Thunder Rolls

Chapter Eight

Callie stood next to the oven throwing the finely diced onions into the omelets she was cooking for the Cartwright's breakfast. Her mind was on the conversation that had taken place between Mr. Cartwright, his sons and the sheriff the night before. She'd gotten very little sleep since. Now, cooking breakfast she thought on the situation again and the fact that she was going to have no choice but to have another private talk with Ben. Well, maybe Adam too. In the few hours she'd known them, Callie could already tell how hot-tempered Little Joe was and while she felt sure Hoss could control his, she'd also seen an example of how Little Joe knew how to play that brother. No, if any of the sons were to be told what she knew, it would be Adam. Though, she sighed, if he was told his father would have to be the one to tell him. She would not have it in her to say the things on her mind more than once.

"Oh boy," Hoss said as he watched Callie bring out the plates loaded with food, "that looks and smells delicious!" He watched as Callie put a plate in front of his father and then Adam. Before he could even ask where his was, Callie beat him to the punch.

"I only have two hands." She chuckled as the Cartwrights laughed and then went back into the kitchen. Moments later she was back with two more plates, the one she set before Hoss had twice as much food as the other plates. A grin as wide as Lake Tahoe spread across the big man's face. He couldn't help but wonder if his father had said something, but he didn't ask.

"Where's your food?" Ben asked his eyebrows turned down.

Callie looked surprised. After she recovered, she looked at Ben and answered politely, "Hired help don't eat with their employers." She turned and walked back into the kitchen. Truth was she didn't care about that rule; it was just an excuse to avoid questions that might arise. She wanted a chance to talk to Ben alone first.

"It's not right her eating in the kitchen like that." Hoss looked more than put out. "She saved pa's life. She should be eating out here with us."

Ben agreed, but he'd also looked into Callie's eyes and saw her father. Once that man had an idea in his head, for whatever reason he had it, he didn't budge unless one was downright persuasive. Apparently his daughter did too. "I'll talk to her later. For now, let's eat breakfast. You three have work to do outside, and I have tons of paperwork to get done." No one argued and the rest of their meal was spent talking about the things that needed to be done that day and delegating the tasks.

By the time Callie was finished cleaning up from breakfast, Ben was behind his desk and his sons were out working. She found herself taking a deep breath and doing her best to calm her nerves. This was not going to be easy, but it was necessary. She forced herself to walk up to Ben's desk. She cleared her throat, "May I speak with you Mr. Cartwright?" She would have preferred to call him Ben, but that was one of the few rules she did abide by; the one that said you addressed others by Mister, Mrs. Miss or the title they had due to their occupation such a doctor or sheriff.

Ben could tell just by the stiff way she was standing, that Callie was nervous and had something serious on her mind. He put down his pencil and leaned back while pointing to a nearby chair. "You can sit there. No need to be so formal too, the name is Ben." He knew Mr. Adams would probably have had a fit hearing him tell Callie to call him by his first name, but it's what the old sea dog got for becoming a father so late in life.

"I….I prefer to stand." Callie clasped her hands together and rubbed the palm of her right hand with her left hand.

Now Ben was more curious than ever. What was so important, and so nerve wracking, that made this woman so uneasy? "Okay, what is it?" He smiled at her, the smile filled with kindness and compassion. He was shocked beyond measure when he heard what came out her mouth next and what she did.

"I…I know Tyler Mitchell. That is," she hurried on, afraid she'd change her mind and he had to know. "I did at one time. He's mean, selfish, cruel and is forever blaming others for his own actions." The dagger like look in her eyes spoke of her distain for the man. "He's done…" she paused and then added with very forcefully, "many horrible things. There will be no reasoning with him if he finds out you are alive…" she paused again and then sent shock waves again through Ben as she lowered her voice, but finished saying, "He'll kill you…as he will me."

Ben's jaw hit the floor. He couldn't believe what he just heard. One of the men who had robbed him, the man who had shot him; Mitchell had indeed been the one to shoot him, would also kill Callie? "My life I can understand, but yours? What on the earth would he want to kill you? " Ben leaned forward only to find Callie shaking her head and taking a step backwards.

She held her head high. "Because that prison you can send him to? If you check into it, you'll see he has only been out of prison for a couple of years. I sent him there when he was no more than twenty years old and he served fifteen years. It was my testimony that sent him to prison. He swore that he would get me one day for that…I should have…" Callie stopped, too emotional; racked with fear and now guilt, to go on with the details. Before she allowed the tears to spill over and look like some landlubber blubbering female, she turned around and quickly disappeared into the guest bedroom leaving Ben sitting, totally stunned behind his desk.

Meanwhile, Callie was in her room standing by the window doing her best to control her nerves which were literally shaking, memories she'd set aside coming to the front of her mind. Her testimony had sent the man to prison, but what she'd held back would have gotten him hung. She'd never been one to show this side of her and she wasn't about to start now.