E. G. Parsons - Black Rock:

by A Time For Love

  "This is the room I use when I stay over, which thank goodness isn't that often, but sometimes Collin can be a real slave driver."

  Roxanne was busy getting out of her clothes and looked up sharply at this comment. "What do you mean?"

  "When the man is working on a case, he forgets that there are hours for working and hours for sleeping. He's kept me working until three in the morning a few times. So when we work that late, I come up here and sack out for a few hours."

  "I see."

  "Wow, you even have under garments to go with the habit. Oh, and they are so beautiful. Are they legit or did you have them made?" Edie fingered the lace at the top of Roxanne's camisole.

  Roxanne started to tell her about Sarah making the clothes and caught herself just in time. "They're legitimate. You may have the clothes, if you wish."

  Edie blushed crimson under her heavy makeup and Roxanne was afraid her gesture had been insulting.

  "I wasn't angling for that, Miss Ingram, honestly. I just love this kind of stuff and I ride every chance I get. I've even won a few competitions. I couldn't possibly accept such a generous gift." She picked up the jacket and started to slip her arms in.

  "Oh my gosh, it even has the dress maker's label. SI, Sarah Ingles, this just too much."

  Roxanne was surprised. "You've heard of Sarah Ingles?"

  "Of course, she's a legend in the vintage clothing arena. Her workmanship is so superior. And these are in pristine condition. You must have paid a fortune for them."

  Roxanne finished dressing in the new clothes and turned to inspect herself in the mirror. The dress had a fitted bodice and loosely flowing skirt to her knees. The shoulders were bare except for some wide straps. It was a heavenly, comfortable garment and the cheerful blue colors enhanced her eyes. But she couldn't possibly wear such a thing. She felt decadent and there didn't seem to be any under garments. The shoes were white leather flats with open toes and Roxanne felt naked without her stockings. She'd have to look through the other things once Edie left and find something more substantial in black.

  "Here, honey, you forgot the panties." Edie held up a little scrap of silk and Roxanne blushed.

  She hurriedly donned the item that replaced her drawers and had to admit that even though skimpy, they did make a person feel less naked. Well, she looked like she should be serving liquor in a saloon, but she'd agreed to this venture with Collin and she intended to try embracing it with open arms.

  Giving a little twirl, she looked at Edie. "How do I look?"

  "Perfect! You're a beautiful woman and Collin's going to love it." Edie laughed. "Don't look so worried. I won't tell him that you're head over heels for him, but I will tell you that he feels the same way."

  "We're only friends."

  "Whatever you say, honey. But whenever he looks at you…well, lets just say it's not a look that a friend gives a friend. If you know what I mean?"

  Seeing Roxanne's blush, she decided to give it a rest. "Never mind, we better get down there before he gets tired of waiting." Edie folded Roxanne's riding habit and undergarments and put them in the bag.

  "Here, you'd better hang these somewhere." She handed the bag to Roxanne.

  "I don't want them. If you don't care to have them, perhaps you know someone else to give them to."

  Edie hugged the bag to her chest like a child. "Oh no. If anyone's going to have them, it will be me. Thank you so much, Miss…"

  "Please call me Roxanne."

  "Okay, and I'm Edie." Impulsively, she gave Roxanne a fierce hug. "Thank you."

  They went down stairs, Roxanne feeling as if she'd made a new friend. It made losing Tina and Lucy a little easier to bear.

  Collin stared when he saw her coming down the stairs and he had to remind himself to breathe. She was so lovely. He had to swallow hard before he could speak.

  "You look so modern, and very beautiful."

  Roxanne reddened. "Thank you."

  They went into the library and Collin leaned close to whisper, "And I hope you never forget how to blush. It makes me want you until I ache." Roxanne blushed even brighter and Collin smiled.

  "Come on, Collin, the least you can do is offer a girl a drink." Edie plopped down in a big soft chair and crossed her long legs.

  Collin followed Roxanne into the room and went to the liquor cabinet. He poured a generous amount of scotch into a glass and added a couple ice cubes before handing it to Edie.

  "Would you like something?" Collin asked Roxanne, knowing she'd never had a drink any stronger than lemonade in her life. But Edie would have thought it strange if he hadn't asked.

  "No, thank you."

  "So, Roxanne, I suppose you're pretty anxious to finally meet your family and have the happy reunion."

  "I don't think I care to rush into that."

  "What? Why ever not? They've been looking for you for over twenty years."

  "Leave it alone, Edie. Miss Ingram will know when the time is right."

  "But, Collin, what about Devin? Surely you plan to call and tell him you found her."

  "Not just yet. There's no hurry."

  Edie looked from Collin to Roxanne. There must be quite a story here, but she knew Collin well enough to know she'd learn absolutely nothing from the two of them today. She stood and placed her empty glass on the cabinet.

  "Well, I hate to drink and run, but I have a hot date and I don't want to be late. Roxanne, I hope you like the clothes and I look forward to seeing you again."

  "I'll walk you out." Collin stood and took her arm.

  Once they were standing by the car, Edie turned to Collin with eyes full of questions. "Look, I know you don't want me saying anything about her being found. Nor are you going to tell me where she's been all these years, but at least tell me what in the world happened to her clothes." She lifted the bag in her hand. "And what gives with the vintage riding habit? I mean she must have been with some very wealthy people to own something like this."

  "I told you earlier that I can't explain anything right now. You'll just have to contain that rabid curiosity for a while."

  "I'm not foaming at the mouth yet, darling, but I'm getting there."

  Collin grinned as he opened the car door for her. Edie slid behind the wheel and started the engine.

  "Don't forget about those briefs for in the morning. And, Collin, it's really good to have you back."

  "I won't forget. I appreciate you doing the shopping today. Now get out of here before you're late for that hot date."

  Fifteen

  Collin had gone back to the office after Edie left, to prepare some papers that were needed the next morning. Roxanne wished he'd hurry and come back. Although she'd needed the breathing space earlier, now the house seemed very empty without his presence. He'd instructed her to keep the alarm on and doors locked while he was gone, but she really needed some air and didn't see any harm in a stroll around the enclosed back garden.

  Opening the French doors to the patio, she strolled down the path to the fishpond. It was dark, but there were low lights highlighting the path and taller lights by the pond and the little bench that sat under an arch.

  "Hello there, Henry. How are you doing?" She'd suspected Collin of using the fish earlier as an excuse to get close to her, but the big fish did seem to like her voice. He swam closer and it appeared he was listening, waiting for her to speak again.

  A rustling in the bushes on the other side of the pond startled Roxanne and she turned to run down the path to the doors.

  "Wait! I won't hurt you, Miss O'Malley or do you prefer Ingram?"

  Roxanne halted and turned toward the voice. The man was only a black shadow until he moved closer and stood under the light by the pond. He was tall and slim with thinning blonde hair and glasses. She'd never seen him before.

  "Who are you? What do you want?"

  "Who I am is unimportant. You don't know me. What is important is that you don't belong here in this time. I sent you back to prove a point and although
you have helped me prove that time travel is possible, you came back too soon."

  "You're the man who kidnapped me?" Roxanne began to shiver and wrapped her arms around her body protectively.

  "Yes. You see, you were supposed to help me prove that not only is time travel possible, but that the past can be changed to affect the future."

  "You're insane."

  The man laughed without humor. "You don't understand. I'm not insane. I'm trying to help mankind correct their many mistakes. Imagine being able to go back in time and prevent war or other catastrophes. Do you realize the impact that would have on future generations?"

  "Why not go back yourself if you feel so passionately about it?"

  "I'd considered it, but then there would be no one here to track the results. I needed to be here. You spent twenty years growing up as a child in the late 1800s. The changes you could have made would have been slight, there by not drawing unwanted attention. I could have proven my theory without risking too great a change in history. That's why a child was the best candidate. But you came back too soon and no changes were made."

  "Well, I'm very sorry your plan failed." Roxanne said coldly. "You kidnapped a child. I could have been killed."

  "That was a risk, yes, but a risk well worth taking when you think of the benefits to mankind once the program has been perfected. You don't belong here, you must go back and finish the job you were sent to do. Don't you want to have a hand in insuring the future of mankind?"

  "No."

  The man moved closer and Roxanne backed towards the door.

  "You have nothing to fear from me, Miss Ingram. I would never hurt you. I have a lot of time invested in you. My only intent in coming here is to convince you to return. We could be partners in a great scientific experiment."

  "I want you to leave now."

  "Think about this, Miss Ingram. If you agree to return, I can send you back to the time before your father died. You could prevent his accident."

  "There's no way you can predict the exact time period I'd end up in."

  "That's where you're wrong. I have studied that rock for more than twenty ears and I most definitely can send anyone to any time period, down to the exact month and year."

  "I don't believe you. Please leave now."

  "Don't you want to see your father again?"

  He took a step toward her and Roxanne turned and ran in through the doors, locking them behind her and pulling the drapes across. Snatching the phone from off the counter, she dialed Collin's number as he'd shown her.

  When his voice came over the line, she felt faint with relief. "Collin?"

  "What's wrong? Has something happened?"

  "Oh, Collin, that man is here. The one who kidnapped me."

  "What? Gene Davidson is there in the house?"

  "No, in the garden. He wants to send me back. Collin, he says he can send me back to before my father died. What am I going to do?"

  "Stay put. I'm calling the police and I'll be right there."

  Roxanne paced the kitchen, listening for any sound that would indicate Davidson trying to gain entry. All was silent until Collin arrived a few minutes before the police. Roxanne gave the officers a description of the man and they searched the back gardens. They returned several minutes later to question her about the incident.

  "We could find no sign of anyone having been there, but we'll check around the rest of the house and see what we can find. Miss, did this man threaten to harm you in any way?"

  "No, not in so many words, but I told him to leave and he wouldn't."

  "Without a direct threat, there isn't a lot we can do. If we find him we can try to bring him in for trespassing, but it will be hard to prove. We'll send out his description and tell the patrols to keep an eye out for him."

  "You might want to drive out to the Wellman Ranch and have a talk with Gene Davidson. That's who it was."

  The officer looked curiously at Collin. "What makes you think the intruder was this Davidson fellow?""

  "He matches the description."

  "Have you had trouble with Davidson before?"

  "We aren't on friendly terms."

  "Miss Ingram can you identify the intruder as Mr. Davidson?"

  "I've never met him, but I'm sure it was him."

  "If you've never met the man, it would be hard to prove it was him especially with it being so dark in the gardens, but we'll go have a talk with him and see what he has to say. Is there anything else you'd like to tell me?" He looked first at Roxanne and then Collin, waiting patiently.

  Roxanne shook her head and Collin said no. The officer flipped his notepad closed.

  "Well, that's it then. We'll be in touch if we find out anything."

  Collin thanked them for coming and walked them to the door.

  "Shouldn't we have told them about Mr. Davidson kidnapping me?"

  "No, I have some evidence, but I'm not prepared to offer explanations about where he had you stashed for the past twenty years. If we told the truth, they'd think us crazy or worse, that we were making false charges against Davidson. The police don't take kindly to that kind of thing. It's better to wait until we have more time to come up with some kind of past for you."

  "How will we do that?"

  "I'm working on it."

  "So you don't plan to discuss it with me?"

  "There's no need to until I know more. Right now I need to decide whether to move you somewhere safer or if it's best just to stay here a while."

  "I'd rather stay here. How do you think he knew I was here?"

  "That's a good question and one I intend to find the answer to. Why would you rather stay here? Aren't you afraid?"

  "A little, but I believed him when he said he meant me no harm. I think he truly just wants to convince me to go back. And, what if he could send me back to before Papa's accident? I could save his life."

  "Even if he could send you to that time, what makes you think he can be trusted to do it? I want you to think for a minute. He kidnapped you once and could try again. He has no morals or scruples. You can't trust him. I'll see what I can do about finding somewhere else to stay. In the mean time, I'll make sure you aren't left alone here again. I can work out of my office here just as well as downtown."

  "I appreciate that, but I don't think it's necessary. I have the alarm system and I don't want to feel like a prisoner."

  "Regardless, I insist. I have no intention of leaving you alone. And I want you to start following my instructions."

  "Your instructions?"

  A muscle twitched in his jaw as he tried to contain his anger. "I told you to remain inside with the doors locked and you were out in the garden. Damn it, Roxanne, don't you realize anything could have happened."

  "Let's get something straight, Collin. I am neither a prisoner nor a child and you are not my keeper. I understand your concern for my safety, but I will not be bullied." Crossing her arms in front of her she tapped her foot in annoyance.

  Collin took her upper arms in his hands and bent close. "You'll do what you are told without argument. Do you understand?"

  Roxanne flushed darkly. "Take your hands off me this minute!"

  "I think I've shown great restraint in keeping my hands off of you. In fact I think I've kept them off long enough."

  Jerking her against his body he lowered his lips in a hard punishing kiss. Roxanne struggled to free herself, pushing against his chest. Collin held her still, softening his kiss and coaxing a response.

  Warmth flowed through her body and she sighed against his lips. Collin deepened the kiss, invading the moist interior of her mouth. Excitement spun its way along her limbs and her legs went weak. Reaching up she wound her arms around his neck, pushing her softness against him.

  Roxanne groaned as his thumb grazed her nipple and Collin wanted nothing more than to pick her up and carry her upstairs to the bed. But he didn't want to be accused afterwards of taking advantage o f her. He pushed her away from him.

  "I beg
your pardon. I forgot for a moment that my attentions were unwelcome. I'll be in my office if you need anything." He turned and left her standing in the middle of the kitchen.

  "Ugh!" Stamping her foot she turned to go to her room, wishing she were brave enough to go after him and tell him just how much she wanted him.

  * * * * *

  Gene Davidson returned to his ranch, disappointed that Roxanne had been so unreceptive to his plans. She simply doesn't understand how important his research is. Given enough time he was sure he could make her see.

  When he came in the front door Mrs. Wilcox came to meet him.

  "Mr. Davidson, the police were here and wanted to speak with you."

  "Did they say why?"

  "No, they said they'd be back and, Sir, Mr. Wellman is waiting in the den for you."

  "Okay, Mrs. Wilcox. I won't be needing anything else tonight, you can go on to bed."

  "Thank you, sir. I'll see you in the morning."

  He watched her walk away, thinking what an attractive lady she was with her neat little bun of brown hair. She'd worked for him as housekeeper for over ten years and he'd thought more than once of asking her out, but he just didn't have time for romantic entanglements. After she disappeared into the kitchen, he made his way to the den.

  "It's about time you got back. The lawmen were here." Brad rose from the sofa, a drink in his hand. From the way he looked it wasn't his first drink tonight.

  "Yes, I know. Mrs. Wilcox told me." I'm sure Miss Ingram called them after I left. It means nothing. She's never met me and it will me my word against hers."

  "Well, what did she say?"

  "I think we'd do better to discuss this in the morning when your head is a little clearer."

  "There's nothing wrong with my head. I've had a few drinks, but I can hold my liquor. I want to know what she said."

  "She needs more persuading."

  "Like hell, she does. You tried your way, now it's my turn."

  "No, not yet. I need more time to talk to her."

  "Look, Davidson, I'm sick of hiding out. I want to go home. I'm stuck here in my own home that you now own and I have no money or identity in this crazy place. You told me you could send me home and that you'd make sure Roxanne went with me. I'm tired of waiting."