Free Paper Sheriff by Luke; Short Page B

Orville said. “Because you ain’t going to eat for some little while.”
    â€œHow you figure that?” Buddy asked miserably.
    â€œFirst we get his horse, then we head for the Little Muddy to get his friend. That’ll be tomorrow sometime.”
    Reese’s hated paperwork which Reston had interrupted yesterday and which was resumed today was an estimate of expenses incurred in tracking down Shep, the surprise witness in Orville Hoad’s trial. It consisted of meals, the cost of which he hadn’t kept track of, putting up his horse at several feed stables, uncounted drinks he had bought the witness, the cost of Shep’s journey to testify and Shep’s board and room that Shep couldn’t remember. It all amounted to a larger sum than Reese had anticipated, but he could find no flaw in his addition. It occurred to him then that Jen, who had worked with him in finding Shep, had known his every move and could judge whether the bill which would be submitted to the commissioners was not only reasonable but accurate.
    On the off chance that Jen might be in her father’s office, he rose, headed down the corridor and climbed the stairs. Again he found the door to the district attorney’s office open and when he walked into the room, he found Jen standing on a chair to reach the top row of an eight foot rack of pigeon holes which served as an auxiliary file.
    When she turned to see who had come in she lost her balance, caught herself a little late, then jumped lightly to the floor.
    â€œYour curiosity will get you a broken neck some day,” Reese said.
    â€œWell, nobody ever comes in here, and when they do, it’s an occasion,” Jen said. She wore a yellow, half-sleeved summer dress of calico which, combined with her black hair and eyes, called up the colors of a daisy. Reese was tempted to call her that and then, thinking it a poor joke, refrained.
    â€œI need you to keep me honest,” Reese said, moving toward her and extending the paper listing his expenses. “This is for tracking down Shep.”
    Jen accepted the paper and moved over to her desk and sat down. While she was reading the items, Reese moved to the straight-backed chair alongside the desk and slacked into it. He regarded Jen openly and lovingly and when she unaccountably looked up she surprised the naked look of longing in his eyes. It was as if, Reese thought, she was answering to a cry that had never been uttered before she returned her glance to the paper. Presently she said, “You’re too honest, Reese. You must have called on a dozen ranches before you found Shep.”
    â€œI’m paid for that.”
    â€œNot when you’re out of Sutton County.”
    Reese shook his head. “The hell with that. The only reason I made that list is because the commissioners will dog me until I do.”
    Jen smiled and tossed the paper on her desk. “All right. What you’ve listed are honest expenses. I’ll swear to it if I have to.”
    Reese reached for the paper, folded it and stuck it in his shirt pocket as Jen asked idly, “What’s new on the first floor?”
    â€œWell, a man thinks we might have a rustling ring in Sutton County.” He told her then of Reston’s visit yesterday and of his opinion that his stolen cattle had been driven into the county.
    When he finished, Jen said, “Unlikely, I should judge. Nobody new has moved into the county and if the natives were going to steal cattle, why haven’t they stolen them before?”
    â€œThat’s about what I told him,” Reese said. Now he rose and they looked at each other almost hungrily.
    â€œStill batching it?” Jen asked.
    â€œNo, Callie came home last night.”
    â€œWhere did she spend her week?” Jen asked.
    â€œWith her aunt Amy Bashear.”
    â€œHeavens, I’d rather spend a week in jail.”
    â€œBut you aren’t a Hoad,” Reese said wryly.