Read Online Jessie's War (Civil War Steam) by Meggan Connors - Free Book Online

lather about. Her father never complained.”
    “Did Miss White?”
    “Once or twice.”
    Luke recognized the lie in
his words. Luke didn’t even want to think about how many times Jessie might
have spoken up and never been heard.
    “She never had any proof,
though,” the sheriff offered.
    “I see. And since?”
    “She’s been a thorn in my
side.” The older man rolled his eyes. “Since her father died, she’s been
writing articles and pamphlets about the conditions of the camps, and some
nonsense that the mines are killing the wild horses and antelope. Damn things
get everybody all worked up, and it’s not good for business. Damn fool girl
doesn’t know when to leave well enough alone.” He shook his head. “She’s been
complaining of people trying to break into her house. Maybe twice a month.”
    “Twice a month ?” Luke exploded.
    The sheriff startled, his
right hand settling on his still-holstered weapon.
    Forcing himself to sit back
in his chair, Luke assumed an unaffected posture, open and friendly. Arms
loose, one leg resting on his knee. “Sorry. I’m just surprised. You talk to her
often?”
    The sheriff leaned forward
and grinned at Luke, as if they were sharing a joke. “Too often, if you ask me.
She’s fair of face, but as beef-headed as an acorn calf. Girl has no idea what’s
good for her.”
    “And what is good for her?”
Luke casually put his feet up on the sheriff’s desk.
    The sheriff’s gaze shifted
from Luke’s face to his boots and then back. “If you don’t mind…”
    “I domind, as a matter of fact.” Luke silently chided himself for
baiting the man, but he didn’t change his position. “Tell me what you think is
good for Miss White.”
    His knees bouncing, the
sheriff shifted his weight in his chair, his fingers fidgeting with a cigar he’d
pulled from the breast pocket of his vest.
    Luke smiled, and the older
man flinched. He gestured with his head to the letter from Secretary Eckert. “Tell
me what is good for Miss White,” he
repeated, the threat thinly veiled.
    The sheriff’s hands settled
into his lap and his eyes narrowed. Luke would have preferred a good working
relationship with the local law, but there was no chance of that now. Too much
history and too much Jessie stood in the way.
    “She’d leave town if she had
any sense.”
    “Have you mentioned this to
Miss White?”
    “In passing, I’m sure I did.”
    “For whom?”
    The sheriff’s focused on a
spot behind Luke’s shoulder. “My office is not for sale, if that’s what you’re
suggesting.”
    Luke took his boots off the
table and rested his elbows on his knees. “I don’t think you understand, sheriff.
I am not interested in your pride. I am interested in the truth, whatever that
may be. You give it to me, and I’ll leave you alone. If you don’t…” He allowed
his threat to hang in the air.
    The veneer of civility had
been wiped away, and the sheriff appraised him. “Mr. Fitzpatrick might have
mentioned she gave him a spot of trouble. I merely advised her of what she
could do to avoid future run-ins with the law.”
    “Run-ins,” Luke echoed. “Tell
me about them.”
    “She set a small fire when
she lit some flash powder on her property. We can’t have that, and I brought
her in. Spent a week in lock up, and then Judge Watson ordered her released.
Though to this day, I’m not sure why he did.”
    “I see. Has she complained of
trouble since?”
    “If I followed up on every
complaint filed by the Indians in this town--”
    “Did you follow up on any of
them?” Luke asked.
    “If there’s no proof, there’s
no problem. Isn’t that how you marshals work?”
    “I’m no marshal, sheriff, but
I’ll take that as a no.”
    The sheriff’s eyes became
little more than slits, and, ignoring Luke for a moment, he lit the cigar he’d
been toying with. He blew lazy smoke rings in Luke’s direction. “Not sure why
you care so much, Bradshaw. She’s just another