Will of Steel

by Lynn Landes

  “Sunshine Orphanage,” the driver announces and opens the door, dropping the step for him.

  “Please wait,” Jase tells the driver. The first thing he notices is two of the same large looking guards outside the orphanage. Massive, clean shaven, and dressed in the exact same black suits. What are they guarding? He wonders.

  When he tries to enter the gate, the men make a beeline for him. He stops, smiling and lifting a hand in greeting.

  “Hello,” Jase tries to speak, but they interrupt him.

  “We’re closed,” brute one says.

  “Orphanages don’t close,” Jase snaps and frowns at them. “They are owned by the State and I have a meeting with the director.”

  “Not anymore. The director left and her assistant ran off. The children have been sent to a different orphanage,” Brute two replies.

  “I see, so who do I speak to about my donation?” Jase demands.

  “Donation? That would be Mr. Orson Barnaby, he owns the building or Pastor Greigh at the church just down the road.”

  “Very well, how do I reach Mr. Barnaby?”

  “He owns Barnaby Steel. You can make an appointment with his secretary.”

  “Thank you,” Jase turns and climbs back into his carriage. Orson Barnaby is the common factor. Time to dig up some information on him. They pull off and a few streets over, he pays the driver to drop him at the church.

  Something’s not right. You don’t post guards at empty buildings. “What are they hiding?” he wonders as he walks inside the church.

  Chapter 27

  Jordan helps Erin change into her nightgown and gapes at her leg. “Oh, sweetie,” she doesn’t dare touch the scars, but she does ask, “Does it hurt?”

  Saint walks over and licks her leg, causing Jordan to push him and Erin to giggle. “No, but sometimes it hurts to walk.” She yawns and climbs into the twin bed. “Dr. Asbury said I was lucky. He wants me to rub the scars.”

  “Why rub them?” Jordan asks while Tony glances over her shoulder to look at her leg.

  “To break the scars up, or something,” Erin yawns and Jordan pulls a blanket over her.

  Tony covers his shock at the scarred leg and carries a pillow and blanket over to make a bed on the floor in the corner. Saint is so excited to have a bed, that he wrestles Tony until they finally come to an understanding that the bed isn’t for him.

  “Tony asked to sleep in your room, Erin, are you okay with that?” Ryder says from the doorway.

  “Yes, please,” Erin yawns and Jordan calls Tony over. Tony walks over to stand beside her and Saint follows.

  “Tonight we should say our prayers together,” Erin says and they both stare at her.

  “Why? Do you think he’ll listen this time?” Tony asks angrily, and Jordan smiles in understanding.

  Jordan holds a hand to each child and smiles when they grip hers. “Tony, the Bible says, ‘The righteous call to the Lord, and he listens; he rescues them from all their troubles. The Lord is near to those who are discouraged, he saves those who have lost all hope’, Psalm 34.”

  “But we are orphans,” Erin whispers.

  Jordan nods, “We are earthly orphans, but we are also children of the King. I’m not saying that I understand why we lost our parents.” She sniffs back tears, “Only that I won’t lose my place in Heaven because we will see them again,” she grips their hands tighter. “Never forget that God hears the silent screams of our hearts and he grieves with us.”

  “Does he hear it even if our hearts are broken?” Tony asks.

  “Especially the broken hearted, Tony. I’ll start, you just close your eyes,” Jordan tells him.

  “Father, God, we love you and thank you for bringing us together. We thank you for keeping us safe this day. Pardon me for the bad I have done and accept the good,” her voice breaks and she pauses.

  “Take care of me while I sleep and deliver me from all danger,” Erin says.

  “May your grace be always with me and with all my loved ones,” Jordan continues.

  “And give Mama and Papa our love. Thank you for bringing Jordan and Tony to me, Amen,” Erin finishes.

  “Amen,” Jordan and Tony say together.

  Ryder is touched by the dedication it must take for them to pray to God after all they’ve lost.

  “Goodnight, I’ll be just be downstairs,” Jordan promises softly and leaves Saint with them.

  “Are you okay?” Ryder asks when she walks into the hallway.

  “I will be,” she sniffs, avoiding his eyes, she straightens up to walk past him down the stairs.

  “I’ve no doubt,” he replies as he follows her.

  Jordan walks in front of him and steps into the family room where Donovan and Loren are waiting. Nervous to face them, she stops, and Ryder almost walks into her.

  “Jordan?” he says, and she whispers, “I’m okay,” and walks inside taking the seat across from them.

  “Tea?” Loren offers.

  “No, thank you,” she replies and looks at Ryder, trying to decide what she’s going to tell them.

  “I’ve seen that look before, Jordan, when a client is trying to decide exactly how much I need to know.” Ryder pours a cup of tea and sips on it while she glares at him.

  He prefers the fight in her eyes rather than the sorrow. His eyes drop to her full lips and he’s surprised to find desire ripple through him. She’s a beautiful woman with the heart of a lion.

  Why is he so good looking? Jordan thinks. His beard has her wondering what it would feel like. Is it soft or prickly? Perhaps both? Shocked, she takes a deep breath and scolds herself. Jordan glances away from him, uncomfortable with where her mind has gone.

  “What would you like to know?” Jordan asks them.

  “Where did Erin learn to play the piano?” Loren asks.

  “Oh,” Jordan smiles proudly, “She’s amazing. Her teacher said she is gifted. Mother found her lessons two years ago and Erin surprised all of us.”

  Ryder is impressed with how quickly his mother got her to open up to them. He grins at her and sips his tea.

  “She played for us and we were stunned,” Loren smiles.

  Jordan relaxes, “I feel that way every time she plays.” They fall quiet as she remembers the past.

  “It won’t be what you think,” she murmurs. Where to start, she thinks. “I married my husband Johan at sixteen. He was determined to provide for us and with Papa’s help opened the Regent Steel company in Philadelphia. It didn’t go well. Barnaby Steel is a larger Steel mill in the same city, and we couldn’t compete with them, not at first.”

  “Johan started to travel, often, outside of the city to make sales. I took over running the offices, and he hired his best friend Mark to work as the accountant. His wife Felecia worked in the office with me.”

  “Tell us about Barnaby Steel,” Donovan suggests.

  “Barnaby Steel is owned by Orson Barnaby,” she says louder. Ryder stiffens and looks at her.

  “The first time Orson came to the office; Johan was away on business. He made an offer to buy us out, and I was excited. I thought it was a good offer and so did Mark, but Johan refused. The second time he came, Johan and Orson had a horrible fight. I pushed him to sell, before the business went under. We were losing money, and the orders were slow.”

  Her mind flicks back to the fight and Ryder clears his throat, “What happened?”

  “Johan started to travel extensively. I thought he was mad at me, that he didn’t want to be with me. I didn’t know what he was really doing,” she whispers.

  “What was he doing?” Donovan asks.

  “Not yet, you must understand.” She stands up and paces.

  “Two years ago Johan died at sea, they said he fell overboard and drowned. The truth was much more sinister. I tried to keep the business going, I felt that’s what he would’ve wanted. Orson kept coming with offers, but the offers changed after Johan’s death.”

  “How?” Loren asks, even knowing the answe
r.

  “He made me an offer of marriage,” Jordan shivers and wraps her arms around her midsection. “Things got physical when I told him very clearly that I would never marry him, and that Johan’s will stated clearly that I couldn’t sell the business.”

  Loren drops her face and takes a deep breath.

  “How physical,” Ryder demands.

  Jordan blushes, “Mark and Felecia stopped him before it got too physical.” Sitting down, she clasps her hands together. “I was stuck with a failing business and the lawyers are telling me I’m not allowed to sell. Mark was pressuring me to talk to Orson, and it was too much.”

  “We had a fight, and I was trying to figure out what to do. One night while going through boxes, I found an old cigar box with a letter inside.” Jordan tells them of the letter with instructions. She tells the story of the trip to the safe deposit box and some of what she found inside.

  “Do you still have the letter?” Ryder interrupts her.

  “Yes,” she replies.

  “I’ll need it,” Ryder demands, and Jordan glances at him.

  “Why?”

  “Evidence, that Orson Barnaby may have been involved in your husband’s death.”

  Jordan picks up her bag and draws out the letter along with a separate packet of papers with a trembling hand and holds it to her chest. “I haven’t shown anyone this. I believe this is why my husband and parents died.”

  “I promise to honor them, Jordan, you can trust me,” Ryder says. He leans forward and looks at her with his intense eyes. “The moment I take this letter, I represent you. Do you understand me?”

  “Yes,” she replies. He takes the letter and reads it while she waits.

  Ryder expects to feel anger, but the rage is new. How could he leave his wife alone for a year to deal with a man capable of murder? His hands are trembling as he reads the letter a second time. Three men to protect her and still this happened.

  “May I keep this for evidence? I promise you’ll get it back,” Ryder asks, and she nods her consent.

  “Have some tea,” Loren offers her a fresh cup.

  “Thank you,” she sips it and watches as they read the letter.

  “I don’t understand. They killed your husband for his design and went after you thinking you had it?” Donovan asks.

  “Orson thought I had it all along, or he was waiting for me to find it.” Her mind flashes to Mark.

  “Did your Father know you found the designs?” Ryder asks.

  “No. I only told Mark. I got home late, and I was being followed. I went straight to the Mill. Mark insisted I stay with him and Felecia and in the morning, we would go see my family, but it was too late.” Fire, flames and screaming erupt in her mind and Loren grips her hand.

  “Breathe,” she whispers.

  “After the fire, I wasn’t in my right mind,” she glances at them and swipes at her tears. “I was angry, and I didn’t trust anyone. Mark was pushing me so hard to trust Orson. Orson was helping to fill our orders, Orson hired all our displaced workers, marry him… he wouldn’t stop, and we fought.”

  “Why did you fight with him?” Donovan asks.

  “Mark told me that he would be going to work for Barnaby Steel, and it was too late for Regent Steel. He said I had nothing left. That the debtors were calling in all the bills and that all the workers had left.”

  “You said that your father helped start the business, how?” Ryder asks as he thinks.

  “He used the last of his savings to buy the building. Johan bought the equipment,” her voice fades as she frowns.

  “Jordan, I want you to know that a Steel Mill with the kind of equipment your talking about would be worth every bit of a million dollars. You are hardly broke. Even without orders coming in you could sell the machinery off and never worry about money again,” Ryder explains.

  “But Mark said…” her eyes fly open wide, and she glances at them with horror in her eyes.

  Ryder grabs her before she can jump up. “It’s okay,” he whispers.

  “No,” she shakes her head, and he takes the teacup from her as the reality strikes home. “He lied to me,” she drops her face into her hands in shame. “I’m such a fool.”

  “No you trusted them,” Loren says and grabs her hands. “Don’t put the blame on yourself. This is not your weight to carry.”

  “Why would he lie to me?” she asks, looking up into Ryder’s eyes his heart trembles for her. Her mind fills with a million questions. “Was he spying on me all along?”

  “It’s likely that he was.” Ryder runs a hand over his beard, a nervous habit of his. “People do unimaginable things for money.”

  “That’s enough for tonight,” Donovan suggests and looks at his wife.

  “You must be exhausted, let me show you to your room,” Loren suggests. Jordan stands and walks to the door. She stops and looks at Ryder, trying to decide if she should trust him with the rest. Drawing out the packet holding the designs, she walks over to him and holds them out. He stands slowly and looks at her.

  “Ryder, a lot of people have died because of this design. Look it over and help me stop him from hurting anyone else.”

  “You won’t be alone anymore,” he promises, and she smiles with a glint of fire in her eyes.

  “You have given me the most important thing back. He’s already lost, he just doesn’t know it yet.”

  Ryder and Donovan watch her leave, and he sits down. Donovan smiles at the look of determination on his son’s face.

  “They deserve better than the lot they’ve been given,” he says. Ryder looks at him and laughs softly.

  “Most of the people I work with do too.” He doesn’t think about grabbing his other clients and running to keep them safe. “It’s going to be a long night,” Ryder says.

  Chapter 28

  Jordan takes a long hot soak in the bathtub, thankful for Loren’s kindness and leaves her hair down to dry. Dressing in her sleeping gown and wrapper, she paces in her room, running the facts through her mind. “I can’t sell the mill which means the business, but I can sell the equipment and the designs.”

  “That would leave me free to care for Erin and Tony with no worries, but where will we live?” she yawns and walks across the hall to check on Erin and Tony.

  Saint perks up when she enters and pads over to greet her. She smiles, “My turn, boy.” He licks her and runs from the room. Staring at the children, she allows the rage to grow.

  He’ll never touch them again, she promises herself. No matter how far I have to run or what I have to do, this monster will be stopped so they can be free to live. Erin frowns in her sleep and moans, drawing Jordan to her bedside.

  She climbs onto the large bed, slipping her arm around her sister she draws her into her body and sighs. “Sleep, sweetie, I’ve got you,” she yawns and falls asleep.

  Hours later, Ryder checks on Erin and Tony, only to find Jordan sleeping with her. Staring down at them, he pulls the covers up and checks the fire before glancing at Tony. Dark eyes watch him, deciding if he should trust him.

  “Sleep well, Tony,” he whispers and slips from the room. Tony smiles when Saint returns and stretches out beside him on his quilt.

  “Good boy,” Tony whispers and falls asleep.

  Erin tosses and turns before screaming out in her sleep for her Mother. In her dream, she relives the moment she fell to the floor. Heat and fire cause her skin to blister and burn, and Erin wakes sobbing.

  “It’s okay, you’re not alone,” Jordan promises as she rocks her in her arm.

  “He hurt Mama,” Erin sobs and clutches at her shoulders.

  “I know baby,” she cries with her and rocks her until she falls asleep. Three more times she wakes in the night and each time, Jordan holds her tight until she falls back to sleep.

  “Daddy!” Erin cries out again and Jordan jumps tugging her close and weeping with her.

  Ryder’s room is the closest, and he paces in the hallway until he can’t take it anymor
e. He rushes inside, and Jordan is shocked.

  “Erin?” he squats beside the bed and reaches for her. She scrambles into his arms and he walks over to sit in the rocking chair beside the fireplace.

  Jordan is exhausted and glancing at Tony she feels guilty that he is having to deal with this too. Loren appears in the doorway and takes in the room. “Tony, why don’t you and Saint settle in Ryder’s room. You need to get some sleep,” she holds out a hand to him, but he glances at Erin with concern.

  “I don’t want to leave her,” he whispers.

  “I will stay with her, you go rest,” Ryder whispers. Tony glances at Jordan.

  “It’s okay, go on, we won’t leave her,” she promises. “Thank you, Loren,” she whispers as Loren guides him from the room.

  Staring at Erin, burrowed against his chest, she trembles with the urge to join her sister. “Erin what you need is a happy thought,” he whispers to her. She peeks at him and frowns.

  “I don’t have any happy thoughts left, Mr. Ryder. When I close my eyes they change,” she sniffs and yawns.

  “I’ll give you one of mine,” he replies and smooths her hair away from her face.

  “You can’t do that,” she looks up at him and cups his face, “then you’ll have bad dreams.” Ryder smiles and his eyes crinkle. Jordan watches them and wipes her tears away.

  “Nope, I have lots of happy thoughts,” he grins at her. “Like penny candies.”

  Erin giggles and looks at him. “What flavor?”

  “Orange,” Jordan says softly as Ryder laughs, “Cherry.”

  “Give me another one,” Erin whispers.

  He stares at Jordan when she lays a blanket over her sister and her black hair touches his arm. “Blue eyes,” he replies, looking up at her. “I didn’t know I could like blue eyes so much.”

  Jordan blushes and walks back over to the bed.

  “That’s a silly one,” Erin yawns and her fingers scratch at his beard, surprising them both. “I like beards,” she tucks into his chest as he chuckles and rubs his beard over Erin’s cheek, causing her to giggle.

  Her sister’s laughter is a magical gift and Jordan stares, not bothering to wipe away her fresh tears.