A Lethal Lady

So the sheriff was quite a mystery, well, you didn’t have to be very astute to notice that this guy wasn't very friendly. Yes, guarded the town from outlaws and even outsiders, but you could tell he kept to himself.

However, she didn’t care how this Tom was. The fewer dealings they had, the better. She wasn't about to fall into that sheriff's nets, to let him get information out of her that she didn’t want to tell.

“Well, enough talk. We'd better get cooking, it's getting late. If my mother finds out that we've only been talking, she'll be very angry.

Rouse nods, it was convenient to stay out of trouble...

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I've searched the entire width of your domain Joy, the trail is lost on the horizon.

That road leads to Tombstone, they went to town with my cattle.

They could have gone anywhere, Joy. That road leads to a lot of places.’ Tom puts his hat on as he notices that the sun about to set.

Tom, believe me, it was Billy's gang of ruffians. That bastard sent his men to rob me while he was in the bar drowning in booze.

-1 know that, Joy. But I have to prove it, you know I can't accuse him without proof. Besides, his ugly face isn't on the band posters.

The sheriff walks in the direction of his horse, it was time to go back to town... but first he had to keep Joy on his toes, he was too old to continue living on that ranch by himself.

“You need company, Joy. You can't live alone in this big place anymore,” Tom suggested as he got on his horse. You're too old to run this ranch by yourself.

-1 don't need anyone's help, if those ruffians weren't around I wouldn't have so many problems.

I'm serious, you need someone to support you. I can send someone to lend you his services, he would stay here with yo also in case there is a problem at night. You see you spotted me with the boy in the morning, already when your cattle we stolen.

Tom held Belze still as he talked with the old man, he hoped he could convince him to have someone live permanently os his ranch. It was the best thing for the old man and for the town, if anything happened to Joy, Coloma would sink into misery.

-All right, all right. I'll take your suggestion, but for my cattle. I don't want those bastards stealing from me anymore, I swear that if I see any of them around here, I won't hesitate to use my gun on them, Tom.

1 hope it won't have to be that way, and if it does, that's your right. To-morrow I'll send someone willing to go along with you and help you. If I can get it, that is.

“Yes, whatever," the old man replied grumpily as he turned away. I don’t want someone efficient, I don’t want a bum here. -Don't worry," Tom replies as he orders his horse to walk. Take care, Joy.

Yes, sheriff.

Tom takes a look at Joy's land before leaving for town, it was very large. For that old man, it was too much. He needed to find someone strong and young to put his mind to it. After all, Joy was rich, and he wasn’t going to go hungry.Posted by FindNovel.net

He encouraged the horse to go faster, since Joy was not the only thing on his mind. There was another problem in town h had to take care of, and spending the whole afternoon out, leaving that woman unattended, was not good.

He was counting on Jesey to be looking out for her, he didn't want to meet with unpleasantness when he got to town. Anc after seeing her up and dressed, he assumed she was no longer as dying as he thought.

Spotting the lighted streetlights of the town, he encouraged Belze to go faster...as soon as he reached the police station, little guy ran up to him to take the reins of the horse.

-Sheriff, he’s late back.

-Give him something to eat and drink and then take him to the hotel.

Ves, sir.

Tom checked to make sure the police station was closed, then headed for the hotel. After eating and freshening up, he would pay a visit to the mysterious lady, perhaps she was a little more willing to talk and clarify his doubts.

The town was already a bit dull, you could still see a few couples walking through the streets, passing in front of the bar, you could hear the bustle that protruded through the door and windows. You could hear the shouts and whistles of the men, because of the show the women were putting on after dark.

Tom denied, even if he didn't agree, he couldn't close the bar. It would be like throwing almost the whole town on his enemy, he was counting on them to at least let him sleep that night. Since, they always ended up waking him up in the middle of the night for a drunken problem, for a damned duel, or for a woman's skirts.

Arriving at the hotel, Hilary immediately sees him and smiles...

“Welcome, Sheriff Wesley. You are late.

Vl go to my room, Id like to take a bath.

Right away,” the woman replies enticingly.

As they climb the wooden stairs, they creak under the sheriff's weight. With some fatigue, Tom climbs slowly, when out of nowhere, an extraordinary aroma reaches his nostrils. He thought that Lauren was getting better at cooking every day, aft the shower he would go downstairs for some supper.

i]

-I think you turned out that rabbit stew well, you see it wasn't that hard to make.

-But it took us a long time to prepare it.

-But dinner is ready on time, remember there are only two guests in the hotel. Besides, if my mother hasn't come in to scold us, it must be because Sheriff Wesley hasn't arrived.

“What's that got to do with it?

She goes crazy when he arrives at the hotel and dinner isn't ready yet.

That confirmed Rouse’s suspicions, those two were lovers. They were having a relationship almost in secret from poor Lauren. And that girl was so naive that she didn't realize that her mother was the sheriff's mistress.

So much attention from a woman to a man was a clear indication that they were having an affair.

“What now?

Despite what she had discovered, Rouse didn't plan to be the one to open this girl's eyes. If her mother was keeping it frc her, that was her problem, she wasn't the one to say anything to the young girl.

Hilary was the one who was being made to look like a slut... the bad thing about the situation was that, Lauren would suf the consequences, how would she get a good husband knowing that her mother was a man’s mistress.

However, Rouse didn't care what society thought of mistresses. She was of the opinion that no woman was obliged to marry a man just to remain in a circle of well-behaved ladies.

If there was love, the rest was superfluous... on the other hand, love was a complete waste of time, the only thing it cause was trouble, and worst of all, it only made you a weakling.

For that reason, the blonde opted to stay away from that kind of absurd sentimentality. Well, it's not like she had a line o suitors waiting for her in the city or another town, but since she was a little girl she protected herself from bastards who wanted to see her idiot face.

Love was not made for her...

-Let's clean up the dining room, and then announce that dinner is ready.

i]

The bath did do her good, but it also whetted her appetite. While dressing, he had heard the bell announcing that supper was ready, for that reason he went downstairs to eat and then visit Miss LeRoy at the doctor's house.

Upon entering the dining room, the tables were empty, except for one fellow who had been staying in town for a few day: According to the banker, he was settling some accounts. As far as he knew, he was about to leave.

Tom greeted the man, and took a seat at another table. He took off his hat, and just as he looked up, he met Rouse’s eye: The sheriff looked her over from bottom to top and was amazed at her attire, she looked much more refreshed, although some fatigue showed under her eyes.

She approached his table with a plate of stew and bread, deposited it on his table and pretended to leave. Just like that, without giving him any kind of explanation as to why the hell he was in the hotel serving her a plate of food.

Quickly, Tom grabs her wrist and stops her, without taking his eyes off her...

“What the hell are you doing here? -She whispers so as not to attract the attention of the other guest.

-And what do you care about that, be satisfied that I haven't left this town,” she makes a pretense of letting go, but Tom holds her tighter.

~You have to notify me of everything you do and don't intend to do, so tell me at once, what the hell are you doing here?