The strike was over.
Joey breathed a sigh of relief as the chief delivered the news to the officers gathered in the police station. The governor of Wisconsin had agreed to form a committee run by dairy farmers in order to find a solution. However, Joey couldn’t help but wonder if the governor’s action would be enough to solve the problem.
For now, he needed to prepare a prisoner for transport.
Amy and Andy planned to spearhead the peace talks in Eagle, garnering goodwill as they focused the town on their October wedding. Probably good that Amy was the sister who chose the limelight. Lily would have run the other direction. As it was, Lily probably wouldn’t show herself much these next few months.
Entering a back cell of the jail, Joey ignored the hatred pouring from Fergus Cormac as he secured him in a pair of handcuffs. Chief desired nothing to do with a case involving a foreigner, especially one wanted for questioning in the death of one Patrick Wells, and Joey didn’t mind getting the man out of Eagle. Maybe Cormac would get shipped right back to Ireland and, at minimum, refused future reentry into the United States. Frankly, having the man in a Wisconsin jail seemed too close for comfort.
As it was, rumor abounded over why the Wallace family had deserted their farm overnight. Chief had given the farmer a choice—go through the process of a blackmail charge or quietly leave town. Perhaps the bank’s latest foreclosure notices had also helped them make a decision.
The Broaders, on the other hand, were the recipients of the town’s generosity. Farmers donated the money from that morning’s milk delivery to their family and, rumor was, Andy added a bonus payment for them. Joey wished he could have helped in some way, but he needed to deliver Fergus Cormac to the sheriff’s department.
He led the man through the office and out to his police car parked in front of the building. As much as he couldn’t wait to send Cormac out of town, part of him strained to be with Katy. She’d insisted on going alone to meet with a lawyer outside of Milwaukee today. He’d sensed she needed to face her past, work through the legalities of her grandfather’s death, and he would only get in the way.
No sooner did he settle Cormac in the backseat of his police car than he spotted Lily walking briskly in front of Main Street’s buildings, headed directly toward him. She had her head down, but—call it twin intuition—he knew she was upset.
“Lil, what’s wrong?” He caught her arm as she passed by, and she jerked her head up. She’d been crying. “What happened?”
She brushed her fingers against her cheeks, brown hair that had escaped her braid catching in the moisture left behind. “I’m fine, Joey.”
“Uh-huh. You’re not. What happened?” And who would he need to set straight?
She raised her chin. “It’s nothing I can’t handle.”
“Stop being stubborn and tell me.” He didn’t have time for their usual dance.
“Fine.” Lily pursed her lips. “I just turned down my third proposal in twenty-four hours.”
“Proposal?” He didn’t mean to gape quite so much, but proposals? “You’re not seeing anyone.” Right?
“You’d think that would matter.” Anger sparked in her green eyes. “But no. They think they’re ‘rescuing’ me by making me their wife. They don’t care about getting to know me first, let alone anything about my work or the life I’ve built. I swear, if one more man proposes to me, I might slap him.”
Joey caught himself before he rubbed the spot where Katy had slapped him several months ago. “Tell me who it was, and I’ll clear things up.”
“I already did. You can stand down.”
“Lily.”
“Joey.” But she smiled. Good.
“We’ll continue this later. I have a prisoner to transport.”
Her brows came up. “Some news doesn’t travel as quickly as my marital status. What criminal?”
“You know I can’t tell you.” He also wished he could suggest she visit with Katy without giving more away than he intended.
“Just be safe, all right? I’m headed back to my barn to get in some target practice before I take the dogs out to the pond.”
“You be careful, too, Lil. I don’t like all these men paying you unwanted attention. It’d kill me if something happened to you.”
She pulled him forward and planted a kiss on his cheek. “Love you, too, brother mine.”
Katy stared at the stack of papers the lawyer placed in front of her. Her grandfather had left her money. Not land or an inheritance, per se, but a trust she could draw upon when she became of age.
“I apologize it took me so long to track down the information.” The lawyer, a middle-aged man, ran his thumb and forefinger down either side of his graying mustache. “Your hometown is in turmoil right now as it appears the firm that represented your grandfather is under investigation in your uncle’s untimely death.”
“What?”
“Yes, the body of a Patrick Wells—your uncle, I understand—was found earlier this year, just weeks after one of his lawyers was also discovered dead. Murdered, they now believe. Nasty business.”
To put it mildly. What exactly had Fergus Cormac done in a convoluted attempt to marry her?
“It also appears your uncle had been trying to declare you deceased, so that delayed things further. All in all, I managed to have the amount transferred to an American bank. It isn’t much, mind you. The financial failures that affected us hit them too.”
“How might I go about withdrawing an amount?” Katy clutched the handle of her medical bag. “I need to purchase veterinary supplies.”
The man raised his dark brows. “Veterinary supplies?”
“None of the farmers in my town can afford the medicine to save the cows that have been unable to fight their infections. This money will cover it.”
“I don’t know if that’s the best use of the money, my dear. Surely, your grandfather would prefer you use it on something for yourself. A new wardrobe, perhaps?”
Katy was already shaking her head. “Daideó was a veterinarian, like me. He’d be proud of my choice. I’m sure of that.”
“Very well.” The lawyer reached for a scrap of paper. “Give me the particulars. When you make your purchase, have them send the bill here, and I’ll see to it.”
After purchasing the medicine, she returned home to gather the rest of her supplies. Anticipation surged through her. Yet she slowed as she passed the mirror over her washstand. She’d worn her veterinarian uniform to show the lawyer she was a businesswoman. Could she loosen her wardrobe now that the threat of her uncle—and being placed in a Magdalene Laundry—didn’t hang over her? No. She still struggled to command the respect of the men in Eagle, if Mr. Wallace was any representation. For now, nothing would change outwardly, but inside, she felt freer than she had in her entire life. It gave her hope for the future.
Over the remainder of the day, she injected the cows that weren’t responding to her treatment with the new antibiotic, free of charge. It would take several doses to clear the infection, but today was a start. Hope buoyed her as she traveled from farm to farm, seeing to her patients. She spent a bit longer at the Broaders’ farm as neighboring farmers helped him bring in his hay. Katy had been paid mainly in eggs, milk, and butter for today’s work, and she surreptitiously left as much as she could fit in the Broaders’ icebox.
Upon returning home, she hurried to the corral to see her four-legged friends. Nessa and her calf ignored her, as usual, but Glenn stood at the fence, waiting for her. Little remained of Daideó’s money now, but she didn’t regret spending it on the medicine. The rest she would use to feed Clover, Glenn, and Nessa for the summer if her own hay harvest proved lacking.
Clover worked his way closer to her, hesitant step by hesitant step. He’d barely let her clean his wounds last night and hardly touched his food this morning. Worry tightened Katy’s stomach. She slipped into the corral and held a hand out. Clover stopped moving.
Glenn nudged the pocket of Katy’s coat. The carrot. She’d forgotten about it last night.
She broke it in half, gave part to Glenn, and the other she held out to Clover. He stepped closer. Closer. Then stretched his neck to take the carrot from her palm.
“That’s it, me boy,” Katy whispered, bringing her other hand up to rub his nose. “We’ll heal you up again, don’t you fret.”
Clover bobbed his head.
“Right. And we’ll take many rides through the fields, just you and me.”
Glenn returned to the gate as a car rumbled up the drive. The sound tensed her nerves, but seeing it was Joey’s private vehicle, her shoulders eased. Clover trotted to the far side of the corral while she hurried to meet Joey. Gray clouds rolled in overhead. On one hand, they could only hope those clouds would deliver the needed rain so the crops wouldn’t die. On the other hand, not too much because with the ground being so dry, a heavy rain would simply wash away the tender plants and potentially destroy the first hay cutting.
“How did things go?” she asked as Joey emerged from his car. The scent of rain laced the breeze that tangled her split skirt about her legs.
“Hello to you too.” He smiled, but it didn’t reach his eyes.
“What’s wrong? Did it not go well? Is there more danger? Did he hurt you?”
Joey caught her hands. “Everything went fine. Cormac won’t hurt you again. Tell me about your meeting with the lawyer.”
“It is all settled. I used the money to get medicine for the cows.” And the threat she’d been running from all her life was gone. She didn’t wish Uncle Patrick dead, but the reality was still sinking in. Never again need she fear being sent to a Magdalene laundry.
“Good.” But Joey didn’t sound like it was good.
She adjusted her fingers in his grasp so that she held his. “Something is wrong. Tell me.”
“I don’t know what to do about Lily. Found her in tears this morning. When I stopped by Broader’s, all I overheard was how every bachelor in the county thinks she’s fair game since Amy is getting married. They aren’t even planning to ask to call on her. They’re just plotting their proposals.”
“Oh no.”
“Our own mother isn’t helping the situation.” Joey massaged his forehead. “Why I thought stopping by their house would do anything except give me a headache, I have no idea. Now I don’t know what to do.” He pressed his palm against her cheek. “How can I be selfish and take her dearest friend away from her when she needs you the most?”
She laid a hand against his chest. “I knew you were a good man, Joey Moore.”
“I don’t much feel like one when I want to throw everything to the wind and kiss you.”
Katy ducked to hide her smile.
“Horsefeathers.” Joey pulled her to his chest.
Wrapped there in his arms, his heart beating against her ear, she felt perfectly safe.
He rested his chin on her head. “I’m not sure I can be unselfish, Katy. I’m not sure I’m the good man you think I am.”
She pushed away from him, just enough to see his face, startled to see tears shimmering in his eyes. He rubbed his thumb against her jaw, sliding over her lips. Her heart pounded in her chest, but she held herself still. Fear battled with desire. How could she want something and be terrified of it all at once?
He eased her closer and, when she didn’t pull away, he dipped his head. In a moment, she was lost in his kiss. The next, she shoved against his chest with a gasp, and he let her go.
Droplets of rain mingled with the tears that dripped down her cheeks. “I’m sorry. I—”
Joey placed a finger on her lips, an arm around her shoulders, his comfort calming her. “You’re not ready, Katy.”
“I want to be.” How she wanted to be.
He wrapped her again in his arms, a cocoon against the gentle rain. She wasn’t sure how long they stood there together, but long enough for the sun to peek through the clouds, casting a rainbow in the sky. Katy pointed to it, and Joey shifted enough to face it yet keep her in his arms.
“Amy’s wedding.” Joey cleared away the emotion that clogged his throat. “Every week, I’ll bring you feed for Clover, Glenn, and Nessa. That way, until Amy’s wedding, it will give me a proper reason to visit without putting your reputation in question. I care about you, Katy Wells. Deeply. Which is why I’m not going anywhere. I’ll be here, waiting, until you’re ready, until you feel comfortable taking the next step with me.”
“Five months is a long time.”
“Not if it leads to forever.”
Katy freed her right arm from his embrace so she could rest her hand against his cheek—the cheek she’d slapped months ago when he’d startled her with their first kiss. Joey closed his eyes, leaning into her touch. This would cost him—if only she could save him the hurt, but he was right—she had healing to do before she could give him the full trust he deserved.
With his face turned partly away from her, she slid her hand out of the way to kiss his cheek. “Thank you, Joey Moore.”
He pressed his forehead against hers. “Until October.”
Then he let her go.