Jeremy My True Love Chapter Five
"Jeremy!" Jason shouted. "Wait a minute. Joshua wants to go with you to get your clothes and your belongings."
Jeremy stopped and turned around. "Okay, Joshua, let's go."
Joshua got up from his seat walking toward the door and his brother.
"Stop, please, all of you!" Lottie yelled. "Jeremy, sweetheart, come over here to me, please."
"Sure, Lottie." Jeremy went to her.
"Help me stand up, Jeremy." Lottie spoke.
The youngest brother took her hand and helped her to her feet.
Lottie gazed at Jeremy. "I want you to do something for me, sugar britches."
Jeremy smiled a bit at her old childhood nickname for him. "What is it, Lottie. Joshua and I have to go get my clothes and stuff. I don't want to live by myself."
"This won't take long, Jeremy. You and Joshua will have plenty of time to get your things." Lottie promised.
"Alright, Lottie. What do you want me to do?" Jeremy asked.
"I know this will sound strange but. I want you to kiss Candy. I mean a real I'm your man and you're my woman kinda kiss not one of those prim and proper tea party pecks." Lottie told him.
"You're right, Lottie, it sounds odd. However, I will do it for you." Jeremy replied.
"Thank you, sweetheart. Please help me to a chair close to Candy so I can watch." Lottie spoke.
Jeremy took Lottie to a chair right in front of Candy and helped her sit down.
Then he got on his knees and lifted Candy's upper body to him. Jeremy looked at her ashen face. She was beginning to feel cold. Jeremy looked up at Lottie. She nodded. He looked over at his brothers. Both of them nodded too.
Jeremy took a deep breath and placed his mouth on her mouth. He kissed her hard trying not to flinch at the coldness of her lips. He gave her a long kiss and then stopped just for a moment to draw a breath. Then as he was about to kiss her again, he heard a faint whisper.
"Jeremy, my true love! You saved me!" Her eyes were open. She wound her arms around his neck and kissed him hard on the mouth.
"Candy! You were dead! The doctor and Jason told me you were dead. Then Lottie told me to kiss you and now you're alive! Candy, you're alive! Thank You, God! Thank You, for giving my sweet girl back to me!" Jeremy was overwhelmed with love and joy.
Candy and Jeremy held each other and cried.
Everyone else in the room shed happy shocked tears as well. When the crying subsided, the joyful couple got up from the floor. They sat in chairs on either side of Lottie.
"Lottie, what in the world happened? I am truly grateful, but I don't understand." Jeremy asked.
"Well, sweetheart, it's like you and Candy said, true love and The Good Lord. Sometimes He works through true love's kiss." Lottie smiled.
Jeremy and Candy looked at Lottie. In unison, they said, "We love you, Lottie!"
She put an arm around each of them. "I love you kids too!"
Jeremy and Candy got up from their chairs. Each one gave Lottie a kiss on the cheek. They started going around the bar room talking to the other guests, Biddie gave both of them huge hugs and cried terribly. She apologized over and over because Candy's food had been poisoned according to Doctor Wright. Biddie blamed herself since the luncheon was her idea. The young Bolt couple assured her it was not her fault.
Jeremy told Biddie that he and his brothers would find out who poisoned Candy. However, today and tonight, he was just going to be thankful to God that he still had her.
Jason and Joshua gave their brother and their sister-in-law big bear hugs. "Oh, Thank God!" Jason said. "We were terrified when we thought you were gone, Candy."
"That's right. We were beside ourselves and Jeremy, well, I guess that's for him to tell you. Like Jason said we thank God that you are here with us." Joshua told her.
Candy thanked her brothers-in-law for their love and concern. Jeremy insisted that she let Doctor Wright examine her.
Candy agreed. Jeremy found Doctor Wright in the kitchen. The three of them went upstairs to a room.
Doctor Wright examined Candy. Jeremy stayed with her. He couldn't stand the thought of letting her out of his sight.
Allyn said Candy was fine. Jeremy asked what type of poison was used.
"I can't say for sure, Jeremy, but I believe it could have been poison hemlock. If it was the culprit had to be very careful handling it. He or she had to wear gloves which is not hard to do." Allyn advised.
"She?" Candy was surprised. "Jeremy, we never considered that a woman could be trying to kill me. Thank you, Doctor for your help."
"You're welcome, Candy. I'm so thankful that everything turned out fine." The doctor replied.
"You can find poison hemlock growing around. There is some in places along the road up to the logging camp." Jeremy spoke. "There were lots of flowers at the luncheon. I wonder if the person who gathered the flowers was the one who gathered the poison hemlock?"
Candy and Jeremy looked at each other. "Biddie! Where is Biddie?" Jeremy asked.
He went to the door and shouted, "Biddie Cloom! Come up here right now!"
Downstairs, Biddie was frightened by Jeremy's yelling. She ran quickly to him.
"Jeremy, what happened? Did Candy die again? "Biddie cried.
"No, Biddie! I'm sorry, I didn't mean to frighten you. I'm trying to find out who poisoned Candy. The doctor said he or she used poison hemlock. I was thinking about the wildflowers that were used for decoration at the luncheon. Who picked them?" Jeremy asked.
"Lucy Sawyer volunteered to do that. She said she loves flowers, and she knew where she could find some special ones." Biddie answered.
"Thank you, Biddie. Do you know where Miss Sawyer is now, please?" Jeremy questioned.
"Why, yes, she is on the stagecoach going back to Port Angeles. She said she didn't think she was going to have any luck finding a husband here in Seattle, so she was going home. I tried to get her to stay so you and your brothers won't lose your mountain, but then I remembered that Lucy was not one of the original one hundred girls, so she doesn't count," Biddie replied.
"Do you know what time she left, please, Biddie?" asked Jeremy.
"She got on the noon stagecoach just as the luncheon was beginning. Oh, dear! It sounds like Lucy was the one who poisoned Candy, doesn't it, Jeremy? Oh my!" Biddie exclaimed.
"Yes. Biddie, it certainly does. Here, sit down, please." Jeremy offered her a chair.
Biddie sat down. She looked sadly at Candy sitting on the bed.
"I'm so sorry, Candy. I had no idea that Lucy would poison you." Biddie said.
"It's not your fault, Biddie. None of us knew. Lucy sent Jason that telegram a few months ago asking if she could be one of the brides when she moved to Seattle. He checked her references one of which was a minister and she seemed to be fine. Don't worry about it, Biddie, I'm okay." Candy smiled.
"Well, I want you to stay fine, and I know that Jeremy certainly does too." Biddie spoke seriously.
"Yes, I sure do, Candy. I was so f-f-frightened when you died. Saying that word makes me sick." He gulped.
Jeremy went to Candy and sat down next to her on the bed. He took her hand in his; he studied her palm and her fingertips while he seemed to be deep in thought.
Biddie realized this was a private conversation and she quietly slipped out of the room.
When his concentration appeared to be prolonged, Candy asked softly, "Are you alright, sweetheart?"
He looked into her eyes and smiled briefly. "Yes, I'm okay, Candy. I have made a decision. I don't want us to have any secrets between us so I am going to tell you."
"What is it, Jeremy, should I be worried?" She was biting her lip.
"Well, no, you shouldn't worry, but you will." Jeremy got up and walked to the window.
He sighed and stared out the window.
When he didn't speak for a few minutes, Candy began crying. "Jeremy, you are scaring me. What is this decision that you have made? Do you want a divorce? Have you met someone else? Are you sorry that I survived being poisoned?"
Jeremy Bolt turned from the window. He stared at his wife in disbelief.
"Candy, you can't be serious! No, I don't want a divorce. No, I have not met someone else and hell no, I am not sorry you survived being poisoned. Sweet Girl! Don't you know how much I love you?" He spoke emphatically.
"Yes, I know! I'm sorry, please just tell me your decision." She said as she wiped her eyes with her sleeve.
Her husband crossed the room and sat down beside her on the bed. "Maybe I shouldn't tell you this, but I hate the thought of keeping it from you." Jeremy looked down at the bed.
Candy sighed as she reached to place her hand under his chin. Lifting his head, she caught her breath as she was drawn into his piercing blue eyes. "Jeremy, please tell me."
"I am going to kill Lucy Sawyer." He said as simply as if he was saying good morning,
Candy was shocked. "No, Jeremy! You can't just kill someone! What she did was wrong, and it was horrible, but sweetheart, you can't kill her. You would go to prison, or you could be hanged for murder. Jeremy, please don't even think about this!"
"Candy, she murdered you. You were dead. I lost my mind. I could barely comprehend that you were gone. We were very blessed that God allowed you to come back. I would have been a blithering idiot for the rest of my life if He hadn't." Jeremy spoke.
Candy leaned forward putting her arms around Jeremy's neck and drawing him close to her. "Jeremy, God gave us a miracle. Let's not allow anger and fear to ruin that. Please don't go after Lucy Sawyer. Don't throw away our precious second chance at a long life together." They squeezed each other tightly.
"Okay, Mrs. Bolt. You are right. I won't try to get revenge on her. I'll let the law handle it." Jeremy replied. "I love you, Candy." He whispered softly in her ear.
"Thank you, sweetheart. I love you too." She whispered in return.
Later that afternoon, Jason wired Marshall Trueaxe. He replied immediately saying he would be in Seattle tomorrow. Lottie covered Candy's luncheon plate and kept it for Trueaxe to see. Jason said that wouldn't really prove anything, but it would show that Candy ate only a few bites of the food before she died.
Doctor Wright wearing gloves and proceeding with caution examined the flower arrangements for any sign of poison hemlock. She actually found a piece in one of the arrangements. That could be explained away as mistaking it for a wildflower, however it was something to show to the Marshall.
The next day, Marshall Trueaxe arrived on the morning stagecoach. He looked at the evidence and talked to everyone who attended the luncheon and to the brides who arranged it except for Lucy Sawyer.
The Marshall said that he did not have enough to charge Miss Sawyer with attempted murder. He explained that there was no way to prove that the food was poisoned since Candy was alive which of course everyone already knew.
Jeremy knew the federal officer was correct however, he was still angry.
"Lucy Sawyer murdered my wife, and she just gets away with it, right? What if she tries it again? God might not give us another miracle!" Jeremy shouted.
"I know how you feel, Jeremy. My mother was murdered when I was a boy and he got away with it. That's why I became a Federal Marshall to try my best to keep other murderers from getting away with it," Leonard Trueaxe said sadly.
"I'm sorry, Marshall. Our mother died when I was very young. That's when I began s-s-stuttering." Jeremy teared up.
Jason patted Jeremy on the back "Leonard, we appreciate you coming to Seattle to talk with us to see if anything could be done. Have a safe trip home. I'll wait with you outside. The stagecoach should be here in a few minutes."
"You're welcome, Jason. Goodbye everyone. Jeremy, Candy, The Lord has given you a miracle. Enjoy it to the fullest!" The Marshall tipped his hat and walked out the door with Jason.
Over the next few days, Jeremy tried to focus on being grateful that Candy was alive. For awhile, he felt happy, and his anger seemed to disappear.
About two weeks later, the youngest Bolt woke up in the middle of the night feeling overwhelmed with anger toward Lucy Sawyer. Jeremy got up and got dressed. He wrote a brief note to his wife. He also wrote a note for her to give to his brothers.
Jeremy got his gear. He saddled Brownie and headed to Port Angeles. He had overheard some of the brides last week saying that Miss Sawyer was from Port Angeles where she had worked at the Hornpipe. That was something she didn't tell Jason when she asked to be one of the brides.
When Jeremy arrived in Port Angeles, he went straight to the Hornpipe Saloon. The place seemed just as seedy as when he and Joshua were kidnapped here by the crimpers.
The establishment was opened all night to accommodate the crewmen from the various ships which were in and out of port at all hours. Jeremy wondered if the fancy ladies kept the same hours. He inquired at the bar and found out that they do.
Jeremy proceeded upstairs to see Lucy Sawyer. He was advised by another saloon woman that Lucy had a customer and would be with him in a few minutes. He was shown to a room and told to make himself comfortable.
There was a bottle of whiskey and some glasses on a table. Jeremy crossed the room to the table. He poured a shot and drank it. He did the same with another shot.
As he put the glass back on the table, Jeremy pondered his reflection in the mirror on the wall next to him. Did he really have the nerve to kill this woman? Would Johnathan Bolt's son want to murder someone or was he the son of the outlaw, Jacob Bolt?
"Well, Jason said that Billy was wrong to say that I'm his brother and Jason would know." Jeremy thought aloud as he walked over to a chair and sat down.
Jeremy had decided how he would kill Miss Sawyer. He was going to get into bed with her and after a few kisses, he would simply break her neck. Quick, clean, done.
"Good morning, sweetheart! How are you feeling today?"
Jeremy smiled before he even opened his eyes. The sound of Candy's voice waking him was beautiful.
"Come on, sleepyhead, show me those baby blue eyes." She whispered. She began giving him little love bites on his neck.
Jeremy laughed as he opened his eyes. "Candy, that tickles!"
Jeremy's laughter stopped. His smile faded. He was in bed with another woman. She wasn't even Lucy Sawyer. Jeremy had no idea who she was. He looked around the room.
"Oh, hell!" Jeremy exclaimed. He had spent the night with a floozie at the Hornpipe Saloon.
"Ma'am, I'm sorry, I don't remember us, uh, being romantic last night." Jeremy told her.
"I would be surprised if you did remember anything. You were pretty drunk when you came here to my room." Sheba told him.
"Drunk? I only had two shots." Jeremy replied as he tried to remember how he got to this room and into this bed.
Sheba laughed. "Almost two bottles you mean!"
"I didn't drink two bottles of whiskey!" Jeremy protested.
"Well, don't worry about it, darlin', you fulfilled your manly duty just fine. Hell, some men come in here as sober as a judge and can't make a girl happy." Sheba cackled.
"I've got to go home. Candy will be looking for me. Jason and Joshua will be wondering where I am. I told them in my notes that I would be back this morning sometime." Jeremy said aloud to himself.
Sheba had gotten out of the bed and gone to the dresser to count her earnings from the night before. She laughed as she counted her wages.
Jeremy found his clothes and boots. He dressed fast.
As he was about to go out the door, Sheba stopped him. "What's your name, doll?"
"Why do you want my name?" He asked.
"In case I turn up in the family way, I want to know who the daddy is." Sheba replied.
"Wait a minute…. you have a lot of, uh, customers. How are you gonna know who the father is?" Jeremy inquired.
"That's easy! I just keep track of the handsome customers and one of them gets to be the daddy!" Sheba exclaimed. "So, what's your name gorgeous?" She looked as if she wanted to kiss him.
"How long will it be until you know if you got in the family way tonight?" Jeremy inquired.
"Two or three weeks. Maybe four weeks, why?" Sheba questioned.
"Well, if you find out that you are expecting within the next few weeks, contact me. I'll help you financially with the baby. I'm married so I can't marry you, but I will talk to a lawyer to find out if the baby could legally be a Bolt somehow." Jeremy told her.
Sheba was astonished. "You would do that for me and my baby?"
"Yes, if there's any chance the baby is mine and it looks like there is, I would want to take care of my son or my daughter. I would want to be able to see my kid and let him or her get to know the family." Jeremy explained. "I live in Seattle. My name is Jeremy Bolt."
"That's very nice of you, Jeremy. You are a decent man. I'll let you know within a month if I'm expecting. Thank you." Sheba smiled.
"You're welcome, Sheba. I gotta go." Jeremy gave her a polite smile as he turned to go out the door.
He hurried down the hall and made his way downstairs. He was anxious to get back home.
Just as Jeremy was going out the saloon door, he was stopped by a big burly man wearing a badge. "Stop young man and turn around!"
Jeremy complied. The youngest Bolt saw a man bigger than Jason or Swede coming down the stairs.
"Are you Jeremy Bolt?!" The man thundered.
"Yes, I am Jeremy Bolt." He answered.
The sheriff approached Jeremy saying, "Mr. Bolt, you are under arrest for the murder of Lucy Sawyer. She was found stabbed to death in her bed this morning."
"S-S-Sheriff, I didn't k-k-kill her." Jeremy spoke.
"You will have your chance to speak at your trial. You need a lawyer, buddy. You're in big trouble." The sheriff told him as he handcuffed him. "It looks like you killed the Governor's niece."
TBC