CHAPTER FIVE

Jess hit the bars of the jail cell angrily. “You can’t hold me!”

“I’m holding you for your own protection,” the sheriff said, not even glancing at Jess. He kept his eyes on the newspaper as he sat at his desk with his feet propped up.

“But it was self defense! He called me out. I didn’t have a choice.”

“Didn’t say it wasn’t. And I’ve sent word to the Bar T.”

Jess flung himself down on the cot, as though he had a personal grievance against the thin mattress. He stared up at the ceiling. Maybe he had been a fool to send Slim away. What had he gotten into? Nothing made sense.

Hot summer air entered with the woman who rushed into the sheriff’s office.

The sheriff put the newspaper down on the desk and smiled a greeting. “About time. This young fellow’s itching to get out of here.”

Unlike the sheriff, there was no friendliness in her greeting. “You got no right to hold him!”

The smile on the sheriff’s face turned to anger. “I want him out of town. Today. And if you got any sense to you, Miss Laura, you’ll send him on his way...back to Laramie.”

She turned and observed Jess.

As Jess moved from the cot to the bars, he in return studied her. She was lady. Every inch of her showed that. He had never had any like her pay him attention, not even a look, but she was looking now. Her eyes were boldly sweeping over him, from head to toe.

He was well aware of what he looked like after three days of hard riding. His clothes were covered with dust. There were perspiration marks under his sleeves. He had not shaved, so dark stubble covered part of his face.

She, on the other hand was dressed in high fashion for these parts. He figured the other women in town must envy her. Her clothes looked right out of a catalogue, no gingham for her.

Without any hesitation, she moved quickly to his cell. “Are you all right?”

Jess nodded. “I’m fine, but wh...”

She stopped his words by reaching out and squeezing his hand. “The man you killed was one of Jack Phillips’ men.”

The sheriff barked, “Now you don’t know that!”

She turned with such suddenness that it startled both the sheriff and Jess. Though her voice never grew louder, anger was heard in every word, “We both know that, sheriff. And I want him out of that cell. Now!”

“I’m getting to it,” the sheriff mumbled, grabbing the key off the hook.

She stepped back allowing the sheriff to move to the cell door.

The lawman turned the key, a soft click was heard as the door unlocked. He pushed the door open with his boot. As the lawman stepped back, his hand dropped to the butt of his holstered gun. “All right, Harper, you can go.”

Before Jess could reply, the girl flew into Jess’s arms. The kiss she gave him was more than friendly. This kiss was more intimate than any offered by the saloon girls, that Jess frequently saw.

Pulling away, she kept her hands on his arms. She could feel his muscles. He was tensed, ready for combat. She smiled at him. “I have the buckboard out front,” she whispered. “We can go home now.”

He started to speak.

She quickly put her finger to his lips. “Not here. Not with him hearing every word.” She nodded at the sheriff.

He snorted his disapproval of her words.

“I know we have a lot to talk about. It’s best we talk there,” she added. Then turning towards the sheriff, she said loudly, “No telling how many men Jack Phillips has in town.”

The sheriff’s face grimaced, but he said nothing.

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Chapter Six