Page 26 of The Marshal's Bride
“What happened?” Justine asked, lifting her hand, and feeling her head gently with her fingertips.
Patricia rolled back on her heels and quickly came to Justine’s side.
“Easy. It’s going to be all right,” Patricia soothed, trying to force her to lie back.
Justine shook her off and pushed herself to her knees. “Where did they take her? They’re going to hurt her! That’s what Marjorie has always wanted. What about the other children?”
“I’m so sorry,” June’s tearful voice reached her ears. “There wasn’t anything I could do to stop them. I’m so sorry.”
Justine felt her heart sink. “Is Hannah all right? How about the rest of the children?”
“Hiram took Hannah home and the doc is with them. Rose is watching the children right now. Everyone is frightened but fine. I needed to come back and see you. Ranger and a few other men have gone to find Hope. I know you won’t forgive me, Justine.” Sobs wracked the other woman, and Justine crawled across the floor to her friend, her body still heavy with shock.
“June, look at me.” When she did, Justine continued. “No one could have imagined this would happen. Marjorie must have planned this. I received a letter from her, and now she’s in town.”
“Ranger told me strangers arrived in town several days ago. Those were the same men that took Hope.”
Justine used the edges of the pews to help her stand. “She’s doing this to punish me. I can’t sit here and do nothing while Hope is out there frightened. I need to find Marjorie.”
“What can I do to help?” June asked. “If it was one of my children…” She left the thought unsaid.
“Child, let the men find her.” Patricia was wringing her hands. “You’re only going to give them something else to worry about.”
“I will not sit here. Sam would have told Whit what was happening before going anywhere.”
“She’ll be at the jail! Whitney wouldn’t have let her leave, but he wouldn’t have stayed with her either while they went out to find Hope.” June stood, clasping Justine’s hand. “I’ll go with you.”
“I think you should stay here.” The reverend stepped in front of them.
“I will not.”
“Your husband—” A slash of her hand cut him off.
“My husband has only been my husband for less than an hour. While I know that he loves Hope, I am her mother, and I will not sit here idly while my daughter is in danger. I know she hired those men. And that this is just a distraction. I am going to see her and there is nothing you can do to stop me.” A swoosh of her skirts was the final sound that echoed through the room as she let herself out the side door of the church.
June kept pace with her, doubling her steps to keep up with Justine, who was marching determinedly toward the jail.
“I have been polite, timid, and quiet for most of my adult life. However, blaming me for her son’s choices must stop. I know that grief can cause people to do crazy things, but Hope’s just a little girl. How dare she!” Anger rolled off her in waves, growing with each heavy bootstep towards the sheriff’s office. During the last six months of grief, she kept her feelings bottled up inside and they were about to erupt.
“What can I do?” June asked again, skipping alongside her.
“Forgive me for the behavior you’re about to witness?” Justine could only hope that the woman she had come to consider a friend would understand. But, right now, she had no control over the forthcoming tidal wave.
Flinging open the sheriff’s office door, she paused. Remembering the Reverend’s words on how Ingrid Chapman managed things –God first, Justine quickly clasped her hands in front of her.
“Lord, please soften her heart so that she can see this was not the way to manage her feelings, and that she will help me bring Hope home safely. Amen.”
“Amen,” June said, stepping up next to her.
Justine looked around the sheriff’s office.
“Where’s Whitney?” Justine asked, entering the office.
Dillon Arden was sitting at the desk reading the paper. “Headed towards the Chapman and Hartman lands. I’m just watching the jail until he gets back.”
“Is that where they think these men went that took Hope?” Justine didn’t even wait. “I should go get a horse.”
Dillion looked up from the paper. “No. You should stay here. Ranger and the sheriff are out there with Sam. They don’t need a woman running around. Those men that took Hope have no idea what happens when you cross the Chapmans. They are going to find out very quickly how bad this idea was.” He licked his thumb and flipped the page before pointing his thumb over his shoulder. “She’s locked up in the back. Whit said you might want to chat with her. June, you can either stay out here with me or head home to your young’uns.”
