CHAPTER 24

Wayne tipped his hat. "I look forward to seeing you around

Horseshoe, Ms. Lily."

"Thank you," she replied.

Wayne had always had a weak spot for attractive faces. Not John. But now he was stuck with the ostentatious, intelligent, and stunningly attractive woman. If he fudged, he could have her out of Horseshoe in six weeks instead of the 300 hours it would normally take.

First he needed to secure a temporary residence for her. She certainly wasn't going to continue living with them. She'd disrupted his peace of mind enough. Not to mention raised his blood pressure.

He indicated a chair. "Please take a seat."

She didn't say anything as she sat on the edge of the chair Wayne had evacuated. He found that a little odd. She was always talking.

He looked through his address book in search of a considerate person who would provide accommodations for a stranger.

He grabbed the handset and dialed a number. The first ring was answered by Mrs. Pearson. She had a big house and was widowed.

"This is John stark" he said.

"Why hello, Sheriff."

"Mrs. Pearson, I was hoping you could help me with a small problem." He looked at Ms. Lily and she gazed sack at him.

"You can bet I'll do it if I can."

"I'm looking for accommodations for a young woman for about two months."

"Are you referring to the lady who attempted to bribe you and nearly ran Chloe over? She's going to be remaining in Horseshoe for a while, according to information I just received from the beauty salon. Ira must be getting senile."

John bit his lower lip. Gossip spread like a speeding bullet in Horseshoe. How in the world could news spread that quickly?

"She'll be doing community service."

"I'm sorry, Sheriff. I can't have anyone like that in my house. I live alone and she might steal everything I have. I wouldn't be able to sleep a wink."

"I wouldn't want you to lose any sleep," he replied with as much calm as he could muster.

He then tried another widow, Mrs. Hornsby.

Charlotte crossed her legs and waited. Leaning over, she ran a hand down her shin, inspecting a mosquito bite. His attention was immediately drawn to the attractive cleavage, and every cell in his body tensed up.

He glanced away as Mrs. Hornsby came on the line.

"Mrs. Hornsby, I was wondering if you had an extra room."

"It's for that woman, isn't it?"

"If you mean Ms. Lily, yes."

"Now, Sheriff, you know I'm willing to help whenever I can, but I can't have that woman in my house."

"Judge Fitzwater wants her to stay in town and I don't think you'd have a problem."

"Let her stay with his family if Ira is so determined to have her in Horseshoe."

Oh, dear! The nasty work had already been done by the grapevine. Nobody would provide Ms. Lily with a place to stay. But he persisted in trying. Someone must not have been aware of the news.

He made another call. No luck.

And another. No luck there, either.

Charlotte ran her hands through her hair, the knit top showing off her full breasts. He slammed down the phone.

Suddenly, Alice, his mother, and Dolittle burst through the door.

"Hey, Charlotte, we heard!" Alice said, running around the desk and hopping onto John's lap. "Can I still be a deputy, Daddy? I'll watch her real good."

"Ms. Lily isn't under arrest anymore," he replied. "She'll be doing community service. I was just looking for a place where she could stay."

"Nonsense," Hae snorted. "She'll stay at our house. She already knows us."

"That's not a good idea." John tried to be as tactful as possible with Ms. Lily in the room."

"Why ever not?" Haetel was curious.

"Because I have to oversee her tasks and I don't want anything to cloud my judgement.

"Like what?"

"Mom!"

Charlotte got up. "Don't worry, Haetel. Perhaps it's best if I stay elsewhere."

"Hogwash. Get your things. My car is outside. Alice and were on the way to the grocery store. You can come with us." His mother lifted an eyebrow at him. "Unless her duties start today."

"Whatever." He sighed deeply, knowing he was fighting a losing battle. "I would like to speak with Ms. Lily first, though."

"Sure. Go ahead, Alice." Haetel winked at Charlotte. "I'm parked right outside."

"Daddy, does this mean Charlotte will have to sleep in my room once more?"

"Seems to be." He patiently awaited the rejection, but in vain.

"Okay." She made a head wag. "But you need to start paying me to house prisoners. And I don't mean with kisses."

John felt like smiling for the first time today. As long as A was happy, nothing else mattered.

"How about one dollar every week?"

"Deal." She kissed his cheek, hopped off his lap and ran after her grandmother, Dolittle loping behind.

That left him alone with Ms. Lily.

He took his time as he closed the address book. The woman was like a thumbtack pressing on a nerve, and he wasn't sure what to say to her. But he knew that he had to speak up.

She spoke first. "I don't understand why you're so angry. You're the one who asked when I was going to take responsibility for my actions. It wasn't easy to do that and---"

"Why did you?" His eyes caught hers.

"Your mother told me about your wife and how the young driver went free. I saw myself so clearly in his actions, and I didn't want justice to take a back seat. I wanted---"

He quickly cut her off. "You know nothing about my wife." He didn't talk about Sarah to anyone.

"I didn't say I did, and you can take that short-fuse temper and stuff it where the sun don't shine." She picked up her case. "Is there a motel in this town?"

"Out on the highway. The Do Drop Inn."

"I will be staying there. You see, I don't want to live in the same house as you, either." She whirled and went for the door. "I'll be here tomorrow morning at nine."

"Make it eight."

She turned. "What?"

"Precisely eight o'clock. Is that a problem?"

"No?"

He retrieved her wallet from a drawer. "You might need this."

She yanked the wallet from his hand, her eyes blazing. "So justice is something you spout, not something you practice?"

"Ms. Lily---"

"Go to hell." With that she made her exit.

He stood and stretched his tight muscles, feeling like a heel. It wasn't like him to be so cruel. 'Don't Be Cruel'. Oh, God! The women in his life where driving him right around the bend.

He paused to catch his breath and restore his calm. He had been pleading for justice to Ms. Lily for days and was impressed with her decision to speak up. What then was his issue?

His reaction to her.

His interest in women had vanished after Sarah. He was okay with that. That part of him was dead; he had no desire to be with a woman.

He was lying to himself.

Ms. Lily triggered feelings in him that he wanted to bury with Sarah, the love if his life. Charlotte Lily had in some way put that love and commitment to the test. It wasn't her fault though, it was his.

He could see her getting into his mother's car out the window.

He took out a calendar and drew a circle around the day that her community service would begin, which was tomorrow. Two months. There was no doubt she'd survive it.

But would he?