Page 124 of The Formation of Us

“What happened here?”

“I hit my head on the boat when Nicholas shoved me.”

“Nicholas Archer?” Duke saw scuffle marks in the pine needles. “What was he doing here?”

Adam held up a jewelry box. “This was in the boat. I think he wanted it, but when he saw me, he shoved me hard and ran off.” Adam’s eyes filled with tears and he hung his head. “I tried to stop him, but I blacked out a little when my head hit the boat.”

“It’s okay, Adam. I’ll go see Nicholas about this.”

“I’m sorry I wasn’t strong enough to stop the judge from taking Cora,” he said.

“It wasn’t your job to stop him. He’s a grown man, Adam, and more than twice your size.”

“I’ll learn how to fight better. I promise. Just p-please don’t make me go with that lawyer.” He knuckled his tears away. “I’m pretty sure I could make a good son if you could teach me to fight and stuff.”

Duke had held back tears under some of the most difficult times of his life, but seeing a young boy begging to be loved shredded his control. Choked by emotion, he pulled the skinny, shivering youth into his arms.

“I’m the one who needs to apologize,” he said, forcing the words from his tight throat. “I’ve pushed too hard and expected too much. You’re a good boy, Adam. The only one here who needs to prove himself is me.”

o0o

After Adam changed and ate two bowls of soup, he went with Duke, Judge Barker, and Sheriff Phelps to Wayne Archer’s house. Even with so many men on his side, Adam felt nervous.

Wayne Archer denied any knowledge of the stolen ring. But Nicholas Archer shocked everyone by saying his sister Melissa was behind the theft.

His father gaped at him. “What are you talking about?”

“Melissa’s been following Adam and Rebecca around since he moved to town.”

Adam knew that, and he hated it, but he’d figured it was a dumb girl thing to spy on people.

“That has nothing to do with stealing a diamond ring,” his dad said. “Nor does it explain why you’re getting blamed for hitting this young man.”

Nicholas winced and looked at Adam. “I’m sorry about that. I just wanted to get the ring back and return it so nobody got in trouble. I didn’t know you’d get hurt when I shoved you.”

Duke looked like he wanted to question Nicholas, but he let Sheriff Phelps do it.

“How did you know the ring was there if you didn’t take it?” Sheriff Phelps asked.

“I read Melissa’s diary.” He glanced at his father. “The way she followed Adam around made me wonder what she was up to. I thought maybe . . . I was just trying to look out for her. I didn’t know she was being an idiot until I read her diary. She took the parasol from the apothecary and left it at Rebecca’s house, hoping Rebecca would get blamed for stealing it. She was jealous that Adam liked Rebecca.”

All the men looked at Adam, making his face burn. Girls were so stupid.

“Did she take the fishing rod?” Duke asked, apparently wanting to clear up the whole mess.

Nicholas nodded. “When she found out Adam got blamed for taking the parasol, she took Dad’s fishing rod and hid it in your boat. She knew where you kept it because she’d been following Adam around.”

“How long have you known about this?” Sheriff Phelps asked.

“Since right after she took the parasol. But my dad was trying to get elected sheriff, and I knew it would be bad for him if anyone found out. I didn’t know Melissa would do something stupid like steal an expensive ring from the jeweler. I thought if I got it back and returned it to the store owner, he might not say anything to anyone.”

“My God . . .” Mr. Archer sank down onto the parlor sofa as if the air leaked out of him. “All this time I’ve been pointing a righteous finger at others, and my own children have been at the root of the trouble.”

Adam almost felt sorry for Archer. The man looked gray and stunned, like someone had knocked him on the head with a rock.

Sheriff Phelps hooked his thumb in his gun belt like Duke used to do. “Where’s your daughter, Mr. Archer?”

Archer shook his head, but it was hard to tell if he was saying he didn’t know, or if he was just shaking his head because he couldn’t believe what was happening.