by Kim McMahill
The last sentence was barely audible. Niki thought she was a relatively happy person, but admitting only one person would miss her if she was gone made her fight to hold back the tears. Her grandfather had always made her feel loved, so she had never stopped to think about what her life would be like when he was gone or how alone she would truly be.
“What about me? You know you’re the most important woman in my life, always have been and probably always will be,” Deuce insisted, all traces of anger gone.
“I might have thought that at one time, but I haven’t believed it for the past five years.”
Deuce leaned over, reaching toward Niki. With his fingers under her chin he gently tipped her face, forcing her to look at him. He stared into her misty blue eyes and his heart ached.
“I’m sorry I was so mad. The thought of losing you made me a bit crazy. Come on, everyone’s waiting and they’re worried sick, and we don’t know if the other soldiers are on their way to help round us up.”
Niki nodded, afraid if she spoke she would burst into tears. She pulled her lip in and bit it until Deuce released her chin. She didn’t dare move or breathe until he turned Traveler back up the slope. With his eyes no longer on her, she exhaled and followed him into the night.
When they reached the rest of the group, Niki slid off her horse and took the jacket back to Sarah. Before she could hand Sarah the coat, the woman wrapped her arms around her and squeezed so tight Niki wasn’t sure she could breathe. She gently eased Sarah back and handed her the coat.
“I didn’t hurt you when I pushed you off did I?”
“Just a little bump on my elbow, but it’s a small price to pay to get away from those horrible men and see my girls safe. I don’t know how we’ll ever repay you all for risking your lives for us,” Sarah replied.
“What happened back there?” Frank demanded. “According to Sarah it sounded like you headed for the gully I warned everyone to stay away from, though I should have realized giving you a warning is like waving a red cape in front of an angry bull.”
Niki rolled her eyes at Frank and smiled. She had been a curious child, but he made it sound as if she purposefully looked for trouble on a regular basis. Despite his and Deuce’s comments, she had more than ample fear and generally avoided confrontations if at all possible.
“I banked on Storm seeing the gully in the dark and being able to clear the gap. I kept the bikes close until the trees thinned like you mentioned and then turned him loose and prayed. By the time the first rider saw the void he was airborne. He panicked and bailed. The other two tried to stop, but skidded right into the chasm. I doubt it killed any of them, but they probably aren’t feeling too perky right now and are definitely on foot, if they can still walk, so they shouldn’t be a problem anymore tonight.”
“Of all the crazy stunts. Bernie would have beaten the tar out of us if something had happened to you. I was just estimating ten feet wide. What if it was more or what if that gelding couldn’t clear it?”
“I figured if Storm didn’t think he could make it, he’d turn and follow parallel to the gully. If that had happened I’d have come up with a new plan. But either way, I had no intention of leading the soldiers up the hill to the rest of you. None of them veered off when you and Deuce rode in opposite directions. They were all still following me and Sarah straight up the boulder field.”
Frank shook his head and mumbled a curse Niki was glad she couldn’t hear. He wrapped his arms around her in a possessive hug and held her tight. She had no idea she meant so much to these men or maybe she wouldn’t have taken such a huge risk. At the time, her only concern was for the children’s welfare. Her own safety hadn’t even entered her mind. Everything had happened so fast she hadn’t really had time to consider the consequences.
“So how far can that old horse jump anyway?” Frank asked as he slowly eased his hold on her.
“Nine feet, six inches—the last six were pure will, heart and brute strength.”
Frank couldn’t help himself. He grabbed Niki again, hugged her and laughed.
“Just so you don’t get into anymore trouble tonight, we’re switching mounts,” Frank said as he cupped his hands, forming a step to help boost her into the saddle on his black horse behind April. Maybe Storm won’t think he’s a colt again if he’s packing me and Sarah. I out weigh you by a good forty pounds.”
Niki wanted to argue, but as the adrenaline slowly drained away, she didn’t have the strength. She hated to give up her horse—Storm felt like her security blanket as of late, but if it made Frank feel better, she’d keep quiet.
They rode through the night at an unhurried pace without further incident. They discussed making camp, but decided no one would sleep anyway, so they pressed on, knowing they would all feel safer once back at the sheep camp with Bernie and Joe. At the moment, putting distance between them and the commandeered Stephens’ ranch seemed like the wisest idea.
Niki’s arms encircled April in a comforting embrace as they rode. A storm was clearly moving in, but she forced herself not to think about the possible roar of thunder or flash of lightening. It would be difficult to instill confidence in the children if she was cowering at the thought of a mere storm.
The air was humid and the temperatures cool. The girls hadn’t had time to dress for an extended stay in the high country, but Niki was proud of their performance and their quick thinking to at least grab sweaters. The rescue wouldn’t have gone as well as it had if the girls hadn’t been so calm, mature and trusting.
“You did really well tonight. Your dad will be so proud of you and I most certainly am amazed at how you and Lacy behaved back there.”
“Is he okay?” April’s voice was soft and full of fear. “I wish Daddy was with us and maybe Mom wouldn’t be so scared.”
“Other than being worried sick about his family, the last time Deuce talked to Bob, your dad was safe.”
“Are we all going to die?” April whispered.
“Not if we have anything to say about it. We’ll just stay put and as soon as they can, your dad and Bob will come for us. They know where we’re at and they know we need help. They’ll do everything they can to get home and that’s a fact we can all count on. Those are two tough old guys who won’t let a little foreign invasion stand between them and their families.”
For the first time during the long ride, Niki could feel April relax and soon the young girl dozed off. She slowed the black horse so Deuce could catch up. Lacy slept too. The young girl looked so tiny in Deuce’s big arms and like an angel with her golden curls pressed against his dark coat. Niki glanced up and smiled at Deuce and was surprised to see him smile back. He looked so at ease with the small girl and for the first time in a long time he seemed at peace.
The sun was just beginning to rise above the trees by the time they rode into camp. Joe rose from the small fire he was tending, crushed his cigarette with the toe of his boot and hobbled over to the group.
“Thank the Lord. Bernie, they made it!”
“Have Niki ride up to the flap so I can see her with my own eyes.”
Niki waited while Joe helped April off the horse and then rode to the tent so her grandfather could see she was truly safe. His expression turned from relief to worry as his gaze focused on the black horse.
“What went wrong?”
“What do you mean?” Niki asked. “We’re all here.”
“You wouldn’t give up that cantankerous yellow horse unless something bad happened.”
Niki laughed. She hadn’t thought her grandfather would even notice much less think anything about the horse swap, but apparently everyone was well aware of how much Storm meant to her.
“Frank confiscated Storm. He thinks we get into too much trouble together.”
“Don’t ask.” Deuce walked up next to Niki, put his hands around her slim waist, pulled her out of the saddle and set her feet on the ground. “Here, let me take the horse and I’ll unsaddle him so you can help Sarah and the gir
ls get settled. I’m sure everyone’s cold, tired and hungry.”
* * *
Bernie let it go. He was sure he’d get the whole story eventually, though he feared it might be another tale he’d rather not hear. He wasn’t sure how many more times his heart could survive knowing Niki had put herself in danger. But for now, everyone was safe and that’s all that mattered.
He hadn’t wanted her to go after Sarah and the girls anymore than Deuce had, but he also believed in her strength and determination. He knew she would be an asset in the rescue, but from the moment she rode off, he prayed he hadn’t been wrong in convincing Deuce to allow her to go along.
Bernie had no doubt Deuce would have tied her to a tree to keep her at camp if he would have asked, but Bernie loved her too much to bring back the feeling of helplessness she must have felt as a child, locked in her room, unable to help her mother whom she cherished.
He was so proud of her. She had grown into a strong self-sufficient woman with little assistance from the adults in her life. He had given her all the love he had, but he knew he couldn’t really take credit for the remarkable woman she had become. As he watched her gather Sarah’s girls in a tight hug, he prayed his stubborn boss would come to his senses before it was too late.
CHAPTER TWENTY
Joe had already made coffee and for that Niki was thankful. She was exhausted from riding all night, but knew it would be a long time before sleep could force through all the emotions running through her mind, so caffeine was in order. Worry, anger, and relief churned through Niki as she watched Lacy and April sitting huddled together near the fire. Despite her own uncertainty, she wanted nothing more than to ease Lacy and April’s fear and make life as normal as possible, which meant a hot breakfast.
Niki clutched her cup in both hands, sipped the hot coffee and sighed as she stared at the canvas pannier of food swinging high above the ground. She swallowed the last gulp, set the cup down with weary resignation and made her way to the tree. Niki untied the rope and leaned back, using all of her weight to keep the load from falling too fast since her muscles ached too much to be of use. The load nearly pulled her off her feet, but before she lost her balance all the tension left the rope. She didn’t need to look over her shoulder to know that Deuce stood behind her. With one hand reaching over her shoulder, he had taken all the weight.
She wanted to lean back against his warm solid chest and close her eyes. Niki yearned to accept his strength and revel in the heat of his body, but she refused to give him the satisfaction of knowing she needed him and that sometimes she just wasn’t physically strong enough.
“I can get it,” she snapped as she yanked on the rope, trying to pull it from his grip.
“I’m sure you can, but you’re dead on your feet and I’m here,” he replied, holding firm. “Besides, this bundle of supplies probably weighs more than you do.”
He didn’t budge. He stood so close behind her that she could feel the muscles in his forearm brush against her shoulder and the warmth of his breath whisper over her ear. The desire to let him be there for her was nearly too great for her tired body to fight, but she had to. He had made it clear over the past few years that he didn’t want to be the one she counted on and he clearly had never believed she could be there for him.
“I don’t need your help and I don’t want you to ever feel obligated to take care of me. I’m not helpless or weak. Right now I’m exhausted, but I can handle it.”
The pack settled to the ground without either ever letting go of the rope. Deuce unclipped the pannier from the rope and slung it over his shoulder. He turned towards camp and stopped in front of Niki.
“I was wrong. You can let it go or you can keep punishing me for a past that can’t be changed.”
Niki wasn’t sure if she heard him correctly. She couldn’t remember Deuce ever admitting he was wrong about anything and couldn’t believe he might actually have come to realize he’d misjudged her. She stared after him, mouth agape, unable to respond.
Maybe I misunderstood. I’m so tired my mind is a jumble of thoughts and my emotions are all over the place. Niki shook her head to clear her mind. She quickened her pace and caught up to Deuce just as he reached the fire.
Niki watched as he lowered the supplies to the ground next to the fire pit and picked up the water jug. He didn’t look at her, but she could sense the tension in his stance and could see the tight line of his jaw as she stared at his strong profile. She wanted to ask him to repeat himself to verify she had heard correctly, but with Sarah and the girls watching, she kept quiet as he turned and strode off toward the creek.
“Deuce.” Lacy’s faint voice made the big man stop in his tracks.
He turned around and as he looked at the angelic face staring up at him, his expression softened. He knelt down and smiled.
“Can April and me go with you?”
He nodded and flinched only slightly when she slid her tiny hand into his.
Niki couldn’t help but smile as she watched April jog to catch up, swinging a small bucket cheerfully in her hand. It was clear by the way his glance rapidly moved from one girl to the other that they were both talking to him at once, trying to hold his attention.
“He’s always been so good with the girls,” Sarah said as she watched the trio walk away until they were out of sight.
“Really?” Niki questioned, disbelief tainting her voice.
“He tries to act tough, but Lacy especially has a way of breaking through the hardest shells. We don’t get over to the Blackburns much, but when we do it usually only takes her a few minutes to have Bob and Deuce eating out of her hand. It’s cute, but I sometimes worry that she’ll use it as a weapon when she grows up.”
“I can see it. When she bats those big innocent baby blues, I don’t know how anyone could deny her anything.”
Sarah laughed. “It’s a bit of an act. Sometimes my little angel can be a real hellion.”
The two women opened the bag and dug through the supplies until they had procured everything needed to make hotcakes. Other than coffee, all they had to drink was tea and cocoa. But Niki couldn’t imagine the girls objecting to cocoa, so she pulled the canister out and searched for a pot to boil some water.
“Sarah, if you want to start the hotcakes, I’ll see if I can find something warmer for the girls to wear. They’ll need more than sweaters to keep them warm when it cools off this evening.”
When Niki entered the tent, she found that Bernie had fallen asleep again. While he needed rest in order to mend, the amount of time he slept worried her. He usually woke at five in the morning and seldom turned in before midnight, so watching him spend his days in a dream world didn’t feel right. Actually, Niki realized she had seldom ever seen her grandfather sleep. He was usually still awake when she went to bed and already up when she rose in the morning. At those times he looked strong¾asleep he looked frail and old.
She unzipped her duffle and quietly rifled through the bag. Her stuff would be huge for the girls and not big enough for Sarah. She would raid her grandfather’s bag for a flannel shirt for Sarah and she could wear his coat while he remained bedridden. Niki pulled out her long sleeve thermal underwear top. If she cut the sleeves off at the elbow, it might work for April. They could layer the long john top with the shirt and sweater the girl already wore and top it off with Niki’s windbreaker with the sleeves rolled up and it would keep April warm enough unless they had to winter in the mountains. Lacy was another story.
Niki ducked back out of the tent and noticed Sarah was nearly finished with breakfast and Frank and Joe stood nearby, talking, drinking coffee and waiting for the offer to dig in and eat. By the stunned look Joe gave her, she could only imagine Frank was telling the old man all the details of her latest risky escapade. Niki hoped Joe would just accept that no harm was done and not lecture her because she was just too tired to listen and pretend to have learned her lesson. If she had to do it all over again, she would. Niki turned from Joe’s kn
owing gaze and joined Sarah at the fire.
“I think if we cut these sleeves off and layer it with what April has she’ll be warm enough for now. I have this small wool blanket that I was thinking we could use to make a poncho for Lacy.”
When Sarah stood, Niki could see tears in her eyes.
“You’ve done so much for my family. I don’t know how we can ever thank you enough. First you help rescue us, then you risk your life so we can escape and now you’re cutting up your own clothes and giving up your sleeping bag and cot for my girls. If we get out of this, I’m taking you shopping and buying you new things to replace those you’ve sacrificed. I know it’s such a small gesture, but I’ll think of more. I’ll never forget what you’ve done and I’ll spend the rest of my life trying to repay you, though I know it’ll be impossible.”
“Don’t even think about it. You would have done the same for me or anyone else here if the tables were turned. And unfortunately we may not be out of the woods yet, so hold the gratitude.”
“I know it isn’t over, but I feel a lot safer now than I did this time yesterday. It’s good to be with friends.”
“Friends help friends. That’s just what we do. I’ll always remember how you and Cal were there for Deuce and Bob when they needed someone.”
“I only wish I could have done more. I hated seeing what it did to Deuce to lose his mother in such a tragic way. She suffered far too much for far too long, and as you know, Deuce is all action. He didn’t deal well with something out of his control that he couldn’t fix. He needed someone to lean on, to listen to him, to understand his grief and soothe his tortured soul, and Bob was in no shape to give any support to his son. Deuce and Bob have never really fully recovered, but at least Bob has gotten over the resentment and guilt. Deuce can’t seem to get past the blame and anger and it’s made him shut out those who mean the most to him.”
