Kaleidoscope Eyes

by Karen Ball

  Oh brother! Here’s hoping they chalked his stumbling over his own name to being intimidated by Big Brother. Which, just for the record, he was. Dan Justice cut an imposing figure, and having him stare at Jed like that—like he wanted to dissect him and find out what made him tick—was far from comfortable.

  Annie’s elbow made pointed contact with his ribs.

  “Oh! Uh, Current. Jed Current.” He held his hand out to Dan. “At your service.”

  Dan’s grip on Jed’s fingers was solid.

  Rock solid.

  So much so that Jed could feel his fingers going numb.

  “Sis, you’d better go check the burgers.”

  Annie glanced from her brother to Jed, worry evident in those golden brown depths. He inclined his head. “Go ahead, Annie. We’ll be out in a minute.”

  “Are you sure?” She looked at the men’s still locked hands.

  Jed managed a smile through the pain. “I’m sure.”

  As Annie left, Jed faced Dan head-on. From the spark in that man’s eyes, it was obvious he knew what he was doing. So Jed did what any real man meeting a woman’s older brother for the first time would do.

  He whimpered.

  Well, okay, only inside. On the outside he kept his grip equally firm and his gaze locked on Dan’s.

  After another beat, Dan finally let his hand go. Jed eased it behind his back, hoping no one noticed as he flexed life back into the fingers.

  “So, Jed.”

  Uh-oh. Jed recognized that tone of voice. Annie’s brother was in cop mode.

  “Tell me about yourself. Where are you from? What do you do for a living? How much did you make last year?” His lips stretched into a tight smile. “What are your intentions toward my sister?”

  Jed decided it was time to take the bull by the horns. “Don’t I get my rights read to me first?”

  Something flickered in Dan’s steely eyes. Jed hoped it was respect and not impending violence. “Your rights?”

  “Hey, I watch cop shows. You have to read me my rights before you can interrogate me.”

  “No interrogation, Jed. Just a few friendly questions.”

  “Aha. Well do me a favor, will you?”

  “What’s that?”

  “Warn me before you get unfriendly I’ll need time to put on a flak jacket.”

  Dan’s stern features melted, but only a fraction. “You’re quick on your feet, I’ll give you that.” His brows lifted a fraction. “Of course, con men usually are.”

  Jed told himself his temper flared because Dan was pushing him. No way it had anything to do with the fact that the term con man hit a little too close to home.

  “Listen, pal, Annie’s your sister. I get that. And you’re protective. I get that too. But you need to get this: The only thing at this little barbecue that’s gonna get grilled is the burgers. I’m here because Annie trusts me. So bottom line, the issue isn’t do you trust me, but do you trust your sister? If you do, then give me a royal break on the cop routine, and let’s go join the others.”

  “And if not?”

  Jed straightened. “Then you’re not near as smart as Annie says you are.”

  Dan stared at him, those blue eyes like ice, and Jed felt his pulse jump. Okay, maybe he went a bit too far.

  And maybe, he thought, feeling the sweat pop out on his brow when Dan’s gaze narrowed, he went more than just a bit. Maybe he went so far he wasn’t going to make it back.

  At least, not without an ambulance.

  TWENTY-FIVE

  “Discussion is an exchange of knowledge;

  argument is an exchange of ignorance”

  ROBERT QUILLEN

  “‘Come now; let us reason together.’”

  ISAIAH 1:18, NIV

  Jed tensed, straining to keep his features neutral.

  He refused to meet death with utter panic on his features. So he firmed his jaw and forced a calm he was far from feeling into his gaze.

  Okay; Deputy; bring it on. I’m ready for you.

  Yeah right. Oh well, at least when that fist hit him, the pain would only last a moment. Then he’d be out cold.

  Dan reached out-and clamped that big hand of his on Jed’s shoulder. “Fair enough.”

  “It is?” Jed cleared the squeak from his voice. “I mean, yeah. It is.”

  He and Dan eyed each other, then they both broke into low chuckles. Jed shook his head. “Oh man! I thought you were gonna belt me.”

  “And have Annie come down on me like two tons of bricks?” Dan grinned and pulled the sliding glass door to the backyard open. “Hardly. But I have to tell you, when I realized she didn’t even know your last name … ” He followed Jed outside, letting out a heavy sigh. “Leave it to Annie to spend as much time with a guy as she spent with you and not know his last name.”

  Was Dan implying that his sister was some kind of scatterbrain? If so, then the man didn’t know her. He glanced at Annie. Did she hear her brother’s comment? From the way she looked away and from the heightened color tingeing her cheeks, Jed figured she had.

  He didn’t hesitate. He went to slip an arm around her slim shoulders. He liked the way she could just tuck up against him.

  A little too much.

  “You know, Dan, my last name just never came up.” He smiled down at Annie, and the look in her eyes made him feel ten feet tall. “I mean, it’s like we’d known each other forever. So I don’t think either one of us thought to ask.” He gave her a wide-eyed look. “Come to think of it, what’s your last name?” Everyone laughed at that, and Annie’s hug spoke volumes.

  Trouble was, Jed wasn’t sure he should listen. He was already having enough trouble following the plan.

  Dan looked as though he was about to ask another question, and Jed steeled himself, but he needn’t have worried. A blond woman stepped around Dan, offering her hand to Jed, her smile as warm and welcoming as Annie’s.

  Well … almost.

  “It’s nice to meet you, Jed. I’m Shelby, Dan’s wife. And I believe you’ve met this rascal?” She inclined her head to Jayce, who was playing tug-of-war with Kodi.

  Jed waved. “Yup, we’ve met.”

  The rest of the evening flew by, and Jed found himself having a good time. Annie’s family seemed so comfortable together, though he did notice the way she held back from time to time, watching the others rather than taking part in the rapid-fire teasing. Jed couldn’t help but wonder why Still, there was no doubting the love they all shared. And Dan and Shelby seemed a perfect match.

  Just like his folks used to be.

  Come on, Jed, at least be honest with yourself. Your parents never got along that well.

  It didn’t even bother him when the conversation turned to God. Much. Of course, he’d been wholly unprepared for the shift in topic. Sure, he knew Annie was a person of faith. But the conversation had hardly been conducive to religious application. Jayce was sharing a debate they’d had in class at school about the death penalty.

  “It was wild,” the kid said around a mouthful of chips. “I mean, half the room was for it, half was against. First time I’ve ever seen when no one was undecided.”

  Annie considered her nephew. “Where do you stand?”

  Jayce’s blue eyes crinkled. “At first I was against it. It just didn’t seem right for someone to decide someone else should die. No matter what that person did. But then one of the girls in my class started talking about God and His justice—”

  Jed almost choked on his burger. What was it with the people around him? How did they get from the death penalty to God?

  “—and what she said made a lot of sense. She even showed how the Bible supports it.”

  Jed couldn’t help himself. “Whoa. The Bible? The book that talks about love and forgiveness and all that? Supports the death penalty?”

  “Actually—” Dan set his plate of food on the arm of his Adirondack chair—“I agree with Jayce’s friend. If you read Romans 13:1-7, it seems pretty clear God gives the gove
rnment the right to punish those who do wrong. And when Paul says the government doesn’t bear the sword in vain … ” He shrugged. “I don’t think that’s referring to a slap on the wrist.”

  Dan’s wife leaned her elbows on her knees. “But is he saying it’s okay to kill someone?”

  “I think he is.”

  Jed stared at Annie, his mouth falling open. “You support the death penalty?”

  There was a wry twist to her mouth. “I know, Miss Wouldn’t-Hurt-a-Fly. But yes, I do.”

  “So you think it’s okay to kill someone?”

  Jayce sounded just this side of stunned, and Annie shook her head. “No, not quite. I’m saying I think there’s biblical support for governments to put to death those who’ve committed heinous crimes against society.”

  Shelby wasn’t convinced. “What about the Sermon on the Mount? You have heard that it was said, “Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.” But I tell you, Do not resist an evil person. If someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also.’”

  “But that’s not talking about government.”

  Jed leaned back in his chair, watching Annie, fascinated. This was a side of her he hadn’t seen before.

  “I mean, think about it,” she went on. “Jesus Himself said He didn’t come to abolish the law, but to fulfill it. And in the whole ‘eye for an eye’ section in the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus isn’t arguing against the standard law of a life for a life.”

  “He’s not?” Jayce looked almost as surprised as Jed felt.

  Annie leaned forward. “I don’t think so. I think He’s addressing our personal desire for vengeance, not the government’s responsibility to exact punishment and justice. Jesus didn’t deny the power and responsibility of the government.”

  “Right,” Dan chimed in. “He was telling individual Christians to love their enemies and turn the other cheek. But He also says we’re to submit to those in authority, such as the government.”

  “Well,” Jed finally jumped in, “it’s no surprise you’re for the death penalty I mean, you’re in law enforcement.”

  Dan took Shelby’s hand in his. “Yes, but I’m a Christian first. If I felt Scripture really spoke against capital punishment, I wouldn’t support it. I’d still do my job, but I’d do what I could to change the laws.”

  Shelby traced his fingers with her own. “But you don’t think Scripture speaks against it?”

  Dan shook his head. “I don’t. In fact, I think it mandates that the government use capital punishment to preserve public justice and order.”

  Jed waited for the explosion. This wasn’t just a discussion between family members; it was between husband and wife. And he knew what happened when these kinds of disagreements cropped up.

  People got mad. And marriages dissolved.

  “I think you’re wrong.”

  Jed tensed. He couldn’t believe Shelby had said that in front of everyone. Dan looked up at his wife and tugged at her hand, drawing her out of her chair and into his lap. He circled her with his arms, and she nestled against him.

  “I know you do, hon. And I think you’re wrong.”

  She rested her head on his shoulder. “So we keep reading and studying?”

  “Absolutely And who knows? God could always change your mind.”

  A smile played at Shelby’s lips. “Or yours.”

  Dan grinned. “You do believe in miracles, don’t you?”

  “Okay, you guys!” Jayce hopped up and carried his plate to the trash can. “PDA alert!”

  Dan and Shelby laughed. Then he stood, setting her on her feet. “So, sis—” Dan directed a look at Annie—“what’s for dessert?”

  “Cake. And coffee’s inside if anyone wants it.”

  Jed just sat there, staring.

  That was it? I think you’re wrong. I think you’re wrong. Hug, kiss. What’s for dessert? Where was the yelling? The anger? The seething resentment?

  “What’s up, Jed? You look like you’re about to fall off your chair.”

  He met Dan’s laughing eyes. “I just … I’ve never seen people disagree without … you know, disagreeing.”

  Shelby circled Dan’s waist with her arms. “It’s not that hard when you keep in mind that your relationship is more important than any disagreement.”

  The words hit him square in the chest. He nodded, then stood and glanced at Annie. “You said there’s coffee inside?”

  “Help yourself. It’s in the kitchen.”

  He did so, grateful for a reason to grab some alone time. All this togetherness was starting to get on his nerves. Not because it wasn’t real, but because it was.

  And he didn’t entirely understand it.

  He lifted the cup to his lips, wandering into the living room, then stopped.

  Flowers. Vase after vase of them. Perched all around the room. Well now, that was interesting. Annie kept his flowers.

  “Are you hiding in here?”

  He turned. Annie stood behind the couch, watching him. He indicated the roses with his coffee mug. “Did you grow all these?”

  She chuckled. “Nope. Someone sent them to me.”

  He let a tinge of jealousy show. Not a lot, just enough to get the point across. “From anyone I should know about?”

  “They’re not even from someone I should know about.”

  Ouch.

  “They’re from some guy from a reality TV show” She came around the couch, the ever-present Kodi on her heels, and sat down. Jed sank onto the cushion beside her as Kodi circled and settled at Annie’s feet with a deep doggy sigh. Jed couldn’t help but smile. He understood that sigh. Kodi was content so long as she was with Annie.

  Jed understood that as well.

  Stop it! That’s not the way to focus on the plan, you twit.

  “The man’s name was J T, or J P, or E T … ” Her shoulders lifted, eloquent in their dismissal. “Whatever. He wanted Kodi and me to be on his show.”

  “Sounds exciting.”

  “Not to me.”

  Spoken with such conviction. That was not a good sign. “So you weren’t interested? At all?”

  She leaned back. “I do what I do with search and rescue because it’s what God calls me to, not because I want recognition. Or to be on TV Besides, I can’t have some stranger following me around and getting in my way while I’m trying to work.” She laid a hand on Kodi’s head. “And with my luck, Kodi wouldn’t like him. She’d end up snapping at him; he’d probably be a city boy so he’d overreact and say she bit him, and I’d get sued.” She shook her head. “No thanks.”

  Annie folded her knees under her, and Jed tilted his head, taking in the picture she made.

  Did she know how striking she was? Not just because she was petite and beautiful, or because of those clear eyes that seemed to see right to your soul, but because of the air of inner strength that rested on her.

  You were right, Andy. The camera will love this woman.

  The camera? Who cared about the camera? He loved—

  “Hey, you two. I thought you were getting us dessert.”

  They both jumped, and Jed wanted to run over and kiss Shelby for interrupting them. For stopping his Benedict Arnold of a mind before it could say those words.

  He stood, pulled Annie to her feet, and plastering his best “let’s be social” smile on his face, held out his arm. “Our public awaits, my queen. Shall we retire to the royal gardens for tea and crumpets?”

  Annie laid her hand along his arm. “The royal gardens, you say? Indeed, milord, I fear what awaits us is far more the royal pains.”

  “Royal pains? I resemble that remark.”

  Annie stuck her tongue out at Dan. “And so you should after all you’ve put Jed through tonight.”

  Cleary unrepentant, her brother grinned at Jed. “Did I put you through a lot tonight?”

  Annie felt Jed’s voice growl deep in his chest. “Heckfire, nothin’ ah couldn’t handle, Shuruff.”

  She fought back a laugh,
knowing what Dan’s reaction would be. Three … two … one …

  “I’m not a sheriff.”

  Bingo. Okay, time to get this train on a new track. “What say we go into the kitchen for cake?”

  “Finally!” Jayce licked his lips. “And hot chocolate.”

  Jed’s hand engulfed hers as they walked, sending warmth up her arm, filling her head to toe.

  He leaned his head close. “You have those little marshmallows?”

  “Of course.”

  He tugged at her hand, and the pressure of his hand on hers both soothed her and made her heart trip just a little. “Well then, dear lady, ‘now go we in content.’”

  “You’re in for a treat, Jed.” Jayce was already in the kitchen, pulling mugs from the cupboard and setting them on the center island. “Nobody makes better hot chocolate than Auntie A.”

  As they made their way to the kitchen, Annie couldn’t help noticing that, for once, Kodi wasn’t beside her.

  Rather, the dog was walking beside Jed.

  It was clear: Kodi adored this man. Annie had to admit she wasn’t far behind her dog. For all of her protestations to Kyla about dating, she’d never had much time for relationships with men. But Jed … he was different. Special.

  He stepped aside, letting Annie enter the kitchen in front of him. Kodi bumped into Annie trying to get into the room in front of her.

  “You big moose!” But she wasn’t really mad. How could she be when Kodi was the one who’d brought her and Jed together?

  Kodi sat near the counter, sniffing the floor just in case someone had been thoughtful enough to drop something for her. Annie went to lift the lid on the doggy cookie jar. Kodi started dancing around the kitchen.

  “Arroww-ow!”

  “Hang on, you crazy beast.” She drew out a handful of cookies.

  “Wow, somebody must have been good.” Jayce’s eyes were round. “Look at all those treats.”

  Annie took the cookies, doing her best not to trip on the dancing Kodi, and set them on the dog’s cedar bed in the corner of the kitchen. Kodi hopped on the bed and dug in.