“No, never had the luck with that. We wanted them, but God never blessed us that way.”
“That’s a shame.”
“It was all right in the end. We did a lot of traveling, which turned out to be good seeing as Rae died at sixty. If we’d had kids, I wouldn’t have been able to take her so many places. Not that I wouldn’t have traded all that for a child. She would’ve too.”
Nothing replaced family. Here I was without a father. I’d never had one, really. Here was Joseph without a son.
“Well, I’m around,” I said. “If you ever want to fish or just hang out and watch a ball game.”
“I’d like that.” He gestured toward the river. “You want to fish some more, or should we call it a day?”
I glanced at my watch. It was nearing three. “I should get back. I told Carlie I’d be back around this time, and I still have a lot of chores to do before dinner.”
“Yeah, looks like a storm’s coming anyway.”
I looked up at the sky where a black cloud seemed to be making its way over to us at a fairly rapid rate. “That came out of nowhere,” I said.
“I bet we get some thunder and lightning later.”
“All the more reason to get home. My animals don’t do well with storms.”
We stood at the same time. He gripped my shoulder in a quick squeeze. “Thanks for a great day, bud. It’s good getting to know you.”
I nodded, resisting the urge to hug him. “Same here. We’ll do it again soon.”
We gathered our things and headed to the car. “You deserved better than what you got from your dad. I’m real sorry, son.”
“Yeah, well, you can’t have it all in this life.”
“No, but you darn sure can try. And you can fill in the gaps with family you find, if you know what I mean.”
“I sure do.” We exchanged a smile and then went back to being guys by loading our equipment into the truck without saying another word.
15
Carlie
By the time I left the sheriff’s office, the air had grown dense with moisture. A summer storm would come through before long. Angry clouds promised rain. Indeed, the first drop hit my windshield as I punched in the code to Cole’s gate.
I drove through, and the gate closed behind me. I shivered at the thought of the intruder. The gate would keep them out, I reminded myself. Still, a sense of doom settled on my shoulders like a weighted cloak. How would I ever find the truth of what really happened to Beth that summer?
I sighed with relief at the sight of Cole, Moonshine, and Duke waiting on the porch. I parked in front of the garage. The rain had started in earnest now. The sound of thunder rattled my car windows. I grabbed my purse and ran down the paved walkway toward them, shivering in my sleeveless blouse. When I’d left the house earlier, the temperature had been warm. A sweater hadn’t seemed necessary. I was completely drenched by the time I got to Cole.
“Hey there.” He pulled me into his arms and kissed me.
“I’m all wet,” I said against his mouth. “And a mess.”
“I don’t care.” He drew away to give me a searching look. “You’re later than I thought you’d be. I was getting worried.”
“I’m sorry. After I met with Thea, I stopped to talk to Sheriff Ford.” Hot tears leaked out of the corners of my eyes. I told him as briefly as I could what she’d said. “Then she ran out of the bar, leaving me with no answers, only questions. One more time.” I started shaking, either from cold or anger.
He wrapped his hands around my bare upper arms. “Come inside. I’ll get you something dry to change into and a cup of tea.”
Duke whined, then licked my hand. Moonshine rubbed against my legs.
“These knuckleheads are worried about you.” Cole motioned for the animals to go into the house. “Inside, guys. Let’s get our girl dry.”
They obediently did as he asked. He held the door for me to pass by, then followed. I heard him latch the door behind us as I walked down the hallway toward the kitchen.
“I have some shirts hanging in the laundry room,” Cole said. “Let me grab one and you can change.”
I thanked him and then wandered over to stand in front of the gas fireplace. My damp shirt and shorts clung to me. I hugged my arms around my middle. Moonshine and Duke sat on their haunches and looked at me with sympathy in their eyes. “I know, guys. But I’m all right, just sad. You don’t need to worry.” I patted Duke’s head and scratched behind his ears.
Moonshine mewed. “Yes, you’ll have a turn too.” I combed my nails over the top of her head and down her back. “Aren’t you a pretty girl?”
A streak of lightning lit up the sky, followed by a loud clap of thunder that made all three of us jump. Moonshine scrambled up to the couch and scooted under a pillow with just the tip of her pink nose showing. Duke lay beside the couch with his chin resting under his paws and gave me a worried glance. “The lightning can’t get you.”
“Was that thunder?” Cole asked as he returned with a towel, a T-shirt, and a pair of sweats.
“Yes, and it scared these guys. Me too. We never got much of this in Seattle.”
“Nothing to worry about. You’re all safe here with me.”
“I’m not driving back to my mother’s, so you’re stuck with me,” I said.
“Lucky me.” He gestured toward the half bathroom. “You can change in the powder room.”
I thanked him and scurried off, anxious to get out of my wet clothes. I tugged my damp clothes off and set them aside. I dried off with the towel, then pulled the sweats over my legs. They were too big around the waist but were warm, as if they’d just been
