The Librarian of Boone's Hollow - Kim Vogel Sawyer Page 0,122
for several seconds. Then the one who’d done most of the talking slid his rifle into its scabbard. “All right. She can go. But we’ll be askin’ about you when we get to the sheriff’s office in Lynch. An’ we’ll be back if your names show up on any lists.”
Paw grinned. “Only place you’ll find both o’ us listed is on the membership roster for the low Baptist church.”
The two lawmen turned their horses, and the animals carried them into the trees. As soon as they’d disappeared from sight, Bettina slid off Mule’s back and fell against Emmett. She gripped handfuls of his shirt and buried her face against his front.
He gave her shoulders a few awkward pats. “Reckon you’ve had quite a scare.”
She nodded without pulling loose. “I’m still scared. Scared to go home. Pap…he’s gonna be all-fired mad.”
Emmett believed her. “Don’t worry. You’re going to my folks’ place. My paw’ll take you to my maw, and she’ll see to you tonight.”
Bettina lifted her face and gazed at him. “She will?”
Emmett transferred her to Paw. “We’ll decide tomorrow where you’ll go from there. But you won’t be going back to your pap. We won’t let him hurt you again, Bettina. I promise you that.”
Paw helped Bettina onto Mule’s back and led the animal to the road. Bettina clung to the mule’s neck and sent Emmett a wobbly smile of appreciation over her shoulder.
He waited until Paw and Bettina disappeared around the bend, and then he hurried in the direction the revenuers had taken. Bettina hadn’t done anything that warranted being arrested, but her pap sure had. The lawmen probably wouldn’t care about Burke Webber using his fists on his wife and daughter, but they’d be interested in the still up the mountain. He’d break the Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell code of the hills’ folk by telling, but keeping Bettina safe was more important than keeping the code.
Addie
ADDIE BIT THE INSIDE OF her lip and tried to rein in her active imagination as she walked to the library Tuesday morning. Nanny Fay walked alongside her, countenance serene, as if she didn’t have a worry in the world. Addie wished she could set aside her worries, but after yesterday afternoon’s dramatic end—wouldn’t Felicity enjoy hearing about it?—she wasn’t sure what to expect once she got to the library.
She couldn’t forget Bettina’s stricken expression as she raced out the door. And she couldn’t fathom a father beating his child. But she couldn’t fathom parents trading their child to a strange man for gunpowder, either. Why did some children suffer so? She didn’t know, but these revelations increased her admiration for Penrose and Fern Cowherd, and she would do her best to convey her feelings when she spoke to her parents next.
They reached the little slope leading to the road, and Addie gestured for Nanny Fay to precede her. Nanny Fay moved sideways, using the tree roots extending from the eroded dirt as steps, then stopped at the edge of the street. She pointed. “Lib’ary door’s propped open. Emmett must be up an’ ready for the day.” She took off as if fired from a cannon.
Addie trotted to catch up, then offered her hand and helped Nanny Fay onto the stoop. Nanny Fay called “Yoo-hoo” as she crossed the threshold, and Addie followed her in.
Emmett rose from the table and met them near the door. He took Nanny Fay’s hands. “This is a surprise. Are you going to help Addie with the scrapbooks today?”
Nanny Fay laughed softly. “I’m here to check on Bettina. Seein’ her mama’s dress gave her such a shock. I owe her an apology, an’ I aim to give it.”
Addie had worn her overalls in case Emmett needed her to take Bettina’s route. His mention of scrapbooks answered that question. Another question begged an answer, though. “So she’s back?”
He nodded. “Showed up somewhere around two this morning.”
Nanny Fay’s frame gave a little shudder. “Is she with Burke?”
“No.” Emmett glanced at Addie over the old woman’s snow-white head. “She’s at my folks’ place. And as for Burke…he’s gone.”
Addie drew back. Emmett had been so angry when he left the library. Her imagination conjured possibilities again. “Gone…for good?”
“I don’t know.” Emmett released Nanny Fay’s hands and crossed to the table. “Some revenuers brought Bettina down from the mountain, and then they went to Burke’s cabin. But he wasn’t there. Maw and I saw him at suppertime, and Paw and I weren’t twenty yards from his cabin door for hours afterward,