Last Stand in Texas

by Robin Perini

  She’d called out at least once because in the early morning hours, Léon had lain down beside her, pulled her into his arms and held her close the rest of the night. He’d been nothing but a gentleman. She’d finally settled in and given in to sleep.

  Three hours hadn’t been enough to wash away the dreams, though. Her entire body felt as if she’d been chewed up and spit out by a harvester. Faith rubbed her tired eyes just as Stefan turned the truck down a long, winding driveway. He paused briefly in front of an iron gate. It swung open and the truck shuddered when they crossed a cattle guard.

  They’d been on the road for at least four hours, but following his indirect route had been impossible. She had no idea where they were. She didn’t want to ask.

  A ranch-style house sat at the end of the paved road. There had to be at least five acres around it. Faith could even make out a barn behind the main house. The lawn surrounding the house appeared a bit odd, actually, in the midst of the desert plants.

  Two girls, a year or two younger than Zoe, ran through a sprinkler system in the front yard. Every few seconds a huge reddish dog forced his face into the water before shaking all over and sending the girls into fits of laughter.

  Léon pulled into the driveway. “We’re here.”

  Faith glanced at him, worry weighing down her shoulders. “What if Burke—?”

  “Do you think I’d do anything to place this family in danger?” he asked, his tone sharp.

  She bit her lip. Faith should trust him. She did, actually, but Burke... She’d never known him to give up. He always won.

  Could this time be different? With a sigh, she sent him a sidelong glance before finally nodding.

  Zoe looked through the car’s window with longing. “Can I play?” she asked, though from her tone she expected another no.

  Léon turned in his seat. “You can play all you want here,” he said. “We’re staying for a day or two.”

  “Good. I’m tired of driving.” Zoe grinned at him.

  A tall man with a slight limp walked toward the truck. Léon rolled down the window and smiled. The first truly relaxed smile Faith could remember seeing on his face.

  “Daniel. Good to see you, my friend.”

  The faint accent thickened with his greeting. Maybe because Léon had let his guard down?

  “And who might you have with you?” Daniel asked, peering into the SUV, the scar down the side of his cheek taking nothing away from his compelling features.

  “This is Faith, and the girl eager to jump into the fun is Zoe. Faith and Zoe, this is my friend Daniel Adams.” Léon flicked the unlock button on the console and opened his door. “You’re free, Zoe.”

  Her daughter nearly bounced out of the back seat onto the ground and raced around the truck to stare at the front yard with longing.

  Faith couldn’t remember her daughter being so excited since the first day of baseball practice earlier this spring. A familiar wave of guilt settled in her gut. She’d wanted so much more for Zoe than being on the run the rest of their lives.

  Faith exited the vehicle and rounded the truck. She placed her left hand on Zoe’s shoulder and reached out her right to Daniel. “Thank you for taking us in.”

  He smiled at her. “Any friend of Léon’s.” Daniel turned to the yard and cupped his hands around his mouth. “Christina. Hope. Come here, girls.”

  They veered from their play and the dog followed. He bounded toward Faith and Zoe.

  “Trouble. Sit,” Daniel ordered.

  Before the dog could jump on them, he dropped his rump. His tail wagged and the huge animal had what appeared to be a smile on his face. His entire body vibrated with excitement.

  “He won’t bite. He’s just excitable. And yes, he was named after the town.” Daniel smiled down at the two girls. “These are my daughters, Christina and Hope.”

  “It’s so nice to meet you,” Faith said. “This is Zoe.”

  Her daughter took a few steps until she was toe-to-toe with the little girls. “You look alike.”

  Hope grinned. “We’re twins. We’re five. Do you want to play?”

  Zoe glanced over her shoulder at Faith.

  “Sure. Just stay close.”

  Zoe grinned wide.

  “Come on, Trouble,” Hope called.

  A woman joined Daniel and she gave Léon a hug. “It’s good to see you.”

  “This is my wife, Raven,” Daniel said.

  Raven gave Faith a welcoming albeit sympathetic smile. “From what I gathered you’ve had a tough few days. How about some sun tea?”

  She hesitated, glancing at Zoe.

  Léon gave her a small nod. “Daniel has a surveillance system. If anyone opens the gates without permission, he’ll know it. Zoe is safe here.”

  Raven squeezed Faith’s arm. “Daniel and Léon will watch over them. Come on inside.”

  Zoe ran through the sprinkler, laughing and shaking her head. Water sprayed from her. How long had it been since she’d heard that kind of carefree laugh from her daughter?

  Until Léon came into their lives?

  Faith followed Raven into the house, through the welcoming living room and into the kitchen. She poured tea over ice. Faith sat at the large rectangular oak table and took a long sip.

  She could breathe in this house. No one could tie her to Daniel and Raven Adams. And who would come looking for them in a house outside of a town she’d never heard of? She hadn’t known Trouble, Texas, existed.

  “Delicious,” she said with a sigh.

  “You can’t beat sun tea,” Raven said, wiping down the counter. “Barbecue okay for a late lunch? That way Daniel does most of the cooking.” Raven grinned. She placed a stockpot of water on the stove and dumped a bag of potatoes into the sink.

  “Can I help?” Faith asked.

  Raven scooted over and handed her a potato peeler. “I never refuse an extra pair of hands.”

  The women worked silently for a while. Raven placed a clean potato off to the side. “If you’re wondering, Léon didn’t tell us what you’re going through, just that you’re in trouble.” She picked up another vegetable and slid the peeler along the skin. “Daniel and I met because he saved my life. He and Trouble found me buried alive. You can trust my husband and Léon to protect you and your daughter. I have the experience to prove it.”

  Faith gaped at Raven.

  “Long story, but we found my daughters and have a good life. We’re even adopting a little boy next month.” Raven placed her hand on Faith’s. “My point is life can get better. You’ve found a good man willing to do whatever it takes to help you, and that man has some friends who’ve gotten people out of more trouble than you can imagine.”

  Faith had rarely seen the kind of confidence Raven displayed in anyone, much less experienced it. She’d come with Léon because she couldn’t figure out another way to protect Zoe. Inside, that wall she’d built around her heart had weakened a bit. Her response to him terrified her.

  Burke’s betrayal had practically destroyed her. She’d vowed not to rely on anyone else. She couldn’t afford to give away her power like that.

  Faith’s head hurt from all the scenarios she worked through in her mind. She and Raven continued in silence until the three girls rushed into the kitchen.

  “Mom, when are we eating?” Zoe asked.

  “Not for a while yet.”

  The twins groaned. “We’re hungry,” they said in unison.

  Raven nodded toward a bowl of sliced fruit and cheese. “I know my daughters well. Sit at the table to eat.”

  Three chairs scraped the floor. The girls giggled and scarfed down their snack. Soon they were whispering quietly.

  “What do you think that’s about?” Faith asked Raven in a low voice.

  Raven frowned. “Trouble, if I know my girls.”

  * *
*

  ZOE SAT AT the table, eyeing her mom before examining the last nectarine slice. Today had been the best day in a long time. She’d gotten so tired of being cooped up in the library all the time. Especially when her mom made her practice her reading all day long.

  “You take it,” Hope said with a smile, pushing the plate to her.

  Zoe didn’t usually play with girls, especially not little girls who were only five, but Hope and Christina weren’t like other girls. Plus, it was so cool that they looked exactly alike.

  With a smile, Zoe popped the nectarine slice into her mouth.

  Hope shoved back her chair. “Come on,” she said. “Let’s go to our room. We can play there.”

  Zoe stood up, but paused for a moment. “Do you ever talk?” she asked Christina.

  The girl nodded.

  “Not really,” Hope interrupted. “She doesn’t like to.”

  Zoe followed the girls to a large room. Twin bunk beds lined up against one wall opposite huge shelves with tons of toys. Zoe wrinkled her nose. Mostly dolls and girl stuff on the left side, but on the right side, a bunch of board games were stacked up, along with a soccer ball.

  A soft scratch sounded at the door.

  “Trouble!” Christina shouted.

  The dog trotted in and plopped in the center of the floor.

  Christina climbed onto his back and hugged him. “My daddy said you don’t have a place to live.”

  Zoe’s eyes widened. “I thought you didn’t talk.”

  Hope grinned. “She talks, just not much. And mostly when Trouble’s nearby.”

  Christina stroked his fur. “Do you miss your house?” She stared at Zoe from astride the huge dog.

  A small pang in the center of her chest made Zoe sad for a moment. “I miss playing baseball with my friend, Danny. And I miss my daddy. He promised to take me to a baseball game this summer, and summer’s almost over. Plus, he buys me neat toys. He got me a tablet a while back and it wasn’t even my birthday.”

  The twins’ mouths dropped open. “Wow. Where is it?”

  “My mom made me leave it when we ran away. She and my dad don’t like each other.” Zoe sat in front of Trouble and patted his head. “You’re lucky you have a dog. I wish I had one. My mom said I could get a puppy, but then we left home. I don’t know if I’ll ever have one now.” She let out a long, drawn-out sigh.

  Hope grinned and stared at her sister.

  Christina nodded at her twin. “Wanna see something?”

  From the expressions on the twins’ faces, Zoe knew whatever they were going to look at had to be good. She followed her new friends out the back door, across the lawn and into a big barn. Christina put her finger over her lips. “Shh. We have to be quiet. We might wake them up.”

  They shut the door behind them and opened up a gate just inside the building. A bunch of squeaks erupted and a half-dozen balls of fur zoomed at them.

  A dog that looked kind of like Trouble lay in the corner and sort of smiled at them.

  “Puppies,” Zoe said, her eyes wide. “You have puppies.”

  “Come on. Sit down.”

  Hope and Christina plopped down on the hay in the center of the pen, and Zoe joined them. The puppies scrambled all over them.

  Zoe giggled. The smallest puppy pushed its nose into her side. She picked up the reddish brown furball with big eyes and white splashes around her eyes and mouth. In less than a minute, Zoe fell in love.

  She held the puppy in her arms and the little animal buried itself in her shoulder.

  “Mom said we have to give them all away to good homes,” Christina said with a frown. “So other little girls and boys can play with them.”

  “Do you want one?” Hope asked.

  Zoe jumped to her feet and hugged the little furball tight. “I want this one. She likes me.”

  “Zoe!” her mother’s voice sounded panicked.

  She ran out of the barn and skidded up to her mother. Her mom was scared, and Zoe felt bad. Her mom didn’t smile anymore, either. Except when Léon was around.

  The puppy would cheer her mom up.

  “Look.” She cradled the little dog in her arms and walked over to her mother. “Hope and Christina said I could have her. I’m going to name her Catcher, ’cause she kinda looks like she has a face mask on.”

  Her mother knelt down and Zoe got that twist back in the pit of her stomach. She recognized the look on her mom’s face.

  “Zoe. We’re moving around a lot. A puppy needs a backyard to play in.”

  It wasn’t fair. They used to have a backyard. Her grandma and grandpa had a huge yard. Her daddy had a yard, even though Zoe had never seen him go outside at his house.

  “You’re just saying that. We could go home and have a place for Catcher. You took away my house and my friends and my daddy. I hate you.”

  Zoe shoved Catcher at Christina and ran into the house. She’d had enough of this so-called vacation her mom had taken her on. She wanted to go home.

  Chapter Nine

  The barn went awkwardly silent. The screen door slammed against the jamb, and Zoe’s footsteps pounded away. Faith took in a shuddering sigh and pinched the bridge of her nose.

  Raven placed her arm on Faith’s shoulder and gave her a sympathetic smile. “She’s probably gone upstairs to the girls’ room. If I’m right, here comes the door.”

  Sure enough, a second door slammed closed.

  Faith closed her eyes. “I’m so sorry.”

  “I may not know much about what you’re going through,” Raven said, “but it’s obvious Zoe’s been through a lot.”

  “Thank you for being so kind.” Faith wanted to sink into the floor despite Raven’s understanding. “I need to talk to her.”

  Faith left Raven and her daughters and headed inside the house. She trudged up the stairs. She hated this. Why couldn’t she have said yes? She wanted to give in. Zoe had lost so much, and was about to lose more even though she didn’t realize it yet. Faith’s head throbbed from the base of her skull all the way to her temples. Maybe she’d ask Raven and Daniel if they could take one of the puppies once she and Zoe settled.

  Except, that wouldn’t work. With new identities they wouldn’t be able to contact anyone from their past life. Annie had been very clear about the rules...and the consequences. She and Zoe were stuck, painted into a corner by Burke—and her own choices.

  Faith hadn’t felt so insecure as a mother since the first day she’d brought Zoe home from the hospital. Or maybe the day she’d left Burke’s mansion and taken Zoe to the rental house Faith couldn’t really afford.

  She reached the top of the stairs. Of the five doors she could see, only two were closed. Faith knocked on the first one and cracked it open. She peered into the guest room, searched the closet, the bathroom and even under the bed. Zoe wasn’t anywhere to be found.

  One room down, one to go. She rapped on the door. No answer. She knocked again. “Zoe, I know you’re in there. Come on, let’s talk about it.”

  Her daughter didn’t respond.

  She inched open the bedroom door and stepped into the twins’ room. Faith wanted her daughter to have a room like this one, except maybe she’d have sports equipment and Erector Sets instead of dolls and board games.

  Faith crouched down and glanced under the bed. Zoe wasn’t here, either. She rose, scanned the room and her gaze honed in on the closet. Perfect hiding place. Zoe had been known to disappear in small spaces from the time she was a toddler.

  Faith pressed it open. Zoe sat on the floor, her back facing her mother. With a long inward sigh, Faith sat cross-legged next to Zoe.

  “I’m sorry, but we can’t go home, Slugger. And we can’t bring the puppy with us. Not until we have a place to live. I promise, when I find us a house—”

  “I didn’t want a dog anyway,” Zoe
said, her voice catching with emotion. “They’re too much trouble.”

  She tugged some blocks from the corner of the closet. “I’m busy right now. I want to be alone.”

  Zoe swiped at her face.

  Faith placed her hands on Zoe’s shoulders. “Honey—”

  “Can I be alone, Mom? I don’t want to talk right now.”

  The words were so quiet, so disheartened, but Faith knew her daughter well. Sometimes she needed space. Kind of like her mother. Faith rose to her feet. “I am sorry, Zoe. Soon, everything will be better.”

  “Sure.”

  Her daughter ducked her head. The flat tone hurt Faith’s heart, but it couldn’t be helped. She had no other choice. With one last backward glance, she exited the room and headed downstairs. She met the twins racing up. They stopped and looked at her.

  “Is Zoe okay?” Hope asked.

  Faith forced a smile. “She’ll be fine. Maybe you’d like to play with her? I think she could use a couple of friends.”

  The girls ran to their room and burst inside before closing the door behind them. Faith hovered outside for a moment, but she couldn’t make out what the girls were saying.

  “Tough love?” Léon asked from the top of the staircase.

  “The toughest.” Faith met his sympathetic gaze. She rubbed the bridge of her nose. “I hate this. I want to let her have that puppy more than anything. She’s been a trouper since all this started.”

  A dose of giggling sounded through the door, and Faith recognized Zoe’s voice if not what she said. “At least she’s talking to the twins.”

  Léon held out his hand. “Come with me. Hope and Christina are just what she needs right now. Maybe her mom needs a break, too?”

  Faith gnawed at her lip, but after one last glance at the door, she followed him. He led her to the guest room and closed the door behind them.

  Léon opened his arms, and she walked into them. Her body sagged, leaning against him. She shouldn’t do it. She couldn’t depend on him to comfort her, but she’d been alone for too long. Really since Zoe was born. She needed so badly to be held.