A Lethal Lady
Chapter 14

Did you find what you were looking for, Sheriff?

-Are you sure these are all the bandit ads?

That's what they told me in town, they're the most up to date.

He had no proof that she was what he was weighing, the only thing left was to get the information directly from her, or failing that, let her go.

He could also hold her for her debt, plus, he doubted she would walk away. Apart from that, why would a young lady go into the desert alone? No escort, with so many bandits hiding outside.

If she could defend herself against him, she had no doubt she could defend herself against another. However, for the way he found her near death, he implied that she had not done very well defending herself the last time.

Nevertheless, she did manage to get away from whoever was assaulting her. There was no denying it, she was very perceptive. Not an unusual trait for a woman.

-Sheriff, everything all right?

Ym going to order you something, Harry.

“You'll say.

1 want you to keep an eye on the stranger, at east when I'm not in town. Keep an eye on her, detail every move she make and where she goes.

-Is she the lady you found on the outskirts of the village?

Ves. -She stands up.

-Do you think she’s an outlaw? -he asks incredulously.

Tom wasn't sure of anything, but in the meantime, that's how he thought he'd see her... he just didn't think it wise to let t town know what he thought of the newcomer.

-1 can't know yet, but I hope you'll keep your discretion.

-Sure, sir, don't worry about that,” the sheriff nodded.

-V'll go to Joy's ranch.

And with those words the sheriff left the station, mounted Belze and quickly rode out of town leaving a trail of dust along the way.

Harry put on his hat and looked at the hotel, he would have to stay there to follow up on the lady. He was of the opinion that it was not proper to do such a thing, but if the boss ordered him to do so, he could do nothing but follow the lady everywhere.

ic].

-Billy, what are we going to do in the city now? There's nothing good here,” The man's companion looks all around while riding his horse. We must go to the villages, that's where the best is, boss,” he mumbles.

-shut up, you good-for-nothing,” he spits to one side of him. I've got a lot of important unfinished business here, and I've come to collect one of them,” he smiles.

-But we're in town,” insists the gangly fellow.

Astounded by the idiot's words, Billy throws a punch at the guy and ends up breaking his nose.

-1 told you to shut up, you f*****g bastard. You go with these useless guys and treat his wounds, very soon we're going ba to Coloma to get that sheriff's head.

Yes, Billy," replies the man, holding his nose, he signals to the others and they ride off down another road.

Billy whips his horse to go where he wants it to go, he knew exactly where to go. He would get the help he needed to get I of that damn Sheriff Wesley, that lousy town was going to be his and every woman in it.

He spits out a piece of tobacco and then smiles, in the distance he sees the building he was looking for. He stops a few yards from it, looks at his finger and squeezes his hand.

-Damn Wesley, you're going to pay for this.

[.]

spending all day cleaning that hotel, and fixing a thousand things that it seemed like she'd never even laid a hand on, ha left Rouse completely exhausted, and they'd only been at it for half the afternoon.

When she managed to find a few free minutes, she sat down, she needed to get some rest, at least for her feet, which wer throbbing all the time. He really needed to go to the doctor, but Hilary told him that he only had the end of the week off. And that would be about 4 more days.

He could choose to go to the doctor's house in the evening, but with the woman he had, he doubted she would be welcome. If she wanted to stay out of trouble, it was imperative that she put up with the pain... the blonde lifts up the ski of her dress and then the petticoat, with some clumsiness she manages to take off her boot.

Looking down at her feet, she notices that they are really red and swollen. As if she didn't get some attenti on or rest, she would suffer great damage.

-Damn it! -he mutters, putting on his boot once more.

Just at that moment, Harry was coming down the stairs of the hotel after having stayed in one of the rooms. As his home was a little out of the way, he thought that taking a room in the hotel would give him the opportunity to keep a better ey on the young lady.

But as he descended the stairs, he glanced to the side and noticed a woman sitting on the side of the stairs, but it wasn’t that that caught his attention, it was those beautiful white legs she was showing off.

She had pulled her dress and petticoat up to her knees, it was enough of a sight to make a man’s blood boil. Just by showing those calves, it was more than necessary to upset the senses of the finest gentleman in society.

But as he was not such a fellow, he turned his eyes back to the steps, and with a throaty throat clearing made his presen known. It was not like him to spy on a lady, least of all when she was a guest of the hotel.

Hearing the throat clearing, Rouse immediately covers herself and stands up. Looking to the side he notices a man comir down the stairs.

-Good afternoon, Miss,” Harry greets her formally.

-Good afternoon, what can I do for you? -That question puzzled Harry.

-1 beg your pardon? -At that moment they both hold each other's gaze.

-1 work here, are you a guest of the hotel? Can I help you?

ouch, shit! but tom not told me nothing about the stranger being so pretty. how is that you think that this woman is a thief?

“No, I'm sorry I interrupted you a moment ago.

-1 was just fixing my boot, if there's nothing offered, I'l leave.

Go ahead.

Rouse walks past him, she thought he was a new guest. The blonde was counting on not having so much work coming her way, but apparently she was wrong. The hotel was starting to fill up, and that would mean more work.

She wasn't going to make it through those four days alive...

Harry thought about this woman for a moment, she was very attractive, but he needed to concentrate on what was important, if his boss believed faithfully that she was an outlaw, then she was.

One thing he was sure of, Tom Wesley was never wrong about his hunches.

The boy fixed his hat, and took the path that the blonde took... from that day on he began his task, at least he knew the woman, pity she was so pretty.

[.]

Tom checked the paths that the bandits who stole Joy's cattle might have taken, and it was difficult for him to know the direction they took. But his intuition told him they went to the next town over. The sheriff stood up and stared down that road.

He had not much doubt about it, but that Joy's cattle had been driven to that town, and if he was not misinformed. Billy and his gang were hanging around that lawless town. They were kind of in charge, it was a complete shambles, and practically melted into misery.

It was the only town around Coloma that didn't accept him as their sheriff, Tom was not only the law in his town, but also the towns closest to him. Except in that one, apparently its people were so afraid of Billy that they let him decide.

Purses his lips, that Billy was a pain in the a*s. He was sure he'd look for ways to get even for blowing off a finger. Of cour Tom knew he was right-handed, and a missing finger wouldn't stop him.

“Next time, the bullet will go straight through your head.

He turns around and heads back to Joy's ranch...

-Did you find out anything?

Your cattle were taken to the lawless town, Joy.

That was the name the people of Coloma had given to that county, because they would kill anyone there and no one wou pay for it.

Then I've lost him.

Yeah. I'm sure he's been sold to some cattle rancher out in the sticks by now.

That bastard Billy, he'll ruin me if he keeps stealing from me. -I know that.

“1 know. -1 know.

it was a worry Tom carried every day, without Joy, Coloma wouldn't be alive. He needed to stop the thefts, and catch that bastard Billy. Unfortunately, he had the chance and he let her get away.

If only Joy had warned him earlier, he would have thrown him in jail at once, or, failing that, straight to the gallows.

I'll get him, don't worry.

1 hope so.

Ym still looking for someone to go with you. In the meantime, take care of yourself.

Tom gets on his horse, nods jointly, touching the tip of his hat, and rides off.

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