The Lab seemed to be feeling the same contentment as Morgan. The great storm of tension surrounding the baby’s birth had broken, and all was right in the world. Or mostly right. She tried to call Kurt again. Voicemail.
A rush of anger swept away the moment of peace. Morgan closed her eyes. The helplessness she’d felt facing a killer that spring convinced her she should purchase a gun for self-protection, but if she could not control her emotion over a silly phone call, how could she hope to be a responsible firearm owner? Her reaction to Zulina, and Kurt’s fight with Erwin, could both potentially have escalated with guns involved. Morgan shook her head. Life was complicated enough.
“Let’s get some dinner,” she told Darby.
Morgan heated leftovers while she cleaned and filled Darby’s water and food dishes.
When she headed back to the hospital, curiosity pulled her toward her old neighborhood. Summer painted a pretty picture of green lawns and decades old shade trees. The houses weren’t cookie cutter cutouts of each other. They had character and variety. Morgan slowed as she approached her old home.
A woman knelt over Morgan’s beloved iris beds, tossing weeds onto open newspaper. Two kids chased a butterfly across the lawn. Sam had taken pride in the lush green grass. It looked a little shaggy to Morgan. Maybe they weren’t such good tenants.
The garage door opened. A man pushed a gas-powered lawn mower into the driveway. He said something Morgan couldn’t hear, and the woman waved to the kids. They headed toward the front door. Morgan saw a plump cat sitting in the picture window. It jumped down as the woman and children opened the door. The man pulled a cord, starting the lawnmower.
A scene of domestic bliss. Morgan wondered if they knew how fortunate they were as she drove away. The Madsens looked like she and Sam had, a decade and a half ago. Life had changed, and now Morgan didn’t fit that happy picture. The Madsens belonged here. She didn’t.
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
On Wednesday Sarah was released from the hospital. Russ and Sarah’s home was alternately lively with visitors and activity, and silent as Sarah and the baby napped. Morgan was glad she had somewhere to go, to give the new parents space. After preparing a green salad for Dot’s barbeque that evening, Morgan headed out. Sarah and Russ barely seemed to notice her leave.
Dot and her husband Peter had added an elaborate deck onto the back of their brick ranch house. Between church people, Dot’s real estate clients, and Peter’s business associates, it seemed half of Sioux Falls crowded the deck.
Morgan endured jokes about whether her green salad included any marijuana leaves. Colorado had put itself in the news by being one of the first states to legalize marijuana. Rocky Mountain high, indeed.
After grilled burgers from South Dakota beef, South Dakota corn on the cob, and several other regional specialties, no doubt inspired by Peter’s job on the tourism board, the crowd began to thin. The summer days were long. When dusk faded to dark, Morgan realized she was dead tired. She gathered the empty salad bowl to return to Sarah.
“You’re not leaving.” Dot took the bowl and placed it back on the folding table. “We’ve barely had a chance to visit.” Graced with height, a slender build, and beauty, Dot had a model’s looks and a saint’s patience and kindness.
Franny twined her plump arm through Morgan’s. “We can really talk now.”
There were only a few clusters of people left. Dot’s husband traded fishing tales with a group gathered around him. Every so often, hands spread wide to indicate the size of some monster pike or crappie or walleye, followed by laughter.
Morgan joined her friends, seated at a patio table under an elm tree. When she displayed photos on her phone, they cooed as vigorously as though Gregory was there in the flesh.
“I can’t wait to meet the newest addition to our congregation.” Franny handed the phone back to Morgan. “Do you think they’ll come to church this Sunday?”
“I don’t think Sarah will be up to it,” Morgan said.
“Will you stick around, now that Gregory has arrived?” Dot asked.
Morgan shook her head. “I’m still planning to fly back to Colorado Saturday.”
“I was so hoping you’d extend your stay,” Joan said. “At least tell me you can go to dinner with me and Skylar Friday night.”
“Wouldn’t I be a third wheel?”
“Oh, Joan,” Franny scolded. “Don’t go there.”
“Morgan hasn’t said anything about her love life, so naturally I assumed she’s available for a double date.” Joan turned to Morgan. “Skylar has a nephew. Long story—they’re the same age. I wouldn’t stick you with a younger man.” Joan waved a hand dismissively, the sleeve of her gauzy tunic floating in the warm evening breeze. “Been there, done that, bought the T-shirt.”
“A blind date?” Morgan winced. “Thanks, but I’m really not interested, Joan.”
“So you did take our advice,” Franny said. “You’re dating a Colorado cowboy!”
Morgan wasn’t sure how to respond. Kurt wasn’t a cowboy, and between meeting his ex-wife, not having her calls returned, and Cindy’s ominous hint that he’d been seen around Golden Springs with Zulina, Morgan’s confidence in her relationship with Kurt had been rattled.
“I’ve met Ford,” Dot said. “Joan’s not steering you wrong, for once.”
“I’m going home in a few days,” Morgan said, hoping that explained her situation.
Even if she had been completely unattached, Morgan wasn’t interested in sampling Joan’s liberated lifestyle of casual dating and fleeting romances.
“Then just come along for the free dinner,” Joan said. “Skylar’s buying. No pressure.”
“Friday is my last night in town. I want to spend it with Sarah and Russ, and the baby.”
“Then we’ll make it Thursday,” Joan said. “Tomorrow night. It’s settled.”
Perhaps Morgan would have put up more of a fight, had Kurt returned any of her calls.
Conversation turned to other topics, thankfully. The ladies caught Morgan up on Sioux Falls gossip. Beginnings like graduations, weddings, and births. Endings like divorce, business failure, and death. The great drama of life condensed.
The party wound down. Morgan drove Sarah’s car back to their house and crept inside, trying not to make any noise. Darby greeted her with a subdued snuffling woof. Morgan rubbed his head, then noticed Russ sitting at the kitchen table.
“I’m home,” Morgan whispered.
She tiptoed toward the guest room.
“Morgan,” Russ said. “Mom. I really fell apart Monday night. If you hadn’t been here. . . ”
“You would have gotten it together.” Morgan sat at the table and gave Russ’s hand a squeeze. “You did great.”
“Thanks.” He paused. “You know, we got off to a rocky start. You and I. When Sarah and I first got engaged.”
“I remember,” Morgan said. “But that’s okay, because here we are now. Did you have dinner?”
When Russ gave a vague answer, Morgan scooped out a helping of tuna-noodle casserole. As she warmed it in the microwave, a savory smell filled the kitchen. Russ wolfed down the portion, then requested another. While he ate, they talked. Morgan admitted she had been an overprotective mother when her daughter wanted to marry at a young age. He confessed he had been insecure and bristly. Then Russ expressed his concerns about fatherhood and the serious responsibilities he now faced.
“You’ll be a great father,” Morgan waved a hand around. “Look at what you’ve accomplished already. How many of your peers have purchased homes? On twenty acres?”
He shook his head. “I hope I can keep it together. I’m so tired right now.”
“That’s a good sign. You take your responsibilities seriously. But I realized something when I drove by my old house yesterday. I didn’t fully appreciate it while I was there. Not ju
st the house, but the home. I don’t know if that makes any sense.”
“Stop and smell the roses?”
“Something like that. Raising a child is serious business at times, but you’ve got to hang on to the joyful moments too, or you’ll wear yourself out with worry.”
Russ yawned.
“You should try to get some sleep while you can,” Morgan said.
In answer, they heard the baby cry.
“Too late.” Russ smiled as he pushed himself up from the table.
As Morgan washed the dishes, she felt a twinge of guilt about her high-minded lecture to live in the present moment. Half her emotional energy had been straying to Golden Springs.
* * *
When Darby woofed softly, Morgan peeked out the front curtain, surprised to see David’s truck pull into the driveway in the middle of Thursday morning. Morgan knew working construction left little flexibility in his schedule.
David presented a wrapped gift to an oblivious Gregory. Sarah tore the pastel paper off a soft blanket designed to drape over a mother’s shoulder while she nursed her baby. She gave her brother a hug.
“How did you know what to buy?” she asked.
David’s blush was visible through his deep tan. “Chelsea told me her sister got a lot of use out of hers.” When both Morgan and Sarah waited, he added, “You know, Chelsea from the Sons of Norway club?”
During her trip to Sioux Falls earlier that year, Morgan had attended a dance with her children and Russ’s family. She had noticed her son paying particular attention to a lovely young woman in traditional Norwegian dress.
While Sarah put her sleeping son to bed in the nursery room, Morgan and David prepared lunch. David studiously sliced tomatoes, then set the knife aside and turned to Morgan.
“Mom, my job ended.”
That explained the mid-morning, middle of the week visit.
“I’m sorry,” Morgan said. “Will you be okay?”
“We finished early, so we got a bonus. I’ve got enough money to get by for a while. I was thinking. . . ” He stopped speaking for a moment as he fanned the tomato slices out on a plate. “You asked if I wanted to spend the rest of the summer in Golden Springs.”
“The offer is still good.”
“I hate to leave just when my nephew gets here, but really, Russ has plenty of family, and they all love Sarah. They don’t need me, and I’d really like a vacation. I might not get the chance again ‘til who knows when.”
Morgan had thought she was going to Golden Springs for a two-week vacation when she moved there six months ago. She was still there. But she didn’t want to dull David’s enthusiasm with the possibility of being permanently sucked into the Rock of Ages vortex.
When Sarah entered the kitchen, David shared his plans with his sister.
“As long as it’s just for the summer,” Sarah said. “If you move to Colorado, I’ll be the only one left here.”
“You’ve got the little guy now,” David said. “He’ll keep you so distracted, you won’t even notice I’m gone.”
After turkey sandwiches on whole wheat bread, Sarah joined Gregory for a nap.
“You’re leaving Saturday?” David asked Morgan.
“Yes. The plane was full on my flight up here, so I hope you can get a ticket this late.”
David shook his head. “I want to drive. My truck is in good shape, and I’ll want my own transportation in Colorado. I’d sure like company, but I understand if you want to fly.”
“I’ll gladly ride with you,” Morgan said. “That’s a long, lonely drive. Can we load a few things from storage in the back of your truck?”
When they had cleaned out their old home before leasing it to the Madsens, Morgan and her children had placed the excess furniture and household goods into storage.
“If we rent a trailer,” David said, “we could empty one of the storage units. Do you have room for some furniture?”
The cabin Morgan had purchased for the rock shop was bare.
“I have room,” she said.
Morgan cancelled the return flight on her bargain plane ticket. David had a lot to prepare for the extended trip, including making sure his roommates would look after his cat. The abrupt change of plans meant leaving Friday night instead of Saturday afternoon. Every minute with Gregory was precious, but Morgan sensed her grown son needed her more right now.
When Morgan’s cell phone rang, she was surprised to see Kurt’s name on her caller ID. She stepped into the back yard, with Darby on her heels.
“Hello, Kurt. I called, but your phone kept going to voice mail.”
“I know, I know,” Kurt said. “I’m sorry I haven’t called. It has been absolutely crazy since you left. I’ve been completely tied up.”
Spending time with his sons Morgan could forgive. She just hoped his preoccupation didn’t include Zulina Jones.
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
Morgan blamed the heat of the late July afternoon on the prairie for the sweat beading on her forehead. She waited impatiently to hear Kurt’s excuse for not calling earlier.
“I want to hear about your grandson first,” Kurt said.
Talking about Gregory calmed Morgan’s nerves. She trimmed unnecessary details generated by her excitement as a first time grandmother, but it was impossible not to gush about such a perfect child. Kurt was attentive, and properly congratulatory.
“So what has been crazy on your end?” Morgan dreaded his answer.
“The hippies living in the park staged a smoke-in to support my candidacy for City Hall.”
Morgan laughed. “That might not hurt you.”
“In Golden Springs? Are you kidding? I know Erwin was behind it. First he covers up my campaign signs, then he pulls this stunt. Having a hazy-eyed hippie declare his support for me on the television news did not lend my campaign the dignity I had hoped for.”
“You’re right,” Morgan said. “I’m sorry. Is there anything you can do?”
“I could stage a mock-campaign rally at the biker bar. Maybe get a tattooed drunk to declare his support for Erwin.”
“What about Piers Townsend? Has Erwin been sabotaging his campaign?”
“My guess is that Piers is quietly gathering voter support while Erwin and I engage in this ridiculous mud-slinging. But there is life beyond politics. I took the Triceratops certification to the University. The professor I spoke to thought it unlikely that the original papers hadn’t followed the fossil, but it was possible. He also said a museum might not admit doing business with a professional fossil hunter, although they all do. If it found its way to the marketplace, tracking down whoever purchased the Triceratops might be impossible.”
“What if it’s still at the Rock of Ages?”
“Maybe Roxy Day will have some insight.”
Morgan slapped her free hand to her forehead.
“I completely forgot to call Roxy. It’s a good thing we’re not seriously trying to solve this mystery. I’ve left a potential lead hanging for a week.”
“We’ve both been busy,” Kurt said.
Morgan closed her eyes for a moment as surges of guilt and jealousy vied for her emotional attention. Me, preparing to go on a blind date, and you, seen around Golden Springs with your hot ex-wife.
“I’ll give her a call tonight,” Morgan said. “At the very least, I want to give Roxy whatever comfort I can.”
She listened while Kurt chatted about other Golden Springs news, apparently oblivious to her silence. She noticed he conspicuously omitted any mention of Zulina Jones. So much for her guilt.
“Has the campaign consumed all your time?” Morgan asked, “or have you taken your sons on one of your planned activities?”
“The only hotel room Zulina could find that suited her was at the Grand Peak View in Granite Junction. I’ve hardly seen the boys, a
nd I am not happy.”
So she wasn’t staying in Kurt’s guest room. That news lightened Morgan’s heart, and hearing the woman was staying in the city twenty miles away almost made her giddy with relief.
“The Grand Peak View, huh?” Private school and five star hotels. The woman must have serious bucks. “That’s really expensive.”
“Burke let it slip that before they came here, Zulina had been finding excuses to hang around her ex’s stomping grounds, as you termed it. I suspect her stay in Golden Springs is designed to make Jet jealous. When I refused to be part of her game, and told her she couldn’t stay at my house, I think she decided to punish me by luring the boys away to the resort hotel.”
Morgan smiled at the thought of Kurt fending off his beauty queen ex-wife. She told Kurt about David’s plan to drive back with her, and that she wouldn’t need a ride from DIA.
“I was looking forward to the drive,” Kurt said. “It would have given us time to talk alone.”
Morgan’s phone buzzed with the intrusion of an incoming call. Just when the conversation was getting interesting.
“Oh.”
“Are you okay?” Kurt asked.
“I’m getting another call. It startled me.”
“I’ll let you go. Call me when you’re back in town.”
Before she could object, Kurt hung up. She picked up the other call.
“Just a reminder,” Joan said. “We’re meeting for dinner at the Brazilian steakhouse at seven.”
“Is it too late to bail?” Morgan asked. “I’m really not up to it tonight, Joan.”
“Skylar made reservations. And Ford understands this is not a date. Do you need a ride?”
Morgan imagined the distress of being trapped if the dinner was a disaster.
“I can drive,” Morgan said.
* * *
Between getting the message late, and her trip to Sioux Falls, it had been a week since Roxy Day called. Morgan doubted she would have a better opportunity to speak to the woman for the next few days.
Might as well get it over with.
The phone rang seven times, with no sign that the call would go to voicemail, when someone finally picked up.
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