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“I don’t really have the time I’m afraid,” Sadie said, faking a frown. “I got to get back to Teddy. He ain’t gonna school himself. And James, he needs some help with the—”

“How is James?” Harriet asked. “He never comes into town. Rumors are starting to fly, you know. I tell people all the time they ought to go see for themselves if they have suspicions about him being hurt and such. I mean, really? Why on earth would you lie about such a thing when you could count on help from all of us? It’s silly, honestly, the way people think.”

Trapped between a shelf of sardines and Harriet’s pink figure, Sadie forced a grin. “Silly is right. Anyway, Harriet, I’ve got to be going now.”

“Why don’t you and the boys come on over for dinner this Sunday? That ought to put all the rumors to rest.”

Sadie’s throat dried up and she glanced to the side, searching for an escape.

“We can’t. We’re visiting James’s family in Tucson.”

“Hmm. Well then next weekend. I won’t take no for an answer.” Harriet leaned in for the kill.

“Sounds good. I’ll talk to James and let you know.”

Satisfied for the moment, Harriet backed up. Sadie hurried to buy her things and leave the suffocating shop, barely mumbling a quick ‘thank you’ to the shopkeep on her way out.

If she couldn’t think of anything else, Teddy would have to come down with another case of the measles. But no way in hell would she be having dinner at that woman’s house, James or no James. Just being in the damn town gave her the willies, truth be told, and the likely reason for that lingered on the boardwalk, blocking her path and standing too near Target for comfort.

“Sheriff,” Sadie greeted Amos Stillwater, distracting him from whatever mischief he’d been about.

“Good afternoon there, Sadie. What an unexpected pleasure to see you in town.” The Sheriff/acting mayor smiled but only succeeded in appearing constipated.

Sadie stopped short by a few extra feet. “We needed some supplies.”

“Of course, of course, but from what Otto tells me, you’ve had a busy day.”

Amos scratched his bushy muttonchops and waited for Sadie to say something. But her mouth clamped shut. What had Otto told him? There was no evidence that Eli had been anywhere near her property that morning. No evidence save the tin star hidden in the enormous bag of beans in her back room. A star that Wally had hidden to save her ass when he’d owed her nothing. Dammit. She needed to stop thinking of him.

“It seems I should offer you some congratulations.”

Sadie startled out of her reverie. “Congratulations?”

“Eleanor tells me you and Eli are engaged to be married.”

“I am already married, Amos Stillwater! You know that. You stood up at our wedding ten years ago.”

“I remember it like it was yesterday,” Amos said, making up the distance between them and adjusting the pocket watch in the front of his vest. The gold buttons strained against the force of his belly, and Sadie wondered how many times Eleanor had let it out for him already. “You were nothing but a baby, barely eighteen years old when your ma and pa up and left. Good thing James was there to take you in.”

Seething through a veil of pure, red anger, Sadie tried to regain her composure. She spoke slowly and carefully, so as not to be misunderstood.

“I chose to stay here with James, nobody abandoned me.”

Amos chuckled then clicked his tongue. “Sure now, we’ll have it your way. But no matter, it must’ve been plum hard when James died.”

Sadie shook her head, holding back tears of frustration. “He’s not dead.”

Rancid breath made her gag as Amos moved in far too close and placed a hand on her arm. “Why didn’t you come to me right away, Sadie?”

Turning toward her horse, Sadie yanked her arm out of his grasp. She worked on untying the reins as she focused on not looking at the man behind her. What was the sense in arguing when Amos seemed hell bent on contradicting whatever she said? If Otto came in claiming her hair was blue, Amos would’ve believed it even as he looked right at her chestnut braid. Or at least he would’ve pretended to, just to get at her. He’d asked to marry her himself when she was just seventeen, and he’d been making her life difficult ever since she’d refused.

Hoisting herself into the saddle, Sadie relaxed an iota. She’d escaped the foul stench of Otis and managed to tower above him all in one move.

“You’re part of this community, Sadie. We’re here for you, even when you act like a petulant child.” Amos put a hand on Target’s bridle before she could ride away. “I do need to know one thing before you leave. Your lying ‘bout James don’t hurt me none. But who was the stranger Otto saw at your ranch?”

“What’s it your business who my visitors are?” Sadie asked, leaning in to pat and shush the fidgeting horse beneath her. She didn’t blame her one bit for wanting to get away from this man. Something about him had always made her skin crawl.

“I’m the mayor of this town and the sheriff, Sadie Rogers. It’s my business to protect these folk. So give me an answer, or I’m going to have to ride down there with some men and investigate the story myself.”

Sadie stared into his black as oil eyes and knew he’d make her life even more of a living hell. She needed to keep him as far away from Eli’s body as possible. Lord knows what they’ll do to me, or what will become of Teddy should they decide I murdered the scumbag.

“You’re right, Amos, no use hiding it anymore. That man? He’s James’s cousin, Walter, my fiancé,” she said, then turned her horse and galloped away, leaving the open-mouthed mayor to choke on her dust.