Sunrise Crossing (15 page)

CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT

G
ABE
LIMPED
DOWNSTAIRS
as silently as he could. His knee and ankle still hurt a little, but the tumble had been worth it. He'd made contact with Tori.

The old Gabe, the one who didn't know he had a son, would have been proud of his work tonight. Sometimes with the bad guys or the druggies, he didn't try to make contact. He just stormed in and told them they were coming with him. Most of the time the dopeheads couldn't think straight enough to argue. They just followed along, especially when they found out that Gabe didn't mind if they continued their habit in the car.

He didn't care. It usually kept them quiet, and delivering someone high was easier than dropping off someone in need of a fix. He'd even tell them that there would be someone where they were going who would take care of them. The druggies always thought that meant a dealer, not a parent or the police.

He liked to make the drop, collect his money in cash and be gone before the person had time to realize what was happening. He was a bounty hunter, not a buddy or a priest. He didn't care, as long as the money came in.

Only Victoria Vilanie was different from anyone he'd ever retrieved. She wasn't crazy or drugged up or wanted by the law. She wasn't a kid. Whoever had put out the call and offered a quarter million for her return wanted her back bad.

Bad enough to get the police involved and who knew what other government departments. It didn't take a genius to figure out why. She was a gold mine. As long as they had control of her, they were making big money.

The stepfather and mother whom Charlie Watts had told him about over the phone probably knew the control they had couldn't last long. She'd been making six or seven figures a year since she was fifteen.

As he made himself a cup of coffee in the little alcove the sisters kept supplied for guests, he added another thing he knew about Victoria. She was kind. The test tonight had proved it. She'd had to give up hiding, her safety, to help him. There weren't many people who would do that. Not in Gabe's world.

He thought of Yancy and wished he could tell his son that Tori was worth saving. Worth protecting. But maybe Yancy already knew that.

“What you doing up so late, Professor?” a low voice said from a few feet away.

Gabe turned, forcing down any reaction. He hadn't even seen the huge deputy sitting in the dark beside the bay window. He must be losing his edge.

“Evening, Deputy. I must have been lost in thought.”

Fifth Weathers stood and grabbed a juice from the tiny half fridge beneath the cups. “Can't sleep for thinking,” Fifth said. “I have the same problem tonight.”

Gabe pulled his disguise about him like an invisible cloak. “I took a tumble when I ventured out on my walk tonight. I think it may have upset me more than I originally thought.”

“The ladies mentioned it when I came in. They were very worried about you. Said you hurt your leg and head.” Fifth studied him. “Don't see much evidence now. Fast recovery, Professor?”

“It was just a scratch on the head. I traded the bandage for a Band-Aid.” He lifted his hair so the deputy could see the proof. “I was frightened by a stick I thought was a snake. My leg is still hurting, but a hot shower helped.”

Fifth leaned forward. “I'd think it would take a lot more than a snake to frighten a man like you.”

Gabe caught a glint in the deputy's eye and he knew he was walking on thin ice—the lawman was clearly suspicious of him. After all, he was a stranger in town. Fifth was young, but he was no fool. “I find as I grow older I'm afraid of many things. Falling is one of them.”

“I know what you mean. When I got out of the academy I never gave much thought to getting hurt in the line of duty. I played football through college and had eleven guys trying to kill me every weekend. But when I came here and saw how bullets took down a legend of a sheriff, I couldn't sleep. Can you imagine what it must have been like being shot?”

“No,” Gabe lied. “I can't.”

They talked for a few more minutes about the storm, and then Gabe headed up to bed. An uneasy feeling had settled over his shoulders. Logic and experience told him it was time to disappear. Let someone else finish the job. He had more money than he could ever spend in bank accounts spread across four states. Not even a quarter of a million was worth hanging around and being made by a cop. It would not only blow his cover, it would be the end of the job. In this line of work, a man had to be no more than a shadow.

Only, this time he couldn't leave. No matter the danger. This time he wasn't planning to take someone in. His mission now was to make sure she stayed exactly where she wanted to be. He owed this one favor to a son he'd never known.

Gabe needed to be near to protect her. And to do that he had to make sure the deputy wouldn't interfere. He figured that Fifth Weathers wouldn't be an easy man to bury, so he'd better come up with another plan.

CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE

A
T
DAWN
, Y
ANCY
woke and stared at Tori sleeping next to him. Her midnight hair had come loose from her braid and flowed over her pillow. She was so beautiful. So perfect. It made no sense that she could be here in his little back room of the office. He was just a handyman, a carpenter maybe. Not the kind of guy who slept with a woman so pretty.

She'd cuddled against him last night. She trusted him. In this crazy mixed-up world he was her hero. Yancy had never been anyone's hero. He'd never had any expectations to live up to. Men like him didn't even meet women like her. But she'd come to him last night and for some reason she'd stayed.

He climbed out of bed. He wanted everything to be ready when she woke. Taking her clothes from the dryer, he draped them over the one chair in his room. He put on coffee in the meeting room, even though he knew no one would be in for another hour or two. Then he pulled on his coat and slipped out the side door of the office lobby.

He wanted to get to the café when it opened, so he could buy breakfast and have it waiting when she woke. They'd laugh about the way she'd looked last night and talk about the professor she'd met in the storm. He might even offer to take her over to the bed-and-breakfast so they could check on the old guy. Yancy hadn't really been that polite to him when he'd dropped by, offering to buy the house, but Tori had said he was a sweet man, so Yancy figured he could make another effort to be friendly. After they talked to the professor, he'd see if she'd be willing to come back to the lobby and meet all the retired teachers. He'd like that, and he knew a few of them would make her laugh.

Yancy planned as he waited to order, hoping she'd let him take her home later. If she said no, he promised himself he wouldn't push it. She was afraid of something, and if keeping where she stayed private made her feel better, then he wouldn't mind not knowing.

Of course, if she felt safe enough to sleep with him, she must trust him.

Last night, with her cuddled in his arms, he knew, for the first time since he'd met her, she felt safe and the feeling made all worries rest for the night.

The new waitress at the café didn't ask why he was ordering two breakfasts or why he wanted extra jelly, one of every kind they had. She just placed his order, took his money and told him to have a great day.

In fact, he planned to have maybe one of the best days ever. When Tori woke, they'd eat, and then he'd take the day off and they'd do something fun. They could go to the canyon if it wasn't too muddy or drive into Lubbock and see the huge windmill museum. He didn't really care what it was as long as they were together for a while.

Yancy was still thinking about what they might do as he walked back in the lobby of the long office that had once been the check-in counter for a cluster of bungalows that made up a small motel.

All was quiet.

He slipped into his back quarters to set up breakfast.

The first thing he saw was his bed, all made up. Tori's clothes were gone from the chair. Her yellow rain boots had vanished, as well.

For the first time since he'd moved into the space, the room seemed empty, hollow, dead. She was gone and he had no idea which way to look.

Yancy dropped the two breakfast boxes in the trash. A sorrow built in him. He felt her loss deeper than any loss in his life. He was a man who'd learned not to want much, not to dream too large, but he wanted her. Maybe not forever, but at least for a whole day.

One whole day of being with Tori would be enough, he told himself. He wouldn't ask for more. And, for the first time, he didn't want to settle for less.

For a few minutes he felt like he didn't even breathe. He had no idea how to find her. He'd just have to wait and hope that she returned. With the list of chores that needed tending around the place, he stormed out back to his toolshed. Maybe he could work hard and long enough to forget about the ache in his heart.

A lifetime of disappointments seemed to settle in his gut. One day. One day with her was all he'd asked for. All the birthdays and Christmases never celebrated didn't matter. All the lies that things would get better, that something would go his way, that he'd win just once, didn't matter.

Yancy put all his wishes in one day that would never happen. He didn't blame her; he blamed the whole world, from the father he'd never met to the cook at the café taking so long.

The hours dragged by endlessly. It wasn't the lack of sleep or the heavy lifting he did cleaning out the rose garden or dragging huge bags of mulch from the shed to the flowerbeds. It was the loss of Rabbit, of Tori. She was never his Rabbit. She was never his, period.

He didn't eat all day and barely noticed when several of the residents asked him if he was feeling bad. Yancy told himself he would simply push through the day, survive, like he used to do in prison when no sun shone in his world. Like he did during his childhood when his mother would say things would get better, but they never did.

It was almost sunset when he walked over to his house, telling himself maybe it would cheer him up to see the work they'd done.

He hoped she'd come tonight, but she hadn't taken the time to say goodbye this morning. If she didn't come, at least he'd feel closer to her at the house where they'd worked together.

When he opened the workshop door and flipped on the light, he saw a board propped against his toolbox.

Anything out of place stood out in his shop. Yancy liked everything in order. But when he stared at the piece of scrap wood, he didn't care if the entire barn burned down, tools and all.

Written in a painter's bold script were four words.
Missed you. Love, Rabbit.

Yancy lowered his head against the workbench and let out a breath. He didn't have all the answers, but she'd said enough to make him believe in hope.

She hadn't vanished. She'd be back.

The door creaked.

Before Yancy could move, a male voice said, “You all right, son?”

Yancy turned and smiled at the professor. “Yeah, I'm fine. How can I help you?” If it hadn't been for the professor, Tori might not have gone into town and wouldn't have passed his place at all last night.

Yancy wished he could thank the professor for his part in what had happened. For the best night of his life. “I'm glad to see you're still here, Dr. Santorno. We haven't had time to get acquainted.”

Santorno seemed to be surprised at the greeting. He ventured in another foot. “I didn't mean to bother you, but I wanted to thank your friend for helping me out last night. The little dear may have saved me.”

“I'll tell her if I see her,” Yancy said.

“You know where she lives?” Santorno asked. “I'd like to do something special for her. Maybe take her flowers. Women like that, I've heard.”

Yancy shook his head. Even if he had known where Tori disappeared to, he wouldn't have told the professor or anyone else.

The professor sighed. “Too bad. I brought her some of the Franklin sisters' muffins. If you see her, would you give them to her?”

“Sure.” The guy was just being nice. Maybe Tori was right and he was just a sweet man, but something about him told Yancy it might be best to keep him more in the stranger category than friend.

Santorno put down the basket of muffins, but then hesitated.

Yancy waited. The guy obviously had more to say. Yancy hoped it wasn't a pitch to make another offer for his house.

“I was wondering, Yancy, if you'd be willing to talk to me about this house you own, the gypsy house. I've heard from a few people that it has a colorful past.”

“I guess I could, but the Franklin sisters know more about the history than I do.” Yancy saw the professor's shoulders drop. “But if you're willing to ask while I'm working, I'd be happy to tell you what I know.”

Yancy was surprised at how pleased the man looked. He even adjusted his dark glasses as if he were about to cry. Maybe this research he was doing was real important to him. If so, Yancy could spare some time.

“Wonderful. I'll go get my notepad.”

The professor was at the door before Yancy thought to add, “But if Tori comes, you have to leave after you thank her. We've got work to do tonight.”

Santorno nodded several times. “I understand. I'll be thankful for any time you can spare.”

Yancy smiled down at the message on the board. On impulse, he took a hammer and nail and hung it above the door. Now every time he walked out of the shop he'd see Tori's note.

Missed you. Love, Rabbit.

He'd look up and know that someone loved him.

“I wish I'd said it first,” he whispered, “because I've felt it from that first night.” He reached up and tapped the bottom of the board. “I'll be waiting, Rabbit.”