Chapter Fourteen #2
Up until this point, he’d been driven by his desire for revenge, for justice, to find the men that had destroyed his family so violently. It was an obsession. He thought that it would bring him some kind of closure to finally move on from it all.
It had been four years. Four long years of relentless searches, investigations and interrogations—none of which had led anywhere.
To this day, Sam didn’t have the slightest clue who could have done it and why.
He had no motives and no suspects. Riding behind the wagon, Sam felt deflated. His whole body felt heavy and numb.
He really didn’t feel like talking about anything, but when the women stopped the buggy in front of the house, he also didn’t want to carry it all inside.
“Sadie,” he called out to her as he slid off his saddle. “I’d like to have a word with you.” The young woman looked over to him and nodded before she asked Ellen to take Ruby. Sam waited until they both walked inside.
“If you want to do this out here,” Sadie said, pulling her shawl tighter around herself. The afternoon sun fell onto the porch, drenching it with golden warm light, so she turned around to lift her face toward it. “There’s something I’d like to ask you, too.”
Sam was surprised to hear that. He followed her up the steps to the porch, taking two at the time.
“To ask me?” he enquired curiously. “What about?” Sadie exhaled a deep breath, then she spun around to him with a stern look on her face.
“Why were you dishonorably discharged from your position as a sheriff?” she asked without hesitation. Her eyes narrowed slightly and she watched him like a hawk.
Sam gaped at her.
“What? Where did you get this from?” he asked with a deep scowl, though he did have an inkling as to where this accusation came from. “Did Walter tell you this?”
Sadie stared at him and Sam could see her anger building, so he pulled his shoulders back and straightened to his full height. She didn’t answer.
“It’s not true,” he replied matter-of-factly. “Whoever told you this is a liar.”
“But you are no longer a sheriff, am I right?” she said, the fire in her eyes not really dissipating. “So how does one lose their position as a lawman if they supposedly have done nothing wrong?” She pushed out her chin.
Sam didn’t like what she was implying. Nor her sarcasm. Even though she didn’t accuse him directly, the way she was wording it could almost pass as a statement rather than a question. As if she had made up her mind without hearing him out first.
“I’ll say it again, I was not discharged and I didn’t lose my position,” he replied with a slight drawl, speaking extra slowly. “I gave up my star for personal reasons. And why are you suddenly so angry at me?” Sadie huffed.
“What do you think?” she said, crossing her arms in front of her chest. “I’m being told that you were dismissed from being a sheriff under nefarious circumstances, and now I am questioning what your true intentions were when you came here.”
“Nefarious circ—… Sadie!” Sam was actually speechless for a moment. His worries about dresses and shoes had been completely spun around into him having to defend himself. How had they ended up here? Again.
“Then tell me!” she said. “Why did you really come here? And what happened at your job?” Sam pinched the bridge of his nose.
For a split second, he thought about his first wife.
Had it been this hard when he’d been married to Elizabeth?
With the constant bickering, questioning, and not knowing whether he was in the right place or not?
Looking up at Sadie, he realized that that wasn’t fair to her, because they hadn’t married out of love the way he and Elizabeth had.
His heart pinched and he forced himself to suppress these thoughts. Quickly.
“I gave up my star because my wife died, and I couldn’t guarantee that I would do a good job anymore,” he finally said with hanging shoulders, though his voice was growly and harsh.
“Everything that happened was my fault! And that God that you believe in? He let her die with a newborn baby in her arms! He didn’t protect her nor Ruby that night!
All your praying won’t save you when some crooks decide to take you or all that you own and destroy your entire life!
They burned down our home and took Liz and our baby while I was out on duty!
I left my job because of that! Because I resented it.
I still do.” Sadie’s eyes widened and she covered her mouth with her hand.
“It’s not God’s fault! He didn’t do this to you,” she whispered in shock.
“You can judge me all you want,” he continued stubbornly as he fought not to get louder.
It was hard not to lose it and to give in to the frustration that had been mounting all day.
“I came to your ranch because you needed help and so did I with Ruby. Plain and simple. There are no nefarious reasons behind any of it! I want to find Liz’s murderers and bring them to justice!
All I want is revenge for our family! Does that answer your question? ”
Sadie looked hurt. She unfolded her arms and balled her small hands into fists. Were those tears in her eyes? Sam didn’t understand her reaction. Not at all.
“I have never done anything to deserve your distrust. What else do you want from me? We have an agreement, do we not?” he asked, exasperated.
Sadie pinched her eyes closed for a second. Pulling her shoulders back and lifting her chin, she gave him a curt nod.
“Yes. We do,” she said, visibly swallowing. “Thank you for your honesty.”
Before Sam could reply, she turned and rushed into the house, leaving him out there on his own, utterly perplexed.