11

Weariness seeped into Bailey’s bones, and between the warm kitchen and a full stomach, she could barely keep her eyes open. A glance around the room confirmed she wasn’t the only one ready for bed. Maria had fallen asleep in her mother’s lap, and Solana’s sagging shoulders reflected her own weariness. “Why don’t we all go to bed?” She looked at her mother. “Where are you putting everyone?”

“You and Maria are in your old room, and Solana is in Robyn’s room.” Her mom glanced at Danny. “Are you staying?”

“Yes, ma’am.”

Bailey sighed. From Danny’s tone, she knew there would be no dissuading him.

“Then you and Angel decide who gets the third bedroom and who gets the study with the daybed, although there are bedrooms downstairs.”

Danny shrugged. “Other than remaining upstairs, it makes no difference to me.”

“Or me,” Angel said. “You take the bedroom. If I can’t sleep on the daybed, tomorrow night we’ll switch.”

Tomorrow night? Reality sank into Bailey’s mind. This nightmare would not be over in the morning. Maybe not for weeks. And what if those men had recaptured Joel? What if he was dead? What would become of Maria? She didn’t care what Danny said, tomorrow she had to try to contact Joel. And Maria’s grandparents. Oh, wait . . . Ben said he would call Joel. There was still so much to do. What would it hurt to let Danny be here in case she needed him? She sighed.

“What’s the matter?” Danny asked.

Concern deepened his blue eyes. She’d put him through a lot today. “I bet you didn’t expect to sign on as my bodyguard when you got up this morning.”

A slow grin spread across his face. “I didn’t even expect to see you. But I’ll take whatever I can get, even if I have to run for my life. But what were you sighing about?”

“I’m not sure where I should start in the morning.” She shivered as he brushed a strand of hair from her cheek. How easy it would be to just let him take care of her and her problems. She threw the idea off and straightened her shoulders. She wasn’t some fragile china doll that needed to be encased in a glass box. And that’s what Danny would do if she didn’t watch it.

He tilted his head. “Why don’t you let it rest tonight? After breakfast we’ll talk about it.”

“Sounds like a plan.” Problem was, she doubted Danny or Angel would like what she planned to do. She reached for Maria, but Angel picked her up first.

“I’ll take her. You show me where you’ll be sleeping.”

Robyn stood and spoke to Solana. “Come on, and I’ll show you to your room. I think I can find a pair of Bailey’s pajamas for you to sleep in.” She turned to Bailey. “And then I’ll go up into the attic and see if I can find a pair of Abby’s pjs from when she was Maria’s age.”

A little later Bailey helped Maria up into her high bed. She tucked the quilt under the child’s chin. Abby’s pajamas were a little big, but they would do until they could go shopping. Another item to add to tomorrow’s list.

Maria snuggled under the quilt. “Miss Bailey, would you tell me a story, like you do at school?”

Bailey sat on the side of the bed and smoothed the child’s dark hair away from her face. She searched her memory for a story. “How about Snow White?”

The child’s eyes brightened. “Oh, good! I like the prince in it and the dwarfs, especially Bashful.”

The door opened, and Robyn slipped into the room. “Solana is all settled, and Mom sent me up to get your clothes. She’s going to put them in the wash so you both will have something to wear in the morning.”

She glanced down at the clothes she’d put on this morning. “Maria’s are in the bathroom, but mine can wait. I’ll wear something I left in the closet, but you’re not leaving right away, are you?”

“I’ll be here a little longer, but right now I’m going to take the clothes downstairs.”

“Wait until I tell Maria a story, and I’ll go down with you.”

“Sure. I haven’t heard one of your bedtime stories since Abby was her age.”

Bailey turned her attention to Maria. “Once upon a time . . .” She softened her voice and quietly began the story, hoping to quickly lull Maria to sleep. When she came to the part about the wicked queen giving Snow White the poisoned apple, Maria interrupted her.

“That’s not nice. It will make her sick, like Mommy.”

In all the times Bailey had told the children in her classroom the story of Snow White, Maria had never once mentioned her mother. “Why do you think that?”

“Because everyone brought Mommy food, and she got sick and went to heaven. Tio and Uncle Joel brought her candy too.”

“Oh, honey, that wasn’t the same thing. They just wanted to make her feel better.”

Maria’s eyes held her gaze until finally she sighed. “Okay. Do you think Mommy and Daddy are in heaven together?”

Bailey faltered. Maria was full of surprises tonight. “I’m sure they are.” She hesitated. “Do you remember your daddy?”

Maria grew quieter. Her fingers rubbed the edge of the quilt. Finally she shook her head. “But sometimes when I’m asleep, I hear him say, “Te amo, niña.”

I love you, baby girl. Bailey took in a shaky breath. “I’m sure he loved you very much.”

“That’s what Cook says.” Maria smiled. “Finish telling me about Snow White.”

When she saw Joel again, Bailey would ask him about Maria’s dad. If she saw him again. She tucked the sheet under the girl’s chin. “Okay where were we?”

“The wicked queen was giving her the apples.”

A text beeped on Robyn’s phone. “That’s Mom wanting the clothes. I’ll see you in a little bit,” Robyn said and left for the bathroom.

As Bailey returned to the story, Maria settled deeper in the bed and touched her neck. Her eyes popped open. “My necklace. It’s gone!”

Bailey lifted the blanket and sheet and shook them. No necklace. “Maybe it’s in your jumper.” She hurried to catch her sister. “Maria’s lost her necklace.”

Robyn paused at the top of the stairs. “Maybe it got caught in her top.” She shook first the pullover, then the jumper Maria had worn over the shirt. The necklace tumbled onto the floor.

“Thank goodness!” Bailey stooped to pick it up. “Looks like the clasp is broken. She’ll be so disappointed.”

“Mr. Stevens at Logan Point Jewelers can mend it,” Robyn said. “I can take it in for you tomorrow and drop it off when I take Abby to school.”

“That would be great. I might not have time. I’m going to talk to Danny and Angel again about contacting Maria’s grandparents in the morning. I’d like to go see them.”

“Do you plan to take her with you?”

She hadn’t thought about what she’d do with Maria. Certainly not take her, not until she knew exactly what was going on with the grandparents. “Maybe I can get Danny to stay here.”

Robyn eyed her with amusement. “Yeah, right. Why don’t you let her stay with Mom? I’ll come over and help. How about Angel and Solana—are they going with you?”

“I don’t know.” She hadn’t even thought about them and what they would do, but now that she had, she knew Angel wouldn’t leave Maria. What if he was the one trying to kidnap her? No, because if that were the case, he wouldn’t have helped them get out of Mexico.

Her mind went round and round with possible answers, none of them satisfying. The one thing she knew—Angel would not let anything happen to Maria while she was gone. And given the way he seemed to feel about the child, she didn’t believe he would do anything like whisking her away. Maria had been traumatized enough in the past twenty-four hours.

“If you can come over, it would be great. I probably won’t be gone over a couple of hours.” She hesitated. “We haven’t talked about what happened, but I’m so glad you’re home safe.”

Robyn hugged her. “Me too.”

“How did you do it? I mean, mentally. I’ve read the papers, so I know the physical things that happened, but what kept you going?”

“God, plain and simple. But you know all about that. You’re the missionary.”

“Yeah, you’re right.” What would Robyn say if she told her she didn’t know all about it? That she’d lost her grasp of who God was. If she’d ever had it. “You have so much peace. Let’s find time to talk soon.”

Robyn tilted her head. “Anything going on I should know about? Danny, maybe?”

Her mixed feelings about Danny surfaced. Robyn had always liked him, so Bailey didn’t know if she was the right person to talk to. “Nothing that can’t wait.”

Later after Robyn left and Maria had fallen asleep, Bailey stood by the window, searching the skies. When she was a child, the stars had shone like diamonds from her window, but now only one or two managed to peek through the bright security lights. The urge to recapture that time before days like today propelled her to the closet for a coat and the fur-lined boots she’d left behind. She checked Maria, and, satisfied that she was sleeping soundly, Bailey eased her door open and tiptoed down the hallway to the stairs.

She skipped the squeaky second step and soon sat on a stump beyond the lights, on the other side of the barn. Facing north, she scanned the velvet sky for the Little Dipper, then followed the handle to the North Star. Polaris, her dad always called it. The one star that did not rise or set and that could be seen even with a full moon like tonight. After she found it, tension eased from her body. Even though everything else in her world had crashed and burned, Polaris remained.

The mask slipped from her heart, and at this moment, Polaris seemed more real than God. How many times had the sight before her filled her heart with the nearness of him? Under these very stars, she’d preached God’s love to Danny. Her cheeks burned in spite of the cold air. What a fraud she was. At the first sign of trouble, her faith had deserted her like a rat fleeing a raging fire.

Today hadn’t been the first trouble. No, today was just meringue on the pie. Doubt had started the first day in Copper Canyon when the self-proclaimed priest Father Horatio took one look at the new missionary and decided she was trouble. Later, he pointed out the starburst pattern in Bailey’s eyes and had declared her a witch. Then when she encouraged the village women to question his authority, his campaign to get rid of her began in earnest and culminated on the day of her most successful tea party . . .

It had been a beautiful day, so she’d moved the tea party from inside the church to under the trees. The air had been filled with laughing women excited about the purses sent by the church she’d partnered with back in Mississippi.

“I don’t know which is the bigger hit—the purses or the New Testament,” she said to Elena.

“I think the little white Bible is,” her friend replied. “But do you see Father Horatio? He’s standing across the road.”

Bailey looked up and gasped as he stepped out of the shadows of the abandoned building across from them. The look of anger and hatred he shot at her sent chills down her back. Abruptly, he turned and disappeared around the corner of the building.

She thought by now he would realize no matter how many dead roosters or other things he left in the seat of her van, she wasn’t leaving. Not when she was finally reaching the women after eight long months.

She checked her watch. It was time to end their party. “Okay, ladies, all good things must come to a close . . . until next week. We start our Bible studies next Monday. If you need me to pick you up, just let me know. And those riding with me today, load up. Don’t want your husbands upset because their supper isn’t on the table.”

The last thing she needed was an angry husband. As the women dispersed, six of them slowly walked to the van. Except for Elena, these were her older women who had a hard time walking the mile to the church. She hurried to get the stool for them to climb into the back of the van. Once everyone was in, she hurried around to the driver’s side and hopped in.

A slight rustling, and Bailey cocked her head, listening. Nothing. Maybe she imagined the sound. She reached for the ignition.

Chi chi chi chi chi.

Her fingers froze on the key. Ice water raced through her veins. She hadn’t imagined that sound. Rattler. Under her seat.

Very slowly, she took her hand off the key in the ignition. Another chi chi chi chi chi. Further over this time.

“Ladies . . .” Her voice trembled. “Very quietly, get out of the van.”

“What’s wrong?” Elena asked from the backseat.

“I . . . I’ll explain in a minute.” If she mentioned the rattler, they would panic. “Just get out.”

Elena must have realized something was very wrong. She urged the women to ease from the vehicle. As soon as they were all out, Bailey opened the driver’s door and scrambled out . . .

There had been not one but three rattlers under the front seat. Even now, Bailey’s heart pounded in her chest. Horatio had endangered not only her but all the women, and her mission board had pulled her out of the village two days later.

She looked up at the sky again. Why are you letting all these bad things happen? She waited as her breath floated up in white streams.

A twig snapped, and Bailey jerked her head toward the noise. “Who’s there?”

Oh, how stupid could she get! She jumped up, ready to run.

“Bailey?”

“Danny?”

“What are you doing out here?” he said, moving where she could see him.

“Looking for the North Star.” The adrenaline dump turned her knees to water, and she sank back on the stump. “You just took ten years off my life.”

“What do you think you did to me? Why are you out here?” he repeated.

She pulled her jacket tighter. “I couldn’t sleep. Is that why you’re here?”

“No, I wanted to walk the perimeter, familiarize myself with the property again.”

She swallowed, her gratitude for Danny’s concern overwhelming her. After the way she’d treated him, she wouldn’t have blamed him for running in the opposite direction. “I don’t know how to thank—”

“There’s nothing to thank me for.”

“I want to anyway. And I want you to think about something.”

He raised his eyebrows, waiting.

“I want to call and talk to Joel’s parents in Corning. Maybe even go to see them. They’re anxious to see Maria—she’s their only grandchild. You could take me there tomorrow, and we could check out the situation . . .”

He pressed his lips together and at least seemed to be considering her request.

“So will you take me?”

He shrugged. “If I don’t, I’ll never hear the end of it.”

Tension eased from Bailey’s shoulders. It had really worried her that she hadn’t called the McDermotts yet. “Thanks.”

Her heart thudded in her chest as he studied her.

“The North Star,” he said. “Did you find it?”

“Yes,” she said, pointing northward. “See the Little Dipper? Follow the handle and you’ll see it.”

He moved closer to her and looked in the direction she pointed. The musky scent of his cologne reminded her of other nights when he had been this close and had taken her in his arms and kissed her.

“Yeah, I see it. And it never moves?”

Savoring his nearness, she couldn’t bring herself to move away from him. “That’s right.”

He turned and gazed into her eyes. “Care if I sit with you?”

She scooted over, and he sat beside her on the stump barely big enough for the two of them. With their shoulders and legs almost touching, she willed herself to move so he wouldn’t sense her treacherous heart thumping against her ribs. Instead she found herself leaning into him. “Why did you do it? Risk your life today to help me?”

“How could I not? I . . . I still love you, Bailey, even if you don’t love me.”

His words pierced her heart and opened a floodgate of emotions. Unable to speak, she stared down at the ground. A minute ticked by as he apparently waited for her response.

“Why did you go to Mexico?” The question dropped into the still night.

A tentative smile curved her lips. “Because they needed me, and I wanted to help, especially the women and children. Ever since I was eighteen, I’ve gone to Creel to work in summer missions. The poverty is so overwhelming, but the people are so joyful even though they have nothing.”

“Couldn’t you have just kept going in the summer?” His voice was low, sad.

She’d felt the pull to go into missions full time for several years, but it had taken running from his proposal to get her there. “I could have, but summer missions wouldn’t get me away from you. I was afraid if I stayed, you would change my mind.”

“And that would have been bad?”

“Yes. I couldn’t be the wife you need.”

“So you ran away.”

“Yeah.” She hugged her arms to her body. “I’m good at that.”

Angel pulled the frilly spread back on the daybed and pressed his fingers into the mattress, testing it. Firm, just the way he liked it. A quick scan of the room indicated guests didn’t usually occupy the study. Mrs. Adams—no, Kate—had already refused payment, saying she would not take money from someone who had helped her daughter.

The older woman had not said much tonight, but her keen eyes seemed to take in everything. He wouldn’t be surprised if she had figured out he was Maria’s father. Which posed a dilemma. Right now, he needed Danny’s trust in case the cartel came after Maria in the States. If Danny discovered Angel had lied by omission, that trust would be eroded, even if Danny understood the reason behind the secrecy.

For six months, he or one of his men had kept a watch on his daughter from afar, following her as she went back and forth to school or anywhere else. He’d feared if the cartel discovered he was alive, Maria would be in danger. Either they had found out or it was simply a random kidnapping so prevalent in Mexico. Anyone who was wealthy had become a target.

He cocked his head as footsteps padded down the hallway. Since they were coming toward him, it couldn’t be Bailey returning. He’d seen her go down a short time ago, dressed for the outside. Easing the door open, he glimpsed the top of Solana’s raven head. Eleven o’clock here, but only ten in Chihuahua. Like Bailey, Solana probably couldn’t sleep, either.

Questions about the gentle waitress nagged him. The story of why she had her passport seemed plausible, and he hoped it was true. Otherwise, it raised possibilities he didn’t want to consider. He hated the suspicion that crept into everything, but he’d long ago learned not to take anyone or anything at face value. Now might be a good time to learn more about this mystery woman. And if she was everything she claimed to be, then that also opened the door to other possibilities. Instantly, he shut the door to that thought.

Solana looked up when he entered the kitchen, wariness stamped in her big brown eyes. His heart hitched at how the T-shirt swallowed her, making her look like a little girl playing grown-up. Tomorrow he would buy her clothes that fit. Across the table from her, Kate gave him a warm smile.

“Couldn’t sleep either?” Kate asked.

“No.”

“We’re having chamomile tea. Interested?”

Laughing, he shook his head. “I haven’t acquired a taste for that yet. No, I think another bowl of that potato soup will do the trick for me. But I’ll fix it myself,” he said as she started to rise. He’d noticed where the bowls were kept and opened the cabinet door, taking out one. “I saw Bailey come downstairs . . .”

“She’s probably out looking at the stars.” Kate stood. “My body says it’s my bedtime, so if I can’t help you with the soup, I’ll bid you a good night.”

“Good night,” Angel and Solana said in unison as Angel took the pot from the refrigerator. Silence filled the kitchen as he ladled soup in the bowl, then warmed it in the microwave.

He sat across from Solana at the table and began eating. A light jasmine fragrance floated from her direction. “How is your room?”

She looked up, and her eyes had not lost their wariness. “Beautiful. Kate told me the vases in it were some she’d made. Tomorrow I want to see her studio.”

“So do you think you would like to be a potter?”

Some of the caution left her face, replaced by a faraway look. “My grandfather was a potter, and I always wanted to try it, but when he was alive, I was too small to kick the wheel. And now . . .”

The yearning in her face matched the yearning in his heart for things that could not be. He pushed the half-eaten bowl of soup away. “Why not now?”

She fluttered her hand. “So many reasons.” She swallowed. “When will we return to Mexico?”

“I don’t know yet. Do you have business that needs your attention?”

The wariness returned, and she lifted her shoulder in a shrug. “Nothing that can’t wait.”

“How about your family? Do you need to contact them?”

“I only have my sister in Arizona, and she probably won’t try to call me since I was just there.”

“Which is why you had your passport and visa with you.”

She stiffened, and her gaze pinned him to the wall. “Why do you think I had those things with me?”

Uh-oh. His voice had given him away, and he was seeing some of the temper he’d observed at the cafe. Her reaction showed either she was very good at lying or she was telling the truth. He hoped for the latter. “In my line of work, coincidence rarely happens, but in this case, I think it has.”

Her lifted eyebrow indicated she hadn’t bought his answer. “And it was just a coincidence that you were at the cafe this morning?” she said.

Heat rose up his neck. “I have to eat.”

“Sure.” She stood. “I’m going to bed.”

“No, don’t go.” With a start, he realized he really didn’t want her to leave.

“Why not? It’s obvious you don’t trust me.”

He dropped his gaze. “It’s hard for me to trust anyone.”

She hesitated, and for a minute, he thought she would stay. “I understand that, but I’m tired. We will talk more tomorrow.”

“Yes.” After she left, Angel sat in the empty kitchen with the lingering scent of jasmine mocking him.