The Widow's Touch (A Whimsical Select Romance Novella) (6 page)

“Please,” she heard leave her lips, and she
hated herself for the desperation that laced her tone. 

He cupped her cheek with his palm and Eloda thought he looked as
dejected as she felt. There was a cloud of uncertainty that hung dark and thick between them and prevented him from taking her into his arms.  And again, she respected him for his righteousness.  How could she expect the sheriff to want a woman who may very well be a murderess?

“Get some sleep,” he whispered, and his breaths came fast and erratic. 

The fiery touch of his hand matched the heat that rose within her entire body.  She watched as several emotions crossed his face and she became hopeful
that he’d change his mind.  But as quick as the thought came to her, her released her and Jack walked to the cell’s doorway. 

“Sleep well, Eloda,” he finally said
and walked away.

She
fell back onto the cot and released a frustrating growl.  It was bad enough that she was left wanting, but worse, she allowed Jack Finley to gain all the control.  She closed her eyes and wondered how she let that happen.  More importantly, she needed to consider whether she’d allow him to keep it.  Yet with the way Jack Finley made her feel inside and out—soft, weak, and outright foolish—Eloda wasn’t sure she had the willpower or inclination to stop him.

              “You failed to mention that you have another
living
husband,” Jack said when he burst through the office door.  He slammed it shut so hard that even Frank jumped out of his seat.

“Oh my, you’re not referring to my Mr. Kimble are you? 
I was fairly positive he died that second time!” she exclaimed.  She walked to the edge of her cell and pressed her face between the cold iron bars.

“Of course not,” he said exasperated.  He looked at Frank and narrowed his eyes.  “Why is she locked in there?”

“It’s a jailhouse, Jack.  She’s a prisoner.  Seemed appropriate,” he replied in a slow, bored tone.  Frank pulled out a drawer that kept the large iron ring of keys and sauntered over to her cell.  Rolling his eyes, he placed the key inside the lock and set Eloda free.

“If Mister Kimble didn’t cheat death again, then whom are you referring to?
” she asked as she stepped out of her cell and approached him. “I have no other husbands than those I have already told you about, and I’m quite certain all the others are dead.”

“Charles McCrady.”  He crossed his arms and waited for her reply.

“Charlie!” she said and laughed. 

“It’s not funny, Eloda
.” He stared down at her. “He’s in town and making accusations that won’t fare well for you.”

“What possible stories can he be telling?  I haven’t seen Charlie
since we were children.  And I can assure you, I wouldn’t have ever married that man.”  The smile remained on her face even though Jack scowled at her.  She almost ventured to say he acted jealous.

“According to him, you were married when you were fifteen.”

“It wasn’t a real marriage,” she said amused.  “I haven’t a clue what would make him say such lies.  But he had always been a peculiar sort so I can’t say I’m overly surprised,” she added.

“Well, according to him, you were.  More than that, he claims you tried to kill him
by pushing him down steps.  The prosecution has him listed as a witness to give his account of it.”  He eyed her warily.  “Is there any truth in what he says, Eloda?”

“Yes,” she
quietly admitted after a few moments passed.  She no longer found the conversation humorous.  Jack had accomplished his task and her attention was fairly aroused.    “But surely not the way he is making it sound.”  She stepped closer to Jack and reached out to touch his arm, but he shrugged her away and recoiled at her gesture.  The closeness and affection he displayed the night before was long forgotten in his eyes. 

“Did you or did you not try to kill him?” he demanded.

She bit at her lip with vexation but didn't dare reply.  No matter how she answered, it’d not bode well for her.  She was sure of it.

“Tell me,” he nearly shouted.

“I didn’t,” she gritted between her teeth.  “He had made an unwelcomed advance toward me and I pushed him away.”

“And that’s all?
” he asked.  He rested his hands on his hips and doubt washed over his face.

She hesitated before she
added, “When I pushed him away it was just unfortunate that he was standing near stairs.”

“So, you did push him down steps
,” he confirmed.  He raised his arms into the air with frustration.

“It wasn’t my intention, but yes, I pushed him down
steps.  But that was almost fifteen years ago, Jack,” she pleaded, and hoped for his understanding.

“And yet you’re being accused of the same deed now, except this time you were successful.”
  He removed his hat and angrily tossed it onto his desk and only barely missed Frank when it whirred in the front of his face.

“If that’s what you want to believe,
Sheriff, then that’s your right.”  She glowered at him, and when he didn’t seem the slightest bit apologetic, Eloda walked inside her cell and slammed the door shut.  Pulling the sheets closed, she remained hidden and she was glad for it. She thought she might cry and the last thing she wanted was Jack Finley seeing her tears.

“Frank, g
o fetch Charles McCrady and bring him here,” Jack ordered.  “You’ll probably find him in the saloon.”

“Why?” Eloda demanded as she snapped
the sheet aside.

“Because there may be more to kn
owing than what you are telling,” he countered back at her. 

“I’ll be back,” Frank
mumbled before he closed the door behind him.

“And then what, Jack?
” she asked as she peeked through the bars.  “If you believe I tried to kill him as well you’ll hang me twice?”

“No,” he said, and his tone softened.  “I
want to know the truth.”  He shook his head.  “I might have made a mistake about you, Eloda.  I saw an attractive woman who appeared forthright and honest with herself and those around her.  It was hard for me to believe that same person was capable of lying about murder.  And with the town unfairly against you, I let it sway my opinions.  So I chose to believe you.”  He shrugged off his sack coat and sat down in his chair.  He rolled up his sleeves and raked both his hands through his black mass of hair and balled the locks up into his hands.  He sighed heavily before saying, “I think it’s time I consider the possibility you may be guilty.”

H
is words stung worse than any amount of pain he could have physically inflicted.  He was nearly the only ally she had in town.  More than that, he was someone she had hoped would provide support and comfort, as he had already delivered.  Now she had no one.  Eloda was too hurt to argue with him.  Even if she had the gumption to do so, she wasn’t sure it’d work in her favor.  Jack’s trip to her home earlier that day may have produced more evidence against her than he was willing or able to share.  Eloda released the makeshift curtain she had opened to view him and it quietly fell and shielded her from his sight.  She sat on the cot and tears silently trickled down her cheeks.  Guilt for not being able to tell him the entire truth was lying like lead heavily against her heart.

“He was on his way here to see the prisoner,” Frank said when Eloda heard the door
squeak open.  She stood up and swiped her tears with the edge of her sleeves.  

“How do you do, Sheriff?” the other man’s voice buoyantly called out.

“Charlie,” she whispered under her breath, annoyed.  She peeped out the curtain and saw him.  He hadn’t changed overly much in the years that had lapsed.  He was still a handsome man who donned blonde hair and crystal light green eyes, and a strong muscular build that once matched the strength of an ox. 

“Is that you,
Eloda Mae?” the man happily called out from the other side of her privacy curtain.

Eloda
brushed the sheet aside and looked at him with her hand on her hip. “Charlie McCrady,” she returned.  Her tone was flat although she was more than a little irritated.  “Long time since you’ve been back in these parts.” 

“Sure has, but you’re just as pretty a
s the day I left,” he said and grinned wide.

“And you’re just as much as a horse’s ass, Charlie
McCrady,” she bit out to the man who reeked of stale ale and smoke.  Eloda then reached through the bars and surprised him with a hard slap across his face.

“Good to see y
ou haven’t lost your feistiness.”  He laughed and rubbed his hand over the bright red handprint she placed on his face.  He backed away from the iron bars, just barely out of her reach when she raised her hand to strike again.  He darted his head backward and forward in her direction and teased her.

But his laughter died when Eloda came out of her unlocked cell.

“What the hell is this?” he asked, and McCrady stumbled on his feet when he quickly tried to back away from her.  He looked at the sheriff and deputy.  They stood with their arms crossed near the desk, and McCrady looked overly anxious.  “You don’t have her locked up?” he yelled.

“Until now, she hasn’t given
me a reason to,” Jack said as he eyed Eloda.  He then warned her with a dark stare from across the room.  “I’ll handle this,” he said to her.

“Do you have any papers to prove you were married to Eloda
?” Jack asked.

“No, I do not, but a minister properly performed the ceremony.”

“That’s a lie, Charles McCrady,” Eloda interjected.  “The minister was eleven and it was a boy named Tommy Jameson playing around,” she offered to Jack.

“Well, a few years later Tommy became Reverend Jameson, an honest to goodness preacher, so it’s my way of thinking that we were married by a true man of the cloth.  It’s a legitimate mar
riage in the eyes of God, Eloda.” McCrady bared a satisfied smile on his face.

             
Eloda saw a hint of a grin on Jack’s lips that threatened to release into a full smile.  She knew that anyone with the slightest amount of sense, which Charlie severely lacked, wouldn’t give him any amount of serious consideration after meeting him.

             
“And what of Eloda pushing you down the steps?” Jack asked as he sat down and leaned back into his chair.  He crossed his arms behind his neck, and Jack peered suspiciously at him beneath his furrowed brows.

             
“Being that we were married, I thought it was my right to have my way with her when and where I saw fit,” he loftily explained.  He puffed out his chest and raised his chin several degrees.

             
“And the liberties you tried to take were unspeakable!” Eloda spat out and glared at him.

             
“Well, the dress you wore made
them
,” he said, and pointed at her breasts, “Look almighty inviting, so I accepted the invitation.”

Elo
da charged towards him and had planned to slap him again, but Jack moved way too fast and grabbed her by the waist and prevented her from going forward.

“Settle down,” he softly ordered.  When she didn’t comply, he looked down and glared at her,
but she glowered right back and tried to pull away.

“He’s despicable,” Eloda hissed out through clenched teeth.

              “Don’t force me to lock you up,” he harshly whispered.

“Locking her up is a damn good idea,” McCrady said under his breath.

              “So after you attempted to…touch her, she pushed you?” Jack asked, and Eloda still struggled under his grasp.

“
There was no attempting to it,” he bragged.  “Hell, I grabbed myself a nice handful!  Probably my best childhood memory,” he said proudly.  “Trust me, Sheriff; it was damn well worth her busting my leg in that fall.”

At first Jack looked appalled by the man’s declaration and then he shook his head.  But Eloda noticed a smile urged to find release from his lips when she looked at him again.  “And that
is what you plan to testify in court?” Jack asked.

“Sure am, word for word,” he confirmed.  He raised his brows and looked at Eloda for her reaction.

“I’m sure you’ll be the prosecution’s best witness,” Eloda murmured and rolled her eyes.

“If there’s nothing else to add, that’ll be all,” Jack said to him, and
after he released Eloda, Jack walked Charles McCrady to the door.

“What about my wife?”
Charlie asked.

“Eloda?”
Jack asked.  That time, he did smile.

“Yes,” he said.  “
Can I take her home to my ma’s house until the trial?”

Jack turned around and looked at Eloda
, but she quickly stepped inside her cell and pulled the cell door shut.

“Don’t
believe the lady wants to go, McCrady,” Jack replied, and he closed the door shut the moment Charlie stepped over the threshold, cutting his words of rebuff off as it latched shut.