Small Town Justice(66)

“My hero.” Jamie’s lips trembled and her eyes filled with unshed tears.

Shane followed the urgings of his heart, tilted her chin up with one finger, bent and kissed her.

In the background he heard his son again. This time, the response was much better, probably due to Marsha’s hushed explanations.

Kyle went “Ahhhh!” followed by, “Whoopee! I’m gonna get a mama!”





EPILOGUE

Jamie had been delighted to learn that the capture of Benjamin Abernathy had also resulted in the apprehension of his son, Alan. The prosecutor had insisted he had never suggested that anyone actually do away with Sam Colton. Alan had apparently overheard his father complaining about the sheriff and his teenage mind had misinterpreted that as a request for a violent solution.

Bobbi-Jo Randall had been given probation and had left town with her family to start a new life somewhere else. Alice Henderson had been located in Florida, using an alias, and had eventually been convinced she could come home without jeopardizing her daughter’s welfare.

Jamie had barely recognized her mother after so many years and so much trauma, but joint trips to the beauty shop on the square had removed the gray from Alice’s dark hair and helped restore her dimmed beauty. So had being reunited with her beloved daughter and being able to arrange a proper funeral for Ray Sr. And having R.J.’s conviction thrown out, so he could be released.

By the time they entered Serenity Chapel that special morning, Alice was glowing. She embraced Jamie Lynn. “I’m so proud of you, honey. You’re such a beautiful bride.”

Jamie’s eyes filled. “Hey, you’ll make my mascara run.”

“Shane will never notice.”

“Maybe not, but Kyle will. He told me once that I looked like a raccoon!”

Alice laughed softly. “Children can be too honest sometimes.”

“Little ones can.” She thought of her brother. “It’s when they get older that the trouble starts.”

“And ends, thanks to you.” Alice blotted her own tears with a lace-edged hanky. “I don’t know how any of us can ever repay you.”

“It wasn’t just me, it was Shane and Pastor Malloy and Harlan and lots of others. I just gave them a little nudge.”

“Little? When I think of how close you came to...”

Jamie touched her mother’s thin arm through the voile of her long-sleeved dress. “Hush. That’s in the past. It’s time for a new start.” She glanced out the choir room door where they’d been waiting and caught a glimpse of one of the regular Sunday ushers. “Maybe God has something special in store for you, too. Look who’s hovering in the hallway.”

“I’ve made lots of lovely friends since I started coming to church with you.”

“Uh-huh. Keep talking.”

“Oh, hush. Come on. You don’t want to be late for your own wedding, do you?”

In truth, Jamie Lynn was on the verge of weeping for joy and was eager for distraction. She found it when she followed Alice out the door and spotted her future mother-in-law. Marsha had chosen a gown in a shade of mauve that complemented the mother-of-the-bride dress. In her arms was a formerly white dog with part of his hair dyed to match!

Jamie grinned and almost laughed aloud. “Oh, poor Useless. How could you?”

“I didn’t. Your son did,” Marsha explained. “I bought a bottle of dye to color my satin shoes and a certain little boy decided it would be fun to paint it on the dog, too. The groomer says he’s sorry but it’s permanent. It’ll have to grow out.”

“Well, his hair does go with my flowers.” Reaching out, she ruffled her pet’s ears. “Tell you what. Hand him to me and I’ll carry both down the aisle.”

Alice gasped. Marsha giggled. And Useless wiggled all over when Jamie reached for him.

“Okay, it’s your party,” Marsha said. “I’ll be right up front and take him from you when you hand your bouquet to your bridesmaid.”

And so it went. Jamie proceeded to the sanctuary and prepared to enter. Logan Malloy stood front and center with Shane and his attendant, her recently released brother. If it hadn’t been for his tattoos, R.J. would have looked exactly like their late dad.

Jamie paused, waiting for Shane to see her and react to the recent addition to her bridal ensemble.

She knew the moment he understood what she was about to do because a broad grin split his face and amusement lit his countenance.

Halfway down the aisle, Useless caught the spirit of excitement and began to bark. Jamie heard their guests start to titter, then break into laughter.

Shane took a step forward and met her just short of her destination. She wanted to giggle, to weep, to express astonishment that such a wonderful man wanted to marry her.