Chapter Thirty-Two #2
“Miss Lucy Hawthorne?” a stern male voice exclaimed as a tall man with short stormy gray hair stepped into the middle of the crowd. He was followed by several men, and they all wore the same long leather coats, sporting the same metal star on their chests.
Poppy hadn’t met Riverton’s sheriff yet, but she was surprised to see so many of them. They were very intimidating indeed.
Then she saw a younger man with short red hair and a long beard among the group. He wore a black vest with a slightly smaller star on his chest, and she remembered his face from church. So if he was the sheriff, then...
“I am U.S. Marshal James Hargrave,” the gray-haired man announced.
“I just happened to be in a meeting with Sheriff McDonough here,”—he pointed at the younger red-haired man—“when this fine young gentleman informed us about an urgent kidnapping case involving a young woman and a child.” Hargrave smiled at Barley with a curt nod. Barley proudly pushed out his chest.
Two men in coats walked toward Lucy. Unmoved by her whining and resisting, they grabbed her wrists and put handcuffs around them.
At the same time, two other men repeated the same process with Finn, although they struggled to get him up off the ground.
Finn just laughed and even held out his hands for them so they could cuff him.
“None of that will stick, buddy!” Finn exclaimed. “I know people in high places, and I will get your backside fired. You can take my word for that!”
The marshal continued, unimpressed.
“Several weeks ago, the Federal Bureau was informed about certain criminal and fraudulent acts, particularly at the recent Twin Lakes Horse Auction,” Hargrave continued.
“Several witnesses have come forward and already provided most of the information we need to bring you to court, Mr. Vale. My men and I were assigned to investigate this one and several other cases connected to you.” Hargrave broke out into a pleasant smile when he turned toward Lucy.
“I have to say I am very pleased about your confession, Miss Hawthorne,” he said. “It’ll all be documented, and it will make our investigation a whole lot easier.”
Lucy grunted angrily as she struggled against her restraints, and so did Finn, who suddenly seemed to have lost his smile. He defiantly raised his chin.
“You don’t know who you are messing with!” Finn yelled. “I am a baron!”
“Oh, stop it, you pompous oaf!” Lucy screamed at him. “If you’re a baron, then I am the queen of England!”
Poppy watched in awe when the federal officers collected their captives, who didn’t seem to stop their squabbling until they were put inside a boxed-in wagon a short distance away.
Other men were arrested as well, but in all of what had happened, Poppy was most surprised of the fact that she hadn’t even heard them coming.
“Are you ready to go home?” Neil asked after most of their workers had already left. While they had waited, Paul had brought both of their horses.
“I’ll take the children,” he offered as he lifted Barley onto his horse.
Poppy looked down at Sophie, who was so tired, she could barely keep her eyes open.
When Paul lifted her up, Sophie put her head onto his shoulder and clamped both her arms around his neck.
He climbed into the saddle and put Sophie safely in front of him, while Barley rode in the back.
Then he took the small lantern Neil handed him.
“See you at home,” Paul said as he gently steered his horse around.
Poppy looked around and suddenly realized that only she and Neil were left.
Even though the fire was dying, his eyes seemed to be glowing when he looked at her.
“Do I still have a home?” Poppy asked tentatively. Neil tilted his head to the side.
“Do you still not feel safe there?” he asked quietly as he stepped closer to her, taking her hand in his again. “Or in our marriage?”
“What about Lucy and what she said?” Poppy asked, and she was so nervous about his answer she almost turned away. But she needed answers, so she forced herself to look him straight in the eyes. Neil sighed.
“I don’t care what she said, or what she thinks she knows,” Neil said, and he sounded confident in his words.
“All I care about is you, Poppy. I was terrified when I couldn’t find you and Sophie.
I also know that it was my fault you left.
I should have made it a priority to clarify things, but I didn’t, and for that I am sorry. ”
Poppy stared at him with wide eyes. Of all the things he could have said, she didn’t expect that.
“I don’t care about the past,” he continued. “I only care about the future.”
He stepped even closer to her and put his finger underneath her chin, lifting it up ever so slightly while his thumb caressed it tenderly.
“Our future,” he corrected himself. “I want a future with you, on our ranch, with Sophie, and maybe some of our own children. I think we’re meant to spend our lives together. I’m in love with you, Poppy. I want you to be my wife, not out of convenience but out of love. Will you do that?”
Poppy gasped, and for a short moment, she was bewildered. But when she stared into his stunning golden eyes as he searched her face, she knew what she had to do.
She stood up onto her toes, grabbed the collar of his shirt with both fists, and pulled him down toward her until their noses touched. Neil slung his arms around her.
“I knew God brought us together,” she whispered. “I love you too, and I would love nothing more than to be your wife.”
Then she tilted her head and pressed her lips onto his.