Spirit of the Valley (28 page)

Jeremy nodded.

Emmett shrugged. “Seems to me this is a stroke of great good fortune.”

“Have I done something illegal?” Jeremy asked worriedly.

“Morrison gave you the snuff box as collateral. He told you he had money in the bank. In fact, he told you the specific bank?”

Jeremy nodded. “Yes, sir. He wanted me to go with him instead of handing over the watch and the box.”

“But you weren't in a position to go, so he gave you the snuff box with the keys inside and told you about the bank.”

“He didn't like that I was keeping it. He didn't like it at all. Like I said, he begged me not to pawn it.”

“You didn't do anything illegal, Jeremy. Far as I can see, the money is yours.”

“The one thing I do know,” Jeremy rejoined, “is that it's not mine.”

Emmett considered in silence. “Give me a day or two to think about it?”

“I appreciate it,” Jeremy said. He rose and offered his hand and Emmett shook it with a firm grasp.

Chapter Forty-Six

Lizzie opened the back screened-porch door and swept the dirt out, then tackled the steps. Finishing, she noticed Jake heading back to the fort he'd made, his hands full of toy soldiers. Lucky dutifully followed. She smiled to herself as she set the broom aside, and then went back inside to check the applesauce cake that was baking.

She peeked inside the oven and knew the cake was done. She reached for a hand towel as Lucky started barking, which startled her, because he never barked. He sounded agitated, which made her concerned for Jake. She grabbed the hot pan and quickly set it atop the counter, then turned to go see what the ruckus was about.

Blinding pain was the next thing she experienced, followed by a surprised awareness that she was on the floor. Lucky was close by, barking ferociously.
What in the world had happened?
Frightened for Jake, she struggled to rise, which was when she saw Ethan hovering above her, his face enraged, his eyes bulging.

“Stupid bitch,” he seethed. “You have any idea how much this stunt of yours cost me?”

She saw his fist fly but could not react fast enough. She nearly cried out at the blow, but the thought of Jake made her bite the sound back. Drawing on all her strength, she lunged at Ethan, clawing at his face. There was a momentary pause after she made contact, and then she felt herself being dragged upwards by her hair. Dizzy from the blows she'd received, she couldn't stand, nor did she need to. Ethan slammed her head into the corner of the table.

 

 

“Four times four is sixteen,” Rebecca chanted as she kicked a pinecone along while she walked home. She was nearly home and was looking forward to telling Mama that Jeremy would be there soon. It was fun to have news to tell. “Four times five is twenty. Four times six—”

She jerked to a halt with a gasp as something flew at her from the brush ahead. It was Jake, and he was crying, his face white with fear as he threw himself into her arms. She could barely breathe for the fear that gripped her. “What's the matter?”

He made a choking sound. “Pa-pa-pa.”

“Pa?” she repeated incredulously. “He's here?”

He nodded jerkily. His breathing was strange and wheezy.

“He's here?” she asked again, not wanting to believe it. “He found us?”

Jake kept nodding. “I th-think—”

“What, Jake?”

“He killed Mama,” Jake whispered.

Rebecca's stomach clenched, but she couldn't be sick. “I've got to go get Jeremy. He's in town. You stay here.”

“No,” Jake screamed, grabbing hold of her for dear life.

“Jake, stop it!” She tried to shake him loose, but he wouldn't budge. “We have to help Mama. Let go! I'm going to go home and—”

“No! He'll kill you, too,” Jake cried.

“No, he won't.” She tried to reason. “I won't even let him see me. Now, let go of me!” With a violent thrust, she shook free of him and broke into a run toward home, because riding Dancer was the fastest way to get to Jeremy. She knew Jake was following, but she couldn't wait for him. When she reached their property, he was still right behind her. Somehow, he'd kept up even though she was a much faster runner. She crouched and looked around, but there was no sign of her pa. A dog was barking madly, which confused her. “Is that Lucky?” she asked Jake.

Jake nodded.

If he was barking at her father, that meant he was around the house. Or in it. “I have to get to Dancer,” she said. “You stay here.”

She made a dash for the barn and Jake followed, hot on her heels. She went to Dancer and opened his stall. He merely looked at her curiously. She didn't have time to saddle him, because Pa might see her any moment. Jake had to be wrong about Pa killing Mama,
he had to
, but if he was hurting her, they couldn't make him stop. Only Jeremy could make him stop. Or April May with her gun. Either way, they had to get to someone fast.

Shaking from fear and adrenalin, her muscles so stiff she couldn't move easily, she climbed the slats of the stall and got on Dancer's back and Jake scrambled on right behind her. She grabbed the mane and kicked the sides of the horse. “Hang on, Jake!”

 

 

Jeremy heard a horse approaching. It made him curious, but in no way was he prepared for the shock of seeing Dancer come into view with Rebecca and Jake hanging on for dear life, Rebecca clutching Dancer's mane, and Jake clutching Rebecca, both of them clearly terrified. They'd only ever ridden with him leading the horse. He dropped his bag and helped stop the horse, then pulled Jake off. The boy didn't look well and his small body was shaking. “What's happened?” he asked, directing the question to Rebecca.

“My father is here,” Rebecca cried. “He found us.”

He set Jake down, but the boy's legs gave way and he fell to the ground.

“Go to the Blues',” Jeremy said urgently as he got Rebecca down. She dropped to Jake's side protectively as Jeremy mounted Dancer and rode out. Cold, sick fear gripped him, making it hard to breathe. When he got close to the cottage and heard a man yelling for the children, he stopped Dancer, dismounted, and ran the rest of the distance on foot, suddenly fearful of what Ethan Ray might do to Lizzie if he saw him coming. The commotion of the man's yelling and a dog's barking enabled Jeremy to circle around and enter the house without being heard.

Blood was the first thing he saw when he went into the kitchen. Lizzie was on the floor, lying perfectly still. He reached her and gathered her up in his arms. Her face was cut, swollen and already bruising, but she was alive. The sound of Ethan Ray's voice was closer now and it brought an icy calmness over Jeremy. He laid Lizzie back down, got to his feet, and moved backwards, flattening himself against the wall.

A man of medium build came into the kitchen and moved close to Lizzie's body, his fists clenched at his sides. Jeremy stepped out, allowed the man to see him, and then swung his fist into the man's cheek, crushing bone. An incredulous Ethan staggered backwards and hit the counter. “Nobody hurts my family,” Jeremy said.

Ethan got his feet under him and glared malevolently. “That's
my
wife, you son of a bitch, and I have every right—”

The
right
? Had he really just said that? Jeremy lunged for the man.

Chapter Forty-Seven

April May rounded the cottage carefully, shotgun in hand, and entered the house through the front door. Moving quietly, she made her way into the kitchen, where Lizzie lay on the floor, pale and much too still. There was a pillow beneath her head and a cover draped over her. Lucky was standing beside her whimpering. The older woman's stomach ached with tension as she hurried to her, knelt, and touched the side of Lizzie's neck to make sure of a pulse. She exhaled with relief to feel it.

Ethan, that son of a jackal, had done a number on her. Her face was swollen and bloody, blood had seeped from one ear and matted in her hair, but glancing around the room at the toppled furniture and broken dishes, she knew the amount of blood on the floor could not be from Lizzie alone. It just couldn't be.

April May heard a man's voice and looked out the open back door before rising and striding to the door, gun at the ready.

Jeremy and Ethan were in the yard. Ethan was on the ground but trying to rise. Jeremy was standing over him with clenched fists at his sides. Jeremy's back was to her, so she didn't know what blows he'd sustained, but it was evident Ethan Ray had taken a good deal of punishment. Ray glowered at Jeremy as he made it to his knees.

“I'm here,” April May said quietly.

Jeremy turned his head slightly at the sound of her voice, which was the distraction Ethan needed. He drew his gun. Before April May could cry out in warning, Jeremy drew and fired a split second before Ethan's gun went off.

Ethan jerked and fell back with a yell while Jeremy remained on his feet. April May dashed out to make sure he wasn't hit. He wasn't. Ethan's gun was on the ground and he was writhing in pain. Jeremy stared at the man with loathing in his eyes, as if he wanted to do nothing more than shoot him again. And maybe again and again. “You got him,” she said.

He slowly lowered his gun. “Lizzie—”

“I'll see to her. She'll be all right. You best see to him.”

They stepped closer to the man, close enough to see he'd taken the bullet in the torso.

“Can't breathe,” Ray grunted.

“Get him to the doc,” April May said dispassionately.

“So he can come back here and hurt her again?” Jeremy asked, scowling down at the injured man.

“He tried to kill her and he tried to kill you, too. At the very least, he's going to jail. And Lizzie can divorce him before he goes off to jail.”

Jeremy considered a few moments and then holstered his gun. He whistled for Dancer, who came running.

“Want me to watch him while you saddle up?” April May asked, still watching Ethan suspiciously.

“No. Don't need to.” He hauled Ethan Ray up and over his shoulder before unceremoniously hoisting him over the horse. Ignoring the stream of grunted complaints and obscenities, Jeremy mounted behind the man and looked at April May, needing to say something more.

“I'll take care of her,” she pledged.

He nodded meaningfully and rode away.

 

 

Lizzie had come to and was attempting to rise when April May got back inside. “Ho, there. Stay down a minute.”

“Jake,” Lizzie moaned. “Where's Jake?”

“The children are fine, but you are damn sure not, my girl, so lie still.” April May set the shotgun aside and grabbed towels, stepping over puddles of blood on the floor. She dampened a towel and went back to Lizzie.

“Ethan. He's here.”

“I know, honey. The children told us.”

Lizzie frowned in confusion. “What? How—”

“Lucky sensed him sneaking around and started growling,” April May explained as she gently pressed the towel to the cut on Lizzie's cheek. “Animals sense danger. They sense evil, too. Because of Lucky, Jake saw Ethan and ducked into his fort. Then when Ethan went into the house, Jake ran for you. He climbed up and looked in the kitchen window and . . . saw you on the floor.”

“Oh no.”

“It's all right. The little man did just what he should have done. He ran and got Rebecca, who was coming home, and the two of them lit out after Jeremy.”

“Jeremy?”

“He was close, headed home from town, and he told the children to come to us.” Lizzie looked close to passing out again and April May hesitated, wondering whether it was better to let her be or to keep her awake. “I'm going to get you some wine.”

“Jeremy?” Lizzie murmured again.

April May got up and fetched a glass of wine, then helped Lizzie to sit, propping her against the cupboard before bringing the glass to her lips and urging her to drink.

“Where?” Lizzie said weakly, pushing the glass away.

“The children are at our house. They're safe. I'm not so sure about Ethan.”

“Wha . . . what do you mean?”

“Take a drink.”

Lizzie took a swallow.

“Jeremy got here, saw what Ethan had done, and they fought. Ethan got the worst of it, which is just as it ought to be. He drew on Jeremy, but Jeremy shot first. I was a witness to that part. Anyway, Jeremy has taken him into town. He'll go to the doctor first and to the sheriff second. I'm not a hundred percent sure Ethan will live, but if he does, he ought to be going off to jail.”

“Lizzie!” a woman called from outside.

April May didn't recognize the voice, and Lizzie looked every bit as perplexed. April May set the glass aside and hurried out the back door as Marie rounded the house. The dark-haired beauty looked shaky on her feet and one shoulder was covered in blood. “Lord have mercy,” April May exclaimed as she hurried toward her. “What happened to you?”

“It was that Mr. Ray.”

April May wrapped an arm around her and felt how unsteady she was. A good, strong wind would knock her over. “We know,” she replied grimly. “He's been here.”

Marie made a whimper and started to cry. “It's all my fault.”

April May had no idea what she was talking about, but there would be time enough to work out the details. She helped Marie inside and into a chair, and examined her head. “Ethan Ray did this to you?”

Marie looked at Lizzie with an expression of profound regret. “I was coming to warn you.”

April May went for another towel, wet it, and brought it back to clean Marie's wound and determine whether stitches would be needed. Fortunately, though there was quite a lump, the bleeding had mostly stopped. She fetched a glass of wine and brought it to the girl. “Drink. And then tell me how the Sam Hill you know about Ethan Ray.” Marie cringed at a sudden pain and swayed. April May braced her. “Steady, there. Come on now, drink.”

Marie drank and leaned against April May, dizzy and weak. “Some woman came to town a few weeks ago,” Marie said. “Looking for Lizzie. I don't know who she was.”

April May glanced at Lizzie, who was watching Marie with bafflement and great intensity.

“The woman . . . sent a telegram,” Marie said. “It said—” She closed her eyes, trying to recall exactly what had been relayed. “‘Subject located. Going by name of Carter. You'll find her at the Greenway place east of town.'” She opened her eyes and tears rolled down her face as she straightened in her chair. “Someone who was in the telegraph office that day told me,” she said brokenly.

“That fool Bart,” April May said accusingly, stepping back from Marie. “Wasn't it?”

Marie nodded slowly.

“That boy's not worth a diddly squat.”

“I should have told you right away,” Marie said to Lizzie. “I should have told Jeremy.”

Although pain was throbbing in Lizzie's head, a strange elation surged, making it difficult to breathe. He hadn't betrayed her. Jeremy hadn't betrayed her. But hadn't Marie claimed he had? “You said . . . Jeremy told you about me.”

“That he loved you,” Marie said. “I saw the way he looked at you, so I asked him. And he told me. I felt crushed inside. I wanted to hate him. I wanted to hate you. I really didn't. It's just that I—”

“You've been in love with Jeremy your whole life,” April May said with surprising gentleness.

Lizzie squeezed her eyes shut because what she'd thought was shameful. Jeremy hadn't betrayed her. He would never betray her, but how quickly she'd believed it.

“Where did he go?” Marie asked dazedly. “Did he take the children?”

“No,” April May replied. “Jeremy got here and Ethan ended up shot. Jeremy's taken him to town. He's not dead, although I wish I'd shot him dead. A snake in the grass like that—”

Lizzie opened her eyes, horrified by the sudden fear of Ethan somehow getting the better of Jeremy.

“Now, you listen to me,” April May said, seeing Lizzie's expression. “Jeremy will be all right. He's a man who knows how to take care of himself.”

“You don't understand,” Lizzie said. “Ethan is—”

“He's a damn coward who beats on a woman and doesn't think a thing of hitting his own child. I know exactly what he is.”

Lizzie began crying. “I d-didn't see him. If only I'd seen him. I . . . I b-bought a gun.”

“Shh,”
April May said, going to her. She got down on the floor and wrapped her arms around Lizzie. “It's going to be all right. You'll see. We're going to get you cleaned up and into bed.” Lizzie clung to her, trembling, so April May held her, patting gently. “Everything is going to be all right. You weren't sent here and given the protection of people who love you for no reason. Isn't that right, Marie?”

Marie rose and came to join them on the floor, also crying, and so April May wrapped an arm around her, too. “
Shh
, now. We're all going to be all right.”

Jeremy rode back to the cottage feeling strange and numb. Ethan Ray was dead. He'd died before Jeremy reached town. The sheriff had listened to Jeremy's story and taken possession of the body, and he'd told Jeremy to go. “For now,” he'd said grimly.

Everything had happened so fast, it was hard to wrap his head around it. Ethan was dead, and judging from the accusing look on the sheriff's face, he was probably going to be arrested, tried, and hanged. Because he'd killed before. Because he was a murderer. He wasn't a family man, he was a
murderer
. When the noose went around his neck, would he have any final words to utter? “Shouldn't have hurt her,” he muttered.

Jenny's sixteen-year-old face filled his mind and tears suddenly rolled down his face.
Damn the tears. Let them come
, he thought angrily. And damn Ted Landreth and Stan Thomas. They'd gotten what they'd deserved. And damn Ethan Ray. He'd gotten what he deserved, too. No, he wouldn't have any final words. He didn't regret anything except that he wouldn't have a life with Lizzie and the kids.

A memory rushed back at him so sharp and so clear, his breath caught and he stiffened enough that Dancer halted.
The lake on a misty, gray morning. He'd gone looking for Jenny when she wasn't in her room. She wasn't in the outhouse and she wasn't in the yard or on the porch. He yelled her name and went in search, then froze abruptly when he saw something in the water. In one terrible second, he recognized it was a woman with dark hair, and he rushed into the water, knowing it was his sister. On the bank, he held her lifeless body and cried as he had never cried before. Over and over again he called her name. She was gone, long gone, but he couldn't stop saying her name.

He shook his head, trying to clear his mind of the painful memory. He wiped his face with both hands and rode on.