A Lethal Lady
Chapter 15

-Rouse, are you all right? -Lauren asks, seeing her paler than usual.

I'm fine, let's finish up here so I can go to my room to sleep.

Lauren nods, but is not convinced by her partner's answer. They're both still in the kitchen finishing up dinner.

Rouse had to lie to keep the girl from telling her mother stories, Hilary didn't seem too happy with her, she didn't want tc give her a reason to be kicked out of the hotel. For the moment she needed to stay there, she had a room and food, othe than that, it was important that she regained her strength.

As soon as she and Lauren had finished preparing dinner, the blonde set about getting out the plates to serve dinner. Soi guests were already waiting for it, and among them was that new man she had met earlier. She had no idea who he was, but she was going to ask Lauren on her way back.

“Thank you very much,” the stranger says to her, as she sets her plate down on the table.

Rouse was about to answer him when she hears the dining room door open, she turns and notices the sheriff entering th dining room, not taking his eyes off her. She felt uncomfortable with his presence, so she turned and walked away from t man.

Before entering the kitchen, she looks over the edge of her shoulder and notices that Tom was sitting at the same table 2 the new guest. She stops, and noticing the way the two were conversing, frowns. They seemed to know each other perfec Miss Rouse! What are you doing? Here's the sheriff's dinner,” Lauren's voice brought her back to reality.

“Who is this new guest? -She asks, taking the plate.

-It's the sheriff's right hand man, that's Harry” she answers with a goofy smile on her lips, immediately Rouse knew this had a crush on the officer.

“I think she’s too big for you, don't you? -He blurts out as he leaves the kitchen.

With an irritating knot in his stomach, Rouse carried the plate with the sheriff's dinner on it. As she approached his table both men fell silent. She set the plate on the table and prepared to leave them alone, but a hand took hold of hers, maki her tense.

How damned easy that man was to irritate her....

“You and I have a conversation to have, miss,” he whispers, looking at her from corner to corner.

And you have a very inappropriate way to converse with a lady, Mr. Wesley," she muses. I have work to finish, so let me g he demands earnestly.

“You won't be free of my questions forever, Miss LeRoy.

You'll get tired of waiting for answers, Mr. Wesley.

The blonde lets go of his hand, takes one last look at him, and leaves, losing herself in the kitchen. But as she enters the kitchen, she is intercepted by Lauren, who takes her by surprise and utterly alarmed.

Miss Rouse, please, I beg you, don't say anything about this to my mother. If she finds out I like the deputy sheriff, she'll kill me.

“Why would 1 tell her? -The young woman seemed relieved by his answer. Don't take this the wrong way, but I don't plan t stay in this town for long. And whatever happens here, I don't care, I'll get out of here as soon as possible. If you like that guy, that's your problem, not mine.

judging by Lauren's expression she was quite surprised by his reaction, but she had better understand that she wasn't there to make friends or have a social life. She wasn't interested in what was going on in that town or with its inhabitants -'m done here, see you tomorrow.

The girl nods, still perplexed...

Rouse leaves the kitchen and heads for her room. She needed to get some rest, especially her damn feet. He couldn't sta them anymore, he couldn't even understand how he was still standing...

When he saw the bed, he lay down on it without taking anything off, just for a moment. He closes his eyes and forgets thz his feet were throbbing, and he thinks that the burning he felt in his ribs was only a figment of his imagination. He thoug for a moment that to be in that situation, he might as well have died in the bloody desert.

[.]

Alight knock on the door caused Rouse to wake up with a start. He quickly sits up and goes into alert mode, when he wakes up he realises that someone is knocking on his door.

“Who is it?

-It's me, miss. It's Lauren.

Rouse rubs her face still feeling tired, she had fallen asleep, but she wasn't sure how long she had been asleep.

-Just a moment,” she answers, standing up to open the door. What's wrong now?

It's just that... well, you see miss, I...

“What's the matter? Tell me at once -I wasn't in the mood.

“It's just that my mother sent me to fill the sheriff's bathtub, he's taking a bath, he's at the police station right now. But when he came back, he left my mother in charge of filling his bathtub.

“What does that have to do with me? As far as you told me, your mother is in charge of that.

Vera, it's just that she asked me to do it this time. She is indisposed at the moment.

Then get it over with.

Rouse folds his arms, not understanding what the hell this girl wanted. Or exactly what he wanted with her.

Could you do it?

Could I what?

Please, Miss Rouse, I'm asking you, Harry's taking a bath too, and he’s asked me to prepare it for him.

-Listen, I was just getting ready to...

Please, Miss." He makes a pleading face.

Well, I'll do it. But don't make a habit of it, child.

“Thank you, miss.

“1 told you, that guy's too big for you, you should forget him.

He's one of the few good men in town, he's not a bad person.

Rouse denies, some women didn't understand that they don't need a man to fend for themselves. And apparently that gi had it in her mind that she had to find a man to be like the rest of the women in society.

Anyway, that wasn't her problem...

Minutes later, the blonde went upstairs to the sheriff's room. Everything was tidy, except the bed. She supposed she had arrange everything, and while she was arranging the bed, she wondered internally what the sheriff would think if he kney that the stranger was in his room.

The brunette thought of something else and made her way to the bathtub, which was in the corner of the room. She empties a large bucket of water into it, until itis at a safe height. She kneels down and tastes the water, realising that it was the ideal temperature for a bath.

while she had to take a bath outdoors in the freezing water... she sighs, as she stands up she feels a horrible stitch in her rib that makes her clench that specific spot.

-Damn,” she mumbles, finally getting to her feet.

-Good night.

Rouse turns around with almost a gasp when she sees Tom standing in the doorframe. She looks at him defiantly, of cour she didn't expect him to find her in his room, but since....

-'m done now, I'm leaving.

- don't think 50," she replies, slamming the door shut.

“What do you think you're doing? -She takes a step towards him.

-Checking that you claim to be who you are” he crosses his arms.

~You don't say? And you're going to prove that by locking us in your room? Sarcasm was the winner in that reply.

-Let's take advantage of the privacy to talk about a few things, for example; where did you come from, Miss LeRoy?

The blonde held the wooden bucket tightly, the man was irritating her again. He didn't know her when she lost her patience completely. If she continued with this absurd interrogation, she would end up hitting him.

-1 don't intend to stay long in this place, I see no reason to answer you anything, Mr. Wesley. So, if you'll allow me, I'll reti to my room, since my work is done.

Rouse makes an attempt to go to the door, but Tom's huge hand is placed on the door, showing that she will not leave. St stares at him.

“You're not coming out of here’ she warns, menacingly.

The sconces were already lit, and the temperature in the room had dropped a little. Perhaps the water in the bathtub wouldn't last long this warm, and as if the man were still holding her there, she would bathe in ice-cold water.

Look, sheriff. I'm not here for your interrogations. Besides, this is not an appropriate time. We're alone in your room, so forget about asking me questions, because I'm not going to answer any of them.

Really? Tom slips him a key to the door, which he ends up putting in his pocket.

“Why the hell did he do that?

An impulse, to tell me everything I want to know.

“You're not a very dignified sheriff.

She takes another step towards him, planning to take the key from him, even if by force. But she'd get out of there no matter what.

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