The Sherriff's Daughter: WESTERN ROMANCE (Cowboy Alpha Male Bad Boy Romance) (Rancher Pregnancy Romance Short Stories) by Sandra Anderson Page B
Authors: Sandra Anderson
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sleeping but I managed to glance at their horses and I had never seen them before. I notice animals more than the white man does.”
“That means they’re likely gold prospectors from the Black Hills.” As I spoke, Clay shot me a nasty look. He didn’t like me giving opinions because that was his duty as a deputy.
“Did they steal anything or cause damage?” Clay asked.
“Yes and it’s troubling because they stole weapons that we would use for hunting large animals like buffalo and deer. They took blowguns, bows and arrowheads that are capable of causing grave damage to a human. We had an antelope on the spit, which they dragged away, and a sack of dried corn.”
“Was anyone hurt?” I asked.
“No but the women are scared that the gang of thieves will take their honor or even their lives. It is something they do for sport and as a way to weaken the tribe.”
“It’s just Sheriff Grant and I but we’ll do everything we can to secure your safety.”
“There also me,” I chimed in and even Dizzy Moon chuckled.
“You’re a friend of the Sioux Beth and I would never put you in harm’s way. If I did, I’d have to answer to your Father and that is not a position I want to be in. For your kindness today, I have packed up some cured buffalo meat and other treats that you can enjoy. You are luck Deputy Bask to have such a beautiful and wise partner.”
“Beth isn’t my partner. I run the show with her father and she’s just along for the ride.”
I shrugged my shoulders and Dizzy Moon looked at me kindly.
Clay and I rode back to town. I allowed him to ride in front because it wasn’t worth doing otherwise. I was 20 and Clay was 26 but he acted as if he was my uncle. He didn’t hesitate to discipline me and treated me as a child. He had sharp edges and I wished he would find a woman who might soften him up a little. Maybe he didn’t have a softer side and perhaps I would never know.
We arrived back at the office to find my father chatting with the prisoner Mr. Menninger. The man didn’t remember what happened the night before when he was apparently hit in the jaw. He was glad to have his teeth in his pocket as a memento of the bar brawl. Sheriff Grant let prisoners like him go the next morning as spending the night in jail was punishment enough.
“Thanks for the accommodations now it’s time to mosey on home and get punishment from Mrs. Menninger, which will be much worse.” He smiled and limped out of the sheriff’s office.
Clay and I filled my father in on what Dizzy Moon told us about criminals coming on to their property at night.
“Sounds like a gang.” My Father said. “There’s money in the Black Hills which attracts robbers. We don’t have a bank here but Gaffney makes a good place to wait for stages as they travel through. We’ve got a saloon and a boarding house with women. The Indians are a good target with their food and their women too.”
“How do we let em know that they’re not welcome here Sheriff?” Clay asked. “I can round up some men and we can deputize em. The badges might scare em away.”
“No, they’ll just get killed and we’ll have a war on our hands. I’m going to nip this in the bud by camping out by the Indian village overnight. I’ll send a message and they won’t bother us any longer.”
“No Daddy. I’m not letting you camp out by yourself. You’ll be asking for trouble. I’ll go with you.”
Clay jumped in. “If anyone’s going with the Sheriff it’ll be me. I don’t think a stake-out is an appropriate place for a little girl.”
“Don’t argue because I’m going alone. If anything ever happens to me, you have to be in a position to wear the sheriff’s badge Clay. I’ll have Dizzy Moon and the other tribe members as back-up, so I’ll be safe.”
“I’m not going to worry Sheriff Grant because I know if anyone’s capable of ridding this town of the criminal element it’s you. My pigs and chickens gotta eat so I’m going
“That means they’re likely gold prospectors from the Black Hills.” As I spoke, Clay shot me a nasty look. He didn’t like me giving opinions because that was his duty as a deputy.
“Did they steal anything or cause damage?” Clay asked.
“Yes and it’s troubling because they stole weapons that we would use for hunting large animals like buffalo and deer. They took blowguns, bows and arrowheads that are capable of causing grave damage to a human. We had an antelope on the spit, which they dragged away, and a sack of dried corn.”
“Was anyone hurt?” I asked.
“No but the women are scared that the gang of thieves will take their honor or even their lives. It is something they do for sport and as a way to weaken the tribe.”
“It’s just Sheriff Grant and I but we’ll do everything we can to secure your safety.”
“There also me,” I chimed in and even Dizzy Moon chuckled.
“You’re a friend of the Sioux Beth and I would never put you in harm’s way. If I did, I’d have to answer to your Father and that is not a position I want to be in. For your kindness today, I have packed up some cured buffalo meat and other treats that you can enjoy. You are luck Deputy Bask to have such a beautiful and wise partner.”
“Beth isn’t my partner. I run the show with her father and she’s just along for the ride.”
I shrugged my shoulders and Dizzy Moon looked at me kindly.
Clay and I rode back to town. I allowed him to ride in front because it wasn’t worth doing otherwise. I was 20 and Clay was 26 but he acted as if he was my uncle. He didn’t hesitate to discipline me and treated me as a child. He had sharp edges and I wished he would find a woman who might soften him up a little. Maybe he didn’t have a softer side and perhaps I would never know.
We arrived back at the office to find my father chatting with the prisoner Mr. Menninger. The man didn’t remember what happened the night before when he was apparently hit in the jaw. He was glad to have his teeth in his pocket as a memento of the bar brawl. Sheriff Grant let prisoners like him go the next morning as spending the night in jail was punishment enough.
“Thanks for the accommodations now it’s time to mosey on home and get punishment from Mrs. Menninger, which will be much worse.” He smiled and limped out of the sheriff’s office.
Clay and I filled my father in on what Dizzy Moon told us about criminals coming on to their property at night.
“Sounds like a gang.” My Father said. “There’s money in the Black Hills which attracts robbers. We don’t have a bank here but Gaffney makes a good place to wait for stages as they travel through. We’ve got a saloon and a boarding house with women. The Indians are a good target with their food and their women too.”
“How do we let em know that they’re not welcome here Sheriff?” Clay asked. “I can round up some men and we can deputize em. The badges might scare em away.”
“No, they’ll just get killed and we’ll have a war on our hands. I’m going to nip this in the bud by camping out by the Indian village overnight. I’ll send a message and they won’t bother us any longer.”
“No Daddy. I’m not letting you camp out by yourself. You’ll be asking for trouble. I’ll go with you.”
Clay jumped in. “If anyone’s going with the Sheriff it’ll be me. I don’t think a stake-out is an appropriate place for a little girl.”
“Don’t argue because I’m going alone. If anything ever happens to me, you have to be in a position to wear the sheriff’s badge Clay. I’ll have Dizzy Moon and the other tribe members as back-up, so I’ll be safe.”
“I’m not going to worry Sheriff Grant because I know if anyone’s capable of ridding this town of the criminal element it’s you. My pigs and chickens gotta eat so I’m going
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