The Light of Day

by Lynne Norris

  Grace only nodded.

  Emma felt the cushion shift as Grace rose. A second later, Emma heard the screen door open and close quietly.

  Grace was gone.

  “Oh, what have I done?” Emma clutched her arms around herself and rocked as sobs tore through her.

  Chapter Eighteen

  EMMA HEARD THE murmur of voices approaching from down the hallway. The hum from the ventilation system obscured the words. She refocused on her computer screen for what seemed like the fifteenth time in as many minutes.

  A second later she felt a presence at the doorway and looked up. Tom poked his head in and said, “We’re going to grab something to eat at the lunch cart out front. Do you want anything?”

  “No thanks. I brought something with me from home.” Emma leaned back in her chair. “After I finish this application I’m going to leave.”

  “Trying to beat the weather?”

  “Hoping to.” Her phone pinged and Emma glanced at the screen as a message appeared on it.

  “I won’t hold you up then,” Tom said with a smile, tapping the door frame on his way out. “Get home safe.”

  “Thanks.”

  Emma had to give Tom credit for the amount of work he accomplished in such a short time. He completed a lengthy application process with FINRA and managed to expedite an interview with the regulatory agency. The last month was an exercise in marathon days and nights but the excitement of being part of something from the ground up helped fuel everyone’s efforts.

  Emma lowered her face into her hands and closed her eyes, giving herself a few moments of respite from her work. She picked up her phone and swiped the screen to read her text message. She typed a response to let Lindsey know she would be leaving in an hour.

  As usual the media was talking non-stop about the impending Nor’easter that was bearing down on the tri-state area. By all accounts it was a monster of a storm and was predicted to bring flooding rains and tropical storm force winds.

  It was the first time Emma would be returning to the cottage after she accepted Tom’s job offer. She had no contact with Grace since she made the decision to leave. She told herself a clean break was the only way for her to walk away. Emma thought returning to work would fill the void.

  It hadn’t.

  Her heart didn’t believe the rational musing of her mind. She fought with herself each passing week about whether to go back and see if there was anything left to salvage between her and Grace. They hadn’t argued or shouted when they parted. It was a quiet, heartbreaking goodbye.

  She’d given up hope that she would be forgiven when only last week Grace texted Emma a picture of the calf she witnessed being born. Apparently from the caption beneath the image, his name was Brax. Emma figured it was a suitable name for a steer, but it was the fact that Grace even thought to send her the picture that gave Emma hope there might still be a chance for them.

  There was nothing else included in the message. No words to indicate how Grace was doing. She wanted to call or text, but she didn’t know what to say. Everything she came up with felt superficial.

  Lindsey had chastised Emma more than once for leaving. “Love only comes once around once in awhile. You could work anywhere. What are you trying to prove to yourself?”

  Quite frankly, Emma wasn’t even sure anymore. All she knew was that she’d spent the last month working long hours and coming home exhausted and bleary-eyed to an empty apartment.

  She was renting a furnished efficiency apartment in a fourth floor walk up. It was a far cry from her luxury apartment on Ann Street.

  Emma glanced out the window. Ominous grey clouds raced past the tops of the buildings. She gathered her coat and bag, glad to be getting out of the city before rush hour started in earnest. If she didn’t hit traffic through Hartford she would be home by five.

  A SUDDEN GUST of wind bent the tops of the trees as Grace walked across the yard between the house and barn. Branches rubbed and creaked. Leaves clung desperately to their branches while the weaker ones were ripped from their moorings and tumbled helplessly through the air.

  The dogs trotted along flanking her sides. They seemed to sense the approach of the low pressure system as neither seemed to be in the mood to frolic and play as was their usual habit when they were outside. The horses and cattle were settled in their stalls with fresh water and hay.

  There were a few more things to take care of before it was time to hunker down and ride out Mother Nature’s wrath.

  Arturo moved the cows into the lower paddock earlier in the day in preparation for sheltering them from the impending storm. The worst of the Nor’easter wasn’t supposed to hit until the overnight hours. Usually a storm like this would mean a lot of rain and some wind. The problem was this particular storm was predicted to merge with another low pressure that was moving off the coast and then stall.

  Michael emerged from the barn, stopped when he saw Grace and hurried to walk away.

  “Michael,” Grace called and jogged after him. His face was set with a terse expression as she caught up to him.

  “I’ve got to fix the fencing in the north pasture. Brax broke through it when Arturo was moving the cows earlier.”

  “Where’s Brax now?”

  Michael stopped in his tracks and stared at Grace. “Outside the wire. We’re trying to get him back in.”

  “Why didn’t anyone tell me he broke out?”

  “I’m telling you now.”

  “Arturo moved the cows three hours ago.” Disbelief and anger colored Grace’s expression.

  “He’s been trying to move the steer back onto our property.”

  “Alone? One of you should have gotten me as soon as he got loose. I’m the one who’s been working with Brax.”

  “Arturo didn’t want you to know.”

  “You’ve both lost your minds.” Grace ran into the barn and pulled on a rain slicker. She filled a saddlebag with apples and slung it over her shoulder. “What can I do?” Michael asked when he appeared inside the doorway. “Get Honey saddled up and meet me in the upper pasture. I’m taking the 4x4.”

  Grace started to shoulder past Michael, then stopped. They’d both been so angry and her continuing the pattern wasn’t going to help the situation. “Listen. I know Pop’s decision about the farm upset you. I’m sorry about that. We can’t keep sidestepping this. I need you to be on the same page as me or this isn’t going to work out.”

  “We don’t need to talk about it now.”

  “The hell we don’t. This decision is tearing us apart and it’s the last thing I want to happen.”

  “It’s not tearing us apart.”

  “How can you say that? You’ve hardly talked to me since Pop broke the news to us.”

  “I know but it’s not for the reason you think,” Michael said.

  “Then what is it?” Grace demanded.

  Michael walked past Grace and lifted the deep blue saddle blanket off Honey’s stall door. “Tony called me two nights after the cookout.”

  “He was so angry when he left the party,” Grace recalled. “I’m surprised he’s spoken to anyone.”

  “He was drunk and in trouble.”

  “What kind of trouble?”

  Michael looked back at Grace shamefaced and disappeared inside Honey’s stall. “Remember Paula, the girl I told you he convinced me to hire?”

  “How can I forget?”

  “Tony knew her.”

  Grace made a face. “Knew her...as in what capacity?”

  Michael laid the saddle on Honey’s back. “She was a client of his.”

  “You mean he represented her because...”

  “Paula’s a thief. She got busted a year ago. She was part of a ring that would scope out houses and then when the owners weren’t home, break in and grab what they could.”

  “I don’t understand. What does this have to do with Tony or us?”

  “Tony got her charges reduced and she ended up with a light sentence and was out with t
ime served. The problem was she couldn’t pay him.”

  “Oh man, I don’t like where this is going.”

  “She convinced him she could pay him back doing the very same thing she got caught doing in the first place. We were her cover.”

  “We were what?” Grace covered her face with her hands and leaned against a wall. “You’ve got to be kidding me.”

  “When she was out on deliveries, it seems she was scoping out houses. Then later she’d go back and break in.”

  “That explains the robberies around the lake.”

  “Things were going well for a while.”

  “You’re telling me Tony knew about this?”

  “I don’t know to what extent. He tells me she brought him jewelry that he sold at a pawnshop in Boston. This went on for months. Problem was she got greedy and made some mistakes. The police figured out who was stealing the jewelry about a week ago. That’s why she took off. Anyway, they started talking to pawn shop owners and eventually found the one in Boston that Tony was selling the jewelry to.”

  “Oh my God. How could he have been so stupid? Didn’t he think this stuff she was bringing to him might be stolen?”

  “He was in debt enough not to care,” Michael said.

  “How? What did he do that he’s in so much debt? It’s not like he doesn’t earn a decent living.”

  “Gambling. He owed some people money and they leaned hard enough on him that he was willing to do just about anything to get out of debt.”

  “I can’t believe he was selling stolen goods to a pawn shop.”

  Michael finished adjusting Honey’s saddle and turned to Grace. “He could get up to ten years.”

  “So why did he call you?” Grace asked.

  “He wanted me to help him post bail.”

  “Did you?”

  “I helped him cash out of his IRA.”

  “This is worse than I ever imagined. I don’t even know what to say.” Grace paced the length of the stall.

  “You don’t have to say anything. It wasn’t you I was angry with. I was so pissed at Tony and then having to spend all this time away from the farm to help him. I couldn’t tell you until it was all finished.”

  “What happens now?”

  “I guess he finds himself a lawyer and hopes he gets a lenient judge.”

  “I can’t believe Tony did this.”

  “Neither can I. That’s what’s been going on the past few weeks. I’m sorry you thought I was upset about Pop’s decision. I mean, I was initially, but I know I can’t do what you do.”

  “I couldn’t bear the thought of the farm coming between us.” Grace stepped through the stall door and rubbed Honey’s soft muzzle.

  “It isn’t and it won’t,” Michael said.

  “Do Mom and Dad know about Tony?”

  “He called them yesterday.”

  “Yesterday? Called them? He didn’t even have the guts to come here in person?”

  “Grace, it’s okay.”

  “No, it’s not. Nothing about this is okay.”

  “You’re right. It’s not okay, but they’ll handle this. This is Tony’s problem. He’s a big boy and now he has to face what he did. Come on, we have a job to do.” Michael squeezed her shoulder. “Let’s go get this steer back inside the wire.”

  Before she left the barn Grace picked up a coiled length of rope. Still reeling from the news she climbed into the jeep and started the engine. Grace was relieved Michael told her what was going on, but she was sick about Tony and what it would do to her parents. The 4x4 fishtailed slightly as she gunned the engine and sent dirt flying out behind her.

  FIFTEEN MINUTES LATER, Grace stood three feet away from Brax. She fashioned a loop with rope and finished it with a slipknot. Slipping the coil over her shoulder she approached the steer. At one hundred pounds and four weeks old he stood placidly with his head down eating grass. Since his birth Brax exhibited a gentle demeanor but Grace didn’t take his behavior for granted. She spent hours studying his behavior and training him for human contact. She spoke softly to him as she approached. His ears twitched as she neared and he snorted softly.

  “I’m so sorry, Miss Grace,” Arturo said. “I thought I could get him by myself.”

  “Next time just call me. You shouldn’t be trying to move him by yourself. It’s dangerous.” She took an apple from her bag. Behind her she heard the familiar sound of hooves on the ground. With a pocketknife she cut the apple in half.

  “Be careful,” Michael said keeping back a healthy distance from the steer.

  “Thanks.” Grace cast him a sideways glance tucking the knife away in her coat pocket. She rubbed her hand over Brax’s shoulder. She avoided his head knowing he would interpret the downward pressure as a threat and react to it.

  “Good boy,” she crooned and lowered the apple in line with his peripheral vision. Brax lifted his head from grazing and Grace opened her hand as he reached for the fruit. She lifted the coil of rope from her body and dangled the loop just below his head. While Brax chewed the apple Grace slipped the loop over his head and around his neck.

  The steer nudged her as he sniffed at the bag. “Don’t be greedy.” Grace reached into the bag letting him get used to the rope. She held another piece of fruit out to him. Bits of apple fell to the ground as Brax crushed the red globe with his teeth.

  “I hope you brought enough of those apples to entice him back to the barn.” Michael said.

  “Me too.” With a smooth motion, Grace pulled the loop snug and walked ahead of the steer.

  “Come on, Brax.” Grace tugged on the rope urging the young steer to follow her.

  Michael climbed down from Honey and handed Grace the reigns. Brax would be more likely to follow Grace if he had another animal leading the way. Grace let the coil out, giving Brax more length and tethered the rope to Honey’s saddle.

  “Do you want us to follow behind?” Michael asked.

  “No. The keys are in the 4x4. Wait for me to get down the hill. Take the long way back to the barn so you don’t spook Brax.”

  “We’ll meet you back at the house after we finish repairing the wire,” Michael called after her.

  Grace acknowledged Michael with a wave of her hand. She ducked her head as wind buffeted her, lashing her slicker against her body.

  An hour and forty-five minutes later, Grace was grateful to be out of the howling wind and the rain. A shiver coursed through her while she brushed Honey down. She soothed the mare with the gentle tones of her voice. Brax was settled in his stall and the horses were quietly eating hay. Honey nickered as the timbers creaked against the gusts of wind buffeting the barn walls.

  “It’s all right girl. I couldn’t have done this without you today.” Grace patted the mare’s flank. Honey simply plodded along down the hill leading the young bull patiently along the path while the storm intensified around them. It was touch and go a few times. Brax panicked and tried to break away from Grace when lightening flashed. Honey stood her ground and refused to give into Brax’s tantrum. She waited him out as if to say, “Listen up. There’s only one way to get out of this. We can do it the easy way or the hard way.”

  A wave of exhaustion hit Grace and she leaned against Honey soaking in her solid warmth. “You’re safe and dry in here, girl.” Grace dug in her pocket and fished out another apple that Honey eagerly consumed.

  A loud crack like a gunshot had Grace jumping across the stall. She retrieved a flashlight from a shelf by the door and slipped outside. The beam cut through the darkness illuminating the wind driven rain. For a moment, Grace’s brain refused to let her make sense of what she was seeing. A massive limb from one of the oak trees snapped close to the trunk and lay shattered on the ground. Beneath the leaves something grey flashed as it reflected the light from the beam.

  With her heart pounding she started toward it. “No, no, no!”

  “Grace!”

  Grace skidded to a stop, uncertain if she heard her name or just imagined it. She step
ped a quarter turn towards the house and blinked at the figure standing on the front porch leaning over the rail.

  “Emma? What are you doing here?” Grace barely had time to get the words out before Emma raced down off the porch, splashed through the puddles and was in her arms.

  “I came to see you.” Emma leaned back to look at Grace.

  “That’s your car.” Grace nodded toward the mass of broken and twisted branches hiding the vehicle beneath it. “Isn’t it?”

  “I just got out and took a few steps when I heard this awful creaking. The next thing I knew I was standing on the steps.”

  Grace closed her eyes willing her heart to stop racing in her chest. She couldn’t help but hold Emma tight to her. Her breath was ragged and she waited to speak until she trusted her voice. “You could have been killed.”

  “I’m okay.”

  Afraid that she would disappear like a mirage in the desert, Grace kissed Emma’s forehead and tugged her toward the house. “Come on. Let’s get out of the rain. We’re both going to get sick standing out here.”

  Grace opened the front door and led the way into the kitchen.

  “Grace Marie you’re soaking wet and tracking mud into this house.” Lucy scolded from her seat at the kitchen table. “What was that awful noise I heard?”

  “A branch from one of the oaks gave way.”

  “Did it hit anything?”

  “It hit Emma’s car.”

  “Emma’s car? I don’t understand.” Lucy’s eyes widened when Emma stepped through the doorway behind Grace. Lucy met her half way across the room and hugged her. “When did you get here?” Lucy asked holding Emma at arms length to look at her.

  “Just a few minutes ago.” Max and Sadie rose from their spots by the fireplace and greeted Emma.

  “You drove from the city in this weather?”

  “It wasn’t too bad until I got into Hartford,” Emma said. She knelt and wrapped her arms around both dogs. They squirmed and slathered her with wet kisses.

  “You’re cold and wet.” Lucy waved Emma over to her. “Come sit over by the fire.”