BIG SKY SECRETS 01: Final Exposure

by Roxanne Rustand

  He shook the pastor’s hand and accepted the man’s words of sympathy, then turned and headed back down the stairs. The crowd parted as he strode toward the parking lot with the crying child in his arms.

  “I want Mommy,” Max said brokenly, resting his damp face against Jack’s neck. “I want her back.”

  “I know you do, sport. I know.” Jack rubbed the boy’s trembling back. “You know what? I think we should check out those ponies today. Would you like that?”

  “P-ponies?”

  “Remember? The lady at the store told you about them. It’s a nice day to be outside, after all. We’ll go home and after lunch, I’ll get the directions.”

  Ponies wouldn’t heal a broken heart, but anything to help bring some fun into Max’s life was worth it, whatever the cost.

  After buckling Max into his car seat, Jack rounded the front of the car and braced his hands on the door frame before climbing behind the wheel.

  Fun. What fun did the poor kid have these days? The past three months had been filled with constant turmoil.

  The accident.

  The funeral.

  Closing down Janie’s house and storing the contents, the endless legal complications at the abrupt end of a life. And then there was Ted’s unbelievable act of greed and the ensuing, rabid attention of the local press. Elana’s background as the daughter of a wealthy, influential family had only made it worse.

  Through all of it, Max had been pale and shell-shocked and eerily quiet, and only recently had he started to talk more and to cry over the loss of his parents.

  Did he need playmates? More toys?

  With his August birthday he wouldn’t start kindergarten until next year—Jack knew that much—but maybe he needed some sort of preschool where he could interact with other kids?

  The next three months could be a long, long time in the poor little guy’s life, but maybe Erin would have some ideas or would know someone he could ask.

  Erin turned slowly and scanned the store, giving her search one last try. Had she missed anything? Not likely. She’d looked everywhere, high and low, and the keys were gone.

  She snapped her fingers. “Come on, Charlie. We’ve got to let Jack know.”

  An image of Jack cradling his distraught nephew flashed through her thoughts, and she felt a flash of guilt.

  They’d shown up at church, but given his terse comment, she’d had the temerity to actually question why he’d come—as if she’d had any right. Please, Lord—forgive me for my foolish words.

  Whether or not he wanted to be there, Jack had shown up, hadn’t he? Embarrassment warmed her cheeks as she turned to a display of stuffed animals, picked out the right one, then dropped it in a gift bag.

  “It’s a peace offering,” she told Charlie when he sniffed at the bag. “Do you think it will help?”

  He cocked his head and looked up at her.

  “You’re right. The best thing would be a dog just like you. But maybe he’ll like it, anyway.”

  Charlie dutifully trotted at her side as she walked the fifty feet between the front door of the store and the matching log home next door. She found Jack and Max coming down the porch steps.

  “Oh,” she said, faltering. “I guess you’re leaving.”

  “Actually we were coming over to ask you for directions to that stable.”

  “To see ponies,” Max added.

  “I…um…brought you something. Charlie and I picked it out.” She offered the gift bag to the boy and held her breath as he pulled out the tissue, then withdrew a floppy, white, stuffed animal that looked a lot like Charlie.

  Max’s eyes widened as he hugged it to his chest and rubbed his cheek against the thick, soft fur. “Can I keep it? Really?”

  “You bet.”

  “Thank you!” Still gripping the stuffed animal in one arm, he knelt to give Charlie a hug, then pulled on the pup’s collar. The two of them trotted up the stairs to the covered porch, where Max pushed a ball across the floor and watched Charlie go after it.

  She smiled at the boy’s tight grip on the toy. “The stable is north on 29, then left on Three Peaks Road about three miles. Can’t miss the sign.” She cleared her throat. “Actually I…um…came over to apologize for a couple of things, if you have a minute.”

  “Apologize?” Jack flashed a quick grin. “I can’t imagine what for.”

  “For being rude at church, of all places.” She rolled her eyes. “I can’t believe I said what I did.”

  He laughed. “I’m not sure I can accept an apology when there was nothing to offer it for.”

  “And I need to apologize for something else—inconvenience. I’m missing a set of keys for all the locks on the property, including the house. I’ve looked everywhere.”

  He shrugged. “If they turn up here, I’ll let you know. I haven’t seen anything, though.”

  “The thing is, if someone did break into the store and those keys have fallen into the wrong hands…well, none of us is safe. So I talked to a locksmith in town. He’s going to replace all the locks during the next few days, and he’ll be starting with your house this afternoon.”

  “Do you know if this locksmith is also a handyman?”

  “He dabbles with most anything, so I hear.”

  “Then do you have a minute?” Jack hiked a thumb toward the entryway on the porch. “I’d like to show you the ceiling fan in the living room.”

  She followed Jack to the front door. “Max?”

  The boy shook his head. “I wanna stay outside with Charlie.”

  The windows and door were open to the soft September breeze, and she and Jack would be just inside, well within hearing range. “We’ll be just a minute. Just don’t leave the porch, okay?”

  Slipping closer to the house, the watcher stifled a growl of impatience.

  Two days.

  Two. Whole. Days.

  And what had he accomplished? Exactly nothing—and the clock was ticking. With only an hour or so left today there’d no longer be time to go through the house. Especially if the guy and his kid continued to hang around.

  And coming back next week might be another big trip for nothing, if that renter was still there.

  But a few minutes ago, he’d watched through his binoculars as the man and his kid came out of the house, and it looked like they were leaving. So he’d circled back through the trees, then crept along the side toward the corner of the full-length front porch, just to make sure they were gone—

  A twig snapped beneath his foot at the moment he caught sight of the kid sitting cross-legged on the porch, hugging a dog.

  Startled, he cursed and pulled back.

  It was too late. The boy’s head jerked around, his eyes flared wide. His mouth dropped open in obvious terror as he started to push the dog away from his lap.

  “No, no—I’m just a friend,” the man wheedled. “You sure got a nice dog there. What’s your name, kid?”

  The kid screamed. A blood-curdling, terrified scream that sent the dog into a frenzy of barking.

  It rushed across the porch to throw itself at the rail, its snapping jaws barely missing his face as he fell backward into the bushes.

  From inside the house came the sounds of running footsteps. “Max? Max!”

  Swearing under his breath, the man raced for cover. He’d be back. He had to retrieve what he’d come after, or his life was as good as over.

  Settling into a steady jog, the man smiled to himself as he headed for the car he’d parked out of sight a good mile away.

  There’d be another day. He would succeed. And if anyone got in his way, it would be their own, very unfortunate mistake.

  SIX

  Erin raced out to the porch after Jack.

  Max was huddled in the far corner behind the porch swing, arms wrapped around his knees and the stuffed animal, his eyes closed tight. Charlie was there, too, crowded next to him with his furry head resting on the boy’s shoulder.

  But oddly, after those terrified sc
reams, the boy was silent—as if he’d taken himself into some other world.

  Jack knelt in front of him. “Hey, buddy. What happened? Did you fall?”

  The child was so still he might have been carved of marble.

  “Were you scared of something?” Jack turned and surveyed the empty porch. “What was it?”

  Again, no response.

  Erin walked around the perimeter of the porch and studied the surrounding property. Was that a dark shadow off in the distance, moving through the trees? Or just her imagination? Was it a deer?

  She looked to the north, but there were no customers parked in front of Millie’s, waiting for her to take down the Back In Ten Minutes sign and unlock the door.

  And there were no hikers or animals that she could clearly see in the surrounding stand of pines, though with the dense undergrowth, something smaller might be out there. A fox, or maybe a coyote.

  Bright September sunlight filtered through the trees. The air was crisp with the scent of pine. A fitful breeze toyed with the thick, powdery ribbon of dirt marking a trail that led off into the forest, raising small, swirling dust devils.

  A beautiful day, not a dreary one made for mist and shadows and bogeymen.

  “I don’t see anything, Jack,” she murmured as she came back to stand next to him.

  He rested a tentative, gentle hand on the boy’s shoulder. “Here—want to come with me? We can sit on the swing and you can tell me why you’re scared, okay?”

  Charlie anxiously nudged the child’s face, looked up at Jack and whined, then paced in a tight circle and lifted his head to stare out at the pines.

  When Max still didn’t respond, Jack picked him up in his arms and moved to the swing, where he held the boy on his lap.

  “Did you see…a big deer?” Erin asked, sitting next to them. “Or a bear?”

  The boy gave Erin a silent, stricken look.

  “Hmm. What else could there be? Maybe a moose with bi-i-i-g antlers, like the one in the store?”

  Max shook his head, but just barely.

  “Someone walking on the trail?”

  Instead of snuggling into his uncle’s comforting embrace, Max looked as if he were afraid to trust Jack or anyone else. He kept his eyes riveted on her face.

  “You know,” she continued in a soothing voice, “I looked out there and didn’t see anything. But we do see hikers go by occasionally. The trail running behind your house goes on for many, many miles. Did someone come close to your house?”

  A faint nod.

  She gave him an encouraging smile. “Was it a lady?”

  “No,” he whispered, choking back a sob.

  “Fear of strangers, especially men, has been an issue since…that night.” Jack wrapped his arms around the child and met Erin’s gaze. “Sometimes he’s afraid, but no one is really there. The psychologist thinks it’s related to his terror when the EMTs came on the scene.”

  Erin nodded at his careful choice of words within the boy’s hearing, but the expression on Max’s face seemed too stark, too distressed, for this to be over anything imaginary.

  Could Barry have come here hoping to stir up trouble? Could he have sent Ollie?

  She bent down to try again. “Did the man say anything to you?”

  Max turned away from her.

  “You know what, I think it’s time to go find that pony and have some fun,” Jack said. “What do you think, pal? We can always talk later.”

  Max gave a single nod.

  “And when we get back, maybe we can do some more thinking when things are a little calmer.” Jack stroked the boy’s hair, then glanced at Erin as he stood up and fished his car keys out of his pocket. “Believe me, I want answers as much as you do.”

  Erin swept the store, then dragged in a ladder from the storage shed in back and began working on the inventory.

  Thick dust still covered the more inaccessible merchandise, some of which appeared to have been in place for decades. Oh, Gramps…you hung on to this place way too long.

  Sentiment over his late wife had probably kept him here, coupled with dread at the prospect of living alone with nothing to do. But the long hours had taken their toll on him, and the weariness in his stooped posture when Erin had kissed him goodbye at the airport was enough to break her heart.

  The bell over the door tinkled.

  Charlie, who followed her everywhere and tended to lie down within inches of her feet, rose slowly, his tail thumping against the ladder as she climbed down.

  “Goodness gracious, you’re going to land in the hospital, climbing all over the rafters like that!”

  Erin laughed. Without looking, she knew exactly who it was, from the voice and the lemony scent of Jean Naté wafting into the store. “Now, Isabelle, it’s not as bad as all that. I was only on a ladder.”

  “Humph.”

  A good eighty if she was a day, Isabelle Swanson was a short, rotund woman with a flair for clothes in outrageous color combinations, but she was sharp as a tack and one of the kindest women Erin had ever met.

  Erin dusted her hands against her jeans and headed to the front of the store to give her a hug. “You look wonderful, as always.” And she did, with her silver curls perfectly coiffed and her bright red coat and lilac dress. “I totally love the silver shoes.”

  “Never did think pretties had to be saved for evening. My kiddies love them.”

  “You’re still babysitting?”

  “Third generation, some of them, bless their little hearts. Not full-time anymore, but it helps fill my days.” She waggled a snowy eyebrow. “I saw you in church, but didn’t get a chance to say howdy.”

  “I’m sorry I missed you.” Erin gestured toward the café. “I’m ready for a break. Would you like some coffee, on the house?”

  “With a chance to visit? My, yes.” Isabelle followed her to one of the tables. “It’s good to see you back after all these years.”

  Erin brought out a tray with cups, some cookies and a pot of fresh coffee. “I’m glad to be here. I stayed away far too long.”

  Isabelle gave her a knowing look. “Sometimes a fresh start is best, when there’s been so much sorrow.”

  “And then sometimes it’s best to finally face it all head-on and let go of the past.”

  “So, do you have a special fella?”

  “Nope, and no plans to, either.”

  “You’re too young to be saying that.” Isabelle’s eyes twinkled. “You might just change your mind when the right one comes along. Like that handsome man renting Pete’s house, for instance.”

  Erin choked on her sip of coffee.

  “I’ve seen him with that boy of his,” Isabelle continued. “He seems like a really good daddy.”

  “He’ll just be here for a few months, and then they’re going back to Texas.”

  “Maybe he’ll decide differently. He could fall in love with this town. Settle down.”

  “He’s a nice guy and all, but I learned my lessons early on. You might think you can change someone, but that doesn’t mean you can.”

  Isabelle chuckled. “I can’t see a lot I’d change about that man.”

  “I think he and I are poles apart in our faith beliefs, though. Such different life views just don’t work in the long run.”

  “I wouldn’t jump to any conclusions just yet. He hasn’t been up here all that long, has he?”

  Erin laughed. “You do keep track of our town, Ms. Swanson.”

  “Pays to keep up with things. Now about this young man of yours…”

  Isabelle was a sweet old lady, but she was still as determined as a pit bull. “Strictly business. I’d like to ask you about someone who was in here over the weekend, though. Ollie?”

  “Ah, yes. Sad thing, really. His mother was quite a drinker. I heard he was dropped as a baby and ended up with brain damage of some sort.” Isabelle shook her head, remembering. “He should have had special schooling back in the day. But either his parents didn’t bother, or he slipped t
hrough the cracks in the education system. I’m sure I never saw him in school when I was teaching.”

  “So he works for Barry? He seems devoted.”

  “It must be a terribly lonely life for him, otherwise. I hear he still lives by himself in the run-down place where he grew up, and that he adamantly refuses to move into a group home.”

  “Can’t someone help him?”

  “The local churches drop off food for him, but other than doing occasional odd jobs, he’s a pretty reclusive guy. He won’t even open his door to the county welfare people.”

  “Would he…” Erin carefully chose her words. “Could he be encouraged to do anything illegal? Does he understand the difference between right and wrong?”

  Isabelle straightened in her chair. “Why do you ask?”

  “Just wondering. I think someone broke into the store one night, and there might have been a prowler outside my house.”

  Isabelle shook her head. “Ollie might be easily led, but I don’t think he’d cause anyone harm. Folks around here try to look after him. He’s sort of a town mascot, really. If he got a little mixed up, they’d correct him, not haul him off to jail.”

  Which didn’t exactly answer her question. “And what about the florist?”

  “Barry?” Isabelle pursed her lips. “He’s been up here for at least ten, fifteen years, but I don’t really know him. He keeps to himself, but he’s done well with the garden center and flower shop. Not an easy thing these days.”

  “He warned me about the dangers around here. Yet he looked more dangerous than anyone else I’ve met since coming back.”

  “I suppose so, with all those tattoos and the wild hair. I think he must be a relic from the Vietnam War protest and flower-child era. But,” Isabelle added thoughtfully, “he does have an amazing green thumb.”

  The more Erin saw of Jack, the more she was sure that he was an upstanding, honest guy. Thrust into the difficult situation of raising his sister’s child, he was doing his best and had shown himself to be a kind and caring man, despite Erin’s earlier reservations.