Listen to Your Heart

by Irene Brand

  Offering him her hand, Laurel said, “You’ve lifted a burden from my heart that’s been there for years. It’s hard to find closure for a death without a body.”

  “I may not see you before you leave, but I’ll be in touch by telephone. My attorney will bring the necessary papers to your hotel.”

  Micah and Laurel stood on the sidewalk and watched the limousine drive away.

  “I feel sorry for him,” Laurel said as they walked into the hotel.

  “It’s pretty hard to feel sorry for a man who’s a multimillionaire, but I agree with you. Maybe he finds contentment at Twanke village, but I doubt it.”

  Stepping into the elevator that would take them to their rooms, Laurel asked timidly, “Do you think he’s married to one of those women?”

  “I’m sure he lives with one of them. I saw two children with near white features, and they looked like Morrow.”

  Micah opened the door into her room, and Laurel took a deep, steadying breath as she slumped in one of the upholstered chairs. “Since we left home, my emotions have been skyrocketing. Now I feel like I’m on a downhill slope.”

  “Don’t collapse yet,” Micah said with a laugh, taking her hand and lifting her upward. Holding her at arm’s length, he said, “Before we left Oaklawn, you admitted you loved me and wanted to marry me, but not as long as you thought your husband was alive.” She lowered her heavy lashes, but Micah lifted her chin so that her eyes met his. “Are you satisfied now that you’ve been a widow for twenty years?”

  “Yes,” she said softly. Her lids came down swiftly over her eyes once more.

  “Look at me,” Micah said, and when she looked up, he continued, “Will you marry me?”

  “Yes.”

  Her lashes fluttered down again before his yearning gaze, but when he gathered her close, she lifted her mouth with eagerness, and he kissed her again and again. Laurel’s heart pulsed rapidly, and when his lips released her, she stared up at him in astonishment. A half smile hovered about his lips, and his eyes glowed with his love for her. She had never believed that love could be so tender and sweet, but at the same time, so thrilling and all-consuming.

  “Oh, yes, Micah, I do want to marry you.”

  He released her reluctantly. “Then we’ll make plans as soon as we return to Oaklawn.”

  As the plane lifted from the runway of the Caracas airport, the events of the past few days seemed almost like a dream to Laurel. It was less than a week since they’d left Oaklawn, and for the next hour she reviewed all the things they’d done. When her mind turned toward home, she said, “I almost dread to go home and see what has happened at Oaklawn. I still have my harasser to worry about!”

  “We’ll work to solve that right away,” he said. “I don’t know enough about your neighbors to know who might be harassing you. It might be some member of the Cooper family. I didn’t like the looks of some of the cousins who came to the wedding. Maybe it’s one of them. I’ve even wondered if it could be Kevin.”

  “He’s always been helpful. I can’t believe he’d torment me like that. There has been some talk about the college expanding its borders—maybe some developer is trying to drive me away so he could make a lot of money if that happens.”

  “What about the Howes? They’re around your place a lot.”

  “It isn’t them,” Laurel said stubbornly.

  “Well, I don’t think they’re involved, either. There has to be a connection between your harassment and the offer to buy Oaklawn. Perhaps you can coerce Kevin into telling you who the potential buyer is.”

  “He can be awfully stubborn.”

  “But if you tell him about your harassment, he might relent. At any rate, the next time you have a note or phone call, you should contact the police. In the meantime, there are more important things to take care of.”

  Micah took the ring he’d bought in Caracas from his pocket. “Don’t you think it’s time you started wearing this? I want to get married before my duties start at the college, so we can go on a honeymoon. And you should have the thrill of being engaged a while before we’re married.”

  Even though she’d promised to marry Micah, she briefly thought of all the reasons she shouldn’t marry him. She still had a mystery hanging over her head. And what if, after they were married, Micah couldn’t be happy settled down in one place? Would she want to leave Oaklawn? If she got married, how would that change her relationship with Debbie? But annoyed at herself, Laurel decided it was time for her to listen to her heart instead of her mind.

  She lifted her left hand toward Micah. “I don’t want to get married at Oaklawn,” she said.

  “Neither do I,” he confirmed with an engaging smile.

  “In fact, I’m not even keen on living there, but I know it’s the sensible thing to do. If you want to keep the place for Debbie, it can’t stand empty. I’ll accept Oaklawn as long as you go with it.”

  Micah slipped the ring on her finger. Not really caring what their fellow passengers thought, he leaned over and kissed her. “I love you, Laurel.”

  “And I love you. I’ll always be grateful to God for sending you my way at a time when I needed you so much.”

  “If I live with you at Oaklawn, will you travel with me part of the time? I’m not ready to settle down yet. Or do you still want to get a college education?”

  “Couldn’t I do both?”

  “No reason you can’t. You can go to school while I’m teaching, and we can travel the rest of the time. You’ll get an education traveling, too.”

  “This wonderful trip with you has taught me that I like to travel. But not all the time. I like to be home.”

  “Where do you want to go on our honeymoon?” Micah asked.

  “Paris,” she said without hesitation. “But maybe I shouldn’t ask for anything that expensive. This trip has cost you a lot.”

  “No problem. I don’t have vast wealth like Kenneth Morrow, but I can afford a few trips every year. I’m paid well for my assignments. And I own some good wheat land in Kansas. In addition to receiving income from the sale of grain, there are three abundant oil wells on the land. I can afford a honeymoon in Paris.”

  While they waited for their luggage at the airport, Laurel called to let Johnny Sizemore, the tenant who’d been living in her house, know they would be home in about an hour. “You can go on to your apartment if you want to.”

  “Mrs. Cooper,” he blurted out. “I’d better stay. There was a break-in while you were gone, and I don’t like to leave the house.”

  “What kind of a break-in? Did they take anything?”

  “I don’t know that much about your home. You’ll have to decide when you get here.”

  “When did this happen?”

  “Two nights ago. I usually have a night class on Wednesday, but it was canceled, so I came home earlier than usual. I surprised somebody in the basement. He ran away when I came in.”

  “We’ll be there soon,” Laurel said.

  “Maybe I should have called the cops, but I didn’t know what to do.”

  Micah was lifting their suitcases from the carousel when she went back to him.

  “What’s happened now?” he asked, always alert to her concerns.

  She told him what Johnny had said. “I’d hoped we would have a little reprieve when we came home.”

  “Well, I’ve had enough. We’re going to find out what’s going on. Do you want to go to the police?”

  “I think it’s time. I’ll call as soon as I see what damage has been done.”

  But although Laurel and Micah searched every room in the house, they couldn’t find anything missing. The basement was a mess, however, because the intruder had moved the cabinets and taken items from the shelves and thrown them on the floor. Boxes were overturned. And a shovel was leaning against the wall in the fruit cellar.

  “That shovel isn’t mine,” Laurel said.

  “What is the man looking for?” Micah said. “Buried treasure?”

  “Y
ou might not be so far wrong at that. You remember I told you about the family legend that silver and gold was hidden on the estate before the Union army invaded the South. My father-in-law made light of the story, so I didn’t believe it, either.”

  “But if someone has heard that legend, they might be looking for the treasure. Let’s not notify the police yet. Maybe we can set a trap for your burglar. I’ll put security cameras on each floor of the house and see what we can learn. If there’s any other way, I don’t want you exposed to a lot of publicity.”

  By Express Mail, Laurel sent Debbie the ten-page letter she’d started in Caracas and had finished on the plane. She wanted Debbie to know about Jason before anyone else learned it. Debbie telephoned as soon as she’d read the letter.

  “Mom,” she said, “your letter was almost like the stories you made up and told me when I was a child. It’s unbelievable—finding Daddy’s friend, and that trip into the jungle. Weren’t you scared?”

  “A little, but it was exciting, too.”

  “I had a good cry before I called. I know it must have been difficult for you. I wish I could have been there with you.”

  “I wanted you to be there.”

  “When will Daddy’s remains get to Tennessee?”

  “I don’t know. Kenneth Morrow will notify us.”

  “Shouldn’t we have a memorial service?”

  “Probably so, since there’s never been one for him. Your grandparents wouldn’t agree to a memorial service, because they couldn’t admit their son was dead. I’ll talk to Pastor Jensen about it. Maybe we can have one when you and Dereck come here for Thanksgiving or Christmas.”

  “It was nice of Micah to be so concerned.”

  “He took some pictures of the cemetery, and he’ll send them to you on e-mail.” Taking a deep breath, she said, “You should see the diamond ring he bought for me. We’re going to get married.”

  Debbie squealed, and she said to Dereck, “Mom and Micah are going to get married!”

  Laurel heard Dereck say, “Great news!” before Debbie said to her mother, “That’s awesome! Have you set the date?”

  “No. Would you be offended if we go away by ourselves to get married? I’m not in the mood for another big wedding right now.”

  “I won’t mind. I’m not sure I want to watch you get married anyway. I like Micah and want you to marry him, but it still hurts a little to know you won’t be completely mine anymore.”

  Laurel laughed. “Then you know how I felt the day you got married.”

  Chapter Sixteen

  After she said goodbye to Debbie, Laurel wondered if she would ever tell her daughter about the disturbing summer she’d had. If Micah and she could solve the mystery, she might tell her, but it depended on who was involved.

  When Micah and Laurel attended church the first Sunday after their return, her friends quickly spotted the diamond ring. The newly engaged couple refused to tell when they were going to get married, but Laurel finally said, “We’re going to elope, so don’t plan on attending the wedding.”

  Micah had suggested that they could be married at one of the chapels in Gatlinburg, and she’d agreed. But they didn’t want to get married until they tried to solve the mystery surrounding Oaklawn. They made their plans carefully.

  Since they’d hinted at an elopement, when Laurel told Pete and Brenda they were going to be away for two or three days, Brenda jumped to the conclusion that they were going to get married. Laurel didn’t correct her friend. And because Micah considered Kevin a possible suspect, she also called to tell him she would be gone. She’d been somewhat amused at how affably Kevin had congratulated her on her upcoming marriage. He certainly didn’t seem sad that she’d refused his offer and yet was marrying another man.

  A week after they’d returned from Venezuela, late one evening, they drove to the Knoxville Airport and turned in Micah’s rental car. After Micah determined that no one had followed them, they took a taxi to within a mile of Oaklawn.

  “I can’t see a thing,” Laurel said after the taxi drove away, and they started walking through the dense woods that separated Oaklawn from the highway. Although Micah said that they should use their flashlights sparingly, the night was dark, and after she stumbled a few times, Laurel kept hers on until the house was in sight.

  “I feel like a burglar,” she whispered to Micah when they came to the house and she unlocked the back door.

  “Don’t leave the key in its normal hiding place,” he advised. “If someone does break in, at least we’ll know they weren’t using your key.”

  Their plan to catch the prowler was very simple. Micah would sleep in the basement, and if the prowler came, he would alert Laurel by pulling on a small rope they’d run through a hole where the telephone service came into the living room. That would be her cue to come to the top of the stairs and turn on the basement light. Micah planned to tackle the culprit and keep him captive until they called the authorities.

  Earlier in the day, Micah had prepared a cot in the basement, and after he kissed Laurel, he went downstairs. Laurel spread some blankets on the couch in the living room. She didn’t undress, although she removed her shoes, lay on the couch and tied the rope around her wrist.

  Laurel wasn’t sleepy and she monitored the passage of time by listening to the clock on the stairway chiming the hour. The last chimes she heard were at two o’clock, and when she awoke, it was daylight.

  She crept down the basement steps and whispered, “Micah, are you awake?”

  He came out of the furnace room where he’d placed the cot. “I haven’t slept at all. I heard imaginary sounds all night. I intend to sleep most of the day in one of your bedrooms—that way, I can stay awake again tonight.”

  “Do you want to eat breakfast first?”

  “I’d rather sleep for a few hours. What are you going to do while I’m sleeping?”

  “Probably sit and chew my nails wondering what we’ll find out, or if this cloak-and-dagger stuff is useless.”

  Yawning, he said, “Call me if you have any trouble. Which room shall I take?”

  “Why not use Debbie’s room? It’s the one on the right at the rear of the hallway.”

  He blew her a kiss. “I probably won’t sleep long.”

  The day seemed endless to Laurel. She couldn’t listen to the radio or television. She couldn’t turn on any lights, and with the draperies closed, she couldn’t even see to read or do needlework. While Micah slept, Laurel spent a lot of time praying. She thanked God for letting her know the truth about Jason’s death. She thanked Him for making Debbie the kind of person she was—a daughter who wanted her mother’s happiness. And most of all, she was thankful for Micah.

  The past two weeks, when they’d been alone so much, he could easily have pressed her into doing things that would have violated her moral values. She’d occasionally discerned flashes of desire in his eyes, but he had treated her as a friend. With two exceptions, she thought whimsically, remembering their emotional embrace after they’d returned from Jason’s grave. But by then, they both knew she was free to love again.

  About four o’clock, while they were eating sandwiches, a vehicle came along the driveway and parked in front of the portico. Several knocks sounded at the locked front door, and the knob turned. Laurel and Micah exchanged contemplative glances across the kitchen table. Soon the car drove away.

  “Wonder who that could have been?” Laurel whispered, for they hadn’t dared to look out the windows.

  “No way to tell,” Micah said softly. “May I take a Thermos of tea to the basement with me?” he asked.

  “I’ll prepare it for you. There are some cookies in that cabinet on the far left. You can put some of those on a plate and take them with you.”

  “I have the feeling we’ll have a visitor tonight.”

  “I hope so. I can’t stand this uncertainty and waiting. You seem as calm as ever.”

  He grinned at her. “You’re just naturally impatient. I’ve le
arned to wait. Many times, I’ve waited behind a photographer’s blind all day for a wild animal to show up and pose for a perfect picture.”

  “Well, even if we don’t catch our intruder, I hope your cameras will pick up his picture.”

  His hands filled with the Thermos and plate of cookies, Micah leaned over and kissed her on the forehead before he went downstairs. Darkness came, and Laurel settled down for another night of waiting.

  Since she hadn’t slept much during the day, still fully clothed except for shoes, Laurel went to sleep early, to be woken by the tightening of the rope on her arm.

  She sat up rapidly, and walking softly, she went to the top of the basement steps. She could hear furtive movements below, and she flipped the light switch. Suddenly a tussle ensued in the basement, and although Micah had told her to stay upstairs until he called her, Laurel ran down the steps.

  Micah was struggling with a figure draped in a black robe with a black hood over his head. Micah struck his fist at where the man’s chin must have been and the struggling ceased. Micah saw Laurel fidgeting beside him, and he motioned her back. Micah grabbed a piece of rope and twisted it several times around the man’s middle, binding his arms to his sides. He anchored the rope to the stair banister.

  The burglar began to struggle, and Micah said to Laurel, “Shall we have the unveiling?”

  Mutely, she nodded.

  Standing behind the man, Micah gave a swift tug and pulled the hood off.

  Laurel was caught off guard as she looked into the eyes of their burglar. Her body stiffened in shock, and for a moment, she merely stared, tongue-tied.

  A bleak, tight-lipped smile spread across Micah’s face. He covertly turned on a tape recorder before he moved to confront the man he’d always suspected had the greatest reason to intimidate Laurel. Micah’s movement startled Laurel, and her utter astonishment turned to anger.

  “Cousin Kevin!” she shouted. “How dare you! How dare you break into this house?”

  “I’m more interested in the answer to another question,” Micah said. “Why have you been harassing Laurel all summer?”