Heart of a Lady (Book One of the Red River Valley Brides)

by Hestand, Rita

  "Good Lord willin'. Thanks, Harry."

  He tipped his hat to her.

  "What are you tippin' your hat to that bag of wind for?" Dillon scoffed.

  Harry turned to stare at Dillon. "You don't have respect for anyone."

  "Not true. Myself… and maybe Jo Ella." He smiled. "Maybe she'll take a bath tonight."

  "Sneakin' up on her while she's bathing must stop, and now."

  "Is that an order?" Dillon teased, his grin mocking Harry. "Maybe she invited me?"

  "She was so upset she went to Ma about it."

  "I got the impression she kind of liked it."

  "Dillon, don't push me too far…" Harry frowned.

  "What difference does it make? She's gonna marry me anyway. Besides, I restrained from haulin' her out of that tub and makin' her mine right there. You should thank me."

  "Did Jo Ella say she'd marry you?"

  "Not in words, no." Dillon smiled again

  "Get out of here, Dillon."

  Dillon stood. "I'm not welcome here?"

  "No, not any longer." Harry's lip thinned.

  "One day, Harry, we are gonna have to sort this all out, but mark my words. She's mine."

  "If you don't start behaving, I doubt that very much," Harry argued. "Now get out of here."

  Chapter Twenty-Seven

  At suppertime, Jo Ella brought the evening meal to the prisoners. She was glad to see Harry again.

  "You're a surprise I didn't expect." Harry said, some tension visibly leaving him as he looked at Jo Ella.

  "I told Ma I'd help out, so she sent me over with the food." Jo Ella smiled at him. She saw the weary look on his face. "Is everything all right?" she asked tentatively.

  He took the baskets out of her hand and nodded. "It will be once this trial is over."

  "The judge held an arraignment today, scheduled the trial to start tomorrow. Seems the young lawyer needed a bit more time."

  "So tomorrow's the day?" Jo Ella asked, watching him check the basket then take it to the prisoners. The men were eager for it. They had quickly acquired a taste for Ma's cooking.

  Harry returned, closing the door so the prisoners didn't hear everything. "Yeah, it starts tomorrow."

  "You look tired." She sat down in front of him at his desk. "Have you been able to get any rest?"

  "A little. It's just not the time for resting. The whole town seems keyed up about the trial. It never ceases to amaze me how people come up with such conclusions."

  "You brought them back alive. You recovered the money. You made sure I got home safely. But in your face I can see that all isn't well. Can you talk about it?"

  Harry rubbed his hand over his lower face, as though wiping the worry away. "Dillon thinks this is a hanging judge. In fact, he's done nothing but brag about how these men will be hanged within the week."

  Jo Ella's eyes widened. "What makes him think that?"

  "He's seen this judge during another trial, the way I figure it. He's sure confident. I hope he's wrong. I've spoken with the judge myself, but I can't really gauge him."

  "Hey, Ma sent this little basket for you, special." She smiled at him turning his attention to something else. "Why don't you eat and we can talk? I'll take the baskets back to Ma, later."

  Harry looked in the basket and smiled. She'd seen Ma packed it with several pieces of chicken, some mashed potatoes and gravy, a little fried okra, and cornbread.

  He set it aside for the time being. "I'll eat later. Tell Ma thanks."

  She glanced about the empty office. The lawyer had left, there was no one there, but them and the prisoners."Where are your deputies?"

  " I let them have the evening off. I'm staying here tonight. For one, I want to make sure Morey doesn't pull something before the trial. Nor Dillon."

  "You think Morey will try to escape tonight?"

  Harry dropped his head. "I think he will try, sooner or later. Right now, it's important that he doesn't try. That's why I want to be here." Harry threw up his hands. "Maybe we shouldn't talk about it."

  "You haven't been around much since the other night." Jo Ella smiled at him. "Perhaps you think me too forward, or brash. I just wanted to reassure you I've got my head on straight at last. I know what I want now." She watched his expressive face.

  "I-I've been busy…"

  "I miss you," she said softly.

  Harry got up and paced around the office, as though he felt trapped and she wondered if she'd said too much.

  He put a little distance between them. "I warned him not to visit you during your bath. Maybe I don't have that right. Perhaps I should have stayed out of it, but it's my duty to see that women are not accosted. A woman bathing is a private thing. It shouldn't be disrupted. I was shocked Dillon would do such a thing. I mean… you're a lady. And that should have never happened. It won't happen again."

  "What did he say?" His lips were so tempting. Her mind wandered as he stood there talking. She wanted to kiss him so badly, wanted to see all the stress leave those strong shoulders and see him with a relaxed smile once more.

  "He said you practically invited him."

  Jo Ella frowned. "I did not! I had no idea he'd show up and I had no idea he knew I was bathing. How could he?"

  "Good question, and I figured as much. No woman wants to be disturbed while she's bathing. Unless…"

  "Unless what?" She stared at him.

  "Unless maybe she did invite him."

  She stood, came toward him until she was only a couple inches away from him. "He wasn't invited. And you were right the first time. I am a lady."

  "He thinks you are in love with him and that you'll marry him. He believes he can do what he pleases, when he pleases, with you."

  "Kiss me, Harry, and you'll know what I feel, what I think."

  "Jo…" He stared down at her and bent his head, and all of a sudden they embraced each other as their lips met in an explosion of emotions and feelings. Passion overcame them both. The kiss they shared went on and on until they were both breathless. His arms flew around her, pulling her close and she molded herself to him willingly.

  When they came up for air, she smiled shyly, her heartbeat matching his. "Does that tell you anything?"

  He stared at her. "Jo… when this is all over…"

  Realizing he wouldn't commit yet, she wrapped her arms around him. "Just kiss me, Harry."

  He groaned and pulled her back into his waiting arms. Their kisses heated the room. She felt his arousal, and it thrilled her to know he wanted her.

  His five o'clock shadow burned her delicate skin, but she didn't care. She wanted to drown in his kisses. His tongue darted against her lips, and she opened freely to him. He groaned again. His tongue finally mated with hers, creating an inferno of unspoken passion between them. His lips went up and down her neck and even further, to the round mounds of her breast. Her dress was low cut purposely for this visit. She meant to entice Harry, and it worked. When his lips touched the roundness of her breast, she gasped and threw herself at an angle where he could kiss her there.

  Harry suddenly stopped and moved away. He stared at her almost in disbelief. "You're a mail order bride. I can't destroy that for you."

  She was panting from the hot passion and desire coursing through her. Trying to control herself, she backed away. "Do you think I could kiss you like that and avail myself to you and not feel anything? Do you honestly think I could go to another man after this? You surprise me, Harry, at every turn. I know you want me, desire me, but is that all there is? I want to know."

  She saw his arousal, knew how he felt, but she wanted the words. And he hadn't said them.

  Still hadn't.

  "I better go…" she barely whispered.

  "Jo, we need to talk. After this is over."

  "Well," she tried not to sound breathless but it was impossible. "Look me up, if I'm still here."

  And she left.

  Chapter Twenty-Eight

  The courtroom was packed. Harry glanced
around and saw Mae, Ma, and Jo Ella all sitting together. He watched Dillon come in and sit beside Jo Ella. A new kind of tension crawled up his spine. The anger within was barely controlled.

  Jo Ella stared at him, her eyes not mirroring her feelings today.

  Harry turned his attention to the courtroom. He couldn't think about Jo Ella, or Dillon. He needed to keep his wits and see this trial through. It bothered Harry that Dillon was so confident about this judge.

  Harry felt a strange creepy feeling up his back, as though everything was about to explode around him.

  "All rise," the bailiff ordered.

  The judge came in and took his seat. He looked around the courtroom. His eyes narrowed on Harry. "Are all parties here?" he asked.

  "Yes, sir."

  "Good." He nodded to the lawyers. "Proceed."

  The prosecuting attorney was Hans Freeman. He'd lived in Vada for a few years now. He was tough, Harry acknowledged.

  "Council, call your first witness." The judge nodded to the prosecutor.

  He called on of Harry's deputies. "Now where were you the day of the shooting?"

  "I was crossing the street to the café, to get something to eat. I hadn't had my breakfast that morning."

  "And did you eat?"

  "No, sir. Gunfire brought my attention to the bank. I saw him." He pointed to Danny as he adjusted his tie. "He was standin' outside a little to the left with three horses. I saw Cole come out of the bank with a gun in his hand, and when I fired at him, he ducked into the building next door after taking a couple of shots at me and Jeff."

  "So he fired at you?"

  "Yes, he fired at me. And that's when Jeff came along, and Morey peeked out of the bank, saw him and fired, got him in the shoulder."

  "I see. Then what happened?"

  "Well, Morey was still in the bank, but as soon as Cole came out with the girl, Morey came out to grab his horse. Cole used the girl as a shield, and the sheriff quit shooting when he saw the girl. They took her with them when they left."

  "Were many shots fired before they rode away?"

  "Yes, sir, Bullets were goin' every which way until Cole came out with the girl. The sheriff hollered for everyone to quit shooting after that."

  "Did they have the money with them?"

  "Yes. Morey carried two bags over his shoulder as they rode away."

  "Thank you, deputy. You may step down."

  The defense attorney stood. "Wait, I'd like to cross examine."

  "Of course." the young defense attorney said.

  "Did the kid fire a shot?"

  "Well…" The deputy rubbed his chin. "Naw, I don't think he did. But there were plenty comin' from Cole and Morey. He was jest holdin' the horses fer them."

  "Thank you. Now you can step down." The attorney smiled.

  On and on it went some of the citizens told their version of the story. The judge's face was unreadable, and Harry began to have his doubts as to how this was going to turn out.

  The prosecution rested their case after many witnesses said the same thing.

  "I call Jo Ella Masterson to the stand," the defense attorney said later that afternoon.

  Jo Ella approached the bench and sat down, swearing an oath to tell the truth. She looked a little shook up, but Harry winked at her.

  "Now, I know this was a traumatic experience for you, but can you tell us from your point of view what happened that day?"

  Jo Ella took a deep breath. "Well, what they've already said is mostly true."

  "Mostly true. Is there some part that isn't?"

  "They didn't hurt me. They took me with them, but I was never harmed by any of them. It scared me a little, but they didn't hurt me. And when they decided to go on, they left me with Cole's sister. Mae. She took good care of me. I wasn't tied up then, and if I had to say anything about that day, it would be that they didn't harm me at all. The kid actually wanted to let me go, but Morey, the darker headed fella over there, wouldn't let him."

  The prosecutor had his turn, and he was brutal. "You didn't go willingly with them, did you?"

  "No, of course not. Why would I do that?"

  "I'm trying to establish if you were really kidnapped, that's why. Then you were actually kidnapped, is that correct?"

  "Well, yes. I guess so. But the point I was trying to make was that I wasn't harmed."

  "Did you have anything to do with the robbery yourself?"

  "No, sir! It actually took me a few minutes to realize what they were doing."

  Harry sat moving about in his seat. His distaste for the prosecutor growing every moment. How could he insinuate she had anything to do with the robbery, she was a victim.

  "This man, Cole, threw you over a horse and rode like thunder away, did he not?"

  "Yes."

  "You were left at his sister's. Did she give you a horse to get back home with?"

  "No but—"

  "That's all. No further questions."

  "Redirect your honor." The defense lawyer frowned at the prosecutor.

  "Why didn't his sister give you a horse to go home on?"

  "She didn't have any horses in her barn. She couldn't. Besides, she knew the sheriff was on his way."

  Harry glared at the prosecutor now. There was no need to pursue this line of questioning. Jo Ella wasn't on trial.

  A time or two he almost jumped up to object himself to the line of questioning.

  The defense called Harry to the stand.

  "Where were you when all this took place, sheriff?"

  "I was across the street when I noticed the kid holding the horses almost in the alley way. I wasn't sure yet what was going on. We haven't had a bank robbery here in Vada in several years."

  "Then what happened?"

  "Cole came out of the bank, saw the deputies, and drew on them. He fired shots, but didn't hit anyone. Then Morey came out, he fired on my deputy and shot him in the shoulder. I took cover and shot at them until Cole grabbed Miss Masterson and dragged her inside the building with him. I waited until he came out of the building with Miss Jo Ella. I made everyone hold their fire so she wouldn't be harmed. They got away."

  "Then what did you do?"

  "I went after them."

  "Single handed?"

  "Yes, sir."

  "Why didn't you organize a posse? You have several deputies. Why did you choose to go alone?"

  "It would have taken too much time. I figured I need to make sure they didn't hurt Miss Masterson, so I acted on it immediately."

  "What happened next?"

  "Dillon showed up at my camp that night, and we both went after them."

  "How did the victim escape exactly?"

  "She didn't escape. She was at Mae's, Cole's sister's house and Mae, not being involved in this, kept her safe until I arrived. Dillon took her home, and I went after the men."

  "Three of them alone?"

  "Yeah. I'm the sheriff."

  Harry glanced out at the crowd, to see their reaction.

  "And how were they captured?"

  Harry adjusted his tie and looked out at the crowd of people. Hoping the things he said would make a difference.

  "I caught them by surprise, I don't think they knew I was that close, or they would have been more prepared for a shootout. I cuffed them and hauled them back to town. On the way, I got Cole to tell me where they hid the money."

  "He just told you? Just like that?"

  Harry looked incredulous at the attorney.

  "That's right. I've known Cole a long time. I've lived in Vada all my life. I knew all of them."

  "Why did you shoot the youngest one?"

  Harry looked over at Danny, whose face was a wad of worry at the moment. "Because… he pulled on me and I shot the gun out of his hand as a warning. He holstered his gun then with his other hand."

  "You make it sound easy. Three men against one?"

  "The kid was only dangerous to the point that he was scared to death. The other two were just surprised to see me. Whe
n you catch people off guard, it's easier, that was my intent to make it easier. Otherwise I would have had to shoot it out with them, and I saw no need for that, it is easy. That's why I wanted to go alone."

  "Where was the money?"

  "They buried it."

  "Thank you, that will be all."

  In summing it up, the prosecutor accused them of armed robbery and kidnapping, with eye witnesses to back them up.

  The defense attorney approached the judge with all the facts and witnesses saying the same things. The only gun play was by Morey. Cole did kidnap the lady, Miss Masterson, but she was unharmed. Mae, Cole's sister kept her safe until the Sheriff arrived. Now, yes, they were guilty of robbery. Morey was guilty of shooting the bank teller and the deputy. Danny merely held their horses for them, which indicates he wasn't involved in the actual robbery itself, but an accomplice. The money was returned voluntarily. I ask the court for leniency. And the defense rests. Your honor."

  The judge nodded. "This court is recessed until tomorrow morning, at which time I will make my ruling."

  It was late, and everyone was murmuring in the courtroom. Harry stared at the wall for a long time. He hoped the judge was taking the extra time to think this case through and be fair, but something told him Dillon had been right all along. He aimed to hang them all, even Danny.

  Ma came up to him. "You all right, son?"

  "They are gonna hang them, Ma," he said, his voice tight with disgust and frustration. His hands fisted, his face mirrored his feelings. He wanted, no needed to hit something. After all this, they would hang?

  "It sure looks that way. I kept watching the judge's face, and he never once smiled or looked compassionate. But, son, you've done all you could. You spoke up for the kid. You told the truth. No matter what happens, don't blame yourself."

  Harry beat his fist on the seat in front of him. "And I told them they'd get justice."

  Ma grabbed his arm. "Sometimes things don't work out right. The legal system isn't perfect, Harry."

  "That kid doesn't deserve to hang."

  "I know it, son, but you got to prepare yourself for the worst. Life isn't always fair or just, you know that."