Little Boys Blue

by Susan Kearney

  “You okay?” Cam asked, rolling off her with the agility of a mountain cat.

  She stood, horrified at the flames licking their way from the tack room toward the stalls. “The horses!”

  His measured look seemed to assure him that she wasn’t injured, and Cam started to run toward the stable, yelling back over his shoulder, “Get help.”

  Alexa turned to do as he asked, but the noise from the explosion had already warned everyone of the danger. Men came running from all directions—sheds, paddocks, Cameron’s house and the open range. But she and Cam were closest.

  Without hesitating, she raced after Cam. Dodging fiery debris and hellish flames shooting out a window, she sprinted around to the far side of the stable.

  The groom jammed open the double doors and shooed two horses out by flapping a blanket. An overhead sprinkler system came on, but instead of dousing the flames, the fire worsened and the smoke thickened. Alexa thought she saw Leo hooking up a hose, but couldn’t be sure. Surely Leo couldn’t have made it from the house to the barn yet, but she could have sworn she saw him through the smoke for an instant.

  Holding her arm over her mouth and breathing through her shirt, Alexa ran from stall to stall, opening the doors and hoping the animals would have the sense to flee. As Alexa slipped into the stall where the twins kept their ponies, Cameron smacked a horse on the rump and sent it fleeing to safety.

  “Get out of here. The roof’s going to collapse,” Cameron ordered.

  She couldn’t abandon the twins’ ponies. Alexa hurried to their stall and shoved back the door. She eased toward the frightened horses, then backed them slowly out of the stall. The animals snorted at the smoke and their eyes rolled with terror.

  “Come on, boys,” she crooned. “That’s the way. A few more steps.” She kept talking reassuringly until the ponies cleared the stall, then slapped them on the rumps to shoo them outside.

  Freeing all the animals was taking too long. Many of the other horses snorted in fear in their stalls, too terrified to leave. The groom headed past Alexa and shifted between a roan and a gray. “Move aside.”

  Alexa stepped into a nearby stall. The groom slapped the animals on the rump, and they took off for the open doors at a gallop.

  Alexa knew the hands would round up the horses later, and she’d just turned to leave when she realized that she’d ducked into the stall where Rafe kept his prize stallion. When the chestnut with white hooves and face spotted her, the frightened animal reared up, whites of his eyes rolling, hooves flailing.

  “It’s okay, fella. Calm down. I’ll get you out of here. Just let me put a hand on your mane and I’ll lead you to green grasses, cool water and mares. You’d like that, wouldn’t you, boy?”

  She spoke softly, knowing the words didn’t matter and that the terrified horse probably wouldn’t calm down from the sound of her voice, either. But she had to try. She couldn’t leave him to burn. But the temperamental animal didn’t want anything to do with a stranger.

  Alexa ignored the crackle overhead, concentrated on the horse. She needed to throw something over the horse’s head so he couldn’t see the flames. The thick smoke blinded her and she gave up on finding a blanket. Quickly, she unfastened her blouse, dipped it in the water trough. As the leery animal scooted to one side, she moved in and threw the blouse over his head.

  He reared, spun. Knocked her against the wall.

  She sprang back and grabbed a handful of her shirt and his mane. “Whoa, boy.”

  The horse trembled but he didn’t buck again. Alexa spared him a moment and rubbed his nose, then tugged on his mane. Inch by inch, she coaxed him out of the stall.

  She could hear other voices, hooves clopping down the passageway. Help had arrived. Other hands led out horses, but she couldn’t see much in the smoke. She tried to call for help, but her throat was so raw, her voice came out like a croak.

  The stallion banged her against a rail, and she almost lost her grip. Overhead, a huge sheet of flames flared, eating through the roof. Beams behind her collapsed.

  They had to get out. Now.

  And she needed the horse’s speed as much as he needed her guidance.

  Knowing the animal might buck her off, knowing she couldn’t hold on without bridle and saddle, Alexa made a desperate choice. In one awkward move, she flung herself onto the stallion’s back, used his mane to pull herself upright and slapped his hind quarters. The powerful stallion needed no further urging.

  Muscular hindquarters gathered and thrust forward. And Alexa guided him with her knees, praying she remembered the way out. The stallion lunged forward, and suddenly they burst past the double doors. She glimpsed Leo, Cody, Rafe and Cameron.

  Cameron shouted her name as she and the stallion bolted out. Behind them the roof caved in with a crash.

  With no bridle and no saddle, Alexa had no way to control the stallion, and he accelerated from zero to thirty in mere seconds. As his hooves pounded the pasture, she hung on to his mane for dear life, gripping his smooth flanks as best she could with her knees.

  Wind whipped the hair from her face and she could barely see. The horse tossed his head and her blouse soared behind them. She had no reins to stop the stallion’s wild run across the pasture and considered throwing herself to the ground.

  Beneath his flying hooves, she saw rocks and reconsidered. How long would it take the animal to tire?

  Yanking on his mane did little to stop his terrified dash. She tried talking softly to him but doubted he could hear her through the sound of his hammering hooves.

  She heard shouts behind her but didn’t dare turn to look. The animal’s back became slick with his sweat and she squeezed her knees tighter, hoping she could hang on long enough, but the horse had been bred to run. He didn’t even sound winded.

  She tried not to think what would happen if he stepped in a hole, tried not to think of pitching over his head and him trampling her.

  “Hang on.” Cameron’s voice, surprisingly close behind her gave her added strength. “We’re coming.”

  Out of the corner of her eyes, she saw two horses and riders closing on her, sandwiching her runaway horse between them. Cam neared on her right, and one of his brothers, Rafe, maybe, on her left.

  “Hurry, Cam! I’m slipping!”

  “ALMOST THERE.” Cam rode next to her, knee to knee, and then he looped one arm around her just as Rafe threw a lasso over the stallion’s neck.

  Soon. Soon she would be safe.

  Until the moment he’d spied Alexa on the stallion’s back racing out of the burning barn, he’d had no idea she’d disobeyed him. Instead of going for help, she’d entered the burning building, and in all the confusion and smoke he’d never seen her. Until she rode out like some wild Valkyrie and almost shocked him into a panic.

  He and Rafe had lost precious moments, grabbing mounts and going after her. Finally they’d caught up. The two brothers worked together, and slowly the stallion’s pace wound down to a canter, then a trot and finally a walk.

  In the moonlight, Alexa’s face looked as pale as the rising moon. But she tossed her hair over her shoulder, straightened her back, and asked, her tone almost jaunty, “What took you guys so long?”

  Rafe chuckled. “Lady, that was some ride. Did you know this horse has never had a rider on his back? I keep him for breeding.”

  At Rafe’s words, Cam’s stomach churned. She could have been stomped to death, bucked off and broken her neck. His hands started to tremble, and he felt a little sick at the thought of what could have happened.

  Alexa finally seemed to realize the risk she’d taken. “I’d like to get down now.”

  Cam lifted her from the stallion and placed her on the horse in front of him. She was either trembling from the aftershock or shivering from the cold. He removed his shirt and wrapped her in it. Then his arms closed around her, and he kissed her behind the ear. “Better?”

  “Mm.”

  “Whatever possessed you to climb on his back
?” Rafe asked as he led the stallion behind his mount.

  “At the time, it seemed the fastest way out of the barn.”

  “Well, I appreciate your efforts. We left him for last because he’s…difficult.”

  “Difficult!” Cameron exclaimed. “How many times has Bodine told you to shoot the beast? He’s a killer.”

  Alexa leaned against Cam for strength. “He saved my life. And he’s as fast as the wind. I’m surprised you caught me.”

  “We almost didn’t,” Cam muttered, the fear for her still burning through his stomach. “You shouldn’t have risked your life—not even for a million-dollar piece of horseflesh.”

  Alexa looked behind her at the prancing stallion. “I didn’t know the flames would spread so quickly. The sprinklers came on, but they didn’t seem to help much.”

  Rafe cursed under his breath. “Someone turned off the water valve.”

  Another act of sabotage.

  “What caused the explosion?” Alexa asked, her voice still a little shaky.

  “We don’t know.” Cam’s arm tightened around her waist. “But I’m betting the explosive device was similar to the one used on the bridge. Someone doesn’t want us to make it to the custody trial tomorrow. I hate to accuse them, but the Barringtons have the most to gain from our deaths.”

  Cam felt Alexa stiffen and could almost feel her working up an automatic protest, but somewhere inside her, it died. Although she didn’t believe her grandparents would try to kill her, he couldn’t come up with a single other alternative that fit the facts. There’d been trouble since the first day she’d arrived. First the bull had escaped and almost gored her. Then those security guards had drugged her and tried to take the twins. And the bridge and barn had been blown up. Each incident could be used against them at the custody hearing in court, tomorrow.

  Cam knew Alexa had never believed her grandparents would fight this dirty, endanger her life, but now she had to believe it since no other explanation made sense. He couldn’t imagine the sorrow she must feel at the knowledge her only living relatives had turned against her. But she had a new family now. One that would appreciate her, cherish her, protect her.

  As they rode back to the Sutton’s stable, now a mass of smoking beams and ashes, the air reeked. The building was a total loss, but at least all the animals had been saved.

  The Senator, Chase, Tyler and Laura met them on horseback as they rode up. The Senator’s face was tight and his eyes glinted with anger and sadness. “Damn stable has too many bad memories.”

  Brent, Cam’s oldest brother, had died in that stable. Tyler had had a terrible accident there, too. Perhaps it would be best to rebuild on another spot.

  “I’ve already called the sheriff,” Chase told them. “At least the bridge is back up.”

  A car pulled down the road and the headlights caught them in the glare before the driver shut them off. Alexa’s grandparents exited the vehicle, stared at the smoking stable and then back at Alexa.

  Her grandmother, Emily Barrington, frowned at her. “My dear, that shirt is too large for you.”

  “She’s lucky to be alive,” Cam practically growled. He wanted to throttle the old woman for giving Alexa any grief after what she’d just been through.

  The old man, Dalton, frowned. “You aren’t taking very good care of my granddaughter, young man.”

  “I don’t need anyone to take care of me,” Alexa protested. “But I’d like to know how long ago you two left the Senator’s house.”

  “There’s nothing to do at night,” Emily complained. “No shows, no opera, no parties. So we went for a little drive, but there’s nothing to see except cows.”

  At the old woman’s admission that they’d been out driving, Alexa’s face hardened, but her eyes burned with grief. Clearly she was thinking her grandparents could have set off the explosive device.

  “Would you mind if I search your vehicle, sir?” Tyler asked politely, but flint sharpened his tone.

  “Are you accusing me of something?” Dalton’s tone rose in outrage.

  The Senator stepped forward. “We think a trigger device set off the explosion and caused the fire. We’d like to make sure you don’t have one on you.”

  Emily Barrington’s jaw dropped open and she staggered a step backward. Dalton pounded his cane into the dirt and then at Cameron. “If you accuse me again, I’ll take you to court for slander.” The old man’s face darkened with rage. “Don’t blame us if you can’t protect your family.” He took Emily’s arm. “And let me assure you that the judge will hear about this unfounded accusation. With all the goings-on around here, you aren’t fit to raise my great-grandchildren. The judge will see things my way, so I’d suggest you start packing their belongings.”

  “Don’t listen to him,” Alexa whispered. “He’s all bluster.”

  Cameron took comfort in her words and in her soft body against him. He could only pray that the old man was wrong.

  Chapter Eleven

  Cam didn’t sleep well the night before the custody hearing and knew dark circles underlined his eyes that morning, but as usual, Alexa, in a blue silk suit, looked luminous enough for them both. She seemed to light the courtroom. Her fair skin, lightly tanned, glowed with well-being, which protected her from the scowls and frowns of her grandparents.

  The Barringtons’ attorney presented his case first, and even Cam had to admit the evidence against him sounded damning. Their attorney, a sophisticated smooth talker with a dignified air, twisted the facts, bringing up numerous incidents that had occurred since Sandra’s death and painting Cameron darker than a moonless night. Apparently the Barringtons’ strategy was to smear his name until the judge ruled him unfit.

  When the judge heard how the twins had repeatedly been in danger, Cam’s heart sank. He’d known these issues would come up, but he hadn’t realized how bad they would sound.

  Beside him Alexa squeezed his hand, her chin cocked with confidence. “Just wait for our turn.”

  Cam feared that the damage done to his reputation couldn’t be reversed. Although Alexa had spent an inordinate amount of time talking with Cam’s attorney in private, his hopes started to plummet.

  His entire family sat on his side of the courtroom, and Cameron appreciated the solid show of support. But the thought of losing the twins left his palms sweaty and his pulse unsteady.

  Finally Alexa took the stand. She didn’t rush and kept her gaze on Cam as the bailiff swore her in.

  Cam’s attorney, Drake Francis, one of Denver’s top lawyers had flown in this morning. He offered Alexa a glass of water, then asked her what her relationship to the twins was.

  Alexa’s voice was cool, direct and businesslike. “I’m their mother’s cousin and their mother by marriage.”

  “What prompted you to marry the week before the custody hearing, Mrs. Sutton?” Francis asked.

  “I promised my cousin I wouldn’t let our grandparents raise the twins.”

  “So you married the father?”

  “We thought a couple would have a better chance of keeping the twins than a single father.”

  “Tell me about the promise you made to the former Mrs. Sutton.”

  “She was dying and she knew it.” Alexa cleared her throat and pain flared in her eyes. “She begged me to make sure our grandparents would never raise her boys.”

  “And why is that?”

  “The Barringtons were our grandparents and they raised Sandra and me.”

  “Were you abused?”

  Alexa shook her head, a lock of her dark hair falling forward onto her cheek, and Cameron couldn’t help but recall the soft silky texture of it. “Sandra didn’t want her children to be raised with nannies and then sent to boarding school like we were. She wanted them raised with love.”

  “Do you love the boys?”

  “Yes.”

  “If you have other children, will you be able to love Flynn and Jason as much as your own?”

  “That won’t ever be a pr
oblem because I can’t have children.”

  “Please, tell us about the man you married. What kind of father is he?”

  “He’s the kind of father every child could wish for. He’s smart and generous with his time. He keeps the boys in line with a kind heart and a loving soul. Sandra wanted Cameron to raise their children, and no one has the right to take that away from him.” Alexa stared down her grandparents. “No one.”

  “Now these incidents that opposing counsel brought up, could you tell us what’s happening out at the ranch?”

  “We don’t know.” Alexa’s honesty and integrity rang in her tone, and the judge paid attention to her every word. She kept her chin up, her shoulders squared. “Because the trouble began around the same time as the custody battle, we could only assume that someone needed to make Cameron look bad so my grandparents could use the evidence against him in this court.”

  “Your grandparents are getting on in years, Mrs. Sutton. Why do you think they are fighting for custody?”

  “The boys have a very large trust fund. The Barringtons don’t wish to give up the administration of such a vast amount of money.”

  Emily Barrington gasped aloud as if the mention of money was akin to muttering a curse.

  “And why is giving up administration of the trust such a big deal?”

  “For one, because they are courted and entertained due to the contributions to charity they make in the boys’ names. And second, they don’t like to give up anything. They consider it a defeat.”

  “Are you worried about the boys’ safety?” the attorney asked.

  “Yes. But once this issue is settled, I expect the danger to be over.”

  “Thank you, Mrs. Sutton. No more questions, Your Honor.”

  Opposing counsel for the plaintiffs stood and stepped forward. “Well, I have several.”

  “Go ahead, sir,” the judge said.

  Alexa’s demeanor didn’t change. Although opposing counsel appeared ready to tear her to shreds, she kept her composure.

  “How do you feel about your grandparents, Mrs. Sutton?”