“You’re more like her than you want to admit,” he responded quietly. Then his voice was suddenly loud and abrasive. “I don’t think you understand the kind of pressure I’m under. My boss wants that little item your mom gave to you.”
Lou’s voice was just as loud, despite the tremor that escaped with it. She punctuated each word. “I. Don’t. Know. What. You’re. Talking. About!”
“Black bag, Lou. I want what was in the black bag. Then I’ll walk away and never darken your door again.” He smirked at her.
“What if I can’t give it to you? What then? What will you do?” Lou sat forward and steeled herself. “How much do you want for it? The contents of the bag? What would make you happy?”
“Well, well. Little Miss High-and-Mighty has some money to throw around, huh?” He took another draw from his cigar.
“I have some savings. Tell me what you want.” She sounded surer than she felt. “I can get it.”
Lou relaxed visibly when he stepped back from the car.
“I’ll check with my boss and find out if there’s an amount that would be suitable. Then I’ll be in touch.”
“How long?”
He appeared to mull it over. “I’ll come and see you soon.”
He didn’t wait for her response but turned to go back to his own car. He tapped the back fender of the Jeep as he walked away.
Lou started the Jeep with a trembling hand and pulled out into the street. She drove home as fast as she could safely go and slammed on brakes in the driveway, throwing up a shower of gravel as she did so.
She jumped out of the Jeep, ran to the kitchen door, and walked in. Sadie, Jeb, and John were sitting at the kitchen table and were surprised by her entrance. She walked over to the table and sat down, looking each of them in the eye in turn. Calmly, she s
tated, “We need to talk.”
Lou recounted her experience to the only three people in the world who knew her history and where she came from. As they talked, Jeb admitted he was already aware something was going on as he pulled the last correspondence from Wes out of his pocket.
“Where did you get this?” she asked pointedly.
“You dropped it in the limo. The driver gave it to Brody and he gave it to me. I told him I would take care of it.”
Sadie rose to her feet and squared her shoulders. “That does it. I have been wanting to go and visit my sister. This seems like just as good a time as any.” She met eyes with Jeb across the table. “We’ll all go, take a little break, and get away for a while.”
Lou reached out and grabbed Sadie’s hand. She said softly, “That sounds like a grand plan, but I can’t run from this anymore. I have to stay here and see this through.”
John spoke up. “Well, if Lou stays, I’m not going. I’ll stay right here and take care of her.” They all looked down at his broken ankle that was even now propped on a pillow. “Well, I can at least offer moral support.” He blushed. “Besides, I have three mares all ready to foal and there is no way I can leave them,” he added with conviction.
“Then it looks like Sadie, Sarah, and I will be taking a short vacation,” Jeb said, smacking the table top lightly with the flat of his hand. Lou nodded solemnly, her only concern that Sarah should be as far from the farm as possible.
Sadie nodded, worry lines etched across her forehead. “We’ll leave on Sunday morning, if that plan is okay with the rest of you.”
“He won’t be back before then.”
“Then it’s settled,” Jeb stated.
“It’s settled,” Lou agreed, as she walked from the room.
****
As soon as Lou was safely out of earshot, Jeb removed his wallet from his back pocket and took a card from the sleeve. He picked up the phone and dialed. He said, “Brody, I know you probably aren’t even on the plane but give us a call when you come in. I need to discuss something with you.” He hung up and gazed solemnly at Sadie and John.“We might just need that boy’s help.”
“He was away for a long time and left just as fast. What makes you think he’ll want to come back so soon?” Sadie questioned.
“I think he has more that’s tying him to this ranch than just his mother. “
“And if it’s not?” Sadie wrung her hands.