Free The Lawman's Betrayal by Sandi Hampton Page A

stirred the tea, Naomi fought to remember her manners. She wanted to grab the hot beverage from the other woman’s hand and gulp it down. Instead, when Sally handed it to her, she sipped it. “That’s heavenly. My insides still feel as cold as a winter blizzard. Thank you so much.”
    “You’re welcome. Naomi, was it? I didn’t catch your last name.”
    At her words, Naomi almost spilled the tea. She took a deep breath. She hadn’t done anything wrong—she didn’t intend to hide. Besides, she’d best get used to it. “My name is Naomi Brecker.”
    “Thought I recognized you.”
    Naomi rose to her feet. “I’ll leave…if you like.”
    “Don’t be silly. Sit down, child. Nothing is ever as it seems. There were a lot of unanswered questions at your trial. Question marks tend to make me nervous.” She gently pushed Naomi down into the chair.
    Naomi’s mouth gaped open. She didn’t know what she’d expected, but it wasn’t this reaction. “Thank you, Mrs. Craine…Sally. I didn’t know my husband was Roy Barker. I didn’t know about his activities or that he was…an outlaw and all the horrible things he and his gang did.” She raised tear-filled eyes and locked gazes with the older woman. “I swear it.”
    Sally held her gaze for several long minutes, then nodded. “I believe you.”
    Tears spilled down Naomi’s cheeks. She swiped at them. “You’re the only one. I thought Wes, I mean Marshal Cooper, might, but he doesn’t…not really. He just says things, sometimes, because he thinks I know where the money is hidden, and he’s supposed to find it, but I don’t know anything about the money.”
    Sally patted her hand. “Wes is a good man. We’ve known him for quite a few years. He’s a damned good lawman.”
    “I know.”
    “But he thinks a lot of you, I can tell.”
    Naomi made a face. “Yeah, if he finds the money I’m supposed to have.”
    “No, it’s more than that. I can see it in his eyes.”
    Naomi’s hopes rose for a moment, then plummeted. Wes had already told her what he thought of her.
    “But a word of warning,” Sally continued, “Coop is married to his job.”
    “I know,” Naomi said sadly. “Sally, why do you believe me?”
    A faraway look surfaced in the older woman’s eyes. “I’ve never told anyone this before, not even Mr. Craine. Robert is my second husband. I married real young the first time to Clayton Pendleton, a handsome young man. I remember wondering way back then why he wanted to marry me because, as you can see, I’m not a good-looking woman, never have been.”
    Words of contradiction sprang to Naomi’s lips, but Sally held up her hand. “What’s true is true. Words don’t change it. Anyway, we were married. Clayton was a salesman who often went on business trips. It wasn’t until two years later than I learned he had another wife and children in another town in another state. Everybody in the whole town knew, but me. I felt like such a fool.”
    “I know what you mean. I feel the same way. I couldn’t believe I was so blind. Maybe I just didn’t want to see. Looking back, I can see the signs, but not then.” Naomi pushed loose tendrils of hair from her face.
    “I couldn’t either. So you see, I know first-hand you can live with a man and not know him. That’s one of the reasons why I believe you.” Sally patted her shoulder.
    “Oh, I’m so sorry,” Naomi whispered.
    “Don’t be. It was a long time ago.”
    “Does it get easier?”
    “Yes, it does. I married Mr. Craine ten years ago. We’ve been happy ever since.”
    “That’s wonderful. I’m so glad for you. Your sons are fine-looking young men.”
    “Stepsons. Me and Mr. Craine don’t got no kids. He’s got three from his first wife. He lost her early on.”
    “I see. What happened to him? Mr. Pendleton, I mean?”
    “A jealous husband shot him.”
    “Oh.” Naomi didn’t know what else to say, so she kept quiet.
    “So who are those men chasing you?”
    “I