Twilight by Kristen Heitzmann

Author:Kristen Heitzmann
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Tags: ebook
Publisher: Baker Publishing Group
Published: 2002-06-27T16:00:00+00:00

13

FOR WHAT IS YOUR LIFE? IT IS EVEN A

VAPOUR, THAT APPEARETH FOR A LITTLE TIME,

AND THEN VANISHETH AWAY.

James 4:14 KJV

CAL STEPPED GINGERLY TOWARD THE HOUSE, careful not to stumble or trip. A sound caught him up short, and he tensed. He was pretty worthless with his right arm out of commission, but he wouldn’t be taken by surprise again. He reached the outside stairs just as a light blared on and Mildred pulled open the door, shotgun primed.

“It’s me, Mildred!”

“What’s all the noise? You’re staggering like a drunk.”

Even sober. And Mildred didn’t mince her words.

“I met with a bat.”

“What kind?”

“The baseball kind.”

She lowered the gun. “You can’t stay away from trouble to save your life.”

“I didn’t look for it. It found me.”

He yelled when she grabbed his arm and pulled him inside.

“Where’s the damage?”

“About where you’re gripping.”

Cissy shuffled up, gasping when Mildred pulled his shirt open to reveal the purple welts and swelling joint. “Oh my.” Her hands flew to her mouth. “Oh my.”

Mildred scowled. “Get an ice pack, Cissy, and stop ‘oh my-ing.’ It’s probably not as bad as it looks.”

“It’s as bad as it feels.” He submitted to Mildred’s inspection and probing.

Cissy rushed back with a blue plastic bag. He jumped when Mildred applied it.

“It’s a gel pack. Doc Klein gave it to me for my knee when it swells.” She shifted the pack on his shoulder.

“I’ll take it from here, Mildred.” He stood up, holding the pack in place.

“Did you get a look at him?” Mildred eased the shirt over the ice.

“He was masked.”

“Figures.” Mildred looked like that was his fault. “Likely took you for a prowler out tramping the woods in the dark.”

Cal knew better. Only one person would warn him off of Laurie. “Thanks for the ice.”

“You better have that looked at.”

He nodded and Annie jumped up. “Come on, girl.”

“Who would want to hurt him?” Cissy whispered as Cal climbed the inside stairs. He didn’t hear Mildred’s words, but he could imagine her reply.

He sank onto his bed, still holding the ice in place. It did little to alleviate the pain, but if it kept the swelling down, the healing would go better. What was going on? If he hadn’t been so riled by his conversation with Rita, he might have paid better attention. Then again, he might not have. He wasn’t used to looking over his shoulder. Was Laurie? If so, she hadn’t admitted it. She’d been single-mindedly evasive. Was he a pawn in some game she played with her senator’s-son ex-husband? Or was she in more trouble than he knew?

He considered the facts. One, the black Firebird running him off the road after seeing her broken window. Two, the phone call after Laurie’s trip to the station. And now strike three. Was it her presence at the poker game last night? Had someone watched them? Out in the sticks he didn’t worry too much about closing the curtains. And he had come on to Laurie, though it hadn’t been his intention. Brian would have caught an eyeful in those moments after the others left.

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