Miss Isabella Sutcliffe. Female, approx. 20 years of age, red hair, last seen in men’s clothing Roebuck, Wyo. Terr. Wanted for robbery. REWARD. Armed & dangerous.
A strangled laugh choked out of her throat at the last line. Izzy pressed a hand against her mouth, and the poster fluttered to the floor.
The sheriff bent to pick it up, his eyes never leaving hers. “I take it this is you,” he said as he straightened.
Izzy’s mouth opened, but her throat was so dry she couldn’t speak. She didn’t know what she could say, anyhow. She could hardly deny it when that sketch looked so much like her. It was as if someone had used the photograph she’d had taken as a gift for her sixteenth birthday and transferred it with pen and ink to paper.
The photograph she’d left in the cabin in Wyoming.
She turned to Edie, in the desperate hope that her friend might know what to do now.
Edie’s face was pinched, as if she were holding back tears. “James . . .” she said, with a longing look at her husband.
“Please don’t ask me. I don’t have a choice,” he said in a short voice.
“But a bounty hunter? Can’t you or the marshal take her instead?”
“He’s within his rights. Unfortunately. He came here looking for Mrs. Darby and one of the boys, who apparently ran off.”
Izzy listened to this exchange without really hearing any of it. All she could think was that she’d failed. She’d failed her family. Hale. Herself.
Everything she’d done had been for nothing, and now she was going to lose it all.
“All I did was watch the horses,” she finally said, knowing it wasn’t an excuse.
Sheriff Wright gave her the most sorrowful look. “I’m sorry, Mrs. Darby. I promise I’ll let your husband know as soon as I can.” He sighed. “I should have guessed, with his sudden interest in the Sutcliffe gang.”
Izzy’s heart plummeted. She couldn’t imagine Hale’s reaction. How betrayed he’d feel, all over again.
“If you won’t go, then I’m coming with her,” Edie said, holding fast to Izzy’s arm.
“Not to Cheyenne,” the sheriff said.
“I am.” She fixed him with a look that could have cracked stone. “I refuse to let her go alone with that man. Who knows what sort he is?”
“Edie.” Sheriff Wright rubbed at his forehead as if he was trying to push away a headache. “Even if I allowed it, there’s no chance that bounty hunter would agree.”
“I don’t care if he agrees.”
“No.” Izzy’s voice came out stronger than she’d expected. “I won’t interrupt your life. I’ll go. Sheriff?” She extracted her arm from Edie’s hand and lifted her chin.
“Isabella—” Edie paused when she looked at Izzy. She sighed. “All right. But I’m going to fetch her husband. He’ll go with her.”
“Thank you,” Izzy said, although she doubted Hale would want to come after learning that she’d been a part of every thing Papa had done, even if it was just on the edges.
She drew up every ounce of courage she had and started toward the door, Sheriff Wright behind her.
This new, wonderful life was over. If she were lucky, she’d at least see her family again.
And she’d have her memories of Hale forever.
