The Judge's Daughter

FOURTEEN

Ellie struggled to hold Austin's dead weight up, but he was too heavy, and he crumbled to the ground. She knelt beside him and lifted his head to rest on her lap. The back of his head was coated with blood. Confusion mixed with panic as she switched her gaze between the unconscious man and her cousin, who stood, holding the thick piece of wood.

Tears stung Ellie's eyes as she slowly shook her head. "Why?" Her throat tightened. "Why did you hit him, Tara?"

Ellie's older cousin's glare was one she had never seen before, and it frightened her more than she was prepared for. The shock that Tara could do something this horrible left Ellie stunned.

"Mr. Tanner was in our way. We couldn't have him sticking his nose into our family's business."

"Why are you trying to stop us from turning in your father for killing his brother? You, of all people, would understand." Betrayal ripped through Ellie as her tears fell down her cheeks.

"Father didn't kill his brother," Tara snapped. "He was too much of a weakling to do it."

"What are you saying?" Ellie shook her head. "That you killed my father? I refuse to believe that. You were not the one who tried to push me off the train, nor were you the one who accosted me at the park."

"I put the poison in the judge's flask before my father gave it to him for his birthday. But Leo was the one who did everything else."

Ellie's head pounded with the realization. "Why, Tara?"

The shuffling of footsteps was heard before Ellie saw Leonard running toward them. Tara pointed to Austin as she looked at her brother. "Get him into the carriage house. We can't have him out here for Father to see him."

Leonard bent and grabbed Austin's arms.

"No!" Ellie swatted at his hands. "Austin's head is bleeding. I need to stop the blood first."

Tara dropped the board before moving to Ellie and pulling her away from Austin. Ellie struggled, but her older cousin was stronger. The once beautiful, kind-hearted cousin Ellie had once known had been replaced with someone spiteful and ugly.

Leonard was having a difficult time dragging Austin toward the barn. Ellie didn't know if Tara would release her to help Leonard, and if that happened, would Ellie run to get the sheriff? Yet, she didn't want to leave the man she loved with these two imbeciles who were bent on winning.

"Please," Ellie begged, "be more careful with him. He's injured."

Leonard threw her a glare. "Then are you going to help me?"

"Yes!"

Tara gasped and looked at Ellie.

"Let me go," she told her cousin, " and we both can help Leo."

"Why do you want to help us?" Tara questioned, glaring at Ellie with a narrowed gaze.

"Because I don't want him to lose more blood." Ellie blinked back tears.

"Fine, but if you run—"

Ellie interrupted her cousin's warning. "Why would I run and leave Austin alone with you? Someone has to care for him."

Tara chuckled. "Leo, can you believe it? Ellie is in love."

"Stop squawking," he snapped, "and help me drag him."

When Tara's strong grip was gone from Ellie's arms, she rushed to Austin. She wanted to hold his head up from the ground, but it would be better to lift his upper body somehow as they dragged him. Tara must have read Ellie's mind because she moved to help her brother as they lifted his upper body.