“Paige, are you talking about the dog?”
“No! I mean ...Yes!”
The look of confusion on her face told a different story.
“They didn’t have to kill him, Bryce. He wouldn’t have ever been a domesticated dog, but then neither are lions and tigers domesticated cats. But he could have been useful as a watch dog or something.”
She was searching his face, pleading with him to agree with her for some reason.
“Sure, Paige, they could have found something useful for him to do. But he’s gone now, honey. Let me take him and find who did this. Okay? You need to let him go, so I can take him in and find his killers.” He carefully pried her cold hands off the dog, gently lifted the body in his arms, and carried it back to the car.
“Paige, get me something to put on the back seat so I can lay him on it.”
The task seemed to shake her out of it. Whatever it was, he wanted to get to the bottom of soon, but right now, he needed to deal with the dog. She pulled a tarp out of the chicken coop and laid it on the back seat.
“Paige, go change out of those wet clothes. I’ll get Sheba and the pups and you can lock up and get in the car. I’ll drop you off at the Rose and bring you back in the morning.”
He placed the dog gently on the back seat, went and got Sheba’s carrier, and stood beside the car and opened the passenger door for Paige after she finished locking up. She looked much better with some color returned to her cheeks.
“Paige, you okay?”
“Yeah, Bryce, I’m sorry about the meltdown back there.”
“No need to explain right now, but Paige, we will be having a talk real soon.”
“Whatever,” she said, her usual attitude shining through, he noticed with relief.
“After I drop the dog off, we’ll talk,” he said without turning his head to see if she agreed.
The last thing Paige wanted to do was have a little chitchat and reminisce about the good ol’ days, which for her were definitely not good.
The drive to the morgue was done in silence. Paige battled with thoughts of her brothers and the similarity between them and the dog. Her brothers were killers, first as hunters to survive, and then as military assets. Now the military wasn’t sure they wanted their trained killers walking around as civilians. Or at least that’s how it seemed to her.
Bryce took the dog into the hospital basement, where the coroner waited to remove the bullet for ballistics to get a match. Paige waited outside the car. The heat was cooling off, and the cicadas were singing up a storm in the nearby trees. Minutes passed, then Bryce returned and they left the hospital.
“I need to eat something. Is the Main Street cafe drive-thru okay with you?”
“Sure, anything is fine.” She didn’t have the energy to argue.
After receiving their takeout burgers, fries, and milkshakes, Bryce pulled in near the center of town where a gazebo was set up. From there, you could see past the baseball field to another lake, where the Fourth of July fireworks were always staged.
He rolled down the windows, and dug their food out of the bag.
“Okay, so I’m going to ask questions, and you’re going to fill in the blanks.”
“I was always taught not to talk with my mouth full,” she said to stall the conversation.
“Not from your old man you didn’t. And Sharon’s mother was too busy getting her rocks off to care what you did one way or another.”
“What makes you say that? I thought you and my brothers believed Libby was the perfect substitute mother for a thirteen year old.”
“I never said anything to your brothers, because they were doing all they could to keep you safe. For some reason, they thought keeping you away from your father was the best way to do that.” He took a bite of his burger, and washed it down with a drink of his milkshake. “Which brings me to another question—why weren’t you safe?”
“You can get the file on my family. Check for yourself.”
“Paige, we’re friends, or at least we used to be. I’m not going to snoop unless you don’t cooperate, then I might have to take a peek.”
He thought they were friends? Good grief! This must be what it feels like when a girl tells a guy he’s nice but... I haven’t felt friendship for you in a really long time, Bryce.
“Actually, those are closed files, sealed because they involve minors. By now, I figure either you or your brothers had the documents expunged.”
“I never did, but Dane might have.”
“All right, I’ve always wondered what happened the night the cops took your old man away. You want to fill me in?”
“No.”
“Please.”
She thought about making something up, but there was enough truth going around with the rumors, that she might as well clear the air, if not for herself, at least for her brothers.
“I came in as usual, with a couple of rabbits we’d caught in some of our traps. Dane had a beaver he’d gotten, and not to be outdone, Colt had a fox. His had been hit by a car, but the hide was undamaged, and the tail was worth some money. So they were out cleaning their haul, and I was cutting up the rabbits to fry, when the old man came in. He was piss drunk, and had a real mean on. I’m not even sure what he was accusing me of, but he was fit to be tied. His yelling startled me and I spilled some oil. Then he grabbed me and flung me up against the wall. My brothers heard the commotion and figured out what was happening. Colt came in, sized up the situation, and barreled into the old man, slamming him up against the mudroom door. When Dane came through the door seconds later, he palmed my carving knife and threw it into my dad’s shoulder pinning him to the door. Then I passed out.
I woke in the hospital with a cast on my arm. The old man was in jail, and Aunt Libby had signed on as my guardian. My brothers both gave up full scholarships to play football for Ohio State, and joined the marines. They paid my Aunt for my care, but I didn’t find that out until years later. And that is the entire history of the Conner family tree.” She hoped he wouldn’t ask anything more. She didn’t want to open up any more wounds, fresh or old.
“I wondered why they never went to State.”
“Is the inquisition over?” she asked with more than a little hostility.
“For now. I’m curious as to what happened to all of us. Somehow, I think our pasts have altered where our futures would have taken us.”
“I live one day at a time. There’s no reason to look for what ifs.”
“Which brings us back to the present. Your new property is deadly. I’m not even sure why yet, but there is so much criminal activity going on around there, it’s not safe for you to be out there alone. These gangs are getting bolder, and they don’t care if they harm innocent people. I’ve been working on this around the clock, plus some of the investigators from surrounding areas are giving us what support they can, but I don’t have enough men to provide the surveillance needed for you to be protected.”
“Thanks for the warning, but I’m not giving up my new home. I’ve got animals to care for, remodeling to do, and a home to prepare for my brothers.”
“Paige, your brothers are grown men. They can make their own homes.”
“Not like the one I’m making for them. I’m making a Sanctuary. It’s what I’m going to call the place, and no drug lords, dog-fighting toughs, or cops on a mission are going to stop me. I’ll be packing my shotgun and my pistol, and I’ll be letting everybody know.”
“Paige, damn it. Just damn it!” He gritted out his frustration.
“Bryce, this inquisition is now over.” She spoke with an adamancy that brooked no argument.
“So where is Dane?” he asked to change the subject.
“He’s in Fort Leavenworth.”
“What the hell is he doing there?”
“He hit a superior officer. He’s getting out and is being discharged next week. So I need to get the house ready.”
“Where’s Colt?”
“He’s getting
discharged next week from the VA hospital in Langley. Dane’s picking him up, and they are both coming home.”
“What happened to him?”
“He got shot. It’s what happens to men who are in the military,” she said with a bite of defensiveness.
“Great, so two pissed off, ex-military guys are coming to town, with two rival gangs wanting a piece of their sister’s homestead.”
“That pretty much sums up current events, Agent.”
“Now I see why they weren’t here packing your butt up to send you somewhere safe.”
“Bryce, don’t be so sure they will. Last I recall, they are both able to use firearms, and they might think my property is worth protecting,” she said feeling smug. “A couple more guns and I think the drug dealers will be persuaded to go somewhere else.”
“Crap! I wasn’t thinking about that possibility. Christ, they’ll turn the place into the OK Corral. When can I expect them to arrive?”
“Next Tuesday would be the soonest.”
“So, I just need to keep you safe until they can come and ride herd on you. Tomorrow, I’ll come over and help. You’ll need all the help you can get to make the place ready, but I’d like to beef up your security.”
“I’ve got help. You don’t need to feel like I need a babysitter. I was already going to install security systems with motion sensor lights.”
“Yeah, well I’ll just make sure they’re up to the job. Don’t argue with me on it, Paige. Your only other option is me sticking you in witness protection for your own safety.”
“Fine, come over, but stay out of my way.” She really didn’t want to be spending any more time with him. It brought on longings she’d buried on his wedding day, and the pain of that moment seemed to keep burning. Her one-night stand fiasco helped to make the other event seem minor in comparison. When he’d come back, and they’d spent that one glorious night together, she thought...maybe this time. She should have known better.
“When are you going back to Detroit?” she asked in exasperation.
“I’m not,” he said and smiled at her. “There’s plenty of challenge right here, and almost no traffic, plus all this fresh air.” He took a deep breath.
“Great, just great. I thought you liked the big city and all the action...”
“Liked, past tense. These days I find I want a little less action, although now that Darke County is such a hub of crime, and your property in particular, I think it makes the perfect place to settle down and make some new roots.”
Paige stared at him. He wasn’t supposed to stay. He needed to leave before she did something to really embarrass herself, like let him know how she felt. But she couldn’t do that. Not with the way he treated that night and the secrets she knew about Sharon, his ex-wife. Let him keep his illusions of how sophisticated and modern and wonderful a person Sharon was. Sharon was dead now, but it was amazing how she still had the power to hurt her. But if she ever let Bryce know of Sharon’s betrayal, he would be the one hurting. There was a natural silence, and Paige let her thoughts focus on what she should do next.
“Paige, the time has come for us to have the long put off conversation about that night.”
She tensed in her seat. “We’ve put it off this long, Bryce, it hardly warrants talking at all.”
“Wrong,” he replied.
“Bryce, you no longer rate a conversation.”
“Too bad. I want to know why, in this day and time, a woman as lovely as you, was still a virgin at twenty-six?”
“Because I chose to be,” she replied with a belligerent attitude.
“Do you realize that your reputation is that of a wild, modern woman?”
“Bryce, I realized my character was maligned from the day I stepped into Aunt Libby’s house.”
“I’d say she lied about your sexual escapades,” he agreed
“You think?” Paige sneered.
“Was anything we were told about you true?” he asked.
“I don’t know what you were told, but at a guess, I’d say it was all lies.”
“She had police reports,” Bryce said in disbelief.
“Yeah, that’s when I left for good. Once she had a policeman corroborate her accusations, I knew it was going to be the Juvenile Detention Center for me, if I didn’t get out from under her guardianship.
“Paige, you were only what? Fifteen?”
“I was almost sixteen. I got a worker’s permit and the rest is history. I’m not answering any more questions, period.”
“Paige, we didn’t use birth control.”
“And I’m not, nor was I ever, pregnant. Unlike my dog,” she added for emphasis.
“Okay, but in the future...”
“Don’t even think about it, Bryce. I’ve satisfied my curiosity, and I’m not interested in a repeat.”
“Oh, but I am, Paige. I definitely am.”
“Too bad. Now either take me back, or I’ll walk.”
“You can have your way for now,” he conceded.
Bryce started the car after stuffing their wrappers back in the bag. He headed back to the Rose.
“Thanks for driving me back to the hotel and taking care of the dog. Let me know if you find out anything. And by the way, what happened to the other pit bulls? The one we dropped off tonight wasn’t from the ones over in the barn?” she asked.
“No, the ones in the barn were put down,” he answered.
“What? Why?”
“Most had festering wounds. All of them were in a killing rage fueled by pain. There wasn’t an animal shelter anywhere that could take on twenty something fighting pit bulls.”
“It’s not their fault,” she said, barely holding back tears.
“Paige, the poor beasts had basically been tortured into madness. They weren’t going to be rehabilitated into house pets,” he reasoned.
She didn’t want to hear his logic. She felt gutted at the idea of some creature being so tortured it had to be euthanized.
“Well, I guess it’s a good thing my brothers and I weren’t dogs.”
She got out and closed the door, refusing to look behind her one last time. She knew he would be watching as she made her way into the Rose. She just needed a good night’s sleep, and then she’d be able to put it all in perspective. Or would she? All those dogs being put to sleep made her heart hurt. The idea that Bryce was not going to leave town represented all kinds of problems that could hurt even more.
The way he was acting was going to cause her all kinds of grief. If this had been ten years ago, before her world had come apart, she’d have been over the moon. Now it was a disaster. Her heart wouldn’t listen to sense, but her head had to.
She knew things, deep, dark, secrets that could tear the man apart. For now, she’d focus on making a home for her and her brothers. She’d deal with the Bryce bridge when she crossed it. By the way he was acting, she knew she’d be crossing it soon, even if they did dance around the talk about that night. They encompassed a minefield of dangerous topics.
She’d brought Sheba over before dinner when she came to town to get more paint. Mama and her pups were sleeping in the doggie bed. Sheba looked up at her, but then lay back down. She’d left plenty of food and water and called her now to take her for her walk. Sheba managed to get up without disturbing the pups too much. Paige had to smile at the puppies. They seemed to be a pile of fur balls all lying one on top of the other.
The walk outside did little to clear her head, but Sheba was pleased to be out. The dog wandered, sniffing and taking care of her business, and then sniffing some more. Paige let the dog have its freedom to explore. Sheba’s first full day of motherhood was coming to an end and the dog tired quickly. She came to stand beside her as if to say, “Okay let’s go back in.” Paige took the hint, headed inside, and got ready for bed.
Paige awoke feeling as if she’d been hit by the proverbial train. Sometime during the night, she’d fought a valiant fight with the covers and won. They were on the floor, w
hile the air-conditioning was on frozen meat setting. Not letting it slow her down, she hurriedly got up, showered and dressed in worn out cutoffs and tee shirt, in preparation for a full day of fixing up Sanctuary. The clock was ticking, and her brothers would be here in less than a week. Maybe Emma from the hardware store could come over and help her hang the drapes throughout the house. It was something Emma did really well, and Paige thought she could use the company.
After breakfast, she got ready to head out to the house only to remember she didn’t have her car. She no sooner had the thought, when Bryce pulled into the driveway of the Rose.
Chapter Five
“Are you set to go? And can I talk you out of it? Where is Sheba?” Bryce asked from the open car window.
“Now which question should I answer first? Hmm, yes and no in that order for the first two, but thanks for the ride,” she answered as she opened the door and slipped inside. “They said Sheba can stay here. The lady that runs the place already has a pup picked out and she doesn’t mind letting Sheba out for a run around noon.”
He nodded. “Good, but I want you to take all the precautions you can. I can’t stop you from going out there, but I still want you to call me when you are done for the day. I will lock your butt in a cell if you stay overnight on that property before I say so. And if you have a problem with that, I’ll just call your brothers and give them an earful of all the shenanigans going on around here. So don’t push me, Paige. Now who’ll be out at your place today?” he asked, in what she could only assume, was his command voice.
She knew it was not a good time to push him. He was at the end of his patience with her, she could tell. Normally she’d have pushed the issue, but he seemed to be so different now, as if he took her personal safety as his responsibility. And although she was touched by his concern, she needed him to see she wasn’t going to fall in with his plans.
“I’ve got Bill and his team, and I was going to start moving the dogs back to the kennels and begin more of their training. I’ll be packing my Smith and Wesson, and my twenty-two will be within easy reach.”
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