The Librarian

Episode 21

Doc was sitting at his desk, feet up and a good-sized tumbler of liquor in his hand. He nodded when Aaron entered and held up his drink in a sharing gesture.

"No thanks, Doc. Gathering the news needs a clear head – not like doing surgery. Speaking of which, how's Thomas?"

"Sleepin'. Dug out a mean son-of-a-gun bullet and plugged the hole. He won't be leavin' town for a while. Seems to always be rubbin' his head when he's awake. Could be he banged it when he fell, but I didn't see any blood or bumps."

"Does Mayhew know?"

"Couldn't say, I bin here."

"Sheriff back yet?"

"Couldn't say, I bin—"

"You've been here, right. Will you let me know how Thomas is so I don't pester you with questions?"

"Will do." Doc raised his glass and drank.

****

"I don't know what the devil to do, Aaron. I ain't never had a woman in my jail before."

"What actually happened, Sheriff?"

"Accordin' to Miss Folio that Wilkes fella came by to give her the certificate and the reward money from the Governor, and when he opened the door to leave, Miss Holden shot him with that cannon on my desk."

Aaron glanced at the large revolver. That might have been him if he had done Thomas the favour. "Does anyone know why?"

"Again, 'ccordin' to Miss Folio, she was sufferin' some kind of mental reaction to the assault by that Larkin cowboy - trauma I think she called it." He wiggled a finger next to his head.

"How does she seem now?" Aaron looked past the door to the cells.

"Jest sits on her cot quiet as a mouse. Hasn't spoke to me since I got her here."

"Is she eating? Has Miss Folio been in?"

"Came by t'other day, sat with her in the cell and talked. Don't ask what they said 'cause I don't know. I think she had some tea and soup then. You'd hafta ask Miss Folio."

Sheriff Becker paced around, fingers raking this thinning hair. "What am I gonna do, Aaron? I can't have a woman in here with the regular town drunks and such."

"If you think your budget can stand it, I can speak to Colleen about another room and a deputy to sit watch."

"Blast the budget! Avery can find the money. You do that and I'll be forever grateful."

"Let me see what I can do."

****

John looked up as Aaron entered the shop and immediately began an excited synopsis of the article he had written as instructed.
"Whoa, whoa! Let me at least sit for a minute and read it myself." He grinned at the enthusiasm glowing on his apprentice's face. Aaron read silently, carefully mentally editing the odd phrase and spelling error. His surprise over the fact that John had captured the recent events with a fresh insight, and a continuity that made it almost more like a story than a news article, made him realize he had been ignoring John's progress.

"John, this is great. Seriously, you have captured all the facts yet made them sound . . . I don't know . . ." He handed him the draft, mentioning the few things he felt needed some correcting. "Set it up and we'll go over it together again when I get back. I may have more to add, depending on how my next visit goes. Well done, John. Well done."

****

Colleen sagged against the bar, her face one of abject surrender. Aaron reminder her that he had deflected the situation the Governor had created and that no woman should be forced to stay in the town jail with the Sheriff's other guests.

"It may go a long way to seeing her recover from her problems, and Harv can use the extra money. You won't have to do anything really, Colleen."

"That's three of my rooms now, Aaron. The Governor, Harriet's, which is being repaired, and now one for Amanda."

"Harmon'll have the door fixed in no time and word is the Governor is leaving tomorrow, Wilkes or no Wilkes."

She stepped away from the bar with a dramatic gesture. "And I'll probably be asked to give up another room for his aide until he can travel."

"C'mon, you know Avery will be forced to compensate you. Even if it means getting Enid to prod him." He gave her a charming smile and held it until she uttered a stage-worthy sigh.

"Very well."

"Thank you, Colleen. You made Sheriff Becker very happy. By the way, where is Miss Folio while her room is being repaired?"

"At her library, I imagine."

****

Harriet saw Aaron slip into the Sheriff's office and then both men came out, Sheriff Becker's arm around Aaron, squeezing and laughing. They parted and she stepped back from the window as she saw Aaron head her way. The door opened and he came in, taking off his hat and wearing the smile she had come to accept and even admire.

"Harriet. I came to see how you were after- after what happened. I heard you were at the jail with Amanda." He moved slowly toward her desk where she sat rather stiffly.

"I'm fine, thank you. Amanda is in a deep traumatic state. The assault she suffered seems to have triggered something she had repressed."

"You sound more like one of those psychologists than a librarian."

"I read all the books I have here when I can – not just the fiction."

"I didn't mean to infer—"

"It's fine. I have to go to Amanda's cabin to get her some clean clothes and other personal articles."

"You'll find her in a room at the hotel now. We made an arrangement with Colleen. She's under guard by a deputy."

Harriet paused slipping on her shawl and hat. "You did that?"

"Sheriff Becker was right, she couldn't stay in the jail with his other prisoners. We did a deal with Colleen."

"That was very considerate, Aaron."

"Just trying to help." He stood back while she got her shawl and bonnet. "Becker said you had the gun when they broke in."

"I had just managed to relieve her of it. I promised we would go away together – a demand she made – in exchange for the weapon. It was all timing. I knew she would shoot anyone coming in. When they did crash through the door, I think she went right into shock. She couldn't answer any of the sheriff's questions. Did it make me look guilty?"

"The question came up, but nobody really believed it. Let me walk with you to Amanda's, I think you want to see if there is anything that might explain her state, and not just get clean clothes."

"You certainly chose the right profession, you are quite perspicacious."

"Just instinct," he grinned. "May I accompany you?"

"I would be grateful for the assistance."

****

Sheriff Becker showed Amanda into the room and explained that she would be under guard here until the circuit judge arrived to conduct a trial.

"Tried to make this as comfortable as we could, ma'am. The jail ain't no place for a woman. Harv is the deputy outside. You need something, speak to him, but you can't leave the room. Understood?"

The flat look was unsettling and Becker made a face, nodded, tipped his hat and left.

"Watch her, Harv, she's a strange one. Tell Colleen anything you need and I'll send Matt to relieve you later." Becker patted his shoulder and lumbered down the stairs, back to his office.