Lightning and Lace

chapter 23

“Thanks for inviting me for Thanksgivin’. Don’t know when I’ve had such a fine meal and good company.”

Was it Bonnie’s imagination, or did Travis appear nervous?

“We enjoyed having you here. It’s been a long time since I’ve seen Zack this happy. With all you’ve done, I believe you’ve established yourself as part of this family.”

“That’s right kind of you, Bonnie.” She appreciated the deep sound of his voice and the way he said her name.

“You wanted to talk to me?” Travis said as they ventured farther from the house.

“I said back there that I wanted to talk about Zack, but actually I wanted to say how very sorry I am that you’ve been dragged into this horrible predicament with Lester. I’ve apologized to you in the past, but after yesterday, I wonder how many times you must have regretted your decision to come to Kahlerville.”

“Never. I was called to this community, and God has a reason for all the misfortune.”

“Have you figured out the reason?” Her heart raced at his nearness. How could such a strange-looking man affect her so?

“No, have you?”

“Are you sure you didn’t make God mad about something?” Oh, teasing Brother Travis was a whole lot easier than the uncomfortable moments of acknowledging how the poor man had become entangled in a series of problems.

“Probably.” He laughed, then sobered. “I’m afraid for you, Bonnie.”

“I’m fine. Lester would have to be an idiot to come out here with my brothers looking for an excuse to fight him. Then there’s Thomas watching the house like a hawk.”

“You forgot Zack and me.”

She swallowed hard. “Yes, my son is very protective, and I respect your concern.”

Silence. Not a single topic of conversation entered her head.

“Since you apologized to me, then I need to do the same. The gossip is my fault.”

“My brothers said you’d make that claim.”

“It’s true. Folks are going to spread more rumors each time they see us together.”

“Over the years, my family’s been the root of more than one nasty rumor. Some of them have been true.”

“You’d think Lester would have picked a more handsome man to accuse you with.” Travis laughed.

Bless you, Brother Travis, for lightening up the tone. “For shame, Brother Travis. The good Lord gave you fine looks.” If you’d let Hank give you a shave and haircut, we might all benefit from what’s there. “I’m wondering if we should avoid each other until the gossip fades.”

“We could, but the moment we start talking, the tongues will wag.”

“I suppose you’re right, and we have a boy in common.” What was she thinking? Her comment sounded . . . sounded very improper. “Pardon me, I meant Zack living with you.”

“I understood exactly.” He paused.

“Thank you.” But she wondered what thoughts rolled around in his head about her.

“Miss Scott is also hurting from the gossip.”

“Why?”

“I’m not sure if this is something I should repeat, but I trust you will keep it to yourself and pray for Miss Scott.”

“Certainly.”

“She mistook the help I gave her for her solo as genuine interest. When I corrected the situation, she became quite upset. Still makes me feel bad.”

“I’m sorry. She is a good woman.”

He shrugged. “Not sure why I felt compelled to tell you.”

They made their way to the riverbank where trees had been uprooted from the twister. Brush and grasses had been swept away as if a huge bird had plucked them for its nest. The landscape would grow come spring, but the memory of the tragedy was embedded in the hearts of those who’d endured it.

The problems with Lester were like the twister, but worse. He was relentless in his accusations and evil. Today had been like the eye of the storm. Where did he intend to strike next? Whose life would he blow through and threaten to destroy?

Bonnie felt a twinge of fright, but no one would find out. Some of the afternoons while Lydia Anne slept, she saddled up her mare and rode to a secluded spot to practice with her rifle, a Colt Lightning with a caliber that allowed her to shoot larger animals and protect herself. The beauty of the lightweight rifle was that it didn’t send her scrambling in the dirt and bruising her shoulder. She’d had enough of that attempting to use one of Ben’s rifles.

Amid the serenity of songbirds and the timeless seasons, she wove a mixture of prayer and target practice. Some folks might think her habit an unholy alliance, but with every cartridge that kissed its target, she prayed she never had to rely on her marksmanship to protect her family.

*****

Travis climbed onto his horse, and Bonnie handed him a basket of food. She’d done the same for Zack. Travis hated to leave the ranch, and he hated his feelings for Bonnie at the same time.

“We’ll be able to eat for a week,” Zack said. “I hope the good Lord gives Brother Travis the gift of cooking real soon.”

“I’m not bad compared to you,” Travis said. After a moment’s contemplation over some of his disastrous attempts, he reconsidered. “I suppose we could put my cooking on the prayer list. Yours too.”

“You’re welcome here every night,” Bonnie said.

From the flush on her cheeks, she must have been thinking about the town’s gossip.

“Thank you.” His mouth suddenly felt dry. How could one woman consume him like Bonnie Kahler?

Felicia.

His heart hadn’t yearned for her in months. He prayed she remembered her promise to Jesus. But the idea of being married to Felicia had left him when he’d lived out his sabbatical in the mountains. If he’d truly loved her, then she’d still be in his mind and heart, and he’d be assaulted with guilt for dwelling on Bonnie.

So maybe he’d never loved Felicia at all. Another revelation of his character. Made him wonder if a man ever truly knew himself.

“Brother Travis, I’d like to ask you a question,” Zack said.

“I’m not carrying your basket, if that’s what you want.”

Zack chuckled. “I have the rolls and the desserts, and I’m not giving them up.” Lately his voice had started to deepen with cracks and sputters that reminded Travis of a stream rushing out to sea. He’d reach manhood soon enough with all of its challenges.

Travis looked forward to seeing the patchwork of Zack’s life unfold. More so, he longed to be a part of it—and his mother’s life, too. “Then ask me what you will.”

“Would you help me make something nice for Mama’s Christmas present?”

“I believe we could take on a project. What did you have in mind?”

“Something simple like a small hinged box to put Papa’s watch, their picture, and his Bible inside. Right now she has them in a drawer. I could sand it smooth and stain it.”

“I think she’d treasure a gift like you’re wanting to give her. We’ll get started on it one day this week.”

“I’m worried about her.”

“I’d not be truthful if I said there’s no reason to be.”

“Remember the night I hung Miss Scott’s clothes on the schoolhouse tree?”

“Yes.” Suspicion plodded across his mind at the recollection of what he’d seen and heard only two days before.

“When I walked past Heaven’s Gate, Lester and Miss Laura were talking. They didn’t see me. I stopped to listen.”

“What did you hear, son?”

“Cursing like I never heard from anyone before. I mean the ranch hands sometimes say a curse word, but nothing like this. Lester was real mad at Miss Laura because she’d gone home from the bank that day without staying late. I didn’t understand why he was even at Heaven’s Gate, it being so late and all.”

“Did anything else happen?”

Zack’s silence told Travis there was more, and the boy couldn’t quite bring it to words.

“Zack, I’m a preacher, but I’m still a man. I’ve experienced a lot in my days, and I doubt if I’d be shocked. You may have been privy to information that could help us end all the trouble with Lester.”

“He said if she told anyone about Rosie’s baby, he’d kill her.”

Bile rose in Travis’s throat. Had Lester beaten her because she was with child? Possibly his child? Why else would he want to keep the news quiet?

“I’m real sorry you heard all that.”

“It’s been really bothering me. I thought about telling you and my uncles yesterday when they came to talk, but Mama was there. Then I realized I wasn’t supposed to be out so late anyway. Lester could deny it all, and Miss Laura . . . well, I know how she used to live. So I reckoned our word against Lester’s was worthless.”

Unfortunately, Zack’s conclusions were right, unless Rosie and Laura could be convinced to talk to the sheriff.

“Why does he bully women who can’t defend themselves?” Zack said.

“Because he can,” Travis said. “Which makes all of this difficult. He has his good points, and that’s important for you to know. Just like I preach that none of us are perfect, inside every evil man is a dose of good. Tomorrow, I’ll tell your uncles about this. They’re smart men and will know what to do with your information.”

“I’ll tell whoever I need to. I’m not afraid of Lester, but I am afraid for my mama and those ladies at Heaven’s Gate.”

Oh, Lord, help us figure out a way to stop Lester. Protect those in danger and use me to Your glory.

*****

Bonnie wiggled in the chair while Morgan copied every word from her, Grant, and Brother Travis. All her sense of propriety in a lady displaying patience had faded years ago. Between the four of them, she hoped enough evidence had been gathered to stop Lester.

“All right, I think we have it all down on paper.” Morgan set the pen back in the inkwell. He grasped the paper in his right hand and eyed his sister, brother, and preacher.

“Read what we have,” Grant said. “Ought to be something there to put him behind bars.”

Morgan raised a brow. “Don’t be too sure of it. Lester may have broken laws, but if no one will testify against him, we have nothing.” He took a deep breath. “From Bonnie: Lester wanted to buy the Morning Star, but Ben refused to sell. After Ben’s passing, Lester began supplying her with wine. He also made visits without Sylvia, offered to find a military school for Zack, and when Bonnie let him know he was no longer welcome, he indicated others could learn about her drinking and ruin her reputation.

“With Grant: no problems with Lester since his relationship with Martha was exposed three years ago. However, if Lester has an ailment, he travels twenty-five miles to the next town for a doctor.

“With me. I helped Martha leave town with his sons, and I refused to tell him where she went. We’ve never gotten along, but why should we? The day he cornered Bonnie outside my office, I nearly hit him, but my wild sister beat me to it.” He grinned, and she poked him.

“Then there’s Brother Travis: For being here such a short time, you’ve certainly had plenty of run-ins with Lester. He tried to remove Bonnie from volunteering at Heaven’s Gate, but you refused to oblige him. He then threatened to pull his money from the church, and you let him know Piney Woods didn’t need his financial support. Now that you witnessed him in action with Rosie, he’s out to get rid of you.

“Zack is the one I wanted to keep out of this, but he witnessed the reality of Lester’s bad habits and temper.”

Bonnie blinked back the emotion. She’d wanted her son’s innocence protected for as long as possible. The cost of his foolish prank about Miss Scott was more than he’d ever bargained for.

Morgan placed the paper on his desk, sat back, and folded his arms over his chest. The ticking of the clock on his desk rhythmically broke the silence.

“There’s nothing we can do,” Travis finally said. “It’s his word against ours, and the witnesses are too frightened to speak up.”

“That’s right, Brother Travis,” Morgan said. “But we know he’s preying on defenseless women. The problem is we don’t know why.”

Grant cleared his throat. “When Martha was carrying the boys, Lester doted on her. And after they were born, he spent time with his sons. When he discovered she had plans to leave town, he told her he never wanted to see her or her bastard sons. Excuse my choice of words.”

“Could his anger and apathy have been to cover up what he really felt?” Bonnie said.

“As in vengeance against women for Martha leaving him?” Travis said.

“Possibly,” Morgan said. “I haven’t formed a strong conclusion, but I do believe he will continue until we find a way to stop him.”

“If Rosie is with child, how long before she sees me or her condition becomes apparent?” Grant said.

“I want to try talking to her,” Bonnie said. “Maybe if she knew that Lester has made my life miserable, too, then she’d be willing to tell the sheriff.”

“It’s worth a try,” Morgan said. “Brother Travis, what do you think?”

“Perhaps Bonnie and I could see Rosie and Laura together. We could offer to go with them to talk to the sheriff.”

“Lester would come after you two with both barrels,” Morgan said.

“Grant can patch us up,” Bonnie said in hopes of tearing down the wall of tension between them.

Brother Travis appeared to study her. “Are you ready to talk to Rosie and Laura right now? I’m not sure when Laura works at the bank, but we could try.”

She nodded, although remembrances of Lester’s domineering influence still haunted her. Deep inside, she found the courage to fight the fear. She had Brother Travis beside her, and they both had God.

But Lester was a powerful man who manipulated others to follow his orders.