The slow smile on Vin’s face wasn’t an assuring sign that he’d do what she asked, but right now, she was already twenty minutes late and had to go.
Chapter 10
Vin stepped out into the sunshine, squinting his eyes. The day hadn’t even started, yet, and it was already hot, the same as all the other days since he’d come to California. There was something to be said about the ability to produce cold air inside the house on a hot day, which made living in the desert a lot more tolerable. Texas had been brutal in the summer heat, and relief was mostly found under a shady tree or along a creek, if it hadn’t dried up.
How much would have been accomplished herding cattle or mending fences if the men he’d worked alongside had had the luxury of staying indoors and sitting in front of a vent that blew cold air in their faces?
Vin grinned. There were several cowpokes that wouldn’t have done a lick of work. Others were tough as nails and not even the noon heat would have kept them indoors. Of course, they also swore by the effectiveness of a certain brand of malt whiskey that promised to keep up a man’s vigor, even in the hottest conditions.
Vin walked along the path leading from the house to the wooden front gate of Ashley’s property. It took him less than twenty strides to reach it. The yard was small and overgrown with dry weeds. Not a single blade of green grass to be seen. Dust swirled around the rocks with the breeze.
His eyes went to the smaller structure along the side of the house. Ashley had called it the garage. It’s where she housed her traveling vehicle, which was another useful invention. Cars of all shapes and sizes had clearly replaced horses for transportation and other work.
Vin stared up the street. Ashley’s car sped up the lane at that moment. For the second morning in a row, she’d left the house in haste, saying she was late for work, and asking him not to go outside or do anything she hadn’t already shown him how to do. Vin stared after the car until it vanished completely. He’d been cooped up in the house long enough.
Rows of houses that looked the same as Ashley’s lined the street. Most were less run-down than hers. There wasn’t a soul to be seen. Although it appeared deserted, there were plenty of people around. The neighbors either kept to their homes in the middle of the day or were elsewhere. With nothing else to do to occupy his time, he’d observed the goings-on in the neighborhood from the windows in Ashley’s house.
The old woman who lived three houses down and across the street made it a habit to take her furry little dog for a walk to the end of the street and back at precisely six o’clock in the evening. The animal was more reminiscent of a badger with long hair than a canine. Its legs were so short, and it waddled as it walked. Other dogs always barked when the duo made their way through the neighborhood.
Another elderly woman lived next to the one with the badger dog, and she’d always yell her displeasure at the racket made by the neighborhood hounds, blaming it on the woman walking her pet. The added commotion of the two women exchanging heated words always brought a man from his house.
Also elderly, with a few strands of white hair on his otherwise bald head, the man always wore the same thing – a dirty white shirt that didn’t have any sleeves and made his gut stick out, and equally dirty tan pants that were cut off at the knees, exposing hairy legs with skin that was shades lighter than the rest of him.
He’d yell obscenities across the street at both the women, then rush back into his house. It must be common practice in this time to act less than neighborly. Vin had seen this sort of unfriendly behavior at the airport, too. Even Ashley had told him to ignore the man who’d knocked her down and hadn’t even apologized.
Vin headed for the garage. He needed something to do. Last night, more fireworks had been set off down the street, disturbing his already restless sleep. He knew men like that all too well. Men who liked to cause trouble for no other reason than to disturb the peace. He’d been one of them not too long ago.
Agitated by the senseless noise, it was time to take matters into his own hands. At least it would give him something useful to do in this time, since he had nothing else to occupy his time. He smiled. No doubt Ashley wouldn’t like anything that might draw attention to him, so he had to be discreet about it.
With each passing day, thoughts of the woman under whose roof he lived occupied much of his time. Thoughts he ought not be having. He was starting to have feelings for Ashley, which were more than being smitten or infatuated, and it was meddling with his mind. For the moment, he lived in her house and she treated him like a guest, although she seemed nervous and reserved around him. What would happen when Moira Lockhart contacted Ashley and let her know her obligation to look after him was over?
There was no sense going back home. He had no home to speak of in his own time. Maybe word was out that he was dead, since he’d disappeared, and if he went back, he could simply lie low and leave the territory. Make a fresh start somewhere else.
The more he ruminated about it, the more he figured Ashley was his reason for staying. He’d been given a chance at a new life. Perhaps that included a woman to share it with.
Ashley was the first woman, aside from his mother, who genuinely cared for his well-being. His lips twitched. Ashley may be bossy and order him around, telling him what not to do and why it was for his own good. She could pretend indifference all she wanted, but she couldn’t hide the gleam of attraction in her eyes or the nervous blush of her cheeks when he smiled at her.
He’d never considered a future for himself with a wife and family, but the memories of his parents, happy and in love, had haunted him for years. Providing a suitable home for a wife hadn’t been in the cards before, not with the black cloud of his surname hovering over him. Things were different now. Everything had changed, and building a future with a woman in this time was a possibility
The problem remained that he had nothing to offer Ashley at present. Perhaps Scott could help him figure it out once he returned from his honeymoon. Ashley was quite the independent woman, living on her own. Would she be willing to settle down? She hadn’t mentioned whether she had a beau.
He’d seen enough and understood that it was more acceptable for a woman to be on her own, and not need to rely on a man in this time. Still, Ashley seemed to be struggling. The house was fancy by his standards, but judging from the outside, it looked run-down compared to some of the other homes in the neighborhood.
At least while he was here and deciding what to do, he could help her out. The first order of business was clearing out some of the crates in the garage that seemed to be in the way, to make it easier for her to move around. His wounds were healing nicely. They hurt less each day, but no doubt Ashley would give him a tongue-lashing when she came home and saw what he’d been up to, telling him that he shouldn’t be lifting heavy things.
It didn’t matter. He was going to go crazy sitting idly in the house with nothing to do. It only gave him time to let his anger and hatred for Jack fester. Ashley had already noticed his surly mood when she’d come home from work the night before.
“I don’t blame you for being mad.”
She’d set a plate of food in front of him, something called a hamburger, and some fried potato strips, then sat across the table from him.
“What makes you think I’m mad?” He’d taken a bite of the food, deciding he liked it. It was far better than what they’d served at the hospital, and different from the fare Ashley had cooked the previous evenings. She’d brought the food home from her place of employment, saying it was more convenient than cooking on the days she had to work.
He’d leaned forward over the table, challenging her with his stare. She hadn’t looked away, and in that moment, Jack Kincaid and all of Vin’s past troubles had melted from his mind. Ashley was a woman who paid attention, and had been observant enough to see that he’d been angry. The loneliness in her eyes had come through as she returned his stare, a loneliness he knew all too well. He’d smiled, and told her everything about his
past, things he hadn’t shared with anyone.
“And you’re convinced your uncle had your parents killed when you were ten years old, and he’s the one who ordered an attack on you?”
“I know it without a doubt. Somehow, my father was a threat to Jack, even though he had no interest in the ranching business. He married my mother, who came from a poor family, and he was content to farm a modest piece of land.”
“But why wait all these years to try and kill you? Wouldn’t it have been much easier to do it when you were a boy?”
Vin had smirked, and taken another bite of the hamburger. He could easily get used to the taste.
“Taking me in as his poor, orphaned nephew only made him look good in the community. When I confronted him several weeks ago after my release from prison, I knew I’d crossed a line. Jack had no more use for me. I didn’t bend to his will all these years, and I outright accused him of murder. No one crosses Jack Kincaid and gets away with it.”
Ashley had sat in silence for a few seconds, then a faint smile had passed over her lips. “Apparently you’re the first. I’m sure Jack thinks you’re dead, and now you can have the last laugh.”
Vin’s brows rose. “The last laugh?”
“Yeah. You are living in the future and don’t have to worry about him anymore at all.”
She’d stood at that moment, a sudden excitement shimmering in her eyes. “I bet we can look him up on the internet and find out what happened to him. I also think you’re related somehow to Scott. He even said so. It would be fun to find out how you’re connected.”
After several futile attempts by Ashley to explain what an inner net was, Vin had told her he had no interest in finding out what had become of Jack. It was the furthest thing from the truth. Curiosity ate at him still, but it was best to leave it be. If he was going to start fresh, he had to stop thinking about his past.
Vin entered the garage through the side door and glanced around. There was none of that air-conditioning in this room, and the smell that the car had left behind made him gag. He inspected some of the boxes, which seemed to be mostly made from heavy parchment.
He was about to lift one of the boxes to test its weight, when his eye fell on something sticking out of a different box in the far corner. Vin rushed across the garage and reached for the box that sat on a shelf above his head. It nearly fell on him, but he pushed it back in place after grabbing the butt end of a rifle that had caught his eye.
His hands closed over the weapon, welcoming the comforting feel of steel. It was dusty, dirty, and looking old and worn, but Vin’s gaze drifted over the firearm with intimate familiarity. Finally, something he knew from his own time. He’d drawn a lucky card for sure.
What he held in his hands was the exact same weapon he’d carried since the first model had been made – a ’73 Winchester, the best repeating rifle around. With this weapon, he could hit his target from one hundred fifty yards away to within an arm’s length, and if he needed to shoot something closer, he’d always reached for his six-shooter.
Did Ashley know she was in possession of this firearm? Clearly, it hadn’t seen the light of day in decades. With a little elbow grease and spit and polish, it would be good as new. As he reached again for the box that had contained the gun to see if there were any cartridges, a loud knock echoed on the garage door, and he spun around. Vin cursed under his breath and shoved the rifle behind some other boxes to hide the weapon from the little old lady that entered the garage and stared at him with surprise.
Chapter 11
“I don’t mean to be bothering you, young man, but I was hoping you could help me.”
Vin stared at the frail-looking woman who stepped into the garage. Her silver hair was short, and her loose-fitting shirt was tucked into the waistband of equally loose-fitting tan britches that came halfway down her calves. Covering her feet were some sort of pink-colored, hairy-looking slippers. If he hadn’t seen her wear the same get-up each time she’d walked past Ashley’s home with her badger dog, he would have found her appearance odd.
“Yes, ma’am.” Vin stammered for words. Ashley hadn’t wanted anyone to know about him, yet now he’d been found out not ten minutes after his first venture out of the house.
The old woman’s brows shot up and a wide, appreciative smile spread across her wrinkled face. Her eyes even began to sparkle. Vin stepped away from the boxes and crates, tossing a quick glance over his shoulder to make sure the rifle was out of sight.
“I don’t mean to be nosy, but I couldn’t help and notice you the other day when Ashley arrived home and you were with her. I haven’t seen you leave the house since.”
“No, ma’am. I’ve been laid up.”
Vin stopped in front of the old woman. She was short enough that the top of her head barely reached his shoulders. She looked up at him with an appraising eye.
“Laid up,” she repeated, almost to herself, then nodded. “It appears that you’re feeling better now. Are you a friend of Ashley’s? She’s such a dear.”
“Yes, ma’am. She took me in as a favor to her cousin. I’m kin to her cousin’s husband.”
Vin cursed under his breath. He didn’t want to say too much for fear of saying the wrong thing, but it was best to set the record straight with prying neighbors in order to protect Ashley’s reputation. After all, she had taken a man into her home, and now that the neighbors – or at least this one neighbor – knew about him, it might not look right. It certainly would be highly frowned upon where he came from. If he could make it appear that he was kin in some way, it might not seem so bad.
“Ashley’s always been such a helpful girl,” the old lady chirped. “So sad she had to sacrifice so much at such a young age to take care of her grandma. A shame her parents treated her so badly, but otherwise she might not have ended up living with Rose. Rose was a good friend of mine, you know. Everyone in the neighborhood was upset when she had to go to the nursing home, but also grateful for everything Ashley did for her.”
Vin kept quiet. The woman spoke faster than he could absorb the meaning of her words. Ashley hadn’t talked about her past in the same way he’d revealed his story to her. He hadn’t asked. It wasn’t his place to pry.
Hearing this old woman speak highly of her was reassuring, and it fed his curiosity to learn more about Ashley. It also confirmed what he already knew about her. Ashley was a caring woman. Surprisingly, this neighbor didn’t seem to be at all bothered that he was living under Ashley’s roof.
“I noticed you were looking at Joe’s old rifle.”
Vin coughed in surprise. She’d seen him with the weapon. Nosy old bat. How long had she been standing in the doorway?
“Joe?”
The old woman nodded eagerly. “Rose’s husband. He was Ashley’s grandfather, but I don’t think she knew him. He passed away when Ashley was still a little girl. Joe loved that rifle. He’d often tell stories of how it belonged to his father. It’s a genuine antique, you know. A Winchester, made in 1873, the first year that rifle was made.” She cackled before she added, “Joe was always so proud to tell us that. It’s a shame it’s had to sit in this garage, collecting dust and forgotten. I bet it’s worth a pretty penny.”
“It looks to be in fine condition. Just needs to be cleaned up.”
“You’re planning to clean it up, then?” The woman’s eyes widened with eagerness. “Do you know anything about antique rifles?”
Vin smiled. “I own one just like it.” He ran his hand across his chin. He had owned one. He’d spent months saving his pay to buy that rifle, and now it was lost to him forever.
“I’m not sure what Ashley will say about it, but yes, I plan to clean this one up. If nothing else, it might scare off those men who keep shooting off the fireworks at all hours of the night.”
The woman laughed and stepped forward, appraising him yet again. Her gnarled hand reached up and she patted his chest. “I like you, young man. I like the way you think. My name’s Agnes Filmore. What
’s yours?”
“Vin Kincaid, ma’am. A pleasure to make your acquaintance.”
There was no flinching from the old woman when he spoke his last name. In fact, her smile widened even more.
“It’s been ages since I’ve met a young man as polite as you,” she said, her voice full of delight. “It’ll be good for Ashley, too.” She nodded, as if agreeing with herself. “I’d best get going and let you get back to work.”
Agnes Filmore turned and shuffled toward the side door. The garage was getting to be unbearably warm. Perhaps he could take the rifle into the house and take it apart to clean it there before Ashley returned home from work.
Vin mentally shook his head. The thought of Ashley returning home had a nice ring to it. Only, it should be him who went to work to earn the wages and return home at night to the welcoming arms of a wife. He cursed silently. He was putting the cart before the horse. He didn’t even have the first inkling how to court the woman, and he was already thinking of a future with her.
“Oh, I almost forgot the reason I wanted to see you.” Agnes stopped and faced him again, snapping his wandering mind back to the present. “I was hoping not to trouble you, but my little Buttercup is hiding in one of the bushes on the side of my house, and I can’t get him out. It’s getting too hot for him to be outside. Those hoodlums last night really frightened him. He ran outside this morning and went straight under the bushes. I was wondering if you could give me a hand and try to get him out.”
Buttercup?
The only decent response was, “Yes, ma’am. I’ll see what I can do.” He paused, then asked, “Why are those men shooting off fireworks all the time?”
Mrs. Filmore turned wide eyes on him and shook her head. “They’re not men, Vin. They’re just kids. Bored punks who have nothing better to do. It’s mostly harmless, but it does cause quite a disturbance in the neighborhood. Buttercup is terrified of that noise. And they know they can get away with it, because none of us old folks know how to deal with them.”
Timeless Hero (Timeless Hearts Book 12) Page 9
