Lonestar Angel

  The waiting was almost over.

  21

  THE BED WELCOMED HER LIKE AN OLD FRIEND, THOUGH SHE DIDN’T EXPECT TO SLEEP WELL. She was beginning to get used to Clay’s presence on the other side of the mattress. She waited subconsciously for another scratch on the window or a sinister phone call, but all was quiet.

  She was nearly asleep when a shriek tore through the air. She and Clay leaped from the bed at the same time and collided in their haste to get out of the room.

  He yanked open the door. “Wait here.”

  “It’s one of the girls!” She followed him down the hall.

  When he thrust open the door to the girls’ room, light spilled from the hall onto the nearest bed. Katie was sitting upright with her eyes open. Scream after scream tore from her throat.

  “Check her.”

  Eden ran to pull the child into her arms while Clay stepped to the window and peered outside. “It’s okay, honey,” she said, smoothing the little girl’s tangled hair from her face.

  Like a monkey, Katie wrapped both arms and legs around Eden. She buried her sweaty face in Eden’s neck and burst into tears. Eden rocked her back and forth, shushing her. “I’ve got you,” she said against Katie’s hair. “No one will hurt you.”

  When the child’s sobs tapered off, Katie pulled away and a last shudder rippled through her. Eden glanced around to see all the girls sitting up with wide eyes. “Did you see something?” she asked Katie.

  Katie shook her head. “I was dreaming. That man came.”

  “What man, honey?” A nightmare. Her gaze locked with Clay’s over the top of Katie’s head as he soothed the other girls and they settled back into bed.

  “I don’t know. Daddy hid me in the closet. But he never came back to get me. The policeman took me away.”

  “You didn’t see the man?”

  Katie put her thumb in her mouth and shook her head. She pulled it out shamefacedly, then put her hand in the pocket of her pajamas. “Just his back. I peeked through the keyhole. He had a blue jacket.”

  Eden hugged her. “It’s okay. No one will hurt you.”

  Katie shivered. “What if he comes back? Maybe he thinks I saw him. But I didn’t.”

  “I don’t think he’ll be back. Mr. Clay will protect you if he does. I bet he’s bigger than that man.”

  A ghost of a smile lifted the little girl’s lips, and she nodded. “He was skinny and not nearly as tall as my daddy.”

  A little more of a description but still not much. “Could you see his hair?”

  She nodded. “It was red like mine. I only ’member because I never saw anyone with my color hair before. Daddy said it was because I came from the angels.”

  “The angels? What about your mommy?”

  “I don’t have a mommy.” She nestled against Eden’s chest. “I want a mommy!”

  The words made something nameless swell in Eden’s heart. Longing, regret, and pain all mixed to form some emotion that was harder to put her finger on. Maybe helplessness was the right word. She’d been caught in a maelstrom and was drowning in all the events that kept slamming her under the water.

  “You’re a sweet, sweet girl,” she whispered against Katie’s hair. She inhaled the fragrance of little girl and choked back the lump in her throat. She glanced at Clay. “Anything?”

  He shook his head. “Guess it was just a nightmare.”

  Katie went limp against Eden, and her breathing evened out. Eden reluctantly let Clay lift the child from her arms. On the other side of the bed, Eden pulled back the covers, plumped the pillow, then covered Katie after Clay laid her down. When Eden kissed the soft cheek, she detected a slight smile on Katie’s face. Even in sleep, she knew when she was loved.

  The other girls were snuggled back in their pillows. She and Clay made another round, comforting each one and bestowing kisses on every face. She would miss this ritual when she was gone from here.

  They backed out of the room. “Is that someone at the door?” Clay asked.

  She heard the knock then. Not timid, but not loud either. Authoritative. She followed Clay to the door. The man peering in the window was in his forties. His black hair curled over his collar. He looked dangerous to Eden.

  “Are you sure you should open it?” she whispered. “He hasn’t seen us yet.” But as soon as the words were out of her mouth, Clay flipped on the light.

  “Stay here,” he said. He crossed the room in four strides and opened the door. “Can I help you?”

  “Santiago sent me.” The man didn’t wait for an invitation but brushed past Clay to stand in the living room.

  That was fast. “I’ll get it,” Eden said. Anything to get away. The man’s gaze seemed to see through her cotton pajamas.

  She rushed back to the bedroom and snatched up the pendant. Before she took it to the man, she pulled on a robe and tied it. One last time, she ran her fingers over the precious piece and allowed herself to regret that she had to give it up. It had been such a symbol of the family they wanted to build.

  He and Clay were silent and tense by the door when she returned. The sooner they got this guy out of here, the happier she would be. “Here it is.” She handed him the pendant.

  He inspected it, then grunted. “You were telling the truth. I will tell Santiago.”

  What if they hadn’t? Would her own father have murdered her?

  Clay could lie and watch her sleep for hours. He propped himself on his elbow and studied the even rise and fall of Eden’s chest. So relaxed in sleep. All guards down. Every care eased from her face.

  He could only pray turning over that pendant last night would make a difference in the attacks that had been directed at Eden, though she might be right to think there was no connection between the threats and the jewelry. He eased out of bed and went to the kitchen to make coffee. The girls all still slept as well. The late night had worn everyone out. Except for him. He was alert and eager to learn more today from Brendan.

  The sun had just begun to peek over the mountain’s jagged silhouette when he took his coffee out to the porch. He watched the sun chase the purple shadows from the peaks, exposing the cholla and prickly pear. A blooming cactus or two brought a little color to the hillside. Sipping his coffee, he rocked in the chair. The motion soothed him and let his mind wander. Only God could heal his relationship with Eden. The cracks went deep, and they needed the right foundation.

  Boots crunched on gravel, and he saw Rick’s familiar form. The other man mounted the steps and dropped into the chair beside Clay. “Want some coffee?” Clay asked him.

  “Not that stuff you’re drinking. A spoon could stand up in it by itself. I can smell how strong it is from here.” Rick grinned and stretched out his legs. “Nothing like early morning for talking with God.”

  “My thoughts too.” Clay felt a real connection with Rick. After rolling his suitcase around the world, Clay didn’t have many close friends. His defenses were down with this guy. “Too early to hear from Brendan.”

  “Actually, I just got off the phone with him.”

  “That guy ever sleep?”

  “He’s a panther. Always on the prowl.” Rick propped a booted ankle on his knee. “He watched that video from Walmart last night.”

  “And?”

  “The two guys were Hispanic. Maybe Colombian, maybe not. But the interesting thing is that he thought he recognized one of them as a thug who works for Santiago.”

  Something kicked in Clay’s chest. “So Paige is my daughter!”

  “Whoa, don’t go jumping to conclusions. We don’t know that. For one thing, Brendan only thinks it might be him. He’s going to run the tape through some programs and see if he can get a definite match.”

  Clay rubbed his eyes. “This is going to hurt that nice family. We’d hoped for one of the other girls.”

  “Like I said, don’t assume anything.” He stared at Clay. “The kidnapper lured you here. Why? He could have taken you out anytime and gotten that pendant, if that
’s what he’s after. Good grief, man, you carried it in your pocket! All he had to do was knock you upside the head and take it.”

  “I know. Eden seems to be a personal target, which makes no sense. She wasn’t even with me in Colombia. Or when I received the picture of the girls here at Bluebird.”

  “Any idea who might want to hurt her?”

  “I had my suspects.”

  “Had? No longer?”

  “Eden called Santiago. He sent a guy to pick up the pendant.”

  “And you’re sure it’s over?”

  Clay sipped his coffee. “I don’t know. Something still feels off about it. Look, there’s something we haven’t mentioned.”

  Rick sighed and put his boot back on the floor. “More danger?”

  “No, nothing like that. But after Brianna was taken, our marriage fell apart.”

  Rick’s eyes held sympathy. “It happens. Hard to endure so much pain.”

  “Eden blamed herself. I blamed myself. We blamed each other. Toxic combo. I headed out for a mission, and she wasted no time in ditching me.” He hated the derision in his voice.

  “I’m sorry.”

  “Eden filed for divorce. The papers came while I was overseas. I shoved them in a drawer and ignored them. Always thought eventually I’d come back and talk her into trying again.”

  “And you did.”

  “Only after I was shoved into it by the picture.”

  “Bet she was surprised.”

  Clay wished he could smile at the memory of her shock, but his own had been too great. There she was, about to accept another man’s proposal. “I’d always known where she was, but my stupid pride wouldn’t let me chase her. I found her in the middle of a marriage proposal.”

  “But she was still married to you?”

  “Yep. But she didn’t know it. She’d signed the papers and didn’t realize the final decree hadn’t been issued. Her attorney had a heart attack and never followed up after he got back to work.”

  “Hoo-ee, you mean this was one of those scenes like in the movies? You showed up and told her the happy news?”

  “At least I got there before she actually said yes.” Clay managed a weak smile.

  “Bet that was a shock when she saw you.”

  “I thought she might faint. But I’ll give her this—the minute she heard Brianna was still alive, she didn’t hesitate. She walked away from the guy and never looked back.”

  Rick stretched out his legs. “What about him?”

  “He let her go. Seemed to think finding Brianna was the best thing for her to focus on.”

  “So what’s the problem? She’s resistant to trying again?”

  “Bull’s-eye on your first guess, my friend. I’m working on it, though.”

  “My wife is pretty perceptive,” Rick said. “She said the other day that it warmed her heart to see the way the two of you look at each other.”

  Clay wanted to cling to that encouragement, to hope Eden held some kind of feelings for him besides disappointment and betrayal. “I’m crazy about her,” he said. “From the first time I saw her, I haven’t looked at another woman.”

  “She’ll find it hard to resist that kind of devotion.”

  “Well, that’s the hope anyway.”

  Rick’s stare was speculative. “Where will you go from here when that guy is behind bars and you have Brianna back?”

  “Wish I knew. She’s agreed to live together to give Brianna more stability.”

  “I don’t know much about the problems in your relationship, but I know one thing,” Rick said, his expression grave. “God can work miracles.”

  “That’s what I’m going to need.”

  “And that’s what I’ll pray for with you.”

  When Rick bowed his head, Clay realized he meant now. God had sent him a prayer warrior right when he needed it.

  22

  AFTER CHURCH AND SUNDAY DINNER, EDEN WENT WITH ALLIE TO TAKE POSSESSION OF A donated horse. The misery in the old mare’s eyes clutched at Eden’s heart. “Where’d she come from?” she asked Allie, who was coaxing the animal from the battered trailer with a sugar cube in her outstretched hand. “She doesn’t look like she’s been fed very well.”

  Allie’s dark eyes flashed. “The way people mistreat their animals makes me furious. I’d like to put this girl’s owner in a barn and feed him every three days and see how he likes it.”

  “Is that what happened?” The horse moseyed toward Eden, and she stepped back, even though she wished she had the courage to touch that rough fur.

  “Yes. A neighbor turned him in. Rick talked the guy into letting us have her for a hundred dollars.”

  “You bought her?”

  “It was the only way to save her.” The mare finally nibbled at the sugar in Allie’s hand, but she flinched when Allie touched her nose. “Easy,” she murmured.

  “Will she live?” Eden wanted to touch the poor, mistreated thing. She put out a timid hand, then withdrew it.

  “I think so. Shannon seems optimistic. This old girl is malnourished, but the right food and some love will fix her right up. We have plenty of both.”

  “You seem to have an abundance of horses. Do you do this all the time?”

  Allie stepped back when the horse meandered away. She wiped her hands on her jeans. “My grandfather had a dream. He saw how abused children responded to mistreated animals. A bond of love helped them both. So he opened this ranch to help children and horses.”

  “And you’ve run it ever since?”

  “Well, Rick has. I came later.” Allie smiled. “I love it here.” She glanced at Eden’s tan slacks. “There’s a really great jeans store in town. Nice selection. We should go shopping.”

  She couldn’t wear jeans any easier than she could shoot someone. Well, maybe she could. She’d been dreaming about jeans and boots. What did that mean? Was she changing? Being here had opened her eyes in some ways. But she wasn’t quite ready for jeans.

  “Maybe,” she said. “I do love to shop. I need to make a call. Do you mind watching the girls a minute?”

  “They’re fine. Buzz and the guys have them under control. I’ll sit right here and oversee.” She hopped onto the top rung of the fence.

  “Thanks.” Eden went to the house, got the portable phone, then settled on the back step. Maybe she shouldn’t, but she wanted to tell Daniel what had happened with her mother.

  Glancing at her watch, she saw it would be two o’clock back in Indiana. Daniel would be working on his bills this afternoon, maybe watching sports on TV. Sometimes the two of them used to play Monopoly while they ate fudge and popcorn. She missed those days.

  The phone rang and rang. She was about to hang up when he finally picked up on the other end. She knew he was on because she heard the TV in the background but he said nothing. “Daniel?”

  “I told you not to call me, Eden.”

  “I know, but I thought you might want to know that I met with my mother,” she said before he could hang up.

  There was a long pause. “Oh? And why should that interest me?”

  His voice was so cold. This was a mistake. “If you’re not interested, that’s all there is to say. Sorry I bothered you.” She hesitated, but when he didn’t say anything more, she clicked off the phone.

  Her eyes burned. Daniel had been her brother in all the ways that counted. She must have hurt him terribly. Her chest heaved, quick little gasps of air. Daniel was so bitter, so angry. What had she done to him? It was as though she’d worn blinders all her life and didn’t see anything clearly.

  “Eden?”

  She lifted her head at the sound of Clay’s voice. “You were right,” she said. “Daniel hates me. Hates me!”

  He embraced her. “I’m sorry.”

  She leaned her head into his chest. “I’m not sure why this has hit me so hard.”

  “What did he say?”

  “I called him to let him know I’d seen my mother. Since he gave me the agency’s number
and all.”

  “They say there’s a fine line between love and hate. He crossed it?”

  “It appears so.” She leaned into him. His shirt smelled of Downy. She wished she could stay here all afternoon, sheltered by Clay’s strength.

  He dropped a kiss on her head. “We have that international dinner tonight, right? How about you go do your cooking and try not to worry. I’ll look after the girls.”

  She knew he was right. There was no repairing the damage now. Daniel would get over it or he wouldn’t. She went to the kitchen of the main house.

  Rita had an apron for Eden and supplies laid out for her. And a pot of coffee on. “You know me too well,” Eden told her.

  Rita wrinkled her nose. “You’ll need all the strength you can get to endure the coconut smell.”

  Eden grinned, then poured a cup of coffee. “You can leave if it’s going to be too painful.”

  “I’m a big girl. I think you’ll need some help.” She glanced around. “Where’s Clay? I made him some oatmeal-scotchie cookies.”

  “Those are his favorite!”

  “The way to a man’s heart is through his stomach.”

  “You’ll have to give me the recipe.” Eden turned to her ingredients. “The last batch I made turned out okay, but I have to double it for tonight.” Fortified by coffee with cream, she set to work. The rice came out a little sticky, but the chicken mixture looked and smelled right.

  She tasted it. “I think it’s okay.” What a relief. She hadn’t wanted to let Allie down. She held up a spoonful. “You can’t really taste the coconut.”

  Rita shook her head. “I’d be able to taste it.”

  “Are you going to the dinner tonight?” Eden asked.

  Rita flipped a blond braid over her shoulder. “I should say! There’s a cowboy who works for Jack MacGowan that I have my eye on. I’m not letting one of the other women get ahead of me.” She smiled. “Besides, it’s good fodder for my novel.”

  “How’s that coming?” Eden had never known a writer.

  “I’m halfway through. I got me a book on how to write a romance. I have one of those brooding heroes. One who sweeps the heroine off her feet. Like Clay.” She sighed blissfully. “I bet I get a movie offer when it’s done. Maybe Clay can land the lead role.”