Lawfully Matched, Justified, and Redeemed

by Lorana Hoopes

  “Don’t listen to him,” a voice to her right said.

  Kate looked up to see a young waitress, looking down at her. The woman appeared about Kate’s age, maybe a year or two younger, with dark hair and brown eyes.

  “I’m Sarah Miller, and I work here at the café. I want you to know, we don’t all feel like James does,” she affirmed. “We miss Pauline, but from what Miss Ellen says, you’re a wonderful person. If she vouches for you, it’s only a matter of time before everyone sees what she does. I, for one, am glad you’re here. It’s nice to have another woman close to my age around, and I hope we can become friends.”

  “Thank you,” Kate said, sniffing, “but I don’t know if I can keep dealing with so much hatred.”

  “Yes, you can. James doesn’t hate you. He’s just grieving. What you need is to get more involved with the rest of the women in town. There’s a social this Sunday after church. There’ll be dancing and food and a recipe swap. If you come, I promise you’ll find more people who feel like I do.”

  Kate wiped her eyes and smiled at the girl. “Thank you. I accept your offer. I haven’t met many people my own age, and I could certainly use the socialization.”

  Sarah patted her arm. “I’ve got to get back to work, but I look forward to talking with you more on Sunday.”

  Chapter 13

  Kate was excited when Sunday morning dawned. Though the social wasn’t until after church, she had gotten everything ready the night before.

  She pulled back the sides of her raven locks and secured them with combs, letting the rest of the hair flow freely around her shoulder. As this was her first social and after church, she had picked one of her nicer dresses, unsure of what to expect. When she was satisfied with her appearance, she glided into the main room.

  Jesse looked up from the table where he was reading. “You look lovely, Kate,” he said.

  “I’m not overdressed?” she asked, twirling around for him.

  “Maybe a little,” he laughed, “but I don’t think anyone will mind. Are you ready then?”

  “Wait, one more thing.” Kate hurried back into the bedroom and grabbed the recipe cards she had written out the night before for the recipe swap. It had been a painstaking and tiring process, and she’d had to stop often to shake out her cramped hand, but she had a stack of cards to swap for today. And she was excited to obtain some new recipes to try for Jesse.

  With the papers in hand, she hurried back to the kitchen and grabbed the bread she had baked the previous day to share. “Now, I’m ready.”

  Jesse smiled and shut his book. “Come on then.”

  * * *

  Though Kate normally loved church, she found it hard to sit through the service today. She was too excited to socialize with other young women her age, and she couldn’t remember the last time she had danced.

  Jesse turned to her as she fidgeted in the seat yet again. “The time doesn’t go any faster the more you move,” he whispered with a smile.

  “I know. I’m sorry.” Kate forced her hands to remain still in her lap for the remainder of the service.

  When the final hymn was sung, she stood and glanced eagerly towards the door, but a parade of people standing and chatting blocked the path to the exit. She was forced to swallow her impatience once more, post a smile on her face, and exchange pleasantries as the line slowly filed out of the church.

  As the social was being held in the barn not far from the church and the weather was fair, they decided to walk, but Kate had to stop at the wagon to grab her bread and cards. Then they joined the rest of the people heading toward the barn. It appeared nearly everyone in Sage Creek came out for socials.

  As they neared the entrance of the barn, Sarah waved from the doorway. “Kate,” she said, hurrying over. “I am so glad you were able to make it.”

  “Me too,” Kate said, smoothing her skirt with her free hand. “Though I’m a little nervous.”

  “There’s no need to be. I promise this will be a friendly crowd, right Deputy?” Sarah asked, turning to Jesse.

  “Yes ma’am,” Jesse nodded. “Jeb will be checking in to make sure no one from the saloon wanders over after too many drinks.”

  Kate knew he was referring to James, who still seemed to be harboring a grudge against them both, but she didn’t mind. Today, she was going to enjoy herself and not worry about James.

  “Come on,” Sarah said, tugging on Kate’s arm.

  Kate looked to Jesse, not sure what the protocol was.

  “Go on,” he said. “I’m going to do a quick walk around, and then I’ll come find you.”

  After saying goodbye to Jesse, she followed Sarah into the barn. There was a small band playing the banjo and harmonica on one side of the barn for the couples that wanted to dance. At the far back was a table filled with food, and on the left, tables had been set up for the recipe swap and general mingling.

  “Let’s drop your bread off first and then grab a table,” Sarah said, pulling Kate toward the back.

  Kate laughed and followed Sarah’s lead. For the first time in a long time, she felt lighthearted and carefree.

  “Kate? Oh, I’m so glad you’re here.”

  Kate turned to see Ellen coming toward them. “I wanted to apologize for James’s behavior,” she said, pulling Kate in for a hug. “When I heard what happened, I wanted to come and see you right away, but Iris has been sick.”

  “Oh, no, is she alright?” Kate asked.

  “Yes, I think it’s just exhaustion. She had been going nonstop to try to forget Pauline’s death, but when I finally made her take a break, her body told her she needed more rest. I think it’s partly why James has been drinking more lately. I’m afraid he thinks he’s going to lose her too. I was hoping maybe you could pray for all of us. I’ve been doing it, but I’m so new to this that I’m not sure I’m doing it right.”

  “There’s no right way to do it, but I’d be happy to, Ellen,” Kate said. “Why don’t you join Sarah and I for the recipe swap?”

  Ellen glanced over at the other young girl. “No,” she said. “I may be young at heart, but I think you need to be with women closer to your own age today. You girls have fun.”

  As Ellen walked away, Sarah pulled Kate over to the recipe swap area. “What did you bring?” she asked Kate.

  “My mother’s sourdough bread recipe,” Kate said. “What did you bring?”

  “A bread pudding recipe. I’m a much better baker than a cook which is odd since my folks own the cafe right?”

  “No, I get that,” Kate said. “My mother loved to sew, but she always dragged me to fabric stores with her. I hated sewing growing up. I am still not very good at it.”

  “But perhaps there’s hope for me yet?” Sarah asked with a smile.

  “Wait until you get married and have to be the cook. You’ll learn real fast,” Kate said with a chuckle.

  The girls laid out their cards and then meandered through the other tables, picking up cards for other mouthwatering recipes. Kate was pleased to find a few for main dishes as that was her weakness.

  When they had gathered all the cards, they walked to the back table to try some of the tantalizing food. The display was eclectic with everything from chili to savory desserts. After filling a plate with some, they headed back toward the table, but Jesse intercepted them on the way.

  “Perhaps Miss Miller can put your plate on the table for you as I’d like to dance with you,” Jesse said, taking her plate and passing it to Sarah before propelling Kate to the dance floor.

  “I can’t remember the last time I danced,” Kate began as Jesse moved her in a circle around the floor.

  “I’ve never been very good,” he said. “I hope I don’t step on your toes.”

  “Well, even if you do, I think I could forgive you.” Kate smiled up at him, enjoying the feel of his hand on her waist.

  He said nothing, but as he returned her smile, Kate realized again how handsome he was. His nose wasn’t exactly straight, but i
t complemented his strong jaw, and the warmth of his brown eyes softened the chiseled lines of his face.

  As the slower beat of the first song ended and a faster one began, Jesse didn’t let go of her but upped his tempo in turning her around the floor. He managed to only step on her toes once, but the look of intense concentration on his face tickled Kate so much that when the song ended, she found herself flushed and out of breath.

  “Can we go outside for a minute of fresh air?” she asked.

  Jesse nodded, and taking her arm, led her outside. The cooler air tamed the heat on her face and neck but did nothing for her parched throat. She cleared her throat, trying to ease the dryness that had taken root.

  “Would you like some punch?” Jesse asked. “I would be happy to fetch you some.”

  “I would love that,” Kate said. “I’ll just be out here catching my breath.”

  As Jesse ducked back into the barn, Kate leaned against the old rail fence and closed her eyes. Her trip out West may not have started on the best foot, but she was certainly content with it today.

  “You’re a hard woman to find, Miss Whidby.”

  Kate’s eyes snapped open at the dark, throaty voice that did not belong to her husband. Brown eyes met her gaze, but they were not the warm chocolate pools of Jesse’s eyes. They were instead a harsh and unforgiving brown like the desert, and they looked at her over the barrel of a Colt revolver.

  “My name isn’t Whidby any longer,” Kate said with a forced bravado. “It’s Jennings.”

  “You think just because you married someone else you don’t belong to me?” he laughed a cold, cruel sound that turned Kate’s blood cold. “I paid for you to come here. I own you, and if you were stupid enough to marry someone else, then it will be easy enough to end his life and free you up again.”

  “Why do you want a wife anyway?” Kate retorted. “Did you expect I would start robbing with you or just turn a blind eye?”

  “I expected you would do what I told you to do. You would cook my meals and clean my house and fulfill your wifely duties.”

  Kate shivered at the insinuation in his words. “You were stupid to come here. The sheriff and his men are looking for you.”

  “That may be, but that’s why I chose now. I know everyone is inside at the festivities and there’s no one patrolling today. Once I found you, it was just a matter of playing the waiting game. Now let’s get moving.”

  Kate glanced toward the door for Jesse. What was taking him so long?

  “I don’t think she’ll be going anywhere with you.”

  Kate sighed with relief at the sound of Jesse’s voice, but it was short lived as Bill grabbed her arm and swung her against his chest as he turned around. She saw just a flicker of fear enter Jesse’s eyes as she was made into a human shield.

  “I think I’ll be making the rules here,” Bill snarled. “Besides, why does she even matter to you? I’m sure you only married her for convenience.”

  The smell radiating off Bill was sour and acrid, and Kate could feel his sweat from the arm wrapped around her.

  “She does matter to me,” Jesse said, his eyes meeting Kate’s for a minute, “but more than that, you are also responsible for killing my fiancée and one of our deputies, so I am taking you in one way or another.”

  “Your fiancée? Oh, you mean the pretty blond who was shot when we robbed the bank? I can see why you’d be upset about that. She looked like she could keep a man happy.”

  Kate saw the veins in Jesse’s neck tighten. She had no idea how good of a shot he was or how accurate Bill was, but she also wasn’t sure how much longer Jesse could keep his composure with Bill speaking ill of Pauline. What she was sure of though was that due to her height, Bill’s left arm wasn’t able to reach across her chest enough to pin her right arm down, and she knew that his right arm had recently been injured. She just hoped Jesse would remember and understand her gesture.

  When Kate was sure she had Jesse’s eye, she flicked her eyes to the right in hopes he would remember Bill’s injury. Then, closing her eyes and praying, she flung her right arm up as hard and as fast as she could. When it collided with Bill’s right arm, she felt his left loosen and she dropped to the ground as one, then two gunshots went off.

  Kate clasped her hands over her ears as they began to ring from the noise and looked around. Bill lay on the ground behind her, a pool of red spreading across his chest. His eyes still held a look of shock. She turned to where Jesse should be standing, but he was also on the ground.

  “Jesse,” she cried as she scrambled over to him. There was no blood on his chest, but she ran her hands over it all the same feeling frantically for a wound.

  When her hands reached his face, his eyes opened. “Kate Whidby. That was either the dumbest thing or the bravest thing I’ve ever seen anyone do.”

  Kate smacked his chest, causing him to grunt. “Don’t scare me like that. I thought you were dead, and my name is Kate Jennings.”

  “So, it is,” he said with a smile.

  Moments later they were surrounded by half the town and peppered with questions. Jeb and Cody helped remove the body of Bill Easterly as Sheriff Johnson helped Jesse up.

  “You’re bleeding,” Kate gasped as she saw a red spot form in his sleeve.

  “It’s just a scratch,” Jesse said. “You knocked his arm wide enough that his bullet just grazed me.”

  “We still better get it looked at,” Sheriff Johnson said. “Everyone else can return to the social. The danger here is taken care of.”

  The crowd stepped back a few feet, but no one seemed eager to hurry back into the barn. People murmured amongst each other, trying to guess what had happened.

  * * *

  Doc Moore emerged from the crowd and led the way to his office. “Let’s get that shirt off, Jesse, and take a look at that arm,” he said as Jesse sat on the cot in the room.

  Jesse had barely felt the graze, but as he lifted his arm to begin unbuttoning his shirt, an achy sensation descended on his arm. He tried not to grimace, but from the look on Kate’s face as she watched, he hadn’t been entirely successful. After another few jabs of pain, he managed to get his sleeve off.

  While Doc Moore examined and cleaned the wound, Jesse’s eyes drifted to Kate. She was so unlike Pauline, not only from her dark hair and blue eyes but to her personality. He couldn’t imagine Pauline doing what Kate had done. Though he still loved Pauline—he figured he always would—he realized there was room in his heart to care for Kate as well. Maybe in not quite the same way, but Jesse thought their marriage could not only be successful but happy and fulfilling as well.

  “You’re very lucky,” Doc Moore said as he wound the bandage around Jesse’s arm. “The bullet missed your bone, but it did go through a little of your muscle. It will heal, but you may be sore for a month or so, and you should take it easy with this arm for at least that long.”

  “Yes, sir,” Jesse nodded. He was glad to see the fear had gone from Kate’s eyes at the doctor’s proclamation of his health.

  “I know you said you weren’t injured, Kate,” Doc Moore said, turning to her, “but I’d like to check your ears and do a quick examination to be sure.”

  As Kate nodded, Jesse, and the sheriff exited the office to give her some privacy.

  “I’m sure Ellen will let him know, but I suppose I better find James and tell him we got Pauline’s killer,” the sheriff said.

  “Actually, sir, would it be alright if I did that?” Jesse asked. “We’ve had our share of disagreements, but I’d really like to be the one to give him the news.”

  The sheriff nodded, and a moment later, the door opened, and Kate exited. “I’ll walk with you,” Sheriff Johnson said, “as I’m sure he’s in the saloon and Miss Kate doesn’t need to be in there.”

  “Where are we going?” Kate asked, looking from one man to the other.

  “To tell James we got Easterly,” Jesse said.

  The sheriff led the way, and while he went insi
de, Jesse and Kate waited outside the saloon. A moment later, they heard James’s deep voice protesting, “I don’t want to see Jesse.”

  “You will for this,” came the sheriff’s voice.

  Jesse’s sullen face appeared in the doorway, followed by Sheriff Johnson’s.

  “James, I know you blame me for Pauline’s death,” Jesse began, “but I promised her I would find her killer. I wanted to let you know that we did. His name was Bill Easterly, and he came here tonight, but with Kate’s help,” he flashed her a smile, “we were able to outsmart him. He’s dead, James. It’s over.”

  James looked from Jesse to Kate to the sheriff. Though he had obviously been drinking, his face sobered. “He’s dead? You really got him?”

  Jesse nodded, surprised to see liquid forming in James’s eyes.

  “Good,” James said, and walked back into the saloon.

  Jesse watched him go and shook his head.

  “Now, you two go home and get some rest,” Sheriff Johnson said to Jesse and Kate, “but I want you both at the office tomorrow to give your account of what happened. I’ll make sure James gets home and inform the Mastersons what happened. I hope it can give them some peace.”

  “Yes sir,” Jesse said. As he turned to Kate, he held out his good hand. “I guess we better follow orders and get on home.”

  “There’s no place I’d rather be,” Kate said putting her hand in his.

  Epilogue

  “Tell me again why we’re doing this,” Jesse said as he buttoned his shirt.

  “Because they’re our friends, and they didn’t get to come to our wedding. Well, except for Jeb and Sheriff Johnson and the Davises that is,” Kate said. She tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear and turned from the mirror. “Besides our last night of dancing was cut short. Now, we get another chance.”

  Jesse grabbed her hand and pulled her up to his chest. “You know we could dance right here.” He spun her in a circle around the bedroom.