Page 72 of Magnolia Summer

Almira began to sob, her hair hanging down over her face.

The urge to plant his fist in Suggs’s face almost overpowered him for a moment. But he said a quick prayer and managed to calm his racing pulse.

“I’m sorry,” Truett said quietly, “but I don’t see how I can help.”

“Oh, I think you understand perfectly well how you can help us, Doc. You’re a medical man with a medical education. You know how to get rid of this unwanted . . . problem.”

Truett’s face burned. “Sheriff Suggs, am I to believe that you wish me to forcibly abort Miss Almira’s baby?”

The sheriff squinted, looking him in the eye. “See there? You understand me right perfect.”

Chapter 21

Truett forced his voice to sound calm. “I won’t do it. Even if it wasn’t against the law, I wouldn’t do it.”

Almira lifted her tear-streaked face with hope in her eyes.

A muscle in Sheriff Suggs’s jaw twitched as he ground his teeth together. He let go of Almira and she ran out the door. But the sheriff’s eyes never left Truett’s. Suggs stepped menacingly toward Truett until they stood toe to toe and nose to nose. He grabbed Truett by the throat and shoved him against the wall.

Truett knew he should try to make a show of fear, to seem weak, to plead with the sheriff to be reasonable. But it was all he could do to keep himself from breaking the man’s face.

“You’re trying my patience, Doc.”

Truett ignored the sheriff’s tobacco juice spittle that sprayed his face. He forced his clenched fists to stay by his sides.

“You know how to do it,” the sheriff ground out, “so tell me how it’s done. I’ll do it myself.”

“You’ll kill her.”

“So be it. It’s better than bringing this yellow baby into the world.”

“You’re an evil-hearted swine, twisted by hate.”

“I’m a man, not a weak fool like you.”

“No matter what you do to me, it’s nothing compared to what God would do. And I’m more afraid of God than of you.”

An ugly scowl came over the man’s face. He reared back and plowed his fist into Truett’s eye.

Truett slumped against the wall, seeing stars, but he managed to stay on his feet. He blinked a few times, then stared back at Suggs. “That all you got?”

“Your high and mightiness just might get you in more hot water than you can handle.” Suggs’ voice shook with anger as he poked his finger at Truett’s nose. “Just remember, I warned you.” He spun on his heel and left, slamming the door behind him.

Truett bent over. “Ow. Oh. Ow.” He gingerly touched the area around his eye, checking for broken bones. Everything seemed intact.

His face throbbed, but what really hurt was thinking about what Celia would say when she saw his black eye.

In the meantime, what should he do about Almira? He needed to go after her and protect her from Suggs. Who knew what he would do when he caught up with her.

A light tapping came at the back door. That door led to nothing except a stand of bushes behind his office. He went and jerked the door open. There stood Almira.

He gently pulled her inside and locked the door.

“I need a place to hide.” Her voice shook. “Do you think Celia Wilcox would let me stay with her?”

“I believe she would. Let’s go ask her.”

Almira lay down in the back of his buggy and he threw a blanket over her. He glanced around as he drove out of town, but, thank God, he didn’t see Suggs.