Word Count: 66,166
Summary of Events:
Charlotte's father read the letter Violet had written to the whole family — as well as a letter that had been received from Charlotte's older brother who lived in Oregon — after supper, which had some information Violet's letter to Charlotte hadn't; following the reading Charlotte went to write Violet in return. Kelly had agreed to meet Mr. Allison at his office, so Samuel ensured Kelly got there on time and was disappointed he wasn't allowed to sit in on the meeting, seeing how Kelly wasn't sober, but he didn't argue, as the sheriff was standing guard to keep him from getting in . . .
Excerpt of the Day:
“Must be nice to live on the dole of a man with bottomless pockets,” Samuel quipped.
“Must be nice to be seven feet tall,” the sheriff replied.
“I’m not that tall,” Samuel said. “Even if I am tall.”
“You look like it from here,” the sheriff said.
“I’m about nine inches shy of seven feet,” Samuel said. “And what are you, nine inches shy of six feet?”
“I’m five foot eight,” the sheriff replied.
“So I’ve got seven inches on you,” Samuel said. “I don’t think I’ve known a man who’s been that much shorter than me. Boys yes, but not men.”
The sheriff glared at him.
“No wonder you’ve forsaken law and order for thuggery,” Samuel said. “If you can’t intimidate them, be one of them.”
“This isn’t thuggery, this is protecting innocent, decent men from harm,” the sheriff snapped.
“Is it now?” Samuel asked. “How about protecting all innocent, decent citizens from harm, not just one man?”
“Because you know how to be a lawman better than I do when I’m the one with the badge,” the sheriff snapped.
“I’ve seen plenty of other men with badges, and it’s purely a comparison of conduct,” Samuel replied. “Every other badge-bearing man I’ve met has been committed to protecting everyone under his watch, not just the ones who line his pockets with money, that suggests to me that there’s a little something amiss around here.”
“Hm,” the sheriff said indignantly. “As if that matters when you haven’t–”
A bellowing roar came from inside; Samuel knew it was Kelly from having heard it before. The sheriff snapped his gaze toward the door at the sound of it.
“Homer help me!” was cried out soon afterward, and Samuel knew that the pathetic and cowardly plea had come from Mr. Allison.
The sheriff hurried inside, Samuel followed hot on his heels, passing through a large open room and then through a door that had a frosted glass window into what would’ve been an opulent office, if not for the fact that the floor was strewn with the contents of the desktop, as well as the fragments of what appeared to be two chairs, as Samuel saw two padded seats on the floor.
Kelly’s face was red with rage and effort as he had his hands hooked under the edge of the desktop and was trying to overturn the hulking piece.
Before Samuel could reach Kelly the sheriff clasped a cuff about one of Kelly’s wrists, pulled both his hands around behind his back, and closed the other cuff about Kelly’s other wrist, leaving his arms restrained behind his back.
Savagely Kelly roared at the sheriff.
“Mr. Kelly Gillard, you are under arrest for the unlawful destruction of property, disturbance of the peace, and attempted murder,” the sheriff declared.
Samuel swore.
“Excuse me?” the sheriff asked.
“Kelly didn’t attempt to murder him,” Samuel snapped. “There is nothing about this that you can call attempted murder.”
“Care to join him?” the sheriff threatened, brandishing his gun again.
Samuel kept his mouth shut, but seethed inwardly.
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