Love Inspired June 2015 - Box Set 1 of 2: The Cowboy's HomecomingThe Amish Widow's SecretSafe in the Fireman's Arms

by Carolyne Aarsen

  “I wanted to get home.” Maggie opened the truck door and jumped down. Arms on her hips, she rotated her neck and then stretched her back. “Which house is yours?”

  He laughed.

  Only one home stood on the acre of land, bordered by a green lawn and gravel drive, with a detached garage on one side and a small forest on the other three sides. The two-story log-cabin home looked toward the mountains.

  Tall windows graced the front. A wraparound porch with roughly hewn wood rails surrounded the house.

  “This looks like a hunting cabin on steroids.”

  “My escape from the world.”

  She followed him into the house, where Chuck enthusiastically greeted them before he shot outside.

  “Impressive,” Maggie said. “And all leather furniture. This is a total man cave.”

  “Is it?” Jake looked around the rustic home, assessing it from her eyes.

  A stone fireplace, with a chimney that stretched to the ceiling, was the focal point of the room. In front of the hearth on the hardwood floor was a large Southwestern-print rug. Copper ceiling fans, suspended from the wooden beams, whirred gently.

  “Okay,” he admitted, “maybe it could use some womanly touches. But I absolutely do not allow froufrou.”

  Maggie laughed. “Froufrou?”

  “You know. Doilies. Couches with big peonies. Tiny rugs that serve no purpose. Oh, and lavender potpourri.”

  “Oh, yeah, that’s definitely froufrou. You need a sign on your door. No soliciting or froufrou.”

  “Want something to drink, smart aleck?” he asked.

  “No, thanks, but I’m right behind you. I have to see the kitchen.”

  From the doorway, Maggie gaped at the room. “I guess you do cook,” she finally said.

  “Try not to let the stove and refrigerator intimidate you. I had to replace them anyhow, so I went top-of-the-line.” He pulled a bag of dog food from a cupboard and filled a stainless steel dog dish.

  “You and Susan should chat. You obviously watch the same shows on the Food Network.” Maggie ran a hand over the granite countertop.

  “I did everything in here myself.”

  “Good therapy, I imagine.”

  He gave a short nod.

  Oh, yeah. Intuitive woman. She was closer to the truth than she could have realized. Ten years and a lot of praying and thinking. Therapy of sorts, for sure.

  “Why do you bother with a landline?” she asked.

  “Cell phones can be unreliable in the mountains. I have to be reachable by dispatch 24/7. I’ve also got a CB radio in my bedroom as a backup.”

  “Makes sense.” She nodded. “Mind if I ask you a personal question?”

  “Ask away.”

  “If your dad is retired, why does he spend so much time in the hardware store?”

  Jake laughed. “That’s not a personal question. Mack only thinks he’s retired. The reality is that he’s at the store every single day. Sometimes only for a few hours. He loves the place too much to ever really leave it behind.” Jake shrugged. “He doesn’t pull a paycheck so I’m not going to point it out to him.”

  She nodded and then paused, frowning. “Do you hear that?” Maggie asked.

  Jake tensed. “Fire horns.” He slapped his back pocket. “My phone. I left my phone in the moving truck.” He raced outside and Maggie followed.

  “Are you on call?” she asked.

  “No, but I like to keep an eye on what’s going on.”

  He grabbed the phone from the moving truck and read the text.

  “Everything okay?”

  “This time it isn’t your fault,” he muttered.

  “What’s going on, Jake?”

  He exhaled before facing her. “Neighbor called in a fire at your place.”

  “What? That’s Susan’s house. That’s my new home.” She released a slow breath. “I don’t understand.”

  “A metal can is sitting in the middle of your driveway, on fire.”

  “My driveway? That’s crazy.” She groaned. “So much for flying under the radar.”

  “We’ll go check it out,” Jake said as he texted a message to Duffy.

  “Thank you,” Maggie breathed.

  “Chuck.” Jake whistled and the dog appeared. “Mind if Chuck joins us?”

  “No. That’s fine.”

  Jake pulled open his door and Chuck jumped in. “Backseat, boy. Seat belt,” he said as he started the engine.

  “Did Duffy answer you?” she asked.

  “Hang on. Update coming.” He glanced down at the phone. “It’s already been extinguished. I’d better call him and get the details.”

  Jake jumped from the truck and walked far enough away that Maggie couldn’t overhear.

  “Duff, what’s going on?’

  “I’d say it was a prank, Chief. Minimal accelerant and what looks like a fancy remote incendiary device used to ignite. A pretty smart prankster. We have so many new faces in Paradise this time of year, it’ll be hard to pin it down to anyone.”

  “Not too many pranksters in town who could pull that off.”

  “You have someone in mind?”

  “Maybe.”

  “Maggie isn’t home, you know,” Duffy said.

  “She’s with me.”

  Duffy hooted. “Why am I not surprised? I heard you were leading the pack for Maggie’s attentions.”

  “Cut it out. We’re moving her stuff from Denver.”

  “Does she know about the fire?”

  “Oh, yeah.”

  “So what are you going to tell her?”

  “As little as possible.”

  “Maggie won’t stand for that.”

  “Yeah, I know. But the last thing I need is Maggie trying to figure out who did this on her own. So let’s downplay the whole thing. Call it a prank and work with the sheriff to figure it out.” He paused. “Oh, and let’s do our best to keep Bitsy Harmony out of the loop on this one.”

  * * *

  Jake checked the caller ID and grabbed the landline on his desk.

  “Commissioner. How can I help you?”

  “MacLaughlin, I’ve got some disturbing paperwork in my hands.”

  “Oh?”

  “You’ve filed three reports on a Margaret Jones, of Denver, current address Paradise, with fire incidents. All within the last month. The most recent report just Saturday. Do we have an arsonist on our hands?”

  Jake’s heart pounded at the words. He jumped up from his desk and began to pace with the cordless phone to his ear. “Sir. I know Maggie personally. She is not an arsonist. That was simply bad luck and poor timing. The truck fire wasn’t even her fault, and I was with her when the last incident occurred.”

  “Okay. Okay. I hear you and I trust your judgment, MacLaughlin. But it’s imperative that you contain this situation, immediately. I’ve got constituents to think about and I don’t have the luxury of running unopposed.”

  “Yes, sir.”

  “We want to be sure there aren’t any skeletons in anyone’s closet. If the media in Denver get a hold of this on a slow news day, it’ll be a three-ring circus.”

  “Yes, sir,” he said as he eased into his chair again.

  “So keep a close eye on this woman. A very close eye. And have Sam Lawson run her name for priors and outstanding warrants. Let’s stay on top of things as a precaution.”

  Jake grimaced. “I can do that, sir”

  “I’m counting on you, MacLaughlin.”

  “Yes, sir. Thank you.”

  Jake leaned back in his chair as he set the phone down. His stomach knotted thinking about the commissioner’s request.

  There was no way Maggie had outstanding priors or warrants. Okay, he’d admit she could be a little forgetful. He only hoped she didn’t have too many parking tickets.

  Jake ran a hand over his face. If Maggie ever got wind of this she’d be humiliated and completely over-the-top furious. He wouldn’t blame her, either.

  A knock on the
door interrupted him. “Jacob, you busy?”

  “No, Dad, come on in. What’s up?”

  “I’ve had another idea for the store.” Mack pulled a piece of paper from his pocket before he slid into a chair across from the desk.

  “You or Bitsy? Are we paying her a consulting fee?”

  “Naw, she does it out of the kindness of her heart.”

  “Great. So what’s the idea?”

  Mack cleared his throat and glanced at the paper in his hand. “What about a summer fire-safety day? Promote fire-safety awareness? Good time to reach the tourists, too. We can put all our fire-prevention-related products on sale that day, as well. Fire sale, so to speak.”

  “Dad, this is a brilliant plan. Let me get an official clearance from the commissioner.” Jake leaned forward. “You know, I bet Maggie would like to help. Can Bitsy get Maggie involved?”

  “Really?” Mack put a finger in his ear and jiggled it. “Did I hear you right?”

  “A good idea is a good idea, Mack.”

  “Here I was prepared with statistics and all. Thought for sure I was going to have to twist your arm.” His father frowned. “You’re not humoring me, are you?”

  “No. I’m telling you. It really is a great idea. How does Bitsy want to handle this summer fire-safety day?”

  “I hadn’t gotten that far. I expected you to shoot me down. I wasn’t prepared for a yes. How about if I set up a meeting for all of us?” Mack asked.

  “Sure.”

  “I’ll get on it.” Mack walked toward the door and then stopped and turned back to Jake. “Son, you feeling all right?”

  “Yeah, Dad, why?”

  Mack shook his head. “Just checking.” He put a hand on the doorknob. “Say, what do you think about having dinner at Bitsy’s? Real casual-like. We can talk about this.”

  “That works for me. Can you check with Maggie?”

  “I can do that.”

  “We better get moving fast,” Jake added. “The Fourth of July is only a week away. I’d like to notify the commissioner we have everything in place and plan to roll out the project after the holiday.”

  “Wow, you sure surprised me on this one. I didn’t expect so much enthusiasm. Seemed like lately you’ve been all work and no play.”

  “Really? Sorry, if I’ve been a little tense.” The fact that he’d used Duffy’s description didn’t escape him. Jake took a deep breath. “Dad, we’re on the same team here. If I haven’t mentioned it, well, since you retired you’ve done a great job of promoting the store.”

  “Thanks, son.”

  The door closed and Jake put his hands behind his head. Who’d have thought Bitsy would solve his problem? It was a great plan, benefitting the department and the citizens of Paradise. Working with Bitsy would keep Maggie out of trouble and it could only help her standing with the school board. It would also keep the town sympathies on her side. After all, you could hardly accuse a woman heading up a fire-safety program of being a fire bug. Could you?

  Chapter Ten

  “Well, isn’t this nice?” Mack said.

  “Real nice, Dad,” Jake said with a wink to Maggie.

  “Is everyone hungry? Because I thought maybe we could eat first, out on the patio,” Bitsy commented.

  French doors opened to reveal a large stamped cement patio. Jake stood and took in the yard. Small pine trees provided a border without obstructing the west-facing view of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains.

  “What an amazing view,” Maggie said.

  “Isn’t it?” his father added. “You should see it at sunset.”

  Jake frowned, processing the information.

  “What are those flowers, Bitsy?” Maggie asked.

  Bitsy stepped out to the stone path that weaved through the yard, and Maggie followed. “Columbine there. State flower of Colorado, you know. Those are coneflowers. Prairie zinnia.” She pointed to the yellow flower. “Of course the peonies have already finished for the year, but the day lilies keep popping up.”

  “Who did all this?” Maggie asked.

  “I did it myself. Of course it’s been a thirty-year work-in-progress.”

  “It looks like a picture in a magazine,” Maggie said.

  “How old is the house?” Jake asked.

  “Sixty years old,” Mack answered at the same time as Bitsy.

  The two laughed.

  “It was my mother’s house,” Bitsy added.

  The house was a surprise. Jake expected antiques and girly gewgaws everywhere. Instead the decor was French provincial, in soothing shades of cream and blue, decorated very sparsely to make the rooms appear larger.

  A timer went off.

  “Dinner is ready,” Bitsy said.

  “May I help with anything, Bitsy?” Maggie asked.

  “No, she’s got it under control, right, Bitsy?” Mack answered for her.

  “I do. Now, Jake and Maggie you sit right there next to each other—gives you a fine view of the garden while we eat. Mack, you’re there at the head of the table.”

  Jake held Maggie’s chair for her. From the kitchen the aroma of seared beef filled the air.

  “Paradise Valley beef. From the Elliott Ranch,” Bitsy announced as she brought a platter of prime rib to the table.

  Maggie’s eyes widened.

  “Not a vegetarian, are you?”

  “Oh, no. I’m marveling at your cooking skills. I’m doing well to barbeque a hamburger.”

  “Wait until you taste my garlic mashed potatoes and spring peas. I like to keep the side dishes simple with a meal like this. The meat is really the star of the show.”

  Bitsy slid into a chair and took Mack’s hand. “Let’s pray, then Mack can slice the roast and I’ll grab the rolls from the oven. I feel certain that the Lord doesn’t want us to eat cold food.”

  “Jacob, will you do the honors?” his father asked.

  “Me?” Jake nearly choked on his water.

  “You used to do it all the time growing up.”

  “Okay, sure, Dad.” He took his father’s hand and Maggie’s and bowed his head. “Lord, thank You for this meal we are about to eat and bless this food to our bodies. Thank You for the fellowship of our friends gathered here today. Amen.”

  “Mighty nice,” Bitsy said as she popped her head up. “Be right back.” She turned to Maggie. “Come to think of it, I could use an extra pair of hands to bring food to the table.”

  “Glad to help.” Maggie pushed her chair back and followed Bitsy.

  Jake picked up his water glass again. “So, Dad, how close are you and Bitsy?”

  “Friends, son. Like you and Maggie. Good friends are the foundation for life, wouldn’t you say?”

  “Yeah, but that depends on your definition wouldn’t you say?”

  “What I’d say is that a good friend is someone special who brings happiness into your life, cares for you just the way you are and encourages you to be the best you can be.”

  “That’s a little deeper explanation than I expected,” Jake said.

  Mack chuckled.

  “Look at these yeast rolls,” Maggie interrupted as she set the basket on the table. “I need to hang out here more often.”

  “Yeah, that Bitsy knows how to cook. That’s for sure.” Mack patted his abdomen.

  Everything suddenly slowed down in Jake’s mind’s eye as he observed the movements around the table. He took the big bowl of tossed garden salad that was passed to him and sat thinking.

  His father and Bitsy? Glancing up he couldn’t miss the adoration in Mack’s eyes as he stared at the woman like she was the best thing since peach pie.

  He looked over at Maggie. She laughed at something Mack said, then turned toward him and smiled, her eyes lighting up, her mouth curved sweetly.

  Jake’s heart clutched. His father’s words echoed in his ears. Someone special who brings happiness into your life, cares for you just the way you are and encourages you to be the best you can be.

  * * *

&
nbsp; “We need to talk,” Bitsy whispered to Maggie. In the other room Mack and Jake debated fishing lures across the table.

  Maggie dried a pot and placed it on the counter. “What’s going on?”

  “I don’t want them to hear.” She nodded her head toward the dining room.

  “Can’t you give them something to do?” Maggie asked.

  “Brilliant, Maggie.” Bitsy turned and called out,

  “Mack?” Bitsy called out.

  A moment later Mack MacLaughlin stood in the doorway, looking very much like he ate more than he should have and was pleased about it. “What’s up?”

  “Can you do me a favor, please?”

  “Sure. Anything you want.”

  “There are ten bags of sphagnum peat in the garage. Can you put it in Jake’s truck? For Maggie?”

  “Ten bags?” He groaned.

  “Yes, please.”

  “Come on, Jake. You heard the lady.”

  “Sounds like we’re working for our supper.”

  “By the time you’re done, we’ll be ready to sit down with pie and discuss that summer fire-safety day.

  “Then we better hurry, Mack,” Jake returned.

  Bitsy dried her hands. “Jake sent a request to the sheriff’s office to run a background check on you.”

  Maggie’s mouth nearly dropped open. “Me? Why?”

  “Shh. They’ll hear you. Now, don’t get all riled up. I happened to hear the conversation between him and Sam.”

  “For once I’m grateful you have superpowers, Bitsy.”

  Bitsy laughed. “I shouldn’t be laughing. This really isn’t a laughing matter. The fire commissioner is worried about the upcoming elections.”

  “I’ve gotten Jake in trouble, haven’t I?”

  “Jake defended you to the hilt.”

  “Wait a minute. I don’t understand. Jake’s running unopposed.”

  Bitsy shrugged. “Doesn’t matter. Too many fires makes the commissioner look bad and he’s not running unopposed. Big bucks are on the line in his campaign.”

  Distressed, Maggie stared out the window.

  “We need to find out who started that fire in your driveway,” Bitsy said.

  She met Bitsy’s gaze. “You know who it was, don’t you?”

  “I can guess.”

  “Beck Hollander,” Maggie said, despair lacing her voice.