Nahona remained still.

Calder closed the gate.

“They'll return.”

“I know.”

“You should leave.”

“No.”

“Why?”

She looked toward the cabin.

“Because I don't want to spend the rest of my life running from men like Brock.”

Calder studied her.

“You don't have to.”

She stepped closer.

“You stood in front of me.”

“Yes.”

“You could have been hurt.”

“Yes.”

“Why?”

He looked away.

“I don't know.”

Nahona reached toward his wrist.

Her fingers touched the scar.

Calder went still.

“You do know,” she whispered.

He looked at her.

“You're afraid to say it.”

“Perhaps.”

She traced the scar lightly.

“Some wounds don't hide as well as people think.”

Calder swallowed.

“Some wounds look smaller from the outside.”

Her hand remained there.

Then she withdrew.

Neither spoke for several seconds.

Finally Nahona said, “Thank you.”

Calder nodded.

“You're welcome.”

But the truth was that the danger had changed something between them.

Neither could pretend otherwise.

That night, Calder checked the perimeter twice.

Nahona noticed.

“Do you think they'll come tonight?”

“No.”

“Then why check?”

“Because they might.”

She nodded.

“I'll stay awake.”

“You should sleep.”

“I've slept enough.”

Calder almost smiled.

“You said that before.”

“I meant it then too.”

They stood together beneath the moonlight.

The desert stretched around them.

Neither knew what was coming.

But both knew the next confrontation would be different.

The men from Copper Bend had been warned.

And so had they.

Two days later, Sheriff Amos Keane arrived.

Calder saw him approaching from the ridge.

The sheriff rode alone.

That mattered.

If he had come with a posse, Calder would have prepared differently.

Instead, Keane dismounted slowly and tied his horse to the rail.

“Van.”

“Sheriff.”

Keane removed his hat.

He looked tired.

“Got something to discuss.”

“Say it.”

Keane glanced toward the cabin.

Nahona stood behind the window.

“The town is angry.”

“They were angry before.”

“More than usual.”

“Brock?”

Keane nodded.

“He filed a complaint.”

“About?”

“Assault. Theft. Trespass.”

Calder almost laughed.

“You believe him?”

Keane's expression tightened.

“No.”

“But you came anyway.”

“I've got a town to keep from tearing itself apart.”

Calder folded his arms.

“Then keep Brock Tally from doing it.”

Keane sighed.

“I need to bring her into town.”

“No.”

“Just for questioning.”

“No.”

“Calder.”

“No.”

The sheriff lowered his voice.

“I'm trying to keep you alive.”

Calder stepped down from the porch.

“You think Copper Bend is going to kill me?”

“I think angry men with guns make poor decisions.”

“So do frightened sheriffs.”

Keane looked at him sharply.

Calder did not apologize.

“She was tied to a fence,” he continued. “She was injured. There are witnesses.”

“Not witnesses willing to speak.”

“That isn't my problem.”

“It becomes your problem if this turns violent.”

Calder stared at him.

“Then don't make it violent.”

Keane looked toward the cabin.

“I don't want to take her.”

“Then don't.”

“You're making this difficult.”

“No. The men who tied her there made it difficult.”

Silence.

Finally, Keane nodded.

“I'll tell them I couldn't find her.”

Calder studied him.

“Thank you.”

Keane mounted.

Before leaving, he looked back.

“Van.”

“Yes?”

“Brock won't stop.”

“I know.”

“You should leave.”

Calder looked toward the cabin.

“No.”

Keane sighed.

“Then God help you.”

He rode away.

Nahona came outside.

“You stood against your own town.”

“They're not my town.”

“You were raised there.”

“Doesn't mean they own me.”

She looked toward the road.

“He'll tell people.”

“Yes.”

“They'll judge you.”

“They already do.”

She smiled faintly.

“Why don't you care?”

“I care.”

“Then why stay?”

Calder looked at her.

“Because leaving would mean they were right.”

“About what?”

“That anyone who refuses to obey them deserves to lose everything.”

Nahona looked down.

“That's what they believe about me.”

“I know.”

She walked toward him.

“When I was tied to the post…”

Her voice faltered.

Calder waited.

“I thought the next man who came near me would hurt me.”

He said nothing.

“I thought that was how the world worked.”

Calder's expression softened.

“It's not.”

“I know that now.”

She looked at him.

“Because of you.”