A Soldier's Journey

by Patricia Potter

  Eve grinned at her. “Obviously not,” she agreed. “But that wasn’t the worst of it. Sam kidnapped my son. Josh and his dog, Amos, found him.”

  “Where is the nephew now?”

  “In jail. He pleaded guilty and received a short sentence, but Al felt he had to resign from the commission. He apologized, which I think was very difficult for him to do, and retreated from everything but his business. He owns the real estate and insurance companies, along with an interest in the bank, which has a branch in his offices.”

  “And he harbors bad feelings toward you?”

  “Against the whole town, I think. It elected me mayor twice, and he feels it was a repudiation of him. It wasn’t. They’re just scared the town is dying.”

  “And you’re sending me into the lion’s den?”

  “Nothing as dramatic as that. Thing is, I like him. He’s had a lot of tragedies. His wife couldn’t have children and she’s been ill. She pretty much dropped out of everything. His only other family was a sister, but she and her husband died in a car crash. Al raised their boy, Sam. Spoiled him. The whole kidnapping thing destroyed him.”

  Sympathy surged through Andy. She knew loss all too well.

  And she suddenly realized why Eve had asked her to write the history. “Were you going to ask me to do this before you met me?”

  “No.”

  “You think Al Monroe and I would be good for each other?”

  Eve sighed. “You’re too perceptive. I won’t lie to you. I had that thought. Not romantically, of course. He’s happily married. But he needs something...”

  “You baited me neatly.” Andy couldn’t keep the disappointment from her voice. She’d liked Eve, but she didn’t like being used.

  “No. The town really does need a history. Al does have his supporters. The town is divided, and neither side trusts the other. That’s why I thought an outsider would be a good idea. After I met you, I sensed that you might get through to Al. I don’t know why.”

  It was an apology of sorts, and even an implied compliment. Her resentment faded away. “Has anyone seen the journals?” she asked.

  Eve shook her head. “His nephew bragged about having seen journals, but when I asked Al about them, he was very non-committal.”

  “Maybe there’s something in them that he doesn’t want someone to see,” Andy surmised.

  “After a hundred and fifty years?” Eve said.

  “Or,” Andy said, “maybe they don’t even exist.”

  “That could be true, too,” Eve said, “but he’s never denied their existence. I think he’s just proud and stubborn.”

  Another voice broke in. “Are you ever going to bring Lieutenant Stuart out to meet the crew?”

  Andy turned. Josh Manning—it must be Josh Manning—filled the doorway into the kitchen. He was tall, solidly built with tawny hair and emerald green eyes.

  “Hello,” he said to her. “Welcome to Covenant Falls. I’m Josh, and I’ve come to save you from my wife.”

  “Hi. I understand you’re my landlord. Thank you.”

  “Thank my buddy. He left the cabin to me. It’s what he would have wanted.” His green eyes clouded over for a split second, then cleared. “I hope you’re comfortable.”

  “It’s very nice. I took a walk up your mountain yesterday.”

  “I did that on a regular basis. It usually cleared my head.” He peered down at Joseph. “Who is this?”

  “Joseph.”

  Her host leaned down. “He’s a handsome fellow. Okay to pet him?”

  “Sure. He loves attention,” she said, suddenly at ease with Josh as he leaned down and rubbed Joseph’s ears.

  “Come and meet my particular savior,” he said. “Or one of them.” He led the way outside, where a dog resembling a German shepherd stood at the step. “This is Amos, a Belgian Malinois,” he said. “He was a military dog before he became my best buddy.”

  The two dogs, Amos and Joseph, looked at each other, sniffed each other thoroughly, then wagged their tails before retreating to their humans.

  Andy took several steps down to a large patio, and Josh guided her over to a man and woman who were drinking long-necked beers. “The lady is Stephanie, veterinarian superb,” Josh said, “and the loafer is Clint Morgan, chopper pilot, police-chief-to-be and your predecessor at the cabin.”

  Stephanie smiled. “Welcome,” she said. A striking redhead, she was nearly as tall as Clint. She eyed Joseph. “Shelties are great dogs. Where did you find him?”

  Andy hesitated. She really hated to admit she’d needed help.

  But then she shrugged. “A group specializing in matching dogs with veterans. A psychologist at the hospital arranged it.”

  “How long have you had him?” Stephanie asked.

  “About three weeks.”

  “He’s obviously well trained. He doesn’t take his eyes off you.”

  “We’re getting used to each other. I thought there would be other dogs here.”

  “We tried to restrain ourselves tonight,” Stephanie said with a big grin. “I have two at home. Clint has one. Josh has Amos, and Eve has four rescues. We thought to keep your first visit relatively peaceful. We didn’t want you to run back to Texas on your second day.”

  “Sit,” Josh said. “I’m putting steaks on the grill. How do you like yours?”

  “Medium.” She put her drink on a table and sank down into one of the lounge chairs. She looked at Stephanie. “Are you a native of Covenant Falls?”

  “I’ve been here a little more than five years,” she said. “I’m one of the newcomers. If I had been here twenty years, I would still be a newcomer, but that’s okay. We’re not too discriminated against.”

  Andy decided she needed a longer conversation with Eve about Covenant Falls politics and, more specifically, about Al Monroe, but this was not the time or place.

  Andy sipped her glass of wine. She drank very little since her return to the States. Her medications had narrowed to two, one for panic attacks and the other for insomnia. She hadn’t used those in several days, but she was still cautious about alcohol.

  The sun was going down, and vivid scarlet, pink and coral ribbons crossed the sky and blessed the mountain.

  Nate returned and Andy looked at the three men—Nate, Clint and Josh—around her. They had served, probably survived horrors as she had. But she still felt apart from them. They seemed at ease, living in the moment. Talking about events that had nothing to do with her. The shadows inside were still too strong, the memories too recent.

  She saw the affectionate banter and touches between Josh and Eve, and Clint and Stephanie, and she resented them. She shouldn’t. They were going out of the way to make her feel at home, but...dammit, she did. That anger and resentment she’d felt the morning she saw the couple in the hospital returned.

  “Andy?” Nate walked over to her chair. “Why don’t we walk to the corral? The horses are out.”

  Gratitude filled her. He had sensed her discomfort. She nodded and stood, the brace on her left hand hitting the table beside her and knocking the glass over. It exploded like a shot, and the wine splashed up on Nate’s clothes and began to spread. A red stain spreading...spreading...

  White lights. Shots. Screams. Her screams. More shots. Pain. The mountains faded into the field operating room. Blood was everywhere. “No,” she heard herself screaming. Jared stepped in front of her and... God, no... Jared! Jared! Don’t...

  She was only vaguely aware of someone touching her, talking to her, but she couldn’t understand the words. A loud bark, a warm furry body pressing against her...

  She felt herself being lowered to a sitting position. Images still darted in and out of her brain. The man with the gun... Her friend...

  She couldn’t breathe. Then she felt arms going
around her and carrying her. Strong. Like Jared. He isn’t dead!

  “Andy. Breathe. Take a deep breath. Breathe,” the voice commanded. It isn’t Jared. Despair flooded her.

  “Breathe, dammit.” The voice was louder, too strong to resist.

  Air rushed in, then out.

  “Andy?” The voice was gentle now, even tender. “You’re safe now.” Something wet licked her face. A furry body tried to crawl up on her. She grabbed him, held him close as the images started to fade away in a fog.

  She was aware, barely, that fingers were taking her pulse, then her blood pressure. She knew her pulse was racing, and her blood pressure was probably sky-high. Her eyes were wet. Sore.

  She was inside a room. Not a tent. Joseph was madly licking her hands. She saw Nate’s face then. Worried. His hands were busy taking her blood pressure.

  Stephanie was by her side, holding a glass of water. “Hey. Glad to have you back with us,” she said in a matter-of-fact voice. “Take a sip of water.”

  Andy did as she was told. “I’m so sorry,” she said after a swallow. “I don’t know...” But she did know, and she felt humiliated beyond words.

  “No apologies necessary,” Stephanie said.

  “Damn right,” Nate said. “I’ve been there. So has Josh.”

  “I shouldn’t have come...” She remembered the steaks then. Probably burned by now. She didn’t care for herself. She wasn’t hungry. She felt sick. And incredibly tired.

  “Anything I can get you?” Stephanie asked.

  She shook her head. All she wanted to do was flee, but she didn’t want to ruin everyone’s evening, and that was what would happen if she left now. She had to stop running, no matter how much she wanted to at this minute.

  “I’ll be all right,” she said, starting to rise.

  “No,” Nate said. “Your pulse is too fast. Your blood pressure isn’t that great, either. Just relax for a few minutes. Okay?”

  Her eyes asked the question.

  “Just some medic stuff I picked up along the way,” he said. “It’s not that hard to feel a pulse or take blood pressure when you have a hostess who keeps a monitor around.”

  She was grateful he wasn’t asking any questions. “I’m feeling much better now, thank you,” she said formally. “I just haven’t had much sleep lately.”

  “I certainly understand that,” he said.

  Andy tried to emerge from the dark mist that still lingered. “Where am I?”

  “In Eve’s bedroom,” Stephanie replied. “Feeling better?”

  “How did I get here?”

  “Nate carried you,” Stephanie said. “He went through medic training in the army. I only treat animal patients.”

  “I’m sorry,” Andy said. “I’m really sorry. I must have ruined your dinner.”

  “We’re just glad we were here,” Stephanie replied. “Don’t you worry about anything. Every guy here has gone through the same thing. God knows it’s nothing to be ashamed of.”

  “I should...control them...”

  “I still have flashbacks,” Nate said. “Rare now, but they pop up. It’s why we vets meet.”

  “But dinner...”

  “Not to worry,” Stephanie said. “The steaks are in the warmer. Everything else is fine.” She paused, then asked, “Or would you like to go home?”

  She wanted nothing as much. She felt lousy and weak and tired but she didn’t want to ruin everyone’s evening, not any more than she already had. And to leave now would be cowardly. She wouldn’t feel any better at home, and maybe, just maybe, she needed company right now. “I want to stay.”

  She looked for Nate, who stood up.

  “You should be fine now,” he said.

  She thought she saw a glimmer of admiration in Nate’s eyes, but how could that be? She had unraveled at the sight of spilled wine. She had made a spectacle of herself. She had, she noticed now, stained his shirt with red wine.

  “I’m sorry about your shirt. I’ll pay—”

  “No, you won’t,” he said. “I have several just like them, and this is the oldest. No big loss. In fact, the wine gives it more character.”

  “It looked new to me,” she said.

  “Looks can be deceptive.”

  She suspected that he was just trying to make her feel better. “You do know there are ways of removing wine stains?”

  “I’ve had some experience. I’ll leave you with Stephanie and let everyone know you’re okay.”

  She didn’t want him to leave, but his tactic worked. She was slowly relaxing. Her head ached. Her eyes were probably red, but to her surprise his light banter made her feel human again. She tried a smile. “Thank you. I’m ready...”

  Nate leaned over and whispered so softly she knew he meant only her to hear, “Good for you.”

  Andy took a deep breath and stood. She could do this.

  CHAPTER EIGHT

  ANDY TRIED A smile as she entered the kitchen.

  Eve was checking something in the oven. She straightened as Andy and Nate entered, followed by Stephanie and Joseph. “Okay?” she asked, worry in her voice.

  Andy nodded.

  Nick looked up at her anxiously. “When I feel bad, I want to be with my dogs. Would you like to meet them?”

  “Nick, I don’t think...” Eve started.

  “Yes,” Andy said. “I think I would like that.” Anything to delay meeting the gazes and sympathy of the others. She was still shaken, still trembling slightly within if not outside. “I think Joseph would, too.”

  Nick’s face lit up like a sudden burst of fireworks. He reached for her hand and led her through a hall to a closed door. There was trust in that hand, trust she didn’t have for herself. Joseph stayed at her side as the boy led her to a bedroom and opened the door. Four dogs looked up, two from dog beds on the floor and two on the bed. Two raced over to her, and the other two regarded her warily.

  “This is Lulu,” Nick said of the young dog who jumped on her. “She’s pretty new. But she’s learning. And the beagle is Miss Marple. She’s a thief. The two shyer ones are Captain Hook, the Chihuahua, and Fancy.”

  She was enchanted by the names as well as the obviously odd collection of dogs. Fancy was...the homeliest dog she’d ever seen. Yet her happiness at meeting someone was endearing. Joseph sniffed each dog, then returned to her side, apparently convinced she was in no danger. She stooped and petted each of the dogs and was rewarded with licks.

  “Mom calls them her motley crew, but I don’t think they’re motley at all. When I asked what it meant, she told me to look it up in the dictionary,” Nick said.

  “And what did it say?” she asked, completely enchanted.

  “Composed of diverse, often incongruous elements,” he recited like a small scholar.

  “And what does incongruous mean?”

  “I looked that up, too.”

  “And?”

  “I didn’t understand completely. Different, kinda.”

  “Well, your dogs are different, and in a good way,” she said. “They’re different in the way they look, but they’re alike in that they love you.”

  He beamed. “I like your dog, too.”

  “He’s my first one. You might have to give me some advice.”

  “Is he a military dog like Josh’s?”

  “No, but he’s been trained to help me.” It was the first time she’d admitted to anyone other than Dr. Payne that she needed help.

  “Josh has nightmares,” Nick confided. “I’ve heard him. Amos helps him, too.”

  That didn’t seem right. Josh had appeared so confident, so in control. He was starting a new business, had taken a wife and gained a child...a rather precocious one, at that.

  They were interrupted by a knoc
k. “Dinner’s ready,” Stephanie said.

  Andy nodded. She concentrated on controlling the tremors that sometimes continued after a PTSD incident. That was what she called it: an incident.

  She was self-conscious, embarrassed, unsteady, even nauseous, but she darn well wasn’t going to show it. She stood. “I think I should wash first. I have dog all over me.”

  “That happens around here,” Stephanie said.

  Andy went into the bathroom, washed her face and looked at herself.

  She looked washed-out. She walked unsteadily into the dining room. Joseph stuck so close to her she almost tripped against him.

  Then she was at a table loaded with food. The steaks had been cut into individual pieces and looked a bit charred. But no one said anything. Instead, they dug into a huge salad and baked potatoes.

  She listened as Nate and Josh talked about the new inn. “Susan, our manager, is not that excited about the name. She’s great at marketing and thinks we should look at something more...descriptive than Covenant Falls Inn.”

  “I like Covenant Falls Inn,” Eve said.

  “We haven’t finalized the sign yet,” Josh said. “Any suggestions are welcome.”

  He turned to Andy. “I heard you’ve been delving into some of our newspapers. Find anything interesting?”

  She tried to think of something. “A lot,” she said. “I followed several generations. But there was one thing I didn’t understand. A notice about the city council failing to pass something to do with a camel.”

  “The camel!” Nate said. “I almost forgot about it.”

  “It definitely caught my attention,” Andy said.

  Josh and Clint looked just as mystified as she felt.

  Eve glanced at both as if she were sharing a delicious secret. “Angus Monroe,” she said, “bought two camels that were brought to the United States from Egypt. They were the brainchild of Jefferson Davis, who was secretary of war for the United States before he became president of the Confederacy.

  “There’s a lot of conjecture,” she continued, “but apparently Davis was concerned about transportation in the southwest. A general had read a book about travels in China and Turkey. It included a passage that camels could travel long distances on difficult terrain and with little water. Money was appropriated and a ship was sent to Egypt and Turkey to buy camels and hire camel drivers.