A Lethal Lady
Chapter 24

blood.

The clothes really did fit him, he wondered why the man had women's clothes in his house. He lived all alone. She detailed the dress once it was on her body and could not complain. It was a classy dress, quite modern and pretty. At least it wasn't all stained with her She inspected what was to become her bedroom and everything was in order. She looked out the window and noticed that the old man was still outside, she couldn't exactly see him, but she could see a streetlight near the ranch. -What is he doing out there so late? -She looked up to get a better look.

It was impossible for him to see what the old man was doing, but he couldn't do much for him either. With his injuries it was impossible for him to get to where he was. He would have to fend for himself.

Rouse looked at the bed, it was quite cosy, he needed to sleep and give his feet a rest. Of course, the wound on his side was bleeding again. She had a hard time cleaning it, but at least it was better than before.

The blonde lay down on the bed, feeling quite comfortable, and quickly began to feel sleepy. She wished she could sleep well, at least that night, without having to worry about anything. Suddenly, her thoughts were drowned out by the memory of Tom. She didn't think she'd ever see him again, well, she was counting on that.

But why did she feel like an idiot knowing that was going to happen. Wasn't that what she wanted? To get away from that town and away from him. It was clear to her that she had to stay there no longer, Coloma had become dangerous for her. -It's not a safe town anymore, I have to get as far away from it as I can.

And with those thoughts, Rouse fell into a deep sleep.

[...]

Tom rode around Coloma in search of Rouse. Now, if she was a runaway, look at her coming to steal his horse. He found it very strange that Belze would let himself be ridden by a stranger, he still wondered how on earth he had managed to tame him. Now he had to use Harry's horse, it wasn't very fast like his own, but he would have to hold on until he found this woman. He wasn't going to get away from that one, he wasn't going to be gentle with her anymore.

He used it to escape, of course, after her wounds were tended to, she wasted no time in running away at the first opportunity. He had been such an idiot to take her off her watch, that wouldn't have happened if only he hadn't been such an idiot.

She thought more like a man than an officer, and that was her big mistake. Rouse relied on that to get her way and get away as she wanted. She was a shrewd woman, but not as shrewd as he was. With her wounds, she couldn't go that far, riding Belze while wounded was no easy task.

Surely, the one on his side was damaged again. And that was the advantage Tom had, because he could no longer ride his horse. He would replace her, and he would see that woman, who Tom Wesley was.

He visited every neighbouring village, searching it from head to foot. Even the town that didn't want him for sheriff he dared to visit, but she was nowhere to be found. The only place he had left to pass was the city, but it was far enough away. She couldn't get that far, and only in the middle of the night.

-Unless...

For a moment, Tom felt a sort of shiver run through his body. If Rouse went into the desert to head for the Tombstone, then he was in grave danger. Both from the severity of her wounds, and from the hundreds of outlaws hiding in the mountains. Anyone would not hesitate to attack her, a woman alone, unarmed and riding a good horse. Tom stops his hair and watches Coloma from a distance. The animal's breathing was rapid, and even his own.

What would he do if he returned to town? If he didn't take the road to town, Rouse might die. It was clear she would be attacked, well, if she wasn't already dead by now.

-She can't be dead. Shit! What a stubborn woman, why the hell is she gone?

He turned the horse north towards Tombstone, if he left now, he would be arriving by nightfall or very early morning. Though it was possible the horse's life would not last that long.

-I can't let her die," he says as he holds the animal still in that direction.

Then he glances west, and notices Joy's ranch in the distance. Tom frowns, and feels a sort of twinge that prompts him to turn the horse fully towards Joy's land.

He urged the horse forward, something told him he must pass the old man's house. Nothing was impossible, well she could pass by there and Joy would end up giving him lodging. Although the old man was very suspicious, he would have gone mad. Closer to the old man's land, Tom quickly spotted his horse grazing alongside Joy's other horses.

-Belze! -He whistled, encouraging the horse to go faster, adrenaline rushing through his body.

That morning Joy was taking the horses out to run and graze on her land, including Belze. She still didn't know what the hell she was going to tell the sheriff about her horse. Seeing him on his land would raise a lot of questions, especially about that badly wounded woman still sleeping in the house.

It was evident that she was running from Tom, and who wouldn't if that sheriff was dangerous. What's more, he didn't doubt at all that she was already on her way to his ranch... at that, he looked to the east, the sun hitting him squarely in the face and amusing his wrinkled eyelids.

The old man could notice the approach of a horse and its rider, coming at full speed. And that could only be him. Joy was not wrong after all.

He walked towards the entrance, watching as the sheriff dismounted without taking his eyes off his horse.

-You'd better explain to me what Belze is doing here, Joy. And I also want you to tell me, where the hell is the rider who was riding him? -Tom, I'm so glad you're all right, I was worried sick about you," the man replies, opening the wooden gate to make way for the sheriff.

-Don't change the subject, Joy. Where is she? -He stops in front of the old man.

-She? What are you talking about, sheriff? Was the person riding Belze a she? -Joy, I'm not playing games.

-I really don't know what happened in town. You see the few employees haven't arrived yet, what I do know is that..." The old man looks at Belze. Your horse arrived without a rider last night, quite late. -Without a rider, you say?!

Tom frowns, how was it possible for him to arrive at the ranch alone? It wasn't possible, it was impossible.

-What do you mean, he arrived alone? -He adds.

-At night, I went out to walk around my land and I found him stuck to the fences, whinnying and freezing to death. I recognised him at once and gave him passage to the stable. There I fed and groomed him, but I noticed something important about his saddle that made me uneasy. The truth is that I was quite worried, since I had no way to send to inquire about his health.

-What are you talking about?

-The horse's saddle was covered with blood, I thought it was his. And I thought the horse came here, because he knows the way.

Tom looked at his horse, Rouse was badly wounded. If she managed to stain the saddle with her blood, that meant her wound... Where the hell was that woman?

-Magazines around here?

-Sure, I went looking for you. I know Belze won't be ridden by anyone else. But I didn't replace anything, how did someone manage to ride your horse?

-A woman did it, I don't know how, but she apparently conquered Belze. He's a very fierce horse, and I'm surprised she took him so easily.

-The truth is, he is very strong. She barely let go of the saddle. Perhaps, the horse threw the woman and she..." Joy stilled his words as he saw Tom's grim expression.

The sheriff walked towards his horse and at the same time the animal became aware of his presence. He trotted towards his companion and allowed himself to be stroked on the muzzle.

-What happened, boy? -He stroked his ears. -What the hell happened?

[...]

If Belze knocked Rouse to the ground, that fall had to be pretty hard. He was a very sturdy horse and quite strong. If the blonde didn't die from being attacked by the bandits, then her horse threw her to the ground. I didn't even want to think about that. -What the hell is she doing here?!

Rouse stared at Tom's figure from a distance, while stroking his horse. That detail had slipped her mind the night before, she had gone to sleep as if it were nothing, not thinking that old Joy might betray her by calling the sheriff that morning. And there was that man, his temper was sure to go through the roof for the theft of her horse and not only that... her escape did not go unnoticed, now she was a damned outlaw for that man.