7Janet was starting to nod off when she heard a car pull up, she became more alert when Buz put his key in the door nob and opened it. "Carney?" Janet asked, looking at the man coming in behind Buz, she was shocked to see him there.
"Hello, Miss Janet," Carney said, he took off his hat and nodded his head to her.
"Listen, Janet, can you get into the doctor's office?" Buz asked. He looked at her as he took the small bottle out of his pocket and sat it on one of the bedside tables.
Janet's mouth popped open. "You actually got some?" she asked in disbelief.
"Yeah, the hard way," Carney commented, peeping out between the blinds to see if anyone was coming yet. He only saw the night, still with its full moon, but he knew there was violence not far beyond the stillness.
"You took it from him? You helped him do this, Carney?" Janet asked.
"Yes he did. We can go over the details later, can you get in the doctor's office? If we don't have a nettle everything we just did will be in vain," Buz said, an urgency to his voice.
"Oh yes, yes! I've got a key, I'll go now!" Janet said, recovering from her shock, she moved to the door.
"Hurry Miss Janet, if you don't this poor boy won't get help before they come and haul us off," Carney warned.
Janet nodded and went out the door, disappearing into the night, Carney watched until he couldn't see her anymore, then he let out a sigh and rubbed the back of his neck. "The sheriff will have our hides for this," he said.
"Yes, Janet told me about him. Your lovely boss's brother," Buz said with distaste. He replaced the rag on Tod's head with another one soaking in cold water in a bowl nearby.
"Yeah, he won't like us being around Miss Janet either. Sometimes I think Mr. Thomas likes taking that medicine just to spite Miss Janet," Carney said.
"Why would he do that? She seems like a pretty nice girl to me," Buz said.
"She hasn't told you?" Carney asked, puzzled.
"No I guess not. Of course I did just meet the doll," Buz said.
"She was the girl who the doc gave that last shot to years ago," Carney said, he looked down.
"It's not hard to figure that a man like him would hate her for that," Buz said.
Not long after that Janet returned with a nettle and quickly gave Tod a shot of the life saving medication. Buz let out a breath that he was very aware he had been holding.
"Well, it's done. Your friend should start getting better now with rest," Janet said.
"Thank you. And thank you, Carney," Buz said.
"No need to thank me, they'll lock us both up, and their coming to do it now," Carney said, looking out the window again.
Buz joined him at the window and saw a car parking and three men getting out. "I know I will have to go to jail, Janet, will you watch Tod for me?" Buz asked.
"Of course I will. I'll help you both all I can," Janet said, looking sorry.
There was a banging on the door, Buz answered it right away. He wasn't sure how what would happen to himself and Carney once they were put in jail, but he knew there was no running from it.
"You're Buz Murdoch?" an older man asked. He didn't look too different from Mr. Thomas, only that he had a beard and was wearing a sheriff's badge.
"Yes, that's right," Buz said.
"Well I'm sheriff Thomas. You and Carney here are under arrest for assault with a deadly weapon and stealing. I'm gonna assume you know your rights so, I would advise you not to talk until you get a lawyer, and if you can't pay for one we'll get you one. Now come on," the sheriff said. He had two deputies with him who took the two men by their arms.
"No cuffs?" Buz asked.
"Not around here, son," sheriff Thomas said. They were lead to the police car and put in, they traveled the short distance to the sheriff's office where they were put behind bars.
Mr. Thomas was already there and mad as a hornet. "They'll pay for this Efrem!" he said, he was pacing back and forth.
"Sure they will, Chester," Efrem said, he sat down at his desk.
"I am here to tell you that if the law let's me down I will take it in my own hands!" Mr. Thomas said, his eyes flashing.
"Don't say things like that, Chester," Efrem warned.
"I'll say whatever I please!" Mr. Thomas said.
"Chester, I think you ought to know that Janet in involved in this," Efrem quietly informed.
That news seemed to light a new fire in the rancher. "She has always been the root of my problems! It is time she paid!" Mr. Thomas said and with that he stormed out of the office.
The sheriff sighed and looked from the door to his prisoners behind bars, this wasn't going to end well. And he was afraid that there was nothing he could do to stop it.