Free to Heal Read online

  Free to Heal

  Book 2

  A Texas Wildflower Novelette

  By Susette Williams

  Freedom Brides

  A controversial new program. A new hope for six women in need. When others wilt, they will thrive. These are the Texas Wildflowers.

  Texas Wildflowers novelette series~

  FREE TO LOVE –Book 1

  FREE TO HEAL –Book 2

  FREE TO PROTECT –Book 3

  FREE TO SERVE –Book 4

  FREE TO ROAM –Book 5

  FREE TO FORGIVE –Book 6

  Published by Family Friendly Fiction

  Copyright © 2015 by Susette Williams

  Cover Design © Susette Williams

  All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews.

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events, and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.

  TABLE OF CONTENTS

  Prologue

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Epilogue

  PROLOGUE

  The latest arrival made six men. They each sat in the desolate pews—having been escorted by a deputy or sheriff.

  The sheriff reached the front and leaned his back against the pulpit, his arms crossed in rigid form. His eyes landed on each man in the room, resting on them individually for a few seconds.

  “I am Sheriff Daniels. Welcome to Mucksbe, your new home, should you choose to make it.” Again, the sheriff took several moments to make eye contact with each man.

  A dark-haired man in the front shifted to the edge of his seat. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

  “Yeah, what do you mean new home,” a scraggly blond haired man asked.

  Unfazed by the skepticism, Sheriff Daniels kept his severe pose. “Men, each of you has been handpicked to participate in the new Freedom Brides program.”

  “Brides?” One of the men choked.

  “Yes, Freedom Brides.” Sheriff Daniels grinned—it was an arrogant, mocking smile. “As a joint effort among several local communities, we’ve devised a social outreach program to combat multiple problems facing our towns.”

  “Get to the gist.” The audacious man was the one who’d been the last to arrive.

  Sheriff Daniels narrowed his gaze. “Any more outbursts and your offer to participate will be immediately rescinded.”

  The man clenched his jaw, but remained quiet.

  “Each of you was chosen as a flagship participants because your crimes, while still demanding punishment, are minor infractions. I, and the other sheriffs involved, believe you each have something to offer that will better our community.”

  Silence reigned among the six men, every one of them at rapt attention.

  A hand raised. The sheriff nodded permission to speak. “What does this program entail?”

  “If you choose, you will marry a woman in need in exchange for your freedom.”

  The sheriff removed a handful of folded papers from his inner vest pocket. He straightened them out and handed each man a sheet. “They are all written here. Should you choose to participate, you must sign this paper, agreeing to abide by all rules. Otherwise, you’ll be returned to the jail cell you came from, same as if you break any of them.”

  Each man took the paper handed to him and read the handwritten rules.

  1) Remain within a fifteen mile radius of the courthouse for the first three months of program involvement.

  2) Refrain from any alcohol or tobacco use.

  3) Refrain from entering any den of iniquity.

  4) Remain faithful to their spouse and not bring any harm upon them.

  5) Actively participate in assisting with spouse’s needs/requests.

  6) Participate in one day of community service per month for the first six months

  No matter their individual concerns, when the time came to sign his name, all six men dipped the pen into the ink and signed their name—they were committed.

  CHAPTER ONE

  Faith Masterson held Gracie and Hope’s hand as they walked down the platform toward the sheriff’s office. She’d torn the advertisement concerning Freedom Brides from the paper and folded it to fit into her reticule. The thought of marrying a man on the wrong side of the law frightened her, but not nearly as much as the thought of her children going hungry.

  She’d heard a couple of women discussing it at the mercantile the other day and feigned disinterest since they were voicing their objections to such a program. Had her husband, Tom, still been living, Faith would have been the first one to agree with the other women that the program sounded appalling. However, God hadn’t seen fit to let her and Tom grow old together and raise their children. It left Faith in the position of seeing things from the other side, a very different point of view—one of desperation. With no family to take them in, they were on their own, no matter how bleak it sounded.

  Lifting her two-year-old daughter, Hope, she opened the door. Sheriff Daniels stood when he saw her as she tried usher four-year-old, Gracie, inside while balancing Hope on her hip.

  “Let me help you.” He reached the door in four long strides.

  “Thank you.” Faith swallowed the lump in her throat and nodded, accepting his help as he closed the door behind them. She guided Gracie to one of the two seats in front of the sheriff’s desk.

  He’d been a friend of her late husband, and as such, he’d helped her numerous times, primarily with food or with money, not something that was easy to do with his meager salary.

  “To what do I owe this unexpected pleasure?” Sheriff Daniels sat at his desk, winking at Gracie. He focused his attention on Faith. “Perhaps you would allow me to take you and the girls to lunch?”

  “That’s very kind of you to ask, Sheriff Daniels—”

  “Corbin,” he corrected her. “After all, we’re friends.”

  Faith forced a smile. They had been friends, until Corbin’s wife, Sarah, insinuated that all his help after Tom died was starting to incur gossip. Corbin was a good man, a good friend to her husband and Sarah had always been a good friend to her. The last thing she wanted to do was give wagging tongues a chance to destroy a good man’s reputation, or cause Sarah to have to endure awkward gazes and whispers.

  “I came to see you today, Corbin, because it has come to my attention that you were able to put a variation of your program into effect.” She knew Corbin had wanted to implement a prisoner work program, he’d discussed it with her before when he had been trying to find the time to help with the farm.

  He laughed nervously and scratched his head. “Well, as you know, I was concerned with prisoners being around women or children, which would require supervision. That’s manpower we just don’t have, nor could we afford.” Corbin leaned back in his seat and expelled a deep breath. “The Freedom Bride program is different in that it requires marriage.”

  Nodding, she glanced briefly at both of her daughters and then back at the sheriff. “I’m aware, per the guidance outlined in the advertisement.”

  “I don’t think this program is right for you.” Corbin leaned forward in his seat and folded his hands on his desk. “T
om wouldn’t want you saddled up with one of these men.”

  “Tom also wouldn’t want his children to go hungry.” Faith knew her words sounded harsh, even to her own ears, but she didn’t like the situation she’d been put in either. Sometimes you didn’t have control in life, you made due with whatever lot you were dealt. “And you must have felt the program had merit, or you wouldn’t have supported it.”

  His pursed lips and furrowed brow said more than his words. She knew he wanted to protect her and the girls. Another thing she knew was that he would not speak as freely with them in his presence. He’d always spoken to Tom in private if he had a sensitive matter to discuss, and the topic of her marrying a convicted man fell under that category.

  “You were part of the reason I thought of this program, but until we actually see how it turns out, I’d rather you wait before asking me to consider you.”

  Closing her eyes, she turned her head toward the window. She could tell the sun was shining even with her eyes closed. The light in the darkness was the only glimmer of hope she still had—this program was the only chance for her family’s survival. Faith wiped at a tear that trickled down her cheek, opened her eyes and smiled down at Hope in her lap. “I appreciate your concern, but you know it’s time to start tilling up the ground and planting, or we won’t have any crop, and without a crop…”

  She didn’t need to finish her sentence. Corbin knew their crop had helped supply food for the town and gave her and Tom money to pay for the things they needed. Without a crop, not only would she and her children perish, the town would be in short supply.

  “I feel like I’ve let Tom down.” The sheriff’s head dropped.

  “You never made him any promises.” Faith knew he would have, if Tom hadn’t died instantly when he hit his head after the horse threw him. “And with this program, you’ve given women a chance to have a man help them in their time of need. So if any of these men have experience with farming, I really need someone to help, and I can’t afford to pay someone.”

  Corbin looked toward the door separating them from the prison cells and then back at her. “There’s one, but I don’t know that I trust him. He got in trouble for brawling.”

  “Perhaps his time in custody has given him a chance to think about his life choices.” Faith expelled a cleansing breath, feeling a glimmer of hope. She wrapped her arms around her daughter, almost as if getting a chance was as easy as reaching out for it, and taking it in your arms. “This program is about giving them something positive to work for while helping out women, like me, in need.”

  It wasn’t against her to use his words to corner him so that he would relent and consider her for the program. He admitted himself that he’d been thinking of her when he’d conceived this idea.

  CHAPTER TWO

  Kane Calloway sat hunched over in his jail cell, hands folded, forearms resting on his thighs. One of the other prisoners, an ex-preacher named Sawyer, had given him a lot to think about. Not that it helped, knowing who he was really angry at, ‘cause it wouldn’t bring back his wife or daughter.

  But Sawyer was right, Kane couldn’t keep taking his frustration out on other men who’d offended him, in order to vent his frustration. There had to be a more constructive way to work out his anger issues, because he wasn’t ready to forgive God for taking Rachel and their daughter away from him. Even the preacher sounded like he had his own issues to work out with God, so obviously, Kane wasn’t the only one upset with the Man Upstairs, as his Pa called God.

  The door between the prison cells and front office opened. Sheriff Daniels had the metal ring with the cell keys in one hand, and a frown on his face. Something had the man out of sorts today. When his gaze met Kane’s and didn’t waiver, it didn’t take long to figure who his displeasure was aimed at. “We need to talk, Calloway.”

  He shrugged and stood, not taking his eyes off the sheriff. “I assume you don’t mean here, seeing as you’ve brought the keys to my cell.”

  “You assume correctly.” Sheriff Daniel’s opened the door and extended a hand, indicating Kane should head toward the door.

  Straightening his stance, Kane walked past the sheriff, sure to keep his hands by his sides. This felt like a set up. One wrong move and the sheriff would claim he tried to escape. At best, he’d get a longer sentence, unless the sheriff was looking for a reason to shoot him. Supposedly Cord, another prisoner that had arrived with the rest of them, had gotten married, but it wasn’t like any of them had seen him since he was released.

  When they got to the door, Sheriff Daniels instructed him to go through. “Take a seat at one of the chairs in front of my desk.”

  Doing as instructed, Kane crossed a leg over his other thigh. The simple act of sitting in a regular chair made him feel human again. He hated being confined behind bars, and worse yet, not getting to bathe. All the men smelled less than desirable. Somehow, he didn’t get the feeling the sheriff had brought him out of his cell to get cleaned up. Thankfully, it didn’t appear he’d brought him out to shoot him either—but the day wasn’t over, and the man was obviously not happy.

  “Did I do something to offend you?” Kane asked. “You don’t seem too pleased.”

  “To be honest, I’m not.” Sheriff Daniels sat on the edge of his desk, one foot still on the ground, and leaned his forearms against his legs. “I came up with the idea of Freedom Brides because I knew of a woman in need. Her husband was my best friend, but he died.”

  “I’m sorry.” And Kane was, he knew the pain of losing someone close to you. “Unfortunately, there seems to be a lot of that going around.”

  “Meaning?” The sheriff tensed.

  Kane shrugged, letting out a sigh. “Meaning you’re not the only one who’s lost someone.”

  Sheriff Daniels nodded. His shoulders relaxed, slumping forward. “There is a possible candidate for you, but without having long to see the results of this program, I’m hesitant to give my approval.”

  Understanding dawned on Kane, and his eyebrow arched. “You’re thinking about your friend’s wife?”

  The law man nodded.

  “And you figure since I lost my wife, I can understand how this woman feels?” Being married to Rachel for five years had given Kane insight into people’s motivation.

  Something even the sheriff may not have realized—his reasoning for attempting to pair Kane up with his friend’s wife, because his mouth opened, then closed as he sat quietly for a moment, obviously contemplating his own thoughts. “Actually, the reason I thought of you was because she has a farm and needs someone who knows about farming. But yes, I think you both can understand how the other one feels. There’s just one thing.”

  “What’s that?” Kane asked, feeling more interested than he cared to admit.

  “You’ve got a reputation for brawling, and with her having two small children, I’m hesitant to allow this,” the sheriff said. “If you ever, in any way, raise a hand to her or her children, you won’t have to worry about going back to prison, because they’ll never find your body.”

  This time Kane’s eyes widened.

  “Do you understand?”

  Kane nodded. “Yeah, but you don’t need to threaten me. There ain’t no way I’d ever hurt a woman or children, and if I ever got to the point that I did, I’d expect you to shoot me.”

  They stared at each other, an unspoken knowledge transcending between them. The sheriff seemed satisfied, by the way he shook his head and stood. “Then we best be heading over to the church so that you and Mrs. Masterson can meet. If she’s agreeable, then we’ll set a date for the wedding.”

  “The last guy, that man named Cord, he never came back.” Kane silently hoped he wouldn’t have to return to his cell either while he awaited his wedding. His heart raced, but not because he was excited about getting married. That happened once in his life. Now, marriage meant freedom, he wouldn’t have to go back into a cage like a wild dog. “Where will I be staying until the wedding?”

  She
riff Daniels grabbed his hat and put it on his head, pausing at the door. “Cord and Josie were married immediately. But I think Faith will need a little time. She has to break it to the children and take time to think things through, make sure this is the right thing to do.”

  CHAPTER THREE

  Faith didn’t know what she was expecting, but Kane wasn’t the image she’d envisioned. He was tall, looked strong and apparently hadn’t shaved since his face had a shadow of hair growing, not full grown. He’s obviously not been afforded a bath, by the smell of him. Something she mentally reminded herself to discuss with Corbin. If he treated the men in the program respectfully, they would undoubtedly remain civilized. Otherwise, they would likely behave like the wild animals they were being treated as.

  Perhaps her concerns came more from his unkempt appearance, and being left alone together. Pastor Mire and Sheriff Daniels both waited outside the church with her daughters in order to give Faith and Kane time to become acquainted—then she could make a decision. Faith wondered if Kane had been given any say in his fate.

  “Do you mind if I sit down, ma’am?”

  Faith jumped.

  Kane nodded his head to the pew she was sitting on. “May I have a seat?”

  “By all means, please have a seat.” She scooted over a little, even though there was plenty of room on the pew for him. It had been over six months since she’d sat next to a man, and even then, it was her husband.

  “You’ve nothing to fear from me.” His blue eyes shone with sincerity.

  “I know.” A hint of a smile spread across her lips. “You have gentle eyes, even if you have a hard exterior.”

  He seemed to contemplate her words. Kane laughed, but not the type of chuckle one made when something was funny. More like something one did when they had come to a realization. “My wife, Rachel, used to say the same thing.”