Halley already knew from the letter Colton had received that running away had been Jessicas plan. Was there an argument?
Sid Granger had his lips clamped shut. He was still glaring at his wife.
We didnt hear from her for a while, Millie said timidly. But then we got a letter from her.
So youve been in contact with her? Halley asked. Again the Grangers exchanged a look. Youve talked to her?
She writes every year on her birthday, but there is never a return address and she mails the letters from different places. She doesnt want us to know where she is. Millies voice broke.
Its not us she is trying to get away from, Sid bellowed. Its him! He thrust a finger at Colton. We lost
our daughter because of him! He took a menacing step toward him. I want this man out of my house. Now.
Lets all settle down, Halley said, giving Colton a warning look as she stepped between the two men.
Jessica got away from him and I wont have him
Youre the reason she was leaving, Colton snapped. She would have done anything to get out of this house and away from you.
Maybe it would be better if you left, Halley said, turning to glare at Colton. He was only making the situation worse.
Im not going anywhere until I see the letter from Jessica.
Halley would have liked to haul him out of the house in handcuffs just as shed warned him. If we could all just calm down.
Not until that bastard is out of my house!
Sid, let the deputy tell us why shes here, Millie Granger said loudly, then quickly lowered her voice. Please. She kneaded again at the tear in her apron, her voice again as tiny as she was.
The tension in the room dropped a notch.
Could we all sit down? Halley asked.
Sid grudgingly took a chair, scowling the whole time at Colton, who sat down on one end of the couch, Halley on the other. She wondered what hed done to Jessica that warranted this much hatred from the girls father. Was Colton right and it was just a fathers love of his only daughter? Or something more sinister on either of the two mens parts?
We need to be sure that Jessica is all right, Halley said. Finding her purse raises questions, as Im sure you realize. Could I see the letters from your daughter?
This time Millie didnt look to her husband for guidance. She rose and, avoiding his gaze, went to a bedroom off the living room. She returned a few moments later with a small bundle of letters tied with a red ribbon.
She handed them to the deputy. As Halley undid the ribbon, she noted that there were over a dozen letters.
Before she could react, Colton stood and leaned over to snatch the top envelope from the pile.
Sid Granger shot out of his chair. Halley quickly took the letter back. But not before Colton had let out a cry that sounded almost like a sob.
That isnt Jessicas handwriting, he said, his voice breaking, as he snatched another envelope from her hand, opened it and pulled out the short letter. He looked devastated. These letters arent from Jessica.
Chapter Three
How could you believe the letters were from Jessica? he demanded.
Millie was crying and wringing her hands in the cloth of her apron. Her husband looked as if he was trying to restrain himself. Colton was glad he hadnt opted to come here without the deputy because he was having the same problem
not going for Sid Grangers throat.
A persons handwriting can change, Millie was saying through her tears.
If she was alive, why wouldnt she call? Colton demanded. Why was Jessica so afraid to let her own family know where she was unless she hated you so much
You punk! Sid Granger sprang to his feet. It was you she was trying to get away from.
Why would Jessica send me a letter asking me to run away with her if I was the problem? Colton demanded, not backing down as he, too, shot to his feet.
Colton, the deputy warned as she stepped between them again. Mr. Granger, I need to know why youre so angry at Mr. Chisholm.
Colton narrowed his gaze at her. Clearly, she was looking for just one more reason to hang him, but he stepped back, raising his hands in surrender.
What was it you thought Mr. Chisholm did to your daughter? Halley asked again.
Sid Granger seemed to have trouble speaking. He swallowed several times, his Adams apple bobbing up and down. Tears filled his eyes. He hastily brushed them away with his shirtsleeve. Anger reddened his face. He opened his mouth, but nothing came out.
He got her pregnant, Millie said from the rocker where shed been sitting crying.
Colton took the news like a blow. He lowered himself to the couch. Looking up, he saw the deputys face. Shed obviously been anticipating something like this. Was this the news Jessica had wanted to tell him that night?
He knocked her up and refused to marry her, Sid finally managed to get out.
No! Colton bellowed. Thats a lie. I didnt know. She never His voice broke with emotion as it sank in. I didnt know, he said more to himself than to the people in the room. He could feel Halleys gaze on him. He doubted she believed him any more than Sid Granger did.
As Mr. Chisholm said, your daughter wrote him a letter before the night she was to leave, the deputy was saying. That letter was lost and only delivered today. In the letter, she said she wanted him to run away with her. Do you know if she met him that night?