Novels: The Law is a Lady Read Online Free PDF Page A

store."
    "I'll see to it."
    With a nod he left.
    Tory sat on her desk again and frowned at her left boot. She wasn't just like her old man, she thought. He'd always been sure and she was guessing. Phil heard her quiet, troubled sigh and wondered at it.
    "Tod," she called, then waited for him to come to her. As he walked in his eyes darted in search of Hollister before they focused, terrified, on Tory. When he stood in front of her, she studied his white, strained face.
    Her heart melted, but her voice was brisk.
    "I won't ask you who threw the rock." Tod opened his mouth, closed it resolutely and shook his head. "Why didn't you run?"
    "I didn't—I couldn't...." He bit his lip. "I guess I was too scared."
    "How old are you, Tod?" She wanted to brush at the hair that tumbled over his forehead. Instead she kept her hands loosely folded in her lap.
    "Fourteen, Sheriff. Honest." His eyes darted up to hers, then flew away like a small, frightened bird. "Just last month."
    "The Kramer twins are sixteen," she pointed out gently. "Don't you have friends your own age?"
    He gave a shrug of his shoulders that could have meant anything.
    "I'll have to take you home and talk to your father, Tod."
    He'd been frightened before, but now he looked up at her with naked terror in his eyes. It wiped the lecture she had intended to give him out of her mind. "Please." It came out in a whisper, as though he could say nothing more. Even the whisper was hopeless.
    "Tod, are you afraid of your father?" He swallowed and said nothing. "Does he hurt you?" He moistened his lips as his breath began to shake. "Tod," Tory's voice became very soft, "you can tell me. I'm here to help you."
    "He..." Tod choked, then shook his head swiftly. "No, ma'am."
    Frustrated, Tory looked at the plea in his eyes. "Well, then, perhaps since this is a first offense, we can keep it between us."
    "M-ma'am?"
    "Tod Swanson, you were detained for malicious mischief. Do you understand the charge?"
    "Yes, Sheriff." His Adam's apple began to tremble.
    "You owe the court twenty-five dollars in damages, which you'll work off after school and on weekends at a rate of two dollars an hour. You're sentenced to six months probation, during which time you're to keep away from loose women, hard liquor and the Kramer twins. Once a week you're to file a report with me, as I'll be serving as your probation officer."
    Tod stared at her as he tried to take it in. "You're not... you're not going to tell my father?"
    Slowly, Tory rose. He was a few inches shorter, so that he looked up at her with his eyes full of confused hope. "No." She placed her hands on his shoulders. "Don't let me down."
    His eyes brimmed with tears, which he blinked back furiously. Tory wanted badly to hold him, but knew better. "Be here tomorrow morning. I'll have some work for you."
    "Yes, yes, ma'am—Sheriff." He backed away warily, waiting for her to change her mind. ' 'I'll be here, Sheriff." He was fumbling for the doorknob, still watching her. "Thank you." Like a shot, he was out of the office, leaving Tory staring at the closed door.
    "Well, Sheriff," Phil said quietly, "you're quite a lady."
    Tory whirled to see Phil eyeing her oddly. For the first lime she felt the full impact of the clear blue gaze.
    Dis-concerted, she went back to her desk. "Did you enjoy seeing the wheels of justice turn, Kincaid?" she asked.
    "As a matter of fact, I did." His tone was grave enough to cause her to look back at him. ' 'You did the right thing by that boy."
    Tory studied him a moment, then let out a long sigh. "Did I? We'll see, won't we? Ever seen an abused kid, Kincaid? I'd bet that fifteen-hundred-dollar watch you're wearing one just walked out of here. There isn't a damn thing I can do about it."
    "There are laws," he said, fretting against the bars. Quite suddenly he wanted to touch her.
    "And laws," she murmured. When the door swung open, she glanced up. "Merle. Good. Take over here. I have to run out to the Kramer