by Sioux Dallas
“The pleasure is all mine.” He leaned toward her but she deftly moved aside as if she were unaware of his movement to kiss her. She quickly stepped inside her house, waved at him and shut the door He waited until he heard Sharon lock the door and then walked to his car. He looked over the neighborhood as he opened his door. His eyes half closed when he discovered a car, in the next block, sitting with lights off. He could see the shape of someone in it. While he was looking, the car slowly moved out. The lights were not turned on until the driver turned the corner.
Curious. I wonder why that person was sitting there. Was he watching Sharon? I didn’t notice a tail as we drove home, but then, I wasn’t expecting one. He got in and started his car. Backing out of the driveway, he turned to follow the car that had pulled out. He drove around a couple of blocks in all directions but could not find the car.
It could have been a coincidence, but somehow I doubt it. As Larry drove back to Tallahassee, he kept as eye out for a dark sedan, but no luck.
Sharon prepared for bed and thought about the evening. I don’t know why Keanu and Larry seem to rub against each other when Keanu gets along so well with everyone else. Keanu is very good at sizing people up. Maybe I should pay attention to his feelings about Larry. On the other hand, Keanu could just be resentful of anyone who might show a personal interest in me, she smiled to herself. The phone interrupted her thoughts.
“Hello.” Silence. “Hello.” There was a sound of breathing and movement. She hung up thinking it might have been a wrong number.
As Sharon was getting into bed, the phone rang again. “Hello.” Silence. “Look, if you have the wrong number, why don’t you check with the operator.”
A hoarse whisper answered. “Not wrong number. Just want you to know I’m keeping an eye on you, and I’ll know what you say to everybody.”
“What business is it of yours what I say to people? I think you have the wrong number. There’s no reason for anyone to be concerned about me.” She slammed the phone down.
The phone immediately rang again. She grabbed it up. “All right. I’ve had enough. The police will be checking all calls that I have and you’d better be might sure that you have the right number.”
“Sharon, what’s wrong?” Lynn’s frightened voice implored. “Tell me, honey, did Larry do something to you?”
“Oh, Lynn,” she answered relieved. “No, Larry was a gentleman. I’ve gotten strange phone calls, mostly deep-breathing and hang-ups. I thought it was a teen having fun or a sicko and paid no attention, but the caller just now threatened me.”
“What! Did he give you a clue as to who it might be? Did you recognize the voice?”
“No, and no. He disguised his voice.”
“What did he say?” Lynn’s voice was shaky with concern.
Sharon told Lynn of the call. “Lynn, what could he have meant? What could I say to anyone that would hurt someone else?”
“Sharon,” Lynn said thoughtfully. “There’s more to this. In the past, probably in Texas, you’ve observed something that didn’t register with you, but it was important to someone else. Or you might have passed close to people who were talking and they thought you might have overheard them. Think! Could you have seen something at that motel where the murder was committed? Maybe it didn’t mean doodily-squat to you, but the person might think you’d be a dangerous witness against him.”
“Lynn, we went over this same line of thinking after my car was bombed. I’ve thought until I keep a headache and I can’t remember a thing that would cause someone to try to kill me, or to threaten me. Lynn, I’m so tired of this - tired in mind and body. I just want all of this over and don’t want any of my family and friends hurt because of me. Losing Jennifer nearly killed me. I wish I could think of a solution and get this over with, whatever it is.”
“I’m coming in to stay with you for the rest of the night. Tomorrow you’re moving back in with me. No arguments, or I’m calling mom and dad,” Lynn said firmly as Sharon started to argue with her.
“Oh, please don’t worry our parents. Stay where you are. You have too many responsibilities on your property. Sure you have good employees, but it isn’t like taking care of your own affairs. I would feel badly to take you away.”
They talked a few more minutes and hung up after Sharon made Lynn promise not to tell their parents.
Twenty minutes later, Sharon’s doorbell rang. Her heart leaped and she felt as if she were choking. She jumped with racing pulse and thumping heart as the doorbell rang with determination. She tiptoed to the front and threw on the outside lights.
She shrieked.
Chapter Sixteen
“Keanu!” She jerked the door open. “You scared me to death. What are you doing here? Is something wrong at the farm?”
“Everything’s fine,” he said as he walked in. “We were all in the office when Lynn called you. Everybody wanted to come, but I won. Truthfully, I out-ran them.” he laughed as he crossed the living room and headed for the first door on the right. “I’ll be here in your guest room. I’m a light sleeper, so, have a good restful sleep and know that I’m on the job. No yo yo is going to get to you if I can help it.”
She stared speechlessly as he walked into the room and firmly shut the door cutting off any chance of an argument. Anger washed over her and then she almost giggled. It doesn’t matter what I say, they’re going to try to protect me whether I want it or not. She shook her head and smiled as she went on to her own room.
“Pon my honor,” Sharon exploded. “The whole gang’s standing in a row, like birds on a fence, to see me arrive.” Keanu brought her car to a stop in front of the stables. She burst out of the car with the intention of telling them off. As she looked at their anxious faces, she realized it was their love and caring that made them hover. Her heart leaped knowing that each of these people would do whatever possible to keep her safe. They would be just as concerned about any of the others.
“Hey, gang. You folks look as if you’re waiting for something exciting or important. What’s the occasion?” she teased.
David strode toward her. “We just want to be sure you’re okay.”
Sharon was startled when she saw the expression in his eyes. He really cares. She had to look up so far at him that the back of her neck felt the pressure.
“I’m fine,” she stammered, stepping back so that she would not be looking straight up at him. “It would take a mighty stupid person to try to get to me past all of you.”
“He hasn’t been too smart so far,” Jake explained. “The thing is, we have no clue who this bozo is or if he’s even sane. Until we have a clue as to who it is and what he - or she - wants, you need to be extra careful and let us watch your back.”
“I’ll get your case and take it in.” Keanu turned to get her suitcase from the car. “One of you will have to drive me back later. I left the stable car at Sharon’s and drove her here. I’ll need to go back and get the car.” He didn’t add that it would give him a chance to see if anyone was hanging around.
The teen volunteers gathered around, concerned, but not knowing what to do or say.
“I’m truly grateful, folks, but business needs to go on as usual. Are we going to let this unknown person run our lives?” They looked at each other and shook their heads. Lynn blew her whistle with a catch in her throat. “Okay, group, time to roll.”
Volunteers led horses to the ring and gave a last safety check. Gabe walked the ring and checked all of the equipment. Lynn released a sigh of satisfaction as she watched the organized manner in which all of them proceeded with the day’s work.
Martin no longer needed a leader or side walkers. With his therapy, massages and riding, he was rapidly gaining strength. He continued use of the wheelchair on the open, grounds, but depended on leg braces and special canes indoors.
“Lynn, Martin looks at you as if he could eat you with a spoon. Has he talked to you about his feelings toward you?” Sharon asked, concerned and pleased at the
same time.
Lynn blushed. “Hush, Sharon. Others will hear you.”
“Darling, it’s no secret. All of us have eyes, and we hear the softness in his voice when he says your name.”
“Well, he hasn’t actually said it aloud, but his actions and, yes, his expressions, let me know he’s interested.” Lynn looked as if she wanted to say more but was unsure.
“Do you return his feelings? How do you feel about him?” Sharon was pleased for Lynn and wanted the best for her.
“I don’t really know. I’ve concentrated so long on realizing my dream of this school that I haven’t even given it a thought to have a relationship other than as a friend with anyone. I know he’s a gentleman and a gentle man. He’s intelligent, compassionate, kind to all those around him and we do have a lot of the same interests.”
“But you haven’t given it much thought,” Sharon laughed.
“Talking about feelings, little sister, how do you feel about David? It’s obvious to everyone how he feels about you.”
“I guess I feel about him like you do about Martin. I think David cares about me, but we’ve never had a chance to discuss our feelings. My priority is my education for the present. If we’re meant to be together, then it will happen in time.”
Martin rode up behind them. His face was actually shining as he looked at Lynn. His eyes were so full of love that it was no secret how he felt. “Is this a private discussion or can a poor slob join in?”
“Poor slob,” Sharon jeered. “Are you digging for compliments or giving a character reference?”
“Neither. I was lonely and thought I might find stimulating company over here.” He smiled at Lynn and winked. She immediately blushed which brought a hearty laugh from Martin.
“Lynn, you’ve blushed more since Martin came here than I can remember,” Sharon wisely excused herself to go help with some of the students. She looked back to see Lynn leaning against Martin’s leg and talking seriously with him. She smiled to herself when Martin leaned down and gave Lynn a quick kiss. Hooray! I hope they let each other know completely how they each feel, and soon.
“Hey, Hank. It’s me, Duke. Nothing interesting going on. The whole stupid gang is circling around the little witch like a herd of wild cattle guarding their calves.”
“You know you’re not supposed to be there. You were told to leave and go back to Texas after the bombing. You’re lucky you’re still alive. The Boss is really mad about you taking things in your own hands. You were told to watch, not to do. Get away from there before you’re discovered.”
“Okay. Okay. One more day. I’ll be in touch.”
On the following morning, Lynn and Sharon, with some of the girl volunteers, were stacking hay bales in the loft and cleaning in the storage barn. The men were riding fences, checking and mending breaks as well as any chores that needed doing. Lynn had been teasing Sharon because David had made several trips back to the barn. Each time he called Sharon to him and whispered to her.
“It‘s so romantic,” Rebekah sighed.
Jardine grinned at Lynn. “On the subject of romance, Martin wasn’t letting your lips get cold last night.”
“Oh, ho,” Sharon sighed. “Tell all.” She was thankful for the change of subject.
“There’s nothing to tell,” Lynn said blushing.
The girls started teasing each other and wrestling in the stacks of hay. Suddenly Amelia Reardon screamed. “I’ve been bitten. A snake bit me. Is it poisonous?”
Lynn and Sharon, alarmed and frightened, grabbed a shovel and a hoe to find the snake while Ashley and Betsy helped Amelia down from the hay loft. They all laughed nervously when Sharon called, “Never fear. I’ve found the - um - snake.” Laughing she held up a short length of barb wire. “I don’t know how this got here, but someone was very careless.”
David had raced his horse to the barn when he heard the scream. He looked at Amelia’s wound. “Ouch. That must hurt,” he sympathized. “Sharon, go to my car and get the bottle of peroxide in the glove compartment. I had to buy some yesterday for myself.”
Sharon ran outside the barn to David’s car while he checked Amelia’s wound. “How long has it been since you had a tetanus shot?”
“I don’t know,” Amelia sobbed. “I don’t remember having one.”
“Hold it.” Lynn spoke with authority. “That’s a requirement for working here, and you told me that you had a tetanus shot.”
“Oh, I remember. I had one when I went for my physical for school.”
“Thank goodness. Gang, this is why I insist on all of us having up-to-date shots. On property like this, there’ll be splinters, barb wire, scrapes of all kinds and sometimes animal bites. What’s keeping Sharon?”
Sharon stumbled in looking pale and shaky. She handed the peroxide to Lynn without looking at anyone.
“Poor dear. Don’t tell me you’re squeamish,” David teased her.
“All right, I won’t tell you,” she snapped and wobbled out to go to the office.
After David had treated and wrapped Amelia’s hand, Lynn advised her to ask her mother if she wanted their doctor to check the wound. Lynn then excused herself and went to see about Sharon. I hope she isn’t sick. What can be troubling her other than the usual irritants that she’s lived with for a time?
“Sheilah, did you see Sharon come in?” Lynn asked as she stepped worriedly into the office. There was an unnatural silence in the building.
“Yeah. She was acting funny. I ask her if she was sick, but she said she wasn’t and went to your apartment walking like a zombie.”
Worried, Lynn went quickly up the stairs with her heart aching for Sharon. Lynn’s breath was short and fast in her anxiety. “Sharon, where are you?” Lynn walked into her living room area to see Sharon sitting on the sleep sofa looking as if she might pass out.
Her arms were wrapped around her stomach and she was rocking back and forth staring into space.
“Sweetie, when did you become so wimpy? I’ve never known you to be so sensitive about a small wound, especially when you found it wasn’t a snake after all.”
“It wasn’t that,” Sharon sighed deeply and got up to pace while wringing her hands. “Lynn, do you remember me telling you about the murder at the motel and the man who accidentally knocked me down?”
“Sure, and you said you wished you could have had the opportunity to get acquainted with him.” Lynn waited patiently for Sharon to continue.
“Well, I’ve gotten to know him, and now I wish I never had.”
“What!? Who? Where?” Lynn squeaked anxiously.
“Let me finish. I didn’t tell you something else because I kind of forgot it in the excitement of learning there was a dead man in the room beside mine. The man who ran into me was polite and reached his hand to me to help me up. I noticed that he had an unusual gold ring looking like a coiled snake with ruby eyes. It was obvious that it was an expensive piece of jewelry.” Sharon looked as if she had lost a loved one in death.
Lynn was curious, but waited to hear Sharon explain her behavior.
“No. You never mentioned the ring. You just said he had a deep, sexy voice and was obviously a gentleman in spite of the circumstances. What do you mean you now know him?”
“I saw that ring today.”
“Good grief. Who had it? Where did you see it?”
“Remember when I went to David’s car to get the peroxide?” Lynn nodded but wisely said nothing. “I found that ring in David’s glove compartment.”
“Sharon, that doesn’t mean it’s the same ring. There might be others like it. Besides, David never has let on that he knew you or anything about your accident, even though he has heard the story of the motel murder.”
“I hope and pray that he’ll have a good story of his own, but the more I listen to his voice, he sounds like that man. When he ran toward his car to go with Keanu, I had a memory jog because he ran just like the man ran to that car that night.”
Lynn started to answer when
a buzzer sounded. “Sheilah is signaling that one of us has a phone call on the business line.” She answered the phone in her apartment and turned, with a puzzled expression, to Sharon. “It’s Larry wanting to speak to you, Sharon.”
“Larry, I’m so glad you called. You must be a mind reader. I need to talk to you. I think I have some news you’d like to hear.”
Lynn hissed. “Careful, Sharon. You don’t know that David is the mystery man.”
“What? I’m sorry. Lynn was talking to me. Do you remember when we met at the motel and you wanted to question me about the murder?” She listened for a few seconds.
“Do you remember me telling you about the two men that ran after one accidentally knocked me down? He was wearing an odd ring made of a gold coiled snake with ruby eyes. Yes, I know I didn’t tell you about it before, because I forgot it in all the excitement. I found a ring just like that today in David’s glove compartment. That made me remember it. Too, David has a deep voice as that man did and is about the same height and size of that man.”
Lynn could hear his raised voice over the phone. She was standing by Sharon shaking her head. Sharon said, “Okay, I’ll do that. See you then.” She hung up and sat down quickly because her legs were trembling.
“Sharon,” Lynn was disapproving, “I have a bad feeling that you’ve done the wrong thing. You owe it to David to let him explain first before you mentioned it to anyone else. You know how kind and helpful he’s been. Besides, he loves you. It’s as clear as the nose on your face, and we’ve all recognized it.”
“Then why haven’t we seen that ring before now?”
“He doesn’t wear any rings. Neither does Jake. A lot of men who work in the open or with dangerous equipment will not wear rings.”
“Larry said for us to sit tight and say nothing to anyone else. He’s coming down here tomorrow morning and he’ll question David.
The men were concerned because Lynn went about with a serious face, not smiling at anyone and looking as if she was upset. They were also concerned because Sharon was staying inside and talking to no one. There was no explanation except that Sharon didn’t feel well. When David said he wanted to talk to her, Lynn advised him to let her rest and wait until the next day.