When the Rain Comes (Love Journeys South, Book 2)

Chapter 1. Storm Clouds Gather.

Another secret of the universe: Sometimes pain was like a storm that came out of nowhere. The clearest summer could end in a downpour. Could end in lightning and thunder. ~ Benjamin Alire Sáenz

Chapter 1.

Storm Clouds Gather.

"Being a Sheriff is rarely a pleasant occupation," Sheriff Owen Jacobs remembered for the umpteenth time as he dismounted his horse and tied it to the front porch of the farmhouse he had just ridden up to.

Catching criminals sounded so heroic, and the idea of it sounded so honorable, however in real life, one out of maybe twenty criminals was really as black and evil-hearted as storybooks will tell you. The rest were ordinary people, who, for some reason or another, had gone bad. Yet behind all that badness, there was a still a backstory, a reason as to why the man or woman had turned from the straight and narrow path and gone down the one of crime.

But the worst part of it all was having to inform the family of the culprit about the arrest. Usually, this didn't fall into Jacobs' line of duty and he was mighty thankful for that. This time, however, there was no backing out of it. So with a heavy heart, he walked up to the steps of the front porch and gave a weary knock on the front door.

As he waited for someone to answer, Jacobs glanced around. It was a well-kept place. The house was big with two stories. He had ridden past the fields on his way and the farm was in good shape and had lots of land that was tended and tilled. The pasture, where the animals no doubt grazed, had looked lush and green with the rich green grass of the month of May.

"What a difference to the pathetic little farm next door," Jacobs mused. "No wonder Carthwrite wanted me to bring his little wife here. The owners certainly looked after their land and made it so prosperous by the sweat of their brow.

The door cracked open and a skinny boy wearing spectacles peeked out. His eyes widened at the sight of the sheriff, and for a moment Jacobs stared bewildered too. The kid's eyes were different. One was brown the other was blue. Thus they both blinked at each other for a couple of seconds. Jacobs was the first to snap back to reality.

"Sorry to interrupt at the dinner hour," he stated in his thick voice. "But I'm lookin' for Mr. and Mrs. Carthwrite. I was told this was their farm."

"Why do you need my parents?" The boy questioned, obviously distrustful of this stranger sheriff.

"It's about their son," Jacobs explained in a quiet manner.

The boy gave a quick nod and hurried away. In a matter of moments, the door opened a little wider and a man and woman greeted him. Behind them, Jacobs caught sight of the boy who had opened the door, three more young men, ranging from about eighteen to sixteen, and a young woman of about twenty years. A small child had pushed his way to the front but had been shoved back by the tall man with sad blue eyes and greying hair. Jacobs guessed this to be Samuel Carthwrite, Seth's father.

"Mr. and Mrs. Carthwrite," he addressed the two elders as he wrung the hat in his hands.

"Yes?" the man answered as he appraised the sheriff. "How can we help you?"

Jacobs took a deep breath. If only he didn't have to be the one doing this. "I'm sorry to disturb you at the supper hour," he began. "My name is Owen Jacobs and I'm the sheriff over at Garden Springs. I'm afraid I've come to bring you some news about yer son, Seth Carthwrite."

A gasp came from the woman beside Mr. Carthwrite. Owens had to admit she was very beautiful, despite her years. Thick, black hair crowned her head and her soft brown eyes were very similar to those of the son that Jacobs had just put in jail. Fear was written on her face, a face that had obviously seen many hardships and lived through trying times. Jacobs hated having to be the one to put another care upon her shoulders, another worry to her life.