Clifton County Fireworks (3 page)

“I like my badge just fine,
Sheriff.  I’ll give you an account to wire part of the money, and the rest
can be sent here.”

“You’re a lawman?”
 
Jennie Rose looked at Johnny in surprise.

“Sure am.  A Deputy Federal
Marshal.”
 
He said proudly. 
“I’m on vacation now, though, and that’s why I’m not wearing my badge.”

“I didn’t know.”  She felt very
foolish for worrying that the Sheriff would arrest him.  “You must have
thought it silly I was worried the Sheriff wouldn’t understand.”

“No, I thought it real sweet of you to
care, Jennie Rose.  Why don’t you let your Dad take you on home now so you
can relax a bit?  You don’t need to be answering these folks’ questions,
either.  Tell them to mind their own business if they get all nosy.”

“I wish you’d come to dinner, Tanner,
so I can thank you properly.”

“Not tonight, sir.  Ma would cut a
switch and chase me with it if I didn’t sit at her table tonight.”
 
He grinned.

Robert nodded.  “I’m sure she
would.  Another time real soon, then?”

“Fine.”
 
Johnny said civilly.  He certainly
hadn’t expected to be welcome in the Clifton house, but life was strange. 
“Jennie Rose, you put on a big smile now.  None of this today was your
doing.  Got that?”

“Yes.  Thank you, Johnny.”
 
She stood on tiptoe and kissed him on
the cheek, not caring a bit that people were watching curiously.  She owed
the man a proper thank you for risking his life to save hers.  “I’ll see
to it that Daddy invites you to dinner again real soon.”

“I’d like that.”
 
He smiled at her, and then watched her
walk away with her father’s arm wrapped protectively around her.

“Johnny!  Johnny!  I just
heard that you were in town and you saved Jennie Rose Clifton’s life!”
 
His sweet Ma came running, Jeremy with
her.

“Hello, Ma.”
 
He picked her up and swung her
around.  Then he looked down at his little brother.
 
“Jeremy, you sure have grown!”
 
He grinned.

“What happened, dear?”
 
Abigail asked with a worried frown.

“I’ll tell you all about it over
breakfast, Ma.  I’m starving and have been looking forward to your cooking
for days now.  Feed me, please!”
 
He begged, chuckling at her expression.

Abigail realized her eldest was toning
down the story a bit to make it fit for Jeremy’s ears, but she easily read
between the lines.  “I’m so thankful you were there to help that poor
girl.”

“Me too, Ma.  She’s a pretty little
thing, and she sure is a fighter.  I was proud of her.”

“Folks are expecting a lot of fireworks
for the Fourth since you and Jennie Rose are both in town, Johnny.”
 
Jeremy informed his brother. 

“That’s not going to happen, little
brother.”
 
Johnny smiled
easily.  “Jennie Rose is a lovely lady now, and I’ve grown up some,
too.  We have both worked hard to learn to control our tempers.”

Jeremy laughed as though he found that
idea funny, and then asked to be excused so he could go and tell his friends that
his older brother was home.  Abigail released him, anxious for some time
alone with Johnny.  They talked and talked, and she sensed a new maturity
about him that wasn’t there two years earlier.

“I hope you are planning to stay for a
while, honey?”
 
She finally asked,
getting to her feet.

“I’d like that, Ma.  At least for
a couple of weeks.”
 
He promised.

“Good.  There are still a few of
days before the Fourth, and I have several dresses to finish before then, so I
need to get to work.  You’re welcome to come downstairs and keep me
company.”
 
She offered.

“I think I’ll walk around town and say
hello to some folks, Ma.  Check out the town and see what’s changed and what’s
stayed the same.”

“I’m sure you’ll enjoy doing
that.  Be sure you come back around noon and have something to eat,
now.”
 
She reminded him.

“I’d be happy to take you and Jeremy to
the restaurant to eat, Ma, if you’d like?”
 
He offered.

“Not today, honey; but maybe before you
leave again.  I really do have to work.”
 
She said as she headed for the door that
led to the steps down to her store.  Johnny followed her, and helped her
turn the closed sign to open, and unlock the door while she put up the shades.

“See you later, Ma.”

Chapter Three

Johnny went to
the lumber mill first.  He wanted to see Ed Coleman, and find out how he
was doing.  He’d worked for the man for five years, while still in school
and afterwards, and Ed had acted like a father to him in many ways. 
Johnny didn’t know how his family would have made it without the extra income
he was able to bring home and give to his Ma.  He could have made more by
quitting school, but she simply wouldn’t hear of it, and Ed found ways to keep
him busy for a few hours every day after school, and all day on
Saturdays.  Johnny was pretty sure that he would have run wild without the
man’s steadying influence.

“Well,
lookee
who’s here!”
 
Ed excitedly got up from his desk and came
around to give Johnny a friendly hug and a big grin, while slapping him on the
back.  “Want your old job back, son?  I could sure use your
help!  We’re busier than ever these days.”  Ed beamed at him, happy
as could be.

“I’m wearing a
badge these days, Ed, and I like my work, but thanks for the offer.  It
means a lot to me that you’d offer.  How’ve you been?”
 
He asked, and Ed talked and talked,
going on as if he’d seen Johnny yesterday instead of two years ago. 

“We’ve all
missed you, son.  It sure would be nice if you stick around for a
while.”  Ed was perfectly serious.  He genuinely cared about Johnny.

“For a couple
weeks, I hope.”
 
Johnny answered
with a grin.  “I never know if my time off will be canceled for some
reason.  If I get a wire, I’ll have to go.”

“It’s a real
shame what those outlaws did to Jennie Rose.”
 
The man’s face turned scarlet. 
“Reckon she’ll be ashamed to show her face now.”

“Why should she
be ashamed, Ed?  She didn’t do anything wrong.”

“Don’t matter;
she’s damaged goods now, and no one here will look beyond that.  Why, she
could even be carrying a bastard!”
 
He whispered sadly.

“Ed, Jennie Rose
wasn’t raped.  She fought off three of them until I got there and shot
them.  She’s a brave young woman, and folks better treat her right or
they’ll be answering to me!”  He could feel his temper flaring, and
decided it best to leave before he said something nasty to Ed. 

“Well, that
ain’t
what I heard, but I know you wouldn’t lie to
me.  Folks are always quick to assume the worst,
ain’t
they?”
 
He reflected.  “I’m
glad it
ain’t
true.”

“Even if she was
raped, they wouldn’t have any call to judge her.  She didn’t do anything
wrong.”
 
Johnny insisted.  He’d
never understand why folks wanted to blame the poor woman when something like
that happened to her.

“Folks would say
it was because she went riding alone and wearing those darn tight pants. 
Silly is what it is, but you know how these darn women can be with all their
talk.”

Yes, he knew,
and Johnny decided that if he heard anyone giving Jennie Rose a hard time he
was going to have plenty to say to them on the matter.  No one was going
to make his Jennie Rose feel as though she did something wrong by going riding.

********************

Jennie Rose was
happy to be home and safe.  Her Father was still shaken by what happened,
and when they walked inside, he pulled her close and hugged her tightly. 
“Honey, do I need to send for Doc?”
 
He asked, looking her in the eye.  “If those men attacked you, then
we need to call Doc and have him check you over to make sure there isn’t any
permanent damage to you.”

“I wasn’t raped,
Daddy.”
 
Jennie Rose was relieved
she could tell him the truth.  “They were going to, and ripped my
shirtwaist off, but Johnny came in time.  I was so angry; I tried to fight
them off, and did pretty good for a while, but there were three of them, and if
Johnny hadn’t come, they would have killed me.  I’m certain of that. 
Johnny thinks they were in town and learned I was home and that’s why they
followed me, thinking you’d pay to get me back.”

“I would have
given them anything and everything I own, Jennie Rose.”
 
Robert said emotionally.  “Ever
since I got that note this morning I’ve been kicking myself for being such a
jerk last night and upsetting you the moment you got home.  I didn’t even
tell you how much I’ve missed you the last two years, or that I love you. 
I prayed I’d get a chance to hug you again and tell you those things.  I
owe Johnny Tanner everything I have.
 
He protected you for me.  I’ll never forget that.”

“I won’t forget
either, Daddy, and I know you love me.  I missed you, too, and I’m happy
to be home.”  She hugged her parent and then smiled.  “I’m going
upstairs and take a bath.  How about I come and meet you at the bank
around noon and we’ll go to the restaurant and eat?”
 
She offered, anxious to spend some time
with him.

“I think you
should take a bath and then crawl into bed and rest, honey.  I’d really
feel better if Doc came and looked at that bruise on your face.  Doesn’t
it hurt?”
 
He asked in concern, gently
touching her face with one finger.

“Does it look
terrible, Daddy?”
 
Jennie Rose
asked, and then walked to a mirror hanging in the entry way.  “Oh,
noooooo
!  I look terrible!”
 
She exclaimed in shock.  Her hair
was a ratty mess, half up and half down.  There was blood all over her
face, and Johnny’s shirt made her look like a waif!  “I don’t feel as bad
as I look, Daddy, honest.  I just need a nice soak in a bathtub.  I
don’t need to see the doctor.”  She saw the look on his face, and then
smiled, “But, if it will reassure you, I will see him.”

“Please and
thank you!”
 
He said.  “I’ll
send for Doc right away.”

“Okay,
Daddy.  I’m going to get a bath.”  Jennie Rose started up the steps,
only to halt when there was a knock at the front door.  Her father answered
the door and Doc Greene was standing there.

“I thought I
might be needed here, Robert.  How is Jennie Rose doing?”
 
The man asked in genuine concern. 
He’d known Jennie Rose since the moment she was born.

“I’m really and
truly fine, Doctor Greene.”
 
Jennie
Rose spoke up.

“You don’t look
fine to me, young lady.  Let’s have a look at you.”
 
The Doc said firmly, starting up the
steps.  “Robert, you just have a seat and I’ll be down in a few minutes.”

Jennie Rose
shook her head.  “All I want to do is take a bath.  The blood on me
isn’t mine!”
 
She whispered to the
elderly man.  “It’s that Mace Adam’s.  When Johnny shot him, he fell
on top of me.”
 
She explained.

“I’ll see for
myself.”
 
He replied tersely. 
“Now stop giving me sass, young lady.  I smacked your bottom when you came
into this world, and I figure I can smack it again if need be!”

Jennie Rose
giggled, but obeyed the man and let him take her into her bedroom, sit her down
on her bed, and clean the blood off of her face.  She smiled when he nodded
and said, “You’re right, honey.  It’s not your blood.  I’m
relieved.  I see some redness, but nothing serious.”

“Mace Adams
slapped me once.”
 
She
confirmed.  “I’m not hurt.”

“Were you
assaulted, Jennie Rose?”
 
He asked
gruffly. 

“No, I
wasn’t.  Johnny got there in time to prevent that from happening.”
 
She explained.  “Mace touched me,
and I’ll bruise from that, but I was very lucky.”
 
She stated thankfully.

“I can give you
some cream for the bruising, unless it’s too bad.  If you need treatment,
you need to forget about being embarrassed and tell me, honey.  I’ve taken
care of abused women before, and I will be gentle with you.”
 
He insisted.

“I’m truly fine,
Doctor Greene, but it is nice to know you are so concerned about me.  A
bath will make me all better, I promise.”

“Well, I reckon
you are all right.  I’m glad young Tanner got there when he did,
honey.  No woman should ever be abused in that manner.”  He picked up
his bag and left her room. 

Jennie Rose
didn’t waste any time going to the new facility in the house and filling the
bathtub.  She undressed, lowered herself into the heavenly water, and did
her best to soothe her aching breasts and wash away Mace Adam’s touch.
 She permitted herself to indulge in tears once more, and then told
herself it was over and done and she needed to put it behind her and get on
with her life. 

She spent
several minutes thinking about how handsome Johnny Tanner was, and how much
he’d matured in the last two years.  And, she wondered if he was still
interested in her…

********************

“You can calm
down, Robert.  Jennie Rose isn’t hurt.  The blood on her wasn’t hers.”
 
Doc stated.  “She’s fine.”

“She wasn’t
attacked?”
 
The man had to know.

“Nope. 
She’s just fine, and I’m happy as can be about that.  I wouldn’t want
anything to change that girl’s sassy nature.  She’s still full of
spunk.  Do you reckon she and that Johnny Tanner will take up with each
other again?”

“She could do a
lot worse than him.”
 
Robert
grinned.  “I think he’s probably one of the few men in this world who
could handle her.  I’m going to have him to dinner soon.”

“Best to have
someone else do the cooking besides Jennie Rose.”
 
Doc chuckled, and then left to see other
patients, his heart lighter than it was when he arrived.

********************

“Oh, dear! 
I didn’t realize the time!”
 
Abigail
looked up from her sewing as Johnny walked into the shop.  “I need to get
lunch started.”

“There’s no
rush, Ma.”
 
Johnny told her,
grinning.

“I try to keep
regular hours, dear.  That way customers know when to find me in the
store.  Would you mind running over to the Mercantile and getting me a
spool of black thread and a spool of white?  Tell Mr. McCauley to put it
on my account, and I’ll be in to pay him later this week.  I’ll have lunch
ready when you get back, dear.”

“Sure, Ma.”
 
Johnny replied.  He felt like a kid
again, being sent to the store for thread, but it felt good to be bossed around
a bit by his little mother.  She was a remarkable woman.

He headed across
the street and had to remind himself that he was a Deputy Marshal now, and not
a kid.  He wouldn’t let the man intimidate him.  When he stepped
inside, his attention was immediately drawn to Molly Studebaker and Ginger
Dickson.  “Jennie Rose won’t be so high and mighty now!  Why no man
in all of Clifton County is going to want anything to do with her now that
she’s ruined!”

“That’s a
terrible thing to say, Molly!”
 
Ginger
whispered in a scolding tone.  “Don’t you have any compassion for Jennie
Rose?  How would you feel if three men forced themselves on you?”

“I wouldn’t ride
out of town alone, wearing pants!  She was just asking for trouble!”

“That’s enough!”
 
Johnny spoke sharply and had the
satisfaction of watching the two girls jump when he startled them.  “I
can’t believe you two could stand here and talk like that about Miss
Clifton.  She did nothing wrong today, and she certainly wasn’t
assaulted.  You both need to get your facts straight before you go around
speculating about what happened.  Those men were trying to kidnap her for
ransom.  That is all there was to it.  Now go on home and tell your
Pas you need your mouths washed out with soap for spreading lies.” 

The two young
girls looked at each other and then took off running from the store. 

Mr. McCauley
gave him a dirty look, but asked politely, “What can I do for you, Johnny?”

“Ma needs spools
of black and white thread, Mr. McCauley.  She said to tell you to put it
on her account; but if you’ll tell me how much she owes you, I’ll settle it up
for her right now.”

“Your Ma is a
good customer, and she always pays me, Johnny.  It’s not a problem to
carry her account.”

“Thanks for
saying that, but she works hard, and I just want to make things easier for
her.”  Mr. McCauley nodded in understanding, and told Johnny the total. 
Johnny didn’t argue, but paid the amount in full, and waited while the man
wrote out a receipt. 

Jennie Rose came
walking into the Mercantile while Mr. McCauley was writing, and his face turned
red when he saw her.  “Miss Jennie Rose, what can I do for you?”
 
He asked cautiously.

“I just came in
to browse, thank you.”  She looked at Johnny and smiled.

“You look
pretty, Jennie Rose.”
 
Johnny smiled
right back.  “I’m surprised to see you out.”