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Jason half nodded in his direction but kept talking to Martha as he handed her things.
“Come on, Frank,” Gray said, grabbing the man by the collar of his shirt to get him pointed in the right direction. “I’m afraid I don’t have any handcuffs or anything for you. I’ll try to have them next time.”
“Ah, that’s no matter, Sheriff. I don’t like them much anyhow.”
Gray snorted and held out his hand, gesturing for Frank to walk ahead of him. “You play cards, Frank?”
…
Gray settled onto the jailhouse porch and surveyed the town. He had been sheriff, and a married man, for an entire week, which was exactly seven days longer than he’d thought he’d last on both fronts. The sheer fact that he hadn’t been run out of town yet was something he still had trouble wrapping his mind around. Nope, these people made him their sheriff and seemed thrilled he agreed to take the job. There had to be something wrong with them. He just hadn’t figured it out yet.
All was quiet in town today, for the most part. Some raucous laughter broke out every now and then from somewhere, but it was far enough away that Gray wasn’t worried about it. Not that laughter was against the law, of course. But something about it sounded like whoever was behind it was up to no good. More power to them as long as they kept it to themselves. He could always send Sunshine out to investigate if necessary. The kid was turning out to be quite useful.
As for the whole sheriff gig, the most surprising thing about it so far had been how little Gray minded the job. Aggravating at times, sure. But…it wasn’t boring. He was getting to know—and he feared, getting tolike—the townspeople, and for some reason they didn’t hate him. He couldn’t figure out why. He certainly didn’t trust it. No one ever wanted him around for long. Especially because trouble always found him, even when he actively tried to avoid it.
For the moment, however, life was relatively peaceful. Gray had no doubt it wouldn’t last. But he could enjoy it while it did. Maybe he’d go arrest Frank today so they could get in a few hands of cards. He was sure to be causing problems somewhere.
First, though, Gray was going to enjoy the pleasant weather, since it wouldn’t be around much longer, and take a little nap.
He kicked his chair back to lean against the wall and propped his feet up on the railing. He’d just pulled his hat down over his eyes when that laughter he’d been hearing rounded the corner.
Gray peeked out from under his hat. Three young men, probably no more than eighteen or so, were chasing a goat down the road. The creature had several sticks tied to its ankles with string and was frantically trying to get away from them while the boys chased it, laughing.
Why did that goat look familiar?
Gray was out of his chair and had fired a warning shot in the air before the teenagers had even noticed he was sitting there. Everyone froze, even the goat, and stared at him.
He came toward them and the boys all cast anxious looks at each other.
“Sheriff,” one of them stammered. “Is there a problem?”
The goat head-butted him on the leg. Yup. He thought it’d looked familiar.
“Two problems. One, I was trying to take a nap and you boys runnin’ around town causin’ all this ruckus disturbed me. I’m sure you’re disturbin’ other people, too,” he added, since he was supposed to be lookin’ out for everyone’s peace, after all, not just his own.
“We’re sorry, Sheriff. We didn’t mean to be disturbing anyone. Just tryin’ to have a bit of fun.”
Gray nodded. “Fun is fine, but I expect you to have a little more consideration when you’re in town.”
They nodded hastily.
“And two.” Gray pointed at the goat that was kicking at the string around her legs. “That goat belongs to my wife.”
All three faces drained of color. One of the boys turned tail and ran, but Gray pinned the other two with a stare that had them frozen in place.
Before he could tell them to return the goat to Mercy’s place, Mercy herself rounded the corner in the wagon and barreled straight for them, her face a mask of outraged maternal righteousness.
“You two!” she said, hopping down from the wagon. “And where’s the other one?”
“Ran off that way,” Gray said, jerking his head up the street. She lurched to a halt, her skirt tangled up in the trapping of the wagon. She muttered a curse that had him beaming with pride as she yanked on the material.
To the boys, he said, “You wake me up again, I’m arrestin’ you. Spread the word. And stay away from the animals.”
“Yes, sir,” they both said, their eyes bouncing between him and the furious woman about to brain them with a wooden spoon.
He glanced at Mercy, who had nearly worked herself free and nodded back at them. “You better run.”
They took off just as she pulled the material loose and made to chase after them. Gray caught her around the waist, lifting her off her feet.
