Page 47 of The Heart’s Charge

She liked it too. Enormously. But she couldn’t bring herself to admit as much aloud. He didn’t seem to mind, though. Just smiled at her, his roguish grin softening into something infinitely sweeter as the teasing melted away to reveal a warmth that revived every dream she’d ever had of spending her life with this man. And there’d been many, many of those dreams over the years.

But the children must come first.

Dipping her chin away from his touch, she retreated a step into the kitchen. “Would you like to conduct your interview in the front parlor?”

Mark cleared his throat and nodded. “That would be fine. Would you join us? I’m sure Alice would be more comfortable with you there. Jonah and I will do our best to keep things friendly and nonthreatening, but two grown men facing down a little girl is going to be intimidating no matter how gentle we are.”

“Of course.” With romance safely set aside for the moment, the friendly camaraderie Katherine had always felt with Mark returned. “I was planning to horn in on your conversation anyway, but it’s much nicer to be invited.” She winked.

He chuckled, the sound seeping into all the cracks and crevices of her battered heart, soothing them like a healing balm.

“I thought you might.” Their eyes met and held, so many comfortable, happy memories zinging between them like messages on a telegraph wire. Yet it wasn’t only memories they shared. It was this moment. The miracle of finding each other after years apart and the hope of a second chance.

“We ready?” Jonah Brooks stood at the bottom of the porch steps, his voice cutting through the gathering dusk.

How long had he been there? She didn’t recall seeing him when she’d first opened the door, but then, Mark had so filled her vision that a coyote could have been padding around the yard and she wouldn’t have noticed.

“Absolutely.” She forced a smile as she withdrew from the open doorway. “Come through to the parlor. I’ll fetch Alice as soon as I put these dishes up.”

Katherine made a point not to look back as she set the plates by the sink and hurried into the dining room. Eliza was instructing the boys on how to clear the table while Ruby corralled the little ones. Alice stood behind her chair, glancing between Rawley and Ruby, not sure which group to join.

Katherine took a step in her direction. “Al, would you come with me, please?” Not sure which name the girl would prefer now that the truth was out, Katherine thought it best to stick with the old one. Things were changing fast enough as it was. “Mr. Wallace and Mr. Brooks would like to talk to you. About Wart.”

Alice complied, taking Katherine’s hand when she offered it. Squeezing her fingers warmly, Katherine led her to the parlor. They sat together on the settee, leaving the men the armchairs across from them.

Surprisingly, Mr. Brooks did most of the questioning. Apparently Alice had opened up to him earlier. Mark added a question here or there, but he let Jonah guide the conversation. One that centered around pinpointing the exact location where the attack occurred and a physical description of the man Alice had caught a glimpse of before she ran to get help.

“I really didn’t see him,” she insisted when Jonah asked a third question about what the man had been wearing.

All she’d given them so far was that he wore a hat, dark clothes, and a bandana over his face. She mentioned that he was tall, but didn’t every man look tall to a child? Hearing Alice’s rising frustration and the sound of tears nearing the surface, Katherine decided to call a halt to the interview. But before she could, Jonah snuck in one more question.

“Did he have dark skin like me or white skin like Wallace over there?”

“Dark,” Alice said without hesitation, “but not like you. More like Mr. Lopez from the train yard. Everything about him was dark. His clothes. His hat. His skin. It’s why we never saw him coming.”

Jonah snapped a look at Mark, who sat up straighter in his chair.

“What?” Katherine asked, her gaze flitting between the two men. “Does that mean something to you?”

Jonah nodded. “The fellow who snatched Rawley was white. Means there’s at least two of ’em. Workin’ together. Probably hired by someone.”

Hired? For what purpose? Who would hire thugs to steal children? Were they being sold? Used as unpaid labor in some horrible factory or textile mill? She wanted to demand answers, but she feared frightening Alice. The girl was already burrowing into Katherine’s side like a rabbit into its den. Besides, the men had no answers. Only God knew the truth.

You see them. Wart and the others. You know exactly where they are and who the perpetrators are. Lead us to them, Lord. Please. Show us the way.

“One more question, Al, then we’ll be done, all right?”

Katherine felt the little girl’s chin rub against her arm in a nod.

“Before you ran away, while you were looking for a way to help your brother fight, did you hear the man say anything?”

“Maybe? I don’t . . .” The tears were too close to the surface.

Katherine lifted Alice into her lap and wrapped her arms around the trembling child. She wanted to put an end to the questioning that very moment, but she knew the answers were too important. “Close your eyes, sweetheart,” she said instead. She cupped the girl’s face in her hand and gently urged her to lay her head against her chest. “Sometimes when you close your eyes, it helps you remember.”

Alice lay against Katherine and squeezed her eyes closed.

“I know it’s scary, but you’re safe here. I’ve got you. Feel my arms around you?” Katherine tightened her hold, and Alice nodded. “Now, go there in your mind. To that tree where you were looking for fallen branches. Listen to what’s happening around you. What do you hear?”