Chapter Eleven
On a Tuesday afternoon, Kian parked his truck in the driveway of the house he wanted to check out. He noticed a beautiful brunette waiting on the porch and couldn’t help but grin. He climbed out of his truck and walked toward her.
“Ms. Griffin?” he asked.
“Yes, but please call me Lydia. And you must be Mr. Doyle?” she replied.
“Yes, ma’am. Please call me Kian.” He extended his hand toward her. “It’s nice to meet you. Thank you for meeting me here.”
She smiled. “It’s my job. Let me show you around inside. It’s a lovely home.”
As Kian followed her through the house, he knew this was the perfect place for him and he hoped that one day, Gretchen would live here with him.
After filling out the paperwork for the house, he told Lydia he would send the payment online by tomorrow morning and then stop by and pick up the keys. Luckily, the house had already been inspected. Even though he was paying in cash, he wanted an inspection before moving in to avoid any surprises like termites. They shook hands and drove off in separate directions.
He pressed a button on his steering wheel and called his brother to tell him the good news about buying the house.
“I suppose you want help moving?” Killian asked, causing Kian to grin.
“That’s very kind of you to offer.”
Killian laughed. “I don’t think that was an offer, but you know I’ll help anyway. Maybe some of the other men in the office will too. They helped me move, but they like me.”
“What are you trying to say? That they don’t like me?” Kian chuckled along with Killian’s laughter.
“You know better than that. Just let me know when.”
“Thanks, I will. I’m heading home now to look through more photos. I’m anxious to find those men, Killian.”
“I’m sure you are. And since your boss let you off work today to take care of things, you should go see Gretchen.”
Kian sighed. “Yeah, you’re right. I’ll head to her place now. I tried calling and texting her last night but couldn’t get through. Oh, and hey, I want you to come with me tomorrow to look for a truck, unless you and Celine have weekend plans.”
“No, we don’t.”
“Okay, pick me up early. Today, I need to go to the DMV. Damn, I should just go to Gretchen’s tomorrow after getting a truck. Who knows how long I’ll be at the DMV?”
“Alright, I’ll talk to you later. And bring Gretchen over for dinner one night.”
“I will. Talk to you later.” Kian hung up the phone.
He drove back to the town before making his way into Spring City, where he headed straight to the DMV to renew his license. As he chuckled at the thought of driving around without a valid license, he couldn’t help but wonder if Dave, or even Killian, had ever given it any thought. Luckily, Dave was able to obtain an ID badge for Kian as an agent for MDOL, which along with his birth certificate should be enough to get his license without any issues. He also had important documents on the way such as his social security card, bank cards, and credit cards.
After buying a new truck the next day, he drove toward Gretchen’s cabin with hopes of her being happy to see him. He hadn’t had a chance to talk to her last night, but he had a feeling that things weren’t going to go smoothly.
****
Gretchen faced the easel, her gaze lingering on the blank canvas. She needed to complete two more paintings for a gallery in San Diego, but she was feeling stuck. Some called it artist’s block, similar to writer’s block; her mind was completely blank and she couldn’t come up with any ideas. It had never happened to her before, so she couldn’t help but blame Kian for distracting her. If he had kept his promise and come over, she wouldn’t be struggling like this.
“Damn man,” she muttered under her breath, turning to look at her faithful companion Lobo when he growled. “What is it?”
Lobo continued to growl, prompting Gretchen to retrieve the key from her pocket and unlock the gun cabinet. But then Lobo began barking excitedly, wagging his tail as he looked toward the door. Curious, Gretchen walked over to the window and saw Kian stepping out of a black truck. He walked around the front of the vehicle and climbed the stairs to her porch before knocking on the door.
Gretchen clenched her fists and counted to ten, trying to calm herself down before walking toward the door. Her hand touched the doorknob but she couldn’t bring herself to turn it. She turned to look at Lobo and put her hand up to sit. He did, but didn’t look happy about it.
“I know you’re in there, Gretchen. And I know you’re angry with me,” Kian’s voice came through the door. “But can we please talk? I won’t stay long if you don’t want me to.”
Didn’t want him to? He had no idea how furious she was with him. It would be best if he just left.
“We have nothing to talk about. You said you’d be here—”
“No, I didn’t. You told me to come to the cabin but I had to meet with Sam. He gave me more mugshots to look through and there were so many that it took a while to go through them. Hell, I’m still not done, but I never promised I would make it here.”
“Oh, well that just makes it all better, doesn’t it, Doyle?”
“Gretchen, if you want me to leave and stay out of your life, just say so. I won’t stay where I’m not wanted. But I do think we should talk before making any decisions. And if you tell me to go, I will, and I won’t come back.”
“Is that a threat?”
“It’s a fucking promise. You are the most stubborn woman I know,” he said with a hint of frustration.
“You could have at least said you would try instead of blowing me off.”
“I would never purposely hurt you like that.”
Feeling a mix of emotions, Gretchen leaned her forehead against the door and took a deep breath before opening it. Kian stood on the other side, gazing at her with concern. Her heart ached at the thought of never seeing him again.
“May I come in?” he asked quietly as he removed his hat.
She swung the door open wider and gestured for him to enter, watching as Lobo ran toward him excitedly. Kian crouched down to pet the dog, saying hello and showing affection.
“Traitor,” Gretchen muttered under her breath.
Kian’s expression turned confused as he stood up straight. “What?”
“Nothing.” She closed the door behind him, crossing her arms as she faced the love of her life. Fear began to creep in as she wondered what was going to happen next.
Gretchen’s eyes narrowed as she glared at him. “Is that your truck?” she asked, her tone accusing.
He nodded. “Yes. I also bought a house.”
Her anger flared. “You had time to buy a new truck and house but not come see me?” she snapped.
His jaw tightened; frustration evident in his features. “I had to get things taken care of. I was driving around without a license and the damn motel room was getting old. “I’m sorry I didn’t drop everything for you.” He snapped back at her, his own anger rising.
Gretchen scoffed, crossing her arms over her chest. “Well, isn’t that just typical,” she muttered under her breath.
“I’m sorry for snapping at you, but Gretchen, this case is all I have on my mind.” He raised his hand when she opened her mouth to speak. “I don’t mean it like you’re thinking. Those men tried to kill me.” His voice dropped slightly as he continued, “Can’t you see that I need to find them? For my own sanity if nothing else.” The weight of his words hung heavy in the air between them as they both stood there, caught up in their own emotions and thoughts.
****
Kian was unsure of how to handle the situation. He knew Gretchen would be upset, but he didn’t expect to see her this angry. He wasn’t sure if he should stay or leave.
“What do you want me to do, Gretchen?”
“I understand why you had to find those men, but I needed to see you or hear from you. And then I see you with Sheila.” She shook her head.
“She’s going back to Helena.” Kian sighed. “Gretchen, Sheila is a good person. I could never say anything bad about her, but that doesn’t mean I’m still in love her. I care about her as a friend. She came back was because she was worried about me. She told me she cared about me and was scared when they told her I was missing.”
“How did she even know you were missing?”
“It’s standard protocol to contact anyone who could possibly know the whereabouts of a missing person. Since she was in my past, they reached out to her. She came to Clifton on her own accord. No one asked her to. They just needed to know if she had any idea where I would be or if she’d heard from me.”
“I don’t appreciate being kept in the dark, Kian. I had no idea why she was here and why she stayed after you returned to Clifton.”
Kian stepped closer to her. “I know, sweetheart, but please believe me when I say that I am not in love with her.” It pained him to see tears in her eyes as he spoke. “You have to trust me.”
“I want to...”
“You can.”
“Fine, but I’m still mad at you, Kian Doyle.”
Kian grinned. “At least you feel something for me.”
“I’m crazy about you.”
“You know I feel the same about you.” He gazed into her eyes. “I want to kiss you.”
“Yes,” she whispered, and Kian leaned in to kiss her. He knew that taking things further would have to wait until she wasn’t as angry, so he pulled away.
“Would you like to come with me to see my new house?”
“Alright. Let me change clothes first. I’ll be quick.”
“Okay. Lobo can come too.”
“In your new truck?”
“Of course.”
Gretchen nodded. “I won’t be long.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
Kian watched her walk away and then bent down to play with Lobo.
“What do you think, boy? Should I ask Gretchen to marry me?” he whispered. Lobo barked in response, making him smile. “Not today though. She’s still mad at me for not staying in touch.”
Gretchen returned and he stood up. Her T-shirt and jeans fit her like a glove, igniting his desire for her. But he also knew that she was still upset with him for not showing up.
She put a leash on Lobo’s collar, and Kian opened the door for her. As they stepped onto the porch, she locked the door and headed toward the truck. She opened the back door and Lobo hopped in. Kian then opened the passenger door for Gretchen, but she didn’t even look at him as she climbed inside. He closed the door with a sigh and walked around to the driver’s side.
Once they were both settled in the truck, Kian started the engine and pulled out of her driveway.
“By the way, I found those horses I was looking for before I got shot,” he mentioned.
“That’s good news. Were they okay?”
“They were a bit thin, but otherwise healthy.” He struggled to find something else to talk about as Gretchen gave him nothing but nods in response. “Gretchen...”
“Just let it go for now, Kian. I’m trying to move past it all. To be honest, I thought we had something special but when you couldn’t even come see me and then I saw you with Sheila... what was I supposed to think?”
“I—”
“That was a rhetorical question,” Gretchen stated firmly.
“Got it.” Kian gripped the steering wheel tightly, knowing that even though Gretchen was crazy about him, she was still hurt and angry over his lack of not showing up when he said he would.
He pulled into the driveway of his house and grinned when he heard her gasp.
“It’s beautiful,” she exclaimed.
“I like it and the barn is perfect. I only have three horses, so the barn being smaller is nice,” he replied, gazing at the ranch-style home through the windshield.
“I can’t wait to see the inside.”
“Let me park, and I’ll give you a tour.”
“Are you all moved in?”
“Not completely. I have one bedroom furnished, but I’ve been busy. Killian and some men we work with are going to help me. The delivery is next Saturday. They were fully booked today.”
“I understand.”
“I want to get settled as soon as possible, but with new cases arising and trying to work with Sam on finding those men, it’s been difficult. Let’s go inside.”
He opened his door and started around to her side, but she had already exited the truck and retrieved Lobo from the backseat. He led her to the front porch, unlocked the door, removed his hat, and they entered a foyer.
“Is it okay if I explore on my own?”
“Absolutely.” He watched as she walked Lobo from room to room before returning to where he still stood.
“It’s a beautiful home. I bet it will look even better once it’s fully furnished.”
“It has three bedrooms, two full baths, one half bath, and an office. There’s also a swimming pool.”
“It’s really nice.”
“I knew it was the one as soon as I saw it.”
Gretchen nodded but Kian felt like he was pulling teeth trying to get her to talk to him.
“I bet it cost a good bit. Especially in this area.”
“It was a little under a million.”
“Good luck on those payments,” she said with a small smile.
“I paid cash,” he said and knew by the look on her face, he’d said the wrong thing. Something else he hadn’t told her about was that he had money.
“Cash? How?”
“Uh, I have money.”
“Yeah, I get that, but you never mentioned it.”
“Well, I honestly didn’t think about it.”
“Of course not.”
“My parents started a savings account for me and my brother when we were born. We weren’t able to touch any of the money until we reached the age of twenty-one. My mother comes from money, so she put a good bit into the savings, and with the interest it’s drawn over the years, we both have a good bit in our accounts. I use it when I need something, other than that, it sits in the bank drawing interest.” He shrugge d .
“I see.”
“Would you like to grab something to eat at the diner?”
“Oh, no thanks. Besides, we have Lobo with us.”
“We could stop and pick up some burgers—” He stopped when she shook her head. “Damn it, Gretchen. I’m trying here.”
“I am too, Kian. But it just makes me angry that you couldn’t even take the time to come see me. All you had to do was send a message saying you would try to come to the cabin, and then you tell me you have money which you kept from me. I can’t be in a relationship without communication.”
“I told you I didn’t think about the money. I did want to come see you, but I want to find those men. I’ve been going over hundreds of photos.”
“I know I can be frustrating sometimes, but you had enough time to text me two words before meeting with Sam. Just a simple ‘I’ll try’ would have made a world of difference,” she snapped at him. “I would have been disappointed, but I would have understood.”
“Would you? It seems like you’re trying to pull away from this relationship.”
“What relationship?” she shouted.
Kian ran his hand through his hair and let out a frustrated sigh.
“Fine. I’ll drive you home.”
“I’m more than ready to leave.”
He watched her walk out the door and shook his head, muttering under his breath.
“Fuck.”
When he pulled up to her house, he went to open his door, but she shook her head.
“You don’t need to get out.” She got out of the truck and opened the back door for Lobo before slamming it shut.
Kian drove off to head home but changed his mind and headed over to Killian’s place instead.
He knocked on the door and smiled when Celine answered.
“Hey Kian, come in,” she greeted him.
He took off his hat and wiped his feet on the welcome mat before entering the house.
“Is Killian here?”
“Yes, he’s in the office. Working on a case.”
“Do you mind if I go talk to him?”
“Not at all.”
“Thanks.” He walked toward the office and knocked on the door frame. Killian looked up from his desk and grinned.
“Hey Kian, come on in.”
“You’re working?”
“Just going over this case,” Killian replied as he leaned back in his chair and crossed his arms. “What’s up?”
“I just needed someone to talk to,” Kian sighed as he explained what had happened with Gretchen. When he finished, Killian stayed quiet.
“Well?”
“Well, what?” Killian asked.
“What should I do?”
“I’d like to take a stab at this,” Celine interjected as she entered the room, making Killian smirk.
Kian groaned. “Aww, hell. You heard everything?”
“Yes.”
He sighed. “Alright, give it to me straight.”
“Oh, you deserve it Kian Doyle. How do you expect her to act when you didn’t even bother to contact her when you didn’t show up? And then you show up at the cabin without telling her, and you left out that you had money? It’s no wonder she’s not happy with you. Men are so stubborn and clueless.”
“Wait a minute, I’m not part of this,” Killian chimed in.
“Yes, you are. You’re a man; therefore you’re involved, and you did the same thing about not telling me about your money,” Celine retorted, giving Killian a pointed look.
Killian shook his head and looked back at Kian. “See what you did?”
Kian sighed. Damn. It looked like everyone agreed that he should have contacted Gretchen in some way. They were right, two little words would have been better than what he had sent, but he’d been so anxious to talk to Sam about finding those men. Now he had royally screwed up one of the best things to ever come into his life. He realized that he should have gone to see her no matter how late it was.
“Shit.”
“Yeah, that’s a good answer,” Celine said, then walked out of the room.
“Do something with your woman,” Kian said.
“Like what? I’m on her shit list now and it’s all because of you. I didn’t do a damn thing other than being born a male.”
Kian stood. “I’m sorry to have gotten you into trouble. Are women worth this?”
“Watch how you answer that, Killian Doyle,” Celine shouted from another room, making the men grin.
“Well, I know my woman is,” Killian said a little loudly so she’d hear him, then chuckled when she laughed.
Kian grinned. “You do have a good woman. I’m going to have to do a little begging, I suppose.”
“If you think she’s worth it, then yes, you will.”
“I do. I’m going to head home and go over those photos, maybe give her a little time to calm down.”
“Just don’t tell her to calm down.” Killian grinned.
Kian laughed. “I do know better than that. I’ll see you at the office, Monday.”
“Alright.”
Kian walked out of Killian’s office and into the kitchen and stopped when he saw Celine. She smiled.
“I did mess up, didn’t?”
“You did, but you can fix it. I’m sure Gretchen’s a wonderful woman. You probably make a great couple, but as in all relationships, communication is key.”
“Yeah, I know. If I get her back, I’ll do better.”
“You’d better.”
Kian hugged her. “Yes, ma’am. You’re good for my brother.”
“You’re damn right I am. Be careful going home, it’s raining.”
“I will. Bye.” He opened the door, stepped onto the porch then climbed into his truck.
Once he arrived back at his house, he got his laptop out, sat on the bed, and looked through the photos. The men had to be in there. They just had to be.
****
After unhooking Lobo’s leash, Gretchen sat down on the sofa and let out a heavy sigh. Tears welled up in her eyes as she thought about her argument with Kian.
“It wasn’t much of an argument when we barely spoke,” she whispered to herself. Lobo nudged her arm, seeking attention. She absentmindedly rubbed his ears as she continued. “I love him so much, but I can’t be in a relationship where he disappears without a word. He doesn’t have to contact me every day, but at least a few times a week would be nice. I just need to know he’s okay.” She wiped away her tears and hugged Lobo tightly. “At least I have you, big boy.” When Lobo barked in response, she couldn’t help but laugh. Standing up, she decided to distract herself by painting. Two hours later, she stepped back from her canvas with a proud grin. She had captured the pack of wolves perfectly; they were such beautiful creatures.
Suddenly, she got an idea and put on her smock again. This time, she wanted to paint something for Kian’s new home. Despite her anger toward him right now, she still loved him and wanted to show it in some way. He had liked the painting of the cabin, so she began another one like it for his house. Maybe when it was finished, she could give it to him as an apology for their fight. But first, they both needed time to calm down and think things through.
Should she start taking walks every day just in case he calls or texts? But then she remembered how busy he was with his job and the investigation into the men who left him to die in the freezing cold. She knew she would feel the same way if someone did that to her.
“If he ever gets in touch with me again, we will sit down and talk,” she promised herself, looking at Lobo when he whined as if sensing her thoughts. “Okay, okay. I’ll take a walk tomorrow and send him a text. Happy now?”
But the next day, Gretchen got sick and could barely leave her bed except for trips to the bathroom. It hit her that she must have caught something from her friend when they had lunch together recently. She recalled being angry at her friend for going out while feeling under the weather.
“I should’ve known this would happen,” she mumbled to herself. But as she lay in bed, she knew she should apologize but he still hadn’t come to see her since he showed up at her house to show her his new house. If he wanted to straighten this out, shouldn’t he be here to talk about it? She closed her eyes and hoped for sleep. Maybe when she woke up, she’d try to get in touch with him, if she could walk that far.