Skye Blue (Hell Yeah!) (18 page)

Noah took all the steps he could to keep Skye safe. He called Kane and explained the situation to him. The sheriff said he would immediately start an investigation and send out an APB to bring the oil man in for questioning. Taking no chances, Noah phoned Vance and asked him to send an extra crew of investigators to Kerrville to help out. Noah wanted this over—now. He’d even called the authorities in Oklahoma and alerted them that Arthur Langley was dangerous. But most important he’d summoned Lance.

As he waited for the foreman to arrive, Noah took stock. Jacob was at the hospital. Isaac was at Hardbodies and Joseph was keeping the ranch going as best he could. Lord, it’d be a wonder if they made a profit this year with all the ups and downs they’d had. But he didn’t care. That wasn’t what he was worried about. They could always make money. Family was more important. He wanted their family to survive all of this chaos.

Noah had also called Zane and alerted him that Skye wouldn’t be coming to work until this madman had been apprehended. Zane had understood and offered his help. He confessed he’d known about Skye and her trouble. She had told him everything at the job interview. Or course when he’d called up her records, it had all been there. Zane had told him more about the travesties of Native American women and the hardships they faced. Noah’s heart bled and he vowed to help Skye right some wrongs if she chose to fight those battles.

But right now, she was his main concern. He knew right where she was. In fact, he went to check on her every few minutes. She was with Libby in her sewing room. They were looking at some of Skye’s designs. Swear to God, he was tempted to get one of those baby monitors so he could just listen to her breathe.

Knock. Knock
.

“Come in.” It was Lance.

“I came home as fast as I could. What’s the emergency?”

Noah was too tired to pull any punches. Lance needed to know. “Your sister is in danger.”

“What?” Alarm immediately transformed his features. “Who?

“It’s Arthur Langley.” Noah waited to see if his answer would require explanation. It didn’t.

“That bastard! Why won’t that family leave her alone? They stole years of her life.” After he’d thrown the comment out, Lance looked at Noah hard, trying to determine if Noah knew everything.

“I agree and they won’t harm one hair on her head this time. You have my solemn guarantee.”

Lance believed him. “What can I do?”

“I’ve called Kane and they’re gathering evidence. We’ve got people looking for tire marks, fingerprints off her truck, anything they can find at the cabin to tie him to the scenes of these crimes.”

“I’m so sorry about the lodge.” Lance took his hat off and held it between his hands.

“Don’t be. Skye is worth more than a thousand cabins to me.” At Lance’s questioning look, Noah showed his cards. “Lance, this is my fight. Skye belongs to me. I wanted to talk to you about all of this, but I mainly wanted to ask you for her hand in marriage.”

Lance smirked. “I figured. And if you hadn’t, I thought I might have to take you behind the barn and convince you.”

Noah laughed. “I don’t need convincing. I’m head over spurs in love with Skye Blue.”

Lance got up from the chair in front of the desk and went to the couch sinking down into the soft leather. “Noah, I’ve been so scared for her. All those years I was away from her, I had no idea she was suffering. I should have known. People can be so cruel. And for her to be raped and then go to prison for killing that scumbag who murdered Elijah, it was a travesty.”

“I can promise you no one will ever be cruel to her again. I’ll do my damndest to make all of her tomorrow’s happy ones.”

“Did she tell you what they called her in prison? How she stood up for others?”

“A little, tell me.” Noah could see Lance needed to talk about it and he needed to hear.

“They called her the ‘little warrior’. She spent almost eight months in solitary confinement because she refused to stand by when someone else was being abused.

Noah listened and felt completely unworthy of Skye’s love.

***

Learning to accept that she was loved unconditionally was hard for Skye. Not that she didn’t trust Noah, she did. With her life. But she didn’t trust herself. She kept expecting to mess up, to say the wrong thing, to do something that would cause this dream-come-true to blow up in her face like a fragile iridescent bubble. But Noah loved her harder than he had before. The family rallied around her, all appalled at what she’d been through. None looked down on her. None questioned her innocence or her actions. The McCoys gathered her close and made her one of their own.

To say that Noah kept her close, was an understatement. She was treated like the most valuable of possessions. Several days passed and she settled in, helping Cady and Libby prepare their Thanksgiving feast. They had brined a turkey and baked a ham. Avery had made chicken and dressing with homemade cranberry sauce. Lilibet had brought over potato salad and mashed potatoes. Libby was in charge of desserts. The baking seemed to take her mind off her sorrow and she actually hummed a tune while she worked. There was chocolate cake, pumpkin pie, pecan pie and her delectable brownies.

Beau and Harley LeBlanc came bringing a big pot of gumbo, jambalaya and a bourbon pecan bread pudding that Skye thought looked too sinful to eat. The girls had also made Texas Trash, a salty savory snack food which brought the men into the kitchen time and time again to get handfuls to munch on. A big pot of apple cider simmered on the stove filling the house with an aroma which just smelled like the holidays.

Noah was happy. All worries he’d had about belonging were gone. He was a McCoy. This was his home and they were his family. If Aron and little BT had been with them, everything would have been perfect. He stood next to the bar, sipping coffee, and watching Skye make a salad. She was smiling and laughing and he felt his heart swell to bursting.

“Noah.” Isaac stood at the door. “Office.”

Without saying anything, he followed his brother out. “Vance texted. He wants to talk to us. The lab results are back.”

Noah felt the bottom fall out of his stomach. Before they got in the room, the phone rang. He held his breath as his brother picked up the phone. “McCoy.”

McCoy. The time that elapsed between the second he heard Isaac say their name and the news which could mean the end of a dream was an eternity. McCoy. Noah saw his father’s face. His mother’s. Images of the years growing up with his brothers played through his mind like a movie. Riding horses. Tending cattle. Roping steers. Going to rodeos. Camping. Roughhousing. Christmas. Their parents death. The love. The tears. Family.

“What’s the verdict?” Isaac asked. Pause. “Are you sure?”

Noah couldn’t breathe.

“Thanks, Vance.”

Isaac looked at Noah. Noah tensed every muscle in his body.

“The suit was his and the mask, too. But the blood and bone weren’t human. There was no DNA evidence at all to indicate Aron McCoy died with those items on his body.”

“Aron could be alive.” Noah let out a huge breath.

“Yes. We can still have hope.”

***

And hope made their holiday even more blessed. A crowd of fifteen people set down together to eat and pray and be thankful. One by one they counted their blessings. Libby went first. “I’m thankful there’s still a chance for Aron. I want him to come home so much! And I’m thankful for the twins.”

“I’m thankful for Jessie and Bowie Travis.” Jacob kissed his wife.

Joseph held the hand of his fiancé. “I’m thankful for our two babies and the privilege of marrying Cady.”

Isaac, always the Badass, had to try and lighten the mood. “I’m thankful for Noah, whoever he is. And my sweet Avery and her Woody Award.” Everybody clapped.

“I’m thankful for Skye and for all of my family,” Noah whispered and Skye kissed his hand.

“I’m thankful for Tina and that Aron is going to come home.” Nathan was going on faith.

Beau and Kane and Lance were thankful for their loved ones and for having friends like the McCoys.

Food was passed around. They laughed. They joked and each one wished the chair which remained vacant at the head of the table could be filled once more.

After the meal, while everyone was still eating dessert and drinking coffee, Noah took Skye off to himself. He placed her in the loveseat next to the fireplace and he got down on one knee.

“Noah?” She looked at his dear face.

“Skye Blue. I’ve lived my life in the bland world of black and white. No compromise. No exploration. No reaching for the stars. Until I met you.”

He kissed her tenderly. She didn’t say a word, because he wasn’t through.

“You’ve colored my world with love and laughter. My darling princess, will you marry me?”

Throwing her arms around him, she gave Noah her answer. “Yes, yes, a billion times yes. There’s no one else in the whole world for me. I adore you.”

A round of applause began behind them. They didn’t care. They had each other. They were home.

A bottle of champagne was brought out and everyone who wasn’t pregnant enjoyed it. Jessie passed because she was nursing BT, but Libby brought them out a bottle of non-alcoholic so no one felt left out.

Even Lady got in on the act.

She snuck into the kitchen when no one was looking and stood on her hind legs, desperately trying to filch a turkey leg. Joseph saw her. “Nathan! Your dog is about to get in trouble!”

Nathan came running. “Libby saved her some scraps. Let me take her outside.”

“Not so fast, Bub.” Jacob caught him. “You’ve got a phone call.” He smiled.

“Who?”

“Know anyone by the name of Tina?”

“Sure do!” He grabbed the phone and left Lady looking forlorn.

“I’ll get it. Let me take her out.” Skye didn’t want Lady to go hungry.

“Just put her on the back porch, Skye. Nathan will have her back in just as soon as he gets off the phone. Those two are inseparable.” Cady was putting food up in the refrigerator. People were milling about. Noah was talking to Beau LeBlanc and Skye had been admiring how the light from the chandelier made her ring sparkle.

“Come on, Lady.” She picked up the pan of food and the dog went with her eagerly. She opened the door and stepped out into the chill. Setting the plate down, she noticed the dog was looking out into the yard and her hackles were raised. “Girl?”

“Do you have any idea how long I’ve been standing out here in the cold hoping you’d make an appearance?” The voice was cold and dripped with venom.

Skye almost went limp with terror. Everything had been perfect. She should have known better than to hope. Her life wasn’t meant to be happy. “Please, Mr. Langley,” she begged.

“Don’t scream. I’ll shoot the first person who walks out that door.”

He knew exactly what to say.

“I won’t.”

“Step on out here.” He waved the gun in the air with a gesturing motion. She made two steps and the dog started barking.

“Shut that damn dog up or I’ll shoot it.”

Skye grabbed her collar. “It’s all right, girl.” It wasn’t all right. Nothing would ever be all right again.

“An eye for an eye. Justice. You understand why I’m doing this, don’t you?”

“You’ll go to prison.” She tried to reason with him. “They know you burned down the lodge and tampered with my truck. The sheriff has been looking for you.”

Langley laughed. “I don’t care. I have nothing to lose. I’m old and sick. I have cancer. Dying today or dying tomorrow. What’s the difference? I just want to make sure I take you with me.”

He raised the gun.

***

“Where’s Skye?” Noah looked all around.

“I don’t know,” Cady said. She was here just a while ago. Lady was hungry and she took her and some scraps out to the back porch.”

“Outside? She went outside?” Oh, God. Noah walked to the back door. “Something is wrong.” He threw open the door. “Skye!”

“Go back, Noah. Please.” The defeated tone in her voice made icy chills run down his spine. 

“Not a chance, Princess.”

“My quarrel isn’t with you, McCoy.’

His gaze was torn off Skye, his Skye, who wore his ring, to the maniac who had a gun aimed right at her heart.

“You’re threatening the most important person in the world to me. I’d say that puts me right in the middle of your quarrel.”

Just that fast, Langley’s focus changed and he moved the barrel of the gun far enough to the right to be aiming at Noah. Skye’s heart dipped. “I’m the one who killed your brother, you racist idiot! It’s me you hate!”

“Shut-up, you murdering half-breed!” The gun barrel moved back into its first position, aimed right at Skye.    

“That’s enough, you jerk! Leave her alone. If you want somebody, come after me.” Noah wanted to lunge at the man who dared attempt to hurt her.

“Charles deserved to die, Arthur. He was a cheating, murdering lowlife!” Skye challenged him again.

“Those will be your last words, red-skin whore.” Langley cocked the gun.

Noah heard the sound louder than thunder. He was lambasting her and she was fighting back just to get Langley’s attention off of Noah. “Don’t piss him off, baby, please.”

  “Why are you with this Injun slut? You can’t possibly care about her.”

“Enough. I am her protector. She is mine.” Noah was hoping and praying that his family realized what was going on. He was stalling until he had some sign they were getting into position. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Jacob moving off to the right, circling around to come in at Langley from behind. “It’s over Langley. Time to take you down!” He took two steps toward Langley, who hunched forward to pull the trigger.

“Noah!” Skye moved in between Langley and Noah in the same heartbeat that the bullet was released and if Jacob hadn’t jumped Langley at that exact moment, one of them would have died.

Screams and shouts mingled together, but all Noah wanted to do was get to Skye. Once he had his arms around her, he made sure she was okay, running his hands over her body and hugging her tight.

“We’ve got him, Noah!” Joseph shouted.

“Hold on, baby. I’ll be right back.”

He went to where Joseph and Isaac held Arthur Langley, one on each side. ”Turn him loose. Just for a second.” The old man’s eyes widened, but his brothers complied.

“Don’t you touch me, McCoy. I know my rights.”

“To have your rights protected, there’d have to be an eyewitness, and there’s nobody around here who’s going to see a thing. Am I right?”