our wedding day.”
“Thank you, Owen.” She took Jeremy’s hand, and on her way out of the jailhouse, she said good-bye to the sheriff.
Chapter Twelve
Jenny bit her lower lip as she studied the parlor. If this didn’t peak Rick’s romantic interest, then he was a lost cause. She spent that entire Saturday getting everything ready for the special supper. The lacy white curtains were drawn to give the room a private feel to it, and she had set out the matching tablecloth. She made both years ago when she thought she’d marry Clyde. Was she ever glad she ended up with Owen instead!
She hummed as she lit the two candles. She dimmed the kerosene lamp and smiled. Though she had no flowers, she arranged some colorful leaves in the center of the table and placed a pinecone on top of it. Closing her eyes, she inhaled the sweet scent, which was almost masked by the pot roast that was cooling in the oven.
She opened her eyes and set the cushions on the chairs so they’d be comfortable. Then she stepped back and examined the effect of the candlelight. It seemed magical to be in here. She clapped her hands and nearly skipped out of the room. Owen and Jeremy waited in the kitchen. As she requested, they dressed up for the occasion. Even she wore her best shirt and skirt.
“I feel fancy,” Jeremy said, beaming.
“Yep,” Owen agreed. “This is just like those restaurants where rich people eat.”
“Let’s hope it does the trick!” She was too excited to sit down, so she checked the dinner rolls. Fresh and soft. Perfect. She glanced at the two men who sat on the remaining chairs she had left in the kitchen when she moved the table and other chairs to the parlor. She smiled at them. “Thank you for doing this.”
Owen grinned and patted his stomach. “It’s the least we can do since you’re letting us feast on this meal too.”
“You even made cake!” Jeremy cheered, bouncing in his seat.
She chuckled at her son’s enthusiasm. “That I did.”
“We can’t wait to dig in,” Owen replied.
There was a knock at the door.
She gave a brief shout of glee before she ran to the door and opened it. “Come on in!” she told Sally, Rick, and Greg.
“You weren’t kidding, Sally,” Rick said as he helped her take off her coat. “This place really is nice.” He turned to the hook by the door and hung it up. “You did good, Jenny.”
Jenny laughed. “I can’t take all the credit. Owen had something to do with it.” She glanced at Owen who stood up.
“Well, actually it was the sheriff,” Owen said. “He had this house in tip top shape when we moved in.”
“How is he doing?” Rick asked as he shrugged off his own coat.
“He’s fine. I notice he works all the time,” Owen replied.
Rick hung the coat up and took Greg’s coat to put on another hook. “I heard he’s all business.”
“Yes, he is.”
Jenny cleared her throat to get their attention. It worked. She motioned to the parlor. “Rick and Sally, will you follow me?”
Rick peered into the other room. “Wow. You didn’t have to go through all this trouble for us.”
Sally ran on ahead and looked over at Jenny with unbridled enthusiasm in her eyes. “It’s lovely, Jenny. You must have spent hours on this.”
“Not really,” Jenny said. “The supper took longer, but I want you two to have a wonderful and relaxing evening. So tonight, let Owen, the kids, and I handle everything.” She went over to one of the chairs and pulled it out. “Sally?”
Her sister readily obeyed.
Rick shook his head and grinned. “It is a nice thing to do for us, Jenny. Thank you.”
“You’re welcome.” Satisfied, she added, “We’ll be serving you shortly.” Then she left and went to the kitchen. “Are we ready?”
Greg and Jeremy stood at attention and nodded.
She laughed. “You don’t have to so formal, but I do appreciate the enthusiasm.” She grabbed the utensils and plates and held them out to the boys. “Be careful with these.”
“We know,” Greg said. He loosened his tie a bit before he took the plates.
She gave the utensils to Jeremy and watched as they went to the parlor.
Owen picked up the bottle of wine and champagne glasses. “You really thought of everything.”
“I had days to plan for it.” She lifted the salad bowl and joined him on his way to the parlor. After the boys set out their items, she served the salad while Owen poured the wine in their glasses. “Potato soup is next,” she said.
“My favorite,” Rick replied.
“And you make it better than I do,” Sally told her.
“I like your soup too,” Rick said.
“I know, but Jenny knows exactly how much cheese to add. She has a gift for making potato soup.”
Jenny finished dishing out their portions of salad. “I thank both of you.” Once she returned to the kitchen with Owen, she realized Greg and Jeremy were staring at the ceiling and talking about a strange noise. “What is it?” she asked, setting the bowl down.
Greg pointed up. “We heard something scurrying around up there.”
She frowned. “But the dog’s outside.” She inwardly shivered. What if it was a mouse? She hated those things!
“I’ll check it out,” Owen said as he turned to the staircase.
“No,” Greg said. “It sounds like it’s coming from the roof.”
“Oh.” Owen stopped to listen.
They stood in silence for a moment before another series of pitter patters drifted down to them. It wasn’t on the roof, but it was somewhere up there. She glanced uneasily at Owen. “The attic?”
“I think so.”
Oh gross! A rodent was running around in their home! When she saw him begin to walk up the stairs, she yelled out, “Wait!”
He turned to her.
She went to a shelf and retrieved an empty flour sack. “If you catch it, you might as well put it in here.” How she hoped he’d be quick about getting it and throwing it out of the house! She ran over to him and handed it to him before she gave him a quick kiss. “For luck.”
“There’s nothing to it. I used to drive out snakes at my aunt’s house.”
She nodded. “I hope it’s as easy to get as a snake.”
“I’m sure it’ll be.” He ran up the stairs.
Turning to the boys, she said, “This is one time when I’m really glad to have a man in the house.”
Sally directed her attention to Rick as she finished her salad. “I had no idea she’d do all of this.” She was deeply touched that her sister went out of her way to make this a memorable evening.
“I feel underdressed.” He glanced down at his suit. “And this is what I wear to church.”
“You look as good in it as you did two years ago when you bought it.”
He looked at her with a twinkle in his eye. “Well, you are absolutely beautiful.”
She blushed. It’d been a long time since he told her that. Jenny, it seemed, had a wonderful idea. The atmosphere was not only romantic, but it was enchanting as well. It was as if the hands of time were rewound and she was the same youth who let Rick court her. She sipped her wine and furrowed her eyebrows. She glanced at Rick and then looked up. “Is there something going on up there?”
“It certainly sounds like it.”
Jenny entered with two bowls of soup and placed them on the table.
“Are the boys playing?” Sally asked.
“No,” Jenny answered. “There’s something in the attic so Irving went to investigate.”
Sally cringed. “I hope he gets it.”
“You and me both.”
“Does he need help?” Rick asked, ready to stand up.
Jenny motioned for him to sit bac
k down. “He said he’s handled critters before, so he’ll be fine. You two need to enjoy the meal...and try to ignore the activity up there.”
“If you’re sure...” Rick sounded uncertain.
“Of course, I’m sure. He’s very capable. Now I’m going to bring the roast and gravy out.”
“Alright.”
Jenny picked up the plates and left the room.
Sally had to admit her sister was going above and beyond the call of duty to give her and Rick a romantic meal, and she couldn’t think of a time when she loved her sister more. She could only hope that she might return the favor sometime.
The loud thump above their heads made her jump. She laughed. “That must be some rodent up there.”
He set the spoon down and sighed. “I don’t feel right sitting here while he’s up there fighting that thing.”
“Jenny said he can handle it. We should enjoy the meal she made for us.” She picked up the spoon and dipped it into the soup. She took a bite and smiled. “This is the best potato soup anyone’s ever made.”
Rick sighed as something small ran on the ceiling above them. “He doesn’t sound like he’s having much success.”
She groaned and set the spoon down. “Will you please let him take care of it? The man’s caught snakes before.”
“I can help him and then come back down here.”
“Why is it that every time we get a moment to ourselves, you run off to do something else? Am I that burdensome to you?”
He rolled his eyes. “Not this again. Come on, Sally. This isn’t work related, alright?”
“Jenny said Irving can do this by himself. Let him take care of it.”
Another rumble of noise echoed from the attic. “He’s not taking care of it!”
“Yes, he is!”
“You hear that up there? How can you call that ‘taking care of it’?”
“Tonight is supposed to be about you and me. You promised, Rick.”
“Do you really want him to suffer through all that?”
Jenny quickly grabbed the platter full of neatly cut pot roast and hurried into the parlor, hoping to stop her sister and her husband from fighting. “Is something wrong?” she anxiously called out as she entered the room.
Wrong Husband Page 10
