Remembering Everything
“Yes, that’s exactly what it was!” Hope knew she couldn’t tell her parents or the deputies precisely what had happened at Judah’s place because it wasn’t their business, and she didn’t want to disclose any personal details. A memory of Judah’s arms around her, his soft voice in her ear as they swayed back and forth across the treehouse floor invaded her thoughts, and she had to close her eyes for a moment.
“Are you all right, Hope?” her mother asked, her hand on Hope’s arm.
“I’m fine, Mama. But they’re right. I saw the treehouse from the road as I was pullin’ in, and I asked Mr. Lawless if I could go up and see the view. I hadn’t ever seen anythin’ like it before either. He let me go up, against his better judgment, and when I was comin’ back down, I didn’t wait on him like he tried to tell me. And I fell.” There was no need to tell them she was running away from Judah before he had a chance to further damage her heart or that it had been his idea for her to go up in the treehouse to begin with.
“Well, I’ll be,” Deputy Forester said. “Why didn’t he just say that?”
“Maybe he did,” Hope replied. “I know he told Doc Howard I fell, though I’m not certain if he said where from. But, I’m not sure if you folks realize this or not, but Doc Howard’s been sweet on me since the day I stepped foot in this town, and outta jealousy, he tried to make it seem like more. I suppose Mr. Lawless didn’t say nothin’ about me bein’ up there in the treehouse with just him because it would be a violation of my teaching contract to be alone with a single man, even though nothin’ happened.”
“That does make sense,” Huckley agreed, adjusting his pants by running his thumb behind his belt. “And Mr. Stewart and Sheriff Roan are good friends. I bet Mr. Lawless was afraid Stewart’d let you go.”
“I’m certain he would,” Hope agreed. “But I’m more worried about Mr. Lawless at the moment. Seeing him locked up for something he didn’t do just isn’t right. I’m willing to risk my position to see him set free.”
“Miss Tucker, yer the best schoolteacher we could’ve ever hoped for. Jess just loves you. She’s cried over you every night since this happened. If Mr. Stewart tried to let you go, he’d have a lot of angry parents on his hands.” Forester shook his head as he spoke, and his eyes let Hope know he meant each word.
“I appreciate that, Deputy Forester. I am eager to see all of my students again and let them know I’m all right. But I’ll need the both of you to help me convince Sheriff Roan to let Mr. Lawless go.”
“We heard Judge Peppers should be here shortly ‘bout an hour ago. Maybe when he hears what you have to say, he’ll set Lawless free. Judge Peppers is a fair man by all accounts.” Huckley offered a small smile, and Hope felt slightly better, hoping he was right.
“That’s good to hear.” She looked at her father, who nodded reassuringly, and let out a deep breath. Turning back to Forester, she asked, “Did you say Mrs. Pembroke had been in to see her brother? Do you know where she is now?”
“Well, I don’t know for sure, but I heard she was at home with the children while she sent her husband to try to track down a lawyer from Fort Worth. They didn’t think no one from around here would be able to do a fair job. Course, that was a couple of days ago, and I’d a thunk he’d be back by now.”
“We’ll make sure he has a good lawyer if he needs one, Hope,” Will said, his voice low, and she knew if it was necessary, her daddy would do whatever needed to be done to get one. He’d know the law well enough to get by, she assumed, because of his dealings with the bank. She thought it was slightly ironic that her father, the bank president from home, might be squaring off with Mr. Stewart, the bank president here in McKinney, but it was just a testimony to the kind of power that office incurred—and how, when a corrupt man took office, everything could go awry.
“Them poor kids is probably beside themselves,” Huckley muttered.
Hope couldn’t bear to think of poor Ginny and George. Caroline was probably upset that she couldn’t be there with Judah, but then, she’d have no one to leave her children with. Who knows what the crazy townsfolk might try to do?
“Deputies, would it be at all possible for me to speak to Mr. Lawless for just a few moments? I’m certain he must be worried about me, and he likely won’t believe I’m all right unless he sees me for himself.”
The two deputies exchanged glances. “Well, Miss Tucker, we’re under strict direction from the sheriff not to let nobody down there....”
“Down there?” Hope repeated. “Where is he?”
“He’s in solitary, in the basement,” Forester replied with a gulp. Hope looked at her father and realized he’d known this all along, but she couldn’t blame him for not mentioning it. The news would just upset her.
“Please, Deputy Forester. I’ll only be a few minutes.” She didn’t want to set a time limit because she realized once she saw Judah, it would be difficult to pull herself away, but she wanted to assure them that they wouldn’t get caught. At least, she hoped not. She needed the cooperation of these two men who seemed to think she’d remembered what happened from the beginning. Doc could attest to a different story, but he’d have no way of knowing she hadn’t remembered until the deputies had mentioned the treehouse.
Once again, the men looked at each other before Forester finally said, “All right. But just for a minute.” Huckley nodded in agreement, and Forester reached into a drawer in the desk and took out a keyring that looked to be for special purposes. He picked up a lantern off of a shelf and lit it, and Hope pulled away from her parents.
“Are you sure you want to go alone?” Cordia asked in a steely whisper.
“I’m sure, Mama. I’ll be fine.” There were things she needed to say to Judah that didn’t require an audience.
Forester unlocked a door near the other cells, holding it open for her, and Hope stepped through, though she waited for the man to squeeze past her in order to illuminate the walkway. The staircase wound down into the basement, and Hope felt like she was headed toward a dungeon.
It wasn’t far, though, and eventually, she found herself in a musty hallway. There was another door with a lantern lit next to it, and through bars in a window in the top of the door she could see another lantern inside, though it seemed to be the only light. Forester unlocked the second door and said quietly, “You won’t have much time.”
“Thank you,” Hope replied with a nod, wishing she’d remember not to move her head, and she stepped through the door into near darkness, holding her breath and bracing herself for what was to come.
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