Searching For Jeremy Bolt Chapter Two JB
"Jason, you must eat something. Starving yourself isn't going to help you find Jeremy." Allyn told him.
"You're right, Allyn. I just don't care about food. I don't care about anything except Jeremy and Joshua." Jason replied.
"Well, you have to add yourself to that list of people you care about so you can stay around to take care of your brothers." Allyn insisted.
Jason focused his weary eyes on the pretty doctor. He smiled sadly before he took a few bites of the scrambled eggs on his plate.
It had been a week since Jeremy left home leaving behind the note that said he was never going to return. Seattle and the surrounding areas had been searched numerous times with no results.
After the first few days, Jason and Joshua couldn't abide being in the cabin without their little brother. Without Jeremy, the cabin was too big, too quiet, and too lonesome.
The two oldest Bolt brothers took rooms at Lottie's. Being with other people especially Lottie helped their broken hearts.
Candy and Biddie also got a room at Lottie's. Candy was having frequent nightmares. She often woke up screaming Jeremy's name in the night and disturbed the other girls.
The two young women found that Lottie's presence had a calming effect on them. The hot milk laced with Brandy helped Candy sleep with fewer nightmares too. Lottie had to put up quite a fuss to get Miss Pruitt to agree to the first cup.
As Jason was drinking his coffee, he looked around the barroom. "Have you seen Joshua this morning, Allyn?"
"He is in his room asleep, Jason. He and I talked until very early this morning." She replied. "Joshua knocked on my door late last night. He asked if I had given Jeremy some bad medical news."
Jason looked alarmed. "I hadn't thought of that possibility! Allyn!"
"Relax, Jason. Jeremy is not sick. His last doctor's visit was two months ago when he hit his thumb with a hammer. I had to remove his thumbnail but otherwise, he was as healthy as a horse." Allyn spoke.
"Oh, Thank God!" Jason exclaimed.
"Jason, I have to get back to my office. I have patients coming in soon. Don't over do it today. Take breaks along. Drink some water regularly." She gave him a little kiss on the cheek.
Jason clasped her hand and looked deep into her eyes. "Tell me that we will find him and that he will be alright."
Allyn smiled and then she whispered, "Yes, Jason, you and Joshua will find Jeremy. He will be alright. I mean it, sweetheart."
Jason smiled at her and was about to give her a quick kiss on the lips when Corky came running into the saloon.
"Jason! Josh! They found a body on the east side of the mountain!" Corky shouted.
Joshua came running down the stairs. He and Jason shared a horrified look.
Jason jumped up from his chair. "Who found this body? Is it a young person or an older person? What was the cause of his death?"
"Billy Sawdust found the body. It's a young man, but Billy couldn't tell if it's…." Corky answered. "The body is on the east side of the mountain going toward your folks old cabin."
Jason and Joshua ran out the door and kept running until they got to their cabin. They got the horses hitched to the buckboard and left going up the mountain. Corky followed them on his horse.
Lottie sent Ken to tell Aaron Stempel so Aaron could go up there as well. She knew that the Bolt brothers would need Aaron if the unthinkable happened.
Lottie went upstairs to tell Candy and to try to prepare her in case she was about to lose her fiancé. Doctor Wright accompanied Lottie.
Candy's screams and sobs could be heard all through the small town. Doctor Wright gave her a sedative which put her to sleep in just a few minutes.
After Ken told Aaron about the body found on the mountain, he left immediately on his way up there. Aaron prayed all the way that the body was not Jeremy.
When Jason and Joshua arrived where the body was located, they jumped from the wagon and ran to the remains. Both brothers fell to their knees. Jason removed the blanket that Billy had placed over the body.
The Bolts looked at the face. Sadly, it was too mangled to tell if it was their brother or not. The young man had been about the same age, height, weight, and build as Jeremy.
Jason looked at Joshua in despair. "I can't tell, Joshua. One way or the other. Can you?"
"No, I can't, Jason. Wait a minute! Jeremy's angel wings!" Joshua exclaimed.
"What?!" Jason asked.
"You remember. The small identical birthmarks Jeremy has on his shoulder blades. Mom used to say that was where his angel wings were before he was born to her and Dad." Joshua reminded him.
"Yes, I remember. Well, let's pray that this poor fellow doesn't have angel wings." Jason said.
The two brothers removed the shirt from the body and very carefully turned the body over. Jason and Joshua burst into tears.
"No angel wings, Josh! No angel wings!" Jason shouted in relief.
"Whew! I was so scared, Jason!" Joshua exclaimed.
Jason and Joshua became silent. They looked sadly at the body of the young man on the ground. Someone was missing him and had probably been searching for him as they were looking for Jeremy.
Aaron arrived and hurried to them. "That's not your brother, is it?"
"No, thankfully, that's not Jeremy. But we were just thinking about his family." Jason replied.
"Yeah, well, leave this to me, Jason. You and Joshua have enough to deal with looking for Jeremy. I will have the body transported to town and then I will wire Marshall Trueaxe to find out about any missing persons who have been reported." Aaron told them.
"Thank you, Aaron. We appreciate your support for us too. When you get back to town, please let Candy and Lottie know that it wasn't Jeremy who was found deceased." Jason spoke.
"Sure, Jason. I will do that first thing. I imagine both ladies are very worried." Aaron agreed.
The Bolt brothers allowed Aaron to use their wagon to transport the body back to Seattle. Corky and Billy helped Aaron place the body in the buckboard.
Jason and Joshua borrowed Aaron and Corky's horses to ride up to their old home place. They wanted to search the old cabin again for Jeremy.
They saw no signs of Jeremy in the old cabin. They sat down on the sofa.
"Jason, you know, Jeremy probably left town, the day he wrote the note. Since he said he wasn't coming back, he wouldn't stay in Seattle or close by." Joshua said.
"That's true, Josh. But our first thought was that Jeremy would go to a familiar place where he could hide and plan where he was going to go from there. That's why we have searched the mountain time and again." Jason responded.
"We have got to accept the fact that our brother isn't in town or on the mountain, Jason, and do more searches outside this area. I say we start with Tacoma. How does that sound to you?" Joshua inquired.
"It sounds alright, Josh. Let's head that way now." Jason said.
In Tacoma later that day, they searched the saloons, the churches, the restaurants, the stores, and the hotels. They even went to the jail in case Jeremy had gotten into a fight and had been arrested. Jason and Joshua did not find their brother.
It was late when they got back to Seattle. Lottie was waiting up for them. She had saved them some supper and had kept a little wood burning in the stove to keep it warm for them. Even though they were too tired, Jason and Joshua managed to eat a little for Lottie's sake.
"Candy and I were so relieved that the young man who was found on the mountain today wasn't Jeremy. I don't know how much more that poor girl can take or the two of you either." Lottie looked at their weary faces.
"We keep hoping and praying that we will find our brother soon, Lottie." Jason replied.
Doctor Wright came in the door. "Jason, I'm so glad that you and Joshua are back. Hello, Joshua. Good evening, Lottie. "
Lottie and Joshua said hello to the doctor.
"Jason, I need to talk to you and Joshua about the deceased young man." Allyn Wright told them.
"Allyn, we are certain that he isn't Jeremy. You aren't going to try to say we are wrong, are you?" Jason was in a cold sweat.
Joshua felt like he was going to puke. That man did not have Jeremy's birthmarks. It couldn't be him. Could it? Joshua thought.
"Oh, no, Jason, he is definitely not Jeremy. I need to talk to both of you about how the young man died. He was given an injection with a hypodermic needle. It was probably a very large dose of morphine." Doctor Wright told them. "It was injected into his neck and went quickly to his heart."
"An injection of morphine? Up on the mountain? That's an odd way to murder someone isn't it, Doctor?" asked Jason.
"Yes, it is strange. I have never heard of it before. But then how can one explain the mind of a murderer?" Doctor Wright asked.
"Excuse me, Doctor Wright, did I hear you correctly? The young man died from an injection of morphine?" Candy inquired as she came down the stairs.
"Yes, Candy, that's what I said." Doctor Wright replied.
Candy sat down at the table with everyone. Tears ran down her face.
"Sweetheart, did you have another nightmare about Jeremy?" Lottie put her arm around her.
"No, it's not that, Lottie. This afternoon I went to Ben's store to wire my friend not to visit and not to write to me anymore. I am so worried about Jeremy that I didn't get around to doing that until today. Well, my friend, Willard usually wires me back within an hour, so I waited in the store for awhile. Emily came in and we got to talking. She was assuring me that Jeremy would come home soon." Candy was quiet for a minute.
Candy continued, "I got a response to my telegram, but not from Willard. It was from my Aunt Kitty. She lives in Dodge City, Kansas where Willard lived. Aunt Kitty said that Willard died two months ago. She said his body was found out in his field; he was a farmer. He died from a morphine injection in his neck. Aunt Kitty said her close friend, Doc Adams confirmed it."
"That is a very strange coincidence. Doctor Wright, do you have any idea how that could happen?" Joshua inquired.
"No, Joshua, I don't know. There is too great a distance between Seattle and Dodge City for it to be the same person obviously." The doctor answered.
"Candy, didn't you say earlier this week that you had received a wire from your friend?" Jason asked.
"Yes, I did, Jason! Willard died two months ago, so who sent me the telegram?" Candy was incredulous.
"Maybe the same person who sent this one. I fell asleep at the store doing inventory and the telegraph machine woke me up a few minutes ago." Ben said walking into the saloon. "This wire is addressed to you, Jason."
Jason took the wire from Ben. He read it and murmured, "Oh, dear God!"
"Read it out loud, Jason!" Joshua insisted.
Jason read: To: Jason Bolt, Seattle, Washington Territory From: Me, Dodge City, Kansas. I have a hypodermic of morphine for your youngest brother. You better find him before I do. Signed Me.
"What the hell?!" Joshua shouted. "Jeremy left home because he was humiliated and heartbroken. Now there is a murderer after him too?"
"Candy, do you have any idea who could be pretending to be your friend, Willard?" Jason inquired.
Candy thought for a moment. "No, Jason, I don't. Maybe Aunt Kitty could ask Marshall Dillon to talk to their telegrapher and find out who sent the wire."
"That's a good idea, Candy. That's the only way telegraphers can give out the identity of a person who has sent a telegram. Telling an officer of the law. I had better go home. Emily will be wondering where I am. Oh, sorry!" Ben spoke.
That's alright, Ben. Good night." Jason told him.
Ben waved as he went out the door.
"Now I'm even more frightened and worried about Jeremy." Candy fretted.
"I know, sweetheart. So am I." Lottie patted her shoulder.
"Let's all go to bed and get up early in the morning to start searching again." Jason advised.
All of them went upstairs to bed and all of them had trouble sleeping because they were scared for Jeremy.
Jeremy was having trouble sleeping too. He was standing outside looking up at the stars. He was missing Candy and his brothers. He hoped they weren't angry at him. He didn't know what to do except leave after the men laughed at him, the preacher rejected him, and Candy practically told him she had a new beau.
Jeremy gazed at the beautiful sky for several minutes. He said a prayer for Candy, his brothers, and all of his friends in Seattle.
He walked into his cave at Rock Canyon. Jeremy laid down on his blanket. He stared at the ceiling for a long time thinking about his lonesome unhappy life.
"I love you, C-C-Candy." He spoke out loud.
Jeremy cried himself to sleep.
TBC