Page 62 of A Soft Kiss in Summer
He was still barefoot, with the make-shift bandage around his naked torso as he was marched down the stairs, through the hotel, and out onto the sidewalk.
He’d marched many men through the streets in Durango and hadn’t once thought of how they felt about it, but now that it was him that was the spectacle, he knew why they fought him so hard because he didn’t like it one bit.
Violet cleaned herself up, slipped her shoes on, and ran after the sheriff.She stopped on the sidewalk when they stepped into the street and crossed the road.
Her stomach ached to the point she had to swallow back the urge to scream and looked toward the mercantile.
The sidewalk outside the building was filled with onlookers.She was running toward them before she could talk herself out of it and pushed through the crowd to the door, where she was stopped by a burly man who was so tall, he barely fit in the doorway.
“Sorry, Ma’am, but I can’t let you through.”
She straightened to her full height, which wasn’t much next to him.“I need to see Edwin.”
He grimaced.“I wouldn’t suggest doing that, Ma’am.It’s not a pretty sight.”
“I don’t care,” she said.“My husband is charged with killing him, so I want to see him.”
The noise of the crowd died at her words.She glanced at the men closest to her before lifting her eyes to the one in front of her.“I demand to see him, so move out of my way.”
“That’s not going to happen.Sorry.”
He turned his back on her and blocked the doorway again.The crowd started shifting and before she could protest, she was pushed off the sidewalk.
The number of people on the street was massive now.She lost sight of Josiah in the bustle of people but saw the jail house and started running toward it.
The sheriff was locking Josiah inside a cell when she stormed into the building.“I want to see Edwin,” she demanded.
Everyone stopped and looked at her.
“Violet,” Josiah said.“Go find Bonnie, then go back to the hotel.”
She met his gaze and shook her head.“No.I want to see Edwin.”She crossed her arms under her breasts and looked at the sheriff.“I want to see for myself that he’s dead.And if he is, what makes you think Josiah killed him?”
The sheriff blew out a tired breath before saying, “We have an eye witness who says she heard a man fitting Josiah’s description say was going to kill him.”
“Lot’s of men in this town resemble Josiah.”
“She said he was wearing a badge.”He looked at Josiah.“The only other man in this town wearing a badge is me, so…”
Violet shook her head.“It’s a lie.Josiah never said any such thing.”
“The witness says otherwise.”
“Well, she’s lying!”Violet looked at Josiah.He’d never said he’d kill Edwin.Had he?They’d both been mad at him at one point or another, but had either of them said they’d kill him?
Josiah did when the sheriff knocked on the door.He said if that was Edwin, he’d kill him.
Yes, but that was just talk.He didn’t actually mean it.
Did he?
Josiah braced his hands on the jail cell bars and looked at her.“Do as I said, Violet.”
She crossed the room and reached for the bars.“They can’t lock you away with no proof, Josiah.Someone saying they heard something means nothing.”
“I know and once I get this sorted, we’ll head home, but for now, I need to know that you’re all right, so go find Bonnie.Have her stay with you at the hotel until I get out of here.”
He glanced over her shoulder before leaning down to be eye level with her and lowered his voice when he said, “When I found the bruises on your face and went to talk to Edwin, you stopped me on the street.Do you remember?”
