Wrong Husband Page 13

  Of course. It would have to be Sheriff Meyer! Owen thought. Why would it be otherwise? His luck had just taken a nosedive. Well, except for finding out Big Roy was no longer a problem. That was good. Probably the only good thing right about now.

  The sheriff looked up at the real Irving. “Howdy. How can I help you?”

  “You must be Meyer.” Irving motioned to the man’s badge.

  “That’s right. Do you need help with something?”

  “Actually, I came to be your deputy, but I see you already got one.”

  “Yep. Sure do.” Sheriff Meyer nodded and adjusted his hat. “Irving Spencer is the best there is.”

  Owen cringed. Oh great. So much for hoping Irving would quietly slip out of town. For a split second there, he had this wonderful fantasy where Irving would find out there was a deputy, thank the sheriff and leave...never to be seen or heard from again. But Meyer had to indicate that Owen was “Irving Spencer” and now the cat was out of the bag. And that meant Owen was in deep trouble.

  As predicted, Irving turned his steel cold eyes in Owen’s direction. “What’s your name?”

  Owen moved his mouth but no answer came out of it...unless one counted a whimper an actual reply.

  “He’s Irving Spencer,” Sheriff Meyer said.

  Owen sunk further into the chair. This was not good. Oh, there was absolutely no way this could end well.

  “He can’t be Irving Spencer,” the mammoth of a man said. “I’m Irving Spencer.”

  “Then there must be two Irvings.” The sheriff shrugged. “This one came from South Carolina to work for me.”

  “I’m from South Carolina.”

  The sheriff frowned. “And he married Jenny Larson,” he slowly added.

  “I’m supposed to marry Jenny Larson. Because of the boy. Jeremy.”

  Owen suddenly noticed how hot it was in the place. He glanced around the jailhouse and saw no means of escape. His exit was blocked by Meyer and Spencer who looked at each other, and then, in perfect unison, turned their gazes to Owen. Well, Owen had only one recourse before the law came crashing down on him.

  He jumped over the desk and hightailed it right into the cell. He slammed the door and tested it. Good. Irving couldn’t come after him. Not when Owen had the key in his pocket! He might be in jail, but at least he’d just preserved his life. He backed up until his legs hit the cot. He fell on it.

  The two men crept forward, their eyes narrowed at him as if they were stalking a rodent.

  Owen cleared his throat and gave a weak chuckle. “Look, it’s all really simple when you think about it. You see, Big Roy came after me, so I ran.” He motioned to Irving. “He saw Big Roy in Tennessee. Well, Big Roy was chasing me because I won some money from him at the saloon. Um...” He cleared his throat and leapt up on the bed so he could scurry further away from the men who stepped closer to the bars. Oh goodness, those bars would hold them back, right? “I borrowed Irving’s horse and clothes so I could get away.”

  “You have my horse?” Irving demanded, crossing his arms and shooting him the evil eye—or at least that’s how Owen interpreted the keen stare.

  Owen tried to laugh but it came out sounding like another pathetic whimper. “It sort of...left...when I got on a train.”

  “Hmmm....” Irving didn’t stop staring at him.

  “So I...uh...came here. I was just going to get a haircut, shave and eat. Then I was going to be out of here. But...” His gaze shifted to the sheriff who shook his head in disappointment. “But then the sheriff saw your hat and thought I was you. Then the next thing I know, I’m getting married.” He let out another weak chuckle. “Funny, huh?”

  “I’m not laughing,” Irving said, his face unreadable.

  “Neither am I,” the sheriff added.

  Owen gave up and cried out, “Please, don’t hang me! I didn’t mean to kill Mitch!”

  Irving’s eyes grew wide and he snapped his fingers. “That’s where I’ve seen you. You’re wanted for murder!”

  “It was an accident! I didn’t mean to kill him! Big Roy sent him after me. He had a knife. I had no choice!”

  “You’re in a lot of trouble, son,” the sheriff said. “And it isn’t just Mitch. You stole a horse. You came here and impersonated a deputy. You married a woman that belonged to another man, and you spent all these months lying to all of us. What you need is a lawyer.” He held out his hand. “Give me the badge and key.”

  Owen didn’t know why but the command hurt. He knew he couldn’t be the deputy anymore, and yet, he wished he could. Trying not to show how this affected him, he slowly stepped down from the cot. He dug his hand into his pocket and pulled out the key. Then he removed the badge. His hands trembled as he handed them over.

  The sheriff took them but wouldn’t look him in the eye. Instead, he handed them to Irving. “Let’s see what we can do about getting this mess straightened out.”

  Mess? Owen grabbed the bars. “Wait! You don’t mean Jenny, do you?”

  They didn’t answer.

  He watched them leave the jailhouse and fought the urge to cry. He deserved what he was getting. He knew what he was doing was wrong, but he’d done it anyway. And who knew if Jenny would want to stay with him when she found out the truth? What a way to find out! And from the real Irving himself.

  Owen’s shoulders slumped as he made his way back to the cot. He should have told her. At least, if she already knew, then she’d be prepared for it. No. It was best she didn’t know. Now they couldn’t arrest her for aiding a Wanted man. She was innocent, and that made her safe. He put his face in his hands. Would she want to stay married to him? He’d already lost his job, his reputation, and his freedom. That was manageable as long as she was with him. But if she wasn’t... If Jeremy wasn’t... He closed his eyes and tried not to think about it.

  ***

  Jenny grabbed her broom. “Stay here,” she told Jeremy who was eating at the kitchen table.

  She looked back out the window. She didn’t know whether to be angry or afraid. Why was Clyde coming out to see her? Was it because Owen arrested him? Glancing over her shoulder to make sure her son was still at the table, she put her coat on and stormed onto the porch.

  He got off his horse. When he looked in her direction, he didn’t seem concerned by the fact that she was ready to whack him with the broom if he got too close. “Hi there, Jenny.”

  “Get away from here,” she snapped.

  He sauntered over to the bottom step of the porch and stopped just two inches shy of her being able to hit him with the broom. Placing his hands on his hips, he tilted his head up so he could make eye contact. “I want my son.”

  “He’s not your son.” She tightened her grip on the broom handle and got ready to strike if needed.

  “That’s not what you told me five years ago.”

  She gritted her teeth. “Irving Spencer is his pa now.”

  He smirked at her and adjusted his suspenders. “That’s just it, ain’t it? The real Irving Spencer just got into town today.”

  “Get out of here!”

  “You think I’m making this up?”

  “Since when did you tell me the truth about anything? ‘Oh Jenny, I love you. I want to marry you. It’s just this one time. We’re engaged anyway.’ You make me want to throw up.” And that much was the truth. Her stomach was rumbling like crazy at the sight of him. She swallowed the bile in her throat. She tried to hit him with the broom, but she hit dead air.

  “You can go on down to the jailhouse and check for yourself if you’d like,” Clyde said, seeming to be unconcerned that he’d come close to being knocked over. “You should see him, Jenny. He’s huge. He makes that Owen Russell you married look like a pipsqueak.”

  She blinked through the ringing in her ears. “What name did you say?”

  He threw his head back and laughed. “Sound familiar? I thought so too. Owen Russell is on the run, sweetheart. He’s a wanted man, and he came here posing as Irving Spencer.”<
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  No. It couldn’t be true. She shook her head and tried to focus through the tumult in her stomach. Owen wouldn’t lie to her like that. Owen? Owen! What were the chances Irving Spencer would have that nickname? Another rush of bile came up her throat. Oh no. She just knew she was going to throw up!

  Clyde grinned. “Poor Jenny. Well, it was worth a shot, I guess. Can’t blame this one on you.” He got up on the first step.

  She hit him across the head with the broom. “You’re not getting near my son!”

  He rubbed the side of his head and glared at her. “You have no right to keep me away from him! Owen Russell-”

  “Is still married to me. And he’s Jeremy’s pa, even if he is a wanted man!” Her stomach tossed. A wanted man? Oh, she was going to vomit for sure!

  “Don’t make this difficult, Jenny,” Clyde said, his expression darkening. “I told you I’d do right by you and marry you.”

  “And I told you no!” She whacked him again, sending him through the air.

  He landed on his back and groaned.

  “Get off my property!” she screamed, shaking. “Leave me and my son alone!” She ran down the steps and got ready to whack him again.

  He quickly got up and ran from her.

  She chased him, holding her broom over her head.

  Hopping up on his horse, he said, “I’ll get my son next time I come out here, Jenny!”

  “You’ll get Jeremy over my dead body.” Then she whacked the horse which bucked back, nearly knocking Clyde off.

  Unfortunately, Clyde managed to stay on the animal. “He’s my son too.” Then, before she could swing the broom again, he kicked the horse in the sides and bolted off the property.

  Even though she was still trembling, she lowered the broom and began to cry. No. It couldn’t be true! He couldn’t take Jeremy from her. He was just lying. That’s what he did best. From the moment she met him, he told her things that didn’t come to pass.

  And now she just learned that her husband was the same way? No. Owen wouldn’t do that. He wouldn’t do that! What man would lie to a woman so he could marry her and be a father to a child that wasn’t his?

  “I’d like you to call me Owen.”

  “Why Owen?” she asked him. “I’d think your nickname would be something like Irv.”

  “My aunt called me Owen. But I’d rather you call me that when it’s just us.”

  She didn’t know whether to keep crying or throw up. So, in the end, she did both. She remained kneeling in the snow, aware that it was cold and wet but not truly feeling it.

  Why her? Of all the women out there, why did she have the uncanny ability to attract the wrong men? Was there a dark cloud hanging over the house when she was born or something? How could Owen do this to her? She thought she knew him. She thought it was odd that he went by “Owen” but figured that some people had nicknames that had nothing to do with their real names. She was a horrible judge of character. She really had no common sense when it came to men.

  “Ma?”

  Blinking through her tears, she looked over her shoulder and saw her son watching her from the porch. She struggled to her feet and went over to him. Pulling him into her arms, she swore she would do whatever it took to keep Jeremy safe with her. It didn’t matter what else happened to her. If staying married to a man who was wanted by the law was the only way she could keep him, she would. It wasn’t that Owen was a bad man. He was always good to Jeremy. But what had he done? She didn’t understand it.

  So many emotions were whirling inside of her, and she didn’t know what to do. One minute she wanted to smack Owen and the next she wanted to go to him and ask him to explain what was going on.

  I’ll find Sally. Rick is a judge. Surely, he’ll have some ideas.

  Already feeling better, she turned Jeremy to the open doorway. “Get your coat and boots on, sweetie. We’re going to see your aunt and uncle.”

  “Which ones?”

  “Sally and Rick.” She was still trembling, but she set the broom down and went into the house to get his coat. “They’ll know what to do.”

  Though she spoke aloud, she wasn’t directing the last statement to him. It was so unreal. Like being stuck in a dream. Parts of it made sense, but most of it didn’t.

  She wiped her wet cheeks on her coat sleeve and placed a hat on her head. It wasn’t hopeless. Whenever things looked hopeless in the past, she managed through it. She remembered how horrible things seemed when she told her parents she was with child. Clyde had just left town, leaving her all alone to figure things out. And she got through that. If she could handle that, she could handle this too. She just needed to think. Nothing was hopeless as long as she kept going.

  Always look forward. Never look back.

  She turned to Jeremy who finished putting his last boot on. Good. He was ready. “Let’s go.” She put her arm around his shoulders and directed him out of the house.

  As she closed the door, Jeremy said, “There’s Aunt Sally.”

  She looked over in the direction he pointed to. Yes. There was Aunt Sally alright. And Aunt Sally brought Mary and their children—Greg and Isaac. Jenny’s heart plummeted. If Sally brought Mary out, then there was no doubt that what Clyde said was true. Sally knew that Mary would be a source of comfort to Jenny. Mary would be the one to break the news to her because Mary somehow knew the right words to say, no matter how bleak the situation.

  Well, even if they came to tell her that Owen was not really Irving Spencer, Jenny still needed to get things straightened out. As she and Jeremy walked down the first step of the porch, she caught sight of four horses. She grimaced. Her brothers knew too? This wasn’t going to be fun. For any of them.

  Taking her son’s hand, she steadied her nerves and headed down the rest of the steps.

  Chapter Sixteen

  Owen jumped up as soon as the door to the jailhouse opened. He rushed over to the bars to see if Jenny came. She did. But she also brought Sally and her four brothers with her. Four very angry looking brothers. He immediately stepped back as the four glaring men surrounded the cell. He examined the bars. He hoped the steel was strong enough to keep them out. They looked like they were ready to rip him apart and feed his remains to the vultures.

  “You’re lucky you’re in there!” Tom barked, pointing an accusing finger at him. “Because if you weren’t, we’d run you out of town.”

  “How could you do this to our sister?” Richard demanded, shaking the bars.

  Owen swallowed the lump in his throat and backed up until he hit the wall. He glanced at the small window and wondered if he could escape if he squeezed through it. No. That was ridiculous. He was much safer here with the bars protecting him than in the open where these men could chase him down.

  “First Clyde and now him,” Dave said in disgust. “Is there no end to what Jenny has to go through?”

  “Why did you do it?” Sally asked. She left Jenny in the corner of the room and stormed up to the bars. “Well? Why did you do it?”

  “You knew you weren’t Irving,” Dave agreed.

  Owen thought of how to respond. Really...was there anything he could possibly say that would ward off the evil vibes coming his way?

  Richard shook the bars again. “Answer her!”

  “I-” His voice squeaked so he loosened his collar and cleared his throat. It may have been snowing outside, but it was incredibly hot in here. Sweat was literally dripping down his back. “Well...” He glanced at Jenny who just stood to the side of the room and stared at him. He couldn’t figure out what she was thinking. Horrified...stunned...appalled... Probably that and more.

  “What were you thinking?” Richard screamed.

  Owen jerked and directed his attention to five irate people. Shrugging, he managed out a weak, “I saw her and she was so beautiful-”

  The group groaned and rolled their eyes.

  “That’s just what I thought,” Richard said, shaking his head. “He wasn’t thinking. Not with his brain
anyway.”

  “This is just great,” Dave muttered. Looking at his brothers, he asked, “What are we supposed to do with him?”

  Joel sighed. “There’s nothing we can do. He’s well protected in there.”

  Richard banged the bars. “How long were you going to let this go on? Were you ever going to tell us the truth?” He pointed to Jenny. “Were you ever going to tell her?”

  Owen shifted from one foot to the other, aware that there wasn’t anything he could say to alleviate their wrath. “I’m sorry. I didn’t want to lie to everyone.”

  By the looks on their faces, it was clear they didn’t believe him. And who could blame them?

  “It’s just that...” Owen rubbed the back of his neck. Yep. It was hotter than the dog days of August in this place. Clearing his throat again, he said, “Down in Louisiana, my uncle gambled away all of his money and then killed himself. My aunt had nothing to her name, and they were ready to take her home so I went to the saloon-”

  Sally gasped and brought her hand to her mouth.

  “I didn’t do that,” he quickly assured her. “I went to get the money back. I got lucky and won the money back after a full night of playing poker. Big Roy and his men didn’t take too well to that. They found me a couple of days later and tried to kill me. I managed to get out of Louisiana.”

  “So how does this involve Irving Spencer?” Richard asked.

  “I ran into him while I was on the run. Big Roy found me in a wooded area and was chasing me. I stumbled upon Irving’s campsite by mistake and took his clothes while he was-” he glanced at Sally and Jenny-“answering nature’s call.”

  “What did you need his clothes for?”

  “I was naked.”

  “What were you doing in the forest without any clothes on?” Richard angrily asked.

  “Taking a swim in the river. I wanted to get clean. Big Roy found my horse before I had a chance to get back into my clothes. So when I found a pile of clean clothes—at least I assume they were clean, I put them on. By the time Big Roy came up to the campsite, I was on Irving’s horse and got out of there.”

  “I don’t feel good,” Jenny said, clutching her stomach.