Deliverance at Cardwell Ranch

by B. J Daniels

  “Your sister must have climbed up there.” But he knew Rebecca weighed a lot less than he did as he tried the second step. The board held so he began the ascent, hoping for the best. It had been years since he’d climbed a tree. He’d forgotten the exhilaration of being high above the ground.

  When he reached what was left of the tree house, he poked his head through the opening and felt a start much like he had when he’d seen Edgar down in the roots of the fallen tree.

  “Do you see anything?” Gillian called up.

  A fabric doll with curly dark hair sat in the corner of the remaining tree house floor, its back against the tree. It had huge dark eyes much like Gillian’s and it was looking right at him. As he reached for it, he felt the soft material of the doll’s yellow dress and knew it hadn’t been in this tree long.

  Other than the doll, there was nothing else in what had once been Gillian and Rebecca’s tree house. He stuck the doll inside his coat and began the careful descent to the ground.

  * * *

  GILLIAN SET EDGAR down next to the base of a tree, thinking about her sister. Rebecca had always liked puzzles and scavenger hunts. This was definitely feeling like a combination of both.

  As Austin pulled the doll from his coat, she stared at it in surprise for only a moment before taking it and crushing it to her chest in a hug.

  “The doll looks like you,” Austin said.

  She nodded, afraid if she spoke she would burst into tears again. Her emotions were dangerously close to the surface as it was. Being here had brought back so many memories of the summers she and Becky had spent here with their grandfather.

  After a moment, she held the doll at arm’s length. The dolls had been a gift from their parents, she told Austin. “Mother had a woman make them so they resembled Becky and me. We never told her, but I found them to be a little creepy and used to turn mine against the wall when I slept. I half expected the doll to be turned around watching me when I woke up. But Becky loved hers so much she even took it when she went to college.” That memory caused a hitch in her chest.

  “The doll has to be a clue,” Austin said.

  “If it is, I have no idea what that clue might be.” She studied the doll. Its dress was yellow, Gillian’s favorite color, so she knew it was hers. The dress had tiny white rickrack around the collar and hem and puffy sleeves. She looked under the hem, thinking Becky might have left a note. Nothing. She felt all over the doll, praying for a scrap of paper, something sewn inside the stuffing, anything that would provide her with the information she desperately needed. Nothing.

  When she looked at Austin, she felt her eyes tear up again. “I have no idea what this means, if anything.”

  “The doll wasn’t in the tree long. Since it seems likely your sister left it there, it has to mean something.”

  She almost laughed. “If my sister was thinking clearly she wouldn’t have climbed up into that tree to put my doll there without a note or some message...”

  “Your sister was terrified that Marc would find not only the ledger but their son, right?” Austin asked.

  She nodded.

  “I know all this seems...illogical, but I think she knew she had to use clues that only you would understand, like Edgar.”

  “I hope you’re right,” she said, smiling at this man who’d been there for her since that first horrible night in the blizzard.

  “Are you leaving Edgar here?” he asked.

  Gillian nodded. “Becky always said this was his favorite spot. He used to fly around, landing on limbs near the tree house, watching over us as we played. I know it sounds silly—”

  “No, it doesn’t. I get it.”

  She saw that he did and felt her heart lift a little.

  “So there were two dolls?” he asked. “Where is your sister’s?”

  * * *

  VICTOR STRAIGHTENED THE white clerical collar and checked himself in the mirror before picking up his Bible and exiting the car in the hospital parking lot.

  He couldn’t be sure how much security the cops had on Rebecca Stewart. He suspected it would be minimal. Most police departments were stretched thin as it was. This was Montana. Security at the hospital was seldom needed. Victor was counting on the uniform outside her room being some mall-type security cop that the hospital had brought in.

  The security guard would have been given Marc Stewart’s description, so the man would be on the lookout for him—not a pastor. The guard would have been on the job long enough that he would be bored and sick of hospital food.

  As he walked into the lower entrance to the hospital, he saw that his “assistant” was already here sitting in one of the chairs in the lobby thumbing through a magazine. He gave Candy only a cursory glance before he walked past the volunteer working at the desk.

  While some hospitals were strict about visitors, this wasn’t one of them. That’s what he loved about small Montana communities. People felt safe.

  He already knew the floor and room number and had asked about visiting hours, so he merely tipped his head at her and said, “Hope you’re having a blessed day.”

  She smiled at him. “You, too, Reverend.”

  At the elevator, he punched in the floor number. A man and woman in lab coats hurried in. Victor gave them both a solemn nod and looked down at the Bible in his hands. Before the doors could close, a freshly manicured hand slipped between them. He caught the flash of bright red nail polish and the sweet scent of perfume.

  As the doors were forced open, Candy stepped in, turning her back to the three of them.

  He had told her to dress provocatively but not over the top. She’d chosen a conservative white blouse and slim navy skirt with a pair of strappy high heeled winter boots. The white blouse was unbuttoned enough that anyone looking got teasing glimpses of the tops of her full breasts. She smelled good, that, too, not overdone. Her blond hair was pulled up, a few strands curling around her pretty face.

  Victor was pleased as the elevator stopped and the doors opened. They all stepped off, the man and woman in the lab coats scurrying down one hallway while he and Candy took the other. He let her get a few yards ahead before following. The way she moved reminded him of something from his childhood.

  If I had a swing like that, I’d paint it red and put it in my backyard.

  It was a silly thing to come to mind right now. He worried that he was nervous and that it would tip off even the worst of security guards. So much was riding on this. If he could just get into Marc’s wife’s room...

  At the end of the hallway, he spotted the rent-a-cop sitting in a plastic chair outside Rebecca Stewart’s room.

  The security guard spotted Candy and got to his feet as she approached.

  Chapter Eighteen

  Austin found himself watching his rearview mirror. If he was right, Rebecca Stewart had left a series of clues that only her sister could decipher. She’d used items from their past, the shared memories of sisters and things that even if she had mentioned to Marc, he wouldn’t have recalled. It told Austin that she’d been terrified of her husband finding their son.

  He could see that it was breaking Gillian’s heart, these trips down memory lane with her sister. Had Rebecca worried that she could be dead by the time Gillian uncovered them? He figured she must have known her husband well enough that it had definitely been a consideration.

  No wonder she hadn’t told her sister a thing. Gillian would have done anything to save her sister and Marc would have known that. He must have realized Gillian didn’t know the truth. Not that he hadn’t planned to use her to try to get her sister to talk. There was no doubt in Austin’s mind that, in an attempt to save her sister, Rebecca had pushed Marc and his rotten temper so he would lose control and kill her. If Gillian hadn’t thrown herself at Marc when she had...

  The d
rive north to Chinook took the rest of the day. They traveled from the Little Belt Mountains to the edge of the Rockies, before turning east across the wild prairie of Montana. It was dark by the time they reached the small Western town on what was known as the Hi-Line.

  Chinook, like most of the towns along Highway 2, had sprung up with the introduction of the railroad. Both freight and passenger trains still blew their whistles as they passed through town.

  A freight train rumbled past as Austin parked in front of a motor inn. Gillian had called ahead but had gotten no answer at the Baker house. Austin could tell that made her as nervous as it did him. Was it possible that as careful as Rebecca had been, Marc had been one step ahead of them?

  “I can’t believe Rebecca would have confided in anyone,” Gillian said. “But if there is even a chance Nancy knows where Becky left Andy...”

  Gillian had explained about her sister’s doll on the drive north. Nancy Rexroth Baker and her sister had been roommates at college. Becky had been Nancy’s maid of honor when she’d married Claude. While as far as Gillian knew the two hadn’t stayed in touch when Nancy had a baby girl last year they’d named her Rebecca Jane. That’s the name Nancy and Becky used to call her doll at college. Touched by this, her sister had mailed Nancy her doll.

  “She told you this?” Austin had asked. “Wouldn’t Marc have known?”

  She shook her head. “Since my sister has apparently had this plot of hers in the works for some time, I wouldn’t think so. But Marc is anything if not clever. He could have known a whole lot more than Becky suspected.”

  Gillian tried the Baker home number again. The line went to voice mail after four rings. “Maybe we should drive by the house.”

  Austin didn’t think it would do much good, but he agreed. She gave him the address, which turned out to be in the older section of the town just four blocks from the motel. The houses were large with wide front porches, a lot of columns and arches.

  The Baker house sat up on the side of a hill with a flight of stairs that ended at the wide white front porch. There were no lights on behind the large windows at the front, no Christmas decorations on the outside, and the drapes were drawn.

  “Let’s see if there is an alley,” Austin said and drove around the corner. Just as he’d suspected, there was. He took it, driving down three houses before stopping in front of a garage. “I’ll take a look.” He hopped out to check the garage. As he peered in the window, he saw that it was empty.

  It came as somewhat of a relief. As he climbed back into the SUV, he said, “It looks like they’ve gone somewhere for Christmas.”

  “Christmas.” The way she said it made him think that she’d forgotten about it, just as he had, even with all the red and green lights strung around town.

  He thought of his brothers all gathered in Big Sky for the holidays, no doubt wondering where he was. He quickly pushed the thought away. They should be used to him by now. Anyway, his cousin Dana would have told them he was tied up. Her husband, Hud, the marshal, would have a pretty good idea why he was tied up since he would have heard about Marc Stewart’s attempted murder of his wife, the kidnapping of his sister-in-law, Gillian, and the BOLO out on Marc.

  As Austin drove them back to the motel, he said, “We need to get into that house because if I’m right, then this family has your nephew and he’s safe. The doll brought us this far. There has to be another clue that we’re missing.”

  “The key,” Gillian said on an excited breath. “The one I found at the house after Rebecca and Andy left. Do you still have it?”

  * * *

  “I’M GOING TO walk back and get into the house,” Austin said after they returned to the motel. He’d gotten them adjoining rooms, no doubt so he could keep an eye on her, Gillian thought.

  She was grateful for everything he’d done. But she was going with him. She came out of her room and stood in front of him, her hands on her hips. “You’re not going alone.”

  He shook his head. “Maybe you don’t understand the fine line between snooping and jail. Breaking and entering is—”

  “I’m going with you.”

  He looked like he wanted to argue, but saw that she meant what she said. “Wear something dark and warm. It’s cold out.”

  She was already one step ahead of him as she reached for a black fleece jacket she’d grabbed as they were leaving her apartment. Donning a hat and gloves, she turned to look at him.

  He was smiling at her as if amused.

  “What?” she said, suddenly feeling uncomfortable under his scrutiny. She knew it was silly. He’d seen her at her absolute worst.

  “You just look so...cute,” he said. “Clearly breaking the law excites you.”

  She smiled in spite of herself. It had been a while since a man had complimented her. Actually, way too long. But it wasn’t breaking the law that excited her, she thought and felt her face heat with the thought.

  The night was clear and cold, the sky ablaze with stars. She breathed in the freezing air. It stung her lungs, but made her feel more alive than she had in years. Fear drove her steps along with hope. The bird, the doll, all of it had led them here. She couldn’t be wrong about this. And yet at the back of her mind, she worried that none of this made any sense because Rebecca hadn’t known what she was doing.

  At the dark alley, Austin slowed. It was late enough that there were lights on in the houses. Most of the drapes were open. She saw women in the kitchen cooking and families moving around inside the warm-looking homes. The scenes pulled at her, making her wish she and her sister were those women.

  A few doors down, a dog barked, a door slammed and she heard someone calling, “Zoey!” The dog barked a couple more times; then the door slammed again and the alley grew quiet.

  “Come on,” Austin said and they started to turn down the alley.

  A vehicle came around the corner, moving slowly. Gillian felt the headlights wash over them and let out a worried sound as she froze in midstep. Her first thought was Marc. Her heart began to pound even though she knew Austin had his shoulder holster on and the gun inside it was loaded.

  Her moment of panic didn’t subside when she saw that it was a sheriff’s department vehicle.

  “Austin?” she whispered, not sure what to do.

  He turned to her and pulled her into his arms. Her mouth opened in surprise and the next thing she knew, he was kissing her. His mouth was warm against hers. At first, she was too stunned to react. But after a moment, she put her arms around his neck and lost herself in the kiss.

  As the headlights of the sheriff’s car washed over them, the golden glow seemed to warm the night because she no longer felt cold. She let out a small helpless moan as Austin deepened the kiss, drawing her even closer.

  As the sheriff’s car went on past, she felt a pang of regret. Slowly, Austin drew back a little. His gaze locked with hers, and for a moment they stood like that, their quickened warm breaths coming out in white clouds.

  “Sorry.”

  She shook her head. She wasn’t sorry. She felt...light-headed, happy, as if helium filled. She thought she might drift off into the night if he let go of her.

  “Are you okay?” he asked, looking worried.

  She unconsciously touched the tip of her tongue to her lower lip, then bit down on it to stop herself. “Great. Never better.”

  That made him smile. For a moment, he stood merely smiling at her, his gaze on hers, his dark eyes as warm as a crackling fire. Then he sighed. “Let’s get this over with,” he said and took her gloved hand as they started up the alley.

  There was only an inch of snow on the ground, but it crunched under their feet. If anyone heard them and looked out their window, she doubted they would think anything of it. They would appear to be what they were, a thirtysomething couple out walking on an early December night.r />
  She looked over at Austin. Light from one of the yards shone on his handsome face, catching her off guard. He wasn’t just handsome. He was caring and kind and capable, as well. She warned herself not to let one kiss go to her head. Of course she felt something for this man who’d saved her life twice and probably would have to again before this was over.

  But her pulse was still pounding hard from the kiss. It had been the best kiss she’d ever had. Not that it meant anything.

  She reminded herself that this was what Austin Cardwell did for a living. Not kiss women he was trying to save, but definitely doing whatever it took to save those same women.

  She’d bet there was a long line of women he’d saved and all of them had gone giddy if he’d kissed them like that. That was a sobering thought. He could have ended up kissing all of them. Or even something more intimate.

  That thought settled her down. She was behaving like a teenager on a date with the adorable quarterback of the football team. She told herself it was only because she hadn’t dated all that much, especially since she’d started her business. True, she hadn’t met anyone she cared to date. But she wasn’t the kind of woman who fell head over heels at the drop of a kiss. Even one amazing kiss on a cold winter night.

  But any woman in her place would be feeling like this, she told herself. She’d never believed that knights on white horses really existed before Austin Cardwell. It was one reason she was still single. That and she liked her independence. But mostly, it was because she’d never met a man who had ever made her even consider marriage.

  Becky’s marriage to Marc certainly hadn’t changed her mind about men in general. She’d known Marc was domineering. She just hadn’t known what the man was capable of. She doubted Becky had either.

  Just the thought of her sister brought tears to her eyes. She wiped at them with her free gloved hand, determined not to break down, especially now. Austin hadn’t wanted to bring her along as it was.

  She needed to be strong. She concentrated on finding Andy. Becky had hidden him somewhere safe. Gillian had to believe that. What better place than with someone she could trust, like her former college roommate, Nancy Baker?