Free Measure of Grace by Al Lacy Page A

is to find Jordan’s remains.”
    “I understand,” said Woodard. “Not until the remains are found can it come to closure in your hearts and minds. I’ll go to work on it right away. I’d say if we could get another four men, the search party would be the right size. I’ll leave Bob here to watch over the town while I’m gone.”
    William nodded. “I’d say eight would be enough. It might get cumbersome if we have too many.”
    “Right. Since it might take a few days, you fellows pack up some food and bedrolls for yourselves and wait at the ranch. It won’t take me very long to come up with four more volunteers. See you in a couple of hours or so.”
    At the same time William, Mark, and Knight were riding out of Elkton toward the Bar-S, Ace Decker and Keith Nolan were about to leave Jordan Shaw sitting on the floor of the room in their cabin they called his cell, and go to work at the sawmill.
    Jordan’s boots had been removed and his right ankle was chained to a post, with just enough length to allow him access to the food, water pitcher, and chamber pot close by. The chain was fastened securely to his ankle with a four-inch bolt through the links, and the nut was so tight it would be impossible to remove without pliers and wrench like the ones used by Nolan to put it on.
    Since the room was on the front side of the cabin, Decker pulled the window shade down so anyone passing by on the road could not see in. He chuckled and said, “Well Jordan, ol’ pal, we’ll see you this evenin’. You have yourself an enjoyable day.”
    Holding the pliers and wrench, Nolan laughed. “This makes me feel good, Ace! In time, this kid’s pa will give him up for dead.”
    “Yeah!” Decker laughed. “And the sufferin’ that goes with it is our sweet revenge.”
    Jordan closed his eyes and bit down on his lower lip. It was of no use to remind them of how his mother and sister would suffer. As they left the room, he opened his eyes and looked that direction through a wall of tears. He heard one of them shove the bolt on the cabin’s front door, then join his friend at the rear door. Jordan heard a padlock snap in place, and moments later, he heard Decker and Nolan trot their horses from the small corral toward the road.
    As the sound of pounding hooves faded away, Jordan broke down and sobbed. He rued the day he first got into trouble with the law. “Jordan, you fool! None of this would have happened if you hadn’t been so hotheaded.”
    He wept for a long time, his heart heavy for the suffering his family was going to bear. He thought of Lorene and Mark. Unless he could find a way to escape, he would not be there for their wedding on Saturday, June 18, which was less than two weeks away. And Mark had asked him to be one of his groomsmen along with Knight Colburn.
    Gritting his teeth and shaking his head, he said aloud, “I’ve got to come up with a way to escape. I’ve got to!”
    Late in the afternoon on the fourth day of leading his search party through forests and canyons, across streams, and into caves in theSawtooth Mountains, Marshal Woodard rendezvoused his teams of two at the base of Castle Peak.
    His features were granitelike as each pair reported no sign of Jordan’s remains. Woodard had kept William Shaw with him. Turning in his saddle to look at him, he said, “William, from the evidence I’ve seen: the tattered, bloody jacket; the grizzly’s paw prints in the woods where Jordan was chopping wood; all the blood in the area; and the bear’s tracks leading to higher ground, tell me that after the grizzly killed Jordan, it took the body to some remote spot and—well, enough said.”
    Wiping tears, William nodded. “I can see that it’s futile to keep searching any longer, Mike. These men need to get home to their families. Mark, Knight, and I need to go home, too.”
    With heavy hearts, the men turned their tired horses southward and headed toward lower ground.
    William Shaw was in the depths of