Page 51

SADIE

Waitingat the window wasn’t helpful, but that didn’t stop her from staring out at the empty dirt crossroads and rusted weathervane, remembering.

“Ma, why are you dressed like we’re still going to town? I thought you said you told Mrs. Anderson I was sick again.”

Glancing over her shoulder at her son, Sadie heaved a sigh. It resulted in a bout of dizziness thanks to the damn corset. She’d let out a whole inch on one side, but it still squeezed her like a vice.

“I did. And I still need to go into town, but I want you staying here and—”

“I know, I know, don’t let anyone in.” Teddy turned around muttering, “They probably think I’m an invalid.”

Sadie shook her head. Everything she’d done for the past eleven years, she’d done for him, and now, the impossible had happened. If they were being invaded by time travelers from the future, well, she sure as hell wasn’t going to let that stop her from keeping Teddy safe, no matter how crazy it made her seem.

She’d spent a long day and night trying to process what she saw when she’d followed Wally, the giant glass structure, the strange windows that lit up with moving words and colors, the disembodied voice, and the woman with purple hair creeping out. As frightening as it all was, she had to believe Wally meant them no harm. He’d helped Teddy. Hell, he’d done all he could to help me. And being from the future explained a lot, like why everyone seemed so dang interested in her washboard and oven. And why Wally had a woman boss and doctor.

But that didn’t mean she trusted the other people in there. Sadie Rogers was no fool.

The roads outside remained far too quiet. The only movement she spotted was the dash of a lizard across the shadow of a barrel cactus. Her heart squeezed and it wasn’t from the corset. Some part of her still thought he’d come. He’d promised.

Sadie patted her thigh where her Derringer was tucked away and glanced at her shotgun leaning up against the hearth of the fireplace in the corner. Teddy’s first time shooting was when he could barely stand. He’d be fine. Still, one more warning couldn’t hurt.

“Teddy, listen here, I didn’t want to scare you the other night,” she started, twisting her hands together.

Peering up at her from where he sat fiddling at the table, Teddy said, “I’m not scared of much anymore, Ma. I’m practically a man.”

Sadie grinned. “Well, little man, I saw someone sneaking around in the desert. It was a woman that came through on one of Wally’s tours.” She left out the part about watching her leave the strange building.

Teddy shrugged. “If she’s a friend of Wally’s, I’m sure she’s fine.”

Desperate to get his attention, Sadie slammed her hands down on the table opposite him. She needed to impress on him the importance of this. “Theodore Rogers, she ain’t Wally. You got lucky when you let him in this house, and I’m not convinced that was even for the best.”

“Ma—”

“You do not let her in. If you hear anything, you grab that shotgun and you stay locked inside. You hear me?”

“I hear you,” he said. “What do you need to do in town, Ma? Is it about this lady?”

This kid of hers was too smart for his own good.

“I have business with the sheriff,” she said in response. “And it’s time I head out. I want to be back before dark.”

Sadie ruffled Teddy’s hair and left. Target waited patiently where she’d left her earlier. She didn’t love riding side saddle, but it would have to do. If she had any hope of convincing the men in town she wasn’t going looney, she’d have to be as presentable and calm as possible.

It wasn’t that Sadie was a great tracker, but she did take notice of her surroundings. If she didn’t, she’d have never saved Wally’s ass from that cougar when they’d met. Though she questioned whether that was a good move or not. That cat could’ve been a mother, same as her, and Wally was apparently a big ole liar. From the future or not, she’d trusted him with her deepest secrets, not to mention letting him get close to Teddy, and he’d neglected to let her in on his.

She remained angry he hadn’t shown up as promised for their date in town. She’d wanted to confront him with everything, but it was his own damn fault things didn’t go that way, and now she’d have to listen to her gut. Lord knew Sadie Rogers wasn’t waiting around and letting things happen to her, she was gonna grab the rifle by the barrel and force things toward her advantage.

Wally should’ve known that much about her by now.

A gust of wind blew up from the south as Sadie slid off the saddle. Some dirt caked her skin in the humid air. She brushed it off as best she could and tied Target up to the hitching post closest to the Town Hall.

Taking a deep breath, she tugged herself into a presentable state then proceeded up the shallow steps to the front door. Her hand shook as she reached for the handle, and she chided herself. Show no weakness—it was the first and only rule of the desert.

Sadie pushed inside, rolling her shoulders back even though her corset forced her upright anyhow. She swept into the great hall like she owned the place and stalked right toward Amos’s office, gripping her tiny velvet purse tight so she wouldn’t show an ounce of nerves.

“Amos!” she yelled, breathless as she strode inside the office. The little man looked up from his desk, his bushy eyebrows high on his forehead in question.

“Well if it ain’t Mrs. Doyle. Back from the honeymoon so soon?” He stood, making his wooden chair scrape the floor.