Annie Oakes Whatley - The Final Reckoning

By John J. Law

Annie Oakes Whatley finds out that things are not what they seem and questions yield more questions than answers. Could her father, the man who raised her as his own, really be a cold blooded killer? And what about this man, the passenger from the train who had saved her, why did he now want her dead? These questions and more would be answered in good time.

• Language: English
• Publisher: J.C. Hulsey Books
• Release date: Mar 29, 2024
• ISBN: 9798224712557

Book preview

Chapter One: A Fine Man.

She had nothing. There was nothing left to live for. The vigilantes had exacted their terrible brand of justice upon her husband by now, and she was sure that he surely must have perished. Her husband sensed that his own demise was coming, and had warned her, of such. This was the reason that he had sent her away with his son, and their unborn child. The vigilantes were steadily gaining power in the small mining towns that he watched over, and they did not take kindly that he was catching the outlaws that terrified the people. He was getting much closer to the truth that the outlaws and the vigilantes were one and the same, and they would kill him for it.

You've got to leave now, Carmen. 

Through a haze of misery and darkness, Carmen vaguely remembered her husband telling her such things and advising her to leave. She remembered how concerned and truly worried he looked.

Leave? How can I leave now, Harold? Not now when we've just barely gotten settled into the town. I mean, Henry's just barely over a year and, and...

Carmen glanced at her belly which was quickly getting bigger. It would soon be quite round and no dress would be able to cover the bulge of a second pregnancy.

Yes. Yes, I know you're expecting our second child. I know its harsh, but if you don't leave with Henry and Lucy now, there will be nothing left of our family.

She remembered smiling at her husband as he mentioned Lucy.

Thank you Harold. Lucy, she was my daughter with James yet you always treated her like your own daughter. I truly appreciate that.

Harold smiled at Carmen. For a moment, his sheriff's brass star seemed to shine just a little brighter now.

She was your first child when you and James were once married, as we are now. It's not her fault that things turned out this way.

Carmen fought the tears back and kissed Harold gently on the lips.

You're a fine man, Harold. A fine man, indeed.

Ma, Pa?

They both turned around and saw little Henry. He took a few tentative steps towards them, and Carmen quickly took him in her arms. He was only barely beginning to walk, and he had a habit of waking up in the middle of the night.

If I'm a fine man, I'm sure one day, Henry will grow to be a righteous man. A truly righteous man. Harold said.

Chapter Two: The Baby in the Basket.

Carmen brushed the memories aside. They were too painful for her mind to hold on to. Often thoughts and memories were difficult for her mind to grasp or carry, as if she were a laborer struggling to lift some heavy weight. Her mind struggled to simply stay sane and think cohesive thoughts. It was getting harder and harder for Carmen to think these days. It had always been