Free Ambush Valley by Dusty Richards

job.”
    â€œYou knew those storekeepers would peter out getting up there. And you sent a man of like qualities. Didn’t you?”
    â€œI’m the sheriff—”
    â€œToday you are. Did you know any of those men?”
    â€œAre you accusing me of something?”
    â€œYou wear that badge ’cause people want you to. They can vote you out of office fast as you got in.”
    â€œIs that a threat?”
    â€œNo, it’s the truth. I’ve heard lots of folks say you’re an office lawman.”
    â€œGet out. And Byrnes, if you lynch anyone in my county, you will pay the price.”
    â€œGood to know whose side you’re on.” He went out the door firing mad. Crossed the street to the Palace bar and ordered a beer. Someone elbowed him and he about swung at them—then he recognized Jane, the short barmaid.
    â€œWhere’s Bo?” he asked about the real estate agent.
    â€œI don’t know.”
    â€œWhy not?”
    â€œHim and I broke up.”
    â€œHe’s dumb then,” he said in disgust.
    â€œWord is you already ran down some horse thieves?”
    â€œDon’t spread it around. The sheriff ate my butt out over a like deal. What’s he got against Roamer?”
    She frowned. “I don’t know but I’ll damn sure find out.”
    He slapped a silver dollar on the bar for her. “Thanks. I’ll kick Bo’s backside when I find him for quitting you.”
    She put the coin down between her small breasts and nodded. “Thanks.”
    Once the beer was downed, he paid the bartender and left the Palace. He walked to the hitch rail on the other side of the courthouse square, untied his horse, and headed east. Still mad about Sims’s attitude toward him, his plans were to stop and see Marge. A brief visit with her might settle him down. From the top of the hill, he looked back at the gray stone courthouse—something was going on down there. Maybe he’d learn what it was about. It wasn’t all over the lynching, there was another issue. One that evaded him at the moment.
    No matter, he’d find out in time. He was in Arizona for the long haul.
    An hour later at Marge’s yard gate, he dismounted and heard the door open. When he looked up she came off the stairs and flew in his arms. “Oh, I wondered if you were ever going to come see me again.”
    He shook his head, swept his hat off and with her in his face, he whispered, “I was here all night.”
    â€œThat’s an eternity,” she said. Again he had forgotten how tall she was. They kissed and he dropped his hat to really hug and kiss her again.
    Her forehead pressed against his, she shook her head. “I have never had a man in my life that I wanted more than you.”
    â€œMarge, I’m a man loaded down. Everything is going fine, except I hired two carpenters. Not three. JD is taking a few men and some teams up on the rim next week and get us some logs out if we can get the sawmills to run up there. We have to finish my foreman’s house as well as a bunkhouse before fall.”
    She took his arm and snuggled to him. “What else is wrong?”
    He looked around to be certain they were alone. “I made the sheriff mad somehow. He had the Globe Arizona newspaper with an unsigned letter to the editor about the whole deal that he showed me. Then I asked him why he didn’t send Roamer over there, instead of some deskman and a damn town posse over to help Raphael. I expected Deputy Roamer to come on where I went, but he never sent him, and I asked if those two killers were some buddies he wanted protected.”
    â€œOh. What date is that Globe paper? Dad gets that.” She put her knuckle to her lips. “I never read it.”
    â€œDon’t read it. You may get shocked and hate me.”
    She shook her head at his reply. “Now you know I will have to read every word of it.”
    He closed his eyes.