The Way Forward

by Eliana West

  Dax wrapped his arm around Callie’s shoulders. “I know you want to kill her, and I do, too, but you know if you make a move, Mother will have Sheriff Crosby here and you in handcuffs before you can finish the job,” he murmured into her ear.

  He saw his mother come in out of the corner of his eye but he kept his attention focused on Presley. “I’d like to know how you got in here.”

  “I let her in,” his mother announced.

  “How?” Callie asked.

  “It’s my duty as head of the town council to have access to every building in town.”

  His mother’s gaze flicked to Dax’s arm around Callie. She took in a sharp breath but softened her gaze and gave him a placating smile. “Darling, I don’t think you understand.”

  Dax held up his hand. “I understand quite a bit now,” he said. “You played the tragic widow after Dad died and everyone felt sorry for you. And you took advantage of their pity, ruling over this town as if you were a queen.” Dax ignored his mother’s outraged gasp and turned his attention back to Callie. “Who owns this building?”

  “I do,” she said, her eyes never leaving his mother’s.

  Dax held out his hand palm up. “Give me the keys, Mother.”

  Dorothy pulled a ring of keys out of her suit pocket. Pressing them to her chest, she shook her head, her mouth pressed in a thin line.

  “You are trespassing. Callie has every right to have you both arrested.”

  “I hope she does,” Uncle Robert said from the doorway. He stepped inside with a nod to Dax.

  “But Mrs. Ellis said…” Presley pouted.

  “Shut up, Presley,” Callie and Dax said in unison.

  “I want both of you to leave now. I’ll have the locks changed on every building on this block, so you might as well throw those out.” Callie pointed a shaking finger at the keys in Dorothy’s hand.

  “Honey, I suggest you call a locksmith other than the one here in town,” Uncle Robert said quietly when Dorothy smirked at her.

  “That’s a good idea. I’m sure we can find someone from Jackson who’d be willing to make the trip,” Dax added.

  His mother’s confident smirk faltered.

  “Apparently I won’t be doing any more business at the hardware store.”

  “I doubt many people will once they find out what Billy’s been up to,” Uncle Robert muttered. “I hope you’re happy, Dorothy,” he said coming around to face his sister-in-law. “What little business Billy has left will dry up when folks hear that he’s been making copies of keys for you.”

  Dorothy drew herself up, lifting her chin. “I have the right to—”

  “Do what, trespass on other people’s property?” Callie asked.

  Callie stepped out of Dax’s arms. He wanted to pull her back and wrap her in a protective embrace, shield her from the animosity radiating from his mother. Callie made it clear more than once that she didn’t want anyone to fight her battles for her, so he took his place at her side as she stood in front of Dorothy.

  “If either of you set foot on my property again, I will file charges.” She looked between Presley and Dorothy. “You have one minute to leave.”

  “How dare you speak to me like that!” Dorothy poked her finger in Callie’s chest forcing her to step back. “The library wasn’t open on time because you were out whoring around with my son. You’re a slut, just like your mother!”

  In an instant Dax pulled Callie behind him. “Get out NOW!” he shouted.

  Uncle Robert stepped up and grabbed the two women by the arm.

  “Ouch, you’re hurting me,” Presley wailed as his uncle pushed them out to the sidewalk, slammed the door, and locked it.

  Dax pulled Callie into his arms. He cupped the back of her head as she leaned against him, trembling. “I’m so sorry,” he said kissing the top of her head. She pulled away and straightened her shoulders.

  “It’s going to take a while to get this mess fixed,” she said.

  “I’ll start making calls to get the locks changed,” Uncle Robert said, giving Dax’s shoulder a squeeze. He scanned the chaos Presley had created in such a short amount of time and let out a low whistle. “As soon as I can get a locksmith, I’ll help you with this.”

  Dax nodded. The two men exchanged a look. “Take care of her first and we’ll clean this up later,” Robert said before he slipped outside.

  “It’s going to be okay. I promise.” His stomach churned. His reassurance didn’t ring true in his ears and he could tell by the look on Callie’s face that she didn’t believe him.

  “Dax, I need you to leave. You don’t know anything about the library system and I…I just want some time to myself.”

  “Callie, please, don’t turn me away. We’re in this together. I don’t care about my mother.”

  “I’m sure you believe that, but she’s your mother.”

  “My parents aren’t perfect but they’re still my parents. You need to go talk to her Dax.”

  “I’ll go but I’m going to come back and check on you later, okay?”

  Callie gave him a small smile. “Just give me some time to get this cleaned up and then we can talk.”

  Dax was too angry to talk to his mother. He was the kind of person who wanted to take action instead of talking.

  He headed to the barbershop instead of to his house.

  “I need your help. My mother and Presley broke into the library this morning.”

  “What in the hell? What do you mean she broke in?” Nate asked.

  The door opened again.

  “What the hell is going on?” Jacob asked.

  “My mother has keys to every building in town. Callie was late this morning and she used it as an excuse to set Presley loose.”

  Nate let out a low hiss. Hank’s grip on the broom in his hands tightened and his jaw ticked.

  “I had no idea. I swear.”

  “I know that, son,” Hank said, his heavy hand falling on Dax’s shoulder. “What do you need us to do?”

  “Besides give your mother the ass-whoppin’ that’s long overdue,” Nate said under his breath.

  “No, that’s my job. Uncle Robert is—”

  “Right here,” he said walking in. “I’ve got a locksmith coming in from Jackson. He’ll be here in a couple of hours.”

  “I came to let you know Hank, you’ll probably want to have your locks changed too. I’ll pay for it since this is my mother’s doing.”

  “I took the liberty of letting the locksmith know that there might be more than just one customer. Tillie has already asked to have him stop by the café. You and I are going to have a talk with Judge Beaumont.”

  Hank let out a low whistle. “You ain’t playin’.”

  “Nope, not anymore.” Robert jerked his head toward Dax. “Come on, let’s go.”

  Nate grabbed Dax by the arm as he walked past. “Don’t worry, we can all help. I’ll start letting the other folks know.”

  “Don’t have to worry about the bank since they have that fancy alarm system,” Hank added.

  “We still need to let Ashton know. I wouldn’t put anything past my mother at this point,” Dax said.

  “I think I’ll go have a talk with Billy at the hardware store,” Jacob said.

  “Thanks.” Dax grimaced. Colton Hardware was the only place in town where you could get a key made. He had no doubt that Billy was involved in his mother’s chaos.

  “Not today, Grace,” Uncle Robert said to Judge Beaumont’s office manager without breaking his stride, heading straight into the judge’s chambers. Only the very top of Judge Beaumont’s thinning hair could be seen behind the stacks of papers and books on his desk.

  The judge looked up, peering over the top of his glasses at them. “By the looks on both your faces I’m not going to like what you have to tell me, am I?”

  Twenty minutes later the judge took off his glasses and rubbed his eyes. He sat back in his chair with a long sigh. “Does Callie want to press charges?”

&
nbsp; “I don’t know, but there are others around town who might,” Dax said.

  “Who are they gonna call to press charges? We both know Jeb isn’t good for a damn thing,” Uncle Robert said.

  “I had my part to play in this mess.” The judge pushed a stack of papers to the edge of his desk. “I’ve hidden behind my work so I could avoid doing the hard job of being a responsible parent and a good member of this community. Ever since my Mary passed away I’ve buried myself in my work rather than face the reality of living without her.” He held his hands up. “I’m not making any excuses. I’m going to have to recuse myself from the legal ramifications that come out of this. But I’ll help any way that I can.”

  “I wanted you to know what’s coming,” Robert said.

  “Dax, when the time is right, please apologize to Callie for my daughter’s behavior. No,” the judge said, shaking his head. “I’ll make sure Presley apologizes. It’s my responsibility.”

  “I feel sorry for him,” Dax said as they made their way down the steps of the town hall.

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  The chaos that took Presley just a few minutes to create took Callie the rest of the day to put back together. Dax hovered over her all day until she finally sent him home. She appreciated all of the care and concern Dax and the rest of the folks in town had shown. Tillie came by with lunch and a slice of her pecan pie, while Ashton came over from the bank apologizing profusely for his sister and insisting on paying for the locks being changed, not just for the library but for every business in town.

  At the end of the day she just needed some time alone, so she told Dax she would see him in the morning. They had a lot to talk about but it could wait until morning. The situation with his mother was becoming impossible. By the time she came home the events of the day caught up with her and she was too tired to bother with making dinner. She’d been sitting at the dining room table with a glass of wine trying to calm her frazzled nerves. The air around her felt so heavy. She stood and made her way toward the bedroom, stumbling. She leaned against the wall for support. If she could just lie down for a little bit she wouldn’t be so sleepy. It felt like such a long way to her bed. By the time she made it she barely had the strength to lie down.

  Callie closed her eyes and saw a woman running through the cotton field, her cotton dress billowing out behind her. The gold buttons on the tall man’s uniform sparkled in the sunlight as he held his arms out to her. He wrapped his arms around her when she reached him, slipping the scarf from her head, running his hands over her long curls as they tumbled free. She reached up and stroked his beard, her long brown fingers caressing his blond whiskers. The two embraced and Callie strained to hear their whispered words. The air shimmered around her, heavy with heat and a sickly sweet smell she couldn’t identify. The image of the man and woman blurred. Callie struggled to open her eyes but her whole body resisted.

  Suddenly the woman turned and her gaze focused on Callie. The air crackled around them. “Callie, honey, you gotta get out now!”

  Someone was banging on the door. Was that part of the dream? A loud bang shattered the scene into a million tiny colored fragments. A voice called in the distance.

  “Callie! Callie you’ve got to wake up!”

  Just as the sound faded away, she felt herself being lifted and carried away. Something was pushing on her chest over and over again. She opened her eyes, and her throat burned as she tried to scream and get away from the shadowy figure that hovered over her.

  “Callie, Callie, I’m not trying to hurt you.” Dax helped her sit up and pulled her into his lap as she struggled against him. He wrapped one arm around her, while he frantically typed into his phone with the other hand. “Shh, it’s going to be okay, but you’ve got to let me help you get to the hospital.”

  “There’s a gas leak.” Dax’s voice sounded muffled and distant.

  Callie tried to speak but her words came out slurred and disjointed. She was being lifted again, floating in Dax’s arms and then everything faded into blackness.

  *

  There was a beeping sound, slow and steady, and then it became faster. She tried to move and realized someone was holding her hand. She frowned. Her eyelids felt so heavy. It took so much strength to pry them open.

  “She’s waking up, get the nurse.” Callie turned toward the voice, squinting to find Dax.

  “What—?” she croaked, her voice muffled from the oxygen mask covering her nose and mouth.

  “Mr. Ellis, why don’t you give me a minute to look at my patient.” The doctor came in, pulling the stethoscope from around his neck.

  Callie tried to move the mask but the doctor moved her hand and adjusted the mask back in place. “We need you to keep this on for a little while longer, okay?” he said patting her on the shoulder.

  Callie looked over at Dax and his uncle hovering in the doorway with Jacob. Dax kept his eyes on her with a grim expression while the doctor checked her vital signs before Robert put a reassuring hand on his shoulder and ushered him into the hall.

  “Miss Colton, I’m Dr. Anderson. Do you remember what happened?” the doctor asked as he checked her pulse.

  Callie shook her head.

  The doctor’s lips pressed into a thin line as he listened to her heart for a moment before he continued, “There was a gas leak in your house. You are very lucky your friend got you out in time. I’m going to keep you here for another day just as a precaution. You might feel a bit disoriented, but that will pass.”

  She wrinkled her forehead, trying to focus. The doctor finished his examination and Dax came back in, pulling up a chair at Callie’s side, taking her hand back in his. Robert and Jacob joined him a minute later.

  “Good to see you awake,” Robert said in a gruff voice as he leaned over, placing a gentle kiss on her cheek.

  Callie frowned. She tried to talk but her throat was raw and the oxygen mask made it difficult.

  “Shh, don’t say anything,” Dax said kissing her hand clasped in his. “We can talk in the morning.”

  The door burst open and Mae rushed in, pushing Dax out of her way. She threw her arms around Callie. “Oh my God, Callie, are you okay?”

  Callie tried to smile behind the mask. She reached up and gave her a weak pat on the back.

  “The doctor just came in. She’s going to be okay,” Dax reassured Mae.

  “Mom and Dad are on their way.” Mae turned to Dax. “You can go now.” She dismissed him.

  Dax actually growled, tightening his grip on her. “I’m not going anywhere.”

  Callie looked between her best friend and Dax. They stared at each other, locked in a battle of wills. Robert cleared his throat. “Son, you could use a rest. Why don’t you let Mae take a turn?”

  Dax opened his mouth to protest. Callie gave his hand a reassuring squeeze. He leaned over and kissed her forehead, letting his lips linger for a moment. He hovered over her. “I won’t be gone long.”

  Callie nodded. He tried to take his hand from hers, but she couldn’t bring herself to let go. The heart monitor reflected her distress, the beeping increasing again.

  Mae sighed. “Okay you win, Dax.” She got up from her perch on the bed. “I’ll come back in the morning.”

  Once Robert ushered Jacob and Mae out of the room, Dax climbed into the bed and pulled Callie into his arms, kissing the top of her head. He stroked her arm. “Try to sleep, sweetheart. I’ll be here when you wake up, I promise.”

  Feeling safe in his embrace Callie drifted off.

  She was alone when she woke up again. The nurse came in and removed the oxygen mask, exchanging it for a smaller tube fitted into her nose. Once she helped Callie use the bathroom and got her settled again, Mae came in, wrapping her arms around Callie.

  “I can’t imagine what life would be like without you. I was so scared when Dax called.” She broke down crying. “Do you remember anything about what happened?”

  “I came home, and had a glass of wine. And then I got s
o sleepy.” She shuddered. “Mae, I was dreaming. It was so crazy. There was a man and a woman in a field of cotton. The connection between them made the air shimmer. And then…the woman turned to me and told me I had to get out. I tried to move, but everything felt so heavy. I heard—” she scrunched her forehead, trying to remember “—hammering I think, and then I fell asleep.”

  A single drop lost its grip on Mae’s lashes and slid down her cheek. “Oh, honey, the hammering was Dax banging on your door. He smelled the gas and when you didn’t answer he broke it down to get you.”

  Callie frowned. “I don’t remember; everything is still kind of hazy.”

  Fragments of memory flashed through her mind of the events, faster and faster.

  Dax found her crying softly in Mae’s arms.

  Mae let go and Dax took her place. Callie buried her face in his shoulder. “I was going to talk to you in the morning and figure out what to do together. You were trying to help me, and I fought you. Oh, Dax, I’m so sorry.”

  “It’s okay, sweetheart.” Dax stroked her hair. “I’m not going to let you go ever again, whatever happens… No matter what my mother does, we’re going to stand together.”

  Callie sniffed and nodded, slipping her hand into his, weaving their fingers together. “You’re right.”

  The doctor came in. Looking at their clasped hands, he cleared his throat. “I’m going to assume you don’t mind my discussing your case with your…friend here?”

  “I’m her boyfriend, and I’m not going anywhere,” Dax said.

  The doctor nodded. “Miss Colton, your oxygen levels look good as well as your vitals. I’m willing to release you if you will promise to take it easy for a few days once you get home.”

  “She will,” Dax said giving her a stern look.

  The doctor reviewed her care instructions, advising Dax on any warning signs to look for that would mean she needed to come back to the hospital. Once the release papers were signed, he bundled her into his truck and they headed back to Colton. Dax passed her house, instead heading straight into town and pulling up in front of his building. “Dax, what are we doing here?”