She opened her eyes. “Zachary wouldn’t turn against you, Mr. Hardison. He loves you.” She spoke with conviction, surprised to find her voice sounding steady and assured. “If I’m not here to teach, another teacher will take my place. And Zachary’s education will allow him to provide for you when you grow old.”
But the words didn’t seem to reach Mr. Hardison. He merely sneered at her. “He won’t care.”
“Hardison.” Cole drew the man’s attention toward him. “If you hurt Miss Scott, you’ll find yourself in prison for a very long time. Who will take care of Zachary then? A boy needs his father.”
Marian couldn’t see the man’s face as he kept his gaze on Cole, but the hand that held the gun drooped just a little. Just as she dared to hope that Cole’s words had gotten to him, he raised it again, glancing at her with an ugly smile before turning back to Cole.
“He ain’t mine anymore. Not since he started coming here. He thinks he’s man enough to defy me and keep showing up at this school. Let’s see how he fares without me.”
Marian’s mouth fell open, but nothing came out. He was abandoning his own child? All because of her school? “But you’re hisfather,” she finally said.
Mr. Hardison turned back to her then, and his cruel expression changed. His mouth drooped and his eyes softened. “I’m no father. He’s better off without me.”
“No.” Marian shook her head, her fear and anger funneling into pity for the man before her. “He loves you.”
“He shouldn’t.” Mr. Hardison spat the words before turning back to Cole. “You ought to just shoot me, Deputy. Let’s get it over with.”
He turned to Marian then, raising his other arm to steady his pistol. Marian blinked, and everything seemed to move too slowly.
“No!” Cole’s voice reached her ears as Mr. Hardison’s eyes locked on her.
A loud noise erupted from his pistol, and Marian did the only thing she could.
She fell to the ground.
Chapter Twenty-four
Cole fired a splitsecond after Hardison. His bullet found the man’s shoulder, and he fell—but Cole had already moved.
He threw himself to the floor beside Marian, only vaguely aware of the front door to the schoolhouse splintering open.
“Marian.” Her name was a plea as he reached to turn her from her side, where she lay curled up.
Sheriff Granger’s voice ordered men to Hardison as Cole gently lifted Marian’s arm.
There was no blood.
