Justin's Bride (38 page)

“A waste of time, if you ask me.”

Megan drew in a deep breath and reminded herself Colleen had made the first move toward a reconciliation. She had to be willing to take that same step herself. “It's not a waste of time. You should be pleased he takes his duties so seriously.”

“I think he takes this seriously because his mother was as much a prostitute as that dead girl. Good riddance. Have you thought of what he'll be doing while he's gone? Perhaps he'll need to question some of those
women
as part of his investigation.” She said the word as if it were dirty. “Don't forget, Justin admitted he knew that whore seven years ago. Knew her intimately. I would be quite concerned if I were you.” Colleen shook her head. “You're already having second thoughts, aren't you? You should have listened to me. I could have told you—”

“Stop it,” Megan ordered, her voice low and angry. “Stop it right now! I should have known better. But no, you've tricked me again.” She glared at Colleen. “Why am I so willing to believe the best of you when you forever show me how wrong I am?”

“I don't know what you're talking about. I'm simply pointing out the obvious. Your husband—”

“Is none of your concern,” Megan interrupted. She placed her hands flat on the counter between them and leaned forward. “I'm only going to say this one time. So listen to me very carefully. If I hear of you saying one bad thing about Justin or Bonnie, anything, even the fact that you don't like the dress she has on or how he combs his hair, I'll never speak to you again as long as I live. I'm tired of watching you bully people in this town, and I'm especially tired of watching you bully me.”

Colleen flinched, but Megan wasn't finished yet. “You constantly talk about your pious ways and your husband's position as minister, but you make a mockery of true Christian spirit and godliness.”

“Don't you dare speak to me that way.”

Megan leaned closer, until less than a foot separated them. “Don't
you
dare threaten me. I won't listen anymore. I'm not afraid of you or anyone. I don't care what you think. The only person whose opinion matters to me is Justin's.”

“You're at least one step up from a whore, Megan. I'm sure he thinks you're perfect.”

Megan narrowed her gaze. “You're pushing me too far, Colleen,” she said quietly. “I don't need your business here. You and Gene never pay your bill, anyway. But you'll have a lot of time to think about that when you have to go all the way to the next town for supplies. As for my being perfect...” She drew in a deep breath and let it out with a laugh. “If only you knew the truth. You're right. One of us isn't worthy of the other, but I'm the one at fault. I'm the one whose reach exceeds her grasp with Justin. He deserves so much more, but he's stuck with me, because I love him and I'm not going to let him go.”

Colleen blanched the color of her handkerchief. For a second, Megan thought her sister was going to faint, but she managed to clutch the counter in time and catch her breath. “Don't say that.”

“Why not? It's true. I loved him before he left seven years ago, and I still love him. My only regret is that we've lost all those years together. We could have already had a family together.”

“You're mad.”

“Probably,” Megan agreed, surprised at how relieved she felt to tell someone her real feelings.

“I don't know what to say.” Colleen turned away and started for the door. When she opened it, she looked back. “I'll speak to Gene. We'll pray for you.”

“Do that,” Megan called as her sister left. When the door closed, she looked around the store and saw everyone was staring at her. She met each of their gazes, keeping her head high and her shoulders back. She had nothing to be ashamed of.

Bonnie put down her cake and ran across the store. When she reached Megan, she looked up and grinned. “I'm glad you love Justin. Now we can be a real family together.”

Megan picked up the girl and held her close. “I'm going to do my best to make that happen, honey. I'm going to do my best.”

* * *

Megan wasn't sure what she'd heard when she first woke up. She had the vague memory of a thud, as if something had hit the side of the house. Or as if someone had closed a door.

She sat up in bed. Had Justin returned? He'd said a few days. She didn't know exactly how long that was, but yesterday had been day four.

She swung her feet over the side of the bed and grabbed for her robe. It wasn't the silky sheer confection she'd worn to his room, although this robe wasn't something her dear sister would approve of, either. It was soft blue satin and edged in black lace. She drew it over her shoulders and fumbled for the matching slippers. By the time she crossed the room, she'd already fastened the tie around her waist.

She pulled open the door and peered down the stairs. “Justin? Is that you?” She kept her voice low, not wanting to awaken Bonnie. No sense in disappointing the girl if what Megan had heard was just the wind.

Silence answered her call. She waited, then spoke again. “Justin?”

Nothing. Megan took a single step down, then stopped and listened. There was a slight scratching sound. No, that wasn't exactly what it was. She tilted her head to try to figure out where the noise was coming from. From behind her, maybe? From one of the other bedrooms.

She turned slowly and looked down the hallway. All the doors were closed. For the first time since awakening, she felt a shiver of apprehension. Was a stranger in the house? The hairs on the back of her neck stood up.

Before she could decide whether to investigate or just grab Bonnie and run outside with her, she heard a loud thump followed by a scream.

“Megan!”

She raced down the long hallway and flung open Bonnie's door. Her gaze raked across the room to the empty bed. “Bonnie!”

The child screamed unintelligibly. Megan spun toward the sound and saw a tall dark shape carrying the girl toward the already open window.

“Stop!” she yelled. “Let her go.”

Without thinking, she ran toward the man, stopping long enough to grab the poker from beside the small fireplace in the room. She could see his arm around Bonnie's waist as he hauled her along. He already had one leg out the window.

Megan raised the poker and brought it down hard on the man's shoulder. He grunted in pain. His head turned toward her. Instinctively, she shrank back. Dark eyes glared at her above the cloth he'd tied over his lower face. A hat had been pulled low on his forehead. She stared, mesmerized by his gaze. There was something familiar about his eyes, something horribly familiar.

Then it didn't matter who he was. She raised the poker again. He ducked away, in the process releasing the child. Megan grabbed Bonnie and thrust the girl behind her.

“Get out!” she screamed at the man. “Go away!” She hit him again and again until he stumbled out the window and made his way down a ladder. She kept screaming, even after he'd run into the forest.

Only then did the fear swamp her, leaving her shaken. Her teeth chattered and her legs refused to support her. She had to hold on to the window frame for balance. After catching her breath, she pushed the ladder hard so it slowly moved away from the house and crashed to the ground. She closed the window and then turned toward Bonnie.

The little girl huddled in a corner of the room, sobbing wildly. Megan dropped the poker and hurried to her.

“Hush, honey,” she said, pulling her close and holding on tight. Bonnie trembled in her embrace. “I know you're scared, but it's all right now. You're safe.”

“H-he s-said he was gonna h-hurt me,” Bonnie whimpered, clinging to her.

“It's over. You're fine, honey. You're with me, now.” Megan stroked Bonnie's back and arms, then smoothed the child's hair away from her face. “Come on, we're going to go to my room and stay in my bed. We'll be together. He won't come back.”

Bonnie continued to hold on to her, so Megan picked her up and carried her down the hall to her bedroom. She closed the door and locked it, then set Bonnie on the bed. After settling her under the covers, Megan sat next to her with her back against the headboard. She leaned over and opened the nightstand drawer. Her father had left her capable of taking care of more than the store. He'd left her able to protect herself. She pulled out a derringer.

The small pistol was cold and deadly looking in her hand, but she was prepared to use it. Megan put her arm around the girl and fixed her gaze on her locked door. No one was going to hurt Bonnie. Not while she had any say in the matter.

A thousand questions filled her mind. Who would try to take Bonnie, and why? It didn't make sense. She wasn't a danger to anyone. She had no family, she didn't know anyone except for a few people in town. There had to be a mistake. But the man must have known he was kidnapping a child.

She caught her breath. Kidnapping! Was that it? Had someone tried to take Bonnie and hold her hostage? Was the man really interested in money?

“Megan?”

“Yes, dear?”

“Are you really gonna shoot him if he comes back for me?”

She thought about lying, but knew she couldn't. “Yes, Bonnie, I am.”

“I'm glad.” The girl sniffed. “The bad man scared me.”

“I know, but I promise to keep you safe. Always.”

Bonnie was quiet for a moment, then she spoke again. “Are you my mama now, Megan?”

“I suppose I am.” She gave her a quick smile, then returned her attention to the door.

“I'm glad,” Bonnie said softly and snuggled close.

“Me, too,” she whispered back. “Try to sleep, honey. I'll be right here.”

Bonnie took a deep breath and relaxed. Megan fought against the emotions roiling inside of her. The little girl trusted her with her life. It was a big responsibility, but she wouldn't give it away for anything. Reactions from what had just happened kept rippling through her as her body trembled and her mouth grew dry. She wanted to run and hide with Bonnie, but it was the middle of the night and they had nowhere to go. Town meant walking through the woods and that was the direction the man had gone. Better for them to stay in the house until daylight, then make their way to safety.

An hour before the sun crept over the horizon to begin the day, Bonnie fell asleep. But Megan didn't dare close her eyes. Still staring at her door, she prayed Justin would return to them quickly. She needed him to help keep their child safe.

* * *

Justin rode into Landing shortly before noon. He stared at the familiar buildings, nodded as people waved and called out greetings and wondered why he was fool enough to think he was going to miss this place when they ran him out of town.

He squinted up at the bright sun and figured he'd be gone before nightfall. He would be lucky to get away without a lynching. But he'd done what he'd set out to do. He'd found the killer.

Even now he couldn't believe it. The answer was so obvious, once he knew who it was. He'd been right. Laurie had been killed by someone she knew; the same man who'd tried to kill her when she'd told him she was pregnant.

He reined in his horse in front of the sheriff's office. After dismounting, he secured the animal, then made his way inside. Wyatt was pacing the floor. At the sound of the door opening, he spun around.

“Sheriff! You're back. Am I glad to see you.”

Justin fought against the uneasy feeling that swept over him. “What's wrong?”

“You've got to go see Megan, ah, Mrs. Kincaid right away.”

His heart beat faster. “Is she hurt?”

“No.” Wyatt stared at him. “It's the damnedest thing. She was in here this morning demanding I tell her when you'd be back. I told her I didn't know exactly. She said that last night someone climbed in an upstairs window and tried to kidnap Bonnie.”

Justin stared at his deputy, then swore loudly. He took off running. He tore out of the building and down the boardwalk. Wyatt followed on his heels. If anything happened to either of them—Dear God, he couldn't bear to think about it.

“Thomas is out questioning people,” Wyatt said between breaths as he caught up. “I asked her if she wanted me to stay in the store with her, but she said she'd be safe with Mrs. Dobson and Andrew there with her. If you hadn't shown up by noon, I was going to start wiring the towns and find out where you were.”

They ran across the dusty street, dodging a wagon and a man on horseback. Justin saw the gleaming front glass of the store up ahead. He raced to the door, then flung it open.

“Megan!” he roared as he entered the building. There were half a dozen shoppers who all turned and stared at him. Several of the women backed up a step or two. He looked around the building and saw Bonnie sitting beside Mrs. Dobson.

The little girl squealed with excitement and came running toward him. “Justin, you're back!”

She flung herself at him. He opened his arms wide and drew her up against his chest. She wrapped her legs around his waist and her arms around his neck.

“How's my girl?” he asked. He felt as if he'd been gone a year. He knew it was silly, but he thought she might have grown in his absence.

“I missed you.”

“I missed you, too, Bonnie,” he said quietly. He wanted to ask if she was all right, but he didn't want to upset her. Then he heard soft, familiar footsteps and turned toward the sound.

Megan walked down the left aisle of the store. Her blue calico dress was neatly pressed, her hair pulled back and tidy. But her appearance didn't deceive him. He saw the shadows under her eyes and her hands twisting together in front of her waist. After the way they'd parted, he'd been determined to maintain his distance, but he couldn't. Not after what he'd just been told.

He shifted Bonnie so he could support her with one arm, then held out his other. Megan ran those last few feet and threw herself against him. He drew her close.