by Kit Morgan
She stared at him. “Who are you?”
He laughed. “Just a country doctor, Miss Haverdash. But I’ve done more living than most men my age. I’ve seen a lot of interesting things, and at some point I might tell you. Right now, I believe your mind is on something else.”
She blushed. “It … shows?”
“If it were any more obvious, you could be wearing a sign.”
She touched her face. Her cheek was hot. “Oh dear …”
“It’s all right, I won’t tell a soul how sweet you are on him. Not that I’d have to.”
“And Jace?”
“Will have to figure it out on his own. It’s the only way he’ll believe it.”
“That doesn’t sound very encouraging.” She wiped her brow with her hand. “My, but it’s hot.”
“Yes, another day to be careful of the heat. I suggest you avoid the cleanup site. And don’t think I didn’t notice how you changed the subject.”
She sighed.
“I’m serious about the cleanup, though. You had too much sun yesterday, so stay out of it today. You’re probably not used to doing that kind of work. How’s your hand, by the way?”
She held it out for inspection. “Much better, thanks to you. I took the bandages off this morning.”
He began to examine it as a wagon approached. “Afternoon, Doc!”
They looked up. It was the man with the big black hat. “Morning, Mr. Olsen,” Doc said. “Heading to the cleanup?”
“Yes, sir. You helping out today?”
“For a little while.”
The man looked at Katie and smiled. “Ma’am.”
She nodded and he was off. “Folks sure are happy about getting that area cleared.”
“Of course, they are. It was a horrible tragedy, that could’ve been even worse. Everyone wants to put it behind them. Clearing that place up and turning it into a garden or a park will help the whole community.”
“Doc? Should I stay here?”
“You’re asking me?”
Katie nodded. He knew Jace as well, if not better, than Fletcher did.
“What does your heart tell you?”
He would ask that. “To be honest, it’s telling me to run and never look back.”
Doc sighed. “Well, if you really want to leave, that’s fine. But at least tell Jace how you feel first. He needs to know. Trust me on that.”
Katie took a shuddering breath. “I’ll try.”
Doc smiled. “Good.” They walked on.
Chapter Eighteen
Jace sat atop Chester and watched the workers at the cleanup site. They’d made tremendous progress in two days, thanks in large part to Mr. Olsen. He helped out at the blacksmith shop, having been in the trade himself. He’d also gotten folks to lend their wagons and horses to haul debris out to the Edmondsons’ property, dump it there and come back for more. Mercy Vander and her friends must be beside themselves with pride at how things were going. They’d have the lot turned into a garden or whatever they had planned in no time.
“Good afternoon, Sheriff!” Mayor Vander boomed. “Fine day for a little labor, don’t you think?”
“It is. Though I’d be careful in this heat if I were you.”
“Nonsense, I’m fine. I’m not working!”
Jace smiled. “I can see that.”
“And what about you – why are you just watching? Grab a shovel, lad!”
“I did my shift yesterday. And I’m on the volunteer list for tomorrow.”
“Oh, yes, I remember now. Pardon my asking.”
Jace wondered how Fletcher’s oratory skills would compare to his grandfather’s. “Think nothing of it.”
Mayor Vander observed the work going on. “The town really pulled together for this. What a wonderful community effort.”
“Indeed, it is.” He leaned down. “You haven’t noticed anything suspicious, have you?”
“What? Of course not!”
“I had to ask.” He straightened. He was getting nowhere and becoming more frustrated by the minute. He’d gone over the area he’d covered yesterday in his attempt to chase down the shooter, but there was nothing.
Mayor Vander tapped Jace’s boot, then motioned him to lean down again. “What should I be looking for?”
Jace dismounted. “Odd comings and goings. Strangers in town. You heard about the second attempt on Miss Haverdash’s life yesterday, I’m sure.”
“Yes, horrible business. I admire her for wanting to soldier on. Of course, once you’re married she’ll have your protection day in and day out. Until then, I’ll stay vigilant!”
Jace sighed. There was no use telling the old man the truth about Katie’s arrival – he must have already heard and rejected it. “You do that. I’ll have a look around.”
Mayor Vander stood straight and saluted him. “You can count on me!”
Jace chuckled, shook his head, mounted Chester and was off.
Things weren’t adding up, as if there was not one, but several miscreants working together. But he couldn’t seem to get far with any of them. He still didn’t know who sent for Katie, didn’t have much to go on as to who shot at her, and was still searching for the fourth perpetrator of the previous crimes. Some lawman he was.
And yet his biggest problem was keeping his heart in check, which he’d done a rotten job of too. He’d not only kissed Katie yesterday, but he couldn’t stop thinking about her today. His plan to deputize Ephraim and Fletcher so he could spend less time with her and more investigating was failing – he’d thought of her more today than ever before.
“Giddyup!” Mr. Olsen cried as he began to drive a loaded wagon from the site. Another backed into its place as soon as it was gone. Soon the work would be done. With as many people involved, if anything suspicious was there, they’d have found it by now or soon would, and someone would tell him. He turned Chester around and left the site.
Before he knew it, he was wrapping his horse’s reins around the hitching post in front of the bookshop. It wouldn’t hurt to check on her, make sure she was okay … sure it wouldn’t.
He opened the door, his eyes locking with hers the moment he stepped inside. “Jace, what are you doing here?”
Did he detect a hint of annoyance in her voice? “Checking on you, if you must know.” He heard his frustration too.
She busied herself behind the counter. “As you can see, I’m perfectly fine. You don’t have to stay.”
She was upset. But didn’t she understand he was doing this for her own protection? Not to mention his own, but she didn’t need to know that. “Are you all right?”
“Fine. Did you find anything?”
“Unfortunately, no. I just came from the cleanup site and told the mayor to keep an eye out for anything suspicious.”
She nodded. “I’m sure he will. Do you think they’ll turn up anything?”
“I doubt it, but it never hurts to keep an eye out.” He leaned against the counter. “How are you?” It was a stupid thing to ask, she’d already told him, but he wanted to keep her talking. He liked listening to her.
“I said I’m fine.” She lowered her head. “Doc Stone explained what you were doing. I’m sorry if I sound terse.”
He smiled. “Apology accepted. Doc will be by later to escort you home.”
Their eyes met again. “Thank you. I’m glad you’re keeping me safe.”
His chest swelled. “So am I.” Then suddenly he was behind the counter. “Katie …”
“Please, don’t.” She backed up a step. “Last night’s kiss was a mistake, like you said.”
He had to get closer. He took a step toward her, two. “Was it?” No! part of him screamed, but the rest of him wasn’t listening. “Katie, I’m sorry about last night. But I… don’t regret it, either.” There, it was out. With any luck, she’d slap his face.
She didn’t. She just stood there, staring up at him, eyes misting. “Would you do it again?”
He wasn’t expecting that! His b
ody tightened in response, his heart racing. Did she have any idea what she’d just done?
“I know it was one simple kiss,” she said. “But it meant a lot to me.”
Maybe she did know. “What are you saying?”
She swallowed hard. He could tell this was difficult for her. “I have … feelings for you, Jace Diamond.” She turned away. “I understand if you don’t feel the same …”
It was a good thing she couldn’t see his face, because currently he was gaping at the back of her head. He’d never gaped at anything before.
“Your silence is answer enough, I suppose.” She straightened. “So just to let you know, I’ve decided to leave Independence.”
“What? Why?”
She laughed bitterly and turned to him. “After all that’s happened, you expect me to stay?”
He took off his hat, ran his hand through his hair. “Katie, you don’t have to leave if you don’t want to.”
“Oh, I think I do.”
“I’ll make it safe for you here. Whoever’s behind this, I’ll catch them and put them behind bars. You have my promise.”
“That’s all well and good, but then what?”
He stared at her a moment. “What do you mean?”
Her eyes misted again. “Oh, why do men have to be such idiots?!” She turned her back to him once more.
He watched her shoulders shake with silent sobs. He’d hurt her somehow. “I’m sorry, Katie.” He didn’t know what else to say. Heck, he wasn’t sure what he’d done to make her cry. “I’ll go now. I’m guessing you’d rather be alone.”
“Fine!”
Jace’s eyebrows rose at the snap. He sighed, turned on his heel and left the bookshop.
Jace Diamond was an idiot! Ephraim Stone was an idiot! They were all idiots! And she was the biggest idiot around. She was the one that had to go and fall in love. What was Doc Stone thinking, that if she told Jace she had feelings for him he’d profess his undying love for her? Fat chance. Well, the man also said to follow her heart, and her heart said to skip town. Or was that her gut? Unrequited love wanted her to stay, self-preservation dictated she run for the hills.
She paced behind the counter. If she were smart, she’d take a few days and think this through. But the thought of having to see Jace all those days would be heartbreaking. It would be a lot less painful if she left. Her broken heart would heal in time. Lots of time.
She picked up a feather duster and began to tidy up around the shop. There were more volunteers working the cleanup site today than yesterday, so she doubted she’d have any customers. She could clean and straighten until Doc Stone showed up to escort her home. What a nuisance. The doctor was probably at the site now, seeing to cuts and bruises and whatever other injuries cropped up. Blisters, say. She was sure she wasn’t the only one.
The bell over the door rang. At last, a customer! At least she’d have someone else to talk to for a few moments. She went to the front of the shop and smiled. “Hello, can I help you find something?”
“No, thank you. I’ve found what I want.” The tall, heavy set man smiled, pulled a gun and pointed it at her. Before she could open her mouth to scream, a hand was clapped over it from behind. There were two of them?!
She kicked at the man holding her, hit a booted shin and enjoyed a sliver of satisfaction at his grunt of pain. But that’s all she got. The first man quickly tied her ankles, then her hands as the man holding her spun her around. She tried to scream, but his grip was steel. Within moments she was trussed up, gagged, tossed over his shoulder and carried toward the back of the shop, where a door led to an alley. Great – no one would see them take her. She was as good as dead. But why hadn’t they killed her already? And why did they want her in the first place?
“Hurry up, put her in the back of the wagon,” the first man said.
She felt the side of a wagon bed against her legs and was soon lying on top of a pile of dirt and pieces of lumber. Good heavens, was this debris from the cleanup site? Before she got a chance to take it all in, a canvas was tossed over the bed and tied down. Now she couldn’t see well and no one could see her. Nor would they hear her, gagged as she was. She was utterly helpless.
But there was at least one bright spot: Katie had probably found the men who’d been shooting at her. Now she hoped Jace found them too – before it was too late.
Jace went over the area where he thought yesterday’s shot might have come from but still found nothing. There were too many footprints and wagon tracks – probably the reason the man picked the spot. He must have taken the shot from behind one of the buildings at the end of the street.
Doc’s place was on the corner of Main and First, which also had a few houses and millinery nearby. He spoke to the residents and Mrs. Meeks, the proprietress of the hat shop, but came up empty. Sure, they heard the shot, but by the time they were brave enough to venture a look out their windows, the man was long gone.
He watched another wagonload of debris being hauled out of town and continued his search. At least progress was being made somewhere. He just wished he was making as much headway with his investigations.
He decided to return to the site and speak with Mayor Vander and a few others, see if they’d found anything. He already knew the answer, but he wanted to get his mind off of his recent encounter with Katie. He’d need to speak with her when she was done working, find out what was wrong.
He was happy knowing she had feelings for him, and would be a fool to deny his. Yet wasn’t that just what he was doing? And for what, his pride? Did he really want to chase after criminals the rest of his life, denying himself the love of a good woman? The instinct to hunt, to see justice done, was strong, but so was the pull to Katie. He didn’t want to hurt her, and already had. Was it too late?
Jace shook his head. Romance was more complicated than he’d realized – one more case he couldn’t seem to solve.
He reached the cleanup site, tied Chester to a hitching post and took a look around. Fletcher saw him and strolled over. “Decided to come back and do a little work?”
Jace sighed as he noticed how much had been hauled away since he last saw it. “I don’t think you need any more help. This is going faster than I thought it would.”
Fletcher beamed. “Yes, my grandmother is proud as a peacock. Her and her friends will be talking about this for months. A true triumph.”
“Has anything been dug up that looks suspicious?”
“Like what, a box or something? Not that I know of. If it had, someone would have come to you with it.”
“I suppose.” He glanced around. “Has Katie said anything to you or Sophie about leaving?”
“What?” Fletcher said in surprise.
“I stopped by the bookshop to check on her. She told me she was leaving town.”
Fletcher laughed. “I would’ve loved to see the look on your face. Of course, you told her she had to stay and why.”
“Um, no. I didn’t.”
Fletcher’s jaw dropped open. “What? Jace, you fool, you can’t let her go.”
“You’re right – but I also can’t stop her. Her mind’s made up.”
“And who helped that along?”
He sighed. “Look, Fletch, you know about the offer I have. I’d like to return to that kind of work.”
“Yes, but I’ve also seen the way you look at Katie Haverdash. Have you kissed her yet?”
His jaw tightened. “That’s none of your business.”
“Ah, you have!”
Jace groaned. “Keep your voice down, will you?”
“Why shouldn’t I shout it from the rooftops?” Fletcher asked with a grin.
Jace rubbed his face. “This is hard enough without your jokes, Fletch.”
“Sorry. But really, is that organization so important to you?”
“I told you it was.”
“Yes – before Katie showed up. She’s changed you, friend. I know it hasn’t been long since you met, but I can see the differen
ce.”
Jace sighed again. “I don’t know if the changes are for the better.”
“You’ll never know unless you give her a chance. Are you in love with her yet?”
He closed his eyes and didn’t answer.
Fletcher slapped him on the back. “I’ll take that as a yes. So why not tell her?”
“And give up the Knights?”
Fletcher put his arm around Jace. “Trust me, there’s nothing more sublime in this life than the love of a good woman. You’ll still be a sheriff. You’ll still get to chase bad guys and bring them to justice – and right now, there’s one or two that needs to happen to. You can have the best of both worlds.”
Jace thought about that and nodded. Fletcher was right – he didn’t have to settle for one or the other. Besides, he had a much better chance of living to a ripe old age if he was sheriff here and married to Katie. When it came down to it, she was more important than Mr. Markhel’s band of rovers. “Thanks, Fletch.”
“Does that mean you’ll stay?”
Jace chuckled. “Yeah, I suppose it does.”
Fletcher grinned. “Then I suggest you tell Katie. Give her a reason to stay too.”
He nodded. “I will.”
Chapter Nineteen
Katie lay on her side at the edge of a grove of trees and watched men sort through piles of lumber and other debris from the cleanup site. It was obvious none of them were from Independence – at least, she hadn’t seen any of them around the cleanup site.
Except one: Mr. Olsen, who stood off to one side wearing his big black hat and barking orders. “Find it! Soon as we do, we can be out of here!” He turned and walked toward her. She struggled against her bonds, but it was no use – they’d trussed her up like a Thanksgiving turkey.
He reached her and got down on one knee. “Comfortable, Miss Haverdash?”
She glared at him over the gag and shook her head firmly no. How comfortable would he be, tied up and forced to lie on the hard ground?
