“How sad,” Morgan said.
“Tell me about it. He should have a medal for what he’s done. He doesn’t deserve this.”
Morgan nodded. “I agree, and I’d like to do something about that.”
Ten minutes later Morgan stepped up behind Rhea and Alex, still hanging out with Soldier. “Looks like the puppy parade is winding down. Are you guys ready to go home?”
Alex was eyeing her with a grin, and Rhea just looked sad.
“Hey, Morgan, where’ve you been?” Rhea said as she glanced up.
“Around. You ready?”
Rhea sighed and brushed her fingers across Soldier’s nose through the bars of his crate. “Got to go, buddy.”
Rhea stood up and dusted off her jeans. When she turned around Morgan handed her a leash and tried not to smile at the confused look on her face.
“What’s this for?” Rhea asked.
“Well, the farm is a little wild, but the city and the park require you to have your dog on a leash.” Morgan waited for the point to sink in.
“What?” Rhea’s eyes grew wide. “Are you serious?”
“He’s been through a lot and he’ll need to be with you almost all the time. I thought you’d be the perfect person to help Soldier out. Do you mind?”
Rhea’s mouth fell open. “He’s really mine?” she whispered.
Morgan nodded. “You’re his.”
Rhea instantly transformed from disbelieving to jubilant. She threw her arms around Morgan and hugged her close. The instant Rhea touched her, the world around Morgan melted away, and there was nothing but the feel of Rhea’s body against hers. She’d been worried that she might be overstepping by giving Rhea a dog, but Rhea needed Soldier as much as he needed her. Rhea needed to belong to someone, have a connection to another living being, and a dog could give her love without taking, and security that Rhea couldn’t trust in a person. Morgan closed her eyes, breathed deeply, and relished Rhea’s happiness.
Morgan swayed on her feet when Rhea released her, and she tried to push aside the loneliness that replaced the warmth of her touch.
Rhea kneeled and opened the crate and snapped the leash onto the dog’s collar. “Come on, boy, we’re going home.”
Soldier rewarded Rhea with a gentle head-butt and licked her face in affirmation of their pairing. Morgan’s reservations vanished at the sight of the two together.
“Excuse me, but is there something you’d like to tell me?” Alex asked with a sly grin.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Morgan answered.
Alex raised an eyebrow. “That’s not what I see.”
Morgan frowned and turned to her friend. “There’s nothing going on, Alex. I’m just trying to help. She needs it, even if she won’t admit it. She doesn’t have anyone else.”
Alex patted her on the back. “Sounds like someone else I know.”
Morgan shook her head. “This isn’t about me.”
Alex smiled. “However you want to explain this, your heart is in it and that makes it about you.”
“Alex…”
Alex put her hands up. “No worries. I like her. And the fact that you like her makes her special. Just be careful, buddy.”
Morgan nodded. “Thanks.”
Rhea and Soldier looked like the celebration was ready to move forward.
“Ready?” Morgan asked Rhea.
Rhea smiled and Morgan’s heart melted. “Yeah, we’re ready.”
Soldier let out a resounding bark followed by a toothy grin.
Morgan laughed. “Let’s go home.”
*
Rhea shivered against the cold night air, wondering when winter would finally loosen its grip and the temperature would manage to stay above forty degrees at night. She pulled the blanket closer under her chin and listened to the crackle of the fire as she watched Soldier sleep on the large pillow shaped like a giant doughnut. The instant she’d seen him, she had fallen in love. There was something haunted in his eyes that spoke to her, and somehow she knew this dog understood her.
She marveled at how much her life had changed in just a few short weeks. If she thought about it too much, she found it difficult to imagine either her past or her present was real. Her past and all its pain was a nightmare, and sometimes she wanted to believe she had made the whole thing up in her imagination. But her present didn’t feel real either. She felt like an imposter, pretending to be someone she wasn’t. She sighed. Where did she belong?
Soldier groaned in his sleep and began to whine. Rhea’s heart hurt for him. What terrors haunted him in his sleep? Did he understand what had happened to him? As if reading her thoughts, Soldier opened his eyes, raised one eyebrow and met her gaze as if asking a question.
“It’s okay, boy. We’re going to be okay.”
Apparently accepting her word, he shifted his head onto his paws with a satisfied sigh.
Rhea smiled to herself, pleased that he was there. It was strange to worry about something other than herself and wonder about his thoughts, his feelings, and his happiness. She’d grown up around animals on the farm but hadn’t been allowed to have pets. Her mother thought they were too dirty to be inside, and she had learned not to get attached to the farm animals that were often sold or ended up as dinner.
Rhea shuddered at the sudden memory of her father forcing her to kill her favorite laying hen. The chicken was the closest thing she’d had to a friend. Rhea bit down on her tongue, a trick she learned to stave off tears until she could transform her hurt into anger.
She chuckled at the irony of her life. Her father had taught her the cruel truth of life and death and the callousness it took to harm those she loved. In the end it had been that very lesson that had given her the strength to kill him.
Rhea shut her eyes and tried to push the memories away. Her past was a part of her she couldn’t escape, but she didn’t have to let it determine who she would become.
Soldier groaned again, and Rhea opened her eyes to see him watching her. She got up and went to him. She kneeled and kissed his head and crawled onto the pillow beside him. When she put her arm around him, he lay back against her and stretched his long legs. Rhea curled her fingers into his fur and buried her face in his neck. She liked this new life, and maybe if she pretended long enough, it would become real.
She grinned into Soldier’s neck. She had a lot to be thankful for now, and it all started with Morgan. The instant her mind drifted to Morgan, a warm sensation blanketed her as if Morgan’s arms were wrapped around her. Rhea smiled to herself and allowed images of Morgan to play across her mind. A slow stir began to tickle her inside until it pulsed low in her belly with each beat of her heart. Morgan had become important to her and made her feel things she’d believed she’d never feel, like trust and friendship. But there was something more that Rhea didn’t quite understand. She got excited when she knew she’d be seeing Morgan, and she was lonely when Morgan wasn’t around. Rhea sighed and drifted off to sleep, thinking of Morgan.
*
Rhea woke with a start as a low growl rumbled through Soldier’s chest. Instantly she was on alert, all her senses focused in anticipation of danger. She held her hand against Soldier’s chest and absorbed the vibrations of his warning. She couldn’t hear anything outside, but she trusted Soldier. She glanced around at all the windows. It was light out. She got up, and Soldier stood and went to the door and started scratching at the doorknob. His actions weren’t frantic or even aggressive, but he made it clear he wanted out.
Rhea pulled back the curtain covering the small window in the door. She didn’t see anything out of place. No one was there. Hesitantly she turned the lock and opened the door.
“Wait,” she said in command to Soldier. He stood by her side obediently, waiting as she stepped outside. She still didn’t see or hear anything. “Okay, Soldier, come on, boy.”
Soldier walked close beside her until they had made a complete lap around the cabin. Rhea was about to go back inside whe
n she heard an ATV engine start, and Soldier began to bark. Rhea ran to the side of the cabin just in time to see someone disappear over the ridge. She was too far away to see who it was, but the familiar uneasy feeling in her gut was back. It could have been anyone this time of year. It could have even been Morgan out checking the property or just out for a ride, but her instincts said no. She was certain she would recognize Morgan from any distance, and she doubted Soldier would have had a protective response to her.
She patted Soldier on the head. “Good boy.”
Soldier looked up at her and wagged his tail. Rhea smiled, grateful to have him by her side.
“Come on, let’s go for a walk.”
Rhea turned toward the barn and Morgan’s house. If anyone had been messing around the farm again, she wanted to make sure Morgan was safe.
They found Morgan in her workshop. She wasn’t hard to find—Rhea just followed the sound of the heavy hammer hitting metal. She knocked, but there was no way Morgan would ever hear her over all that pounding, so she let herself inside. Rhea stood at the door and watched Morgan swing the hammer over and over against the red-hot metal. She wore a thick leather apron and goggles covered her eyes. The black T-shirt she wore fit tight against the taut muscles that flexed and bulged with each strike of her hammer. Her skin glistened with streaks of sweat and soot that made her look like a warrior.
Rhea didn’t want to move. She was mesmerized by the strength and precision of Morgan’s body and the intense focus on her face. Morgan was a picture of power and strength, woven together with grace and creativity. For a moment Rhea wondered if Morgan was human. She looked more like a goddess, the embodiment of truth, sincerity, integrity, and raw strength.
Something stirred inside Rhea, and she had the sudden desire to be close to Morgan. Her breath quickened, and she wanted to touch her, feel the raw power in her muscles and the tenderness of her skin. To her dismay her idol worship was interrupted when Soldier decided to announce their presence with a bark hello, as he ran over to lean against Morgan’s leg.
Morgan put the hammer down and removed the goggles. When she looked up at Rhea, the flickering light from the flames danced in her eyes. For just a moment, Rhea imagined there was a flash of the devil in the angel’s eyes.
“Hey,” Morgan said as she wiped sweat from her brow. “What are you two up to?”
“Patrol,” Rhea answered seriously. She was still trying to shake the spell she had been under and hoped Morgan hadn’t noticed her fluster. “We saw someone on an ATV heading over the back ridge, and we came down to check on you.”
Morgan frowned. “Hmm. I can see Soldier here has gone right to work. Any idea who it was?”
Rhea shook her head. “I didn’t get a good look, but after the other night, I thought it’d be a good idea to look around.”
Morgan took off her apron and wiped her face with a towel. “Good idea.”
Rhea squared her shoulders, proud Morgan trusted her. She still expected Morgan to discount her fear, but she surprised her every time. “You don’t have to stop your work. Soldier and I can look around.”
Morgan smiled and laid her hand on Rhea’s shoulder. “I know you could, but I’d like the break and the company.”
It was like butterflies had just hatched in Rhea’s stomach. She focused her attention on Morgan’s hand on her shoulder and was surprised that she didn’t want to pull away. She liked the feel of Morgan’s touch. So much so, she didn’t want Morgan to take her hand away.
But Morgan did move away, and the disappointment morphed into a craving that obliterated all other thought. Rhea shivered at the loss of the connection.
Morgan stepped closer. “Are you okay? I’m sorry. I don’t mean to hurt you, I just don’t think sometimes.”
Rhea grabbed Morgan’s hand without thinking. “You didn’t. I liked…I mean, it’s okay.”
Morgan stared at her with a curious expression that made Rhea wonder if Morgan could read her thoughts. Her gaze was questioning, and Rhea caught a glimpse of something vulnerable with a touch of fear, and she wanted to know what Morgan was thinking that could cause so much emotion in just one look. Rhea looked away, effectively breaking the spell. It was like she’d been caught peering at Morgan through the window of her private world and had seen too much. Morgan stepped away and Rhea’s fingers slipped through her hand.
Morgan whistled and called Soldier to her.
Rhea’s mind swam with questions as she followed Morgan to the barn. She was confused about her feelings for Morgan. She had never wanted to touch anyone the way she wanted to touch her. She had never wanted to know things about anyone the way she wanted to know Morgan, and she had no idea what this meant. She had no idea what was happening to her, but she hoped she figured it out soon.
The moment they stepped into the barn, Rhea knew something was wrong. There was horse feed scattered across the floor, and by what she could count, every bag they had in storage had been opened.
Morgan leaned down and scooped up a handful of feed. Soldier sniffed the ground vigorously and promptly sat in front of the tack room door.
Dread filled Rhea as Morgan pushed the tack room door open and gasped. The room was trashed. Morgan pushed through the scattered papers, bridles, and trash and stepped into the room. Her gaze landed on a pile of black pellets in the center of her desk, and she pinched the metal balls between her finger and thumb and held them up to the light. Rhea watched the muscle at the side of her jaw jump.
Everything had been ripped from the walls and thrown on the floor. Red paint covered everything. Morgan picked up a spray can from the floor, and Rhea’s mouth went dry. She recognized the paint she had bought at the hardware store when she’d gone into town for the feed order.
Morgan turned to Rhea. “I think you need to tell me everything you remember about that ATV you saw earlier. We’ve got a problem.”
*
Morgan fell onto the sofa and covered her eyes. Not only was her entire supply of feed ruined, she had been forced to call the police. It was like handing the sheriff Rhea’s head on a stick. He’d been very emphatic in his explanation that all the evidence pointed to Rhea. She had access and was the last one to handle the feed or go into the barn, and she was the only one who had seen the alleged intruder on both occasions. His mind was made up, and she doubted much would be done other than making trouble for Rhea.
She pulled a handkerchief from her pocket and unfolded it so that the contents she had gathered earlier wouldn’t be lost. A small mound of tiny metal beads rested like eggs in a nest in the palm of her hand. She cringed at the thought of the metal mixed with the wasted animal feed, but she had a feeling the pellets weren’t meant for the animals. This was a message, and it pointed directly at Rhea. Why else would anyone leave behind shotgun pellets? Rhea had shot her father with a shotgun, but what was the point in all of this?
Morgan’s head hurt. She needed to get smart fast if she was going to help Rhea and put a stop to this mess. After today she wouldn’t blame Rhea for leaving. Morgan groaned. Rhea had answered everyone’s questions, but her tone had been flat and Morgan had felt the distrust radiate from her. By the time it was all over, Rhea’s eyes had been stone cold, and she would barely look at Morgan. The sheriff had read that defensiveness as Rhea hiding something, but Morgan knew better. There was no way Rhea was behind any of this. But after the way the sheriff had talked to her, would Rhea believe she was still on her side?
Morgan got up and went to the kitchen. Desperate times called for desperate measures. She opened the freezer and dug around behind the frozen peas until her hand closed around her prize. She drew out the container and smiled as she removed the lid. Nothing settled a bad day like triple-chocolate fudge brownie ice cream, her favorite sin.
She didn’t bother with a bowl. In a situation like this all she needed was a fork. She’d learned a long time ago that for serious ice cream, a fork was the best tool for the job. She scooped out a bite and groaned as the rich
chocolate coated her tongue and the smooth cream began to melt away her stress. She returned to the comfort of the sofa and was lured by the mesmerizing flickering fire. Was she doing the right thing for Rhea or was she getting caught up in her own agenda? Rhea had become important to her, but she wasn’t Ashley. How could Morgan expect the community to support a stranger like Rhea when they had turned so completely against one of their own?
Morgan took another bite of the ice cream. The difference was that Rhea wasn’t asking for and didn’t need their acceptance. She just needed to be left alone. Given time, Rhea would carve her own place in the town’s eclectic landscape. But it was clear that someone was determined to make sure that didn’t happen. The only way to end this was to figure out who was doing these things. Seeing is believing.
“Hmm. Maybe that’s it. I need to see him.” Morgan took another bite and set the container on the coffee table. She had a plan that might put an end to all of this. She’d have to call in a favor from a friend, but at least it was someone she trusted. But she’d have to tell Rhea her plan. She couldn’t run the risk of her thinking she didn’t trust her or that she was spying on her.
Morgan worked a frozen bit of brownie between her teeth and tried to imagine what all of this was like for Rhea. She couldn’t imagine what it would feel like to have so many people judge her and condemn her, the way people had for most of Rhea’s life. The similarities between Rhea and Ashley became clearer when she thought of how Rhea’s family had turned against her. Ashley hadn’t been able to see beyond the opinions and beliefs of her parents, and when the church rejected their relationship, she’d let their hatred destroy her.
Morgan got up and pushed the ice cream away. Ashley had always been lost. It had been like watching an eclipse as the thin shadow had slowly smothered the light in her heart until she’d disappeared completely. Morgan got up and put the ice cream away. She didn’t know what she could have done different with Ashley. Somehow she had always known Ashley would leave her. She’d just never imagined she would do it the way she had.
Love’s Redemption Page 12
