Chapter 15

Pushing open the glass interior door of the Ranger Station, Cody smiled at Hart who was manning the radio desk. It had been over a week since he'd talked with Clara and he'd been monitoring the radio in hopes of finding a time to go to the station when everyone would be busy. Today was just that day. Matt had four of his six Rangers out on a training exercise and Cody had planned to come down to the station to make a special phone call while they were away.

Hart sat at the radio desk today since it was Izzy's turn in the rotation to be taken out on training and he looked up as Cody entered the station. "Hey Cody. What brings you down here today? Everyone's out on training exercises and won't be back until late this afternoon."

Cody nodded, "I know. I was hoping to use Matt's phone to make a call," he said with a little feigned shyness. "I promised Haley I'd call her once in awhile to see how things were going with her and her dad. Think Matt would mind if I called from his office?"

Hart grinned, his white teeth flashing against his dark skin. "Not at all. And here I thought you had the hots for Clara." He chuckled and waved Cody into Matt's office. "I'll even promise to keep it quiet that you were making a phone call to a certain young lady if you promise to get me one of those photos you took of Lake Jennifer, the one I really like. Wouldn't mind having one of those to send to my mom for her birthday present."

Cody blinked, having expected Hart to ask for a picture of Clara but instead was asked for one of his landscape pictures. Smiling, Cody stuck out his hand. "You bet. I'll get one developed and to you in a couple of weeks. Sound good?"

Hart shook Cody's hand. "Sounds good. Now get in there before I change my mind," he teased lightly. He liked Matt's kid brother. He had a kid brother of his own and there were times he really missed him. He was in the military now, serving overseas and he only got to see him once or twice a year if he was lucky. So in a way, he felt obligated to treat Cody like he would his own brother at times, letting him get away with things that were harmless or good natured fun, like the little bet they'd had going on whether Clara would hit Matt or not on move-in day.

Cody grinned as he slipped into Matt's office and shut the door. He had his saddle bag with him that held Clara's file. He pulled it out before setting the saddle bag on the floor by Matt's desk and then sat down in the chair. Picking up the rolodex he began searching for Lisa Elliott's phone number and within moments, found the card that held the information. Taking a pen, he wrote the information down on the inside cover of Clara's folder and then spun the rolodex to cover up what he'd been looking for, put it back where it had been on Matt's desk then picked up the receiver of the phone before dialing the number.

After two rings, the phone was answered on the other end of the line. "Shapiro, Miller, Vanna and Elliot Law Offices. How may I direct your call?"

"I'd like to speak to Lisa Elliott," Cody said, trying to keep his voice calm but low enough that it wouldn't carry through the door to where Hart sat on the other side.

"I'm sorry. She's not taking any calls currently. Can I take a message for her?" came the woman's professional voice on the other end of the line.

Cody ground his teeth. It would be just his luck that she would be busy or not in the office. Hopefully he could play his 'luck' card and she might just take his call. "Actually, I think she'll take my call. Tell her my name is Cody Hawkes, my father is Jesse Hawkes and my brother is Matt Hawkes. Tell her I need to speak to her right now, that it's urgent." He silently crossed his fingers.

There was a hesitation on the other end of the line. "Let me see if she'll take your call. She's in the middle of a very important case. Hold please."

Cody realized as he heard the line go 'blank' that his hands were shaking. He needed to talk to Lisa today because he wasn't sure if he would be able to call her again anytime soon. Today was the only day to make this little scheme work.

The seconds ticked by and he heard the click of the phone being picked up and steeled himself against the rejection he was sure he knew was coming.

"Cody? What on earth is the matter?" came Lisa's voice. "Is something wrong with Jesse or Matt?" There was true concern in her voice. In the short time they had known Lisa she had become a good friend of the family's. It was evident in the tone of her voice that even months later, she still felt the same way.

"Lisa. Thank god. I was afraid the secretary was going to tell me you were too busy." Cody said with an exhale of pent up air.

"Not for you three. Now, what's going on that has you coming down off your mountain to call me?" she asked calmly.

"What do you know about the missing rock star Shandra Lee?" he said, coming right to the point.

Cody rode up to Clara's front porch close to dusk and climbed off his horse with the flush of pride and success to his face. He walked Cooper to the barn and pulled his tack off of him before giving him a quick rub down, then turning him loose in the corral for the night. He would radio his dad that he was staying overnight at Clara's and would be home tomorrow. The news he had to tell her couldn't wait.

Heading up the porch steps, Cody knocked on the door and then opened it, stepping inside. "Clara?" he called out.

"In the kitchen," came the response. Her voice sounded tired but from the look of things, she'd put in another long day of splitting wood and he knew from experience that she was probably not in much condition to do more than fix herself a meal and go to bed.

The cabin he walked through now looked like someone truly lived here. Large braided rugs covered the wooden floors, handmade wood furniture sat around the main fireplace with shelves full of books lining the walls, paintings and pictures hung on the walls giving the entire place a feeling of 'home'.

Entering the kitchen, Cody found Clara putting together something that looked like grilled cheese sandwiches on the stove. Her hair was damp and she was wrapped up in an old soft bathrobe that was shabby but clean. It was hard to believe that the woman standing there was a famous rock star. His brain just didn't seem to be able to grasp that concept yet.

"Want some supper?" she asked with a tired smile as she looked at him coming into the kitchen.

He nodded, "Sure. Anything I can do to help?"

She shook her head, "Have a seat and tell me why you're on my doorstep at this time of day?" she questioned.

He took the offered chair and grinned. "I've got good news and great news," he said as he pulled out her file folder from the saddle bags he'd drug in with him.

She looked at the file and raised an eyebrow. "Oh?"

"Well, I managed to get a hold of Lisa Elliott today and before we even finished our conversation, she put me on hold, called up a courier service and arranged to have them drive out and meet me today at the library. Then she told me to get over there, make copies of everything you had, make a map of how to get to your place along with your address, put it in an envelope, seal it with tape and my signature across the whole thing, then give it to the courier when they arrived. You can have this back for your records. Oh, and her name and number are on the inside of the folder," he said, spilling everything out at once.

"I gave her a rundown of what's happened, what you told me and said the rest of the information was in the file. She said she would look it over as soon as she got it which should be in another hour or so. Then she would begin to do some digging of her own. Once she got some information and evidence, she would find a way to come up here and have a meeting between you two to go over things," he said with a grin.

Clara simply stood there staring at him, her mouth hanging open a little. She didn't know what to say. In less than twelve hours after a phone single phone call, she had a powerful lawyer working on her case and willing to do it, sight unseen. "I…I don't know what to say Cody. You guys must really have some pull with her for her to just be willing to drop everything and pick up my case."

Cody shrugged, "We don't have pull with her. She's just a good friend. Matt saved her life and she helped defend my dad when he was accused of murder. She's seen how we live up here and knows we have a simple life. We wouldn't be asking anything of her if we didn't feel strongly about it."

Moving to the stove, Clara took a moment to put together another grilled cheese sandwich for Cody. While her hands were busy doing this, her mind was a whirlwind of activity as she tried to go over everything Cody had just explained to her. For the first time in months, there was a very small glimmer of hope that she might have a way out from under all of this mess.

Cody watched her as she worked and knew she was thinking. "So if this all goes to court and you win, are you going to go back to being a rock star or actor?" he asked, almost afraid to utter the words. He had selfish reasons for not wanting her to leave. He liked having her around and he knew that Matt did too.

She turned to look at him as she put the griddle on the stove. "I…I hadn't given it any thought really. I don't know. My parents pushed me into it since I was eight and I know everyone seems to think the life of a singer or actor is all gold and glitter but its hard work, harder than most realize. You have to contend with egos the size of Mount McKenzie on a daily basis. You have tons of things to memorize day in and day out. You're on the go constantly, costume changes, sitting in a makeup chair for hours while people do weird things to your hair and face that you have no control over. Doesn't sound like much but if you're an active person, sitting still is pure torture for two hours or more. When you're on stage, you're dealing with the stage lights that will blind you, the heat that all those lights create, the loud speakers and screaming crowds…the noise is incredible. It gives you a great high to feel and see it but night after night, you find yourself rushed from one stage, back onto a bus, driven across another state to another stage, thrown up there to do it all over again. You have to learn how to sleep on a moving bus or go without. If you're sick, you still have to go on and perform. The fans don't care. They paid to see you perform and that's what they'll get."

During this explanation, his eyes got wider and he seemed to be in awe of what she was telling him. "I never realized…," he started.

She turned back to the stove and flipped the sandwiches with a spatula. "That's not to mention the photo shoots you have to be drug off to, the fittings for stage outfits or if you're acting, the fittings you have to do for your outfits for the different productions, award ceremonies and all of that. Oh and heaven forbid you show up to one of those in the wrong pair of shoes or dress. You'll be criticized behind your back and they'll make fun of you in all the publicity papers. You have to watch every step you take, who you hang out with, what you do, what you say. The paparazzi follow you like a pack of rabid wolves, waiting for scraps to fall from the table to blow out of proportion for the tabloids to try and scandalize something you did or said that may have been completely innocent at the time. You're never alone. You try to do something like a 'normal' person in public like go for a burger and you have twenty people begging for your autograph and others following you around or stalking you. You want to go shopping at the mall and you can't hardly get through two stores without attracting groupies and crowds of fans following you and shouting questions at you right along with the paparazzi. And it doesn't stop there. They bribe your servants, if you have any, to tell them anything you're up to … basically spying on you and what you're doing in your private life or in your down time when you're not out on the road or busy filming something."

Cody could tell that she had suddenly begun to stress herself out just by talking about it. "Then walk away. Sue their pants off, get out of the contract with the studio and walk away. You'll have money then. Come back up here and stay." He hoped he was speaking with some reason, some sound advice.

She took the griddle off the stove and pushed the sandwiches onto two plates and then ladled out what was left of the chicken vegetable soup from a pot off the back where it had been sitting, warming up, between two bowls. She wouldn't tell Cody this but it was the last of the soup that she had. She'd have to make another trip to town with what little she had left or she'd have to butcher another chicken to make another pot of homemade stuff to last her another week or so with some of the vegetables from her garden.

Bringing the food over to the table, she set it down in front of him. When she finally settled into the seat across from him she looked at him. "I just don't know Cody. I'll have to take this one step at a time and consider all my options. But I wouldn't mind staying up here and not have to go back to the stresses I had before coming here." The only thing was, she still had a whole set of different stresses to face while she was still here, stresses she'd not had to ever face until she'd moved up to these mountains.

Cody grinned at her across the table at her, "I'm sure Matt would be glad to have you stick around when all was said and done…."

Clara sighed and could only roll her eyes towards the ceiling at that as she took a spoonful of her soup and silently hoped that was the truth but dared not hope too hard.