Losing Ladd

by Dianne Venetta

  Felicity imagined the confusion guests must be experiencing. A fire of this magnitude would certainly undermine the “serenity” of their stay. It was unsettling, frightening. People would want to know what was going on, if there was any danger to them.

  “The police are on their way now to investigate,” Malcolm said.

  The fire started with an explosion. Felicity’s chest suddenly hollowed. Her father.

  “I need to go,” she said, then turned and ran.

  “Felicity!”

  Travis followed Felicity as she walked from the ER to a waiting room upstairs. It was for patients having an MRI. He understood it was a piece of equipment doctors used to detect brain injury. Delaney was unconscious. There was no way to know what happened without some sort of internal scan. When he called ahead, they said Felicity’s mom was having one, but he couldn’t get any other information. He wasn’t family. He was a friend, but even that was beginning to feel uncertain based on Felicity’s attitude. It was like she didn’t want him around her, didn’t want him accompanying her to the hospital. Which was crazy. He’d saved her mother’s life! She should be grateful to him but instead she was shunning him. She ran to her car and when he caught up with her, she threw his arm from her shoulder, refused his offer to drive. The whole scene had been insane. From the explosion and burning stables to the crazy actions of his girlfriend, Travis’ entire world felt flipped upside down.

  As they exited the elevator, they saw Mr. Harris conferring with a middle-aged doctor wearing khaki pants beneath his white coat, his hair graying at the temples. Mr. Harris looked ten years older, his expression long and drawn, his black eyes deadweight in his face.

  Felicity hurried toward the men. “Is my mom okay?”

  Turning, emotion churned the depths of Mr. Harris’ gaze. “She’s in a coma.”

  “A coma?”

  “Yes,” he replied dully. “It’s due to the trauma done to her head.”

  Standing idle, Travis wondered what could have caused her head injury. The beam hadn’t hit them. Had she hit her head against the stall? Had it happened when he tackled her to the ground? He moved his gaze to the open doorway, his thoughts going to Felicity and Mr. Harris. The two people closest to Miss Delaney were hurting. Had this been his fault?

  “She’s critical,” the doctor added. “We’re keeping her overnight.”

  Felicity fell back a step. “Overnight?”

  Exchanging a glance with Mr. Harris, the doctor seemed hesitant, but Mr. Harris nodded. “Your mother has some swelling in the brain. We need to watch her for a few days before deciding what to do.”

  Felicity gaped. “A few days?”

  “It might resolve itself sooner,” the doctor replied quietly, “but it’s a wait-and-see proposition. We’re doing everything we can to relieve the pressure, but we’ll need to monitor her progress. Hopefully, surgery won’t be necessary.”

  Felicity nearly buckled. Travis reached out for her, but she collapsed into Mr. Harris who wrapped an arm around her body, hugging Felicity to him. “Don’t worry. She’s in good hands.”

  Travis thought Mr. Harris sounded like he was in some kind of daze. He seemed distant, detached. Was he in shock? Had he mentally checked out?

  “You’re welcome to wait here,” the doctor told Felicity. “But like I was telling your father, it could be some time before we know anything.”

  “He’s not my father,” Felicity murmured abruptly.

  “I’m her stepfather,” Nick corrected, a sweep of concern coalescing in his gaze. Was he bothered by Felicity’s hasty clarification?

  The doctor seemed to take it in stride. “I see. Either way, you’re welcome to stay. I’ll let the staff know you’re here.”

  “Can I see her?” Felicity asked.

  “Of course. I’ll ask the nurse to let you know when she’s settled. Though I want to caution you—she won’t be able to respond but she might be able to hear you and understand what you’re saying.”

  Nodding, Felicity tightened her hold on Mr. Harris.

  “I understand this is the result of a fire.” Lines rippled across his forehead as he instructed, “I wouldn’t make any mention of the fire while in her presence. Do not discuss the events of the evening. Her stress should be kept to a minimum.”

  Because she could hear them, Travis mused, unsettled by the notion. And it would upset her. As the doctor left, Mr. Harris and Felicity walked to the waiting room. There was no goodbye, no acknowledgement of his presence. They simply walked away from him like two zombies. “Felicity, wait.”

  They turned but Felicity didn’t make a move toward him. She stood clinging to Mr. Harris like some kind of lifeline.

  Mr. Harris let go of his hold. “Take your time,” he told her, his voice devoid of emotion. “I’ll let you know if anything changes.”

  Felicity’s gaze trailed him inside as though she longed to be with him. Returning her focus to Travis, she crossed her arms and looked at him expectantly. Her hair was a spray of frizzy curls around her face, her cheeks and forehead shone with baked-in perspiration. Both of them smelled foul, the sterile environment no match for the rank scent of smoke. But worse than her looks was the cutting edge in her gaze.

  “Felicity, I’m sorry about your mom. I’m sorry about the fire, but I’m glad you and Blue are okay.” Visibly struggling against tears, Felicity zipped her mouth tightly closed. Travis scraped a hand through his hair, frustration filing through him. “Felicity, what’s wrong? What’s going on?”

  “What do you think is wrong?” she asked, anger wrenching her delicate features, rendering her freckles an angry red. “My mother is lying in a hospital bed, Travis. Horses have been injured, property has been destroyed.”

  “I get all that, but you seem to not want me around. What the heck did I do?”

  Felicity grew rigid, her green eyes suddenly glittering beneath the fluorescent lighting. “Why didn’t you come back for me?”

  “What are you talking about?”

  “In the stables, after you carried my mom out. Why didn’t you come back for me?”

  “I did come back for you. I searched all over for you!”

  “Not in the stables. You never came back in to help me and Blue.”

  “Felicity, I was helping your mom. I told you to get out. I went back but they told me you weren’t inside.”

  “You expected me to leave my horse? Did you seriously think I was going to listen to you?”

  “You should never have gone inside in the first place. It was a stupid risk.

  Felicity’s expression morphed into such a hideous rejection he almost expected a fire-breathing dragon to leap out and scorch him. “You call saving Blue from burning alive a stupid risk?”

  “You know what I mean.” Thankfully the corridor was empty. Travis was glad no one was here to witness the hostility between them. “There were other people there who could have helped. Some of the staff had returned. They could have saved your horse without you endangering yourself.”

  “Why? Because they’re men, or because you didn’t see fit to save her so they had to finish the job?”

  “Felicity. I was trying to help your mom. I knew Troy was in there. He could get Blue.”

  She glared at him. “Don’t you think he had his hands full? I mean—he was busy trying to save all the horses, not just mine. But he did. He saw you desert me and he saved me and Blue.”

  “Desert you?” Travis bit back his next response. Felicity was making Troy into some kind of hero and totally ignoring the heroic act he performed. “The stables are his job. He works with those animals. Of course he’s going to go in after them. You didn’t have to go in. You should’ve stayed outside where it was safe.”

  “Safe. Safe, while my horse’s life is threatened? Not a chance. I can’t believe you would even suggest such a thing.”

  And Travis couldn’t believe she was flying out of control like this. What had gotten into her? Why was she being so irrational? Clea
ring his throat, the bitter taste of smoke an ever present reminder of the chaotic evening, he tried to remain calm. “Listen, I don’t want anything to happen to you, is that so bad?”

  “You’re treating me like I’m some kind of helpless baby.” Felicity unwound her arms and said, “Well, I’m not. I’m a grown woman who can take care of myself, and I’m sick and tired of you coddling me like I’m some kind of child who needs protecting.”

  Genuinely shocked, his eyes went to the small heart-shaped pendant at her collarbone, the one he’d given her the summer before college. It had been a gesture of his love, his undying love and devotion to her, and that included wanting to protect her. “Felicity, since when is wanting you to be safe a bad thing?”

  “When it means you don’t think I’m strong and capable of taking care of myself.”

  If she called running into a burning building to save her horse and nearly meeting the same demise as her mother strong and capable, she needed to hear otherwise. Her mother was lying in a hospital bed because she hadn’t thought about what she was doing. She totally missed the falling beam and if it hadn’t been for him, she’d be dead right now!

  If it hadn’t been for Troy, Felicity could have met with the same fate. What part of that didn’t she get?

  “If you’ll excuse me,” she said nastily, “I’m going to be with my mother. If you want to make yourself useful, why don’t you track down my father and see if he has an alibi. I’ll bet he doesn’t.”

  Travis returned to the hotel. With Felicity camped out at the hospital for the foreseeable future and uninterested in his whereabouts, he decided to pursue the person or persons responsible for the fire. Felicity clearly thought her father was responsible for setting the blaze, but Travis believed otherwise. His lighter outside the stables had most likely been lost during his attack on her mother. He had no motive to be there otherwise. Jack Foster was pursuing his revenge in the court room.

  Unlike Jeremiah Ladd. It was no coincidence bad things started happening upon his return to town. It was only a matter of proving his connection to them—a matter Travis hoped Mr. Ward could assist him with. At the moment, Mr. Harris was walking around in a stupefied haze and would be of no help, which led Travis to his partner. Once he learned what Travis had discovered, Mr. Ward might be able to take it a step further.

  Pulling into the parking lot, Travis was surprised by the number of police cars. There were half a dozen pulled up near the hotel entrance, a few more were parked on the grass along the gravelly drive, their lights actively flashing an insistent creepy red glow against the green trees. Milling alongside the cars were policemen. Tons of them. How many cops did it take to gather evidence?

  One of the officers eyed him suspiciously as Travis slowed his truck to enter. Raising a hand, he ordered Travis to stop.

  Rolling to a stop, Travis lowered his window and waited for the man to make his way over. Flames were no longer visible uphill, but the evidence of fire hung heavily in the humid air. It filled his nostrils, sank into his heart, plastering his mind with flashbacks from the fire, the hospital, Felicity’s withdrawal from him.

  “Is there something I can help you with, son?”

  Securing the officer within his focus, Travis stated, “I’m here to see the manager.”

  “Do you have business with him?”

  “Yes.” Simple, straightforward it wasn’t a lie. He didn’t have an appointment, but he was certain Mr. Ward would want to hear from him.

  “At this hour on a Sunday evening?” the officer questioned.

  “Yes, sir. It’s personal in nature.”

  “What’s your name?”

  “Travis Parker.”

  The police officer jotted down the information. Glancing up the hill, he said, “This isn’t a good time. There’s been a fire on the property and the management has asked us to keep activity to a minimum. You’ll have to come back another time.”

  About to tell him he was here to discuss the fire, Travis thought better of it. No reason to raise any more suspicion than a late night Sunday visit already had. “Sure, no problem.”

  Shifting the gear into reverse, Travis backed out and drove up the road toward town. He should have said he was here to pick up his brother or help with the horses. Lying would have ensured an easier access. Instead, he went with the truth, which drew the attention of the police.

  Driving out of sight, Travis circled back and returned to the hotel, keeping a wary eye out for the officer who’d stopped him. Passing the main lot, he continued on to the employee lot which was lined with cars from those called back to work, but Travis noted a narrow space available on the end. Slipping in, he decided he’d trek up to the stables under the cover of forest by taking the employee route up. Shoving his truck keys into his pocket, he pulled out his cell phone and used the light to illuminate his way. Slinking through the black of forest didn’t make him a criminal.

  Only made him feel like one. A feeling he didn’t care for. But it wasn’t like he was breaking the law. Only doing what he had to do to set things right.

  Chapter Sixteen

  Marching up the narrow passage, the light from Travis’ cell phone illuminated the path, pine-needles blanketing the forest floor, a slew of rocks and roots poking up from beneath. Unaccustomed to taking the employee route up to the stables, he hadn’t committed this trail to memory. Thoughts of the years he’d spent walking this land, these trails, brought the magnitude of the events home. Whoever set the fire intended to do serious damage. Not only had they shown total disregard for the safety and well-being of the horses, they obviously had little regard for the land. Travis might not own Ladd Springs, but burning any natural preserve went against his grain. He’d grown up in these woods. His family lived up the street, their property connected by forest. If the group of them hadn’t been nearby for the Serenity Scape performance, who knows how far the fire could have spread, how many animals could have perished.

  Wildfires didn’t discriminate. They only destroyed.

  Exiting the trail, Travis gazed up the hill. The sight of the stables half burned to the ground cut raw. The flames might be gone, but the smoke had managed to permeate the entire mountainside, hanging in layers. The stench angered him. Fire engines emitted a steady flash of red light over the stables and paddocks, white walls barely recognizable as most of the building had collapsed into a massive heap of charred wood and bent metal, ribbons of smoke twirling upward as they vanished into the black of night. In contrast to the dead rubble of devastation, the area was a hive of activity. Horses had been collected, were being attended to by stable staff. Troy would be there overseeing the animals, ensuring their safety, keeping them calm. Despite their differences of late, Travis recognized Troy had a talent when it came to the animals. When they were growing up, horses had always been a part of their lives. They rode every day, worked them, took care of them. Neither used saddles. They weren’t necessary. The feel of a horse beneath their bodies was as natural as a pair of jeans and boots. But Troy had always demonstrated an emotional connection with the horses that Travis did not. It was like he spoke their language, understood what they thought. Travis couldn’t attest to that level of expertise, but according to Miss Delaney, Troy was as good as they came.

  Hiking the remaining distance, Travis redirected his thoughts to the “who” and the “why.” Whoever did this was sick. Twisted. And he would pay.

  Skirting the fire trucks, Travis strode the vicinity of the building, scanning the myriad faces in search of Mr. Ward. With Mr. Harris tied up at the hospital and going nowhere fast, Travis needed to find Mr. Ward and tell him what he’d learned about Jeremiah’s debt, his meeting with the strangers in town. It was possible that Mr. Ward had done his own research, and between the two of them, they could put their minds together and solve this crime. Distracted by the blackened rubble, inundated by the sour scent, his heart caught at the sight of scorched stall gates. A few hung open, dangling from their hinges, looking like they
could break at any second. Felicity had tried to get Blue. Her mom had tried to save them all. Fixing his gaze on a row of leather tack scarred by flame, Travis thought about all they had nearly lost. Miss Delaney was in the hospital. Troy and a horse had been burned, but it could have been worse.

  Travis glanced from roof to walls to ground. This fire had not only been devastating to the animals, it would cost a fortune for Mr. Harris to rebuild and re-outfit. The horses had lost their home. They could live outdoors, but many were new to the stables. Heck, the stables were new to Ladd Springs! Allowing his gaze to drift toward the animals gathered in the open night air, he thought they appeared calm, normal after their traumatic evening. With the stables burned to a crisp, where would the horses stay?

  “Travis.” He turned at the sound of the masculine voice coming from behind him. “Have you been to see Delaney?”

  Malcolm Ward appeared out of nowhere like a gift from Heaven. Despite the destruction around him, he looked clean and fresh. Must be the white head of hair. Against the dark and desolate scene surrounding them, his hair jumped out as though he had averted disaster. Which he hadn’t. The dirt stains on the knees of his pressed khaki slacks told a different story. He had been there with Delaney when the ambulance arrived.

  Travis coughed, slung the long bangs from his eyes. “Not exactly. I went to the hospital with Felicity but they were doing tests. The results weren’t good. She’s in a coma.”

  Malcolm dropped his head forward. Running a hand over his head, he heaved a sigh. “I’m sorry to hear that. I assume Felicity is still at the hospital?”

  Travis nodded. “She’s with Nick.”

  The fact registered in Malcolm’s expression. Nick was his partner, his friend. The fact that he was suffering struck deep, like he shared in their tragedy. “The two will need each other to get through this.”

  “Yes,” Travis murmured in reply. His girlfriend needed Nick, not him. Travis attributed her reaction tonight to stress. Her horse’s safety had been jeopardized for the second time in less than a week, and it was taking its toll on her. Emotions ran high and tight. That much he understood. But her reaction to him was a different story. It felt more like rejection than stress.