Rod was not to be deterred by her lame response to his declaration. “When I broke up with you because shadow man was messing with my brain, it about killed me. My heart wanted one thing but my mind made me say something else. I think that’s what you’re doing right now. And I get it. You have memories that haunt you—horrible memories. Things I will never fully understand because I didn’t experience them. But I want the full package you’ve become, including the good and the bad you’ve endured. So now I’m asking you, Maria, despite what your brain is telling you, in your heart do you love me?”
Maria was sweating, profusely it seemed. “I can’t go there, Rod. I can’t. I’m a danger to others. I—”
“That wasn’t my question. My question was do you love me still? You said you did in Phoenix. Has that changed?”
Maria commanded herself not to answer, but her willpower was not as strong as the ache in her heart. She had to tell him. He needed to know.
“Yes.” Maria unsuccessfully tried to hold back a sob that had been trying to escape for weeks. “I love you. I didn’t even stop loving you when you didn’t want me.”
Rod’s face brightened. He held up his hand. “Again, just for the record, I was under the influence of—
“Oh, I know,” Maria interrupted him. “You were under the influence of the shadow man. But in the end, it was the best thing for everyone.”
“No.” Rod shook his head. “It wasn’t the best thing for me. This is.” He reached for her hand, picked it up, and brought it to his lips where he kissed it. “We belong together.”
Maria felt on fire. The kiss had traveled up her arm, through her shoulder, and into her chest where it throbbed—in a good way. “Rod, we can’t be together. If you stay with me you’ll end up dead. Guaranteed. I’m the worst bad luck charm in existence.”
“No, you’re not, Maria. Come on. Come outside with me.”
“Outside? But where are we?”
Rod opened the door to the now silent helicopter. Fresh, brisk air flooded the inside of the cabin, and Maria realized getting outside would be good for her. It would help clear her head. As it was, she was having a hard time thinking straight.
Once her feet were firmly planted on the ground, Maria looked around to an absolutely majestic view. There were no tourists. It was just the two of them … and the pilot, of course.
Rod slipped Maria’s hand into his. She didn’t resist. Her will power was shrinking.
“Are we on top of the Grand Canyon?” she asked.
“Yes. Come with me. There’s something I want to show you.”
They walked slowly to an alcove of trees and then skirted around the edge of it. Maria’s attention focused on an enormous canyon gorge below. It was a breathtaking array of colors—reds, purples, and pinks—and it made Maria slightly dizzy to be this high. So much so, when a melody of voices from her right shouted, “Surprise!” it nearly sent her into full blown attack mode. She was reaching for her gun tucked in its holster at her back when she realized she was staring into the faces of friends and family.
Both of Maria’s parents were there, as well as Rod’s parents and Grant. Beth and her husband and all her kids were waving at her. Behind them were Pete and Ms. Tuttle.
The oxygen in the air seemed to be thinning. Maria had a hard time catching her breath. “Rod, what’s going on?”
Pulling her slightly closer to him, Rod cleared his throat. “Maria,” he began, “I love you, and you—more or less—think I’m an okay guy. We also happen to have a marriage certificate. Justin, hold it up so she can see it.”
From the front of the group Justin waved a sheet in front of him with “Graceland Wedding Chapel” scrawled on the top of the paper.
“It’s signed by both of us and it’s legal. I checked.”
Maria stifled a laugh.
“My question is, why get rid of a good thing?”
Rod cleared a few rocks from the ground and knelt down on one knee. “Maria Branson …uh … Thorton, can we please, please, please, not annul our marriage?”
Maria gasped.
“I want to be your husband. No, I need to be your husband. A real husband. I want to live my life with you at my side. I want to be there in the morning when you wake up, and I want to be the last thing you see at night. I want to laugh with you. Cry with you. Go on crazy adventures with you. You make me feel whole.”
Maria stood, dumbfounded. Her mouth hung open in disbelief. Her mother smiled and winked. Maria’s logical side reeled. “But … there’s too much. I’m a liability. I….”
Rod stood up and kissed her mouth, long and hard, stopping her from saying another word. He leaned in closer to her ear and whispered, “Maria, believe me. You’re not the cause of everyone’s problems. As I see it, you’ve been the solution.”
Was it true? Her mind sought for peace and, miraculously, she found some. Yet doubts remained, plaguing her about her worth and value.
“Rod, I …”
He held her close, his arms wrapped around her while taking special care not to hurt her injury. His breath was firm and steady. He spoke into her ear again so no one else could hear. “Please, take a minute to answer. Don’t give up on me. I love you.”
Fearful images of her lonely nights in Tehran flooded into her mind. She had lived when her comrades didn’t, and for that she blamed herself. And now she took on culpability where there was none to be given. She punished herself for all the bad deeds in the world.
But did her fallen comrades truly want her to suffer the rest of her life? Would she want them to if tables were turned?
Was Maria allowed to love?
And be loved?
And then there was Rod. Imperfect. Kind-hearted. Always willing to stick his heart and soul on the line.
He adored her. Somehow, it didn’t bother him that she saw ghosts, or chased bad guys, or hardly slept.
And she adored him—his integrity, his willingness to open up, to give of himself. His humbleness.
Maria’s body relaxed into Rod’s strong frame. He sensed her surrender, reveled in the moment, and then pulled her slightly away. “How about it, Maria?” He smiled. “Will you be my wife?”
“Rod Thorton, do you really think I’m going to give in to this kind of peer pressure? You bring everyone I love up here and ask me in front of them not to annul some marriage that happened while we were both high out of our mi—.” She glanced over at Beth’s kids. “…while we were both not thinking straight?”
Rod didn’t take his eyes off of Maria. “Yes, and guilty as charged.”
“And just because you can afford to fly me to the Grand Canyon doesn’t mean I have to say yes to anything. That’s called bribery.”
Rod pushed a strand of wind-blown hair back behind Maria’s ear. “I understand.”
“And, just so I’m perfectly clear, even after these shenanigans if I say yes to not getting an annulment you still owe me a decent wedding vow ceremony. The Graceland Wedding Chapel doesn’t cut it.”
Rod couldn’t stop smiling. “Agreed.”
“Well then …” Maria hesitated.
“Come on. Just say it,” shouted Justin, who still waved the wedding certificate.
Maria giggled—an actual giggle. Bending her neck back slightly and looking directly into Rod’s eyes, she paused a moment to bask in the affection she saw there. Next, she took a deep breath and answered, “Rod … I love you. I would love to be your wife. Let’s not get an annulment.”
The small group of friends and family cheered.
Rod enveloped Maria in his arms, sending shock waves down to the center of her being. He kissed her again, this time slowly, bringing with it a feeling of belonging Maria had never felt before.
Justin, Zach, and Brenna jumped up and down squealing. Grant pumped his fist in the air. “You go, bro!” Beth broke from the group and ran toward Maria, slightly impatient for Rod and Maria to finish their embrace. She held out open arms to Maria. “Girl hug?”
“Heavens, yes
!” Maria held her friend and was, again, grateful for the amazing woman she was.
Beth whispered in Maria’s ear. “You deserve every minute of happiness waiting for you. Life is good, Maria. Don’t forget that.”
How could a woman who had so recently faced the possibility of losing her son maintain an attitude like that? Maria wanted to know her secret, but she feared it might take her a life time to learn it.
As the cheers echoed through the canyon below, Beth released her hold and Maria saw a line had formed behind her. Justin, Zach, and Brenna were next. Maria bent down to give the kids a one-armed hug. Justin hung onto her for an extra-long time. He looked up and said, “Chief, thanks again for finding me. You’re my hero.”
Maria kissed the top of his head. “And you’re mine. You keep doing your relaxation exercises and beating your dad in basketball, okay?”
“I will.” Justin grabbed her hand and squeezed it three times while mouthing the words “I. Love. You.” One word for each squeeze.
Maria’s already tender heart turned to mush. She squeezed his hand four times back. “I. Love. You. Too.”
Justin’s face shone—he had a ways to go, but he would make it through the horrible ordeal he had just experienced. Love would be his best defense.
Maria’s mother was the last one to congratulate her on her non-annulment ceremony, as they were now calling it.
“I’ll come back when you exchange real vows,” she said, wiping a tear from her cheek. “I’m so happy for you. You deserve this.”
A pang of guilt shot through Maria, but she refused to let her mind go back to her failure in Tehran. “Thanks, Mom. It’s kind of crazy.”
At Maria’s side, Rod had been dishing out back-slapping hugs to everyone in the crowd as well. Grant was at his side. “Dude,” he said, “you seriously hit the jackpot.”
“I know.” Rod grinned. “You will too, Grant. You will too.”
After the last congratulation had been given, Maria turned back to look at Rod. An odd shyness swept through her. “Uh … well. So, now what?”
“Mrs. Thorton,” said Rod, his eyes bright with excitement, “you are about to have the most exotic week of your life on a private island in the Caribbean. It’s a non-annulment gift from my parents. Our pilot is waiting. Your mom put the suitcase you packed yesterday in the back of the helicopter just in case you said yes. Hopefully you’ve got a swimsuit in there. Now, let’s get out of here.”
“What? Are you serious? I can’t just leave work for a week.”
“Really? Cause the last I heard you were on medical leave.” Rod reached over, scooped Maria into his arms staying clear of her sling, and whispered into her ear. “And, by the way, we have a lot of time to make up.”
“Time to make up?” Maria looked at him quizzically.
“Do you realize we’ve been married for almost a month and I still don’t know what color your toothbrush is?”
Underneath her olive complexion, Maria’s cheeks flared pink. “I guess I hadn’t thought about it like that.”
“Well,” said Rod, kissing her full on the mouth. “I have.”
The walk back to the helicopter was eventful, to say the least. A few times Maria worried Rod was going to drop her as he precariously navigated her over the rocky ground, shielding her injured side from harm.
With the helicopter engine back on, Rod opened the door and set Maria inside. He had to nearly shout over the noise of the blades which had begun to pick up speed. “I guess this will have to count as me carrying you over the threshold.”
Maria smiled, kissed his cheek, and helped herself into the leather seat. Once inside, with the door shut and the noise muted, Rod leaned across the gap between them and stole a nibble at Maria’s ear. She pretended to swat off his advances. He sat back and pulled Maria onto his lap. “Do you know how happy you make me?” he whispered.
It was a question Maria didn’t have to ponder long. If she made him as happy as he made her, then yes, she did know.
Rod’s lips found Maria’s once more. While it might have been just another kiss, the message behind it was different. It was a promise—a commitment of a life to come.
As they embraced, Rod’s hands reached behind her to pull down the shades to the helicopter windows. Maria stole a quick look outside at the majestic view of the valley and gorges and then turned back to Rod, knowing her most exciting adventure was yet to come.
CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE
The town of Jarbidge itself still stands to this day, featuring remnants of the Wild West gold mining town it once was. Nowadays, the Jarbidge Wilderness remains one of the most remote, serene, and least polluted natural areas in the country. Every visit will be delightful, so long as you steer clear of Jarbidge Canyon, where Tsawhawbitts may still be lurking around.
“JARBIDGE WILDERNESS” ATLAS OBSCURA. HTTP://WWW.ATLASOBSCURA.COM/ PLACES/JARBIDGE-WILDERNESS
The text message came while Maria and Rod were on his parents’ private plane, returning home from their non-annulment honeymoon in the Caribbean. Rod slept in the seat next to her. His body was exhausted and sleep deprived, but his face carried a serene expression even recognizable in slumber.
During the last seven days Maria had felt like she was living someone else’s life. It was the happiest she had ever been. She and Rod had spent every moment together. They had gotten to know one another in a way that Maria hadn’t known was possible.
Rod had become her everything. Physically, emotionally, and mentally he was hers. She had felt love to its fullest and dreaded having to return to “real” life.
That is why the text was so unexpected.
That and the news it delivered.
It was from her friend at the CIA, Doug, the one whom she had texted in the middle of the night a month earlier after having one of her nightmares about Ryan on her black ops team.
Doug had never responded to the text, and Maria had forgotten she’d even sent the inquiry.
The message was short, but it sank deep into her soul.
Maria, sorry for the delayed answer to your question. I’ve been doing some checking about Ryan for you. We just got new intelligence out of Tehran. Ryan is alive. He needs extraction.
Will you lead the mission?
Join Lois D. Brown’s VIP Fan List to get behind-the-scene secrets about Maria Branson, including a CIA-ordered psychological profile Dr. Roberts wrote five weeks after Maria was rescued from Tehran.
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Former Washington, D.C., news correspondent Lois D. Brown has turned her interests to mysteries of the southwest, appearing in television shows such as “America Unearthed” and “Myth Hunters.” Her nine published novels include a crime series Robbed of Soul that is based on the legends of Montezuma’s treasure.
To learn more about other books by Lois, please visit her website:
loisdbrown.com
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Join Lois' VIP Fan List
Robbed of Soul
Copyright
Dedication
Prologue
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
> Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Chapter 30
Chapter 31
Chapter 32
Chapter 33
Skeletons Among Us
Copyright
Dedication
Prologue
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Chapter 30
Chapter 31
Chapter 32
Chapter 33
Riddles That Kill
Paranormal Mystery Boxset Books 1-3: Legends of Treasure Page 75