Natural Born Lawman

by Sherryl Woods

The next thing she knew, Sharon Lynn had tossed off the comforter and was climbing out of bed. She brushed past Patsy.

  “Oh, for heaven’s sake, get out of my way.”

  Patsy barely contained a hoot of triumph. “Why? Where are you going? Should you be out of bed?”

  “I should have been out of bed days ago. As for where I’m going, you know perfectly well, I’m going to have a talk with Doc Dolan. I will not let Dolan’s be closed down, and if anybody’s going to buy that place, it’s going to be me.”

  Patsy regarded her innocently. “If you’re sure…”

  “I’m sure.”

  Patsy kept up a steady barrage of doubts all the way to the front door, right past a gaping Harlan Adams. After they’d waltzed past him, Patsy turned around and caught his wink. Obviously Janet had filled him in on the plan, though he was clearly stunned to see it had worked.

  “I really don’t know if you should be going all the way into town your first day out of bed,” Patsy said, along with half a dozen other protests designed to keep Sharon Lynn just irritated enough not to back down.

  “Oh, will you just shut up,” Sharon Lynn finally snapped. “I’m going and that’s final.”

  “If you say so.”

  “Well, I do.”

  Outside, though, Sharon Lynn came to an abrupt halt. Patsy regarded her worriedly. “What is it? Is something wrong? Are you feeling faint?”

  “I don’t have a car,” she whispered, her voice cracking. “And even if I did, I couldn’t…I don’t think I can ever drive again.”

  Patsy reached for her hand and squeezed. “Then isn’t it a good thing that my car is here? I’ll drive you into town, if that’s what you want.”

  For a moment, Sharon Lynn looked as if she might back down, but then she squared her shoulders. “Perfect. I’m sure Justin or someone in the family will be coming out this way later. I can hitch a ride home with them.”

  “Or I’ll bring you back. It’s not a problem.”

  “Whatever.” She walked over to Patsy’s car and reached for the handle of the passenger door, then faltered. She swallowed hard. “I’m not sure…”

  Patsy sensed that Sharon Lynn had to do this today or she might never try again. “You’ll be fine. I’ll drive very carefully.”

  “Of course you will. It’s not that.”

  “Let me ask you something. Have you ever fallen off a horse?”

  Sharon Lynn regarded her impatiently. “I grew up on a ranch. What do you think?”

  “And what did your dad or grandfather tell you?”

  “To get up and get back on.”

  “Same thing after an accident,” Patsy said lightly, praying that she was giving the right advice.

  “I’ll never get behind the wheel of a car again,” Sharon Lynn said fiercely, her expression anguished.

  “You don’t have to drive, if you don’t want to, but you’re bound to want to go places. How will you get into town every day, if someone doesn’t bring you?”

  “I’ll move to town.”

  “Then how will you get back out here for family dinners and holidays?” Patsy asked reasonably.

  “Oh, for heaven’s sake,” Sharon Lynn finally grumbled, and opened the door. “Let’s just go and get it over with.”

  She maintained a white-knuckled grip on the edge of the seat all the way into town, but she didn’t utter another protest. Still there was no question she was relieved when Patsy parked in front of the drugstore. She rushed out of the car as if she’d just been advised there was a bomb under the hood.

  Thankfully, the glass cutter had been busy while Patsy had been at the ranch. Though the window displays hadn’t been redone, at least there were shiny new windows in place. Sharon Lynn viewed the residue of the disaster with lifted brows, then walked inside. Heads turned as she sailed past the lunch counter and straight to Doc Dolan’s place behind the prescription counter.

  “We need to talk,” she said in a no-nonsense tone.

  “As soon as I finish getting Mrs. Phelps’s pills ready for her,” the pharmacist said without looking up.

  “Now!” Sharon Lynn said fiercely.

  “Sounds like she’s back to her old self,” Justin observed, coming up behind Patsy.

  “Not yet, but I think she’s getting there.”

  He rested his hands on her shoulders and turned her to face him. “You’re a good friend, maybe even a bit of a miracle worker.”

  “There were no miracles involved. I just thought of a reason for her to get out of that bed. Thank God, it was the right one.” Satisfied that everything had been set into motion at the back of the store, she met Justin’s gaze. “Anything happen at the jail I should know about?”

  “Your husband got the divorce papers.”

  Stunned by the speed with which Janet had worked, she asked, “Is the building still standing?”

  “It was when I left. He’s demanding a conference with Janet.”

  “Oh, dear.”

  “Not to worry. Janet was sitting in Tate’s office waiting. She’d anticipated the request. She looked downright, eager to have a little face-to-face with him.”

  “Did she tell you about the visitation with Billy?”

  “I’ll be there,” he said softly. “Don’t worry about it.”

  She regarded him worriedly. “You won’t be looking for an excuse to shoot him, will you?” she asked, only partially in jest.

  He grinned. “Not as long as he keeps his temper in check and Billy’s glad to see him.”

  “Any idea when he’ll be free to come over?”

  He nodded, “That’s why I came looking for you. He’s going to be released right after his meeting with Janet. I thought you might want to go home to prepare Billy.”

  Patsy’s knees turned weak at the prospect. She hadn’t expected it to happen so soon, not on a day that had already been a roller coaster of emotional ups and downs. “Tonight?”

  “Yes. Then with any luck he’ll leave town. That’s the deal for his release. Doc Dolan won’t press charges if Will heads back to Oklahoma and never sets foot in Los Piños again except for liberal court-approved visits with his son.” He stroked a finger down her cheek. “It’s going to be over, Patsy. By this time tomorrow, it’s finally going to be over.”

  She wanted to believe that, but she couldn’t. Not yet. Not until she saw Will actually get in his car and drive away. Maybe not even then. Maybe not until he’d been gone for weeks or months and there’d been no attempts at payback.

  The first step to insuring that Will would stick to their bargain and leave was to let him see Billy tonight. Needing Justin’s strength, she reached for his hand and said in an unsteady voice, “Let’s go home.”

  “I’ll walk you over, then head back to the station,” Justin said. “I’m going to escort him officially to your place after his release. After that, he’ll stay overnight at a motel, then if all the details are ironed out in the morning and all the papers are signed to Janet’s satisfaction, you can say goodbye once and for all.”

  If only it would go that smoothly, Patsy thought wistfully, but this was Will they were talking about. He didn’t give up anything he considered to be his that easily.

  * * *

  Justin stood idly by as Will Longhorn signed himself out of jail. Tate made it a point to remind the lawyer of his agreement to be gone by the next day. For a brief instant, the man’s arrogance threatened to erupt, but he finally set his jaw and nodded.

  “If you’re ready, I’ll take you by Patsy’s,” Justin said when the last paper was signed.

  “I can get there on my own,” Will said, dismissing him.

  Justin stood his ground. “Afraid not.”

  “More rules?” Will demanded sarcastically, but he followed Justin to the waiting patrol car. “What kind of town is this? Do you all just make up these regulations as you go along? Or are you taking particular pleasure in tormenting me?”

  “We believe in the kind of justice it takes
to get the job done,” Justin said evenly as he drove the few blocks to Patsy’s and pulled up to the curb in front. “If it requires a little creativity, so much the better.”

  Will glared at him. “Believe me, I know exactly what your agenda is. You think you’re so smart, don’t you? You think you’ve won.”

  “Where you’re concerned, I don’t have to win. This is all about your wife and son and what’s right for them. If you’ve got a shred of decency in you, you’ll set them free.”

  “It’s not up to you.”

  Justin feared prolonging the debate would only make the other man’s hackles rise. He was clearly spoiling for a fight and Justin was a handy target. If Justin thought about accommodating him, it might be enough to cause him to back out on whatever deal he’d agreed to with Janet. To prevent that from happening Justin remained tight-lipped.

  “Nothing to say to that?” Will taunted.

  “Maybe you should stop worrying about me and concentrate on your boy,” Justin said mildly, gesturing toward the window where Billy was watching for them.

  Even as they looked, Billy scrambled down and raced out the front door.

  “Daddy, Daddy,” he shouted as he toddled unsteadily down the walk.

  To Justin’s surprise, Will Longhorn bolted from the car, knelt down on the sidewalk and scooped his son into his arms. There were tears in his eyes as Billy’s arms locked around his neck.

  “I missed you, Daddy. I missed you lots.”

  “I missed you more,” Will murmured, his voice thick with tears.

  Justin felt his throat squeeze tight as he watched the two of them. The sight had shaken him more than he cared to admit. It was yet another reminder that not everything was as black-and-white as he’d always believed. His view of Will Longhorn had been colored by what he knew of the man’s shabby treatment of Patsy. Now, seeing him with his son, he realized that whatever his faults, Will Longhorn loved his son and Billy returned that love. It wasn’t a bond that could be broken lightly.

  He glanced up and saw that Patsy was watching the scene with tears in her eyes. He went past the man and boy to stand beside her.

  “How can I do it?” she wondered aloud. “How can I keep them apart? Billy still brings out the good in him.”

  “That’s a heavy burden for a two-year-old. Will needs to find the good in himself some other way.”

  She sighed. “I know you’re right, but—”

  “No, darlin’. You’re doing the right thing. I suspect if he’s honest with himself, even Will sees that.”

  “I hope you’re right,” she said as Will stood up with Billy in his arms and started toward the house. Despite whatever trepidations she might be having, she managed a smile for them. Justin had never been prouder of her.

  “Daddy’s going to stay for dinner,” Billy announced. “S’ghetti.”

  “That’s right, munchkin. Your favorite.”

  Justin hid a smile. He’d seen the damage Billy could do to the surrounding area with a plate of spaghetti. He wondered how Will would feel when it wound up splashed all over his fancy clothes, even if they were a little the worse for wear.

  He was in for a surprise on that score, too. Will never batted an eye when sauce splattered off Billy’s exuberantly wielded fork. Patsy started out of her chair at the sight of the red stain, but Will waved her off.

  “It’s a suit,” he said mildly. “It’ll clean, or I’ll get another one.”

  She stared at him in blatant amazement. Even Will grinned at her reaction.

  “Okay, so I’m mellowing. Maybe I’ve finally started getting my priorities in order.” He regarded her wearily. “Too bad it’s too late, isn’t it?”

  “Yes,” she said softly. “Yes, it is.” And then she turned and gazed at Justin.

  There was no mistaking the message in her eyes, and Will didn’t pretend not to get it. He rose from the table and picked up his son. “I’ll give Billy his bath and put him to bed, if you two don’t mind. Then I’ll be on my way.”

  “Fine,” Patsy agreed, watching as he left the room and headed toward the bathroom with Billy pointing the way.

  After he’d gone, she gazed at Justin. “He’s changed.”

  With an odd, cold sensation in his chest, Justin stared at her evenly. “Enough?”

  “No,” she said, reaching out to lay a hand against his cheek. “It can never be enough.”

  Relief swept over him then. They weren’t at the end of her troubles yet, but they were getting there. And when they did, Justin vowed that he would be waiting.

  When it was time to escort Will to his motel, Patsy beckoned Justin back inside for a moment. He studied her expression, trying to guess what was on her mind.

  “Second thoughts?”

  “About Will and the divorce? No. I just wanted to ask you if you could come to dinner tomorrow night, alone, just the two of us?”

  Justin’s heart lurched and his blood began to pump a little faster. He had a thousand questions begging to be asked, but with Will waiting, there was no time. “Seven o’clock?” he asked.

  She nodded. “That will be perfect.”

  “I’ll be here.”

  Back outside he glanced at his watch and noted that it was already after nine. Less than twenty-two hours until he could return and by then Patsy Longhorn would be well on her way to becoming a free woman. He wondered if she could possibly be looking forward to that any more than he was.

  Chapter Thirteen

  Justin couldn’t seem to make himself wait until dinnertime before catching a glimpse of Patsy. He strolled into Dolan’s first thing in the morning and was stunned to find Sharon Lynn at work behind the counter. Even though he’d seen her talking to Doc Dolan the day before, he hadn’t expected her to return full-time anytime soon.

  “Hey, sweetheart, what are you doing here?”

  She gave him a wry look. “I work here, or had you forgotten?”

  Her tone suggested she didn’t want to get into anything connected to her absence. Justin followed her lead. “Seems to me I do recall seeing you here a time or two. You cook a mean hamburger.”

  “I’m glad you approve, because I just bought the place.”

  Justin stared. This was a wrinkle he hadn’t really anticipated. He knew she’d been toying with the idea, but to actually do it, especially considering her recent state of mind. He prayed she hadn’t been pushed into making a hasty decision she would come to regret.

  “You bought it?” he repeated slowly.

  “Yesterday. Doc will stick around for a few more months until he’s sure I understand how his part runs and until I find a replacement pharmacist, but it’s all mine as soon as the bank works out the financing.”

  “Are you sure you’re ready to take this on?”

  She met his gaze evenly and her chin jutted stubbornly in typical Adams style. “I need it, Justin. Now more than ever. I couldn’t lose it, too. Not after…” Her voice trailed off.

  “Not after Kyle?” he asked gently.

  She shook her head, blinking back tears. “He was my…”

  “I know, sweetheart. Kyle was your world.” He went around behind the counter and hugged her fiercely. “Do you know how proud I am of you?”

  “Me? I haven’t done anything.”

  “Sure you have. You’ve taken the first step toward getting on with your life. That’s the hardest one. I guess for a minute there I was just surprised you’d taken such a big one.”

  “You can thank Patsy for that. She’s a very clever woman.”

  He grinned. “I’ve noticed.”

  Sharon Lynn snagged a handkerchief from his pocket, brushed away tears and gave him a penetrating look. “Speaking of Patsy, I hear I’m not the only one who’s getting on with her life.”

  “I have no idea what you’re talking about,” he claimed innocently.

  “Yeah, right.”

  “By the way, where is she this morning?”

  Sharon Lynn shot him a look of triumph t
hat could have rivaled one of Grandpa Harlan’s. “So much for the innocent act. And here I thought you’d stopped by just to visit with me.”

  “Just tell me where she is.”

  “Meeting with Janet and Will.” She surveyed him knowingly. “Then she’s taking the rest of the day off to get ready for her big date.”

  “Oh, you’ve heard about that, too, have you? The grapevine must be in really top form these days.”

  “No need to worry about that. She just discussed it with me to arrange for the time off.”

  “And you haven’t been burning up the phone lines out to White Pines?”

  “Not a peep,” she swore.

  “I would be eternally grateful if that remained true,” he said.

  She feigned disappointment. “For how long?”

  “How about the next year?” He grinned at her shock. “Okay, at least until tomorrow.”

  Sharon Lynn nodded. “I can do that.”

  Justin slid onto a stool. “Now what does a guy have to do to get a cup of coffee around here?”

  “Begging would be a good start.”

  “How about if I ask nicely and leave a big tip?”

  “That would work, too.”

  * * *

  Patsy was a nervous wreck. In a few minutes she was going to walk into Janet’s office and the details of her divorce agreement with Will were going to be finalized. It would be over. Oh, there would be a wait for the final decree, but with Will not contesting, she would be free to move on with her life. Once the wheels had been set into motion, it had all happened so quickly her head was spinning. She could thank Justin and Janet Adams for that.

  Janet claimed that dueling wits with Will Longhorn had been sheer pleasure and that no thanks were necessary, but Patsy intended to offer a more personal sort of thanks to Justin that night. She was going to show him how very grateful she was for everything he had done for her, from giving her a break on her first day in town, to arranging for Janet to intercede with Will.

  In the meantime, though, there was one more thing she had to do. She had to talk to Will and try one last time to understand where everything in their marriage had gone so wrong. How much of it had been her fault? For too long she’d been willing to shoulder most of the blame, but she knew better now. Will was the one who’d changed and made their lives into a hell.