Abandoned Hearts (The Ozark Durham Series)

by Regina Tittel

  He reached down to pick up a stone, but his attention halted at the sand by his feet. Jacob knelt and steadied himself with his hand. As he studied the imprinted clue, his stomach knotted with dread. Little satisfaction could be gained when it meant more trouble for livestock. He stood and raked his hard-worked hands through his hair.

  The large four-toed track lacked claw marks.

  Cougar.

  Chapter Two

  Jacob stepped through the backdoor unnoticed and sat on the nearby bench to slip off his boots. He watched his family and enjoyed the unguarded moment. The house hummed with the children’s energy as they went about their chores. Ethan, being older, hovered over his sister.

  “No, Sis. The napkins go under the forks, not on top,” he grinned. Emily scrunched up her nose, before she changed all the place settings.

  “I think I heard your dad come in.” Their grandpa smiled over at Jacob as though he’d kept the secret long enough.

  Jacob stood at the sound of his daughter’s running feet and braced himself as Emily launched into his arms. He swung her small form above his head until she squealed with laughter then planted her back on the floor. Her long, tangled strawberry-blond hair bounced as she skipped around him.

  Ethan walked over, imitating his father’s posture. “The sow had her litter today, Dad. I counted seven of them.”

  “Did she have any trouble?”

  He straightened his back a little more. “Nope, but I stuck around just in case.”

  Jacob’s chest swelled with pride. His son exhibited a great maturity for eight-years-old. In the presence of his children, all stress from the farm would momentarily fade into the background.

  “Daddy,” Emily interrupted his thoughts, “can I hand-feed the runt?” Her light blue eyes sparkled with anticipation.

  “You did that last time. It’s your brother’s turn now.” He playfully tapped the end of her nose.

  “Oh, pooh!” Emily pouted and stomped her foot.

  Jacob smiled at her childish antics then turned to her brother. “And, Son, thanks for checking on the sow.” He squeezed his shoulder as they started for the kitchen.

  The kids seated themselves beside their grandpa, Luke, while Jacob washed at the kitchen sink. He appreciated the warm water as it relaxed his tired hands.

  “Did you see any sign of what’s gettin’ the calves?” Luke shook his finger at Emily who tried to sneak a bite of her roll.

  Jacob sighed. The stress hadn’t gone far. It now knotted in his shoulders. “I think my first guess was right, Dad. That conservation agent can mock me all he wants, but I found the tracks to prove it today. We have a beef-fed cougar out there.”

  Jacob slipped the draped towel off the stove handle and dried his hands. The evening sky had already darkened and a low roll of thunder promised to wet his fields. Unfortunately, it would also wash away the track.

  His only proof.

  Luke shifted in his chair. “Let’s not waste any time. We need to hunt it down before it kills any more livestock. What’s the number at now, three that we’ve lost?”

  “Four.” Jacob stared out the kitchen window into the dark and contemplated the hunt. His children only had one parent to depend on and an aged grandfather. For their sakes, he couldn’t afford unnecessary risks. “From what I’ve read, those cats are tricky. We should probably consider calling in some help.”

  He turned and faced his family. The children stared at him with huge, round eyes mixed with fear and excitement. He had to keep them safe. If something happened to them...Jacob settled in a seat beside Emily. “Kids,” he made eye contact with both of them, “this means no more wandering around without Pa or me with you.”

  “Moses would keep me safe, Dad. When I go exploring, he never leaves my side.” Ethan referred to his mutt who stood outside. His tail could be heard as it thumped the back door.

  “That may be, but until I snag that cat, you’re to do as I say. No need in taking any extra risk.” Jacob paused and rubbed his chin. “Which makes me a bit worrisome for that lady I helped today.”

  Luke’s brows rose. “What particular lady would that be?”

  “The one with a flat tire and a high spirit.” Though he spoke the words with affection, his forehead furled with concern. “And if my guess is right, she’s wandering this way in the dark.”

  Outside, the sky rumbled to a steady rhythm. The thunder grew closer. With a cougar on the loose and a storm about to hit, that lonely road was no place for a woman. Before anyone could question him further, Jacob grabbed a dinner roll from the table, scooted back his chair and headed to the back door. He clenched the roll between his teeth as he slipped on his boots.

  “You all go ahead without me. I’ll be back in a bit with some company.” He grabbed his coat and bolted out the door.

  ***

  Unease built in the pit of Ann’s stomach the further away she drove. She glanced at the dash-board clock. Wobbly hands swayed back and forth across the six, keeping time with the trucks movements. Would she ever get back to her uncle’s? As doubts tempted her to give up, she caught sight of an overgrown trail. She exhaled in relief and let her stomach muscles relax. “Thanks God. I was beginning to wonder if You’d forgotten I was out here.”

  Easing her foot off the gas pedal, she brought the truck to a slow stop past the trail. This time, she remembered to engage the clutch. She peered at the road ahead and noted the gravel disappeared into a wide creek. Her voice rose with each outspoken thought. “First I crossed a one-lane wooden bridge and now there’s not even a bridge. Signs of civilization just keep diminishing.”

  The stubborn stick shift refused to slide into reverse. “Oh, no you don’t. I didn’t come this far to give up now.”

  Ann returned the stick to neutral, lifted her foot from the clutch and shoved it down again. A trick she’d seen her uncle do. She pulled back toward reverse. After a few grinds from the transmission, it shifted into place. “Ha, I did it! Uncle Frank’s farm, here I come.”

  She strained to see the road through the back window. Here we go. Peering over her shoulder, she turned the wheel to the left and pressed the gas to turn onto the path.

  Crunch!

  The tires dropped into a deep ditch, followed by the sound of the bumper as it dragged the gravel. Next, the increasingly familiar sound of a flattening tire hissed. Ann dropped her head forward onto the steering wheel. A rush of air left her lungs. Why couldn’t this be a dream? “Uhhgg. I guess I should’ve finished that prayer about safety.”

  She swung open the door of the truck as a cool breeze swept in, tainted with the smell of rain. The fragrance would’ve been relaxing given different circumstances. Instead, goose bumps prickled across her skin. She shivered and reached behind the seat for the green army coat she saw earlier. It lacked a hood and boasted a broken zipper, but it would help.

  She slipped it on. “Oh goodie, you and the jack must be roomies. You guys smell just alike.” Sarcasm did little to improve her situation.

  She stretched toward the glove box. “Please open.” The rusted latch refused to budge. Banging on it didn’t help either. At least, a partial moon imparted some light.

  Sorry about the truck, Uncle Frank, but you left me a lemon.

  Ann started back on the gravel road. How many miles was it to the cabin she’d passed? It didn’t matter. Her only option was to walk. She pulled the coat tighter around her body, and tried to ward off nightmarish thoughts of what lurked about in the dark.

  The largest animal she had to be concerned about was a coyote, and if she remembered correctly, they were mainly scavengers. She could throw her arms up in the air and make a lot of noise; that would probably scare them off. Or climb a tree. Maybe even sleep in one. Of course, the last time she climbed a tree she’d been fourteen. That was a far cry from twenty-seven. Could she even pull herself up in one now?

  From the age of eight, she’d climbed every tree imaginable, often just to spy on her brother and his frie
nds, wondering what could be so special she couldn’t go along, too. It always gave her mother fits, afraid her only daughter would break her neck. But her aunt and uncle never minded.

  That’s why the acceptance of their invitation came so easily. While they vacationed, their farm became her personal retreat. If any place could distract her from the recent events in her life and help her relax, it would be here. The place that held her most treasured childhood memories.

  Unfortunately, the drastic change had yet to prove enough. The all-too-real nightmares still haunted her sleep. She shivered and pulled the coat closer.

  Ann paused and looked up at the starless sky. “I’ve waited for months to know what I’m supposed to do with my life, where I’m supposed to be.” She inhaled a deep breath to ward off the urge to cry.

  “What a sense of humor You must have, when You know that patience is anything but my strong suit.” She often talked out-loud to God. “Life would be so much simpler if it came with a manual.” The Bible came to mind. “I mean a personal one.”

  A sudden stillness settled around her. Weren’t there some frogs or night birds making noise a minute ago?

  The hairs on the back of her neck stood up. The leaves rustled off to her side. Ann jumped. “Ahh!”

  The darkened form of a mouse scurried across the road and into the field.

  Before she could laugh at her silly behavior a creature with a five-foot wingspan swooped overhead. Ann opened her mouth to scream, but all that came out was a hoarse whisper.

  She froze in fear. Her breaths came in short gasps. As lightheadedness overwhelmed her, the terrible winged beast released its demonic laughter… in hoots.

  “Hoot, hoot. Hoot, hoooooo.”

  Ann shook her head and nervously laughed at her own foolishness. Her chest heaved a huge sigh as she tried to slow the beating of her heart. She picked up her pace and continued down the road.

  Though thankful she hadn’t been in danger, she still couldn’t shake the eerie feeling of being followed.

  A shadow emerged in the field and mimicked her pace. Ann paused. Her breath froze on her lips. The shadow paused. Could this be what Jacob referred to, one of their wild critters? Tears of fear formed at the corner of her eyes. She stepped forward and quickened her stride. The shadow did the same.

  Was it time to climb? Ann scanned the selection lining the road. Ahead, three yards, stood a large tree with low branches. Her decision made, she took one last look toward the shadow…it turned into the field and disappeared in the night.

  Thank you, God. Ann struggled to control the trembling in her legs. She had to keep walking. Besides, perhaps it was her imagination. It hadn’t lessened with age, which made being a nanny so fitting. She allowed thoughts she’d tried to bury surface, anything to ward off her fears.

  Her heart ached for the little girl and baby brother she’d no longer hold in her arms. She’d accepted them as she would’ve her own children. Although other nannies had warned her to protect her heart, stay at a distance, Ann couldn’t. She’d always been an all or nothing kind of girl.

  A few yards further, her foot slipped on loose gravel. She lurched forward and braced her fall with her hands, but not before her knee took the blunt of the impact.

  “Oh, no,” Ann moaned and turned over to see the damage. “Great, this jacket won’t zip, and now I’ve torn my jeans and everything is throbbing.” Her exaggerated moan preceded a loud crash of thunder.

  ***

  Jacob pulled his pickup out of the lean-to as it began to rain. That lady’s mood is going to be even prettier. After a quick decision, he turned down the way he’d last seen her. He figured her spare wouldn’t have held out long enough to get past his place.

  His dad would have his hands full with the children. They rarely received visitors and their excitement was clearly evident in their bright eyes.

  A pang of guilt settled in his chest. He sighed and peered through the window, forcing himself to see more than his past. Since their mother left, he’d allowed himself to grow cynical and cold toward the idea of ever pursuing another relationship. He still didn’t know where he went wrong by his ex-wife but sure didn’t want to fail again. Although that decision suited him fine, his children were the ones who suffered. Their grandmother had passed away a year before, which left them lacking a female’s touch. Luke did his best to fill in, but a man could only provide so much.

  The odds didn’t look good for Emily. As if her hair wasn’t already an indication.

  Why, he didn’t know, but Ann’s face came to mind. Though her safety still posed a concern, he gave in to the tiny smile that tugged at the corners of his mouth. She sure looked nice in those snug jeans.

  What would it be like to have a wife with that kind of spunk? Fun and challenging. The kind of challenge a man looks forward to.

  He considered his past marriage. Something could be said for marrying someone for comfort. It might sound okay, but it’s never enough. Maybe if they had waited to have children, lived a little, fought a little, played a lot. But why think about a past he couldn’t change?

  About a mile and a half down the road he spotted her. She made a pitiful sight with her damp hair, a noticeable limp, and what…did she just hunker down in the ditch? He arched a brow. Was she hiding?

  Jacob slowed his truck to a stop in the middle of the road, leaving the windshield wipers thumping in a steady rhythm. He stepped out and advanced toward Ann through the pouring rain. He saw her open her mouth and swung her up in his arms. “Save it, I’m not getting soaked to the bone just to hear you yammer.”

  He came off gruff, but had no appreciation for ice cold rain down his back. Besides that, he found it easier to aggravate this spunky lady than face the growing awareness she caused. She smelled like sweet honeysuckle that grew along the roadside in the spring.

  His favorite scent.

  And with each forward stride, her head fell against his chest while her hands tightened around his shoulders. He warmed to the feel of her in his arms. And when she shivered, he did exactly what he’d wanted to, he drew her closer.

  What’s happening to me?

  This vulnerable woman was breaching the very barriers he’d so carefully erected.

  The rain increased and the sky thundered in rhythm as Jacob reached the truck. He threw open the door and thrust Ann over to the middle of the seat as he quickly followed. She tried to scoot to the other door but couldn’t. Farm supplies occupied the seat. After he flipped the heater fan to max, he threw his arm across the back of the seat. “We’ll have to drive in reverse. Your truck is blocking the only turn around.”

  Jacob marveled at the way she held her composure. He suspected he unnerved her and fully expected a mouthful once they were inside the truck, but to his amazement, this whirlwind of a woman sat silent. “Are you frozen?”

  Ann shot him a quick glance. “A little cold… and a little tired of walking.”

  Not one to say, I told you so, he didn’t respond to her admission. “Hold your hands to the vent. You need the heat more than me.”

  Jacob dared to look in her direction and noted she even appeared humble. With her torn jeans and soggy clothes and hair, she looked bedraggled and lost. He mentally fought off the growing urge to stop the truck and hold her. With one more stolen glance, this time at her dewy lips, he mentally confessed he’d never be able to stop with an embrace.

  Where are these thoughts coming from?

  He forced his attention back to the road and tried to further dampen his desires with the acknowledgment she’d never let him touch her. As she warmed, her defiant streak took control again as though convincing her she no longer needed his help. She now leaned forward, probably in an effort to keep their bodies from touching.

  Well if that’s the case, he’d have to improvise.

  Jacob gave in to his mischievous thought and let the truck lurch, which threw Ann against the back of the seat. He smiled out of the side of his mouth. “Now that’s the way you
’re supposed to sit.”

  Since he still drove in reverse, Jacob eased passed his driveway and slowed to a stop then shifted forward and turned toward his cabin. Ann jerked her head toward him, anxiety lacing every word. “I thought you were taking me home?”

  “Not in this weather, I—”

  “I can’t stay here,” she interrupted. “I need to get back to my uncle’s house. I assumed you would realize that.”

  Jacob’s gaze fell to where her hand rested on his forearm, sending sparks clear to his heart. She quickly withdrew her hand and stared at the floor of the cab

  “Look Lady, if we can even make it across the wooden bridge I’d be surprised, but just supposing we could, I’d never get back over it before the flood waters. So the way I see it, I have two options. I can either be stuck at your place, excuse me, your uncle’s place, or you can be stuck at mine. And, I believe my kids would like me home.”

  Ann slowly brought her head up and narrowed a gaze at Jacob. “You, have children?”

  Chapter Three

  Ann’s curiosity grew as they approached the back of the cabin. Jacob pulled to a stop but kept the truck running. The rain pounded around them and made it hard to hear his voice. “Go on in, I’ll be right there.”

  He helped her out then returned to the cab. She stepped around the truck before he drove away to park and nearly fell again as her right foot sank into a deep hole, filling her boot with water.

  “Ahh…that’s freezing!” She hurried toward the house, thankful she didn’t have far to walk.

  Ann hovered beneath the small shelter overhanging the door. As a stranger, did she go in and perhaps frighten the children, or disobey the “ego” man’s instructions and get soaked? Puffs of air could be seen in front of her from the warmth of her breath meeting the cold air. Her foot grew numb. Perhaps she should take the risk.

  Someone made the decision for her as the door swung open and an aged hand pulled her through by the arm. An older version of Jacob stood in the threshold and stepped back to allow her room to enter.