Another Chance

by Sandra Cuppett

  Daniel Chetan looked from the dog to Jordan and back again, then to the vehicle now coming to a stop at the gate to the yard. Jordan had lost her healthy, glowing tan. Her face was pale and her full lips were pulled into a tight line across her mouth. This must mean trouble, he decided.

  Bhrandii sensed Jordan’s unease and began to growl aggressively as the sheriff stepped out of the car and moved toward the gate.

  Knowing she couldn’t control how she was feeling, Jordan stood and walked to the door of the kitchen and spoke firmly to the dog. Obediently, he retreated into the house and she pulled the solid door and the screen door shut, leaving him secured inside.

  When she turned around, Sheriff John Davis was approaching the steps. He walked up them and glanced at Jordan’s company then looked back at her. “Afternoon, Jordan.”

  She nodded. “Sheriff John.” It was a reply filled with dread.

  “We need to talk,” he said simply.

  Again she nodded.

  Feather pushed back her chair and started to rise, but Jordan stayed her with a hand. “Go ahead and finish your supper. Sheriff John and I will walk down to the barn. It shouldn’t take long.”

  Jordan led the way. When they were out the gate, the sheriff began to speak and Jordan’s stride went from strong and self-assured to hesitant and weak. Daniel watched, not knowing what the conversation was about, but sure that it was not good news for Jordan.

  “We heard from officials in Poplar Bluff about half an hour ago. Lambert has been there and they think he knows where you are.” John Davis was telling Jordan. “The couple who lived next door to you back then was found dead this morning.”

  “No!” Jordan gasped.

  John nodded. “The old man had a bullet in his head, Mrs. Swartz died of an apparent heart attack.”

  “He murdered Mr. Swartz?” Jordan couldn’t accept that. They were such a sweet couple.

  “They found Lambert’s finger prints all over the place. He tried to make it look like a burglary, but they checked for finger prints and it was him.” John wanted to spare Jordan the pain, but didn’t see any way to do it. “They found a bunch of Christmas cards that Mrs. Swartz had saved. They had been plundered through.” He paused but just for a few seconds. “Jordan, did you send Christmas cards to them?”

  She nodded. “He killed Mr. Swartz and caused her to have a heart attack to find me?”

  “Looks like it. I’m so sorry, Honey. I hate having to tell you this.”

  She felt her legs growing weak and staggered. John Davis grabbed her and wrapped his arms around her to support her and provide her a shoulder to cry on. She did. Her whole body shook with her sobs. She couldn’t believe that Lambert could have killed that wonderful couple just to find out where she lived. They were dead because they had been friends of hers. It was her fault they were dead. Two more people dead because they cared about her. It was too much.

  They hadn’t made it inside the barn when Jordan fell apart and John was very aware that the young couple on the porch could still see them. Slowly he helped her into the barn and into her office. He eased her onto her chair and knelt in front of her, her head still on his shoulders. He let her cry, one of his strong hands patting her shoulder comfortingly.

  At the house, Feather looked at her brother. “What do you think happened?”

  He shrugged. “It must really be bad. She looked like she was crushed.”

  “I wish there was something we could do.” Feather said softly. “She seems like a really nice person.”

  Wolf nodded in agreement. He directed his thoughts to the dog, still growling inside the house. He felt fear. The dog didn’t understand, but was afraid for Jordan. Wolf tried to soothe the animal and was somewhat successful, but not completely. The growling subsided, but the animal paced restlessly on the other side of the door.

  It was a long time before Jordan and the sheriff emerged from the barn. The brother and sister could see she still looked shaken and pale as they got closer. At the door of the patrol vehicle, they stopped and when the sheriff spoke to her, Jordan nodded then slowly turned and walked through the gate.

  Feather had already cleaned up everything except Jordan’s plate and when Jordan saw that she smiled at the girl weakly. “Thanks for cleaning up for me, Feather.”

  The Indian girl smiled. “It was the least I could do.”

  Jordan dropped back into her chair and pushed her plate away. “I guess I owe y’all some sort of explanation.”

  “No,” Wolf spoke up firmly. “We don’t need any explanations. We aren’t goin’ to judge you. We just want to know if there is anythin’ we can do to make this trouble go away.”

  He felt jolted by the weak smile she flashed at him. He knew she hated the weakness she was feeling right now.

  It was a feeling she had struggled against for a long time in her past and she was struggling against it now, but there was a new element in this fear. Something she wasn’t prepared for.

  “Maybe it will help me, if I talk about it.” Jordan hadn’t felt the need to share her inner self with people for a long time. The psychiatrist had warned her not to close herself off from others but Jordan had done it anyway. Now, suddenly she needed someone to share her feelings with. They were practically strangers, but she sensed in these two people, some of the strength and understanding she needed.

  Quickly she ran through the story of meeting Lambert at a feed store where she shopped. Offering him no encouragement other that politeness he began to stalk her. Fearing she was over reacting to his advances, she hadn’t told her husband until she knew he was stalking her, and then he broke into their house one night and tried to kidnap her. In the struggle that followed, he had murdered her husband.

  “Now he’s escaped from prison and killed two more people just to find out where I am. The sheriff thinks he’s coming here to kill me and he’s probably right. It was my testimony against him that put him in prison for, what was supposed to be, the rest of his life.”

  Wolf was taken by surprise by the fury he felt on discovering that anyone would want to harm this woman. He knew he found her physically attractive, but he discovered that he also felt surprisingly protective for her being practically a stranger.

  “How well do you know the sheriff?” he asked.

  Jordan shrugged. “He was my father’s best friend. I’ve known him all my life.”

  Daniel Chetan nodded. “Then he will do whatever it takes to keep you safe?”

  Jordan looked at the man sitting across the table from her. “Sure.” She saw something in the astonishing blue eyes of this man that made her feel sheltered and she was confused by that long forgotten feeling. She wanted to look away, but the concern and tenderness she saw held her eyes captive.

  “Well,” Feather’s voice broke the silence and ended the spell she was under. “This Lambert just needs a little Indian justice. I say that when he gets here, we strip his skin off and stake him to a fire ant bed.”

  Wolf tore his eyes away from Jordan’s and looked at his sister in surprise. “Easy there, Warrior Woman. You just might be jumpin’ the gun here. This is something that’s none of our business. I’m sure the sheriff will take care of it.”

  Jordan smiled at Feather, a glimmer of humor in her expression. “I don’t want anyone else hurt because of this mad man, and your brother is right. Sheriff John will take care of me.”

  Feather looked at her brother for support. “And do you plan to just ignore this?”

  His chest swelled with pride for his sister’s anger toward what she considered a threat to her friend. She had never been one to hide her feelings. “We need to give Jordan a little time to digest the information the sheriff gave her. We can talk after we’ve done the chores.”

  It was the way of the Indian people not to react or make decisions until much thought was given concerning any problem. Their grandfather had taught them this. It was one lesson Feather had always had problems with.

  She nodded. “J
ordan, you know how much grain your horses get. If you’ll just give them that, Wolf and I will stall them and see that everything else is taken care of.”

  Jordan smiled at Feather. “I need to work. It will give me time.”

  “Then we all work together.” Wolf said. He walked to the kitchen door and opened it, allowing Bhrandii to join them. “You’re a good friend to her,” he said as the dog bounded past him to lean his body against Jordan’s legs.

  Shaking the dog’s big head between her hands, Jordan somehow felt a part of her fear lift off her shoulders. Maybe it wasn’t such a bad thing to develop friendships.

  The chores were soon finished and the three young people stood at the barn, Jordan having finally settled Pride in her stall for the night.

  “I probably shouldn’t ask you, but do you want Feather and me to stay here tonight? We can sleep in our trailer.” Wolf asked.

  Feather nodded her agreement with her brother’s offer.

  Jordan smiled at the girl first and then at him. She shook her head negatively. “Thank you, but no. Sheriff John will have someone watching the house all night, and besides that, I have Bhrandii and a 38 pistol. I’ve had lots of time to practice with the gun and I hit what I point it at. I’ll be fine.”

  “Are you sure?” Feather asked. She felt bad to think of leaving Jordan to face the long night alone.

  Jordan gave her new friend an impulsive hug. “I’ll be fine. I promise. Now the two of you need to go enjoy a relaxing night, sleeping in real beds. I’ll see you in the morning.” To prevent any more objections, she turned and with Bhrandii in tow, headed up the short path to the brick house. Wolf and Feather watched, then retreated to the truck and climbed in. The girl looked at her brother.

  “What do you think?” She asked.

  He shrugged his broad shoulders as he put the truck in gear and began to drive it slowly down the lane toward the highway. “You asked and she declined. What do you think?”

  Feather turned her dark eyes on him, a storm gathering behind their darkness. “I think she is trying to be brave, but I know she has to be scared to death. The man killed her husband and her friends and now he’s coming after her. She might not think she needs help, but I do!”

  Wolf chuckled softly. “I’m sure you do, Warrior Woman, but you heard her say the sheriff will have someone watchin’ the house all night.” He reached out one of his swarthy hands and lightly pinched the end of his sister’s nose.

  Angrily she slapped his hand away. “Wolf, she might need us tonight.”

  “Tonight the sheriff is having the house watched. Tomorrow I will meet with him and see how much danger he feels she is in. Maybe we can help after that.” Wolf knew the threat was new and the department would be very vigilant.

  Chapter Seventeen

  Early the next morning, Wolf was seated in front of the sheriff’s desk, looking across at the lawman as he perused the resume Captain Ferguson had faxed.

  Finally the sheriff looked up. “I didn’t know I was in the presence of a hero.”

  Wolf dropped his head. He wondered what was in the papers that Captain Ferguson had sent to the sheriff last night. “I’m just a man that wants to do the job I’m assigned, the best I can do it. I’m not a hero.”

  Davis looked up from the papers again. “If half of what he says about you is true, I’d be a fool not to hire you. How long were you undercover?”

  “Roughly nine months. The first three it was just getting’ my foot in the door. After that, it was deep cover. I hardly ever got to go home.” Wolf remembered how much he had missed being at home during that time.

  “Why didn’t you speak up yesterday when I saw you out at Jordan’s place?” John Davis cast the younger man a direct question with unwavering eyes.

  Wolf hadn’t made any reference to having been at Jordan’s house and wasn’t sure the sheriff had recognized him. The question was meant to catch him off balance.

  “I wasn’t sure Captain Ferguson had spoken to you at that time, and I’m not sure how Jordan will react to me hitting you up for a job.” He returned the steady scrutiny from the sheriff.

  “How well do you know her?” Davis asked.

  “I met her yesterday when I delivered a horse to her. She’s lettin’ me and my sister keep our horses there until we find a place of our own.” Wolf was beginning to feel like someone being interrogated.

  “Your sister?”

  “Yes, my sister. She was there with me.”

  Now Davis looked away. “Oh yeah. Pretty little thing. So she’s your sister?”

  Wolf’s black brows knitted into a frown. “Yes. We had the same mother and father, so that makes her my sister!”

  “Sorry. I didn’t mean to sound like I didn’t believe you.” Davis knew when to back off. “I was surprised to see y’all were having supper with Jordan. It’s well known around here that she keeps to herself. Figured you had a horse there in training.”

  Wolf didn’t respond.

  John Davis was sincerely hoping that this man was as good as his previous supervisor thought he was. He would be an asset to any branch of law enforcement. “What are you expecting to get as a starting salary?”

  Wolf looked out the big window of the comfortable office. “As much as I can get. I’m experienced, but I realize that you don’t know me from Adam’s house cat, so if you give me a chance at what you usually pay new deputies, we’ll see how it works out. When you think I deserve a raise, then you provide it. If I find I’m not earnin’ raises as fast as I think I should, then I’ll let you know.”

  Davis pushed his chair back and stood up, offering his hand across the desk. “Welcome to the department, Daniel. Let me get some paperwork done and see if we have a uniform around here that will fit you. Come on and let me introduce you to the staff and get my secretary started on the papers you’ll need to sign.”

  When Wolf returned to the motel to pick Feather up, he found a note from her telling him that Jordan had picked her up and she was at the barn. He was to come there.

  He picked up a local paper intending to scan through it to see what real estate was available to rent. He did not like living in a motel and didn’t plan to do it for very long. He returned to the room intending only to leave the newspaper, but before he could leave, his cell phone rang.

  “Hello,” Wolf spoke into the receiver.

  “Daniel, this is Sheriff Davis. I just had a thought I’d like to discuss with you, but I know you’re probably headed out to Jordan’s barn. Would you mind if I stop by there to talk with you?”

  “No. But I’m not goin’ there right now. I saw a campground yesterday and I’m going out there to make arrangements for a place to camp. I don’t like motels.” Then he added, “After I’ve done that, I’ll head out there.”

  “That’s fine, I’ll meet you there.” Sheriff John was nothing if not persistent.

  At the campground, Wolf assured the manager that although he and his sister would be sleeping in the horse trailer, there would not be any horses with them and they might like to set up a tepee too. The manager agreed to that, and they agreed on a price for a week of camping. He knew it would probably take that long to find a place to rent and to get everything moved in.

  When he finally backed the truck under the gooseneck of his trailer where he had dropped it at Jordan’s place, he saw Sheriff Davis was already there ahead of him.

  He could see Feather and the sheriff standing beside the round pen watching Jordan as she rode one of the colts she had contracted to train. He watched her ride as he walked up to join them, impressed with the grace and confidence with which she handled the young animal. She was kind, but firm when the horse needed leadership and rode with a lightness of hands and seat. He sensed that the horse wanted to please the woman who always provided calm guidance.

  As he stopped beside his sister, Jordan signaled the colt to halt and after asking for and receiving a few steps of a smooth back up, she swung her leg over the back of the saddle
and stepped down giving the young horse a few strokes of approval on his smooth, damp neck.

  “I’m always amazed at how a little thing like you handles these big animals so easily,” Sheriff Davis spoke.

  Jordan smiled at him. “Thank you. And just to set the record straight, it’s not always easy. There are days when they seem to have forgotten everything and I have to take the time to re-teach a lesson all over again. Today was a good day.”

  Feather had greeted her brother and was listening intently as he spoke softly to her, telling her they were moving out to the campground the next day.

  “I would like for you ladies to meet my newest deputy,” Sheriff Davis spoke formally. “Deputy Daniel Cetan.”

  Feather squealed and hugged him, while Jordan smiled warmly in his direction. “Congratulations,” she said. She couldn’t hide the surprise in her honey colored eyes.

  Wolf smiled his thanks and returned his sister’s hug.

  “Now,” Sheriff Davis continued. “We have a problem to discuss.”

  Jordan looked puzzled first at John Davis, then at Daniel.

  Daniel met her look and shrugged. John Davis wouldn’t meet her inquiring look. “Can we go up and sit on the porch, Jordan? This might take a while and I’m not as young as y’all are.”

  “Sure,” she nodded. “Y’all go on up. It’ll just take me a minute to put this colt up and then I’ll come on up there.”

  Feather reached her hand out to take the reins from Jordan. “You go with them. Somehow I don’t think this concerns me a lot. I’ll put your horse away.”

  Jordan released the reins to her. “Thanks, Feather.” She fell in behind Sheriff Davis who was already striding toward the brick house. Wolf fell in behind her.