The Shepherd's Voice (41 page)

Akira’s heart was in her throat as she disembarked from the Talmadge automobile in front of the sheriff’s office, not long after Pauline received Andy’s phone call.

From the corner of her eye, she saw several people staring out the window of the dry-goods store. Two men stood together in front of the bar and grill down the street, both of them looking in her direction.

She ignored them all as she hurried inside.

“Andy?”

The sheriff rose from his desk chair.

“Where’s Gabe? What’s happened? I came as soon as I —” She stopped abruptly when she caught sight of Hudson Talmadge, seated in a far corner. Wallis Greer was stitching a wound in his head.

“Come with me,” Andy said.

He led her through a doorway to the back of the building. It was chilly back there, and the air smelled of stale sweat and alcohol. Gabe was locked in one of the two cells.

“What on earth?” She looked from Gabe to Andy to Gabe again.

He stared back at her. His eyes reminded her of a wounded animal—caged, hurting, confused.

“O God,” she breathed. “Help us.”

“Carruthers is dead,” the sheriff said, not hearing her soft prayer, “and Hudson Talmadge has been injured. He says Gabe did it.” He paused before saying, “I found Gabe kneeling over the body. His hands were bloody.”

Akira reached for one of the bars to steady herself. “But he didn’t do it. Gabe wouldn’t —”

“You’re the one who called me and told me to get up to the mill.” Andy cleared his throat. “You said you were afraid because he was so angry.”

Gabe winced visibly, as if the sheriff’s words had struck him. Did he think she’d betrayed him? Then he dropped his gaze to the floor.

“I’ll give you two some time alone.” Andy touched her shoulder. When she didn’t respond, he turned and walked back to the front office.

“Gabe?” Akira gripped another bar and pressed in against the
cold steel, trying to draw closer to her husband. “I didn’t call Andy because I thought you would hurt anyone. I wanted to protect you, not your father.”

“I’d rather you didn’t see me like this. You should go back to the ranch.” He spoke in a lifeless monotone.

“I’m not leaving you in this place. I know you didn’t kill Mr. Carruthers.”

Gabe met her gaze again. “But I
look
guilty, Akira. That’s all Hud needs to make the charges stick.” He closed his eyes. “Just like last time.”

“But it isn’t like the last time.” She blinked away the tears that threatened to blind her. “Last time you didn’t have me on your side. And you didn’t know God was there with you too. We’re here, Gabriel. You aren’t alone.”

He rose from the cot, then came slowly toward her. He searched her face with his eyes. Then he reached through the bars and touched her cheek.

“Then why do
I feel
alone?” he asked in a hoarse whisper.

An hour later, Akira knelt at the prayer altar at the front of the church’s sanctuary. Tears ran unchecked down her cheeks as she rested her forehead against her clenched hands. Tears she hadn’t allowed herself to shed in front of Gabe.

“O God. Help us … O God … O God …”

She swallowed the lump in her throat as she lifted her head to look at the cross on the wall.

“Calm my spirit, Jesus,” she pleaded in a whisper. “I can’t think. I can’t pray. It’s not right, what’s happening. When will it end? What can I do? Why? Why?” She knew asking why of the Almighty was never the proper question, but she asked it again anyway. “Why?”

At first the silence in the sanctuary seemed cold and desolate. But slowly it seemed to envelop her, began to quiet her, little by little, began to bring order to her chaotic thoughts.

Do I truly believe God is sovereign?
she asked herself after a brief time.

“Yes,” she answered aloud.

And do I believe He cares for me and for Gabe? Do I really believe He loves me?

“Yes.”

And do I believe His will is perfect?

“Yes.” Her voice broke on the word.

Then trust Me, beloved.

She drew a ragged breath. “I’m trying, Lord. I’m trying.”

Trust Me.

A sob escaped her, torn unwillingly from her chest. “Have mercy, God. Have mercy. I don’t know how much more he can take.” She covered her face with her hands. “No, it’s me who can’t take much more. Father God, I’m empty. I haven’t any strength left.”

Beloved, it was I who began the good work. It is I who will complete it. Will you trust Me?

Shortly after Andy Newton returned from observing the undertaker’s removal of Rupert Carruthers’s body and conducting a more thorough investigation of the crime scene, Pauline Talmadge arrived at the sheriff’s office. She stood on the opposite side of his desk, looking beautiful and elegant despite the ugly bruise on the side of her face.

“You know Gabe is innocent, Sheriff Newton,” she said, not bothering with pleasantries. “I don’t know what
did
happen at the mill, but I certainly know what
didn’t
happen.”

“Shut up, Pauline,” Hudson growled from his chair in the corner.

There was a momentary flash of surprise when she heard her husband’s voice. Andy thought she paled slightly, although it could have been the poor light in the room playing tricks on his eyes.

“Gabe may have been angry when he left my home,” she continued with obvious determination, “but he isn’t capable of killing a man.”

“He killed his brother.” Hudson shot to his feet, his voice raised in anger. “He killed my firstborn son. They never should have let him out of prison. They should have thrown away the key and let him rot.”

Pauline didn’t look behind her. She kept her gaze fastened on Andy, pleading with him with her eyes.

Andy wanted to say he agreed with her. Problem was, the evidence seemed to suggest otherwise. That evidence, coupled with his prior conviction, meant Gabe was in serious trouble.

The office door opened again, and Jane Sebastian, followed by her brother, Zachary, entered the office.

“Sheriff Newton,” Jane said as she marched toward Andy with all the bravado of a drill sergeant, “I certainly hope the gossips in this town are spreading untruths. In the name of all that’s good, tell me you haven’t arrested Gabe Talmadge.”

“Well, I —”

“You know that young man didn’t kill Mr. Carruthers. His father twisted the truth once and saw him convicted unjustly. Don’t let him get away with it again.”

“I’m afraid I —”

She placed her hands, palms down, on his desktop and leaned toward him. “Don’t be fooled by the wiles of a snake, Sheriff. He’s crafty, but he’s still a liar. That’s a perfect description of Hudson Talmadge.”

Andy leaned to one side and looked behind Jane. Hudson’s face was beet red. He looked about ready to explode.

Once more the door opened. This time it was Simon and Violet Neville who entered.

“Sheriff, is it true?” the reverend asked.

The chair creaked as Andy leaned back. As he nodded his reply, he released a silent sigh. This was going to be a long afternoon.

Through the closed door separating the jail cells from the front office, Gabe heard voices, though he could rarely make out what was being said.

The voice he heard most, however, was the one in his head.

Akira’s voice, reminding him of the truth:
But it isn’t like the last time. Last time you didn’t have me on your side. And you didn’t know God was there with you too. We’re here, Gabriel. You aren’t alone.

He leaned his head against the wall and closed his eyes. “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”

He wondered if those words were true.
Could he
do all things? Could he lean on Christ and trust in His strength, no matter what the circumstances?

Even being sent back to prison?

He remembered the night, more than fourteen years before, when he’d sat in this very same cell, scared and alone. He’d known Max was dead. He’d even known the accident was his fault. He’d been drunk and acting irresponsibly. He’d known his father would hate him more than ever.

He remembered his trial, the way everybody in town thought he was the bad seed. He’d seen his guilt in their eyes, those people who had come to view the trial, those men who’d sat on the jury.

Scared and alone.

We’re here
,
Gabriel. You aren’t alone.

“Gabe?”

He opened his eyes to see Andy’s approach.

“I think you’d better come up front.”

“What now?” He stood reluctantly.

Andy shook his head as he put the key in the lock and turned it. “You’ll see for yourself.” He yanked open the cell door, then motioned for Gabe to follow him.

The buzz of many voices grew louder as he approached the office, but the moment Gabe stepped through the doorway, all became still. Confused, he looked around the room.

Akira had returned. When their gazes met, she offered a brief smile of encouragement.

She was standing between Miss Jane on her left and Brodie Lachlan on her right. Behind them were Zachary, Reverend Neville and his wife, and Pauline Talmadge. Near the outside door was the Wickham family, Nora framed by her husband and son. Ethan Jones was with them. On the bench behind the sheriff’s desk, closest to the wood stove, were Thomasina Attebury and Dorothea Baker. Next to them stood Henry Teague, Andy’s sometime deputy.

And even though he didn’t look in that direction, Gabe knew precisely where his father was seated.

Akira crossed to stand beside him. She took his hand, squeezing his fingers, telling him with her eyes how much she loved him, how much she believed in him.

“They’ve all stepped forward as character witnesses,” she said softly.

Gabe glanced at the sheriff.

“You heard right. Not only that, they’ve all offered to pool their money to post bail for you. To a person, they swear there’s no way you could commit murder.”