“Not for long.” His gaze shifted from her face for a moment to the surrounding fields. He wondered how much of what he had found out he should tell her. Perhaps she might be of help, as she seemed now to truly want justice for the Indians for the first time since the incident, she wasn’t talking about God and was seeking help from the law. That gladdened his heart in no small measure.
“Olivia, I saw Micah Peterson with Gabe Winters a few days ago.”
“The banker?”
“Yes. I went to confront him in his office to see if I could get anything out of him. I met Micah there. So, there’s more than what meets the eye concerning what’s going on. But you can count on me; I’m determined to find out.”
Olivia’s beautiful face took on a thoughtful expression. He hoped she was recalling something that might be helpful in his quest.
“I have already sent a report to Washington, telling them of my suspicions. It’s only a matter of time now for everything to come out.”
Adam, for a moment, forgot about his quest and took in the perfection that was Olivia’s face. How anyone could be so beautiful and yet so unaware of it baffled him.
From her delicately carved brows, stunning sky-blue eyes, pert nose, and rosy lips, she was out-and-out stunning with an innocence that called to him.
The sound of a wagon approaching snapped him out of his trance.
“I’ll walk you to the ranch and then return to the town,” he told her.
Olivia fell into step beside him. Adam struggled to put his emotions in order. It unnerved him that whenever he was close to Olivia, he didn’t seem to be his complete self. No woman had ever done this to him––made him feel less in control of himself.
“Did Virginia reply?”
Her silently asked question jolted him out of his thoughts. He glanced in her direction and saw genuine interest on her face.
It struck Adam that perhaps if he could get Olivia to believe in the law as much as he did, or possibly as much as she believed in God, then maybe they stood a chance of being together.
For a while now, he had been indecisive about having a relationship with her because of her love for God and his dedication to his job. Mayhap if they could marry both their interests, things could work out between them.
Hope rose in Adam’s chest.
Chapter 21
“I haven’t received a reply yet, but I know it will soon come. They sent me here to investigate the frequent raids in the area, so I have full federal support.”
Olivia couldn’t help the smile that crossed her face. She could say one thing about Adam and that was he was very passionate about his job.
She wished that the sheriff and other lawmen were this dedicated to their jobs. Perhaps her parents and Standing Tree’s tribe would still be alive.
Not wanting to dwell on bleak memories, she returned her attention to Adam.
He went on. “If only the townsfolk would stop being afraid and come out to say what is going on, I would have solved the case by now. They do not understand what the law can do for them.”
He shook his head. “I can’t say I blame them, though. With such a sheriff at the helm of security affairs in the town, they’re bound to be wary of lawmen. I have tried to convince them that things have changed, but they refuse to believe it.”
He let out a deep sigh. “Alas, they see me as just one man who can’t really do anything, not knowing that I have the law backing me. From my findings, I reckon the former marshal didn’t do much in the way of allaying their fears. I heard that when he tried, he was transferred from here. So, they have given up on the law. They don’t want to put their trust in me in case I disappoint them like the former marshal.
“A lot is riding on me solving this case. I desperately want to, as it will make the people have faith in the law. They would come to believe that they would get justice for any wrong done to them through it.”
Admiration for Adam’s zealous talk about the law filled Olivia. She somewhat saw herself in Adam. This was one thing they also had in common: a passion for what they strongly believed in. While her faith was in God, Adam’s was in the law.
A frown slowly contorted her face when it dawned on her that their belief in different things also meant that they weren’t in accord. She didn’t particularly believe in the law, as it hadn’t quite done anything for her right from when her parents were killed. And she had her suspicions that Adam didn’t believe in God. Maybe he did, but not as strongly as her.
Adam glanced her way, misinterpreted her smile, and he released a low groan. “I’m sorry for going on and on about my job. I must be boring you to tears.”
Olivia smiled. “On the contrary, I’m quite intrigued by your passion for the law and justice. It’s commendable, given that the lawmen in this town don’t take their jobs seriously.”
A grin curled the corners of Adam’s lips. “Are you saying that just to make me feel good, or do you mean it?”
