When she spotted her, she left the porch and practically ran toward her. “Laura! It’s so good to see you.”
She greeted her friend with a hug. “You too. I guess Thomas called ahead for me…”
She nodded. “I’m glad he did. I’m so happy to see you! Come in. Come in.”
Laura followed her into the tidy home and shed her coat. An informal person, Valerie took it and draped it on the back of a chair.
“Sit, sit,” she urged, smoothing a hand through her reddish, blonde hair. “Tell me what’s been going on in Georgia. I want to hear everything about your job.” She pinned her with a look and clasped her hands with delight. “But first, are there any young men in your life?”
Laura answered the latter question with a brisk shake of her head. “I’m too busy for romance, I’m afraid.”
Valerie saw right through the remark. “Left your heart in Battle Ground, didn’t you?”
Laura didn’t bother denying it. She was well aware that Valerie probably read her better than anyone in her home state. Of course, Laura had often confided in her, as the two had ridden horseback in the pastures behind the house.
“Oh, I was a little kid then,” she said, and gave a self-deprecating smile. “But it is nice to see Dalton again,” she added neutrally.
Valerie wasn’t fooled. “Nice,” she repeated. “He certainly grew into a handsome man, didn’t he?”
Laura nodded. “He’s always been easy on the eyes.”
“But that’s not what drew you to him, is it?” Valerie remembered.
“I’d like to think not,” Laura said, chuckling.
“Anyway, how are things going over at the old homestead?” Valerie abruptly sobered. “I heard Candace isn’t doing very well. I’m so sorry about her miscarriage. I know it hit her hard.”
“I am too,” Laura said sadly. “And it did hit her awfully hard.”
Valerie frowned. “Is it true she and Dan are splitting up? I know that sometimes couples have a difficult time surviving a loss. I just hope they hang in.”
“They’re separated, I guess you could say. Although they are living in the same house…” Laura frowned. “You know, that hadn’t really occurred to me until now—that they’re still living in the same home. I know they avoid one another—or I guess Candace avoids Dan, anyway—but surely it’s a good sign that they’re still under the same roof.”
“That roof, and the structure beneath it, is for sale,” Valerie said.
Laura nodded. Dan had told her that. She sat quietly, considering their continued co-habitation in the house, but then realized they were probably staying in the same home out of financial necessity. Dan had confided in her their financial troubles.
Valerie gave Laura a shoring smile. “With God, all things are possible,” she recited.
“That’s what I’m counting on,” Laura told her friend.
“If there’s anything I can do to help out, please let me know.”
Laura watched her friend thoughtfully. She wasn’t certain how much to divulge. She hated the idea of betraying a confidence, but she suspected she could benefit from a neutral point of view.
“Valerie, do you remember how Candace used to treat me?”
Valerie gave a weary sigh. “I do. And as you know, I couldn’t abide that girl’s awful behavior back when she was a teenager, but…” She raised a clarifying finger. “Candace has changed. I’ve seen it myself. I mean, well, before all the sadness…”
She cocked her head, as if remembering. “She was such a wonderful mother. Those kids, and Dan… They were her life. She devoted herself to them, and I can honestly say, nobody could question her maternal instincts.”
“That’s what everyone tells me,” Laura said. “And I do believe it.”
“What brought you home, Laura?” Valerie asked, as if sensing correctly that Candace was the impetus for her visit. “Was it your sister’s troubles?”
“Candace sent me an e-mail, asking me to come.”
“She needed her sister,” she said with conviction.
“I don’t know. I think she wanted me to come, because she wanted an opportunity to apologize to me.”
“She could have done that over the phone, or in a letter.”
“Or in an e-mail,” Laura said. “She did, in fact, apologize in an e-mail, but she also told me she was sorry in person.” She heaved a beleaguered sigh. “I’m hoping for a chance to talk to her—to find out what’s really going on with her.”
“Just looking at her, you can see she’s tortured or torturing herself,” Valerie observed.
Valerie had always been a perceptive person. Laura nodded, recalling that Candace had told her at the mall, during lunch, that she was unable to forgive herself.
But for what? For the way she’d treated her? There had to be more to the story.
Suddenly overwhelmed with worry, she rose from the chair. “I’d better get back home.”
Valerie stood from her chair. “Will you be careful walking back? It’s awfully dark. I can drive you.”
“No, that’s okay. I’ll be careful,” she assured her.
“Come by soon. There’s a certain horse who would love to see you.”
Laura gasped. “Tillie is…?”
“Alive and well.”
Chapter Fifteen
Laura walked along the side of the road, keeping her eyes alert for any traffic. It probably hadn’t been her brightest move deciding to walk along a dark, country road. But she knew this country like the back of her hand. She felt safe from that perspective, but… It was still a stupid thing to do.
It had been nice seeing Valerie again, and she looked forward to a return visit. And hearing Tillie was still alive and kicking—probably literally—she couldn’t subdue the smile on her face. She loved that old horse.
As she walked along, she spotted the lights of the farmhouse in the distance. She tugged her coat against her, surprised at the chill in the air. She perked her ears for any sounds, but knew anything with a brain was hunkered down for the night. She laughed at the thought, and at herself for exposing herself to the elements when she could be warm in her room in the farmhouse.
She suddenly wished it was summer—the night warm and alive with the sounds of birds and insects. There was no place more beautiful than Southwest Washington during summer, she decided. In her mind’s eye, she pictured Battle Ground Lake, a nearby park she had visited with her family. She was particularly enthralled by Saddle Dam, a beautiful, rustic park only miles from her home. The reservoir there was an outdoor enthusiast’s paradise, and she missed the lazy days on the lake she’d spent with friends and family.
Lost to her thoughts, she didn’t hear the vehicle approaching, until it was beside her. She heard the crunch of gravel and nearly leapt out of her skin. She spun around. A patrol car had pulled up behind her and fixed a spotlight on her face. She blinked against it, and raised her hands, as if warding off the beams of light.
“Laura,” Dalton called. He’d pushed open the door and squinted to see. “Is that you?”
“Yep, it’s me,” she answered.
She heard his gasp of disbelief as he shut down the spotlight. “What are you doing out here at this time of night, walking along a dark road alone? You’re going to get yourself killed.” He climbed back in the car and carefully pulled up beside her. “Get in the car. Please.”
“Okay. I won’t argue,” she said good-naturedly. “It’s cold out here. Brrrr,” she added, as she climbed into the car.
“Belt up,” he commanded, still watching her with shock etched on his face.
“Oh, sure. Not a problem,” she said agreeably.
He gave her a moment to get herself situated, and then carefully eased onto the roadway. He picked up speed and Laura turned to him, surprised, when he drove past the house.
“What are you doing?” she asked, perplexed. “You just…” She turned back and aimed a limp finger at the farmhouse, watching the lights recede from v
iew.
“You’re coming with me,” he told her.
“Okaaaay. Why?”
“Because we’re going to grab a coffee somewhere and I guess we’ll talk about why it isn’t a good idea for a young woman to walk alone along a dark road. Seems like a lesson you might have already learned, but apparently, some of us are slow learners.”
She knew he was referring to her encounter at the store, so she didn’t point out that she’d been attacked in a parking lot, rather than along a dark, deserted road. It didn’t seem prudent, and she’d already acknowledged to herself that she hadn’t been thinking when she went off alone. However, she wasn’t particularly receptive to him treating her like a child. She was a grown woman.
“I just wanted to give Thomas and Macy time alone,” she explained, realizing he was waiting for an explanation. “I was eager to visit with Valerie. I hadn’t had a chance to stop by yet, and…” Laura realized they were back in town when a cluster of lights came into view. “Where is it we’re going?” she asked for clarification.
“I’m going to grab a coffee,” he told her, as he steered into the lot of a convenience store. He pulled into a space and turned off the ignition. “Would you like one?”
“Oh, no thanks. The caffeine would probably keep me awake.” She grinned. “Since I have that great bed to sleep in, I’d rather be tired at bedtime.”
He nodded and left her alone briefly to purchase a cup of coffee. He soon returned and sipped the steaming cup, all the while sitting, unspeaking, in the car.
“Quiet night?” she asked him.
He nodded. “Fortunately for you.”
“Look, I know it wasn’t a good idea to go out in the dark like that…”
“Then, why did you? I would think the incident at the store would have…” He closed his eyes and drew a deep breath.
“Are you allowed to have a citizen in your car?” she asked, remembering she’d had occasion to ask him that before.
“When the citizen does something dangerous, yes. When that citizen is a…” He swallowed. “…A friend, who needs a talking-to.”
“I don’t need a ‘talking-to,’” she assured him.
“Oh, yes, you do.” He continued to sip his coffee.
“Are you … going to talk?” she asked, bracing for his reply.
“When I’m done with my coffee.”
To Laura’s relief, and Dalton’s obvious consternation, he received a notification from dispatch, alerting him to a call. “I guess I have to take you home. Fortunately, home is on the way to my call. I’ll have to drop you at the base of the lane,” he told her with a sigh as he hurriedly backed up and sped out of the lot.
“That’s fine,” she said, relieved. Dalton just didn’t seem himself.
“You’ll walk straight home?” he said, turning and fixing her with a penetrating gaze.
“Yep.” She gave a shrug. “Where else would I go?”
“There’s no telling,” he said pointedly.
Suddenly, his ill temper began to chafe. She was a grow woman, and certainly didn’t need anyone telling her what to do and when to do it. She knew Dalton was protective of her family. She got that. But she was an independent person and probably always would be.
As he dropped her on the lane that led to her brother’s house, she thanked him curtly, and then shut the door with a tad too much vigor. She saw the bewilderment on his face, as he watched after her. Finally, apparently satisfied she was going to make it home in one piece, he started the car and drove away.
She walked up the lane to the house and found Thomas standing on the front step, apparently looking for her. “Where’d you go?” he demanded. “I called Valerie and she said you’d left awhile ago.”
She only shook her head in response. She suddenly remembered why she’d left home in the first place—or one of the reasons, at least. Her siblings could be awfully intrusive in her life, and never ceased to treat her like a child.
“I’m going to bed,” she said, and paused, daring him to persist in asking questions. He saw the look of daggers she shot his way.
He raised his hands in a conciliatory gesture. “Sorry, sorry,” he uttered contritely, and then under his breath added, “great. Just what I need. Another temperamental woman in my life.” He glanced heavenward. “Lord, help me.”
***
Alone in her room, Laura revisited her encounter with Dalton. If she didn’t know better, she might think he had feelings for her—and deeper than those he might feel for a sister.
No, that couldn’t be. He was simply protective. He’d known her for so long, he couldn’t help but be a little protective—well, a lot protective. And considering what had happened to her at the store, she supposed his concern was understandable.
As she eased back into bed, she wondered if she was going to have an opportunity to talk to her sister the next day. Since Dan had picked the kids up, she knew that meant Candace was off and doing Lord knows what tonight.
Laura closed her eyes and prayed. She asked for protection for loved ones—Candace in particular—and then asked for help dealing with the respective members of her family.
She thought again about her encounter with Dalton earlier, and later her brother, and almost felt bad for her treatment of them. But they had pushed too hard with their brotherly concern.
Would they ever understand she was capable of taking care of herself? Both had felt compelled to remind her of the incident at the grocery store, but both seemed to forget the most important detail of that horrible encounter—she had dropped the bad guy. There was no way she would have ended up in a car with him.
She knew better than to blindly follow someone into the confines of a car, since she’d written many, many accounts for her news program of women and children who had done just that. She knew that regardless of the threats made by a potential abductor, the victim was better off risking a bullet if she ran away, than actually entering a vehicle. To do so generally meant certain death.
Really, if only Thomas and Dalton could give her some credit. She sighed, acknowledging that was unfair of her. She had been careless by walking alone along a nearly-deserted country road. Something could have happened to her. If two men, or even more, had found her alone, they could have easily pulled her into a car and no one would have been the wiser. If Krissy ever pulled a stunt like walking off alone…
She resolved to apologize to both Dalton and Thomas in the morning. Their concern had been heartfelt, their frustration with her, warranted. She was fortunate she had people in her life who cared about her. Many people didn’t.
***
Laura woke early the next morning. To her delight and surprise, the sun shone brightly in the sky. Her heart soared at the sight of that ball of golden warmth. It was so wonderful to see it, she nearly shouted with joy.
When she heard a soft knock at the door, she padded over and pulled the door open just a fraction. She wasn’t prepared for anyone, save Krissy, to see her dressed in her pajamas.
“Hello,” she said softly. “Who’s there?”
“Dalton,” he said. “Hey, I just wanted to apologize for last night…”
“No, no, it’s me who should be apologizing to you. You’re right. It was stupid of me to have gone off alone like that at night.”
He was silent—apparently taken aback by the admission. He cleared his throat. “Well, I am sorry too. I shouldn’t have been so hard on you.”
“You really weren’t,” she assured him.
“Hey, how ‘bout that weather,” he commented. “Did you notice the sun is shining?”
“How could I miss it?” she said happily. “Any idea what’s on the agenda, for after church, I mean? Are we watching the kids today?”
“I’m not sure, but I’ll leave you to get ready.”
“I’ll hurry,” she said agreeably, and heard him whistling as he walked away.
She gathered up her clothing and toiletries and dashed to the bathroom. She realized she wa
s last to shower, since she heard both Dalton and Thomas downstairs. She also realized that they had thoughtfully left some hot water for her, since she actually made it through a shower without developing hypothermia.
After dressing for the day, she padded downstairs and found the two men in the kitchen. Thomas was flipping pancakes, and Dalton was pouring orange juice into glasses. He’d set four plates.
“Macy is coming over?” she asked.
“Yes, she is,” he answered cheerfully.
“But the kids aren’t…?”
He shook his head. “No. Dan called. Candace is working a shift at the mall, but he’s off for the day. He’s determined to spend more time with the kids, for which I applaud him.” He turned and smiled. “I don’t mean that I don’t want to watch them,” he was quick to assure them. “But they need time with their own parents. Besides, Dan is dropping them off later. We won’t have them long, since Candace intends to pick them up as soon as she gets off work.”
“Why is Dan dropping the kids off? Didn’t you say he isn’t working today?” Dalton asked.
“Not today, but apparently he’s working some kind of ‘emphasis’ tonight.”
“Oh, that’s right,” Dalton said, as he returned the carton of orange juice to the fridge. “It’s a DUI emphasis.”
“Aren’t you participating?” Thomas asked him.
He shook his head and sat down beside Laura at the table. “Not this time.”
“But… You always…” He gave his friend a speculative look, and then smiled broadly.
“What are you smiling at?” Dalton asked in a surly tone.
“Oh, nothing. Nothing,” he answered, glancing from Dalton and to his sister, and then back.
Laura missed the warning look Dalton sent her brother. When he turned toward her, he smiled. “How do you like your pancakes? Syrup? Jam? Powdered sugar?”
She let out a guilty giggle. “All of the above.”
Dalton laughed out loud. “Your wish is my command.”
***
After returning home from church, and feeling buoyed by the pastor’s message, Laura hurried to her room. She shed her dress clothing, eager to slip into jeans and a warm top, and get outside. She considered the countryside around Battle Ground some of God’s finest work, and she knew it wasn’t likely she was going to have another opportunity to experience sunshine in her hometown for a very long time.
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