It Had to Be Them (An It Had to Be Novel Book 4)

by Tamra Baumann

  Ruth wasn’t going to vote for her own son? That Ruth would back Kline made her chest warm. Maybe with Ruth’s help, a few more Andersons might vote for Kline too.

  She’d been doing her own research on how small towns were run. And Nate’s father had suggested a few sites and books for her to read, and he’d given her tips for the next debate. She was getting excited at the prospect of a win.

  Kline took a serious tone. “Okay. We’ll hold off until after the election. And only if you’re sure you’re feeling up to doing all of that campaigning.”

  Her mom’s head bobbed. “I’m sure!”

  “Okay. And I’ll go along and stump for myself as soon as I finish up with Tara. But you have to promise me, Mom. No more excuses about seeing the doctor after that.”

  “Promise.” Her mom made a crisscross across her chest with her finger. “I just wish your father could be here to see you become the first Grant to run our town. He’d be so proud of you. And honestly, Kline, just having you here has made me feel so much better.”

  Her mother did seem better than she had those first few days—other than being tired all the time and staying in bed a good part of the day. Maybe she was just getting older, as she’d pointed out. “I’ll change your appointment and let you know. Then I’ll catch up with you guys after my meeting.”

  “Perfect!” Mom threw her covers back and was, oddly, fully dressed as she scurried to her bathroom. Kline would add that to the list of the other weird things her mother had done lately. She shook her head and headed for the door, calling out, “Don’t overdo, please.”

  When she stepped off the front porch, she spotted Nate packing up his car to leave, so she joined him. “Hey there. Guess you found somewhere else to bunk last night, huh?”

  Nate grinned as he slapped the rear door closed on his SUV. “Missy and I had a lovely evening.” He gave Kline a hug. “I’ll walk the paperwork through myself today to stop the mayor. Call you later.” Nate got behind the wheel and started the engine.

  Hopefully, he’d get the Feds involved in time.

  Kline lifted a hand and waited until Nate’s car rolled down the drive before she set out to Tara’s office. On the short walk there, she noted the mayor’s new campaign signs sprouting up on some of the lawns. She’d better get herself some of those too.

  Kline reached for the door to Tara’s office, but Missy, Tara’s assistant, appeared out of nowhere and tugged first. “I’m late. Tara’s going to kill me!” Missy let the door close in Kline’s face.

  Missy being late was as sure as the sun rising every morning. But Nate spending the night couldn’t have helped. Funny how she didn’t feel a bit jealous about Nate sleeping with other women, like she had with Ben.

  After running the options around in her head after Ben had crawled out of her window the night before, she’d come to the conclusion that the possibility of happiness with Ben again should outweigh her fear of being hurt by him. And maybe if she won the election, Anderson Butte would be a better place. One she’d consider living in long term. But that was still a big maybe.

  But then, no risk, no gain. She’d sworn to live her life to the fullest after she’d gotten out of jail, so no time like the present. She hoped Ben was free to go to dinner with her later so they could discuss things. Run all the possibilities and weigh the risks to their hearts.

  Smiling, Kline pulled the door open again, then walked into the reception area. The air smelled too flowery and clean, like most of the dentists’ offices she’d been in. Like they were trying to hide the smell of antiseptic and pain. She was glad she was just there for a chat.

  Missy joined her again as she slipped into her white lab coat. “Tara said to go on back to her office. Right down that hallway. Sorry about that earlier, I should’ve said welcome back. It’s nice to see you again, Kline.”

  “You too, Missy.” Kline followed the hallway Missy indicated and stopped just outside the open office door. Inside, a blonde woman tapped keys on her computer. “Tara?”

  The woman lifted her gaze from the computer screen and smiled. “Hi, Kline. Nice to meet you. Ryan has told me all about you.” She stood and held out a hand toward the guest chairs in front of her wide desk. “Have a seat.”

  Kline was tall, but Tara was even taller—and intimidatingly beautiful. Women like that always made Kline feel frumpy. “Thanks.”

  Tara’s eyes twinkled with amusement as she studied Kline. It was hard to resist the urge to squirm under the scrutiny.

  Tara finally said, “Ryan tells me you and he used to talk for hours when he was a kid. Ryan speaking more than ten words in a row was rare when we first met. Now I can’t shut the man up sometimes. I realized you might be the only other person who would believe that.”

  “Yes. I know exactly what you mean.” Kline’s anxiety melted away as she and Tara laughed. “Ruth was the only one who ever believed me.”

  “Speaking of Mrs. Anderson, she stopped by to campaign for you this morning. She said she’s going to make up signs that say, ‘Vote for Kline, or find a bullet in your behind.’”

  Kline stopped laughing. “She was kidding, right?”

  Tara shrugged. “Who knows with Mrs. Anderson. She might just do it.”

  Ben’s sharpshooting grandmother had a reputation for firing first and asking questions later. But she’d never killed anyone—mostly just nicked them. “Maybe I’d better have a chat with her about that, just to be sure. Anyway, I know you’re busy so I won’t keep you. Were you able to get ahold of your father?”

  Tara shook her head. “No. He and my mother are traveling home from Europe today. They’d planned to be at the groundbreaking ceremony next week, but the mayor changing things last night means they’ll miss it. My dad won’t be happy about that.”

  Crap! That meant she’d have to go with plan B. “Thanks for checking. I’ll have to find another way to fix this.”

  “Sorry about that. But I wanted to tell you that you have my vote, Kline. I hate how Ryan’s father operates. I’ll do anything I can to help you get elected.” Tara stood and held out her hand for a shake. “Either way, I hope you’ll take the teaching job and stay. I have a feeling anyone who can make Ryan talk must be destined to be my friend.”

  Tara’s warm words melted Kline’s heart as she returned the handshake. “Thanks. I guess we’ll have to wait and see what happens.” Kline started to leave but stopped in the doorway. “You moved here from Denver, right? Aren’t you missing city life?”

  “My mother asks me that all the time.” Tara’s smile turned dreamy. “I don’t miss Denver a bit. I’ve come to love all the nosy, kind people here. Especially Ryan, of course. He makes me feel like the luckiest woman alive. I’d be happy wherever I lived as long as we’re together.”

  “I have a feeling Ryan would say the same of you.” Ryan seemed happier than she’d ever seen him. Could she be happy anywhere if she were with Ben again? “See you at the groundbreaking?”

  “I wouldn’t miss it. Good luck stopping it.”

  “Thanks. I’m going to need it.” Kline waved and then walked out the door. A stomachache formed at the prospect of what was now her only course of action to stop the digging. After Tara’s office door closed behind her, Kline headed for the general store for supplies.

  Hopefully, Nate would come through and stop the mayor so she wouldn’t have to do it her way.

  Ben tied down the chopper behind the clinic after his flight from Denver to drop off Sam, and then made his way toward the groundbreaking ceremony across from the hotel. He looked forward to finally tasting the world-famous whiskey that his grandfather had raved about.

  As dusk began to fall, forming long shadows between the trees, his father’s voice rang out over a PA system, outlining all the benefits the new distillery would bring to the town. Ben weaved through the big spotlights set up on the ground and the people milling around with plastic cups of whiskey in their hands. He found the line to get his own taste and joined the queue. �
�Hey, Zeke. How are you?”

  Kline’s uncle turned around. “’Bout time you got here, Ben. You’re probably the only one who can talk Kline out of her crazy plan.”

  After Zeke got his drink, he stepped aside and waited for Ben to grab his from the table.

  He scooped up a cup and then joined Zeke. “So, what’s Kline’s crazy plan?” Ben took a sip of the smooth, dry, woody liquid. If they could replicate that flavor, no doubt they’d have a hit on their hands.

  Zeke lifted his cup in the direction of the huge bulldozer that sat loudly idling. “See for yourself.”

  Ben glanced to his right and saw Kline blocking the path of the huge machine. “Seriously?” Ben drained his plastic cup as he moved through the crowd to talk some sense into her. He tossed his cup into a trash bin and then hurried in her direction.

  When he reached her, the bulldozer operator was yelling for Kline to step away from the front blade. Kline shook her head and wrapped a long length of heavy chain around the implement. Then she wrapped the chain around her waist and called out, “I can’t let you destroy protected land.”

  Ben leaned over her shoulder and said, “This isn’t going to work, Kline.”

  She turned and lifted her stubborn chin. “If you’re not here to be supportive then leave.”

  “Maybe this is just a symbolic gesture for the crowd, a little scoop, and nothing will be harmed. Have you considered that?”

  Kline shook her head. “Your father moved up the groundbreaking before they could pull the building permit. I confirmed with the operator, and he said he was going for the surrounding trees first. But if you’d rather support the actions of a lying, cheating politician, then go on and leave me to this.”

  Ben glanced up at the huge yellow bulldozer as he debated what to do. The chances of the situation ending well were almost nil. Protesting against his father would practically guarantee the clinic would never be built, but Kline came first and needed his support. “Wouldn’t it have been better to have Nate put a stop to this? Legally?”

  A loud click sounded as Kline closed a large combination padlock woven through the chain links at her waist. “He’s been working on it all day. He called a few minutes ago and asked me to stall.”

  His grandmother hobbled over and cocked her head. “What have we here? A real live sit-in? I haven’t done something like this since the sixties. Chain me in too.”

  “Nope.” Ben clasped his grandmother’s arm to stop her. “Don’t even think about it.” That’d be all he needed. His grandmother was even more stubborn than Kline. “You know you can’t stand for long.”

  Grandma jerked her arm from his grasp. “Well, then get me a chair, Benjamin, and we’ll chain it in too. I agree with what Kline’s doing here.”

  He wanted to punch something. “I’m not chaining my grandmother to a bulldozer—”

  “What the hell is going on?” his father bellowed from the street as his face turned a concerning deep red. “Mother, get away from there right now. And Kline, get off my land!”

  Most of the town had moved closer to see who was going to win the standoff.

  Ben leaned close to Kline and whispered, “Call Nate and see how much more time you need.” Then he straightened and said loudly so everyone could hear, “Dad, let’s just enjoy the whiskey tonight and leave the bulldozing until we know it’ll be legal.”

  His father slipped his hand into his coat pocket and produced a piece of paper as he approached. Waving it in Ben’s face, he shouted, “This building permit says it’s legal. Until I hear otherwise, we’re moving along with our plans. Talk some sense into your girlfriend or I’ll have her arrested for trespassing.”

  Ben pulled his father to the side. “Having Kline arrested might be bad for your reelection. It makes you look like a bully.”

  “I’m not letting her ruin this for us. Take her and go or I’ll have you both thrown in jail.”

  “Dad, you need to calm down. Your blood pressure is probably through the roof right now. Give me a few minutes and I’ll—”

  “Nope. I want the both of you gone right now.”

  “Fine.” Ben slowly walked back to Kline and his grandmother. “We’re out of time. Let’s go, Kline.”

  She shook her head. “Not until the state troopers arrive. Nate said they’re almost here.”

  “My father’s serious.” Ben glanced back at his dad, who stood off to the side, screaming something at Ryan. The deep frown on Ryan’s face didn’t bode well for them. “Let the troopers handle this.”

  Ryan joined them. “Kline and Ben, I’ll need to ask you to move to the street or I’ll have to arrest you. You’re both trespassing.”

  “Dad really told you to arrest me?”

  Ryan nodded. “So don’t make me.”

  Now it was Ben’s blood pressure that spiked to dangerous levels. He held out his hands. “Cuff me, then.”

  Kline’s eyes grew wide. “Ryan, Ben had nothing to do with this. He was trying to talk me into leaving.”

  His father rejoined them. “I want them both arrested. Now, Ryan!”

  Ryan ran a hand down his face. “Dad, let’s be reasonable here.”

  “Arrest them now!”

  Ryan stared into Ben’s eyes as he slowly removed the cuffs from his belt. “We’ll sort this all out at the station. Sorry, bud.”

  The cold metal slowly cinched around Ben’s wrists. He couldn’t believe his father had done that.

  Ryan turned to Kline. “Will you please leave on your own, Kline? For me?”

  Kline pursed her lips and shook her head. Ben had to admire her passion.

  She said, “You’re going to have to arrest me too. What the mayor is doing is wrong.”

  Ryan lifted the lock and examined it. “I can have my deputy bring me a set of loppers that will take care of this, or you can give me the combination.”

  Grandma said, “Don’t give it to him, Kline. Make him lop that chain off!”

  When a loud commotion sounded, Ben turned his head to investigate. He called out, “The troopers are here.”

  “Great!” Kline quickly entered the combination and then slipped out of the chains. “We’ll be on our way then. Let Ben go, Ryan.”

  Dad shook his head. “Nope. I’m still pressing charges, Ryan. Take them away.”

  After their grandmother whispered something in Ryan’s ear, he huffed out a breath and slipped his hand around Kline’s arm. “Let’s go, you two.”

  Kline threw her big purse over her shoulder, then kept looking back to see what was going on until they were too far away to see anymore. “I hope the Feds arrest the mayor.”

  Ryan said. “Thanks to you, my dad didn’t get the chance to do anything wrong—yet.”

  Ben stopped and held out his cuffed hands for release. “Then let us go. We’ll both just go home and stay out of things. Right, Kline?”

  She shrugged. “Fine.”

  “Nope.” Ryan hauled them both toward Town Hall. “Ben’s not on call so you two aren’t going anywhere but jail tonight. If you’re good, I’ll let you out in the morning. Grandma said it’d give you guys a chance to quit dancing around your situation and work things out.”

  “Seriously, Ryan?” Kline’s voice rose two octaves.

  “Yep. And you’ll get another hour for every protest. I’ll have Gloria bring you some breakfast in the morning.” Ryan opened the front door to Town Hall and waited for them to pass by. “We just got new mattresses so the beds should be nice and comfy. The second cell is being painted, so you’ll both have to share.”

  Ben exchanged a look with Ryan. When his brother’s lips formed a slight grin, Ben had his answer. Ryan was putting them in the same cell on purpose. Probably part of Gram’s idea to help them work things out. Fine by him, but he wasn’t sure if Kline would be okay with that.

  After they made their way to the back of the police station in silence, Ryan opened up the cage and held out a hand in invitation. “Welcome to the drunk tank.” Ryan unloc
ked Ben’s handcuffs and then closed the metal door shut with a loud clank. “Enjoy your evening.” Ryan turned and walked away. A few minutes later, all the lights went out. The barred window allowed stingy streaks from the rising moon to illuminate the concrete floor.

  Kline sat on one of the two cots lined up on either side of the cell. She bounced up and down and made the springs squeak. “Not so bad, I guess.” She frowned as she examined the sink and toilet. “Although that’s a little like a men’s room . . . exposed. Maybe I can hold out until morning.”

  “Seriously? Even after living in a tent in Africa?”

  “Especially after living in a tent in Africa.”

  He sat on the opposite mattress. “For the sake of your bladder, I promise not to look.” He dug his phone from his pocket to check his messages and distract himself.

  Being trapped in a cage was making him sweat. He had a certain routine before he went to sleep at night.

  Kline stood and then crossed the cell and sat next to him. She dug through her purse. “Let’s take inventory of the food supply.”

  In an attempt to stave off his growing anxiety, he drew a deep breath and closed his eyes, trying to visualize something pleasant. Like a wide-open beach with waves crashing against the shore. “I don’t think we’ll starve to death before morning,” he snapped, instantly regretting it.

  “No, but I haven’t been sent to bed without my dinner in a long time. You must be hungry too.” She laid a cool hand on his cheek. When he opened his eyes, she frowned. “Are you okay, Ben?”

  “I’m fine.” He was more focused on taking deep breaths and remaining calm than eating.

  She leaned her back against the cinder block as she pulled something from her purse. “I have part of a candy bar in here. It’ll make a good appetizer.” She handed the loose wrapper to him.