Frowning as he settled himself on the bench beside her, Olivia asked, “Is something wrong?”
Adam didn’t want to talk about the case. He just wanted to enjoy her soothing presence. However, he figured talking about it might help him not to feel so terrible.
“Please tell me what’s going on, Adam?” Olivia invited with a soft voice.
That was all the encouragement Adam needed. He poured his heart out to her, telling her how disappointed he was that his bosses chose to investigate instead of accepting his report. He also told her how useless he felt that he couldn’t make any arrests successfully and to worsen things, Stephen had practically asked him to leave his house because of the mishaps that took place at the ranch.
“I’m so sorry, Adam,” Olivia said with sorrow when he was done talking.
Her voice sent warmth coursing through him. He had made a good decision coming here and talking to her.
“I completely understand how you feel because a few days ago, I was right where you are right now. Do you know what helped me forge ahead?”
He shook his head, loving how beautiful she looked in the brown homespun dress with her hair in a braid. It reminded him of the first time he saw her in her Indian dress and twin braids.
She lifted her bible, and his heart dropped. He should have known she would bring God into their conversation. Why she hadn’t yet gotten that he wasn’t interested in talking about the creator astounded him. Perhaps she knew, but just like every Christian out there, she thought she could change him.
“Whenever I’m down and think I can’t go ahead, I open my bible to the Book of Psalms and I’m encouraged again. Fear not, the bible repeatedly said and we should not let our hearts be troubled. The Lord is like a strong tower. The righteous run to it and they are saved. Psalm 28: 7 says, ‘The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in Him, and He helps me. My heart leaps for joy, and with my song, I praise Him.’ So, Adam, trust—”
Unable to stop himself, Adam snapped, “Olivia, please stop. I’m not interested in hearing the lies the bible has to offer.”
Olivia’s face lost all its color.
Once started, he found he couldn’t stop himself. “Don’t talk to me about the bible. I know almost every word in it because, for fourteen years, my parents made me study and believe every word there. What a waste of time!”
Olivia gasped. “Adam!”
He speedily rose and ran a hand through his hair. Olivia needed to hear some truths. Maybe it would make her question her faith just the way he had all those years ago.
“What has God and the bible done for you, Olivia? Hasn’t it taken everything from you? Your parents, your adoptive family, and now your freedom. What did God and the bible do to protect your parents and mine? What have you gained in all your years of being a Christian? Hasn’t sorrow and pain followed you every step of the way. Please don’t talk to me about a God who stands by and does nothing while His children are killed and in strife. Their homes and lands are taken from them, and they barely have enough to feed. What kind of father does that to his children?”
With her face deathly pale, Olivia slowly rose. “Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but God sees them through it all. Unfortunate things might have happened to me and my loved ones, but my faith is unshaken because I believe the plans God has for me are good. He said in Jeremiah 29:11, ‘For I know the thoughts I have toward you: thoughts of peace and not evil, to give you an expected end. Weeping may endure for the night, but joy comes in the morning.”
“Oh, please, stop being naïve, Olivia. Where will you go from here? You will go back to the orphanage and remain there talking about God to the children and living from hand to mouth while people like Gabe Winters who don’t believe in God keep thriving in evil. And God will keep doing nothing about it.”
Appalled, Olivia answered, “When my suspicion was confirmed that you no longer believed in God, I wasn’t put off by it. I decided I wasn’t going to go the way of your family by trying to convince you to come back to God. I resolved to leave you be and simply pray for you. All I was doing just now was trying to comfort you with words that have brought comfort to me. It troubles me how your hard work seems to be going down the drain because of bad people. Despite the fact we don’t share the same beliefs, I will never deliberately go out to hurt you or mock your views. Thanks for showing me how different we are and for showing me I was wrong about you.”
Adam cursed inwardly as Olivia fled into the house. Then he cursed some more for good measure.
Why did I do that?
He felt like a heel for hurting her, particularly as he acknowledged that he was in love with her. Why would he hurt the woman he loved? Maybe Stephen was right after all. He only thought about himself. The frustration of the past few days had gotten to him and he had lashed out at the only person who believed in him.
Adam thought of going after her, to beg her to forgive him and probably declare his feelings for her. He changed his mind as he didn’t think it was the right time to do that. He would give her time to get over how mean and foolish he was to her.
With hung shoulders, Adam walked down the porch steps. After one remorseful glance at the door, he placed his hat on his head and walked away. His thoughts were all over the place as he strode down the dusty trail to the town. The cool breeze swirling around showed fall would soon be there. He welcomed it as he didn’t like the heat of the summer.
Adam’s instincts immediately sharpened when he noted conspicuous stares coming his way as he walked into the town. Some townsfolk tried to hide that they were staring at him, but he caught them staring at him. From the saloon to the bakery, to the grocery store, people stared.
Adam hadn’t yet eaten, so he didn’t think he had food remnants soiling his face or clothes. When he passed by the sheriff’s office and saw Joe Tate smirking in front of it, he knew it had something to do with the investigations.
He wasn’t left wondering for long. He got to his office and found a letter waiting for them. His heart dropped when he read the contents of the letter.
They had relieved him of his job as marshal, citing his audacity into taking the law into his hands by making unlawful arrests around the town. Another marshal would be assigned to take over for him shortly.
The letter fell from Adam’s numb hands as pain, bitterness, and disappointment flowed through him.
The law had failed him!
