A Lethal Lady

The silence was stony around her, she lowered the gun and tossed it beside Wyatt's body. Now, no one in that town could be blamed for the mayor's death. Rouse, hurry up,” she hears Lauren's voice and that's when she remembers Tom and Joy. She runs to meet them and sees the doctor tending to Tom's wound. He was very pale. Will he make it? -She asks him, but he just looks at her seriously. “We need to get him up and take him to my house, now,” she orders, and out of nowhere appear a pair of male hands. Rouse steps back and watches as Tom is carried away from her... while the sheriff is being rushed away, the blonde notice that the Jesey is about to attend to Joy. She walks over and leans over to the old man. “That was very foolish of him," she says, looking at the wound on his leg. “What's a leg wound? When you saved the lives of the whole village, and avenged my daughter's death. -'m not a hero, old man. 'm a thief who committed many crimes. “The good things outweigh the bad. But I've done more bad than good, you know I'll £0 to the gallows. -You know that. -Only if you want... He'll understand. “You have to take him to my house too, come on. The old man smiles at her, takes both of the blonde’s hands and squeezes them as some men get ready to carry him. Whe joy lets go, Rouse frowns at the sight of something in her hand. It was a small key, and she looks up and sees the old mar She smiles, and holds back tears... why? [.] The wait was quite long, it was already late at night, and the doctor still had no news about the sheriff's improvement. Luckily, Joy took a bullet in the leg and that was it. But Tom's wound was much more serious. Rouse couldn't bear the anguish of knowing how he was doing, and even though Lauren had arranged a room for her, she wouldn't leave the doctor's doorway. She needed to know how she was doing. She was dying of fear. When everything was back to normal, the dead were picked up, and since Harry was the sheriff's right hand man he was i charge of the town until his boss was out of danger. Therefore, as was his duty, he reported on the happenings in the tow Good evening, Miss Rouse. Have you heard from the sheriff? -Harry came to her side, but she did not look up. -No, the doctor hasn't come out. “He's a strong man, he'll come out of it. “I suppose he will. -A party from the city is coming to make enquiries about the mayor's death. They'll be here in the morning, Tom will get c scot-free, if I'l testify that it was you who.” She looks up to see him. -Do what you have to do, you know I'm to blame for everything. They'll be here after dawn. She takes the hint, but doesn't say anything... she looks straight ahead and notices Lauren approaching the two of them. “I've brought you a blanket, and something to eat. You need to feed yourself, remember your wound opened up, the doct said you need to take care of yourself. You shouldn't have, you shouldn't worry about me. You're my sister, of course I'm going to worry about you. Rouse keeps quiet at his answer, sister, she didn't even know how she should treat a little sister. “Tom's horse is in front of the hotel,” Harry speaks, standing up slightly, and without looking at the blonde, the man takes the road to the police station. Miss Lauren, if you hear from Tom, please let me know. The man walks away and Rouse looks sideways at him... she flattens her lips as she sees the plate of food Lauren is still holding. You're going to leave, aren't you? “If stay, they'll hang me in the morning. “In Belze's saddlebags I've stored enough food and water for the journey.” Rouse looks up and sees her sister holding bac tears. I hope you can come back one day. - won't, I can never go back, Lauren. So, this is goodbye, is it? “Yes. -And the sheriff? -What about him? You two... You'll explain it to him... 'm sure he'll understand -The young woman nods. -He'll be saved, you can go in peace. Rouse lets out her breath and takes a couple of steps towards her sister, looks at her, then hugs her. She wasn't sure she was doing it right, but at least she'd get a good reminder of what it was like to hug someone who really loved you. I've only just met you, it's not fair... “It's not right for you to have dealings with a thief, even if she’s your sister... Be a good girl, and marry a good man. Harry a good fellow, I think you'll do very well. Perhaps,” she says, crying and smiling at the same time, “you'll make him happy? -If he's saved, I will be... 'll know if he'll be alright, Tom Wesley is a legend. He's the talk of the town. I'm sure I'll find out he's saved. “Yeah. -Yeah. “I should go now. The young woman nods, looking at her sister for a second longer... then Rouse turns to look at the doctor's house, wishin she could see him one more time, but she couldn't stay any longer. She had to leave right then and there. Will the sheriff be sentenced? -Her sister asks behind her back. No, he'll get off scot-free.” Rouse smiles, walking towards the beautiful black horse that would remind her of the love sh had for its owner. She strokes his muzzle and he whinnies, as if thrilled to see her. We're going to be a long way from your owner, boy. I'm sorry you're going to miss him, but you're the best horse in this place,” she says, nimbly mounting him, at which point Lauren arrives at his side. -Rouse... I'll be fine, don't try to look for me. I'll be fine, don't try to look for me. -But... -Please... “It's okay. -It's okay. -'m so sorry about your mum, I know she wasn't very good, but she didn't deserve to die. -I'm sorry. “Your mum didn't either. They both smile, and shake hands. Now he understood why he was so fond of that girl since he met her, blood always cal “Marry and have children... Rouse encouraged Belze to ride as fast as she could... Lauren ran after the animal, but stopped a few yards ahead. Breathing heavily, the blonde watched as her only familiar left her side. After a few seconds, a small boy tugged at the blondes skirt... “The sheriff just woke up, the doctor sent for the stranger. The sheriff wants to see her. The younger sister looks into the darkness, realising that her sister is already lost in the darkness. It's already too late for that... [.] Rouse drove Belze to Joy's ranch, the blonde dismounted in a hurry to enter the old man’s house. She found it trashed, those bastards had wrecked the place. She denies, and goes straight to where the chest Joy once offered her was. She used the key he left her, and there she found money. She didn’t want to take it with her, but she was really going to need it. However, she only took half of it. Then she looked at the bottom of the chest and noticed a beautiful necklace, I imagine it belonged to Joy's daughter. She touched it gently, and put it back in its place. She closed the chest and left the key in a place where the old man coul find it. With it, she left the house and mounted Belze. He looked at the horizon, and said to himself that this time, he would not return... He flattened his lips as he looked at the spot where he first made love to Tom, memories flooded through his system, the he denied; if he stayed alone he would condemn Tom to the gallows, and he would never forgive himself if he died for hi sake. She would not put him to a choice between a thief and his duty as sheriff. She wasn't a damned well enough to do that tc him. She ordered Belze to walk, losing herself in the darkness again... she would leave behind love, family and friends. [.] Tom's eyes widened as a few rays of sunlight hit him, although they weren't so strong, it bothered him enough that he ended up frowning. It seems the sun is not to your liking, boy. “Not at the moment, no," he answers when he hears Joy's voice. Where am I? -He opens his eyes with difficulty. -At the doc’s house... you've been here for a week. one week? Tom finally opens his eyes and looks at Joy next to him, who is peeling an apple while her leg rests on a bench. “What the hell happened to you? “Well, you know how I am, I like to get into everything. “Where is she? What happened to..? -What happened to..2 They're dead. -She killed them. -And her? -Where is she? The sheriff worried that Rouse had been hanged for his crimes, it couldn't possibly happen while he was unconscious. She blamed herself for everything, Harry took it upon himself to blame her for everything. Rouse decided, she asked hin to do it. “Why the hell did she do a thing like that? “It was the only way to save you, they were going to hang you, and she stopped it. Joy.” Tom tries to sit up in despair. “Where is she?! Damn it, where is she, Rouse? “He's gone... At that Lauren's voice came into the room, Tom stared at her and for a very brief moment thought it was Rouse. She's gone? -She repeats. “The night of her operation she left, if she didn't, they were going to hang her in the morning. She's taken Belze, sheriff. Tom lay back on the pillow, she was gone, she was still alive, but away from him... wasn't he going to see her again? She told me to tell you as soon as she was well, I tried to stop her, but she said it was for the best. -Did she tell you where she was going? “No, she even asked me not to try to look for her. -It's ok, it's ok... If she was alive, he was fine with it. It didn’t matter if he never saw her again, but at least Rouse would still be alive and he'd get a fresh start. Even if it wasn't at his side. J Gn =