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“No problem. When you have details, you can let me know.”
“I’ll try to get what I can. I’ll text you everything I know. Right now, I’m assuming it’s the father of the children who is threatening her. But, she didn’t actually say. I don’t have a name.”
“If you can get one, that’d be helpful. But, like I said, we’ll keep her close, circle around her, and if someone wants to get her, they’ll have to go through us first.”
“I appreciate it.”
They hung up, and Ellen watched the grass along the edge of the road speed by before she turned with questioning eyes.
“Ezra is a good man. I figured he’d help us out.”
“It’s too bad you couldn’t give him more information.”
“I’ll give them what I can. But, that’s a safe spot up there. It’s far enough away that a person has to be deliberate about going there. And there’s enough people on the ranch that someone will notice anything that’s off. After all, everyone who works there is related, so if they see a stranger, it’s going to stick out. Plus, they have a bunch of dogs. The barking is almost deafening when you pull in.”
Ellen laughed. “You better not say too much about that. You might have a house like that.”
“And I’ll love every minute of it,” he said, glancing across the seat at her, before he looked ahead, putting his turn signal on as his driveway rapidly approached.
“I’ve kind of fallen in love with that baby. The idea of her leaving with her hurts my heart, but I don’t have any job for her. And now I’m planning a wedding.”
Those words made warmth and happiness bubble up inside of Ellen, despite the fear and the tension that seemed to grip her throat and chest.
“I appreciate that consideration. But I admire you for taking responsibility, and doing something about it. Not thinking that it must be somebody else’s problem.”
“I guess that maybe the world might be a better place if we all try to take care of each other a little better, instead of looking the other way when someone needs help.”
She nodded, loving that was his attitude. That it wasn’t that he would just let someone else do it, so he wasn’t interrupted, or inconvenienced in any way.
She didn’t know how things were going to end, but she knew that Travis would do the right thing, no matter how hard that was. That, along with the deep trust that God was in control, gave her confidence and peace.
Chapter 24
Travis pulled into his house far faster than he usually did. He’d come to care deeply for that baby, and the idea of anything happening to her had stirred every protective instinct he possessed. Not to mention, the panic in Alaska’s voice had been concerning. It was obvious that she thought something very terrible could happen. Whoever she was dealing with most likely was someone who gave her a legitimate fear.
He’d seen some nasty things as he traveled the country and the world. It was shocking what humans were capable of doing to other humans. He did not understand it, didn’t even want to try, other than to know that to see those things happen, was to know that the devil was indeed, loose and alive in the world. There was no way he could doubt it.
Thankfully, Ellen got out as quickly as he did, and they walked side-by-side up the rickety steps. The house was run down, most of the shutters had fallen off, there were weeds in the flowerbeds, the porch needed to be completely replaced, a person had to be careful where they stepped, that they didn’t fall through any of the rotten boards. He’d seen mice in the house, although he had traps out for them, and he was pretty sure there was a spot in the roof that leaked. Several of the windows were cracked, and half the time the hot water heater barely got the water lukewarm.
There was just so much to fix, and he hadn’t been in a big rush to fix it, because he was going to look for a farm to buy, discuss it with Ellen, and get married and move, eventually.
He wanted to do things right away, but he thought it would be more considerate to Ellen that way. But, she had thrilled him to the very bottom of his soul when she said that she preferred not to. Now, he had all kinds of things to do, and no time in which to do them.
But, if she would marry him and move into a house like this, then, he figured he’d let her.
“Alaska!” he called as he opened the door. She was the kind of woman who might have a pistol aimed at his head as he walked through. He didn’t want her to mistake him for whoever she was so scared of.
He opened the door to silence.
Lord. Please don’t let her have left with the children. Please keep them safe.
He prayed as he walked in, wondering belatedly if it was wise to have Ellen coming in with him. He didn’t want anything to happen to her, after all the years they’d waited to be together. But not only that, he loved her. He couldn’t stand the idea that she might get hurt.
But it was too late. Now, the safest place for her was probably right beside him. If he had to do it over again, he would’ve left her at her uncle’s place, until he figured everything out. But he wasn’t used to dealing with situations like this. He had been trained in business, not... Whatever this was.
“Travis?” a soft voice called from the living room. He didn’t see any movement, as he started to walk slowly toward it, not wanting to push Ellen behind him, but tugging on her hand a little, to let her know that he would prefer she let him go first.
She glanced up at him as he tugged, and then she smiled, reassuringly. There was no fear at all in her eyes. He loved that. She might not be aware that there was danger, or she might just be confident that God was going to take care of them, no matter what happened. He preferred to think it was the second, just because he knew that was the kind of person Ellen was.
