Page 569 of Conveniently Wed
Mrs. Oleson filled a gunny sack with food items and poured coffee in a Mason jar and wrapped in several towels to keep in the heat. “This will help keep you and Franklin warm.”
By the time they were back in the parlor, the messenger had finished his coffee.
“How am I supposed to find him?” Lorinda hadn’t seen any directions on the note.
“I’ll take you.” The boy pulled on his ragged gloves that didn’t really cover his hands.
Lorinda went to get an extra pair of gloves from a drawer in Franklin’s dresser, and she snagged an older coat. She thrust them at the boy. “Put these on over yours. They’ll help some.”
The boy nodded. “Thank ya kindly.”
Lorinda turned toward Mrs. Oleson. “I’ll be home as soon as I can.”
“Just be careful. It’s not really safe to be out there too long.” Worry lined her forehead and darkened her eyes.
“I know.” Lorinda gave the older woman a hug.
She picked up a lot of the things they had gathered, and the boy grabbed the rest. When they went out the door, she noticed a broken-down horse standing beside the gate. “That yours?”
“Yeah. He was my dad’s.”
The boy followed her into the barn. She saddled Golden Boy, who had completely recovered his strength. They loaded saddlebags evenly with most of the supplies she was taking, then rolled the blankets and tied them on behind the saddle. While she was doing this, she found an older horse blanket.
She glanced at the boy. “Here. Wrap this around you. It’ll help keep you warmer.”
His eyes rounded with surprise. “I ain’t never had a blanket just for me.” A smile broke out on his face. “Thanks, ma’am.”
As they left the ranch, Lorinda glanced back at the house with all the windows blazing with light. She hated to leave the babies right now, but her husband needed her...and she needed him.
She followed the boy from the lane onto the road, then off the beaten track toward a tight grove of naked trees. Only a narrow trail made its crooked way between the thick trunks to a small clearing. Lorinda glanced around but didn’t see her husband.
“How much farther?”
The boy glanced at her, then away. “Just a little ways.” He led her between two trunks on the other side of the stark clearing.
A man stepped out from behind one of them. At first, Lorinda didn’t recognize him, then it hit her. He was the drifter she’d run off her property soon after Mike had left her alone. Before she could do anything, he grabbed Golden Boy’s bridle. The horse tried to shy away, but the man held fast.
“I see you brought my horse back to me.” He sneered and jerked hard on the bridle to pull them off the path.
“He’s not your horse. He’s mine.” Lorinda had to grab the pommel to stay on the horse.
“Oh, no, little lady. He’s mine...again.”
Lorinda didn’t like the way he looked, the way he smelled, or anything else about him. He had to be Marvin. So that meant he killed Mike and did the other things Miriam told them about.
Without a word, he pulled her from the horse and tied her to a tree.
“What do you want?” Before she could get out any more words, he thrust a dirty bandana into her mouth and tied it tightly behind her head.
Marvin turned toward the boy. He pulled an envelope and a silver dollar from his pocket. “Wait for an hour, then take this note to the same ranch. Remember, I know where you live, and I know about your mother and sister. If you cross me, you’ll never see them again.”
The boy high-tailed it away as fast as the mangy horse could move...which wasn’t very fast.
“Now, Miz Sullivan, oh that’s right, you’re Miz Vine now. I have you right where I want you. Don’t try to get away. I’m going to untie you and put you on the horse. Don’t try to fight me. You’ll be sorry if you do.”
Chills not associated with the weather scampered up and down her spine like a whole nest of spiders. She started to tremble.
Marvin threw her on Golden Boy. He tied her hands again, this time in front, so she could hold on to the pommel. He led her to a horse he’d hidden among the trees, mounted, and led her horse behind him.
