Only Witness, The (26 page)

              “So, in order to change and run properly, the two of you will need somewhere with woods, rural would be best.” Vera picked up one of the folders, her expression serious as she took out the map.

              “The three of us will,” Deacon corrected her.

              “I'm good with anywhere but Florida.” Houdini told them as he laid back on the grass. “Fuck Florida.”

              “I'd never have suggested Florida,” Deacon told him. “Nothing down south, let's stay up north.”

              “Wyoming.” Susan spoke up. “It's got woods and mountains. Gets cold but we should be able to deal with it. I've heard that it's pretty there.”

              “Works for me.” Houdini was still on his back looking up at the sky. “Put our money together and get a nice place. Figure out something for work once we get there.”

              “Vera?” Deacon looked over at her.

              “Sure,” she replied with a smile. “Seems as good a place as any.”

              “Alright, Wyoming it is. We should get online, check out some places.” He decided that he'd figure out a way to leave that to people more technologically inclined than himself.

              “Actually,” Vera cleared her throat. “We need to figure out what we've got to spend and we should all figure out how much we can comfortably kick in while maintaining enough money to support ourselves for a few months, in case the jobs don't happen immediately. Also there's the fact we've all got to replace everything we had,” her voice cracked slightly, “there's clothing and toiletries and all sorts of things we won't think about until we need them.”

              “Baby,” Deacon grabbed her hand. “It's going to be okay.”

              “I didn't say that it wasn't,” she replied. “I'm just pointing out what needs to be done. I can do it, figure out the house and everything else. I just need the figures.”

              “I can live off two grand for three months,” Houdini piped up. “So whatever else there is, it's for the fund.”

              “I'd need a cushion of about ten grand just to feel covered.” Susan offered. “Everything else, I'm in.”

              “Same for me,” Deacon replied. “You figure out what you need, Vera, and then have at it. I'm sure there's a computer in the house.”

              “I can use my laptop. It's in my purse.” Vera replied as she gathered up the folders. “I should head in and do that, like you said we don't have much time.”

              “Do you need a hand?” Susan asked.

              “No, she's good.” Houdini sat up. “I need a hand with something, though. I need a run and a partner for it.”

              “Fine, but you'd better be able to keep up. I'm not stopping for you. I'll need to change.”

              Houdini popped to his feet with grace that defied his size. “I'll race you there.”

              Deacon watched with amusement as Houdini took off with Susan right on his heels. “Think that they slept together yet?”

              “Nope,” Vera replied. “But I'm guessing it's going to happen very soon.” Slowly she got to her feet. “Will you hang out with me while I work? I guess I'm not all the way comfortable in the house by myself.”

              “It's only one more night, Baby, then we'll be on our way to our new home.” Deacon rose to his feet, walked over to her and took her hand in his. “I need you to do one thing for me Vera, one little thing.”

              “What's that?”

              “Relax. Take a couple of deep breaths. Remember that we're going to get through this, all the way through it.” Deep inside of him he locked down the thought that he shared with Vera, the thought that this last ditch effort might be futile. In less than a month he could lose the woman he loved more than anything.

              Vera squeezed his hand. “I love you, Deacon, that's what's important. I love you more than I can ever say.”

              “Marry me?”

              “Wait, what?” Vera stopped walking, eyes wide.

              “I said, will you marry me?” Deacon hid his grin with effort at the feelings he felt raging off of her. Feelings that ranged from thrilled to scared. Her silence gave him pause. Was loving him enough to overcome everything that she had rolling around inside of her? “Fuck, Baby, say something.”

              “You really want to marry me?”

              That's when Deacon realized the surprise she felt wasn't the impromptu nature of the proposal; no, it was because she couldn't wrap her mind around the fact he wanted to marry her. “That would be why I asked. I know that it's sudden, I get that. You don't have to answer now. You could take some time and think.”

              “Yes.”

              “Alright, take all the time that you need. There's no pressure, Vera, never any pressure from me.”

              “No, I didn't mean that I need time.” Vera swallowed hard, her hands shaking as she gripped his hand tightly. “I'll be more clear. Yes, Deacon Hawke, I will marry you. There's just one thing.”

              Deacon's heart had been soaring and now it sank, because he couldn't imagine a good condition attached to a proposal that he'd made without even a ring. He wanted her to have the ring that his grandmother, his father's mother, had worn for her entire marriage but giving it to her wasn't possible. The ring, and so many other things that he could never replace, was still in Center City.

              “Deke? Did you hear me?”

              “What's the condition, Vera?” He knew that his voice had an edge to it, a coolness that he didn't intend but couldn't really control. “We wait until after the wolf moon to see what happens?”

              “No,” Vera replied, the smile was still on her face, but it was more nerves than excitement. “I was just going to say that I want to do it as soon as possible. I need to look for a Justice of the Peace or something.” She let out a deep sight. “I know that it's probably not possible, I mean you're a wanted man and putting your name into the system would just be like drawing a map for Chief Will.”

              “There are other ways to get married,” Deacon pointed out. “How about you take care of the details of our place to live and I take care of the details of the wedding?” He nearly laughed at her expression; details were something that Vera enjoyed. “Or we can do it together.”

              “No, I'll work on Wyoming and you'll work on the wedding.” Vera smiled brightly up at him.

              In that moment, despite everything, all was right in the world. Deacon had never seen anyone as beautiful as Vera, especially right now, with the way that she was looking at him. He'd give her a wedding, even if it wasn't the grand event she deserved.

Chapter TWENTY-TWO

              River Rock, Wyoming was a rural town. It was everything that they needed, small enough to be private but large enough for the four of them to stick out like sore thumbs. Vera had gone back and forth over the numbers for hours, found a figure that left them all more money than they'd said they would need for three months of no work and allowed for Houdini and Deacon to buy whatever bikes they desired.

              Searching for a place that would be big enough to accommodate them all, fit within their budget and had unrestricted access to a large span of forest was challenging. Vera knew that Deacon was bored, but he stayed there with her, snacking on whatever Esther brought them out of the kitchen. She'd told him to take a break after a few hours and he'd gone outside.

              Finally she found a place and it was perfect. Three bedroom house set on twenty acres that included woods and a stream. There were also two other buildings on the property; it wasn't important what they were, because they could be anything. Twenty acres would give Deacon and Susan plenty of space to run. Three bedrooms meant that they could all live under the same roof. And the best part was they had enough money to pay for it.

              The only thing that bothered her was that she, even with putting the majority of her reserved money in, was putting in the least amount. Even if she put back the money to live on, she was still way lower than the rest of them.

              Vera rested her head on her hands, the majority of her money was invested in New To You. It had been her grand plan not to get rich but to be comfortable, maybe even expanding the store to carry artisan items from the town. Her focus had been so set, her desire strong enough to be willing to live on ramen for as long as it took, she had never even considered that something she wanted more would come along.

              A light knock sounded on the open door and Vera looked up to see Houdini. “Hey.”

              “Hey yourself, what's up?”

              “I need you to come with me, now.” His face was expressionless, hands clasped in front of him. “Leave the computer, Vera, come on.”

              Vera shut the laptop, jumped to her feet. One thought filled her head, consumed her. Had something happened to Deke? “What happened? Damn it, Houdini, talk to me.”

              “We've got to go outside,” he reached out and grabbed her hand. “Need you to move it a little faster.”

              Vera couldn't get a full breath in, but she began to move to match Houdini's pace. She pulled ahead of him when she realized that they were heading out the back door. Had whoever attacked her come here? Was it someone else? What is a Stray? Were they all in danger? The thoughts consumed her entire mind enough that she stumbled down the back stairs, hit the muddy ground, but she managed to use her hands to stop her from going face first.

              “DEKE!” Vera got to her feet, ran forward and stopped at the sound of a twig cracking. “DEKE! Where are you? Damn it, where are YOU!?”

              “Right here,” his voice came from behind her. Vera whirled around, grabbed his shirt with her muddy hands because he was that close.

              “You scared me, twice! Where were you? What's going on? Why did Houdini come get me?” Her fingers ached from holding the tee so tightly. “Deke?” Vera didn't know why he wasn't answering her, but it was really starting to freak her out.

              “I did it.” He smiled down at her, brought his hand up to move her hair out of her face.

              “Did what?” Vera frowned; she couldn't read a thing from him. “What?” She was going to put her foot up his ass for blocking her after they'd promised honesty.

              “The wedding, I did it. Figured it all out.” Deacon couldn't help but grin now. “Didn't figure on you tripping down the stairs and covering us both in mud, though.”

              “Why does that matter?”

              “Doesn't really matter to me,” he replied. “But I figured you might not want to be covered in mud when we get married.”

              “We're not getting married covered in mud.” Vera felt like she was missing something, but she couldn't put her finger on it.

              “We are if we get married right now. Turned out Lina knows someone who has agreed to perform the ceremony right here on the property, in the barn. I figured we'd keep it casual, but I'm not sure you're comfortable with this casual.”

              “I'd marry you covered in mud,” Vera replied, “I'd rather change first, but I would if you wanted to.”

              “Go change, there's a surprise in the room for you. Don't take too long, though, I don't want to wait to marry you any longer than I have to.”

              “Five minutes. It's not like I've got a lot of outfits to choose from.” Vera threw herself at Deacon and kissed him hard. “Are you going to change your shirt?”

              Deacon laughed. “Yes, I'm going to change my shirt.”

<#<#>#>#>#

              Vera stared at the dress and flowers. “How the hell did he pull this off?” Vera glanced over at Susan, who was touching up her mascara.

              “Esther,” her friend replied with a laugh. “He asked if she could maybe make a cake and it snowballed. The dress was mine. It was in my bag because I'd just bought it.”

              “It's beautiful, Susan, thank you.” It was a lovely dress, looking deceptively simple when it was laid out on the bed, but now that it was on her it was perfect. She didn't mind the fact that it was black; she'd never been the white dress type anyway.

              “I have... I mean I had a work thing, and I liked it. I just wish I'd gone shoe shopping that day, too.”

              “I don't need shoes,” Vera fussed with her hair, though she was sure that she shouldn't bother. Hair styling was not her strong suit. “I need a miracle to make my hair look decent.”

              “Sit,” Susan told her. “I'll do a braid, it'll be better to keep your hair off of your back anyway. How's the pain?”

              “It doesn't hurt as much as I thought it would,” Vera replied. “It's like the more I accept the bond I have with Deke, the less pain there is except...”

              “Except what?”

              “It hurts more when he puts the ointment on my back, more than it did with Adelaide. You can't tell him. You can never tell him.”

              “I promise I won't, but you should. I could do the ointment.”

              “No,” Vera shook her head. “He wants to do it. It's important to him. Besides, it fades quickly after, very quickly. I shouldn't have even said anything, just forget it.”

              “I won't say anything, I promise.”

              “Thanks, I'm just all in a tizzy. Everything is just...” Vera sighed. “I should be happy, and I am, but I also have this feeling that the bad isn't over.”

              “That bad is never over, it comes and goes. The good times, they're how we make it through the bad. The good times and the good people. This is a good time, and you're with good people, so relax, enjoy your wedding. Doctor's orders.”

              “We're really good friends, right?” Vera had one more thing that she needed to ask before she could even contemplate relaxing.

              “Of course we are, why do you ask?”