Page 572 of Conveniently Wed
Next he dug out two large roast beef sandwiches. He unwrapped one and shoved it into one of her hands.
He bit into the other one and chewed with his mouth open.
She looked away to keep from gagging.
“I really like me some good roast beef. Must be some of Franklin’s fine cattle. Miriam and I enjoyed one of the yearling I stole from him a while back.”
Lorinda tried to ignore him and ate her sandwich in silence. She was very hungry, and she savored every bite.
Soon he came closer than she wanted him to. “You sittin’ there hoping Franklin will rescue you? Ain’t gonna happen. Jist gave him several false trails to follow b’fore I came back. And it started snowin’, so even those’ll be covered soon. He’ll git you back when he pays me th’ ransom, and not a bit sooner.”
Her heart dropped to her stomach, making her want to throw up every bite she’d taken.God, I trust You, but I’m getting scared. Please help Franklin find me.
As Franklin rode out, snow began to fall. He knew the trail would soon be covered. He couldn’t let it get him down, but he had to find his wife as soon as possible.
Thoughts jumbled in his brain. How could he have been so fooled by Marvin? They’d played together, gone to school together, gone to church together. He remembered vividly the day both he and Marvin walked that aisle during a revival and asked Jesus into their hearts. At leastheinvited Him in. Did Marvin just go down because he did? Was he just making a show?
How could the boy who’d been his best friend turn into a hardened criminal who robbed and murdered and deserted the woman who carried his child? Why didn’t he respect her enough to marry her before he seduced her? Maybe he just wanted Miriam because Franklin had her. Marvin hadn’t ever exhibited any tendencies toward sin and lawlessness before he enticed her to fall for him instead of Franklin. Or maybe there had been signs and Franklin didn’t have enough sense to recognize them. He thought Marvin was the same kind of boy that he was. But he had been so wrong. Franklin had never seen him again afterMarvin and Miriam left, so he didn’t see the man change even more.
Miriam paid the price for Marvin’s sins. Franklin realized he hadn’t really loved her the way a man should love his wife, but he’d never wish the kind of life she’d lived on any woman.
He wondered if there was an event that turned Marvin away from the Lord. Had Marvin turned his back on God, or had his heart never let God inside in the first place? Franklin didn’t figure he’d ever know the answer to this question.
But even more important, what was Marvin doing to Lorinda? The thought soured his stomach, and his heart bled for his wife.Lord, I’d give my life in exchange for hers. Our sons need her.
I need her.
38
As darkness fell, Franklin made his way toward the ranch house. With no moon tonight, he could ride close to where his wife was without seeing her. They would need to start searching early tomorrow. His tired horse could rest overnight and be fresh to ride then. Discouragement sat heavy on his shoulders.Nothing. He’d found nothing that would tell them where Marvin took his wife. How long would she be safe? Mrs. Oleson said that Lorinda took what she thought she might need to help him, so she had food, coffee, and blankets. And she wore some of his warmer clothes. But if she was out in the weather…
He hoped Marvin had taken shelter somewhere she could be safe. But nowhere would be safe with that murderer. That dirty, rotten scoundrel. Franklin wished he’d never known the man. If not, maybe Lorinda would be at home with him right now, and his heart wouldn’t be breaking for her.
Franklin rode up to the gate in the picket fence where Rusty and the posse had gathered. Maybe they found her, but when he looked at their faces, he knew they hadn’t. More disappointment. He dismounted and passed the reins off to Rusty, who led Major toward the barn. The sheriff was on the porch steps talking to the milling crowd.
“Thank you, men. Since we didn’t find anything today, we’ll meet here at dawn to start again. We’d appreciate everyone who can come to help us.”
The men started mounting their horses, preparing to ride home.
Franklin walked among them, thanking each one individually. He knew they dropped whatever they were doing to help. Hopefully, tomorrow they’d find Lorinda...and that rat, Marvin.
When he reached the front porch, he asked the sheriff to join him in the parlor to warm up before he headed to Breckenridge. Mrs. Oleson quickly headed toward the kitchen to retrieve mugs of coffee for him and the sheriff.
“Are the boys all right?” Franklin welcomed the hot drink from her.
“Yes, Molly Malone came soon after Rusty went to town. She brought her baby and plenty of clothes to stay a few days so she could nurse all three of the babies. The boys settled down pretty soon after their stomachs were full.” Mrs. Oleson quickly left the two men alone.
Franklin leaned one arm on the mantel. “I’m sorry I wasn’t here when you and the posse arrived. I just couldn’t sit around and wait while my wife was out there somewhere.”
The older man dropped into the chair closest to the fireplace. “Didn’t expect you to be here. I know I wouldn’t wait if my wife was missing. So where did you search?”
Franklin took another big gulp of the hot liquid before setting it down on a nearby table. “First I rode out to see if I could follow the tracks. There were two horses. They led to a fairly small copse of trees. I followed them into the woods and across a small meadow. On the other side, another horse joined them. Then one horse headed back toward town. The other two rode the opposite direction. At one point, there were several otherhorses, some going one way, some another, with their trails crisscrossing. They seemed to double back to that one place, until all the hoof prints were mixed up. No matter how hard I searched, I couldn’t find a trail where the two horses branched off.” He stared out the front window at the deepening twilight. “I sure hated to stop looking, knowing Lorinda was out there and I couldn’t find her.” He swiped his hand across his eyes where moisture had gathered.
The sheriff stood up and leaned on the other side of the mantel. “None of us wanted to stop. We had spread out like a wide net and searched every inch we had time to cover.” He rubbed his hand across the back of his neck. “I’m sorry we didn’t find her. Now I need you to tell me everything you know about this kidnapper.”
By the time Franklin finished his tale, darkness had fallen like a cloak over the valley and mountains. No moon in sight and not enough light from the millions of stars above to help anyone find his wife.
Mrs. Oleson entered the parlor. “Sheriff, can you stay for a bowl of venison stew? It’s hot, I made biscuits, and we have fresh-churned butter.”
