5 Chapter 4

Marshal found the door to the Redfield mansion open.

Pushing past it he walked inside the house to find Mrs. Andersons' fingers curled around Andrianna's body trying to detach her from Francis. The child was crying, refusing to let go.

But that was not what had Marshal Stand there motionless.

No, it was Francis.

More accurately, it was Francis' dead body that had him in shock. He could not believe his eyes. He did not want to believe it.

He did not want to believe that when he was paying for the most beautiful rock to endow upon Francis' fingers she was probably being raped. That a man had torn at her blouse and touched as she screamed. She must have cried for help, she must have begged the cruel man not to do this.

She must have begged for mercy. For her life. She must have fought to live as he spread open her legs and invaded her. The idea of Francis in so much pain during her last breaths hurt him more than to watch her pale skin lifeless on this day.

She was supposed to say yes today. Not to death but him.

She was supposed to live.

Mrs. Anderson turned around bundling up little Andrianna's body in her arms when she saw him. The look of devastation in his eyes was something she had she could forget.

She knew what it felt like to watch someone die but die this way and this young was pain Mrs. Anderson could not imagine. Their life together had yet to begin.

She did not know what to tell him, as he fell to his knees crying. As his deep voice screamed as if he was in physical pain. She could neither help him nor the unconscious child in her arms.

All she could do was take them away from Francis.