relief stabbed at Riley’s chest.
He removed his hat, hit by sadness at the stage driver’s death. “I’m sorry to hear about Ollie.”
“Damn those McDougals. J. T. Baldwin happened upon the scene, sent Russ to town to let me know, but none of us could catch them.” Davis Lee stood, his wiry frame as taut as strung barbed wire. He and Riley had done their share of wrestling and fighting growing up. Despite the two inches in height he had on Riley, it was always a draw. “You should’ve seen Cora.”
“Is there anything I can do?”
“Check in with her off and on. With winter coming, she’ll need wood and someone to help with the chickens.”
Riley nodded, made a mental note to stop by and offer his condolences on the way out of town. And he’d help out often, too, even though he hated chickens.
Ollie and Cora Wilkes had lived in Whirlwind as far back as Riley could remember. Cora supplied all the fresh eggs in town. Ollie used to let him and Davis Lee ride the boot on short stagecoach runs.
“I’ve had all the trouble I want out of those outlaws.” Davis Lee slid his knife into the top drawer of his desk. Both brothers had blue eyes like their father, but Davis Lee’s dark brown hair testified to their mother’s brunette coloring, whereas Riley had their father’s sandy hair. “I spoke to a Ranger a week or so ago. He thinks they’re closing in on them. ‘Course, they’ve been chasing those Irish bastards as long as the rest of us have.”
“They need to be stopped,” Riley agreed. “I’ll join up if you want to put together a posse and track them.”
“We’re better served to patrol Whirlwind. I plan to do that twenty-four hours a day, especially after what happened today. The McDougals killed Ollie a scant two miles from here. It’s not like them to strike so close. I don’t want to leave the town unprotected.”
“I guess the Rangers are tracking them, anyway.”
“And every bounty hunter who hears about them.” Shaking his head in disgust, Davis Lee ran a practiced hand over the row of rifles in the open gun cabinet behind him. “I can help them out best from here. I’ve already deputized all three of the Baldwins, plus Jake Ross and one of your ranch hands, Cody Tillman.”
“Five deputies? Where do you think you are, Dallas?” His brother gave a small smile. “I need enough men so that someone can stand watch in town while others patrol. And I need someone here at the jail round the clock. I’ve got a murderer in the back, waiting on the circuit judge for his trial.”
Riley cleared his throat, his nerves still jumping at how close Susannah had come to harm. “Adam Phelps’s sister, Susannah, came in on the stage this morning.”
Surprise spread across the other man’s features. “What’s she doing here?”
Riley saw no reason to humiliate her or himself by telling his brother the truth. “Visiting, I guess.”
“Staying long?”
“No.” He walked to the window, wondering if she was settled into her hotel room or if she was off with one of the Baldwins. Whatever she was doing was none of his business, he reminded himself.
“Where’s she staying? The hotel?”
“Yeah.” A glint of blond hair drew Riley’s eye, but it wasn’t her.
“I’ll go say hello.” Davis Lee walked up next to him, looking toward the hotel.
“There’s no need,” Riley said quickly. Too quickly.
His brother sent him a sideways look.
“She probably won’t be here long, is all.” He wondered if she had any idea what trouble she courted by traveling alone, especially through the outer edges of Texas. “Well, I’ll leave you to it.”
“See you Sunday for lunch?”
“Yeah.” Riley and Davis Lee never missed Sunday lunch together, especially since their father had passed on last year. Davis Lee still had a room at the ranch, but he’d taken to staying in town after returning from Rock River to Whirlwind and being elected sheriff two years ago.
Riley left the jail and headed up the street toward his wagon, which he’d left in front of the post office. Other rigs lumbered up and down the street. A group of boys, whooping and hollering, darted out of the schoolhouse.
As he started to climb onto his buckboard, he glanced up and saw Susannah headed his way. He considered letting her pass, but the reminder of how close she’d come to Ollie’s fate changed his mind. Removing his hat, he stepped up onto the planked walk in front of her.
Her step faltered. Sunlight gilded her perfect magnolia skin, lit her eyes like endless pools of blue.
“Susannah,” he said quietly, suddenly uneasy. He had to force himself not to crush his hat.
She stopped and gave him a curt nod. “Mr. Holt.”
“Are you getting settled? Do you need anything?”
“I’m fine.” Her gaze was guarded. “Good.” He ran a hand over his jaw, wishing they hadn’t gotten off to such an awkward start.
She smiled brightly and he thought she was easily the nicest sight he’d witnessed all day. It was a shame she wasn’t cut out for life here.
“Will you be leaving soon?”
“Leaving?”
“For St. Louis.”
“Oh, I’m not leaving. I’m staying in Whirlwind.” His eyebrows shot up and he couldn’t stop the sudden quirk of his lips. “Really.”
“Yes, really. That amuses you?”
“Hardly. You don’t belong here.”
“Pardon me?” Her shoulders stiffened and her gaze turned downright frigid. “I wasn’t aware I was in Riley, Texas. Are you the mayor? The sheriff? Is this your town?”
“Life here is hard.” He flexed his hands on his hat to keep from shaking her. “This land is unforgiving, sometimes brutal.”
“Evidently some people are, too.” That made him feel lower than a whipped dog, but the possibility that he might someday find her pale and lifeless pushed him on. “I just mean it’s not easy here like it is in St. Louis.”
“You might be surprised to learn life isn’t that easy in St. Louis, either,” she said quietly, making him wonder at the shadows in her eyes.
He had no intention of telling her about Maddie, but he had to make her understand. “We have Indians—”
“We have outlaws.”
“We have snakes.”
“We have floods.” Her gaze stayed stubbornly locked on his.
“Things happen here that you’d
