The Rebel of Copper Creek (18 page)

In her dream there was no paperwork. No drudgery. There was a feeling of complete and utter joy as she urged her mount into a gallop before being enveloped in a warm, loving embrace.

G
riff bounded into the mudroom and eased off his dung-caked boots before rolling his sleeves.

Seeing him, Whit shot him a quizzical look. “Did you already muck the stalls?”

“Yeah. I figured I'd get an early start.”

“Early? It's barely dawn.”

“It is?” Griff was grinning. “I guess I was awake earlier than I thought.”

Whit turned back toward the kitchen. “If you've done the barn chores, I guess that gives me time for another cup of coffee.”

Griff washed up and followed him, helping himself to a tall orange juice before turning to Mad. “Ready for another day at Juliet's?”

Mad shook his head. “Sorry, lad. You'll have to go without me.”

At Griff's arched brow the old man explained. “I promised Brady I'd go to town with him today.”

“What about Juliet's grilled cheese sandwiches?”

Mad shrugged. “You'll just have to eat my share. Tell her I'll try to get back to her ranch next week.”

“Okay.” Griff downed the orange juice in one long swallow. “Your loss.” He turned away, missing the devilish smile on his grandfather's face.

Griff was unloading the lumber from the rear of the plane when Casey and Ethan came bounding up to greet him.

“Hey, Griff.” Casey peeked inside the plane. “Where's Grandpa Mad?”

“He couldn't come today. But he said he'll try to come with me one day next week.” Griff looked around. “Where's your mom?”

“Talking to Mr. Turner.”

The two boys watched as Griff hauled the lumber into the barn, then returned for more. When all of it had been unloaded, he strapped on his tool belt and got to work.

Casey pointed. “Why are you putting those together like that?”

“These boards will be the base. The bottom. Everything else will rest on these.”

“What're those?”

“Those boards will form the top.”

“That doesn't look like a table.”

“Not yet. But it will when I finish.”

“And then me and Efan can play with our trucks?”

He grinned at the boy's grammar, before deciding that he'd leave any correction up to Casey's mother. “That's right.”

“Hear that, Efan? We'll have our very own play table and we can bring all our trucks out here.”

A happy smile played on Ethan's lips. It was, Griff thought, such a pleasure to see this silent, often sad little boy looking happy for a change. For the next hour he sawed wood, nailed it, and pieced it together until the play table began to take shape.

At the sound of voices he looked up. Juliet and Jackie Turner stepped into the barn.

Juliet's voice was accusing. “There you are. Casey and Ethan, I told you it was all right to say hello to Griff, and then you were supposed to return to the house.”

“But Griff's making our table. We need to be here to help him.”

“That's fine, as long as you tell me where you are and what you're doing. But you never came back, and I had to come looking for you.”

Casey ducked his head. “Sorry.”

Griff got to his feet. “I'm sorry, too. I thought you knew they were with me.”

“Contrary to what you've been told, I don't have eyes in the back of my head.”

Casey's eyes went wide. “You don't?”

Seeing the grin on Griff's face, Juliet turned away. “You can stay out here with Griff for another hour. Then I'll expect you to come in for lunch.”

To her retreating back Casey called, “Can we bring Griff?”

“Fine. It's the least I can do to repay him for all this work.”

The tone of her voice didn't match the words. Griff realized they were back where they'd started. She was annoyed that he was here, and whatever he did to make it up to her wasn't going to be enough.

Jackie remained after Juliet had gone.

Griff shook his hand. “How are things going, Jackie?”

“Better'n they were, but not nearly good enough yet.”

“Well, however much you can do to help, I'm sure Juliet's grateful just to have someone ease the burden.”

The older man watched as the two little boys began chasing one another around the barn. “I don't know how she does it. Since I've started here, I've never seen that young woman stop. She does the work of three, and still this place keeps beating her back. Solve one problem, two more crop up.”

Griff raised a brow. “What's wrong now?”

“What isn't?” Jackie pointed. “That house is falling down around her. The roof leaks. The plumbing's stopped up. The lights flicker on and off. This barn roof is practically bare. The bunkhouse where I'm staying has cracks in the wall big enough for critters to climb through. The range shacks are barely habitable.”

After listening to the litany of complaints, Griff repeated some of the things Mad had said he would do if he were in charge.

Jackie listened politely, digesting everything before scratching his head. “I like the way Mad thinks.” He nodded. “A couple of those suggestions just might be a starting point.” He offered a handshake. “Thanks, son. I appreciate you relaying that to me.” He turned away. “Now I'd better start tackling that mountain of work.”

A short time later, as Griff finished up the base of the table, Juliet stepped into the barn.

Her tone was gentler, as though she'd had a talk with herself and decided to call a truce. “Lunch is ready. I made grilled cheese sandwiches. And Griff, you're welcome to join us. I made plenty.”

He set aside his tool belt and trailed the two little boys to the house where he bent to the sink and washed before stepping into the kitchen.

Remembering Jackie's words, he took the time to look around, seeing the dark stain along one wall, indicating a leak in the roof, and noting the fact that Juliet had to unplug the coffeemaker before plugging in the can opener.

With so many problems, it would be hard to know where to begin. But it occurred to him that an overloaded electrical system could spell serious trouble in the form of a fire. He made a mental note to contact Brady for the name of a good electrician in town.

As he took a seat at the table, he heard the approach of the bus, signaling the arrival of the Romeos.

Juliet looked out the window and gave a hiss of annoyance before turning to Griff and her sons. “The men are here, so I guess you'll have to eat lunch without me.” She pointed to the stove. “The sandwiches are staying warm under that lid. There's fresh coffee in that pot, and milk in the fridge. I cut up some fresh peaches for dessert. The plate of peaches is over there.” She nodded toward the counter before starting toward the door.

“What about your lunch?” Griff asked.

“I'll eat something later.” She was already out the door and bounding down the steps.

He moved about the kitchen, setting the food on the table, fetching milk for the boys. As they ate their lunch, he teased and joked and kept Casey and Ethan in high spirits. The same couldn't be said for his own spirits. He'd come here today with high hopes of making amends for his earlier behavior. Now it looked as though the only thing he'd accomplish this day would be creating a play space for the boys. At least, he thought, it wasn't a total waste.

Griff stepped into the barn, trailed by Casey and Ethan, carrying an armload of cars and trucks, in anticipation of the soon-to-be-completed play table.

Spotting them, Jimmy Gable's eyes widened. “Hey, Captain. I didn't know you were here. Where've you been hiding?”

Griff high-fived him. “Having lunch with the boys up at the house. How're you doing, Jimmy?”

“Good. Juliet says I'm her favorite cowboy.”

Heywood Sperry's voice was rough with sarcasm. “She says that to everybody, you stupid jerk.”

Jimmy swiveled his head, hoping to inject some humor. “Hey. Only my brothers are allowed to call me stupid.”

“Probably 'cause they're all brain-dead.”

“That's enough, Sperry.” Hank Wheeler, astride Princess, reined in his horse to stare daggers at the man on the electric scooter. “Jimmy's never done anything to you. Why do you have to go out of your way to act like such a creep?”

“That's not acting,” Billy Joe Harris shouted from across the width of the barn. “That's all Sperry knows how to be. A mean-mouthed, insulting creep.”

“You shut that mouth,” Sperry shouted back, “or I'll go over there and shut it for good.”

“You better bring a posse,” Stan Novak snarled. “'Cause you lay a hand on Billy Joe, you'll answer to me.”

“I'm real scared,” Heywood said through clenched teeth.

Juliet held up a hand.

In the silence that followed, she said, “Hank, you did so well today, I think you deserve a round of applause.” She turned to the others.

All but Sperry joined in clapping their hands for the tattooed vet, who was grinning like the Cheshire Cat. Minutes later he was back in his wheelchair, while Billy Joe took a turn on the mare.

Griff returned his attention to putting the final trim on the play table, allowing the voices of the Romeos to recede into the background. While he worked, he marveled at the way Juliet could handle a group of such diverse men, all with hair-trigger tempers.

Shortly after the bus bearing the Romeos had left in a cloud of dust, Griff looked up at the sound of Jackie Turner speaking to Juliet.

“I just talked to Cooper up in the hills. He and a couple of his wranglers will stay there with the herd, while the others take a break and head to town. He says they're getting antsy for a little night life after all that time in the highlands. I agree that a weekend in town will do them good, if you have no objections.”

Juliet touched a hand to his sleeve. “I trust your judgment, Jackie.”

“All right. If you need anything at all, you call me.” He turned away. “I'll be at my daughter's for the weekend, and I'll see you Monday morning, unless you need me sooner.”

She nodded before heading up to the house.

As Jackie climbed into his truck, Griff hurried over. Through the open window he said, “You're not staying on?”

The old man shook his head. “I promised my daughter I'd be home for the weekend, to spend some time with my grandchildren.” He stuck out his hand. “Thanks again for passing along Mad's suggestions. I told Cooper about them, and he said as soon as the wranglers return on Monday morning, he'll talk to them about maybe earning a little extra if they're willing to do some repairs on the range shack.”

“That's a start. Thanks, Jackie.”

As the old man drove away, Griff pulled out his cell phone and called the police chief.

“Ira? Griff Warren. I'm out at Juliet Grayson's place and wondering if you've had any leads on Mitch.”

The chief's voice boomed over the phone. “He's called twice in the past week, leaving menacing messages on Juliet's phone. Fortunately, she was too busy to pick up, and he left them on her cell, and she was able to play them back for me.”

Griff's eyes narrowed. “Are you able to trace where they're coming from?”

“Not yet. I've got the state police giving me a hand, but so far, no luck.”

 “So basically, he could be anywhere.” Griff listened to more before saying with a sigh, “Okay, Chief. Thanks.”

He looked inside the barn in time to see Casey and Ethan happily moving their cars and trucks around the table, loading miniature cows inside a metal cattle hauler, lost in the joy of make-believe.

He walked to the house and knocked on the door. When Juliet opened it, she stared at him, then looked beyond him to the barn. “Where are the boys?”

“I left them playing.” With a jolt of sudden knowledge he said, “I just checked with the chief, and he said you've had more menacing calls from Mitch.”

Except for the sudden narrowing of her eyes, she said nothing.

“Now I know why you're worried about the boys being left alone. Don't worry, I'll be heading back to the barn to stay with them. But I'd like you and the boys to fly back to the MacKenzie Ranch with me for the weekend.”

She was already shaking her head. “I'm not running away again.”

“It's not running away.”

“What would you call it?” She fixed him with a cool look.

“I'd call it seeing to the safety of yourself and your sons.”

“We'll be fine.” Before he could argue further she took in a deep breath. “There are way too many things that need to be done here. I can't keep running away and hoping this ranch will take care of itself.” She waved a hand. “Look around you. It needs a caretaker. It needs me.” Her voice lowered. “And I need this ranch. I need to be here.”

As she started to close the door he caught hold of it. “Fine then. I'll just stay here, too.”

“You can't.”

“Why not?”

“You're not welcome.” She shot him a look. “And you know why.”

“I deserve that. And a whole lot more. But I'm staying. And you needn't worry. I'll keep my distance and sleep in the barn.”

He released his hold on the door and swung away, giving her no chance to argue.

“Fine. Sleep in the barn if you insist. When supper's ready, I'll send some out with the boys.” She clung to the door like a lifeline, struggling to contain her fear. “Now, if you don't mind, send them in for their baths.”

He continued walking without saying a word.

Before stepping into the barn he removed his cell phone from his pocket and punched in a number. When he heard Mad's voice he said, “Don't hold supper for me tonight.”

“Why, laddie? You planning a romantic dinner at the Grayson place?”

Griff gave a dry laugh. “Some romance. From the sound of things, I'll probably be eating crow.”