“In some ways I reckon you are child-like,” Sam added. “But you listen; it’s important, Riley. You bein’ a boy makes things easier for me. At least this way, maybe they won’t hang me.”
“I wouldn’t let anyone hang you, Sam,” she whispered, then stared into his surprised eyes. “And if they tried, they’d have to hang me too.”
“Don’t talk like that, Riley.”
“What if we run into somebody and they want to take me with ‘em?” Riley asked.
“I’d tell them I was taking you to Dallas to meet up with your folks. Most folks wouldn’t volunteer to take you out of the way of their plans,” Sam argued. “Unless you’d rather go with them. In that case, I’m shed of you.” Sam turned away.
“No, I think I’ll stick with you, Sam. I trust you.” Riley wasn’t paying attention to him now as they moved on.
“I don’t know why you trust me.” Sam shook his head and glanced up at her. “You hardly know me.”
“Oh, I know you, Sam…” she whispered aloud. “Now!”
He stared at her. “Yeah…I reckon you do.”
Riley seemed to study that thought. “Besides, you’re a Christian man. You buried that man back there and you didn’t even know him. You could’ve left him in the tree, still hangin’. You told those cowboys I died, or let them think I did. That helped me. You didn’t have to do that. You gave me your horse and your gun. You didn’t have to do that, but you did. You done nothing but help me since I met you. So I trust you.”
“Any decent man would have buried him,” Sam reproached.
“Maybe. But for now, I’ll stick with you.” Riley smiled at him. “Besides, I’d like you to kiss me again…I mean when I’m not scared out of my wits. And when you really want to.”
“Riley! You got to forget that…”
“I know I should, but I know I won’t too. I know…we aren’t gonna talk about it. But I shore won’t forget it, Sam… will you?”
Sam looked away. “Naw…I guess not.”
She pinked and smiled but didn’t look at him.
Sam moved away, putting distance between them.
“You know this idea of getting a big lawyer might not work out, Riley.” Sam concentrated on the path they were going.
“I know. But I got money, Sam. I can pay them to work for me. Maybe I need a gunman.” Riley reached in her satchel and pulled it out. “And I need to get back to the ranch ‘cause some of my pa’s money is buried on the land.”
“Buried? Well, I hope you know where.”
“I do, and they don’t.”
“They declare you dead, someone can get the money in the bank. Don’t rightly know who, but someone is bound to touch it. They ain’t gonna let it just sit there forever.”
“They elect a guardianship, if I remember correctly. That’s what they called it when the money transferred to my name. That is until the will was read.” Riley seemed to study the thought for a minute then looked at Sam. “Sounds like bein’ dead has its drawbacks, don’t it? Maybe I should just go back, get my money and leave.”
“Well, at least they ain’t lookin’ for ya,” Sam scolded her. “But I don’t think I would just walk away from your ranch. Your daddy must have worked hard to build it. Can’t let all that hard work go for nothin’ now can you?”
“You’re right about that. I guess I’m safe, for now.” Riley smiled. “But sometimes, I get to thinkin’ I would like to leave, get a fresh start somewhere else. You know, where people don’t know me. Be a real lady.”
“Maybe someday you can. Stow that money Riley, someone might see it.” Sam barely looked at her and the money. “Ain’t nothin’ brings out the bad in people like money. Startin’ over is fine for those that need to start over, but you ain’t done nothin’ wrong to start over from. You’re a victim and we gotta straighten that out as best we can. If you go to a lawyer, a good one, you can tell them everything, and then let them do the work.”
“You don’t seem very interested in the fact that I’ve got money. I find that strange and wonderful too. I never met anyone who wasn’t interested in my money. It’s all my pa ever talked about: having things, money, property. Bein’ somebody. I never shared his ambitions though.” She laughed. “I just wanted to live on my ranch, and not worry about anything. I’d rather be happy than rich.”
“Your money is not mine, got nothin’ to do with me. I make my own way. And you…well, it’s in your favor not to be gloatin’ over the money.”
“That’s why I’m going with you, Sam. You’re honest.”
“But there are those that aren’t and we gotta watch out for those, Riley. Some would knock you in the head for what you got in your pockets right now,” Sam added, glancing at her. “That’s why I’m goin’ with you to Dallas, ‘cause I want to see you get there in one piece, and I don’t want to worry about you.”