From Outlaw’s Widow to Sheriff’s Love (Preview)

Chapter One

“We’re going on a little adventure, baby,” Annie Clayton said, kneeling before her son, Timothy. Her corset dug into her ribs at that angle, but it was important that she looked into Timmy’s face when she spoke to him. 

Her heart ached as he stared at her with his large, soulful brown eyes. He was still only four years old, but it seemed as though he carried the weight of the world on his shoulders. He’d rarely smiled ever since his father, Bill, had died little over a year ago. 

Timmy wrung his hands as he looked up at her. His eyes seemed to say, “I know this isn’t an adventure. We’re running away.” 

The rumble of carriage wheels and horse hooves drifted from outside. Her ears strained, sifting through the usual sounds as it searched for anything that would alert her to the arrival of her brother-in-law.

“Come, sweetheart,” Annie said, holding her hand out to him. 

His small hand burrowed into hers while he twirled a piece of hair at the back of his head. His hair was quite short, but just long enough for him to tangle his fingers in it. Her other hand carried a sturdy carpetbag. It contained all she dared to take with her. Annie pulled him along, stepping over the shards of a broken vase that lay between the parlor and the front door. 

The mere sight of it caused fear to claw its way up her throat. A clock ticked in the parlor, alerting her to every passing second. Just as she was about to grip the doorknob, shadows moved on the other side of the door. 

She inhaled sharply as she pushed Timmy behind her. He moved easily, obviously sensing her distress. A loud bang came from the door, causing it to rattle. Annie pressed her fingers against her mouth. 

“Open this door, woman!” 

It was like being stuck in a nightmare. A monster bashed at the door, demanding entrance to the place that had once been her sanctuary. 

“Take the bag,” Annie told Timmy, thrusting it at him. “Hide it under your bed.” 

He didn’t wait to be asked again. He grabbed hold of the sturdy carpetbag, clutching it with both arms. It was wider than his little body, but he toddled off dutifully, his brown curls bouncing slightly as he made his way up the stairs. 

“Just a moment,” Annie called out, putting a hand on the wall to steady herself. 

The knocking grew louder, indicating his frustration and intent. She did her best to ignore it until Timmy disappeared up the stairs. Only once he was out of sight did she move to open the door. 

Nathaniel burst through, pushing past her as he moved. She was thrust against the wall and bit down on her lip to keep from crying out. Any sound that escaped her lips only seemed to irritate him. 

“Where is he?” Nathaniel asked, glancing into the parlor first and then to the kitchen. 

“He’s in his room,” Annie said, her voice trembling. “I sent him to read—” 

Nathaniel snorted loudly, cutting her off. “He’ll learn to read at school. He should be outside playing with the other young’uns. You’re making him soft in the head.” 

Annie swallowed hard. “He’s still my son. I believe—” 

Nathaniel stepped toward her, raising his hand as he did so. She bit down harder on her lip but glared at him. No matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t stop herself from talking back. 

Bill had admired her strength, but Nathaniel wouldn’t make the same allowances. 

“Would you like to see him?” Annie asked, twisting her wedding ring around her finger. 

Everything had been so bewildering after Bill died. The world was too big, too loud, too overwhelming for her. She was doing the best she could, but it never seemed good enough. Her grief threatened to drown her, and now Nathaniel was pushing her head under water.

He glowered at her. 

It didn’t help that the monster from her nightmares wore her husband’s face. Bill and Nathaniel had been identical twins. They shared nearly every physical aspect of themselves, but their personalities couldn’t have been more different. 

In the beginning of her marriage, Annie had worried that someday she would accidentally hug her brother-in-law from behind. Even then she’d done her best to stay as far away from him as possible.

Where Bill had been soft and charming, Nathaniel was coarse and cruel. A jagged scar ran from the left side of his temple down to the middle of his cheek. The puckered pink skin declared that this man had known unspeakable pain, and it had left more than a physical mark. 

His eyes were dead, glazed over as if he was navigating the world with little more than a cursory interest in what happened. The emptiness spoke of a lack of empathy. It sent shivers down her spine. 

She’d always relaxed in Bill’s presence. There had been a warmth about him that drew her in and comforted her. It was one of the things that had first attracted him to her. 

“In a minute,” Nathaniel said, keeping his eyes trained on her. “Have you had a moment to think about my offer?” 

Annie stepped backward, crunching on the broken glass. The sound was a sharp reminder of what had happened the previous evening. She hadn’t done a very thorough job of cleaning up the shattered vase the previous evening. Nathaniel’s face had been twisted in a snarl like a predator about to pounce on its prey. He’d reached for the closest object and thrown it with all his might. 

Her life had turned upside down as the vase hit the wall, scattering into a million little shards. She shuddered to think what would have happened if she’d been within reach.

Annie nodded, her head jerking like a marionette on a string. “Of course. I apologize for my behavior last night. It’s only that you surprised me.” 

The words burned on their way out, but she soothed herself with the fact that she didn’t mean any of it. 

Nathaniel raised his eyebrows as he advanced toward her. 

“I’ll marry you,” Annie assured him, hugging herself as she took another step back. “As soon as you want. Whenever you want.” 

She tried to make herself stop retreating. It hardly gave her words any credibility. Her legs wouldn’t listen. Every muscle was taut, ready to run at a moment’s notice. It was only the knowledge that her dear Timmy was still upstairs that kept her in place. 

“I can have it done by the weeks’ end,” Nathaniel said, taking another step toward her. “Timmy will officially be my son then.” 

His eyes strayed over his shoulder as he looked at the stairs. 

If she moved any farther, she’d be out on the street. In her mind, she watched as Nathaniel shut the door on her. She was in no doubt as to the reason why Nathaniel wanted to marry her. It had nothing to do with her. 

Nausea rose in her throat as she looked at him. When he’d first suggested it, she’d thought he was making a joke. A marriage between a woman and her brother-in-law was an unholy suggestion. 

Worse, it would give this beast permanent access to her son. 

“All right,” Annie whispered. 

He looked at her as if he’d forgotten she was there. 

“I’m leaving for two days,” he said abruptly. “Have everything ready by the time I return.” 

With that, he pushed past her again. She nearly stumbled but caught the railing on the top of the stairs. Her knees buckled and she clutched the railing. The metal had been warmed by the sun and burned her skin, but she scarcely noticed. 

She held her breath as she watched him walk away. His broad shoulders were strained, and the back of his neck was red. Once he’d disappeared around the corner, Annie bolted into the house. She locked the door behind herself and hurried up the stairs. 

Timmy was in his bedroom, sitting on the floor as he looked through a picture book. He looked up when she entered, his brow furrowed in concern. 

“We have to go,” she said, breathing hard as she held out her hand to him. 

He considered it for a moment, tilting his head to the side. 

“Timmy, please.” Her voice was ragged as she tried to control her emotions. He’d already been through so much. How could she add this to his list of burdens? 

Timmy pushed himself to his feet and went to retrieve the sturdy carpetbag under the bed. She took it from him and pressed a kiss onto his forehead. 

“Mommy loves you very much,” she assured him, forcing herself to smile. 

The edges of his mouth twitched, as if he wasn’t quite sure what to do. She could only imagine what he was seeing. Her eyes were wild, and her hands shook. A smile wasn’t enough assurance that things would be all right. 

“Have you heard the story of the cowboy?” she asked, holding her arms out to him. 

Timmy shook his head, dropped the sturdy carpetbag and allowed himself to be picked up. His feet settled on her skirt, and he placed his head on her shoulder. Annie bent down to pick up the sturdy carpetbag as she made her way downstairs. 

“There was a man who lived in a city once,” Annie murmured as she made her way downstairs. 

He was heavier than he used to be, and the days where she could carry him on her hip would soon come to an end. But for now, he was still her little boy, and she could just manage his weight. 

“He didn’t like all the loud noises and all the people who were always around him,” Annie continued, putting the bag down as she opened the door again. “One day, he heard tell about a land out west. It was a place where the earth stretched out in all directions. There was so much space that even if the man traveled for two days, he wouldn’t see a single building.” 

Timmy looked at her in astonishment. It wasn’t hard to see why he was confused, having grown up in New York City. They were constantly surrounded by buildings and people. 

“He bought himself a farm,” Annie said, looking down the street for any sign of Nathaniel, “and he got all sorts of animals. Cows, chickens, sheep. And he spent his days on his horse, looking after his animals.” 

Timmy bounced up and down, kicking his feet as he pointed at a nearby horse. 

“Yes,” Annie chuckled, “just like that.” 

Her heart was heavy as she looked back at their brownstone. It stood in line with its neighbors, staring proudly into the distance. Tears filled her eyes as she remembered the day Bill had shown it to her. 

He covered her eyes and led her down the street. His body was firm and solid behind her as he removed his hand from her eyes. She stared up at the building in awe. 

“Is this where we’ll live?” she gasped. 

Bill beamed and nodded. 

“Which room is ours?” 

“We’ve got the two bottom floors all to ourselves,” he said, tapping her nose. 

“What?” She’d grown up in a Brownstone, but her family had only had three rooms to themselves on the middle floor. 

“Do you like it?” he asked, reaching up to curl a strand of her hair around his finger. 

“It’s… I can’t find the words,” Annie admitted breathlessly. “It will be the best home ever!” 

“I hope so,” Bill said, puffing out his chest. “I want to give our baby a proper place to live.” 

His hand strayed to her belly, where a new life was forming. A thrill went through her as she imagined what it would be like to raise their child in such a beautiful place. 

“Come,” he said, holding out a hand to her. “Let me show you the garden.” 

Leaving the house felt like she was betraying Bill’s memory. He’d been so proud of it. Every room was filled with memories of him, but she couldn’t stay. Nathaniel was intent on taking everything that had belonged to Bill. 

The brothers had been as close as any two siblings could be. From the moment they entered the world, they’d been at each other’s side. Annie’s grief at losing Bill was great and terrible, but it was much worse for Nathaniel. 

Bill’s death had warped Nathaniel’s mind, driving him to madness. In the year following Bill’s demise, she’d done her best to keep Nathaniel out of her thoughts. He’d traveled most of the time, only appearing every so often to check on Timmy. Then one day, something changed, and he’d uttered the most outrageous demand. 

The brownstone that Bill had gifted Annie would never be the same. Her protector was gone, and so was her safety. 

“Can I get a horse, Mommy?” Timmy asked, picking at one of his buttons. 

“I suppose we could look into it,” Annie said, pushing all her unpleasant memories away. “We’re going on an adventure out West. I think it’s about time we find ourselves a home on the plains.” 

“Like the cowboy?” 

“Just like the cowboy,” Annie said with a smile. 

This time, Timmy mirrored the action, and it was genuine. 

“Was Daddy a cowboy?” 

The question punched through her gut. Her smile slipped, and she was reminded of the brutal truth Nathaniel had flung at her the night before. It turned out she hadn’t known her husband half as well as she’d thought. 

“No,” Annie murmured, “he wasn’t a cowboy. But he spent plenty of time out West.” 

Timmy frowned. “Will Uncle Nate be there too?” 

 Annie shook her head. “I’m afraid not, sweet boy.” 

“Will he come visit?” Timmy’s eyes widened with hope. 

Timmy hadn’t seen the truth about his uncle yet. To him, Nathaniel was the fun uncle who brought him toys and took him out on excursions. Timmy needed a father figure, and unfortunately, Nathaniel was the only manly presence in his life. The boy was like a sponge. But Nathaniel was poison, and Annie wasn’t going to let her son soak up his influence. 

“Perhaps,” Annie said, trying to smile again. “You’re going to make so many friends out West, Timmy.” 

“Just a horse,” Timmy said, wrinkling his nose as he shook his head. 

“You just want a horse?” Annie asked with a chuckle. 

The hair at the back of her neck prickled as she looked around again. It seemed Nathaniel lurked at every corner, ready to pounce on her. If he discovered that she was fleeing… She swallowed hard. No. She was going to escape. He’d never stop looking, but she’d find a place that was so out of the way that he’d never get his hands on Timmy. 

“Yes!” Timmy cheered. 

Annie kissed his forehead as they approached the train station. Her heart was heavy with grief, fear, and betrayal, but all that was eclipsed by a fierce protectiveness. No matter what happened, she’d do her utmost to make sure Timmy never turned out like Bill or Nathaniel. 

Her son would be a good man. 

Chapter Two

“I can’t take it anymore! I’m sorry, Mr. Sinclair, but I quit.” 

Jake Sinclair leaned back in his chair as he regarded the nanny in front of him. Her cheeks were bright red, and if it were possible, steam would be pouring from her ears. She glared at him as if he were the devil, her fists clenched by her sides. 

“Now, now, Margaery,” he said, adopting a soothing tone as he stood. “There’s no need—” 

“No need?” Margaery’s voice rose. “No need, my foot! That girl is a menace. I’m done. I am finished and done. You can’t stop me.” 

She turned on her heel and began marching out of his office. He quickly made his way around the desk, following her. 

“Margaery, please… I know you’re upset, but there must be something I can do. Can’t we come to some sort of agreement?” 

The nanny didn’t stop. She opened the door and continued walking, passing by the deputies’ station and ignoring the way men stopped their work to stare at her. It wasn’t often that the sheriff chased after someone. 

Even the men in the jail cells got to their feet to watch the scene. Some even hooted and hollered. Jake glared at them, putting his hand on his pistol to remind them who was in charge. 

Unfortunately, Margaery didn’t stop walking, leaving him to scramble after her. It was hardly a good look for the sheriff. 

“There’s nothing you can say!” she insisted, refusing to even turn around and look him in the eye. 

Jake had no choice but to follow her. Margaery’s hair, streaked with silver, glinted as she walked out into the sun. When he’d first hired her, he’d been encouraged by the fact that she was older. It meant she wouldn’t scare easily and would approach the role with maturity. 

At least, that was what he’d hoped. But it had only been two months since their initial meeting, and she was already quitting. 

“Surely we can talk about this?” he said, chasing her out onto the street. 

He’d spent the morning indoors, and the sun’s rays cut through his vision like a knife. He stopped for a moment to get his bearings. The street was full of people going about their day. A few stopped to watch the spectacle. It would be front-page news by morning. Everyone would know that the sheriff had lost yet another nanny—the third one in a year. 

“There’s nothing to talk about,” Margaery said simply, turning on him with a thunderous expression. “I’m going back to Springfield to be with my sister.” 

“You can’t leave without notice,” Jake sputtered, gesturing helplessly. “What am I supposed to do in the meantime?” 

Margaery raised a single eyebrow as she looked him in the eyes. “Hire a priest.” 

Jake grimaced as he rubbed the back of his neck. “How about a raise? I can give you an extra dollar a week. How does that sound? You can send some money to your sister.” 

She shook her head firmly. “No. I’m done.” 

A passerby slowed down, staring at them with interest. Blood rushed to Jake’s cheeks as he looked around. It was untenable. Why was he making a fool of himself in front of the whole town?

“Well.” He drew himself to his full height. “I suppose there’s nothing to be done, then. I was hoping for a little more professionalism. At least stay until I can find a replacement. Otherwise, I won’t be able to write you a good reference.” 

She snorted and rolled her eyes. “You think I care about references now? It’s been two months. I’ll find something else. Good day to you, sir.” 

“Wait!” He held out a hand to stop her. “Please, I have to work. And Beth… You can’t leave Beth all on her own. She’s just a little girl.” 

“Just a little girl?” Margaery’s brows knitted together. “I’ve looked after all kinds of children in my time, Mr. Sinclair, but what you have there isn’t just a little girl. She’s a real problem. And the longer you hide out here at work and ignore it, the worse it’s going to get.” 

“Beth isn’t a problem,” Jake insisted. “Have some compassion. She lost her mother!” 

“Two years ago.” Margaery held up two fingers. “And in the meantime, she’s grown into a real—” 

“That’s my daughter you’re talking about,” Jake warned in a low voice. 

“I understand that her mother’s passing was…” Margaery trailed off as she looked away. “Difficult. And I know you’ve been preoccupied ever since. However, that little girl is developing a nasty personality. You don’t know half of what goes on in that house.” 

With that, she gestured down at her dress. In all the drama, he hadn’t noticed that she was spattered in mud. Her dress was soaked and there were smudges all over her sleeves. It was as if she’d jumped straight into a mud puddle. 

“What happened?” Jake asked with a frown. 

Margaery let out a bitter laugh. “Oh, so now you care? Let’s face it, Mr. Sinclair, you don’t give a fig about me or anyone else so long as they keep Beth quiet and out of the way. You need to start being more of a parent before she grows into someone you can’t stand.” 

“How dare you?” Jake crossed his arms over his chest. “You can’t come here and criticize my parenting skills when you couldn’t even last three months. Beth and I have been through a nightmare. She’s survived things most children will never experience. Yes, she can be… challenging, but that’s because she has a strong personality.” 

Margaery wiped her hands down the front of her skirt as he spoke. “Forgive me, Mr. Sinclair, but how would you know anything about her personality? You’re never at home to experience it.” 

He gritted his teeth as he looked away. Margaery took the opportunity to leave, picking at the dried globs of mud as she went. 

“Fine!” Jake called out after her. “We don’t take kindly to quitters around these parts anyhow!” 

Margaery raised her hand and waved him off dismissively. The farther she got, the more the fight drained out of him. How had he gotten himself into this situation? He looked around, counting the eyes on him. The baker across the street had paused in the middle of putting out fresh bread. A cowboy was slowly brushing his horse nearby, shooting glances at Jake every so often. The local doctor had stopped in the middle of the sidewalk and gave him a disapproving look. 

Jake swallowed hard. He could sense their judgment. Pine Valley’s population had exploded in the three years since he arrived. More and more people moved in as the railroad expanded, and more farms were established almost every month. 

It was up to Jake to keep all those people safe. How could anyone trust him to do so if he couldn’t even keep his house in order? No one seemed to see how he slaved away at the office, sometimes spending more than fourteen hours a day working without a break. 

They didn’t consider that he was raising a little girl all by himself, either. All they saw was him floundering to keep up with it all, and they judged him for it. He knew they did. It was clear in the way they looked at him with thinly veiled derision and pity. 

As he turned around, he spotted one of his deputies, Sam Collins, standing in the doorway. 

“That was quite the show,” Sam said, raising his eyebrows. 

Jake shook his head at him and walked inside. The other three deputies were all standing around, busy with their own tasks. From the way they looked up at him, it was clear that they’d overheard everything. 

“Get back to work,” he growled, stalking into his office. 

Sam slipped in behind him just as he closed the door. 

“Don’t you have work to do?” Jake asked, making his way back to his desk.

“I do, but this seems far more important,” Sam said, sitting down across from Jake’s desk. “Do you have any idea why Margaery quit?” 

“You heard her,” Jake grumbled. “She said she was done. I swear, people are becoming softer and softer these days. A few years ago, people were happy to work for their money.”

Sam raised his eyebrows. “Did Beth like Margaery?” 

“I suppose so,” Jake said with a shrug. “She didn’t say anything untoward about the woman.” 

“All right, but did you ask her if she liked the new nanny?” 

Jake ran a hand through his hair. “A nanny is a nanny. Sure, she may have had to look after Beth a little more often than most, but I’m busy with important work. Why can’t anyone understand that?” 

He began tidying up the piles of paperwork on his desk. He’d have to pack up and work from home. Great. People would be talking about his laziness as well as his inability to keep a nanny. 

“There’s no question about how important this work is,” Sam agreed, “but perhaps it would do Beth some good if you spent more time with her.” 

Jake glowered at Sam. “How can you say that with a straight face? Our jail is full. We’re up to our ears in complaints!” 

Sam held up his hands to stop Jake. “I’m here every day. I know what’s going on. All I’m saying is that you’ve only got a short while before Beth grows up. The way things are going, she won’t have much of a future.” 

Jake stopped what he was doing and leaned back in his chair. “Right. Sam, how many children do you have?” 

His deputy’s cheeks flushed.. “Fair enough. I see your point. But something’s got to change.” He stopped and snapped his fingers. “Hey now, you know what you need?” 

Jake raised his eyebrows. 

“A wife.” 

The suggestion made Jake wince. He glanced at the table, his eyes landing on a file on the corner of his desk. Katherine Sinclair. The name jumped out at him, accusing him of letting her death go unavenged for so long. 

“Hear me out,” Sam continued, talking quickly. “You can keep up with your important work while she takes care of Beth. Everyone knows Beth needs a mama. It might be difficult at first, but you’ll see that it’s good in the long run.” 

“No.” 

“At least think about it,” Sam said with a huff. “I know things have been tough since Kate—” 

“Was murdered,” Jake said simply, causing Sam to blush once again. 

“You’re twisting my meaning here,” Sam complained. “You’re making me out to be cold and heartless, and I’m just trying to help. Beth can be a handful; it don’t take a genius to figure that one out. No nanny is going to stick around. Mostly because you can’t afford to pay them much, but also because they don’t have a claim to the girl. If you’re married, the woman becomes Beth’s stepmother, and she can’t leave!” 

Jake shook his head. He didn’t need to think about it. Not only was Sam’s reasoning for getting married insane, it was also impossible. He couldn’t get married. Not until he brought Kate’s killers to justice. Nothing else mattered until then. 

“I can handle my daughter,” Jake said gruffly. “I don’t need to get married again. Besides, it wouldn’t be fair to anyone involved. You get married when you’re in love, not because you need a nanny.” 

“Says who?” Sam shrugged. “Plenty of men out there are looking for companionship and help. Haven’t you ever heard of those bridal adverts? Ol’ Reid Jenkins got himself one of those just last year. It ain’t a love story for no books, but they seem happy enough.” 

“One of those?” Jake shook his head slowly. “Heaven help the woman you marry, Sam.” 

“You know what I meant,” Sam said, his already pink cheeks reddening further. “You need a wife, and the sooner you accept that, the better everything will be.” 

Jake scowled at him. “You’re a better shot than an advisor. Look, obviously I need to go home now. Can you think of any local girls who might be willing to look after Beth until I can find a replacement?” 

Sam snorted. “You know none of the girls will go near Beth after what happened with Nell Smith.” 

“She didn’t mean to scare Nell so badly,” Jake muttered, shifting his weight. “How was she supposed to know Nell was afraid of toads?” 

“Deathly afraid,” Sam pointed out. “And most people know not to put a toad in someone’s water cup. Perhaps it wouldn’t have been so bad if it wasn’t at the town picnic. Poor Nell screeched like a bat out of hell. I’ve never seen anyone fall backwards out of a chair like that. Her legs went everywhere… Poor girl showed a little too much of herself that day.” 

“I know what happened, Sam.” Jake clenched his eyes shut. Beth had been such an angelic child when her mother was alive. Things had changed drastically after Kate’s death. 

What was he going to do? He couldn’t quit his job. There was far too much to do. 

“Yeah, but you weren’t there like I was.” Sam chuckled. “Goodness, you should have seen the look on her face. I know it was naughty of her, but I had good giggle when I was by myself.” 

“It’s not funny.” Jake massaged his temples. “Could you please leave? I need to write a note for the newspaper before I go home.” 

“The newspaper? Again?” Sam shook his head. “It won’t work. Just get it over with and begin a correspondence courtship. It’ll save us all some time.” 

A monstrous headache brewed behind Jake’s eyes. He yearned to lie in a dark room and drift into sleep. At least when he was asleep, he could avoid his problems for a while. All he needed was a break. Was that too much to ask for? 

“Sam,” Jake growled, reaching for a pencil and paper. 

Sam got to his feet, raising his hands in surrender. “Fine, waste your time trying to find a nanny who’ll stick around. I give the next one a month, tops. It looks like Beth’s got a system for kicking them around, and she’s just getting better at it.” 

With that, Sam left the office. Grateful for the brief silence, Jake set about writing his letter. He tried to make it seem as cheery as possible, but what he really wanted to ask for was a miracle.