by Toni Leland
She headed into the tack room and pulled off her gloves. Sun streamed through the window and exploded into a rainbow off the facets of the diamond. Warmth spread through her chest. More than anything, she wanted to leave the ring in place. She glanced out the window at the fields filled with horses. Had it been a fair trade?
Sara popped into the room. “Mommy, can I play with the new filly for a while?”
Kellie jammed her left hand into her jeans pocket, a shot of adrenaline dashing through the pit of her stomach. “Sure, just remember that she's only a few days old. Don't stay with her too long.”
Sara skipped back out into the barn, and Kellie sank onto a tack trunk to still her thumping heart. She gazed at the glittering symbol of everything that had been so right. Perhaps when the nightmare ended, she could resurrect the past. With a long sigh, she reached for a bottle of saddle oil and set about removing her only connection with Ed.
A few minutes later, Hyde stepped into the room. “The hyperbaric clinic sent me some information on the facility. It looks very nice. They have a whirlpool, exercise pool, three hyperbaric chambers, and a full lab. Someone has spent a lot of money on that place. They even offered me a job.”
“Hyde! You wouldn't leave us, would you?”
“No, Oklahoma is where I belong. Here with my people.”
“Thank God. I don't know what I'd do without you, and I mean that.”
He grinned self-consciously. “Guess I'd better go earn my keep.”
Kellie's phone vibrated gently against her hip, and Ed's voice sounded far away.
“I have some bad news-Frank shot one of my deputies, then took off. We have an APB out for his arrest.”
Has everyone gone mad?
“Did he kill-?”
“No. Do you have any idea why he was trying to get to Travis Mack?”
She shook her head. “I can't imagine. Frank never really believed the horses were attacked on purpose.”
Ed cleared his throat. “My men are questioning Celeste Harding right now.”
Kellie swallowed hard. She hadn't heard the woman's name in a long time. “Yes, I guess she'd know more about him than I would.” Anger overrode the sting of humiliation. “Anything else I should know?”
“Yes, we-”
A dead silence ensued.
“Ed? Hello?” She snatched the phone from her ear and stared at the display. The battery icon flashed an exclamation point. “Damn!” She put the phone back to her ear.
Ed's voice came back, breaking up. “Kellie? You there?”
“I'll call you back. My battery's gone.”
Five minutes later, she leaned back in her desk chair and balanced the portable phone on her shoulder. “Okay, let's start over.”
Listening to Ed, she picked through the mail. Bills. Catalogs. An invitation to an open barn.
Optimism rounded Ed's tone. “Fingerprints showed up on that bottle cap. Mack had a DUI in Tulsa earlier this year, so he turned up in the system. I'm waiting on that report, but it looks like he's our man.”
From the bottom of the stack of mail, Kellie picked up a small white envelope addressed to her, typewritten, with no return address. Another sympathy card. She slid her finger under the flap, then pulled out the contents.
She gaped at the snapshot and horror oozed into her chest, emotion so thick she could barely breathe.
“Oh my god! He sent me another picture!”
“I'll be right there.”
The line went dead and Kellie laid the phone on the desk, staring at an image of Sara standing in the round pen, lunging Juicy. Kellie herself stood at the rail. The picture had the same grainy, long-range quality as the others, but something else caught her eye. Bringing the picture closer, she almost threw up. The distinct outline of crosshairs intersected Sara's head.
Kellie raced into the barn aisle, every muscle and nerve vibrating with adrenaline. “Sara! Where are you?”
The question rattled unanswered through the quiet barn. The photographic image danced in her head, bringing on another deluge of fear. The office phone rang and she tried to calm herself. Sara had been right there with her only a short time ago. She was probably still out in the mare barn.
The male voice was strong, with a nasal twang.
“Aunt Kellie?”
Confusion muddled her thoughts as she walked quickly toward the back doors. “Who is this?” She spotted Sara riding Juicy in a large circle inside the round pen.
The man's voice penetrated her relief.
“Your flesh and blood, Auntie.”
She stopped in mid-stride. “Jethrow? Is that really you?”
“Yes, Ma'am! How ya doin'?”
“Where are you? Oh my God, I didn't think I'd ever see you again!”
“Been busy growin' up. I'm thinkin' about comin' back home.”
Joy overwhelmed her. “Your uncles are in town right now. It would be wonderful if-wait a minute, where are you?”
“Okee City. How about I come by tomorrow? We can all catch up on old times. I wanna see Dad's house too-I think I can deal with it now.”
“Oh honey, anything you need, I'll see you get it.”
“Yeah, I know you will. Always knew I could count on you. See you later.”
He disconnected before Kellie could respond. Her joy paled a little at his parting comment and she pulled her lower lip between her teeth. If she'd ever let someone down when they were vulnerable, it had been Jethrow. She squared her shoulders. The past was over. Jethrow was giving her a second chance to keep the Sutton family together and, this time, she wouldn't blow it.
Roy came around the corner of the building. “You lookin' for Sara? She went riding out the south gate.” He frowned and stepped closer. “Is somethin' wrong, Miz Kellie?
“Someone's been taking photographs of us from right here on the property.”
A flicker moved across his expression and he bobbed his head. “That explains it. The last few times I rode fences, I noticed the hay beaten down in a kinda strange pattern-not like a deer trail.”
She frowned. “Why didn't you say something?”
His weathered old face crinkled with disbelief, underscoring his response. “Like what? The grass is bent in the south forty?”
Kellie blanched. She'd never heard a sarcastic word from this man who'd cared for all the horses for so many years. She'd obviously stepped over the line.
“I'm sorry-you're right. I'm just so rattled I can't think straight.”
The old man grinned, gesturing toward the road. “Maybe your friendly local sheriff can help.”
Ed climbed out of the patrol car, and she smiled. Ol' Roy hasn't lost his powers of sharp observation. A blanket of calm settled over her thoughts, smothering the terrifying scenarios that vied for her attention.
A few minutes later, Ed looked up from the snapshot, his eyes dark with concern. “This is state of the art-whoever owns this rifle-mounted camera paid big bucks for it. Someone is obviously trying to scare you.”
“And doing a damned fine job!”
The strain of the past week crashed over her and she dissolved into tears.
Ed stepped up close and pulled her against him, cradling her body and stroking her hair. The refuge of his arms stilled her frantic thoughts and she rested her head against his chest, relinquishing her fear.
His voice rumbled through his chest, vibrating softly against her cheek. “I owe you an apology.”
She focused on the weave of the shirt fabric, following the perfect tiny lines of fragile thread that meshed together to form one strong piece. Her own strength had been woven from similar single weak elements, but always, the missing thread had been Ed's love. She ran her fingers lightly over his shoulder, gathering the courage to finally have this conversation.
~ ~
Ed's heart ached at the sorrow in Kellie's voice, a whisper of the past. “What happened? I was sure you'd eventually come back and we'd get on with our life together.”
Regret
crushed him. “And I was sure you'd change your mind about leaving the ranch. I didn't want to believe you could choose the land instead of me.”
Chagrin clouded her face and her voice tightened. “It wasn't a conscious choice. So many things happened after you left here the last time. Dad had a heart attack and, suddenly, I was in charge. Then Randy's rodeo accident devastated all of us. Dad survived the heart attack, but didn't ever return to work-he was too frail. So I became a care-giver in addition to everything else.” She attempted to step back, but Ed held her firmly. “I couldn't even think about leaving. Sounds like a soap opera, doesn't it?”
He caressed her cheek, and then looked away, cringing at the flint in his voice. “No one can be prepared for how a war will affect him or her. I headed into the Middle East with my company, cocky and ready to be a hero, pumped up with my own self-importance.” He shook his head and looked back down at her. “It only took about two months on the frontlines, watching human beings get blown up, and wondering why the hell we were over there. I memorized your letters, your face, relived all the memories. But suddenly I couldn't function, didn't know what I wanted. I wondered if we were too young to be so sure of our future. My ultimatum to you seemed so rash.
“When the war ended, I wanted to come back here, but didn't know what I would say to you. So I stayed in South Carolina and reenlisted for another tour, and let Uncle Sam put me through college.”
Kellie's eyes widened and she slipped out of his grasp. “You made the choice to end it without ever consulting me.”
His hands tingled with the sensation of touching her, and the familiar defense mechanism kicked in, distancing him from anything painful. “I realized I'd made a royal mess of my life and lost the only thing I'd ever wanted. I started carousing and drank myself silly. Guess I thought it would help get you out of my system. Then my dad sent me the newspaper clipping about your marriage and I knew it was really over. That piece of news was like a punch in the jaw, but I don't know why I was surprised. I'd basically abandoned you. A month later, I married a preacher's daughter from Virginia, but my wild lifestyle didn't sit too well with her and she left me after six months.”
Kellie stared silently at him, her face a frozen mask, chilling his blood.
All the things he'd said were true, but he'd dodged the real point of confrontation. Might as well get it out in the open.
“When dad died, I vowed that while I was here, you and I would talk, see if anything could be salvaged.” Anger began to grow in his chest and he could barely control the tremor in his voice. “But you couldn't be bothered to attend the funeral.”
Her face softened and tears welled in her eyes, sparkling with the quivering movements of her chin. “Eddie, you can't imagine how many times I've regretted that. But it was too soon after my own dad died, and I just couldn't face you...” A tear trickled down her cheek. “...and my own mistakes.”
He resisted the urge to brush the tear away, scowling instead. “After all our years together, you couldn't pay respects to the old man. That really pissed me off.” He took a deep breath. “After the service at the cemetery, I drove out here to tell you exactly what I thought of you and your selfishness. Got as far as the entrance to Sutton Corners and decided you weren't worth even that effort.” He shook his head, mentally kicking himself for the impetuous youthful bravado. “I drove on down to Oklahoma City and reenlisted with the MP division in Washington, D.C.”
Kellie's face was ashen and tears rolled down her cheeks, making him feel like a heel. But the confession loosened something deep inside, and suddenly he wanted to tell her everything-what he'd done, how he'd always felt, what he wanted now.
She finally found her voice. “Why did you come back here now?”
Wariness stepped in. He hadn't really considered the possibility of this question. “I guess in deference to my dad, Barney McBee contacted me when the sheriff died. Said they wanted a hometown boy to be in charge.” A deep breath calmed his quivering insides. “I took it 'cause I had to see if we might have a second chance.”
Joy and understanding flashed across her face and glowed in her eyes, giving him a sudden glimpse of all the things she wanted to say, the thoughts swirling just below the surface. She didn't speak, but stepped up close to look into his eyes, sending one distinct message. He cradled her face in his hands, slipping his fingers through her tousled curls and closing his eyes for a moment. Then he leaned down and tenderly captured her mouth, an explosion of memories raging through his head. She slid her arms around his neck and kissed him back, releasing the past and giving her heart back to him without fear.
~ ~
Travis cracked a beer and lounged back on the sofa. He guzzled a long drink, then belched. Gazing around the small room, he attached a memory to each piece of furniture, each dusty bit of brick-a-brac, each picture on the yellowed wallpaper. The house looked exactly like the day he'd left it. Why? What had Aunt Kellie thought would happen-that he'd run away for a few days, then come home licking his wounds and let her coddle him?
He snorted. The stupid bitch had fallen all over herself when she heard his voice. Too bad she couldn't have saved herself all this trouble. His jaw muscle began to twitch and he pressed hard against it, trying to make it stop. A headache started behind his right eye and he took another gulp of beer.
Someone should have helped the old man. But, no-they were all too fuckin' busy to take care of family. He stared at his grotesquely swollen hand and took several deep, calming breaths. He'd find some peace soon.
He gazed at the expensive rifle beside him on the couch, a reminder of where he was headed. He picked it up and ran his fingers over the polished barrel, feeling the brutal chill of the metal, relishing the powerful capabilities the gun represented. He cocked his head and closed one eye, focusing through the lens of the fancy camera mount. The viewfinder framed an old oil painting of a bison, the crosshairs perfectly dissecting the animal's skull. A chill raced through Travis's chest. Too quick. Too humane.
He lowered the rifle and stared through the dusty picture window. The late afternoon sun changed the landscape into a charcoal sketch of shadows and brilliant slashes. A memory sneaked into the unguarded moment, and he turned his thoughts inward to the pain. Indecision rattled through his head, then he set the gun aside and rose to his feet. One last time-for confirmation.
He moved slowly down the hall, the old wood floor creaking under his weight. The room he'd inhabited for almost fifteen years was void of any of the normal things a child accumulates. His chest tightened with the memory of eons spent as an outsider at school, the fat kid with no skills, no personality, and no future. He sat down on the edge of the bed and let his thoughts wander, unhindered. The scent of sex still lingered in the air, and he glanced at the bedspread where he'd taken Tina in a rage. His thumping pulse sent hammers of pain through the oozing hole on the back of his hand. His fingers followed the design on the old chenille bedspread, then he lay down. Pulling the snapshot from his shirt pocket, he studied Tina's chubby face, taunting him. A stir moved through his groin and he tossed the picture aside. Sleep came quickly, filled with dreams he couldn't face awake.
A sob boiled up from the depths of his soul as a kaleidoscope of images rolled through his head. He awoke with a start, struggling with the misery. Festering anger replaced his agony. They would pay.
A sound outside sent him leaping off the bed to look out the window.
“Fuck! What's she doing here?”
Chapter 16
Kellie watched Ed slide the new photograph into an evidence bag. Her body still hummed with the aftershocks of the kiss, warmth curling beneath her shirt. The heady sensation of having him in her kitchen, in her personal space, sent all manner of outlandish ideas tumbling through her thoughts. There he was, right where he should have been all these years. Did he feel it too?
He looked up and smiled, sending her heartbeat on another roller coaster ride.
“You had something to tell me?�
��
“My nephew Jethrow is back.”
“Where's he been all this time?”
“He didn't say, but he called from Oklahoma City. He's coming out here tomorrow.”
“That's great. It's about time something good happened.”
Kellie's glow faded. “Hyde told me about some toxins that cause the exact kind of damage we've seen in the horses. He says it could be venom from snakes or spiders.” She bit her lip. “But why would someone go to so much trouble to terrorize me?”
Ed looked thoughtful. “Would one bite cause the destruction of a whole foot?”
“Hyde says no, but in large doses, the venoms would be toxic enough to do irreparable damage.”
“What did your horse's wound look like in the early stages?”
“A large dark red lump with a black center.”
Ed's eyes widened. “Shit!” He whipped out his cell phone and punched a button. “Danielle, did that report from Tulsa come in yet?...okay, describe the guy.”
A parade of expressions marched across Ed's face, then he snapped the phone shut and stood up. “I was standing next to Travis Mack last night at the barbeque. He had an ugly wound on the back of his hand. He said it was a burn, but you've just described it exactly.”
The dark cowboy.
Kellie shivered. “I've seen him a couple of times this weekend. He gave me the creeps.”
Ed's serious eyes sent another thump through her chest. “There's more-he was wearing a rodeo trophy buckle from 1985. Said he found it in a pawnshop, but Pete Dayton called me this morning. Said he got a close look at it last night and he's positive it's Randy's. We need to talk to your nephew as soon as he gets to town-see if he knows anything about this guy.”
