A Sheriff to Rescue Her Heart (Preview)

Chapter One

Red Rock, California, 1851

Tessa slid into her seat opposite Ian. The sun wasn’t up yet, and wouldn’t be for another forty minutes or so. She gripped her mug of coffee, relishing the heat against her hands, seeping through the metal.

She still wasn’t used to the quiet mornings she shared with her brother, even though it had been three years since they lost their parents. She still expected to walk through the dark house and hear her mother humming in the kitchen while preparing breakfast, or find her father reading the paper in the sitting room.

“You okay?” Ian asked, interrupting her thoughts. He was only three years older, but he’d taken care of her when their parents died, shouldering all the adult responsibility without a second thought. He worried about her more than he needed to.

She adjusted her coffee cup, fidgeting with it, turning it in circles. “I’m fine, just thinking of Mama and Papa.” 

They’d never lived with her and Ian in the cabin in California. They had passed away when their house in the city had caught on fire, two weeks before the whole family was supposed to head out West.

“I think about them, too. They would be proud of what we’ve built here, it’s just like they used to talk about.” Ian grinned as he finished up his breakfast. 

Tessa slid her half-eaten plate over to him. She wasn’t feeling too hungry and Ian always ate seconds or even thirds if there was enough.

“The mines are so dangerous. I hate that you have to work so much.” She frowned. Just the other day, there had been an injury when one of the men was trapped under a partial collapse.

“I know it’s dangerous and you’re worried about me, but it won’t be for much longer. I’m going to get myself a claim on the river and pan for my own gold soon,” he told her. “I’ve been talking to some guys, and there are some good prospects, places where they’re still finding nuggets. If I team up with someone, we could afford a claim from someone fixing to leave, and make it big. You’ll see, we’ll be among the rich folks soon enough, able to pay off the bank loan and say goodbye to all of our problems.” 

Ian’s crooked grin and confidence almost convinced her.

Everyone went to California to get rich, to start over, to build something for themselves. It didn’t work out so well for everyone. Only a few made it big, got good claims and panned tons of gold. There were better chances of making it mining. 

Ian worked for someone else, but some people found undiscovered mines and struck it big. Even for them, it wasn’t always a dream come true. There were robbers, who would steal if they heard of a good claim. A man could die before he could taste his success.

“I should go. Nicky will be waiting for me and wondering what’s keepin’ me.” Ian stood and gulped down the rest of his coffee. “Nicky says hello, by the way.” He winked, and Tessa shook her head. 

Ian looked playful enough, with his bright red curls, green eyes, and a smattering of freckles over his face, but despite his jokes, he was protective, and would never approve of his friend courting her.

That didn’t keep him from teasing her plenty, though.

“Annie says hello,” she teased back. Her best friend was her one lifeline in California. Since they’d arrived a month before, Annie had befriended her, and unlike Ian, Tessa liked the idea of her friend becoming important to her brother, too.

“Right.” Ian chuckled. “I’m not looking to settle down right now, just some stability. It’s been a long time coming, getting here, you know.” 

He turned serious, and Tessa’s heart flipped. They’d missed the deadline to leave with the others when her parents passed away. It had taken them three years to get themselves in a position where they could head West. 

Their parents had heard of gold being discovered in California, and over the past couple years, those stories had only continued to trickle back to them. They’d believed they could finally find their fortune out West. 

“Have a good day at work,” Tessa said softly. She handed him a tin pail with his packed lunch and watched him leave the little cabin and hurry down the street. 

She had a busy day ahead of herself as well. There were men in town who needed clothes washed. She’d been asking around at the different eateries and mess wagons to see if she couldn’t pick up a job to help with the huge debt they’d taken out with the bank to get their cabin.

Ian hadn’t been excited about the idea of her contributing, but Tessa insisted. If she could take even a fraction of the worry off her brother’s shoulders and get them out of the hole just a step at a time, it gave them a much better chance of avoiding trouble before they were truly in it.

She left the sitting area and made her way back to the kitchen. They were only a few steps apart, something that came with having a very small cabin. She hummed as she worked, one of the songs her mother used to sing. It still made her heart ache. 

It was getting harder to remember her mother’s face or the way her father’s eyes crinkled when he smiled.

“You were my miracle baby, you know?” Her mother’s voice came to her, soft and sweet. How long would it be before she couldn’t remember what her mother sounded like?

Her mother had been sick in a terrible way when she was a child, and doctors were shocked when she’d fallen pregnant with Ian. Apparently, they’d been even more astonished when Tessa had come along. There had been no more surprises for her mother, but their parents were happy with their two children.

Tessa couldn’t imagine having better parents, she only wished they’d had more time together. Once everything was set the way it should be, rows of clean dishes and gleaming wooden counters, she put her shawl around her shoulders and tied her bonnet under her chin. 

She had three clothes washing clients and was determined to make that five. She could handle more clothes and more clients if it meant her brother could spend just a little less time in the mines. 

She squared her shoulders in determination as she walked toward town in the rising sun. Town was a mix of things. There were proper businesses, like the hotel and the saloon, and there were plenty of tents set up with commerce as well. There were mess wagons, traders, travelers, and everything else.

It was all rather interesting but also dangerous. The promise of riches brought the most unsavory characters into town, and they liked to get into fights. 

She crossed the street toward the mercantile. She wanted to talk to Mrs. Heron first. Mrs. Heron had promised to ask around and see if she could find a few more people who needed their clothes washed.

As she was crossing the road, someone came flying out of the saloon, the building right next to the mercantile, slamming into Tessa and sending her to the ground.

Her eyes widened as she tried to find the culprit. To her surprise, the sheriff stepped out of the saloon half a second later. She could tell he was the sheriff by the shiny badge he wore, shaped like a star. 

Sandy brown hair poked out from under his hat, and twinkling blue eyes met hers. He was young, maybe a few years older than her.

“I’m so sorry about that, ma’am,” he said, crossing a few steps to get to her and offering his hand. 

Tessa hesitated a moment before taking it. He’d only pulled her to her feet when he turned his attention back to the man who had knocked her over a second earlier.

The sheriff reached down, grabbing the man by the collar of his shirt. As if it took no effort at all, he picked him off the ground and steadied him.

“Mr. Newman, you’re quite inebriated. I suggest you get yourself home right quick.” The sheriff didn’t yell. His voice was calm, sure of himself, and most of all, commanding.

Mr. Newman didn’t hesitate or wait to be asked twice. Instead, he grabbed his hat off the ground, gave it a dust-off, and after a brief nod of apology in Tessa’s direction, he hurried off as fast as his unsteady gait could carry him.

Tessa watched him go, for a moment, unaware of the sheriff staring at her until he spoke.

“Are you sure you’re okay, ma’am? I never would have thrown him out here if I’d known you were passing by.” He studied her for a moment. “I’m Sheriff Liam Knight. And you might be?”

“You threw him?” Tessa spluttered, completely ignoring his question out of shock.

“Well…” The sheriff chuckled, then shook his head. “Not exactly. It was a fight, and I was in the middle of breaking it up. I guess things got out of hand a bit. Can I escort you anywhere?” 

His piercing blue eyes found hers, making her stomach fill with butterflies. She wasn’t used to being this close to someone as important as the sheriff and wasn’t convinced she liked his attention on her.

“That’s all right. I’m just fine. I was actually just going to the mercantile.” Tessa put on her best smile. “Thank you for… the help.” 

She wasn’t sure if thanking him was the right thing, considering she wouldn’t have needed help if it weren’t for him in the first place, but she was eager to get away from his gaze considering her dusty dress and disheveled appearance.

“All righty. It was nice meeting you.” The sheriff tipped his hat to her, then stood there as she hurried up the steps and into the mercantile, her cheeks filling with heat. She’d seen the sheriff from afar before but had never met him or interacted with him.

He didn’t seem anything like what Annie had said about him. He had a reputation for being too harsh with criminals, a loner, only focusing on strict justice, even when that went too far. But the man she’d met outside had seemed approachable, friendly even. 

It didn’t matter what she thought of the sheriff. The chances of running into him again were slim. Back in New York City, she’d never run into the sheriff, or marshals or any lawmen, at least until their home burned down. Maybe small towns were different.

Chapter Two

Liam Knight found himself staring at the door of the mercantile for a few seconds after the young woman disappeared inside. He frowned. She’d seemed so startled after getting barreled down by Mr. Newman, and he felt bad.

The saloon always caused problems, especially for innocents. His frown turned to a glare. If he could find a way to run Mr. Wesley and his whole sordid business out of town, he would do it in a heartbeat, but unfortunately, there was only so much he could do to clean up Red Rock, California.

“That got out of hand.” Ronald stepped out onto the dusty street, running a hand through his curly black hair. “You really tossed Mr. Newman out of the saloon.” His chuckle died in his throat as he spotted Liam’s serious expression. “Everything all right?” 

Ronald was Liam’s deputy and best friend. The two of them, along with his other deputy, Matt, were the only defense between the town and the crime that seemed to run more rampant every single day.

“Yeah, just fine. I didn’t realize there would be a young woman out here when I shoved Mr. Newman, and she got in the way and… never mind. She’s all right.” He hoped she was, anyway. 

He’d never seen her before. She must be from one of the new families in town. He’d noticed her long red hair, tangling around her back and shoulders. The way her green eyes filled with caution and surprise when they spotted him. She’d pulled him right in with that gaze, and he wasn’t the type to be pulled in by a woman, not even a woman as stunning as the one in the dusty street because of him.

That had to be why she’d been so alluring—because he was worried about how much damage he’d caused in his rampage for justice. He was determined to make Red Rock safe for its residents, and sometimes, that took a bit of a strong hand.

“You know, the marshal from San Francisco is probably here for the men we picked up last week. We don’t want to keep him waiting.” Ronald led the way back toward the sheriff’s office.

Just last week, they’d managed to catch three major criminals involved in a gang that had committed robberies all throughout California. They’d sent a telegram to San Francisco to get them transferred and the pickup was happening not a minute too soon. He didn’t like having dangerous men like that in his town, even if they were behind bars. It made him too nervous.

Sure enough, the marshal and his men were waiting right in front of the sheriff’s office.

“Sheriff Knight, I can’t say I’m surprised to see you again.” The marshal pushed away from the wagon and held his hand out to Liam. “My men will get the prisoners loaded for you.”

Liam grinned as Ronald led the marshal’s men into the sheriff’s office. “I have to say, every time you have to make a trip out here, it makes me feel like Red Rock is a little safer.”

But never safe enough.

“Well, I’m happy to be of service, but I have to say, you’re not the first to try to clear up one of these settlements, but they’re like magnets to criminals. They think that because a town is new, there’s free pickin’s, you know?” The marshal frowned.

“I know, but I’m not going to give up. I’ll be happy when I can go a solid year without a single major crime, nothing more than a fight in the saloon, or someone who had a bit too much to drink. How’s that for a goal?” 

Liam put on his best grin, even though it was the last thing he wanted to do. But making friends with the marshal was important. He needed the lawman on his side if he really wanted to clean up this area of California.

“Unattainable. That’s what I think.” The marshal shook his head. “But if there was a person who could do it, it would probably be you. In the six months you’ve been sheriff, I have to say you’ve done more than anyone before you.”

“I intend to keep doing the same until the job is done.” Liam knew people didn’t believe him, but he was determined to stick to it until the job was done. If someone else could have done that for him, Silas would still be there. Maybe the marshal could have done a better job…

No. This marshal wasn’t responsible for the mistakes of the past.

The marshal took a step back as his men came out with the first prisoner. Instead of being shaken by the criminals’ threats, and glares, Liam took them as badges of honor. Those men were angry with him because he’d put an end to their lawlessness. 

Every time he looked into the face of a criminal, a person who was willing to rip away another person’s choices and take from them all their hard work, he saw the men who murdered his brother.

Once all three were secured, the marshal filled out his paperwork and shook Liam’s hand.

“I’ll be waiting for your next telegram.” He grinned and winked as he joined his men in the wagon.

“Count on it,” Liam called after him.

“Well, looks like we’re building a reputation here.” Ronald laughed. “Speaking of reputation, my parents are wondering if you’ll be joining us for church this week.”

“I don’t know…” Liam frowned. Ronald had been bugging him about church for the last six months, ever since he’d taken the position of sheriff, and he’d managed to come up with a good excuse not to go. But now…

“Come on, you’re not working on anything, there aren’t any gangs, or major criminals to investigate, so surely you can spare the time. My mother is preparing a feast for after, and my little brothers and sisters would be thrilled to see you.”

Liam sighed, his shoulders falling. “All right then, I’ll be there.” 

Church. It was a complicated topic. He believed in God and fully considered that God supported his work, cleaning up the town and putting criminals where they couldn’t hurt anyone. Maybe his hesitation was because he was afraid of forgiving. 

He was afraid of letting go of the anger that drove him through the long nights, through the long fights, the hard days, and the pain of searching for one bad man after another with no end in sight. Who would he be if he forgave the men who had taken everything from him?

“That’s my man.” Ronald slapped him on the shoulder. “I’m going to head home early. My father asked for help plowing the back field. Some of us have to farm the land is what he says, anyway, even though I’ve offered to get him a claim in the river. You know where to find me if you need me.”

Liam nodded. “Sure thing. Tell your folks hello for me.” 

Ronald left him at the entrance of the sheriff’s office, and Liam watched him wander down the street. He used to know what it was like to have a family to get home to, before that fateful day seven years ago that had torn everything to shreds.

He scuffed his boot into the dusty street as someone approaching caught his eye. Nicky, one of the miners who also panned in the river. He was a large fellow, a bit shifty but didn’t cause trouble on a regular basis, so Liam had no quarrel with him. To his surprise, Nicky veered off of wherever he was going and walked up to him.

“Just saw the wagon from San Francisco here. Were those the men from the gang?” Nicky scratched his dark brown hair, looking uncertain. 

Everyone in town was happy that the men were caught, but they were also nervous that not the whole gang had been put behind bars—at least half had escaped.

“That’s right. They’re headed to San Francisco, where they have no chance of escaping. How are things at the river?” Liam did his best to talk with the townsfolk. It was part of being a trusted sheriff, apparently, but that didn’t make it easy. He’d never been one for small talk.

“Going all right. Found a couple of good nuggets these past few days. Glad to hear those guys are off to where they belong. Any word on the rest of ’em?”

“’Fraid not.” Liam frowned. “We won’t be giving up, though. The rest of the gang is coming down, even if it takes longer than I’d like. Crime won’t stand in this town, not as long as I’m the sheriff.” 

He put every ounce of belief behind his words. If he believed it hard enough, it would come to pass.

“Happy to hear it. Good day, Sheriff.” Nicky took a step back and then hurried down the street. Liam shifted his attention as a spot of red caught his eye.

The woman from earlier walked on the other side of the street. She had a little slip of paper in her hand and a worried expression on her face. He noticed the way her eyebrows came together, and her lips turned to a pout as if she were deep in thought.

Was the interaction in front of the saloon still bothering her? He certainly hoped not. He shoved his hat down harder on his head and went back into the sheriff’s office. He had work to do, maps to organize, routes to plan for when he had more time for a search.

He was going to keep at his work of tracking down everyone who wronged Red Rock until he’d cleaned up the streets so the families who were moving to California could have the better life they were looking for.

No distractions, that was the rule that had kept him sane and had also put him on the track of being one of the youngest sheriffs to ever get a position like the one he had. He was determined to be the best sheriff Red Rock had ever seen and make the difference that no one thought possible. 

A good sheriff could put an end to crime if they tried hard enough. He was determined to be the one who tried hard enough.