by Chloe Lang
“Where is Willie?” Matt said. “I want to get my hands on him.”
“I don’t know. It’s been thirteen years since I’ve seen him. I ran away from him after so many beatings when I turned sixteen. He always said he was preparing me to be his wife.”
“I will kill that bastard if I ever see him again.” Matt’s tone left no doubt that he meant it. He pulled her in even tighter. “I’m so sorry, but there are no words to tell you how I really feel.”
For the very first time in her life, she felt surrounded by people who truly cared for her and wanted to protect her. More tears—cleansing tears—fell, washing away the false guilt that Willie had planted in her mind.
“What really did happen?” she asked them.
“Willie was the leader of a cult in Belco, Mississippi,” Sean told her. “I was born in the commune. My parents were with the asshole from the very beginning.”
“Our parents came later,” Matt said. “Two years before the FBI came.”
“FBI? Why did they come?”
“Willie had been stockpiling weapons and was warned to stop. But he didn’t. He claimed to be the embodiment of God on earth. As kids, we had to kneel to him whenever he came in the room.”
“He always made me do the same whenever we were at home alone,” she told them.
“Motherfucker.” Matt’s face darkened.
“Honey, it’s not your fault,” Jena said, touching him. “It’s Willie’s.”
Matt sighed, his eyes full of pain, something Carrie knew more about than she cared to. “You were only three.”
Sean squeezed Matt’s shoulder. “The FBI came. Willie ordered the adults to start firing on them. Everyone, including our parents, were so brainwashed by that bastard they would do anything he said. Carrie, Matt and I always thought we were the only survivors besides Willie. When the shooting started, we ran into his office.”
Even though Sean kept his tone soft and his voice steady, Carrie could see in his gray eyes a deep, abiding pain.
“They were only five when the fire happened,” Jena said, obviously having heard the horrific story before.
“The asshole was gone,” Sean added. “At first, we thought he’d vanished back into heaven. The damn lying fucker had brainwashed all of us. As the smoke got thicker and thicker, Matt found the trap door to a secret tunnel. That’s where we knew Willie had escaped.”
Matt closed his eyes. “I couldn’t find you, Carrie. I looked but you were nowhere to be found. I had no idea that monster took you with him through the trap door.”
“It’s okay, buddy,” Sean said. “She’s with us now.”
Matt nodded but didn’t speak again. It was clear he was trying to contain overwhelming emotions.
“We went back into the main sanctuary, where the other children and adults were. We thought we could lead everyone to the escape route we’d found. But all the adults, including my parents and yours and Matt’s, turned their guns on the children and then each other.”
The shocking story caused her entire body to shake. “Oh my God.”
“My dad spotted me and aimed his gun at my head. That’s when some of the women set fire to the drapes using gasoline.” Sean sighed. “A spark hit my dad’s shirt before he could fire his gun. Matt and I ran back to Willie’s office and scrambled down the tunnel. The FBI found us in a field about a mile from the compound. They thought that the only survivors were us and Willie. The bastard was never found. The authorities have continued hunting him without success.”
With tears running down her face, Jena said, “Thirty-seven adults died. And for years it was believed twelve children did, too. But one of the twelve survived, Carrie. You.”
“Carrie, you didn’t start the fire,” Matt said. “You weren’t even there. You were in the tunnel by the time the flames were roaring.”
“I believe you,” she said. “You have no idea how this makes me feel. A very heavy weight has been lifted off my shoulders. Willie lied to me, filling in blanks that I couldn’t remember.”
“You were only three, Carrie,” Matt told her. “How could you remember?”
“I remember the smoke.”
Chapter Seven
Carrie sipped the delicious coffee that Jena’s mother Janet had brewed for her.
“How about I make us some bacon and eggs for breakfast, Carrie?” Janet sat across from her at the kitchen table.
“Thanks, but I had a bowl of cereal with Kimmie before Jena took her to school this morning.”
“I can’t believe I slept in so late.” Jena’s mom was a very sweet woman, and quite attractive, too.
“Everyone but Kimmie was up past two. No wonder.”
Janet smiled. “How could any of us go to bed early? My sweet Jena found you. You’re family, Carrie. In fact, I hope you will call me ‘mom’ like your brother and Sean do.”
Tears welled in her eyes. “I’ve never remembered my own mother. So for you to include me gives me such happiness that I’ve never known before.”
With a tear rolling down her cheek, Janet reached across the table and grabbed her hand. “You’re home, Carrie. Always know you can come to me for anything, anytime.”
“I appreciate that so much, but not ever being close to anyone it may be a little hard for me to get used to.”
“It will happen faster than you can imagine. Just being in this family and this town has filled so many gaps in my own life. And you’ll understand that better when Jena and I tell you about our past. It wasn’t easy for us either. We made our share of mistakes, but now we couldn’t be happier.”
She squeezed the dear woman’s hand. “Thank you, Mom.”
“Now that wasn’t so hard, was it?”
Grinning, she said, “It’s a start.”
“Good for you. What a wonderful night. Seeing how happy Matt was having you back was incredible. If it hadn’t been for Sean’s champagne, I doubt I would’ve been able to sleep at all. I promise that tomorrow I’ll make a big breakfast for everyone before they leave for work and school. And for lunch, I’ll put something together just for you and me.”
Jena, Matt, and Sean had wanted to take some days off but with Shannon’s Elite in full alert it wasn’t possible. Their skills were required to try to find Cindy Trollinger, a woman who Carrie had learned was very dangerous.
The doorbell rang.
They walked to the front door together.
“Are you expecting anyone?” Having been on the run for so long, Carrie felt a little uneasy.
Janet peered through the peephole. “Oh my God. It’s Gary. We had a breakfast date this morning set up. With all the excitement last night I completely forgot.” Before opening the door, Janet turned to her. “Don’t worry. I’ll just cancel. Gary will understand.” She swung the door open.
A handsome, middle-aged man wearing a cowboy hat and boots stood on the porch. “Hi, honey.” With no reservations, Gary swept Jena’s mom into his arms and gave her a kiss. “And this young lady must be Matt’s sister.”
Janet nodded. “Gary, this is Carrie.”
“Pleased to meet you.” She held out her hand.
He smiled. “I’m a hugger.” Then he gave her a big squeeze. “The whole town is buzzing about you, Carrie. We are so happy that you’ve been found.”
Carrie wasn’t sure how she felt about being the center of attention. She was so used to keeping her life private and off everyone’s radar. But in Destiny it seemed that was impossible.
“Gary, I totally forgot about our breakfast date,” Janet said. “I’m sorry, but—”
“No buts, sweetheart. I plan on taking you and Carrie to Blues Diner. Alice and her husbands are so proud that the restaurant is back. They plan on having a grand opening soon to show off all the renovations they did after the fire. This week is what they are calling their “soft” opening. Only friends and family. Today’s breakfast special is your favorite, honey. Biscuits and gravy.”
“Carrie, Alice’s husbands make th
e best gravy you’ll ever taste.” Janet held Gary’s hand. It was clear that these two were in love. “What do you say? Shall we take this cowboy up on his offer?”
“Mom, you go. Enjoy yourself. I’ll unpack my clothes while you’re gone.”
“Okay, Carrie. If that’s what you’d like to do. Go ahead and get settled in. Gary and I won’t be gone long. All our numbers are listed by the phone in the kitchen. If you need anything, just call.”
She gave Jena’s mom a hug. “Have a good time.”
They left, and she closed the door, turning the lock.
She walked back into the kitchen and the phone rang. How many other homes had landlines in Destiny? She grinned, betting most did. The town in many ways seemed from an earlier era, where people greeted each other on the street with a wave, where honesty was the norm, and families looked out for one another.
The phone rang again. She wondered if she should answer it. What if it was important? It might be Kimmie’s school.
“Hello?”
“Hi Carrie. This is Josh.”
Images of the good-looking cowboy and his cousin Jacob filled her mind. “Hey, Josh. How are you?”
“Great. Jacob and I were wondering if you would like to go horseback riding and have a picnic with us.”
The idea thrilled her. “I would like that very much. When?”
“How about we ride over to your place at eleven?”
Your place? She glanced around the space, starting to believe that she had truly found a home. “That would be great.”
“Okay, we’ll see you then.”
She placed the receiver back on the cradle, remembering that Jena’s mom would be back shortly. “I hope she won’t mind that I’ll be leaving with Josh and Jacob.”
The phone rang again.
“Hello?”
“Carrie, Gary and I were wondering if you would like to go fishing with us,” Jena’s mom said.
“Thank you for asking me, Mom, but actually Josh just called and invited me to go horseback riding with him and Jacob.”
“That sounds like fun. Go ahead and enjoy yourself. There are some chocolate chip cookies that I made yesterday. Take them with you for those boys. We’ll see you around dinner time?”
“They are planning to take me on a picnic lunch, but I’m sure I’ll be back by then.”
“Ask them to come to dinner, Carrie. We can have a barbeque. It’ll be another party celebrating your return.”
She smiled, “Mom, how many parties do you plan on throwing on my behalf?”
“Honey, you live in Destiny now. We love parties. You’ll find out.”
They ended their call, and Carrie finished her coffee. What a turn her life had taken. She had found her brother and gained a sister in Jena, another brother in Sean, a mother in Janet, and a niece in Kimmie. She was about to go on a real date with two handsome men. Could life get any better? She was really happy for the first time. The feeling was so foreign to her, but now that she’d experienced it she didn’t want it to end.
She turned off the coffee pot and washed hers and Janet’s cups. It felt so good to be at ease, not having to look over her shoulder all the time.
She walked back to the bedroom, recalling what Matt had said last night.
“This is your room, Carrie. As long as you want it, and I hope that’s from now on.”
The bedroom was light and airy, with soft touches of blue and green and hints of a pale yellow. She’d never stayed in a place long enough to decorate, but somehow her new family had designed this room to her exact taste. She wouldn’t change a thing.
Next to the big comfy bed was her red suitcase. Seeing it made her heart skip several beats and her gut tighten. How was she going to tell all of them what was inside?
She lifted it and placed it on the mattress. She took off the chain around her neck. Dangling from it was the key to the suitcase. She unlocked and opened it, seeing the few clothes she owned on the top.
She removed them and hung them in the walk-in closet, which was luxurious. All her things—three pairs of jeans, five tops, her one dress, and two pairs of shoes—didn’t even take up a tenth of the space. After putting the rest of her personal belongings in the en suite, she remained in complete awe at having such a beautiful bathroom all to herself.
She returned to the red suitcase. It had been her constant companion since escaping Willie. The only thing left inside it was Willie’s leather satchel and its contents. She opened the bag and gazed down at the money and Glock. Counting the stacks of hundred dollar bills, as she always did, she breathed a sigh of relief. There were twenty of them. Ten thousand each. Two million dollars.
Doubt flooded her entire being. Would Matt understand? Jena, Sean and Janet?
Deep down Carrie believed they would, but she needed time to figure out how and when to tell them. They’d just met. A few more days when she got to know them better would make it easier. Once they heard her whole story perhaps they could help her.
She shut the suitcase, locked it, and then placed it in the back of the closet.
Looking at the time on the clock by her bed, she realized that Josh and Jacob would be arriving in an hour. She rushed back to the bathroom to get ready for her date.
Chapter Eight
Josh dismounted his horse, Dusty, in Matt and Sean’s front yard. He glanced over his shoulder at Jacob, who was riding Pecos. Their two horses had actually saved their lives not long ago. After being attacked by Trollinger’s men, he and Jacob had fallen down a cliff. Dusty and Pecos had returned home, alerting the town that they were in trouble.
“You think Carrie will like riding Fancy?” He tied Dusty and the mare’s reins to the fence. Fancy was one of the best horses on Stone Ranch.
Securing Pecos next to the other two horses, Jacob answered, “I’m sure she will. You saw how she was with all the horses yesterday. She loves them and loves riding.”
“Yeah. Why are you rubbing your hands together, Jacob? Are you nervous?”
“Quite frankly, yes. Aren’t you? After all, she is so beautiful. Kind of out of our league, don’t you think?”
“You’re talking about Fancy or Carrie?” He laughed.
“Carrie, of course.”
“Yes, I’m nervous, too. But I’m also excited. I want to get to know Carrie more.”
“Me, too.”
They marched up to the front door side by side and rang the bell.
The door opened, and Carrie stood in front of them, a vision of utter beauty. Seeing her blew him away. She wore her hair in a ponytail, and had on a pale green top and nice-fitting jeans. Her hourglass figure was absolute perfection to him.
“Hi guys.” She smiled and held out a container. “Chocolate-chip cookies for our picnic, thanks to Janet.”
“That will go excellent with what we made you,” Jacob said. “I hope you like fried chicken, Carrie.”
“It’s one of my favorite meals.” She grinned. “Which one of you is the cook?”
“Actually we both are.” Josh gazed into her gorgeous, golden brown eyes. “You can’t be a Phong without knowing your way around a kitchen.”
“Let’s get on our way,” Jacob said. “The place we picked out for our picnic is about an hour’s ride away. I’m sure we’ll all have quite the appetite by then.”
They led her to the horses.
“This is Dusty,” he told her, “the best horse I’ve ever owned.”
She smiled. “I’ve always loved quarter horses.”
“That’s good to know, since my horse is the same breed.” Jacob put his arm around Carrie. “This is Pecos.”
“He looks like he’s got quite the spirit.”
“He sure does,” Jacob said with pride.
“And this is the horse you’re riding today,” Josh told her, leading her to the mare. “This is Fancy.”
“Hi Fancy. Aren’t you gorgeous?” Carrie rubbed her nose.
The mare responded with a neigh.
Carri
e smiled and jumped into the saddle. “Seems like Fancy is ready to go.”
“Then let’s not keep her waiting.” He got on top of Dusty.
Jacob nodded, and mounted Pecos. “Let’s ride.”
The ride to the spot he and Jacob had chosen was incredible, all because of Carrie. She told them about how Jena had found her in Dallas and how shocked she’d been to learn her brother was alive. When she mentioned what her life had been like with the man named Willie, Josh felt a deep rage growing inside his body for what the lying bastard had done to Carrie. As he glanced at Jacob, he could tell his cousin was having the same reaction. But when she began talking about how glad she was to be in Destiny with her new family, his and Jacob’s spirits were lifted. Carrie had suffered so much her entire life. She deserved happiness, and he vowed to do whatever he could to make sure she got it.
“We’re here,” Jacob said, as they came to the place where the picnic was going to be.
Tall trees surrounded the crystal-clear mountain stream. It was one of the prettiest spots in all of Swanson County.
“Oh my God.” She dismounted Fancy. “This is even more beautiful than the ride yesterday.”
He tied up the horses and walked next to her, while Jacob spread out the blanket for their picnic.
“Guys, can we walk over to the water before we eat? I want to put my feet in.”
“Mountain streams are really cold,” Jacob told her. “Are you sure?”
She grinned. “I’m sure. At least for a minute. I’ve just got to feel it. That way it will help me remember this wonderful day.”
He put his arm around her, enjoying the closeness of their bodies. “We can do anything you like.”
“If Carrie is doing it, so am I.” Jacob pulled off his boots.
“Me, too,” he said, taking off his own.
They all three walked down to the stream’s edge and stepped in.
“O–hh m–my,” she stuttered. “You weren’t kidding. It’s very cold. Just like ice water.”
Jacob took her hand and laughed. “That’s because we’re not far from the top where the snow melts.”