The Soldier's Valentine--A Clean Romance

by Pamela Tracy

  “What are your plans?”

  “I need to head to town, find out what’s going on.”

  “I’ll drive you,” Gary offered, knowing that if he didn’t, the old man would drive himself.

  “I can get there. I’m not that decrepit.”

  “Didn’t say you were.” Gary emptied the last of his coffee, stood, stretched and motioned toward his truck. “I’ll take you home first. If you’re going to be looking for a lawyer, you’ll need to shower and change your clothes.”

  “Nothing wrong with me or my clothes.” Now Russell was getting annoyed.

  “Didn’t say there was,” Gary responded easily. “You already have a lawyer in mind?”

  “No.”

  “How about we stop by to see my aunt Bianca? If her lawyer’s not the right fit, she’ll have advice on who to recommend.”

  An hour later, they made it to the outskirts of town. “I used to know everyone here,” Russell groused. “Now I don’t know anybody.”

  “What did your family do?”

  “We raised sheep,” Russell said. “You take a look at all of those old trails back behind your place. Most of them are from the days we’d be taking the sheep back and forth from winter range to summer pastures.

  “My mother got rid of most of the sheep when she was in her eighties. She said two years with no profit was enough for her. Plus, without us boys to help, her heart wasn’t in it. I’m the only one who survived the war to come back to her.”

  “I’m sorry.” Gary thought about his mother, how she’d prayed for him and Oscar when they were both in Afghanistan. She’d practically forbidden Hector to even consider the military.

  “It was a long time ago,” Russell said as the tires of Gary’s truck skidded over the gravel that made up Bianca’s small parking area. There were three newish cars parked. Since she had four rooms to rent, Gary hoped it meant she was full.

  Gary parked his truck alongside the guesthouse, turned off the engine and went around to help Russell out, help that Russell shook off.

  Two families, complete with teenagers and one Chihuahua, were just leaving when Gary and Russell entered the dining room. “Hurry,” one of the mothers urged, “or we’ll miss the train.”

  They all waved at Bianca and left.

  “When did the train start running again?” Russell asked.

  “Today.” Bianca headed for the kitchen, with Gary and Russell right behind. Without asking when they’d last eaten, she fired up the grill and took bacon and sausage from the fridge. “You want hash browns, too?”

  “No, ma’am,” Russell said, already scooping the leftover eggs she’d offered onto a plate.

  “The city council’s all excited about the historic train bringing more tourists to the area. Gotta say,” Aunt Bianca shared, “I have guests for each weekend the coming month. Course, most of them are friends of the family who are doing the renovation of the train.”

  “I rode that train many a day,” Russell said.

  “Me, too,” Aunt Bianca shared. “I hear they’re hoping to repair the line all the way to Santa Fe.”

  Russell nodded. “That would be something.”

  “But that’s not why you’re here.”

  Russell stopped eating, wiped his hands with a napkin and said, “I’m hoping you can recommend a lawyer. I don’t think I really need one because it doesn’t make sense what they’re telling me Jace has done, but I want to be ready.”

  Bianca moved aside, motioning for Gary to take over. He took over turning both the sausages and strips of bacon. Aunt Bianca and Russell sat at the kitchen nook and Russell told her everything going on.

  “Have you spoken to Lydia about how far this has gone?” Aunt Bianca asked when he finally finished.

  “I’d rather not.”

  “Get out your cell phone. I know you have one.”

  “What?” Russell sputtered.

  “You heard me. Get out your cell phone. Call Lydia. It’s been a couple of years since her last visit and it’s past time.”

  “She’s working and has family—”

  “You are part of her family.”

  “But—”

  “This is for Jace. They were always close. If you don’t call her, she’s going to be hurt.”

  Russell took out his cell phone. His fingers shook a bit, but once his granddaughter answered, his forehead smoothed out and he relaxed a bit.

  Sitting at the kitchen table, the faint sound of country music in the background, Aunt Bianca said, “You’ve made a good friend there.”

  “Yup.”

  “I hear you’ve a good friend in Leann.”

  “Don’t match-make, Aunt Bianca.”

  “Oh,” she laughed, “I don’t need to. You’ve handled it all yourself.”

  Gary couldn’t seem to find the words to disagree.

  CHAPTER SIXTEEN

  LEANN PULLED INTO the police department’s parking lot, already feeling like she’d put in a full day. Mondays were never easy. Aaron bemoaned that the weekend wasn’t three days long, and Tim, of course, remembered a homework assignment due this morning.

  Fun.

  Their father was due to arrive, and Leann wanted nothing more than to stay in bed, lights off, and worry. Instead, she was back to work. Her eyes felt gritty and her pants loose. Was she losing weight? It had been an unpredictable week and was about to become more so. Lucas had called a good twenty minutes ago, wanting her to report for duty, but not sharing much on the phone. She figured it had to do with Jace Blackgoat. Based on the noise in the background, Lucas was dealing with way too many people in the waiting room to explain.

  After last night’s adventure in Russell’s backyard—Gary’s kiss, his arms around her, the warmth—she’d crawled into bed at three and when she closed her eyes, it wasn’t sheep she counted, but the minutes it might be before she’d see him again.

  She was too old for this. Too busy.

  Pushing open the door, she stepped inside, noted a line of people and promptly bumped into Jimmy Weston.

  “How’s the chief?” he asked.

  “Same,” she answered, wishing she knew more. “How’s your motorcycle?”

  “That’s why I’m here. I heard Jace Blackgoat will be brought by. I’m wondering if I can sue him for the damages to my bike.”

  “Give us a day or two,” Leann suggested. “We aren’t even sure he was the driver.”

  Jimmy looked at the long line of people, at Lucas, who wasn’t smiling, and then back at Leann. “Okay. I can wait.”

  He left and she wove her way through the small crowd, fielding questions like “When is the chief coming back?” or “Who’s in charge now?”

  “Don’t know,” she answered everyone because they were mostly friends and “No comment” seemed too impersonal.

  Lucas waved her toward the back and turned the front desk over to Zack. She’d never seen Lucas so red in the face. “Jace is due any minute. Sorry to have to call you in early.”

  She didn’t miss that he was a little flustered, even though he was the oldest cop among them and had the most experience. “Things do seem a bit wild out there.”

  Suddenly, Zack called out, “Need a little help here.”

  Lucas grumbled, “I’m glad I won’t be acting chief. I don’t have the desire, the speed or the memory.”

  “I can do it,” Leann offered. “I was planning to apply—”

  “Leann,” Lucas said softly; his words stopping her cold, “you’re our most valued patrol officer with the strongest work ethic I’ve ever seen. I don’t know what we’d do without you.”

  “What are you trying to say?” Leann knew Lucas, knew that he was soft-pedaling and trying to be both politically correct and honest. Two concepts that didn’t necessary complement each other.

 
“This morning, I got a call from the mayor. I didn’t want you to hear this from anyone else. For now, Oscar will be acting chief of police.”

  “Until Chief Riley returns?”

  Lucas nodded.

  “The mayor made the decision?”

  Lucas nodded.

  Leann took a deep breath. Thoughts tumbled in her brain, trying to come together in coherent reasoning. “If Oscar’s the chief, that’s not a job either of us applied for, so does that mean I still have a chance at lieutenant or...”

  “I’m staying on as lieutenant until Tom returns and then I’ll retire and my position will be open.”

  “But, if Oscar has been acting as chief, he’ll have something new to add to his qualifications. It will hurt my chances...” Her voice got softer as she spoke. Oh, wow, she sounded like her kids arguing a point and insisting a situation was unfair.

  And, this was unfair.

  But, what was really unfair was Chief Riley’s getting hit by a truck and winding up in the hospital.

  “The mayor made the decision,” Lucas reiterated. “It wasn’t an easy one for him. You are a great cop.”

  It was what Lucas didn’t say that Leann worried about. Lucas knew her, knew the challenges she faced as a single mother and how stressed she was because of Ryan’s return.

  As if reading her thoughts, Lucas continued, “It’s a good thing Oscar just had a brief vacation because for the next month, he won’t have any time off.”

  “I’ve been working every day,” Leann inserted.

  He nodded, face somber, before querying, “And, you’re willing to work every day for the next few months?”

  Was she? Ryan was due in town. If she worked every day, Tim and Aaron would be at their grandparents’, with Ryan, every day.

  No way was she admitting defeat. In truth, if the chief was going to be out for months, they’d have to hire someone, albeit temporarily. But, it took time—time away from her boys.

  She’d been trained by Chief Tom Riley, the best, and she knew that right now, her reaction was make-or-break. Lucas had rated her a “great” cop. To keep his high opinion of her, she needed to acknowledge that Oscar had earned the position and that she applauded him.

  “I understand.”

  He nodded and began. “It’s been a wild couple of hours. I need you to stop by Bianca’s Bed-and-Breakfast. I spoke with Bianca earlier, but maybe you can get across the urgency of contacting Oscar.”

  That was easy.

  “Then, head out to Russell Blackgoat’s place.” Lucas took an envelope off his desk and withdrew a photo.

  “I can’t raise Russell on the phone. Could you please go and collect him? It’s important he be here.”

  “Jace looks old,” Leann observed after studying the photo. Much older than Patsy’s brother. She’d even bet her brother, Clark, didn’t look this old.

  Odd.

  Lucas waved her off and soon Leann was back in her cruiser and heading toward Bianca’s. After that, she’d drive out to Russell’s place.

  She wouldn’t stop at Gary’s. No need. He was not part of the equation and right now she didn’t need any distractions of the heart, even if her heart told her something different.

  * * *

  RUSSELL AND AUNT BIANCA were at the dining room table, with Aunt Bianca making a list of all the things she thought Russell should be doing to help Jace.

  “Lydia will be here later this afternoon. She says to wait to visit Jace until she can come, too,” Russell supplied. “I hate thinking he might be in trouble.”

  “Who hasn’t been in some kind of trouble?” Aunt Bianca pointed at Gary. “You think so much of my nephew. You think he’s never been in trouble?”

  Gary frowned. Russell now looked intrigued.

  “Well, he’s been in trouble, let me tell you. A lot more than his siblings, too.” Aunt Bianca was really enjoying this. “He got caught skinny-dipping in a neighbor’s pool. Thankfully not everyone had cell phones back then or his picture would be all over Facebook.”

  “Our next-door neighbors were supposed to be out of town,” Gary protested halfheartedly. “They told me I could use their pool in exchange for feeding the cat.”

  “Not at midnight and not without clothes on.”

  “The only reason they called the police,” Gary protested, “was because they didn’t recognize me.”

  Aunt Bianca tsked. “Two weeks later, he pulled the fire alarm at his school junior year. Said he didn’t want to take some test.”

  Gary wondered if he should set the record straight. He’d pulled the alarm because there was a drug deal going down just outside the PE doors, and he knew that one of his brother’s friends was involved. Later, he’d collared his brother’s friend and Gary had tried to set him straight.

  “I thought his mother was going to ground him for life,” Aunt Bianca said.

  The hair on Gary’s neck prickled and he turned to look behind him. Leann stood at the kitchen door. Exhaustion smudged the skin under her eyes and stray hairs escaped her ponytail. Something in him welled up, and had she so much as looked at him, he’d have taken her in his arms, held on tight and told her it would be okay.

  He’d make it okay. That was his job. Keeping people safe.

  She didn’t look at him but said, “Setting off a fire alarm is a Class E felony.”

  “I wasn’t charged.”

  Leann rolled her eyes.

  “How’s the chief?” Bianca quickly asked. “I’ve been listening to the news all morning, but they haven’t said a thing.”

  “We got the call an hour ago. The chief’s head injury is now officially a concussion. He’ll be released in a week or so.”

  “Good to hear.”

  “He won’t return to work for a while.” Leann took a seat, scooting her chair in before he could assist, and shook her head at Aunt Bianca’s offer of food. “Bianca, has Oscar checked in with you at all?”

  “No, sweetie, and I’ve called him twice today already. He said before he left that phone service was spotty on the cruise.”

  “The police in Seward will meet him the moment he gets off the boat,” Leann said wearily. “If it ever docks.”

  “You can always deputize me,” Gary offered, only half kidding.

  Leann looked like she wanted to say she wished she could say yes.

  “Sarasota Falls isn’t big enough for two Guzman boys to tote a badge,” Aunt Bianca said.

  “It would just be temporary.” Even as Gary said the words, he remembered that Oscar’s time in Sarasota Falls was supposed to be temporary. His falling in love with Shelley had turned it into something permanent.

  Gary had already admitted to himself that he was half in love with Leann. Working with her would either make or break the bond. Maybe he really should step up and apply. If—and that was a huge word—he could handle anything rooted, especially being a cop.

  Being committed to a cop.

  “We, ah,” stumbled Leann, “have our schedule for the next two days, but we’re shorthanded, and we really need an acting chief. It’s just that...”

  “You’re not acting chief?” Aunt Bianca gently prodded.

  “No,” Leann said slowly, in a tone Gary never heard her use before. “Lucas and I will be sharing responsibility until Oscar returns, and then he’ll...”

  An inkling of the truth dawned on him. “He’ll what?”

  Leann sat up straight and jutted her chin out. “Lucas will put off his retirement until Chief Riley returns as well as handle internal operations. In the meantime, Oscar is acting chief.”

  “That’s strange,” Gary protested. “If the position is temporary, just until Chief Riley returns to work, and you’re here and Oscar’s not, why not just give it to you? You’ve been here longer. Who made the decision?”

  “The mayor. L
ucas told me not even an hour ago.”

  Again, Gary’s inclination was to take her in his arms, but he could see it took everything for her to hold herself together. If he took her in his arms, she’d fall apart. He knew it. And she wouldn’t appreciate it.

  “Why did the mayor—”

  Aunt Bianca held up her hand, stopping him. Impatiently, he slid the bacon from the pan onto a plate, followed it with the sausages and set the food in front of Russell. Aunt Bianca passed the ketchup and asked, “The mayor’s wife still good friends with your mother?”

  Leann visibly flinched.

  “Maybe it’s time to talk to the mayor himself,” Aunt Bianca suggested. “You have seniority and experience. Put the mayor on the spot. And don’t go in there and say ‘I’m sorry to bother you.’ Go in there and lay out your experience and then ask him to give you the exact reasons Oscar was chosen over you. Write them down. Then, counter all his reasons with your expertise. Let him know you’re not accepting his decision without a fight.”

  “Aunt Bianca,” Gary said weakly, “um, Oscar’s your nephew.”

  “Oscar’s a grown man. He can take care of himself.”

  Gary’s mouth opened and shut. While Aunt Bianca didn’t seem inclined to put family first, Gary hesitated. This was a raise for his brother Oscar, who had a new baby on the way.

  Russell shook his fork and said the words Gary should have said. “And, your ability on the shooting range has improved thanks to Gary and me.”

  Aunt Bianca gave Gary a smirk.

  No one said anything for a few minutes.

  Russell put his fork down, waited a beat and said, “You got any news about Jace? Did you bring him here already?”

  “You were right, Russell.” Leann almost looked relieved that the subject had changed. “Since Jace refused to talk and had no identification, the cops were able to take his fingerprints. They got the results back this morning.”

  “And?” Russell urged.