Saving the Soldier (Selkirk Family Ranch Book 2)

by Vartanoff, Irene

  Paula yelled, “Billy!”

  The bartender had sent the bouncer out. He’d brought a baseball bat.

  “Don’t do anything foolish, son,” the bouncer said, hefting the bat suggestively. Billy was an older man, but he had plenty of muscle and his grizzled looks shouted pure toughness.

  The cowboy spewed vile words, calling Paula names. She raised one eyebrow.

  Billy asked, “Want me to call the cops?”

  Paula said to the cowboy, “Back off. We come here to dance and drink, not to have sex.”

  “Coulda fooled me,” the guy said, straightening up and dusting himself off. “She’s been all over me for hours. She wants me.”

  “She’s comatose. You’ve drugged her, you bastard,” Paula practically snarled. “She doesn’t even have her jacket. What were you going to do, dump her in the cold somewhere after you raped her, hoping she’d die? Hand over the roofies or we call the cops.”

  The man sullenly pulled a medicine bottle out of his pants.

  “Toss them,” Billy ordered. The man did. Billy didn’t reach down and pick them up.

  Paula pulled Tess out of the truck and put an arm around her. With some effort, they moved away from the vehicle. Paula kept an eye on the cowboy, who watched, frustrated.

  “Now you get out of here,” Billy said in his gravelly voice. “Don’t want to see you back at this club. You take some advice, don’t try that trick anywhere else, neither. You’ll end up in jail. Plenty of willing women in the world.”

  The cowboy sent Paula a venomous glance. “I’d have been in if she hadn’t stopped me. Girl wanted my big one. You’d be screaming for mine, too.” He started accusing Paula of vile sexual practices.

  “Why don’t you download some porn from the net and stop trying to rape actual women?” she said, unmoved.

  “Get moving,” Billy said to the man. “And don’t come back.”

  The cowboy shrugged and get into his truck, gunning the motor. Paula and Billy watched from a safe spot between two other cars as he peeled out of the parking lot, making as much engine noise as possible.

  “Good riddance,” Billy said.

  “I want a drink,” Tess said. Her voice was slurred and her eyes showed no recognition of where they were.

  “I’ll escort you to your car,” the sturdy bouncer said.

  “Thanks, Billy,” Paula said. She took Tess’s arm.

  “I need another drink,” Tess whined.

  “You need to sober up and stop letting men try to take advantage of you, so I can relax and enjoy an evening out for a change.”

  Billy picked up the bottle of roofies and handed it to Paula. “Souvenir.”

  ***

  Alone later, her head aching from being awake half the night already, Paula considered all the surprising moments of the day. Of course seeing JD was the highlight. She could never get enough of JD. His bad attitude wasn’t a surprise, although his vituperation today had been more violent and personal than he’d bothered with in the recent past. Perhaps the threat that Baron might sell the ranch meant something to JD.

  The Selkirks were nothing if not forthright about what they wanted and what they intended to do. Unfortunately, they didn’t listen to each other. Robert wouldn’t believe Baron didn’t want to stay on the ranch. Anita couldn’t see that Tess was not a child anymore. And JD simply was off in another world half the time.

  Except when he’d kissed her. He’d felt right there. His demands on her body had been sure and dominating. He’d acted ready to throw her down on his hospital bed and have her right then. She’d have gone for it if she hadn’t been convinced he was kissing her to scare her off. Did he really want to have sex with her? What kind of question was that? Unless he’d been messing with the nurses—not an impossibility if he bothered to act charming—JD hadn’t had sex with a woman in a long, long time. He was a healthy male despite the way he talked. Another couple of minutes and he’d have had her spread-eagled on his bed. Willing, too.

  God, she was so willing. She wanted JD so much. For a year and a half she had burned for him, through the worst days of his return, when he couldn’t see out of his right eye, and could barely move in his bed, through operation after operation, to now. Today was nothing on the spectrum of his emotional outbursts. What made it unique was he’d kissed her.

  She wanted him to kiss her again, and mean it. What could she do? What should she do? She was hopelessly in love with JD. He could still have any woman he wanted, although he didn’t see it yet. He’d never indicated he found her attractive at all. What was love anyhow? She loved Tess like a sister. She should save her little sister from the demons that were driving her to mess up her life. That meant saving JD, and saving Baron, too, although Baron was still kind of standoffish with her after last summer. She hadn’t hesitated to help Addie when Baron’s behavior got out of line. Good thing she flew her own plane.

  Now it was winter and the ranch was even more isolated than usual. She could fly Tess and JD in, Anita, too, with no trouble.

  How could she convince JD to return to the ranch? She held up the bottle of roofies they’d taken from that sleaze back at the bar. Horse tranquilizers. Addie was such a talented horse whisperer she didn’t need them. She talked horses into calming down and seeing what was in their best interest. If only Paula could work similar magic with JD.

  Chapter 5

  Tess called Paula the next morning. “What? I’m trying to work,” Paula said. Luckily, her office at the bank had a door that she often kept closed.

  “This can’t wait.”

  “Talk to me.”

  “Baron called and said since Dad’s incapacitated, the power of attorney is valid and he’s taking the opportunity to sell the ranch. Today. He’s found an eager buyer.”

  She dropped her pen. “You’re kidding.”

  “We’ve got to stop him.”

  “What’s your plan?”

  “Get Dad to take away Baron’s power of attorney? Would that work?”

  “Sure. All he has to do is tear it up.”

  “He’s in the hospital. Baron can pretend it didn’t happen.”

  “How about you get a lawyer and go to the hospital and have your dad give you power of attorney? That also automatically revokes the prior one.”

  “He’d never do it. Dad is completely convinced I’m a moron.”

  “Not even to save the ranch? Are you sure?”

  “He could have given that power thingie to Mom, but he thinks women don’t know anything about ranching or men’s work or business. What can I say? My dad’s a wonderful person but he’s also an old-fashioned chauvinist. He thinks women are fine—in their place.”

  “Which explains why he’s still trying to dictate your life even though you’re an adult now.”

  “I guess. What do we do?”

  Paula thought fast. “Is there any way we can get JD to visit your dad in the hospital? Arrange to meet the attorney and have your dad sign a new power of attorney over to JD? He’d trust JD with the ranch, wouldn’t he?”

  “That might work. I’ll ask Mom. Maybe she can talk JD into it. But what do we do about the lawyer? We’d need one now, today.”

  “I can get one in an hour. No problem.”

  “Money talks. I hate my family sometimes.”

  “Move out. Get on with your life.”

  “Some day I will.”

  ***

  JD’s landline rang. He thought about not picking up. Sometimes, he simply did not want to communicate with the rest of the world.

  It kept ringing.

  Finally, he grabbed it. “What?” he growled into the receiver.

  His mother’s tearful voice responded, “Oh, JD, you must come right away. Baron is threatening to sell the ranch. Today. Your father wants to change his power of attorney so Baron can’t. Robert insists you must be there, or he won’t sign.”

  “I’m not going to the ranch.”

  “That’s all right, dear. You don’t ha
ve to. If we can get this paper signed, we have a way of slowing your brother down. He won’t listen to me. He keeps saying he’s been patient long enough. I need your help. You must come. Paula will pick you up.”

  His mother clicked off her cell.

  Damn.

  More phone calls back and forth from Tess. JD was told Paula had made arrangements and would arrive at the VA hospital to pick him up. Better than having drunk driver Tess doing the run.

  It took him a half an hour to dress in street clothes instead of the loose, formless hospital gear he was used to. Real jeans felt a lot different. How long since he’d worn a belt? His mom had gotten him some civilian clothes when he came back. He’d swear he was taller in them, too. Despite the crutches, he towered over Paula when she arrived at his room.

  JD saw her note the artificial foot he was wearing for a change. She glanced at it but said nothing. He said, “Didn’t want to scare anyone at the other hospital. Probably kids there. Whatever.”

  ***

  Paula’s nod was curt but she was excited and pleased. JD was taking a huge step today, attempting to act like he was healed and ready to join the living again. Maybe things would work out, after all. She didn’t even have to slow her gait as they walked to the elevators. JD was walking just fine. He was only a tiny bit slower when they reached the pickup zone where she’d left her car illegally. She didn’t care about getting a ticket. No need to stress JD’s ability to walk.

  JD folded himself into her passenger seat. “When’s the last time I was in a car?” he wondered aloud.

  She maneuvered the Mercedes smoothly through traffic across town.

  “Sorry you have to drive me. This foot is only for show,” he said.

  She glanced at him. “Not a problem. Unless from being in the Middle East you’ve taken on the idea that a woman shouldn’t be driving a car?”

  JD shot her a surprised look. “Of course not. I’ll never drive again,” he said, looking out the window but obviously not seeing anything but his own troubles.

  “Why not? You could just use your other foot.”

  “Leave it.”

  At least he wasn’t swearing at her today. What had that been about, anyway? She didn’t understand how JD thought, despite all hours she’d spent at his bedside.

  In Robert Selkirk’s spacious private hospital room, they met the attorney she had called. He had the papers all drawn up. Robert was awake and sitting up. Anita and Tess waited, ready to be witnesses. Paula stayed out of the way, unpacking a tote bag with refreshments for later and placing them on the table next to the easy chair.

  “Good to see you walking around, son,” Robert said, making a show of being hale and hearty despite the situation.

  JD said nothing in reply, but he looked concerned to see his father in a hospital bed. The heart monitor Robert wore in a chest pocket was proof his health issue was serious.

  The lawyer got down to business quickly. Robert signed the papers, and the power of attorney was witnessed and notarized on the spot, since Paula was a notary.

  “All set.” She had the papers in her hand but didn’t know whom to give them to. JD made a gesture pushing them away. No one else seemed to want them. She settled for handing one set to the attorney and stashing the other in her purse to give to JD later.

  Paula opened a couple of the bottles she’d brought and poured bubbling liquid into plastic cups. She distributed them, but didn’t hand one to JD. “It’s cider. I have soda for your father and you. I assume you’re taking meds that could interfere?”

  He shook his head. “I’m not on anything at the moment. That’s okay. I’ll take pop. What you call a soda.”

  “Regional differences. I used to call it pop when I lived in Oregon, but going to college in California knocked it out of me.” She turned back to the tray and opened another bottle, pouring its contents into a glass. She walked around Anita to hand him a soda.

  “Here’s to many more years of Selkirks ranching,” Paula offered a toast. Anita took a polite sip, as did the lawyer. Robert didn’t touch his. He was already dozing again. Tess drank her entire glass in three gulps. JD looked pensive.

  “Drink up,” Paula urged. “Then I’ll take you home.”

  JD drank his soda. He grimaced a little at the flavor. “Haven’t had one of these in a while. Tastes funny.”

  “Like my drink last night,” Tess said.

  Paula shot her a side-eye glance, silently telling the girl to shut up. Anita and JD didn’t know about Tess’s bar habits. There would be hell to pay if they found out now.

  “You go to the ranch and stop Baron, you hear?” Robert said, awake again and gasping to complete a sentence.

  JD opened his mouth to refuse, but caught his mother’s silent signal. He slapped his mouth shut.

  The nurse entered the room. “You’re messing with his vital signs,” she said. “Too many of you, plus what looks like family drama.”

  Goodbyes were said. The visitors cleared out and the lawyer departed. Anita was staying at the hospital but Tess wanted to leave with Paula and JD. Somehow, Tess had managed to swap her empty for Anita’s, and now had drunk two cups. The girl was hopeless, a danger to herself.

  When they got to the car, Paula told Tess, “You sit in the back. You’re sloshed already.”

  “Dam—darn right I am,” Tess replied. “Happy hour starts now. I want to be happy. Do you want to be happy, JD?”

  JD, now settled in the front passenger seat, slewed around. “What are you doing drinking so much?” He put a hand to his head as if it hurt.

  “Are you okay?” Paula asked.

  “Yeah,” he said. “Just feeling a little odd. That soda went to my head.”

  He straightened in his seat. He leaned his head back on the headrest and closed his eyes.

  “Rest,” Paula said. She looked at Tess through her rear-view mirror. The younger woman was smiling at nothing. She’d found the rest of the cider splits and was on her third. Or maybe her fourth.

  Paula drove to the Cheyenne private plane airport, and then directly onto the tarmac. JD didn’t stir when she stopped the Mercedes. Tess was humming to herself. She seemed oblivious to their detour.

  Paula hopped out and went to talk to the mechanic awaiting her. He helped her get JD out of the car and into the airplane’s passenger seat. JD wasn’t exactly a dead weight. He opened his eyes once or twice, and walked with them under his own power, but he was out of it.

  Paula scribbled a note for Tess and handed it to the mechanic, leaving the keys to the Mercedes with him, as well as several large bills. He’d make sure Tess got home safely.

  She hoisted herself into the plane and started the pre-flight check. JD didn’t rouse again. Once she was done, she set the plane down the runaway and made her takeoff.

  In the air, she felt free. This was her favorite place. The Wyoming sky was beautiful and blue. It never seemed to get overcast the way northern California did. She could stay in Wyoming the rest of her life and be happy. She could fly every day and be happier still. Considering what she was doing right now, this was the only happiness she might ever know.

  How strange and ironic that six months ago she’d performed a mercy mission removing someone from the ranch and now, well, now she was about to perform another mercy mission.

  The distance from Cheyenne to the Selkirk ranch was hundreds of miles, a long trip in a car, but why do a marathon drive when she could fly there in mere minutes? JD slept on, and soon she was in radio contact with the ranch manager, dear old Hoot Hawkins. In better days, she’d loved to tease him. Now she needed his help.

  The runway had been readied for her landing. She angled the proper way at the right distance, and soon was setting the plane down. Another successful flight. She taxied to the hangar.

  She checked her cell phone. It had taken only two hours. She took a deep breath and let it out. Now the trouble began. She hoped she was strong enough for what would come next.

  Chapter 6
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  JD awoke feeling strange, not alert. After five years in the Middle East, he’d thought waking to full alertness instantly was in his DNA permanently. He hadn’t woken up slowly like this in years, except when he was on meds in the hospital.

  Of course. He was in the hospital. That’s where they handed out the meds. He’d tried to refuse them in the beginning but the doctors had explained that his body needed the help of painkillers and anti-inflammatories. Damn drugs. Left him like this, waking up confused. Dizzy. He opened his eyes, then shut them. Delusional, too. He must be dreaming. He thought he was on the ranch. The red sandstone rock formations around southwestern Wyoming were distinctive. Might be some other places with rock like this, but he’d never seen any on deployment.

  Deployment. He’d been on deployment, and their unit had been approached by a woman holding the hand of a little girl. The woman begged for something in her soft native tongue. JD and Rob had stopped and gone to speak with her. She’d held her hands out in supplication, while the little girl clung to her black robes and stared at them with huge dark eyes.

  The woman’s eyes, all they could see of her under her black burqa, held fear. He saw the fear distinctly. Then he saw her reach under her robe, and all hell broke loose as the bomb went off.

  No. No. He couldn’t look anymore.

  He opened his eyelids. Where was he?

  It was cold. Someone coughed.

  The terrain was familiar. Blue Wyoming skies. Red Wyoming hills. The Selkirk ranch, grasses tan in the approach to winter. Snow on the highest ridges. He was outside. That was why he was cold.

  “You okay, son?” Hoot Hawkins asked. JD knew him. He was the ranch manager. The old man had aged a lot since JD saw him last. Rodeoing as a young man had been tough on Hoot’s body, and now it showed in how stooped he was. His face with its straggly beard looked grizzled. He coughed again, and pulled a red bandana out of his coat pocket to wipe his mouth. He looked ill and uncomfortable under his Stetson and his heavy winter jacket.

  JD sat in a metal chair set against the hangar door. Outside. He was on the ranch’s landing strip, in the valley where the ranch hands had their accommodations. An Australian cattle dog, black and brown, lay at his feet smiling up at him.