by Sable Hunter
Rushing through the door, what they found stunned them both. A woman lay on the floor covered in blood. To Shane, she looked dead. After only a moment’s hesitation, she knelt down to see what could be done. Brodie took one look at the carnage, then had to walk off for a second. Shane didn’t say a thing about his actions, she understood. He was gone only a short time, before he was back, joining her on the floor.
A policeman came barreling through the door. “We lost the perp. As far as we can tell, a woman did this.”
Shane held the woman’s head as Brodie probed her wound. “We have to stop the flow of blood.”
“Yes,” she agreed, realizing exsanguination was the biggest danger. They had no way of knowing, or of seeing, what blood vessels were damaged. They could only assume it was bad. Stopping the bleeding was paramount. Since there is so much area in the abdomen for blood to collect, she knew they probably wouldn’t see any pulsing or spurting. All they could do was assume the worst.
“Let’s use a large trauma pad,” Brodie directed.
Shane retrieved it. They applied direct pressure and stood up to transport immediately.
“What about the baby?”
“It’s dead,” the police officer stated flatly.
“Let me see,” Shane demanded as soon as Brodie took off toward the ambulance with the mother.
The officer handed her a very small bundle and as soon as Shane touched it, her heart contracted painfully.
“Let’s go!” Brodie yelled.
Shane bounded after him, clutching the still-born child to her breast with one arm.
“Come with us, I need help.” She grabbed the cops hand, noting that his badge said Floyd Gregory. “I want you to sit by the mother while I work on the baby.”
As soon as they were inside, Brodie stabilized the woman and Shane opened the blanket to see the baby. “So tiny.” It was blue, having never been given a chance to take a breath. Uncaring at the chances, she placed it carefully down and began to administer CPR.
“What are you doing?” Brodie asked.
“I have to try,” she murmured, using tiny breaths and even tinier compressions.
“It’s been too long and the baby is too early.” Brodie spoke from years of experience.
Shane didn’t try to explain, she continued to work, putting her whole heart and soul into the efforts to resuscitate the preemie.
Brodie got on the radio, giving the ER the stats. Floyd kept his hand on the woman’s abdomen. Her breathing was stable, but she hadn’t regained consciousness. As Shane tended to the newborn, she realized the woman’s lack of awareness was probably a good thing.
“How long ago did they take the baby, how long before we got there?” Shane asked the cop.
“Not long.” Gregory paused, thinking. “The culprit was the one who called 9-1-1 and you were there in less than six minutes or so.”
As Shane continued to perform CPR on the infant, she calculated the amount of time the child had been without oxygen. It was risky…if she could bring it back.
“Shane…” Brodie said her name, but she wasn’t sure what he was trying to say. She couldn’t stop, she just couldn’t.
The only sound was the roar of the siren, until a small cry sounded.
“Well, I’ll be damned,” Floyd whispered.
Brodie sighed and Shane knew why. The baby having complications or brain damage was a possibility.
Shane cleaned the blood from the baby’s face and wrapped it back up as they pulled up to the ER’s doors.
Hurrying out, they carried the mother and the baby into the hospital. Another police officer was waiting for them. Shane and Brodie spent time relaying the information they’d collected on their patients. When they were through, they joined the cops.
“We picked up the woman who did this. She lost her baby a few months ago. She’s been taken to the psych ward.”
Shane knew the woman needed help, but after seeing what she’d done to the baby and the baby’s mother, she couldn’t work up much sympathy.
“Ready?” Brodie asked.
As they were about to walk out, the doctor called to them, crooking his finger. Moving over to them, Shane dreaded what he might say. “We can’t know for sure, but all of the baby’s responses are normal.”
Shane felt an immense sense of relief. She was so happy, she grabbed the doctor and hugged him. The older gentleman laughed and patted her on the back. “While I enjoy a hug from a pretty girl, this young fella seems to be a more likely candidate.”
Shane blushed, the urge to escape almost overwhelming. She was never more thankful than when their radio went off again, and soon they were on their way to another call.
At the end of the day, Brodie was ready to apologize to his partner. They’d completed a week without having killed one another and for them, that was quite an accomplishment. He hadn’t told her at the time, but the way she’d saved that baby had been amazing. But when he went to find her, she’d already left.
Brodie let out a deep breath and gathered his things to leave.
As he started out, his eyes landed on the calendar. The date hit him right between the eyes. He’d forgotten about Mary. Shame slammed into him. How could he forget? He continued to stare at the innocuous number, then saw the words written beneath it.
McCoy BBQ
Maybe he’d go, maybe mixing with some folks was exactly what he needed.
* * *
“I simply won’t take no for an answer, Shane. I’m counting on you coming out to Tebow this afternoon.” The woman paused, then added conspiratorially. “There’ll be chocolate pie and a dozen hot cowboy bachelors.”
Jessie McCoy, Jacob’s wife, could be very persuasive. “Well, okay,” Shane relented. The only drawback would be if Brodie Walton showed up but knowing how anti-social he was, the chance of him attending was slim to none. “What can I bring?”
There was a pause. “I was about to say nothing, but since you’re coming from Stonewall. I’d love it if you stopped in at Burg’s and bring me a jar of jalapeno peach preserves. I’m baking a ham and I’ll use those preserves mixed with a little Jack Daniels to make a yummy sauce.”
“Sure. Anything else?”
“Nope. Just you.”
They talked a little while longer, before Shane hung up and started worrying about what to wear. She might be from Texas, but she didn’t have any authentic cowgirl wear. A pair of jeans and a dressy top would have to do. She rummaged through her closet and found a lace camisole in a soft baby blue with pearl buttons. Thanks to Aunt Bess, she did own a pair of cowboy boots, fawn colored with a few inset pieces of turquoise. Yes, this will do.
When the time came to leave, she made the stop at Burg’s Peach Stand to buy the preserves and while she was there, she picked up a gallon of peach cider and some peach salsa. She didn’t like to go anywhere without a hostess gift.
The drive from Stonewall down to Kerrville was a beautiful one. She could easily see why Aunt Bess loved the area so. Vast green pastures, rolling hills, and gleaming white limestone cliffs were decorated with blue streams that cut through the hillsides and danced over rocks and rills, creating swimming holes and fishing spots.
When she pulled underneath the gate of Tebow Ranch, Shane was anxious to get to know the ladies who had joined the family her Aunt Bess adored. As she pulled to a stop, young Nathan spotted her and came running. “Shane! How’s Ms. Bess?”
“She’s good, sends her love. My word, you’ve grown.” He was at least a foot taller than Shane. One of her aunt’s favorite stories was how Nathan had almost sent Libby on her way, thinking no one could replace his Ms. Bess. He’d even snuck off and called her on Noah’s phone, to tell her how much he missed her. Later, he’d phoned and said that they thought they might keep Libby. Apparently, her brownies were amazing.
“I’ll be sixteen on my next birthday,” Nathan informed her. A black lab came bounding up, anxious to make her acquaintance. “Down, Lady. This is Shane.”
<
br /> She knelt down to greet the dog. “I’m going to have one someday.” Rodney hadn’t liked animals. The more she thought about it, the more she wondered how she’d ever fallen in love with the jerk in the first place.
“You should.” He bent to whisper in her ear. “Lady’s going to have pups. Do you want one?”
Shane laughed. “Yes, I do. Put me on the list.”
“Great!” Nathan took the items from her arms. “Aron said I couldn’t keep them all, so I’m trying to find good homes.”
By the time they walked to the wide front porch, several smiling women had come out to meet them. She looked from one to the other. One of them started to speak, but Shane held up her hand. “No wait. I want to try and name you. Bess has told me so much about you, let me see if I can pick you out.”
“All right.” A beautiful woman with big brown eyes and a golden tan gave her a bright smile.
“Cady,” Shane said with assurance.
Cady laughed. “What gave it away? Are you psychic too?”
“No, but Aunt Bess said you were an angel. Those kind eyes were a dead giveaway.”
She turned to look at a woman with raven hair and high cheekbones. “Skye Blue.”
“Another easy one!” Skye gave her a hug. “Welcome.”
“The rest of us won’t be as easy.” Another woman with long spiral curls spoke up.
Shane narrowed her gaze. “Hmmm, I don’t know. There’s something familiar about you…Sable Hunter.” She laughed as Avery blushed. “Sorry, Avery. I read your books. I’m on your fan page. I recognized you from a photo you made with Don Juan. Now, that man’s a looker!”
“A woman with good taste!” She handed her a cold soda.
“Which makes you, Jessie. Jacob’s wife. How wonderful to meet you all.”
Shane followed the McCoy girls up to a swing and some chairs. “You are all so beautiful. You make me feel like a plain-Jane tomboy.”
“Nonsense. I think you’re lovely,” Libby said, as she joined them. “Hey, Shane. So glad you’re here.” There were hugs all around and soon they were gossiping up a storm.
“Shane, there are more good-looking men here than you can shake a stick at.” Skye hooked her arm through Shane’s and led her into the house. “Wait until you get a load of our resident blacksmith, Canyon Brady. And my brother’s not bad, either. I would really like to marry Lance off. He’s getting a little long in the tooth.”
“He is not!” Jessie protested. “He’s the same age as Jacob and that man is in his prime!”
“Speaking of in his prime. I’m sure you’d find Denver and Devon to be Grade A Prime.” Avery laughed. “Not that I’m unhappy with Isaac. He keeps me busy…and inspired.” She giggled. “But I’m not blind! I’m always looking for models for my books and I’m thinking about using the Double D’s on the cover of a ménage.”
“You are so bad!” Libby chastised Avery as they gathered around the kitchen table.
While Shane had never been to Tebow before, she’d seen enough photographs for the place to feel familiar. One thing about it, this was obviously a home where the family loved one another. She’d never felt more welcome anywhere.
“Well, I think we should introduce Shane to that hunky firefighter.” Jessie sat down primly, crossing her legs, a mischievous look on her face. “What’s his name?”
“Do you mean Brodie Walton?” Cady asked. “Be careful with that one, he’s been through a rough patch. When he shook my hand earlier, the vibes I got off of him were pretty dark.”
Shane had just taken a sip of iced tea, which promptly went down the wrong pipe. She choked so hard, several of the girls came to beat on her back.
“Are you all right?” Skye asked.
She nodded. When she was finally able to speak, she squeaked. “Brodie Walton is here?” Damn. Damn. Damn.
“Yep, he’s out back with the men. They’re grilling brisket and ribs. We were smart, we got all of our cooking done early.” Libby answered.
“So, you know Brodie?” Cady asked, giving Shane a peculiar look.
“He’s my boss,” Shane answered. “We don’t…exactly get along.”
“Oh.” Avery looked disappointed. “That’s too bad. Maybe if you two spent some time together here, away from the job, you’d feel differently.”
Cady sat down beside Shane. “Don’t push her. They’ll work this out at their own pace.”
Shane gazed at Cady. She seemed to understand. “You know about Mary. Don’t you?”
Cady nodded and Jessie spoke up. “Mary Masterson. Yes, I remember Jacob telling me about her. I’d forgotten she was Brodie’s fiancé.”
Briefly Jessie explained the story to the other girls. It hurt Shane to hear the details again. “He hasn’t gotten over it. He tends to lash out at people, mainly me.”
“Joseph did the same thing,” Cady explained. “While he didn’t lose someone he loved, he did lose his ability to walk and he blamed the world. But the person he took it out on the most was me. I was here to help him and he resented me because…”
Cady stopped. His pain was still hard to remember.
Libby spoke up, “when people are in pain, they tend to lash out at the people who mean the most to them.”
“I’m sure that’s true for some people.” Shane’s gaze moved over the five women who were being so kind to her. “But it’s not true for me and Brodie. I don’t mean anything to him. He just doesn’t like me. Period.”
“Well…let’s just wait and see.” Cady winked at Shane, then rose to pick up a picnic basket. “Why don’t we head on over to the pavilion. We should have more guests arriving soon.”
Jessie came up to Shane and took her arm. “Beware. When Cady gives you that look, she’s taken a peek into the future. Cady’s spooky.”
Shane laughed. “Cady’s nice. You all are.”
…Meanwhile, at the grill, Aron turned over a piece of sausage with a pair of tongs, then scooted a rack of ribs closer to a brisket to make room for half a chicken. “I love meat. Anyway. I. Can. Get. It.”
Joseph elbowed Jacob. “Do you? You like to put the meat in your mouth, don’t you?”
Aron frowned. “Hell yeah, I love a good mouthful of meat.”
Noah snickered and Isaac held his finger up to his mouth, then spoke up. “That’s a pretty good size brat there, brother. I wouldn’t think you’d be used to a piece of meat that size.”
“Oh, hell, I could swallow that sucker whole.” Aron kept arranging and rearranging his smorgasbord, oblivious to his brothers’ amusement.
“I can just see it,” Jacob said with a straight face. “You with a big weenie in your mouth, all those juices just exploding. I bet you’re in hog heaven.”
“Don't forget to make sure you rub sauce on the whole sausage,” Noah told Aron as he arranged the food. “I’m sure I don’t have to tell you, but the tip is the best part.” He swallowed down a laugh. “It’s the most sensitive, gotta make sure you take special care with it.”
Brodie hid a grin; these guys were crazy. Aron was so into his grilling, all of their raunchy banter was going right over his head.
“These little ones are pretty tasty.” Aron held up a hot link.
“So, size doesn’t matter?” Jacob asked with a smile.
“That’s what your wife says. Poor girl.” Aron shook his head, finally catching on. “Bastards.”
Brodie laughed. “You guys are nuts.” He drained his beer, then tossed the empty in a nearby can. His third since arriving, his sixth of the day. “Who’s that?” He pointed to someone he didn’t know.
“That’s Tyson Pate. He’s one of the Equalizers. The guy is a whiz with finances, plays the stock market like Charlie Daniels plays a fiddle.”
“I’ll go greet him.” Isaac stepped away to welcome their friend.
“He looks familiar to me,” Brodie mused.
“Well, you’ve probably seen him somewhere around,” Aron reasoned as he removed several pieces of sausage to a p
latter. “I’ll introduce you.”
“I don’t know, the only place I usually see people is in the midst of a crisis,” Brodie said, referring to his job as a fireman and an EMT.
“Oh, damn, I know,” Jacob put his arm around Brodie and turned him to the side. “We both worked that search with Bowie when Tyson’s sister was missing. Remember? We found the poor girl in a cotton field over in Taylor?”
“Oh, yea.” She’d been murdered. Like Mary. All of a sudden he felt sick at his stomach, the realization that he was at a party on the day Mary’s life had been snuffed out. “Hey, you know, I’m not feeling too good.” Brodie rubbed the back of his neck. “I think I’ll take off.”
Before Aron, Jacob or anyone else could stop him, Brodie loped off toward his truck.
“Hey, you all right to drive, buddy?” Jacob called.
Brodie didn’t answer just waved him off. Tears were rising in his eyes, he squeezed them shut and kept going.
“Hey!” a female yelped. “Watch where you’re going!”
Brodie looked up and found that he’d knocked a woman to the ground.
And not just any woman. “Shane?”
“Great. The one person that I don’t want to run into at this thing…and what do I do?”
Much to her surprise, Brodie helped her to her feet. “Technically, I think I ran into you.”
“Whatever.” She dusted herself off, then looked at him, really seeing him for the first time. His face was streaked with tears. “Brodie, are you all right?”
Brodie looked into the distance. “No, I’m not.” He bent over, placing his hands on his knees.
He’d been drinking, that much was obvious. Since she’d never seen him this way before, Shane knew something was off. Filled with sympathy, she placed her hand on his back. “What can I do?”
Confused. Hurting. He shook his head as if trying to dispel a memory. “Nothing. I just needed to get away from people.”
Noticing the crowd coming from the parking lot, she knew he wouldn’t want them to see him this way. “Let’s go for a walk down by the river.”
To her surprise he agreed. “All right.”
