Wistful in Wisconsin

side. Something odd had his sheriff’s sense on alert. What was it, though?
“Good afternoon, gentlemen.”
Fred’s words were met with frowns. The livery owner, Mr. Stinson, even sneered at him. That didn’t surprise him. The man had been angry with Fred’s family ever since his boy was murdered while out carousing with Fred’s brother Carl. Stinson’s continued anger did flummox Fred. Even though, as the sheriff, he’d served justice to the murderers, the livery owner didn’t seem appeased or grateful.
When no one returned his greeting, Fred fixed his stare on the banker. With thinned lips, he arched an eyebrow at the man and waited.
Strong didn’t disappoint. At Fred’s silent stare, the man spouted his accusation.
Spit flew along with Hiram Strong’s vile accusation. “Got that woman and her baby hidden quick enough. Didn’t want anyone in town to see your bastard, Sittig?”
Without answering, Fred moved his gaze so that he made eye contact with each person in the group. While the hotel owner lowered his eyes, the others glared. After the tough year Fred had experienced with kidnappings, murder, and illegal alcohol being sneaked to the Potawatomi tribe, he’d hoped that this group would see him as a capable sheriff.
The glowering faces disproved that hope. He looked back at the mayor and Banker Strong. Again, something prickled his lawman senses.  Could it be the odd grin of satisfaction that briefly flashed across Ledbetter’s face?
Hiram prodded him, voicing the accusation again. “Well, what do you have to say? Are you going to hide the poor woman? I’d think an honest sheriff would do right by her, especially after using a victim the way you did.”
Several of the group voiced agreement. It was enough to make a man want to slink away.
Squaring his shoulders, Fred summoned up his stern sheriff’s tone. “Why in the Sam Hill do you think I touched that woman? I saved her from being used that way. Don’t you remember that?”
The banker didn’t back down. In fact, he moved to stand close to Fred. Shaking a finger in the sheriff’s face, he snorted.
“The whole town knows she spent that night after you rescued her in your room above the jail. And, just look at how she follows you around town.  Desperate. She’s desperate to marry you. A good girl like her would do just that after being used.”
He eyed the crowd. “I can just imagine the promises he made to her. Why else would she pursue him?”
Strong paused a moment for his words to sink in before answering his own question. As slick as a patent medicine salesman, he coaxed the crowd. “I’ll tell you why she’s chasing after him. The woman wants to keep her baby and make a decent life for the little one.”
Fred couldn’t deny that Lilah did want a good life for Blossom. He’d never made promises, but the woman was desperate to turn his mind to marriage. All of that was true. How to defend against this slander?
Suddenly, a new face appeared in the group. Murphy’s donkey-laugh brayed above the muttering of the men. “I saw him today, hurrying that poor Miss Levitt out of town. He sure looked angry when he caught sight of the baby she had hidden in a basket.”
Stinson spoke up then. “That so, Murphy? You been spying on the sheriff?”
That support came unexpectedly. Fred appreciated someone else questioning the man and waited for the would-be drunk’s answer.
“Nah. I just happen to see and hear things.” He looked over his shoulder at the banker before growling, “I heard the sheriff admit he feels guilty about shooting Sheriff Redmond. Who knows if our sheriff really was a bad guy like Sittig claims?”
“Shut up!” The command drew all eyes to James Strong. The man’s face was nearly purple and rage had him jumping up and down with hands fisted.  At the sight, several in the crowd took large steps backward.
The man nearest him, Rex Martin softly spoke to Fred. “Sheriff, is there any possibility you and the girl could make a go of it? I, for one, think a married man seems more settled and trustworthy.”
When Fred opened his mouth to protest, Rex held up a hand. “Now, just hear me out. Doing the decent thing doesn’t name you guilty of these insinuations. It only shows that you can appreciate a hardworking, lovely woman and want to care for a fatherless baby.”
He looked to the men nearby. “Am I right, fellas?” Several muttered their agreement.
Fred finally spoke up. “I didn’t do a blasted thing wrong, you all know. Marrying up with her looks forced now, even if I’d been thinking ‘long those lines.”
Stinson snorted. “Better marry her before Murphy does. He must be interested if he’s been watchin’ her.”
Eyes only briefly glanced at Murphy’s scowling face. The men swiftly flashed their gazes back to the sheriff, pinning Fred to the spot. He fixed his own attention on Rex, ignoring the men around them.
“You know that I had to save Carlene Strong when I shot Redmond. Still, I don’t know how anyone kills another person and doesn’t feel bad ‘bout it. Unless you don’t have a conscience like Mrs. Olson.”
Out of the corner of his eye, Fred saw several men nod at his reference to the murderous mercantile owner. She’d killed her husband last Christmas and had been responsible for the illegal alcohol activities in the area.
Rex reached up and laid a hand on the younger man’s shoulder. “We’re not listening to Murphy’s slander. It’s the Levitt woman and your own future happiness we’re seeing to right now.”
Giving the men around him a sweeping glance, Rex’s voice spoke coaxingly. “We’re happy with our sheriff, aren’t we fellas? We only want to see him more settled and stop that little gal’s chasing him.”
At the sound of the crowd’s agreement, Ledbetter sputtered with alarm. “Now,