Murky Pond

by T. L. Haddix

  “We did it more than that, really. It’s not as hard with the grandkids, though we do still worry. As to how, you just hope to God and all that’s holy that you managed to convey the right messages to your kids while they were growing up, to instill the kind of convictions and self-assuredness that will help them make the right decisions.”

  “Oh, well then. It’s in the bag.” Ben smiled as Owen chuckled. “She is such a capable, smart, funny girl. As for Warren… he’s come a long way. All that potential Caleb swore the kid had when he approached us about bringing him on board, he’s met and exceeded it. He’s a good man. I know that. But it’s terrifying to think they could break each other’s hearts as badly as Ainsley and I once hurt each other. I really thought once we got past the teenage years, we’d be home free. Shows what I know.”

  “I think they’ll figure it out. What did you two talk about last night—you and Warren, I mean? If you don’t mind me asking.”

  Ben told him, and Owen nodded as he spoke, the words confirming what he’d suspected, what he’d seen. “He’s coming around then. She’ll follow when she’s ready, when he starts to push. You saw how they were last night—they strike sparks off each other. That fire won’t take a lot more fuel to combust.”

  “You don’t think that could blow up in their faces?” Ben asked quietly.

  Owen shrugged. “It could. I just don’t think it will. She is a Campbell, after all, and if she gets half an idea that he wants her, she’ll take it and run. I think that’s the problem, by the way—she hasn’t figured out he’s head over heels for her.” He opened the box and got another cookie. “As to your concern that he won’t love her enough? Lily won’t let him have a serious shot at her unless she feels confident that he’s fully in the game. You can’t prevent her getting her heart broken without preventing her from trying to fall in love to begin with, and you don’t want to do that.”

  Ben sighed and scrubbed his face. “I know. I’m just terrified for her, Dad.”

  Owen squeezed his arm. “I know.”

  As he slipped back into the bedroom a while later, Owen felt weariness creeping over him at last. With any luck, he’d be able to catch a few hours of sleep before morning came calling.

  “Did you have a good talk?” Sarah asked quietly as he got beneath the covers.

  He sighed, letting out some of his tension as he pulled her close. “You were awake?”

  “Of course I was. Who’d you run into?” she asked as she laid her head on his shoulder.

  “Ben. He’s worried.”

  “I know. Were you able to reassure him?”

  “I hope so. She was heading out when I got up, going to her caboose to paint. This is weighing on her some. I didn’t mention that to Ben. He’d just worry more.” He rubbed his face on her hair. “She’s such a good girl. All of our offspring turned out better than we could have hoped, Sarah Jane. We did pretty good for two country bumpkins.”

  Sarah goosed him, making him jump even as he chuckled. “Speak for yourself, husband. Country bumpkins… I never.”

  He kissed her softly. “Love you, wife.”

  “Go to sleep, you silly man. I love you too.”

  Giving up his concerns for the moment, he let himself be content in the fact that he was holding the woman he’d loved for more than fifty years. He had to have faith that everything would work out for Lily and Warren the way it was meant to, and take confidence in knowing that whatever did happen, if it wasn’t good, they’d all still make it through it to the other side.

  Of all the things he was proudest of with his family, that they stuck together and supported each other through good times and bad was at the top of the list. There was a lot of comfort in being certain that his children and grandchildren didn’t spend time together just because they were related by blood, and it went a long way toward easing his mind over anything that might happen in the future.

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  Thursday morning, Warren was in the quarantine barn with Mickey going over the three new arrivals they were fostering when his phone vibrated. Seeing it was Caleb, he excused himself and took the call.

  “Hello, Trouble.”

  “Trouble’s right. You busy?” his brother asked in a clipped tone.

  Warren instantly went on alert. “No. What’s wrong?”

  “I’m calling in all hands to a big rescue operation over in Lincoln County. Horses, cats, dogs, goats, chickens… you name it. We have places for the animals, but we need resources to get them there. Can you help?”

  “I think so,” Warren told him, heading for the training paddock where Ainsley was working. “I’ll find the boss lady and clear it with her, but I don’t think it’ll be a problem. What kind of resources do you need? What are we looking at?”

  “A couple pairs of hands and a trailer if you have it to spare. It’s a dicey situation though. Apparently, the owner called in to the sheriff’s department and said he was tired of messing with all his animals, that if they didn’t send someone out, he was going to start shooting. When they got out there, they couldn’t believe it. Deputies are guessing he has over a hundred animals on the place.”

  Warren cursed. “How bad of shape are they in, do you know?”

  “Reports are mixed. I’ve not seen it yet for myself. I’m on the way there now with Skylar and Elijah. We’re about thirty minutes out.”

  “Okay. Text me the address and directions if you think I’ll need them. If you don’t hear back from me, assume I’m on my way.”

  “Thanks, Warren. I’ll owe you one for this.”

  Warren shook his head. “Stubborn. You know what the payment is.”

  Caleb gave a short, tense laugh. “You’ve got it. See you soon.”

  The payment was a home-cooked meal with him, Brooke, and the kids once things calmed down, something he got nearly every time he went to London anyhow.

  Just thinking about the number of animals that would need rescuing made him slightly ill. It was bad enough when a small operation took place, but one of that scale?

  “Maybe we’ll get lucky and they won’t be in rough shape.” And maybe pigs would start flying past the barn at any moment, dropping bacon packages onto the ground.

  When he approached the paddock, he slowed down, a slow smile breaking across his face despite his tension. Lily was cantering around the circle on the back of a striking black horse. Warren changed course, stepping over to the tall fence, and waited for her to come back around.

  “Whoa, Indigo. Easy, girl. That’s good,” Lily said softly as she approached, carefully guiding the mare toward him.

  “Look at you,” he said, his voice just as soft as hers. “I knew she had it in her.”

  Lily beamed at him, her face flushed from exertion. “Oh, Warren, she’s such a sweet girl. She’s a natural at this. You’d never know she gave you all such fits getting her under saddle. I think I’m in love.”

  “It looks like she is too. I’d hoped she was just waiting for the right rider,” Ainsley said as she walked up. Her smile was as pleased as Lily’s. “She fits you very nicely.”

  “It’s a shame she wasn’t able to be bred,” Nikki Montalbano said. “She has beautiful lines.”

  Warren cursed silently, nodding at the veterinarian. In light of the conversation he’d had with Lily last Saturday, this meeting could turn out to be very awkward indeed.

  Moving carefully so as not to spook the horse, Lily leaned forward and patted Indigo’s neck. “She’s stunning in looks and personality, and she’s perfect as she is. A mare’s worth shouldn’t always be defined by her ability to breed any more than a woman’s should. This one’s certainly isn’t.” She gave the other woman a cool stare, then deliberately turned to Warren when Nikki lifted her brows and started to open her mouth. “What brings you up here this early? I thought you and Mickey were settling the new kids in
today?”

  “We were, but Cal just called. There’s a big rescue going on down in Lincoln County, and he’s asking for help. I’d like to take a trailer and maybe a set of hands, if that’s okay,” he said to Ainsley.

  She nodded. “Of course. I don’t think Mickey’s quite up to that yet, what with his recovery from the tooth extraction. Take Lily with you. How many horses?”

  Warren ignored the jolt the idea of taking Lily gave him. “He’s not sure, but it’s not just horses.” He told them what he knew and glanced at his watch. It was just past eight thirty. “I’d like to be on the road by nine, if we could.”

  Lily nodded. “That shouldn’t be a problem. I’ll get ready. Should I pack a bag?”

  “I would. It could be a long day, and it’s likely to be messy. We should be back tonight, but it’ll be late if I had to guess. I’ll run home and grab some things, then come back for you.”

  “Okay. I’ll pack some food too, so we don’t have to stop. See you in a few.” She clicked at Indigo and set off for the barn, completely ignoring Nikki.

  “Don’t be afraid to stop for the night if you have to,” Ainsley said, frowning. “That’s going to be an exhausting situation, I’m sure, and I think we’re supposed to have some fairly strong storms across the state later this evening.”

  Warren narrowed his eyes. Her innocent tone was just a little too innocent, and her suggestion was just a bit too convenient for a matchmaking mama. His look made her clear her throat and glance down at her clipboard, but as he wasn’t opposed to the idea of one-on-one time with Lily, he didn’t argue against the suggestion.

  “Which trailer do you want us to take?” he asked.

  Ainsley told him. “Be careful, and let us know if you need anything. If you two will excuse me, I’ll go make sure things go well with Indigo. She’s still a bit shy around the grooms.”

  As he’d feared, the silence between him and Nikki was as awkward as anything he’d experienced in recent days, and that was saying something.

  “So that’s Lily,” she said after a moment. “Kind of a snob, isn’t she?”

  “Not in the least.” It wasn’t the first time he’d heard that accusation leveled against one of the Campbells, and it was as grating now as it had been the first time. More so even, because of the circumstances between him and Lily, and his jaw clenched. As a result, when he excused himself, his tone wasn’t terribly friendly. “I need to go.”

  “Are you dating her?” Nikki asked incredulously as he started walking.

  He turned, scowling. “How’s that your business again?”

  She spread her hands, taken aback. “Oh-ho, excuse me for even asking.”

  Warren sighed, dialing it back a notch. “My private life is just that—private. I’m not trying to be antagonistic, but I won’t discuss Lily with you. I really have to go. See you later.”

  He called himself ten kinds of fool as he hurried to his truck. His involvement with Nikki had been short-lived, just a few nights here and there over the period of about a month. He’d not gone into the relationship, if one could call it that, with any sort of permanent intentions. That was something he’d made perfectly clear to her from the very beginning.

  But very shortly, she’d become clingy, possessive. Warren had put a stop to that with all due haste. She’d not taken the dismissal well, but she’d still been mostly professional when they interacted. He knew for a fact she’d had at least a couple of longer relationships after they’d stopped seeing each other, and he’d felt an immense sense of relief, thinking he was off the hook.

  He growled as he headed home. If she started to cause him problems with Lily or the rest of the Campbells, they’d end up having words. He was very protective of them, which he’d always known, but even more now that he was starting to understand how deep his connection to Lily went.

  “Deal with that problem if it happens. God knows you have enough to worry about already.” Like getting through the next several hours with most of his humanity intact during what was bound to be a stressful situation. He gave a humorless laugh. “At least you’ll get to spend time with Lily one-on-one. That could be enlightening in any number of ways.”

  He just hoped the day didn’t turn into a complete disaster, especially since they’d be working around his family. That would just add an unholy level of complication to an already overly complicated mess, something that seemed to be his specialty lately.

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  Lily was in the kitchen when Warren arrived. “Come on in,” she called as he knocked, then opened the storm door. “Any requests? I’m a hair away from being ready. I’m moving as fast as I can.”

  “You’re fine. Caleb sent me the address, and it looks like it’s about an hour from here. We’ll take Highway 127 down to 150. It’s farther, but the road’s better, less stop and go. What all are you packing?”

  “Turkey and ham sandwiches, chips, some apples and grapes, sodas, water. Chocolate. A thermos of coffee.” She flashed him a grin. “You know, the basics.”

  He smiled with bemusement at her efficiency as he stepped over to the island. “And you’re already packed?”

  “Of course. That didn’t take five minutes. The food’s the slow part. Do you have your cell phone charger in the truck?”

  “Yes, ma’am.” He sighed, drumming his fingers on the counter. “I hate this side of things.”

  “I know. But it’s better that it gets done. One more step toward less pain for the animals.”

  They exchanged a long look, and he nodded. “One more step. Want me to take your bag out?”

  “Sure.” She pointed at the small duffel beside the door as she closed the lid on the cooler. “I’ll hit the head and be on out. You can take this too, if you want.”

  Warren laughed. “Okay, sailor.”

  They were on the road by two minutes after nine. For the first few miles, they didn’t say much as they got settled into the drive, but by the time they hit the main road, Lily’s curiosity was kicking in.

  “Who all’s coming from Caleb’s end?”

  “He said he was bringing Elijah and Skylar. This will be Lige’s first rescue, so far as I know. He’s helped out a few times on smaller things, but nothing this serious. He’s old enough now to be a big help. As a matter of fact, his summer job is working in the clinic. Caleb says he’s a good worker, but it’s not his calling.”

  “It’s hard to imagine him being that grown up,” she said with a soft laugh. “He was just a kid the last time I saw him.”

  He chuckled. “He’s still a kid really, but yeah, time’s flying. He’s almost as tall as his father and me. Cal doesn’t know what to do about that.”

  “Is Skylar still planning on becoming a veterinarian?”

  Warren smiled. “Oh, yes. She has her heart set on it. She’ll be a good vet too.”

  “She has an excellent mentor, that’s for sure.” She glanced at him, then turned back to watch the road, enjoying the passing scenery of Central Kentucky. “It’s nice to be home. I got to see so many places with Agatha that were beyond words, but there really is no place like home.”

  “A lot of people think Kentucky has some of the best landscapes in the world.”

  She hugged herself as she laughed. “I would have to agree. Do you miss London?”

  He lifted his thumb away from the steering wheel in a hand shrug. “I miss the people, some of them. My family, certainly. It’s a nice area, but I’m happy where I am. I… a lot of my memories of London aren’t pleasant. And even though it’s been ten years, London has memories of me that aren’t exactly warm and fuzzy.”

  “The whole town?” she asked, teasing him gently even as she felt a wave of sadness thinking about what those might be. “Surely not everyone.”

  Warren nodded, his face solemn. “The whole town.” But then he laughed. “It’s not a bad
place, truly it isn’t, and I don’t mean to imply that it is. Far from it. That said, I couldn’t have come as far as I have if I’d stayed there. The past can be a comfort or it can weigh us down. Mine was the kind with solid lead anchors.”

  Lily propped her elbow on the door and studied him, head on her hand. She didn’t say anything but spent a few minutes taking him in.

  “What?” he asked after a bit, a quizzical smile turning his lips up. “Do I have something on my face?”

  “No. I’m just thinking.”

  “That can be dangerous, you know.”

  She laughed. “I know. It leads to ideas. If I didn’t get carsick, I’d sketch up a couple of things.”

  He gave a low whistle. “I’m afraid to ask.”

  “I wouldn’t tell you if you did.” She stuck her tongue out at him, making him grin. Quietly, she sighed. This sort of time, the easy camaraderie and teasing, the soft conversation and understanding, this was one of the things she’d missed the most about Warren. Sharing it with him now, when their future was so uncertain, was bittersweet.

  “So what do you think about Indigo?” he asked a few miles down the road.

  Lily let out a soft breath. “Oh, she’s such a lovely little thing. So dainty and ladylike. I almost can’t believe her asinine former owners wanted her destroyed because she couldn’t carry a foal.”

  “Almost?”

  She snorted. “Almost. After having grown up in the horse-rescue world, nothing much surprises me anymore.” She shook her head. “That poor horse. Mom told me about the repeated breeding, the failures. The miscarriages. I think Indigo’s story resonates with Mom because of that. She went through some things when she was younger than I am, and it left physical scars.”

  “Your dad told me,” Warren said softly, glancing at her. “It sounded like absolute hell.”

  Lily was astounded. “When did he tell you? They don’t ever talk about that time precisely because it was so hellish.”