Angels Landing

by Rochelle Alers

  Mrs. Todd took a sip. “It’s jest the way I like it. What about the paper?”

  “The paperhangers will probably have to repair the walls before they put up new wallpaper. Personally, I would leave the walls bare, but that wouldn’t be in keeping with what this house looked like in 1862.”

  Kara busied herself filling a pot with water for grits, then opened the refrigerator and took out eggs, butter, and breakfast links. “Do you want biscuits, Mrs. Todd?”

  “You make biscuits, baby?”

  “I sure do.”

  “Who taught you to cook?”

  “My mama, who learned from her mama.” Jeannette’s mother was actually her aunt. Kara’s maternal grandmother had died when Jeannette was two, and the aunt for whom she’d been named adopted her. Kara didn’t remember either of her grandfathers. By the time she was ready to go to elementary school, both had passed away.

  Mrs. Todd touched the coronet of hair she braided every morning. “You’re nothing like these young girls nowadays who cain’t even boil water. They always eatin’ out or orderin’ in.”

  “I order in and eat out, but I prefer eating home-cooked meals.” Kara removed the top to a large crock shaped like a chicken and scooped out enough flour to make at least a dozen biscuits.

  If she’d been in New York, her breakfast would’ve been a hastily eaten bowl of cereal with a cup of coffee. Lunch was usually on the run, and when she worked late, dinner hardly figured into the equation of having three meals a day. If she didn’t heat up leftovers in the microwave, she would pick up something from the corner deli. One time she’d brought enough to take for lunch the following day, she woke to find it half-eaten; it was the last time she’d done that.

  Her cell phone rang, and Kara took it out of the back pocket of her jeans, staring at the display. She tapped a button. “Hi, Daddy.”

  “Did I wake you, baby girl?”

  Kara glanced at the clock on the microwave. It wasn’t quite eight o’clock. “No. I’ve been up for hours.”

  “This is supposed to be your vacation. Don’t you know how to relax?”

  “I am relaxing, Daddy. I’m making breakfast for the first time in what seems like ages.”

  “Good for you. Your mama told me everything about the will.”

  Kara turned her back when she saw Mrs. Todd staring at her. “What do you think?”

  “I think you’re getting what you deserve, Kara. What Taylor didn’t do for you in life, he made up for in death. And I’m glad he never stepped up to be the father he should’ve been because then I never would’ve had my baby girl. I don’t know why me and your mama didn’t have any more children, but we were blessed to have had you.”

  “And you’re the best father in the world, Daddy,” she whispered into the phone. “I want you and Mama to come to Angels Landing and spend some time with me.”

  “You know I have all the time in the world, but it’s your mama who has a problem getting off from work.”

  “Please, Daddy, try and talk her into taking some more time off. I can even introduce you to a few ex-marines.”

  “Didn’t I teach you that there’s no such thing as an ex-marine. Once a marine, always a marine.”

  Kara laughed. “Sorry about that.”

  “I know she’s taking off Good Friday and Easter Monday, so maybe we’ll come and see you then.”

  “Thank you, thank you, thank you, Daddy. When do you plan to leave Little Rock?”

  She’d thought her father would view her accepting her inheritance from Taylor as an act of betrayal, when Austin had been the one who’d married her mother and given her his name. Austin was her father in every way; the exception was sharing DNA.

  “If we leave Thursday night, with the both of us driving, we should make it to Charleston early Friday morning.”

  “That’ll work. After you rest up I’ll take you around to show you the island. This year you and Mama are going to relax while I prepare Easter dinner.”

  “That’ll work,” Austin repeated.

  “I’ll see you guys at the end of next week… Daddy?”

  “What is it, baby girl?”

  “I love you.”

  There came a long pause before Austin said, “I love you, too, Kara.”

  She ended the call, staring at Mrs. Todd who’d watched her between furtive sips of coffee. “That was my father.”

  “Humph. Your father or your daddy?”

  Kara went back to adding baking powder and salt to the flour, then sifted the dry ingredients into another bowl. “He’s both,” she replied, cutting pieces of cold butter into the mixture until it resembled fine meal. She added a small amount of milk until she’d achieved the right consistency.

  Mrs. Todd set down the china cup Theodora had used for her special guests. She’d told Kara that had all changed once Teddy died and Taylor began using them every day until he too passed on. “It wasn’t that Mr. Taylor didn’t want to be your daddy.”

  Kara’s hands stilled, and then she turned on the oven. “Why would you say that?”

  Mrs. Todd stood up, walking over to join Kara at the cloth-covered oaken table. “It was Miss Teddy. She ruined every friendship he had with a woman. And when she found the letter your mother sent him ’bout carryin’ his baby, she was like a crazy woman. She went on and on ’bout how could he be so irresponsible to make a baby out of wedlock. Miss Teddy didn’t even know your mama, yet she claimed she was out to trick her boy into marrying her.”

  Picking up a baking sheet from a shelf under the table, Kara took a forkful of dough and rolled it between her floured hands, then placed it on the ungreased sheet. “If Taylor knew my mother was carrying his baby, why didn’t he contact her?”

  “Miss Teddy knew how to work her son. She nagged at him day in and day out until he finally gave into her. Out of all of her children, Taylor was the only one who couldn’t stand up to her, and she knew it. Her daughters are jest like her. They have tongues like switches, and they raised they kids to be nasty, too. In the end Taylor wouldn’t have nothin’ to do with them.”

  And now they’re angry with me because I’ll have nothing to do with them, either, Kara thought. “Don’t they know they can catch more flies with molasses than with vinegar?”

  Mrs. Todd sucked her teeth again. “You cain’t tell them nothin’ because they are Pattons, and ’round here that means everything.”

  “What do they do besides being Pattons?”

  “They are doctors, lawyers, and teachers. Supposedly respectable folk. But they sure can act like heathens when need be.”

  Kara finished rolling out a dozen biscuits. She wanted to tell Mrs. Todd that she’d witnessed the Pattons’ behavior in living color. “I’m glad my name isn’t Patton.”

  “It doesn’t matter what your name is. You still a Patton.”

  She didn’t want to tell Mrs. Todd that her so-called relatives had fired the first salvo by having rocks thrown at the windows painted with a message she would have to be a complete idiot not to understand. What would be their next move? Have someone shoot at her?

  Kara would take Jeff’s advice and keep the doors locked at all times. She would also stay close to the house until the security company set up cameras around the property.

  “What do you want with your grits and biscuits, Mrs. Todd?” she asked.

  “I seasoned some whitin’ ’cause I was fixin’ to have fish and grits this morning.”

  “Well, fish and grits it is. Would you mind if I make it in the oven instead of frying it on the stove?”

  “Will it be crispy?” Mrs. Todd asked. “My Willie likes his fish real crispy.”

  “Yes, Mrs. Todd. It will be crispy.” Kara was aware that Mrs. Todd was old school, frying everything from chicken to fish and spareribs. The ribs were delicious, cooking in hot oil two to three minutes when compared to more than an hour in the oven.

  What Kara had found startling was that even with their diet of fried foods, the Todds were slender,
and she attributed that to them being in constant motion. Mr. Todd spent all day walking around the property, pruning and weeding trees and shrubs or cleaning out the pond where a flock of ducks had taken up residence. The highlight of his day was when he sat on the riding mower.

  Mrs. Todd sat on a stool, watching Kara as she sprayed the seasoned fillets with a cooking spray, dusted them in cornmeal, and then sprayed them again before placing them gently on a parchment-covered baking sheet. “Where are you going to stay when they start working inside the house?”

  “I’m going to move into the other guesthouse.”

  “Let me know when you are ready to move in, and I’ll air it out for you.”

  “Thank you.”

  She’d thanked Mrs. Todd when she wanted to tell the older woman that she didn’t want or need a personal maid. She made her own bed, cleaned her bathroom, and did her own laundry, leaving the housekeeper to dust and vacuum. If she hadn’t walked the beach or passed the time digging up dead roots and vines that had been Theodora’s award-winning garden, Kara would’ve gone completely stir-crazy.

  Her cell phone rang again, and Mrs. Todd moved off the stool to check on the biscuits and fish while Kara answered the call. It was Jeff, informing her to expect the security company technician within the hour. Her entire morning and afternoon would be filled with meetings with the engineer, glazier, and now the security company.

  “I really appreciate your help. How can I repay you?”

  “Go to the movies with me.”

  “When?” Kara asked.

  “Tonight.”

  “What time are you picking me up?”

  “Nine.”

  “I’ll be ready.”

  Kara hung up, smiling. She had a date—the first one in more than two years.

  Chapter Fourteen

  Jeff’s grin spoke volumes. Kara had chosen to wear black again, but this time it was a pair of stretch pants, high-heeled booties, and a long-sleeved T-shirt and a wide leather belt that showed off her narrow waist. She brushed her hair and secured it in a ponytail, and the light cover of makeup accentuated her lush mouth and shimmering eyes. Dipping his head, he pressed a kiss to the gold stud in her ear.

  “You look incredible.”

  She gave him a demure smile. “Thank you.” She opened the door wider. “I just have to get my bag and keys.”

  He stood in the entryway, staring up at the plasterwork around the hanging fixture. If the walls could talk in the three-story, twenty-room mansion, they would probably tell secrets known by only the people who’d lived there. His grandmother knew more about the Pattons than he had. His only interaction had been with Harlan who’d bullied him relentlessly until by virtue of Jeff’s height and weight it had stopped.

  Jeff had decided to ignore the animosity between him and Harlan until the mayor of Angels Landing opened his mouth to defame Kara. The man’s twisted mind had him assuming they were sleeping together when nothing was further from the truth at that time.

  Kara had come to Cavanaugh Island a month ago, and during that time Jeff was aware that his feelings for her had changed dramatically. What had begun as a favor to his cousin was now an all-encompassing need to take care of her, though he suspected she didn’t care for him the way he was beginning to care for her.

  As Taylor Patton’s heir she’d become the largest single landowner on Cavanaugh Island, and if the rumors were true, then she was also quite wealthy. If she did need him, it would only be for protection. He could do that as sheriff of the island, but his protective instincts were deeper than his civic duty. Jeff wanted to love her and take care of her—something he hadn’t done for any woman other than his grandmother.

  “Come back here!”

  He turned just in time to see Oliver scurrying away from Kara. Moving quickly, he scooped up the puppy. “Where are you running to?”

  “I opened the crate to give him fresh water, and he escaped.”

  Cradling the dog as if he were a football, Jeff carried him back to his crate. “Personally, I’d let you have the run of the house, but it’s apparent your mama wants to keep you on house arrest.”

  “I heard that, Jeffrey Hamilton,” Kara said behind him.

  “I intended for you to hear that, Kara Newell. Do you let him out during the day?”

  “Of course, I let him out. I only put him in the crate whenever I go out. Right now, he’s teething and gnawing on the baseboards. He hasn’t attacked the legs of the furniture, so hopefully they’ll be spared.”

  Jeff placed the terrier in the crate and slid the latch shut. “I thought you bought him some chew toys.”

  “He doesn’t want his chew toys. The only time he’s quiet is when we sit out on the porch together. I think he’s more feline than canine because he loves the sun. He looks for a patch of sunlight, then settles down to sleep for hours.”

  Reaching for Kara’s hand, Jeff brought it to his mouth, kissing the back of it. “I hope you aren’t thinking of replacing me with Oliver as your companion.”

  Smiling up at him through her lashes, Kara nodded. “He’s a nice little companion. He barked so much today that it’s a wonder he isn’t hoarse. Every time the doorbell rang he went ballistic. But… there’s no way he can replace you.”

  Jeff waited for Kara to lock up the house, then led her to where he’d parked his car. During the short drive to the Cove, she told him the windows had been replaced and the security technician had recommended wiring the house with different zones. The guesthouses and garages would also be secured. Cameras would be installed along the path leading up to the house and in trees around the perimeter of the property as far as the slave village. Everything would be monitored from a central location with access to the local police and fire departments. He would install control panels on all three floors, with no delay signals at the back and rear entrances.

  “If anyone were to come in the back door after I armed the system, then the alarm would go off immediately.”

  “And the call would come in to the station house,” Jeff said. “We’ll answer the call and alert the Charleston PD in case the perp tries to get off the island using the causeway.”

  “I hope it doesn’t come to that.”

  “I feel the same way.”

  Jeff parked in the lot behind the courthouse. He knew parking was limited at the movie theater, and on the weekends it was similar to trying to find a space at the mall during Christmas shopping season. “We’ll walk from here,” he told Kara as he opened the door to come around and assist her.

  The downtown area was illuminated with streetlamps and tiny white lights throughout the town square. Water spilling from the fountain was a sure sign that spring had come to the island. The benches surrounding the fountains were filled with teenagers and other townspeople taking advantage of the warm weather.

  He tucked her hand into the bend of his elbow. “You can tell when it’s springtime on the island. Everyone is out at night, especially on the weekends.”

  Kara sniffed the air. “It smells like spring. I’ve been trying to clear away the overgrowth of weeds that had been Theodora’s garden. I had Mr. Todd cut back most of the brush because I didn’t want to have to deal with snakes.”

  “Are you afraid of snakes?”

  “No. I actually have a healthy respect for them. If they don’t bother me, then I won’t bother them.”

  “We have at least six poisonous snakes here on the island. There are the three Cs: copperhead, cottonmouth, and eastern coral. The rattlers are eastern diamondback, timber, and Carolina pigmy. The pigmy is the most dangerous because most of the time you can’t hear the rattles until it’s too late.”

  “Now you’re scaring me.”

  Jeff tightened his hold on her hand, nodding and smiling to several permanent boarders at the Cove Inn. “I don’t want to frighten you. I just want you to be careful.”

  “How’s David?”

  “Other than a pounding headache, he says he’ll survive. He claims h
e’s going to call you and thank you for looking out for him.”

  “I’m sorry he broke up with his girlfriend. How long were they together?”

  “They must have dated off and on for about five years.”

  Kara stopped, forcing Jeff to stop with her. “He dated her for five years and only now was he ready to propose marriage?”

  “What’s wrong with that?”

  “What’s right with it, Jeff? If a man can’t commit to a woman after two years, then he should get out of her life and let someone else willing to commit step in. It’s no wonder she cheated on him.”

  Jeff started walking again, she keeping pace. “Would you cheat on a man who didn’t commit?”

  “We’re not talking about me.”

  “I’m talking about you.”

  “No, because I’d leave him before I cheated. I don’t know what men are afraid of,” Kara continued. “They find a good woman, but for some asinine reason they’re always looking for someone better. Most times there isn’t anyone better than what they have. Look at some of these entertainers who father children with either one or different women. And because they don’t marry them, they don’t think of themselves as adulterers. Well, in my book they are lower than a snake’s belly.”

  “Damn, baby! Calm down.”

  “I won’t calm down, Jeff. Did David tell you before last night that he was going to propose to Petra?”

  “I don’t think so.”

  “I’m not judging him, but he had to have known his girlfriend was getting restless; otherwise he wouldn’t have suddenly decided to propose.”

  “I don’t know.”

  “He’s your cousin. Don’t you guys talk?”

  “We talk, but David has always been a very private person.”

  Kara stopped again, her free hand going to the middle of Jeff’s chest. “I like David, and it bothered me to see him hurting like that.”

  “Do you ever stop being a social worker?”

  “You’re impossible,” Kara spat out.

  Jeff cradled her face. “I had a long talk with my cousin. He’s not as fragile as he appears. He realizes he should’ve asked Petra to marry him a long time ago, but she always gave him mixed signals.”