“No, I don’t think so. This package is from a bookstore,” Myra announced as she joined Journey in the sunroom.
“Oh!” Journey jumped up. “That’s Emory’s book!”
“Really?” Myra hovered near to see what her niece pulled from the wrapping. “That looks interesting. I’d like to see it when you’re finished.”
“Of course.” Journey couldn’t wait to look. “I think I’ll go sit in the swing by the rose garden.”
“Okay, you go ahead.” Myra clapped her hands together. “Since Lou’s coming today, I think I’ll bake a cake.”
“You’re spoiling her. The first thing you know, she’ll be moving in,” Journey warned good-naturedly as she left by the kitchen door.
On her way across the yard, her heart beat faster. What would she find between the covers of Emory’s book? As she moved past the rose garden, an ache grew in the middle of her chest as she remembered taking her vows with Reno. With a still empty journal and the disturbing newspaper article, Journey needed something to lift her spirits.
Immediately, she felt guilty. Without a doubt, the piece from the Austin paper was proof positive that Reno made it back in time. That assurance alone was worth everything to her. Who the woman was in the photo was immaterial.
Okay, if she kept telling herself that – she might begin to believe it.
Still, knowing he wasn’t lost or injured during the trip through the portal was an immeasurable relief.
Settling in the swing, she folded her legs beneath her, and opened the thin, hard cover. The book was so old, there was a definite musty smell to the yellowed pages. The title page made her gasp a delighted laugh. TALL TALES OF TEXAS, The Adventures of Rio Grey. “Not very subtle, Emory. I love it.”
As she perused the table of contents, Journey realized the book retold some of the same stories included in Saul’s journal. She found one about Amelia’s rescue entitled Captive No More. There was also one about Reno teaching the boys how to fish entitled Comedy of Errors, and an intriguing one called The Night Everything Changed. An almost urgent curiosity consumed her – she wanted to read them all at that same moment. Until…a couple of sentences on one page in a story entitled A Wise Woman caught her eye. To lose her so senselessly was hard, especially so close to losing Rio. Since Ela meant so much to our friend, we took her murder personally.
“Oh, no. Oh, my God.” Journey flipped to the beginning of the segment and began to read. Frantically, she skimmed the pages, seeing the mention of many things she’d heard from Reno’s own lips. Emory’s retelling captured Ela’s essence, a kind nurturing individual with gifts so mysterious she seemed otherworldly. And then she found a heart-wrenching account of Rio’s preacher friend finding her crumpled body lying outside her cave where she’d been bludgeoned in the head with a rock. The shining beacon of her benevolent wisdom would shine no more in this life.
If the book weren’t so old and so precious, Journey would have thrown it across the lawn. Instead, she sat it down on the other side of the swing – as if putting distance between herself and the book could erase what she’d just read. Standing to her feet, she walked blindly to the corral fence and leaned against the rough wood. Was this just a story? Or was it true? Did Reno return to find Ela already dead? The horrific implications made her weak. Nauseated. She rested her head against the post and let the realization seep into her soul.
If Ela were gone, Reno would have no way to come home. No one to guide him safely through the portal. With anguish, she clasped the railing in both hands, digging her nails into the wood – and screamed.
In a few moments, Brandon came rushing from the barn. “What’s wrong, Miss Journey?”
She was crying so hard she couldn’t speak.
“Grandpa!”
Kota came too, hurrying as best as his arthritic knees would allow. “Journey, what’s the matter?” Together, they led her back to the swing and Kota sat down next to her. “Brandon, go ask Ms. Myra for a glass of water for her niece.”
“Yes, sir.” He took off at a run.
“I’m…I’m…fine.” She hiccupped a sob.
“I can tell.” He sat patiently with her, waiting for her to find the words. Before she could begin to speak, Brandon returned with the water and Kota took it in his hand, sending the boy on his way. “Go finish up for me in the barn, son.” Once they were alone, Kota held the water while she took a few sips, then relinquished the glass for her to hold. “I’m listening, little one.”
Journey reached for the book at her side. “Emory, Saul’s little brother, wrote this.” She showed him the title. “Some of the tales are fictionalized stories about Reno. One of the chapters is about Ela. It says she was murdered just a few days after Reno disappeared.”
At first, Kota said nothing. Journey assumed he was allowing the cruel fact to sink in. “Unfortunately, it is impossible for us to know one way or the other. Perhaps Emory was using artistic licensing to make the story more interesting.”
“No. He wouldn’t do that.”
“We don’t know what he’d do. Regrettably, our information is limited on these people who lived so long ago.”
Journey took another drink of water and stared out across the pasture toward Enchanted Rock. As she did, it occurred to her that she hadn’t shared the good news with Kota. “I did learn Reno made it safely back in time.”
“Wonderful!” A big smile creased his weathered face. “The journal delivered his message. Did he say anything more?”
“This news didn’t come from the journal. I found a newspaper article in
