Read Online The Lawman's Surrender: The Calhoun Sisters, Book 2 by Debra Mullins - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Debra Mullins
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of shape at the thought of a husband killer in town.”
“I noticed that.”
“You can bring her on back.” Sheriff Jones took the keys off a hook on the wall and led them back toward the cells. “The jail’s empty now except for old Homer Gatling, sleeping off a wild hair he found at the bottom of a whiskey bottle.”
The sheriff unlocked a cell and opened the door. Jedidiah turned to Susannah. “Give me your hands,” he said quietly.
She raised her hands, wishing him to the devil with every fiber of her being. Her thoughts must have shown on her face, for when he unlocked the handcuffs, his movements were as wary as if she were a keg of dynamite with a lit fuse.
Which wasn’t far off the mark.
He slipped the handcuffs in his coat pocket and gestured for her to enter the cell. Head held high, she walked inside, then turned to stare at him defiantly, her arms crossed.
Sheriff Jones closed and locked the door. Jedidiah looked at the other lawman. “Would you give us a minute alone please, Sheriff?”
Jones nodded, sent Susannah a speculative look, and headed back to his desk in the other room, keys jingling. Jedidiah stepped up to the bars.
“I’m sorry about this,” he said. “But I need to leave you somewhere safe, and this was the best I could think of.”
“And where are you going?” she shot back. “The saloon, I suppose?”
“You suppose wrong.” He leaned toward the bars, his face taut with annoyance. “I’ve about had it with that mouth of yours, Susannah Calhoun.”
“Please, just call me Black Widow,” she replied with a sweet smile.
His lips thinned. “So I miscalculated. I’ve already apologized for that. If you weren’t so conspicuous, none of this would be necessary!”
“Oh, let’s do blame this on me!” Hands on her hips, she sauntered up to the bars until all that separated them was the cold, hard steel. “I can’t help the way I look, Jedidiah Brown. Or the way people react to it. You are the one who came up with that ridiculous story!”
“I’m trying to help you.”
Her eyes widened. “Into the hangman’s noose, perhaps!”
He pointed a finger at her. “You’re the one who got herself into trouble. I’m doing everything I can to keep a rope from around your pretty neck, so I suggest you forget the snotty remarks.”
“Considering I’m traveling with a man who considers me guilty of murder, I think I’m entitled to a few snotty remarks!”
“I never thought you were guilty,” he shot back. “I thought you were capable. There’s a difference. But no matter what I think, Brick Caldwell is dead. It’s my job to find out who killed him and bring that person to justice...and I don’t think it was you.”
She gaped at him. “But...but you’ve been treating me horribly and acting as if you think I’m guilty. And you’re taking me to Denver!”
“It’s my duty as a U.S. Marshal to bring you to Denver. But I am also sworn to see that justice is done. And that includes tracking down a witness who can prove your innocence.”
Hope flickered in her breast. “You’re going to help me?”
“I’m going to find Abigail Hawkins,” he corrected. “I’m going to hear her testimony, and hopefully she’ll swear to the fact that Brick Caldwell was alive when you left him.”
Susannah’s shoulders sagged with relief. “Why didn’t you tell me?”
“Because you were acting so contrary,” he replied. “It’s easier for me to do my job if you cooperate. And given the way this town has been acting, I wanted to clear the air before I leave you alone again. I’m on your side, Susannah. I care what happens to you.”
She gave him a soft smile. “You do?”
“Sure.” He shrugged casually and gave her a pleasant smile. “I care about everybody. That’s what a marshal does. He rights the wrongs so the bad men go to jail and innocent people can live in safety.”
“I see.” Her smile faded. “So that means when your job is done here,
“I noticed that.”
“You can bring her on back.” Sheriff Jones took the keys off a hook on the wall and led them back toward the cells. “The jail’s empty now except for old Homer Gatling, sleeping off a wild hair he found at the bottom of a whiskey bottle.”
The sheriff unlocked a cell and opened the door. Jedidiah turned to Susannah. “Give me your hands,” he said quietly.
She raised her hands, wishing him to the devil with every fiber of her being. Her thoughts must have shown on her face, for when he unlocked the handcuffs, his movements were as wary as if she were a keg of dynamite with a lit fuse.
Which wasn’t far off the mark.
He slipped the handcuffs in his coat pocket and gestured for her to enter the cell. Head held high, she walked inside, then turned to stare at him defiantly, her arms crossed.
Sheriff Jones closed and locked the door. Jedidiah looked at the other lawman. “Would you give us a minute alone please, Sheriff?”
Jones nodded, sent Susannah a speculative look, and headed back to his desk in the other room, keys jingling. Jedidiah stepped up to the bars.
“I’m sorry about this,” he said. “But I need to leave you somewhere safe, and this was the best I could think of.”
“And where are you going?” she shot back. “The saloon, I suppose?”
“You suppose wrong.” He leaned toward the bars, his face taut with annoyance. “I’ve about had it with that mouth of yours, Susannah Calhoun.”
“Please, just call me Black Widow,” she replied with a sweet smile.
His lips thinned. “So I miscalculated. I’ve already apologized for that. If you weren’t so conspicuous, none of this would be necessary!”
“Oh, let’s do blame this on me!” Hands on her hips, she sauntered up to the bars until all that separated them was the cold, hard steel. “I can’t help the way I look, Jedidiah Brown. Or the way people react to it. You are the one who came up with that ridiculous story!”
“I’m trying to help you.”
Her eyes widened. “Into the hangman’s noose, perhaps!”
He pointed a finger at her. “You’re the one who got herself into trouble. I’m doing everything I can to keep a rope from around your pretty neck, so I suggest you forget the snotty remarks.”
“Considering I’m traveling with a man who considers me guilty of murder, I think I’m entitled to a few snotty remarks!”
“I never thought you were guilty,” he shot back. “I thought you were capable. There’s a difference. But no matter what I think, Brick Caldwell is dead. It’s my job to find out who killed him and bring that person to justice...and I don’t think it was you.”
She gaped at him. “But...but you’ve been treating me horribly and acting as if you think I’m guilty. And you’re taking me to Denver!”
“It’s my duty as a U.S. Marshal to bring you to Denver. But I am also sworn to see that justice is done. And that includes tracking down a witness who can prove your innocence.”
Hope flickered in her breast. “You’re going to help me?”
“I’m going to find Abigail Hawkins,” he corrected. “I’m going to hear her testimony, and hopefully she’ll swear to the fact that Brick Caldwell was alive when you left him.”
Susannah’s shoulders sagged with relief. “Why didn’t you tell me?”
“Because you were acting so contrary,” he replied. “It’s easier for me to do my job if you cooperate. And given the way this town has been acting, I wanted to clear the air before I leave you alone again. I’m on your side, Susannah. I care what happens to you.”
She gave him a soft smile. “You do?”
“Sure.” He shrugged casually and gave her a pleasant smile. “I care about everybody. That’s what a marshal does. He rights the wrongs so the bad men go to jail and innocent people can live in safety.”
“I see.” Her smile faded. “So that means when your job is done here,
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