“You can tell me all about it later,” Leah said, removing paper, quill, and ink from a drawer. “Now write what I tell you.”
Dear Wesley,
I hope this letter doesn’t make you as mad as the last one did, but this time I am innocent because I don’t even know what Leah’s talking about. She said to tell you that my husband, John, used to give dancing lessons and that Justin, the man I love now, knows everything and since you’re not here Leah and I are going to ask for help from Bud and Cal before we visit John and Justin.
I think that if I understood all this I’d be frightened.
I hope you had a pleasant trip to Lexington.
Very sincerely yours,
Kimberly
“Did you write what I said about asking for help?”
“Right here,” Kim said, pointing. “Leah, what are we going to do if Bud and Cal aren’t home?”
“Justin needs help,” Leah said stubbornly.
Kim swallowed hard. “I was afraid you’d say that.”
Chapter 30
Devon Macalister helped his wife from her horse. “Anybody home?” he called into the empty-looking Stanford house.
“Wesley said Leah was staying here with Justin looking after her,” Linnet said. “You don’t think something’s happened, do you?”
“Something’s wrong,” Mac said, looking about. “It’s too quiet and why the hell is that cow bawlin’? Lynna, I want you to stay right here while I find out what’s happenin’.”
When Linnet saw him disappear into the barn, she entered the house. There were dirty dishes on the table and everything looked as if someone had left in a hurry. But there didn’t seem to be any signs of a struggle.
As she was leaving she saw the note on the table, half hidden under a plate.
Mac burst into the cabin. “I thought I told you to wait outside,” he snapped. “This whole place is empty. None of the cows’ve been milked, the other animals need feedin’. What you got there?”
“I think Leah and Kimberly may be in trouble,” she whispered, then read aloud Kimberly’s note.
“So, John Hammond’s the Dancer,” Mac said thoughtfully.
“Devon,” Linnet whispered. “Bud and Cal were coming to our house today. They won’t be there when Leah and Kim arrive.”
“Surely those women wouldn’t go after somebody like the Dancer all by themselves, would they?” Mac asked in disbelief, but he didn’t give his wife time to answer. “You get on your horse and ride back to town as fast as you can. Get somebody to go after Wes and somebody else to tend to this place. And you—” he threatened, “stay in Sweetbriar. I don’t like what’s goin’ on at all.”
“Devon,” Linnet began, “perhaps you should get some help before you—.”
“No time,” was all he said before he gave her a quick kiss and was out the door.
It was just growing dark by the time Kim and Leah reached the Hammond house.
“Are you sure you should do this alone?” Kim whispered as Leah dismounted some distance from the house. “Justin seems awfully strong and brave and maybe he knows what he’s doing.”
“Get down and be quiet—and I’m not alone. I did ask for help,” she said defiantly. “And I have you.”
“I don’t really think it’s the same,” Kim said as she dismounted.
After tying their horses out of view of the house, they stealthily began to make their way toward it. From the glow through the windows, every candle and lantern in the house must be lit.
When the shot echoed through the cool night, Leah and Kim looked at each other for a moment before Kim turned back toward the horses.