Sarah's Journey (Valentine Mail Order Bride 4)

by Christina Ward

  Wade rushed back to the station. He ran past the three young men straight up the stairs and bolted into the sheriff’s office.

  “They were here…” He barely caught his breath. “They must be making a move to bust him out soon.”

  The Sheriff stood up and turned to John, another lawman working with them.

  “Get the word around town.” Although superficially the Sheriff remained calm, Wade could sense the mix of his fear and anger at the bandits’ gall. “Warn those on the outskirts to come into town. We might all might need to take in guests. This is not a small group, nor one that would stop and think twice before harming women or children.”

  John nodded and walked out right away.

  “Now with that out of the way, tell me what happened.” The Sheriff pointed to the chair in front of his desk.

  * * *

  When Anita asked if she would want to come with her to the market, Sarah didn’t hesitate. She loved spending time with her friend and learning new things. Things a housewife should know. Her knowledge was still lacking in so many areas. But Sarah didn’t want to impose herself on Anita, so she’d often wait for the busy Sheriff’s wife to reach out to her first.

  After the wedding Sarah finally moved in with Wade into the new house at the edge of town. Their house, fairly new and mostly unfurnished, needed work and decorating. With money tight, she hadn’t had much to spend on frills, but instead mostly focused on practical items and necessities like a bed to sleep in, a table with a few chairs to dine at and tools for the kitchen so she could work on her cooking skills.

  “The market is always so busy, no matter what time of the day you come.” Anita looked around at the crowds meandering between the stalls.

  “I’m sure we can still find what we need,” Sarah replied.

  “Where should we go first, then?”

  “How about that one?” Sarah pointed to a big stall overflowing with fruit and vegetables.

  “Oh, that stall belongs to the Pines. Come on, you’ve got to meet them.”

  Anita used these little trips to introduce Sarah to the other townsfolk. They approached the stall. The owner, presumably Mrs. Pines, was busy setting out the apples. The woman was past her youth but she still had a glow of the beauty she once had.

  “Hello, Mrs. Pines,” Anita said.

  “Anita! Wonderful to see you. Is this the lovely Mrs. Oakheart we’ve all been hearing about?”

  Sarah blushed. She wasn’t used to other people talking about her. As a governess her job was to be almost invisible. I guess I’ll have to get used to this small town culture, especially being the Deputy’s wife.

  “Yes, I guess I am.” She smiled at Mrs. Pines. “Sarah Jo… Oakheart.”

  The two other women laughed and she felt her ears burn.

  “Don’t worry Sarah. We all did that at first. It can take a bit of getting used to,” Anita comforted her, then turned back to the apple crate. “Are these sweet?”

  “Oh, yes. Very sweet.” The older woman picked up an apple, pulled out a small knife from her pocket and cut two slices. “Here, try it for yourselves.”

  She wasn’t exaggerating Sarah thought as she chewed. Almost immediately she was handed another slice accompanied by a large helping of local gossip. Mrs. Pines sure liked to talk.

  While Sarah laughed at the jokes her mind drifted elsewhere after a short while. They still had plenty of shopping to do and at this rate she would barely have time to get home and prepare dinner.

  Just as Sarah was about to move on a teenage boy came running with a piece of paper in his hand. He climbed atop an empty crate he grabbed from a scowling merchant and started waving his arms.

  “Urgent message from the Sheriff! Urgent message!”

  A moment later he had the attention of the people nearby. All the eyes turned towards the boy as he relayed the message.

  They were ordered to stay indoors whenever possible. Those living at the outskirts of town were urged to stay with friends and family in the center of town. Especially the families of those men busy guarding the town as the posse was to be remobilized.

  “You should come stay with me.” Anita held her basket tightly, a bit shaken by the announcement.

  “Are you sure? I wouldn’t want to impose…”

  “Absolutely.” Anita already pulled her away from the marketplace. “It’s as much for your sake as mine. I might live in town, but my house is just as empty as yours.”

  “I still need to get a few things if I’m to stay at your place tonight. It won’t be long.”

  “Do you want me to walk with you?”

  “No, you get home. I’ll be quick.”

  “Are you sure?” Anita was hesitant to leave her behind.

  “Yes, I’ll be quick. Wade showed me a shortcut the other day.”

  “Alright. You be careful, okay?” Anita gave her a tight hug before walking away in the other direction.

  * * *

  Beads of sweat started to form on her forehead has she hurried home over the grass fields. The shortcut took her across an empty, grassy lot and then through a private orchard. Finally she stepped out onto the road leading to her house.

  She was about to push open the heavy wooden gate to their property when a small boy ran up to her. Aged around ten, he wore a loose pair of pants and a white shirt with brown suspenders.

  “Hello, Miss.” He looked up to her with sad eyes.

  “Why, hello there.” Sarah stopped and ruffled the boy’s hair. “What’s your name little man?”

  “Anton… Can you help me, Miss?” The boy was teary eyed, looking fearful and confused.

  “What’s wrong? Are you lost?” She looked around, but they were the only ones there.

  “No…” Anton looked down at his shoes. “But I can’t get back into the house.”

  Sarah frowned. “What happened?”

  “I was meant to wait for Ma at home, but…” He looked up at her and then lowered his gaze again. “I… I went to play outside, and now the door’s shut… and I’m afraid to be alone – Peter said it’s dangerous out now.”

  “Maybe I should take you to your mom then?” Sarah looked towards the town.

  “No!” Anton stared right at her with wide eyes and a horrified expression. “Mom would be furious if she found out! And then dad would punish me. Please don’t make him punish me…”

  He sniffled and started tearing up.

  Sarah knelt down on one knee and pulled up his chin with her hand.

  “Don’t you worry, Anton, I’m sure we can figure it out. No one’s going to punish you.”

  He looked back at her with hope and sniffled again. “There’s a spare key, but I can’t reach it. If you can just open the door for me, Miss, and then close it, that would mean the world to me!”

  Sarah wiped a tear off his cheek and gave the boy a gentle smile. She stood up and extended her hand to him.

  “Sounds like a plan. Which one is your house?”

  The boy took hold of her hand and pulled her away from the gate. He pointed to a house over the hill with just the rooftop visible, quite a bit further up the road and away from town. For a moment she hesitated, give the danger, maybe she should just take him into town? Then again, she didn’t know where his mother was. If I came home and found an empty house and my child missing I’d probably lose my mind. She could always stay with Anton till his parents returned.

  He tugged at her arm and gripped her hand tight urging her to walk faster.

  It was quite a trek up the dirt road but after a while they finally reached their destination. The boy pushed a creaky old gate open and Sarah followed him onto the courtyard outside a rundown wooden cottage. The front door was cracked open. Anton grasped her hand tighter.

  “Oh, no. Ma must be back. Please, you have to come with me…”

  Before she had a chance to think about what she could say he dragged her inside. She didn’t want to get the boy in trouble. But Sarah didn’t want to lie either.
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  To her surprise the inside seemed just as rundown. Dust on the floor and a shabby looking cabinet standing in the hallway. Sarah frowned, but Anton already pulled her deeper into the house, towards what she expected to be the living room.

  Sarah turned her head left and right as her feet carried her forward – dust and cobwebs everywhere. A few lonely footprints on the steps upstairs caught her attention. Something isn’t right here.

  The living room was empty too. Anton let go of her hand.

  “Good work, Sam.” Came a voice behind Sarah.

  Instinctively she grabbed the boy and protectively pulled him towards her as she turned around. A man stepped out from the shadow. He must have been hiding behind the door.

  A smirk greeted her from under his oversized hat and his leather jacket creaked as he stepped closer. Sarah counted more than one gun on him. Her heart hoped this was the boy’s father, but logic suggested otherwise. Did he just call the boy Sam?

  “Who are you?” she asked despite deep down already knowing the answer.

  “You need not know.” The man gave her a wicked smile. Anton… Sam grinned at her too.

  Sarah heard more footsteps in the hallway and another two men appeared in the doorway. Bandits, they were all bandits.

  * * *

  Wade had been feeling guilty since his earlier discovery. He promised Sarah he would be early for diner, but with the town in danger he was stuck guarding Samuel. John had relieved him of his duty only a few minutes earlier so he could grab a meal and catch up on the news, but as the Sheriff’s most trusted man he would likely have to stay the night at the prison.

  At least Sarah got the news and would be safe. From the Sheriff Wade knew that Sarah would be staying with Anita. He sighed. He almost wished she stayed at the sheriff’s office with him, but he knew at the end of the day that would have been a more dangerous option.

  “I don’t think they’ll try anything today,” Howard said. “We’ve tripled our guard. Surely they’re not stupid or suicidal.”

  “That’s true, but they are bandits. Laws don’t apply to them. So who knows what they might actually try,” Wade replied.

  The Sheriff shook his head. “This particular group is known for their savagery. They will stop at nothing to get their leader back. On the plus side reinforcements should arrive in a day or two and they’ll take Samuel off our hands.”

  “Sheriff Bradshaw!” James, a local farmer run into the office, panting and with a pale face.

  “What is it, James?” The Sheriff frowned. Wade sensed trouble coming.

  “The bandits have been spotted-”

  “Where?”

  “…and they have a hostage,” James finished his original sentence.

  “What?” All the men shouted at once.

  James took a deep breath. “They’re on the hill now. David’s boy saw them drag a woman out of the abandoned Bigsby house.”

  A woman? Wade clenched his fists. Typical, praying on the weak. There’s no honor among those bandits. And to do it in broad daylight? They sure are bold.

  “It’s bad news, but shows they are desperate.” The usually chirpy Sheriff suddenly grew serious. “We need to hold them out. Keep them guessing till the reinforcements arrive and we can overrun them. They’ll probably try to trade the hostage for Samuel. No negotiation. Understood?”

  “Who’s the woman?” Howard must have been worried about his sisters who didn’t love too far from the abandoned house.

  Wade was glad he had the message from Anita earlier saying that Sarah would be staying with her. He would have been worried sick about his wife all alone in their house.

  “Hmmm, the boy didn’t say. Someone new in town possibly.” As James said it Wade’s heart skipped a beat. “Dark brown hair, pale skin and a brown hat – small round one not like what Mrs. Howitt wears to church on Sunday,” James relayed the details.

  Wade felt blood drain from his face. No. This couldn’t be. His wife was safe at the Sheriff’s house with Anita. Impossible.

  He took a deep breath. He’d have to send someone to check with Anita immediately.

  Chapter 7

  In her wildest dreams Sarah never imagined she’d be part of something so crazy. When she read about heroines being kidnapped in her books it was exciting. Somehow this wasn’t how she felt when it happened to her.

  The men hadn’t hurt her… yet. But their angry faces and mean attitude did not bode well for her. Sarah shifted on the large rock she sat on. They had tied her up and left her underneath a huge tree a bit away from the group, but close enough to keep an eye on her. She figured they didn’t want her to overhear what they talked about.

  She counted over ten big and tall, dangerous looking men. Some reeked of alcohol and tobacco, and they all had guns on them. Amidst them lay the boy who led her into the trap. She quickly realized his tears were all an act, and Sam seemed quite at home amongst the bandits.

  “Here, drink this.” One of the men walked up to her with a metal cup full of water,

  “Please…” Sarah tried to appeal to him. “You don’t have to do this.”

  “Shut up and drink.”

  “Sir, please have a heart and let me go.” Sarah wasn’t going to give up. Surely there was some goodness left in their hearts.

  “We’ve told you before – be quiet, don’t do anything stupid and you will not be harmed.” The man smirked. “For now… You should pray they answer to our ransom note, otherwise things might get ugly.”

  She barely held back the tears. Did Wade know she was gone? Was someone looking for her? The graveness of her situation really hit her hard. This was no book, no romantic story with a happy ending. She grasped at the only true source of strength and goodness she knew.

  “If you could just look into your heart and seek God’s guidance, you will find it in you, kindness and mercy.”

  The man paused to look at her before looking back at his men. His shoulders started to shake, followed by a roaring laughter.

  “Listen to this boys, this lady think there’s kindness and mercy in all of us.”

  The others stared at her for a moment and then burst out laughing.

  “God?” He laughed again and grabbed the cup from her hand and poured the water out onto the ground right in front of her. “This ain’t no bible study group. Right boys?”

  “No.” Most of the bandits answered in unison.

  She opened her mouth to plead her case again, but the man cocked his rifle as a final warning. Sarah’s hope vanished. There was no talking to these outlaws. All she could do was pray. She cast her eyes down and bit her lip. She had to trust the Lord would get her through this.

  * * *

  His wife had been in the outlaws’ hands for hours, when they confirmed it was her. Lord only knows what they’ve done to her in the meantime. When he found out Wade was ready to rush at the outlaws right then and there, but the Sheriff wanted to wait. They had a heated discussion about it, but in the end Wade had to concede to his superior or be excluded from further action.

  Throughout the day all he could do was pray that she was safe. Oh, Sarah… I’m so sorry I couldn’t keep my word. Wade balled his fists, determined to enact his own plan as soon as night came. He couldn’t wait for reinforcements to come, he needed to save his wife. So unbeknownst to the Sheriff he’d swapped the night shift with John and had kept watch over Samuel for the past hour.

  Wade still couldn’t believe the Sheriff had ignored the ransom note they had received. Easy for him to say, we should stick to his original plan and just wait the bandits out. It wasn’t his wife’s life on the line. Wade took a deep breath to calm himself down and chase away the bad thoughts lingering in his mind.

  He got up from the chair and walked back to his office. He glanced out all the windows to make sure none of the men patrolling the area were near. Finally he went back to Samuel’s cell bringing back a shotgun and two cloaks with him.

  “You’re getting out tonight.” Wade�
��s voice was low, almost a whisper.

  “Am I?” Samuel smiled and raised one brow.

  “Get up before I change my mind.” Wade pulled out his pistol, opened the cell door and while holding Samuel at gunpoint threw a pair of handcuffs down in front of the man. “Put these on.”

  Samuel bent down slowly and did as he was told.

  “Where do you plan on taking me, Deputy?”

  “Keep your voice down,” Wade hissed.

  He took Samuel’s hat and formed a human shape out of the pillow and blanket inside the cell. It wouldn’t fool anyone in daylight, but might buy him a few precious minutes if someone stumbled into the Sheriff’s office before dawn.

  Once done Wade draped the cloak over Samuel’s shoulders.

  “Oh, Deputy, I didn’t know you cared so much…” The bandit leader seemed amused by the situation.

  “What did I tell you?” Wade gave the man a vicious look and pushed the shotgun into Samuel’s hand.

  The bandit looked at him wide eyed.

  “Don’t get too excited, it’s not loaded. Just sling it over your shoulder.”

  The whole plan hinged on everyone expecting bandits to try and break into town not Samuel walking out under the gaze of one of the patrolling men. As a final precaution Wade tied his left hand to Samuel’s right with a rope.

  After locking the office behind him Wade pulled Samuel close and took a deep breath of the cool night air. He covered his head with the hood and urged the bandit to do the same.

  You can do this. You have to do this. You have to save Sarah.

  Chapter 8

  Sarah didn’t sleep all night. How could she with those men right by her? She looked up at the sky searching for the first streaks of orange and gold. Despite the boy bringing her a blanket her teeth still chattered and she could barely feel her fingers and toes. She hadn’t realized how cold the nights could be at Ragged Pass.