Free From Sin (A Possum Gap Novel Book 1)

  © 2022 Karen Ann Hopkins

  All rights reserved.

  ISBN: 9798799900489 (paperback)

  Books by Karen Ann Hopkins

  Serenity’s Plain Secrets

  in reading order

  LAMB TO THE SLAUGHTER

  WHISPERS FROM THE DEAD

  SECRETS IN THE GRAVE

  HIDDEN IN PLAIN SIGHT

  PAPER ROSES

  FORBIDDEN WAYS (a romantic companion novel)

  EVIL IN MY TOWN

  UNHOLY GROUND

  SWEET REGRETS (a romantic companion novel)

  BLOODY TIES

  THE WIDOW

  WICKED LEGACY

  BLOOD ROCK

  THE OFFERING

  SERENITY

  Wings of War

  in reading order

  EMBERS

  GAIA

  TEMPEST

  ETERNITY

  The Temptation Novels

  in reading order

  TEMPTATION

  BELONGING

  FOREVER

  DECEPTION

  JOURNEY (coming in 2022)

  Willow Creek (in partnership with HarperCollins/One More Chapter)

  The Fortuna Coin

  The Possum Gap Novels

  FREE FROM SIN

  DARK HOLLOW ROAD (coming in 2022)

  For anyone who’s ever lived in the mountains, you know. You’ve seen the rundown trailer parks, junk cars, and trash alongside the road. You’ve witnessed poverty and driven through dying towns. But you’ve also seen misty tenacles of fog fading to reveal a rugged mountaintop or had your breath taken away by the beauty of a hillside dotted with dainty white dogwood booms and perky pink redbuds. You’ve spied deer, fox, and an occasionally black bear through lush, green foliage. Icy cold creek water has touched your toes and you’ve tasted the gritty sweetness of wild black berries on your tongue. A bobcat’s shriek has stopped your heart and the chirpy call of a whip-poor-will has calmed your nerves. The mountains are a mixed bag for sure—but a place you know you’ll never forget.

  —Karen Ann Hopkins

  ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

  Many thanks to Heather, Caroline, and Katie for editing and proofreading this installment, and Ricbre and Danny for beta reading.

  Appreciation to Melissa of The Illustrated Cover Design Services for the lovely cover!

  EbookPbook provided the formatting of this book.

  1

  Charlie

  Possum Gap, Kentucky

  The horse’s black fur felt warm and slick beneath my fingertips. I glanced both ways. No one was paying attention, so I leaned in closer and inhaled deeply. The horse smelled nice too. It was a sweet mixture of grass, sunshine, and a little bit of dust thrown in.

  “Do ya like horses?”

  The voice crept up from behind, making me jump sideways. I looked up. A young woman—perhaps ten years older than me—smiled back. She was slim, and judging from her tanned arms and face she spent a lot of hours outside. A few strands of her blonde hair escaped the white cap she wore, and she reached up with her free hand to tuck them in. Her other hand grasped a chubby baby girl. They both wore teal-colored polyester dresses, white aprons that matched the white caps on their heads, and black tennis shoes.

  The woman smiled in a friendly way, and I realized she wasn’t angry that I had been petting her horse. I took a long breath as I glanced down at my naked toes, suddenly aware that my feet were dirty. I’d outgrown my shoes, and the pink flip flops were all that fit anymore. Slowly lifting my gaze and hoping the Amish woman hadn’t noticed my gross toes, I found my voice.

  “I’m not sure.” I shrugged, shifting my face to catch the breeze. The sun was so bright it hurt my eyes. I didn’t like sweating either. “I never touched one before.”

  The woman’s eyes flared. “You’ve never petted a horse before?” The baby began to wriggle in her arms, and the woman expertly shifted the weight to her other arm while she continued to stare at me.

  I shook my head, growing uncomfortable under the woman’s intense gaze. “I grew up in the city. There weren’t any horses there.”

  “What city?”

  Why was this stranger so persistent? I glanced over my shoulder and, seeing that we were still alone, I exhaled, feeling a little better. There were other people around, but they were ignoring us. A steady stream of people, both Amish and non-Amish, went in and out of the market. The sun glared off the metal roof, blinding me when I tilted my head. I turned back to the bright-eyed woman.

  “Cincinnati,” I said quietly. The large horse made a deep rumbling sound when another horse walked too close, pulling a similar buggy as the one attached to it. I stepped sideways.

  The woman’s hand came forward. “Don’t worry. Goliath is a saint. He’s well-trained and wouldn’t even hurt a pesky fly. He’s just flirting with the mare that passed by.”

  “Goliath? Like the giant in the Bible story?” I made no move to step closer. The woman might mean well, but she couldn’t guarantee that the large animal wouldn’t accidentally stomp me. There were no guarantees in life.

  Her smile deepened. “Why, yes. That’s the one.” She rested her hand on Goliath’s neck. “Except this Goliath is good, not bad.” She flicked her wrist. “Come on, you can pet him again.”

  I liked talking to this woman. Her mellow voice and doe-like eyes soothed my thumping heart. Slowly, I stepped back up to the black horse. This time, when I touched his fur, I wasn’t as tense as before. “I almost went to a horse race once, but then—” I snapped my mouth shut. I wasn’t supposed to talk about it, and even if I was, this lady wouldn’t want to hear about me.

  My mouth went dry and I licked my cracked lips. It stung to do so. I wished I had some water.

  Our eyes met, and she brushed by me to open the small door on the side of the buggy. The woman set the baby down on the floorboard and reached for something. When she pulled her hand back out, I was amazed to see her holding a plastic water bottle. She must have read my mind.

  “You look thirsty.”

  I didn’t argue when she handed me the bottle. My nana had often said I was stubborn, but not dumb. I could still hear her sharp voice and cackling laughter in my mind.

  “Thanks,” I muttered, hurrying to pull the cap off then taking a long swig.

  The cool liquid brought my empty stomach to life. When it gurgled loudly, I saw the corner of the woman’s mouth raise just before her upper body disappeared back inside the buggy. This time, she emerged with something wrapped in her hand.

  “Do you like apple or cherry fried pies?”

  My mouth watered. Either would suit me just fine. I worked hard to keep my expression bland. The woman didn’t need to know I hadn’t eaten anything since the night before, and I was starving. “Oh, are you giving one away?” I asked casually.

  Her stare intensified, and I could tell by the way her jaw sagged that she was deliberating what to do. Experiencing a thrilling little rush in my chest, I dropped my gaze, unable to maintain eye contact any longer, but then I saw my feet again. Busying myself by pulling my faded blue jeans back up over my hips, I started to think the Amish woman had just been teasing me about a pie.

  She went back into the buggy without another word. When she turned around, she handed me two wrapped pies. “I know it’s difficult to choose. They’re both delicious.”

  I swallowed the hard lump down my tight throat. My eyes stung. I quickly rubbed them with the back of my hand.

  The woman thrust the pies at me. “Go on, take them.” She lowered her voice. “It’s okay, really. I have a box full. I’m delivering them to the ball game this afternoon. The teenagers can spare a couple.” She pressed the pies into my hand. “How old are you anyway?”

  It was a rude question, but since she’d given me the pies, I quickly answered. “Eighteen last month.”

  “You look younger.” Her tone was unreadable. She cocked her head. “Do you live around here? I can’t recall seeing you at the market before.”

  I thought up a lie and began to tell it to her when I saw her eyes growing large, and her mouth gape open widely. I spun around, but it was too late.

  A hand grabbed my shoulder, squeezed it hard, then jerked me backward. The precious pies dropped out of my hands.

  “What the hell are you doing, Charlie? I told you to stay in the fucking car.”

  Dillon’s voice cut through the air like a punch after my quiet conversation with the Amish woman. I slapped my hands to my ears. “I’m sorry, Dillon. I wanted to pet the horse, that’s all. We hardly talked. I promise.”

  I tried to keep my footing as Dillon yanked me toward the car, but I stumbled. His tight grip was the only thing that kept me from falling. The scene blurred through my tears. I saw the pies lying in the grass, and a sharp pang of regret twisted my empty stomach. Oh, how I wished I had taken one bite before Dillon ruined everything.

  I didn’t even know the nice woman’s name, and yet she lurched after me, shouting, “Let go of her, you brute!”

  “This ain’t your fucking business,” Dillon retorted, not even giving the woman the courtesy of looking at her.

  Her hand closed around mine, and our eyes met. Through the tears, I saw the panic in
her brown eyes. He swatted her hand away without looking up as he threw open the Malibu’s door before shoving me inside. The heat inside the car was unbearable when the door slammed shut. Hungry, exhausted, and hot, I slumped in the passenger seat, staring straight ahead. I couldn’t look out the window because I’d see the woman standing there, her mouth hanging open and her cap askew. I didn’t mean to waste her pies, and Dillon shouldn’t have said that filthy word to her. I wanted to sink down deeper and disappear in the seat.

  Dillon hurled a few more obscenities before he jumped in and started the engine. I caught a glimpse of Goliath shying back when the Malibu peeled away, tearing up the grass right where I’d dropped the pies.

  My stomach growled again, but Dillon didn’t hear it. He was too busy shouting about how stupid I was and that he couldn’t take me anywhere. I folded my hands on my lap and closed my eyes. There was no way Dillon would feed me now. It would be the next morning at the earliest before he’d give me something to eat.

  Dillon’s rant sounded faraway. I brought my fingers to my nose and sniffed. Sunshine and grass. I found the scent comforting, and in that moment, I decided that I liked horses very much.

  2

  Lucinda

  The drive home seemed longer than usual. I kept Goliath in a steady trot down Willow Springs Road, only slowing the buggy to turn into the gravel driveway. Josh was the first one out of the house. My oldest child had turned ten years old a few days earlier, and he was already acting like a little man, mimicking his da in most ways.

  “Did you buy some bubblegum?” He jogged down the front porch steps.

  I put on the brake and reached for Phoebe. She was the youngest of my brood and had the same easy temperament as Josh. With arms outstretched and eyes wide, she waited for me to scoop her up and step out of the buggy. The windows were too small to catch much of the breeze, and the interior had been uncomfortably warm. Sweat made the place between my breasts sticky, and without looking, I knew my dress was stained beneath the arms. I hated the hot months.

  Phoebe’s bottom rested on my hip while I pulled a small bag out of the purse I had looped over my shoulder. I held it up in front of Josh and his face beamed. He made a grab for it, but I snatched it back. Luckily, I was still several inches taller than the boy. In a year or two, that wouldn’t be the case, and silly games like this one would be impossible.

  “Now, now. Don’t you think you ought to unhitch Goliath for your mamma?” With my free hand, I tugged out the grocery bags, setting them onto the grass.

  His face and shoulders sagged. “Ya, suppose so.”

  “Get to it quick, then. Your stash is safe with me until you finish.”

  “Thank you, Ma.” Josh took hold of Goliath’s reins and turned around.

  “Brush him off well. He worked hard in the heat today,” I instructed in a firm voice.

  I was satisfied when Josh’s hand went up, acknowledging that he’d heard me. Like his da, he fancied himself a horse trainer and would take the job seriously. If it wasn’t ninety degrees, the poor lad would have gone about it with a smile on his face. I shifted Phoebe’s weight to pick up the bags and groaned a little when her sticky arms closed around my neck, nearly choking me.

  “Ack, girl. You’re growing too fast. I won’t be able to carry you much longer.” I paused, looking Phoebe in the eye. “Then what are you going to do?”

  Phoebe’s already wide eyes grew larger. She pursed her plump lips, looking like she might cry. “Da Da.”

  “Oh, so that’s your answer, is it? Ha. That will only work if Da’s home, which he isn’t during the day,” I muttered to the baby as I slowly climbed the steps. “Sarah!” I shouted, knowing she’d be able to hear me through the open windows. Where could that dreamy child be?

  “Coming,” Sarah answered from inside. Sounding like what I’d imagine the noise a charging buffalo would make, she barreled down the stairs.

  The door flung open, and she met me on the top step. She didn’t have her cap on, and most of her hair was loose from her bun. Her dress wasn’t much tidier. Stains and dust from the morning chores still clung to it. Sarah caught me looking at her appearance, and her mouth scrunched. Being a witty child, she grasped Phoebe, relieving me of the load. The sudden lightness was wonderful, temporarily giving Sarah a reprieve from a scolding that would come soon enough. How the child, only eight and half my size could even carry Phoebe was beyond me. She wobbled a bit, planted her bare feet firmly beneath her, and took one careful step at a time into the house. I followed closely on her heels. When she stopped to take a breath, I bumped into her back.

  “Sarah, move your feet. I have to put the ice cream into the freezer before it melts.” I assumed the hot drive home had already softened it thoroughly.

  “Ice cream?” Sarah managed to step out of the way. “Why aren’t you making it?”

  Now the child sounded like her da. I snorted loudly. “Someday, when you have a house to clean and several children to feed, you’ll realize that in order to make it through the day, you must cut a few corners.” I dropped the bags onto the kitchen table and quickly fished out the bucket and crossed the room to stuff it into the crowded freezer.” With that done, I exhaled. “The Lord gave us markets for a reason, Sarah.”

  I placed my hands on my hips and turned to my oldest daughter. She still struggled to hold onto Phoebe, who made chirping sounds like she knew her safety was compromised in the skinny arms of her sister. “Why don’t you take Phoebe’s dress off and see if she’ll take a nap before dinner.”

  Sarah nodded instead of speaking. Just maneuvering through the family room with her full arms took all her attention. The side of my mouth rose at the sight of Sarah struggling with Phoebe. Someday, the sisters would be fast friends and enjoy each other’s company. But for now, it was a lopsided relationship.

  Not hearing a peep from the girls prompted me to empty the bags quickly. I might be able to start supper before Phoebe awoke, which would be a pleasant change. As I gathered the butter, bread, and pork chops onto the table, thoughts of the young woman at the market filled my head. The poor thing was dirty and hungry. I blew out a hard breath when I recalled the way the man had yanked her like he was jerking clothes off a line as a rainstorm approached.

  The room had darkened while I worked, and I snapped my head up. “Shew!” I hurried to the window above the sink and looked out. The yellow gingham curtains snapped in the growing wind. Dark clouds had indeed gathered to the west. I caught a whiff of rain in the air. Here, I thought I was a step ahead of the chores, and I’d completely forgotten about the laundry. With super speed, I sliced the apples and seasoned the chops inside the casserole dish. The potatoes would have to wait. Sliding the dish into the oven, I set the temperature and timer, then ran out the screen door.

  The air that struck my face took my breath away and sent tingles racing along my arms. A jagged flash of lightning within the gray clouds caught my eye, making me run faster. “Ach, first it’s too hot and muggy to breathe, then a storm rolls in, threatening to drench me,” I muttered the words to myself, tugging the clothes off the line and tossing them into the laundry basket. I usually took the time to fold them first, but the first raindrop striking my nose put an end to my routine.

  I managed to squash all the clothes into the single basket and tuck it under my arm before I made a run for the porch. Goliath’s head poked out the window opening from his stall in the stable. I was relieved that Josh had the sense to leave the horse inside until the storm passed over.

  I made it halfway across the yard when the sky opened up, and the deluge came. I stiffened under the cold, pelting rain, mindful not to complain about it. The sweat was being washed away, and the garden, crops, and hayfield were getting a much-needed watering. I’d say a prayer of thanks once I’d dried off.

  The roar of an engine turned my head. James must have quit early due to the rain. His driver’s dually truck had no problem making it over the suddenly formed trenches of rushing water in the now rutted driveway. The truck stopped in front of the porch, and James jumped out. If his desire to seek cover had been high, he didn’t show it by his clenched jaw. James made a beeline to intersect me. The pouring rain turned the farm into a water-drenched, hazy green world. Barely visible to me, James grabbed the basket, and side by side, we sprinted for the porch.