The Widow's Touch (A Whimsical Select Romance Novella) by Tamara Ternie

almighty inviting, so I accepted the invitation.”
    Elo da charged towards him and had planned to slap him again, but Jack moved way too fast and grabbed her by the waist and prevented her from going forward.
    “Settle down,” he softly ordered.  When she didn’t comply, he looked down and glared at her, but she glowered right back and tried to pull away.
    “He’s despicable,” Eloda hissed out through clenched teeth.
                  “Don’t force me to lock you up,” he harshly whispered.
    “Locking her up is a damn good idea,” McCrady said under his breath.
                  “So after you attempted to…touch her, she pushed you?” Jack asked, and Eloda still struggled under his grasp.
    “ There was no attempting to it,” he bragged.  “Hell, I grabbed myself a nice handful!  Probably my best childhood memory,” he said proudly.  “Trust me, Sheriff; it was damn well worth her busting my leg in that fall.”
    At first Jack looked appalled by the man’s declaration and then he shook his head.  But Eloda noticed a smile urged to find release from his lips when she looked at him again.  “And that is what you plan to testify in court?” Jack asked.
    “Sure am, word for word,” he confirmed.  He raised his brows and looked at Eloda for her reaction.
    “I’m sure you’ll be the prosecution’s best witness,” Eloda murmured and rolled her eyes.
    “If there’s nothing else to add, that’ll be all,” Jack said to him, and after he released Eloda, Jack walked Charles McCrady to the door.
    “What about my wife?” Charlie asked.
    “Eloda?” Jack asked.  That time, he did smile.
    “Yes,” he said.  “ Can I take her home to my ma’s house until the trial?”
    Jack turned around and looked at Eloda , but she quickly stepped inside her cell and pulled the cell door shut.
    “Don’t believe the lady wants to go, McCrady,” Jack replied, and he closed the door shut the moment Charlie stepped over the threshold, cutting his words of rebuff off as it latched shut. 
    Jack walked to Eloda’s cell and leaned his back against the rails. Looking over his shoulder, he looked through the sheets and smiled at her.  “If that’s the best the prosecution has to offer for witnesses, I’m thinking you have little to fret about.”
    “I suppose so,” she rushed out, still angered at him for not believing in her innocence.
    “You haven’t asked about w hat happened today at your home,” he said when she said nothing more.
    “Wasn’t sure it was my business to ask .”  She raised her head slightly and looked at him without appearing overly eager or anxious.  He was right, though, she wanted to know.
    “As you stated, they didn’t know anything.  All twelve in service didn’t hear or see anything whatsoever that related to your husband’s death or even notice him missing until you reported it to my office,” he said in disbelief.  “Seems peculiar, huh?”
    “Not particularly,” she shrugged, and walked to her canvas and paints and continued painting what she had started earlier in the day. “My home isn’t exactly modest in size, Sheriff.  Aside from that, my husband and I lived rather dreary, uneventful lives, so I’m sure the servants didn’t pay much mind to our daily lives.”
    He didn’t speak for a while but looked around the privacy sheet and continued to watch her.  She persistently looked busy with her painting and attempted to appear unaffected by his presence.  But she felt him watching her still.  Despite being frustrated, she felt nervous and self-conscious.
    “Is there anything else?” she finally asked and hoped he’d take her words as a dismissal.
    Jack turned around and rested his forearms between the bars.  “I wasn’t trying to say I thought you were guilty, Eloda,” he said softly.  “I’m just saying I don’t know.” 
    Jack looked over at Frank who sat with a stick and knife, whittling at his desk.  “How about