Silence in the Dark

by Patricia Bradley

  When they broke apart, she rested her head on his shoulder.

  “Are you cold?” he asked.

  She tilted her head back. “Are you kidding?”

  He wrapped his arms around her, just in case. “I still want to marry you.”

  “I know.” She stepped back and took his hand. “Let’s go to the barn where we can sit and talk.”

  At least she hadn’t run off screaming. But neither did she say yes. That would have been expecting too much too soon. They walked to the barn in silence, their breath making white puffs in the cold air. They probably should return to the house. But he was afraid if they did, the magic of the night would end, and he wasn’t ready for that to happen. He didn’t think Bailey was either.

  Hay stacked to the ceiling made it not quite as cold inside the barn, and they sat on one of the bales. “Oh, by the way, your mom gave me a Bible, and I was reading it before I came outside.”

  Her eyes widened. “That’s wonderful.”

  He shrugged. “I don’t know how wonderful it is—it’s a little hard to understand.”

  “Try asking God to help you.” She squared her shoulders and took his hand. “There’s something I need to tell you.”

  His body tensed. “Then do it.”

  She bit her bottom lip. “I want to apologize for the way I broke our engagement and then ran off to Mexico.”

  His muscles relaxed. He’d been afraid she was going to tell him to get lost. “Apology accepted.”

  “Like I said before, I do that a lot.”

  “What? Break engagements?”

  “No, run away.”

  “When? Besides when you gave me the ring back.”

  She dropped her gaze to the barn floor, and he waited.

  “I’ve been thinking about my life a lot these past few days. I think the running away started when I was a kid, and Mr. Carver killed Jem and Cassie—”

  “But you were just a kid yourself.”

  Bailey grew quiet. “God was supposed to protect us that night.” The soft words fell like bricks in the void. “I remember thinking the three of us had just been baptized and nothing bad could happen to us. And then they died.”

  For a minute Danny didn’t know what to say. He turned to Bailey. She leaned back against one of the barn posts, her eyes closed.

  After a minute of silence, she continued. “I said something to my Sunday school teacher, and she said I wasn’t supposed to question God, and I wasn’t supposed to get angry at God. I don’t know how she knew that I was mad, but I decided I must be a bad person. I thought if I worked really hard and did everything I was supposed to do, God would love me more, and he wouldn’t let bad things happen to me.”

  “Does it work that way?” he asked.

  “No, and I know that, but knowing and believing are two different things.” She took a deep breath and blew it out. “I can’t stop thinking that I gave up everything—you, my family, my teaching job here in Logan Point that I loved—to go to Mexico. Even that didn’t please God.”

  “What happened in Copper Canyon?”

  She sighed. “As soon as I arrived, the local priest took an instant dislike to me because the women and children were drawn to me. He got really upset when the women came to my tea parties for purses and makeup and then came back because I talked about a God who loved them.” She smiled. “It was amazing to see them transform right before my eyes as they discovered who our amazing God is. That’s when the priest began a campaign to run me off. Said I was a witch because of my eyes.”

  “But they’re beautiful, and they always see good in everything, even me.”

  “You’d have to admit they’re unusual. Not many people have a gold starburst.” She shivered. “I found things in my car on a regular basis, and the last was rattlesnakes. That’s when I left, actually when Global Missions moved me to Chihuahua to teach at their school.”

  “I wouldn’t have stayed after it happened the first time,” he said.

  She smiled. “You would if you thought God called you there. Evidently I was wrong about that, and now I’m wondering if I’ve been wrong about everything I believe. How could God love me and allow so many bad things to happen in my life? When I was hiding in the basement from those men after Joel had been kidnapped, even as I quoted Scripture, I wondered where God was. Why he didn’t help us.”

  Danny’s breath stilled. Bailey’s belief in God was what defined who she was. With everything else around him in flux, he’d always known he could count on one thing and one person who was always the same, who always had the same answer to problems—give it to God. Just knowing that comforted him, even if he didn’t agree with her. Bailey had always been like a rock. When she broke their engagement, he’d thought it was because of her deep commitment to God.

  “But Bailey, he did help you—he sent me to rescue you.”

  Her eyes widened, and Danny caught his breath, as surprised as Bailey. The words had popped out of his mouth, but could they be true? Danny pulled her close, and she snuggled against his body.

  “I’ll always be here for you,” he whispered against her hair.

  “Even if we take his daughter, Angel Montoya will never join his men with the Calatrava.”

  El Jefe pinched the bridge of his nose. The board had given him a week to bring Montoya in line, and he didn’t need resistance from Enrico. “If we have his daughter, he will.”

  “But he and Danny Maxwell watch her like a hawk.”

  “Then be like the barn swallow that chases the hawk away. I don’t care how you do it, just get her.”

  “Why is Montoya so important to you? Why not just kill him?”

  El Jefe ground his molars. He didn’t like his orders being questioned by subordinates. “Can you see nothing? Because that would make him a martyr. His death would only serve to unite the people who are loyal to him. Already the Angel of the Streets inspires them to the extent they are willing to die rather than pay for insurance. But if we bring him under our control, they will not have the heart to oppose us. Do I need to get someone else to take care of this job?”

  “No. It will be done. How much ransom will we ask?”

  He pressed his fingers to his temple. “Do you understand nothing? We are not taking her for money.”

  “No money at all? That is foolish.” Disapproval sounded through the phone. “And the missionary?”

  “Kill her.”

  17

  Danny whistled as he lathered his face. For the first time since Bailey had returned his ring, he had hope they could work things out. He regretted now that he didn’t go after her that morning and make her tell him why. The things she’d gone through in Mexico could have been avoided. They could have even had a little Bailey or Danny running around. He stopped with the razor halfway to his face.

  Tonight he would ask her to marry him again. And this time he would put his mother’s engagement ring on her finger. Which meant he’d have to talk to his dad first. What if she turned him down? That wasn’t happening. They loved each other.

  As soon as he was dressed, Danny hurried down to the kitchen, hoping Bailey needed coffee as badly as he did. He pushed through the swinging door and stopped when she turned from the coffeemaker. The smile she flashed warmed him all the way to his toes.

  “Good morning,” Bailey said. “On your way to the plant?”

  “Yep. Dad insisted that I attend this morning’s meetings.” He checked his watch. “I hope we can leave by ten. I’ll call you when I know.”

  She handed him a cup of coffee, but what he wanted was to steal a kiss from her. He set the cup on the counter and took her in his arms.

  “What are you doing?”

  “This.” He bent down and kissed her lightly on the lips.

  She pulled back, looking over his shoulder. “What if someone comes in?”

  “What does that have to do with the price of eggs in Russia?”

  A grin teased her kissable lips, and he felt her relax in his arms. �
��You’re crazy. You know that, don’t you?”

  “Crazy in love,” he said. He trailed his fingers down her cheek, stopping at her lips. Then he bent down and kissed her again. His heart leaped when her lips responded. When they broke apart, he put his forehead to hers.

  Marry me. He caught the words before they spilled from his mouth. Later tonight he wouldn’t stop them.

  Footsteps in the hallway made them both jump back. He grabbed his coffee and Bailey turned to pour hers as Angel came into the kitchen.

  “Good, coffee is made,” he said.

  Danny moved away from Bailey to the table, and Angel joined him. “Where did you go last night?”

  Angel lifted his shoulder in a half shrug. “To see Chavez at his motel. I knocked on your door, but you didn’t answer.”

  “About?”

  “What happened in Mexico two years ago.” He took the coffee Bailey handed him. “Do you know a doctor I can take Solana to and get that cast taken off?”

  Angel didn’t look away as Danny studied his face. Evidently that was all Angel was telling. Maybe later when they were alone, Danny would get more out of him. “I play handball with an orthopedic doctor. Maybe I can get her in to see him.”

  He searched his contacts for the doctor’s cell phone number and called. A few minutes later he disconnected and smiled. “He said to bring her in by nine.”

  “Great. But I better let her know. That’s only an hour away.”

  “And I have to get to the plant,” Danny said. He turned to Bailey. “I’ll be back as soon as I can.”

  Fifteen minutes later, Danny unlocked his office as Ian rounded the corner. “Have you seen Dad?” Danny asked him.

  “He’s in the boardroom, waiting for you to join him and Montoya.”

  Edward Montoya was early. That also meant Danny wouldn’t get a chance to talk privately with his dad. “Why can’t you handle this? You’re better at it than I am.”

  “We decided you need to come to work for a while.” Ian followed him into his office.

  “You mean you told Dad I needed to be here.”

  “You’ve spent too much time on this Mexico connection. The DA called this morning, said you’d been back out to the Franks place.”

  “So?” Danny opened his desk drawer and rummaged for a notepad.

  Ian sighed. “The DA asked you not to go around Franks. If he makes a deal with the Feds, you’ll find out then.”

  “What have you heard about that?”

  He shrugged. “Just that the DA made him an offer.”

  “You could have told me.”

  His cousin braced his arms on the back of a chair. “You haven’t been around long enough for me to tell you anything. If you spent half as much time doing your job as chasing down this gun buyer, the company would be better off.”

  Danny eyed his cousin. “What’s up with you? Why don’t you want to catch this guy? He and Franks and Gresham almost ruined our company’s reputation. And now Franks won’t serve a day for what he did.”

  Ian held his palms up. “It’s over. Get past it. Besides, we were cleared of any wrongdoing. It’s time to focus on the tasks at hand. Like this contract with Montoya.”

  Danny walked to the window and stared out at the parking lot. He didn’t want to be like Ian. Get up, come to work day after day. There had to be more to life than that. Ever since his mom died, he’d wanted to make a difference. He just didn’t know how.

  He blew out a deep breath. But until then, he really should do what he was being paid for. He was part owner, he should want to make the company grow. He turned around. “Okay. As soon as I’m certain Bailey will be safe, I’ll return to work. But today I’m escorting her to Corning.”

  “You’ll have to tell your father that yourself. He made it clear he wanted you in on the negotiations.”

  “No problem.” Hopefully they wouldn’t drag on all morning. He also hoped he got the opportunity to ask his dad about the ring.

  A few minutes later, Danny knocked on the boardroom door and entered.

  “Well, Son, glad you can join us.” Phillip Maxwell’s voice held no sarcasm.

  Danny nodded and took his seat at the conference table as Ian joined them, and for the next hour he mostly listened and occasionally added his input as his father and Ian negotiated with Montoya. When Montoya received a phone call and stepped out of the room, Ian left as well, leaving Danny with his father.

  His dad tented his fingers. “What do you think?”

  “I think Montoya is coming out ahead. His costs haven’t increased significantly while our fuel costs for transporting the raw materials have.”

  “Good point. You should have brought it up.”

  “I was going to when he received the phone call.”

  “How’s it going with Bailey?”

  Danny jerked his head up. “How did you know?”

  “Son, you brought her back from Mexico, you’re staying at the B&B, and you’re itching to leave this meeting, I presume to be with her. So, answer my question.”

  Danny squared his shoulders. “I’m going to ask her to marry me again, and I’d like to give her Mom’s ring, with your permission, of course.” He swallowed and waited.

  A slow smile spread across his dad’s face. “Do you think she’ll have you this time?”

  Tension eased from his shoulders. “I hope so. We’ll know tonight.”

  Phillip frowned. “You two haven’t been near each other in two years. Don’t rush it. Give her a little time, a little space.”

  Resistance welled up in him. “We’ve wasted enough time.”

  “One more thing—have you considered she might not want to give up her mission work?”

  “We’ll work that out.”

  He held his father’s steady gaze, and finally he smiled. “Well, you have my blessing. Of course you can have the ring.”

  Yes! Danny restrained from pumping his fist in the air.

  “I would appreciate your help with the negotiations today,” his dad added.

  That meant he wouldn’t get away anytime soon. “I’ll stay, and thank you, sir. Now, if you don’t mind, I’m going to give Bailey a call.”

  “Not at all. Just be back by the time Montoya finishes his business.”

  Danny took out his phone as he exited the boardroom, his elation tempered by a question his dad raised. What if Bailey didn’t want to give up her mission work?

  Bailey caught a glimpse of herself as she brushed her hair. She had to do something about the dark circles under her eyes.

  Maria looked up at Bailey in the mirror. “Don’t you feel good, Miss Bailey?”

  She yawned and turned the brush on Maria’s hair. “I’m fine, just a little tired.” Fatigue caused by another round of dreams, except last night, the man in the nightmares wasn’t Mr. Carver. The man who chased her had ghostly blue eyes. Not sky blue like Maria’s but pale like Joel’s. With a start, she realized it had been the man in the poppy field in Mexico. Maybe she should talk to Ben about what happened.

  Maria patted Bailey’s hand to get her attention. “Are we really going to see my grandma and grandpa today?”

  Bailey finished tying the ribbon in the girl’s dark hair and smiled. “Yes, ma’am. As soon as Angel and Solana get back from the clinic.”

  “Is Mr. Danny going?”

  “I think so.” Danny. Bailey touched her lips, remembering his kisses last night and her response. So why did her heart ache? Because her admission gave him the wrong impression as evidenced in the kitchen earlier. He thought they were on the same page. And why weren’t they?

  “Can I wear my necklace today?”

  Bailey glanced at the locket that Robyn had brought from the jeweler last night. “If you will be very careful. Like your uncle Joel said, this is a very expensive necklace.”

  “I’ll be careful. I want to show it to my grandmother.”

  She fastened the locket around the child’s neck. “You look very pretty, but remember—�
�

  “I know. Be very careful with it.” She mimicked Bailey’s words. “Is it time to go yet?”

  Bailey laughed, remembering how hard waiting was for a child. “No, not yet.”

  Bailey hoped everyone would be back from their various appointments in time for them to leave at ten thirty, but she’d heard Joel go out earlier, and he hadn’t said when he would return. And she hadn’t heard from Danny either.

  “Is Tio coming?”

  “I don’t know.” She’d never met Maria’s great-uncle and would like to. “Do you have a picture of him?”

  Maria shook her head. “I don’t think he likes it when someone takes his picture. Am I going to fly to see my grandparents?”

  “You are.”

  If the cartel had followed them to Logan Point and was waiting for an opportunity to grab Maria, the drive to Corning afforded them the perfect time since parts of the highway weren’t well traveled. Maria would fly with Danny and Bailey to the little airport outside of Corning, while Angel and Solana drove the Escalade and picked them up. She assumed Joel would drive himself.

  Maria tugged at her arm. “Can I put on the dress that my daddy bought?”

  “Let’s eat breakfast first, little chatterbox.”

  Maria nodded. “So I don’t spill anything on it.”

  “That’s right.”

  “Where did my daddy go?”

  The child couldn’t seem to get enough of calling Angel daddy. “He took Solana to get that cast off her foot.”

  Her eyes widened. “Do you think he’ll marry Solana and make her my mommy?”

  “Where did you get such an idea?” She’d seen how protective Angel was of Solana but hadn’t dreamed Maria had noticed.

  Maria hunched her shoulders in a shrug. “He’s always smiling at her. Will I live with him when we go home?”

  “I’m sure you will.” Bailey couldn’t imagine any other scenario even though she hadn’t heard Angel discuss the subject. How would Joel feel about losing Maria? Her chest tightened. Joel wasn’t the only one losing the child. Bailey had grown close to her in the last year, and this week had cemented that bond.