I'd still like to know what you think, just drop me a note - cb.zeer@worldnet.att.net
This is dedicated to AJ, who holds my heart and inspires my thoughts. I love you!
Part 5
Chapter 9
Sheriff Bristol leaned back in his chair and rubbed his eyes. Several file folders were strewn across the desk in disarray. Okay…so now we know that Rick Thompson has no alibi for last Saturday, and Hubert was 'missing' for about four hours that day. "Great. Two suspects, two motives." He was about to search the folders again when his phone buzzed.
"Sheriff? I have Mrs. Cauble on line two for you, as you requested," his secretary informed him.
"Thanks, Lydia." Charlie picked up the receiver and pushed line two. "This is Sheriff Bristol. May I speak with Michael Cauble?"
The woman's voice on the other end of the phone released a heavy sigh. "As I told the woman who called, my husband has been out of town on business since last Thursday. I do not expect him back until Wednesday evening, at the earliest. What is this all about?"
"I'm sorry to disturb you, Mrs. Cauble…but I'm investigating a crime." He pulled a notepad close and began writing notes. "Where can I reach Mr. Cauble? It's imperative that I speak with him on this matter as soon as possible."
"Are you insinuating that my husband is guilty of something criminal?" Elizabeth Cauble's voice turned icy. "Perhaps you should just contact our lawyer."
The sheriff closed his eyes and rubbed his forehead to try and postpone the inevitable headache. "No ma'am, I'm not insinuating anything. But a crime has been committed, and I'm pursuing each and every lead until I catch the person responsible."
Elizabeth sounded very irritated. "If this crime happened there in Texas, what makes you think that Michael had anything to do with it?"
"Because your husband had recently threatened the victim, ma'am. I'm following every lead, no matter how small or off base it may seem." Charlie felt like pounding his head on the desk. Damn stubborn woman! I can't believe sweet little Amanda is even related to her.
"Who is he supposed to have threatened? Were there witnesses? When was this alleged threat placed?" Elizabeth's voice continued to rise until she was almost screaming. "How dare you!"
Charlie took a deep breath as he tried to think of how much he could safely say. "Your husband threatened Lexington Walters last month, Mrs. Cauble. It seems that he also attacked her in front of your youngest daughter."
The cultured woman's tone practically shook with rage. "That…pervert…said my husband threatened her? That's the most ridiculous thing that I have ever heard!" She paused for a moment to get herself back under control. "She has my daughter brainwashed to think like her too. You can't believe a word either of them say." Elizabeth laughed humorlessly. "Do you even know this…woman, Sheriff? She can't be trusted, you know."
"Mrs. Cauble," the lawman almost bit his tongue in two trying to control his temper, "I have known Lexington Walters since she was born. You can't find a more upstanding citizen, or kinder person." He waited a moment to let his words sink in. "And I swear to you - I…will…get to the bottom of this. No one hurts my family and gets away with it! Good day, ma'am." He slammed the receiver back down on the phone and covered his eyes with a shaking hand. God…what a hateful woman. Poor Amanda. And now her daddy doesn't seem to have an alibi either. This damn thing just keeps getting more and more complicated.
The knock on his office door caused Sheriff Bristol to glance up expectantly. "Come in." Charlie smiled at the young woman who stepped into the room. "Amanda! Hello there. Come on in and have a seat." He stood and waved her into a nearby chair. "What can I do for you this morning, honey?"
Amanda sat down with a serious look on her face. "Lex and I were talking last night. We thought that we should tell you about someone else, even though he hasn't made any threats or anything." She had been awakened before dinner by gentle kisses from the rancher. The attentions led them to being late for the evening meal, much to her grandparent's delight. I thought they'd never quit smirking, Amanda thought with an inward grin.
"Okay…at this point, I'll take any help or ideas I can get." Charlie grabbed his notepad and turned to a clean sheet of paper. "Go ahead."
"Like I said, he hasn't threatened her or anything, and maybe it's just a coincidence, but…" Amanda raised her hands helplessly. "With the way things have been lately, we figured it would be better safe than sorry. Mark Garrett used to work for my father, but he quit a couple of weeks ago." After the sheriff nodded, she continued, "Anyway, last week he showed up at my office saying that he wanted to relocate to Somerville. And, he showed up at my grandparent's on Monday with flowers for Lex."
Charlie scratched his head. "If he's new in town, how did he know where to find you?" Understanding dawned on his weathered features. "Damn…do we know where this Mr. Garrett was on Saturday?" He began to write furiously on his notepad. "Do you happen to know where he's staying?"
The young woman shook her head. "No…he never said. Which is kind of strange since I'm supposed to be looking for a house for him. Mark didn't leave me any way to get in contact with him." Amanda stood up and walked over to the window, glancing outside.
"How's Lex feeling today, sweetheart?" Charlie looked back at the door. "Is she still over at your grandparents?"
"No. She's over at Dr. Anderson's getting a checkup." Amanda turned away from the window with a sheepish smile. "He ran me off and said that he didn't want to see me for a least two hours." She crossed back toward the desk and leaned up against one corner. "Lex is hoping that he'll give her the okay to unwrap her arm, since it barely bothers her now."
The sheriff chuckled. "She's always healed up quickly. I remember that it caused some interesting arguments between her and Martha." Charlie stood up and grabbed his hat. "Why don't you let me buy you a cup of coffee? The diner across the street also has a great cheese danish."
Amanda smiled and followed him out of the office. "Sounds good, but only if you'll let me pay for it."
"Ow!" Lex jerked away from prying hands. "Are you trying to kill me?"
The gray-haired doctor chuckled good-naturedly. "Calm down, Lexington. We're almost done." Dr. Anderson finished removing the wrap from her injured arm. "I thought that it wasn't hurting you anymore?" He looked up into her wide blue eyes.
Busted. Okay, I can talk my way out of this. "Umm…it wasn't." Lex stopped to think. "But with all your twisting and jerking, it's a little sore now," she finished with a triumphant smile.
"Uh-huh." He turned the arm slowly and used his thumb and forefinger to test for swelling. "Can you make a fist?"
Lex closed her hand slowly. "Isn't that a dangerous thing to ask me?" She grinned down at the older man. "Especially with you in that position?" She flinched as he turned the still-bruised arm.
Dr. Anderson laughed as he slowly bent her arm at the elbow. "Easy now. The x-rays show that there was no permanent damage done, but it's going to be pretty sore for another week or so." He could feel her muscles tense when the young woman tried to keep from reacting to the pain. "You can leave it unwrapped, and I'll give you a list of exercises that will strengthen it properly."
"Does this mean that I can go back to the ranch and not have to come back here anytime soon?" Lex asked as she tried to button up her shirt. "Damn." A knock on the door stopped her fumbling.
A tousled blonde head poked in the door. "Are you about through, or do I have to try and find something else to occupy my time out in the waiting room?" Amanda asked as she edged her way into the room. She noticed Lex standing by the examining table with her shirt unbuttoned. "Need some help?" she asked as she made her way across to the rancher.
Lex smiled at her young friend. "Yeah…my hand still doesn't work too well."
"I'll just let you finish getting dressed, Lexington." Dr. Anderson stood in the doorway. "Stop by my office before you leave and I'll have some papers for you to sign, okay?" He closed the door behind him.
Amanda finished buttoning the rancher's shirt and then wrapped her arms around Lex. "I missed you." She mumbled into Lex's chest. The blonde leaned back until she could look the older woman in the eye. "What did he say?"
"I'm fine. Gonna be sore for another week or so, but no permanent damage." Lex raised her right hand and slowly ran her fingers through Amanda's hair. "Dr. A said he was going to give me some exercises to strengthen my arm, but I could use it as much as I wanted."
"That's great." Amanda found herself lost in the rancher's blue gaze. She slowly raised up and met Lex halfway, their lips gently touching. "Mmm…" Amanda reached up and clasped her hands behind the taller woman's neck as she deepened the kiss.
Lex wrapped her left arm around Amanda's back and pulled the smaller woman closer. She ignored the pain in her right arm as she continued to thread her fingers through the blonde hair. "Amanda…" she felt the young woman turn slightly to run her hands down Lex's arms. "Ow!" Lex gasped as Amanda inadvertently grabbed her sore arm.
Amanda jumped back as if she had been burned. "Oh god, Lex! I'm so sorry." She could see the pain in the blue eyes above her. "Are you okay?" The blonde took a tentative step forward and touched the clenched jaw. "Honey?"
"It's okay." Lex closed her eyes and took a deep breath through her nose. "Just a little tender, that's all." She opened her eyes and forced a smile on her face. "See? No harm done, sweetheart." The sharp pain in her arm slowly receded. "C'mere, beautiful…" Lex pulled the younger woman close and wrapped her arms back around Amanda. They stood quietly for several minutes lost in each other.
"Is everything all right in here?" Laura, Dr. Anderson's nurse, poked her red head into the room. "The doctor said that he was ready for you in his office." She smiled at the rancher, who still had her left arm wrapped around Amanda.
Lex gave the nurse a wry grin. "Just great. We were just on our way out." She allowed Amanda to leave the office before her, winking at the young woman holding the door. "Thanks, Laura."
"Anytime, Lex." Laura assured her. Oh, how the mighty have fallen - and hard, too. She certainly deserves the happiness. Congratulations, my lucky friend.
"Did you get everything on Martha's list?" Amanda questioned her friend. Lex was scowling at the road ahead of them and fighting the rising wind to keep the truck on the road. They had just spent the last two hours fighting the crowds at the local supermarket, much to the rancher's discomfort. "Lex?"
"Hmm?" Lex turned her attention from the road for a moment. "I'm sorry…did you ask me something?" She looked down at the small hand that rested on her thigh.
Amanda lightly ran her hand up and down the denim-clad leg. "I was just wondering if you got everything that Martha had asked for at the store." She studied the sharp profile beside her. "What's wrong?"
Lex released a deep breath and then smiled at Amanda. "Nothing's wrong, sweetheart. I was just thinking." She gingerly grasped the younger woman's hand with her own. "I think that we got everything that Martha wanted," she smiled ruefully, "I hope." Lord knows I don't want to make another trip to town tonight or in the morning. She brought Amanda's hand up to her lips and kissed it tenderly.
"What's on your mind? You seem a million miles away." Amanda could tell that something was bothering her lover and was determined to get to the root of the matter. "I'd like to help, if I could."
"I know, love." Lex shook her head. "I was just wondering if Martha might know more about my grandparents. I've never really talked to her about them." She squinted as the afternoon sun came out from behind some clouds. "Guess it can't hurt to ask, right?"
Amanda nodded. "That's right. And I've got a few leads to follow up on the computer when we get back to the ranch." She smiled broadly when the truck traveled across the old bridge that had recently been completely rebuilt by the ranch hands. They had asked Lex and Amanda to ride down to the structure a week ago, proud of their accomplishment. It seems like a lifetime ago when my car was washed into the creek from here, not just a month. So much has happened - I nearly drowned, was rescued by the most incredible woman in the world, and fell in love. Sounds perfect to me.
Lex watched her companion's face as Amanda's thoughts drifted. "Now you've gone off somewhere. Want to share?" She privately loved when the younger woman would get distracted like this. The look in her eyes when she's thinking turns me to mush. God! Do I need to get a grip, or what? But she couldn't help but smile as she watched Amanda gaze off far into the distance.
"Hmm?" The blonde turned her attention back to Lex, who was smiling at her. I love that grin…she looks like a little kid that knows a secret. "Sorry. Just reminiscing." She scrutinized the way the light chased across the older woman's face. "So much has happened in a month, hasn't it?"
"Yep." Lex fought the truck as a gust of wind tried to blow it from the road. "Best month of my life, if you ask me." She maneuvered the vehicle down the recently renovated road. "Damn. I think it's gonna get nasty later on tonight, sweetheart." The sudden jerk of the steering wheel brought renewed pain to her healing arm. I'm going to soak in the tub for hours tonight. Lex glanced over at her lover with a devilish smile. And I bet I can get some company, if I ask nicely.
Amanda watched as Lex grinned at her. "What?" She glanced down at herself and then back up to meet the rancher's smirk. "That's a sneaky look you have. What are you up to?"
The rancher pulled the truck up to the house next to the mudroom entrance. "I was thinking about how good a long soak in the tub would feel tonight." She got out and hurried around to open the door for Amanda. "And I was wondering if you would care to join me." Lex reached into the back seat of the truck to grab a bag of groceries, only to have her hand gently slapped away by the younger woman. "Hey!"
"Dr. Anderson said for you to take it easy for the next few days. Martha and I can bring in the supplies," Amanda chastised. When she saw the older woman's face begin to cloud, she added, "Why don't you go upstairs and get the bathwater ready? I'm feeling a little 'dirty' myself."
Lex laughed. "Ooh. That's a good one!" she whispered into Amanda's ear. "I'll save you a spot, cutie!" She swatted the blonde on the rear and raced into the house.
"I'll get you back for that, Lexington!" Amanda shouted to the retreating figure, trying to keep a straight face. Just when I think I have her figured out, she acts like a little kid. Big tough rancher… NOT!
Martha stepped into the kitchen and was almost bowled over by a quick moving form. "Aaah!" She jumped back into the hallway holding one hand over her heart. "Lexie! I didn't even hear you drive up! Are you trying to give me a heart attack?"
"Sorry 'bout that, Martha." Lex grasped the older woman by her elbows. "Are you alright?" She led Martha into the kitchen and helped her to a chair. "Here…sit down for a minute."
"Stop that!" Martha swatted at the tall woman. "I'm not that old." She studied Lex carefully. The rancher had squatted next to her chair with her hands braced on the arms. "You certainly look a world better, honey."
Lex allowed the older woman to stroke her hair softly. She unconsciously leaned into the touch and closed her eyes. "I feel one hundred percent better, too. Guess a couple of days rest was just what I needed." A noise from the mudroom caused her to stand up and open the adjoining door. "Dammit, Amanda," Lex grabbed one of the three bags that the younger woman was struggling with, "I thought you were going to wait for help."
"I was…but there was no sense walking in empty-handed." Amanda carried her two bags over to the cabinet. Lex placed her bag beside the others and turned to leave the room. "Don't even think about it, Slim." The blonde grabbed the back of Lex's belt to stop her progress. "You're going upstairs, remember?"
The dark-haired woman glared at Martha, who was snickering from her seat at the table. "Not one word out of you," she warned. Lex turned around and enclosed Amanda in her arms. "Why don't you let me help you with the groceries, then we can go upstairs together?"
Amanda kissed Lex on the chin then ducked under her arms to get to the mudroom door. "Nope. I'll get the rest of the groceries, then bring the overnight bag upstairs with me." She slipped out of the room before the rancher had a chance to argue.
"Damn. I lost again, didn't I?" Lex asked the housekeeper, who had begun to put the groceries away. "I used to be a lot tougher than that."
Martha laughed. "Not really, honey. You just used to be a little bit better at hiding it, that's all." She stopped what she was doing to give the rancher her undivided attention. "I'm really glad that you're feeling better, Lexie. You scared me pretty good this time."
Lex stepped forward and pulled the older woman into a powerful hug. "I kinda scared myself, Mada." She found herself calling Martha by a long-forgotten childhood name as she kissed the top of the graying head. "I'll try to do better in the future, okay?"
Tears burned the housekeeper's eyes. "See that you do, sweetie. I have too many years of hard work invested in you," Martha teased as the rancher released her. "Now get yourself upstairs before we both get into trouble." She gently patted Lex on her hip.
"Yes, ma'am." Lex playfully saluted the older woman and swiftly left the kitchen.
The older woman wiped her eyes with one corner of her apron. I'm glad your good luck is still holding, Lexie. I'd never survive if anything ever happened to you.
Later that evening the three women were enjoying coffee in the den, when Lex decided that it was time to ask the housekeeper for her help. "Martha? Do you remember my mother's parents?" She felt Amanda's hands tighten on her own where they rested casually on the blonde's stomach. The rancher was comfortably seated in one corner of the sofa, with Amanda tucked securely in between her legs. Lex rested her chin on the younger woman's shoulder as she looked questioningly at Martha.
"Well…yes, honey. I certainly do. Although I believe that the last time I saw them was at your dear momma's funeral." Martha shifted slightly in the oversized chair she was sitting in so that she could look Lex directly in the eye. "Why do you ask, Lexie?"
"Hubert received a letter and some legal papers this past Friday. Seems that we were named in the will for Melanie Edwards, our grandmother." Lex sighed. "Dad told me years ago that all of my grandparents were dead. Do you have any idea why he would lie to me like that?"
Martha's heart nearly broke at the anguished look on the young woman's face. "Oh, honey. I don't rightly know what your daddy was thinking. I hadn't been here that long when your poor momma passed away, but I do remember that Mr. Walters and his in-laws didn't get along very well. After the funeral, they took separate cars from the cemetery and I never saw or heard from them again."
"But why would they not at least try to contact their grandchildren? What kind of people were they?" Amanda wondered aloud. She gently stroked Lex's left arm, careful to stay away from her injured one.
"Well, from what little contact I had with them, I can tell you that Mr. Edwards was a quiet, dignified man. Tall, dark hair, and very handsome." Martha smiled at the young couple on the sofa. "I do believe that's where your good looks came from, Lexie. Mrs. Edwards also had dark hair, but she was very small and had fair skin." She slapped her leg and jumped up suddenly. "I wonder…" She hurried to the doorway then turned. "Well? Aren't you two coming?"
Amanda stood up and offered a hand to the still reclining rancher. "Where are we going, Martha?" She pulled Lex up and started for the door without releasing her hold.
Martha blushed slightly. "Oh! Sorry about that. I thought that we'd check upstairs in the storage room, where Mr. Walters had all of Miss Victoria's things packed away. She probably kept photographs and letters from her family."
"I don't know," Lex balked at the door and pulled Amanda back with her. "It doesn't seem right - going through her things like that."
"Honey…" Martha walked back over to Lex and cradled the younger woman's face in her hands, "I truly believe that she'd want you to see anything she had. I'm just sorry we waited so darn long to do this."
Lex blinked back tears. What is wrong with me? It's not like I ever really knew her. Martha has been more of a mother to me. "It's not your fault, Martha. I should have asked about this long before now." Get a grip, Lexington. You're worrying her for no reason, the rancher chided herself. "C'mon. Let's go exploring." She kissed the older woman's cheek and left the den, pulling a somewhat startled Amanda behind her.
The storage room was actually an old bedroom, part of which had been recently converted into the guest bedroom. Lex opened the door and flipped a switch that activated a large fluorescent light in the center of the room. Martha stepped by the rancher and opened the dark curtains to allow the early evening light inside.
The housekeeper made her way over to the far corner of the room and opened a box. "I believe this is where Mr. Walters put everything. He boxed all of Miss Victoria's belongings up the day of the funeral. He never stepped foot into this room again." She pulled a couple of faded scarves from the top of the box. "C'mere, Lexie…Amanda. This is the right box, all right."
Amanda gently led her lover over to where Martha stood. She leaned over and peered into the box curiously. "Oooh. Those are pretty." She watched as Martha reverently folded the items and continued her search.
"Wait! This looks like letters." Martha pulled the tied bundles from the box and handed them to a still-silent Lex. She dug a little deeper. "Ah-ha! Bingo!" The housekeeper pulled several large photo albums from the bottom of the box.
"Alright! Good job, Martha!" Amanda didn't notice when Lex quietly slipped from the room. "Hopefully these will shed some light on the mysterious Edwards family. Maybe I can check those notes and letters and find an address. Right, Lex?" She turned to address her lover, who had left the room. "Honey?"
Martha looked towards the open door. "I'll gather this stuff up and bring it downstairs. Why don't you go find Lexie? I think all of this shook her up more than she cared to admit."
The younger woman bit her lip and followed the housekeeper's gaze. "You're right. I'll meet you back downstairs in the den, okay?" She gave Martha's arm a reassuring squeeze and hurried from the room.
A search of the upstairs rooms turned up empty, so Amanda continued her search downstairs. She finally found Lex in the sitting room staring at a small photograph on the far wall. All of the regular furniture had been moved out yesterday. In its place were a long formal dining table and ten chairs. There had originally been twelve chairs until Amanda's parents had not so politely declined their invitation.
The rancher turned towards the doorway and met Amanda's eyes. "Umm…hi." Lex dropped her gaze to the floor. "Sorry I left like that…I just needed to get some air."
Amanda crossed the room until she was standing directly in front of the taller woman. She grasped the rancher's chin and gently forced Lex to look her in the eyes. "Hey…this is me that you're talking to." She waited until blue eyes sharpened and focused on her. "Please, honey…let me help. Tell me what's bothering you."
"I'm not sure," Lex whispered as she put a long arm around the smaller woman's shoulders and led her back to the wall. She pulled the photograph down and handed it to Amanda. "Even looking at this picture, I can't remember anything about her."
"She's beautiful." Amanda took the framed portrait from Lex and studied it carefully, then looked up at her lover. "Sweetheart, you could be her twin…"
The woman in the picture was sitting in a lush garden wearing a white beaded wedding gown. Her waist-length dark hair practically shimmered in the sunlight. Blue eyes sparkled with undisguised happiness into the camera. There was a rugged looking young man standing behind her with his hand gently placed on her shoulder. He seemed uncomfortable in the black tuxedo he was sporting. His hazel eyes were tired and weary although he appeared to be barely out of his teens.
"Yeah…I kinda think that's one of the reasons he left home. I remind him too much of her." Lex peered over Amanda's shoulder at the picture. "I feel bad, not being able to remember my own mother. I wish I could have known her."
The blonde turned and looked up into Lex's still face. "But don't you see, love? You have a perfect chance to do just that. I'm sure that's why she saved all of those things - so that when you were older, she could share them with you." Amanda reached up and touched the clenched jaw. "She just had no way of knowing that she wouldn't be here with you, that's all."
Lex wrapped her arms around the smaller woman and buried her face in the soft blonde hair. "God…" she gasped as the walls that she had erected so long ago around her heart begun to fall.
Amanda felt the heavy sobs shake the normally strong body in her arms. "It's okay, love. Let it go." She held on tightly to her lover as Lex released emotions that she had held in control for so many years. "That's it, sweetheart." She continued to gently stroke the dark head until the convulsive tears slowed.
The older woman had practically crumbled to the floor, which forced Amanda to sit down in a nearby chair. Lex looked up from her kneeling position and drew in a large lungful of air. "I'm sorry, Amanda…I didn't mean to fall apart on you like that." She began to wipe her face with her shirtsleeve when a small hand halted her movement.
"Please don't apologize, honey." Amanda looked around until she saw a linen napkin on the table. She picked it up and began to gently dry the rancher's face. "How are you feeling?"
"A little foolish, to tell you the truth." Lex stood up stiffly and sat in the chair next to her friend. "I don't usually do that…but it seems you bring out that part of me."
"Do you have any idea how good it makes me feel when you share yourself with me like that?" Amanda asked quietly. She grasped one of Lex's hands and pulled it into her lap. "It's like you're trusting me with something very special, honey. And I'll try to always be worthy of that trust."
Lex sniffled slightly and stared at their linked hands. "Worthy? Good lord, Amanda…" The rancher lifted her free hand and brushed her knuckles against the blonde's cheek. "Of all the people in this world, you are the last one that should ever worry about being worthy of anything."
"Is everything okay in here?" Martha struck her head in the room and looked around. "I hate to bother you both, but there's a phone call for Amanda." She stepped the rest of the way into the room and noticed the picture now lying on the table. "I think it's your sister, honey."
Amanda smiled at Lex and stood up. "I love you." She kissed the rancher on the lips and started for the door. "Are you okay? I can call her back later, you know."
"Never been better, love." Lex returned the younger woman's smile. "Tell Jeannie hello for me, alright? Martha and I will be in the…" She looked up at the housekeeper with a questioning glance.
Martha laughed. We'll be in the kitchen. You can keep me company while I get some things ready for tomorrow." She ruffled the rancher's hair. "Let's go, sweetie. I'll even give you some cookies."
"Sounds like fun. I'll see you both in a few minutes." Amanda waved as she left the room.
The dark-haired woman sighed as she climbed to her feet. "Yes, ma'am." Lex startled Martha by wrapping her arms around her and squeezing the housekeeper tight. "Thanks for putting up with me, Mada," she whispered quietly. "I love you." Lex kissed the older woman's forehead and then released her.
"C'mon, brat. I may even put you to work." Martha grabbed the front of Lex's khaki shirt and pulled the grinning rancher from the room.
Chapter 10
A muffled thump woke Amanda early the next morning. She raised her head from Lex's chest and looked around the dark room. "What could that be?" she mumbled.
"Mmm…" Lex moaned and wrapped her arms around the smaller woman. "Don't care… go back to sleep." She placed a sleepy kiss on Amanda's head as she pulled her closer. "It's a holiday, and it's too damn early to get out of bed."
Amanda glanced up at the clock. Six o'clock? And Lex is still in bed? She casually reached up with one hand and touched the rancher's forehead. No fever. Hmmm…
Lex chuckled. "I'm not sick. I just don't feel like getting out of bed yet." She began kissing Amanda's throat. "But suddenly I'm not sleepy anymore."
"Oh, really? Do you have anything special in mind? Because I could…oooooh!" Amanda felt a warm hand gently glide down her bare back. "That's nice." She ducked under the covers and began to blaze a trail down her lover's body with her lips.
*THUMP, THUMP, THUMP!* The pounding began again, louder this time.
A blonde head poked out from under the blanket. "Did you hear that?" Amanda cocked her head slightly to try and pinpoint the location of the noise. She felt Lex shift slightly underneath her, so she rolled over to allow the rancher room to move.
"Dammit!" Lex climbed out of bed and started for the door. "Sounds like someone is beating on the front door."
"Honey?" Amanda's amused tone stopped the tall woman before she opened the bedroom door.
With her hand on the knob, Lex turned around. "Yes?"
The younger woman got out of bed and grabbed her robe from a nearby chair. She put it on and picked up the shorts and tee shirt that were lying on the floor next to the bed. "Not that I mind the view, but don't you think it would be a good idea to put something on before answering the door?"
Lex released the doorknob and shook her head. "You're probably right." She accepted the clothing and quickly dressed. "No sense in scaring whoever it is before I strangle them." She kissed Amanda tenderly. "Why don't you climb back into bed and I'll join you in a few minutes?"
"I don't think so." Amanda shook her head. "I'm going with you." She reached around Lex and opened the door. "I think I can hear someone yelling." She took a few steps but was stopped when Lex grabbed a handful of her robe.
"Hold on there. Where do you think you're going?" Lex pulled the smaller woman back into the bedroom.
Amanda turned around and looked up into the rancher's eyes. "To answer the door, of course."
The tall woman ran a hand through her dark hair. "I'm not going to win this one, am I?" At the shake of the blonde's head, Lex rolled her eyes and sighed. "At least let me go first, alright?" She grasped Amanda's hand and stepped quietly into the hallway.
The loud thumping turned into pounding as they made their way down the darkened stairway. Amanda walked directly behind Lex with her hand lightly touching the center of the taller woman's back. When they reached the foot of the stairs, Lex stopped.
"What is it?" Amanda whispered as her heart pounded.
"That son of a bitch!" The rancher growled when she recognized the voice on the other side of the door. Lex turned around and placed a gentle hand on her lover's shoulder. "Stay right here, okay?" Before Amanda could argue she added, "It's Hubert. I don't know what's wrong, but he sounds really pissed."
The younger woman shook her head stubbornly. "All the more reason for me to be with you." When Lex opened her mouth to speak, Amanda covered it with her hand. "I know you're feeling better, but I have no intention of letting you face Hubert alone. So you'll just have to deal with it." She replaced her hand with her lips and left a soft kiss in its place.
"All right. But at least stay behind me…I don't trust him." Lex turned towards the front door. The loud pounding was accentuated by an occasional curse. She quickly opened the heavy oak door and stepped into her brother's flustered face. "What is your major problem this morning, Hubert?"
The angry man roughly pushed his sister aside and stormed into the house. "You never returned any of my calls, and you let me stand outside for over half an hour freezing my ass off!" Hubert glared at Amanda, who had stepped up beside Lex and placed her arm around the rancher's waist.
Lex closed the door and gestured to the nearby den with her free hand. "Let's go in there to talk. If I have to listen to you whine, I should at least be comfortable."
"Fine! But I don't plan on being here very long." He brushed by the two women on his way to the den.
"Are you sure that you two are related?" Amanda whispered to her friend. "I mean, well… I know that you favor in the looks department, but he's such an…umm…"
"Whiney-ass?" Lex offered with a smile. "I think he crawled out of the shallow end of our gene pool." She winked at Amanda. "C'mon…let's go find out what we did to deserve his ugly mug on our doorstep at six in the morning."
Amanda slapped her companion lightly on the stomach. "No more old gangster movies for you, honey."
Hubert was standing by the fireplace, his arms crossed and a foul look on his face. "'Bout time you two got in here."
Lex led Amanda to the loveseat and then edged by her brother. She knelt by the hearth and stirred the still warm coals, adding several small logs and kindling. "Shut up." She continued to tinker until a cheerful fire blazed in the fireplace. Satisfied with her work, Lex stood up and dusted off her hands as she made her way back over to where Amanda was seated.
"Lexie? What's going on in here?" Martha's voice called from the doorway. The older woman stepped into the den with a confused look on her face. "I thought I saw a light on in here…" She was about to question Lex more when she noticed Hubert stalk over to the sofa and sit down. "Is everything okay?"
Amanda patted the rancher on her leg and stood up. "Everything's fine, Martha. Would you mind helping me start a pot of coffee? I think we could all use a cup." She linked her arm with the housekeeper's and escorted Martha out of the room.
"Okay, Hubert. Now tell me what's so damned important that got your lazy butt on my front porch this early." Lex leaned back on the loveseat and stretched her long legs out in front of her. She casually linked her hands on her stomach and glared at her brother. "And make it quick. I've got things to do."
"Yeah, I'll bet. More like you have a certain little blonde to do." Hubert scoffed as he propped his muddy feet on the coffee table in front of him. "I don't blame you, though. She's a hot little…UGH!" His remarks were cut off as Lex had straddled his legs and pulled him up by his jacket.
"Shut your filthy mouth!" Lex shook her brother as she held him a few inches off of the sofa. "I've tried to be nice because we're family. But I won't sit here and let you talk about Amanda like that." The pain in her still healing arm was excruciating, but she continued to shake the heavier man. "Now either tell me what's on your tiny little mind, or I'll gladly toss your ass back outside. And I won't…"
"Lex!" Amanda stood in the doorway with a large tray. "What's going on here?" She hurried into the room and placed the tray on a nearby table. "Let him go, honey." Amanda stood behind her lover and gently pulled Lex back by her shoulders. "Please," she added quietly.
The tall woman slowly released her grip on Hubert's coat. "Watch your mouth," she growled lowly. "One wrong word and I'll fix it so it'll be wired shut. Got me?" She gave him a rough shove.
Hubert sank back against the sofa. "I got you," he mumbled. "Don't have to get all bent out of shape." He rubbed his chest as Lex slowly eased away from him.
Amanda kneaded the rancher's shoulders as she pulled Lex back to the loveseat. "What happened in here? I was only gone for a minute." She looked over at Hubert, who gave her a nasty look.
"You'll have to ask her, I had nothing to do with it." He then aimed his glare at Lex, who was sitting silently next to the blonde. "She's just a little touchy, that's all."
"Touchy?" Lex almost jumped off the loveseat. "You sorry son of a…"
Amanda grasped the rancher's left arm. "Stop it!" She ran her hand down the strong arm until she was holding Lex's hand. "Just stop it, please."
The dark-haired woman took a few deep breaths and leaned back. "Okay." Lex forced herself to relax, concentrating on the small hand holding her own. "Sorry." She looked over at Hubert, who gave her a smug grin. She returned the look with a serious one of her own. "You ever going to tell us what you're doing here, or are we supposed to guess?"
The smug look vanished from Hubert's face. "If you'd give me half a chance, I would." He made a show of dusting off the front of his jacket. "This damn thing cost me almost eight hundred dollars…you're lucky you didn't tear it." Before his sister could say anything, Hubert continued, "I want to know what you did with those papers. You were supposed to bring them back to my office."
Lex rolled her eyes and shook her head. "You came all the way out here for some stupid papers? Idiot." She squeezed Amanda's hand. "I wanted to check them out before I gave them back. I don't sign just anything, you know."
"What's there to check out? Just sign the damn things and give them to me." Hubert stood up and walked over to the fireplace to stare into the flames. "It's not that big of a deal." He glanced back over his shoulder at his sister, halfway afraid that she'd jump up and slam him into the hearth.
When she felt the body next to hers tense, Amanda decided to get into the conversation. "Hubert, did you read those papers?"
Hubert looked at the young woman as if she had just sprouted horns on her head. "Of course I did. That's how I knew that they required both our signatures. Why?"
"Why? You know that the papers have to do with an inheritance. Did you notice who passed away?" Lex was no longer angry, just disappointed that she was related to the man across the room. He knows…but I don't think he cares.
"Yeah, so? It's not like we knew the old broad." Hubert turned away from the fireplace and stuck his hands in his coat pockets. "They didn't want to have anything to do with us, so why should I give a damn?" His voice was tinged with childhood hurt.
Lex stood up and walked over to him. "You knew she was still alive?" Her voice shook. "All these years you knew that our grandmother was alive and never bothered to tell me?" She ran her hands through her hair and stepped to the front window to look outside. The sun was slowly peeking out from behind the hills. Looks like it's going to be a nice day for a change.
"Doesn't it bother you at all that your grandmother is dead?" Amanda asked the big man quietly.
Hubert laughed humorlessly. "Bother me? Why should it bother me?" He looked at her with almost pity. "An old lady I haven't seen since I was a little kid kicked the bucket and left me a large wad of money." He smiled. "Don't get me wrong, hon. I'm thankful…but that's about it."
"Get out." Lex had turned around and was leaning up against the wall, her arms crossed across her chest. She pushed away from the wall and clinched her fists. "You cold-blooded bastard. I want you out of our house. Now."
Her brother walked over to her and looked her straight in the eye. "Oh, come on. You can't possibly have any feelings for someone who deserted us as kids." When he saw the serious look on Lex's face, Hubert backed off a step. "Okay, I'll leave. But not until I get the signed papers back in my hands."
Lex pushed herself off the wall and walked around the older man. "Fine. If that's what it takes to get rid of you, I'm all for it." She went into the adjoining office.
"So," Hubert looked over at Amanda, who was still sitting quietly on the loveseat. "You're still here, huh? Didn't think you'd like living out here in the boonies."
Amanda regarded him carefully. "As a matter of fact, I love living out here. It's beautiful, it's quiet, and there's not that many pests around…" She smiled sweetly. "Usually."
The rancher stepped back into the den and looked over at her lover who had a very satisfied smile on her face. What is she up to? I guess I'll have to ask her later. Lex had a large manila envelope, which she tossed at her brother. "Now get out. You're not welcome in our house."
"Gladly. This dusty old place has always given me a headache." Hubert shoved his sister out of his way and stalked out of the room.
Lex followed Hubert and watched as he fought with the front door. "Turn the handle, then pull," she offered sarcastically. "Usually works better that way."
Hubert yanked the door open and stomped outside. "Bitch," he mumbled under his breath. The big man cursed again as he slipped on the bottom step of the porch. "Damn run-down shack."
"He's rather cranky, isn't he?" Amanda observed wryly. She stepped behind Lex and wrapped her arms around the rancher's still body. "Are you okay?"
"Yeah." Lex closed the door and turned around in the younger woman's arms. "I'm just finding it hard to believe that my own brother would keep something like a living grandparent from me." She pulled Amanda close and buried her face in the soft blonde hair.
Amanda rubbed her back comfortingly. "C'mon. I hear a soft warm bed calling us." She turned and began to lead the taller woman to the stairway. "Like you said, it's too early to be up, especially on a holiday."
Lex pulled her lover's hand up to her lips and kissed the knuckles. "I think you're right. We'll worry about all of this stuff later." She held on to Amanda's hand tightly as they walked slowly up the staircase. "Have I told you lately just how much I love you?"
"You may have mentioned it a few dozen times this morning." Amanda snuggled close to the taller woman. "I love you too, Lex." She pulled the rancher into the bedroom and began pulling the clothes from her body. "C'mon…we've got some serious snuggling to do."
Several hours later, Lex was seated at the kitchen table while Amanda and Martha worked at getting the dinner ready. "You sure there's nothing I can do to help?"
"We'd kind of like dinner to be edible, honey." Amanda turned around from where she was chopping vegetables. "What are you doing?"
In her boredom, Lex had balanced items on the table. In front of her was a carefully built tower. The base of the tower was the wooden napkin holder that usually graced the center of the table, and sitting on top of that was the bottle of hot sauce that Lex used on most of her meals. Lying across the top of the hot sauce was a butter knife, and balanced precariously on each end were the salt and pepper shakers. Lex was studying the table as she tried to find something to add to her creation.
"Nothing." Lex leaned back in her chair and grinned.
"Good gracious, Lexie! Now I know you're bored." Martha glanced over her shoulder from her position at the stove. "Isn't there something that you can find to do for the next hour or so? We should be finished by then, and you'll have someone to play with," she teased.
The rancher tried to appear offended, but the sparkle in her eyes gave her away. "Fine. I know when I'm not wanted." She stood up and walked to the doorway. "I'll just go down to the bunkhouse and make sure that Ronnie and Lester don't forget where the house is."
Amanda washed her hands and walked over to where Lex was standing. "What? Can't you just sit back and relax for a while?" She placed her hands gently on the rancher's stomach. "Do you have to be busy all of the time?"
"It's not that." Lex smiled as Amanda unconsciously played with the buttons on her faded blue flannel shirt. "I just need to get some air. I'm feeling kinda…" she took a deep breath and sighed, "stir crazy." She caught the small hands and held them carefully. "But I'll take the jeep instead of riding, okay?"
"And a radio?" Amanda asked nervously. Stop it! Give the poor woman a break, Mandy. She looked down and watched as Lex's thumbs traced over her hands.
"Sweetheart…" Lex waited until green eyes tracked to her own. "It's okay. I understand." She took one hand and caressed the younger woman's face. "If you want, I'll just hang around the house."
The blonde shook her head. "No." She leaned into Lex's hand and kissed the palm. "You go and enjoy yourself. I know how you hate to be cooped up for any amount of time."
Lex smiled. "I won't be gone very long, I promise." She leaned down and gave Amanda a kiss. "And I'll take a radio." The rancher hugged her lover and almost raced from the room.
"She's worse than a little kid." Amanda lamented to the housekeeper with a fond grin. "How ever have you stood it all these years?"
Martha moved from the stove over to where Amanda stood. She enveloped the blonde with a heartfelt hug. "She's a handful, that's for sure. But I do believe she's met her match in you, sweetie."
Amanda returned the embrace happily. "You think so, huh?" She pulled back and escorted the older woman to the window over the sink, where they both watched as the old jeep whizzed by the house. "I hope that shifting gears like that doesn't hurt her arm."
"Honey, if it did, we'd surely never hear about it." Martha patted her on the back and went back to the stove. "But at least she drove, instead of riding that huge horse of hers."
"I suppose." Amanda turned away from the window regretfully.
Another rut in the road caused Lex to grit her teeth together and bite back a groan. Had to get out, didn't you, Lexington? Couldn't just go watch a movie or something, could you? She winced as the jeep hit another deep pothole on the dirt road. Thinking back to the earlier conversation with her brother, the rancher sighed. All these years I had a grandmother…I wonder why she never acknowledged me? Driving down the familiar road brought to Lex's mind when she was just a teenager.
Two days after turning sixteen, Lex had taken her test to get her driver's license. She hurried home to share her good news with her father. Not finding him at the main house, she jumped into the old truck that they used to distribute hay to the different fields and began the short drive up to the corral.
Rawson Walters was hard at work replacing a worn gate to the corral when he heard the old truck approach. He looked up to see his daughter pulling to a stop nearby. When she practically jumped out of the beat up old vehicle, he shook his head. "Lexington! What are you doing? Slow down, girl!"
"Hi, Dad!" The teenager raced over to where her father was standing with an exasperated look on his weathered features. "You'll never believe it!" Lex climbed up on the corral and sat on the top rail, one leg on each side.
"Won't I? What happened?" Rawson put both hands on the small of his back and stretched. "You didn't get into any trouble in school, did you?"
Lex laughed. "No…not that I know of, anyway." She brushed her dark bangs from her eyes. "I got my driver's license today! Passed the test first try!" The young woman was practically jumping up and down on the fence.
The rancher smiled at his daughter's exuberance. "That's great, honey. But I didn't know you were old enough to take the test yet."
"I turned sixteen two days ago, Dad." Lex felt part of her happiness fade. "Don't you remember? Martha made me that cake and everything." And she gave me that really nice shirt she made, but I don't want to tell him about that, she thought.
"Oh, right. Well, that's good to hear. I was wondering why we had a cake for dessert the other night…she usually makes a pie or cobbler." Rawson felt a twinge of guilt at forgetting his daughter's birthday. Guess it doesn't matter, though. She doesn't seem too upset. "So…now that you're legal, you about ready to start taking on more responsibilities here? I thought we'd start you off as foreman, and gradually work you into the rest of the duties."
The teenager bit her lower lip in thought. "Sure, Dad. If that's what you want. But what about Hubert?" Her older brother had just gotten his business degree and never failed to brag to her about what he was going to do when he took over the ranch.
Rawson looked up into his daughter's face. "Your brother doesn't know a damn thing about ranching. He's more interested in making money than learning what to do around here." He patted her leg and then stepped away. "I'll talk to Hubert. Now since you're already here, why don't you jump down from your perch and help me finish up this gate?"
Lex jumped down and picked up one end of the gate. "Yes, sir." She smiled happily at the opportunity to work with her father. "Does this mean I get to go on the next buying trip?" She always wanted to go to the auction in Oklahoma, which meant three days in a hotel - something that she'd never gotten to do.
"We'll see. But it also means that you'll be shadowing me for the next couple of weeks. There's a rodeo in Houston later next month that I want to try my hand at, and I want you to be able to handle things here while I'm gone. So get any homework assignments now, and tell your teachers that you won't be in class for a bit." The rancher never understood what was so important about school to his daughter. I've done okay without a lot of education. I just don't know why she's all so fired up about it.
"You want me to skip school? But…" Lex had worked hard all year at her perfect attendance. "The Christmas break starts next month. Then I'll be home for almost three weeks."
Her father looked up with a serious expression on his face. "I'll be gone by then. You need to learn all you can before I leave." What is wrong with this kid? I would have jumped at the opportunity to get out of school, Rawson wondered.
Lex felt tears of anguish burn her eyes. I won't cry. He'll think I'm still a kid. She took a deep breath and cleared her throat. "How about a compromise? I'll get up at four in the morning on Saturday and do whatever you ask. I'll stay up until whenever you say, and do it all again on Sunday."
"Okay. But you'll also have to get up early every morning and work until time to leave for school - then come home and work until eleven or twelve o'clock every night. Think you can do it?" Rawson was determined to make certain that his daughter had her priorities straight. We'll just see how long she can do that, before she begs to stay home from school. The ranch is more important than some stupid classes on history and literature. "Well, Lexington? Do we have a deal?" He pulled off his leather work glove and held out his hand.
"Yes, sir!" Lex shook her father's hand firmly. "When do I start?"
Rawson laughed and patted her on the back. "How about now? Let's get this gate finished up, and then we'll take a quick run down to the back pasture and check the fence there."
Lex pulled the jeep up to the bunkhouse and slowly climbed out of it. She noticed that the building had been recently painted, and that the ground around it was freshly weeded. Looks like Lester has been busy, she mused as she reached the front door. Before she could knock, the door opened and Ronnie Sterling's smiling face appeared.
"Hi, Ms. Walters! Whatcha doing here?" He had a towel around his shoulders that bore the remnants of recently cut hair. "I told Lester that I heard someone drive up."
The old cook limped up to the door grumbling. "Hush your mouth, boy. Now get out of the way and let the boss in before she freezes to death." He grabbed the young man's arm and pulled him away from the door. "Sorry 'bout that, Miz Lex. He's kinda excitable."
"No problem, Lester." Lex stepped inside and closed the door behind her. "Setting up a barbershop?" She gestured over to the chair in the middle of the room. The shining wood floor had a scattering of hair covering it, which Ronnie was already sweeping up.
"Something like that." Lester laughed and walked into the kitchen. "Care for a cup of coffee? Just made a fresh pot a little while ago." He waited until Lex sat down at the table before pouring her a mug. "You're looking a bit better than you were the last time I saw you."
Lex accepted the steaming mug and chuckled. "Thanks, Lester. I'm feeling a hell of a lot better, too. You guys about ready for some of Martha's cooking?" She watched with concern as the older man made his way slowly to the table and sat down. Damn…I never really thought about it before, but Lester's gotta be pushing seventy by now. He's sure moving a lot slower than I ever remember. Guess I should be looking for an assistant for him, at least. Lord knows the old guy will never want to retire.
Lester studied the rancher's face for a moment. "Sure thing, Boss. Are you feeling okay? You're looking a 'mite pale."
"Huh?" Lex shook her head slightly. "Yeah, I'm fine. Just thinking." She picked up the mug of coffee and took a cautious sip. "Damn, Lester? Think you could make it any weaker?"
"Oh, sorry about that. It just that Ronnie can't quite stomach the usual stuff yet, so since it was just me and him here, I made it a little lighter than normal." The old man blushed slightly. Lester's usually straggly beard had been neatly trimmed, and his hair had also been recently cut.
Looks like Lester is all cleaned up and ready to go this evening, Lex smiled to herself. "Can I ask you a question, Lester?" Well, if anyone would remember, it would be him. The old guy's got a mind like a steel trap.
The grizzled old cook looked up at the serious young woman. She's sure come a long way in a really short time. "Ask away, Miz Lex. I'll do my best to answer you." He considered the young rancher to be like the granddaughter he never had. She sure grew up great…guess ol' Martha did right by her.
"Do you remember my mother's parents? I know they just kinda disappeared from here after Louis was born." Lex couldn't face the old man any longer and looked down to study the coffee in her cup.
"Sure do. Right handsome couple, they was. But your granddaddy and old man never could get along. They had some mighty nasty arguments, I seem to remember. Why are you asking about them now? I just always assumed you didn't want to have anything to do with them, since we never saw them after your daddy left." When he saw the lost look on the young woman's face, Lester unconsciously reached across the table and grasped her forearm. "What's the matter?"
Lex closed her eyes and took a deep breath. I'm not going to fall apart in front of Lester - it'd freak him out for sure. She opened her eyes again and patted his hand. "I just found out that my grandmother died, Lester. My father told me years ago that I had no living grandparents. And now I'm trying to figure out why he would lie to me about something as important as that." She stood up and walked over to the large window to peer out at the corral. "It just tears me up inside to think that I lost someone in my family I never had the opportunity to know. And that I lost the last living link to my mother."
Lester pulled himself up and started across the room towards the tall woman. "What do you mean, 'the last living link'? Didn't you talk to Travis?"
"Who's Travis?" Lex turned away from the window as the old man approached. "And why would I talk to him?"
"Why, he's your granddaddy, Lex. I figured that he's the one who let you know about Mrs. Edwards' passing." Lester rushed forward as the news was too much for Lex who crumbled to the floor.