by Linda Bridey
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LINDA BRIDEY
After The Storm
Dawson Chronicles: Book Two
Dedication
This book is dedicated to all of my faithful readers, without whom I would be nothing. I thank you for the support, reviews, love, and friendship you have shown me as we have gone through this journey together. I am truly blessed to have such a wonderful readership. This one’s for you!
Chapter One
“Hey, Tim!” Steve McHale nudged Tim Dwyer with an elbow to attract his attention. “I’m talking to you.”
“Hmm? What?” Tim asked, his eyes never leaving the captivating woman walking towards them on the street. “Good God, look at her. Have you ever seen a more gorgeous woman?”
Steve grinned. “She’s a beauty, all right, but you know she has a reputation, right?”
Tim’s heart beat faster in his chest as she drew closer. “I don’t give a crap. I’m no saint, either. I’ll see you later.”
“Wait a minute! I’m trying to ask you about a deal on that imperfect Clydesdale you have for sale,” Steve protested.
“Talk to Daddy about it. Those Clydesdales are his domain. See ya.”
Steve let out a growl of frustration and walked in the opposite direction.
“Hello, Miss Keller,” Tim said, smiling at the object of his desire.
Renee Keller smiled at Tim as he offered her an arm in a gentlemanly manner. She automatically linked hers through his. “Hello, Mr. Dwyer. How are you on this fine March afternoon?”
He looked down into her sparkling, dark eyes. “I’m better now that you’re here,” he said, turning her around towards the direction from which she’d just come. “You’re not busy, are you? Good, because I need company while I eat some lunch. I’m starving.”
Renee laughed. “I guess my errands can wait a while. It’s my Wednesday off from work since I have to work on Saturday.”
“Your dedication to your patients is admirable. I’m sure you brighten their days. You sure brighten mine,” he said.
Renee always enjoyed Tim’s friendly flirting. “Thank you, Timmy. You’re so sweet.”
Tim knew that she didn’t take him seriously, but that was all right with him—for now. “I do try. Now, what strikes your fancy today? The Grady House, Delaney’s, or the Sweet Spot? My treat.”
“I can pay my own way, Tim,” she said.
Tim liked that Renee was independent. He’d also found over the last several weeks that she was very intelligent and driven—things that he knew few people realized about her. She hid those qualities behind her flirty, fun personality.
“I know, but I invited you and the gentleman always pays. Call me old-fashioned, but that’s the way Mama and Daddy raised me.”
She smiled again and Tim desperately wanted to kiss her sweet-looking lips. “All right. I can tell that I’m not going to change your mind about it. The Sweet Spot. I have a craving for a strawberry milkshake and one of their Reuben sandwiches.”
“The Sweet Spot it is,” Tim said, walking again. “So, what were you up to?”
“Well, I want to make some more of those pillowcases for the hospital, so I was going to Elliot’s to get more material now that I saved up some money again. I like to make bright colors to cheer the patients up a little. White is so plain and it depresses me. I’m also going to buy more material for a dress that I want to make.”
“You’re so kind to do that when you don’t have to,” Tim said, holding the door of the restaurant open for her. “I’d like to contribute some money for buying material, and don’t say no.”
He helped her out of her coat and almost groaned over the way her blouse and skirt emphasized her generous curves.
“I won’t say no, and I thank you. Material is still so dear even though the war is over. Although you’re not contributing to my personal material,” she said as they went up to the counter.
Their friend and one of Tim’s housemates out at the Dwyer estate, Randy Cooper, greeted them. His father, Chester Cooper, was the junior butler in the Dwyer household.
“There’s trouble if I ever saw it,” he said.
Tim didn’t miss the appreciative way his green eyes traveled over Renee and his stomach clenched with jealously. “Hey, Randy,” he said. “Renee would like a Rueben sandwich and a strawberry milkshake. I’ll have a chicken salad sandwich and a chocolate milkshake.”
“You got it,” Randy said.
He gave Tim his total and the horse rancher paid him. They chose a booth and sat down.
“So how are things going with Brody?” Tim asked Renee. He didn’t really want to talk about her going out with some other man, but it was the only way to keep tabs on the situation.
Renee shook her head, her dark brows knitting. “I don’t know. It’s strange. Whenever we run into each other, I get the feeling that he’d like to ask me out, but he doesn’t. What am I doing wrong? I don’t normally have this problem with men when I’ve made it clear that I’m interested in them.”
If you made it clear to me, I’d snap you up in a heartbeat, Tim thought. “You’re not doin’ anything wrong. He’s an idiot for not jumping on you.” He laughed. “That didn’t come out right.”
She giggled. “That’s ok. You know that nothing offends me. And I certainly wouldn’t mind if he jumped me.”
Her statement was hilarious despite the fact that it piqued his jealousy. Her irreverence was another thing he loved about Renee. He’d discovered that at his sister, Devon’s, wedding in early February when they’d danced and sat together quite a bit. He’d never paid much attention to her before that, but he’d paid attention to her ever since that day.
“If I were you, I’d just be direct and ask him what’s going on. Then you’d know and you could move on if he’s not really interested, although I don’t see why he wouldn’t be,” Tim said. “You have a lot to offer a man.”
Randy brought their food over. “Bon appetite,” he said, smiling. “Are you going to Wolf Point tonight, Tim?”
“Yeah. I’m planning on playing pool. You wanna go?” Tim responded.
Randy nodded. “What time are we leaving?”
“Seven.”
“I’ll be ready,” Randy said. “I better get back to work.”
“Ok. See you at home.”
“Are you any closer to convincing your father to put in a billiard table?” Renee asked before biting into her sandwich.
Tim wondered how she ate everything so daintily. “No. He’s afraid it’ll be too noisy when the band is playing and he doesn’t want to add on a separate room since the bouncers won’t be able to see back there.”
Renee said, “I can see his point. You don’t want anyone beating someone over the head with a pool stick or anything.”
Tim smiled. “Some people could use it. It might knock some sense into them.”
“I doubt it,” she said, chuckling. “Randy, tell Booker that this sandwich is delicious!” she called out.
“Will do!” Randy hollered back.
Tim took a gulp of milkshake and then asked, “Let me ask your opinion about something.”
“Sure, sweetie,” she said. “Shoot.”
“Well, you know that a couple of government fellas have been after Daddy about running for congress.”
“Yes, and I know you said that h
e won’t do it.”
“No. He loves being mayor, although he did talk about retiring again, but I don’t think he’s serious. Anyway, he doesn’t want to run, but I’m thinking about running,” Tim said.
Renee’s eyes widened. “You are? Why?”
Tim’s strong jaw clenched. “Maybe then I could help our Lakota gang—and other folks, too. It’s terrible what other races have to go through. Not paid as much, people in the nicer neighborhoods won’t rent or sell to them. They can’t vote, and don’t even get me started about the reservations.”
“You have such a good heart, Tim Dwyer,” Renee said. “I’d vote for you, if I could. You have no idea how angry it makes me feel that women can’t vote. You just wait, though; we will, and I’m gonna help make it happen. I’ve already been sending letters to Washington and I’ve gotten a lot of the women around here to sign my petitions.”
Tim nodded. “That’s another thing I’d like to address. I know I’m forward thinking on all of this, but women have brains in their heads. They can make informed decisions. You’re proof of that. Look at all of the things you help do. Not to mention those innovative schemes you come up with. Like the way you got Devon and Sawyer back together.”
Renee let out a delighted laugh. “That was so much fun, and so was breaking your father out of jail so he could be in the Christmas play.”
“I’d have liked to have been in on that,” Tim said.
She put a hand on his forearm and his pulse jumped. “Now, Timmy, don’t be sore about that. We had to be careful how many people were in on the plan. I promise to include you in the next crazy plan we have to execute.”
He smiled to show that there were no hard feelings. “Ok. I’m gonna hold you to that. There’re two things counting against me about running for office: my age and that I’m not married. They normally want family men to run.”
Renee finished her sandwich, chewing thoughtfully. “Well, there’s not much you can do about your age, but you’re very intelligent, caring, committed, and social. You’re also tall, dark, and handsome, which doesn’t hurt at all. It should be easy to find a woman to marry.”
“I appreciate that.”
“You’re welcome. When is Kyle coming home?”
Tim’s younger brother, Kyle, had been drafted at the start of the Great War and hadn’t yet returned home even though the war had ended in November the previous year. The military branches were sending the married men home first.
“I forgot to tell you—he’s coming home this coming Monday. We’re picking him up in Helena,” he answered.
“That’s wonderful! You must all be so happy that he’s finally coming home!”
“We are. We’ve all missed him a lot. It was hard having him and Bobby in the war, but we’re really proud of them,” Tim said.
“As well you should be. I’m proud of them, too. They’re such brave men,” Renee said. “Mmm. That was so good. I’d better be on my way so I can get that material. I’d like to get some pillowcases done before I have to start dinner. It’s my turn to cook tonight,” she said.
She shared cooking duties with her father, Switch, when her mother, Hope, had to work late. Switch was working at Foster’s Furniture with his long-time friend, Will Foster. Switch’s position there was unusual. He was a talented actor and comedian and he performed skits and soliloquies for Will and Hawk, Will’s business partner.
Switch’s entertainment helped their work go better for whatever reason and he’d been doing it for a long time. He also worked a couple of nights a week as an orderly at the hospital where Hope was the administrator, in addition to taking a couple of overnight shifts a week on the telegraph machine and telephone switchboard.
Tim said, “What are you making?”
“Fried pork chops, mashed potatoes, creamed peas, and I made brownies this morning.”
“I’ll be over,” Tim said.
Renee smiled. “I’ll set a place for you.”
“Oh, I was only kidding. I didn’t mean to invite myself,” Tim said.
“You’re welcome anytime, Tim. We are friends, after all. Oh! I have a splendid idea! Bring Randy and then we can all go to Wolf Point together. Now who’s inviting themselves?” she said with a wink.
Her idea appealed to him. “It’s a deal. What time should we be there?”
“Five-thirty sharp. That way we can leave on time. Pa and Skip can do the dishes since I’ll cook,” she said, rising.
Tim got up with her. “I look forward to it. I’ll let Randy know.” He held her coat for her.
Renee rose up on tiptoe, giving his cheek a friendly peck. “See you then.”
Her perfume stirred his desire for her and he could barely restrain himself from grabbing her and kissing her. He sighed as he watched her leave and then went to talk to Randy.
Chapter Two
As Kyle Dwyer traveled on the ship headed back to the United States that Wednesday, he had trouble quelling his impatience to get home. He hadn’t laid eyes on his family since June of 1917 and he had a bad case of homesickness. It had been an eventful twenty months since leaving Dawson, Montana. That time had been fraught with heartache, laughs, danger, and excitement.
His mind wandered back to an unusual event that had occurred in the fall of last year that he would never forget:
October 27, 1918
Right before Halloween, Kyle sat in a trench, eagerly opening a letter from home.
Dear big brother,
I have a lot to tell you and I’m not kidding about any of it. I’m getting married on Thanksgiving.
Kyle’s dark eyebrows rose. “Jr.’s getting married? Nah. Can’t be.” He continued reading Joey’s account of his relationship with Snow Song and everything that had happened since they’d been found out. “Good Lord! I can just imagine Mama and Daddy’s faces. Raven and Zoe’s, too. Leave it up to Jr. to stir things up.”
Art looked over at Kyle, “What are you mumbling about?”
“My little brother, Joey, is gettin’ married on Thanksgiving. I wish I could be there, damn it. He’s only seventeen,” Kyle replied to the tall black man.
“Dang, that’s young. What’d he do? Get some girl in the family way?” Art asked, smiling.
“Well, she ain’t pregnant, but they’ve been carrying on. Seems like they’re in love. He sounds really happy about it,” Kyle said. “I know the girl he’s marrying, too. She’s really pretty and good with weapons, too.”
“Is she one of those Lakota friends of yours?”
“Yeah. Too bad she ain’t over here. She’d show up some of these fellas, especially with a bow and arrows,” Kyle said. “The Hun wouldn’t stand a chance against her. That Indian fella I told you about that I ran into a while back is her cousin.”
Art stood up. “You sure know a lot of people. I’ll take a look up top here.”
“Be careful. It’s been quiet for a while,” Kyle said. “It feels like trouble is brewing.”
As if on cue, cannon fire sounded followed by explosions not too far away.
“Told you,” Kyle said, grinning up at the broad-shouldered colored man.
Art gave him a rude hand gesture and sat down just as someone landed in their trench. In that moment, Kyle received the shock of his life. The soldier stood up, brushing himself off a little.
“Nice of you to drop in, soldier,” Kyle said. “How’s it looking up there?”
The soldier looked at him, gray eyes wide and frightened, meeting his hazel gaze that immediately filled with disbelief.
After glancing quickly at Art, in a husky voice the soldier said, “As soon as they reload, we’re moving forward, sir.”
“Hailey?” Kyle said in disbelief as he looked her over. She wore a lance corporal uniform and a helmet.
“Kyle?”
He closed his eyes and shook his head, certain that he was having a hallucination. However, she was still there when he opened his eyes.
Art asked Kyle, “You know him?”
; Hailey’s eyes opened even wider and Kyle read the plea in them. “Uh, yeah. I can’t believe you’re here,” he said tersely, the words having a hidden meaning he knew Hailey would catch.
“It’s a long story, sir,” she said, reverting back to her soldier role.
“I’ll just bet it is,” Kyle said. “What a small world. Art, I’d like you to meet my cousin, Hailey Dwyer.” And I’d like to wring your neck, Hailey.
Art extended a hand to Hailey. “Well, how about that. He was just reading a letter from his brother. Good to meet you, Hailey.”
Hailey took Art’s hand, giving it a manly shake. Kyle had no idea what he was going to do. How had she entered into the fray without being caught? He remembered that she’d joined the Red Cross. How had she gotten from there to being in battle? Scrutinizing her again, he thought that it was a good thing that she was almost six feet tall and slim with it.
Her tunic hid a lot of her torso and the slight softness of her face could be explained by saying that she was only eighteen or nineteen, which she wasn’t. She wasn’t much younger than his twenty-four years. With a dirty face and hands, it was easy to see why she’d passed as a man thus far. But what happened when they left the front lines and went to shower? The men mostly showered together and there would be no hiding the fact that she was a woman.
Artillery shells landed nearby and Kyle’s instinct was to throw himself over her, but it would look suspicious to Art. Hailey ducked as dirt and rocks rained down on them, but she didn’t flinch. She smiled at Kyle and he realized that she was enjoying herself. It has to be her Lakota blood. Battle excites her. He had so many questions, but they couldn’t be answered right then.
What was he going to do when they started moving forward? He couldn’t let her fight, but he couldn’t leave her behind, either. He gauged how much he could trust Art and how angry Hailey would be if he told Art her true identity. He had to get her to the rear or to the Red Cross. Wherever she’d come from, she had to go back there.