The Ugly Duckling

by Iris Johansen

  Where was he?

  A sudden chill touched her. What if he weren’t with a woman? Michaela said he never stayed this long. A man who surrounded himself with fences must be in danger when he left them behind.

  Sam barked shrilly and bounded down the porch steps.

  The Jeep!

  She found herself out on the porch, waiting.

  Sam was skittering dangerously close to the Jeep’s wheels as it roared into the stable yard.

  She smiled when she heard Tanek curse as he jerked on the brakes.

  “You’re late.” She walked down the steps. “Michaela almost has supper ready. She would have been upset if you—” She stopped in surprise as she saw Jamie Reardon get out of the Jeep. “Hello.”

  Tanek was kneeling, quieting the dog. “I had to pick up Jamie from the airport. He came in only an hour ago.”

  Jamie smiled as he came toward her. “Nick called me early this morning in Minneapolis and said you needed my services. Though I hate to envision a lovely lady with a lethal weapon, naturally I flew to your side.” He glanced at the mountains on the horizon and gave a mock shiver. “You can’t imagine the sacrifice. No civilized man would venture into this wilderness.”

  Guns. He was talking about guns, she realized. She had mentioned her lack of knowledge to Tanek only last night. His offhand reference to Jamie had not led her to think he would take action. “Thank you for coming.”

  Tanek stood up and moved toward the porch. “Come and see the homestead, Jamie. It’s not quite the hovel you expect.”

  “Our Nell has survived all these weeks,” Jamie said. “That’s an excellent sign that I might be able to tolerate it.”

  Nell slowly followed them as they went into the house.

  Jamie turned and smiled at her. “I didn’t mean to intrude. Shall I go away?”

  “No, of course not. I’m just surprised,” she said quickly. “I didn’t expect this.”

  “Neither did I.” He made a face. “But Nick can be persuasive. I promise I won’t be in the way.”

  But everything would be changed. His presence injected a new note, dispelling the intimacy.

  Which was what Nicholas had obviously wanted, or he wouldn’t have summoned Jamie here. He was growing bored and edgy spending time alone with her.

  She ignored the pang the thought gave her. All right, accept the change and make it work for her. She was using this time to learn, and Jamie had something to teach her. “You won’t be in the way. I’m glad you’re here.”

  He was wasting time, Maritz realized regretfully. The Calder woman wasn’t going to come. He would soon have to put an end to it. Pity. He felt very close to Tania Vlados.

  Almost affectionate.

  He had watched her, knowing her fear, tasting it. After those first few days she had refused to acknowledge him, but she had felt him. She had gone about her business and he had found himself beginning to feel a tentative respect for her resistance. It made the pleasure of the hunt a hundred times more intense.

  He usually had no sexual desire for the victim, but he’d been toying with the idea of joining with her before the end. Sort of a compliment to mark her difference from the others. But honoring her would necessitate doing it in the afternoon, when Lieber wasn’t in the house to interfere. During the day there was only the handyman around and he could be dispensed with out in the grounds. Any struggle might involve mistakes, and Maritz needed information before the kill. He would prefer to get it from Tania, if she knew anything.

  It might take a long time to get Tania Vlados to give him that information, he thought proudly. She had faced his stalking with rare bravery.

  Yes, she deserved to be treated differently from the others.

  Twelve

  Jamie watched Nell leave the gym. “She’s good.”

  “She’s getting there.” Tanek wiped his face with the towel.

  Jamie grinned. “Aggressive as hell. She almost downed you once.”

  “Like I said, she’s getting there.”

  “It was interesting watching you. Usually when you’re on top of a woman, it’s not for that pur—”

  “Have you found out anything?”

  Jamie shook his head. “I’ve a few leads, but he’s sealed off most of the avenues. It will take time.” He paused. “I did run across one bit of information that might interest you. I called Phil to see how he was doing, and he mentioned an article he’d run across in the back pages of the newspaper a few weeks ago. John Birnbaum has disappeared.”

  Birnbaum. It took a minute for Tanek to make the connection. The funeral home director he’d bribed to falsify Nell’s death. “Any connection?”

  “Not on the surface. No sign of foul play. A large sum of money was gone from the safe, but it had been opened by someone who knew the combination. And Birnbaum’s car has disappeared with him. It appears Birnbaum is in the process of a messy divorce, so there’s a possibility he did a flit to avoid paying alimony.” He considered for a moment. “But his son thought one of the pine coffins used for cremation was missing.”

  “Cremation. Gardeaux always did insist on neatness.”

  “And Minnesota has lakes galore where a car could be sunk.” Jamie shrugged. “Of course, it’s all supposition and the theory of Birnbaum’s flit could be right.”

  “And it could be wrong. For safety’s sake, we have to assume it’s Gardeaux or Maritz and that he found out what he wanted from Birnbaum. Did you tell Phil to keep a sharp eye on Tania and Joel?”

  “I didn’t have to tell him. He told me. He’s not a fool. He says he hasn’t noticed any activity, but Tania mentioned once a few weeks ago that she felt as if she had been followed. Nothing since then.”

  “Not good.”

  “I disagree. No news is definitely good news in this case.”

  “The house hasn’t been searched?”

  Jamie shook his head. “And they have an A-one security system.”

  “I still don’t like it.”

  “You can’t surround them with armed guards on the chance that something might happen.”

  “I promised Joel I’d protect him if he helped me. I made a mistake on Medas. I’m not doing it again.” He thought about it. “Why don’t you call Phil and tell him to contact us if there’s anything—”

  “I already did.”

  “Of course you did.” He grimaced. “Sorry.”

  “And I’ll go back there as soon as you let me leave this wilderness and add my considerable intellect to searching out the truth of the matter.”

  So much for distancing and barriers. Well, Nicholas had tried. It must be fate. Bull, he told himself in disgust. He was only looking for an excuse and had found it. “Three days. Teach her all you can in that time. I don’t want her to realize there’s anything wrong, or she’d hop on a plane for Minneapolis.”

  Jamie nodded. “I can teach her the rudiments in that time. The rest is practice anyway.” He expelled a sigh of relief. “I admit I’ll be glad to get away from this place. Everything is too big and the silence is disturbing.”

  “How would you know? You haven’t been still since you got here.”

  “Your ingratitude chills the heart.” He headed for the door. “I’ll go find Nell. She’ll appreciate me.”

  Nell made a face. “Missed again.”

  “But you hit the target every time,” Jamie said. “It will come.”

  “When?”

  “You’re too impatient. You can’t expect to hit the bull’s-eye after only a day’s training.” He moved forward and adjusted the target on the corral fence. “You have a good eye and a steady hand. Use them. Concentrate.”

  She frowned. “I am concentrating.”

  He grinned. “Then don’t concentrate so hard. Maybe you want it too much.”

  That was possible. She did want it. Her hand tightened on the Lady Colt Jamie had given her. “You’d think I’d get it.”

  “Not everyone is a born marksman, and a man is a bigger target
than a bull’s-eye. If you can learn to get off quick shots at the target itself from any position, you’ll be okay.”

  “I don’t want to be okay. I want to be good.”

  “No, you want to be perfect.”

  She smiled and nodded. “I want to be perfect.”

  “And you’ll practice until you are.” He sighed. “God preserve me from the obsessed.” He took the gun from her. “Come on. We’ll take a break and have a cup of coffee.”

  “I’m not tired.”

  “I am.” He took her arm and firmly led her across the stable yard. “And all this fresh air is disconcerting me. No wonder God invented pubs.”

  “I thought man invented pubs.”

  “It’s a common misconception. No, they’re definitely God’s country.” He waved a hand at the plains and mountains. “After He abandoned this wilderness.”

  “If you miss your pub so much, why are you still here?”

  “Nick called me.” He shrugged. “And I’m a bit obsessed myself. Terence and I went way back.”

  “Terence O’Malley?”

  “Nick told you about him?”

  “He told me Gardeaux killed him. They were good friends?”

  “Closest thing Nick had to a father. Terence picked him up out of the gutter. He was an ignorant little savage just managing to survive, but Terence liked him. He took him in and fed him and taught him. It didn’t take much. Nick was hungry. He wanted to learn everything in the world. He outpaced Terence in no time and went out and grabbed more. He started to climb and he took Terence with him.” He inclined his head. “As well as my humble self.”

  “Climb where?”

  “Out of the gutter in the only way he could.”

  “Crime?”

  “It’s all we knew. Terence and I were bumblers, small-time smugglers and occasional thefts, but Nick … Ah, Nick was an artist. He always knew what he wanted and how to go about getting it.”

  “And what did he want?”

  “Out. With enough money to make sure he’d never be drawn back in the loop.”

  “Evidently he succeeded.”

  Jamie nodded. “And he tried to give us what we wanted. I took it and ran, but Terence didn’t want to settle down. He’d been at it too long. He liked the life, the thrill of the score. When Nick bought this place, Terence tipped his hat and wandered away.”

  “And?”

  “He stepped on Gardeaux’s toes.” His lips tightened. “He came back to Nick to die.”

  “What happened?”

  “Gardeaux made an example of him.” He opened the front door for her. “A tiny bit of coloño culture on a sword tip. Ninety-seven percent fatal and a death that was unimaginably cruel. Nick had to stand by and watch him die.”

  “Coloño? I’ve never heard of it.”

  “It originated in the Amazon. All kinds of new diseases are emerging since they’ve been hacking down the rain forests. It’s communicated only through blood so it’s not contagious, but it’s first cousin to Ebola. I’m sure you’ve heard of that little nasty.”

  She shuddered. She had read in the newspapers about the disease that literally ate its victims’ organs. “I’ve heard of it.”

  “The cartel keeps a supply of serum on hand to use on people who displease them. The threat works very well. They keep Gardeaux well supplied.”

  “Diabolic.”

  “Yes. Take warning.” He met her gaze. “Do you think Nick would be acting with such care if Gardeaux were an easy target?”

  No. Watching his friend die slowly and painfully must have been agonizing. “I’m here, aren’t I? I’m being patient.”

  “Except when you don’t hit the bull’s-eye.”

  She smiled. “Except then.”

  “I thought he was going to stay longer.” Nell watched in disappointment as Michaela maneuvered the Jeep down the road with Jamie in the passenger seat. “I haven’t learned enough.”

  “He had some other things to do. He said you were doing well enough to continue on your own,” Nicholas said. “And he finds the place too barbaric for his taste.”

  “It’s not barbaric.” She looked out at the mountains. “It’s basic.”

  “It is that.” He glanced back at the Jeep that had now reached the first gate before asking her, “You like it here?”

  She had not thought about it. The homestead was just the setting for the work she had been doing. Yet now she realized that she had gradually become accustomed to the peace and ambiance of the place. She felt at home here. “Yes, I like it. It feels … rooted.”

  “That’s why I bought it.” He was silent a moment and then turned abruptly on his heel. “Get into jeans and a warm jacket and meet me at the stable.”

  She stared at him in bewilderment. “Why?”

  “Do you ride?”

  “I’ve ridden before, but I’m no cowgirl.”

  “You don’t have to be. You’re not going to be roping steers. We’re just going to ride up to the foothills to meet Jean and Peter. They should have reached the lower levels with the herd by now.”

  “But why are we going?”

  “Because I want to go.” His smile was suddenly reckless. “And I’ve decided to stop being boringly responsible and do what I want to do. Don’t you want to see how Peter has adjusted to the life of a herdsman?”

  “Yes but I— How long will it take?”

  “We’ll be at the mesa where they usually make camp by late afternoon. We’ll overnight with the herd and come back in the morning.” He smiled mockingly. “In plenty of time for you to practice with your new toy.”

  “I could take the gun with me.”

  “No, you can’t. You’re not good enough yet. You might hit one of the sheep or dogs.”

  “Then maybe I should stay here and—”

  “Do you want to go?” he asked with exasperation.

  She did want to go, she realized suddenly. She wanted to meet Jean Etchbarras and see Peter again. It would do no harm to take a break. She would work twice as hard when she came back. She walked swiftly toward the porch. “I’ll meet you at the stable.”

  Jean Etchbarras was no more than five foot six, stocky, muscular, and his smile lit his lined, round face with humor. Nell would no more have connected him to the statuesque Michaela than to Cleopatra.

  “I’m glad to meet you.” He beamed. “My Michaela says you’re a fine woman.”

  Nell blinked. “She does?”

  He nodded and turned to Tanek. “We lost one sheep to a wolf. Still, that is good.”

  Tanek smiled. “Yes, that is good. Nell came to see Peter. Where is he?”

  Jean gestured to the back of the herd. “There. He did well.”

  Peter had seen her and was eagerly waving but did not come forward.

  “See? He stays and guards the sheep. Sometimes he forgets things, but never to watch the sheep.” Jean’s proud smile caused the sun lines around his dark eyes to deepen. “He learned quickly.”

  “May I go to him?” Nell asked.

  Jean nodded. “It’s time to set up camp anyway. Tell him to set the dogs to watch and come in and eat his supper.”

  Nell handed her horse’s reins to Tanek and started around the huge herd. She wrinkled her nose as she came closer to them. Sheep en masse were definitely not sweet-smelling, and their fleece was dirty beige, not white. So much for Mary’s little lamb.

  “Aren’t they pretty?” Peter asked when she got within hearing range. “Don’t you like them?”

  “Well, you certainly appear to like them.” She gave him a quick hug and stepped back to look at him.

  He was not as brown as Jean, but he was tanner than she had last seen him. He was wearing a ragged wool poncho, boots, and leather gloves. His eyes were sparkling, his expression glowing. “I don’t have to ask if you’re well.”

  He pointed to a black and white Border collie circling a straying lamb. “That’s Jonti. He’s a shepherd, like me. At night, when we’re not on guard, we sle
ep together.”

  “How nice.” No wonder he smelled like a combination of sheep and dog. Not that it made any difference. Nothing mattered but the fact that he was happy and proud of himself.

  “And Jean says that when Jonti’s mate has puppies, I can have one and he’ll teach me how to train it.”

  This was beginning to sound disturbingly permanent. “Won’t that take a long time?”

  His smile faded. “You’re thinking I may have to leave.” He shook his head. “I’m never going away. Jean doesn’t want me to leave. He says I’m a good shepherd.” He added simply, “I can belong here.”

  She felt tears sting her eyes. “That’s wonderful, Peter.” She cleared her throat. “Jean says for you to set the dogs to guard and come in to supper.”

  Peter nodded and called sternly, “Guard, Bess. Guard, Jonti.” He turned and fell into step with her. “Isn’t it pretty here? You should see the high country. It’s all green and soft and yet you look up and see the mountains right on top of you and it’s kind of scary but not really and …”

  “He’s happy.” Nell took a sip of her coffee and looked over the leaping flames to Peter and Jean on the other side of the campfire. Jean was showing Peter how to whittle and Peter’s brow was knotted in concentration. “He’s walking on air.”

  “Yes.” Tanek’s gaze followed her own. “Nice.”

  “He wants to stay.”

  “Then he’ll stay.”

  “Thank you.”

  “For what? He’s earning his place. It’s not easy being a shepherd. Isolation, hard work, sun, snow. I tried it for a season when I first came here.”

  “Why?”

  “I thought it would make the place more my own.”

  “Did it?”

  “It helped.”

  “Possession is important to you.”

  He nodded. “I didn’t have anything but the clothes on my back when I was a kid, and I wanted to grab everything in the world and hold on tight. I suppose I still have the instinct.”

  She smiled. “No question about it.”

  “At least, I’ve modified my demands.” He poked at the fire with a stick. “And nowadays I pay for what I want.”

  She looked up at the mountains. “You love this place.”