The Preacher's Daughter

by Lyn Cote

  “Well, Zoë doesn’t have a car,” Tanner observed. “She couldn’t go too far on foot.”

  “Good point. Let’s go.” Lucie began running to her car.

  Clutching his white sack and tall covered soda, Tanner caught up with her. “Where are you going to look?”

  If that wasn’t just like him, asking the obvious. “Where do you think?” She got in the driver’s seat.

  Tanner climbed in beside her. “Well, we know she started from here. That way’s home.” He pointed to the right.

  “I know that.” Lucie pulled out of the parking lot onto the state highway—and turned left.

  “Why are we driving in this direction?” he asked.

  “Because if she wanted to go home,” Lucie explained, unable to keep the sarcasm out of her tone, “she’d have just called for a ride or walked to the town park. She knew we’d all be there.”

  Tanner’s empty stomach rumbled and he unwrapped the top of his burger and took a bite. “Makes sense.”

  Gripping the steering wheel with both hands, Lucie drove down the road.

  Tanner watched her. To him, it looked like she was overreacting. But maybe he didn’t have all the facts. Lucie had been tight-lipped and worried over more than just Nate. As he chewed his salty fries and swallowed, his mind was all too aware of Lucie’s slender, tanned limbs beside him on the car seat. Over the past week, he’s wakened every morning with Lucie on his mind.

  Whenever he closed his eyes, images of her—the elegant swing of her body as she pitched a softball, the way her whole face lifted and crinkled with amusement, the lilt of her laughter. Stop. He blocked these out of his mind. She didn’t have to tell him he was not her type.

  Turning his thoughts to Zoë, he looked at Lucie in the low light. “Is there more to this than you’ve told me?”

  She gave him a guarded glance.

  Suddenly her reticence irritated him. “Do you trust me by now or not?”

  She squirmed in her seat and then sighed.

  “Well?” he insisted.

  “You know that Zoë’s been mixed up with Riel Wilkins, right?” she began cautiously.

  “Yes. The deputy mentioned that the first night we came to DQ. And I agreed with his opinion of Riel. Our paths never crossed, but it’s generally known that he’s a troubled young man from a troubled family.”

  Lucie sighed again, much louder this time. “Well, I think Zoë and Riel have exchanged more than greetings.”

  Her words carried more than their surface meaning, but he didn’t want to delve any deeper. Somehow he hoped Lucie was wrong. “I don’t know exactly what you mean, but I hope Zoë comes to her senses soon. A year ago, I would have said she was much too sweet and shy to catch the interest of someone like Riel.”

  “Riel is a bottom-feeder.”

  “What?” Her cryptic comment stumped him.

  “Riel’s low. He’s a predator. He looks for girls who are easy prey. I think Nate’s accident must have stirred up Zoë’s fears of being left alone. I mean, her parents have only been gone…what? Two years? And now Nate nearly gets killed.”

  “That’s been obvious enough even for me to see,” he commented dryly. “Is this what was bothering you and you wouldn’t tell me?”

  She paused.

  He watched her bite her lower lip, that lower lip that too often enticed him….

  “All right. I caught him sneaking her out of the house off to a deserted spot one night a few weeks ago.”

  “Oh.” The news hit him like a punch in his midsection. Pretty little Zoë. From church records, he knew she’d attended St. Andrew’s since she was a baby. Did her big brother know? Tanner hated to think what this news would do to Nate if he heard about it.

  “I bet he’d never have tried something like that with Nate around,” Lucie said, sounding angry. “Riel’s a low life. You see what I mean?”

  “All too clearly.” Tanner thought of a few other words for Riel. “I wish you’d told me earlier.”

  “What could you have done?”

  “I’m not that useless. I would have said something to Riel.”

  “I think the moment for warning him away had passed before I caught them the other night. Zoë thinks she’s in love with him.”

  He chewed on this briefly. “You’re probably right—unfortunately.”

  “Can you think of any place Zoë or a kid from around here would walk to? Some place that would draw them?”

  “Sorry.” He munched his burger and stuffed in a few fries, barely tasting them. He knew that Zoë’s plight should take his mind off food, but he hadn’t eaten since before noon and he needed fuel to deal with this emergency. “Let’s leave the highway. Friends would see her on the highway and offer her a ride. If Zoë was upset by something, maybe she wanted to be away from prying eyes and questions.”

  Lucie glanced at him. “Good idea!” She did a U-turn and sped back to a side road they’d just passed.

  Tanner clutched his tall soda, feeling the centrifugal force swirling the ice cubes. “Watch it!”

  “Relax. I looked first. No traffic.” She careened onto the county road.

  “Slow down.”

  She had the nerve to grin at him. “I’ll watch the odometer and only go about two or three miles down this road and then do the same with the other roads we passed. I doubt she’d have gone farther than that. She wouldn’t be power-walking. That way we can check each of the roads around the DQ that she might have headed down.”

  “Good idea!” He mimicked Lucie and then drew in a swallow of the sweet cola.

  While he finished his high-cholesterol supper, Lucie drove them up and down several country roads. He watched the bronze sun lower itself to the purpled horizon and tried to keep his mind on finding Zoë. But Lucie—as usual—distracted him.

  No woman had ever disturbed him, shaken him up like Lucie could. When they’d first met, he’d written her off as flighty. But he’d found out that she was anything but that.

  Then he’d admitted to himself that part of the reason Lucie irritated him was that she had a touch of his mother’s flamboyance. Many times Lucie’s impulsiveness had brought his mother to mind.

  His free-spirited mother had even changed her name from her given one, Mary, to Vita, which meant life. Mary had been too stuffy, too insipid a name for his mother. Personally, he thought Mary was a beautiful name with a deep spiritual significance. His mother’s rejection of her own name had, to him, summed up her attitude toward her family’s religious heritage.

  How could Lucie disparage her mother? Lucie’s mom hadn’t changed her name. She was Dorothy and looked happy to be.

  “The silence is getting to me,” Lucie said. “Penny for your thoughts.”

  He studied her. What would she say if he told her what he’d just been thinking? I don’t think so. “Why don’t you want to be like your mother?” he asked instead.

  “I’m sorry I brought that up.” She sounded displeased with herself. “It was childish. I count myself blessed that I have the mother and father that I have. They truly love each other and have worked side by side for nearly forty years.”

  He snorted. “You are lucky. My mom has been married three times and is about to marry number four.” He sucked in breath. He hadn’t meant to say that, but Lucie’s words had pulled it out of him.

  They bumped over railroad tracks. He glanced both ways out of habit. Movement down the track caught his attention. “Stop.” He pointed out his window. “Is that Zoë?”

  Chapter Ten

  Lucie stopped the car and got out. In the distance, she also noted movement. She nearly called out and then she closed her mouth. The slender form in a white blouse, barely visible in the failing light of day, filled her with a sense of deep sadness, but even more than sadness—dread.

  Tanner slid from the passenger side and shut his door quietly, as though aware of Lucie’s mood. “What’s wrong? I thought you’d call to her.”

  “I’m afraid I’ll sp
ook her and she’ll start running. We haven’t been getting along that well since I made her come home that night.” Lucie couldn’t communicate all she was feeling. But she was suddenly frightened for Zoë. “Would you call her?” She glanced at him in the long eerie shadows.

  “Hmmm. All right.” He stepped around the car, making himself visible in the glow from the headlights. “Zoë! Zoë! We’ve come to take you home.”

  Lucie felt the prompting to pray. Lord, bless Zoë in this moment. Whatever has happened, please let Tanner and me help her.

  The figure straggling along the railroad tracks halted and turned toward Tanner. But she didn’t move forward.

  “Zoë, come on,” Tanner coaxed, as though urging a frightened child. “We’ve come to take you home. It’s nearly dark. You shouldn’t be out here alone.”

  Lucie prayed that Zoë would come, not run away and make them chase her on foot.

  Zoë started approaching them and her posture spoke volumes. She walked with her head down, visibly dejected.

  Lucie prayed for the right words to comfort Zoë. She and Riel must have had a fight. Maybe he’d dumped Zoë for another girl. Lucie mentally berated the jerk. Zoë was too special to be treated like this and to stand for it, too.

  Zoë reached them and stopped. She stared at them.

  “What is it?” Tanner asked softly.

  “I’m pregnant.” Zoë launched the words at them, both fearful and daring at the same time.

  A shock wave shuddered through Lucie. She clamped her mouth shut, not wanting to say the wrong thing. Pregnant? A baby? No wonder Riel had fought with her. He wouldn’t take to fatherhood well.

  Tanner held out his arm to Zoë. “Come on. We’ll take you home and we’ll sort this out.”

  “A baby can’t be sorted out,” Zoë declared tearfully, folding her arms in front of her. “I’m going to have a baby and Riel is leaving for the marines tomorrow.”

  Lucie heard herself gasp. “What?”

  “Come here, Zoë,” Tanner urged.

  “He said no one was going to tie him down with a kid.” Zoë spat out the words.

  “Oh, Zoë!” Lucie rushed to her and wrapped the girl in her arms. “I’m so sorry. How could he?”

  Zoë didn’t pull away, but she didn’t return Lucie’s embrace. She just stood there, stiff and still. “The sheriff told his parents that Riel is the one who stole those trucks last spring and took them for joyrides. I don’t know how he knew it was true, but it was. I know it was. I was with Riel.” Zoë began to cry aloud. “I’ve been so stupid.” The girl leaned into Lucie, who held her close.

  Lucie tried to absorb these facts and all their implications.

  “The sheriff told Riel’s dad,” Zoë continued, trying to control her weeping, “that either he signed Riel up for the service or the sheriff would begin trying to collect enough evidence to try Riel for the joyriding. He didn’t know if he had enough to convict Riel, but he’d try to get enough to charge him.”

  Lucie realized that Zoë’s nerves had taken over and the girl was just spilling everything that she’d been holding in for months. Lucie patted the girl’s back as she shook with weeping.

  “But the sheriff said he’d rather see Riel in boot camp than prison. It might straighten him out. At first, Riel told his dad that he wouldn’t enlist. He’d let the sheriff try to make a case against him.” Zoë swallowed, again trying to pull herself together. “But when I told him I was pregnant…he called me names…he said I was trying to trap him with a baby.” Zoë moaned, her distress too deep for words.

  Lucie hugged Zoë tighter, absorbing the girl’s trembling. Lucie could only pray. Dear God. Dear God. She motioned Tanner to come closer.

  He approached them and helped Lucie tuck the girl into the back seat of the car. Then Tanner took his place in the passenger seat and Lucie got in and turned the car around. She and Tanner exchanged glances.

  At first, Lucie was at a loss for words. Then she said, “Zoë, Riel doesn’t deserve you.” Again, she recalled Riel’s rough treatment of Zoë.

  “I loved him. He said he loved me.” Zoë’s voice shook with emotion and half-swallowed sobs. “What did I do wrong? He said I wouldn’t get pregnant. He’d take care of it. I didn’t mean to get pregnant.”

  “Stop it, Zoë.” Lucie spoke up, her heart aching for the girl. “You didn’t do anything that would make you deserve being treated so poorly by someone you trusted. You are not the one who engineered this situation. Riel did. Whatever protection he used, he knew there was still a chance you’d get pregnant.”

  “It’s all my fault,” Zoë keened. “I knew it was wrong.”

  “No, it isn’t all your fault.” Tanner sounded very certain. “Riel is shirking his responsibility to the baby and you. And you don’t deserve such treatment. You did something wrong, but this isn’t the end of the world.”

  “Everyone will know! I just want to die.” Zoë’s voice became a wail.

  “Zoë, don’t talk like that!” Lucie declared, frightened of what the teenager might do. “You aren’t alone. You have family.”

  “You will have to face this, Zoë,” Tanner said, “but Riel is the real loser. You are a lovely young woman with a heart capable of deep love. Riel is a fool to leave you. Any man would be fortunate to be loved by you.”

  Zoë’s weeping ebbed. “Do you think so?”

  Lucie realized she’d been clutching the steering wheel. She relaxed her grip and let herself get more comfortable. Tanner’s words had tempered the despondent atmosphere in the car. She thanked heaven he’d come along tonight.

  “I know so,” Tanner insisted. “Now we’re going to take you home and you must trust us—your friends and family—to help you through this. You’ve done wrong, but God’s forgiveness can cover any mistake. The important thing now is to take care of yourself and have a healthy baby.”

  “I don’t know if I can do this—”

  “You will do what you have to,” Tanner said. “Your baby is counting on you.”

  Tanner’s words continued to impress Lucie. He’d said just the right thing. Zoë still wept, but the edge of hysteria had gone.

  Lucie drove through the deserted town, listening to Zoë weep with what sounded like fatigue and worry. Finally home glowed ahead, light pouring from its large windows, drawing them.

  Lucie and Tanner walked on either side of Zoë toward the house. How would they break the news to Sophie and Nate? Oh, Lord, I’m so glad Mom’s here.

  The back door opened and Dorothy came out and stood under the yellow porch light.

  “Aunt Dorothy!” Zoë called out. “Aunt Dorothy!”

  Lucie’s mom opened her arms and Zoë ran to her.

  Relieved, Lucie halted beside Tanner and watched Dorothy comfort Zoë and draw her inside.

  “I take it that means Zoë knows your mom?” Tanner asked.

  Lucie nodded, suddenly able to take a deep breath. “Yes, my parents unofficially adopted her as a niece when she came to live with Nate and Sophie.”

  “I like your mom.”

  Lucie looked at him, the urge to hug him again overcame her, and this time, she didn’t repress it. She threw her arms around him. He smelled of french fries, clean soap and the scent that was his alone. “I do, too, and I’m so glad she came tonight.”

  After a moment’s hesitation, he returned her embrace, then he released her. He looked skyward. “God’s timing is always the best.”

  Two weeks later, Lucie sat beside Tanner and the rest of the extended family at the long maple table in Nate and Sophie’s dining room. Mrs. Hazelton had brought over a full meal, including a luscious-looking coconut cream pie. And everyone had decided to eat a bit earlier than the usual supper hour while everything was still hot. Lucie had suppressed a burst of excitement when Tanner had chosen the seat beside her.

  Lucie looked around the table, from face to face—her mother, Zoë, Sophie, Nate, the boys and Carly in her high chair. Lucie had only been in Pleasant P
rairie since late May, just about two months. Things had definitely improved since her arrival. The softball games—mornings and Thursday evenings—continued to draw support and bring the locals and the newcomers into friendly contact.

  Thanks to Ignacio and Tanner, Nate was home from the hospital and would soon put the wheelchair away and stick to his crutches. Sam Torres was working weekends at the farm. Riel Wilkins had left town and Zoë was behaving more like herself again. A trip to the doctor had verified she was over two months pregnant, and both she and the baby appeared healthy. Nate and Sophie took the news well though privately, Sophie had commented to Lucie that it never rained, it always poured.

  Lucie was wisely leaving Zoë up to her mother. Lucie had no experience with teenagers expecting babies. However, after years in the ministry with her father, her mother had had plenty. So much had been accomplished in such a short time!

  Still, one other matter still nagged Lucie. She hoped Tanner wouldn’t be upset with her when he found out what she started. And she’d better prepare him, lead up to it some way. But exactly how? He was such a worrywart. But a sweet worrywart.

  “I wish Ignacio were here,” Lucie said as she spooned a generous portion of the layered casserole of ground beef, green beans, corn, water chestnuts and chow mein noodle topping. “This looks de-lish.” Ignacio would have been a good ally when she broke the news of her latest action to Tanner.

  “Ignacio is having supper with Sammie’s family tonight.” Danny spoke up. “I think he wants to see if Sammie’s dad will take Fella back.”

  Upon hearing his name, Fella sat up in the kitchen doorway and barked. Not to be outdone, Sancho got up and yipped.

  “Down, boys,” Nate said, chuckling.

  Lucie remember all too well Sam Torres’s reaction when she’d try to give Fella back to him back in May. But Sam had come to the ballpark to watch his son and he’d proven to be Nate’s right hand on the farm. She had yet to see a smile on Sam, however. “I’m kinda getting used to having Fella around.”