by Sable Hunter
“I’ll send them in as soon as I find them. Okay?” He knelt to kiss her cheek. “I’m so glad you’re better. I wouldn’t want to live in a world without you in it.”
Fresh tears welled in Bethany’s eyes. “I love you, big brother.”
“I love you too.”
He left her and went to rejoin Kyd in the hall. Rowan was there also. “How is she?” his older brother asked.
“Worried about the families of the children she lost. She wants me to contact them and make sure they don’t need anything.”
“We’ll help too. Just tell us what you need,” Kyd said, looking to Rowan for confirmation, which he received.
“Absolutely. Anything they need.”
Clint nodded. He could just imagine the grief. No parent of young children is ever ready to plan a funeral for one of their little ones. “How are you?” he asked Rowan, knowing his sister’s involvement in the shooting could be a trigger for his brother’s PTSD.
“I’m fine.” Rowan waved away his brother’s concern. “Your horses have been delivered and I have a lodger in my barn. You wouldn’t know anything about that last thing, would you?”
Clint gave Rowan an innocent look. “Who me? Why would I know anything?”
Rowan didn’t look convinced.
“Clint! How is Bethany?”
Their mother’s voice rang down the hall as Rowan’s phone buzzed. He looked at the caller ID, then motioned Kyd to take a walk with him. Clint told his brothers he’d see them later. As his mother drew near, Clint held up his hand. She came to him, tears in her eyes. Riley walked on her right side and Libby on her left.
“She’s awake and asking for you and Riley.”
“Good.” Gillian grasped Riley’s hand. “Come with me, dear.”
When they went in, Libby approached Clint. “You must be exhausted.”
“I am pretty tired.” He leaned over to give his cousin a kiss. “Where’s the big boss man?”
“Aron, Heath, and Cato coaxed Cassidy and Colleen to the cafeteria. Joseph and Cady just called to say they’ve gone to Lago to get Gillian some clothes. She wants to stay the night with Bethany tonight.”
“She should go home.”
“She should.” Libby smiled. “Unfortunately, mothers don’t always do the logical thing when it comes to their kids.”
He shrugged. “You should know. Those boys lead you a merry race, don’t they?”
“They do indeed.” She took Clint by the arm. “I want to thank you for what you did for Pepper and Judah. They’re home and resting.”
“I was thankful to be in the right place at the right time.”
“It was just meant to be.”
“I think you’re right.” He’d felt this way before – about Jensen. Just thinking about her hurt his heart.
Libby stepped a few inches closer. “So, tell me – how did it go with you and Jensen?”
Clint narrowed his eyes. “I knew you were behind this. You set the whole thing up didn’t you?”
“What if I did? Sometimes fate needs a push.”
Something occurred to Clint and he had to ask. “But…how did you know? I mean…did Jensen say something to you about me? Other than the fact we were acquainted?”
Libby gave him a look. “What do you think? Girls talk. She told me everything…I mean a PG, Reader’s Digest condensed version of everything.”
Mention of the Reader’s Digest and Jensen’s lame joke made his heart hammer in his chest. “What did she say?”
Libby frowned and folded her arms over her chest. “Obviously, she likes you a lot or I wouldn’t have interfered. Other than that – I’m not going to repeat what she said. Did you make any headway with her?”
“Did she say she liked me?” He felt like a teenager, desperate to know what a girl thought of him.
Libby pressed her lips together and stared at her cousin-in-law. “After what the two of you have shared, how can you think otherwise? Nice girls don’t go to bed with guys they don’t feel something for.”
“But…” There was no need to rehash history, not after what he’d learned. “She told me.”
She cocked her head. “Told you what?”
“About her…diagnosis.”
Libby’s expression didn’t change. “And?”
Clint swallowed. “I didn’t handle it well.” In the next moment, he jumped when Libby slapped him on the arm.
“What do you mean you didn’t handle it well?”
He didn’t get the chance to answer when voices were heard at the end of the hall. Looking up, he saw Rowan and Kyd approaching with a dark-haired man about their age. “Who in the world?” Did he know this fella?
“Look, I’m gonna go find Aron and the girls. When we leave here, we’re heading to your mother’s house to feed your skunk.” Libby giggled. “I never thought I’d say those words. Anyway, we’ll check with you all later.” She punched Clint on the arm. “Call Jensen. Don’t let this opportunity slip through your fingers.”
“Have you heard from her since we went to Montana?” Clint asked before Libby walked away.
“No. I’m sure she’s trying to get back in the groove. She’s a very busy lady.”
“Yea.” Clint didn’t tell her how he’d tried calling to no avail.
As Libby stepped away, his brothers and the stranger came closer.
Rowan stepped ahead. “Clint, this is Seth Wilder.”
Immediately, the name registered with Clint. “I called you about our father.” He held out his hand.
Seth accepted the offer of a handshake. “Yea, I was out of the country.”
“You didn’t call me. How did you find us?” Clint was just curious.
Seth shrugged. “You left three numbers.” He nodded his head toward Rowan. “I recognized this man’s name. I respect his work with horses. When I had time to call, I reached out to him. I meant no offense.”
“Oh, none taken. Makes sense,” Clint assured him.
“I should’ve told you, Clint,” Rowan spoke up. “But you were gone and when you came back – there was Bethany.”
Clint stopped his brother. “No problem. I’m just glad you’re here,” he told Seth. “This may be a wild goose chase and if it is, I apologize ahead of time.”
“No apology necessary. I’m as intrigued as you are. Sorry about your sister. Such senseless violence is all too commonplace.”
“You’re right about that.”
Nodding to a small waiting room across the hall, Seth muttered, “Could we talk? I don’t have long to stay.”
“Oh, yea. Sure.” Clint indicated for the stranger and his brothers to go before him. “We’re interested in whatever you have to say.”
“I think you will be,” Seth said as they all found a seat. “Your phone call took me by surprise.”
“Did it?” Clint couldn’t help but be a little bit wary. “We saw some photographs of two boys, one of which we learned was your father. The other was your uncle. Correct?”
“Do you have the photos?”
“I have a copy of one of them on my phone.” Clint called it up and held his cell out so Seth could see the image.
“Yes, that’s my father and his brother, Abel.” Seth looked at him levelly. “Do you have information about my uncle?”
Clint glanced at his brothers. “Well, we don’t know. Our father’s name was Saul, but we knew literally nothing about his past or his family. He never told us any details at all. We don’t know where he grew up or…anything really.”
“Abel’s middle name was Saul. He left home when he was sixteen and we never saw him again.”
“Why did he leave home?” Kyd asked, sitting on the edge of his chair.
“He killed his mother.”
“What?” Rowan shouted so loud that Kyd poked him on the arm to quiet him down.
“How?” Clint couldn’t believe what he was hearing.
“It happened when the boys were sixteen. They’d just received their learn
er’s permit. Saul had just picked his mother up from church. He was driving and it was raining like crazy. He was seeking permission to go to a fais do-do, a dance party, that night but my grandmother refused. She didn’t believe in dancing. He became angry and started going too fast. She asked him to slow down, but he only drove faster. The car hit a slick spot in the road, went into a spin, and crashed into a tree. Abel walked away without a scratch, but his mother died at the scene.”
“Oh, how horrible,” Rowan whispered. “I can’t even imagine the guilt he must’ve felt.”
“Guilt wasn’t the half of it. His father blamed Abel and tossed him out of the house. Told him to never come back and to forget his family ever existed.”
“And that’s exactly what he tried to do.” Now, Clint understood.
“Where is my Uncle?” Seth asked.
The brothers looked at one another, but Clint answered, “Not too long ago, our answer would’ve been that we didn’t know. He walked out on us in 1997 and never came back. Lately, however we learned the truth. Our father was killed in the Jarrell F-5 tornado. He was killed trying to make his way home.”
“What did you say?” The soft voice filled with distress belonged to their mother. Gillian grabbed onto the wall. She was standing right behind Clint in the waiting room door. Colleen and Riley were with her. They all looked to be shell-shocked.
All three of her sons jumped up. Seth stood also.
“I’m sorry, Mother. We intended to tell you.”
“Come on, Mama. Sit down.” Colleen led their mother in to find a seat.
Rowan spoke up as Riley ran from the room with the excuse of finding Gillian some water. “Mother, this is Seth Wilder from Louisiana. Seth, this is our mother, Gillian, and our sister Colleen. Riley, Bethany’s friend, will be right back.”
“Nice to meet you, ma’am.” Seth nodded his head, his eyes cutting to the door. “Did you say Riley? Riley Jacobs?”
It was then that Clint remembered Riley’s reaction to their conversation concerning Seth and his protective hackles went up. “Yes. I’m not sure she wants to see you though.”
“What do you mean?” Seth looked shocked. “I’ve been looking for her for a very long time.” He took a step away, then stopped. “I need to find her, but before I go I want to tell you I think your father and my father were brothers. If that’s the case, we’re family. I’m sure there is some type of DNA test we can take to see if we’re related. If that test pans out, Grandpa will want to see all of you. He’s sick and he won’t recover. Not a day has gone by that he doesn’t regret sending your father away. He hired private detectives over the years but came up short.” He bent to speak to Gillian. “I’m so sorry about the circumstance, but I look forward to getting to know you.” Seth stood and looked around. “All of you.”
Kyd stepped up to intercept Seth. “I’ll walk you out and help you look for Riley.”
Clint almost said something, but he didn’t. Maybe these two meeting again was one of those things that was just meant to be. At that same moment, a rumble of thunder could be heard. Another storm was brewing. “Par for the course,” he muttered at the familiar sound.
“I can’t believe this,” Gillian whispered as she stared at the floor, tears running down her face. “I knew it. I always knew it. I wanted him to be alive, but I also knew he would’ve come home if he could have. He didn’t leave us.”
Colleen reached over to hug her mother. “Don’t cry, Mama. Daddy wouldn’t want you to cry.”
“How did you find out?” she whispered, looking up at Clint for answers.
Kneeling at his mother’s feet, he searched for the words. He would’ve protected her from this if he could have. “He was caught up in the tornado, the day we lost our home. Kyd and I found part of his blue Ford truck when we were having the utility lines dug over at Safe Haven. We were able to get the VIN number off the windshield and have it traced. The truck belonged to dad.”
“You didn’t find a body,” she muttered softly.
“No. Not after all this time.” He patted her on the knee, distracting her from the sad thought. “He didn’t leave us, Mama.” Clint repeated her previous observation. “He loved us.”
“Yes, he did.” She bowed her head and Clint wanted to shout profanities and shake his fist at the heavens. He was sick of the injustices in this world. This was like losing their father for a second time.
…Outside the hospital, Kyd turned away as Seth intercepted Riley. He tried not to listen, but their voices carried.
“Riley? Is that you?”
“Yes, Seth. It’s me.”
“This is crazy! Where have you been? Why did you move away without saying anything?”
“You were gone, Seth. You weren’t there to tell.”
“You should have waited.”
“Waited? For what?”
“For me…that’s what!”
“Sorry. I’ve got to go back in. My friend needs me.”
“I need you. I want to see you again. We need to talk.”
“No. We don’t need to talk. You need to go back to Louisiana and forget you ever saw me.”
Shaking his head, Kyd walked away. It seemed like the whole world was unhappy. He wished those two well, but he had his own problems to worry about. Just wait until his family found out he was getting married.
* * *
After telling Bethany goodnight, Clint took his leave from the hospital. Beyond tired, he moved toward his pick-up. When he was behind the wheel, he grabbed his phone. As he’d done a half dozen times today, he turned to his contact list and tapped Jensen’s name. The phone was no longer ringing, it went straight to voice mail. “I wouldn’t’ blame her if she blocked my calls.” Immediately, he dialed Joseph.
“Hello.”
“Man, you sound tired.”
“I am. In fact, I’m lying in the bed with my wife, cat-napping. I just talked to your mother, she said Bethany is doing well.”
“She is. I’m not saying she’s out of the woods yet, but we’re very hopeful. Have you heard from Jensen?”
“Yea. I talked to the doctor. She’s going to be okay. She got pretty bunged up. I told the doctor to run all the tests necessary to make sure she was good. They’ve got her on some excellent pain killers right now, so I’m sure she’s resting. I’ve gotten in touch with Conrad to go check on her. He’s going to be fine, by the way.”
“Did he ever say how his accident happened?”
“Yea, he was attempting to reach a peak where he intended to wait for you to locate him. He walked about a mile and went off trail. The sheer side of the cliff was steeper than he expected, so he decided he’d made a mistake. When he turned around to retrace he steps, he slipped, hit his head, and broke his leg. That’s where he stayed until you found him. Anyway, he said he’d check on Jensen and let me know if she needed anything. I’ve asked her, but she keeps saying she’s fine. You know how she is.”
“Yea, I do. I can’t believe she was hurt. I should’ve been with her.”
“Hey, it was an accident. We were just evacuating the crash site. There’s no way we could’ve foreseen this. I know you two have something going on, but considering your sister, Jensen’s going to understand why you’re here and she’s there.”
“I haven’t been able to get in touch with her at all.”
“She’s probably pretty loopy, I’d give it another day or so.”
Clint didn’t like his idea. He couldn’t let go of the notion that she probably would rather here from just about anyone other than him. “How is Pepper and Judah?”
“Like Jensen, they’re going to be sore and stove-up for a while. I tell you, Clint, this whole thing could’ve been a helluva lot worse.”
“I know that’s true. By the way, we found out my dad was killed in the same tornado that destroyed our house in Jarrell in 1997. We’ve also been able to contact some of his remaining family. I think his father is still alive.”
“The hell you say!”
Joseph’s voice perked up. “Well, that’s a mixed bag. I’m sorry about your dad. Did you have hopes he was still alive?”
“Not really, but not knowing for sure was difficult. I guess we’d gotten used to the uncertainty. We did learn why he was estranged from his family. His mother was killed in a car crash and he was driving. He felt responsible and his father agreed.”
“Man, that’s rough. Are you going to meet with your grandfather?”
“I don’t know. We still need to take some tests to confirm we’re related. Truthfully, I can’t get used to the idea of a grandfather. For so long, we had no family at all – and now…”
Joseph chuckled. “Now you’ve got more relatives than a hound dog has fleas.”
Clint laughed also. “That’s about right. I guess we’ll have to make up our mind soon, the old man has to be up in years. If the last few days has taught me anything, it’s that life is uncertain. You never know what’s coming down the pike toward you.”
“Amen.”
Clint could hear Joseph yawn. “Well, go back to your cat-napping. I’m going to go home and catch some z’s. If you talk to Jensen, tell her I’m trying to reach her. Okay?”
“Will do. Rest well, cousin.”
“You, too.”
For just a moment, he leaned back on the headrest, clutching the steering wheel in his hands. Sleep deprived and shell-shocked, he felt like he’d been put through the wringer. Seeing his sister injured and heartbroken made him feel so helpless. He wanted to fight something to make things right, but the one who’d dealt the misery was already behind bars. Maybe he’d try to fight the culture that enabled the young man to put his wrath into action, but that battle was for another day. He’d also held his mother and his sister as they mourned a man they’d all loved and lost far too early. The truth about his father was something that would take a long time to process.
Coping with those two things was difficult enough, but when he added the scenario with Jensen to the mix – Clint felt like he’d reached the end of his rope. The realization of what he’d done was just now becoming clear to him. He’d been so shocked. So hurt. With shame he realized he’d lashed out at her when he should’ve offered her comfort and reassurance. “What kind of bastard am I?” She’d suffered, been to hell and back, probably been scared to death. And what was he worried about? How it all affected him.