A Walk In Heaven (Volume 1) (The Grayson Brothers) Read online

  She yanked her hands away. “Leave me alone. I don’t need your help. I don’t want it. Never did.”

  “Careen, don’t fight me. You’ll lose. You know I don’t want to hurt you.” He patted his holstered gun. “I especially don’t want to hurt anyone else who tries to stop us.”

  She cringed, remembering the last time he’d used the back of his hand to remind her who had control. “No, please Luther, don’t.”

  “We’re leaving. Now!”

  Fingers like steel held her wrist as he pulled her along. She struggled for release, but his strong hold kept her following. “Release me this minute!”

  “Never.” He glanced at her. “Haven’t you realized by now that I will never let you go? You are mine and will always be mine.”

  Anger surged through her. “But I’m not yours! I’m Matthew’s – or I was.” Her voice broke as sorrow once again stung her heart.

  He arched a bushy brow. Loathing darkened his brown eyes. “Matthew Grayson deserved to die for marrying my woman.”

  Bile rose to her throat. “I declare, Luther, you are as dim-witted as you are ruthless. How many times do I have to tell you we will never marry?” Even as she said the words, she knew they held no meaning to him. Luther had always been spoiled. He’d always gotten his way no matter how many people he hurt.

  “I told you once that I’ll never let you marry another, and I stick to my promises.” He motioned his head toward the street. “If you had only married me, that man back there wouldn’t be dead. You had the audacity to coax him through letters to meet you halfway across the states for a quick marriage. It’s your fault he met his maker at such a young age.”

  Pain sliced through her chest. He is wrong, she tried to convince herself as her previous doubts rang in her mind. Scrambling to think of something to say, she glanced over him once again. His holstered gun still puzzled her. Suddenly, his fingers drew her attention. Dark markings – like gunpowder sprinkled the skin on his right hand. Even the scent of gunpowder clung to him.

  Oh, dear Lord! No!

  Slowly, Careen shook her head. Luther had always been evil, but enough to…kill?

  “No,” she whispered brokenly. “Luther, tell me you didn’t do what I think you did.”

  He arched a bushy eyebrow. “What is that?”

  “Did you…kill Matthew?”

  His lips stretched into a grin, showing his yellow and brown teeth. “What makes you think that?”

  Betrayal filled her, and pain from the mere idea made it hard for her to breath. “Just tell me. Quit playing these games with me.”

  He threw back his head and laughed. Tears rushed to her eyes again and her head pounded. She opened her mouth to speak, but someone else’s voice stopped her.

  “He’s right there!” the person called from behind Luther.

  Through blurry vision, she noticed the sheriff and two deputies running toward her, with an older man trying to keep up. The older, gray-haired gentleman pointed toward Luther.

  “That’s him, I tell you. I saw him shoot the man coming out of the church.”

  Luther jerked his head toward the men, disbelief followed by panic drained the color from his face. He spun and sprinted in a different direction. The sheriff and the other two lawmen dashed after her cousin.

  Holding a shaky fist to her mouth, Careen silently prayed they would catch her cousin and bring justice for her fallen husband.

  The sheriff pulled out his gun. “Stop or I’ll shoot.”

  Luther failed to heed the sheriff’s command and careened down the dusty street, rapidly putting distance between the shorter legged lawmen and himself. Startled bystanders parted like the red sea, unsure how – or perhaps unwilling – to offer any aide.

  Careen’s heart plummeted. Luther was going to escape. He was going to get away with murder. Just as he approached a crossroad, the owner of the mercantile, a brute man who still wore portions of his confederate army uniform, plunged into the roadway, wrapping burly arms around Luther’s lanky frame and bearing her fiendish cousin into the ground.

  “Yes!” Careen shouted, caught in the moment.

  The sheriff and his deputies quickly rushed to them, weapons at the ready.

  Careen approached the fray more slowly.

  The lawman and mercantile owner dragged a seething Luther to his feet.

  “I didn’t shoot anyone,” Luther raged.

  “Is that so,” one of the deputies drawled. “If you’re innocent, why did ya run?”

  “You were chasing me with guns!”

  The lawmen shook their heads, and yanked Luther down the street, a deputy on each side, and the mercantile owner flanking the rear.

  “This is a travesty,” Luther fumed. “I demand you release me.”

  A crowd gathered, pointing and murmuring. Luther’s murderous gaze raked over them before turning back to Careen. Pure ice poured from his eyes, chilling her to the bone. Despite today’s warmer weather, Careen shivered, wrapping her arms around herself.

  Finally, the sheriff approached, steadily holding her gaze. “I’m so very sorry, ma’am, but it seems Mr. Rader witnessed this man shooting your husband. There will be a formal investigation, but I see no reason to think this man won’t stand trial.” He shook her hand. “We will find justice for your husband. You have my word.”

  Squaring her shoulders, she took a deep breath. “I understand, Sheriff. My cousin definitely needs to be punished for his crimes.”

  His eyes widened. “Your…cousin?”

  “Yes, unfortunately.”

  “Then I’m truly sorry.”

  “Thank you for everything.”

  He tipped his hat to her, turned and walked away, hurrying toward his deputy and her cousin. The shock of everything that happened today left her numb, but she found the strength to move her sluggish legs up the street. She needed to return to the hotel where she and Matthew had planned to spend their first night together as husband and wife…

  Her heart dropped with each step. How could she go to the place knowing Matthew would never be with her again?

  It took Careen longer than anticipated, but finally she entered the hotel room. A noise came from the adjoining room, and Careen stopped. It sounded like her maid was doing as Careen had asked before she’d gone to the church this morning. Careen had instructed Betsy to pack for their journey to Montana – the one Careen and Matthew would have taken as husband and wife. “Betsy?”

  The shuffling of feet vibrated on the wooden floor from the other room before the maid exited the master bedroom. Slightly younger than Careen by a few years, her maid smoothed her hands down the front of her white apron. “Yes, Miss Kennedy…umm, I mean Mrs. Grays—”

  Her words stopped as the servant’s gaze roamed over Careen from the top of her head to her tattered gown. Betsy’s eyes widened. “Good heavens, what happened to you?”

  Careen caught her reflection in the full-length mirror standing in the corner of the room. Matthew’s blood sprinkled across her bodice and even smudged her cheek. She tried wiping away the stain as images floated through her mind of their fast courtship through the letters, and especially since meeting him yesterday. He’d been so attentive. So caring and loving. They’d shared their dreams of the future – a future she’d never have now.

  Tears Careen didn’t think she had left resurfaced and filled her eyes as she told Betsy what had happened.

  Betsy rushed to Careen’s side, touching her arm. “He’s d—d—dead?”

  Careen’s legs trembled as a sob rose to her throat. She took a deep breath to control it. “Yes. I’m now a widow.”

  Betsy gasped, her hands flying to her mouth. “No…no…”

  “That’s not the worst of it.” Careen stumbled to the chair and sat, resting her elbows on the small table. “Luther showed up unexpectedly not too long afterwards.”

  “He did? But…that can’t be right. Your wedding was a secret.”

  “I know.” Careen sighed heavily. �
�I wish I could figure it out, but I can’t.”

  Silence lasted a few moments before Betsy drew closer. “I worried that he would find out when you had put that ad in the newspaper for a mail-order bride.”

  “What else was I to do? Luther wanted the money Mother and Father left me upon their deaths. Since I’m not twenty-five yet and cannot obtain my inheritance until then, I had to do something to stop my cousin. Leaving Iowa before he forced me into marriage was the only way.”

  A tear slid down Betsy’s cheek. “I know. Forgive me for saying anything.”

  “There’s no use living in the past. We need to keep moving forward.”

  “What did Luther do when he saw you? Did he try to get you to return home with him?”

  “Yes, but thankfully the law arrested him and put him in jail.”

  The maid raised a skeptical brow. “Why?”

  Careen hesitated to confess what happened. It was so hard to admit how Matthew really died. Only because guilt gnawed on her conscience, and she didn’t want to think this was all her fault. “Apparently, while the gunfight was going on across the road from the church, Luther thought he’d take the opportunity to shoot my husband.” She took a deep breath. “Luther killed Matthew.”

  “Oh, no!” A river of tears filled Betsy’s wide eyes as her face lost color. “Luther has always been an evil person, but I never figured he’d actually…kill someone.”

  “I agree, but thankfully, he’s in jail now and won’t try to stop me from going to Montana.”

  “Montana? Why there?”

  A paper and pencil lay on the table, so Careen pulled them to her. She needed to jot down her thoughts before sending a telegraph to Matthew’s parents. “We’ll go there to deliver Matthew’s body to his family. They live just outside Virginia City on a cattle ranch.”

  “A ranch? Did I ever tell you that I grew up on a farm? I’m certain I’ll be able to help his family around their ranch.”

  Nodding, Careen sat at the table then shooed her maid with her hands. “That’s fine and good, but now hurry and get us packed. I want to be on the train leaving first thing in the morning. We cannot wait another day.”

  “Yes, you are correct.” Betsy rushed into the bedroom.

  Groaning, Careen covered her face with her hands. She wasn’t anticipating meeting Matthew’s family, but she must present herself in the best possible light. She couldn’t have his family thinking poorly of her for convincing Matthew to have a secret wedding.

  Careen also needed to send the telegraph as soon as possible to let them know she was coming with his body. Tears slipped down her cheeks again as she wrote. Sadness – and guilt – tightened her chest so much she could scarcely breathe. Although deep in her heart she knew his death wasn’t her fault, a part of her mind believed that if she hadn’t married him, he’d still be alive. If she hadn’t convinced Matthew to marry the mail-order bride and meet her halfway between Montana and Iowa, Luther wouldn’t have come after her and killed Matthew.

  Saying a silent prayer for strength, Careen stood. She grabbed her cloak and wrapped it around her stained dress. “Betsy, I’m going to send the telegraph and purchase our train tickets now,” she called out.

  “Please, be careful.”

  “I will.” Before leaving the hotel room, Careen placed a bonnet over her disheveled hair.

  She treaded through town with eyes downcast. If people looked at her with pity in their gazes, she wouldn’t be able to bear it.

  Helplessness grew inside her. Her future was uncertain, and in her frame of mind, she couldn’t think of anything but getting Matthew’s body to his family. The past thirty-six hours had been an emotional whirlwind. Hell couldn’t be any worse than the turmoil Pierre, South Dakota, had brought her. She prayed Virginia City would be a walk in heaven compared to what she’d been through.

  Chapter Two

  Joshua Grayson kicked his heels against the steed’s middle, urging his horse faster. One hand gripped the reins while he sent a lariat sailing with the other. The persistent little calf slipped from his grasp, and Joshua vowed he wouldn’t quit until he tied that animal soundly.

  Usually, roping came naturally to him. He’d been doing it since he was young and followed after his old man’s footsteps. Now his mind – or heart – wasn’t on the task. This morning his mother brought bad news from town by way of a telegraph from South Dakota.

  Matthew was dead.

  Emotion clogged Joshua’s throat. He gritted his teeth and pushed his horse faster, closer to the calf who ran away from the herd. He let the lasso fly and roped the beast perfectly. Quickly stopping the horse, he jumped down and finished tying the rope around the animal’s neck. If he had to drag the calf back to the herd, he would. Once the calf settled down, Joshua mounted his horse and started back to the ranch. His mind quickly returned to his brother and the telegraph.

  Shot.

  Dead.

  And… Married.

  Grumbling, Joshua rubbed his stinging eyes. Why his brother had foolishly left the family business to travel to South Dakota for a woman he’d never met was beyond all reasoning. Matthew had done some ridiculous stunts in his life, but a mail-order bride had to be the worst. His brother certainly wasn’t thinking of their mother’s weak heart, either. Even now Joshua wouldn’t be surprised if this news brought on another death in their family, but he prayed Ma’s heart wouldn’t fail her now.

  Sadness wrenched Joshua’s heart. His parents had taken Matthew’s death very hard. Of course, hearing that their boy snuck away in the dead of night to get married hadn’t settled well with them, either. Joshua had caught Matthew leaving that night, and he hesitantly told Joshua about the Southern Belle from Charleston he’d been corresponding with who lived in Iowa with her aunt. Joshua had tried to talk his stubborn brother out of it, but as always, Matthew did whatever he wanted.

  Joshua and his brother hadn’t been close. Not really. As boys, they competed constantly, and as young men, it had only gotten worse. Joshua focused on the ranch while Matthew’s head floated with the clouds on a daily basis, dreaming about wooing the ladies. Most of the young women Matthew courted in town had turned their eyes on Joshua. Not that he encouraged or wanted their attention, but Matthew had never believed him. Perhaps this was Matthew’s reasons for marrying a stranger.

  Their last words were those in anger, and Joshua’s heart cried out for forgiveness.

  “You’re nothing but a fool, Matthew,” Joshua bit out. “One day you’ll regret making this hasty decision, and you’ll see I was right.”

  “Stop trying to tell me how to live my life. I’m not you! I don’t ever want to be you!” Matthew spun around and marched toward his horse with his saddlebags flung over his shoulder.

  That was Joshua’s last memory of his brother. A headache pounded in his head. He’d give anything to see his brother one last time. And tell him how much he loved him.

  Joshua stabled his horse before heading to the main house for supper. He really didn’t feel like visiting with his anyone tonight, but being with his family and supporting each other was the only way to get through this crisis. Jessica and Frances would need him now more than ever. His four-year-old daughters had a difficult time understanding when their mother died two years ago, they would definitely not understand why God took Uncle Matthew as well.

  Joshua climbed the porch, removed his hat, and swiped a gloved hand across his moist brow. He’d kept busy today, trying to pull his thoughts away from his brother’s death. Now his body was as exhausted as his mind.

  When he entered the front door, his daughters’ lighthearted voices drifted through the house as they assisted their grandma and their cook with the meal. The sad tone of his mother’s voice tugged on his heart, and yet he knew his daughters helped to heal his mother’s spirits today.

  He studied his mother for a few seconds, to assess her condition. Thankfully, she moved around the kitchen in her normal routine and there were no signs of heart proble
ms.

  Joshua entered the kitchen and stopped. Two curly haired, blonde girls with pink ribbons in their hair turned cherubic faces his way and smiled.

  “Papa!”

  Holding out his arms, he readied himself to swoop them up, but as soon as they reached him, his mother called out, making them stop. Curious, he looked her way.

  “Go get cleaned up first,” she said, motioning her hand over his dusty attire. “You’ll get the girls dirty if you hug them now.”

  Leave it to Ma to think of things like that at a time like this. He gave his daughters a wink then touched a finger to each freckled nose. “Finish helping Grandma, and I’ll be right back.”

  As he stepped out on the back porch to wash his hands and face, a smile stole across his face. Those two little girls always brightened his day. Even though he’d wanted a boy, the good Lord blessed him with beautiful twin daughters. They were angels sent from heaven. Now those two adorable females were the rays in his sunshine. But today not even his daughters could lighten his heavy heart.

  Joshua just prayed his daughters didn’t turn out like their mother – insane. That was his worst fear.

  Once he removed the caked-on dirt from his face and hands, he dried off before returning to the kitchen. His father and two younger brothers moved around the large table to take their places. Joshua sat between his daughters, giving them each a kiss on the cheek.

  On cue, everyone clasped their hands in front of them and bowed their heads while his father offered up prayer. William Grayson thanked the Lord for their bounty and many blessings. With a choked voice, he thanked the Lord for the blessing of having Matthew in their lives, even if for a short time.

  Tears welled in Joshua’s eyes and he squeezed them tighter, hoping not to lose control of his emotions at the table. He needed to stay strong for his parents, for his brothers, but especially for his darling girls.

  William ended the prayer, and everyone murmured, Amen. Nobody voiced their thoughts as they filled their plates with food. Not even Frances or Jessica spoke. After a few minutes of silence, his mother cleared her throat and partook of everyone around the table.