Mr. Wilson’s,” Mrs. Kennedy answered, giving Rosemarie time to compose herself.
“Can you come with me to the sheriff’s office?” Rosemarie’s voice was thick with emotion.
“Let’s go.” The doctor picked up his bag and they left the house.
• • •
The streets of Bartlett Creek continued to display flags, banners and a general sense of celebration. She couldn’t help but think how happy she would have been with the war coming to an end, if it had not been for Daniel being captured.
No longer would she need to cringe at the sound of horses riding up to her farm house, afraid one army or another would take more from her family. She could plant all the corn she wanted and not worry about losing it to military provisions. But none of it would matter if Daniel wasn’t with her.
Dr. Kennedy held the door for her as they entered.
Sheriff Jake Morris swung his feet off the desk, bringing his chair upright. He shoved a small book into his desk drawer. “What can I do for you, Doc?”
Despite the circumstances, Rosemarie smiled at the sheriff. A large man, he’d been hired by the town five years ago, when the former sheriff retired. With very little crime to deal with, Jake spent a lot of time reading penny novels, which he thought was a deep secret. The entire town knew of his private habit, but out of respect, and a genuine liking for the man, no one mentioned it to him.
“I understand you’re holding a man here who needs some medical attention.”
“You talking about that Reb in the back?”
The doctor nodded and headed toward the cell. “Can you open the door, please, Jake?”
The sheriff threw Rosemarie a curious glance, then grabbed the keys and followed the doctor. She was right behind him.
Daniel sat on the small cot, his eyes closed, and his head resting against the wall. Both of his eyes had been blackened, and dried blood crusted his split lip. Rosemarie drew in a sharp breath, which caused him to open his eyes.
“I don’t want you here.”
“Daniel, please.”
“Sheriff, please escort Mrs. Wilson from the jail.”
“No, Daniel,” she cried as the sheriff took her by the arm.
Daniel winced as he stood and walked to the bars of the cell. “Rosemarie, this is no place for you. Please do me a favor and forget me.”
She yanked her arm from the Sheriff’s hold. “No. I will not forget you, Daniel McCoy. Neither will Amelia, Jace and Chandler. We want you back with us.”
He slowly shook his head. “I will be hanged as soon as I’m returned to Camp Morton. Captain Nelson will not budge. Please go to your children.” He turned his back and shook his head at the doctor when he attempted to look at his injuries. “Leave me be. There’s no point in medical treatment for a dead man.”
“You might be willing to give up, Daniel. But I’m not.” Rosemarie continued to speak to his back. “Don’t give up. Please.”
“Ma’am,” the sheriff said softly. “It appears my prisoner doesn’t want you here, and I have to agree that the jailhouse is no place for a lady.”
Rosemarie pulled herself up to her full height and addressed Daniel. “I’ll be back. Just as soon as I figure out what to do.”
When no answer was forthcoming, she turned toward the sheriff. “I’m leaving.”
He tipped his hat and led her to the front door.
The sound of the sheriff’s door closing behind her echoed in her ears as she stood on the boardwalk. What to do now? She wrapped her arm around her middle to stop its pitching. If Daniel were to be saved, she needed to get herself under control.
“Mrs. Wilson, can I offer you a ride somewhere?” Dr. Kennedy walked up behind her, his face softened with compassion.
She shook her head and swiped at the tears gathering in her eyes.
Dr. Kennedy took her by the arm. “Come. Mrs. Kennedy will make us some tea, and you can visit with your children.”
• • •
Any other time, Rosemarie would have appreciated the aroma of fresh baked bread
“Can you come with me to the sheriff’s office?” Rosemarie’s voice was thick with emotion.
“Let’s go.” The doctor picked up his bag and they left the house.
• • •
The streets of Bartlett Creek continued to display flags, banners and a general sense of celebration. She couldn’t help but think how happy she would have been with the war coming to an end, if it had not been for Daniel being captured.
No longer would she need to cringe at the sound of horses riding up to her farm house, afraid one army or another would take more from her family. She could plant all the corn she wanted and not worry about losing it to military provisions. But none of it would matter if Daniel wasn’t with her.
Dr. Kennedy held the door for her as they entered.
Sheriff Jake Morris swung his feet off the desk, bringing his chair upright. He shoved a small book into his desk drawer. “What can I do for you, Doc?”
Despite the circumstances, Rosemarie smiled at the sheriff. A large man, he’d been hired by the town five years ago, when the former sheriff retired. With very little crime to deal with, Jake spent a lot of time reading penny novels, which he thought was a deep secret. The entire town knew of his private habit, but out of respect, and a genuine liking for the man, no one mentioned it to him.
“I understand you’re holding a man here who needs some medical attention.”
“You talking about that Reb in the back?”
The doctor nodded and headed toward the cell. “Can you open the door, please, Jake?”
The sheriff threw Rosemarie a curious glance, then grabbed the keys and followed the doctor. She was right behind him.
Daniel sat on the small cot, his eyes closed, and his head resting against the wall. Both of his eyes had been blackened, and dried blood crusted his split lip. Rosemarie drew in a sharp breath, which caused him to open his eyes.
“I don’t want you here.”
“Daniel, please.”
“Sheriff, please escort Mrs. Wilson from the jail.”
“No, Daniel,” she cried as the sheriff took her by the arm.
Daniel winced as he stood and walked to the bars of the cell. “Rosemarie, this is no place for you. Please do me a favor and forget me.”
She yanked her arm from the Sheriff’s hold. “No. I will not forget you, Daniel McCoy. Neither will Amelia, Jace and Chandler. We want you back with us.”
He slowly shook his head. “I will be hanged as soon as I’m returned to Camp Morton. Captain Nelson will not budge. Please go to your children.” He turned his back and shook his head at the doctor when he attempted to look at his injuries. “Leave me be. There’s no point in medical treatment for a dead man.”
“You might be willing to give up, Daniel. But I’m not.” Rosemarie continued to speak to his back. “Don’t give up. Please.”
“Ma’am,” the sheriff said softly. “It appears my prisoner doesn’t want you here, and I have to agree that the jailhouse is no place for a lady.”
Rosemarie pulled herself up to her full height and addressed Daniel. “I’ll be back. Just as soon as I figure out what to do.”
When no answer was forthcoming, she turned toward the sheriff. “I’m leaving.”
He tipped his hat and led her to the front door.
The sound of the sheriff’s door closing behind her echoed in her ears as she stood on the boardwalk. What to do now? She wrapped her arm around her middle to stop its pitching. If Daniel were to be saved, she needed to get herself under control.
“Mrs. Wilson, can I offer you a ride somewhere?” Dr. Kennedy walked up behind her, his face softened with compassion.
She shook her head and swiped at the tears gathering in her eyes.
Dr. Kennedy took her by the arm. “Come. Mrs. Kennedy will make us some tea, and you can visit with your children.”
• • •
Any other time, Rosemarie would have appreciated the aroma of fresh baked bread
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