Peace River (Rockland Ranch Series) (3 page)

             
At this point Eli poked his head into the kitchen door.  “Is it safe to come in here in search of a bite to eat?”

She smiled.  “Come on in, Eli.  We’re just putting breakfast away while we’re talking.
  Your plate is right there beside the microwave.”

             
Advancing into the room, he said, “I couldn’t help but hear part of your conversation.  I’ve been meaning to sit down and talk to you about some things as well, but I think we should be more discreet.” 

Carrie realized he was right.  They should have been talking somewhere more private.  If Ju
dd heard them, he’d raise a fit.  They went into the dining room and shut the door and talked while Eli ate.  The consensus was that Judd was definitely up to no good and his friends were dangerous.  He needed to go, but none of them were sure how to accomplish his removal.  Maybe they could offer to buy his house back again and this time he’d accept.  They decided to think about things, and Eli would check with their attorney and meet back together that evening.

             
Judd had been much better to her when her grandfather was alive.  He knew he had a cushy lifestyle here on the farm and rarely did anything to endanger that.  Carrie also believed he knew her grandfather would never have allowed Judd to treat her the way he’d treated her mother. 

Her mother ha
d never done anything to stop Judd.  She had had some twisted sense of responsibility about having to live with the bad decisions she’d made, namely marrying Judd.  She’d refused to leave him or even press charges, and neither Grandpa nor Carrie could seem to help her change.  They'd gone to the police numerous times, but her mother would never cooperate to have Judd punished and the legal system hadn't been too eager to force her.  Finally, Carrie and her grandfather had quit trying because the bigger deal they made of it, the meaner Judd got.  

             
However, her grandfather would never have stood for Judd abusing Carrie on his farm and Judd had known it.  For years it had been a sort of tenuous truce where Grandpa let Judd live in the home he had given to Carrie’s mother with no responsibilities, and Judd let Grandpa and Eli raise and care for Carrie as they saw fit. 

Carrie had spent most of her t
ime out of the little home.  One day, when she was twelve, after a particularly nasty tirade, she’d quietly moved into her grandfather’s home and seldom went back to the little house, except to visit her mother.  Over the years they’d learned to stay out of Judd‘s way, and toward the end of her mother‘s life they’d moved her over too.  

             
Carrie was sure Grandpa and Eli were glad Judd had an aversion to the horse part of the farm.  Had he ever tried to help with the raising and training, it would’ve been a fiasco.  Judd had a raging temper with an incredibly short fuse and was hopelessly impatient.  Animals and people alike steered clear of him as much as possible.

             
That suited Judd.  All he wanted to do was drink, gamble, and stay out until all hours with his degenerate friends.  Carrie had no idea where he’d gotten the money to gamble all those years, and she was sure she didn’t want to know.  Lately however, she believed he’d become a compulsive gambler, and apparently his source of funds couldn’t keep up with his habit. 

Since the death of her grandfather, he’d become increasingly more demanding and threatening, and Carrie knew something had to
be done.  Several times lately Judd had approached her as she crossed between her home and the farm buildings, or when she was coming or going.  She always tried to be polite to him and most times they could be civil, but yesterday when he’d tried to tell her whom she should marry, she’d told him exactly what she thought.  Things had gotten ugly fast.              

Lately
she felt more afraid, especially in her own home.  Grandpa was gone and Eli lived in his own house with Dante, and while Carrie’s home was securely lockable, she’d seriously considered starting to carry the pistol Grandpa had given her.  Her grandfather had been a gun collector and had been proud of her prowess with the little gun.  With Judd’s house being so close to hers, and with his kind of friends, carrying it was starting to make more and more sense.  

As they were leaving, Carrie heard Eli whisper, “Why does she look so hammered?”

When Eli and Dante headed back out the door toward the horses, Carrie went in and sat with her laptop at the kitchen desk to start checking emails and feed delivery schedules, as well as handling some registration business. 

             
An hour later, the housekeeper had arrived, put away Carrie’s dry cleaning, and was washing windows in the front entry.  Carrie was still sitting at the computer when she heard Judd snarl something at the housekeeper as he walked into the kitchen.  Carried looked up, panicked as he stalked in.  It was obvious Judd had had a wilder than usual night.  

She took a deep breath, strivin
g to stay calm and not let her voice shake as she said evenly, “Judd, you can’t just walk into my kitchen uninvited.  Get out.  Now.  Before I call Eli and Dante.”

             
He roared in anger and she winced as he swept everything on the countertop within his reach to the floor and roared again, “No!  If every hand on this farm can walk into your kitchen, then your father ought to be able to!”  If he hadn’t been raging he would have sounded like a spoiled child as he continued to bellow, “You’re going to wait on me at least as much as you wait on those stable boys out there.  You treat them like they own the place and try to pretend like I don‘t exist.”  He glared around the kitchen looking for something else to shatter.  Unfortunately, everything breakable was already in pieces on the tile floor. 

             
Carrie continued to try to stay calm.  “Some of them do own the place.  And I have no intention of serving you.  Get out.  Now.”  She started to shut down the computer so she could get away from him, but it was still powering off when he started in again.

             
“No!  YOU own this place and you need to act like it!  And you’ll start to show me some respect or I’ll beat some into you!  It’s time you realize I
will
have some say around here!”  He raised his voice even more.  “What?  Do you think you can just pretend I’m not here and I’ll go away?  There are going to be some changes around here, or you’ll figure out that you shouldn’t have trifled with Denzel Judd!  I have people who would have no problem taking out a stable boy or two!  I have ways of taking some control, if I have to.  You’d be much better off just agreeing to marry Deek and going along with the plan.  Not nearly as many people have to get hurt that way!” 

Without realizing it, she had backed away from him until she was now up against the wall.  She wasn’t even sure what other horrible things he said to her as he continued to snarl in her face.  She just knew
that his threats were horrible and went on and on.  

             
He abruptly broke off his tirade when suddenly there were several riders and hands in the kitchen doorway. They must have heard him clear from the barns.  Each of them carried a pitchfork or shovel and wore a grim expression.  Judd pushed past them and out the door and then a minute or two later Eli shoved his way through.  He went to Carrie and put an arm around her shoulders and was starting to ask if she was okay, when she turned to the kitchen sink and was violently ill. 

She’d tried to stay calm.  When Judd had treated her mother like that, Carrie had learned things seemed to go better if her mother stayed calm.  But the things he’d threatened!  He’d actu
ally threatened to kill those who lived on the farm if Carrie didn’t do as he demanded!  Eli and Dante--even the hands were at risk!

             
Eli wrapped his huge arms around her and she let herself turn her face to his chest and cry.  She’d known things were bad, but she hadn’t realized they were this bad!  She didn’t know how things had gotten to this point and she didn’t know how to fix it.  How grateful she was for Eli and Dante!  How many times had they saved her like this?  For years it was only Carrie or her mother Judd had threatened, but now he was threatening them all.

Finally, she raised her head and b
lew her nose on the tissue Eli handed her.  Dante had come in and all the rest of the hands had left them alone.  Sniffling, she shook her head.  “I have to go, Eli.  That’s what this is all about.  He thinks he’s going to force me to marry Deek and he’ll gain control of the farm.”

At the mention of her leaving, Eli began shaking his own
head and said with that soft drawl, “No one can make someone marry.”  He put his arm around her again and assured her over and over that this was her home and that she wasn‘t going anywhere. 

He was right that Judd couldn't get away with it, but what would they all have to go through while he tried?  These people had begun to seem like monsters.  Eli didn’t understand like she did.  Judd would never just give in.  And now
with his friends . . . things were escalating. 

Earnestly
she tried to make him believe her.  “Eli, listen to me.  I either need to leave now, or I’m going to put the whole farm in your name and hope and pray that that’s the end of it.”  But she didn’t really believe it would be.

             
Eli quietly looked into her face and gently said, “Your grandfather wanted this farm to be in both our names.  He died trusting it would be that way, and that’s the way it will stay.  They wouldn’t let us take it out of your name legally anyway.  Come.  Dry your tears and we’ll figure something out.  The Good Lord is in His heaven, and He
is
in control.  Remember His promise in Isaiah, ‘And I will extend peace to her like a river.’  Have faith.  He will send His peace like a river.  Somehow, some way, or maybe someone.  With God‘s help we will be free of your father.” 

             
The tears started again. “Oh, Eli, you silly.”  She sniffled.  “Judd’s not my father.  He never was and never will be.  He’s just some jerk who took advantage of an innocent and foolish girl.  You’re my father.  You always have been.  Don’t you know that by now?  I love you.”  She smiled through her tears and kissed his leathery black cheek.

             
He’d long used that particular scripture to encourage her to not give up hope on someday having a peaceful home without the anger and violence of Judd.  She hugged him again and pushed him away.  “Go.  Get back to the barns.  I’ll clean up this mess, and then I’ll come out to your office and work until lunch.”  She turned to Dante. “Maybe you could come and help me get lunch today.  I don’t really want to be in here cooking alone in case he comes back.”

             
Nodding thoughtfully, Dante said, “Actually, I think I’ll help you clean up and walk over to the office with you.”

             
At first they were quiet as they swept up the glass and garbage, but she finally looked up into his eyes and asked, “You know I’m right, don’t you?” 

             
Their eyes held for a silent moment and then he admitted, “Yes, you should go somewhere safe for awhile.  I just don’t know how or where.”  Sometimes he was a tease, but she adored this tall, sweet man.  They had grown up side by side here on the farm.  He was six years older, but they were as close as any brother and sister could be. He continued, “Although, Dad’s right.  God is in control, and He’ll provide an answer.  Just keep praying.  We’ll find your river of peace.”

              Later that evening, Carrie could feel the results of her last restless night and earlier than usual morning.  She was tired to the bone when she finally had all the loose ends tied up and headed for home.  Thinking she was safely inside her house, her heart nearly surged out of her chest when someone spoke to her out of the shadows in her dimly lit hall. 

             
It was Deek and she could smell the alcohol on his breath as he said, “Hey, Baby.”  His eyes were leering as he blatantly looked her up and down. 

             
Backing from him, she asked, “What do you want?”  She hoped she sounded more confident than she felt.

             
“Oh, I think you know exactly what I want.”  He reached out to touch her long blonde hair and she instinctively pulled away.  Anger flickered in his eyes and he grabbed a handful of her hair and jerked her toward him. 

She slapped him and he swore viciously as he yanked harder on her hair and twisted her arm up behind her
back and snarled, “Now that ain’t no way to treat your future husband, is it?  I came here tonight so we could get to know each other a little.  And you acting like this don’t help promote romance.”  His breath in her face made her ill.

             
In fury, she ground out, “Let go of me and get out of here, before I call Eli and Dante!” 

             
Through clenched teeth, he said, “You just call all you want, darlin’.  There’s not a soul except Judd to hear you, and I think you know he would love this!”  He pushed her away and his voice became almost silky.  “Don’t you fret. Our time will come soon enough.  I’m definitely looking forward to it.”  With another revolting grin, he turned away.  “I have more important things to see to tonight unfortunately, but yes, I’m definitely looking forward to the future.”