Rewarding Redemption

by Bonnie R. Paulson

  Nausea returned. Where was she going? Maybe she imagined the – no, there it was. The first left turn.

  Then another left after another thirty steps.

  Thank heaven she was smart enough as a kid to keep track. Going so far into tunnels she had never been in without any indication of where she was going would be horrible. Hopefully, Jason was okay as he trailed behind Chris. The comforting scuff of multiple boots behind her gave emboldened her to keep going.

  Fifteen more steps and left again.

  Five more steps and right.

  And there the dead end was.

  The hiding spot Devlyn brought her to. The place where, as she followed him back out, she watched as the box faded into disappearing light.

  “The box should be here.” Why else would her father bring her there, but to hide a treasure? Something so special he couldn’t keep it anywhere else.

  Chris scanned the rounded end of the tunnel with the flashlight, the circle of light revealing nothing but small rocks over dirt and – there! In the corner, a small container like a chest the size of two shoe boxes was tucked tight against the walls.

  Excitement at being so close burned inside Jenny.

  Spying it, Chris rushed forward. The beam of his light grew narrower and narrower as it spiked upward on the ceiling. He grabbed the box and shook it, shoving back the hinged lid.

  Jason moved forward and took Jenny’s hand in his. The warm contact bolstered Jenny’s confidence. She could do anything with Jason by her. Insane how alone she had felt almost forty-eight hours before. Even crazier how much he changed her outlook on life and herself.

  Chris rifled through the papers, closing and reopening the lid as if magically there would be something different revealed. “There’s nothing here but a bunch of paper.” He dropped the chest, ignoring the loud bang as its metal corners clanged on the floor. He shone the light again, searching the dead end with frantic sweepings of the beam. “You lied to me. Where’s the money? I want that money, Jenny. Take me to it.” He stomped the few feet to her and crushed her in his hands as he shook her back and forth.

  “This is it.” Her teeth clattered together with his movements. She feared her neck might snap with the force.

  Jason pulled her from Chris’s grasp, pushing the older man away from Jenny.

  Chris searched the tunnel end again, the whites of his eyes wide. “No! This can’t be it. Devlyn stole millions upon millions. He had to do something with all of it.”

  Even though sound was muffled so deep inside the tunnel, the faintest sounds of a helicopter chopping the air carried to them. Chris spun toward Jason. “What did you do?”

  Jason backed up, pulling Jenny with him. “I called for help. I may not be FBI anymore, but I’m being held under duress by you. I’m not doing anything illegal. You’re not as smart as Devlyn was.” He pulled out his gun and pointed it at the confused man. “I’m guessing that’s your ride. I’m sure you can get a few years for kidnapping as well as the few warrants out for your arrest.”

  Chris charged out of the tunnel, and took a left when he should’ve taken a right. And he took the light.

  Jenny stepped forward to stop Chris, but Jason held her back. “No. Just wait.” The darkness surrounded them and she focused on the touch of his hand on her shoulder. Then a light flooded the small naturally made room as Jason clicked on a large Maglite in his hand.

  “But he went the wrong way.” Jenny wouldn’t wish getting lost in those caverns on anyone. Even Chris Caracus. She would never be able to tell Jason how comforting the strong flashlight’s glow was.

  “He’ll be fine. We can let them know he’s in here. A little solitary confinement before prison might be what he needs to help the agency solve some other cases they’ve been working on.” Jason tugged her back into the dead end. “Do you want to take the box?”

  “Yes.” For a brief moment, she forgot the chest and the reason she would have eventually made herself come inside the tunnels. She knelt beside the chest, inspecting the intricate metal designs over the wood. She thought she would never see her mom’s favorite trunk again.

  Even though she wanted to get out of there immediately, she couldn’t stop herself from plopping to the floor and resting her elbows on her thighs as sobs broke from her. Her mom’s letters. Family letters from way back. Even photographs Jenny hoped but never believed she would see again.

  Her tears burned, she came full circle and the journey culminated in less than two full days. “Oh, Mom, I got it. I got it.” And her back rounded as she curled into her grief.

  Jason knelt beside her, wrapping his arms around her shoulders. He kissed the top of her head, turning his cheek to rest on her hair.

  She sniffed, calming down in his arms. “Did you call for backup?” He’d texted but Chris had verified his text. He hadn’t used his phone otherwise. But then again, she’d been preoccupied with so many other things, she wasn’t surprised if she missed it.

  “No. I texted twice and the first one I called in a favor.” He rocked back on his heels, and then lowered himself to sit beside her. The denim of his jeans blended with the denim of hers. He reached forward and tucked her hair behind her ear. “I couldn’t risk losing you.”

  There he was again turning her insides to mush and warming her heart.

  “They wouldn’t have killed me, Jason. My uncle was a fan of prostitution and probably would have set me up somewhere. I’m sure you could’ve visited.” She grinned wryly at him, her comment only half-intended as a joke. Her uncle was into brothels. But he was also into rape and Jenny didn’t doubt she would be one of his victims before he killed her.

  Jason didn’t smile at her attempted humor. He shook his head. “No. I mean, I thought I was going to lose you…” He tilted his head to the side. “I quit my job because I didn’t want to lose you.”

  “What? Why would you lose me?” Jenny couldn’t have closed her mouth right then, if she tried.

  He enclosed her hand in his. “I’ve been on break to find you before the gang did. Now that I have, I can’t make myself go back. There’s too much traveling, too much uncertainty. I want a home and someone to call my own.”

  “What are you going to do?” Jenny held her breath. She didn’t have a home, nothing stable. She honestly didn’t even know how to settle down and she didn’t remember the last time she lived out of a dresser rather than a suitcase. But she could learn, if it meant a chance at more time with Jason.

  He leaned forward, his breath warm on her cheeks. “Take you on a second date.”

  The fluttering in her stomach intensified, spreading up her chest and across her back. She couldn’t hold in her grin. “Really?” Maybe the tunnels were getting to her and she was hallucinating. But if she was, she hoped she didn’t wake up any time soon.

  He gazed into her eyes with complete seriousness. “Of course, ‘cause then after I convince you that you love me, I’m going to marry you and travel with you, if that’s what you want to do, but I’m not losing you. Not again. I’ll do whatever it takes to keep you with me.”

  How could he love her after everything he’d been through? She’d thought he cared about her like a friend. His kiss… oh, who cared what her self-inflicted insecurities had convinced her of. She couldn’t argue with his words or his actions to find her.

  If Jenny wanted to stand, she would have a hard time making her legs cooperate.

  Chapter 28

  Jason

  Jason didn’t doubt for a second he could get lost in Jenny’s smile, especially when it banished all of the sadness from her face.

  As his words sank in and her fears came forward, Jason could almost see her work through the pros and cons of what he said, the ramifications of any step they might take together.

  Tears welled in her eyes and she fought to keep her smile. “But you don’t know me.”

  “Yes I do, you’re the girl who picked up garbage on her way to school. You’re the woman who never steals anything unless
absolutely necessary. I’ve seen you try to return things after you’ve used them or when you decided you couldn’t use them. I’ve spoken to some of the people you’ve taken things from after you’ve returned items and they couldn’t believe what great condition their stuff was in.”

  Jason took her face in his hands, unwilling to let her talk herself out of being with him. “You’re careful and alone, like me. But we have each other. I’ve been waiting since I was seven to tell you how much I care about you.”

  Her lips parted and the pink of her tongue wet her lips. “I’ve been alone so long. I’m not sure how I’ll do with someone else.”

  “Trust me, that wasn’t a proposal.” He laughed softly. “When I ask for your hand there will be fireworks. I want you to take your time, but know where I stand and where I’ll be when you’re ready.” He couldn’t help the pull of her lips anymore and he leaned forward, gently covering her mouth with his.

  If he wasn’t careful, he would run into the sunset with her right then, and ignore anything else they might need to do. His heart swelled as she returned the kiss like her promise was there, just unspoken. Their lips melded and danced, filled with longing and desire but most importantly, trust.

  They broke away, breathless.

  Rubbing her lips with his thumb, he murmured. “Let’s go tell the girls there’s no treasure. You need to officially meet your sisters anyway.” He could forget he had a half-brother for the moment. But one day, hopefully sooner than rather than later, he would be able to meet with Jack and get to know him.

  But not that day. That day was Jenny’s and she deserved to meet with her sisters and celebrate each other rather than regret their roots.

  Jenny stood, brushing at her pants. She glanced at him as she bent to grab the chest. “Are you disappointed there’s no treasure? I know you spent so long trying to find it.”

  He laughed. “No. The treasure didn’t matter. I really just wanted to find you.” He found her and maybe this time he could keep a hold of her. “You’re all the treasure I need.”

  That’s all he’d ever need.

  Chapter 29

  Jenny

  Everything passed by in a blur.

  Somehow Jenny found herself sitting on Rosie’s couch, the leather supple under her fingers. She had retrieved her backpack and box from Jason’s car while he and Michael went to get her Honda out of impound.

  Of course, they only left right then because they wanted to give the sisters some time to themselves, even though Jason and Jenny didn’t want to be apart.

  Letting the chest out of Jenny’s sight hadn’t been an option either.

  So there she sat, waiting for the get-to-know-you time to start, nervous.

  Time Jenny wasn’t ready for.

  Oh, the guilt was consuming. They wouldn’t have been in danger, if not for her.

  Even the Montana Trails were in danger.

  She leaned her head on the warm leather armrest. She was alone again – but this time the respite from company was welcome as she tried to gather her thoughts and emotions together into a controllable mass.

  Someone cleared their throat. Or she had been alone. A confident voice broke through her musings. “Jenny? We haven’t met officially yet. I’m Sara Beth.”

  Jenny jerked upright. She pushed her hair out of her face and offered a shaky smile to the blonde girl pushing herself across the wooden floor with a walker. “Hi. I’m… yeah, I’m Jenny.”

  Sara Beth’s grin didn’t hesitate and she didn’t go to the couch across from Jenny either. She shuffled her way to sit beside Jenny and shoved the walker toward the opposite end of the couch. “I’m so excited to finally meet you. I hoped to see everyone together before the year was up. That our reunion is happening even before fall is like an early birthday present.” She reached over and one-arm hugged Jenny.

  The contact wasn’t as uncomfortable as Jenny feared it would be. She even lifted her arm and returned the awkward embrace.

  Before Jenny could reply the other three women filed into the living room, taking seats and exclaiming over how much alike Jenny and Rosie and Lisa looked, even though Lisa was a brunette. They laughed at a similar mole on four of their wrists and Mary mumbled that was a trait she’d be happy not sharing.

  Tears sprang to Jenny’s eyes and she couldn’t help as they trickled down her cheeks.

  “Oh, honey, don’t cry. We can let you rest. Let’s do this tomorrow or something.” Rosie stood, but sat again when Jenny waved her down.

  “No, I’m not so tired. I just… I’ve never had a family or even anyone I shared anything with and here there are four of you and we all…” She swallowed, cheeks tight. “We all have something in common, even if it is as simple as eye color.” She shrugged, softly, unable to control the welling up of emotions. Happiness mixed with sadness. “I’ve just never had that, you know?”

  They all watched her, glancing at each other and nodding the smallest amounts. Encouraging smiles on their faces warmed Jenny. She leaned forward, pulling open the chest. “Would anyone like to see in the trunk? There’s supposed to be a letter in here from my mom, but there’s more if you’re curious.”

  Sara Beth leaned closer from Jenny’s side and the other three crowded around the darkly burnished coffee table on their knees.

  Lifting the lid and letting it fall back to rest on the table, Jenny carefully picked up the letter on top with her name written boldly in black. The other paper, filed carefully and fit tightly in the container, seemed to be the vellum-style paper from the fancy shops. Stationary for memories is what Ellsbeth used to call it.

  Jenny’s hands shook from holding something her mother had last touched. Jenny missed her so much. Ellsbeth had written Jenny a letter.

  Closing her eyes and leaning back, Jenny gave the women more access to the chest. They carefully pulled out items from the container, setting things aside in organized piles.

  But Jenny wasn’t worried about anything else. She used the few seconds to herself to open the envelope and slip the single page out of its pocket.

  Jenny’s excitement faded. Devlyn’s blocky, choppy handwriting glared at her tauntingly from the page. Nowhere could she find Ellsbeth’s loopy, curly, and comforting script.

  A letter from Devlyn.

  Disappointment made her fold the letter, but curiosity made her reopen it. She read the first few lines then stopped. “Hey, I got a letter from Devlyn. Would you all like to hear what it says?”

  Lisa, Sara Beth, Mary, and Rosie all stopped their chatter and settled back on their feet or their rumps depending on their position.

  Slowly, Lisa answered for them. “Well, go ahead.”

  With breathless anticipation, the sisters huddled together.

  Mary reached out and placed a hand on Lisa’s arm.

  Jenny took a deep breath and exhaled before reading.

  Jenny, your mom’s gone.

  I’m not keeping you.

  I can’t.

  You have sisters I hope you find one day.

  Ellsbeth kept the darkness at bay… sometimes.

  And so did Mary’s – she’s the sister you met today.

  I’m not stupid. There’s nowhere I would pass as a good person. I’m not even extremely smart. The only times I find myself feeling guilty for the things I’ve done are when I’ve been drinking. A lot. Like now.

  You and your sisters are better off without me.

  I’ll try to stay clear, but I’ll be sending you to live with Mary and her mother and I visit them often. Things won’t be able to stay the same. I can’t look at you without seeing… You’re going to be hard to see ‘cause you look so much like your mama.

  Her journal is with her Bible. One day I hope you read it. She was an inspiring woman.

  I love you. In my way.

  And tell your sisters I’m sorry. None of you deserve a father like me.

  Dad

  PS. Find the James Bank in Colby. Use the key and bank card to access the ac
count and deposit boxes. Do what you want with the money.

  We’ve been stealing for years.

  Not stopping now.

  Your dad,

  Devlyn

  Jenny’s voice faded into the living room. The tone was so much like him, what she remembered before…

  Mary sniffed, tears coursing down her cheeks. Sara Beth sobbed, shaking her head and Rosie moved to sit beside her, her own eyes wet.

  Lisa met Jenny’s eyes, hers equally indifferent, like she understood the chill inside Jenny. But like water warming, Jenny and Lisa gave over to the emotion in the room. And tears filled their eyes.

  “So, he couldn’t help being a bastard?” Mary’s voice cracked on the last word.

  Lisa scoffed. “No, he could. He chose that lifestyle. We can always choose. Look at us. We aren’t like him. We didn’t choose anything like he did and we have more reason than anyone. Jenny chose not to be like that at an even younger age than most of us.” She looked at each sister hard, like she wanted to make sure they knew she saw them. “We’re stronger than he was. Stronger than most people. Look at us.”