by Jackie Anton
Rummy was the choice. On his way out, he told her the cards were hers, so that maybe she could drum up a game with some other patsy. It was a good thing she refused to play for money, or she’d now own the ranch. He mulled over their conversation during his fleecing by the pint sized card shark. She had been on the way to Decker’s, at Melinda’s request, when she’d come to the lower crossroads. She had backed out when it became apparent that the road had washed away. Once out, she headed for high ground, where she had ended up in a confrontation with one of his cows parked in the middle of the lower dirt access road. Lexie was sure that Decker had deliberately given her incorrect directions. Cutter tended to agree with her assessment. She’d been traveling from Lubbock to the Lazy K ranch house, so why was she so far out in the wrong direction?
6
Lexie woke to the sound of the breakfast trays being pulled from their large, stainless steel warmers. She wolfed down her breakfast of oatmeal, applesauce, and orange juice, then gathered her toiletries and took the long, slow walk down the hall to the showers. The slightly hot spray warmed her through to her soul. A tingling sensation spread out from her vigorously messaged scalp. Once relieved of the IV, a shower had moved to the top of her wish list. Sponge baths were a trial, and she was grateful she could only remember the past few days. Counting backward, she estimated she’d been confined here for at least a week, but only the last three days were clear. Before that everything was bits of clarity, foggy impressions, and disembodied voices.
Her skin felt too tight, and the room was shrinking. She went from pacing her room to pacing the hall, and spending more time in the solarium reading or playing solitaire. She hadn’t had a visitor in the past two days. Melinda wasn’t responding to her cell phone or the landline at the hotel. Lexie didn’t know the number at the ranch, or Cutter’s cell number, and she was not about to ask anyone at the hospital. They already thought she had brain damage thanks to Cutter claiming her as his wife.
Lexie took her deck of cards with her down to the solarium. If she couldn’t find anything interesting to read, she would just occupy herself with a few games of solitare.
Tinted glass kept out the harsh glare of the sun, and she enjoyed spending a little time here each day, it was a nice relief from her antiseptic white on white room. Multiple colors of pastel, vinyl, upholstered armchairs were scattered around three sides of the room in pairs. Small Formica tables were strategically placed with magazines and newspapers holding them in place. Silk ferns hung from brass pots positioned over the small tables. A couple of larger tables took up part of the center of the room. Patients often worked on puzzles, or like her played cards. She decided on a National Geographic that she had not yet read, and settled into her usual chair.
I probably am scrambled beneath my squeaky clean scalp! Lexie actually experienced joy at the arrival of Deputy Boyd. He sat in the chair that Cutter had occupied on her first trip to this glassed in view of the outside world. The ostensible purpose of the deputy’s visit was to return her recovered handbag.
“Why didn’t you return it the last time you were here?”
“Your bag and the contents were waterlogged and coated with mud from being submerged for a prolonged period. I kept it until things were dried out, and cleaned up some. It was fortunate your ID was in it; had we not recovered that you would still be a missing person. Worst case, you could have been presumed dead.”
Lexie could imagine the heartache that her mother and grandmother would have experienced. “Well, I thank you for not giving up, Deputy.” She changed the subject hoping he could shed some light on Mel’s whereabouts. “Deputy, have you seen or heard from Melinda in the past two days?”
“No. Why?”
“She left here with David Decker three days ago, and I haven’t been able to contact her since. I’m really worried about her. It isn’t like her to be out of touch.”
“I’ll swing by the hotel to check it out.”
“Thank you.”
Lexie took an inventory of her returned items. Most of the photos, her note pad, business cards, and hospital insurance card were ruined. But her laminated driver’s license, student ID, and plastic credit card had survived intact. In the future, anything of importance was getting laminated.
After lunch, once the nurse and lab techs were done poking her, she pulled on the rose robe and slippers to go on a walkabout. No one paid much attention, as they’d become used to her pacing. She found an ATM five floors down and added to the forty dollars in her rock hard leather wallet she’d stuffed in the large pocket of the robe. Next step: find the gift shop. By the time she stashed her purchases, she needed the blissful oblivion of a long afternoon nap.
She woke to the sound of male voices. Lexie pretended sleep in order to eavesdrop on their conversation. She tried not to groan out loud when Dr. Callahan said he wanted to keep her four or five more days to run some additional tests. The disturbing discussion ended, and footsteps exited her immediate vicinity, their echo fading down the hall. A frown creased her brow as she considered her options.
“Are you frowning because you’re in pain, Lex, or because you didn’t like Callahan’s plans for more tests?”
Her eyes popped open at the sound of his voice, and she stared into laughing gray eyes. He was towering over the foot of bed.
“Both. Please sit down, I’m getting dizzy having to crane my neck to look up at you.”
He complied with her wishes, sitting to her right as usual. Once they were on a bit more of an equal level, she broached the subject of communications. “I thought you had forgotten me. Before you leave tonight, give me your cell number in case I have to get in touch with you.”
“Sorry, I’m a little shorthanded right now, and got bogged down. Why didn’t you ask the doctor, or Nurse Thacker for my number, they both have it?”
“Do you even have to ask? Callahan will be ordering brain scans if your wifey can’t recall your cell or the ranch phone numbers.” She wanted to smack the grin off his face, but restrained the urge. She wasn’t in a position to make a hasty escape, and at that moment he was jotting down the requested numbers. Cutter had no more than handed the ranch business card to her complete with his cell number scrawled on the back when Deputy Boyd strolled in.
“Evening, folks. Hope I’m not interrupting.”
While he pulled the second chair in the room to the opposite side of the bed from where Cutter sat, Lexie stashed the business card under her pillow. She was sure the deputy would find it odd that a husband would hand his wife his business card. Now seated, Boyd pulled out his little notepad. Lexie figured in the age of BlackBerrys, iPhones, and Droids, he used the old fashioned form of note-taking as an intimidation factor.
“I checked into the whereabouts of your friend.”
“Did you find her?”
“According to the doorman at the hotel where the two of you had been staying until your recent nuptials.” Patrick couldn’t resist the little dig at Cutter. “Melinda entered with a man of Decker’s description within hours of leaving here, and hasn’t been back since. She left with a small overnight bag and a cosmetic bag. I went out to Decker’s place. He wasn’t there either. An old ranch hand said he went to San Antonio with his new lady friend. He didn’t know the lady’s name, but what he recalled of her physical appearance fits Melinda.”
“Okay, but why can’t I reach her? She’s never without her phone.”
“There have been a number of communication problems. Some cell towers were damaged by recent wildfires, and others were pulled down by flashflood debris. Most are back up, but there are still service outages in some areas. It’s possible the spotty service could be the reason for your inability to reach her.”
“Did you search our room? She might have left it behind—on the charger or something.”
“Sorry Mrs. Ross. I couldn’t search the room without an official investigation and a warrant.” Patrick couldn’t resist placing an emphasis on the Mrs. Ross when he had
addressed Lexie. Though he never took his eyes from her, his peripheral vision took note of Cutter’s reactions.
“There must be something we can do. I just don’t trust David.”
“Unfortunately, our gut feelings aren’t enough to initiate a full investigation. Keep me advised, if you hear from her, and I’ll do likewise.”
Cutter waited until the deputy departed the room to question her. Over twin dinner trays, she caught him up on the happenings of the past two and a half days since she’d last seen him. She laid her plans for the next day once Cutter went home. Lexie prayed she had enough strength and money to manage the long cab ride back to Lubbock.
With her shabby old handbag tucked under the robe, Lexie went on her usual post-breakfast walk. When she felt the coast was clear, she eased into the next elevator on its way down.
The elderly couple already in the conveyance didn’t pay the least bit of attention to her bulging rose robe. Exiting one floor up from the lobby, and stuffing the robe in the trash on her way out of the restroom that had been conveniently located near the transport. Only one more floor and out through the busy lobby. Lexie felt conspicuous as she exited the elevator. Her light blue gift shop tee declared, “Don’t mess with Texas” in bold red letters. The tee sort of coordinated with a baggy pair of red boxer shorts that she had purchased. However, the red clashed big time with the fuzzy rose slippers she’d been forced to wear, or go barefoot. She held her breath as she exited the front entrance, but in reality, no one had paid the least bit of attention to her. Luck was with her; the cab she had called from her room arrived just as she exited the prison like structure. The cab driver is looking at me like I am an escapee from a loony bin, which really isn’t too far from the truth. It wasn’t her strange footwear that concerned the cabbie, but her stated destination.
At least thirty miles passed in the air-conditioned cab on her long ride from the hospital to the hotel before she felt the tension melt from her body. Once able to relax she dozed off for the remainder of the trip. She emerged from her slumber when the cab halted. It took most of her funds to pay for the ride and leave a skimpy tip. The doorman was the first to notice her strange attire, as he was used to seeing her dressed like she just stepped out of one of those fashion magazines. She was grateful that he didn’t ask any questions, like where she had been. A thought flitted through her mind, Mel has probably filled him and everyone else in by now. Worn out, she was looking forward to a relaxing shower, some lunch, and a nap before attempting to locate a new iPhone. Mel’s voice reached her ears as she stepped through the door of their shared accommodations. Lexie set her bag on the desk near her friend’s laptop, and then proceeded to open the door to their bedroom. Expecting to find Mel, perhaps conversing with someone on her phone, the sight of her nude friend in bed having sex with David Decker hit her with all the impact of a knock out punch!
Cutter was helping Sam to assess the yearlings and two-year old horses they’d just penned up when his cell startled him as well as the young stud colt they were evaluating. Aggravated, he growled into the offending device, “WHAT?”
Twenty minutes later, he was setting land speed records for the trip to Amarillo. It was his custom to adjust the phone to vibrate, especially when working with green horses, but occasionally he would miss a call, which was not usually a major deal. He could always call back at a more opportune time. Considering Lexie’s condition since she slid into his life, he’d kept the volume turned up. He didn’t have the time or patience to mess with one of the phones with all the apps and functions. A basic push key cell with minimal functions served his purposes: emergency use and the ability to remain accessible.
Once he finally reached the hospital, he checked her room, the halls, and the solarium. Cutter extended the search to the cafeteria as well as the gift shop. It was at the shop that he picked up a clue to her disappearance. The clerk remembered a young lady matching Lexie’s description purchasing some clothing items for a few friends yesterday afternoon. She had paid cash for the items. Maybe she’d taken my joke to heart and fleeced some unsuspecting card players. Wherever she got the funds it was obvious she’d planned this getaway. He was on his way to the information desk in the lobby when his cell went off again. “What?”
“WOW! Do you always answer your phone like that?” He took his first relaxed breath in hours, and the ache between his shoulder blades began to ease. “Lex! Where in the hell are you?”
“In Lubbock. I just wanted to call you before you headed to the hospital, if that was on your agenda this evening.”
“Too late, but I appreciate the thought. Give me the address, and stay put until I get there.”
After she gave him the address of the hotel, and said she would meet him in the attached restaurant, Lexie ordered lunch. She settled in to wait for Cutter to arrive. That damn Thacker nurse had probably called him when I turned up missing for the tests doc had scheduled. Her pretend husband didn’t sound happy, and his voice turned to a low-pitched growl when she informed him that if he showed up with the ambulance—as suggested by Doc Callahan—she wouldn’t be here. He swore no ambulance would show up, and repeated his command to stay put. Lexie wished she had the strength and wherewithal to just leave Texas. She was in short supply of energy as well as funds, and had run out of options. I can’t in good conscience, leave Lubbock until I exhaust all possibilities to extricate Mel from David’s clutches.
She picked at her salad while she recalled the earlier confrontation with Mel and David. Her relief at discovering that her friend had returned was short-lived. The fact that she found Mel in a compromising situation with her cyber-Romeo fired Lexie’s notoriously bad temper. She gave them five minutes to get up and get dressed. Mel came out in a pink robe reminiscent of the rose one now occupying a trash can at the hospital, and she too was on the warpath. Lexie demanded to know why Decker was in their shared bedroom. They’d agreed no men in the suite, let alone the bedroom. To that Mel replied, “My parents are footing the bill for this place, and I can have anyone I wish stay over. If you don’t like it, Lexie, you can move out.” Lexie gathered her belongings and packed her clothes while David looked on with a smug expression, still sprawled under the sheets. If I had been in decent shape, and not on the verge of collapse, I would have put a world of hurt on that creep. A hotel valet had loaded her luggage onto a cart, and escorted her down to the lobby, where she’d officially checked out and made the call to Cutter.
He arrived much sooner than she anticipated, and she was having second thoughts about her decision to call him. His countenance could have been chiseled out of stone, except for a fascinating tick in his jaw. It didn’t escape her notice that his normally warm smoky eyes appeared glacial. Lexie fought the urge to shiver. “Have you had lunch, Cutter?”
“No. I was hightailing it to Amarillo well before our usual lunch break.”
“I’m sorry, but it’s your own fault. If you hadn’t told them I was your wife, they wouldn’t have called you just because I took an extended walk. I did try to head you off.”
“You call this an extended walk?” He was still growling at her.
“It wasn’t necessary for you to come here.” Her tone became belligerent; she stiffened her spine, and glared right back in his stormy countenance.
“Can it, Lex. Why are you hanging out down here instead of resting in your room?”
“I checked out.”
“Why?”
“If you order something to eat, it might improve your disposition. I’ll update you on events while you have lunch.”
While he worked on the biggest burger she’d ever seen, she brought him up to speed. She explained that since Deputy Boyd couldn’t search their room she felt that she had to do it. Her friend had returned, but not alone. Lexie guided him through the nasty confrontation, and up to the present.
“Suppose I hadn’t shown up, what was your plan?”
“First, I was going to rent a car, and try to replace my phone that is
either still buried deep in the muck on your ranch or went the way of Mel’s Cadillac. Then, I have to find a more affordable place to live while I hunt for a for a bookkeeping or entry level accounting job.”
“That’s pretty ambitious for someone barely off life support.”
“Maybe I’m not a hundred percent, but hanging around that hospital wasn’t doing me any good, and it isn’t like I am looking for a physically demanding job. Another day or two of that hospital routine, and I would have had to be fitted for a straight jacket.”
“ As it happens I know of someone in desperate need of an accountant, or the very least a competent bookkeeper to sort out their business dealings. Can you handle it?”
“I have had some experience in that area. How bad is it?”
“I’ll set up and interview for tomorrow. You’ll want to get a good night of rest and be fresh. Let’s see about replacing your phone for starters.”
“What about the rental car?”
“If you get the job, there will be plenty of time to worry about renting a car. In the mean time, you can use mine.”
Though reluctant to be in his debt further she realized her options, as well as her strength were severely limited at the moment. She nodded her aching head, “Fine”
Lexie was able to acquire a new iPhone at a reduced price since she’d had the good sense to purchase insurance on the previous one. At the time, she’d been more concerned with its theft than the hazard of mud and floods halfway across the U.S. What she wasn’t prepared for was returning to Cutter’s ranch for the night. He was right; she was too tired to look for lodgings, and he refused to even consider letting her find another hotel or motel for the night. He offered to loan her the Yukon she was now traveling in, and he insisted that the interview would be much closer to his ranch. She didn’t remember much about her arrival, or the short time she had spent there. She did recall the middle of nowhere feeling she had experienced while she’d been trying to find Decker’s place. The same sensation once again assailed her, but the dust following in the wake of his Silver Yukon was the polar opposite of the monsoon she’d tried to navigate through that day. Parched, cracked, and heaved, the ground screamed, ankle breaker! The landscape as far as she could see begged for rain.
