The Loner's Thanksgiving Wish (Love Inspired)

by Rustand, Roxanne

  “Oh. Well, then…be careful. The roads could turn to ice anytime now.”

  Mei sighed, watched her mother disappear into the darkness, then drove slowly down the narrow lane leading past her mother’s house. She’d hesitated to say exactly who that biologist was, but perhaps she just should have gotten it over with. Maybe Mom would even surprise her and be nonchalant about the whole thing.

  And maybe prairie dogs could fly.

  She turned up Bluebird Lane and pulled into the drive that led from the lane to the two cabins. Dark, both of them.

  She shivered as she drove to the Cowboy Café, imagining Jack McCord torn to pieces on some mountain trail…or injured, hiding in a cave and praying for help to arrive. He’d certainly seemed capable enough, but bears could be aggressive and there were moose and coyotes and mountain lions out there, too. Big things. With sharp teeth. Huge claws. Fearsome antlers.

  Turning south on Hawk, she slowed when she crossed Railroad Street and reached the café, peering at the vehicles parked along the street. Pickups, SUVs, cars…it was too dark to discern the colors or read all of the license plates clearly.

  A patrol car caught her eye and she pulled in next to it. “I hope it belongs to you, Zach,” she muttered to herself as she walked into the café.

  The place hadn’t changed much since she’d regularly stopped in after school for a soda or ice cream on her way home from school all those years ago.

  The café was deep and narrow, with a long soda fountain and red vinyl swivel stools that stretched along one side, with glass pastry cases positioned every six stools. Usually there were wonderful pies and pastries and incredibly tempting slices of triple-layer cakes in the glass cases on the counter. Heavy square oak tables and sturdy wooden chairs still filled every available space, and the old-fashioned, ornately engraved cash register still sat on the counter near the front door. But the Wurlitzer bubbler jukebox was gone, replaced with a newer model.

  This late in the day only a few slices of pie were left and just a handful of people were still here. But unlike the old days, the only person she recognized in the entire place was her cousin Zach—until he shifted his weight on one of the stools at the counter and she glimpsed Jack sitting next to him.

  Feeling a little foolish over her earlier worries, she nodded to them both and slipped onto the stool next to Zach. She inhaled the wonderful aromas rising from his hot beef sandwich. “Let me guess. The beef is fork tender, that wonderful, rich brown gravy was homemade and those mashed potatoes never saw the inside of a box.”

  “And underneath is a slab of homemade bread. It’s a wonder I can still fit in my uniform I come here so often.”

  “It’s a nice one,” she murmured, tipping her head slightly to read the words on his badge. “How do you like being the deputy sheriff?”

  “I like it just fine.” He reached around her shoulders and gave her a quick one-armed hug. “Good to see you, Mei. I heard you were back in town.”

  “Just since Sunday.”

  “Jack was just telling me that he’s already been a guest speaker in one of your classes at the high school. Small world, eh?”

  “It’s certainly a small town,” she said drily. She leaned forward to see around Zach and saw Jack in the midst of polishing off an order of fish and chips. “I’ve been worried about you. So apparently the bears didn’t have you for lunch?”

  “I ended up just doing the aerial counts today. It’s going to take a couple men on ATVs to bring in that carcass tomorrow.”

  She shuddered. “Why do you need it?”

  “The state veterinarians will post it—an autopsy, in vet lingo—to determine cause of death, what it last ate, how well it’s been nourished and so on.”

  “Thanks, guys. Great topic while I finish my supper,” Zach drawled as he scooped up a fork of mashed potatoes.

  A pretty young waitress with a long, curly, golden-brown ponytail came down the back of the counter, a coffeepot in hand, filling coffee mugs and chatting with the rancher types along the way.

  She fixed a dazzling smile on Mei. “You must be new in town, ma’am. Would you like a menu?”

  “No…I just needed to talk to Zach for a moment.”

  “Just coffee, then? We still do have a few slices of Arabella’s fabulous blueberry pie. How they lasted this late in the day, I have no idea. Flakiest crust you’ll ever savor, believe me.”

  “Arabella’s pie?” Mei’s stomach growled, and she belatedly remembered that she’d forgotten to make something for supper.

  The waitress winked. “One slice, coming right up. À la mode?”

  The combination sent her stomach into an impatient tap dance. “Sounds perfect. With a coffee, please.”

  Zach shoved aside his empty dinner plate. “Me, too. I’d hate to see that last piece disappear.”

  The waitress returned in a flash with the order.

  Zach took a bite of pie and closed his eyes in sheer bliss. “Have you two ladies met?”

  The waitress looked uncertainly between Mei and Zach, then her eyes widened. “You must be Zach’s cousin. From California, right? I’m just so glad to meet you!”

  Zach looked at her with such love in his eyes that Mei didn’t even have to ask. “And you must be Kylie. Vivienne mentioned that you two were dating.”

  “Engaged, but we’re still working on a date.” He reached over the counter and gave Kylie’s hand an affectionate squeeze. “I’d opt for next week, but Kylie here is starting up a wedding consultant business, and she’s having way too much fun deciding all of the details.”

  Kylie winked at him. “It’s research, honey. Remember?”

  She topped off Mei’s mug of coffee. “This is a small town, but Zach suggested that I could have a local bridal shop and office and also build my business online. You know, to offer accessories, bridal gowns, special orders for bridesmaid dresses and so on. Eventually, I’ll be able to do it full-time.”

  “Sounds like a wonderful idea.” Mei smiled at her bubbly enthusiasm as the perky waitress floated away. “You found a wonderful gal, Zach. You’re a lucky man.”

  “I am. Believe me, I know.”

  Somehow all of his pie had vanished while Mei was still toying with a second bite of her own. “I did want to ask you some questions, if you have time.”

  He took a long swallow of coffee, then set aside his mug and swiveled to face her. “What’s up?”

  “It’s Lucas. Mom and I are worried about him because we still haven’t heard a word.”

  “Vivienne told you about the contacts I made with the police department down there, right?”

  “And about the private investigator you hired.”

  He nodded. “The police have hit a brick wall. They say Lucas disappeared without a trace, and they’ve exhausted every avenue of investigation.”

  “What have they done, though? Is it enough?” Mei bit her lower lip. “Do they even care?”

  “They’ve conducted multiple searches in the Everglades, and they’ve staked out the area. They also arrested one of the members of the drug gang and interrogated him extensively. Apparently,” Zach added with a shake of his head, “that gang wants to find Lucas, too. I just hope the good guys find him first.”

  Mei drew in a sharp breath.

  “I’m sorry, Mei.”

  “What about the private investigator?” she asked.

  “There have been two. One was on the case for more than a month, and then he dropped out of sight. The second one says he’s been following some leads but so far, every one of them has come up dry.”

  “Do…you think—” The rest of the words caught in her throat.

  “Do I think something has happened to Lucas?” Zach sighed heavily. “I hope not. The Everglades are beautiful to tourists, but they can be a dangerous place. If he’s hiding out there, he’s facing danger every day, and he likely still has that little boy with him. Food, safe water, shelter—he has a lot of things to worry about.”

 
; But she knew there were other, far more threatening things out there that he was tactfully omitting. “Alligators and snakes.”

  “I’m afraid so.”

  “And lowlifes who lose themselves out there to stay outside of the law. I read the news, Zach.”

  Jack set aside his plate. “I don’t mean to intrude, but I couldn’t help but overhear. What other agencies are involved in trying to find him?”

  “Just the local police.”

  Jack frowned. “What about the DEA? They sure ought to have an interest in drugs moving through the area.”

  “I have a feeling they already do, though no one at the police department is willing to come right out and say anything.” Zach glanced over his shoulder and lowered his voice. “I think there might be a big investigation going on down there now, and they are trying to spread a very wide net. From the vague hints I received, I’d guess they have undercover guys who have been working this operation for months or even longer, and no one wants to throw it all away.”

  “But my brother—doesn’t he matter?”

  “Of course he does. I imagine there are a lot of agents down there who have been alerted to keep an eye out for him. No news is good news, probably.”

  “Unless he’s already dead.” Mei shuddered. “Just the thought of those Florida alligators scares me.”

  Jack flicked an unreadable look at Zach, then met Mei’s eyes. “I think you need to stay positive. If no one has seen any sign of him, he’s either still well hidden in that area, or he has slipped away unseen. For all we know, he might be a hundred miles away from there by now. Maybe he’s even on his way home.”

  Zach cleared his throat. “That’s right.”

  They were both just trying to comfort her, she could feel it in her bones. But after all the time Lucas had been gone, the chances of ever seeing him again alive were decreasing every day. “You’ll call me if you hear anything at all?”

  Zach nodded. “Absolutely.”

  She put a five-dollar bill on the counter and got up to leave, feeling a little ill. Zach gently grabbed her hand.

  “I want you to know that everyone at church is praying for him, Mei. We’re praying for his safety and his safe deliverance back to this town. God is with him. I’m sure of it.”

  Chapter Nine

  Jack caught up with Mei outside the café. “I’m sorry about your brother. It’s got to be awfully hard on you and your mom, wondering if he’s all right.”

  She didn’t turn around, but bowed her head, her long, beautiful hair cascading down her back.

  “Is there anything I can do?”

  She shook her head.

  He’d wanted to offer her comfort before. Now he wanted more—to pull her into his arms for a long, sweet kiss. She’d touched his heart clear back in high school, though there had always been barriers between them that he couldn’t cross. Yet standing by and watching her suffer, knowing that she probably had no one else to turn to, made his insides clench.

  “Mei?” he said softly. She turned toward him as he moved forward and pulled her gently into his arms, tucking her head beneath his chin. “I am so, so sorry.”

  When she wrapped her arms around him and sank against his chest in response, he closed his eyes briefly at the wonder of holding her close. He felt a shudder course through her and wished he wouldn’t ever have to let her go.

  If only things were different.

  “I do believe what Zach said, with all my heart,” he murmured. “A lot of people in this town are praying for your brother, and God is with him every moment. Whatever happens, you can all be so proud of him. He’s a courageous, honorable man. Not many people would risk their lives to save that child like he has.”

  She nodded against his chest. “I—I know.”

  “And a lot of people are searching for him.” Jack took a half step back and lifted her chin with a forefinger to look down into Mei’s eyes. “I think he’ll be here sooner than you think.”

  “I hope so. I can’t tell you how much. Maybe our parents weren’t exactly like those on the old family sitcom reruns I watched as a kid, but Lucas and I were pretty close. At least when we were young. Now I wish we’d kept in touch better as adults.”

  A sedan drove past and a couple of cowboys came out of the café, joking about some problems out at a ranch. Their voices soon faded away, but Mei had already stepped out of Jack’s embrace.

  She started walking away from the brightly lit front of the café. “The situation with Lucas has made me think about a lot of things. So much guilt, so much regret.”

  “You? I can’t imagine that.”

  “It’s true. Do you ever feel terrible guilt about something you said or did but there’s no way to undo that harm?”

  He fell in step with her. “I think everyone does at times.”

  “There are so many things I wish I could change.”

  Surprised, he caught her hand and held on. “I cannot picture you doing anything hurtful. To anyone.”

  She laughed bitterly. “Then looks are deceiving. My grandpa George was a cold, hard man. I was legally adopted as a baby, but I heard him say more than once that I didn’t fit in the family—I’d always just be some foreigner.”

  Jack drew in a slow breath. “What a terrible thing to say to a granddaughter.”

  “My dad stood up to him, but the words hurt all the same. I did my best to avoid Grandpa at all costs after that—I barely spoke to him again. Yet—” Her voice wobbled. “And yet, he included me in his will, just like all of the other cousins. I was stunned. It isn’t about the land or money—if only a single dollar was involved, it would still mean the same. It’s the fact that despite his harsh and hurtful words, I wasn’t ignored.”

  “So he did love you.”

  “I doubt it. The will was probably set up on the advice of his lawyer for simple equality between each of his children’s families. But it still gave me a wonderful gift—the feeling that he didn’t totally reject me, after all.” She sighed with regret. “Death is a terrible thing, isn’t it? I wish I’d been more thoughtful and loving toward him, but now there’s no way to go back and say or do the things I should have. All I’m left with is guilt.”

  “From what I saw of him, George Clayton never made it easy for anyone. Any child would try to avoid someone who was cruel and thoughtless. It must have been scary to hear him say you didn’t belong—as if the security of your family could be snatched away. That’s heavy stuff for a kid to deal with.”

  She angled a look up at him. “I’m not even sure why I’m telling you all of this. I’ve never told another soul,” she said quietly. “Thank you for understanding.”

  He understood, all right.

  She had no idea just how hard won his empathy was, but he’d walked in her shoes. The emotional turmoil he’d dealt with as a child, throughout his mother’s brief and sometimes explosive marriages and extramarital relationships, had made his young life a battlefield.

  He smiled gently. “You’re wrong, though, about never having a chance for amends. Longing for that can be a terrible burden, but prayer has helped me work through a lot of guilt and regrets. And one day, if your grandfather was a believer, you’ll see him in heaven and he’ll welcome you with open arms.” His voice filled with conviction. “And every one of your mistakes and hurts and sorrows will be washed away. For both of you.”

  She pulled her car keys from her pocket and stopped in front of her Blazer. “I hope so. There are so many things I wish I could say to my brother, too. I want so badly to see him again and set those things straight.”

  Jack’s heart wrenched at the sad and lonely expression in her eyes. He rested his hands on her shoulders, then brushed a swift kiss on her forehead. “You’ll have that chance, Mei. I’m sure of it.”

  The first sound came after midnight, like the softest brush against Mei’s front door. Then a whisper of something pawing against the wood.

  There was a pause.

  Then it came aga
in, a little louder.

  Mei sat bolt upright in bed, grabbed her cell phone from the bedside table and listened.

  A bear would be loud, purposeful, without regard for subterfuge. If it were this close to the cottage, it would be trying to tear apart the bear-safe trash cans not far from the cabin entrance.

  A coyote? Maybe. Coyotes were no longer shy about entering towns. The day she arrived a big male had stared her down from just thirty feet away before loping off into the underbrush.

  A wolf? Not likely, though she’d read reports of wolves filtering into Colorado along the Wyoming border. Her imagination?

  She got up and turned on all of the interior lights on her way to the front entry, then she switched on the porch light and looked out the peephole in the door.

  Nothing. She made a cup of decaf tea and lingered awhile in the kitchen, listening. Whatever it was, the blazing lights in the cottage had probably scared it away.

  On her way back to bed she left the lights on and double-checked all the windows and door locks. Her cell phone within close reach on the nightstand, she burrowed back under the pile of down comforters and fell into a fitful sleep.

  And dreamed of bears and wolves and tall, dark men coming to her rescue who all bore a remarkable resemblance to Jack McCord.

  At the insistent, harsh buzz of her alarm clock, Mei sat upright in bed and drowsily peered at the time. How could it be six-thirty already? She’d planned to get to school early to grade papers and set up some experiments.

  She leaped out of bed, showered and dressed at lightning speed and grabbed a yogurt and a banana on her way out the door into the early-morning gloom.

  Her snow boot caught on a huge, furry object sprawled across the porch as she stepped outside and she went flying, the contents of her purse and her impromptu breakfast scattering across the porch.

  She bit back a scream as she scrambled to her feet and backed away, not taking her eyes off—whatever it was. It stirred, then lumbered to its feet. Her heart sank as it rose to its full height—approximately that of a good-size pony—then slowly turned to face her. Its lips pulled back, revealing a heart-stopping array of sharp teeth.