Farraday Country

by Chris Keniston

  “There is for the subsidized sessions. We’re still getting the funding in place for those. But I’ve got a paying student who starts Monday. His mother didn’t want to wait for the official start in two weeks. And after hearing his story, I can’t say that I blame her.”

  “Young boy?”

  “Teen. Senior in high school. I can’t say much more right now.”

  Aunt Eileen nodded. She knew better than anyone, sometimes life just handed out a raw deal. “Let me finish the salad. You go tell the men on the porch it’s time for supper.”

  “DJ and Dale are in the barn. I noticed them walk off a bit ago.” She didn’t want to tell her aunt that she’d been watching carefully and had kept an eye out the window for their return. They’d been gone long enough for Finn to have joined Adam on the porch. “I can run out and let them know.”

  Her aunt broke out in a wide grin. “You do that, sweetie.” Hannah was halfway out the door when her aunt shouted over her shoulder with an even bigger grin. “And you let me know if you see that dog anywhere.”

  She couldn’t be upset with her aunt, even she’d been looking for a dog the first time she met Dale. It seemed the whole town was judging whether or not another Farraday would find their mate by if the stray dog appeared. How absurd was that? But she had to admit, it was going to make for some great storytelling to her cousin’s grandkids.

  On the porch she glanced toward the barn and back to her cousins. “Aunt Eileen’s putting supper on the table. She wants y’all inside. I’ll head over to the barn and collect DJ and Dale.”

  Too far away to make out the words, she’d walked close enough to the barn to hear the low rumble of the male voices and recognize the serious tone of the conversation. Curiosity had her considering what two near strangers could be discussing so seriously. She was going to have to mind her own business when it came to this particular stranger. Houseguest or not, way with horses are not, his life was none of her business. A few more days and he would be on his way again. She’d best keep reminding herself. Whether she liked it or not. Unless…

  CHAPTER TWELVE

  “So why in the hell was somebody running you off the road?” DJ stared at Dale as though he expected him to answer.

  “I can’t tell you that. The less you know—”

  “Don’t hand me that bullshit. This is me. We had each other’s backs in the sandbox long before Dallas. I’ll have your back now, but you have to tell me what the hell I’m up against.”

  “Even though it wasn’t my first choice to hideout here, for only a couple of days everything should be fine. I bought the bike with a full tank of gas off a guy from the paper. Worked my way out of Dallas on the back roads. Avoided street cameras and tollways.”

  “Which is why you were hurting so bad by the time you got here. Must’ve taken you twice as long to get to a camera-free part of the freeway.”

  Dale nodded. They both knew how easy it was to be found even when somebody did their utmost to stay hidden. But he’d covered his bases. He had a decent wad of cash in his pocket thanks to his captain, the only other person besides the DA who knew the truth.

  “How long are we talking?” DJ asked.

  “Not too long, I hope.” He considered a moment just how much he wanted to stay, but DJ was right about one thing. They’d been partners too long and in too many places to leave him completely in the cold. “The DA’s putting a case together. When it’s done I’ll be back to testify. Then it will be over.”

  “You two look awfully solemn for a couple of guys out playing with the horses.” Hannah stepped into the barn. The way the setting sun shined at her back, she truly looked like an angel.

  “He’s a Red Sox fan.” DJ sprouted a scowl and flung a thumb over his shoulder at Dale. “Enough said.” Without looking back, DJ left the two of them still rooted to the ground.

  Frowning at her cousin’s back, Hannah cocked her head to look up at Dale. “I didn’t think he cared that much about baseball.”

  “Who knew?” Dale shrugged casually—he hoped. Truth was he really was a Red Sox fan even though he never lived anywhere near Boston. “What about you? You into sports?”

  Hannah fell into step beside him. “If you’re asking me am I a Red Sox fan, the answer is no. Go Rangers all the way.”

  “You like baseball?”

  “Season tickets to the Frisco Rough Riders. Though I suppose that makes no sense now that I’m going to be living out here.”

  “Season tickets?” Dale tried not to gape. A woman who loved baseball enough to buy season tickets and she had to be DJ’s little cousin, and at a time in his life when sticking around wasn’t an option.

  “Mrs. Stewart, a major donor to the equine center I used to work at, has the sweetest seats for the Texas Rangers. Her family has had them since the old stadium. Second row behind the Ranger dugout.”

  Dale whistled.

  “I know. Mrs. Stewart had to substitute for the hostess of some big charity gala last fall. Her granddaughter was having a riding session when she got the call. I must’ve mentioned in our conversations that I liked baseball because she offered me four tickets for that Friday night’s game. My brothers Jamie and Ian and my cousin Grace came with me.” She chuckled low in her chest. “Ruined me for any other seat in the house.”

  “I bet.” When she laughed she looked so sweet, so beautiful. And so young. Knowing he should pick up the pace to the house but preferring to amble at the slower West Texas stride, he savored this chance to spend time alone with Hannah. “So, who’s your favorite player?”

  “All-time favorite Ranger? No-brainer, Pudge Rodriguez.”

  “And now?”

  Her eyes twinkled with amusement. “Beltre. The man seems to be having so much fun when he plays ball. Always teasing and laughing with players.” She kicked at a stone in the path. “Listen, there’s something I wanted to ask you.”

  He braced himself. “Okay?”

  “Today, when Mrs. Hampton sent you out to talk to Clark.”

  Dale nodded, steeling himself for what might come next.

  “Normally I like to be the first one to reach out to a new student. To connect. To evaluate. But she put us both on the spot. Given how important it was to make a good impression on her, especially if I want her friend Mrs. Stewart to help us with this new program, I didn’t say anything.”

  “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to step on any—”

  “No,” she cut him off, “it wasn’t your fault. And frankly I was a little surprised to see how you connected with him. I’d like to use that to my advantage maybe.”

  “What did you have in mind?”

  “Our first session is going to be Monday morning. There’s always a volunteer during a class who stands nearby in case the student needs help or if the horse has to be led.”

  Dale nodded again, but wasn’t sure he would like the next thing she said.

  “Grace is out of town in Houston on a combination fundraising public relations jaunt, and Catherine is terrified of horses. I was hoping,” she looked skyward as though searching for something before glancing back at him and piercing him with her gaze, “you might be willing to step in as a volunteer with Clark.”

  Right now there wasn’t anything he’d like more than to step in and help Hannah with anything she asked, but in a couple more days he should have the okay from Brooks to travel with only the oral medication. Sticking around any longer than necessary would not be a smart idea. And he was definitely a smart cop. But he was also a man who recognized a kid in trouble, who never could refuse a damsel in distress, and too often—his own worst enemy. “Sure, I’d love to.”

  ****

  “Here we go.” Eileen set down two bowls of fresh whipped cream to go with the pumpkin pies she’d made earlier in the day.

  While she cut the first slice and handed it off to their guest, DJ picked up the bowl and scooped a massive dollop over Dale’s piece of pie. “You are going to want to taste this. Hand whipped from
farm fresh cream.”

  Dale reached for his fork. “I’ve always had a soft spot for whipped cream.”

  “Tell me about it.” DJ shook his head and put the bowl back in place.

  There it was again. That odd hint of familiarity. More than once Eileen had thought she noticed a quiet communication that she usually only saw in married people. And she might not understand where these responses were coming from, but she was darn sure the two had never been married. Cornering her nephew before serving dinner hadn’t done a dang bit of good in ebbing her curiosity. If the man had secrets, he knew how to keep them.

  “Oh.” Eyes closed, Toni groaned and every head in the room snapped around. “This is so good,” she muttered. When she realized she was the object of everyone’s attention, she rolled her eyes. “The pie, people. The pie.”

  “I’ll have another piece please.” Hannah handed off her plate.

  Eileen would kill for her niece’s metabolism.

  “So,” Dale pointed his chin at Toni. “When are you due?”

  “Any day now.”

  “Oh.” He looked from her to Brooks and back. “Guess he or she isn’t in a hurry.”

  “First baby foot-dragging syndrome.” Brooks patted his wife’s hand. “They come when they’re good and ready, not when we tell them.”

  “I’m good and ready.” Toni stabbed at another bite of pie. “Hope that counts for something.”

  It did Eileen’s heart good to see all her boys so happy. Even Grace the baby had found a perfect match. She just wished the matchmaking dogs would bring someone nice for Hannah. Not that there was any hurry to marry her niece off. At almost twenty-six, Hannah was the youngest of all the Farradays including the cousins, but that didn’t mean she couldn’t have someone special in her life. Everyone deserved to share their world with someone.

  Eileen looked to each of the young couples at the table, then over to her brother-in-law before gently tapping the letter in her pocket. Everyone deserved somebody.

  CHAPTER THIRTEEN

  Sundays were Hannah’s favorite day of the week. The one day when every member of the family came together after church for supper and occasionally an extra friend or two would tag along. Having been the only one left at home in Hill Country for the last few years, she really loved the crowd. Normally, this Sunday would have been the potluck lunch at church. She’d actually been looking forward to that. But under the circumstances, with Dale at the ranch keeping a low profile and all the shenanigans with the social club yesterday, it was decided she’d stay home with their guest. The extended family wouldn’t descend on the ranch for hours.

  “You really could’ve gone to church with everyone. I don’t need a babysitter.” Dale dried the last of the lunch dishes.

  “Same deal as yesterday. It has nothing to do with you needing a babysitter and everything to do with keeping up appearances. As far as the folks in town are concerned I’ll rest again today, and tomorrow I’ll be up and ready for the world.”

  “It’s not like any of residents of Tuckers Bluff are going to know what you’re really doing.”

  Hannah didn’t even try to hold back a laugh. “You have clearly never lived in a small town.”

  “I’ve lived in a few smaller towns.”

  “Nope.” She shook her head. “Not buying it. Anyone who truly understands a small town would know that it does not matter how far out of town we live, everybody knows everybody’s business. My cousin Grace likes to say they know the date your milk carton in the fridge expires.”

  “Okay. Maybe the towns I’ve lived in weren’t quite as small as this one. But I think y’all are putting a bit more intrigue in this than is necessary.”

  “Maybe.” She shrugged. “Or maybe not. All I know is if DJ says it’s best nobody knows you’re here, then this is how it’s going down.” Her cousin was very good at what he did and she knew it. Sometimes she wondered if there was a law enforcement gene somewhere in the family. Her brother the Texas Ranger was also very good at what he did. Sometimes she wished Ian would settle into a small town like this and take on a job that dealt mostly with reckless teens and other misdemeanors, but Ian loved what he did and she had to believe with the grace of God, he could take care of himself.

  Nonetheless, she wondered what in the heck was the story of this man in front of her. Who was he running from? Why was he hiding? Or was everything truly blown out of proportion the way he said?

  “You’re frowning again.”

  “Am I?” Instinctively Hannah raised her fingers to the crease between her brows.

  Dale handed her the last dry dish to stow in the cabinet. “Normally when a young woman’s mind wanders, I tend to think it’s over a man. When someone as pretty as you frowns, if it’s over a man, he has to be a blithering idiot.”

  “Don’t you think that’s a little chauvinistic?” Hannah closed the cabinet door and turned to face him. “After all, if a man’s mind wanders, he’s thinking about a cure for cancer, the state of the union, the championship sport scores. But if a woman’s mind drifts someplace else, it has to be over a man. Rather narrow leap, don’t you think?”

  “My apologies. Of course you’re right. So why were you frowning?” He reached out and brushed at her forehead. “You’re doing it again.”

  “Am I?”

  “What you need is a distraction.” Dale bowed at the waist, then made a broad gesture toward the living room. Straightening, he extended his elbow to her. “Follow me.”

  She considered asking where or why, but the words were stuck in her mouth. Before she knew it, her hand was tucked neatly in his elbow and she followed him into the living room and silently watched as he grabbed a couple of the larger pillows from the sofas and tossed them onto the floor.

  “Wait here please.” Spinning around, he marched back into the kitchen straight to the pantry.

  “What are you doing in there?” If this was supposed to make her stop frowning, it wasn’t working. She was more confused than ever.

  “Considering this food closet is the size of a small house, I’m figuring your aunt has everything I want.”

  Hannah started for the kitchen. “Tell me what you want and maybe I can help you find it.”

  “Nope.” Dale popped his head out. “I’ve got it covered. Make yourself comfortable. I’ll be right there.”

  “But if you can’t find –”

  His head popped out again. “Let’s try this. Please make yourself comfortable in the living room.”

  “Well, since you asked nicely.” She hid a smile. Doing as she was told, she briefly hoped he wasn’t messing up her aunt’s pantry, but mostly she wanted to know what was the man up to. All settled in on the floor, she could hear the drawers in the kitchen opening and closing, the contents rattling around inside. “Are you sure you don’t want my help?”

  “Got it covered.” Another door slammed and she heard footsteps coming in her direction. “I noticed the fireplace has a gas starter.”

  Hannah glanced at the wooden mantle, her eyes scanning the perimeter and landing on the metal key inset in the brick wall. “Yep, it does.”

  In one hand Dale carried a couple of kitchen utensils. No wait, barbecue utensils. By the time he’d reached her, she realized in his other arm he carried what he’d scavenged from the pantry. He dropped onto the cushion beside her and set down a box of graham crackers, a bag of marshmallows, and a bag of chocolate candy. Leaning forward, with the flip of his wrist, he turned the chrome key and then striking a match from the top of the mantle, held it low in the fireplace. The neatly stacked logs burst into dancing flames.

  Sitting back on his haunches, he grabbed one of the barbecue forks and ripping open the bag of marshmallows, skewered two fat ones before handing the makeshift toasting device to her. “Nothing cheers a person up like a chocolate covered sugar rush for dessert.”

  “S’mores?” She couldn’t stop grinning. It had been ages since she’d been camping. Letting out a hearty laugh she acc
epted the extra-long fork and grinned at her cohort. “Love s’mores.”

  “See. No more frowns.”

  “No.” She held the white blob over the flames, twisting and turning, and grinning as the caramel color took over. “Nothing to frown about here.”

  ****

  The bright grin on Hannah’s face was enough to make Dale want to belt out a hokey Broadway tune—and he couldn’t sing. This entire scenario since the day he became the DA’s prime witness felt other worldly, especially since landing in Farraday country. It hadn’t taken long to figure out the siblings were named in alphabetical order and then Hannah explained it was due to her Aunt Helen’s love of the musical Seven Brides for Seven Brothers. Since Hannah was born after Grace, in honor of her Aunt Helen, her mom chose a name beginning with H to continue the musical tradition. Under the circumstances, perhaps breaking into song, no matter how off key, wouldn’t be so uncalled for.

  “Ouch.” Hannah sucked a white droplet off her finger. “I forgot how hot roasted marshmallows can be.”

  Dale leaned closer for a better look. A pale pink dot grew slowly darker. “We should put that under running water.”

  “Nonsense, it’s a marshmallow burn. We got them all the time as kids by the campfires and nobody went running for cold water. I’ll survive.” Lifting the smooshed and melting s’more to her mouth, she paused and pulled it away, smiling at him. “But thanks for caring.”

  “You’re welcome.” Now if he could just ignore the little dollop of chocolate and marshmallow that just landed at the edge of her mouth. It was all he could do to stop from leaning forward and licking it up himself. Instead, he grabbed his fork and shoved the marshmallow onto the end with enough force to almost skewer his hand as well.

  “So what made you think of s’mores?” Hannah took another bite, then licked the sweet goo from the tip of her fingers.

  He really should have thought of something a little less messy, or at least that didn’t involve those pretty pink lips puckering, sucking, and licking. “It was the only dessert I couldn’t mess up.”