For disclaimers, please see part 1.

Strength of the Heart

Part IV

Chapter 13

"Tell me again why we’re doing this?" Lex asked, as the truck hit yet another deep rut in the road. It had been two days since Martha had told them about their little "vacation," and she was trying to keep the truck on the road to the cabin. "Are you sure this is the right road?"

Amanda braced one hand against the dash to balance herself. "According to the map that Mrs. Charlton drew, yes, it is." She looked at the white knuckles on the hands gripping the steering wheel. "And we’re doing this because our family thought it would be restful." She almost screamed as the truck tipped precariously to the left. "Is this a road, or a creek bed?"

Lex laughed. "Restful. Right. If we live to see the damned cabin, I’ll be impressed." She was thankful her window was rolled down, or else she would have slammed her head against it when the vehicle lurched. "Damn!"

After a few more minutes of wrestling with the steering wheel, the road leveled out and they came upon a secluded cabin nestled in the trees. Amanda released a heavy sigh and squinted through the windshield. "It looks really nice," she murmured, as the truck pulled up to the left of the cabin. "Someone has been taking good care of the place."

"Sure looks like it," Lex agreed, turning off the truck. "She told Martha they didn’t use it any more, right?"

"That’s what she said." Amanda climbed out of the vehicle and grabbed her bag from the back seat. "C’mon, we might as well go check it out."

The rancher grabbed her duffel bag and hurried around the truck. "Wait up! I’ve got the key." She climbed the steps and looked around, enjoying the quiet around them. "As soon as we get our things inside, let’s go out back and check out the lake – we’re supposed to be in a private cove." Lex had brought her fishing tackle and several poles, hoping to get Amanda interested in one of her favorite pastimes. She unlocked the door and pushed it open. "Ladies first."

Amanda backhanded her across the stomach and shook her head. "You are such a brat, sometimes." She flipped on the lightswitch and looked around. Tthe living area was quite large, and very well furnished. The blonde ran her finger across the wooden back of the western-style sofa. Not a speck of dust. That’s strange. She dropped her bag on the floor and peeked through another doorway. The bedroom held only a king-sized oak bed, a matching dresser, and two side tables.

"See anything interesting?" Lex asked quietly in Amanda’s ear.

"Aaaack!" Amanda yelled, jumping forward. She spun around and pointed a finger at the laughing woman. "Don’t do that!"

Lex was laughing so hard that she had to brace herself against the doorframe with one hand to keep from falling. "You should have seen your face," she chortled. "Priceless!"

"I’ll get you back for that, Slim," Amanda warned. She stepped by Lex and sat down on the sofa. "This doesn’t seem too bad."

"No, it all looks pretty nice," Lex admitted. She walked over and glanced in the other doorway. "Kitchen’s a decent size, too." She turned around and watched as Amanda bounced up and down a few times where she was sitting. "What are you doing?"

The blonde smiled. "Just making sure that there are no loose springs. I’d hate for you to be too uncomfortable out here tonight."

"That’s nice. As long as it’s comfortable, I think…What?"

The raised eyebrows and look of dismay sent Amanda into a fit of giggles. "Teach you to pick on me, tough stuff." She stood up and wrapped her arms around Lex. "This is kinda nice, isn’t it? Just you and me, all alone with no phones and no interruptions."

"You got that right," Lex agreed. "Wanna take a walk around? We can look for the best fishing place while we’re at it." Her eyes sparkled with excitement as she thought about fishing.

"Sure, honey." The younger woman hadn’t seen Lex this excited in a long time. "I’ve known you for a while, now. But I never knew that you enjoyed fishing so much. You never mentioned it before."

Lex pulled her friend through the kitchen and out the back door. "No cause to, really. It’s been too cold until recently, and besides, I’ve been a little preoccupied with much more important things," she teased. "I’m just glad you’re not averse to the idea. I’d hate to have to choose between my two loves."

Poking Lex in the ribs, Amanda shook her head. "You are just begging for it, you know." They stood on the back porch of the cabin and looked out over the lake. The cabin backed up to a large cove, and the surrounding trees gave it a very secluded feel. There was a small wooden dock, and a tin rowboat turned upside down nearby. "Whoa. This is really a beautiful spot," Amanda exclaimed.

"Yeah, it sure is." Lex laughed and dragged Amanda down the steps. "C’mon! Let’s check out the boat!" She rushed down near the water’s edge and flipped the small craft over. "Great! Looks like it’ll do just fine."

"If you say so, Lex." Amanda felt a sudden chill down her spine, and turned to look back into the woods. That was creepy – it almost felt like someone was watching us. She scanned the area but couldn’t see anything. Probably just my imagination.

***************

Damn it, just pick up the phone! The sweating man paced around his bedroom, only slowing down to kick dirty clothes out of his way. After too many rings, the ringing sound in his ear went to a fast busy signal. "Shit!" He tossed the cordless phone and ignored it as it crashed against the wall. "Where the hell could he be?"

A loud thump outside his window caused Rick to spin around and scream. "Aaaah! God, please don’t hurt me!" he pleaded to the empty room. He took several deep breaths to calm down. With a trembling hand, the ex-realtor pushed the curtains out of his way and checked outside. On his windowsill, a large squirrel stared back at him. "What the hell are you looking at?" he yelled, slapping the glass hard.

The furry rodent’s tail twitched and it cocked its head to one side, studying the man in the window. It continued to stare for another long moment, then jumped down and bounded away.

"Stupid little shit," Rick grumbled as he closed the curtains. As he looked down at the pieces of the phone lying at his feet, he quickly remembered his other problem. Shit. What if Bobby decides to come after me? He could be on his way over here right now.

Rick began to gather clothes from the floor and toss them onto the bed. Even though he had only moved into the apartment a few days before, the entire place already looked as if a family of pigs had lived there for years. He reached under the bed and pulled out a large duffel bag, recoiling momentarily when several cockroaches scurried out of it and into his sheets. "Gotta get out of here. That son of a bitch is just crazy enough to hunt me down because of the stupid shit that Hubert’s pulled."

Hearing the phone ring, he looked over at the empty base and cursed. "Dammit." Rick hurried into the other room and picked up the corded phone hanging on the wall between the living room and the kitchen. "Yeah?"

***************

"If you think I’m actually going to climb into that thing, you’re sadly mistaken, Slim." Amanda stood on the shoreline with her arms crossed over her chest. "How do you know we won’t sink?" Earlier they had gone inside to unload their supplies and change into their shorts, and the slight breeze coming off the lake made her shiver.

Lex had the small aluminum craft tied up to the dock and was standing in the center of the boat. "C’mon, Amanda. It’ll be fun." Lex’s normally tanned legs had paled over the winter, but the muscles still flexed impressively as she stood on one foot, then the other.

The blonde didn’t budge. "What part of drowning sounds fun to you, Lex? No way."

"It doesn’t even have a motor, just paddles. We’ll stay in the cove, I promise." The rancher’s smiled faded slightly. "Please?"

Don’t give me that face, Lex. No…not the lip, too. Crap. "Okay. But just for a little while, okay? You promised me we could take a short hike through the woods."

"Sure! Just for a few minutes, I guarantee it." Lex grinned widely and held out her hand to assist the smaller woman into the craft. Untying the rope from the dock, she directed Amanda to a spot in the front of the boat and waited until her friend was seated. Seeing the small hands grasp the edges tightly, Lex leaned forward and kissed Amanda lightly on the lips. "Trust me, sweetheart. I won’t let anything happen to you, I promise."

Amanda returned her smile and released a breathy sigh. "I do trust you, honey. It’s just that I’ve never been too fond of the water." She loosened her deathgrip on the sides of the boat and looked around. "This isn’t too bad."

The rancher nodded. "Told you." Lex used one of the wooden paddles to push the boat away from the dock. After they had floated silently away from the shore for several minutes, Lex put the oar away and closed her eyes. "Hear that?"

"I don’t hear anything."

"Exactly." A huge grin covered the dark-haired woman’s face. "Isn’t is great?"

She hated to admit it, but seeing the happiness on her lover’s face was priceless. "It sure is, love," Amanda agreed.

They were too far away from the shore to see the dark figure just inside the trees, watching them intently.

***************

"I’be been looking all ober vor you! Where da hell habe you been?"

Rick pulled the phone receiver away from his ear and glared at it. "None of your damned business, asswipe. How did you get this number?"

The man on the other end of the phone sighed heavily. "I called your sister’s house, and the snotty kid that answered gabe it to be." Hubert’s speech was better than it had been, but he was still having trouble articulating.

I’m gonna kill that worthless nephew of mine one of these days. "What do you want? I’m a busy man."

"Yeah, right. What’s the matter, Ricky? You get in a new shibment of tampons to stock?" The accountant laughed at his own joke. "I’m tired of your bullshit, Rick. Were you able to reach Bobby? I haben’t been able to vind him, either."

"No, not yet. I’m sure he’s just real busy right now. I’ve got a message in for him to call me, so I’m sure I’ll hear from him any time, now." Rick looked around his living room, trying to decide what items to take if he had to leave in a hurry. "Now leave me alone – I need to get to work."

Hubert swallowed hard. "Don’t hang me out to dry, Rick. If he comes after me again, I’ll be sure and send him your way – you don’t want that, do you?" When his comments only met silence, he panicked. "C’mon, buddy. I know we haben’t always seen eye-to-eye, but I’be been pretty good to you, haben’t I?"

The other man shook his head. "Good to me? What the hell are you talking about? Where the fuck were you when I lost my job? I didn’t see you offering to help me, then." Rick chuckled humorlessly. "If I were you, buddy, I’d find me a nice, heavy rock to crawl under and stay there." He slammed the phone down and ran his hands through his hair. "Stupid prick."

"Rick? You there?" Hubert heard the dial tone and smashed the receiver back onto the base of the phone. "Shit." He looked around the kitchen where he was sitting and thought about what his old ‘friend’ had told him. "I’m a dead man." His lawyer had called earlier to tell him that the county prosecutor had offered him a deal – testify against the men who drove the truck, and he would only serve less than a year in the county jail.

The only catch was, Hubert only knew of Bobby. The other men were still nameless, faceless people who had almost killed his sister. Lex. Maybe I should warn her about Bobby. He frowned at his thoughts. Fuck it. Let my perfect little sister worry about him. She’ll probably meet up with Bobby soon enough.

***************

As promised, Lex had brought the boat back to shore after a short trip around the cove. After a leisurely walk through the nearby woods, she and Amanda were reclining in front of a large hollow log, each holding a fishing pole. The dark-haired woman had her legs stretched out in front of her and a baseball cap low over her eyes. "Remind me to give Martha a big hug and a kiss when we get back," Lex mumbled. "This is a perfect way to spend the afternoon."

"You got that right," the blonde agreed. "Tell me again why we haven’t done this sooner?"

"Blatant stupidity and pure bull-headedness on my part." Lex felt her pole jerk slightly, so she sat up and pushed her cap back to look out on the water. "I’ve got a bite." She jumped to her feet when the pole began to bend sharply. "Whoa!"

Amanda jumped to her feet as well, dropping her pole in her excitement. "It looks like a monster, Lex! Don’t lose it!" She enjoyed watching the muscles in her lover’s arms bunch and strain as the rancher fought the pole, and whatever was on the other end of the line. "I know what we’re having for dinner," Amanda chortled happily.

"We’ll see about that," Lex growled, as she continued to wrestle with her catch. After a few more minutes, her prize could be seen as it was dragged out of the water. "Hope you’re hungry."

"Eeww. That’s nasty," Amanda groaned. "But it is one heck of a catch."

At the end of Lex’s line hung a large, dark, smelly…tire. It was too small to belong to an automobile, and more than likely came from a boat trailer. The tall woman set down her pole and walked to the water’s edge to pick up her catch. Raising it with one hand, she put the other hand on her hip and grinned. "Should I pose for my picture with it?"

The blonde wrinkled her nose. "Yuck. What are you going to do with it?"

"I dunno. Guess I’ll toss it in the back of the truck and dispose of it when we get back to town." Lex tossed it further up onto the shore and then leaned over in the water to wash off her hands. She felt someone grab her hips and looked back over her shoulder. "Don’t you even think about it," she warned.

"What’s it worth to you?" Amanda teased, knowing that she could easily toss her partner into the lake and make a run for it.

Both women were so caught up in their playing that they didn’t notice the dark figure walking out of the trees, a shotgun trained on them. "You two need to step back, slowly," the quiet voice demanded.

Lex looked past Amanda and saw a young woman standing several yards away. She stood up and stepped casually in front of her lover. "Why don’t you put that thing down before it accidentally goes off?" The woman was dressed in jeans and a dark tee shirt, and appeared to be close to the same age as they were.

"Shut up!" She pulled the gun up closer under her cheek. "Don’t make me use this on you." Waving the barrel, she pointed to the cabin. "C’mon. Let’s go inside."

"I don’t think so," Lex replied. She held out her hands in front of her to show she was unarmed. "Why don’t you tell us what’s going on?"

The woman pulled the gun away from her shoulder, but kept it pointed at the pair by the water. "You’re trespassing. I’m completely within my rights to shoot you where you stand."

Lex started forward, but was pulled back by the small hands tangled in her shirt. "Trespassing? I don’t think so." She studied the young woman in front of her for a moment and made a decision. Gently prying the hands off the back of her shirt, Lex began once again to walk towards the gun-wielding woman. "Now put down the gun, before someone gets hurt." She continued to move forward until the barrel of the gun was pressed against her chest.

Good lord, she’s lost her mind! "Lex!"

"Stay back, Amanda." The rancher smiled gently at the young woman in front of her. "You don’t want to hurt anyone, do you?" Seeing the indecision cross her face, Lex reached up and wrapped her hand around the barrel of the shotgun. "C’mon. Let it go."

Amanda watched in relief as the woman released the weapon and allowed Lex to take it out of her hands. I swear, I’m gonna kill her myself, one of these days. Deciding that the danger was past, she slowly walked over to where the other two women were standing. "Umm, is everything okay here?"

"Who are you people, and what are you doing at my parents’ cabin?" The young woman’s face still harbored an angry look. "You have no right to be here."

"Look, lady…" Lex was beginning to get angry herself.

"I’m sorry, did you say your parent’s cabin?" Amanda asked, pulling on one of Lex’s arms to bring her back a few steps. "Let’s start over. Hi, my name’s Amanda Cauble, and this is my fiancée, Lex Walters." She held out her hand.

The woman accepted her hand slowly. "Fiancée?" She looked from one woman to the other curiously. When she met the angry glare of the tall woman, she shrugged her shoulders. "Oh, sorry. I’m Sherry Charlton. My parents have owned this cabin since before I was born."

"Well, Ms. Charlton, your mother gave us permission to use the cabin for a few days. We didn’t see any sign of anyone else here, so we assumed it was deserted." Lex had her arms crossed over her chest, still upset at having a gun pointed at her. "You shouldn’t go pointing guns at folks until you know what’s going on."

"Not my fault. You are the ones that just came in and took over. I live on the other side of the lake, and I always come over here to check on the place and make sure there’s no trespassers,’ she retorted, giving the dark-haired woman a dirty look of her own. "And besides, the shells to the gun are in my pocket. I wouldn’t have shot you."

Lex broke open the gun and checked the chambers. Shit. She’s right. "That still doesn’t give you the right to scare us half to death." She tossed the gun back to its owner, who draped the weapon casually back over her shoulder.

"Get over it, Stretch. Nobody was hurt." Even though the dark-haired woman was at least five inches taller than she was, Sherry refused to back down. Her short dark hair blew gently around her face as she smiled at Amanda. "I really am sorry I scared you like that. How long do you plan on staying here?"

"Only for a couple of days," the shorter woman answered. Amanda linked arms with Lex and smiled at the newcomer. "Why don’t you come in for some coffee, Ms. Charlton? You can tell us about the lake."

Sherry smiled. "Only if you call me Sherry. Ms. Charlton makes me sound old." She looked up at Lex and held out her hand. "Truce?"

"Yeah, truce." Lex shook her hand and sighed. "Sorry I got so bent out of shape."

"No problem. Sorry I pointed a shotgun at you," Sherry apologized. "It’s just that no one’s been out to the cabin since before my father died a few years ago, and I was a little concerned."

Amanda touched the young woman’s arm. "I’m sorry. If you want us to leave…"

"Nah. ‘Bout time this old place had some guests. There’s a storage shed on the west side of the cabin – should still have a barbecue grill in it. How about I go get some steaks and cook dinner for you two to apologize?"

Lex shook her head as they climbed the steps to the cabin. "You don’t have to do that." She held open the door for the other two women to enter, looking around the perimeter of the cabin before stepping inside. Now I’m gonna be looking over my shoulder for the next couple of days. Paranoid fool.

***************

"Thank you again for stopping by, Mr. Wise. I really do appreciate all your cooperation and hard work on this case." Charlie stood up and offered his hand to the man on the other side of his desk. "You haven’t changed your mind about my offer, have you?"

The small, stocky man stood up and brushed off his khaki slacks. "I’m sorry, Sheriff. But I’m afraid the county couldn’t begin to match my salary." He gathered up his briefcase from the floor and started for the door. "I’m just glad we were able to help. Mr. Edwards emphasized to me that we were to turn over any leads to your office."

Charlie smiled. "Travis is a good man, and a good friend. I know he was afraid of stepping on my toes by hiring you." He opened the door and winked. "But there’s no way my men would have ever found that truck in Austin. We just don’t have the manpower. Thanks again."

"Anytime, Sheriff. Good luck." The private investigator left the office with a smile on his face. Nice to be treated like a colleague by the local law, for a change.

The sheriff closed the door and sat back down at his desk. An auto shop in Austin. Who would have ever thought? After speaking to the owner of the body shop, Charlie sent two deputies down to Austin to bring back the vehicle. Someone had dropped it off less than a month ago, paying a cash deposit and leaving a phony name. The flyers the detective agency had sent out all over Texas and the neighboring states paid off, and luckily the shop owner had seen the reward offer before doing any work on the vehicle. From the description the man had given him over the phone, there were large traces of green paint still covering the sides and the front.

He looked at one of the pictures on his desk, which was a smaller version of the portrait Michael had given Lex and Amanda at Christmas. "Don’t worry, girls. We’ll catch these bastards soon. I promise."

***************

"Hello, Rick. I’ve been looking for you," a deep voice drawled from behind the man stocking the store shelves.

Rick turned around slowly, dropping the box of cat box liners to the floor. His heart pumping wildly, the stock ‘boy’ almost fainted in relief when he saw the face of the store manager. "Mr. Michaels. You scared the hell out me."

The overweight man brushed his thumb and index finger over his greasy mustache. "Too bad, Thompson. Haven’t you been listening to the overhead announcements? Some kid puked spaghetti all over aisle four, and they’ve been calling for a cleanup for the last ten minutes."

"So? I’m stocking the shelves. Get one of those damned kids that’s always smoking in the men’s room to clean it up."

"You don’t seem to understand, ‘stock boy’. That wasn’t a request – it was an order." Michaels gasped in surprise when the larger man grabbed his arms and shoved him against the shelves of cat litter. "What do you think you’re doing? Let go of me!"

"I am so sick and fucking tired of your attitude, Michaels. I used to make more in a week than you do for a month!" Rick shoved the sweating man hard again and then released him.

The store manager brushed off his red vest and glared at the other man. "You must be so proud of how far you’ve come," he commented bitingly. Not waiting for an answer, he walked away. At the end of the aisle, Michaels turned around and smiled. "By the way, Thompson – you’re fired. Turn in your apron to the courtesy booth and get out of my store."

Rick stared after the man, incredulous. He can’t…"You can’t fucking fire me, asshole," he yelled. "I quit!" Feeling somewhat vindicated, Rick Thompson tore off his apron and stomped through the store. He tossed the red fabric into the assistant manager’s face as he left, pleased by the shocked look on his recently promoted nephew’s face.

"Uncle Rick? What…?"

"Fuck off, Kenny."

Once out in the parking lot, Rick sat in his car and contemplated his next move. "This is all that bitch Kentucky’s fault," he grumbled. "That smart ass whore. I hope Bobby finds her and kicks her ass." He opened up the glove compartment and pulled out a small bottle of vodka. After a healthy swig, he laughed. "Boy, I’d like to be there to see that." Another few swallows, and he began to feel a buzz. "Maybe he’d take out that little blonde slut at the same time. Now that would be perfect!" Rick sat in his car until he finished the bottle, then tossed it out the window. "Shit. Now I gotta go get some more." Struggling to slip the key into the ignition, the drunken man finally succeeded and drove off into the evening.

***************

"I’m glad this day is over," Charlie sighed, gathering up a few files and tossing them into his briefcase. I’ll take these home and study them after dinner, he decided. He checked his watch and shook his head. "Martha’s gonna have my hide for sure, if I don’t get home soon."

The sheriff walked through the empty offices, stopping to turn off the lights and lock the doors behind him. He inhaled the sweet April air, glad to finally be outdoors. The crickets nesting in the shrubbery on either side of the sidewalk serenaded the happy man, who whistled a nameless tune along with them. It’s great to be alive.

"This is Sheriff Bristol, signing off," Charlie informed the dispatcher over the radio after he sat down in the police cruiser.

"Goodnight, Charlie. Give Martha my best," Carla answered. "And tell her I’m still waiting patiently for that chili recipe."

He laughed. "I sure will, Carla. Good night." The sheriff buckled his seatbelt and backed his car carefully out of the parking spot. "Damn. I need to go pick up some milk before I go home," he mumbled to himself. Turning the big car around on the deserted street, Charlie drove towards the nearby supermarket. Think I’ll pick up some flowers, too.

A few blocks from the store, bright headlights blinded Charlie, making him lift one hand to shade his eyes. "That damned idiot has his high beams on." Moments later, he realized--too late--that the car was in his lane and barreling towards him quickly.

The sounds of screeching tires and screaming metal filled the night air.

Chapter 14

"That was one of the best steaks I’ve had in ages," Lex groaned, as she leaned back in the chair and rubbed her stomach. "I won’t be able to eat anything for a week."

Amanda took over the rubbing and laughed. "Yeah, right." She turned to look at their guest. "Believe me, Sherry – this woman can pack away enough food for three people, and complain about being hungry two hours later." Although this is the first time in weeks that I’ve seen her eat her food, instead of pushing it around on the plate.

"I’m just glad I haven’t lost my touch with the grill," Sherry admitted. "I don’t have much cause to cook out anymore."

Lex pulled the teasing blonde into her lap and wrapped her arms around Amanda’s waist. "Really? Do you live out here all by yourself?" After their rocky introduction, Lex found to her surprise that she really enjoyed the younger woman’s company. I’d hate for her to be lonely. She seems like a nice kid.

Sherry nodded. "Yep. Been out here for about four years, now. Mom wanted me to live in this cabin, but it’s too secluded for my tastes. That’s why I bought a place on the other side of the lake. Lots of people out and about."

"I don’t mean to pry, and you can just tell me to mind my own business, but what kind of work do you do?" Amanda wrapped one arm around her partner’s neck and twisted so that she could see Sherry better. "It’s kind of a long commute to town, isn’t it?"

"It would be, if I had to," their guest admitted. "But, I work from home, writing computer software." Sherry stood up and began to clear the table. "It’s nice being my own boss." She looked back over her shoulder at the couple still seated. "I guess you know all about that, don’t you, Lex?" While she had been grilling the steaks, Lex and Amanda had given her a brief rundown of their prospective careers.

The rancher laughed. "Not anymore, my friend. I’m afraid this little thing sitting on top of me is the boss, now." She grunted as her full belly was slapped. "Careful, Boss. Don’t want to stir up the beast, do you?"

Amanda giggled, but gently rubbed the spot she had just smacked. "Oh, no. Can’t have the beast upset with me." She kissed Lex on the nose and stood up. "Hold on, Sherry. Let me help you with this stuff."

"Yeah, me too. I need to do something to work off this meal." Lex stood up and was reaching for an empty plate when a loud crash came from outside. She looked over at Sherry, who shrugged her shoulders. "Maybe I’ll go check that out first, and then help." The tall woman crossed to the front door, grabbing a flashlight and the shotgun that was resting by the doorway. "I’ll be back in a minute."

***************

Flashing lights and sirens disturbed the quiet night, as several emergency vehicles rushed toward the accident scene. There was nothing left of the car but a crumpled heap; oil and water mixing with blood on the dark roadway, the accident’s stench saturating the air.

The first deputy on the scene shook his head sadly. "Damned drunk drivers. What a waste." He watched as the emergency crews finally pried the dead man from what was left of the car. "I always hate these calls."

"Poor guy was probably dead on impact," one of the firemen admitted, grimacing at the amount of damage the victim had suffered. "But I don’t know. There’s so much blood, he may have bled to death."

"Jeez." The deputy closed his eyes at the carnage, fighting the bile that threatened to rise from his throat. A strong hand on his shoulder caused him to jump. He spun around, ready to yell at whoever startled him. "Oh, hi."

The sheriff looked as if he had aged five years in as many hours. "Do we have an ID on the victim yet?" He was shaken up, but physically unscathed.

As the bright headlights came closer and closer, Charlie noticed that the car was on his side of the road. The tree-lined boulevard cut through a residential area, two lanes going each way with a grass divider between them. With nowhere to turn, he slammed on the brakes and cut the steering wheel hard to the right, the heavy police car sliding into a yard.

Another deputy reached under the sheet and checked the dead man’s pockets. "I’ve found a wallet." He stood up and gave it to Charlie, who studied the contents of it grimly. "That’s what I thought. Richard Thompson. I thought I recognized him." I didn’t like the man, but smashing head on into a power pole at that rate of speed is a horrible way to die.

"You want me to notify the next of kin?" the deputy standing next to him asked. "I think his sister lives over off Grand Street."

Charlie nodded. "I’d really appreciate that, Todd. If you think you can handle things around here, I believe I’m going to go home and hug my wife."

"No problem, Sheriff." Todd waved over another deputy, who had just finished retrieving the sheriff’s car from the torn up yard. "Sam, you want to give the sheriff a ride home? I want to have his car checked out before he drives it." Ignoring the outraged look from his boss, Todd continued, "Have someone follow you out there, and leave your car, okay?"

The young man nodded. "You got it, Todd."

"Now wait just a damned minute!" Charlie grabbed Todd by the arm. "I don’t need a babysitter."

"No, you don’t. But I’m not gonna be the one that tells your wife we let you drive yourself home after you were almost killed tonight." He put his hand over the sheriff’s. "My insides are in one big knot, I can just imagine what yours are like. C’mon, humor me. You know I’m partial to Martha’s sweet rolls. She’ll never let me near another one if I don’t take care of you."

The older man laughed. "You’re right. Thanks, Todd." He leaned forward and hugged the deputy. "I’ll see if she’ll fix some up in the morning." He saw the younger deputy wave at him from across the road and slowly walked that direction, thankful that he would soon be home and in Martha’s loving arms.

***************

Heavy clouds moved in after the sun set, obscuring the light from the half moon and stars. The only sounds coming from outside the cabin were the chirping of crickets and the lapping of the water against the shore. Lex slowly checked the perimeter of the cabin as she shook her head at her own carelessness. Here I am – outside in the dark, on unfamiliar ground, and carrying an unloaded shotgun for protection. Not one of your brighter moves, Lexington.

She continued to scour the grounds, looking for any hint of what may have caused the loud noise that brought her out of the cozy home. Unable to find anything, Lex was about to go back inside when she caught a movement out of the corner of one eye. What was that? A quick aim of the flashlight showed the slight movement of a small sapling, and she grinned. Gotcha!

The dark-haired woman leaned the weapon against one shoulder and followed her beam of light into the dark woods. She could hear the break of a branch or twig somewhere in front of her, and decided to turn off the light in order to follow the intruder by sound alone.

Come on, where did you go? Lex had been trailing her unknown quarry for over twenty minutes, but had not been able to catch up to whomever or whatever was in front of her. Whatever it was, it didn’t seem to be in any particular hurry, doubling back from time to time, or changing direction at will. Almost as if it were playing with me…or luring me away from the cabin. She stopped, turning on the flashlight and looking around. Just where IS the cabin? A slow glance in every direction confirmed Lex’s worst fear – she was lost. Damn.

***************

The weary woman sat on the tattered sofa, a small toddler perched on one knee. She appeared much older than her thirty-five years, having struggled all her life only to end up living in the tiny house her parents left her when they died. Angela Thompson realized long ago that she would never amount to much. The young woman had dropped out of high school when one of her older brother’s friends got her pregnant. Just as she was getting her life back together, Angie became pregnant again. Four children and no husbands later, she was resigned to her fate of living off the state and raising her kids the best she could. "He’s dead?" she asked the deputy across from her. "You’re sure it’s my brother?" The little girl on her lap started to fuss, and Angie absently handed the child a cookie to chew on.

"Yes, ma’am. I’m afraid so." Deputy Todd Steward hated this part of his job. But he would have hated to subject the sheriff to it even more. "Is there anyone you would like me to call to come sit with you?"

"No, I’m fine." She gave the young man a wan smile. "I know I shouldn’t speak ill of the dead, but my brother Rick was a waste of skin. He was always getting calls all hours of the night, and never once apologized for disturbing the rest of us. He didn’t mind eating our food, but didn’t have the decency to bring groceries home, or offer to pay for what he ate. Deadbeat." She chuckled at her own play on words. "I guess he is now, anyway." The child squirmed, and she gently helped her daughter off her knee. "I finally had enough and kicked him out of the house. Do you think he was dealing drugs, or something?" Angie’s tired eyes lit up at the prospect. "Maybe he left money behind in his apartment. Wouldn’t it be mine, now?"

Deputy Steward struggled to keep the surprise from showing on his face. Drugs? Could that have been a contributing factor in the cause of the wreck? "I’m not sure, Ms. Thompson. But do you have his address? I’d like to go by and check it out."

***************

"Where on earth could she be?" Amanda muttered, casting another worried glance through the darkened window. She glanced back down at her watch and then turned around to look back at Sherry. "It’s been over forty-five minutes. I think we need to go out and look for Lex."

Sherry shook her head. "Lex seems pretty capable of taking care of herself. The last thing she needs is for us to be stumbling around in the dark making noise." She sat down at the table and gestured to the chair next to her. "C’mon, have a seat. If there is something out there, you really shouldn’t be near the window, anyway." At the blonde’s stricken expression, she mentally cursed herself. "What I meant was, I doubt that Lex would want you to spend all your time worrying, when she’s probably just being extra sure nothing’s there."

Knowing her new friend was right, Amanda stepped away from the window. "Ten more minutes – then I’m going to go look for her. With or without your help." Unable to sit still, she paced across the hardwood floor. "I think there’s another flashlight out in the truck."

"If it comes down to searching, I’ll go." Sherry stood up. "I think there’s an old lantern around here somewhere that we can use, too." She was about to go look for it when the back door opened, and a very angry woman stepped into the kitchen.

"Of all the ridiculous, idiotic, harebrained things I’ve had to do in my time, this has got to be on the top of the damned list!" Lex stomped across the floor, tossing the flashlight onto the table. She ran her hands through her hair, leaves and small debris falling to the floor.

Amanda reached out to her partner, but pulled her hand back when she saw a wet, dark stain covering the majority of Lex’s shirt. "What happened to you?"

Lex washed her hands and face, then turned and leaned against the counter. "What didn’t happen, would be easier to explain." She looked down at her chest and shook her head. "I need to go take a shower."

"Not until you at least tell us a little bit about where you’ve been." Amanda stepped closer and wrinkled her nose. "You smell like the lake."

"I should – I washed up a bit in it before I came in the house." Lex tried to pull the cotton shirt away from her body. "Didn’t help much, though."

Laughter from the woman on the other side of the room caused both heads to turn her way. "I’m sorry. But you must have run into Gus." Sherry started laughing again, wiping her eyes. "I’d forgotten all about him." She sat back down, trying to control her amusement.

Amanda looked from her partner to their friend. "Who’s Gus?"

"An orangutan, right?" Lex drawled in disgust. "One that likes to play hide and seek?"

Sherry nodded. "He does. His family lives in a house not too far from here, although they only stay here during the summer. I didn’t think about him because it’s a bit too early in the year for them to be here."

Turning amused eyes up at her lover, Amanda tried to fight back her giggles. "You chased down a monkey?" She sniffed when she stood closer to Lex. "Just exactly what happened out there?"

"Umm…" The rancher backed away a step. "You don’t want to get too close. I really do reek."

"And you reek because?"

Lex lowered her head in defeat. I’m never gonna hear the end of this one, I bet. "Have you ever tried to track something in the dark, when the tracks kept disappearing?" She looked over at Sherry, to see if the younger woman would help.

"He took to the trees, didn’t he?" Understanding crossed the programmer’s face. "Oh, no. You caught him over by the creek?" She knew, like most of the year-round resident’s of the area, that the orangutan had a certain area of the woods that he liked to hide in, and kept his stolen ‘booty’– bags of garbage that the weekend lake goers tended to leave behind. His owners would go out every few days and gather up the bags and dispose of them.

"Yeah," Lex murmured, looking down at the floor. "I didn’t even know the little creep was that close, until he started bombing me with trash." She looked back up at Amanda and grinned sheepishly. "Scared the hell out of me. And on top of it all, I was hopelessly lost."

Amanda felt her mirth disappear at that quiet admission. What would I have done? She was lost in the woods, chasing after an unknown entity, and was pelted with garbage from the trees? God, I would have been terrified. She reached up and picked what appeared to be a piece of styrofoam from Lex’s hair. "I’m just glad you’re home, safe. He didn’t hurt you, did he?"

"Nah." Lex closed her eyes for a moment when Amanda’s hand started stroking her cheek. "I yelled at him, though." She opened her eyes and looked across the room at Sherry. "I think he laughed at me."

Sherry stood up. "Sounds like Gus, all right." She noticed that the rancher was unarmed. "What happened to the shotgun?"

"I locked it in the truck before I went down to the lake to wash the garbage off of myself. Didn’t want to lay it down in the mud."

"That’s fine." Sherry decided it was time to leave. "As much fun as this evening was, I think it’s time for me to head back to my place. Why don’t you two stop by on your way back to town? You can drop off the gun then."

Amanda turned and nodded. "Sounds like a great idea. I think I need to get the Great Hunter into the tub, anyway." She flinched when she felt a poke on her ribs from behind. "Hey!"

"I’ll show you a great hunter, you brat," Lex whispered with menace. "Just you wait."

"Definitely time to go," Sherry teased. "Goodnight."

***************

Jangling her keys, the frumpy landlady limped down the cluttered hallway. "Figures that sorry bastard would go and get hisself killed," she grumbled, the burning cigarette bouncing dangerously around her lips. "He owed me a week’s worth of rent." She kicked a bit of garbage out of the way and stopped in front of the last door. Turning to look at the young man in uniform behind her, she smirked. "You wouldn’t be needing a place, would ya? I’d give you a discount, being a man of the law, and all."

"No ma’am," Deputy Steward politely declined, fighting the urge to cough. "I stay with my mother." He looked around the decaying apartment building. I had no idea we had dumps like this in Somerville. I may need to talk to the fire inspector about this place – it can’t be up to code. "If you’ll just let me in, I’ll lock up and bring the keys back down to you." He hoped that he could get away from the chain-smoking woman before his lungs begged for mercy.

"I don’t know if I can do that, hon. I have a duty to my residents to protect them. Just like you do." She pushed the old wooden door forward and stepped inside the room. Seeing the mess, she shook her head. "I told him no parties! Damned worthless man. Not a one of them worth the amount of crap it would take to cover ‘em up." A look at the deputy and she winked. "Present company excluded, ‘course."

Todd suppressed a shiver and hurried into the cluttered room. Charlie’s gonna owe me big time for this one. Watching the older woman light another cigarette, he decided to take matters into his own hands. "Ma’am, I’m afraid I’m going to have to ask you to step out into the hallway, and not touch anything on your way out. I am conducting an official police investigation." And my mom is going to hose me down in the front yard, since I reek of cigarette smoke.

She took another look around the room and coughed. "All right. But I’m gonna be right out in the hall, just in case."

"Thank you." He pulled his notebook out of his pocket and began to take notes. I’ll just take a quick look around and get the hell out of this pigsty. Todd slipped on a pair of rubber gloves and looked over the living room first, careful to not disturb too much. Not finding anything of importance, the deputy brushed off the knees of his pants and moved to the kitchen.

There were several unopened envelopes strewn about the countertop, many of them marked final notice. One had been flipped over and scrawled writing covered the back. "What do we have here?" On the upper half were the initial ‘H’ and a phone number, which Todd quickly wrote down. Another phone number could be seen under the name, Bobby. Drug connections or friends? Guess I’ll report this to the sheriff in the morning and check them both out tomorrow.

***************

Martha heard two cars pull up in the driveway, and looked through the front window to see who it could be. She watched in confusion as her husband climbed out of the passenger side of one of the police cars. What on earth is going on? Adding to her mystification the young deputy driving the cruiser walked around and handed the keys to the sheriff, then patted him on the back and climbed into the other vehicle.

The front door opened a moment later, and a very haggard Charlie walked in. He glanced around the room and spied his wife, and quickly met her halfway across the room. Wrapping his arms around her body, he leaned over and buried his face in her neck.

"Charlie? Honey, what’s wrong?" Martha pulled him into her embrace and felt her husband shudder. Clearly upset, the normally talkative man hadn’t spoken a word since he came into the house. "Charlie?"

He pulled back enough to look into his wife’s worried eyes. "I’m sorry, sweetheart. Just been a rough evening." The shaken man allowed Martha to guide him over to the sofa. "Rick Thompson is dead."

In shock, Martha dropped down next to him. "Dead?" Her brain worked furiously to try and figure out why her husband would be in such a state over the death of the man. "Oh, no. They don’t suspect…"

"No, no. Nothing like that. He slammed his car into a light pole this evening. Apparently the man was either on drugs or drunk." Charlie shivered again, remembering with startling clarity the bright headlights as they descended upon him.

Martha felt the shiver and pulled Charlie close to her. "Shhh…it’s all right, baby. Tell me what’s wrong."

Feeling her love blanket him, Charlie calmed down enough to talk. "I was driving home, and remembered I needed to pick up a few things at the store. So, I turned to go down Alliance Boulevard. You know, the residential section?"

"Right. With the tree-lined median, just before the shopping center," Martha added. Dear lord…he must have seen it happen. "Go on, honey."

"I hadn’t gotten very far, when I noticed bright headlights up ahead. Took me a minute, but then I realized they were on my side of the street." He leaned back and looked into his wife’s shocked face. "I didn’t have anywhere to go, Martha. There were trees on one side, and houses on the other." Charlie raised one hand and cupped the side of her face tenderly. "All I could think about was what this was gonna do to you. I couldn’t let that happen."

Hot tears began to fall down Martha’s face. "How did…?" She felt his shaking fingers gently wipe the moisture away. "Are you…?"

For the first time all evening, Charlie smiled. "I spun out in someone’s yard – almost took out their front hedge." He shook his head. "I’m not sure what happened next, but Rick must have seen my car, and tried to maneuver out of the way. He missed the trees in the median, but lost control and slammed full speed into one of the electric poles." Calmness suddenly descended on Charlie’s soul as he realized that he was alive, and in the arms of the woman he loved. "There’s not one scratch on me, or my car. But Todd wanted to have the cruiser checked out, just to be on the safe side."

"I owe that boy some sweet rolls, I think," Martha decided, pulling her husband back into her arms. "Tomorrow."

***************

Amanda rolled over and felt cool sheets beside her. "Lex?" Not hearing an answer, she got up and padded through the living room on her way to the kitchen. It was early morning, and there was just enough sunlight coming in from the windows to make her squint as she looked around the small cabin. Entering the kitchen, Amanda saw her lover standing at the large bay windows that looked out into the cove. "There you are. Is everything okay?"

"Everything’s great," Lex answered as she turned around. The lines of stress had almost completely disappeared from around her face, and the dark circles that had been under her eyes for the past month were gone. "I figured that you would have slept later," she teased. After Lex had gotten out of the tub, they had gone to bed and decided they weren’t quite sleepy yet.

"My favorite pillow disappeared," the younger woman pouted, standing in the doorway. Amanda raised her hands over her head and stretched slowly. She wasn’t wearing any clothes, and the cool morning air caused chill bumps to rise all over her body. "Have you seen my pillow?"

Oh, boy. Lex blinked once and grinned. "I think I may have." She quickly crossed the room and hefted the smaller woman into her arms. "Last time I saw it, your pillow was in the bedroom. Shall we go take a look?" A few short steps, and she was able to gently place Amanda on the bed. "Now," the rancher murmured as she covered the smaller body with her own. "Can you describe the missing pillow for me?"

Amanda reached up and tangled her fingers in the dark hair. "Well, I guess you could call it a body pillow." Her other hand traced the smooth contours of her lover’s face, stopping to brush her fingertip across the smiling lips. "A very good body pillow, in fact." She continued to trace a path down Lex’s throat with the fingertip, stopping at the collar of the tee shirt the older woman wore. "An overdressed body pillow," she whispered, tugging on the material.

"Really?" Lex pushed herself back to rest on her knees. She grasped the bottom of the gray tee shirt and began to slowly pull it up. "Does this help?" she asked as her body came into view.

"Oh, yeah," the blonde growled, reaching up and stroking the soft skin.

Lex felt cool fingers reach sensitive areas and shivered slightly. "Umm…where were we?" she stammered. Her body was pulled back onto the woman beneath her.

"Right about here," Amanda muttered, her mouth suddenly taking over for her hands.

"Mmm…right." Lex quickly forgot the game and concentrated on more important matters.

***************

As he scanned the papers spread out across the desk, Deputy Todd Steward shook his head. "What would these two guys have in common with Rick Thompson? I didn’t think any of them hung out in the same places." The report showed that the phone numbers belonged to Hubert Walters and Robert Sammons, two men who had absolutely nothing in common that the deputy could detect. Hubert was an accountant, drove an expensive car and played poker once a week with several of the town’s city councilmen.

Robert Sammons was an unknown entity. He had lived in Somerville for just over a year, working as a supervisor for a heavy construction firm and keeping pretty much to himself. He had been arrested once for throwing a man through a plate glass window in a bar fight, but other than that had not been in any trouble. For some reason the other man refused to press charges, and he was let off with a fine—which he had paid.

"Why would Thompson have this guy’s phone number? He worked in a grocery store, for God’s sake." Deputy Steward had sent a couple of men over to Sammons’ apartment to question the man, but was told by his landlord that he hadn’t been home for a couple of days. He himself was going to talk to Hubert, deciding to go to the man’s house after he talked to the sheriff. Todd picked up the phone and dialed Charlie’s home phone number. After several rings, the sheriff answered.

"Sheriff Bristol speaking."

Todd breathed a sigh of relief. The older man sounded like his usual self, and he concluded that Charlie’s demeanor had a lot to do with his wife. "Good morning, Sheriff. I don’t mean to bother you so early, but I wanted to update you on the investigation from last night."

Charlie sat back down and took a sip of his coffee. "Okay. What did you find out?"

"Thompson’s sister claimed that he was a deadbeat, and she kicked him out of her house because he kept getting mysterious phone calls at all hours. So I went over to his apartment." Todd suppressed a shiver at the memory of the landlady. "It was a dump. We may need to contact the fire department about a surprise inspection. I don’t think there’s a thing there up to code."

"Okay, I’ll talk to the fire chief later. What else?"

The deputy cleared his throat. "After I wandered through all the garbage in the apartment, I found an envelope by the telephone with a couple of phone numbers on it."

"Good. Did you run them?"

"Sure did. One number belonged to a guy name Robert Sammons. He works for Big Cat Construction, and has only lived in town for about a year. But the big surprise was the other number."

The sheriff almost sighed at the dramatic pause. I swear, that boy has watched too many episodes of late night television. "You gonna tell me sometime today?" he teased the deputy.

"Oh, sorry about that. The other number belongs to Hubert’s house." Todd waited for the information to sink in.

"Hubert? As in Hubert Walters?" Charlie asked, his voice rising.

Upon hearing her husband’s raised voice, Martha stepped out of the kitchen and joined him. What’s that boy gone and done now, I wonder? She sat on the arm of Charlie’s chair and put one hand on his neck, rubbing gently.

"Damn. This just keeps getting better and better," Charlie sighed. "Has anyone gone over to question Hubert? I’d like to know why Rick would have his phone number."

"Not yet, Sheriff. I thought I’d let you know what’s going on, and then I was going to head over and talk to him myself."

Charlie leaned back into his wife’s gentle touch and closed his eyes. "You do that, Todd. Take another deputy with you, though. I want this done by the book, you got that?"

"Got it. Will you be in the office later?" Todd hoped not, but he knew how the sheriff usually operated.

"Uh, no. My wonderful wife has convinced me to stay at home today. Just give me a call here later, okay?"

Todd smiled. Gotta love a woman like that. "You got it, Sheriff. Give that wonderful wife of yours my best." He hung up the phone and grabbed his hat. Might as well get this over with.

***************

The knocking on his front door woke Hubert from a sound sleep. "Go ‘way!" he yelled, rolling over and falling off the sofa. "Fuck!" The knocking continued, and he stood up and rubbed at his aching eyes. He had fallen asleep in the living room while watching television, a half-empty bottle of bourbon sitting on the coffee table as his companion. "Hold your horses, I’m coming." He jerked open the front door and his heart began to pound. Standing on the front porch of the modest house were two deputies. "What the hell do you want?"

Deputy Steward stepped forward and tipped his hat. "Good morning, Mr. Walters. We’d like to have a moment of your time, if we could." He was determined to follow the procedures step by step, just in case Hubert had any involvement with the deceased man.

"Why? What did my damned sister do this time?" Hubert struggled to zip up his wrinkled slacks. "She blaming me for something else?"

"No, sir. May we come in and discuss it with you?"

Hubert shook his head. "I don’t think so. Just say what you came for, and leave." He held his shirt closed and glared at the two men. "Well?"

Todd pulled out his notebook and looked at it, even though he knew exactly what he wanted to say. Let him sweat a little. "Do you know a Richard Thompson?"

"Yeah, why? He in some sort of trouble?" Hubert crossed his arms over his chest and leaned against the doorframe.

"I suppose you could say that, Mr. Walters. He’s dead." The deputy almost enjoyed the way the other man’s face paled.

Shit! Shit! Shit! Bobby must have lost his mind! Hubert thought frantically. That means he’s gonna come after me, next. Shit! "You’ve got to protect me!" he pleaded. "It’s not my fault!"

Both deputies looked at the suddenly sweating man. "Protect you? From whom?" Todd asked, exchanging quick glances with the other deputy. "Why?"

"Bobby. He’s crazy, I tell you! The man misunderstood me, and now look what’s happened. I could be next!"

"Mr. Walters, calm down. Why would this Bobby be after you? And why do you think he had anything to do with Mr. Thompson’s death?" Todd nodded at the other deputy, who turned around and walked back to the cruiser.

Hubert stepped outside and grabbed Deputy Steward’s arm. "Rick called him for me. I just wanted someone to scare my sister, you know? Kinda like a little joke? But the crazy son of a bitch took it too far. He almost killed her!" He was sweating profusely, the expensive gray shirt now becoming stained with perspiration. "It wasn’t my fault!"

Gently pulling the frantic man’s hands from his arm, Todd closed the front door of the house and began to lead Hubert to the car. "Whatever you say, Mr. Walters. Why don’t you come with us, and we’ll put you in protective custody?" He had just gotten what amounted to another confession from the terrified man, and didn’t want to take a chance on Hubert calming down and realizing what he had said. "C’mon. We’ll take good care of you."

"Don’t let him hurt me," Hubert whimpered, as he quickly climbed into the back of the deputy’s car. "Bobby’s crazy!"

"You’ll be safe with us, Mr. Walters," Todd assured him. "We’ll put you somewhere he’ll never be able to find you." In a jail cell, you sorry bastard.

Chapter 15

"You what?" Charlie bellowed over the phone. He looked back over his shoulder and gave his wife an apologetic look, wiping one hand over his face.

Deputy Steward had to pull the phone away from his ear in self-defense. He was sitting at his desk, and had called the sheriff to update him on the situation. "He practically begged me to, Charlie. The man was a blubbering idiot. I told him we had to book him before we could put him in a cell. He was okay with that."

Hubert Walters was still begging for protection the last time that the deputy saw him. He was terrified that Bobby Sammons had something to do with Rick’s death, and feared that the big man was coming after him next. Even after being apprised of his rights, the accountant proceeded to tell the two deputies in the car with him how Bobby had tried to kill Lex. He admitted to knowing about the attempt after the fact, but continued to plead his innocence on the pre-planning of the incident.

"You’re telling me that you’ve booked Hubert Walters on the charge of conspiracy to commit murder, and he’s not throwing a fit?" Charlie shook his head. "And you got a second confession from him? This certainly changes things."

"I know. Do you want me to call the prosecutor? I’m sure he’ll be interested in these latest developments."

"No, I’ll do that. Have you had any luck in finding this Robert Sammons? I don’t like the idea of him out there running loose." Charlie had put on his boots and was in the process of clipping on his gun belt. "I’m on my way in, Todd. Have every available man out looking for this guy."

The deputy sighed. I should have known he wouldn’t stay home today. "You got it, Sheriff. Anything else?"

Charlie stood up. "Yes. Contact Hubert’s lawyer, and have him meet me in my office. I’d like to question his client about all of this."

"Will do. See you in a bit." Todd quickly hung up his phone, wanting to call the lawyer so he could get back out on the streets.

Martha stood in the doorway, her arms crossed over her chest. "Did I hear you right? You’re going to work today?" She knew her husband couldn’t stay at home, but wanted to make sure he was up to the duty.

"I’m afraid so, sweetheart. That crazy Hubert confessed again to having something to do with the girls’ accident. He seems to think that the guy that ran Lex off the road also caused Rick’s accident – and now he’s afraid he’s next." Charlie walked over to where his wife was standing. "I want to go in and talk to Hubert. Maybe we can get enough out of him to catch this guy."

She nodded. "I hope so, honey." Martha studied his face carefully. Charlie appeared to be fine this morning, with no ill effects from his near-death experience the night before. "Are you feeling up to driving in?"

"I feel fine. But I am concerned about that fellow running around loose. Why don’t you come in with me, and we’ll see if the Caubles and Travis want to join us for lunch?"

"Charlie Bristol. You’re not trying to tell me that you think that crazy man will come out to the ranch, are you?" Her hands went to her hips in an angry gesture. "I’ve lived out here for over twenty-five years, and I’ve never been afraid. I’m not about to start now."

He reached out and ran one hand down Martha’s arm to calm her. "Honey, please. Humor me this one time, will you? If I didn’t think that the girls were safe out at the lake, I’d send a man out to warn them, too. But the family is the only ones who know where they are, and I don’t think any of us will be talking."

"I know you’re concerned, Charlie. But surely this man knows you’re looking for him now. He’s probably already on his way out of the state, if he has any sense." Martha decided that being mad at her husband was pointless and snuggled up in his arms instead. Much better. "Lexie promised to take her cell phone. Should we give her a call, just in case?"

The sheriff thought quietly for a moment, enjoying the feel of the woman in his arms. Should we? They’re probably enjoying themselves right now – what good would it do to call and worry them unnecessarily? "No. They’ll be back tomorrow. There’s no sense in bothering them before then." I hope.

***************

The small blonde leaned back. "Mmm…I never thought that just lying around in the sun would feel so good." She was propped up between Lex’s legs, the rancher’s long arms wrapped loosely around her. They had decided to forgo fishing, and just sit back on a blanket near the water.

"Me either. I’m not going to want to leave tomorrow," Lex mumbled, her eyes hidden by her baseball cap. Her head was tilted forward and her cheek rested against Amanda’s head.

Amanda twisted her head and tried to see her partner’s face. "You mean that? You’re not all twitchy to get back to the ranch?"

Lex shook her head slowly. "No, I’m not. This feels too good." She pushed the cap back slightly, so that she could see Amanda’s face more clearly. "I know we’ve got a lot to do, like moving back to the house – but I can’t seem to make myself worry too much about it."

"That’s not a bad thing, you know."

"It is for me," Lex sighed. "I guess I’ve just gotten lazy in my old age."

Unable to help herself, Amanda laughed. "Yeah, right. You’ve got a long way to go before you convince me of that." She reached up and stroked the shadowed face. "Maybe we can come back sometime for a weekend."

The rancher was quiet for a long moment, then smiled. "Maybe so." She had lain awake last night, thinking of how nice the cabin had been for a quick getaway. I need to call Sherry and see if she thinks her mom would be open to an offer to buy this place. "Do you like it here?"

"I love it," Amanda answered quickly. She smiled at the relaxed look on her lover’s face. "And I especially love the effect it’s had on you."

"Yeah?" Lex leaned into the loving touch and closed her eyes. "It has been nice, hasn’t it?" She pulled the younger woman close and nuzzled Amanda’s neck. "I wonder if we’ve missed anything interesting."

***************

"Sheriff, I hope you have a good explanation for dragging me down here so damned early." Kirk Trumbull wasn’t used to getting out of bed until after noon. He tried to pull his pants up over his protruding belly as he stomped into Charlie’s office. Dropping his large frame into a nearby chair, the lawyer gasped in relief. "If your people don’t quit bothering my client, I’ll file a harassment suit against your entire department."

Charlie stood up and grinned. "Don’t get too comfortable, counselor. I’d like to have a little chat with your client now that you’re here." He walked over to the door and opened it. "Hubert confessed. Again. Maybe you should worry more about him, and less about my department." The sheriff waved a hand in front of his body, indicating that the lawyer should precede him. "After you."

Before he opened the door to the interrogation room, Kirk turned around to address Charlie. "Would it be possible for me to have a word alone with him, first?"

"Sure. I’ll just stand here at the window," the lawman acquiesced. "Just give me a little wave when you’re ready."

"Thanks." Kirk turned around and stepped into the small room. "Hubert? What the hell is going on?"

The big man jumped to his feet, his wrinkled shirt and slacks attesting to his preoccupation with other matters. Hubert was normally so concerned about his appearance that his expensive suits spent more time at the dry cleaners than in his closet. "It’s about fucking time you got here, man. I need you to get hold of that prosecutor and accept the deal he offered."

"Deal? What deal was that, Hubert?" The overweight lawyer lowered himself into the chair across from where his client was standing. "Are you talking about the deal I had worked so hard on before you opened your big mouth?" He sighed heavily. "Sit down, dumbass. Let’s see what I can salvage from this mess." Kirk turned slightly and waved at the mirror. "Might as well see what the sheriff has to say. But you," he waved a shaky finger in Hubert’s direction, "keep your goddamned mouth shut unless I tell you otherwise, understand?"

Hubert sat back down and brushed a hand through his hair. "Yeah, whatever."

The sheriff stepped into the room, barely able to hide his amusement at the look on Hubert’s face. He sat down at one end of the table and turned on a small tape recorder. After stating the date and identifying himself and the others in the room, Charlie looked over at his prisoner. "Hubert Walters, do you understand the rights that were read to you earlier today?"

"Yeah, yeah. Let’s just get on with it." Ignoring the glare from his lawyer, Hubert leaned over and locked eyes with Charlie. "I want some guarantee that you’ll protect me, old man."

"Protect you? From what?"

"Bobby." Now sweating profusely, the younger man grabbed the sheriff’s arm. "That son of a bitch killed Rick, and I’m next. He thinks I owe him money."

Charlie disentangled the hand from his arm and leaned back in his chair. "Why would he think that?"

"You don’t have to…" Kirk started, only to be interrupted.

"’Cause he’s the one that almost killed Lex, that’s why. Jesus, old man, think about it!" Hubert jumped to his feet again and patted his shirt pocket, realizing belatedly that he had quit smoking years before. "Okay, look. Rick introduced Bobby to me right around Christmas. We played poker a few times, and I guess I must have complained about my sister at one point." He glanced over at Charlie to make certain he was listening. When the sheriff nodded, he continued. "Anyway, Bobby musta got it in his head that I’d pay him to get rid of Lex."

As the lawyer lowered his head in dismay, Charlie sat up taller in his seat. "And how did he come to that conclusion, Hubert?"

"How the fuck should I know?" The accountant sat back down at the table and began to draw patterns on the desk with one fingertip. "I had no idea what he had done, until he came into my office and beat the shit out of me."

"This…Bobby, is the one responsible for putting you in the hospital? Why didn’t you tell us that earlier?" Charlie closed his eyes in disgust. "You could have saved us all a bunch of trouble, son."

Hubert slapped the table. "Haven’t you been listening, old man? That crazy bastard would have killed me for sure."

Charlie shook his head. "Why tell us all this, now?"

"Because," Hubert enunciated slowly, "I’m afraid for my life. Since Bobby already took care of Rick--"

"Jack Daniels or one of his close personal friends took care of Mr. Thompson," the sheriff informed him. "The man was stinking drunk and drove into a telephone pole."

A frown covered the younger man’s face as he looked from Kirk to Charlie. "What are you saying?"

"I’m saying," Charlie spoke slowly, much as Hubert had done a moment before, "that you jumped to conclusions and panicked." He stood up and patted the stricken man’s shoulder. "Thanks for all the information, son. I’m sure your lawyer can fill you in on what to expect in prison." He chuckled quietly as he picked up his tape recorder and left the room.

***************

"I appreciate your position, Mr. Edwards, but these things take time." Frank Holden leaned back in his chair and linked his hands over his expanding waistline. He had only agreed to see the older man because he knew Travis had money, and he was up for reelection in the fall.

Travis smiled across the desk at the commissioner. Pompous little pissant. We’ll just see how your attitude changes. He straightened his tie and leaned forward slightly in his seat. "You would think so, wouldn’t you? Strangely enough, I saw several men playing cards in your conference room on my way in. You’re not trying to tell me that this is how they spend their days, are you?"

Damn. I told them to keep the door closed. "Are you insinuating something, Mr. Edwards?"

"Of course not, Commissioner. I would just like to make sure my granddaughter’s house has been inspected before she comes back from her trip. That’s not too much to ask, is it?" He leaned back and reached into his pocket. "While I’m here, I’d love to make a campaign contribution." Travis pulled out a checkbook and smiled. "How much is the going rate these days?"

Visions of dollar signs began to race through Frank’s head. Oh, yeah. I knew he was an intelligent man. He quickly jumped to his feet. "Let me just go get one of the men out to the ranch house, Mr. Edwards. Then we can discuss my campaign funds."

Travis smirked as the man hurried from the room. Sometimes these idiots just make this stuff too easy. He patted the hidden tape recorder in his pocket and shook his head. I don’t believe our friend will have to worry about getting reelected. But he may want to brush up on his job hunting skills.

***************

Lex tossed her duffel bag into the back seat of the truck, relaxed after another good night’s sleep. She turned around and leaned back against the side of the vehicle, glancing at the cabin with a wistful smile on her face. I’m going to miss this place. Maybe we can come back again for another weekend. Hearing the slamming of the front door, Lex watched as her lover slowly ambled to where she was standing. Her leg must be bothering her. I’m going to have to send her back to Doc Anderson. "Got everything?"

"I think so," Amanda sighed. She reached up with her free hand and brushed the hair out of her eyes. "I don’t think I want to leave, though. It’s been so peaceful."

The rancher grinned and took the bag from her partner. "I know what you mean. I was just thinking the same thing." She tossed Amanda’s bag into the seat beside hers and closed the door. "But I guess we’ve played hooky long enough, huh?"

Amanda grasped the taller woman’s arm. "Only if you feel like going back, honey. There’s nothing that won’t wait – you’re much more important." Although the shadows were gone from beneath Lex’s eyes, Amanda couldn’t help but worry that it was still too soon for them to go back. "I’m sure our families can handle everything for a few more days, if we need them to."

"Nah. I’m ready to get home," Lex admitted. "But it has been really nice, just lazing around in the sun with you." She pulled the smaller woman into her arms and kissed the top of the blond head. "We will have to come back, though," she murmured, burying her face in Amanda’s hair. "Maybe take off for one weekend a month?"

"Sounds good to me, Slim," Amanda agreed, snuggling close. She stood quietly for a long moment, just enjoying the feel of the loving arms around her body and the warm sun against her skin. The happy song of a nearby mockingbird was the only sound she heard, aside from the beating of Lex’s heart under her ear.

Pulling away regretfully, Lex looked down into her friend’s green eyes. "We’re not getting very far, are we?"

"Depends on what you mean," Amanda quipped. "But I suppose we’d better head back, since we told my grandparents that we’d stop by their house for lunch."

"Oh, yeah. I forgot all about that." Lex released her hold on Amanda and opened the front passenger door to the truck. "C’mon. Maybe Grandpa Jake is whipping up some of his famous stir fry." She ignored the giggles as she hurried around to the other side of the truck and slid in behind the steering wheel.

After dropping the shotgun off at Sherry’s, the two women settled in for the short trip back to Somerville. A few miles from the lake, heavy smoke could be seen just off the road. Concerned, Lex pulled the truck behind a couple of other vehicles parked on the shoulder of the two-lane highway. A harried older woman covered in soot rushed over to the vehicle and knocked on Amanda’s window.

The blonde rolled her window down and asked, "What’s going on? Is there something we can do to help?"

"Brushfire," the woman gasped out. "My husband and three kids are trying to contain it a few hundred yards west of here. It’s heading straight for a mobile home park."

Amanda traded a quick glance with her partner. Here we go again. She mentally sighed to herself and turned back to the other woman. "Have you contacted the fire department?"

"That’s why I was coming back to my car," the stranger admitted. "But my cell phone won’t work in this area, and our cabin back at the lake doesn’t have a phone. I was just about to head into town when y’all drove up."

Already stepping from the truck, Lex pulled her hair back into a ponytail after grabbing her black cowboy hat from the back seat. "How’d you find out about the fire?" she asked.

The woman reached into the back pocket of her dirty jeans and pulled out a grubby handkerchief, which she used to wipe her face with. "We were building a new fence down the road a-ways and saw the smoke. We haven’t been here that long, to tell the truth."

"Amanda," Lex had walked around o the passenger side of the truck and opened the door, "would you mind driving into town and getting some help? I’m gonna see if I can help these folks, okay?"

An irrational fear coursed through the younger woman. She didn’t want to leave Lex. "I can help," Amanda offered.

Lex shook her head and leaned forward, raising her hands and cupping her lover’s face. "Not with that leg still giving you trouble," she reminded gently. "But you can be more help if you’d get the fire department out here."

"I don’t want to leave you."

"That’s okay, ‘cause I really don’t want you to leave," Lex admitted. "But someone needs to contact the authorities. And, you need to let your grandparents know that we may be a little bit late for lunch."

Amanda sighed as she accepted the keys from Lex. "I’ll go. But I won’t like it." Not caring that they weren’t alone, she wrapped her arms around the taller woman’s neck and pulled her close. "I love you," she whispered, as she leaned up and placed a soft kiss on Lex’s lips.

"I love you too," Lex returned, after they pulled apart. "Contact Charlie when you get into town, and tell him which direction the fire is heading. He may want to evacuate the trailer park."

"I will." The blonde swallowed hard and started around to the driver’s side of the truck. "Be careful."

Lex grinned. "Aren’t I always?" She stood for a moment and watched as Amanda drove away, then looked back at the other woman standing a few feet away. "Well? You have any more shovels handy?"

The woman shook her head to clear it and shrugged her shoulders. "Uh, yeah. C’mon. We’ll grab a couple and head back to where my family is."

***************

Travis pulled his car up behind the large truck and smiled. Great, they’re back. I can’t wait to tell them about the house. He had just returned from the ranch, where he had watched the inspector tag the residence for immediate occupancy. Feeling quite proud of himself, the retired oil tycoon practically jogged up the steps to the house and stepped inside. He heard voices in the den and smiled in anticipation as he crossed the threshold.

"I’m not a child, Grandpa. I need to get back and see what I can do to help," Amanda pleaded.

Jacob looked up as his good friend stepped into the room. "Travis, thank goodness you’re here. I could use some reinforcements about now." He patted his granddaughter on the knee and stood up. "Maybe you can help me convince Amanda that she’d be better off staying here with us."

"What’s going on? Where’s Lexie?"

"She’s out near the lake helping fight a brushfire. I was on my way back to help but Grandpa seems to think I’d just be in the way." Although her recently healed leg was aching, the young woman felt that her place was with her partner, not sitting in town waiting for news.

Both men sat back down, one on each side of Amanda. Jacob put his hand on her leg and shook his head. "Honey, it’s not that I’d think you’d be in the way – I’m just concerned about your welfare. When you came into the house, I could tell that your leg was still bothering you. How much help are you going to be out there if you’re in pain?"

"He’s right, you know," Travis agreed quietly. "Have you ever been around a fire like that? It’s strenuous work."

Amanda sighed in defeat. "No, I haven’t." She wiped the tears of frustration from her face and sniffled. "But I can’t just sit around here waiting, not knowing what’s going on out there."

"You’ve done the important part, Peanut. I’m sure with the fire department and all the volunteers, the blaze will be out in no time. I know how hard it was for you to leave Lex out there and come into town for help." Jacob wrapped his arm around his granddaughter’s shoulders and pulled her close.

"I still don’t like it. There’s got to be something that I can do, or someway I can find out what’s happening." She leaned into her grandfather’s embrace and sighed. "The waiting around and not knowing is going to drive me crazy."

Travis patted her back and looked over at his friend. There has to be a way to keep updated without actually being there. A sudden idea popped into his head. "What about a radio?"

It took a moment for Jacob to understand the question, and then he smiled. "Of course. Why didn’t I think of that?" He stood up, pulling Amanda up with him. "C’mon, sweetheart. We’re going down the street to see a friend of mine."

"What? Who?" Amanda looked from one man to the other in confusion. She allowed herself to be escorted out of the room, but was at a loss to determine what her grandfather was up to.

***************

Jabbing the blade of the shovel into the hard earth, Lex leaned on the handle of the tool and wiped her forehead against her shoulder. The heat from the fire that they had been battling for several hours was beginning to wear on her, and she silently cursed herself for her lack of stamina. She glanced to her right, where another woman was busy shoveling bits of dirt onto the slowly moving flames.

After she had watched Amanda drive off, Lex followed the older woman to the truck and gathered up several more tools. As they hurried back to where the woman’s family was busy trying to contain the fire, she leaned more about her new companion. Tammy Kirkpatrick was the mother of three adult children, ranging in ages from thirty-two to twenty-three. They all worked in the family business of fence and barn building. Her only daughter was twenty-five years old, and as she explained to the rancher, was the most trying of the three.

Lex looked over at where the younger Kirkpatrick woman was busy throwing shovelfuls of dirt. Doesn’t look lazy to me. I just think she’s just not interested in building fence for the rest of her life. She had been given a brief introduction to Kathy, and could quickly tell that the young lady was no more suited for fence building than she herself would be at a desk job. Seems like her mother has a bit in common with my old man – trying to make her kids into something they’re not. Shaking her head, Lex wiped the sweat from her brow again, and decided to circle around several yards away. She hoped to force the fire back into itself, which would cause it to burn out.

Several volunteers had the same idea as Lex, she found out as she stepped over the small hill. Three men were hacking down trees to make a firebreak, and one looked up and saw the rancher nearby. He waved one arm in greeting and then pointed her back into the trees. "We need more folks over there," he yelled.

"Okay," Lex returned, waving back and stepping into the denser brush. With a quick look around, she could see what the man had meant. There were no other people in this part of the woods, and the fire looked to be burning quickly beyond their control. "Damn. Guess I’d better get busy." She ducked in reflex as the top of a tree exploded, showering bits of ash and debris down around her.

Chapter 16

"Hi there, Rob. This is my granddaughter Amanda, and my friend Travis." Jacob smiled at the old man that had answered the door. "We were wondering if you had your scanner on."

Rob nodded as he opened the screen door and gestured for the threesome to step inside. "Sure do. Been listening to them fight that fire out by the lake." He waved an arm at the furniture in the cluttered living room. "Have a seat."

"Thanks. We’ve got family out there right now, and were hoping to listen in with you." Jacob gently guided his granddaughter in front of him.

Amanda perched on one end of the sofa, sitting as close as she could to the radio that took up the center of the rickety coffee table. She could hear garbled static, and looked up at their host. "Have you heard any news?"

"Some," Rob admitted, dropping into a chair across from Amanda. "There’s three different departments out there, as well as two volunteer agencies. They’re afraid it’s going to get out of hand, because of the wind."

Oh, no. The young woman sat up and looked at Rob. "What about the people that are out there right now? Are they in any danger?"

He nodded. "From what I’ve heard so far, there’s already been some injuries to a few of the firefighters. They’re just hoping they can stop it before it gets to the populated areas."

"Injuries?" Amanda gasped, looking at Jacob and Travis. "I’ve got to get out there."

Jacob, who had sat down next to her, grabbed Amanda by the arm. "No, honey. Stay here with us." He looked over at Travis, who had a worried expression on his face. "Lex is probably just fine, right?"

"Oh, right," Travis agreed, not looking too convinced. He glanced over at their host. "Did they mention any names of the people that had been injured?"

"Not—" Rob’s answer was cut off by the radio.

"Dispatch, this is unit four. We need an ambulance immediately."

All four people stared at the device, waiting for more information.

"Ten-four, Sam. We’ve got one en route. How bad is it?" the dispatcher asked.

"Can’t tell for sure at this time, Dispatch. The woman was trapped under a burning tree for a few minutes – she’s still unconscious."

"Roger that. The ambulance is on the way, Sam. Dispatch out."

Amanda cried out and leaped off the sofa. "I can’t sit by and listen to this any longer. That could be Lex!" She was almost to the door when a strong hand clamped down on her arm. She turned around and looked up into Travis’ worried face. "I’ve got to go."

"No, sweetheart. If you want, we can go back to the house and wait. But I can’t allow you to go running off half-cocked like this." Travis appeared to have aged in the past half-hour. His sad eyes looked out from a drawn and tired face. "You know Lexie wouldn’t want you to place yourself in danger."

"It’s not fair, Grandpa Travis," she cried, as she leaned into him. "It’s just not fair."

***************

Lex used her hat to brush the embers from her clothes. The heat from the fire was almost unbearable, and she took a moment to spare a glance a few yards away. Kathy Kirkpatrick had joined her a few minutes earlier, and was having problems of her own. The younger woman kept running her fingers through her blond hair, fighting the bits of ash and fiery debris that continued to pelt the volunteers. Lex watched for a moment, then with a heavy sigh hurried over to the other woman. "You okay?" she yelled, to be heard over the noise of the fire.

"I think so," Kathy admitted, then screamed. "I think my hair’s on fire – help me!" She frantically slapped at her head. "It burns!"

"Calm down," Lex directed, grabbing the other woman and pulling her away from the blaze. She waited until they were well away from the fire before turning her attention to Kathy’s hair. "Let me see."

Kathy leaned her head forward until her chin touched her chest. "God, it hurts." She placed her hands on the tall woman’s hips to keep from digging at her own scalp.

"Looks like you’ve got a couple of nice little burns, here," Lex explained. She took off her hat and placed it on the other woman’s head. "Wear this. It should keep the burns fairly clean until you can get some medical attention."

"I can’t take your hat," Kathy argued. "What about you?" She lifted the brim of the hat back so she could see.

Lex smiled. "I don’t have burns on my head. I’ll be fine. Do you want me to help you get back to the main road? I’m sure they have paramedics standing by, and can treat you."

The smaller woman shook her head, the hat bouncing slightly. "No. I want to keep trying to get this damned thing under control. My mother would never let me hear the end of it if I stopped now." She picked up her shovel from where she had dropped it and jogged back to the fire.

"Stubborn. But I can’t really blame her." Lex picked up her tool and went back to work a few yards away from the determined woman.

***************

The large man wiped the sweat from his forehead with the end of his shirt. Sure got hot around here fast. He continued to walk through the smoldering mess, doing his best to avoid the volunteers and firefighters. Stupid wind. Damned fire was supposed to move to the lake, not away from it. The idea came to him the previous day, when he found out by accident where Lex was staying.

Bobby had been picking up supplies at the hardware store when he overheard two women talking on the next aisle. "They’re such nice young women, Ida. It makes me feel good to know that old cabin will actually be getting some use."

"I know what you mean, Betty. I don’t know why you continue to keep that old place out at the lake if you’re not going to use it."

Just as he was about to leave the aisle, Bobby stopped. Lexington, huh? Staying out at the lake? He listened for a few more minutes, then decided to follow the women from the store. All I need to do is find out her name, and then I can figure out which house at the lake is hers.

He carefully stepped behind the two women at the checkout counter, listening as they spoke to each other so he could recognize the voice of the woman he needed to learn more about. When the cashier thanked her by name, he almost laughed out loud. Mrs. Charlton, huh? Sometimes these small towns come in handy.

A few well-placed calls later, Bobby learned that the woman was a widow, and she owned a small cabin on the secluded side of Lake Somerville. He decided to take a nice quiet drive out to the lake to see if he could find the cabin, and the Walters woman. Lakes are dangerous places – no telling what kind of accident could happen to her out there.

Bobby sighed. I thought a fire would be a perfect idea. How was I supposed to know the damned wind would change directions? He continued to walk through the smoky brush, grumbling to himself. "I shoulda parked my truck away from the fire. Now I’m going to have to find a ride back to the lake to pick it up." Not wanting to walk very far, Bobby had parked his work truck just off the road from where he was planning on starting the fire. When the wind changed directions, it cut him off and forced him to run the other way to save himself.

Stepping into a smoke-filled clearing, Bobby looked around and saw two slim figures fighting the fire. One was wearing a black western hat, which caused him to almost laugh out loud. You’ve got to be kidding me. He had followed Lex around trying to find her alone. When she had disappeared, he was afraid he’d never find her. I hope Hubert realizes just how much work I’ve gone through for him. The son of a bitch better pay me, this time. Bobby crept closer to the woman wearing the hat.

***************

"Right there, Sheriff," the smaller man pointed to the charred remains of a melted gasoline container. "I figure it started here, then the wind caught it and blew it back in their face." The fire chief wiped a handkerchief across his face.

Charlie nodded. "Sounds about right. That means that whoever started this could still be out here, somewhere." He looked around at the devastation that the fire had caused. "Why would someone want to start a fire out here? What possible purpose could it serve?"

Shoving the damp handkerchief into his back pocket, the fire chief shook his head. "I don’t know, Charlie. If it weren’t for the melted gas can, I’d think it was a campsite that just got out of control – being this close to the lake, and all. Why someone would want to start a fire this close to all those houses is beyond me."

The sheriff looked in the general direction he thought the lake was, but a small blackened hill blocked his view. "Which side of the lake? Damn, I always get turned around out here."

Laughing, the short heavyset fireman shook his head. "Now I know why you’re a sheriff, and not a park ranger. But, to answer your question, we’re on the east side – not as many houses, thankfully." He watched as Charlie paled.

"East?" The lawman closed his eyes. "It can’t be," he mumbled. "How would he have found out?"

"Hey now. Maybe we should go back to our cars. You’re not looking so good, my friend."

Charlie’s eyes reopened, and a no-nonsense look came over his face. "You need me here for anything else? I’ve got some business to attend to." He turned on his heel and left without waiting for an answer.

***************

He edged up behind the hard-working figure, looking around until he was certain that the woman was alone. "I’ve been waiting a long time to do this," Bobby grumbled under his breath. He picked up a short tree limb and slammed it across the shoulders of the person in front of him.

The woman fell forward, unconscious, the black hat falling off her head and exposing her blond hair.

"Who the fuck are you?" Bobby yelled. He used a booted foot to flip the woman over, and looked down at the unfamiliar face. "Shit."

A short distance away, Lex looked up from where she had been shoveling dirt. She glanced through the smoky haze around her. "Kathy?" She thought that she had heard someone yell, but with the crackling noise coming from the burning grass and trees, the rancher couldn’t be certain. "Now where did she go?" Deciding to go check on her new friend, Lex walked through the smoke to where she had last seen Kathy.

Still angry, Bobby kicked the black hat away from the unmoving woman. "Stupid broad. You shouldn’t have been wearing that damned hat." He bent down and picked up the discarded shovel. "I ought to whack you a good one, for that."

Lex stepped into the clearing and noticed an unfamiliar figure standing over a still body. "Hey!" She stopped in her tracks as the man turned around to face her. "What’s going on?"

"You!" Bobby bellowed, charging the rancher and wildly waving the tool. When he was close enough, he swung the shovel at her head.

The tall woman ducked and stepped back, falling backwards over the charred remains of a tree. "Are you crazy?" Lex yelled, barely raising her own shovel up to block another blow. She could feel the heat of the fire behind her, and looked around for a way to escape the deranged man in front of her.

Bobby looked down into the soot-covered face. "Why can’t you just die like everyone else?" he growled, pulling back the tool and then stabbing it at Lex, who quickly rolled out of the way.

"What the hell are you talking about?" Lex could feel hot spots on her back, where she’d rolled over coals from the fire. "Have you lost your damn mind?" She swung her shovel like a baseball bat, enjoying the feel as the spade made connection with the side of the man’s knee.

"You bitch!" He fell and dropped his weapon. Bobby cradled his knee with both hands and rolled away from her. "I think you broke my fucking leg!"

Climbing to her feet, Lex stood over the whining man. "Serves you right, asshole." Realizing that she had seen him somewhere before, Lex was about to ask him who he was when she looked across the clearing to the fire. Only a few yards separated the blaze from the still form of her friend. She quickly covered the ground between them and dropped to her knees beside Kathy.

The blond woman began to stir, and she blinked her eyes and tried to focus on the face above her. "No," she cried hoarsely, trying to push the person away from her.

"Sshhh…it’s okay," Lex assured her in a soft voice. "It’s just me."

"What happened?" Kathy gasped, struggling to sit up. She reached for her head and moaned in pain. "Oh, not a good idea."

Lex put one arm around the injured woman and helped her. "I think you got knocked out by a crazy guy. How are you feeling?"

Kathy looked up into her friend’s concerned face. "Like I got knocked out by a crazy guy," she joked, then her eyes widened. "Lex- -"

"I’ll kill both of you!" Bobby had limped over to where Lex was kneeling, and stood over the two women as he raised the shovel over his head. Sweat mixed with the soot on his face and made the deranged man appear as if he were melting.

In an attempt to protect the injured woman in her arms, Lex covered Kathy with her own body as she braced herself for the blow.

"Hold it!" another voiced yelled from somewhere in front of the three. "Sheriff’s department. Put down your weapon!"

"Fuck you!" Bobby yelled, as the dirt-covered blade began its arc towards Lex’s head.

A single shot rang out, the sound echoing over the crackling and hissing of the nearby fire. The blunt side of the spade grazed Lex’s shoulder as Bobby fell back away from them. A dark stain appeared in the center of his shirt, and he looked down in confusion before his eyes rolled up in his head as he hit the ground.

Charlie holstered his gun and raced to where the man had fallen. He dropped to his knees and placed one hand on Bobby’s neck, closing his eyes momentarily when he didn’t find a pulse. Shaking his head, he turned to look at the two women. "Lex? Are you okay?"

"Uncle Charlie?" Lex straightened up stiffly, turned around and saw the fallen man behind the sheriff. "Is he- -"

"Dead," the lawman assured her. He reached over and put an arm around the confused woman’s shoulder. "Are you two all right?"

Lex nodded. "I think so." She leaned into his embrace. "You’re going to explain all of this to me, right?"

The sheriff half-laughed, half-cried. "I’ll sure try to, sweetheart." He climbed to his feet, pulling her up with him. "C’mon. Let’s get you two checked out. I’ll have a deputy come out and clean up this mess."

"Sounds like a good idea to me," Lex agreed, helping a confused Kathy up as well. "What do you think?"

Leaning down, Kathy grabbed Lex’s hat and placed it on the tall woman’s head. "I think that next time you offer to give me your hat, I’ll let you keep it," she joked, allowing herself to be sandwiched between the other two and led from the clearing.

***************

Anna Leigh watched as her granddaughter paced across the living room. She had left the real estate office in Wanda’s capable hands and hurried home at her husband’s request. Jacob was at a loss as to how they were going to keep Amanda from driving back out to the fire, even though they had heard earlier on the radio that the blaze was finally under control. The young woman crossed the room and look out through the windows, releasing a heavy sigh. "Mandy, dear. Please come over here and sit down for a few minutes. I’m getting tired just watching you."

The younger woman turned away from the window and sighed. "I’m sorry, Gramma." She walked over to the sofa and sat down, looking at the concerned face beside her. "I just hate not knowing anything."

"I understand that, honey. But wearing a hole in the floor isn’t going to help," Anna Leigh teased. "I’m sure that any time now, we’ll hear from Lexington."

"I hope so. I just have this feeling that something isn’t right," Amanda admitted. The shrill ringing of the telephone caused her to flinch and jump up. "I’ll get it," she offered. Picking up the receiver before it could ring again, she spoke breathlessly. "Cauble residence, Amanda speaking."

"Amanda? This is Charlie."

"Charlie? Oh, God." The young woman faltered slightly, causing her grandmother to jump to her feet and hurry to her side. "Is this about Lex?"

"Honey, it’s okay. Everything’s just fine. But- -"

Feeling her legs go weak, Amanda leaned up against the wall. "Is she okay? Have you seen her?"

"Lex is going to be just fine, sweetheart. We’re at the hospital right now, and…"

"Hospital?" Amanda would have slid to the floor if not for her grandmother’s steadying arm around her waist. "Why are you at the hospital? What happened?"

"It’s just routine, honey. Is there anyone there with you now?" Charlie asked, worried.

Amanda fought to catch her breath. "Why? What aren’t you telling me, Charlie? What happened to Lex?" she asked tearfully. A gentle hand took the receiver away from her.

"Charlie? This is Anna Leigh."

"Thank goodness. I’m here at the hospital, Anna Leigh. I don’t know if they’re going to keep Lex overnight for observation, but I wanted to let you know what was going on. She’s got a few minor burns on her back, and I think they’re treating her for smoke inhalation. But believe me, she’s going to be just fine."

"We’re on our way, Charlie. Thank you for calling." Anna Leigh turned around and hung up the phone, then led her granddaughter over to the sofa.

Travis and Jacob stood in the doorway, one with soapy hands and the other with a dishtowel, wiping a plate. "Who was that on the phone?" Jacob asked, accepting the dishtowel from Travis and wiping his hands with it.

"It was Charlie," Amanda answered, standing up. "He called to tell us that Lex is okay, but she’s at the hospital."

"Well? What are we waiting for?" Travis set the plate on a nearby table. "Let’s go see her."

***************

Cool, efficient hands continued to daub ointment on the small burns. "You were very lucky. It appears that your shirt took the worst of the damage." The doctor placed a few small gauze pads over the treated wounds.

"Yeah, right." Lex looked back over her shoulder at the composed man. "So, does that mean I can leave?"

"I don’t think so, Ms. Walters. We’re going to send you to x-ray for that bruise on your shoulder, and then keep you overnight to make sure your lungs stay clear. You inhaled quite a bit of smoke today." The doctor finished dressing the burns and pulled a thin sheet over her back. "Now just lie there and relax, and the orderly will be in shortly to take you upstairs." He patted her leg gently and left the room.

Lex put her head back down on the pillow. She was beginning to feel the effects of the shot the nurse had given her earlier for pain, and she struggled to keep her eyes open. "Stupid doctor." She heard the door open again, and turned her head to see who it was. "Mada?"

"I’m right here, sweetheart," the older woman crooned, hurrying into the room to stand beside the bed. Martha had been given a ride to the hospital by one of the sheriff’s deputies, while Charlie followed the ambulance that brought Lex and Kathy in. "How are you feeling, Lexie?"

"I’m fine, Mada." Lex blinked several times to clear her vision. "Just a bit groggy from the shot they gave me." She happily absorbed the attention for a few moments until her thoughts cleared. "Where’s Amanda? Has anyone called her?" She tried to push herself up, but was gently pushed back down by Martha.

"You just lie there and relax, honey. Charlie called her, and her grandparents are bringing her over." The housekeeper watched as her charge lost the battle with the tranquilizer and closed her eyes. "That’s it, Lexie. Rest." Martha wrinkled her nose at the strong odor of smoke emanating from the dark hair. "It’s gonna take days to get you clean, I’ll bet," she murmured, a knowing smile on her face. "Some things just never change."

The door swung open and a blond dynamo burst into the room. "Lex! Is she…" Amanda rushed to stand next to Martha, looking down in concern at the woman resting on the bed. "How is she?"

Martha put an arm around the younger woman. "Shhhh. She’s fine, honey. Before I got here, the doctor gave her a shot to help her rest."

"So, she’s all right?" Amanda reached down and brushed dark hair away from Lex’s peaceful face.

"She’s just fine, dear. I cornered a nurse out in the hall to find out what was going on before I came in. She’s got a few minor burns on her back and a bruise on her shoulder. They want Lexie to stay overnight because of all the smoke, but it’s just a precaution." Martha straightened the sheet over the sleeping woman and shook her head. "I swear, this kid can find more trouble..."

Amanda chuckled. "She sure can." Her eyes met the sad ones across from her. "How did she get hurt, Martha? It’s not like Lex to get careless around a fire."

The door opened again, and a burly man with a crew cut entered the room. "I’m sorry, folks. But I’ve got to get Ms. Walters upstairs to x-ray." He looked down at the paperwork in his hands. "She’s assigned to room two-eleven, if you want to wait for her there. It shouldn’t take too long." He placed the paperwork at the foot of the bed and unlocked the wheels. "I should have her back to her regular room in less than thirty minutes." With an apologetic smile, the young man wheeled the bed out of the room and down the hall.

"Well." Martha watched as he maneuvered the long bed through the doorway. "Let’s go find that husband of mine. I’m sure he’ll be glad to fill us in on any details." She wrapped an arm around Amanda’s waist and escorted her from the room.

***************

Tammy Kirkpatrick sat next to her daughter’s bed, holding the sleeping woman’s hand. The family had returned to their vehicles after getting the fire under control and was met by a sheriff’s deputy. He had been standing by their truck waiting for them to return, and told them of Kathy’s injury. The deputy gave Tammy a ride to the hospital, while the rest of the family went home and got cleaned up. "My poor little girl," she whispered, brushing her hand down the slender arm that was exposed.

"Mama?" Kathy’s eyes fluttered open and she focused on her mother’s worried face. "What’s wrong?"

The quiet question was Tammy’s undoing. She leaned her head forward until it rested on the soft bed, and began to cry.

"Mama, please. Don’t cry," the younger woman pleaded. "I’m fine." Other than a headache that would fell a moose. Kathy reached down and stroked her mother’s hair. "Where’s that cantankerous woman I’m always fighting with?"

"Who are you calling cantankerous?" Tammy sniffled, raising her head. She looked up into her daughter’s face and shook her head. "I’m so sorry for all the fighting, honey."

Kathy squeezed her mother’s hand and smiled. "Don’t be. I’d kinda miss it if we didn’t argue about everything. Keeps things interesting."

"Oh, baby." The older woman burst into tears again, burying her face in the blankets. She cried for a few moments and then raised her head again. "I’ve been thinking while I’ve been sitting here waiting for you to wake up." Tammy wiped at her face with her free hand. "And I’ve come to realize something."

"What’s that, Mama?"

Standing up, the matriarch of the Kirkpatrick clan paced around the room. "All these years, I thought I knew what was best for you, and for the family. Your father allowed me free rein over you kids, because he thought I knew what was best, too." Tammy peeked through the blinds to the darkness outside. She had been waiting in the hospital for several hours, and the sun had set while she was inside. "My stubborn pride wouldn’t allow me to think that you never wanted what I did for you, Kath. And because of that, you could have been killed today."

"No, Mama. You can’t blame yourself for that." Kathy sat up in the bed, grabbing the top of her head in pain. The topical antiseptic that the doctor had used for the burns on her head stuck to her fingers, and she grimaced at the gooey feeling. "It was a crazy man. It had nothing to do with you."

Tammy turned around and looked at her daughter. "But you would have never even been out there if I wasn’t so damned insistent that you take over the family business." She walked back over to the bed and sat down on the edge, handing her daughter a tissue to clean her sticky fingers. "I don’t think I can ever forgive myself for that, honey."

After wiping her hands free of the ointment, Kathy reached for her mother’s hand. She studied the slightly gnarled fingers that had seen so much work in their lifetime. "There’s nothing to forgive." She gazed at the small scars and age spots that were testimony to years of hard work in the sun. "I don’t think I could ever do the work you do, Mama. It’s just not in me." Kathy looked up into the tear-stained face. "But I never want to disappoint you, either."

"Then I guess you’ll just have to do what makes you happy," Tammy told her, "because whatever you decide to do, I know I’ll be proud." She leaned forward and kissed the younger woman on the forehead.

***************

The first things that registered with her upon awakening were that she was lying on her stomach, in the dark, and a tightness stretched across her back. Lex used her hands to push herself up and slowly rolled over, almost crying out when she put her full weight on the small burns. Her shoulder was aching as well, but she was more concerned by the small form curled up in a nearby chair. A thin shaft of light from the outside streetlights peeked through the blinds and splayed across the young woman’s sleeping countenance. While Lex tried to decide on whether or not to wake her friend, the blonde’s eyes opened and sleepily tracked to her face.

"Hey." Amanda smiled and stood up, stretching as she took the single step to stand beside the bed. "How are you feeling?" she asked, reaching down and running her fingertips over her lover’s cheek.

"Not too bad," Lex croaked. She smiled her gratitude when Amanda poured her a glass of water and brought the straw to her lips. After taking several sips, she cleared her throat. "Thanks."

Amanda took the empty glass and set it down on the bedside table. "You’re welcome, love." She felt a warm hand grasp hers and looked down to meet Lex’s concerned gaze. "What’s wrong? Are you in pain?"

"No, sweetheart, I’m fine." Lex pulled her lover closer until Amanda had no choice but to sit on the edge of the bed. "What time is it? How long have I been out?"

"You’ve been asleep for a few hours. The sedative that the doctor gave you was pretty strong."

Lex scooted over slowly to give Amanda more room. "And you’ve been here all this time? Why didn’t you go and get some rest?" Even in the dim light, she saw the answering shrug, as the younger woman refused to look her in the eyes. "Sweetheart, look at me, please." Lex squeezed the hand she was holding. When tired green eyes looked into hers, the rancher felt her heart ache. She tugged on Amanda’s hand. "C’mere."

Amanda collapsed into her lover’s arms and buried her face in the older woman’s neck. She allowed the tears she had been holding at bay to fall as Lex stroked her back and pulled her into a deeper embrace, murmuring soft words of love to her.

To be concluded in part 5