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  “You got a deal.” She closed the door and walked to the porch. Then she waved good-bye with one hand while she patted the old dog on the head with the other.

  Chapter 12

  WRIGHT FUNERAL HOME

  TYLER WRIGHT SAT DOWN AT HIS DESK WHEN HE RETURNED to his office after the graveside service and began to write the facts of an obituary, even though there was so much more he wanted to say.

  After an hour, he shoved his efforts aside and took up other chores.

  He spent the rest of the day working on never-ending paperwork, and now that the sun was almost setting he had one more duty before he could climb the stairs to his rooms above the funeral home. Tyler thought he might sit out on the tiny balcony off his living area and watch the sunset, like he’d seen Old Man Truman do, when he finished this last task.

  He picked up his pen and thought about what to write. Jeremiah Truman slipped into a coma on the first cold day of fall and, after the sun set, he departed this life, leaving a town to mourn his passing.

  That sounded good, Tyler thought, wishing he could add that when Truman’s niece came to live with him, everyone began to see him through her eyes, and she loved him with a depth that surprised the entire town. Except the Wednesday paper took only the facts. They never allowed Tyler much room to add more.

  Jeremiah Truman was a veteran of the Second World War, a man who never married and a farmer who loved his apple orchard. His only surviving relative is Reagan Truman.

  “How are you coming on the obit?” Kate asked as she brought Tyler hot cocoa into the room she called “his mess” and not his office.

  Tyler smiled at her. Another month and she’d be officially retired from the army and moving to Harmony permanently. Long weekends were never enough time with his Kate. “You know, Katherine, according to gossip, we’re living in sin.”

  She laughed as she moved a few papers so she could sit close to him. “I know, and since I’m over forty, I can allow myself to say that I’ve quite enjoyed it. I doubt at our age anyone cares, but for your good name I feel like I should marry you. Mr. Wright, you’re not a man to be gossiped about.”

  He kissed her hand. Neither had ever married, and he suspected that, like him, Kate thought she never would. Somehow they’d found one another, and with or without a piece of paper he knew they’d be together until death. “When, my Kate, will you do me the honor of becoming my bride?”

  “When I settle in,” she said. “Let me get used to not traveling. Living here will be a big change from my life in the army. I’ve had twenty-five years of drifting; settling may take some adjusting.”

  “When, Kate?” he asked gently again, knowing there would be little pushing the major if she didn’t want to move.

  She tried to look thoughtful. They’d played this game before. She always wanted to just run off and do it one night, no planning, no details to bother with. Just slip on the rings, say I do, and get on with their lives. But Tyler liked everything planned out. He wanted a wedding. “You know, Ty, it’s usually the bride who wants all the trimmings and the groom who wants to run off. Somehow we’ve got it backward.”

  “I know,” he shrugged. “You’ve got five people on your list and I have to invite the entire town or make someone mad. Running off to marry would be fun, but I want everyone to know I’m marrying the most wonderful woman in the world. I want my friends there. I want Hank Matheson to stand as my best man and his niece, Saralynn, to walk the aisle as flower girl. I want …”

  “How about we book a room in Dallas when I finish this next assignment? We can start with the honeymoon.” Kate interrupted his planning.

  Tyler shook his head. “We can’t keep having the honeymoon, Katherine. At some point we have to have the marriage.”

  “We can’t?” She kissed his cheek. “But, Ty, you’re such a loving man. Every day, and every night, I love you more.”

  When Kate whispered in his ear, he could never even think of saying no to her.

  “Well, all right. One more time, and then you have to set a date and marry me.” His Kate had done it again. She’d brightened his life on a very dark day.

  She stood. “I’d better finish packing. My flight will leave without me.”

  “I wish I could drive you to Amarillo.” He frowned. In the six months she’d been coming to spend every weekend she could with him, he’d grown to love the long drive. He’d think about her and all he’d tell her on the way to the airport, and on the way back he’d think of all they’d done and said.

  They might be a little old to fall into love for the first time, but they seemed to make every minute count. He loved making love to her in the dark but still had a hard time imagining them married and walking about nude in front of each other. She must have felt the same way. They’d been sleeping together for six months and he still didn’t know what his bride-to-be looked like without clothes, but he knew how she felt and that seemed more important because she felt perfect.

  “I wish you could take me in too, but with the late flight it would be midnight before you got back,” she said so much later that Tyler had forgotten what they were talking about. “Besides, with Autumn so close to delivery, I know you’re needed here.”

  Kate rubbed her cheek against his as she continued, “And Reagan’s all alone now and she’ll need support to make it through this. I’m guessing you’ll be the one to wrap up all the details tomorrow.”

  As they always did, he and Kate talked of the people of Harmony as if they were family. “She’ll have Liz Leary helping her through the legal parts, though I don’t know who will help Liz’s husband with the twins. As for the Truman farm, this is their busy season and she’s the only one who knows what to do. Reagan will have her hands full getting the crop in. I wouldn’t put it past Jeremiah to have planned his death in the busy season just to keep her mind occupied.”

  “I wish I could be here to help her.” She walked to the window, and he could almost see her organized mind putting all that had to be done in perfect order.

  Tyler stood and put his arm around her shoulder. “You will be here to help soon. One more month and you’ll be seeing me all day and night for the rest of our lives.” His hand slid down and he patted her on her bottom, something he’d discovered always made her smile. He loved being able to touch her so. Even when she was asleep beside him, he often gave her a gentle little pat and felt quite wicked about it.

  She smiled just as he knew she would. “I don’t know about all day with you, Ty. I like my own time, but the all night sounds grand.”

  He patted her again, just because he knew she didn’t mind. “I love you beyond all reason, my Kate.”

  “I know.” She smiled as she shook her head. “That’s what made you so irresistible.” She kissed his cheek. “I have to be honest with you about something, dear.”

  She took a deep breath and straightened slightly like the soldier she was. “I’ve been on the phone for an hour and know about my mission. My last mission, I hope. I’ll be moving in with a team to investigate a fire. I can’t tell you where I’m going but it’s a spot where Americans, much less soldiers, are not welcomed.”

  Tyler felt his heart speed up. He’d known that sometimes Kate’s job was hard, identifying bodies, finding the causes of fires set to kill people, but he’d never thought that she might be in danger … in real danger.

  Before he could tell her not to go, she added, “It’s my job, Ty. I have to go. Most of the team is young and inexperienced. They need me to lead them. I’m not sure they’d make it back without me, and we wouldn’t be going in if it weren’t very important.”

  “I know,” he managed to say.

  He knew that ordering her to stay wouldn’t work and he doubted begging would help, so he just held her tightly. “You’ll be in my thoughts every minute until I know you are safe,” he whispered, wishing he could go with her. If something happened and she didn’t come back, he wasn’t sure he wanted to be left to spend the rest of his life
alone.

  She pushed a few inches away. “I tell you what: I’ve never used a code before, but I’ve known men who did. When it’s over and I’m safe back at a fort somewhere, but it may still be a few days before we’re finished and can leave, I’ll call and let the phone ring once, then call right back and do the same. I may not be able to tell you where I am or how many days until I’m home, but you’ll know that I’m safe. You’ll know to stop worrying.”

  “Two calls. One ring each. Make it to my private office line; I can forward it to my cell and no one will pick up but me.” Tyler knew he’d be waiting for the two short calls before he would take a deep breath.

  “It’s my last assignment, Ty. I may be gone two or three weeks … a month at the most, but when I get back, I’m coming straight home to you.”

  He tried his best to smile. “You’d better.”

  A very pregnant housekeeper bumped her way into the study, took one look at them, and backed out.

  “What is it, Autumn?” Tyler asked without moving away from Kate, though he did raise his hand to her waist.

  A voice came from the other side of the door. “Nothing, Mr. Wright. It can wait.”

  He kissed Kate. “I’ll walk you to your car when you’re ready to leave, and I’m guessing Autumn made you a snack to eat on the plane. She’s been baking like crazy these last few weeks. I think she fears we’ll all starve when the baby comes.”

  Kate nodded. “She always bakes. I’ve noticed all your staff is looking well rounded these days. You’ll watch over her while I’m gone, won’t you? She only has a few more weeks before the baby. With a little luck I might be back.”

  Tyler nodded. “We practice drills around here every morning so we’ll be prepared. The minute she says it’s time, everyone on the staff has their assignments. If it is the weekend, Willie Davis and Brandon Biggs at the fire department want to be called. Willie says he can run the two blocks by the time we get her in the car, and Big will meet her at the hospital. Both the guys went through all the birthing classes with her. They consider themselves her guardian angels.”

  “I’m still worried about what if something happens when you’re out at a funeral?”

  Tyler grinned. “The minute I leave, either Willie or Big will be camped out at the kitchen table, probably eating until I get back. Ronny Logan says when she gets off work at the post office, starting tomorrow, she’ll drop over and spend the night in Autumn’s parlor downstairs. They’ve become such close friends I wouldn’t be surprised if they talk half the night.” He kissed Kate’s nose. “During the day, one of the office staff will be on guard. Don’t worry. She’ll never be alone.”

  Kate brushed his shoulder as though she could dust worry away. “I know you’ll all take good care of her, but I wish I could be here. You don’t think she might consider going a few weeks over the due date just so I could be close? Ronny takes classes some nights, and Big is always working overtime at some construction site, and Willie might have a fire while all of you are busy with a funeral.”

  “I’ll ask her about waiting, but I don’t think she has much say in that,” he promised. “And I’ll call Stella and ask her to come in to stay here for every funeral we have until the baby comes.”

  After Kate kissed him at her car, Tyler stood in the parking lot and watched until she disappeared, then turned back to his work. Life goes round and round, he thought, ever changing. Jeremiah Truman had lived a long life doing what he loved, and maybe the best thing Tyler could say about him, or anyone, was simply that he’d be missed.

  He finished the obit and e-mailed it in. Kate would be back in a month or less. Until then, he planned to worry about her. There were already enough folks worrying about Autumn.

  He smiled, thinking about what his grandmother used to say about not wasting worry on things you could do nothing about. When Kate got back, she’d be safe with him and he’d have no use for worry again. They’d live out the rest of their lives in Harmony.

  Two calls. One ring each. He’d worry till then.

  Chapter 13

  SUNDAY

  SEPTEMBER 25

  AN HOUR AFTER SUNSET, SHERIFF ALEXANDRA MATHESON left her office in a full run. She’d planned an evening of paperwork while her husband, Hank, held his monthly volunteer fire department meeting across the street at the fire station. But that was before a call came in that there had been a shooting at the trailer park just outside town.

  Alex reasoned it was probably only a misfire or a neighbor shooting at a stray dog, but the dispatcher who notified her sounded near panic. He said a kid called in the shooting and was crying so badly, the dispatcher couldn’t understand him.

  Alex called for backup as she pulled out of the driveway and headed toward the trailer park. “Weekends,” she mumbled to herself, “and a full moon to boot.” If someone had frightened a child, they’d be real sorry by the time she got through with them.

  The sleepy little trailer park beneath old cottonwoods hadn’t recovered from a spring tornado. Piles of junk still gave the already slim streets an abandoned feeling. She’d heard that several families had moved out, leaving trailers as rentals for seasonal workers drifting in. As she navigated through the park, Alex thought of suggesting that this place become a cleanup project for city planners.

  When she parked at the third mobile home from the end of the park, folks were standing around staring as if expecting a ball to drop from the TV antenna. A few of them pointed at the old Airstream almost enclosed in overgrown brush and hanging limbs from a cottonwood tree. As she got out of her car, she passed one of the deputies’ cruisers already parked in front of the trailer.

  “That’s where it came from,” one watcher shouted at Alex. “I heard it even over the TV.” He was holding a kid in front of him.

  “There’s a sickly woman moved in there with her kid. Ain’t heard a sound from them in two days except for the shot,” someone else shouted.

  “They’re home,” came another voice out of the darkness. “I’ve seen lights going on and off.”

  Alexandra Matheson asked them to move back as she walked toward the home, but they were more interested in watching. None seemed aware of the danger. They must have thought there was some kind of safety in numbers.

  The mob shifted like warm Jell-O. As a few stepped back, others slid into their places as if the show were about to start and they had to have the best seat.

  Her deputy, Phil Gentry, emerged from the doorway of the home and moved toward her. “We got a boy about four or five years old with a gun,” he whispered as his greeting. “We need to get these people out of range. If he fires, it could go right through the wall of the trailer and hit someone.”

  Alex nodded. “You clear the area. I’d rather go in and face the kid with the gun.”

  Phil shook his head. “I already tried. He told me he’d fire if I got any closer.”

  “Have we got either of the kid’s parents on scene?”

  Phil shook his head. “Not that I know of. The neighbor said the mom leaves him home alone all the time. I don’t think there’s a father in the picture.”

  Alex took a deep breath. This was her job. This was what she was trained for. “Get the people back. I’m going in.” She could almost hear her husband, Hank, telling her to be careful. Warning her not to take risks. “Have any idea what the kid’s name is?”

  “Jamie, I think. And he’s got a mouth on him. Cussed me out for even saying hello.”

  Alex moved toward the door.

  “Jamie?” she whispered. “Jamie, are you in here?”

  “I’m here, but don’t come in. My momma said anyone knocking on the door would be coming to take me away and I ain’t going, damn it.”

  “Jamie, I’m Alex, and I swear I’m not here to take you away. I just want to talk to you.”

  “I don’t want to talk to you,” the boy whispered. “I don’t want to talk to no one.”

  Alex had reached the end of the hallway and saw a ragged li
ttle boy sitting in the corner of the kitchen. The gun rested at his side.

  “Jamie, were you playing with the gun?” she asked, keeping her voice as calm as she could.

  “No. I had to use it. My momma told me not to, but I had to.”

  Alex took another step, calculating that she would have time to step back to safety if the boy reached for the gun. “Why?” she asked as the kid raised his eyes to her.

  He seemed so tiny. “I had to ’cause he was eating the last of my food.”

  Alex glanced at the counter and saw a spilled box of cereal and a seven-inch dead rat lying beside it.

  “You did what you had to do, Jamie,” she whispered. “But your mother was right when she told you not to touch the gun. It’s very dangerous.”

  One tear bubbled from brown eyes. “You going to arrest me for killing the rat?”

  “No, Jamie. I thought I’d invite you to go out to eat with me, just till your mom comes back. I haven’t had supper yet and was hoping someone would join me.”

  The boy wiped his eyes. He might be starving, but he didn’t trust her. “I don’t want to go to jail. My momma’s here—she’s sleeping and told me not to wake her or there’d be hell to pay.”

  “Where is she? She must have heard the shot.” Dread settled in the pit of Alex’s stomach.

  “She’s in the bedroom. The door is locked. I tried it when I ran out of milk yesterday.”

  Alex moved closer. “Do you have any relatives in town?”

  The kid nodded. “We came here looking for my aunt. She lives here on a farm somewhere. My momma says I can ride horses when we find her. She says I’m going to stay there once we find the place, but Momma hadn’t been feeling up to looking for it yet. She gets real sick if she don’t get her medicine.”

  Alex knelt down a few feet away. “What’s your aunt’s name? I’ll help you find her place. I know almost everyone around these parts.”