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She wondered if this concern was just natural for Tessa or if it was because Leah tended to be thought of as fragile by most people. “I can’t believe he is up to poetry by Burns,” Leah murmured before zipping the bag up.
“He sure is. Now, why don’t you answer my question, dear, and tell me why you’re on your way out to the desert when you have a perfectly good helper you’re going to be paying to do the dirty work for you?”
Leah lifted the bag and moved over across from Tessa. Seating herself on the sofa, she dropped the bag on her khaki-covered legs. Smoothing the pink top, she paused to push a strand of blond hair behind her ear. “I am perfectly capable of handling things myself, Tessa, and I can’t believe you said that,” she said carefully.
Tessa dropped her feet to the floor and leaned forward. “You know that’s not what I meant at all. I know how capable you are.”
Leah didn’t believe that. Her face said otherwise.
“I meant, get your money’s worth. Mark is a photographer and has been all over the area out there. Why not leave it to him and concentrate on the rest of the planning you have back here?”
Leah sighed. How did she explain that allowing another person to get close to her was not something she could accept? She’d thought she could, but in the end…
She couldn’t say out loud that she was afraid, without revealing too much of herself.
“He doesn’t know where I want the pictures. I thought I’d go out there and mark two or three of the areas I wanted, take some snapshots to give him ideas of the types of places I want and need, and then let him do the rest.”
Tessa nodded slowly. “That does make sense…. But you do realize there are snakes out right now? They’re especially bad this year.”
Leah interlocked her fingers, clasping her hands firmly. “They are always especially bad, according to everyone around here. Please, Tessa, I’ll be fine.”
Tessa nibbled her lower lip. “You’re sure?”
“If we can teach grade school, we can handle anything nature throws at us. You should know that.”
Tessa chuckled. “I do love teaching. Okay. Don’t forget, Drake said if you need to test wheelchairs and such out there, he’d be available to help out.”
“I’m surprised he is willing to get back in one of those things,” Leah murmured softly, with feeling.
Tessa’s gaze darkened a bit. “He still has his bad days when he has to use one. I imagine he will for a while to come. But I think…well…I think offering to help makes him feel useful. You know, he feels that being in the wheelchair gave him an opportunity to help someone else in need down the road.”
Leah’s gaze softened, a warm feeling filling her. “Can you still believe how much God changed Drake’s life?”
Tessa’s gaze changed from dark to a sweet dreamy smile. “If he hadn’t found Him, I wouldn’t be with him now. And he’s so fresh. I’ll tell you, Leah, his freshness is what restored my faith in God. I think I had forgotten just how wonderful and loving our Father is. Seeing it from a new believer’s point of view made me realize how lucky I really am and how the past doesn’t matter near as much as I thought it would.”
Leah’s bright smile faded a bit at the words. In some cases, a past certainly did matter. Her past did matter. Her entire life had changed because of it. She would definitely end up having her entire life changed if it ever became public.
Deciding it best to change the subject, Leah stood. “I am on my way out to the camping area near the Culpepper Ranch. If you need anything else, call.”
Tessa stood and hugged her. “Will do.”
Tessa had parked on the street, so Leah let her out the front door and locked it behind her. She turned and headed toward the back door and down the steps to her gray compact. Getting in, she prayed that perhaps one day Tessa’s words would prove true, that maybe she would find a place somewhere where her past wouldn’t matter.
However, she feared, that would only happen with Dan’s death.
“She’s not here.”
Mark paused by the door of his beat-up old Jeep. After slamming it shut, he strolled forward to where Tessa stood. There she was, near her car parked just in front of him, her hand on the door, two books tucked under the other arm. “I had thought to catch her so we could speak of a business arrangement,” Mark said, then remembering his manners he asked, “How are you doing, Tessa?”
She smiled. “Fine. I’d be doing a lot better if Leah hadn’t just left to go out looking for a site to camp.”
Mark leaned on the door of Tessa’s car. “She what?”
“She told me she hired you.”
“Word travels fast,” Mark muttered. “But what was this about a camp?”
Tessa flipped a hand up in a general gesture of airy carelessness. “I was on my way over here but stopped by the station. Your sister, Laura, told me you were going to be working for Leah over the next few weeks. Okay, well she hinted at it,” Tessa added tossing her head. “Anyway, when I dropped in to pick up the books Leah had told me I could borrow, I asked her if she’d found someone to take those pictures for her and show her around. Leah’s neighbor delighted in telling me the news when I arrived.” She cocked her head toward the house next-door where a curtain quickly fell back into place.
Mark shook his head, not used to small towns like this.
“Sure enough,” Tessa continued without a pause, “she was glad to have hired you but decided to go ahead and do some legwork herself.”
Mark ran a hand down his face. When Tessa got to talking, she really could talk, he thought wryly. “You didn’t happen to mention, chérie, that the snakes are bad this time of year?”
“I did,” Tessa said, grinning.
“Did you tell her there still might be vagrants wandering around after the trouble we had out that way a few months ago?”
“Actually, I didn’t, Mark. I figured if snakes didn’t scare her, men wouldn’t.” Eyeing Mark speculatively she added, “Though perhaps that would have been the right excuse to use after all.”
“I can’t believe she went out there…. She hired me,” Mark replied, worried. “Which way did she go?”
“Mrs. Culpepper’s,” Tessa replied cheerfully.
Mark tilted his head, studying Tessa. “And just why do you tell me this with such a buoyant attitude?” he queried, that Cajun accent slipping back into his speech.
Her grin widened. “Because I am hoping, Mark, that you’ll go out there and make sure she’s okay.”
“Does this entire town worry about that woman?” Mark asked, hands going to his hips, exasperated.
“We sure do,” Tessa replied drawing a reluctant grin from Mark. “You didn’t think you were the only one, did you?”
“She does tend to bring out that protective instinct, doesn’t she?” Mark replied softly.
“She sure does.”
“Okay, Tessa. I’ll go check on her. After all, it is what I am being paid for,” he replied. “To help her out on this project. And when I find her, we’ll restate just what we each expect from the other in this job,” he added.
Tessa chuckled her deep rich chuckle and replied, “You do that. She’s only got about a five or ten-minute start on you. I’m sure you’ll find her easily.”
“Thanks, Tessa. Tell Drake hi,” he replied.
He turned and headed back toward his Jeep wondering just why Leah had headed out on her own without contacting him.
If he had his way, he was about to find out.
After hopping into the Jeep, he quickly left behind the city limits of Hill Creek and headed out toward the west side of town where Mrs. Culpepper lived. At the fourth mile road, as they called them since the roads were laid out so straight, he turned right.
A nice popular camping area located about five miles up was where she’d most likely gone, Mark thought. The Culpeppers owned part of the land. The rest they donated to the county for the people of Hill Creek County. It wasn’t to be developed, simply kept there so that there would always be a place for people to camp and wander. Ten thousand acres. When Mrs. Culpepper’s husband had passed on she’d said that with no children, she didn’t want the land going to the state when she died. She had donated it instead with a provision for a specific use.
She was a town icon, someone that everyone enjoyed and visited. A bit eccentric, but a good old woman. Mark had a notion that she would have made a good mother. He’d gotten to know her through Wil Whitefeather who had been acquainted with the Culpeppers for years.
Driving past Mrs. Culpepper’s house, he continued until he reached the small dirt road that led to a parking area. This part consisted of boulders placed in a semicircle on the ground. The area would hold two or three buses and a dozen cars.
He had no trouble spotting Leah’s car. Spotting Leah, however, was a different matter.
“Ten minutes. How far could the woman be?” he muttered and killed the engine of his Jeep. Pushing open the door he swung his long legs out and stood, scanning the rocky, hilly area. The summer sun beat down on his head, causing him to lean in, grab his hat and slip it on his head. A wind blew, giving relief to the hot dry air. All was quiet except for the rustling of tree branches as the wind made its music.
Mesquite trees, scrub oaks and sagebrush dotted the vicinity enough to easily block the view of someone within shouting distance. He pulled out the small cylindrical container in his pocket and fished for another toothpick. He continued to scan.
“Leah!”
So he’d shout, he thought, disgruntled. Shouting wasn’t his way. But she sure wasn’t anywhere in the area. Slipping the toothpick into his mouth he shifted impatiently. The nearby river that crossed the land was an ideal place for people to camp. Perhaps she’d gone out that way.
“Leah!” he called again and started out toward the river.
“Mark?”
He nearly jumped out of his skin when her voice came from behind him. Whirling, he opened his mouth to rail at her and stopped, surprised. “Wil,” he said nodding to the old man who stood with her.
“We were scouting the area,” Leah said. “I found Mr. Whitefeather out here hunting. He was showing me the bird’s nest he’d found.”
The aged Native American, his dark weathered skin creasing with a smile replied, “I thought Ms. Thomas might like it for her class.”
“I’m sure she would. Thank you for being with her, though.”
Leah frowned.
Wil chuckled. “That talk, young one, will get you into trouble.”
“That’s right,” Leah replied. “I’m perfectly capable of taking care of myself.” Those words sounded so out of place with that soft-pitched voice.
Mark hadn’t planned to say anything in front of Wil, but Leah’s words were like waving a red flag in front of a bull. Throwing caution and concern to the wind, he asked, “Oh? Why did you hire me if you could take care of yourself, chérie?”
Leah sighed, amazingly still soft-spoken as she replied, “I thought to come out ahead and look over the area. I don’t need a bodyguard.” Some quick emotion passed across her face, one Mark couldn’t identify. It was gone so quickly Mark wasn’t sure if he had imagined it. Pausing, he considered her and thought he might have hit a nerve.
“Do you know there are snakes out here?” he prodded gently, thinking to drive home his point. This woman was just too helpless. She didn’t need to be out here like this. “And what about riffraff? Be glad it was Wil you ran into and not someone else.”
Leah bristled.
“I think, young one,” Wil said looking pointedly at Mark, “that you still have not learned patience and trust.”
Mark flushed. “Maybe not, Wil, but does she even know how to defend herself?”
“Please don’t talk over me like that,” Leah demanded firmly.
Guilt touched Mark at her words. “What would you do if a snake blocked your way?”
“Go around it,” Leah replied quietly.
With consternation, he realized she was right and because of that he hadn’t been able to make his point. So, he tried another track. “You can’t do that with people, or some animals. Just ask Drake, ma petite,” he said referring to the bull that had nearly killed Drake, Tessa’s husband.
“Sometimes you just have to put your trust in God,” Leah replied.
“Or know how to shoot a rifle, but I see you don’t have one with you. Just a backpack. Tell me, Leah, what would have happened if a coyote was out here, possibly with rabies?”
Leah finally flushed. She pushed a strand of blond hair back behind her ear then clasped her hands together. “I am trying to do what has to be done, Mr. Walker. I’m sorry if you don’t approve, but then, I’m not as helpless as I look.”
Hearing the distress and determination in her voice, he asked, “Is that so?”
“Yes.”
Women, he thought and would have rolled his eyes if she hadn’t been staring at him.
“Leah, I was nearly killed by a drug gang out in this area. I know you believe what you say, but with your small size, a man could easily overpower you.”
Slowly she shook her head.
Disbelieving at Leah’s stubborn insistence she could take care of herself out here in the wilds, he glanced at Wil. His face was perfectly blank as he stood there. “You aren’t going to comment?”
Wil shrugged. “If she says she can protect herself, I believe her.”
Mark sighed, exasperated. “You always were too trusting, Wil. You even took me in when you had no idea who I was.”
Wil grinned, his eyes crinkling up, that gray braid of his standing out in stark contrast against his dark skin. “I rely on God to lead me in some things, boy.”
There it was again. Wil had said that a lot to him while he’d been out there, telling Mark to let go of his distrust and anger, to trust God more, trust his fellow man.
“Well, let’s just see what you’d do if you were attacked, chérie,” Mark muttered and then, to prove a point, he ran straight at Leah intending to scare her when he grabbed her.
He hadn’t expected to go sailing through the air.
With a hard thud he connected with the ground. His head exploded with pain that ricocheted down his body to the tips of his toes.
He wasn’t sure how, except Leah held on to his arm, standing above him, still looking completely helpless.
Wil broke into cackles.
“I’m sorry. I hope I didn’t hurt you.” Leah flushed and released Mark’s hand. Stepping back she clasped her hands together in a purely nervous gesture.
When Mark recovered from his utter shock he realized he hurt—all over, not just from the initial pain that had flashed in him but from an ache. He wasn’t used to someone getting the better of him, especially not a woman—especially not a helpless- looking woman. Staring up at her from this angle, he thought she still looked utterly helpless. Except that he now lay on the ground feeling every crooked rock that poked him in the back. How had she done that? Wil moved into the picture cutting Mark’s view of Leah.
“Come on, young one, get up and take your medicine.” Wil reached down and with a strong hand helped pull him up until he was on his feet. Every movement reminded him he’d just been lying on the rocky ground.
Mark groaned realizing he was quite sore. “You knew, didn’t you Wil?” Mark asked grouchily when he realized Wil still grinned.
“It’s in the way she walks,” Wil acknowledged. “Always know your opponent,” Wil added.
