Jesse by Barbara Goss (best romantic books to read TXT) 📗

comes back.  He’s taking his wife’s death pretty hard.”

“I’m sorry.” Jesse sat down. He heard Sean tell his wife to bring him breakfast.

Sean returned to the sitting room. “What became of Roy?” Sean asked.

“He’s in jail.  I had a witness to the shooting: Delia.”

“That’s a good place for him.  Will Delia testify to it?”

“Yes, and then she and Gwen are going back to Kansas.”

“I’m glad to hear it.”  Sean moved toward to door.  “I’ll be back as soon as I can, Jesse. I’m sure someone at the sheriff’s office knows what’s going on. Relax for now.”

Jesse stood as soon as Sean walked into the house.  “Where’s Charlie?”

“You won’t believe this... well, maybe you will.”  Sean chuckled.  “Your wife went with a posse to find Leo.”

Chapter Seventeen

The posse and Charlie viewed the small town, while sitting on a hill overlooking Woodcliff.

 “Would you be able to recognize your brother’s horse?” Clem Richards asked.

Charlie shook her head.  “It was just an ordinary brown horse.”

“Looks like there’s only one saloon in this town,” Clem said.  “I’ll go down and look around.  I’ll buy a few men drinks and see what I can find out.”

Charlie watched Clem disappear down the hill.  She sat on her horse beside Buck Winters and Howie Andrews.

“Hey, don’t worry, little lady,” Howie said.  “We’ll find him.  Let’s join hands and pray for it.”

Charlie, Buck, and Howie held hands and prayed they’d find Leo.

“He might be a while, we should sit under a tree or something to wait,” Buck said.

Charlie nodded.  “I want to sit right on the edge of the hill in case I should spot Leo.” She wished her hair hadn’t grown back so fast or she might have passed as a lad again, and she could have gone into the saloon with Clem.

About an hour later, Clem and his horse climbed back up the hill.  “Your brother’s in there,” he said when he reached the top.  “Now, we need to think of a plan.  The place is full of men, and if we go in there to grab him, a fight will ensue, and we’ll lose him.  Men drinking will fight at the drop of a hat, and they don’t even care what it’s about.”

“How do you know it’s him?” Charlie asked.

“I asked around.  A woman named Ginger was sitting on his lap. I heard someone calling her Ginger, so I asked the man next to me,  ‘Whose lap is Ginger on now?’  He said, ‘Some guy named Leo from New York.’”

“I could go down there,” Charlie said.  “He would never hurt me.  Maybe I could get him outside to talk and then you guys could grab him.”

 “No,” Clem said, “it’s too dangerous. The town is small, but I heard they have a good sheriff.  How about if I get him to help us?”

“Can we talk to the sheriff?” Charlie asked.

“I don’t see why not,” Clem said.  “Let’s go, but slowly, like we’re just strangers passing through town.”

After a night’s rest at Sean’s, Jesse dressed and went downstairs for breakfast.  He sat down and ate as much as he could because he didn’t know when he’d eat again.

Jesse pushed away from the table.  “Wonderful breakfast, Sophia.   Sorry to eat and run, but I’m going to see the deputy to find out where the posse and Charlie went.  I’m going to find her.”

 “Don’t be a fool, Jesse,” Sean said.  “You aren’t well enough.  Stay and rest a few more days.”

“No, this is something I have to do.  It will drive me crazy if I stay here, knowing that Charlie might be in danger.”

“I’d go with you, but I don’t want to leave Sophia alone.  And what about your dog?   Someone needs to feed him and let him out.”

“I never got around to building him a doghouse.”  Jesse moved to the door.  “I’d appreciate it if you cared for Shep.  You can bring him here. It will make things easier for you.”  Jesse tossed him a house key and left.

Jesse’s back felt better when he galloped rather than trotted.  It was a smoother ride, and he’d get to Woodcliff faster besides.  He didn’t care if he ever got the money back. All he cared about was getting his wife back safely, and he prayed all the way to Woodcliff.  Their last night together had been heaven on earth.

The sign over the sheriff’s office read, “Sheriff Austin Granger.”  Buck, Clem, Howie, and Charlie walked in to find a man behind the desk with sharp eyes and a curling mustache. “How can I help you, folks?” he asked.

Clem stepped in front of the others.  “There’s a man in the saloon who stole money from this young lady.” He pointed at Charlie.  “We want your help in bringing him to jail and possibly getting her husband’s small safe back.”

 “You folks aren’t from around here, so how do you know there’s a thief in the saloon?” Granger asked.

“I went into the saloon and did some spying.  He’s with a saloon woman named Ginger.”

“Ginger?” Granger laughed.  “Everyone is with Ginger at some point.”

“His name is Leo, and when I was in there, she was sitting on his lap,” Clem said.

The sheriff picked up his hat.  “You folks stay here.  I’ll find him and bring him back.”

“No, that will scare him off.  Let me go in and bring him out, then you can grab him,” Charlie said.

“But he could shoot you,” the sheriff said.

“No.  He’d never shoot me. He’s my brother, but I want him locked up for robbing me, and heaven only knows what other crimes he’s committed.  The rest of his gang is locked up in Sunset Creek.”

The sheriff hesitated and then shrugged.  “All right, but we’ll be hiding nearby, just in case.”

Charlie