Leaving Liberty (33 page)

           
“Ok, let’s grab the lowest books.” Nita was right there, pulling armfuls of
books from the shelves that sat on the carpet and stacking them onto the top of
the chest high ranges. Daisy joined in, working furiously. The water spread to
the middle of the floor and started to rise. She felt it suck at her shoes, at
her ankles.

           
The last lower shelf was emptied and she started on the next one higher. Her
hands ached, one of her fingernails was torn and bleeding, and still the water
came.

           
“You two down there?” Butch called down when the water had reached her calves,
ice cold and murky.

           
“We’re here!” Daisy’s voice was rough with exhaustion. Hundreds and hundreds of
books, pulled and tossed and stacked. Her shoulders and arms ached. Now it was
time for the sandbags.

           
“Let’s get this started.” Butch led them up the steps to the outside, where a
group was already forming a line around the library. A man in military fatigues
directed them near the basement steps and the windows, hoping to cut off the
worst leaks as quickly as possible.

           
“Where’s Lane?” Butch called over, passing a sandbag.

           
“I don’t know.” Daisy frowned at him, lifting another bag off the stack. Her
back was protesting but she wouldn’t stop, not now.

           
“He said he was coming to help you. He rushed out of the station as soon as he
heard.”

           
Daisy and Nita exchanged looks. He hadn’t made it to the library. It was only a
few blocks.

           
Then Nita gasped, hand to her mouth. “You don’t usually come in on Mondays.”

           
That was all she said, but Daisy understood. Lane thought she was at the cabin.
He’d rushed over to help her as the river flooded.

           
Butch straightened up. “That’s bad. The bridge isn’t that much higher than the
river.”

           
Daisy passed a sandbag and felt her stomach lurch. The bridge, the same bridge
where Colt had died. “I have to go out there.”

           
He shook his head. “Too dangerous. Stay here in town. Lane will make it back
okay.”

           
She turned to Nita and to her relief, Nita was already leaving her spot in the
line. She met her gaze and nodded. She understood that Daisy would walk there
if she had to, just to make sure he was safe. “Let me get my keys.”

           
“That’s a really bad idea,” Butch said.

           
“We’ll be careful.” Daisy grabbed a sandbag and passed it along, her stomach
knotted with terror.
Please, Lord, please keep him safe.

                                                                       
***

           
Lane drove his pick up as close as he dared to the bridge. He still disliked
the place, but he’d learned to see it as one more link in the chain of his
life. Colt’s death had happened here, but it was also the way to one of the
best places on earth.

           
The rain poured down, he wondered about bringing Sammy along. He would have
been safe in the house, probably. Then again, he couldn’t open the door and get
on the roof. Better to stick together. “Come on, boy. Sorry about the weather.”

           
The retriever gave him a baleful look and stared out of the cab. As they
crossed over the bridge, Lane could feel the roar of the water under the truck.
“Just a little farther to the cabin. Daisy won’t be able to get out on her bike
in this weather.”

           
Sammy raised his head at the sound of Daisy’s name, then dropped it again,
squinting against the rain.

           
The cabin appeared after the turn in the road. Lane could see the water lapping
at the deck and the front porch. He parked as close as he dared and jumped the
steps. Pounding on the door, he waited for Daisy to swing it wide. There was no
answer. He pounded again, gazing around at the spreading lake of river water.
Sammy whined from the truck, nose pressed against the window.

           
“Daisy!” He put his ear to the door, but heard nothing but the sound of his own
beating heart. Taking out his key, he put it in the lock and turned, calling
out one more time as he came inside.

           
The cabin was quiet, echoing back his words. One glance and he knew she wasn’t
here. Just as he went to shut the door, he looked at the boxes stacked near the
table. On the top was a tissue-wrapped square, with a hint of fabric peeking
through.

           
Lane hesitated. If he brought the quilt, it would get wet. If he left it, it
might be washed away. He glanced out the front door and his heart jumped to his
throat. The river water had reached the top step of the porch. There was at
least two feet of water in every direction, and it was getting higher. He
grabbed the quilt and walked out, locking the door behind him.

           
“Come on, boy. She’s not here.” He tried to make his voice light, but Lane’s
heart was pounding. Had she tried to make it to Liberty? On the corner of the
porch, her bicycle leaned against the old wooden wall. He whispered a prayer of
thanka. Wherever she was, Daisy wasn’t walking or riding.

           
He turned the truck back toward the bridge, feeling the pull of the water on
the undercarriage. It was a tall truck, but at this rate, they might have to
get in a tree. For a moment, he considered staying at the cabin, finding a
place to perch. But it wasn’t a big place, no tall peaks or high beams. He
needed to get out of the area as fast as he could.

           
At the bridge, the water lapped at the boards, splashing up from below. Lane
drove the bridge and there was an ominous shriek of twisting metal. He gunned
the engine and floored the gas pedal, speeding for the other side. They reached
the end just as the far posts came unmoored and swung into the swirling river.

           
Lane stopped, looking back at the bridge. His heart pounded in his chest and he
fought to catch his breath. The thought of him meeting his end on the same
bridge as his brother made sick to his stomach. Sammy whined and laid his head
on Lane’s thigh.

           
He glanced down at the sodden mess of wrapping tissue and quilt. He sure hoped
he’d done the right thing. Too late to make a different choice now. “Let’s get
out of here, buddy.”

           
Several miles later, he’d cleared the gravel road and was turning onto the main
road when Nita’s red compact appeared. He pulled over and she stopped right in
front of him, rain pounding on the windshield so he wasn’t sure who was
driving.

           
The passenger door flew open and Daisy bolted out. Her face was a mix of terror
and grief. He hopped from the truck but barely had time to raise a hand in
greeting before she threw herself in his arms. He could feel her shuddering
sobs, her arms shaking as she gripped him, hard.

           
“Hey, hey. Everything’s okay. I already got it.” The quilt was a little soggy,
but it would dry out okay.

           
She lifted her face, cheeks covered with tears. “What do you think you’re
doing?” she yelled, voice tight with fear.

           
Lane blinked. “Saving your quilt! I mean, I came to get you, but you were
already gone, so I grabbed the quilt.”

           
“Don’t ever do that! Ever!” Tears were flowing down her cheeks, mixing with the
cold rain. He looked over at Nita, but couldn’t see her inside the vehicle.

           
“I’m lost. You don’t want me to try and save you?” He swept an arm toward the
roadway, rushing water creeping up side streets and into buildings. “Do you
want to drown?”

           
“Of course not.” She looked like she was a little calmer now, her breath still
coming in gasps. “I mean, don’t ever risk yourself for me. If your parents lost
another son and it was just to rescue some girl who couldn’t find her way off
the porch…” Her voice faltered and tears leaked out of her eyes.

           
Lane cupped her face in his hands. “You’re not
some girl
. And I thought
you’d be trying to save the quilt.”

           
“I didn’t even think of it.” The corners of her mouth went up. “Isn’t that
funny? All I thought of was you.”

           
He held her gaze, his breath caught in his throat. “Pretty funny.”

           
That got a smile out of her. Rain dripped from her hair onto her nose, but her
cheeks felt hot under his hands. “I came all the way to Liberty for that quilt.
It meant more to me than anything in my whole life. But now…”

           
He waited, eyebrows raised. He wanted her to say the words, needed to hear her
take the first step without anyone pushing or nudging or giving advice. No Nita
or Rocky or his dad or Ana or Jamie. It had to be her decision.

           
“Now I all I want is to be with you. I love you, Lane Bennett. I’ll be happy
wherever I am as long as you’re with me.” Her voice was steady and strong.

           
He let out a long breath and wiped a drop of rainwater from her nose. “That’s
good to know. Because I’d really like to get somewhere dry.”

           
“Ugh.” She rolled her eyes and tried to give him a good punch in the arm but he
dodged, laughing.

           
Letting the smiled fade from his face, he leaned close, whispering in her ear.
“I’ve loved you from the moment I saw you chasing me down the sidewalk. And I’m
planning on telling that story to our grandkids someday.”

           
She leaned into him and he felt the future open in front of him, rich with
infinite possibilities and blessings.

Chapter Twenty-Five

           
“I don’t think the flood insurance will cover the cost of my new back.” Butch
groaned as he yanked the soggy carpet from the wall. “This has got to be the
worst volunteer job ever.”

           
“You’re just suffering from low blood sugar. Go grab a doughnut from upstairs
and come back,” Daisy called. She was standing on a chair in the corner,
scrubbing flood stains from the old walls. The grants would cover repairs but
the flood repairs had to come first. It was like holding up two walls and
waiting for a roof.

           
“Grab me one, too.” Lane wiped sweat from his eyes and reached for another
soapy rag. “You know your brain needs glucose. That’s why all the smart cops
eat doughnuts.”

           
Daisy snorted. “Um, right. Our bodies break food down into substances. Lipids,
proteins and glucose. It’s true that your brains requires glucose, but refined
sugars aren’t the best option here.”

           
He jumped off his chair. “Never try to outsmart the science teacher.” Glancing
around, he sighed. “I wish you didn’t have to go back to Fresno this year. I
wish you could just pretend that contract never happened.”

           
Daisy stepped and came close, wrapping her arms around him, breathing in his
familiar scent. “I know. But a contract is a contract. I’ll be back at
Christmas. I’ve got to finish out the year and then I’ll see what’s closer.”

           
He leaned his head back and shot her a look. “Closer? As in, Seattle?”

           
“As in Denver, you goof.”

           
“Just checking.” He lowered his head and pressed a kiss to her lips. “This will
be the longest year ever.”

           
“You say that now. What about when I’m here to stay?”

           
“I don’t get it.”

           
“Let’s pretend I’m staying. This is a hello kiss and not a goodbye kiss. I’m going
to be here like anybody else. You’re going to see me in the grocery store, on
the sidewalk, at your sister’s barbeques, at my dad’s house.” She grinned up at
him. “You’ll never be able to avoid me. I’ll be calling you and wanting to sit
at the river in your favorite spot and taking a ride in your truck and giving
treats to Sam, even-”

           
He didn’t let her finish. His fingers curled through the hair at the back of
her head and he paused for a moment to look deep into her eyes. She knew what
he was thinking. The idea of him being near, for so long, without worrying
their time was running out, was intoxicating to her.

           
Her heart surged with happiness and she couldn’t hold back, kissing him with
everything she had, pretending it was hello and forever. Not goodbye and see
you soon.

           
She could feel him smiling against her lips, felt his pure joy in the pressure
of his hands against her back. He didn’t hurry, there was no desperation. She
lost track of time with only the beat of her heart as a measurement.

           
“I can’t leave you two alone for a second.”

           
Butch stood a few feet away, chewing on a doughnut. “You’ve got low blood
sugar, she said. You need a doughnut from upstairs, she said. I see what you
guys did there.”

           
Lane squinted over at his friend. “Hey, we’re living on borrowed time.”