“His name’s Frank Shelton. He has a Southern accent, so I assumed he must be from North Carolina. He tried to pay me in gold for my help, but I put it in the church offering.”
Shelton?Josie had never mentioned anyone in her family by that name. A knot tightened in Travis’s gut—something wasn’t right.
“Thank you for your help, Reverend. I’d love to visit more, but I must get home before dark.”
Reverend Levingston tipped his hat. “Be safe, Travis. Tell your family I said hello.”
Travis snapped the reins, urging the two horses to trudge faster through the snow. What a fool he had been to let his past get the better of him. Josie was right when Travis was sick. For over a decade he blamed himself and consumed his time in providing, but he had no idea how much providing could put his family in danger.
When Travis made it to the farm, he quickly noticed how quiet it was. Without bothering to tie the team, he sprinted to the cabin and noticed a mix of small and large footprints leading away from the front door. Panic surged through him as he bolted open the door, his chest rigidifying.
“Jo! Children!”
No answer, not even a stir.
“Hello?” Then, from his right, he heard a small whimper.
“Pa?”
Travis rushed towards the soft voice. He flung open the pantry door to find all four of his children crammed together, hugging each other tightly, their wide eyes filled with fear and their cheeks stained with tears. Their lips quivered while trying to form words. Gideon immediately pulled away from Ivy’s arms, and Travis scooped him up, relief flooding through him as he helped the others out. Then his heart stopped, stealing his breath the moment he realized Nathan was missing.
“What happened? Where are Josie and Nathan?”
Jonas’s bottom lip quivered as he sobbed, and Travis bent down to meet his son’s tear-filled gaze.
“Jonas, what happened? Tell me, please.”
“B-Bad man . . .”
Travis’s stomach dropped, and his jaw hardened. His head began to spin, and a rush of heat went through his ears and neck as anger surged like wildfire.I should have been here. I promised to protect them.
“Who was it? What did he do?”
The more Travis asked questions, the more the children cried. Travis wiped his face with his hands. “Everything is all right. We’ll bring them home. But for me to do that, you must tell me everything.”
Ivy’s face twisted as she whimpered. “He . . . He took Josie and Nathan and left. He had a gun.”
“He had gray and brown hair and a scary scar on his face,” Lillian added.
“When was this?” Travis asked, his veins pulsing.
“It was after we started painting,” Ivy answered.
Painting. That had to be around noon.Travis stood and grabbed his rifle hanging above the fireplace mantel. He yanked bullets from the kitchen shelf, loading as many rounds as he could into his pockets. There hadn’t been any real threats in Willow Grove for years; the rifle was merely a precaution against wild beasts or intruders. But this time would be different. He was going to hunt down this man and save his wife and son.
“Children, you are going to listen to me. I need you to bundle yourself up as warm as you can and go to Aunt Polly’s. She’ll keep you safe until I return.”
“But Pa . . .” Jonas whimpered. “What if you get hurt?”
Travis squatted to their level and hugged them as tightly as he could. He kissed the top of their heads as if it was their last time together.
“I love all of you so much. Please know that.”
Travis slipped on an extra coat and grasped his rifle. He loathed the thought of leaving his children behind, but time was slipping away. Josie and Nathan were his family, too, and he’d risk everything for them. He saddled his beloved horse, Flash, and they galloped off into the woods. Travis’s eyes followed the hoof tracks like a hawk tracking his prey. While Travis’s horse sped through the forest, he couldn’t predict what lay ahead, but he would keep his promise.
God help the man who laid a finger on his wife. Travis spent his entire life losing the ones he cared for one by one, but now that he was on the verge of losing Josie, too, he felt a flame burn within him—a flame that urged him to fight against the dangers and bring her home safe and sound.
Chapter Forty-Four
