by Irene Brand
“I’ll be ready as soon as I shower and dress,” Kennedy said. “I’ll leave most everything here, except for what I can put in my carry-on bag. I’m leaving to keep from worrying you, but I’m coming back, Derek. I’m coming back.”
“But not until Lazaro is captured,” he said, and she agreed by nodding.
June was already at Kennedy’s home when they arrived, and, without asking any questions, she helped Kennedy into the shower then massaged her feet and applied ointment to the places where the skin was broken.
“There aren’t any deep cuts, but your feet will be sore for a few days. What shoes are you going to wear?”
“The white tennis shoes. They’re a little big anyway, so they’ll be the most comfortable. I’ll wear my brown sweat suit and carry my red jacket.” Kennedy sat on the bed while June packed her overnight bag. “I’ll be surprised if I can book a flight out of Omaha tonight, so put in a nightgown, slippers, and a change of underthings.” When June closed the bag, Kennedy said, “Derek told me this morning about his connection with a street gang.”
“I’m glad he did. I thought you should know, but it was his story to tell so I kept my mouth shut.” Looking directly at June, Kennedy said, “Learning about his past didn’t make any difference to me. I love him for what he is today.”
“And surely you know that I’d welcome you as a daughter-in-law.”
“I’d like to be a member of your family, but it isn’t going to happen. That doesn’t mean that I won’t be here often. Maybe if I’m underfoot every month or so, Derek’s defenses will break.”
“I hope so,” June said sincerely, “but I don’t hold much hope, either. Derek sets his life by strict principles, and he doesn’t bend very easy.”
“Tell me about it!” Kennedy said with uplifted eyebrows. “Will you call Miranda and tell her that I had to return to California temporarily? I hate to lose her, but if she gets an opportunity for another job, she should take it.”
Derek had gone to change clothes for the trip, and Kennedy heard his truck returning. June was teary-eyed, and Kennedy said, “Don’t start that. I’m trying my best to accept this without being babyish about it. But one sniffle out of you, and I’ll break down completely.” Kennedy hugged June tightly. June swiped at her eyes and carried Kennedy’s bag to the porch. Although she tried to walk without limping, each step was painful, and she couldn’t imagine how sore her feet would be tomorrow. Although she protested, Derek swung her up into his arms.
“I’ll stay behind to lock up the house,” June said.
Derek shook his head. “You lock the doors and follow us back to the ranch. It might be dangerous for you to be alone, too.”
“You shouldn’t try to come home tonight,” June suggested.
“I’ll head back as soon as I see Kennedy off on the plane.”
“Be sensible, Derek,” June said. “You’re already worn out. I can see it in your eyes and in the way you walk. Stay in Omaha. The sheriff is on the job.”
“But I’m responsible for the Circle Cross. Lazaro has already killed some of our cows. Who knows what he’ll do next?”
“June is right,” Kennedy argued, adding lightly, “I’m sure the Circle Cross owner won’t hold you responsible for anything that happens while you’re taking her to safety.”
“I know, but I’ll be back before morning,” he said. “If I get sleepy, I’ll pull off the road and take a nap.” Kennedy rolled her eyes at June. “And he has the nerve to accuse me of being stubborn.” Derek watched until June got into her car before he left Riverside. Kennedy turned her head to look at the house, wondering when she would see it again. Once she had returned to California and settled into her normal routine, would the enchantment this place held for her fade into the background?
Chapter Seventeen
Derek was quiet as he pulled away from ranch headquarters and accessed the road that took them eastward on Rt. 20. After driving in silence for several miles, he took a deep breath and grinned at Kennedy. “I feel we’re safe enough now, so I can relax.”
“I suppose I should call and make plane reservations,” Kennedy said.
“A good idea,” he agreed. “The sooner the better.”
They traveled several miles before Kennedy could connect to a satellite, and when she placed the call, she learned that they would arrive in Omaha too late to get a plane for the West Coast that evening. She booked passage on a flight leaving at nine o’clock the next morning.
“I’d better reserve a motel, too. Can you suggest one? I don’t know anything about Omaha.”
“There are some motels near the airport, but I don’t remember the names. I wish you could have gotten a flight tonight. I don’t like for you to be alone in a motel.”
She laughed at him. “I’m used to being alone. You don’t think Lazaro could follow me this far, do you?”
“He could if he wanted to, even if he had to steal a car to do it. But, no, I don’t think he will. When he realizes that you’ve escaped and that the cops are after him, he’ll head west away from Chicago. He told me he wanted money to go to South America. You’ll be safe in Omaha, but I just figured you were a little upset about leaving and that you’d be lonely.”
“I am upset about it; I don’t want to go home. I’m leaving because I’ll be a distraction to you if I’m at Riverside. I’ve already caused you enough trouble this summer.”
With an unfathomable glance toward her, he said, “You’ve brought me more happiness than trouble, and if I were thinking about myself, I’d want you here all the time. I don’t know how I’ll get used to not seeing you or talking to you every day. But for your safety, you should go home.” Kennedy didn’t answer, for she didn’t think she could speak without crying, but she wondered if she would ever think of California as home again.
After a few miles she said, “I’ve been thinking about Matti Gray. Since I can’t leave Omaha tonight, maybe we could get together with her for dinner before you start home.”
“Of course!” he said. “I hadn’t once thought about Matti. You can stay overnight with her.”
“You’re being ridiculous, Derek. I won’t invite myself to stay with Matti. She lives in a small apartment. What time will we make it to Omaha?” Glancing at his watch, he said, “Probably not until seven o’clock.”
Kennedy shrugged her shoulders. “That might be too late for dinner, but I will call. I have her number.” She dialed, and when Matti answered, Kennedy explained that they were traveling toward Omaha so she could take a plane to California. “Derek and I will have dinner together before he returns to Valentine. Are you free to eat with us?”
“I’d love to. I know it hasn’t been, but it seems like a long time since I’ve seen any of you. Tell me where you are and what time you’ll get here.”
“We’re passing Bassett now.” She turned to Derek. “How long before we reach Omaha?”
“Over two hours, I’d judge. We can call again when we’re closer.”
Kennedy told Matti what Derek had said, and Matti asked, “What time does your plane leave? I need to know whether to choose a restaurant with a buffet and quick service or one that takes more time.”
“Derek is returning to Valentine tonight, but my plane doesn’t leave until tomorrow morning. I plan to stay in a motel near the airport tonight.”
“What?” Matti said. “You can overnight with me. The sofa in my living room makes a fine bed.” When Kennedy protested, Matti said, “I want you to stay with me. My apartment is only fifteen minutes from the airport, and I can take you to catch your plane before I go to work. Please! It’s as much for me as it is for you. It would make my day.” Laughing, Kennedy said, “All right. You’ve talked me into it.”
“Tell her I plan to come into town on US 73,” Derek said, “so I’d be close to a bridge that crosses the Missouri to the airport. She can choose a restaurant that’s best for her.”
When Matti heard their route, she said, “I’ll meet you where Rt. 7
3 crosses Ames Avenue and becomes Thirtieth Street.” She named a convenient restaurant. “I drive a blue PT cruiser, so look for it in the parking lot, but if you don’t see it, call and we’ll soon find each other.”
“By the way, Matti, we left Valentine unexpectedly, and I didn’t have time to tell anyone good-bye. I doubt if Tony knows I’m gone, so if he calls, don’t tell him that I’m leaving. I’ll fill you in on the details and then you can let him know.” Kennedy said good-bye and put the phone in her purse, wondering what else they needed to talk about before they met Matti.
“While you were talking to Matti,” Derek said, “I’ve been thinking that we don’t want anyone else in Valentine to know that you’re leaving. Until you’re on the plane, I’d just as soon no one else knows what you’re doing.”
As they continued the drive into Omaha, Derek and Kennedy discussed what they were at liberty to tell Matti and what they shouldn’t. But much of the time they drove without speaking. Derek kept his eyes on the highway, so Kennedy couldn’t see his eyes, but his facial expression was somber and concerned. After they drove in silence for several miles, his tight expression relaxed into a smile, and he asked her, “Do your feet hurt?”
“Not as bad as they did before your mother put medication on them. I’m sure it will be painful to walk.”
“If it won’t hurt your feet to move, I’d like for you to sit closer to me,” Derek said.
Kennedy scooted across the seat without putting much pressure on her feet, but no amount of pain would have kept her from accepting that invitation. There didn’t seem to be much to say, but as long as they were on rural roads, Derek held her hand. When they drove into the crowded streets of Omaha and he put both hands on the steering wheel, she slipped her arm around his waist.
Derek followed Matti’s directions easily. They soon spotted the restaurant she’d mentioned and met her without any delay. Perhaps noticing how painful it was for her to walk into the restaurant, Derek insisted on filling her plate from the buffet. They’d eaten together so often during the summer that he had a good idea of what foods she liked. As they ate, Kennedy and Derek filled Matti in on the basics of Kennedy’s abduction without mentioning anything that would impair the sheriff’s investigation.
All too soon for Kennedy they finished dinner, and it was time for Derek to leave. He took her carry-on bag out of his truck and put it on the backseat of Matti’s car, while Matti held Kennedy’s arm as she hobbled to the parking lot. Perhaps feeling that Derek and Kennedy needed some privacy, Matti got into the car and closed the door.
Kennedy moved close to Derek, hoping he’d make the first move in saying good-bye. If he didn’t, she intended to.
“Have a safe trip,” he said and turned away. But Kennedy had seen tears in his eyes, and she caught his arm. When he moved toward her, she put her arms around his waist.
around his waist.
“Thanks for everything this summer, Derek. Please call me as often as you can to let me know what’s going on. I miss you already.” His defenses must have collapsed for he pulled her close, and when she leaned her head on his chest, the rapid beating of his heart sounded like a drum in her ear.
He released a long, audible breath. “Don’t think this is easy for me, Kennedy, or that I won’t miss you,” he said in a husky whisper. “But once you’re back in California with your other friends, you’ll have a chance to look at our relationship more closely. You’ll see that this is for the best.” He released her gently, kissed her lightly on the lips, and stepped quickly into the truck as though he couldn’t trust himself to stay any longer. She watched until he left the parking lot and disappeared in the heavy traffic.
Kennedy opened the door and slid into the seat beside Matti, but she couldn’t hold her tears any longer. She lowered her head into her hands and sobbed.
“Cry all you want to,” Matti said, starting the car and exiting the parking lot into the stream of traffic. “It’s hard falling in love with the wrong man. I know from firsthand experience, although our situations are reversed. In my case, I was the one inferior to a Morgan, and I suffered because of it. But if this is any consolation to you, even in my blackest moments I’ve never been sorry that I loved Tony with a love that wouldn’t die.” Still sniffing, Kennedy pulled a tissue from her purse and blew her nose. “But it’s all worked out for the best now. You and Tony can finally be together.”
“And I have faith that you and Derek will work out your differences, too. But Tony and I aren’t over the hurdle yet. I don’t know how his grandfather will react when I show up in Valentine. Since Tony and I won’t get married until Valentine’s Day, I’ll have to get a job, and Gabriel Morgan still has enough clout to keep me from finding one in Cherry County.
Matti lived in a large residential complex, and although the rooms were small, it was a cozy apartment. “I’ll brew some chamomile tea and we can have some ‘girl talk.’”
“I want to soak my feet in hot water while we talk. They aren’t as sore as they were this morning, but I have to be able to walk better tomorrow.”
“Don’t worry about it. You can always ask for a wheelchair,” Matti said. “While you change in the bedroom, I’ll make your bed. I’ll fill a big pan with water and you can soak your feet while we drink tea.”
The tea was relaxing and the hot water soothed Kennedy’s feet while they talked about Matti’s work and her projected move to Valentine. For the time being Kennedy was able to forget the horror of her kidnapping and the fears she had about her uncertain future with Derek.
“Tell me when you want to go to bed,” Matti said as Kennedy stifled a yawn. “You’ll have a long day tomorrow.”
“Normally I’d need to be at the airport two hours before departure, but since I don’t have any luggage to check, I think that if we leave here at half past seven, we’ll be all right.”
“I’ll fix some coffee and toast before we leave.”
“Don’t bother with breakfast for me. I’ll have time on my hands before the plane takes off, and I’ll eat at the airport.” Kennedy paused thoughtfully. “I’ve been thinking about a solution to your job problem in Valentine.”
She briefly explained her tentative plans to turn the West Eighty into a conference center. “I won’t know whether this is feasible or not until I talk with my attorney, but do you have enough experience to spearhead a preliminary survey in Nebraska and neighboring states to see if there’s a need or interest in a Christian conference center?”
“I don’t know,” Matti said, “but I might be able to do it. I’ll pray about it.”
“I’ve been praying about establishing the center, too. Derek thinks it’s all right, but my attorney may throw cold water on the idea. Preparation of a survey would take several weeks, and I’ll be paying someone to do it, so it might be a good opportunity for you. I’ve mentioned my idea to Tony, because I’d want him on the Board of Directors if we decide to organize a corporation. I don’t know how long it will take to get this project up and running, but it would be nice if we could have a partial program in place by next summer.”
Matti’s eyes brightened at the prospect of finding employment so easily, and when her own love affair was in such turmoil, Kennedy was pleased to think that she might have this opportunity to help Tony and Matti.
Intense misery and desolation swept over Kennedy as the big jet hovered over the Los Angeles airport, hit the runway, and taxied to the terminal. Unwilling to talk to anyone, she had arranged to travel first-class, and most of the way she had reclined in her seat with her eyes closed to avoid conversation with her seatmate. Her heart ached with pain, and she yearned for Derek until she felt physically ill.
This was the first time she’d been away since her father’s death, and upon her return she felt his death more keenly than she had before she went to Valentine.
Kennedy had called Rosita before she left Omaha and told her that she was returning to Los Angeles. She knew the housekeeper would be waiting for her,
but she still had an empty feeling. Her feet were better, but she arranged for transport to a cab stand.
She couldn’t wait any longer to find out what was going on in Valentine. She especially feared that Lazaro would harm Derek because he’d rescued her. She dreaded to call, but the suspense was unbearable. While the taxi whizzed in and out of traffic, she dialed the home phone at the Circle Cross. June answered.
“Hi,” Kennedy said. “I’ve arrived safely in California, and I’m in a taxi on my way home. What’s going on?”
“No news about Lazaro, as far as we know. The sheriff has ordered Derek to stay out of the manhunt, and he’s angry about it. But he and the men are on constant guard to be sure Lazaro doesn’t cause any damage to the ranch. Al’s staying at Riverside, and Derek, Sam, and Joel are patrolling here.”
“You can tell Derek I got home all right. He can call when he has time.”
“We miss you, Kennedy,” June said.
“I miss you back, but it seemed to be the right thing for me to do.”
June agreed, closing the conversation with, “I’ll tell Derek you called.”
When the taxi stopped in front of her home, the front door swung open and Rosita waved to her from the step. Kennedy paid the taxi driver, thanked him, and limped up the sidewalk.
“Welcome home, Miss Kennedy,” Rosita said as she took the suitcase and helped Kennedy into the house. She hugged her again and again and cried over her before Kennedy could sit down.
Wringing her hands, Rosita wailed, “What have you done to yourself? You can’t walk, your hair is too long, your skin is as brown as mine, and you look old.
You’re not my little girl anymore. What has happened?”
Laughing, Kennedy said, “I’ve been living on a ranch for all summer. It’s aged me.”