Page 15 of The Sheriff and the Outlaw

She didn’t wake.

The woman was lying so still that he set down the plate and checked to make sure she was still breathing. As quietly as he could manage, he took the pitcher into the kitchen and refilled it with fresh water. When he entered the bedroom again, she hadn’t moved. He placed the pitcher back on the tabletop beside the basin, and then rinsed out and replaced the rag on her forehead. He felt her cheek and she was sweating profusely but she wasn’t as hot. Daxton tucked the blankets in around her, and then sat on the chair near the wall and watched her sleep.

When his eyes fell upon the plate of food, he walked over and picked it up, and then headed back over to the chair, not wanting the food to go to waste. He would make her another plate when she woke.

The fish was already cold, but it still tasted good. Daxton hadn’t had it since last summer. He let out a deep breath. Regardless of what was happening with this woman, he was looking forward to going fishing with his son this weekend.

When he finished eating, he rose from his seat and took his plate to the kitchen. After doing his dishes, he covered the food and took it down into the cellar, where it would keep longer. He didn’t know when she would wake, but he wanted to have food for her just in case. If she had been on the run for a while, hard telling how long it had been since she had eaten a decent meal.

When the kitchen was clean and the food stored away, he went back into the bedroom to check on her. Then he slowly closed the door and went to his daughter’s bedroom to prepare a bag for her. Then he spotted the doll setting on the shelf and smiled. He took it off the shelf and buried it under the clothes at the bottom of the bag, just in case.

In the living room, he looked over at his bedroom door once more. He hated to leave her alone, just in case someone was looking for her, but he couldn’t neglect his daughter. Letting out a deep breath, he locked the front door, and then locked the back door as he walked out… something he hadn’t done until she had come along. It was reasonably safe here in Whiskey River, so he only locked the doors when it was necessary, and this was one of those times. But one thing was certain: If anyone came for her, he didn’t want his children to be a part of it.

Chapter 5

Josey

Josey turned over and opened her eyes. It was dark, except for the dim candlelight flickering in the room. She woke with a start as the events of the last few days rushed into her mind. Logan coming for her... her warning him to stay away… and then shooting him.

“Yah!” Josey sat straight up in the bed in a cold sweat.

“Shh,” a kind male voice cooed, gently placing his hands on her shoulders.

“Get away from me!” She pushed him away, terror filling her voice and her eyes.

“Shh,” the man repeated. Josey looked at him, trying to focus, but everything was blurry. “You were hiding in my barn, and I found you and brought you in here. Remember?”

Suddenly, everything came back to her… the barn… being tired and hungry… vomiting everything she had inside her until there was nothing left.

Josey also remembered him.

“I’m so sorry,” she moaned as she lay back down on the pillows. “Let me rest for a bit and I’ll be on my way again.”

The man placed a cool, wet rag on her forehead, and this time, she didn’t stop him. “You’re not going anywhere until you’re feeling better.”

Austin would surely find her if she lingered for too long in one place. She had to get out! Leave! “No, I can’t stay…” Josey croaked, trying to sit up, but she was too weak to sit up for long. Despite her urge to flee, she plopped back down onto the pillow. “I’ll just rest a bit and then I’ll be on my way.” Then, her stomach growled, loud enough for Daxton to hear.

Daxton rose from the bed where he had been sitting beside her. “I’ll be right back with something to eat.”

Food. Yes, she needed food. Maybe food would make the nausea go away. As she lay back on the pillows, she couldn’t understand why she was so nauseous but so hungry at the same time. Despite her best effort to stay awake, she started drifting off to sleep until the door opened.

“It’s me… Daxton… Daxton Clark.” He walked into the room carrying a plate of food and the scent wafted toward her, causing her stomach to churn.

“I think I might throw up…” She tried to sit up and placed a hand over her mouth.

Daxton grabbed a porcelain basin off the table. “Here you go.”

It was too pretty to violate, but she had no choice. She wretched, but nothing came up. When she was sure that she was through, she used the rag and wiped her mouth. “I’m so sorry.”

“Don’t be.” Daxton took the rag from her and smiled. “Feeling better?”

She lay back onto the pillows and shook her head.

“Hungry?” Daxton set the rag aside and then sat on the edge of the bed beside her, holding a plate filled with food.

The scent of fresh fish surrounded her. Heavenly. Josey looked up from the plate and into his eyes, trying to read him. Even though Daxton seemed nice enough, she was leery. “What do you want with me?”

A crease formed between his eyes. “Right now, I want you to rest. Later, you can tell me why you were hiding out in my barn.”

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