The Way Back Home

by Barbara Freethy

  “Payback. You took her son. She took yours.”

  Alicia shook her head. “That’s sick. How could she think she would get away with it, when the boys could identify her?”

  “It doesn’t sound like she was thinking. Grief can do strange things to people.”

  “I wonder if she set the fire, too.” She paused. “Kelly told me earlier that her brother, Ian, was the one who cut my fuel line. Apparently, he owed money to some bookie, and the guy said that if he cut my line, his debt would be erased.”

  “Kelly ratted out her brother?” he said in surprise.

  “Yes. Apparently, the fire scared her out of the cocoon of denial she’s been living in. She finally acted, instead of letting everyone else around her act on her behalf. That’s why she came to see me. I think we might actually be able to reclaim our friendship. I hope so; I’ve really missed her.”

  “I’m glad,” he said with a smile. “The attacks should stop now. Once the police pick up Mrs. Farr, I suspect she’ll reveal if it was her or one of her family or friends who set the fire.”

  “I hope it’s over. Keith was so angry with me when he realized that it was my business that put David’s life in danger. He’d been pleading with me to give it up before someone got hurt, but I was too stubborn, too determined to stand by principle.”

  “That’s not a bad thing,” Gabe commented.

  “You’d be feeling differently if we hadn’t found the kids.”

  “I’d be angry at whoever put them in danger but not at you.”

  “Thank you.”

  “I was very impressed with how you handled the river. You’re very good at what you do.”

  “Oh, those rapids were not that big.”

  “Seriously?” he asked. “It gets better than that?”

  She smiled at the expression on his face. “You liked it, didn’t you?”

  “It was a rush,” he admitted. “I’d enjoy doing it again.”

  “I knew you would like it. You’re a risk taker.”

  “In some areas,” he said quietly.

  A minute or two of silence passed between them.

  “Gabe,” she ventured. “When you said you loved me before, was it just something you said in the moment?”

  He gazed back at her. “No. I do love you, Alicia. I fell for you the first minute I saw you, and I haven’t found my feet since. You scare the hell out of me, making me want things that I told myself I would never have.”

  “You could have them,” she said softly. “If you’d stop running away from me.”

  “I’m afraid I’ll let you down.”

  “You won’t.”

  “How can you be sure?”

  She framed his face with her hands. “Because failure is not an option.”

  He smiled back. “Do you remember everything I say?”

  “Only the important stuff. You won’t let me down, Gabe. When you commit, you don’t quit. The question is, are you ready to go all in?”

  His long silence stretched her nerves to the breaking point. Was she pushing for too much too soon?

  “All I really want,” she said quickly, “is a chance. I know my life is different from yours, that you might not want to take on a wife, a kid, and a father-in-law, that you might not be happy to live in River Rock, but all of those things we can work out—if you want to work them out. I know you love the adrenaline rush of the Marines, but we can find some rapids—”

  “Shh,” he said, putting his hand over her mouth. “I didn’t join the Marines for the thrill of fighting; I joined for a family. I reupped three years ago because Rob was going back, and I didn’t want to leave him alone.”

  She was shocked. “You never said that before.”

  “I don’t think I realized it until recently. But to be completely honest, that wasn’t the whole reason. I didn’t know how to walk away from something I knew to go after something that seemed impossible.”

  “It’s not impossible.”

  “I hope not, because I want everything you just said.” He wrapped his arms around her. “I want you and Justin and your dad.” She leaned in for his kiss, but he held her away. “What about Keith?”

  “He knows we’re not right for each other. We talked about it yesterday. He deserves someone who’s madly in love with him, and that’s not me.”

  “He’s a good guy.”

  “He is, but he’s not the right guy for me.”

  “Justin will be disappointed.”

  She gazed at her sleeping son. “I think Justin will be just fine.” She turned back to him. “I love you, Gabe. And I hope you know that when I commit, I don’t quit, either. If we get together, you’re going to be stuck with me forever.”

  “I just hope that’s long enough,” he said, before sealing the promise with a passionate and tender kiss.

  They sat by the fire, talking quietly about the future until they drifted asleep, wrapped in each other’s arms.

  They woke up early, the sun very low in the sky. They were debating whether to raft farther downstream or hike through the woods to the main road, when the search party found them. Keith led the pack, breaking into a run when he saw David.

  Alicia put her arm around Justin’s shoulders as she watched their reunion. She cared very much for both of them, but they couldn’t be a real family without love, the kind of love she shared with Gabe.

  Keith finally broke away from David and gave her a grateful smile. “Thank you, Alicia. I was so relieved when I got the message that you had found them. We were miles away from here. If you hadn’t gone down the river, they might still be lost in these woods.”

  “I’m sorry this happened,” she said.

  “It wasn’t your fault. I apologize for being so hard on you yesterday.”

  “I understood where you were coming from.”

  Keith let go of David and walked over to Gabe, extending his hand. “Thank you.”

  Gabe shook his hand. “Your son was very brave.”

  “We both were,” Justin put in, never one to be out of the spotlight.

  “And you’re both in trouble,” Keith said. “We’ll talk about that when we get home.”

  The chief of police stepped forward, giving Alicia a smile. “Nice to see all of you.”

  “And you,” she said. “We thought we might have a long trek back.”

  “We’re not too far away. We found Mrs. Farr wandering around town, holding Brian’s old teddy bear in her arms, telling whoever would listen that she had done a terrible thing,” Ronnie said. “She’s been arrested, and she’s undergoing psychiatric evaluation.”

  The news didn’t make Alicia feel any better. She was furious with Dina for endangering her son’s life, but there was also a part of her that understood the mother’s pain that Dina had gone through when she’d lost her son. She hoped Dina could get some help, but she still needed to pay for what she had done.

  “Did she set the fire, too?” she asked.

  “She said she did, but we’re going to follow up and make sure no one else was involved.” He paused. “I’m sorry, Alicia, for everything you’ve been through. I didn’t realize that things were going to get this bad.”

  “I didn’t, either, Ronnie. I’m just glad it’s over.”

  Their hike through the woods took about thirty minutes. The chief gave Alicia, Gabe, and Justin a ride home, while Keith and David headed home in another patrol car. At her house, Alicia was stunned to find a crowd waiting.

  As they got out of the car, there were cheers and hugs from family, friends, and neighbors, many of whom had not been speaking to them for the last six months. Apparently, Justin and David’s disappearance had put everything in perspective.

  Kelly stood on the lawn with Alicia’s father. When she saw Justin, she opened her arms, and Justin went flying into her embrace. She hugged him tight, giving Alicia a teary smile. “I’m so glad you found him. I was so worried. I’m never letting you two go again.”

  “I feel the same wa
y,” Alicia said.

  “How come so many people are here?” Justin asked, clearly oblivious to the worry that his disappearance had brought to so many people.

  “Go into the house, honey,” Alicia said as Russell Farr stepped forward. Whatever he had to say, she didn’t want Justin hearing it. “Dad?”

  He nodded and grabbed Justin’s hand. “You’d better tell me what you did, young man.”

  “We went looking for the arrowheads,” Justin said with excitement as he disappeared into the house with his grandfather.

  As Russell walked toward Alicia, the rest of the crowd fell back—except for Gabe. He moved next to Alicia’s side, and she was grateful for his presence.

  “Alicia,” Russell said, glancing over at Kelly.

  Kelly gave him an encouraging nod, but he still looked like he had a mouth full of nails.

  Finally, he said, “I’m sorry for what happened and for my mother’s involvement. I had no idea she was in such bad shape.” He paused. “Kelly told me that my anger fed my mother’s pain, and she’s right. I wasn’t just pissed off at you and your father; I was furious with myself. It was my idea to take that trip, and I didn’t save my brother. I couldn’t live with the regret, so I took it out on you.”

  Alicia was shocked by the admission.

  “We were all wrong,” Kelly said loudly, looking around the crowd, “to blame you and your father for what was an accident. I spoke to one of Brian’s friends, Marco. After some persuasion, he admitted to me that he and Brian and John drank shots of vodka on their lunch break that day. It was in their water bottles.”

  Alicia shook her head. Her instincts about Brian’s behavior had been right. “I told them how dangerous the run was before we left. They knew there was no alcohol allowed. I never thought to check their water bottles.”

  “Why would you? They were grown men.” Kelly took a deep breath. “We’ll never know if the alcohol slowed Brian’s reactions or if the current was just too strong. But what I know, and what I hope everyone else here knows, is that Brian wasn’t a vengeful person. He loved rafting. He wanted to go on that trip. He was doing something that he enjoyed. When he died, he was living his life on his terms. And he would never want people seeking revenge on his behalf. He would hate that. And I hate it. I want it to stop.” She looked at Russell.

  “It stops now,” he said.

  The crowd applauded, and Russell walked away.

  “Kelly, that was amazing,” Alicia said, looking into the eyes of her best friend. She could see that Kelly was all the way back. There was no more fog in her gaze. No more fear.

  “Ian is down at the police station, confessing to what he did. I’m on my way there now,” Kelly told her.

  “I don’t want Ian to go to jail. Tell me what I need to do, and I’ll do it.”

  “You need to let him take responsibility, and so do I.”

  “What about your mom?”

  “She doesn’t know anything yet. I’ll tell her later.” She put her arms around Alicia and gave her a tight hug. “I’m glad you’re okay.” She glanced over at Gabe, who had moved a few steps away. “Is he staying?”

  “I really hope so,” she said with a smile.

  As Kelly left, Alicia was swarmed by family and friends. By the time they all were done telling her how sorry they were, she realized that Gabe had disappeared. She wanted to talk to him, but first, she needed to speak to her dad and make sure that Justin had whatever he needed. When she got into the house, both guys were asleep, Justin in his bed, her dad dozing in his armchair. She gave them both loving looks and went into her room to change clothes.

  As she put on a fresh shirt, she noticed the white envelope on the dresser, and her heart started pounding faster.

  Rob’s letter. She’d never read it.

  She opened the seal and pulled out a piece of paper.

  Hey, Alicia. I hope you never read this letter, but if you do, I want to tell you a few things. I’m giving Gabe my house. I hope it doesn’t hurt your feelings, but he needs somewhere to go. He’s my best friend, and for three years, I’ve watched him try to pretend he doesn’t care about you. I’ve seen you do the same thing. Did you two think I was stupid? I know you hooked up. I’ve been waiting for one of you to say something, but you’re both damn stubborn.

  She smiled through her tears.

  So I made Gabe promise that if anything happened to me, he’d take the house, and he’d make sure you and Dad were okay. I’m worried about how things are going in town. And when I get home, I’m going to kick someone’s ass about it. But if I don’t make it back, then I’m relying on Gabe to do it.

  She wiped her eyes with the back of her hand.

  I told Gabe I was sending him to River Rock because you were going to need him. But the truth is, I’m sending him there because he needs you, Alicia. He’s a good man, but he doesn’t know how to let anyone love him. If anyone can get past his walls, it’s you. And if you do, I guarantee that he’ll stand by you for the rest of your life. So I’m hoping you two can work it out. You both need each other. And if you screw this up, I’m going to come back and haunt you.

  Love you, Rob

  Alicia sat for a moment, rereading some of it a second time. Then she put the letter back into the envelope, wiped her face with some tissues, and left the house.

  She didn’t bother to knock on Rob’s door, just walked inside and barreled straight into Gabe, who appeared to be on his way out.

  “I was just coming over to your house,” he said. “I wanted to give you a minute to regroup.”

  “I’m fine,” she said with a smile.

  “That’s good to hear,” he said with love in his eyes. “Because I’m better than fine. And in case I haven’t said it enough, I love you, and I’m staying here. You’re never getting this house back.”

  “What are you going to do in this small town?”

  He smiled. “Hell if I know. For the first time since I was eighteen years old, I don’t have a plan.”

  “Sometimes plans are overrated.”

  “One thing I will do is love you, Alicia. I don’t know if I’ll be any good at it, but I’m going to try. I want to be the man you want me to be.”

  “You already are. You don’t have to change. Just be you. That’s who I fell in love with.” She held up the letter. “I finally read this.”

  “What did Rob say?”

  “That if we didn’t get together, he would come back and haunt us.”

  Gabe grinned. “We can’t have that.”

  “No, we can’t,” she said, before he kissed the breath out of her. “Wait,” she said, gasping for air. “I want to say something else.”

  “What’s that?”

  “We don’t have to stay here. We don’t have to run my father’s business.”

  “You love the river.”

  “I love you more,” she said. “And I’ll go wherever you want to go.”

  “We’ll figure it out. Where’s Justin?”

  “Fast asleep. He’s exhausted.”

  “So am I. Maybe we should go to bed,” he suggested.

  “If we do, you won’t be getting any sleep for a while,” she teased.

  “I can live with that,” he said as his mouth touched hers. Then he swept her up in his arms and carried her into the bedroom.

  Epilogue

  Two years later

  Gabe stood on the front porch, looking down the wide expanse of lawn to the river that he had come to love. The boathouse and yard had been completely rebuilt, along with the dock. Rafting season would open in a couple of weeks, and they already had a full schedule booked. They’d hired four new guides who were very good at their jobs, and once in a while, he took on a run himself, loving the thrill of riding the white water. George and Alicia still took some fun runs, but Alicia spent most of her time selling her organic vegetables and herbs to local restaurants.

  He’d found a love for building. Since settling in River Rock, he’d become a licensed co
ntractor and was just finishing up the remodel next door. He’d turned Rob’s one-story cabin into a two-story home with four bedrooms, two baths, and a big family room. He’d never imagined that he’d live in a house like that or that there would be enough people in his life to fill up the rooms—and to come to a birthday party.

  But there were at least twenty people under the trees, enjoying a barbecue. George and Bill were at the grill, talking to neighbors and friends. Justin and David were throwing a football on the grass. Keith was there with a girlfriend, a new teacher at the elementary school. They’d all managed to stay friends for the sake of the kids, who were still as tight as ever.

  The town had really come around since he’d first arrived in River Rock. Russell Farr had gotten married and moved away. Dina Farr was undergoing treatment in the prison ward of a mental institution in San Francisco. Her husband had moved there to be close to her. She’d apologized to Alicia through several letters, and both he and Alicia hoped that one day Dina could get her life back.

  He turned his head as he heard Alicia calling, then headed over to the party.

  “I need you,” she said with a big smile.

  He’d never get tired of hearing that. “What can I do?”

  “Take your daughter,” she said.

  He swooped one-year-old Madeline Grace into his arms and stared into the blue eyes of his baby girl. She was such an angel; she made his heart ache with how much love he felt for her.

  “And you can take your son,” Alicia added. “I need to put candles on the cakes.”

  He moved Madeline to one arm so he could hold her twin, Andrew Robert. Andy had white-blond hair and looked a lot like Rob. He also had the same devilish personality. Even now, he was squirming to get down.

  Gabe squatted so Andy could get down on the grass. His son was already walking. Maddie seemed more content to balance on his knees.