Chapter 27
Theo looked over his shoulder.
He thought he’d been followed but nothing out of the ordinary lay behind him on Wylder Street. The usual assortment of riders on horseback, miners dragging heavily burdened mules in their wake, women out for necessities, a few from neighboring tribes come to town to trade their goods, ranch hands with time off… Nothing to raise his internal danger alarm. Still, he’d been sure someone tailed him.
The door to Addison’s law office stood open so he stepped inside. Red dust from the street beyond covered the first few feet of wooden flooring, the fine coat a reminder that it hadn’t rained in far too long. The western frontier parched beneath the unrelenting sun and despite efforts to keep the outdoors where it belonged, it invaded.
Addison looked up from the stack of papers on his desk. He stood, held out a hand, and when they’d shaken he gestured to a chair. “You look near fried. Take a load off.”
He placed his hat on one knee, took the bandanna from his jacket pocket, and mopped his face and neck. “I feel fried, believe me. When I think it can’t get any hotter, it does.” He kicked a toe in the dust at his feet. “And I bet that when you think you’ve got all the dust Wylder has to offer more comes in.”
The other man shook his head. “I don’t know how the hell it blows in. God knows, there ain’t a breeze to be found between here and the Pacific.”
“Truer words were never spoken. We need a good gully-washer to break this heat.”
“We do.” The attorney shuffled his papers into a pile and tossed them into a drawer. He closed it with the butt of one hand, then threaded his fingers together on his desk. “Not that I mind jawin’ about the weather with you but I’m pretty sure that’s not what brought you in here. What’s up?”
Theo hated to bring his troubles to anyone, but he needed advice—the kind that would quench his concerns about being the guest of honor at a necktie social if he found himself in the position to pull a trigger.
“A while back I mentioned those no-goods who won’t stay off the homestead. Do you remember?”
A nod. “I do. Don’t tell me they’ve come back again.”
“They did. And draggin’ some poor guy who don’t know ’em for who they really are. Chased ’em off again, but I expect they’ll not stay chased for too long.”
The attorney shook his head. He huffed a breath, steepled his fingers, and wrinkled his brow. Theo gave him a minute to consider, being he had come for the man’s advice.
Addison spread his hands wide. “Damn shame. They’re gonna force you to do something you probably don’t want to do. If they’d leave without a fuss and stay away they’d save themselves a whole lotta trouble.” He ran a hand through his hair. “But some fools just won’t see the truth even when it’s biting them on the nose.”
“What if I’ve got to do more than bite ’em? What if I’m pushed into that corner, Addison? How hard will it be to prove I had a right to do what I did?”
Theo hadn’t considered any of this before meeting Lily but now that he thought about bringing a woman to the homestead he had to be clear on his rights. If he crossed a line he had to be sure it wouldn’t affect a wife and family to the extent that they’d be without recourse. He couldn’t jeopardize the home and all he’d worked for.
But he wouldn’t put up with trespassers, either.
“A man’s got a right to defend what’s his. If you’re pushed, you do what you’ve got to do. Trust me, I haven’t lost a case yet where a homeowner defended his property.” A knowing smile broke out on the attorney’s face. “Does this have anything to do with you bringing a wife into the picture? I’ve never heard you concerned about self-defense before, but a man’s ideas change when there’s a woman involved.”
Relief that he needn’t bother about whatever he had to do to protect his home shot through him. He offered a smile, too. “Yeah, it has all to do with that. I mean, I can’t be worrying I can’t protect my home and family without maybe leaving the woman in the lurch. I’ve seen women without men, and it’s not a pretty sight, watching them struggle. I won’t have that for a woman I bring to the homestead.”
He stood. Taking up more time of the man’s than necessary wasn’t something he would do. “Thanks for your advice. I’ll rest easier now that I’ve talked with you.”
“Anytime I can help, I’m here.”
They shook again, then Theo put his hat onto his head and turned toward the door. When Addison cleared his throat, he turned back to face him.
“One last thing, Theo. When you take a wife and bring her to the homestead, be sure you teach her how to use a rifle. There’s no guarantee you’ll be home when someone trespasses or tries to make trouble, so be sure your woman is a good shot.”
“Thanks. I’ll do that.”
The other man nodded and gave a smile. “And rest assured, I’m just as good at proving women need to defend their property as men do. If it comes to it, I’ll take care of her. You just make sure she can hit what she’s aimin’ at.”