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Copyright 2004

Rob Jackson watched his son’s pickup disappear down the lane. There were a few pop cans bouncing along behind and the obligatory  ‘Just Married’ sign painted on the back window, but overall it wasn’t bad. He had told his younger sons not to overdo it, and as usual, they had heeded his advice.

The day had been ideal. There was a light breeze blowing that had kept the men from suffocating in their tuxedos and the sun was shining to keep the ladies from worrying about rain. He couldn’t have asked for it to go smoother. Mary had behaved herself and so had Bob. No snide remarks, obscene gestures, or childish fits.

He was relieved. Of course, he wanted the day to go well for Mitch. His oldest son, as far as he knew anyway, deserved a good peaceful wedding. But it was Jenny he was really happy for. She’d had nothing but hard knocks all her life, it seemed. He was so proud to be able to walk her down the aisle and hand her over to his son. He knew she was in good hands now.

Mitch wasn’t perfect, but he was closer than most. There was no doubt that he loved Jenny and he would protect and care for her all of his days. Rob chuckled to himself. Jenny wasn’t even really his daughter. If he felt this way about her…Well, God knew what He was doing by only giving him sons.

“Hey, Handsome,” a seductive voice came up behind him and he felt the familiar arms wrap around his stomach, “Do you have plans tonight or are you available?”

“Depends,” he answered, leaning back, “Are you looking?”

“I’m always looking,” Paula slid around under his arm as he lifted it for her. She ran her hands up his chest and onto his strong neck, “Looking for you, that is.”

He smiled down at her, “You never have to look very far.”

Paula was always beautiful. It didn’t matter to Rob if his wife was wearing old jeans and a sweatshirt or sexy lingerie, she always made his heart skip a beat. At 43, she still looked like a woman in her early thirties, and to him she looked better than the day he met her. Today she was wearing a short pink dress that accented her long legs and dark features. Her dark brown hair fell loosely over her shoulders and he ran his hands up her back and under it. He loved the feel of her hair on his hands.

“Have I told you how handsome you are today?” She purred, playing with his blond ponytail, “It’s been a long time since I’ve seen you in a tux.”

“Mmm,” he recalled, “Like since our wedding. This one’s a couple of sizes bigger.”

“Muscles,” she poked teasingly at his stomach, not as flat as it was twenty years ago.

“Good cooking,” he grinned and kissed the top of her head. She was the perfect height for him. The top of her head just under his chin, so he could tuck her into his arms and rest his chin above her, but he didn’t have to break his back bending over to kiss her. Perfect. He wouldn’t change a thing about her, even if he could. “You look beautiful, Sweetheart.”

“Does that mean we have a date tonight?” She wondered.

“Always,” he assured.

“Hey, Bro,” Terry walked up, “It went well.”

“No casualties,” Rob laughed, still holding Paula close to him. Maybe Terry would get the hint that he wanted some time with his wife right now.

“Listen, Rob,” Terry told him, “I need to talk to you for a few minutes…Alone.”

“I’ll go get the boys to start putting the chairs away,” Paula stepped aside, “I’ll let you two talk.”

“What’s up?” Rob wondered, watching Paula walk away. The sway of those hips still did a number on him. They were a bit wider than they used to be—a result of the three boys, no doubt. He liked it, though. Those hips were made for his hands.

“We need to talk where no one else can possibly hear us,” Terry insisted.

“OK,” Rob sighed. So much for a quiet day. If Terry wanted to talk privately, it couldn’t possibly be good. “Let’s go to the office in the stable, how’s that?”

“That works,” Terry followed him.

They walked to the stable and went into the office. It was quiet there today, since all the patrons had been notified that the stable would be closed for a wedding on the grounds. Only the comforting sounds of horses in their stalls set the background. Sounds so familiar to Rob that he only noticed their absence, not their presence.

“All right,” he sat at the desk and motioned for Terry to sit on the sofa, “I’m all ears.”

Terry remained standing, his hands thrust into the pockets of his black suit pants. He’d already shed his coat and tie, and his collar was unbuttoned to let him breathe easier. He began pacing nervously.

“Rob,” he pulled a big hand from one pocket and thrust his fingers through his thick mass of dark hair, “I won’t blame you if you’re mad at me about this. I just had to make a decision and I did the best I could.”

“’Fess up,” Rob coaxed, “What did you do?”

“I’m just giving you a heads up about it now,” Terry justified, “because I’d want you to do the same for me. All hell’s about to break loose around here, and I think you need to know about it.”

“What are you talking about?” Rob stood up and leaned on the desk, “Start talking straight and not in riddles.”

“When Bob says it’s time to go home,” Terry dropped the bomb, “Linda isn’t going with him.”

“What?!” Rob came around to his brother, “What the hell have you done, Terry?”

“I haven’t done anything,” Terry put his hands up to show innocence, taking a step back from his taller, younger brother, “Just hear me out. I didn’t know anything about it until I got down there to Wichita to pick her up. Rob, she had it all planned out. She knew Jenny couldn’t pick her up on Monday, and that’s why she waited late to call. She intended for someone else to come. She figured it would be you or me.”

“Why?”

“Because,” Terry explained, “She didn’t want Jenny to know about this. She didn’t want to ruin the wedding. The reason we were so late getting back was that when I got there, she had boxes packed up with all her clothes and pictures and things that she wanted to be sure she didn’t lose. She said Bob would never notice they were gone and I guess she was right. Anyway, we loaded it in my truck and took it to my place to store it before I brought her here.”

“All of a sudden she’s ready to leave him?” Rob shook his head, “What aren’t you telling me?”

“Look,” Terry continued, “I didn’t want to keep this from you, but she made me promise I wouldn’t tell anyone until after the wedding. Rob, he’s started hitting her.”

“Are you sure?” Rob challenged. Something about this story just didn’t ring true.

“She showed me the bruises,” Terry informed, “He made sure they were hidden with her clothes. Did you notice that even today, in the heat, she’s wearing long sleeves? That’s because of the fingerprints on her arm.”

“Oh man,” Rob groaned, “What a mess.”

“I’m sorry, Rob,” Terry told him, “But I know you’d have done the same thing. So would Mitch. We sat there with her at dinner that night and promised her as much. What was I supposed to do? I couldn’t turn her down.”

Rob paced for a few minutes, letting the information digest. Terry was right. He would have done the same thing. He couldn’t let a man hit a woman and get away with it. He still wasn’t sure Terry was giving him the full story, though.

“Tell me this,” Rob requested, “When she was here before, did you talk to her about his? Encourage her to leave him? Make her think she could come running to you?”

“Rob,” Terry avoided his question, “Linda and I have been friends longer than you have known Paula. She knows I’m not gonna let a man beat her up.”

“Look me in the eye,” Rob challenged, “And tell me there’s nothing more than friendship going on here.”

Terry leveled his eyes at Rob, “I swear I’ve never laid a hand on her other than as a friend.”

Rob had his answer, “OK, do you know when this is going down?”

“Whenever Bob says it’s time to go,” Terry reported.

“Do this for me, then,” Rob requested, “Tell Dutch what’s happening. I want you and Dutch here. You got it?”

“Got it covered,” Terry assured.

“I’d better go take care of another loose cannon before it does any damage,” Rob walked out.

He scanned the lawn for Mary. No sign of her. The Jaguar was still by the stable, so she hadn’t left. He had to get her on the road before the fireworks started. She was a variable he didn’t need in this equation. He could depend on everyone else to automatically follow his lead and do as they were told, but not Mary.

“What’s wrong?” Paula came up to him, wrapping her arms around him again.

As much as he enjoyed the affection, he didn’t need the distraction right now. He needed to get his troops in order and form a battle plan quickly. Thoughts of Paula having her way with him would muddle his mind. He had to have a clear head for this.

“I just need to take care of something, Sweetheart,” he hugged her, “Have you seen Mary?”

Paula stiffened and frowned, “Sorry, I didn’t know it was my day to watch her.”

Great, he thought, now she’s mad at me. He’d have to repair that later. He saw Mary coming out of the apartment, in jeans now. She must have been in there changing clothes.

“There she is,” he observed, “I’ll be back shortly, Honey.”

He left Paula standing there, a scowl on her face. Mary was a huge sore spot with Paula. He knew that. He really didn’t understand why, but he usually just humored her about it. It’s not like he ever cared about Mary or had any sort of serious relationship with her. He certainly didn’t now. She was simply Mitch’s mother and he had to deal with her from time to time as a result. Now, with Mitch gone, he felt responsible for her and he wanted her out of there. He’d just have to smooth things over with Paula later.

“Hey, Good-looking,” Mary winked, “Things went well for our son, don’t you think?”

“Very well,” Rob smiled, “Mary, I need to talk to you.”

“OK,” she opened the apartment, “Shall we go in here?”

“Please,” he followed her, knowing full well that steam was coming from Paula’s ears as she watched him disappear, “When are you planning to leave?”

“Trying to get rid of me so soon?” Mary came over to him and toyed with his lapel, “I thought maybe we could visit a little while before I left.”

“Can it, Mary,” he took hold of her shoulders and moved her away, “If you leave now, you can get back to St. Louis before dark.”

She pouted, “Just when you were starting to be nice to me again. I thought I’d been a good girl.”

“Mary,” he sighed, “Look, I’m sorry. I just really need to get you home safe. I can’t explain it, but you need to leave as soon as possible.”

She got a serious look, “Rob, what’s wrong?”

Obviously he was going to have to tell her, “Promise you won’t tell anyone else?”

She nodded, “Of course.”

“Linda isn’t going home with Bob,” he divulged, “I just found out a few minutes ago. Bob doesn’t know it. It could get really messy. I want you out of here, so I don’t have to worry about you getting caught in the crossfire.”

“Paula doesn’t know, does she?” Mary seemed to get satisfaction from that.

“No,” he admitted, “Please, do this for me, Mary. I feel responsible for you and I don’t want anything to happen to you.”

She smiled, “Thank you, Rob. I appreciate your honesty. I’ll get out of here in the next 15 minutes. How’s that?”

“That’ll do,” he nodded, “Thanks, Mary.”

He started out, had the door open, and felt her hand on his arm, “Rob, I was very proud of him today. I’m sure you were too.”

“He’s a good man,” Rob smiled, “I’m always proud of him.”

“He’s a lot like his father,” she looked up at him, still holding onto his arm, “Guess sometimes even mistakes can turn out good, huh?”

“Everything happens for a reason, Mary,” Rob repeated what he’d heard his wife say a million times, “Even when we don’t understand it. Now, have a safe trip home. I’m sure Mitch will give you a call when he gets back.”

“Good luck,” she reached up and kissed his cheek, “I’m sure you’ll take care of everything.”

“Thanks,” he turned around and hugged her, “I need all the luck I can get. See you later.”

When he closed the door behind him, he saw Paula watching from across the lawn. She had definitely seen him hugging Mary, and most likely the kiss on the cheek. If he wasn’t in trouble before, he definitely was now. He was going to have to do some major damage control soon. Paula was very understanding and extremely forgiving, but she had her limits. Mary seemed to always push Paula’s buttons too. He really wished Linda hadn’t put him in this position. Well, at least he knew that even if she was madder than a wet hen, when all hell started breaking loose, he could still count on Paula to do the right thing.

As he approached Paula, she was talking to Chelsea. When she saw him coming, she turned her back to him. Not a good sign. He gently put his hands on her shoulders and stepped up close behind her.

“I’m going to go lose the tux,” he whispered in her ear, pressing into her from behind, “Want to come help me?”

He could feel her anger, “Why? Did Mary turn you down?”

Chelsea bit her lip and looked away, uncomfortable at the situation. Rob stepped around in front of Paula and looked down into her eyes. Worse than he thought. She was more than mad. She was hurt.

“Come on, Sweetheart,” he urged, “Let’s go get changed and we can talk about this.”

“Are you sure you want to talk to me right now?” She asked, an icy edge to her voice.

“Yes,” he took her hand and led her into the house, “Please calm down, Honey. I can explain everything.”

Terry was coming out of the house, now in jeans and a yellow tee shirt, “Thought I’d better change if I’m staying for a while.”

“That’s where I’m heading,” Rob passed him, “Be back as soon as I can. Keep an eye on things for me.”

“Rob,” Paula asked, “What’s going on?”

He led her up the stairs, “I’m trying to tell you, Honey. Come in here where no one can hear us.”

He shut the bedroom door and started stripping off the tuxedo, “Sweetheart, things are about to get ugly around here. That’s what Terry needed to talk to me about.”

“Does it have to do with Mary?” She asked, hanging up his tux as he pulled on jeans and a blue polo shirt.

“No,” he shook his head, “That’s a whole different thing…And before you get mad at me about it, you need to hear me out.”

There was a knock on the door, “Can I come in? Dutch says I need to change clothes and my bag is in there.”

“Just a minute, Chelsea,” Paula called, “Well, I guess you’ll have to plead your case later.”

“Paula,” he stepped over and took hold of her shoulders, “Please, just trust me.”

“If I didn’t trust you,” she informed, “I’d have thrown in the towel years ago. OK, Chelsea, you can come in.”

Rob bit his tongue at that remark. She was really angry this time and she didn’t want to give him a chance for rebuttal. Well, maybe when she saw what it was all about, he wouldn’t even need to explain. He shook his head and walked out. Nothing he could do now. The cards had already been dealt, so he’d have to play the ones he’d been handed.

He met up with Dutch in the downstairs hall. He had changed into jeans and a white tee shirt.

“Feel better?” Dutch grinned, “I know I do.”

“Yes,” Rob agreed, “I hate those monkey suits. Figured I’d better get rid of it since it’s a rental.”

“That’s what I thought,” Dutch reported, “Terry told me what’s going on and I didn’t want to be worrying about the suit.”

When they walked out, Rob noticed the Jaguar was gone. At least one woman was cooperating. He would never have predicted it to be Mary. Wonders never ceased. Terry was talking to Bill, so they went to join them.

“You filling Dad in?” Rob asked.

“Yes,” Terry informed, “And I took the liberty of asking Jack to take Bessie home. Figured she didn’t need to be here for this.”

“Bessie!” Rob rubbed his face, “Man, I completely forgot I was supposed to take her home. Thanks, Bro.”

Paula and Chelsea came up together, both in shorts and tanks now. They both looked concerned and perplexed. They also wore that look of women determined to get to the bottom of a matter. Dutch grabbed Chelsea and pulled her aside to tell her something quietly.

“Jason,” Rob called his son, “Come here.”

The boys were still in their suits, finishing with the chairs and tables. Jason came over immediately.

“Yes, Dad?” He was as tall as his mother now, even though he was only twelve. He would definitely be as tall as his father when he was grown, maybe even taller.

“Get your brothers and your grandma. Take them in the house and you all get changed,” Rob instructed, “Stay in the house until I tell you otherwise.”

“But…” Jason started to protest.

“Don’t question me,” Rob stated firmly, “Do exactly what I said.”

“Yes, Sir,” Jason ran a hand through his thick blond hair and went to his brothers, “Kevin, Keith…”

“Rob,” Paula came up and put her arm around him, “What’s going on?”

He could tell from her voice and touch that her anger had been overridden with concern. She knew if he was sending the boys and her mother inside, he was protecting them from something. He really wished he had time to tell her. He pulled her into his arms and put his lips close to her ear.

“I’m sorry, Baby,” he whispered, “There’s no time now. I love you.”

She squeezed him and he knew things were OK for the moment. He knew when the chips were down she did trust him blindly. Linda and Bob were approaching. It was about to happen. He pushed Paula away and stepped in front of her.

“Dad,” he said under his breath, “The ladies are yours.”

Bill immediately took Chelsea and Paula by the arms and led them back a few paces. Without drawing attention, Terry stepped away and so did Dutch, so they could come up around and behind Bob.

“Bob, Linda,” Rob smiled, “Are you staying with us tonight or heading on out?”

“Well,” Bob reached out his hand, “I was just coming to thank you for your hospitality. I think it’s early enough that if we leave right away, we can still get home at a decent hour.”

“Very well,” Rob nodded, waiting for Linda to make her move. He didn’t intend to do any more than back her up.

“So, Linda,” Bob looked at her, “let’s grab our things and hit the road.”

“Bob,” Linda took a nervous breath, “I’m not going.”

There was a beat of silence before Bob recovered, “There’s no reason to stay another night. We’re going to wear out our welcome. Jenny’s gone now. We should just leave.”

Rob had to hand it to him. He was keeping cool so far.

“You can go without me,” Linda stated, “I’m not coming with you. Not tonight…not tomorrow…not ever.”

“What?!” He was losing it now.

“Linda!” Paula gasped from behind.

“You heard me Bob,” Linda stood her ground, “I’m staying here. I want a divorce.”

His face flushed with anger. Dutch was behind him now and Terry on the side opposite Rob. They all braced themselves, ready to spring into action in an instant. He looked at Rob, then at Terry, full of disgust.

“Why you little whore!” He accused, lunging for Linda, “You and that slut daughter of yours!”

Before he could reach her, Dutch had one arm around his neck and was twisting Bob’s arm behind his back. Terry and Rob were on him from either side and together they carried him back a few paces.

“She said she’s staying,” Terry stated flatly, “If that’s what the lady wants, that’s what the lady gets.”

“And you won’t be speaking to her like that again,” Rob informed, “Or talking about Jenny in that way. Not if you want to take your teeth home with you.”

“Let me go!” Bob struggled.

“Not likely,” Dutch assured, “Linda, go get his things and bring them out. We’ll keep him here.”

“OK,” Linda replied, her voice shaking.

“I’ll help you,” Paula went with her, “Linda, why didn’t you talk to me about this before?”

Rob couldn’t hear the reply. He and Terry were helping Dutch escort Bob to his precious car. Terry was feeling for Bob’s keys and retrieved them roughly from his pants pocket. Bob cried out partly in pain and partly in anger.

Rob and Dutch held Bob against the hood as Terry opened the trunk, then started the car. He left it running and went to help Linda carry out Bob’s things. He tossed them in the trunk and slammed it shut.

“Now,” Terry stated, “You either drive out willingly, or we throw you in the trunk too and take this piece of crap car of yours down the lane ourselves at about 90 miles an hour. Your call.”

“And if you decide to come back,” Dutch threatened, “I’ll personally arrange an armed escort to take you all the way back to Wichita.”

“So,” Rob asked, “What’ll it be, Bob? Do we do this the easy way or are you going to make it hard on yourself?”

“Leave, Bob,” Linda advised, “They’re serious and so am I.”

“This is kidnapping!” Bob accused, “And assault!”

“Tell it to my good friend, the sheriff,” Rob challenged, “We’ll see what he thinks. Now, get in your car and drive out of here while you still can.”

“You haven’t heard the last of this!” Bob threatened as they let him go, shoving him into his car, “I’ll be back! You can’t get away with this!”

Rob slammed the door shut on him and Terry stepped up, pulling a .38 revolver out from somewhere. He leveled it at Bob. He had obviously come prepared.

“Drive,” Terry ordered, “Or I’ll start blowing holes in this precious car of yours until there’s nothing left of it.”

Bob went white, put the car in gear and drove out faster than he ever had before. He must have decided dust would wash off easier than bullet holes.

“Jeez, Terry!” Rob turned on him, “You brought your pistol! This is not the movies!”

“Hey,” Terry shrugged, shoving it in his waistband, “It came in handy, didn’t it?”

“Rob!” Paula ran to him and he took her in his arms. She was terrified. He could feel her trembling all over. He hated scaring her. Linda should be spanked for causing such a ruckus. This could have all been handled much more diplomatically if only she hadn’t kept it a secret.

“It’s OK, Honey,” he comforted, “He’s gone. I’m here. Don’t be afraid.”

He noticed Chelsea was in Dutch’s arms, too. He was rapidly discovering that Dutch was someone he wanted on his team. He’d always known he was tough, but he was beginning to realize just how tough.

Terry walked over to Linda, tears streaming down her face, “Come here, Lin. It’s OK. You’re safe now.”

She fell into his arms and he comforted her. Rob had been right about his suspicions. How Terry had touched her and how Terry wanted to touch her were two different things. Today was just the beginning. This was all going to get a lot nastier before it was over.

“If you’re cool now,” Dutch came over, “I want to get Chels home. She doesn’t need this stress right now.”

“We’re fine,” Rob nodded, “Thanks, Dutch.”

“No problem,” he assured, “Call me if you need me.”

“Let’s go in, Honey,” Rob whispered to Paula, “I’m sure the boys are going crazy in there.”

“I’ll go talk to them and Hazel,” Bill offered, “I’ll give them the Readers’ Digest version. That’ll give you two a chance to talk.”

“Thanks, Dad,” Rob smiled, “Come on, Honey, how about we go sit on the porch?”

“OK,” she agreed and looked up, tears in her eyes, “I’m sorry, Rob.”

“For what, Honey?” He asked softly.

“For getting mad earlier,” she apologized, “I had no idea.”

“It’s OK,” he kissed the top of her head, “I’m sorry I couldn’t tell you. I just found out myself. That’s what Terry had to talk to me about.”

“He knew?” Paula sat down with him in the porch swing, “How long did he know about this?”

“He says not until he picked her up Monday in Wichita,” Rob pulled her over to rest her head on his shoulder, “I’d like to believe him. I’m not totally convinced, though.”

“I couldn’t get anything out of her,” Paula reported, “She was blubbering about him hitting her and she had no choice and not wanting to ruin Jenny’s wedding.”

“Yeah,” he remarked, “Well, it would’ve been nice if they would’ve told us. It wouldn’t have ruined Jenny’s wedding for us to know what was going on. Apparently Terry stored her stuff at his place.”

“Rob, are they…?” Paula looked up.

“I don’t know,” he confessed, “But I intend to find out.”

“You need me to hang around?” Terry asked, walking up the steps with his arm around Linda.

“Go check on your stock,” Rob advised, “I may need you later. Keep a phone with you.”

“Sure thing,” he nodded, “Lin, you OK now?”

“Yes,” she smiled at him, “I think so. Thank you, Terry.”

“You better thank Rob here,” he said to her, “You’re in his hands now.”

Linda looked at Rob and Paula sheepishly, “Thank you. I’m sorry I didn’t tell you about this ahead of time.”

“Water under the bridge now,” Rob remarked, “Let’s just not have any more surprises, OK?”

“OK,” she agreed, then went inside.

Terry walked to his truck to leave. Rob needed to know what was really going on, but it could wait. He had his own family to take care of now. With Mitch and Jenny gone, he had one less to help him out, but he also had one less to worry about, too…Bessie! He’d better warn Bessie.

“Paula,” he started to get up, “Honey, I need to call Bessie. If Bob gets a wild hair and goes over there…”

“Call her,” Paula agreed and followed him inside.

“Hello?” Jenny’s grandmother answered the phone.

“Hi, Bessie,” Rob greeted, “Guess Jack got you home OK? I’m sorry I didn’t get away to take you myself.”

“Oh, that’s OK,” she told him, “Jack didn’t mind.”

“Listen, Sweetie,” he informed, “I need to tell you what’s going on over here. Linda decided to stay behind and told Bob to hit the road.”

“Well, it’s about time!” Bessie announced, “I never did like that man.”

“Me neither,” Rob chuckled, “He left here pretty mad, though. I’d feel a lot better if you’d come and stay with us for a few days.”

“Oh, I’ll be fine,” she assured.

“Well,” he advised, “If he shows up, don’t let him in and call me immediately, OK?”

“Will do,” she agreed, “Don’t worry, I’ll be fine.”

“I’ll check on you tomorrow,” he promised, “I told Jenny I would. Talk to you then.”

Paula looked at the clock, “I guess I’d better start dinner. Life goes on, doesn’t it?”

“What is it they say?” Rob mused, “Time waits for no man. Are you all right now? I need to go have a little chat with Linda.”

“I’m fine,” Paula smiled, “You go do what you need to do.”

He knocked on the guestroom door, “Linda? Can I come in for a minute?”

“Sure,” she called.

She was sitting on the bed, looking a bit lost. He walked in and shut the door behind him. She looked up, her green eyes almost as bright as Jenny’s. Her wavy blond hair had no gray, probably colored to keep it that way. It had never looked natural to him, anyway. Not like Paula’s. He liked the streaks of gray that had started showing up in Paula’s hair over the past couple of years. They seemed to emphasize the honesty of her beauty.

“Are you going to fuss at me?” Linda asked.

“Should I?” He pulled a straight-backed chair over to sit in.

“Rob,” she justified, “I really thought you’d be the one to come and get me. I knew Jenny and Mitch couldn’t come, so I figured you’d offer to do it. If you had, I would have told you everything then. But when Terry had to come instead…Well, I didn’t see any reason to involve anyone else.”

“Don’t you think you’ve involved all of us now?” He posed.

“But no one else was deceiving Jenny,” she pointed out, “And I’m sure that’s best. You can honestly tell her you didn’t know. It would hurt her if she thought you lied to her. You’re her hero, you know. This way she can be mad at me, instead of you.”

“Linda,” he told her, “I need to know you’re committed to this. I will help you, but only if you’re serious about it and if it’s for the right reasons.”

She reached down and pulled her sleeve up to reveal fingerprints on her upper arm. They were a greenish yellow now from age, but they were unmistakable.

“There are others,” she told him, “But not where I care to show you.”

Rob felt his anger rise. He should’ve knocked Bob’s teeth out when he had the chance. Perhaps he’d have another chance down the road. Men like Bob disgusted him. How could any man do something like that to a woman…any woman? Suddenly an image flashed into his mind of the day in the stable when he had grabbed Paula’s arm in anger. It had left marks on her arm just like these.

“Tell me what happened,” he instructed.

“Does it matter?” She asked, defensively.

“Yes,” his eyes met hers, “I’m not as easy of a sell as my brother.”

Linda blushed, then looked away, “I didn’t do what Bob wanted, so he got mad at me. He grabbed me very roughly.”

“What was it you refused to do?” He pressed.

“Why are you interrogating me?” She countered.

Rob heard the phone ringing. He waited to see if Paula was going to get it. She did. He had to get to the bottom of this whole issue with Linda. He had to find out why she suddenly was willing to leave Bob after years. There was more to this story than she or Terry either one was telling and he had to find out what it was.

“Linda,” he stated, “I have to think of my family first. I have to know what’s going on before I drag them any deeper into this.”

“Rob,” Paula opened the door, “Bessie’s on the phone. Bob’s there.”

“Damn!” Rob jumped up and grabbed the phone, “Bessie?! Are you OK? Where is he?”

“Yes,” she sounded nervous, “I’m OK. He’s sitting in his car in my drive. I didn’t answer the door when he knocked. I’m trying to stay away from windows so he won’t know for sure I’m here.”

“Good girl!” Rob encouraged, “Stay somewhere away from windows and doors. Like the bathroom. I’m on my way, Bessie.”

“Paula,” he ordered as he headed to their bedroom, “Call Dutch, tell him I need him and Terry both at Bessie’s house now. Tell him Bob’s there.”

Paula ran to the phone and started dialing. Rob went to the walk-in closet. He felt around under his stack of old jeans. There it was. He pulled out his Colt .45 semi-automatic. He reached under another stack of old clothes and found the clip, fully loaded. He slid the clip in his pocket and walked out.

Paula met him on the stairs. She saw the pistol in his hand and went white. No time to discuss this now. He had to go get Bessie out of there.

“Rob,” Paula gasped, “Please!”

“Did you get hold of Dutch?” He asked, going past her and toward the front door.

“He and Terry are on their way,” she reported, “Wait, Rob.”

He stopped at the door and looked back at her. She ran over to him and wrapped her arms around him. He hated scaring her like this. He didn’t have time to stand here and reassure her though. Bob could have broken in by now and be doing God knows what to Bessie.

“Just stay here, Paula,” he instructed, holding her, “You know where the rifles are and you know how to use them. Don’t hesitate, you hear me?”

“Be careful, Rob,” she begged.

“I’ll be fine,” he reached down and kissed her. Those soft sweet lips that could make him forget everything else in the world. He had to get going.

“Do you want me to call the sheriff?” Paula offered.

He saw Linda standing by, watching in silence, “No, Paula. Let us handle this.”

With that, he turned and headed for his truck. He tossed the gun in the passenger seat and took off as fast as he dared drive down the lane.

He slowed the truck down as he approached the little farmhouse. Bob’s car was in the drive, but there was no one in the car. He saw Terry’s truck and Dutch’s Harley approaching from the other direction. They all pulled in one right after another.

Rob grabbed his gun and slapped the clip in, flipping off the safety. Terry hopped out of his truck, holding his .38. Dutch took his helmet off, and pulled a 9mm semi-automatic from his belt, popping the clip in.

“No sign?” Dutch asked.

“Terry,” Rob instructed, “You go see if you can get in and check on Bessie. Dutch, take the east, I’ll take the west. We’ll come around and meet. Just don’t shoot me.”

“I won’t shoot you,” Dutch grinned, “If you don’t shoot me.”

Terry went to the door and started knocking and calling for Bessie. Dutch went around one side of the house and Rob took the other. He could hear his heart pounding in his ears. He took a deep breath. He needed a steady hand and clear mind. The last thing he needed to do was blow a hole in Dutch. He could hear movement in the house. Instinctively he ducked below the windows as he passed them. If Bob had made it in, he didn’t want to be an easy target.

Just as he came to the corner, he heard Dutch’s voice, “Put it down, Bob!”

Rob took another deep breath and jumped around the corner, hoping Dutch wouldn’t blow him away. Bob was standing on the back steps, a tire iron in his hands. He was above both of them, but Dutch had his gun leveled at him and he looked all business.

“You’d better do what he says, Bob,” Rob advised, aiming his pistol, “You might get a swing at one of us, but you can’t get us both.”

Bob let it drop and put his hands in the air. Rob could smell the beer on him from where he was standing. He must have downed a whole six pack to get up the courage for this maneuver.

“Now,” Dutch instructed, “Step down from there nice and slow. Don’t do anything stupid and no one will get hurt.”

Bob was obviously shaken. He stepped down slowly, a bit unsteady from either the beer or nerves. He seemed shocked they were there. Rob wondered how he could have missed hearing two diesel pickups and a Harley Davidson driving up. Maybe it was a twelve pack.

“That’s good,” Dutch praised, “Now, kiss the ground.”

Rob bit his lip. Dutch had been watching too many cop movies. Bob, luckily, had watched the same ones. He got on his hands and knees, rather awkwardly, and Dutch gave him a boot in the rear to convince him to go down the rest of the way.

“Good work,” Rob told him.

Dutch tucked his gun in his belt, “Not done yet. You got him?”

“Got him,” Rob nodded and watched as Dutch pulled a pair of handcuffs from his back pocket and slapped them on Bob like he’d done it a million times.

Rob raised a brow at him, “Handcuffs? You have handcuffs?”

“Don’t ask,” Dutch chuckled, then grabbed Bob’s arm and lifted him up like a limp rag, “And you’d better not act up, or I’ll lose the key.”

“Take him round the front,” Rob ordered, “I’ll find Terry and Bessie.”

Rob knocked on the back door, “Terry? You in there, Bro? We got him.”

“About time,” Terry opened the back door, “We were about to start another game of cards in here.”

“Bessie OK?” Rob flipped the safety on and tucked his gun in the back of his pants.

“A little shaken,” Terry reported, “But OK otherwise.”

Rob walked in and met Bessie in the hall, “You all right, Sweetheart?”

“Yes,” she hugged him, “My hero again! Thank you for coming. I should have listened to you and stayed at your house, I guess.”

“Well,” Rob told her, “We’ve got him now, but I think it’d be better if you came over anyway. Why don’t you pack what you need and I’ll have Terry take you on over, OK?”

“No argument this time,” she went to her bedroom, “I’ll do whatever you say from now on.”

“Help her, Terry,” Rob requested, “I’m going back out to settle things up.”

Bob was lying across the hood of his own car, still handcuffed. Dutch was leaning nearby, gun in hand.

“Well, Dutch,” Rob contemplated, “Seems to me Bob’s in need of that escort you mentioned earlier.”

“Aren’t you going to call the sheriff on me?” Bob whimpered.

Dutch grinned, “Around here, we don’t worry the sheriff over little matters like this. We handle it ourselves. I already put a call in on my way over, Rob. Shouldn’t be too long before the cavalry arrives.”

“OK,” Rob agreed, “I’m sending Terry back to my place with Bessie. I’d better call Paula and tell her I’m OK or she’ll freak out when she sees his truck.”

“Go ahead,” Dutch assured, “I got this under control.”

Rob went in the front door and picked up the phone in the kitchen. He dialed and it barely rang before Paula got it.

“Hello?” She answered, terror in her voice.

“Hey, Baby,” he greeted, “It’s OK. It’s me.”

“Are you all right?” She asked.

“I’m fine,” he assured, “We’re all fine. I’m sending Bessie over with Terry. We’ll put her in the apartment for the week, OK? I’ll feel better if she’s there.”

“OK,” Paula agreed, “Why aren’t you bringing her?”

“I’m staying here with Dutch to tie up some loose ends,” Rob explained, “I didn’t want you to panic when Terry drove up.”

“What happened?” She questioned.

He had to smile. She wanted to know it all and know it now, of course. Well, it would have to wait, “I’ll tell you all about it later, Sweetheart. I’ll be home as soon as I can. I’m going to let Dutch call Chelsea now. I’m sure she’s worried too.”

“OK,” Paula sighed, “I love you.”

“I love you too, Baby.”

Rob went back outside, “Do you want to call your wife now?”

“Already did,” he grinned, “That’s what cell phones are for.”

“Shall we lock up?” Terry came out.

“We will,” Rob told him, “Leave it now in case we need in.”

“We’re on our way, then,” Terry threw Bessie’s suitcase in his truck, “I’ll stay there until you get back.”

“Thanks,” Rob nodded.

It was about twenty minutes later when Bob started fidgeting and squirming. Rob and Dutch grinned at each other.

“What’s wrong there, Bob?” Dutch asked.

“I need to take a leak,” Bob whined.

“You should’ve thought of that before you drank so much beer,” Rob chuckled, “What do you think, Dutch, should we let him go?”

Dutch reached over and yanked him off the hood, “I ain’t taking the cuffs off and if you try anything, I’ll see to it you never need to take a leak again, got it?”

That’s when the thunder started rumbling down the road, getting louder by the second. Rob looked up to see at least a dozen Harleys approaching, some of them with extra riders. He glanced at Bob and chuckled. He didn’t need to take a leak anymore.

The bikes all swarmed in like locusts in a cloud of dust. The rumble died away as they parked one by one. They started getting off, hanging their helmets up and Rob noticed several of them wearing holsters with pistols in them. Rob was very glad these guys were on his side.

“Hey, Dutchy!” One of the largest of the men, in typical biker leather came up, “Still need that escort?”

“Sure do, Davey,” he clasped his hand, “This guy needs to go to Wichita. He’s got an auto parts store there he needs to run, but he’s having trouble finding his way home.”

“Not a problem,” Davey assured, “I got some good buddies in Wichita. Bet they know his store, whatcha bet?”

“If they don’t,” Dutch grinned, “They will.”

“Hey, Rob,” a vaguely familiar voice greeted.

He turned to see another huge man, with a Fu Manchu. Jake. Paula’s friend from the bar. Just who he wanted to be indebted to.

“Hello, Jake,” Rob extended his hand, “Thanks for coming.”

“Not a problem,” he smiled, “Tell that pretty wife of yours I said hi, will you?”

“Sure,” Rob nodded. Maybe it would at least get him out of the doghouse over Mary.

“OK, Bob,” Dutch turned to him, “Now, you can behave and ride in the backseat with one of these fine gentlemen, or you can act up and they’ll throw you in the trunk. If you’re lucky, they’ll shoot you an air hole before they put you in. Got it?”

Bob nodded. He looked like he was about to throw up. Davey took Bob by the arm and tossed him easily into the backseat. A smaller man who looked wiry and tough came up and jumped in next to him.

“I’ll drive,” Davey told them, “Keys in it?”

“Here,” Dutch gave them to him, “And here’s the keys to the cuffs. I want ‘em back. Take him to his front door so you know where he lives. Rob, what’s the name of his store?”

“Bob’s,” Rob chuckled, “He’s real creative.”

“Make sure your friends know where to keep an eye out for him,” Dutch instructed, then reached in his wallet and handed Davey some bills, “This should help cover it.”

Rob reached for his wallet and pulled out three one hundred dollar bills, as well, “Here, make sure everyone knows we appreciate it.”

Davey took the money and nodded, “Always willing to help a friend. You need anything else, you let us know. Come on Jake, you ride shotgun with me. Boys, take us to the state line, then half of you can turn back.”

~*~

As Rob turned down the lane, he realized how hungry he was. He looked at the dash clock, almost 7:30. No wonder he was hungry. Paula would have something to feed him. She always cooked when she was nervous.

He got out and tucked the pistol in the back of his pants again. Paula came running out the front door and flying down the steps to meet him. He smiled and opened his arms. She hit him so hard it jarred him and he lifted her off the ground. Nothing felt better than Paula in his arms. All the rest was icing on the cake.

“It’s OK, Honey,” he told her, “I’m home and it’s all taken care of now.”

“You must be starving,” she stepped back, “Let’s go feed you and you can tell us all about it.”

He gave them a somewhat sanitized version, since the boys were listening along with everyone else, and he ate his dinner as he talked. Terry had told them what he knew, which really wasn’t much, since he’d been sent inside to get Bessie at the first. He had mentioned guns and handcuffs, though, so Rob wasn’t able to edit that part out.

“So where did Dutch get handcuffs?” Jason asked.

“I don’t know,” Rob was honest, “I don’t think I want to know, Jason. Some things are just better left alone.”

“Dutch is a tough dude, isn’t he Dad?” Keith seemed a little over impressed.

“No tougher than Dad,” Jason jumped in, “Or Uncle Terry. They had guns too, you know.”

“Mitch is tough, too,” Kevin reminded, “He’ll be disappointed he missed all the action.”

“Boys,” Rob silenced them, “Guns don’t make men tough. You know that. And if they’re not handled right, they can make the wrong people dead real quick. We all just did what we had to do. Mitch was lucky to have been gone before it all happened. And if by any chance he or Jenny calls, we are not telling them. It can wait until they get home.”

“Yes, Sir,” the boys all agreed together.

“Now,” Rob turned, “Bessie, let’s get you settled in, shall we?”

Terry left, after spending more time talking to Linda than Rob liked to see. He was going to have to address this, and soon. They got Bessie settled in the apartment and Rob left Panyon with her as a precautionary measure. Bill and Hazel went to their quarters much later than usual. The boys finally settled down enough to get them into bed.

Rob decided he needed a shower before he went to bed. It had been a long, hot, exhausting day. He was just about to invite Paula to join him, when she said she wanted to go talk to Linda for a few minutes. So be it; he went into the shower alone. There was always the off chance she’d decide to surprise him while he was in there. He looked down at himself. After 13 years of marriage, still that simple thought made him come to full attention.

He chuckled to himself. Back in the days when he worked at the architectural firm, the other men used to complain about their wives. None of them were happy or satisfied. Several of them had affairs. Their wives just weren’t like Paula. Even when she was mad at him…or when he was mad at her…she still turned him on like a switch.

He finished with his shower and stepped out to dry off. The mirror was steamed up. He opened the door and felt a rush of cool air. The bedroom light was off. That meant one of two things: Either Paula had slipped on some sexy nightgown and was waiting for him in bed, or she was ticked off and had her back turned to him. He sighed. He’d know soon enough. The way the day had gone so far, it was probably the latter. If she and Linda had been talking, she probably was lumping him in with all the bad men in the world about now. He never had gotten a chance to clear up the issue of Mary.

He reached over to grab his underwear. They weren’t there. He would have sworn he grabbed a pair and brought them in with him. He grinned. Maybe Paula wasn’t mad after all. He flipped the bathroom light off and went out to the bed. He closed his eyes for a moment to let them adjust to the dark.

When he opened them, he could see Paula’s silhouette in the bed. She was facing him, on her side, propped up with her head resting on a one hand. After the day he’d had, he wanted to pounce on her and just wipe the slate clean. Not a good idea, he thought.

“Looking for something?” She purred.

“Mmm,” he put his hands on his hips and stood looking down at her, “You been here long?”

“Long enough,” she teased.

“Did you see anyone sneak into the bathroom and take my underwear?”

“Maybe,” she was using that low seductive voice that drove him wild.

“Maybe, huh?” He pulled back the covers and crawled in next to her. Instead of a sexy nightie, she was completely bare. Even better. “I see someone stole your clothes too.”

“It’s OK,” she reached over and put her hand into his long damp hair, “I wasn’t planning on using them for a while.”

“You mean you don’t want me to go looking for the culprit?” He teased, running his hand down her side and resting it on her hip. Soft. She was so soft. Her skin felt like silk to his callused hands.

“You’ve chased enough bad guys today,” she told him, touching his face now, “Time for you to take a break.”

“A break, huh?” He grinned. That hand on his face made shivers go all through him. If he didn’t take her soon, he was going to explode.

“Rob,” her voice went in an instant from sultry and seductive to innocent and childlike, “I love you so much. Would you just hold me for a few minutes?”

He melted, “Come here, Baby. I love you too, Honey…I’m sorry. I know I scared you today…and I hurt you, too. I didn’t mean to…I love you, Sweetheart.”

When she curled into his arms like that, they were almost closer than when they made love. She draped one of those long legs across him and rested her head on his chest. He felt a tear fall onto him. It almost killed him when she cried. Paula rarely cried. He had never seen her cry from physical pain…and he’d seen her endure quite a bit of that. She was not the kind of woman who cried at weddings and funerals and mushy movies. When she cried, she was really hurting or very afraid.

“Hey,” he pulled her closer, “It’s OK. Why are you crying?”

“Rob,” she whispered, “I could’ve lost you today. Don’t do that again, please. Let someone else play the hero.”

“Shh,” he comforted, “I’m here and I’m OK. No one got hurt. I just did what I had to do, Honey.”

She raised up and looked down into his eyes, “Rob, I know we need to talk about this. I know this is just the beginning and we’ve got to sort this out and be sure we’re on the same page. I know this could all get really ugly before it’s over…But I don’t want to talk about it tonight, OK?”

“OK,” he reached up and gently brushed a tear from her cheek. He didn’t want to talk right now, either. “What do you want, Baby?”

She brushed her lips softly across his, “Make love to me, Rob.”

Those were the words he lived to hear. She never had to make that request twice. When Paula said that to him, the house could be burning down around them and he didn’t care. He reached up and pulled her back down into a kiss and gratefully obliged her request.