Love Finds You in Silver City, Idaho

by Janelle Mowery

  Concerned that something was wrong with the family, Nate left his hiding place and raced down the street toward Perry. “Everything all right?”

  Perry turned, his face showing relief the moment he saw him. “Nate! There you are.” He jumped from the boardwalk and scrutinized Nate head to toe. “Mr. Peters hunted me down and told me he’d heard a rumor you were shot at.”

  “Lucky for me, the guy’s a bad shot.”

  “Who is?”

  Nate shrugged. He’d already gone over this once, and now his mind was on where the sheriff disappeared without being seen. “I don’t know who he was. I went after him, but he managed to vanish before I could catch up.” He pointed toward the sheriff’s office. “He’s not in there?”

  Perry glanced over his shoulder. “That man is never where he’s needed.”

  “Funny.” Nate had never taken his eyes from the door. “I just came from his office. How’d he get away without me seeing him? Is there a back door?”

  “Probably. Tell you the truth, I’ve never spent much time in there to know.” He cocked his head. “Why were you watching the place?”

  Unsure how much he should tell, Nate glanced around, hoping to come up with a logical explanation.

  “Let’s have it, Nate.” Perry’s brows creased in a deep frown. “What’s going on?”

  Nate shuffled his feet and then looked into Perry’s eyes. He could trust the man completely, he decided. “Have you ever wondered if Sheriff Caldwell is an honest lawman?”

  Mouth dropping open, Perry stared for several long moments. Finally he admitted, “I’ve always thought he was lazy and didn’t deserve to wear the badge, but it never crossed my mind he was a scoundrel.” He lifted his hat and scratched the top of his head. “Now that you mention it, it sure would explain a lot, wouldn’t it?”

  “I think so.” Nate jabbed his thumb over his shoulder. “I hid out back there, hoping to follow him when he left, but he slipped away somehow.”

  “Where did you think he’d go?”

  Nate hesitated. He had no solid proof to support his accusations. “Not sure, but I thought he might know who shot at me.”

  Perry’s brows nearly reached his hairline. “That’s quite a claim. You got anything to back it up?”

  “Not really. More a gut feeling than anything.”

  Perry secured his hat back in place and nodded. “Right about now I’d trust your gut over anyone else around here.” He clapped Nate on the back. “Come on. Kate’s got supper waiting.”

  Nate didn’t move. Much as he’d love a warm, tasty meal at the Weaver home, he was much more interested in keeping them and their businesses safe. “I appreciate the offer, Perry, but if you don’t mind, I plan to spend the night in your store. Thomas is covering the livery, and you’ll be home. That leaves only one place unprotected.”

  Even in the low light, Nate was certain he saw Perry’s eyes water up. “I appreciate that, young man. More than you know.” He held out his hand. “There’s food in the store. You get hungry, you help yourself.”

  For the first time in many hours, Nate grinned. “You may regret that offer.”

  Perry shook his head. “Not even a little.”

  Nate held out the reins. “Take my horse. You’ve got a longer walk than I do.”

  They walked together until they reached the store. Then Nate pulled his rifle from the scabbard, and with another handshake, they parted company with plans to meet up in the morning to decide what needed to be done next.

  Locking the door behind him, Nate prowled the shelves for something to eat. If he waited much longer, his stomach would curl up in a ball for good. Trouble was, most of what Perry sold in his store needed to be stirred in with other items in order to be edible, and other than roasting a rabbit over a fire, Nate wasn’t much of a cook. Thankfully, he found some dried meat behind the counter.

  Trying to ready himself for another long, sleepless night, Nate hunkered down on the floor with his back resting against the counter and began gnawing at the meat. Looking around the room, he saw signs of the Weavers everywhere, mostly of their faith in God.

  As he stared at the large wooden cross above the door, he remembered his conversation with Rebekah at their last picnic. She’d been through so much, yet she trusted Him to love and take care of her. The faces of his dad and brother wavered in his memory. Until their deaths, Nate had trusted God too. Or at least thought he had. If a hardship could make him turn his back on God, did he ever really have faith in Him? In his mind’s eye he could see his mother, hear the lilt in her voice as she told him the story of Job. Even as a boy, he couldn’t grasp Job’s blind trust in God.

  Thinking back on all that had happened since he arrived in town, Nate could feel his heart soften. Even with the burn marks on her beautiful face, Rebekah trusted God. And in his own case, the Lord had shown Himself faithful over and over, from saving his life to leading him in the direction he should go. One of the best gifts God had given him was friendship with the Weaver family, Rebekah in particular. Her example of trusting without understanding amazed him.

  Running all the thoughts through his mind again, he could no longer hold his head up. Broken and remorseful, he moved to his knees and closed his eyes.

  Heavenly Father, I beg You to forgive me for being angry with You. And not just that, but I pray You’ll forgive me for all my many sins. I’m undeserving of Your love, yet I know that even now, after I’ve turned my back on You, You continue to give Your love freely. When I had given up on You, You never once gave up on me. You’ve waited patiently for me to return and made certain I met those who would lead me back to You. Dear Lord, I can’t promise that I will never get angry again, but I can promise You this. Though I won’t always understand Your ways or like what You do, I will never again turn my back on You. I will remain Your faithful servant.

  Spent, Nate rolled back and rested his back against the counter once more, then wiped the moisture from beneath his eyes. Though exhausted, he felt peace again for the first time in years.

  Chapter Thirty-two

  Rebekah paced from one end of the house to the other, stopping only to peer out the window for a minute before moving across the room again. She knew Mama watched, but Rebekah wasn’t in the mood to talk, at least not until she knew if Nate was safe. Andrew looked up from time to time from his playing. He never commented, though his grim expression let her know of his growing concern.

  She paused at the wall. When Daddy heard about the shooting, he insisted they all return to the house and lock themselves inside. Except that once they were home, Daddy ordered them to lock the door behind him because he wanted to try to find Nate and make sure he wasn’t hurt. She felt relief that Daddy went to find Nate, but now she had to worry about two men she loved.

  At her last thought, her breath left her in a gush, and she marched across the floor. Yes, it was true, and she’d no longer fight her feelings. She loved Nate, and though she’d never have him to herself, she prayed that he’d live a long and happy life. Long enough to be a husband and father.

  Stopping in front of the window again, she dropped onto a chair, propped her elbows on the sill, and rested her chin on her hands. After the way the morning went, with everyone at the meeting coming to like Nate, why would anyone shoot at him? Surely the shooter wasn’t at the meeting and hadn’t heard the news that Nate was a good man.

  Rebekah sat up straight as she remembered this wasn’t the first time someone had tried to kill him. Was it the same man? She closed her eyes.

  Lord, please protect Daddy and Nate.

  The quick prayer was the best she could muster without bringing herself to tears. Hands suddenly gripped her shoulders. She looked up and found Mama standing over her.

  “Come help me finish the meal. It’ll give you something to do with your hands. Sometimes keeping busy helps me get through a rough patch.”

  Rebekah nodded and followed her mother to the kitchen—the room farthest from the front window.
The distraction would either help her or tear her in half. By the time they’d finished preparing the meal, night had fallen, and Daddy still hadn’t returned.

  “Let’s go ahead and eat so Andrew can get to bed. I’ll keep a plate warm for your daddy.”

  The words were no sooner out of her mouth than someone knocked at the door. They all exchanged a look, yet no one moved.

  Another round of pounding rattled the door latch. “It’s me, Kate. Let me in.”

  Smiling, Mama dashed toward the door and swung it open wide. Without a word, she rushed into his arms. Daddy held her close, landing kisses on her forehead. Moments later, he held her at arm’s length.

  “I found Nate. He’s fine. Thomas is watching the livery, and Nate insisted on staying in the store to make sure nothing happened to it.” He hugged Mama again, his voice husky. “God blessed us with good friends.”

  Andrew pushed between them and peered up at Daddy. “Why wouldn’t Nate be fine?”

  Rebekah’s heart went out to her father for having to explain his words. Then it went out to Andrew, because they’d kept him in the dark about all that had been going on. She wondered just how much her father would tell.

  Daddy crouched down, put one hand on Andrew’s shoulder, and looked him in the eyes. “We don’t know why, Andrew, but someone tried to shoot Nate. They missed, thank the good Lord, but no one had seen him since then. I found him, and he’s not hurt.”

  Tears shone in Andrew’s eyes. Rebekah could tell he was trying to be a big boy and not cry. He heaved several deep breaths, his bottom lip trembling for a time, then wiped his sleeves across his eyes. He clasped his hands together under his chin and clamped his eyes closed.

  “Thank You, God, for saving Nate,” Andrew said in a small voice. Opening his eyes, he leaned against Daddy and wrapped his arms around his neck.

  Daddy held him a full minute before patting Andrew’s back, then held him away enough to see his face. “Better?”

  Andrew nodded, his eyes rimmed in red. Daddy stood but lifted Andrew’s face to his with fingers under his chin.

  “Keep praying, little man.”

  Solemn-faced, Andrew nodded again, and Daddy put his arm around Mama. “How about we eat and call it a day. I’m tired and hungry both. I’d eat in my sleep if I could.”

  His words lightened the mood as all moved to the table. With very little said, the meal didn’t last long. Once Andrew was in bed, Rebekah sent Mama off with Daddy, offering to clean up the kitchen by herself. In the silence, she shed her own tears and said her own much longer prayer, then fell asleep moments after her head hit the pillow.

  Hearing heavy footsteps pounding back and forth through the house, Rebekah opened her eyes and realized she’d overslept. When she heard the door slam, she threw back the covers, grabbed her robe, and put it on as she headed toward the kitchen. Mama stood at the window wringing her hands as she stared outside.

  Dread started in Rebekah’s roaring ears and moved down her spine. Knowing something was wrong, she moved to Mama’s side and put her arm around her waist.

  “What happened?” The question came out in a whisper, as though anything louder might make Mama crumble.

  Sniffling, Mama pulled a handkerchief from her apron and wiped her nose. “We can’t find Andrew. Your father’s going out to see if he’s in the barn.”

  Rebekah’s heart stopped beating, then slammed to a start. Trying to fight the terror filling her, she tried to reason with herself. Andrew always went outside to play while he waited for breakfast to be ready. Surely today was no different.

  Mama wiped her nose again. “Daddy should have told Andrew not to leave the house.”

  She gave Mama a squeeze. “We were all so tired last night. None of us were thinking clear enough. And Andrew knows nothing about all the trouble in town, not to mention the note we received.”

  “I know.”

  But Rebekah could tell her words didn’t make her mother feel any better than they did her. Daddy appeared from the barn door with Nate’s horse but without Andrew. The way he strode toward them, head swiveling every direction, let them know Andrew hadn’t been found. Mama started crying in earnest while Rebekah ran to the door. Daddy met her gaze and grasped her hand while giving a slight shake of his head on his way to comfort Mama.

  He pulled her into his arms. “I’m going into town to see if he’s there. I can’t believe he’d leave without telling us, but after the way he reacted to Nate getting shot at, I think he might have decided to run to the store to check on Nate for himself.”

  Mama’s eyes grew wide as she examined Daddy’s face. “You really think so?”

  “It’s the only thing that makes sense.”

  Rebekah raced toward her room. “Wait for me, Daddy. I want to go with you.”

  “Now, Rebekah, you should stay with your mother.”

  She slid to a stop, heart dropping.

  Mama put her arm on Daddy’s. “Let her go, Perry. She doesn’t need to be here to watch me fret. I’ll be fine.”

  He looked at Rebekah. “All right, but you’d better hurry. I won’t wait but a minute or two.”

  Dressing faster than ever before, Rebekah followed her father from the house and waited as he retrieved Nate’s horse, hoping she’d put herself together well enough to keep from being embarrassed. She patted her hair to make sure some of the tresses weren’t sticking straight in the air.

  As they headed toward town, Rebekah nearly ran to catch up to her father’s long strides. She needed to talk. Much as she hated asking the question, she wanted to know her father’s plans. She veered away from Nate’s horse and made it to Daddy’s side. “What are you going to do if Andrew’s not at the store?”

  When she saw the alarm on her father’s face, she wished she’d kept her mouth shut.

  Without slowing his steps, he took a few moments to answer. “I don’t know yet, sweetheart.”

  That answer was not what she wanted to hear. “Then we’ll go to the sheriff, right?”

  “I doubt it.”

  Shocked, she grasped his arm. “Daddy?”

  He never slowed.

  “Why not?” she ventured.

  Something like a growl came from his throat. “That man doesn’t know how to work. Better to do it ourselves than go to the sheriff.”

  The fear she’d been fighting so hard began to win. She’d never heard her father talk about Sheriff Caldwell that way before. If they couldn’t go to a lawman, how would they find Andrew? Out of breath from how fast Daddy was walking, she couldn’t question him any further. She’d wait until they got to the store and catch her breath.

  Giving another growl, Daddy stopped and climbed onto the saddle, then reached one arm down. “I know you don’t like riding this way, honey, but we’ve got to move faster. Give me your hand and I’ll pull you up behind me. Then just hang on tight.”

  What she liked and didn’t like no longer mattered. They had to find Andrew. Obeying her father, she gave a little screech as he yanked her behind him. He placed her arms around his waist and patted her hands.

  “Hold on.”

  He nudged the horse’s ribs with his heels, and they were off at a gallop.

  Minutes later, Daddy unlocked the door of the store and pushed it open, only to look down the barrel of Nate’s pistol.

  Hearing the doorknob rattle, Nate leapt to his feet with pistol in hand, his heart hammering. Much to his regret, he’d fallen asleep, and now someone was trying to break into the store. Ready to pull the trigger, Nate lifted the gun away once he saw Perry and sagged with relief. In his sleep-fogged stupor, he’d nearly shot his friend.

  “Good grief, Perry. Warn a man before you come barging in.” But the look on Perry’s face woke Nate up in a hurry, especially when Rebekah entered the store with the same expression. “What’s wrong?”

  Perry scanned the store. “Andrew’s not here?”

  Nate frowned. Why would Andrew be here? “No. Why?”

  “He�
�s gone.”

  As Perry said those words, he raced toward the livery. Exchanging a glance with Rebekah, Nate followed, dread filling his chest. He and Rebekah waited while Perry unlocked the livery door; then they all rushed inside.

  “Thomas?” Perry hollered while he ran to the center of the building.

  They all looked around and called for Thomas again, receiving no answer.

  Nate climbed the ladder to the loft. “He’s not up here either.” Back on the ground again, Nate stood in front of the two Weavers. “What happened?”

  Shoulders sagging, Perry dropped onto a nearby bench. “When we woke up, Andrew was gone. We can’t find him anywhere.”

  Heart racing, Nate knew going to the sheriff was useless. He’d have to take matters into his own hands. “Saddle up. We’ll get the rest of the town looking.”

  He strode toward the big doors and shoved them open. As they swung wide, the gust they created caused something to flutter. Nate leaned down for a closer look. Nestled in the dirt lay a piece of paper. Perry had received another note, and in his heart, Nate knew this one would be worse than the last.

  Chapter Thirty-three

  Nate grabbed the paper from the ground and turned to Perry, who sped across the livery and snatched it from his hand. He stood back while Perry unfolded the paper and read the note. A dazed look crossed his face as the paper dropped back to the dirt.

  Glancing at Rebekah, Nate scooped it from the ground. Rebekah moved to his side and together they read the words.

  We’ve got your son. You’ll pay for trying to turn the town against us. If you want your son back unhurt, you’ll come up with three hundred dollars. Once you have the money, paint a long white line on the doors of your livery and you’ll soon receive a note of where you can leave the money and where you’ll find your son. Do it by the end of the day if you want him back alive.