The Dream Thief by Kari Kilgore (books for 10th graders txt) 📕

"He's with us, yes," she said. "And so is the man who attacked him yesterday."

At Loretta's words, a soft gasp went through the crowd. Morgan climbed down, moving far more slowly than he had been just a few hours before. Walton caught him up in a great hug.

"What happened, Son? Are you hurt? Where have you been?"

"I'm okay," Morgan said. "They took good care of me. That guy grabbed me on the way home from classes. He already had your horse, said he'd been asking around about the people who bought supplies the other day. He said I had to take him to that house or he'd burn the stable down. Our house, too."

Walton knelt and checked Morgan's injuries, more gently than Loretta would have believed possible.

"How did you get away?" he said.

"I... I jumped into Ms. Gemma's fence. That way he had to try the door himself."

Walton kissed his son on the head, then got to his feet. He pulled his black wool hat off and twisted it in his hands, the fringes of his gray hair standing up.

"Where is he?" he said. "I'll take care of this from here."

"We need to talk to you about that, if we may." Loretta accepted Karl's hand on the way down from the wagon. "I have an idea that may get to the bottom of this and get him out of your hair."

"I don't want that, Loretta," Walton said. "I don't have any blasted hair left. I want to settle with that monster myself."

"And you will," she said. "But please come inside. Let us share our idea."

Walton stared up at Rullin, who was foolish enough glare back. Loretta was about to try again when he turned and strode into his office.

By the time Loretta and Karl joined him, Walton paced across the creaky wooden floor, eyes on the wagon through the windows.

"Give me one reason why I shouldn't cut that bastard's throat for him."

"He's the shaw pilot's brother." Loretta sat in one of the chairs in front of the desk, arranging herself and her dress for the best effect. "We need him to get us back to Waldron's Gate, and you need him to buy your wool and bring your supplies."

"I'm not just going to let him go free after he kidnapped my son!"

"No one is suggesting that," Karl said, taking the other chair. "Loretta has an idea that will help all of us and possibly get him dealt with for good."

"And it involves you having him locked up here for at least a few hours," she said. "The best part is he won't know it's not for the rest of his life. Or until you hang him."

Walton stopped pacing and stared out at Gemma and Morgan, talking to the people who'd gathered. They all stood well away from the wagon.

"His mother's gone, you know," Walton said. "The rest of our children grown and moved away. I can't let anything happen to him."

"I know," Loretta said. "I'm afraid the shaw pilot feels the same way about his brother. Bill doesn't know what to do with Rullin, but this may just let all of us figure that out."

Walton turned around, not bothering to wipe his eyes.

"Bring the pilot here," he said. "If I can have a few hours alone with that...thing, we'll see what we can work out."

All of them jumped at a sharp knock on the door. Walton opened it before Karl or Loretta could move. She'd never seen Bill looking so badly put together outside of his own private quarters.

His hair stood on end, several buttons on his black dress uniform were undone, and his dark face was redder than she would have thought possible. She didn't want to upset either man even more, but she needed both on her side.

"Walton, this is the pilot of the shaw moored in your village," she said. "Bill, this is the owner of this stable. And the father of the boy who was attacked."

All of the color and more disappeared from Bill's face until he was nearly as pale as Loretta herself.

Walton's voice sounded calm, but Loretta was afraid to breathe.

"Am I to understand it was your brother who did this to my son?"

"I'm sorry to say yes." Bill bowed his head and clasped his hands together. "We had him under guard, but he managed to escape. I am responsible for him, sir. What will be done with him?"

After several uncomfortable seconds, Walton took a deep breath.

"I'll be honest with you, sir," he said. "Since you were honest with me. What I would like to do is skin him alive and hang him in the village square for the birds to feast upon. He not only attacked my young son, but he was trying to attack this woman and her grandmother."

"That would be exactly what he deserves," Bill said. "My efforts to control his evil nature have failed."

Loretta felt sorry for manipulating Bill this way, but only for the seconds it took to glance outside and see Gemma and Morgan together.

"Our mutual friend has a suggestion that isn't quite so drastic," Walton said. "If you're willing to consider it, I would be as well."

Bill looked at Loretta, hope edging out desperation in his eyes.

"Since she was again the target of my brother's crime," he said. "I'm willing to consider whatever she has to say."

"I believe this may help all of us in the end," Loretta said. "What I propose is we leave Rullin locked up here in Walton's custody until they hang him. As far as he knows, anyway. We hope he'll get desperate enough to reveal why he's been behaving this way."

Karl hadn't moved or spoken since Bill walked in, but his voice cut through the silence.

"Wait." Loretta's annoyance turned to concern at his pale face and horrified expression. He wasn't meeting anyone's eyes, but he kept talking. "If this is going to work, he has to believe it. Don't give him any Crumble, Walton."

"What? Are you insane,