Bonnie lay in bed imagining, in her demented mind, that Sean, not Charlie had just been in her bed. She smiled as she heard his voice saying how desirable she was, how she filled his every need, how he wanted her, only her. It was an hour later that Bonnie finally ended her fantasy and got out of bed. She quickly prepared a hot bath to wash away the stench Charlie had left on her. Her stomach turned as she thought about that drunkard and all the liberties he took with her body over the last two weeks. Would she ever be able to wash his smell away she wondered. As she scrubbed her body she her mind returned to Sean. It was worth it being with Charlie if Sean was her reward. When Bonnie finally emerged from her bath, she felt clean and fresh. After she dressed in her undergarments, she opened the windows to let out the mingled smell of sex and alcohol, then used her perfume spray bottle on herself then on the room to odorize it.

After she finished dressing, Bonnie went to the hotel diner and to satisfy her hunger. As she ate she wondered if her problem had been taken care of. Sean Logan would be hers. She would live in that big house. She would raise that handsome little miniature of Sean. Thank goodness he showed no signs of having a colored mother. The thought of Sean Logan and all he had being hers put a smile on Bonnie's face as she enjoyed her meal. When she finished eating, she left the hotel and headed to the sheriff's office.

"Sheriff?" Bonnie said demurely after she opened the door to the office.

"Yes ma'am" the sheriff said as he rose from his chair. "How can I help you" he asked with a smile.

"I have a bit of a problem and I wasn't sure who to turn to" she said in a helpless voice.

"Come on in and have a seat" the sheriff motioned to the chair in front of his desk. "I'm sure I can help you. Miss?" the sheriff said after Bonnie was seated.

"Moore."

"Miss Moore, what seems to be your problem?"

"I'm not quite sure how to say it" she said, trying to portray herself as innocent and naïve.

"Take your time ma'am" the sheriff said, falling for her act.

"Well…" she hesitated as if she were finding the right words to use. "Well I'm in town visiting an old friend."

"Yes" the sheriff said patiently when Bonnie did not continue.

"I hope you don't think me forward…" she paused. "My friend is a man."

The sheriff was not shock. "Yes ma'am."

"We met a few years ago and we've been friends ever since. There is nothing, absolutely nothing, untoward between us. There never has been."

"Yes ma'am" the sheriff said, waiting for her to get to her problem.

"Well…" she began again. "My friend… is..." she leaned forward in her chair. "My friend is married" she whispered quickly.

"And what is your problem ma'am" the sheriff said in a polite voice.

"Well…" she started again. "His wife… she thinks… she thinks we are committing the sin of… fornication! And I assure you sheriff" she said vehemently. "No such thing is happening. That would not be proper" she said as she put her hand over her heart.

"Well ma'am I'm not sure how I can help in a situation like that."

"I hate to have to say this but…" she again hesitated. "But… oh my! I just don't know what to do! I don't want my friend hurt but… his wife threatened me" she said as if it pained her to said it. "Oh maybe I should just leave town!" she said in the next breath. "I really don't want to leave. I was thinking of relocating here but I don't want to cause any trouble. What do you think I should do sheriff."

"Ma'am, your friend's wife, how exactly did she threaten you?" the sheriff asked. He wondered if the woman was be being over dramatic about the entire situation.

"Well… I really hate to speak ill of people, even their kind" she said, giving the sheriff passive look. "We are told to love our enemies" she explained.

"Ma'am maybe you've got yourself worrying for nothing."

"Sheriff, I'm actually afraid she will try to harm me" Bonnie said.

"Why do you think she'll harm you ma'am?"

"She threatened me!" Bonnie said impatiently. "I'm sorry sheriff" she regained her poise. "I didn't mean to yell at you. It's so unlike me" she said shyly.

"That's alright ma'am."

"No it's not. I have no excuse for yelling at you. It's just that I've been so nervous ever since… ever since Marita Logan threatened me."

Marita Logan, the sheriff thought. So this was the woman Sean Logan had come to him about. According to Mr. Logan, she, not Marita Logan was the threat.

"Marita Logan?"

"Yes" Bonnie shook her head. "Her husband and I are good friends and for some unknown reason she thinks I… that I want… that I want to be with him!" she whispered in an appalled voice.

The sheriff looked at the woman sitting across from him. She looked so innocent and pure, sitting there in her white dress. Could this woman really be the threat Sean Logan described? Could this woman be telling the truth about Marita Logan? The sheriff knew Sean and Marita and had even been invited to the summer picnic their family held each year. He knew them, not his saintly looking woman before him. He also knew that looks could be deceiving.

"Miss Moore, what kind of threat did Mrs. Logan make against you?" the sheriff asking trying to hide his skepticism of her statement.

'Mrs. Logan' Bonnie thought with disgust. Everyone in this town was giving that colored woman the respect they should be giving her!

"She said if I don't leave town she would have one of those darkies that work on that farm do things… do vile things to me" she said, trying to sound terrified. "Sheriff, you have to do something. I demand it!" she said. "Excuse me again for yelling. It's just that the thought… the thought of those people putting their hands on me…" she shivered.

"Miss Moore, when were these threats made?"

"Two weeks ago" Bonnie said quickly. She assumed the sheriff believed her story.

"Two weeks?"

"Yes"

"Why did you wait two weeks to report this?"

"Initially, I did not think she was serious. I mean really. A colored woman threatening a white woman. That is unheard of!"

"Why are you reporting it now?"

"Last week, I noticed I was being followed. At first I didn't think much of it until I got a good look at one them. I recognized him from the farm and knew then that Marita Logan was serious. She has sent those two… darkies to try and… attack me. In fact, I think they may have followed me here."

"Really?" the sheriff said then stood up to walk over to the window.

"Yes but they probably left when they saw where I was going" Bonnie turned toward the window as the sheriff looked out to see if there were any suspicious looking characters lurking around. As he suspected, he did not see anyone.

"These are serious allegations you're making Miss Moore" he said after he turned from the window.

"Allegations?" Bonnie said, realizing that the sheriff doubted her story. "Sir" she said, trying to sound offended. "I'm telling you the truth. I would never lie! It's not proper."

"Ma'am, I will need to talk with Mrs. Logan."

"Talk with her?! Of course she's going to deny it. Why isn't what I've told you enough to put her in jail?"

"That's not how the law works around here ma'am."

"I am appalled you would take the word of a colored woman over mine."

"Ma'am, I uphold the law without prejudice. I know it may not be done that way in most places but here, that's how it's done."

"So" Bonnie said as she rose from her seat. "I suppose you will not help me?" she said in a pathetic voice.

"Ma'am I will look into your allegations."

Bonnie looked at the sheriff and gritted her teeth. "I pray that you do sir" she said in a proper voice then walked past him to the door.

Minutes after Bonnie left, Thomas rushed into the sheriff's office.

"Sheriff" he said, laboring to catch his breath. "There been a shootin' out at the Logan farm."

The sheriff grabbed his hat and rushed out the door after Thomas and the two rode furiously to the farm. When they got to the farm, Thomas led the sheriff to the place the gunman was tied. When they rode up, Sean Isaac and Ned where standing to the side and Clay and Charlie were bound, hand and foot, sitting on the ground.

"Sheriff" Ned said.

"What's going on?" the sheriff asked when he had dismounted.

"Thomas and James saw Charlie here running from Sean's house after a gunshot was fired" Ned said. He knew Charlie from town and tried to help him on numerous occasions with his drinking problem. "He shot Vivian."

The sheriff, who was looking at Charlie, turned his gaze to Clay when Ned said Vivian had been shot.

"We had to tie Clay up" Ned answered the sheriff's unasked question.

"Sheriff" Charlie said in a nervous voice. "They beat me up!"

"AND YOU SHOT MY WIFE!" Clay said viciously as he tried to break free of the ropes.

"That one" he said motioning toward Sean. "And this one" he tilted his head toward Clay.

"Sheriff" Ned spoke, trying to defend his sons. "My daughter-in-law is lying unconscious and Thomas and James said he was the one who shot the gun."

"They lyin'!" Charlie said. "They lyin'! I ain't shot nobody!" he insisted.

"What are you doing out here Charlie?" the sheriff asked. He knew Charlie because Charlie had spent many nights in his jailhouse sleeping off his drinking binges.

"Ah…" Charlie had not thought that far ahead.

"Vivian was standing on my porch sheriff and so was Marita" Sean said. "And he shot at them! He had no business being on my property!"

The sheriff immediately thought of Bonnie Moore. Could she have anything to do with this? What a mess, he thought.

"Charlie, why would you do this?" the sheriff asked.

"I ain't do nothin' sheriff" he said in a shaky voice.

"Well who shot my wife?! You beep beep!" Clay shouted.

"Charlie, it will go better for you if you just tell the truth" the sheriff said. He knew Charlie was guilty when he could not give an answer as to why he was on the Logan property.

"Sheriff…"

"Charlie" the sheriff interrupted. "Why were you out here?"

"I was just…" he started, but a feasible lie alluded him. He wanted to protect Estelle but he could not seem to come up with a lie.

"Well?" the sheriff said.

"I ain't do nothing sheriff. I swear" Charlie said.

"I'd better take you in then" the sheriff said.

"IS that all you're gonna do?!" Clay exclaimed. "He shot Vivian!" Clay fumed.

"Sheriff" Ned said. "James and Thomas saw him."

The sheriff turned to James and Thomas. "Did you see him shoot Mrs. Logan?"

"We heard the shot" Thomas said. "Then we saw him" he motioned toward Charlie. "Runnin'."

"Where's the shotgun?"

"It must been near the tree where the shot came from cause he didn't have it when he started runnin'."

"Thomas will you go see if the gun is there?" Ned said.

"Sure thing boss" Thomas said before mounting his horse and heading in the direction of Sean's house.

"I ain't do nothin' sheriff. I swear it!" Charlie said nervously as he watched Thomas leave. "I swear it. I ain't do nothin'."

"You liar!" Clay shouted.

"Have you been drinking Charlie?" the sheriff asked.

"I ain't do nothin'!" Charlie said defensively.

"Have you been drinking?" the sheriff asked again.

"A little" Charlie answered.

"You usually drink in the saloon don't you? Not out here on the Logans' property."

"I was clearin my head" Charlie spoke the lie that popped in his head.

"Why did you come all the way out here to do that?"

"I don't know sheriff!" Charlie said. "It's a free country ain't it?!"

"Yes it is" the sheriff said calmly. "But that still doesn't explain why you are out here."

At that moment, Thomas' horse was heard galloping toward the men. Everyone watched as Thomas rode up with a rifle in his hand. He pulled to a halt, dismounted and handed the gun to the sheriff. The sheriff examined the shotgun, turning it over and looking at every inch of it.

"C A" the sheriff said, looking at the initials carved on the butt of the rifle. "Would that stand for Charlie Adams? This is your rifle isn't Charlie?"

"I didn't mean to shot her!" Charlie broke instantly. He could not deny those were his initials. He could not deny that was his shotgun.

Clay had been fumbling with the robe all along and he had freed his hands. When Charlie confessed, Clay reached to untie his feet and before anyone could stop him, he had lunged toward Charlie. The sheriff, Ned and Isaac grabbed Clay and pulled him off Charlie.

"Don't make me shoot you" the sheriff pulled his gun after they had pushed Clay away from Charlie.

Clay looked at the sheriff with fire in his eyes. Then he looked to his father, who was pleaded with him.

"Son" Ned said calmly. "Let the law handle this. Go back to your wife."

After several moments of inner struggle, Clay relented. He looked at Charlie one last time before going to his horse, mounting it and heading back to Vivian's side.

When Clay retreated, the sheriff lowered his gun and turned to Charlie.

"Why did you shoot Mrs. Logan?"

"I didn't mean it. I was aiming at the colored woman" he blurted out, thinking his punishment might not be so severe if they knew he was not trying to shoot the white woman.

Sean exploded and charged Charlie. He pulled Charlie to his feet and his fist landed squarely on his already broken jaw. Charlie screamed out in pain as Sean punched him. The sheriff, Ned and Isaac had to rescue Charlie again and the sheriff told Sean that same thing he told Clay.

"Don't make me shoot you."

"Son!" Ned begged him. "You've got to control yourself so we can get to the bottom of this!"

When the sheriff believed Sean had control of himself, he turned back to Charlie. "Charlie, I'm taking you in for the attempted murder of Marita Logan…"

"But she's just a colored!" he shouted.

Isaac gritted his teeth but was wise enough to let the sheriff hand things. Sean was not so wise. He charged Charlie again and again had to be pulled off of him.

"Sean!" the sheriff said. "I will take you to jail too if I have to!"

Sean gritted his teeth then yanked away from Ned and Isaac's grip. Sean then wondered if Bonnie had duped Charlie into doing this. What other reason would he have for shooting Marita?

"WHY did you try to shoot my wife?!" Sean burst out.

"I need to take him in to question him" the sheriff said to Sean. He too began to wonder if Miss Moore was behind this.

"I have a right to know sheriff!"

"I will question him when I get him behind bars" the sheriff said firmly.

Sean was furious. He knew Bonnie had a hand in this. He just needed to hear Charlie confirm his suspicions. Sean stood a stand still with the sheriff for a few moments then he turned on his heel. Ned watched with relief as Sean rode off. But instead of going home, Sean headed into town.

To Be Continued.......