Julie Garwood - Come the Spring

and smiled. "You broke the law, son."

"How? " "Disturbing the peace."

"What? " "No need to shout. I can see it pained you.

You've got a nice bump on the back of your head, and I don't suppose

yelling is gonna make you feel better. Don't you remember what

happened? " Cole shook his head and immediately regretted it. Pain

exploded behind his eyes.

"I remember being sick."

"Yes, you had the influenza. You were sick with fever for four days,

and my Josey nursed you back to health.

Today was your second day out of bed."

"When did I disturb the peace?

" "When you crossed the street, " he said cheerfully. "It was real

disturbing to me, the way you walked away while I was trying so hard to

convince you to stay in Middleton until the appointment came through.

I gave my word to someone real important that I would keep you here,

son, but you wouldn't cooperate."

"So you hit me over the head."

"Yes, I did, " he admitted. "I didn't see any other way. It wasn't

much of a hit though, just a little thump with the butt of my pistol on

the back of your head. No permanent damage was done, or you wouldn't

be sitting there growling at me.

Besides, I did you a favor." The sheriff's chipper voice was grating

on Cole's nerves. He glared at him and asked, "How do you figure

that?

" "There were two gunslingers waiting for you to get into the street.

Both of them were determined to make you drawţone at a time, of

course.

You were just getting over your sick spell, and even though you won't

admit it, I'd wager a week's pay you weren't well enough to take either

one of them on. The influenza hit you hard, son, and you're only just

now getting your color back. Yes sirree, I did you a favor."

"It's all coming back to me."

"Put it behind you, " he suggested." Cause it's water under the sink

now. The appointment came through, and we had us a nice ceremony right

here in the jail. It seemed kind of odd to file into your cell for a

big do, but the judge didn't mind and it worked out all right. Yes, it

did.

Too bad you had to sleep through the celebration, since you were the

honoree and all. My wife, Josey, made her special yellow cake with

sugar icing. She cut you a nice big piece and left it on the table

over there, " he added with a nod toward the opposite side of the

cell.

"You'd best eat it before the mice get to it.

Cole was becoming more frustrated by the second. Most of what the

sheriff was telling him didn't make any sense. "Answer my questions, "

he demanded. "You said that someone important wanted to keep me

here.

Who was it? " "Marshal Daniel Ryan, that's who. He should be along

any minute now to let you out."

"Ryan's here? That no-good, low-down, thievingţ" "Hold on now. There

ain't no need to carry on.

The marshal told me you've been bearing a grudge against him. He said

it had something to do with a compass and gold case he's been keeping

safe for you." Cole's head was rapidly clearing. "My mother was

bringing me the compass, and Ryan stole it from her. He doesn't have

any intention of giving it back. I'm going to have to take it from

him."

"I think you might be wrong about that, " Norton said with a chuckle.

It was futile to argue with him. Cole decided to save his wrath for

the man who was responsible for locking him up . . . Daniel Ryan. He

couldn't wait to get his hands on him.

"Are you going to let me out of here and give me my guns back? " "I'd

surely like to."

"But? " "But I can't, " the sheriff said. "Ryan's got the keys. I've

got to take some papers across town to the judge, so why don't you sit

tight and eat some cake? I shouldn't be gone long." The sheriff

turned to leave. "One more thing, " he drawled out.

"Congratulations, son. I'm sure you'll do your family proud."

"Wait!

" Cole called out. "Why are you congratulating me? " Norton didn't

answer him. He sauntered into the outer office, and a minute later

Cole heard the front door open and close. He shook his head in

confusion. He didn't know what the old man had been rambling on

about.

Why would he congratulate him?

He glanced around the stark cellţgray walls, gray bars, and gray

floor.

On a three-legged stand in the corner was a grayspeckled basin and a

water jug next to the piece of cake the sheriff's wife had left for

him. The only other adornment was the black spider crawling up the

painted stones of the wall. There was another one hanging from its web

in the barred windowsill high up by the ceiling.

Cole was over six feet tall, but in order to look out, he would have to

stand on a chair. There weren't any inside the cell. He could see a

fragment of the sky, though, and like his temporary home, it too was

gray.

The color fit his mood. He was in a no-win situation. He couldn't

very well shoot Norton, since his wife had nursed him back to health.

The sheriff had probably saved his life, as well, by knocking him out

before the gunslingers had challenged him. Cole remembered the

influenza had left him weak and shaky. He would have died in a

gunfight all right, but damn it all, did Norton have to hit him so

hard? His head still felt as if it had been split in two.

He reached up to rub the knot in the back of his neck, and his right

arm bumped against cold metal. He looked down, then froze when he

realized what he was staring at. A gold case dangled from a chain

someoneţRyan most likelyţhad clipped to the pocket of his leather

vest.

The son of a bitch had finally given him his treasure back. He gently

lifted the precious disk into the palm of his hand and stared at it a

long minute before opening it. The compass was made of brass, not

gold, but it was still finely crafted. The face was white, the letters

red, the dial black. He removed it from its case, smiling as he

watched the dial wobble back and forth before pointing north.

His Mama Rose was going to be pleased to know that he had finally

gotten the gift she'd purchased for him over a year ago. It was a

handsome treasure. He couldn't find a nick or a scratch anywhere.

Ryan had obviously taken good care of it, he grudgingly admitted. He

still wanted to shoot the bastard for keeping it so long, but he knew

he couldn't if he wanted to stay alive a little longerţkilling marshals

was frowned on in the territory, no matter what the reasonţand so Cole

decided to settle on punching him in the nose instead.

Carefully tucking the compass into his vest pocket, he glanced over at

the pitcher and decided to splash some water on his face. His gaze

settled on the piece of cake, and he focused on it while he tried to

sort fact from dream Why were they eating cake in his cell? The

question seemed too complicated to think about now. He stood up so he

could stretch his knotted muscles and was about to take off his vest

when his sleeve caught on something sharp. Pulling his arm free, he

glanced down to see what was jabbing him.

His hands dropped to his knees as he fell back on the cot and stared

down at his left shoulder in disbelief. He was stupefied It had to be

a jokeţbut someone had a real warped sense of humor. Then Sheriff

Norton's words came back to him. The appointment had come through .

.

. Yeah, that's what he'd said . . . And they celebrated . . . Cole

remembered Norton had said that too.

And Cole was the honoree . . .