Whistlin' Dixie (Tempered Steel Book 1)

by Adams, Maggie

  Once outside, he lifted her effortlessly in his arms and carried her over the threshold. Kissing her tenderly, he set her down on her feet, turning her around, his chest to her back. “Welcome home, Mrs. Coalson.”

  Dixie took the time to scan the interior of the beautiful home as if seeing it for the first time, although she had been in and out of it for the past few weeks. Mac’s home was a definite reflection of his masculine taste. The foyer opened into a spacious living room done in navy and tan. An oak staircase in one corner led to the bedrooms above, while a stone fireplace flanked the opposite wall. Several French doors led out to a deck which offered a view of the river below the bluffs. The dining area and kitchen were to the left of the enormous room.

  “I love this house, and I love you, Mac Coalson,” she stated, lifting her face up for his kiss. After a moment, she slipped out of his arms to put her things away.

  Mac breathed a small sigh of relief. “You are finally here. Now this house finally feels like a home. And you, my dear, are finally all mine.” With a lecherous laugh, he ran after his new wife, chasing her around the house. When she allowed him to catch her, they made love on the beautiful braided rug in front of the fireplace. Dixie melted in his arms when Mac picked her up and headed toward the stairs to the master bedroom. Whispering all the erotic things he would teach her, Dixie proved to be an excellent student. Mac’s last thoughts before drifting to sleep were that they were together at last and nothing would separate them again.

  *****

  They had their first argument the next day. Mac wanted to take a few days off, but Dixie insisted he spend some time at the company. “The company needs your expertise now, and I want to settle into my new home.” She kissed him. “Besides, it gives me time to plan new and inventive ways to seduce you every night.”

  “Baby, it doesn’t take much. We hardly made it past the foyer last night.”

  He gave in because she was so persuasive with her kisses.

  As the days of summer grew warmer, the daring escapades of the vandal increased, and Mac grew anxious about worker safety. “The sonofabitch has advanced from spray-painted walls to slicing electrical wiring out of breaker boxes and breaking expensive windows.” Brandon fumed at their weekly meeting.

  “One of the backhoes had been tampered with, and two workers were injured when the scaffolding they were standing on mysteriously collapsed. When I checked, I located several loosened bolts on the structure.” Nick scowled.

  “Even the simplest of jobs will take twice as long if workers became apprehensive about sabotage.” Mac slapped a sheaf of papers on the table. “The insurance company is getting more than a little upset with the mounting claims, threatening the company with cancellation of the policies. Dottie’s up to her ears in irate phone calls from homeowners wondering why their homes weren’t near completion.”

  “Rumors are flying about why the company is the only one being targeted,” Lucky commented with a worried frown.

  Mac became even more determined to catch the vandal. This was more than an inconvenience, it was getting damn dangerous to work at Coalson Construction Company. If this continued, workers would leave for safer jobs, contracts wouldn’t be filled. The company’s reputation would be in ruins.

  The turmoil was not only costing the company financially, it was taking its toll on the men working there as well. Mac noticed that tensions were running high, and tempers flared as the strain of maintaining the long hours to meet the deadlines was felt. Many nights he and his brothers continued to work after their employees went home, determined to beat the clock-and the vandal-to finish a particular job.

  Dixie and Ginny brought supper to the men and did what they could to help. Mac tried to talk them into leaving, his own apprehensions about the accidents making him fearful of their safety.

  “I appreciate this, ladies.” He kissed his wife on the cheek. “But I prefer you stay home where it’s safe. We could get food ourselves.”

  “Is this the man’s job versus a woman’s job argument again?” Dixie settled her hands on her hips. “Sorry, Mr. Macho, but I don’t know how to embroider and the laundry’s all done. You can’t expect me to wait quietly at home while you’re working like a slave.”

  He looked to his mother for help but he should’ve known better. Hell, she’d probably driven them over here. Ginny gave him that “listen to your mother” look. “We’re family. You need help, we’re here. Go assist your father with that drywall.” She grabbed a role of wiring and went to find Sam.

  Mac tried to reason with Dixie, but one look at the stubborn set of her chin, and he knew he was talking to a brick wall. With a resigned sigh, he showed her how to load the air powered nail gun.

  Luck and good weather was one their side and they finished the new homes just under the deadline with no other mishaps. Mac set up a professional security night watch until the owners could move in. This was a costly maneuver, but until this mess was cleared up and the man responsible behind bars, he thought it was the only way the company could protect its investment and alleviate the fears of the prospective buyers.

  His father told him some concerned citizens had set up a village crime watch to report anything of a suspicious nature in or around the area. “Ben Yates even volunteered on his time off. The mayor and the village council are livid over the fact that no one can apprehend this person. Nothing like this had ever happened here. Some residents are afraid the condemned buildings from the flood could be a haven for criminals.”

  Mac smiled. “You mean, Miss Juanita and Miss Maisy are armed and dangerous?”

  Hank laughed. “Don’t underestimate those two. They aim low.”

  Mac covered the front of his pants with his hands in mock horror. “Consider me warned!”

  Hank shook his head. “I hope whoever is doing this falls prey to the old gals. I doubt there would be anything left of him to go to trial.”

  Mac slapped his father on the back. “You and me both, Dad.”

  CHAPTER TWELVE

  Later that evening, Mac and Dixie were relaxing in their home. One of Dixie’s favorite pasttimes was a luxurious bubble bath. She was immersed to her neck in the large bathtub. Mac was kneeling beside her clad only in his jeans, idly drawing circles on the patches of skin visible through the foam. He delighted in her giggles.

  “Would you like to join me, cowboy?” Dixie pouted her lips and gave him her best May West impression.

  “Well ma’am, I sure would but I wouldn’t want to deprive you of your pleasure,” Mac drawled in a rusty cowboy twang

  “Don’t worry, I’ll make sure you don’t,” she purred as her fingers traced circles on his chest. Mac sucked in his breath. He was still amazed at his reaction to her mere touch. They had been married for over two months. They made love several times a day, but she could render him hard and heavy with just a glance. The only thing that saved his sanity was the fact that he could make her feel the same way. He remembered how his shower this morning had turned into wild love play when she had offered to wash his back. He eyed the graceful curve of her spine as she reached to turn off the tap. Perhaps he should return the favor.

  He laughed wickedly at the thoughts running through his head. He whispered all the sinfully delicious things he was going to do to her as he stood up to unfasten his jeans. To his delight, Dixie blushed, then tried to brazen it out. Grinning seductively, she sank back in the tub ready to enjoy the view as he stripped out of his jeans. Mac loved the way his wife was looking him, especially when she puckered those sexy lips and blew him a kiss.

  “Dance for me, cowboy,” she murmured as his aroused state became apparent through his briefs.

  “How about the horizontal bop?” he growled as he slid the jeans to the floor.

  “You are so wicked,” she squealed and blew bubbles at him.

  “I know. That’s why you love me.” He started to step out of his clothing. The phone in the bedroom jangled at the same moment. Frustration and indecision foug
ht for attention in his mind. No one called this late unless it was important. But then again what could be more important to a man than making love to his beautiful new wife?

  “Go answer, darlin’, but y’all better hurry,” Dixie drawled as she stretched languidly in the tub, arching her body so the bubbles trickled away to reveal her nudity. “My bubbles are disappearing.”

  Mac turned to make a run from the bathroom, completely forgetting his pants down around his ankles. He promptly fell flat on his face. Dixie laughed outright as the phone continued to ring imperiously. Mac hauled himself off the floor, grabbed his pants, and shouted as he headed for the bedroom, “You’re a coldhearted woman, Dixie Coalson!” She laughed louder.

  “I’m coming!” He shouted at the thrilling phone as he made his way into their bedroom. He could hear Dixie’s peal of renewed laughter at the double entendre. Mac picked up the receiver. “This had better be good,” he growled into the mouthpiece.

  “Mac?” Sam’s voice was barely heard on the line. “Listen there’s a fire at the company offices. I’m here now. I called the fire department. I think Chance and Jamie are trapped inside…Going to try to get into the building. Hasn’t spread to the lobby yet. Get here quick.”

  “Sam, Sam! Don’t you dare! You hear me?” Mac roared as the line went dead. Terror unfurled like snakes in his gut as Sam’s words registered.

  Dixie came running into the room, belting her robe.When she saw his face, she grabbed clothes and they were headed for the door within seconds. Mac explained everything on the way to the offices.

  “Why would Sam think Chance and Jamie are in the building?”

  “I don’t know. I don’t why Sam was at the office this late in the first place.” Mac drove last few miles in grim silence. Mac knew this had something to do with the vandals. He blamed himself for not taking more security precautions to include the main office in the nightly watch.

  Could it be possible that the vandal had lured the men there with the thought of killing them? Mac’s blood ran cold at the thought. Panic began to take hold as the burning question remained. What had he done to incur the wrath of someone powerful enough to destroy his company piece by piece and seek revenge by hurting his family?

  Dixie was immersed in her own despair. Jamie was thought to be in the fire. It was now common knowledge that Jamie and his friends could identify the person responsible for the crimes. Had the saboteur decided to get rid of the main eyewitness in order to scare the rest of the young men into silence? Or was he determined to eliminate all the witnesses and Jamie was his first victim? She began to pray in earnest as silent tears fell down her cheeks.

  They arrived at the offices a few minutes later. It was a scene straight out of a disaster movie. Fire trucks and ambulances from all over the county were there. Firefighters and paramedics raced back and forth across the parking lot, shouting instructions. The old barn that had been the offices of Coalson Construction Company was now a blazing inferno.

  Dixie gasped in shock, cringing as firefighters raced into the flames. Mac knew she had to be thinking no one could survive in there for long. She raised fearful eyes to Mac. He held her tightly as he stared at the building that housed his hopes and dreams for so long. Smoke was billowing out of several broken windows. Part of the south wall was completely ablaze. Flames flickered along the roofline. It would only be a matter of time before the entire structure collapsed. There was still no sign of Sam or the others.

  Mac couldn’t control the helpless rage. With a snarl, he started toward the building, shaking off Dixie’s hands. He didn’t hear her pleas or feel the oppressive heat the clawed at him when he stepped nearer. His only thought was how he had failed to protect his family. The increased pressure he exerted to find his this maniac had succeeded in putting his loved ones in jeopardy. He had failed in his responsibility, and they were being forced to pay the price.

  Mac was grabbed from behind and spun around. Ben Yates, the county sheriff, had a hand on his shirt. “You can’t go in there, son. Let the firefighters do their job.”

  Mac shook off Ben’s hands. Pointing to the blaze, he roared above the sound of the inferno. “My brothers may be in there!”

  Spitting tobacco, Ben stated sharply, “Explain.”

  Mac related exactly what Sam had told him on the phone. Ben swore profusely, hurrying to alert the fire chief about the possibility of two more people in the building besides Sam. Dixie ran over to Mac, grabbing him around the waist and hugging him tightly.

  As news reached the professionals, efforts were redoubled, but it soon became apparent to Mac that the blaze would not be contained. Ben approached them with an update. “Apparently, the fire started at the door. Some rags and flammable cans were found as soon as they went in. All the windows had been open so the breeze would fan the flames. Everything points to a professional arsonist.”

  A cheer went up as to firefighters appeared in the doorway of what was once the lobby. Each rescuer was supporting a man. Although soot blackened most of their clothing, the blonde hair on each man’s head identified them as Sam and Jamie. The paramedics rushed over to administer to the two men, while the brave rescuers returned into the flaming building in search of Chance. Overcome with relief, Dixie ran over to her brother and Sam, assuming that Mac would be close on her heels.

  Dixie hugged the injured men and listened as the paramedics determined the extent of their injuries. Both Sam and Jamie were being treated for smoke inhalation. Sam was also being checked out for a concussion although he assured the paramedics that he had sustained no grievous injuries

  “Jamie, do you have any idea where Chance is?” Dixie asked. Her voice trembled as the fear for the other Coalson brother took hold once again.

  Sam shook his head in despair. He removed the oxygen mask and rasped, “We couldn’t find Chance. The bastard did his job well. I found Jamie tied up in the supply closet.” He began coughing uncontrollably, and Dixie solicitously held the mask up to his face.

  “He’s still in there,” Jamie whispered hoarsely. “Chance and I heard a noise in the file room as we were preparing to leave. He went to investigate. When he didn’t return, I went after him. As I walked to the file room, I saw Chance tied to a chair. The next thing I remember I was in a closet and tied to a chair. Smoke was everywhere, and Sam was trying to untie me when firefighters arrived on the scene. I told them to head to the file room where I had last seen Chance.”

  Dixie glanced behind her to judge Mac’s reaction to the news, but he wasn’t there. She peered into the darkness trying to locate him. Had he gone to find the sheriff? No, Ben was talking to the fire chief. She glanced back at the fire scene as a horrible suspicion formed. She firmly squelched the idea as ludicrous. Surely Mac wouldn’t take it upon himself to try to locate Chance in a burning building. He wasn’t a firefighter and he had no equipment.

  You would do anything to protect your own brother from injury. She turned back to Jamie. “Where’s Mac? Anyone see Mac?”

  She tried to remain calm but insidious panic led a tremble to her voice. Dixie realized with a sinking heart that Mac was nowhere to be found. She yelled for Ben frantically, the panic she held at bay now threatening to surround her completely.

  Sam shrugged off his blanket and started to rise. Jamie blanched. “You don’t think Mac would…?” He looked over his shoulder at the building that was now completely engulfed in flames. Sam didn’t answer him. That was as good as proof to Dixie. When Sam started toward the fire chief, she was completely certain. She began to shake, terror enveloping her as completely as the flames engulfed the old barn.

  She reached out and grabbed Sam shirt. “Tell me he wouldn’t do this, Sam.” She shook him feebly, demanding answers to the question. “Tell me that he wouldn’t risk his life, too, in that inferno. Tell me!” She screamed as she stared into his sorrowful eyes. What she saw reflected their made the tears begin flowing in earnest. Dejected, she dropped her hand from his sleeve to swipe at the copio
us flow of tears as she raged at him, “You can’t tell me, can you? You would do the same thing if you were in Mac’s shoes. You just did, didn’t you? You tried to save them all.”

  Sam grabbed her and gave her a little shake, but she was beside herself with grief. “Dixie, calm down! I have to tell Ben. He needs to know.” He hurried to alert the sheriff of Mac’s disappearance.

  Dixie sank to the ground. “Mac feels responsible for this disaster, but even if he didn’t, he would still be in there. If it was a complete stranger, he would still try to help. This is his brother. He’s more than determined. He’s rushing in there,” she sobbed pitifully to Jamie, “without any thought of who he’s leaving behind. I know it’s selfish, but I just found him. He can’t leave me now.”

  “He’s not gonna die,” Jamie murmured against her hair as he held her tight.

  Another blast of fire belched out through the windows. Hysteria consumed Dixie and with the shuddering sob she pulled out of Jamie’s embrace, lowering herself once again to her knees, rocking back and forth as she stared at the conflagration before her. She was oblivious to Jamie’s efforts to soothe her as the seconds ticked slowly by.

  Another explosion erupted, showering glass on everyone in the immediate vicinity. What remained of the windows blew away. With a terrifying groan, the roof collapsed, sending a shower of sparks all around the yard.

  The fire chief barked orders. Rescuers raced like ants to double check for life. The Coalson’s were led away, but Dixie refused to budge. In the end, Sam carried her kicking and screaming to a safer distance. They now knew there was little to no chance of seeing their loved ones again. With each passing second, the likelihood of Mac and Chance coming out of what was left of that building dwindled dramatically.

  Firefighters rushed one by one from the smoke-filled doorway leaving the remains of the barn to the flames. Another belch of smoke and fire burst from the doorway. Three people emerged. A firefighter and another man were carrying a body between them. The three people were covered from head to toe in soot and grime. The black had blanketed them so thoroughly they were almost unrecognizable. As they cleared the fire area, Dixie and the others rushed to their aid. She could just make out the steely glint in the blackened face of the man supporting the unconscious body of the other.