The Road to Love (21 page)

D
oyle lost no time in putting a For Sale sign on Kate's property. At least he put it up while the children were in school. They didn't see her sink to the ground as soon as Doyle drove away and wail out her pain. It was only a piece of land. But it was her home and security. She pushed away such thoughts. Doyle would provide her with a better home. The knowledge didn't ease her pain.

She clamped her jaw and stared defiantly at the sign. The only thing that mattered was Hatcher's release.

She'd accepted in her head that he didn't care to see her. Understood he would be on his way as soon as he got out of jail. If only she could be sure he wouldn't be homeless, cold, hungry and alone when he left.

Yes, he'd often enough said he wasn't alone—God was with him and nothing could take that away. She wished she could believe as strongly as he. Not that she doubted God's presence in her life, His care over her. But it never seemed like enough. She wanted so much more than a distant, all-powerful God. She wanted someone who shared her dreams, understood her fears, helped her keep her farm.

But it was not to be. Knowing God was with her would have to be enough. His care and love would sustain her through a loveless marriage.
Oh God, my strength and my shield. My heart trusteth in you and I am helped.

The words gave her unexpected courage. With God on her side, she had nothing to fear.

“Lord, deliver Hatcher. Give him the desire of his heart.”

She would miss him always but if he couldn't be happy unless he wandered the byways of life, she would not hold him back. Not even in her mind.

She returned to the house, washed away her tears, brushed her hair and wore her tenuous peace like a cloak as she waited on the doorstep for the children to return from school. They would never know anything but the joys of living in town.

Mary raced up the driveway. Kate knew she'd seen the sign.

“Momma, you're selling the farm?”

Kate smiled. Her lips trembled only slightly. “We're going to live in town. You won't have to help with the chickens and cows again.”

She'd expected Mary to be happy but Mary shook her head. “Where will we live?”

“With Doyle. I'm going to marry him.”

Mary's eyes grew round.

“I don't want to live in town,” Dougie yelled as he raced away to disappear inside the barn.

“We'll enjoy it,” Kate whispered. How could she possibly explain all the reasons to her children?

“What's going to happen to Hatcher?” Mary asked.

Kate had tried her best to assure the children it was a misunderstanding. “I'm sure the truth will come out. Doyle is going to be his lawyer.”

“You did this to help him, didn't you?”

Kate couldn't hide the truth from her perceptive daughter. “I'd do anything to see he got released.”

“I've always wanted to live in town,” Mary said, her voice cheerful.

But Kate heard the way it caught on the last word before Mary hurried to her room to change her clothes.

 

Kate looked up as a strange car drove into the yard. Then she realized the blue car belonged to Larry's Garage, but the man behind the wheel didn't look familiar.

The vehicle stopped. A dapper, silver-haired man stepped out. Someone interested in buying the farm already?

Her nose stung with sudden tears that she sniffed back. She'd get used to the idea in a few days.

She patted Shep's head, glad he remained at her side. She relaxed some when she saw the way the man kept a guarded eye on the animal and sensed he had no fondness for dogs. He remained beside the car. A good place for him in Kate's opinion.

“Mrs. Bradshaw?”

How did he know her name? “Yes, how can I help you?”

“Hatcher sent me.”

Hatcher? She'd expected Doyle sent him. She tried to show no expression but guessed he'd seen her surprise.

“He wanted you to know he's hired me as his lawyer.”

She rubbed a spot below her ear. “I already hired a lawyer for him.”

“Hatcher didn't like the conditions.”

Kate tried to mask her surprise behind a tight smile. “I see. And what would he know about any ‘conditions'?”

When the man smiled he looked kind. “Seems you have a concerned friend.”

Kate cast about to think whom he meant.

“A young lady by the name of Mrs. Remington.”

“Sally?”

“She contacted me. Told me about the charges against Hatcher. And I came. Hatcher wants me to convince you to reconsider your agreement with that other lawyer.”

Her heart leapt at the thought that Hatcher cared who she married. Could it be he hoped to be the one to put a ring on her finger?

She closed her eyes, reminded herself Hatcher would be on the road as soon as he got out of jail. Would she ever truly accept the fact and stop hoping? “Really. Did he say why?”

“Not exactly. I hoped you'd know his reasons.”

Kate shook her head. “Can't say as I do.”

“I defended Hatcher ten years ago in a murder trial.”

“I heard he'd been charged.”

“And declared innocent. Which he was, despite the rumors that circulated.”

“Can you tell me what happened? Or is it confidential? You being a lawyer and all.”

“Hatcher said I was to do whatever I needed to persuade you to change your mind. I'd say telling you the whole story falls into that category.”

“I'll make tea.” She hauled out two chairs and parked them on the step then disappeared inside.

She leaned her forehead against the cool cupboard door. Would the man tell her something she didn't know? Help her understand why Hatcher wouldn't stay? Better yet, give her some argument she could use to persuade him to reconsider? She lifted her head, glanced out the window, saw a fist-sized white cloud sweeping across the sky. The promise of rain. She smiled and poured water over the tea leaves. One never quite stopped hoping.

A few minutes later, she returned with a tray of tea and some oatmeal cookies.

“This is nice. Thank you.” Mr. Styles measured in four spoonfuls of sugar and took a handful of cookies. He chewed and drank for a few minutes than leaned back.

“Hatcher was twenty-three years old. His mother died that spring. His father decided to try his hand in the stock market and lost everything, including the farm Hatcher and his older brother, Lowell, had worked hard to get into pristine condition. Lowell, in disgust, left. Hatcher and his father were forced to move into town. His father fell into a deep depression. Hatcher struggled to keep things together as best he could. I tell you all this to explain that Hatcher turned into an angry young man. He got to be known as a kid with a short fuse. Other men got a kick out of setting him off, seeing him tackle everyone and anyone.”

Johnny paused to enjoy more tea and cookies.

Kate rolled her cup back and forth between her palms and waited. The hot west wind drove the impotent cloud across the sky. Part of her considered going with Hatcher. She knew how to live on the road.

She shook her head. What was she thinking? She'd never do that to her children. Far better they enjoy town life and she endure the empty loneliness of a loveless marriage.

The cookies consumed, Mr. Styles picked up the thread of his story. “Well, that fateful night, they did it again. Half a dozen of them started taunting him, calling his father insulting things, making slurs against his mother. As predicted, he started throwing his fists. No one could really remember who hit whom though Hatcher insists he remembers punching Jerry in the nose. At some point in the fight, Jerry went down and struck his head on a rock and died. The sheriff arrested the lot of them but it was Hatcher who was charged with murder in Jerry's death. The sheriff, you see, was sick and tired of breaking up the fights. But no one could say if Hatcher even struck him and all the witnesses agreed it had been a general melee. Eventually Hatcher was declared innocent.”

She saw a young man dealing with too many tragedies, trapped by circumstances and pain he couldn't control, taunted by unsympathetic people. She felt a burning anger toward the people and events that made Hatcher's life so miserable he could find no way to deal with it except striking out. She wanted to scream a protest that a man had died and Hatcher unnecessarily blamed himself.

She sighed. “Didn't need to hear the story to know he was innocent. Knew it all along.”

“Trouble is, he doesn't believe it.”

This was not news to her, either, but perhaps the lawyer friend from his past could explain it. She shifted and looked at him. “Why not?”

“You'd have to ask him to know for sure, of course, but he told me his anger was out of control. He said he had murder in his heart. That made him guilty in his mind.”

“But why should it?” She wanted to understand but she couldn't. Everybody made mistakes, did things they wished they could undo. It didn't drive them to shut themselves off from other people.

“He left home right after the trial. I tried to stop him but he said he needed to get away from people before someone else got hurt.” He grew quiet. “He's still trying to get away from people. Seems to me he figures if he keeps on the move, he can outrun his past. Maybe his anger.”

“But he isn't an angry man. In fact, I've never seen such a patient man.”

Mr. Styles nodded.

They sat in contemplative silence for several minutes before the lawyer shook his head and returned to the reason for his visit. “Are you going to tell that other lawyer his services are no longer needed?”

This man would defend Hatcher in a way Doyle wouldn't. He cared about Hatcher, had history with him. The sort of man she could trust to keep Hatcher's best interests at the forefront.

She no longer needed Doyle. She could break her agreement with him. A snort escaped and built into a laugh.

The lawyer grinned. “Do I take that as yes?”

“Most definitely. And tell Hatcher thanks.”

“I suggest you tell him yourself.”

“He refuses to see me.”

The lawyer gave her a considering look. “You don't seem to me to be the sort of woman who gives up readily.”

She returned his steady look. Suddenly she grinned. “I'm not.”

Kate stared across her fields. She didn't need to sell her farm, give up her life in order to get Doyle to defend Hatcher. God had heard her prayer. Despite her doubts, God provided a way for her. She didn't deserve such blessing yet knowing God didn't distribute his gifts according to one's merit gave her heart a golden glow.

The wheat would soon be poking through the soil if it found moisture below the surface. She'd be here to see it grow and mature if God sent rain. Otherwise, she'd be here to cling to the land believing in its possibilities even when it seemed hopeless. She'd trust God to take care of her no matter what the future brought.

The lawyer man had set her free. Or rather, Hatcher had.

She always knew Hatcher was innocent. And now she knew why he was a hobo. Running from his past, as Mr. Styles said. When would he stop running? When would he realize he was not a danger to society? “He didn't rob the store or do all that damage.”

The lawyer nodded. “He told me the facts. Now I have to prove them.”

“It just puzzles me how the money got in his things.”

“Someone must have planted it. Did you see anyone there?”

“I wasn't watching but I didn't see anyone and I think I'd notice someone hiking across my field. It's not like it's possible to hide anywhere.” She waved her hand to indicate the flat, treeless stretch of prairie. “Doyle, the sheriff and I all went over there when they came for him.”

“You all went in together?”

Kate tried to remember. “I was so upset, trying to get Hatcher to tell them the truth. No one would listen to me. Let's see. The sheriff held Hatcher's hands. I was at his side talking to him.”

“And Doyle?”

Kate screwed up her face trying to picture the event. “He was ahead of us. I remember that now.”

“I'll sort things out, trust me.”

He left a few minutes later.

Kate, filled with raw energy, tromped over to the nearest field, dug down to reveal a tiny kernel of wheat, saw it had sprouted but lay in dry soil. They needed rain. Yet the idea didn't worry her. God had proved Himself the giver of good gifts again and again. He would provide for her. She stood tall, raised her arms over her head and laughed.

 

The next morning Kate left for town as soon as she'd done the chores. She'd moved with boundless energy all morning, anxious to attend to her tasks. She changed into a new cotton dress, pale green with sprays of darker green leaves. She'd been saving it for a special occasion and this would certainly qualify. She'd worn it only once before when she and Doyle had gone to a box social, leaving the children with Sally. Doyle's comment that she looked like a tree in bloom had ruined the enjoyment of the dress but as she twisted in front of the mirror to admire the way the bias cut skirt swirled around her legs, she admitted she still liked it just fine. And the color highlighted the darkness of her eyes. She smiled at her reflection. No hiding the eager sparkle livening her face.