Chapter Twenty-Three
T he next day Cal stopped to catch his breath after chopping another cord of wood at his parents’ place. He checked his watch. 5:25p.m. He’d need to jump in the shower soon if he was going to be on time to pick up Deirdre for dinner at 6. Nothing like keeping up appearances to fake date the woman he had not-fake slept with.
No. They were truly dating. Problem was, neither of them would acknowledge that it was real.
He rubbed his sweaty brow and took off his fleece jacket, hanging it off a hook sticking out from the side of the metal garage. Rolling up his flannel sleeves, he exhaled and let the clean, crisp air flow over him.
He hated pushing Deirdre, but for his own mental state they needed to talk through this situation and decide together how to proceed. Tonight, then.
Pulling out his phone he texted, “ Still on for dinner? ” Thank God the homestead had been finally set up with satellite internet Wi-Fi so he could make calls and text.
A few seconds later, she replied, “ Yes… finishing work at Mom and Pop’s. No change in your plans? ”
He chuckled. “ At this point it would be an act of God for me to no show. ”
Her response. “ Not reassuring! ”
He laughed out loud and stowed the phone in his pants pocket.
Deirdre always made him smile. On the one hand, he could picture himself seeing her lovely face every day. On the other hand, his lingering self-doubt about measuring up to Elijah and the potential impact to his career in Seattle stopped him cold.
He hated to admit it, but at the end of the day, it might be that he and Deirdre were different people in different places in their lives with different priorities. Right people, wrong time. Damn, if that ended up being the case, it would suck.
Could he accept that reality? He had a lot to think about.
Thankfully, with his folks and Doofus gone to Fairbanks, Cal had used the day to clear his mind with some physical work.
His folks weren’t going to move, and that was that. No amount of Cal’s nudges would change that fact. He had failed in his mission, but at the end of the day, they had to live their own lives on their own terms.
Cal now understood all too well what that meant.
In the meeting yesterday, it had struck him how much everyone cared about not only the land but the community as a whole and each other. The fierce independence of the Alaskans in that room, combined with their determination to help out their neighbors for the good of this area, gave him even more to consider.
A week ago, Cal had done what he thought was right to keep his parents and Deirdre safe, but now? He looked over the high mountains on one horizon and low hills sweeping down to the icy Yukon River on the other side. He sniffed and rolled up a sleeve that had loosened. Somehow, he would fix what he’d done.
Cal picked up the axe and continued making wood. He might not be able to move his parents to a safer location, but he could at least provide fuel for heat. The bar for accomplishments as a son had been set pretty low lately.
After another few minutes of chopping, he stretched tired muscles in his back and inhaled fresh, cool air. Temps had hit fifty earlier today. The beginning of April wasn’t a guarantee of no snow in Alaska’s interior, but the longer, warmer days teased the brief summer to come. Lots of snow melting today. He shifted his boots on the graveled area where he made his woodpile. There was less mud here than everywhere else on the property, but it still clogged the lugs of his boots.
A vehicle rumbled up the dirt road. Calvin planted his axe in the chopping block and walked around to the front of the house. As he came around the corner, a tan SUV with lots of mud spatter on the wheel wells idled in the driveway.
A familiar forty-something man got out and smiled too-broadly. “Howdy.”
“Randy. What are you doing here?” He kept his tone civil, but cool.
“Your folks home?”
A second man, taller and younger appearing by his movements and clad in a drab-colored jacket, exited the SUV. Cal squinted. Looked like a DNR logo. Then a tall woman who looked to be in her early thirties, also wearing a puffy coat, too warm for today’s temps, stepped out of the vehicle.
A warm rush of adrenaline shot through Cal as his heartrate picked up. He surreptitiously patted his cargo pants pocket to ensure the gun he kept on him for bears was still in place.
“They’re out. What can I do for you?” He kept his voice low and firm.
This guy and his friends needed to get off of his parents’ property. Now.
He lifted his hands. “Hey, I’m just paying a friendly visit to finalize my generous offer.”
Like hell. “You and I have already talked.”
“I hadn’t heard from you. It’s time to review my options for access. If you aren’t agreeable, then someone else will be.” He strolled toward the front porch.
Calvin angled his stride to intercept Randy. No way would he let the guy in the house. He wanted this guy and his friends to leave. Would have been nice if he had the axe in his hand right now. Or bear spray. He preferred not to actually shoot anyone.
“Pretty sure my parents or I don’t have business with you,” he said.
Randy unzipped his jacket and pulled out a folder. “Pretty sure we do have business. Here’s the final paperwork, like you and I discussed. These are my witnesses.”
The other man and the woman strolled too casually past Randy over to the side of the house. They murmured quietly. The woman curled her lip as her suede boots squelched on the wet gravel.
The hairs on the back of Cal’s neck stood up. He could use Doofus right now. At least the mutt could distract Randy by slobbering on the guy. Cal pivoted so he could keep everyone in his field of vision. “Changed my mind. There’s nothing for us to discuss. I’ve got your number. I’ll tell my parents you called.”
Randy frowned and took a step toward Cal. “When are they getting back?”
“Hard to say.” No way was he giving that information.
He’d stay here and guard the place until they returned from Fairbanks. Longer, if need be.
Randy held the file out, then paused and backed up next to the SUV. “Here’s the information.”
Cal kept the man and woman in his peripheral vision as he walked toward Randy.
Randy continued. “See, I need you to finish this paperwork. Before anyone else gets hurt. Like the Steens.”
Deirdre? Maverick? Sweat chilled on his neck. “I don’t follow.” He laid the paper on the hood and flipped through the pages to the signature page which Randy had already signed.
“You and I had a deal,” Randy said. “The sooner we get access to the range, the sooner we’ll be out of everyone’s hair.”
“We never made a deal.”
“Seemed like it from where I sat.” He spat and crossed his arms. “Look, if I’m not allowed access despite my reasonable request, then maybe it’s time to send a message.”
The woman moved to Randy’s left and slowly put her hand in her coat.
Cal’s heart thudded fast enough to feel winded. Run , his brain urged him. If they had guns, he was outmanned.
Best to keep the conversation going so he could think a way out of this situation. “What does that have to do with people getting hurt? I don’t follow.” He tensed, ready to bolt or fight, while he kept his eyes on the woman’s movements.
Randy put his hands in his pockets. “You will.”
A light footfall crunched behind him. As Cal turned toward the sound, a blinding pain exploded in his head, and everything went soundless and black.