Lost and Found

Chapter Twenty-Four

Lillian took the carpetbag from Kitty's struggling grasp and hurried down the stairs, smiling at Kitty as they exited the house and rushed down the porch steps.

When Paul wasn't waiting by the wagon, Lillian called out, "Paul?" She placed the bag into the wagon bed and bent to help Kitty climb up as best as possible. Once Kitty was safely on the bench, Lillian raised her voice and called again, "Paul, we're ready."

Kitty's terrified whisper of "Mama" brought Lillian's worst fears to life.

Spinning around, she found Walker with one arm around Paul's neck, and in his other hand a gun pressed to Paul's head, "I curse the day I ever took you from that train, Lillian Reid."

He forced Paul to take a step forward, "This has been the worst night of my life... and you and your brats are to blame." He sniffled and cocked the gun.

"NO," Lillian shouted and stepped forward.

Her heart clenched in dread when she caught the deranged light in Walker's eyes. Taking a deep breath, she took slow and measured steps toward them and held out her hands in surrender, "Let him go, Walker; it's me you have an issue with."

He curled his lips in disgust. "You killed Beth," he accused, glaring at Lillian. "As surely as if you were the one to pull the trigger, you killed her." Turning the gun on her, he threw Paul away from him and shouted, "YOU KILLED HER."

Lillian caught Paul's gaze and mouthed 'Freddie,' nodding to the wagon.

Paul nodded and climbed up into the wagon, casting a fearful look over his shoulder as he grabbed the reins and slapped the mules into motion.

Walker's fingers gouged into the flesh of Lillian's neck as he yanked her toward him, "So, now I've gotta kill you." He pressed the barrel to her temple and directed her toward the barn, "I'm gonna enjoy this, I'm gonna take my time with ya, draw out yer pain—make you beg for me to end ya."

With Walker focused on Lillian, he completely forgot about the children until he heard the wagon racing down the drive.

Walker aimed and fired five shots at Paul and Kitty. Lillian screamed and tried to knock the gun from his hand, making his aim go wild and miss his targets.

Shouting his fury, he swung the butt of his gun toward her head, but she stomped down on his foot and lunged away from him.

Dashing to the house, Lillian flung the door closed behind her and struggled to set the bolt with shaking hands. Striving to remain calm, she ran to the front door to do the same and screamed in surprise when Walker threw his body against it so hard it shuddered.

She backed away; her eyes fixed on the door as he tried twice more to knock it down with his weight.

Banging on the door, he ordered, "Open the door, Lillian."

Lillian whimpered, stumbling in her haste to search the parlor for the revolver. Terror gripped her mind and made it impossible to remember where she had placed it, no matter how desperately she tried.

She ran to the kitchen and choked back a scream when Walker continued slamming his body against the front door, yelling profanities with each failed attempt of bursting it open. How much longer would it hold against him?

"OPEN THE DOOR, LILLIAN," he shrieked.

Running up to her room, she searched for the gun under her pillow, the mattress, and then pulled off the covers, whimpering when a splintering crash downstairs announced Walker had gained access to the house.

"LILLIAN," he roared as he stomped across the parlor and began searching for her downstairs.

She ran to the dresser and pulled the top drawer open, throwing the clothing about her in desperation. Slamming the drawer shut, she threw open the next and cried out in dismay when she couldn't find the revolver anywhere.