A Soldier's Journey (14 page)

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

T
HE
SOUND
OF
gunfire erupted outside the operating tent. The team stopped in midmovement as if caught in a movie that had suddenly frozen in place.

Everyone but Jared, who was reconstructing a leg.

Khalid burst into the room, a gun in his hands and an expression she had never seen before on his face. He didn't say anything, just swung the automatic from one of the operating team to another, firing with rapidity, then toward her as if they hadn't just exchanged words about his family thirty minutes earlier.

Jared stepped in front and she felt the splash of blood...

Andy woke screaming. Joseph was whining and pawing at her with his foot. She was trembling and sweating and could barely breathe. She clung to the dog until she could breathe normally again. But when she looked at her hands, they still shook.

Joseph snuggled close, his tongue frantically trying to lick her. She buried her hands in his fur. Comforted by his unconditional love, she didn't move. Her shaking finally stopped as the last of the recurring nightmare faded away.

The result of yesterday's accident? She knew from experience she wouldn't go back to sleep. She padded to the kitchen to make coffee. It was still dark outside.

She wrapped a blanket around her and took the coffee to the porch. Nights were still cool, but she didn't want to stay within four walls where she felt...trapped.

The moon was nearly full and glimmers of light touched the mountains. Grasshoppers chirped but it seemed the rest of the world was silent. No planes arriving or taking off. No alarm declaring incoming wounded. No sandstorms or freezing nights and hell-hot days.

Then her thoughts turned to Jared. She hoped he was playing cards in heaven and keeping the angels busy.

He'd been smart, funny and ambitious. Like her, he'd traded years in the army and—it turned out—his life to become a doctor. He had been due to leave the service at the end of that last deployment.

Until they had fallen in love, she'd planned to stay in the service. She'd liked the challenges of military medicine. She especially liked the comradery of the entire team. They ate together, worked together and played together. Because she liked her job, she'd always been very careful never to get involved with a teammate.

But Jared had courted her from the time they had met. She had resisted until he asked her to go with him to a village to hold a children's clinic. He'd brought toys and supplies that he'd purchased with his own money. When other members of the team had discovered what he was doing, they all pitched in.

Watching him with children had melted every one of her defenses, and they'd started spending even more time together. Four weeks before the shooting he had asked her to marry him when their deployments ended...

She took a sip of coffee. It was cold. She'd been out here longer than she thought. She realized this was the first time she could think of Jared with a smile rather than intense grief.

The rising sun was sending streams of gold across the mountaintops, and her thoughts went back to Nate in the hospital. She wondered how he was faring this morning. Hurting but probably restless. He never seemed to stay still.

She remembered their conversation in Stephanie's van. They'd both probably said things they usually wouldn't say until they knew each other a lot better. She had been doing her best to keep him awake and in doing so had said more than she intended. She suspected he had done the same.

Divorced? The worst mistake he'd ever made? He was good-looking in a rugged way. He was obviously smart and easy to be with. He'd studied architecture but hadn't finished. Was that part of the mistake?

She went inside and helped herself to another cup of coffee. Joseph looked hopefully at the front door. “Shower first,” she said, “then walk.” His tail wagged eagerly.

She took a long shower, then looked at her laughable wardrobe options. Top of her list today was that shopping trip that had been interrupted yesterday. In the meantime, she resorted to an elderly T-shirt and jeans. When she finished dressing, she toasted two slices of bread and fixed Joseph breakfast. It disappeared in seconds.

What time did the stores open? Nine? Ten? She made a list of things she needed. Clothes. She wanted to see if any of the stores had a tablet or laptop that was affordable. Otherwise she would have to drive to Pueblo.

Nate was in Pueblo.

Better if you stay away
, she warned herself.

Joseph nudged her. He had his leash in his mouth.

“Okay,” she said. “A long walk.”

They walked past the community center. Not open yet. No one was in the park, either. There were a few cars driving through town. Cars were parked around Maude's. She noticed that Eve's pickup was parked in front of city hall.

She walked by the real estate office. The lights were on but she didn't see anyone inside. Maybe Al was in the back.

The general store was closed, but she peered in. A tall, full-bodied woman was walking around inside. She looked up, then hurried over to the door and unlocked it.

“You must be Andy Stuart,” she said. “Haven't heard of any other new folks in town.”

“I am,” Andy said. “Are you closed?”

“Putting in new stock, but if you need something, you just come on in. I heard how you took care of Nate yesterday. Is he all right?”

“The doctors are keeping him a few days, but everything looks good. Can I bring Joseph inside?”

“Sure. No one here but me,” the woman said. “I'm Heather. My husband owns the store. He'll be in later. What can I do for you?”

“Shirts and pants, mostly.”

“Blouses and shirts are on the left rack in back. Pants and skirts in the middle. Dresses on the right, although we don't have many in your size. You'll find T-shirts and jeans on the tables. There's also shorts. I'll just leave you to look while I go do some paperwork.”

Andy was startled at the selection. The dresses were obviously aimed at the older citizens in town, but the shirts were both fashionable and reasonably priced. She found three she liked, along with two simple T-shirts and three pairs of pants: blue, black and gray. She'd discovered long ago they were the foundation of any wardrobe.

“Do you have any laptops?” she said.

“We have a few,” Heather said. “They're fine, but the internet is still pretty spotty around here. I doubt it's available at the cabin, although we do have it at the community center.”

Andy glanced at the selection, then decided to use the ones at the community center. She could always write in longhand at home.

With packages in her arms, she decided to head back to the cabin. She passed the Presbyterian church and stopped to read the historical marker in front: Founded by Angus Monroe, 1865.

She looked at the church. It was a pretty white building with a tall steeple and bell. The architecture was simple with clean lines. It did not look like 1865.

The doors were open and on a whim she decided to go inside.

An older, nice-looking man approached her. He held out his hand. “I'm Reverend Barrett, the pastor here. Welcome. What can I do for you?”

“Hello. I'm Andy Stuart. I'm staying in the Manning cabin, and I wondered if you can help me. I saw the marker outside, and Mrs. Rowland said you have Angus Monroe's Bible.”

He smiled. “Obviously this building isn't the one that he had built. That burned down in 1950. But the church family remained and this building was constructed on the same ground as the original, so we still claim him. And yes, we do have his Bible here. Al Monroe's grandmother gave it to us for safekeeping after the fire. We now have it in an airtight, fireproof safe. You are welcome to look at it as long as someone is with you.”

“Is someone available now?”

“I am, for the next hour. The safe is in our library, and I can work on my sermon while you look at it.”

“Thank you,” she said.

“I'm happy someone is interested in the Bible.” He led the way out of the sanctuary and down the hall to a room lined with books. There were several tables along with chairs.

He opened up a cabinet and then the safe. Reverently, he took out a weathered-looking Bible. “This came from Scotland. It was the family Bible dating back to the 1700s. It's the one thing he held on to during the trek west.”

The minister placed the Bible on a table, opened it and pointed to an entry. “This is Angus's first entry in this country. You might start there.”

He left it with her and went to another table, where he worked on a laptop.

She stared down at the handwriting. There was a flourish to every letter, but it was surprisingly readable.

Died: Liam Monroe this 7th day of April, 1849, of drowning. God keep his soul.

The next entry was happier.

Wedded: Angus Monroe to Chiweta this 20th day of August, 1852.

Born: of Chiweta and Angus Monroe, a daughter, Lorna, this 15th day of July, 1853.

Born: of Chiweta and Angus Monroe, a daughter, Jenna, this 6th day of May, 1854.

Born: of Chiweta and Angus Monroe, a son, Liam, this 5th day of April, 1856.

Died: Chiweta Monroe, this 5th day of April, 1856.

There was nothing after that.

“I wonder why there's no entries after the last one,” she said.

“I've wondered that myself. You might ask the family.”

She closed the Bible and stood. “Thank you,” she said.

“Come and see me again,” he said. “You're invited to the services.”

She just nodded her head. Since Jared died, she'd not attended a church service.

She and Joseph left. She looked at her watch. It only eleven. Her appointment at the Monroes' was at two. She didn't want to go to Maude's. There would be too many questions about Nate.

She and Joseph headed toward the cabin. They had gone halfway when Bill Evans pulled up in a car. “You look loaded. Can I give you a lift?”

She nodded. The package of clothes was getting heavier with every step, and not being able to use her left hand made it awkward.

She opened up the back door and Joseph hopped in, then she stepped in the front passenger seat.

“Going home from the looks of it,” he said.

Home.
She still didn't consider it that.

She nodded.

“I hear you helped Nate yesterday. Whole town is grateful. I checked with the doc this morning. He said reports from the hospital were good.”

“They're still keeping him there for a day or two.”

“Knowing Nate, I'm surprised they didn't have to tie him down, but I'm not surprised he was helping Mrs. Byars.”

She didn't say anything. Nate was in her head. He occupied way too much of it already.

Then they were at the cabin. Bill got out and went around and picked up her package. “Heavy.”

“Hey, there's a whole wardrobe in there,” she replied.

He took it up the porch. “I'll see you at the community center,” he said as he left.

She put the package in her bedroom and transferred the tops to hangers in the closet and the pants to the dresser. She left one of each on a chair. At least she had something decent to wear to the Monroes'. The phone rang.

She picked it up. “Hi,” Eve said. “Just wanted to let you know Nate is doing fine. He wanted to come home, but I convinced him that you might leave town if you had to doctor him again. That worked.”

“That is Machiavellian,” Andy said. She didn't add that she was beginning to expect that of Eve.

“I know,” Eve said, sounding very pleased with herself. “I'm a politician, remember.”

“Thanks for letting me know he's staying.”

“You're welcome. I heard you met with Al.”

“It's rather amazing,” she said. “I went to his office Monday morning and he invited me for dinner Monday night. I think he believes it will help his wife. I'm going over at two today to look at some letters and other items they have.”

“I'm impressed,” Eve said.

“I really like them,” she said.

“Al does have his good points,” Eve replied.

“He really seems to love his wife.”

“I don't doubt it,” Eve said. “I've always admired him for that. Please don't forget, if you need anything...”

“I was happily surprised by the general store and the clothes they stock.”

“Heather has good taste,” Eve replied. “If I hear anything more about Nate, I'll call you, unless you want to run up there and see him.” She hung up before Andy could say anything.

Andy showered and dressed in a new light blue blouse and blue pants. She then made a sandwich from the cold cuts in the fridge and ate it outside on the porch.

When she glanced at her watch, she was surprised it was nearly two.

“Ready to go?” she asked Joseph. He had, after all, been invited.

The dog wagged his tail and went to the door. She grabbed his lead and followed him.

* * *

E
LENA
OPENED
THE
door before Andy could ring the bell. “Miss Stuart, Mrs. Monroe is expecting you in the garden room.”

After greeting Joseph, Elena led the way through the living room toward the back of the house and into a room surrounded on three sides by ceiling-to-floor windows. The sun streamed in, nourishing the many varieties of flowers and plants lining the sides. Mrs. Monroe sat at a glass table piled with folders and bound volumes. The woman started to stand as Andy entered the room.

“Please don't get up, Mrs. Monroe,” Andy said. “I need a minute to absorb this. It's really lovely.”

Mrs. Monroe slipped back in the chair, and Andy noticed she did so with relief. Her skin was too pale despite the powder obviously intended to cover the fact. “Elena and I planted them. I love flowers, and this is my favorite room.” Then her gaze turned to Joseph. “He's a handsome dog.”