by Toni Leland
~ ~
Kellie sank into bed, pulling the soft goose down coverlet up to her chin, her aching muscles crying for rest. Through the open window, the continuing sounds of the official investigation kept all her thoughts at the front of her mind. What did she want to think about, besides Ed? Nothing. This horrible chain of events had sucked him in, coloring everything they did, constricting every conversation they had. In the middle of it all, that brief time together in the kitchen shone as the only bright light in her future. Had he meant the things he'd said? In the aftermath of today, would anything change? Had it been only this morning when she'd worn his ring, that youthful declaration of undying love?
“Mommy?” Sara's soft whisper was close in the darkness. “I can't sleep.”
Kellie peeled back the quilt and patted the mattress next to her. “Come snuggle, baby.”
Sara crawled into bed and wiggled over against Kellie. “I'm not a baby.”
“You're my baby.”
“That's what Daddy said.”
Kellie's throat ached. She couldn't put this off any longer. What better time than in the cover of darkness and the comfort of each other's arms? She stroked her daughter's cheek, delighting in the still-velvety texture of adolescence.
“I have something to tell you, honey.”
Sara snuggled closer and a hollow feeling began deep in Kellie's chest. “Daddy's in some trouble.”
Sara rose up on her elbow, but Kellie pulled her back down into her arms.
“He's gotten himself involved with some bad people, and he's been arrested.”
Sara lay very still, her voice barely audible. “Is he in jail?”
“Yes, but I don't know any of the details. We'll just have to wait for Sheriff Campbell to tell us what's going on.”
Sara relaxed. “Whatever it is, he's innocent-they'll see.”
A hot tear trickled from the corner of Kellie's eye and rolled down into her hair. “Let's hope so.”
A minute later, Sara's voice drifted sleepily through the darkness. “Sheriff Campbell likes you. I can tell.”
Kellie smiled into the night. “Really? Well, I kinda like him too.”
An hour later, Sara was sound asleep and Kellie was wide-awake. The sounds of outside activity had faded, and she slipped out of bed, turning to pull the quilt up over Sara's shoulders. Grabbing a sweater, she tiptoed out of the room and headed for the kitchen. For a few minutes, she milled around, unsettled and trying to corral the flood of thoughts roiling through her head. She stopped at the kitchen window and stared outside at the dark fields. What I really need is a good dose of horse.
Heading toward the barn, she inhaled the scent of charred brush now softened by the night air. The whole thing seemed surreal in the darkness, but morning light would bring back the stark reality. For now, she only wanted the reassurance of what she knew best. Lights glowed from the barn and she headed for that beacon of comfort.
Stepping through the open door, she inhaled deeply. The aroma of alfalfa and wood shavings and sweet feed and horse sweat almost obliterated the odor of burned wood. The palomino mare stuck her head over the stall door and nickered. A smaller voice echoed the greeting. Hyde's head appeared at the next stall door, and Kellie laughed.
“What are you doing here so late?”
“Just checking everyone out. You were lucky-only one minor injury in the melee.” He pointed toward the last stall by the back door. “That gelding you rode this morning whacked his hind leg on the fence you jumped.”
She gaped. “I jumped a fence?”
Hyde laughed and came out of the stall. “That's what they tell me.”
She gazed at her friend. Handsome, skilled, intelligent, educated-she'd never understood why he hadn't married. Being a private person herself, she'd never asked. Now, she wanted to know.
“How's Danielle doing?”
His face lit up, and she grinned. Ed hadn't been kidding.
“She'll be fine. The bullet went through muscle, never touched a bone, or artery, or nerve. The spirits watched over her.”
“How long have you known her?”
His self-consciousness kicked in. “Oh, I guess about-”
Kellie nudged his arm. “You two have a thing going?”
He stuttered, then laughed. “Not exactly. We've kind of been watching each other from a distance. She's a mighty handsome woman...I always told myself the right one might come along, but it never happened. 'Course, Guthrie isn't exactly a huge place and, with my job, the only people I meet are clients.” He shook his head. “Couple of widows made it clear they'd like my company, but I don't believe in getting involved with the people who put bread on the table.”
Kellie put her hand on his arm, speaking from the deep love she felt for him. “I hope it works out with Dani.”
His craggy face broke into a boyish grin. “Me too...Now tell me how you're holding up.”
She gazed at Hyde's understanding brown eyes. “Even with all the horrible things that have happened today, I somehow feel like I've been released from prison. A prison of my own making. All my life, I've thought my way was the best way, and to hell with anyone else's needs or plans. I don't know if becoming a caregiver and ranch owner at the same time was too much, too young, but all these years, I've convinced myself that what I was doing was for the good of the whole family.”
She snorted and looked away. “What family? I was so busy doing my own thing that I never even noticed they'd all gone their own ways.”
Hyde took hold of her hands. “I'm happy you've finally learned who you really are. Your strength is admirable, but when it manifests itself in stubbornness, you lose sight of the big picture.”
Tears burned her eyes. “Why didn't you just shake me and tell me to get real?”
“A man can only know himself by looking inside.”
Chapter 24
The early morning air held a chill, and Kellie pulled her sweater closer. A car turned into the driveway and she squinted to see who would be coming to visit so early.
Cliff's round face beamed. “I knew you'd be up-wanna go get some breakfast?”
She stepped off the porch, shaking her head. “I want to be here when Sara wakes up-I told her about Frank last night.”
Cliff's smile faded. “Ouch...We'll come back later.”
“No, you come on in and I'll cook something. I'm hungry too. It's going to be a long day.”
As the men followed her into the house, she pondered how she would begin the emotional discussion she'd promised.
Clarke whistled under his breath. “Holy cow, you made the front page!”
“Yeah, incredible photograph, huh?”
The butter began to sizzle and she broke eight eggs into the frying pan, one-by-one, focusing on the swirly design of yellow and white, and pushing away the front-page picture of the mare barn engulfed in flames.
She pulled the frying pan off the fire and set it aside. Steeling herself, she turned to face her brothers.
“I've been looking into having the land designated as national historical property.”
Cliff's face colored with anger. “Bull-shit! That doesn't help us! You-”
“Let me finish.” Her resolve strengthened. “I'm prepared to buy you out. Tell me what you want.”
His expression faded to astonishment, then chagrin. He glanced at his twin and shook his head, pain flashing across his features. “Clarke doesn't have a whole lot of time, Sis.”
What she'd known deep in her heart now hung on the air, there to be examined and dealt with. She could barely meet Clarke's gaze, but she nodded, speaking softly.
“I will do everything I can to help-I promise.”
~ ~
Kellie gazed through the kitchen window at Cliff's car as it reached the end of the lane. She slid the breakfast plates into the warm soapy water, thinking how un-traumatic the conversation had been. Her brothers were happy with the plan, and the Sutton estate would be spared the bulldozers.
&
nbsp; “What smells so good, Mama?”
Sara's sleepy smile put the perfect frosting on the morning's cake.
“Eggs and bacon and cinnamon toast. Want some?”
She placed the frying pan back on the stove, humming a little tune as she pulled the eggs from the fridge.
“Can we go visit Daddy today?”
The eggs hit the floor with a slushy thump. “Honey, I don't know anything yet. But I promise we'll find out.”
Sara turned to the funny papers, and Kellie faced the reality of her life as it was at that moment.
While Sara ate, Kellie looked up the insurance company's number. The only way she'd be able to make good on her offer to the twins would be if the insurance paid in full-and quickly. The agent's answering machine picked up, reminding her it was Sunday. She wandered back toward the kitchen, wondering if an arson fire would affect how fast the claim could be settled.
Sara put her dishes in the sink and skipped past. “I'm going out to see Juicy.”
“I'll be out in a few minutes. We need to give everybody a good grooming.”
She watched her daughter take the stairs two at a time, marveling at her youthful resilience. She would definitely need it for what lay ahead.
~ ~
Ed smiled, listening to his boss's praise.
“You did good, Campbell. Positive ID on the body in the shelter. Estevan Rodriguez-it doesn't get much better than that. We'll talk about a promotion as soon as you get back.”
A deep thread of indecision moved through Ed's head. “Yeah, well, there's still a lot to do here.”
“The Oklahoma City units can mop up. The Guthrie commissioners will be expecting your resignation by the end of next week.”
Ed opened his mouth to protest, but the boss had signed off.
For a long time, he sat in the car thinking about the sharp turn of events. His time had run out with Kellie, consumed by his job and her situation. With only a week left, could he make things happen for them? He snorted and threw the car into reverse. He'd failed once, why should this be any different?
Sara's high-pitched voice echoed in the barn. “Hiya, Sheriff Campbell!”
Kellie's head appeared over the back of the horse she was brushing. The two of them together was like seeing double. His heart thumped. The girl was beautiful, just like her mother. A band closed around his chest. Sara should have been his child.
He stepped up close and grinned. “Looks like you have the cleanest horses in town.”
Sara giggled, delighted with the teasing. “We have to do all of them-they got really dirty yesterday.”
“When you're finished, you can come to town and do mine.”
She laughed again. “Oh, sure!”
He turned to Kellie and the smile faded from his heart. “How are you holding up?”
She searched his face, a question in her eyes. He knew his attempt at a pleasant expression wasn't working.
She set aside the currycomb and wiped her hands on her jeans. “Pretty good. Come on over to the office.”
Minutes later, he removed his hat and nervously fingered the brim. “Which do you want to hear about first-Jethrow or Frank?”
She moved to the door and checked that Sara was out of hearing range. “Start with Frank.”
“Hard to believe, but he somehow got tangled up with a major Columbian drug ring that's been operating out of Remington Park race track in Okee City. He says they approached him after he lost a valuable racehorse.”
Kellie's eyes darkened, and a warning flag went up in his head.
He tempered his tone. “You know anything about that?”
“Only that he turned down a huge offer on the horse before it broke down in a race.” She tilted her head. “Now that I think about it, he changed dramatically after that. Our marriage went downhill real fast...I can't imagine Frank running drugs.”
The buried pain surfaced and Ed turned away from her scrutiny. “From what we can gather, based on his testimony, he was afraid that his warehouse would be discovered during the investigation into the attacks on your horses. He was trying to get to Travis Mack before we did.”
She frowned. “How did he know about the guy?”
Ed looked down at the floor. “He came to the station on Friday. I think he overheard me talking to the dispatcher. With Frank's underground connections, I'm sure he had no problem finding someone to get the information he needed to find Mack.
“Another thing you might be interested in-we've confirmed that the construction companies operating here are fronts for money laundering. That's why they've moved so fast. I expect there's a tie-in to the drug group in the city. If we can close that down, we can delay the land gobbling.”
He'd expected a positive reaction, but Kellie's tone gave no clue to what she might be thinking. “What happens next?”
“Frank will be charged with drug trafficking and homicide-I just found out that the guy he killed is the kingpin for the cartel. Actually, Frank did the world a great service, but the law is the law.”
“Is there anything I should do?”
His confidence evaporated. She was ready to go to bat for Frank. The thought slashed through him like a knife.
“Celeste Harding was posting bail as I left the station.”
“Oh. Of course.”
Kellie's pain etched her features, an emotion he never wanted to see again.
“The good news is, I think we've solved the mystery of the horse attacks. The Perkins Police Department finally let someone search Mack's quarters at the ranch. They found a jar of live fiddleback spiders in the cupboard, a cereal bowl with pieces of smashed spider bodies, and some disposable syringes on the counter. I suspect we'll get a match to the substance in the syringe we found in your barn.”
Her face contorted with horror. “Hyde was right! Those are the spiders he mentioned.” Her eyes glistened with tears. “Jethrow must have done a lot of research to find out which toxins have no antivenin.”
Ed nodded solemnly. “He was one sick son-of-a-gun...his diary proves it. He detailed every day of his miserable young life, describing how much he hated his mother, his contempt for his dad's cowardice and, worse, a detailed description of the day he shot Randy, then made it look like suicide.”
Her expression was devastating. He touched her hand, wanting to pull her into his arms and tell her no one would ever hurt her again. But how could he do that when he'd been the first one to break her heart?
“I'm so sorry you've had to go through all this.”
~ ~
Kellie couldn't allow herself to dissect Jethrow's crimes, or think about the hatred that had driven the macabre plans. The overwhelming scope of his revenge would haunt her often enough in the future, but right now she needed to distance herself from it.
Ed looked exhausted, and her heart thumped softly. Though nothing had been resolved between them, he'd been at her side through the whole horrible nightmare, supporting her with a love that had never died. Did she deserve such loyalty? Probably not, but perhaps she could use her new humility to build a positive future with him.
Love filled her heart and her smile. “With all that's gone on, you're sure to be re-elected.”
Surprise widened his eyes and his jaw dropped. Then he pressed his lips together and looked away.
Dread crept into her chest and she touched his arm. “Eddie, what is it?”
“I haven't been completely honest with you...I'm not really the sheriff. I'm an undercover DEA agent. We've been after the Oklahoma City gang for almost two years.”
Stunned for a moment, she finally found her voice. “So you didn't come back because of me.”
“Yes, I did, but I never expected a major crime in the middle of my undercover work. I thought I'd have plenty of time to see if we could get back together.” He shook his head and gazed down at her with sadness. “My track record for bungling is one hundred percent.”
A parade of emotions passed over his face, this man she though
t she knew. It wouldn't be easy, or happen quickly, but she would try.
She lifted her chin and met his gaze with courage. “We both have a lot ahead of us...but when the time is right, I'd like that second chance you talked about.”
His eyes glowed with happiness. “I'll be here.” He started toward the door, a jaunty spring in his step, his shoulders square and proud.
Her courage grew and she opened her heart. “Eddie?...I love you.”
* * * * *
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Acknowledgments
I owe sincere thanks to those who dug deep for answers to my many questions. The devil is always in the details, and without the help of these supportive folks, this story would never have been told.
Thank you: Candy M. Ford at the Guthrie Public Library, Logan County Commissioner Mark Sharpton, the Guthrie Fire Department, and the Guthrie Chamber of Commerce for helping me fine-tune the regional details. Georgia veterinarian Dr. Kenneth Marcella “vetted” the equine health sections, Mary Ann Kean at Markel Insurance advised me on equine liability policies, and Kirsten Johnson of KESMARC in Lexington, Kentucky provided fascinating in-depth information about equine hyperbaric oxygen therapy. Manager Marsha Glass gave us a deluxe tour of the facility.
More thanks go to author Judie Aitken for insight into “horse sticks,” Pat Elder for guidance on Quarter Horses, and advance readers Art & Holly, author Carolyn Banks, and “the horse book lady,” Robbie Huseth, for catching all the glitches.
Last, but not least, thank you, Bob, for humoring me as I investigated every alley and historic building in Guthrie, Oklahoma.
The Votes Are In!
"Toni Leland's latest novel delivers rip-roaring romantic suspense with scenes so vivid you can almost hear the hoofbeats as her characters negotiate a finely crafted web of depravity, deceit and family tragedy."
