Heart of a Deputy (Heart of Colorado #2)

Chapter One

Six years later

He was behind her. She thought she could walk around town in peace, but now she knew that was impossible. Turning to find where he was, she stumbled and fell. Blood surfaced on the heel of her hands, and her knee felt like it was scraped. A hand grabbed her shoulder, followed by a shrill and evil laugh.

“I’ve got you now, Sally. You’re coming back. You owe me.” He yelled as the people on the street stopped to witness the crude exchange without offering to help. He jerked her up onto her feet and turned her to face him, slapping her face, calling her names that were meant to demean and humiliate her. Her arms went up to protect herself, but it was an inadequate gesture.

“Let me go!” Sally screeched in his ear, attempting to kick him hard in the pants. But his arm only snaked around her waist. His hand stayed on her, gripping tighter and tighter. When she looked at his face, she stuttered:

“Matthew? No! It ... it can’t be ... no, you’re … you’re dead. You’re not ...”

With a gasp, Sally sat up; sweat poured down her face like it was the middle of July in Texas. She thought she was dreaming about Bill, but the man had Matthew’s face. She sighed, stood up, poured water into the basin, and washed her face.

“Miz Salleh, you a’ight?” Lottie asked in the dark. 

“Yes, thank you. Go on back to sleep now.”

A wave of nausea threatened to empty her stomach, and she had to sit down. She was finally adjusting to Erie, and now this. Buddy had been kind, and Mamie and Tom had allowed her to stay. Finding work had been difficult, but she managed to clean houses with Lottie and make enough to help ends meet. She didn’t know if she could tell anyone what was happening. They would find out soon enough.

“Hi, Mamie.” She whispered. She’d heard Mamie come out from her room to see who was moving around in the middle of the night.

“Are you okay, honey?” She crossed the room, placing a hand on the petite blonde’s shoulder.

“Yes. I just had a bad dream. I’ve been having those a lot more lately.” Sally heaved another breath and took another sip of water.

“Is there something else going on?” Mamie asked. She probably knew anyway.

“Not anything I can talk about right now.  I have to work at Mrs. Sullivan’s tomorrow, so I guess I need to get to bed.” Sally begged out of having the conversation for the time being.

“Goodnight, Sally. Get some rest.”

Sally returned to her bed, but rest didn’t come. She tossed restlessly until the sun peeked over the horizon. She decided to freshen up and help Mamie cook breakfast. It was the least she could do for all the help and support Mamie had given her.

* * * * *

As Lottie and Sally walked to Mrs. Sullivan’s, a cruel man jeered at them.

“There’s no place for the likes of you in our town. Get back to where you belong.”

They held their heads high, refusing to even listen. This had been going on since they arrived, and some days it was more than just Mr. Joseph Tabor. Only a few months had passed since the incident in Boulder and her decision to leave Bill’s establishment.

“You’re a whore. We don’t need that particular kind of attention in our God-fearing town. Take your little dark friend with you and leave.” Lottie grabbed Sally’s arm and pulled closer to her. She was only five years younger, but Sally treated her like she was her own child.