The money didn’t matter to her. These days, she had enough, and since Len had started helping her with investments, she had more than enough.
Responses to her YouTube piece started coming in almost immediately, including quite a few local ones. She insisted Eric review them with her, and he said she didn’t even need to ask.
Eric sat at the dining room table, where she’d set up her laptop, examining each response with her. She shouldn’t have been shocked, but she was, by the number of scammers. You live in Alabama and you “found” him...really? On the highway? What, he was hitching a ride? Oh, and you’ll ship him back here if I send you the money first?
Delete. What kind of dum-dum do you think I am?
She was outraged but amused. Eric just seemed embarrassed, probably because he’d done his own share of scamming—and worse.
But after sifting through a couple of hundred responses, they came up with one that seemed credible. A woman, Ruth Cooper, who lived about six miles from Painted Pony Creek, claimed she’d found Eeyore or a donkey resembling him. Or rather, one of her dogs had. The donkey had been by himself in a nearby field; he was disheveled and stumbling. She’d assumed the animal had been dumped or abandoned and brought him home. She included a photo, but it was difficult to tell with any certainty if this was Eeyore...
They made an arrangement with Ruth to go and see the donkey the next afternoon after school, before calling Joanne.
They did that with Eli’s approval; he drove them there and went in with them.
Meeting Ruth was a gratifying experience. She, her kids and her husband had a genuineness, a quality of kindness, that affected all of them. And the fact that a number of obviously much-loved animals seemed to be running around their home appealed to Carly.
Ruth suggested that Joanne come to her place to determine whether this was, indeed, Eeyore—and she said that if it was, she absolutely would not accept the reward.
Carly asked if she’d be willing to donate it to MPS, and Ruth gave her immediate approval.
Eli followed up with Ruth and Joanne the next day, meeting both of them at Ruth’s—and yes, this was Eeyore. He was clearly familiar with Joanne and showed her unmistakable affection; not only that, Joanne described a couple of scars he had before she even went out to see him.
Eeyore was going home.
* * *
AGAIN, ELI FELT proud of Carly. She was the one who’d brought this reunion about. And he was pleased with the strides Eric had made as a pet support volunteer.
So, yes, things were going well. Life seemed almost too good—and that always worried him. It probably said more about his own disappointed hopes than anything else. There’d been enough in his life to prejudice him against excessive optimism, as he thought of it.
He hated to admit this again, but he was a little envious of Cord, one of his two closest friends. In actuality, he felt glad for him and envious. But he was determined to be stoic about it.
* * *
CORD WAS WORRIED about Eli’s glum demeanor lately, and his apparent lack of enthusiasm about the community, an enthusiasm that had always defined him.
It would be awkward to bring any of this up, despite their longtime friendship. They didn’t usually share personal things of this kind with each other, didn’t usually discuss emotional concerns.
Jeez, how “traditional.” How masculine. At least according to the stereotypes and no doubt to Carly. He decided he’d do what he could for Eli, without being obvious about it.
For a few years now, he’d had the suspicion—the strong suspicion—that Eli was interested in Brynne. Any chance he could do something to encourage a relationship there? He’d ask Shallie, trusting her emotional responsiveness more than his own. But at least he could tell Eli that she was fine with the double bridesmaid/double best man scenario, that Tina had happily agreed to be matron of honor.
* * *
AT THE END of October, the day before Halloween, Katie Fairfield set up a conference call with Carly and all three men to tell them that the result was in.
“Okay, everybody, I’ll get right to the point. The DNA evidence says, and says conclusively, that...Cord is Carly’s dad.”
And once Katie made the announcement, Carly’s happiness, already at a high point, completely lit up her life, like a brilliant sun in the noon sky.
Cord was her dad!
The two of them had been sitting together to hear the news, Cord’s phone on speaker. He threw it down so they could exchange a long hug. Then Carly ran to tell first Shallie, and then her “second mom,” Tina, while Cord accepted J.P. and Eli’s congratulations.
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
EVEN THOUGH—OR probably because—certain decisions had now been made, there seemed to be more planning than ever. Shallie was constantly making lists, comparing notes with Cord, getting opinions from her friends. And, of course, from her daughter-to-be.
One thing she’d decided was that she’d return to her graphic arts work; she’d help Cord, Russ, Susan and Carly with advertising and websites. Cord had his out-of-town PR group and Carly was certainly familiar with YouTube, but Shallie could contribute art, design and logos, and help set up the pet support website. Not that she intended any of that to be a moneymaker; it was simply a matter of doing something for family And the people she’d come to consider her friends.
Another plan—photography. It was an interest that had recently grown, and she was going to experiment, taking pictures of this beautiful country, with all its strengths and paradoxes, its people and their love of the land.
She’d have to buy a new and more sophisticated camera.
Then, on November first, she received an unexpected call from Eddie, telling her he had a possible lead on Christine Fletcher—emphasizing the word possible. When he described what he knew, or might know, it sounded to Shallie like another bizarre saga. He said that a former staff member at Sunny Days, the motel in Orlando, had contacted Tony, his investigator friend, to say she thought she’d seen “Sharon Sutherland” a couple of months ago, although she and Sharon hadn’t spoken. “No idea why she’d go back there, or what her name is now, but Tony’s on it and we’re not letting this go. Melanie’s doing another online search, too.”
Later that evening, she, Russ and Cord considered various potential circumstances over a drink at Bailey’s. Had Christine/Sharon left something behind? Could she be looking for another job? Was she, for whatever reason, nostalgic about the place, considering she’d lived there for quite a few years. And the most basic question of all—was it even her?
“We’ll have to leave it to the professionals,” Cord concluded.
Shallie confessed that she was worried about the increasing expense, but they both told her it was more important to track down Christine and assured her they were willing to help. Especially generous of Russ, since he didn’t have a lot of money to throw around.
“I can’t imagine what name she’d be using now,” Shallie said. “I don’t know enough about her to even guess. Probably a random name she came across on her travels.”
Then something occurred to her. Would Christine dare use Reba’s name, either her first or her last? Did she know her one-time friend had died? The fact of Reba’s death would’ve been easy enough to find out if Christine had access to the internet and she probably did.
Horrifying as the thought of stealing Reba’s name was, Shallie decided to go online herself, see what—if anything—she could learn. She didn’t mention it to the others, although it was something she might bring up with Eddie.
She did ask Russ if he’d had any success with his search for Bethanne, but figured she would’ve heard. He’d told her he hadn’t found even a trace of his sister, and the husband hadn’t responded to a message he’d sent via Facebook.
Talk turned to the wedding. Russ told them that renovations on the motel were progressing,
and that the contractor recommended by J.P. was doing a fantastic job. “And he’s speedy, too!” So, any out-of-town visitors who needed accommodation could stay there, as his guests.
Susan’s part-time library colleague, Elaine, was still working as the motel’s cleaner and was helping with administration.
Another important aspect of the Thanksgiving party was that Cord, Eli and J.P. had stuck to their resolve, motivated by Carly, to announce the DNA results there, to friends and other family members. This was partly because all four of them were still adjusting. And as Carly had said, why not make a dramatic event of it? This was their new truth, a truth they needed to share, and it had to be given the importance it deserved.
Shallie and Cord agreed it made sense to include this announcement in their celebration. So far, none of them had talked about the DNA results with friends or even relatives, everyone holding it close.
She reflected on something else for a moment. Another possible change in the future they were shaping, she and Cord. They hadn’t yet talked about having children, a conversation that needed to happen soon... So far she hadn’t stopped taking her birth control pills.
Both she and Cord were in their midthirties, so from a biological perspective, hers, anyway, the timing might be getting a little urgent.
She’d talk to Cord about it later tonight. In bed.
* * *
AFTER THEY’D MADE LOVE, with gentleness and the deepest affection she’d ever felt or experienced, she asked him.
Cord replied that he’d always wanted a family, a child or children, and had assumed it would happen. How did she feel?
“I do want a baby but it wasn’t something Rob was ever interested in,” she admitted. “I thought he’d change his mind—”
“His loss. But I want children and I want them with you.”
“I want that, too! And we should do it soon...”
“We can afford to wait,” Cord said. “A little while, anyway.”
“Not too long,” she warned, repeating the thought she’d had earlier that evening about their ages.
“Let’s take the next year to decide,” Cord suggested.
Shallie guessed their decision would be made well before that, probably by Christmastime and their wedding. And she was almost positive she knew what it would be.
* * *
CORD LOVED HER and he wanted a baby in their lives soon. He started for the stables midmorning, gripping a second coffee, the dogs trotting alongside. Shallie was working on her laptop and, since it was Saturday, Carly was presumably still asleep.
Today was a calm and colorful fall day, and he hoped they’d be able to take advantage of it. There wouldn’t be many more of them this year.
He realized Mitch hadn’t appeared yet, which was unusual. But it was Saturday and he decided to give the older man a break.
He put his cup on a railing when he saw Susan Robbins running toward him, the dogs dashing over to meet her. She ignored them. “There’s something wrong with my dad!” she shouted when she was within hearing distance.
Cord reacted immediately. “What? What’s wrong with him?”
“We tried to phone you,” she panted.
Of course! The one time he’d forgotten his cell...
“We think he might’ve had a heart attack.”
Cord asked her to shoo the dogs inside, since he didn’t need them getting in the way, and to tell Shallie about Mitch—then ran at double speed to the trailer. The door had been flung open, and he yelled for Tina, who came running from their bedroom.
“You called an ambulance?”
“Yes. On their way.”
He hurried back to the room with her, asking, “What are the symptoms?”
“He didn’t get up at his usual time, but I didn’t worry about it. I went in to see him again five minutes ago—and he’s having trouble breathing!”
Mitch lay in bed, his breathing erratic. Cord recognized that he was suffering from shortness of breath, a common heart attack symptom.
He’d learned CPR years before and started to perform it, pumping Mitch’s chest, alternating that with mouth-to-mouth resuscitation.
He could hear the ambulance arriving, siren blaring, and asked Tina to direct the paramedics inside. At almost the same time, he heard Susan, Shallie and Carly rush in.
The two young paramedics, a man and a woman, continued the CPR, checked Mitch’s vitals, then laid him on the gurney. Fast and efficient, they got him into the ambulance, accompanied by Tina.
Cord said they’d drive to the county hospital, meet Tina there, and shortly after that, he set off, with Shallie, Carly and Susan. Carly told them she’d try to get in touch with Lindsey and Eric to arrange for cat coverage at Meg’s. Both her friends responded quickly (and now she did think of Eric as a friend, which would’ve been a shocking idea a couple of months ago); both wished Mitch well and said not to worry about MPS or Meg’s cats, that they were on it.
At the hospital, the group spent about three hours in the waiting room, trying to comfort and reassure Tina. Many tears, much hugging.
Cord knew, they all did, that Mitch was only seventy and had always been in good health. His own thoughts had instinctively and immediately reverted to his grandfather’s death—of a sudden heart attack. Cord had been trying to stave off the memory. He’d told Shallie about Bill’s death in their conversation the day she’d arrived, and she obviously remembered. She kept her arm around him and whispered that his grandfather would be proud of him, whispered words of encouragement. Susan sat in the same position with her mother, after calling her sisters. Caroline and Elspeth showed up as soon as they could, family members trailing in after them.
Meanwhile, Cord called Eli and J.P. and they came, too. As did Russ after Shallie sent him a text.
The small waiting room was soon filled to crowding with Mitch’s family and friends.
Eventually, one of the surgeons walked in, still wearing his scrubs; he asked Tina if she’d prefer that he speak to her privately. “No,” she insisted, this was her family.
The doctor nodded, then said, “Mr. Robbins had what we consider a minor heart attack. It’s the damage to the heart muscle, or muscles, that determines the severity of the incident. He has a blocked artery and we’ve dealt with that by inserting a stent.” He then asked if anyone had questions.
Susan did. Would her dad be on any kind of medication?
Mitch would be on beta-blockers to reduce his blood pressure, the surgeon explained, and he’d be receiving very specific physiotherapy. As far as Cord was aware, Mitch hadn’t ever had high blood pressure before—but what did he really know?
There’d be another important change, this one to his diet; he’d have to avoid saturated fats and high-sodium foods...
He and Tina would meet with one of the hospital dieticians to discuss these restrictions, and Mitch would need regular medical exams and tests.
One final caveat. He’d have to restrain his physical activity.
Cord took that to mean Mitch’s work at the ranch was finished. Not that Cord was giving him a choice; he refused to risk his friend’s life. So Mitch would have to consider himself retired.
Cord could only feel grateful that Mitch had survived and that his prospects were good. He’d continue to pay him—a pension, as it were, well deserved after all the years of working for his grandfather and then him.
This wasn’t the time to worry about assistance with the ranch. But...maybe he could hire Eric for a while? Part-time? He’d see what Eli thought.
* * *
ON THE DRIVE home from the hospital, Shallie, sitting in front with Cord, told him that she’d learned nothing—less than nothing—about Christine Fletcher in her newest online search. It was what she’d been doing on her laptop that morning, she went on to say. She even described her theory, although in retrospect it sounde
d pretty weak, that Christine might have stolen some part of Reba’s name for her new alias.
Carly and Susan in the backseat both had earphones on. Good. Carly didn’t need to hear this.
Cord shrugged. “No crazier than any other theory we’ve come up with.”
“Maybe...”
“What about Russ? Any success with his search?”
“Nope. I talked to him for a few minutes at the hospital. He tried to get hold of Bethanne’s husband again, but no luck there, either.”
Their conversation shifted to their concern about Mitch and their relief that his outlook was positive as well as the changes this would bring to his life.
* * *
OVER THE NEXT week they took turns visiting Mitch. Shallie drove Carly to the hospital in the afternoons or evenings, when she wasn’t in school and didn’t have MPS responsibilities. More than once, Mitch asked Carly to sing for him, and his favorite choices included “Hallelujah” and her animal song. Inevitably nurses, other patients and their guests gathered around, some joining in, all of them applauding.
Shallie loved loved seeing how happy it made him—and Carly.
One evening when she and Cord were visiting, he asked them for what he called a favor. He said he knew they’d already made wedding plans, but could he give Shallie away? Kind of old-fashioned, he acknowledged. Still, he’d done it at two previous weddings, with his daughters Caroline and Elspeth—so didn’t that mean he’d be good at it? Besides, he loved both Cord and Shallie, and it would mean a lot to him. And with Tina being the matron of honor... It all seemed to fit, didn’t it? They laughed and instantly agreed.
Country Strong--A Novel Page 28
