“Does it matter? He didn’t bother with a defense, although his attorney insisted it was self-defense, but evidently, Viper was found over the body in the woods where Viper had dragged him. He’d beaten the guy to death.”
I took a sharp breath, holding it in my lungs.
“I’m sorry. Dad didn’t think to discover too many details. He just knew that having Viper in town could be dangerous.”
“Then why the hell is he out? Huh?”
“I know you’re angry with me,” she managed. “I just worry about you.”
“Well, stop. I’m a big girl. Okay? Whatever he did, he paid for. He’s trying to get his life back in order now.” The anger only grew. So did the disappointment. Why hadn’t he at least told me? Why? Oh, this was a nightmare I didn’t need.
“Honey, he could be dangerous.”
“My own goddamn godfather wanted him on the smokejumper program. Are you going to tell me he would dare put a horrible monster in our community?”
“Like I said, I knew you’d be angry, but just think about it.”
“No, Darlene. I understand the decision I made was impetuous, but you had no right to go behind my back. None. Now, I just need a little time to process this. Myself.” What I needed was to have a long discussion with Viper. There had to be a reason he didn’t even try to defend himself. “You don’t know him like I do.”
“And you don’t know him. Not really. Do you?”
God. Why was a tear sliding down my face? I was a big girl. I was an excellent judge of character. With the exception of my last boyfriend who wasn’t worth talking about. “For about a dozen reasons, I’m feeling a little unhinged right about now. Not only because I suffered the humiliation of finding out my boyfriend had been cheating on me since the beginning of our less than illustrious relationship. Not simply because my parents suffered in their deaths, the son of a bitch responsible for what happened yet to be found with the police less than interested. Not even because a man I finally connected with might be a killer. And to add icing to the cake, my best friend, the one person I thought I could count on went behind my back.”
“Grace. Come on. Don’t say it like that.”
“Like I said. I need a little time to think this through. Okay? So, I’m going home and opening a big bottle of wine and I’m going to paint my fingers off. Maybe we’ll talk tomorrow after I calm down. Maybe we won’t.” I wasn’t the kind of girl to hang up on anyone. Oops. There went another little change in my personality.
I drove home with no music on, no real thoughts in my head. I was furious, enough so that I wasn’t certain how I should handle the situation. What I would do was discover the truth. Somehow. Someway. I would. When I put my head to something, I usually accomplished my task.
The dogs were happy to see me, but Viper’s truck wasn’t anywhere that I could see it. Maybe a tiny part of me was disappointed. I’d learned a long time ago that everyone had a story. While there were people born with silver spoons in their mouths and trust funds doubling every day even before they were a thought in their parents’ eyes, that didn’t mean they were happy or hadn’t faced difficulties.
A part of me wanted to know Viper’s. Another didn’t because I had a story of my own that had kept me on a plateau of uncertainty since I’d returned. I’d been holding onto the past and my guess was that all Viper wanted to do was let go of his.
Not tell some chick he’d had sex with once why he’d killed a man with his bare hands.
While the pups did their business and did zoomies around the yard, I walked toward the corral, thinking about the little fawn. Viper had been so happy to see the deer in the yard. So had I.
I leaned on the fence, enjoying watching Thor taunt the other two horses. Creatures were nurturing souls, animals more so than most humans. My mother used to say I had a baby soul, incapable of stabbing anyone in the back. Maybe that was true then, but not any longer. I was ready to be ferocious on both the inside and out.
At least the ranch was offering some peace and I’d thought I’d need to sell the place. Thank God I hadn’t.
Whatever the story with Viper, I was drawn to him like a magnet. There had to be something to say for that. Instinct or a woman’s intuition. He simply made me feel beautiful during a time in my life where I felt very plain.
With my eyes closed, I enjoyed the light breeze and scent of the rosebush my mother had babied from day one. White roses had been her favorite.
The crunch of tires on the driveway had a dual effect. Butterflies in my stomach and a sense of fear that something horrible was about to happen. With my fists clenched, I turned around and immediately frowned.
Landen.
Two times in a few days wasn’t necessarily in my best interest. Then I remembered what I was supposed to be doing on Sunday.
Baking a carrot cake and dropping by his house. Shit. Shit. Shit.
He was in his training uniform, which meant whatever he had to tell me couldn’t wait. He’d been an icon of the smokejumper group, continuing on with the path of fighting fires when my father hadn’t been able to tolerate the business after 9/11, his determination more about beating the evil of fire.
According to him, the element was a living and breathing animal as well.
I remained where I was, watching as Ellie May and Sailor greeted him. Sailor was already thriving even after only a couple of days. Maybe in my mind, I was fighting my own demons by saving lives that often had no voice.
