Oklahoma's Gold (28 page)

"So, what does Higgins think of all this?"

* * *

Smash!
"I don't …"
Slam!
"want …"
Crash!
"to talk to anyone!" she screamed. Throwing everything her hands grabbed hold of, she turned the room into broken chaos. Her cousin held arms in front of her face to shelter from the flying debris.

"
Pero, Maria
," she pleaded. "
Necesitas hablar con el señor
." She bravely walked closer to her enraged cousin and whispered, "Maria, Señor Higgins, he is a nice man.
Por favor
?"

Maria breathed heavily as she tried to calm her anger. She was tired of all the questions. Why did they not leave her to mourn in peace? She would never understand the American attitude. Not even if she lived here forever. In her world, people mourned a loved one's passing. There was time for grieving. No one allowed this here, she thought bitterly. The Detective Higgins was a polite man. Her cousin was right. Yet, she knew why he was so nice to her. She was no fool. He just wanted to solve the case. At least he believed her, unlike that Sheriff Gentry. "
Stupido
," she muttered as she picked her way through the broken china and walked toward the door. Might as well see the
gringo
. He wouldn't go away. That much she knew by now.

Higgins was anxiously waiting on the front porch as Maria approached. "Mrs. Whitedeer." The detective stood up and with almost too much enthusiasm greeted her as Maria stepped out the door.

She held out her hand to shake his. "Señor Higgins."

"How are you feeling today?" he inquired.

"I am as well as could be expected," she answered rather stiffly. "Now, Señor, why do you come? I have told you all I know. And I am pleased to know you don't think of me as a hysterical woman who feels her husband has been murdered. Of course that hasn't changed, if that's why you're here. I still feel someone killed my Joseph." Her voice quivered.

Higgins shook his head. "No, Mrs. Whitedeer. That isn't the reason for my visit." His voice softened and his face became flushed with color. "I thought perhaps you might have, well … that is … you might consider havin' dinner with me so we could go over your story once more. Sometimes retellin' helps to recall facts you may have missed. Especially in a more relaxin' atmosphere?"

Maria started to decline, but then she hesitated. There was something about him that made her stop and think. His voice? His looks? She wasn't sure why, but she said yes. She would have dinner. "And I
may
talk about Joseph—if I feel up to it," she sniffed, and then excused herself to get ready.

Higgins watched her leave, smiling silly as a schoolboy. What was with him? This woman was as wild, hot tempered, contrite, and unpleasant as they come. Still, it attracted him. Her passion. That zest for life. He'd been missing that quality for a long time. For years now, since Gwen's death, he'd been numb. Like a robot, a bunch of mechanical pieces working through each day, he would do his job. Even the deaths he faced didn't bother him. It hurt now to think what he'd wasted. But looking at this woman reminded him of what once was. The young cop, fresh, enthused, ready to nab the bad guy, out to save and clean up the world. When did he lose him? He tried not to think of that now. It was too late to get him back, although he willed himself, promised himself just two weeks ago today, the day he came to Chickasha, that he would start new. Begin again. A brand new Higgins. He owed himself that. And if some special woman fit into that new picture, well, he'd like that, like it a lot. Stepping down off the back porch he sat on the bottom step and whistled. Something else he hadn't done in a long time.

* * *

"Emma. This is Doc Willis."

She gripped the phone tightly as she listened, fully expecting him to tell her Fred was out of his coma. She held her breath, afraid to let go.

"I have some rather disappointing news."

She released the air, but renewed her grip on the phone. The tests. They probably didn't show any change. That's okay though, she told herself. He was getting better. After all, he'd talked to her today, hadn't he? That had to mean he was getting better, she reasoned.

"I don't quite know how to say this, but Fred's had a bit of a relapse."

Relapse? She couldn't have heard him right. He couldn't have said relapse. Fred was getting better. She knew it because he talked to her today.

"There's less reflexive activity in his limbs, and lower blood pressure."

He was just resting then. That's all. Resting. He'd done so much today, talking and all. He'd tired himself out and needed rest. That's what it was.

"His brain activity seems to have diminished. I don't know, Emma. I just have a bad feeling about this. Maybe you should come back to visit, soon. You know, just in case."

In case what? What was he blabbering on about? Of course she would come back and visit Fred. She did every day. Twice, some days three times. Her legs suddenly weak, Emma sat down hard on the chair.

"Emma? Emmy, are you still there?"

Oh, lord in heaven. Please don't take away another one I love, she prayed, then carefully hung up the phone. "Fred, my dear Fred," she cried softly, burying her face in her hands.

Chapter 41

"I've never seen her work so hard." Daniel exclaimed to Jess as they watched Emma from the kitchen doorway. She had been helping Cora bake pies all morning. Scattered in between, were phone calls to various people involved with the fair. Then, she'd go out to the barn making sure the cattle and horses entries for the fair were being properly cared for. Although, as Daniel well knew, the hands always got the livestock ready, every year. No mistakes. Of course he and Jess understood why she was working beyond normal. She wouldn't talk about it. They had heard the news concerning Fred's condition. Daniel had called the hospital this morning. Stable, but no change.

"I keep thinking we should do something, but I don't know what," Jess said.

"That's because there's really nothing we can do, other than stay close by, in case she suddenly feels she does need us or wants to talk."

Jess nodded. He was right, of course. "So what's the deal about this fair?"

"Well, every year, near the end of August, Grady County has its fair and we are the lucky town to host it. It's just the usual fair stuff. You know, rides, tractor pulls, food, animal contests, the 4-H Club of course. Also, there's musical entertainment from local bands, usually country. Then there's our own special treat, Madame Zorda."

"Madame who?" Jess looked at Daniel, trying not to laugh.

"Madame Zorda, the fortune teller," he exclaimed, his eyes twinkling with amusement. "For just a dollar she will tell all there is to know about you and what's to come. It's really quite fascinating."

"Yeah, right," Jess laughed now. "And her real name is probably something like Carol Smith. When she's not reading palms, Carol works at the local drug store."

"Laugh all you want, but she rakes in more money than all the amusement rides sales put together. People enjoy it."

"But they don't take it seriously, right?"

He shrugged. "Some do, I guess. Of course I think it's all foolishness."

"Yeah, well maybe I'll just have to pay a visit. Hear what my future holds," she teased. "Wanna come along?"

Daniel just rolled his eyes and then looked over toward the barn. "Might as well go check on the entries. The four or five times Miss Emma went out might not be enough, you know."

"Nothing else to do, unless you want to help Cora bake pies." Jess smiled.

Daniel scoffed and walked toward the barn; Jess followed close behind.

* * *

"Just one dollar, folks! One dollar and three darts give you a chance to win a prize!" the man shouted as Jess, Daniel and the kids walked by.

Deek studied the shelves full of prizes, mostly stuffed animals. He frowned.
Sissy stuff
. He looked around for something better to spend his money on.

"Missy, come on." He tugged at her shirt as he eyed one of the rides. It looked like a great stomach churner. His favorite kind.

"Meet us back here in two hours!" Jess shouted after them. Deek just waved a hand to dismiss her order. He so wanted to be treated as an adult, Jess realized. However, it was tremendously hard for her to let go. She felt so responsible. She couldn't allow anything to happen to them. She'd made that vow, and it was a promise she would keep.

"Two hours!" she warned once more, her voice more stern this time, then turned to Daniel. "So what do you want to do?"

"Well, it's already noon. How about some lunch?"

She shook her head and laughed. "Is that all you think about?" She smacked his belly gently. "And still so thin!"

"Hey! I'll have you know food is a very big deal at this fair. People from all over the state come just to try Micky's chicken fried steak and homemade cream gravy," he defended.

"Okay. Okay. I believe you. And I agree to lunch, only if we stop by for some of those pies Cora and Miss Emma slaved over yesterday."

"Agreed. Let's go." He grabbed her arm and headed for one of the tents.

* * *

He'd been watching from the entrance gate to the tractor pull event. When the younger two ran off toward the rocket ride and the older two headed for the food tent. He'd watched all morning since they first arrived. That's all he could do. It wasn't much of a job, but he'd do it right.

Reaching in his pocket, he pulled out a lighter and cigarette pack. He didn't smoke much. Only when he was tense. His eyes narrowed as he watched the kids through a blue haze of smoke. They were running toward the far west end of the fair grounds. He glanced back once more at the food tent, then stepped forward and walked slowly in that direction west.

* * *

Jess looked at her watch once more, just to be certain she'd read the time correctly. "I know they're only fifteen minutes late, but fifteen minutes is fifteen minutes," she argued with Daniel.

"They probably just lost track." He took her by the shoulders and his eyes intensely sought hers. "Give them at least ten more minutes." She started to protest. "If they aren't back, we'll go to the first aid station and have them paged." He put his finger under her chin to lift her face. Once her eyes directly met his he added, "They are fine, Jess. It will be okay. I promise."

But Jess wasn't so sure. That panic feeling, like a hot, piercing, stabbing sensation in the pit of her stomach, it wouldn't go away. She was about to say something once more when Deek and Missy ran around the corner, nearly mowing her and Daniel down. Their faces were hot and flushed, their eyes wide with excitement. But not with fear, Jess realized and breathed easily once more. Once the anxiety she'd had disappeared, it quickly became replaced with anger.

"Do you realize you’re almost twenty minutes late? Where have you been?" she scolded.