****
There! She’d done it…effectively turned Cal loose so he could find himself another filly. He definitely wouldn’t want her after she’d revealed the whole sordid story. The truth of that was in his reaction. She sat at the dressing table and began the evening ritual of brushing her hair one hundred strokes. It always served to calm her frayed nerves so she could sleep. She hoped it worked tonight.
By the time she reached twenty-five, her eyes filled with tears. At fifty, they were running, unchecked down her face. She hadn’t reached eighty when her hand shook so bad she set the brush down. If only she had stayed on the ranch all those years ago.
She swiped a hand across her eyes and placed it on her belly. At least something good came of all the loneliness, heartbreak, and fear. Her baby deserved to grow up here on Thunder Creek—to know its heritage. He, or she, would thrive with the love she had to give.
First thing tomorrow, she needed to speak with her father about building a house near the waterfall. Maybe a log cabin like her uncle’s. No, that might not be such a great idea. It would remind her too much of the time she’d spent there with Cal. Was it only this afternoon? It seemed like a lifetime ago.
She stood and turned out the overhead light, undressing in the dark on her way to bed, letting her clothes fall where they would. Today had been too long. She craved the mindlessness of sleep and as she slipped between the sheets, she prayed it would come.
It didn’t. She lay there, tossing and turning, reliving the afternoon in Cal’s strong embrace. Feeling the love then hearing again the condemnation in his voice. He was right. She should’ve found a way to return sooner. Desperate for the well-being of her child, she’d finally escaped, but at what cost?
Roddy would stop at nothing to silence her. He’d already proven that.
Suddenly her eyes snapped open. Michael! Had he heard anything else? Maybe it was all over. She threw back the covers and started to get up when she remembered the phones were out. He wouldn’t have heard anything tonight, for sure. Her hopes died a swift death.
Fully awake again, she turned on the bedside lamp, tugged on her robe, belted it snugly, stuck her feet in the matching slippers, and went down the back stairs to the kitchen, hoping to avoid any further conversations with Cal.
“Hi, Leah. I thought you’d gone to bed,” said Zakia as she filled a plate with sandwiches and another of sweets.
“I did, but I’m hungry, so I came down to raid the cookie jar.”
“I have tea set out in the living room. Want to join us?”
“No thanks, just a quiet binge session and back to bed for me. It’s been a hell of a day.”
“Don’t I know it. Poor Cal. It’s bothering him something terrible that we won’t allow him on his feet. Men! They hate to sit still.”
“Have the phones come back on?”
“No, they’re still out. The power flickered a few times, but it’s stayed on so far. Thank goodness.”
“So, Cal has to stay here tonight?” she asked as she poured a glass of milk.
“Yes, he’ll be here until we can call for an ambulance. As soon as we finish our tea, I’ll make him a bed on the sofa. Michael and Trent are going to take turns on guard duty tonight, so if Cal needs anything, they’ll help him.”
“Cal’s lucky someone was at hand who knew how to treat frostbite.”
Zakia nodded. “Trent’s been a Godsend. I’m so glad he’s here.”
Leah giggled. “It’s a good thing he has a sense of humor, too, after Cal marching him to the house at gunpoint this morning.” She snagged the handle on the cookie jar and took it to the table with her, sitting down to her snack as Zakia left to feed the masses. She certainly had a houseful. Including herself, Zakia and Luke had six extra people to house and feed. She smiled ruefully and shook her head. They seemed to take it all in stride. How did they do it?
“What has you shaking your head at this time of the day?” asked Trent as he appeared in the doorway.
She smiled up at him. “Thinking of all the extra houseguests. It doesn’t seem to bother Luke and Zakia at all, but it would drive me nuts.”
“I hear ya,” he said, crossing the room to take a seat at the table. “It can’t be easy. Where will they put everybody?”
“Dad, Winnie, and I have the two spare bedrooms. Cal has to stay in the living room. Michael chose to bunk down in the office. Luke put a cot in there for him, so I suppose you’ll be taking turns with Michael or sleeping on the single bed in the nursery.”
“As long as I can stretch out somewhere and catch a few winks, I’m good to go. I offered to help guard, so Michael gave me the second shift starting at two in the morning.”
“That doesn’t allow much time for sleep.”
“I’ve never needed much, but I can always crash tomorrow if I need to.”
“True.” Leah filched a cookie and took a bite.
“Everyone thought you’d gone to bed.” he said.
“I did.” She held up the molasses cookie in explanation then bit into it. “The baby got hungry.”
“Couldn’t sleep?”
“No, too much happening around here.”
“Are you worried about your friend?” he asked.
“I was, but he’s doing okay. Isn’t he?”
“Yes, but I’m worried about the frostbite on his hands and feet.”
“His hands, too?”
He nodded. “Not as bad as his feet, but he’ll need to be careful. I saw him cradling his mug in both hands to hold it steady, and I checked them. They were pretty stiff and dry.”
“Poor Cal. He must hate being immobile.”
“He’s not in the best frame of mind, for sure.”
She stood and crossed to the sink, rinsing her glass before loading it in the dishwasher. “I’m going to hit the sack. Check with Zakia about sleeping arrangements.”
“I will, thanks. Good night, Leah.”
“Nite, Trent.”
Leah felt his gaze on her retreating figure as she headed for the back stairs. It was difficult going back to bed when her heart insisted she check on Cal. She hated being such a coward, but she’d endured all she could. Tomorrow was another day. Would he still be here, or would they be able to call for an ambulance during the night? Part of her, the aching part, hoped she’d be able to see him in the morning. The other part, determined to back off and let go, felt it best to avoid him. Besides, it would hurt too much to see the disgust in his eyes when he looked her way.
She kicked off her slippers, threw her robe down on the foot of the bed, and crawled beneath the covers, pulling them up to her chin. This time, she counted sheep and was soon reliving the afternoon in her dreams.
****
Cal struggled to a sitting position, wondering what had awakened him. He’d always been a light sleeper, waking up at every strange noise. Maybe it was because he was in a different bed. His head throbbed. So did his feet. He sat and listened and, not hearing anything, lay back down. That’s when he heard it—a scraping sound, coming from the basement.
He might not be able to walk, but by God, he could crawl. Who was on guard duty? Where was he? Careful as he could, he slipped from the sofa, not making a sound as he crawled using his elbows and knees to propel him forward. A dim glow shone from the kitchen to light his way. Suddenly, the bathroom door opened and out walked Michael.
“What the hell?”
Cal put a finger to his lips. “I heard a noise coming from the basement. A scraping sound,” he whispered.
“Thanks for the heads up. I’ll check it out,” Michael said as he took a silent step toward the kitchen.
“Wait a minute. Give me a gun. If he gets past you, at least I’ll be armed.”
“Yours is in Luke’s office. I’ll get it.”
“Thanks.” He crawled to the kitchen doorway and sat with his back to the wall, in a direct line with the basement door. Whoever was down there wouldn’t get past him.
Michael returned
and passed him his gun before proceeding to the door. He pressed his ear against the wood panel and appeared to listen.
Cal could hear soft footfalls now. Someone was coming up the stairs. He removed the safety and held the gun in his sore hands, hoping he wouldn’t have to use it.
Michael sidestepped around the corner, behind the door, his gun at the ready as he motioned for Cal to move out of sight. He shifted to the other side of the door, partially hidden by the framed archway.
A flashlight beam lit the space where the door stood slightly ajar. Slowly, it opened, with only a slight creak in warning. As soon as the man stepped through, Michael pushed the door shut.
“Hands up! You’re under arrest.”
Chapter Thirteen
“What the hell is going on here?”
Cal recognized that voice. It was Luke’s uncle. “Cam? What are you doing sneaking in through the basement?”
Michael hit the switch and the kitchen flooded with light.
“This place is locked up tighter than FortKnox. My road is snowed in, so I thought I’d crash here for the night. I didn’t have my key so I jimmied a window loose in the basement. It’s damned cold out there, too.”
Cal laughed. “Don’t I know it. Why didn’t you tell us you were coming home today?”
“Would you believe I wanted to surprise everybody? Why are you sitting on the floor? And Michael, what are you doing here? I thought you were in Vancouver.”
“I moved back a couple months ago. Good to see you,” Michael said as he slapped him on the shoulder in greeting.
“Same here. Cal, are you going to get up off the damned floor?”
“Nope, not without some help. Frostbite…can’t put any weight on my feet.”
“Well, damn! I thought you were smarter than that.”
“Yeah, so did I, but the storm and a low-hanging branch knocked me off my horse.”
“The storm has ended. I thought about spending the night in town but got lucky and followed a plow all the way out. Had to leave my truck out by the road though. Couldn’t get down the driveway.”
“Sorry about that. Normally, I’d have kept it clear,” said Cal.
“That’s all right, Cal. I can still run a plow. Didn’t want to wake everyone up, though. So, what’s going on? How come you guys are here?”
“There’s been some trouble and we’re expecting more.”
“Well, that’s obvious. What kind of trouble? Can’t be rustlers in this weather.”
“No, not rustlers,” said Michael. “Leah’s home and her ex didn’t take kindly to her leaving.”
“So, call the cops if he’s causing trouble.”
Michael smiled. “I am a cop.”
“Oh, yeah! I forgot. Seems like I’ve been gone for years instead of a few short months. It’ll be nice to catch up with the family, especially Leah.”
Talk about Leah had Cal remembering that his boxers were still at Cam’s place. Oh, boy! He was in for it now. There was no way he could get out there. The only thing he could think to do was ask Leah to accompany her uncle home in the morning…if she would even talk to him.
“Come on, Michael. Let’s get this man off the floor.”
“Nah, I’m all right. I’ll crawl back to the living room in a bit.”
“Crawl?” asked Cam.
“Yep. How did you think I got out here?”
Cameron rubbed his chin. “Hadn’t thought at all, but thanks for wanting to protect the family enough to crawl. Did you ever stop to think that you’re at a distinct disadvantage?”
“Nope, just reacted when I heard a noise.”
“Okay, well, I’d like to stand around and chat, but I think I’ll grab my bag and head to bed.” Cam headed for the door, but Michael beat him to it.
“The trouble around here has been deadly, Cameron. Always check for outside activity before you unlock any door.”
“You’re serious,” he said as he stared at Michael. “Let me grab my bag and then I think you’d better fill me in.” Cam turned on the outside light and peered outside before opening the door. He reached out, picked up his duffle from the back porch, then closed and locked it again.
“I’ll make coffee,” said Michael.
“Really? This story will take that long?”
“Have you spoken to anyone since you’ve been gone?” asked Cal.
“No. Whenever I could, I sent Luke an email, letting everyone know I was still alive, but I haven’t spoken to anyone.”
“Then it’s going to take a while to fill you in. I’ll wait for you in the living room. And, Michael, coffee sounds good.” Cal smirked as he delivered the broad hint and crawled to the front of the house.
It had been a lot easier to slide off the sofa then it was to climb back onto it. Luckily, his arms and upper body were in good shape. He swung one leg up and angled his body so his weight was on his arms. From there, he pushed upward to lie on the sofa, and then to a sitting position. Success!
“Bravo,” said Cam from the doorway. “I would’ve helped you.”
“Thanks, but it wasn’t as difficult as I thought, except I had to use my hands to push up.” He grinned and accepted the cup of coffee Cam held out to him. “Where’s Michael?”
“He’s still in the kitchen making us a night lunch.”
“Sounds good. I missed dinner.”
“Dinner was hours ago, and if we’re going to be up for a while, we could all use some sustenance.” Cam crossed the room and poked at the embers in the fireplace. It wasn’t long before he had a raging fire going.
“The heat from that fire feels good already,” said Cal, watching the flames dance and catch the dry wood. “Did you get caught in that storm?”
“Yeah, the flight landed in Edmonton and I picked up my truck, anxious to get home but had to stopover in Calgary until it blew over, and the roads were clear. It sure came up fast.”
“Yeah, I was out riding Diablo when it hit. Couldn’t see a thing. Diablo veered off the trail and that’s when I hit my head and fell off. Luckily, the horse stayed with me or I might still be out there.”
“Very lucky.”
Cal looked up when Trent entered the room. “Trent Erickson, this is Cameron Manning, Lucas Sr.’s brother, home from his travels. Cam, this is our resident trespasser and the man who doctored me up when they brought me in tonight.”
The men exchanged greetings, but Cam looked puzzled.
“So, tell me, how does a trespasser end up staying as a house guest?”
Cal laughed. “That’s another story. We’ll get to it.”
The fresh-brewed smell of coffee preceded Michael as he came in balancing four plates of sandwiches and sweets on a tray along with four mugs. “I heard you get up,” he said to Trent. “Dig in.”
As they ate, he and Michael took turns telling Cam about the trouble they’d had that year, beginning with Zakia’s stalker.
“Yeah, I wasn’t too happy to find out it was my brother, Roy, who’d caused all the trouble,” said Michael.
“That must’ve been hard on your mother,” Cam remarked, sympathy and concern showing in his expression.
“It hasn’t been easy. That’s for sure and certain. I was still in Vancouver when all that was going on.”
“I imagine Luke was happy to have Zakia back, though.”
“Zakia and their five-year-old twin boys,” Cal said.
“Wooeee! You don’t say! And you went from that to the trouble with Leah’s ex?” asked Cam.
“Not directly. Roy escaped with some friends and hid out here on the ranch. They caused a lot of trouble. Calgary had been in on the investigation from the beginning, and that detachment was responsible for rounding them up.”
“Good God! I picked a poor time to go gallivanting around the world.”
“We could’ve used the help, but don’t go beating yourself up about it. Blake made sure your family was well-protected,” Cal said.
“Where is Blake? I’d expect him to b
e in the middle of all this.”
“Blake is on medical leave from the department,” said Michael. “He managed to get himself shot, and I took over his position.”
“Is he all right?” asked Cam.
“Yeah, he’s okay, just taking some needed time off.”
“Good. Now what’s going on with my niece?”
Cal remained silent this time, afraid Cam would pick up on his feelings for Leah if he started talking. He sat back and put his feet up, content to let Michael and Trent tell the story.
“Any idea what he’ll try next?” asked Cam after they’d brought him up to date.
“None whatsoever, but Kendall is a guy the Vancouver police have been trying to nail for a long time. With Leah’s help, and now Trent’s, I’m hoping we’ll have enough evidence for an arrest soon.”
“Great, but in the meantime, we’re all holed up here to protect each other. Is that it?”
“Pretty much,” said Michael. “Makes my job a lot easier.”
“How many people are here?”
“Lucas, Winnie, Luke, Zakia, Casey, Cammy, Leah, and us. That makes eleven.”
“Did you say Cammy? Luke named one of his boys after me?” Cam said, looking mighty pleased.
“From what I understand, Zakia did the naming, but yeah, one of the twins is named Lucas Casey, and the other is Cameron Lucas. She got all three Manning men in there,” Cal told him.
“Well, I’ll be a monkey’s uncle.”
Cal chuckled. “Yep, they’re little monkeys all right. Wait until you meet them.”
Cam glanced at his watch. “Which could be anytime now. It’s almost six. We’ve been at this all night.”
“At least now you know what we’ve been up against,” Michael said. “In addition to all that, Lucas suffered a heart attack. He’s fine now, but they had to do bypass surgery. Mom watches him and his diet like a hawk.”
“Good for her, but I wish I had known all this. I would’ve flown home right away.”
“We survived, but next time, try taking one of those international cell phones along with you.”
Cam fidgeted in his seat, which wasn’t like him at all. “Something tells me I might be doing more traveling in the future.”
A Cowgirl's Pride Page 14