Page 26 of Redeeming the Outlaw
At last, he found them. A muffled sob escaped from behind a locked door, followed by a hushed plea for mercy. Whit’s jaw clenched at the sound, and his resolve hardened.
“I’m here to help. Can you unlock the door from the inside?” he called through the keyhole.
“No. They locked us in here.” Reverend Billing’s voice sounded far away.
“Back away from the door.”
Counting to three, Whit kicked at the door with his boot. The door shattered to reveal the Billings family huddled together in a small, windowless room. Their faces showed fear and desperation, but at the sight of Whit, hope flickered in their eyes.
“You’re the man from the store,” Naomi said.
“Let’s get you out of here,” Whit waved them into the hallway, as he looked for any new intruders in the house.
“Do you have Esther?” Mrs. Billings asked.
“I know where she is. We have little time. I need you all to follow me and stay as quiet as possible.”
Reverend Billings nodded; his stern features softened by gratitude. “We will do as you say, son. Thank you for coming to our aid.”
“Thank me later,” Whit replied. “We need to get you out of here and somewhere safe.”
“I don’t want to leave my house. It is God’s will…”
“That you don’t die.”Was this man as stubborn as his daughter?Whit thought. “Maybe he sent me to make sure it doesn’t happen. There are some terrible men who have your daughter, and they have been waiting to kill you.”
“Who has Esther?” Ruth asked.
“Ma Richards has been looking for her since you left Texas.” Whit thought Mrs. Billings might faint.
“Oh Charles, what are we going to do?” She pulled her daughters close to her.
“The Lord will take care of it, Mother.” His eyes fixed on Whit with a mixture of trust and caution. “Lead the way,” he finallymurmured.
Whit took a deep breath, and silently vowed, with God’s help, he would see them all safely through this dark night.
“We are going down the stairs to the back door. I’m sorry for what you’re going to see, but I don’t have time to move their bodies. We don’t have much time. Once we get to the back of the house, you are going to run for the livery.”
He led them down the stairs and around the bodies. Mrs. Billings sobbed and begged her daughters not to look.
The older of the two daughters clutched her father’s arm, her knuckles white with fear, while Reverend Billings kept a protective hand on his wife’s shoulder.
Whit led the Billings family out the back door into the moonlit night. The livery stable was down the dusty street, but he knew Richards’ men could be lying in wait. He scanned the silent town, one hand on his holster, ready to draw again at the first sign of trouble.
The Reverend gathered his trembling wife and daughters close. “Stay together,” he whispered. “The Lord will see us through.”
“Run!” Whit urged the family, his voice strained with urgency. They didn’t need to be told twice. The Billings hurried past him, leaving the dark confines of the farmhouse behind as they raced toward freedom.
Whit followed behind, his eyes covering both sides of the street in case danger found them. Suddenly, a figure stepped out of the shadows. Whit’s gun was in his hand in an instant and he released a sigh of relief when he realized it was a thin dog which stepped out in front of them.
“Git,” Reverend Billings said, shooing the dog with his hands. The dog barked at the small group and quickly trotted down thestreet.
Taking a calming breath, Whit shook off his nerves and slid the door open, ushering everyone inside.
“Stay close,” he whispered to Mrs. Billings and her daughters as he ushered them into the extra room where Hiram would find them later. “You’ll be safe here.”
“Thank you,” Mrs. Billings said between breaths, her eyes glistening with unshed tears. Whit nodded, offering a tight-lipped smile as he swiftly exited the room.
“Reverend,” he said, “I need you to ride as fast as you can to the Chapmans.” He grabbed a saddle and placed it on a horse in the enclosure.
