Dishonoring Jack

Chapter Twenty Nine

 Jack stared at Titus for a long moment, fear and dread rising inside of her. Donovan had never come to meet with Sheriff Fletcher. He hadn't told Titus everything the Slates had done, condemning them and defending himself.

Donovan was gone.

Everything Jack had feared was coming true. She knew Donovan was worried about her, but even though he promised, even though she'd practically begged him, he had left her. Jack wanted to punch him and demand he come back at once. But he promised...

"No," Jack said, her fists clenched. "No, he didn't leave. Something's wrong."

Titus studied Jack as she resumed her pacing, her heart rattling in her chest. Donovan had told her he wouldn't leave. He'd promised her, and she knew he was a man of his word. Jack had staked everything on her trust in Donovan's honesty and character. He hadn't left, but if he was still in Irvington, where was he? Why hadn't he come to see Titus?

Perhaps he didn't trust Titus as much as Jack did. Perhaps he had been held up at the school. Perhaps he was sitting at home and poring over a book as he did nearly every evening.

"What's wrong, Jack?"

"I...I don't know," Jack said, her apprehension growing. "He promised me he would come and tell you everything, but he didn't."

Realization dawned on Titus and he rose from the desk. "You think the Slates did something."

"Well, they met with you today, right?" Jack said. "They probably realized you weren't going to be manipulated."

Titus sighed and ran a hand over his face. "That might be true. Perhaps I should have been more cooperative. They tried to bribe me and I refused."
"They're taking things into their own hands," Jack exclaimed. "They know you won't do what they want, so they're going to end this now. They want Donovan dead."

"There's something else," Titus said. "Donovan has the deed for the land, and they want that turned over to them which is clearly unethical."

Jack paused in her pacing and looked at Donovan. Not only did they want him dead, they would want him to sign over the deed to the land before they killed him. Jack's stomach rolled. Donovan was in danger, and she could not lose any more time.

"They have him, Titus, don't you see?" Jack said, walking closer to Titus and slamming a hand on his desk. "They took him because of what we did. When I went and confronted them and when you refused to take their bribe. They're going to get him to sign over the deed and then kill him."

Titus studied her for a long moment, his eyes focused on some distant nothing as he contemplated Jack's words. Tension embalmed Jack and she resisted the urge to sprint down the street, hollering Donovan's name from every street corner. The Slates had him. They would torture and kill him, and Jack was the only one who could stop him.

"We have to go!" she cried. "Now, Titus. You have to know that they're capable of this--they'll stop at nothing, and Donovan's the only one in their way."

"You're not going, Jack," Titus said, rounding the desk and reaching for his rifle. He buckled two pistols into his belt and slung the rifle over his shoulder.

"Don't you dare tell me what I can or can't do, Titus Fletcher. I'm coming with you and you'll have to lock me in one of those jail cells if you want to stop me."

Titus sighed as he changed shoes into a pair of sturdy leather boots. "Jack, this is dangerous. If anyone knows that, it should be you. I don't want to put you in any danger."

"It's my choice. Plus, it's too late for that. How do we know they won't try to kill both of us because of what we know?"

"I don't have time to argue with you, Jack. But we're going to the Bookers first, just to make sure he's not there."