by Dee Jones
Two dead bodies lay witness to the horror that had played out to the end of the evening's scenario; a wounded Margie Leonard sitting in the grass, the dead body of Sharon Farnsworth floating in the pond, and the sobbing pleading remnants of a man who clung to his son's lifeless corpse.
Daniel glanced around and saw Julia cradling Margie in her arms and hurried to her side, pulling her tight against him.
Their embrace was like nothing they had ever shared; they took and gave the strength the other so desperately needed; a silent promise to never let go again.
Julia tried to remain brave, yet found the tears streaming down her cheeks, increasing the sobs that welled up in her throat. The reality of what had just happened came storming back to her and she had no choice but to give into it, leaning her head against her husband’s strong chest.
"Are you alright? Are you hurt?" Daniel demanded, still holding her close. Julia shook her head softly and tried to laugh through the grief and sobs raking her heart.
"Still playing my knight, Sir Daniel?" she teased, receiving a bone crushing hug in response.
"I stopped playing, remember? Now it's for real." Daniel eased her away from him slightly, kissing her full lips with all the passion his heart possessed. He couldn't seem to find the strength to release her and she wasn't willing to let go, even to check on Margie's condition.
Their kiss formed a lifeline to their existence, until the voices around them filtered through their private reunion. Julia reluctantly ended their kiss, noticing for the first time the others who had joined them. There was Harold who was sitting next to his wife, holding her in a bone-crushing embrace and scolding her for leaving home without him, Sheriff Parker and two of his deputies rode up within moments of Daniel’s arrival, along with several of the stable's hired hands. They all carried their guns unholstered, looking like a posse on the trail of a bloodthirsty assassin.
"What the hell happened?" Sheriff Parker asked, glancing down to Sharon's wet, lifeless body as his deputies pulled her from the cold water. He glanced first to Margie who was being cradled on her husband’s lap, to Rally and then to Michael who lay on the ground before his bereaved father.
"It's a long story," Julia replied softly, glancing to Rally. "I want to go home," Julia said as Daniel helped her to her feet. Her wet skirts bunched around her legs, making walking difficult, but the need was pointless as Daniel gallantly swept her up into his arms and started up the small hill.
"We'll talk back at the house," he told the sheriff. "Julia needs to change into some dry clothes, and Margie needs a doctor." They all walked together to where the horses waited. Daniel sat Julia back into her carriage and turned to see Harold emerge from the dense brush with his arm around his wife’s shoulders.
“We’ll take you back to the house and call for Dr. Stewart,” Daniel said as Harold pulled the reigns of the horse he had been riding, free from the tree branch
"No thanks pal," Harold insisted as he climbed into the saddle and reached down to his wife. "I'm taking Margie with me and I have no intention of letting her out of my sight again."
"I couldn't agree with you more," Daniel added with a nod as he lifted the wounded woman to the saddle in front of her husband. He slapped Roustabout on the hind quarter, allowing him to run freely back to the stables before climbing in the carriage beside his own wife.
"I'm never letting you out of my sight again either," he assured her, easing her back into his strong arms as he clicked his tongue and pulled the horses onto the path that led home.
"I love you so much," she whispered, remembering how close she had come to losing him and his child.
"I should never have allowed you go into town without me. I should never have given into your stubbornness. What the hell was so important it couldn't wait until I could take you myself?" Julia thought for a few moments; this wasn't exactly how she had planned to tell him, yet considering everything that had occurred she didn't want to wait another minute.
"I went to see Dr. Stewart."
"Oh? Is there anything wrong?" Julia frowned at Daniel’s nonchalant attitude toward the reason she left home in the first place.
"Nothing’s wrong...not exactly. I just had to get a checkup and order some new clothes. I'm going to need them in the months to come."
"Really," Daniel smiled, a half grin curing his full lips. "Why?"
"I'm pregnant," she said, leaning up out of his arms and staring into his handsome face. “But you already knew that, didn’t you?” Suspicion echoed in her eyes as she stared at him, wondering if her mother had told him.
"I know every curve of your beautiful body, intimately. Do you really think I wouldn't have noticed the changes?"
"I guess I never really thought about it. But if you knew, why didn't you say something?"
"I was waiting for you to tell me. After all, why spoil the surprise. At least this way it gave me some time to get used to the idea."
"And have you? Gotten used to it I mean?"
"What do you think?" He kissed her lips with such passion her heart began to flutter, yet that was nothing compared to the full content feeling that filled her soul.
He had saved her again; but this time her rescue gave her life more meaning. Daniel had rescued her and their unborn child; giving her hope for a new future, hope for the happily ever after she and Heather used to dream about as children.
The sound of crickets singing in the night's splendor, echoed through the silence of the ranch, while inside the massive house a group of concerned people sat talking. Julia had changed into dry clothes as soon as Daniel brought her home, eager to put the memories of the night behind her. She sat embraced in her husband's arms on the upholstered sofa in the den, assuring her mother for the fifth time that she was alright.
Louise ordered hot coffee to be brought into the room and Thompson appeared to be deliberately lingering, eager to know the truth of what had occurred before Bridget had a chance to add her own insight to the story. Sheriff Parker joined the group shortly before midnight, accompanied by Dr. Stewart who had bandaged Margie's wound while an anxious Harold stared on. Rally had been taken to jail and Michael and Sharon's bodies were delivered to the undertaker.
"She'll have a headache for a while," the doctor assured Harold as he closed his bag. "Fortunately it's just a slight concussion, nothing to be overly concerned with."
"I can't thank you enough Doc," Harold answered, squeezing Margie's hand.
"You know, between you people and your accidents, I could easily retire and move to a tropical island to live the rest of my days in comfort." Daniel chuckled at the man's announcement, glancing seductively to Julia.
"If you did that, who would be here to fix all the cuts and bumps our children are going to get?"
"I think I'm going to need an assistant," the old man said as the room came alive with laughter, breaking the evening's tension. The feeling of finality floated in the air, allowing all to feel its completion.
"Now that Mrs. Leonard has been taken care of," Sheriff Parker began. "I think the time has come we got down to business. Who wants to start?" Julia glanced at Daniel and lowered her lashes, blocking out the images of events replaying before her tear reddened eyes.
"I suppose it all started five years ago," she began, her throat feeling dry and raw. "Heather and Michael Overton met here at the ranch and according to him, they were married. He said Heather was pregnant, but I can't believe that. She would have told me, I know she would have."
"He was telling the truth Princess," Daniel insisted in a gentle tone. "Dr. Stewart was told by the doctor in Graves County shortly after Heather died, that she had visited him. She arrived with a man, claiming to be her husband."
"Why didn't she tell me all of this herself? Why did she take her secrets to her grave with her?" Julia's pain and grief swelled up within her, chocking off her voice and making it sound shaky and weak.
"Perhaps she was afraid you'd tell her parents if you knew," Daniel said, pu
lling her into his strong embrace.
"No, not Heather; she knew I'd never betray her trust. It had to be Michael; he must have convinced her I'd turn them in. What little I remember about him working here before, isn't very flattering. I didn't recognize him at first, because I always tried to avoid him as much as possible. I even told Heather to stay away from him, when she mentioned he was cute."
"Whatever the reason Julia, Heather did take her secret to her grave with her," Louise interrupted her daughter, hoping to soothe the anguish exploding in the young woman's heart.
"Overton said Heather Farnsworth's death was an accident," the sheriff continued, causing those gathered in the warm room to stare at him. "He hasn't stopped rambling since we took him to jail. He said he went to the swimming hole that day to talk with her. He thought it was Mrs. Browning, but when he saw her, it all started to make sense. Heather said she wore Julia’s dress so people wouldn’t think it was her and tell her family. Rally said they struggled; she fell and hit her head, then stumbled into the water and drowned."
"You make it sound so simple," Julia whispered as tears streaked down her cheeks. "Why didn't he stop her? Why didn't he help her out of the water?"
"He's a sick man Julia," Harold said in turn. "Who knows what was on his mind."
"Rally was very devoted to Michael when he worked here and would do anything to protect him," Louise took up the explanation. "He may have thought he was doing the right thing for his son, by not helping her."
"This is all speculation folks," the sheriff interrupted with a snort of frustration as he accepted the coffee Thompson handed him. He shifted in the chair he sat in, trying to make himself more comfortable while balancing the delicate china cup and saucer on his knee.
"What I don't understand is how you and Mrs. Leonard ended up there with two dead bodies and a distraught man," Sheriff Parker continued, sipping his coffee. Julia raised her eyes to the sheriff and frowned.
"Sharon met us on the road when we were heading home; she said Daniel had been hurt. We followed her to the swimming hole and when we got there we saw Michael. He hit Margie and tried to kill me."
"Why you? What was his motive for wanting you dead?"
"He thought I killed Heather, so he was going to kill me out of revenge."
"You're making it sound as though you suspect my wife of being involved with this, sheriff?" Daniel's skilled instincts and professional manner were lost the moment the grey haired man began to question Julia.
"I'm not accusing anyone Mr. Browning. I just want to know your wife's side of the story. What Overton's been saying isn't exactly very clear or coherent. He just keeps saying it was all his fault, and begging his son to forgive him."
"Michael told me he and Sharon were behind everything that had been happening here at the ranch," Julia explained again, this time feeling a degree calmer. "He admitted they were the ones who attacked me the day of my father's funeral and then again at the swimming hole, even the fire was their doing. They thought if they made it look like I had started the trouble, people would accuse me and wouldn't question my death. They intended to make it look like guilt had finally eaten away at me and I killed myself."
"When did Sharon Farnsworth get shot?"
"I suppose that was my fault,” Julia said softly. “Michael and Sharon argued over Heather and he threatened to return her to some hospital back east. He told me he helped her escape and a nurse was killed in her place so everyone thought she had died. I'm not sure what any of that meant, but Sharon went crazy when he told her he'd take her back. I saw it as a chance of escaping and played on her fears."
"What did you do?" the sheriff continued.
"I told Sharon he was lying to her when he said he wouldn't take her back to the hospital. I told her he would take her back, just to be rid of her, and she believed me; she shot him in the shoulder. When he fell backwards his gun he had went off and he killed her. He told me it was fortunate she did die; it saved him from trying to cover up her death later on."
"He planned on killing her too?" Harold asked.
"Yes; but not until he had his fill of her. With Sharon around, he didn't have to worry about looking for someone to warm his bed."
"I still don't understand why he took his revenge out on the stables if it was you he was after?" the sheriff said, scratching his stubble chin.
"He wanted revenge for Victor firing him; perhaps on me as well," Daniel replied in his wife's stead. "I met Michael Overton my first day here in Mayfield. Harold and I were at the saloon having a drink, when he started a fight with me."
"I remember," the sheriff interrupted. "But you wouldn't press charges, so why should Turner fire him?"
"Victor had a standing rule with all the men hired,” Louise interrupted. “No one was to cause any bad publicity for the stables or they would be dismissed immediately. Michael started drinking heavily the days that followed Heather’s death; now we know why. Victor kept him on out of respect for Rally, but the morning before he was fired, he took one of the horses out after a particularly bad drunken spell. He made the stallion he was riding stumble and sprain his front leg. Victor came close to putting him down. The next thing we heard was that Michael had been in a bar fight and arrested. Victor had no choice but to let him go."
"Victor wrote in journal that he found out Sharon was behind everything that had been happening here at the ranch,” Daniel continued. “He confronted her on it and ordered her to leave town the day before Julia returned. His last entry said he found out she hadn’t left town and was going to dispatch a message to you, but he died before he had the chance."
"I'm going to need that journal as evidence," the sheriff said with a sympathetic glance in Louise's direction. "What about Mrs. Leonard, what did she have to do with all of this?" the sheriff asked.
"Margie's mistake was being with me," Julia answered with an apologetic smile to her friend. "She was in the wrong place at the wrong time, so they tried to eliminate her as a witness."
"I never would have thought anyone could kill a sweet little girl like Heather Farnsworth," Dr. Stewart mumbled, shaking his head.
"I can’t believe she could ever have been involved with a pathetic excuse of a man, like Michael Overton," Julia snapped angrily as she stood and paced her way to the window, staring out at the black night through the clean panes of glass.
"She may have loved him Princess," Daniel said, hoping to calm his wife's anxieties. "Stranger things have happened."
"Like a man inheriting a ranch and a bride, from her own father?" she said with a shy smile and a soft blush. Daniel chuckled and stepped up behind her, slipping his arms around her waist.
"You're still the best thing Victor could have ever left me." Daniel nuzzled Julia's neck, feeling the steady rhythm of her heart beneath his lips.
"Level with us, sheriff," Harold began after clearing his throat to remind his friends they weren't alone. "What all did Rally tell you."
"Pretty much the same thing I've heard here. He claims to have seen Michael riding off toward the pond and followed him. He arrived in time to see Sharon Farnsworth get shot and his son try and drown Mrs. Browning. He also told us he witnessed your so-called ghost the night you were attacked at the pond. Dourn as you called him; was standing behind Mrs. Browning and used a rope to swing down a branch that hit her; then he pulled her into the pond. Mrs. Browning tried to struggle and managed to scratch Michael’s face. They left her in the water, thinking she was dead, but once they were gone Rally pulled her out in time to hear Mr. Browning approach."
"It couldn't have been Michael; I saw Heather, I swear I did," Julia insisted, bringing back to life the conversation Daniel hated so desperately.
"It wasn't Heather Princess," Daniel argued with stern objection. "It was Sharon, wasn't it?" he turned and confronted the sheriff, praying his instincts were correction.
"So Rally claims."
"What about the night of the fire? I know that wasn't Sharon."
; "Rally said he caught Sharon setting the fire and chased after her, but he wasn’t quick enough to stop the flames from destroying the stables. When he got back to the ranch, the fire was nearly out."
"But that can’t be,” Daniel argued. “Julia was trapped inside before the fire was extinguished.”
“Are you telling me, it was Heather's ghost Julia saw after all?" Louise gasped; her heart beat rampantly as an eerie silence filled the room.
"She came to tell me she didn't blame me for what happened," Julia whispered through the quiet. "Heather was too good to live in such a corrupt world."
"I've heard all I need to hear," the sheriff announced, standing from the chair he had occupied for the past hour and a half. "I'll telegram Sharon Farnsworth's parents, as well as the hospital and let them know what happened to their nurse."
"Do you have to do that?" Harold asked with a glance to Daniel.
"Why shouldn't I? They have a right to know their daughter is dead."
"They think she already is," Daniel announced, retrieving the letter Harold had given him, from the desk. The room stayed silent as the piece of paper was read, a frown creased the sheriff's brow as he finished.
"I suppose there's no harm in keeping them out of this, but I do think the hospital should know it wasn't their patient who died in that room."
"I'll agree to that," Daniel said turning to look back to Julia. "But I will not have any more of that family coming to seek revenge on my wife."
"You won't have to worry about that," Julia insisted. "Sharon was the only one who blamed me for Heather's death. That's probably why Michael helped her escape. He'd have someone to blame my death on."
The curiosity of those gathered was sufficiently satisfied, and a five year long mystery had come to an end. The rumors of Julia's guilt would be put to rest once and for all, and she and Daniel would be able to begin a new life together without the cloud of suspicion hanging over their heads. All seemed well, with the exception of Julia's own feelings concerning a small piece of her past.
"I think we're going to leave now," Harold said, a few minutes later. "I've heard more than I really bargained for. Miss Sally must be having kittens about now; if she’s still awake."