“I take it you spent more time in this area than you let on,” she commented. “She seems to remember you quite well.”
Logan shook his head. “I never really spent time here. But my work on the trail had me passing back and forth through Pine Ridge on a regular basis.” He stopped there but explained a bit further when sensing her curiosity. “This is the only real prison in the region. Sure, there are plenty of small-town jails, but many of the men I was sent to capture would not have remained confined in them for long. I had to bring most of them here.”
Sara nodded her understanding. Feeling that he did not like to speak of his days on the trail, she let the subject drop. Together, they enjoyed their meal in that same comfortable silence that had accompanied their ride there. Finishing up as quickly as possible, they got back on the trail toward home, hoping that they might be able to make it by nightfall.
A stronger wind had begun to blow, sending the dust of the trail swirling high into the air. The sun was on its downward slope but still hung well above the trees in front of them.
They followed the path back toward the prison, but veered off on a more direct route, having already tended to their business there. Logan kept the horses at a gentle pace. It had been a long day for them already, and it was nowhere near done. He set in mind to stop at a stream he was familiar with, around halfway back to Oakmede.
As they passed back by the prison, Sara gazed at the despicable place. She knew it was there to serve justice, but right now it represented something so much different. The sheriff’s uncaring demeanor toward Janie during the trial made Sara cringe. What sort of treatment would Tom be receiving now that his sentence was in place? Such things seemed appropriate towards a hardened criminal, but now, with an innocent man sitting behind bars, a whole new light was being shed on things.
Having the sensation that she was being watched, Sara glanced toward Logan. He was calmly studying her in her moment of distraction. Their eyes met, yet he did not look away. It felt as though he were looking deep down into her soul. Something stirred within her, finding his attention to be both exhilarating and unnerving at the same time. His hazel-brown eyes shone in the sunlight, holding in them both confidence and care. She silently wondered if he suspected that Tom had shared his secret with her.
“It’s hard to stand by when there is such an injustice right in front of you, isn’t it?” he asked.
“Yes,” she sighed, a bit relieved to know what was on his mind. “I just wish there was more that I could do for Tom. Whatever mistakes he may have made, he will always be my brother.”
“I understand,” he agreed. “I don’t know how much Janie has told you about our childhood, but it was one long pitiful chain of wrongs.”
“That is one topic she never opened up about,” Sara replied, surprised that he was suddenly so transparent. “She merely mentioned that the two of you were always close.”
“Yes, that we were, but it was as much out of necessity as it was desire. Our father was a hateful man. The slightest inconvenience would throw him into a rage, and he took it out on whoever was in his path. I couldn’t bear the sight of him harming Mother and Janie. So, I tried to step in whenever I could, ensuring that he got to me before them.” Logan’s expression twisted at the recollection of such painful memories.
“I am so sorry,” Sara whispered. “I had no idea.”
“I suppose it was just the life we were given. I tried to protect them as much as possible, but I couldn’t always be there. It terrified me anytime I had to be away, fearing what he might do in my absence. As we got older I guess we just got better at staying away from him, but that was no help to Mother. There was still a need to protect her. But then that fateful day came…war was declared and I was drafted. Just like that, I was torn out of their lives, and they were left to fend for themselves.” He paused and looked at Sara. He could feel the pain in her expression. “Tom was called off to war too, wasn’t he?”
“Yes…that was a horrible day. Tom believed in the push for justice, but he was not a fighter. Mother was paralyzed at the thought that he would not come home. Everything fell apart.”
“I know what you mean,” Logan nodded. “I tried to keep in touch with Janie as best as I could manage. It’s hard to do when you’re never in the same place for long, but I needed to know that she and Mother were still alright. The world was a terrible place throughout those years. The war changed me, though. It taught me that it is not enough to sit by and try to avoid injustice. You’ve got to take a stand and do what you can to correct it. I shudder to think of what that would have meant if Father had lived until I returned home.”
Sara glanced over at him, knowing what he meant. But considering the pain that the man had caused Logan’s family, who could blame him?
“Thankfully, that day never came. Janie wrote to me shortly before the war ended, informing me of Father’s death. I would be lying if I said I wasn’t relieved.”
“Janie mentioned that you didn’t return after the war. Is that how you began bounty hunting?”
“Yes,” he nodded, clearly relieved to move to a less painful subject. “With Father gone, there was no pressing need for me to go back to Baltimore. And having seen what I had during the war, I was a different man than the boy who had left years prior. There was still so much wrong in the world that needed to be righted, and protecting people from the tyranny of the region’s outlaws seemed a good place for me.”
“I’ve no doubt that you are good at what you do, but do you enjoy it?” Sara asked, studying her riding companion. “You must have had some reason for leaving it behind you. Janie mentioned in her letters that you had settled down with her and Tom.”
“I’m not sure ‘enjoy’ is the right word. It’s fulfilling work, though, if that’s what you mean. I suppose that lingering need to protect will never truly leave me. But when I chose to remain on the frontier, I hadn’t imagined that I would have Janie so close again. So when she wrote to me, stating that she and her new husband would be settling in Kansas, it seemed only natural to reunite. Truth be told, they needed a hand in getting established. And once Charley was born, I felt I had an obligation to leave the dangers of the job behind me. I couldn’t chance to bring harm to them at the hands of some angered outlaw who followed my trail. And I wanted to have a part in the boys’ lives.”
“I see,” Sara nodded, fighting the urge to press him any further. She now knew why he had left home, but he must not learn that Tom had spoken to her about it.
The dark of night had fallen around Logan and Sara by the time they rode past Oakmede. The lamps in shop windows had already been put out, and the town was quiet. To be safe Logan still avoided driving through town, despite the detour adding another thirty minutes onto their day.
At long last, Janie’s house came into view. The bedrooms were dark, but the gentle glow of a fire in the fireplace could be seen through the front windows. Logan pulled the wagon directly into the barn and helped Sara to the ground before unhitching the team.
Sara went into the house ahead of him to prepare a quick bite to eat. Lunch had been hours prior, and there had been nowhere to buy a meal between Pine Ridge and Oakmede. She found Janie in the sitting room, waiting for them near the fireplace.
“How is he?” she whispered without pulling her gaze away from the fire.
Sara could hear the strain in her voice. Janie had clearly been crying, and the creases that had appeared around her eyes seemed more profound than they had that morning. Sara joined her on the couch for a moment, taking her hand. “Tom is alright. He misses you and the boys terribly. I’ll wait and let Logan explain what he believes we should do from here, but just know that there is a plan.”
Janie sighed as though she’d been holding her breath all day. Her demeanor lightened a bit, and she finally looked over at Sara. “After you both left, I started feeling guilty for not going with you. However hard it might have been to see Tom behind bars, my desire to see him at all sh
ould have been reason enough to go. Was he disappointed?”
“I think he was simply relieved to learn that we believe he is innocent. It was enough for him to know that you are still standing by him,” Sara soothed.
“But of course I am! How could I do anything less?”
“Janie, remember that he is sharing in the same stresses you’re facing. Fear is a powerful manipulator of the mind. It makes even things we should be sure of seem cloudy.”
“Yes, I suppose you’re right,” she agreed. “I only want Tom to be sure of my loyalty. The thought that he had doubted my belief in him hurts.”
“A lot of what has happened lately hurts, but we are on the path toward setting things right again. That’s what matters. Now,” she said, rising to her feet, “I need to go and warm something for Logan and me to eat. Have you eaten supper?”
Janie’s hesitance to answer told Sara that she hadn’t. “I couldn’t stomach it until I heard how things went,” she admitted.
“Alright, then I’ll bring some for you as well. Logan will be in soon, and we can explain what we learned.” Sara went off into the kitchen, quickly scraping together a meal for the three of them. Logan soon came through the front door, hanging his hat and removing his boots. The smell of a hot meal cooking crowded his attention on the matter at hand. Janie quietly checked in on the boys, making sure they were asleep before beginning such a weighty conversation as the one pending. They all soon sat down at the table, taking a few bites before starting to recount the events of the day.
“You said that he seems alright?” Janie finally asked after satisfying the most pressing hunger pangs.
“Yes, he seems fine. He’s understandably upset over the trial and worried about the outcome of all of this, but our reassurance eased him a little,” Logan informed her between bites. “Tom’s account of the so-called ‘assault’ was much as we expected. He was provoked, and though he did react to the baiting of Moran’s men, the knife was not his.”
“Well, that confirms our suspicions, but it does not give us much direction,” Janie sighed. “What are we to do from here?”
Logan sat back in his seat, having finished his meal much faster than the women had finished theirs. He pondered Janie’s question, trying to determine the best course of action. “Warren and Williams are not going to be of any use to us. Even if they did have a sudden change of heart, they’re too dependent on Moran to act on it. There haven’t been any witnesses that have spoken up, so that more or less leaves us with Sheriff Graves.”
“And what do we expect to find out from him?” Janie continued.
“I’m not sure, to be honest. I don’t think the sheriff would falsely testify in a trial; he isn’t one that I picture being bribed. But he may have left information out simply out of fear of repercussions from Moran. In any case, the matter runs deeper than that. I have seen hardened criminals get less jail time for much more severe crimes. For Tom to be sentenced to five years, there has to be money being exchanged somewhere.”
“I’m not so sure that Levi hasn’t gotten ahold of the sheriff though,” Sara said. “He was painfully uncomfortable during the trial, repeatedly glancing at Moran, and putting an obvious effort into avoiding eye contact with Tom. Has Tom had any issues with Sheriff Graves before? Should we expect a grudge to play a role, or do you think the sheriff was just doing his job cautiously with Moran in mind?”
“We’ve never had any unpleasant encounters with the sheriff, if that’s what you mean. Tom has always kept himself on the right side of the law…until now,” Janie replied. “There have been a few words exchanged with him about Moran’s influence on the town, but even that was kept civil.”
Sara nodded and looked to Logan for direction. “Shall we plan to go and see him tomorrow then?”
“No,” Logan shook his head, running a finger across his mustache as he thought things through. “He doesn’t know I’m back yet, and I fear that he will close up on the matter once he learns that I am. I think it would be better for you and Janie to speak with him…and possibly here at the ranch. I’m not ready for Moran to learn of my return yet either.”
Janie nodded her agreement. “We can invite him to come out for a visit. I think he would oblige if he’s led to believe that I just have some questions about the trial. I could ride into town tomorrow…”
“Let me do it,” Sara insisted. “I haven’t met the sheriff, but I would recognize him. I’m not fond of the idea of you running into Moran before we have all this settled. I don’t think he would bother me if you’re not with me.”
“She’s right,” Logan agreed. “I think it’s best for you to stay close to home for a while longer. I’ll speak to Hodges and see if he can escort Sara tomorrow morning. I know he’ll be willing to, and I can handle his chores for the day. That way, Janie is kept at a distance and Sara is not left to fend for herself should he try anything. I still believe that Janie is his focus in the matter, but that’s not to say that he wouldn’t try some other stunt, particularly now that he knows that Sara is standing in his way.”
Sara shifted in her seat. The thought that Moran might approach her over the matter had not yet occurred to her. Thus far, her focus had been entirely on Janie. Her sudden change of demeanor did not escape Logan.
“With Hodges riding along, you won’t have anything to worry about,” he assured her. “He is familiar with both Moran and the sheriff. You’ll be in good hands.”
“Alright,” she agreed, a little more relaxed with Logan’s confidence. “In that case, we should all try to get some sleep. If Hodges is willing, we can leave after breakfast.”
All in agreement, they each turned in for the night. Sara wearily pulled on her nightgown, exhausted from the long day in the wagon. Still, sleep managed to elude her. She sat up in her room for a long while, gazing out of the window and thinking over the new perspective she’d been given on Logan.
Tom’s revelation to her and Logan’s own unexpected openness on the trail had given insight into this mysterious man. The more she learned of him, the more strongly she felt drawn to him. He was a man of character and decency, such as she had not met before.
The thing that astonished her the most was Logan’s loyalty to Tom. She had watched him stand before Janie and endure her wrath, taking the blame for Tom’s imprisonment. Even then, his dedication to keeping their pledge to secrecy had not wavered.
Undoubtedly his concern for Tom and Janie’s relationship was at the root of the matter, but his unselfishness was refreshing. Then again, whatever his reasoning might be, and however pure his intentions were, keeping the truth from Janie was likely to lead to more pain later on.
Sara’s exhaustion finally overcame her, and she pulled her blanket up under her chin. She knew she would need to be rested for their meeting with the sheriff, and dawn would be arriving long before she was ready for it. Slowly, she drifted off to sleep.
Chapter 10
As the sun rose the following morning Charley and Carter eagerly went looking for their breakfast, unaware of the late-night meeting that had been held while they slept. Finding that everyone else was still asleep, they crept into Sara’s room to make sure she was alright.
“Keep quiet, so you don’t scare her,” Charley whispered, taking Carter by the hand. They gingerly crept around to where they could see her face. Just as they had concluded she was alright, their little hound dog came bursting through the door, playfully jumping straight onto the bed.
“Oh!” she cried, sitting bolt upright in her bed. Her look of shock sent the boys scrambling out of the room. However, it had no effect on the puppy whatsoever, who friskily proceeded to lick her across the face. “Oh, you rascal,” she scolded but failed to stifle her laughter. “Out you go.” Sara picked up the dog and carried it to her bedroom door, being met with two guilty little faces.
“I’m sorry, Aunt Sara,” Charley whispered. “I didn’t mean for him to get in.”
She couldn’t help but smile at their r
emorseful expressions. “I suppose you are hungry,” she sighed. “Go and wait for me in the kitchen. I’ll be right there.”
The boys’ faces lit up at her fast forgiveness. Sara splashed some water on her face, trying to wash away the lingering urge to sleep. After quickly dressing, she joined the boys in the kitchen. “How do you like pancakes?” she asked, pulling a pan from the cabinet.
Partners in Justice and Love: A Historical Western Romance Book Page 11