A Shot in the Dark-Whitey Winn

Chapter Two

    The deputy escorted me back to the town of La Belle and straight into the sheriff's office. I reluctantly followed him up the steps and onto the porch but remained hovering outside the door. 

"Well are ya coming in?" he eyed me. 

"Depends, Deputy. Am I in trouble?" 

"I don't see why you would be Miss...?" he trailed off, still expecting my name. 

"I pointed my gun at the Law." I half teased, testing the waters on how he had actually felt about what had happened. 

"With all due respect, you and I both know that gun ain't loaded." I gave him a look to mimic offense and he just chuckled. Studying his face now in the dim lantern glow I noticed how handsome he was.  His features were soft and kind, warm, dark eyes tied together with a charming boyish grin. "Please, I saw you pretend to load it. There weren't a dang thing in your hands. 

"Then what are we doing here?"' 

"Well, I figured you could stay here tonight. Get some good rest in the indoors. We can figure out the rest tomorrow." he opened the prison cell and pulled down the cot.

"Deputy, I'm not sleeping in no prison cell." I stared at him in disbelief. Was this some kind of trap? Had I actually done something wrong. 

"Well there ain't a lot of options for ya this late." he beckoned me over. 

     I was tired and it would be nice to sleep on something comfier than the ground. Although, I'm not sure just how much better. I stood pondering whether or not I should follow him before deciding sleeping indoors would be worth the risk. He smiled as I walked over, pulling the gate to the cell open wider. 

"Get a good rest tonight and the women will get ya all cleaned up in the mornin'. You need a bath." the Deputy tossed the keys to the cell on the desk across the room and the feeling of relief washed over me. 

"I could say the same to you, Deputy."

"You can call me Whitey." he smiled staring to walk towards the door. "I'll see you in the morning."

"Hey, Whitey!" I half shouted across the room. "Adeline. My names Adeline." . He tipped his hat and shut the door behind him and for the first time in nearly 10 days I felt a sense of peace. 

  Morning had come a lot sooner than I'd have liked andI was woken to the sound of the door being thrown open and hushed voices. I squinted into the sun to see several women staring down at me and behind them Whitey trying to peak over. The women all whispered to each other before one turned back to face me.

"You hungry, darlin'?" she walked over and offered me her hand. Without even thinking, I took it up quickly and nodded. The other ladies laid out an apple and some bread and I sat quickly stuffing my mouth with as much as I could get in before realizing how un-lady like I was acting.

"Where are you from?" the lady in the front peered at me through squinted eyes, almost weary of my arrival. I paused before responding, surely the news of what happened in Creede had arrived here by now. 

"Creede." I looked at them and watched as all their faces dropped. I glanced over to the deputy who's smile completely disappeared off his face. "I've been travelling for days."

"Oh darlin'. You poor thing."  one lady grabbed my hand squeezing it tightly. "Come with me, let's get you sorted." she brought me to my feet and her and the other women all pulled me out of the Sheriff's office. "My names Charlotte." 

     By the time the ladies were finished with me I felt like a whole new person. A long bath, good meal, and a clean dress really do wonders for a girl. One of the girls, Sadie, had lent me one of her simple light blue dresses and a pair of her boots until I was able to get a new pair of my own. 

"Do you have any family around?" Charlotte sat beside me in her parlour. Most of the others had returned home besides Mary-Agnes and Callie Dunn. 

"No Ma'am, my only family was in Creed." 

"Well, you are more than welcome to stay with me for as long as ya need. I have an extra bed" her eyes filled with sadness as she looked from the other women to me and smiled. 

"Thank you, all of you. Your kindness is appreciated." I offered them a small smile. "If you don't mind, I'd like to excuse myself." I stood up quickly and marched out the door towards the Sheriff's office. 

The town of La Belle was quiet, tranquil. There were hardy any people on the roads and all the ones that were seemed to be women. It was sweet an quaint but it seemed as if there was a permanent sadness in the air. Everything seemed a little duller, as if there'd been something missing for a long, long time. 

"I'll be damned." I could help but smile at the sound of the familiar voice coming from behind me. "Who would have known you were a blonde under all that mud and soot?" I turned to face Whitey who was grinning like a child behind me. 

"While hello to you too Mister Winn." I took a few steps toward him. 

"How was your morning with the ladies, Adeline?" he waved me over signalling me to follow him as he walked. 

"Quite eventful, they are quite lovely." 

"That they are." he nodded and we continued walking in silence. I could see his mind racing as he looked for something to say. "I'm sorry about what happened in Creede. That Frank Griffin is really something else, I hope one day soon someone's able to put a bullet in his head." Whitey rested his hand on his gun belt looking into the distance, as if he was imagining that someone as himself.

"So do I." I frowned. 

"I'm sorry for your family though Miss, I really am." he placed his arm gently on my shoulder and looked deep into my eyes. "I really best be on my way. I'll see you around Adeline." and with that he took off in the other direction. 

That Whitey Winn sure was something else.