Chapter Nine #2
Seth ignored the question. Instead, he turned to Henry… only to find himself at a loss for words. He didn’t know what he even came here for. He needed supplies at the general store. He hadn’t come to chit chat. Had he?
“What brings you to town?” Henry asked, putting his feet down and leaning forward in his chair.
“Fixing that dang fence again,” Seth replied, waving a hand dismissively. “Let’s just say a certain mule ain’t getting any dessert tonight.” He knew now the real reason he was there, and that was to get away from Annabelle. But he wasn’t about to mention that to them.
Jack chuckled. “You really need a break from ranching life. How’s the wife?”
Seth opened his mouth to speak but hesitated. He didn’t know what to say. “Y’all want to go grab a drink?”
“At the saloon?” Henry asked with a confused frown.
“I got whiskey over at the general store,” Jack cut in.
“Sounds fine to me.” Seth was glad to hear the offer. He didn’t want to go to the saloon. Not this early in the day.
Jack stood, grabbed his hat, and gestured toward the door. “C’mon, then.”
The three men stepped out of the sheriff’s office, their boots stirring up dust from the road underneath their feet.
It was quiet outside, as it should have been.
The afternoon heat was beating down on Fort Davis, and most folks were keeping to the shade.
The only sound came from the saloon across the street, but they ignored it, heading right to the general store.
The store was mostly empty—only one or two patrons—and Jack’s clerk sat at the front desk, looking half-asleep. He snapped to attention as Jack and the other two men walked by, but Seth noticed him slump down again as soon as Jack passed, heading for the back office.
Jack grumbled as he fished out a key to unlock the door.
After a few moments’ struggle, he pushed open the door to his small office.
There was just a simple desk, a couple of chairs, and a shelf lined with ledgers and a few bottles of liquor.
Seth smiled. That was exactly what he needed.
He went over and fetched a bottle of whiskey, without even waiting for permission, and set it on the desk. “Glasses?” he asked curiously.
Jack chuckled. “Drawer.”
But he didn’t wait for Seth to get them. He got them himself, handing the other two men a glass. Seth nodded his thanks and immediately started pouring.
“So,” Jack said, clearing his throat as he poured his own drink. “How’s Annabelle?”
“She’s… well, she’s managing. Keeps surprising me, truth be told. But it’s… complicated.” Then Seth closed his mouth. He was there to forget about her. Not to keep talking about her.
That was one thing he couldn’t stand about Henry and Jack. They were both so dang smitten with their wives that love was all they could think about. Besides, they wanted to feel like they’d become good little matchmakers or something. He didn’t like it.
He threw his head back and took a fiery sip.
“Complicated is how it always starts,” Henry said, leaning back in his chair.
“That’s what happened to you?” Seth shot back condescendingly.
“Don’t listen to him,” Jack chided. “Sophie is the best thing that’s happened to me. She’s as opinionated as they come, but life is definitely better with her around.”
Seth shifted uncomfortably, taking another long sip. The amber liquid burned going down, but he welcomed it, letting out a hot breath. He wasn’t ready to dive into his tangled feelings for Annabelle. Whiskey was just the thing he needed.
There was a knock at the door, and an older, balding man shuffled inside, round spectacles perched precariously on his nose. Seth knew the man—Mr. Parker. His wife owned the dress shop in town. He looked rattled, and his hands trembled as he clutched his hat.
“Landry…” he stammered. Both Jack and Henry’s eyes darted to him. “Sheriff,” he clarified, his voice quivering as he pointed to Henry’s badge. “I need a word with you.”
Henry stood immediately, looking concerned. “What happened?”
“It’s Thomas Turner,” Mr. Parker said. His voice was so quiet it was practically a whisper, as though he was scared to summon the devil himself by speaking too loud.
“He came by with his boys earlier. Claimed he wanted to ‘negotiate’ a deal to buy my wife’s dress shop.
When I told him it wasn’t for sale, he… well, they went in and smashed it up pretty good. Stole a lot of dresses, too.”
Seth’s grip tightened on his glass, a snarl rising in his throat. He hated Turner. Always had. Always would.
“How’s your wife?” Henry asked immediately. “Your kids? Anyone get hurt? How come you didn’t come get me before?”
Mr. Parker shook his head. “None harmed. But they’re scared. Talkin’ about packing up and leaving town. I’ve been trying to calm my wife down all afternoon.”
Jack stood up, kicking his stool out from under himself. “Over my dead body. Y’all ain’t gonna skedaddle for the likes of him.”
Seth had heard enough. “That yellow-bellied—!” he began, but Henry cleared his throat.
“Go back home and stay with your wife and kids, Parker” he said quickly, his face growing darker than Seth had ever seen it before. “This ain’t the first time he’s tried to pull something like this, but it’s gonna be the last.”
Seth shook his head, biting his tongue to keep from cursing. Henry couldn’t run Turner out of town. Not by himself.
“He’s trying to squeeze people out,” he interrupted. “Force them to sell so he can own more of the town.”
“Did your wife see Turner himself do it?” Henry asked Mr. Parker, only to be met with a shake of the head.
Henry growled. “The law only goes so far. He’s smart; keeps his hands clean enough to avoid outright arrest. His boys do the dirty work. You didn’t happen to recognize any of them?”
Mr. Parker shook his head again, bodily shaking now. Seth ventured to guess he wouldn’t roll over on all of them, what with Turner still out on the loose and owning almost as much of the town as the Landrys did. “We can’t just sit back and let him terrorize folks,” Jack growled.
He was right.
The town wasn’t big enough for any of them to accept the likes of Turner living there.