JULY 8, 1861

Jake watched as she left the boutique and without being seen he followed her. He stayed back far enough so that she wouldn't notice him. He followed her northwest until he came to the big sign that said 'Starshine Haven'. He got off the road and went through the woods until he spotted a house. There he saw the girl get off her horse, and he saw another girl come out of the house. He did a double take, blinking because he couldn't believe his eyes. There were two of them. He realized that he had confronted the wrong girl weeks ago. It was her twin sister. By the dress she held up to show Jewel, it seemed as though she would be getting married soon. Well, that was all right with him. He didn't want the one called Jacy. He wanted the one called Jewel. She had done him an injustice a while back, and he was going to see that she paid for it.

He waited patiently. He wanted to sneak up to the house as soon as it got dark. Maybe he could get her tonight. He wanted her now. She needed to pay for what she had done to him. So as soon as it got dark, he crept up to the house. As he listened under the window he heard them discussing the wedding that would be held this Saturday. He heard a couple of horses, so he took a peek around the corner. He saw Melissa and Tally get off their horses and go inside.

He decided that maybe tonight wasn't such a good opportunity to nab her after all. Maybe Saturday would be a better time. It seemed that there would only be a few people there at the house for the wedding because Jacy didn't want a big one. She just wanted her family and the reverend to be there.

Jake went around the house checking windows and found one that he could pry open because the latch was broken. He doubted with all the wedding preparations that anyone would take time out to fix a broken latch, so this is the way he would get in the day of the wedding.

Creeping back to his horse, he mounted and rode back to town. He went to the saloon and bought himself a beer as he contemplated his scheme to kidnap Jewel. He thought about using her and then killing her for what she had done to him. Also it would be a sweet revenge to pay her back for turning Melissa against him. He smiled at the thought.

Maybe he could even get some money out of it. Tally was a rich man. He would pay to have his sister back. Maybe he would give her back and maybe he wouldn't, but Tally wouldn't know one way or another, so he would pay. An evil smile crossed his face as he thought about what he would do to Jewel once he had her. He finished his beer and then went back to his room in the hotel.