“Just a bit of paperwork we’re after,” said Officer Harrison. “It’s been brought to our attention that we missed some information when we hired you. Need to get it ironed out, that’s all.”
The casualness of his words didn’t match the effort of their actions. Coming all the way from the state capitol to have him sign a form? The hair lifted on the back of Joel’s neck. Something smelled fishy.
And the detective recognized Joel’s concern. In fact, he was watching for it. Joel eased back in his chair and reached for a pencil, feigning a nonchalance he didn’t possess. “Time’s a-wasting. Let’s see these forms.”
But instead of pulling out a document, Officer Harrison threaded his fingers together on his knee. “You come from Garber, Texas. Is that right, Deputy Puckett?”
“It is.” Joel’s whole scalp was tingling now. “You have the recommendation of my superior, Sheriff Green, in my file.”
“We do. That’s what makes this so puzzling. You see, we were contacted by a man in Garber who claims that you are unfit to hold office. He claims that you were relieved of your duty because of misconduct. Is that true?”
The words echoed in Joel’s ears. Relieved of duty. Misconduct. His heart sank like he’d been dropped in the lake with a millstone tied to him. This couldn’t be happening.
“Deputy Puckett?” Officer Harrison slanted his head.
Joel lifted his. “Yes,” he answered. Yes, he’d been relieved of duty. Yes, he’d been accused of misconduct. Yes, he’d been found unworthy.
The detective and officer exchanged glances. “Deputy Puckett, can you explain why Sheriff Green would recommend you to a post when you were no longer welcome to serve with him?”
“Why?” Joel asked. “Why would Mr. Blount contact you?”
Something sparked in Detective Cleveland’s face. Joel knew instantly. They hadn’t told him who had filed the complaint.
“Mr. Blount was under the impression that you would never work as a lawman again. When he heard reports of a deputy named Puckett from Texas serving in Pine Gap, Missouri, he contacted us to see if it was true.”
How? Had his parents told? Joel had been very clear with them what would happen if they let it slip that he was still working. Who else knew? He’d completely cut ties with the folks back home. The only people he’d seen on his way out of Garber were his friends Nick and Anne Lovelace, but he trusted them with his life.
“It is true,” Joel said. “I was relieved of duty, but it was because of the false accusations of Mr. Blount’s daughter. The sheriff was facing an election year and didn’t want the controversy. It was easier on him if I just went away.”
“Yet he expected us to take you in.”
“False accusations,” Joel repeated. “He knew why I’d spent the night with Miss Blount.”
Detective Cleveland’s eyebrows rose. “So you did spend the night with her?”
“And I didn’t lay a finger on her,” Joel said.
“You had to realize that your actions could’ve destroyed her reputation.” Detective Cleveland’s voice had a whine that set Joel’s teeth on edge.
“They weren’t my actions. They were all hers.”
“But you understand our concern,” Officer Harrison said. “We hired you because we needed an honorable man to clean this place up. If you aren’t who you portrayed yourself to be—”
Joel stood. He held his hands out to his sides. “This is who I am. Stay here in Pine Gap. Follow me around. I’d be glad for the help. Make your own judgment of me, but please don’t send me away based on a ruthless falsehood. I’ve already lost everything in Texas without a trial, without a hearing, with nothing. Don’t take Missouri away from me, too.”
He couldn’t leave. Not now. Not when he’d just found Betsy.
Officer Harrison looked at Detective Cleveland. Cleveland nodded. Harrison cleared his throat. “We’re taking you up on your offer, Deputy Puckett. Show us how you’re succeeding in Pine Gap, and we’ll consider keeping you on. We want to be impressed.”
Impress them while he had the former sheriff bleeding in the cell behind them and a doctor’s house in cinders? Joel had some work to do.
Chapter 33
The doctor and his family still lived under the Murphys’ roof, and Scott was still banished to Betsy’s childhood home. Betsy had expected to see him in town more often, but she supposed Pa was keeping him busy on the farm—a decent trade, since she helped Uncle Fred. Sheriff Taney convalesced in the jail, and two new lawmen from the government had been sent to lend a hand. At least, that was what she supposed, since they’d been identified by Doctor Hopkins as officers and they were seen riding with Joel.
All of this information Betsy had gathered on her own, because until that very night at dinner, Deputy Puckett hadn’t told her a blessed thing.
Betsy sat and watched him eat. She was as tense as a fly waiting on a spider web, still not convinced that letting him make the rules was something she could abide. She’d always enjoyed freedom when it came to her comings and goings, unencumbered by boundaries. As long as her chores were done and she did her part, no one cared where she went.