Author's Note: Since this story has gained a faithful reader and reviewer MagicSwede 1965 (who happens to be an exceptional writer)to join my KSF Jen23(also an exceptional writer)I'm posting this chapter because it brings the third member of the Squad, Linc into the story. And there's some angsty fluff as Melissa is still with her friends so Julie can have some release of her grief. BTW this story is completed and is about 18 chapters so there's much more to come.
BEGINNING TO HEAL
Thursday, November 14, 1980, 9:45 AM PST
The day was brisk and windy, autumn leaves blowing in eddies swirling about the backyard like miniature whirlwinds. The sun was intermittently peaking out and darting behind large billowy cumulous clouds, causing the air to stay chilled. Having finished breakfast, Julie and Pete, dressed both for the weather and a ride, were just exiting the stable together, strolling behind two horses, one golden mare with a white point on her forehead, the other, a dark gray gelding with a spirited step.
Jim Travis was leading the horses to the beginning of the bridal path, just to the far side of the corral. He stopped both horses at the end of the fence. Julie took the reins of the golden mare, grabbed hold of the saddle horn and lifting her left leg, placed her foot in the stirrup and expertly threw her right leg over to sit securely in the saddle. Pete did the same, sitting astride the gray gelding and nudging the horse's ribs, drew aside Julie and her mare. They took off down the bridle path at a leisurely trot and began their ride.
Julie was acting as guide pointing out various points of interest as they rode along. Pete was impressed by the vastness of the land, and by the relatively unspoiled beauty of the golden hued birch trees that stood sentinel along the way and sheltered the path. He could fully understand why Julie had left Los Angeles behind and came up here to make a life, this seemed to be the closest place to heaven on earth he could think of.
He was doubly impressed by her superb horsemanship, it was like she was born in a saddle. Her seat was outstanding and she and her horse moved as one. Although his gelding was spirited and enjoyed trotting at a moderately quick pace, he was well broken and easy to control. Pete hadn't ridden in twenty years, but most everything he had learned from Rusty Bryson at the now closed Lucky Horseshoe Stable in the many years of riding lessons he had during his privileged youth had come back to him as they rode along down the path. They continued along at their even pace for about two miles and came up to the entrance into the North Field.
Julie stopped and looked off into the meadow, a sadly thoughtful look on her face. Pete drew up beside her and noticed her melancholy expression.
"Are you okay, sweetheart?" he asked, concerned.
Julie turned and looked at him, "This was a special place for me and Dan and then Melissa when she was old enough. We used to come here in late afternoon and stay to watch the sunset by the mountains." She pointed to the cluster of redwood stumps under the copse of birch trees, which laid to the left of the end of the path, "Over there is where Dan brought me to ask me to marry him and where Melissa was conceived." She brushed away the tears that had glistened in her eyes as memories flooded back to her.
Pete reached over to put a reassuring hand on her shoulder, "You know, we can turn and head back if this is too much for you. You don't have to bring me here if it's too painful for you, angel," he said gently.
Julie shook her head, "It's the most beautiful part of the ranch. I want you to see it, Pete," she insisted.
"Okay. Lead the way," he nudged the gelding's ribs and followed her as she lead her mare into the meadow.
Julie's guide role was somewhat subdued from her animated descriptions of before, but she still seemed to want to show Pete the place that had been the place of so many happy memories of her marriage to Dan. They continued across the flat, grassy plain and came to the bluff at the northwest end, where the view was nothing less than spectacular. They both dismounted and Julie showed Pete where a short tree stump was to tie the horses' reins.
Taking his arm, she guided him to the edge of the bluff where the rocky ledge led down to the rapidly moving mountain-fed stream. Pete marveled at the combination of the majestic, snow capped mountains that edged the western horizon and the pristine clearness of the water that ran through the rocks, creating its own brand of mountain music. He was no artist, but even he found the scenic appeal mesmerizing to the point of being inspired to put it down on canvas or paper for posterity. Along with the trees draped in autumnal finery, this was a place best described as breathtaking.
Julie stood there at the edge and pointed to the mountains that ran like rickrack along the horizon, "Over there is where the sun goes down. As the sun gets closer to the horizon, the snow on the mountain reflects the colors and when it gets right to the edge they appear as if they're on fire."
Pete stood beside her and expelled an amazed breath, "Wow! That's really something," he exclaimed with awe.
"Uh-huh. Watching the sun sink below the mountains here was one of our favorite things to do everyday. About two months ago we were here, doing just that and he was talking about what he wanted done if he died. He told me he wanted to be cremated and his remains scattered here. I guess he was prophetic because a month later, he was dead and I did just what he had asked," Julie recounted sadly. "Maybe he knew something that I didn't," she added with a sob.
Pete put his hands on her shoulders. "We never know what will happen from day to day. I'm sure Dan didn't either," he said softly.
Julie gazed into his compassionate eyes, "I know. But I'm just trying to make some sort of sense out of this. I have to or I'll just go crazy," she cried, leaning against his shoulder.
Pete was at a complete loss for words, so he just silently held Julie as she sobbed brokenly; tenderly caressing her in slow rhythmic strokes to soothe her grief. She was sobbing so hard he could feel her slight body shake with each convulsion. But he understood that she needed this; her mind and emotions needed the cleansing of tears to release the burden of grief she was bearing, so he just let her tears flow. He didn't try to stop her in any way, figuring that when she was all cried out, she'd stop. Her need to do this was vital because he was sure that she had kept a lot of her anguish concealed to be strong for Melissa. Pete was glad that he was here for her to release to, because he had known deep down all along she needed him, knew it the moment he had read the file that landed in his office two days ago. He just knew.
Julie's sobs became less frequent as her tears subsided. She pulled away from Pete's shoulder and looked up into his eyes gazing down on her with gentle care and sympathy, "I'm sorry for falling apart like this. I really hate to do that," she said with shame, turning her head away.
Pete took her chin in his hand and gently turned her head back to face him, "It's all right, baby, you needed to. I'd really hate it if you didn't. That's why I came here, to help in any way you need me to." He pulled out a handkerchief from his jeans jacket pocket and lightly dabbed at her cheeks. "Feeling better now?"
Julie nodded, still leaning against him for support. "I'm starting to. Thanks to you, Pete," she whispered thankfully. Still within the circle of his arms, she shivered slightly as the cool wind whistled around them. Pete took note of her body shaking and began taking his denim jacket off.
"Here honey, you're cold, put this on," he wrapped the jacket around Julie. She slipped her arms in the jacket, still warm from his body. "Why don't we head back to the house? You look like you need to get something warm inside you. Let's go."
He helped her mount her mare and then climbed on his horse. They reined in, turned around and headed out of the North Field.
As the couple headed back to the house neither spoke. Julie was quiet due to her being emotionally spent, Pete however, was silently mulling over the present circumstances at the Bennett ranch. He was meticulously going over everything in his mind that had occurred since his arrival that had appeared suspicious or at least puzzling. As he mentally took inventory, the one thing that was uppermost was David Slade's peculiar behavior.
He recalled just before he and Julie left to go on their ride, Slade was watching them from the rear office door, without any greeting and an expression that was completely lacking in warmth. His cold visage was decidedly unfriendly and appeared as if they were trespassing, giving the definite impression that they were intruding and it made Pete wonder if he even acknowledged the fact that the ranch was Julie's home.
It was another thing that had the cop in Pete getting suspicious. Slade was acting very strange, even for one who was grieving the loss of his best friend. He was coming across as someone who was trying to take over, regardless of the fact that his friend had a widow who was more than capable and willing to be strong and carry on. As a matter of fact he had reacted rather strongly to the news that Dan had life insurance policies for him and Julie that he had not known about. Things just weren't adding up to give him peace of mind that everything was okay at the ranch...
Pete had found it hard to believe that Slade could not see when Julie was in front of his truck yesterday when he nearly hit her and that the near accident was deliberate. His offhand attitude toward that incident not only irked Pete it baffled him. And Slade was definitely unappreciative to any outside intervention by nature of his blatant belligerence. Then, there was all that additional information that Julie had revealed regarding Slade's attempts to get with her and almost raping her...
Pete frowned, thinking that there definitely was more here than meets the eye. Riding back to the house, he grimly determined that he was going absolutely nowhere until he found out just what Slade's problem was. Besides, based on Julie's emotional state that she was trying so hard to overcome, he would not leave her now for any reason. So he began to put together a gameplan to begin investigating some of the strange occurrences. And the first task he had in mind to accomplish was to ask the Travis family if they had noticed anything about Slade that was out of the ordinary. He decided that the first chance he got, that was exactly what he would do. He glanced over at Julie's wan face and worry for her took precedence so he figured that he'd talk her into getting some rest, then while she rested, he'd go ask questions.
Satisfied with his plans, Pete noticed the house and corral just ahead. They rode down and around the corral to the stable where Jim and Hank met them to stable the horses. Pete dismounted and assisted Julie off her horse.
"Did you both have a nice ride out there?" Hank asked as he took the reins of Julie's mare.
"Uh-huh, it's a bit nippy, but it was nice," Pete answered. He handed Jim the gelding's reins, "Hank, is Hannah up at the house? Julie got a little chilled out there and she could use something to warm her up," he stated.
"She is, Mr. Pete, she's getting a jump on making supper. She said she's going to make beef stew and biscuits, so she's in the kitchen at the house," Hank informed him. He looked at Julie in a concerned manner, "Is Miss Julie all right?"
"I'm fine, Hank. Pete's just a worrywart," Julie responded.
Pete finished briskly, "She needs some rest and to warm up at the house, so that's where we're headed."
He took her arm and said to Hank over his shoulder, "Thanks a lot, Hank."
He guided her firmly down past the stable and barn and toward the house. Totally bushed, Julie meekly allowed Pete to lead her in they opened the door and entered the kitchen, Hannah was there at the far counter, chopping carrots and potatoes. She looked up from her work and her smile of greeting faded as she spied Julie's drawn face.
"Miss Julie, land sakes, you're as pale as a ghost!" she exclaimed, alarmed.
Pete replied shortly, "She got very chilled during our ride. Would you be kind enough to make her some tea, Hannah? I'm going to have her lie down in the parlor."
"Pete, I'm okay, really," Julie protested weakly but Pete was having none of it.
"You are going to lie down and get some rest, if I have to carry you in there and tie you down," he insisted stubbornly.
He took her elbow and guided her down the hall and toward the parlor. Once in there, he steered her to the sofa and sat her down, taking her legs and putting them up on the sofa so she laid down. He then untied her boots, and took them off.
She sighed resignedly, giving up because he wasn't going to be denied. He reached behind and retrieved the afghan that was draped on the back of the sofa and spread it over her now prone body. Satisfied, he knelt down beside her.
"Now, I want you to get some rest, sweetheart, because I can see that that ride wore you out," he said firmly, but gently. "Releasing all that pent up emotion hasn't helped either."
"Yes, sir, Your Highness," Julie replied with mock subservience.
"That's very cute. Just lay your head down please, and kindly hold the sarcasm."
"Are you going to spend the rest of your life taking care of me?" she retorted with a yawn.
Pete grinned. "I can think of worse ways to spend the rest of my life. Actually, taking care of you has always been one of my favorite pastimes," he added cheerfully.
"Uh-huh, like five years of doing it on the force wasn't enough for you," Julie said sardonically. "Pete, you're just saying that. I really do need to stand up on my own, you know. You're not always going to be around. Or are you?"
Pete smiled at her enigmatically. "I'm here now, so you'll just have to put up with me, 'cause I ain't going anywhere," he stated matter-of-factly. He leaned over and kissed her forehead. "Were you planning on getting rid of me?" he teased.
"Of course not. But you do have a life outside of here, and I'm afraid of getting too used to you being around. Sooner or later, you're going to go back to it," Julie said realistically.
Pete laid a finger on her mouth, silencing her protest. "Shhh, honey, don't think about that. Just close your eyes and get some rest now, like a good girl."
He started to rise but Julie stopped him, "What are you going to do while I'm here, indulging your hero complex?" she asked yawning.
"Oh, I'll find something to do to amuse myself till you finish your nap. So don't worry your pretty head about me, just get some rest."
He finished rising and turned and headed toward the door where he met Hannah coming in, carrying a tray holding a steaming mug with a teabag, a dish of lemon wedges, a sugar bowl, a napkin, and a spoon. He gestured to the sofa and Hannah nodded, tiptoeing over to take peek at Julie, who had finally given into the fatigue she fought so hard earlier and was fast asleep. Hannah left the tray on the end table and silently made her way back to the door where Pete was waiting for her.
"Hannah, do you have a minute? I want to talk to you about something," he whispered as she moved past him to head back to the kitchen.
"Of course, Mr. Pete, but I have to get the stew going. Why don't you come into the kitchen and talk to me there, if you don't mind?" she responded softly walking down the hall.
"I don't mind at all. If you don't mind my being there, talking to you while you're working."
Pete followed Hannah back to the kitchen and trailed her as she went over to the counter to retrieve the carrots and the knife she was using to chop them for the stew. She took a seat at the table and Pete took a chair, turned it around and straddled it facing her. He gazed into her eyes intently.
"Hannah," Pete began. "How long have you and your family lived and worked here?"
Hannah brushed a gray streaked strand of auburn hair from her eyes, "About twenty five years. Hank and I had just gotten married and moved out here from Colorado, and Mr. Steve was looking for a live-in housekeeper. His wife, Miss Lois had just passed away and he needed help raising his son. Mr. Dan was ten years old and Mr. Steve hired me to come and take care of the two of them. He also hired Hank as his assistant. A few years later Josh was born, then two years after we had Jim. We moved into the bunkhouse, and we've been there ever since."
"What about David Slade? Julie explained to me that his father and Dan's father were partners here at one time. What happened to end that?" Pete inquired.
Hannah looked at him, seemingly reluctant to answer. She glanced around uneasily, as if the walls had ears. "Mr. Steve and Mr. Slade had bought the land that the ranch is on. It's about forty acres of land, and the two of them bought it together, right after the Depression, when land out here was cheap. They were going to build two houses, at separate parts, to run the business together. They had started with about forty horses that they purchased together and began breeding them for competition."
"What happened then?"
"Well, Mr. Steve began noticing that petty cash was disappearing from the business ledger. And then, the stock began to disappear. Mr. Steve asked Mr. Slade about it, and they had a big fight. It seems Mr. Slade was stealing the petty cash and then secretly sold a number of the horses to try to pay off some of his gambling debts."
The picture was now beginning to come into focus tor Pete. His eyes bore into her as the housekeeper continued...
"Mr. Steve then paid Mr. Slade the face value on his share of the land and bought him out. Mr. Slade's wife had left him by this time and David was just thirteen. Mr. Dan and David were best friends, they played together, went to school together, did just about everything together. Mr. Slade was getting in over his head with his debts, and one day David came home from school and found his pa dead, killing himself with a shotgun."
"So David's father killed himself and he witnessed it." Pete shook his head. "Oh man."
Hannah nodded and went on, "Mr. Steve took pity on the boy and he moved in with Mr. Steve and Mr. Dan. Mr. Steve took care of David like he was his own, but David was a wild one, always getting into trouble. When Mr. Dan was drafted into the Army and was shipped out to Vietnam, David tried to take his place in the ranch. He was a 4-F, so he didn't have to go. Then Mr. Dan came back and David had moved out and gone to college in San Francisco, to get a business degree. Mr. Steve's health was failing, so Mr. Dan was taking over for him, with breeding, and running things but he had a hard time with figures so he asked David to come in as a business partner. He bought into the business after Mr. Steve died and that's the way it was till Mr. Dan's passing."
Pete pursed his lips as he digested all Hannah had told him, "So David has an interest in the ranch, huh? Is he half owner like his father was?" he probed.
Hannah shook her head. "No, he only bought about a third. He would've bought more, but he had only enough money for that amount. But I do know that he and Mr. Dan had taken out joint insurance policies for the business. Hank told me that the policy was for about $1.3 million dollars, and named each other beneficiary in case something had happened to the other," she finished.
"I see," Pete said a light of understanding appearing in his eyes. He got up and put the chair back. "Thanks a lot, Hannah, you've helped me a lot." He headed toward the door.
"Mr. Pete?" Hannah called out.
Pete turned around with a questioning look. "Huh?"
Hannah wiped her hands on her apron, "Can I ask you something?" she inquired timidly.
Pete walked back over to her. "Sure, what do you want to know?"
Hannah took a deep breath, "Mr. Dan told Hank that Miss Julie used to be a police officer when she lived in Los Angeles. Were you one too?" she asked.
Pete nodded, "Yes, Hannah I was. Julie and I worked together for five years as under cover police officers along with a friend of ours, Linc Hayes. Why do you ask?"
"Because I'm worried about Miss Julie and Miss Melissa. David has been too interested in how they're faring with Mr. Dan gone. I just don't trust him," Hannah said crisply. "I'm sorry, because he's been a part of the family but he's changed. He's gotten pushy and he's been ordering Hank and the boys around, like he's in charge. I just don't like it," she finished with a frown.
Pete reassured her, "Don't worry Hannah, I wouldn't let anyone hurt or threaten Julie or Melissa. I intend to stick around till I'm sure everything's absolutely safe for them." He drew his mouth in a firm line. "And I'm going to get to the bottom of everything that's going on," he grimly promised.
"I'm glad to hear that. I would've said something to Miss Julie but she's had enough to deal with. She's been having a real bad time, and she's been trying to be strong for everyone but I know she can't take much more," Hannah fretted.
Pete patted her hand comfortingly, "Don't even think about it, Hannah. I'm going to be here taking care of her, her daughter, and her property. And nobody, I mean nobody, is going to hurt them in anyway or they'll have to answer to me," he declared as he headed out the door.
Mr. Pete seems like a good man...just like Mr Dan. I'm so glad he's here with Miss Julie Relieved, Hannah went back to chopping vegetables...
Pete frowned thoughtfully as he made his way across the yard and toward the stable. Hannah's explanations had cleared some things up and the picture was coming together, but like a jigsaw puzzle, it was incomplete. Several pieces were missing and he hoped that talking to Hank and the other men would supply those missing pieces. His innate deductive reasoning and burgeoning suspicion toward David Slade were working in tandem, supplying him with a possible motive for Dan's passing. Pete was beginning to feel that his death was no accident, but he didn't want to jump to conclusions unless he had solid evidence. He planned to gather all the evidence he could find. With a determined look he strode toward the stable, where Hank and his boys were busy, cleaning out stalls. He walked up to the stall where Hank was busy laying down fresh straw.
"Hi Hank," Pete greeted him casually. "You're busy as usual."
Hank looked up from his task and gave Pete a smile of welcome. "Howdy there, Mr. Pete. Is there something you need?" he asked, wiping his brow with a handkerchief.
"Uh-uh. Tell, me is David Slade in the stable office?" he asked, nodding in that direction.
Hank replied, "Nope. He was earlier but he left and said he wouldn't be back till tomorrow. So if you want to see him, I'm afraid he's gone." He turned and went back to work.
"Actually, Hank I asked because I'd like to talk to you and I wanted to talk privately. So if the office is empty, d'you think we could talk for a while?" Pete inquired.
Hank looked at him curiously. "Yeah, I guess so," he replied. He put the pitchfork he was using against the wall and wiped his hands on his overalls. "Let's go to the office," he said leading the way. They walked over to the closed glass door and using a key in his pocket, Hank unlocked it and gestured Pete to enter.
"Make yourself at home," he said inviting Pete to sit in the chair behind the desk. He walked in and sat in the worn leather chair, and Hank seated himself in one of the chairs facing the desk. "What can I do for you?" he asked.
Pete leaned forward and fixed Hank with a steady gaze. "Hank, Hannah told me that you were Dan's assistant and his father's before him,"
"Uh-huh. Mr. Steve hired me to help with breeding and also with training for competitions. I grew up on a horse ranch in Colorado," Hank told him.
"Did you ever get involved with the financial side? I mean, did Dan's father fill you in on all the workings of the ranch, being his assistant and all," Pete questioned.
"Well, I didn't know anything about the personal family accounts, but yeah, Mr. Steve used to go over the budget for the business with me. He sometimes would send me to other breeders to line up mating times and negotiate stud fees. He used to also consult with me about supplies, and as Mr. Slade was gone, about salaries of other employees. But that all changed when David came on. He was fresh from college, with a business degree and Mr. Dan brought him in. Oh, I was still a supervisor over the other fellers and head trainer but, the other decisions were made by Mr. Dan and David," Hank replied.
"How did things change when David came on?" Pete persisted.
Hank leaned back and thought for a bit. "David immediately kept the ledger, and he wouldn't let anyone else add to it or even look at it. He was real touchy about it too," he responded.
"In what way?"
"Oh, by not allowing certain things to be entered in. Like when we sold a colt for a fixed price, he'd tell me one figure then I'd find out later that he had called the buyer back and negotiated for a higher price," Hank said in a low voice. "But I'd check the book when he was gone and find that he put in the first figure. We lost a few steady buyers for that once they found out."
"So he skimmed money off the sales of horses. Nice," Pete said disgustedly. "What else?"
"He began ordering feed and supplies from outfits with less quality, to save money. That worked for a little while, till one of our prized stallions died. Then when Cocoa-belle had her foals stillborn, the vet had his lab analyze why and found out that the oat feed had been contaminated. After that Mr. Dan took over ordering the feed and supplies," Hank recounted. "But since the accident, David's taken that over again," Hank said with resignation. "It's a shame to see him like this 'cause he wasn't a bad boy growing up, but maybe his daddy's gambling and suicide made him bitter.
"Did you ever tell Dan what was going on while he was alive?" Pete asked, feeling sick to hear about what was going on...what had gone on in Julie's supposedly happy home.
"No. You see, Mr. Pete, Mr. Dan and David were like brothers. They both were only children, and grew up together, motherless, so they bonded. Mr. Dan would hear nothing bad about David and even if he did, he wouldn't believe anything bad about him," Hank informed him.
Pete sighed. "Hank, what he was doing was wrong. Are you telling me that everyone just let David do what he was doing, embezzling, and said nothing?" he added incredulously.
"Mr. Pete, nobody but me knew what he was doing. I told you that he wouldn't let anyone else see it. Including Mr. Dan," Hank said defensively.
"I'm sorry, Hank, I just find this whole thing incredible. And does Julie have any idea of what's been going on?" Pete wanted to know.
Hank said, "No, sir, she doesn't. And she won't from me or my family," he added, meeting Pete's eyes in a meaningful fashion.
Pete immediately picked up on it. "She won't from me either. At least not until I fit everything together with evidence to back it up," he declared firmly.
Hank looked at Pete and warned him, "Be careful Mr. Pete, David can get nasty when he gets pushed. And if you get too close to what he says is his business, he may hurt you. He has a bad temper when he's riled. He's put a few boys from around in the hospital when they've crossed him. Hell, I've told my boys to give him a wide berth."
Pete laughed shortly, "I'm not afraid of him, Hank. According to Hannah, you know that Julie used to be a cop in L.A. before she married Dan. Well, so was I, working with her. We never carried or used guns but in a fight I could hold my own with anybody. So don't worry about me."
Hank nodded and got up to leave. Pete remained seated behind the desk and asked, "Hank, do you mind if I stay here? I need to use the phone and I don't want to use the one at the house 'cause it might disturb Julie. She's taking a nap."
"Sure you can, Mr. Pete. Just lock the door when you're through," he said over his shoulder.
Pete settled himself back in the chair with determination gleaming in his eyes, it was time to arrange for some reinforcements. He picked up the receiver, dialed the number and listened as the phone rang three times before it was answered.
"Hello?" a youthful male voice answered.
Pete replied jovially, "Hi Jason, it's Uncle Pete."
"Hey Uncle Pete! How are you? I got the cool radio car you sent me for my birthday. Thanks!" Jason Hayes crowed.
"You're welcome, pal. Say, is your dad home from school yet?"
"Uh-huh. He's grading papers. I'll go get him," Jason said, putting the phone down. Pete couldn't help grinning as he heard Jason yell in the distance over the receiver "Dad! Uncle Pete's on the phone!"
Linc Hayes picked up the phone. "Hey Pete, man, how you doin'! It's great to hear from you!" he exclaimed delightedly.
"Linc, man, it's good to hear your voice. How's school?" Pete asked heartily.
"Okay, I'm getting ready for mid period reports just before the Thanksgiving vacation. I was grading some tests when you called," Linc informed him.
"You got a minute, man? I need to talk to you about something," Pete said with a sense of urgency.
Linc was immediately alert, "Something wrong, old buddy?"
"Yeah, could be. I'm over at Julie's ranch," Pete stated.
Linc was incredulous. "Julie's? What are you doing over there? And what happened?" he queried.
Pete took a deep breath. "Her husband died over a month ago."
There was a long low whistle. "No way! How'd it happen, Pete?" Linc asked in a shocked tone.
"He fell off his barn roof and broke his neck. I found out about it just this week," Pete replied.
"She called you?"
"Uh-uh. Her husband's life insurance policy was underwritten by my family's insurance company," Pete answered. "I found out when the file reached my desk for final approval. I dropped everything and came right out as soon as I heard."
Linc let out another low whistle, "Poor kid. Why didn't she call me? I'd have tried to rearrange my schedule to come out and help out. Is she okay?" he asked, concern in his voice.
"She's having a rough time of it. She's trying to be strong for her daughter and the folks that work here, but she's falling apart inside. She's hardly eating and she's afraid to let everything out, but if she doesn't, she's gonna go to pieces," Pete replied, worry apparent in his voice. "But there's something else," he added dourly.
"What's that?" Linc wanted to know.
"Her late husband's business partner. Man, he's acting real hinky, like he's got something cooking. And he doesn't like me at all," Pete recounted. "He threatened me."
"Are you sure? Maybe you're just overly sensitive. You always did have a soft spot for Julie and anything that concerned her," Linc replied reasonably.
"So do you," Pete retorted, getting defensive.
Linc chuckled, "Yeah, but not like you, old buddy."
Ignoring the jibe Pete said sourly, "Believe what you want man, but the guy did threaten me. And he almost ran Julie over," he stated getting angry all over again. "I've been doing some checking and came up with some interesting facts about the guy."
"What kind of facts?"
"According to Hank the ranch assistant and trainer whose family works here, he's been padding the books and pocketing the extra bread. He acted very strange when he found out about the life insurance policy Dan took out for Julie. And also, according to Julie and her housekeeper, he's been acting like he owns the place. Julie even told me he's been hitting on her since she came here with Dan as his wife. And if that ain't bad enough, the bastard almost raped her one time."
"And you haven't killed him yet?"
"Believe me pal, the thought's there… It may happen because he pretty much put me on notice that he hates me."
"Battle royale on the horizon, huh?"
Pete snorted. "If it comes down to that he's the one who will be on the losing end I promise you."
"You really hate this guy don't you," Linc declared.
"Linc, he's threatened Julie, he's threatened me and from what I've heard from the housekeeper and trainer, they're scared to death of him. Apparently he's got a temper and has shown it to them in one way or another."
"Nice guy," Linc said derisively. "You think something's about to go down?"
"I'm not sure yet, but something's not right. Things just don't add up and the more I ask around, the fishier it smells," Pete said with finality.
"Didn't the area fuzz investigate the accident?" Linc asked, getting suspicious himself.
"Yeah. According to the death certificate we received at my company, it was an accident and it was investigated as such. But things just ain't looking right," Pete said stubbornly.
Linc questioned, "So what do you plan to do next, Pete?"
"I'm going into town tomorrow to talk to the authorities. There has to be a police report on file on the accident. I'll go there and ask to see it," he determined.
"So what can I do?"
"How about coming out here for Thanksgiving? Julie'd love to see you. You could bring Jason and we could all have a real reunion," Pete suggested. "Besides, I could use your help if things get ugly… And the way I see it they just might."
"You're really serious? Have you asked Julie, I mean it is her place, after all," Linc reminded him.
"Yeah, I know. But I plan to suggest it to her. I'll even suggest that she call you and invite you herself," Pete stated.
"You think you can persuade her to invite me and Jason for Thanksgiving after her husband died? Man, you got nerve," Linc said dubiously.
Pete retorted, "Why not? I mean we're still all family, the three of us. And what she needs right now are us, her family. All she's got here is her daughter and the hired help. Dan's parents are dead and he was an only child. Besides, with Slade lurking about, Like I just said, I'd like you to be here in case I have to lean on him. And I may have to do that if he keeps pushing me," he added grimly.
"Okay, Pete. You know I want to help Julie anyway I can. You talk to her, and have her call me, and I'll make plane reservations," Linc promised.
"Oh no, pal. You don't have to. When everything's all set, I'll send my jet out to Chicago to get you and Jason. I'll have the pilot, Captain Osborne, make arrangements with O'Hare," Pete insisted.
"Your jet?" Linc echoed. "Man, I said it before and I'll say it again. I knew you'd be the first one to sell out," he laughed.
Thursday, November 14, 1980, 4:15PM, PST
Julie awakened with a yawn and stretched as she sat up on the sofa. She pushed off the afghan that Pete had covered her with and got to her feet. She stretched again and then walked over to the picture window that faced the eastern mountain range to stare out and woolgather. The clouds were outlined against the deep azure sky of the approaching dusk and the mountains themselves were clad in different hues of violet, like the different hues of autumn colors the trees wore that edged the range. It was getting dark, for the sun was setting.
Julie sighed deeply, and remembered the dream she just had during her nap. Her dream, as all her dreams of late, was of Dan alive and vital, like he always was. The two of them were riding, galloping across the North Field as they had always done, laughing and shouting above the wind like children. They headed over to the bluff and although Julie reined in her horse and halted Dan continued until he and his horse careened over the bluff to the stream below, where they both vanished. In her dream, Julie screamed for him to stop but to no avail the dream was so vivid that she had imagined that it had actually happened and almost called out his name. Then she awakened with the feeling of emptiness, realizing that he was indeed gone, and his beloved laughter would never be heard again.
Julie felt tears burning her eyes and she turned away from the window and went toward the stereo to sit on the carpet in front of it. She rifled through the collection of albums, 8-tracks and 45s on the shelf below the turntable and selected a tape. She slipped it out of its cover, put it in the tape deck, turned it on and pushed the button to the track she wanted. She selected continuous play, turned up the volume, and the haunting sounds of Tim Buckley's "Once I Was" filled the room.
As Julie listened to the mournful song, a photo album caught her eye. She reached over and pulled the thick book on her lap. It was Dan's photo album and scrapbook he had kept while he served in Vietnam. He had shown her the book several times and had pointed out his buddies who had served with him in the 101st Airborne Division during his stint in '68-70. Julie flipped through the pages where there were snapshots of smiling soldiers, going through drills, resting, eating, and playfully clowning for the camera, not knowing that they were about to be sent into the jaws of death that had awaited them in the jungles of the Mai Cong Delta.
Continuing to flip through the pages, she came across Dan's picture, smiling and holding his M-16, looking every bit the brave soldier. He was fortunate enough to come back, but he had told her of all his buddies in the photos that never did again. As she allowed the record to play over and over, Julie sobbed for the losses of those brave men; overgrown boys really who would never get married, have children or live their dreams. She also sobbed for her own loss, for Dan now like his friends would never see his only child Melissa graduate high school or college, and he would never see her get married or have children. Over at the stereo, the track continued playing the song over and over again...
Meanwhile, Pete had made his way back to the house. He entered the kitchen, which was empty save a large pot of beef stew cooking on the stove, simmering and perfuming the air with its tantalizing aroma. He walked softly through the hallway, heard the moan of the stereo playing the sad folk song so he stopped at the doorway of the parlor and peeked in. There he saw that Julie had awakened from her nap and was sitting on the carpet, her back to him in front of the stereo. As the song played continuously, Pete watched as Julie's shoulders had slumped forward, sobbing, giving in again to the anguish of her loss. She had crossed her arms, hugging herself like a lost, ragged waif, and was rocking back and forth as she sobbed.
The picture of her looking so forlorn and miserable tore at Pete's heart as he watched her. He wanted to go and enfold her in his arms, as he did earlier at the North Field, but this time he felt that his doing so would be inappropriate. He could tell that this was a private time for her, as she allowed the tears of her broken heart to flow forth. However, he continued to stand there, wanting to be near, should she need him. Pete was overwhelmed with the feeling of anguish for her, so much so that all other thoughts had fled. He also felt a burning anger that she was in such sorrowful circumstances, if his growing suspicions were true someone was going to pay by his hand, and dearly.
The parlor was getting darker as dusk arrived, and Julie's sobs became less frequent as she ceased crying. She sighed deeply and got to her feet, putting the photo album aside. As she turned to light the lamp on the end table, in the semi-darkness she spied Pete's silhouette in the doorway of the room and not recognizing it was him, gasped, startled.
Pete hurried to reassure her, "Easy, honey, it's just me." He stepped into the room, now well lit by the lamp's light to show her, "See?"
Julie sighed, relieved, "Oh Pete, I'm sorry. I was just sitting here, reminiscing. I had a dream about Dan and I was just looking through his 'Nam photo album, 'cause I wanted to see pictures of him and I lost it."
"You don't have to explain anything to me. This is your home and you have every right to grieve the passing of your husband anytime you need to," he replied. "It's good for you to get it out."
Julie went over to the stereo to turn the music off. Pete walked over to the stereo and picked up the 8-track jacket. "Still a fan of folk music, huh?" he remarked.
"Uh-huh. Sometimes it helps me to let the darkness out. For you, Chopin does it, for me it's Tim Buckley," she answered.
"Do you play your guitar anymore?"
"Not as much. I do sometimes for Melissa when she has a bad dream. I played for her while I was pregnant with her so she asks me to play and sing for her when she's afraid. I used to sing the song 'Sunshine' by John Denver to her while I carried her. She asked me to sing to her the night after the accident, so I did even though it was the last thing I felt like doing," Julie recounted, her expression bittersweet as she remembered.
She reached for the thick photo album and placed it on one of the end tables. "You've certainly made yourself scarce this afternoon," she declared, seeking to change the subject as she drew the drapes to keep out the oncoming evening chill.
"Yeah, well, I told you that I would find something to do to occupy myself while you rested, so I did," Pete replied nonchalantly. "I took a walk and then I talked to Hank for a while," he stated as he approached the sofa to take a seat.
Curious, he reached over to the end table to pick up the photo album Julie had been looking through. He looked up questioningly and Julie shrugged and nodded so he opened the book and began thumbing through the pages.
"This was Dan's when he was in the Army, huh?" He looked at the images of the young soldiers in Vietnam, captured on film.
Julie knelt beside Pete and glanced at the page he was looking at. This particular page had a photo of a young Dan with his arm around the shoulder of a ruddy, burly boy with bright eyes, which was taken at the air base. They both were grinning widely into the camera. Julie sighed as she recognized the photo.
"That was Dan and his buddy Rick just before they went out into the jungle for the first time. They were both paratroopers, with the same outfit. During the mission, Rick was hit and he died in Dan's arms. And Rick wasn't the first that Dan saw die, either. He was fortunate to come home. I was thinking before how ironic it was that Dan had survived so much in Vietnam and it was here, at his own home that he lost his life," she said with a catch in her voice, tears once again threatening to spill forth.
Pete gazed at her with tender compassion. He reached his hand over to her face and gently traced the contour of her cheek with his fingers. Julie pushed the photo album off his lap and laid her tear-dampened cheek there where she let the drops flow from her eyes. He continued caressing her, feeling the most intense love for her that he had ever felt. He could feel the wetness of her tears through his trousers and he was filled with the deep longing to do anything and everything to make sure she never had to cry like this ever again.
Julie lifted her head and looked intently into Pete's eyes, stood up, leaned over and put her arms around his neck and kissed his cheek. But as she pulled away, he held on to her waist and pulled her beside him on the sofa. She sat next to him and he cupped her face in his hands as he drew her to him. Once again, their lips found each other and this time, she allowed her arms to go around his torso as she became totally pliant against his strength. He too, gave into the passionate urging of his body, holding her closer as they collapsed against each other. Once again, old feelings, long thought dead, resurrected as they surrendered to the passion that had erupted between them. Suddenly, Julie broke away and as if she were ashamed at what had happened and she put distance between her and Pete.
"I'm sorry. I got carried away. I didn't mean for that to happen," she said, her fingers over her lips in mild dismay as if they had betrayed her.
Pete's expression showed a mixture of disappointment and apology. He got to his feet. "It's my fault too. I know how you loved Dan, and I'm really not trying to replace him, but I can't help feeling for you what I always have. And seeing you in such pain is breaking my heart, angel," he said softly.
"I'm feeling things too, Pete, things that I really shouldn't be feeling. My husband is gone just over a month and I'm drawing close to you, wanting you close to me. I was really worried when you took off yesterday, afraid that you'd changed your mind about staying here. I need you to be here with me. I mean, before I met and married Dan, I had loved you," Julie admitted with a touch of shame. "When you showed up the other day, I was so glad to see you, I had almost forgotten the present."
"It's the same for me. Almost like the last eight years never occurred and I never walked away from you. As soon as I heard about what happened, I dropped everything. Nothing else mattered but you. And seeing you with grief practically tearing you apart, all I can think about is how I can make that sadness go away. That's my number one priority and I'd give every cent my father left me to do it if I had to," Pete said fervently.
"That's very sweet but as I said before you shouldn't put your life on hold for me. I wouldn't expect that from anyone," Julie said with a weak smile. "You have people who depend on you, a business to run," she protested but Pete put his finger lightly on her lips to silence her.
"Believe me, sweetheart, the business is in good hands, the best as a matter of fact. My assistant, Phil, who worked for my father is in charge and he's got the number here if he absolutely needs me. He can call me if an emergency comes up but I consider this a personal emergency and therefore taking precedence," Pete declared. Changing the subject he casually mentioned, "By the way, I spoke to Linc this afternoon and told him about Dan's passing. I didn't think that you'd mind."
"Of course not! How is he? And how's Jason?" Julie asked, interest sparking in her eyes.
"Both are great. Linc's getting ready for midterms and Thanksgiving break. He was thinking of taking an extra couple of days off around then. It'd be great to see him, what do you think?" Pete suggested.
Julie smiled, "It would be wonderful. And Melissa and Jason could have a lot of fun together. Do you think I should call him and invite the two of them to have Thanksgiving up here?" she inquired. She looked at Pete, "Are you planning to stay here until then?" she wanted to know.
"Uh-huh," he answered. "That is if you don't mind. We are all still family, aren't we?" he asked.
"We sure are," Julie agreed, "There was a time that we three were all the family we had. Okay, I'll call Linc and invite him and Jason to come out here for a Thanksgiving reunion," she decided.
Hannah came to the parlor door, "Miss Julie, Mr. Pete, supper's ready," she announced.
"Thanks Hannah," Julie said. Turning to Pete she said, "Did you tell Linc that I'd call him tonight?" she asked sweetly, arching a brow at him.
Pete looked nonplussed, "I didn't say anything to him about Thanksgiving," he replied innocently.
Julie looked him right in the eye. "Sorry Pete, but I'm not buying your innocent act. This was your idea, so stop trying to deny it," she said primly with a twinkle in her eye. "You didn't fool me for a minute."
Pete threw up his arms, "Okay, you got me. I did suggest that they come out here. But I did it for you, honey. We're your family and at a time like this, you need your family," he added firmly.
Julie leaned in and gave him a peck on the cheek, "Thank you," she said softly as she took his hand, "Why don't we have supper?"
"Okay, you're the boss," Pete surrendered as he followed her to the dining room.
NEXT….PIECES TO A PUZZLE