Chapter 14

At the feed store the next day, Allison was in the office finishing up payroll when Murray poked his head in the doorway.

“Just thought I’d let you know, Katie had her baby last night. Eight and a half pound boy.” His face lit with pride. “She already sent us pictures. Thelma’s got them on her phone. He’s a fine-looking boy, too, with lots of hair, just like his mama.”

“Well that’s wonderful, and congratulations to you and Thelma. I know you’ve looked forward to this little one’s arrival.” She tried to imagine the often cranky Murray as a doting grandpa. Knowing how kind he was to Lizzie, she didn’t doubt he’d spoil the kid. “Please give Katie and her hubby my best, too.”

He nodded, and a red flush crept up his neck. Good old Murray, embarrassed at his own reaction to having a new little grandson. She had to smile, then wondered if it was a good time to bring up the subject flitting about in her mind. Now’s as good a time as any. Before he could leave, she closed the desk drawer and slipped the key into her jeans pocket. “Say, Murray?”

“Yeah?”

She swallowed hard before she lost her nerve. Lying to him went against the grain with her, but telling him the truth? This was better. “I was going through some old newspaper clippings couple of nights ago, just stuff I found in the attic. Pop must have saved them. You remember how he always cut out stuff from the Silver Creek News.” At least that’s true. “Anyway, I found a few articles from back about the time Jason and I were in high school, the summer folks thought they saw a big cat around here. I just wondered—do you think there was ever any truth to it?” She didn’t know if there was anything in the paper about the incident, but it was worth a shot to get more information on what Shane had told her.

Murray turned from the doorway, his shaggy eyebrows crooked together in a frown. “Now don’t go starting that crazy rumor again. You let some hare-brained numbskulls like the Potter boys hear it and they’ll be out in the woods, using it as an excuse to shoot up the place. I know some folks swore back then they spotted one, but I never saw any proof of it myself.”

“Yeah, probably just a hoax or something.” No way would she mention the “proof” might very well exist in her pasture. As for the Potter brothers getting wind of it, she had no intention of letting that happen.

****

Later that afternoon, Allison finished up in the barn and made sure to close it up tight against whatever prowled about in the hours of darkness—whatever had left the chilling paw print in the pasture.

An hour later, she’d fed the last kitten and tucked all three back into their basket. The babies snuggled in together, and she hoped they would take a long nap, at least until Lizzie got home from shopping with Ronnie and could take over their feedings again.

“Sleep tight, sweeties.” She carried them into the living room and put the basket in a corner warmed by the last of the day’s sunshine. “Keep an eye on them,” she bade Gypsy, who whined softly and laid down not far away, her white muzzle resting on her forepaws. The collie had adopted the kittens and would come to get Lizzie or Allison when they stirred, which would probably happen in another hour. Just enough time to jump in the shower and wash away the day’s stress.

Once hot water streamed on her head, lessening the tension that had strained her neck and shoulder muscles all day, she relaxed a bit. Yet, she couldn’t stop thinking about the last conversation she’d had with Shane…and the way he’d touched her as he inspected the fading bruise on her leg. The way she’d wanted to gasp at the sudden heat that had traveled from his gentle fingers to the very core of her being. Damn that man! Why did he still manage to have so much control over her? Why did she have to melt whenever he came near? Why inside was she still the seventeen-year-old girl who’d loved him so desperately?

She glanced down at the bruise. It was fading away into a paler shade of green and would soon disappear. He wouldn’t need to demand to check it out again. Just as he would no doubt leave as soon as Doc got back on his feet. Except, what would happen if Doc didn’t get back on his feet? While Sandy reported he could now sit in a chair, he still had a very long road to recovery. How long could Shane stay here to keep the practice going? What about his life back in Wyoming? What would he do about Lizzie?

Too many questions were giving her a headache. She dumped wildflower-scented shampoo in her palm and lathered up her hair to massage it away.

Once wrapped in her bathrobe, hair in a turban, she wandered into her bedroom and sat on the edge of the bed. Towel drying her hair, she yawned. Was there time to take a nap? Ronnie had said she and Lizzie would have dinner at Johnny’s Drive-In, so she didn’t need to worry about having anything ready to eat. A half an hour of rest was probably what she needed to curb the last of the lingering headache, so she curled up on top of the coverlet.

****

Shane pulled up to another farmhouse that had, in more ways than one, seen better days. Plastic still covered the downstairs windows, probably in an effort to keep out the cold this past winter, but now it shredded in the summer heat. The porch steps sagged, and ancient cedar bushes on either side sprouted wildly out of control. Past the house, a slanting-sideways barn and chicken coop sank into the landscape, as if wanting to hide their sad state of disrepair. A few scrawny, red hens pecked in the overgrown yard. They were the only sign of life in the Potter brothers’ homestead. To the left of the farm buildings, jacked-up cars hunkered in front of a gray cement block building, several with raised hoods. Allison had mentioned Duane and Darren worked on cars, but it appeared they did a half-assed job of it. Not surprising.

He gripped the steering wheel until his hands white-knuckled, recalling another time he had come here…and nearly lost his life confronting the brothers and their cousins. The night he’d uncovered their dog-fighting ring. It had sickened him then, and it sickened him now to think of the dogs that had suffered at their grimy hands. He had barely escaped, and the bullet that shattered the back window of his truck had missed his head by inches. One of the cousins had gone to jail, and the Potters were charged with animal cruelty, served a sentence, and forbidden to ever own dogs again. Doc had made sure to tell him that. But had the current sheriff followed through? He scanned the yard. No dogs in sight.

Opening the truck door, he waited, knowing the sound could be heard by a canine he didn’t see. Still nothing. He slowly stepped out, pocketing the key and leaving the door un-latched to facilitate a quick getaway if needed. All his senses switched on high as he made his way to the garage. A chicken squawked and flapped across the yard. He stopped with held breath and waited for any sound of warning—a threatening growl or the click of a gun. Nothing.

At the door to the garage he paused, listening against it. A low murmur of voices drifted from within, followed by a sudden raucous whoop. Darren. Even after ten years, Shane recognized the disgusting sound. He’d probably laughed the same way when Cousin Red pulled the trigger.

Shane opened the door slowly, expecting at any moment for someone to give him a shove or a punch to the jaw for entering without knocking. While the Potters hadn’t been known for their fighting prowess themselves, the cousins had no qualms about knocking someone on their ass. But the only thing hitting Shane was the thick, sweet smell of pot and the stale scent of sweat and unwashed bodies. He’d rather smell a pig barn.

The laughing stopped, and a smoky silence filled the room. He squinted into the murky air, and his stomach settled with some relief to see only the brothers sitting in the corner on rickety barstools.

The older Potter grinned and slid off his stool to approach. “Hey, if it ain’t our old buddy. What can we do for you, Shane? You wanna beer?” He held up the joint pinched between his thumb and greasy forefinger. “Or maybe some of this?”

They were nearly eye to eye. But though he outweighed Duane by probably thirty pounds, that was little comfort—as the Potters also liked to carry knives. Duane’s shifty face melded with the smoke. Shane waved the vapors away and took a step back, glancing past the pothead to make sure the others weren’t advancing on him. “No thanks to both. I didn’t come here to socialize.”

He nodded and shrugged. “Okay, so you don’t want to hang with us.” He squinted and then fixed him with a cold glare. “So, what do you want?”

“Just two things. I want you to leave Allison alone, and stay away from her farm.”

“Don’t know what the hell you’re talkin’ about.”

“I think you do.” Shane watched his reaction while keeping Darren in his peripheral vision. He didn’t trust either of the Potters.

“You do?” He shook his head and turned to walk away a few steps then swiveled on one heel to come back. “You’re gone for what, ten years? Then you come ridin’ back in here and think you know what’s goin’ on. Kinda like the knight in shining armor. Ha!” His raucous laughter billowed out.

“No knight, Duane. Just a man telling you to leave someone alone.” Because if you don’t, there’s going to be hell to pay. He curled his right hand into a fist, itching to land it in the guy’s nose, willing to do anything to keep these two away from Allison.

“Someone who’s a thief? Or maybe you don’t know how she came and took something wasn’t hers to take and—”

“I know, and I also know you got your own dirty deeds to hide.”

“Says who?”

“Says me. You’ve never been clean, and you know it. Not ten years ago, and not now.”

Duane came to stick his grizzled face in Shane’s. The close-up view of the jerk’s tobacco-stained teeth turned his stomach sour, as did the memory of the brothers’ crimes of cruelty.

“We did our time.” The thin lips sneered. “And all you did was run. Didn’t seem you cared much for stickin’ with your girl back then. You left her high and dry.”

Shane stepped away. Cold truth stuck in his gut like a rock. But that didn’t matter. “The difference now is I won’t run, and I’m telling you again, Duane. Leave. Allison. Alone.” He backed toward the door and didn’t turn around until he’d stepped into the cool twilight.

Before letting the door close, he heard Duane snicker and mutter, “It ain’t us who’s bothering her. You remember that. Not us.”

The warning kept running through his mind as he drove away. Who else would have reason to harass Allison? Who else would stoop so low? He hoped his little visit to the Potters would make them think twice about any further actions, but there was no certainty. The best thing he could do was keep an eye on her…without her realizing it. Something easier said than done. Accepting his protection was the last thing she wanted to do, he was sure of it, but standing between her and Lizzie and any threat to them had suddenly become the most important thing in the world to him. If only he could make her understand.

****

Allison woke with a start and glanced at the clock radio. Had Ronnie brought Lizzie home yet? She’d said to expect them before seven o’clock, but it was nearly eight. She listened for a moment for any sounds of voices drifting from downstairs. Nothing. She got up quickly and pulled on shorts and a T-shirt, tossing her hair into its usual ponytail. As she hurried down the stairs, a niggling worry pricked at her to think they weren’t back yet from the shopping trip. When she found the house empty save for herself, she went to the phone and was just ready to call Ronnie’s cell number when her sister-in-law’s silver SUV pulled into the drive.

In a few moments, Lizzie ran up the steps, and as usual, burst into the house with the boundless energy of a nine-year-old. “Hi Mom! We had burgers at Johnny’s Drive-In. The girls have roller skates on, and they bring your food on a tray! Can you believe it? How come we’ve never been there?”

She gave her daughter a fierce hug and tried not to let her voice give away the relief flooding through her. “Actually, we have been there, but I guess you were too small to remember. Daddy and I took you there, and you wanted to wear skates, too. You especially loved their fries.”

Lizzie screwed up her face for a moment, confused. “Which daddy?”

A shot of adrenalin clutched Allison’s throat. “Why your daddy, Jason, of course, silly.” She glanced up and caught Ronnie’s glare. “It was one of his favorite places to eat out.”

Thankfully, this seemed to satisfy her daughter for the moment as she glanced about the kitchen. “How are my kitties doing? Did you feed them?”

“I did, and they’re napping, but they’re probably about ready for another meal. How about I fix it while you go check on them?”

“Do you want to see them, Aunt Ronnie?” Lizzie paused in the kitchen doorway. “I named them Wynkyn, Blynkyn, and Todd. They’re really cute, and Shane says I’m doing very well taking care of them.”

“Sure, honey, I will, but you go ahead. I’ll be there in a minute. I want to talk to your mom first.”

Now what? Allison grumbled silently and went to the fridge to get the kitten milk. She swallowed against a suddenly dry throat and reached for the sun tea she’d made that morning. Setting the items on the counter, she then took two glasses from the cupboard. “Would you like some? I’m sure after running around in the heat today—”

“No thanks,” Ronnie cut her off. “I’m fine, but I would like to ask you about something Lizzie said today.”

She poured herself a tall glass of the tea and took three long swallows to ease the constriction in her vocal chords. Sometimes, talking to Ronnie had this effect on her. “So ask.”

As if gathering her thoughts for the assault, her sister-in-law checked out her new, bright orange nail polish. “Lizzie said Jason wasn’t her real daddy, and just now she questioned you about who went to Johnny’s with her. Care to explain what that’s all about?”

No, not really, but this woman would never let it go. Might as well suck it up and tell her the truth. She’s sure to find out anyway. “Jason wasn’t Lizzie’s biological father.”

It was as if she’d dropped a bomb in the middle of the kitchen and a rock on Ronnie’s foot as her sister-in-law’s mouth opened and closed like a fish gasping for water. Sheer incredulity flashed across her face, and she stammered, “What…what do you mean? How c-can that be possible?”

Allison shrugged. “It can because it is. Jason was not Lizzie’s real father, but he was her father in every other way that mattered.”

“Then you lied to him?”

She jerked her head up and glared. “I did not lie to Jason. He knew the truth from the beginning.”

“And he married you anyway?”

“Yes.” She tried to keep her tone reasonable. “And he chose to raise Lizzie as his own.”

“Why? Why would he do that?” Ronnie stepped back as her voice rose to a near shriek. “I don’t believe you. You’re a lying b—”

Allison grabbed Ronnie’s elbow and pushed the furious woman out the screen door and onto the porch. “Hush! Don’t let Lizzie hear you.”

“But you lied to our parents! You let them think she is their own blood. How could you?”

Ronnie’s face was twisted with rage, and she turned away from the angry accusations. “We could because it was the only way at the time. Jason and I agreed not to tell anyone.”

“Well, you ruined his life, you know.” Her words were spoken with deadly quiet. “And you’re the reason he died.”

“How dare you!” Allison wheeled back around. “I cared for Jason. He was a good husband and a loving father.” No one would ever know the affection she’d felt for him.

“But he should have gone to college! He had a football scholarship. Did he even tell you that? Our daddy begged him not to throw it away, not to get wound up with you, but he wouldn’t listen. You had his head so screwed up he couldn’t think straight, and all you cared about was finding a father for your illegitimate child. So, who was he, the real father? Did you even know?”

“She knew, but I didn’t.” Shane’s deep voice cut across the still evening air. “Because if I had, I never would have left when I did.” Allison met his steely blue gaze across the yard. She hadn’t even heard him drive in over her sister-in-law’s ranting.

He strode up to the porch and took the steps two at a time. “What Jason did, he did of his own free will. He was always a stubborn one, you know that, and he loved Allison. Just as I did. Maybe his claiming my child was his way of finally getting what he wanted.”

Suddenly, tears rolled down Ronnie’s face, and she fumbled in her purse for a tissue. “He had what he wanted, a chance to play football at a university, a chance to go somewhere and be somebody. She took all of it away from him. You both did.”

As Shane moved closer to her, Allison gathered her wits to keep things from going bad to worse. This was not the conversation she wanted to have tonight.

“Maybe we did,” Shane continued before she could. He lowered his voice, perhaps to calm Ronnie. “But it was your father’s dream for him to go to college and play football, not Jason’s.”

“Daddy just wanted what was best for my brother.”

You could have fooled me, Allison wanted to say but bit her tongue. Seemed better to let Shane handle this one.

He shook his head. “I’m sure that’s true.” His voice softened a little. “But it wasn’t what Jason wanted.”

Ronnie sniffled and blew her nose. “Then what did he want? If you’re so sure you knew him so well, what did my baby brother want?”

Allison waited to hear his reply, because she’d wondered the same thing herself. What had Jason Delaney really wanted in his life?

“Freedom from your parents and their good intentions, to make his own decisions, and be his own man. He told me even before our friendship fell apart that he didn’t want to go to college, at least not just yet. He needed a break from the pressure of trying to live up to everyone else’s expectations.”

He told me that, too, when he asked me to marry him.

But really, why had Jason turned away from all the chances he’d been offered? Even now, she had to wonder.

Ronnie dabbed at the mascara streaking from her eyes. “You really have a lot of nerve when you knew my brother loved football. He could have done something with his life, if only he’d listened to us.”

“It was his choice to make, and he made it.” Shane slid his hand in front of her, as if to erase all the lost possibilities. “Nothing we can do to change it now, and blaming Allison isn’t going to help.”

Her sister-in-law sighed and sniffled a few more times. If she didn’t know Ronnie so well, she would almost feel sorry for her, but the woman had never liked her much. Even before she and Jason had married, his sister had never missed an opportunity to annoy Allison and put her down whenever she could. It made it hard to ever have any true sympathy for this woman.

“Well, I hope you two realize someday how you destroyed my brother’s life, and my family’s.” Clutching her tissues, she fled down the steps, and in a few moments had driven away in a cloud of dust.

Allison went to the porch swing and sank down, trying to gather her tattered nerves and scattered thoughts. Shane joined her and sat with her in silence, his foot pushing them slowly back and forth. Finally, he took her hand. “I’m sorry for all the parts I played in this, for forcing you to make hard choices, and for not being here when you needed me.”

She had faced hard choices, but none of that could be changed now. Better they just moved ahead. “We both have things to be sorry about, but something good and beautiful did come out of it all. We have a daughter, and she is more important than anything else.”

“Are the bottles ready, Mom?” Lizzie’s voice sounded from the kitchen. “The kittens are hungry. Mom! Where are you?”

Allison met Shane’s steady gaze as she gave his roughened hand a squeeze. “She’s a little demanding at times, but she’s our daughter, and now, since you brought them here, how would you like to help feed a kitten?”

He grinned in the way that always managed to make her heart beat a little faster. Then he leaned over and gave her a quick kiss. “Sure, Mom. Whatever you say.”

After the kittens were once again tended to, Allison made popcorn and placed it in a big bowl on the kitchen table. For the next hour, she listened to Shane and their daughter talk about what they’d done that day. Lizzie chatting about a new store at the mall, Shane relating a funny story that involved someone’s pet lizard getting loose in the clinic and running up Sandy’s file cabinet. At his silly description, she and Lizzie dissolved into giggling until their sides ached. Thank goodness for laughter that relieved the earlier tension of the evening. When she finally shooed Lizzie off to bed, Allison realized how much she had missed this sort of evening. Well, not the worry and the hassle with Ronnie, but the sharing with another adult person, at the end of the day, the little things that had happened. What she didn’t know she’d missed even more was when Shane drew her to him and kissed her longer and sweeter than he had on the porch. When he cradled her head against his shoulder and ran his hands through her hair she had turned loose from its ponytail. When she leaned into his tall, lean body, and his heartbeat matched her own. It was all good, and at the moment so very right. In spite of the pain they had caused each other, she was still filled with amazing contentment when she was with him.

If only it could last.