Page 69 of Montana Lawman Rescuer
A week. How long was she to keep treading water, wondering who she was?
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
Jesse stared at the trail ahead as he rode toward home and considered the events of the last few days.
The hours had passed slowly as they waited for a reply from Alliance. Alternately, they flew by as Jesse thought of how the news would likely take Emily and Mikey from Bella Creek. He spent as much time with them as he could, but his determination to find the crooks took him away for long spells. In the past two weeks, despite his best efforts, he’d found nothing new. He’d scoured the area again and again, hoping for some careless indication of where they’d gone...a dropped cigarette butt, a dislodged rock, a broken branch. Even fresh horse droppings. But he found nothing. Either they were very smart or incredibly fortunate.
Today was Saturday. He turned toward home. He’d decided to put aside his job as sheriff and his hunt for bad guys and just be Jesse Hill, a man with dreams and wishes. Yes, he knew that his parentage, the reputation bestowed on him by his mother’s choices, made those dreams impossible, but for one day, he would forget all that. Just as he hoped he could help Emily forget her concerns.
He’d had plenty of time to consider what they might do but dismissed everything he thought of. A picnic, a buggy ride, even an afternoon at the river that ran by town put her out in the open, and since she’d seen the dark-eyed man who unsettled her, he’d been concerned. Taking her away from town would, in his estimation, constitute an unnecessary risk.
Instead, he planned a quiet day close to home. He would whisper in Gram’s ear that he’d like some time alone. She’d understand.
He reached town. Rode the streets to make sure all was well, unsaddled Rocky, gave him a good rubdown and an extra ration of oats, then turned him free in the little pasture. The horse raced about the perimeter fence as if knowing he was going to enjoy a day or two of rest.
Jesse’s next stop was his office.
Clarence bolted from the chair behind the desk. “Howdy, boss.”
“You’re welcome to the chair. How’s things?”
“Quiet. No important letters or anything. Oh yeah, I broke up a fight between two young fellas.” He laughed and told of two boys about ten getting a little too involved in a tussle.
Jesse chuckled. “Good to know that’s as bad as things get in Bella Creek. No sign of a man with dark eyes and a black horse with a blaze?”
“I’ve been on the watch, as you said, but I’ve seen nothing.”
Jesse considered his dusty, trail-soiled clothes. He needed a bath and clean clothes, so he headed for the store, where he purchased new duds, then he went to the hotel and ordered up a bath. “Lots of hot water.” He did not want to appear at home in this state.
Mr. Hawkins looked at the dirty cowboy before him. If he hadn’t known Jesse, he might have refused. “It will take twentyminutes to heat enough water.” He went to the back, muttering about the way some men let themselves get so dirty.
Jesse stood at the windows, studying the town. Quiet. But somewhere were three men ready and willing to change that. He had to find them.
Mr. Hawkins returned. “Your bath is ready. Want me to do something with those clothes?”
“Thanks, but I’ll take them home.”
Sometime later, he headed down the street, knowing he smelled like lye soap. His new clothes were a little uncomfortable, but he’d soon break them in.
As he approached the house, he heard Mikey in the backyard and went there. Mikey saw Jesse and ran to him. He caught the boy and tossed him in the air.
Gram and Emily sat by the house, shelling peas.
He saw the question in each set of eyes and shifted Mikey over his shoulder. “I didn’t find them.”
Emily sighed and looked away.
He’d failed her. “Sooner or later, they’ll surface, and I’ll be ready.”
Emily rose. “I’ll make some coffee for you.”
He let her go only so he could speak to Gram. “I thought you’d like to take Mikey to visit Sadie.”
She chuckled. “I could do that for you.” She grew serious. “Jesse, be careful. I don’t want to see either one of you hurt. She’s a sweet girl, but what do we know about her?”
“And she doesn’t realize what my past means.” He tried to keep his tone light but perhaps failed, for Gram squeezed his hand.
“Jesse, you’re a good man and don’t you forget it. What your mother did was her choice, not yours.”
