The amount of people around me startled me. Nell wasn't joking about everyone being there to try to win my hand, my first day back. Initially curious, I began to sense how easily I would be overwhelmed by the masses, if the floodgates opened and released a crowd's worth of empathic memories.
And their secrets … I wanted to believe not every man here was like Philip, but I didn't want to know what else people were hiding, either.
I glanced up at the sheriff when we cleared the crowds. The determination on his features was enough of a warning that he hadn't lost his resolve to interrogate me. "Maybe you can tell me how you found me last night and why you are so set on talking to me."
He glanced at me. "Because I think maybe your business is elsewhere, ma'am, not foolin' a good man like John."
"Foolin … ah." He, too, suspected I wasn't the real Josie. Unable to read his memories, I wasn't going to pass any test he gave me. Startled by the thought, it took me a moment to respond. "I don't know what you're talking about."
"We both have our secrets, ma'am." He released me and moved ahead.
Who the hell is this guy? He had no empathic memories or maybe, the chip worked selectively. Without knowing for certain how it was supposed to work, all I knew was that it was silent around him.
The sheriff strode down the walkway and leapt off rather than taking the stairs, leading me towards his office at a quick pace. Nell trailed me, the obedient servant in public, while I suspected my nanny had a few choice words to say to me once we were alone.
"Nell, will you please go in with me?" I whispered when we reached the door to his office.
"Of course, Miss. You should have a chaperone."
Feeling more confident, I walked through the open door of the sheriff's office. His partner was gone, and a second door propped open led to three cells with iron bars.
"This is like a movie!" I stood in awe of my surroundings for a moment, taking in the roughly hewn wooden desks, wanted posters and the sheriff with his wide cowboy hat and lean cowboy body. "Fantastic!"
"Ms. Nell, I'm gonna have to ask you to wait outside," the sheriff said, sitting on the edge of his desk. He removed his hat and set it beside him.
"Yes, sheriff," Nell said.
I turned to glare at my nanny, who had ducked her head and turned to leave.
"Nell!" I hissed.
"People here know I tend to put them in cells to cool off if they don't listen to me, ma'am," the sheriff said. "You can spend five minutes talkin' or overnight."