Safety In Numbers

by Carla Cassidy

  “Are you sure? I don’t mind staying,” she said.

  “Please, go,” he said gently. “I’ll sleep the night through and I’d have more peaceful sleep if I knew you were at the ranch where you belong.”

  “Okay,” she replied. “I’ll call and get somebody to pick me up.” She made the phone call to the ranch and got her dad, who told her somebody would be there to pick her up in the next twenty minutes or so.

  Meredith remained in the room for another ten minutes, then said her goodbye and stepped outside the hospital’s main entrance to wait for her ride.

  She tried not to think about how tragic this day might have been. She tried to keep her mind off the idea that if the path of that bullet had been an inch or two different, she’d be visiting Chase’s body in the morgue rather than in the hospital.

  The cool night air seemed to seep beneath her jacket to chill her heart. She wrapped her arms around herself as if to defend against the cold that she knew had little to do with the weather.

  A familiar truck pulled into view, although Smokey wasn’t behind the wheel. Kathy pulled the truck up to the curb and Meredith got into the passenger side.

  “Smokey wanted to come and get you,” she said once Meredith was settled in. “I don’t know if any of you have noticed it or not, but that damn fool has no business behind a steering wheel after dark.”

  Meredith smiled. “Believe me, we’ve noticed, but Smokey is nothing if not bullheaded.”

  “How’s Chase?” she asked as she pulled away from the curb.

  “All right. He’s been pretty doped up for most of the day, but he seems to be doing fine.”

  “He’s tough,” Kathy said. “But sometimes I’m not sure he’s as tough as he’d like everyone to think he is.”

  “Kind of like Smokey,” Meredith observed.

  Kathy smiled, and in that smile Meredith saw Kathy’s affection for Smokey. “Can I tell you a little secret, Meredith?”

  “Sure.”

  “I’ve spent my whole life focused on the job. I never met a man who I thought I could tolerate for any length of time so I never married, never had children and focused only on work.”

  She paused a long moment and Meredith waited for her to continue, knowing instinctively that the information Kathy wanted to impart had little to do with her work obsession.

  “Then I come out here and meet Smokey Johnson, a cranky old man who thinks he makes better coleslaw than me, and for the first time in my life I feel like a schoolgirl.”

  “You’re in love with Smokey?” Although Meredith had seen the growing relationship between Smokey and Kathy, she’d suspected that Kathy was just playing a role.

  “Crazy, huh. The tough-as-nails FBI broad brought to her knees by a cowboy with a bum leg and an attitude as big as Oklahoma.” She shook her head and released a small laugh. “And the wonder of it all is that Smokey says he’s crazy about me.”

  “So what happens now for the two of you?” Meredith asked. “It won’t be long before the crime that brought you here will be solved.”

  Kathy nodded. “I’m expecting the case to break wide open in the next day or two. After that I’m returning to Kansas City and retiring, then I’m coming back here and living out the rest of my life with Smokey.”

  “Kathy, I’m so happy for you and Smokey.” Happy tears misted Meredith’s vision. “Smokey sacrificed the good years of his life to step in and take care of us.”

  “Don’t let him hear you say that,” Kathy replied. “As far as he’s concerned sacrifice had nothing to do with it. He loved you all. You were the children he never had. You filled his life with love.”

  At least somebody was going to get a happy ending, Meredith thought. For she knew in her heart there was no happy ending for her and Chase.

  Chase shifted positions on the chair on the porch, wincing as his side throbbed with a dull ache. It had been three days since he’d been released from the hospital.

  Thankfully there had been no sign of infection in the wounds, and that morning at an appointment with Dr. Carson, the doctor had been pleased with how quickly Chase was healing.

  It wasn’t quickly enough for him. He didn’t like feeling like an invalid, hated that everyone was waiting on him hand and foot.

  The sheriff had been unable to find out who had shot him. Chase hadn’t expected any different. He knew how difficult it was to investigate a random shot by an unknown assailant, especially when the shooting occurred in the middle of a pasture. A sweep of the wooded area where the shot had come from had yielded nothing, and unless somebody came forward and confessed, the odds were slim to none that Chase would ever know who was responsible.

  Kathy had spoken to Rhenquist, who had been mightily offended that anyone thought he’d broken Chase’s confidence. He’d insisted that he’d told nobody about the real reason Chase was in town.

  It was now just after ten in the morning. He’d sneaked out here on the porch to have a moment to himself. Meredith had been like a shadow since he’d been home from the hospital. Nurse Nightingale had nothing on Meredith West.

  He’d said he was going to his room to lie down. Then while nobody was looking he’d come out here to the porch to sit and think with nobody hovering over him.

  Actually, he’d found the hovering rather nice. He knew his convalescence would have been much different in Kansas City. There would have been nobody checking on him, nobody making sure he was okay, because he had never allowed anyone into his life.

  And that’s the way I like it, he told himself, although he had to confess that having the West family closing ranks around him and taking care of him had been nice.

  He sat up straighter as he saw a car coming in the distance, dust rising up in its wake. As it drew closer he recognized it as belonging to Savannah Clarion.

  She parked and stepped out of the car, her red hair appearing to catch fire as it sparked in the sunshine. “Hey Chase, how are you feeling?” She danced up the stairs and plopped into the chair next to him.

  “Stiff and sore and maybe just a little bit cranky,” he admitted.

  “Men don’t deal with any kind of illness well,” she said. “Joshua is the worst. When he isn’t feeling well he gives cranky a new meaning.” Chase smiled. “Where’s Meredith?” she asked.

  “Inside. I sneaked out here to have a few minutes to myself.”

  “I’m going to go get her. She’s going to want to hear what I have to tell you all.” Savannah jumped out of the chair and disappeared into the house. A few minutes later she and Meredith came out on the porch.

  “I thought you were in your room resting,” Meredith said to him. “Do you need anything?”

  “Yeah, I need Nurse Nancy to be off duty,” he replied with a grin.

  She returned his smile, obviously not offended by his words. She looked at Savannah. “So what’s this news you’re bursting to tell us?”

  Savannah’s eyes gleamed brightly. “Raymond Buchannan has been arrested and word around town is that he’s at the sheriff’s office with those two FBI agents, spilling his guts.”

  Chase wasn’t surprised. From the minute Sam had told him that he’d seen Buchannan with Black, he’d known the newspaper man had something to do with the evil going on in Cotter Creek. “Have you heard who else might be involved?”

  Savannah shook her head. “He was only arrested about an hour ago and so far no word is leaking out about who else might be guilty. I can’t believe that man fooled me. No wonder he discouraged me from investigating the deaths in the area. He was responsible for them.” Her outrage was evident in her voice.

  “So it’s just a matter of hours and it will all be over,” Meredith said. There was something in her tone that kept Chase from looking at her, a hint of wistfulness that pierced through him and made him not want to see the expression on her face.

  Just a matter of hours and it would all be over. The bad guys would be identified and arrested and Chase and Kathy’s work here would be done. H
e’d say goodbye to the family who had embraced him and goodbye to the woman who had touched him as none ever had.

  He had no other choice. As much as Meredith drew him, as much as he wanted her every minute of every day, he refused to consider anything other than telling her goodbye. He would never put anyone in the position to discover that he was his father’s son. Especially not a woman he might love.

  “Oh, I almost forgot.” Savannah pulled an envelope out of her purse and handed it to Meredith.

  “What’s this?” she asked curiously.

  “Beats me. It was left in the mail drop at the paper with your name on it.”

  Meredith opened the envelope and took out the single sheet of paper that was inside.

  “What does it say?” Chase asked, although he was afraid he knew.

  She looked at him, and in the shadows of her eyes he knew. “It says, ‘It’s time’.”

  Chapter 12

  Meredith stared at the note in her hand. In the past four days since Chase had gotten shot she’d forgotten about the notes. Her entire focus had been Chase’s health. But now the mystery of the notes and the strange, ominous feeling they brought came crashing down around her.

  “It’s time? Time for what?” Savannah asked curiously.

  “I wish I knew,” Meredith replied. “I’ve been getting some weird notes. I think they’re from my secret admirer.” She kept her voice light, as if there was nothing to be concerned about. She didn’t want Savannah to know the depth of her worry.

  “Maybe it means it’s finally time for her secret admirer to make himself known,” Chase said.

  “How exciting. You’d better call me the minute you find out who it is,” Savannah exclaimed. “And now I’ve got to get out of here. I need to get back to town in case the big news breaks.”

  They said their goodbyes, and Meredith watched as her friend got into her car and headed back toward town. When Savannah’s car was out of sight, she sat in the chair next to Chase.

  For a long moment neither of them spoke. She set the note on the floor next to her chair, not wanting to hold it in her hand another minute.

  “You know, it’s possible that’s all it means,” she finally said. She looked at him and could tell by his frown that he wasn’t sure what to believe. “In any case, this is almost over for you. I guess you’ll be packing up and heading back to Kansas City.”

  She hoped her voice didn’t betray the rich emotion that filled her as she thought of him leaving. She didn’t want him to know how deeply she cared, how much she’d ache when he was gone.

  She’d told him she was only interested in a hot affair, no strings attached, and that’s the way it had to be. Even if he wanted it otherwise, she knew that in the end she could never be what any man wanted forever in his life.

  “Maybe I should hang around for a while,” he said. “At least until you know the identity of this secret admirer.”

  “That’s not necessary,” she replied with forced lightness. “The more I think about it the more I think it’s possible it’s Buck Harmon. I think it’s possible he might have even had a crush on my mother years ago. He’s about the right age, and his ex-wife even looked a bit like Mom.” She was rambling and wasn’t sure whether she was trying to alleviate his concerns or her own.

  “I still don’t like the idea of leaving here and not knowing for sure if you’re in any danger,” he replied.

  “Chase, my family members work as bodyguards. I’m probably safer than anyone else in the county.” She was suddenly eager for him to go, not wanting to be around him another day, not wanting to fall any deeper in love with him than she already was.

  “You haven’t even told your family about the notes,” he replied.

  “If it will make you feel better, I will.”

  “When?”

  She sighed. “Before you leave.”

  His eyes were enigmatic as he gazed at her. “We’ll see what tomorrow brings,” he finally said.

  It was Clay who delivered the news the next morning that Raymond Buchannan had sung his heart out and named Mayor George Sharp as the brains behind the land scheme. The ambitious mayor had arranged the accidents that had occurred to the rancher and had murdered Sheila Wadsworth and who knew how many others.

  They were all seated at breakfast when he came in with the story. “I always knew he was ambitious,” Smokey exclaimed as if the news didn’t surprise him at all.

  “Apparently he was all set to be king of the condos,” Clay said as he and Libby sat at the table and Gracie crawled up into Red’s lap.

  “Grandpa, Mr. Mayor might be king of the condos, but Daddy says Mommy is queen of the shoes,” she exclaimed.

  Libby laughed. “Clay doesn’t understand a woman’s need for more than two pairs of shoes. Tell him, Meredith, explain to him that shoes are important to a woman’s mental health.”

  “I’m the wrong person to ask,” Meredith replied. “I’m afraid I’m a dismal excuse of a woman who owns only three pairs. Sunday best, everyday and mucking boots.”

  Gracie crawled out of Red’s lap and walked over to lean against Meredith’s side. “Aunt Meredith, you come shopping with me and mommy and we’ll buy you fairy-princess shoes.”

  Meredith laughed and gave the little girl a hug. “Don’t you have to be a fairy princess to wear princess shoes?”

  Gracie touched a strand of Meredith’s dark hair. “You’re as pretty as a fairy princess.”

  Meredith felt a blush sweep over her face. “And you, little one, are too sweet not to tickle.” Meredith gave her tummy a tickle.

  With a delighted laugh Gracie sprinted away and crawled into her mother’s lap. As the conversation continued, Meredith watched Libby stroking her daughter’s hair, saw the way Gracie seemed to melt into her mother with absolute trust and love.

  Meredith had never thought much about having children until Gracie had joined the family. Seeing the relationship Libby had with her daughter stirred a new wistfulness in Meredith.

  She’d probably never know the joys of motherhood. She glanced over at Chase, who looked better, healthier this morning than he had in the past couple of days. She’d love to have his baby, but she would never bring a child into the world without both parents being involved with each other and with the baby.

  “I guess this means you’ll be heading back to Kansas City,” Red said to Chase. “Your work here is done.” He smiled at Chase’s surprised expression. “I knew you were FBI and working the case from the second day of your arrival. I’m no fool. I like to know the people who come into my house so I did a little checking.”

  “Does Dalton know?” Chase asked.

  “All the boys know.”

  “Why didn’t somebody say something?” Chase looked around the table.

  “We respected your job and what you were trying to do,” Clay replied.

  Chase looked down at his plate for a long moment, then looked at Red. “I’m sorry for the deception. It didn’t sit right with me, but I had a job to do.”

  “No reason to apologize,” Smokey replied. “I knew that woman wasn’t an ordinary one the first time I saw her whip out her pistol.” He smiled at Kathy. “But I don’t give a damn if she’s FBI or not. I still make better coleslaw than her.” Everyone laughed.

  It was evening when Meredith and Chase sat on the front porch watching the sun go down. “Your family humbles me,” he said. “I’ve never felt so accepted by anyone.”

  A lump formed in her throat. “They know a good man when they meet one.”

  “I spoke with Agents Wallace and Tompkins a little while ago,” he said. “They’re confident that Raymond Buchannan and George Sharp were the only men in town working the deal. They also told me that Joe Black was arrested this morning at one of his properties in Aspen, Colorado. They’re anticipating picking up Harold Willington in the next day or two.”

  “So the bad guys go to jail and all is well in Cotter Creek, Oklahoma,” she replied. “When are you heading
back to Kansas City?”

  “I told you earlier I’m not sure I’m leaving right away,” he said.

  “You have to,” she said, and turned in her chair to look at him. “Please, you have to leave now.” His blue eyes radiated surprise as he studied her features intently. She looked away from him and stared out in the distance. “You have to go, Chase, because I can’t stand it if you stick around too much longer.”

  Looking back at him again, she fought the wealth of emotion that pressed tightly against her chest. She got up out of the chair and walked to the porch railing so her back was to him.

  “I know I told you that I was fine with just a hot physical relationship, but I didn’t expect to fall in love with you. It’s not your fault. You made it clear that you aren’t looking for love, for commitment, and in any case I know I’m not the kind of woman men want to marry.”

  “What are you talking about?”

  She heard him rise from his chair and felt his nearness just behind her. Tears burned at her eyes but she willed them away, refusing to allow him to see her cry.

  “Meredith, what do you mean you aren’t the kind of woman men marry?”

  She turned to look at him, loving the lean angles of his face, the rakish scar that cut through his eyebrow and the sensual lips that were at the moment thinned and pressed tightly together. “That’s what the last man I dated told me. He said I was a great girl, but when he decided to marry, it would be to a real woman, somebody soft and needy.”

  She shrugged. “I’m a bodyguard. I don’t know much about being a woman. I only own three pairs of shoes.”

  “The man you were dating was obviously a fool,” he exclaimed. “Just because you’re strong and capable doesn’t mean you don’t know how to be a woman.”

  His gaze was warm and the curve of his lips were soft. “Meredith, you’re sexy and incredibly feminine and more of a woman that anyone I’ve ever met. It would be easy for any man to fall in love with you and look forward to spending the rest of his life with you.”

  Her vision blurred slightly as the tears she’d tried to force back once again burned, then filled her eyes. “If what you say is true, then why didn’t you fall in love with me? Why aren’t you looking forward to spending the rest of your life with me?”