by Lori Wick
"There's a church picnic this Sunday afternoon,"
Griffin told him instead. His mother had let him know that
90
day. "We must have come in after it was announced."
"Right after church?"
"Yes, at the Millers', on the creek."
"Do we bring something?"
"My mother and Libby usually take pity on me and
bring enough for a threshing crew. Unless you're in the
mood to cook, don't worry about it."
"My skills in the kitchen can't compare to your
mother's. I wouldn't starve, but a home-cooked meal
always tastes like a feast"
Griffin laughed, but such words made him think of
Tess. She was a great cook. With sudden clarity he realized
something that had never been evident to him. In the last
two months, when Tess' feelings and his own had become
dear, he'd talked to Pastor Caron and Duffy. They had been
very helpful, but he'd never spoken to his mother--the
woman who had been widowed because she'd been married
to the town's sheriff.
Sitting across the room, Slater watched the emotions
chase across Griffin's face but kept silent Clearly the man
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had much on his mind. If memory served him correctly,
this was the night the blonde woman had wanted him to
come for dinner. Had Liberty called her Tess? Is that where
he'd been when Slater found the house empty? Much as
Slater wondered, he knew he would never ask.
"I'm for bed," Slater said instead, wanting to give this
man who had offered him a home even more privacy.
"I'll bet you are. Waking up to have a gun pointed at
you takes it out of a man."
56 lori wick
Slater laughed. "When I saw your sister today, I asked
her why she didn't draw."
"Did she blush or laugh?"
"A little of both, I guess." Slater stood. "Good night,
Griffin."
"Good night, Slater."
Griffin watched him walk from the room, reminding
himself that it was way too early to take a full measure of
this man, but the temptation to let his mind wander was
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strong. Liberty needed someone special. The thought no
more formed than Griffin's mouth quirked. What brother
didn't feel that way? That Tess' brothers might not care
suddenly came to mind. As Griffin was coming to expect,
it didn't take much to make him think of that woman.
$-*3r
-5Do
you have to work?" Laura asked Liberty the next day. Bible study had just ended.
"Yes. Griffin and I have to check on something."
"Can you give Griff a hug for me?"
"I certainly can. Is there some special reason?"
Laura only shook her head no, seeming in no hurry to
leave her sister's lap. Their mother was sitting beside Liberty,
and the younger woman decided to question her if she
had a chance. The opportunity came a few minutes later.
Their hostess, Mrs. Caron, offered cookies to the children,
and Laura, looking only mildly interested, left her sister's
lap.
"Did you hear what she said?" Liberty asked quietly.
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"About the hug? Yes. She's been so clingy, Lib. I think
she's coming down with something. She cried this morning
when she got juice on her hand."
Liberty's eyes widened in surprise. Her little sister was
a very plucky gal. Spilled juice would not normally get her
down.
Every tittle Thing About You * 57
"You look tired, Mam." Liberty had just seen it
"Maybe the two of you have a little bug going."
"Maybe."
"I think you should see the doctor," Liberty said, her
eyes sparkling a little. "I hear he gives very personal
service."
Kate laughed and put a hand on her daughter's arm. If she was coming down with something, just talking to Liberty would make her feel better.
"I'll think about your advice."
"All right I'd better go. Griff and I have a case to check
on. I won't stay any longer than I have to in case Laura gets
worse."
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Thank you, dear. Don't forget to eat lunch."
Liberty thanked their hostess and went out front to
where she had tethered Morton. Already dressed for work/
she swung easily into the saddle. Mrs. Tobler's house was
close enough that Liberty could hear the hammers
pounding, but she made herself ride for downtown.
Why would you stop, Libby? She couldn't have lost another
needle, and there's no other reason to go there right now.
This was all the further Liberty would allow these
thoughts to roam. Knowing that she had to go with Griffin
to confront the Potters, a consistently risky event, Liberty
forced her mind to concentrate on her job. A good thing
too. As soon as Griffin spotted her, he exited the office and
climbed into the saddle of his own mount, Benny.
"Has there been more word?" Liberty asked, after
telling Griffin that Laura had sent him a hug.
"Yes. Mrs. Flowers was back in this morning. The party
was still going on last night."
"Ned Potter was nothing short of belligerent the last
time I saw him."
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"When was this?"
"About two weeks back. He was giving Miss Amy a
hard time over the price of eggs and looked mad enough to
kill when I stepped in."
58 lori wick
"Why didn't you tell me?"
Liberty shrugged. "I forgot about it until just now."
"Well, I hope he remembers."
"Why?"
"Because this is just the first. Ned and his boys have
thought themselves above the law just one time too many.
I won't take action today, and maybe not even this year, but
this is the beginning of the end. I'm going to put enough
pressure on to make them uncomfortable."
Liberty agreed with the action but couldn't help wondering
what they'd be letting themselves in for.
"Will we see Maddie Flowers too?"
"Yep. She's a little too self-righteous for my comfort. I
want her to know that I'm aware of what she's up to, and
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that just because she doesn't have drunken binges does not
make her judge and jury."
They fell silent for the rest of the ride. The Potters lived
a ways outside of town. Their place was large and run
down, a marked contrast to Mrs. Flowers' spotless paint
and yard. They had to pass Mrs. Flowers' house on the
way, and both officers caught the way she smugly watched
them from the window, but neither sibling waved or
acknowledged her call.
Things were quiet at the Potter house. A dog as old and
broken-down as most of the rusty farm equipment in the
yard barked a hoarse yap at them, but he didn't have
enough ambition to move from his place under the porch,
not even when Griffin went up the steps and pounded on
the door. It was answered by Critter, the youngest of three
sons.
"Pa's not here," the teen scowled at him, his eyes
squinting against
the sun.
"Mind if I come in and look?"
"Yeah, I do!" Critter growled, but Griffin's hand had
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already pushed the door wide. Liberty was right behind
him.
Every Little Thing About You 59
"Get out," Critter said. The officers ignored him. He
started a string of curses but stopped when he realized no
one was listening. The house was in awful shape, and Liberty
couldn't help but wonder how they all stood the smell
and the filth. She had never needed to come in here before,
but Griffin seemed to know his way around.
"What'd ya want?" Critter tried again as Griffin
slipped upstairs, but again no one paid him any heed.
Still taking in the broken furniture, stained walls, and
liquor bottles, Liberty thought she and Critter couldn't be
too many years apart in age, but their lives had been lived
in separate worlds.
"I think I'll have a look at the bam," Griffin said casually
as he came slowly back down the stairs.
It wasn't lost on either sibling the way Critter came to
attention.
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"Pa don't like anybody nosin' out there."
"Well, come with us," Griffin offered mildly. "Give us
the grand tour."
Critter seemed at a momentary loss before turning to
the door, his body saying very clearly that the law in
Shotgun was unjust.
As always, Liberty kept to the rear. More than once she
had protected her brother's back, and as Griffin swung the
barn door open, hinges howling, she took her standard
position. Critter was mutinously silent. He walked in
behind the sheriff, not seeming to notice the way Liberty
hung back.
"What's in here?" Griffin asked as he approached a
wagon covered by a tarpaulin. Without permission, Griffin
untied the edge and threw it back.
"Nice load of corn, Critter. If s a little late in the year for
planting."
The eyes that followed him were dark with rage.
Watching him, Liberty thought he might still be a little
done-in from the night before, which would slow his reaction
99
time. His reputation, however, did not lead to trust.
60 lori wick
She watched while Griffin came from the stall, his head
tipped back inspecting the rafters. With a move that gave
nothing away, he approached Critter.
"The shinin's going to stop, Critter. I just want you to
know that." Griffin walked as he talked, and the youngest
Potter, against his will, was backed up to the wall. "You
give your Pa and brothers a message from me: I'm going to
shut you down. I can't have you out here gettin' drunk,
lightin' fires, and shootin' off shotguns all night. If s gotta
stop."
Griffin had Critter flat against the wall now, his eyes
hard and serious. Critter's own gaze was no more friendly,
and when he suddenly felt a sickle on the wall, he started
to reach for it. He had barely moved when the wood near
his fingers splintered from a bullet. Critter froze. He'd completely
forgotten the deputy. He could have lost part of his
hand!
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"Have I made myself clear?" Griffin asked.
"You wouldn't be so tough if Pa was here!" Critter spat
The fear had swiftly left, and he was angry again. "He
won't be too pleased to know you were here nosin'
around."
"He's welcome to come by the jailhouse and lodge a
complaint." This said, Griffin held the younger man's eyes
for several seconds and then pushed away from the wall.
He walked from the barn, Liberty having already moved
ahead of him this time, her eyes watching Critter. She was
satisfied when he took his eyes from them. Critter's hand
went to the back of his neck, and he leaned against the wall
with a shake of his head. Liberty had already bolstered her
gun but now felt free to turn and mount her horse.
Griffin had been watching as well and climbed into his
own saddle after Liberty was settled. They turned and rode
from the Potters' yard, the dog letting out a few more obligatory
woofs.
"Why now, Griff?" Liberty asked as they rode back up
the road toward Maddie Flowers'. "You've been sheriff for
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Every Little Thing About You 61
three years. Why are you putting the pressure on the Potters
now?"
"Because Shotgun is growing. I've not wanted to disturb
the waters since they've always lived so far out, but
the town is moving out here fast. I can't have townspeople
in danger because of the Potters' moonshine."
Liberty nodded but still worried. What would old man
Potter do when he discovered Griffin had been out? She
found herself praying for their safety and also that God
would bring a peaceful end to this. Never once did she
pray for patience, something she desperately needed once
they entered Maddie Flowers' house and were forced for
the next hour to listen to her excuses about making moonshine.
5'' '3'' "5*
"I thought you said you weren't any good in the
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kitchen?" Griffin accused Slater on Thursday evening.
Slater laughed. "Spoken like a hungry man."
"No, Slater, I mean it. It was very good."
Slater inclined his head modestly and rose to clear the
table. Griffin started peeling a bar of soap into a basin of
hot water, thinking that Slater was as easy to live with as
any man could be. He was quiet, polite, clean, generous
with the rent money and food he bought, and pulled his
weight in the kitchen. But one question still lingered in
Griffin's mind: Why had he left the Rangers? For some odd
reason Griffin was hesitant to ask, fearing the answer
would be very personal. But he genuinely liked the man.
For this reason he extended the invitation.
"I'm headed next door tonight. Mam and Laura are
under the weather, and Laura needs a little cheering up.
Would you like to come?"
"If you're sure I won't be in the way."
"Not at all. We'll go right after cleanup."
62 lori wick
103
Which is precisely what they did. Slater had offered to
cook that evening. He'd been overrun with homesickness
that day and wanted to make a beef dish that his family
often had on the ranch. The weather was cooler now--he
could head home anytime--but something compelled him
to stay on in Shotgun; more specifically, to stay on with
Griffin. He'd sent word to his oldest brother and folks
about where he was, but right now he couldn't leave.
Walking next door and going through the back, just like
family, made him very glad he'd stayed.
Griffin led the way through the kitchen, through the
dining area they'd eaten in last Sunday, and into the parlor.
Zach was reading a book, Liberty had sewing in her lap,
and Laura was swathed in quilts on the chair, bright-eyed
with fever and remarkably wide awake.
"Hi, Griff." Zach was the first to spot him,
"Hey, Zach," Griffin said as he leaned down to hug the
boy. "How was your day?"
"It was good. I lasted three rounds in the spelling bee."
"Good job. Do you remember Mr. Rawlings? He lives
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with me now."
"Hello," Zach said with a smile.
"Hi, Zach. You can call me Slater if you want to."
"All right. My sister's sick."
"I heard about that."
Griffin took a seat, so Slater did the same thing. From
his place next to Zach, Griffin looked over at his younger
sister.
"Are you going to come and see me, Laura?"
"Papa says I'm not supposed to run around."
Liberty's hand came to her mouth, and Griffin smiled.
"It won't be running around just to come over here to
my lap."
Laura looked to Liberty, but that woman only smiled at
her. Dragging along one small blanket and a stuffed bunny
that had seen better days, Laura left the chair and went to
Griffin's lap on the davenport.
Every Little Thing About You 63
"Where's Mam?" Griffin asked Liberty as soon as he
105
hugged and kissed his very warm sister.
"She feels miserable, so Duff is putting her to bed."
Griffin looked down at the hot bundle in his lap. "Did
you share your cold with Mam?"
"I think so, but her throat doesn't hurt"
"And yours does?"
'I'm not supposed to talk."
"Well, we both know how long thaf s going to last"
Laura only smiled and laid her head against him.
"How's the work on the porch going, Mr. Rawlings?"
Liberty asked.
"I would say we're about half done. Mrs. Tobler doesn't
want us there before 8:00, so by midafternoon the sun gets
a little intense."
"If s anyone's guess why she doesn't want you there
earlier," Griffin speculated.
"I think she said something about disturbing her breakfast"
"I'm amazed that Hank puts up with it. He's pretty
much his own man," Liberty commented.
"He's not as eager to work as he once was," Griffin
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said. "Has he talked to you, Slater, about missing Price?"
"Not in so many words, but one day he expected me to
lift the wagon for him and muttered something about Price
never having any trouble. It made me wonder about the
man I've replaced."
"Price is big," Laura suddenly put in, and Zach came
alive.
"He lifted Miss Amy's horse right out of the creek. I
saw it! He didn't even groan."