Her Cowboy Boss Page 16

  Intending to put them back to bed, she padded silently down the stairs and into the living room, where a pair of pallets had been laid. One of them had been abandoned, and a light shined from beneath a blanket tented over the other. She hadn’t taken two full steps in that direction before a raucous barking started. Tiger screeched and leaped out of her arms. He bounced off the lamp next to her dad’s recliner—which Meri managed to catch before it hit the floor—skidded a U-turn and raced back up the stairs, the dog after it, trailing a blanket and other bedding.

  “Digger!” Donovan shouted, halting the dog in its tracks.

  Meredith got the lamp righted and the light on about the time that her father showed up, wearing his undershirt and jeans.

  “What’s going on?”

  She glared at the two little miscreants kneeling on the pallet, Jeanie Ruth clutching a flashlight, Donovan holding on to the dog that had slunk back to him.

  “I’ll tell you what’s going on,” Meredith said harshly. “They were sneaking the dog into the house.” She shook a finger at Donovan. “And after I told you to keep that nasty canine away from here!” She went over and opened the door, ordering, “Digger. Out!”

  “Meredith,” her father said as the dog trotted out the door.

  “No, Dad.” She closed the door behind the animal and locked it for good measure. “Digger chased my cat back up the stairs. Who knows where Tiger’s hiding? Your lamp was almost broken.” And her headache was back, full throttle. She squeezed her temples between her thumb and forefinger. “I’m going to bed.”

  She passed Rex and Callie on the stairs.

  “Way to go, sis,” Rex muttered.

  “Leave her alone,” Callie admonished softly. “She’s not feeling well.”

  “She’d feel fine if Stark had stayed,” Rex said.

  Meri was blubbering by the time she got to her room. The stupid cat sat on the foot of her bed, grooming himself. She threw herself down beside Tiger and sobbed into her pillow. Did the whole family know that Stark had fired her and thrown her out of his life? If not, they would soon. Big surprise. Hadn’t she always been the sister who didn’t quite measure up?

  The others had made big splashes in their chosen career fields. She had gotten herself stabbed and then hidden from everyone and everything but the most basic employment. They’d come home and found love, started families. She’d fallen for the one man who didn’t, couldn’t, want her and was destined to slink back to her lonely apartment with her stupid cat.

  Maybe she was the crazy cat lady, after all.

  Just before dawn she calmed enough to get up and wash her face. Staring at her reflection in the mirror, she saw that she looked the way she felt—haggard, eyes and nose swollen and red, utterly bereft, but she knew that she’d been unreasonable and unkind to everyone around her, especially the kids. She owed them an apology, Donovan most of all.

  She certainly wasn’t going to sleep, so she might as well get a start on the morning. Callie had put up several pans of her famous sticky buns for breakfast this morning. Meredith could start them on their final rising and warm the oven. While she was waiting, she could use cold compresses on her eyes, try to look human before Stark’s parents put in an appearance. She didn’t know what she was going to say to them, how to handle this day. She’d just have to let it play out and trust God with the results.

  What did she have to lose at this point? Her own handiwork had yielded nothing but disaster. She didn’t know how much disaster until she tiptoed down the stairs, her athletic shoes in her hands—to find the front door open and the living room, along with both pallets, completely empty.

  * * *

  It must have been near dawn before Stark finally closed his eyes in sleep. He hadn’t fully realized how indelibly Meredith had put her stamp on this place until he’d driven up yesterday afternoon and, from sheer habit, parked in the second carport. As he’d walked past the shower, he’d seen the first example of her handiwork. Cleaning up outside was much more pleasant now. No doubt, if he’d kept her on, she would have had that thing enclosed soon.

  When he’d fitted his key into the lock on the door, he’d realized that he hadn’t asked for Meri’s keys back, but then he knew that he could never do that. It would be the same as saying that he didn’t trust her with the drugs and medical paraphernalia around the clinic, and he did. Implicitly.

  He’d walked through the back hall, hearing his boarders’ din. He’d cared for them, crated the pup and hauled it along with him as he’d wandered the building, noting all the ways Meri had improved the place. Pity she hadn’t managed it with him, but facts were facts, and he had learned the hard way that he had to face them.

  His wife and daughter had been killed, and it was as much his fault as anyone’s.

  Except...was it really anyone’s fault?

  The insurance company had told his father that a restraining strap inside the trailer had broken, allowing the load to shift when the rig had taken the on-ramp. True, the driver may have been traveling a little faster than the recommended speed, but he’d probably taken that same ramp at that same speed in that same tractor-trailer rig dozens of times in the past with no problems. And while Stark had delayed their travel to watch the game, they’d left early in the fourth quarter when it had become apparent that one team was going to win handily. Besides, they’d driven into Tulsa on those same roads at those same times more often than he could even recall.

  Accidents happened. But if accidents happened, then God allowed them, for reasons entirely His own, reasons we might not see or appreciate but were supposed to trust were somehow best.

  That meant that God allowed death—which, according to Scripture, was exactly what humanity deserved, what humanity had chosen, the direct result of sin entering the world. It hurt. It seemed unfair, but wasn’t. Because God had a plan. He always had a plan.

  The fact was Stark loved Meredith Billings and his little niece Jeanie Ruth Camber.

  Why couldn’t he bear to be with either one of them? Why couldn’t he find the courage to take what Meri offered? To look at Jeanie Ruth and remember his daughter with happiness, as well as grief? How did he join the living again?

  He honestly didn’t think he could. Without Meri.

  A new grief had swamped him with that realization. He had faced life without Cathy and Bel. Now he must face life without them and without Meri. When the full impact of that had hit him, he’d fallen to his knees, crushed in body and spirit.

  Eventually, exhausted by the emotional outburst, he’d tugged off his boots, tossed aside his shirt and collapsed onto the bed, searching through hours of empty darkness for the numbness that had protected him for so long. It had deserted him again, however, and every time he’d closed his eyes, he’d seen Meredith’s shattered expression or Jeanie Ruth’s determined one. When he could no longer ignore the pup’s distress, he’d taken the little fellow out to relieve himself, returned him to his crate and fallen back into bed.

  At last, sleep had come—and seemingly moments later someone pounded on his door, a man’s voice calling his name. The cacophony that came with three strange dogs in the house immediately erupted. Blearily, Stark rolled to his feet, finding his wrinkled shirt.

  “Coming!”

  It must be a true emergency for someone to come pounding on his door with dawn a mere suggestion on the horizon. He slung on his shirt, jabbing his arms into the sleeves, as he padded barefoot to the front door. He flipped the dead bolt, yawning, and pulled open the door, feeling the sharp edge of a stiffening breeze.

  “What’s the problem?”

  Wes Billings stood on his doorstep, his truck idling not four feet away, the driver’s door standing open.

  “The kids are gone.”

  “What?”

  “Donovan and Jeanie Ruth, they’re gone. Disappeared.
Took off in the night, near as we can tell. Andi says the girl has a sort of fixation on you. We hoped they might have come here.”

  “No! I haven’t seen them.”

  Wes rubbed a hand over the white fuzz atop his head. “It was a long shot, but no one else has seen them. If they’d walked to Dean and Ann’s, they’d have been there by now, or we’d have passed them on the road.”

  “Who’s looking?” Stark asked, hastily snapping closed his shirt.

  “Everyone. Sheriff’s put out an Amber Alert in case someone picked them up. I’m checking the diner next. Donovan was telling Jeanie Ruth all about it, so maybe they went there.”

  “That doesn’t make sense.”

  “No, it doesn’t, but we’re grasping at straws here. If they didn’t go to Dean’s and they didn’t go to the motorhome, and they didn’t come to you, where else is there?”

  “The school maybe?” Stark suggested, racking his sleepy brain.

  “I’ll check that, too.” Wes shook his head. “If anything happens to those kids, Meredith won’t be the only one going insane.”

  “Meredith?”

  Sighing, Wes rubbed a finger over a thin eyebrow that hadn’t been there two weeks ago. “Meredith wasn’t herself last night. She was a little...harsh about the dog. She caught them sneaking it into the house after everyone went to bed. She threw out the dog, scolded Donovan.” He shook his head. “She’s blaming herself for this.”

  Shame, fear and determination filled Stark. He hung his head. “No, this isn’t her fault. It’s mine.”

  “Stark,” Wes said, “this isn’t about blame. This is about finding those kids.”

  Stark nodded. Finding those kids and fixing his many mistakes.

  “I’ll put on my boots and get out to the ranch.”

  “I’ll call if I find anything,” Wes said, turning back to his truck.

  “Same,” Stark promised, closing the door.

  He yanked on his boots, ignoring the dogs. They weren’t due for meals and exercise for hours yet, and it wouldn’t hurt them if either were late. He’d get back to them as soon as possible. The most important thing at the moment was getting to Meri and finding those kids.

  Grabbing his jacket and hat, he locked up and hit the road. On the way, he thought about what must have happened. Meredith must have banished the dog, which wouldn’t have pleased Donovan. Jeanie Ruth, who was used to getting her way, must have convinced him to leave with the dog, but where would they have gone other than to the Pryor place?

  Wes had said they should’ve been there by now or been found. If they’d taken the road. What if they hadn’t taken the road? Donovan might have struck out across the fields and pastures for home, not realizing some of the obstacles and dangers that lay in the way.

  The only real wildlife concern would be skunks, which were more often rabid than any other animal. Donovan would know to steer clear, but Jeanie Ruth might not, and she was nothing if not strong willed. When she made up her mind to do something, most adults couldn’t derail her, let alone another child. Still, the last rabies warning Stark had received had been in late summer. It should be fine. If they were even out there.

  But where else could they be?

  He asked himself that question over and over again as he tore along that red dirt road to the ranch, which was massive, as he realized all too well. As he pulled to a stop, he saw that the motorhome in which his parents were apparently traveling was not there, so they must be out looking. Rex’s truck was gone, along with Wes’s, of course, and the pair of ATVs that were normally parked in the front of the barn. Meri’s little coupe sat in its customary spot, however.

  Stark’s left foot hit the ground almost before the engine died, and he was jogging before the truck door slammed shut, leaving his hat behind for once. He loped along the path to the house, trying not to think about the chill in the wind, knocked, then simply opened the door and walked in. “Meri!” he called.

  A sniffle told him where to find her. Two long strides carried him through the entry and into the living room. There he found something he’d never expected to see.

  The woman he loved in the arms of his brother.

  Chapter Fourteen

  Wayne nodded grimly and dropped his arms, but Meredith didn’t even lift her head, wiping her eyes and nose with a handkerchief, instead. He knew then what an absolute idiot he was, what a self-deluding, lying fool he could be.

  As if he could let her go to another man, love another man. He’d beat bloody the next man who touched her. That included his own brother, and he glared at Wayne to let him know that.

  Wayne spread his hands as if to say, What’d you expect? He’d tell him what he expected the very first chance he got.

  Callie stood to one side, Bodie next to her. The little one had her thumb in her mouth. She looked all legs suddenly, as if she’d spurted up in a blink. Stark remembered Bel at that stage. She’d seemed to grow an inch in her sleep every night. The thought made him want to smile, but now was not the time.

  He walked across the room and reached for Meredith’s arm. She pulled away. He felt as if he’d been stabbed in the heart, and he’d done the same to her just yesterday.

  “Babe, I’m sorry,” he said, and this time when he reached for her, she came, falling into his chest with a soft sob. “Meredith, don’t,” he pleaded. “It’s not your fault. We’re going to find them.”

  She looked up then, her beautiful face absolutely ravaged by tears. Obviously, she’d been crying for hours, and not just because of the missing children.

  “Oh, babe,” he said, bringing his forehead to hers. “Never again. I promise.”

  Clasping the tops of his shoulders, she started to cry again. “What if we can’t find them?”

  “We will,” he insisted. “Listen to me. Would Donovan have tried to go home across the fields? There are places on the west end of the ranch where you can see the Pryor house, and Dean has worked those fields. If Donovan was with him—”

  “And Donovan was always with him,” Callie put in excitedly.

  “He might have thought he could get home faster that way than going by the road.”

  “There are gullies across that range,” Meredith said with a gasp. “You can’t see them until you practically ride into them, but they’re there—deep, backwash gullies—and Little Cow Creek runs through there. It’ll be a trickle now, but the ground is so sandy that the banks are ten or twelve feet deep in places.”

  “I’m going to saddle a horse,” Stark said, turning for the door.

  “Two,” Meredith instructed, running for the stairs. “I’ll be right there!”

  “I’ll put together some supplies,” Callie said, heading to the kitchen.

  At the same time, Wayne strode after Stark, saying, “I’ll help with the horses.”

  That suited Stark fine. As soon as they reached the trees, Stark demanded, “Just what did you think you were doing back there?”

  “You mean was I hitting on your girl?”

  Stark stopped and folded his arms. “Were you?”

  “She was upset, Stark.”

  “I know.” He grimaced. “I upset her.”

  “And then didn’t stick around to comfort her.”

  “So you stepped into the job.”

  “Someone had to.”

  “If it happens again,” Stark began, but then Wayne grinned.

  “You’ll be there to take care of it. For a while, I was afraid you were going to throw her away.”

  Stark heaved a sigh and pushed a hand through his hair. “I’m trying to figure out how to do this again, Wayne. It’s not been easy.”

  “I know, but I’m glad you’re working on it.” Wayne clapped him on the shoulder. “The fact is, big brother, I came to tell you that I’m gettin
g married.”

  Stark gaped at him. “You’re getting married?”

  “About time, don’t you think?”

  “To who?”

  “Her name’s Phyllis. She teaches at the same school I do. Whole family loves her. Well, everyone but you because you don’t know her. Because you can’t be bothered with us anymore.”

  “That’s not true.”

  “That’s what it feels like.”

  Stark sucked in a deep breath and swallowed the lump in his throat. “I’m sorry, Wayne. Losing Cathy and Bel wrecked me.” He shook his head and reached deep for honesty. “I let losing Cathy and Bel wreck me. It was just easier not to feel and that meant not remembering any more than I had to. And that meant staying away from everyone and everything that reminded me of them. Coward’s way out. I’m done with that. I’m done with it.”

  “Does that mean you’ll be my best man?” Wayne asked hopefully.

  Stunned, Stark felt tears burning the backs of his eyes. This was life. This was living. Even if the worst happened, life had to go on. Wayne deserved his shot at happiness. Every life contained great grief and great joy, if only we could be brave enough to grasp it all. Stark nodded.

  “Yeah. I’m happy for you. And I’m scared for you, to be honest. But I’m also honored to be your best man.”

  Wayne smiled. “Okay. Welcome back, man. I’ve missed you.” Then he hugged him.

  Stark tried not to crack Wayne’s ribs when he hugged him back. “Let’s go find those kids.”

  He ran to the stable, picked two geldings and chose tack. Wayne wasn’t a rider, but he could follow instructions. All Stark had to do was fit the bits, tighten girths and fasten buckles. He led the horses out into the corral and through the gate. While Wayne held the reins, Stark snagged his hat from the truck. By that time, Meredith had arrived, carrying saddlebags.