by Sheryl Lynn
“Maybe Cross made it worth her while,” he said darkly.
She concentrated on the tractor, which was rumbling along at a sedate twenty miles an hour. The incident at Linda’s house had taken on a surreal quality, as if she’d dreamed it or seen it at the movies. “We’ll know more when Tom gets his memory back.”
Tom didn’t remember the attack at all. Jodi had little information to offer. After spending hours with Tom, driving from ranch to ranch, she’d fallen asleep in his truck. The next she knew, Tom was screaming while Linda beat him to the ground. A deputy had found a pry bar, sticky with Tom’s blood, in the back of Linda’s Wagoneer. When Jodi tried to help her grandfather, Linda had grabbed her. Linda had taken Jodi to her house and tied her up with the telephone cord. A sleeping bag and rope in the kitchen had not boded well for the girl. Linda claimed Jodi had been hysterical and tried to run off into the forest. Linda had tied her up for safety’s sake.
Elaine forced images of what might have happened out of her mind.
“I want to talk to Linda.”
“Like Uncle King will ever let that happen. He’s in a royal state. Everyone in town is badgering him to investigate Bobby’s murder. It’s ugly.”
“What about the phone call Herb overheard? Has Tate figured out who Tom called?”
Elaine blew a long breath. “He called the realty.” Noticing his growing excitement, she shook her head. “But we don’t know who he talked to. Linda swears she left the office at five. She swears she never talked to Tom. Axton has an alibi. He was showing properties to a client. Tate is checking out call-forwarding records.”
“Linda is lying.”
“I know.”
The tractor finally turned off onto a field road. Elaine speeded up. Over a hill and around a bend, the town of McClintock came into view. From a distance it looked like a child’s collection of toy buildings with its hodgepodge of architectural styles and the church spire pointing at the sky.
She drove to Walt Buchanan’s house. Trucks and automobiles were parked up and down the street. A banner had been strung between two birch trees. In huge hand-painted letters, it proclaimed: Welcome Home, Ric! When the Town Car pulled into the driveway, people poured from the house. Elaine laughed in sheer delight.
Bardie Hoff the trashman marched to the head of the crowd. He had squeezed his stocky body into a blue uniform jacket and wore a blue garrison cap. The jacket buttons threatened to burst. He put a bugle to his lips and began to blow. Men pulled off baseball caps and cowboy hats. Several snapped to attention and saluted.
“He’s playing the air force song!” Ric exclaimed. He stared open-mouthed at the gathering. Color climbed his cheeks and his ears reddened.
“Be nice. It’s the only song he knows how to play.” Elaine left the car. It appeared that half the valley had turned out to welcome Ric home.
Red-faced, he eased out of the car. Women, young and old, swarmed around him, vying for the honor of holding his arm. Leaning heavily on a cane, supported by laughing females, he hobbled to the front door. The house was decorated fit to beat Christmas with balloons and streamers. Flowers from well-wishers filled the tiny parlor with color and scent. The air was thick with the aroma of baked goods and roasting meats. Walt led his nephew, and his coterie of female fans, into a bedroom. Elaine glimpsed a “help me” look on Ric’s face before he disappeared. He didn’t need help; he needed to accept how much folks cared about him.
Elaine chatted with friends. Everyone was proud of their homegrown hero. Lillian arrived with Jodi.
“Is he okay, Mommy?” Jodi asked. She crouched to smooch Buster and ruffle his floppy ears.
Elaine smoothed stray hairs off her daughter’s face. She prayed this mess ended soon. She didn’t know how much more trauma Jodi could take before she cracked completely.
“Ric is right as rain,” she said. “He’d love to see you.”
With Buster at her heels, the girl rushed into the bedroom to welcome Ric home.
After a while, Walt convinced folks that Ric needed his rest. Elaine stood at the door to bid friends and neighbors farewell. She received so many kisses her cheeks chafed from whisker-burns.
She entered a small bedroom set up for convalescence. Ric lay propped on pillows. Several stuffed animals shared the bed with him. He appeared rather dazed.
“Comfy?” she asked.
“I don’t know.” He peered into a teddy bear’s beady glass eyes. “I’m—I’m—”
“Grateful for so many good friends?” she offered. “Glad you’re in a small town where everyone loves you, instead of a big, impersonal city where nobody knows your name? Proud of all you’ve done?”
He looked helplessly at her. His eyes were moist. She slid a hand over his cheek. “You’re home, Ric. This is where you belong. I’m so very glad you’re safe and sound.”
Walt, Lillian and Jodi crowded into the bedroom. Lillian eased Elaine out of the way. She kissed Ric’s cheeks. Then she turned to her granddaughter. “Jodi, take that poor little dog outside and find him a patch of grass to chew. I think some fool was feeding him cake.”
“Okay, Grandma. Come on, Buster!”
The dog didn’t look sick to Elaine. She glimpsed the hard smile her mother wore. Elaine tensed up inside. When Lillian wore that expression, it meant somebody was in trouble. Lillian’s gaze drifted from Walt to Elaine and finally rested on Ric. He swallowed hard.
“All over town I’ve been hearing talk about guns and conspiracies and murder and official cover-ups. My brother has all but dug a moat to keep folks away. He’s talking about firing Tate Raleigh for insubordination. I have a good idea that the three of you know the truth behind the rumors, gossip and innuendo.” Lillian perched on a chair and lifted her chin. “Start talking. All of it, from the very beginning.”
Chapter Thirteen
Worn out by confession, Elaine stood at a window and gazed at Walt’s side yard. Lilac bushes were beginning to bud. A garden plot was dark and rich looking, ready for seedlings. Two of Jodi’s school friends had found her. The girls were practicing cheerleading jumps and tumbles on a narrow strip of grassy ground.
Seated on a chair, her posture queenly, Lillian said, “So, let me see if I have this all straight. You found a note that threatened Bobby, but hid it because your father might have made the threat. Meanwhile, Tom Greene hired a private investigator who turned up insurance fraud in Axton’s background. So you allowed Tate into the lodge where he discovered bullets that prove someone other than Del shot Bobby. Tom then went after Axton because he owns the right type of gun, only Linda somehow lured Tom up to Branch Road and near beat him to death in order to protect Axton. Is that all?”
Looking guilty, Ric said, “Plus the part about your brother, ma’am.”
Lillian cocked an eyebrow, but made no comment.
“Uncle King didn’t investigate the shooting properly, Mama. He gave Tate direct orders not to do anything. He’s blocked us every step of the way and even hinted that if we didn’t quit, he’d find a way to pin the murder on Ric. He might have been in cahoots with Axton about the riverfront property.”
“I know it sounds crazy when we tell it, ma’am,” Ric said. “Talk to Tate. He can lay it out so it makes sense. He never thought the shooting was an accident.”
“I’ve been a fool,” Lillian said quietly. An edge of anger colored her voice. “Not long after…the shooting, I asked King flat out if Del had murdered Bobby. I never thought, never imagined Del was a killer, oh, but he had a temper. One foolish act, that’s all it took. I wanted to know. Needed to know. King swore up and down it was an accident. Nothing more. He promised me that no one would ever say different.” She pressed a hand over her eyes. Her shoulders rounded. “I wanted to believe.”
“Oh, Mama, me too. I hated myself for even thinking Daddy could have hurt Bobby.”
Lillian dragged in a long breath and patted her breast. “So, basically, this all started because Ric is Jodi’s blood daddy.”
Lillian shared a mysterious, silent communication with Walt. He stood near the doorway, leaning a shoulder against the wall. “You can fool a lot of people, honey, but don’t ever try fooling your mama. I’ve always known.”
Elaine and Ric must have made a comical pair, because Lillian laughed aloud. “Oh for Pete’s sake, child! I’m not stupid. I knew exactly what was going on between you and your daddy. How he pushed you straight into Ric’s arms. Fact is, right after you told us you were expecting, Gwen says to me, that’s Ric’s baby. And I said, if Bobby don’t give a never mind, then why should we? Way we saw it, if you were grown-up enough to get married, you were grown-up enough to handle your own private matters. We were just thankful you didn’t run off to have an abortion or give the baby away.”
Elaine clamped her arms over her bosom and huffed. “Did Daddy know?”
Lillian shook a finger at her. “Don’t get all snippy with me. You’re the one started this secret-keeping business in the first place. And of course he knew. Not that he’d ever admit it out loud. Too much pride in that man.”
“Am I the only person in the whole world who didn’t know I’m Jodi’s father?” Ric asked.
“I didn’t know,” said a very small voice.
Walt startled and half-turned. Jodi stood in the doorway right behind him. Behind her, her school friends stood wide-eyed and silent, radiating communal embarrassment. Buster wriggled past the girls and sat beside the bed. He looked hopefully up at Ric.
Elaine stared at her daughter’s white face and strained features. No telling how long the girl had been standing there, but it was evident that she’d heard more than enough.
Jodi’s friends whispered. They sounded apologetic and uncomfortable. Jodi ignored them. She stood as still and pale as marble. The girls slinked away. The front door creaked open and then banged shut.
“Come in, baby,” Elaine coaxed.
Walt reached for the girl. She shied away and gave him a look of pure disgust.
“Jodi, please,” Ric said. “Let us explain.”
“How will you do that? You’re all a bunch of big fat liars.” She thrust out a wiry arm, her pointing finger trembling. “Is it the truth, Mom? Is he my real father?”
“Biologically, yes.”
Her young face contorted with fury. Hot spots flared over her cheekbones. “Then you’re just one of those sperm donors, aren’t you?”
“No!” Ric struggled as if to get out of bed.
“You never cared about me at all!” Jodi yelled. “You were just sucking up to me to score points with Mom!”
With sweat breaking on his brow, Ric got his feet off the bed. Grimacing, he reached for the girl. She burst into tears and ran away. Her pounding feet made the little house rock. The front door slammed.
Elaine and Lillian reached the bedroom door at the same time. Their shoulders knocked and wedged them between the jamb. Elaine broke free and ran after her child. At the door, she thrust out a hand to halt Lillian. “Let me handle this. Make sure Ric doesn’t get out of bed.”
RIC FELT LOWER than a worm’s belly. He wished he’d never come back to McClintock. Wished Bobby had never told him the truth. He’d grown to love his daughter. Now she hated him.
“Walt,” Lillian said, “I’d like a moment with Ric, if you don’t mind.”
Walt patted his nephew’s shoulder. “It’ll work out. Give the girl some time to get this all straight in her head.” He left the two of them alone.
Ric decided if Lillian told him it would be best all the way around for him to pack up and hightail it out of town, he was going to do it. They couldn’t force Jodi to accept him, and it would be cruel to try. His continued presence could only serve to embarrass her. He’d make arrangements for half his retirement pay to go to Elaine for child support. He’d start a fund for Jodi’s college. He’d keep the lines of communication open so that if at some point in the future, Jodi wanted to establish contact—which he doubted she ever would—she could.
“Ric?”
He lifted sheepish eyes. One nice thing about misery. It made his back pain seem almost laughable in contrast. “Yes, ma’am?”
“I…” She tapped her chin with a manicured nail. No matter how rough the work on the ranch, she always had perfect nails and hair. “This is difficult. So I’ll just say it. I apologize for my late husband.”
He blinked stupidly. “It’s not—”
“Don’t interrupt me. This is something that should have been said a long time ago. Don’t get me wrong, I loved Bobby dearly. He was a good son and a good husband. But this I know, if you and my daughter had married, it would have been good, too. None of this would have happened if Del had been more open-minded.”
He couldn’t believe his ears. Maybe he was trapped inside a drug-induced dream.
“I’m glad you and Elaine have worked out your differences. I’m satisfied you’ll keep Jodi’s best interests at the forefront.”
“Yes, ma’am.” He clenched his fingers into the softness of a teddy bear. “Do you think it’s in her best interests if I leave town?”
Her mouth dropped open. Her big brown eyes blazed. She flicked him on the forehead with a finger.
“Ow!” He rubbed the stinging spot. “Why did you do that?”
“If you even think about deserting my granddaughter, I will personally hunt you down and hamstring you. Do you understand?”
“Yes, ma’am.”
Her sharp gaze made him feel as if she were probing inside his skull. “Good. Now, about Del.” Her smile turned rather sad. “You never saw his good side. He had a wonderful sense of humor and great generosity of spirit. And passion.” She closed her eyes. “Oh, my, but he was a passionate man. Every day was an adventure for him. He had more big ideas than Carter’s got liver pills.”
“I know he had a good side,” Ric said.
“Don’t tell fibs.” She laughed lightly, a musical sound. “He had a peculiar trait, an incompatibility that often made life more difficult then it needs be. He desperately wanted to be liked by everyone, and yet, at the same time, he needed very much to be right.” She peered intently at him. “You don’t suffer that affliction, do you?”
He thought about it, then shrugged. “I guess not.”
“You are perhaps the most self-contained young man I’ve ever known. There is about you a certain confidence that never turns into arrogance. Self-assurance coupled with fine intelligence. Rare qualities in a man.”
Now he was getting embarrassed. He fiddled with the Velcro fasteners on the brace.
“Del recognized it. Perhaps not consciously, but I’m sure he did all the same. You represented the man he wanted to be. Del had to work so very hard at being liked. He was so afraid of being wrong. Here you are, lacking the benefit of wealth and family name. Yet, you are naturally more than he could ever be.”
Face hot, Ric struggled for words. She touched his hand, her slim fingers soothing.
“I don’t mean to discombobulate you, hon. You were a good boy, despite Del’s prejudice. You’re a fine man. I know you and Jodi will work through this. Should you and Elaine decide to make a future together, you have my blessing.”
“Thank you,” he muttered.
She carefully kissed his cheek. When he looked up, she winked at him. Then she shook a finger at his face. “But if you knock up my daughter again, there better be a ring on her finger and your boots under her bed. Is that perfectly clear?”
He clutched the bear over his chest as if that might protect him. “Yes, ma’am.”
“Don’t ever forget that I’m a force to be re
ckoned with.” She swept toward the door. “I think it’s time I had a chat with that brother of mine. God help him if he’s involved in anything illegal.”
Warmth filled his chest and tightened his throat. It took several moments before he realized he was perilously close to tears. Leaving the hospital. The welcome home from the folk of McClintock. Jodi learning the truth in the worst possible way. Lillian’s kind acceptance. The day had been too much.
By the time Elaine returned, Ric felt in control. It was ludicrous to expect that all was well with Jodi, but he searched her face for hopefulness anyway.
“How is she?” he asked.
“Angry. Confused. We should have told her.” A single tear slipped down her cheek and she dashed it away. “I don’t know how much more she can take.”
He clasped her hand, entwining their fingers. Heaviness in his chest made clear what he’d known subconsciously for a long time. He’d fallen in love with Elaine again. He wanted a life with her, a life with Jodi. Because of his own cowardice, because of old childhood fears and pride, he’d blown it.
“I need to go home,” she said. “I’ll call you.”
She failed to kiss him goodbye.
In the now deathly quiet house, he peered into the face of the teddy bear. Its blank glass eyes seemed to mock his helplessness, his uselessness. Snorting in frustration, he flung the toy against the wall.
Buster fetched the plush bear and nosed it onto the bed.
Ric laughed dryly. “I don’t deserve it, little buddy. Go be nice to someone else.”
RIC HELD his breath while the telephone rang. Jodi’s cheery greeting brought a wide smile to his face. “Hey, kiddo, it’s me, Ric. How are you—”
Click.
Cursing, he punched in the number for Elaine’s house again. Jodi answered, but suspicion marked her tone. “Please don’t hang up, Jodi. I really need to talk to you.”
“I don’t wanna talk to you. Quit calling me!” Click.