HCTB Chapter 13 Just Listen
Biddie started to panic. It was getting dark and Candy hadn't returned. Some of the Brides began to worry. Biddie didn't think Joshua had done anything, but Candy could have a broken buggy wheel, or a number of things could have happened.
Some of the Brides began coming up with their own theories. Alice coming up with the worst case scenarios began to cause a panic. Missy was just nodding in agreement, but keeping unusually quiet.
Emily was concerned as well. Christopher and Molly were finishing their supper, and the Brides were unaware the children were listening.
"What if Josh hurt Candy like he did Missy," one of the Brides shouted.
"I don't believe he did that," another girl said.
"Her dress was ripped and she was all muddy," someone argued.
"Missy said Josh ripped her dress, and if he could do that, he could do worse," someone said.
Molly and Christopher looked at each other. "Christopher, Josh didn't tear her dress," Molly said.
"We should tell," Christopher said.
They both got up and walked towards Emily. "Miss Emily, we saw…" they started but were cut off.
"Oh dear, the kids," Emily shouted, reminding the others that the children were in the room, but the Brides carried on. They were in their own world and talking over each other so that no one could hardly hear what the other was saying.
Emily rushed the children into their room. "But we saw Miss Missy when we were fishing and…" Molly tried to say.
"You just forget about whatever you heard in there," she said, cutting them off again. "Now you both just get yourselves ready for bed and me or Biddie will be right back to tuck you in," she said before rushing out to find Biddie.
"I'm going to get Aaron, "Biddie said and quickly left before Emily reached her.
"Aaron, Aaron," she shouted in as she burst into Lottie's.
Everyone turned and looked at her.
Several men sat playing cards, and some were having dinner.
Aaron was sitting at a round table having an early dinner alone.
Biddie rushed over to him. "Aaron, it's Candy," she shrieked. "She's missing and something bad must have happened because she would never be out this late and leave Christopher and Molly all alone unless she was in terrible terrible, trouble. Oh Aaron you have to do something now!" she shrieked without taking a breath.
"Can't you see I'm trying to have dinner?" Aaron said.
Lottie rushed over. "Biddie, slow down, now exactly what is going on?" Lottie asked calmly.
Biddie took a deep breath. "Candy drove out to the logging camp to have lunch with Joshua. She thought it would be nice to visit and just see how he was doing. But that was at lunch time, and she hasn't got back," Biddie said again calmly. "Lottie. Its dark out, she can't drive a buggy in the dark! Something must have happened." She said.
Suddenly a group of Brides, Including Alice, Missy and Emily burst into the saloon, shouting and raising a ruckus about Candy being kidnapped by Joshua.
"Kidnapped?" Lottie was taken aback "Joshua Bolt didn't kidnap anyone,' Lottie said in disgust. "I'm sure there's a simple explanation."
"I tried to tell them, Joshua would never harm Candy," Emily said.
Christopher and Molly watched from their window as the group of women rushed across the street.
"They won't listen to us, cos were just kids," Molly said. Christopher just nodded.
"Ladies, Please go back to the dorm, I'll ride out to the Bolts place," It's probably nothing more than a broken wheel or something like that." Aaron assured the women, sending them back across the street.
"Aaron, you know Joshua hasn't done anything to hurt Candy," Lottie said.
"But it could be a bear, or a bank robber kidnapped her!" Biddie worried.
Lottie just rolled her eyes.
Corky stood up from his card game and quickly walked over.
"Aaron, Miss Candy went up to meet Joshua on his way back from their old home cabin around lunch time. I figured she'd come back by now. Maybe she had buggy trouble or something," he said. "I'll ride out to the Camp with you and check," he said.
Aaron took a breath, grabbed the napkin from his collar and tossed it onto his plate. "Okay let's go, I guess I won't be finishing dinner."
He looked at Biddie "I'll find Jason and see what's going on. I'm sure there's nothing to worry about," he said in an annoyed tone.
Aaron and Corky rode up to the Bolts cabin. They were just in time to see Jason tightening a saddle on one of their horses. "Aaron, Corky" he said.
"Jason, have you seen Candy? She never got back from visiting Joshua," Aaron said.
"Candy went visiting Joshua?" Jason asked "I was just going up to check and see why Josh didn't come home." He said "He was supposed to get here this morning."
"Jason, Miss Candy came by this morning to take Joshua some lunch. She decided to ride up and meet him on his way back. I figured they got back a long time ago," Corky said.
"Something must be wrong. He never got here," he said as he mounted his horse and led them up the mountain. "It's going to be slow going in the dark," he shouted behind him.
"You know the way in the dark?" Aaron shouted.
"Like the back of my hand," Jason answered.
"We could go and talk to Mr. Ben," Molly said "or we could go and see the preacher, he would know what to do."
Christopher thought about it. "Well Miss Lottie is like a bartender," he said.
"What's that got to do with anything?" Molly asked.
"Well, Mr. Clancy says you can always tell your troubles to a bartender, it's their job to listen to your troubles." Christopher said.
"Wait," Molly said and rushed to her treasure box, she pulled out the ribbon and stuffed it into her pocket.
After the Brides left Lottie's, and the coast was clear, Molly and Christopher slipped out and ran across the street. They cracked open Lottie's door, and rushed towards her.
"What are you two doing in here, and at this hour, shouldn't you be in bed?' she asked them.
"We have to tell someone what we saw, but no one will listen to us," Molly said.
Christopher looked at the men playing cards. They were oblivious to the kids.
Lottie saw their concern and took them by the hands, leading them to the back room.
"Does anyone know where you are?" she asked them
"No mam, but we tried to tell Miss Emily and she wouldn't listen."
"We figure, since you had a saloon, it's your job, so you gotta listen," Christopher said.
Lottie closed her eyes at their logic and smiled.
She sat down in a chair to be at their level and folded her arms. "I'm listening," she said.
Christopher looked at Molly and nodded.
"I told Joshua I was going to catch dinner." Christopher said.
"And while Christoher was fishing, Miss Missy, came to the lake and she was mad, and yelling" Molly said.
"She was yelling so loud I thought she would scare the fish," Christopher said.
"Who was she yelling at?" Lottie asked.
"She wasn't yelling at any body. She was alone, weren't no one else there. Then she got down and started to dig in the mud, and she was real mad, and screamed again, then she ripped her dress, and she ripped it some more," Molly said.
"She ripped her own dress? And there was no one else there?" Lottie asked.
"Yes mam, and then she pulled out her hair ribbon and threw it on the ground and ran off," Molly said. "So I went and picked it up. I kept it," she said as she pulled the ribbon from her pocket. "It wasn't stealing, since she threw it away. Was it?" she asked.
"No sweet heart, it wasn't stealing." Lottie said.
"It didn't scare the fish though, her screamin', I mean," Christopher said. "I caught three catfish and traded them for licorice at Mr. Ben's store." Christopher said proudly.
Lottie smiled real big.
"Lottie, Lottie," Screamed Biddie from the main room. "Oh goodness, Lottie!"
"Stay here," she said to the kids.
"What on earth," she rushed out to see Biddie and Emily."
The Children have been kidnapped!" Biddie shouted.
"I went to check on them, and they were gone," Emily cried out.
"Calm down, calm down ladies, I have them back here," Lottie said. "And there's something I think you should hear."
She took the ladies to the back room. "Christopher, Molly, you scared me to death,' Biddie said rushing to them.
"They thought since no one would listen to their story, and I was a bar tender, it was my job to listen," Lottie said with a half-smile. "I think you should both hear what they have to say."
They told their story to Lottie and Emily.
"And what day did this happen? Biddie asked.
"It was when we had the checker night and got to eat dinner in our room," Christopher said. "I remember cos Candy said the licorice would ruin my dinner."
Biddie jumped to her feet. "Oh my gosh, oh my gosh, she ripped her own dress!"
Lottie sat back down and looked at the children. She pulled them in for a big hug. "You both have done such a big thing telling us the truth. I am so proud of you both and that deserves a piece of chocolate cake and a glass of milk.
"Really?" Christopher smiled.
"Really," Lottie said. She stood to get the kids cake and looked at Emily. The girl had tears flooding her eyes. Lottie just shook her head and walked away.
When she came back with a tray for the kids, she sat it down. And handed them their late night treat.
She turned towards Emily. "I didn't believe him." Emily said
"You didn't even ask him," Lottie said. She wasn't going to hold back, Emily needed to hear it. "Lottie felt like Emily turned her back on him, and she should have at the very least given him a chance to defend his self."
Biddie stood and nodded in agreement. "I want to go and give that Missy a piece of my mind is what I want to do!" Biddie snapped.
"No wait," Lottie said. "Let's think about this a minute." She said. "We need to do this in the right place. I don't want to drag the children in any more than they need to be, and we need to confront her with this at the right time. Let's wait until they find Candy, and take care of that first."
"Oh dear I forgot about Candy," Biddie fretted. "I certainly hope a bear didn't attack her or what about another big foot!"
"Oh Biddie, she's just probably had her buggy break down," Lottie said "but I will feel better when we know for sure though."
She looked over at the children, who were finishing their cake. "We do need to get this all straightened out quickly though, "she said nodding towards the kids.
Once the children were finished, Emily and Biddie took them back and put them to bed. Emily stayed in the same room, she couldn't be around Missy. She was afraid she would say or do something, so she thought it best to just keep her distance.
She wanted to find Joshua, and wondered if he could ever forgive her, or if she could even bring herself to face him. She had been such a fool
When Jason, Aaron and Corky finally reached the cabin, they saw the buggy parked and the horse and mule in the corral. Candy looked out the window when she heard horses.
She burst from the cabin. "Jason," she called out. "Jason, he's been shot," she said frantically reaching for him and grabbing his arms.
He looked at her, fear in his eyes. Jason turned and raced into the cabin. He knelt by his brother. Joshua was asleep. Aaron, Corky and Candy were inside. She was whispering, I got here and found him. He was already inside, he used his shirt to help stop the bleeding, but he's been in and out. I didn't know what to do. He needs a doctor, but he didn't want me to leave him alone," she said.
Jason stood and took Candy by the arms, "Thank you Candy. We need to get Allyn," he said looking at Aaron and Corky.
Corky looked at Joshua. "I'll go bring her back Jason, I know the way, "he said.
"Aaron, Candy, you need to go back so everyone will know you're okay," Jason said.
"Aaron you tell the girls in town that I'm okay, let them know what's going on, but I'm staying here. " Candy said.
"Candy you should come back with us," Aaron said.
She looked at him. "Aaron, I promised Joshua that I wouldn't leave," she said "And I'm staying." She said firmly. "You let Biddie know what's going on, tell her not to mention this to Molly and Christopher. Just tell them that I'm okay and I'm helping Joshua out with something here." She said.
"Corky, get Allyn here as soon as you can," Jason stressed.
"I'll be back as soon as possible with the Doc." He said. He took a step towards Joshua, and then looked up at Jason. "I'll hurry," he said.
"I'll get word to Big Swede and have him send someone with some supplies," Corky added.
"Jason, whoever did this, do you think if they find out he's not dead…?" Candy asked.
"She's right Jason. Whoever shot Joshua may come back if they think he could identify them," Aaron said.
"There's nothing I can do about that right now, all I know is Josh needs Allyn," Jason said.
He and Aaron mounted their horses and rode off in a hurry.
Candy and Jason sat by Joshua's side, the only light by the lantern sitting on the table cast a golden glow. Jason looked down at his younger brother.
"Tell me what happened," he asked Candy.
"I was so scared," Candy said softly. "I got here and his mule was just walking around, he'd already tied on his pack. The door was standing open and I found him in here on the bed. His shirt just balled up on the wound. It must have happened just as he about to leave. I didn't see anyone."
"I shouldn't have let him come here alone like this. He was a sitting duck," Jason said quietly with guilt.
"No one could have known this would happen. You can't blame yourself," Candy said.
"Jeremy didn't want him up here alone, and he was right," Jason said. "I was so damn worried about the contract…" he said and put his head in his hand.
"Jason," Candy said and touched his arm, trying to give him comfort.
"Did he say anything?" Jason asked.
"Not much, but he was weak. I wanted to go for help, but he begged me to stay. He asked me to talk to him. He mentioned Jeremy and me… and someone named Jenny? He said I was like Jenny? Do you know who he was talking about?" she asked
"Jenny…" Jason whispered the name. "He's not mentioned her in a long time," he said.
Candy didn't push, now wasn't the time.
He put his hand on Joshua's head. "You're going to be okay," he said.
He looked at Candy, "Why don't you try and get some sleep. It's going to be a long night. You should rest while you can."
She looked at Joshua and nodded. "I am tired. You'll get me if he wakes up?' she asked.
He nodded yes. Candy went to the side room and lay down, exhausted.
Jason looked at his brother and memories flooded his thoughts; silly arguments and bickering. He would do anything to take them back. "You're always trying to prove yourself," he whispered "And you don't have to prove anything to me or Joshua."
Jason took his hand and held it. "I'm here," he whispered as he gently squeezed Josh's hand.