Heart Lollipops
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“I’m telling you, there’s no reason to worry,” said Roper. “You’re only going into town to get supplies and some other things that we need.”
Riley had stopped walking. He looked down at the tracks on his boots where he’d walked in front of her. They were not new tracks. The soles were worn smooth, as if from many walks. He’d probably been wearing them all day long. She hadn’t even noticed until now.
She turned around so she was facing him. “And what makes you think I don’t have reason to worry?”
He took a step back, his eyebrows furrowing together. Then he glanced toward the trees behind her and quickly moved to stand next to her. “It doesn’t matter what we do out here anymore, Riley. It matters what happens when you leave this house tomorrow.”
Her stomach churned with fear but she forced herself not to let it show on her face. There wasn’t anything she could do about it anyway.
Roper cleared his throat then stepped closer again. “What did you mean earlier today, Riley? About having no choice?”
That was a question she didn’t want anyone asking. Not even Roper. If she told Roper she had no choice he would insist that they go into town and tell their story to people who cared and wanted to help them. And if he got involved, well…she just couldn’t take the risk. She knew firsthand how dangerous the situation could be for Roper.
So instead she took another step forward and put a hand on his chest, stopping him. “We can talk about it later.”
He frowned. “When you say ‘we’ are you talking about us or you?”
She took a deep breath and held it as she stared into his eyes. “Let’s just wait one more night before we talk about any of this. It will be better.”
His frown deepened. “What if something else happens tonight too—”
“I promise everything is fine. Please trust me on that, Roper.”
He nodded, but there was doubt on his face. But it was gone quickly replaced by a look of resignation. “Fine,” he muttered. “But you’re still going to tell me what happened when you came home from school.”
A knot formed in Riley’s throat and threatened to choke her. But she swallowed hard, trying to ignore the pain inside her that she felt every time she thought about that day. No one had ever asked her about it. She hadn’t even been able to tell herself. Now she had to tell someone—someone who had already suffered so much because of this.
With her voice barely above a whisper, she said, “I was attacked in my bedroom.”
***
The sun rose high overhead and the day began warming up rapidly. Riley stood in the front yard and watched the horses being groomed and saddled while the rest of the crew readied themselves for another day of work.
The men had taken over the task of caring for the animals since the death of Sam and Tom. With the loss of two hands, the ranch operation would be slowed down considerably unless she found some way to hire more help.
Roper walked out onto the porch. He stopped beside her, putting his arms around her shoulders. She leaned into him and he placed his hand on the small of her back. He gave her a gentle kiss on the top of her head, then pulled away slightly so he could look down at her. His expression seemed to say, “Are you sure you’ll be okay?”
There was a sadness in his eyes, but also a concern. And love. It warmed her heart. She smiled through the lump in her throat. “It’s nothing. Just an empty feeling inside my chest.”
Roper nodded and took her hand. “Come on. Let’s find you something nice to wear in town.”
The idea made her smile. “Okay.”
He led her to their room. It was full of clothing, most of which belonged to Roper. It was his father’s collection of suits and shirts and jackets. She tried on each piece, trying to make some sense out of it all. It was difficult for her to tell exactly what color each suit or shirt was. The material was light tan, cream, and pale yellow, making it impossible to distinguish one from another.
Finally, she chose a cream-colored cotton dress. It had white flowers embroidered along the hemline and sleeves. A matching belt was tucked into one side pocket. After choosing a pair of simple black shoes, she went downstairs.
“How do I look?” asked Riley.
Roper grinned. “Like a beautiful woman.”
She laughed. “Thank you. You look like a handsome cowboy.”
She had dressed carefully for this day. She wore her hair down, brushed and neatly braided, and parted down the center. She’d worn makeup. But the effect was ruined when she saw Roper sitting alone, staring at his feet.
He looked up suddenly as she stepped up behind him and rested her hand on his shoulder. He turned his head toward her but she noticed that his eyes were distant, troubled. “Everything all right?”
He shook his head. “No.” Then he took a deep breath and straightened himself with a nod. “Sorry. That wasn’t fair to ask you that question.” He smiled wryly. “You just look so pretty.”
Her cheeks heated. Was that the reaction he expected? Did she look too good or was it the opposite? What if he didn’t think she should be wearing this particular outfit? She hadn’t seen many women working on the ranch except for Roper’s mother who wore jeans, a denim shirt, and boots.
“I’m sorry,” Roper said softly. “Forget I even brought it up.” He reached down and kissed her forehead. “Ready to go?”
After leaving the ranch house, they rode in silence to the town of San Antonio, eight miles west of the property line. They passed a few farms and ranches before reaching the main street, where a row of shops lined both sides of the road.
Most of them sold goods or food, including an assortment of fresh vegetables and herbs. On the corner sat a tailor shop, where Riley purchased three new dresses for herself to wear while in town. One was black, and the other two were pale yellow. Each costs only five dollars. Not bad, considering how expensive these things usually are in city stores.
They walked around the square, then entered the mercantile store where Riley bought a hat and a straw fedora that she hoped would be suitable for the upcoming heat. The hat shop owner had insisted on trying each item on her head to get the proper fit.
She also picked out a couple of hats for Roper, but he politely refused, saying he preferred to stick with the cowboy hat he always wore. So she left them with the woman and told her to keep them there until they returned after work tomorrow.
By late morning they arrived at the saloon. Riley had never been inside the building before because Roper’s family did not drink alcohol in any form. However, today she decided to go in and see for herself what the place offered.
She pushed open the door and stepped inside. An aroma of tobacco smoke and beer wafted through the air. The barroom was large and well-lit by several hanging lamps. Men milled around chatting, drinking, and smoking cigarettes.
A band of four men played lively tunes on a makeshift stage set up against the wall near the doorway. There was an area in front of the stage for dancing. The walls were decorated with posters advertising the latest western movies.
A few people turned in their direction, some looking at Roper; others staring at her. She stood in the middle of the floor, watching the action and listening to the music.
A man came up to her and said, “What can I get ya, darlin’?”
“Just water.” She pointed at a table nearby. She knew the bartender was named Jim. She’d met him before.
Jim placed a glass of water in front of her. “That’ll be two dollars.”
She pulled out five coins from her pocket and handed them to him.
His eyes widened as he counted them. “Where did you find these?”
“On the ground outside.”
He grinned. “Good eye. You’re a sharp one, aren’t ya, darlin’? You must have a mind for business.”
“I suppose. What else could you use the money for?”
He leaned closer to her. “Don’t you worry about those two dollars, honey? They’ll be safe with me.” With that, he took off with his tip.
Then she watched Roper approach with the sheriff in tow.
The sheriff nodded to Roper and then addressed her. “Hello again, Miss Riley.”
She frowned as Roper introduced her to Sheriff Jackson, a man she’d never spoken to before. His name meant nothing to her.
Sheriff Jackson glanced briefly at the sheriff on Roper’s left side and said, “We’ve found your sister-in-law and she’s doing fine.” Then he smiled broadly at Roper.
Roper looked relieved, though his attention remained on her, not her brother-in-law. “Thank God!” He turned back to the sheriff. “Can I have a word with you?”
Jackson gestured to the table beside the bar. It was empty now since the patrons moved closer to listen to the band play. Once they settled down, Roper led the sheriff into an alcove behind the bar where Riley couldn’t overhear their conversation.
But she saw Jackson reach for his pocket to pull out something, which he placed on the table. He also held up a hand to stop Roper, who seemed ready to say more. After a moment, the sheriff put his hand down on top of the object. He gave Roper a brief nod then walked away.
Not wanting to draw attention to herself, Riley returned to her seat and pretended to watch the band, but her thoughts were elsewhere. When she realized she was no longer alone, she looked up.
Sheriff Jackson had followed her and was sitting across from her.
“You should leave this place,” he said quietly.
“Why?”
“Because it’s dangerous to live so close to outlaws such as these.”
“There is only one outlaw, and he’s dead.”
His expression darkened. “Didn’t you hear about the murder yesterday? One of our own deputies was killed.” He reached under the table and pulled out his gun belt. Pulling free a pistol, he showed it to her. “This is just one of my six revolvers. I carry another nine on duty.”
Riley tried to calm her racing heart. “So?”
“One of my deputies was murdered during his nightly walk with his wife. And that killer was wearing one of these bullets.” He tapped the barrel of his weapon. “Whoever shot him will try again, and next time he might not be lucky enough to die.” He paused to think, then asked, “Are you married?”
“No.”
“Then why do you insist on living here?”
“My brother-in-law owns this town.”
He raised his eyebrows. “I thought Roper was a rancher.”
“Yes, but he’s also a businessman. He has a saloon.”
“Is he making a profit?”
“Of course he is. We all are. The whole town prospers because of Roper.”
“That doesn’t mean everyone will continue to do so once the bank runs dry.”
“And how do you know?” she asked.
“I read the papers like you do.”
He wasn’t wrong, although she’d been careful to keep her distance from the paper. Still, it didn’t take much imagination to understand what was happening.
“If this bank fails, we’ll have nowhere to turn,” she said.
He looked up at the ceiling and sighed. “It’ll work itself out.”
“I don’t believe that for a minute.”
“Well, maybe it will.”
She shook her head. “Maybe Roper knows something he isn’t telling us.” She hesitated, wondering if she should mention the letter she received from the mayor. “What do you think about what he said? About me leaving this place?”
The sheriff shrugged. “I’m a lawman first, but I’m also a man, and you’re pretty. You can see how that makes me feel.”
She was surprised by his words and the fact that he hadn’t told her he disapproved of her relationship with her brother-in-law. “But—”
With a quick glance around, he said, “Now’s not the right time.” He glanced out the window, where Roper stood watching them with narrowed eyes. “Let’s talk tomorrow.”
She was about to object when a man in front of them turned around to look at something on Roper’s left side. A moment later, Roper’s attention turned toward Jackson, then back to Riley.
She looked up to the sheriff. “Do you mind?”
He nodded. “Go ahead and say hello.”
Aware that Roper had no idea they were talking about him, she smiled politely and extended her hand to Roper.
“Hi there, Miss Riley.” His smile widened as he took hold of her fingers. “How are you this evening?”
She tried to act nonchalant. “I’m fine, sir.”
Roper leaned closer, but Jackson’s hand came down on his shoulder and forced him back. “Back away from her,” he whispered. “You shouldn’t be talking to anyone else besides me unless you want trouble.”
Roper stared at Jackson as if he couldn’t believe a word the sheriff said.
“You need to remember I’m a deputy sheriff too,” Jackson continued softly. “You’re lucky I let you come here tonight. That could’ve changed if I caught your eye earlier. Now, go home and stay there.”
Roper gave him a dirty look before turning and walking off. He did not speak or even glance back at Riley.
When she got up to leave, Sheriff Jackson said, “I don’t want to see you out on the street again, Miss Riley. It’s dangerous.”
She stopped to listen to the band, but after a few seconds, the music grew softer, and she realized it was over. After waiting until Roper went into his saloon, the sheriff followed suit.
***
After dinner, Riley returned to the hotel and walked upstairs to her room. With her brother-in-law’s saloon still buzzing with customers, she decided it would be best to change into something more comfortable since she planned to spend most of her night sitting in the hotel lobby.
She pulled her hair up into a twist and slipped on a black silk dress that clung to her curves. As soon as she stepped outside, she felt a cool breeze sweep across her face and knew it must’ve been raining earlier. Tonight, however, it was clear and mild.
There wasn’t anyone in the hallway. The maids were busy downstairs cleaning up from the dinner rush and probably wouldn’t notice if she snuck upstairs for an hour or two. In fact, she had no reason not to go upstairs except for one thing: she didn’t trust herself around Jackson.
She’d seen him fight, and she was certain he could handle himself in a gunfight just as well as any lawman in town. Yet despite knowing how good he was, she wondered if he might be able to defend her against Roper if it came to that.
As much as she wanted to talk to him alone, it was obvious she couldn’t. Not without risking his life—and hers. So instead, she walked down the stairs to wait for him in the lobby. She sat in one of the chairs near a wall, where a small table offered her some protection from prying eyes and waited for the sheriff.
It was almost ten o’clock when he finally arrived, walking toward her from the other end of the lobby with a worried look on his face. She got up to meet him.
“Are you all right?” he asked.
She hesitated and frowned. “Why aren’t you out on patrol like you usually are?”
He gave her a tired smile. “I got sick today and couldn’t make myself get up.” He held up his badge. “And I’m sure you haven’t heard that we’ve had a couple of robberies recently.”
“Robberies?” Her stomach clenched. “Where?”
Jackson told her where, and she gasped. “Oh my God! You mean they robbed the hotel!”
“That’s right.”
“What happened?”
“Nothing major yet.”
“Well, I think that’s about to change.”
She nodded as she remembered how nervous she’d been when she saw Roper and thought he was going to rob the hotel. “The last thing I need is trouble.”
Jackson nodded, but his frown deepened. “I’m hoping that now you’ll feel a little safer in here.”
She shrugged. “I do.”
With his hands behind his back, he walked through the front door as he said, “Then I can’t keep you cooped up anymore.”
Before she could stop him, he reached down and took hold of her hand. When she stiffened, he tightened his grip on it. “You’re going to go home with me, and I’ll protect you the only way I know how—with a gun.”
Riley jerked back as he let her go. She stared at him in disbelief, then quickly glanced around the crowded lobby. A few people watched them, but everyone seemed oblivious of their presence.
“This won’t work,” she muttered. “We’re both in danger if we don’t stick together. Besides, what makes you so sure I’m in danger? Why aren’t you concerned about yourself?”
He smiled. “Because you don’t have anything worth robbing. Now, come on.”
She turned back to the desk clerk, who was watching her intently as she spoke softly but firmly. “Sheriff, I’m not staying with you tonight.”
A few people in line overheard her and started whispering between themselves. The sheriff raised his voice to say, “Come on, Miss Riley. We’re wasting time.”
Her face flamed under the scrutiny of the crowd. “Fine.” She turned away from him and made her way out to the sidewalk. She tried to ignore the gazes she received from passersby as they passed by.
But the more she saw of her hometown and its people, the less comfortable she felt being there. She’d left this place because it was nothing like what she’d expected, and if she had her choice, she never would’ve returned. Now, however, it appeared she might not have much of a choice.
The End