Part 10:
Beckie shook Katie gently. "You need to get home, Sugar. Your parents will be getting up soon." Katie blinked sleepily and nodded as she sat up. Beckie left the room, going downstairs, probably to the kitchen. She never slept well after the mayor ‘visited’ her. Even Katie knew that. She usually ended up getting up early and cooking a huge breakfast for everyone. That or stayed in bed staring at the ceiling, crying every once in a while.
Katie yawned and ran her fingers through her hair. She stood up and stretched before putting her shoes back on and going downstairs. She said a quick good-bye to Miss Beckie and left through the kitchen door, hurrying home. Once home, she opened the door and stepped inside, then stopped cold, frozen in shock, and more than a little fear.
"About time you came home," her father said. "Go sit down in the living room," he said, pointing. Katie slunk into the room and perched nervously on the edge of an overstuffed chair. "Sarah, she’s home," he called. Her mother came out of the kitchen and the two of them sat down across from her.
Sarah gently took her daughter’s hand. "Katie, love, we need to talk," she said softly. "It’s about Miss Beckie."
Katie gasped in shock and looked up quickly, then dropped her head, refusing to look at anything but her toes. "I’m sorry," she mumbled.
"I know." Sarah had to pause and take a deep breath. This was going to be even harder than the had thought, and she knew by the look on his face that Josh wouldn’t be much help. "Katie, your father and I love you very much, but honey, there are some things you need to know. Things we never told you." Katie looked at her questioningly. "I was selfish in not wanting to tell you before, but things were so difficult. It was better for everyone if we kept it all a secret. Katie, darling, what I’m trying to tell you . . ." Sarah paused, wiping tears from her eyes before continuing. "Katie, I’m not your mother. Beckie is."
Katie looked up at her parents, then down at Sarah’s hand on her own. She stared at them, not wanting to believe it, but it explained so much. Why the door was always unlocked when she came back, after sneaking off to see Beckie and Angel. Why her father and Miss Blake acted like there was some big secret. And most of all, why she didn’t look like her mother, but bore a striking resemblance to Beckie. She pulled her hand back and stood up. "No . . . NONONO! I can’t believe this," she screamed, bursting into tears as she ran out the door.
"Katie, stop!"
"No, Josh, let her go," Sarah said sadly.
Justin had left Miss Beckie’s early in the morning, so he could avoid as many people as possible. He was riding out of town when he came across the mayor’s older daughter, leaning against an old tree. She looked miserable and without thinking, he coaxed Cookie to a stop and climbed down. "Shouldn’t you be at home?"
"Why should I be? My entire life is a lie," she said angrily.
He let out a low whistle and without thinking, said "So why don’t you come with me?" He wasn’t sure why he asked her. Maybe because he could tell she needed to get away from everything. Maybe it was because he knew Angel would kick his butt for leaving her sitting in the middle of town. Whatever it was, though, he was glad he did.
Katie looked up in shock, unable to believe that someone as handsome as Justin would give her the time of day. On the other hand, she rationalized, he WAS Angel’s brother. "Let’s go." She stood up and Justin helped her onto Cookie’s back, climbing up behind her. He reached around Katie for the reins, though he didn’t actually need them. Cookie always seemed to know exactly where he wanted to go. Katie leaned back against him, stiffly at first but relaxing as they rode. He looked down and realized she was asleep.
It occurred to him that maybe just picking her up and taking off wasn’t such a good idea. After all, he was an outlaw and she was the mayor’s daughter. But what harm could there be in it, especially if no one saw them leaving? And he’d have her back by supper. Too bad he hadn’t been paying attention as they passed the Gold Bar.
Heather glanced out the window as they rode by. She stared at them in disbelief. She knew Justin was supposedly a bigtime outlaw of some sort but she had never believed he would do something so heinous as this. How dare he kidnap the Mayor’s daughter! And in broad daylight, too! It was obvious poor Katie was terrified, or would have been if she were awake. The monster had probably knocked her out. She dropped what she was doing and hurried off to find Bill.
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