Damaged Hearts

by Angel Wolfe

  “No sheriff.” Rick stepped up. “I think we’re actually moving a little slow if you ask me.” He added as he cocked his gun and pulled a wicked looking knife from its sheath.

  Stepping up, James added his gun. “I think we’re moving a lot too slow. That girl is like a daughter to me and since this worthless piece of scum is her true blood, I say we take care of that problem right here and now.”

  Holding his head in both hands, the mayor sank into a nearby chair. “I just can’t understand how I could be so terribly wrong about someone. I mean it’s insane Henry, you had me change that deed, and you even had me gain you access to the books so you could erase the record of her tax payment, saying that it was an error.” He added shaking his head sadly.

  Jacob scribbled furiously taking note of any and all references that could possibly help his client. Looking around, “Is everyone listening to this?” He asked, wanting to also note who he could call later as a witness if he needed one.

  “Thurston, please bring some rope if you would be so kind.” Mayor Andrews requested. Edward, what do you think we should do as far as an acting sheriff for now?” He asked taking control of the situation for the first time.

  “James, would you mind having a temporary job if it were offered?” The elder Jamison asked. “I know you want a nice quiet life but until we find a sheriff, you would make an excellent replacement.”

  “Well sir, I’m not sure how excellent I’ll be but as long as the job is only temporary and as long as it comes with meals and a roof; I suppose I could give it a try.” James decided.

  “Let’s get this part taken care of then; anyone have a bible handy?” Edward asked, and then took it from Thurston. “Ok James, hold up your right hand and put your left hand on this here bible.” He quickly swore him in, took the small official star off Henry’s shirt, and pinned it to James before looking back. “You won’t need this where you’re going and you never should have had it to begin with.”

  “Well, let’s get him outta here.” James said, taking his first duty as acting sheriff very seriously. “Edward, what do you think of giving me a deputy?” He asked looking pointedly at Willie.

  “I think it’s probably a good idea.” Grabbing the bible back up, Edward proceeded to swear in Willie. “You are old enough now aren’t ya boy?” He asked before completing the process.

  Nodding the affirmative, Willie raised his hand, put the other on the bible, and recited as he was told. That done, he grabbed the bound hands of the previous sheriff and shoved him ahead intent on getting him out of the house where the women were.

  “Let’s get moving Henry.” He said shoving him towards James. “Just be happy that I don’t use this position to bury you like I really want to.”

  Content that the law would be upheld and that they had someone to take care of things for the time being, Jack took a small sigh of relief before looking around at the faces remaining in the room. “Well, what now? I mean I may be the mayor but you’re the judge.” He looked at Edward.

  “Jack if you had seen some of the bruises on that girl, you would be one of the first to suggest throwing up some gallows.” Edward started. “Just the thought of that monster having Anna or Frances is enough to make my blood boil all over again. What do you think Son?” He looked first at Rick and then at Matt, knowing they both had more knowledge of Kat’s misfortunes then he did.

  Before either of them could answer, someone pounded on the door; it flew open and Angel came in looking wildly around. “Rick, Matt; you both better get out here. After you left the house, I couldn’t even begin to convince Kat to stay. It’s been a hell of a ride but I need some help getting her down off Dusty and inside.”

  The men quickly rushed outside and Rick approached the horse to help her down. “God Baby, what were you thinking?” He started to lecture her but stopped when GoldDust attempted to take a bite out of his shoulder. “Damn you horse; I’m trying to help her not hurt her.”

  “You’ll have to excuse his manners Rick. He hasn’t gotten much exercise lately and he’s feeling his oats so to speak. If you’ll help me down, I think I’d like to rest just a bit.” Kaitlyn told him, her face pale from pain.

  Matt grabbed the horse’s halter holding his head as Rick helped Kaitlyn slide from the saddle; holding her up after her feet touched the ground. He then picked her up, carried her into the house to a large overstuffed sofa, and made sure she was comfortable. “Thurston, would you be so kind as to bring whiskey and a glass?”

  “Right away sir.” Thurston answered as he quickly left the room and returned with a bottle.

  “My god,” The mayor said looking closely at the girl for the first time; seeing the swelling and bruises that had not yet gone away. “He did all that?”

  “He was responsible for it and a whole lot more.” Matt said as Rick poured some whiskey and encouraged Kat to drink it.

  “Holy Hades!” She exclaimed, wincing as the whiskey took her breath away. “Ok, let me have some more, that stuff warms the insides and takes the edge off the pain.” She told Rick after another moment.

  “Go slow on it Sweetheart; we don’t need you so intoxicated that you can’t ride later.” Rick laughed.

  “Where are Marie and Anna? I thought they came here to stay temporarily.” Kat said just realizing she hadn’t seen them.

  “They are upstairs with Frances and the Missus.” Jack explained to her, taking a seat on a chair nearby. Turning and looking at Rick, “Do you mind if I ask her a few questions Son?”

  “I don’t mind if she doesn’t Mayor. Just keep in mind that she may tire fairly quickly. This is her first time out of the house since the kidnapping.” Rick replied, looking at Kat for confirmation.

  “Yeah, I can talk to him a little bit Rick. I’m just so tired and sore right now.” She yawned and clenched her ribs. “What can I tell you sir? I was under the impression that Matt and Marie had already talked to you.”

  Hanging his head and not meeting her gaze at first, the mayor finally looked back up to ask his first of several confusing questions. “Kaitlyn, is it ok if I call you by your given name?” Continuing at her nod, “Please don’t take offense at any of these questions, just answer them to the best of your memory. Have you ever stolen any livestock?”

  “Sir, I have never stolen anything in my life. Even when Angel and I were young and didn’t have any food I never stole. As far as livestock, I have traded or bred for everything I own. I traded my labor for Dusty and traded horses for cattle. I even traded meat and baked goods for labor on our ranch house.” She sighed.

  “How did you gain the property that your ranch is on?” He asked, noticing that Jacob Weatherby the attorney was writing everything down.

  “When we found out that the old man I worked for was being forced to sell out, we stayed in the little shack we lived in and I looked at property up until just a couple days before we had to move.” She took a deep breath. “Then, I took a huge chance and went into town to the land office and found that the only thing due on that piece of property was the taxes. I had the money I had been saving up and paid it then and there. I rode back to the shack and Angel and I moved that day.”

  Nodding his head, he remembered the day she had paid the taxes on that old barren piece of land and never thought much about it. “There was nothing out there girl; how did you make a ranch out of it?”

  “Well Mayor, it wasn’t easy.” She told him. “We slept in a broken down old wagon for a long time and slowly built a lean-to and eventually a house. We used every bit of scrap lumber we could find and made do with what we had.”

  “How did you come across the Angus cattle?” He asked her next.

  “That part’s simple; a guy wanted four matched geldings and traded me eight pregnant cows and a small bull for them. My eight cows became sixteen head of cattle.” She told him arching her eyebrow in response to all of his questions.”

  “How did you run a ranch with just you and your sister to do all the work?
” He asked now just because he was curious.

  “We worked really hard at it. We did have an old hobo that got off the train and lived on the property for a few years. He exchanged his labor for our cooking and shelter. He just wouldn’t share our bath water.” She laughed not thinking or worried about how that might be taken.

  “Did you ever poison a water hole?” He asked, intending this to be his last question.

  “Sir, why would I do that? After working so hard to build a name and two herds; why would I intentionally kill off my stock?” She asked truly puzzled. “I mean, it is my stock we’re talking about right? I had too much to take care of to worry about anyone else’s property or stock.”

  “You are totally correct my girl.” He finally said. “None of this makes any sense and never should have. I am definitely not sure what I was thinking to have trusted anything that Henry said. I suppose it was just blind stupidity because after all his help, I never dreamed he would do something like this. I have nothing further to say except I am very, deeply sorry for any hardship that this has caused you.”

  “Maybe this can begin to make it up.” Frances said softly coming into the room. “I know Matt spoke to Father about it and I believe he and Rick were going to work something out. I feel that it should be yours.” She gently handed Kat the little figurine that was an identical match to hers, which was destroyed when the sheriff had set the fire.

  Cradling it gently in her hands, Kat’s shoulders began to shake with silent sobs of sadness and joy. Carefully she handed it to Rick for safekeeping before wiping her eyes and embracing Frances in a tight sisterly hug. “Thank you so very much. You will never know how greatly this is appreciated.” She said hugging her again.

  “I have only seen two of those in my lifetime.” Josephine, Frances’ mother stepped forward. “My grandmother had a pair of them when I was young and gave one to me and one to my brother. I had wondered for a very long time what happened to him; now I think I know. His name was Charles Carson. He married and neither my mother nor I particularly liked the girl he had chosen; we thought she was too weak for the kind of life he wanted to live. I never saw him again after they moved away. I heard tell there was a man by that name not too far from here but I never got to meet him and heard he passed on. Now I suppose we will never know.” She sighed sadly, lost in thought.

  “Well ma’am, I can’t say for sure whether they were the same man or not but as you probably already know it was Charles Carson that gave me that little figurine. He had moved out here after him and my mother married, his previous wife had passed away during childbirth. He has two sons and Angel, which are blood. I was his in spirit. He is the only man I ever called Daddy.” Kat explained carefully. “He was a very good man and one more life that the sheriff put to an end.”

  “So we may all be family?” Frances giggled. “In a roundabout sort of way anyway.”

  “From the sound of things Josephine; it looks like we will need to pay a visit to the county seat and look into things a little more. If all of this is true, then we just inherited some nieces and nephews.” The Mayor laughed.

  “Well, I don’t know about everyone else but I’ve had just about all the fun I can stand for a day.” Kat said staggered to her feet. “Edward, would you mind too terribly bad if I borrowed a room at your house for the night? I’ve heard that you live here in town.”

  “Nonsense Kaitlyn.” Josephine said. “We have plenty of spare room’s right here. There is no sense in your leaving now; you look exhausted and I’m not sure you could stay in the saddle even that short of distance.”

  “I didn’t come here to impose. I just wanted to make sure Anna and Marie were ok. When I left the house, I didn’t even know Frances; but I’m very glad that she is ok too. Sheriff Fairchild is not at all the kind of person I’d trust around any female, as you already found out.” Kat replied.

  “Please, there is a spare room next to mine or across the hall from mine next to where Marie and Anna are staying.” Frances entreated. “We won’t bother you and you really do look beat.”

  Kat looked at Rick helplessly. Angel stepped forward. “How about this Kat, Matt and I can stay at Edward’s if it’s ok.” She looked at the elder Jamison for confirmation. “And you and Rick can stay here. Frank made sure that Dusty is already settled down in a stall and you’re done for. Just relax and we can meet for breakfast in the morning and make plans from there.”

  “If it sounds ok to you Kaitlyn, we can do that.” Rick wrapped his arm comfortably around her waist like it belonged there. “Then like Angel said, in the morning we can all get together and get some things decided.”

  “Ok, it looks like we’re staying here tonight then.” Kat announced. “I hate to be a party pooper but as you all noticed, my strength is pretty much shot. Mrs. Andrews, if you would kindly show me where I can bed down; I’d appreciate it.”

  Kat quickly hugged Angel and said her goodbyes to her and Matt and to Edward; looked confused and questioningly at Jacob and followed Josephine out of the room and upstairs. “Do you have something that I might put on to sleep?” She asked the kind older woman.

  Opening the wardrobe, Josephine looked at a couple different sized gowns before deciding on one she thought might be about the right size. “Let’s try this one; it seems large enough to be comfortable without swallowing you whole. Let me help you with those clothes. I didn’t even think about that before your sister left but please don’t feel uncomfortable, my daughter is about your age and I still help her every now and then.”

  Kat knew better than to argue. With the pain in her ribs and the stiffness of the healing wound on her leg, she knew there would be no way she could accomplish dressing alone without help. “I guess let’s start on these britches.” She said attempting to drop them as far as they would go before sitting on the edge of the bed and getting assistance to get them off. Next, came the shirt, which she got unbuttoned but had to have help peeling off.

  Hearing the gasp that she knew would come, “It’s ok, really.” She attempted to reassure Josephine. “Actually, a lot of the color and swelling has already gone away. I feel much better and have more and more strength every day.”

  “Good God child, what did he let that man do to you?” She asked. “And to think you are his own blood and he allowed this. Hanging is too good for him, he needs to be shot…several times too if you ask me.”

  Laughing at her seriousness, “I have a feeling that he has a lot to deal with now. James was none too happy with him and if Rick were to get a hold of him, there would be nothing left to hang.” Kat said simplifying the situation.

  “Just what is your relationship with the older boy?” Her new aunt asked her. “He seems to be a good man and you seem to know each other pretty well.”

  “We are engaged to be married and Angel and I were attempting to pick out our wedding dresses before I got kidnapped.” Kat explained. “I didn’t realize that Rick’s father is a judge otherwise we could have been married soon after we got home.”

  “Just think though Kaitlyn, if that had happened then I wouldn’t have the chance to take my nieces shopping for their bridal trousseau.” She informed her happily.

  “But Josephine, I didn’t tell you about Charles to get you to buy us stuff.” Kat protested. “I only wanted to give you some peace of mind knowing what a good man he was.”

  “I know Kaitlyn, that’s part of why I want to.” Her aunt explained. “You have made something out of your life even though everything has gone against you. You haven’t turned bitter and you count your blessings wherever you can find them. Please let me do this one thing for you girls. I would like to get to know you both and spend time with you. Now that I know who you are, maybe you will allow me to come and visit you.”

  Looking into her eyes, Kat knew she had found an ally and some more true family. “It’s funny Aunt, it is ok that I call you that I hope. It feels strange calling you Josephine.” She interrupted herself while trying to get her co
mment out. “It’s funny that six weeks ago Angel and I were on our own here and now we have a sister, an aunt and uncle, a cousin and before long we’ll have spouses.” She marveled.

  “Well, this nightgown is a bit large.” Her aunt said looking at it. “But at least it should be comfortable. Let’s get those ribs of yours unbound so you can sleep a little more comfortably.”

  “Thank you so very much for your hospitality and for your thoughtfulness. You did not have to be so nice to us and I really appreciate it.” Kat told her.

  Suddenly, the door burst open and Rick strode in without so much as a knock. “Just how much family do you expect me to believe you have?”

  “What are you taking about Rick?” Kat asked, confused after her conversation with her aunt that she knew Rick didn’t know about yet.

  “There are two men downstairs claiming to be your brothers.” Rick started. “They said that they heard down at the Tumbleweed that you were staying the night here and came as soon as they could.”