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“Shouldn’t the missus be back by now?” Caleb asked. “She didn’t run off on you, did she?”
Montana wasn’t sure if Caleb was joking or being serious. Those same thoughts had plagued his mind for the last fifteen or twenty minutes. He’d checked his pocket watch several times and his stomach was growling since he was waiting to eat until his wife joined him. Hopefully there would be plenty of food left. Deputy Chase had already been back for food twice. The only reason he showed up at church today was for Montana’s wedding and free food. A handsome wife was a good thing to have during a cold Missouri winter, but a woman who could cook was essential to a man’s survival. Thankfully, Montana knew Mary could cook cause Ma had allowed her and Jessie to use the kitchen to make lunch the last few days.
He glanced around once more and upon not seeing his wife, he looked across the table that they were sitting at, hoping Ma would oblige. “Ma, do you think you could go check on Mary? She may need feminine advice.”
“Perhaps I should go.” Sarah stood. “Maybe I can help calm any jitters she may be having. In case she’s nervous about tonight.”
“What’s to be nervous about, she’s already walked down the aisle and stood in front of the whole church,” Caleb said. “If that don’t make you nervous, nothing will.”
Marshall ribbed Caleb in the side and they all laughed when the look of dawning registered on Caleb’s face. His cheeks turned rosy and it wasn’t from the light breeze.
Ten minutes later, Montana was frustrated by the well-wishers who’d come to congratulate him and his bride because they seemed more interested in speculation concerning her absence than congratulating them. His spirits brightened the moment he spotted Sarah coming back, until he realized that she was alone. Where was Mary? His heart pounded in his chest. Had she decided she didn’t want to be married to him after all?
He got up from the picnic bench, taking large strides to close the gap between himself and Sarah. “Where is she?” He couldn’t help the panic in his voice.
“I don’t know.” Frown lines creased Sarah’s brow. “I asked several people if they had seen her and came across a couple who said they passed someone fitting that description with a man who was maybe four inches taller than I am and going bald. She saw them in front of the mercantile.” Sarah glanced back toward the way she’d come. When she looked at Montana, her eyes held concern. “The woman said they both smiled, but not the kind of smile that was real. She said you could normally tell how sincere someone is by their eyes, and if anything, she said, the woman’s expression seemed concerned.”
“You said the guy was balding?” Montana asked.
Sarah nodded.
“Do you know if he was thin?” Montana’s stomach tightened in knots.
“I think so.” Sarah shook her head. “She said he had his arm around her, drew her real close to his body. She said, once she thought about it—it didn’t look like a very romantic embrace.”
“Calvin Peters.” Saying the name was worse than swallowing cod liver oil. If he’d eaten, he would have expelled the contents of his food. “The guy who wouldn’t stop writing to her or take no for an answer.”
“I haven’t heard back anything yet from my contacts.” Marshall turned, his eyes scanning the crowd. When he spotted his deputy, he called him over to where they were all standing. “We need to round up a posse.”
“What for?” Chase’s eyes narrowed, his deputy persona kicking in. “Who are we going after?”
“My sister-in-law is missing.” Marshall removed his cowboy hat, long enough to run a hand through his hair and place the hat securely back on his head. “A man named Calvin Peters—”
Deputy Chase cut Marshall off from being able to finish saying what he was saying, “The guy you were waiting to hear back from someone in St. Louis about. I meant to tell you we got word late last night. Seems he has a reputation for being violent with women. The way your friend talked, he’s controlling with women because he’s too weak to stand up to any man, but the problem is, they haven’t been able to get any women to testify against him yet.”
“I’ll kill him if he so much as laid a hand on Mary.” Montana clenched his fists.
Marshall laid a hand on Montana’s shoulder. “Don’t worry, we’ll get Chief Rainwater to help us track him.”
“On my way, Sheriff,” the deputy said. “I’ll be back shortly.”
“Meet us outside the mercantile,” Marshall shouted to Chase’s retreating form. He turned to Montana. “Let’s get a posse together.” Marshall patted Montana’s back. “We’ll find her, little brother. I promise.”
