Beneath the Tombstone (The Tombstone Series)

by Martin Cogburn

  “Oh, that won’t be necessary,” Jenny chirped. “I have her number. My memory’s actually not that great,” she added. “I remember her name because she dropped by a few days ago and invited me to church.”

  Jason laughed. “Why am I not surprised?” he asked. That sounded like good ole’ Susan – though this was the first time that he was actually glad she invited someone to church.

  “I’ll call her and see if we can arrange a little visit,” Jenny spoke with a confident nod then paused, seeming to contemplate something. “I do believe I’ll take her up on the offer to go to church.”

  “Nothing would make her happier,” Jason said with a smile. As she turned to leave, he stopped her with one last question. “Anything on the prints yet?”

  “Nope,” she replied. “No match yet.”

  “No match?” Jason asked confused. “What do you mean?” No match – that meant… “You found some prints on Misty’s necklace?” he asked excitedly.

  “Oh,” Jenny said like she wanted to slap herself. “Everything that happened yesterday and I thought you’d already left but yes, yes we got some prints off of your wife’s necklace!”

  Jason wanted to give a victorious yell… but Big Jack didn’t like yelling. Jason was on the giant’s good side and wanted to keep it that way, so he just clenched his fist and gave it a triumphant shake. “Please, come let me know when you get a match,” he requested.

  “I will,” Jenny promised. With that, the sound of her retreating footsteps began echoing down the hall. Jason lay back down on his foam mattress and tossed and turned as the time passed by at a painfully slow pace.

  The sounds of jail house activity began to float down the hall. Soon breakfast was served. Jason sat up and received the trays through the small open slot below the window. One tray had just plain-ole’ bacon and eggs on it, but the other was laden down with all different sorts of delicacies. From pancakes to biscuits and gravy – it was all there.

  Big Jack got up, quietly took the simpler tray and was about to eat when Jason pointed at the other tray. “Why does this one have more food on it?” he asked.

  “The cook does that for all the new prisoners,” Big Jack answered. “Sort of welcome present.”

  Jason looked down at the food. It looked delicious, but something in the big man’s words had turned his stomach upside down. “I can’t eat it,” Jason said flatly.

  “Why’s that?” Big Jack asked like he really didn’t care.

  “Because I don’t want to be welcomed,” Jason stressed. “Eating my welcome present would be accepting that I belong here.”

  “May as well accept it,” came the gloomy reply. “I have.” Apparently, Big Jack was not a morning person.

  “I will not accept defeat,” Jason explained in no uncertain terms.

  “So you’re not going to eat your welcome breakfast?” Big Jack asked, the first signs of hope seeping into his voice.

  “I will not,” Jason responded, his voice filled with determination.

  There was a brief pause as Big Jack studied Jason’s plate of food. “Can I have it?” he asked in anticipation.

  “Sure,” Jason answered, handing him the tray.

  “Want mine?” Big Jack offered. “It’s not a welcome meal… just food.”

  Jason paused for a moment’s contemplation before giving his head a nod. “Yeah, I guess so,” he said. No harm in that… just as long as it wasn’t welcome food.

  A happy Big Jack switched the plates and dug in. Jason sat down on his mattress with his bacon and eggs. Big Jack gobbled down his huge meal before Jason was halfway through with his little one. Giving a contented sigh, the giant arose, rubbed his full belly and returned to bed.

  About the time that Jason was finishing his food, he heard footsteps approaching once again. Excitedly, he crawled to his feet and looked out the cell window. It was Susan and Jenny.

  “Jason,” Susan exclaimed when she saw him, like she had been told he was locked up but seeing it was still a shock.

  “Hey Susan,” Jason greeted. “They say the search is over for Misty’s kidnappers,” he said in a matter-of-fact way. “The sheriff seems to think so, anyways.”

  “Yeah, Jenny told me,” Susan replied in a perplexed voice. “Does the sheriff really think you kidnaped my sister?”

  “If he doesn’t, he’s sure gone to great lengths to convince me otherwise,” Jason scoffed. “They even had one of the real kidnappers locked up. I picked him out of a line up, and the sheriff claimed he had an air tight alibi. Turned him lose.”

  Jenny bobbed her head back a little as she asked, “The ugly one?”

  “Yeah,” Jason replied. “Why?”

  “Victor didn’t turn him lose,” Jenny explained. “He turned him over.”

  “Over?” Jason asked.

  “Yes, to the FBI,” Jenny explained. “A big kidnapping case like this, they’re taking lead. All the stuff we get, we turn over to them – sharing information.” She studied Jason. “Supposed to be, anyways. I doubt they know about the sheriff’s glitch with you, though.”

  “He can’t keep it under wraps forever,” Jason said with a satisfied smile. “As soon as the story of what he has done gets out, so will I.”

  Jenny smiled, acknowledging that would probably be the case before she spoke. “Look, I’m running those prints as we speak, so I’m going to leave y’all alone.” She paused for a moment then directed her attention to Susan. “If you see Sheriff Victor coming, act like you talking to one of the other prisoners. He seems to be a little extra touchy about Jason.” She looked at the window several cells down and lowered her voice as she added, “Just don’t act like you’re talking to Jim over there. If you say a word to him, he’ll likely propose.”

  As Jenny walked away Susan smiled half-heartedly, like she wasn’t sure if the sketch artist had been serious. She turned to Jason with a questioning look in her eye.

  “She means it,” Jason assured her. “He will. Proposed marriage to her first thing this morning.”

  “That doesn’t mean he’d ask me,” Susan argued defensively.

  “Why not?” Jason asked. “If a man’s been locked up for very long at all, he’ll…” That was going to come out sounding like an insult.

  “Jason Hathaway,” Susan lectured as she pointed her finger at him. “You were going to say that a man behind bars would settle for any woman – even me – weren’t you?”

  “I didn’t mean it like that,” Jason tried to explain, unsure as to whether she was really mad or not.

  Susan relaxed and gave Jason a weak smile, letting him know that she, at least, saw a little bit of humor in it.

  After a few moments of silence, he came to the point. “Look, I need you to do me a huge favor.” Susan didn’t seem to be all ears, but Jason began laying out his request anyways. “Can you go out to where I’ve been training and tell a man named Tyler that I’m in jail? Tell him that’s why I didn’t come back last night. Tell him I didn’t quit.”

  “Yeah, sure,” Susan said. “I can do that.” It was then that Jason noticed a deep worry in her eyes. “How you gonna get there?” he asked. “You’ve never been. You didn’t even seem surprised that I’m training to climb. Did you already know that?”

  “Um, yeah, I think so,” Susan replied, still distracted. “Heard it somewhere.” Apparently, there was only one way Susan was going to get past whatever was bothering her… talk about it.

  “What’s wrong?” Jason asked, hoping it wasn’t serious and the explanation wasn’t lengthy.

  “Nothing,” Susan sighed. That word coming from a woman’s mouth always made Jason flinch. In a woman’s world “nothing” seemed to be code for something that was about to drive them insane. Susan sighed again before she went on. “It’s just that something really weird happened last night. Well, not really weird but weird anyways, I don’t know. It was just weir… strange.” She sighed. “Um, Denton called me. Said I was going to be sorry for whatever he thinks I’ve
done to him.” She raked back the hair on one side of her head with her fingers as she stared blankly into Jason’s cell.

  “He’s said that at least a thousand times, right?” Jason asked, unsure as to why she was making such a big deal out of a common occurrence.

  “Right, right,” Susan agreed then paused for a second. “But this time was different,” she said, and her voice quivered. “There was something evil in his voice. It was like he had something; something I either wanted or needed… maybe both. I don’t know. Maybe I just read too much into it.”

  “Yeah, probably so,” Jason said, but now he was not totally convinced. She was clearly shaken, and it had him shaken… and he wasn’t even sure why.

  Susan sighed and rubbed her eyes. Jason had never seen her act like this before. She seemed to have something else she needed to tell him – something that she didn’t want to tell him. His anxiety grew until, finally, he could stand it no more. In a voice that reveled he wasn’t sure he wanted to know the answer, Jason asked, “What is it Susan? What’s really wrong?”

  A look of shame came over her. A tear trickled down her cheek. Finally, she began to talk. “There is, um…” she paused and wiped the tear away, trying to compose herself. “There’s something you should know about Denton,” she said in a shaky voice. She let out another sigh – wiped her eyes again… finally she just said it, “Since the time I met him, he’s had a thing for Misty.”

  “Who has?” Jason asked, perplexed. Surely there was a third person in her story she had forgotten to name.

  “Denton,” she said as hollowness filled her voice.

  Jason’s head began spinning. He felt his legs go weak. “You – you, you’ve always known?” he stammered, unsure of why she’d marry someone who was not totally devoted her.

  “Yes, I’ve always known,” Susan replied defensively. “I just thought that he would come around and see that I was his one and only.” She fought with a bitterness in her tone as she added, “But I was never his one… and I was never his only.” She clenched her fist and cried, “He made me want to hate my own sister!” She shook her head. “The hardest thing I’ve ever done, I do every morning when I get up and look at myself in the mirror and tell myself that God loves Denton, so I should too. Honestly, most days I’m doing good if I can just keep from hating him.”

  Now that she explained it, Jason finally understood why she’d married Denton. Hope. In spite of all of their arguments and fights, he and Misty loved one another. He couldn’t imagine being married to someone who didn’t return the love shown. Her words explained a lot, but just one question remained – why was she brining this up now?

  With as much kindness as he could muster, considering what had just been revealed, Jason asked, “Is there any particular reason you’re telling me this now?”

  Susan looked at him like he had just uttered some cruel joke. “Do I gotta spell it out for you?” she asked when she realized he was serious. “Denton has a thing for… yeah,” she cut off the end of her sentence, unable to say it again. “Misty is gone. The kidnapper has ordered you to do something that will likely get you killed… if you do it. If you don’t, you will look like a coward. I know Misty better, but his messed up head just might think that if you failed her or got killed, she would turn to another for comfort. If he managed to keep his identity as one of the kidnappers hidden, his plan would be to,” she paused and sighed. “His plan would be to be there for her.”

  Jason stood stunned for a moment as the total impact of her words hit him with full force. When they did, he slammed his palm into one of the bars. That made too much sense. If he ever got his hands… oh, how he would love to have Denton in the cell with him at this very moment!

  He looked Susan directly in the eye. “Did you promise him ‘until by death do we part?” he demanded. Susan, wide eyed, nodded. He gave the bars a shake as he pushed away from them. “Whenever I see him again, I will relieve you of that vow!” he yelled.

  “Who’s yelling?” Big Jack rolled over and bellowed from his bed.

  “I am!” Jason turned to him and yelled. “See!” He then let out a yell that would’ve likely sent any Indian Brave on the warpath diving for cover. “I will yell whenever and wherever I want to!” Jason yelled. “Now shut up!”

  Big Jack just lay there with a dumb-founded look on his face. Goodness, give a guy a mattress and blanket, let him sleep in your cell and what does he do? – Wakes you up yelling and looking for a fight. Big Jack just sighed and said, “Well, when you get finished, try to quiet down. I want to sleep some more.”

  Jason expected the big guy to roll over and go back to sleep but, instead, he just lay there on his side, watching.

  “What are you staring at?” Jason challenged.

  “If you’re gonna yell, I ain’t gonna be able to sleep, so I figured I might as well watch until it’s over,” Big Jack said then added with a sigh, “Kind’a entertaining.”

  Several awkwardly silent seconds passed by before Jason quietly said, “I’m done.” Big Jack didn’t say a word. He just rolled back over and returned to slumber.

  “Killing Denton has tempted me before,” Susan admitted, unfazed by Jason’s blow up. “But it’s not what God would want.”

  “Forget God!” Jason said angrily as he turned back to her. “What about what I want?”

  “Many times, what we want is not what we need,” Susan said. She had returned to her normal, Christian, calm and collected self. “God listens to our prayers and request but only gives us what we need.”

  “I need out’a here,” Jason angrily mocked her words. “Think you can set that up with God? Surly he can see my need!”

  Susan gave him a kind and understanding smile. “Most times God answers prayers and gives us what we need by the actions of other people.”

  “Then help me get out of here,” Jason said as he rubbed his hands up and down on the bars. “I’ve got to get out… or at least get word to Tyler that I’m locked up.”

  “Did you say he’s your climbing trainer?” Susan asked.

  “Yes,” Jason answered, relieved that she’d at least heard a part of his instructions earlier.

  “How do I get to his place?” she asked.

  Jason gave her directions to the ranch then said, “Tell him what happened. I got thrown in jail by the stupid sheriff. I didn’t qui...” Jason froze. “Shhh!” he ordered Susan as he reached through the bars as if to put his hand over her mouth. She jumped back with an astonished look on her face.

  “Jason, what?” she exclaimed. “I wasn’t even talking!”

  “Shhh!” Jason ordered again, more harshly than the first time.

  Did he just hear… Naw, couldn’t be. Why would he drive all the way from…

  “I’m here looking for a fella named Jason.” It was. He did! Tyler! He had driven all the way from the ranch and was looking for Jason! “Don’t know his last name,” Tyler continued explaining to whoever he was talking to, “but his wife was kidnapped a week or two ago. Know who I’m talking about?”

  “Um, yes,” Sheriff Victor’s voice answered. “Hathaway. I believe his last name is Hathaway.”

  “Yep, I think that’s him,” Jason heard Tyler go on. “He’s been helping me out at the ranch… livin’ there, you know. Said he’s coming back here yesterday. Somethin’ about some kind’a personal business.” Tyler heaved a sigh. “Was supposed to come back to the ranch last night. Never did. You seen ‘em?”

  “Um, nope, nope sure haven’t,” the sheriff replied quickly. “We’ll keep an eye out for him though. Let you know if he turns up.”

  “Alright then,” the tall cowboy responded in a frustrated sigh. “Thanks anyways.” With that, the clink of spurs on retreating boots could be heard as he began to leave.

  Jason turned to Susan. “Don’t let that man get away. The one with the spurs. Bring him here!”

  “Who, who is he?” she asked in bewilderment.

  “Just go get him, and I’ll explain l
ater,” Jason all but shouted.

  Susan turned and the sound of her fast, shorter-striding footsteps chased after the more distance consuming steps of Tyler. “Sir, sir,” Jason heard her call.

  Tyler’s spurs clanked as he came to halt and turned. “Yes ma’am,” Tyler responded politely.

  “A friend of mine says he needs to talk to you.” Jason could easily detect the uneasiness in his sister-in-law’s voice.

  “Well,” Tyler spoke slowly, “it would be my pleasure to help.” Wow. He sounded very willing.

  “I’m sorry, but you’ll both have to leave,” the sheriff’s steely voice entered into the conversation. “Visiting hours are over.”

  “But I saw a sigh that said…” Susan tried to argue.

  “Visiting hours are over!” the sheriff snapped.

  “Hey,” Tyler spoke in a voice that commanded respect, “careful how you talk to the lady.” There was a short silence then he said to Susan. “Sorry ma’am, but I guess we’ll have to come back some other time to talk to your friend.”

  “Do you live close by?” Susan asked, always concerned about others.

  “Close enough,” Tyler responded. Close enough? It was a lot further than “close enough” in Jason’s mind.

  “Oh, but I didn’t tell Jason I was leaving,” Susan spoke sadly.

  “Jason who?” the big cowboy questioned as his spurs clanked to a halt.

  “If y’all don’t clear out’a here, I’m going to arrest both of you!” Jason heard Sheriff Victor threaten.

  “We better go,” Susan said in a voice filled with concern.

  The sound of retreating footsteps and the clink of leaving spurs filled the hall. Jason hated to disturb Big Jack again but… “Hey Tyler,” he yelled loudly.

  The footsteps and clinking sound stopped. “What was that?” Tyler asked.

  “Just a prisoner,” Victor replied. Judging by his tone, he didn’t want any argument. “Hey! Quiet down in there!” the sheriff yelled angrily in Jason’s direction.

  “He called me by name,” Tyler said confidently.