Read Online Love Finds a Home (Anthologies) by Wanda E. Brunstetter - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Wanda E. Brunstetter
Tags: Fiction, General, Romance, Historical, Love Stories, Religious, Christian, Widows, Young Women, Clergy, Teachers, Widowers, Gamblers
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as her wobbly legs would allow. By the time she reached the end of their car and had stepped through the door to the platform, Glenna was sure she was going to lose the little bit of food she’d eaten before they boarded the train.
Grasping the cold, metal railing, she leaned her head over the side and breathed deeply. Since the weather was warm and humid, it wasn’t fresh air, but at least she was away from David—her gambling husband. He’d lied to her. He’d led her on and made her believe he would take care of her. David was right—he was no better than Daddy. She had no one now. A little voice in the back of her mind whispered, You have Me, Glenna. I will never leave you, nor forsake you .
Scalding tears streamed down her face, and she cried out in anguish, “Dear Father, is that You?”
“No, it’s me! Your old man’s dead.” A deep, grinding voice sliced through the air like a knife.
Glenna whirled around to confront a stocky, red-faced man. He wore a patch over one eye and held a gun in his hand. She opened her mouth to scream, but it was too late to cry for help. One beefy, moist hand clamped across her mouth as the man jerked her roughly to his chest. “Where is it?” he growled. “Where’s the money?”
CHAPTER 9
W ith the man’s clammy hand planted firmly over her mouth and his foul-smelling body pressing her up against the hard railing, Glenna could neither move nor speak. She wiggled and squirmed, but it was to no avail.
“Hold still, or I’ll toss ya over the side,” he hissed.
Glenna stiffened, unable to understand what was going on or why. She’d come out for some air and to get away from David. She never expected something like this to happen.
The man held the tip of his derringer at Glenna’s back, squishing her against the iron rail. “I’m gonna take my hand off your mouth now. If ya cry out, I’ll pitch ya on over. Is that clear?”
Glenna could only nod. Tears of frustration coursed down her flaming cheeks while icy fingers of fear crept up her spine. She’d made another unwise decision. She should have stayed in her seat and let David explain about his past life. No matter how much it hurt to hear that he’d once been a gambler, it was nothing compared to the way she was feeling now. Gripping the rail, she stood motionless, waiting for her captor to remove his hand.
In one quick motion, the man jerked his hand away, then pushed the gun tightly into her back. “I wanna know where that money is, and I need to know now!”
“Wh–wh–what money?” she stammered.
His hand went to her throat, and he gave it a warning squeeze. “Don’t play coy with me. Your daddy had my money, and I saw him give it to you before he died.”
“No, no, he didn’t. All Daddy gave me was my mother’s ring.” Glenna held up her hand. “I know nothing about any money.”
“Ah–hem! Is there some kind of problem here?”
Glenna turned her head toward the sound of a man’s deep voice. It was the conductor. She breathed a sigh of relief. Everything would be all right now. She’d be safe, and this horrible man with putrid breath would soon be locked away in the baggage car until the train stopped at the next town. Then he’d be hauled off to jail, which was exactly where he belonged!
“Nope, there ain’t no problem here,” the evil man said to the conductor. His hand went to Glenna’s waist, and he swiveled around, pulling her with him. “Me and the little lady was just havin’ a friendly chat whilst we got us a whiff of fresh air.”
Glenna felt the tip of his gun and wished it could be seen by the conductor. She nodded at the man in uniform, offering him the weakest of smiles. “Everything’s fine.”
The conductor hesitated, but a few seconds later he tipped his hat and opened the door to enter the car.
A sense of relief washed over Glenna, but it was quickly replaced with one of
Grasping the cold, metal railing, she leaned her head over the side and breathed deeply. Since the weather was warm and humid, it wasn’t fresh air, but at least she was away from David—her gambling husband. He’d lied to her. He’d led her on and made her believe he would take care of her. David was right—he was no better than Daddy. She had no one now. A little voice in the back of her mind whispered, You have Me, Glenna. I will never leave you, nor forsake you .
Scalding tears streamed down her face, and she cried out in anguish, “Dear Father, is that You?”
“No, it’s me! Your old man’s dead.” A deep, grinding voice sliced through the air like a knife.
Glenna whirled around to confront a stocky, red-faced man. He wore a patch over one eye and held a gun in his hand. She opened her mouth to scream, but it was too late to cry for help. One beefy, moist hand clamped across her mouth as the man jerked her roughly to his chest. “Where is it?” he growled. “Where’s the money?”
CHAPTER 9
W ith the man’s clammy hand planted firmly over her mouth and his foul-smelling body pressing her up against the hard railing, Glenna could neither move nor speak. She wiggled and squirmed, but it was to no avail.
“Hold still, or I’ll toss ya over the side,” he hissed.
Glenna stiffened, unable to understand what was going on or why. She’d come out for some air and to get away from David. She never expected something like this to happen.
The man held the tip of his derringer at Glenna’s back, squishing her against the iron rail. “I’m gonna take my hand off your mouth now. If ya cry out, I’ll pitch ya on over. Is that clear?”
Glenna could only nod. Tears of frustration coursed down her flaming cheeks while icy fingers of fear crept up her spine. She’d made another unwise decision. She should have stayed in her seat and let David explain about his past life. No matter how much it hurt to hear that he’d once been a gambler, it was nothing compared to the way she was feeling now. Gripping the rail, she stood motionless, waiting for her captor to remove his hand.
In one quick motion, the man jerked his hand away, then pushed the gun tightly into her back. “I wanna know where that money is, and I need to know now!”
“Wh–wh–what money?” she stammered.
His hand went to her throat, and he gave it a warning squeeze. “Don’t play coy with me. Your daddy had my money, and I saw him give it to you before he died.”
“No, no, he didn’t. All Daddy gave me was my mother’s ring.” Glenna held up her hand. “I know nothing about any money.”
“Ah–hem! Is there some kind of problem here?”
Glenna turned her head toward the sound of a man’s deep voice. It was the conductor. She breathed a sigh of relief. Everything would be all right now. She’d be safe, and this horrible man with putrid breath would soon be locked away in the baggage car until the train stopped at the next town. Then he’d be hauled off to jail, which was exactly where he belonged!
“Nope, there ain’t no problem here,” the evil man said to the conductor. His hand went to Glenna’s waist, and he swiveled around, pulling her with him. “Me and the little lady was just havin’ a friendly chat whilst we got us a whiff of fresh air.”
Glenna felt the tip of his gun and wished it could be seen by the conductor. She nodded at the man in uniform, offering him the weakest of smiles. “Everything’s fine.”
The conductor hesitated, but a few seconds later he tipped his hat and opened the door to enter the car.
A sense of relief washed over Glenna, but it was quickly replaced with one of
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