Harry smiled.
"Why don't you tell her how you feel, boy?" Ma asked.
"Boy? Mom, I'm twenty-seven years old. When are you going to stop calling me boy?"
"Stop stallin' and answer me." She frowned.
"A lot of reasons. The first one being Dillon himself. If she cares for him, there isn't any use in my saying anything. If she don't, maybe I will. But my life is not the kind a bride wants. She wants stability, comforts of home, and family. What would her life be sitting around waiting to see if I got shot up or not?"
"A woman needs a choice."
"We'll see."
"Harry, it's time you considered taking a woman. Don't you want to give me grandchildren?" Ma cried.
"Sure I do, but…"
"But nothing. Tell the girl how you feel," Ma pleaded as she put her hand over his. "You'll regret it later, if you don't."
"I'll talk to her, Ma. But if she wants Dillon, I'm not going to complicate things by saying anything."
"You give up too easily."
Harry stood and went to the back door to stare out over the land. It was peaceful tonight, the way he liked it. "I guess what it boils down to is… I don't want her if she wants Dillon. She came here to make a good life. If that good life is with Dillon, then so be it. He does have the means to take care of her proper. Whether he will or not remains to be seen."
Ma shook her head. "But a woman don't know how you feel unless you say something, son."
"We'll see." Harry sighed. "That old livery stable sure needs painting."
"Quit changing the subject," Ma barked.
"Let it go, Ma. I know how you feel."
"But you don't know how she feels, do ya? All I'm saying is find out!"
"All right, Ma. I'll find out. I guess I don't have to worry about Dillon so much tonight then, if he's at the church social."
"That's true. So relax. I'm gonna cut the apple pie I made for us now…"
~*~
Jo Ella came in about an hour later. Harry took one look at her and decided she'd been thoroughly kissed by Dillon. Her cheeks looked flushed, and her hair was a little mussed.
When she saw him, she stared for a long moment. "I didn't expect you until later," she said almost breathlessly.
"Ma asked me to supper. I never turn her down." He smiled woodenly, trying to act unaffected. "How was the social?"
"It was nice. We had plenty of food. There was music and we all danced a bit. The reverend is trying to raise money to put a new roof on the church so everyone was chipping in as much as they could."
"Joe's been raising money for that for quite a while." Harry laughed.
"I was wanting a bath. Will you be around?"
"Yeah, sure."
"Good." She started to leave.
"Come join us and have some apple pie," Ma invited.
"Oh, that sounds nice. All right." She put her small bag down and her shawl and joined them at the table.
"You didn't stay very late," Harry acknowledged.
"No, I didn't." She met his gaze.
"Ma, you outdid yourself with this pie." Harry cleared his throat and smiled at his mother.
"She promised to teach me how to make one," Jo Ella added.
"And I will, when you have some time."
Jo Ella flushed again.
"If a girl that pretty had time on her hands, you'd wonder why." Harry commented.
Jo Ella looked at him again then began excusing herself and went upstairs.
"I'll put some water on for your bath, dear," Ma yelled up the stairs.
"Thank you."
"Harry, you've got to tell her how you feel."
"Ma, don't push me."
"A fella can wait too late, you know."
He nodded, still able to smell the light cologne Jo Ella wore. Jasmines and lilacs, he'd never forget that.
Chapter Twenty-Five
Jo Ella bounced down the stairs two at a time, anxious to see and talk with Harry again. She had all she needed for her bath in her hands. "I appreciate you being here," she said softly. "I didn't invite Dillon in here. I want you to know that."
"I didn't think you did."
She smiled.
"A woman should be able to bath in privacy. I'll just turn my back and stand here for you. Is that all right?"
She watched him turn around near the doorway. "Yes, that's fine."
Jo Ella busied herself getting it ready, lit the candles, spread the lilac water and got in quickly. Water rippled, and her washrag dripped when she picked it up. The sweet scent filled the now humid room. She knew he wouldn't be peeking. She trusted him with her life.
"I'm glad you got home all right," Harry said, breaking the silence.
"Yeah, I got home just fine. It took us about three days. I was very glad to get home. I haven't ridden so much in a long while." She stared at his back. "I was pretty sore."
"Yeah, that can get to you fast. Did Dillon get out of line with you, then?"
"A little. I guess I let my guard down. I let him kiss me, if that's what you mean. I was curious. And attracted to him."
Harry was the kind of man who looked good from any side she looked at. He had long legs, a small behind, and a back tapered from muscle and brawn to a smaller waist. The heat created from eyeing him made her temperature soar.
"Did you have much trouble bringing them in?" she asked.
"No one was hurt?"
"Well, Danny, the kid, I had to shoot him in the hand. He pulled a gun. He settled down after that. We even stopped by Mae's again to tell her there would be a trial. Cole asked me to stop. Something about the way he asked me, had me saying yes. That and Mae's cooking."
She chuckled.
"I know she must have appreciated that. That and the fact that you didn't kill Cole."
"Cole didn't put up much resistance. I was a little surprised. I think for some reason he was thinking about his sister and settling down there with her. It was a little late for that, but she was excited when he mentioned it to her."
"What will happen to them now?" She poured water over herself with the rag, closed her eyes for a moment, and imagined what Harry might do, if she allowed him to. She wished he would say something to her about his feelings. She wasn't at all sure what he thought of her.
~*~
He heard the water trickle and his expression changed as sweat peppered his brow. Knowing she was within reach and not being able to look upon her or touch her was pure hell for Harry.
"They'll have a trial then go to prison for a while. Maybe a long while."
"They won't hang them?"
"I don't think so."
"You seem pretty sure of that. Dillon said…"
He almost turned around when she mentioned Dillon. "What did he say?"
"That they would hang."
Harry tensed now. How could he talk to her about this? She'd just tell Dillon, and that would create more problems.
"Not while I'm sheriff. Although I got to admit, Morey deserves to. If he tries to escape, I can't promise his safety. He'd better realize that now and he needs to know how Dillon feels because that could make the difference if he lives or dies. If he's wise, he won't try to escape. I've already promised to speak up at their trial. That might put a quick stop to him and his escape plans. He's escaped a jail cell before."
"Why are you speaking up for them at the trial?"
He was taken off guard by the question.
"I plan to speak up for the boy and let them know that all the money was returned, that there was very little resistance when arrested. That should go well for them. I guess it depends on the judge from there. But the reason I'm doing it, is that it is the right thing to do. The money has been recovered. The only one that attempted an escape was Morey. Well, maybe the kid too. Cole cooperated, I don't know why, but he did." Harry admitted, not wanting to argue with her. "They might ask you to testify about how you were treated, if you were harmed, stuff like that."
"Do you think they should hang
?"
"No." He turned halfway, but he didn't look at her. "Morey is a bad one, granted, and he'll get the most time. Cole, he'll do some time too, but the kid, he shouldn't have much to worry about."
"I hope they don't hang. Especially the kid. He looks so young," she said softly surprising Harry once again.
"He is. He didn't do anything but hold their horses for them. He'll get off light, if I have anything to say about it."
"You'd do that for him?"
He shot her one look over his shoulder then turned back around. "Heck, he's just a kid, Jo."
Her name came out of his mouth like a prayer, and he longed to feast his eyes on her even though he knew it was wrong. When she said she hoped they wouldn’t hang, it gave him a ray of hope. He wanted to jump in the tub with her.
Although Harry wanted to feast his eyes on her, he also knew she didn't want to be treated that way.
"Dillon wants Morey dead," she whispered. "I made a mistake, Harry. It's all my fault. He knows Morey killed his pa. I told him. I didn't know he planned on taking things into his own hands. I mean, I knew he wanted revenge, but when you brought them back for trial I thought that would be the end of it."
He almost turned back to her, but he made himself stand there and think about those ripples in the water she was making. He heard them, and his mind went all over the place. "He'd have found out sooner or later."
"Maybe, but I was wrong. I never should have told him. Dillon can be very persuasive. He kissed me several times on the way back. He wants me, Harry. He's even offered marriage."
"I know that."
"But… now that I know him better, I won't let him have the upper hand. He's a little too sure of himself for my liking. I was tired and worried and a mess on the way back. I let him kiss me. I enjoyed it. But now… I've seen him for what he is. When he came to watch me bathe, I knew. When he told me he wanted to kill Morey, I knew."
Harry glanced over his shoulder at her then quickly looked away. "I know you care for Dillon, but it might come down to a gunfight between me and him. I wanted you to know. He'll do anything to see Morey dead. I've got to protect Morey, as he's in my custody. We can't try Morey for murder. We have nothing but your hearsay that he killed Dillon's pa. That isn't enough for a judge. We need a confession, and I doubt we will get one unless they get him on the stand and hammer it out of him."
He held his breath and waited for her response.
~*~
Jo Ella sat up then covered herself with her hands, but Harry wasn't looking. The fact that he could stand there and guard her, without looking meant he had a lot of restraint and it added to the trust she felt building between them.
She wished he would tell her how he felt about her. She was so unsure of his feelings. So unsure how to talk to him. If he'd just tell her…
"I don't want to have it out with him, but I'm afraid that's where this is headed. If it does happen, one of us won't walk away."
Jo Ella gasped, shot up and out of the tub, and threw on her thick robe. She tiptoed over to him and turned to look him in the face. She grabbed his face with both hands and forced him to look her in the eyes.
"Then…" She reached up to run her fingers through his hair and smiled. "I hope it's you who walks away, Harry. I'm not in love with Dillon, like you must think. The day he came here and I was bathing, it upset me. I was so mad I wanted to scream. But I didn't want to cause a scene. What I was mad about, he had no clue. He interrupted my privacy. I didn't invite him. And not only that, but it was the second time he did it, without a thought to how I'd feel about it. And he still hadn't figured it out. Granted, the man can kiss a woman silly. He makes me want him. But not so bad I'd let him touch me. I've come a long way Harry. I figured out what I really wanted in my life, and he's compromising it."
His eyes widened. "Are you sure about that?"
"I'm sure." She breathed heavily.
She watched his eyes, his gaze following the line of her robe.
"Jo… I…"
"It's okay. I know you got a lot on your mind right now. We'll talk again sometime when you don't."
When he didn't say or do anything, she tiptoed up to kiss his lips then let him go and walked away.
"Or maybe we won't talk at all. Thanks for the bath, Harry," she whispered through the dark hallway.
"Any time…"
Chapter Twenty-Six
The sun peeked over the horizon like a turtle. Clouds threatened a storm today, the day before the trial. The judge had arrived, and Harry had met with him several times to explain a lot of the circumstances to him.
The judge crooked his head. "You sound as though you think I should let these boys off with a warning."
Harry shook his head and stepped back. "No, Your Honor, I don't. But in every case there are things that should be said. I just want to see them get a fair trial, that's all."
"All right. I've heard them. Anything else you want to add you may do so at the trial itself. Now, how old is this Danny character?"
"He's about sixteen."
"You don't know exactly?"
"He was born in the country, sir, and some records were never filed. He had very little to do with the robbery itself. He held the horses."
"I see. I will make note of it and take it under consideration then. The others I must hear all the evidence before I can rule anything, you understand. Do they have representation?" The judge folded his lips together, as though his teeth hurt.
"Yes, sir, we have an up-and-coming lawyer here in town. Martin Logan. He's still a little wet behind the ears, but he's eager."
The judge studied Harry a long moment. "You certainly know your town and the people in it, sheriff."
"Thank you, sir."
"Where's the best place in town to eat?"
"Ma Jones's boarding house. She cooks everything fresh every day."
"Very well. I'll see you in court tomorrow morning." The judge dismissed Harry with a wave.
"Yes, sir."
Harry left wondering just what kind of judge he was. Would he take in to consideration any of what he told him, or did he think him too presumptuous?
That same day Dillon came by Harry's office. Harry let him in. "What can I do for you Dillon?"
Harry heard Morey stirring restlessly in the cell.
"Are they ready to swing?" Dillon asked.
Harry stretched. "They are ready for trial. The lawyer is here now, talking to them."
"Little good that's going to do."
Tension crawled up Harry's neck.
"They are gonna hang. I'm sure of it. I've seen this judge. I know how he operates. He'll hang 'em." Dillon smiled viciously.
"You seem pretty confident of this." Harry frowned.
"I am."
"Do you know Judge Griffin?"
"I've met him before, if that's what you mean."
"If I didn't know better, Dillon, I'd swear you handpicked that judge." Harry eyed him.
"You sent away for him, didn't you?" Dillon countered, as if that freed him of any blame.
"I sent a wire for a judge. Not a particular judge."
"Well, you got one. And he'll hang 'em. He'll hang 'em all, Harry. As it should be." Dillon took his fancy black and silver conchoids hat off and sat down in front of Harry. His grin made Harry uneasy.
"The evidence and facts have not been presented, Dillon." Harry leaned back in his chair.
"Don't matter. He's a hangin' judge," Dillon scoffed.
"And that makes you happy, does it?"
"Sure it does. They are guilty. They deserve it. I guess justice will be served after all." Dillon laughed then saw the look on Harry's face. "Aw now, you should be thankful."
"Oh? Why is that?"
"Because now you and me won't have to tangle about them any longer. The law will take care of it." Dillon glanced at the cells, where the lawyer was talking to the outlaws. The trial had been postponed by the judge till after noon.
"I just feel sorry for
that kid lawyer. He's gonna lose and fast. Ain't no use talkin' to them about the case. They're guilty as sin. All your deputies saw them. They kidnapped Jo Ella. She can testify to the fact. Face it, Harry, they don't have a prayer." Dillon was delirious with joy.
"I don't want to reign on your parade, Dillon, but the kid did nothing but hold the horses for them. He's just an accomplice."
"He's runnin with a mean crowd, Harry. This will learn him good."
"You don't believe in giving a fella any kind of break." Harry narrowed his eyes.
"Not those kind."
Before their conversation could escalate further, Mae walked in the office.
Harry shot Dillon a frown. "Shut up, or better yet, leave."
"Sheriff, can I see my brother?" she asked, eyeing Dillon for a moment.
"Of course." Harry jumped up and took her in to see him.
Cole hung his head then glanced up with joy at seeing his sister. "Thanks for comin' by," he said throatily.
"You look like they been feedin' you good." She smiled at him.
"Yeah, Ma Jones sends us a plate every day. And we get breakfast from the café."
"Good. I brung you some biscuits like you like, and there's a big bowl of gravy in there if you want it." She looked at Harry. "Can I give him this?"
"Of course you can." Harry opened the cell door.
Mae handed the basket to Cole and returned to the office, where Dillon was watching her like a hawk.
"Good to see ya, Mae," he said sarcastically.
"Is it?" she countered.
"You stayin' for the hangin'?" Dillon asked with a smirk.
Harry came back to his desk. "Dillon, they are gonna get a trial. You don't know he'll hang them."
"I'd bet on it. Sorry, Mae, but Cole's gonna get his due now."
"I reckon someone more powerful than you will determine that," Mae said staunchly.
"Oh yeah, who?"
"God!" Her brows met as she turned to go. "I'll be back later, sheriff. When the riffraff are gone. I think I'll pay Ma a visit."
"She'd like that." Harry got up and escorted her to the door. In the doorway, he looked at her. "Don't worry. This will all work out."
Heart of a Lady (Book One of the Red River Valley Brides) Page 18
