Second Chances Ch. 15

Naomi smiled at Sarah. "I know you do. We all love Brian, but in this particular instance, I think Aidan's cool headedness will be much more useful. He'll be able to reason with the sheriff and get us out of this awful place."

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Ironically, the sheriff was having similar thoughts, and he breathed a sigh of relief when he saw Aidan and Liam ride up outside the jail. He was hoping that Aidan McKenzie could reason with his stubborn wife and get her to go home with him.

The sheriff really didn't like having the two women locked up, especially knowing that Mrs. McKenzie was expecting a baby. He was even starting to have doubts about the guilt of Sarah Martin. It was hard to believe, when he looked into her pleading brown eyes, that she could be a murderer. Still, it wasn't up to him to decide her guilt or innocence, so there was nothing he could do.

Aidan and Liam entered the office and both of them raised their brows as they looked around at the mess. Papers were strewn on the floor, a chair was in pieces in one corner, there was a broken lantern, and the sheriff and the two other men were sporting cuts, bruises and blackened eyes.

"I'm assuming my brother has been here," Aidan said, pinning the sheriff with an expectant stare.

The sheriff hooked a thumb over his shoulder, pointing toward the cells in the back. "He's here. He's locked up in the back along with your wife and Sarah Martin. He tried to break them out of here, and got himself beaten up for his trouble."

Aidan's eyes flickered with smoldering anger as he raised a mocking brow. "It looks like to me that he got in a few good punches. In fact, from the looks of this place, you could have used more help to subdue him."

The sheriff flushed with embarrassment, taking a seat behind his desk. "Nevertheless, we did subdue him, and he's going to stay locked up until we get this mess sorted out with Sarah Martin. I'm not going to release either him or her until a judge has heard her case. I wish there was something I could do for her, but it's not up to me. Your wife, on the other hand, is free to go, but she refuses to leave without Miss Martin. I was hoping you could talk some sense into your wife."

Aidan bristled, but maintained a stoic expression. "Sounds like you don't seriously think Sarah is guilty of murder," Aidan said, watching the sheriff closely.

Sheriff Wilson sighed, scratching his head thoughtfully. "I find it hard to believe. She was telling me today that she knows who killed Mr. Henderson, and it wasn't her. Now, I know everybody says they're innocent, but to hear her tell it...well, let's just say, she sounded pretty convincing. Still, like I said, it's up to the judge to decide."

"Why didn't you get the judge down here today?"

Sheriff Wilson flushed slightly, and he cleared his throat. "Well, I just didn't have time."

"Looks to me like you had plenty of time to sit around jabbering with your friends," Aidan growled, giving the sheriff a pointed glare.

"I was taking care of business," the sheriff said with a defensive frown. He puffed out his chest. "You know, looking into the matter of Sarah Martin's guilt or innocence isn't the only job I have, Mr. McKenzie. I'm a busy man."

Aidan felt like strangling the sheriff then and there, but he clamped down on his murderous impulse. He maintained an outward calm, propping a hip onto the top of the sheriff's desk. "Then let's go find the judge now and get this matter cleared up. I'm sure my wife is anxious to get home."

Sheriff Wilson looked taken aback. "We can't do that! Do you realize it's almost eight o'clock at night? It's nearly an hour's ride to the judge's house. Judge Hawthorne would skin my hide if I bothered him at this time of night." The sheriff leaned back in his chair, confident that he had gotten his point across. "I'll see what I can do tomorrow."

Aidan had used up what little patience he had, and he lunged over the sheriff's desk. He grasped him by the lapels and leaned close until their noses were mere inches apart. Aidan's lips were curled in a snarl, and when he spoke, his voice was a deadly growl.

"There's no way in hell that I'm leaving my wife to rot in this jail overnight just to keep from inconveniencing a judge. The judge's reaction is the least of your worries, sheriff. If you don't get up off your dead ass and on your dying feet, you won't be around tomorrow to take care of this or anything else."

The two townsmen exchanged a nervous glance. Taking on one McKenzie brother had been daunting enough. They didn't know if they had it in them to take on two more.

Liam sensed their thoughts and gave them a grin. "You know, Aidan's as mean as the devil when he gets really mad." His grin widened. "I don't think I've ever seen him this mad before. I'd stay out of this, if I were you."

The two men exchanged another glance before sidling to the door. "I'd better get going, sheriff. The wife will be expecting me home."

"Me too," the other squeaked. "Good luck, sheriff."

The two men high tailed it out of the jail, leaving Sheriff Wilson alone to face the music. Aidan's narrow eyed glare had not wavered, and he still held the sheriff by the lapels.

"I'm taking my family home tonight, one way or another," Aidan growled. "If you want Sarah's case brought before a judge, it's now or never."

Sheriff Wilson gulped and nodded. Aidan released his lapels and leaned back on the desk.

"Liam," Aidan said, not taking his eyes off the sheriff, "I thought I saw our wagon parked in front of the general store. Go get it. We'll all ride together to the judge's house. I'm not leaving here without my wife."

Liam grinned and left to retrieve the wagon, while the sheriff stammered and whined. "Now listen here, Mr. McKenzie. You can't just come in here and take over. I have your brother and Miss Martin under custody, and they don't go free until I say so. I told you already, your wife is free to go anytime she wants, but she refuses to leave here without Miss Martin."

"And I refuse to leave here without her, so like I said, we'll all go together." Seeing that the sheriff wasn't going to give him any more arguments, Aidan nodded to the back door. "Now get moving. You have some prisoners to free."

Sheriff Wilson didn't have to be told twice. He led Aidan through the door, and Naomi sighed with relief when she saw him.

"Aidan," she said with a smile, "I knew you would get us out of here."

Aidan's lips hardened when he took in Naomi's disheveled appearance. Her hair looked messier than usual, and she had a small rip on one sleeve. Still, she was a sight for sore eyes. As soon as the lock was opened, Naomi flew into Aidan's arms. He hugged her and then placed a gentle hand on her belly.

"Are you alright," he asked, scanning her gaze with concern.

Naomi placed her hand over his and stretched up to kiss him lightly on the mouth. "We're fine, now that you're here."

Sarah ran to the other cell, impatient for the sheriff to open Brian's door. Once he had, she knelt beside Brian, shaking him gently on the shoulder and tapping him lightly on the cheeks.

"Brian? Wake up. Brian!"

Brian had a black eye, a bloodied lip and a large bruise on his jaw, lending him a thoroughly disreputable appearance. He moaned and rolled his head to the side, wincing. He cracked his eyes open and looked up at Sarah, then around at the jail cell. When he realized where he was, he sat up quickly, wincing again from the sudden movement

"Sarah, we have to get you out of here," he muttered. "You're wanted for murder."

"How did you know that?" Sarah asked, suddenly uneasy. "In fact, how did you know we were in jail in the first place? Did the sheriff send for you?"

"I've known since two days after I found you," Brian growled, getting slowly to his feet. When he was steady, he faced her with his hands low on his hips. "That's why I didn't want you to come into town. I knew you would be arrested."

Sarah's jaw dropped, but only for a moment. Her expression quickly turned to one of outrage and then fury. When she spoke, her voice fairly crackled with anger.

"Do you mean to tell me, Brian McKenzie, that you have been keeping this from me all along? Do you have any idea what you've done?"

At the moment, Brian's head was pounding, his ribs were hurting, and he was just beginning to recover from his initial panic at the thought of his angel being hanged. He was definitely not in the mood for a scolding.

"What I've done is try to protect you," he growled. "If you had listened to me and stayed at home, this would have never happened."

"And if you had been honest with me," Sarah returned, her voice every bit as furious, "I might have regained my memory two months ago!"

Brian's anger abruptly dissipated, to be replaced by cautious excitement. "You regained your memory?"

"Completely!" Sarah hissed. "Just seeing Mr. Henderson's name was enough to trigger my memory, and I remember every detail of my past. If you hadn't been keeping this from me, we could have cleared up this mess a long time ago."

Aidan cleared his throat to get their attention. "Do you two suppose that this conversation could wait until after we go to see the judge?"

Sarah nodded stiffly, and Brian nodded with relief. Naomi grasped Sarah's arm, and they led the procession out to the wagon, where Liam was waiting patiently.