He’d tried to figure out how she did it, even tried catching her walking or something, but she was always standing still when he watched her. Like she levitated. He shook his head at the mention of magic. Great, now his own sensitivities were giving him delusions. “Thank you, but… well, here’s the thing. Wanda is with Jesse right now.” He waited for her low gasp before continuing. “I promised her an hour, but Jesse’s mad at me because I didn’t tell him about it until well after the phone call.” He arched his eyebrow.
Patricia lifted both of hers and pursed her lips. “Oh, huh uh.” She shook her head back and forth, keeping her eyes on him, pinning him with her gaze. “You didn’t really keep all of that information from that poor boy? Every time she’s called? You’ve never told him?”
“Is that bad?” Ryan paused as he reached for a carry basket. Hand half-way to the stack, he tilted his head. “I know it is, but I was trying to protect him. Don’t you think he should understand that?”
“He’s ten, for crying out loud.” Patricia pointed her arthritic knobbed finger toward the front of the store. “You need to go back there and apologize to him. This won’t be a good thing moving forward with him, Ryan. You’re going to need to make sure he has your approval on any decisions that he makes with that woman.”
“I don’t want to lose him.” Ryan tightened his jaw. He’d be hanged before he’d cry at the possibility that Wanda might get his son, but at the moment nothing seemed more frightening.
Patricia’s carefully placed curls didn’t move when she nodded. “I understand. You’re going to need to be more understanding. Is this more about you, Ryan? Is he alone with her?”
Grabbing a bag of potatoes and a few corn on the cobs, Ryan thrust his jaw forward. He didn’t want to admit his selfishness out loud. He’d barely been able to make the suggestion to himself. But Patricia had a discerning eye and the woman’s experience in life lent itself to many successful advice sessions with numerous if not all the residents of Colby and Clearwater County.
“No, he’s not alone with her. Lisa Trinkett is out with him. I asked her to come early for his therapy session and help me out.” He lowered his voice and avoided Patricia’s gaze.
“Hmmm. That Caracus girl isn’t one you want to pick up with.” She took the rest of his groceries and pushed buttons on her tall register.
“Caracus? No, Trinkett. Lisa Trinkett. She’s the new mobile physical therapist. I believe she’s staying down at the condos on fourth.” He reached for his wallet. Maybe Patricia was finally giving over to her age.
“I know who you’re talking about. She’s a Caracus girl. I’ve been here longer than most people and I know families.” The total amount flashed in green digital lines on the screen.
Ryan did his best to focus on the task at hand. Caracus. Lisa couldn’t be a Caracus. Infamous for gang activity – like a western cowboy mafia or something spread all over Montana, Wyoming, northern Idaho, and small sections of eastern Washington – the name Caracus brought a bilious sensation to most people.
“Thank you for letting me vent, Patricia. I’ll let you know how it goes.” He nodded brusquely and pushed the bags against the door, avoiding the swinging bells as he exited.
The door closed behind him and Ryan turned, slamming hard into a man about the same height as himself. A bag fell to the ground and Ryan reached for it, the man beating him to it.
Speaking gruffly, the man tipped his hat and handed the bag to Ryan. “Excuse me, my apologies. I wasn’t watching where I was going.” He glanced past Ryan’s hat and then met his eyes with his own. Holding out his other hand to shake, he clapped Ryan on the opposite shoulder. “Jason Mendez.”
“Ryan Noland. Not a problem. Thanks.” Ryan shuffled his feet. A new guy in town. Great.
“Listen, I’ve been up and down this street asking all the shop owners, but maybe you could help me out? I’m looking for some women —”
Ryan held up his hand and backed up a couple inches. “We aren’t that kind of town, buddy.”
Eyes wide for a moment, while his mouth seemed to be frozen open, Jason then chuckled. “Oh, no, I mean I’m looking for specific women. Here.” He pulled out a collection of folded papers and handed them to Ryan. “I think I’ve found a couple of them, but I have no idea where they live or what their last names are. No one will help me. It’s a very closed-mouthed community.” His charming smile split as he laughed at himself and his efforts. “Do you recognize them?”
Black-and-white print covered each sheet surrounding a grainy grayscale picture in the bottom right hand corners. Ryan studied each page. He paused when he saw one that could have been an exact charcoal drawing of Lisa. “What are you looking for them for?”
Jason flashed an ID with FBI in blue letters in Ryan’s face. “Part of an ongoing investigation. Do you recognize any of them?”
Of course Ryan did. He’d just been at one’s wedding, was chewed out by another, and had another chaperoning his son. He didn’t need to know who the other two were to bet they all knew each other.
What kind of a game were those women playing?
Rather than turn them in or confirm anything with the man, Ryan shook his head and handed the papers back. “They’re hard to see very clearly. If I see anything, I’ll let you know.”
Jason nodded and produced a business card which he tucked into Ryan’s grocery bag. “You do that. They aren’t safe to be around.” He tipped his hat and turned, sauntering down the sidewalk.
Ryan didn’t know what was going on, but his gut told him to get back to his ranch before anyone else revealed any big secrets to him.
Lisa
Chapter 11
Was that Jesse’s hand sweating or hers? Lisa swallowed as a tall, blonde vision – like one she’d see in a pageant – exited the Civic. The woman, who could only be Wanda, flipped her hair over her shoulder and pulled her sunglasses from her head.
Lisa’s first instinct when faced with that high-maintenance type of chick was to rooster herself, preen a bit as if to mark her territory. But Lisa stamped her urges down as Wanda strode across the trimmed grass in their direction.
Jesse’s hand and arm moved in a muted spastic motion. Lisa turned toward him, checking for any seizure activity. But his clear eyes held steady in a suddenly pale face.
Perusing the property with an arched, finely plucked brow, Wanda avoided looking directly at Lisa or Jesse.
Oh, no. Lisa released Jesse’s hand and wrapped her arm around his shoulders. She leaned close and murmured. “Remember, you’re in control here. This is your place. She left first. You have the say.” She pressed on his shoulder and pulled him close. She’d never been a hugger, but whatever – she could’ve used one a time or two growing up herself.
The pinched tightness around his eyes and lips smoothed and he straightened his back. He withdrew from Lisa and pushed himself up from his seat, grabbing his walker to steady himself.
But then he let go and stood shakily on his still-learning legs. “Hello. I’m Jesse.”
Wanda stopped, glanced at his outstretched hand and slowly crossed the remaining distance as if in a trance. Clutching the shoulder strap of her small purse, she didn’t stop staring at him the closer she got.
Jesse glanced toward Lisa and then back to Wanda. Out of the corner of his mouth, he muttered, “Do I look that bad?”
Setting her jaw, Lisa stood, about to punch in someone’s very pretty face, but Jesse stayed her with a hand to her inner elbow. “It’s okay.”
His mother came to a stop across from him and shook his hand. She didn’t look away and neither did Jesse.
Releasing Lisa’s arm, he pushed himself up from the bench seat and forced his legs to straighten.
Lisa held her breath. The action was more about his pride than anything physical, and Lisa desperately prayed that he’d succeed in whatever he was trying to do. She clasped her hands behind her back. Don’t interfere. Don’t interfere.
And the visiting wo
man just watched him, like she’d never seen anything like him. She blinked once, twice, and then motioned toward his lower body with a hand she extracted from the purse strap. “I didn’t know you could walk. I…” She bit her lower lip, leaving dark mauve lipstick on the edge of her front teeth like a shadow. “They – the hospital staff – told me you’d never be able to do anything but sit in a wheelchair.”
Jesse nodded his head crisply. “Yep, and I didn’t until recently. But I have a physical therapist now.” He inclined his head toward Lisa. “This is her, Lisa Trinkett.”
Extending her hand toward Lisa, Wanda offered a cool smile. “I see Ryan had to babysit me somehow. It’s nice to meet you.”
“I wish I could say the same.” Lisa plastered a faux smile across her face like high beams and she turned toward Jesse, ignoring the shock Wanda worked to cover. “Would you like to take this inside? It’s getting kind of warm out here.” Which wasn’t true, but Jesse needed to be comfortable sitting. Wanda continued glancing around the ranch lands like she wanted to know how far they went.
And Lisa wasn’t going to allow Jesse to take on the prairie for now. At least with someone Lisa didn’t trust.
For now.
He nodded. “Of course, thank you.”
When had the ten-year-old become so stoic? His formality was enough to shock Lisa and she did a double-take to make sure Jesse was the one who spoke to her and not some horrible western alien or something snatching his body.
Grinning and tossing in a small giggle, Lisa nudged his shoulder. “Why don’t you lead your guest inside and I’ll grab the door?” She refused to take the glory from Jesse as he shuffled his way up the small ramp and through the kitchen door.
Leading the way, Jesse walked slowly, meticulously, and Wanda stared at his legs and moved along behind him, her mouth partially open.
In the front family room, Jesse flopped into the smaller loveseat. The color had drained from his face and even his lips appeared strained.
Lisa met his gaze as she sat perpendicular to him, forcing his mother to sit across from him on the long couch.
Sitting together, the three of them stared.
Wanda shifted in her seat, her knees up close to waist level. Her long heels needed to be shortened. Maybe Lisa could help her with that.
Jesse adjusted his arms, leaning on the armrest, dropping his hands to his lap, and then folding his fingers until he was able to fidget with the cuticles on his thumbs. Lisa rolled her eyes. He pulled the same thing with her when she wanted him to work hard and he was nervous he couldn’t do it.
He peeked at Lisa through his lashes. She nodded at him. Come on, you can do this. Say what you need to say. If Lisa had any regrets, besides the obvious, it was that she hadn’t said the things to Devlyn that she’d wanted to. The man… tears pricked behind her eyes as she fought the twinges of jealousy toward Jesse. Lisa would’ve asked Devlyn what was wrong with her that had made him choose Mary every time? Why did Lisa have to wear hand-me-downs from the gang members’ girls when Mary pranced around town and school in her brand new patent leather Mary Jane’s?
She swallowed, fighting the urge to run screaming from the room. Sitting there, she waited with bated breath for Jesse to use his chance that she never had.
Wanda spoke first, settling her hips and tightening her lips into something that might pass as a smile somewhere. “Jesse, thank you for seeing me today. I didn’t know if you would. I’m beyond thrilled that you’re drastically different from what I expected.” She nodded, like she bestowed some award on him.
“What did you expect?” Jesse didn’t have any attitude in his question. He asked it and dropped his hands in his lap.
The room suddenly stilled – like even if there’d been a fly buzzing through the room, it too would have paused.
Wanda fluttered her hand in the air. “You know, like in a wheelchair with a feeding tube or something. I’m glad you aren’t too bad.”
Lisa bit her lip. Oh, no, Wanda hadn’t just gone there.
Jesse leaned forward, reaching to his side to use the armrest for a steadier. “Not too bad? What exactly did you think I was going to be like?”
“Um, wheelchair, unable to speak or do anything normal.” She knitted her eyebrows together and pinched her lips tight.
He laughed. Jesse laughed and laughed and laughed.
Wanda’s answering laugh bordered on certifiably crazy and uncomfortable. Like awkward had become her only emotion.
Reaching up to wipe at his eyes, Jesse allowed his mirth to fade from his eyes. “So, you’re back because I’m not too bad. I’m not what you wanted to love and raise, but I’m not too bad to see in person, now?”
Fading to a more droll attitude, Wanda suddenly knelt on the thick, plush rug and reached toward Jesse, leaving her hand reaching for him as she spoke. “I’m so sorry. I don’t know what I expected. I don’t know what I was doing? I was young and scared and… impressionable. I know it’s not a lot. I know it’s too little too late. I don’t… have any excuses that even seem valid. I only have my sorry.” She wiped at the tears coursing down her perfectly made-up face. “Do you think you can forgive me? Maybe we could see each other again?”
The moment played out like a well-planned television drama, and Lisa couldn’t look away. Would Jesse do what Lisa wanted? Probably. Lisa couldn’t say honestly that she wouldn’t have done cartwheels around the block, if she thought it would bring Devlyn closer to her. Or even give her one more chance to get his attention.
And an apology? Forget about it.
Jesse was crazy, if he passed up the opportunity.
But Jesse shook his head. “I can forgive you, but you need Dad’s approval – which means you most likely need his forgiveness – to see me again. He was always pretty hurt but never bad-mouthed you to me. Even though the townspeople did – a lot.”
A tremulous quiver and slight slant to the corners of her lips gave away Wanda’s dismay. “Your father? You want me to apologize to Ryan?”
“Yeah, I don’t think that’s unreasonable. I mean, if you want to see me more – than you’ll be seeing him more, right? I’m not doing the whole discomfort thing and I don’t have to.” He leaned forward and picked up a wooden framed cork coaster from the coffee table in front of Wanda’s kneeling form.
She rubbed her upper arms and returned to her seat, deep in thought. “Can I think about it?”
His confidence waning, Jesse moved toward the walker he’d parked beside the couch. “Yeah, you can. I’m not waiting long though. It’s not like I haven’t gone ten years without seeing you, I kind of figure what’s another ten?” He pushed himself forward and then disappeared down the hallway toward his room.
Lisa just watched Wanda as she, in turn, watched Jesse disappear without a goodbye. Lisa didn’t blame him. She saw as he’d struggled to hold it together, not to cry when his own mother couldn’t suck it up and apologize for the chance to get back in his life. She wanted to cry herself, but instead she glared at Wanda as she sat on the couch appearing to think over her son’s proposition.
Finally, unwilling to sit there another moment without at least speaking up for her young charge, Lisa tapped the glass surface of the tree trunk table. “I don’t know where you come from, but pretty much telling your boy that you’ll think about doing something when he just said that one thing is what will keep you from him? Pretty stupid move. If I were Jesse, I’d tell you to shove it.”
Swiping at the soft skin beneath her eyes, Wanda squared her jaw and lifted her eyebrow. “Well, you’re not. So…”
“So? Really? He’s one of the best kids I know. He’s sweet, hard-working, obedient, funny, and as kind as they come. And you’re going to saunter back in here without taking into account how he feels? How this has to be harder on him than anyone else?” Lisa stood, nearly spitting down at Wanda. “I’m going to make a suggestion to Ryan based on my experience here this afternoon. Prove me wrong on all accounts or you’ll likely neve
r see Jesse again.” Lisa stormed from the house, slamming the front door and then kicking a river rock set up as decoration off the steps. Crap. She didn’t need to take her frustration out on the house.
But who? And what was she going to say to Ryan?
Ryan
Chapter 12
Lisa’s rig hadn’t moved in the hour and a half Ryan had been gone.
He hadn’t realized he’d been holding his breath until he relaxed his shoulders and inhaled deeply. Unfortunately, he didn’t only want to ask how the meeting went. He wanted to ask her so many questions, get to know more about her, figure out just what kind of a woman federal agents wanted to locate, and why every time he was around her his stomach clenched and anything seemed possible.
She broke him out of his shell.
Resisting Redemption Page 6