Luke's Fate

by Kathleen Ball

  Now she’d have to take a step back and allow Luke to make his own decisions. She promised herself she’d never meddle in anyone’s life again. Hopefully, they’d end up with the same goal to build his ranch together.

  A few days later, Meg glanced around the kitchen table, happy with the people in her life. Luke had gone out of his way to be a friend who was easy to be around. She even bounced a few ideas about improving the ranch off him. It was pleasant to be in his company except for the fact that she still waited for his answer. It would be a fine thing to build his ranch together, but it was his decision.

  Owen placed two more pancakes on his plate. “Still my favorite, Meg. You would have made your ma proud.” He gave her a loving smile then turned to Luke. “I have assessor's going over your east end this morning. I know you can’t make an informed decision on that property until you know its value.”

  Luke turned pale. “What? They are on my property? Why didn’t you tell me? I would have liked to have been there.”

  “If you hurry, I bet you can meet up with them,” Owen replied.

  “Dad, I’m going to head out with Luke. Can you handle things here?”

  “Of course, been doing it for years.”

  Luke walked out the door so fast, she had to run to catch up with him. “Wait! I’m coming with you.” She jumped into the truck.

  The knuckles on his hands were white as he gripped the steering wheel. “Selling or not, I don’t abide people on my property.”

  “I know and I agree, but my dad was just trying to help.”

  Gunning the engine, he nodded. “I know.”

  The beat of his heart echoed in his ears. He had to get to the east end first. If anyone started digging around, oh hell, he didn’t know what they’d be doing but he hoped digging wasn’t on the list.

  Two pick-ups and a backhoe were parked on the edge of his property, and perspiration formed on his brow. At least there wasn’t a police car there. Taking a deep breath, he tried to calm himself. He could pull this off; he didn’t have a choice.

  “Looks like we got here right in time. Might as well find out how much it’s worth since they’re here,” Meg said as she opened the truck door.

  What? When did she change sides? Shaking his head, he got out of the truck.

  A tall man in a business suit walked right to them with his hand out. “I’m—”

  Luke shook his hand. “Hey Ray, long time no see. So you appraise property?”

  “Good to see you, Luke, Meg. I’m the land developer.”

  Luke’s stomach clenched. “Why is there a backhoe here?”

  “I’m sure you can understand I need to know what I’m dealing with. I need to know if the land is rock, and if so how far down it goes. It’s all about costs.”

  “I’m not selling, Ray. I’m afraid you made a trip out here for nothing.”

  Ray frowned and turned to Meg. “I thought your father held title to this land.”

  She quickly glanced at Luke then smiled at Ray. “Well, yes he does hold the title but he kept it for Luke to have when he came back, David too.”

  “Sorry Luke, I need to call Owen and see what he wants me to do.”

  “Seriously? My word isn’t good enough?” He sounded like a wounded bear, but he didn’t care, he needed them off the property.

  “Luke, you know it isn’t like that. Listen, why don’t you and Owen hash it out then give me a call. I have no desire to upset you. It’s good to see you again.” Ray shook his hand and tipped his hat at Meg. He started to turn but turned back. “Where is David? Did you ever hear from him?”

  “Not in a long time.” His world was beginning to close in on him.

  Ray smiled sympathetically. “Well, hopefully soon then. Call me with your decision.”

  “I will, thanks.” There wasn’t any other choice; he’d have to move the body. The thought of disturbing David’s resting place made his stomach lurch. He’d spent his whole life covering for his father, and here he was doing it again. People had seen the bruises on the Kelly boys and their mom. He’d learned at a young age to keep his mouth shut. Once when he told a teacher, his father took a hammer and broke his thighbone. That incident was the falling off the roof excuse and it kept him out of school for a while. When he returned to school, his teacher gave him looks of pity. He’d hated that.

  Gym class was the worst, trying to change without anyone seeing his whip marks and bruises. Poor David had had it worse, and he had just refused to participate in gym class. The gym teacher called their house, and they came to a compromise. David would run laps after school every day. Closing his eyes, Luke could still remember David’s back looking like raw meat by the time their father was done with him.

  “Luke?”

  “What?”

  “I was asking if we should go.” Meg took his hand and gave it a squeeze. “What are you thinking about? The pain on your face was intense.”

  “Just missing David is all. I wish he was here.”

  “Me too. I would have liked to have known my brother better.”

  “He was a good protective brother. It’s a damn shame he’s gone.” Luke scanned the land until he came across David’s grave. He was a good brother who had paid the ultimate price.

  He smiled at Meg. “Let’s go. I need to talk to Owen.” He drove until they were about halfway back and pulled off the road.

  “Luke, is something wrong?” The worry on her face warmed his heart.

  He reached out and stroked her cheek with the back of his hand. “If I had the choice I’d have you by my side building the ranch, but I don’t know what the future holds. I do know that I need to kiss you.” Staring into her eyes, he leaned over and put his lips on hers. She immediately sighed and kissed him back, opening her mouth for him. She tasted like coffee and maple syrup. Deepening the kiss, he drew her closer to him, running his hands up and down her spine as she stroked the back of his neck and ran her fingers through his hair.

  “Mmmm, you’re a great kisser,” she whispered against his mouth. “I don’t understand it, but I want to get naked with you.”

  Breaking the kiss, he held her close to him, burying his face in her hair. She smelled of lavender. Was that her shampoo or her perfume? He waited for his heart to slow before he pulled away. “Naked would be wonderful, but not in the truck.”

  “You know if we keep waiting for the perfect place it’ll never happen.”

  He gave her one of his cocky grins. “Don’t you worry, darlin’ when there’s a will there’s a way. I’m more than willing.”

  It wasn’t as though she hadn’t been attracted to other men, but she wanted Luke with a ferocity she couldn’t understand, and his taking their time thing was making her crazy. A little loving in the truck would have been just fine for her, but Luke wanted to wait.

  Most men would have had her flat on her back in no time. She got out of the truck at the same time Luke did. She didn’t want him to touch her by helping her down . Her nerves were on high alert as it was.

  “Going in to talk to Dad?” she asked.

  “Yes, are you coming?”

  “No, Luke, I have some things that need tending. See ya.” It took a lot to restraint to keep from running into the barn. She paced her steps evenly, and once in the barn she sighed in relief.

  Maybe he wasn’t as into her as she was into him. What about the smoldering glances he sometimes sent her way? Damn, she wished she had more experience with men. She could always ask the hands, Ron and Greg their thoughts. Biting back a chuckle, she shook her head. What was she thinking?

  Sure, they enjoyed each other’s company, but Luke had lived a completely different life while he was away. Too many things were coming at her all at once, and her predictable life was changing. Sleeping with Luke might be jumping the gun. Damn, she wanted that man.

  Imagining him as a dad gave her pause but at the same time, she could picture it. Her emotions were awhirl. Happy he experienced having a child, horrified that his wi
fe and daughter were dead, and jealous that he loved another woman and her child.

  She led Merry out of her stall. “You know girl, my mother always said not to cry over spilled milk. Dad always said there was no closing the barn door after the horse had already bolted.”

  Meg saddled Merry and they were off. She rode out to see how Ron and Greg were doing with the downed fence. Seeing they were about done, she rode in the direction of Luke’s property. She hadn’t checked on the mustangs in days.

  “Hold up, Merry.” She sat on the horse marveling at the sight of the beautiful horses. She felt the same awe every time she saw them. They were so strong and spirited. Riding past them, she rode to the east end of the property and was stunned.

  The backhoe on the property was surrounded by the sheriff and the state police. There were four cars with their lights flashing. What in the world was going on? Carefully, she rode toward them and as soon as she was close, an officer held her reins while she slid off the saddle.

  “What’s going on?” she asked the officer.

  The officer looked over her head toward the sheriff. Turning she saw him nod.

  “We found, well not we, there’s a body buried on the property.”

  “There’s probably bodies buried all over Texas. It is a state with a colorful history.”

  The officer shook his head. “This one isn’t all that old. Hard to tell but the baseball bat buried with the body is a light grade aluminum bat. They started making those is the ‘90s—the 1990s.”

  Meg shook her head trying to clear it. “What? I’ve ridden over this parcel a million times and I never saw a grave. Wow, a grave?” Her heart skipped a beat as she wrapped her mind around the news.

  The officer blocked her attempt to move around him. “You can’t go any closer. It’s a crime scene,” he told her giving her a speculative look.

  “A crime scene,” she repeated. “Don’t look at me that way, and you’d better not try to add me to your persons of interest list either. No one from around these parts would bury a body here.” Grabbing the phone out of her pocket, she turned away from the officer.

  “Who are you calling?”

  “My father, I believe he is the legal owner of this property.”

  The officer’s brown eyes narrowed.

  “It wasn’t my father either. Good Lord, what cop shows have you been watching?”

  She glared at him until he had enough sense to turn away. After speaking with her father, she walked back to the officer and Merry. “Do you know who it is? What happened? Do you have any leads?” She grabbed Merry’s reins from the tall, lean officer with short blond hair. “What did you say your name was?”

  “I’m Detective Timbers.”

  “Detective? No, I don’t think so. You’re too young, and if you really are a detective you’d be down there examining the scene.” She flashed him a cocky smile.

  “Listen, Meg, I have—”

  “How do you know my name?” She dropped Merry’s reins confident the horse would stay, placed her hands on her hips and scowled.

  He smiled widely. “I’m a detective, remember?”

  “Oh, for Pete’s sake! Okay, you’re a detective but seriously how do you know my name?”

  “You were described by the sheriff as pretty, feisty, and bossy, and I have to say it’s a very accurate description of you.”

  “If you say so,” she replied, her voice laced with sarcasm. “Do they know who it is?”

  He shook his head. “Can’t comment on that.”

  “Could you at least get Sheriff Newman? I’d like to speak to him.”

  Detective Timbers whistled through his teeth at the crowd of law enforcement huddled around the body. Sheriff Newman looked up, nodded and walked toward them.

  “Just like that, you whistle and he comes?”

  He winked at her. “Newman and I are cousins.”

  Great, just great. She took a deep breath and let it out slowly as she watched the sheriff make a path to them. She’d known him all her life and when she was just a girl, she had asked him to marry her. Tall, dark, and handsome with a smile that could set a woman’s heart pumping. Too bad he was twenty years her senior.

  His fingers touched the rim of his hat as he nodded. “Good to see you, Meg. Wish it was under different circumstances.”

  “Nice to see you too, Wayne. Should I call you Sheriff Newman?”

  He gave her one of his famous smiles and shook his head. “Wayne is fine. After all we were almost engaged.”

  Feeling the detective’s stare, she suddenly found her boots to be very interesting while her face heated. Hell, why did Wayne always tease her? She shuffled her feet a bit then glanced up. “Too bad it didn’t work out. We’d probably have a passel of kids by now.”

  Wayne laughed. “Very true, darlin’.”

  Detective Timbers shook his head. “Well, I guess I don’t know everything about you after all,” he admitted.

  “What’s going on, Wayne? Timbers here said there’s a body buried on this land.”

  “Detective Timbers, not Timbers.”

  Meg ignored him and kept her gaze on Wayne.

  “Ward probably told you everything we know.”

  “Ward?”

  “Detective Timbers, not Ward and not Timbers.”

  “Fine, whatever. Here comes my dad and Luke.”

  The closer Owen drove to the site, the more gut sick Luke felt. Perspiration dotted his brow, and he desperately tried to slow his breathing, hoping it would slow the racing of his heart. This was it, the moment he prayed would never come. He blinked a few times when the police cars with their lights glaring came into view.

  “Wow, looks like they got the whole posse here,” Owen exclaimed.

  “It sure does. What did Meg say exactly when she called?”

  “Just what I told you, there’s a body buried up here. If she knew more, she would have told me. Look there’s Wayne, he’ll know what’s going on.” Owen parked the truck, and they both got out. They didn’t have to take many steps before Wayne and another officer approached them with Meg following closely behind.

  Meg ran past the two men into her dad’s arms. Luke wished she’d run to him, but it was just as well she drew comfort from Owen; They’d need each other.

  Strong and steady. These next few minutes could determine his life, and jail wasn’t an option he was willing to entertain.

  “Hey, Wayne.” Owen reached out and shook the sheriff’s hand. “You remember Luke Kelly, don’t you?”

  Sheriff Newman nodded and shook Luke’s hand. “Good to see you back.” He sighed as he sized them up. “We have a problem, and I’d like to get this solved as quickly as possible.”

  Spotting the backhoe on the property, Luke’s heart sank. He shoved his hands in his pockets. How was an innocent person supposed to act? “What happened?”

  “Found a body buried, Luke. All we know is a female is lying in a grave, and a bat was buried with her. I don’t see many homicides, so I called in the state police. This is Detective Timbers. He will be heading up the investigation.”

  Luke nodded to Detective Timbers and swallowed a lump that formed in his throat. A woman? Who the hell was buried out there? Timber’s eyes narrowed as he stared at Luke. Damn, he was in the detective’s cross hairs.

  “A female?” Owen asked, perplexed.

  “Yes. I can’t think of anyone who’d gone missing, but the state police have better access to national information. Hopefully we can ID her easily enough.”

  If not David, who was buried? At least he didn’t have to pretend to be in shock it was real. Where the hell was David buried? It had been dark when he and his dad…

  “Luke, are you okay?” Meg touched his arm.

  Looking down into her compassionate eyes, he felt like a fraud. This would be the perfect time to come clean about David, but selfishly he wanted Meg to always look at him without hate.

  Placing his hand over hers, he gave her a small smile and a
nod. “It’s so unbelievable. Who found the—the body?”

  “Ray had his crew out here to assess the land. He tells me Owen sold it to him,” Wayne said.

  Owen frowned. “I haven’t sold anything yet. In fact, I was holding the land for Luke and David, but Ray called and said he had the backhoe and crew already here and I gave him the go ahead.” He turned to Luke. “I know you told Ray, no but I thought you should know your options.”

  Detective Timbers smiled. “Good thing or we’d have never found the body.” He still eyed Luke.

  Meg squeezed Luke’s arm. “Good thing, Dad. Maybe we can get her back to her family.”

  “I suppose I don’t have to give the don’t-leave-town speech to you.” Detective Timbers smiled but his voice was serious. “I’ll swing by in about an hour. I need a few questions answered.”

  Chapter Four

  The next day Luke got a call from Owen asking him to come to the main house. He and Greg had been herding the mustangs away from the burial site. Greg was good people. He did his job, did it well, and didn’t ask a lot of questions. They put the two quarter horses they’d been riding into the horse trailer, and Greg drove them toward the main house.

  Luke stared out the window feeling gut sick. He’d had the same feeling since he found out about the burial site and when they’d told him it was a woman he felt gut kicked on top of being gut sick, and it was a nasty combination. All night he lay in bed, tossing and turning, wondering who the woman was.

  He tried to relax against the back of the truck seat, but his muscles were too corded to relax. “Hope it’s not Detective Timbers again.”

  Greg looked at him briefly and nodded. “It’s a tough one alright. That there Timbers guy wasn’t so bad, though he did seem to have his eyes fixed on you. You probably weren’t even here when it happened, but he has a job to do like the rest of us.”

  “I suppose he does, but I didn’t like the way he eyed me either.”

  Greg turned into the long driveway to the house. “I don’t see his car.”