29

Evangeline mashed the potatoes with excessive force. And why not? She could work out her frustration over Logan’s obstinance and produce silky smooth potatoes at the same time. Benefits all around.

Brushing a droopy strand of hair from her forehead with the back of her wrist, she exhaled in what would have been dramatic fashion had anyone been in the room to appreciate her woebegone fervor. Not that she wanted an audience. She’d pointedly avoided both of her brothers all afternoon. Seth was busy encouraging Christie, and Zach . . . well, those wounds were too fresh to prod just yet.

He’d cheated. Without apology. And stolen and lied and who knew what else, all in the name of providing for her and Seth. It made her feel dirty. Undeserving. She shouldn’t be standing in this kitchen making dinner; Logan’s mother should be. Zach never should have stooped so low, no matter how great their need.

But he had. And a man had died. Not at Zach’s hand, but still—sin had consequences, and these had been steep. A family ruined, and Zach? She’d seen the agony he tried to hide. He suffered, too. It was all a huge mess, and as much as she wanted to rail at Zach for not being the idealized hero she’d thought him, she couldn’t despise him. In fact, deep down, she ached for him, for the guilt eating away at his soul. He’d made a mistake. Many mistakes. But so had Logan. So had she. No human had ever escaped that fate.

Except one. And that divine exception was the only one who could take all their wrongs and create something right.

I don’t know what’s going to happen between those two, Lord, but please keep them from hurting each other. Or from doing something they’ll both regret.

Logan.

Evangeline set aside the masher and gazed out the window, as if wishing for him could make him materialize. He might not have been willing to let go of his vengeance, but Evangeline wasn’t quite ready to let go of him. After cooling her heels on a long walk with Hezzy—in the opposite direction from Logan’s property—she’d calmed and examined the situation from a slightly more objective position.

Logan had said he loved her, and she believed him. She loved him as well, even with his destructive agenda. He hadn’t challenged Zach to that awful game yet, so she had time. Logan was worth fighting for. Their future was worth fighting for. She wouldn’t give up while hope remained, no matter how thin the thread, so she’d prayed with all her soul. Prayed for the Lord to soften Logan’s heart, to speak truth into his life in a way that could not be ignored.

She’d prayed for her brother, too. For Zach to find healing from the scars he’d carried for so many years, and for her to forgive his mistakes and not hold them against him.

She was still working on that forgiveness. For both the men she loved. Hence the silky potatoes. Potatoes that needed to be in the warming oven.

Evangeline snapped out of her thoughts and set the bowl of potatoes next to the ham she’d sliced earlier. Green beans with a few ham chunks thrown in for flavor simmered on a back burner. Yeast rolls sat in a towel-covered basket on the table, butter crock alongside. Dishes were laid out. Utensils in place. Everything was ready.

Except for the folks who were supposed to eat.

The last she’d seen Seth, he was in the parlor with Christie, learning all he could about the schoolmaster, her stepfather, and her baby brother. Evangeline had wanted to listen, to distract herself with someone else’s problems, but the two of them had been cozied up together on the sofa, their conversation low and intent. She’d felt awkward about interrupting, so she’d turned her attention to the kitchen. And good thing she had. Seth was so involved with Christie, she doubted he was even aware of the time.

Evangeline strolled down the hall and waltzed into the parlor. Only to have her feet freeze to the ground while her jaw fell unhinged.

Seth had Christie wrapped in an amorous embrace, the two of them kissing with impressive enthusiasm.

Heat rushed to Evangeline’s cheeks, and she ducked her head. Good heavens. Her dinner announcement could wait.

She started to back out of the room, wishing herself invisible. If someone had walked in on her and Logan while they’d been embracing, she would have been mortified. She couldn’t do that to Christie. She’d probably find the wherewithal to tease Seth about it later, but not now. This was a private moment, one she had no business witnessing. Especially since seeing their shared intimacy highlighted all the bruised places on her sore heart.

She missed the doorway, and her heel knocked into the hutch that stood against the wall. The knickknacks inside rattled, and Seth’s head came up. Fierce blue eyes ready to do battle zeroed in on her.

Sorry, she mouthed, hoping Christie hadn’t been alerted. “Dinner’s, um, ready.”

He gave a small, disgruntled nod, then turned his full attention back to the woman in his arms.

Evangeline pivoted and navigated her way safely through the doorway without jostling any other random furniture items along the way.

She was happy for her brother. Seth deserved to find love, as did Christie. They were perfect for each other.

Just as she and Logan were perfect for each other. She set her jaw. They were. They’d just hit a bump in the road, that was all. Logan would come to his senses. She’d help him. Maybe she’d even go visit his mother, have a nice long chat with her, see what she could do to help the two of them reconcile.

She’d been praying for Mrs. Fowler every night in her evening prayers, just as she’d told Logan she would do when they first met. The poor woman had been through such horrible heartbreak and loss—a loss Evangeline could relate to all too well. Her parents. Her home. Her brother, Hamilton. She’d not leave Mrs. Fowler to battle that pain on her own. Neither would she abandon Logan.

Or Zach.

Evangeline’s forehead scrunched. Her neck craned back toward the boys’ bedroom door, which she’d just passed in the hall. Open. She backtracked two paces. Empty. Usually Zach had come in from the fields by now, as he seemed to tell time with his stomach. Yet he wasn’t here.

She strode through the kitchen and out the back door.

“Zach!” she yelled, aiming her voice toward the barn, since she saw no sign of him in the yard. “Supper’s ready!”

“He’s not here.”

Seth’s voice behind her startled her. She spun to face him, and his unusually ruddy complexion made her smile.

Her smile made him scowl. “Said he had some business to attend to. Told us not to wait supper on him.”

She glanced over his shoulder but saw no hint of Christie.

Seth rubbed the back of his neck. “She wanted to freshen up a bit before dinner.”

Evangeline’s grin widened. “I imagine so.” A tiny giggle escaped.

“Not a word, Evie. Understand? I won’t have her embarrassed.”

“Don’t worry. I’ll save all my teasing for you.” She stepped back into the house and closed the door. “What kind of business did Zach have?”

“He was going to see Logan. Not about Benson, though. Something else.”

Something else? Evangeline’s heart squeezed.

No. No, no, no!

She pushed Seth aside and ran to the room her brothers shared. With a tiny leap over the pile of dirty laundry at the end of the first bed, she rushed to the small chest of drawers that belonged to Zach and scanned the surface.

Comb. A random button that needed to be reattached to a shirt. A book on hog husbandry. And a conspicuously dust-free rectangle at the far edge of the dresser top.

“They’re gone.” She sagged onto the bed, deflated.

“What’s gone?” Seth leaned in through the doorway.

“The cards.” Which meant the deed was probably missing, too.

Oh, Zach. Why? I need more time.

“Cards? Oh.” Seth’s voice deepened. “I’d hoped he’d given that up for good.”

“He had.” Evangeline stiffened and jumped up from the bed. “He has. I’ll see to it. I’ll stop them before anything gets out of hand.” She vaulted over the clothes again and tried to sidle past her brother, but this time Seth grabbed her arms.

“Whoa, sis. What are you talking about? What’s going on with Logan and Zach?”

“There’s no time to explain.” She tore free of his hold. “I’ll tell you everything when I get back.”

She nearly ran over Christie in the hallway in her rush to get outside. She wouldn’t bother with a horse. She could get there faster overland, anyway. Evangeline threw open the door and ran down the porch steps.

If only Zach had waited for Logan to make the first move. But that wasn’t his way. He was the take-charge type who dictated situations instead of reacting after someone else initiated. Only this time, his taking charge might have just killed her future.

No one would escape this idiotic game of theirs unscathed. Couldn’t they see that?

“Evie! Wait!”

Evangeline slowed slightly alongside Hezzy’s pen and glanced over her shoulder. Christie was running down the steps after her, concern etched into her face.

A loud crack pierced the air.

Christie’s eyes widened in shock a heartbeat before she crumpled to the ground.

“Christie!” Evangeline screamed and sprinted to her friend’s side. She fell to the dirt, sheltering Christie with her body as her brain tried to process what had just happened.

Someone was shooting at them. From where? She peeked behind her but saw nothing.

Then Seth roared out of the house, rifle in hand. “Get her into the house,” he ordered, his eyes harder than she’d ever seen them as he jammed the rifle butt against his shoulder. He strode forward into the yard, away from cover, planting himself squarely between the women and whoever meant them harm. “Move!”

Evangeline startled out of her shock and grabbed Christie’s arms. The girl whimpered. Only then did Evangeline notice the blood soaking her right sleeve.

But Christie was tough. She met Evangeline’s eyes with purpose as she scrambled to a sitting position. “Help me.” She grimaced but reached out with her good arm. “Seth won’t take cover until we’re inside.”

She was right. Not that Evangeline had any desire to dally. Draping Christie’s left arm around her shoulders, then wrapping an arm around her friend’s waist, Evangeline hefted them both to their feet. They dashed lopsidedly back to the porch and into the kitchen.

“We’re in!” Evangeline yelled to Seth.

He backed toward the house, scanning the yard, the buildings, any cover that could be concealing a gunman.

No further shots echoed.

Seth gained the porch, but before ducking inside, he aimed the muzzle of his rifle at the sky and fired three quick shots.

If Zach was within earshot, he’d come running.

Evangeline had wanted to bring her brother home, but not like this. Not with Christie paying the price.