He dressed quickly and opened his pantry to select a bottle of wine to take with him. It would be a nice surprise when he told them how knowledgeable he was in the art of fine wine. He’d been teased incessantly about it in Sutton while working cases, sometimes treated as a “high-class” citizen because of his knowledge. They were only joking with him, though, and he’d never resented it or felt offended. He took their remarks as compliments.
Knox took off for the Winchester Ranch after choosing a wine that was thirty years old. He hadn’t tried that particular brand before and could only hope it would be pleasing to the palate of all the Winchester family members.
He was a little surprised by how nervous he felt. It wasn’t like he was meeting them for the first time and had to make a good impression. Not that he wanted to make a bad one. He chuckled, recognizing his school-boy infatuation with Melissa might actually grow into something more than that.
Of anything, there was one thing he knew. With a beautiful, smart woman like Melissa by his side, there was nothing he couldn’t do.
25
Melissa was excited the sheriff was coming to dinner. She’d been thinking about him for the past two days, to the point that she hadn’t worried even for a moment whether she was in any kind of danger. It seemed so peaceful without Jonah on her mind. She didn’t know whether to feel guilty about that or not, but with him gone, she felt like she’d been set free from a prison of her own making.
The knock at the door that signified the sheriff had arrived sent Melissa’s heart into overdrive. She was in the parlor and let Rich get up to answer the door. She heard her brother greet Knox and the sheriff replied with his own. Just the sound of his voice made Melissa bite her lower lip and struggle to get herself under control.
“Howdy, everyone,” Knox said the moment he stepped into the room. Everyone was there, relaxing before dinner. They all stood up to greet him, and he made his way around the room, shaking hands before he got to Melissa last. “You look lovely this evening, Miss Melissa,” he said, his voice low and smooth. It made Melissa tingle all over.
“Good evening, Sheriff.”
“Knox. Please just call me Knox.”
Melissa lifted her eyebrows. “You go only by your last name?”
Knox shrugged. “First name is Robert. Didn’t have a lot of friends in Sutton, and those that I did have… well, they just called me Knox, too. I’m not sure I’d even answer to Robert anymore.”
Everyone laughed.
“Well, let me not break tradition. Thank you for coming to dinner, Knox. Would you like to sit?”
“I would, thank you.”
Melissa indicated the cushion next to her on the couch she was sitting on. She smiled when he sat next to her, bouncing to get settled in.
“Have you any news about the case?” Rich asked, resuming his seat in a high-backed green chair with dark wood trim. Melissa always thought he looked like he was sitting on a Prince’s throne in that chair.
“I found Luke today,” the sheriff replied.
Melissa’s eyes sharpened on the man. “Where was he? Did you take him in?”
“I didn’t,” Knox replied. She was a little disappointed to hear it but was relieved as he continued, “Jonah owed him money. From cards, apparently. Luke was upset that he was owed money. He’s even more upset now because he’ll never get it from a dead man.”
“So you don’t think he’s responsible then?” Nate asked, sitting forward. “He’s not the murderer?”
“No, I don’t see that,” Knox said with a shake of his head. “He was upset about not getting his money. I thought about whether or not Jonah might have had some in his house, some money hidden or something of value.” He swept his eyes over them all, settling on Melissa, who flushed. “Can you think of anything he might have had? Money or jewelry or anything like that?”
Melissa shook her head. “No. I haven’t seen him have anything worth anything for at least six months. And that reminds me. I saw the other man, the one that threatened me. I saw him at the New Year’s party we had here this year.”
The sheriff’s eyebrows shot up. “Is that so? Do you remember a name or anything else?”
Melissa shook her head, feeling regretful that she couldn’t bring anything else to mind. “No. It was just a flash of memory because I was trying to think of what might have happened to make Jonah change into the man he was at the end. I remember seeing the two of them arguing on the veranda, and the man who threatened me stormed off. I guess he didn’t get what he wanted from Jonah.”
She remembered watching the altercation with great curiosity, as she had never seen Jonah clash with anyone before. He was a big man and had told her once that he avoided fights because he could do some major damage without meaning to. His thoughtfulness toward potential enemies was one of the things that had drawn Melissa to him initially.
“Apparently not, because he stuck around until now. And it’s been longer than six months since then. That also means they had to have known each other before New Year’s.”
“Do you think it’s another man Jonah owes money to?”
“If it is, then he wouldn’t have killed Jonah until he got the money, right?”
“And that just brings me back to wondering if Jonah had anything of value,” the sheriff pondered.
They were all quiet for a moment.
“I know you’d like a drink, wouldn’t you?” Rich said, standing up. “I’m sorry we’re such bad hosts, not offering anything to you.” Rich swept his eyes over his family. “We need to do better at this.”
The family laughed. Melissa stood up. “I should get him something. You go ahead and sit down.”
Rich raised his eyebrows. “Well, if you insist.” He leaned forward, holding out his glass to her. “And since you’re making the trip, if you wouldn’t mind filling me back up again?”
This caused another round of laughter.
“Actually…” Knox stood up, too, pulling the bottle of wine from the sack he’d set at his feet when he sat down. “I brought some wine with me. I am what you might call a specialist in the area of wine. I collect the finest bottles.” He grinned. “But I drink them, too. I like to enjoy them as well as own them.”
Melissa rested her eyes on the bottle, taking it from him and gazing at it. She looked up at him. “You know wine, do you?” she asked.
He nodded. “I do.” His voice was confident when he responded.
“Well, I can’t wait to try this then.” She hoped she didn’t sound dumb the entire night. Blushing, she went to the bar and took out enough glasses for everyone to enjoy the fine wine the sheriff had brought. She was surprised to know this about the tough sheriff.
Then again, he was a uniquely fine-looking man, as well. Being a wine lover suited him.
The dinner went well, with the family discussing the case with the sheriff along with other more relaxed topics, like where he’d grown up and if he’d always planned to be in law enforcement.
Melissa was tingling all over by the time he left. She was intrigued by him. He was witty and charming, making her brothers and sisters laugh with good-natured jokes, eating until he was stuffed, and then expressing immense gratitude that he was almost unable to move. They’d spent an extra amount of time at the table because no one wanted to leave the table and take the conversation to another room. There was never a break long enough for that. Even while they were eating, there was a constant flow of chatter.
It was the most inviting thing Melissa had felt in a long time. The last time it had been that way when someone visited was when Theresa came from the east to marry Nate. Knox fit right in with the family as far as personality was concerned. Once he got rid of this threat hanging over them, there would be plenty of time to make him one of the family.
Melissa ran a brush through her hair, blushing at her own thoughts. She was seated at her dressing table, staring at herself in the mirror. What did Knox really think of her? Did he think she was pretty? Smar
t? Interesting?
She wanted to be all those things for him. She certainly felt a strong attraction to him when he was around.
A knock at the door got her attention.
“Yes?” she called, pulling her robe closed around her chest, covering her nightgown.
The door swung open halfway, and Rich peered around it at her. “You all right?” he asked.
Melissa smiled at him. “Of course I’m all right. Why wouldn’t I be?”
“You had a good time tonight, didn’t you?” Her brother was fishing for something. She was patient as always. He would tell her what was on his mind soon enough.
“I did have a good time. Did you?”
Rich nodded. He stepped in but stayed at the door, keeping one hand on it. “Look, sis, we’ve all been talking, and we want you to know that we are supportive of any relationship you might develop with the sheriff. I know you don’t need our permission, but… we’re glad to see you aren’t stuck in… what you were stuck in. Even though it meant someone had to die.”
Melissa nodded, standing up and going over to give her brother a hug. “Thank you for telling me, Rich. It means a lot that my family is supporting my decisions.”
Rich hugged her back. Melissa hadn’t had a wonderful night like that in ages.
It felt good.
26
Two days passed before Melissa saw Knox again. This time, he came racing up on his horse and banged through the house like he owned the place.
She could hear him calling her name from the library where she was sitting, enjoying a book in the silence. She shot to her feet and ran to the door, throwing it open and hurrying out into the hallway.
“Sheriff Knox,” she stated firmly when she saw him at the bottom of the stairs. He looked like he was about to go up but jerked his head in her direction and then turned to her.
“Melissa. I think I have the man we’ve been looking for in custody. I need you to come to the jailhouse and identify him if you can.”
“Have you questioned him?” Melissa asked, moving swiftly to the rack by the front door and taking down her shawl. The sheriff passed in front of her, and she came out behind him, pulling the door closed behind her.
“I’ve been trying to get that man to talk for two hours,” Knox replied, going down the steps with one hand placed protectively on Melissa’s elbow. “He won’t say a word. But I think seeing you will shock him into saying something.”
Melissa wasn’t so sure of that, but she would do her part as requested.
“Where did you find him?”
Melissa stopped at the sheriff’s horse, looking up at the animal with wide eyes. “Your horse is very big, isn’t he?”
“He is. Name’s Bolt. Should we take your buggy instead?”
Melissa felt a wash of relief and nodded. “Yes, let’s do that. I’m not dressed to ride.”
Ten minutes later, Knox was slapping the reins, moving the horses at a fast pace, so the buggy was hurtling toward town. It would only take a few minutes at the rate he was driving the horses.
On the way, Knox told Melissa the stranger had been picked up lurking around Jonah’s cottage.
“I figure he must have been looking for something. Whatever it was he didn’t get the first time, maybe.”
“But he had to have known all the deputies have been through that house searching, not to mention you with your keen eye.”
He gave her an appreciative look that sent her heart pounding.
“From the description you gave me, I’ll be real surprised if it isn’t him.”
“Maybe he isn’t all there in his mind. Maybe he’s a crazy person, and it was just a random killing.”
“That would be pretty ironic if you ask me. No disrespect to the dead, but if Jonah was killed for no reason…” He shook his head.
Melissa wondered where his mind was going with that line of thinking. Did he think Jonah might have deserved to lose his life for something he’d done, and it was some kind of poetic justice? She studied his profile, wishing he’d expand on his statement.
But he didn’t, and they were at the jailhouse shortly after. She’d had to ignore the people who’d stared at them flying by.
She jumped down from the buggy before Knox had a chance to get out and help her. They were both on the porch and heading inside together moments later, though.
Baxter stood up as soon as Melissa entered, nodding at her.
She smiled at him briefly, her expression returning to solemn as her eyes moved to the back of the building where the cells were. They had put the man in the cell that Jonah had been in on the lower left.
She immediately recognized him. She turned to give Knox a nod.
“That’s him,” she said.
“I tried to warn you.” The man was suddenly on his feet. He leaped to the bars and grabbed two of them in his hands, gripping them and jerking his body forward and back using them as leverage. “I told you he was nothin’ but trouble. But you didn’t listen, did you? You kept going back to him and forgiving him. He didn’t deserve your forgiveness. He didn’t deserve you.”
Melissa was stunned by the stranger’s reaction. Chills covered her, sending tingles up her spine.
“You know this fella?” Knox asked, jerking a thumb in the stranger’s direction, his voice revealing his surprise and suspicion.
Melissa took a moment to glare at him. “No, I don’t know him. If I knew him, I would have said so long ago.” She turned her head back to the man in the cells and crossed the room. She stayed a few feet away from him, out of arm’s length. “Who are you? I don’t know you.”
“You made me do it, you know.” The man pushed his face between the bars, his long curly brown hair a mess around his head. His brown eyes were sharp, though, perhaps a little too sharp. Melissa began to suspect he was not fully right in the head.
“I made you do what?”
The man snorted. “Kill Jonah, of course. He wasn’t gonna stop, you know. He was gonna keep making you care about him until he had all your money and could blow through it like the bad poker player he is.”
Melissa blinked at him. She turned her head when the sheriff came up beside her. At first, Knox was looking at the man in the cell. He flipped his eyes to her, a deeply curious look on his face. They had gotten a confession from the man within minutes of Melissa entering the room.
“I don’t know you,” Melissa said gently, almost feeling sorry for the man. The look on his face was so hungry, so unsatisfied. She wondered if he’d escaped from an asylum somewhere. The thought frightened her.
“I know you,” the man responded. “I’ve been watching you for years. I always thought we would be together someday. But you had to go and choose that Jonah Bell. He wasn’t worthy of you, Melissa.”
Melissa felt her skin crawl at the notion that the man had murdered Jonah because of her. How was she going to live with that guilt? Was it even possible? Jonah had lost his life because of her.
“What’s your name, stranger?” Knox asked, keeping his voice calm and friendly.
“Duncan Latimer,” the man replied immediately.
Melissa had never heard of him before. “I saw you… at the New Year’s party. Didn’t I?” Melissa suspected the clothes he was wearing might even be the same ones she saw him in back then.
Duncan’s face relaxed into the lovestruck look of awe. Melissa felt an uneasy knot form in her stomach. “You were so beautiful that night,” he breathed, his dirty face caught in the memory. “That green dress you had on. Matching shoes. Even your fan matched. Your shawl draped so gracefully over your shoulders—”
“That’s enough,” Knox barked, taking a step forward. “Are you saying you killed Jonah Bell?”
“I did,” Duncan responded, finally moving his eyes off of Melissa. She felt instant relief and was grateful the sheriff had stepped between them. “And I’m damn proud I did. He didn’t deserve Melissa Winchester. Ain’t nobody good enough for her.”
Mel
issa’s breath was shaky as it came and went. She’d never even suspected such a thing was happening. The man had been following her, watching her for years.
Melissa suddenly felt dirty and wanted terribly to go for a swim in the river. She began to back away from the cell and then turned to leave the building altogether. She couldn’t take her buggy home because that was where the sheriff’s horse was, and he would need to get back there to him.
So she took a seat on the bench along the outside wall and waited for him to come out. She stared out at the street in front of her, not noticing the men coming and going from the saloon, the running, playing children, or anything else going on in front of her eyes.
Jonah had been killed by a madman. And it was her fault.
27
The next day, Knox came over for another dinner with the Winchester family. He was grateful to be given a chance to get to know them since it was clear to him that he and Melissa would make an excellent couple, and he planned to ask her to allow him to court her that very night.
Now that the case was wrapped up and the lunatic and eventual murderer who’d been secretly stalking Melissa was gone to the big city for trial, he felt it was time to express his feelings for her. They had time to grow, as he knew it was only in the baby steps at that point. Still, he wanted to give it a try. Melissa was the first woman he’d ever felt that way about. He wouldn’t regret it, though, even if it took until he was thirty for it to happen.
The ranch was all action when he got there, just like it had been the other times he’d visited. He came a little early so he could have extra time with Melissa before the dinner and wouldn’t be tempted to stay late to have time with her. Though that would likely happen anyway.
Knox hadn’t stopped thinking about her for the last twenty-four hours. He’d comforted her the best he could after leaving the jailhouse, but she’d been almost inconsolable. He hoped she felt better now.
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