Redemption

Chapter 23

Chapter 23

Jessie hobbled outside on her crutches to where her fiancé was getting off his horse.

“Adam? How did you find me?” she asked as she fell into his arms.

He hugged her tight. “Thank God you’re okay.”

Jessie clung to him, willing herself to believe that he was actually there with her. That he had found her.

“How did you find me?” she asked.

“I’ve never stopped looking, Jess. I looked all over the country for you,” Adam told her, smoothing her hair out of her face.

She smiled.

She believed him. To think he had actually searched all these weeks for her without giving out. She was ashamed for ever feeling doubts about him.

Adam looked up and saw Colt.

“Who is he?” he asked. “Are you being kept here against your will?”

“Yeah, because I would kidnap her so I could send a telegram letting you know that she was okay and where she was. That makes perfect sense.” Colt crossed his arms and leaned against the doorway of the cabin, sarcasm lacing his words.

“Do you even know who I am? As an officer of the law I can have you arrested for…”
“That tin star ain’t gonna do you a lick of good out here, bud. You want some coffee? We have a little left in here.” Colt’s tone had turned from condescending to hospitable in a split second.

Jessie stared at him strangely for a moment. When Adam didn’t let her go, she turned back to him. “He’s the one who found me and brought me back here and took care of me.”

“Alone? Y-you were alone with him for three weeks?” Adam asked, accusation behind his eyes.

Colt’s arms uncrossed and his hands balled into fists at his sides.

“His grandmother lives with him. She’s out at her garden plot now, but she’ll be back soon,” Jessie said before Colt could get any words out.

“I… I don’t like this, Jessie,” Adam confessed.

“He saved my life, Adam. You can trust him,” Jessie told him.

Adam looked down at her leg. “What happened to your leg?”

“It got broken, but it should be healed soon,” Jessie smiled.

“Broken? What are you even doing out here? I know what I said, but this is a little…”

“What did you say?” Jessie asked.

Her breath caught in her throat. Had an argument with Adam brought her out here?

Adam was silent for a moment. “You don’t remember?”

“She got a head injury and a concussion. She can’t remember a thing about the accident or how she got out here,” Colt answered for her.

Adam looked… relieved, which caused some suspicion to rise up in Jessie.

“Why don’t you two come in and sit down?” Colt offered.

Adam helped Jessie into the house and looked around. “This is a bit small, isn’t it?”

“It’s home,” Colt said, no hint of hostility in his voice now.

“The man at the ranch seemed a little confused when I asked after you, Mr. Kidd,” Adam said.

“Sherman?” Colt spun around. “You talked to Sherman?”