"I was afraid of this," Keelin murmured.
Under the dim light of the outbuilding, Kate noted her cousin's visage pulled into a worried frown. "Afraid of what?"
"The McKenna Legacy."
"McKenna... you mean Moira's letter?"
Keelin nodded and quoted, "'Act selflessly in another's behalf, and my legacy shall be yours.' A double-edged sword, this bequest of Gran's. First I had to face grave danger... then Skelly... and now you. I fear that every one of us will be required to risk our very lives in order to find the happiness that Gran wished for us."
Kate remembered thinking she'd already blown her chance, that she'd been too selfish, that something within her had kept men from accepting and loving her as she was. But she couldn't tell her cousin all that. And what if the crazy fates were giving her another chance? With Chase?
She asked, "Do you think the risk is too great?"
"No risk is too great to find the love of a lifetime. My fear is that we will not all survive the test."
Kate's heartbeat fluttered. Something to keep in mind. Sobered by the gentle warning, she started for the house again and fought the sudden anxiety that threatened to overwhelm her. But by the time they set foot inside the door, Keelin was regaling her with a childhood tale that made her laugh.
On the surface, she smiled for her family's sake. But underneath, her worry festered. She tried calling Chase again and again to no avail.
She half-listened to Keelin talk about the herb garden that had been Moira's and was now hers. Though she and Tyler would use Moira's old cottage as their second home, she would sell her share of the herbalist shop to her two partners and start a similar business in the Chicago area.
Kate found herself watching the clock too closely. Fearing that something had happened to Chase, she grew anxious to leave for home. A quick change out of her flouncy skirt into more practical jeans and she would be off to the refuge to find him, despite her resolve to get much-needed sleep that night.
Finally, she made her excuses.
Despite the chilly drizzle that had started some time before, Keelin insisted on walking Kate to her pick-up. From the folds of her yellow dress, she retrieved a small cloth bag and slid its leather thong around Kate's neck.
"To help you make all the proper decisions."
"A medicine pouch?"
"Aye, something like that," Keelin agreed.
Kate lifted the cloth bag to her nose and sniffed. "How wonderful. What's inside?"
"Orange Flower Absolute to quiet your anxiety and to keep your heart calm. It also helps to battle shock and fear. Then there's Rose to calm anger and keep your spirits up. Ylang-Ylang will stimulate your senses and bring about a feeling of well-being." Keelin grinned. "And, oh, yes, considering where you're probably off to... ylang-ylang can also be a powerful aphrodisiac."
Kate laughed and hugged her cousin. "Thank you."
They clung to each other for a moment before Keelin turned Kate toward her vehicle. "Go find him before you expire for the wanting."
Kate didn't waste time. A few minutes later, on the highway with windshields squeaking, she brought the pouch to her nose again. Either she was a sucker for suggestion or the herbs inside were already making her feel better.
The euphoria lasted all the way home and up the wet front steps.
Expecting Wrangler to make silly noises when she placed her key in the lock, however, Kate was perplexed at hearing nothing. And when he didn't bark a greeting as she opened the door, she grew immediately concerned.
"Wrangler?" she called softly.
The mutt simply wasn't there. Every time she left the house without him, he escorted her to the hall, where he would be waiting for her when she came home. He was always in her way. Under her feet.
Except for now.
What was going on?
Not knowing whether she could safely enter, Kate stood in the doorway, her pulse fluttering wildly. What if someone had broken in to get to her, and in the process had hurt poor Wrangler?
A weapon... something to protect herself...
The fireplace poker immediately came to mind upon seeing the low flicker of light emanating from the living room. Someone had not only broken into the house, but had had the nerve to start a fire! Her eyes had already adjusted to the dark. Trying to breathe normally, she slid into the hall and tiptoed its length before stopping again. Her heart pounding loud enough to warn the intruder, she peeked around the corner.
Whoever had made the fire was lying on the living room floor, his arm around Wrangler's neck!
About to fly to the fireplace and fetch the poker, Kate first took a better look.
The dark-clothed body on the floor was familiar.
She choked out, "Chase?" thinking he was hurt... or worse. For a moment, shock rooted her to the spot, taking away her breath and stinging her eyes.
Then, with a responding groan, the body moved and the dog's head popped up. Wrangler gave her a sharp bark and shot to all four paws, then shook himself out. As Chase pushed himself into a sitting position, Kate's pulse lurched... then steadied when he seemed perfectly intact. Yawning, he was trying to focus on her with what seemed to be little success.
He mumbled, "Kate, there you are," and yawned again. "Must have fallen asleep."
Tail wagging, Wrangler trotted over to her. Kate ruffled the dog's fur. Grateful that nothing had happened to Chase, after all, more relieved than she could say that he was still in one piece, she was also irritated at his high-handedness -- letting himself in and making himself at home. Making her think the worst.
"What are you doing here?" she asked more sharply than she'd meant to.
"Nice to see you, too," he returned. "I've been waiting for you." He rubbed a hand over his face. "I told you we needed to talk."
About the refuge, of course.
Her adrenaline rush plummeting, Kate was chilled inside her damp clothes and boots. She moved closer to the fireplace and told herself she was not disappointed that Chase's being here wasn't more personal. Her conversation with Keelin had confused her, had made her focus on them rather than on the more important issue at hand. She retrieved that poker and used it to stoke what was left of the fire, then added fresh wood to the embers. Flames flared, illuminating the room with a flickering golden glow.
Disheveled from sleep, his dark hair tumbling down over his forehead, Chase was nearly more tempting a sight than she could bear.
Kate's heartbeat refused to normalize and her throat was tight with confused emotion when she asked, "Do you want to go first, or shall I?"
Giving her a strange look, he said, "I guess it doesn't matter."
"Fine. I was about to leave the refuge when Nathan returned from town." She fetched a couple of couch cushions and tossed them to the floor next to him. "I tried to stall him as long as I could, but I wasn't certain if you had enough time to finish your search. Did you run into him?"
"Yes, but --"
"So he caught you going through his things?"
"I was in his room when he got back, but I wasn't touching anything. Still, he knew. No doubt about it."
Not exactly what she wanted to hear, but at least the reality was more positive than some of her imaginings. She collapsed onto a cushion, spreading out her skirt so it would dry faster. The dog lay down nearby.
"And he didn't threaten you?"
"Not directly."
Which meant the threat still existed, Kate worried. "What did you find?"
"That Nathan is more enthusiastic about being a Native American than you gave him credit for," Chase informed her. "Books about Sioux history and culture. Drawings of his people in traditional dress... "
Sensing he was leading up to something she wasn't going to like, Kate asked, "And?"
"And a trunk filled with artifacts of war -- bow and arrows, a club, breastplate, shield, war bonnet."
The revelation took her breath away. And yet Kate hoped for another explanation. "They could be family heirl
ooms he inherited from his mother."
"If so, why would he keep them on the refuge instead of leaving them at his place on the rez? He didn't have much else in that cabin, believe me."
"So what do you make of it?"
"Either Nathan's trying to atone for past disinterest in his own birthright... or he's gone militant."
That Nathan could be making "war" against the refuge over land that was being put to an altruistic use -- if not the purpose he preferred -- sickened her.
"But which is it?" Kate murmured, tugging at one of her new hunter green boots. It would have to rain the first time she wore them. And either the wet leather was being uncooperative or her nerves were shot, for she was having difficulty removing it. "Even if Nathan's guilty, he's not alone in this, Chase. Two of them are working together."
Her dramatic statement was backed by a crash of thunder and followed by a flash of blue light from the windows. The rain had picked up and was drumming against the side of the house.
"How do you figure?" he asked.
"Once Nathan left for the renovation site, I took a detour on the way home. I found Sage --"
He cut her off. "I thought we discussed that!"
His tone got her back up. "We discussed my not wandering around the refuge at night." The boot finally gave way with a jerk. "This was broad daylight."
"Semantics. I could tell you were up to something."
"I'm not that readable."
"Maybe not to anyone else. So you found Sage and... ?"
His inference that she was readable to him added to his obvious annoyance at actions he considered dangerous touched Kate. Even if he didn't admit as much, he must care for her on some level other than the obvious.
"I tapped into an earlier memory," she told him more calmly. "Before the stampede. Right before." Lightning lit the room again, reminding her of the vision. "I sort of know what happened to the mustangs that disappeared. We couldn't find them because they were hauled out in a truck."
The impact of her statement hit Chase hard. His mouth set in a grim line, he echoed, "A truck. Those horses could be anywhere now."
"Hopefully someplace safe."
"Don't be naive... and don't count on our recovering them."
"But the freeze brands --"
"Don't mean a thing to greedy people without scruples."
Kate didn't want to think the worst. "Maybe we can get them back before it's too late."
"Does that mean you know who hauled them out of here?"
She shook her head. "His flashlight blinded me."
"He? A man. You're certain?"
"Or a big woman. I didn't see a face. But I did see a silhouette. I'm pretty certain it was male."
Chase rubbed a hand over his face. "Seeing this man and the rider responsible for the stampede doesn't mean two of our suspects are working together to ruin the refuge. One of them could've been hired help from the outside -- most likely the truck driver."
But Kate couldn't agree. "I don't think so. He never said a word and I'm pretty certain he positioned himself behind the truck's lights purposely so that Doc couldn't see his face. Besides," she said, starting to loosen the second boot, "Sage knew him."
"She told you so?"
Kate didn't miss Chase's skepticism. "In a manner of speaking."
"Too bad she couldn't give you a name."
She met his gaze. "She probably could if we wanted to put it to the test. Of course you'd have to get the cooperation of everyone involved."
"A line up?"
"With a wild horse as the star witness."
"And a wild woman," he said, grabbing the uncooperative boot with both hands. "Brace yourself."
She set both hands on the floor behind her. "I'm not so wild any more."
With a yank, he loosened the heel, slipped the boot off, yet didn't let go of her foot. "You could have gotten yourself killed."
"Everyone was busy." Aware of Chase's fingers around her ankle through the thick cotton sock, Kate was having trouble keeping her mind on her protest. Suddenly weak-limbed, she leaned back on her elbows. "No one was paying me any mind and I didn't cut across the refuge -- I took the long way around. Besides," she reminded him, "it was broad daylight."
"Which wouldn't stop a killer."
"I'd say whoever they are would be more likely to act at night. Chase, think about the number of horses missing. And that they came from various parts of the property. Whoever took them had to have made at least three hauls. What if they come back for more?" she asked as he let go of her ankle and propelled himself toward her. Heart racing, she continued, "Too bad we couldn't set up some kind of trap --"
Her sentence was cut off by his kissing her to the grumble of more thunder. Unfortunately, the moment was over before Kate could close her eyes and enjoy it.
"What was that for?" she asked breathlessly.
"To stop your mouth before it talked your way into more trouble."
He was leaning over her, his weight resting on his hands, one of his knees wedged firmly between her thighs. The familiar plains of his body so close to hers fairly took her breath away. She flushed all over as her every nerve went on alert.
"Who says I'm afraid of trouble?" she murmured, thinking she was staring into trouble's eyes and liking it far too much.
"You should be."
"You want me to be afraid of you?"
"That's not what I meant," he said, his frown puckering the scar above his cheek. "You're misinterpreting -- like the conversation we just had. When I said I wanted to talk, I meant about you and me."
His serious statement sent a thrill racing along her spine. Tracing the small scar with a fingertip, she asked, "What about us?"
"That's what I want to know." Chase pressed his cheek against her hand and kissed her fingers. "Is there an us?"
. . . a hazy form silhouetted between the truck's high beams and the hot sheet lightning... a brighter, more blinding ray flicking on...
Startled out of Sage's memory, Kate felt as if her heart were pounding right out of her chest. She'd seen someone driving a truck rather than riding a horse. Dear Lord, why hadn't she and Chase thought of this before? All this time they'd been trying to pin the nefarious doings on a single person.
Now she knew for certain that two of them were involved!
Chapter Eleven
"You may not believe this, Kate, but I never forgot you," Chase went on, drawing away from her and sitting back on his heels. "I never really got over... everything that happened between us. When you walked back into my life, I thought I could resist you for your sake, but I was wrong. I'm not that selfless," he admitted. "The little sleep I get is filled with dreams of you. And when I'm awake, I want to be with you every moment. I know I disappointed you once. Can you find it in you to forgive me?"
"I already have."
She'd taken Keelin's question about which was the more important -- a single deed or the whole man -- to heart. There was no question that the man Chase had become was someone she could not only love but respect.
"You were right, you know," he said. "I was a coward. All those years ago, I had feelings for you that were more than I could deal with, especially considering the circumstances."
"You mean the accident," Kate said quickly, hoping Chase finally meant to be honest with her. She scooted up into a sitting position next to him. "You've been holding this in for so long... I'd like to hear your version of what happened."
Maybe then she would truly understand.
Seeming torn, Chase finally nodded and settled down, keeping a small distance between them. "You'll remember we were putting up fence that day. I was already distracted, but if it weren't for the whiskey --"
"I still can't believe you were drinking and working with heavy machinery."
"Stupid, I know. My judgment just wasn't there. We hit a rocky surface and the shaft kept spinning and getting nowhere. Gil decided to help the equipment along by adding his weight to the hydraulics."
&n
bsp; "He got on top?"
His face drawn, Chase nodded. Kate took a deep breath. This was a detail Buck had never related in his version of the story.
"Buck passed me the bottle so he could help his brother. To this day, I don't know exactly what happened. I was in the middle of a long swallow when I heard the thuds. Suddenly, there was yelling. I whipped around to see what was going on just as Buck jumped off the back end, then started shouting that his brother was caught and he couldn't free him. That's when I really screwed up. I panicked and somehow managed to put the tractor in reverse."
Kate's stomach clutched. "Oh, my God." She reached out to touch Chase's arm, to offer him what comfort she could. He placed his hand over hers and continued.
"Then they were both screaming and blood was splattering me. Once I got the tractor in control, I jumped off and tried to help them. Gil lay there, his life's blood pumping out of him -- a shaft blade opened an artery. And Buck's leg was real messed up. Somehow, I managed to haul them both onto the tractor, but by the time I got them back to the barns, it was too late... Buck was half-unconscious and blaming me for his brother's death."
"But it was an accident."
"I was drunk!"
"It sounds like you all were." Though she could understand why he felt guilty.
"I kept visualizing an angry lynch mob stringing me up, so I didn't hang around the ranch. And I couldn't wait until the next morning to find out if the sheriff would come after me. In the middle of the night, when I was certain my old man was out cold in a drunken haze, I sneaked out of the trailer and left Bitter Creek, vowing never to return."
"You were young." She herself had been horrified by the accident that had left one teenager dead and the other lame. But accident it had been, no matter the guilt from which Chase had run. "And we've all done things we have cause to regret later."
"Not like this, Kate. After you hear the rest of what I have to tell you, I'm not sure you'll want --"
Her hand on his mouth stopped his explanation. "Save it."
If he kept talking, he'd give her more opportunity to let the past come between them, and she didn't want that to happen. Not after he'd finally opened up to her. Her heart went out to him because she knew he was still carrying around the burden of guilt. If she could, she would remove it. The best she could do was make him feel better. Focusing on the rhythm of the rain drumming against the house, she feathered her fingers along his cheek.
The McKenna Legacy Trilogy Page 55