Chapter 18
Days End
"Oh Matt, no." Kitty lamented at her friend's predicament. "Please, tell me you're not going to put her in jail."
"No. She's going to be under house arrest. Calleigh is helping her pack up a few things. They should be here soon. I sent a wire to Judge Brooker."
"Judge Brooker!" Her tone was laced with a touch of panic. "You can't have a trial this quickly."
"Kitty, honey, it's just a hearing to see if there is enough evidence for a trial."
The day had definitely taken its toll on the beautiful redhead and the marshal was more than ready to offer comfort. Strong but gentle hands pulled her into his arms. "Did you get some rest?" He brushed his lips in a feathery kiss across her forehead.
"I'm fine."
"I know your idea of fine. I thought you were given instructions to lie down."
Kitty pulled back enough to face her husband. "Your daughter is very bossy."
Arched brows accompanied the chuckle that ran ahead of his response. "Now she's my daughter?"
"Only when she's bossy." Kitty wrapped her arms around the lawman's neck pulling him into a kiss. Their lips had barely parted when she pulled away. "I better get a fresh pot of coffee on. Oh, and they'll probably be hungry."
His hand closed around her forearm, whirling her back into his arms. "You can put on a pot of coffee, but if they're hungry, we'll take them to the Prairie Rose. I'm not saying this isn't a problem to be sure, but that doesn't change the fact that you're still recovering."
It wasn't the tenderness in his tone, nor his gentle touch that silenced her objections. It was just the genuine love that emanated from those ocean blue eyes. Kitty stretched up until she was able to brush her lips across his. "Go on up and check on Cooper." She whispered. "I'll put on the coffee."
===()()()()()===
Kitty had made not one, but several pots of coffee. Every chair around the kitchen table was full, but it was conversation not food that was being served. While Matt and the others tried to figure out the real killer, Nina seemed to be standing vigil at the kitchen window. Soulful eyes stared longingly at the cook shack, desperately wanting to go back to yesterday. Back when trying to decide what the men would like for dinner was her only dilemma.
Calleigh cast a quiet glance at Poppy. He offered a subtle nod toward the tormented lady. Following his lead, she quietly left the table and went to her friend. "Nina, are you sure you don't want me to give you something to help you relax?" A comforting arm accompanied the offer.
Nina pulled her attention away from the window. A fragile smile struggled to find a home but she didn't have the strength to sustain it. "No thank you."
"I know how stressful this is." Calleigh spoke from experience, remembering when she had been the prime suspect in a murder. "What can we do help?"
"Those poor men have worked all day. They have to eat."
"What?" The simple statement caught Calleigh off guard. Everyone in the room was worried about Nina but it appeared as though her only concern was filling the bellies of a bunch of hungry ranch hands. "We'll make sure-"
"Please…" Nina took the young doctor's hands in hers. "I need to do this. Can't someone go with me? You know to supervise me or something. Please Calleigh."
Neither of the women realized the conversation in the room had stopped. All the curious faces around the table were focused on Nina. Calleigh directed her gaze to the only person who might be able to influence the marshal.
Matt had lived with the pair of redheads long enough to recognize the unspoken. Suspicious blue eyes traveled lazily from his wife to his daughter. It was like being caught between thunder and lightning. The big man drew himself up out of the chair. "Tomorrow we'll go in to town and see what Thad has to say about this. In the meantime…" His pause was heavy and defeated. "Bear, why don't you accompany the lady back to the cook shack and help her prepare the evening meal."
===()()()()()===
Linney squatted down in the grass to spy on the big ox and the cook. His irritation found a means of escape in his incessant grumbling. "She oughta be in jail! I spent three days for uh accident and she shoots somebody in the back and still running free." The tip of his tongue swiped along the inside of his jaw, fishing out a wad of tobacco. The fact that he knew she wasn't guilty seemed to have no effect on the little man's outrage. "Well I heard em talking in town." Linney paused to spit out a stream of black juice. "That Judge will be here in a couple of days. Then we'll see some justice."