Lonestar Sanctuary

by Colleen Coble

  Once Brendan found out where Mark Haskell was, he'd talk to him too, but Rick was beginning to wonder if he was looking in the wrong direction. Maybe it was just some random nut who'd fixated on Allie.

  He drove back to the airport, dropped the rental car, and walked out to the small plane. An hour later, he was back at the ranch with a day wasted and not one iota wiser. He couldn't stand to waste the day. Maybe he'd go to the library and look around on the Internet.

  Before he went to his truck, he stopped by the corral and found Allie. She was teaching the kids about horse etiquette.

  She joined him at the fence. "How'd it go?"

  He shrugged. "It was a washout. I don't think he had anything to do with it." He saw the cloud pass over her face and quickly added, "but I'm going to go into town and try to locate that stock supplier guy, Ted Rediger. You need me for anything?"

  "No, we're fine." She put her hand over his. "Thanks for trying, Rick. It means a lot."

  "I'll be back in time for dinner." In the car, he realized he hadn't told her what the FBI said about Jon's parents knowing where she was. He made a mental note to talk to her about it once the adoption hearing was over tomorrow. No reason to worry her before then.

  He went to his truck and drove to town. As he passed town hall, he saw a man in a suit exit the sheriff's office. Could it be Stuart Ifera? Taking a chance, Rick pulled his truck to the curb and jumped out. "Mr. Ifera," he called.

  The man turned and shaded his eyes from the sun with his hand. "Yes?"

  Bingo.

  Rick stopped two feet away from the man. Natty dresser. Tie perfectly aligned, pinstriped suit, shoes buffed to a high shine. He could have stepped out of one of those fancy men's magazines.

  His high-powered cologne made Rick sneeze. He stuck his hand out. "Rick Bailey."

  Ifera shook it. "What can I do for you?"

  "I'm foreman out at the Bluebird." Rick watched the man's face change from curiosity to a guarded wariness.

  "Terrible about Elijah," Ifera said. "Just terrible."

  "You saw him the week before he died. He told me you made an offer on the ranch that he refused."

  "What of it?" The man's shrug was delicate. "I make offers on land all the time."

  "Were you angry he turned you down?"

  Ifera laughed. "Not angry enough to kill him, if that's what you're implying." He swept his hand over the landscape. "Look around you, Mr. Bailey. Land isn't hard to come by out here."

  "We're by the river with lush vegetation. I can see where it would be a nice place to set a resort. The park borders us on one side, which would be convenient. Not much available with those amenities."

  "Perhaps not," Ifera conceded. "But really, I didn't want it bad enough to kill him. After all, the new owner wouldn't necessarily be ready to sell either."

  "She's not. She's my daughter, and I'll make sure it's here for her when she's ready." It was a slightly premature statement since the adoption wouldn't be final until Friday.

  "Of course." Ifera's head bobbed in agreement. "If that's all you have, I'm late for an appointment." He turned and scurried away, a rat back to his hole.

  Rick's intense dislike of the man didn't keep him from recognizing that everything Ifera had said was true. There was plenty of land to be had in the area. Ifera didn't need the Bluebird.

  THE DENIM SKIRT TOUCHED THE TOP OF HER BOOTS, BUT IT WAS LOOSE AT the waist. Allie hadn't realized she'd lost weight since she'd been here. Nearly a month. It was hard to believe how much her life had changed.

  She fluffed up her hair in the mirror. Her ruffled white blouse looked pretty and demure, but dark circles marred the pale skin under her eyes.

  The judge had to grant the adoption today. Once it was final, Betsy would be safe from Jon's parents.

  Her hair refused to be tamed, and she swiped at the tendrils that sprang from her head, trying and failing to tuck them behind her ears. For a dollar, she'd cut it all off.

  Her nails shone glossy and perfect. She was ready. Her knees shook as she grabbed her bag and went downstairs to join Rick in the entry. He'd been gone all day yesterday and had returned with a defeated air.

  Standing by the front door with Betsy in his arms, he looked uncomfortable in his khakis and starched shirt. They'd explained everything to her last night, and she'd looked at Rick with shining eyes when he told her he would be her new daddy.

  He'd wormed his way into Betsy's heart even faster than he got into Allie's.

  "Ready?" he asked.

  She put her hand on her stomach. "We'd better go."

  He held open the door for her to step through, then followed her onto the porch. The sun stabbed knives into Allie's eyes, and she winced. "I should have brought my hat."

  "I'll get it." Rick set Betsy on the porch and went back inside.

  Allie shaded her eyes with her hand and looked out to the purple cast of hills. A glint of sun on glass made her close her eyes. She slitted them open again and saw a familiar car come careening up the lane.

  Everything in her tensed. "Not now," she whispered as the car came to a stop and her in-laws erupted from the vehicle.

  "My baby!" Erika Siders ran toward the porch with her arms outstretched.

  Allie couldn't remember ever seeing Erika wear anything other than a sensible gray or black dress that came to the bottom curve of her calf, and today was no exception. The thin blond hair was pulled back in a severe bun, and not a stitch of makeup brightened her pale face. Somehow dust found the nerve to settle on the sensible pumps on her mother-in-law's feet.

  The controlled appearance was an effort to deny the squalor Erika had grown up in, butAllie knew the effects of that upbringing festered under the pristine surface.

  Hugh Siders followed his wife more slowly. A black suit encased his tall, lanky frame. Gold-frame glasses perched on his nose, and he walked with determination toward Allie and Betsy. He could have passed for the most austere of undertakers.

  Betsy pressed back against Allie's legs, then attempted to climb her skirt. Allie scooped her up. "Shh, it's okay," she whispered.

  "You had no right," Erika said, her initial loud voice modulating to a cultured purr. "How could you disappear without telling us where you'd gone?" She held out her hands. "Come see Grandma, Betsy," she said.

  Betsy buried her face in Allie's neck. "You should have called first," Allie said. "We've got an appointment in town."

  "Oh, I know all about the appointment." Hugh arrived at the bottom of the porch and shook his finger at her. "It can't be allowed, you know."

  "You have no say in it. I'm married now." Exquisite relief flooded her when she heard Rick's boots on the floor behind her.

  "What's going on here?" he asked.

  "These are Jon's parents," Allie said, hiking Betsy a little higher.

  Rick nodded. "Rick Bailey. Your son was like a brother to me," he said. "But we've got an appointment in town. Feel free to wander around the ranch. We'll be back in a couple of hours."

  His fingers touched Allie's elbow and helped break her paralysis. They moved to the steps, but Hugh and Erika still blocked the path.

  "The appointment will have to be canceled. We dropped the kidnapping charge, but we won't let you adopt our granddaughter."

  Rick's jaw flexed. He stepped out a foot ahead of Allie and shouldered through the couple. Hugh reeled back, his face going red. He made a grab for Betsy, who seized Allie's neck in a death grip.

  Rick stepped between them. "I don't want to have to get rough, but you're scaring Betsy."

  While Rick blocked the Siders couple, Allie ran with Betsy to the truck. She got inside and clicked the lock. The muted sounds of Hugh's raised voice and Rick's quick, commanding tones filtered through the window. What would she have done if Rick wasn't there? The Siderses always made her feel useless and damaged. It was hard to stand up against that kind of mental pressure, though she always managed to survive their insinuations.

  Erika went flying back to
their car, and Hugh stalked back as well with his fists clenched. Rick slid into the truck and jammed the key into the dash. Allie's hands shook as she fastened Betsy's seat belt.

  "Where are they going?"Allie asked as the car peeled away in front of them with dust spurning from under the tires.

  "To the courthouse," he said grimly. He tromped on the accelerator, and the truck fishtailed before the tires found purchase.

  Out on the open road, he followed close behind the Siderses car, then made a sharp right turn onto a dirt road. "Shortcut," he said, his lips lifting in a grim smile.

  "Can they stop us?" she asked.

  "I don't think so."

  From the way his hands gripped the wheel and the tightness of his jaw, she knew he was worried, in spite of his reassuring words.

  She should have known things would go south at the last minute. This time, she'd fight with every ounce of strength she had to protect Betsy.

  "They're really something, aren't they?" Rick said after a long pause.

  The truck bucked like a wild mustang along the potholes. Allie grabbed the armrest to steady herself. "They've always interfered a lot. It drove Jon crazy."

  "He told me about his childhood."

  Allie nodded, glancing down to see that Betsy had put her earphones on. Even though he'd probably heard it, she needed to talk it out. "They had eight to ten foster kids at any one time, mostly for the money, Jon always thought. He was pretty much neglected and left to run wild. He never thought they cared about him except as an extension of themselves. He warned me that if anything happened to him, they'd try to get Betsy."

  "But why? Sounds like they have plenty of other kids around."

  She shrugged. "I think they want to make sure she's raised `right' by their standards. Their brand of Christianity allows for picking and choosing what they want, like a smorgasbord. Their favorite saying is, `Spare the rod, spoil the child.' Jon got his share of the razor strap." She looked at him sideways. "You might know something about that." When he didn't answer, she said, "They put on a great show at church and for the court, but at home there was always shouting and fighting."

  A quick glance from under his brows at her, then he turned his attention back to the road. "Don't let them shake your confidence, Allie.You're doing a great job with Betsy."

  "She still doesn't talk. Maybe it's my fault." She reached out and smoothed Betsy's dark curls.

  "We're getting through. She's going to talk a blue streak one of these days. She's so much more animated than she was when she first came. Excitement is going to cause some words to come bubbling out eventually."

  "I keep praying that happens."

  Another quick glance from Rick. "Speaking of praying, I made an appointment with my pastor for us to have some marriage counseling. We go for our first session after the hearing."

  She gulped. "Marriage counseling?"

  He nodded without adding anything more.

  "The pastor looked familiar, like I'd met him before. He's a nice guy.

  "You did meet him, early in the week you came here. He's our vet too."

  "Pastor O'Sullivan is a vet?"

  "The church is too small to support a full-time pastor. Grady is a real man of God and was called to do both. Counseling with him should be easy."

  "I didn't realize we were fighting," she said, sending a teasing smile his way.

  He shot an answering grin back. "We want to keep it that way. I thought some counseling might help us learn to know each other a little faster."

  Her voice softened. "I I'm a little scared, Rick."

  "Me too," he admitted. "I don't know how to be a husband or a dad. I've got a lot to learn. Getting a solid foundation can't do anything but help us."

  Warmth flooded Allie. It took a lot of guts for him to admit his feelings of inadequacy. He felt as unprepared as she did. Maybe together they could bungle along and find their way.

  THE COURTROOM FELT COLD AND DRAFTY. RICK HELD ALLIE'S HAND AND stood as the judge entered. So far he'd seen no sign of the Siderses, and he prayed they'd lost their way.

  "Good morning," the judge said, adjusting her glasses on the end of her nose. Judge Thompson peered at them over the top of her spectacles. "Rick, you're a good man to be willing to take on this burden."

  "It's not a burden,Your Honor. I'm eager to be a permanent part of Betsy's life." Rick felt Allie squeeze his fingers, and he returned the pressure.

  "I've reviewed the documents and see no reason not to grant this request."The judge looked down at Betsy standing beside Allie. "Do you want a new daddy, young lady?"

  Betsy nodded, and her smile blossomed out. She looked up at Rick with an adoring expression.

  The judge laughed. "You always were someone the ladies liked, Rick."

  "Stop!" The sound came from the door, and a fresh breeze blew in with the words.

  Allie turned to see Hugh and Erika hurry into the courtroom and rush toward the judge's bench. Oh no. She wanted to grab her daughter and run from the room.

  "What's the meaning of this interruption?" The judge frowned and glared over the top of her glasses at the intruders.

  "We're Betsy's grandparents," Hugh said, his voice loud and strident. He pointed a finger at Allie. "She sneaked away when she heard we were suing for custody of Betsy. She's unfit to raise her, Your Honor." He raised a file of papers. "All the evidence is in here."

  Allie gripped Rick's hand in a convulsive clutch.

  Rick returned the pressure. "Judge Thompson is too smart to fall for this," he whispered to her.

  She took courage from his words and tipped her face up to the judge. "That's not true, Your Honor. I'm a good mother."

  "Did you know they were filing for custody?"

  Allie wanted to look away from the judge's penetrating stare, but she forced herself to look the woman in the eye. "Yes, but I came here for Betsy. I'd heard about the ranch and thought it might be able to help her."

  "And she came to be with me, Your Honor," Rick put in.

  A smile flitted across the judge's face, then disappeared. "Be that as it may, I'll need time to review the custody suit. If I deem they have a case, I'll order it argued in court."

  "But,Your Honor," Rick protested. "We're a family. The uncertainty isn't good for Betsy."

  The judge waved her hand. "I'm sure you have nothing to worry about, but I have to review the case. Betsy's future depends on my making the right decision. The court will reconvene in a week, and I'll give you my opinion then." She smacked the gavel down. "Court adjourned."

  The triumph on Hugh's face made Rick want to put his fist through it. Silent tears coursed down Betsy's face, and she pressed her cheek against his leg. He swept her into his arms. "It doesn't matter," he whispered into her hair. "The judge will fix things next week. You're not to worry, okay?"

  She nodded, her wet cheek brushing his face. His gaze locked with Allie's, and he silently promised her everything would be all right.

  18

  A FEW CARS ROLLED THROUGH TOWN, THEIR WINDOWS DOWN AND MUSIC blaring from CD players. There was no radio reception out here. Allie stood beside Rick and Betsy on the sidewalk as the few pedestrians walked around them. The Siderses were smiling with triumph.

  Allie wanted to hurt them.

  All the plans, the excitement of the last few days, blew away like tumbleweeds. She'd tried so hard not to let this happen. The last thing Betsy needed was to be in the middle of this turmoil. She'd made such progress the last month, and Allie couldn't bear to see it slip away.

  "We'd like to take Betsy to dinner," Erika said. "Is there any place to eat in this one-horse town?"

  "The drugstore has milk shakes and hamburgers," Rick said. "And there's a small cafe. But we can't let you take Betsy. To tell you the truth, I'm not convinced you wouldn't just get her in the car and keep driving."

  Erika's fair skin lit with pink. "Please. What do you think we are?" She held up her hand. "Don't answer that. It's obvious." She turned her gaze
on Allie. "Surely you won't deny us the opportunity to spend some time with Betsy."

  Allic had never wanted to deny them the right to see their granddaughter. Betsy was all they had left of Jon, but their actions had altered the situation. "I can't let you take her. But you can join us for supper at the ranch."

  Erika's brown eyes, so like Jon's, softened as they studied Allie's face. "That will do. Can I bring anything? And what hotel should we stay in?"

  "There isn't a hotel in the area," Rick said.

  Erika's face clouded. "Where is the nearest?"

  "Twenty miles." Rick jabbed his finger to the north. "That way."

  Allie's conscience was beginning to bother her. They'd come all this way to fight for Betsy. No child could get too much love. She'd do the best she could to be friendly and encouraging. Maybe they could resolve this out of court.

  "You don't need to bring anything," she told Erika.

  Hugh took his wife's arm. "We'll go see about that hotel."

  His tone had softened too. Now that the urgency of the moment had passed, everyone seemed to be taking a step back and thinking about their reactions. Allie took heart. Maybe they could find their way through this amicably.

  Once Jon's parents got in their car and drove away, Rick said, "Our first counseling meeting is in a few minutes.You up for it?"

  Not really. Allie just nodded. She felt too upset to deal with anything else, but Rick had gone to all the trouble to set this up, and he was trying so hard.

  "Grady lives just down the street by the church. We can walk." Rick hefted Betsy to his shoulders.

  Allie followed him down the street. The day had turned warm, at least ninety even though it was late March. Rick turned up the walk of a two-story stone house that had vines growing up the sides. A welcome wreath decorated the cheery red door, and a scarecrow made out of the same vines stood beside the entrance.

  The scent of honeysuckle wafted their way from somewhere. Rick pressed the doorbell, and a pretty blond with uncontrollable curls opened the door.

  "Rick! I've missed you." She patted him on the arm and looked up at Betsy on Rick's shoulders. "You must be Betsy. I've got a little girl about your age. Her name is Courtney. She's been looking forward to playing with you."