Lincoln County Series 1-3 (32 page)

The attention Andrew put on himself by yanking Jimmy away from Bethany was for nobody’s good. Jake took aim and fired, hitting Jimmy in the shoulder. It seemed he knew his time was up, and he didn’t even bother to look for who shot him. He aimed again at Bethany and Andrew scrambled up in front of her, just as Jimmy and Jake fired simultaneously.

Jimmy fell to the ground, dead. Preston took the remaining man into custody and Andrew slid to the ground with a sickening thud. Bethany cried out and put pressure against the wound in his chest. Jake made his way over to his childhood friend.

Andrew looked at him, his eyes glossed over and watering. A slight smile creased his face. “It’s about time you got here.”

Jake tried to ignore the hitched sobbing coming from Bethany. He shot her a look, warning her to stop. He couldn’t put up with that, not now. “Don’t you die on me now preacher.”

Andrew shook his head back and forth, blood bubbled out of his mouth. Jake cursed. He pushed Bethany out of the way. Everything was her fault and he didn’t wish her to taint Andrew any further than she already had. He bundled his own handkerchief and pushed it into the gaping hole. “I’ve come to bring you home.”

Andrew lifted his eyes, which seemed eerily at rest and suddenly clear. He said, “Tell her I love her, I always have.”

Jake would have none of it. “You’ll tell her that yourself. I ain’t no messenger.”

For a dying man, his grip was strong. Jake looked down at Andrew’s hand covering his arm and waited until his words came. It was a while but when they were formed Jake wasn’t pleased. “You’ve… always loved her too.” Andrew swallowed.

Jake winced at the ugliness and truth of everything.

Andrew continued, his strength draining. Jake leaned in closer to hear him. “It’s you who I want to take… care of her and… the babe.”

“No. I won’t do that.”

The hand slid away from his forearm as Andrew said, “Promise me… you get yourself right before God and take her… as your wife.”

Jake’s middle pinched so tight he was frightened—then angry.

“I can’t do that.”

“Promise me!”

He looked towards the sky in anguish. This was not fair that a good man like Andrew was dying, giving up all that was precious to him. And for someone like himself to live? It was offensive. He swiped at the blood on Andrew’s chin and grief began to make its way to his heart. Andrew had always been the good friend when they were boys growing up together, and he’d been tolerant of Jake’s many faults where Cameron was concerned. He owed him a promise, at the very least.

“I promise.”

“Bethany…” Andrew whispered.

“I’m here.” She came out of nowhere and Jake did nothing to hide his contempt for her.

“You heard him?”

“I… yes… I did.”

A smile came across Andrew’s lips. Jake tightened his grip, holding his hand. What kind of God would take the only good one amongst them away from a God-fearing wife bearing their child?

Andrew said one last thing. “Tell her I get to be with God…”

His friend’s features went soft and slack and a peaceful look stole over him. Jake had seen many people die in his time, some by his very own hands, and never once did he witness a death so calming and sure. It troubled him more than he had words to describe. He walked forcefully away from everybody. He paced for five minutes before yelling out loud into the night sky, cursing and scaring the life out of anything within hearing. After some time he made his way back to the campsite. He’d no idea if Preston or Bethany were still there waiting. All he knew was that he’d made two promises that he shouldn’t have dared to. The first to Cameron, in bringing her husband back home to her. His throat stuck on that thought and he tried to wrap his mind around the implications of his failure. And the other to Andrew, to love and take care of not only his wife, but his child! He wasn’t capable of fulfilling either one. He was a fool who not only deserved to be placed in front of a firing squad, but wished for it.

Chapter Five

If Jake had never considered himself a coward, he could rectify that notion now, in a heartbeat. Every fiber of his being resisted facing Cameron. His gut filled with nausea as he recalled taking advantage of her feelings for him, time after time. How could Andrew ask this of him? Surely he had no idea he’d kissed Cameron after she had become his wife. Of course she was mortified and appalled and steered clear of him in the most rightly untrusting manner. If Andrew had known these things, he wouldn’t want him within a hundred miles of his bride. He could justify taking back his promise on that act alone, and if Andrew were watching them from up above, he’d surely understand. But he had to ponder… why hadn’t she exposed him?

Encountering Cameron was something he couldn’t do, yet it would be required of him. The opportunity to allow someone else to report his failure and share her husband’s death was a great temptation. But if he did one last thing for Andrew, since he could not hold to the absurd and emotional promise he’d made, it would be to deliver the body to the widow and take all she had to throw at him. He would welcome punishment in whatever form it came.

Needing some time to settle his nerves, he dismounted and walked a while. The town was within sight, and soon enough, Cameron would be, too. Knowing her and knowing Lacey, they’d be with each other during this time. She’d have support instantly and he could rest in that before he went on his way and out of her life for good. He went to the second horse tethered to Hunter and stood before Andrew’s body. It would not do to have any flaw present at his homecoming. He’d taken pains to shave him and clean him, even putting one of his own shirts on him to ease the horrifying picture of blood. But now he wondered if that was a decent thing to do. Cameron wouldn’t want anything of his to be on Andrew. What was he thinking? It was too late now. He’d left Andrew’s bullet riddled, blood spattered shirt behind.

“I’m gonna miss you Andrew. Despite myself, you’ve always been a good friend.” He fisted his hands together. “This shouldn’t have been you.”

After several moments, he made sure Andrew’s body was tucked in as properly as possible and went to the dreaded location of Lacey’s Place, where he knew he’d find Cameron Jackson.

As he rode through town, Jake could feel and see word spreading like wildfire amidst the streets of Lincoln County. Everyone knew he left seeking their beloved preacher. It didn’t take a wise one to see that he’d not returned with him alive. The glare Jake threw at the spectators was meant to intimidate, and by the looks of many, it worked. They did what he wanted, heads down, turning away and ignoring him and his scowling presence—and most of all, minding their own business.

*** *** ***

Despite Lacey’s protests, Cameron kept herself busy during her stay at the hotel. She was not about to get room and board for free, and she was certainly not about to pine away waiting for Andrew to come home. All of that would happen in due time, as she knew God had heard her prayers and was faithful to answer them. She was hanging the last sheet on the clothesline behind the hotel when Penny Keiser came running towards her, breathless. Cameron waited for the young lady’s breath to catch up to her for whatever she had to say must be important. Then it hit, it would be news of Andrew. She smiled brightly and said, “It’s Andrew?”

Penny nodded and attempted to say something. Cameron was about to take off but resisted the impatience she felt. “What is it, Penny?”

“At least…” She breathed in deeply. “I mean, it’s Jake. He’s back!”

Elation filled her. Jake would never return without Andrew. He’d promised and he was a man of his word. Unapologetically, she ran into a few people on her way out to the street. She pressed a hand over her forehead to get a more focused look down the way he would most likely be coming from. Upon seeing Jake, who appeared more worn and weathered than she’d ever known him to be, her heart grew with anticipation. He hadn’t seen her yet and she would need to tease him over his dark scowling. Why did he desire to appear so unfriendly to everyone? She hitched up her skirts most unladylike and ran the rest of the way to him. Finally, his eyes caught hers and she read something in his face that she wanted to deny. Her gaze was curious and sought the length of Hunter, then took in the horse behind. Jake was quick to dismount and catch hold of her as it set in what the scene implied.

“Jake?”

“Cameron… not here. Let’s go back to the hotel and we’ll talk.”

Taking her eyes from the obviously dead body slung over a horse, she looked at him, wondering where Andrew was. “You said you wouldn’t return without him. Why would you go bounty hunting when you’re to be looking for Andrew?”

She continued to search his hardened gaze, unwilling to let him lead her away. “Where is he, Jake?”

He took her by the elbow and attempted to bring her away from the horses. Stubbornly, she dug in her feet. “I asked you, where is Andrew?”

She hadn’t realized before now that Jake’s eyes were rimmed with redness and she would not take the time to acknowledge his fatigue or emotions. This wasn’t about him, this was about Andrew, who she didn’t want to live another day without. Why did he remain cruelly silent, refusing a simple answer?

“I don’t want to talk here. Look around you, Cameron. People are staring. People who care about you and Andrew.”

She saw his defeated look and decided to give him this. She nodded and he sighed heavily, with relief she assumed. But her legs grew shaky on the way back to the hotel and she spun around, ran back, and flung the blanket off the second horse.

*** *** ***

“Cameron, don’t!” Jake was too late. Her face turned ghastly white and she hollered the word “no” before burying her face into the very stiff and swollen body. He almost lost the biscuit he’d had that morning. Looking around at the crowd, he ordered, “Give her a moment, leave us!”

Most did, if only because this was the preacher’s wife—at least there was an ounce of respect left in this town.

She lifted her face to him, her voice hoarse and nearly killing him on the inside. “I don’t understand… he can’t be… dead.”

Jake intercepted her before she hit the ground. He carried Cameron back to Lacey’s, wondering where she was when they needed her. He kicked open the front door and entered the foyer. There he sought out Lacey. Immediately she took charge and gave him some direction. It was good having someone else make the decisions for a change. It seemed all of his ended in regret and failure.

Jake left Lacey to take care of Cameron, who was uncontrollably sobbing, piercing his heart as if there were a hot blade going through it. He secured Andrew’s body at the undertakers, with orders to build the best of coffins. Having no choice but to let poor Hunter rest and take in some healthy feed, Jake returned to Lacey’s. He briefly explained the events of the month, too exhausted physically and emotionally to go into much detail until the ending moments of her cousin’s life. He did share that Bethany and Preston had split ways with him and headed to a nearby town. Preston had bodies to deliver to the sheriff and paperwork to fill out. The Hoffman gang’s reign of terror in the region had come to an end. But at what price? Jake left no room for questions, allowing him to leave out the promise—if he didn’t confess it out loud, perhaps it would make it easier to pretend it had never been made.

Chapter Six

Bad news seemed to be delivered in batches. Cameron had written to Andrew’s mother, Grace, about his death, but she received the reply from his aunt. After hearing of her son’s murder, she had a stroke, and in her already frail health, it had taken her out. Knowing Mother Grace, she would have died of a broken heart and with a desire to be with her Andrew in heaven. Lord knew Cameron could die of a shattered heart herself, if it weren’t for the babe inside reminding her that a piece of Andrew was still to come. Therefore, the only family Andrew would have at his funeral would be his cousin Lacey.

Cameron donned a simple black hat and pulled its netting over her face. With unbearable heaviness, she made way to the foyer, knowing Lacey would be there waiting.

Reverend Andrew had hundreds of friends and parishioners who had attended the funeral, so many that not all could fit inside the church. All at once, she was witness to the many lives he’d touched with his kindness and giving of himself.