Loving the Lawman (Roses of Ridgeway) (7 page)

"No!" She scrambled to her feet, and tried to get away.

But rough hands grabbed her before she could make three steps.

She struggled against the unknown fingers, now yanking at the buttons of her blouse. They popped off, and she could feel the breeze on her bared neck and shoulders as the blouse was dragged away.

With all her might, she struggled against them.

"Stop fighting, damn it!" one of the men's agitated voices rang out.

She wouldn't stop.

She couldn't stop.

Couldn't let them befoul her, steal her virtue right here in the middle of the road.

So she swung her arms, and kicked her legs, and did whatever she could to make it hard on them. Maybe if she put up enough of a fuss, they'd leave her be.

One of the men swung out with something hard and heavy, smashing it into the back of her head. The blow made her mind reel with an explosion of pain so great, all the fight drained out of her in an instant.

And then the darkness set in.

His hands full of sheaves of paper, Noah used the toe of his boot to open the bottom drawer of his desk, and dropped them inside. That done, he closed the drawer and sat down. Having spent the last hour doing the thing he hated most about his job, organizing his warrants and reports, he was glad to be rid of the stack of paper. Lord willing, he wouldn't have to bother with the paperwork again until this time next month.

Clerical work was always handled on a Sunday, as it was typically his least busy day for keeping the peace. With the saloon and most of the businesses in town closed for the day, folks usually busied themselves with wholesome pursuits, like attending services at Reverend Chase's Ridgeway Community Church, resting from the week's labors, or spending time with their families. Now, with the lunch hour approaching, Ruby's Diner would open to feed the hungry parishioners as they left the church.

He sat back in his chair, propping his feet up on the desk, and chewed over the problem of convincing the townsfolk they needed a posse. He hadn't had any more reports of crimes since Miss Parker's purse was stolen, but his lawman's instinct wouldn't let him rest on his laurels. He knew, deep down in his bones, that something else was going to happen. He wished there was more he could do to prevent it, but with only himself and Gregory to handle the job, his hands were pretty much tied.

Loud pounding on the office door shook him from his thoughts. Getting to his feet, he opened the door, and found Prudence standing there. The worried look on her face, along with the way she wrung her hands, made him particularly concerned. "Mrs. Chase. How can I help you?"

"It's Janice." She wiped away a tear sliding down her cheek. "She never came to get Adam last night."

Hearing the schoolteacher's name made him shake his head. He reached up to the hooks mounted beside the door frame, retrieving his hat and gun-belt. "And that's unusual for her?"

"No, she sometimes stays overnight at the school, if she's not done cleaning. But she never misses service, and she wasn't there today." Prudence began pacing, walking in a small circle on the walk outside the door. "No one's seen or heard from her since yesterday."

He didn't like the sound of this. Everything he knew about Miss Smart told him that she would not leave her nephew with anyone this long, nor be absent from church services—at least not if she had any say in the matter. He fastened the gun-belt around his waist, glad of his policy of keeping it well-stocked at all times. "Where's Adam now?"

"With Valerie. Derrick and some of the other men have volunteered to help search for her." She ceased her pacing, and her teary eyes met his. "Please find her, Sheriff. She's a good person."

He nodded, placing the Stetson on his head. He shrugged on his long coat to stave off the chill in the air. As he stepped onto the walk, he closed the office door and touched Prudence's shoulder. "Go sit with Valerie and the boy. We'll find her."

She nodded. "The menfolk are waiting for you at the schoolhouse." With that said, she crossed the street toward the mercantile.

He unhitched Justice from his post, and mounted up, taking off at full gallop. When he rounded the corner behind Doc Wilkin's clinic and into the clearing where the schoolhouse sat, he saw the mounted men waiting there for him: Derrick, the town's only reverend since the passing of Thomas Earl last winter; Ricardo Benigno, the sea-captain turned farmer; Uriah Stevens, the young son of the town's undertaker, Eunice. And, to Noah's surprise, also present was Thaddeus Stern, the only child of the mayor and his wife.

Deciding to leave questions about Thad's presence for later, he called out to them. "Ready, men?"

They all gave their affirmatives, vocally and with their gestures.

Noah turned his horse toward the town boundary, and urged Justice ahead.

As they rode alongside each other down Town Road, Thad spoke. "I used my father's skeleton key to unlock the schoolhouse. No sign of Miss Smart inside."

So they'd searched her last known location. That would work in their favor.

Derrick's voice rang out. "Look! It's Miss Smart's horse!"

Noah looked in the direction Derrick indicated, and saw the mare limping toward them. She was still about a half mile away. "Well, now we know we're headed in the right direction."

They moved on, all except for Ricardo, who stopped and dismounted to check on the animal. "Her forelegs are injured. I'll get her to the livery, so she can get some help."

As Ricardo went about hitching the mare to his own horse, they moved on down the road. Noah scanned the scenery as they rode, looking for any sign of Miss Smart.

An uncomfortable silence fell as they moved farther away from the border of town. The mood was solemn, and he knew it was because they were all dreading whatever unpleasant fate had befallen Miss Smart. He only hoped she was still among the living.

As he visually assessed the roadway, he saw a small object laying in the road, about twenty feet ahead of him. He halted Justice, and raised his hand so that Thad and Derrick would stop as well. Dismounting, he walked closer to the object until he could make it out. Stooping down to pick it up, he felt his chest tighten. "It's her purse." He knew it was hers, as he'd seen her carrying the thing around town. The mouth of it, on either side of the drawstring, was embroidered with her initials,
J.S.

The other men dismounted, and came near.

Derrick removed his hat and placed it to his chest. "My Lord."

Thad turned slowly around, taking in a full circle view of the area. "This is outrageous. If our women aren't safe, something's got to be done about it."

Noah clutched the purse in his clenched fist, swinging his gaze around. Janice was close by, he knew it. He prayed that she was still alive.

He drew a deep breath, doing his best to calm his rattled nerves. He needed his wits about him, so he wouldn't miss any important details.

He squatted low, allowing himself closer examination of the area where he'd retrieved the purse.

He could see some horseshoe indentations in the earth, as well as an intriguing imprint that looked like two small trenches. Focusing on them, he realized they were marks made by a horse's forelegs. Remembering Sally limping toward town, he assumed she'd taken a fall.

But why?

Acting on instinct, he moved to the area in front of the indentations.

Then he saw it.

A broken length of rope, lying in two pieces, across the width of the road. He picked up the frayed ends, and examined them.

He voiced his findings, loudly enough for the other men to hear. "There was a trip rope strung across the road."

There, a trail was etched in the dust, one that was consistent with something, or someone, being dragged. The trail extended from the center of the road, off to the left side, and stopped where the road gave way to the dense California brush.

Without a word, he stood and followed the trail in the dust.

His cohorts followed him.

As he left the road and pushed aside some low hanging branches to enter the woods, he moved slowly, in case danger lurked ahead. He sniffed the air, and picked up two distinct smells.

One was the scent of the forest: soil, blooming plants and dampness.

The other was the dense, metallic scent of blood.

He coughed, and braced himself. As he moved deeper into the brush, the smell of blood became stronger.

Behind him, he could hear Derrick praying, a soft spoken entreaty to God for the life of young Miss Smart. At a time like this, he certainly didn't begrudge the minister his prayers.

He stepped around a large oak, and the sound of moving water filled the air. He knew there was a creek out here, and knowing they were getting close to it helped him determine their approximate location.

As he eased along the banks of the narrow creek, he glanced around, searching the sun dappled forest for any sign of Miss Smart, or her assailants.

His foot caught something, and he tripped. He nearly went crashing face first into the creek, but he caught himself, bracing against an old, fallen tree to steady his balance.

"Hold on!" He wanted to warn the other men, before they tripped over the same root or branch, or whatever it was that had tripped him.

Derrick and Thad, still a few feet behind him, halted in their steps.

Noah searched the forest floor for whatever had made him lose his balance.

What he saw made his vision blur with horror.

It had not been a branch or a root after all.

It was a leg.

He stooped down, brushing aside the dead leaves and pine straw until he revealed the rest of Miss Smart. She lay in the cold, damp soil, her eyes closed.

Thad and Derrick ran to his side, and helped uncover her still form.  All the while, Derrick continued to pray. "Heavenly Father, please allow your daughter a little more time among the living."

When they'd moved everything aside, Noah gasped. In his days as a lawman, he'd seen some pretty ugly things. But this was definitely the worst of it.

Janice's form was naked, save for a badly torn, blood stained corset, which did little to conceal her breasts. There was considerable swelling around her jaw, and her head rested in a pool of congealing blood.

Thad, obviously unable to handle such a sight, turned away. "I'll go back into town for the Doc." He fled, leaving Noah and Derrick alone to tend to the schoolteacher.

Wishing he could have stopped such a travesty from occurring in the first place, Noah pushed his emotions aside and performed his duty.  Despite how still and pale she looked, there was still hope. He touched the side of her throat to check for a pulse.

As Derrick prayed fervently to the heavens above, Noah felt a faint, but steady beat beneath his fingers. Leaning near her face, he could feel the soft warmth of her shallow breath on his cheek. With a deep sigh, he reported, "She's alive."

Derrick closed his eyes for a moment. "Thank you, merciful God." He opened his eyes again, and turned to him. "What can we do for our sister now?"

Noah was already removing his coat. "We cover her, keep her warm. That's all we can do until Thad comes back with the doc, and a wagon." He draped the coat over her, leaving her face uncovered so she could get what little air she was able to draw.

As they sat there on the damp ground, watching over Miss Smart and waiting for help to arrive, he tried to control his emotions. The river of anger raging inside him was a stark contrast to the calm, babbling flow of the creek in front of him. How someone could be so brutal, so crass, and so cruel to a sweet person like Miss Smart was beyond his realm of understanding. She was a schoolteacher for Heaven's sake, a pillar of town, and a doting caretaker for a child not her own. She didn't deserve to be treated this way; ravaged and left for dead in some lonely forest.

He had no idea how long it took for Thad to return with Doc Wilkins, but by the time the mayor's son and the old Doc arrived, Noah was fairly seething. As Derrick, the Doc, and Thad carefully lifted Janice and got her into the Doc' wagon, he strode to Justice. The stallion stood obediently rooted to the spot he'd left him.

After he'd made sure Miss Smart was secured, he turned his horse toward town and took off at full gallop.

Posse or not, he wasn't going to stand for this is his own town.

He would get the bastards that had done this to Miss Smart, come hell or high water.

Sitting in the parlor of the apartment, Valerie held Adam close to her heart. Mercifully, he'd fallen asleep, and that had given her respite from all the questions he'd been peppering her with about his Aunt Janice. She had no idea what to say to the child, but did her best to keep him calm and comfortable.

Across from her, Prudence was standing near the front window, looking down on Founder's Avenue. The drawn, tired expression on Prudence's face belied the long day she'd spent worrying about Janice's whereabouts.

Valerie released a pent up sigh as she cradled Adam's head to her chest. She was just as worried as they were about Janice, who was a good friend and a venerable educator for the children of Ridgeway. She hoped with everything in her that they would locate Janice, and bring her home safe.

Prudence spoke, breaking the heavy silence. "Noah's riding up the road, at top speed. Something's going on."

Valerie wanted to jump up, and join her at the window to see what was happening out there. Not wanting to wake Adam, she whispered, "Come and put him in my bed, then we'll go down there."

Prudence came over, and scooped the child into her arms. Once they'd tucked him into Valerie's bed, and let Bernard and Doris know they were leaving, they both dashed down the back steps and through the gate.

By then, Noah was hitching his stallion to the post outside the sheriff's office. Valerie rushed to his side, with Prudence on her heels. Curious citizens were milling about on the walk, and all eyes were on Noah.

Noah's angry expression gave her pause. His face was as red as a strawberry, and his mouth twisted into a scowl. She knew whatever news he was about to deliver would not be good.

Clearing his throat, he addressed the crowd of onlookers. "We've found Miss Smart."

Behind her, she heard Prudence let out a sigh of relief. For a moment, he was quiet, as if hesitating to say more.

Then he continued. "She's alive, but in dire need of medical attention."

"What happened to her?" The question came from Prissy, who stood on the plank walk in front of the library.

He took a deep breath. "I'm afraid she's been... assaulted and left for dead."

A collective gasp rose from the townsfolk assembled along the street. Valerie could hear some of the women weeping, and she had to cover her mouth with her hand to contain her own sob. Thinking of the horror Janice must have experienced put a pain in her chest and sent a chill down her back.

"Our own schoolteacher? Defiled by some cretin?" The angry words were shouted by Rod Emerson, the town carpenter, who held his fist in the air. "I've got a wife, a daughter, and a granddaughter, and I won't stand for it!"

As shouts of agreement rang out around her, Valerie couldn't help but wonder where all the commotion would lead. She hoped everything could be settled in a civil manner, but deep inside, she harbored her own anger at the situation. As a woman, she wanted to feel safe walking the streets of her own town. That wasn't possible with common brutes stalking about, taking advantage of innocent ladies.

Noah raised his hand and his voice to calm the assemblage. "I assure you, I'm just as mad as you are. Justice will be served on the disgusting excuse for a man who did this to our schoolmarm. I promise." His words were laced with venom and deadly intent.

The crowd erupted into shouts once again, and it sounded so loud that Valerie was tempted to plug her ears with her fingertips.

Then, a sudden hush fell over the group.

Only the sound of an approaching wagon could be heard. All eyes shifted toward the opposite end of Town Road.

Doc Wilkins was driving up, with Thaddeus Stern on the seat behind him.

Silence reigned as the wagon turned the corner at the intersection, and came to halt in front of the clinic.

Everyone began to move toward the clinic. Valerie hesitated, but Prudence caught her hand and pulled her along.

It took a few long moments to navigate through the crowd, but they finally arrived at the wagon, just as Doc Wilkins and Thad were climbing down from the seat.

"Ladies, I'd advise you to stay back," Thad warned as they approached.

Prudence shook her head. Defiance in her voice, she insisted, "I must see her."

Still clutching her hand, Valerie slowly stepped up to the side of the old wagon, and looked into the bed.

Prudence wailed.

There lay Janice, pale and bleeding, covered by a man's coat. Her face was so swollen it appeared misshapen, and her eyes were shut.

Seeing Janice in such a state made her stomach lurch and roil. Stepping back, she snatched her hand away from Prudence and ran to the grassy field beside the clinic to be sick.

When she composed herself, she returned to the wagon. By now, Rod Emerson and Noah were helping holding a cloth stretcher as Doc Wilkins and Thad moved Janice from the bed. As she watched, Doc Wilkins rushed ahead to unlock the clinic door, then swung it open. Janice's still form was carried inside, and the door was shut.

Prudence was still crying, dabbing at her eyes with a handkerchief. "Who would do such a thing to Janice? "

Valerie opened her arms, and extended what comfort she could to her friend. "I don't know, but I won't feel safe until whoever did this is either dead, or rotting in a cell."

As she held Prudence close to her, her eyes raked over the crowd. Men were brandishing pistols and shotguns. Women were huddled together in groups, some crying, some talking in low voices. Children were being ushered into the diner or the hotel, the only two businesses in town open on Sunday.

Seeing one sandy haired boy being pulled into the Taylor Hotel, she thought of Adam, sleeping upstairs in her bed. What would become of him? Someone had to take care of him while his aunt was on the mend, and from what she'd seen of her injuries, the healing process would likely be long and difficult.

As if reading her mind, Prudence raised her head. "Oh my Lord. Whatever will we tell Adam? We can't let him see his aunt this way."

A male voice behind her interjected. "Tell him she's ill, and needs to stay at the clinic for a while."

Valerie turned to see Noah standing there. Some of the anger had drained from his face, but his features were still tight.

Prudence nodded. "I'm going back inside. I'll talk to Adam. Let me know when I can see her, please."

"Doc will send Mary around when she's ready for visitors." Noah touched the brim of his hat as Prudence skittered away.

Left alone with Noah, Valerie didn't wait for an invitation. She needed his strength right now, so she pressed her body against his, and draped her arms around his waist. "What's become of our peaceful little town, Noah?"

He embraced her, then rested his chin on the crown of her head. "I don't know. But I'll see to it that we get our peace back. No matter what."

As the late September breeze wafted around them, they held each other close.

**

Noah did his best to remain calm, as he sat near the front of the lobby in the Taylor Hotel, listening to Mayor Stern ramble on. Because the town was without a proper hall for meetings, like the emergency town meeting now in progress, the Taylor Hotel staff rearranged the space to accommodate the crowd.

Dressed in one of his expensive navy suits from back East, Mayor Stern paced the floor in front of the assemblage as he spoke. The bald top of his head glistened with sweat, and he wrung his hands in an incessant, maddening way.

"So, what I'm trying to say is, in light of the recent events that have taken place in our town, I feel a change is necessary, to ensure the safety of our citizens."

Noah folded his arms across his chest as applause sounded in the room. He and his deputy had established that fact already, and he was losing patience with this drawn-out speech. The Mayor had always had a tendency to talk in circles, but with Miss Smart lying broken and defiled in the clinic at this very moment, Noah had no patience for his bluster.

"That's why, effective immediately, I've decided to resign as mayor. I've grown too old to deal with this type of madness, and I give my best wishes to whoever occupies the post next." The words tumbled from the Mayor's mouth like a torrent of water, and an awkward silence fell in the room as the townsfolk processed the declaration.

Noah, however, understood immediately. "So, you would leave us without leadership in a time like this?"

By then, the Mayor and his wife were already heading for the exit. "Like I said, I'm too old for this madness." With those words, he and Ella disappeared into the night.

Noah ran a hand over his face. Of all the foolish, pigheaded things to do.

A man stood in the audience. "I nominate Bernard Ridgeway as our new mayor."

Bernard, sitting near the center of the assemblage, stood to his feet. "As the son of the town's founder, I accept the nomination."

As sheriff, Noah knew the town charter gave him the power to oversee emergency elections. So he turned to those in attendance. "All in favor of Bernard Ridgeway for mayor, say 'Aye.'"

The response was a thunderous one, as the townsfolk gave Bernard their seal of approval.

Noah smiled. "All opposed, say 'Nay.'"

Silence.

"The ayes have it, and so shall it be." Noah extended his hand, and Bernard joined him in front. With a firm shake, he congratulated him. "So, Mayor Ridgeway, what is your first official act as mayor?"

Bernard didn't hesitate. "My first act is to call a posse for the protection of our citizens. Now, we'll need to do this on a volunteer basis until the budget is straightened out. Who will volunteer?"

"I will."

Noah shifted his gaze to the source of the sound, and was surprised to see Thaddeus Stern standing there.

"I thought you'd gone with your parents." Bernard's tone said he was just as shocked as Noah.

Thad shook his head. "I was born and raised in Ridgeway, and I'll be honored to help protect it, even if my Pa ain't inclined to do so."

Bernard gave him a pleased smile. "Then, welcome aboard, Officer Stern. Who else will help me protect our citizens?"

More men stood, and soon there was a reasonable force of four men: Thad, Rod Emerson, Ricardo Benigno, and the young Uriah Stevens. Uriah was a boy of about twenty, and as green as spring grass, but Noah respected the courage it must have taken for him to volunteer.

With Greg, Noah's deputy, and all the new volunteers assembled at the front, Bernard spoke again. "Citizens of Ridgeway, meet your light horseman force. Sheriff, they're all yours."

As the sounds of applause and cheers grew so loud they shook the building, Noah shook hands with each of the men. They were his friends and neighbors, and he was honored they'd chosen to serve alongside he and Greg.

When the meeting let out, the men stayed behind with Noah and Greg to be briefed on their new duties.

Greg asked, "So, are all of you in possession of a firearm?"

All the men gave affirmative answers.

"And all of you are able to operate those firearms?" Noah waited for an answer.

This time, all the men answered yes, except for Uriah, the youngest of the
group. He was looking down at the Oriental rug covering the floor, as if he were ashamed.

Noah patted him on the back. "Don't worry. Between me, Deputy Simmons, and the other officers, we'll get you trained in no time."

"I'll be glad of it." Uriah's voice was very quiet as he spoke. "Since I'm the man of the house, Mama will be glad I'm able to fire on intruders if need be."

Noah knew that Uriah's mother was a widow. "Don't worry. We'll get you taken care of."

Greg interjected. "We'll get the smithy to make you all up some silver stars to wear. Uniform is denims, white shirt, and vest or overcoat. I've got a few spare hats in the supply closet you all can wear."

"First thing tomorrow, we'll meet at the festival grounds for some firearms training." Noah stood.  "Ricardo and Uriah, you'll work the day shift tomorrow with me. Rod and Thad, you'll do the night with Gregory. We'll rotate next week."

When all the details were settled, a weary Noah went home to seek out the solace of his bed.