The Cowboy's Return Read online

  “Like, totally cool, Mama.”

  “We’re cool.” Camila smiled.

  Jilly gave the victory sign. “The Walker girls are cool.”

  “You bet.”

  The house was cheerful again, with Jilly there, laughing and talking. In the afternoon, Benita taught Jilly some new dances that Camila had never heard of. But she laughed and laughed. She kept looking at the clock though, eager to see Tripp. Her life had been full raising Jilly, but now the woman in her needed fulfillment, needed to be touched by a man—one special man—Tripp.

  Later, the girls’ basketball team had a special practice and Camila left early to watch some of it, hoping Tripp might come early, too.

  Sitting in the stands, she watched her daughter sprint around the court. She was very competitive and Camila suspected that was partially Tripp’s influence. Jilly was a combination of so many people, which was good. It made her who she was—a wonderful young girl.

  Camila was lost in the action, the squeak of sneakers against the hardwood floor, the shouts of Coach Smythe, the grumble of the girls. When Lurleen plopped down beside Camila, she was taken aback and felt her space invaded. Lurleen never sought her out and she was wondering why she’d chosen to sit by her today.

  Jilly made a basket and waved to Camila. She waved back.

  “Do you know how much I hate you?” Lurleen asked, her words slurred slightly.

  “On a scale of one to ten?” Camila asked with a lifted eyebrow.

  Lurleen did not pick up on the humor. “All I hear from my kids is Jilly’s mama does this and Jilly’s mama does that and I’m getting sick of it. I’m sick of you, too. Ever since high school I’ve wanted to scratch your eyes out.”

  Camila drew back. “Why? You were the popular one, cheerleader, homecoming queen.”

  “You know why, don’t you?” she whispered, and Camila could smell the liquor on her breath. Lurleen was drunk; Camila was glad when the girls finished practice and headed for the lockers. Coach Smythe went to his office and that left the two of them sitting on a bench with years of resentment between them.

  “I was easy, not like you.” Lurleen searched for something in her purse. “You shouldn’t have been so cold, so stuck up, then maybe the boys wouldn’t have been so set on having you. Every time Wallis looks at you, he drools and I hate you for that.” She pulled a small flask out and twisted off the top.

  “You shouldn’t be drinking here around the kids,” Camila told her, trying to digest what Lurleen was saying, but she wasn’t making much sense.

  “Don’t tell me what to do,” Lurleen spat, taking a swig from the flask. “Wallis is having an affair.”

  Camila frowned, thinking she should just get up and walk away. But she’d been doing that for years. She wasn’t walking away anymore. This conversation was way overdue.

  “If you’re thinking it’s me…”

  Lurleen laughed, stopping her. “Oh, Camila, the pure maiden of Bramble, I know it’s not you.”

  Lurleen had never called her that before and she was startled, to say the least. “Then why do you say such nasty things about me?”

  “Because I can. Because it makes me feel good to see that look on your face.”

  Camila sat in complete stupefaction. Was that why people said hurtful, untrue things? She’d defended herself with silence and that silence had condemned her and fueled the rumors that much more. New strength surged through her.

  She took the flask out of Lurleen’s hands.

  “Hey. What do you think you’re doing?”

  “Taking the liquor away from you.” She paused purposely. “Because I can. Want to try and take it back from me?”

  “You can have the damn thing. I got more in the car.”

  “You’re drinking and driving with your kids in the car?”

  “That’s none of your damn business, Miss Goody Two-shoes, Miss Perfect. All the boys wanted you. That’s why I hate you. You could have had any boy in high school, even my husband, but you didn’t want any of them—not even poor Patrick.”

  Camila was aware that Tripp had walked in, along with several other people. If she got up and walked away, Lurleen would stop her insane tirade. But walking away was not a way out this time. This had to be settled.

  “They got even, though, didn’t they, Camila? Putting the drug in your drink turned you into the woman they wanted. Wallis and Vance planned to join Patrick. Big brother, Tripp, went upstairs and they chickened out. They knew he’d kick their ass if he found out what they were planning.”

  Anger shot through Camila followed by a terrifying fear. Camila could feel the train coming again and this time would be the last, this time she wouldn’t survive. That was the old reaction and it was fresh within her. But not anymore. This time she was driving the train and if she was going to feel this pain, so were a lot of other people.

  Before a scathing word left her mouth, Wallis walked up to Lurleen. “You’re drunk. Go home.”

  “Here’s my husband, a pillar of the community in his own mind.”

  “Shut up,” Wallis hissed and jerked Lurleen to her feet, but she pulled away.

  “What? You don’t want Camila to hear your plans for her that night? You couldn’t stand it that Patrick had her and not you. I was there and that’s the way you treated me. You bastard. I know you’re sleeping with the new waitress at the Hitchin’ Post.”

  “Shut her up,” Vance said to Wallis.

  More people walked into the gym and Tripp moved to stand beside Camila. That made her feel better, stronger.

  “Cousin Vance.” Lurleen laughed. “Wallis’s running partner, his partner in crime.”

  Wallis grabbed Lurleen’s arm and tried to pull her away, but again she jerked back. “Do you think you’re the only one who sleeps around? Do you think no one wants me? Well, you’re wrong. Patrick wanted me.”

  The gym became so quiet that the tick of the clock on the wall could be heard.

  Camila was the first to speak. “What are you talking about?”

  “The next day Patrick was so hurt over what he’d done to you that he came looking for Wallis, wanting revenge. He found me instead and we figured the perfect way to get revenge. We bought a couple of six-packs and went to Lover’s Point. We had sex with the radio blaring, then we went riding and Patrick let me drive. I wanted to see how fast the Corvette could go and Patrick kept saying, ‘Faster, faster.’ We were laughing, happy, then a deer came out of nowhere and I swerved to miss it. I…I lost control and…and I just remember an awful paralyzing fear and Patrick’s screams. I still hear his screams.”

  The tick of the clock became louder.

  “You bitch,” Wallis said under his breath.

  “How did you get out of the car?” Tripp asked in a faraway voice.

  “When I came to, I saw Patrick was dead and I tried to get out, but my door wouldn’t open. The glass on the window had been shattered and I crawled through it. I was trembling and close to hysteria, but I managed to climb over the fence and I sat in the woods for a long time not knowing what to do. I just started walking through the woods toward town. I came to Mill’s Creek and washed the blood from my face and my arms. No one saw me as I came through the back way of our house. I went into my room and locked the door. I didn’t want anyone to know I’d been driving.” Tears ran down her face. “I killed Patrick and I can’t live with it anymore.” Loud sobs racked her body.

  Wallis turned away.

  Camila did the only thing she could. She put her arms around Lurleen and hugged her. “I’m sorry you had to live with that all these years.”

  Lurleen drew back, a shocked look on her face. “Don’t be nice to me. Please don’t be nice to me.”

  “That’s all I can be,” Camila told her. “I’m tired of all the backstabbing nasty rumors fueled by hurt egos.” She looked at Wallis. “I’m sorry you felt you had to hurt me and Patrick because we were different.”

  Wallis’s face turned a shallow white. “Let�
�s just forget Lurleen got drunk and blabbed all this.”

  “That would be easy, wouldn’t it?” Tripp said. “For you and for all the terrible things the Boggses have done—to Camila, to Patrick. You even attacked an old man who’s not able to defend himself.”

  “I had nothing to do with that,” Wallis denied. “Your dad tried to hit Otis and he shoved him and Grif fell down. We took him to the clinic.”

  “That was very big of you.” Tripp clenched and unclenched his hands, trying to control his temper.

  “I think we’ll continue this conversation at the station,” Horace said.

  “Horace, Horace.” A boy ran into the gym. “The Boggs boys are throwing rocks at Unie’s house.”

  “Goddammit, what’s the matter with this town?” Horace headed for the door.

  Camila ran out of the gym, needing to get to Unie before anyone could hurt her. She hurried to Betty Sue standing at the door. “Please take Jilly to my mother and tell her to keep Jilly there until I come.”

  “Sure.” Betty Sue seemed to be in shock and Camila knew she’d heard part of what had been said. “Are you okay?”

  Camila gave her a quick hug. “I’ll talk to you later. Please take care of my daughter.”

  She ran for her car, but someone caught her arm and she swung around. “I’ll take you,” Tripp said. “My truck is right here.”

  She jumped into his truck and they sped toward Unie’s. “You okay?” Tripp asked the same question as Betty Sue.

  “I don’t know,” she answered honestly. “I’m feeling so many things and I…” Her voice faded away as they spotted Cameron and Dillon running to their bikes at the curb.

  Tripp screeched to a stop, reached for his rope in the back seat and got out. Within seconds, the rope twirled above his head and sailed through the air, landing in a perfect circle around Cameron and Dillon. Tripp jerked the lasso and it tightened, holding the boys together. They struggled, trying to get away, but Tripp kept tightening the rope.

  “Let us go, you bastard,” Cameron shouted.

  Dillon was speechless.

  Camila stood looking at Unie’s house. Every window was broken out and she wanted to cry. Unie couldn’t afford this. The roof was already leaking.

  Horace drove up, followed by a stream of cars.

  “What do you boys think you’re doing?” Horace asked.

  “Make him let us go,” Cameron cried, his face red.

  “You’re not going anywhere until I find out how much damage you’ve done.”

  “My grandad’ll fire you.” Dillon spoke for the first time.

  “That may be true, son, but at this moment I’m still chief and you stay tied.”

  Wallis and Vance came running up. “Let the boys go,” Wallis yelled.

  “My advice to you and Vance is to shut your mouth and get your checkbooks out,” Horace told them. “No one’s leaving here until I found out what kind of damage has been done.”

  Bert came storming through the crowd. “Horace, you better let my grandson go this instant.”

  “If you don’t stay out of this, I’ll arrest you.”

  “Like hell. This eyesore should have been burned to the ground long ago. If people like Camila Walker hadn’t kept helping the old bat, she’d be in an institution somewhere.”

  Camila barely heard what was being said as she hurried to Unie’s door. She knocked. “Unie, it’s Camila. Let me in. Please let me in.”

  Tripp heard the plea in her voice and he handed the rope to Slim. “Don’t let up.”

  “Don’t worry. These little demons aren’t going anywhere.”

  Camila kept calling to her, but Unie wouldn’t respond. “Unie’s scared,” she said. “I can’t get her to come to the door.”

  “Maybe she’s not home,” Tripp suggested.

  “She’s always home by now.”

  Tripp pushed through the shrubs to get to a window. Shattered glass was everywhere, but he managed to pull back a dirty curtain and he could see her sitting by the fire. He turned to Camila.

  “She’s in there.”

  Camila knocked and kept shouting, but still got no response. “Something’s wrong.”

  Tripp looked at Horace. “What do you think?”

  “It’s up to Camila.”

  “I’ll kick the door in if you want me to,” Tripp said.

  Camila pulled her jacket around herself. She didn’t want to scare Unie further, but she couldn’t leave her here either with all the windows broken out. It was supposed to be freezing by morning.

  “Okay, but let me go in first.”

  “Deal.” With one kick, the door split into several pieces. Tripp and Horace pulled them away.

  “It’s okay, Unie. It’s Camila. Don’t be afraid.” She kept talking while they worked, hoping Unie realized they weren’t going to hurt her.

  With the last board removed, Camila rushed in and stopped. The blood drained from her face and her heart stilled. “Oh my God! Oh my God!” Unie sat by the fire Camila had lit earlier, her head tilted to one side. She was dead. Camila didn’t need to touch her to know that.

  As she reached down to turn off the fire, she saw Lu Lu under the sofa. She squatted and picked her up, holding the cat in her arms. Tears filled her eyes at the cruelty of kids, the cruelty of teenagers and the cruelty of mankind in general.

  “Camila.” She heard Tripp’s voice and she turned to him.

  He enfolded her in his arms. “I’m so sorry.”

  She took strength from his touch then faced the people edging into the room.

  Wallis and Vance stood staring at the sight. Lurleen pushed into the room and stopped short. Slim and Joe Bob pulled Cameron and Dillon inside. Something in Camila gave way. Years of being quiet, years of trying to fit in, years of trying to prove her worth came down to this moment.

  “Wallis, you said Unie should be put in an institution. She was a nuisance to the town. Your son learned how to hate and get even from you and he learned it well. Just as your son did, Vance.” She spared Vance a glance. “So why the sad faces? Why isn’t everyone happy? Unie is gone. Her house can be torn down and you can rejoice because a human life means nothing to you.”

  Wallis shuffled his feet. “I didn’t want this.”

  “Bert.” She turned to him. “You won’t need to have Unie committed now. Why aren’t you celebrating?”

  Bert looked away.

  Horace stepped forward. “An ambulance is on the way. I’ll take these two ruffians to the station.”

  “Daddy,” Cameron wailed. “You said she was a nuisance. You said—”

  “You’re not putting my son in jail, Horace. We don’t know what happened here.”

  Melvin and Thelma Boggs hurried in. “Oh, God,” Melvin said under his breath.

  “Ma, do something,” Bert pleaded.

  Thelma looked at her great-grandsons. “Did you boys do all this damage?”

  Cameron and Dillon hung their heads.

  “What did you think you were doing?” Thelma asked.

  Cameron raised his head. “Daddy, Grandpa and Uncle Bert said she was a nuisance and should be put away. We were just playing, trying to scare her and—”

  Thelma held up a hand. “Not one more word. Take them away, Horace.”

  “Ma,” Bert begged.

  Thelma turned on her son and grandsons. “I’m ashamed of all of you.” On those words, she walked out.

  For once the Boggses had nothing to say. Horace took the boys by the arms and led them to his car.

  “Camila,” Lurleen appealed. “Do something. Horace will listen to you. Please do something.”

  Camila was numb. She brushed past Lurleen and stopped by Slim. “Please stay here until they pick up Unie’s body and take care of Lu Lu for me.” She handed him the cat.

  “You can count on it.”

  Camila dashed outside, hardly aware of the stares. She started to run and she kept running, past the residential section to the railroad tracks, to nowher
e. She was running to nowhere, to oblivion, to block out everything she’d learned today.

  Her breath locked in her throat and tears stung her face as she sank onto the railroad tracks, staring down that long expanse of rail. This wasn’t fictional. This was real.

  Two strong arms lifted her to her feet. “Camila, what are you doing?” Tripp asked.

  She wiped away tears with the back of her hand. “For years I’ve had this fictional train in my dreams. I can hear the whistle, but I can’t move. I can’t do anything—only wait for the pain. Then I wake up and realize it was just a dream. Tonight the train was real and I…I…how could they do that? How could…?”

  “Shh.” Tripp took her in his arms and held her for a second. “Come on, my truck is over here.”

  She walked with him to the truck and got in. “I have to go to Jilly.”

  “You need some time.”

  “Yeah.” She tucked her hair behind her ears. “I’m a mess, but I need to call Jilly.” She shrugged. “I have no idea where my purse or cell phone is.”

  “Millie said to tell you she had them. She found them in the gym after the scene with Lurleen.” He handed her his phone. “You can use mine.”

  Staring at the phone, she took a deep breath and poked out Benita’s number. She told Jilly she was going to be late and for her to stay with Benita, then she spoke with her mother telling her what had happened and asked her not to tell Jilly. Camila had to do that herself, when she was stronger.

  She closed the phone. “I want to go somewhere I can be alone,” she said, looking at him, “with you.”

  He nodded and started the truck. “I know the perfect spot.”

  She leaned back against the headrest and closed her eyes, trying not to think, trying not to hear Lurleen’s words and trying not to see Unie’s body.

  It was dark now and she realized they were at Lady Luck. Tripp drove to the barn and corrals. He got out and she followed, watching in a numblike state as he whistled and a horse came galloping to the fence.

  He saddled the horse and led the mare to her. “This is Cayenne, but she responds to Cay. How about a ride to a secluded area?”