“Thank you, love. I feel the same about you, except, you know from a man to a woman.”
They both chuckled.
“Do you think you will be able to find her, Adam?”
Her husband shrugged. “We’re sure gonna give it a try, hon. I don’t have any guarantees. It’s been a week. She could be anywhere by now. We can’t go on searching forever.”
“But I need to know what happened to her. If anything did happen to her. I can’t accept a vanishing. If she’s just disappeared… well, there’s just got to be an explanation for all this, Adam. There just has to be. I can imagine some people in Wickenburg vanishing without a trace, but not Becky. Her presence would be noticed. Everyone would eventually notice. She was born and raised here.”
Adam nodded. “I’m aware of all that, dear. You must not burden yourself thinking you did something wrong. You haven’t. Just let us know what you think is missing when we get to the Dupont house. All right?”
“Yes, okay.” Alice rested her cheek against his back and rode the rest of the way in silence.
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
BRUCE IS SUSPECT
BRUCE IS SUSPECT
They were all relieved to see that Bruce had not returned to his home. They came to the agreement that he was probably in one of two places, either the Horse N Saddle, or still out traversing the woods with Andrew. The important thing was that he was not at the house when the trio got there.
Mark dismounted and helped Alice down before Adam got down. They tethered the horses and Alice stepped carefully up the few stairs to the front door. She was quiet and knocked lightly.
“There’s no one here, Alice,” Adam said, reaching over and opening the unlocked door. “His horse isn’t here and we know Becky is missing. There is no point in knocking.”
“I was afraid he would have put a lock on the door,” Mark said, passing both of them and going into the house. The couple looked at each other before following him in.
Alice did not remember the house ever looking dirty. She knew then and there what it looked like without Becky’s constant cleaning. Dust had settled in many places that would usually shine. Glass and mirrors in the house were dusty and fogged. There were chicken bones on the floor in front of the rickety wooden chair by the unlit fireplace.
The three of them separated, going off in different directions.
Alice made her way through each room before taking Becky’s as the last. She opened the door and it looked much the same as it had the last time she had visited. Becky had made a new quilt for her bed that she was very proud of and wanted Alice to see it so much, she practically dragged her friend into the bedroom to see it in all its glory.
The quilt was laying in the bed, somewhat rumpled, as if Becky had gotten out of bed in the middle of the night and just not returned. All of her stuffed animals were lined up against the side wall on the floor. She opened the small folding closet doors by sliding them apart from each other. All of the dresses she was familiar with were still hanging on the rack. Her shoes were on the floor. None of them looked missing. Alice had to believe if the girl was going to leave on her own, she would have at least worn a pair of shoes.
She turned away from the closet and scanned the animals lined up on the floor. She counted them and realized they were all there. Not one was missing. She decided there was no way Becky had left on her own. She would never have left them all behind. She had favorites. She talked to them like they were living creatures. Alice was saddened by the thought that Becky figured them to be her only real friends. They were always there, never argued with her, and made her feel comforted and happy.
She leaned down and picked up the stuffed tiger. “Hello, Mr. Tiger,” she whispered in its ear before placing a kiss on its soft outer fabric. “You be my good luck charm and help me find your momma, okay?”
She put the tiger into her shoulder bag so that his little head was sticking out. “Perfect,” she murmured, reaching down, and tapping the tiger’s nose. She walked around the small room some more, scanning Becky’s bed, her beautiful quilt all jumbled on top of it. She looked down on the floor by the bed and saw that there were no slippers. Her slippers were gone. Her robe was gone. She glanced around the room but saw nothing else missing. She turned in a circle, scanning once more and trying to decide if she wanted to take any more of the animals.
Deciding against it, she turned and walked out of the room, meeting the men in the small hallway. “Here is one of her stuffed animals. This one is her favorite. Look, you can see the others lined up against the wall there.”
Mark and Adam glanced in the room and nodded at her.
“If she was going to go on her own, first of all, she wouldn’t have gone in her slippers and her robe. She would have dressed, packed some kind of bag, and taken at least a pair of shoes. From what I saw, all of her shoes were in her closet.”
“All of them? Not even one pair missing?” Mark questioned. Alice shook her head.
“Not a pair was missing. The only shoes gone were her slippers.”
“Do you think they lock their door at night? I didn’t see anything that suggests someone broke into the place to get her.”
“Do you think she opened the door to someone who came calling late at night and was taken?”
“I suppose that’s a possibility,” Alice said. “But I really don’t think she would open a locked door to anyone late at night. She would have to know them. And who does she know around here who would do such a thing? If someone were trying to take her away as if to rescue her, someone she knew, surely she would have gotten dressed.”
Mark shook his head. “This whole thing is so troubling and confusing. I feel like I should know something, like I’m missing something that’s right in front of my face.”
Alice shook her head. “You didn’t know her well, Mark. It’s to be expected. You’re the kind of man who wants to be able to fix problems as quickly as possible. Adam is the same way.” She smiled at them. “You two are like brothers.”
The men just smiled at her and moved closer to the door.
“I’ve searched through the kitchen and his room, but didn’t see anything I thought was relevant. He had two guns in his room, but I checked each and they were both clean.”
“He could have cleaned them in the last week,” Alice reasoned.
“I looked around for bullet holes. Didn’t see any.”
“I didn’t either,” Adam said. “But that doesn’t mean he didn’t kill her outside or something. He might not have shot her. He could have strangled her. Suffocated her somehow. No telling what he could have done to get rid of her.”
“Bruce wouldn’t kill Becky,” Alice said in a confident voice. “He can barely function without her. He doesn’t clean, as you can see. He barely knows how to prepare himself a meal. Why he probably hasn’t had coffee since she left because she isn’t here to make it for him. He wouldn’t kill her, I’m sure of it.”
“What if it was an accident?” Mark asked. “It could have been an accident.”
“If it was an accident, why would he tell everyone she was missing? Why would he bring attention to the situation and to himself?” Alice responded.
Mark shook his head. “In my opinion, people would start asking questions mighty quick and suspicion would fall right on him as soon as people realized she wasn’t coming around anymore. He’d have to come up with something really good then, because everyone in town knows the Dupont family, and the history, and whether or not they have relatives who would take Becky in. In addition, she didn’t tell anyone she was leaving, if she did. She would have told you, Alice, don’t you think?”
Alice nodded. “I do believe she would have. She would have told someone. I know that.”
“That’s settled then,” Adam said. “She didn’t leave on her own. She wouldn’t have left without her animals.” As he spoke, Mark stepped into Becky’s room and looked around. He gave special attention the dolls, thinking how they were very well
made.
“She made all of these? By hand?”
Alice looked into the room. “Yes, she did. The other ladies and I would see a fabric that would make a good animal for her and bought it for her. She had her mother’s sewing supplies, which were…” Alice laughed. “Really extensive. Mrs. Dupont loved to sew. I remember how she made all of Becky’s clothes when she was little. I was young then, too. I’m only about ten years older than Becky. She made me a few dresses, as well. And a hat. And some other items.”
The men smiled at her. “Mrs. Dupont was a nice lady,” Mark agreed, nodding. “It’s so sad that they didn’t get to raise Becky.”
“Things would be a lot different for her if they had,” Adam remarked.
“Of course,” Mark said. “Well, we’ve seen that she isn’t in the house and that nothing is missing…” he hesitated before continuing. “What do you think of looking around the grounds for any… fresh dirt that’s been dug up?”
“Oh, Mark,” Alice said in a distressed voice. He lost his smile and gave her a sympathetic look.
“I’m sorry, Alice. We have to consider all possibilities. Even if you don’t think him capable of killing her.”
“I didn’t say that,” Alice replied. “I just don’t want to think he could have done that. I don’t want to think she’s dead. I… I just can’t accept that. She’s out there. We just need to find her.”
“And we will,” Adam said confidently, resting one hand on his wife’s shoulder. “We will. Come on, let’s get out of here before Bruce comes back and finds us in his house. I don’t want a fight with that man. Though the thought has crossed my mind a lot. I reckon if he wants to fight me, I’d be willing.”
Alice shook her head. “No, violence won’t help anything. But I’m not saying don’t keep your gun on you. You never know what he might do.”
“I never go anywhere without it, Alice, you know that.”
Alice gave him a small grin. “I know you do,” she replied softly. “I just wanted to make sure. I wouldn’t know what to do if something happened to you, Adam.”
He pulled her into a hug and squeezed her tight. “Nothing is going to happen to me, love.”
“All right enough of that,” Mark grinned wide at them. “Single bachelor over here not wantin’ to witness your dilly-dallying.”
Adam and Alice laughed and pulled apart.
“Besides, I thought we were leaving. Alice, you sure you want to take one of her stuffed animals? If she returns, won’t she want it?”
Alice thought about it a moment but decided to keep the little tiger. “I want a memento of her. I may never see her again.”
“Now who isn’t thinking positive? Come on, let’s get. Where do you want to look now, Adam? Any suggestions?”
Adam looked at Alice. “Do you want to go home? Or go look with us?”
Alice shook her head. “I have to go home. The kids will be home from school soon and baby Skeeter is going to need me when Nana leaves.”
Mark and Adam both grinned at the nickname Alice had given their youngest child.
“Well, he certainly does love his Momma angel,” Mark said in an appreciative tone.
Adam held the door open for Alice and Mark and then closed it behind him. They went down the path to the horses and mounted them. Just as they were about to ride away, Bruce and Andrew rounded the corner and came toward them. Bruce lifted one hand in the air.
“I can’t believe he’s still able to ride a horse,” Adam murmured, making Alice press her face into his back so that her laughing grin was hidden. He and Mark both lifted their hands in greeting and stopped the horses, waiting for Andrew and Bruce to get to them.
“Do you have any news for me?” Bruce asked, stopping his horse, who was restless and wanted to move around the group in front of him. “Whoa, boy, whoa.” Bruce said in a gentle tone that none of the others had ever heard him use. It was so strange Mark and Andrew whipped their heads in his direction with raised eyebrows. Bruce didn’t notice; he continued to slap his horse gently on the neck and smooth down his mane. When Bruce did finally look up at Adam, the man found his voice.
“We have seen neither hide nor hair of her, Bruce. You have any new ideas?”
“No,” Bruce sounded downtrodden, but Alice couldn’t help thinking it was only because he had to fend for himself now and wanted his servant back.
He should hire someone to come in and do his cleaning and cooking, Alice thought. Then he would actually have to pay them and we all know that isn’t happening.
“I’m almost ready to give up looking,” Bruce said. “If you want to know the honest truth, I just don’t think she’s alive anymore. Maybe some Natives came and took her. Who knows? I don’t want to mess with no Indians, that’s for sure. I’ve heard rumors how those savages will come into town and find a pretty white woman and snatch her up. They take her back and use her to give them white babies.”
“Those are rumors,” Adam said in a disgusted voice.
“Would you truly give up looking if you thought Indians had taken her?”
Bruce nodded as if nothing was wrong with that. “Heck yeah, I’m not gettin’ involved with no Indians. They scalp people. I’ve heard all about it.”
“I have some Native friends who would not do something like that even if they were paid a great deal of money to do so.”
“Well, I’ve heard about it, so I’m takin’ it,” Bruce said defiantly. “If you want to keep looking, you can. I’m about done. I will finish up this side of town and take another direction, too, but if you want to explore the rest or keep searching when I’m done with that, you’ll be doing it on your own.” He turned to Andrew, who had been made speechless by the callous nature of his new friend. His face reflected his surprise, though he tried to hide it when Bruce said to him, “You wanna come in for a drink?”
Andrew nodded. “Yeah, I’ll come in for a drink.”
“See you later. I’ll be here if you find her or have some update or something.” Without another word or glance, Bruce moved his horse around them and went up the path to his house. He unsaddled his horse and went inside.
“Not a very nice man, is he?” Andrew asked.
The other three all shook their heads.
“No,” Adam replied. “He really isn’t.”
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
AWAY HIS ANGER
AWAY HIS ANGER
The door slammed closed behind Andrew and he jumped slightly. “Sorry, friend. Didn’t mean to slam your door.”
Bruce was making a beeline for the cupboard under the wash basin in the kitchen. He glanced back at Andrew and shrugged. “It does it all the time. Go ahead and sit there, I’ll get us a drink. You like vodka or whiskey?”
“Oh, uh, I don’t care. Whatever you like to drink is fine with me.”
Bruce stood up from where he’d been crouched looking in the cupboard and stared at Andrew. “You don’t drink much, do ya?”
Andrew chuckled. “Nah. Not much. But I don’t mind. I just…” he shrugged. “It never caught my interest.”
“All right, I’m gonna drink vodka. These are the only two things I drink, you know besides sweetened tea or coffee. I like to boil water during the wintertime and put it in jars and set it out in the deep snow. It gets so cold. You haven’t a notion how refreshing that is.”
“I’d never thought of it before. Actually drinking the water like that. Seems strange to me.”
“If you put it on the stove over a hot fire until it starts to bubble and let it cool down and then jar it, it kills the nasty stuff that comes from the well and it tastes a lot better.” He went to the table nearby and leaned over to pull an apple from the bowl in the middle. Andrew watched him with curious eyes. Bruce took out a large knife and neatly sliced the apple in half. He brought the bottle, two small glasses, and the apple halves over to the table in front of where Andrew was seated. He set the items down and handed Andrew the half slice of apple.
“Since you d
on’t drink, this vodka just might kick you in the rear. So, after you take a drink, suck on the apple”
Bruce sat down and poured a healthy amount of vodka in each glass. He handed one to Andrew and sat back with the other one. He stretched his arms out wide over the back of the couch after taking a quick shot of the vodka. He didn’t suck on the apple. He didn’t catch his breath. Vodka was like water to him.
Andrew, on the other hand, took a small sip from the vodka and immediately lost his breath.
“Apple!” Bruce barked. “Apple, use the apple, fool!”
Andrew slapped the apple to his lips and sucked the juice from it. It was like the juice decimated the vodka fumes from his throat and he was instantly able to breathe again. He raised his eyebrows in surprise. “Thanks, Bruce. That’s a good idea.”
Bruce snorted. “I thought everyone knew that trick. It keeps your body from getting sick, too. Doc says fruit are real good for the health. So I reckon I’ll just keep drinking vodka and suckin’ on apples and I should live to be a hundred.” He paused. “But who wants to live to be a hundred?” He murmured almost to himself. “Not this man. I don’t want to live to be a hundred. This life is hard enough.”
“I don’t know, Bruce. I kind of feel like it’s all in how we live our life and how happy we make it for ourselves. I gotta tell ya, it wouldn’t surprise me if Becky did take off on her own. I mean, she’s been cooped up here for her entire life. Maybe it’s time she goes out and find her a better life. One where she can do stuff she wants. My wife…”
“I know my sister better than you do, Andy. I think I know whether or not she wants to be on her own, and she doesn’t. She knows she can’t survive a day without me.”
“So you’re saying she’s dead then?” Andrew asked.
Snatching The Bride (Family of Love Series) (A Western Romance Story) Page 10