All My Tomorrows (39 page)

Neither one liked the looks of the man, but one of them asked, “What is it, stranger?”

“I’m an old friend of a fella named Johnny Bostin. I understand
he’s no longer a federal deputy marshal, but has become a deputy sheriff.”

“Well, he was, but that’s changed too.”

“Oh? What do you mean?”

“Johnny’s our sheriff, now.”

“Oh, really? And where would I find his office?”

The old man pointed down the street. “Next block. On the far corner.”

“Thanks.”

They watched the man mount up and ride slowly down the street.

The stranger set his jaw as he guided his horse in the direction of the sheriff’s office.

As a deputy U.S. marshal, Johnny Bostin had made many enemies among the outlaws. One of those enemies was Duke Finch. He harbored a powerful hatred toward the young lawman, who had killed his brother Jake in Raton, New Mexico. Jake, who was wanted on two murder charges, had resisted Bostin violently when he put him under arrest.

Duke had a grudge against Johnny Bostin that had been eating at him like a cancer since the incident, which had happened almost three years ago. He told himself the grudge would never be satisfied until he had gunned him down.

As he drew near the sheriff’s office, he dismounted, tied his horse at a hitch rail, and positioned himself a few doors from the sheriff’s office. He would wait patiently, keeping out of sight between two buildings, until Bostin came out of his office, then he would have his vengeance.

Finch was not aware that Johnny was walking down the boardwalk toward the office with his father, who had his arm in a sling.

Father and son were talking about matters concerning the
sheriff’s department as they drew near the office.

Duke Finch was keeping a close watch on the door of the sheriff’s office when he spotted Johnny and the man with his arm in a sling. He set his jaw, pulled his gun, and thumbed back the hammer. “This is the date they’ll put on your tombstone, Bostin.”

Up the boardwalk, Johnny’s head was turned toward his father as they talked, and suddenly Clay saw Duke Finch step out from between the two buildings, gun in hand, aiming at his son.

In a lightning-fast move, the unarmed Clay Bostin jumped in front of Johnny, using his body as a shield.

Finch’s gun roared, and Clay went down. Before Finch could cock his gun again, Johnny fired, putting a bullet in his heart.

Finch fell dead on the boardwalk, flat on his back.

People were gathering around as Johnny called for someone to get Dr. Hornsby, then knelt beside his father, who had been hit in the chest. Johnny lifted him by the shoulders and held him in his arms.

Clay was breathing hard. He looked up at Johnny and said in a strained voice, “Son, that day … when I saved … your life by taking out … Shad Gatlin and Bart Caddo, I told you … I wanted you to … have all your tomorrows.”

Johnny’s heart felt like it was shattering. He nodded, tears in his eyes. “I remember, Dad. I could never forget those words.”

Clay coughed and said weakly, “Make those tomorrows count for Jesus and for the people of this county, son.”

“Dad, I—”

Clay coughed again and breathed out his last breath.

Two days later at the funeral service in the church auditorium, Pastor Dan Wheeler finished his brief sermon, then said, “Johnny has asked to say a few words before I draw this service to a close.”

Johnny was sitting on a nearby pew between his mother and his wife. Madelyne Wheeler sat on Mary’s other side. He gave them both a squeeze, rose from the pew, and mounted the steps. Priscilla moved next to Mary, and both women put their arms around the new widow.

The pastor stepped back from the pulpit and patted Johnny’s arm as he moved in.

Praying in his heart that the Lord would help him to say what he wanted to without breaking down, Johnny ran his gaze over the somber faces in the audience. “Friends, what Pastor Wheeler just said in his message is as true as true can be. The Bostin family and all our Christian friends will have a glorious reunion in heaven one day with my dad, in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ, the angels, and the saints of God.”

Johnny swallowed with difficulty, trying to stem the flow of his tears, and looked down at his mother, her own eyes glistening with tears. She smiled through the mist, revealing a wonderful peace that only the Father in heaven could give to His own children in their time of grief and heartache.

Before he got another word out, Johnny remembered something his father had told him once, not long ago.
“Son, always remember that God’s grace can make our peace greater than our pain.”

With those words echoing in his mind, Johnny felt God’s unfathomable peace flood his heart.

He went on to tell the people before him how his adoptive father had saved his life high in the Rocky Mountains when he had been taken hostage as an orphan at the Colorado Springs depot by killer outlaws when he was twelve years old, and that when he thanked him for it, Sheriff Clay Bostin had said he wanted Johnny to have all his tomorrows.

Johnny blinked at his tears. “Since Dad is in heaven and looking
into the bright face of the Saviour, I can’t wish him back. This world would be too dark a place for him now.”

Heads nodded and tears flowed, including those of Mary and Priscilla Bostin. In spite of their sorrow, there was joy in their hearts that only the Lord could give to born-again people when one of their saved loved ones had gone home to heaven.

Johnny pulled out his handkerchief and wiped the tears from his face. “Friends, as you all know, my hero dad jumped in front of me to take the bullet that outlaw meant for me. He gave up all his tomorrows so that I might have all my tomorrows.”

1. Have you ever wondered what your tomorrows might bring? Give an example.

2. Were you under stress at the time? How did the Lord work in your life to relieve that stress?

3. Which character in this book did you relate to the most, and why?

4. Have you ever had an association with a child who was orphaned? Was your heart moved with compassion toward that person?

5. Were you ever abused as a child, or have you known someone that was? How did this affect the rest of your tomorrows?

6. In this book there are Christians who have compassion for lost souls, witness to them, and lead them to Christ. As a Christian, how do you compare in your compassion and witnessing?

7. How has this book helped you not to fret over your future in this earthly life, but helped you to trust God with the keeping of your tomorrows?

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