Little Boys Blue

by Susan Kearney

  A long drive swept around an elegant curve that brought visitors beneath arching boughs of transplanted oaks, reminiscent of the Old South. As they rounded the house, the backyard spread out before them, a genteel setting of sweeping white canopies over tables spread with elegant white linen and crystal vases of lilies. A string quartet played softly and uniformed waiters served champagne to well-dressed guests.

  As soon as their vehicle pulled to a stop, the Senator, looking completely at ease, opened the door and greeted them. “Right on time.”

  “That’s because I didn’t let the boys do a tune-up on my car,” Chase mumbled, his gaze searching the crowd for his wife.

  “Laura’s making final arrangements with Judge Stewart about the ceremony.” As Chase and Keith departed, the Senator took Alexa’s hand. “I don’t want you to worry about a thing. We have a boat ferrying people across the river. Security’s very tight.”

  Alexa took in such subtle touches as the petals floating in a fountain, the ruby-red roses lacing the trellis and the lilac bouquet the Senator handed her. All the Suttons had gone out of their way to welcome her into this family, and the warmth almost overwhelmed her. “Thank you for arranging everything. I can’t believe you managed all this on such short notice.”

  Julie walked over with Leo at her elbow. The young man looked about to burst with pride as he practically drooled over the blond baby-sitter.

  Julie knelt and hugged Jason and Flynn. “You boys look so handsome.” She straightened their ties and then took each twin by the hand. “I’ll keep track of them until the ceremony. Laura thought you’d want them with you later up in front.”

  “Absolutely.” Cam touched Jason’s head. “You two had best behave or you won’t get any wedding cake.”

  “You look terrific.” Julie gazed at Cameron and Alexa, and tears rolled down her cheeks. “I’m sorry. Weddings always make me cry.” Julie’s emotion seemed out of proportion to the circumstances and Alexa wondered if Julie could have a crush on Cameron. She recalled Julie clutching Cam so tightly after the incident at the portable toilet, how she sat too close to Cam just a while ago. Maybe that’s why Julie never looked at either Cody or Leo the way they looked at her. But then maybe Julie was just sentimental. She wiped her face with a tissue.

  Leo took out a hanky and dabbed at her eyes. “There now. You’ll be fine. Let’s go find the twins some cheese and crackers.”

  Alexa caught sight of Wyatt Smithee approaching and took a moment to regroup. Pride made her stiffen her spine. She didn’t want to let on that her marriage to Cameron was anything but the happiest of love matches. So when she turned to face Wyatt, she made sure that she leaned into Cameron and that she wore a polite smile.

  Wyatt ignored her hand and gave Alexa a hug. “Congratulations, my dear.”

  In a fake tone and with a lack of warmth in his eyes, her former flame turned to shake Cameron’s hand, and Alexa realized she no longer felt anything for Wyatt Smithee, not regret, not even a pang of lust, not even anger at the hurtful things he’d once said to her. She only felt lucky that she’d gotten on with her life without him.

  Wyatt moved away, and Alexa noted that he’d apparently left his wife in Washington, which freed him to eye Julie, but the young woman was busy with the twins and Leo. So Wyatt’s gaze swung to the stunning redhead talking to Rafe Sutton.

  Alexa wanted to thank Chase’s younger brother in person for the fabulous painting, but her grandparents approached. Rafe suddenly slipped away from the redhead, joined Tyler, the eldest Sutton brother, and came their way. As if by unspoken agreement, Chase and Laura joined them, too, Chase’s eyes both fascinated and disapproving of his wife’s low-cut gown. And Alexa realized the entire Sutton family had surrounded her. To protect her from her grandparents?

  A photographer took pictures to record the event, and Alexa wondered how anyone would believe the Barringtons were happy about the wedding. Dressed for the occasion, but looking as if she’d just swallowed a pickled prune, her grandmother greeted her coldly and with disapproval. “Alexa, I hope this is what you truly want.”

  “It is not,” her grandfather pontificated. “She couldn’t possibly want to live—”

  “Careful, Grandfather,” Alexa said. “You wouldn’t want to insult everyone, would you?”

  Before he could answer or make a scene, Cam drew Alexa away, his arm around her waist, his hand possessively on her hip. “We’re about ready to begin.”

  His brothers, father and sister-in-law closed in around their backs, physically separating Alexa from any further Barrington disapproval. Together, the family approached the arched latticework, Laura slipping into place next to Alexa as matron of honor. Rafe lifted Flynn into his arms, Chase held his son, Keith, and Tyler took Jason.

  Judge Stewart, in his rich tones, began to speak of marriage. And the crowd of guests settled into silence.

  Alexa’s thoughts wandered. As her gaze glanced from face to face, she realized she wasn’t just marrying a man, but was becoming part of a family. And what a family. These Suttons were strong, and they showed a united front to the world. The Senator, his four sons, daughter-in-law and the grandchildren all included Alexa without question, accepted her because Cam wanted them to and had made her feel more welcome than she could ever remember.

  As she looked into Cameron’s warm gray eyes, she realized how much she’d missed by always being an outsider, always being alone. Her grandparents had made sure she had clothes, food and a roof over her head, but they had never known how to give her the affection she’d craved. If not for Sandra, her childhood would have been completely barren of warmth and understanding and love. And if not for her promise to Sandra, she would not be here now.

  She couldn’t help thinking that Sandra was watching the ceremony, smiling in approval, pleased that Alexa would look out for the family she loved and ensure her last wishes were carried out. Alexa’s heart contracted, and as Cameron slipped a wedding ring onto her finger, the weight of grief lifted from her heart.

  She’d lost her cousin and best friend, but she’d gained an entire family. And when Cameron’s lips closed over hers and his warmth seeped into her, she flung her arms around his neck and kissed him back with enthusiasm.

  Then laughter and warm wishes surrounded them, and the twins’ kisses made her heart melt with delight. For a moment, the joy seemed so real Alexa wanted to grab onto the dream and believe there would be a happily-ever-after.

  The soft click of the photographer’s cameras reminded Alexa of her ulterior motive for the occasion. The Senator needed these pictures to counteract Cameron’s playboy image. And her grandparents had to be seen looking on with approval.

  Laughing, Alexa grabbed Cameron and posed him beside the Barringtons for a more formal shot. “Please, Grandmother, Grandfather. Try to look happy. It’s my wedding day.”

  The flashbulb popped and then Cameron swung her onto the dance floor. She swayed against him, her feet barely moving, just content to live in the moment, to enjoy the music and Cam’s strong arms around her.

  Because she feared the good times wouldn’t last long.

  Chapter Eight

  Faces smeared with wedding cake, the exhausted twins slept in Cameron and Alexa’s arms as the newlyweds carried them upstairs to their beds. While Cam tucked the boys in, Alexa dampened a washcloth with warm water and gently wiped their faces.

  “They were good little boys today, don’t you think?” Alexa asked Cameron.

  “If you don’t count the pizza they threw into the goldfish fountain.”

  “They thought the fish were hungry.”

  “And if you don’t count their looking up their great-grandmother’s dress.”

  “They only wanted to see if she had a rod up her spine.” Alexa grinned. “They must have overheard some adults talking.”

  Cam threaded his fingers through his hair and escorted Alexa into the hallway. “How about a drink?”

  “Sure.” She turned toward her roo
m. “I’m going to slip into something more comfortable—and don’t take that the wrong way. As much as I adore four-inch heels, after dancing all day, my feet hurt.”

  Ten minutes later, Alexa, wearing slacks and a casual shirt, joined Cameron downstairs. He’d stoked the fireplace with logs, and the kindling blazed, crackled and snapped. He’d dimmed the lights and soft music played on the stereo.

  But the scene was casual, not set for seduction. Leo and Julie worked quietly in the kitchen, putting leftovers into the almost new refrigerator—a temporary gift from the Senator until the new one he’d ordered could be delivered. And two security guards hired by Cameron patrolled outside.

  Cam spread a blanket over the rug before the fireplace and patted the spot next to him. With a sigh, Alexa accepted the glass of white wine he handed her, the same wine she’d been drinking all day. She wriggled her bare toes and winced.

  Cam noticed and took her foot into his warm hands. “Let me see.”

  He rubbed the arch and she started to pull back. “I don’t think—”

  “Yes?”

  “—that you should stop that for at least another hour.” She plumped a pillow behind her head, sipped her wine and sighed as his fingers did magical things to her tortured arches. “Your family’s wonderful.”

  “Mm?”

  “Whenever one of the townspeople asked you a medical question, your brothers and father saw to it that I wasn’t left alone for a second.”

  “My family’s one of the reasons I brought the boys back here.”

  “And the other reasons?”

  “I needed to get away. But I thought the boys would feel more normal out here.”

  Julie and Leo finished up in the kitchen and headed for the front door. Julie’s gaze lingered on Cameron just a moment too long, as if she wanted to say something and then changed her mind. Leo waved, his arm around Julie’s waist. “See you tomorrow, Doc. Have a good night.”

  “It was a wonderful wedding,” Julie added.

  “Thanks for helping out,” Cameron told them as the young pair left.

  Alexa thought they seemed anxious to be alone together. At least Leo did. His crush on Julie was so obvious Alexa couldn’t understand how the baby-sitter seemed so oblivious to him. But perhaps she preferred Cody. Or Cameron. Well, if the girl had a crush on her employer, she’d just have to get over it. Whenever Julie made up her mind to settle down, she’d have no trouble attracting a mate. But Alexa didn’t dwell on her impressions of Cameron’s hired help.

  She sipped her wine, enjoying the first private moments she’d had with Cameron all day. She still had trouble remembering that they were married, that he was her husband. But she was starting to learn little things about him. His patience astounded her. She’d known he was trying to tell her something, and yet he waited for her full attention before resuming the conversation.

  After she heard Julie and Leo’s horses head toward town, she gave him the opening he needed. “You’re worried about the boys?”

  “My sons aren’t normal.” Cam’s voice sounded tight, and his fingers moved from her sole to the small bones of her ankle.

  Alexa fought off the sleepiness that threatened to overtake her. Although it had been a long day, she didn’t want to fall asleep just when Cameron seemed ready to open up to her. Not that he closed her out. One of those men so comfortable with themselves that they always appeared content, he rarely seemed to need anyone.

  Alexa shifted to look into his frowning face. “I’m certainly no expert, but the twins seem fine to me. Their verbal skills are way ahead of their age group.”

  “Every measurable skill is way ahead of normal. Intelligence, sensitivity, curiosity, propensity for trouble, they’re all off the charts. But they are bundles of high energy and difficult to control.” Cam sat up and his hands slid to her calf. “I don’t want you to think they’re your responsibility. I intend to keep Julie around to help out.”

  “That’s fine with me.” Cameron seemed relieved by her response. She suspected he didn’t want the boys to become so attached to Alexa that after she left for good, their lives would be disrupted. “This way I’ll have time to finish decorating the house.”

  “And I’ll be free to arrange financing and deal with the real-estate agent for my office in town.” She must have looked surprised, because he explained, “A perfect building just came on the market. It’ll need renovations before I can set up my practice, so I won’t be abandoning you just yet. If I have to go into town, I’ll make sure one of my brothers or a security team is nearby.”

  At the mention of the security team, her sleepy thoughts turned to her problems. The wedding had gone off without a hitch. No one had said or done anything suspicious, but she’d felt as if she was being watched. She’d tried to put off the feeling with logic. Who didn’t watch a bride at her wedding? But the nagging feeling that something was wrong wouldn’t go away.

  Someone had tried to warn her off marrying Cameron. Now that she had, would the threats disappear? Or would worse things begin to happen? Somehow, as sleepiness pulled at her, her problems didn’t seem that urgent.

  Alexa twirled her glass between her fingers, fighting to keep her eyes open. “Did the sheriff find any proof that my grandparents paid Bodine to scare me with the doll?”

  Cam shifted to her other foot and began rubbing the aching arch. “Not yet. And he says Ray Potter, my old cook, has left town. But something just doesn’t sit right with me.”

  “What?” So he felt it, too. She wasn’t surprised. Cameron wasn’t only bright, he was very aware of what happened around him.

  “Bodine’s not the smartest cowboy I’ve ever met, but he’s far from stupid. I don’t believe if he were on the Barrington payroll, he’d be dumb enough to use his own knife.”

  Stifling a yawn, she sipped her wine and watched the fire flare. Cam hadn’t drunk even a third of his wine, while she’d almost finished hers. If he intended to make her tipsy to steal a few kisses, it wouldn’t work. She was too sleepy. “So you think someone stole the knife and tried to make Bodine look guilty?”

  “It makes sense.”

  “Or maybe he didn’t expect anyone to recognize his knife. How well do you know the man?”

  “We hire him on as an extra foreman every summer. After putting in a full shift here, he goes home to work his own place on weekends and evenings.”

  Alexa was having trouble remembering her thoughts. “I think…I think we should go take a look at his place. Maybe we’ll learn something.”

  Cam’s eyes suddenly narrowed and he cocked his head. “Did you hear that?”

  “It’s probably the security guards that the Senator hired to make the rounds.”

  “Maybe.”

  The logs crackled in the fireplace. The muted glow reflected off the planes and hollows of Cameron’s face. He placed Alexa’s foot gently on the floor, raised a finger to his lips and stood, then motioned her to stay still.

  Was that a thud she heard? To her it sounded as if the noise had come from the pool area. But as moonlight filtered through the high windows, she could see Cam headed up the stairs, his hand gliding over the banister.

  Confused and sleepy, she fought to push to her feet. She couldn’t fall asleep while she was upright, could she?

  Alexa heard the sound of cracking wood. Saw the banister give way and Cam stumbled. He broke his fall with one hand, flipped around and, catlike, landed on his feet while the banister came down around him.

  Alexa started to hurry to him. “Are you all right?”

  “Stay there.” Cameron leaped over the pieces of railing and dashed upstairs.

  Instead of following him, Alexa walked as if in a dreamlike state to the sliding glass doors by the pool deck. Without hesitation, she flipped on the deck lights.

  At first she saw only the two security guards the Suttons had hired. But they were walking oddly, arms in front as if carrying heavy objects. As she peered through the window, the guards looked at th
e overhead lights with surprise.

  From upstairs, Cam yelled down to her, his voice full of anger and fear. “Alexa, the kids are gone! Call—”

  “The security guards have them! By the pool.”

  Alexa didn’t wait for Cam to come back down the stairs. Grabbing the fireplace poker, she raced outside, trying to think how to delay the guards. Her brain seemed sluggish. But she had to think. She knew that both guards carried guns and that their arms were occupied holding the kids. But if she or Cam threatened them, the guards could drop and hurt the sleeping kids, reach for their guns. Still she couldn’t just let them take the children to their waiting vehicle.

  “Stop!” she ordered. “Where’re you going?”

  Upstairs, she heard Cam swear. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw him coming through the window and down the same ladder the guards must have used to kidnap the children.

  Horses with riders and flashlights suddenly swung around the house. What the hell was going on? Kidnappers?

  God, no! Alexa couldn’t let the guards reach either car. She had only seconds to act. Keeping the poker close to her side so the guards wouldn’t notice it, she raced around the pool, planting herself in front of them so they faced her and had their backs to Cam, who was descending the ladder.

  “Put those children down!” Alexa demanded, fear making her voice surprisingly strong and commanding.

  “Lady, move aside. No one needs to get hurt.”

  The guards started to brush past her. Alexa took one look at the sleeping twins’ faces and acted. She stomped one man’s instep and swung the poker against the other’s knee.

  The man she kicked swore. The other sidestepped the poker and threw a child into the pool. Knowing Cam had to be right behind her, Alexa didn’t hesitate. She dived in after the child, praying Cam could stop them from taking the other.

  Icy water slapped her awake. The underwater pool lights weren’t turned on, and she swam frantically, arms outstretched, kicking madly. She had to find him. Soon. Her lungs started to burn. She refused to resurface. He was here in this pool. Drowning.