New Beginnings Spring 20 Book Box Set

by Hope Sinclair

  “I mean your maiden name,” the doctor clarified coldly.

  “Mills. Rose Mills,” Rose said, unsure of why he’d ask such a question.

  “Well, Mrs. Rogers,” Dr. Spencer said, turning abruptly,

  “I’m sorry. But, we’re not looking to hire anyone right now. We don’t have any openings for nurses at this time.”

  The nurse who had greeted Rose twisted her head curiously and raised her eyebrows.

  “But—” Rose began.

  “Have a good day,” Dr. Spencer said, walking away.

  Rose looked at the nurse, and the nurse shrugged her shoulders and shook her head in confusion.

  “Thank you for your time,” Rose told her. Then, she bowed her head and left the medical center.

  Rose kept her head bowed as she made her way home. She was very upset and didn’t know what to make of what had just happened. But, one thing was certain. After what she’d just experienced, she desperately craved, and needed, the company of her husband. Only Gabe’s love could lift her up from how deeply she’d been let down.

  When Rose got home, she expected that Gabe would be out working with the animals. But, much to her surprise, she found him seated in the living room, with his head buried in his hands.

  “What’s wrong?” she asked in concern.

  Gabe looked up at her, then reached to his side and picked up a piece of paper.

  “This was delivered while you were gone,” he said, handing her the letter.

  Rose read the letter, and her heart ached.

  “The bank denied my loan application,” Gabe said sadly, confirming what Rose had just read.

  “Oh dear,” Rose sighed. “I’m so sorry.”

  “As am I,” Gabe said. “I don’t know what we’re going to do now. I so desperately needed that money for the ranch…” He shook of his moros mood and turned to Rose, “How did it go? When do you start working at the medical center—”

  “Actually,” Rose interrupted, “I won’t be working at the medical center.”

  Gabe cocked his head to the side, and Rose carefully considered how she should deliver her own thread of bad news.

  “When I went to the medical center,” she started. But, before she could say more, she was interrupted by a knock on the door.

  Gabe stood up and walked over to the door. He opened it. And, there before him stood the sheriff.

  “I need to talk to you,” the sheriff said, stepping into the house without invitation.

  “Okay,” Gabe hawed.

  “There have been serious accusations brought against you,” the sheriff said sternly. He glanced over at Rose, then looked to Gabe again. “Can we speak in private?”

  “I… I… I’ll go to the kitchen and start on dinner,” Rose stuttered.

  Both Gabe and the sheriff nodded at Rose, and Rose walked off.

  Once in the kitchen, however, Rose did not start making dinner. Instead, she stood by the wall with her ears poised to listen.

  “What’s going on?” she heard Gabe ask. “What’s the nature of these accusations?”

  The sheriff took a deep breath. “There was a rustling two days ago, which resulted in a shootout,” he explained. “And, Tommy Peters was killed during it.”

  “That’s horrible,” Gabe opined.

  “We have an eye witness who says he saw the whole thing,” the sheriff went on.

  “Good,” Gabe said, a bit prematurely.

  “Well,” the sheriff said slowly, “the eye witness said he saw a white man and four Indians involved in the rustling. He identified one of the Indians as Oak Tree, and identified the white man as… you.”

  “What?!?” Gabe exclaimed. “That’s preposterous! I wasn’t involved in any rustling, and I’m certain Oak Tree wasn’t either. Who is this eye witness?”

  “You know I can’t tell you that,” the sheriff replied. “But, what I can tell you is that they eyewitness is a very credible man, and his testimony could result in dire consequences for you.”

  “His testimony is hogwash!” Gabe asserted. “You know me, Paul. You know I’m not capable of such things. I, myself, was the victim of a rustling some time back, so why on earth would I go on to bring the same misfortune to another?”

  The sheriff took another deep breath. “Stop while you’re ahead, Gabe,” he said. “I know you endure a rustling. But, you’ve got to see how that rustling also gives you a motive. You suffered a loss because of it, and rumor has it you recently applied for a loan. A judge or jury could very well see this as your incentive and think that you attempted a rustling to get back what you lost.

  “And, when you consider that alongside your well-known affiliation with Oak Tree and the Kiowa Tribe, the evidence is pretty damning. You could very well be found guilty—and, if you are, you know what the punishment will be. Because Tommy Peters was killed in the rustling, the prosecution will want an eye for an eye and will seek to have you hanged.”

  Rose felt as though her heart stopped beating. The idea of Gabe dying—especially of him dying by being hanged for a crime she knew he did not commit—was the most disturbing, gruesome idea she’d ever considered.

  “So, that’s why I’m here today,” the sheriff went on. “I do know you, and this visit is out of respect for our friendship. I came here, unofficially, to give you fair warning, so that you can prepare to defend yourself against these accusations.”

  Now, it was Gabe who took a deep breath. “Thank you, Paul,” he said as calmly as possible under the circumstances.

  With that, the sheriff left the house, and, after shutting the door behind him, Gabe walked over to the couch and sat down. He was just about to bury his head in his hands again, when Rose walked back into the room.

  “I heard everything,” she said with tears in her eyes. “I can’t believe what’s going on. It’s… it’s… it’s horrible.”

  “Indeed, it is,” Gabe replied as tears pooled his eyes as well. “But, of course, you know I didn’t—”

  “Stop,” Rose said, cutting Gabe off as she walked toward him. “You needn’t say another word. I know you didn’t do what you’ve been accused of—and, I’m confident that anyone in their right mind would agree.”

  Rose sat down on the couch beside her husband. “We’ll get through this,” she said soothingly, leaning into him.

  Gabe wrapped his arms around Rose and embraced her tightly. Their blessed life together had been blighted, and, now, the only comfort they had was each other.

  TEN

  Rose sat alone at the breakfast table, praying. It was the next morning, and she and Gabe had stayed up until the wee hours of the morning coming up with their plan to deal with their new misfortunes, and, now, she was asking her Heavenly Father to watch over Gabe as he put that plan into action.

  After a great deal of thought and discussion, Gabe had decided that his best option for dealing with the false accusations was to seek the counsel of an old friend of his, George Wallace, who’d he known since boyhood. George was now a federal marshal, and Gabe was certain that he’d be able to help, or at least advise, him.

  So, a short while after breakfast, Gabe headed to town to meet with George. Though it wasn’t his primary objective, once things were through with George, he also intended to stop by the bank to inquire about why his loan was denied. It wasn’t that he was being greedy or more concerned with his business. He just figured he needed to square things away in that regard too, for once he was cleared of the false accusations, as he hoped he would be, his business would need to go on.

  But, his business wouldn’t go on today. Before leaving for town, Gabe declared the day a “day off” and sent his employees home (with pay). He figured he already had too much else on his plate, and he didn’t know what else the day would bring, so it was just easier for him to do things this way.

  It was the first time that Rose was entirely alone on the ranch. But, she cherished that alone time and used it wisely. Without the sounds of machinery and workmen, she
could commune better with her Maker and achieve a sense of calm she wouldn’t otherwise be able to achieve.

  After praying for a bit longer, Rose got up from the table and went off to do some chores. When she entered the dining room, she found Gabe’s portfolio sitting on his chair. Oh my, she thought to herself. Pity he forgot that! The portfolio contained his financial papers, which he surely needed for his meeting at the bank and may have needed for his meeting with George.

  Rose considered taking the portfolio to town, so that Gabe had it. But, in the end, she decided against it, as she didn’t want to interfere with his dealings.

  Rose went about her household chores for a bit. She was taking care of things in the kitchen, when, all of a sudden, she heard the front door open.

  “Oh, honey, I’m so glad you’re back,” she said, walking out of the kitchen. Since it was too soon for Gabe to be done with his meetings, she assumed he had returned to retrieve his portfolio, and she was on her way to get it from his chair.

  As soon as she stepped into the dining room, she got a reply, and it struck her hard.

  “I’m glad to be back, too,” a familiar male voice answered.

  Rose nearly fainted at the sound of the man’s voice, and she began trembling.

  “I’m back in your life now,” the man went on, stepping into view. “Aren’t you happy to see me, my angel?”

  “What… what… what are you doing here?” Rose stuttered. “How did you find me?”

  “I’m a police officer,” Andrew answered. “Part of my job is tracking down people… Once you ran away from Baltimore, it was only a matter of time before I found out where you went. Eventually, I asked the right people the right questions, and I learned all I needed to know.”

  “But, why are you here?” Rose pressed on despite her overwhelming fear.

  “I’ve come to get what’s mine,” Andrew answered, stepping closer. “You’re my angel, Rose.”

  “But, I’m married now,” Rose fired back. “I’m married, and my husband is just out back. In fact, he should be coming into the house any moment. He’s due for a—”

  Andrew laughed a loud, cackling laugh. Then, his face shifted into a sinister expression. “Don’t lie to me, woman,” he shouted. “I saw your husband leave the ranch earlier and head for town. No doubt he was going in there to try to clear his name or get his loan.”

  “You… you know about that?” Rose asked, astonished.

  “Know about it?” Andrew chuckled. His eyes sparkled as he stared at Rose wantonly.

  “Yeah, you could say I know about it,” he went on. “I orchestrated it all.”

  “What?” Rose asked, stepping back. She almost tripped on the chair beside her, but managed to steady herself before falling.

  “I arrived here in town about two weeks ago,” Andrew explained. “And, since that time, I’ve been laying low, spying on you and your husband, collecting information to use against you, and spoiling your names throughout town.

  “You mean—” Rose started. But, Andrew paid her words no mind.

  “I went to the medical center,” Andrew went on, uninterrupted. “And, I warned them that a woman named Rose Rogers, formerly Rose Mills, of Baltimore might try to get a job there. I told them you were a lunatic who claimed to be a nurse, despite lack of education and experience. Of course, they believed me, given my badge and other credentials.

  “The loan officer at the bank also believed me, when I told him that I was investigating your husband for fraudulent dealings. And, the sheriff believed me when I told him I’d seen your husband and his Indian friends attempt a rustling and kill a young ranch hand.”

  “How dare you!” Rose shouted, finding a new sense of resolve. “My husband could be hanged for the false accusations you brought against him—and the guilty party would get off scot free!”

  “Ha!” Andrew chortled. “I hope the guilty party does get off scot free… ‘cause I am the guilty party. You see, if I was going to blame your husband for a rustling, I needed there to be an actual rustling. So, I staged one. I hired a few rebel Indians, from a neighboring town, who don’t even speak English to do the rustling with me—and, I, myself, shot the ranch hand, just to make sure the crime I was gonna frame your husband for would be punishable by death.”

  Rose’s head was spinning. She’d never been so terrified—or shocked—in all of her life.

  “You killed an innocent man to frame Gabe?” she asked, holding back her tears.

  Andrew smiled and winked. “Sure did,” he boomed proudly.

  Rose didn’t know what to say or do. She was now more aware than ever that she was dealing with a truly insane person.

  “But, the body count can stop here,” Andrew added, licking his lips. “Your husband doesn’t have to die. I’m the only witness against him. If I disappear, I won’t be able to testify in court, and the prosecution will have to dismiss the case. His life will be spared… but only if you do what I want.”

  Rose mustered up the courage to speak. “And what is that?” she asked, though she already suspected the answer.

  “I want you to be mine, forever,” Andrew replied. “I want you to leave Gabe and run away from Belleville with me and become my bride.”

  Rose’s entire body shuddered. The thought of leaving Gabe broke her heart, and the thought of marrying Andrew made her sick to her stomach. But, at the same time, she realized that she was dealing with a relentless psychotic who’d chased her across the country and orchestrated a sinister plot to have at her. She knew, beyond a doubt, that he’d do whatever it took to possess her, at any cost. But, there was one cost she was not willing to pay. She did not want Gabe to die. She’d rather know that he lived on without her than have his life put in jeopardy so that they could remain together.

  “Alright,” Rose said, feeling her heart shatter. “I’ll do as you say, if you do as you promise.”

  “Good,” Andrew smiled. He stepped closer to Rose and reached out his hand. “Come now, let’s go,” he said.

  “Now?” Rose asked. “You want me to leave now?”

  “Of course,” Andrew answered. “Do you think I’m a fool? If I leave you here, you might try to do something stupid, like tell your husband or report me to the sheriff… In the end, I’m sure they’d believe me over the two of you, but I don’t need the added complication.”

  “Can’t I at least take my things?” Rose asked.

  “Just shut up, and come with me!” Andrew shouted. He reached out and forcibly grabbed Rose, then proceeded to drag her through the living room, out the door.

  No sooner than they were outside, a voice rang out from just beyond the porch.

  “Are you alright, Rose?” Oak Tree asked, staring into Andrew’s crazy eyes.

  “Mind your own business, red man,” Andrew scoffed. He loosened his hold on Rose and took a defensive stance.

  “This is my business,” Oak Tree replied, stepping forward slowly. “Gabe is my friend. When I saw him leave his ranch and wife unattended this morning, I decided to stand watch and make sure everything was okay. And, given the way you’re manhandling his wife, it doesn’t appear that things are.”

  “Everything is more than okay,” Andrew responded. “I am Rose’s true love, and she has decided to leave your friend to be with me.”

  Oak Tree looked at Rose and sensed her fear. He took another step forward.

  “Don’t get in our way, chief,” Andrew asserted. He let go of Rose completely and reached his hand to his side, where his pistol was holstered.

  “Very well,” Oak Tree said. He stopped moving and stood still. “I won’t get in your way… And, if the two of you are, indeed, meant to be together, I wish you good luck.”

  With those last two words, Oak Tree looked at Rose, then he lowered his eyes. It appeared that he’d lowered them in respect or, perhaps, in resignation, but, really, he’d lowered them to look at her feet.

  Just then, something “clicked” with Rose and registered in her mind. As
Andrew stood there smiling and heaving his muscles, she bent down and picked up the very large, heavy painted rock that Oak Tree had given her and Gabe on their wedding day, the one meant to ward off evil spirits and bring the couple good luck. She pulled together every bit of strength she had in her body and slammed the rock against Andrew’s skull.

  Andrew gasped and fell, face-forward, to the ground as blood gushed from the back of his head. In a flash, Oak Tree ran over and jumped on Andrew’s back and held him down as he pulled his arms behind his back. Andrew was already unconscious, but Oak Tree wasn’t going to take any chances.

  “Go get a rope!” Oak Tree instructed.

  Rose ran off to the shed and retrieved a rope, which she promptly gave to Oak Tree.

  “I knew your gift would come in useful,” Rose smiled as Oak Tree hogtied their deranged captive.

  Rose helped Oak Tree load Andrew’s limp body onto Gabe’s carriage, and the two of them transported him to sheriff’s station. When Rose explained the physical confrontation at the ranch, the sheriff locked Andrew in a cell, under the charge of attempted kidnapping. And, then, when Rose told him about what had happened back in Baltimore and the things Andrew confessed to having done in Belleville, the sheriff immediately sent one of his deputies to retrieve a federal marshal.

  The federal marshal that the deputy retrieved was George, and Gabe came to the sheriff’s station with him. After explaining everything to George, George had the information he needed to bring more severe charges against Andrew, and Rose was given the opportunity to speak with Gabe.

  Rose told Gabe everything and apologized for lying to him about the reasons for her premature arrival in Belleville. Gabe was very understanding and forgiving, and he was proud of Rose for how she’d handled the situation at the ranch.

  The couple was dismissed from the sheriff’s station a short while later, and they went home more in love than ever.

  Andrew was subsequently tried for his crimes. During the trial, he was submitted to a psychiatric evaluation, and it was determined that he had a rare, only recently-discovered condition known as “Possessive Personality Disorder.” Upon conviction, he was sentenced to life in a high-security sanitarium for the criminally insane, where he was kept heavily medicated.