Longing For The Tormented Sheriff (Historical Western Romance)

by Cassidy Hanton

  Michael walked into the kitchen and saw that Lillian looked anxious.

  “We have him locked up, and he will not get away,” Michael told her.

  “Soon, my colleagues will arrive here, and they will take him away,” Rex added.

  “But now we need to decide what our next step should be,” Michael replied thoughtfully.

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  “The thought of Ray being so close is truly frightening,” Lillian admitted quietly, looking at the kitchen window, from where you could see the top of the Hammond’s pigsty.

  “He will never again be allowed near you,” Michael said fiercely, taking her hand in his own.

  “I always had a bad feeling about that one,” Lillian continued, holding Michael’s hand for support.

  “I should have known. Why else would Uncle Jacob have hir…”

  “Stop that,” Michael interrupted, “Do not blame yourself in any way.

  “It just, how could I not have known that my very own flesh and blood was this evil,” she said sadly, “How could he have fooled me? I absolutely loved him, he was a rock for mother and me, and we never suspected a thing.”

  “Lillian,” Rex began, “For a long while, I have been after a man known only as ‘Old Ghost.’ No one knew who he was, or to be completely honest, no one dared to say who he was. This is a man that has played people and deceived them.

  Many no doubt felt fooled after trusting this man only to find out their family was in danger lest they give up their property, money, or information. My point is that you and Sheriff Flemming here are the first who have been able to make him falter, and we are closer to capturing him than ever before.”

  “Has he been doing this for a long time then?” Lillian asked.

  “For years and years,” Rex replied, “We do not know how long precisely, but my fellow bounty hunter has been after ‘Old Ghost’ for almost two decades.”

  “Two decades?” Michael repeated astonished.

  “He has been doing this my whole life,” Lillian gasped.

  “It makes my blood boil,” Michael said angrily, but at that, the three Wesley children came into the room.

  “There he is, Sally,” Billy Wesley said in a carrying whisper, pointing at Michael, “I’m gonna be a sheriff just like Flemming.” Everyone laughed, and the tension that had set over the room as they discussed Jacob evaporated.

  “Well, everyone,” Mrs. Wesley said, looking over the group of people, “I think you should all sit down and have something to eat,” she smiled at the lot of them and gestured to the kitchen table. There she had laid the table with a pie, a loaf of bread, eggs, ham and a pitcher of milk.

  “Y’all heard the lady,” Mr. Hammond grinned, and they sat down.

  It was very crowded at the table, and Lillian sat next to Michael, and every time they moved the slightest, their arms brushed.

  “This is delicious, Isabella,” Lillian said after finishing her egg.

  “Oh, do eat more,” Mrs. Wesley said, concernedly, “You are skin and bones.”

  “You sound like my mother,” Lillian replied, but her smile vanished at her words.

  “I cannot imagine what she has gone through,” she added after a long pause.

  “Your mother is a strong woman,” Michael said reassuringly.

  “But how will she react when she hears about Uncle Jacob,” Lillian said.

  “I think, once she has been reunited with you, she will be able to handle almost anything,” Michael replied and gave her hand a small squeeze.

  “I want to go see her.”

  “I’m afraid that’s not ideal,” Rex said seriously.

  “I agree,” Michael interjected.

  “Jacob most likely does not know that you have been found, although I do think it won’t be long until he realizes something is up,” Rex continued, “We need to use that to our advantage.”

  “How?” Lillian asked.

  “Somehow, we will need to lure Frazier into a false sense of security,” Rex said thoughtfully.

  “I have an idea,” Michael said, “You should ride back to Rust Canyon and inform my junior sheriff that you will be leaving town.”

  “How will that help?” Mr. Hammond asked skeptically.

  “I suspect that if Jacob has eyes and ears all over, he will know about Rex’s departure soon enough,” Michael explained.

  “Do you suspect your junior sheriff of working for Frazier?” Mr. Hammond asked, shocked.

  “Absolutely not,” Michael replied quickly, “But given how Jacob has always been two or three steps ahead, he must have a way of getting the information he should not have.”

  “That’s a good idea,” Rex replied.

  “I will then ride to town as well,” Michael said, “I got away with my disguise once, I should be able to do so again.”

  “NO!” Lillian exclaimed loudly, startling Mrs. Wesley, “I apologize for my outburst, but you cannot go riding there, alone.”

  “My dear Lillian, I will be careful,” Michael started, but Rex interrupted him.

  “Actually, I happen to agree with Miss Walter,” Rex said.

  “Even if Jacob does not yet suspect that we are on to him, he is bound to be on constant alert. The second sighting of an unidentifiable man could be very suspicious.”

  “Also, we don’t know when that mongrel in my pigsty was supposed to make contact with Frazier,” Mr. Hammond said.

  “That’s true,” Rex agreed, “He might be expecting Ray any minute, and once he does not return, Jacob might send someone to investigate.”

  “I need to speak with Samuel,” Michael said thoughtfully.

  “What are you thinking?” Rex asked curiously.

  “If we can get more information about the way Samuel and Ray contacted Jacob, we might have a way to buy us some more time,” Michael said.

  “You mean…” Rex began, nodding his head in understanding.

  “Yeah, if we can make Jacob think that Ray has a good reason for being away…” Michael said.

  “… Being close to catching you, for example,” Rex finished.

  “Precisely,” Michael replied.

  “I could inform your assistant that I have a lead that is bringing me away from Rust Canyon,” Rex said.

  “We will need to speak with him first, though,” Michael said thoughtfully.

  “Mrs. Hammond?” Michael added suddenly, as she walked into the kitchen looking concerned.

  “Yes?” Mrs. Hammond replied as she took off her apron and pinned it on a hook next to the back door.

  “How is our young man in the stable?” Michael asked.

  “He is not well, not well indeed,” she replied sadly.

  “I thought that we should perhaps move him inside?” Mrs. Hammond asked her husband.

  “You want that man in the same house as the children?” Mr. Hammond retorted.

  “Your grandchildren would do good to see that people can make up for their mistakes,” Mrs. Hammond replied fiercely.

  “You call that a mistake?” he scoffed.

  “That young man might not make it through the night,” Mrs. Hammond whispered, so the children that had begun playing next to the kitchen table wouldn’t hear.

  “What?” Lillian gasped.

  “I’m sorry dear,” Mrs. Hammond said regretfully, “His injuries are bad. He has a nasty gurgling sound in his lungs, and the poor boy looks as though he was hit by a train. I have set his injuries as best as I can, but he will need a doctor.”

  “Is he awake?” Lillian asked timidly.

  “He is sleeping at the moment,” she replied.

  “That’s it,” Michael said at once, pounding his fist on the table, “I will have to ride to town, to fetch the doctor.”

  “You cannot,” Lillian pleaded, “What about what Rex said?”

  “I have no choice,” Michael said, “We will need information from Samuel, and if we do not get a doctor, we might lose our chance.”

  “But if Jacob
sees you, he will know something is wrong,” Lillian exclaimed.

  “Lilli!” Michael began.

  “I have an idea that might solve the issue,” Mr. Hammond thundered, stopping Michael’s next retort.

  “I will ride to Rust Canyon,” he continued, “I will ask Doctor Littlefield to pop over to take a look at my missus. It is not unusual for me to ride to town, and if that damned uncle of yours, Lillian, thinks that his lot still has my grandchildren, he will hardly think anything of it if we wish the Doc-man to comfort my wife’s, weak heart,” he winked at his wife who raised her eyebrow but was unable to hide her smile.

  “That’s it,” Michael said, “Rex,” he turned to look at the bounty hunter, “You should ride now, so the timing is not conspicuous.”

  “I will,” Rex said seriously.

  “Now, let’s make it work,” Michael said seriously.

  * * *

  Michael walked with Rex to the stable, along with Mr. and Mrs. Hammond, who walked to Samuel at once. Rex loosened the reins of his horse and led the horse to the farmyard.

  “When you speak with my junior sheriff, you should hand this to him,” Michael said, handing Rex a small folded note.

  “I hope there is not information that might compromise us here,” Rex replied seriously.

  “No, it’s not,” Michael reassured him, “Benjamin will know what it means, but no one else.”

  “Good.”

  “But if you ride along the backroads, you will be able to reach back here by nightfall,” Michael said.

  “I will not ride back to the Hammond farm just yet,” Rex said.

  “Where will you go?” Michael asked.

  “There is a place, approximately two hours away from Rust Canyon, where I will wait for my colleagues,” Rex continued.

  “When will you return?” Michael said.

  “If all goes well, in two days. They will have received my telegram by now, and they will ride out at once,” Rex explained, “I will not return until I have backup.”

  “Be safe,” Michael said, shaking hands with Rex.

  “And to you,” Rex said, mounting his horse, waving to Lillian. Mrs. Wesley and her children stood in the doorway, and then he rode off.

  “Let me help you,” Michael said to Mr. Hammond that was preparing to lift Samuel. He hurried to them, and together, he and Mr. Hammond carried the injured young man out of the house.

  “The children should not see him,” Mr. Hammond said to his wife, who nodded her head in agreement. She walked towards the house and ushered her children to the back garden.

  “I don’t want to go there,” Billy said vehemently.

  “Come now. We can feed the chickens together.” At her words, the three children looked excited and followed their grandmother to the back of the house. Mrs. Wesley and Lillian hastily moved from the doorway as Michael and Mr. Hammond approached them.

  The two women walked to the back of the house, where the spare room was. Mrs. Wesley pulled the bedsheet away, and Michael and Mr. Hamond gently laid Samuel on the bed. The bright room made his injuries even more real, and Lillian cried silently in the corner of the room.

  “You poor, poor thing.” She pulled the covers over him and gently stroked over his swollen cheeks. Mrs. Hammond had bandaged his worst injuries, but he was covered in bruises, and in every breath, which seemed to cost him substantially, a soft rasping sound could be heard.

  “Now, I should get ready,” Mr. Hammond said, mopping his brow with a handkerchief.

  “Where’s your mother?” he asked Mrs. Wesley, “I’m going to the stable again.”

  “In the back with the children,” Mrs. Wesley replied, “I will fetch her.” She left the room, and Mr. Hammond followed.

  “Are you coming?” Michael asked Lillian, who still stood by Samuel’s bed.

  “I think I’ll stay with him for a little while,” Lillian said, and her voice was frail.

  Lillian sat on the edge of the bed and stared at the man in front of her. Samuel had seemed so unsure and lost when they were at the warehouse.

  “I’ll be outside.” Michael gave her a loving look, before quietly leaving the room.

  Lillian wondered if he had a family. She did not have his last name, so if he died that night, they would not be able to inform anyone of his passing. Damn you, Uncle Jacob… How many lives have you ruined with your greed?

  * * *

  Michael walked to the stable and helped Mr. Hammond prepare his horse. Mrs. Hammond came after a little while, and she pulled her husband into a tight embrace.

  “Promise me you’ll be careful,” she insisted.

  “Of course, I will,” Mr. Hammond replied, kissing her on the cheek.

  “Don’t take any risks,” she said sternly.

  “I’ll be good,” he grinned, “Now, let go of me, woman,” he teased and took the reins of his horse.

  “See you soon,” Michael said.

  “I’ll be back before you know it,” Mr. Hammond said to his wife, and with surprising ease, for a man that age, he jumped up on his horse and rode away from them.

  * * *

  “Let’s go inside and wait,” Michael said to Mrs. Hammond.

  “This must be hard for you,” she said as they walked back to the house.

  “What is?” Michael asked.

  “To be here,” she continued, “To stay away from the action.”

  “I’m not…” Michael began, but she cut him off gently.

  “I only mean, I can see that you do not want others to be in harm’s way,” she explained.

  “You noticed that?” Michael asked.

  “I think that you are never pleased unless you are the one to face danger head first, the thought of others suffering when you remain behind, is nothing short of torture.”

  “Well, you’re not entirely wrong,” Michael admitted.

  “You should know that remaining still and waiting, requires a great deal of courage,” she smiled, “And wisdom as well.”

  “It just makes my blood boil to think that someone might be harmed because of my actions,” Michael said quietly. They had entered the sitting room.

  “You are a good man, Michael Flemming,” Mrs. Hammond said as she sat down in one of the armchairs in the corner.

  “That is true,” Lillian said, appearing in the doorway to the room.

  “How are you feeling?” Michael asked.

  “Strange,” Lillian said, sitting down on the small sofa that faced the window. “Seeing Samuel again made everything feel more real.”

  “Dear, you have been through so much,” Mrs. Hammond said, picking up her sewing basket.

  “What do you say to a little sewing? I always feel that when I require distractions, a little sewing always seems to do the trick.”

  “You know what, that sounds wonderful,” Lillian chuckled. Mrs. Hammond handed her a square of fabric and a needle with thread.

  “Are you sewing a quilt?” Lillian asked.

  “I am,” Mrs. Hammond smiled, “For my Bella,” she explained.

  “I gave her a quilt when she got married, but after the fire, well, she lost everything.”

  “What pattern is it?” Lillian asked.

  “The eight-pointed star,” Mrs. Hammond said, “I hope the star will guide her, just like the star of Bethlehem helped the wise men find our Lord and savior.

  “That’s beautiful,” Lillian smiled.

  The two women sewed in silence for a long while. The quiet was disrupted when they heard Billy yell at his mother.

  “Mama,” the boy called, “I don’t want to have a laydown, I’m not tired,” he said with a yawn.

  “Come now,” Mrs. Wesley said encouragingly, “I’ll sing you a song.”

  “But mama, I want to see the black horse,” Billy objected.

  “What black horse?” Mrs. Wesley asked.

  “The one that’s coming now,” Billy explained, “Look?” He pointed out the window. At once, everyone looked up, and Lillian shrie
ked.

  “Who is that?” she asked nervously, looking at Michael.

  “Isabella,” Michael said urgently, “Take the children upstairs.”