53. Katie
KATIE
F irst Snowstorm Of The Year
"Trace should've been here thirty minutes ago," I wring my hands as Marissa and I watch the snow coming down. It's sideways across Main Street.
"Blizzards always make pregnant cows go into labor. More than likely he's elbow deep in it right now. Do you want me to take you home?" He questions.
Just as I'm about to answer, a truck with Miller Ranch on the side pulls up next to Enchanted Pages. The snow is so heavy I can't see inside, but this has to be Trace or Kyle. "No, that's either Trace or Kyle. It's time for you to get home yourself. I'll be fine," I settle my hand on my stomach. Seven and a half months pregnant and a snow storm. At least I dressed accordingly this morning.
"Do you want me to help you walk out? That wind is something else."
Part of me wants her to, but she's not much bigger than me. "No, I got it. You close up and head home."
She gives me a grateful smile and bullies the door open so that I can step out into the raging storm. It's hard to keep my footing as I brave the wind and blinding snow. Luckily the truck is black and it helps me get to the other side of the street. When I get to the door, they lean over, opening it for me. I heave my extra weight up and pray I don't have to do this too many more times.
"Thank you so much for coming to get me."
"No problem. After all, I couldn't leave my daughter-in-law at work in the middle of the worst early winter snowstorm Montana has seen in centuries."
My blood runs as cold as the snow outside when I see it's my father in law, Tanner. The smarmy look on his face is enough to make me feel as frozen as the wind chill. "Where's Trace."
"Him and Kyle are taking care of the cows. The drop in pressure sent five of them into labor at the same time. He didn't want you to be stuck there, so he sent me to come and get you."
I don't believe he's telling me the truth at all. "Thank you," I give him a bright smile. As he slowly eases us down the road, I discreetly pull my cell phone out of my pocket and text my husband.
K: Why did you send your Dad to come and get me? I'd rather drive myself, or spend the whole night at the store.
It takes longer than I like for him to respond to me, but I'm sure him and Kyle, along with the other hands they've hired to help have (for lack of a better term) their hands full right now.
My stomach drops when he doesn't answer, and my fingers shake as I craft another text.
K: I'm in the truck with him.
Looking over at Tanner, I do my best not to let my fear and stress be felt through the cab of the truck. At least until I can see Trace, and he can make sure I'm safe. "Thank you again for coming to get me," I smile over at him.
My lips twitch with nervousness, and I'm afraid he can see it.
"You're welcome. You're carrying the heir to the ranch, there's no reason for me not to make sure you're safe. Since Trace is out there securing the future, I can secure the heir, with no problem."
The way he's talking about my baby, makes me sick. It's not as if he's talking about them like they're a real person. He's talking about them like they are a pawn in the same kind of game Trace and I have been made to be a part of. No matter what it takes, I won't let this child feel the way we have. I won't let them try and make decisions that aren't good for them. We will care more about our child than we do ourselves. It's what we deserve, but not what we've gotten.
I don't know what to say, don't know how to respond.
"You know it's funny - when you have kids, and you think about what the future looks like - you never assume you'll be stuck with the one you didn't like."
Those words are like someone walking across my grave. The hair on the back of my neck stands up. "What do you mean by that?"
"I mean Ward was always my favorite. He never questioned what I asked of him, always did everything I asked him to. What I needed him to do. Trace has never done anything without having to know every part of why and how. He doesn't follow blindly, and that's a problem, Katie. I was hoping once you showed up and married Ward, that Trace would be gone."
I swallow roughly. "I thought you originally wanted me to marry Trace."
"I did," his smile gives me the fucking creeps. "But I also needed things to play out exactly the way I wanted them to. The two of them played into my hands. What I never counted on was Ward dying. Broke my heart, but didn't stop my plans."
I gag at the thought of him being so callous when his son died. "You don't even care about either one of them."
"I do care about them, but they don't have the ranch as their main focus. The land, the money, it's all that matters. If you, this baby, and Trace are going to stand in the way of that, then things will have to be dealt with."
"Dealt with?" I lick my suddenly dry lips. "What does that mean?"
“What do you think it means sweetheart? I came to get you in the worst weather we’ve seen in the past decade. When we wreck and we’re both hurt, no one will be able to fault me. After all, I know how to drive in the snow. It must be horrible, what’s going to happen to us.”
I’m chilled to the bone, scared to death about what I’ve walked into. Why did I get into this truck before I knew who was driving? Why did I assume it would be Trace? What have I done to all of us? My fingers are frozen, there’s no way I can pull my phone back out of my pocket and send the text I so badly want to. He’s going to see it, and he’s going to know exactly what I’m doing. It’ll put all of us in danger, the type of danger, we won’t be able to come back from.
I can’t help it. I can’t let Trace think what happens next is an accident.
Forcing my fingers to work, I manage to get the phone out of my pocket and start furiously texting to my husband.
K: I love you, he’s going to wreck the truck. He’s going to try and hurt us, maybe kill us. Know he planned this.
“What are you doing?” Tanner asks, reaching over to try and grab the phone from my hands.
I jerk as far out of his reach as possible in the cab of the truck.
K: He’s doing this on purpose. It’s no accident. I love you, never forget that.
He reaches over again just as I press send on the message. His hands gripping the steering wheel move with him. Given the condition of the roads we start skidding immediately, and although I’m hoping for a snowbank, the only thing I see is a line of trees in our sights.
Before we hit them, I lift up a prayer. Please let us survive this. I’ll never ask for anything again, as long as you let us survive this.