After Cole moved his bedroll close to Jessica's, Daniel moved his so
that he could sleep next to Grace. He fell asleep thinking about her,
and sometime during the night he felt her take hold of his hand. For
now, it was enough.
the curtain was about to rise on the final act.
Rebecca dressed with care, choosing a virginal white dress with a
modest, yet seductive, neckline. There was just enough cleavage to
ensure that the recently widowed judge would stare. Donald had told
her she would have to convince Rafferty of Bell's innocence before he
could be released by the sheriff.
She thought about carrying a Bible with her, then changed her mind.
She mustn't overdo the role she was going to play.
She finished brushing her hair and stood up to preen in front of the
mirror. Men liked women who wore their hair long and free, and hers
was exceptional. The lustrous curls shimmered in the sunlight like
strands of gold.
The bedroom door suddenly opened, and her lover strolled inside. She
tossed the brush on the table and turned to him. "You took a chance
coming here. Did anyone see you? " "Of course not. I'm always
careful. I came up the back way." Rebecca dressed in white was such a
mockery he wanted to laugh. She actually looked pure and untouched.
"Donald, is everything all right? You look perplexed, " she said.
"Sorry, " he replied. "I was preoccupied. The sight of you in white
stunned me." She smiled. "I thought it was a nice touch."
"It's fine, just fine, " he said before finally getting down to the
business at hand. "I'm sorry you couldn't be in the courtroom this
morning to watch the pathetic sheriff from Maple Hills make a complete
fool of himself, " he said with a laugh. "He admitted under oath that
he surprised Bell when he snuck up on him and drew his gun. He also
admitted he wasn't wearing his badge and he didn't identify himself.
By the time Bell's attorney finished reminding the jury that his client
was deathly ill at the time and blinded with a raging fever, he had all
twelve men in the palm of his hands. I swear they were glaring at the
sheriff when he shuffled away from the stand. I doubt he'll get
reelected." The news thrilled her. "Then the attempted murder charge
has been thrown out? " "Not yet, but it will be this afternoon, " he
assured her. "The judge is dragging the trial out for as long as he
can."
"If Bell is going to be released, there's no reason for me to carry on
with the charade." He shook his head. "You're still going to have to
go through with it, " he told her. "The judge is itching to hang
Bell.
He knows he's got his man, and if he can't get him on the charge of
attempted murder, he'll keep him locked up until you convince him Bell
wasn't in the bank."
"All right, then." She sat down at her dressing table and began to
brush her hair again. "What are you going to do about Bell? Now that
people are suspicious of him, he's become a liability."
"I'm going to kill him of course, " Donald said.