Promise Kept (20 page)

“If need be, I can be your brother. Don’t worry about it. I’ll have the boss find us a place. By the time we get to Texas it will be set up.”

“Okay, then.”

They hugged the Mackenzies good-bye and headed to the airport where an FBI private jet picked them up.

Chapter Seventeen

The flight took forever. When they landed at the airport in San Antonio, a beat-up green Ford pickup was waiting.

Phyl laughed when she saw it. “This is a far cry from your state-of-the-art, late-model SUV. Are you sure you can handle it?”

Ted looked at the vehicle with a jaundiced eye. “Boss says it may not look like much, but under that hood is a powerhouse.”

“Hope he’s right,” she said, as they piled in for the trip to the ranch.

Mark was ecstatic. Hardly able to sit still, he chattered until Phyl was ready to gag him.

“First thing I’m going to do is ride Lily,” he said for the tenth time. “Then Donovan promised to teach me to rope. I can’t wait to show him how I can help on the next roundup.”

“We may have to leave, Mark. I’ve told you this before.”

His face clouded up. “Why? Why can’t we stay?”

“It’s complicated. Let’s see how things work out.”

Her answer didn’t make Mark happy. He spent the rest of the ride to the ranch either pouting or begging.

The closer they got, the more nervous Phyl became. She wanted to stay, too. Wanted to tell Donovan she loved him. But she knew deep down inside that her feelings wouldn’t matter at all if the family didn’t want her in their lives. They were a closer family than most. Even if Donovan wanted her to stay, and Nellie and the others didn’t, Phyl knew she’d have to leave. She wouldn’t allow Donovan to give up his family or the ranch for her. If he did, he’d end up hating her for it.

Whatever this day brought, the trip was important. It wouldn’t take but a minute to know if she was wanted there, or not. Plus, she had to see Nellie and apologize. When she’d seen Nellie on the floor and thought she’d been killed, Phyl’s heart had almost stopped. It would have been a tragedy of the worst order if the killer had pulled that trigger. She would do everything in her power to make it up to Nellie and to the family. But how could she if she had to leave?

Her head whirled with questions that had no answers.

“Wait until you see Queenie and Freckles,” Mark told Ted. “They’re the best dogs in the world.”

“Mark? Remember what I told you. We may not stay.” She turned him toward her. “Do you understand? We may have to leave.”

“I want to stay,” he pouted.

The depth of his love for the ranch gleamed in Mark’s eyes. She forced back tears. But she couldn’t guarantee anything. Mark had to be prepared.

By the time they passed through the familiar gate, it was getting late. Her heart hitched up a notch when she saw the Callahan Ranch sign. Ray gave her a quick look when she broke into a smile, and Mark whooped and hollered. “Park there.” She pointed to the rear of the house. If she could get her legs to move, they’d go in through the kitchen.

She’d never been so uncertain or so nervous.

Donovan was probably through for the day, Nellie in the kitchen preparing dinner. At first Phyl had wanted to call, but thought this was best. It wouldn’t take long to know how things stood.

Mark jumped out and ran for the barn. “Wait!” Ted called out. “You know the rules.”

He’d told them a half-dozen times that his job was to watch the two of them. “This isn’t going to be easy, is it?”

“Nope. Let him go. He wants to see the dogs and Lily.”

“I’ll be right there, Mark. Don’t go any further than the barn.”

“Okay.” Happy to be home, he broke into a run.

“I’m going in with you,” he told Phyl.

She sighed. “I understand.” And she did. The last time she’d walked into the house, she’d faced a man with a gun.

She knocked, did her best to bring her swirling emotions under control.

“Phyl!” Nellie exclaimed when she opened the door. “It’s so good to see you. Why didn’t you call?”

They embraced. It felt so good to see this wonderful woman again—to know she hadn’t been shot or hurt. Phyl’s relief was so profound that for a moment her head swirled. She’d known all along that Nellie was fine, but seeing her, embracing her, was like a wonder.

“Who’s this?” Nellie asked, looking over at Ted.

“Nellie, I want you to meet Ted Young, U.S. Marshal. He’s my shadow until the trial is over.” She turned to Ted. “Ted, this is Nellie Callahan. This is her ranch.”

Nellie chuckled. “Donovan’s really. And the kids’. But welcome to our home.”

“Thanks. Sorry for the inconvenience.”

Phyl took Nellie’s hand. “I came to apologize for what happened.”

They went to the table and sat down. Ted stood at the door looking uncomfortable. Couldn’t be helped.

“Make yourself at home,” Nellie said, and turned to Phyl. “You should have called. We’ve been worried about you. And about Mark. Where is he, by the way?”

“The barn.”

Nellie chuckled. “Sounds like Mark.”

Phyl had to get it out while she could still talk. Being here, seeing Nellie, seeing the familiar kitchen, made her long to stay. “I’m so sorry about what happened, Nellie. Are you all right? Did he hurt you?”

“He scared a few years off my life, but I’m fine. You saved me. What you did was the bravest thing I’ve ever seen.”

Tears formed in Phyl’s eyes. “Not brave. Scared to death. I knew he’d kill you then turn the gun on Mark.”

Nellie shook her head. “It’s a miracle you didn’t get hurt.”

“The miracle was Donovan finding the flash drive and sending the contents to Max. His friends literally saved our lives.”

“I’ve prayed every day since it happened. Father Mike hasn’t seen me in church this often since we almost lost the ranch. I know,” she said, holding up a hand. “I’m like everyone else. I pray the hardest when there’s a problem. To tell you the truth, I never prayed as hard as I did for you and Mark’s safety these past weeks.”

“They worked. We’re here and we’re safe.” She paused a minute. “Have you talked to the family? What do they think of all this? Their mother was almost killed. Are they angry?”

Phyl held her breath as she waited for an answer.

****

When Donovan saw Mark run into the barn he thought he was hallucinating.

Mark leapt into his arms. “Are you okay, Bud?”

Mark buried his head in Donovan’s shoulder. “I missed you. I missed Freckles, and Queenie, and Lily.”

Donovan chuckled. “I missed you, too.”

Mark looked up at him. “Really?”

“Really. I couldn’t wait for you and your mom to get home.”

Understatement.

His heart was going ninety miles an hour. He couldn’t wait to see Phyl.

“What are those?” Mark asked, pointing to the punching bags.

“Something fun. I’ll show you how to use them later.”

Mark started to cry, rubbed a fist over his eyes.

“What’s wrong?”

“We won’t be here. Mom says we’re going to leave.”

Donovan’s mind went blank.

“Maybe you didn’t understand what she said.”

Mark shook his head. “She told me a bunch of times. We have to leave.” He cried again. “I don’t want to go.”

“She didn’t say why?” A six-year-old child couldn’t answer that question. But Donovan intended to get one. “Let’s go.” With Mark in his arms, he strode swiftly from the barn and to the house. If what Mark said was true, Phyl had some explaining to do. But as he got closer his steps slowed. She didn’t have to explain a thing. If the cartel was broken up, and everyone arrested, she was free to go wherever she chose. The only reason she’d come here in the first place was because she was running. If she didn’t have to run anymore, she could go anywhere.

If she wanted to leave, it meant she didn’t care for him the way he did for her.

By the time he opened the door to the house, he realized he was going to lose the woman he loved, and the boy who meant so much to him.

The door slammed shut behind him.

Mark clung to his neck.

Donovan’s heart beat an erratic beat as he walked into the kitchen. He saw Phyl sitting at the table, her eyes full of questions. She was more beautiful than he remembered. Her mouth had him shutting his eyes as he remembered their taste—as he remembered the feel of her in his arms. Opening his eyes again, he saw that she hadn’t moved, just sat there with her head tilted to the side, that questioning look on her face. He fought the urge to stalk over, pull her close, and demand an explanation. He couldn’t.

It was her choice to stay or to leave.

Did she know his heart was breaking? That if she left, life would never be the same? The ranch would never be the same?

How, in God’s name, could he tell them goodbye?

She stood, came toward him. She looked wonderful. Thinner, maybe. And her eyes seemed bigger. She’d been through hell, but it didn’t show.

He swallowed the anger, the hurt and frustration. Phyl deserved a good life. One like she’d had before this nightmare started.

When she stood in front of him, looked into his eyes, all he could manage to say was, “Are you all right?”

All right? She’d be all right if he took her in his arms and told her he loved her. He wasn’t going to. She saw the anger playing around his mouth, the hurt in his eyes. Nellie didn’t hold Phyl responsible for the turmoil she’d brought on them, nor did the family. But Donovan obviously did.

“I’m fine,” she answered his question, her voice more curt than she intended. “How is everything here? Did the number sixty heifer have problems delivering?” She was rattling, asking questions she really didn’t want answered.

He didn’t bother answering. Instead, he looked over at Ted. Grimaced.

“Have you met?”

When Donovan nodded, she figured the meeting hadn’t gone that well. After all, the FBI and Ted had held him in an interrogation room for quite some time. There was no telling what was said or done in there. “As you know, Ted’s a U.S. Marshal. He’ll stay with Mark and me until the trial is over. The FBI suspects we could still be in danger.”

Donovan was acting exactly as she’d feared. She took a silent breath, held onto her control.

“Just playing it safe,” Ted explained.

“I want to apologize for bringing this down on your family, Donovan. If I’d had any idea they would find me I would have done things differently.”

He cleared his throat, put Mark on the floor. Mark didn’t leave his side. “It turned out okay.”

“Thanks to you.”

“If you hadn’t bluffed the killer, more lives could have been lost,” he said. But his voice wasn’t normal.

She stood there, looking into those dark blue eyes. Her heart moved. “I’ll never get over it, Donovan. Your mom almost died because of me.”

“Everything turned out okay,” Nellie said, coming over to take her arm. “Now, why don’t you go to your room and rest until dinner? We’ll talk of other things. Happier things.”

But Donovan couldn’t hide his hurt and anger. Phyl saw how his mouth clamped tight, his brow furrowed. She turned away, unable to accept the truth. There was no
them.
Never would be.

Her chest hurt. Could a heart really break?

“We’re not staying, Nellie. But I had to come and tell you how sorry I am about everything.”

“What do you mean? You can’t leave us now!”

Phyl looked at Nellie, wishing things were different. “You made me feel at home. I thank you for that. You helped with Mark, another thank you. Now it’s time to go.” Saying the words aloud shattered her last hope.

Nellie’s shoulders dropped. “Can’t you stay one night? There’s plenty of room for the Marshal.”

Phyl’s gaze swung to Ted. He watched them all carefully, but didn’t open his mouth.

She looked at Donovan again. His feelings were right there—in his eyes—on his face. She’d lost him. “No. It’s better if we don’t.”

Donovan’s eyes were narrow slits.

Ted pulled Phyl aside. “The boss has a new safe house scoped. We can leave any time.”

Donovan left the kitchen and went to the barn. Mark, of course, was right behind him.

Phyl watched them go with a lump in her throat, her heart shattering. She couldn’t read his thoughts. But the anger was there and it was directed at her. She didn’t need a road map to know why. He’d been distant in California, which told her then how he felt. Maybe she was a slow learner.

“I don’t know why you can’t stay, Phyl. I do know I’ll miss you.”

“I’ll miss you too.” Her throat clogged. She couldn’t say another word.

“I’m going to make a few calls,” Nellie said, and left the room.

Phyl stared out the window, looked toward the barn. She wanted to be out there with Mark and Donovan. She wanted to make plans for a future. Here.

Instead she was stuck with Ted for God knew how long.

****

Donovan stomped toward the barn, Mark on his heels chattering away. He had to do something to make Phyl stay, but what? If she didn’t want to be here, he had no right to try to change her mind.

He loved her and wanted her to be happy. If leaving made it so, then that’s the way it would be.

“Are you going to teach me about the bags now?” Mark asked.

“Later.”

“Can we go riding?”

“Nope.”

Mark put his hands on his hips. “What can we do? I know. You can teach me to rope. You promised.”

They’d reached the barn, stepped inside. Donovan stopped, looked Mark up and down. “Can’t do it.”

Mark’s bottom lip pouted.

“Why?”

“You don’t have the right rigging.”

Mark looked down. He had on jeans, a T-shirt and sneakers. He spread his hands. “This is all I have.”

Donovan pulled a package from behind a bale of hay where he’d put it days ago. “Not anymore.”

“For me?”

“Yep.”

Mark tore into the package. “Wow! Look at this! A shirt just like yours. And a hat. He pulled the shirt on over his T-shirt, slammed the hat on his head and dug deeper. “Boots!” he squealed. Sitting down, he chucked his tennis shoes, shoved his feet into them. “They fit. How do I look?”

“Still not rigged.” Donovan grinned. “Check the bag. There’s something else.”