Tattered Stars

by Catherine Cowles

  I stayed fully focused on my task, glancing at the barn and the surrounding forest every minute or so. My stomach dropped when two nearby trees caught. “Hurry up,” I begged to no one in particular.

  Lights poured across the drive as two fire trucks crested the ridge. They paused in front of me, and a window rolled down. A handsome man with dark hair stuck his head out. “Water?”

  “There’s a line to the pasture.”

  He nodded and motioned for the driver to move forward. When the trucks parked, they moved in what almost looked like a choreographed dance. Everyone knew their places and went to work immediately. One hose hooked on to the property’s waterline, and others came from the trucks themselves.

  I kept my pathetic hose pointed at my little cabin. I moved in a slow pattern, doing all I could to prevent the fire from jumping. A series of shouts sounded as a tree fell. My heart stopped as it sent a cascade of embers flying. It would’ve been beautiful had it not been so deadly.

  I breathed a sigh of relief when I saw everyone was free of the destruction. More sirens cut through the night as an SUV came to a screeching halt in front of me. Hayes jumped out in jeans and a tee that molded to his chest. “Hi,” I croaked.

  “You need to get out of here. That fire could jump at any minute.”

  “I need to water down the cabin.” If I lost my place to live, that would be it. I wouldn’t recover from the blow.

  Hayes moved towards me, trying to take the hose from my hands. “I’ll do it. Just get out of here.”

  I held firm. “I’m not going anywhere.”

  He muttered a slew of curses. “Is there another hose?”

  “Around the other side.”

  Hayes jogged to retrieve the second one. Soon, we were working in tandem as the firefighters battled the other blaze. We didn’t say a word, but after an hour, by some silent agreement, we turned off the water. The fire department was slowly getting the barn fire under control. Hayes and I moved to my steps and sat, watching them slowly cut back the blaze until only embers remained.

  The same man who had asked about the water walked towards us. He’d lost his helmet and jacket, now wearing a white tee streaked with dirt. He jerked his chin at Hayes. “They drag you out of bed?”

  “Something like this, you know they have to.”

  I pushed to my feet. “Thank you so much.”

  He nodded, holding out a hand. “Glad we made it in time. I’m Calder, by the way. It’s nice to meet you.”

  “Everly.”

  His grip and expression were warm. Friendly. But Hayes scowled at the man, only making Calder chuckle. He turned back to me. “It’ll take us a bit to fully suppress the fire.”

  “No problem. Do you have any idea what caused it?”

  Calder flashed a quick look at Hayes. “Our fire investigator will come out tomorrow and have a look. He’s the one who determines that kind of thing.”

  I took a step closer to him, watching every flicker of his expression. “But you have a guess.”

  Hayes came to stand next to me. “Just tell us what you know.”

  Calder ran a hand over his head. “I smelled gas. You store that out there?”

  “No. There was nothing in the barn. Not even old tack.”

  A muscle in Hayes’ jaw ticked. “Dad went through it not a week ago. There was no gas inside.”

  Calder looked back at his crew, currently stomping out the last dregs of the blaze. “Then I’d guess our investigator will find arson.”

  A man on the crew yelled something I couldn’t quite make out, and everyone moved back. The structure let out what almost sounded like a groan. Seconds later, the last of it collapsed to the ground.

  Calder winced. “I’m sorry about your barn.”

  Tears burned the back of my throat. Not because of the building, but because someone had intentionally done this. Wanted to hurt and destroy. “It needed to be torn down anyway.”

  “Not like this, it didn’t,” Hayes growled.

  He was right. But I’d learned long ago that life rarely went as planned.

  16

  Hayes

  I couldn’t handle the devastation in Everly’s eyes anymore. The need to give her some sort of comfort clawed at my insides. She looked so damn alone, sitting on those porch steps. She didn’t have anyone. I hadn’t seen a sign of a single soul who was on her team. I couldn’t fathom that. I’d been through hell, but I’d had countless people there to prop me up along the way. Everly had no one.

  I sat down next to her and leaned into her a bit, almost bumping her shoulder with mine. She startled as if she’d been in another world. “You don’t have to stay. They’re almost done. I’m fine.”

  “What if I want to stay?”

  She gave me a look that called bullshit.

  I shrugged. “Looks like a good spot to watch the sunrise.” The sun was just peeking out over the horizon, turning the sky a pinkish-purple.

  Everly met my gaze dead-on. “What do you want?”

  “Wouldn’t mind a cup of coffee. Maybe a donut. I’d like to take a Ferrari for a spin one day. Maybe own a private island in the Caribbean. Have a private jet to take me there.”

  There was no flicker of humor on her face. “You know what I mean.”

  I leaned back, resting my elbows on the step behind me as I turned back to the sunrise. But I kept sight of Everly in my peripheral vision. “You’re alone. And no one should have to deal with something like this alone.”

  She bristled. “I don’t need your pity.”

  “It’s not pity. It’s friendship.”

  “And that’s what we are? Friends? Even though my father is the one who hurt your family beyond measure, you want to be my friend?”

  Each word punched into that reserve of rage that always simmered in the background. But I didn’t let it catch fire. Not this time. “Yes. You aren’t your father.”

  “But I remind you of him. What he did. I remind everyone.”

  The words tumbled out, almost as if she didn’t have control of them. Broken and full of so much pain. They did something to the rage inside me. Changed it somehow. Shocked it into submission. “You have to give people time to build different memories of you. The longer you’re here, the easier that’ll be.”

  The corner of my mouth quirked up. “Now you’ll remind me of a firefighting badass in muck boots and—” I leaned forward to examine her pajama shorts. “Avocado boxers.”

  Her face flushed. “I’m a fan of guacamole.”

  “It works for you.” It worked a little too well. Those damn tiny shorts exposed what felt like miles of golden skin. I forced my gaze up to her face.

  “I don’t know what to do with you. I want to give you that fresh start, but I keep waiting for the blow you’re going to deal me.”

  My fingers tightened around the lip of the step I leaned against. That fear was more than fair. I’d been cruel the first two times I’d come here. “I’m sorry.” The word felt so damn lacking. “I hope with time I can prove to you that I’m not that guy—or that’s not me at my best.”

  Everly slumped against the steps. “I understand not always being who you should, who you’re capable of. I’ll try not to have my back up every time you show. I just…after I’ve experienced it once, I’m used to learning to watch for the snap.”

  My gut soured at the thought of what’d taught her that lesson. “Appreciate you trying. That’s all I can ask.”

  She tucked her hair behind her ear and, as she did, revealed some delicate script there. I couldn’t resist moving her hair out of the way to read the words. Twenty breaths.

  I didn’t release my hold on the silky strands, but my gaze locked with hers. “What does it mean?”

  “Anyone can be brave for twenty breaths. And in that time, you can do almost anything. Or at least take the first steps you need to get there.”

  I didn’t move, just stared at the words. I wanted more. All of it. The whole story. But to get it, I’d hav
e to earn Everly’s trust. And that was an uphill battle.

  She ducked away, moving her hair from between my fingers. “It’s just something that’s meaningful to me.”

  “Twenty breaths. I like it.”

  Officer Williams waved from the front desk. I lifted my travel coffee mug in a halfhearted greeting. “Anything that needs my immediate attention?”

  “Nope, but Calder is waiting for you in your office.”

  I glanced at my watch. I’d barely had a chance to grab two hours of sleep, but I’d bet Calder hadn’t had any. “Thanks.”

  I moved through the main room, trading greetings with officers and deputies, trying my best not to act like a grumpy asshole. Pulling open my door, the smell of something amazing hit me.

  Calder looked up from an open box of donuts. “I thought this might help get you through the day.”

  “You are officially my favorite friend. Hell, I’ll let you replace Beck as my brother.”

  “How is that asshole?”

  I eased into my desk chair and plucked up a chocolate old fashioned. “Who knows. I haven’t heard from him in over a month. But that’s not exactly new.”

  “Where is he again?”

  “Venezuela. They’re getting a few clinics up and running and training the staff.”

  Calder set his donut on a napkin. “He’s doing good work.”

  “And breaking my mother’s heart.” I didn’t remember the last time Beckett had been home. Maybe at Christmas four years ago for a total of forty-eight hours.

  “Julia likes all of her chicks home to roost.”

  “But it’ll never happen with him. Too much of a restless spirit.” I took a sip of coffee. “You get word from your investigator yet?”

  “He called just as I was dropping off the girls. It’s arson. Not a professional job. If it hadn’t been so damn dry, it might not have spread so quickly.”

  “Hell.” I dropped my donut onto a napkin and leaned back in my chair.

  “You got some ideas?”

  “Her family, to start.” Ian and Allen were at the top of my list.

  Calder scrubbed a hand over his jaw. “That girl has more to deal with than anyone should.”

  He wasn’t wrong. I looked longingly at my donut. “I’m going to have to take this to go.” I paused, taking in my friend and the dark circles rimming his eyes. “You okay?”

  “Fine. Could just use a few more hours of sleep. You know how that goes.”

  “Why don’t you let my mom take Birdie and Sage for one of their sleepovers next weekend? She’s always asking for more time with them.”

  Calder broke off a piece of his donut but didn’t eat it. “Your mom does more than enough for us already.”

  “And she loves every minute of it. You know she’s ready to throttle her kids because she doesn’t have grandchildren yet. You take some of the pressure off.”

  He chuckled. “She playing matchmaker again?”

  I stood from my chair and wrapped my donut in a napkin. “Thankfully, she hasn’t ambushed me lately, but I know it’s coming.”

  “That’s one good thing about my parents moving to Florida. I only have to deal with their in-person meddling a couple of times a year.”

  I scowled in his direction. “Rub it in, why don’t you?”

  Calder stood to follow me out of the station. “You wouldn’t give up your family for anything.”

  I wouldn’t. As many issues as we had, I couldn’t imagine living across the country from them. And it pissed me the hell off that Calder’s folks had up and left when they knew he needed help. But my parents had simply brought him into the fold. He was an honorary Easton now, and he’d eventually learn that being one of us meant someone was always there to help—or meddle.

  I gave him a chin lift of farewell as we headed down the department steps. “Grab a nap today.”

  He paused. “You taking backup?”

  “Not for this.”

  “You sure that’s smart? If they had something to do with this, they might not take kindly to you saying as much.”

  My back teeth ground together. I’d accused Young of being reckless, and I was about to do the same damn thing. “You might have a point.”

  He grinned. “Are you saying I know what I’m talking about?”

  “Don’t push it.”

  Young pulled into the small parking lot in her cruiser, waving as she stepped out. “Hey, boss. Smoke-eater.”

  Calder nodded in her direction. “Donut-pusher. Why don’t you go with Hayes and make sure he doesn’t get himself into trouble he can’t get out of?”

  She turned to me. “Sheriff?”

  “Come on, let’s go. Call Mom, Calder.”

  “Yeah, yeah.” He waved as he took off down the street.

  Young climbed into the passenger side of my SUV. “Where are we going?”

  I set my coffee in the cupholder and balanced my donut on my thigh as I started the engine. “We need to pay the Kemper family a visit.”

  “What happened now?”

  “That fire that started at Everly’s last night? It was arson.”

  “Shit,” she whispered. “How is she holding up?”

  “She’s fine. I can’t say the same about her barn.”

  “Is there anything I can do to help?”

  I glanced across the vehicle. “You like her, huh?”

  Young’s mouth curved. “She was going to take a punch so she could lay her uncle out. That makes her a badass in my book. And my gram brought her cat to the vet because she wasn’t eating. Didn’t have an appointment, but Everly worked her in and was really kind. That makes her good people, too. So, if I can do something to help, I’d like to.”

  “I’ll let you know.”

  “Thanks.”

  For the rest of the drive, we talked over what had happened last night. The likely timeframe we were looking at. I wasn’t exactly sure what I hoped to gain by talking to the Kempers. They sure as hell weren’t going to give me any sort of truth. But I needed to see a reaction, at least.

  My SUV bumped and jostled as I navigated the potholes in the dirt road. There was no sign overhead, like most of the other ranches. Only a gate propped open with a log.

  “I kind of expected locked gates and armed guards,” Young muttered.

  “I don’t think they’ve gone that far.” But it didn’t mean they couldn’t. I kept a close eye on any FBI reports about militia activity in the area. It certainly wasn’t unheard of. Most of the people out here wanted a peaceful life away from the trappings of the city. But some thought it was the Wild West, and they were certified outlaws.

  I guided my SUV down the road until a cluster of buildings came into view—an old, large farmhouse, a smaller guest cabin, and a series of barns and outbuildings. As I came to a stop, Allen stepped out of the barn, Ian on his heels. A couple of other men followed behind.

  I parked so I faced the road, just in case things went south. “Remember, play it cool.”

  “I’m not sure Allen is a friend of mine after I took him in.”

  He glared at my SUV. Allen wasn’t a fan of any woman putting him in his place. I checked the gun at my hip. “Hold steady, and we’ll be fine.”

  Young and I slid out of the SUV, and I nodded at the group of men. “Morning, gentlemen.”

  Not a single friendly face greeted me. Allen took a few steps forward. “You’re on private property, and you’re not welcome here. Leave.”

  “You’re free to request that, and I’ll abide, but then I’ll have to take you and Ian in for questioning.”

  “What the hell for?” Ian asked.

  A door clapped against a wood frame, and I looked to see Everly’s cousin and another older woman appear on the porch. “Ma’am. Ma’am,” I greeted.

  The older woman scowled at me, but Adaline looked panicked. Young eyed her carefully, looking as if she wanted to go over and ask her if she was okay. I gave a slight shake of my head. That would take things from bad to
worse.

  “My nephew asked you a question,” Allen gritted out.

  “Does that mean you’d rather answer my questions here?”

  He straightened. “We don’t recognize your authority here. This land is sovereign and not under your corrupt power.”

  “Is that a yes, or a no?”

  Allen spat onto the dirt. “I’m curious enough to see why the hell you’re bothering me.”

  “Need to know where you and Ian were last night.”

  Ian stepped forward, shoulder to shoulder with his uncle. “Why?”

  Young and I had turned our backs towards each other slightly so our positions protected us from any possible ambush, but both had eyes on the two women and the group of men. I drummed my fingers against my thigh. “You answer my question, and I’ll answer yours. Seems like a fair trade.”

  “We were here all night. You can ask Cybil and Addie,” Ian gritted out.

  I looked to the women. “They were both here? All night? You know for sure?”

  Neither woman said a word, but Addie’s eyes shifted to the side as if she didn’t want to respond.

  “Answer the man,” Allen barked.

  “They were here,” Cybil said.

  Addie nodded. “I went to bed early, but I didn’t see anyone leave.”

  That was an interesting way to put it. “Did you hear anything out of the ordinary?”

  Addie blanched, and Allen stepped between his daughter and me. “That’s enough. We’ve answered your questions. Now, tell us your business here.”

  “Someone set Everly’s barn on fire last night.”

  Allen’s expression was carefully blank, but Ian took a few steps forward, his knuckles bleaching white. “That’s my land. So, it’s my barn. If we had burned it down, it would’ve been within our rights to do so.”

  “So, you did burn it down?” My fingers itched to reach for the butt of my gun, but I forced them to remain at my side.

  “I said if. But, apparently, they don’t teach you the English language at pig school. If I burned it down, I wouldn’t be able to sell it for as good of a price now, would I? Everly will turn it over to me eventually.”