Jake (38 page)

His tone lowered. Softened. “Once we found the remains, we sent them to a lab for positive identification. Because she didn’t want to worry any of you unnecessarily, Meg managed to find intimate objects used by Seraphine, and Patrick Flannery’s nephew, his only living relative, was able to send us what little he could of his uncle’s things. The lab has determined that the remains are, without a doubt, Patrick Flannery and Seraphine Cramer Conway. Flannery’s nephew has claimed his uncle’s remains, though he’d long ago lost track of his reclusive uncle. And this—” Raven handed Cole a thick, padded envelope “—is what we were able to recover from the crash site. There was a shoe. Remnants of clothing. Seraphine’s purse had decayed over the years, but a small enamel-covered notebook that had been inside a zippered pocket of the purse still bears her smeared, handwritten notes, which she’d apparently written before leaving home.”

Cole withdrew the notebook with a drawing of a dancer on the enamel cover. His voice was so raw, he had to clear his throat several times before he could manage to speak. “I gave Seraphine this notebook on our first anniversary. She loved it and always carried it with her.” He opened it and could almost make out a few of the handwritten words
—dozen helium balloons
.

Raven glanced at Everett. “The lab has returned the remains on which they’d run the DNA tests. Flannery’s remains are on their way to his nephew in Idaho. And Chief Fletcher has Seraphine’s remains in his car.”

The chief nodded. “They’re in a box. I know you’ll treasure them, Cole.” He crossed the room and had to stop and swallow the knot of emotion in his throat. “I’m sorry. I wish…” He shrugged. “I guess we all wished for something else, but at least now, finally, you know.”

Cole sat holding the small enamel notebook in both hands, staring at it as though seeing the face of the woman who’d loved it so. The woman who’d owned his heart, whose memory had teased and taunted him for all these long years.

Raven glanced at Meg before saying, “I’m really sorry to be the bearer of this news. But I’m proud of my operatives. They found what the authorities hadn’t found in twenty-five years. And though it isn’t what we’d hoped for, the case of Seraphine Cramer Conway is now, sadly, closed.”

He handed Cole the file containing all the notes before saying, “I’ll see myself out.”

Meg got up and hurried after him.

A short time later, after the family had shed their tears and comforted one another, they formed a solemn procession to the police chief’s car. He lifted the box of remains from the backseat and handed them to Cole.

Big Jim kept his hand on Cole’s shoulder as the entire family climbed the hill and chose a spot near Clementine and her five sons for a proper burial.

It was a fine day, with the sun so bright it hurt to look at it. Quinn, Josh, and Jake had been up on the hill early that morning to dig into the rich earth beside the graves of Clementine and her five infant sons.

When Reverend Cornell arrived, the Conway family climbed the hill to watch as Cole placed a small, ornate metal box in the open grave. Inside the box were Seraphine’s bones, along with a shoe, some remnants of now-faded fabric, and the lovely enamel notebook with the picture of a dancer on the cover. Cole removed the wedding band from his finger and kissed it before placing it inside.

Reverend Cornell read from a book of prayers and blessed the box before stepping back to allow Cole and his three sons to each toss a shovel of earth over the box. When it was completely covered, they patted the soil smooth and rolled a length of sod over the dirt.

Big Jim used a Bobcat to hoist the smooth marble headstone into place.

Cole ran a hand over it before reading aloud the words:

SERAPHINE CRAMER CONWAY

BELOVED WIFE

DEVOTED MOTHER

SWEET DREAMER

SHE DANCES NOW WITH THE ANGELS

As Big Jim climbed down from the Bobcat, Meg and Cory, who had remained behind the others, stepped forward. “What’s this?” he said.

“Balloons.” Cory glanced shyly at Meg. “We thought Jake’s mom would be happy if he finally got his birthday balloons.”

Cory and Meg handed Jake a blue helium-filled balloon, before passing the rest around to the others.

When everyone was holding one, Ela stepped forward and touched a hand to the headstone. “I feel Seraphine’s spirit in this place.” She looked upon the grave. “She is at rest now. At long last, she has come home, and she is at peace.”

The family released the balloons and they lifted into the air, soaring higher and higher until they were mere specks on the horizon.

When they had completely disappeared, Ela gave a satisfied nod before turning and walking away.

Slowly, one by one, the others did the same until only Cole and his three sons remained.

By the time they all returned to the house, they seemed filled with a rare sense of peace.

Cole found Meg and dropped an arm around her shoulders. “I can never thank you enough for what you did.”

Her eyes filled with tears. “I know how I suffered for those hours that Cory was missing. It made me realize how much you’ve suffered all these long, endless years. I couldn’t bear that you should have to go on any longer, without knowing.”

He kissed her cheek, and then, as had been his custom for so long, turned away, intending to go off to the barn alone.

Seeing Phoebe scrubbing the countertop, he changed course, walked to her, and gently removed the damp cloth from her hand. Caught by surprise, her head came up sharply until he bent close to whisper something.

Moments later Cole and Phoebe walked outside. Halfway up the hill he could be seen sliding an arm around her shoulders as they continued the climb, their heads bent in quiet conversation.

Chapter Thirty-Two

Meg remained at the Conway ranch for several more days. While she quietly helped with chores, her mind was working feverishly. Not wanting to intrude on the family’s shock and grief, she kept her thoughts to herself as Jake’s wounds mended, as tears were shed, as hearts broken for so long slowly began to heal.

On the final day of her stay at the Conway ranch, Meg gently removed the dressing at Jake’s shoulder while he lay on his bed, stripped to the waist, his jeans riding low on his hips.

“No sign of infection. I think Dr. Walton will be pleased.” She applied ointment before adding a fresh dressing.

Jake pillowed his head on his other arm. “Haven’t you figured out by now that I’m too tough to get an infection?” As she cut a strip of gauze he studied her. “I heard you pacing through the night.”

“Sorry. I didn’t mean to disturb you.”

He caught her hand. “You’re always going to disturb me, Meg. Don’t you know that by now? Tell me what’s bothering you.”

She sat back, refusing to meet his eyes. “Lately I’ve begun to feel…to feel like I’m losing myself. I don’t know who I am anymore. In D.C. I was a tough trial lawyer, a career woman with no thought of settling down and taking care of anyone but myself. Here I’m a rancher with a little brother who has no one but me.”

Restless, she set aside the scissors, walked to the bedroom window, and stared broodingly at the Tetons in the distance. “I need to take control of my life again. I need to face up to some tough decisions.”

“Like what?” He swung his legs to the floor and sat watching her as he pulled on his shirt.

“Like where Cory and I are going to live. And what we intend to do going forward. I owe it to the firm to let them know if I’m in or out. And I owe it to Cory to give him a chance to compare life here with the kind of life he could have in the city.”

“You’re going to D.C.?”

She kept her face averted. “Cory and I have talked it over. It’s only fair that he get a chance to look at all the options. Who knows? Maybe he’ll fall in love with the big city.”

Jake shoved a hand through his hair. “What about the ranch?”

“I’ll be leaving it in Yancy’s capable hands. He’s already signed on through the rest of the season. By then I’ll have a better idea of how I want to proceed going forward.”

“Does going forward include you and me?”

She turned to meet his look. “You…matter to me, Jake. I’ll miss you terribly.” Seeing his face, as dark as a thundercloud, made her lift her chin in that way she had when dealing with unpleasant things. “But I need to do this.”

“It sounds as though you’ve given this a lot of thought. How long before you leave.”

“Today.”

“Today? Isn’t that awfully sudden? What about plane reservations?”

“The firm is sending its plane.”

Jake’s tone was sharper than usual. “Sending the big guns, I see.”

Meg nodded. “As you once reminded me, I need to consider my own problems in the same way I would a client’s problems. I’ve already taken a hard look at the life I left when I was a girl here. Now it’s time to revisit the life I made for myself, so that I can decide where I should be.”

“And Cory?” Jake’s tone was curt.

“Whatever we decide, we’ll do it together. Cory’s vote will carry as much weight as mine.”

“And he’s okay with this?”

Meg shrugged. “I’ve promised him that if he’s not happy in the city, we can always come back here.”

“The last time you left, it took you twenty years to come back. You’re running away, Meg. Just the way you did when you were a kid. Only things are different now. I’m not your father. I won’t call and beg you to come back. And I won’t write you hundreds of letters, either. But, like Porter, I guess all I can do is hope you figure things out before it’s too late.”

“Jake—” Before Meg could say more, he spun away, ending any further conversation.

Downstairs, Meg squared her shoulders, prepared to face Jake’s obvious anger while she told his family of her plans. Instead, his chair at the table was vacant.

Over breakfast she told the Conway family what she’d already told Jake. Though they expressed sorrow that she and Cory were leaving, their reaction was much more accepting.

“You do what you have to, sweetheart,” Big Jim said. “After all you did for us, you deserve to take as much time as you need to decide your future.”

“Thank you, Big Jim.”

After she and Cory went upstairs to pack their things, Big Jim glanced around at his family before turning to Cole. “That explains why Jake skipped breakfast to work in the barn. I guess he learned from watching you all these years that hard, physical work was the best release from a mind in turmoil.”

Meg carried her overnight bag downstairs and paused in the kitchen to bid good-bye to the Conway family. After many emotional hugs and kisses, Meg looked around. “Where’s Cory?”

“He’s already packed and out in the barn with Jake,” Phoebe said.

“Then I’d better get going.”

Phoebe hugged her fiercely. “I’m so happy to see that you and Cory are already becoming a family.”

“Thank you, Phoebe. We’re working at it. And thanks so much for making us feel at home here.”

“I hope you’ll always consider this your second home.”

Meg turned to Ela, who opened her arms wide. “You’ve been so good to both of us,” Meg whispered against her parchment-like cheek. “And especially to Cory.”

“With such a sweet boy, it is easy to be good to him. And I know you will be a loving big sister to him.”

“I hope you’re right. I don’t have any experience at being a sister, but I guess I’ll learn as I go along.”

Ela handed her a heavy bag. At Meg’s questioning look she laughed. “We could not send you away without food. Roast beef. Corn bread. And chocolate chip cookies for Cory to eat on the plane.”

“Thank you.” Meg blew them a kiss.

“Meg…” Phoebe drew her close to press a kiss to her cheek. “I hope…I hope you’ll find what you need in the city. And that if you don’t, you’ll come back. You mean the world to all of us, and to one of us in particular.”

Meg sighed. “I wish I could be in two places at once. I want to be here with Ja—with all of you. But I need to do this. The decisions I make now won’t just affect me. I have to consider what’s best for Cory, too.”

“I know you’ll make the right decisions for both of you,” Phoebe whispered against her cheek.

Outside, Jake and Cory had their heads together, talking in low tones. When Meg got close, Jake took her bag from her hand and stowed it in the back of the truck.

The drive to Paintbrush, which had always seemed so long, flew by in what seemed minutes. A few minutes more and their luggage was being loaded aboard the firm’s sleek private jet.

“Wow.” Cory’s eyes went wide with disbelief. “We’re flying in that?”

“Yeah. What do you think?” Meg grinned as the boy’s gaze was riveted on the smartly uniformed pilot and copilot just stepping aboard.

Cory ducked his head and caught Jake’s hand. “Can I text you?”

“Every hour if you’d like.”

“You’ll take care of Shadow for me?”

“Like he was my own.” Jake drew the boy close for a hard hug before watching him start toward the plane.

He turned to Meg. “You don’t have to do this.”

“I do, Jake. I wish…” She was clasping and unclasping her hands. “I wish you could go with us, but I know that’s not possible.”

“I’d be a fish out of water. But you…” He managed a lopsided grin. “You’ll be back in your element. And who knows? If Cory’s reaction to the plane is any indication, he just may find himself fitting into the big city like he was born to it.”

She got up on tiptoe and gave him a quick kiss on the lips. “I won’t promise to text you every day, but I will call, Jake.”

He made no effort to return her kiss. “Don’t make empty promises, Meg. Just…be happy.”

“That’s all I want. And I want it for you, too.”

Before the tears could spill over, she hurried toward the plane.

Minutes later the ramp was pulled up and the door closed. With a roar the small plane taxied down the runway and then lifted into the air.

Long after it was airborne, Jake remained beside his truck, staring at the empty sky.

Cole looked around the breakfast table. “Where’s Jake?”