Read Online Breaking Matthew by Jennifer H. Westall - Free Book Online Page A

silence after so many years. “I don’t know how to explain everything. It all happened so fast.”
    “Well,” she said, “I don’t know how you were able to fend that man off except by the grace of God. He’s facing his judgment now.”
    My skin prickled and I looked up at Asa again. I wished I could talk to him alone, especially about why God wouldn’t heal Chester, but that would just upset Mother. Even after years of knowing the truth, she was still clearly uncomfortable with my gift. She never once asked about it, and I knew better than to mention it. But Asa would understand. There had to be some way to get him alone and talk things over with him.
    A few minutes later there was a knock at the front door, and when Ms. Harmon opened it, I heard Matthew’s voice asking after me. Ms. Harmon showed him into the sitting room. He was wearing a dark suit with his hair combed back away from his eyes. The changes in him were subtle—lines around the corners of his eyes, a lift to his shoulders that commanded respect. The boy I’d cared for had grown into a man.
    Ms. Harmon gave me the warning glance she gave the other girls when one of them had a gentleman caller. No nonsense in my house. I didn’t know how she could think such a thing at a time like that, especially with my mother and Asa right there in the room. I reckoned it was just habit by then.
    Ms. Harmon excused herself again, and Matthew greeted Mother and Asa before turning to me. “Just wanted to look in on you before I headed up to Nashville. How are you this morning? Did you get any sleep?”
    “I managed a little,” I said. I figured reassurances were the quickest means for allowing him to escape.
    “Is there anything I can do for you?”
    “No, I’ll be all right. I’ll head over to Dr. Fisher’s office in a bit to make myself useful. I want to go and check on Emma Rae and the baby later.”
    Mother huffed. “Now that’s just plain silly. You need your rest after such an ordeal. You get a bite to eat and go back to bed. I’ll help Emma Rae with the baby today. Besides, that may not be the place for you to be right now.”
    “Mother, really, I want to get my life back to normal as soon as I can.”
    Another knock on the front door sent Ms. Harmon blustering through the room, mumbling about a circus. When she pulled the door open, she gasped. I looked up as Sheriff Peterson stepped inside with a look on his face that sped up my heart.
    “Morning,” he said to the room, clearing his throat. Then he looked directly at me. “I’m afraid I got some difficult news, Miss Ruby. Seems Mr. Calhoun’s rather upset about things. Mrs. Calhoun, too. They been over at my office this morning causing a stir and making some pretty serious claims against you.”
    “Like what?” I asked.
    Sheriff Peterson rubbed his hat between his fingers. “Well, first, I ought to tell you that I’m going to have to place you under arrest—”
    The room erupted, everyone shouting over each other and wanting to know how this was even possible. Mother about came unglued, while Asa and Matthew peppered the sheriff with questions about what the Calhouns had said and declarations of how absurd this was becoming.
    It took a few minutes for everyone to calm themselves, and I realized they were all looking at me. “I…I don’t understand,” I said, my voice faltering. “Wh-what are you arresting me for?”
    He let out a long sigh before he said the worst thing I could’ve imagined. “Murder.”
    Matthew stepped between the sheriff and me. “Now wait a minute. You don’t actually believe she murdered Chester, do you?”
    “Don’t matter what I believe. I got to follow the law. And for now, the way things are, this is what’s got to happen.”
    “This is ridiculous!” Asa cried, pacing in front of the sofa. “A young woman gets attacked and defends herself, and you want to arrest her for murder? This makes no sense! What did Calhoun say? He’s just upset! How