Wade rode up to the lawyer’s office to find the windows dark and a sign on the door that explained that he’d been called to Cheyenne and would be back in a week or ten days. The sign was dated two days prior. Wade supposed he could wait a week to have the annulment filed and for his grandfather to sign over the ranch to him. Keeping Grace hidden wasn’t a problem. He’d just need to bring her more supplies. Yes, things would work out well.
Stepping off his horse in front of the saloon, Wade looped the reins over the hitch rail and pushed through the batwing doors. It took a minute for his eyes to adjust to the dimness of the room and he spotted Lucinda sitting at a table with a dirty ranch hand. Walking past her, he simply stated, “We need to talk,” and headed up the stairs to her room. She followed quickly.
Wade dropped onto a ladder back chair sitting in the corner before Lucinda entered the room. She walked in, closed the door behind her, and sat on the bed. “Is something wrong? You look upset?”
“Not upset, a bit anxious. Let me tell you what’s going on at the ranch.” Wade spent the next thirty minutes telling Lucinda everything from hiding Grace in the shack to anticipating owning the ranch in a week and Lucinda’s role in his plans. He didn’t mention marriage, and as much as she wanted to ask, Lucinda was grateful he included her at all.
Lucinda rushed toward Wade and threw herself onto his lap and hugged him. “I can’t wait to move to the ranch with you. It’s been my dream since I met you.”
“Yeah, I know,” Wade answered and pushed her to her feet. “I need a drink. Let’s go back downstairs.”
~ * ~
Meanwhile back at Hutchison ranch, Clay returned after riding part of the perimeter of the ranch looking for signs of where Grace might be before it was too dark to see properly. There had been too many tracks in the yard to know which trail to follow. Willow’s hoofprints were mixed with his, Wades, the other ranch hands, and any visitors that have stopped by recently.
Clay said a silent prayer that wherever his wife was that she was safe and asked God to watch over her that night. His prayers were already answered as Grace slept deeply inside the dark shack.
Clay pushed the kitchen door open and found the kitchen empty. He checked the parlor and found his grandpa sitting in the near dark. “Why are you sitting here in the dark?” Clay asked as he lit a lamp. He could see from his grandpa’s expression that something was wrong.
“What’s happened now?”
“Sit down, Clay, we need to talk.”
Grandpa Hutch waited for Clay to sit on the chair next to the fireplace before he began to speak. “I made a mistake, a huge mistake, and I’m afraid Grace is suffering because of it.”
“What? I don’t understand,” Clay said leaning forward and placing his forearms on his thighs.
Grandpa closed his eyes for a moment, and when he looked back at Clay, he said, “Grace didn’t leave on her own. Wade took her.”
“I knew it,” Clay said exploding from the chair. “I’m going to kill him. Why? Why did he take her?”
“Sit back down and let me explain,” Grandpa pleaded.
Clay nodded and dropped back onto the chair as his grandpa retold his conversation with Wade. Clay’s fists tightened more with each word his grandpa spoke until he was ready to burst. Grandpa did his best to convince Clay that he would do whatever Wade wanted and they’d get Grace back.
A quiet calm spread over Clay like a heavy winter quilt, and he answered, “Wade is going to pay for this one way or the other. If we can’t go to the sheriff before we get Grace back, we certainly will after she returns. Does Wade realize he faces prison for what he did? If Grace is injured, they could hang him.”
“He’s still your brother,” Grandpa said. “Are you willing to see him hang?”
Clay dropped his head and rubbed his face before looking back up at his grandpa. “No, I don’t want to see him hang or go to prison, but he broke the law. He stole my wife and heaven only knows where he hid her. Is she still alive or is he lying? I don’t know what to do, Grandpa.”
“I know, and there is nothing we can do now. It’s dark, but you can search again in the morning. Wade left for town and is most likely with Lucinda. He told us that he’s angry he couldn’t marry her to begin with. Elizabeth is worried sick over Grace, and Wade’s words cut her. She hasn’t been here long enough to fall in love with Wade, I don’t think she has anyway since they barely spend time together, but she was committed to being a good wife. I messed up four lives, Clay, and I’m sorry.” Grandpa grabbed his chest and began coughing again.
Clay rushed to his side. “You’re going to bed. I know you made up the story about dying, but you still fought pneumonia for weeks. I don’t want you to get sick again.”
“You don’t hate me?” Grandpa asked as he struggled to his feet.
“No, I understand why
