Chapter 43

Daddy Issues

"What are you doing in here?" Winona peaked around the bathroom door to find Raylan, freshly showered and sitting on the edge of the bathtub in his boxers and a t-shirt with his foot submerged in the tub. The gauze that Foxy wound around his leg was strewn across the floor along with his dirty clothes.

Surprised and a little flustered, Raylan answered, "I'm soakin' my ankle."

"Foxy's Miracle Salve?" She looked at him, holding up one of the tins. "I don't recall seeing anything like this at the hospital pharmacy."

"Uh. Yeah." He stiffened his posture and looked away. "C'mon in and have a seat," he said with a sigh.

Winona put down the lid of the commode and straddled it, waiting to hear what he had to say.

"I took Anna to see Elstin Limehouse," he confessed, straight up. "He'd already checked outta the hospital, against medical advice. Anna was disappointed because she had so many questions for him about her biological father. So . . . I drove her out to Noble's Holler so she could have a word with him." With his finger extended for emphasis, he said, "But we did not stop in Harlan. I swear." And he held his hand up like a Boy Scout taking the Pledge.

"Thank you for telling me. Eventually. When you had to," she said, fighting the smile came over her face.

"You're not mad?"

"How can I be mad when you tell me the truth, Raylan?" After a pause, she added, "I appreciate that you didn't stop in Harlan. I really do."

"There was no reason to." He shrugged. "I'm tryin' to do better."

"I know you are." She followed by saying, "And I understand why you'd want to help Anna out. I know if it was me, I wouldn't want to wait a minute longer go find out what I needed to know."

The water in the tub was turning cold. Raylan pulled his foot out and motioned for Winona to hand him a dry towel.

"Did she find out any more about where her biological father is?" Winona asked, passing him the towel.

"His name is Nelson. Nelson Limehouse," he informed her, drying his foot and leg. "Would ya' hand me the larger of the two tins?"

Again, Winona reached over and did as he asked.

He removed the lid and began to apply the menthol salve to his ankle, just the way Foxy showed him. "Nelson's last known whereabouts is in Chicago. Just as we suspected. They had some letters with Chicago postmarks. But nothin' from him for the past several years. I've got Rachel workin' on it. She said she'd be happy to help."

"Well, at least he's most likely alive."

"I dunno about that. It seems Nelson had a drug problem. We don't know if he cleaned up or relapsed." Raylan looked up. "I didn't want to raise the possibility with Anna, but . . . he could be dead."

"Anna's a professional. I'm sure that thought crossed her mind," Winona offered.

"Probably," he said as he drained the water out of the tub and swung himself around to face her. "My question to you is, if we do have to go to Chicago . . . would you and Willa like to come with us?"

Winona smiled.

"I know you've got a lot goin' on here with your father and your family, but I want ya' to know that the offer is there."

"How long do you think we'd be gone?" she asked.

"No longer than we have to be," he promised. "Would ya' hand me that other tin?"

She did. "Willa does enjoy her bath time with Daddy."

Pulling his t-shirt over his head, he said, "As do I." He began to apply Foxy's salve to his many cuts and abrasions on his hands, arms.

"Here," Winona said as she stood and approached him. "Let me do that." And she began to apply the salve to the cuts on his face. "Another road trip might be nice."

Raylan reached out for her and pulled her closer. "We'd have our nights. Our mornin's."

"Is Anna going to ask Adam to come?" She moved to dabbing the salve on the wounds on his other arm.

"I'm sure she will. There's room for all of us."

He pulled her down until their eyes met, and they kissed. And then, they kissed some more.

Knowing what was to come, Winona broke away. "You took a shower. I think I'd like to take a bath, first."

"Can I watch?"

She giggled. "Suit yourself."

They kissed again, and he reached behind him and turned on the faucet.

-o-o-o-O-o-o-o-

"So," Adam said, hanging up his phone. "I got us all a place to stay in Chicago."

Raylan looked up from perusing the morning paper. "That was quick."

"Yeah, well, I know a guy who knows a guy." He poured himself a cup and flopped into the chair across from Raylan. "It's kind of like a B&B except it's in a brownstone right off of Rush. They have eight apartments and we have a two bedroom on the top floor starting Saturday night." He took a sip of coffee. "There's a kitchen, but I'm already making a list of the restaurants I want to try. Chicago has some great ones."

"Really?"

"Yep." Adam snagged the sports page as Raylan laid it down. "You ever been there?"

"To Chicago?" Raylan asked. "Yeah, once or twice." He shot Adam a grin. "Got a hotdog from one of those street carts. Not bad."

Adam chuckled, shaking his head. "I'll make an epicure out of you yet. After all," he said, with perfect timing as Winona came into the kitchen with Willa. "You already appreciate beautiful women."

"That I do," Raylan said, snagging Winona around the waist and pulling her into his lap. Willa giggled as her mother clutched her tighter.

"Raylan!" Winona squealed. He pressed his lips to her neck and gave a raspberry, making Willa giggle harder.

"Da, Da, Da, Da!" she shrieked.

"Com'ere little girl," Raylan growled. Winona slid off his lap and handed him the baby. She made her way to the coffee and poured herself a cup.

"Your ankle feeling better?" she asked, noticing that Raylan wasn't wearing his walking 'boot'.

"It feels great," Raylan said. "Almost back to normal.

Then, she looked at his face. "Did you also notice the little cuts on your face look remarkably better this morning?"

"I'm tellin' ya', those salves of Foxy's? Good stuff."

"I'll say," Winona agreed, taking a long sip. "Where is everyone?"

"Anna went for a walk," Adam said. "She's not up to a run yet, but the lack of exercise is really getting to her."

"Wade left for work, Gayle took the boys to swim lessons, and your mama is helping your father take a shower." Raylan's eyebrow went up. "What's up with them?"

Winona's mouth twitched into a smile. "Looks like getting back together with ex's runs in the family." She chewed her lip. "Maybe."

"Maybe what?" Margery said, breezing into the kitchen. She glanced at the coffee pot. "Is that decaf?"

Winona stared at her mother. "Since when do you drink decaf?"

"Oh, it's not for me," she said, reaching into the cupboard for a mug. "The doctors told your daddy, no caffeine."

"Sorry, that's full lead," Adam said. "But, Raylan and I can finish it off, and I'll make Davis some, bring it right in to him."

"Why, thank you Adam." She patted his cheek. "Such a nice boy."

Raylan's cellphone chimed, and he glanced at the screen, noting Karen Goodall's number. "Gotta take this," he said. He slipped out the back door onto the deck. "What's up Karen?"

"Good morning, Raylan," Karen chirped. "You got a minute?"

"Ye-ah," he said, suspicious.

"How's the ankle?"

"Better, much better. Hardly hurts at all today."

"Huh, well, that's good. How's Anna?'

"She's doin' good. Still a little sore, but she'll bounce back." He sighed. "But I don't think ya' called to ask about our health. Whaddya need?"

"You two work well together. I was really proud of our team when it all went down at Arndt's compound."

"Uh-huh."

"I'd like to offer you a permanent spot on the task force." After a beat of silence, she prompted him by adding, "Art's budget situation is not going to get any better."

"Why?" He shifted his weight on the other hip, his fingers massaging his eye brows that tightened with tension. "Did ya' have anything to do with that?"

"No," Karen sounded offended. "I'm doing a good thing for you here with this offer. The economy resulted in major cuts to all the Service's district offices . . . that will not be restored. On the other hand, terrorism happens to be in growing supply. So is the budget for the task force. You'd still be representing the Marshal Service. You and Anna can't work for the same agency, not together, anyway. This way? It's a legal work around that issue." After another pause, she continued, "You'd be the Marshal Service liaison with any of the Service's district offices on terrorism, including Lexington. You might even get to work with your old gang, from time to time."

"Sounds like a lot of travel," he said under his breath, thinking about Winona and Willa.

"You'll move up," she said. "Soon, there will be someone under you to do the traveling. There's growth potential here."

Raylan's mind went blank.

Uncomfortable by the silence, Karen offered, "Look. I hope there are no hard feelings between you and me. I made my big play for you . . . and it didn't work. I'm a big girl. And I'm a professional."

"I know you are," Raylan gave her that. She did do right by Anna and him when they were held in the compound. "Look. Anna and I are takin' personal time to go to Chicago and search for her biological father. Let me talk to her. And to Winona. Can I get back to ya'?"

"Sure," Karen answered. "Take all the time you need. Just don't take too long."

"I won't."

"Safe travel to Chicago," she said. "You know, when you return, I could replace that Lincoln of yours, should you decide to move to D.C. It's a relocation. We pay for the move. Increase in pay and a sign-up bonus to help you get into a new place. You'd get a COLA increase as well."

"I kinda like my Lincoln."

"I'm sure you could use one with a lot fewer miles." Another silence was broken with, "You'd be paid enough so that Winona wouldn't have to work."

"Damn, Karen. Anything else with this hard sell you're layin' on me?" he sighed.

She laughed. "Just the usual. Federal benefits. Retirement matching. Better than you have in Lexington. Miami, too, for that matter. DC is a higher cost-of-living city. We smooth all that out."

Raylan let out another sigh, trying hard to mask his frustration. "I asked if I could get back to ya'."

"And I said you could. Drive safe, Raylan."

"Will do."

-o-o-o-O-o-o-o-

"Hey, Gayle," Winona stopped her sister in her tracks, carrying a load of clean towels from the laundry room to the kitchen table. "Could I talk to you about something?"

"You want to help me fold while we talk?" Gayle asked, known to stay on a schedule.

"Sure," Winona shrugged, immediately recognizing the towels she and Raylan used the night before were among the load in her sister's arms.

As Gayle dropped them in a pile in the middle of the table, Winona took a seat and grabbed the nearest one. She pulled it up to her nose and took a sniff. "Mmmmm. I will always love the smell of freshly laundered towels. I like your fabric softener, too."

"Thanks," Gayle smiled, taking a seat beside her sister. "Now, what's up?"

"Well. You know how Adam and Anna are talking about going to Chicago to see if they can find her biological father?"

"Yeah," Gayle nodded.

"Raylan's driving them, and he asked me and Willa to go with him. But before I said yes, we wanted to check with you, first." She reached over and touched Gayle's arm. "How's Daddy doing? Do I have any business leaving you with him right now?" After a beat, she added, "And I want you to be honest with me."

Gayle placed her folded towel on top of the one Winona folded. "You and Raylan are getting along really well, aren't you?"

Winona blushed, fixating on their towels. "You haven't heard anything. Through the walls? Have you?"

Gayle giggled. "No."

"That's good," she giggled back. "Because Raylan's kind of shy about that kind of thing."

"No," Gayle interrupted. "We intentionally put you all in that room to give you and Raylan some privacy. But I think I did hear Mama and Daddy again, last night."

"He just had surgery!" Winona proclaimed.

"Well. Not Daddy," Gayle continued giggling. "I heard Mom."

"No, no, no," Winona shook her head, put off by the thought.

"Sorry," Gayle apologized. "I just don't see why I have to suffer with knowing that information alone. I mean, it's not something I can talk to Wade about. So. Now, you know it, too." And she smiled, pleased with herself. "Good. I feel unburdened."

When the giggling subsided, Gayle redirected. "Okay, so back to you and Raylan."

"He wants us to get a house together," Winona confided. "And I want that, too."

"Oh. That's so good to hear," Gayle smiled. "You know how I feel about you two and Willa. She needs both her parents. And if both her parents love one another, that's icing on the cake."

"It certainly makes our lives easier. Happier," Winona said with a smile. "So, going back to Daddy. And Chicago."

"I think you should go," Gayle blurted out.

Winona leaned forward on her elbows. "Are you sure?"

"Daddy is doing great. And if you and Raylan are going to get a place when you come back, then, I'm going to move Mama and Daddy into your room." Gayle grinned. "Thicker walls."

Winona busted up laughing.

"And you have to promise to call me from the road," Gayle continued, as she began to fold more towels. "I may need to unburden myself some more."

"Deal," Winona nodded with a smile, folding more towels herself.

-o-o-o-O-o-o-o-

"You're awfully quiet," Winona stretched out on the chaise and wiggled her toes. "Penny for your thoughts?"

Raylan shifted a sleepy Willa to his other arm. His baby burrowed into his shoulder, one fist twisting the sleeve of his t-shirt. He stroked his baby's back and planted a kiss on the top of her head. "Just hopin' we find out somethin' in Chicago."

"We will," Winona said. "I have a good feeling."

"Oh, ya' do, do ya'?"

"Yeah." She smiled. "I think everything is finally falling into place for all of us. You found your sister." She ticked each item off on her fingers. "You caught the bad guy. Daddy had his surgery, and he and Mama are getting along like gangbusters."

"We're happy," Raylan added.

"Yes, we are." She beamed up at him. "And we're going to stay that way this time."

The door slid open, and Anna walked out onto the deck. She wore a faded Cincinnati Reds t-shirt tucked into khaki shorts that put her long legs on display.

"Didn't take ya' for a Reds fan," Raylan joked.

"Gayle was nice enough to lend me some clothes," Anna explained. "I didn't bring that many, and well, one outfit got ruined." She shrugged. "This seemed more appropriate for a barbeque." She gave the shorts a tug. "Although, these are shorter than I'm used to."

"Oh. We're having a barbeque?" Winona sat up, pulling her knees in, and patted the end of the chaise. "Sit."

"Thanks." Anna sat down. "Adam just got back from the grocery with steaks for us and burgers for the kids. It's our way of saying thank you to Gayle and Wade for putting us up."

"Adam's cooked plenty, and it was no problem."

Gayle came out on the porch, carrying a tray with a pitcher of lemonade and several glasses. She set it on the table and turned to Winona. "Mama's going to bring Daddy out, and I thought the chaise might be the most comfortable for him."

"Good thinkin'," Raylan agreed. He pulled out a chair at the table for Winona and handed her the sleeping baby, then reached over to put up the umbrella so Willa would have some shade.

Anna slipped her phone out of her pocket. "Get in close," she told her brother, flashing a grin. "I want a picture of all of you."

Raylan rolled his eyes but did as she asked, and Anna took the shot.

"You'll have to send that to me," Winona said. "He hates having his picture taken."

"Better get used to it, man." Adam slapped Raylan on the shoulder on his way to the grill with the plate of steaks. "This lady loves to take pictures. Lots and lots of pictures. When we went to trade her phone in . . ."

"Adam! No!" Anna shrieked in protest, but she was laughing.

He stepped in close, bending to give her a quick kiss. "She had over a thousand pictures on her old one. They had to give us a disc because all of them wouldn't transfer."

Winona looked down at Willa and chuckled. "I probably have that many of her on my phone right now."

"Yeah, and she's sent half of them to me," Raylan added.

"Well, you missed a lot. You weren't around when . . ."

"Hey." He squeezed her shoulder. "I'm around now."

She reached back and put her hand over his. "Yes you are."

"Hey there," Rachel came around the side of the house, followed by Tim. Raylan couldn't help but notice the younger marshal's face was still swollen and bruised, his face spattered with small scabs from his many cuts and scratches. An oversized, long sleeved tee that looked much too warm for the nice weather covered the bandages on Tim's arms and hands. "We ran into Gayle's husband out front, and he said y'all were back here."

"Havin' a party?" Tim asked, hinting for an invitation. His sense of humor was still intact, despite his injuries.

"Just a cookout," Adam answered. "Want to join us? The more the merrier."

"We can't stay," Rachel insisted, not wishing to be so bold as to intrude on family time.

On the other hand, Tim countered. "You can't stay. I'm free. What's on the menu?"

"Steak and burgers, garlic mushrooms, and wedge salads," Adam answered.

Tim nudged Rachel with his elbow. "Still wanna leave?"

"Are you sure you have enough?" she asked Adam, feeling funny about crashing their gathering.

"There's plenty," Adam insisted.

Raylan fetched beers for himself and Tim, and Adam opened a bottle of wine.

Adam put the steaks on, and Gayle came out with the salads, sliced fresh tomatoes, and corn on the cob that Adam added to the grill.

"How're you feeling?" Rachel took a seat beside Anna, looking the other woman over. Irrational or not, she still felt partially responsible for Anna being kidnapped.

"I'm much better," Anna said. "I'm getting some of my energy back. I took a long walk earlier." After a beat, she added, "And you?"

"Good. Pretty well back to normal." Rachel glanced over at Raylan and Tim. "Raylan looks better, too. I can't get over how much faster he's healing than Tim. His scratches are practically gone while Tim still looks like he surprised a porcupine."

"Yeah, well," Anna giggled. "Raylan had some help."

"Do tell."

Anna relayed the details of their visit to Nobles Holler, including the magic salves that Foxy gave to Raylan.

"Well, whatever it is, it works," Rachel remarked. She took in a deep breath and changed her tone. "I think I might have some information for you about your biological father."

"Raylan said you were looking into it." She scooted forward in the chair, leaning closer to Rachel. "What did you find out?"

Overhearing, Raylan motioned for them to follow him into the kitchen, where it was more private. Once inside, Rachel spread the contents of the folder she was carrying out on the table.

"This is from the original arrest in NOLA, the one Ellstin told you about and André Dumois arranged."

Nelson Limehouse resembled his older brother, but with a narrower, clean-shaven face. His mug shot photo showed the shell-shocked appearance of a man not quite believing where he found himself, his brown eyes open wide. Anna looked from the photograph to Raylan, needing confirmation of what she was seeing.

"You've got his eyes," Raylan said, nodding.

Rachel laid another photograph on top. Nelson's dark hair showed strands of gray, and his expression was grim. "This is his parole photo." She flipped through her notes. "He petitioned the court three months later to relocate to Chicago. Gave evidence of a job waiting for him. The request was granted. Six months later, this."

Another mug shot. Raylan immediately noticed that in this one, Nelson had the glassy-eyed look of a druggie. He asked, "What're the charges?"

"Crack Cocaine. Possession with intent to sell." The notes came out again. "The intent charge was dropped, and he was remanded to a 30-day detox program."

Rachel continued. "Three more arrests followed over the next two years, and he spent about seven months in Illinois State Penitentiary. Upon his release he fell off the map for about four months – probably some of that he spent in Nobles Holler – after that, he was back in Chicago in a halfway house run by a group of nuns – called Gregory's Gate."

Closing her notebook, she said with a sigh, "That's it. Nothing after that."

Raylan rubbed his chin with one hand. "Gregory's Gate still around?"

Rachel smiled. "I figured that's where you'd want to start, so I checked it out. It IS still around, and one of the directors was there when Nelson was." She tapped her finger on a circled name in her notes. "Sister Mary Frances Hobert." She looked at Anna. "I didn't contact her. Thought I'd leave that up to you."

"So, that's where we start?" Anna asked, her eyes flicking to Raylan's again.

"Yep." He slid an arm around her shoulders. "That's where we start." He glanced over at his sister's face which took on a sudden, distant expression. "Are ya' disappointed? I know what it's like to be disappointed by a father."

"Yeah," she said, biting her bottom lip to hold back tears. "I'm disappointed in both my fathers." She wrapped her arm around her brother's middle.

In turn, Raylan brought her in closer, to steel her.

(To be continued . . .)