“This is all I could find besides the rifle, Lieutenant,” the man told his officer. “Harkner and the boy must have any other weapons they own with them.”
Evie helped Miranda to a chair, and Miranda looked around to see every cupboard opened and emptied, every drawer. Her trunk was open, everything tossed out of it. She looked into Evie’s frightened eyes. “I’m sorry, Evie. Your father had a very tragic past that he never wanted you or Lloyd to know about. Now I suppose there is no choice but to tell you. You mustn’t hold it against him. He loves you so much. People can change, Evie. They can be very sorry for some of the things they have done, but sometimes the law doesn’t forgive, and they have to answer for things in spite of how much they might have changed. That is what is happening to your father. He’s going to need our love and support more than ever now.”
“Mother, what are you talking about? I don’t understand!”
Miranda took hold of her hand. “I know, Evie.” She closed her eyes, struggling to stay strong. Jake! Lieutenant Gentry was going to take him away! He would surely be hanged, or imprisoned for the rest of his life. He would not come today and sweep her into his arms like always. She would not sleep beside him tonight. He might even react defensively when he came home and saw soldiers there, might shoot it out with them, be killed today. And what about the children? How was she going to explain all this in the midst of such tragedy? For years she had warned Jake to tell them, and for years he had put it off, had been so afraid of losing them.
If only she could get out of here, ride out to him, hold him once more before he was arrested. There was no way around it, and she knew Jake would not run again. Not this time. The running was over. The pain in her chest was so fierce she was afraid she might pass out. “Sit down, Evie,” she told her daughter.
Evie pulled a chair around the table and sat down near Miranda, who again took hold of her hands. “While we’re waiting for your father to come home, I have something to tell you.”
“Surround the house!” Gentry was shouting outside. “Make sure the woman and the girl stay inside! Private Bale!”
“Yes, sir!”
“Take two other men and keep a lookout—all directions! Harkner is due back anytime. He’s a man who’s always well armed, dangerous when he’s cornered. Watch out for the boy too. He could come back unexpectedly.”
Lloyd! Thank God he was still in Pueblo. He could get hurt if he rode in here now and didn’t understand what was happening. Miranda squeezed Evie’s hands reassuringly. “Evie, your father was once an…an outlaw; but certain things happened to him as a boy that forced him into that life at a time when he had no guidance, no love, no family. I want to tell you about it so you’ll understand what is happening; and I want you to try to find it in your heart to forgive him for keeping the truth from you. He did it only because he loves you so very much. He never wanted you to hate him or be ashamed of him. For twenty years he has worked hard at changing his life and trying to make up for his past. Now it has caught up with him, and I’m afraid we can’t do anything to help him except to be there for him and let him know he’s loved and has our support.”
“He’s my father. I could never stop loving him.”
Miranda could only hope she would hear the same words from Lloyd, but there was something else involved there. If Lloyd lost Beth Parker because of this, there would be no forgiving; and if their son looked at his father with the hatred and shame Jake had always dreaded he would see in the boy’s eyes, it would destroy Jake. He would go to the gallows willingly. The love of his wife and daughter would not be enough to make him want to live, to fight for his rights. Nothing worse could happen to him than to lose his son’s love.
***
“Look sharp, men! That could be him coming now!”
Almost two hours had passed. Miranda heard the shout and rushed to the door. “Stay inside!” she ordered Evie. “No matter what happens, stay in this house.”
Evie ran to a window to watch, her heart pounding with fear for her father. The lieutenant had told them Jess York had ridden out when they arrived at Mr. Parker’s house. She and her mother both hoped Jess had warned Jake about what was happening. Evie had prayed her father would not come at all, that he would get away while he had the chance. She could not imagine him being hanged, or spending the rest of his life in prison. Not her father! Her heart ached over the things her mother had told her, and she was struggling to understand, to forgive. She prayed Lloyd would be able to do the same. She watched her mother move away from the house and past some of the soldiers. Gentry grabbed her arm. “That’s far enough.”