A Lethal Lady
Chapter 34

Seeing her so vulnerable, yet so rebellious, only made his blood run hotter. Rouse caused a strange sensation inside him that he hadn't experienced even with Victoria herself. -Why are you looking at me like that? Do I remind you of someone? -Tom stared into Rouse's eyes, looking annoyed.

-What are you talking about?

-You're thinking about her, aren't you? -Tom leaned back a little. Joy's daughter Victoria.

-How do you know about her?

-What did you feel when you saw me wearing one of her dresses? Huh? Did you compare me to her? When you made love to me at the ranch, did you imagine it was her?

Tom was being bombarded with questions he didn't want to answer, slowly letting go of Rouse's wrists as he moved away from her. He looks away and thinks of Victoria and what he experienced with her.

-I wasn't wrong," Rouse crawls through the water away from Tom. You were thinking about her, because you can't forget her, and me, you just used me. Joy says I'm like her in bravery, maybe you saw the same thing, and since I wore her dresses you thought.... Rouse holds her words and bites her tongue, it pained her to keep talking. And since the sheriff wasn't saying a word, it only legitimized what he was saying. He didn't feel anything for her, not for the Rouse in front of him, he loved was Victoria, a ghost. The blonde loosened the knots of her dress and with the same she took it off. She threw it at the sheriff's feet and stood there, half-dressed. Just as he had found her.

Tom looks at the dress Rouse was wearing, and immediately looks up and sees her completely naked. The water from the rain had made her nightgown transparent, exposing her entire body.

-What are you doing? -he asks, getting to his feet.

-I'm not her, I'm just Rouse. That's how you met me, no clothes, no goods, no nothing... but most of all, I'm alive; and so are you. You must live, and get out of where you are. -Rouse, put your dress back on," he orders, approaching her.

-I'm leaving sheriff, I don't belong here. I'll only bring trouble, and you and I... nothing will ever exist between us. Because of who I am, because of what you are... But I wanted you to know, that you deserve to live, and not follow behind the shadow of a ghost. Rouse steps back without looking away from the sheriff, this was the moment to leave. It was clear that she would never fit in this town, she would never win this man's heart, but most of all, she couldn't change who she was...

What was she doing? She was walking away from him, and he was going to let her go, Tom's heart protested. No, he couldn't let her go, not her... but then, what did that mean, did he love Rouse? Had he forgotten Victoria? At that discovery his whole system went crazy, knowing that she would leave and he would never see her again, so he reacted quickly and with impressive speed he approached the blonde and took her in his arms. -Where do you think you're going? -Rouse gasped, this man was making it very difficult for her.

-What are you trying to do? Why won't you let me go?

-Because..." She looks at his face dripping with water.

-Tom, I don't belong here, and you know it. Your heart knows I'm no good, not like she was in life.

-That's right, you're not her," Rouse looked down, her words paining her. And that's why I love her, Rouse," he looks up. And I don't care what you are, or what you've done. I want her to stay by my side, just Rouse that I met in the desert and she's given me a lot of trouble.

That confession took her by surprise, she expected anything else, but least of all that he would say something like that.

-I'm sorry, but I can't let you go," she adds.

-But what about her? I didn't....

-I loved Victoria, she was a good woman," Rouse feels her heart flutter. But she's not here anymore, and since she died, I never became interested in another woman again, until you came along," The blonde's lip trembles.

f*****g sheriff, why does he have to say shit like that? why won't he let me go?

Rouse swallows, and doesn't know what to say. He was afraid to do so, he never wanted to commit himself to stay anywhere, and even less, because his reasons were a man.

-We should go back to town," she blinks and watches as Tom takes off his overcoat and puts it on her. Let's go.

He takes her by the hand and leads her to a hill where both horses were waiting... she sees what was about to happen and stops; if she went back to that sheriff, her life would be that of a normal woman. She was sure that Tom would want to marry her, and even have children.

Children?

She wasn't a normal person, how could she pretend to be a mother, she couldn't do that to Tom... he might hang for messing with her.

-I can't..." Tom doesn't turn around, he just stands like that, his back to her.

-Rouse..." He whimpers.

-Please, I can't..." Her heart was hurting so much, and she knew all too well the reasons why.

Suddenly, her hand was released and she widens her eyes. Then she sees Tom follow the path up the hill without saying a word. She pretends to say something, but in the end he doesn't say a word and she sees him mount Belze and then ride off in a hurry. -Tom..." She whispers his name. The tears leave her eyes and mix with the rain.

[...]

It had long since dawned, but the weather was still rainy, cold and wet. The streets were wet, the earth had settled and there was no dust in Coloma. Residents stayed in their homes waiting for the reluctant rain to subside, but that didn't look like it was going to happen.

It was one of those days when it rained all day and didn't stop until the next sunrise?

Tom arrived in Coloma, arriving directly at the police station. Completely drenched and with a deep wound in his chest, the sheriff dismounted Belze and rode into the police station, where an unexpected visitor was waiting for him. -Well, until at last the town sheriff deigns to appear.

-What are you doing in my police station? -Tom glares at Wyatt as he sits back in his chair.

-Well, I found out a couple of interesting tidbits. And I'm just here to confirm them. As you know, I'm the higher authority here.

-What do you want?

-Where's the stranger who escaped you? -He asks deadly serious.

-I don't know...

-Of course you don't! -He stands up. You know, Mr. Wesley, it's a crime to release a person suspected of being a bandit. You know the law, don't you? For that reason, I'm surprised you'd let the lady - well, that woman - get away," the mayor smiles. -What are you getting at? -Tom frowns.

Wyatt turns the desk around and starts pacing the station, the sheriff's eyes on him, not taking him out of his sight, since he didn't trust him.

-To the gallows, my dear sheriff. You have disobeyed the law, what do you think will happen to you?

-What?

Suddenly, three guys appear out of nowhere, grabbing Tom from behind. The sheriff, completely unprepared, could do nothing, since they had already disarmed him. The guys who were still at his back, passed a rope in the form of a circle around his neck and ended up tightening it.

-What do you think you're doing, Wyatt? You think you can just hang me, you have no proof of what you're saying," Tom struggled, but it was no use, the knot around his neck was getting tighter and tighter.

-Proof, you and your damn proof... it's no good," he smiles mischievously. You're going to the gallows, Tom. And all your people will know why." The mayor is saddened.

-You're a coward, why don't you let me go and we'll settle this like men. You need these mangy dogs to do the job.

-I don't like getting my hands dirty with the likes of you," he replies, putting on his gloves. I've come to do business here, and it's almost over. This village will be one more to fall into misery. Take him out and take him to the hangman," he orders his men. The bandits drag Tom out by force and with a good deal of struggle, at which point they start firing shots into the air to attract the attention of all the inhabitants, who were quick to take to the streets regardless of the fact that they were getting wet. The sheriff of the town was being dragged through the middle of the street, being watched by his people who could not believe what was happening.

-What is the meaning of this? -The doctor stands in the way of the subjects. Why are they treating the sheriff this way?

-Jesey, don't..." The sheriff shouts.

-Your beloved sheriff has committed a crime, and for that reason he must pay the consequences," speaks the mayor under an umbrella to protect himself from the rain. By the power vested in me by the government, I sentence Sheriff Wesley to hang. Those present began to object to the mayor's command, and the reason was that they all loved Tom and would not allow him to be hanged unjustly.

-You can't do that, he has done nothing wrong.

-Of course they can!

At the point of a struggle, Tom was led to the execution platform. The town followed close behind in disbelief that their sheriff was going to be hanged.

-And since he wasn't the only one who let a suspect escape, this morning Mr. Joy is also accompanying him.

The old man, in company with Harry, was thrown on the ground, in full view of Tom. Both his companion and the old man were badly beaten.

-Nooo, bloody Wyatt. They had nothing to do with this," Tom shouted, once his rope was ready. They tied his hands and now he was unable to defend himself.

-Everyone pays for their consequences, my dear sheriff.

-Easy boy, it's all right," says the old man with a beaten face.

-Wyatt, I'll kill you," threatens the sheriff.

-I'm the mayor, I'm doing my duty," he smiles mischievously, "Mr. Harry won't hang, but he'll be jailed.

-Damn you," the sheriff mutters.

-Tom, Tom...

Joy catches his eye, the sheriff looks at him and feels guilty for having to see him in this situation. It was all his fault, it was because he had fallen in love with Rouse that this was happening. If only he had acted reasonably. -Is she safe? -Tom looks at the old man.

-I let her go...

-That brings me peace," the old man smiles.

-Anything to say? -The mayor proclaims.

-Why are you prosecuting me for a woman we know nothing about?

-Do you think so?

Wyatt pulls a piece of paper out of his sack and throws it on the ground, right in front of Tom's eyes. The sheriff looks down and stares at the time, clenches his jaw, then looks up to see the mayor with that mocking glint in his eye. -Now you see, I don't hang you for wanting to do it, I have the evidence you're so fond of getting. No one can judge me for doing the right thing. And you know that perfectly well, Constable. -Tom, whatever she is, she's not what they say. I know." Joy tries to calm him down.

-Yeah, right. You're just another one who fell for her charms. Poor you two, you did what she wanted, and let her get away. She's a lethal lady, isn't she, sheriff? -she whispers only to himself. Tom looks at the mayor and out of nowhere he feels a deep jealousy, what does that mean, was Rouse involved with that Wyatt fucker?