Whatever Tomorrow Brings (The Californians 1) (28 page)

"I hope I'm not coming at a bad time, but I really wanted to see Joey. I'm his teacher, Miss Donovan, and I've missed him since school let out. I came to see how he was doing." Kate made an instantaneous decision about returning to this place.

"Mr. Parker, would you have a problem with Joey coming to visit me in town?" There was no reply. In fact, Kate was beginning to wonder if he'd understood anything she said.

If Kaitlin thought the yard smelled bad, she didn't know what to think of Parker himself. His shirt had holes in it and was covered with grease and dirt. His boots hung open and Kate could see no socks on his dirty legs. His binders hung down around his knees and she was a little worried he was going to lose the filthy pants he wore.

Most of his teeth were missing and his hair and beard needed trimming. He wasn't that much taller than Kaitlin but looked a good deal heavier, with a stomach that protruded far over the waistline, of his pants. His eyes were dark and watchful and they looked Kate in the eye witha keen intelligence she'd not been expecting.

When a full minute had passed and Parker had still not spoken Kate tried again, this time with Joey.

"How have you been Joey?"

"Fine." His voice was carefully neutral but his eyes revealed that he was glad to see her.

"Joey, would you like to come and visit me? I work during the day, but if you want to come any evening during the week, I'd welcome you. Do you know where I live?"

"Yes, Miss Donovan."

"Good! Then all we need to do is get your father's permission." Kate turned with a smile she didn't feel and looked inquiringly at the man. When he still did not give an answer, she managed to stretch her smile a little farther and say with false cheerfulness, "Well Joey, it seems your father has no objections so I'll expect to see you sometime next week." Kaitlin watched as the little boy looked to his father. He must have seen something affirmative because he looked back at Kate and gave a slight nod, his face lighting briefly with a look of yearning.

"I'll look forward to seeing you. It was nice to meet you, Mr. Parker. Bye now."

Kate forced herself not to look back until she was just about to step out of sight. When she did turn around, she saw that they were both as she'd left them-even the dog was still lying quietly. She gave a small wave that Joey returned. A few seconds later the trees hid her from view and her tears began to fall.

"You can't have him, Kaitlin. As much as you want to go back and steal that little boy and cherish him forever, you can't."

Kate cried and walked in the direction of the Taylors', praying as she went that Joey would come next week. She didn't think she could ever go back to that place. But then Joey's dirty little face and yearning eyes swam before her. She told the Lord that she had to reach that boy, that she'd do whatever He asked of her if it would give her a chance to tell him of Christ's love.

"Did Kate head home to get her things?" Rigg asked. He and Sean were closing up for the night.

"No, she sent everything out with your dad this morning when he picked up Marc. She went to see Joey Parker."

"Is that what she said?"

"Yeah. She plans to walk to your folks' after." Sean felt uncertain and then fearful at the look on Rigg's face. What was this Parker guy like? Sean didn't ask the question aloud, but followed Rigg as he made a beeline for the wagon.

Kate had her tears under control by the time Rigg's wagon rolled into view. The horses were approaching so fast that Kaitlin thought something might be wrong. Rigg jumped down almost before the wagon stopped and ran toward her through a cloud of dust.

"Are you all right?" He grasped her upper arms and waited for her to answer.

"Yes. What's happened?"

Rigg didn't answer. His relief was so great that he pulled Kate into his arms and held her almost fiercely. She was too surprised to be upset and looked at him with wide eyes when he once again held her away from him.

"Was Parker home?"

"Yes, he was there."

Rigg's hold tightened and Kaitlin flinched.

"I don't want you to go there again." Rigg's eyes had gone black and he strove desperately to control his voice. "It's not safe for a woman alone and I want your promise that you won't go back."

"I can't do that. I mean, I invited Joey to come and see me but if he doesn't, I just might have to come back out here. So I can't make you that promise, Marshall."

It was more than clear to Kate that Rigg was not satisfied with her response. She watched as he pulled in a deep breath and relaxed his hold on her arms.

"Will you make me this promise-that you won't come out here again without telling me?"

"Yes." Kate was able to answer him right away. The pain and worry in his eyes were very real.

"Please tell me why it's so dangerous," Kate said softly.

Rigg hesitated and then glanced at Sean who had come to stand with the horses.

"A woman was raped in these woods a few years back. There was no proof as to who did it, but the description the woman gave and everything she said pointed to Parker. He was even arrested but the woman was afraid to come in and identify him. Without some evidence they had to let him go."

Kate's hand had come to her mouth and Rigg pulled her into his arms one more time. This time, when he released her, his hand came up and the backs of his fingers stroked feather-light down her left cheek, his eyes once again telling her how frightened he'd been.

They were all a little drained as the wagon moved toward the Taylors' and Rigg found himself touching Kate as they talked.

"Did I hurt your arms?"

"No," she assured him softly.

He leaned forward slightly to see her face better and for a long moment their eyes met. It was Kate's turn to touch Rigg when she saw the caring in his gaze. And he briefly covered the hand she put on his arm with his. own, thanking God as he did for this woman and also asking Him to keep her safe.

forty-three

Sunday passed in a relaxed fashion. The next day both Kate and Sean had to work so Marcail stayed with the Taylors. After work on Monday, Rigg asked Kate to join him and Sean for supper. They planned to collect Marcail a little later in the evening.

Kate told Sean that she was going home to clean up and that she'd see them at the house. She was totally unprepared, but thrilled, to find Joey Parker on her front step.

"Hello Joey." Kate's smile was genuine.

"Hi," was all the boy said, but his eyes told Kaitlin he was glad to see her.

"How are you today?"

"Would you like to go somewhere with me, Joey?"

"Sure." He looked confused but agreed-anything to be near his beloved Miss Donovan.

"If you'll just wait right there, I'll go inside for a minute and then we'll go to Mr. Riggs' for supper. How does that sound?"

"Fine." Kate watched his small face carefully lest he be intimidated about going to Rigg's and leave when she was inside. But she need not have worried; he was waiting patiently for her. Within minutes they were standing on Rigg's front porch.

"I brought a guest with me," Kate said to Sean when he opened the door.

"Hi, Joey," Sean greeted the boy and opened the door wide. Rigg was in the kitchen and everyone headed that way. Kate silently thanked Rigg for the way he handled Joey, treating him as though his coming to supper was an everyday occurrence.

"Okay Joey," Rigg instructed him, "wash your hands and-you-can help Sean set the table."

The adults in the room were quiet and tried not to stare as Joey solemnly assisted Sean. Kaitlin could see that he took his task very seriously and she kept her face averted so he couldn't see the way she was struggling with her emotions.

Rigg and Kaitlin made a nice team as they efficiently put supper together. Two whole chickens were fried-a job Kate tackled. Rigg mixed biscuits for the oven and Kate also made gravy and then sliced fruit for a salad.

"You're a better cook than Sean led me to believe," Rigg commented at one point, when Sean and Joey had gone into the other room.

Kaitlin chuckled. "It's been slow in coming. The only thing I cook well is fish. One of these weekends I'm going to send Sean to the creek and then I'll be able to cook for you and your family for a change."

"Gil and Nate love to fish. I think they'd probably bring back enough for an army."

"I'11 have to mention it to your mother when we go for Marc. I can pick up the things I'll need this week."

Rigg didn't answer; he couldn't right then. It felt so right having Katie here, working beside him. He didn't want to get his hopes up but he was sure she was looking at him these days with different eyes. At first her eyes had been almost hostile and then had gone to guarded. And now they were changing from friendly to tender.

At least that's what Rigg thought. But that was the problem, the difference between thinking and knowing. He knew he still needed to bide his time or take the chance of destroying everything they had built between them.

Sean and Joey came back in just as supper preparations were complete. As they began to eat, it became apparent that Joey did not use utensils. Kaitlin felt deep compassion watching him dip his fingers in the gravy when his biscuit was gone.

When he picked up his plate, intent on licking it, Kate paid close attention to her own food, as did Sean. Rigg leaned close to Joey to instruct him in a few table manners. Spoons and forks were clearly a new concept to him, but in his eagerness to please, he gave them a try.

When Sean found out there was nothing for dessert at Rigg's, he suggested they go get Marcail and raid Mrs. Taylor's baked goods. Joey was again treated as one of the family and was not even asked if he wanted to go. The little boy stood in obvious indecision next to the wagon. Kate ignored his look.

"Climb in, Joey. Mrs. Taylor is the best baker I know. You don't want to miss out on her cookies."

Rigg swung Kate onto the seat and was pulling himself aboard when Joey jumped in the back with Sean.

Marcail was thrilled to see her sister and talked nonstop for the first ten minutes. It seemed that she and May had done a great many things that day and Marcail had had so much fun that she was determined to tell her oldest sibling about it in one breath.

Joey was introduced to the Taylor family and then followed Sean's signal to help himself to the cookies. Sean and Nathan were used to walking away with as many as they could carry. Joey was more circumspect.

"You may have more than one Joey." May smiled and held another cookie out to the little boy. He was cautious as he reached for it; he captured May's heart in that moment. His hair was hanging in his eyes and his clothes were torn and filthy.

"Gilbert and Nathan were pretty hard on clothes when they were your size, Joey," May began, and Joey looked at her strangely. "But they had occasional growth spurts where they outgrew the clothes before they could ruin them. I have a pair of pants and a shirt just about your size, if you'd like to have them."

As Joey had been doing the entire evening, he looked to Miss Donovan for approval. She smiled and nodded at Joey as though she'd never heard a better idea. May asked Joey to go upstairs with her. When they came down Joey was aglow in his new clothes, his old tucked under his arm. His face flushed when Kate made over him and his eyes were shining under her approval.

"Now Joey, I think I'd better get you home. While we're there I can check with your father to make sure it's all right for you to keep the new clothes."

It was quite plain that Kate's plan to take Joey home was news to Rigg. He looked thunderstruck, but Kate was telling Marcail to gather her doll and tea set and get to the wagon. She grasped Joey's hand, thanked May and sailed out the back door.

Nearly everyone followed their progress to the barn, Rigg with his eyes on Kate alone. Joey and Marcail were close to Bill as he hitched up the horses and Rigg was able to get Kaitlin alone. Putting his arm around her waist, he led her just outside the barn door. When they stopped he stood face-to-face in front of her with his hands behind his back, his whole body bent to speak directly into her upturned, attentive face.