“The advantage of driving a truck is that you’re higher up off the road, but each year at least one person ends up stalled in the water because the engine flooded, and sadly most of them don’t realize how dangerous it can be, especially with the water moving along quickly. That place where you were yesterday often floods in this kind of rain.”
“Yeah, I can see that. The ground was spongy in places.” She hoped it wouldn’t overflow since any other evidence there would definitely be lost.
“So, how are the boys doing? I assume Call gave you an update?”
“They’re out of danger. I’d like to talk to them, but since my hip is really sore, I plan to do nothing more strenuous than curl up on the couch and watch TV.”
“If you like old movies, you can get a couple of classic channels.”
“I’ll check it out,” she said forking eggs into her mouth.
“If it’s nice on Saturday, that offer to take you out to the homestead and maybe go riding still stands. Jezebel is a fine old lady. We can ride to a natural pond at the back of the property and have a picnic. If you bring your camera, you might be able to take some pictures. There are lots of different species of butterflies and birds in the area. Might even see some rabbits and white-tailed deer.”
“I may take you up on that. I’ve missed being able to get out the way I used to.
“If you aren’t too tired later on, we can go into Waterloo and have that burger I promised you yesterday and go to the movies. They’ve got an Ultrascreen there that’s really something to see.”
Her brain told her to say no, but she refused to listen. What harm could there be in pretending they were a normal couple interested in one another if only for one day? Jackson was trying to make amends for yesterday’s heavy-handedness, and it would be churlish of her to refuse his peace offering. “I’d like that.”
They polished off the eggs and banana muffins in short order and were each on a second cup of coffee when Jackson leaned back. “Those had to be the best scrambled eggs I’ve had in ages. I have a few hens at home and eat eggs almost every day, and as an egg connoisseur, I can tell you these were eggcellent.”
She chuckled at the play on the word. “Cute. This is my mother’s recipe—shredded extra old cheddar, cream, chives, onion powder, pepper, and a pinch of sage.”
“You’ll have to make them for me again, sometime. I’ll bring the eggs.”
“It’ll be my pleasure. After you drive me around until my car’s ready, I’ll owe you more than one meal.”
“As a lonely bachelor who’s eaten everything on the menu all the local restaurants have to offer, I’ll take whatever home cooking I can get, but you won’t owe me anything. This is a friend helping out another friend. We are friends, Emily, aren’t we?”
“We are.” She swallowed awkwardly at the intense look he gave her, and expected him to say something else, but he stood and carried the plates and cups to the sink. Coming back to the table, he cleared his throat. “If I’m going to get that medicine for you, I’d better get going. Kassels closes at four on Thursdays. This is a small town, and some things never change.”
“I’ll get the prescription.”
Once Jackson had left, Emily dropped into the chair near the windows, realizing how quiet and empty the apartment seemed all of a sudden. Her four bedroom house in El Paso had never felt this lonely, not even in the first few days after she’d been released from the rehab facility. The PTSD she’d suffered from the explosion and the loss of the baby and Alex had been even more crippling than the loss of her leg and staring at a stranger in the mirror.
“Don’t start feeling sorry for yourself,” she admonished herself aloud. “You know dam well, it doesn’t do any good. There will be no pity parties in Braden. You’re lucky to be alive, and you’ve made good friends here, including a very nice man who isn’t looking for a booty call, but actually treats you with respect. Next week, you’ll start the Healthy Living Initiative and worry about the Chef’s strange behavior when you’re sure all this really is him and not some copycat. For now, as Bobby says…Don’t worry, be happy.”
Using the remote, she turned on the television, found an old John Wayne movie and went into the kitchen to wash the dishes. Twenty minutes later, she was putting away the last of the dishes when Jackson knocked at the door and announced himself. “I’m back,” he said in a singsong voice that made her laugh.
“You sound like a commercial for Poltergeist. She opened the door, and smiled when he handed her a small bag from the drug store and a bouquet of mixed flowers. “They’re beautiful,” she said reaching for the floral arrangements. “Thank you, but you didn’t have to bother.”
“I did. They’re to thank you for feeding me, but alas, as much as I’d like to come back in and spend more time with you, I have to get back and feed the beasts. Napoleon and Jezebel get irritable if I’m late with their mash, and Bessie has to be milked. I’ll pick you up around eleven Saturday if that works?”
“I’ll be ready.”
“Okay. I’ll see you then.”
“And thank you.”
He nodded. “All part of the service.”
She smiled. “Have a great night.” After closing the door, she leaned back against it as Jackson had done this morning and inhaled the spicy scent of the carnations that were part of the bouquet. When was the last time a man, other than her father, had bought her flowers?
Alex hadn’t because he saw cut flowers as a waste of money since they were destined to die within a day or two. Always practical. That could’ve been his epitaph, but she’d loved him, and had he and the baby survived, they would’ve made a go of things, but suddenly, she wanted more. She wanted a man who bought her flowers for no reason at all—she wanted Jackson. But first, the Chef had to go, and then, she would tell him the truth, the whole truth, and see where that took them.
A sound from her computer indicated a message had come in and she expected it was from Kyle. Hurrying into the kitchen, she put the flowers in a vase with water and the flower food that had been wrapped around the stems, and placed the bouquet on the table. Going into the office, she called up her email program.
The message from Kyle was short and to the point. It read: I will contact the principal on Monday and take care of the problem. Rick will look into getting you more help. Be safe.
She sighed. Just how upset would Jackson be when he learned the entire truth?
* * * *
Jackson whistled as he walked back to the truck, ready to drive home in the best mood he’d been in since before Uncle Jack had passed. It was amazing how things could change so quickly. Talking to Micah last night had really put things into perspective for him. He’d still been hurt and angry when he’d sat down with her, and more than a little surprised to discover Kevin was there with her family. Apparently, she and Kevin had been close, really close, back when she’d come to visit.
The deputy was a couple of years younger than she was, but at their age, what was a year or two between friends. They’d talked after their meeting on Monday and Kevin had invited her and her aunt and uncle, back to Buddy’s for a casual supper and Karaoke. Seeing that guy humble and quiet, and definitely smitten, had been a revelation, and it had made him realize how alone he was.
Annoyed with himself for feeling the way he had, he casually mentioned the Healthy Living Initiative, thinking he could send Emily packing, as the only sensible way to protect himself from her machinations, and get his science teacher to handle things, and as soon as the thought popped into his head, he realized it was the last thing he wanted. He didn’t want Emily to leave—not next week, not next year. She was the first woman who’d made him feel alive in years. He would have to find a way to make amends for his behavior earlier.
Micah had sung the praises of the government for providing the funding and an expert to implement it. Apparently, her school in San Diego had been part of the lunch program for two years, and they’d started and anti-drug initiative
last year as an extension of it. She mentioned that it was a shame kids had died of meth and other drug overdoses before anyone had realized that educating them to the dangers of that crap was as important as every other aspect of the curriculum. It wouldn’t be the first time the government had shut the barn doors after the horses had run away.
He shook his head as he thought of how incredibly stupid he’d been. There wasn’t a second agenda here. Emily was doing exactly what she said she was, working with the FDA and the DEA to educate people about the dangers of drugs and the benefits of good nutrition. The only plan she was talking about was the one that had her making inroads with the kids before that Chef set up his poisonous kitchen. If he wanted to pick a fight with someone over being left out of the loop, then he needed to talk to Cal.
The second thing he’d realized when he’d been part way home was that Emily had been in serious danger and could’ve been killed. Any man who thought nothing of trying to run her off the road would see taking shots at her as just another way to get things done. He doubted the person responsible for either of those incidents had anything to do with Mabel, but he’d made a point of telling Daryl that anyone who messed with Emily would answer to him. Cal should be providing her with protection, but since he didn’t seem to be, he’d step up to the plate and do it himself. Hoping Emily would accept his help, he slowed as he drove through a particularly deep puddle. Thank God, she accepted his apology this afternoon. He figured he’d gotten off easy. His plan had called for a lot more groveling had it been necessary.
Pulling up in front of the homestead, he rushed inside to change, and hurried out to the barn. He cleaned out the stalls, fed the animals, milked Bessie, and collected the eggs he hadn’t had time to get this morning. Carrying his brown treasures inside, he thought of the delicious brunch he’d shared with Emily this morning. While Mabel’s frozen casseroles were great for those days when he didn’t want to eat in town, he missed fresh home cooked meals. Emily was obviously a hell of a chef.
After making himself a ham and cheese sandwich and heating up a can of tomato soup, he set to work rearranging furniture to make the living area look less cluttered. Naomi had called the place a dump, but he loved his home almost as much as he’d loved the man who’d raised him here. The sterile brass and glass apartment she had in Des Moines was fine in the short term, but he never would’ve been able to live like that. He wanted Emily to love his home as much as he did.
It was just after midnight when exhausted but pleased with his efforts, he fell into bed and hoped for a good night’s sleep. Mike Reynolds was away for a couple of weeks. That gave him home field advantage, and he intended to do his best to convince Emily they could be more than colleagues and friends. He pictured her sitting on the swing on the veranda having coffee and watching the sunset with him. All those dreams of a wife and family he’d pushed deep into his subconscious surfaced, and instead of Naomi, a beautiful slender brunette with the eyes of a cat smiled at him.
He had the day planned out for tomorrow and would spend the morning polishing that second saddle until it gleamed. He needed wash the heavy blanket he used when he wanted to sit on the ground and would put a bottle of white wine in the fridge to chill. The furniture he didn’t need he would take over to the ranch manager’s house for now. He could drop in after lunch and take her for groceries, since Mike wouldn’t be around to do it. Maybe he would even offer to take her to the movies and get that burger in Waterloo.
Come Saturday, he intended to make sure she had the time of her life. There wouldn’t be any talk of school, nutrition or drug dealers. They would be two people getting to know one another. If he played his cards right, he might even get to kiss her. He liked to do a whole lot of other things to her—like bury himself in her while she wrapped those gorgeous long legs around him, but that would have to wait. He was getting ahead of himself. Maybe she would let him put his arm around her in the theater. That’s all he could hope for and if he got lucky, so be it.
“Baby steps, Jackson, baby steps,” he could almost hear Uncle Jack say. “The good ones are worth taking the time to woo properly.”
He yawned and rolled over. Tomorrow couldn’t come fast enough.
Chapter Thirteen
At the sound of her familiar ringtone, Emily wheeled herself from the bedroom to the kitchen where she’d left her cellphone. Last evening, Lisa Manning had sent Joey over to tell her the family wouldn’t be going to church on Sunday. His aunt had sprained her ankle, and his mother was going to help out with the kids. His father was taking her there, but would be back tomorrow. He’d heard from his friend Todd that her car was at AK’s garage, and he was available to take her wherever she wanted to go, including church on Sunday.
She’d thanked him, but dismissed his offer, agreeing to let him know if she needed anything.
The phone rang once more, and she reached for it. It was probably Jackson cancelling their plans for tomorrow afternoon, since it was expected to rain at least another day, and that was just as well. While the rain had let up for a few hours during the night and early this morning, it had started in earnest again. Even if it stopped within the next couple of hours, there was no way they would be able to go riding and have a picnic. The ground would be a muddy mess.
While she would love to spend the day with him and had come up with all kinds of fantasies about the man in her dreams last night, going so far as to imagining falling in love and having babies with him, the reality was they would never be more than friends, but that was fine. People needed friends. Right now, the thought of having to put on her prosthesis was disconcerting. She’d lined the cuff with moleskin where it had rubbed, but another day’s rest would make all the difference. When she went to Chicago for the Columbus Day weekend, she would see if she could get the cuff adjusted.
Once Jackson had left yesterday, she’d removed the prosthesis and had hobbled around on one crutch. By mid-evening, her lower back ached, and she resorted to the wheelchair. No doubt, the cold and dampness added to her discomfort. Looking down at the display, she was disappointed to see Cal’s number there. “Good morning, Cal,” she said hoping he couldn’t hear the regret in her voice. “What’s up?”
“The rain let up for an hour around seven this morning, and I took a run out by the river since I wanted to see if I could dig that slug out of the tree,” he answered, his voice filled with frustration. “Someone doesn’t want anyone to know what the hell happened out there. From the looks of it, they rototilled the clearing probably on Wednesday night, knowing what would happen if they did that and it rained. The damn place is a muddy mess, looking more like a farmer’s field ready for planting than a clearing beside the river. It’ll be at least a couple of days before I can get close enough to even look for a slug in the tree, but my money says he dug it out before plowing the land. I’m sorry, Emily. Sending the techs out would probably be a waste of time.”
“It isn’t your fault, Cal,” she replied disappointed by this latest turn of events. How did the bastard manage to stay one step ahead of them all the time? “I’ve got a few things, and they’ll have to do. I’m convinced whatever’s going on here is because of that body. It wasn’t supposed to be found. I’m sure of that now.” If someone was monitoring her cellphone, they were about to get an earful. “I was shot at because I was in that clearing looking for evidence. Those kids who found the body were poisoned because they knew something about that man or his killer. We have to identify that corpse.”
“I agree. I’ll call Des Moines and see if they’ve made any progress on that. I’m going to go by the nursing home and see my friends today. Apparently, they’re coming along nicely. Maybe they can tell me something about their accident. I’ll call you if I learn anything.” Obviously, Cal wasn’t going to risk the lives of those kids in case someone was eavesdropping.
“Give your friends my best. I’m glad they weren’t seriously harmed.”
“So am I. What are your plans for the day?”
He chuckled. “It’s either that or wash your hair, right? Remember what I said Friday night. I don’t want you taking any chances. Since you don’t have a car, that’s one less thing for me to worry about. Well, if you need anything…”
“I know, Cal, and I will be careful. I have no intention of going off on my own for the next little while. I’ll call if I need anything at all, I promise. The Manning’s are right across the hall if anything happens, not that I expect it to. Have a great day.”
There was no point in telling him the only Manning across the hall was Joey. Hanging up the phone, she wheeled herself over to the counter and poured herself another cup of coffee. Looking at the clock, she saw it was almost eleven fifteen. She leaned back in the chair and sipped her favorite brew, mentally ticking off the jobs she could do today.
The sound of someone knocking as the door startled her, and she realized she’d been woolgathering for at least ten minutes. Putting down the empty mug while surprised to see she’d finished her drink, she wheeled herself over to the door. It was probably Joey checking on her. He said he’d drop by before he went out in case she needed something. “Who is it?”
“Jackson.”
“Just a sec.” Looking down and seeing the quilt in place, she unlocked the door.
There was astonishment on his face when he saw the wheelchair.
“You should’ve called first. What brings you here this morning?” she said backing away from the doorway to let him in.
Secrets and Lies (Hearts Of Braden Book 4) Page 20
