same man that led me to Christ. I haven't forgotten that. I
402
had had some contact with Des, but never did I dream he
would have such an impact on me. I need to be reminded
that I'm not the only person who could talk to Dakota or
who prays that he'll see the truth. By the time you see him
again, Cash, it could be that he'll have done some real soul-searching."
Cash looked at his youngest sibling.
"When did you grow up, Slater?"
Slater smiled a little, but his eyes were thoughtful.
"Funny, but some days I find I have so much to learn that
I think I'm still a child."
Cash reached to put an arm around his shoulders.
"When I forget how good God has been to me, Slate, I
have only to remind myself of the way He reached down
and saved Grandma, me, and then you. Considering how
self-centered we all were, I call that a miracle."
"I'll miss you, Cash," Slater said, his eyes having to
look up a little.
"I'll miss you too. Don't be a stranger."
The men went inside then, Cash so glad that he'd come
403
and Slater having a sudden daydream. He'd like to go
home, he'd like it very much, but he wanted to go with a
certain woman on his arm; God willing, his wife.
$evw(ei
the gunshots started at dawn, just 24 hours after Cash
left town. The house sat off a piece, but the nearest structure
was the schoolhouse. Had it been a weekend, Griffin
might have let her get it out of her system, but not on a
school day. And because it was Bemie, he had to have Liberty.
Not even noticing the tightening of Slater's mouth
when he told him, he mounted his horse and rode for his
mother's, Slater right behind him. And all the time the
shots could be heard.
"I need Libby, Mam/' he said as he met her in the
kitchen.
"I heard the shots, so I think Libby must have too. I'll
go up and check."
Kate slipped away, and some time later Liberty arrived
on the scene, dressed in work clothes. She looked as calm
404
and confident as ever.
"Bernie?" she asked, strapping on her gun belt.
"Yes. She's a little early this year."
"Too bad she couldn't wait for the weekend."
Slater didn't question any of this but understood that
Bernie must be a regular.
The three rode out as soon as Morton had been saddled,
Slater stepping forward to do this against his better
judgment. The sky was lighting fast, always a help. They
rode toward Bemice Shambles' house, coining in on the
barn side. She never shot that way. Every year they confiscated
her gun, but she always managed to come up with
another one. Daryl Shambles had left Bernie more than ten
231
232 lori wick
years before, but she had never gotten over it. Every winter
she took shots at the tree he'd planted, the main problem
405
being that the tree sat between Bernice's and the schoolouse.
"We'll have to get around, Lib, or she'll never hear us.
The side we tried last year didn't work. Let's go to the other
side this time."
"That will give me a better view of the windows," Liberty
said. "Let's hope she stops firing long enough to
listen."
The horses had been tied, and the three now made their
way along the far side of the barn, their steps punctuated
by gunshots.
"What is she shooting at?" Slater finally asked.
"The huge tree on the west side of the house."
"Right toward the school," Slater muttered.
"She would be crushed if she hit anyone/' Liberty filled
in, "but she never thinks of that ahead of time."
"How often does she do this?"
"Once a year too often," Liberty said.
They were in position now, and Griffin tried to holler
up at her. He waited for the shots to stop and then began.
"Bernie, put the weapon down!"
406
More shots were his answer, so the next time they
slowed, Liberty gave it a try.
"I want to come in and talk to you, Bernie, but you have
to put the gun..."
There was no point in going on.
They were patient. They tried calling to her for close to
20 minutes, but it was no use. Liberty finally got disgusted
enough to take the upper hand. Stepping out just enough,
she systematically took out four of Bernie's windows.
Dead silence followed and then a small voice.
"Libby?Isthatyou?"
"I'm out here," she called back.
"Why didn't you say so?"
Every Little Thing About You 233
"I've been trying^ but you just kept shooting. Are you
hurt?"
"No, but I'm sad."
Liberty started forward but suddenly found herself
407
hauled backward.
"Don't even think about it," Slater said in a voice not to
be argued with. He had taken Liberty by the waist and
pulled her back until she was against his chest in a no-nonsense
hold.
"She'll be calm now," Griffin explained. "We can all go.
The only person she'll ever put her gun down for is Libby."
"Then I'll go first," Slater said, moving Liberty behind
him and leading the way, knowing he could die in the next
instant. Every town had its regulars, but no one could predict
everything. As it was, not another shot was fired. The
three moved to the door, and Bernie was even there to let
them in.
"This is the day," Bernie said, but Liberty didn't comment.
Bernie always said the same thing, but over the years
the date had fluctuated. Liberty believed that when a
person hung onto grief, he or she changed.
"We'll come in and talk to you for a while," Liberty said
as she took the gun from her hand.
"You're welcome to talk to Bernie, Lib, but it will have
408
to be at the jailhouse."
This said. Griffin took the cuffs from his belt and handcuffed
Bernie's hands behind her back. "This has to stop,
Bernie/' he went on. "I don't know how else to get through
to you. I've been dealing with you since I became sheriff,
and how many years had it gone on before that?"
Both Bernie and Liberty stared at him in shock. Griffin
ignored his sister and continued to address his prisoner.
"Too long, I'll be bound. Maybe a little time in jail and
a hefty fine will make you think about someone other than
yourself next year."
"But I miss him," Bernie whined pitifully, but Griffin
was not moved.
234 lori wick
"You think you miss him? How do you think the parents
of the child you shoot will feel? Daryl left here of his
own free will. The child or schoolmarm you hit will be a
victim."
Liberty was still in shock when Griffin began to lead
409
Bernie away, Slater falling in behind him. Since none of
them climbed back onto their horses, they had a bit of a
walk
as they headed toward town. Bemie was very subdued,
and Liberty was angry. She had never seen Griffin
act like this toward a woman. What had changed? Slater
was an incredible gentleman, but could he have had a hand
in this action?
"In you go/' Griffin said to Bernie as he opened the cell
door. He removed her cuffs but shut and locked the door
without looking back. Slater had put Bernie's gun on the
desk, and Griffin now tagged it and locked it up.
"Could I see you a moment, Griffin?" Liberty asked,
her voice tight.
Griffin had been expecting as much, but not quite so
soon.
"Can it wait a few hours, Lib?"
Liberty nodded, but she was not happy. Knowing that
her job was done, she told Griffin she'd see him later and
bid Slater goodbye, but she didn't go right home. She was
so overcome with fury that she didn't think she could be
410
civil even to her own family. She completely disagreed
with the way Griffin had handled Bernie, and she never
remembered a time when her brother wouldn't allow her
to speak to him.
"I don't even know him anymore," Liberty muttered to
herself in rage. She wasn't even watching where she was
headed and suddenly realized she was on the way back to
Bernie's. Another angry spark lit inside of her.
Take a woman off without even letting her gather some
things! Well, I'll just do it myself. I'll take things to Bernie and
make her the most comfortable prisoner we've ever had. Leave it
to a man not to understand.
Every Littk Thing About You 235
Liberty all but stomped into the house and began
searching for things Bernie might want. Her emotions spialing
completely out of control, she carried on in a fury.
The few times she let her mind tell her she was wrong, she
pushed the thought away. At the moment she thought she
might never speak to her brother, or any man, ever again.
411
S* S'* ^"
"The sheriff asked me to come by and tell you to ring
the school bell right on time, Miss Winters. The shooting's
over."
"Oh, thank you, Deputy Rawlings. I appreciate your
stopping."
The couple was standing on the school steps. Slater had
knocked and been ready to go in, but Miss Winters had
suddenly come out and nearly run into him,
"I've got coffee on," she said. "It's a cold morning; may
I bring you a cup?"
"Yes, please," Slater said sincerely. He was cold--very
cold. They had been out early and then stood in the cold.
Then, just after he'd gotten back inside the jailhouse,
Griffin had sent him out to the school.
"Here you go," Miss Winters came with two mugs; she
had also slipped into her coat.
"Thank you. This is good," Slater told her as he took a
412
sip. "I just remembered that you were coming out to do
something. I should drink this and let you get back to
work."
"Oh, I just have to hang a sign, I shouldn't have come
out without my coat in the first place."
"Do you want some help?"
"I'd love some," she admitted, looking very young and
in need of a rescue. "The last time I tried to pound a nail, I
hit my hand."
"We can't have that." Slater put his mug aside. "Just
show me where you want it"
236 lori wick
The next few minutes were filled with hilarity as
Slater's cold hands fumbled with the nails, dropping two
of them and moving too slowly to catch them before they
disappeared into the spaces between the boards. He and
Miss Winters were laughing so hard at one point that they
couldn't even work. Slater ended up leaning against the
413
building to catch his breath, laughing once again when the
schoolteacher commented that it didn't feel that cold anymore.
Across the field, just coming out of Bernie's house, Liberty
took in this scene and froze in her steps. She had gathered
two bags of items for Bernie, but in the process her
anger had cooled. Now, watching the man shq loved as he
laughed and enjoyed the company of another woman, all
anger left her.
There's probably a perfectly good explanation for what I'm
seeing, Liberty thought, reason having once again returned. And if I hadn't been so het up about coming here, I wouldn't have seen them together at all
Turning slowly back inside, Liberty replaced the items.
By the time she came out the front door again, the steps of
the schoolhouse were empty and all was quiet. Liberty
climbed into Morton's saddle and turned toward home,
wishing she'd repented sooner and was already back in the
warmth of that house. She also hoped that Griffin would
forget that she wanted to talk to him. She had changed her
mind.
414
3-%r
"Hi/' Griffin said kindly as he came to the house just
before lunch. "Did you still want to see me, Lib?"
"No," his sister said honestly.
Griffin stared at her as she sat at the kitchen table and
calmly frosted a batch of molasses cookies. She had never
been secretive with her feelings, but something wasn't
right.
Every Little Thing About You 237
"Are you sure?" he tried again, but Laura came into the
room.
"Hi, Griff!" she greeted him with a huge smile. Griffin
swung her up into his arms for a hug. He could see that she
wanted to talk, and most of the time he let her, but not
today.
"I need to see Libby. You go find Mam."
"All right," she agreed with such a wistful little face
415
that Griffin had to harden his heart, but he felt compelled
to get back to Liberty. He was ready to launch into a discussion
the moment he sat at the table with her, but Liberty
started first.
"Tell me, Griff. Have you ever known women who control
the people around them, even their husbands, by
pouting or getting angry?"
"Lots of them."
"Me too," Liberty nodded, "I was upset with you when
you put Bernie in jail. I even went to her house to get some
of her things so she would be more comfortable, but then I
realized where I was. I was at Bernie's house: the woman
who shoots at a tree every year because a man left her. I've
never known Bernie to say she was wrong or do anything
more than whine about how miserable she is. It suddenly
became very clear to me why Daryl left."
Griffin studied her. Unless he missed his guess, she'd
had a hard morning but was doing better now.
"You're not like Bernie, Lib. I hope you know that."
"But I could be," Liberty said quietly, her eyes on the
416
cookie in her hand. "I didn't see it until today. I've always
had things my way, Griff, so there's never been a need to
fight you, but today I wanted to argue and interfere. Thaf s
not the same as covering for you."
Griffin's
heart swelled with love for her. "You're one in
a million, Libby."
Liberty smiled over the compliment, her own heart
swelling a bit. She was very content right now that she had
not made a scene. It had taken several hours for her to calm
238 lori wick
down completely, but she didn't have to apologize to
Griffin or Slater over anything she said.
In the next few minutes, Griffin explained to Liberty
why he'd locked Bernie up, and Liberty thought his views
were very sound. She returned the kiss he placed on her
cheek when he went to find Laura and Mam, thanked him,
and went on with the frosting.
She was very glad she didn't have to repent to Slater,
but her heart was not quite as settled where that man was
417
concerned. Liberty was finding that not knowing exactly
where she stood was terribly unsettling. Each day was
filled with thinking of him, praying for him, and wondering
where he was, what he was doing, and if he thought
of her in return. Today's thoughts, however, were also full
of Shotgun's pretty young schoolteacher.
gr
"I'm so sorry, Libby/' Mrs. Mills said for the fifth time,
tears coming to her eyes. "How awful for you. I'm surprised
you even want to set foot in here again."
Liberty smiled at her and said honestly, "Nothing has
changed, Mrs. Mills."
The living room looked remarkably different than it
had a week ago. Everything was spotlessly clean, but it
wasn't hard for Liberty to picture the way it had been.
"He was really quite devious, wasn't he, Mrs. Mills?"
Liberty said thoughtfully.
"Yes. I haven't been comfortable with him for the last
418
few visits, so I began to travel when he came. It was just a
month back when I returned to find things covered with
dust. Davis had a reason, but I was so put off with the mess
that I didn't listen very well." The woman looked at the
floor. "I wouldn't have guessed what he was up to in a
hundred years."
"Griffin told me he's had a meeting with all the neighbors
and that you've had secure locks put on all the doors."
Every Little Thing About You 239
"Indeed, I have. I don't care if he is family, I'll not have
him use my home to store stolen money--or come again
for that matter."
Liberty nodded, thinking about the few facts they had.
Mrs. Mills had told them where Davis lived, and Griffin
had been in touch with the law there, but they hadn't heard
of any significant bank robberies. The bags of money Liberty