Page 80 of More than Words Can Say

The marshal picked up his hat from where he’d hung it off the corner of the armchair, then dropped it into place on his head. “Mayor.” He nodded to Sophia. “Ma’am.”

Zach moved to his wife’s side and placed a hand at her back as he steered her past the Longfellows. She slowed as she came even with Sophia. He pressed her back, trying to signal her to stay calm and keep moving. They needed to keep the high ground. Sophia was a master at manipulating public opinion. If Abigail lost her temper in front of witnesses, the whole town would hear about her instability before the night was out. Yet when Abby insisted on stopping, he stopped with her.

“Nate, take your sister outside.” Abby let go of Ida Mae’s hand. “I’ll be there in just a moment.”

The marshal held the door for the kids as they traipsed out, casting nervous glances over their shoulders. “Mrs. Hamilton?” His voice held a warning edge.

“I’ll be just a moment, Marshal.”

Zach nodded in an attempt to reassure him that Abigail wasn’t about to scratch Sophia’s eyes out. At least he didn’t think so. Her voice sounded controlled. Almost conversational.

“Hamilton,” Chester blustered, “I’ve asked you to leave. Take your wife and go.”

Zach just stared at him. He wouldn’t move a muscle until Abby was ready.

Sophia glared at Abigail, haughty as ever. Her eyes lit with triumph even as she gave a little sniff of disdain. Abby ignored the slight.

“Benedict is dead, Sophia.”

The other woman gasped, her composure not just slipping but entirely disintegrating as her face lost its color. “We don’t speak that name in this house.”

“That’s the problem.” Abby held her head high, and pride nearly burst through the seams of Zach’s chest. “We’ve closed ourselves off from that horrible day for too long. It’s festered inside us both, killing our friendship and turning us into people we never intended to become. Losing Ben was a horrible tragedy, one that haunts me to this day. But we have to let it go, Sophia. We have to let God heal our wounds so we can move forward.”

Pale yet shaking with rage, Sophia Longfellow raised an arm and pointed at the front door. “Get out of my house.”

Abigail dipped her chin and moved to the door. Zach shadowed her every step of the way.

His wife had just slapped down an ace-king combination. Sophia might have thought she’d won the hand with her full house, but Abby’s play changed the entire game. They weren’t playing poker anymore but blackjack, and Abby’s bold move had stolen the pot and scored big, if the look on Chester Longfellow’s face was any indication.

Once they’d made their exit, Abby hurried over to check on Ida Mae, giving Zach the chance to draw the marshal aside. “Well? You gonna bring Mrs. Longfellow up on charges?”

The lawman shook his head. “Won’t do no good. Chester’s right. It’s her word against Ida Mae’s, and no judge is gonna take the word of a kid over a woman of her position without evidence to back up the claim. My hands are tied.”

Zach looked over to where his wife was hugging Ida Mae and praising her for her bravery. Nate met Zach’s eye, and it was clear the kid knew. They’d lost this battle. Zach straightened his posture and watched as Nate followed suit. Just because they’d lost didn’t mean the battle hadn’t been worth waging. A man did what was right even when the odds were stacked against him.

A tightness pressed against Zach’s ribs. A man also found a way to fix his wife’s problems.

The firm whack of Burton’s hand on Zach’s shoulder startled him out of his darkening thoughts. “Go home, Hamilton,” the marshal said. “Tend to yer wife. She’s had a trying day.”

Tend to his wife. Zach’s pulse kicked into a gallop. He’d been planning to tend to his wife in a much different way earlier today. Even now, though, he wanted to hold her, comfort her . . . love her. But after all they’d been through tonight, would she keep her promise and come to his room?

CHAPTER

40

By the time Abigail made it back to the house, all her righteous indignation had leaked out through her tired feet, leaving her depleted.

Sophia only won the first skirmish, Abby told herself as she dragged her weary bones up the stairs while Zach took a few minutes to board up the broken window. The steps seemed twice as steep as usual and her feet twice as heavy. Or maybe it was her heart that weighed her down.

Abigail lifted her chin and tugged her mind into a more positive place. Sophia might not be headed to jail tonight, but that didn’t mean they hadn’t struck a significant blow. Marshal Burton seemed to believe their side of the story, and Zach thought Chester might harbor a few doubts about his wife as well, despite his verbal support. It would have to be enough. For now. She’d chew on the problem some more tomorrow, after she had a good night’s sleep.

Her toe stubbed on the top step, and her eyes flew wide open.

Sleep. Good gracious. Tonight was the night she and Zach were supposed to . . .

Abigail swallowed hard, suddenly awake. She made her way down the hall to her bedroom, but the door had been pulled closed. She tried the handle. Locked.

What on earth? They never locked this door.