“Oh, Brooke!” Rachel gasped as she pulled the girl back into the hug. “We prayed that you would understand how much you needed God. But we didn’t know how soon our prayers would be answered. Praise God!”
Over Rachel’s shoulder Brooke could see Sean’s smile but was surprised to also see tears running down his cheeks. Pulling away from Rachel, she turned to him, “What’s wrong?”
“Not a thing, young lady.” He drew her into his own embrace. “Not a blessed thing in all the world.”
Jason lay on the bed in his room at the boarding house staring up at the ceiling, his hands laced behind his head. It wasn’t like him to stay to himself. In fact, several men had invited him to “share coffee and swap stories” with them around their fire, but he didn’t feel like company tonight. His mind was on the words he had spoken to Sky about Chang.
He deserves to die…die…die…. The words echoed over and over in his mind. He deserves to die…die…die….
And then Sky’s answer would follow. So do we all, Jason. But then I know you know that…I know you know that….
Grandma Jordan’s face swam before his eyes. He recalled her talking to him about this very thing when he was a young boy, not too long after he and Marquis had come to live with her. She had come to tuck him in for the night and found him with his mother’s picture in one hand and the other fist clenched so tight that it shook.
Sitting on the edge of the bed she laid one small hand over his fist. “Jason, revenge is a terrible thing. It eats a man up on the inside. All the plottin’ and plannin’ and schemin’—they tend to push the rest of life aside, and pretty soon the man bent on revenge finds he has no friends and no kindness left in his heart.”
She reached out a cool hand and brushed his blond curls off his forehead. “I don’t want that kind of life for you, my angel. Let Jesus worry about the man who caused your mama such pain. Jesus knows. Everything will be made right one day. Let Jesus take care of it. Can you do that for Gram?”
He had nodded that he would, but somewhere along the road he had forgotten about that conversation.
He swung his feet over the side of the bed and sat up, surprised by the tears trickling down his face. He lived the exact life she had described: no friends to speak of and definitely no kindness in his heart.
He rubbed his eyes with the heels of both hands. “God, I can’t do this.” It was a prayer. Suddenly he was grateful that he hadn’t talked to any of the men that day about forming a lynch mob. He would let God deal with Chang. He only hoped God knew what He was doing.
When Sky pulled into the yard later that evening, he was pleased when he glanced toward the house and saw that his parents, Brooke, and Jenny were all assembled around the table eating.
He paused in the blackness to enjoy the scene. Everything was dark outside, with only a chirping cricket and the occasional creak of saddle leather to disturb the stillness. The warm cheery house cast a welcome golden glow out of each one of its windows. Through the front window he watched the group. He could see that Brooke was at ease and enjoying herself. Pleasant conversation drifted over to him, and he distinctly heard Brooke’s melodic laughter as her head tipped back and her mouth opened wide. Sighing in contentment, he turned Geyser toward the barn.
When he entered the house a few minutes later, the smell of beef stew and cornbread made him realize just how hungry he was. He had not taken the time to eat anything since the breakfast Brooke had fixed him that morning.
“Mmm…smells good,” he said as he moved toward a basin on the counter to wash up.
“How did the trial go today, Son?” Sean asked from his seat at the table. Sky looked at Jenny as he dried his hands. His heart went out to her. He could see the barely concealed pain in her eyes.
“We haven’t come to any conclusions yet. We’ll convene again tomorrow.”
At the hope that flashed across Jenny’s face, though, he knew he couldn’t leave it at that. It would be cruel to allow her to hope that Lee might be released. If anything, he and Ping might be the only two who were held over for a more extensive trial in Murray. He hung the towel on its hook and walked toward her, squatting down in front of her on the balls of his feet. “Jenny, I’m sorry. A man told the court today that Lee hired him and several others to kill Fraser. I don’t think he is going to be released.”
She nodded and looked into her lap. There was a long pause, then she said, “I go home now.”
“Jenny, I can’t let you ride home alone in the dark. Do you want me to ride with you into town? Or we could make you a bed here on the floor.”
She shook her head, glancing around the small room. “No, I not sleep here. Maybe you haf some blankets? I sleep in barn. I need be alone. To pray.” Sky nodded, and Rachel, who had risen to stand behind Jenny’s chair, laid her slender hand on the woman’s shoulder, as Brooke moved to take the blanket off of the bed in the corner.
Sky moved across the room, laying a hand on Brooke’s arm and stilling her movements. “There is an extra blanket under the bed,” he said. Bending down, he reached under the bed and pulled out a thick, heavy quilt.
As soon as Jenny had left for the barn, Sean and Rachel stood. “We will head on out and make sure Jenny is comfortable, Son. Don’t worry about her; we’ll make sure she’s warm enough.”
“I think I saw an extra blanket in our room too, right, Sky?” asked Rachel.
“Yes, but maybe we should all take the time to pray for her before you go out. She is going to need all the strength she can get in the next couple of days.”
The group took hands, and Sean led in prayer for Jenny, asking God to strengthen her and sustain her in the days to come.
Brooke set a heaping bowl of stew on the table for Sky, next to a plate of cornbread, as his parents hugged him good night. Then she gave them hugs of her own.
“Tell him all about it, dear,” Rachel whispered in her ear as they embraced. “He will be so glad to know.”
Brooke nodded and shut the door behind them, turning to find Sky’s warm eyes on her face. She held his gaze for a moment, his searching look sending shivers of pleasure down her spine. He dropped the lid of one eye in a quick wink. She blushed and glanced away but then peered back into his face. Filled with a sudden excitement, she longed to run and throw her arms about him and tell him of the wonderful thing she had done…but she stayed where she was.
Sky pulled out his chair to seat himself. He bowed his head quietly in a quick prayer of thanks for the food and began to eat. Brooke poured herself a cup of coffee and joined him at the table.
“I’m happy to see you getting along so well with Mother and Dad,” he said as he spread butter on a thick slab of yellow cornbread.
Brooke’s mind flashed to the tension that had filled the room at breakfast, but she only said, “Your parents are wonderful people, Sky.”
“How did you think I turned out to be such a wonderful guy?” he asked with another wink.
“Hmm…I guess I hadn’t noticed.”
He attempted to look crestfallen but didn’t quite succeed.
Brooke debated how to broach the subject of her new relationship with Jesus. She rose from the table and began to clear the dishes. Sky ate in silence, then finally got up and poured himself a second cup of coffee, just as Brooke sat back down at the table.
“Sky, there’s something I want to talk to you about.” Her heart pounded, excitement thundering in her ears.
His movements stilled and he sat back down slowly, all of his attention focused on her. He raised his cup to his mouth but never took his eyes off her.
“I made a decision today that I hope you will be happy about.” What was she saying? She knew he was going to be happy. He would be ecstatic.
Sky still said nothing. His expression revealed he had no idea what was on her mind.
“I had a long talk with your mother today and then with Jenny after that.
I want you to know that I…” She paused. Was she going about th
is the right way?
One blond eyebrow raised in her direction.
She could tell the suspense was killing him as he waited for her to go on. Finally she exclaimed in a rush, “I gave my heart to the Lord today.” She bit her lower lip, waiting.
He sat stock still for a split second, then was around the table and down on one knee next to her chair. He took her hands in his, his heart shining in his eyes, and gazed into her face. “You don’t know how happy that makes me. I have waited for this day since the moment I met you.” He cupped her face with one hand. Tears brimmed in his eyes. “God is so good, Brooke, honey. So very good.”
“I know. I feel so free and happy. I know what you meant now about the peaceful green pastures and still waters. You wouldn’t believe how wonderful I felt right after I prayed.”
“Oh, I think I know, honey. I know just how you felt.” Standing, he pulled her to her feet and into a warm embrace. Resting his head on top of hers, he prayed, “Lord, thank You so much for opening Brooke’s eyes to You. Help her to grow in knowledge and understanding of how much You love her, and make her desire to serve You grow stronger as the days go by. In Jesus’ name I pray, amen.”
He stepped back and smiled down into her eyes, overwhelmed by the goodness of God. First He had brought this wonderful, gentle woman into his life, and now He had saved her. What more could a man ask for?
But as he traced her cheekbone with one hand and took in the contours of her face, he knew there was more that he wanted. God, give me patience.
He gathered her back into a tight embrace, then reluctantly let her go, moving to the couch with his coffee cup.
Even an hour later, as Brooke moved about in the one-room cabin, elation surged through him. Thank You, Lord, he prayed again. He hadn’t stopped praying it since the moment she had told him.
Sipping his coffee, he leaned his head back against the couch, resting his cup beside him. He closed his eyes. As tired as he was, he couldn’t keep his mind off of the proceedings in town for long. Something about Chang bothered him. The man knew something that he wasn’t saying. And the fact that the safe in the back room of the store hadn’t been tampered with still weighed heavily on Sky’s mind. Why would anyone have killed Fraser? Ping said he and his companions did it because they were paid by Chang, but why had Chang hired them? Did the unopened safe in the back room have anything to do with it?
He was convinced the man Trace was tracking had something to do with this murder, but he couldn’t see how he fit into the puzzle.
Reaching up, Sky rubbed a tired hand across his face. He was missing something. His mind wandered back to the day of the funeral. Something drew his mind to the story that Trace had told him. There had been a father, mother, and a beautiful daughter, Trace had made the point of saying. They had come home to find their house being robbed and even though they had told the perpetrator he was free to leave, he had shot the father, laughing as he did it. That suggested a personal vendetta….
Sky’s mind flashed to the pretty Alice Fraser. He sat up with a start, nearly spilling his coffee.
Brooke eyed him from the table across the room where she had seated herself to read his Bible. “What?”
He shook his head, still thinking. “Nothing. I just had a thought.” He stared at the floor for a minute more, then back at Brooke. She was already intent on the book before her. He wanted to question her about the funeral. To have her confide in him the reason for her sudden fear that day. But as he watched her absorbing the Bible page by page he couldn’t bring himself to ask the questions. She deserved to have this one special day of all days to enjoy.
Besides, he suddenly knew the answers. The pieces had all been there. He simply hadn’t been able to see how they all fit together. Her sudden fear on the day of the funeral and her lying about it and about the man in the alley were all connected. However, he wanted her to tell him about it on her own. He didn’t want to have to pry the information from her. He wanted her to trust him enough to share her fears with him. He made a mental note to find Trace Johnson tomorrow and let him know what he was thinking. They would have to be prepared.
Brooke watched Sky from where she sat at the table, his Bible open before her. Conviction weighed heavy on her heart. She knew she should speak up and tell him the truth, but every time she started to say something, she would remember Percival’s threats and couldn’t bring herself to continue.
He had given her so much. What would she do if something happened to him? No, she couldn’t tell Sky.
But for the first time in her life, she found she did have someone to talk to. As she prayed, some of her worry lifted off her shoulders.
She couldn’t shake the conviction to tell Sky the truth, however, and took a deep breath, finally ready to tell him.
He stood. “I think I’ll turn in. I have an early morning tomorrow.”
Brooke sighed. Her confession would have to wait a little longer.
19
The next morning, Brooke awoke with a heavy heart. Sky had already gone, and she wondered how he had gotten out of the house without waking her. Once again she chastised herself for not getting up in time to get him some breakfast. She hoped he had taken time to eat something.
Heaviest of all was the thought that the lives of eight—no, nine now— men were in her hands. She might have information that could exonerate them all, but she had said nothing. What was she going to do? Some words Rachel had spoken to her only the day before came to mind.
“Honey, if ever you don’t know what to do, turn to the Word. You will always find an answer there.”
She sat up in bed, leaned against the wall, and pulled Sky’s Bible into her lap. She had finished reading in the book of John last night.
Now, she wondered, where do I start next? Where would she find the answers she needed? Opening the Bible, she found herself at the book of James and decided it was just as good a place as any to start. Many of the verses spoke directly to her, and she made a mental note to read the book through a second time. But it wasn’t until she got to chapter 5, verse 16, that she gasped at the impact the words had on her soul: “Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed.”
The rest of the chapter forgotten, Brooke rested her head against the wall and closed her eyes, thanking God for the answer. It was time she told Sky her whole life’s story. She swallowed the lump that formed in her throat at the mere thought of that daunting task and prayed for strength.
“Oh God,” she prayed aloud, “Your Word says I should do this, so I know that You can give me the strength and the words I will need. Please help me. And if Sky rejects me, I pray that You will give me the strength to go on.”
She sat up straight. She’d go to town and find him right now. She could tell him all about Hank and Uncle Jackson later, but right now she had to tell him she had lied. That it wasn’t the mountain man she had seen in the alley that night. The lives of nine men who might be innocent hung in the balance.
“Percival will be angry,” she whispered to herself. With a shake of her head, she pushed the thought aside, knowing she had to do what was right, no matter what.
Trusting God to be their protection if he followed through on his threats against them, Brooke headed for the barn to tell Rachel, Sean, and Jenny that she was headed into town. But as she stepped out the door into the breaking dawn, she realized how early it still was. Turning back to the house, she decided to leave them a note instead.
Back out in the barn, she silently led the horse that Sean and Rachel had brought up from Greer into the yard and saddled it. Mounting, she moved in the direction of town. And as she walked the horse quietly out of the yard, she prayed that Percival would be convicted for his part in this murder—whatever it might be—and brought to justice.
Jenny had been awake and waiting in the yard for Sky when he had come out to saddle Geyser.
“I go to town today?” She saw his hesitation. “I need see Lee.”<
br />
With reluctance he had agreed and now she rode in her saddle beside him as he headed toward Pierce City.
As they passed under the tree that stood in the middle of the street on the south end of town, something caught his attention. He jerked Geyser to an abrupt stop. The black neighed and swung his head, snorting in irritation. He was not used to being handled so roughly.
Sky grimaced and looked again at what had caused him to stop so quickly.
Jenny gasped.
Pressing his mouth into a hard line, he said, “Go to your store and don’t come out for any reason. Lock your doors and stay in the back room.”
Jenny didn’t hesitate to comply, fear on her face.
Sky watched her go, making sure she made it safely into her store, before he turned his eyes back to the foreboding sight of the tree. He muttered, “Not if I have anything to say about it” and spurred the horse in the direction of Jed’s boarding house.
Throwing the reins around the hitching post, he took the steps up to the door in one stride and burst into the room.
Startled, Jed swung quickly around from where he had just finished pouring himself a cup of coffee and sloshed the hot liquid all over his hand. “Sky! What in tarnation’s gotten into you, boy? Mmmhhh!” he ended. His face screwed into an expression of pain as he gingerly held the hot, wet cup in one hand and shook the boiling coffee off his other hand onto the floor.
“Sorry, Jed. Have you seen Bymaster this morning?”
“Sure have. He ‘n’ a couple other fellas is down to the court house.” He wiped the back of his burnt hand across his pant leg.
Without another word Sky strode out the door.
He burst into the court house with no less fanfare than he had entered Jed’s, and the three men sitting around the desk jumped to their feet in surprise.
“Jordan!” they all chorused in unison.
“What do you think you are going to do?” Sky directed his question to John Bymaster.
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