Chapter Twenty-One

Knowing it’d take a while to work through the process of attempting to make Kathy a permanent part of their family, they immediately hired the attorney Kevin Forsythe recommended. At that first meeting Raine again held nothing back concerning her life with Addison and what he was capable of. She wanted nothing on her part—the good, the bad, and definitely the ugly—preventing them from having a chance at adopting her.

Besides contending with Addison, there were other hurdles to jump. Getting Kathy’s mother and father to sign away their parental rights were gigantic ones. Given her father’s thirty-year term of incarceration, one would think he’d realize how much better off she’d be in a stable home filled with love. As for the disappearing mother, she had to be located. To that end, an investigator was searching, but so far it seemed she’d disappeared off the face of the earth. Still, they weren’t giving up looking until every last stone was overturned.

While the search continued, the wedding preparations were being made. Just as Cora had dictated, she and the girls, Inez, Cory, and Belle, were knee-deep in the details. “Don’t you worry about a thing,” Belle said, picking a black olive off her pizza and popping it into her mouth. Her green eyes flashed mischievously. “We’ve got everything under control. You just keep on letting Jess court you.”

They were having lunch at Collette’s. Jess had taken the little ones with him for the day. He wanted to show them off and thought it’d be fun for the old-timers at the feed store to meet his girls. No doubt the old fellas would be wrapped around their too-cute little pinkies in minutes.

“I have to say,” Belle continued dreamily, “that’s just plain old-fashioned romantic. Sort of makes me wish Cooper and I were getting married all over again.”

Cory, in the process of taking a drink of soda choked, spewing it everywhere. It took several back-wallops from her mother before she caught her breath. “Mom, I swear you enjoy beating the tar out of me!” She wheezed.

“Should have done more of it when you were a kid,” Inez quipped.

“Are you kidding me!” Cory rasped. “I was the angel out of the bunch of heathens you birthed. They’re the ones needing thumping.” She shook a stern finger at Belle. “And dear lord, Belle, no way in hell are you and Cooper getting married all over again! Not one of us could survive another range war like you two waged last time!”

“Well Miss Smarty-Pants, I said it sort of makes me want to get married again. I didn’t say we were. Besides, we’re planning on another kind of celebration.” Curious eyes shot up, but she shook her head. “It’s still in the planning stages. Right now, we have to concentrate on getting those two hitched.” Her not-ready-to-spill-the-beans expression warded off any further questions.

Eyes downcast, Raine nibbled the point of her pizza and wondered what they’d do if she divulged that she had something else in the planning stages, too—a come-to-meeting-moment with Addison. That would certainly set them on their ears and on the phone to Jess quicker than she could make her escape. As for him, he’d explode into a blazing inferno. Under the right—or wrong circumstances the man could be just as scary as Addison. Nope, better keep my mouth shut. My mess, I’ll clean it up. As if on cue, the old cell in her pocket vibrated. She ignored it.

“Cora, before we head home I need to pick up the mail. I’m expecting a package that should be here by now.” Though having everything in Cora’s name was a precaution, she’d be glad when it was no longer necessary. She’d considered having Gordon pay Addison a visit to put the fear of God in him, but who was she kidding? Addison feared nothing save losing his pipeline of feel-good powder and at that very moment probably planning his attack.

That’s right, the little voice in her head piped up, he’s planning something all right, and whoever has the better scheme will emerge the victor. He’s sly and will strike like a thief in the night, so you’d `better be on your toes, little Missy. It’s all right to be afraid, just don’t let it control you. If he even gets a whiff he’ll go for the jugular. That scary vision jerked her back to the present. Now the pizza tasted like sawdust.

Entering the post office an hour later, Robert Ford followed her inside. Sporting sunglasses and a ball cap pulled low on his forehead, he stationed himself at a table near the wall of boxes while she opened one and extracted a bundle of mail. Heading back out, she looked in his direction and smiled. The innocent gesture sent a wave of guilt rolling through him.

Later, sorting through the thick package she made a pile for herself and another for Cora. When her fingers touched one particular piece it instantly raised the hair on her neck. It had her name and old address but no return one. Who would send a . . . then it smacked her right between the eyes. Addison! Going boneless, she dropped the envelope on the desk as if she’d grasped a snake. Any second now she expected it to open and Addison come slithering out yelling, “Gotcha!”

“Oh Addison, you think you’re so clever, but it took you long enough to figure out Gordon would know how to contact me. That little white powder must be eating brain cells or you’d have thought of it sooner.”

Using a letter opener, she slit it open. Inside was a thick pad of paper and a plain envelope containing a note in Addison’s bold scrawl. Goose-bumps peppered flesh as she read:

“No matter how far you run I will always find you. Just like now. I know where you are, and I will come and get you.”

That was it—short, sweet, and threatening.

Unconsciously she tapped it on the desk. Obviously, Addison hadn’t pulled this off on his own. He had to have an accomplice. She should tell Gordon but decided to wait a little while. Instead, she was going to taunt Addison—have some fun at his expense. Besides, what difference did it make how far she pushed him? He would show her no mercy either way. However, this new twist needed a dandy taunt. She needed time to think about it. Not wanting anyone to see the note she stuffed it back in the envelope and hid it beneath her mattress.