Fresh tears filled her eyes at the sight of Dadron so pale and weak. He’d always been the strong one. Kneeling beside him, she kissed his forehead, her tears falling on his face. “It’s over. We’re going home.”
“Do me a favor,” Dadron whispered.
“Anything you want.”
“Take a shower. You stink.” He opened his eyes and winked at her. “Lokeah.”
38
“Down there.” Jake pointed at the figure walking beside the narrow road, half carrying and half dragging an old man. “That’s Jules.”
Scott circled the area and began a descent. He landed fifty feet ahead of Jules. Jake, Dr. Coomer, and Grace were out of the helicopter as soon as he landed.
“Put him down, Jules, and let me check him out.”
Jules lowered his grandfather to the ground, and Mary Ann knelt beside him. Jake held back as Grace stopped a few feet in front of Jules, studying his face. He held out his arms, and she rushed into them.
“Need to get this one to the hospital.” Mary Ann stood up. “Not much I can do for him here. How long has he been like this?”
“Since I found him yesterday.” Jules glanced at Jake over Grace’s shoulder. “I promised him if he’d show me where my parents were buried, I’d take him home.”
Jake walked forward and pulled Jules in for a one-arm hug. “I’m proud of you, Jules.”
“You must be. No kid?”
Jake shook his head. “I think you’ve more than proven you’re a man.”
Scott came up behind them. “I’ll fly the old man to Polarville and be back unless you think we need to go on.”
“Need to get him there quick. I’ll help you load him.” Mary Ann placed an arm under Raymond’s shoulders and, with Scott’s help, hefted him to his feet. “Never thought I’d be trying to save this old buzzard’s life. Tell them the doctor said he’s dehydrated, in full-blown dementia, and bordering on a heart attack. They should take care of the heart first.”
“I’ll make sure they know.” Scott hefted the man into the backseat and fastened belts around him. “What’s his name?”
“Raymond Redmond.”
“I’ll be back in a few minutes.” Scott climbed into the cockpit. “You sure the young man doesn’t need to be checked out?”
“He’ll be fine now.”
Jake met Mary Ann on her way back, giving Jules and Grace some space. “When he left, I thought he’d kill him.”
“Guess you don’t know the Redmonds as well as you thought you did.” She waved a hand to where Jules and Grace were seated side by side in the grass. “You and Loki might as well let them two marry and get on with their life. Plain as the nose on my face, they were made for each other.”
“We’ll talk about it, but I’d really like for her to finish school first. Maybe next year.”
“And what about you and Loki? When are you gonna finally make her a happy woman?”
Jake stared off in the distance. “Just as soon as I can.”
Loki brushed the hair away from Dadron’s face and kissed him again. His deep, even breathing told her he was sleeping.
“You should eat and rest now.” Neta handed her a plate of food. “We may be able to travel by tomorrow.”
“Neta, I’m so sorry about your father.” Loki felt the tears burning behind her eyes again and swiped at them angrily. “He told me not to cry because it was what he wanted. To die like a warrior, not a disease-riddled old man.”
“Don’t be sorry, Loki. I’ve had to watch him die a little more each day, his body wilting while his mind was still sharp. Soon that would have gone too. My heart broke every time I looked at him. Now my heart swells with pride. His name will be told in stories, and his grandchildren will talk of their grandfather with admiration. You did not cause his death, you gave him back his life. Eat now before your food gets cold.”
Loki took her plate, walked outside the cave, and sat down on the ledge. Harry came to join her.
“Remind me not to take my vacations in Mississippi in the future.”
“So where’s Jenna?”
“We had a fight. I had some vacation time and left in a huff. I couldn’t think of any place else to go, so I came here.”
“Have you talked to her?”
“I called her before I left and told her I loved her.” Harry smiled. “She called me a stubborn mule but said she loved me too.”
“You are stubborn, cousin.”
“I think it runs in the family. Thought I was going to have to fight Dadron to keep him from coming after you. He could barely walk but was still determined to try.”
“He wants to move to Oklahoma and take a park ranger’s job. I think that will be good for him.”
“What about Jules?”
“I don’t know yet, but I plan on asking him as soon as I get back.”
“And you and Jake?”
The sound of a helicopter approaching kept her from having to answer. “We need to get down there so they can see us.” Loki tossed the plate and hopped down from the ledge.
Harry was close on her heels. “Wait up, Loki. What if it’s more of the guys looking for the plane?”
Loki was already waving. “It isn’t, Harry. It’s Jake. I knew he’d come if I needed him.”
The helicopter circled them once then landed in the field. Loki hadn’t thought she’d ever be able to run again, but her feet flew across the grass as Jake climbed out, followed by Jules. Sobs shook her body again as she held them both close.
Jules pulled away first and went to Dadron, leaving her pressed against Jake’s solid body. “I haven’t had a bath in a week, or brushed my teeth, but I wish you’d kiss me.”
Jake lifted her head, his voice serious as his lips closed the gap between them. “I’ll kiss you for the rest of your life if you’ll let me.”
The End
Have you read the first book in Linda S. Prather’s gripping series? The Forgotten is available on Amazon.
Epilogue
Loki placed the wildflowers she’d picked that morning on the fresh mound of dirt below the mountain and near the lake. She’d known the place as soon as Jules had mentioned it. Grandpa had brought her here many times, telling her stories of her mother and grandmother and how this had been their favorite place. It was also the place where her father had proposed to her mother. Now their spirits could finally rest.
Rising, she glanced at the group gathered round. Three months had passed since their ordeal on the reservation, and this was the fourth funeral she had attended. Grandfather Redmond had suffered a massive heart attack shortly after being admitted to the hospital. She, Dadron, and Jules had attended the funeral, not out of respect for him but out of respect for their father. Nat Blackwell had received a hero’s funeral with a full band and Choctaw feast. And with Jules’s help, Harry had recovered the body of his father and buried him beside his mother. It would take time for all of them to heal and forget the nightmares of what they’d endured.
Jake cleared his throat, and Loki smiled at him. “Don’t tell me you’re hungry?”
“Not for food.” He held her gaze as he walked forward. “I never got the chance to ask your father for his blessing, but I’ve asked Dadron and Jules, and they’ve given me their blessing.” Dropping to one knee, Jake winked at Dadron then reached for her hand. “Lokeah Redmond, will you marry me?”
Loki swallowed, coughed, and swallowed again. She tried to think of some snappy comment, but her eyes were misting, and all she could think of was “Yes, Jacob Savior, I will marry you.”
Jake placed a ring on her finger, rose, and kissed her as the group gathered around them. “But if you ever call me Lokeah again, I’ll kill you.”
Special Agent Brian Wilkes shook Jake’s hand. “I think she threatened you, if you want to press charges.”
“Stop causing trouble, Brian.” Teresa Nikolic hugged Loki. “Putting a little fear into him from the beginning will keep him on his toes.”
Karen
Vanderputt moved in to congratulate Jake and give Loki a hug. “You two were made for each other.”
Congratulations and hugs continued until Dadron held up his hand and whistled. “Enough of this sappy stuff. Almost three months late, there’s a birthday cake and presents with my name on them at the house, and I’m starved.”
Loki laughed and teased Anna Claire. “I hope you know your food bill is going to be sky high.”
Anna Claire grinned at her. “I’m willing to take the bad with the good.”
Loki glanced around. “Where did Mary Ann go?”
“She just left. She went back to the house to get the party arranged. Jules, Grace, and Neta went with her. Harry and Jenna are flying in and should be there too.”
“You guys go on ahead. I’ll be there in a minute. Don’t let Dadron eat the whole cake.”
Jake came and stood beside her as the group headed back to the house. “Do you want some time alone?”
“No.” Loki wrapped an arm around his waist. “Do you think things will change on the reservation now?”
“With the testimony of the mercenary they captured, and the bodies of the others, the Feds will have to take an interest. Maybe next time they’ll send in someone instead of just making the area a no-fly zone.”
Loki hoped he was right, but she had her doubts. They’d finally taken the time to search the ravine and found the small box hidden there. The birth certificate enclosed explained a lot. Raymond Redmond wasn’t a full-blooded Choctaw, and if that knowledge had been made public, he would have lost all the money he was drawing from the tribe enterprises. That was the knowledge his brother had threatened him with. “I still don’t know who the little girl was who ran across the road in front of us. Maybe it was Mother and there, near the farm, she could run free as a child.”
“Jules thought it was the spirit of your mother. It makes sense. She must have found the birth certificate and hidden it there in case she needed it in the future.”
Loki watched the sun set behind the mountains. The future wasn’t promised to anyone, and she’d wasted too much time just existing. Dadron was right. It was time she started living her own life. “My father proposed to my mother here.”
“I didn’t know. I hope they don’t mind.”
Loki blinked rapidly as misty forms took shape over the lake. Her father and mother smiled at her then disappeared. It must be my imagination. I don’t see spirits.
She turned and wrapped her arms around Jake’s neck. “I don’t think they mind at all. I remember you saying something about kissing me for the rest of my life.”
Jake chuckled and captured her lips in a kiss that left no doubt of how he felt about her. Her heart was beating too fast, and her breath came in short, ragged spurts when he finally let her go.
“You know we could stay here and skip the party,” Loki whispered, her legs suddenly weak.
Jake took her arm and guided her toward the car. “The boys went to an awful lot of trouble to plan our engagement party and let you think it was a late birthday party for them. I promised them I’d keep you occupied long enough to give them time to switch the names on the presents from their names to our names.” He kissed her again before opening the door to the car. “We’ve got our whole life in front of us.”
“Who gives presents for an engagement? And besides that, you’re awful sure of yourself. What if I’d said no?” Loki slid into the passenger seat and fastened her seat belt.
Jake started the car. “Then I had to go to Plan B.”
“What’s Plan B?”
“I throw you over my shoulder, cart you off somewhere, and make love to you until you change your mind.”
Loki sighed. “Damn. Now you tell me.”
A Note From Bloodhound Books
Thanks for reading Innocent Blood . We hope you enjoyed it as much as we did. Please consider leaving a review on Amazon or Goodreads to help others find and enjoy this book too.
We make every effort to ensure that books are carefully edited and proofread, however occasionally mistakes do slip through. If you spot something, please do send details to [email protected] and we can amend it.
Bloodhound Books specialise in crime and thriller fiction. We regularly have special offers including free and discounted eBooks. To be the first to hear about these special offers, why not join our mailing list here? We won’t send you more than two emails per month and we’ll never pass your details on to anybody else.
Readers who enjoyed Innocent Blood will also enjoy
The Forgotten also by Linda S Prather
Baby Dear by Linda Huber
Innocent Blood: a gripping thriller that will have you hooked (Redmond Investigations Book 2) Page 20