The Whippoorwill Trilogy - Sharon Sala Page 0,253

something awful had happened. He tossed the bullwhip into the dirt and then wrapped her in his arms.

“Letty, darlin’, it’s me, it’s me. Let it go, girl, let it go. Whatever he did, let it go.”

Letty froze. The voice in her ear was familiar, as was the feel of the arms holding her close.

“Can you hear me, honey? It’s okay now. It’s okay.”

Letty shuddered. Eulis. Was he truly here?

“Eulis?”

Her voice was so soft that at first Eulis imagined she’d spoken, and then he felt her trembling and looked down at her face.

“It’s me, Letty. It’s me.”

She swayed where she stood, and if he hadn’t been holding her, she would have dropped.

“What happened here?” the sheriff yelled, as he ran onto the scene. Then he saw the bloody and beaten man on the ground and turned on Letty. “Did you do this?” he growled.

T-Bone growled.

Robert Lee stepped between Letty and the sheriff without saying a word.

The sheriff had heard about Potter hiring a gunslinger at the mine and took a quick step back.

“Now see here,” he said. “I’ve got to do my duty. Step back, mister. Step back now or I reckon I might have to arrest you for obstruction of justice.”

Robert Lee grinned, but he didn’t move.

Letty turned to face the sheriff, and gathered what was left of her wits.

“It’s all right, Robert Lee,” she said, and then pointed at the man on the ground. “Is he dead?”

George was rolled into a bloody ball, whimpering like a dog.

Robert Lee glanced down.

“No, ma’am.”

“Damn,” Letty muttered, and kicked the bullwhip. “I should have used a gun.”

Robert Lee stifled a grin.

The sheriff was speechless.

It was Eulis who asked the first question.

“Letty… what happened?”

“He beat his wife up real bad. I got her and the baby to Doc Angus’s house, but she’s all broken up inside.” Then her voice shook, but her gaze never wavered. “The baby’s dead. He let it starve to death.”

The onlookers began to murmur among themselves as shock spread through the crowd. Suddenly, Letty Potter’s behavior began to make sense.

“See here, Miz Potter, you can’t take the law into your own hands like this,” the sheriff muttered.

“He came at me. I stopped him,” Letty said.

The hotel clerk stepped out of the crowd.

“It’s true, sheriff. He knocked me down first, and he was challenging Mrs. Potter as I ran out the door to get you.”

The sheriff mumbled something beneath his breath, and then spit in the dirt.

“All right then,” he said, and motioned toward some men in the crowd. “You two. Help me carry him to the jail. I’ll have the Doc come take a look at him.”

Letty felt as if all the bones in her body were melting. As she turned, she stumbled over the bullwhip, then stopped and picked it up, rolled it neatly back into a loop, and looked around at the crowd for the freighter.

“Thanks for the loan of your whip,” she said, and thrust it into his hands.

“Yes, ma’am,” he said softly, and walked away.

Eulis put his arm around Letty. She leaned against him for a moment until she realized there was a crowd of people watching her every move, and stood straighter, not wanting them to see her weak.

She glanced at Eulis first, and then at Robert Lee and sighed.

“I don’t think I’m made out to be a lady. I made quite a spectacle out of myself, didn’t I?”

Eulis patted her on the shoulder, and then put his arm around her waist.

“Now girl, they’re just admiring your spunk. Besides, when have you ever cared what people thought about you?”

Letty stifled a grin.

“Never, I guess.”

“Okay then,” Eulis said.

Robert Lee cleared his throat as he holstered his gun.

“If you’ll pardon my language, Miz Letty, you’re one hell of a woman. You did yourself proud.” Then he looked a bit taken aback, and cleared his throat once more. “I’ll just go get our horses,” he told Eulis, and disappeared into the crowd.

Eulis put a hand beneath her elbow and began walking her back to the hotel with their dog at his heels.

“Are you mad at me,” Letty asked.

Eulis shook his head.

“Ain’t no way I’ll ever be mad at you. I was, however, scared half out of my mind thinkin’ you was hurt.”

Letty looked startled. She’d been so caught up in her own fury that she hadn’t thought of how her message might have sounded.

“I’m sorry, Eulis.”

Eulis patted her shoulder.

“No apology needed. I’m just glad you’re okay.”

Doctor

Four little girls were playing in the alley between the general store and