TEXAS ROADS (A Miller's Creek Novel Book 1) (22 page)

Palms pushed hard against his chest as she tore herself from his arms. Highlighted against her pale face, Dani’s sorrow-filled eyes stared back at him, her voice coming in short gasps. “I’m sorry, Steve, I-I can’t...”

His heart constricted, and then palpitated wildly against his ribs. This couldn’t be happening. She fled through the gate and into the house, her final words tolling in his ears like death bells.

Chapter Twenty-Three

S
teve gaped at the smashed plate glass windows, his gut twisting. Who would do this and why? During the night, all the storefront windows had been broken, and owners had arrived this morning to shattered glass. In addition, materials and supplies worth hundreds of dollars had been stolen over the past few weeks, and someone had taken a can of spray paint to the historic buildings. Down the street, Ernie Talbot, dressed in his policeman blues, hunched over his clipboard and took a statement.

“So what are we going to do?” One of the Grannies planted both hands on her hips and glared at Steve.

“I’ll take care of it.” But how?

Otis grunted. “I think Dani and her lawyer friend had something to do with this.”

Dani? No way. “What makes you say that?”

Otis advanced, his eyes bugged out, his breath foul. “A lot of us have seen the two of them down here at all hours of the night.”

Hair rose on the back of his neck. Truth or town gossip? The Miller’s Creek rumor mill had been known to operate faster than million-dollar satellites. “That’s a mighty serious accusation.” He thought back to Dani’s actions the past few weeks. There were a lot of things that didn’t add up, like where she’d been keeping herself. He yanked an arm toward the graffiti. “Have you actually seen them do any of this?”

“No, but I don’t have to. Who else could it be?” Otis twisted his lips in a sneer.

“That’s what I intend to find out. In the meantime, I suggest you not do any finger pointing unless it’s backed up by fact.”

The people grumbled among themselves and shook their heads as they dispersed. They looked ready to lynch someone. Otis’ big mouth put him in a predicament. Now he had no choice but to find out what Andy and Dani had been up to. He sighed in exasperation and strode toward Ernie. They entered City Hall together. “What time did you find out about this?”

“Otis called me at seven this morning.” The policeman tucked a pen behind his ear and headed for the coffee pot. “I got here as soon as I could to take pictures and statements.”

A sick taste landed in his mouth. Why was Otis always the first one to find the vandalism? “This is the fourth time this week, Ernie, and the people are breathing down my neck. The work will never get finished with these setbacks.”

Ernie followed him into the office and clicked the door shut. “I know, but I can’t be on the lookout all the time. I do what I can.”

Steve slumped in his chair. They were all overworked and cranky and ready for the work to be finished.  “Sorry. I didn’t mean—”

His friend waved a hand and took a seat. “Don’t worry about it. Most people don’t realize the amount of responsibility you’ve had to shoulder, and this latest mess hasn’t helped any.” He puckered his lips in a way that made his moustache look like a furry caterpillar. “I may have a solution. Otis offered to find men to patrol the area.”

He mulled over the idea. “Sounds good. Why don’t you put Otis to work finding volunteers, and I’ll set the schedule.” As if he needed something else to do.

Ernie rose to leave, but Steve stopped him. “Before you go, do you know the name of a good detective?”

“Yeah, a guy by the name of Mike Brady. Why do you ask?”

“Otis said Andy and Dani have been seen together—”

“Wait a second. You don’t really believe they had anything to do with this?” Ernie’s voice escalated and his bushy brows shot so high they sent wrinkles all the way up his bald head.

He clamped his lips together, not knowing what to believe. “I don’t know. But apparently they’ve been seen downtown at odd hours.”

“Andy lives upstairs from this office, remember?” Ernie leaned both hands on the desk, his gaze unfaltering. “With Dani seeing him...”

His heart sank like a cannonball in water. So it was true. Dani had flown straight from him to Andy, and he had no one to blame but himself. He raked a hand through his hair, frustration pushing words from his lips. “I have no choice in the matter. If I don’t investigate this further, the people will string me up from the nearest tree. Everyone who just heard Otis’ comment will assume I’m being soft on her because of...”

Ernie lowered his head. “Sorry. I know you and Dani—”

Steve held a hand up to stop him. The last thing he wanted was sympathy. “I need a phone number for Mike Brady.” He was through with questions and ready for answers.

* * *

In the much-too-early hours the next morning, Steve rolled onto his side and punched the pillow. Every evening since his movie date with Dani, he’d dragged home, certain sleep would come, but it remained elusive. The problem was Dani, thoughts about her, questions. It killed him to stay away, especially in light of Otis’ finger pointing. He’d do almost anything for the chance to talk to her, but every time he went to Mama Beth’s, she was either gone or on her way out. And the few times he’d seen her in public, she avoided him like a dreaded disease.

He flopped onto his back with a frustrated grunt. Why had he pushed her? All he’d accomplished was to shove her farther away. Farther from him and closer to Andy. He released a weary groan and rubbed his eyes. Her rejection was bad enough, but seeing her and Andy together ripped his heart to shreds. And the latest development with the investigation would only drive the wedge between them even deeper.

The digital read-out on the alarm clock grinned its big red numbers in the darkened room. Four o’clock in the morning. Way too early to be awake, especially on a Saturday, but maybe he could get some paperwork done before the meeting with Mike Brady, a much better plan than torturing himself with thoughts of Dani.

Steve showered and downed a cup of coffee, then climbed in his truck. As he pulled onto the main road, an orange glow lit the northern sky and set off chills between his shoulder blades.
God, please don’t let that be what I think it is.
He punched the accelerator.

As he neared town there was no longer any doubt. The glow intensified, and his nostrils burned with the acrid smell of smoke. Angry flames licked the darkened sky and poured a cloud of gray smoke and ashes into the night. He raced the truck to Mama Beth’s house in a cold sweat, his mind and stomach agitated.

The strong west wind gusted and showered the sky with sparks. When he topped the hill, Mama Beth’s house came into view, and he blew a relieved sigh from his cheeks. No fire at the house. The lights were on, which meant they were safe. He jerked the steering wheel to turn into the driveway, left the truck running, and sprinted to the door.

Mama Beth met him, dressed in her housecoat, her eyes round.

He hugged her close and tried to slow his breathing. “Thank goodness you’re okay.”

When he pulled away, her lips worked, but no sound came out. He grabbed her shoulders. “What is it?”

Her face went ash white. “Dani.”

His heart leapt to his throat. “What about her?”

“She’s gone. I don’t know where. Her bed hasn’t been slept in.” Her words came out in a raspy whisper.

The air thickened and his leg muscles liquefied. Where was she? He ran full speed to the truck and tore out toward town.

As he reached downtown, the view brought on nausea. Miller’s Creek was engulfed in flames, and Dani could be somewhere in the middle of this furnace. He stopped at the roadblock Ernie had set and opened the door. A blast of heat hit him in the face, and the fire issued a monster-like roar.

Ernie shouted to make himself heard. “The fire department is—”

“Have you seen Dani?”

“Huh?” Ernie cocked an ear toward him.

He fought back a wave of panic and yelled louder. “Dani, have you seen Dani?”

“Yeah, she and Andy came through half an hour ago. I tried to stop ‘em—”

He didn’t wait to hear more, but sprinted toward the fire. Half an hour? Anything could’ve happened to her in that length of time.
Lord, help me find her.
His eyes watered, blinded by smoke. The chalky taste of ashes filled his mouth and set off body-racking coughs. Fire trucks parked at odd angles in the street outside Granny’s Kitchen, and Will Coleman, the fire chief, barked orders to the volunteer firemen.

Steve rushed to him. “What happened?”

The wind carried Will’s voice. “Too early to tell, but we think a fire at Granny’s spread to these other buildings because of the wind.”

“Have you seen Dani?”

Will motioned with a jerk of his head. “She and her lawyer friend went that way.”

Sprinting to the corner, the scene that lay before him plunged a knife into his heart. Both sides of the creek smoldered in the wake of the fire that still burned brightly on the other side of the creek, the new pavilion now reduced to a pile of metal, rock and ashes. Icy tentacles wrapped around his throat and threatened his ability to breathe. Was she lying somewhere hurt? He searched the area around the depot where a large blaze still lingered. A lone figure fought against the fire. Dani!

The heat warmed his feet as he darted to the bridge through smoking grass. Giant flames threatened the old train depot where Dani fought the blaze like David against Goliath. Rivulets of sweat rivered down her soot-darkened face, and she swung at the flames with a wet burlap bag, the fire hissing angrily with each hit. Another bag lay on the ground at her feet. He grabbed it and joined the fight. “Where’s Andy?”

“Went for help.” Her words came out in wheezing gasps.

The wind picked up and sent flames spiraling higher. Black smoke filled his lungs, and the heat and ashes stung his eyes. The whine of the fire truck siren ripped the night air. Steve motioned for Dani to quit, but she refused. There was only one way to stop her. He flung the bag to the ground, picked her up by the waist, and dragged her from the fire.

“No. Put me down.” She two-fisted his chest, but he didn’t release her.

Once safety was certain, he set her feet on the ground, her blond curls clinging to her face in damp tendrils. With her gaze wild and focused on the flames, she continued to struggle. Only when he pointed to the fire truck, did her body relax and crumple to the ground. He knelt beside her and grabbed her shoulders. “You okay?”

She nodded, breathless. “The depot?”

“Fine, thanks to you.” He drew her close to his thudding chest, kissed her forehead, and rocked her in his arms, the realization of what might have happened sudden and strong.
Thank you, God, that she’s okay
. He placed a finger under her chin and tilted her face to him, his tone husky with pent-up emotion. “What were you doing down here this time of night?”

Dani lowered her head, but didn’t answer.

“She was with me.” A terse voice sounded behind him. Andy strode toward them, his expression somber except for the fiery flames reflected in his eyes.

* * *

Dani wrapped her arms around her waist, her vision blurred by tears, all their hard work...gone. The air reeked of smoke, and the park lay in heaps of gray ash. Blackened rock columns, which once supported the roofs of the shelters and pavilion, bore silent witness to the devastation of the fire.

Behind her, footsteps crunched the charred grass. Andy sidled up and rested an arm across her shoulder, pulling her to him. “You all right?”

She nodded her head once, too tired to shrug off his arm, too numb to speak.

“The meeting’s about to start. We should head that way.”

Dani trudged beside him to the town square, her legs leaden. All she wanted to do was sit down and cry, not for herself, but for Steve and the people of Miller's Creek. They'd sacrificed so much to have their dream reduced to nothing but a pile of ashes.

He took her hand and rubbed it with his fingers, his sea-green eyes focused on her. “Dani, I think it’s time for you to pull out.”

She yanked her head around and gaped at him. After all that had just happened?

His lips were pinched. “As your attorney and friend, I advise you not to spend any more of your money on this town.”

“Nothing like kicking them when they’re down.” Her anger spewed out, unrepressed.

He shook his head, his mouth set in concrete. “It’s called cutting your losses.”

“It’s not
my
losses I’m concerned about at this point.” She quickened her pace and left him behind. How could he make such a suggestion? He knew how much this meant to her. How much it meant to these people. To Steve.

A minute later she arrived at the square. The townspeople gathered near the gazebo, waiting as Steve plodded up the steps. Loving concern for the town shone from his face, weary lines carving the skin around his eyes. Miller’s Creek surely flowed through his veins like the creek flowed through town. He momentarily met her stare then averted his gaze.

Her heart crumpled like a piece of paper. Had pushing him away been a huge mistake?

The microphone squealed for a moment. “Thanks for being here, folks.” Steve’s expression wore a mixture of sorrow and exhaustion. “We’re all struggling with what’s happened. We’ve put in long hours and now some of our work has been wiped out. Repairs will be costly, and it’ll mean more hours of hard work.” He paused, his chest rising and falling with a heavy breath. “It’s normal at a time like this to question whether or not the effort will be worth it. But I want to remind you we’ve never been the kind of people who quit.”