For some reason, the image troubled him more than the idea of looking out and seeing the killer moving the body or the arsonist prepping the fire. He shook the thought aside. He couldn’t let this get to him. From the start, he’d decided his role was to protect Flora and the twins, and for that he needed to keep a clear head.
Once he’d located the wagon, he went back outside. As he approached the car, he heard singing and clapping. Flora was keeping the boys entertained, and the sweet simplicity of the moment made his breath catch in his throat. He was finally able to look at family life and not think about what he’d lost. Flora and the twins had welcomed him into their little world, and he’d stepped into it gladly. For an instant, he wondered how it would feel if he had to step back out again.
“Dr. Leon!” The boys’ cries greeted him through the open window, interrupting his thoughts and spurring his feet onward.
He stowed the wagon in the trunk next to Tiny’s crate and returned to the car. “Ready to go hiking, guys?”
“I’m not sure what they think today will involve,” Flora said. “They’ve been out for walks with me many times, but now Dr. Leon is involved, there has been speculation about dragons and popcorn.”
“I’m hoping a big dog and a Frisbee will prove just as popular.”
They left the car at one of the rest stops and headed out on the trail. Although the path climbed steadily, the incline was moderate enough for Stevie and Frankie to chase Tiny without tiring. The day was warm, with clear skies above the higher peaks, and there were a few other people out enjoying the scenery. Partly shaded by tall pines, the trail was cooled to a pleasant temperature and their walk was accompanied by the sounds of trickling water, bird song, and the scampering of animals through the undergrowth.
As they climbed higher, the first view of Tenderness Lake appeared through the trees, sunlight glinting on its waters. Above them, the dizzying summit of the Devil’s Peak soared into the blue.
When they reached the water’s edge, Flora unpacked their picnic lunch and they sat on flat rocks to eat. When the twins had finished their food, she took off their sneakers and socks and rolled up their pants so they could play in the shallows.
“I’m just glad I brought them a change of clothes.” She smiled as they threw stones into the lake and tried to catch Tiny as he charged past. “This is the life I wanted for them when I decided to move out here.”
Leon leaned back, letting the sun warm his face. “What made you choose Stillwater?”
“My parents had friends who lived close to Yellowstone. We visited a few times when I was a kid and I always remembered how beautiful it was. I’d started thinking about making the move to a small town and, when I saw the position advertised at the Ryerson Center, the pictures of Stillwater I looked at stirred up those childhood recollections.”
“Why did you feel the need to leave Denver?” Leon watched her face as she talked, the light and shade of her expressions captivating him.
“It was partly the memories of what happened to Danny. I was the widow of the cop who got shot, and I wanted to shake off that identity. Don’t get me wrong, people were kind, and Danny’s police colleagues looked out for me, but I didn’t want to be that person forever. And, I guess I didn’t want the boys living in that shadow.” Her mouth turned down slightly. “With Danny gone, I didn’t have any ties to keep me there.”
They sat in silence for a few minutes, watching the boys play. Leon could feel Flora’s gaze on his profile. She had been honest about her past and the impact of Danny’s death. It was only natural that she would have questions for him. Was he finally ready to dig deep inside himself and face the answers?
“Karen was p-pregnant when she died.” There. He’d said it. Almost without a stutter. The world hadn’t stopped turning. The sadness hadn’t gone away, either. But it no longer felt like broken glass filling his heart. He hadn’t noticed the point when it changed and became a hollow ache.
Flora reached for his hand and held it to her cheek. “I’m so sorry.”
His throat tightened painfully, and he nodded, unable to trust his voice. He didn’t know whether to be glad or sorry when a wail and a splash had them both jumping to their feet and running to haul Frankie out of the water.
Fortunately, the little boy was unharmed and seemed more upset at being told the game was over than about his fall.
“Time to break out the dry clothes.” Flora met Leon’s gaze over her son’s head, and the understanding in her eyes was as sweet as a hug.
That first sentence about Karen had been a leap into the unknown. He’d had no idea how he would react. Now it was over, the relief was enormous. The guilt, the responsibility for his wife’s death, they were still there, coiled tight inside him. But he’d made an effort to open up about his feelings. He was starting to rejoin the human race.
Flora had been right. The twins’ stamina flagged on the way back down the trail and they were happy to sit quietly in the little wagon while Leon pulled them along. When they were about halfway to the car, they passed a determined group heading in the opposite direction. They carried backpacks that were clearly heavy and were moving fast up the hill. One of them was Daisy Cain, and she waved a hand as she pounded along.
“That looks like hard work,” Flora said.
Leon watched the group as they turned a corner. “I run this trail myself, but it gets
