wanted her
was beyond her ability to cope.
“You make those old jeans look
nice,” he said.
“Good morning,” she spoke in a
stiff tone, wishing he wouldn’t say such things to her.
Mac flashed a wide smile. “It is
now that you’re here.”
She turned, then gasped as the
movement jarred her sore ribs. If she didn’t move fast or laugh, it didn’t
hurt. But his words caused the heat of pleasure to suffuse her cheeks. It felt
so good to be here with him. Like coming home after being away for several
years. And yet, his innocent compliment confused and angered her. She decided
to ignore him.
“You hungry?” Hank called as he got
out a black frying pan and sliced bacon on the cutting board. His graying hair
stood on end. His beard bushed around his face, but his eyes sparkled with
cheer.
Toni nodded. “It must be the
mountain air, but I’m starving.”
Someone had lit another kerosene
lantern and set it on the kitchen table. Vague sunlight glimmered through the
windows, promising another bright summer day. But even hot summers could be
chilly in the high mountains.
Dressed in flannel pajamas and a
fluffy robe, Inez cracked eggs into a bowl. Her spongy pink curlers drooped
from her hair and Toni almost laughed at the sight. Without electricity, they
couldn’t use curling irons.
Grunt stood and lumbered to the
door where he snuffled and scratched.
“Do you think it’s okay if I let
him out?” she asked.
Mac hesitated. “Yeah, go ahead. I’m
sure the man with road rage is long gone by now.”
Toni lifted the bolt and opened the
door before she peeked out. The chill air embraced her, and she caught the
scent of pine and damp earth. The dog nudged the door open with his nose, then
scurried out into the early morning light. Toni wrapped her arms around herself
and lifted her gaze. The first rays of sunlight shimmered across the calm
surface of the lake. Streams of gold tinted the blue sky and sparkled on the
clear water, framed by shadows of tall pine trees piercing the sky.
“Wow! It’s beautiful after the
rain.”
A thump from Mac drew her back
inside and she closed and bolted the door.
“I’ll get that.” She hurried to
retrieve a glass of water sitting on the table near the recliner. His bankbook
sat close by, the balance open to her view. Toni stared at his name on the
register, unable to believe her eyes.
Over two million dollars! Newly
deposited in his account just three weeks earlier.
She glanced at Mac, embarrassed to
be caught snooping. Thankfully, he didn’t notice.
Where did Mac get so much money? He
and his parents always lived simply, driving sensible cars and living in a
regular home. Nothing fancy or showy.
It wasn’t Toni’s business and she
tried to forget what she’d seen.
A groan drew her attention back to
Mac. His hand trembled as he took the glass from her. When his fingers brushed
against hers, an electric spark shot up her arm and she jerked away. He glanced
at her before tilting the brim to his mouth and drinking deeply.
“Are you okay?” she asked.
His lips curled in a smile. “I’m
fine. My leg stiffens in the night, but it’ll loosen up soon.”
Contrary to his words, he sounded
lost and vulnerable.
Isolated.
His parents were right. Mac needed
to confide in someone. A doctor that specialized in PTSD would be best. Maybe
later, when he didn’t seem so touchy about it, Toni might suggest the idea. He
couldn’t go through the rest of his life haunted by the deaths of his men.
Hank brought them each a glass of
orange juice made from powdered concentrate. “We’ll eat and then we’ll go get
your car and Mac can drive you into Clarkston.”
Toni’s pulse kicked into
double-time. She hated the thought of going outside when the gunman could still
be waiting for them. Mac didn’t think the guy had stuck around and she fed off
of his confidence. “I left the keys in the ignition. We’ll have to be careful.”
“Of course. I’ll take my rifle
was beyond her ability to cope.
“You make those old jeans look
nice,” he said.
“Good morning,” she spoke in a
stiff tone, wishing he wouldn’t say such things to her.
Mac flashed a wide smile. “It is
now that you’re here.”
She turned, then gasped as the
movement jarred her sore ribs. If she didn’t move fast or laugh, it didn’t
hurt. But his words caused the heat of pleasure to suffuse her cheeks. It felt
so good to be here with him. Like coming home after being away for several
years. And yet, his innocent compliment confused and angered her. She decided
to ignore him.
“You hungry?” Hank called as he got
out a black frying pan and sliced bacon on the cutting board. His graying hair
stood on end. His beard bushed around his face, but his eyes sparkled with
cheer.
Toni nodded. “It must be the
mountain air, but I’m starving.”
Someone had lit another kerosene
lantern and set it on the kitchen table. Vague sunlight glimmered through the
windows, promising another bright summer day. But even hot summers could be
chilly in the high mountains.
Dressed in flannel pajamas and a
fluffy robe, Inez cracked eggs into a bowl. Her spongy pink curlers drooped
from her hair and Toni almost laughed at the sight. Without electricity, they
couldn’t use curling irons.
Grunt stood and lumbered to the
door where he snuffled and scratched.
“Do you think it’s okay if I let
him out?” she asked.
Mac hesitated. “Yeah, go ahead. I’m
sure the man with road rage is long gone by now.”
Toni lifted the bolt and opened the
door before she peeked out. The chill air embraced her, and she caught the
scent of pine and damp earth. The dog nudged the door open with his nose, then
scurried out into the early morning light. Toni wrapped her arms around herself
and lifted her gaze. The first rays of sunlight shimmered across the calm
surface of the lake. Streams of gold tinted the blue sky and sparkled on the
clear water, framed by shadows of tall pine trees piercing the sky.
“Wow! It’s beautiful after the
rain.”
A thump from Mac drew her back
inside and she closed and bolted the door.
“I’ll get that.” She hurried to
retrieve a glass of water sitting on the table near the recliner. His bankbook
sat close by, the balance open to her view. Toni stared at his name on the
register, unable to believe her eyes.
Over two million dollars! Newly
deposited in his account just three weeks earlier.
She glanced at Mac, embarrassed to
be caught snooping. Thankfully, he didn’t notice.
Where did Mac get so much money? He
and his parents always lived simply, driving sensible cars and living in a
regular home. Nothing fancy or showy.
It wasn’t Toni’s business and she
tried to forget what she’d seen.
A groan drew her attention back to
Mac. His hand trembled as he took the glass from her. When his fingers brushed
against hers, an electric spark shot up her arm and she jerked away. He glanced
at her before tilting the brim to his mouth and drinking deeply.
“Are you okay?” she asked.
His lips curled in a smile. “I’m
fine. My leg stiffens in the night, but it’ll loosen up soon.”
Contrary to his words, he sounded
lost and vulnerable.
Isolated.
His parents were right. Mac needed
to confide in someone. A doctor that specialized in PTSD would be best. Maybe
later, when he didn’t seem so touchy about it, Toni might suggest the idea. He
couldn’t go through the rest of his life haunted by the deaths of his men.
Hank brought them each a glass of
orange juice made from powdered concentrate. “We’ll eat and then we’ll go get
your car and Mac can drive you into Clarkston.”
Toni’s pulse kicked into
double-time. She hated the thought of going outside when the gunman could still
be waiting for them. Mac didn’t think the guy had stuck around and she fed off
of his confidence. “I left the keys in the ignition. We’ll have to be careful.”
“Of course. I’ll take my rifle
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