TEXAS ROADS (A Miller's Creek Novel Book 1) (27 page)

Now it might be too late. What were her plans once the work was finished? His chest tightened. No one had given her a reason to stay, but they’d all given her plenty of reason to leave. He quickened his pace and lengthened his stride, reaching the building a short fifteen minutes after he left.

Dani was already gone.

* * *

Shoulders heavy, Mama Beth collapsed in a chair at the kitchen table, her soul troubled by all that had transpired. She’d prayed for years for Dani to know the truth—even allowed herself to dream about it—but never could she have imagined it would be like this, as if the very air she breathed disappeared with Dani. There was nothing she could do but pray. Tears sliding down her face, she bowed her head.
Lord, watch over Dani. Be near her and turn her to You. If it be Your will, bring her back home.

Cecille paced the kitchen, her shoes clicking against the wooden floors, her face twisted with emotion. Clearly she loved Dani, but based on what she’d seen, their relationship was in serious trouble.

A patch of sunlight fell across the table, bringing with it a bittersweet joy. God specialized in hopeless situations, and if ever a situation seemed hopeless, this was it. Mama Beth hauled herself to a standing position, feeling old beyond her years, and headed to the living room.

“Where are you going?” Her sister’s voice shook, her eyes rounded with pain.

“To call Steve and let him know what’s happened. He might know what to do or where to find her.”

Wavy lines creased Cecille’s forehead. “Don’t you think she’ll come back after she’s had a chance to cool off?”

Mama Beth considered the question, remembering Dani’s dazed expression. She glanced down at the furry kitten Dani had so carefully tended the past several weeks. No, she wouldn’t be coming back, at least not for a long time. And maybe not ever.

Chapter Twenty-Nine

W
ords scattered like a covey of quail at the crack of a shotgun. Dani financed the whole project? Steve sensed the truth before the question finished reverberating in his brain. Dumbfounded and slack-jawed, he sat at his cluttered desk grappling with the news Mike Brady had just announced. He blinked hard and scratched his head. Why had she kept her involvement a secret, especially once the entire town turned against her?

“There’s more.” Brady spoke in a drawling monotone, a western-style robot delivering factoids.

“Go on.”

“For the past month, Mrs. Davis has been involved in a battle for control of her father’s company. That’s why the construction team pulled out of the park when they did. They worked for the company. The last crew was paid for by foundation funds, which of course she provided.” He stroked his handlebar moustache. “Seems like the woman has plenty of money and plenty of trouble to go along with it.”

The detective’s words slammed into him, and the thought of her solitary struggle minced his heart in fine pieces. Questions continued to tumble inside like cement in a mixer. He needed to apologize and quick. But could she ever forgive him?

Brady cleared his throat. “There’s something else that might be of interest to you.”

More? Steve leaned forward. “What’s that?”

“She’s adopted.”

Air dammed up in his throat. No way. She looked too much like Cecille and Mama Beth. “That’s not possible.”

“It’s the truth.”

He let the news sink in, compassion for Dani welling inside, then rose and stretched a hand toward the detective. “Thanks for all your work, Mike.” He patted the bill in the front pocket of his shirt. “I’ll get a check in the mail to you right away. Now if you’ll excuse me, I have somewhere I need to be.”

Steve escorted him to the door then re-entered the office to grab his things. J.C. had mentioned that Dani left because she hadn’t felt well. He’d make a quick run to Mama Beth’s to make sure she was all right. Just as he reached the door the phone rang. Muttering under his breath he returned to the desk and grabbed the phone. “City Hall, Steve speaking.”

“I’m so glad I caught you.” Trish’s urgent tone captured his full attention. “Dad fell off a ladder. I’m following the ambulance to Morganville.”

“I’m on my way.”

As he reached the door a second time the phone rang again. This time he let it ring.

* * *

She’d already left? The air whooshed from him like someone had punctured a lung, his knees buckling beneath him. “What do you mean, she’s gone?” He stared into Mama Beth’s tear-filled eyes. “When?”

“About one this afternoon. I tried to call.”

Still stunned, he attempted to quell his shock with a slow breath. “Dad fell off a ladder. I was at the hospital with him, or I’d have been here sooner.”

Her eyes rounded until worried brows pushed them down. “Is he okay?”

“A little bruised, but other than that he’s fine. He’s at home resting. Why did she leave?”

Mama Beth struggled to speak. “She overheard a fight between me and Cecille. Things she shouldn’t have learned that way. Oh Steve, if you could have seen her.” She buried her head in her hands, gut-wrenching sobs filling the room.

He hugged her, his heart heavy. Where would she have gone?

The creek.

With renewed hope, he placed his hands on Mama Beth’s shoulders and peered in her eyes. “I’m going to check a couple of places, but I’ll be back.”

Steve sprinted to his truck then tore out of the driveway, his mind reeling. This couldn’t be happening. Life without her would be so empty. The thought sent jolts of disappointment and fear coursing through him, and he pressed the accelerator to the floor and raced to the park. He screeched to a stop in the parking lot, shining the truck headlights in the direction of the creek. She wasn’t here. Only one other place she might be, but only if she hadn’t already left town.

As he whipped the pickup in reverse, his headlights revealed a lone figure on the sidewalk skulking into the shadows of the store awning. The person shrank back further into the darkness as he passed. Herman Talley? Why would he be in downtown Miller’s Creek this time of night? He lived in Morganville. Steve thought back to the last time he’d seen the man. He’d been none too happy that another contractor had been hired to take care of repairing the mortar on the buildings.

Motive. Could Herman Talley be the vandal? The arsonist? Though protecting Miller’s Creek mattered, finding Dani mattered more. He sped down the country road and punched Ernie’s number.

“Sorry to bother you, Ern, but I just saw someone downtown that you need to check out.” He relayed the details of what he’d seen. “Oh, and if you see Dani would you let me know?”

By the time Steve reached the pasture gate it was almost too dark to see. He rolled down the window to get a closer look. A late summer rain from two days earlier had muddied the area and left an earthy scent in the air. His pulse beat faster at what he saw. Fresh car tracks pressed down the grass. Someone was here. Or had been.

Nearing the water, his spirit deflated. No vehicle. He grabbed his flashlight and hurried to the bank, the creek’s familiar gurgle spilling its song into the night. Shining the light on the ground at the creek’s edge, he spied fresh tracks made by small feet.

Dani had been here.

He ripped the hat from his head and let out a groan. So close to finding her, but not close enough. Where could she be, and was she okay? What was the fight between Cecille and Mama Beth about? What had Dani heard that made her run away? Was it about the adoption? How could he ever tell Mama Beth about the investigation?

Questions attacking him like a pack of bloodthirsty mosquitoes, he hurried to the truck and started the engine. Maybe she’d gone back home while he’d been out looking for her.

He steered into the driveway a few minutes later, his frail hope dissipating like dew on a hot August day. She hadn’t returned. Instead Mama Beth waited for him at the gate, her eyes expectant. As he climbed from the truck, he met her gaze and shook his head.

Her expression fell, her face lined and weary. “You have time for a cup of coffee? I have something I need to tell you.”

“Sure.” He had something to tell her too, and she wasn’t going to like it one bit.

* * *

Dani plopped onto the beach and gazed across the crashing waves of the Gulf of Mexico, its waters green-gray and murky from last night’s storm. She leaned back and locked her elbows into place, allowing the breeze to sweep through her hair.

What had prompted her to turn south instead of driving to Dallas? Maybe the prospect of being in proximity to her mother—correction, her adopted mother—had subconsciously steered her away. No, it was easy enough to get lost in the city. Divine intervention? She licked her lips, salty from the ocean breeze. Was God’s hand at work in all this?

She peered down the beach at the imposing structure nearby. The ocean-front condo on Mustang Island had definitely been a godsend. With the start of school the beach was cleared of summer crowds which made this the perfect time to visit.

Dani dug her fingers into the soft sand and held up a handful to watch it slip to the ground. Funny how time and dreams were the same. They both trickled by as fast as sand through her fingers. A couple strolled by, their arms linked, and an ocean of hurt broke against her heart. Steve’s face appeared in her mind, and she allowed the image to linger. If only things could’ve been different. She closed her eyelids and bathed herself in memories, his lopsided grin and lanky saunter, those cinnamon-colored eyes of his, always full of questions.

Sea foam splashed her toes then dashed away, teasing her with a game of tag. She needed this time to think. To make sense of all that had happened. Dani faced the breeze, inhaled deep, and let it out in a heavy sigh. In a single heartbeat, she’d been transformed from wealthy heiress to adopted child, a lifetime of questions answered in a tick of the clock. And what about her father? What had happened to him? Had criminal activity become a way of life for him? A chill tingled down her arms and she hugged herself until it passed. Mama Beth should have told her the truth. But then again, how do you tell someone their whole life has been nothing but a lie?

A rumble erupted from her stomach, demanding food, but she wasn’t ready to leave the quiet peace. She lingered as the sun sank lower in the sky and watched the seagulls make their dives and swoops toward the waves, their cries haunting and lonely.

With a last long look at the churning water, Dani picked herself up, dusted off crumbs of wet sand, and made her way to the room. Once inside, she dialed room service then dropped to the bed to wait for her meal. She pulled the hotel Bible to her lap and picked up where she’d left off, the words continuing to provide an unexpected comfort.

Dani started when a knock sounded at the door several minutes later. “Room Service.” The voice called out in sing-song style. She opened the door to a short older woman with salt-and-pepper hair. “Where you want me to put your food, hon?”

“On the balcony please.” Dani held the door open wider and moved aside. The smell of fresh seafood hit as the woman passed, sharpening her hunger.

“I see you’re reading your Bible.” The woman set the tray on the patio table. “What book?”

“John, I think.”

“One of my favorites.” The woman with kind brown eyes faced her. “The other night when you checked in, you looked like you’d had a pretty rough day. You doing better?”

Her cheeks flamed and she lowered her eyes. “Yes, thank you. Let me get you a tip.” She moved through the sliding glass door to get her purse, the woman close behind. Rifling through the contents of her bag, she located a couple of ones at the bottom, smoothed out the wrinkles, and handed them to the woman.

“Thanks for the tip, hon.” Her voice was warm, like hot chocolate on a frigid winter night. “Mind if I give you one?”

Dani twisted her head to one side and puckered her eyebrows. “I’m sorry?”

“Here’s my tip for you.” The woman pointed to the Bible. “Any answers you’re looking for, God can give you in that book. Keep searching.” Then she patted Dani’s arm. “And don’t be afraid to trust any man whose heart belongs to God.” With that, she let herself out the door with a wave and a smile.

Dani moved to the balcony overlooking the ocean, the sun-drenched water now molten gold as the last semi-circle of sun made its final descent. The woman’s words stuck in her head. She did need answers, but a man whose heart belonged to God? The phrase turned her thoughts to Steve. Why would anyone like him want someone like her?

She placed a napkin in her lap and uncovered the dish, the tantalizing aroma rising to her nose. Delving into the food with an appetite she hadn’t possessed in days, the first delicious bite of grilled amberjack dissolved on her tongue, nourishing both her body and spirit. But a minute later, she pulled back a linen cloth to reveal a batch of warm biscuits. The fork slid from her fingers and clanked against the plate. Mama Beth. She should at least call to let them know she was okay.

Dani padded into the room, retrieved her phone and dialed her mother’s number first. She picked up on the second ring. “Dani! Are you okay? I’ve been worried sick.”

“I’m fine.”

“Where in the world are you?” Her voice took on its typical demanding quality. “Why didn’t you return my calls?”

Her stomach turned. She couldn’t deal with a barrage of questions right now. “I’ll call you later.” Hands shaking, she clicked the cell phone shut and tossed it to the bed. That had been harder than she expected. Breathing deep, she closed her eyes. Calling Mama Beth would have to come later. An image of her aunt at the farmhouse table, hands folded in prayer, appeared in Dani’s mind and brought with it comfort.

Mama Beth, her birth mother, a woman she cherished in spite of all that had happened, would pray for her. She sensed that she’d been immersed in a mother’s prayers, not just today, but every day of her life. Her eyes opened in wonder. The same presence she’d experienced in Miller’s Creek was here.

God.

If she ever needed His help in figuring out what to do it was now. She raised her eyes to the ceiling.
God, I’ve tried to make it through life without You and made such a mess. So I’m asking for Your help. Please show me the way.

A peace beyond comprehension trickled over her like soothing balm. She flipped a page in the opened Bible, her gaze drawn to a verse from one of Brother Mac’s sermons.
“I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”

The way. That’s what she’d just prayed for, and something she’d searched for her entire life. The road of living to please her parents had proved to be a dead end. Then she’d tried to find the way on her own, but that path only brought pain and confusion. It was time to try a different road. She lifted her gaze heavenward and cried out to God again. As she prayed, a long-buried seed of hope grew inside and branched its way through every part of her.

Dani awakened the next morning to a shaft of sunlight stretching golden fingers across the room. Squinting groggily against the brightness, she mulled over the change in her, like she'd found...