by Carrie Carr
He was at the hardware store picking up supplies before skipping out of town. Bobby overheard two women talking, and one spoke of Lex and Amanda staying at her place by the lake. He followed her in hopes of finding out more information. The cashier thanked her by name, and he was able to look up her address in the phone book. A quick online search of the county tax records brought up the lakefront property.
Things were not going his way. Hubert owed him a lot of money, and getting rid of his sister was the best way to guarantee a fat payoff. He thought the fire was a stroke of genius. Not wanting to walk very far, Bobby had parked his work truck off the road from where he was planning on starting the fire. When the wind changed directions, it cut him off and forced him to run the other way to save himself.
He stepped into a smoke-filled clearing and saw two slim figures fighting the fire. One was wearing a black western hat, which caused him to almost laugh out loud. He had followed Lex around, trying to find her alone. When she had disappeared, he was afraid he'd never find her. Bobby crept closer to the woman wearing the hat.
"RIGHT THERE, SHERIFF," the chubby man pointed to the charred remains of a melted gasoline container. "I figure it started here, then the wind caught it and blew it back at them." The fire chief wiped a handkerchief across his face.
"Sounds about right. It means whoever started this could be out here, somewhere." Charlie couldn'st believe the devastation the fire had caused. "Why would someone want to start a fire out here? What possible purpose could it serve?"
The fire chief shoved the damp handkerchief into his back pocket. "I don't know, Charlie. If it weren'st for the melted gas can, I'd think it was a campsite that got out of control, being this close to the lake, and all. Why someone would want to start a fire this close to all those houses is beyond me."
Charlie looked in the general direction he thought the lake was, but a small, blackened hill blocked his view. "Which side of the lake? Damn, I always get turned around out here."
"Now I know why you're a sheriff, and not a park ranger. But, to answer your question, we're on the east side. Not as many houses, thankfully." He watched as Charlie paled.
"East?" The lawman closed his eyes. "It can'st be. How would he have found out?"
"Hey. Maybe we should go back to our cars. You're not looking so good."
Charlie's eyes reopened and a no-nonsense look came over his face. "You need me here for anything else? I've got some business to attend to." He turned on his heel and left without waiting for an answer.
BOBBY EDGED UP behind the hard-working figure, checking to make certain the woman was alone. "I've been waiting a long time to do this." He picked up a short tree limb and slammed it across the shoulders of the person in front of him.
The woman fell forward, unconscious, the black hat falling off her head and exposing her blonde hair.
"Who the fuck are you?" Bobby used a booted foot to flip the woman, and looked down at the unfamiliar face. "Shit."
A short distance away, Lex looked up from where she had been shoveling dirt. She glanced through the smoky haze around her. "Kathy?" She thought she had heard someone yell, but with the crackling noise coming from the burning grass and trees, Lex couldn'st be certain. "Where did she go?" Lex walked through the smoke to where she had last seen Kathy.
Bobby kicked the black hat away from the unmoving woman. "Stupid broad. You shouldn'st have been wearing that damned hat." He bent and picked up the discarded shovel. "I ought to whack you a good one."
Lex stepped into the clearing and spotted an unfamiliar figure standing over an unmoving body. "Hey!" She stopped in her tracks as the man turned around to face her. "What's going on?"
"You!" Bobby charged Lex and wildly brandished the tool. When he was close enough, he swung the shovel at her head.
Lex ducked and stepped back, falling over the charred remains of a tree. "Are you crazy?" She was barely able to raise her own shovel up to block another blow. She could feel the heat of the fire behind her, and looked around for a way to escape the deranged man in front of her.
Bobby glared into the soot-covered face. "Why can'st you die like everyone else?" He pulled back the tool and stabbed it at Lex, who quickly rolled out of the way.
"What the hell are you talking about?" Lex could feel hot spots on her back, where she'd rolled over coals from the fire. "Have you lost your damn mind?" She swung her shovel like a baseball bat, wincing at the feel of the spade making a connection with the side of the man's knee.
"You bitch!" Bobby dropped his weapon as he fell and cradled his knee with both hands. "I think you broke my fucking leg!"
Lex climbed to her feet and stood over the whining man. "Serves you right, asshole." He looked familiar. She was about to ask him who he was when she glanced across the clearing to the fire. Only a few yards separated the blaze from Kathy's form. Lex quickly covered the ground between them and dropped to her knees beside her.
Kathy began to stir, and she blinked her eyes and tried to focus on the face above her. "No," she cried hoarsely, trying to push the person away from her.
"Shhh, it's okay," Lex assured her. "It's me."
"What happened?" Kathy struggled to sit up. She clasped her head and moaned in pain. "Oh, not a good idea."
Lex put one arm around her. "I think you got knocked out by a crazy guy. How are you feeling?"
"Like I got knocked out by a crazy guy," Kathy joked, then her eyes widened. "Lex!"
"I'll kill both of you!" Bobby limped to where Lex was kneeling, and stood over the two women as he raised the shovel. Sweat mixed with the soot on his face and made the deranged man appear as if he were melting.
In an attempt to protect the injured woman in her arms, Lex covered Kathy with her own body as she braced herself for the blow.
"Hold it!" another voiced yelled from somewhere in front of the three. "Sheriff's department. Put down your weapon!"
"Fuck you!" Bobby yelled, as the dirt-covered blade began its arc toward Lex's head.
A single shot rang out, the sound echoing over the crackling and hissing of the nearby fire. The blunt side of the spade grazed Lex's shoulder as Bobby fell back away from them. A dark stain appeared in the center of his shirt, and he looked down in confusion before his eyes rolled up in his head as he hit the ground.
Charlie holstered his gun and raced to where the man had fallen. He dropped to his knees and placed one hand on Bobby's neck, closing his eyes momentarily when he didn'st find a pulse. He turned to the two women. "Lex? Are you okay?"
"Charlie?" Lex straightened up stiffly, turned around and saw the fallen man behind the sheriff. "Is he--"
"Dead." Charlie put an arm around her shoulder. "Are you two all right?"
"I think so. You're going to explain all of this to me, right?"
The sheriff half-laughed, half-cried. "I'll sure try to." He climbed to his feet, pulling her up with him. "Come on. Let's get you two checked out. I'll have a deputy come out and clean up this mess."
"Sounds like a good idea to me." Lex helped a confused Kathy stand. "What do you think?"
Kathy picked up Lex's hat and placed it on Lex's head. "I think next time you offer to give me your hat, I'll let you keep it." She allowed herself to be supported between the other two and helped from the clearing.
ANNA LEIGH WATCHED her granddaughter pace across the living room. She left the real estate office in Wanda's capable hands and hurried home at her husband's request. Jacob was at a loss as to how they were going to keep Amanda from driving back to the fire, even though they had heard earlier on the radio the blaze was finally under control. Amanda crossed the room and look out through the windows, releasing a heavy sigh. "Mandy, come here and sit for a few minutes. I'm getting tired watching you."
Amanda turned away from the window. "I'm sorry, Gramma." She walked to the sofa and sat. "I hate being kept in the dark."
"I understand, but wearing a hole in the floor isn'st going to help. I'm sure we'll hear from Lexington any
time now."
"I hope so. I have this feeling something isn'st right." The shrill ringing of the telephone caused Amanda to flinch and jump up. "I'll get it." She picked up the receiver before it could ring again. "Cauble residence, Amanda speaking."
"Amanda? This is Charlie."
"Charlie? Oh, God." Amanda faltered slightly, causing her grandmother to jump to her feet and hurry to her side. "Is this about Lex?"
"It's okay. Everything's under control. But--"
Feeling her legs go weak, Amanda leaned up against the wall. "Have you seen her?"
"Lex is going to be fine. We're at the hospital, and--"
"Hospital?" Amanda would have slid to the floor if not for her grandmother's steadying arm around her waist. "Why are you at the hospital? What happened?"
"It's only routine. Is there anyone there with you?"
Amanda fought to catch her breath. "Why? What aren'st you telling me, Charlie? What happened to Lex?" Anna Leigh took the receiver away from her.
"Charlie? This is Anna Leigh."
"I'm here at the hospital. I'm not certain if they're going to keep Lex overnight for observation, but I wanted to tell you what was going on. She's got a few minor burns on her back, and I think they're treating her for smoke inhalation. But it's not serious."
"We're on our way. Thank you for calling." She hung up the phone and led her granddaughter to the sofa.
Travis and Jacob stood in the doorway, one with soapy hands and the other with a dishtowel, wiping a plate. "Who was on the phone?" Jacob asked, accepting the dishtowel from Travis and wiping his hands with it.
"It was Charlie." Amanda stood. "He called to tell us Lex is okay, but she's at the hospital."
"Well? What are we waiting for?" Travis set the plate on a nearby table. "Let's go see her."
COOL, EFFICIENT HANDS continued to daub ointment on the small burns. "You were very lucky. It appears your shirt took the worst of the damage." The doctor placed a few small gauze pads over the larger of the treated wounds.
"Yeah, right." Lex looked over her shoulder. "So, does that mean I can leave?"
"I don't think so, Ms. Walters. We're going to send you to X-ray for the bruise on your shoulder, and then keep you overnight to make sure your lungs stay clear. You inhaled quite a lot of smoke." The doctor finished dressing the burns and pulled a thin sheet onto her back. "Lie there and relax, and the orderly will be in shortly to take you upstairs."
Lex put her head back on the pillow. She was beginning to feel the effects of the shot the nurse had given her earlier for pain, and she struggled to keep her eyes open. "Stupid doctor." She heard the door open again, and turned her head to see who it was.
Martha stood outlined in the doorway. "I'm right here." She scurried into the room to stand beside the bed. One of the deputies had given her a ride to the hospital, while Charlie followed the ambulance that brought Lex and Kathy. "How are you feeling, Lexie?"
"Okay." Lex blinked several times to clear her vision. "Only a little groggy from the shot they gave me." She absorbed the attention for a few moments until her thoughts cleared. "Where's Amanda? Has anyone called her?" She tried to push herself up, but was held in place by Martha.
"You lie there and relax. Charlie called, and her grandparents are bringing her." Martha watched as Lex lost the battle with the tranquilizer and closed her eyes. "That's it. Rest." Martha wrinkled her nose at the strong odor of smoke emanating from the dark hair. "It's going to take days to get you clean, I'll bet. Some things never change."
The door swung open, and Amanda burst into the room. She rushed to stand next to Martha and looked with concern at the woman resting on the bed. "How is she?"
Martha put an arm around Amanda. "Shhh. She's fine. Before I got here, the doctor gave her a shot to help her rest."
"So, she's all right?" Amanda reached down and brushed the hair away from Lex's face.
"Yep. I cornered a nurse out in the hall to find out what was going on before I came in. She's got a few minor burns on her back and a bruise on her shoulder. They want Lexie to stay overnight because of all the smoke, but it's only a precaution." Martha straightened the sheet. "I swear, this kid can find trouble getting out of bed in the morning."
"She sure can. How did she get hurt, Martha? It's not like Lex to get careless around a fire."
The door opened again, and a burly man with a crew cut entered the room. "I'm sorry, folks. But I've got to get Ms. Walters upstairs to X-ray." He looked at the paperwork in his hands. "She's assigned to room two-eleven, if you want to wait for her there. It shouldn'st take too long." He placed the folder at the foot of the bed and unlocked the wheels. "I should have her back to her regular room in less than thirty minutes." With an apologetic smile, he wheeled the bed out of the room and down the hall.
"Well." Martha watched as he maneuvered the long bed through the doorway. "Let's go find my husband. I'm sure he'll be glad to fill us in on any details." She wrapped an arm around Amanda's waist and escorted her from the room.
TAMMY KIRKPATRICK SAT next to her daughter's bed, holding her hand. The family had returned to their vehicle after getting the fire under control and was met by a sheriff's deputy. He stood by their truck waiting for them to return and told them of Kathy's injury. The deputy gave Tammy a ride to the hospital, while the rest of the family went home to clean up. "My poor little girl." She brushed her hand down the slender arm that was exposed.
"Mama?" Kathy's eyes fluttered open and she focused on her mother's worried face. "What's wrong?"
The quiet question was Tammy's undoing. She leaned her head forward until it rested on the soft bed and began to cry.
"Mama, please don't cry," Kathy pleaded. "I'm fine." She stroked her mother's hair. "Where's the cantankerous woman I'm always fighting with?"
"Who are you calling cantankerous?" Tammy sniffled, raising her head. "I'm so sorry for all the fighting."
Kathy squeezed her mother's hand. "Don't be. I'd kind of miss it if we didn'st argue about everything. Keeps things interesting."
"Oh, baby." Tammy burst into tears again, burying her face in the blankets. She cried for a few moments. "I've been thinking, while I've been sitting here waiting for you to wake up." Tammy wiped at her face with her free hand. "And I've come to realize something."
"What's that?"
The matriarch of the Kirkpatrick clan stood and paced around the room. "All these years, I thought I knew what was best for you, and for the family. Your father allowed me free rein over you kids, because he thought I knew what was best, too." Tammy peeked through the blinds to the darkness outside. She had been waiting in the hospital for several hours, and the sun had all ready set. "My stubborn pride wouldn'st allow me to think you never wanted what I did for you, Kath. And because of that, you could have been killed today."
"No, Mama. You can'st blame yourself." Kathy sat up in the bed, then grabbed the top of her head because of the pain. The topical antiseptic the doctor had used for the burns on her head stuck to her fingers, and she grimaced at the gooey feeling. "It was a crazy man. It had nothing to do with you."
Tammy turned around. "But you would have never even been out there if I wasn'st so damned insistent you take over the family business." She sat on the edge of the bed and handed her daughter a tissue to clean her sticky fingers. "I don't think I can ever forgive myself."
After wiping her hands free of the ointment, Kathy reached for her mother's hand. She studied the slightly gnarled fingers that had seen so much work in their lifetime. "There's nothing to forgive." She gazed at the small scars and age spots that were testimony to years of hard work in the sun. "I don't think I could ever do the work you do. It's just not in me. But I never want to disappoint you, either."
"Then I guess you'll have to do what makes you happy," Tammy told her, "because whatever you decide to do, I'll be proud."
THE FIRST THINGS that registered with her upon awakening were she was lying on her stomach, in the dark, and a tightness stret
ched across her back. Lex used her hands to push herself up and slowly rolled over, almost crying out when she put her full weight on the small burns. Her shoulder ached as well, but she was more concerned for the form curled up in a nearby chair. A thin shaft of light from the outside streetlights peeked through the blinds and splayed across Amanda's sleeping countenance. While Lex tried to decide on whether or not to wake her, Amanda's eyes opened and sleepily tracked to her face.
"Hey." Amanda stood, stretching as she took the single step to stand beside the bed. "How are you feeling?" She ran her fingertips over Lex's cheek.
"Not too bad," Lex croaked. She smiled her gratitude when Amanda poured her a glass of water and brought the straw to her lips. After taking several sips, she cleared her throat. "Thanks."
Amanda took the glass and set it down on the bedside table. "You're welcome." She felt Lex's hand grasp hers. "What's wrong? Are you in pain?"
"No, sweetheart, I'm fine." Lex pulled her closer until Amanda had no choice but to sit on the edge of the bed. "What time is it? How long have I been out?"
"You'sve been asleep for a few hours. The sedative the doctor gave you was strong."
Lex scooted over to give Amanda more room. "And you'sve been here all this time? Why didn'st you go and get some rest?" Even in the dim light, she saw the answering shrug, as Amanda refused to look her in the eyes. "Look at me, please." Lex squeezed her hand. When tired eyes looked into hers, Lex felt her heart ache. "Come here."
Amanda collapsed into her arms and buried her face in Lex's neck. She allowed the tears she had been holding at bay to fall as Lex stroked her back and pulled her into a deeper embrace, murmuring soft words of love to her.
Chapter Twenty
ROBERT CAMPBELL HAD spent the better part of the morning in a meeting with Sheriff Bristol and Judge Packer. The three men had come to the conclusion justice would be better served by trying to work out a plea bargain with Hubert Walters, since the only concrete connection between the conspiring parties was in the morgue. He decided a little acting was in order, so Hubert's lawyer wouldn'st realize they didn'st have much of a case for conspiracy to commit murder. The county prosecutor glared at the two men across the table from him. "Let me go on the record as saying, if it was up to me, you'd go to trial."