Mail Order Bride - Westward Justice: Historical Cowboy Romance (Montana Mail Order Brides Book 6) Read Online Free

for our community, but I know Travis would approve of you moving into his position.  He talked about it, actually.  He said when he retired that you would do an excellent job for Dawson.”
                  “Thank you, ma’am,” Mitch said.  “I’ll go get Dottie for you.  I’m so sorry, Amelia.  I can’t wrap my mind around it yet and I suspect I won’t for a long time.  Let me know if there’s anything I can do to help with the services.”
                  “Will you be a pallbearer?” Amelia asked.
                  “Of course.  I would be honored,” Mitch said.
                  He left then and stopped at Dottie Warren’s house.  She was Amelia’s sister.  Once Mitch had informed Dottie the sad news, he rode to the Sherriff’s office.  As he entered it, there was a different feel to the place.  He looked at Travis’ desk and blinked back tears.  The man had been a surrogate father to Mitch in a lot of ways and they’d had a lot of good times together. 
                  Mitch smiled as he remembered some of the raunchy jokes that Travis had told him.  He had a good sense of humor and a natural compassion for the residents of Dawson.  Instead of arresting Boonie, the town drunk, he’d just put him a cell for the night to dry out.  Travis and Mitch had frequented the Watering Hole and socialized with the crowd there.
                  Travis had socialized everywhere.  He said that was the best way to keep a positive presence in the community.  Better that everyone enjoy having you around instead of being afraid of the law.  It made it easier to diffuse tense situations that way.  Mitch had taken all of Travis’ teachings to heart and modeled his way of enforcing the law after Travis’.
                  Mitch’s reminiscing was interrupted by Jessie.
                  “Mitch, you need to get one of those sheriff badges and come with me to the square.  The news is travelling and people are nervous.  We need to show them that all will be well.  You’re the Sherriff now, so it’s on you and me to reassure them,” he said.
                  “The man’s not even cold yet, Jessie,” Mitch objected.
                  “Mitch, this is part of the job and if Travis was still with us, he’d tell you the same thing.  So get that badge and meet me in the square,” Jessie said and walked out the door.
                  Mitch looked at Travis’ desk.  He knew where Travis kept all of the extra badges but didn’t want to touch the man’s desk.  It felt as if he’d be disturbing sacred ground.  Then Mitch squared his shoulders and went around the back of the desk.  Travis had been a practical man and Mitch knew that Travis would tell him to move his rear and do his job.  He removed his deputy’s badge and sat it on the desk.  He pulled out the top right hand drawer and saw the shiny sheriff’s badge lying there.
                  Slowly Mitch took it from the drawer and pinned it to his black leather vest.  Mitch suddenly felt the weight of added responsibility settle on his shoulder.  He shut the drawer, took a deep breath and left to join Jessie in the square.
                  Jessie’s speech was brief and then he handed things over to Mitch, which annoyed him no end.  Jessie was good at putting responsibility on other people.
                  Mitch cleared his throat and said, “We have suffered a great loss today, folks.  Sheriff Allen was a great man, husband, and father and will be deeply missed by all who knew him, me included.  This is all so sudden and hard to take in right now.  I was fortunate enough to work with Travis for five years, which wasn’t nearly long enough.  Travis loved this community and was a friend to many.  He would want us to go on and treat each other the same way that he always