By the Light of the Moon

by Cindy Caldwell

  “Probably had old oil in there if I know him,” James said. “We should ask, though, and let the captain know.”

  The men moved slowly as they climbed on the truck for the ride back to the station.

  James leaned his head against the window of the cab. “Well, today sure didn’t turn out the way I thought it would. Didn’t even get to eat at the fundraiser.”

  Colin frowned as he thought of all the people at the fundraiser, the wasted food and raffle prizes.

  No, and I didn’t get to dance with Hanna. Colin turned the engine onto the main road and headed toward the station.

  Chapter 11

  A tennis ball square in the forehead woke Colin with a start as the sun streamed in his bedroom window. Nala stood over him, panting loudly and eyeing the ball she’d just dropped. He grimaced, grabbing a paper towel and wiping off his face before turning and throwing the ball as far toward the water as he could. Even as an everyday occurrence, Nala’s “wake-up” ritual always surprised him.

  He poured water in the coffee pot, hoping a strong cup would jar him awake. His muscles ached after the past two days. Riding a horse and fire fighting this frequently were more than he was used to.

  As the fog lifted, he went back over the last fire scene in his head. They’d done everything right, as far as he knew, and was glad only the one house had been destroyed. But his memory kept skipping over the two explosions. Only one propane tank but two explosions didn’t make any sense to him.

  He poured himself a cup of coffee and sat down at his kitchen table. Looking over the ocean and mesmerized by the waves, he glanced at the clock and realized he was late for his painting job. Quickly feeding Nala and shrugging on his painter’s pants, he loaded his supplies in the Jeep and headed out, Nala riding shotgun.

  He turned down the road to his job site and realized with a start that it was in Hanna’s campo. He slowed a bit as he passed her house, wondering what she was doing. Regalo and Violet stomped their feet and neighed as Nala barked when they passed. He made a mental note to stop and see her after he’d finished painting for the day. The sight of her at the fundraiser hadn’t left his mind, and he shook his head trying to clear it for the task at hand. He was behind schedule painting this mural and wanted to keep his word to the homeowner. Focus, Colin.

  He set out his paints and stood back for a moment to look at the mural he’d been working on. The circular shape on the side of a house was exactly what the owner had commissioned. He enjoyed painting ocean murals, and had taken great care to get the scale of the dolphins jumping out of the water just right. The intense colors of the ocean, the blues and whites that he had used, stood in contrast with the white of the background and the yellow, pinks and purples of the seashells in the foreground. He nodded, happy with the way it was turning out and set about finishing.

  He’d been painting for an hour or two before standing back to assess his progress. He rubbed his hands as they cramped, placing his brushes in lacquer thinner to clean them. He’d brought a big can of it as he knew he’d be changing colors frequently today.

  Intently focusing on his work, his head jerked up as he heard a female voice say, “That’s beautiful.” Hanna stood behind him, hands on her hips as she admired the mural. “Seems you’re a man of many talents.”

  “I don’t know if I’d say talent, but I do love to do it.”

  “Like me and my stained glass,” she said, moving closer to the mural to get a better look.

  “You do that stained glass? The ones that are your house?” he said, his mouth falling open.

  Her laugh lilted through the air like bells, he thought. “Yes, I do. I’m still learning, but, like you, I love to do it.”

  “I’m very impressed.” He turned back to his brushes as he noticed his palms start to sweat.

  “I don’t consider myself an artist, I just do it for a hobby,” she said, turning back toward him.

  “Don’t say that. What you do is art, and I’ll challenge any man who says otherwise.” His eyes lit up and he felt he actually would.

  “Thank you for defending my honor, sir,” she laughed. “Even if as an artist.” Color rose in her cheeks as she looked away.

  “What are you cleaning your brushes in?” she said. “It smells awful.”

  “Ah, in my world, the smell of lacquer and linseed oil are akin to the aroma of fresh-baked bread.”

  “Ugh. I can’t imagine,” she said, crinkling her nose.

  “You just don’t know what you’re missing,” he laughed. “Highly flammable, though. I try to use it only in open spaces.”

  “Well, it doesn’t get much more open than this.” She held her arms up toward the sea, her eyes closed and head bowed. The warm breeze sending her hair billowing once again.

  “No, it doesn’t,” he replied, staring at her as she bowed toward the sea.

  “What was that for?” he asked, a bit confused at the action.

  “I have profound respect for the sea, for its inhabitants, and for nature in general. Sometimes I get overwhelmed with gratitude and I just...say thank you,” she said slowly.

  He looked away, feeling as if he were intruding on a private moment and started again on his brushes.

  She turned and laughed, walking over to help him. “I have a project today, and I was wondering if you could help me.”

  “I’m just finishing up now. What is it?”

  “After you all rushed to the fire yesterday, I stayed to help clean up. I started talking to people like you said I should and I met some friends of friends. I realized that my good friend Taylor is a second daughter to James’ girlfriend, Megan. After that, the coincidences just kept going like dominoes.”

  “Really? Megan?”

  “Yes. Taylor was a good friend of mine in college. Seems Megan’s daughter, Cassie, and Taylor have been friends their whole lives. And apparently Cassie is down here creating a breeding sanctuary for dolphins at the new resort. We all started talking, and she wants me to bring my horses up to the resort today. I guess her husband, Alex, wants to start a riding program when the resort opens fully and she was very interested in my training methods.”

  “So you’re going to do a riding demonstration today?”

  “No, I was just going to take them up to the resort and let them ride along the beach. See what it’s all about. He has a corral and some new horses that need to be trained. Would you like to come?”

  He took his brushes out of the liquid and dried them with the red rags he grabbed from his truck. “I think I can do that. Can Nala come?”

  “Sure, she’d be fine,” she said as she helped him put away his paints.

  Colin threw the soaked rags in a big, empty coffee can in the back of the truck. As Hanna placed the paints in the back, she grabbed the coffee can lid and clicked it in place on top.

  “No!” Colin said sharply, grabbing the can.

  Hanna pulled her hand back quickly, as if stung. “I’m sorry.”

  “It’s all right. It’s just that if you put rags soaked in lacquer thinner in closed containers, they can ignite. I’ve seen it happen before. I’m extra careful, that’s all.”

  She smiled as she placed the container in the truck and the lid to the side. “That’s news to me, but thanks for letting me know.”

  “Don’t laugh. We’ve had way too many fires lately. I certainly don’t want to be responsible for another one.” He laughed as he closed the door of the Jeep.

  “Love those flames painted on the side,” she said, motioning to the art work on the side of the Jeep.

  “I might have had a wee bit too much tequila that day. James, too. Sounded like a good idea at the time.”

  “Nobody can miss you coming with that. I like it. It’s...lively.”

  “Lively is one way to put it,” he said, as he opened the door for Nala. He shut the door tightly behind her and said, “Okay, what do we do now? Lead the way.”

  Chapter 12

  The horses entered the trailer qu
ickly and Nala was content in the back seat of Hanna’s truck as they head north to the resort. The sun sparkled off the water and the piercing blue of the sky made Colin grateful he’d brought sunglasses.

  “Awfully bright here in the desert,” Hanna said as she grabbed her own sunglasses. “Too bad they don’t make glasses for horses,” she said, her smile shining.

  Colin laughed at the thought. “I think they’ll be all right.”

  He let out a whistle as they rounded the last dune on the way to the resort. “Will you look at that?” he said, his eyes widening.

  “Wow. I haven’t been here at all since they started construction.” Hanna leaned her head out the window, her surprised expression equal to Colin’s.

  The gates to the resort right before them, they started down the winding road toward the expansive sea ahead. Gaping as they drove, they passed beautiful casitas made of the native ladrillo brick with dark wood roofs, each separated by beautifully landscaped courtyards filled with colorful succulents and trees with bright flowers of purples and reds. Smaller bushes lined the courtyards, the yellow of the Mexican bird of paradise flowers framing the ocotillo fences. Each casita had an arched door made of mahogany with sea creatures carved in them, each door unique.

  “Look at that beautiful starfish,” Hanna said as they slowly drove by one casita. “It’s gorgeous.”

  “They really are doing a beautiful job of it, aren’t they?” Colin peered ahead to the larger structure. “Is that the restaurant?”

  “I have no idea. He said to turn right after the casitas and we’d find the corral.”

  She pulled to the right and gasped. The large building before them was stunning, a long, rectangular stable that looked as if it could hold at least 20 horses. Each stall was enclosed by etched wooden doors similar to those on the casitas, but these were engraved with beautiful renderings of horses. A large, fenced arena stood next to the stable, the land cleared of ocotillo and cactus to make way for riders and their mounts.

  “I thought you said he was considering a riding program. Seems he’s made up his mind,” Colin said with a laugh as he opened the car door to let Nala out.

  “We really only had a brief conversation. I had no idea it was this...far along.” Hanna’s red riding boots hit the dirt as she hurried toward the arena. “This is amazing.”

  Colin watched her eyes light up as she paced along the wooden fence of the arena. He smiled as she ran her hands along the fence lovingly and could imagine her and Violet running full bore along the side, her black hair streaming behind her. He thought it was something he would like to see.

  Colin lifted his hand over his eyes as he looked out over the water. A red Jeep approached, a plume of dust from the road rising in the air.

  “That must be Cassie and Alex,” Hanna said as the Jeep pulled up to the stables. The tall, handsome driver stepped out of the Jeep and he waved at Hanna as he walked around to the passenger side. He opened the door, holding his hand out to a young woman who beamed at him as she took his hand. They held hands as they walked toward the arena, both with wide smiles.

  The young woman hugged Hanna warmly as the man turned his smile to Colin. “Hello. I’m Alex, and this is Cassie,” he said, extending his hand.

  “Oh, this is my friend Colin,” Hanna said, releasing Cassie from her arms. “He’s the firefighter I was telling you about.”

  Colin shook Alex’s hand and looked down. “Painter, actually. Volunteer firefighter,” he said.

  “And an Irishman, I see,” Alex said, his smile widening.

  “Ah, it’s me accent, I guess.”

  Hanna laughed. “I know you don’t think you have one, but you do.”

  Cassie gazed at him intently, hands on hips. “We’ve met, but nice to see you again. I have heard a bit more since I’ve been down here full time. Are you the one they say is in hiding? An ex-IRA bomber?”

  Hanna gasped.

  Colin tipped the brim of his hat in her direction. “That’s me, ma’am. On the run from the law after I bombed the London Bridge.”

  “That’s ridiculous. Nobody bombed the London Bridge,” Cassie said, laughing.

  “Well, if you believe the rumors around here, I did that and more.” Colin shoved his hands in his pockets.

  Alex grabbed Cassie’s hand, pulling her toward the stable. “We’ll forgive your sordid past.” He winked at Colin. “You should hear what they say about me.”

  Cassie tugged her hair behind her, wrapping a hair tie around it quickly. “You’d think he was Satan himself. Many people around here can’t see that the resort is a good thing. Everybody’s more concerned about the nuisance. We’re trying to build it with as low an impact on the environment as possible, even with the sanctuary. Protecting, not harming.”

  Colin and Hanna followed toward the building as Nala ran ahead. “No matter what you do, people don’t like change.”

  “That’s an understatement,” Alex said, his Spanish accent more pronounced as he spoke. “We’ve even had some threats if you can believe it.”

  Cassie put her hand on his shoulder. “We’re trying very hard to do the right thing by the land, and by the vaquita. It’s frustrating to be met with resistance and resentment.”

  “Not any serious threats, I hope,” Colin said, his pulse quickening with concern.

  Alex’s jaw tightened as he put his arm around Cassie. “I’m not giving them any of my attention. Rumors fly around here, and I’m choosing to see them as just that.”

  “I know all about rumors. And rumors die hard.” Colin gazed out at the water as Hanna walked up behind him.

  “Best we all just move forward with our plans, with confidence,” Cassie said, smiling. “And we just won’t mention the London Bridge.” She nudged Colin into a smile.

  “Your secret is safe with me,” Alex chuckled as he opened up the doors to the stable. “With all the people angry with the resort, we may need somebody with your talents someday.”

  Colin felt the heat rise in his face as he followed the group inside.

  Lunch was fascinating to Colin as Cassie and Alex explained what they had planned for the resort—and grand plans, they were. Kayaking, swimming, searching for creatures in the sea—and no golf course. It wasn’t anything like what had originally planned, and Colin was impressed at the change in course that had come about with Alex and Cassie’s input. He was proud of the new resort and its commitment to sustaining and conserving their way of life and knew that if everyone in the south campos could hear what he had, they’d feel the same.

  Colin led Regalo and then Violet into the trailer as Hanna said her goodbyes to their hosts. Alex thanked her for bringing the horses out and explaining her training methods and Hanna beamed with pride. With a final hug from Cassie, Hanna turned and hopped in the truck. She turned the engine over and headed back toward home.

  “You were awfully quiet today,” she said as she pulled onto the pavement.

  “Was I?” he said, shaking his head. “I didn’t think so.”

  “You seemed far away.”

  “I was enjoying watching you with the horses,” he said, putting on his sunglasses and turning his gaze toward the mountains.

  “It was a fun day for me,” she said. “I am thrilled that Alex wants to train his horses in a more humane way. I think Violet and Regalo are a good example of what can be done with that.”

  “You are nothing if not passionate about what you do,” he said. He rubbed his hand on his knee, wiping off the dirt of the day. “I’ve been thinking about the fires. These two are more than we had all last year. It just seems strange to me.”

  “Do you have any reason to think they’re more than a coincidence?”

  “Nothing specific. Not really.”

  “But you’re wondering about them?”

  “A bit. Just grateful that no one’s been hurt.”

  He fell silent again, hoping that would be the end of the conversation.

  “So, there’s nothing else o
n your mind, then?” Hanna reached over to him, placing her hand on his arm.

  He turned, taking off his sunglasses and meeting her gaze. Her dark eyes seemed to see through him. His voice grew quiet as he said, “I’ve lived here for quite some time now, and I still feel like an outsider. I know people joke all the time about my history, but as Alex said today, some of it is a bit extreme.”

  “It bothers you, then?” Her voice softened, her eyes turned back to the road.

  “It does, yes. I’ve spent a lot of time and effort with the bomberos, trying to help people. To have anyone think I could do harm goes against who I really am, what I believe in.”

  “Do you know how these rumors started? Is there any truth to them?”

  He pulled his arm from underneath her hand, quickly putting his sunglasses back on, firmly in place. His stomach clenched as he looked away.

  “Not as you’d think, but enough to bother me. I’ve not told anyone, and don’t intend to begin now.”

  He felt her surprise and knew he’d hurt her. It had been a long time since he’d spoken of his past. He’d come to Mexico hoping for a clean slate and had worked hard to start his life over. The last thing he needed was for all of that to come up now.

  Chapter 13

  Colin had left Hanna’s house quickly when they’d returned. Megan was there waiting for Hanna, and he decided it was a good opportunity for him to head home. With a quick greeting to Megan and a thank you to Hanna, he hopped in his Jeep and headed home.

  The rash of fires and Alex’s comments about his past roiled in his mind as he let Nala in the house ahead of him. The sun was setting in the way it could only over the desert, turning the clouds multiple shades of scarlet, pink and purple.

  As the sky blazed, warmly lighting his kitchen, he was startled by the ring of his phone. Down here, the phone rarely rang and he wondered who would intrude on his thoughts.

  Quickly answering, he heard the voice of Mike, the homeowner in Playa Luna whose house had burned the day before. Colin had called him earlier and left a message, asking for a return call.