Chapter 41
Chapter Forty-One
Derek
“W hy didn’t you say anything to her? You didn’t even tell her hi.”
“Casey, I told you…”
Being that close to Amber and not touching her, not speaking to her was so damn hard, but she deserves better than for me to apologize in the middle of the grocery store with the town watching.
“Yeah, you said that you were dealing with some stuff, but that doesn’t give you an excuse to be rude. You tell Eric and me that all the time.”
I blow out a breath, pinching the bridge of my nose as I close my eyes.
Sure, she finally listens to something I say, and it’s something she can throw back in my face when I don’t want her to.
“You’re right. I was rude, and I will apologize.”
“I’ll go grab her,” Casey says quickly as she starts to scurry after Amber.
“Casey! No, I’ll do it later. I’ll send her a text.”
“That’s not making things better. She deserves better than a text apology. You should get her flowers and…”
I inhale and exhale slowly. I’m grateful that my daughter knows how I should treat a woman—it speaks volumes—but I know all these things and am irritated that I haven’t done them yet. I keep making excuses, and if my daughter is calling me out on them, that’s a problem I need to fix.
“Case, I appreciate this, but I just don’t have the space mentally for any of it.”
She stands beside me, a frown furrowing her small brow. She’s been giving me these looks for days now, like she’s holding something back but doesn’t know how to say it. Finally, she sighs.
“Dad, what happened? I know something is wrong. You normally hug her when you see her and can’t keep your hands off her, yet the last few times you’ve seen her, you act like you’ve never met her.”
I thought I’d been keeping things under wraps pretty well, not letting the kids pick up on all the turmoil churning inside me. But Casey’s smart, too smart, and I can tell she’s been stewing on this just as much as I have.
“Casey, honey, that’s… complicated.” I try to keep my voice calm and light, though I feel like I’m barely holding myself together. “My mind’s just on other things right now.”
She crosses her arms and gives me that look, the one that’s all her mother. “Miss Amber didn’t do anything wrong. I know you’re mad at Grandma and Grandpa, but they’re just acting like they always do. That’s not Miss Amber’s fault.”
I take a deep breath, holding back my rising frustration. Not at her, of course, but at the situation—at everything I thought I knew, the truth that I’m having a hard time coming to grips with.
“Casey, sometimes things aren’t as simple as they look.”
She doesn’t need to know any of this, and I’ll protect her from it as much as I can.
“But you always say we should be kind to people and listen to them,” she says, her voice stubborn and matter-of-fact. “You’re not listening to Miss Amber.”
I almost laugh at how much sense she’s making, but it feels hollow. “You’re right, sweet girl,” I say softly. “But sometimes, grown-ups have a hard time with things too. I need some time to figure everything out.”
She narrows her eyes at me like she’s not convinced, but after a moment, she sighs, muttering as she walks down the aisle.
“Grown-ups are so confusing.”
I inhale slowly as I watch her go, grateful she doesn’t press any further.
Life is confusing, child.
We pick Eric up from football practice later, and then the three of us go home to cook dinner together. We’re clearly missing Amber’s presence in the house because we’re all three mopey about everything.
“Will Amber be back over tomorrow?” Eric asks.
“I don’t think so, why?”
“I needed help with my math homework.” He shrugs as he walks into the living room.
“I can help you with that.”
“No offense, Dad, but it’s the same math that makes you cuss a lot, and I’d rather not send you there.”
I chuckle to myself. “Appreciated, son. You can probably call her, and she’d help out.”
“I’ll do that.” He grins.
“Hey, I need to run out for a bit. Would you be okay with Casey for about an hour?”
“Sure.” He shrugs as he goes back to his homework.
“It won’t take me long.”
He nods and makes a gesture, telling me to go. I grab my phone and keys before hurrying out the front door to my truck.
I need to go to Amber’s house and apologize. I need to speak to her face-to-face and fix this, but I also need her to know that I need a little space to figure it all out.
My hand is on the door handle of my truck when something catches my eye. A shadow moves near the barn. It’s quick, almost imperceptible, but my gut tells me I didn’t imagine it.
I squint into the darkness, heart thudding as I see a figure darting into the barn. Dressed in all black, they move like they don’t want to be seen. My stomach twists. David. It has to be him. I’ve been waiting for this moment, but now that it’s here, dread settles in my chest like a lead weight.
I pull my phone out, my fingers fumbling slightly as I call Mack. He answers on the second ring. “Hey, boss,” he says.
“Mack, are all the guys accounted for?” I ask, my voice low but urgent.
“Yeah, everyone’s here. Why?”
“I just saw someone go into the barn,” I say. “It’s not one of ours. I’m calling the sheriff.”
“On my way,” Mack says, and the line goes dead.
I immediately dial the sheriff’s office. The dispatcher picks up, and I quickly explain the situation. “I think David’s on the ranch,” I say. “He’s in the barn. I need someone out here now.”
“We’re sending a unit,” the dispatcher assures me. “Stay safe.”
My eyes flick to the house again. Casey and Eric are inside. Safe, I remind myself. David won’t go to the house. He’s here for something else, and I have to stop him before he does something reckless—like starting another fire.
I may not have the proof, but I’m certain he was behind that.
I grab the flashlight from my truck and head toward the barn, my pulse hammering in my ears. The door creaks as I push it open, and my stomach clenches with fear. The barn is too quiet, the kind of silence that makes your skin crawl.
“David,” I call out, my voice steady despite the adrenaline coursing through me. “I know you’re in here. Come out now, and we can talk.”
No response. My flashlight sweeps across the barn, illuminating stacks of hay, tools, and shadows that seem to shift with every step I take. Then I see him. He’s crouched near a stack of hay bales, fumbling with something. My heart drops when I realize it’s a lighter, a can of gasoline nearby.
“David, stop!” I shout, advancing toward him. He jerks up, his face pale and wild-eyed in the beam of my flashlight.
“Stay back!” he yells, holding up a lighter. The tiny flame dances, and my breath catches. One wrong move, and this whole place could go up.
Fear grips me. The kids are inside. If the barn goes up in flames with me inside, they’ll be orphans. I can’t let him drop that lighter.
“You don’t want to do this,” I say, keeping my voice calm. “Think about what you’re doing. There are kids here, David. My kids. Your grandkids. You want to hurt me, fine, but don’t drag them into this.”
“You’ve ruined this farm, and you need to pay.”
“This isn’t the way,” I say, taking a cautious step closer. “Put the lighter down, and we can figure this out.”
He hesitates, his gaze darting between me and the lighter. Then, in a sudden burst of movement, he tosses the gasoline can and lunges at me. I barely have time to react before we’re grappling, the lighter clattering to the ground. My flashlight rolls away, casting erratic beams of light as we struggle.
David fights like a man with nothing to lose, but I’ve got everything to fight for. My kids. My ranch. My life. I manage to pin him to the ground, but he’s thrashing like a wild animal. Anger rolls through me.
“Mack! Willie!” I shout, hoping they’re close. My arms strain as I hold David down, his curses filling the barn.
Mack rushes toward me, helping me tie David’s hands behind his back.
The barn door bursts open, and Willie rushes in. Nora is with him, hands behind her back as Willie tugs her inside. She’s fighting him.
“You’ll never prove we started these fires,” she hisses with an evil laugh.
Everyone freezes. Even David stops struggling, his head snapping toward her.
“What did you say?” I ask, my voice low and dangerous.
“I heard her,” Josiah says as he comes into the barn, holding his phone up to show he’s recording.
She lunges for him but ends up tripping and falling flat on her face as Willie tries to help her back up.
Nora and David are restrained, and I run into the house.
“Eric, take Casey upstairs to watch a movie. Don’t let her look out the windows. Everything’s okay, but…I’ll explain later.”
He cocks an eyebrow at me. I know he wants to ask more questions, but instead, he nods and walks into the kitchen to get his sister and do as he was told.
The sirens grow louder, and the sheriff’s deputies arrive moments later.
“Looks like you can serve that restraining order now,” I tell Sheriff Clark.
“Seems as though we got a confession for the arson, too,” Josiah says as he waves his phone.
“You’ll need to come down to the station,” the sheriff says, his tone grim. I nod, knowing this isn’t over yet.
As the deputies lead David and Nora away, I finally allow myself to breathe. My hands are shaking, and my shirt is damp with sweat. Mack claps a hand on my shoulder.
“You okay, boss?” he asks.
I nod, but my gaze drifts to the house. The kids are still safe, and that’s all that matters. For now, at least.