Small Town Justice

by Valerie Hansen

  “I was on my way to do that when you called.” Shane heard her chuckle. “Well, I was.”

  “Okay. I believe you. Have you heard anything from Jamie Lynn?”

  “Not since she picked up her truck, and we didn’t talk much then.” That lack of camaraderie had bothered him some, although it was exactly what he kept insisting he wanted. Go figure. “Why?”

  Marsha sounded as if she was smiling as she said, “Well, in case you care, I have. She picked up the trial transcripts yesterday and hasn’t had any more trouble.”

  “I suppose that’s a plus.” What might happen when the nosy young woman got her hands on the sheriff’s private files, compliments of his mother, was a different story. One that gave him chills.

  That unpleasant reaction helped Shane choose his next step—a delaying tactic. “Listen, Mom, I’ll haul whatever I find to my garage in town so I can blow the dust off before you take any of it into your house. You know how allergic you get. Those boxes have to be covered with years of pollen and dirt.”

  “All right. Since it’s Saturday and you close early, why not plan on bringing them to me as soon as you’re free? And staying for supper, of course.”

  That was not what Shane wanted to do, for several reasons, the most important being his desire to censor what she read. “I’ll see. You know how the repair business is. Farmers always break equipment right in the middle of a project and need it working ASAP.”

  “Murphy’s Law,” Marsha said. “Okay. Do the best you can. I’m glad you got Jamie Lynn’s truck fixed. She really wanted her wheels back.”

  “And I wanted her to stop hanging around the garage,” Shane admitted. “She was about to drive me crazy.”

  “Only because of the tires?” Marsha teased.

  “Yes.” He hoped he sounded as adamant as he’d intended. The last thing he needed was to give his mother more fodder for her romantic interpretations of inconsequential events. “Only because of the tires.”

  “Okay, if you say so.”

  “Look, Mom, if I don’t get a move on I’m not going to have time to hunt up Dad’s files this morning.”

  “Okay. Hug Kyle for me and tell him I’m looking forward to seeing him later.”

  “Right. Bye.”

  Shane checked his watch. Kyle would probably sleep for another hour, at least. If he hurried he might be able to get all the boxes loaded before it was time to wake him.

  Yes, he knew exactly where the papers were stored.

  And, no, he did not want to give them to his mother when he was positive they would cause her renewed pain.

  But what choice did he have? They were technically her property and she was entitled to them.

  Eventually.

  After he’d sorted the contents.

  * * *

  Jamie had spent most of her time reading her brother’s file. If it hadn’t been for needing to walk the dog and find something to eat, she might not have ventured out at all. Most of the trial transcript was pretty boring and repetitive. Highlighting the interesting parts had made it much easier to remember where they were and revisit them to make notes.

  One thing she was finding disturbing was the lack of input from R.J. It was as if he had been relegated to the role of mute observer while his future was stolen and his life ruined. At times, the attorney who was supposed to represent the Hendersons sounded as if he worked for the prosecution.

  And the judge was just as opinionated and stern. R.J. had recanted his initial, unofficial confession and pleaded innocent as the trial began. Later, his lawyer had requested a private audience with the judge and had officially switched his plea to guilty.

  The jury was summarily dismissed and the proceedings wrapped up quickly. Since R.J. was being tried as an adult and his crime was against a well-liked sheriff, he received a stiff penalty: thirty years.

  She pushed the file away, weary and confused. Looking up the number in a phone book as thin as a cheap pulp magazine, she dialed Marsha Colton Bryce.

  “Hello! Did you change your mind?”

  Jamie paused and frowned. “I beg your pardon?”

  “Oops. I didn’t look at the number. I thought you were Shane.”

  “Is everything okay with you?” Still worried about her enemies spreading their evil to her new acquaintances, she felt a catch in her throat.

  “Fine. Or, as Otis likes to say, ‘Finer than frog hair.’”

  “There’s no problem? You haven’t been threatened or anything?”

  “Of course not. Besides, Sam taught me to defend myself and I kept in practice all those years I was single. Nobody better mess with this pistol-packin’ granny.”

  Her Wild West attitude amused Jamie Lynn. “Good for you. I might like to learn to shoot if the laws weren’t so strict where I’m from.”

  “You just need to watch that you don’t go off half-cocked, as they used to say when pistols and long guns were flintlocks.”

  “That’s where that old saying came from?”

  “Sure is.” Marsha was chuckling. “So, what can I do for you? Did you get the trial transcripts read?”

  “Yes. I stayed up half the night and I’m more confused than before. Has Shane brought you Sam’s notes yet?”

  “No, but he’s due here later today and should have everything with him. He was getting the boxes loaded in his truck when I spoke to him about a half hour ago.”

  “That’s wonderful.” Uncertain how to politely invite herself back to Marsha’s home, Jamie paused.

  “How would you like to stop by for supper?” Marsha asked.

  “Really? Could I? I don’t want to cause any trouble.”

  There was still a hint of mirth in Marsha’s voice when she said, “Honey, I think it’s a tad late to worry about that. You just come. I’ll handle my son.”

  “I—I meant with whoever was stalking me.”

  “I know you did.” She chuckled softly. “Shane will blow a gasket when he figures it all out.”

  “Figures what out?”

  “That I plan to do everything I can to help you find the truth. Between the two of us, and with the help of the good Lord, I think we can solve the puzzle, don’t you?”

  Relief at not having to stand alone against unknown enemies washed over Jamie Lynn.

  All she could manage to say was, “Thank you.”

  * * *

  Dusting the tops of the cardboard boxes with an open hand, Shane opened one and paused. There was no reason to look in the notebooks or file folders that lay before him. No reason at all.

  “Except that I need to sort this material before I give it to Mom,” he muttered. If he doled out the records one box at a time, he’d have enough spare time to read ahead and examine the notebooks.

  A shrill voice came from the direction of the house. “Daddy? Where are you?”

  The child came out onto the back porch. His curly hair was tousled and he was rubbing sleep out of his eyes.

  “I’m right here, Kyle. Go get dressed. I’ll be in to fix you breakfast in a minute.”

  Instead of obeying, the barefoot little boy joined his daddy. “Whatcha doin’?”

  “Getting some old stuff for your memaw.”

  “Why?”

  “Because she asked me to.”

  “Oh. Why?”

  Shane couldn’t help smiling. Once one of Kyle’s inquisitions started there was no telling how long it would last. “Because she wants it.” Before the child had a chance to ask more he said, “I thought I told you to get dressed.”

  “Uh-huh. Is it a school day?”

  “No, it’s Saturday, You don’t have to wear your good clothes but pick something nice. We’re going to take these boxes to Memaw later.”

  “Aw right!” Whirling
, he started for the house.

  Shane’s heart swelled, thankful for what he had and reminded of what he’d lost. He’d given Roz all the love he could, yet it had not been enough. She’d already begun expressing restlessness when her unexpected pregnancy had made matters worse. She’d argued for terminating it, never accepting poor little Kyle even after he was born.

  That memory twisted Shane’s gut. He could not begin to imagine life without his son. Being forced into the role of a single parent had seemed unfair at first, but now he could see it was for the best. His widowed mother had finished raising him by herself with no ill effects. Therefore, he could do the same for Kyle, especially with a loving grandma as a mother figure. They were a tight, devoted family unit. They didn’t need anybody else.

  And he certainly didn’t need to be looking for another wife. No way.

  But if he ever changed his mind and chose to remarry, there were plenty of eligible, capable, single women in Serenity to choose from. So why did Jamie Lynn’s image keep popping up?

  There was no way he’d be able to get past Jamie’s family connection to the loss of his beloved dad. Bringing excess baggage into a marriage was one thing. Having it include the matter of life and death was another.

  He was not the kind of man who usually held a grudge, but in the case of Ray Jr. it was impossible to forgive.

  He didn’t care if he did admire her intelligence and courage. There was no way he’d ever let that woman into his heart.

  Or into any facet of his personal life. Period.

  EIGHT

  Counting the minutes until it was time to leave for Marsha’s, Jamie distracted herself by taking Ulysses to the city park for exercise. It hadn’t changed a bit since her days in Serenity. The big lake in the center was home to geese and ducks, the asphalt walking trail had been kept up pretty well and the grass beneath the mature oak, hickory and pine trees was mowed short enough to discourage ticks and chiggers. All in all, it was a pleasant place to relax.

  Children laughed and played on the swings and other equipment. Couples strolled hand in hand. Nostalgia threatened to overwhelm her.

  Straining at the end of his leash, Ulysses distracted her by barking at nearby geese, and Jamie had to scoop him up to protect him from the defensive gander.

  “You and I had better walk on the other side of the lake, dog, or we’ll both get goose-nipped.”

  Because her pet was not easily convinced, she carried him halfway around the large body of water before setting him down again.

  The sun was warm, the breezes gentle. A wooden-slatted bench invited rest and she accepted, closing her eyes and taking a deep, settling breath.

  Why couldn’t life be sweet and simple like this all the time? Why was she so fixated on making up for lost time and finding out what had really happened when R.J. had gotten into so much trouble?

  “Because it’s the right thing to do,” she told herself. Would she feel that way if she hadn’t begun this quest? Perhaps. Perhaps not. But she had stirred up the hornet’s nest and it was too late to just walk away.

  Glancing over the shimmering water and watching the graceful glide of ducks and geese, she let her gaze drift to the parking lot across the lake. Most of the vehicles that had been there when she’d arrived were gone and it was easy to pick out her truck, even though it was black.

  Ulysses had been happily sniffing every weed and blade of grass near the bench. Jamie Lynn was smiling down at him when she noticed his posture change. He stiffened. Stared across the water. Growled for a moment before starting to bark as if defending her from a pride of charging lions.

  That was when she heard the first crash. Saw movement. Understood why her little dog was upset and jumped to her feet. Somebody was bashing her truck with a sledgehammer!

  “No! Stop!”

  Shouting was futile. They were too far away and wouldn’t have heeded her if she’d been standing next to them—except to perhaps turn the hammer on her!

  “Thank God I’m not still over there,” she whispered, realizing her words were heartfelt. She did thank God. There was no other plausible explanation for her ending up so far away when the trouble started. Ulysses’s barking at the geese had been the trigger, yes, but the park covered many acres. What were the chances that the tiny flock would be close by when she’d arrived?

  She had her cell with her. Punching in 911, she fidgeted, hoping help would come while she still had enough truck left to salvage.

  “Sheriff’s office. What’s your emergency?”

  “Somebody’s beating on my truck!”

  “Are you in the vehicle?”

  “No.”

  “Are you in any danger, ma’am?”

  “Not exactly, but...”

  “All right. Give me your location and I’ll send someone out.”

  “I’m at the Serenity Park. Please hurry.” When the dispatcher spoke again, Jamie Lynn was positive she recognized her voice, not to mention her attitude.

  “Ah, that’s local police jurisdiction. You can stay on the line if you want while I see if they have any units available.”

  Jamie tamped down her anger long enough to learn that the estimated time of arrival of law enforcement was up to half an hour.

  As soon as she hung up she let loose with a combination shout and growl that was so loud, so forceful, it startled Ulysses and echoed back to her.

  Bystanders were starting to edge toward the parking lot, clearly cautious as well as curious.

  The banging noise stopped. Moments later a truck sped away. Jamie Lynn scooped up her barking dog and headed back around the lake. Even if she had run, there was no way she’d have gotten there in time to see the license plate, assuming this truck had not been stolen like the other one at the old farm.

  The closer she got, the worse the damaged metal looked. “Terrific. Now what?”

  There was only one thing she could do. Like it or not, she had to wait and make another police report. Which meant she’d probably be delayed getting to Marsha’s.

  She punched in the woman’s home number and started to fill her in as soon as she answered.

  “No, no, I’m all right,” Jamie insisted when Marsha interrupted to pepper her with questions. “I was all the way across the lake when it happened, Yes, I’ve called the sheriff. That dispatcher must hate me by now. She told me I’d have to wait for the local police. I’m stuck here until they arrive, and who knows how long that will really be.”

  “Stay put,” Jamie heard Marsha say. There was garbled, muffled conversation in the background.

  A few people had gotten up the courage to join Jamie and were trying to talk above Ulysses’s barking, so she had trouble hearing everything that was being said on the phone. She covered her other ear with her hand. “What? I’m sorry, I didn’t get that.”

  “Just keep your distance,” Marsha shouted. “I’ll call Harlan. I know he’ll come out if I ask him.”

  At that point, Jamie didn’t care who showed up. She just wanted to know that someone in authority was on her side. Cared what befell her. Wanted to help. At times like this it was easy to recall how abandoned and alone she’d felt when she’d first arrived at Tessie’s.

  Vulnerability was not a pleasant sensation.

  * * *

  Shane wheeled his rig into the parking lot before the arrival of any patrol cars. It was easy to guess where Jamie Lynn was because a knot of people had gathered near a battered truck. Hers.

  Evening shadows were lengthening but the air remained balmy as he climbed down and started toward her. Seeing her expression of relief and the way her eyes lit up when she spotted him in the milling crowd made his insides curl and twist. He couldn’t help being glad to see she was unhurt.

  She headed straight for him. “You didn’t have to bother. The sh
eriff is supposed to be on his way. So are the city police.”

  “I know. Mom was phoning Harlan when I left.” Out of things to say, he added the first thought that popped into his mind. “I just figured you might need a tow, so...”

  “Right. I should have noticed what you were driving. Business as usual.”

  Shane wanted to take back the suggestion that he’d only shown up to make a few bucks, yet he didn’t know how to mend the rift without sounding too personally concerned about her. Never mind that he was, in spite of his vows to the contrary. It was one thing to constantly think about Jamie Lynn and quite another to admit it, particularly to her.

  Quickly, Jamie Lynn told him what had happened to her truck. Shane sighed. “I can stay here with you until the sheriff shows up if you want.”

  “I hate to ask it.”

  “You didn’t. I offered.”

  “You did, didn’t you?”

  A smile lifted the corners of her mouth enough to make her dark eyes begin to twinkle, and Shane could hardly keep from breaking into a grin, himself. “Yes, I did.”

  “Then, yes, please stay. I don’t like feeling alone in a crowd.”

  He nodded. “I’d never thought of it quite that way. I suppose that comes from being new in town.”

  “Yes.” Her gaze lowered and she studied the ground between them as if it was the most interesting gravel she’d ever seen.

  Rather than follow the train of thought his mind was suggesting and start to dwell on the lonely weeks following his wife’s desertion, Shane mentally shook himself and took up another subject. “Let’s go look over your truck. Maybe I can get a few answers from people I know.”

  “Okay.” She visibly brightened. “It’s a better idea than my standing here feeling sorry for myself. I’m sorry I snapped at you. I’m not usually so moody, honest I’m not.”

  “You have had a rough week so far.” He fell into step beside her, careful to control the urge to take her arm or guide her in any other way. “I don’t suppose you’ve changed your mind about staying?”

  “You must be joking! The more they try to scare me off, the more I’m certain there’s a good, strong reason to stick around and keep digging.”