The Shadow was rushing at night. He waited for Candy to come back from work but she never arrived. He got no information from any of the nurses. He needed to get back on her track and fast, she was supposed to be captured, tied, in his bedroom by now. He thought about following her around during the day, but he didn't have a car and didn't want to be seen. Candy could be anywhere by now, but from what she had told him, she was going to be working with different patients in the LaPorte area. He figured he could go back to the farm, but it was safer to scout Dr. Mattisse's office. If only he was better prepared last night, he would have snatched her then and there. But he was waiting for instructions.
Neal entered the sheriff's office, he figured he could get at least some information from that girl that would lead to Candy. Maybe she crossed paths with her inside the train. So far, Candy was becoming way too difficult. As soon as he came in, he saw a man trying to force open the holding cell. He stayed hidden and watched.
- I'm not coming with you, leave me here! I'd rather rot than go back with you.
- Sunshine, you've been had. Once they figure out your name, you're going to do at least 10 years, don't be so shy and come with me.
- Let there be years. Living with you is also a prison but with forced labor.
- I can't risk having you here, I need to make sure your mouth will stay shut.
- I promise I won't sing, please go!
- Give me 5 more minutes and I'll open this.
Neal was breathing heavily. He tried to calm down. Grabbed his lucky charm and approached the man silently, then, when he was 1 foot away, he slashed his back with his old broken spur. The man cried in pain and when he let go, Neal grabbed the picked lock and hit him in the head with it. He then opened the door and let Hannah out. They rushed into his car and drove back to the hotel. Neal was feeling something weird, he had never in his life done the correct thing and he was in an adrenaline rush. He looked at Hannah and for a second got lost in her green eyes, she did look like Candy.
- Are you going to be ok here?
- Yes, thank you.
- Have some rest, I'll come tomorrow. This room will be vacated in the morning, so after tonight, you'll be on your own.
- That's fine. Thanks again. See you tomorrow.
Candy wouldn't come down from the tree. Everything was peaceful there. Why did men have to develop feelings for her? She was just 17 and her heart had been broken into thousands of pieces, twice. Then she was all sad after Albert left. Tom was her go-to friend, the one she could rely on, the one that had grown up with her. What would happen now?
After a couple hours, when the fall winds were bringing a chill and her skin was starting to shake, Tom came out and asked if she was coming down. She did, looked at him and a tear came from her eye. For the first time in her life, a tree had not brought her answers.
- I'm sorry
- You don't have to apologize, I'll get rid of the presents if you don't want them.
- I just feel overwhelmed.
- Candy, you don't have to do anything. Just be yourself. I promise I will never ask you to do something you're not comfortable with. I want you to be happy above everything else.
Candy was speechless. She went to her room and cried all night. She thought of Terry and saw how her connection with him was fading, she was so afraid of losing it. She was worried about Albert and she still was haunted by a spoiled Neal. She took pen and paper and started drafting a letter to Miss Pony. She would leave again, go west this time, use her nursing skills in railway constructions and possibly enlist to go to the front if she was required. Maybe the hard work and the life among tough men would give her heart some peace. She hurried up and needed to leave before the driver arrived. She then wrote a letter to Tom and one more to Albert. She left them, checked on Steve one more time, and left in the dark when dawn was still hours away.