by Julia Bright
“Sun's up.”
“That’s good,” she said.
He'd expected the cellar door to open. It didn't. He could get it to budge, but not open.
“Let me add a little pressure to it,” Kelsey said.
Kelsey moved into place, and they both pushed. It took all his effort and based on how red her face was, her effort too. Finally, the door moved. He had to brace himself so he didn't fall on her.
Kelsey stopped after taking a few steps up. “Oh, God.”
“What?” Adam straightened and took one step up, seeing the surrounding devastation. He turned and shock pulsed through him. The house that had been sitting here last night was gone. “Holy hell.”
Kelsey took a few steps out of the cellar and turned to him, her face red. “I really have to go. Maybe you could go over there behind that tree and give me the privacy to go here?”
“Sure. Just watch your step.”
“Same to you.”
Though the storm had destroyed the house, the area was quiet. The barn was gone, a few trees were ripped up, the house destroyed, but the windmill was still standing, looking stark against the clear, blue sky. It was amazing how such a terrible storm could rip through the area and then the next day the sky looked peaceful.
After he finished, he looked at where the barn had been and realized their four-wheelers weren't anywhere close by.
“I'm done,” Kelsey called out.
He moved to a clear area and surveyed the damage. “This is a disaster. We're lucky we didn't die.”
“Yeah, this is terrible. The house, the barn, all of it gone, except for the windmill over there. How is that still standing?”
“No clue.” He turned to face her, realizing his feelings for her hadn't changed. No question, he needed to get his act together if he wanted a shot with her. “The four-wheelers are gone.”
She let out a loud sigh, and her shoulders slumped. “It's a good thing we didn't take the horses.”
“Yeah.” Fear hit him. “What about your place? Do you think it's okay?”
“I hope so. Gramps built the house where he did because of the shape of the land. He said the valley is protected by ancient Indians and that’s why he put the house there.”
“Ancient Indians?” Skepticism traced his nerves, and he shook his head. “Really?”
“Well, Gramps found old Indian burial grounds on his place when he was younger. He'd been looking for a location to plant his house. He decided the burial grounds would be the absolute worst place to put his house. So he asked a friend who was Native American to come out and bless the land he'd dug up. After they consecrated the ground, he asked them to show him where to put the house.”
She paused, and he lifted his brows. She raised hers, and they both just stared at each other.
He lifted his hand and made a gesture to get her to talk. “I need the rest of the story.”
Her lips turned up, and she nodded towards the road. “Let's walk, and I'll tell you.”
“Sounds good.”
They took off, heading towards the main road. Kelsey's story had intrigued him, and he hoped she continued. After about fifty feet, she began talking again.
“Gramps always respected the land and the Natives. In my digging, I found out he paid for college for a few of them. Helped a couple of the people become doctors.”
“That's good.” Her grandfather sounded like a decent man.
“Anyway, about the house. The man came out to bless the land with a group of them. They chanted for hours, or maybe it was a full day. Stayed up on the ridge for a full night. They called Gramps up the next day and told him that the Ancient Ones would bless him because he'd stopped digging once he'd found bones. They thanked him. He had specific instructions and had to go through a full ceremony with them, which he said was very enjoyable. After the ceremony, he held up an eagle feather as the sun was rising. The wind caught the feather, and it floated on the currents. They raced behind the feather, waiting for it to land.”
“A feather?” This story kept getting more interesting. They were at the gate to the property, and Kelsey stopped talking as they climbed over.
“So Gramps and the rest of the group were running down the canyon, across the field, chasing a feather. Gramps said he thought the feather would never land. Then it settled close to a stand of trees. The sun had hidden behind the clouds while they raced behind the feather, but at that exact moment when the feather settled on the grass, the sun broke through, light streamed down and landed only on the place where the house is located. And that's why I believe the house will still be standing when we get there.”
He wasn't sure if he believed the story. “That's very interesting and cool. If it's true, then I'd say the location is blessed.”
“Well, Gramps never liked his neighbor. The guy was a dick. When I asked why Gramps hated the man, he said this man, the one who built the house that just fell down, said he'd found bones on that hill but didn't care. The house was built on a burial ground.”
“Whoa, really? That seems short-sighted. Indian or not, building a house on a gravesite is stupid.”
“Yes. I don't know everything, but from what Gramps told me, this guy had issue after issue. He lost cattle, lost horses, his son is a deadbeat and in jail.”
“So maybe his house was cursed.”
“Possibly. He had a lot of issues with his business and the law. For me, it's proof enough not to desecrate sacred land.”
Her story had kept him entertained, distracting him from his hunger, but now his stomach was complaining about the lack of food. His stomach grumbled, and she shot him a look before she glanced away. He wanted to apologize for his hunger, but suddenly she was running across the road.
“Hey, what's up?”
“Blackberries.”
“Really?”
“Yes, there aren't much because the weather has cooled, and it's at the end of the season, but I see a few berries.”
“Awesome.” He moved to the other side of the road. The ditch was wet, mushy at the bottom and about three feet across. “How are we going to get over there?”
“Jump. But watch out for the bushes, they have thorns.”
“Great, thorns, just what we need.”
Kelsey chuckled and then made a leap, landing far enough up the ravine to stay dry. She picked off a berry and stuffed it in her mouth. He jumped and landed close to her, laughing as he almost stumbled into the thorny bush.
The first berry he popped into his mouth burst with flavor when he chomped down. He moaned and grabbed another. The weird woozy feeling he'd had earlier faded.
“These are the best blackberries I've ever had.”
“They're wild, that's why.” Blue-tinged Kelsey's lips and tongue. He laughed, and she lifted her brows. “What?”
“Are my lips stained?”
“Oh yeah.” She popped another berry into her mouth.
“I feel guilty that I'm not washing them off. My mom drilled in the mantra to wash my fruits and berries.”
She laughed and popped two more berries into her mouth. She swallowed before she spoke. “Those were store berries and might have landed on the ground. These are straight from the vine, washed by the rain last night. They're fine.”
He ate a few more handfuls before he glanced around. “We should probably head back to your place. We still have to get the truck and drive it home. That realtor needs to be called about the house.”
“Yeah.”
They walked another hundred yards before he spoke again. “It's a tough break for the owner. Do you think they'll remove it from the market?”
“I'm not sure if he even could. If he owes taxes he hadn't paid, he might be screwed. That's one thing Gramps told me at some point, the guy didn't like to pay the IRS.”
She unlocked the gate, leaving it open as they made their way to the house. Once at her place, which hadn't been touched by the tornado, they peeled off their clothes. Kelsey stopped before she got h
er top off.
“I need to go check on the horses.”
“I'll go with you.”
“Um, could you shower then make breakfast?”
“Sure. I'll whip us up something big and delicious. It's close to ten, so it'll be more like brunch.”
“Good. I could eat two breakfasts.”
He finished taking off his clothes and dropped them in the laundry room, knowing he'd have to wash later. Parts of his body were cold, like his toes. Warm water sprayed from the shower, and he groaned. He knew the warm water would run out fast, so he began shaving, ridding his cheeks of the scruff that had grown out since Algeria. Maybe him shaving was the desire to clean up his act, or just because he felt gross after being out all night trapped in that cellar. He'd sworn at one point a spider had crawled in his beard, but he didn't want to think too much about it.
When he turned off the water, he swore he heard voices. His heart picked up the pace, and he wrapped a towel around his waist, hoping everything was fine with Kelsey.
17
The horses were fine. If they'd been injured, she would have been angry with herself for not putting them in the barn. There was so much she needed to learn about ranching. Later, maybe next week, she'd have James and Mitch round up the cattle that had escaped.
It disturbed her that someone had been cutting fences. Her neighbors to the north didn't care if her cattle roamed over. They worked with her grandfather to get them back. Besides, the cows normally didn’t wander too far. This other neighbor had been a thorn in her grandfather’s side, and now the son who had inherited the property was being problematic.
She was on her way back to the house when she saw a car on the road to her place. The vehicle looked too new to be a neighbor's car. It was black and plain, maybe a rental. She moved to the porch and waited for the car to come to a stop.
This wasn't how she wanted to look to receive a guest, but she hadn't expected anyone to show up. She glanced down, seeing the dried mud on her pants and shirt. No doubt, she stank too. She and Adam had been traipsing through the countryside in the storm, and she hadn't showered. She reached up and touched her hair, realizing it looked like crap too. Oh well, she hadn't been expecting anyone, so what could she do?
The guy cut the engine and stepped out. For a second, she thought she recognized him, but the context was off. Something twisted through her, and she had this odd feeling she should know him. She narrowed her gaze, trying to remember where she'd met this guy. Recognition dawned, and her heart picked up the pace as he moved closer. His smile spread wide and then he paused, a look of confusion and maybe disgust crossed his features.
“Good morning, I'm sorry, I forgot your name,” she said.
“Um, Ms. Brantley, is that really you?”
She looked down at her clothes then back at him. “The storm caught us. Did you need something?”
“Um, it's Agent Hardy. So I came out to deliver a bit of news. Do you want to go inside and clean up a little?”
“It'll take more than just a little, but sure. Come on in. We haven't eaten. Do you want something?”
“No thank you.”
“Maybe some coffee?”
“Um, sure.”
She opened the door and stepped in, kicking off her boots next to Adam's. He hadn't left his clothes in a mess by the door which she appreciated. She headed to the kitchen and washed her arms and hands. There were a few minor scratches and bug bites, but considering they'd survived a tornado, she was okay.
After she finished washing, she turned, trying not to look ashamed or worried about how she looked. She'd been through hell, and he was in no place to judge her.
“Like I said, I have some good news,” Agent Hardy said.
Kelsey stood straight and reached for the coffee pot, carrying it to the table. Suddenly the adventure last night didn't seem to be so bad as worry over her trip to Algeria filled her.
She had an idea what Agent Hardy would say. She figured it was about the man Adam had killed.
Kelsey grabbed two mugs then grabbed one for Adam. Maybe she was stalling because she had a bad feeling about what would happen next.
With coffee in her mug, she pointed to a chair. “You can sit.” Exhaustion hit her, and she had to stifle a yawn.
Agent Hardy glanced around before taking a seat. “As I was saying, you should feel relief. The man who killed your father and brother was found dead in Algeria.”
She stared at him, taking in his words. Having him say the killer was dead made it more real for her. She knew the man had died because she'd been there, but this man didn't know about her trip and never could.
He was still staring at her, his eyes never leaving her face, like he was watching her reaction. Did he know? Why else would he have come out here? He had to at least suspect.
“Excuse me?” She had to pretend to be so shocked he wouldn't think she had anything to do with the guy's death. But last they'd heard from Adam's friend, the Algerians thought a local had killed him.
“The man who ordered the bomb in Italy, the one that killed your father and brother, he was murdered.”
She reached out for a chair and pulled it enough away from the table to drop into the seat. The pain she'd experienced when she'd found out her brother and father listed among the dead welled up. This man would expect her to act a certain way, and she hoped she nailed the performance. Relief came next, flowing through her. Zaeim was dead, and she should feel relief, right?. She forced the emotions to the surface, hoping Agent Hardy believed her.
“I was wondering if you'd already known,” Hardy said.
She got up and went to the sink, reaching under for a paper towel to blow her nose. After wiping away mud, she turned on the water and splashed her face, washing away the dirt. After blowing her nose again, she turned to face Hardy and leaned against the counter.
“What does this mean?”
He stood and moved closer, his eyes still narrowed like he was watching for her to mess up. “So you didn't know?”
“Know what?” She shook her head, praying he bought the act.
Hardy stared at her for a moment then turned and headed back to the table. “So, we learned that you were in Algeria at the time of the murdered. Why did you go to Algeria?”
“That would be me. I'm the reason Kelsey was in Algeria.” Adam stepped into the kitchen with only a towel wrapped around his waist. “I asked her to go with me.”
Agent Hardy stared from her to Adam then back to her. “And you are?”
“Adam Whitney. I asked Kel to travel with me. I wanted to show her Algiers and Spain.”
Hardy glanced down at his notebook. “You weren't there for long.”
“Cows,” Kelsey said. “I had to come back and take care of my cows.”
“Don't you have ranch hands?”
“They are unreliable. We rushed the trip, next time we'll find better ranch hands and stay longer when we go to Japan. That's the next place we're traveling to.”
Hardy nodded and looked at his notebook before glancing back at her. “If he asked you, why did you pay and not him?”
“Because I wanted the miles on my credit card. He doesn't have a points-based card, I do. That trip got me closer to another flight. With the trip to Japan, we'll be able to go to Hawaii for free.”
“What about the cows?”
Agitation filled Kelsey. “Like I said, I'll hire better people by then. You realize I lost my brother, my father, and my grandfather. I haven't had time to grieve properly. I didn't know who to hire to help me here. Now I know the two guys my grandfather depended on aren't reliable.”
“How do you know that?” Hardy asked.
“They didn't fix the fence they agreed to fix. Adam and I had to stay out late the other night, fixing the fence. I'd never done that before. Have you? It takes a long time. Someone cut the fence last night too. That's why we were out in the storm.”
“We're lucky we survived,” Adam said.
Hardy
leaned forward, his lips down in a frown. “Why do you say that?”
“We went over to bring the cows back and got trapped by rising water. Then the tornado hit.”
“I got that alert on my phone, but it was out of town. How did you almost get hit if it wasn't in town?” Hardy asked.
Kelsey wondered how smart this guy was. “You realize this is out of town, right? When you drive past the neighbor's gate on the way out, you can stop and look up the hill. There used to be a house up there and a barn. Now there's nothing.”
“So you're saying that someone cut the wire on your fence, your cows escaped, you almost died, and you're here now. Why didn't you report it to the police?” A smug smile covered Hardy's face.
She blinked at him, her anger rising. “Excuse me? Did you not see how covered in mud I was? You come into my house and accuse me of God only knows what and then try to make me feel guilty for almost being killed. Are you insane? Get out.”
Hardy lifted his hands and shook his head. She wasn't having any more of his behavior. Hunger clawed at her belly. She'd lost her family, and now this jerk was here being an asshole.
“We almost died. At least I would have been with the rest of my family, but we almost died.” The last few words were flung out on a sob.
Adam pulled her into a hug, holding her up as she broke down.
“Maybe you should leave,” Adam said. “I don't know what you're trying to prove but go prove it somewhere else. She's been through enough.”
She kept her face against Adam's chest, pulling deep to keep crying. They'd killed another man, and she might have experienced a little guilt about taking a life, but no way would she allow this FBI agent to make her admit she'd killed a man. She wouldn’t let this guy's murder to be pinned on her. He’d been an awful human, and no one deserved to be held guilty for murdering him.
“Well, I guess we have nothing more to discuss here,” Agent Hardy said.
“No, you don't.” Adam pulled her closer and didn't move. She heard the door shut, and she tried to move, but Adam held her close. “He can still see us if he looks in,” Adam whispered.
She didn't move until Adam let her go. Then fear overtook her, and her body trembled hard. Adam placed a finger on her lips before he shook his head. He leaned in close, his lips at her ear.