The Lockwood Legacy - Books 1-6: Plus Bonus Short Stories

by Juliette Harper

  “Only if you use it to build a nice fire, and you and Jenny come up to the house and enjoy it with me,” she said.

  “Sounds like a deal,” he grinned.

  “Would you drive me down to Mandy’s?” Kate asked awkwardly. “Jake has the mule and I don’t think I can walk that far yet.”

  “Sure,” he said. “Let’s go.”

  When Mandy opened the door there was still a hurt look in her swollen, red eyes.

  “May I come in?” Kate asked.

  “Oh, uh, yeah, sure, of course,” Mandy said, holding the door open. “I was just, uh, . . .”

  “I’m sorry, Baby Sister,” Kate said. “I love you like nobody’s business and you were just being sweet and trying to do for me. I was wrong to snap at you. Would you come here and give me a hug?”

  “It won’t hurt your arm?” Mandy asked cautiously.

  “It would hurt me a hell of a lot more if you didn’t hug me,” Kate said.

  At that, Mandy threw her arms around Kate’s neck in a fierce hug, which did hurt like hell, but Kate had no intention of saying so. She held onto her sister with her good arm and said, “Josh is gonna chop some wood this afternoon and build a fire up at the main house. Could you and Joe come up this evening?”

  Mandy stepped back, her eyes shining, “Can I bring supper for everyone? Please?”

  “That would be great, honey. Josh is waiting on me in the truck. I have to go make peace with Jenny now.”

  Mandy’s smile faltered. “Be careful, Katie, she’s awful mad at you.”

  Jenny was indeed “awful mad.” She spent the first 15 minutes of the “conversation” pinning Kate’s ears back. When she finally ran out of steam, Kate said, “You’re right.”

  “Oh, no, you don’t, Kate Lockwood,” Jenny said, putting her hands on her hips and fixing her with a furious glare. “You do not get back in my good graces just by agreeing with me. That’s as bad as Josh when he starts in with that ‘yes, dear’ crap. The only thing that’s saving you with me is the fact that you’re my sister and I love you, but I damn well don’t like you very much right now.”

  “I don’t blame you,” Kate said and then added, “Can I sit down?”

  For all her anger, Jenny was instantly by her side. “You’ve done too much today. Sit down before you fall down. You’re impossible, Kate, absolutely impossible.”

  Kate wilted onto the sofa. “Can I have a cup of coffee?”

  “Sure, do you need to lie down?”

  Kate shook her head. “No. I just need to sit.”

  When Jenny came back with the coffee, she sat down next to Kate. “Better now?”

  “Yes,” Kate said, taking the cup from her. “I still get weak sometimes, but it’s better every day. I, uh, I’m going to start going out with Josh in the mornings. His idea.”

  “God,” Jenny said, leaning back. “He’s too nice for either one of us. That man is the soul of patience. He’s so damned good natured it’s almost annoying.”

  “I know,” Kate said. “I went down and made up with Baby Sister. She’s bringing supper up to the house tonight. We all need a peaceful evening together, and I think we need to go up to the draw. Everything has settled down, and we’ve made Jake wait long enough to look at those statues I saw.”

  “Are you strong enough to go up there?”

  “If I take it slow and let you all . . . help me, yes.”

  “That had to hurt you to say,” Jenny grinned.

  “You have no idea,” Kate grinned back. “They don’t make a pain pill strong enough for eating crow.”

  That night, Kate allowed herself to be installed in the recliner by the fireplace in the living room and she didn’t fuss when Mandy carefully draped a blanket around her injured shoulder saying sweetly, “Maybe if you keep it warm it won’t hurt so much.”

  “Thank you, honey,” Kate said, and meant it. She was tired, from the physical exertion of the day and from the weeks of anger. It was time to get on with things, with life, and to thank God she got to do that with these people. Jake came over and sat down on the hearth beside her.

  “You sure you’re ready to go up there?” he asked.

  “Yes,” she said. “I know you’re dying to get a look at that stuff.”

  “Waiting was the best thing we could do,” he said. “Whoever sent that guy out here meant business.”

  “Past tense?” Kate asked. “Do you really think it’s over?”

  “Do you?” he countered.

  “No,” she admitted.

  “Me either.”

  Jenny came in from the kitchen carrying two plates of food. She handed one to Kate and the other to Jake. “We thought we’d just eat in here and be comfortable.”

  Josh came in with her plate, and Joe and Mandy settled down as well. It was not lost on Kate that Mandy had carefully prepared food that did not require cutting. She eyed her plate. “Is this that green bean casserole thing? The one people take to funerals?”

  “Of course it is, Katie,” Mandy said brightly. “You know I love funeral food!”

  “What? No congealed salad?” Josh asked, winking at Kate.

  “No,” Mandy said with disappointment. “I was out of Jello and I didn’t have any of those little marshmallows.”

  “That’s just awful, honey,” Jenny said, struggling to keep a straight face.

  “Are you making fun of me?” Mandy asked suspiciously. She was answered with gales of laughter from around the room. “Well, fine!” she huffed. “See if I waste any more Cool Whip on you all.”

  “The food’s really good, sweetheart,” Joe said placatingly. “And I like congealed salad.”

  “Joe Bob Mason, you are just sucking up to her,” Jenny accused.

  Joe blinked a few times and started to say something, but Jake cut him off. “Don’t answer, Joe. Trust me on this one.”

  “Oh, sure. You boys just go right ahead and stick together,” Jenny said. “Cause you all have to put up with so much.”

  “Who, us?” Jake said, blinking innocently.

  “So!” Josh said heartily, changing the subject in a clear act of male solidarity. “What’s the plan for going up to the draw?”

  “Pretty much just that,” Kate said. “We need to go up there and do a real inventory of the contents of that cave.”

  “Katie,” Mandy said carefully, “do you really think you can go up there and come back down all in one day?”

  “No, I don’t,” Kate said.

  Every fork in the room stopped in mid-air as five heads swiveled in her direction.

  “Oh, for God’s sake. Stop it,” she said. “I do have the capacity to be reasonable.”

  “Of course you do,” Jenny said, cocking her eyebrow sardonically. “I say that about you all the time.”

  Ignoring her, Kate said, “I think we need to go up there, set up camp, and stay a few days.”

  “Camping?” Mandy asked uncertainly. “In the cold?”

  “Look at it this way,” Kate said, “at least there won’t be bugs.”

  “Or rattlesnakes,” Jake supplied helpfully.

  “Oh,” Mandy said, her face a little green. “Well, that’s a plus . . . I guess.”

  41

  By Friday morning, the group assembled the necessary supplies for the excursion to Baxter’s Draw. Since Kate and Jake weren’t in a relationship, the sleeping arrangements posed a tricky question. The matter was settled when Mandy suggested they use two big tents and divide by gender. “It’ll be just like a slumber party!” she said enthusiastically, which won her fond groans all around.

  The utility vehicle could only go as far as the creek bed, so riding into the draw made more sense. Kate thought nothing of that choice until she stood beside Bracelet just after dawn trying to decide how to get in the saddle. She knew she couldn’t pull herself up with her right arm yet, and had no intention of putting on a show trying. As her scowl deepened, the others exchanged uneasy glances. Finally Josh stepped forward.

 
; “How we gonna screw this pig?” he asked genially.

  “For God’s sake, Josh, really?” Jenny said, rolling her eyes. “You do know there is no place on earth but Texas where a phrase like that would be considered even vaguely acceptable, right?

  In spite of herself, Kate laughed. “God I love you,” she thought, and then said, “Damned if I know. You got any ideas?”

  “I can give you a leg up, or we can get something for you to stand on.”

  Kate set her jaw stubbornly. Even as a child, she’d never had to stand on anything to get in the saddle, but pride wasn’t going to do anything for her now. “I guess stepping up on something makes the most sense.” She swallowed hard, “Reckon we’re gonna need to buy a mounting block. I may need the damned thing for awhile and I’m sure as hell not giving up riding.”

  “I’ll build you one when we get back,” Josh said. “Make it any way you want. Deal?”

  “Deal. For now, I’m thinking we use hay bales?”

  “Jake, Joe Bob, wanna give me a hand?”

  When the three men headed off to the barn, Jenny came up beside Kate and put an arm around her waist. “You okay?”

  Kate nodded.

  “You handled that well,” Jenny said. “And I know it wasn’t easy.”

  Kate cleared her throat, and said, “No choice . . . and quit yelling at that man so much. He’s nice.”

  “Duly noted.”

  Mandy came over and gingerly put her arm around Kate’s waist on the other side, careful not to jostle her shoulder. The sisters stood together until the men came out of the barn. As if on cue, the younger women stepped away, but Kate felt better when Josh held out his hand to steady her as she stepped up on the first bale.

  Bracelet didn’t so much as twitch at the new arrangement. Kate got into the saddle with only minimal trouble. She picked up the reins with her right hand and looked down at Josh, giving him a small, relieved smile of thanks.

  He squinted up at her. “You okay?”

  “I’m fine,” she said. “We’re burning daylight. Let’s get a move on.”

  “Boss lady says ride,” he grinned, “we ride.”

  Jenny moved her horse beside Bracelet and Joe fell in beside Mandy, while Josh rode with Jake who was astride Horsefly. Kate still wasn’t used to the sight of Jake sitting comfortably in the saddle, but thinking about how he got there made her smile. After the old horse saved Kate’s life, Jake made a concerted effort to get to know him, via an apple a day and a lot of studious conversation.

  On Kate’s first day out of bed, sitting surrounded by pillows in a chair by the front window, she looked out to see Jake leading Horsefly around the yard on a rope. “Jenny, get in here!” she hollered.

  Jenny rushed in from the kitchen, “What? What is it? Are you okay?”

  “What the hell is that?” Kate said, pointing out the window.

  “That would be the good professor walking Horsefly,” Jenny said, perching on the arm of Kate’s chair. “Jake’s teaching him about the role of horses in the development of Western European society.”

  “He’s what?!”

  “After Jake’s flight came in the day after you were shot, he came to the hospital to find out how you were and then he and Joe Bob drove back to the ranch. They found Horsefly circling the pen, nervous and scared.”

  “Poor old darling,” Kate murmured.

  “According to Joe Bob, Jake said pretty much the same thing. Joe told me Jake walked right up to the fence and called Horsefly over, reached up and started stroking him on the nose, thanking him for getting you help and telling him you were okay. Since then, Jake’s been going to the barn every day with an apple. You know how much Horsefly likes to be talked to and how much Jake likes to talk. They’re perfect for each other. Jake even asked Josh to teach him how to saddle a horse.”

  The unlikely friendship blossomed to the point that Jake now sat confidently in the saddle enjoying the cool, crisp morning. The group set out at an easy pace, followed by a bored pack horse loaded with gear, but by the time they reached the creek bed, Kate’s face was wet with sweat. The rocking rhythm of the horse’s gait caused the constant ache in her shoulder to flare into a white hot flame.

  Jenny passed her a canteen and watched as her sister took it with a shaking hand. “Are you going to be okay for another hour?” Jenny asked in a low tone.

  “There’s some pills in my coat pocket,” Kate said. “Get me two of them.”

  Jenny took out the pill bottle and squinted at the label. Painkillers. She looked at Kate. “It’s got to be bad if you’re taking these willingly.”

  “I don’t know how I’ll get back on this horse if I get off and I damned well can’t walk it,” Kate said. “Better to take the pills.”

  By the time they reached the back of the canyon, Kate was completely exhausted. Jenny dismounted and motioned to Josh who came over to help her. Kate slide out of the saddle. He caught her when her legs threatened to buckle. She leaned against him without protest as he led her over to a flat boulder and helped her sit.

  “We’ll get the tents up so you can get some rest,” he said.

  “I’m going to stay with her,” Jenny told him as Mandy came over to them, her pretty face creased with worry.

  “Are you okay, Katie?” she asked nervously.

  “I’m okay, honey,” Kate reassured her, trying to make her voice sound stronger than it was. “You go help the fellers set things up. Camp needs a woman’s touch.”

  Mandy giggled and went to join the men, but not without casting another worried glance over her shoulder. “Go,” Jenny mouthed silently.

  “You’re both a hopeless pair of mother hens,” Kate said tiredly.

  “With good reason,” Jenny said. “I’m not sure this was such a great idea.”

  “It was harder getting up here than I thought it would be,” Kate admitted, “but we have to get in that cave and have a look around. What time is it?”

  Jenny looked at her watch. “Just about noon.”

  “We’re not wasting the whole day,” Kate said. “As soon as the tents are set up, we’re going in there.”

  “Katie, for the love of . . .”

  “There’s an easy chair by the fireplace. You can park me in that. I won’t budge. I promise.”

  They sat together and watched as the others erected the two tents, unpacked the rest of the equipment, and tended to the horses. At Jenny’s direction, Josh started a campfire and made a pot of coffee. After three strong cups and one of the sandwiches Mandy made that morning, the color started to come back in Kate’s face.

  Draining the last of her coffee, she said, “Okay, let’s do this thing.”

  She stood unsteadily, and didn’t complain when Jenny stayed by her side, but her head was no longer swimming and the pain in her shoulder had retreated to a level she could stand.

  Following Kate’s instructions, Jake sprang the latch on the hidden door. Mandy let out a surprised gasp when the panel opened. “It’s just like in that movie with those short people and the elves!” she exclaimed.

  Jake winced. “Lord of the Rings,” he supplied helpfully.

  Joe patted him on the shoulder. “I know. It hurts me, too. She’s never even seen Star Wars.”

  “You sci-fi geeks can commiserate later,” Josh said. “Give me a hand with this thing.”

  Together the three of them levered the door farther back on its hinge, removing rocks and debris from its path until the entry stood wide open. Kate and Jenny stepped over the threshold, but Kate froze at the sight of her own blood dried in a trail across the wooden planks. A second stain marked the spot where her assailant died.

  “Don’t let Mandy come in here until you cover that blood up,” Kate said.

  “Josh?” Jenny called over her shoulder.

  “Right here, darlin’,” he answered from behind her.

  “Come here for a second.”

  Josh appeared beside her and Jenny pointed to the blood stains. “We don
’t want Mandy to see this.”

  “Hold on,” he said, ducking away only to return in a couple of minutes with two blue tarps still in their plastic cases. Without a word he ripped the packages open and began hiding the blood. Once the tarps were down, he anchored them in place with rocks.

  “I think you need to sit down again,” Jenny said to Kate in a low voice. “You’re trembling.”

  “It’s just being back where . . .” Kate faltered.

  Jenny helped her to get settled in the leather chair and stood for a minute looking around taking in the contents of the room. She glanced at the fireplace and then looked over to the others who were standing just inside the door.

  “Somebody want to get some wood so we can start a fire, take the chill off this place?” she asked.

  “I’ll go,” Joe said.

  Mandy stepped into the middle of the room and turned slowly around in a circle, her eyes wide. “Oh, my God,” she said breathlessly. “This is incredible. Did Daddy build all of this by himself?”

  “He must have,” Kate said. “He never let anyone else come up here.”

  Jenny moved to the corner of the room and stared at the unfinished portrait dumbfounded. “If he could do this,” she said, anger edging her voice, “why did he ride me unmercifully for years about my art? Why did he make me feel like some kind of traitor to the family?”

  “That’s why we’re here, Jenny,” Kate said. “To get answers.”

  After Joe returned and got a fire started, Jake could no longer contain himself. “Can we see the artifacts now?” he asked, trying to sound calm, and failing.

  “That cabinet there,” Kate said, pointing to a piece of furniture that almost touched the ceiling.

  When Jake opened the doors, Josh let out a low whistle. “Son of a bitch!” he said. Each of the six shelves held row after row of small, exquisite gold statuary.

  “Do you recognize them?” Kate asked.

  “Yes,” Jake said. “I just can’t believe what I’m seeing. This is Aztec ceremonial art.”

  “Can I make a suggestion?” Joe said.

  Everyone turned toward him. “There’s so much in here we need to learn, maybe we should start with Langston’s stuff first. I mean, we know that’s Aztec gold, and it’s really exciting, but the gold is only part of the story. I think there might be more of what the girls want to know in there,” he said, pointing at the desk.