A Texas Hero

by Linda Warren

  “Do you want to call your mother?”

  “She’s on a cruise somewhere with her new boyfriend, and she said not to call her.”

  “Did you talk about this with her or your grandmother?”

  She shook her head. “Sheryl told me it would happen, but she never told me what to do. I don’t know what to do and I’m scared.” She put her face in her hands and started to cry again.

  Walt sat by her. “There’s no need to cry. We can figure this out. Ethan has a computer in his room. We can look it up on the internet and read all about it.”

  “I know about it. We learned in school.”

  “Oh.” He must have misunderstood.

  “I just don’t have any stuff, and I don’t know what to do.”

  “Did you try some toilet paper?”

  “Yeah, but it goes through.”

  “Make it bigger and we’ll go to the H.E.B in Dripping Springs. The grocery store should have what you need.”

  “Okay.” She hurried across the hall to the bathroom and he slowly made his way back to the kitchen, wondering what else was going to churn his gut into fish bait.

  Thirty minutes later they were in the store and looking at all the products for feminine hygiene. He’d rather be in the hot sun bulldogging a calf than here. This was way out of his realm of expertise, and Kelsey seemed to be lost, too.

  Being wise and knowing this was over his head, he decided they needed help. A lady in her forties rounded the corner pushing a basket.

  He removed his hat. “Ma’am.”

  “Yes.” She looked at him with cautious eyes.

  “I need a woman...”

  “Get away from me, you pervert.” She hurriedly pushed the cart away from him.

  What did he do? He glanced at Kelsey and she was giggling with a hand over her mouth. First time he’d ever seen a smile on her face. She’d put her hair into a ponytail and she looked pretty. He never noticed that before because her hair was always hanging in her face.

  “What’s so funny?”

  “You said it wrong, Grandpa.”

  She’d called him grandpa in the feminine products aisle at the H.E.B. He wanted to laugh, too. With joy.

  “What’d you mean?”

  “You said you needed a woman.”

  “Oh. So that’s what she got her dander up about. Stupid bitty. She didn’t let me finish.”

  “It’s okay. I figured out what I need.” She pulled a package off the shelf. “This will work.”

  “Get two packages so you’ll have enough.”

  “Okay.”

  They walked toward the checkout counter and Walt knew he’d remember this day for the rest of his life—the day his granddaughter had called him Grandpa.

  He had a lot to tell Ethan.

  CHAPTER EIGHT

  ABBY FOLLOWED ETHAN through the woods, staring at the makeshift backpack. It looked heavy, and she wanted to offer to carry it for a while, but she knew the answer would be a big no. Of that, she was sure. She knew him well—all in a matter of a few hours.

  As she walked, last night kept replaying in her mind. She’d never been that bold or brazen before in her life. Ethan brought out the vixen in her and she liked it. She’d kept so much bottled up inside, and it was freeing to let go and just feel without any thoughts of disappointing him. And, wow, did she feel.

  This morning she’d wanted to say so many things to him, but she’d said what he wanted to hear. More like what he needed to hear to make him feel better about making love. She’d missed her calling. She should have been an actress. All she wanted to do was throw her arms around his neck and thank him and ask if they could see each other after they were rescued. But that would make him uncomfortable, so she didn’t. She’d played it cool.

  In the clear light of day she could see what they’d done was a mistake on so many levels. She’d put Ethan in a difficult position, professionally and ethically. It seemed as if someone had taken over her mind and body. Normally she would never act in such a way. She’d often listened to her girlfriends’ sexual escapades and wished she had the nerve to flirt without guile, without regret and without thought. Holly would be proud of her, but Holly would never know. No one would.

  Her right calf muscle cramped but she kept walking. The heat was intense again, and her body was soaked with sweat. They’d stopped a couple of times for water, and she was dying for another drink.

  “Oh.” Another cramp brought her to her knees. Ethan was immediately at her side.

  “What is it?”

  “Leg cramps.”

  He removed the backpack. “Stretch out and relax.”

  She lay in the leaves, uncaring that her hair was in the dirt.

  “Which leg?”

  “Right.”

  He pushed her slacks to her knee and began to massage her calf with his big hands.

  “Ouch,” she cried when her muscles protested.

  “You’re not relaxed.”

  “It’s hard to relax when the muscle keeps pulling. Your hands are not helping.”

  She thought he’d stop at her testiness, but he pushed her leg up and ran his fingers lightly down the back of it.

  She sighed. “Ah...that feels good.” Now that she could handle.

  He kept stroking her leg and she relaxed, drifting into sleep. When she awoke she was disoriented for a moment, and frightened, but then she turned her head and saw Ethan sitting against a tree, resting. His face was lined with worry. She crawled to him and sat cross-legged.

  “How’s the leg?” he asked.

  “Better. I didn’t mean to go to sleep.”

  “You were tired and it was time to rest.” He pulled a bottle out of the pack and handed it to her. She took a big swallow and gave it back. He took a swig and gazed off into the distance.

  “Ethan?”

  “Hmm?”

  “What’s wrong? I can see something is.”

  “They should have caught those two-bit crooks by now and gotten our location out of them.”

  He was clearly frustrated and that threw her. She didn’t think anything could shake his confidence.

  “We should have come across something by now, too—a house, a road, something.”

  “We just have to keep walking. Soon we’ll reach safety. I trust you to get us out of here.”

  His narrowed eyes stared into hers. “Don’t trust me, Abby. Don’t trust me.”

  He was referring to last night and she didn’t know how else to reassure him. How could one man carry so much guilt? About his daughter and now about her.

  Suddenly, he tensed. “Don’t move,” he whispered.

  “Wh—” Then she heard it. A low growl followed by a hiss.

  “There’s a bobcat on a branch above me to my left. Remain calm.”

  Calm? Her heart was thumping so loud she couldn’t think, but she sneaked a peek. A huge, grayish mottled cat lay perched on a limp. Another threatening hiss rumbled from his throat. Chills shot up Abby’s spine.

  Ethan’s hand closed around a rock the size of a baseball. Slowly, he lifted his arm and threw. The rock hit the cat and it fell to the ground in a cloud of dust, leaped to its feet and hightailed it into the woods.

  “Oh.” She sighed in relief. “Was it going to attack us?”

  “I don’t know. To be out this time of day he must be scrounging for food. We’re a little big for his tastes, but it’s better to be safe than sorry.”

  “We should go, then.”

  “No. Rest your legs. We’ll start again in a few minutes.”

  She lifted her wet top from her skin to let air in. The breeze of last night was long gone and it was like breathing inside an oven.

  “May I ask you a personal q
uestion?”

  “Personal, huh?” She tilted her head and tried hard not to flirt. She just wanted to ease his dark mood.

  “Yeah, and I don’t want you to take it the wrong way. It’s just something I need to know.”

  “Oh, that sounds ominous.” She made a face. “Fire away.”

  He scooted up closer to the tree and wrapped his arms around his knees. “You do have a diaphragm, right?”

  Guilt was about to kill him. “Yes.” She placed her hand on his forearm. “I wouldn’t lie to you about something like that.”

  “This is none of my business, but why? Since you’re divorced and...”

  He was definitely a cop. Always questioning. Making sure. After what he’d been through with Sheryl, that didn’t bother her. He had a right to question.

  “I have a friend, Holly, who has made it her goal to get me back into the dating scene.”

  “The once-a-month outing?”

  “Yes. We go to clubs, have a few drinks and meet guys. We were planning to go last night. If I met someone special, I didn’t want to be unprotected so I kept using my diaphragm. But I guess I have to be...”

  She paused as the unspoken words hit her in the face like a slap. I guess I have to be in love. She wasn’t in love with Ethan, and they’d had sex. Her mind whirled with unsettling thoughts.

  “You have to be what?”

  “Uh...” What could she say? Would an insanity plea work? “Uh...I guess I have to be suffering from heat exhaustion to have sex.” At the strange look on his face, she removed her hand from his hot skin. “Please don’t worry about what happened.”

  “I’m not.” He pushed to his feet. “We better get moving.”

  Once again she followed him, all her thoughts turned inward. She couldn’t love Ethan. Love took time to grow, build and to develop into something everlasting. They barely knew each other, and love didn’t happen that quickly.

  Maybe she knew what was important, though. Ethan would give his life for hers. He’d protect her with his dying breath. He was honorable and respected her. She trusted him and... Oh, she was in so much trouble. She had to stop thinking about Ethan and concentrate on getting home safely to her daughter. Once there she would see these feelings for what they were—foolish and false.

  But no matter how she tried to justify her actions she knew one thing—she would always be grateful to Ethan and never cause him any undue stress. When they reached safety, she would disappear out of his life as quickly as she’d stopped in front of him yesterday.

  But his memory would linger.

  * * *

  EVERETT SAT IN his chair, his cell on his lap, waiting. Gayle was on the floor with Chloe, playing with Barbies. Dolls and clothes were strewn all over the white-and-mauve Oriental rug they’d spent a small fortune on. Gayle didn’t even like people walking on it. Yet his wife was playing dolls with a three-year-old on the rug. There was something definitely wrong with the picture, but he wasn’t questioning it. He was glad she’d adjusted her attitude—all because Chloe had called her mean.

  The doorbell rang and an eerie feeling came over him. He’d rather not know if something bad had happened to Abby. He’d rather keep waiting.

  Gayle got to her feet. “I’ll get it.”

  Doug strolled into the room and Everett stood. “I wasn’t expecting you.”

  “Daddy.” Chloe ran to him and Doug picked her up.

  “Get your things. You’re coming with Daddy.”

  “Why?”

  “Don’t ask questions. Just get your stuff.”

  “I’ll help you,” Gayle offered and took Chloe to the bedroom.

  “You could have given me some notice,” Everett said.

  “I’m sorry.” Doug ran a hand around the back of his neck. “I’ve been up most of the night talking to the police.”

  “So go home and get some rest. Leave Chloe here.”

  “I can’t. I’ve called my father and he and my mom have cut their vacation short and are returning home to be here for Chloe and me. Abby’s been missing for over twenty-four hours and from the cops and a criminal lawyer I know, they say it’s a very slim chance Abby will be found alive.”

  “How dare you say that?” Everett’s chest tightened in pain.

  “Everett, we have to be prepared. If something has happened to Abby, I want Chloe with me and my family. I have to be the one to tell her.”

  “Get out of my house.”

  Gayle came running. “What’s going on?”

  “Get him out of here.” Everett turned away, unable to say anything else.

  “I ready,” Chloe called, dragging her Barbie suitcase.

  Everett gathered her into his arms and hugged her. “I love you, sweetiepie.”

  “I love you, too, Grandpa.”

  “Let’s go,” Doug said, and picked up the suitcase.

  Gayle stroked Chloe’s hair. “Bye, sweetie.”

  “Bye.”

  As the door closed behind them, Gayle turned to him. “What happened?”

  “He said Abby was probably dead and he wanted Chloe with him so he could tell her. Of course, he’ll take Chloe to his parents to show his father how responsible and mature he is.”

  “Come on, Everett. Don’t let him get to you.” She put an arm around his waist. “We believe she’s alive and we will continue to believe that.”

  “I’m trying, but it’s been so long.” He walked back to his chair. “It’s lonely without Chloe.”

  “Mmm.” She squatted in the den. “Help me pick up all these toys. It will get your mind on something else.”

  “I don’t...”

  “Please.” She looked up at him with a loving expression and he found himself on his knees putting Barbies back into a big box.

  “Thank you for being more lenient with Chloe.”

  She paused in putting a dress on a doll. “It’s eye-opening to see yourself through the eyes of a child.” She placed the doll in a box. “I don’t want to be that mean person.”

  From her expression and the tone of her voice he knew she meant it from her heart. “You’re not, honey. You need to relax a little and not be so stern.”

  “I’m trying, and I plan to do better with Abby, too.”

  “Thank you.” He sat back on his heels, feeling better. His wife supported him and that made all the difference in the world.

  His cell buzzed and he reached behind him to get it. It was Detective Logan.

  “Mr. Baines, I have good news.”

  “You found my daughter.”

  “Not yet, but the FBI arrested the second robber in Houston. He still had most of the money on him and the bank’s wrappers were on the stash. Of course, he said he found it. They’re transporting him to Austin and as soon as he gets here we plan to crack him open like a piñata.”

  “Did he say anything about Abby?”

  “At the moment, he’s denying everything, but that will change.”

  “How can you be so sure?”

  “Mr. Harmon passed away about thirty minutes ago and the charges have been upgraded.”

  “Oh, I’m so sorry. Abby really liked him.”

  “His family is here from Florida and it’s really hard for them, but keep the faith, Mr. Baines. We’re getting close to finding your daughter and Ethan.”

  “Please contact me the minute you know something.”

  “I will.”

  He clicked off and wrapped his arms around his wife. “They’re close, Gayle. Oh, God, please bring Abby home.”

  * * *

  WALT WALKED THROUGH the back door and hung his worn hat on a rack in the kitchen. His cows had water and were doing well in the heat. The radio said it was one hundred and five today. That was too damn hot for ma
n and beast.

  His stock tanks had dried up from the drought, and he had to depend on the windmills and well water for his cows. Luckily, Ethan had found hay in Nebraska and it had been delivered last week. He had enough hay for now, but if the drought continued he’d have to sell his cows. He couldn’t afford to keep them. Things hadn’t been this dry since the 1950s.

  The house was quiet. He’d left Kelsey on Ethan’s computer reading about her cycle. He figured that was the best way for her to learn. If he had to tell her stuff, it would scare the hell out of her. The only thing he knew was that his wife had went nutty about once a month, and he’d avoided her at all costs during that time. He felt sure Ethan didn’t want him telling Kelsey that.

  He found her in Ethan’s room sitting on the edge of his bed staring at something in her hand.

  Walking in, he asked, “What’cha got?”

  “This was on his nightstand.” She held up a framed picture of herself. “Where did he get it?”

  She wasn’t calling him Ethan anymore. Just he. Walt sat beside her. “He took it the first time he met you at that motel in Dallas.”

  “I didn’t see him take any pictures.”

  “You and your mom were standing outside and he took it with his phone before he got out of his truck.”

  “That’s the day we took the DNA test. He didn’t know I was his daughter then.”

  “He watched you for a long time. He studied your facial features and noticed your brown eyes and hair. See?” He poked the picture. “You didn’t have your hair colored then, and he just knew you were his.”

  “Really?”

  “Yep.”

  “I colored my hair to...”

  “To what?”

  “I thought if I looked gross, he’d leave me alone.”

  “Oh.” A lot of things became clear—a young girl’s rebellion at what had been done to her life.

  “Did you want to stay with your mom?”

  She shrugged. “I just didn’t want to live with someone I didn’t know.”