A Lethal Lady
Chapter 39

Coloma was back to normal, justice was served in the town where Tom was still the sheriff. No charges were brought against the sheriff thanks to Harry and the townspeople who advocated for him and explained what had happened, but instead the charges were brought against Billy, Mayor Wyatt Butter and Rouse.

By the time Tom recovered from his wound, between him and Harry they could see that the mayor was corrupt and a thie to boot. But try as the sheriff and his deputy might to clear Rouse of the charges, they could not. She had saved innocent people, yet she had committed many robberies, was an accomplice of Billy and the mayor.

Tom wanted to keep trying to free the blonde, even if she didn't return to town, but at least she would be free wherever s was. But Harry made him see that he had to stop, because the more he appealed for her, the more compromised he woul become.

He would become suspicious, and he would not get rid of the investigators who seemed unwilling to leave town. For Tom he continued to defend the blonde. When the sheriff realised what he was doing, he gave up... it pained him that he couldn't help her, but if he went down that road he was going to sink his town into misery, the townspeople would never leave Coloma, continuing the exhaustive interrogations.

Nothing good they said about the blonde would help save her from the gallows. That was what she was scheduled to do case she was caught. For those days, Tom preferred not to make any kind of comment about Rouse being the late mayor daughter. Much less that Lauren was his second daughter.

If he mentioned anything like that, it would compromise poor Lauren's complicity, and Rouse would be in deeper trouble than ever.

it had been three months since the enquiries began. She hadn't been heard from for three whole months, no one knew o her existence anymore, no one had seen her around. She vanished without a trace, and sure enough, the blonde was ridi Belze, Tom sensed that he would never see her or her horse again.

Smile... it was a traitorous horse.

-At least you're smiling, I wonder what you're remembering” the sheriff looks up and notices Joy's presence.

The old man entered the police station quite recovered from his wounds... now he was seen more in Coloma, he hardly spent any time at his ranch, he had hired more employees to take care of his lands, that way; he would have a little more free time.

- wasn't expecting you here this afternoon, joy.

-1 came to drop some things off for Lauren at the hotel, you see that little girl doesn't want to come live at my house. She holding out hope that..” Tom looks at him seriously.

Ym fine with you supporting her.

she’s his sister.

Tom lets out his breath and is silent, how he missed that woman, why did things have to end this way?

she left on my horse, they're not coming back. That animal is a beast, he'll take her to the ends of the earth if she wants him to.

1 know... and I'm sorry, Tom.

Ym content to know that she’s all right, at least I'd like to know if." He hushes his words and denies.

At that, they are both interrupted by Lauren. The blonde entered the police station, making her presence known with a throat clearing.

-Sheriff, the investigators are packing up their things to check out of the hotel. I heard them say they have nothing more 1 do here.

-Finally! 1 was getting worried that they were still here bothering me.

“We'll be free of those vermin,” joy says to him.

1 hope so...

-Sheriff, would you like me to prepare one of the rooms for you again for tonight?

Tom looks at Lauren for a moment and remains silent, he really didn’t feel like sleeping in the hotel any more. He was. doing it for those people who were in his town, but since they were leaving town, he didn't have to stay at the hotel any longer.

He had his own ranch, a home... it was time for him to make sense of his life, and he would have to start by going home. -Don't worry, I'll be home tonight,” the blonde looks at him and smiles.

-All right, if you'll excuse me.

-1t looks like I won't be going back alone tonight.

-'m going to need a horse, a good one, I know you won't have another one like Belze. But at least a sturdy horse.

-I think I can get one just right for you. Come by the ranch first thing in the morning.

“Thank you." The old man stood up.

-Vll go get Lauren's things, see you tonight.

The sheriff nods, going home was the best thing he could do. Besides, he needed to be alone. He knew well that the few people who knew about his history with Rouse were trying to encourage him, and that only made it worse.

-shit, woman, why the hell did you have to leave like that?

[.]

Lauren was entering the hotel just as H arry was about to leave. The two of them met at the entrance and stood there for few seconds.

“Was he leaving?

He was helping the visitors to the city to finish their things, they'll be leaving in a few minutes.

I'm glad, I've already told the sheriff.

“Yeah,” Harry stared at her, as if he wanted to tell her something. Miss Lauren, I was wondering something, well, I wanted know if you..." The blond hesitated for a moment. “Well, I was wondering if you'd like to go out with me when you're free from your duties.

The blonde smiles with a bit of embarrassment, she looks at Harry and feels like her heart was going to explode. Then sh remembers the last words her sister said to her, and she planned to listen to him.

She knew that many in the village looked at her a bit funny for being the daughter of a thief and a murderer, but Harry in all those months had been very good to her, and that told her a lot about him.

-I'd like to," she answers, smiling at him.

ic].

“Well, I'l expect you in the morning to see what horses I have available.

It's all right, I can't be using Harry's horse all the time.

-Good night, Tom.

Joy spurred the horse on towards his ranch, Tom watched him walk away and he advanced to his own house which was nc far from the old man’s. He saw it in the distance and with his eyes on it. In the distance he could see it, and so he rode faster.

When he reached it, it was pitch dark. He turned on the lanterns and brightened his home. Everything was as he had left i so without further ado, he walked to his room with the lantern in his hand.

suddenly, he heard a groan that stopped him in his tracks, someone or something had entered his house. He immediatel draws his revolver and walks slowly to his room where the moaning came from.

Tom blinked several times at the sight of the wolf cub cornered in the corner of his room.

Next to the animal, the mother lay, and it looked like she was dead. Her entire room was stained with blood. Slowly, he approaches the wolf and sees that she is indeed dead, then he looks at the cub, it was very small, barely weeks old. “What am I going to do with you, my friend?

After burying the she-wolf, he cleaned his room, fed the puppy, and put it to bed on some quilts. Tom finally managed to down on the bed and try to rest, when he heard the wolf cry.

-Really? -He rubs his face and stands up, picks up the puppy who bites him, but still lays him down next to him. You like that, huh? I guess you'll stay, it's not common to have a wolf as a pet, we'll see how it goes. I had a dangerous woman by my side before, how bad could it be to have a wolf as a companion.

Immediately the animal curled up next to him and calmed down, Tom rolled his eyes and settled down to sleep. But befo he falls into a deep sleep, he remembers her, and with her in his thoughts he falls asleep.

[.]

In the morning, Tom sipped a cup of steaming coffee while he watched the wolf cub sniffing around him. It was good that she knew the land where she was going to live, he wasn't going to leave her to her own devices, she wouldn't last in the desert.

That morning he discovered that it was a puppy he had, she was aggressive, since she woke up she didn’t stop biting him she already had many wounds on her hands for the first day.

suddenly, the sheriff heard the neighing of a horse, it came from the horizon where the sun was rising. He sharpened his gaze and his she-wolf did the same, raising her ears as she sensed the presence of someone. Both she and he stood still, was as if they feared no one.

Tom stood in his driveway watching the slowly approaching person, the sheriff set his coffee on the wooden railing and waited...

He didn't have to have a hawks eye to recognise Belze, let alone not notice that beautiful blond hair riding him.

Rouse! -she said, coming down the steps.

The blonde spotted Tom's figure in the distance and without thinking too much, she dismounted Belze, pulled up the skir of her dress and ran towards him, of course the sheriff did the same.

She knew he was alive, heard the rumours in the towns she visited for supplies. That gave her peace of mind, but not reli she was dead alive. She no longer wanted to be away from Tom, she needed that man.

The two of them met halfway and ended up hugging each other tightly.

“You're back, you're back....

Ym sorry I left, but...

-It doesn’t matter, you're here now, and I'm not going to let you go.

-But, I'm doomed.” They separate a little and look at each other.

-/ll protect you...

She smiles and it was she who kissed the sheriff... she had long wanted to kiss him, to love him, to see him, and to stay with him. And now more than ever she had reason to be by his side.

Tom... 1 love you,” she said between kisses, the sheriff's heart swelling with emotion. He caressed the blonde’s cheek anc smiled.

“What took you so long to say it, woman?

Ym sorry I took so long, but I couldn't run to Belze the way I wanted to.

-Is he sick? -Worried, he looks at the horse.

“It's not him, it's me.” Tom looks back at her, more worried than before.

Rouse, what's wrong? -He grabs her cheeks.

The one you need to worry about is him. Rouse grabs the sheriff's hand and places it on her belly, then smiles at him. Everyone deserves a second chance, and Rouse was getting hers, with the joy of being by the side of the man she loves, and now with the chance to be a good mother to her son.

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