Return to Falcon Ridge

by Rita Herron

  “I’ll make plane reservations for tomorrow.”

  She twisted the sheet edge in her fingers, not looking at him, then nodded.

  He stood, wanting to fold her in his arms so badly he had to grip them by his side. But she had to make the first move. “I’ll let you get some rest, then pick you up in the morning and drive you to the manor to pack.”

  She nodded, looking anywhere but at him, and he sucked back the urge to beg her to stay with him. But Elsie had to make her own choices. If she didn’t love him or trust him by now, she never would. He took one last look at her, then closed the door.

  When he escorted her back to Deanna’s, he’d have to say goodbye.

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  THE NEXT MORNING, tension vibrated between Elsie and Deke as he drove her back to the orphanage. She wanted to throw her arms around him and plead with him to talk to her, to love her, but something had changed between them.

  Maybe the fact that her child was alive had bothered him. Maybe he’d only made love to her out of pity….

  Whatever the reason, he was going to leave her, just like everyone else in her life.

  “Sorry I’m late,” he said as he’d helped her into the car. “But we found Thompson. He was at the airport.”

  “Have you talked to him?”

  “We interrogated him this morning. Apparently Hodges killed Sheriff Bush, and he tried to kill you. He left the bloody animal and warning. But Thompson ran us off the road and shot at us.” Deke hesitated. “He also shoved you into the street.” Deke paused, folding his hands together. “Thompson claims he and Dr. Mires got caught up in Hodges’s business by accident, then they didn’t know how to get out.”

  So, when Hodges hadn’t been tormenting her in the manor, Thompson had followed her in town. They had both wanted her dead. “I imagine he profited from the adoptions.”

  “Oh, yeah.” Deke kept his eyes glued to the road while she studied the debris left by the storm. Muddy snow-banks, broken twigs and limbs lay everywhere, the remnants a reminder of the shattered parts of her life.

  “What about Renee Leberman?”

  “Thompson killed her.”

  Elsie sighed. “But Hodges killed the doctor because he was going to reveal that he was still alive.”

  “Did you ask Thompson about my baby?”

  “He claims he doesn’t know what happened to her,” Deke said. “Hodges must have handled that on his own.”

  Disappointment sliced through the little bit of hope Elsie had held on to overnight.

  Silence fell between them, the tension thick and unnerving. A few minutes later, he handed her a pair of crutches, helped her into the house and upstairs so she could pack.

  “I have to free the falcon before we go,” Deke said.

  His gaze met hers and locked, and for a moment she read some undefinable emotion, but he turned and fled down the steps before she could speak. She threw together a suitcase, then moved to the window and studied him as he brought the injured bird outside. The falcon rested on his forearm, its head tilted slightly as Deke spoke to it. She imagined Deke’s soft voice, that silent connection he shared with the animal, then watched him lift his arm skyward.

  For a moment, Deke and the falcon’s profiles blended, and the shadows of their silhouettes melded in the early-morning light. The two were one—man and animal, animal and man.

  The bird took off in flight, soaring upward, peaceful, at home in the sky.

  Deke deserved, needed, that freedom just as the falcon did.

  And if she pursued her daughter, no telling what she might find or how long it would take. After all she’d put Deke through, she couldn’t tie him down any longer with her problems.

  She had always stood alone, taken care of herself. She would face her mother, then decide what to do about her child. And God help her, she’d let Deke return to his own home, free and carefree like the birds of prey he loved so much.

  DEKE CLOSED HIS EYES on the plane and tried to rest, but sleeping was impossible, not knowing what he had to face.

  Telling Elsie goodbye.

  Setting the falcon free had been easy. Setting Elsie free would be the hardest thing he’d ever done in his life.

  Exhausted from her ordeal with Hodges and the injuries she’d sustained, she slept the entire flight. He ached to brush her cheek with his hand, to pull her into his arms and hug her, to know that when she returned home, she would want to be a part of his life. But that would never happen.

  Something was off with him. He was too dark. Intense. He was all or nothing. No wonder a woman couldn’t love him.

  She finally awakened when the plane landed. “It’s not too far from here to your mother’s,” he said.

  Her eyes widened, the familiar fear lingering, but she nodded and gathered her purse. God, he loved her courage.

  He assisted her off the plane, commandeered a wheel-chair to assist her to baggage claim, then rented a car to drive to Tin City. His Range Rover had been totaled, but it was replaceable.

  Not like Elsie.

  She remained silent the entire ride, staring out at the scenery. The mountains and snow looked similar to Tennessee, yet her home here was nothing like the one in Wildcat Manor.

  Finally, he drove up the mountain toward Falcon Ridge, then turned to go to Elsie’s mother’s house nearby. She checked her face and hair in her compact, but he reached out and closed it.

  “You look fine, Elsie.”

  “Maybe I should have waited until the bruises faded. Until I could walk without crutches—”

  “Your mother is desperate to see you.”

  “She knows I’m coming?”

  “I called and told Rex this morning.”

  She gave him a faint smile, then he walked her to the door, his heart squeezing when he saw the joyous smile on Deanna’s face as she opened the door. Seconds later, she pulled Elsie into her arms and the two women wept as they hugged.

  “Thank you for bringing my baby home,” Deanna whispered.

  He nodded, squeezed Elsie’s hand, then looked into her tearstained eyes. The glow on her face would be freeze-framed in his memory forever. Then Deanna coaxed Elsie inside, fussing over her as if she were still four. Deke slowly drifted away from the door, leaving the two women the privacy they deserved for their long-awaited reunion.

  ELSIE PAUSED when she stepped inside the doorway, her head a blur of broken memories, scents and images. She had finally come home now, had found her mother, and everything Deke had said was true. Somehow, just by looking into Deanna’s eyes, she knew that her mother loved her, that nothing she could confess would break their special bond. That she had hurt her mother by not coming home sooner.

  “Come on, dear, you look exhausted.” Deanna helped her to the sofa, then spread an afghan over her legs. “Let me fetch us some tea.” She hesitated. “Oh, dear, we’ve missed so much. Do you even like tea?”

  “Tea would be great,” Elsie said with a laugh. “But don’t be gone long, Mom. I want to just sit and be with you.”

  Deanna burst into tears, and Elsie laughed, battling her own as the woman rushed to the kitchen. The room grew quiet, and she glanced out the window to see Deke driving away.

  He’d done his job. Fulfilled his promise.

  Now she had to let him go.

  Grief welled inside her, and more tears filled her eyes. She had everything she needed for the moment.

  Everything but her little girl.

  And the man she loved.

  The three of them could be a family. No, she couldn’t entertain storybook fantasies.

  Deanna bustled back into the room with the tea, placed it on the tray, then handed Elsie a small box. Elsie opened it and her heart swelled at the sight of the charm bracelet her mother had given her when she was little.

  “I saved it all these years, hoping you’d come back,” Deanna whispered.

  Elsie traced her finger lovingly over the memento, then hugged Deanna again. Even without her child and Deke,
her cup runneth over.

  Chapter Nineteen

  Almost a month had passed since Deke had left Elsie at Deanna’s. She and her mother had bonded beyond anything she’d ever imagined. Elsie had finally confessed about her past and how Deke had found her, and Deanna had listened, cried and hugged her while they both relived the nightmare of their separation.

  But time was healing them, bringing them closer, the dark memories and nightmares finally abating. She’d even taken a step in finding her daughter, and had signed onto the national registry, in case her daughter ever wanted to search for her. She’d also asked Deke’s brother, Rex, to suggest an agent to work the investigation, and he’d promised that he’d farm her case out to someone reliable.

  But each day Elsie ached for Deke’s return. She’d reunited with Hailey and met both of Deke’s brothers. They had been quiet about Deke, and she assumed they knew what had happened between them. Hailey claimed that Deke liked to take off alone at times, cementing her feelings that she’d made the right choice by letting him go.

  But she hadn’t realized how much his absence would her, how much she’d miss him.

  Maybe he was happy. She could only hope.

  Deanna parked the car at the Falcon house, and she braced herself for the family Christmas celebrations. She hoped Deke might be present, just so she could see him one more time. Take another mental photograph for her memory book.

  Inside, Hailey and Rex’s new house smelled of cinnamon apples, cider, hot chocolate and baked goods. Christmas decorations abounded, and twinkling lights lit the outside of the lovely new Victorian house. The traditions were foreign to Elsie, but she loved them. The families hugged and shared holiday greetings. Rex and Brack looked positively handsome, but disappointment fell when she realized Deke hadn’t come home.

  Although a cheery mood floated through the room, the next hour passed in agony for her. She wanted the day to be over, wanted to go home and cry her heart out.

  Deanna squeezed her hand, and she pasted on a happy face. It was her first Christmas with her mother and she couldn’t ruin it. They had just passed out the eggnog when the front door opened. Snow fluttered to the floor, and suddenly Deke stood in the entrance, his cheeks flushed, his hair dotted with moisture. Her breath froze. He looked magnificent.

  His gaze caught Elsie’s and a dark, mischievous look glinted in his eyes. Suddenly tension rippled through the air, and Elsie noticed Hailey, Rex and Deanna exchanging odd looks.

  Deke moved toward her, his expression serious. “I have a Christmas present for you, Elsie.”

  Uncertainty reared its head, along with hope. She started to speak, but he pressed a finger to her lips. “I think you’ll like the surprise.”

  Elsie slanted a look at the Falcons, at Hailey and her mother. Anticipation lit their eyes.

  He reached behind him and opened the door. “They’ve come a long way,” Deke said. Suddenly, a little girl bustled inside, brushing snow from her coat. Elsie recognized her immediately. Renee’s daughter with the big eyes. “Allison?”

  Her grandmother tottered in behind her, wearing a tentative smile.

  “Elsie, this is your daughter.” Deke threw his arm out in a wide arc, then bowed as if he was introducing royalty.

  The little girl smiled uncertainly, then played along with Deke and curtsied.

  Elsie stared in shock. “My daughter?”

  “It’s true,” he said in a gruff voice. “Allison is yours.” He gave her a secretive smile, then whispered, “Renee found out she was terminally ill and went to Thompson in search of you. She was going to contact you to see if you wanted Allison.”

  “You’re sure?”

  “I checked through social services and found copies of Renee’s private files.”

  But Thompson had killed Renee before she’d called Elsie. Tears blinded her. This beautiful little girl was her very own daughter. The baby she thought had died.

  And Deke had brought her home.

  Allison took a s. “My other mommy died, but Mr. Deke said you’re my birth mommy. Is that true?”

  “Yes, I’ve missed you so much.” She knelt, then took the child in her arms. Behind her, clapping, laughter and shouts erupted. When she glanced up, Deanna was hugging Allison’s grandmother and Hailey was crying.

  She picked Allison up and held her close to her heart. She never wanted to let her go. “Thank you, Deke.”

  He nodded but a sadness also weighed in his expression. Elsie desperately wanted to talk to him but someone mentioned presents, champagne and Santa Claus and the festivities began.

  TWO HOURS LATER, Deke stepped into the backyard for air. Elsie was happy. She had her daughter and her mother. That was all she needed.

  But he needed more. He wanted to be a part of her family, wanted her to be a part of his. But that damn note still held him back. He had smothered her. He had to be patient. Give her space.

  Damn it, being patient was killing him. He wanted her more than he wanted life itself. His job, the birds, meant nothing now without Elsie in his life.

  Deke’s hand fell to the ring in his pocket. He was being foolish. Selfish even. He’d just given Elsie her daughter, and now he wanted something back.

  But not out of gratitude. God, no.

  Out of love.

  But what if she said no? He was still so intense. With him, it was all or nothing.

  “I love you, Elsie. Will you marry me?”

  He’d practiced the words so many times that he didn’t realize he’d said them out loud until a gasp echoed behind him. Damn, even his senses were off. Normally he would have heard someone come outside. He smelled her sweet perfume before he turned around.

  Elsie bit down on her lip. “You’re not asking me this because you think Allison and I need protection?”

  Deke whirled around and grabbed Elsie’s arm. She had to realize his proposal was sincere, even if he hadn’t known she’d been listening. “This has nothing to do with protection, although hell, yes, I do feel protective of you, but that’s because I love you, Elsie.” His voice cracked. “I would do anything in the world for you. Don’t you understand that?”

  “You already have given me everything, Deke. My sanity. An end to my past. You’ve freed my conscience, given me back my soul.” Her voice thickened with emotions. “And now you gave me my mother and my little girl. I can never repay you for that.”

  Deke ground his teeth together. “Love is not about repaying or keeping score. I don’t want your gratitude, Elsie. If you don’t love me, then I can accept that.”

  Elsie moved her hand to his cheek, and he shuddered.

  “How can I not love you, Deke? You’re the most wonderful man I’ve ever known. You’re gentle and kind and you’ve stood beside me through everything. You didn’t even judge me when I told you about myy.”

  “But you said I smothered you, that you needed to be away from me—”

  Elsie’s chest squeezed at the anguish in his harshly spoken words. She felt as if she was dying inside. She couldn’t watch this big strong loving man suffer, or let him lay his heart on the line again and not confess the truth.

  “Deke, I said that to protect you.” This time she cupped his face with her hands. His eyes glimmered with hurt. Pain that she had put there. Because she’d felt compelled to stand on her own. And because she’d been scared. “Hodges told me that if I didn’t get you off his back, that he’d kill me, then come after you. Writing that note was the only way I knew to make you leave. I…” Her voice broke. “I love you so much I couldn’t stand the thought of him hurting you because of me.”

  “But they were your words, Elsie. Somewhere deep inside, you didn’t trust me to save you, to stand beside you. What is love without trust?”

  “I know I’m a mess, Deke, a coward. My relationship with my daughter is new and tentative, and you’re a falconer, a loner at heart. I was afraid, but I also thought you wanted your freedom, that it wasn’t fair to tie you down.”

  Hi
s jaw tightened, the heat radiating from his body speaking of desire, hunger, a need that she felt in her own chest. “What isn’t fair is for us not to be together. Don’t you see, Elsie? I used to think I needed to be alone, but that’s not true anymore, not since I met you.” His voice cracked. “Some falcons mate for life. And when we were together, when I made love to you, I knew that I belonged to you and you belonged to me. Forever.”

  “We do belong together, Deke. I believe that now.” Her voice wobbled. “Maybe I was scared that if I told you how much I love you, how much I need you, that you’d leave me like everyone else.”

  A war of emotions flickered in his eyes, before he finally relaxed. Then he dragged her close to him, his breath brushing her neck. “Say it again, Elsie.”

  “Say what? That I wanted to save your life, that my life didn’t matter if you weren’t in it anymore—”

  He swallowed, his voice gruff when he spoke, “Say that you love me.”

  A smile tugged at the corners of his rugged mouth, and Elsie’s heart fluttered with renewed hope. “I love you, Deke. I think I have from the beginning. And I always will love you.”

  His voice grew more commanding, “Now say you’ll be my wife.”

  She traced her finger along his mouth. “I’ll be your wife.”

  He lowered his head and kissed her, raking his hands up and down her back, his body quaking with the intensity of his kiss. “Listen to me, and don’t ever forget this. I will never abandon you, Elsie. Never. Not for a million years. Not as long as there are forests and trees and animals and land.”

  A giggle sounded behind them, and they both paused. Allison leaned around the corner, hugging the new teddy bear Renee’s mother had given her beneath one arm. The charm bracelet from Deanna glittered on the other. “Are you two getting married?”

  Deke wrapped his arm around Elsie’s shoulder, not bothering to hide his affection. “Yes, ma’am, we are.”

  Elsie nodded, sliding her arm around his waist. He didn’t have to worry about her running again. She was his now and she always would be.