Dorothy Garlock - [Tucker Family] (24 page)

She was just about to ask it again when he said something that surprised her. “Though it pains me to admit it, there’s one thing that Luther and I have in common,” he confessed.

“You’re nothing like that man,” she disagreed.

“In most every respect I would agree with you,” he said with a faint smile. Dr. Barlow paused, as if he was weighing his words, before finally adding, “It isn’t easy to say, but Luther and I are
both
addicts. We’re not attracted to the
same
poison,” the doctor explained. “It isn’t morphine that Luther has a taste for; it’s alcohol.”

“Just like Archie,” Christina remarked.

“The problem is that there’s
nothing
likeable about Luther when he’s been drinking,” Dr. Barlow explained. “He was terrible enough a boozer before, but when both of his parents died in a car accident Luther wasted nearly every dime he inherited boozing. After the money was spent, next went all of his parents’ belongings so he could keep getting drunk. Once all of that was gone, he turned to the one thing he was ever any good at.”

“What was that?”

“Stealing,” the doctor explained with a frown. “Luther would grab Donnie, toss him in the back of the car, and the two of them would drive to some town around here and rob a place in the middle of the night. They never got caught, but the sheriff started keeping a close eye on them nonetheless. Donnie must’ve been the one careful enough to ensure they never made too big a mistake, because Luther’s mind was focused only on getting the alcohol at any cost.

“Finally, it got to the point where Luther must not have wanted to work so hard for it. Rather than drive out of Longstock and take the risk while robbing some place blind, he decided to cut to the chase and hit somewhere in town. As luck would have it, he made a choice that we’d both regret.”

“The clinic.” Christina understood.

“Exactly,” Dr. Barlow said. “So one night about a year ago, Luther and Donnie busted out a window back in the alleyway, made their way inside, and started rummaging through the cabinets and drawers, searching for money or drugs they could sell. They didn’t know that I keep everything of value locked away. To make matters worse, they weren’t too quiet about breaking the glass and someone saw them. They probably hadn’t been inside ten minutes before they noticed the police car cruising past the front window. I imagine Donnie had to pull Luther to the back door even then.”

“They got away?”

“For a bit. Luther drove out of town like a bat from hell, the sheriff and his men right behind. Maybe he was already drunk, maybe he was worried about getting caught, maybe he was just driving too fast, but regardless of the reason, Luther drove the getaway car over a ridge and plummeted straight down into an orchard. Smashed right into an apple tree.”

“And that’s how Donnie died?”

“No,” Dr. Barlow answered, “although I reckon it would have been better for everyone if he had.”

“That’s a terrible thing to say!”

“I haven’t always felt this way,” he replied evenly. “But what happened after the sheriff’s men hauled Donnie Rickert’s broken body out of that wrecked car worsened the lives of everyone involved.”

“What happened?” Christina asked, though a part of her dreaded learning the answer.

“Donnie was brought back to town and taken straight to the clinic. I had just arrived, one of the deputies had come for me once the chase had ended,” he explained, “and I was surveying the damage that’d been done when they hurried him through the door. Donnie was a mess, bones broken, his clothes so soaked with blood that I had no idea what color they were supposed to be, clinging to life by a thread. I tried everything I could think of, but fifteen minutes later, Donnie was gone.”

“It sounds to me like you did the best you could.”

He didn’t answer, choosing to again look away at the countryside.

“What?” Christina asked, a sickening feeling filling her gut. “What is it?”

Dr. Barlow sighed deeply, his shoulders drooping as his eyes grew faintly wet. “That night…before the sheriff’s men came for me…I’d given myself a shot,” he admitted. “It wasn’t as much as the afternoon you found me, but enough for me to not exactly have my wits about me. I’ve thought about treating Donnie Rickert every night since, and I don’t believe that the morphine affected how I cared for him, but…I can’t say for certain…”

The very thing that Christina had feared might happen, that when someone desperately needed his care Dr. Barlow would be too messed up to provide it, now seemed to already have occurred. There was no satisfaction to be gained from her worries having been well-founded, only sadness.

“Luther hates you because he blames you for the death of his brother?” she wondered aloud.

Dr. Barlow nodded his agreement.

“How does he know that you’d taken morphine?”

“He doesn’t,” he explained. “Luther thinks that the reason Donnie died was because I was upset that they’d broken into my clinic. He believes that I got my revenge by refusing to treat his brother.”

“Why isn’t he in jail for trying to steal from you?”

“Because he joined the Army instead.”

Christina had heard about men being given such an option; the authorities would much rather have them with a gun in their hands fighting the enemy than uselessly taking up space in a prison cell.

“So his running into you the other day wasn’t an accident,” she said. “You think that he wants his revenge?”

“That’s the way I see it.”

“Aren’t you afraid that he could do something violent?”

“A man like Luther doesn’t know any other way.”

Christina couldn’t believe how matter-of-factly Dr. Barlow answered her questions. It was as if he was resigned to his fate; not knowing for certain whether his drug use had contributed to Donnie Rickert’s death clearly weighed heavily on him, a sliver of guilt he couldn’t remove.

“You should go to the sheriff,” Christina said, shivering at the way Luther had winked at her.

“There’s nothing he could do.” The doctor shook his head. “All Luther’s done is try to frighten me, but he hasn’t broken any laws to do it. Until he does, the sheriff’s hands are tied.”

“But couldn’t he talk to him? Try to figure out what he’s up to?”

“Luther would only laugh in his face.”

Unease raced across Christina’s chest. She didn’t like the idea of someone confronting Luther about his hatred for the doctor, but she thought even less of just doing nothing. She was about to suggest another tack when Dr. Barlow gently placed his hand on her arm.

“There’s no reason for you to be frightened, my dear,” he said softly. “Luther won’t do
you
any harm. No, I’m afraid that he has his sights set on me and, until he finally decides he’s through toying around, I’ll just have to live with it. For everyone’s sake,” he smiled faintly, “let’s hope that I do a better job and stop being such a grouch.”

Christina knew that Dr. Barlow was trying to put the best face on a terrible situation, but he had done little to ease her concerns.

“After all,” he mumbled, turning back to the window, “I just might deserve whatever he has in store for me.”

Shocked by such a thought, Christina remained silent, instead concentrating on the winding road before them, her fingers clenched to the steering wheel in order to keep them from shaking.

T
WO DAYS AFTER
her conversation with Dr. Barlow about Luther Rickert, Christina walked down the faint path through the woods behind the garage where Tyler worked. High above the thick canopy of trees, threatening clouds blanketed the sky. A persistent breeze rustled the branches, pushing them this way and that, and stirred the bushes beside her. The fresh scent of rain filled the afternoon. No birds chirped and no animals scurried through the brush, choosing instead to huddle somewhere safe and dry out of the coming squall.

But Christina ignored all of that, determinedly striding forward. Ever since Tyler had turned his back on her at the doctor’s office following Annette Wilson’s brutal attack, Christina hadn’t heard a word from him. At first, she’d been willing to remain patient; after all, it was undeniably her fault that he was so upset. But now, she’d become annoyed. Even if Tyler had decided that their relationship was over, the least he could’ve done was say it to her face, rather than leave her wondering.

Last night, she’d called the Sutter home and asked Clara if she could speak with him; Clara’s answer had been that Tyler was working in the garage and was refusing to come to the phone, even after his mother had told him who was calling. Christina had politely thanked her, then hung up the phone and fumed for the remainder of the night. She’d wakened with the determination to make him decide their future, whether he wanted to face her or not.

Trying to find him, she’d gone to the garage where he worked. When one of the other mechanics had told her that Tyler had taken the day off to care for his “precious little bugs,” Christina had turned without a word and headed around the garage and into the woods. Remembering how he’d insisted on her seeing his hideaway made her flush with anger at how he was avoiding her now.

“Why does he have to be so difficult?” she muttered to herself. “I was truthful…I apologized.”

Tyler’s reluctance to speak with her was made worse by her painful, yet still necessary, talk with Holden. As hard as it had been, Christina had made her choice; though she still had no explanation for why she had kissed Holden short of her getting caught up in the moment, she had rejected his advances, choosing instead to follow her heart to Tyler. Now came the hard part of convincing him that her feelings and commitment to them was genuine. All she needed was a chance.

No matter what, he’s going to hear what I have to say.

Tyler was just where she was told he would be. When Christina entered the clearing, she saw him stooped before his three beehives, clothed in the outlandish costume he’d pulled from his trunk and swathed in a thick column of grey, billowing smoke. He knelt close to the ground, intent as he peered inside something, his back turned to her; even if she’d been standing just before him, Christina doubted he would’ve noticed.

Bees flitted all around her, buzzing incessantly as they wafted among the clusters of clover that covered the ground. She wondered if they were so hard at work because the hive had been opened, as she recalled how Tyler had explained that they became confused by the smoke, or the changing weather forced them to collect pollen before the rain fell.

Mindful of where she stepped, Christina moved forward, stopping a close, yet secure, distance behind Tyler. From where she stood, she could see what kept his rapt attention. One of the hives’ drawers had been pulled out and laid on the ground. With the lid off, she could see that there were nearly a dozen planks that were slid vertically into the drawer; it looked like files in a cabinet. Tyler had lifted one, examining it; thick clusters of bees clung to the honeycomb that had been intricately constructed on the sheet. Even in the drab light of the marbled clouds, Christina could see the honey glisten where it leaked through the comb. She was also shocked to see that Tyler wasn’t wearing gloves, just as he’d explained.

One after the other, he lifted the sheets of comb, inspecting them. While he painstakingly worked, angry bees buzzed about his head, landing on his bare skin. It was almost certain that he was being stung, though he gave no sign of any discomfort. His movements were slow, measured, and the care he took with the bees’ home was apparent.

While she watched him work, Christina was reminded of why she’d become attracted to Tyler Sutter. Though he was brash and outspoken, sometimes painfully rude, he was also patient, meticulous, and passionate about the things he cared strongest about. He had allowed her to see the real him, the one he kept hidden out of sight, and standing there she realized that what she felt in return was undoubtedly
love
. In that instant, she knew that she would fight for their relationship, that she would try to convince him that it couldn’t be easily discarded, no matter what.

Finally, when the drawer was replaced, Tyler stepped back and took off his enshrouded hat, his face sweaty. He turned to look at the sky, and that was when he noticed her.

“I never expected to see you here,” he said with a faint smile.

“With the way you’ve avoided me, I started wondering if you wanted to see me
anywhere
,” Christina snapped back. “How long did you think I’d sit around waiting for you to show up?”

“I was going to come for you,” Tyler replied.

“When?”

“Soon. I just needed time to get my head straight.” Absently, he wiped a hand across his brow; Christina could see a triangle of angry, red welts as they blossomed on his skin. “I’m not sure that I have, but then again, maybe I never will…,” he finished ominously, his eyes holding hers coldly.

From off in the distance, a rumble of thunder rolled across the valley, heralding the storm that was about to break.

“I told you that I was sorry for what happened with Holden.”

Tyler shook his head. “But those are nothing more than words. In the end, what matters is that you kissed my brother. Even after the feelings between us, you couldn’t resist a chance to throw yourself into his arms.”

Christina winced at his painful, unexpected words. “Are you as angry with Holden as you are at me?”

“I was,” he said. “After I left my uncle’s clinic, all I wanted to do was rush up those stairs, kick down his door, and beat the hell out of him. But as I walked, I realized that I couldn’t blame him. Holden might have done plenty to earn my hatred, but he’s not the sort who would steal a girl from anyone. In the end, I figured that he had no idea about the two of us.”

“He didn’t,” Christina admitted.

“Because of that, I couldn’t be angry with him.”

“Just me.”

Tyler said nothing; with the way he looked away, he didn’t have to.

Thinking about it, Christina knew that, in the past, she would have been emotionally devastated by Tyler’s reaction; tears would have flowed freely as she pleaded with him, practically begging for his forgiveness. But now, she was surprised to find that she was angry, almost furious, at him for holding her one transgression, a kiss that was measured in seconds, against her without even trying to understand how it could have happened.

“When we first met,” she said, the words tumbling from her with a shockingly strong sense of urgency, “you sat at your mother’s dinner table and said that your brother was a coward for staying in his room. But now I see that it’s you who is really afraid.”

“What did you say?” he asked incredulously.

“I said that you’re afraid!” Christina shouted, her anger finally getting the better of her. “All it took was this one moment, one mistake that I willingly confessed to, and you’re going to let it destroy everything we have between us, all without a fight. If you weren’t frightened, if you didn’t want to run away just like you accused Holden of doing, you’d stand your ground and do whatever it took instead of pushing me away.”

“That’s not what I’m doing,” Tyler argued.

“Yes, it is!”

“You kissed my brother.” He shook his head. “That’s not something I can forgive so easily, especially without an explanation.”

“I told you, I don’t have one to give,” she kept on, refusing to quit. “I might’ve done it out of pity for everything he’s been through, because I was caught up in the moment, because it was the middle of the night. I have no answer, not capable of satisfying you! What matters is that I regret what happened! I told Holden the same thing! All I want is—”

“Wait,” Tyler said. “Wait; you’ve talked to Holden about this?”

Christina nodded. “He came to my room while I was recuperating at your mother’s house. I told him the same things I’ve told you: that what happened that night was a mistake, that I could never be with him because I’ve already got romantic feelings for you! I love
you
, Tyler!”

Her declaration struck them both mute. Filling the silence between them, a crack of lightning laced across the sky to the south, a brilliant flash that was almost immediately followed by a tremendous crash of thunder. Even as the first spattering of raindrops fell from the dishwater clouds, Christina refused to budge, even to blink, waiting for his response.

“Do you…do you mean that?” Tyler said hesitantly.

Moving a step forward, Christina took him by his hands, watching as a pair of bees floated between their faces, hesitating before disappearing over his shoulder. Breathlessly, she said, “I have never lied to you. Not about Holden and certainly not about my feelings for you.”

“It’s just…,” he trailed. “It’s hard to forget…”

“I’m not asking you to forget,” she soothed. “All I want is for you to understand and forgive. What’s already happened is for the past. For both of our sakes, let’s leave it there. Allowing it to threaten our future, that would be the greatest mistake. Can you do that, Tyler? Can we have a future?”

Before he could answer, the heavens opened above them. Torrents of rain pounded down on them, soaking them through. Christina was shocked by how cold the incessant rain was, instantly shivering as the droplets struck her bare skin. Before she could even think about running for shelter, Tyler grabbed her by the hand, pulling her with him.

“Come on!” he shouted over the deluge.

The rain fell so hard and so fast that the ground beneath their feet turned almost instantly to mud. Christina struggled to stay upright, her feet sliding and treacherously slipping as she kept moving forward. Shielding her eyes from the pouring sky, she saw that Tyler was leading them to the dilapidated building leaning dangerously close to collapse in the corner of the pasture.

Panting, they raced through the open doorway. Though they had been caught under the storm for only a few seconds, Christina’s clothes were completely soaked through, clinging to her goose-pimpled skin.

The inside of the building was barren; a few random pieces of old, broken furniture had been tossed against one wall, and a cot and water bucket sat in a corner. Everywhere, the smell of damp hay lingered. Rain pounded on the tin roof in a loud drumbeat.

“Wrap this around yourself.”

Christina hadn’t realized that she was shivering until Tyler draped a worn horse blanket across her shoulders. It didn’t smell particularly fresh, but she was thankful for the warmth it provided. As her chill receded, all she could do was watch as the storm unloaded before her.

“Did you mean what you said?”

Christina turned to look at Tyler. Water ran in rivulets from his short hair, cascading down his neck. Lightning flashed outside, illuminating his face; she had never found him more handsome than she did at that moment.

“Do you really love me?” he asked, a bit more insistently.

Looking at him, Christina felt her heart flutter. Suddenly, nothing in her life seemed more certain. When she’d first met Tyler Sutter, falling in love with him had been the
furthest
thing from her mind. But somehow, by allowing her to witness who he truly was inside, to see him as he let few others see, he had caused a feeling to begin welling inside her, finally overflowing.

“I do,” she said simply. “Even though you’ve never said that you love me.”

Tenderly, Tyler leaned down, his eyes closing just before his lips found hers. Tentatively, Christina rose to meet him, enjoying the touch of his whiskers against her soft cheek. When she began to kiss him, unfamiliar sensations of passion thundered through her. Feeling Tyler’s hands roam across her shoulder and then down all the way to the small of her back, pulling her tight against him, made her gasp involuntarily.

While her kiss with Holden had been momentarily pleasurable in the instants before her head cleared, Christina had no misgivings now. She was nervous but not uncomfortable, anxious but still excited. But as their kiss continued, she was surprised when Tyler gently pushed her away.

He looked at her imploringly, as if he wanted her to understand his thoughts without his giving them voice. Christina
knew
what he was thinking, but she refused to interrupt him when he told her, his voice barely heard over the roar of the unending rain against the building.

“I do love you, Christina,” he said softly, melting her heart.

There was no reason for her to respond with words; instead, she kissed him again, this time more passionately than before, knowing that something special was happening.

Christina hesitated for only an instant when Tyler pulled her toward the cot. She followed, her fingers trailing lightly over the sleeve of his beekeeping outfit. She watched as he undid the zipper, pulling it to his waist, before starting to unbutton his shirt. Suddenly, as her eyes grew wider, he stopped.

“Christina, wait,” he said. “Is this something that you
want
to do? I don’t want you to have any regrets.”

When she had stepped into the clearing only minutes earlier, Christina would never have imagined that it would lead to them making love. But from the moment Tyler’s lips had touched her own, when she had heard him tell her that he loved her, she’d known where things were headed. Though she had little experience in love, especially when it came to the more physical aspects, it didn’t mean that she was naïve. Allowing Tyler into her heart had made making love with him inevitable, desirable, something she anticipated.