Noah had been by, to tell her he and his posse were going after Bud Bitters. He'd held her in his arms, stroking her hair and whispering to her all manner of endearments. His embrace had done much to salve her aching heart, and to make her feel some measure of safety. Before slipping out to attend to his duties, he'd promised that he and his men would be on hand for the services.
Even her father, struggling with his own pain, had done his best to see to her welfare. He did his best to rally for her, hiding his own tears as he tried to dry hers. He'd brushed her hair, read to her from the Bible, even sat cradling her in his arms as he'd done when she was a little girl. Though she was a woman fully grown, the loss of her mother made her feel as vulnerable, lost, and out of sorts as a small child left alone in a dark, unfamiliar place.
She heard footsteps sound again in the hall. They were not her father's.
A tapping at the door followed. "Valerie, are you awake? I've come to help you get dressed." It was Prudence.
"Come in." She shifted a bit in the bed, to face the door.
The door swung open, and Prudence entered, wearing a black blouse and skirt. Draped over her arm was Valerie's mourning gown. It was a finely crafted piece, made of black satin and trimmed with lace. "How are you doing, dear?"
She blinked back the tears that threatened to spill out. "I live."
Prudence came in, spreading the gown out across the foot of the bed. "I won't pester you with it now, but after the service, you need to eat something. You'll waste away if you don't."
She nodded wearily, and let her friend help her get out of bed. Once she was dressed, she slipped her trembling hands into a pair of black lace gloves. Prudence brushed her hair into a chignon, then placed a small black hat atop it, letting the veil fall over her face. "There now."
She looked into the long mirror hanging on the wall next to her bed, and saw her reflection. The dress was lovely, but behind the black veil, her face was a mask of pain. Her eyes were rimmed in red, her expression lined with sadness. Even though she looked much older than she was, for the first time, she didn't care. All she wanted was to wake up and discover it had all been an awful nightmare.
Prudence clasped her hand. "Come now. Let's go, Val."
She nodded, and let her friend escort her from the room.
They exited the apartment and stepped outside. Valerie was glad of the dark veil, because it shielded her eyes from the sunlight. It was an overcast day, but the sun seemed terribly bright. As they descended the stairs, she put her free hand over her eyes.
In front of the mercantile, Bernard was waiting inside their coach. The fancy vehicle, with it's covered top and plush interior the color of wine, was usually parked at the livery and only driven on special occasions. The coachman held the door open, and she and Prudence climbed inside.
Her father looked so handsome in his black cutaway suit and black vest, but his face held no hint of celebration. He was a man trying to cope with saying goodbye to the love of his life, and his sullen expression told all.
The silent ride took them to the outskirts of town, several miles past Doc Wilkin's clinic. There, at the cemetery, a crowd of townsfolk awaited, dressed in their mourning clothes. As she climbed out of the coach, Valerie viewed some of the familiar faces from behind the lacy veil. They were her friends, neighbors, customers at the mercantile. She saw Mr. and Mrs. Taylor, the hotel owners, standing next to the banker Tim Parson. Lilly was there, standing next to Prissy. Clutching Lilly's hand was little Adam Smart.
She scanned the assemblage until she found the face she sought. Seeing Noah standing there made her heart leap in her chest, and she drew a deep, shaky breath. He was handsome as ever in his dark suit and Stetson, but his blue eyes held a seriousness unlike she'd ever seen. He'd kept his promise, and his presence did much to soothe her.
Holding her father's hand, she trudged to the shade of the willow tree under which her mother's casket had been set. The crowd parted to allow them access. The lid of the pine coffin was open, and she viewed her mother's body one last time. Eunice had taken great care with preparing the body. Doris lay in peaceful repose, a satin pillow tucked beneath her head. She wore her favorite yellow gown, which had been an anniversary present from Bernard, and a wreath of yellow flowers surrounded her graying curls.
Valerie touched her mother's precious cheek with a gentle hand, then stepped away so her father could say his goodbyes.
As she looked on, her father leaned down and kissed her mother's forehead, then whispered something in her ear. The endearment spoken, he eased away.
Giving a nod to Eunice, who was waiting quietly nearby, he caught Valerie's hand again. Eunice stepped forward, and closed the hinged lid of the casket.
As town reverend, Derrick performed the funeral. As he spoke the words, Valerie felt her heart pounding in her chest like the steady beat of a drum. Tears coursed down her cheeks like a river, but she didn't sob, and she was grateful for that. Beside her, her father stood with a stony expression, his hand trembling as it clutched hers.
When the service ended, the town's lawmen acted as pallbearers. She watched as he, along with Ricardo, Thad, and Uriah lifted the casket from it's stand, and began to lower it into the freshly dug grave. She turned away, not wanting to see her mother's descent.
She felt a hand on her shoulder, and turned to find Noah standing there. He took off his hat and held it in front of him. "How are you, Valerie?"
She looked at him, the man who'd captured her heart. Then she answered him with the only word she could find to describe how she felt. "Weary."
He nodded, his eyes dropping for a moment. "I just wanted to tell you that I've wired the marshal, and he'll be here any day now for Charlie Ray. In the meantime, the boys and I are going after Bud Bitters."
She bristled at that. This was the first time in a long time she'd felt something other than sadness, and it was anger; burning, consuming anger. "Why do we have to wait for the marshal? That devil murdered my mother in the middle of the street. Why can't we just string him up from the nearest tree?"
Noah looked at her as if he didn't know her. "Valerie, darling. I know you're angry, and so am I. I found Uriah roughed up and hog-tied behind Ruby's, and Charlie did that, too. But no matter what a poor excuse for a man Charlie is, we have to give him a fair trial."
"My mother got no such mercy." She balled her lace-gloved hands into tight fists. "How could you leave him alive while you go after that other varmint?" She had no words to express how much she needed him, how much she needed his strong arms to soothe the ache in her heart. She knew he was doing his job, but that didn't stop her from wanting him with her. The lonely hours without him were too much to bear.
"Charlie isn't going anywhere. He'll be watched at all times." He reached to touch her hand, but she pulled away from him.
"Well, just go on, then! Go on and get your man, Sheriff. But don't bother calling on me when you return." She folded her arms across her chest and turned her face away.
Bernard, who'd been silent up to that point, spoke in a chastising manner. "Valerie."
Noah’s face fell into a slight frown. "It's alright. We'll talk later." And he strode away.
Even as he left, she felt the pain of his absence. How could she articulate to him all the emotions tumbling around inside her? The pain, the anger, the desire for revenge?
Bernard released her hand. "I'm going back to speak with Eunice. Try and be a little less crass."
Alone, she moved away from her mother's grave, and found another willow. Beneath it's shade, she leaned against the trunk and closed her eyes. The sounds of the shovels full of dirt being thrown into the grave invaded her thoughts.
She felt someone tugging on her dress, and opened her eyes.
There stood little Adam Smart, extending a bouquet of blooms up to her. "Miss Valerie, I'm sorry Miss Doris went to heaven. I brought you some flowers."
Looking into his innocent brown eyes, she felt her heart melt int
o a puddle. Stooping down, she took the offered flowers, and felt a smile spread across her face. "Thank you so much, Adam."
He grinned. "You smiling. Does that mean the flowers made you feel better?"
"It isn't the flowers." She pulled his small body into her embrace. "It's you."
He returned the hug, wrapping his tiny arms as far around her as they would go. "Good. Don't worry about Miss Doris. My auntie Janice says heaven is a real nice place."
She pulled back, and looked into his face again. His expression had taken on a sadness at the mention of his aunt's name. "You must be sad about Auntie Janice going away to the hospital."
He nodded vigorously. "Yes. The doctor says she'll be alright, but it might be a few weeks till she comes back." His lip trembled, and he appeared to be holding back tears. "I'm staying with Ms. Prudence for now."
She patted his head. "Well, your aunt is a very strong person, and I sure do hope she gets better soon."
"Me, too." He gazed down at his shoes for a moment, then looked up again. "Miss Prudence says you won't eat. Would you eat with me, even just a little bit? We made pie."
She smiled again. This child was so sweet he made her teeth hurt. "Sure I will. Lead the way."
He clutched her hand with his small one, and she let him lead her away.
CHAPTER 14
Noah slowed his horse to a walk, and gestured behind him for his men to do the same. The setting sun was touching the horizon like an orange ball of fire, and he knew the cover of night would soon fall. Thad, Ricardo, and Rod followed suit, easing their horses to a low speed.
They were several miles outside of Cedarville, a good thirty miles northwest of Ridgeway. Just up the hill stood the listing cabin once used by the late Reverend Thomas Earl as his fishing retreat. Since the old minister's death the previous winter, the place had fallen into disrepair. The overgrown grasses were so tall they nearly obscured the structure- he surmised that's why Bud had chosen it as a hideout.
They circled near the cabin, finding a spot in the woods to hitch their horses. Among the tall poplars and pines, the scent of moist earth and the sounds of insects were in the air. Dismounting, they went about the task in silence, each man contemplating his role in the coming siege.
Thad spoke, his voice just above a whisper. "Good thing Carl's horseshoes were marked. Saved us a lot of trouble in tracking this miscreant." They'd followed the markings out of town, heading west, then north to this very spot, with only a few deviations near watering holes.
Rod Emerson nodded, his angry face visible in the dim light. "He's too dumb to notice the markings he's been leaving, I suppose."
Noah drew his Colt. "We'll wait here for darkness, then surround the place. Bud Bitters is going back with us, dead or alive."
The other men indicated their agreement, and drew their own weapons.
In silence, they watched the horizon as the sun dipped low, then set. In the growing shadows, he thought about the tight expression on Valerie's face when he'd told her they were leaving. They'd tracked Bud to his hideout, then headed back to town and attended Doris' funeral, so they could pay their respects. Even still, she hadn't been satisfied. He knew she was in pain, and hated to see her suffering so, but he didn't have time to coddle her or attend to her moods, at least not until the remaining members of Bitter's gang were in the hands of the marshal. As soon as this was over, he would make things right with her, but now, he had important duties to attend to.
Ricardo elbowed him. "Don't worry. Miss Valerie will forgive you."
Turning to face the former sea captain, he furrowed his brow.
"I saw her shouting at you. Give her time and she'll come around."
He shook his head ruefully. "Is it that obvious she's on my mind?"
Ricardo chuckled. "As obvious as the nose on your face, Sheriff."
He'd never imagined himself as the kind of man who would wear his feelings for a woman on the front of his shirt, but it seemed he was. He shook his head again, and tried to focus on the task at hand.
As darkness settled over the rise, he could see the glow from the back window of the cabin. Bud must have lit a lantern inside to chase back the shadows. By now, night had fallen, but moonrise had not yet occurred. He watched the window, hoping for some sign of what Bud might be doing inside.
Easing toward the cabin, he peered through the dirty glass. He could see Bud sitting at a table, with several piles of money spread out in front of him. Making his way back to his men, he told them what he'd seen.
That drew a few snorts of disgust from the assemblage.
Noah agreed with their assessment. He didn't take kindly to Bud, a common hood, sitting in there counting up the money that belonged to the good citizens of his town. He was about to give instructions when he noticed a shift in light. Even without turning around, his lawman's instinct told him Bud had a fire going.
"He's lit a fire in the grate." Rod's soft observation confirmed his guess.
A smile lifted the corners of Noah's mouth. "Grab your saddle blankets, men, and let's surround the cabin."
His officers did as he asked, while he fetched his own blanket from beneath the worn saddle on Justice's back. When all four had blankets in hand, he took the whole bundle, and directed each man to an assigned post. Rod took up a position at the rear, near the window. Ricardo crouched on the left wall of the cabin, careful to duck beneath the window there. Then Noah followed Thad to the windowless right side.
"What do you need me to do, Sheriff?" Young Thad was as eager as ever to do his duty. Spending nearly a whole day on the trail hadn't dampened his enthusiasm.
"You're the tallest, and the lightest among us, so here's the plan." He held up the pile of blankets in the dimness. "I'll give you a boost, and you cover the chimney with these blankets. Got it?" He figured it would be an easy lift, since the low slung roof was only about eight feet off the ground. Thad himself was over six feet tall.
Thad nodded, his eyes sparkling with mirth. "Going to smoke him out, eh?"
Noah only gave him a grin in answer, then crouched down with his cupped palms turned upward for a foothold. "Ready, Officer Stern?"
"Yes, sir." Thad placed his long, narrow, boot clad foot into Noah's hands. With all his might, the sheriff pushed upward, and the young officer was launched over the edge of the roof. Thad grabbed the overhang with his right hand, the blankets tucked tight beneath his left arm. The clap of That's hand making contact with the wood echoed in the night, and they paused to see if Bud would react to the sound. When Bud didn't materialize, Noah gave a nod.
Noah waited, in case he needed to catch him, but Thad quickly got a good grasp and wriggled onto the rooftop. Noah tossed the bundle of blankets up, and waited. He could hear Thad shuffling about, and backed up for a better view. In the darkness, he could see the outline of the young man, on his knees by the old brick chimney. Once he'd stuffed the blankets into the chimney's mouth, Thad scooted to the edge and slid off, landing on his behind in the overgrown grass.
Noah gave the boy a hand getting up. "Well done, Thad. Are you alright?"
He chuckled. "Yep. Turns out scaling a roof was a little easier than I thought it would be." Thad brushed the bits of dead grass and soil from the back of his denims. "What, now?"
"Now, we wait." As he spoke, he eased around the corner of the cabin, toward the front door, the lone door. "When the cabin fills up with smoke, he's coming outta there, one way or another. And we have all the exits covered."
He and Thad crouched on either side of the doorway, and waited.
Silence fell on the hilltop, save for the croaking of toads in the pond, and the night sounds of the insects and creatures moving around the forest.
A few long moments passed before violent coughing could be heard, coming from inside the cabin.
Noah narrowed his eyes. He was about to get his man.
Sure enough, the door swung open, and the hacking Bud Bitters came bursting through it, onto the grassy k
noll. Clutching his chest, Bud was only thinking of getting out of the cabin, and getting his breath, so he wasn't prepared when Noah jumped him from behind. The two of them rolled down the incline in front of the cabin, and landed in a heap near the base of a sycamore tree. Noah was on top, and before Bud could get his bearings, he snatched the bracelets from his belt and snapped them onto the outlaw's wrists.
"You're under arrest, trash." Noah ground the words out, letting his anger show even though he was a bit out of breath from the tumble. "The folks in Ridgeway, and the marshal, will be mighty glad to see you."
***
Valerie sat back in her chair, an open volume of Keats lying across her lap. Before her, Adam Smart was playing with a wooden train she'd given him from the store's inventory. From beneath the brim of her hat, she watched him run around the small fenced yard behind the mercantile in a state of sheer joy. He pulled the string attached to the toy, dragging it around in the winter-brown grass, his smile as bright as the sun above. Even on a cool October day like this, where the sun only peeked out through the clouds ever so often, his childish zeal was contagious, and Valerie found herself smiling.
It had been nearly two weeks since her mother's funeral. Last week, Noah had knocked on the door of the mercantile, come to give her the news of Bud Bitters' arrest, but she'd refused to see him. Her father had passed on the message. Though she was glad the dreadful man would be brought to justice, along with his murderous ally, she couldn't bring herself to face Noah that day. She assumed he knew she was cross with him, because he hadn't bothered her since. As Bernard had relayed to her, the marshal had been delayed with another case, and would hopefully arrive this week to rid the town of the two criminals stinking up their jail.
This morning, the mercantile would re-open for business, and her father had kept busy with preparations for that. The pallor that had hung over him seemed to be lifted a bit as he went about the building, tidying the shelves and calculating inventory. She was glad to see his spirits being lifted.
Loving the Lawman Page 10
