The Cowboy's Homecoming (5 page)

“We're fine.” Jeremy slid his fingers through hers and they walked across the debris-strewn lawn toward the officer.

“How bad is it?” Beth asked, wanting to know but a little afraid to hear the answer.

“Pretty bad. Estimates are that it stayed on the ground for about twenty miles. There's a small area of Dawson that was hit pretty good. It leveled a few homes, more are damaged and Dawson Community Church lost part of its roof. The school sustained some damage so we're going to have to find somewhere to set up a shelter.”

“What about the nursing home? Was it damaged?” Jeremy held tight to her hand and she gave his a little squeeze. His mom had never been there for her kids, but she was still his mom.

“Nursing home is fine. They have a backup generator and no damage.”

“And Grove?” Jeremy's sister lived in Grove.

“Grove didn't even get a thunderstorm and the cell is breaking up now.”

“Where will people go?” Beth couldn't imagine her town without the Community Church, or with friends moving because houses had been destroyed.

“Not sure yet. With the school and the Community Church out of commission we're pretty limited on suitable shelters.” The officer got back into his car. “Folks might have to go to Grove or even to Tulsa if they don't have family to stay with.”

“What about here?” She didn't look at Jeremy. “I'm sorry, it isn't mine to offer, but the church is intact. There's plenty of room.”

“Beth.” Jeremy's voice was soft, raspy.

She forced herself to meet his eyes. She wouldn't be afraid. Nope, she'd just plow through and suffer the consequences. Jeremy's jaw clenched and he glanced away, back at the church.

“Sir?” The officer was in his car, window down and the engine idling quietly.

Jeremy looked at Beth and then he shook his head and smiled. “They can use the church as a shelter.”

The officer nodded and then the patrol car backed away, turning and pulling out of the drive. It cruised down Back Street toward town, lights flashing but no siren.

Jeremy looked down at her, shaking his head. Beth waited, because he still had hold of her hand. Her mind flashed back a few years, to Chance, to the times when she'd pushed him too far. “Beth?”

She shook her head. “I'm sorry. It wasn't my place to offer the church.”

“No, it wasn't. You win this round, but we're not finished.” He reached for her hand. “And stop looking so worried. As mad as you make me, I'd never hurt you.”

He leaned close, pulling off his hat and raising her hand to hold it close to his chest, close to the steady rhythm of his heart. His gaze locked with hers. “I've never hit a woman and I don't plan on starting now. Even if you drive me crazy. I won't hurt you.”

“I…” What did she say to that?

Before she could think of anything to say, he moved closer.

He touched her cheek and then his lips settled on the scar above her eye. And she didn't pull away. As his kiss trailed down to her cheek she fought a shred of panic. She fought the confusing urge to fall into his arms. She fought tears that burned her eyes because for a long time she'd felt like pieces of a woman and she longed to be whole.

Jeremy stepped away from her, and she could breathe again. She could think.

“We should drive into town and see what needs to be done. And I'd like to find a way to check on my mom.” He sounded as if he was looking for a way out of this moment, too. As if he too needed space to breathe.

Beth nodded because for the moment she couldn't gather words to respond.

She looked back at the church as he opened the passenger door of his truck for her to get in. The church had a reprieve. But for how long?

“The church is safe, Beth. It's still standing and tonight if people need a place to stay, it'll be here.”

“I know.” She climbed into his truck and he closed the door.

 

Back Street intersected with Main Street. Main Street ran north and south. Tulsa was over an hour away.
Dawson Crossing, the town had been named back in the 1800s. Folks had shortened it to Dawson and it sometimes got confused with a larger community close to Tulsa.

Today Dawson looked as if someone other than Jeremy had been turned loose with a dozer. On the outskirts of town several homes were demolished. Nothing remained of those homes but foundations with scattered, splintered lumber. Home after home had been damaged. Trees were down, power lines hung from broken poles and roofs were partially gone. In town the convenience store had lost the roof over the gas pumps and the windows were shattered.

The Mad Cow Café didn't look too worse for wear. There were shingles missing, but other than that, Vera looked happy to still have her business. She stood out front, her apron tight around her waist. When she saw Beth and Jeremy, she waved. Jeremy stopped his truck and backed up.

“Is the café okay, Vera?” Jeremy leaned forward and Beth leaned back in the seat, giving him a clear view of the Mad Cow's proprietor.

“It sure is. I have a generator on the way so hopefully I won't lose all my groceries. But I'm one of the lucky ones.”

“Is there anything we can do?” Beth asked.

“Not yet, Beth. I did hear that Jeremy's going to open the church as a shelter. Do you need blankets?”

Jeremy blinked a few times at how quickly word traveled in this town. He was all for letting people stay in the church. The word shelter implied a lot more than he had really planned.

“I haven't thought about it, Vera. I just planned on
leaving the door open for anyone who needs a place to stay.”

“Bless your heart.” Vera stepped off the sidewalk. Her dark hair was shot through with gray and her skirt and blouse were not as crisp as usual. She walked up to the truck and leaned in the window. “Honey, you need to move the pews and make room for cots. Wyatt Johnson has quite a few in storage at the Community Church. They also have blankets and other emergency supplies. The Red Cross will be showing up, too.”

Go Wyatt. Jeremy just smiled.

Beth jumped into the conversation. “We'll need flashlights and plenty of bottled water.”

Vera patted her arm. “Already taken care of. Jason was through here earlier and he's going to bring a tank of water and set it up at the church.”

Jeremy accepted that the church wouldn't turn itself into a shelter. But people in Dawson were prepared the way they were always prepared. People here knew that in the space of a heartbeat, life brought change. He'd experienced plenty of change in his own life.

In the last few weeks he'd gone from being a guy with a plan to the guy everyone wanted to stop. And now this. He shook his head and he let it go because his plans being halted were nothing compared to people losing their homes.

“I guess we should get on the road and see if there's anything else we can do.” Jeremy shifted into gear. “See you later, Vera.”

“Okay, but be careful. And don't worry, I'll bring up a big batch of barbecued pork for sandwiches to feed anyone that shows up this evening.”

“Thanks, Vera.” Beth reached through the window and gave Vera's hand a squeeze.

“Do you mind riding along with me while I check on my mom?” He shifted his truck into gear and peered to the left, at a field littered with debris, including what looked like it might have been part of someone's roof.

“Of course not.”

He slowed as they neared emergency vehicles, lights flashing. A first responder in an oversize coat stepped out to stop them and then walked up to his window. Jeremy waited.

“Got power lines down in the road, Jeremy. I can't let you drive through.” The volunteer was young, maybe in his late teens. Jeremy wasn't sure if he should know the kid or not. But the kid knew his name so he guessed he must.

“I need to get to the nursing home to check on my mom.”

“Yeah, there isn't a way to get there right now. Part of the Lawtons' barn is in the road up here, and farther up there's a big old tree across the road.”

“Thanks, I'll try again this evening.”

The volunteer in his gray jacket with neon stripes nodded. His safety helmet was loose, a little large on his head. The jacket swam around his thin frame. But in a small community, it took everyone to pitch in when disaster struck.

Jeremy backed his truck into a drive that led to someone's field. He pulled around and headed back to Dawson. Beth leaned back in her seat and sighed. He glanced her way.

“I can drive you back to your place,” he offered, slow
ing as the truck got close to a side road that would lead them to the Bradshaw ranch.

“I'm not in any hurry.”

Yeah, neither was he. Even at thirty, he didn't want to meet up with Buck Bradshaw. Beth's dad was a big man and probably still willing to take care of business if anyone messed with his little girl.

“Remember your sixteenth birthday?”

She turned pink, so he knew she remembered.

“I remember.”

He'd kissed Beth on her sixteenth birthday. They'd been at a rodeo and her friends had teased her for smiling at him. Later he'd led her to the creek and held her close, enjoying the feel of her in his arms. He hadn't been quite eighteen. She'd been so far out of his reach, it had been like grasping at a star.

And her dad had caught them down there. Man, he'd cussed Jeremy a blue streak.

“Jeremy, watch out.” Beth's scream coincided with Jeremy hitting the brakes as a woman rushed into the road right in front of them.

The woman waved her arms, panic etched into a pale face. A trickle of blood on her cheek smeared when she brushed her hand across her face.

“What in the world?” Beth was unbuckling her seat belt. “That's Keira Hanson.”

“Hang tight, Beth.” Jeremy pulled to the side of the road. The woman ran to the passenger side of the truck, stumbling through the grassy ditch to get to them. She was trembling and the blood oozed from a cut on the side of her face.

“Keira, what's wrong?” Beth already had her door open. “Get in and we'll drive you up to your place.”

“It's Mark. He was in the barn when this hit and part of the building collapsed.” She sobbed, leaning into the truck. “I couldn't call for help and I couldn't get him out on my own.”

“Beth, I'm going to run on up there. You take my truck and drive back to that roadblock. Tell them to get help up here.”

Jeremy unbuckled his seat belt and set the emergency brake. Beth was already scooting over and he opened the door and stepped out of the truck as she slid behind the wheel. He watched as she adjusted the seat and shifted into gear.

“Be careful.” Her voice was soft and her eyes tore him up. And he thought maybe no one else had ever cared about him as much as Beth and her mamma.

He watched as she turned his truck back in the direction they'd come from and then he started up the long dirt and gravel drive.

He didn't know what he'd find when he reached the Hansons' barn, but he prayed that Mark would be alive. It had been a long time since he'd prayed. And he was thankful that God had a good memory.

 

“Jeremy will find him, Keira.” Beth shifted and hit the gas to speed down the paved road. “He'll be just fine.”

“I keep praying that's true, Beth. But what if…”

Keira pushed her hands against her eyes and Beth shot a quick look around the cab for something Keira could hold against the cut on her face. She slowed down and reached for the glove box. It opened to reveal napkins from fast food restaurants.

“Keira, grab those and hold them against the cut to stop the bleeding.”

Keira nodded and reached into the glove box.

“What if he's…” Keira sobbed and neither of them needed for her to finish that sentence.

“He isn't.” Relief flooded Beth when the flashing lights of first responders came into view. She pulled up to Kenny Gordon, the kid who had been directing traffic minutes earlier.

“Beth, the road's still closed.” The kid grinned.

“I know, Kenny. Listen, we need help up at Keira's place. The barn collapsed and Mark is inside.”

Kenny got serious. He lifted his two-way and told someone on the other end that they needed a team to head up to the Hanson place. He finished the call and leaned in the window.

“They'll be up there in five minutes, Keira. We'll find him, don't you worry.”

Keira nodded and a fresh batch of tears streamed down her face, mixing with dirt and blood.

“Kenny, do you have a first aid kit?”

The kid nodded. “Got one in the truck over there. Hang tight a sec and I'll get it for you.”

Beth reached for Keira's hand. “Keira, we'll find him.”

“I'm really trying to pray, Beth. The only thing I can get out is, ‘God, don't let him die.'”

“I think that's a prayer.” Beth had been saying plenty of her own prayers since all of this started. She didn't think God was expecting long prayers, not at a time like this.

Kenny was back with the first aid kit. He had already taken out a few wipes, salve and a Band-Aid. Beth
tore the top off the antiseptic wipe and pulled it out for Keira.

“Clean the wound and then we'll put this on it.”

Keira nodded. She gasped when the wipe hit the cut, but she cleaned it and the side of her face before taking the Band-Aid from Beth.

“Thanks, Kenny.”

“Maybe you all should stick around here until the responders can get up there and clear things up a little.” Kenny's gaze shot past Beth to Keira and Beth knew what he meant. She wondered if that was his idea or the idea of one of his supervisors, someone who didn't want Keira on hand when they found her husband.

“We have to go back.” Keira's voice was shaky. “Kenny, thank you for thinking of me, but I have to be there.”

Kenny handed Beth the first aid kit. “In case you need it.”