Daughter's Return

by Rebecca Winters

  By the time they’d taken off in the jet and had reached cruising speed, he’d apprised her of all the facts. Maggie was so certain Jake’s hunch was right, she could hardly contain herself.

  “What I want us to do is pretend we’re tourists. We’ll play it to the hilt. Take the tour, attend a class, pick fruit, buy some fruit at the stands and eat at the bakery.

  “As we make the rounds and keep our eyes out for a fifty-year-old man who might faintly resemble his brother Frankie, we’ll talk to people, find out if they’re a Skwars or a Buric. Sooner or later we’re bound to pick up on something crucial.”

  “What if we don’t learn anything?”

  “As a last option, I’ll revert to speaking Czech and say that I’m looking for Antonin who used to be a friend of mine. If nothing else, it will catch them off guard. I’ll be able to tell if they’re hiding him or not.”

  She believed him. That was the kind of thing he did all the time in the CIA. Nobody could do it better. “He’s got to be there, Jake.”

  “If he’s not, we’ll find out if Marie is still alive and living in their community. Someone has to know something.”

  His fierce declaration was what Maggie needed right now to keep her spirits up.

  “I wish I didn’t have to be back to work tomorrow, but I have an important court case at two o’clock I have to handle myself.”

  “There’s always the next day. Fortunately Wendell has told me to make you my first priority, so I don’t have the same problem.”

  “He’s an interesting character.”

  “You have no idea. Did I tell you he traced my Halsey line back to 1746?”

  She smiled. “No. Next you’re going to tell me you’re related to the famous admiral.”

  “As a matter of fact I am.”

  “You’re kidding.”

  “Not according to Wendell. Would you tell me what kind of people name their children Recompense, Ananias, Israel, Abram, Anna, Elisha and Nathanial?”

  “Bible-fearing parents. Half of those names were given to some of my ancestors, too.”

  “Can you imagine Jared being called Recompense?”

  Maggie started to laugh. He joined her. It was a welcome relief from the tension of agonizing over what they might or might not find once they reached Wisconsin.

  “I have a Scotch-Irish ancestor on my dad’s side named Sobriety.”

  Jake grinned at her. “You made that up.”

  “I swear I didn’t. What’s so funny is that her son, John McFarland—”

  “The Copper King?” Jake interrupted.

  “Yes. During prohibition he kept an ever-flowing stash of French wines and champagne in the attic of the carriage-house cottage behind the mansion.

  “In one of his letters to a friend living in Paris he wrote, ‘Prohibition makes you want to cry into your beer, and denies you the beer to cry into.’ To this day our family laughs about it.”

  “He was bigger than life, wasn’t he?”

  He couldn’t hold a candle to you, Jake. No man could.

  “The only problem with men like that is that they probably did a lot of things I don’t want to know about. But I can handle the champagne part. I sent Brock into the attic to bring down a bottle of the good stuff for Kit and Cord to enjoy when they returned from their honeymoon.”

  “Having been dry since I started therapy, I wouldn’t mind going to work on one of those bottles myself.”

  She flicked him a covert glance. “When we get back to Salt Lake, I’ll tell Cord to let you go up in the attic and pick out your favorite year and vintage.”

  “Only if John’s great-great-great-granddaughter will drink some with me. Otherwise it wouldn’t be any fun. I forgot. You don’t drink.”

  “On the rare occasion I do.”

  “Does that mean yes, you will, or no, you won’t?” he pushed.

  “If you don’t know the answer to that by now…”

  “I like things spelled out.”

  Her heart was beating frantically. “I promise that tomorrow night we’ll have some at my condo.”

  “Don’t make promises you can’t keep” was his gruff response.

  “Barring a natural disaster of epic proportions, I intend to hold to my side of the bargain.”

  “So do I.”

  The hand that reached out to caress her thigh almost caused her to veer off course. He didn’t remove it until they prepared for their descent. Talk about crying into her beer.

  Skwars Farm, Wisconsin

  August 31

  JAKE DROVE THROUGH the open gate with the overhead sign decorated in a Bohemian design. He followed the road a quarter of a mile to the main office located in a farmhouse that looked so much like the one in Bela, Kamila would have to come here and check it out.

  There were several dozen cars in the parking lot. Lots of tourists were milling around.

  Turning to the quiet woman beside him he said, “Ready?” On the plane Maggie had been relaxed, but once they’d picked up their rental car, he’d felt her tension.

  She nodded and undid her seat belt.

  “Let’s go.” He climbed out and went around to help her. Grasping Maggie’s hand, they walked past several families with young children. Once inside the farmhouse, Jake escorted her over to the counter.

  A fortyish-looking man at the cash register nodded to Jake. “Welcome to Skwars Farm. Have you ever been here before?”

  “No, but we’ve heard about it.”

  “Let me give you a brochure. It will tell you where to go and what to do.”

  They both took one.

  “My fiancée and I are interested in the complete tour.” Jake pulled out his wallet and put two twenty-dollar bills on the counter. The man gave them passes in the shape of a Czech-painted Easter egg to pin on.

  Jake studied the front of the brochure for a moment, then looked at him. “Is Jainos Skwars still alive? I’d like to meet the man who started all this.”

  The other man chuckled. “You’re out of luck. He died a long time ago. I’m one of his grandsons, Jiri.”

  “This is a beautiful place,” Maggie commented.

  “We love it.” The man’s eyes lingered on her a lot longer than Jake liked. She was a stunner in her tan jeans and coral top.

  “When we were looking up the address, we saw dozens of Skwars in the telephone directory.”

  Jake’s voice recaptured the man’s attention. “We’re a big family co-op. Probably a hundred cousins, aunts and uncles live here and work the farm.”

  “It’s very impressive.” Jake put his arm around Maggie’s waist to signal they were leaving.

  “You and your fiancée enjoy yourselves.”

  “I’m sure we will. Thank you.”

  When they got outside, Jake pulled her closer against his side. “I didn’t like the way he was sizing you up.”

  “Men don’t—” She stopped talking, but he knew what she was going to say.

  “You think I don’t know what they’re thinking when they look at you?”

  That brought a smile to her lips. “You sounded very possessive just now.”

  “That’s the way I’m feeling.” He kissed the side of her neck. “Where shall we start first?”

  “Let’s begin with the walking tour to the different buildings. There’ll be family members at each one to give a lecture. We can cover more ground that way.”

  “Good idea.” They spent the next hour making the rounds. Jake asked the same thing of everyone they met. Was Jainos Skwars alive? Could they meet him?

  The answer was always the same, of course. They must have chatted with dozens of Skwarses, both male and female. Jake picked out several men who could have been in their fifties, but none of them answered to the name Antonin.

  Finally they met a Buric at the museum. Jake learned there weren’t as many of them as there were Skwarses.

  It was after one. “I bet you’re as hungry as I am. Let’s stop at the bakery.”

 
“Actually I don’t have an appetite, but I’ll buy something anyway because Antonin might be working there in the back where he’s not so visible.”

  “One way or another we’ll find out.”

  A few minutes later, they entered the tiny farmhouse that had been converted into a Czech pastry shop. His mouth watered to see the list of fruit-filled kolaches on the menu. It took him back to those days in Prague.

  Jake found them a table. Since it was round, he sat right next to Maggie and put his arm across the back of her chair. The feel of her silky hair brushing his arm was tantalizing. He wanted the contact any way he could get it.

  Two women in Bohemian costumes worked behind the counter. One of them came out to take their order.

  Jake smiled at her. “Everything looks so delicious, it’s hard to choose. What do you recommend?”

  “The peach.”

  “Then we’ll take two of them and two colas. By the way, is there a restroom?”

  “Yes. Go out the door and around the rear of the building.”

  “Thank you.”

  When she walked away, Jake whispered in Maggie’s ear, “I’ll be right back.”

  He gave her a brief kiss before getting out of the chair. The hope in Maggie’s eyes killed him.

  When he reached his destination, he discovered three doors. Two with men and women signs. The third had to be the back door. He looked around to see if anyone was watching, then tried the handle. It turned easily.

  These were not people who locked their doors.

  Without hesitation, he walked right in the back of the bakery. One older woman was busy making pastry. When she saw movement, she let out a little cry of surprise.

  “Sorry. I thought this was the restroom. The waitress told me it was around back.”

  “It’s the door next to this one.” She followed him out and showed him the right door.

  He didn’t want to break the bad news to Maggie that he hadn’t seen a man who might have been Antonin, but there was no help for it.

  Her blue eyes swerved to his when he entered the shop. He shook his head to let her know. She lowered her face.

  “We’re only halfway through our tour,” he reminded her as he began eating.

  In a few minutes, their waitress came by. “Can I get you anything else?” She directed her question to Maggie.

  “No thank you.”

  “How do you like the wedding pastry?” The waitress kept staring at her.

  “It’s very good.”

  “If we could have our check please.”

  “Here you go.”

  He left cash on the table, then accompanied Maggie from the shop. She paused outside the door.

  “Jake? Do I have something on my face?”

  “Nothing, but I noticed her looking at you, too,” he murmured. “That’s twice already. If it happens a third time we’ll ask why. Let’s go pick apples. It says the Jersey Mac and Red Astrachans have come in season.”

  They followed the directions on the brochure until they reached one of the orchards. A couple with two children told them to take a basket and pick what they wanted.

  “We don’t allow you to climb the trees. Use the ladders.”

  Jake turned to the girl who couldn’t have been more than ten or eleven. “Will you show us a good tree?”

  Her mother nodded her consent.

  “Okay. Come with me.”

  After a couple of rows, she pointed to one laden with fruit. “This has a lot of apples,” she said.

  “So we see.” He turned to Maggie. “Do you want to go up the ladder first?”

  “Thank you. Will you steady it for me?”

  Oh, Maggie. If she only knew he lived for moments like this. Those long legs were his weakness. So were her eyes, mouth, hair, figure. The list went on and on.

  “Do you trust me?”

  The girl giggled.

  “You know I do,” Maggie said.

  He handed her the basket. While she got busy, he focused his attention on the girl. “Are you a Buric or a Skwars?”

  “A Buric.”

  Jake felt an adrenaline rush. Now was his chance. “Do you know who told me about this place?”

  “No.”

  “One of your relatives named Antonin.”

  “I don’t know him.” She said it so honestly, he believed her.

  “I’ve picked a dozen, Jake. Is that enough?” Maggie called to him.

  “Plenty. Come on down. I want to go paint eggs.”

  He helped her step off the ladder. The girl ran ahead of them to her parents and younger brother. They put the apples in a special bag with the Skwars logo.

  Jake got his wallet out and paid the brother. As they were about to walk away, the girl said, “Do we have a relative named Antonin?” He didn’t miss the look that passed between her parents.

  Deciding to take the initiative, Jake said, “My name’s Jake Halsey. This is my fiancée Maggie McFarland. I knew an Antonin Buric a long time ago when I was in the navy. He said something about a family farm in Wisconsin. I thought this had to be the one so we decided to visit it. I’d surely like to see him again, if only to say hello.”

  The mother said, “If we’re talking about the same Antonin Buric, he’s a distant relative, but he’s never lived here.”

  “He had a brother, Franz.”

  The husband nodded. “We never met him, either.”

  “Well, I’m glad I asked anyway. It’s no wonder he told me about this farm. It’s fantastic. Thanks for the apples.”

  “Sure.”

  “Just a minute.”

  He wheeled around. “Yes?”

  “Until a few weeks ago his daughter lived here.”

  The blood pounded in his ears. “He never said anything about a daughter.”

  The girl’s father said, “As far as the family knows, he never acknowledged her or came around.”

  “Then how did she come to be at the farm?”

  “According to my cousin Petr, Great-grandmother Marie brought her from New York when she was just a baby.”

  “How old is she?”

  “Midtwenties.”

  Maggie didn’t realize it, but her nails were digging into the skin of Jake’s arm.

  “Is the older woman still alive?” Jake asked.

  “Oh, no.”

  “So Antonin’s daughter lived here all her life and he never once got in touch with her?”

  “It’s very sad.”

  “I agree. You say she just recently left?”

  “Yes.”

  “Do you know where she went? Maybe we could look her up before we have to fly home. I have a few photos of Antonin I could show her.”

  “After Nelly’s wedding, she left to go to college.”

  “Which one?”

  The father scratched his head. “I’m not sure. Josef and Milena would know more about her plans. She’s been staying with them for the last few years.”

  “Where do they live?”

  “Give me a brochure and I’ll draw it on the map.”

  Jake’s heart had taken off without him.

  “What’s her name?” he asked when the other man handed it back.

  “Anna.”

  “We’ll try to find her. Thanks for the talk and the apples.”

  “You’re welcome. If you see her, tell her Viktor and Lida said hello.”

  “And me!”

  Maggie leaned over the girl. “What’s your name, darling?”

  “Rickena.”

  “Did you know Anna well?”

  “Yes. She always gave me free kolaches and read books to me.”

  Lida put her arms around her daughter’s neck. “Anna was everyone’s favorite.”

  Rickena tugged on her mother’s arm.

  “What is it, honey?”

  “I think she looks like Anna.” The girl was staring up at Maggie.

  “I agree with you.”

  The father nodded. “For a minute when I saw you coming, I th
ought you were Anna.”

  Maggie’s hold threatened to cut off Jake’s circulation. “They say everyone has a double somewhere. Thank you for all your help.”

  Now it was Maggie who started running toward the rental car, pulling Jake after her.

  Halfway down the road she dropped the sack of apples and threw her arms around Jake’s neck.

  “You did it! You found her! Jake—you found my sister! She’s alive!”

  Half laughing, half sobbing, she clapped her hands on his cheeks. Moisture dripped off her face. “You’re the angel Daddy said you were.”

  The joy in her voice, on her face, would stay with him all the days of his life.

  Consumed by emotion, Jake crushed her in his arms. “Let’s go find Josef and Milena.”

  CHAPTER TWELVE

  “THIS IS IT, JAKE!”

  He pulled up to the front of the farmhouse. “It’s a good thing Viktor drew the location for us, otherwise it would have been difficult to know which one it was.”

  The second he stopped the car, Maggie jumped out and ran up the porch steps. She rang the buzzer. When no one answered, she rang it again.

  Jake joined her. “There’s no car around. It doesn’t appear anyone’s home.”

  “They have to be!”

  “I know how you feel. Let’s go back to the car. They ought to be coming pretty soon. While we wait I’ll call Kamila and tell her we won’t be back tonight.”

  He helped Maggie into the car, then went around and got behind the wheel. She watched him pull out his cell phone.

  “I want to call Mom and Dad right this second, but I don’t dare until I know exactly where Kathryn is. Once they hear the news, they’ll fly out with the family on the company plane. They’re going to be so overjoyed! I can’ t believe this is happening….”

  His beautiful smile melted her heart.

  This wonderful, brilliant, marvelous man had made the miracle happen. She reached for his free hand and clung to it while he spoke to Kamila.

  After a few minutes, he said, “Kamila wants to talk to you.”

  She took the phone, but almost dropped it she was shaking so hard. “Kamila? Can you believe it? My sister’s alive! She’s been living on this farm all these years!”

  “It’s miraculous, Maggie. I’m so very happy for you and your family. When I think of anyone taking my precious Jared from me, I don’t know if I could bear to live. Your parents must be strong people to have gone on with their lives.”