LOVE in a Small Town

by Janet Eaves

  “And then, of course, I’d have to kill the kid.”

  What?

  Danny?

  Shit. Did he have Danny? Somehow, the panic in her gut turned into determination. She had to keep him talking. “What kid, Rob?”

  He massaged her temples. “You know baby, that kid in your class that you like so much. Missed him lately?”

  Bile rose to her throat. “Rob, you didn’t.”

  He chuckled. “All you have to do is tell me everything you know about Lehmann, sweetheart, and this investigation, and I’ll tell you where he is. Now, that’s not too much to ask, is it?”

  Swallowing hard, she contemplated her response. “Rob, I’ve told you I don’t know anything. Michael Lehmann was lying to me.”

  He ran his fingers up and down the column of her neck. “The boy hasn’t eaten for a few days. I can’t remember if I brought him water. How hot has it been lately?”

  She wanted to cry. Wanted him out of her life. Wanted Danny to be safe and Michael in her life.

  Clouds collided over them with a crash, lightning streaked through the sky, and a burst of rain drove down on them.

  Without thought, Kate brought up both knees, gripping his arms for leverage, and kicked him squarely in the lower abdomen and pelvis. He tumbled off sideways and rolled backward. Taking advantage of his unsteadiness, she lunged again, pushing him with all her might.

  Rob lost his footing on the slick earth.

  And fell.

  Disappearing over the edge.

  In that brief instant, she knew she would forever register the look on his face in her mind’s eye. He grimaced in horror as his drug-crazed brain contemplated imminent death. His eyes screamed a silent cry, like a mute echo through the valley.

  She hadn’t realized how close they were to the edge. Hadn’t meant to push him over. Just wanted him off her so she could run. She hadn’t meant to kill him, just wanted him out of her life.

  Stunned, she sat, catching her breath, absorbing the reality of what had happened.

  What she’d had to do.

  Was he dead? Truly?

  She didn’t want to look over the edge.

  I need help.

  She was wet and tired and muddy. Her shoulder and ankle throbbed with periodic fits of pain. Her lips throbbed. The storm would be over soon and some brave soul would venture out and find her. Surely. Or she’d have to ride it out and then hobble to safety. Although she’d never wished death on anyone, she hoped Rob had not survived the fall. She didn’t have the strength to fend him off again.

  A chilly breeze blew off the downpour and whistled through the valley. She shivered against the stone. Cool against her hot cheek. She tucked the back of her hand next to her forehead. Hot. Too hot.

  And nauseated.

  She tried to rise. Walk. Get to safety.

  Her eyelids grew heavy and she slumped back to the rock, falling against her right shoulder, pulling her knees closer into her chest. Then everything went black.

  Chapter Twenty-Six

  “Kate!”

  The trail took him steeply upward. He’d had to double back twice. The boy at the snack bar said he’d sold her a lift ticket earlier that morning, but he hadn’t seen her since. She was up there somewhere. Michael knew it.

  But where?

  ****

  Footsteps fell heavy against the rock. She swore she could feel the reverberation in her ear. Wincing with pain, she struggled to sit up. Her heart pounded. Adrenaline coursed through her body.

  Someone crouched next to her and touched her shoulder. “Kate? Honey?”

  She opened her eyes. The world suddenly stopped turning.

  “Michael?” she whimpered. Oh, Michael. “Am I dreaming?”

  “No sweetheart.” He cupped her face and traced her bruised cheek. “Oh, God. What did he do to you?” His forehead touched hers and he gathered her close. “I’m taking you home.”

  Kate’s eyes widened. “He’s…dead.”

  Michael froze. “Tell me.”

  “I pushed him…over the edge. Didn’t mean to, he was hurting me. And…” She squeezed her eyes shut, forcing back tiny tears.

  Tears of relief. It was over.

  “It’s a long story, Michael.”

  He ran his hands over every inch of her body. “And I want to hear every word of it as soon as we get some help for you. Honey, you’re pretty banged up.”

  “I feel like crap.”

  Kate looked at him and her heart vaulted. Did he still want her? “Michael,” she whispered. “Do you, do you still want me?”

  “Come here.” He smoothed wayward strands of hair from her eyes and looked longingly into her eyes. His lips brushed hers ever so lightly. “I want you, and I love you. We can talk about everything later,” he murmured. “Right now, all I want to know is that you are safe. I want to sit here and look at you, to touch you, hold you. God, I’ve been so worried.”

  Kate’s heart was about to burst and tears sprang forth from her eyes. “Please get me out of here,” she breathed.

  “Yes.” He stood and lifted her into his arms. “Let me get you to that chair lift and see how fast we can get you down this mountain.”

  She looked past Michael’s shoulder and stared off into the distance. “Michael, we have to hurry,” she said in sudden realization. “Danny. Somewhere. He told me. And for some crazy reason, I think I know where.”

  Chapter Twenty-Seven

  “I don’t know what we’ll find. It’s been days.”

  “He’s alive. I refuse to believe otherwise. He’s alive.”

  But Kate’s mind spun to his words as they raced toward their destination—searching for Danny. It was a hunch, a strange premonition, but Kate hoped and prayed she was right. Rob’s parents had moved back to Pennsylvania about a year after his supposed death. Their farmhouse had been up for sale but then was taken off the market. It stood empty, isolated, on a dead-end country road.

  A perfect place for a hide-out. Kate wondered how long Rob had stayed there.

  Michael reached for his radio. “I’ll call ahead for an ambulance and a backup and have them meet us at Carpenter’s farm.” They were about forty-five minutes away. “I want them to check you out, as well.”

  At the moment, she wasn’t concerned about herself any longer. She was safe. Now they had to find Danny.

  She gave him directions and he relayed them through the radio. The last thing he asked them to do, was search for Rob’s body at the foot of the leap.

  Sighing deeply, she wasn’t sure she could take much more today, and prayed they’d find Danny with no problems.

  Michael grasped her hand. “Let’s think positively, okay, but in reality, we don’t know what we’ll find. Be prepared.”

  ****

  The back screen door hung wide open. The house was obviously deserted. However, as they walked through the kitchen there were small signs that it had been recently occupied. Fried chicken containers littered the countertop, cigarette butts floated in half-full cups of beer. A mouse scurried off into a nearby corner when Michael kicked at a sack of garbage blocking the doorway.

  The house was dank. A musty odor sprang out at them from the walls and the carpet as they walked through the downstairs.

  “Danny!” Kate cried out, hobbling along behind Michael, hanging onto his shirt sleeve “Are you here? Can you hear me?”

  She looked to Michael as only the silence of the hollow walls enveloped them. She couldn’t have been wrong. She couldn’t.

  They turned a corner in the hallway and headed back into the kitchen. It was then he noticed the huge padlock on the door across from them. The bottom half was covered with mildew. Cellar door, perhaps.

  Michael rapped on a wood panel. “Danny?”

  No answer, no sound, no movement.

  Michael searched the room then raced out the back door to a nearby farm shed. He came back bearing a large grubbing hoe.

  “Stand back.”

  He cracked
the lock on the third try. The door sprung open. The air that jumped out at them smelled like a mixture of dusky dampness and stale urine. They knew then where the musty odor came from. It leapt out at them like a blast furnace. On the top step sat, or rather leaned, Danny. He was so weak that he fell over as the door opened. Michael caught him.

  “Danny, wake up. Can you hear me?”

  His eyes fluttered opened, then rolled back in his head. Unconscious. His skin was dry and feverish. Dehydrated, his lips were cracked.

  “Damn. I need that ambulance.” Michael held the boy and looked up to Kate. “Get water.” She saw the compassion and worry. And the love.

  She raced to the sink and twisted the knob. Nothing. “Dammit!”

  She looked back to Michael, cradling the boy, and felt so helpless.

  It was then she knew that whatever Michael had to give, she would take. For as long a time that they could share together, they would be thankful. And if they were lucky enough to include Danny, they would both be blessed.

  A series of sirens and wails met their ears as the ambulance and backup approached the farm.

  “Thank God,” she whispered.

  ****

  “All right. I’ve got magazines and books from the librarian, cards from the kids, flowers from Mr. Hamilton, a deck of cards from Bill Alexander, a sack full of candy from Michael, and homework from me.” Mrs. C dumped the contents of the shopping bag in Danny’s lap. He groaned when she brought out the school books.

  “Oh, come on now. You don’t want to get any more behind do you? Besides, I’ll be here to help you.”

  Danny rolled his eyes and smiled.

  She had been by his side every free minute since they brought him into the hospital four days earlier. Before his fever subsided, she was only a soft voice and a filmy vision, floating in mid-air. But she was such a comfort. He remembered her cool hands, soft and small, caressing his face, pressing ice chips to his lips and cool compresses to his forehead. No one had ever cared so much.

  “When do I get outta here?” Danny asked, observing her fiddle with the television set. He had watched red people all afternoon.

  “When you’re ready and not until. You were pretty sick and it’s going to take time to get your strength back.”

  Danny thought for a minute, still watching her hands fiddle with the control knobs. Shades and tints of green and red faded in and out of the picture.

  “How is your ankle?”

  She glanced down at her wrapped foot while she stood at the television. “Oh, much better.”

  “You are supposed be staying off it.”

  She stuck out her tongue. “I’m sitting, I’m sitting…” She did and propped her foot up on an empty chair.

  He wanted to ask her the question that had been nagging at him all afternoon. He vowed he would ask her as soon as she arrived, but now the words stuck in his throat like peanut butter.

  Kate reached for a spare pillow, stuck it under her foot, and then looked up to register the solemn look on Danny’s face.

  “What is it?”

  He breathed deeply, closing his eyes, then let out a long breath. “When I leave here, where will I go?”

  Kate also sighed. She didn’t want to say anything definite yet. Not all the arrangements were made, there hadn’t been enough time. She didn’t want to get his hopes up only to be dashed down again. She and Michael hoped this question wouldn’t come up for a few more days.

  “That’s a good question.” She retrieved his Math book. “I’m not sure I can answer that yet. Someone from Social Services will talk with you soon.”

  “Can I tell them what I want?”

  “Sure. They will listen, but I would be prepared for anything.”

  A frightened look crossed his face. “I want to stay with… I mean, I want to stay in Legend. I don’t want to change schools again. I still want you for my teacher. You understand me.” His voice was urgent and his facial expression, pleading. Kate reached for his hand.

  “We’ll certainly push for that. Nothing would make me happier.” She smiled. “Would you like for Michael or me to be present when you talk to them?”

  “Yeah, please?” His face relaxed as if a heavy burden had been lifted from his shoulders.

  “Well the important thing now is for you to get well. The rest will have to wait.”

  “You mean everything?”

  She eyed him suspiciously. “Everything that is, except homework.” She ruffled his hair. “In fact, we need to start right now. We’ve got a little pre-algebra to discuss.”

  “She got you working already?”

  Danny’s face lit up as Michael walked across the room. “Yeah. Can you talk to her?”

  “Oh, I think so.” Without thinking, Michael leaned over and placed a light kiss on her lips. “You being too hard on our boy here?”

  Danny beamed.

  “You know, she’s not too bad though.” Danny teased again. “She’s better than any other teacher I ever had. Bet she’d be a good mom, too. I even bet she can cook.”

  “Actually, Michael cooks,” Kate teased.

  They knew he was dropping hints. They had to be certain.

  The door to the hospital room stood slightly ajar, letting in typical hospital noises as they talked. Metal carts squeaked as they were pushed and stopped at each room along the corridor. An occasional cough came from the room across the hall as footsteps slowed and picked up their pace at each door, searching for the right room.

  But one set of footsteps stopped at Danny’s door after a staccato quick click-click-click of high heels. A young woman about Kate’s age marched through the door, clipboard in hand, her glasses pushed down to the end of her nose. A pen sat perched behind her right ear.

  The woman’s hair was stretched severely back from her scalp, secured with a neat navy blue bow at the nape of her neck. She was smartly dressed in an appropriate matching navy blue business suit, looking very much the career woman.

  “Danny Jackson?” She called his name out in her best drill sergeant voice, looking directly at the boy.

  Danny glanced at both Kate and Michael and swallowed hard. “Yeah, that’s me.”

  She held out her hand, which Danny didn’t take. “My name is Marsha Fields. I’m with Social Services. I’m here about your placement. I’m taking over your case since Mr. Jamieson has been otherwise assigned.”

  Amazed at the woman’s bluntness, Kate prayed she would go easy on Danny. She was doubly glad that she and Michael happened to be here and reached for his hand.

  The woman continued. “We’ve been in contact with your natural parents.” Danny’s eyes widened. Kate squeezed Michael’s hand. “They’ve no interest in having you return home.” Danny winced and Kate felt his pain. “Your father is now out of jail and he and your mother are moving to Florida within the month. They feel you will be better off with another family. They have given up all parental rights, therefore, we have arranged for temporary placement with a family in Nashville until the event of your adoption. I wouldn’t plan on us finding anyone soon.”

  “No!” It was Michael, and not Danny, who interrupted her speech. Both Danny and Kate watched as he rose and stepped toward the woman. “Miss Fields, I’d like to speak to you outside, please.”

  “Sir, I’m really quite busy and…” she looked down to check her clipboard, “I have a huge caseload now that I’m taking over Mr. Jamieson’s cases. I have several other children to see this afternoon.”

  “This is important.” He rose and placed his hand on her elbow, guiding her toward the door.

  “I’m sure it is, but everything is quite set. I’m afraid there is no alternative.”

  “Have you talked to Jamieson about this?” he interjected. “We had other plans. He was working on something for us.”

  “Mr. Jamieson, I already told you, has been otherwise assigned.”

  “But if you’ve reviewed the case…did you talk to him?

  “Mr. Jamieson has been
fired, sir. He took everything with him when he left, which is really quite irresponsible, considering there were at least a dozen children out there relying on him. I have done what I deem best. And that, is that.” She withdrew her elbow from his hand.

  Danny interrupted. “But I don’t want to go to Nashville. I want to stay in Legend. I won’t go. I won’t.” Tears sprang up in the boy’s eyes as he crossed his arms and stared out the window. “I’ll…forget it. Why doesn’t anyone ever ask the kid?”

  Kate watched Marsha Fields features soften and knew then that the woman did possess at least a modicum of compassion. “I’m afraid there are no foster families in Legend other than the one you came from, and I understand that that one was not desirable. I tried, Danny, really.”

  “Humph.”

  “What do you have to do to be approved as a foster parent?” Michael focused his attention on the woman. “What would I have to do?”

  “You?”

  “Yes, me. I’d like temporary custody of him, and then…” Michael looked at Danny. “We wanted to talk to you about this first, Danny. We didn’t want to tell you about it this way, but, we want to adopt you.”

  Silence rang throughout the room. For a split second there was no sound, no squeaks, no footsteps, no coughing. Danny sat dazed and looked back and forth from Kate to Michael and to Miss Marsha Fields. He slowly nodded and let loose a very loud, very boyish war-whoop.

  “But you’re not married.”

  Michael sat on the edge of the bed. Kate felt like an innocent bystander until he grabbed her hand, pulling her close into the circle.

  “That’s another part of the surprise, Danny. We are getting married. Michael asked me to marry him last week.”

  The three of them smiled and if Kate could actually have seen her two men, she would have hugged them, but her eyes were too full of tears.

  Behind her, Ms. Social Worker extraordinaire said, “Well, this certainly sheds another light on the matter.” She tapped her pen on the side of the clipboard. “If the two of you would come down to my office at 9:00 am tomorrow, we’ll get everything started.”