Salvation in the Sheriff's Kiss(43)

Hunter winced. He hadn’t said anything to Meredith about arranging the ceremony for her pa but the news hadn’t appeared to shock her. Had someone else already told her? And if so, what had she thought?

“Thank you, Freedom. It makes it a little easier knowing he came home to such a welcome. I’m sure he was smiling down knowing the good people of Salvation Falls hadn’t forgotten him.”

“Oh, we’s never forget your papa. He was a good man that one. Sorry to hear about poor Bill, though. Remember when he worked out here for a bit quite some years ago now. Nice man. Good man, too, despite appearances. You been to see him?”

“I have. He’s doing well.” Meredith slid her fingers down the buttons of her cape and shrugged off the wool garment. Freedom took it from her and hung it on a peg next to the door. Hunter pulled out a chair for her to sit in, and Freedom followed it with a cup of tea.

“Sit down, Hunter,” Rachel said, pulling out the chair next to Meredith, a clear indication of where she expected him to sit, and set the plate of cookies from the counter onto the table in front of them. Freedom followed with a steaming mug of coffee for him.

“You trying to teach me what good coffee tastes like?”

Her strong hand patted his shoulder. “Given that muck you drink, I’m not sure you have any tasters left in your mouth that’d be able to figure it out.” She waved a hand at the untouched plate in front of him. “Have y’self a taste. Dinner won’t be ready for a bit yet. Don’t you be worryin’ about those cookies neither. I baked them myself with no help from Rachel.”

“Freedom, are you besmirching my cooking abilities?” Rachel pressed a hand to her chest as if wounded, but the spark of humor gave her away.

“I wouldn’t refer to your skills in the kitchen as anything close to ability, Miz Rachel. Thank sweet heaven me and Foster are here or you’s all would starve to death. Now, tell me, is there any word on ole Bill’s trial?”

Meredith reached for a cookie. “Hunter received word the judge is set to arrive in a week. An anonymous benefactor has hired a lawyer named Wallace Platt to represent him, but Bill has refused to accept his counsel.”

“Mmm.” Freedom picked up the supplies she’d dumped on the table and transferred them to the counter. “Well, Bill knows his own mind from what I remember of him. I ’spect he has his reasons. This Wallace Platt, he from around here?”

Meredith shook her head. “No. He said he hails from Virginia originally, but San Francisco most recently...” Her voice trailed off for a moment and she glanced over at Hunter. “Just like the Bancrofts.”





Chapter Eleven

Rachel leaned a hip against the counter and crossed her arms. “I thought I heard the Bancrofts were from Colorado?”

“Depends on which one of them you ask,” Hunter said, reaching for another cookie. All of the so-called coincidences were building and none of them were sitting well with him. He looked at Meredith. “Maybe we should have a conversation with Mr. Platt.”

She arched an eyebrow. “We?”

He nodded. “Guess if you’re bent on proving your pa’s innocence, you could use some help.”

“Two minds do think better than one,” Rachel said.

“Can’t argue the truth of that.” A deep voice filtered through the door seconds before Caleb opened it and walked through, nine-year-old Ethan slung over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes. “Found this out in the front yard. You wanna keep it?”

“You have to keep me, Pa. I’m gonna be the best cowpoke you ever done saw.”

“Did see,” Caleb corrected as he set the giggling boy down. His hand rested on top of the blond head. “And I guess you’re right. Wouldn’t make sense to let a good cowpoke go, now would it? Say hello to Uncle Hunter and Miss Connolly, then go clean up for supper. You smell like the barn.”

Hunter wasn’t sure when he had attained the status of Uncle, or who had first started referring to him as such, but he had to admit it touched him, gave him a sense he belonged to a family, even if just on the periphery. And it did a body good to see Ethan thriving. It had been touch and go there for a while when Rachel had rescued him from the brothel after his ma passed away. Her first husband had never made any secret over his resentment of the boy’s presence, but Ethan and Caleb had forged a strong bond. Both knew what it was like to be unwanted.

Caleb crossed the room and gave Rachel a quick kiss.

“Caleb, this is my friend, Meredith Connolly I told you about.”

“Pleasure to meet you. Rachel has spoken of you often.” Caleb nodded. “Those fresh-baked cookies I smell?”