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It was so easy now to see how stupid she’d been. Why hadn’t she seen it then?
“We dated. We got engaged. My mind was on him instead of my studies. Then my thoughts were focused on our wedding, where we’d live, how I wanted to decorate our first home.” She shook her head. “Stupid, stupid stuff.” It was a dream come true. And at the end, as with a dream, there was nothing of substance left.
She was grateful Nate didn’t say anything.
“I started working to earn money to help pay for everything. My grades suffered. I quit college. I told myself I’d go back after I got married and my life settled down. A few weeks later Kevin broke up with me. He’d found someone else.”
She’d been heartbroken and bitterly disappointed in herself. Eventually she realized she’d been trying to create an oasis of certainty in her life when she got engaged to Kevin. Being away from home was scary. Life was scary. But a plan like that could never work.
“The guy was an idiot,” Nate said.
Lily smiled. It was the perfect guy-friend thing to say. Not a suspicious-cop comment.
“I had to move back in with my mom in Copper Mesa. I’ve been working three part-time jobs. Torrent Trucking seemed like my best chance to move upward, maybe get on full-time. I thought if I got there a little early, stayed a little late and did a little extra work, my efforts might pay off.”
And look where that had gotten her. Nearly killed. Twice.
Nate turned onto a narrow, unpaved road. The tires rumbled as the truck crossed a cattle guard. Shortly after that, he turned again. They passed by two sandstone pillars inset with bronze plaques identifying this as the Blue Spruce Ranch, and headed up a winding drive to the main house.
“So, am I still a suspect or do you finally believe my story?”
He glanced at her and then turned back to face the road. “I believe you.”
“Good.”
Lily had never seen the Blue Spruce Ranch in person, but she’d seen plenty of pictures. Ellen Stuart had inherited it from her parents and she was the fifth generation of Stuarts to run the land. Her marriage to Nate’s uncle Bud, a “nobody” in county social circles, had caused quite a stir. They’d never had biological children of their own, but they’d opened their ranch to friends and various charity group events and created their own version of a family.
Nate drove along the wide, graceful driveway that followed the edge of a grassy field until the house came into view. It was a long, low ranch house with a covered porch running along the front of it. Lights blazed inside even though it was close to midnight. Nate pulled the truck around the circular drive and stopped. The front door flew open and Lily saw the silhouette of a short, round, bowlegged man with a bald head.
Nate came around and opened the door for her, a surprising bit of chivalry from a deputy just doing his job.
“Welcome to the Blue Spruce,” Bud Wells called out to Lily. He walked up to her, reached for her hands and gave them a reassuring squeeze. “I’m Nate’s uncle Bud. He told us what happened to you tonight and I’m as sorry as I can be about that.”
“Lily Doyle.” Lily barely trusted herself to speak. For the last few hours she’d held fear and dread at bay by indulging in frustration and denial. Being annoyed with Nate had helped. But now the gentle concern in Bud Wells’s voice threatened to knock down a few bricks in the emotional wall she’d built and she couldn’t let that happen. Not yet. The wall was the only thing keeping her from falling completely apart.
“Thank you for letting me come up here,” she finally said.
Bud gave her hands another gentle squeeze before letting go of them. The compassionate expression in his eyes hardened into determination. “It’s a rough world, Ms. Doyle, but you’re safe here. And you’re welcome to stay as long as you like.”
“I appreciate that.”
Bud glanced over at Nate. “Come here, boy.”
Nate dutifully stepped up to the man who was noticeably shorter than him and bent down to give his uncle a hug. Bud wrapped his arms around his nephew’s waist, and squeezed hard. “I worry about you every day, boy.” Bud’s face was pressed into Nate’s shoulder and his voice was muffled, but Lily heard him. “I know better, but I can’t help it.”
He finally let go and took a step back. “All right, let’s get in the house. Ellen’s waiting for the both of you.”
Lily stepped through the front door to a tiled foyer and the wide expanse of a great room with a fire burning low in a stone fireplace. To the right the room opened onto a dining area that curved around, presumably toward a kitchen.
A woman walked out from the kitchen area. Tall and slender, dressed in jeans and a raw silk blouse, she wore her long silver hair clipped back at the sides with turquoise barrettes. Ellen Wells. Responsible landowner. Astute businesswoman and, according to everything Lily had heard and read, the heartbeat of the sprawling Blue Spruce Ranch.
“Oh, honey, are you all right?” she asked Lily. Without waiting for an answer she walked up to Lily and hugged her as if she was a cherished friend and not a complete stranger. For a few seconds Lily let herself soak up the warmth of the embrace. Tears began to form in her eyes and she rapidly blinked them away. There were still good people in the world. Now more than ever she needed a reminder of that.
“I’m fine, thank you,” Lily muttered as she stepped back.
“I’m sure the sheriff’s department will find those men who came after you. In the meantime, we’re always happy to have company.”
Ellen smiled at her and Lily tried to smile back, but couldn’t.
“You’ll be all right,” Ellen said softly. Then she turned to Nate, fisted her hands on her hips and looked him over from head to toe. “Well, you went downhill in a hurry.”
Nate raked his fingers through his scruffy hair and scraggly beard. “What, you don’t like the look?”
In an instant, Ellen had her arms around him in a hug. When she finally let go, she ran her hands up and down his arms a couple of times. “How about you? Are you all right?”
“Yes, ma’am.”
A dark-haired man walked out from the kitchen and glanced at Nate.
“You look even uglier than usual,” he said. He appeared to be about Nate’s age, but he was a little shorter and slenderer with brown eyes and jet-black hair.
“I’ve intentionally been trying to look like a lowlife for the last six weeks,” Nate shot back. “What’s your excuse?”
The dark-haired man grinned. “Welcome home. I’m glad you didn’t get yourself killed.”
Ellen threw up her hands. “Don’t talk like that!”
The man walked over to give Nate a one-armed embrace and clapped him on the shoulder.
Lily caught Bud giving both men a cautioning look. Then he turned to her. “Lily, this is Gaston Juneau. He moved up here about the time Nate did when they were kids. Works as a foreman here when he isn’t out in the wilderness trying to make Ellen grayer and me balder by fighting wildfires.”
Gaston nodded. “Good to meet you. Nobody’s going to bother you while you’re up here. We’ll make sure of that.”
A thump and a squeak made Lily turn around. An empty upholstered chair rocked back and forth in front of the fireplace. A few seconds later an enormous orange-and-white cat sauntered around the chair.
“Hank!” Nate picked up the cat and hefted him into the crook of his arm. The cat put his paws on Nate’s shoulder and head-butted him.
Ellen chuckled. “We’ve all been missing you. Hank included.” She turned to Lily. “What can I get you to eat?”
“Thank you, but I’m not hungry. I’d really just like to get some rest.”
Ellen looked at her thoughtfully. “I know you’re exhausted. Did you bring a suitcase?”
Lily nodded.
Ellen turned to her husband. “Honey, would you get Lily’s bag out of Nate’s truck?”
“Sure.” Bud headed for the front door.
“Your room is this way,” Ellen said, heading down a hallway.
Behind her, Lily heard Gaston say to Nate, “Get some sleep. I’ll keep watch until morning.”
Ellen led her to a beautiful room with an attached bath. Bud delivered her bag and both he and Ellen wished her a good night.
After they left, Lily kicked off her shoes, pulled down the top blanket and let herself fall face-first onto the bed. Eventually she pulled up the blanket, but left the bedside lamp on. A Bible lay on the nightstand. It had been a while since she’d picked one up, but looking at it made her feel a little calmer. If she couldn’t sleep, maybe she’d read a few verses.
It was good to know Nate was nearby. But as cozy and secure as this house felt, she was still in danger. And because of her, everyone else at the Blue Spruce was in danger, too.
* * *
“Now you don’t look like a deadbeat anymore.” Bud grabbed a towel and slapped at Nate’s shoulders and the back of his neck while Nate sat in an old straight-backed chair. They were outside, at the far end of the rambling front porch.
Nate rubbed his hand over his head to feel the familiar short bristle cut, then over his smooth chin and cheeks. He’d shaved off his whiskers right after he’d rolled out of bed this morning. “That feels a lot better.”
“Nothing wrong with looking sharp for your lady friend.”
Nate turned to glare at his uncle and Bud winked at him.
“I just wanted to get the grime from working undercover off of me,” Nate said. “I had to be around some nasty people in some filthy places.” That was the truth. Maybe it was also true he wanted to look a little cleaner for Lily Doyle, too. Let her see that he’d made something of his life and hadn’t hit the skids like his mom had. Like so many people assumed he would.
“Well, you’re home and away from those terrible places now, boy.” Bud shook the towel over the railing and Nate stood up.
When Nate had first woken up, the trees and the rooftops of the ranch buildings had all been covered in a hard freeze. Things had warmed up a little since then, but the air still carried a cold edge to it.
It was beautiful here no matter the weather. There were plenty of mornings when he woke up in his apartment in Painted Rock and missed being able to spend a few minutes sipping coffee and looking at this view of pine trees, mountain meadows and rocky peaks. But he’d done what he thought was right. Somebody had to make sure the people who’d been responsible for his mother’s death faced justice. And if getting exiled to Painted Rock was the price he had to pay, so be it.
It hadn’t been revenge, despite loud accusations to the contrary. He knew vengeance didn’t belong to him.
He’d had the opportunity to take down a trio of drug dealers and he’d jumped at it. They’d hired a sharp defense lawyer out of Phoenix who decided his best tactic was to ignore his clients’ blatant drug trafficking and smear the Oso County sheriff’s department, instead. Fortunately, the lawyer hadn’t been successful in keeping his clients out of prison. But during the trial he had managed to turn the trustworthiness of the sheriff’s department into the hotly debated topic of the day. Sheriff Wolfsinger could have buckled under the political pressure and fired Nate. He transferred him to Painted Rock instead.
“So, you knew Lily in high school?” Bud asked as he folded up his towel. “I don’t remember her.”
Good old Uncle Bud, gamely trying to engage Nate in a conversation. It wasn’t always easy for Nate to talk about how he was feeling. He’d spent a long time as a kid trying not to feel anything.
He glanced at his uncle. Sometimes Nate forgot he wasn’t the only one who was abandoned when his mom dove into the emotionally numbing abyss of alcohol and later, in a fatal decision, into drugs. Uncle Bud had lost his sister, too.
“I didn’t know Lily,” Nate said, trying to lighten his tone. “Joseph Suh did.”
“Oh. Well, Ellen’s glad to see you brought a girl home.”
Nate laughed and shook his head. “This isn’t a date.” His smile faded. “I was hoping she’d just need a safe place to stay for one night. But I called the station this morning and I think we’re going to need to find her a place to stay for a little longer.” The news he’d gotten from Sheriff Wolfsinger when he’d called asking for an update was not good.
“We’ve got plenty of room here. You know she’s welcome.”
“I appreciate that.”
Nate heard a meow. A few seconds later Hank wandered around the side of the house and stepped up onto the porch, shaking the dampness of melted frost from his front paws. The cat sat down and his rather large body compacted into the shape of a ball. He rolled slightly to one side.
“Your cat’s getting too fat,” Bud said.
“I’m not the one who’s been feeding him lately. I’ve been in Phoenix, remember?” Nate stood, picked up the cat and hefted him into the crook of his arm. He turned toward the front door to head back into the house. “Thanks for the haircut.”
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