Luke's Fate

by Kathleen Ball

  Nodding, she stared out the window. “I can understand that. Have you decided which of the mustangs you plan to sell?”

  “I had a list going before your dad died. A lot has happened in such a short time.”

  “It must be hard on you, too. I mean you lost your wife and daughter.”

  Luke nodded. “It’s been hell except for the moments I share with you. I love you.”

  “I know. I love you too, and we’ll get through this. I feel stronger with you by my side.”

  “Same here, sugar.”

  “I think we should look into what David has been doing the last few years. There must be an explanation for his behavior.” She laid her head against his chest. “Something must have happened.”

  “I agree. Let’s go upstairs.” He leaned down and kissed her plump lips.

  She moaned then pulled away. “David will be home soon. We’ll have to wait until tonight.”

  “Tonight sounds good to me. I can’t wait to make you scream again.” He grinned at her watching her blush.

  “I guess we’ll have to tone it down a bit.”

  Luke laughed. “Not on your life. I don’t do toned down with you. I have a need to give you all of me.”

  “I did enjoy all of you.” She reached out and touched his chest. “It was wonderful, Luke. I really thought it wasn’t for me. But you changed my mind.”

  “Good, I’m proud I made it good for you. We have something good together. Let’s be sure no one tries to ruin it for us.” He held his breath until she nodded.

  David arrived home an hour later. Meg expected harsh words, but he hung his head and apologized. She hugged him.

  “I think I should find somewhere else to stay.” The pain reflected in his eyes tugged at her heart.

  “No, David, we’re family. We’ll work it out.”

  Luke’s eyes widened and he shook his head. “I’m not sure it’s going to be so easy.”

  David sat on the couch and sighed. “I had time to think on my walk.” He gave Luke a pointed look. “We might be able to talk it out and figure out what the hell happened on our land. We might have seen something and didn’t realize it was important at the time.”

  She glanced at Luke as she sat down. “Sounds like a good idea.”

  “Luke?” David’s voice was gruff.

  “Sure why not?” He sat next to Meg. “Where should we start?”

  “I don’t remember any strangers around. Luke, do you remember any?”

  “David, I’ve been asking myself the same thing. I don’t remember anyone.”

  “What about Dad?”

  Meg held her breath while she waited for Luke to answer.

  “I just don’t know. I have my suspicions, but I really don’t know. He’s a mean son of a bitch but I don’t remember him being away from the ranch much. Where’d he find the girls?”

  David pulled at his collar. “Well, it was worth a try to see if we knew anything. I am sorry for being such an ass.” He smiled at Meg. “I will stay, thank you for asking me.”

  As she pushed to her feet, she caught Luke’s intense stare at Davis and recoiled in surprise. They were still suspicious. Her theory was based on Harry doing it all, but there didn’t seem to be proof. Actually, she didn’t know what proof the police had. “Luke, could you work with Greg and make sure the ranch work is going well? I have a pile of paperwork I need to weed through.”

  David stood. “I’ll go with Luke and see what’s what.”

  Luke glanced at her over David’s head and frowned. “Let’s go.” He let David go ahead of him and before he walked out the door, he stared back at her and mouthed, “Thanks a lot.”

  This whole thing was taking up too much of their time. She should just let the police do their job. She had cattle to get to market and horses to sell. No more negativity, not while she was falling in love. Oh my, that man made her body sing. Who would have thought? Bedtime couldn’t come fast enough for her.

  Chapter Six

  The desk appeared daunting, piled high with papers and unopened mail. A wave of panic set in at the sheer amount of responsibility on her shoulders. She rounded the desk and sat in her father’s chair, tears filling her eyes. “I miss you, Dad.” A heart-wrenching sob escaped her and she allowed herself to cry it out for a bit. The agony of her father being David’s father, the despair of his death and the overwhelming fear of what was next poured down her face.

  Things used to be so simple. Sure, she’d pined away for Luke for five long years, but the pain in her heart then was no comparison to what she felt now. All she wanted was to be able to relax again. Half the time she expected the police to show up and haul Luke away. Why had her father gone ahead and allowed digging on that particular part of the ranch?

  The more she thought about it, the more it didn’t make sense. He wouldn’t have wanted condominiums so close to any land he owned. It was ridiculous really. Grabbing a clean bandana out of her jeans pocket, she dried her face. Crying time was over. She needed to keep the ranch going and profitable. Too many people relied on her for their livelihood. With a new determination, she started to tackle the piles of paper.

  After a few long hours, she had everything put into the computer and it looked good. The numbers spoke for themselves; she had much more money than she’d ever thought. She’d ask Luke to look to be sure she was right. While she never wanted for anything, her dad made it seem as though they needed to watch their pennies.

  Perhaps he was just being cautious for a rainy day, one of the years where everything went wrong and ranches went under. Sounded like something her dad would do. Scanning the cleared off desk, she sighed. Her sense of accomplishment had a layer of sadness under it. One day she hoped to remember her dad with sweet loving memories instead of despair. A part of her felt angry he had died, and as crazy as that was, she couldn’t help it.

  What could she do to help get this whole serial killer thing solved? Her blossoming romance with Luke hung under its shadow and she wanted her love to be full of sunshine. Laughing to herself, she pushed back from the desk and stood. Why not add flowers and goodness to her list? She guessed she was a romantic after all.

  It was strange to imagine she’d want all the frills of new love. She’d spent years hardening her heart and her body, making herself into a no-nonsense ranch foreman. She hadn’t allowed smiles or long looks into her life. Any man who tried to get close had been kicked to the curb. Luke had changed her, inside and out. She smiled; her heart was his.

  Mounted on his horse, Luke took off his hat and wiped his brow with his shirtsleeve. He panned the terrain and frowned. “Where do you think those cattle went?”

  David shrugged. “Are the fences between our place and Meg’s still up, or did Owen take them down?”

  Luke placed his hat back on his head, leaned both hands on the pommel and stretched his back. “They’re down but for some reason the cattle don’t migrate much over the border.”

  “We might as well ride. They must be somewhere.” David kicked the sides of his roan and was off.

  Luke watched him for a while before he followed. Something was still off with his brother. He was keeping something to himself and from Meg and it didn’t sit well.

  They rode across the two biggest pastures and then headed for the canyons. It was getting late, and he didn’t want to be caught out in the dark. With his luck, it would be a cloudy, moonless night.

  As they turned the corner into the opening of the nearest canyon, they heard a few of the cows bellowing. Glancing at each other, they rode on until they reached the herd.

  “Dang, Luke, they act like they’re lost. Did Meg turn them into pets or something?”

  He shrugged and looked over the herd until he saw Old Sam the lead cow bull on the ground. “Guess Old Sam didn’t teach the cattle to do anything but follow him. Strangest thing I’ve ever seen.” He swung down and slowly approached the steer. “Damn he’s been shot. He grabbed his rifle and carefully looked around.

/>   David grabbed his rifle too. “I don’t see anyone. Whoever it was is gone.

  “The cattle probably scattered shortly after the shot and are just now getting back together. I’d better call Meg.” He got back on his horse and it wasn’t until he rode out of the canyon that he found phone reception. He talked to Meg and rode back.

  “Did you call the police?”

  Luke shook his head. “No, I only called Meg. I’m done with those yahoos. They couldn’t find their asses if they were handed to them. They still think I killed all those girls.”

  “It’s going to be dark soon. Are you up for spending the night?” David grinned.

  “I sure am. We used to camp out a lot. Those were some good times.”

  David’s grin faded. “Yes, they were. Haven’t had times like that since I left. I have to say I was surprised you left. I pictured you and Meg together with a couple kids by now. Strange how things don’t turn out the way you think.”

  Luke raised his eyebrows and opened his mouth.

  “Save it we’d better gather some wood for a fire. We have all night to yap.” David walked toward the treed hillside.

  They’d be yapping, and he was going to figure out what was going on. David’s constant change in mood bothered him. Serial killers were moody, weren’t they? Maybe they were crazy, not moody. As far as he knew, they hadn’t identified any of the bodies yet. Sighing, he started for the trees. How he wished he were with Meg right now, making love to her.

  David dragged an old log over and sat in front of the fire. The orange glow from the flames danced across his face in sinister ways. Was it the flickering that gave him a look of evil? Or something else? No, it had to be his imagination. Still, Luke’s body remained tense, and he couldn’t get it to relax.

  “So, what’s for dinner?” David cocked his left eyebrow at Luke.

  “Granola bars and water.” He tried hard to stop his lips from twitching.

  “You’re kidding right? Don’t you carry more with you?” David sounded annoyed.

  “What do you have to contribute to our feast?”

  David grumbled. “I’ll take a granola bar. I’ve seen them on the shelves in the grocery store, but I never realized people actually eat them.”

  “These are much better than they used to be.” He reached into his saddlebag, grabbed a bar and tossed it to David. He reached in again to get one for himself. He heard the rustling of the wrapper being opened and when he glanced up, David had already devoured it.

  “Not bad. Got any more?”

  “I have a box of them.” He put the box on the ground between them. “Help yourself.”

  “I’ve scanned the canyon up and down, and I haven’t seen anyone around. It’s odd the steer was shot. Maybe it’s connected to the murders.”

  Luke pushed his hat back on his head. “Why do you think that?”

  David shrugged. “Maybe someone wants the land and figured they can get it pretty cheap since part of it is a crime scene and all.”

  “Makes as much sense as anything else. I don’t know what to think anymore.” He paused and stared into the flames. “David, why did you leave?”

  “Dad and I weren’t getting along.”

  “I don’t want the bull answer. I want the truth.”

  David stared at him for a while. “I brought home a girl that night, and when I went inside to grab a few beers…” He took a deep breath. “When I came back, Dad was all over her, and she wasn’t willing. I tried to stop him, but he beat me to a pulp in his rage, and I could hear him go after the girl again. I came to and she was gone. Dad said he drove her home. We had words and he told me to leave and never come back.” Wiping his hand over his face, David shook his head. “He said he paid her enough money to keep her mouth shut, but if push came to shove, she’d identify me as the attacker.”

  “What girl?”

  “I picked her up at Cappy’s Bar over in the next town. I’m not even sure what her name was. I took off, he had me so afraid of going to jail. I kept track of the news but I never saw anything about it.”

  “Oh, God, I’m so sorry, David. What a mean son of a bitch!” He wanted to confess his role of burying the girl’s body but he didn’t dare. How could he have not known the body was a female? It was heavy as hell but at the time, his mind was going in circles and he was full of terror. “We’ll have to go to the police about it.”

  Sighing, David nodded.

  Suddenly a shot rang out, it’s explosive report echoing through the canyon.

  Dust kicked up as the next shot hit the dirt near Luke’s feet. He yelled for David, and they both scrambled for cover, throwing themselves behind some boulders. “What the hell is going on?”

  “Looks to me like someone is aiming to kill us.” David nodded at the Winchester clutched in Luke’s hands. “Glad we both thought quick and grabbed our rifles before dodging for cover.”

  “Did you see where the shots came from?”

  David shook his head. “Not exactly. Near as I can tell it was from the west wall.”

  “Son of a bitch. Cattle rustlers?”

  David shrugged. “I doubt it. I think someone is trying to keep us off Dad’s property.”

  Another shot rang out, and they both instinctively ducked as pieces of rock showered them. Their eyes were wide as they gazed at each other.

  “We need to move. Isn’t there a cave in this canyon?” David asked.

  Luke sighed. “Yes and it’s on the west wall. Must be where the shooter is holed up.”

  “He’s got the vantage point. Luke, we need to get out of here.”

  “Cover me, I’ll grab the horses.”

  David laughed. “Like you can run fast. You were lucky enough to get to safety with that bum leg of yours.”

  Luke swallowed his pride. “I’ll cover you, just be quick, and stay low.”

  “That was my plan.” David ran and the shooting started.

  Luke got off shot after shot and kept the cave dweller at bay. It was only a minute but it seemed so much longer as Luke waited, holding his breath, for David.

  David raced back and threw the reins to Luke’s horse to him. “Get out of here! I’ll cover you. We don’t have time to argue.”

  Luke nodded. He wanted to say something to David just in case, but there wasn’t time. He took the reins, grabbed the horse’s mane, pulled himself up, and rode. It didn’t feel right leaving David there alone. If anything happened…

  More shots echoed through the night, and he waited at the mouth of the canyon, rifle in hand. Then there was silence. His heart sank as the silence grew. He was going to kill that son of a bitch. He dug his heels into the horse’s sides and started to race into the canyon as though the flames of hell were behind him. He readied his rifle and aimed at the cave. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw David racing toward him on his horse.

  “I must have got him. We’d better get to where we can call out. The police will have to be the ones to figure this all out. It’s too dark for us to go looking.”

  Luke took slow breaths as he turned his horse around and rode beside David out of the canyon. They’d come back for the cattle. Finally, his heart stopped pounding so hard. If anything had happened to David, he would never have forgiven himself. Maybe it was time to tell what he knew. It wasn’t worth his brother’s life to keep from going to jail.

  They slowed their mounts and then came to a stop. Luke took out his phone and dialed 911.

  The terrain was too rugged for the police to get to the canyon that night. They’d see about getting a helicopter there in the morning.

  Luke and David slowly made their way to the house. Luke wasn’t taking any chances with the horses. One misstep and they could be hurt, yet they needed to be as far away from the canyon as possible. The shooter might not have acted alone. His heart pounded. Meg could be in danger.

  It had been one thing after another since he came back. What were the odds? Maybe he was just bad luck. He wanted to be able to run into th
e house, grab up Meg, and take her to bed, but it wouldn’t be fair to her anymore. Trouble followed him and he didn’t want anything to happen to her.

  The loss of his loving future pierced his heart. What if he couldn’t go on without her? She wasn’t bound to agree to the break up, but it was for the best. Damn, and he didn’t have near enough time with her. A lifetime wouldn’t have been enough.

  “Luke? Earth to, Luke.”

  Glancing to his right he cocked his eyebrow. “What?”

  “Look.” David pointed into the night. “The lights are on at the house. You can just begin to see them.”

  His stomach dropped. “I hope she’s okay.”

  “I’m sure she is.”

  “I wish we could ride faster. I feel so helpless.”

  “We’ll get there.” David reassured him.

  They rode, and as the house came into sight, they could see a police car. Luke called the police station and they informed him Meg was fine. The police were waiting for the two brothers to return home. A sigh of relief escaped him.

  Finally, he was close enough to see Meg and his eyes feasted on the sight of her. How was he going to let her go? Love for her ingrained his whole body and he prayed for strength. After all, it was for her own good.

  Her face lit up as their gazes locked, and her smile was full of hope. She hurried toward him and when he hit the ground, she flew into his arms. He dropped the reins and held her to him savoring the feel of her against him. He’d already lost so much; how could he walk away from his true love?

  “I’m so glad you’re safe,” she whispered against his ear.

  “I’m just glad nothing went on here. I don’t know who was in the canyon.” Stepping back, he cupped her cheeks and stared at her lovely lips. If only…

  “Luke, the police need a statement,” David called from the front steps.

  He dropped his hands, gave her one last look, and walked away. Coldness shrouded him and encased his heart. No one had ever said life was fair. The only honorable thing left was to protect the ones he loved.