Wrong Turn, Right Cowboy: Paintbrush, Book 2

by Denise Belinda McDonald

  He snapped up his hat off the coffee table and slapped it on his head. When he slammed through the front door, Ryder jumped up from the front porch to his feet. “Heidi told me I should leave. I went out the back door. I didn’t want give Miss Gillian anything else to get all upset about.” He glanced back toward the house. “Did I do something wrong?”

  “No, son. Family stuff.”

  The teen stuffed his hands into his pockets. “We had a date tonight. Me and Heidi. I really like her,” he said the last little bit almost to himself, like he didn’t realize he said it aloud. “I was planning on asking her to the Founders’ Day dance next month.” He tilted his head up to the darkening sky. “Maybe tomorrow?”

  Quint didn’t have the heart to hurt the boy. “Maybe.”

  Ryder nodded and hopped off the steps. His shoulders were slumped as he scuffed his way down the sidewalk to the street. He glanced back over his shoulder once, looked toward Heidi’s window.

  “I feel your pain, boy.” Quint shook his head and dug his keys from his pocket.

  Gillian had sworn him to secrecy—and he’d kept that promise, sort of. Zan and Jacob had been good at keeping quiet. At the time, he didn’t think it would be an issue. Once the Harwoods were gone he’d sit the boy down and explain to him why they left. Some of it anyway.

  Something had spooked Gillian and she was doing the only thing she knew how to do. Run away.

  If she could leave him so easily, then screw her.

  He scrubbed his hands over his face. He instantly recalled his thoughts. He didn’t mean it. He didn’t want her to leave, didn’t want her to leave him. How could he convince her she was safe in Paintbrush?

  Maybe he needed to have a little talk with Sheriff Reese. Apprise him of any potential trouble headed to town.

  He needed to give Gillian a little time to calm down. Surely she wouldn’t up and leave in the middle of the evening. Paintbrush had wormed its way into her heart. He knew that as he knew he’d have to follow after her if she did leave.

  “I left my bag up at Manny’s garage yesterday.” Heidi slumped in her seat. Gone was the happy teenager. In her place was the sulking, miserable girl who had made the trip from Mobile across the U.S.

  Gillian gripped the steering wheel so tightly her knuckles whitened. “We can run by there and grab it on the way out of town.”

  “Why do we have to leave?”

  “Because, despite you lying to me, I love you, and I’d like to keep you alive a little longer.”

  “Aren’t you being a little dramatic? It’s a cell phone. This isn’t fair.”

  “Life is not fair.” Gillian smacked her cast on the steering wheel. “Do you think Becca thought it was fair to die because her stupid boyfriend has anger management issues and killed her? Do you think it’s fair that I became a mom when I was barely old enough to vote?” She ground her teeth. “You’ll get over it and thank me for it later.”

  “I doubt it. I hate you.”

  “Well, I love you.” Gillian straightened her shoulder. “And I will do anything I have to, to keep you safe. Even if that means making you hate me.”

  They rode in silence the few short blocks over to the garage. Gillian pulled into the lot out behind the small building and set the gear to park. When Heidi tried to get out of the car, Gillian grabbed her hand.

  “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said what I did. I know it’s not fair for you, but I don’t know what else to do.”

  Heidi kept her eyes downcast.

  Gillian turned in her seat to face her daughter. “I have loved you as if you were my own child since the day you were born. You were three weeks early. I don’t know if I ever told you that. You came out all squawky and pink. Took great exception to being thrust into the world so quickly. Had a very strong opinion since day one.” She tucked a loose strand of hair behind Heidi’s ear. “And I fell instantly in love with you. I’m not ashamed to admit, too, I was a little jealous of Becca.”

  “Why?”

  “She had you. You were hers. And she was so terribly lucky. I know that your mother would be proud of the way you’ve grown up. You are a special young woman.” Gillian cupped Heidi’s cheek. “It’s not fair that you don’t have the life you should at your age. I am especially sorry for that. But again, I will do what I have to to keep you safe.”

  “I get that. I really do. But why does me having a cell phone mean we have to leave again? Rick is in Alabama.”

  Gillian sighed. “Because he can trace that cell, the envelope with the money or anything you might have told Sierra straight to us.”

  “Aren’t you being a little paranoid?”

  Quint had once accused her of lying. He didn’t know the half of it. “Even though you’re sixteen, I didn’t want to burden you.”

  “I’m not a baby.” Heidi crossed her arms over her chest.

  “I know, sweetie.” Gillian looked away from Heidi and took a deep breath. “There are a few things I may have neglected telling you. But only to keep from scaring you.”

  Still in an arms-crossed slouch, Heidi turned toward her mother with a raised eyebrow.

  Gillian gave a short sad laugh. “You don’t know how much you look like your mom right now. I miss her so much.” A tear eked out the side of her eye and ran down her cheek before she could stop it.

  Some of the attitude left the teen as her eyebrow lowered and she loosened her arms.

  “A week before we left, I got a call from the prosecutor. They were thinking about re-opening your mother’s case. See if maybe they could get some new evidence. Specifically about what you saw the day your…that day.”

  Her eyes rounded. “But I was only four. I don’t remember anything. I swear to you.”

  “I know. And that’s what I told him. He was quite persistent, so I told him I’d think about it. He said he’d subpoena you if it ever came down to it.” Gillian shrugged. “I had my mind half made up to run at that moment.”

  “But we didn’t?”

  Gillian shook her head. She had to tell Heidi. Tell her everything. The girl needed to know why they’d left the world they knew behind. “Rick called. Often. Maybe once a week trying to get me to let him see you.”

  Heidi blanched. “Why?”

  “He said he was like your father. He missed you. He missed Becca and could remember her through you.” Gillian cut the engine of the car. She wouldn’t be able to drive right anyway. “I’d actually started the process to get a restraining order against him. That same day someone slashed all my tires.”

  “Rick?”

  “I don’t know. It would be one hell of a coincidence if not. After the prosecutor told me of his potential plans, the calls came three, four times a week. He was being persistent.”

  Heidi grasped Gillian’s hand. Her eyes were big and round. “But you wouldn’t have, right? You wouldn’t have made me go see him.”

  “Oh, honey, no. There was no way in hell I’d let him get within ten feet of you.”

  Heidi relaxed in small degrees. “What changed? Why’d we run?”

  Gillian beamed inwardly. Such a smart child. “You remember that day you twisted your ankle and we had to go to the emergency room?”

  “Of course, we left that night.”

  Gillian took a deep breath. She kept her hands clasped tight in her lap so her daughter wouldn’t see them shaking. “I’d run out of the house so fast when I got the call from the school, I left my purse with the insurance, wallet, everything sitting on my desk. While you were getting X-rayed, I ran home to get it.”

  “And?”

  “And…” She licked her lips, tried to swallow away the lump in her throat. “Rick was sitting on the front porch.”

  Heidi reached out and grabbed Gillian’s hand again. “Of our house?”

  “Yes.” She could still picture like it was yesterday. He’d been sitting on the top step like he had all the time in the world and he was right where he needed and wanted to be.

  “W-what
did you do?”

  “I parked around the corner, snuck into the backyard and grabbed our stuff.” She cupped Heidi’s cheek. “I cleared out the bank account before I headed back to the hospital and you know the rest.”

  “I’m so sorry.”

  Gillian barely heard the whispered words. “Hon, you have nothing to be sorry for.”

  “But if it weren’t for me—”

  “If it weren’t for Rick. He, and he alone, is responsible for his actions. You didn’t do a damn thing wrong. I want you to always remember that. Do you understand me?”

  Tears streamed down Heidi’s face. She sucked in a huge sob. “Okay. Okay.” She sniffed a couple more times and swiped at her eyes. “Where are we headed this time?”

  Gillian opened her car door. “I have no idea.”

  Chapter Sixteen

  She opened the back door to Manny’s garage and was knocked down by a blast of heat.

  “Mom, are you okay? There’s smoke.” Heidi pulled Gillian back up to her feet.

  “Stay by the car,” Gillian said and pushed the teen back, but Heidi followed her around to the front of the building where they found a small group of people, Missy and Ryder right at the front.

  Gillian ran up to her friend as she asked, “Missy, what happened?”

  “There you both are.” She pulled Heidi into a tight hug. “I’ve been looking for you.”

  “Is anyone in there? Manny?” Nausea rolled Gillian’s stomach.

  Missy shook her head. “He’s up in Sheridan, something about an auction. I fixed him up a sack dinner before he left.”

  Gillian settled her hand on her stomach. “Good.”

  Missy lowered her voice. “Ryder said y’all had had a fight. Is everything okay?”

  “Yes.” Heidi glanced toward the building and groaned loudly. “My bag.”

  “We’ll get you another bag.” Gillian patted Heidi on the shoulder.

  “But, Mom, I need it.”

  Gillian frowned.

  Heidi dragged her mother off to the side. “Ryder gave me a bracelet. I took it off and set it in my bag when I was helping Mr. Manny unpack boxes. I looped it on the rack of windshield wipers and forgot about it.”

  “Hon—”

  Heidi squeezed her mother’s hand tighter. “It was his grandmother’s bracelet. He said it was special. That I was special.”

  Gillian ran her hand though her hair. “Where again?”

  “I’ll go get it.” Heidi took off at a run before Gillian could stop her.

  “Get your ass back here.” Gillian ran after her, but Heidi was too quick and was in the small office door next to the closed bay doors. The heavy metal door slammed behind her before Gillian could get to it. “Heidi!”

  The sirens of the truck wailed over the noise of the fire.

  Quint and Hank jumped out of the truck and ran up behind her a moment later. “Missy, get those people back away from the building.” Quint turned to Gillian and lowered his voice. “You need to get back. Any number of things could blow.”

  Breath caught up in her lungs. “Heidi ran inside.” Gillian grabbed the door knob and the heat seared her hand. “Ow.” She pounded on the door with her fist. “Heidi!”

  “Gillian, move.” Quint swung his ax at the wooden doorframe as soon as she stepped aside. Flames shot through the gap and Gillian’s stomach pitched.

  “Back door.” Hank ran around to the back with Gillian only steps behind him despite the cumbersome cast. Adrenaline pushed her toward her daughter. The door swung open as they reached it. Ryder held Heidi in his arms.

  “Where the hell did you come from?”

  “Ran around back after her.” Soot covered his face. “She’s not breathing good.” Heidi coughed in his arms with her bag clasped tight to her chest.

  Quint hurried up to them. “We need to get as far away from the garage as possible in case one of the tanks ignites.” He grabbed Gillian and dragged her behind him as Hank steered his grandson. They were halfway down the block when they stopped. Quint gazed at Gillian for a long moment, but didn’t say anything. Then he ran back to the building.

  “Set her on the ground, son.” Hank removed the oxygen tank off his back and strapped it over her Heidi’s face. “Both of you stay here with her. I have to see if Quint has the fire under control.”

  Gillian held onto her daughter’s hand and nodded just as a loud explosion shook the ground.

  “Quint!”

  Gillian grabbed Ryder’s shoulder. “Do not leave her side. Do you hear me?”

  She waited long enough for the teen to nod and ran back down the block to Manny’s garage.

  Hank was getting up to his knees as she whipped past him. The crowd of onlookers scurried in every direction to get away from the falling debris.

  “Quint!”

  “He went around the side.” Missy motioned toward the back of the building.

  Gillian was breathing heavily when she rounded the garage to find Quint lying on his back with a large piece of charred wood on his chest. She shoved the plank aside and dropped to her knees beside him. “Quint?” She checked for a pulse.

  “He’s over here.” Cade Holstrom ran up to Gillian’s side. “Is he breathing?”

  “I think so.” She lowered her ear to his mouth. A warm breath tickled her lobe. “Yes, he’s breathing.”

  Quint moaned.

  She leaned in closer. “Quint, can you hear me?”

  “Yes.”

  If she hadn’t already been down on the ground when he spoke she may have gotten there pretty darn quickly as her legs shook even beneath her.

  “Where are you hurt? Do you have any pain?”

  “Yes. My hand.”

  She looked at the hand lying on his chest. With greatest care, she lightly touched the back of his hand. There was no apparent damage or wounds.

  “No, the other one. Under your knee.”

  “Oh jeez.” Gillian shifted. “I’m so sorry.”

  Quint chuckled then coughed slightly. “I’m fine.” He pushed himself up to a sitting position.

  “You most certainly are not. You were unconscious when I got over here.”

  “I was resting my eyes. “ He scrubbed at the back of his head. “How’s Heidi?”

  “Hank put his oxygen mask on her. We need to get her to the hospital.”

  Quint nodded. “Cade, do you have your truck here?”

  “Yes.”

  “Gillian, go with Cade. Take Heidi to Dr. Hambert’s ASAP. He can get started on her.”

  “What about you?” She gripped his turnout coat. “You need to come with us, too.”

  “I need to help Hank get this fire under control. I’ll be there as soon as I can.”

  “Promise?”

  “I promise.” He looped his hand behind her neck and pulled her in for a quick kiss. “Now go.”

  Missy, Cade and Ryder accompanied Gillian to Dr. Hambert’s office while Quint and Hank put out the rest of the fire. What of the population that hadn’t come with the initial fire, was drawn out by the explosion. Thank goodness it was him that took the brunt of the blast, some of the older folks—shoot, even Hank would have been down for the count had he been much closer—would have been much worse for the wear. As it was his ears were ringing something fierce and he doubted he’d ever forget the stench of the hair burnt off his forearm.

  Ruby popped into his mind immediately. He hadn’t seen her milling about the crowd, but he’d also been a little preoccupied. He couldn’t rule her out. Especially since the office area burned most. Had it been an accident or workplace mishap, with all the flammable materials and equipment Manny had, something in the service area would have been the point of origin, but with the help of a couple of other hands they’d gotten the fire out and discovered a trashcan under the desk that looked like the culprit, as well as possibly a smaller fire in the corner next to the filing cabinet. He had no choice but to give the fire marshal in Sheridan his suspicions about Ruby.

&n
bsp; Quint needed to get over to the doctor’s house as soon as possible. He was worried about Gillian and Heidi. But confused, too. So many other things were fighting for attention in his head. Like why Gillian and Heidi were still in Paintbrush. Several of his neighbors had called when she’d packed up the car and driven off. He couldn’t have been more surprised when Gillian came running around the building. He figured they’d be halfway to Bozeman. And why in the hell had her daughter run into a burning building.

  Once Sheriff Reese got everyone to head back home, Quint and the sheriff gave a quick debriefing to the mayor and the councilmen—who consisted of the grocery owner and Willard Cates. Reese had Manny’s contact information in Sheridan and was calling as Quint ran out of the mayor’s office then headed to the fire station.

  He’d found Ruby waiting outside the fire station. “I heard what happened. I wanted to go with you to the doctor’s. For support.”

  Quint fought back a frown. It wasn’t that she was cold hearted, but she was one of the last people he’d expected to come forward to give Gillian support—especially if she had even the slightest thing to do with the fire. “Sure. Give me a minute to put up all this stuff.” He raised his turnout coat and hurried past her. She hadn’t so much as moved an inch by the time he got back outside. “Ready?”

  She nodded. “How…how bad was it? Is Heidi…”

  “I don’t know. She was having trouble breathing when they took her to Dr. Hambert’s. I don’t think she got any other injures in the fire.”

  They hurried up the few short blocks toward the doctor’s house/office.

  “Someone told me you were hurt. When something exploded.” Her words came out choppy with their quick pace.

  “I’m fine.” He glanced over his shoulder at her. “But it could have been so much worse. The fire was only a few feet away from Manny’s main gas tank.” He stopped at the door to the doctor’s office, kept his hand on the handle. “It could have leveled half a block had it gone off.”

  Ruby’s cheeks paled. Quint needed to let the sheriff know, but he didn’t actually have proof that Ruby did anything to set the fire. No proof with any of the fires other than the burning in his gut that something was off with her. As soon as he had a minute alone, though, he would phone the sheriff. He opened the door and ushered Ruby in then followed her into the quiet room.