“Okay, I’ll be over around noon.”
When Sara arrived, Mariah was ready to go. They took off across the fields, the same route they traveled the previous day, and stopped a short distance from the area.
“The car is back. Apparently, she does drive, and we were mistaken,” Mariah said. She glanced over at Sarah. “What’s wrong?”
“Look, over there.” Sarah pointed toward the north side of the house. “Is that her husband standing by the door? Is he watching us?”
The man was a good distance away. He was wearing ragged stonewashed denims and a worn sport shirt with a ripped pocket. He stood with a bottle of beer in his hand, his potbelly drooping below the hem. His long, filthy hair was blowing in the blustery wind.
“Oh no... move slowly. We’ll pretend we’re looking for something. Better yet, let’s get down from our horses and begin picking wildflowers. That should look innocent enough.”
While bending over to reach for a flower Mariah lifted her eyes to see what he was doing. That was when she noticed him watching with deadly concentration. Suddenly his face became red and blotchy with anger, and he quickly turned toward the side door, where Natalie suddenly appeared. He motioned for her to stay indoors. His glare was hard and cruel, showing no concern for her whatsoever. With a wounded look, Natalie slowly backed into the house. He glowered at her until she shut the door, then turned away and stomped drunkenly to the shed behind the garage.
“Did you see that, Mariah?” They stared after him, astounded.
Mariah felt the hair stand up on the back of her neck. “Come on, let’s get out of here.” They leaped into their saddles and galloped across the field as quickly as possible, the wind blowing Mariah’s long hair out behind her.
When they reached the ranch, she invited Sarah in for lunch.
“I better not. The boys will be home from school soon, plus I have tons of chores to do.”
Mariah pulled Precious Angel up alongside of her and spoke quietly. “We better stay away from their property from this point on, Sarah. Nick would be angry if he found that I was still going there after he told me I shouldn’t. He looks like a very abusive man. Let’s just keep our eyes open, maybe even drive down their road now and then, but no more riding near their land.”
“Okay, I’m getting a bit nervous too. I’ll give you a call tomorrow.” She turned her horse to leave and waved as she rode away.
* * *
“Hurry and finish your breakfast, Nicky, we have to be on our way soon.”
“I don’t want to go to the doctor, Mommy.”
“Why not, honey? They’re going to remove the cast today.”
“But everybody at school thinks it’s cool. All the kids signed their names on it. I want to leave it on.”
“We’ll ask the doctor if you can bring it home with you.”
“Okay, I want to keep it forever and ever, so I can show it off to everyone who comes to our house.” He tipped his head and tried to wink at her.
Mariah laughed and lightly tickled his neck. “Okay, let’s get a move on it. The doctor runs a busy schedule and expects us to be there on time.”
When she entered the parking lot at the doctor’s office, she pulled into a space along the sidewalk, under the shade of a tree. As she grabbed her purse off the seat and looked up, she noticed Nattie, as she drove by. Mariah waved at her and she returned the gesture, with a deep frown on her face.
“I wonder what she’s up to,” she muttered.
“What did you say, Mommy?” Nicky asked, as he unhooked his seatbelt.
“I’m just talking to myself, sweetie. Let’s go.” She helped him climb out of the SUV.
* * *
Mariah invited Sarah over for a cup of coffee while the twins were napping. This was Bess’s day off, so she wouldn’t be able to leave the house.
“I told you she drives,” Sarah said with a smug look. “Now you saw for yourself.”
“Perhaps her husband has her running errands. She had such a disturbed expression, although she did wave at me as she flew by. He must have her do everything over there. By the looks of their yard, he doesn’t do much of anything at all, other than throw the garbage out the door,” Mariah said, with a shiver of vivid recollection.
Nicky ran into the kitchen, carrying his empty cast. “Auntie Sarah, look! The doctor let me bring it home.” Sarah has always told Nicky to call her Auntie. She may as well be, she's around here often enough, Mariah thought with a smile.
“Wow! That really is cool, honey. Is my name still on there?”
“I think so,” he said and examined it closely. “Yes! Here it is, S-r-a. See? I found it,” he grinned from ear to ear.
She looked up at Mariah and they both laughed. “Close enough.”
“And look, I can even move my arm,” he showed her by stretching his arm out as far as he could.
“You be careful now, Nicky. Don’t overdo it. You don’t want to hurt your arm all over again and have another cast put on,” Mariah told him.
“That would be fun, Mommy. Then I’d let everybody sign it again.”
“But it wouldn’t be much fun if it hurts again, would it? Now go in and rest for a little while, sweetie.”
“Okay.”
Sarah handed his cast to him and he slowly walked back to his bedroom.
When he left the room, they continued their conversation.
“Maybe we’d find out something about her if we met up with her in a store. She wouldn’t have to be looking around nervously, worried that he’d see her talking to us.” Mariah placed her forearms on the table and held her cup in her hands. She thought of how that horrible man’s face haunted her, and a cold shiver spread over her when she remembered the way he’d glared at them. “He really gives me the creeps,” she said softly.
Sarah let out a long sigh, then clasped her slender hands together and stared at them. “He makes me a bit nervous too. I don’t understand why she doesn’t leave him. She looks so lonely and miserable.” She pushed her chair away from the table and stood. “I have to get back. It’s time to figure out what to make for dinner.”
“Okay, I’ll talk to you later.” Mariah remained seated. “Let’s both seriously think about this. We should be able to find a way to accidentally run into her somewhere.”
Sarah opened the door and stepped out. “Give me a call tomorrow,” she whispered through the screen.
Mariah nodded and continued to stare off into space. Why would Nattie’s husband tell everyone that his wife has Alzheimer’s and that visitors weren’t welcome? If she has Alzheimer’s, she shouldn’t be driving a car. She shook her head, and stood when she heard the twins begin to cry.
After tending to the girls, she returned to the kitchen. She was removing the roast from the oven when Nick walked in the door.
“You’re right on time, honey. Nicky’s in his room, would you tell him to get washed?”
He leaned over her shoulder. “Smells awfully good in here, is this a special occasion?”
“No, I just figured I haven’t made your favorite meal for a while and decided to surprise you.” She looked up at him with a wide grin. “A luscious meal for my two special men,” she added.
* * *
Mariah prepared the twins for bed, while Nick helped his son with his bath, taking special care of Nicky’s sensitive arm.
“How does it feel, cowboy, does it still hurt?”
“It’s okay,” Nicky said, while sinking his sailboat under a wave of bubbles.
“It doesn’t hurt much, or it doesn’t hurt at all?”
He looked up and tipped his head as if considering the question. “Just a little,” he said, and returned to his sailing in the sea of bubbles.
After the children were down for the night, Nick and Mariah sat on the sofa, nestled in each other’s arms.
“It’s a very long and stressful day when Bess is off. We need to think of something special to show our appreciation. I really don’t know how I�
�d ever get along without her.”
“I agree. Isn’t her birthday coming up soon?”
“September twenty-third, I believe.”
“Let’s come up with a surprise that will blow her mind,” Nick said, and she looked up at him, her smile eager and alive with excitement.
“We have plenty of time. I’m sure you’ll think of something. You’ve always been good at that.” He glanced down at her and watched while she twirled a strand of hair around her finger. He knew she was concentrating, trying to come up with a plan. He leaned down and kissed the top of her head.
“I have something I need to discuss with you, Nick.”
“What’s that?” He rested his cheek against her temple and ran his palm along her bare arm.
She squirmed on the cushion then turned to face him. “Well… it’s about that Larson man.”
He sat up abruptly. “What now, Mariah? I asked you not to get involved with them. You haven’t been over there again, have you?”
“No, but Sarah and I have seen Natalie out driving around town.” She went on to explain all they’d discovered. “We haven’t been back to their property. We’ve only gone riding along the border of our own. When we rode about three miles, staying on our riding path, we could see their house.” She didn’t tell him that they saw the malicious man out in his yard.
She sat with her fingers tensed in her lap and swallowed hard. “We’re worried about Natalie. Nick, as I told you before, we’re sure he’s abusing her.”
“Mariah, they can live their lives any way they want to. It’s none of our business. You said they don’t want visitors, and that’s their right. Unless his wife comes to us asking for help, there’s not a thing we can do. Now please stay away from them. If he’s the way you tell me he is, you could get hurt.”
“All right, but if we see her at the mall or in any store by herself, we’re going to talk to her. We’ll stay clear of their property.”
“Promise?”
“Yes, I love you, and I promise.”
“I love you too, Mariah. Now let’s get to bed. It’s getting late. You’ll have your hands full with Bess being away for one more day.”
Nick locked the doors, Mariah dimmed the lights, and together they headed down the hallway, stopping to check on the children before moving on to their own room.
Chapter Thirty-one
“Good morning Nick,” Jake said when he entered the office.
“Mornin’ Jake. There’s a fresh pot of coffee in the break room if you’d like to grab a mug before you sit down.”
“I could use some. I’ll be right back.”
He straightened the paperwork on his desk and looked up when Jake returned. “Have a seat,” he said, and took a swig of his coffee. “I just wanted an update on the rescue team. Tell me how things are going.”
“It’s been moving along very well. All three of the new men have proven to be hard workers. Gary Miller and Tom Doherty know the correct way to handle neglected horses. Billy Jackson is the best veterinarian I’ve ever known, and he’s been keeping a close watch on the three newcomers.”
“That’s good news. You think they’d be able to take on a couple more? Buck Morgan called this morning. He has two horses that have been without food for some time now. They even began to chew on the wooden pillars that hold up the stalls. Buck told me that their ribs are quite visible, and they’re in poor condition, but with plenty of medical attention and lots of tender loving care, they may stand a chance. What do you think?”
“I’m sure we can. I was going to mention something else to you.”
“What’s that?”
“Garrett Johnson, the horse whisperer with that special magic about him, has been able to handle every horse brought in to us. He’s been making plenty of excellent suggestions to help things move along smoothly. Would you consider moving him over to my team? I think he’d jump at the chance.”
“He’s been in to discuss it with me. I told him I’d talk it over with you. He’s a very good handler, haven’t seen a single horse that hasn’t taken a liking to him. Go ahead and give him the thumbs up. I’ll find another ranch hand to replace him.”
“Great. He'll be happy to hear it. I swear he was born to be a horse whisperer.”
“That’s why I hired him. You’ve been doing an excellent job of managing the team, Jake. My intuition proved to be true. You’re a good manager.”
“Thanks.” He stood up, smiled with a nod and placed his Stetson back on his head.
“You’re welcome. Now get back to work,” he added with a grin.
* * *
“No Sarah, I promised Nick I’d stay away from their property. Although I did mention to him that if we happen to see her alone at the mall, we’d confront her. We need to find out if she’s okay.”
“How would you like to go to Starbuck’s after the boys leave for school?”
“You’re hoping we’ll spot her? I doubt if she’d go in there.”
“Starbuck’s is located right in the center of town, so you never know if we might see her.”
“Okay, and since your house is on the way, I’ll pick you up. Around ten o’clock?”
“Perfect. I’ll see you in a couple of hours.”
When they walked into Starbuck’s, they spotted a place to sit at the front window.
“I’ll grab the vacant table, Mariah. Here’s a ten to pay for the coffee. I’ll have my usual White Chocolate Mocha.”
When Mariah brought their cups over to the table, Sarah had turned their chairs to face the window.
“You certainly are bound and determined to run into her, aren’t you?” She set their coffee on the table and pulled out a chair. “Be careful, it’s extra hot.”
They were discussing their boys when Sarah abruptly lifted her head. Her voice raised an octave in excitement.
“There she goes! Come on!” She grabbed her purse and her Starbuck’s, then hurried out the door. Mariah followed close behind. They hopped into the SUV and placed their cups in the holder between the seats. Sarah pointed to the east. “She went toward the mall, Mariah. Hurry!”
“I’m not going to speed, Sarah. She isn’t that important.” She entered the northeast entrance of the parking lot and looked around. They didn’t see her car anywhere. “I’ll drive up and down each row of parked cars. If we spot hers, we’ll just sit and wait for her to come back out.”
“There she is, walking toward her vehicle. That didn’t take her long. Let’s go.” They climbed out quickly and approached her.
“Nattie, wait up!”
Natalie turned around to face them with a look of uneasiness. “I don’t believe I know you,” she said, and kept walking. They could tell she was shaking with fear.
“Nattie, the three of us had been best friends in high school. We’re now neighbors,” Mariah said quietly. “You’ve waved to us. You must remember who we are.”
“Please tell us what’s wrong. Has your husband been abusing you? He told us that you have Alzheimer’s and couldn’t have visitors. We’re not stupid. If you have it as badly as he’s informed us, you wouldn’t be able to drive a car. We know something is terribly wrong. Honey, we want to help you.”
With a look of terror in her eyes, she whispered, “Please, leave me alone. I’m begging you. He’ll kill me.” Tears streamed down her cheeks. She turned away from them and tried to move toward her car. Mariah and Sarah both stepped in front of her to block her from going any further.
“Please don’t tell anyone that you’ve seen me, or that you know me. I have to get away now, before he notices I’m gone. If he sees me speaking to one single person, or even sees me at the mall, he’d never let me out the door, ever again. I’d have no way to escape. Forget that you ever saw me. I beg of you, please keep quiet.” She trembled in terror.
“Okay, take it easy. Where are you headed?” Sarah asked.
“I can’t tell you. No one must know. I’ll be fine. I have to take off now. Please go; pre
tend you never laid eyes me,” she begged. Mariah and Sarah both nodded and she hurried around them and rushed over to her sedan. She climbed in, started her car, and backed out of her parking space. When she reached the exit her car skid as she stepped hard on the gas, turned onto Main Street, and drove toward the entrance onto the freeway.
Mariah unlocked the doors to the SUV and they climbed in. They sat in wonder as they stared out the window. Mariah looked over at Sarah and frowned in concern.
“Where do you think she’s going?” Sarah mumbled while she sipped the rest of her coffee.
“Your guess is good as mine. She sure appeared to be terrified. I hope she’ll be okay.” “I noticed from those bags she was carrying from Dillard’s that she purchased some clothes. The one she carried from Walgreen’s held a box of hair color. I could see it pressed against the bag.”
“Apparently she’s taking off while she can. She finally found a chance to escape from that horrific man. He’s an animal. I can’t believe they moved into the Miller’s old house, so close to mine. You and I had our suspicions, but we never knew for sure what was happening over there. It looks like she’s going into hiding, Sarah.”
“I don’t blame her. I would have taken off long before this.”
“You can bet she wanted to, but never had the opportunity until now. Well, we'd better get back home before our men start worrying about us.” She placed the key in the ignition, started the SUV and took off in the direction of Sarah’s house.
Chapter Thirty-two
“Yes, Sarah, I realize it’s been a week now. I’m sure she’s just fine. She did seem to know what she was doing.”
“Well I’m still worried about her, but I guess you’re right. She didn’t want anyone to have any knowledge of where she went, or he’d locate her whereabouts.”
“I'd better get off the phone, Sarah. I have my riding class this morning. I’ll talk with you later. She closed her cell phone and placed it into the pocket of her jeans, when the outside door opened and Nick entered.
Love on the Horizon (A Northern Woods Novel) Page 14
