Rhea clenched her jaw. “I saw someone,” she said through gritted teeth.
“Okay,” Morgan said and raised her hand. “I believe you. I’m just saying it wasn’t me.”
Rhea’s legs went weak with relief, and she fought the urge to be sick. She’d almost hit Morgan. She didn’t want to think of that. She would never hurt Morgan.
“Whoever it was is long gone now. Let’s go see what they were doing in the storeroom.”
Rhea nodded.
Morgan flipped the switch just inside the door and light flooded the room. A crate was turned over on the floor and spools of wire and bolts were everywhere.
“Did you do this?” Morgan asked.
Rhea shook her head. “That must have been the crash I heard. That’s what made me come back here.”
A muscle jumped at the side of Morgan’s jaw, and Rhea held her breath. There was no reason for Morgan to believe her. It didn’t make sense for anyone to be out there in this weather.
“Are you okay?”
Rhea was stunned. She’d expected Morgan to doubt her, question what she saw. But Morgan didn’t do that. “I’m okay.” She looked around the room and tried to figure out what someone would want in there. She frowned as a thought occurred to her. “What were you doing out here, this late at night?”
“I couldn’t sleep, and I thought I heard something outside. I came out to check on things.”
That made sense. If Morgan heard something too maybe someone really had been out there. She wasn’t imagining things. She didn’t want to admit that she had gotten caught up in the past and lost it. “I’m sorry I almost hit you.”
Morgan shook her head. “You didn’t expect it to be me. I might have done the same thing.”
Rhea laughed. “Right. I didn’t see you carrying a crowbar. I can’t imagine you hurting anybody.”
Morgan stared at Rhea. She wasn’t sure what was going on, but Rhea had been out of it, and she was certain Rhea would have clubbed her if she hadn’t stopped her. But Rhea was right. “No, I wouldn’t. But I’m not going to let someone hurt me either.”
Rhea bit her lip. “What do we do now?”
Morgan shrugged. “I guess we check around, take another good look in the morning, and move on.”
Rhea frowned. “Aren’t you going to call the police?”
Morgan looked away. “No. Not until we find something missing or damaged. This could have just been someone trying to get in out of the weather.”
Morgan watched the questions and doubt flicker in Rhea’s eyes. She believed Rhea, but she couldn’t involve the police. That would just place more suspicion on Rhea after everything else that had been going on. There had been a moment when Rhea wasn’t reacting to her, like Rhea was stuck somewhere in her past where her fear blinded her to what was real. Was it possible that Rhea had imagined it all, and the noise she’d heard had been Rhea blundering around in the dark? No. It wouldn’t help anyone to involve the police. Not until she had some proof someone had been there.
“Come on. Let’s go see about the rest of the farm. I need to see about the studio and the animals. There isn’t much more around here anyone would be interested in.”
Rhea nodded. “Do you want me to go to the barn while you check the studio?”
“No. I don’t want us to split up in case someone is lurking around. Do you have a flashlight in the shop?”
“Sure. Give me a minute.”
Rhea retreated into the shop, and Morgan studied the room. She moved the crate aside and found a large muddy footprint. She shifted some things around, but the rest of the mud in the room was scuffed and no patterns stood out. This one footprint was all she had, and there was one thing for certain—this was not Rhea’s footprint, not unless she was sloshing around in a pair of size twelve mud boots. She put the crate down. What did it mean?
“Got it,” Rhea said as she rushed back into the room.
Morgan smiled to defuse the tension. “Do you mind checking the barn first? I’d like to make sure the animals are okay.”
Rhea’s smile was uneasy, but she agreed. “Sure.”
Morgan took the flashlight and stepped out into the rain.
*
“Come inside for a bit, there’s something I’d like to talk to you about,” Morgan said as they closed up the shop.
Rhea was relieved they hadn’t found any sign of anyone lurking around, but she was still afraid Morgan thought she was crazy. She paused on the porch uncertain what to expect. “What’s up?” Rhea asked.
“Let’s go inside.” Morgan kept walking. “I’m cold and wet and my bones are starting to ache.”
Rhea tensed. She and Morgan had done a lot of work together since her revelation, but they hadn’t talked about that night since. She wasn’t sure she was ready to play twenty questions with her past. She considered brushing Morgan off with an excuse, but she couldn’t think of any reason that made any sense. If she was honest, part of her trepidation was because she enjoyed being with Morgan. She gave up looking for a way out and followed Morgan to the house. She focused on the sound of the rain and timed her footsteps to Morgan’s. She was soothed by the rhythm of their strides and the slosh of their boots against the sodden earth.
Rhea stopped just inside the door where the memory of the first time she met Morgan made her stop. She stooped and took off her boots. There was no way she was making that mistake again, no matter how tempted she was by the alluring warmth of the fire.
She waited while Morgan hung their coats by the door.
“Coffee?” Morgan asked.
Rhea shook her head. “No, thanks.” She winced at the slight catch in her voice, but Morgan didn’t seem to notice and went on into the kitchen. Rhea watched Morgan move around the room and couldn’t keep her eyes off her. She recalled the feel of Morgan’s body pressed against her when they had run into each other outside the barn. There had been a moment when the fear subsided and she realized she was in Morgan’s arms. She had wanted to put her arms around Morgan and bury her face against her.
Morgan must have thought she was out of her mind. First she’d had a complete meltdown after the incident at the diner, and now she’d practically attacked Morgan over some noises in the dark.
“Come on in and have a seat,” Morgan said as she sat down in the big chair by the fire.
Rhea jumped at the sound of Morgan’s voice. She’d been totally lost in her thoughts and forgotten what she was doing. She took a seat on the sofa across from Morgan.
“There’s something I need to talk to you about,” Morgan said as she leaned forward and placed her elbows on her knees.
Rhea’s stomach lurched, and she automatically expected bad news.
“I’ve been thinking about what happened in town, and I’ve received a few calls. The chief of police has let me know there may be trouble brewing.”
Rhea closed her hands around her knees until the pain distracted her enough to keep her grounded in the moment. It wouldn’t do any good to panic before she heard Morgan out. “What kind of trouble?”
Morgan shook her head. “I’m not sure. But having someone sneaking around the farm at night has me worried. I can’t think of anyone who would bother us out here, but people have surprised me before.”
“Why didn’t you call the police tonight?” Rhea asked.
Morgan sighed. “I wanted to talk to you first. I don’t want to bring the sheriff into this if it’ll cause more problems for you.”
Rhea tried to understand Morgan’s logic. “How would that cause problems for me?”
“I’m not sure. I don’t really have any evidence that anyone was here, and I don’t want anyone looking at you for trouble.”
Rhea clenched her jaw. “Isn’t that what I am?”
“No, you’re not. And I think it’s time the people of this town learned that too.”
Rhea studied Morgan but couldn’t figure out what she was up to. “What does that mean?”
Morgan smiled. “I
think it’s time you get out there and meet people. Let them get to know you. You’ve been here on the farm for months with hardly anyone seeing you. It might look like you’re trying to hide. I think people only fear what they don’t know and what they don’t understand.”
Rhea shook her head. “You saw what happened at the diner. Do you really want me to walk into a fight?”
Morgan moved to the sofa and sat beside Rhea. She placed her hand on Rhea’s knee and met her gaze. “Not a fight, I just think that people will feel better when they see the real you, not some monster they’ve conjured in their minds.”
Rhea blew out a breath. She had promised herself to never be a victim again. Morgan was asking her to stand up and fight for her place in the world, and she wanted to, but someone was already lurking around the farm. What would this mean for Morgan? “What happens when those people out there turn on you? I know what my risks are, but are you sure you understand what you have to lose here?”
Rhea’s breath caught when Morgan took her hand, lacing their fingers together.
“It won’t come to that,” Morgan said.
Rhea’s throat went dry, and all she could think of was the feel of Morgan’s hand wrapped around hers.
“You don’t know that,” Rhea whispered. She scanned Morgan’s face and was drawn into the tenderness of her eyes and the confidence in her voice. Rhea looked away when her gaze landed on Morgan’s lips. She pulled away from Morgan. God, what was she doing? “I’m not someone you need to save, Morgan.”
Morgan reached for her hand again and the touch made her look back. Morgan looked sad and the grip around Rhea’s heart tightened.
Morgan gripped her hand tighter. “This is as much about saving myself as it is you.”
The warmth of Morgan’s hand was like a lifeline holding her on course, and Rhea marveled at her need to have Morgan believe she was worth saving. “The world gave up on me a long time ago, but not you. You don’t need to be saved. I’ve seen how people react to you. They love you.”
Morgan pulled Rhea’s hand into her lap and squeezed.
Rhea stopped breathing. She didn’t understand her need for Morgan’s trust, her need for her friendship, or this new infatuation with just being near her. As far back as she could remember, she had hated physical contact with anyone. The new craving for closeness was completely foreign, and she had no idea what it meant or what to do about it.
Rhea held on to Morgan’s hand and took a steadying breath. “What do you want me to do?”
Morgan smiled. “Just trust me.”
Chapter Nine
Morgan slid the last box out of the truck and closed the tailgate. She tried to act normal, but her insides were in knots. It was the first week in April, time for the Spring Arts Festival, and she smiled at Rhea as they started toward the crowd. The festival was a local event put on every year to raise money and supplies for the area no-kill animal shelter. Most of the town would be there, and it would be Rhea’s first test.
Morgan wondered if this was a good idea. Rhea looked like she was about to climb out of her skin and was more than a little jumpy, but she was handling things better than expected, considering what she’d been through. Rhea had to be worried about how people would react to her, but Morgan was certain this was what they needed to do to let people see the good in Rhea, not the monster they wanted to believe in.
“You ready?” Morgan asked as she bumped Rhea’s shoulder with her own.
Rhea pushed back playfully. “No, but that’s not going to stop me.”
“Hey, Morgan.”
Morgan looked up at the sound of her name. Her friend Alex was heading her way with a familiar mischievous grin on her face. Morgan was relieved to see someone she trusted. Having Rhea meet Alex was the first step in her plan.
“Hey, Alex,” Morgan replied. She set the box down and embraced Alex with a warm hug. “I’m glad you could make it.”
Alex slapped Morgan on the back. “I wouldn’t miss it,” she said before she let go. “Just promise me I won’t have to take any of this year’s representatives home with me. If I bring home one more dog, Christian will kill me.”
Morgan laughed. “Speaking of Christian, where is she?”
Alex shrugged. “She couldn’t make it. She still works part-time out of the New Orleans office and had some things come up.”
“That’s too bad.” It was always good to see Alex, and it would have been comforting to lose herself in their familiar banter, but her attention was on Rhea, who stood to the side, watching with an awkward expression.
“She’ll wish she was here after the puppy parade.” Morgan slid her arm playfully around Alex’s shoulder. “Come here, there’s someone I want you to meet,” she said as she gestured to Rhea. “Alex, this is my friend and work associate, Rhea Daniels.” She turned to Rhea. “Rhea, this is my friend and fellow artist, Alex Moore.”
Rhea extended her hand and smiled at Alex. Morgan could see the shimmer of distrust in her eyes but was pleased by Rhea’s effort to get to know her friend.
“Ah, you’re the new girl in town who’s finally made Morgan admit she needed some help.” Alex shook Rhea’s hand enthusiastically. “I’m very glad to meet you, Rhea, and good job. Maybe with your help, I’ll see Morgan more than every three months or so.”
Rhea glanced at Morgan and smiled back at Alex. “I’ll do what I can.”
Morgan picked up her box and grimaced toward Alex. “Please tell me you’ve already set up the booth.”
Alex smiled. “Of course I did. Someone’s got to keep your head above water.”
Morgan was happy Alex had agreed to work the event with her and Rhea. It would help to have another trusted face around if any problems emerged. Alex was a good friend and no stranger to the challenges of moving to a small town.
An hour later they didn’t have time to worry about anything, other than if they had made enough of the custom dog tags Morgan designed for the event. Rhea was in charge of money and packaging, which meant she had to talk to every person who made a purchase. To her credit, she’d managed to win over the majority of the patrons, young and old.
When the crowd began to thin, Morgan took a minute to check on Rhea. “Good job today. How are you feeling?”
“Tired,” Rhea answered.
Morgan laughed. “Tired? You work harder than this on the farm.”
“Yeah, but I don’t have to talk to people all day there. This is exhausting.”
Morgan laughed again. “Well, you did great. I think things will die down quite a bit now. The puppy parade is always a big draw.”
The puppy parade was the last event of the evening, so they packed up early to enjoy the show. It wasn’t long before Alex found a new friend, and Morgan couldn’t resist giving her a hard time about the three-legged cat she had adopted, named Tripod. She was the last cat of the day to find a home, and Alex hadn’t been able to let her go back to the shelter without any of her feline friends.
“I thought you said Christian would kill you if you brought home another pet.”
Alex shrugged and smiled mischievously. “I said she’d kill me if I brought home another dog. She didn’t say we couldn’t have a cat. Besides, look at her, she needs us.”
Morgan laughed. “I’m sure that’s what she meant.”
A wave of unease began to creep across Morgan’s skin, and she instinctively turned to find Rhea. She started to panic when she didn’t see Rhea close by.
“What is it?” Alex asked.
“Have you seen Rhea?”
Alex looked around. “No. I hadn’t noticed we’d lost her.”
Morgan peered through the crowd. “I think I’ll go back and see if I can find her.”
Alex frowned. “I’m sure she’s fine.”
“I know. I’ll just feel better if I know where she is and see that she’s okay.”
Alex took Morgan’s arm. “Is everything okay? This isn’t like you, Morgan.”
Morgan sighed. “Rh
ea’s had a hard time, and there’s been a little trouble with some of the folks in town.”
Alex’s grip tightened on her arm. “What kind of trouble?”
Morgan started walking and pulled Alex along with her. “I can’t explain right now. I just need to find her.”
“Okay. The last time I saw her, we were at the adoption pens.”
Morgan nodded and changed course. She pushed through the crowd to the field behind the parade where the adoption tent was set up. The moment her eyes fell on Rhea the relief was like surfacing for air after being held underwater. Rhea was sitting on the ground in front of a large dog kennel. She looked small and fragile sitting like a child on the ground as she talked to a very large German shepherd. The dog was completely black and its eyes were like glistening black pearls looking back at Rhea. Its long pink tongue lolled in a goofy smile.
“Well, I guess we found her.” Alex set the pet carrier down and crossed her arms across her chest and smiled.
“Yeah,” Morgan answered.
“She looks okay to me.”
Morgan caught the humor in Alex’s voice and smiled. Alex was looking at her with that I know you look, and Morgan didn’t want to answer any of the questions that were brewing in Alex’s mind. She turned to Alex and gripped her shoulder with one hand. “Will you look after Rhea for a few minutes?” She held Alex’s gaze. “I have something I need to do.”
Alex sighed. “Okay, but after this you’ve got a lot of explaining to do.”
Morgan smiled. “I promise. Thanks.”
She was surprised this hadn’t occurred to her sooner. Without question she knew she was doing the right thing. “Hi,” Morgan said as she entered the tent, “can you tell me about the German shepherd you have outside?”
The young girl perched behind the folding table smiled up at Morgan. “Oh my gosh, yes. That’s Soldier. We just got him a few days ago. It’s sad really. He’s a war dog, you know what I mean? He actually went to war. He’s retired now, but his owner, a local guy he was with over there, was killed in a motorcycle crash last month. The guy’s family tried, but they just can’t manage him.”
Love’s Redemption Page 11
