Every Little Thing About You Page 6

  Griffin told him instead. His mother had let him know that

  90

  day. "We must have come in after it was announced."

  "Right after church?"

  "Yes, at the Millers', on the creek."

  "Do we bring something?"

  "My mother and Libby usually take pity on me and

  bring enough for a threshing crew. Unless you're in the

  mood to cook, don't worry about it."

  "My skills in the kitchen can't compare to your

  mother's. I wouldn't starve, but a home-cooked meal

  always tastes like a feast"

  Griffin laughed, but such words made him think of

  Tess. She was a great cook. With sudden clarity he realized

  something that had never been evident to him. In the last

  two months, when Tess' feelings and his own had become

  dear, he'd talked to Pastor Caron and Duffy. They had been

  very helpful, but he'd never spoken to his mother--the

  woman who had been widowed because she'd been married

  to the town's sheriff.

  Sitting across the room, Slater watched the emotions

  chase across Griffin's face but kept silent Clearly the man

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  had much on his mind. If memory served him correctly,

  this was the night the blonde woman had wanted him to

  come for dinner. Had Liberty called her Tess? Is that where

  he'd been when Slater found the house empty? Much as

  Slater wondered, he knew he would never ask.

  "I'm for bed," Slater said instead, wanting to give this

  man who had offered him a home even more privacy.

  "I'll bet you are. Waking up to have a gun pointed at

  you takes it out of a man."

  56 lori wick

  Slater laughed. "When I saw your sister today, I asked

  her why she didn't draw."

  "Did she blush or laugh?"

  "A little of both, I guess." Slater stood. "Good night,

  Griffin."

  "Good night, Slater."

  Griffin watched him walk from the room, reminding

  himself that it was way too early to take a full measure of

  this man, but the temptation to let his mind wander was

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  strong. Liberty needed someone special. The thought no

  more formed than Griffin's mouth quirked. What brother

  didn't feel that way? That Tess' brothers might not care

  suddenly came to mind. As Griffin was coming to expect,

  it didn't take much to make him think of that woman.

  $-*3r

  -5Do

  you have to work?" Laura asked Liberty the next day. Bible study had just ended.

  "Yes. Griffin and I have to check on something."

  "Can you give Griff a hug for me?"

  "I certainly can. Is there some special reason?"

  Laura only shook her head no, seeming in no hurry to

  leave her sister's lap. Their mother was sitting beside Liberty,

  and the younger woman decided to question her if she

  had a chance. The opportunity came a few minutes later.

  Their hostess, Mrs. Caron, offered cookies to the children,

  and Laura, looking only mildly interested, left her sister's

  lap.

  "Did you hear what she said?" Liberty asked quietly.

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  "About the hug? Yes. She's been so clingy, Lib. I think

  she's coming down with something. She cried this morning

  when she got juice on her hand."

  Liberty's eyes widened in surprise. Her little sister was

  a very plucky gal. Spilled juice would not normally get her

  down.

  Every tittle Thing About You * 57

  "You look tired, Mam." Liberty had just seen it

  "Maybe the two of you have a little bug going."

  "Maybe."

  "I think you should see the doctor," Liberty said, her

  eyes sparkling a little. "I hear he gives very personal

  service."

  Kate laughed and put a hand on her daughter's arm. If she was coming down with something, just talking to Liberty would make her feel better.

  "I'll think about your advice."

  "All right I'd better go. Griff and I have a case to check

  on. I won't stay any longer than I have to in case Laura gets

  worse."

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  Thank you, dear. Don't forget to eat lunch."

  Liberty thanked their hostess and went out front to

  where she had tethered Morton. Already dressed for work/

  she swung easily into the saddle. Mrs. Tobler's house was

  close enough that Liberty could hear the hammers

  pounding, but she made herself ride for downtown.

  Why would you stop, Libby? She couldn't have lost another

  needle, and there's no other reason to go there right now.

  This was all the further Liberty would allow these

  thoughts to roam. Knowing that she had to go with Griffin

  to confront the Potters, a consistently risky event, Liberty

  forced her mind to concentrate on her job. A good thing

  too. As soon as Griffin spotted her, he exited the office and

  climbed into the saddle of his own mount, Benny.

  "Has there been more word?" Liberty asked, after

  telling Griffin that Laura had sent him a hug.

  "Yes. Mrs. Flowers was back in this morning. The party

  was still going on last night."

  "Ned Potter was nothing short of belligerent the last

  time I saw him."

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  "When was this?"

  "About two weeks back. He was giving Miss Amy a

  hard time over the price of eggs and looked mad enough to

  kill when I stepped in."

  58 lori wick

  "Why didn't you tell me?"

  Liberty shrugged. "I forgot about it until just now."

  "Well, I hope he remembers."

  "Why?"

  "Because this is just the first. Ned and his boys have

  thought themselves above the law just one time too many.

  I won't take action today, and maybe not even this year, but

  this is the beginning of the end. I'm going to put enough

  pressure on to make them uncomfortable."

  Liberty agreed with the action but couldn't help wondering

  what they'd be letting themselves in for.

  "Will we see Maddie Flowers too?"

  "Yep. She's a little too self-righteous for my comfort. I

  want her to know that I'm aware of what she's up to, and

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  that just because she doesn't have drunken binges does not

  make her judge and jury."

  They fell silent for the rest of the ride. The Potters lived

  a ways outside of town. Their place was large and run

  down, a marked contrast to Mrs. Flowers' spotless paint

  and yard. They had to pass Mrs. Flowers' house on the

  way, and both officers caught the way she smugly watched

  them from the window, but neither sibling waved or

  acknowledged her call.

  Things were quiet at the Potter house. A dog as old and

  broken-down as most of the rusty farm equipment in the

  yard barked a hoarse yap at them, but he didn't have

  enough ambition to move from his place under the porch,

  not even when Griffin went up the steps and pounded on

  the door. It was answered by Critter, the youngest of three

  sons.

  "Pa's not here," the teen scowled at him, his eyes

  squinting against the sun.

  "Mind if I come in and look?"

>   "Yeah, I do!" Critter growled, but Griffin's hand had

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  already pushed the door wide. Liberty was right behind

  him.

  Every Little Thing About You 59

  "Get out," Critter said. The officers ignored him. He

  started a string of curses but stopped when he realized no

  one was listening. The house was in awful shape, and Liberty

  couldn't help but wonder how they all stood the smell

  and the filth. She had never needed to come in here before,

  but Griffin seemed to know his way around.

  "What'd ya want?" Critter tried again as Griffin

  slipped upstairs, but again no one paid him any heed.

  Still taking in the broken furniture, stained walls, and

  liquor bottles, Liberty thought she and Critter couldn't be

  too many years apart in age, but their lives had been lived

  in separate worlds.

  "I think I'll have a look at the bam," Griffin said casually

  as he came slowly back down the stairs.

  It wasn't lost on either sibling the way Critter came to

  attention.

  98

  "Pa don't like anybody nosin' out there."

  "Well, come with us," Griffin offered mildly. "Give us

  the grand tour."

  Critter seemed at a momentary loss before turning to

  the door, his body saying very clearly that the law in

  Shotgun was unjust.

  As always, Liberty kept to the rear. More than once she

  had protected her brother's back, and as Griffin swung the

  barn door open, hinges howling, she took her standard

  position. Critter was mutinously silent. He walked in

  behind the sheriff, not seeming to notice the way Liberty

  hung back.

  "What's in here?" Griffin asked as he approached a

  wagon covered by a tarpaulin. Without permission, Griffin

  untied the edge and threw it back.

  "Nice load of corn, Critter. If s a little late in the year for

  planting."

  The eyes that followed him were dark with rage.

  Watching him, Liberty thought he might still be a little

  done-in from the night before, which would slow his reaction

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  time. His reputation, however, did not lead to trust.

  60 lori wick

  She watched while Griffin came from the stall, his head

  tipped back inspecting the rafters. With a move that gave

  nothing away, he approached Critter.

  "The shinin's going to stop, Critter. I just want you to

  know that." Griffin walked as he talked, and the youngest

  Potter, against his will, was backed up to the wall. "You

  give your Pa and brothers a message from me: I'm going to

  shut you down. I can't have you out here gettin' drunk,

  lightin' fires, and shootin' off shotguns all night. If s gotta

  stop."

  Griffin had Critter flat against the wall now, his eyes

  hard and serious. Critter's own gaze was no more friendly,

  and when he suddenly felt a sickle on the wall, he started

  to reach for it. He had barely moved when the wood near

  his fingers splintered from a bullet. Critter froze. He'd completely

  forgotten the deputy. He could have lost part of his

  hand!

  100

  "Have I made myself clear?" Griffin asked.

  "You wouldn't be so tough if Pa was here!" Critter spat

  The fear had swiftly left, and he was angry again. "He

  won't be too pleased to know you were here nosin'

  around."

  "He's welcome to come by the jailhouse and lodge a

  complaint." This said, Griffin held the younger man's eyes

  for several seconds and then pushed away from the wall.

  He walked from the barn, Liberty having already moved

  ahead of him this time, her eyes watching Critter. She was

  satisfied when he took his eyes from them. Critter's hand

  went to the back of his neck, and he leaned against the wall

  with a shake of his head. Liberty had already bolstered her

  gun but now felt free to turn and mount her horse.

  Griffin had been watching as well and climbed into his

  own saddle after Liberty was settled. They turned and rode

  from the Potters' yard, the dog letting out a few more obligatory

  woofs.

  "Why now, Griff?" Liberty asked as they rode back up

  the road toward Maddie Flowers'. "You've been sheriff for

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  Every Little Thing About You 61

  three years. Why are you putting the pressure on the Potters

  now?"

  "Because Shotgun is growing. I've not wanted to disturb

  the waters since they've always lived so far out, but

  the town is moving out here fast. I can't have townspeople

  in danger because of the Potters' moonshine."

  Liberty nodded but still worried. What would old man

  Potter do when he discovered Griffin had been out? She

  found herself praying for their safety and also that God

  would bring a peaceful end to this. Never once did she

  pray for patience, something she desperately needed once

  they entered Maddie Flowers' house and were forced for

  the next hour to listen to her excuses about making moonshine.

  5'' '3'' "5*

  "I thought you said you weren't any good in the

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  kitchen?" Griffin accused Slater on Thursday evening.

  Slater laughed. "Spoken like a hungry man."

  "No, Slater, I mean it. It was very good."

  Slater inclined his head modestly and rose to clear the

  table. Griffin started peeling a bar of soap into a basin of

  hot water, thinking that Slater was as easy to live with as

  any man could be. He was quiet, polite, clean, generous

  with the rent money and food he bought, and pulled his

  weight in the kitchen. But one question still lingered in

  Griffin's mind: Why had he left the Rangers? For some odd

  reason Griffin was hesitant to ask, fearing the answer

  would be very personal. But he genuinely liked the man.

  For this reason he extended the invitation.

  "I'm headed next door tonight. Mam and Laura are

  under the weather, and Laura needs a little cheering up.

  Would you like to come?"

  "If you're sure I won't be in the way."

  "Not at all. We'll go right after cleanup."

  62 lori wick

  103

  Which is precisely what they did. Slater had offered to

  cook that evening. He'd been overrun with homesickness

  that day and wanted to make a beef dish that his family

  often had on the ranch. The weather was cooler now--he

  could head home anytime--but something compelled him

  to stay on in Shotgun; more specifically, to stay on with

  Griffin. He'd sent word to his oldest brother and folks

  about where he was, but right now he couldn't leave.

  Walking next door and going through the back, just like

  family, made him very glad he'd stayed.

  Griffin led the way through the kitchen, through the

  dining area they'd eaten in last Sunday, and into the parlor.

  Zach was reading a book, Liberty had sewing in her lap,

  and Laura was swathed in quilts on the chair, bright-eyed

  with fever and remarkably wide awake.

  "Hi, Griff." Zach was the first to spot him,

&nb
sp; "Hey, Zach," Griffin said as he leaned down to hug the

  boy. "How was your day?"

  "It was good. I lasted three rounds in the spelling bee."

  "Good job. Do you remember Mr. Rawlings? He lives

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  with me now."

  "Hello," Zach said with a smile.

  "Hi, Zach. You can call me Slater if you want to."

  "All right. My sister's sick."

  "I heard about that."

  Griffin took a seat, so Slater did the same thing. From

  his place next to Zach, Griffin looked over at his younger

  sister.

  "Are you going to come and see me, Laura?"

  "Papa says I'm not supposed to run around."

  Liberty's hand came to her mouth, and Griffin smiled.

  "It won't be running around just to come over here to

  my lap."

  Laura looked to Liberty, but that woman only smiled at

  her. Dragging along one small blanket and a stuffed bunny

  that had seen better days, Laura left the chair and went to

  Griffin's lap on the davenport.

  Every Little Thing About You 63

  "Where's Mam?" Griffin asked Liberty as soon as he

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  hugged and kissed his very warm sister.

  "She feels miserable, so Duff is putting her to bed."

  Griffin looked down at the hot bundle in his lap. "Did

  you share your cold with Mam?"

  "I think so, but her throat doesn't hurt"

  "And yours does?"

  'I'm not supposed to talk."

  "Well, we both know how long thaf s going to last"

  Laura only smiled and laid her head against him.

  "How's the work on the porch going, Mr. Rawlings?"

  Liberty asked.

  "I would say we're about half done. Mrs. Tobler doesn't

  want us there before 8:00, so by midafternoon the sun gets

  a little intense."

  "If s anyone's guess why she doesn't want you there

  earlier," Griffin speculated.

  "I think she said something about disturbing her breakfast"

  "I'm amazed that Hank puts up with it. He's pretty

  much his own man," Liberty commented.

  "He's not as eager to work as he once was," Griffin

  106

  said. "Has he talked to you, Slater, about missing Price?"

  "Not in so many words, but one day he expected me to

  lift the wagon for him and muttered something about Price

  never having any trouble. It made me wonder about the

  man I've replaced."

  "Price is big," Laura suddenly put in, and Zach came

  alive.

  "He lifted Miss Amy's horse right out of the creek. I

  saw it! He didn't even groan."

  "I think they should have been married," Laura stated,

  and the occupants of the room stared at her.