Love Finds You in Revenge, Ohio

by Lisa Harris

  “Like it’s too late for us?”

  She looked up at him. “Isn’t it?”

  “I regret so many things. I missed watching you and your sisters grow up. Emily and Audrey’s courting, and for all that you’ve lost, Catherine. I’m sorry. I never imagined my actions affected so many people.”

  “How could you not? We were a family. Not perfect, but a family.”

  “And that’s what I want for all of us again.”

  Catherine fought reason. “Like I said. It’s too late.”

  “Why?”

  “Because…because I don’t know if I can forgive you.”

  “Then I’ll give you time. All I want from you is a second chance. Your sister’s wedding will be here before you know it, and I want to see my first grandchild. I want to make up for everything I’ve missed.”

  Catherine met his steady gaze for a moment then turned toward the house.

  “There is one other thing.”

  She turned back to him.

  “I have something I want to give you.” He pulled a necklace from his pocket and handed it to her. On the end of the thin gold chain was a small key.

  Catherine held the gift in her palm. “I don’t understand. It’s a key?”

  “Yes.”

  “To what?”

  He closed her fingers over the key. “You’ll know when the time comes.”

  “I don’t—”

  “Trust me.” He brushed back a loose strand of hair from her face like he used to when she was little. “I’ll leave if you want me to, Catherine.”

  She squeezed her eyes shut. She’d seen the joy on her sisters’ faces. Emily wanted him to be a part of her child’s life; Audrey wanted him to walk her down the aisle. She was the only one ready to forget that Isaiah Morgan had ever been a part of their lives.

  God, I just don’t know how.

  She opened her eyes. “You can stay, but please don’t expect me to act as if the past didn’t happen, because I don’t know if I’ll ever be able to forgive you.”

  Catherine fled into the house, fearing she was making yet another mistake by not forgiving him.

  Lunchtime on Saturday, Catherine took another bite of fresh corn and watched Penny Martin flirt with Corbin. The younger woman rested her hand briefly on his arm and laughed. Scandalous, if one were to ask her. Not that anyone would. But this was supposed to be her father’s welcome-home party, not a matchmaking social. Penny was only one of a line of unattached women who had set their eyes on the new sheriff. And, as if their overt ploys to snare him weren’t obvious enough, Corbin appeared to be enjoying the fresh banter. Catherine’s frown deepened as Penny stood on her tiptoes and whispered something into Corbin’s ear. This time he laughed.

  “You look positively jealous, Catherine Morgan.” Lily flopped down on the quilt beside her in a most unladylike manner.

  “Jealous? Of whom?” Catherine turned back to her piece of corn. “Can’t a girl finish eating her lunch in peace?”

  “I can see how you’ve been keeping your eye on Corbin. Just like every other single girl in the county.”

  “I’m nothing like every other single girl in the county, because I’m sitting here enjoying my lunch and the beautiful late-summer weather instead of making a complete fool of myself like Penny and all the others.”

  Lily flicked an ant off the corner of the blanket. “So you’re telling me that you have no claims on him?”

  Catherine shook her head resolutely. “Absolutely not.”

  Even her father’s bold statements regarding her former engagement hadn’t been enough to convince her that things could ever be different between her and Corbin. She might not have told Corbin the entire truth the day she told him she didn’t love him anymore, but neither had he stayed around to try and prove her sentiments wrong. Instead, he’d walked out of her life when she’d needed him the most.

  Lily leaned back on her elbows. “Then what do you expect Penny and the others to do? He’s not only single, but very handsome. And face it, there are few men in this town who are handsome, intelligent, and single.”

  Catherine poked at her baked beans with her fork. Why was it that conversations involving Corbin always tended to squelch her appetite? “There’s John.”

  “Who’s already taken.”

  “True.” Catherine dropped her fork onto her plate, ready to change the subject. “Have you spoken to Father yet this afternoon?”

  “Yes, and he’s ecstatic about the whole party.”

  Despite the uneasiness that had settled between them since his return, Catherine had worked hard to make sure her father’s welcome-home party was a success—even though she had decided to avoid any more personal conversations with him.

  Lily reached out and squeezed her hand. “I know all this has been hard on you, but I want you to know how much we appreciate your going along with this party. You really helped a lot.”

  “I wanted to help. I know how important it is to you.” Catherine stared at her plate. There was no use taking out her frustration on Lily, but neither could she find it in her to tell her father she forgave him. “I keep waiting to feel at peace over his arrival, but I haven’t. Nor do I know if I’ll be able to.”

  “I understand that forgiving him is hard, but we all have a second chance to be a family.” Lily snatched a cupcake from Catherine’s plate and licked the frosting from the top.

  “Lily!”

  “You know I can’t resist one of Mrs. Master’s desserts.”

  Catherine eyed the stolen cake, wondering if there were any left. Lily wasn’t the only one who found them irresistible. At least she’d managed to change the subject. “Fine. Tell me about you and John. You know I’m waiting for the announcement of wedding bells in your future, because he certainly has my approval. Just yesterday he helped me hang three new shelves in the back of the store. He’s quite a handyman.”

  “He does have a knack for fixing things. I think that’s why he’s enjoying working for his uncle so much at the blacksmith shop.” Lily leaned back on her elbows and smiled. “And he makes me happy. He’s such a gentleman, and so handsome with his dark blue eyes and curly blond hair. Even the thin scar that runs across his jaw line manages to make him all the more rugged and appealing, don’t you think?”

  “That’s certainly not for me to say.” Catherine caught her sister’s dreamy expression. “You’re going to say yes if he asks you to marry him, aren’t you?”

  Lily took another bite of cupcake. “Everything’s happened so fast, but it’s strange how I feel as if I’ve known him forever.”

  “Then follow your heart. You’ll know when the time comes if it’s right.”

  Lily wiped her mouth with a napkin then frowned. “What if I don’t know?”

  “Then maybe the time’s not right.” While she thought John to be the perfect fit for Lily, it certainly wasn’t her place to make that decision.

  Lily leaned back on her elbows and stared out across the rolling landscape that offered a mixture of dense trees and wide, open spaces. “I suppose part of it is that there’s still so much I want to see in life. I want to travel and see some of the world beyond Revenge, but if I get married, there’ll be babies and housework and no time for anything else.”

  Which was exactly what she’d once dreamed of. “And that’s so bad?”

  “It’s what’s expected, isn’t it?”

  “I suppose.”

  Catherine looked up across the green lawn at Corbin, who now stood in the middle of an animated conversation with the town doctor. Marriage and family might be what every young girl dreamed of, but Catherine hadn’t followed her heart or done what society expected. Still, no matter how hard she tried to ignore them, seeing Corbin brought back the same emotions she once held. Was there ever a chance—even a small one—for a second chance with love? And was that a chance she even wanted?

  “He’s coming to talk to you.”

  Catherine’s chin dipped, and she felt her fa
ce flush. “I’m sure he’s just being polite.”

  “I’ve seen the way he looks at you, and it’s certainly not a man attempting to be polite.”

  Catherine forced a wide smile and prayed that he hadn’t overheard Lily’s last words as he stopped beside their quilt.

  “Sheriff Hunter,” Lily jumped in. “How nice to see you.”

  “Good afternoon, ladies.” he began. “I’m sorry to interrupt.”

  “Would you care to join us?” Lily asked.

  “Thank you, but I was wondering if I could speak to your sister alone for a moment?”

  Lily nudged Catherine with her elbow. “Of course you may. She’s all yours, Sheriff.”

  Catherine stood awkwardly then straightened her skirts. How could she look at him like he was just another man when everyone assumed that the sparks between them had never died? She pressed her hands against her sides as the answer surfaced. The truth was that anything that had been between them had long since died away, and any well-meaning encouragement from her father or her sisters, or even the townspeople of Revenge, couldn’t change that.

  Corbin shoved his hands into his front pockets as he led her toward the edge of the picnic clearing. “I’m sorry to take some of your time, but I promised I’d tell you if there were any further developments in the case.”

  Dread replaced any remaining thoughts of romance. “What happened?”

  “One of the gang members was shot during the latest holdup,” Corbin told her. “I just found out that Sheriff Robinson from Lancaster managed to pick up a lead this morning. I’m heading out there in a few minutes to check out the situation. Apparently Frank Sutherland is holed up at a farm outside of town. If we’re lucky, we’ll catch him, and he’ll identify the rest of the gang.”

  “And you think he’ll do that?”

  “We can hope. I’ve learned to be rather…convincing.”

  “What about Harrison? You still think he’s involved in all of this?”

  “That’s one of the things I plan to find out.”

  Catherine’s stomach roiled at the thought of something going wrong. She may have told him once that she didn’t love him anymore, but these men killed anyone who stood in their way. “There is one more thing.”

  “Yes?”

  “The last time we spoke…the day my father arrived…” She lowered her gaze, still ashamed by the unladylike behavior he’d been forced to witness.

  Corbin shook his head. “Forget about it.”

  “I can’t.” She forced herself to look him in the eye. “I never should have lost control of my emotions the way I did.”

  He shot her a half smile. “Only goes to show that you’re human like the rest of us.”

  Catherine studied his expression, trying to determine if he was mocking her…though, of course, he wasn’t. Corbin never would have treated her the way she’d treated him. “Then just promise me you’ll be careful.”

  “I will.” Corbin smiled, tipped his hat, and was gone.

  Chapter Thirteen

  Corbin rested his finger on the trigger of his Colt .45. He kept his gaze steady on the open window of the VanLeer homestead, which sat thirty yards directly in front of him. A yellow curtain blew in the breeze, but beyond that, there was no movement in the house that he could see. Sheriff Robinson had been right about the location of Frank Sutherland. What he hadn’t expected was their pursuit to turn into a hostage situation.

  Corbin rested his arm against the thick log that he’d stayed burrowed behind the past thirty minutes alongside the Lancaster sheriff and two other deputized men. So far, the situation was at a standoff, as Sutherland had already made it clear his plan was to hunker down and wait things out. But surely the felon knew he’d never win.

  Unless Sutherland had decided to take down as many hostages with him as he could. The Masked Gang had never stopped to worry about the number of dead bodies they’d left behind. Which meant no false moves. It was up to them to ensure this situation ended well.

  Corbin flicked a bug off the tip of his nose then reached for his father’s brass binoculars. The only thing on their side was that Sutherland was purportedly injured. Shot in the shoulder two days ago by one of Sheriff Robinson’s men, the felon had to have lost a lot of blood. A close-up glimpse inside the house could give him a clue about how to proceed. Sutherland was weak and vulnerable, but despite his clear disadvantage, he still refused to back down. If they could find a way to separate him from the hostages, they could end this with little or no bloodshed.

  “What do you see?” Sheriff Robinson asked from farther down the fallen log.

  “Still nothing yet.” Corbin wiped away the beads of sweat from his forehead. “Are you sure we’re only looking at two hostages?”

  “Mason VanLeer lives here with his spinster daughter, so I wouldn’t expect more than the two of them. They both tend to stay to themselves.”

  “What else do you know about them?”

  Sheriff Robinson repositioned himself behind the fallen log. Fifteen minutes had passed since their last communication with Sutherland, but none of them could dismiss the possibility of a bullet headed their way.

  Robinson cleared his throat. “Mary used to be the town school teacher until her father got sick and demanded she stay home and take care of him. That was ten years ago. They’re both quiet and not very social. The only time anyone sees them is at church once a week. Needless to say, they’re not likely to put up a fight of any kind.”

  Good. Corbin set down his binoculars so he could recheck how much ammunition he had. At least they shouldn’t have to deal with a cocky hostage who wanted to play hero. The last thing he needed was for this to turn into a bloodbath. And the way the odds were stacking up, Sutherland probably figured he had little to lose.

  Sheriff Robinson rose slowly from his hiding place.

  Corbin motioned for him to get down. “What are you doing?”

  “We’ve waited long enough.” The sheriff pulled out a second revolver.

  “No, we haven’t.” Corbin’s jaw tensed. “We need to wait this one out to ensure no one gets killed. There’ve been enough lives lost in this battle to take down the Masked Gang. If you rush out there half-cocked, you’re only going to get yourself or someone else killed.”

  “I said we’ve waited long enough.” Sheriff Robinson glared back at him. “I’m headed for that oak tree and a better shot of the house. Cover me if you have to.” He darted ten yards, then crouched behind the oak tree. “Frank Sutherland, we know you’re still in there, and we’re through playing games. I want you to come out of that house with your hands up.”

  The sheriff’s demand was met with silence.

  Corbin watched as Robinson fired a shot, and the front window shattered into a hundred pieces.

  Corbin yelled at the sheriff to hold his fire. “I want this man alive.”

  “This is my territory, which means we’ll do it my way.”

  A breeze hit the back of Corbin’s neck. He pressed his lips together and bit back the reply he knew he’d regret. All he wanted to focus on right now was saving the hostages and getting the information he needed out of Sutherland. If he got lucky, he’d be able to clear Catherine’s future brother-in-law at the same time.

  Catherine. He’d watched her at the picnic today while Penny Martin and half a dozen young, single women tried to catch his attention. He couldn’t help but smile at her when she’d stumbled over her apology. She’d always been a fiery mixture of pluckiness and stubbornness, but those had been some of the very things that had drawn her to him—and had eventually made him fall in love with her.

  Corbin tightened his grip on the butt of his gun. But that had been years ago, and today, he had to shake her image and concentrate. One mistake and they all could end up dead.

  A shot rang out from the direction of the house and yanked Corbin from his thoughts.

  Sheriff Robinson signaled toward the house. “I’m moving in.”

  “Don’t b
e a fool.”

  Corbin’s response fell on deaf ears. Robinson ran toward the side of the house.

  Before the sheriff could find cover, Sutherland walked out the front door with a gun and Mary VanLeer in his grip.

  “What do you want, Sutherland?” Robinson called out. “You know this is the end of the road for you.”

  Sutherland yanked Miss VanLeer closer to his chest. “I don’t think so.”

  Corbin grabbed his binoculars and peered out over the neglected front yard of the property. He stopped at the framed image of the terrified women then moved to Sutherland. The man’s hollow expression stared back at him. He wasn’t going to make it much longer.

  “I want a horse and two hundred dollars.”

  Corbin kept his gun aimed at the man’s temple. He wanted the man taken alive, but not at the cost of other lives. “That isn’t happening, Sutherland.”

  “Then I’ll kill the woman.” He pushed her out in front of him, held out his hands, and pressed the muzzle of his gun against her head.

  “Don’t do it, Sutherland,” Robinson said. “You’ll force me to shoot you myself.”

  One of the other deputies maneuvered beside Corbin. “If you keep him talking, I’ll crawl around the eastern side of the house where I can get a clean shot.”

  Corbin weighed the situation. Robinson had wanted to come in like an army with a wave of bullets, but Corbin hadn’t agreed. He’d insisted they evaluate the situation and make a plan before jumping into a gun battle.

  He peered through the binoculars again and shook his head. “Don’t do anything yet. You’ll end up hitting Miss VanLeer.”

  “I’m the best marksman in the county. Give me thirty seconds to set up the shot then distract him.”

  Corbin shook his head. “Sutherland’s been shot and doesn’t look like he’s going to make it much longer. If we give him a bit more time, he’s going to collapse.”

  And with the way things stood at the moment—with a loaded gun aimed at Mary VanLeer, that was the only sure way they were going to get out of here with no one else getting hurt.

  “If you think I’m foolin’ around, you’re wrong.” Sutherland’s voice cracked. “I’ll give you a minute to make your choice. After that, the woman’s as good as gone.” Sheriff Robinson had a reputation for being hot-tempered and trigger happy, and he was living up to the locals’ claims of always having to play the part of the hero.