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“I guess you could call it that. I learned a lot, yes. I wouldn’t trade it for anything; safest place on earth to live.”
“You said they think I’m dead?” Riley glanced at the grave in the distance. “That gives me a little advantage, I guess. But I wonder if it’s enough?”
“You ain’t gonna know that ‘til you talk to them. I don’t see why you aren’t already there, talking to them.”
“They won’t waste any time drawing the papers up on my land,” Riley argued. “Harry was mentioned in dad’s will. Dad thought a lot of him. I guess he wasn’t a very good judge of character either. I know exactly what Harry is up to. I heard the whole thing while I hid out. It won’t be hard for him to get that lawyer to work for him.”
“Sounds like you and your dad were a little too trusting.” Sam sighed. “So what do you want to do, go shoot them dead?”
“Could we?” Riley asked, turning to look at him point blank.
“Riley!” Sam shouted, shaking his head in disgust.
“You said so yourself, it’s my land.” Riley came closer. “Look Sam, I’m not dead, and I’m not crazy. I did nothing to encourage this whole thing, I’m the victim. I’m also no fool. But I’d do better getting a big city lawyer to defend me than any of these hoosiers. They’d back off then.”
“Why don’t you go to Dallas then, talk to some of those big city lawyers and see what they can do?” Sam said in exasperation.
“They are stealin’ my lawyer, I’ll have to find another.”
She sighed, then looked at him.
“With a town that big there should be more than one lawyer. That’s a dandy idea, Sam. Lets head for Dallas, then,” Riley suggested, turning back to the horse and checking the cinches.
“I don’t recall sayin’ I’d go with you, Riley.” Sam frowned and adjusted his hat, then stared at her slumped shoulders.
“‘Course you will, you’re not gonna let me fight this thing alone.” Riley whipped about with a smile on her lips. “You’re too much of a gentleman to do that.”
“Gentleman? I’ve been called a lot of things, but not that. Look, Riley, I’m a black man and black men and white women…well…it’s not a good idea if you intend to live.”
Nodog whined and eyed them.
“You’ll do just fine by yourself.” Sam winked at the dog. Nodog flopped his tail. “You seem perfectly capable of taking care of yourself, Riley. So go on, take my horse, and get yourself to Dallas,” Sam instructed, trying to push her into some action.
“Why you fightin’ this so hard, Sam?”
“Fightin’ what so hard?” He whipped about to face her.
“Me!”
“‘Cause I don’t want to get my fool head blown off, that’s why,” Sam admitted. “Unlike you, I’m partial to my life.”
“Is that the only reason?” Riley’s voice softened and she smiled.
“Leave it alone, Riley.” Sam gestured with his hands.
“I knew it. And I feel the same way, Sam…” Riley came closer now. “Just as curious as you are about it.”
Sam felt cornered. “Look Riley, it ain’t gonna work. So let’s don’t even consider…”
“Consider what? That we’re attracted to each other…” Riley’s smile broadened as she stood very close. “It’s the truth, the gosh awful truth. My daddy would turn over in his grave, but that’s just the way it is sometimes. You can’t fight nature.”
On one hand he wanted to haul her into his arms and kiss the devil out of her, and on the other hand he wanted to get on his horse and ride as fast and as hard as he could away from her. She was trouble no matter how he looked at it.
“There is absolutely nothing natural about you and me. We’ll not talk of that ever again, understood?” he asked.
“Not until you’re more comfortable with the idea at least,” Riley said.
“Comfortable? I’ll never be comfortable with that,” Sam rasped.
