In Dire Straits by Terry Odell

Author:Terry Odell [Odell, Terry]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781539180166
Google: 3QhnvgAACAAJ
Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform
Published: 2016-10-12T04:00:00+00:00

Tim came into the kitchen with Abigail’s empty bottle. Tanya wasn’t around, nor was her car. Shopping, perhaps? No matter. He was fully capable of washing a calf’s bottle. What was slightly more disconcerting was the lack of cooking aromas, but they’d finished breakfast less than an hour ago. He had faith lunch would be on time. Tanya never missed a meal.

After washing the bottle, he set it in the draining rack and went outside.

Derek had assigned him tack room duty, which meant he’d be stuck indoors for the rest of the afternoon. He detoured toward the paddock to check on the string, get a little fresh air before he started. When Rebecca’s Subaru sped along the road in a cloud of dust and gravel, he waited. Had she forgotten something she needed for class? When she showed no signs of slowing, he backed over to the edge of the road—he didn’t need to be sprayed in dust.

If she saw him, she gave no signs.

Was something wrong? He was in his pickup headed down the road less than a minute later. He could say he needed to confirm the window dimensions. Of course, having a tape measure would help. Or he could say he thought he’d left it at the house the other night.

Or you could tell her the truth. You were worried.

He parked alongside her Subaru. The front door hung open. So, she came back to grab whatever she’d forgotten and leave.

He hiked himself up the porch steps and knocked on the door jamb. “Rebecca?”

No answer.

He tried again, calling louder. Still no answer.

He moved inside. Called again. Sounds came from one of the bedrooms. He headed in that direction. Three doors closed, one open. That’s the one he homed in on, pausing outside the doorway. An open suitcase lay on the bed.

Rebecca emerged from the closet with an armful of clothing. She dumped it into the case, then went to the dresser and yanked the top drawer open.

“Rebecca?” Tim stepped into the room. “What happened? What are you doing?”

She spun to face him, her curls bouncing. “Leaving. Go away.”

The despair in her voice sliced his heart. The tears spilling down her cheeks undid him. He crossed the room to her side, grasped her hands, gripping tighter when she tried to pull away. “Talk to me, Rebecca. Did something happen at the school?”

This time, she jerked her hands away hard enough so he let go. “It’s personal. Now leave me alone. Please.”

“’Fraid not, Rebecca. You were working so hard. Why would you leave now? Let me help.”

Her eyes flashed into the more-blue-than-hazel zone. She went to the dresser and yanked open the middle drawer, removing a stack of t-shirts. “I don’t need your help.”

He took the clothes from her, put them in the drawer. She—almost absently, he thought—took them out again. He put them back. Her movements were slow, zombie-like. As if she’d forgotten what she’d come here to do.

Gently, Tim turned her to face him. He thumbed a wayward tear from her cheek.

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