Fear the Storm

by Geri Foster

  “Don’t say it,” she warned. “I don’t want to know if he’s headed this way.”

  Damn. Damn. Double Damn. She didn't realize she had sat back down until her rear slammed against the wooden chair. Dread crawled up her spine as she kept her eyes averted. "Where is he?”

  "Getting out of his SUV."

  "Oh God, don't tell me he's coming over here. Please, don't tell me that."

  "Okay," Kendall took a bite out of her donut and chewed slowly. After swallowing, her tongue flickered over her lips. "I won't, but..."

  Squeezing her eyes shut, she prayed, prayed hard she could magically disappear. Or maybe she could escape out the back door, slip down the alley and make it to her car without being seen. No, that wouldn't work. Her car was parked right outside.

  Defeated, she exhaled a deep sigh. Wouldn't he have to see her today? Here she sat with no make-up, wearing her old comfy jeans, and a paint splattered sweatshirt. Of course Lucas would see her like this. Why would she even doubt it?

  She looked down at her clothes then over at Kendall with a triumphant smile. “Wow, don’t I look great," she said sarcastically, hoping to convince Kendall she didn’t care. Wasn’t still in love with Lucas, wasn’t hiding her feelings, and wasn’t lying like a guilty man under police interrogation.

  "You look fine, you idiot." Kendall pointed out the window. "And Lucas walked into the police station."

  She jolted and sat up with a genuine smile on her face, relief calming her frayed nerves. "He's not coming here?"

  Arms folded, Kendall shook her head and grinned as big as Texas.

  "I'm going to kill you," she spit between tight lips. "Then I'm going to feed you to the hogs."

  Kendall glanced out the window again. "Uh-oh," she said, then turned to Rachel, her hand in front of her mouth, her freckled face a picture of innocence. "Lucky me, I was wrong." Kendall's palm moved to her chest. "He is coming here."

  Something told her, her friend didn't lie this time. The reason for her quick departure from town was moments away from walking through the door, killing any hopes she was beginning to have of a peaceful homecoming. Closing her eyes, she leaned forward and let her head fall to the table.

  "I want to disappear."

  Lucas Quinn needed coffee bad. His head had spent less than an hour on the pillow last night before the phone beside his bed rang. A brawl erupted at Frankie's Bar and he was on call. Damned if he didn't lock up half the bar's clientele when the scuffle ended. After he restrained and subdued everyone, he luckily came away with just a black eye, a busted lip and a few bruised ribs.

  As far as he could determine, the whole thing started over Sam Haslet selling his land to the new developers. Sammy's property butted up against Bobby Joe Cochran's and that meant it wouldn't be long before the pressure was on him to sell next. Bobby Joe didn't take too kindly to that.

  Clearly the investors hadn’t fooled anyone. The whole town knew they wanted all the lake property. The problem was most of the residents of Rainwater had no desire to sell—until the buyers started talking cash. Then the town was all ears, mouths and fists. Times like this made Lucas wish he'd chosen another line of work. Something like a bronco buster or a crocodile hunter, something a little less physical than town Sheriff.

  Unable to face the crap his secretary called coffee, he walked into Fred's and headed straight for the counter, absently noticing Kendall Cochran at a table with another woman. The woman had her back to him, but something felt familiar.

  "Hi, Kendall, how's it going?" he called out.

  "Going fine, Sheriff. Where'd you get the shiner?"

  He pressed his finger to the bruise and flinched. "Compliments of your ex-husband."

  She chuckled, "Does my heart good to see someone else join the club. Wasn't long ago I sported a few of those myself."

  "Yes, but if I recall correctly, Bobby Joe usually came out on the worst end of those fights. I still remember that time you shot him."

  "Well, he who strikes first deserves whatever he gets."

  Blinking as if he was trying to clear his vision, Fred looked from Kendall's table to him, then back to Kendall again. Wondering what caused the confused look, he decided he didn't want to expend the energy or the patience to find out. "I'd like a cup of coffee to go, Fred."

  "Yeah, uh, sure thing, Lucas," Fred stuttered.

  While Fred poured his coffee, Lucas reached in his pocket for change. Fred always told him not to bother, but he didn't want to be indebted to any citizen of Rainwater. There always stood the chance he would have to drag one of them to jail.

  After tossing three quarters on the counter, he took the Styrofoam cup from Fred's outstretched hand and turned to leave, when Kendall called out.

  "Hey, Lucas, aren't you going to say hi to Rachel?"

  The same pain he felt when Bobby Joe sucker punched him in the gut last night returned. Hot coffee spilled, scalding the back of his hand, but he didn't feel a thing.

  Rachel Snyder is in Rainwater.

  He always thought if the day ever came he'd sense her presence instinctively. Not so. He had no idea Rachel had come to Rainwater, and he had no desire to greet her with his face battered all to hell. Even so, his curiosity getting the best of him, he turned and headed for the table, his palms sweating, heart racing. One of them muttered something, but he couldn't understand what was said or who said it. One thing for sure, the tone sounded threatening.

  Putting his cup on the table, he stared down into a face he hadn’t seen in eight years. Beautiful eyes capable of robbing a man's soul and making him happy to cooperate looked back at him. Today they were a warm, autumn gold, but they could go to muted forest green or a soft grayish blue in record time. Regardless of the color, they were always exotic and alluring.

  "Hello, Rachel."

  He wondered many times over the years what they might say to one another when and if they met again. He didn't expect such a simple greeting.

  "Hi," she said, with a smile that, though nervous, still lit up the old donut shop like Christmas on Main Street. Fidgeting, she twisted a paper napkin in her hands, and cleared her throat. Without meeting his gaze, she asked, "How are you?"

  "Fine, and you?" he managed, hoping like hell he didn't sound as uncomfortable as she did.

  "Oh, I'm great." She licked her lips and he swallowed a cannon ball. "I'm just great."

  "What brings you to Rainwater?" he asked, finding it hard to breathe.

  She shrugged her shoulders and replied, "I'm here for Grandma Mercy's eightieth birthday.” Shifting in her chair, she gave him a quick glance. “She insisted." That last bit was said to assure him this hadn’t been her decision, he was sure.

  He cocked his head, eyes glued to her full lips as the memory of a special night flashed through his mind.

  "I'm only here a few days," she folded her hands on the table and stared at Kendall. "I'm just visiting, that's all..." her words trailed off.

  "I see," he managed to say after a couple of deep breaths. How he could remain so calm and still on the outside, while inside he was as nervous as a bull in the castrating pens, he did not know.

  "I thought you were going to Dallas today, Lucas?" Those words from Kendall made him want to kiss her on the cheek for creating a diversion. Anything so he wouldn't stare at Rachel's lips and remember them pink and swollen from his hot, demanding kisses.

  "No, no, I had to take care of a few things here."

  "Really?"

  "Yeah, you get a chance today you might go by the station and say hi to your ex. Got Bobby Joe locked up in cell two."

  "Hey, I might just do it. Can I throw something at him while I'm there?"

  "You know better than to ask, Kendall."

  At that moment, a young deputy burst through the door. "Got an emergency call from dispatch. There's a wreck on the interstate. Sounds bad."

  Nodding, Lucas left his coffee and headed for the door. Just before stepping outside, he turned around and said, "Ah, Rachel? You
look great."

  "Yeah, she knows," Kendall replied with a grin. "She's trying hard to impress you with her wardrobe."

  Before he could stop himself, he smiled. "Yeah? Well it worked."

  Chapter 2

  After Lucas left, the interaction between them made Rachel so nervous she spilled her coffee. Temper in high gear, she grabbed napkins out of the holder on their table. "I should out right kill you, Kendall," she stopped and glared. "I mean, like shoot you between the eyes with a shotgun."

  Kendall reached over, offering her more napkins. "I don't know what's come over you. No telling what Lucas thinks. You sounded like a two-year-old who just learned to talk."

  "I don't care what he thinks!" she jumped to her feet. "Do you understand what I’m saying? Lucas’s opinion of me doesn't matter one bit."

  "You've loved him since you were fifteen years old, Rachel." Kendall stood as well, her hands braced against her waistline. "You love him, and you'll never stop. We both know that. How can you even try to convince me otherwise?"

  Anger rolled over her body like a tsunami. "Did you forget what he did to my family? How he turned his back on me when I needed him most? How he cowardly refused to defend my dad? He practically accused my dad of being a thief to my face." She turned away, hiding the tears. "I'll never forget. I can't, and I won't."

  Kendall touched her arm. "I know it's hard for you. I know what your family went through. Remember, I was right there beside you during the whole thing. It was hard on everyone, including Lucas." The hitches in Kendall’s voice hinted at tears.

  She turned to her friend, shocked she’d take Lucas’s side after his betrayal. "You feel sorry for Lucas? After my mom and I were practically run out of town? Shamed and humiliated, then forced to leave my grandma here to face all of this on her own?" She gritted her teeth and pointed to the police station. "And you feel sorry for him?"

  Kendall's grip tightened. "I stood by you when no one else would. When you were being made fun of all over town, I defended you the best I could. I love you like a sister and it broke my heart when you left. Looking at the back end of that U-Haul as you drove out of town was the worst day of my life. I cried myself to sleep for weeks wondering how I would go on without my best friend. The only person in the world I trust."

  "Then why take up for Quinn?"

  Kendall released her and lowered her gaze. "He was, and still is, a good friend. He was young then. A brand-new deputy at the tender age of twenty-one. He was in no position to go against his superiors, the bank and most of the citizens. He had to do what he was told. He’s never been the same, you know. After you left, a little bit of Lucas died too."

  She picked up her purse and slung it over her shoulder. "I'm sorry Kendall. I'm sorry you were hurt. But Lucas made his own decisions. I will never believe my dad stole anything. It’s not like him. He's not the kind of man who’d take what isn’t his. He's innocent."

  Kendall pulled her stiff body closer. "If you believe he didn’t do it, then let's find out who took the money. The truth is here. If you ever hope to prove your dad’s been wrongly convicted this is your only chance."

  Shaking her head, she stepped back. "I'm here to celebrate my grandma turning eighty. Afterwards, I'm out of here. You seriously think we can solve an eight-year old crime in less than a week?"

  "Not solve it necessarily, we just find enough evidence to create reasonable doubt."

  She shook her head again, uncertainty swirling around her like spindle wind-chimes on a windy day. "A little bit of evidence for doubt won't get my dad out of prison."

  Kendall smiled the wicked little smile that warned Rachel she was up to no good. The one where she tilted her head slightly, narrowed her right eye and lifted the left side of her mouth. "We may not need to prove anything, girlfriend. We just convince Lucas Quinn it deserves another look. He's older now. Head of the department. People in town love him. All we do is convince him it's worth checking out again."

  She couldn't believe her ears. Never in a million years would Lucas Quinn give her the time of day. He looked so resolute when the FBI arrested her dad. Nothing could change that. "I don't think Lucas would do anything for me. I'll be lucky not to end up behind bars before I leave town."

  "He’s a different person. Older, more mature. And he’s smart. So damn smart, he scares the heck out of me sometimes.” Kendall’s eyes softened. “I think he still loves you."

  She wrinkled her brow and scoffed, "You are delusional. Lucas Quinn thinks I'm the daughter of a thief. He wouldn't dream of having anything to do with me. It would ruin his stellar career."

  Kendall glanced at the ceiling. "Only one way to find out."

  She stared at her friend, unconvinced. "I don't believe a single thing you're saying about Lucas," she held up her hand, not wanting to hear anymore. "There can never be anything between us. Not after the way he treated my family. Not after he hid the fact my dad was under investigation, or that they planned to arrest him."

  Kendall held out her arms, but stepped back. “You know he couldn’t say a word.”

  “Not even to the woman he loved, who he was engaged to? Or the man he respected like a dad?”

  Sadness had Kendall lowering her gaze. “Rachel.”

  She held back salty tears that stung her eyes. “He didn’t even care enough to warn me about what was going to happen to my family.”

  “Rachel, I can talk to you until we’re both blue in the face, but only Lucas can help us do what’s right by your dad. Is your pride worth losing the only opportunity we have for justice? Just to spite Lucas? Then go back to Dallas. Let your dad stay in prison another seven years.”

  Pain, real and scalding, shot through her chest like a bullet from a gun. Could she do this? Set her feelings aside and for once do more for her dad than grieve losing him?

  "If you’re serious about helping me find out the truth about what happened to the money in the bank, I could use your help."

  Kendall's smile widened. "Hell yeah, I'll help you. I'd love to get to the bottom of exactly what happened. I've known your dad since I was three. If I had to name a dozen people in this town who might’ve taken the money from the bank, none of them would be your dad. He’s honest and decent, and I thought all along he was framed."

  She had had the exact same thought. But she was only eighteen when it happened. She had to wonder if those ideas were just illusions created by a young girl's heart, breaking because they took her dad away. Something to take the sting out of knowing her mom and dad would no longer be together. Even so, the anguish of him sitting behind bars ate at her very soul. Did she just want to believe he was innocent?

  "It's been a while. We don't have access to any of the evidence. And, because we weren’t that old when it happened, there’s little we actually know."

  Kendall put her finger on her chin and tapped, deep in thought. "We can always break into the police evidence locker."

  She quickly looked around to make sure Fred wasn’t listening. "Don't be crazy. And don't give Lucas the opportunity to put me in handcuffs."

  Kendall cocked her head. "Okay, Miss Genius, what's your idea? Do you have a plan? If so, let's hear it."

  To be honest, she had no plan. She didn't have a clue how to go about proving her dad’s innocence, mostly because for one, she had been shielded from a lot of what happened and, for another thing, she had no way of accessing the evidence or the records that pointed to her dad embezzling from the bank. On top of that, her dad and her mom refused to let her go to the trial. They thought it too traumatic for a young girl. So, she and Kendall had sat alone, across the street from the Denton courthouse in Prospect Park, while her dad was on trial. She had held her friend's hand so tight she feared she might cut off all circulation. When her mother found them, it only took one look for her and Kendall both to realize the life she knew was over. That nothing would ever be the same. Her mom had been too heartbroken to speak.

  During the whole mess, Grandma Mercy and her tw
o older sisters had been pillars of strength for her and her mom. Without their support and connection to Rainwater, they'd no doubt have run her and her mom out of town on a rail. Grandma Mercy wouldn't have any of that. They left on their own terms with their heads high.

  How many nights since had she lain awake listening to her mother cry? Years. It'd been years, and still her mom loved her dad, believed in his innocence and cursed the injustice keeping her separated from the man she worshiped.

  "I wish I had a plan. You’d think after all this time I would." She looked up at Kendall, blinking back the tears. "But I've done nothing, letting anger and the unfairness of what this town did to my dad consume me. Did you know I wrote the governor a letter? I even went to see him, but I got nowhere. The evidence was undeniable he said. The only thing they were interested in now was where Dad had hidden the money. They even accused me and mom of using it to live on."

  "Okay," Kendall said. "We don't have a plan right now. So, let's meet at the diner tonight, and we'll come up with something."

  She checked her watch. "I’m late. I have to get to Grandma’s. My mom is expected later this afternoon. I'll call you. If I can get away, we'll meet."

  Kendall pulled her into a tight hug. "Have faith. We'll get to the truth, no matter what."

  Lucas returned to his office after finishing up with the accident on the freeway. Texans liked to drive fast and that usually spelled disaster for motorists. Thank God, this time there were no fatality reports to fill out.

  He went through the open area where four desks, two lined up on each side of the room, created a path to his glass office. He was surprised the place wasn't adorned with Christmas decorations yet. Christmas was only six days away. Usually, by now, Margaret had the place decked out and wore a different holiday sweater every day. Nodding a greeting, he made his way to his office and stepped behind his desk. He'd no sooner sat down when Margaret stuck her head in and said, "Bobby Joe's kicking up a fit in holding."