After feeding Caroline, she placed her in the basket and with the shotgun securely tucked along her side, she climbed up onto the front seat. Nate glanced over and smiled. Taking a deep breath, she pulled the shotgun out, and placed it squarely in Nate’s chest. “Turn this wagon around. Now.”
Nate’s surprised look was very satisfying. After his initial reaction, however, he reached out to push it aside. “Now, Emma, you need to be careful with that thing. You might hurt someone.”
“I intend to hurt you if you don’t turn this wagon around.” She narrowed her eyes and regarded him over the top of the gun. All her fear had turned to anger, and now she was determined to protect her daughter and get them back where they belonged. Now and forever.
“You don’t know the first thing about guns. Now put it down before you get hurt.”
She moved the gun away from his chest, aimed at a passing tree, eased the trigger back as Davis had taught her, and cleanly picked off a small branch.
A startled Nate pulled up on the reins and looked at her with a slackened jaw. “What has happened to you? You used to be such a sweet little girl.”
“Life happened to me, Nate.” She leaned back against the side of the wagon, and turned the gun back on him. “I’m not longer a ‘girl.’ I’m a grown woman with a husband whom I love and who
loves me. We have a life, and a beautiful daughter. Now turn this wagon around. I want to go back to my home. I have no intention of going to Indiana with you. This shotgun has one more shot in it, and I will use it if I have to.”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Davis had spent hours on the main street, talking to all the storekeepers, trying to get a hint of what could have happened to his family. Meanwhile, the sheriff was questioning anyone he did not personally know.
Davis glanced up at the sun, high in the sky, causing shadows to disappear, and encouraging most people to head home for noon time dinner. He hadn’t turned up anything yet, and was left frustrated and discouraged.
“Hey, Abe,” Davis addressed the livery owner, “I have a missing wife and daughter and so far I’m coming up empty. The sheriff and I have been questioning everyone with no luck. Have you seen Emma yesterday or today?”
“Oh, sorry, no I haven’t seen your wife in weeks. How long have they been missing?”
“She was home yesterday at dinner time, but when I got back to the house for supper, she and the baby were gone. I’ve talked to all her friends, but no one knows anything.”
Abe scratched his almost bald head and shook it. “Gee, I sure wish I could help you out. Too bad you hadn’t asked me yesterday, because that man who comes from Emma’s town has been in and out of here, regular-like. He might have been able to help, but he just left Oregon City, heading back to Indiana, I think he said.”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Davis’s ears immediately picked up, and his heart thudded. “Who? You mean Nate? Nate Hale?”
“Yeah, that’s the guy. He’s been bugging me for weeks to find a wagon for him. He was planning on going back east, and said he needed one big enough for him and a couple passengers. He was anxious to join the wagon train leaving down near the Columbia River, but I only found the wagon for him a couple of days ago. I’m pretty sure he’s gone by now.”
“Going east?” Davis squeaked out.
“Sure. A lot of folks don’t like it once they get here. They find out it isn’t what they were expecting, and a couple times a year you’ll find a group heading back.” He chuckled, obviously unsure what wasn’t to like about Oregon.
“Do you happen to know which way he was headed to meet up with this group?” His heart raced, sure he’d hit on what had happened.
“Yeah, pretty much follow the road out of town, and you’ll hit the road you came in on. Eventually, it reaches the Columbia River.”
Davis backed away. “Thanks, Abe. You’ve been a big help.”
He strode outside and headed toward the mercantile before the man had finished speaking.
Davis’s mind was in a whirl. A wagon train going east? Could Emma have planned to go back to Indiana with Nate? Then his blood turned to ice when he remembered the letter from her parents. What was in that letter? Did they say something that made her want to go back?
After giving brief details to the Bergers, Davis picked up a few supplies, loaded them into his saddlebags and took off. If Emma was indeed leaving him, he had to hear it from her firsthand. He couldn’t believe she would go off and not even leave a note. Didn’t she realize how much he loved her?
Why would she? You’ve never told her.
About four hours later, Davis spotted a lone wagon in the distance. It seemed to be coming toward him, though. He squinted in the sunlight and tried to figure out who was driving. He could clearly see a man, but he seemed to be alone. Nudging his horse, he picked up speed.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Emma sat in the back of the wagon changing Caroline, the shotgun within reach. As long as Nate kept going in this direction, she felt comfortable taking care of the baby. As she buttoned up her dress, she heard shouting in front of them. Soon rapid hoof beats joined the shouting. Shock gripped her stomach as she heard Davis’s voice calling her.