Catch Me a Cowboy (34 page)

“That’s sure a shiner you got, Bubba,” Rye Pickett said. “You get that from Slate or Colt?”

“It looked to me like Colt’s knee when Billy was tryin’ to beat up those police officers,” Rossie Owens said.

“Well, they deserved to be beat up.” Rachel Dean released her breath in a huff. “It just don’t seem right that some strange folks would take our kids. I don’t care if they did have the right paperwork.”

“They didn’t just have paperwork, Rachel,” Sheriff Winslow spoke around a mouthful of bun. “They had guns with bullets.”

“You call them guns,” Rye Pickett jumped in. “Why those was nothin’ more than pea shooters.”

“Well, pea shooters or not,” Harley said, “I agree with Rachel. The Fosters are part of our community, and we should’ve done what Bubba did. We should’ve fought for them. Possession is nine-tense the law, you know. And once they get to Houston, we might never get them back.”

“Unless they don’t make it to Houston.”

Everyone turned and looked at Beau, who was checking out his front teeth after trying to take a bite of one of Rachel Dean’s buns. When he finally noticed everyone looking at him, he explained. “If Shirlene has anything to do about it, those kids will be back here by morning.”

Billy came up off the bed and moved over to the bars. “What do you mean, Beau?”

His brother grinned broadly. “Only that your girlfriend has decided she’s not going to wait around for a judge. I think she’s planning on kidnapping them back tonight—with the help of a young redheaded escapee who knows exactly what motel they’re staying the night at.”

Billy grabbed the bars and shook them. “And why the hell didn’t you tell me this before?”

“Because I knew you’d do exactly what you’re doing. You’d overreact. Besides, there’s not much you can do when you’re locked up in jail.”

“So why didn’t you go with her? She needs someone watching out for her.” Billy reached through the bars for his brother, but Beau jumped back just in time.

“Believe me, the woman who raced off in the Naviga
tor didn’t look like a woman who needed watching out for. She looked like a she-devil on a mission. Besides, I tried going with her, but she flat out refused—something about not trusting the Cates boys as far as she could throw them. You sure did a number on her, Billy.”

“I don’t want to hear that crap right now, Beau,” Billy growled. “I want you to get me out of this jail cell so I can go get her before she ends up in jail herself.”

Rye puffed up like a toad. “No one’s gonna arrest our little Shirlene. I’ll make sure of that.”

“They sure aren’t.” Harley looked at Beau. “You said you knew where the kids are, son?” When Beau nodded, he herded him toward the door. “Then what are we waitin’ for? Time’s a wastin’.”

“You’re not goin’ anywhere without me, Harley Sutter,” Rachel said as flopped toward the door. “Those kids might need some tender lovin’ care.”

There was a chorus of agreement as everyone shuffled out.

“Wait!” Billy called after them, but his only response was the click of the door as it closed.

“Don’t you worry, boy,” Moses said. “I’ll have you out in a jiffy.” His hands shook so badly that he dropped the keys to the floor. Billy was about to go after them when an engine revved followed by the creak and grating noise of shifting bricks and stucco. With a loud clang, the bars disappeared, along with the window and half the bricks in the wall.

Billy raced over to the opening. And there was Kenny grinning and waving out the window of Billy’s monster truck.

“We just needed a little more power, is all!”

M
IA SHIFTED ON THE HARD MOTEL MATTRESS
, careful not to wake Brody, who was curled against her side. It had taken forever to get him to sleep. While Adeline had worn herself out crying, Brody had continued to sob until Mia had made up a tall tale about them going on a nice little vacation and Billy taking care of Shirlene and Barbie while they were gone.

She reached out and stroked her fingers through Brody’s hair. For a second, one brief wonderful second, she’d thought her life had finally taken a turn for the better—thought she had finally found her happily-ever-after. She should’ve known better. Happily-ever-afters were just something you told children to put them to sleep so they would have enough strength to survive the next day. Except Mia was tired of surviving. She wanted to rest, to lie down and go to sleep and never wake up. And maybe she would do that after the babies were safe.

Maybe she would do that.

Mia had just closed her eyes when someone pounded on the door. She sat up, part of her hoping it was Jesse,
and the other part hoping he’d escaped the life she was destined to live.

“W-what?” Ms. Buddager sat up in bed, sounding confused and disoriented. She was one of the nicer case workers Mia had had to deal with. She seemed genuinely concerned about kids—making arrangements to stop for the night so Mia could get the babies out of their car seats and soothe them and frantically calling the police when Jesse ran off. It only took her a moment to switch on the lamp by the bed and slip her feet over the edge of the mattress.

“Who is it?” Ms. Buddager asked when she reached the door.

“Room service,” a nasally voice replied.

“Well, for heaven sakes, I didn’t call for room service.” She slid the chain back. Mia started to warn the woman that it was doubtful that this motel even had room service. But before she could say anything, the door was pushed open, and Shirlene stood there with Jesse. In her hand was Brody’s toy gun. She pointed it at Ms. Buddager. The woman moved against the wall and lifted her hands.

Mia slipped out of bed. “What are you doing?”

Shirlene flashed a big smile. “I’m gettin’ my kids back.”

For a moment, Mia felt a bubbling excitement. But it fizzled quickly when reality took hold. “It doesn’t work like that, Shirlene. You can’t just take us back—they’ll only come and get us again.”

“I’ve been thinking about that, and I figure that Lyle Dalton knew enough people in high places to help us out.” Shirlene waved the cap gun. “And until we can talk to those people, I’m sticking to you like glue. Even if I have
to travel all the way to Houston with you and beat the tar out of Auntie Barb and Uncle Mickey.”

The thought of Shirlene taking down her foster parents had Mia smiling. Or maybe it was the fact that Shirlene was willing to fight for them after all.

“Why, Lord have mercy,” Shirlene said. “Mia Michaels knows how to smile. I thought that frown was permanently affixed.” She looked over at Ms. Buddager. “Sorry, honey. I know you’re just doing your job, but I love these kids, and I refuse to let them go back to an abusive situation.”

“Abusive?” Ms. Buddager dropped her hands. “The Primples were abusive?”

Shirlene looked over at Mia. “I realize you’re the kind of person who likes to carry the entire load on your shoulders, but don’t you think it’s about time you released it to someone else?”

Mia might’ve found the courage to tell Ms. Buddager all the things she’d been keeping to herself all these years if there hadn’t been a commotion outside the door. Jesse raced over and pulled it open. The sight that greeted Mia completely took her by surprise. The entire town of Bramble seemed to be standing outside.

“What in the world?” Shirlene took the words right out of Mia’s mouth.

“We came to get our kids,” Mayor Sutter said as his big stomach led the way into the room.

“We sure did.” Rachel moved up next to him, looking so scary that Jesse took a step back. “We ain’t gonna let strangers come in and take what’s ours.” She winked. “And y’all are ours.”

Mia struggled to fight back the tears as Ms. Buddager finally moved away from the wall.

“Well, I’ll be. This is the first time I’ve had to deal with something like this.” Ms. Buddager shook her head. “Unfortunately, I can’t hand these children over without going through the proper channels.” She glanced at Shirlene. “But I give you my word they won’t go back to the Primples.” Her gaze drifted down to the gun. “Or to a woman who brandishes guns.”

“Even if those guns only shoot caps?” Billy pushed his way into the room. His shirt was ripped, and his hair all mussed. One eye was puffed up, and there was a knot on his stubbly chin. Mia still wasn’t sure that he hadn’t turned them in, but she had to admit he looked pretty pathetic. Pathetic but determined.

He pinned Ms. Buddager with a steely stare. “I realize you’re only doing your job, but these kids belong with Ms. Dalton.” He looked behind him. “Which is exactly why I brought along my good friend, Judge Myers.”

A man pushed his way through the crowd and scowled at Billy. “Good friend might be a stretch, Billy Cates, seein’ as how you woke me up from a sound sleep and practically ordered me to get on your helicopter and fly here.”

“You can hate me later, Judge. For now, you need to get this woman to release these kids into Shirlene Dalton’s custody.”

Judge Myers looked at Shirlene. “How are you, Ms. Dalton? I don’t know if you remember me, but we met at a Houston benefit.” He studied her tattered western shirt, cut-offs, and flip-flops, then looked down at his wrinkled shirt and jeans. “We were both dressed a little differently at the time.”

Shirlene smiled. “Of course I remember you, honey. And please call me Shirlene. Most folks do.”

“Cap, you say?” He stared at the gun, and a smile flirted with his lips. It dropped only seconds later. “I wish I could just hand these kids over to you, Shirlene, especially when it looks like you’re ready to go to any lengths to keep them. But we both know that that’s not how things work. There’s paperwork that needs to be filled out, and red tape that has to be cut.”

Pastor Robbins moved to the front of the crowd. “I’ve got the paperwork right here, sir.” He held out a stack of papers and the judge looked them over before handing them to Ms. Buddager.

She examined them and then looked back at the pastor in shock. “How did you get them completed and signed so quickly?”

Pastor Robbins looked over at Shirlene. “After Ms. Dalton came in to talk with me, it wasn’t so hard to figure out what orphans she was talking about. Especially when every time she came to town, she brought them with her. So by the time she got me the paperwork, I’d already done some research and gotten the ball rolling, so to speak.”

Ms. Buddager shook her head. “But still, it usually takes months.”

Pastor Robbins smiled and glanced up at the ceiling. “Let’s just say, I’ve got connections in high places.”

“So I can have the kids tonight?” Shirlene asked.

It took a moment for Ms. Buddager to pull her gaze away from the ceiling. “I’ll have to check out your living conditions.”

Mia felt her heart sink. Even Shirlene looked a little sick to her stomach.

“That shouldn’t be a problem,” Billy stated. “Everyone knows that Shirlene Dalton lives in the biggest house in town.”

“She sure does,” Mayor Sutter agreed. “With plenty of room for an entire brood of children.”

Ms. Buddager’s gaze wandered around the room filled with expectant faces. “Well, in that case…”

Jumping in the air, Jesse let out a whoop that woke up Brody. After Mia picked him up to soothe him, the little boy stared in wide-eyed wonder at all the people in the room. When his eyes landed on Billy, Billy pulled the Barbie from his back pocket and held it out to him.

“I think you forgot something, son.”

Brody grinned and reached for the doll, but his hand dropped when he noticed Shirlene. Both hands came up as he bellowed in his loud, deep voice.

“Mama! Mama!”

For a split second, Mia felt a stab of jealousy. But it left quickly enough when Brody cuddled up against Shirlene, who wasn’t even trying to hide the tears that trickled down her cheeks.

Too bad Ms. Buddager had to go and ruin the moment with her next words.

“You need to realize that this is only temporary, Ms. Dalton. Adoption has an entirely different set of paperwork and requirements. And they frown on single parents, especially with four children.”

The judge nodded. “She’s right. One child would be a possibility—maybe two, but four…”

“What about three?” Mia finally spoke. “They’d let Shirlene adopt three kids, wouldn’t they? I mean, Jesse is old enough to help her with Brody so all she’d have to worry about is Adeline. And I’m sure Ms. Buddager could find me another home until I’m eighteen.”

A stunned silence followed, and it was hard not
to fidget beneath all the eyes pinned on her. Then suddenly an arm encircled Mia, and she was tugged close to Shirlene’s big breasts.

“Not a chance, honey,” Shirlene spoke loud enough for every person in the room to hear. “We’re a family. And everyone knows that families stick together.”

A chorus of “amen” had tears leaking from Mia’s eyes.

Hope was a funny thing: It had a way of rekindling even when you thought it was completely snuffed out. And as much as Mia tried to ignore it, a small flame flickered to life in her heart. A flame that soon burned as bright as the smile on Shirlene Dalton’s face.

T
HE
F
OUNDER’S
D
AY ACTIVITIES WERE
held in Confederate Park in the center of town. Big oil-drum grills were lined up behind the playground, offering up burnt hot dogs and undercooked hamburgers, while Josephine’s smoker sat in the far corner, puffing out the fragrant smell of smoking cherry wood and barbeque spices. A number of booths and activities had been set up along the pathways leading to the gazebo, a gazebo that resembled a purple fairytale castle with its strings of twinkle lights and the civil war cannons positioned on either side.