Birdie
“Ijust don’t understand what in the world is going on.
” Dolly’s voice carried from the kitchen in Lachlan’s house where she was working with Jessie and Hawk on supper for everyone.
It had only been a few days since we were all together celebrating Juniper, but God, how different everything felt now.
“Hey, you okay?” Lach’s hand rested on my arm. “It looked like you zoned out there for a minute.”
“Oh, yeah, I’m fine.”
“Wanna cut the bullshit strong-person act and tell me how you really are? If you hurry, you can probably get it out before Beau comes back in with Juniper. I figure if Dad’s got him cornered at the grill, we have a solid five to forty minutes before he can sneak back in.”
“I’m not lying—” Lach shifted his stance, putting more pressure on his cane as he stared at me. I threw my arms up. “Fine. I’m not okay.”
The words hissed out of my chest like they were the last squeaky thoughts of a dying balloon.
“Why not?”
“Because whatever this is, it has to do with me. Beau won’t let me leave, and I’m putting everyone I love at risk.”
His eyebrows pulled down towards his nose. “What would make you think that?”
“Someone breaks into my house and tells me they aren’t done with me yet? And I see them outside Beau’s kitchen window that night? Then a few days later, we’re being shot at?”
“Yeah,” he nodded, “guess it is all your fault.”
My head snapped back. “Ouch.”
Lachlan nodded. “You heard how wild that sounded when the words came out of my mouth, right? So trust me when I say, they sound just as wild coming out of yours. This isn’t your fault.
Some dick thinks he’s gonna best our family?
He thinks we’re gonna just let him hurt you?
No. Fuck no. He doesn’t know what’s coming for him.
” He held up his cane and sighed. “I mean, it’s not me.
Unless you’re here and he decides to pull some shit.
I can still get to my lock box quickly, even with my snazzy cane and dazzling agoraphobia. ”
I pushed myself up out of the chair and rushed over to Lachlan, my arms wrapping awkwardly around his body. He was trying to hide his pain by making jokes, but I saw it all the same.
“There, there,” he mockingly tsked as he patted my back.
“Thank you,” I laughed. “I feel better now.”
“Why are you hugging my girl?” Beau’s gravel-filled voice called out across the house.
“I wouldn’t have had to if you were doing your job of making her not feel like a complete and total burden on this family.”
“Birdie…what?”
I pinched Lachlan’s side. “Ouch!” he yelped. “Hey, no fair hurting the guy with a bad leg.”
“Sorry, all I see is a little brother who was just so sweet trying to stir up shit for me now.”
“Can’t help it if I like giving Beau shit. He got off pretty easy with the whole secret kid thing. Figure someone’s got to keep him in line. And as the youngest brother, it falls on my shoulders.”
“Here, take Juniper. I’m not above wrestling you for being a dickhead,” Beau laughed as he slid Juniper into my arms.
“Your uncle and daddy are whacky. Did you know that, berry girl? You won’t be like this with your siblings one day, will you? No. Because you’ll be too busy teaching them about kindness and sharing. Won’t you, brilliant girl?”
“What’s this about siblings for Juniper?” Hayes asked, strolling into the room with a beer in his hand.
Beau chuckled. “Oh, just that Birdie and I are planning on giving her a bunch of—”
My phone buzzed, a shrill alarm sounding around the room as everyone else in the family started pulling out their own phones. With Juniper in my arms, I was at the mercy of someone telling me what had happened.
“Fuck. Looks like there’s a missing kid out in Lark Lake,” Hayes announced.
“Not a kid,” Lachlan growled, “a baby. It says she’s only a few weeks old.”
“Oh God,” Violet gasped.
“What?” I replied.
“Read down further. The mother’s body was found. The suspect is the baby’s father. That’s awful.”
“Let me see,” I whispered to Beau, whose eyes were glued to his phone. The first picture shown was a precious newborn baby, but by the time Beau scrolled to the picture of her mother, my stomach was threatening to empty.
“Alexis…” I whispered.
Beau flinched. “Did you know her?”
“Yes. I was the midwife on call for her birth. It was the night Juniper…He was the one who…” I couldn’t look away from the phone.
There he was. Sawyer Buchanan. I hadn’t thought about him since that day.
But sure enough…scruffy hair. Big beard.
He’d hurt her. Had we given her the information she needed to get somewhere safe?
I didn’t go back to check on her. I trusted that my colleagues would help.
Oh, God. Was this my fault?
I turned and handed Juniper to Hayes, whose eyes were locked on my face. My now free hand drifted over my side, the phantom pain from being shoved into the cart sitting on my skin like a ghost.
Beau’s eyes tracked the movement immediately. He wrapped his hand around my arm and walked me over to the couch. “You never told me what happened that day.”
I pointed to the picture of the man wanted in connection to the disappearance of Alexis’s baby and her…
death. This was surreal. “He shoved me when I tried to tell him to leave the room. The guy was throwing red flags all over the place, and one of the nurses alerted me to the situation. I went in to assess and…yeah. I thought we’d gotten her the resources she needed. Now she’s gone…”
“Birdie, I’m sure you did everything you could.” Jessie walked over and sat beside me, her hand resting on my shoulder. “Come on. Will you help me set the table?”
I nodded, grateful for something to do. Because the shock of what I’d just learned shook me to the core. We’d known he was dangerous. Had she taken the steps to get away? And had none of it mattered in the end?
Plates were set out. Glasses filled with water.
A little apple juice for Beckett and a bottle sitting in the fridge ready for Juniper when the time came.
It was easy going through the motions, pretending like I was listening when everyone moved on from Alexis and the baby, to plans for Founder’s Day.
It started as a fundraiser for Lachlan after his accident, but had continued for the last few years as a way for the community to come out and enjoy the ranch.
I had been looking forward to enjoying it with Beau and Juniper this year, but nothing, not even talking about a fun day in the middle of summer, could take away the ache deep in my chest.
Colt suddenly walked in the front door and scanned the room until his eyes landed on Violet. There was no pause—he made his way to her like a compass finding true north. Violet stood, meeting him at the end of the table.
“Hey,” Violet cooed as he wrapped his arms around her and buried his face in her neck. “It’s okay.”
The entire table sat quiet, watching the two of them embrace. “I’m so glad you’re here and you’re safe. If anything ever happened to you, or Connor—”
“Nothing is going to happen to either of us.” She pulled back, her hands brushing back his hair. “What happened? Were you on the amber alert case?”
He nodded, his eyes filling with tears.
“Those types of calls…I just can’t imagine,” Dolly whispered as Danny covered her hand with his.
“Do you want to go home?” Violet asked. He didn’t hesitate before he nodded.
“I’m sorry, guys. I’m just not going to be good company tonight.”
“We understand.” Hawk nodded as he scooped Beckett off the chair he was currently climbing.
“Of course we do,” Jessie added.
“Thanks. We’ll see you guys later.” Colt smiled as he scooped Connor out of his high chair.
Lots of ‘love you’s and ‘let us know if you need anything’s’ filled the air as we all watched them walk out of Lachlan’s house.
My knee hadn’t stopped bouncing since Colt’s arrival.
Even as Beau’s hand landed on my thigh and squeezed reassuringly, I knew I had to get up and say something.
As the chatter around the table returned to a normal level, I pushed my chair back and made my way out of the house, too.
“Hey, Colt. Wait a second.” I bounded the steps towards the truck.
“Yeah, Birdie? You good?” he asked as he stepped back from getting Connor into his car seat.
“I knew her.”
His eyebrow raised.
“Alexis. She was my patient. I don’t know if it’s helpful, but the hospital trespassed her boyfriend while she was in labor. There has to be security footage. My report is in the system. If you can use any of that when you find him…”
Colt nodded. “That’s really helpful. I’ll pass it along.”
My voice caught in my throat as I tried to blink away the tears making Colt blurry. “I knew what he was like. He physically pushed me when I tried to help her. I should have done more. That poor woman. Her baby…”
“Hey.” Colt’s arms wrapped around me, and I felt Violet’s hand land on my arm, giving it a reassuring squeeze before I heard her get in the truck.
“There is no doubt in my mind you did everything you could for her. You’re such a compassionate health care professional, and I’m not just saying that as someone who thinks of himself as your big brother.
I’m saying that because I saw it first hand with how you helped me and Vi after Connor was born.
This isn’t on you, Birdie. So many things broke down and failed her, but you were not one of those things. ”
“I could have done so much more. I could have…I should have…” Colt’s arms tightened around me before another set of hands took over. Suddenly, I was surrounded by warm spice and worn leather. I didn’t have to open my eyes to know that Beau had me wrapped up in his arms.
“I’ll get that information to the guys in charge of the investigation, Birdie. Thank you.”
I nodded against Beau’s chest, not sure if Colt could see me or not.
“Who has Juniper?” I asked as we slowly made our way back to Lachlan’s house. The thought of having to go back inside, to sit and eat, and pretend like I didn’t have the worst pain in my chest right now, felt overwhelming.
“Don’t worry about her. She’s being loved on by one of my brothers. Just focus on your breathing. Scared me half to death hearing you cry like that in Colt’s arms.”
“I’m sorry.”
“Don’t apologize for having the biggest heart, Chickadee. But you can’t put the weight of what happened to her on your shoulders, either. That blame belongs with her boyfriend, and no one else. And I have no doubt Colt and every deputy he works with will find him and make sure justice is served.”
“I hope so. I wish we had more resources to give women in that situation. I have to point them to safe houses in Dallas, sometimes even farther away. There should be something like that here, in Clarence County. Something to just help victims of domestic abuse get back on their feet.”
“You’re right, baby. There should be.”
And as we walked back into Lach’s house, that little idea took root in my head…and my heart.