Heart of a Deputy (Heart of Colorado #2)

Chapter Four

Sally looked at the horrible words again. At first she thought Mr. Tabor was the culprit, but the more she stared, the better she knew that it wasn’t. This was the work of Bill. But how? The thought of Bill finding her, dragging her back, forcing her again and again made her dizzy. She swooned and slumped against Buddy.

“Sally needs to get inside.” Buddy picked her up behind her knees and carried her like a child. “Show me where to put her.” Lottie nodded wordlessly and walked into the house.

“Huh bed ovah deya.” Lottie pointed to the larger of the two beds in the room.

Buddy nodded, walking slowly towards her bed. He placed her head on her pillows, covering her with the throw at the foot of the bed. Sitting next to her, he brushed her hair away from her face. He silently asked the Lord to make her wake up.

Buddy continued to caress her features from her cheek, down her nose, and across her forehead in a gentle effort to bring her back to consciousness. He even found a cloth and poured some water over it, patting her face down with the cool material. Still, she remained asleep.

He wondered if the others had gone on to church. He decided to ask if he could stay with her, hoping against all else that she would awaken soon.

Stepping out for a moment, he caught Tom’s attention.

“I … can I stay with her while you and Mamie go to church? I don’t want her to be left alone.”

Not giving Tom proper time to answer, Mamie butted in. “It isn’t proper, Buddy. But, under the circumstances, I think it will be okay. You come get me at the first sign of anything wrong. You hear?”

“Yes ma’am. I will. And I’ll leave the door open.” He didn’t know what else to say. It wasn’t proper, but he was too worried to leave Sally’s side until he knew she’d recovered from the shock.

“Do you want Lottie to stay as well?” Mamie asked.

Buddy looked to Lottie. “Only if she wants to. I cared for my wife through … everything. I think I should be able to handle an hour with a sleeping patient.”

Mamie nodded and took Tom’s elbow, grabbing Lottie’s hand as they walked to the small place where the services were held.

Buddy turned his attention back to his sleeping sweetheart. He was sweet on her, and there was no changing it or denying it. If only she’d return his feelings. He knew, even from the day they’d met, and knowing the profession she’d been in, that he wanted her to be his. Convincing the beauty that they belonged together was proving more difficult. His mind wandered once more, but this time to the message painted on the house. Who would do that? And why did they want to find Sally? What would they do with her, to her, when they did come for her? His blood boiled at the idea of someone harming her.

“Not if I can help it.” He said aloud to the air.

“What? Buddy? What’s going on?” God be praised, she was coming to.

“You swooned, Miss Sally. You’ve been out for a little while. How do you feel?”

“I feel like I’m going to be ill. Please, get the basin.” He rushed to the stand and brought the porcelain bowl back to her.

“Can I get you anything? Lottie left a honey biscuit and some water.” Buddy offered, not sure what else to say.

“No, thank you. I’ll probably just heave it back up anyway.” In her foggy mind, Sally had forgotten that she didn’t want Buddy to know that she was pregnant. “This baby keeps me retching. In fact, today was the first day I hadn’t…” she couldn’t finish her sentence. The very thing she was talking about started happening.