by Aimée Thurlo
Lucas stroked his jaw pensively. “All that will take time, and I’ve got to have a new base of operations here in town as soon as possible. Any suggestions?” He glanced at Gabriel, then Marlee.
“Use the boardinghouse,” Marlee suggested without hesitation. “I’ll clear out the rooms and do whatever it takes to make it workable for you there.”
“Bad idea,” Gabriel said. “The boardinghouse is right in the center of town. If the arsonist pulled something like this again, he could reduce the entire town to embers. I won’t risk that.”
“You’re not looking at the whole picture,” Lucas argued. “Marlee needs protection. If the clinic was being run from the boardinghouse, she’d be protected simply because of the volume of people around. There’s only one of you, so you can’t adequately protect her and the clinic if they’re in separate places. This is the only solution.”
“No. The cons outweigh the pros, Shadow.” Anger laced through Gabriel’s words, adding a dangerous edge to them.
“This town needs a clinic right now. With the damage from the fire, I can’t operate from here. You may not have the manpower to do your job, but I’m not going to let that keep me from doing mine.” Lucas’s voice cracked through the air like a whip.
The brothers’ iron wills collided, and Marlee felt the force and determination that held each of the men as he stood firm. She wanted to do something to defuse what was happening, but she didn’t know how. Frustration and sorrow tore at her as she accepted the knowledge that she was, at least partially, the cause of what was happening between them.
“Maybe there’s an alternative,” she offered.
“Like what?” Gabriel turned to Marlee, his gaze as ice-cold as the wind.
“The high school. Maybe they would let you use the gym or a classroom. You could take your equipment there and then set up room dividers of some kind,” Marlee suggested.
Lucas shook his head. “I can’t bring people who could be seriously ill into a school environment.”
Gabriel pursed his lips. “What about the portable class-rooms the county brought in? Those stand alone, and have separate heating units and their own water supply. They’re not right next to the main building, either. They’re on the other side of the track and playing fields.”
“That might work,” Lucas said thoughtfully. “But it still doesn’t solve the problem for Marlee. She’s the target of some lunatic now. How are you going to keep her safe?”
Marlee started to protest and assure them she’d watch out for herself, when Gabriel unclipped his cellular phone from his belt and handed it to her. “Here, take this,” he said. “The recharger is built-in. I have a spare in my vehicle. Take the phone with you whenever you leave home. And avoid going anywhere where you’ll be alone. If you even think something’s wrong, call me. I won’t be far. I wish there was more I could do, but there isn’t, unless you’ll allow me to put you in jail for your own protection.”
Marlee grimaced. “Gee, thanks, but I think I’ll pass on your kind offer.”
Jake Fields, the town’s librarian and one of the volunteer firemen, jogged up to them. “Boys, we have a problem. The snow’s starting to come down heavy now. We’ve got to get the medical equipment and supplies out of there and put the stuff someplace where it’ll stay warm and dry. We better do it quickly, too. In another thirty minutes, if the weather doesn’t let up, this road’s going to be impassable and we’re going to be stuck out here.”
“Get the pumper back to town now,” Gabriel said. “We can’t risk it being snowbound here. But ask the men who came up in their vehicles to stick around. We’re going to be packing up everything Lucas needs and taking it over to the high school. We’re commandeering one of the portable classrooms on the north side.”
Marlee worked alongside the men carrying the medical equipment and supplies into waiting trucks. By the time the clinic had been emptied of all the necessary equipment, Marlee’s entire body ached. The wind had picked up again, too, and snow was blowing into her eyes and stinging her cheeks.
She looked at the men around her and noted that they looked as weary and sore as she felt. Yet it was when she glanced at Lucas that her heart almost broke. He was beyond exhaustion now. The man needed rest, but it would take time to get beds set up in the high school’s portable building, and if her guess was right, no amenities would be available there for at least another day or so.
Marlee approached Gabriel, who was sitting in his Jeep, talking on the radio. She waited a discreet distance away until he racked the mike.
“What’s up?” he asked.
“Your brother is going to need a place to stay, and I’m not sure your home is the best place for him now. Keep in mind that Lucas is going to be exposed to this flu that’s going around, plus everything else that crops up. It may not be wise to have him around Lanie right now.”
He nodded slowly. “Good point.”
“It’s also not a good idea for him to be alone, either, in case either of you are considering having him stay at Joshua’s home. Whoever did this tonight came after both of us, and there’s no real proof that Lucas wasn’t the real target.”
“You think this could have been the result of a grudge someone has against my brother or the clinic?” Seeing her nod, Gabriel considered her point. “That’s possible. So what’s on your mind? You know I’ll do my best to protect both of you, but there are limits to what I can do,” he said, biting off the words.
Marlee knew all about pride. Gabriel’s had been stung badly, but he had integrity enough to admit his limitations, and that spoke well of him. “I wanted to get you started thinking of a safe place for him, because I’m afraid he’ll want to stay with me at the boardinghouse. In my opinion, that could be dangerous. If it turns out that I’m the target after all, then being around me will increase the. risk to him, and I don’t want that. If I come right out and say that, though, nothing will dissuade him from staying with me. I was hoping you could think of something else. He’s this town’s only medic, and he needs to stay safe.”
“I can’t talk Shadow out of anything he wants to do,” Gabriel said. “But I wouldn’t worry about his safety. My brother is very good at handling trouble. All the Blackhorse brothers are,” he added with a crooked smile.
Lucas strode up. “I’m going over to the high school to get everything set up, then I’ve got to get some sleep. I’m ready to drop.”
“Let me take care of moving this equipment for you,” Gabriel offered. “I’ll see to it that everything’s taken care of. In the meantime, I’d like you to go take a look at my wife. I just spoke to her a few minutes ago, and she’s not feeling well. She says it’s nothing, but I’d like you to take a look at her anyway.”
“I’ll go over there right now. I’ve been exposed to this flu, but I’m in good shape so she should be okay as long as I take a few basic precautions, like wearing a mask and gloves. Afterward I’m heading for the boardinghouse,” Lucas added. “I’d rather get some sleep there than on the floor of the portable.”
Marlee started to protest, then changed her mind and remained silent. It didn’t seem likely that the arsonist would strike twice in one night, and she didn’t have it in her to refuse Lucas, not when he looked as if his body would have slumped from sheer exhaustion if not for his raw, uncompromising will.
“I’ll join you at my house as soon as I can, but if there’s anything you think I should know before then, call me,” Gabriel said.
Marlee walked with Lucas back to his truck. “Maybe I should go with you. New mothers have a way of getting jumpy when they’re close to their due dates. I may be able to help.”
After letting Gabriel know she’d be going with Lucas, they got under way. The ride to town took much longer than usual on the snow-packed road. The storm had turned into a blizzard that seemed as unrelenting as it was fierce. In the headlights, the curtain of snow glowed with an iridescence that made it appear as if a ghostly shroud were engulfing them.
“Your brother has a lot of responsibilities right now. The news of the peddler and these other incidents are added burdens. I think you may have been too hard on him,” Marlee said, keeping her voice soft. She wanted to try to ease the tensions between the two brothers, not start an argument with Lucas.
Lucas said nothing for several long moments. “My brother has worries and concerns right now, but so do I. We all hoped we’d seen the last of that peddler, but it looks like the troubles he brings are already starting. You’re caught in the middle of it, and so am I.”
“We can’t change anything, so we’d better find a way of dealing with it.”
AN HOUR LATER, after Lucas had examined Lanie, Gabriel finally arrived home. Worry clouded his features. “Is my wife okay?” he asked, shutting the door behind him before another icy blast could invade the living room.
“Lanie’s okay. She’s in bed now. Don’t worry. She’s bound to be sore and a little achy at this stage in her pregnancy. She could deliver safely any time now,” Lucas said.
Gabriel leaned back against the wall. “I know. That’s why I check on her often. I’m glad to hear things are okay here, though, because we have to go back to the school,’ he said, rubbing his eyes. “The portable doesn’t have as much room as I’d thought, so a lot of the equipment is still in the middle of the floor. We had to stack the desks against one wall, and won’t be able to get them moved out until morning. We need your guidance in setting up the equipment for maximum efficiency. I know you wanted to get some rest, Shadow, but I need you to supervise that part yourself.”
Lucas took his jacket off the hook by the door and picked up his medical bag. “No problem. Let’s go. I’ll rest later.”
Lanie came out of the bedroom just then, and smiled at Gabriel. “I’m glad you’re home!”
“Not for long. I’m just on my way back out, at least until our medic has a place to work.”
Marlee saw Lanie’s expression change in the blink of an eye. Disappointment and a touch of loneliness shone there. “I’ll be sticking around for a bit, though, if you don’t mind,” Marlee said. “I’d like to fix myself a cup of your coffee before I set out. I’ll be walking home, and I still haven’t warmed up again after being outside for so long.”
“I’ll be glad to get you something warm to drink. It is freezing tonight.”
“If you’ll point me in the right direction, I’ll take care of it myself.”
As the men left, Marlee stepped into the kitchen with Lanie. She could sense Lanie’s concern for her husband, and for the child she carried. She remembered giving comfort to many young mothers in the past and, as the memory flickered alive in her mind, she grieved for the work she’d given up.
“They’ll be okay,” Marlee assured, putting the teakettle on. “It’s not really as bad as it looks out there.”
“But my family is in trouble again,” Lanie said, and settled down in the nearest chair with a long sigh. “I’ve been hearing bits and pieces of conversations, even though Gabriel and I haven’t had much time to talk lately. I know about the fire, and I know that you’ve seen the peddler. I also heard Gabriel’s tone when he spoke about Shadow earlier. There was anger there.”
“All families fight a little, or a lot.. I heard that even the Blackhorse brothers get embroiled in a little rivalry from time to time.”
Lanie smiled. “You’re right about that. I guess I’ll have to remember that they always work things out in the end.”
“What binds them is stronger than anything that tries to split them apart.” Marlee nodded. “Don’t worry.”
“I know,” Lanie said softly. “But sometimes something evil strikes at people here, undermining them, turning friends into strangers. I became part of this town willingly, and I’ve grown to love the people here in Four Winds. But I’ve seen this town’s other side, too. Things turned ugly here when Gabriel’s father was killed, and it could be happening again. The peddler has come back. The troubles are starting and when that happens, Four Winds doesn’t seem like such a safe place.”
Marlee remembered the recent troubles, when Joshua and Nydia had almost been killed by people who had once been counted as friends. And her own life had acquainted her well with another kind of treachery. She knew how an enemy could come from nowhere.
“It won’t last forever. Troubles never do,” Marlee said, wondering if it would be better for everyone if she left. But would her enemy take revenge on Lucas and others here if she did? It was hard to predict her enemy’s actions, especially when she knew nothing at all about him, or them.
“I know you’re thinking of running as fast and as far as you can from Four Winds. I’ve been in your shoes.” Lanie raised her hand to interrupt Marlee’s protests, then continued. “I don’t know what secrets you’re hiding, and the specifics really don’t matter. You’re part of Four Winds now, and whatever happens, you’ll be better off facing it here.”
It startled Marlee that Lanie had guessed her thoughts so accurately. “I just don’t want anyone to be in danger be-cause of me.”
“I’m not talking to you as the sheriff’s wife now, but as your friend. If someone is after you, then face them here on your own ground. Otherwise, the trouble will follow you for the rest of your life. You have friends here, Marlee, people who will stand by you. If you have to make a stand, Four Winds is the best possible place for you to be. I found that out myself because of people like Gabriel, Lucas and you.”
Marlee weighed Lanie’s words. If her enemy was someone from her past who’d tracked her here, he would continue to endanger her and others wherever she went. It was time to stand and fight. And if this trouble wasn’t connected to her past, but was something to do with the peddler or linked to Lucas’s own past or his work, then she was needed here, now more than ever, to help him in this fight. “I won’t run away. I didn’t start this fight, but I will see it through.”
“I have a feeling that you’re about to experience firsthand why everyone talks about the peddler with awe and a touch of fear. The path that lies ahead of you may not be an easy one. It wasn’t for me or for Nydia, but remember that neither of us has ever had any reason to regret where it ultimately led us.”
Those words warmed Marlee, and filled her with a strange sense of expectancy. She’d denied her own dreams for so long, she’d almost forgotten the blessing they could be in and of themselves. Marlee stood at the sink and rinsed out her coffee cup. The bright yellows and deep golds of her friend’s kitchen spoke of a life filled with radiant possibilities and hopes for the future. But there could never be hope without courage.
Marlee knew that she’d allowed the past to chain her. If the trouble she was facing now was a result of who and what she’d been, the time had come to finish what she hadn’t had the strength to fight so long ago. Lanie was right. It was time to take a stand. •
BACK AT THE boardinghouse, Marlee sat in the stillness and warmth of her living room. It seemed more lonely than usual tonight. Outside, the storm raged. The snow was still falling beyond the porch. The light kept back the chaos of the storm, but she couldn’t stop worrying and thinking about Lucas. He’d called her just a few minutes ago. He wouldn’t be back till the early-morning hours, if then. Jake and Lucas planned to get some sleep in the camper of Jake’s truck over in the school yard, using the former Ranger’s down sleeping bags.
In a way, she was glad that Lucas was there, not here. Gabriel wouldn’t be far away, and Jake and Lucas, though tired, would guard each other’s backs.
She lay down on the sofa and closed her eyes, intending to rest only briefly. She knew she’d have to leave a key under the mat by the front door as she’d promised Lucas, but since he wouldn’t be back before dawn, there was still plenty of time. Before she knew it, Marlee drifted off into the deep, dark cavern of sleep.
She wasn’t sure how much time had elapsed when a sharp scraping noise at the rear of the house startled her awake. Marlee jumped up and hurried to the window. It was sti
ll dark outside, and she couldn’t see far beyond the circle of light that escaped outward through the part in the curtain.
Marlee turned off the living-room lights and waited for her eyes to adjust before trying to peer out again. The winds had died down, and everything was still. As her eyes adjusted to the darkness, she parted the curtain and looked out. A thick blanket of snow covered the backyard. As she studied the ground, she spotted fresh footprints leading toward the back of her house.
Fear stabbed through her as she heard a soft scrunching sound coming from outside, near the corner of the house. Marlee hurried to the phone, called Gabriel and breathed a sigh of relief when he answered on the first ring. In a soft voice, she told him about the intruder.
“Don’t leave the house, and make sure the doors and windows are locked. I’ll be there in minutes.”
Marlee went to the closet and pulled out the shotgun she kept in there. She’d never be a victim again. After standing by the window a moment, she heard faint padding footsteps and caught a glimpse of a figure standing by the back door.
Her heart lodged at her throat. He was bent over the door handle, and from what she could hear, she was almost sure he was picking the lock. She stared at the shotgun, suddenly realizing there was no way she’d really use it unless she was being physically attacked.
Out of necessity, a new plan formed quickly in her head. She headed for the front door. If she could take the prowler by surprise, and use the shotgun to detain him until Gabriel arrived, then a lot of the mystery about her attacker could be solved
After clipping the cellular phone to the belt loop of her jeans, Marlee slipped out the front door and crept around the side of the house. The cluster of trees and shrubs that bordered the back of her home would give her plenty of cover. Intent on her quarry, she kept the shotgun barrel up, not wanting it to become clogged with snow. As she ducked under an old pine tree, the barrel of the weapon suddenly struck a snow-laden branch. Wet, heavy snow pelted down on her, and a heartbeat later the branch struck the side of the house with a sharp thwack.
