HCTB Chapter 15 Sunday Morning Confessions
Sunday morning Aaron, Biddie and Lottie met with Ben and Reverend Adams. Lottie told them the story that Molly and Christopher told her.
"Lottie they are just children," Aaron argued "they couldn't possibly know what they are saying."
"Aaron, that's exactly the point. They wouldn't have an agenda. They are two innocent children that just told us exactly what they saw. They saw Missy rip her own dress and claw at the mud. Molly even had the hair ribbon Missy ripped out of her own hair. Missy told everyone that Joshua attacked her, threw her in the mud and ripped her dress," said Lottie.
"You said they were fishing?" Ben asked.
"Christopher said that he traded his fish for Licorice," Biddie said "and that was the same day that Missy accused Joshua of…oh dear you know. I remember because we had a game night to keep the children from hearing all the Brides talking about it. We really should have another game night, but not because of anything bad, just because it was kind of fun."
Aaron just shook his head and turned to Lottie.
"But why would she lie about something like that?" Aaron asked.
"Maybe it's just like Joshua said. She was angry when he turned her down for Emily," Lottie said. "You know how they say; there's nothing worse than a woman scorned. Joshua turning her down for someone else was more than she could stand."
"Go get the girl," Aaron said.
"Now?" asked Lottie.
"Why wait. She needs to be confronted, if it's a lie, then it's a lie that may very well have cost someone their life," Aaron said angrily.
"What do you mean Aaron," Ben asked.
"Someone tried to kill Joshua Bolt," Aaron cut in. "He was shot and he's fighting for his life."
"Oh no!" shrieked Biddie. "Is that why Candy didn't come back?"
"Where was he shot at?" Ben asked
"Candy found him up at the old Bolt cabin yesterday," Aaron said "We went looking for Candy when she didn't come back yesterday. Dr. Wright went there last night with Corky."
"Oh that poor boy," Biddie cried "and Candy found him, she must have been scared to death!"
"We need to send supplies for them as soon as we can," Lottie said. "Ben, we were hoping you could put together what they may need. Aaron and I are going up there right after services."
"Absolutely," Ben said. "So you think he's going to be okay?"
"Yes he's going to be fine," Lottie snapped refusing to believe otherwise.
"He has to be fine," Biddie fretted "He just has to be."
"We're hoping for the best," Aaron clarified "and if he survives, I doubt he'll be able to be moved for a while."
"Biddie, could you get Missy," Aaron reminded her.
Biddie went to get Missy. She was told not to say anything other than Reverend Adams asked to speak to her.
Missy argued the whole way over, she was missing her breakfast, but Biddie told her the Reverend asked for her personally, and that made Missy think she was going to be tasked with something important.
When Missy stepped into the church, she saw Rev. Wright, Lottie, Aaron and Ben. She knew something was up and immediately put up her guard.
"Missy," the Reverend said with a smile.
Aaron walked up to her and smirked. "Have a seat Missy. I'm going to get to the point," he started. "Were here about the claim you've made against Joshua Bolt."
Missy frowned. "You mean how he attacked me and ripped my dress…threw me down in the mud…" she snapped.
"Missy we have two eye witnesses that say something completely different," Lottie piped up.
"They're lying!" she jumped up. "He did too rip my dress, everyone saw it!"
"Missy, two people watched you fall to your knees in the mud, and rip your own dress. They said you were screaming, and that you were alone. by the lake." Aaron said.
"But I didn't see anyone there," she said in a confused way.
Ben looked at Aaron.
"So you were alone?" Ben asked.
"Yes I was alone, I mean no…Joshua was there," she corrected herself.
"You thought you were alone, but you weren't alone because two witnesses were watching and they also picked this up after you ran away," Lottie said, holding out the blue ribbon.
Missy started to cry. She knew she was caught.
"He deserved it." She cried out.
"Why…because he chose Emily over you?" Lottie shouted.
"Yes!" Missy shrieked "yes…" she sat and cried. "I just wanted him to love me… not her…" she cried softly.
"Did he deserve to die?" Lottie asked bitterly. "Did you try to kill him, or have someone do it for you?"
"Lottie…" The Reverend stepped in.
Lottie turned away in frustration.
"Everyone saw my dress, and they just assumed…I didn't mean for it to go that far," Missy cried. "I told him, I was just trying to make him jealous dating Burt, but he said he was with Emily."
"Did you shoot Joshua Bolt?" Aaron asked pointedly.
That got her attention. "What? No! Someone shot him?" she asked shocked.
"Did you have someone shoot him?" Aaron asked.
"No!" Missy said. "Oh God" she cried and buried her face in her hands.
Reverend Adams stood. "Aaron, Lottie, Church will be starting in about 30 minutes. The congregation will start arriving soon. "I'd like to ride out to the Bolts with you after services, if you that's okay with you."
"I think Jason would appreciate that Reverend," Lottie said.
"I'm sorry," Missy cried.
"I'm sure you're sorry now," Lottie said. She looked at the others. "I'll be back," she said before leaving with Aaron and Ben.
Biddie left to find Molly and Christopher and help them finish getting ready for church. She was asked not to mention the shooting to the children.
The reverend looked at Missy. He asked her to step into the back room so they couldn't be disturbed.
She sat down on the little wooden chair across from him. She sniffed and couldn't meet his eyes.
"Missy, I believe you know that what you did was wrong," he said.
She nodded looking down, while her hands were clasped together tightly, tears running down her cheek.
"Do you think that saying what you did, was going to make you feel better?" he asked
"I just didn't want him and Emily to be happy, if I couldn't be happy," She said.
"But did it make you happy seeing them suffer?" He asked.
"No," she said "But I loved him, and he didn't love me back," she said.
"You don't do something like that to someone you love, now do you?" he asked.
"I don't know," she said.
"You know you need to face up to what you did and apologize to both him and Emily, don't you?" he asked her.
"I can't," she cried.
"Missy, you have to ask for forgiveness, before you can forgive yourself," he said.
"Everyone will hate me," she cried.
Missy, this won't go away. You need to face up to what you've done." He said as he stood up.
Missy left out the back door.
The church service started as usual but Reverend Adams asked his wife to keep the children in their Sunday school class rather than have them join the adults. He had told her everything.
He began the service and touched on the ninth commandment; "Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor."
Missy was absent from the room. She's stayed home, ashamed from her meeting with the town leaders. She told Alice she had a terrible headache and had to lie down.
Reverend Adams talked to his congregation about one of their own that had been accused of a terrible crime against a Bride. So many people in town had jumped on board without proof and had made judgements without hearing both sides. He told his flock how the truth had come to light. He spoke without using names, but everyone knew who he was talking about.
"This town's rush to judgement only fueled a fire that led to an innocent man being gunned down and left to die," he said.
That led to chaos in the room. Emily stood and looked around to Lottie and Aaron. "Aaron is that true?" she asked.
"Please, please…"the reverend said "Everyone, please calm down," he said to quiet the people.
Emily still stood and repeated her question. "Aaron…Is it true?" she asked again.
Aaron stood reluctantly. He looked at Rev. Adams annoyed that he'd mentioned the shooting.
The people were still talking and demanding answers.
Burt sat, stunned to learn that Missy had lied about the attack. Usually they sat together, but when she didn't show up, her friend Alice said Missy claimed that a headache had kept her home.
Tom knew immediately that Burt shot Joshua Bolt. He knew Burt was acting strange that Friday night, now he was sure why. It made him feel sick and thrown into something he didn't ask to be a part of.
"It's true," Aaron said "someone shot Joshua Bolt. Candy found him yesterday."
The room let out a gasp. Things like this didn't happen in Seattle.
Questions were shouted. "Who did it, do they know?" People worried that a crazed gunman was running the streets and asked if they should arm themselves.
"Now just calm down," Aaron said. "We think he was a target, and that it's an isolated incident." He tried to calm everyone.
"Aaron," Emily cried out, "what about Joshua?"
"Dr. Wright is with him, along with Jason and Candy. We're going back with supplies after the service," Aaron said. "If he survives…and I'm confident he will," Aaron strongly added," they are going to need plenty of supplies where they are." Aaron didn't want to mention their location, knowing they needed to be left alone. Later he realized it was silly not to, the shooter would already know where Joshua was.
Alice sat in stunned silence. Missy had lied directly to her.
After church service ended, the congregation walked out. They were offering support to Aaron and Reverend Adams. "We'll be praying for him," was repeated over and over. "Let Jason know whatever he needs…" So many people were offering to help with whatever was needed.
Ben had a wagon ready and loaded quickly. "Give this to Jason," Ben said and handed Lottie a book. "Maybe he'd like to read to Joshua while he's recovering."
"Around the world in eighty days," Lottie read the title aloud.
Reverend Adams also brought a book for Jason, his was the Bible.
Tom cornered Burt after church. "You did it. Friday night you shot Joshua Bolt with that rifle I got for you."
"You can't prove anything Tom. No one knows I was even gone and if you say anything, you'll be just as guilty as me," Burt spat.
"I never signed up for this Burt. We never hurt anyone before, that was the deal," Tom argued.
"You'd better keep your mouth shut or you might end up like that Bolt kid," Burt warned before walking towards the Brides dorm.
Burt called on Missy. "Is it true? He didn't attack you, you made it up? Why would you say that?" he asked.
"I don't know why I said it. I'm sorry Burt…Everyone saw my dress and just jumped to conclusions, and I was too ashamed to tell them the truth." She said "I didn't know it would go that far. Not that someone would try to kill him," she cried. "I can't stay here anymore. I have to leave."
"Come with me Missy," he rushed to ask. "We can leave together…right now! I'll take you anywhere you want to go."
"You're not angry with me?" she asked
"I love you Missy, I always will. I'll do anything for you," he said.
They pulled out of Seattle that afternoon. Missy didn't speak to anyone. While the others were having lunch downstairs she slipped out. A note on her night table just read, "I'm sorry for what I did, I'm going home."
