Never Regret Anything That Made You Smile
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“You’re going to be fine, Annie,” Tom said as he held my hand. “Just a little sore tomorrow.” He gave me a quick peck on the cheek before leaving for home. I had been in the hospital all day and now it was time to go home.
I stepped out of the car and into the waiting arms of Mr. Baker who wrapped his arm around mine like I weighed nothing at all. He walked with me toward the house. The sun set behind us casting long shadows over our path.
My mind wandered back to that night when we met. It seemed like another lifetime ago. Back then I thought Tom would be gone within weeks; now we’d been married nearly two years.
It felt like just yesterday I was walking down the aisle to marry Tom. We were young, both only twenty-two years old, but there was no doubt we loved one another deeply. In fact, sometimes I wondered if Tom ever looked at me without smiling.
When I told him I wanted children right away he agreed to have them after our first year together. Then he surprised me by saying he didn’t want to wait until then because he already knew I would make a wonderful mother. A few months later, we welcomed our daughter, Mary. Our son followed two years after that.
We lived in the same town where I grew up so I could keep an eye on my younger brother. But now, Tom had decided we should move closer to the ranch. Not too close, just enough to give me peace of mind about my family’s safety. With a nod from Mr. Baker, we entered the front door of the house.
The smell of dinner wafted through the air and brought back memories of simpler times. Tonight we had fried chicken, mashed potatoes, green beans, and biscuits made from scratch. All of this reminded me why I never regretted marrying Tom.
There wasn’t anything else he couldn’t cook better than any restaurant or even most professional chefs. His love for food was almost as passionate as his desire to protect people. After a delicious meal, I put Mary and David down for bed.
They both giggled and cooed while they talked in their sleep. I watched them for several minutes before climbing into my own bed. Sleep came quickly as my thoughts drifted off to happier days.
***
Tom’s eyes snapped open. He stared across the room trying to place where he was. As soon as his brain caught up with what happened last night, he sat straight up in bed. The pain shot through his head like fire and he groaned.
Groaning again, he reached for the bottle of aspirin next to the bed. One glance at the clock revealed it was three o’clock in the morning. He hadn’t meant to wake up this early. Somehow he ended up in bed alone.
He climbed out of bed, dressed in gray slacks, and a white shirt. He went downstairs to find some breakfast before heading out to work. He found the kitchen empty except for Mrs. Baker sitting at the table drinking coffee. She turned her face toward him with a smile. “Good morning, husband.” She sipped her coffee as she waited for Tom to say something. He didn’t.
“What?” She asked with a puzzled look. “Are you okay? You’ve been quiet all morning.”
Tom took a seat opposite her and ate his eggs. “No, I’m not okay. Something terrible has happened.”
Mrs. Baker raised an eyebrow. “What kind of trouble are you getting yourself into now? Just last week you told me you weren’t thinking about taking on another job anytime soon.”
Tom’s heart raced with fear as he recalled the events of the last night. How could he possibly explain to anyone what happened? He swallowed hard as he tried to come up with an excuse.
“I’ll tell you later, dear,” Tom finally said as he stood up. He grabbed his hat and left for the barn. If he stayed near his wife, he might break down and cry. Instead, he needed to get to work to distract himself.
His hands shook as he mounted his horse. His stomach churned with anxiety as he rode through the streets. It was unusual for him to ride outside the ranch gate, but he had to get to the sheriff’s office. No matter how far he traveled, I wouldn’t answer his calls.
Sheriff Benner’s office was located on Main Street in downtown Jasper. It was a small building, built more than thirty years earlier. On the outside, it was plain, but the inside was full of old books and dusty documents. The wooden floors creaked underfoot as I walked through the main doors.
Sheriff Benner greeted me with a warm smile. “How can I help you today, Miss Mason?”
I glanced over the paperwork on his desk and noticed a large stack of papers on top of the blotter. “Did someone die?”
Benner chuckled. “That depends. Do you mean did someone die in our jurisdiction?”
“Yes… yes, I do. That’s exactly what I meant.” I picked up the top paper and read aloud, ‘Thomas R. Mason, murdered.’
“Well, it seems like we have a murder case on our hands, ma’am. Have a seat, I’ll take care of everything.” Sheriff Benner pulled out a chair and offered me a cup of coffee. He poured one for himself as well. We drank in silence as he studied each sheet of paper before passing it along. A few minutes later, he looked up with a frown.
“This is very odd. Thomas was killed by a gunshot wound to the chest, but there were no bullet holes in his body.”
My mouth dropped open as I held my breath. Was that true? Had the killer taken the bullets out of Thomas’s body? “But how… I thought…”
“There must be some mistake. Why would anyone shoot him in the first place? And why would they leave his body in such a state? Someone obviously knew who he was because his clothes were neatly folded beside the body.
Whoever did this wanted to make sure the police couldn’t identify him. What makes matters worse is that it happened so fast. There was little time to react. It looks like the killer used a gun of some sort, although I don’t know if it was a pistol or rifle.”
The pieces clicked together in my mind. Last night Tom said he wasn’t going to kill any more people. Did someone try to stop him? Or perhaps it was another man working for him? Could he be responsible for killing Thomas?
“Why would Tom do something like that?” I asked quietly.
Sheriff Benner sighed. “Maybe he’s changed his mind since yesterday. Maybe he decided to keep on doing business after all. Either way, we’re stuck with this mess.”
As much as I hated to admit it, Tom had every right to defend himself. Not only was he protecting his family from those who would rob them blind, but he was also protecting his own life. If someone attacked him while he was asleep, then it was self-defense. But even though it made sense, it still didn’t sit right with me.
“It sounds like whoever shot Tom had quite a bit of money on him.”
“We need to figure out where he got it from before we can catch him. Otherwise, we’ll never find him.”
A chill ran down my spine as I imagined being gunned down like that. “I think we should send a telegram to the Texas Rangers. They may be able to offer us some assistance.”
Benner nodded. “I’ll call headquarters immediately and see if we can get a response.”
“Thank you, sir,” I said as I stood up. “And thank you for your help.”
***
By late afternoon, the sheriff called back with good news. “Miss Mason, I spoke with Ranger Bixby at Fort Worth. He said they’ve been looking for a murderer just like ours.”
I sat down hard on the edge of the chair. “What are their chances of catching him?”
Sheriff Benner grinned. “Not great. But it could give us a clue as to which direction the killer fled. Hopefully, we’ll learn enough to narrow down the suspects.”
I smiled as relief washed over me. “Good.” I glanced around the room. “If I may ask, when will we know whether the Rangers can assist us?”
“Hopefully tomorrow morning. They’re sending a patrol car here tonight. Then, once the Rangers arrive, we’ll work out a plan of action. You might want to stay close to home until we catch the criminal.”
After hanging up, I headed upstairs to check on Lucy and Charlie. I found both kids sound asleep in bed. I kissed Lucy gently on her forehead, but she stirred slightly. “Mama!” She stretched out her arms toward me and wiggled into my embrace. I wrapped my arms tightly around her as I whispered softly, “You poor thing. How did you sleep last night?”
Lucy’s eyes fluttered open and she squealed with delight. “Oh! Mama, I’m so glad to see you! Can I go outside and play now?”
“Of course, sweetie. Just be careful not to fall off anything. Okay?”
She gave me a big smile and jumped out of bed. “Okay! Thank you, mama, thank you.”
Charlie followed her out of the door and onto the porch. Once Lucy had disappeared through the kitchen, I walked downstairs again. The house was quiet except for the ticking of the clock. All of our belongings were packed away in boxes, ready to move to Texas.
As far as I was concerned, we were leaving today. That was what everyone else seemed to think anyway. My father had already offered to drive us to Austin. We’d leave Lucy and Charlie with him overnight. It would be safer than having them travel alone with strangers.
After all, the worst possible scenario involved two children traveling across the country in an old wagon without telling anyone about it.
I took the stairs slowly, one step at a time. Each creak sounded loudly in the silence of the house. When I reached the bottom of the steps, I turned left and stepped inside the living room. I looked around, trying to imagine how things would look by the end of the day.
It would be nice if we could find somewhere to live near Tom’s ranch, but it wouldn’t hurt if we moved farther south. With the Texas Rangers’ help, maybe we could have everything settled soon.
Then, as quickly as the thought came, I dismissed it. No matter what happened next, we couldn’t afford to waste any more time. Our lives depended on it.
“Is there something wrong?” Sheriff Benner asked as he stepped into the room. “Didn’t you sleep well last night?”
“No,” I said. “Actually, I didn’t sleep very long at all. But I don’t think it’s important.”
He frowned. “That bad?”
I shook my head. “It’s nothing.”
He stared at me a moment longer. “Are you sure? Because I can tell that you’re worried.”
“Maybe a little,” I admitted. “But I think this is something we should handle ourselves. And besides, I can hardly stand to spend another minute here.”
Benner laughed. “All right then, let’s start packing our bags. Let’s hope the Texas Rangers can bring us some answers.”
***
The sheriff drove us to Fort Worth first. “We’ll need to pick up the ranger squad from the train station, then we can meet up with your family.”
I thanked the sheriff and climbed into his buggy. On the way back, we stopped at a small general store where I bought a few necessities: bread, butter, jam, coffee beans, sugar, flour, and milk. By the time we returned to town, it was nearly dark.
As we pulled up to the sheriff’s office, I saw a familiar face walking past the window. A quick glance told me that it belonged to Dr. Wilson, the physician who cared for me during the birth of Lucy. I hadn’t seen him since I arrived in San Antonio, so I decided to walk over and say hello. He waved as he passed by. “Hello, Mrs. Johnson. What brings you to town tonight?”
“Just visiting. Is Dr. Wilson still working here?”
“Yes. Why do you ask?”
I hesitated. “Nothing really… I just haven’t seen him lately and wanted to make sure he’s doing okay.”
“Well, he’s always been busy caring for patients, but I hear he’s got a new bride.”
“A bride? Isn’t he too young for marriage?”
“Twenty-one years old, ma’am. And he’s already married. To a beautiful woman named Emma. Their wedding was yesterday afternoon. It must be love because they’ve only known each other a month. But it seems like they’re perfect for each other.”
I nodded politely. “Congratulations, then. Have you met them yet?”
“Not personally. But I heard them talking once while I was treating someone. They seem like lovely people.”
“Thank you, Doctor.”
When we arrived home, the sheriff handed me a bag full of food. “Here, take these with you. You won’t find much better food in the ranches out west. If you come across anything special, please send it to me. Oh, and I almost forgot…” He handed me a small package wrapped in brown paper. “This belongs to you. Just open it later.”
“What’s in it?”
“Something to remember your mother by.”
For several moments, I stood staring at the bag. Then, without saying anything, I headed upstairs. I unpacked our things and put them away before I opened the package. There were four letters written in my mother’s handwriting.
She’d obviously dictated them to the doctor when she was recovering after giving birth to Lucy. It made sense now why she’d never mentioned her name or talked about her husband. The letter from the bank explained why she’d done it.
But it also revealed that she had no idea what had happened to Tom. That alone gave me a reason not to give up. We needed to find Tom; we owed it to Lucy to try.
I read through the rest of the letters, including those from Tom. As I did, I tried to imagine how different life would be today if Tom had lived. Would we have gone to Boston? How many children would we have raised? My thoughts drifted to the baby girl I’d held earlier that day. Where could we possibly begin looking for Tom?
After reading the final letter, I laid the envelope down on top of the others. It seemed like the most appropriate place to keep it until we knew more. Then I went downstairs and started making supper.
For a brief moment, I wondered whether I should invite the sheriff over to eat dinner with us. But I quickly decided against it. After all, it wasn’t his fault that I was suddenly back in Texas. I couldn’t expect him to deal with any more problems. Besides, there was plenty of room left for us both.
By the time Benner came home, I had finished preparing our evening meal. “Did you get everything ready for tomorrow?” I asked him.
He grinned. “Yes, I even hired a cook and sent word to the ranch house to pack everyone’s belongings. So far, we have one man heading north to join his wife, two men going east to join their brothers, three men riding south to join the Texas Rangers, and the rest will go west to join the cattlemen.”
“And how many horses are coming along with this group?”
“Fourteen.”
“That’s enough for two families,” I said. “Are we supposed to help them unload?”
“No. Those men know how to handle themselves. They’ll do fine without us.”
“Good. Let’s leave the next morning, then.”
“Right. Tomorrow night is church again, but Sunday is a big day. Our whole family will ride to the chapel together.”
I nodded. “Let me finish getting everything packed so we can start early. Don’t worry, Benner, we’ll be there. And if we don’t make it in time, then we’ll attend church with you the following week.”
The End