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I stared through the trees. I couldn't stay here, but neither would I walk straight toward whomever was out there, so keeping the rifle at the ready, I edged east. This way took longer, but it might be safer. A creek bed lay between here and the house, and the soft soil and thick plant growth might slow them down.
I hurried through the trees and listened for the noise behind me. Stomp. Scrape. Stomp. Scrape. Each time I paused, the noise ceased.
"I know your back there, so come out," I called. However, only the forest sounds greeted me.
When I arrived at the creek, the stagnant water seeped into my boots, chilling my toes. I pushed through a thick stand of pickerelweed growing in the midst. They’d make difficult passage and perhaps hide my direction.
Eventually, the noise behind me faded, and I breathed easier. The house was only a five minute walk from here. I was probably crazy. It could have been anything. I tossed my head.
I came to the clearing where Elias first kissed me, and the thought of him overrode everything else. I wanted to be with him. Yet now the children stood between us. Stepping toward the broken target, I ran my hands over the splintered wood.
A thud echoed in my brain and light flashed behind my eyes. I crumpled to the ground, my vision swimming, and stared upward. I couldn't believe my eyes. "Arthur?"
"You ruined it," he hissed. He dragged his leg over the ground. Stomp. Scrape.
Of course, his lameness.
"I ruined what? I've never hurt you."
I hardly knew Arthur Merritt, past Marta’s fear of him.
"She was supposed to get the children, not you, and I was supposed to see Marta at the dance."
Bleary-eyed, I stared at him. "She who?”
"Mrs. Eisenberg. Herr Eisenberg said if Mrs. Pinser were gone, then he'd offer to take the children 'cause no one would want two orphans."
My pulse raced, and my mind spun. I want them. Those are my children.
"Now, you're in the way,” he growled. “And I won’t get to see Marta."
Panic choked me, and I grasped for words. "Listen, Arthur. Maybe I can talk to Marta for you. Maybe she'll sit with you Sunday."
He clenched and unclenched his fists, gasping for breath. "You ... you would do that?"
"Sure. Marta's my friend. She'll do it if I ask."
This was the wrong thing to say for his face turned rigid and his skin blotched red. With a roar, he leaped for my throat. "For you!" he screamed. "She'll do it for you! But not for me! Nobody ever wants to do anything for me."
His hand smacked my jaw and my head shot backward. Blinding pain crossed my skull, and stumbling, I tripped. I landed hard, my arm twisted beneath me.
The rifle. I spun my head searching for it, my hands grasping along the empty soil, and my ears burned at Arthur’s cackling laugh.
“Lookin’ for this?”
My stomach roiled. “Arthur, you don’t want to do this.”
But his eyes rolled wild, and he aimed the barrel at my chest.
Elias slewed the wagon to a stop, the sound of a distant shout ringing in his ears. Something was wrong. His insides churned as he ran across the open ground. At the clearing, he slid to a halt.
"Arthur, c'mon don't do this. There's a better way.” Angel pleaded with him.
Arthur stood over her, the rifle aimed at her chest. "There isn't," he rasped. "It's all ruined. By you."
Elias swallowed the knot in his throat. Arthur. So he was right. “That girl” had meant Angel. What had Marta’s father done? He burst into the clearing, and Arthur whirled around.
He pressed the rifle harder to Angel’s chest. “Don’t come closer. I’ll shoot her.”
Elias thrust his palms out before him. He must somehow calm things down. “Arthur, think of the children.” He edged forward gingerly. “They have nothing now. Is that what you really wanted? To take their mother away?"
Arthur’s eyes hardened into black points. "Without her, they have the Eisenbergs." He jerked his chin toward Angel.
Elias’ stomach turned to lead. Marta had been right.
Angel spoke again. “Arthur, think of how this hurts Marta. Those are her parents.”
Arthur’s shoulders slumped then, and he shrugged. “What does it matter? She hates me now.” He lowered the barrel a fraction.
Elias saw his moment. Closing the gap between them with two huge strides, he grasped the rifle.
But Arthur screamed, “No!” and wrenched the rifle from his grasp. His finger slid over the trigger, and the rifle erupted in a fiery roar, smoke and flame shooting from the barrel.
Elias tumbled backward, his head smacking the trunk of a tree. Sharp pain screamed through his skull.
“I’ll kill you,” Arthur snarled, and he threw himself atop Elias. The impact of his body drove the breath from Elias’ lungs. He dug his nails into Elias’ skin, puncturing flesh and drawing blood. “Die. You must die,” he growled, he wrapped his hands around Elias’ throat.
Angel gave a cry, and snatched hold of his shirt. “No, Arthur,” she shouted. Arthur’s shirt gave way and he tumbled to the side.
A growl rumbled from his throat, and he closed his hands around her ankle.
She shrieked.
Elias leaped to his feet. He had one last chance. He had to end this before someone was killed. Snatching the rifle from the ground, he swung it overhead into an arc. Time seemed to slow. The rifle sailed upward, the sun glinting on its barrel, and Arthur threw his hands over his face. It impacted Arthur’s head with a crack. Blood slung from his mouth, and he fell into a heap.
Angel threw herself in Elias’ arms. "He was going to kill me,” she sobbed. "He killed their mother. He ..."
Elias stroked the back of her head. "Shhh. I know."
She flung her head back. "You know?"
He ran a hand down her cheek, and the scattered pieces of the puzzle snapped into place. He glanced down at Arthur’s still body. "My aunt cried all night and kept us awake. This morning Hans remembered she'd tried this before, and Marta heard her father arguing with Arthur. But we never put it all together.”
Angel pressed her head to his chest. "I can’t believe it. Hans and Marta must feel awful."
He winced. His aunt and uncle did this, and now look.
Angel rubbed her stained cheeks with the palms of her hands and a blush crept up her face. "I guess that was really girly of me, throwing myself at you, huh?"
He laughed. "I don't mind girly.”
She bit her lip. "Elias?"
"What?"
He cradled her head in his hands, emotion flooding his soul.
"I love you."
And bending his head, he kissed her.