A Texas Child

by Linda Warren

“Thanks, Stu,” Tom joked.

  “You know what I’m talking about.”

  “Between the FBI and the police, we’ll be safe,” Myra tried to convince him.

  “I’ve been a cop for too many years and I know there are snitches. It just takes money. Marco found out very fast that my daughter had passed away. Levi, don’t let me down.”

  The look on Levi’s face said it all: honor and loyalty would win this round.

  “Okay, Stu, I can take them to the ranch. They’ll be safer there until the situation is resolved.”

  “Thank you. I owe you big for this one.”

  “We’re paid in full,” Levi told him.

  “Stu, I’m leaving for the home now. I’ll see you in a few minutes,” Myra interrupted. “And don’t argue. I’m staying for Natalie’s funeral. I have to be here for that. Please understand.”

  “I knew you would. We’ll talk when you get here.”

  “Do you want me to bring Daniel for a moment?”

  “No. I want Levi to get him out of Houston as fast as he can. Okay, Levi?”

  “Okay, Stu,” Levi replied.

  Tom turned off the phone. “Myra, pack your things and take them with you because you won’t be coming back here.” He looked at Levi. “What’s your plan?”

  * * *

  PLAN?

  Levi’s whole world had just caved in and he was trying to find his way through the rubble. His mind was still focused on Myra and everything that had happened between them. He needed to talk to her in private. They needed to sort this out, but first, he had to think of a way to keep them both alive. That took precedent.

  “Damn, I forgot about my truck.”

  Tom frowned at him as if he’d lost his mind. “What about your truck?”

  “It’s in Brownsville. A friend was supposed to get it back to me, but with everything that happened yesterday, I forgot to call him. Hold on.” Levi reached for his phone.

  It rang several times before Turner answered. “Hey, Turner, I forgot to call you yesterday about my truck.”

  “Don’t worry, friend. I have it handled.” Turner’s voice sounded sleepy. He must’ve woken him up.

  “What do you mean?”

  “I brought the truck back late last night. It’s parked here at my office.”

  “Great, man. Thank you.”

  “Where are you?” Turner asked. “I’ll deliver it.”

  “How will you get back to your office?”

  “I’ll take a cab.”

  “You’ve done so much I hate to ask anything else of you.”

  Turner laughed. “Who knows? I might need a detective one of these days and I expect a big discount.”

  “You got it.”

  Levi gave him the address and told him about the security gate. “My friend’s bringing my truck. It won’t take long.”

  “Then what?” Tom asked.

  “Well, the faster I get Daniel out of Houston, the better. But I’ll need his baby bed and stuff out of his room at Natalie’s.”

  “I’ll drop Myra at Stu’s and pick up the stuff from Natalie’s apartment. Maybe your truck will be here by then.”

  “Now we’ve got a plan.”

  Myra came down the stairs with a small suitcase, her face set into a mask of anguish. He forced himself not to react. They were both to blame and they would sort it out later when their tempers had cooled.

  “Is that all you’re taking?” Tom pointed to the suitcase.

  “Yes. I don’t plan on being away that long.”

  Tom shook his head. “Stubborn, thy name is Myra.”

  Levi knew he had to do something. Myra was going to resist all the way. She didn’t want to spend any time with him and the feeling was mutual, but they didn’t have much choice. Of course, she wasn’t going to admit that. So he had to make things clear.

  “This is how it’s going to happen.” He stared into her dark eyes. “I’m taking Daniel to Willow Creek and you will help Stu at the funeral. Afterward, Tom or a guard will escort you to the ranch. You will stay there until this is resolved.”

  She glared at him, her eyes as fiery as the depths of hell. “As long as Daniel is safe, that’s all I’m worried about. I can stay at a safe house and I will be closer to Stu and to work.”

  “To hell with work.” She’d said the one thing that could set him off. And it did. “Did you see how badly Natalie was beaten? These guys won’t even think twice about doing that to you or worse and then they will leave you with a bullet in your head. Does that sound attractive to you?”

  “Hey,” Tom intervened. “That’s a little harsh.”

  “It’s the only thing that’s going to get through her hard head.” Levi swung away for a second before his anger got the best of him.

  “I don’t know what’s going on here—” Tom looked from one to the other “—but whatever it is, it has to stop.” Tom focused on Myra. “You don’t have any choice here. So let the tempers subside and let’s get on with the business of keeping you and Daniel alive.”

  “Fine.” She picked up her purse. “But Willow Creek is the last place I want to be.”

  “Noted,” Tom said as they headed for the door. Myra didn’t look at Levi and that was just as well. His emotions were helter-skelter and all over the place. He was always a man in control, but Myra had managed to take even that from him. Or maybe he’d let her.

  As the door closed, he ran his hands over his face and sank onto the sofa. He was thinking of marrying one woman and having sex with another. That wasn’t him. When he tracked down cheating husbands and saw them cavorting with women half their age, he knew deep down he wasn’t that kind of a man. Once he made a commitment, it was final for him. So what the hell had happened?

  Maybe some things just weren’t black-and-white like he’d always believed. And he had to stop blaming Myra. He could have walked out of her room and then he wouldn’t be going through this turmoil today. In retrospect, he was actually the one who went into her room in the first place. He could have kept walking. Oh, God!

  He didn’t want to think about it anymore. Keeping Daniel safe was his top priority. Myra, too.

  “Mmm. Mmm. Mmm.” Daniel held out his arms to him.

  “Hey, buddy.” Levi lifted him out. “Are you tired of being caged up?” He set him on the floor and Daniel shot off crawling. Levi sat back on the sofa and watched him. Daniel sprinted over to him and pulled up on his jeans, and then pointed to the Pack ’N Play.

  “Oh, you want your Binky?” He stood and fished the pacifier out of the playpen. Daniel immediately latched on to it, sucking away.

  “Mmm. Mmm. Mmm.” Daniel held out his arms.

  Levi lifted him into his lap. “What’s the matter, buddy?”

  Daniel just stared at him with rounded dark eyes.

  “We’re going to a new place where there are cows, horses, a dog and a cat in the barn. Just be prepared for a grouchy old man, but he’s got a really big heart. Ready to go on a trip?”

  His cell buzzed and he had to juggle Daniel to reach it in his pocket. Daniel thought it was a game and laughed a bubbly baby laugh. First time Levi had seen him do that. The little guy was a cute kid and Levi would do everything humanly possible to keep him safe.

  Turner was on the phone and Levi opened the gate for him. He was glad to see his truck was still in one piece. Levi thanked his friend and Turner left. The next hour was busy. Tom arrived with his car filled with Daniel’s belongings. He’d taken the baby bed apart and stored it in his trunk. They transferred everything into the bed of Levi’s truck. They installed the car seat in the back and strapped Daniel in for the trip.

  He shook Tom’s hand. “Thanks for your help.”

  Being a cop, Tom had questions and he didn’t hesitate
to ask them. “I take it you and Myra know each other from way back?”

  “Yeah, you could say that. But that’s all I’m telling you.”

  Tom got the message and returned to business. “As soon as the funeral is over, I’ll get Myra to Willow Creek even if it takes the whole department.”

  Levi slid into the driver’s seat. “It might.”

  “Watch your back,” Tom said as Levi closed the door. He pulled out of the apartment complex and headed for I-10. It was a little over a three-hour drive. Daniel fell asleep quickly.

  With nothing but the highway and music on the radio, Levi had a lot of time to think. He’d screwed up. He’d hurt Myra and he’d never meant to do that. It wasn’t like him to be unkind. He didn’t know where they went from here, but of one thing he was sure: he would protect her just as he had in Mexico. And maybe she wouldn’t hate him for being an ass.

  The trip was long for Daniel. When he woke up, he wanted attention. Levi pulled into a roadside park and changed his diaper and fed him. His gun was never far from him as he walked around with Daniel in his arms. If anyone was following him, and he was sure they weren’t, but on the off chance, he was careful not to stay in one spot too long.

  Finally, he reached U.S. 290 and headed for Willow Creek and home. Crossing the cattle guard, a feeling of peace came over him like it always did when he returned home from a trip. But that peace may not last. Now he had to explain Daniel to Pop. He could have called, but then, Pop wasn’t known for answering the phone. Telling him face-to-face was best, anyway.

  He pulled to the side of the house and into the carport. Pop was sitting on the front porch in his rocker. John Wayne barked and ran out to greet them. Yep, he was home.

  He unstrapped Daniel and got him out. Seeing the dog, he began to wave his arms and bounce excitedly. The baby liked dogs. He carried him to the front porch and Pop frowned when he saw what Levi had.

  “Lord, boy, where’d you get that baby?”

  “It’s a long story.”

  “Well, you better shorten it.”

  Levi opened the screen door and Pop followed him inside. He explained as best he could about what had happened.

  “So now you’re bringing your work home with you?”

  “Kind of.” He sat Daniel on the floor and the baby crawled quickly to the screen door, looking for John Wayne. Levi hurried over and locked it so Daniel couldn’t get out. “I have a lot of stuff to get out of the truck. Do you think you could watch him for a few minutes?”

  “What do you mean, ‘watch’?”

  “Make sure he doesn’t pull something over on top of himself or put something in his mouth he shouldn’t.”

  “Oh, no, I’m not Walt. I’m not taking care of a baby. I’m too old.”

  Daniel scurried over to Pop and pulled up on his jeans. “What’s he doing?” Pop growled as if Daniel was going to bite him.

  “Standing up.”

  “Why does he have to stand here?”

  “Hell, I don’t know. Maybe he likes you.”

  “Mmm. Mmm. Mmm.” Daniel held out his arms.

  “What does he want?”

  “He wants you to hold him.”

  “Oh, no. That’s how it starts. They wrap their little hand around your heart and then they yank it out by the roots.”

  Levi couldn’t help it. He laughed. “So that’s what happened to it?”

  “Does Valerie know about this baby?”

  “Why?”

  “She’s bringing a casserole out for my supper and she’ll be here any minute.”

  Damn. Now he had to face her and tell her what he’d done. As Pop would say, the shit was about to hit the fan. And his world would never be the same again.

  CHAPTER FIFTEEN

  MYRA STOOD BY Stu as the casket was lowered into the ground. No one was there but Stu, Myra and Colin. For safety reasons, the burial was top secret. A man from the funeral home read a couple of verses from the Bible. It was a sad ending for a beautiful young woman who’d had her whole life ahead of her.

  “I failed her,” Stu said, brushing away a tear.

  Myra couldn’t contradict him because she felt as if she had failed Natalie, too. If only she could go back. If only... But no one had that option.

  “When I was coming up through the ranks of the department, I always told myself I needed to make time for my kid. But, sadly, that was left up to her mother. I was building a career and now I’m wondering for what. Everything and everyone I love is gone.” He looked up at Myra. “It’s not worth it. If I had been closer to my daughter, I could’ve talked to her. I could’ve reasoned with her, but with our tenuous relationship, she was always on the defensive. That was my fault.” Stu wiped away more tears and gripped tissues with a shaky hand. “If I had been the father I should have been, she wouldn’t have looked for comfort from someone like that bastard Marco Mortez.”

  It started to drizzle and Myra glanced toward the sky. Dark thunderclouds were gathering. “We better go.”

  “It doesn’t matter, Myra. Nothing much matters anymore.”

  She took a deep breath and tried to deal with all the sadness and heartbreak inside her and found it wasn’t an easy task. It was too much even for her, especially on top of her situation with Levi. This morning should have been magical. A reuniting after years of being apart. And that’s where fiction and reality collided.

  A pink spray of roses had been removed from the casket and laid on the ground. Myra walked over and plucked two stems from it. She handed one to Stu. Colin pushed him closer and he threw the rose on top of the casket.

  “Goodbye, baby girl. I’ll be joining you soon.”

  Tears blurred Myra’s vision and she threw her rose on top of Stu’s. “Goodbye, my friend. Rest in peace.”

  Colin pushed the wheelchair to the van and soon they were on their way back to the home. She sat in the back with Stu. Rain pelted the vehicle with a steady rhythm, enclosing them in stoic silence.

  Stu had trouble breathing and had to relax to take in his oxygen. The rain suddenly stopped and through the window Myra saw a black car she knew was the guards following them. Tom had beefed up security and it made her aware of how much danger she was in. She kept thinking about what Levi had said this morning and a chill ran through her. Even though it was cruel, he had spoken the truth. She didn’t know how she was going to manage staying with Levi and his grandfather for several days without revealing her true feelings. Because that was one thing she couldn’t do. She couldn’t come between Levi and Valerie any more than she already had.

  She knew Levi well enough to know that he would tell Valerie everything. Things were going to be rather tense around the Coyote house. And Myra had to take the blame for all of it. Sometimes life was just too damn cruel.

  When they reached the home, Colin helped Stu into his recliner. He was pale and breathing hard. She sat beside him.

  “It’s not worth it, Myra,” he said.

  She shifted uneasily in her chair. Stu was trying to tell her something.

  “Natalie was ten when her mom left me. She said I was never home so we didn’t have a marriage and she was right. I spent more time with the guys at the station than I ever did with my wife and my kid. But I wanted to be more than my old man, who was a beat cop all his life. In the process, I lost everything that was important. I barely knew my daughter. A couple of weeks in the summer and the odd weekend did not make me a father.”

  “But you and Natalie reconnected when she was a teenager,” she reminded him.

  “Yeah, she wanted to go to college in Texas and I was thrilled, but those old forget-me-not scars were there and Natalie brought them up every time she was angry with me. Pointed out numerous times what a lousy father I had been and that I had no say in her life. But I hung in there, det
ermined not to let her down this time.” He took a big draw of oxygen. “Look how it turned out.”

  She reached over and hugged him. “I’m sorry, Stu. Natalie never had a chance to really get to know you. But she loved you, I know that. And she was very proud of you.”

  “But all she could see was the father who was never there for her,” Stu murmured.

  “He was there for me,” she told him.

  Stu smiled. “I remember that terrified young woman who interviewed for a job in the D.A.’s office in Austin. She put on a brave face, but I could see through it.”

  “I would have never gotten that job if you hadn’t spoken to the D.A.”

  “Hey, kid, you were the minority pick that month. Didn’t you know that?”

  It was good to see Stu teasing her like he had so many times in their past. He said she took herself too seriously. Maybe she did.

  Stu touched her hands. “I’m sorry about you and Levi, kid.”

  “We just keep hurting each other.”

  “Why?”

  She stared into his dull blue eyes. “He doesn’t trust me.”

  “Good God, Myra. You two need to get past what happened in Austin.”

  “It’s more than that. I did something he can’t forgive me for again.”

  Stu lifted an eyebrow. “Now, I wonder what that could be?”

  “It’s complicated.”

  “Mmm. I’ll simplify it for you. You’re both scared shitless that love will somehow change who you are. You’ve worked for years building your career and at the back of your mind you’re worried you might not be the woman Levi wants. And Levi, all he’s ever wanted was a home and a family, and he’s not sure that’s what you want. So instead of talking about it, you two do some crazy things. Talk, Myra. That’s what you need to do. I know. I never did that with my wife. So listen to a man of experience. Lay it all on the table, like you do in court. It comes down to what you’re willing to give up for love. Can you change? Can he change? If you or Levi are not willing to compromise, it’s not love. And it’s time to move on. It’s that simple.”

  Myra wished it was that simple, but Stu didn’t know the whole truth. He didn’t know about the pregnancy, the miscarriage or her lack of judgment last night. He was right about one thing, though. She and Levi had to talk.