Chapter 16
“No! No!” Millie pushed through the cheering and booing crowd and ran up front. She had no idea what she would say, or how she would do it, but Trey was not going to hang on her watch.
Someone grabbed her arm to prevent her from reaching the judge’s desk, and she jerked around to the face of Sheriff Avery.
“Don’t let them hang him!” she exclaimed, jerking against the sheriff’s hold.
Trey whistled through his teeth and nodded toward the door. She clenched her teeth and obeyed her husband, allowing the sheriff to lead her out of the loud courtroom.
“You have to help him” she told him. “He can’t die.”
“Can I ask why you car so much for this man? He’s a murderer” Sheriff Avery asked.
“No, you can’t. He’s not a murderer! How many times do I have to tell you that he’s innocent?” Millie exclaimed.
“How can you be so sure?” Avery asked, taking a step closer to her. “He’s been convicted by a judge and jury.”
“Because I know the man” Millie said. “The man in there would never kill anyone.”
“He even confessed to being an outlaw, Miss Millie” Avery was fast losing patience.
“So he’s guilty by association?”
“In this case, yes” Sheriff Avery put his fists on his hips, appearing exasperated.
Millie clenched her teeth. “He won’t hang. If I have to go get Wes myself, then so be it.”
*****
“Would you shut up!” Trey was tired of listening to the egotistical sheriff go on and on about how much he deserved what he was getting. The man thought he had a saddle to fit every horse and it was grating on his nerves.
“A hanging’s too good for you, if you ask me. I would’ve shot you as soon as you came to town” Avery sat slouched in his chair, his muddy boots propped up on his desk.
“I didn’t ask you anything, Avery” Trey threw his pillow over his face as if to drown out the man’s next remark.
The ring of hammers outside was reminder enough that he would hang the day after tomorrow, let alone the sheriff reminding him every second that his time on earth was limited.
How any man needed a punishment after a stay in jail with this man was beyond Trey’s comprehension. If a judge really wanted to torture a man, he would give him a week stay in the Casden jail under constant watch by the glorified lunatic that was the sheriff.
The door swung open and Trey jerked the pillow off his face. He knew Millie would save him from the ongoing conversation between himself and Avery.
“Miss Millie” The sheriff greeted.
“Sheriff” Millie didn’t look at the man she addressed, but strode up to his cell. “I need to talk to you.”
“About what?” Avery asked, nearing the cell.
“About personal business” Millie said.
“I’m sorry, Miss Millie. He’s a convicted murderer now, and I can’t let you be alone with him” Avery stared at Trey.
“Fine. I’ll have to talk with him with you here” Millie stepped up as close to the bars as she could. “I’m not going to let you hang” she whispered.
“Please don’t do something stupid, Millie” Trey asked, keeping his voice low while eyeing the sheriff.
“I have to find Wes. I’ll kill him if I have to” Millie said.
YOU ARE READING
Keep My Heart
Romance“It wasn’t worth a horse, was it?” she asked. “No” Trey entered the stall and swung the saddle over Hank’s back. Millie walked into the next stall, which was empty, and leaned against the low wall that separated the two. “So then why take the ris...
