Her One Desire

Chapter Twenty-two

Chapter Twenty-two

Brookton

"They have been gone over a week now," Sam said as they sat around after the saloon closed drinking some coffee. "I thought they would be back by now."

"I know since Dusty came in last night to see if we heard from them he is worried too about them. Maybe they had to go on to Shermantown after all. I miss home and Tanner," Alyssa told them. "I miss spending my nights with Dusty too."

"I wish there was some way they could at least telegraph us to let us know if they did have to go on from Sunrise City," Buck said.

"That is what is bad about being in this town you don't know who you can trust or who you cant," Sean said. "And according to the others Hansen hasn't gone anywhere but to his office and his house.".

"I think we want them to come back with all the evidence needed to bring Hansen to justice so we can all go home. I miss the Rocking R and being out in the open on my horse but most of all I miss see Jake every day," Sam told them and making love to him every night she thought. "I sure won't miss this town or this saloon after we leave here."

"What are you going to do about the saloon? Close it down and ship everything back to Providence?" Buck asked them.

"If we left tomorrow there is enough stock to keep this place running two more months," Alyssa said. "Sam and I thought about giving it to Mr. Tidwell and his family. They have all those children and she is a good cook we thought they could make a good living from the saloon. We paid Hansen for a year so he would be sure and lease us the building. Of course if he is convicted and hung I don't know what will become of this building then."

"That is the only hitch in our plan, "Sam told them. "Who will inherit this place once Hansen is hung?"

* * *

"It was a good service, Preacher," Jim told the man. They were the last ones left in the church along with Sheriff Taylor. "I have a few questions I would like to ask you."

"Let me close and lock up the church then you can buy my lunch at Ma's but we had better hurry," Preacher Whitehead told Jim.

"Sure, we will go on and get a table to make sure we don't miss lunch," Jim replied.

They weren't seated very long before Preacher Whitehead entered the café and came to sit at their table.

Lucy Dawson soon came with a tray containing the five plates of food. On todays menu was pot roast with potatoes and carrots along with lots of brown gravy and hot rolls. When Jim paid the woman and gave her another generous tip to add to those he had been giving her all week she smiled this time and thanked him before leaving to return with their drinks.

"I will answer all your question after I eat I don't want Ma's pot roast to get cold," the preacher told Jim.

"That is fine with me," Jim replied as all the men dug into their food.

"I bet I have gained five pounds since we came to Sunrise City and eating here at Ma's Café," Jim said once they were finished with the meal. Julie is going to be unhappy with me if she has to let out my pants."

Jake and Steve laughed at that.

"You are married then," the sheriff asked.

"Yes, to my wife's mother," Jake was the one to reply. "Julie was a widowed when we came into hers and my wife Sam's lives."

"Your wife is named Sam?" the preacher asked him.

"It's short for Samantha," Jake told him.

"But no one but Sam's mother dare call her that," Steve said smiling.