Joline's Redemption (36 page)

Baron hated watching Jo walk away to face an unknown enemy, with her life and her son's at stake. He clenched his fist, feeling more helpless than he could ever remember. There had to be something he could do to help Jo—and Jamie.

He spun and ran to the barn and looked in the loft for Luke. “Do you see anything?”

“Not yet. Why's she goin' into the trees?”

“She picked up something on the far side of the windmill. I'm guessing it was another note.”

Luke clambered down the ladder and headed to his saddled horse. “I can't help her if she's in the trees.” He shoved his rifle in the scabbard attached to his saddle and mounted his horse. He glanced at Baron's waist. “You know how to use that thing?”

He rested his hand on the handle of his gun. “I do.”

“Good. Then saddle another horse. I'm riding out behind the barn; then I'll head west for a bit and try to ride out past the kidnapper. Then I'll cut back this way. Pray I find them. You go the same way, but then turn north. Maybe one of us will get lucky and find the culprit.”

“I'm praying we do.”

Luke nodded and rode his horse out of the barn; then he clucked to his horse.

Baron glanced at the remaining horses and decided on Gabe's black. He figured Gabe wouldn't mind his using the animal to save his sister-in-law. The horse eyed him, but settled as Baron stroked her neck and talked softly. He quickly saddled the big horse then led him outside.

He hoped Jo wouldn't be upset that he didn't stay with Sarah, but the girl's father was with her—and he wasn't a man Baron looked forward to meeting. Not after what he'd done to Jo.

He tapped his heels against the horse's side and nearly lost his seat when the frisky animal shot forward. He hadn't thought to adjust the stirrups, but he and Gabe were close in height, so his feet reached them well enough.

He checked the area around the windmill, hoping to find Jamie, but when he didn't, he rode west as Luke had said, keeping an eye out for any sign of a person. Everything was new to him since the Coulter ranch was as far west as he had traveled. He wasn't sure at what point he should turn north, but since Jo was on foot, she couldn't go very far. “Help us find them, Lord.”

Feeling in his gut that it was time, he reined the horse to the right and wove in and out of the trees. Much of Gabe's land was cleared, but in this area alongside the creek, the trees were fairly thick. He stopped the horse, listening and praying. If he went too far, he might go past the spot where the kidnapper was hiding.

A screech rang out.
Jamie!

Baron dismounted and tied the black horse to a sapling. He made his way through the trees, moving slowly and trying not to step on a branch that would alert the kidnapper to his presence. Though just April, most of the trees already had a new growth of leaves. Redbuds and wildflowers dotted the area, which would be pretty any other time.

He peered through the tree trunks, hoping to see Jo. His heart hammered in his chest and ears.

“No!”

Baron's head jerked in the direction of Jo's voice. He pushed his feet into motion. She was close.

He caught a glimpse of her yellow dress up ahead. About fifteen feet from her, a stranger held on to Jamie with one arm wrapped around the boy's belly. Wailing, Jamie tossed his head back and kicked his feet.

“Just let me take him back to the windmill; then I'll go wherever you want. He's too small to leave here by himself.”

“He's stayin' right here. I ain't as stupid as you think. If I let you take the boy back, you wouldn't return.”

“I will. I promise.” Jo's voice sounded frantic. “Just don't hurt him. Please, give him to me.”

“I reckon it won't hurt to let you say your good-byes. Just make it quick.” The man looked away from where Baron was hiding.

He ducked down, expecting the man to search his direction, too. Fortunately, he was slightly behind the kidnapper. He wasn't certain, but he thought the man might have come into the store in the past week. Who was he? What could he want with Jo?

Baron's heart ached as he watched Jo comfort Jamie and kiss him good-bye. He wrestled with what to do. The kidnapper had his gun trained on Jo, and she was blocking his view of the man. He told Luke he could shoot, but his aim wasn't all that great. If he tried to shoot the kidnapper, he might hit Jo.

And what about Jamie? Should he go to Jamie if they left him alone and hope that Luke would find Jo and her captor?

The answer became clear. Jo was able to protect herself, but Jamie wasn't. With Jamie safe, Jo would be more likely to attempt escape on her own. He wanted desperately to save her, but he couldn't take a chance on a wild animal or snake crossing paths with the one-year-old.
God, protect Jo. Help her to get away. Help Luke to find her.

“Put the boy down.”

“Here? But my family won't know where to find him.”

“Down. Now. Or I'll shoot 'im.”

Jo did as told, though Baron could tell that her heart was breaking. Jamie whined and reached for her.

The stranger yanked Jo away from the boy and pushed her toward his horse using the barrel of his gun to prod her. When she mounted, she looked at Jamie, her expression devastated. Jamie sobbed and crawled toward her, obviously confused.

“We can't leave him.” Jo looked back over her shoulder, her desperate expression tearing at Baron's heart.

He wanted to show himself to ease her pain, but he didn't dare. The man swung up behind Jo and reached around her to gather the reins.

Jo elbowed him. “I won't go.”

“You want me to shoot that kid?” One hand reached for his gun.

“No! Fine. Let's go.”

The man grinned then reined the horse westward and crossed the creek.

Good. Luke had gone that way, too.

Jamie's wails gutted Baron, but he had to wait. The moment Jo was out of sight, he rushed forward. Jamie sat and turned toward him. When the boy saw him, he puckered up and screamed.

Baron hurried to his nephew and scooped him up. “Shh … it's all right, Jamie. Remember me?”

The boy cried, reaching toward where he'd last seen his mother.

“You're all right, Jamie. Your mama loves you. Shh …”

Jamie clutched Baron's lapels and slowly calmed. He breathed in a ragged breath. Splotchy red patches covered his face. The poor kid.

Baron pulled out his handkerchief and wiped Jamie's eyes and nose. He kissed the boy's cheek and cuddled him, patting his back. He needed to get Jamie back home so he could go after Jo.

“Lord, I don't talk to You near enough, but thank You for letting me be here to help Jamie. Please protect Jo. Let me find her and bring her home. She needs some happiness in her life.”

Jo looked over her shoulder, trying desperately to see her son, but the trees blocked her view. Everything within her wanted to rush back to Jamie, but Ernie Slaughter might follow through with his threat to kill him.
Please, God, send someone to find Jamie, and keep him safe until they do. Help me to get away.

Not that she deserved to get away.
Punish me, if You need to, but Jamie is innocent. Please protect him.
The day was warm, but her son sat on the ground in only a thin gown. He had done nothing to deserve what happened to him, but she had.

She thought again of how she'd hurt the ones who loved her, and how her bad choices had landed her in the pit of hell—a place no woman should have to dwell. If only she'd listened to Lara and Grandpa and hadn't been so stubborn. She once heard someone say hindsight made things look sharper—and it was true. She'd been a miserable person most of her life, but God had changed her, and if He saved her from Ernie Slaughter as He had Badger, she planned to live a better life.

But first, she had to get away.

She listened for Jamie but could no longer hear his cries. Her heart clenched. Was he scared? Hurt? Jo squeezed her eyes shut. Those kinds of thoughts helped no one.

She could only hope—pray—that Baron and Luke were out looking for her and Jamie. She'd learned Luke was tenacious and very loyal to Gabe. Certainly he'd come looking for her. But she wasn't so sure about Baron. Would he try to find her or stay at the house with Sarah?

Jo focused on her immediate problem. She had to figure a way to escape. Distracting her captor was her best resort. “Why are you doing this?”

Slaughter chuckled. “I aim to get a whole passel of money for bringing you back to Badger.”

She wanted to tell him that Badger was no longer a threat. That, in fact, he was back at the farmhouse, but doing so would mean she'd have to explain why he was there. And she wouldn't tell him about Sarah's connection to Badger, for fear it would endanger the girl somehow.

“If we're going back to Oklahoma City, why are we headed west?”

“You don't think I'm fool enough to ride across your sister's land, do ya? We're takin' the long trail back to Oklahoma City.”

A very long trail since they were headed in the opposite direction. And with each step the horse took, they were getting farther away from Jamie.

Her thoughts raced. What could she do? How could she get free from her captor?

The whisper of Ernie's gun sliding into his holster boosted her determination. As he brought his right arm back around her, Jo grabbed the saddle horn and screamed, kicking the horse in the sides as hard as she could.

“Hey—”

The surprised horse leaped forward. Unprepared, Ernie Slaughter fumbled, grasping her waist with one hand. Jo grabbed one of the reins, jerking the horse to the left, and the sudden shift caused her captor to tumble off the back of the horse. Jo wrestled for the rein he'd taken with him. The frightened horse shook his head and jerked free of the man's grasp then trotted away. Jo couldn't reach the dangling rein and hoped that Ernie didn't get up too fast.

The sound of someone crashing through the trees spooked Jo's horse again. He trotted away from the noise. She ducked under a low-hanging tree and looked back over her shoulder.

Luke held a gun on Ernie Slaughter!

“Thank You, God!”

“You all right, ma'am?” Luke slid a quick glance her way but then refocused on his prey.

“Fine. Thanks!” Filled with new inspiration, Jo tugged the horse in a sharp circle, until the confused animal had no choice but to stop. She slid off, keeping hold of the rein, then snagged the other one and cooed to the horse, hoping to calm him. When he settled, she led him back to where Luke was tying up Ernie Slaughter. The man glared at her.

“I hope you like living in a jail cell, because that's where you're headed, buster.” Luke yanked Ernie to his feet and helped him mount Luke's palomino.

“I'm going back to get Jamie.” Jo mounted Ernie's horse and told Luke where they had left her son.

“I'm pretty sure Baron was headed that way.”

Jo's heart leaped at Baron's name. “I sure hope he found Jamie.” She watched Luke climb up behind Ernie, so grateful for his help.

Luke glanced over at her, and Jo nodded her thanks. There'd be time later for a more formal expression of gratitude. She reined the horse back in the direction she'd ridden, praying the whole way. “Please, God. Let Jamie be safe.”

She rode for several long, tense minutes, and then a noise to her right grabbed her attention. She saw a man and horse through the trees—
Baron!
“Hey!”

He spun around, his gaze snapping to hers, and he started toward her, carrying Jamie. Jo's heart exploded with love, and for the first time, she knew what true love felt like. She slid off the horse and ran to her men. Baron slowed his pace then wrapped his empty arm around her, pulling her close to her son.

Jamie looked up, and his expression crumpled. Tears started anew, as if he were upset at her for leaving him. “Mama!”

She laughed and took him from Baron, whose arms enveloped her and Jamie.

“Thank God you're all right. I've never prayed so hard in my life.” He kissed her forehead then her temple.