Every Little Thing About You

  the key dropping might give her away, but she was determined

  367

  to get out of this closet. She had sat quietly for the

  longest time before realizing that Mr. Mills was working.

  Feeling that she had little to lose, she decided to try. She

  thought she might have just gotten it when the door

  opened.

  Without a word from her captor the sewing implement

  was plucked from her hand, and she looked up into

  enraged features.

  "The thought of trussing you up is abhorrent to me, but

  if that's what it takes to keep you quiet, I'll do it. You must

  understand that I won't let anything stop me from leaving

  here. Now this is my last warning."

  The door dosing once again, Liberty let her shoulders

  slump. This was such a mess. How long would it be before

  she was missed at home? Quite possibly hours. Her mother

  knew what Mrs. Tobler was like and would assume that

  she'd wanted her to stay all day. Liberty worked to keep

  Every Little Thing About You 211

  her head clear, but it was getting hard. For the first time

  368

  since she could remember, she wanted to panic.

  Stretching out on her side, she prayed and tried to calm

  her heart. She thought of every verse that would come to

  mind, going slowly over the words and even singing

  hymns in her heart. While mentally going through the song

  she was supposed to play in church on Sunday morning,

  her fingers moving over imaginary keys, she must have

  fallen asleep. She hadn't planned to do that, but the door

  was suddenly opening again and she'd heard no footsteps.

  "I have to take care of this now/' her jailer began by

  saying. "I won't have your death on my mind."

  Liberty stared at him as he set a basket, presumably of

  food, and a jug beside her.

  "You'll have to eat sparingly, but you won't starve."

  "You can't be serious!" Liberty said in outrage, coming

  awake in a hurry. "You can't leave me in here."

  "I don't think it, will be long. Aunt likes her home too

  much. She should be back any day now."

  Liberty had come to her feet, causing Davis to back

  away a little.

  369

  "If I die," she said fiercely, "it'll be on your head. Don't

  try to tell yourself anything else!"

  "You'll be fine," he said with an irritating confidence,

  the door starting to dose. "And don't forget," he immediately

  opened it again to say, "I will tie you up if you make

  a single noise."

  Liberty had never known such frustration. To be this

  helpless was maddening. She made herself sit back down

  and take slow, even breaths. Bumping the jug, she realized

  she was thirsty. She'd missed lunch, but as soon as she'd

  had a drink, her mind went back to obtaining her freedom.

  It might take some time, but she would come up with a

  plan.

  -3--5

  212 lori wick

  "And then Mam fell asleep during her sandwich,"

  Laura told Griffin. Knowing he would have to work late,

  he had stopped by the house and found her home with

  370

  less. "She was tired."

  "What did you do?"

  "I just sat there beside her."

  "That was nice of you. Did Libby get you the milk you

  wanted?" /

  "Libby wasn't home. She's been at Mrs. Tobler's all day

  getting a new dress. She didn't even come home for lunch

  or to help Mam start dinner."

  Griffin's entire frame stiffened. Mr. Saint, Mrs. Mills,

  and Mrs. Tobler had been on his mind since he'd started

  making plans for that night. But this news about Liberty

  could not wait that long.

  "I need to head out for a little bit," Griffin rose and said.

  "I'll check back with you, Tess." He gave her a swift kiss.

  "All right," Tess said calmly, thinking of the little girl

  next to her. But she knew something was wrong and began

  to pray.

  "'Bye, Laura," he said as he kissed the top of her head.

  "'Bye."

  Griffin tried not to run. He debated going all the way

  371

  to the Hathaways' to get Slater but decided to swing by the

  office instead. His heart slowed with relief to see Arrow out

  front.

  "I need you" was all he said, his head going swiftly

  inside and back out again. Slater was fast to respond, and

  on the way to the Mills', Griffin gave him the news.

  "I hope it's just an uncomfortable hunch that doesn't

  pan out."

  "You and me both," Slater agreed. Hunch or not, it

  needed to be checked. If Liberty was there and they didn't

  follow this lead, they would never forgive themselves.

  In the next few seconds Griffin told Slater what he

  wanted to do. They had given Davis Mills the benefit of the

  Every Little Thing About You 213

  doubt earlier that day and knocked on the front door.

  Griffin was not going to make that mistake again.

  Sr

  372

  Liberty listened to the noise of doors opening or furniture

  moving, she couldn't decide which. She did know one

  thing, however--if he was moving furniture, that meant

  that the hole was covered and he was getting ready to

  leave. Even if he had the gun with him again, Liberty was

  not going to take this lying down. The pointed-heel shoes

  in her hands, she launched her assault against the door

  with a vengeance.

  "Let me out! Do you tear me? I said, GET ME OUT OF

  HERE!"

  Liberty continued to shout, kick, and beat against the

  door until her hair flew in her face and her throat felt raw.

  She screamed for all she was worth, and when the door

  was opened, she attacked the man with the shoes, her arms

  swinging in a desperate attempt to gain the upper hand.

  She found herself subdued, arms locked at her sides in

  a tight grasp. It happened so swiftly that for a moment she

  couldn't breathe. When she did find her breath, she looked

  up into Slater Rawlings' face.

  "Oh, Slater," Liberty whispered. "Did I hurt you?"

  373

  Slater smiled, but the answer was clear: His cheek was

  bleeding and one eyelid was already beginning to swell.

  "Are you all right?" was all he wanted to know.

  "Yes. Oh, Slater," she cried again.

  "What happened here, Libby?"

  It was Griffin. Liberty hadn't even seen him. For the

  first time in her life, Liberty began to babble. Both Griffin

  and Slater listened to words like "dirt mounds, money

  sacks, water jug, derringer, front door, key, shoes," and so

  on. They both tried to take in the sequence, but she kept

  changing directions on them, all the time gesturing to the

  214 lori wick

  room and pointing out the dust that lay in thick layers on

  the furniture.

  "Take her home/' Griffin said. "Ill make a final check

  here and with Mr. Saint, then see if the neighbors spotted

  anyone."

  Liberty told herself to offer her services, but Griffin had

  looked at her
strangely. It was then that she realized this

  374

  had been more upsetting than she first thought.

  "I'm sorry," she heard herself say.

  Griffin hugged her. "We're just glad you're all right."

  "I should be helping you."

  Griffin shook his head. "I'll be by later and we'll talk

  about it, okay?"

  Liberty nodded, and Slater took her by the arm. She

  was shocked to see it was almost dark out. Why had she

  thought that just a few hours had passed? And when had

  she left Mrs. Tobler's to head home?

  "Here we go," Slater said, and Liberty looked up to see

  that he'd brought his horse close to the step and was

  reaching for her. Liberty automatically lifted her arms, and

  a moment later she was sitting across the front of Arrow's

  saddle. Slater's arms came around her to hold the reins,

  and Liberty let herself relax against him. Actually, she gave

  no thought to what she was doing. She just didn't have the

  strength right now to sit up straight.

  "Slater?"

  "Yeah?"

  375

  "He took the floor apart and had bags of money buried

  in the dirt."

  "In the living room?"

  "Yes. He wouldn't let me out of the closet." She sighed

  a little. "I thought about you."

  "Good thoughts?"

  She nodded against him, and Slater had everything he

  could do not to tip her head back and kiss her. It was so

  nice to have her close.

  Every Little Thing About You 215

  Liberty's full weight was leaning against Slater by the

  time they arrived at the house, and for an instant he wondered

  if she might have fallen asleep. She wasn't asleep,

  but he had to steady her on her feet once they dismounted.

  "Well, Libby," her mother said as soon as they both

  walked in the kitchen door, "Mrs. Tobler must have been

  sewing with a vengeance."

  Liberty shrugged a little as her mother got a better look

  376

  at her.

  "Is Duffy here, Kate?" Slater asked.

  "In the living room reading with Zach," she answered

  while taking in the marks on his face. "What's happened?"

  The next hour was spent explaining and checking

  wounds. Liberty changed clothes and ate with the family,

  but her disappointment over Slater not staying was keen.

  He'd gone back to check on Griffin.

  When Griffin learned that no one had seen a thing, he'd

  gone back to the office, searched through the wanted circulars,

  and filled out a report, readying it completely to be

  mailed thenext day. He'd also gone back to the house and

  checked out what Liberty had told Slater about the living

  room floor, but there was nothing else he could do. Davis

  Mills had to be miles out of town by now, and Shotgun's

  sheriff had to leave it at that. He only hoped that Mrs. Mills

  would return soon and not be buried under her own living

  room floor.

  %r

  377

  "All this time, Duff--" Kate said after they were in bed

  that night. "All this time I thought if Libby wasn't in law

  enforcement, she'd be safe, and here she gets grabbed just

  trying to check on Mrs. Mills. I can't help but wonder what

  things are coming to."

  "If s like we've talked about before, Kate. Don't expect

  things to get better. It won't happen."

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  Kate nodded. Sometimes Duffy's logical mind infuriated

  her, but not now. She needed to think clearly, or she

  would never let Liberty out of the house again.

  "I'm so glad Griffin and Slater were there, Duffy, so

  very glad. I don't know if I could lose my Libby. I don't

  think I can."

  Kate's first tears flowed. She had wanted to cry when

  she heard what happened but held herself in check, trying

  to be strong for her daughter, who still looked a little

  378

  shocked and confused during dinner.

  "She's always been the calm one, Duffy," Kate sobbed.

  "She looked just like a lost child, and then I saw Slater's

  face. I know he loves her. I know it killed him to have to

  leave before she came back downstairs."

  Duffy held her and thought about God's promises.

  Never did He tell His children that this life would be safe

  and pain free. Indeed, every book in the Bible indicated

  otherwise. Nevertheless, God did promise never to desert

  His loved ones or give them more than they could handle.

  Picturing Liberty in that closet was a sickening thing. The

  man could have done anything, but they all had to choose

  to take God at His Word, which meant Liberty wasn't

  alone. The all-powerful God of the universe had been right

  there beside her at every moment.

  "I have to sleep now," Kate said, her voice slurred with

  fatigue.

  "Okay. I'm going to check on the kids one more time.

  I'll see you in the morning."

  "I love you, Duffy."

  379

  "I love you too, Kate," he said before kissing her cheek.

  The doctor slipped quietly from the room, heading

  down the hall to see Laura and Zach, and finally to knock

  gently before opening Liberty's door a crack. There was no

  light on, but the moonlight coming from the window told

  him Liberty was standing at the glass looking out.

  "Are you all right?" her stepfather asked.

  Every Little Thing About You 217

  "Just a little restless," Liberty told him as she turned

  and let the curtain fall back into place. "I can't stop

  thinking about everything he said and trying to decipher if

  he gave any clues as to where he was headed."

  "Will you take some advice?"

  "Certainly."

  "Stop being an officer of the law and try to sleep. All of

  this will still be here in the morning."

  "All right," Liberty agreed and even thanked Duffy as

  he shut the door, but his words took her off in another

  direction. Stop being an officer of the law. Why did that one

  380

  simple sentence hurt so much? Right now Liberty didn't

  have a clue, and the prospect of finding out made her feel

  pretty helpless.

  Seeing no other option, she climbed into bed, willing

  herself to sleep. It took some time and some confessing,

  since she'd started to worry, but by the time she drifted off

  to sleep, she was ready to leave the whole affair in God's

  capable hands.

  3'

  Three mornings after the uproar at Mrs. Mills' house, a

  newcomer walked from the hotel, his eyes taking in the

  neat, even streets of Shotgun's small community. He'd

  arrived rather late the night before and opted to bunk at the

  hotel for that night. The room had been comfortable and

  warm, and he felt rested as he started up the street.

  He hadn't gone far when he spotted Shotgun's deputy.

  Slater stood in front of the general store with a mountain of

  a man and a tiny, enraged woman.

  381

  "I tell you it's robbery!" Mrs. Swenson insisted, her

  whole frame vib
rating in irritation. "And I want this man

  arrested."

  "Mrs. Swenson." Slater's voice was remarkably

  patient. "Price and Amy may charge whatever they want.

  It's their store."

  218 lori wick

  "Nonsense! Why, only last year I paid half that much

  for a tin of peaches. I tell you it's against the law."

  Price tried to reason with her, but she would have none

  of it She ended up storming down the boardwalk, muttering

  all the way.

  "She'll cool down," Amy said as she came on the scene.

  "My guess is she'll be back in the morning and pay without

  a whimper."

  Slater nodded as the couple thanked him and went

  back inside. Slater turned up the street, only then seeing the

  tall, slim man with the dark red hair who had come from

  the hotel. He'd leaned against the side of the building,

  382

  watching the whole scene with great interest. Slater

  thought he had the warmest brown eyes in Texas. It wasn't

  hard to figure that Dakota must have headed straight

  home. Slater began to smile. Cash Rawlings had come tp

  town.

  GHutiew,

  As soon as the brothers were back at the sheriff's

  office, they embraced for a long time.

  "I've missed you, Cash," Slater said, feeling strangely

  choked up as they drew back.

  "You could have come home," the oldest Rawlings

  said, not unkindly.

  "I planned on it but found it wasn't so easy."

  Cash smiled. "Dak says her name is Ubby."

  Slater laughed. "She's not the only reason, but she's a

  good one."

  "What's she like?"

  "Oh, Cash," Slater sighed. "How much time have you

  383

  got?"

  Cash smiled again; somehow he'd always known that

  softhearted Slater would be the first to fall.

  "Does she know?" he asked next.

  "Not directly, but we're getting there."

  "So she loves you in return?"

  "I hope so."

  For a moment they were silent.

  "Grandma sends her love."

  "How is she?"

  "Doing* well. Surprisingly enough, she's getting a little

  more independent. She cut her visit short this last time and

  headed home. Said she had things to do."

  Slater laughed, wishing he could see their father's

  mother, who, although her son and daughter-in-law had

  returned to St. Louis, had stayed in Texas.

  219

  220 lori wick

  384

  "I take it Dak came home?" Slater asked.

  "On the verge of apoplexy. Said you needed straightening

  out."