Chapter 3

Josey

Josey fell to her knees for the hundredth time, but quickly rose to her feet and resumed running, but at a slower pace this time. Although it was cool at night, she was glad that it wasn’t winter. But she would rather freeze to death in the snow than endure what she was sure Austin had in store for her if he caught her. To him, it would matter not that she had killed his brother in self-defense. No, she had to keep going before he found her. She had more than herself to think about now.

Josey had been running at night and hiding during the day over the last few days, but she thought her legs were about to fall off. Suddenly, her stomach lurched, and she spilled its contents behind a nearby bush. She had to rest, before she lost the baby.Despite how she felt about its father, she wanted this baby more than anything.

Along the way, Josey had spotted a pair of men’s jeans, a flannel shirt, and men’s undershirt hanging on a clothesline. Leave it to a man not to take his clothes in from the line before the sun fell. She hid in the bushes and, when she was sure no one was watching, she snuck over and grabbed the jeans and shirt. There was also an old straw hat resting on a rain barrel sitting nearby. She thought that the owner wouldn’t miss the clothes since he had left them outside, so she “borrowed” them and headed back into the forest.

She quickly darted behind a tree and changed her clothes, hiding her blood-stained dress behind a bush, out of view. Josey gathered her wavy blonde hair into her hands, twisted it up, and tucked it under the hat.

Although she had never worn men’s clothes before, she was surprised that, although they were a bit baggy, they fit her well enough for her to pass for a man if anyone saw her.

She slipped on the undershirt and then the flannel shirt, leaving it open and untucked. Josey looked down to assess the affect. She looked hideous, but it would have to do. If it kept her hidden and the baby safe, she was willing to dress like a man for the rest of her life.

What was she going to do? How was she going to raise her baby alone? With Austin hot on her trail, there was nowhere to run, nowhere to hide… and nowhere she could raise her baby in peace.

At that moment, she vowed to do what she must in order to protect her child. For now, she pushed the thought from her mind. First, she needed to stay alive.

She popped open the chamber of the revolver. There were four bullets left. She would have to make them count… unless she got more bullets somewhere. But without money, that was an impossibility. Josey closed the chamber, shoved it into the back of her jeans, pulled the hat down low, and headed out. Although she ate what she could along the way, it wasn’t enough. Exhausted and hungry, she sighed, knowing she would have to find shelter and food soon.

Although Josey had been sleeping during the day, it was broken sleep. Now, she stumbled through the forest, trying to stay awake as the thought of Logan falling limp over her, his fixed eyes staring into hers, ran through her mind. Her stomach lurched again, and she bent over behind a tree, but the only thing that came up was yellow bile. She stood up and wiped her mouth on the sleeve of her shirt, suddenly thirsty. She needed to find water.

Yes, Logan’s brother and his friends were sure to find her if she didn’t find somewhere to hide soon. She was sure they wouldn’t involve the law. No, they would take care of what they saw as justice in their own way. Josey just needed to put as much distance between the shack and herself as she could. Her eyes began to close, but she shook herself awake, knowing that if she closed her eyes now, Austin would surely find her. If that happened, she wouldn’t live to see morning.

You can’t stop running, she thought to herself. Not now, not ever.

Josey couldn’t believe that she really had shot Logan. The last time he came after her, she swore that she wouldn’t let him—or any man—hurt her again. That’s when she started planning.

When Logan was away, she had taught herself how to use a gun and how to use a lasso, too, just in case. Yes, the next time he came for her, she swore that she would be ready. But when it happened, the reality was much different than she had expected. Josey had never wanted him to die, but at least now he’d never come after her again. And if she ended up hanging for her crime, then so be it. At least Logan wouldn’t have the chance to hurt her again. She just hoped that the law would wait until after the baby was born before they hung her. The baby deserved better, if not her.

All of a sudden, the ground started swirling under her as she dragged her feet through the lichen on the forest floor. Josey knew she was making too much noise, attracting too much attention, but she was just so tired. She needed a decent night’s sleep. Not the broken sleep that she had been enduring.

When she looked up, in the distance were flickering lights. At first, Josey was so tired and delirious that she thought they were stars. But then she realized they were too close to the ground to be stars. As she got closer, she realized they were candles, flickering from the windows of a house. When she drew near, they were shining from the windows of a house with a wrap-around wooden front porch. If only she could go inside and warm herself, but she didn’t dare knock on the door. Who was to say that she wouldn’t literally stumble into someone worse than Logan, worse than Austin, or the worst man she could possibly imagine, perhaps the devil himself? No, after being married to Logan, she was through with men and had no intention of getting involved with another. Not now, not ever.

Josey was about to move on, but she knew that if she didn’t stop soon, she would fall where she stood. And she had the baby to think about. She had to stay alive.She needed to find shelter and to hide before Austin Slater found her. She had heard of the despicable things he had done and could only imagine what he would do to her if he found her. Josey looked to the left where a red barn stood. Did she dare? It would be the best shelter she had since she started running. It was far enough away from the house that she might be able to sleep and get out unnoticed before first light. When she woke, she would decide what to do then.

No, she couldn’t… could she? But she was so tired….

Just then, a stick fell from a tree and landed beside her, causing her to jump. She placed a hand to her heart, trying to steady herself. Her stomach lurched again, and she began to shiver.

I’m too jumpy, too tired, she thought, catching herself from stumbling again. Maybe some sleep would do me some good.

Although she knew she was breaking her own rule of sleeping during the day and traveling at night, she just couldn’t help herself. She looked toward the house to make sure no one was coming, and let out a deep breath, relenting.

“Okay, but I’ll only sleep for a little while. Then I’ll be on my way again come first light,” she reasoned, talking herself into it, willing herself to believe it.

Josey looked once more at the house and jumped when the flickering candles suddenly went out and the house fell into darkness. Summoning all her courage, a burst of energy coursed through her veins as she ran toward the barn and through the door, which was cracked open. After pulling the door closed, relief swept over her. She looked around and in the back of the barn was a pile of loose straw. Josey never thought she would be so happy to see a pile of straw in her life.

She crawled into the straw, laid on her side with her back to the wall, and covered herself the best she could, hiding, leaving only her eyes uncovered. Any other time, she would have been afraid that she may disturb a stray family of field mice or something worse, but at that moment, she was too tired to care. She watched the barn door, listening to the wind whistle through the cracks between the boards. Hunger grabbed her, but she needed sleep more. Josey ran a hand over her stomach, thinking of the baby as her eyes began to close. She just hoped that Austin didn’t find her before she woke.

“Hold it right there,” a strong male voice resonated through the barn, waking her, sending chills down Josey’s spine. He took a step closer.

Josey opened her eyes, and the faint rays of morning sunlight shone into the barn, sending a man into silhouette. Oh, no! She had slept too long and now he found her. But when she looked closer, it wasn’t Austin. Instead, it was a man with dark brown, wavy hair… holding a gun.

As slowly and silently as she could manage, she reached behind her, took her gun out of her jeans, and gripped the cold handle, steadying herself.

The man looked around, but not directly at her. He knew someone was in there, but he didn’t know exactly where. He hadn’t seen her… yet. Maybe if she stayed perfectly still....

“I know you’re in here,” he announced loudly.

The man took a step closer. “Listen, mister. I don’t know who you are or what you’re doing in my barn, but unless you want a belly full of lead, you’d better make yourself known… now!”

Josey froze, unsure of what to do next. Her body suddenly grew cold as her heart raced.

The man took another step closer, looking around, his gun raised. “I’m going to give you to the count of three and you’d better show yourself or I’ll start shooting. It’s your choice.”

Josey didn’t move.

“One!”

She couldn’t breathe.

“Two!”

Quicker than she would have thought possible, she stood and aimed her gun at him, her hands shaking, thinking only of the baby. “Don’t take another step closer or I’ll shoot! I swear I will!” Tears streamed down her cheeks as her hat fell off, and her long blonde hair fell over her shoulders.

The man stared at her in obvious disbelief. “Don’t be afraid. I won’t shoot.” Then he released the hammer of his gun and held it up. “Lower your weapon.”

“And let you do God knows what to me?” She cocked her gun, her hands shaking as tears came to her eyes. “I don’t think so.”

He raised an eyebrow but made no other move. “You’d shoot an unarmed man?”

She motioned with her head toward the gun in his hand. “And what do you call that?”

He slid it into the back of his jeans and held up his hands again. “Better?”

Josey looked in his eyes and, for some reason, she knew this man was different. He didn’t have the wild look in his eyes that Logan had when he drank, or the wild look that Austin always had. No, Josey sensed that this man wouldn’t hurt her. But she shook her head to clear her mind. She couldn’t afford to get soft, not now. “You’re confusing me! Just let me go and no one will get hurt.”

The man looked at her with kind eyes, taking a step closer. “Give me the gun, miss.”

Josey pointed the weapon at him, willing her hands to stop shaking. “Stay back!”

The man stopped. “I promise I won’t hurt you—”

“Really? And what good are the promises of men?”

He looked at her, unfazed. “I don’t know what you’ve been through in the past, but not all men out there will hurt you….” He took a step closer. “You can trust me.”

“Stop!” she yelled as tears coursed down her cheeks. “Stop!” He took another step closer, but the steam was going out of her. She was just so tired…. “Stop!”

“Shh,” he cooed as he stepped closer, stopping in front of her.

“Stop….” She lowered her weapon, letting her arm fall to her side, her body shaking as sobs wracked her body.

The man caught her with one arm and took the gun out of her hand with the other.

Out of reflex, she leaned into him and sobbed on his shoulder, letting his strong arms support her.

“Shh….” he whispered into her hair. “You’re safe now. I promise I won’t hurt you.”

Her legs started to shake. Josey would have collapsed onto the straw out of relief that it was over—one way or another— but his strong, muscular arms supported her, keeping her from falling.

The man tucked her gun into the back of his jeans along with his and, in one fluid motion, scooped her into his arms. She felt her body being carried somewhere… up the stairs and into the house… a bedroom. The man kicked the door closed behind him.

“No, don’t!” she yelled, but the fight was out of her. If she was going to die, she just hoped it was quick at the hands of this man and not Austin Slater.

“Shh….” he stage-whispered. “Please, keep your voice down. I said I won’t hurt you and I meant it. You’re safe here. I promise.” He stood her on her feet just long enough to pull down the quilt and sheets, and then sat her down on the edge of the bed. She tried to protest, but he murmured soft words to her as he bent down and took her shoes off, laid her down on the bed, covered her over with a warm quilt, and then tucked her in. “I’ll be right back.” Then he disappeared out the door.

Although she had slept through the night, she was still so tired. Violent shivers ran over her body, so she pulled the blankets around her face, snuggling into the soft down feather bed. She was almost asleep but jumped when the door opened.

“Shh….” a voice cooed.

She looked up and it was the same kind man.

“For now, I want you to stay in here.” The man sat down on the edge of the bed beside her., but she shrank away. “Don’t worry. I locked the door so no one will bother you. You’re safe.”

She nodded, understanding, and relaxed a bit.

“Here.” He handed her a glass of water. “Drink this.”

She raised up, feeling weak, but drank the whole glass, thirstier than she thought.

He placed his hand on her forehead. “You’re burning up. I’ll go fetch Doc Morgan—”

“No.” She placed her hand on his arm, shaking her head. “No doctors. I just need to rest.”

He watched her for a moment and then nodded. Then he left the room again and, what seemed to be a moment later, a warm washcloth was on her forehead.

“I’m so cold—”

“You have a fever. Rest and I’ll get you another blanket. You need to sweat it out.”

She nodded and closed her eyes. A moment later, the weight of another blanket fell over her, and warmth finally caressed her body. Josey ran a hand over her stomach under the blanket. She just hoped that she didn’t lose the baby because of this. No, she would rest now. She had to... for the sake of the baby.

“Thank you.”

There was a pat on her shoulder. “Get some sleep.”

As she drifted off to sleep, she wondered where she was… and who this wonderful man was that would care for a complete stranger without question.