“Yeah, most of ‘em at least,” Luis turned on his heel, sinking into the drifts up to his knees, “Is the barn ready?”
“Sure is, gimme a sec an’ I’ll ride over with you an’ help get ‘em unloaded.” In a flash, he made it back inside, pulling off the jacket and tossing on a shirt, “You take care o’ these guys, little bit?”
“Yes, sir,” she saluted with a smile, giving Nung a nod, “You staying with us, or going with them?”
“Well, we aren’t all going to fit in here; not once the others arrive. How’s the ranch house?”
“All set to go,” she indicated the tall structure through the wall that lay between them, “All the beds are made, but you’ll need to turn the heat up. It’s only about fifty-five in there right now.”
“Fair enough,” he indicated the younger man, “Drop me off on your way to the stables and I’ll get the house ready.”
Outside, the three men loaded into the vehicle and eased down the dirt path that ran between the greenhouse and the orchard. Letting Nung out at the driveway, Luis and Caleb arrived at the barn a short time later. While they unloaded the horses, neither of them bothered to speak; the howling wind would have made the effort impossible, and each of them wanted to get the task accomplished quickly as well.
Back at the Cross residence, Bailey put on a pot of coffee and inquired softly, “Anyone hungry?”
“No, I think we’re all fed,” Lacy Burns replied, reaching for a cup, “Just exhausted.” Eyeing the slender young woman with ebony locks, she did not mince words, “Who the hell are you?”
Caught off guard by the blunt demand, Bonny stammered, “I’m… Luis’ girlfriend,” she overstated her position slightly, rubbing her hands on her jeans to warm them while she looked around, “I work over at the diner,” she offered a bit more.
Shifting the focus to the other girls, Bailey queried, “How about you girls? You want something to eat?”
“No, we’re good too,” Kristen scowled, displeased that their number of extra females seemed to be growing.
“Alright then. Well, the bathrooms are open and clean if anyone wants a shower. And the master bedroom is unoccupied if anyone needs to get some sleep,” she indicated the stairs with an open palm.
Noticing the sound of whimpers, she turned her attention to their afternoon’s distraction, “What’s the matter, Patches?” On her knees, she gave the dog a few strokes before the other women noticed her curled up in the corner of the kitchen.
“Oh, wow,” Jennifer commented loudly, “Is that Kimber’s dog?”
“I guess so,” Bailey shifted over so she could join her, “I found her under the Knight porch this morning, before the storm blew in again.” Lifting a leg, she exposed the three tiny pups.
“My gosh! She has babies!” Kristen observed.
Leaning over to peer at them with a scowl, Lacy took charge of the situation, “Alright girls, it’s very late, an’ we need to figure out where everyone is going to be staying. What are the other structures like?”
Bailey stood slowly, stretching to her full height so that she could look down at the slightly shorter woman, “We’ve been working on them, if that’s what you mean. The guys boarded up all the windows, and I was in the process of cleaning things out and getting them ready for your return.”
“An’ just how did you know we were coming back?” her brown eyes narrowed into thin slits.
“Devon replied to my message,” the girl felt confused, “Look, I don’t know what you’re accusing me of, but I assure you, I’m as much a part of this community as you are!”
Bonny shifted uncomfortably, “I guess I’ll take a cup of coffee,” she offered, hoping to break the tension between the other two women.
Pausing the argument to locate a cup for her, Bailey pulled out several, placing them on the counter. “Help yourself,” she took the opportunity to return her attention to the dog, which had begun to whimper more loudly, “What’s the matter, girl? Time for another trip outside?”
They had already established that the dog did not like making a mess in the house, and despite the cold, preferred to venture out when nature called. Pulling open the back door, she spoke cheerily, “Here you go, girl,” and Patches immediately got to her feet, leaving her babies in the blanket while she wandered outside. Making it quick, she clawed at the door a few minutes later, and Bailey let her back in, giving her a scratch behind the ears, “Such a good girl!”
Having served themselves cups of warm liquid, the group gathered around the kitchen table, while Carson called from the front room, “There’s another car on the road!”
Immediately, a small chaos ensued, as the girls fluttered about and prepared to greet the next group of arrivals. Frowning at the mattress in the living room floor, Lacy commanded, “Carson, can we get this back upstairs where it belongs?”
“Yes, ma’am,” he replied dejectedly, pullimg the bedding off the top and tossing it aside.
“Here,” Bailey interceded, “Let’s lean it against the wall for now. You can take it back up when your brother gets back to help.” She didn’t like the way the other woman had taken over things; giving orders like she owns the place.
With the porch light on, the next vehicle had easily identified the group’s location. It turned out to be a pickup truck, with four people crammed in the single cab, and the back laden with cages.
“Oh my God,” Lacy darted out the door, recognizing her oldest daughter.
Dashing out into the crisp night air right behind her, Bailey noticed that the wind had died down. Grabbing her uncle, who had driven the second transport, she demanded loudly, “Where’s the boys?”
“Not with me,” he clipped, “They’ll come. Right now, I need to get these rabbits inside before they freeze to death,” he lifted a corner of the tarp that held the snow off their cages.
“The barns all set,” she supplied, blinking back tears, “Carson, go help get them squared away, please.”
As soon as that vehicle had moved out, a third pulled in, only this time they parked across the street, in front of the armory. Climbing out, John gave a wave, opening the back door so that two of the Smalls and Connie Fox could exit. Joining the larger group of women in short order, the older woman took over, demanding to know many of the same things Lacy had been informed of.
Leading the group inside, Bailey started a second pot of coffee, her hands trembling while she did so. “Do any of you have word on my brothers?” she asked in a calm voice, hoping to cover her raw emotions.
“They’ll be along, child,” Connie offered, giving the girl a hug, which surprised Lacy as much as it did Bailey.
Allowing the oldest woman in their community to hold her for a moment, she sobbed, “What if they don’t? I can’t bear the thought of losing them!”
“It’ll work out,” the matriarch reassured, giving her hair a stroke with her knobby fingers. “Right now, we need t’ get settled in.”
Moving to obey, the girl continued to play hostess to each new group of arrivals by helping to keep the coffee made. Another group arrived, and she struggled to hide her disappointment that her brothers were not among them.
Eventually, Nung returned to announce the ranch house was ready. At his suggestion, the majority of them would move to the larger structure, where they could spread out and get some rest until sunrise. Dividing up, everyone who would be relocating loaded into a vehicle, leaving Bailey and Peter behind with the two Crosses and their would be hostage, should the need arise.
When Caleb and Luis came back from tending the horses and helping to get the rabbits back into their cages, the latter immediately located Bonny and swept her into his arms. Observing the couple, the tall blond grinned, giving Bailey a sideways glance, and longing to do the same. Instead, he smiled his approval at her ability to handle herself, complimenting her in a quiet tone, “You did good, little bit.”
Her eyes hollow, she gave no reply. Although she had held herself together thus far,
the missing members of the community tore at her from the inside. Others may rest that night, but there would be no way for her to lay her growing feelings of loss aside.
Shaking his head, Pete wanted to suggest Bailey and he go with the larger group, but he knew the house would be crowded. Besides, he rationalized, she’ll want to remain here, and wait for her brothers. “John, why don’t you guys go on down to the ranch house an’ get some rest. I’ll stay here with the kids and wait for the rest.”
His best friend cast a wary glance around the small group, then reluctantly agreed, “Sounds like a plan. Luis, bring your woman an’ we’ll see how things shape up at first light.” Climbing into one of the remaining vehicles, they left the trio to await the last of their comrades.
Once they were gone, Peter sighed loudly. He had learned from Devon that the boys had not been located prior to their hasty exit. It’ll be nothing short of a miracle if they come in with one of the remaining groups. However, he did not care to share that bit of news until the issue had been laid to rest, choosing to allow her to keep her hopes for their safe return.
Instead, he poured himself a cup of coffee, and made his way over to inspect the dog that had been quietly observing the comings and goings of everyone from the corner. “Well, I see the mutt survived.”
“Barely,” Caleb joined him. “If Bailey hadn’t heard her under the Knight porch today, I’m sure she’d o’ been a goner.” Grinning, he reached beneath her to produce a small brown handful of fur. “Lookie here,” he handed the animal to her uncle.
“Oh, wow,” Peter accepted the offering, “How many?”
“Only three,” he massaged his chin roughly, “Been a long time since we had any dogs around here.”
“Yeah,” Pete agreed, “Maybe it’s about time, too.” Returning it to its warm bed, the pair rose and moved to the living area, “You guys been sleeping down here?” he asked calmly, eyeing the mattress leaned against the wall.
“That’s for Bailey,” Caleb quickly clarified. “I’ve been on the couch an’ Carson on the chair,” he pointed at the furniture to solidify his version of the situation.
Inhaling deeply, the older man cut his eyes over at him, “It’s ok, son. I’m not mad. You guys’ve been together almost a year. That’s longer than some marriages.”
The color drained from Bailey’s flushed cheeks, “What’s that supposed to mean?” she stammered, shocked by the insinuation, “Caleb and I are just friends!”
Waving her off, the man in question shoved his hands in his pockets, “It’s ok, little bit. I’m sure he’s not the only one that has the wrong idea about us.”
“Well, that’s great,” the color returned to her features in a flash of anger, “They can get that idea out of their heads.” Spinning around, she stomped into the bathroom and slammed the door behind her, closing the lid to the toilet with a loud bang. Plunking down on it, she chose to hide in the only place of refuge she felt comfortable taking in the house that in no way belonged to her.
Let's Make a Deal
Peter watched his niece disappear with his mouth hanging ajar. Using his right hand to push it closed by rubbing his stubble, he shifted his glare over to the younger man, “You bein’ square with me?”
“Yeah man, you see how she is,” he flopped a hand after the moody female, “One minute, I think she’s all hot for me, an’ the next, she’s givin’ me the cold shoulder.”
Pete broke into a wide grin, observing, “A bit confusing isn’t it.”
“Yeah… so I’m keepin’ my distance; safer that way,” Caleb turned his back, glaring out the window towards the gate, “Where do you suppose the rest of ‘em are?”
“I hate to think about it,” the older man frowned, “The plan was to have everyone out of town by midnight. That was over an hour ago, an’ I don’t see how the weather could be the reason some of them didn’t make it.”
“Should we go check? Maybe retrace the path in case they’re stuck somewhere along the way?”
“Let’s give it a few more minutes,” he flicked his gaze towards the room where his niece remained in hiding, “When she decides to rejoin us, we can decide.”
“Hell, tha’s easy enough,” Caleb sauntered down the hall, beating quite loudly on the door, “Hey, princess, we need you out here.”
Bailey had nearly fallen off the toilet at his harshly interrupting her thoughts. Hearing his demand, she made it to the door and stood toe to toe with him before he had finished speaking, “Princess now, I thought we were past all that!”
“Me too, but you seem to fall back into it every once in a while,” he grinned as he teased her. “Pete thinks we can go check on the last of them; make sure they haven’t gotten stuck.”
“Sure!” she quickly agreed, her mind instantly on the twins. Putting on her boots and grabbing coats, they were set, and ready to face the cold that remained, even if the wind and snow had subsided. Following Pete, the three of them piled into their Jeep Wrangler, with Bailey taking the rear so the two men could sit up front.
Leaning back into the seat, the girl watched the diner slowly pass by her window, a sad feeling creeping over her at the sight of it. “It’s a real shame they tore everything up so much.”
“Yes,” Peter agreed. “I was taken down right away, so I didn’t get to see what all happened, but from what I was told once we were in the jail, our guys put up a good fight.”
“Not good enough,” Caleb countered, taking it easy as they cleared the gate.
“Well, not at the time,” the other man agreed, “But I’m sure we made up for it tonight.”
Bailey shuddered, his words giving her an ominous ache in the pit of her stomach. “What did you guys do to them?” When he didn’t answer, she leaned her head against the glass and watched the ditch creep by in silence.
A moment later, Caleb gasped loudly, “Oh shit! Is that their helicopter?”
Peter pointed at the floating light in the distance, “Yup! Can you turn around?”
“Not gonna risk it,” he stopped the vehicle and threw it in reverse. Placing his hand behind the passenger seat, he wedged himself so he could watch out the rear glass as he drove backwards, clearing the gate a few minutes later.
By that time, the aircraft had landed on their airstrip, and he turned left onto the road that lay next to the gate and ran the inner perimeter of the wall. Arriving next to the contraption, the blades had stopped spinning, and Devon exited the cabin.
Recognizing him, Pete jumped out, clasping his hand firmly, “You made it!”
“Yeah,” his bright white teeth gleamed against his dark face, “Help me get dem in da car.”
Peter obeyed, and a moment later, Amanda slid into the back seat next to Bailey, who kidded the other girl quietly, “Thanks for th’ ride!” while pulling her baby to her more snugly.
Bailey stiffened slightly, not returning the blonde’s grin. Her gaze dropping to the bundle of blankets that rested against her chest, she demanded, “Where’s everyone else?”
Kathy slid into the passenger seat next to Caleb and said firmly, “When we get inside, we’ll share; right now we need to get warm.”
Seeing that Peter and Devon were occupied, Caleb put the vehicle into drive and eased it on around the twisted path, arriving at his home with his new cargo a few minutes later. Climbing out and entering through the kitchen, Kathy made sure that Amanda and the newborn were inside, ushering her up the stairs and into the master bedroom.
Choosing not to follow, Bailey had entered the house behind them, sinking limply into a stiff kitchen chair. Sensing her distress, Caleb knelt before her, peering up into her glazed green orbs. “Bailey,” his soft voice broke the silence.
Shaking her head slowly, she spoke hoarsely, “They didn’t bring my brothers.”
“I’m sure they’re ok,” he lied flatly, gripped by his own fears, his mother being among those who had not returned. His hand grasping her knee, he squeezed, “We’ll get the details shortly,” he
reassured.
Meeting his gaze, the girl had no will to resist the darkness that clouded her thoughts. She had lost so much in the last year, these last two would surely break her completely. Her face contorted, the sound started as a low moan, quickly escalating into a high pitched wail.
Rising, Caleb pulled her to her feet. Slowly removing her stocking cap, he applied pressure to her scalp. His arms wound tightly around her, her body shook, her gasping howls unchecked.
Clenching her fists, she pounded heavily on his broad shoulders, succumbing to her anguish. Then clinging to him tightly, she sobbed, “They’re gone, Caleb! My baby brothers are gone!”
Unable to disagree, tears leaked from his eyes, his fingers woven into her tresses, tracing the nape of her neck, “Don’t say that, Bailey! Don’ give up yet!”
The back door opened, and Peter clomped inside, Devon close behind. Noting the couple locked in an embrace, he demanded loudly, “What’s happened?”
Releasing the girl enough to face them at an angle, Caleb demanded, “Where’s everyone else?” He glared at Devon, his eyes icily accusing the tall black man of leaving them behind.
“Dey’s still in Pouty,” the other man confessed, “But we’ll get ‘em back!”
“Yeah? How!?!” Caleb removed his jacket and helped Bailey out of hers. “How could you guys leave them there?” He addressed both men, aware that they had made their escape together.
Peter kept his explanation short. “There were too many of us to get out together. We were all spread out, an’ we had to split up. We did what we could. Your mother an’ the boys; they’re only part of those who are still over there, so don’t worry. We will get them back.”
His eyes darting between his two accusers nervously, his own role in their plan felt foolish, “Bailey, don’t worry, really. Not yet. We’ll cut a deal; make a trade or something and get them back. I’m sure they won’t hurt them.”
Caleb frowned, his arm around the girl, pulling her firmly into his chest and holding her in a half embrace. He knew there was nothing they could do at the moment, and the odds of any such attempt being successful were slim. “What did you do to them?” he asked more quietly.
The Irrevocable Series Boxed Set Page 38
