Free Lauri Robinson by Sheriff McBride

explain.
    “Hannah, how is it you’ve always worried about others more than yourself? When are you going to realize you can’t fix everything? Nor do you have to.” Tom looked at Joe, as if he wanted his brother to agree with him.
    Joe nodded. “Yeah, what happened in Paradise wasn’t your fault. The people of Paradise could have done something to stop it all.”
    “They tried—” she started.
    Joe interrupted, “No they didn’t. No one protested when Buford took over the bank, no one tried to stop Nathaniel from taking over the mercantile, and no one said anything when Sheriff Acer moved to town and got Alice Temple in the family way.”
    “Well, they didn’t like it. People told me so all the time.”
    “Yeah, they told you, but did they try to help themselves?” Tom asked.
    She couldn’t believe her cousins were being so callous. They had always been such good and caring boys.
    Joe stood up, walked over to kneel in front of her. “Hannah, the best thing you could do to help the town of Paradise is to tell them to stand up for themselves. Haven’t you looked around Blue Spring? Do you honestly think one person could move in here and take over like Kingston did in Paradise?”
    She tossed the thought around in her mind.
    Her cousin continued, “No, it wouldn’t happen. And do you want to know why? Because the town is strong. The folks here would bond together and send the newcomer back out on the same train he rode in on. An inheritance isn’t going to change Paradise.” He shrugged his shoulders. “If there is an inheritance, use it for yourself; use it to build your own foundation. Use it here, in Blue Spring.”
    Her temples began to throb. She rubbed at them. “How do you know so much about Blue Spring? You’ve rarely been to town the past six weeks.”
    “A man doesn’t have to be in town everyday to know it’s well run, to know it’s a place people want to live. One visit here clearly shows how happy everyone is.”
    Her mind was swimming.
    Joe patted her cheek. “Just think about what I said before you make a decision. And know Tom and I will always be here to help you.”
    Tears pricked her eyes. She blinked against them. Through the tears she saw Tom step closer.
    He put a hand on Joe’s shoulder, gave him a slight shove so he could kneel down in front of her to say, “Forget about the inheritance, Hannah. I have a more important question to ask you.”
    She nodded, studying him.
    “Do you really know what you’re getting yourself into by marrying a lawman?”
    “What?”
    “It’s not going to be easy. He’s the sheriff. There will be many days just like today, where his job will take him into danger. Can you live with that?”
    The answer to his question was simple, and made the tears slip from her eyes. “I can’t live without him.”
    ****
    The sun had long since set. A full moon and bright, twinkling stars led the posse into Blue Spring. Adam glanced down at his dust covered clothes. He’d have to take a bath, couldn’t show up at a wedding in this condition. Especially not his wedding. The vision of his bride-to-be had been with him throughout the long ride. His blood heated up ten degrees as he remembered how she’d ran down the stairs, the thin straps of her shift slipping off her shoulders…
    He shook his head and repositioned his rump in the saddle. Damn, the wedding better be quick, he was wound tighter than a new lasso.
    “We going straight to the jail?” One of the men asked. Adam’s mind was too jumbled to figure out which rider.
    He glanced back to the horse tied by a lead rope to his, and gave the bound and gagged Kingston a disgusted look. Shit, he also had a prisoner to deal with before he could start heating water for a bath. Hell be damned but Abigail Christenson was right. He did need a deputy. A deep sigh left his chest as he answered with an unenthusiastic voice, “Yeah.”
    Every window at Birdie’s was lit. Lanterns sat on the rail of the front