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Chapter Forty Nine
 
 
 

Belle Gardner was true to her word, she had been at the pay phone every night at their confirmed time.  The two were able to keep in touch with what had been taking place.   She felt bad for Bobie, the last time she had spoken to her she sounded tired.  From what she could gather, the young blond had done a lot of walking and talking but kept missing Skylar Richmond at every turn.

This night was colder than most and it took Belle a little longer to make it to the phone booth.  After parking her pickup, she barely made it in time to pick up the phone when it rang.  "Shoot, it’s your nickel,"  the woman jovially answered.

"I’m coming home,"  Bobie Parker’s voice rang back.

Belle shifted back and forth on her feet, it was cold and she hoped if she kept moving her body would not chill out on her.   "You’re what?"

"Coming home.   I am worn-out.  This place is too big, too much going on at all hours and Skylar is like a slippery  eel, I think I have found her and zip . . .  she is gone.   My feet ache, my back hurts, my head hurts and I am sick of wearing this disguise.   Tell me, how do things look in so far as my returning?"

Belle quickly glanced around before replying,  "Sheriff still looking for you.  But he seems to have his hands full with the Trenton bunch at the moment.  I think we can get you in without him knowing.  Question is, what are you going to do once you are here?"

"Get to the bottom of this.  My body says enough is enough.  Sheriff or not, I am going to find out who is responsible for the things that have been happening.  Can I count on you?"

Belle took a deep breath, then answered,  "I have always been here for you.  Yes, you can count on me.  I will do whatever you think is right.  Now, let’s talk about when you are leaving that big city and how.   I want to make sure to be able to pick you up."
 
 

Later that evening, Belle unlocked the door to the Tavern and went inside.  She was on her way to check on the evening’s till when she spied something setting on the bar counter.   Removing her hat, she reached out to flip on the light switch.   It didn’t work, so she pulled a small flash light from her jacket pocket.

Shining it around the room, she grumbled at the fuse box.  It was always blowing a fuse it seemed and this night she felt it was at it again.  "Best go check the fuses . . ."   She stopped mid-sentence because of what she saw setting on the counter.  It was a ceramic skunk, holding a red rose between its paws.

Belle uttered,  "What the . . ."  As she began to walk toward this.   Approaching, she reached out to touch the skunk and leaned over to sniff the rose.

"Am I forgiven?"  The voice was soft, and came from behind the woman.

Belle sharply turned, aimed her flashlight in the direction of the sound.   First it was a shadow that moved away, then appeared again.  "Dare I believe it is you?"   Belle’s voice quivered in disbelief,   "You have been gone for so long, I never thought I’d see you again."

Stepping into the open, Jeanne Randolph smiled toward the woman.  "I’ve missed you.  There was never a thought in my mind that I wouldn’t see you again, Belle Gardner.  I can go if that is what you want?"

Belle took several steps forward then stopped.  She seemed to be frozen for a few minutes then spurted,  "Have to fix the fuse box, get the lights back on in here."

Jeanne was dressed in blue jeans, a light blue sweatshirt and wore moccasins on her feet.  Her hair was shorter, but she still possessed the sparkle that attracted Belle to her when the woman first arrived in town.   Before Belle could move, Jeanne stood in front of her, arms outstretched,  a look of hope in her eyes she blurted out,  "I missed you.  You, Belle Gardner, give an old friend a hug?"

"Where have you been?  How did you get back?  Are you all right?"  Belle had many questions.  The ones she poured forth were just the beginning.

"I will tell you everything,"   Jeanne whispered.  Her arms still outstretched.  It surprised her when Belle flew into them, wrapped her arms around the woman and cried.   They stood like that, in a close embrace, not a word spoken.

"I was afraid you were dead.  That someone had gotten to you, the man, I thought he kidnaped you, I . . ."

"Shhh,"  Jeanne whispered.  There is time for me to tell you what has happened but know the man did not kidnap me."

The second Belle heard the words, she pulled from the woman’s embrace.  "You, you, you left with this man and gave no thought to me or your friends?"  The concern had been replaced by anger and the woman’s eyes seemed to shoot fire.

Jeanne walked around the bar, picked up a fuse then said,  "I’m going to fix the fuse box, and when I return, I want to sit with you and explain everything.  If you are here when I come back, I will be happy.  If you are gone, then I will understand."

Belle watched the woman and when she was out of sight, walked to the bar sat and while she waited, her hands caressed the ceramic skunk.  The wonderful time the two had still etched in her memory.  Only Jeanne would have thought of the skunk, and the beautiful red rose it held.  Without knowing this, she began to tap the counter with her fingertips.  How it happened, just when it happened she didn’t know but she did know that feelings were building up inside and these were sensations she had not experienced before.

Jeanne cursed herself all the way to the fuse box.  And once this was fixed she began to retrace her steps.  With each one she hoped that Belle would still be there but would understand if the woman had crossed her off her list of friends.  She took several deep breaths, bent over and touched the floor several times before walking into the room.  Belle was sitting at the bar, her hands on the rose, and Jeanne felt her body soar.

Belle heard the woman approaching, turned and said,  "The skunk is adorable, the rose is beautiful, thank you."
 

Sitting on a stool next to the woman, Jeanne smiled warmly.  "Glad you like it. I wasn’t sure, Mr. Skunk gave us both a run for our money. "  She chuckled as Belle joined in the memory of this time and the experience they shared.  Their laughter echoed the room for several seconds.

Finally Belle reached out, placed a hand over the woman’s and remarked,  "You look tired, thin, my mind is going a million miles a minute.  What have you been up to?"  Her beautiful blue eyes widened with anticipation.

"Sky, Bobie are they at your place,"   Jeanne asked without thinking.

Belle pulled her hand from the woman’s and replied,  "That who you came back for?  Skylar Richmond?  If that is the case and I am just a stop on your way to them, then forget it."

Jeanne stood, reached out and said,  "I’m back mainly to see you.  Skylar and Bobie are on a case, I have some information for them but nothing that would take me from you.  Woman, if I didn’t know better, I might think you had feelings for me."

Clearing her throat, Belle stood, bit at her upper lip then said,  "I do.  You have become a good friend, someone I thought I could trust."

"Still can.  I’m the same person that left here."

She stepped close, her eyes surveying Jeanne.  "Not the same woman, I see some changes.  I can tell under that smile, there is pain.  It is time you tell me everything, none of that FBI secretive stuff, I need to know what is going on.  In regard to your question about Skylar and Bobie, lot has happened and once I get you home, I will tell you, that is, after you tell me where you have been and what you have done."

Jeanne leaned over, placed a tender kiss on the woman’s forehead before replying,  "Deal, let’s go."

Belle smiled, grasped Jeanne’s hand, held it firmly then walked to the counter and picked up the ceramic skunk.  "Taking this and the rose with me."
 
 

The two women sit on the divan in the front room, both surprised at what the other knew in regard to what had been taking place.  Jeanne had tossed her moccasins and was barefooted.  She looked tired but was trying to keep her eyes open, the trip had taken a toll on her but she swore she would get back to this town and to the woman that was smiling toward her at that minute.

Belle stood, then asked,  "Would you like for me to get you a cup of coffee, tea or something?"

The woman reached out, her fingers intertwining with Belle’s.  "I’d much rather be with you."

"We are together, here, you are with me.  Is there anything else you want?"

"Yes, a soft bed, a soft pillow . . ."

"Oh!  How terrible of me.  Keep talking to you asking all sorts of questions, you must be tired.  Come, let me get you to bed.  We can talk more in the morning."

A sparkle flashed across Jeanne’s azure eyes as she stood and followed the woman into the bedroom.

Belle reached into a dresser drawer retrieving a pair of pajamas.  "Here, you can put these on.  I know probably not your type but they will do."

Jeanne was pulling the sweatshirt over her head and when finished she turned toward the woman.  "I’ll put these on, if you will sleep with me."

Belle’s eyes flew to the bed then to the woman before she muttered,  "I, I have my own bed, you will be much more comfortable in here by yourself."

Jeanne listened to the woman hymn and haw while she unbuttoned her jeans and stepped out of  them.  "Here I stand before you in my bra and panties, I do not want to be alone this night.  I need to feel that you are there.  Don’t get upset I’m not going to take advantage of you, just need to know you are here."

Belle listened to the woman, all the while her eyes were traveling every inch of Jeanne Randolph’s luscious body.  Gulping and feeling it stick in her throat, she began to cough and gasp for air.  Jeanne reached out and patted the woman’s back.  "Belle, Belle, it’s all right, I didn’t think my request would cause you to stop breathing.   I’ll be fine in here, you go do what it is you do."

Belle handed the pajamas to the woman.  "You will catch your death of cold like that, best put something on."

Taking the pajamas, Jeanne bent over and turned down the sheets.  "Would you mind if I just sleep au naturel?"  She removed the bra and placed it on the dresser.

"No.  If that is what you want.  Tell me Jeanne Randolph, what is it you are up too?  I feel something between us that wasn’t there before."

Jeanne quickly stepped into the legs of the pajamas and slipped into the top.  She ran her fingers through her hair then asked nonchalantly,  "Have you ever had feelings for another woman?"

"I have many women friends.  Why do you ask me this?"  Belle looked at the woman, as if she was trying to read her mind.

"I don’t mean friends, I mean a real connection for another woman."

Belle sat on the bed, she looked despondent for a few minutes then she answered,  "As honestly as I can be, no."

Jeanne’s face fell at hearing the woman’s words.

"But, since I have met you, yes.  I have never felt this way before, you make my heart sing, everything is better with you.  I am not prepared to go any further at this time."

Jeanne reached down, placed her hand in Belle’s right hand then said,  "I’m not pushing or asking you to dear Belle.  Just to know you care about me is enough.  Now, what side of the bed do you want?"

"What?  I thought we discussed this."

"We did sorta, but I still need to know you are here and that you will be here when I wake.  No hanky panky, just sleep.  I promise."

"All right.   I will take the right side, if you don’t want it."  Belle walked toward the bathroom and called back,  "Now, go to sleep, we have a lot to do tomorrow."

"Aye, aye captain."  Jeanne replied as she slid into bed and pulled the covers up.   The second she closed her eyes, she was fast asleep and never knew when Belle made her way to bed that night.
 
 

The ringing of the telephone woke Belle the next morning, it didn’t take long to realize that Jeanne was snuggled against her  back, one arm placed over her abdomen.  It had been a night she would not forget.   Jeanne was asleep when she crawled into bed, she looked like an angel and it was all she could do not to reach over and kiss the woman goodnight.  A light kiss on the forehead was what she was thinking but she also knew if she did, it might wake her and Jeanne might wonder just what she was up to.  So she went to sleep with many things drifting in and out of her mind.

Jeanne had returned, she had seen a lot, done a lot and whether the woman would admit it or not she seemed to be in pain.  It was around midnight the first scream sounded, it was so shrill Belle shot straight up in bed.  The second scream sent chills through her as she realized it was Jeanne.  The woman was having nightmares and from the sound of them and the thrashing of her body they were intense.

As her body shook the woman mumbled,  "Stop.  Stop.  Don’t do this."   The words would fade only to come back loudly,  "Stop!  God help us!   No.  No. No . . ."

Belle turned on the light and reached out to comfort the woman.  "It’s all right, no one is going to hurt you now.   Shh . . . it’s all right."   She held Jeanne in her arms, rocking the woman softly, it seemed to be working, she wasn’t shaking as much, her body was calming down.  It was at this time, Jeanne’s eyes flew open.  She gazed at Belle, it was evident she had no idea what was going on.

"What?  Belle, what are you doing?"

Belle scooted back on the bed, then replied,  "You were having terrible nightmares.  I was just trying to sooth you.  Let you know you were safe now."

"Nightmares?   I’m sorry to have disturbed you.  You were right, I shouldn’t have asked you to stay with me."

"Why?  I care about you.  When you were upset, I was here.  If I had been in the other room, and heard you scream like that, I might have had a heart attack.   Now, try to go back to sleep, I will be here, and I promise no one will get you.  They will have to go through me first, and as you can tell, this is a lot to go through."

Jeanne reached out, placing her right hand on the woman’s cheek.  "Why do you say things like this?  You are a beautiful woman.  There is so much you have to give, and I will be jealous of the person that does get your hand in marriage."

"Never happen.   I don’t do the marriage thing, never believed in it."

"Turn out the light, I’ll do my best not to have any more nightmares."

"Want to tell me about these tomorrow?  I knew something was wrong.  You can count on me, trust me."

"I know and I do.  Night Belle, love you."

Belle stared down at Jeanne Randolph, the woman had drifted to sleep again and this time it seemed to be a good one.   She thought about the woman’s words and the time they first met.  The many times since and knew she was indeed falling in love with Jeanne Randolph.  What she was going to do about it was not something she wanted to think about.  After all, the woman had disappeared before, there was nothing to stop her from doing it again.  The last thing she wanted was a one night fling.  Where Jeanne was concerned, it had to be all or nothing.

"Love you too,"  Belle whispered as she slid down on the bed and gently moved toward Jeanne.  Spooning was something she had seen in movies but this night she was going to snuggle close to Jeanne and hold her tenderly.  Hoping this would keep the nightmares away.
 

Belle reached out and pulled the plug from the phone.  It was bound to wake Jeanne and she needed to get some rest.  The woman mumbled then hugged Belle closer.  Belle smiled and closed her eyes.  She was tired.  Knowing that Jeanne was close, that she depended on her in some way, gave her happiness.  And for some reason she didn’t want to get up, to spoil the feelings that had taken over her body in this moment and time.
 
 

It was the incessant knocking and ringing of the door bell that finally got Belle out of bed.  She hated to do this but knew whoever it was, wasn’t going to leave.  Making her way to the door she reached for her housecoat and called out,  "All right!  Hold your horses!"

"Sorry to wake you but I had no place to go."

Belle flung open the door to gaze at a very disheveled looking young man.  Suddenly the fact she was supposed to have met Bobie hit home.  "Bob– Bobie come in."

Once she was inside and the door was closed behind her, Bobie stared at the woman.  "What happened to you?  I waited for a long time.  Finally got a ride in with a farmer.  He was on the way to market, had a full bed of chickens and they were none to happy to be out that late."

"Sorry, something came up.  Hope you will forgive me."

"Must have been really something for you to . . ."   She stopped talking mid sentence for a bleary-eyed Jeanne Randolph was now making her way into the living room.  Bobie glanced at Belle then Jeanne.  "Looks like something did.  When did you get back, Jeanne?"

Belle sighed, smiled toward Jeanne and said,  "Going to go put the coffee on, you two talk."

Belle sat on the divan, then spoke,  "Going to take a few days for me to get my bearings again.  In answer to your question, last night.  I got back last night."

"You’re not surprised to see me dressed like this,"  Bobie asked.

"No, Belle filled me in on what has been taking place around here.  Sorry to hear about the trouble.  Seems to me the Sheriff has something else on his mind.  About Sky . . ."

"Don’t!  She made her decision and now I have to make mine."

Bobie, she loves you.  I don’t care what was said in jail.  The Skylar Richmond I know would only do something like that because she feared for the person she loved.  I have strong feelings Sheriff Burgess threatened you with something if she didn’t."

Bobie’s expression had softened.  "You think so?"

Jeanne nodded.  "I do.  I have known Skylar a long time and believe me, she has never let herself go as she has with you.  A woman sworn to never fall in love has been bitten.  Give her the benefit of doubt, at least talk to her."

"I tried that, went to L. A. but every time I got close she disappeared.  It was almost like she was dodging me."

"No.  Perhaps busy, her mind on many things but if she knew you were there, believe me the woman would have swooped you up in her arms and never let go."

Bobie sat leaned back on the divan, her back relishing the softness.  "If you say so.  I will give it one last shot, but first I want to clear up these murders, the involvement of Trenton and his gang, so many things, not sure where to start.  By the way you look cute in the teddy bear PJ’s."

Jeanne ran a hand over one arm, then grinned.  "Belle, does not take to a person sleeping in the nude.  Have to admit these are sort of cute."

"They are.  I am glad the two of you have settled things.  Belle is glowing and so are you."

"We slept, that’s all.  Perhaps one day she will realize we are meant to be, until then I will be happy to know she is my friend."

Bobie stood, then asked,  "I am tired, need a shower, do you think Belle will mind?"

"No, go right ahead.  I’m sure some of your clothes are still there from before.  I’m going to see how Belle is doing with the coffee.  Want me to bring you a cup?"

"Thanks, but I think I will take a long hot shower, then meet you two in the kitchen."

Jeanne watched the woman walk from the room, Bobie was walking gingerly, she must have been doing a lot of walking.  Raising her eyebrows, she sighed and fell back on the divan, it was evident in the way she looked when talking about Skylar, the two women had found true love, something very hard to find in a very busy world.
 
 

Skylar had been to the Bureau of Statistics, the Law Library, The Police Station, any place in Dallas she might get information regarding Bockenheimer and his law practice.  From all she could gather, he was a well-known lawyer, a man that would champion a cause if he felt it was right.  The police were nice but had little to say about the man.  And so it was she decided to go to the Law Offices’s of T & B Services.

The elevator was slow, and when it opened, a crowd of people began to pile out.  Sky was dressed in a light blue pantsuit.  The white shirt buttoned to the neck, had ruffled sleeves. She had the appearance of someone who belonged in this building.  Her flowing red hair was pulled back into a bun of sorts, and she wore dark rimmed eye glasses.  The dark boots that donned her feet set off the ensemble.  To anyone passing she was just a face in the crowd.

Once she was on the fifth floor, Skylar made sure no one else was in the passageway before stepping out of the elevator.  Standing tall, she walked to a directory and read each name, stopping when she came to T& B Services.  It didn’t take long to make it to the main door.  She was disappointed to find the place locked and a message in the window stating, ‘on holiday, if you have an urgent need to seek legal counsel, please call our answering service.’

"Hmmm . . .  ‘holiday’."  She gazed upward and mumbled,  "What have I done?  Why do I keep running into all these road blocks?"  With a disgruntled look she reached into the breast pocket of the light blue blazer and removed a small leather kit.  "Have never seen a place I can’t get in."  With these words, Skylar began to work the lock on the door.  Soon it gave way to her skills and she walked inside.

Sky was sitting at Bockenheimer’s large oak desk going through files.  She spent hours reading, and writing down information she felt might be needed.   It was getting late in the day and she was just about to give up when she found a folder tucked into one of the desk drawers.  The words, ‘Aero Vent Dynamics’ caught her eye.  Immediately taking the folder out of the drawer and placing it on the desk top, she opened the first page.

There it was, a list of properties that had been acquired by this company.  A map of the area, some places marked in red while others ignored.  There seemed to be some sort of path that ran from the Kiva to one of the properties.  There were letters from someone that signed their name as ‘T’.  All of these having to do with uranium and possible sale to the military.   It didn’t take a genius to realize that ‘T’ was Tara Coltrane.  Still she could not figure what Tara’s involvement in this really was.

Sky used the office machine to make copies of what was in the file, before she put everything back in its place and left the office.  On her way out she passed a guard who smiled and walked on by.  The hour was late and the man must be wondering what she was doing in the building at this time.  It was then she rounded a corner and took the stairway down.

Once she was on the first floor, Skylar hurried out the door and made her way to the airport.  A ticket to Springfield, and during the flight a  chance to go over the information she had gathered.  Her mind was on the papers before her but a beautiful blond kept coming into her thoughts.  A lot of strange happenings had taken place in the small town but with Bobie’s help, she felt they would soon get to the bottom of who was behind this.   Her only prayer was that Bobie would still talk to her.

Continued in part 28