by June Faver
“Let’s get out of here.” Pell pulled himself out of his seat and held out a hand to Jennifer. He managed to get the door open, and Jenn could see several people wearing shorts and bicycle helmets.
“We saw the whole thing,” one woman shouted. “Are you folks all right?”
“We called 911,” a man said. “Is anyone hurt?”
Pell climbed down and reached up to assist Jenn. “We seem to be okay.”
“Man! That was some masterful flying, mister. I can’t believe you didn’t crash.”
Pell gave a nod and a two-fingered salute. “Been there, done that. Got the medals to prove it.”
Jenn felt nothing but respect for the man. She couldn’t believe she had been so shallow as to judge him by his appearance when first they met.
The sound of sirens in the distance alerted them to the sheriff’s vehicles fast approaching with a cloud of dust kicking up behind them.
“Well, Miss Jennifer,” Pell said, “don’t let it be said I don’t know how to show a lady a good time.”
* * *
That evening, Misty greeted Colton with a kiss. “Hey, big guy. How would you feel about having another brother?”
Colt drew back with his brow furrowed. “What? Do you know something I don’t know?”
“I’m pretty sure I do.” She grinned up at him as his face registered something close to shock.
“What are you trying to tell me?” He made an exaggerated surprised face. “You don’t mean my dad…”
“I think your dad is going to adopt my little brother.”
To her surprise, Colt burst out laughing. “Good one! I thought you were hinting that Dad had a girlfriend.”
“Stop teasing me.” She cocked her head to one side and folded her arms across her body. “Colt, I am serious.” Misty turned and went out onto the porch. She sank onto the glider and set it in motion. A chorus of katydids were performing a concert in the field behind the barn. It was strangely comforting after the day she had endured—too much emotion for a woman who liked things to roll out easily.
Colt followed her and stood staring down at her. “Honey, I’m sorry. I’m glad you decided to embrace this idea. What changed your mind?”
She patted the seat next to her, and he slid onto the space. “I have to tell you that Mark has been bullied at school. He didn’t tell me, but it’s been going on for some time.”
Colt’s brows drew together. “Bullied? Why didn’t he say something?”
Misty heaved a sigh. “Apparently, he was ashamed. These boys in his class were giving him a hard time about things that he had no part in.” She blinked hard to keep the tears at bay. “Things that our brother did…so maybe being a Dalton is not such a great thing.”
Colt wrapped his arms around her and kissed her hair. “Sorry. I didn’t have a clue… Do I need to go up to the school and have a talk with the principal?”
Misty let out a huff of air. “Too late. Big Jim went to the school to pick Mark up today. I’m sure he made an impact.”
Colt was silent for a few minutes, apparently letting this news set in. Finally, he nodded. “So my dad is going to adopt Mark?”
She shrugged. “I guess so.”
Colt planted another kiss on her, this time on her cheek. “Well, Mark is already my little bro by marriage, so I’m okay if Dad makes it official.”
“Better let your other brothers know.” Misty leaned her head against Colt’s shoulder, glad she could give Mark so many good role models.
Chapter 27
When Cade got the call from Jennifer, he was in his truck before she disconnected. She sounded shaken but insisted she was all right.
“I think I’m fine. The EMTs are going to see if I’m okay.”
“You went flying with Edgar Wayne Pell? Are you crazy?”
She gave a weak-sounding laugh. “Probably. I just wanted to see the canyon from the air, and he offered to show me.”
“And he crashed the plane down in the canyon? Damn! You could have been killed.”
“I’ve got to go. The medics want to check me out.” She disconnected before he could get the exact location, but he figured he could find her or call back when he got to the canyon.
To say that Cade may have broken the speed limit would have been an understatement. As he flew toward the Palo Duro Canyon, he was alternately furious and panic-stricken over Jennifer’s actions. How could she have even thought of going up in a small plane with a man like Edgar Wayne Pell?
The man’s twisted, red face had always seemed to make Cade suspicious. Of course, that alone was no solid reason to mistrust the man. It was the way he was rarely seen in town. Maybe he was just a hermit? Maybe he was up to something in his hideaway?
And why had he targeted Jennifer?
Cade’s back teeth were clenched so tight his jaw hurt. He opened the window, hoping the fresh air would help clear his brain. He needed to be calm for Jennifer. She needed him to be strong.
Once he was down in the canyon, it was quite easy to find the site of the plane crash, as a cloud of red dust hovered over the area and several emergency vehicles still had their lights flashing.
A highway patrol officer waved him to one side of the path and kept him from parking near the small aircraft. There was an ambulance and several law enforcement vehicles barring the road, but when he approached the officer and asked where Jennifer was, he was told to check the ambulance.
He saw that the back doors of the ambulance stood open. Jennifer sat next to Pell, wrapped in a blanket and sipping water from a bottle. Her skin looked ashen and she appeared to be exhausted.
“Jennifer? Are you all right?”
When she saw him, she threw back the blanket and reached for him.
“Hold on, mister.” A glaring sheriff’s deputy stopped him, a firm hand to Cade’s chest.
Jennifer’s face crumpled and she began to cry. “But he’s my boyfriend.” Her voice sounded so small and fearful, it tore at his heart.
The officer stepped back, and Cade folded Jennifer in his arms as best he could.
“Try to stay still, sir.” The EMT was pumping a blood pressure cuff around Pell’s upper arm, and he appeared to be uncomfortable.
“Oh, Cade. It was so scary.” Jenn buried her face against his chest. “But Mr. Pell here—he was incredible.”
Cade cast a suspicious glance at Pell. “Oh?”
“When the plane started conking out, he managed to land it and save our lives.” She shook her head as in disbelief. “I thought we were dead for sure.”
Cade heaved a deep sigh, trying to expel all the mistrust and suspicion he had harbored against the man. He regarded Pell as the EMT removed the blood pressure cuff.
“Your blood pressure is way up there, Mr. Pell.” The EMT rolled up the cuff.
“I took my meds this morning,” Pell replied.
“Doc Ryan says she wants you checked out in the ER.”
“Aww.” Pell tried to protest, but the EMT was adamant.
“Doc Ryan will chew me a new one if I don’t get you to Amarillo. She’s at the hospital and wants to see you as soon as possible. Those were her exact words.”
Pell shrugged. “Well, since you put it that way.”
Cade cleared his throat. “I owe you a debt of gratitude, Mr. Pell. This woman means the world to me.” Cade cradled Jennifer in one arm but extended his hand toward Pell.
“You’re a lucky man.” Pell clasped his hand for a hearty shake. “I just couldn’t let this plane crash.” He heaved a deep sigh. “I don’t understand. I gave her a complete overhaul recently.”
One of the sheriff’s deputies approached and gave a nod to Pell. “The fuel line has a cut in it, Mr. Pell. Your plane was sabotaged.”
* * *
Jenn stood in the safety of Cade’s arms and watch
ed as the ambulance took Edgar Wayne Pell to the hospital in Amarillo. She felt a strange sense of loss as the vehicle disappeared in a cloud of red dust—as though she was losing sight of a real friend.
“I hope he’s okay,” she said.
“Me too.” Cade hadn’t released her from his grip since the moment he had arrived on the scene.
Jennifer was glad. She was still trying to process everything that had happened. Earlier, she had decided to go to the airstrip by herself—to check things out, she had told herself. In truth, she had just wanted to feel closer to Jason.
“C’mon,” Cade said. “Let’s get you home.”
“M-my car is by Mr. Pell’s hangar. I need to get it.”
Like a zombie, she allowed herself to be ushered to Cade’s truck and loaded inside. He returned her to the airstrip, where she climbed into the sedan and followed Cade back to Langston.
When she was on the road, she felt her muscles start to relax. She hadn’t noticed how tense she’d been, but now that she was removed from the scene, she began to release the horror.
She could not believe someone would cut Mr. Pell’s fuel line the same way they had Jason’s. It had to be related.
When they hit the edge of town, she flashed her lights at Cade and turned toward the church. He had to make a U-turn to follow her. When she stopped in front of the church, he pulled up behind her and leapt out to open her door. “What are we doing here at the church?”
“The children are being cared for in the Mothers’ Day Out program. I needed to have some time to—to…” Her voice sounded a little curt.
His brows knit together. “You know you can call me if you need a break.”
“Are you complaining because I brought the kids here?” She couldn’t believe he was so upset. “For your information, I wanted them to be able to play with other children their age. It’s called socialization.”
His jaw was tight. “Stay here. I’ll go get them.” He turned abruptly and stomped up the steps to the church. When he returned, he carried both children and secured them in their car seats. He closed the back door and heaved a sigh.
“What are you so upset about?” she asked. “I’m the one who survived a plane crash.”
“Yeah, and what are you doing getting yourself involved? You could have been killed.”
“Involved? I am involved. Someone murdered my brother. That isn’t going to go away.” Jenn felt the stirring of anger in her gut. She couldn’t believe he was angry with her. She started the car. “Why can’t you understand that I will not rest until whoever is responsible for tampering with both planes is behind bars?”
“Because I don’t want you to get killed. I love you, dammit!” He turned and climbed into his truck. He started the engine and may have revved it too hard.
Cade followed her to the house and helped get the children into the house and then took his leave.
She sensed he wanted her to invite him to stay, but she thanked him for picking her up at the crash site and for following her home with the children. She was exhausted as well as frightened.
Was she being targeted by her brother’s killer, or was Edgar Wayne Pell? Although it was still daylight, Jenn locked the doors and closed the drapes. Fortunately, the children were exhausted from their playday and were willing to go to bed right after she fed them.
Jenn settled down in front of the television, holding the remote while characters played out stories on the screen, but the visions in her head were far more frightening.
* * *
Cade drove home feeling as though his insides had been sucked out through his heart. He had driven away from the family he loved and would give his life for, but Jenn didn’t seem to have any use for him tonight.
When he arrived at his ranch, he went through the motions of closing the barn and making sure the horses were taken care of. He shut them in the stable and headed for the ranch house. It was time for dinner, but he had no appetite at all.
He settled for opening a can of chili and nuking it in a bowl. It didn’t taste like much of anything, much less chili—not the chili his uncle made and served with cornbread he baked in a big iron skillet.
Cade understood. Big Jim cooked out of love. He cooked for the people he loved. For family. He had stepped up to be the sole provider after his wife died. And his sons and other relatives had thrived thanks to his efforts. Big Jim was the universal father figure.
That’s what Cade yearned to be. He hadn’t known he needed to be the man of the family. “Husband.” He tried out the word, but it sounded foreign to his ears. “Father.” He could embrace that role easier. The kids just needed someone to provide them with the basics: food, clothing, and shelter…and love.
Cade swallowed hard. What would he need to provide to Jennifer?
* * *
The next morning, Jenn called the hospital in Amarillo and asked for Edgar Wayne Pell’s room. She found that he had not been admitted but spent the night in the emergency room, being monitored by Dr. Ryan and the staff.
“Please tell him I called.” She disconnected and went to prepare the children’s breakfast.
The best thing about kids was that no matter what awful event had taken place in one’s life, the children would always need to be cared for. She could focus her attention on giving baths and preparing kid-favored food.
If her life could go on this way, where she didn’t have to think about bad things like who killed Jason and who tried to kill her and Mr. Pell, she might be able to function.
But all too soon, the horror of the near crash returned, bombarding her mind with images of the canyon growing closer and closer…and then the impact.
She flinched as the memory flashed in her brain.
“Gotta do something else.” Jenn took out her phone and called Leah.
When Leah heard about the plane going down, she was horrified. “Why don’t you throw the kids in the car and come out to the ranch? I could use some company, and I can offer a kid-friendly lunch.”
Jenn heaved a grateful breath. “I’ll be there as soon as possible. Thanks.”
In no time at all, she had the kids clean and dressed and secured in their car seats.
“We’re going to visit your aunt Leah. You’ll have a good time.”
“I wanna go to Miss Mary’s place,” Leo whined. Miss Mary was the pre-K teacher at the church.
Jenn glanced at him in the rearview mirror.
His lower lip jutted out, and he was frowning.
“Um…not today, Leo. You can go to see Miss Mary on Sunday.” She changed the subject quickly and kept him occupied counting trucks on the highway. When she pulled in at the Garrett ranch, she called Leah to get directions to the new house Colt had built for his family on the huge property.
Leah and her infant son were outside waiting for them when Jenn pulled up close to the house. “Come on up on the porch. I made some lemonade and goodies for lunch, and I thought we could enjoy this beautiful day right here.”
Jenn released the children and ushered them up onto the porch, which was a wooden deck with a wide roof overhang. A large oak tree provided even more shade, and there was a slight breeze, so it was quite pleasant. “This is really lovely.”
Leah grinned and gestured for Jenn to join her at the table. “I have a macaroni casserole in the warming oven and I made a shrimp salad for the big girls.”
Jenn seated herself, pulling Lissy onto her lap. “Yum! I haven’t had shrimp salad since I moved here.”
“Frozen shrimp, but it’s pretty tasty.” Leah stood up and placed the baby in a swing just his size. She gave it a little push and him a tickle on the tummy. “If you can keep an eye on him, I’ll bring the rest of the food to the table.”
“Sure thing.” Jenn leaned to touch the soft fuzz on the baby’s head. “See the baby, Lissy?”
For
her part, Lissy regarded James Tyler Garrett in silence while gnawing on her index finger. A moment later, Leah reappeared bearing a tray. “I have cold drinks in the cooler. Take your pick.”
When Jenn opened the cooler, she found it filled with several longneck bottles of beer, various sodas, bottled water, and juice boxes. “Wow! Quite a selection.” She pulled out two juice boxes for the little ones and a soda for herself. It was hard to believe that Leah could throw all this together on the spur of the moment. There were disposable dinnerware and utensils on the table, as well as a bouquet that looked as if it had been freshly picked from the yard.
Leah placed the tray on the table and passed around bowls. “I thought I would make it easy on everyone, so I dished up our food in the kitchen.”
“Great idea.” Jenn watched as Leah hauled Leo up onto a chair and scooted a bowl of very cheesy macaroni in front of him.
“What is those gween things?” Leo asked.
Leah bent down to his level. “Those are peas. My great big husband swears that he grew so big because he loved to eat peas.” She looked around in a conspiratorial manner. “I took some for you from his private pea collection… Don’t tell anyone. It’s our secret.”
Leo stared at her open-mouthed, and then scooped the pea-laden macaroni into his mouth.
Jenn realized that if she served peas to Leo, he would have cried, pouted, and refused to eat them, while Jenn begged and bargained. Leah is Wonder Woman.
Lissy reached for her macaroni with her fingers and jammed it into her mouth. Leah fastened a large terry bib around her, which was just in time to catch what spilled down her chin.
Jenn reached for a napkin, but Leah waved her off. “We can clean her up later. Eat your salad and tell me what’s going on with you and Cade. You said he came out to where the plane went down?”
Jenn took a bite of the salad and let out an involuntary moan. “This is delicious, Leah. You should open a restaurant…or maybe cater events.”
Leah beamed with pleasure. “I would love that. You know I really enjoy feeding people…but you’re avoiding the subject. Tell me how you and Cade are doing. Please tell me there’s romance.”
